#and more “i have been in council meetings all day and im going to collapse can you plz polish my armor for me so i can sleep”

[ethan-acfan]

I love writing merlin and arthur as less *servant and king* and more *two best friends who do a lot of favors for eachother* just because I feel like after spending 10 YEARS with the same guy every day, the formalities would just kinda slowly fall away and now their just two doofuses who show their love in opposite ways so it balances out

[kyber-queen]

Like Real People Do (Rex x Reader) Pt. 5

Summary: Jedi!reader and Rex fall in love but are separated by the war. They meet again two years later, weeks before the Siege of Mandalore. This chapter takes place three weeks after the last one. Lotsa fluff, Rex n reader are in LOVE, more Rex cuddles bc its what we deserve, enjoy the seratonin bc its gonna get real sad real fast next chapter. 

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 1.3k

Warnings: Mentions of family planning??, some heated smooches in the supply closet

Author’s Note: You guys,,, this is the last happy chapter im going to sob TWO MORE CHAPTERS LEFT 

Previous | Next

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For the last three weeks since that whiskey-fueled evening in your quarters, you spent the night in Rex’s arms. With gentle touches and whispered words, you slowly but surely built back the bridge between you that time had razed. The swan song of the Clone War could be heard from a distance—more and more, your thoughts centered around your future. Rex’s future.

Your eyes fluttered open, only to be met with Rex’s honeyed gaze.

“Good morning, cyar’ika,”.

You hummed a lazy greeting, stretching out your bare limbs. Rex was warm, and your original plan for getting out of bed was discarded. Meetings and paperwork could wait—you savored these early morning moments more than Rex could possibly know.

“Good morning, my love,”.

You pulled him into a slow, saccharine-sweet kiss. He smiled into your lips, and you giggled as he pulled back to press a quick peck to the tip of your nose.

“You going soft, Captain?” you questioned with mock disdain.

“Only for you,”.

You rolled your eyes at his sappy answer and collapsed back onto his chest. The air around you stilled—Rex’s heartbeat was steady against your cheek as you allowed yourself just a few more minutes of respite.

Rex’s voice rumbled through his chest, still rough from sleep.

“I’ve been thinking, cyare,”.

“Hmm?”

“About Naboo,”.

Realization crossed your features, and you propped yourself up on Rex’s chest to meet his gaze.

“What about it?”

“Well, it seems like every day, we get closer and closer to ending this war. I want to be with you when it’s all over,”.

“Me too, Rex,”.

Rex’s features relaxed, his thumb tracing a steady circle around the small of your back as he mulled over his words.

“The house on Naboo—I want a window with a view. So I can see out into the fields, keep an eye on the kids when they play outdoors. Oh, and a table, too. A big one, so when my brothers visit, there’s always room,”.

You smiled at this, sliding your hand up Rex’s chest to rest against his cheek.

“We’ll have all that and more, I promise. You deserve it,”.

Rex had earned his happy ending. After two years of war, maker knows you did, too. A flash of guilt crossed your mind—you had yet to tell Master Windu or Master Secura of your plans to leave the order. The prospect of leaving behind everything you’d ever known should have frightened you more than it did. Aside from the subtle nagging of your conscience, you were strangely calm. As much as you loved the Jedi order, you loved Rex more.

He kissed you gently. As the two of you prepared for the day ahead, your future rose before you, bright and shining.

***

Your morning was one of the busiest you’d had in a while. Rex was quickly whisked off by his fellow troopers—Commander Tano had returned, on urgent business, and the 501st was playing the role of welcoming committee. You smiled to yourself. Tano’s name had come up frequently when Rex talked about his past two years with the 501st. The two clearly had a strong bond, and Rex had explained to you how painful it was for the entire battalion when she left the Jedi order.

While Rex prepared his men, you had already spent two hours filing equipment damage reports for the council. Your fingers ached from typing on your datapad, and your vision swam. Filing damage reports was about the dullest job you could have chosen to complete, but Skywalker was infamous for pawning off filing duty on a low-ranking officer or shiny. At least if you completed them, they’d be done right. Your consciousness was just beginning to slip when your commlink lit up.

“Commander, we need you in the hangar, immediately,” General Skywalker’s voice reverberated through the small room. Sensing a break from the tedium, you made your way to the hangar double-time, barely remembering to close the filing room doors.

The hangar was filled with armored men, painted with Tano’s markings. You smiled—Rex had clearly made it his mission to give the former Jedi a warm welcome. Kenobi’s voice rumbed to your left. Skywalker, Tano, and Kenobi had clustered in the center of the hangar, clearly discussing something important.

You cleared your throat.

“You wanted to see me, General?”

Skywalker turned, relief flooding his features.

“Yes, actually. Rex and Ahsoka will be leading an emergency mission on Mandalore. I’ve promoted Rex to Commander, so he’ll take the lead, and Ahsoka will be acting as a civilian advisor. I’m sending them with as many members of the 501st as I can spare. As a member of the council, you technically do not need council approval to accompany them to Mandalore. While on Mandalore, you would not be acting as a representative of the council, and your rank would be demoted to Lieutenant Commander. It’s your choice—if you don’t accept, you’ll accompany me and General Kenobi to Coruscant—we leave immediately, Dooku is attacking the capitol.

You remembered your promise to Rex—the war was coming to its close, and you swore that you would be with him when it finally did.

“I’ll go to Mandalore,”.

Skywalker nodded to Kenobi, and turned back to you.

“Alright, then, it’s settled. May the force be with you,”.

“May the force be with you,”.

You turned to board the Venator. You made your way to the bridge, where you knew Rex would already be seated, probably checking over ammunitions inventory. He stood when he saw you, his lips twitching into a slight smile.

“Commander Rex, may I have a word?” The phony formality dripped from your tone, and Rex quickly dropped his datapad to accompany you into a less crowded hallway.

You yanked him into the first supply closet you saw, boxing him in against the closed door. Rex sucked in a breath at the sudden movement, and you giggled in response. Pressing up onto your tiptoes, you leaned in closer to Rex’s ear. Your breath was warm against his neck, and he shivered involuntarily.

“Congratulations on your promotion, Commander,”.

Rex’s hands attached to your waist like a magnet. He hoisted you off the ground with ease, settling you on top of a supply crate to your left. As soon as your ass hit the unforgiving metal, his lips were on yours.

You held on to his plastoid chest-plate for dear life, pulling him closer to you as he pressed his lips hard against yours. You gasped, and he pulled away for just a moment, chuckling to himself before attacking your neck with kisses.

“Rex,” you whispered. He ran his tongue over a dark mark he had sucked just above your pulse point.

“Need something, cyare?”

Before you could answer, Rex’s commlink buzzed. Ahsoka.

Fuck.

“Rex, where are you? We land in an hour, and I’d like to go over our strategies,”.

Rex pressed a finger to his lips, motioning for you to be quiet.

“Sorry, Commander. I’m on my way to the bridge, now,”.

“Are you alright? You sound like you’re breathing pretty heavily—are you sparring right now?”.

You grinned, holding in your giggle. Rex shot you a warning look before responding.

“I’m alright, just tired,”.

“Alright, then. Pick up some caf pills from the medbay on your way. Oh, and before I forget, if you see the Lieutenant Commander, tell them to meet us on the bridge,”.

“Yes, sir,”.

The commlink disconnected, and you let out a snort. Rex chuckled to himself, and helped you off the crate. He cleared his throat

“To be continued?”

You nodded. He pulled you close, and pressed a final kiss to your forehead before you both walked out the door.

********************************

Like Real People Do Taglist: @pinkiemme @callme-eds @porgnugget @obi-robi-kenobi

[a-libra-writes]

Unexpected - Tywin x Reader

Hey yall! Im really sick with a cold, so I haven’t been able to get to the Imagines +Alphabets Instead I’ll post this requested fic, and I’ve got two more fics in the queue for the next few days while I recover.

This wasn’t exactly as requested, but I really enjoyed writing it! 

Incoming: Fighter!Reader and Tywin having their meet cute and bond over being sick of other people’s shit. 

Every inch of her body protested as she untied the dirty shirt and slipped it down to her arms. A squire had helped her out of her armor and padded gambeson, and she put on a strong face for that, but upon reaching the maester’s tent she nearly collapsed.

There were voices and scattered chaos outside, but she held her dizzying head and tried to focus on the maester’s instructions. Her strong facade finally fell when he gently pressed his fingers to the ugly black and purple bruises forming on her chest. 

“Not broken,” The haggard man said. He looked as worn as the men she saw leaving his tent. 

She hissed and cursed, but had no energy left to flinch away. Thank the gods, she assumed the worst when that blow knocked out all the wind she had in her lungs and toppled her backwards. Damned Northmen. She threw herself to her feet soon enough, but the pain wrenched a scream from her everytime she cut through a foe.

The maester began cleaning a more pressing wound on her arm. It wasn’t her dominant hand, another stroke of luck. 

The gods give and take, she thought bitterly. The cut on her arm did not trouble her near as much, nor did the slice on her leg. She carelessly tore her breeches for the maester so he could wrap it. Her modesty wasn’t even crossing her mind.

Instead, she asked the maester, “Have you tended to my lord father, or seen him? He is of House Lydden, our standard has the badger.”

The maester’s weary eyes only looked up from his work for a moment. “I have not, my lady. House Lydden is not amongst my patients.”

The bitterness and anxiety began to creep up her stomach, touching at her throat, becoming an uncomfortable bile. Of course not. She was the one who broke formation, who left her father and their knights. 

I thought the old man could handle himself. I would only be gone a few minutes, then I’d return to him -- stupid, reckless girl --

She could still see the way her father’s arm snapped backwards, as if he were in front of her again. She still heard his scream echoing through his helmet, and the way his strong body crumpled back. She was able to lunge forward, fight off his attacker, but the real fight was leaving his side. She couldn’t stay and help him, cry over him, hold him. She had to keep moving, it’s what he always told her. 

He would teach her the sword, her lord father said, but she had to learn to be hard. Soft hands and soft hearts made for softer blows.

The maester must have noticed her stormy thoughts. The fatigue on his face lessened as he gave her a soft smile. “Your lord father is a known knight, and fine warrior, my lady. Doubtless you will find him when the camp gathers.”

She nodded, but the dark thoughts continued. Even if I do, what condition will he be in? That was his sword arm. He may never hold one again.

She should have been there to watch his back, and their men. She should have, but … 

Kevin Lannister led their host, nearly 10,000 men strong and composed of other houses, not just her own. When the chaos of battle reached its height, the neat formations began to break, and she noticed her commander was surrounded. Even if she had lost her own horse, she threw herself into the defense, allowing him to ride to safety. 

She did the right thing, she knew, but the anxiety still twisted at her. She asked the maester, “May I leave now?”

“You would do well to rest here, my lady. You should not be walking with that wound.”

“I can make it to my own tent and rest there,” She said stubbornly, even though she wasn’t sure where her house had set up their war tents. The maester was ready to protest, but a commotion outside pulled away both of their attentions.

There was the noise of horses and clinking armor outside the tent, not the sound of wounded men groaning as they were carried in. A squire opened the tent flap, and a tall, armored man entered. 

The maester instantly bowed his head. She followed his gesture after a brief moment of shock. “My lord.”

When she looked up, the squire was taking his helmet. She found his eyes in an instant, a striking green that only looked bolder against his fine gold armor and the splash of blood that dried on his cheek.

“I understand it was you, Lady Y/N of House Lydden, who came to my brother’s defense.”

“Yes, my lord,” She said. She’d heard him speak before, but that was to crowds of people, swaths of armored men. In such a small tent, in close proximity, she could hear just how deep and commanding his voice was. She was determined to keep her own steady.

“300 armored men, yet a stray soldier was the one jumping to the task. He wanted to know your name.”

Her mind scrambled for a response. “You spoke it true, my lord, and you have honored me with a visit. Might I ask why?”

While the unwounded and surviving soldiers outside the tent were already beginning to celebrate victory, their liege lord’s manner was steady. Take the fanciful armor away, and you would never guess he was returning from battle, save for an unmistakable glow in his eyes. She was sure that wasn’t just the candle light.

“Your father has relinquished his command to you. He was one of my strategists, so in his place, you will join the war council tonight.” 

A wave of emotion washed over her, slowly ebbing away the pain but bringing in a new motley of feelings. Regardless, she nodded. “I understand. I will serve well, my lord, as he did.”

Lord Tywin’s eyes glanced up her body. He turned to his squire. “Find her proper clothes before the evening sets in.” 

The young squire hastily opened the tent flap for him and bowed. “Yes, my lord.”

When they departed and the tent clothes, she felt her body sag on instinct. All the warmth seemed to have left the room, replacing it with a comforting chill. She released a breath and instantly regretted it, wincing at the pain in her ribs.

Then she winced again as she flinched. Gods be good, nearly her whole upper body was exposed in front of her lord paramount. She hastily tied her shirt back. The damage was done, but at least she could keep herself covered in front of the camp.

“It seems you cannot stay here even if I wish it,” The maester said. She had almost forgotten he was in the room. 

“I’ll return if my wounds take a turn for the worst, I promise. Thank you for your help.” Her promise felt silly as she uneasily stood on her bad leg. The pain began to dissipate as she walked, not because it felt any better, but because her mind was spinning, replaying the conversation. 

It had been a short talk, but she kept going over what he said, the way he stood, the way he looked at her -- well, she was just imagining that last part. She hastily pushed aside her exposure and focused on finding her house’s tents.

As was commanded, a set of fine clothes were brought to her tent, in addition to her set of newly cleaned armor. She raised her eyebrow at the dress - presumably, what she was expected to wear. She sighed and put it on. On one hand, it was irksome that she couldn’t wear a doublet and breeches, on the other, she was grateful to not have to don the armor. Her body was still aching from the morning battle, and a skirt was easier on her wounded leg.

The wartent was just as impressive as it was the last time she saw it. The canvas was a bold crimson that was lit up from the inside, making it glow in the night, with embroidered gold lions on the side. Tywin’s squire recognized her and allowed her inside with a courteous “good evening, Lady Lydden”.

As expected, several of the lords gathered at the table stared pointedly at her. Some recognized her, most didn’t, and it was Kevan Lannister crossing the room that quieted any protest. He offered his hand. “I owe you a great deal of thanks, Lady Lydden.”

“I was merely doing my duty, Ser Kevan.” The gratitude was unexpected, but welcome. Kevan led her to an empty seat, only two seats down from Lord Tywin, she realized. Was this truly her father’s seat? She ignored the other lord’s gazes, but she could feel how confused and indignant they were.

Lord Tywin began the discussion. Even after a heated battle, a victory, he would not rest. The young wolf had surprised him. She listened to the talks and strategies the men threw out, interjecting when she felt the need to provide her own knowledge. Some lords ignored her, others gave her pointed retorts. It seems only Ser Kevan was responding to her favorably, and she had yet to have a chance to respond to Lord Tywin, until now.

“We will need a smaller host to stay in the center, and go where is needed,” Ser Kevan said, pointing to a map and moving several figures. Banners of various houses were attached to small stone-carved knights, representing their forces.

“They will need to be swift riders, with a keen awareness. Whichever side begins to crack under pressure, they’ll be there to relieve it.” Lord Tywin said. He looked around the table, expectantly.

She met those green eyes as she leaned forward. Close as she was, it was as though she were speaking directly to him, not addressing an entire war council. “My lord, I have some of the finest riders at my command. I can lead two or three hundred of them -- the rest will replenish whichever hosts have lost the most men.”

There was a loud scoff behind her. She turned sharply, recognizing the source at once. Of course, Ser Amory Lorch. “It is so … refreshing to see enthusiasm in a … lady such as yourself, but such an important task should be left to one with experience.”

Lord Leo Lefford leaned back in his seat and adopted a tone that was better suited to addressing a child. “I agree. I was at the center of today’s battle, my lady. Surely you understand our soldiers will not be eager to obey your commands, no matter what they may be.”

“They will listen,” She retorted hotly, the pain in her wounds and worry for her father creating a bite in her voice. “My orders would be coming from our liege, Lord Tywin. To disobey me is to disobey him... Surely they understand that?”

The men around the table did not immediately respond, falling into an uncomfortable silence that made some of them shift in their seats. Ser Amory obviously wanted to argue, but now it was a matter of what their commander would say.

Her father taught her to meet men’s gazes, to not demure and look away. Her mother taught her to straighten her posture and keep herself tall, never shrink and simper, even if they tried to make her feel small. Their lessons helped her become who she was, and she looked upon Tywin Lannister’s green eyes again. 

Just like at the maester’s tent, the room felt smaller and warmer than it had moments ago. It was foolish to say time crawled, because it didn’t. She just breathed a little slower.

“Lady Y/N’s host will lead in the center. They’ll be supplied with the best mounts, after the vanguard has had their pick.” Lord Tywin said, and gestured to his brother. Ser Kevan placed a figurine with House Lydden’s banner, and just like that, any room for argument was over.

It would be unseemly to smirk and gloat, so she’d do it in the privacy of her tent, or perhaps when the next battle was over. For the next hour, her contributions were received with noticeably less ice, save for Ser Amory. She became engrossed in the meeting, not noticing how the man sitting just two seats away was taking note of the certainty in her voice and the strength of her conviction.

Some ladies flourished in court, some in marriage, some in solitude. It was obvious where this one’s talents lied.

She hadn’t even noticed how the hours passed, especially once wine was poured. The council was dismissed and Y/N tried to subtly finish off her cup. She didn’t get fine vintages like this often, and her aching ribs thanked her for the alcohol.

She set it down once she realized she was being watched. “Pardon, my lord. I don’t often have the luxury.”

“I imagine you’ll need it to sleep.” Tywin said. His goblet was still half-full, and she wondered if it was still his first cup. She hadn’t been paying attention. “Most men would’ve yielded from that wound.”

She touched her chest, feeling pain from just the brush of her fingers. “My ribs are not broken, my lord, and besides, I’ve never yielded to any man.”

“Is that so? I believe it.”

Why was there amusement in his voice - was she imagining it, and the way his eyes looked lighter? Why couldn’t she stop looking at them? Desperate to look at anything else, she realized the other lords had shuffled out of the tent, even Ser Kevan. The only one left was a servant clearing the table.

She stood from the war table and slid her chair in. It would hurt less to curtsy, but she wouldn’t do such a thing. Perhaps if she were leaving her lord paramount at a feast or gala, but this was her commander. She bowed her head and kept her posture rigid, ignoring the pain that shot up her spine. “I’ll speak with you at the next council, my lord.”

“That you will, and louder than tonight. The likes of Ser Amory and Lord Kenning are hard of hearing, and not half as clever as they think. They need a reminder of what I expect in this army.”

His flippant tone brought a slight smile to her face. “I’ll gladly speak loudly and slowly for them. Rest well, my lord.”

[carnalpleasure]

this one turned out way longer than i expected and it’s too long to post under a cut??? idk how tumblr works ok. but you finally get a lil taste of warlock!richard🔥😏 or would it be hawthorne!richard ?

anyways i think this ones pretty cute and im even more excited to go write the next part <3 thank u to everyone thats read this far 🥺 ILY

Light My Fire

The Warlock Council had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of their newest student. They’d planned to meet Richard bright and early that morning, but Michael insisted on letting him sleep in and rest up. So Ariel reluctantly postponed the meeting until all the classes were done for the day. And yet, they still were late to arrive. The master warlocks were quickly losing patience as they sat in their usual conference hall, once again debating on whether or not Richard even belonged there.

“Baldwin, you’re being naive,” John Henry said, his frustration evident in his voice. “The boy doesn’t possess any powers, he is being possessed,” he urged.

“How can you be so sure, John Henry?” Ariel interjected. “You said the same thing about Michael and look at what an asset he’s turned out to be.”

“I’m still not convinced on that one yet either,” John Henry muttered.

They had been debating this ever since Ariel received the tape from a frightened nurse at the clinic. She didn’t want anything to do with Richard anymore after seeing that footage, but she didn’t have the heart to turn him into the authorities since they couldn’t prove he was responsible either. Ariel and Baldwin only wanted to believe that the young boy was a powerful, promising warlock. While John Henry and Behold were less optimistic, believing it to be just a typical case of demonic possession.

Just as John Henry was taking out his pocket watch again to check the time, the tall arched door creaked open, echoing through the halls of the hallow room. Michael walked in first while Richard stood hesitantly in the doorway, his messy bangs partially hiding his face. Michael turned back to him, nodding for him to follow. “Come on,” he said softly, coaxing him in. The quiet brunette rushed to his side, like a shy little kid clinging to his mom’s leg in the grocery store.

“Richard! We’re so glad you made it! How was the trip?” Ariel perked up as soon as he saw the boys, quickly forgetting all about the argument. He walked right up to Richard, putting his hands on the boys shoulders and giving him the biggest, fakest smile the pissed off boy had ever seen. He quickly took a step back, pulling away from Ariel’s grip and giving him a look of pure hate and disgust. He hated this guy already. He was so arrogant, the way he talked, treating him like an old friend when he’d never met this man. But putting his hands on him? That irritated him more than anything.

Ariel was either oblivious to his anger, or he was ignoring it. But he moved right on without skipping a beat. “Well then, gentlemen. Shall we proceed with the first test?” He looked back at the other three warlocks, as if waiting for applause. His voice was rich with excitement as he returned to his seat at the table. He seemed overeager and it made Richard uncomfortable. He scooted closer to Michael, shooting him a nervous look. The anxiety was nearly radiating off him at this point.

Michael put his hands behind his back, like how he always stood when he was observing something of importance. But he had a different reason for it this time. He snapped his fingers to discreetly get Richard’s attention, signaling him to take his hand. The brunette reached for his hand right away and the boys locked fingers behind Michael’s back without the other warlocks ever noticing. It helped a bit, Richard’s heart rate started to slow and some of the tension melted away.

The four master warlocks were sat at the table like a panel of judges. They all remained straight faced and silent as Ariel took over, proceeding with the test. “Now Richard, since it is your first time using magic, we’ll start small. Today’s test will be a simple one. Any level one warlock can eventually master this.” As if on cue, Baldwin produced a single candle and set it on the center of the table. Michael let go of his hand then. He moved his hand to the small of Richard’s back and lightly nudged him forward.

“Pyrokinesis,” Ariel announced, “The ability to-“

“I know what it means,” Richard interrupted.

Ariel paused, his enthusiastic smile turning cold. This boy was testing his patience, although he’d never show it. Ariel was a master of masking his emotions. “Such a smart boy,” he said dryly. “Well then, let’s see if you can figure out how it’s done. Light the candle.”

Richard froze. That’s it? No directions? No magic spell? How the hell do you start a fire with nothing? He wanted to find out how just so he could burn this ridiculous place down.

Michael’s hand returned to Richard’s lower back, the small touch assuring him he was still right by his side. “Concentrate,” Michael’s tone was soft and soothing. “Think of the wick as someone that’s hurting you, think about how you would focus your rage towards that person, then direct it there.” Richard tried to listen to his words but he couldn’t focus on the candle, or on Michael. All he could feel was the pressure building. These four powerful men had all eyes on him, waiting for him to practically perform a miracle. His heart started to pound again, his hands shaking, feeling like his skin was crawling.

Without thinking, he turned around and ran for the door, stumbling into the hallway and trying to remember which direction they came from. Michael immediately went after him, “Hey, wait. Come here,” he pleaded, reaching out to grab him gently by the arm. Richard tried to shake him off and pull away but Michael grabbed him with both hands and pulled him into his chest where the brunette collapsed in his arms instantly. He buried his face in Michael’s chest trying to hide his shame. His burning red cheeks and watery eyes gave it away. Richard never cried unless it was tears of rage.

“I’m not like you, I can’t..” he grumbled into Michael’s chest. The blonde had his arms wrapped around him, running a hand through his soft brown hair soothing him almost instantly. “You’re just nervous,” Michael replied, his tone soft and forgiving. “Let me help you,” he whispered pleading, his lips brushing against Richard’s ear lightly as he spoke. Richard’s whole body started trembling at the sensation. Feeling the boy’s sudden reaction gave Michael an idea.

He ran his hand carefully up Richard’s chest to his neck, slowly letting his fingers wrap around the boy’s throat. Richard’s eyes went wide, completely taken by surprise as he felt Michael’s grip tighten, forcing him to look up at the blonde. The look on Michael’s face was seductive yet sinister as he leaned in, painfully slow, pressing their lips together and kissing Richard for the first time. Ever. Richard had never been kissed before by anyone and the brand new sensation sent sparks flying. Literally.

Every candle in the entire corridor burst into flames and the whole room was suddenly illuminated in a bright orange glow. The chandeliers started to swing violently and the hallway was filled with warmth. They pulled away from the kiss just in time to see that last of the light show. The candles flickered wildly and the last sounds of crackling fire echoed through the halls.

“Did you do that?” Richard asked, looking up at Michael in shock. He started to get angry, feeling like he’d just fallen for a trick. But the blonde shook his head, beaming with pride as he looked back at the boy. “No, baby. That was all you.”

A look of confusion crossed the brunettes face, his brows furrowing together as he took a moment to process what just happened. After a minute his eyes shot up to meet Michael’s gaze again. “How did you know it would work?” he asked.

Michael smiled, “Magic is a feeling. I just needed to make you feel something.”

Richard thought about that answer for a moment before reaching up to steal another kiss, surprising Michael yet again. Then he grabbed the boy by the hand and dragged him back into the meeting room where the Wizard Council had begun packing up their things for the day.

“You came back,” John Henry said dryly. “We were beginning to think you checked back into the clinic.” Michael wanted to burn the guy’s face off for even saying such a thing. He shot John Henry a look that was just short of demonic, it was a warning more than an intimidation.

“I can do it now,” Richard professed. His body was still buzzing from the kiss and he felt more sure of himself than ever. The only thing that could possibly feel as good as this, would be wiping the smug looks of their faces now.

“You’re late, we don’t have time-“ Baldwin started to shut him down but Ariel waved a hand, signaling him to be silent. “Let’s be fair now, Baldwin. Give the boy another shot. Why not.” Ariel sounded sarcastic and uninterested, as if he didn’t believe Richard.

“Really, Ariel? What’s the point?” John Henry asked, taking out the pack of cigarettes he always carried in his breast pocket. He put one to his lips, but before he could even reach for his lighter, the tip of the cigarette sparked, lighting up and glowing cherry red. It took John Henry by surprise and he inhaled too quickly, sucking in a harsh cloud of smoke and coughing.

The other warlocks all turned immediately to look at Richard, looks of shock and disbelief on their faces. It wasn’t as big as the display Michael had just witnessed in the hall, that’s for sure. But it definitely got the point across and got their attention. Ariel’s face lit up and a smile formed from ear to ear.

“That was excellent, Richard! You passed your first test!” he said with a laugh, his ego skyrocketing as his suspicions about the boy were affirmed. It was a small display of power, yes. But it was a sure indicator that the power was there. And that was all Ariel needed to know to officially induct him into the prestigious school.

“It’s settled then! Tomorrow morning. You’ll start attending classes with Michael right away. The two of you have a lot of studying to do.” He put a hand on each of the boy’s shoulders, giving them a tight squeeze and looking at both of them like a proud dad would stare into the eyes of his sons. It made Richard feel unsettled, and Michael feel adored.

He dismissed the meeting then, sending the boys back to their room to get plenty of rest for tomorrow’s next test. As soon as they were out in the hall, Michael snaked his arms around Richard’s waist, pulling the brunette in close for another kiss. Richard put his hands on the blonde’s face, running them up into his hair and grabbing a fistful of his blonde curls roughly. “Come on,” he mumbled between kisses, “let’s go make some magic.”

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[ask-de-writer]

SEA DRAGON’S GIFT : Part 39 of 83 : World of Sea

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SEA DRAGON’S GIFT

Part 39 of 83

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

140406 words

copyright 2020

written 2007

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form, physical, electronic or digital is prohibited without the express consent of the author.

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Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users   of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  They may   reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information   remains intact.  They may use the characters or original characters in   my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical   compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

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New to the story?  Read from the beginning.  PART 1 is here

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The next morning at breakfast, Captain Barad sent runners to awaken everybody for a General Assembly in the mess.  Some were still rubbing sleep from their eyes when Barad stood.

He was dressed as carefully as Tanlin had been able to arrange.  He paused dramatically and to collect his thoughts.  Barad was not used to explaining himself.

“All of you are wondering what could make us leave the Gathering in utter darkness and run without drums or lights as we have been doing.  If you look, you will see two empty places, one at the officer’s table and one down among the rest of you.

“We had a mutiny. Nobody tried to seize the ship.  We would have been far better off if they had.  The whole ship stands to be charged with the murder by intent of a person just declared a Naral fleet Resource.  Kurin Behar Longin was poisoned by some of our own, in direct violation of Standing Orders.

“Worse for us, she was not taken to the Longin.  She collapsed into the arms of Captain Sula and was taken to the sickbay of the Dark Dragon.

“Kurin was poisoned by Ord in her food.  The people of the Dark Dragon are experienced with Ord poisoning in all of its forms.  Ord was used as a weapon in the Boren Current Wars.  They surely know why and how Kurin died.

“We will all be hunted.  There is only one thing in our favor.  Sarfin the Wise is the head of the Captain’s Council.  He will see to it that each of you gets a fair trial, if we are caught.  Most of you should get off. I have Logged a true account of the poisoning in the hope that it will help you.

“I will go down under any legal outcome.  What my crew does as a crew, I am accountable for and nobody in the Naral fleet will believe that I had no hand in this.  All that I can do is try to get the killers punished and the rest of you free.

“I have arranged this much.  We will soon meet with the Fauline in her Spring waters and they will tell us the situation.  We can only trust them to a limited extent.  They owe us a hull-secured loan large enough to bankrupt them and force the Scattering of her crew.  

“If we are caught, this loan will revert to the fleet or become part of the prize for our capture.  Either way, they will have to pay it off, and they can’t.  Their freedom is only secure if we forgive the loan.  For that, they will give us the news that we need to choose a course of action.

“Any who wish to, except officers and the mutineers may take any of our boats, the supplies you need, and go.  If you do, Mecat, wisest and most dangerous of Dragons, guide you to safety.  I myself would flee but I must do my best to get the rest of you to safety first, regardless of cost.

“Do you all understand?”

A hand went up, “Thoris, Sir, Third Day Watch deck-hand.  The Lady Tanlin met us all as we came back from the Gathering and told us that we were in serious trouble.  Those who wished to go left then.  They were to stay in our booth until this morning.  We understand the situation and we are here for you, Sir.”

Another hand arose. “Question of clarification, Sir?”

“Darkistry, are you not?  Ask.  I want everyone here to realize the situation that we are in.”

“It’s about the Lady Tanlin, Sir.  What will she do?”

“I don’t know.  I have not yet asked her.  Tanlin?”

She stood up before the crew and turned to face him.  “Barad, m’ Ca’tain, t’ere’s only ane t’ing t’at Oi can do.”  She knelt to one knee and held out her hands, Arrakan style, side by side.  Surprised, he held out his hands the same way and clasped hers.

“Oi, Tanlin Miken Princamorn, now o’ t’e Grandalor alone …”  Oi ‘ave t’ be crazy but Oi won’t let ‘im be alone.  With little surprise Tanlin realized what she had known all along but not been fully aware of, Oi do luve ‘im.

When she was done, she stood proudly, facing the crew and held up a book.

“For t���ose o’ ye t’at cannae see t’e title, ‘t says Grandalor Adoption Registry.  Last night somet’ing wa’ given t’ m’. Ye were willin’ t’ stick yer ‘and int’ t’e Strong Skin’s jaws.  Ye ‘ave ‘eard t’e Ca’tain.  Now ye know t’at tis nae a Strong Skin, tis a Wing Ray an’ tis  ready t’ bite ye in twa. Do ye stand by t’e gift or take ‘t bock?

“Neither shame nor dis’onor’ll be yers i’ ye do take i’ bock.  Ye can leave wit’ any ot’ers ‘oo wish t’ go.  We want only t’ose ‘ere o’ t’eir ane free will.  I’ ye stay, ye may end wit’ an ‘onor guard o’ Iren’s Orcas t’ see ye t’ ’is deep halls.

“Oi plan t’ sign t’is book but ye were t’e forst an’ should sign forst i’ ye still want t’ do so.”

Darkistry stood and walked decisively to the officers table.  “Last night, we knew that murder had been done and the details, as bad as they are, have not changed our minds.  The Night Watches to me!”  She raised her hand and nearly a third of the ship’s company formed behind her.

“Captain Brad, Sir. There are two things needful to us.  You and the Lady.  As long as you lead us, we will support you.  Many of us were caught in some net of the law, and you had the faith to cut us a hole to escape.  We are yours.  If we can cut you a hole to escape as well, we will.  If we cannot, we will fight beside you all the way to Iren’s halls if we must.  We will not break faith with you who had faith in us.

“We voted this morning again after our watches were done and the result was the same.  All of you who will stand by the oath I give, raise your hands.”

The hands of the Night Watches shot up without hesitation.  Master Selked and First Officer Timms had their hands up with them.  Among the seated watchers of the Day Watches and shops, looks were exchanged hesitantly.

A small boy raised a hand before his mother could stop him.  He was hugging a paddle duck of canvas scraps and soft stuffing.  “Captain Barad, I have a question.  Do you mean that something bad happened to Kurin?”

Everybody watched as the Captain and his Lady came down from the officers table and crouched before the boy.  Gently he said, “I am afraid so.”

“She can’t make us any more toys?”  The boy began to cry.

“Arnat,” his mother, Lenai, a sail-lofter began, reaching to shush her child.  

Instead, Tanlin reached out and took him and held him close as the Captain said softly, “I don’t think that she will ever make toys for anyone but the children who’ve already been taken to Iren’s home beneath the sea — — I’m sorry.”

Between sniffles, the boy said, “I’ll go with you and Tanlin, Captain.”

“Thank you, Arnat. We need all the help we can get, to save you and all the rest.  It will be dangerous work,” Barad said seriously.  As he returned to the Officer’s table, Tanlin extricated herself from Arnat and joined Barad, saying to the crew, “Oi’m sorry for t’e interruption.  T’e kinder need t’ understand as muckle as t’ey can, t’.”

The hesitation was gone.  Almost everyone raised their hands.  Both the Captain and Tanlin were surprised at the response.  As Darkistry knelt, there was a rattling and scraping of benches as the crew got to their feet and then knelt as she did.

Loudly enough to be heard by all, Darkistry intoned, “Last night the Night watches swore this oath through me in the presence of the Lady Tanlin.  Now we swear it to the Captain and his Lady both, before you all as witnesses, and it will be binding on all who kneel with us.” Though not every hand had gone up, none were standing now.

She looked about and taking a deep breath began, “I, Darkistry Colm Grinna …” There was a babble as each person stated his or her name, then finished the oath,  little Arnat’s voice among them.

The Captain took Darkistry’s hands into the Arrakan grip, so that neither had a hand above the other.  “For my Lady, Tanlin, and myself, Captain Barad, I take your oath, your lives to be as safe in our hands as the Dragons allow.  You are adopted to this ship, not only signed on as crew, but given and freely taking its name.

“These hands are equal, I not higher, nor you lower.  Together, we are one ship. Stand with me.”  All those who had knelt stood, overwhelmed by what they had done.

The mess was filled with a babble of people discussing their newfound feelings of pride of ship and loyalty as they awaited their chance to sign the adoption registry.  Most were agreed that as recently as last Gathering, they would have stood by Barad, but never before to this extent.  Tanlin had provided a turning point not only for the Captain but the crew as well.

The Grandalor continued to follow the whims of the Three Dragons dice for the whole of that day and the next.  At last, with no sighting of an enemy, the Grandalor shaped her course for the Fauline’s Spring home water.

TO BE CONTINUED

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[constanzemachiavelli]

The Mercenary Band

Tanef was sitting calmly at the base of the tower keep, sharpening her swords with a whetstone she had found in the weapon's storage in the keep. Her breathing was sharp with signs of pain, due to her chest being hit by a war hammer. Somehow she and her other 4 companions had survived the siege and the assault, now resting and recovering from wounds, aside from Shirra, who was sent as a messenger to get reinforcements and save them from the siege. She, with Loth, their cleric, helped Thurn and especially Horn to heal, as they had taken most of the beating in the fight. There were 3 fresh graves outside the fort, for those 3 unfortunate companions that had fallen in the assault.

“You should rest too, Tanef,” Shirra had come down to see the elf.

Tanef kept sharpening her blade “I want to go to the town and shake those councilmen by their collars. How dare they condemn us to death!” She threw the stone away in anger, but then almost collapsed due to her injured chest.

“You are in no shape to take the 3 day journey south. Rest!” Shirra insisted and patted Tanef on her shoulder.

“Someone needs to repair the gate or stay on watch” Tanef resisted.

“Me and Loth can take care of it, don't you worry!”

“Fine” Tanef gave in and walked upstairs and layed down to rest.

After a few hours Tanef rose up again and went out in the courtyard once more, seeing Thurn woken  up from his rest and standing around, balancing himself on a walking stick.Tanef walked over to him.

“Your leg is hurt?” she asked

“And you can't breathe normally” he answered

“What do you suggest as our next course of action?” Tanef asked.

“I personally do not want to deal with the so called council anymore, the already double corssed us already during the siege, I do not wish to be betrayed once more by those corrupted asses!” he proclaimed.

Tanef shifted around and thought for a second: “You are right, we should avoid dealing with them, as they have already proved to be untrustworthy, but we are under a contract for the next 3 months, we cannot break it or else we might be declared triaitors. I suggest we go back to the town and get our reward for the task. If we want to survive in this dimension we must live by its rules.”

Thurn growled “Sure, do the bare minimum, I'm fine with that.”

They both stood by in silence for a while, until Thurn whispered “This isn't my home anymore.”

Tanef hugged Thurn over his back and reassuringly said “It's fine, don't worry about it. We can make a new home, that is if you want to.”

He growled again and stabbed the ground with the stick strongly and went inside once more. Tanef stood for a while, thinking about how to help Thurn with accepting that his home dimension is all but gone. After that she walked off to inspect the walls and defences, unable to do so before due to the siege.

After a few hours of slwoly surveying the surrondings, Tanef went back to the fortress, to its tower keep, and saw everyone already gathered together. Tanef joined them and started to talk.

“How is the gate doing?” she asked to Shirra

“One side is useless, but the other is still standing, we'll need a new gate if we want to keep the fort for ourselves. I'm also concerned about the food stocks, we only have enough for a few days left, we'll have to travel to a village or the town soon to get the supplies we require.” Shirra said.

“We need more drink!” Horhrug said.

“Alright, we'll sort that out soon, but first we have to get to the town and get our reward for holding the fort. We can gather the supplies along the way.” Tanef told everyone.

“Who will stay behind and guard the fort, though?” Shirra asked. “Do you plan to recruit from the villages?”

“That is an option, yes, but it might take a bit too long to make sure its properly defended, so I propose that only I will go, while the rest of you stay behind and protect the fort.” Tanef answered.

“Wouldn't that make us vulnerable without you? We'll be 2 people less in case of another siege!” Loth said worryingly. “You are also hurt, don't you need some help with you?”

“We need to take our chances regardless, we will starve to death before we can leave the fort, and who know what those spineless bastards might do if we dont come in timely fashion, the lives sacrificed here would have been spent for nothing!” Tanef said

“Whatever you say, captain...”” Shirra said.

“So it's been decided, tomorrow morning I depart for Amelgalia.” tanef said, stood up and headed out.

“Where are you going?” asked Thurn

“I need some fresh air, that's all.” Tanef answered.

Next morning she went out before the sun was up.

She loved the night's sky the most, as it had the most going on. It had stars, moons and other objects she just couldn't find a name for. And sometimes something shot past or appeared for a few moments. The day sky she also adored, the fluffy forms of the clouds and the sun itself. She still hadn't seen a sun setting or rising, and she forgot to do so again this morning, too enchanted by the shifting tones of the sky as the morning came. Living almost all of her life underground had stolen her the joys of what a sky is.

But she also had to keep to her goal, getting to Amelgalia. She made sure to pack everything she needed, that is, food and a few essential things like flint and steel for firemaking and bandages, in case she got hurt. As well as her contract with the city, which she brought in case of needing a proof of her employment.

The trip to Amelgalia lasts one and a half days and she passed a village on her way there, before the night set. She decided to not push herself and find a place to camp for the night. The season seemed to be summer, as far as the subterranian upbringing told her, so she didn't see a reason to bring a tent or anything.

She decided to sleep on the trees, a pretty good hiding place in case of some bandits, and a perfect place to observe the stars from. Unfortunately she missed the sunset, again, so she made herself content with another night of star gazing, as she had done every evening so far. Before she knew it, she was asleep.

She woke up coughing, her chest hurting unbearably. She had overexhausted herself yesterday and now will have to go slower, maybe only reaching the city in the evening.

The sun was well up when she woke up, so she sighed in regret that she couldn't see the sunrise again, but onwards regardless, clutching her chest and resting on the road side to rest for a few moments.

Suddenly, she heard a noise that resembled a horse stamping the ground. She lookd to her left and safe a cart being pulled by a horse. She stood up and waved her arm towards th cart and waited for it to come closer. Soon, it came and stopped, its driver speaking down towards Tanef.

“Where do you want to go, stranger?” he asked.

“Amelgalia” Tanef responded.

“What business you got there?”

“I'm an adventurer and im heading to receive my reward from the council.”

The man scanned her body. “You do look like the sort. Are you by chance one of those mercenaries that occupy that fort up in the north?”

Tanef cackled. “I'm too young to throw my life away in such endavours.”

“How old are you then?” the man asked.

“Just 170 years old, not that much.”

The man looked with wide open eyes. “Alright then. Uh... do you require a ride to the city?”

“Of course” Tanef answered

She climbed in the cart and sat down, and the man cracked his whip and they rode onwards.

“So on what kind of adventure were you then? You don't really look like from here.” the man asked.

“Oh I come from far away lands, you could say not from this world, even. I was sent on far, far away quest by the council after an artefact, fought many monsters, got lost a few times and had to find my way back, you know, the usual adventuring stuff.” she told.

“From another world, eh? You are either a big liar, story teller or both.” the man replied.

“What if I am? I've told many lies to my comrades back when I still had any. I've told them stories that never took place, lied that I am some sort of... plane hopper, that I have seen the sky for hundreds of years, forced to hide my fascination with it in case I am found out to be a liar. Some nights I dream about... I mean dreamt about how much easier it would to slice their throats and find my way in the world by myself, without them stalling me.” Tanef said, coughing at the end.

The man dropped silent but then chuckled. “I didn't understand a single word from you, girl. You must have lived no more than 25 sumers, full of dreams and ambitions. Wait till you reach my age, then you will find a value in setting down, with friends... and maybe a partner. Did you run away from your home? No, you are dressed like some bandit, so maybe you are one! Maybe I should throw you out my cart, you filth. Better keep your mouth shut or you will get worse treatment than this!” The man spat out his words in anger.

“I'm sorry, I must have had something deep inside me that I needed to get out. I hope I didn't scare you too much” the man apologized after a small while.

Tanef remained silent and just looked at the surroundings while sitting in the empty cart.

After a few hours, the two reached a large fortified city, Amelgalia. Its walls were around 10 metres high and had several towers on them, protecting the insides of the city. There were some buildings outside the walls, though, mostly merchant booths and warehouses that wouldn't fit inside the city. The horse stopped and the old man spoke to Tanef.

“Well, this is it. We need to part now as I have business outside the walls. I wish you well on whatever you need to do here.” the man said.

“Thanks” Tanef muttered.

“Wait!” The man said as soon as Tanef started walking away. “What's your name?”

“Tanef.”

“Glad to meet you, Tanef. I am Kristoff!”

Tanef waved her arm as a goodbye and walked inside the city.

[taegijae-blog]

BREAKFAST DELIVERY 8

pairing: 2jae

genre: fluff, if you squint there’s angst

word count: 2k

description: the school’s hottest boy im jaebum wants to get a certain boy’s number.  but the first problem is: he’s unhappy and not eating.

status: completed

note: this was originally posted on wakaba’s wattpad @/jaeholics

| part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |

“Where’d you buy those jeans?”

Munch munch. Chew.

“Um.”

Chomp chomp.

“Yes?”

Youngjae looked over to the side, where Im Jaebum continued to persistently walk beside him. He swallowed down the mouthful of cookies he was chewing on, not bothering to wipe away the crumbs around his mouth. “Why are you still following me?”

And also talking to me, he wanted to ask.

“I’m going to the supermarket down this road. It just so happens that you also head this way to go home,” Jaebum said with a light shrug of his shoulders. While he walked alongside the younger, he made sure to close the space between them by a tiny bit. “But those jeans. I really like them.”

“…” Youngjae stared blankly at the path ahead of him, chewing on some more cookies. “I got them in Japan.”

“Oh. You went to Japan?” Jaebum said, mostly to himself as he nodded his chin slowly. “Do you like the cookies?”

Youngjae sort of paused his jaws from munching and glanced at him with an odd look. “Yeah… Why…?”

Ah—why’d you say that, you idiot?

“Oh, well—I mean, they look good from the way you’re eating them.” Jaebum tried grinning to make the suspicion leave his shoulders. Youngjae glared at him in doubt before glancing back to the road.

Jaebum sighed and started jogging out of nowhere. He was eager to go to the supermarket and pick out ingredients he’d use in order to cook something amazing for Youngjae. Feeling a bit too excited, he turned around and jogged backwards briefly.

“I actually just really like your legs, not the jeans!” he shouted with a wink before facing forward, sprinting to the market and out of sight.

Youngjae stood still in place, a few crumbs falling from his gaped mouth.

🍽

“Jinyoung.”

“What.”

“I need something.”

“What is it.”

“A thermos.”

“Why do you need a thermos??”

“Just because. Can you bring one over whenever you can?”

“When are you going to return it?”

“Once I get it back. Trust me, I’ll have it washed the day after tomorrow.”

“…Alright. You better not be doing anything stupid. I have high quality thermoses, got it?”

“Sure.”

Jaebum pressed the end call button and placed his phone down on the table. He stretched his arms and legs before rushing to his kitchen, tying on a blue apron with cute ducklings on it (a gift given by his mother which he refused to use).

He was ready for this.

🍽

All of his friends noticed Jaebum was unnaturally excited the next morning. They had no idea, of course, about the blood, sweat and tears Jaebum had invested in the afternoon before, cooking something that he guaranteed would taste fabulous.

His foot tapped against the floor endlessly throughout the first periods of the morning. He seemed to be hyper all day, in fact, because his arm shot up to answer the teacher’s questions and his pencil in hand moved at an unnatural speed. His teachers were shocked yet also proud to see the Im Jaebum like that for once.

Lunchtime.

Jaebum practically ran to his English classroom—he would’ve, but teachers were adamant about yelling at students to not run in the hallways—and almost ran straight into the closed door. His hand pulled on the doorknob but, to his horror, it wouldn’t budge.

The one time the teacher locked his classroom.

Jaebum slammed his head against the door in disappointment.

“I’ll hand it to him after school…” he murmured to himself as he walked to the cafeteria in defeat. “No, no… i have to make it anonymous. Then how do i do that…”

Jaebum was still muttering things to himself as he sat down at the usual table with his buddies Jinyoung and Jackson. The blonde was unhappy and pouting because Mark was absent, having caught the flu. He glanced over to where Youngjae usually sat at, only to see the two (weird) sophomores BamBam and Yugyeom. That was strange, since he had see Youngjae walking around the halls that morning.

“Jesus, Jackson, if you’re that worried then you should’ve skipped school with him.”

“Nooo… I promised to study well for him. And for my mom, too,” Jackson whined as he sobbed into his chicken. Jinyoung rolled his eyes and stood up from his seat, grabbing his backpack with him.

“Yo, where are you going?”

“A meeting with the student council,” Jinyoung said with an exhausted sigh. Jaebum rushed to open his backpack and took out a cloth bag with a thermos and container in it. He handed it to his friend and made puppy eyes at him.

“Can you hand this to Choi Youngjae if you see him? Please?”

Jinyoung squinted his eyes. “Why should I?”

“Because I’m going to treat you for a snack after school today.”

“Fine.” Jinyoung grunted and took the bag, annoyedly heading for the meeting room.

🍽

“Don’t you ever even think about touching her again!” the senior snarled, kicking the junior in the shin. He collapsed to the floor, staring at his feet silently. Jinyoung happened to be climbing up the stairs when he noticed that happening. He hid behind the corner and watched as things went on.

“I didn’t even mean to do it! She bumped into m-” his cry was cut off when he was kicked again, this time on the other shin. Both of his legs were pain as he clutched them, curling into a ball on the floor. The senior and the girl watching walked away from the scene, but not before the boy he spat on his face.

Youngjae was thoroughly disgusted at the senior and at himself for being uselessly weak.

jaybee

[jype]: come to 2nd floor hallway

[jype]: youngjaes injured.

Jinyoung shook his head slightly as he appeared from the corner and approached the boy in pain. Crouching down, he put down the bag right next to him and grabbed a tissue from his pockets to wipe away the spit on his face. Youngjae stared at him in disbelief, recognizing him as the emotionless friend of Im Jaebum.

When he started to leave, Youngjae rushed to try and stand on his feet. “W-wait-”

“I’m busy,” Jinyoung said simply, not bothering to turn back.

“I just… wanted to know if you’re the person who’s been leaving m-”

“I couldn’t care less,” Jinyoung interrupted, moving his head to the side so he could glare at the stumbling Youngjae. He soon went into a room, leaving the younger stunned silent.

“Youngjae!” someone rushing up the stairs called out. It was Jaebum with his backpack hanging on one shoulder, running to where the other was. Panting, he asked, “What happened to you? Are you okay?”

Youngjae’s expression was dazed but gradually turned into hurt. “Not really,” he murmured, trying to stand up but failing. Jaebum held onto his arm with one hand and the other onto his waist, helping him stand on his feet.

That touch felt so oddly familiar.

“I’ll take you to the infirmary.”

“No,” Youngjae refused, grabbing the bag that was left for him. “Somewhere without other people.”

“Right… okay,” Jaebum muttered under his breath, guiding the other as he attempted to walk a bit more. Seeing how painful it’d probably be for him to travel that many flight of stairs, Jaebum swooped him up by the legs and carried him in his arms.

Although Youngjae usually would’ve been against it, he only blushed lightly and stayed quiet.

Jinyoung, from the meeting room, was watching with an unimpressed look on his face.

Youngjae was back at home, where only he and his puppy Coco were present. He plopped down into a chair at the dining table and placed the bag down, peeking into its contents.

He took out a tall thermos and another small plastic container. The delicious scent hit him the moment he took them out the bag, making his mouth water in anticipation of the taste. He screwed off the lid of the thermos and was met with the sight of bright yellow ramen in red red broth. The plastic container contained bulgogi that seemed awfully homemade.

Yum.

As expected, there was also a note left in the bag. Youngjae pulled it out and read it with a growing smile.

make sure to warm up the meat before eating

He couldn’t help but squeal. This person, whoever it was, made him so happy on unimaginable levels. He quickly grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the kitchen drawers and dug into his ramen. Sighing in happiness with a mouthful of food, he played with the note in his free hand.

It was weird how he’d refuse to eat any food from anyone—no matter homemade or storebought—including himself, except for this stranger…

…and ‘Def Soul’?

He almost choked on his food from eating too fast and chugged down a cup of water.

Once he was finished, he went over to the kitchen sink and washed the thermos and container thoroughly. He was making sure to clean it and return it in the best quality, washing every inch of it. Turning the thermos upside down, he was sure to wash the bottom side too.

“…?”

A sticker that said 'P. Jinyoung’ was stuck to the bottom.

🍽

Youngjae held his phone tightly in his sweating hands.

His finger was hovering above the 'send’ button and had been doing so for a minute by then. He shut his eyes and pressed the screen, hoping that ‘Def Soul’ would either reply immediately or never reply in general to save him from embarrassment. Turning off his phone and throwing it next to him, he lay down on the bed with a long sigh. His hand was on his chest, on his confused heart.

He remembered who Park Jinyoung was.

He was a close friend of Im Jaebum. A member of the student council. Feared by everyone, including Jaebum, because of his unsuspecting anger.

He was there when Youngjae was being shoved around by those girls. It was true that he found it strange how the person giving him food knew about the girl whispering something to him, which was something he only told to Jinyoung.

And the day before, when he was kicked by that senior, Jinyoung was there to personally give him that bag of food.

He honestly thought that the chance of that person being Jinyoung was high, but his mind wouldn’t forget about how he was so cold to him.

'I couldn’t care less,’ his voice echoed in his head.

His phone buzzed and he shot straight up, glancing at his bright phone screen to see who it was. He quickly unlocked his phone and typed furiously, having to rewrite his message multiple times.

???-hyung

[c.youngjae]: hey, are u able to talk?

[???]: yeah

[???]: whats up

[c.youngjae]: i hope you don’t mind me ranting about something;;

[???]: go ahead

[c.youngjae]: so ive been getting food from this person who noticed that i don’t bring a lunch to school

[c.youngjae]: recently they gave me homemade food which was great and all but…

[c.youngjae]: there was a name on the thermos the food was in

[c.youngjae]: its the name of this guy who’s p cold to me

[c.youngjae]: and kind of mean

[c.youngjae]: idk whether to believe that its him?? bc i may or may not have a lowkey crush on this person;;; and he seems to basically hate me

[???]: ah

[???]: so u dont know who’s giving u food?

[c.youngjae]: not at all no

[c.youngjae]: i do want to find out…

[c.youngjae]: but im too nervous about everything being a joke

[c.youngjae]: like,,

[c.youngjae]: what if this person’s doing this on purpose just so they can laugh at me later when theyre satisfied

[c.youngjae]: I’m kind of

[c.youngjae]: scared

[???]: are you scared of knowing who it is?

[c.youngjae]: no!!

[c.youngjae]: I’m grateful that anyone’s even doing this for me to begin with

[c.youngjae]: i wouldnt care even if the person is im jaebum

[???]: who that?

[c.youngjae]: a rly popular guy at my school

[c.youngjae]: he’s strangely nice to me even tho ppl know him as a player

[c.youngjae]: …and hes kinda rly hot

[???]: suggest meeting up w that person and see for yourself is my advice

[???]: otherwise how would you know?

[c.youngjae]: …that’s true

[c.youngjae]: okay!! thank you hyung

[???]: no problem

[???]: hey, btw

[???]: are you into guys?

[c.youngjae]: ;;;

[c.youngjae]: what

[???]: sorry if that sounded weird

[???]: i just want to know

[c.youngjae]: …

[c.youngjae]: ..maybe

[???]: alright

[???]: sleep well youngjae

[c.youngjae]: goodnight hyung!

[c.youngjae]: 💚

Jaebum threw his phone onto his bed and sighed, placing the back of his hand on his forehead.

He was so thrown off by that heart emoji Youngjae sent him.

[algarithmblognumber]

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’ Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’ http://www.nature-business.com/nature-suicides-get-taxi-drivers-talking-im-going-to-be-one-of-them/

Nature

Image

Three taxi drivers, from left, Lal Singh, Nicolae Hent and Lakhbir Rangar, spoke after a New York City Council meeting to consider bills that would help drivers facing financial hardships as a result of the rise of Uber and other ride-hail apps.CreditCreditYana Paskova for The New York Times

Both men were longtime taxi drivers from Romania. Both were worried about paying their bills as Uber decimated their industry. They were best friends. And both had struggled with depression.

Nicanor Ochisor’s wife dragged him to a doctor in March to get help. Two days later, he hanged himself in his garage.

“I didn’t know he was so depressed,” his friend, Nicolae Hent, said.

Mr. Hent had taken antidepressants. He wished he could have told Mr. Ochisor that it would get better.

“I didn’t know. I still feel bad even now — why I didn’t know that,” Mr. Hent said recently as he drove his taxi through Queens.

Mr. Ochisor was one of six professional drivers to commit suicide in New York in the last year — a crisis that has prompted a flurry of legislation to address the despair plaguing the industry. Most were men in their 50s and 60s anguished about their finances and feeling hopeless about being able to retire.

Many taxi drivers are under incredible stress, but Mr. Ochisor’s story shows how difficult it can be to convince those with severe depression to talk about it. Life behind the wheel of a taxi can be solitary and the job tends to attract independent-minded people who might not feel comfortable talking about emotions that can carry a stigma.

Image

Nicanor Ochisor, a taxi driver who was struggling to pay off the loan for his taxi medallion, hanged himself in the garage of his home in Queens in March.CreditKholood Eid for The New York Times

But city officials are urging drivers to seek help. In August, the City Council approved a cap on Uber and other ride-hail vehicles — the first major American city to rein in the booming apps. Now the Council is considering a separate set of bills that would establish a health fund for drivers and create “driver assistance centers” for mental health counseling and financial advice.

One bill aims to help taxi medallion owners saddled with massive debt. Corey Johnson, the Council speaker, said the city was considering several measures to do that, including a partial bailout or a hardship fund for medallion owners who drive their taxis — not for large-scale owners like Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former lawyer who with his wife owned more than 30 medallions.

“For the smaller individual medallion owners, what can we do to help them get out from under this crushing debt?” Mr. Johnson said in an interview, adding that the Council should vote on the bills by the end of the year. “We’re trying to figure out a way to do that.”

The recent string of suicides and the intense publicity they have received are now prodding drivers to speak more openly about their mental health — with each other and with their families. As their industry collapses, the conversations among drivers are different, from sharing photos of their grandchildren or talking about hobbies like winemaking, to discussing how they are going to survive.

Lal Singh, a taxi driver for three decades, said he had thought about suicide as he endured long hours driving his taxi and worried about paying off the loan he had taken out to buy it.

“When I hear that somebody did suicide, I was thinking about me,” Mr. Singh said as he waited at the taxi parking lot at Kennedy International Airport on a recent afternoon. “I’m going to be one of them one day.”

Mr. Singh, who is 62, owes about $6,200 a month on the taxi medallion he bought in 2000. He often drives a long stretch of Manhattan, from Harlem to Wall Street, looking in vain for passengers.

Image

Rabi Musaav, left, and Joseph Kuinov, two cab drivers, played backgammon while waiting for customers at a lot at Kennedy International Airport.CreditChang W. Lee/The New York Times

“When you have nothing to do, we are suffering,” Mr. Singh said. “What are you living for?”

At the airport taxi lot on a recent afternoon, taxi driver after driver complained of mounting debt and of feeling abandoned by the city, which has made millions of dollars selling medallions. A taxi medallion, the aluminum plate required to drive a cab in New York, once sold for more than $1 million but is now worth less than $200,000. Many drivers still owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans.

One taxi driver, Muhammad Anil, said his children had seen the headlines about the suicides and asked him if he was O.K. Mr. Anil, 57, told them he was fine, though he is concerned about the more than $500,000 he owes on his medallion.

“I don’t want them to worry about me too much,” he said.

Middle-age drivers may be particularly vulnerable. The suicide rate for people between the ages of 45 and 64 has jumped in recent years, more than for other age groups, said Barbara Stanley, a psychology professor at Columbia University. Suicide is a deeply personal decision and it is difficult to know for certain the factors that drive a person to make that choice.

The drivers, Dr. Stanley said, “might have been depressed in the past or had a vulnerability to depression and you combine it with these terrible environmental stressors and that’s a recipe for disaster.”

Still, many drivers are resistant to the idea of therapy.

“They’ve driven their whole lives,” said Meera Joshi, the city’s taxi commissioner. “There’s a tremendous amount of pride involved, rightfully so. Part of our messaging is that there’s no shame to needing mental health help.”

At 70, Harbans Singh still works 12-hour shifts in his taxi to pay off his medallion debt. Mr. Singh said he was not interested in counseling, adding that he relied on his Sikh faith.

“We don’t need counseling from the T.L.C.,” he said in reference to the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, which oversees the industry. “I don’t trust the T.L.C.”

Image

Helen Ochisor, Mr. Ochisor’s widow, has taken over driving her husband’s taxi, while her son, Gabriel Ochisor, is managing the business.CreditKholood Eid for The New York Times

Many drivers have said the best way to help is to offer them financial assistance. But the city is in a difficult position. Any bailout of medallion owners could cost billions of dollars, and officials have said they cannot offer residents a payout unless they are indigent or legally broke. Lyft, another popular app, had discussed the idea of a $100 million “hardship fund” for drivers, paid for by the tech companies, but only if the city dropped the proposal for a cap.

Marlow Pierre, a taxi driver who leases his medallion, said the best solution would be to further restrict Uber.

“Let us get back to business,” Mr. Pierre said. “All these guys want to do is work.”

Two days before his death, Mr. Ochisor saw a doctor and started taking an antidepressant. But it was too late. “He was worrying too much,” Mr. Hent said. “He told me many, many times, we have to work until we die.”

Gabriel Ochisor has taken over managing his father’s taxi, which his mother Helen and another driver still operate. The taxi failed a recent inspection because of a ripped seat.

“I can see why you would get stressed and pull your hair out,” Gabriel Ochisor said.

Mr. Hent sought help from a doctor around 2005 after a crippling anxiety attack, due in part to the stresses of his job. He started taking two antidepressants and learned coping strategies. He took up tennis.

“I saw how many people are sick in America” with depression, Mr. Hent said. “I said, ‘Oh I can take care of this.’”

Now Mr. Hent, who is 62 and owes about $130,000 on his medallion, is pushing the city to assist taxi drivers. He spoke at a recent Council hearing, waiting three hours for his turn — time spent away from making money in his taxi.

“I’m not going to kill myself,” Mr. Hent said. “I won’t kill nobody. But I’ll fight until I die.”

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources. Here’s what you can do when a loved one is severely depressed.

Follow Emma G. Fitzsimmons on Twitter: @emmagf

Read More | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/nyregion/suicides-taxi-drivers-nyc.html |

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’, in 2018-10-02 14:40:21

[computacionalblog]

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’ Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’ http://www.nature-business.com/nature-suicides-get-taxi-drivers-talking-im-going-to-be-one-of-them/

Nature

Image

Three taxi drivers, from left, Lal Singh, Nicolae Hent and Lakhbir Rangar, spoke after a New York City Council meeting to consider bills that would help drivers facing financial hardships as a result of the rise of Uber and other ride-hail apps.CreditCreditYana Paskova for The New York Times

Both men were longtime taxi drivers from Romania. Both were worried about paying their bills as Uber decimated their industry. They were best friends. And both had struggled with depression.

Nicanor Ochisor’s wife dragged him to a doctor in March to get help. Two days later, he hanged himself in his garage.

“I didn’t know he was so depressed,” his friend, Nicolae Hent, said.

Mr. Hent had taken antidepressants. He wished he could have told Mr. Ochisor that it would get better.

“I didn’t know. I still feel bad even now — why I didn’t know that,” Mr. Hent said recently as he drove his taxi through Queens.

Mr. Ochisor was one of six professional drivers to commit suicide in New York in the last year — a crisis that has prompted a flurry of legislation to address the despair plaguing the industry. Most were men in their 50s and 60s anguished about their finances and feeling hopeless about being able to retire.

Many taxi drivers are under incredible stress, but Mr. Ochisor’s story shows how difficult it can be to convince those with severe depression to talk about it. Life behind the wheel of a taxi can be solitary and the job tends to attract independent-minded people who might not feel comfortable talking about emotions that can carry a stigma.

Image

Nicanor Ochisor, a taxi driver who was struggling to pay off the loan for his taxi medallion, hanged himself in the garage of his home in Queens in March.CreditKholood Eid for The New York Times

But city officials are urging drivers to seek help. In August, the City Council approved a cap on Uber and other ride-hail vehicles — the first major American city to rein in the booming apps. Now the Council is considering a separate set of bills that would establish a health fund for drivers and create “driver assistance centers” for mental health counseling and financial advice.

One bill aims to help taxi medallion owners saddled with massive debt. Corey Johnson, the Council speaker, said the city was considering several measures to do that, including a partial bailout or a hardship fund for medallion owners who drive their taxis — not for large-scale owners like Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former lawyer who with his wife owned more than 30 medallions.

“For the smaller individual medallion owners, what can we do to help them get out from under this crushing debt?” Mr. Johnson said in an interview, adding that the Council should vote on the bills by the end of the year. “We’re trying to figure out a way to do that.”

The recent string of suicides and the intense publicity they have received are now prodding drivers to speak more openly about their mental health — with each other and with their families. As their industry collapses, the conversations among drivers are different, from sharing photos of their grandchildren or talking about hobbies like winemaking, to discussing how they are going to survive.

Lal Singh, a taxi driver for three decades, said he had thought about suicide as he endured long hours driving his taxi and worried about paying off the loan he had taken out to buy it.

“When I hear that somebody did suicide, I was thinking about me,” Mr. Singh said as he waited at the taxi parking lot at Kennedy International Airport on a recent afternoon. “I’m going to be one of them one day.”

Mr. Singh, who is 62, owes about $6,200 a month on the taxi medallion he bought in 2000. He often drives a long stretch of Manhattan, from Harlem to Wall Street, looking in vain for passengers.

Image

Rabi Musaav, left, and Joseph Kuinov, two cab drivers, played backgammon while waiting for customers at a lot at Kennedy International Airport.CreditChang W. Lee/The New York Times

“When you have nothing to do, we are suffering,” Mr. Singh said. “What are you living for?”

At the airport taxi lot on a recent afternoon, taxi driver after driver complained of mounting debt and of feeling abandoned by the city, which has made millions of dollars selling medallions. A taxi medallion, the aluminum plate required to drive a cab in New York, once sold for more than $1 million but is now worth less than $200,000. Many drivers still owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans.

One taxi driver, Muhammad Anil, said his children had seen the headlines about the suicides and asked him if he was O.K. Mr. Anil, 57, told them he was fine, though he is concerned about the more than $500,000 he owes on his medallion.

“I don’t want them to worry about me too much,” he said.

Middle-age drivers may be particularly vulnerable. The suicide rate for people between the ages of 45 and 64 has jumped in recent years, more than for other age groups, said Barbara Stanley, a psychology professor at Columbia University. Suicide is a deeply personal decision and it is difficult to know for certain the factors that drive a person to make that choice.

The drivers, Dr. Stanley said, “might have been depressed in the past or had a vulnerability to depression and you combine it with these terrible environmental stressors and that’s a recipe for disaster.”

Still, many drivers are resistant to the idea of therapy.

“They’ve driven their whole lives,” said Meera Joshi, the city’s taxi commissioner. “There’s a tremendous amount of pride involved, rightfully so. Part of our messaging is that there’s no shame to needing mental health help.”

At 70, Harbans Singh still works 12-hour shifts in his taxi to pay off his medallion debt. Mr. Singh said he was not interested in counseling, adding that he relied on his Sikh faith.

“We don’t need counseling from the T.L.C.,” he said in reference to the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, which oversees the industry. “I don’t trust the T.L.C.”

Image

Helen Ochisor, Mr. Ochisor’s widow, has taken over driving her husband’s taxi, while her son, Gabriel Ochisor, is managing the business.CreditKholood Eid for The New York Times

Many drivers have said the best way to help is to offer them financial assistance. But the city is in a difficult position. Any bailout of medallion owners could cost billions of dollars, and officials have said they cannot offer residents a payout unless they are indigent or legally broke. Lyft, another popular app, had discussed the idea of a $100 million “hardship fund” for drivers, paid for by the tech companies, but only if the city dropped the proposal for a cap.

Marlow Pierre, a taxi driver who leases his medallion, said the best solution would be to further restrict Uber.

“Let us get back to business,” Mr. Pierre said. “All these guys want to do is work.”

Two days before his death, Mr. Ochisor saw a doctor and started taking an antidepressant. But it was too late. “He was worrying too much,” Mr. Hent said. “He told me many, many times, we have to work until we die.”

Gabriel Ochisor has taken over managing his father’s taxi, which his mother Helen and another driver still operate. The taxi failed a recent inspection because of a ripped seat.

“I can see why you would get stressed and pull your hair out,” Gabriel Ochisor said.

Mr. Hent sought help from a doctor around 2005 after a crippling anxiety attack, due in part to the stresses of his job. He started taking two antidepressants and learned coping strategies. He took up tennis.

“I saw how many people are sick in America” with depression, Mr. Hent said. “I said, ‘Oh I can take care of this.’”

Now Mr. Hent, who is 62 and owes about $130,000 on his medallion, is pushing the city to assist taxi drivers. He spoke at a recent Council hearing, waiting three hours for his turn — time spent away from making money in his taxi.

“I’m not going to kill myself,” Mr. Hent said. “I won’t kill nobody. But I’ll fight until I die.”

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources. Here’s what you can do when a loved one is severely depressed.

Follow Emma G. Fitzsimmons on Twitter: @emmagf

Read More | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/nyregion/suicides-taxi-drivers-nyc.html |

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’, in 2018-10-02 14:40:21

[blogwonderwebsites]

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’ Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’ http://www.nature-business.com/nature-suicides-get-taxi-drivers-talking-im-going-to-be-one-of-them/

Nature

Image

Three taxi drivers, from left, Lal Singh, Nicolae Hent and Lakhbir Rangar, spoke after a New York City Council meeting to consider bills that would help drivers facing financial hardships as a result of the rise of Uber and other ride-hail apps.CreditCreditYana Paskova for The New York Times

Both men were longtime taxi drivers from Romania. Both were worried about paying their bills as Uber decimated their industry. They were best friends. And both had struggled with depression.

Nicanor Ochisor’s wife dragged him to a doctor in March to get help. Two days later, he hanged himself in his garage.

“I didn’t know he was so depressed,” his friend, Nicolae Hent, said.

Mr. Hent had taken antidepressants. He wished he could have told Mr. Ochisor that it would get better.

“I didn’t know. I still feel bad even now — why I didn’t know that,” Mr. Hent said recently as he drove his taxi through Queens.

Mr. Ochisor was one of six professional drivers to commit suicide in New York in the last year — a crisis that has prompted a flurry of legislation to address the despair plaguing the industry. Most were men in their 50s and 60s anguished about their finances and feeling hopeless about being able to retire.

Many taxi drivers are under incredible stress, but Mr. Ochisor’s story shows how difficult it can be to convince those with severe depression to talk about it. Life behind the wheel of a taxi can be solitary and the job tends to attract independent-minded people who might not feel comfortable talking about emotions that can carry a stigma.

Image

Nicanor Ochisor, a taxi driver who was struggling to pay off the loan for his taxi medallion, hanged himself in the garage of his home in Queens in March.CreditKholood Eid for The New York Times

But city officials are urging drivers to seek help. In August, the City Council approved a cap on Uber and other ride-hail vehicles — the first major American city to rein in the booming apps. Now the Council is considering a separate set of bills that would establish a health fund for drivers and create “driver assistance centers” for mental health counseling and financial advice.

One bill aims to help taxi medallion owners saddled with massive debt. Corey Johnson, the Council speaker, said the city was considering several measures to do that, including a partial bailout or a hardship fund for medallion owners who drive their taxis — not for large-scale owners like Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former lawyer who with his wife owned more than 30 medallions.

“For the smaller individual medallion owners, what can we do to help them get out from under this crushing debt?” Mr. Johnson said in an interview, adding that the Council should vote on the bills by the end of the year. “We’re trying to figure out a way to do that.”

The recent string of suicides and the intense publicity they have received are now prodding drivers to speak more openly about their mental health — with each other and with their families. As their industry collapses, the conversations among drivers are different, from sharing photos of their grandchildren or talking about hobbies like winemaking, to discussing how they are going to survive.

Lal Singh, a taxi driver for three decades, said he had thought about suicide as he endured long hours driving his taxi and worried about paying off the loan he had taken out to buy it.

“When I hear that somebody did suicide, I was thinking about me,” Mr. Singh said as he waited at the taxi parking lot at Kennedy International Airport on a recent afternoon. “I’m going to be one of them one day.”

Mr. Singh, who is 62, owes about $6,200 a month on the taxi medallion he bought in 2000. He often drives a long stretch of Manhattan, from Harlem to Wall Street, looking in vain for passengers.

Image

Rabi Musaav, left, and Joseph Kuinov, two cab drivers, played backgammon while waiting for customers at a lot at Kennedy International Airport.CreditChang W. Lee/The New York Times

“When you have nothing to do, we are suffering,” Mr. Singh said. “What are you living for?”

At the airport taxi lot on a recent afternoon, taxi driver after driver complained of mounting debt and of feeling abandoned by the city, which has made millions of dollars selling medallions. A taxi medallion, the aluminum plate required to drive a cab in New York, once sold for more than $1 million but is now worth less than $200,000. Many drivers still owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans.

One taxi driver, Muhammad Anil, said his children had seen the headlines about the suicides and asked him if he was O.K. Mr. Anil, 57, told them he was fine, though he is concerned about the more than $500,000 he owes on his medallion.

“I don’t want them to worry about me too much,” he said.

Middle-age drivers may be particularly vulnerable. The suicide rate for people between the ages of 45 and 64 has jumped in recent years, more than for other age groups, said Barbara Stanley, a psychology professor at Columbia University. Suicide is a deeply personal decision and it is difficult to know for certain the factors that drive a person to make that choice.

The drivers, Dr. Stanley said, “might have been depressed in the past or had a vulnerability to depression and you combine it with these terrible environmental stressors and that’s a recipe for disaster.”

Still, many drivers are resistant to the idea of therapy.

“They’ve driven their whole lives,” said Meera Joshi, the city’s taxi commissioner. “There’s a tremendous amount of pride involved, rightfully so. Part of our messaging is that there’s no shame to needing mental health help.”

At 70, Harbans Singh still works 12-hour shifts in his taxi to pay off his medallion debt. Mr. Singh said he was not interested in counseling, adding that he relied on his Sikh faith.

“We don’t need counseling from the T.L.C.,” he said in reference to the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, which oversees the industry. “I don’t trust the T.L.C.”

Image

Helen Ochisor, Mr. Ochisor’s widow, has taken over driving her husband’s taxi, while her son, Gabriel Ochisor, is managing the business.CreditKholood Eid for The New York Times

Many drivers have said the best way to help is to offer them financial assistance. But the city is in a difficult position. Any bailout of medallion owners could cost billions of dollars, and officials have said they cannot offer residents a payout unless they are indigent or legally broke. Lyft, another popular app, had discussed the idea of a $100 million “hardship fund” for drivers, paid for by the tech companies, but only if the city dropped the proposal for a cap.

Marlow Pierre, a taxi driver who leases his medallion, said the best solution would be to further restrict Uber.

“Let us get back to business,” Mr. Pierre said. “All these guys want to do is work.”

Two days before his death, Mr. Ochisor saw a doctor and started taking an antidepressant. But it was too late. “He was worrying too much,” Mr. Hent said. “He told me many, many times, we have to work until we die.”

Gabriel Ochisor has taken over managing his father’s taxi, which his mother Helen and another driver still operate. The taxi failed a recent inspection because of a ripped seat.

“I can see why you would get stressed and pull your hair out,” Gabriel Ochisor said.

Mr. Hent sought help from a doctor around 2005 after a crippling anxiety attack, due in part to the stresses of his job. He started taking two antidepressants and learned coping strategies. He took up tennis.

“I saw how many people are sick in America” with depression, Mr. Hent said. “I said, ‘Oh I can take care of this.’”

Now Mr. Hent, who is 62 and owes about $130,000 on his medallion, is pushing the city to assist taxi drivers. He spoke at a recent Council hearing, waiting three hours for his turn — time spent away from making money in his taxi.

“I’m not going to kill myself,” Mr. Hent said. “I won’t kill nobody. But I’ll fight until I die.”

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources. Here’s what you can do when a loved one is severely depressed.

Follow Emma G. Fitzsimmons on Twitter: @emmagf

Read More | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/nyregion/suicides-taxi-drivers-nyc.html |

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’, in 2018-10-02 14:40:21

[blogparadiseisland]

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’ Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’ http://www.nature-business.com/nature-suicides-get-taxi-drivers-talking-im-going-to-be-one-of-them/

Nature

Image

Three taxi drivers, from left, Lal Singh, Nicolae Hent and Lakhbir Rangar, spoke after a New York City Council meeting to consider bills that would help drivers facing financial hardships as a result of the rise of Uber and other ride-hail apps.CreditCreditYana Paskova for The New York Times

Both men were longtime taxi drivers from Romania. Both were worried about paying their bills as Uber decimated their industry. They were best friends. And both had struggled with depression.

Nicanor Ochisor’s wife dragged him to a doctor in March to get help. Two days later, he hanged himself in his garage.

“I didn’t know he was so depressed,” his friend, Nicolae Hent, said.

Mr. Hent had taken antidepressants. He wished he could have told Mr. Ochisor that it would get better.

“I didn’t know. I still feel bad even now — why I didn’t know that,” Mr. Hent said recently as he drove his taxi through Queens.

Mr. Ochisor was one of six professional drivers to commit suicide in New York in the last year — a crisis that has prompted a flurry of legislation to address the despair plaguing the industry. Most were men in their 50s and 60s anguished about their finances and feeling hopeless about being able to retire.

Many taxi drivers are under incredible stress, but Mr. Ochisor’s story shows how difficult it can be to convince those with severe depression to talk about it. Life behind the wheel of a taxi can be solitary and the job tends to attract independent-minded people who might not feel comfortable talking about emotions that can carry a stigma.

Image

Nicanor Ochisor, a taxi driver who was struggling to pay off the loan for his taxi medallion, hanged himself in the garage of his home in Queens in March.CreditKholood Eid for The New York Times

But city officials are urging drivers to seek help. In August, the City Council approved a cap on Uber and other ride-hail vehicles — the first major American city to rein in the booming apps. Now the Council is considering a separate set of bills that would establish a health fund for drivers and create “driver assistance centers” for mental health counseling and financial advice.

One bill aims to help taxi medallion owners saddled with massive debt. Corey Johnson, the Council speaker, said the city was considering several measures to do that, including a partial bailout or a hardship fund for medallion owners who drive their taxis — not for large-scale owners like Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former lawyer who with his wife owned more than 30 medallions.

“For the smaller individual medallion owners, what can we do to help them get out from under this crushing debt?” Mr. Johnson said in an interview, adding that the Council should vote on the bills by the end of the year. “We’re trying to figure out a way to do that.”

The recent string of suicides and the intense publicity they have received are now prodding drivers to speak more openly about their mental health — with each other and with their families. As their industry collapses, the conversations among drivers are different, from sharing photos of their grandchildren or talking about hobbies like winemaking, to discussing how they are going to survive.

Lal Singh, a taxi driver for three decades, said he had thought about suicide as he endured long hours driving his taxi and worried about paying off the loan he had taken out to buy it.

“When I hear that somebody did suicide, I was thinking about me,” Mr. Singh said as he waited at the taxi parking lot at Kennedy International Airport on a recent afternoon. “I’m going to be one of them one day.”

Mr. Singh, who is 62, owes about $6,200 a month on the taxi medallion he bought in 2000. He often drives a long stretch of Manhattan, from Harlem to Wall Street, looking in vain for passengers.

Image

Rabi Musaav, left, and Joseph Kuinov, two cab drivers, played backgammon while waiting for customers at a lot at Kennedy International Airport.CreditChang W. Lee/The New York Times

“When you have nothing to do, we are suffering,” Mr. Singh said. “What are you living for?”

At the airport taxi lot on a recent afternoon, taxi driver after driver complained of mounting debt and of feeling abandoned by the city, which has made millions of dollars selling medallions. A taxi medallion, the aluminum plate required to drive a cab in New York, once sold for more than $1 million but is now worth less than $200,000. Many drivers still owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans.

One taxi driver, Muhammad Anil, said his children had seen the headlines about the suicides and asked him if he was O.K. Mr. Anil, 57, told them he was fine, though he is concerned about the more than $500,000 he owes on his medallion.

“I don’t want them to worry about me too much,” he said.

Middle-age drivers may be particularly vulnerable. The suicide rate for people between the ages of 45 and 64 has jumped in recent years, more than for other age groups, said Barbara Stanley, a psychology professor at Columbia University. Suicide is a deeply personal decision and it is difficult to know for certain the factors that drive a person to make that choice.

The drivers, Dr. Stanley said, “might have been depressed in the past or had a vulnerability to depression and you combine it with these terrible environmental stressors and that’s a recipe for disaster.”

Still, many drivers are resistant to the idea of therapy.

“They’ve driven their whole lives,” said Meera Joshi, the city’s taxi commissioner. “There’s a tremendous amount of pride involved, rightfully so. Part of our messaging is that there’s no shame to needing mental health help.”

At 70, Harbans Singh still works 12-hour shifts in his taxi to pay off his medallion debt. Mr. Singh said he was not interested in counseling, adding that he relied on his Sikh faith.

“We don’t need counseling from the T.L.C.,” he said in reference to the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, which oversees the industry. “I don’t trust the T.L.C.”

Image

Helen Ochisor, Mr. Ochisor’s widow, has taken over driving her husband’s taxi, while her son, Gabriel Ochisor, is managing the business.CreditKholood Eid for The New York Times

Many drivers have said the best way to help is to offer them financial assistance. But the city is in a difficult position. Any bailout of medallion owners could cost billions of dollars, and officials have said they cannot offer residents a payout unless they are indigent or legally broke. Lyft, another popular app, had discussed the idea of a $100 million “hardship fund” for drivers, paid for by the tech companies, but only if the city dropped the proposal for a cap.

Marlow Pierre, a taxi driver who leases his medallion, said the best solution would be to further restrict Uber.

“Let us get back to business,” Mr. Pierre said. “All these guys want to do is work.”

Two days before his death, Mr. Ochisor saw a doctor and started taking an antidepressant. But it was too late. “He was worrying too much,” Mr. Hent said. “He told me many, many times, we have to work until we die.”

Gabriel Ochisor has taken over managing his father’s taxi, which his mother Helen and another driver still operate. The taxi failed a recent inspection because of a ripped seat.

“I can see why you would get stressed and pull your hair out,” Gabriel Ochisor said.

Mr. Hent sought help from a doctor around 2005 after a crippling anxiety attack, due in part to the stresses of his job. He started taking two antidepressants and learned coping strategies. He took up tennis.

“I saw how many people are sick in America” with depression, Mr. Hent said. “I said, ‘Oh I can take care of this.’”

Now Mr. Hent, who is 62 and owes about $130,000 on his medallion, is pushing the city to assist taxi drivers. He spoke at a recent Council hearing, waiting three hours for his turn — time spent away from making money in his taxi.

“I’m not going to kill myself,” Mr. Hent said. “I won’t kill nobody. But I’ll fight until I die.”

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources. Here’s what you can do when a loved one is severely depressed.

Follow Emma G. Fitzsimmons on Twitter: @emmagf

Read More | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/nyregion/suicides-taxi-drivers-nyc.html |

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’, in 2018-10-02 14:40:21

[blogcompetnetall]

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’ Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’ http://www.nature-business.com/nature-suicides-get-taxi-drivers-talking-im-going-to-be-one-of-them/

Nature

Image

Three taxi drivers, from left, Lal Singh, Nicolae Hent and Lakhbir Rangar, spoke after a New York City Council meeting to consider bills that would help drivers facing financial hardships as a result of the rise of Uber and other ride-hail apps.CreditCreditYana Paskova for The New York Times

Both men were longtime taxi drivers from Romania. Both were worried about paying their bills as Uber decimated their industry. They were best friends. And both had struggled with depression.

Nicanor Ochisor’s wife dragged him to a doctor in March to get help. Two days later, he hanged himself in his garage.

“I didn’t know he was so depressed,” his friend, Nicolae Hent, said.

Mr. Hent had taken antidepressants. He wished he could have told Mr. Ochisor that it would get better.

“I didn’t know. I still feel bad even now — why I didn’t know that,” Mr. Hent said recently as he drove his taxi through Queens.

Mr. Ochisor was one of six professional drivers to commit suicide in New York in the last year — a crisis that has prompted a flurry of legislation to address the despair plaguing the industry. Most were men in their 50s and 60s anguished about their finances and feeling hopeless about being able to retire.

Many taxi drivers are under incredible stress, but Mr. Ochisor’s story shows how difficult it can be to convince those with severe depression to talk about it. Life behind the wheel of a taxi can be solitary and the job tends to attract independent-minded people who might not feel comfortable talking about emotions that can carry a stigma.

Image

Nicanor Ochisor, a taxi driver who was struggling to pay off the loan for his taxi medallion, hanged himself in the garage of his home in Queens in March.CreditKholood Eid for The New York Times

But city officials are urging drivers to seek help. In August, the City Council approved a cap on Uber and other ride-hail vehicles — the first major American city to rein in the booming apps. Now the Council is considering a separate set of bills that would establish a health fund for drivers and create “driver assistance centers” for mental health counseling and financial advice.

One bill aims to help taxi medallion owners saddled with massive debt. Corey Johnson, the Council speaker, said the city was considering several measures to do that, including a partial bailout or a hardship fund for medallion owners who drive their taxis — not for large-scale owners like Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former lawyer who with his wife owned more than 30 medallions.

“For the smaller individual medallion owners, what can we do to help them get out from under this crushing debt?” Mr. Johnson said in an interview, adding that the Council should vote on the bills by the end of the year. “We’re trying to figure out a way to do that.”

The recent string of suicides and the intense publicity they have received are now prodding drivers to speak more openly about their mental health — with each other and with their families. As their industry collapses, the conversations among drivers are different, from sharing photos of their grandchildren or talking about hobbies like winemaking, to discussing how they are going to survive.

Lal Singh, a taxi driver for three decades, said he had thought about suicide as he endured long hours driving his taxi and worried about paying off the loan he had taken out to buy it.

“When I hear that somebody did suicide, I was thinking about me,” Mr. Singh said as he waited at the taxi parking lot at Kennedy International Airport on a recent afternoon. “I’m going to be one of them one day.”

Mr. Singh, who is 62, owes about $6,200 a month on the taxi medallion he bought in 2000. He often drives a long stretch of Manhattan, from Harlem to Wall Street, looking in vain for passengers.

Image

Rabi Musaav, left, and Joseph Kuinov, two cab drivers, played backgammon while waiting for customers at a lot at Kennedy International Airport.CreditChang W. Lee/The New York Times

“When you have nothing to do, we are suffering,” Mr. Singh said. “What are you living for?”

At the airport taxi lot on a recent afternoon, taxi driver after driver complained of mounting debt and of feeling abandoned by the city, which has made millions of dollars selling medallions. A taxi medallion, the aluminum plate required to drive a cab in New York, once sold for more than $1 million but is now worth less than $200,000. Many drivers still owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans.

One taxi driver, Muhammad Anil, said his children had seen the headlines about the suicides and asked him if he was O.K. Mr. Anil, 57, told them he was fine, though he is concerned about the more than $500,000 he owes on his medallion.

“I don’t want them to worry about me too much,” he said.

Middle-age drivers may be particularly vulnerable. The suicide rate for people between the ages of 45 and 64 has jumped in recent years, more than for other age groups, said Barbara Stanley, a psychology professor at Columbia University. Suicide is a deeply personal decision and it is difficult to know for certain the factors that drive a person to make that choice.

The drivers, Dr. Stanley said, “might have been depressed in the past or had a vulnerability to depression and you combine it with these terrible environmental stressors and that’s a recipe for disaster.”

Still, many drivers are resistant to the idea of therapy.

“They’ve driven their whole lives,” said Meera Joshi, the city’s taxi commissioner. “There’s a tremendous amount of pride involved, rightfully so. Part of our messaging is that there’s no shame to needing mental health help.”

At 70, Harbans Singh still works 12-hour shifts in his taxi to pay off his medallion debt. Mr. Singh said he was not interested in counseling, adding that he relied on his Sikh faith.

“We don’t need counseling from the T.L.C.,” he said in reference to the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, which oversees the industry. “I don’t trust the T.L.C.”

Image

Helen Ochisor, Mr. Ochisor’s widow, has taken over driving her husband’s taxi, while her son, Gabriel Ochisor, is managing the business.CreditKholood Eid for The New York Times

Many drivers have said the best way to help is to offer them financial assistance. But the city is in a difficult position. Any bailout of medallion owners could cost billions of dollars, and officials have said they cannot offer residents a payout unless they are indigent or legally broke. Lyft, another popular app, had discussed the idea of a $100 million “hardship fund” for drivers, paid for by the tech companies, but only if the city dropped the proposal for a cap.

Marlow Pierre, a taxi driver who leases his medallion, said the best solution would be to further restrict Uber.

“Let us get back to business,” Mr. Pierre said. “All these guys want to do is work.”

Two days before his death, Mr. Ochisor saw a doctor and started taking an antidepressant. But it was too late. “He was worrying too much,” Mr. Hent said. “He told me many, many times, we have to work until we die.”

Gabriel Ochisor has taken over managing his father’s taxi, which his mother Helen and another driver still operate. The taxi failed a recent inspection because of a ripped seat.

“I can see why you would get stressed and pull your hair out,” Gabriel Ochisor said.

Mr. Hent sought help from a doctor around 2005 after a crippling anxiety attack, due in part to the stresses of his job. He started taking two antidepressants and learned coping strategies. He took up tennis.

“I saw how many people are sick in America” with depression, Mr. Hent said. “I said, ‘Oh I can take care of this.’”

Now Mr. Hent, who is 62 and owes about $130,000 on his medallion, is pushing the city to assist taxi drivers. He spoke at a recent Council hearing, waiting three hours for his turn — time spent away from making money in his taxi.

“I’m not going to kill myself,” Mr. Hent said. “I won’t kill nobody. But I’ll fight until I die.”

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources. Here’s what you can do when a loved one is severely depressed.

Follow Emma G. Fitzsimmons on Twitter: @emmagf

Read More | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/nyregion/suicides-taxi-drivers-nyc.html |

Nature Suicides Get Taxi Drivers Talking: ‘I’m Going to Be One of Them’, in 2018-10-02 14:40:21

[la-prima-ballerina]

Persona 5 origins: Kimika Hayashi chp 7

Some of  the phantom thief gang walked  along the  bridge after school. They were planning their next heist.   Ryuji had to do something for his mother, Yosuke was finishing a project at  school and Makoto had a student council meeting . this lest Ann, Akira and Morgana to themselves.the other day After a small mission in momentos, theyre last target said something about a woman at  cappella industry ruined her life. She takes till theres nothing left.

“cappella huh? That’s the place I get my some of my modeling gigs” ann piped “come to think of it there have been a few lay offs”

“think its worth a look?”  Akira queationed

“it has to be. If some big corporate is abusing their power  then we should at least look into it” Morgana replied walking along the edge

“haven’t had  a big target in awhile may be a good chance to-waaaaaahh!!!”

Morgana had too a misstep and fell off the edge of the bridge railing

“Morgana!!!” Akira and Ann exclaimed

Morgana was sure he would hit the ground but.. it never came. Instead he landed what felt like soft arms, cradling him. Opening his eyes he looked up at a woman with terra-cotta skin, long bluish hair and gentle grey eyes

~is this an angel…??~ he thought

Above Akira and Ann sigh in relief before making their way down the steps

“Ah! You scared me! Where did you comefrom little one?”  Kimika asked started to pet him. Immediately morgana started to purr making her smile

“heh, youre so cute. Too bad my stepmother hates animals otherwise id take you home with me” she cooed

Soon the  the pair came to her. Morgana jumped back into Akira’s arms “sorry about that. Are you ok?”

 This  must be their owner. She recognized them  he was the transfer student and  the girl  was the one everyone talked about. A hafu like herself. Kimika nodded “the cat suddenly came out of the sky I thought it might have been an angel!” she giggled then suddenly blushed at her words

“hey your Kimika Hayashi from class 4 right?” ann asked, Kimika once again nodded “I remember you your one of the models my father recruited. I remember you from the portfolio files. You do great work” the blue haired girl compliments

That’s right. Kimika’s father own Cappella industries

Kimika glanced at her clock and frowned “that late already?? Im sorry I gotta go!” waving them off the girl ran in the other direction

“who was that?” Morgana asked with interest

“that was Hayashi-san she’s in  class 4.dont really know her but I hear she’s really nice. Runs the  school dance club. Kimika gets talked about too, mostly about how she looks”

Ann looked at the distant figure of the blue haired girl.

Kimika ran  down the block as fast as she could. She needed to get home, her stepmother was having another one of her expensive parties. If she cut thru the back yard she could get inside without Natsumi noticing her. As she approached  back gate her phone gave a ping

“what now?” she sighed pulling it out. It wasn’t a text message from natsumi . “again? I thought I deleted this” this morning she got this strange app that appeared on her phone. It kind of creeped her out so she deleted. Or so she thought.

“what even is this?” she asked herself pressing it as she walked into the yard. It seem to do nothing. Kimika rolled her eyes “just what I need another useless..” she stepped dead in her tracks when she looked up to see not her house but a large hedge maze. Just ahead a grand chateau

“…app”

She looked behind her. Did she walk into the wrong yard? No… right?  Maybe she should turn back or at least cut thru the front. In the distant Kimika could hear music.  Getting closer she stepped up on one of the statues. Inside she could see a large party going on guests were dressed in finery and wearing masks. In the center of the room she saw.. her stepmother natsumi but dress in a large green and black ball gown. She looked like a baroque queen.

“what the…? This cant be my house! Who are all those people?”

“you there! Intruder!!” a gruff voice said. This scared her causing Kimika to loose her balance and fall back, hitting the grass with a thud.

“ouch..dammit” looking up Kimika gasped at  the ones who yelled at her. There were two strange beings that looked human but not quite. They had black skin with  strange faces. They were dressed in what reminded her of  17th century French gaurds.  Before she could react  the guards grabbed her , hoisting her to her feet

“hey! Ease up a bit! What with the gaudy costumes?”

“this areas is prohibited to peasants! State your business here”

“this is my house!”

“we should take her to the queen! She’ll know how to deal with this scum.

Kimika struggled but with no avail, they dragged her into the extravagant chateau, down the long halls into a the grand ball room. There were people  dressed in finery and wearing masks bit they didn’t really seem like people more like something else. They laughed and pointed as she was brought in.

Natsumi turned around  looking quite dislpleased. She looked at the guard

“how dare you interrupted my party?” she exasperated . the two guard gave a small bow

“our apologies your majesty!” one said

“we found this intruder lurking the grounds” the other proclaimed throwing Kimika to the queens feet. The queen looked down at her coldly. It was strange. She looked liked her stepmother but had pure yellow eyes that shook her to the core.

“well it seems we have a rat problem” she scoffed coldly,  making  Kimika look up at her

“stepmother? What is all this? And why are you dressed like that??”  Kimka blurted out

“silence peasent. Trash like you should never be seen or heart. The thought of someone like you wandering in to a extravagant place like this disgust me!” she sneered

“fortunately ive got just the tool to rid of you. For  interrupting sucj a marvelous gathering you shall be sacrificed for entertainment!  Bring her to the guillotine!! ” she called. The masked guests cheered wit delight. The guard grabbed her again bringing her further  to the  center of the ballroom. There was a large guillotine

“behold! Your beautiful and gracious queen has brought you entertainment  once again! Tonight we will be  executing a little rat!”

They cheered louder. Were they really gonna..?

“no! let me go! Your all insane!!” Kimika screamed. She struggled managing to get her arm out of one of the guards grip. Pushing them away she ran thru the croud away from Natsumi

“imbeciles!! after her!! Don’t let her get away!!” Queen Natsumi screamed. Gaurds  flooded out of the grand chateau. Kimika ran as if her life depended on it. Down the stairs and into the garden she fled. She could hear them behind her.  Seeing the gate in the distance she picked up the pace, panting to keep head of those behind her.  She gripped the  door knob desperately turning it. With a hard push she  went thru the gate.

She suddenly collapsed unto the sidewalk.  Looking around fretfully she realized she was in the back street. Cars drove by as well as civilians walked about. She was… back here. Wait what just..?

“you have returned to the real world. Welcome back” a monotone voice chirped from her pocket. Pulling her phone out she looked at it in horror and confusion

~returned? But.. where did I go?~

Looking at her phone again her eyes widened at the time. She should have been home hours ago! Dread filled her  ran out of the back street around to the front

What the hell  was going on? What was that place? That castle? Her stepmother..

Walking up the path to her house the light illuminated indicating there were was a full house. As she approached to door. It flew open , her stepmother appeared, slamming the door behind her , so not to be overheard by her guests, pure rage in her eyes.

 “where have you been?? Your two hours late!!” she  shouted

“what ??” Kimika exclaimed “but.. but..  I just saw you..  I was inside this chateau and-

SLAP

Kimika held her cheek, looking at Natsumi with a pained expression

“I don’t want to hear your stupid half-brained excuses. Get in uniform and get to work” she hissed venomously “ honestly the embarrassment of serving guest at my OWN PARTY!!” she mutter walking inside

The blue haired girl choked back a sob as she entered her home. So many questions flew thru her head.

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 33

insert witty quip here

Arthur: "...Your voice is so clear, unique...beautiful. I hope you keep singing..." tamaki: i might. the song is actually something i saw on a web show i've been following, and i relate to the lyrics a lot.... -elsewhere- Kid: "You were phenomenal!" stocking: thanks, i just kind of put my all into it and hoped for the best. Kid: *smiles* "You are so good when you do. That practice paid off." stocking: *she smiled* everyone did great with the performance. Kid: *nods* "I was so impressed with Soul...after..." stocking: yeah.... Kid: "..." *holds her hand* stocking: *she smiles* Kid: "We have such talented friends...Stocking, you continue to surprise me." stocking: hehe~ Kid: *rubs her hand* "Such nimble fingers on that guitar..." stocking: *blush* Kid: *brings her hand to his lips, gives a light kiss* "Congratulations on an excellent session." -elsewhere- Black Star: *bear hugging Soul* "Great work!" soul: thanks, man. Wes: *weak smile at Soul* "You were amazing." soul: thanks bro, that means a lot to me....feeling any better? Wes: "..." *pats Soul's head* "Hearing your music, yeah, a lot better." *sincere smile* soul: *big toothy grin* Wes: *happy laugh, a few happy tear forming on his eyes but not falling* -elsewhere- Takehisa: "Did you enjoy it?" maki: yeah, it went really well! tamaki did so good! Takehisa: "Yes, she has an impressive vocal range. ...Do you play any instruments?" -elsewhere- Shotaro: "The new housemate kind of keeps to herself, huh?" mana: yeah. i dont even know her name... Shotaro: "Well, when I want to introduce myself to someone, I try food! Maybe bring her a slice of the cake from earlier?" mana: sure. -elsewhere- Hibana: "How did inventory go?" gabriella: everything is in place and in check, princess *salutes* Hibana: *salutes back* "Well, with that, we are officially off of the company clock..." *smiles* gabriella: how about dinner? on me? Hibana: "That sounds wonderful~" -elsewhere- Relan: "That was a really good concert." iris: *she nods* shinra: well, there's the 3rd's base. see you in school tomorrow then? Relan: *nods, smiles* "Tomorrow. G-Good night..." *hesitant shuffle* iris + shinra: *kisses him on each cheek* Relan: o\\\\\\\o *steam out of ears* "...Thank you." -a few days later- Kid: *holds up Shiori in a reindeer onesie* shiori: roodie! roodie! Kid: *singing* "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer..." -elsewhere- nozomi: *blush* shinra: congrats nozomi! Takehisa: *presents a cake in the shape of the number 8* nozomi: i....thank you all so much! Arthur: *smiles* "We got you presents..." nozomi: *she smiles* Akitaru: *lights the candles on the cake* "I know it's not your birthday...but I thought maybe you had a wish to make for the next year going forward..." nozomi:...right....i hope that i'll be more useful to the brigade in the following years... Takehisa: "Well, blow out the candles, then." nozomi: *she does so* Akitaru: "Now for cutting up the cake!" *giggles* -elsewhere- misono: *in his room, reading* Rin: "Hello, hello!" *smiling* madoka: congratulations on your discharge, misono ^^ misono:......thank you. Rin: "How ya doing?" mahiru: we got you a gift. *holds out a plush rabbit* we bought it on the way here. misono:....i'm alive, arent i? Rin: "Um...As far as I can see, yeah, you're alive, buddy." misono: so, you said this 'sendagaya' is the eve of pride and will be our ally, right mahiru? mahiru: yeah. it's at the 'white water hot spring'. Rin: -_-; "That tiny annoying guy..." -the clock strikes 9- misono: zzzzzzzz........ Rin: "...Um...Hello? Misono?" mahiru: no good, he's asleep. madoka: just like that!? Rin: "What the heck happened to him?" mahiru: apparently he always falls asleep at 9 on the dot. Rin: (ಠ_ಠ) madoka: ^^; Rin: "So...Do we just let him sleep?" mahiru: i guess so. he needs his rest, so putting it simply, we should let him. Rin: "We came to visit, and he's asleep." -3- madoka: i guess we'll have to check back on him tomorrow. *she tucks him in* misono: zzzz.... =////= Rin: -\\\\- "You're so...caring and stuff to other people." madoka: thanks rin *she smiles and kisses him on the cheek* Rin: -\\\\\\- "You're the best." mahiru: cute. ^^ Kuro: *yawn* "I'm tired too, but you don't see me sleeping on the job..." *collapses into Rin's arms* Rin: -_____-; "Wrong Kuro..." mahiru: hey! -_-; Rin: *tries to pass Kuro to Mahiru* "You take 'em." mahiru: thanks. -_-; -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: *hugging a pillow* fang-hua: .... *she puts a blanket over her* Tsukiyo: "...Everyone's so angry at each other." fang-hua: ...... Tsukiyo: "Even the 5th and the 8th got along...but now this happens...And Beni-chan is so angry..." *leans against Fang-Hua* fang-hua: the commanders and sister kirei have been trying to keep him from doing anything too rash... Tsukiyo: "...I feel useless. I'm just spying on the 8th in school...They must hate me now..." fang-hua: im sure that's not true. i really wish i could go with you and help you....maybe i should have taken the ALT program, looking back.... Tsukiyo: *sniff* "I need something to take my mind off of this...Maybe a walk..." fang-hua: sure. maybe we can visit granny and get some daifuku. Tsukiyo: *sniffs, nods* -elsewhere- Jacqueline: *bringing laundry back to their bedroom* kim: you doing ok? Jacqueline: *shrugs* "Could be better...There is one thing on my mind..." kim: oh? Jacqueline: "...If I had gone to my parents, I would've been unnerved...I would have wanted someone there with me to help me get through it..." *blushes, brushes hair over her ear* kim:...if you feel like facing them, i'll go with you and help you. *she smiles* Jacqueline: *nods* "I would appreciate that. Thank you." -elsewhere- chie: zzzzzz...... Yohei: *snoring beside her* Tool: *tending to Io* Emine: *on the rooftop* ????: *getting milk* Shotoro: *pops up beside them* "Hiiiiiiii" ???: ?! ......my milk almost spilt. Shotaro: "Well, no use crying over spilled milk! Then again, milk does make bones strong..." ????: *drinks the entire glass without breaking eye contact before going back to her room* Shotaro: "..." *pouts* "Well, that wasn't very chatty." -morning- Hibana: *groans, rubbing her back* gabriella: feeling ok? Hibana: *nods, small pout* "Just sore." -at gallows manor- stocking: my butt's still sore from last night... =3= Kid: ^^; "I was...enthusiastic." stocking: yeah no kidding, hahaha-ow! >^< Kid: *pouts* "I'm sorry. I wish I had a healing touch..." *light touch on her arm* stocking: *blushing and snuggles* Kid: *holds her* "...Is it going to be okay?" stocking: i think so. could you rub it and make it better~? Kid: -\\\\- "Any time." stocking: *sitting in his lap, facing him and hugging him* mmmm~ Kid: *gently rests a hand over her bottom...* "Just let me know whether it hurts..." stocking: ok..... U/////U Kid: *gentle motion along her bottom* -\\\\\- ("Such a perfect rump...") stocking: *soft sigh* Kid: *smiles at her* "My hand fits so perfectly around that beautiful body of yours..." stocking: *blushing and rubbing his back* Kid: "Mmm~ Feels good there..." *small giggle* stocking: warm~<3 Kid: *nods, as he continues massaging her bottom, resting his chin along her shoulder* stocking: mmmm~ Kid: *small kiss* "I love you so much." stocking: i love you too kiddo~ Kid: *continues massaging her backside, as he kisses just above her breasts* stocking: ahh~ Kid: "That feel good?" *another light kiss* stocking: yes~ Kid: *smiles, as he kisses down her chest, his hand laying along her bottom...he starts to move under her groin* stocking: ahhh~! >////< Kid: *pulls back a bit* "Too much?" -elsewhere- Arthur: *in bed, yawns* "Mmm...Delicious cake..." tamaki: *in casual clothes and playing on her handheld* Akitaru: "Morning, fellow commander!" miwa: mornin'! Akitaru: "You see Maki around?" miwa: she just got out of the shower and is in her room. Akitaru: "Good. I was hoping to have a morning informal meeting. I know Arthur is still in bed, Tamaki is around..." -and so- maki: whats up? Akitaru: "As you know, things between us and the 7th...got tenser than we wanted." maki: *she nods* Akitaru: "We don't know what the 7th's next move is going to be. I doubt they will take this case to the council...so that means they may try more direct methods to get answers, ones we don't have." shinra: so what do we do? Akitaru: "I want to have you all watching each other's back. When leaving the 8th, you'll be in teams of two or more." shinra: *he nods* iris:..... maki: like partners? Akitaru: *nods* shinra: ah, i see. maki: dibs on iris! shinra: D: iris: ^^; Takehisa: o_o Arthur: "D-Dibs on Tamaki!" nozomi: sorry, she kind of claimed me ^^; tamaki: >u< shinra: oooh. Arthur: p_p shinra:.....we're stuck together, arent we? Arthur: "...I think so..." Takehisa: -_-;;;;;; shinra: well, on the bright side, we do have allies in the 7th, like we have allies in the 5th and 1st. tamaki:...... Akitaru: "...Better update your chart, then, Shinra." shinra: on it! Arthur: p_q ("I wanted Tamaki as my partner...") Takehisa: *sympathetic shoulder pat* Akitaru: Miwa, any reports you got on the 7th's activities?" miwa: nothing yet, just a bit of infighting amongst the residents, but nothing too serious yet.... Akitaru: "You think Asakusa residents can't reach consensus about us in the 8th?" miwa:....*shrug* different strokes for different folks i guess. Akitaru: "I guess so. Please, let us know if you have additional updates. I think the celebration for Nozomi helped morale, but we'll need a bit more." Arthur: p_q "I wanted to take Tamaki on a date...How do I do that with Nozomi and Shinra attached to us?" -elsewhere- Black Star: *looks at Tsubaki on the couch* tsubaki: *napping* Black Star: *puts blanket over her* ("...A lot has changed...I don't know what to do with all this...") -elsewhere- Iida: "The surgery is scheduled..." ochako: *she smiles faintly* will you be ok? Iida: "...I don't know. The technology is new...The chance of success seems low." ochako:..... Iida: "...I don't want to give up." ochako: then dont! give it your all! Iida: "..." T____T -elsewhere- Giriko: "I'm home..." *holding groceries...and flowers* arachne: *she smiles, knitting a onesie* Giriko: *smiles back* "Aw, that's cute! Can't wait to see 'em in it..." arachne: ^^ Giriko: "I got you these..." *holds up potted plant* "It's a Pink Queen." arachne: how sweet *she kisses his cheek* Giriko: ^\\\\^ "How you feeling?" arachne: doing well. *rubs her stomach* Giriko: "..." *rests a hand gently over hers* "And our little one?" arachne: still growing... *she smiles* Giriko: "Awesome...Want something to drink?" -elsewhere- Relan: *carrying groceries* "Anything else we were supposed to pick up?" ryuuko: i think that's everything. Relan: *smiles* "I even got some dessert..." mikami: *she smiles* Relan: "So...Um...You two doing okay?" mikami: *she nods* Relan: *smiles* "You two seem happy together." mikami: .////. ryuuko: indeed we are. Relan: "That's great! I'm so happy for both of you, to find each other here." ryuuko: *she nods* truth be told, i was originally going to be enlisted in the 1st, but i chose to go to the 3rd with mikami. mikami: >////< Relan: "The 1st? That one is pretty exclusive...I mean, no criticism about our brigade intended..." mikami: well, ryuuko is very skilled in her abilities. Relan: *nods* "Yeah, she is. Do you know many people in the 1st?" mikami: ..... ryuuko: only the battalion commander and company commanders... Relan: "And Tamaki?" mikami: she's in the 8th now, so.... Relan: "Oh, right...and she did leave the 1st..." -elsewhere- Yumi: "Kirika, are you okay?" kirika: of course i am. mocha: *on her head* Yumi: *nods* "That's good...You received another bouquet of flowers after your musical performance." *shows it off* kirika: ah...cool. Yumi: "I guess you are now quite popular with your classmates." *small smile* "Watch out, or Gopher will get jealous." kirika: i'll keep him from stabbing anyone. Yumi: o__o "...Maybe you should get a boyfriend who is not so violent." liz: you say to the girl who gets into fights at school on at least a bi-weekly basis? Yumi: "...Protect yourself." *pulls out a shield from behind her back and hands it to Kirika* "I don't want my baby getting hurt. Also, you can use the shield as a blunt instrument to beat your opponents unconscious." kirika: neat. liz: O-O; (thinking: with parenting like this, how will shiori turn out?!) Yumi: *smiles at Kirika* "Use it well." -elsewhere- Hibana: *has her hands over Gabriella's eyes* "Keep them closed..." gabriella: ok. *Hibana shuts the door behind them; the sound of it locking behind them can be heard* Hibana: "Okay, we're in our room...Now...Open!" gabriella: *she opens her eyes* Hibana: *puts on a record, playing seductive jazz* *In their bedroom, on a table, is a bucket of ice with chilled wine, two empty glasses, and plates with food* gabriella: *shiny eyes* this is amazing! Hibana: *soft hug from behind* "I hope it is enough..." *light kiss on her cheek* "Madam." gabriella: >////w////< Hibana: *leads Gabriella to her seat, pulling it behind her and seating her there...She takes the wine out, uncorking it and pouring a bit for Gabriella* "Say when~" -elsewhere- Jeje: *flipping through a notebook* metsu: *sitting next to him* Jeje: *small grunt, as he jots a note down* metsu:..... *leans and snoozes* Jeje: o\\\\\o "..." -\\\\\- *pokes a finger at Metsu's shoulder, pushing off of him* metsu: ?? *she looks up at him* ? Jeje: "...Oh, you're awake." metsu: yes. Jeje: "...Do you need to nap? Or something with caffeine?" metsu: im ok for now, i suppose. what about you? Jeje: "...I could use a drink. And snacks." *stands to get something from the kitchen* metsu: *she follows him* mikuni: im baaack~! Jeje: -_-; "How was it?" mikuni: well we got the shop downstairs open for buisness, also an old friend will be coming into town possibly next month and is gonna need a place to crash sooooo, you're gonna get the couch! :D Jeje: "...Couch? Me? Why?" mikuni: well he needs a room for his research stuff! Jeje: "I like having my own room. I like privacy. Why am I the one to give up their room? What about you?" mikuni: i need a place to sleep. metsu: what about the spare? mikuni: are you mad?! that's abel's room you fiend! Jeje: -_-; "...That couch is not comfortable." metsu:....the guest can take my room then, i dont have much beside my bag, so it will be easy for me to switch rooms. mikuni: aww, thanks metsun~ Jeje: "!!! Um...You don't have to do that...I can put up with the couch..." mikuni: why not have her sleep in your room then~? *smug grin* Jeje: o_o *aims his punch...* -elsewhere- Relan: [how are u all coping with the 'buddy system'?] shinra: [doing well, even if arthur is kind of a hassle. -__-; ] Relan: [he still in 'tamaki withdrawal syndrome'?] Arthur: *rocking in his bed* "My date is ruined..." shinra: ....*snaps pic* [you tell me, haha! XD ] Relan: [lol ^^ ] Arthur: "!!! You jerk!" *leaps to tackle Shinra* shinra: *dodge* ack! haha! Arthur: *crashes against the wall, growling as he stands again...* shinra: hehe, you ok man? Arthur: *growls, holding up his camera...and a tube of lipstick...* shinra:....what are you doing? Arthur: *ROAR, rushes at Shinra* -elsewhere- Iida: *in hospital bed, waiting...* Iida: *bandaged around his eyes* mama iida: ..... Iida: "...Are you still there?" mama iida: of course, tenya. *holding his hand* Iida: *smiles* "...At least I'm alive...just have to wait and...well, see whether this worked." mama iida: *she nods* Iida: "Whatever happens, Mother...I...I'm sorry." mama iida: you didnt do anything wrong, tenya... Iida: "I...shouldn't have let this happen to begin with, worrying everyone." nurse: are you ready? Iida: "Yes. I am ready." -elsewhere- Wes: *on the phone* "Is she okay?" maid: yes, she's recovering, but still needs rest....i think she'll be alright, and we've adjusted her medication. Wes: *trying to keep it together* "Please keep Soul and me updated." maid: of course. soul:....*awkward bro hug* Wes: "..." *pats his back* (to Maid) "Thank you...Yes...Goodbye." *hangs up, hugs Soul* soul: is mom- Wes: "Recovering. They changed her medication. They didn't say it, but I think she's going to be fine." soul: *weak smile* part of me feels like a dick for going weapon mode.... Wes: "We all got a little hot and bothered. Can't change that...just got to get through it." soul:....right. how's my future sister in law? *chuckles* Wes: -\\\\\- "...I hope she isn't mad at me for...wimping out. Badly." soul: im sure it'll be fine. Wes: "...I'm sorry to you, too, Soul." -elsewhere- Black Star: *reclining in bath* "Ahhh...Just what my muscles needed after a work-out." tsubaki: *watching tv* Black Star: *exits bathroom, having changed into PJ pants* "What's on?" tsubaki: just the weather. Black Star: *sits next to her* "How's it looking for this week?" tsubaki: looks like it'll be clearing up a bit, with a bit of overcast. Black Star: "Cool...What's up for this week?" -the next morning- Hibana: *cuddle* gabriella: morning~<3 Hibana: *kiss on the cheek* "Good morning, Gabriella." *hugs her* "Sleep well?" gabriella: *she nods* Hibana: "Good..." *kisses her neck* "That wine was something else..." -at school- Relan: o_o; "Um...I like the new look...Shinra?" shinra: =////= *mumbling* damn you arthur... Arthur: *devlish smirk* Relan: -\\\\- *kiss on the cheek* shinra: *blush* thanks* Relan: *smiles* "I'm sure someone has some makeup removal..." *holds his hand* Gopher: *still in a skirt* .w. "Everyone is so accepting lately..." several students: (thinking: SO CONVINCING!) students: ./////. Arthur: -_-; "My plan didn't embarrass him...it just endeared his boyfriend all the more to him." Aoyama: *hug from the back* "Sir Boyle is running a bit of a temperature over all this, oui?" Arthur: o_____o; "DID I TELL YOU TO HUG ME?!" Aoyama: *pat on his bottom* Arthur: o________O maki: OWO Aoyama: *whispers in Arthur's ear* "I hear you and Tamaki are getting close. Room for one more~?" Arthur: o\\\\\\\\\\\o maki: O//////w///////O Aoyama: "Just imagine the fun we could have together--" Arthur: "TAMAKI IS NOT INTERESTED IN SUCH THINGS!" Relan: o____o; *whispers to Shinra* "Sh-Should I be worried about Arthur being around you?" shinra: i'd rather eat a cactus whole than date arthur, dont worry. Relan: *smiles* "I don't know...You are quite a charmer." Arthur: "Let go of me!" *Aoyama is still hugging along his waist, as Arthur tries to march away...* lilac:....does stuff like this....usually happen here? Black Star: "Not really. Usually, by this point, someone would lose their pants by now. Or punched in the face. But since I'm here, everyone's too afraid to start a fight!" lilac: O_O; Arthur: *grunting, groaning, trying to get out of Aoyama's grip...* -elsewhere- Kid: *doodling in his notebook* stocking: *doing her school work* Kid: *slides a sheet of paper to Stocking--showing a detailed illustration of Stocking in a sundress under a tree in a park* stocking: *she smiles and puts it into her home folder* Kid: *small laugh, as he gets back to taking notes* stocking: ^^ Stein: "Now, before class concludes for the day, I remind you that you will have one-on-one pre-graduation meetings with advisers. I know graduation is a few months off, so you'll be having one or two of these meetings over the next few months..." liz: ..... Patty: *headdesk* "More meetings." Stein: "Counselors will have job options: representatives from governments and companies specializing in defense, private security, technology, medicine, rescue, even child care..." Kid: "..." ("As if my future work is not already fated...") soul: ...... (thinking: only 3 more to go....) Jacqueline: ("...Mother and Father will want me back home after graduation...") kim: ....... Stein: "...Well, that made everyone get really quiet. Any questions?" sayaka: will those in the NOT class be graduating into the EAT and ALT classes then? Stein: "If they choose to continue studies at the Academy, yes." sayaka: ah. Stein: "Other questions?" -later- Kid: "...What do you think?" stocking: i think i might work at the DWMA's true cross branch. Kid: "As an instructor?" stocking: maybe, just a thought. Kid: *smiles* "You would be great at it. Especially in the art of the sword." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: "And I would be here at the DWMA main branch...learning from Father...taking on some of his responsibilities..." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: "...I...don't want to disappoint..." stocking: ?? Kid: "...I don't want to disappoint Father...or you. I want to do my best." stocking: *she holds his hand* I know you will do your best. Kid: *nods, holds her hand* -elsewhere- Takehisa: *cleaning his gun* sayu: so how's it going mr commander? Takehisa: *inspecting parts, not looking at Sayu* "On schedule: should have my weapon cleaned before my 2:30 PM break." sayu: ah. Takehisa: "What are you up to?" sayu: just looking around. Takehisa: "Good." *pulls out a portable vacuum* "While looking around, you can help clean up." sayu: *salutes and goes to do that* Takehisa: *small smile, as he returns to his gun* Akitaru: *walks by Sayu* "Hey, there! Off to clean?" sayu: *nods* Akitaru: "Awesome! Well, let me know if you need help." *pulls out a basket of cleaning supplies* "I'll get start cleaning up the kitchen..." -elsewhere- Iida: *asleep in bed after surgery* -elsewhere- Ponera: -\\\\\- neian: *in her crib* grimoire: such a small thing... Ponera: *nods* T_T "So cute...Having a little baby..." grimoire: ..... Ponera: *leans against Grimoire* grimoire: *tiny hug* Ponera: o\\\\o *hug* -elsewhere- medea: *mumbling* Shotaro: *leans behind her* "I know a person who does the same thing..." medea: !!! do you mind....im...preforming a séance.... *she is sitting amongst several dolls aligned in a circular formation* Shotaro: "...Is that why you have the dollies?" medea: yes....the souls need a host..... Shotaro: " 'Host'? You mean...There are souls inside these cute little plushies?" *goes to poke one* medea: dont touch those! Shotaro: ._. *pulls back finger* "...Tool communicates with things. He's a kappa. Maybe you should ask him--" medea: these are human souls, so i dont think the principal applies here... Shotaro: "Oh...Still, a soul in a thing could still be something Tool knows a little about. Granted, he's not a people person but..." *ramble ramble ramble* -elsewhere- Wes: *marking sheet music, in-between playing on the piano* soul: trying something different? Wes: "Oh, Soul!" *small blush* "Sorry...I've had a song on my mind...something with a violin, a piano..." soul: ah, want me to help? Wes: *smiles* "I'd like that..." *gets off the piano stool, picks up the violin* soul: *examining the notes* ok...*begins playing* Wes: *follows along, adjusting to match Soul's performance* soul: *still playing, feeling a warm presence and smiles* *The music rolls through a variety of moods, with greater and lesser intensity* soul: *finishing* .....*smile* Wes: "...You sounded great." soul: thanks. Wes: "I think that's a good sound...I'll fix the notes and...I don't know what I'm going to do with this song." soul: *half-joking* maybe have it played at your wedding? Wes: o\\\\\o "Um..." *covers his face* "I don't even know how to propose to Liz. I'm not used to this kind of thing." soul: easy bro *pat pat* Wes: *inhale* "Okay...Um...Before or after her graduation? Do I ask her to move in first, see how we get along before the big question?" soul: i guess let things take their course? im not really an expert on this....(thinking: i dont think i ever will be....) Wes: *nods* "I'm not an expert either. I don't know that I know anyone who's done this kind of thing." soul: try asking lord death? or maybe one of the other teachers? Wes: "Maybe Lord Death..." ("I don't think Mr. Albarn would work out so well...") -elsewhere- Jacqueline: "Anything in particular you want for dinner?" kim: pizza? Jacqueline: "Delivery or pickup?" kim: delivery, too lazy to go out. Jacqueline: "Very well." *pulls out phone to call* "Which toppings?" kim: just cheese. Jacqueline: "That sounds good..." *places her delivery* "Okay, 30 minutes. Free soda included? Yes, that would be good. DWMA Girls Dormitory...Yes, that address. Name is Jacqueline. Yes, thank you!" *hangs up* "30 minutes to kill, then..." kim: mario kart? Jacqueline: "..." *smirks* "You're on." -elsewhere- Emine: *holds up 'Emine's Good Behavior Report Card' to Setsuna* "I have done almost all that was requested of me: my bad deeds have been far less vicious, and I left Mono mostly alone..." setsuna: good job emine *hug* Emine: -\\\\\- "Thank you. That means a lot." setsuna: ^^ Emine: "...Are there bad deeds I could do that would actually be _helpful_?" -elsewhere- Relan: o____o "Jeez, Hibana did change a lot of things in your brigade..." shinra: no kidding. Relan: "Iris...Is Hibana always like this?" iris: most of the time 7-7; Relan: "Well, to each their own, I guess...At least her heart was in the right place...or _some_ place." *picks up and looks at a Hibana pillow* shinra: *shudders* .______. Relan: "Hmm...I always thought Hibana was stylish..." -\\\\- "Those dresses..." shinra: *he nods* they're pretty expensive. Relan: *squirms* "...Iris? Is there any way she could give me a generous discount?" iris: i'll see what i can do. Relan: "Really?! Thanks!" *hug* iris: ^^ Relan: *smiles...then sees Arthur walking by, shoulders slumped* "???" shinra: you ok? Arthur: *clutches Shinra by the shoulders* "Group. Date." shinra:...eh? Arthur: "Anything--anything!--just to have some social time with Tamaki! The Commander said we have to be in teams of two, so Tamaki will bring Nozomi, I bring you, you will end up bringing Iris and Relan which means bringing Maki, then--" iris: ?? Arthur: "What do I have to do to convince you to host a get-together at a local restaurant?! I'm desperate..." shinra:...hmmmm. Arthur: *on his knees, begging* "Please! I'll do anything!" -and so- Arthur: *wedged between Shinra and Relan in their seats* -_-; "More packed than I imagined..." iris: ^^; nozomi: this is a nice place. tamaki: *nom nom* Relan: "Maki, could you pass the ketchup?" maki: here you go Arthur: -\\\\- ("Tamaki takes the cutest bites out of her meal...") Relan: "Thanks!" *opens the bottle...but he can't get it to pour out onto his fries* shinra: need help? Relan: *nods* Relan: *hands the bottle to Shinra* shinra: *squeezes a bit of ketchup onto the fries* here you go. ^^ iris: (thinking: TOO CUTE!) Relan: *smiles* "Thanks!" *kiss on the cheek* shinra: *blush* iris: *smooches them both on the cheek* Relan: -\\\\- "Th-Thank you, Iris..." Arthur: "..." *looks at Tamaki* tamaki: *nom nom*.....what? Arthur: "!!! N-Nothing..." ("Just wish I was kissing her cheek...Huh...She has a little sauce on her cheek...") nozomi: *hands her a napkin* tamaki: thanks *wipes it off* Arthur: o_____o ("WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?!!") -at the bar- ???: *a woman with red hair sips her drink* .... Waiter: *gestures to bartender* "Need another pina colada for Table #4." *spots ???* "Anything I can get you, ma'am~?" ???: .....im good. Waiter: "Well, if you need anything, just let me know. Just call for Alex!" *takes the pina colada, passing tables...* ???:......*checks her phone* Text: [how's it going?] ???: [quiet, a few people around. drink's good] Text: [ha ha. pace yourself. let me know if anyone shows up] ???: ....... *she snaps a pic* [seems there's a party...] ???: [neat...anyone to talk to? find out what it's celebrating] ????: *she sends the pic of shinra and his group* Text: [aw, they look so happy. talk with one of the girls in the bathroom?] ???: [right] maki: *goes to the washroom to fix up her hair* ????: *follows* Relan: *finished his fries, looking at desserts on menu* -elsewhere- Joker: *lights his cigarette* -phone buzzes- Joker: *checks phone* scarlet: [found out the 8th's got itself a buddy system after the incident in asakusa] Joker: [that makes things a little more complicated] scarlet: [but that kid with the hair covering his face.] ...... [he's in the 3rd] Joker: "..." *sneers* [interesting. keep an eye on him] scarlet: ...........[right] Relan: *laughing, as Arthur has moved to sit next to Tamaki* scarlet:.... [will keep you updated] Arthur: "...Want to share a dessert, Tamaki?" tamaki: sure. Arthur: *points to a cat-shaped cake on the menu...* tamaki: YUSS! *shiny eyes* Relan: *whispers to Shinra* "What if we told the waiter that today was Arthur's birthday?" shinra: its not though... Relan: "But if we do...they'll come out and embarrass him by singing "Happy birthday." Plus, free cake..." Arthur: *smiles* "Then one of those..." -elsewhere- Akitaru: *resting on the couch* "Sure is quiet..." miwa: *she nods* Akitaru: *pulls out a book...opens it...it is a scrapbook of the 8th* padma: *doing sudoku* Akitaru: *laughing at a photo of him and Takehisa refurbishing the building...in hardhats* Takehisa: -_-; "Just put that thing away." miwa: ah, let him have his fun. Akitaru:  "Memories...Everyone has gotten so tall since then...Look how tiny Iris was on her first day!" nayumi: how cute ^^ Takehisa: *spots a photo of him and Maki* nayumi: where was that? Takehisa: "Military." nayumi: ah. she was pretty short back then. Takehisa: *nods* "Shorter hair as well." serina: *looking at her own pictures, including her as a young child with her grandpa* Akitaru: *points to the photo* "That's you?" serina: *she nods* nayumi: you wore your hair in braids too? serina: yeah. Akitaru: *sad smile, thinking of his child* (ami: when i grow up, i wanna be strong just like you papa!) Akitaru: *his hand rests along the side of the book* "..." miwa: ...... Akitaru: *sniff* miwa:....*pats his back* Akitaru: *nods, trying to smile* miwa: *she hugs him* Akitaru: "??? ... Um...Thank you?" miwa: from one commander to another. *smile* Akitaru: "..." *smiles, nods* -elsewhere- Jacqueline: *pats her mouth* "Good pizza, and good game of Mario Kart...I almost beat you that time." kim: yeah. Jacqueline: *stretches and lies in bed...accidentally in Kim's* kim:....*small smile* Jacqueline: *sigh of relief...then...* "???" kim: ?? whats up? Jacqueline: "I could ask you the same? Why are you smiling at me--" *then notices whose bed she is in* o\\\\\\o *hops out of Kim's bed* "S-Sorry!" kim: hey, its fine....is there....anything bothering you? Jacqueline: -\\\\- "...A few things. You know, nothing big." kim: did you want to talk about it? Jacqueline: "..." Jacqueline: "...When I graduate, I don't know what I'm going to do." kim: .....is this about your parents? Jacqueline: *nods* "They'll want me back home after I graduate." kim:.....say! why dont we move in together in our own place? Jacqueline: "...Really? B-But I'll need to work to pay rent...What do I do for a job?" kim: there's lots of job opportunities in death city.. maybe we could be DWMA instructors? Jacqueline: *nods* "I think I should speak with the job counselors..." *smiles at Kim* "But I would like to move to our own place." kim: *she smiles* Jacqueline: *smiles* "This puts my mind at a bit more ease...Thanks." -elsewhere- tsubaki: *in bed, reading* Black Star: "Hey, I'm going to head to bed..." tsubaki: good night. Black Star: *nods* "How 'bout you?" tsubaki: after i finish this chapter, i'll head to bed. Black Star: "Cool..." *starts to exit* "Well, see you in the morning." tsubaki: good night. Black Star: "..." *turns and exits, closing the door* -at gallows manor- Kid: "Good night, Father..." lord death: night kiddo~ Kid: "...Father? Will I...be a good leader of the DWMA?" lord death:...*head pat* of course you will, son. Kid: *smiles* "Thank you...Good night." lord death: good night son, i love you. Kid: *hug* "I love you, too." -in stocking's room- *Knock knock* stocking: *laying in bed, wearing one of kid's night shirts* its open Kid: *opens the door* "I wanted to see how you are do--" o____o stocking: hey. *she smiles* Kid: "...Hey..." *approaches, lies beside her* stocking: *snuggles up next to him* Kid: *turns towards her, tugging a bit on the shirt* "Clothes thief." stocking: hehe~ Kid: "I like that shirt on you..." *playful smirk* "But I also don't appreciate someone taking my clothes without asking..." *rests a hand along her hip* "I'm particular..." stocking: sorry 737 Kid: "Hee hee..." *kisses her lips* stocking: mmmm~ Kid: *talks in between kisses* "But...I insist that I take back my shirt..." *unbuttons top one* stocking: ahh~ Kid: *as he unbuttons her shirt, he kisses on each bit of newly exposed skin* stocking: *soft moans with each kiss* Kid: *reaches the last button, taking so long to unbutton it, kissing lightly over her skin* stocking: *pouts* two can play that game! *turns him onto his back and slowly grinds against his pants* Kid: *moan* "N-No fair...Ahhhh~" stocking: *smirks as she grinds with 2 quick strokes then one long one, repeating the pattern* Kid: *panting* "Oh, God...I-I need to get these pants off..." stocking: *gets up enough for him to reach down* Kid: *fumbling over his pants, his length making it difficult to get out* stocking: need help~? Kid: *whimpers* "I-I think I'm too big for them..." stocking: ...you ok? *concerned* Kid: *nods* "It's just...You're so attractive that..." -\\\\\\- *speaks really fast* "I'm already erect, and the size of my penis is preventing me from extricating myself from my slacks due to how nervous I am by your raw, magnetic sexuality." stocking: .....*chuckles* you're too darn adorable. *she undoes his fly* Kid: -\\\\\- "Thank you..." stocking: hehehe~ no problem babe~ *pulls them down and nuzzles his groin* Kid: -\\\\- "Is-Is it good?" *puts his hands along her hair* stocking: yeah *kiss* so firm~ Kid: "A-ah~ ...You're responsible for that..." stocking: hehe~ *smooch* Kid: "I-I was thinking about you today...Your beautiful backside...your large breasts..." *groans* "What you do with your mouth..." stocking: *booty squeeze* you naughty boy, kiddo~<3 Kid: *small yelp* "I-I've been a naughty boy..." stocking: should i punish you~? Kid: *nods* "Y-Yes...My angel..." -elsewhere- mami: zzzzz.... Crona: "..." *puts a blanket over Mami* mami: *small smile* Crona: "..." *lies beside her, over the blanket, looking at her* mami: zzzzz.... Crona: "..." *hugs Mami, holding her in her sleep* mami: *hugs back in her sleep* Crona: .\\\\\. *tries to fall asleep...* -elsewhere- Relan: "That was fun." shinra: yeah, well, here's your stop. see you later. *hug and kiss on the cheek* iris: *does the same thing* Relan: -\\\- *returns a kiss on their cheeks* "Good night." -elsewhere- Hibana: *slurring her words a bit* "Ha ha--fun!" gabriella: *tucking her in* Hibana: "I beeeeeeat you at the drinking game, Gabby-Gabby-Fine-Fanny!" gabriella: you certainly did. (thinking: good thing i made sure she had plenty of water too...) Hibana: *pulls the sheets around her* "So comfy..." *yawn* "Will you be here in the morning?" gabriella: of course hibana. Hibana: "Mmmm...Love you..." -morning, elsewhere- Emine: *snore* lin: emine, it's time to get up. Emine: *grumbles, turns away in bed* lin:.... *kiss on the ear* Emine: *smiles* "Mmmm..." *turns back, looking at her* "That's a rotten trick to get me out of bed." lin: hehe~ Emine: *yawns, takes off the sheets to get out of bed, stretches* -elsewhere- Takehisa: *making coffee* shinra:....!!! holy crap it's snowing!! Akitaru: *super-childlike excitement* :D maki: YAY! Arthur: "Snowball battle! One must be held!" maki: yeah!! Takehisa: *puts out hot chocolate* "Drink up, first, to keep warm." *Maki's hot chocolate has marshmallows in the shape of a smiley face* maki: *siiiip* so yummy~ =w= Takehisa: -\\\\- Arthur: *putting on a scarf...hands one to Tamaki* tamaki: thanks. Arthur: -\\\\- "You're welcome." Akitaru: "Building snowmen, snowball battles, snow angels..." -elsewhere- stocking: zzzzzz..... Kid: *turns in his sleep--then grimaces* "Ahhh..." stocking: hmmm? kid? Kid: "S-Sorry...I'm a little sore." stocking: want me to rub it and make it better? Kid: *nods excitedly* -one gentle massage later- Kid: "A-Ah~! ... Sorry." stocking: you're real sensitive....*kiss on the lips* Kid: -\\\\\- "Maybe you just have the right touch, on my body and soul." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: *smiles, as he looks behind her at the window* "...Snow?" stocking: seems like it. Kid: *shifts in bed* "Shower, then take a walk?" stocking: *she nods* Kid: *smirks, as he lifts her in his arms to carry her* stocking: ah! hehe~ Kid: *kisses her cheek as he brings her into the bathroom, closing the door behind them* -and so- Kid: -\\\\- "You look so...sexy in those clothes." stocking: *sipping hot cocoa in her winter sweater* Kid: *sips on his cocoa* "So yummy~" stocking: hehe~ Kid: *cozies up to her* "New sweater?" stocking: mmhmm~ got my winter clothes in yesterday... Kid: "Excellent fashion choice." *smiles* stocking: ^^ Kid: "Have you made your list for Santa~?" stocking: maaaybe~ Kid: "I hope Santa brings something good for you..." *whispers in her ear* "Unless you've been naughty..." -elsewhere- Tool: *holding Io* "See? The white stuff is snow." io: O.O Tool: "And snow is rain, only frozen into ice flakes that accumulate into this white stuff. You can pat it together into balls, people..." io: hehe! Tool: *catches some snow in his mitt, then tossing it up, letting it fall along the ground* "You're a bit small to make a snowman..." saki: ^^ Tool: "...Hey, Saki...Want to build a snowman?" saki: sure. *shovel tool arm* Tool: *smiles* "Watch this, Io...First snowman..." io: *watching intently as chie holds her* Tool: *patting more snow on top of the giant snowball Saki already put together* io: *shiny eyes* Tool: "Saki...Um...This doesn't look as snowman-ish to me...Am I do this right?" saki: it looks good i think ^^ *puts a pail on its head* Tool: "I hope so..." *It kind of looks kappa-ish* saki: its cute ^^ Tool: -\\\- "What do you think, Io?" io: gu! gu! Tool: "Heh...I'll take that as a 'good.'" -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: *bundled up in a rabbit hoodie* fang-hua: its getting colder.... *under the kotatsu* Tsukiyo: "No kidding..." *sigh* "I'd recommend a visit to the hot springs...But I don't feel like it. " fang-hua: .....want some tea? Tsukiyo: *nods* "Maybe that will warm me up..." fang-hua: ok. *she goes to get some* Tsukiyo: *flicking through her phone at texts and pics* "..." fang-hua:.....?? commander? Benimaru: *standing just outside in the cold* "Hello." fang-hua:....did you need a robe or something? it's rather chilly out. Benimaru: "I use my fire abilities to regulate my body temperature even in intense cold--" *sneezes--out fire* "..." *sniff* fang-hua: *stifled chuckling* Benimaru: -_-; "Bring me my coat." fang-hua: can and will do. -elsewhere- Hibana: *lounging in the outdoor hot tub* "Come on in...The water's just fine~" gabriella: *slides in* ahhhh, nice and warm =///= Hibana: "This is even better when it's cold and snowing outside..." *cozies up next to Gabriella* "Feel good?" -elsewhere- belkia: GA-CHOO! *sniff* blegh....too darn cold! sakuya: the hotel room is headed, what are _you_ complaining about? belkia: stiiiiiilllll.... toguchin is hogging the heated blanket and higan is out of town so he cant keep us all warm with his fire! *Knock knock* sakuya: *looks out the peep hole* Bellhop: "Room service!" sakuya: *pulls out money* here you go. Bellhop: "Thank you!" *pushes cart in, with meal and drinks* lavender: nice. say, its pretty chilly, mind keeping me warm tonight~? *wink* otogiri: *unamused* Bellhop: o\\\\\o "Uh..." sakuya: *rolls eyes* ugh. Bellhop: "I-I'm not supposed to...mingle with guests...ma'am." lavender: you sure you cant make an exception~? *pout* otogiri: could you not? lavender: hey, doesnt hurt to try. Bellhop: "..." *looks at his watch* "Um...I have a break in an hour?" lavender: see you then~ otogiri: you're so shameless....it's bothersome. lavender: i got the skills, may as damn well use them. Bellhop: *walks away stiffly and hunched over...* o\\\\o belkia: dang, shamrock's not gonna be happy with you, as always. otogiri: suppose we get found out? lavender: belkia can shiv his ass and tsubaki gets a new subclass, no big deal. *HAHAHAHA YOU HAVE A CALL! HAHAHAHA YOU HAVE A CALL!* [Phone alert] otogiri: *she looks at her phone* Text (from Mr Tsubaki): [keeping warm?] otogiri: [yes. where R U?] Mr Tsubaki: [on my way. just paying a visit to a friend] otogiri: ..... [are you pestering that girl again? T.T ] Mr Tsubaki: [i do what i want] otogiri:..... -_- belkia: girioto! tell tsubakyun to bring home more heated blankets! naho: =w= zzzzzzz Mr Tsubaki: [i'll pick up some items on the way back. want anything?] otogiri: [belkia is requesting heated blankets, since naho is asleep under the one we have.] lilac: *wearing a spare jacket and shivering* Mr Tsubaki: [okay. but first, tell belkia and naho to share that one. send pics] otogiri: you can share. belkia: what do i look like, a lolicon?! sakuya: she's 18...how she's the same age as me amazes me. Mr Tsubaki: [lol] -elsewhere- Relan: ^^ ryuuko: *staring at her melted snow angel* .... mikami: it looks nice, ryuuko! ryuuko: thank you -///- Relan: *snaps a pic* "Talented!" ryuuko: i just laid on the ground... Relan: "But your flame ability--that takes some control." ryuuko: i suppose it does. Relan: "I'll see what I can make..." *lies in the snow, starts forming an angel* -elsewhere- liz: c-c-cold Q_Q Patty: "I know! It's great, right! :D" -at the 1st- ruby: GA-CHOO! *sniff* pearl: it's really cold today.... Karim: "Indeed. A bit much, even for me..." dia: good morning *in her usual uniform....fit for warmer weather* ruby: SHE'S NOT EVEN AFFECTED?! Karim: *nods* "Some people use their heat abilities to regulate internal body temperature--" *sneezes* dia: yes, and i grew up in russia, so im used to the colder weather either way. Burns: "Enough chit-chat. We get to work: in these conditions, you have to be at peak performance, so you'll be testing your mettle out in this cold." pearl: Q-Q Karim: -_- foien: ^^; Burns: "I suggest you keep warm...We're going to see who can regulate their temperatures while still using their fire abilities for effective combat." pearl: Q^Q -elsewhere- Kepuri: *sniffles, glaring at Nea* "Lucky...You can handle this cold." nea: hell yea i can. *eating some of the snow* mana: *JAWDROP* Shotaro: "Man, lucky! Her ability is to avoid brain freezes!" Shinoda: -\\\\\- lin: O-O (thinking: these mafia princesses are a force to be reckoned with!) Emine: "Nea can indeed handle extreme temperatures--a valuable asset." Shinoda: "One heck of an asset. -\\\\\- " chie: you're lucky you're in there all warm and toasty, right toru~? *rubs her stomach* Yohei: *worried father-to-be mode* "Do you feel warm enough? Need another jacket? Heating pad?" chie: i'm ok, but i suppose some hot cocoa would be nice. (thinking: too cute!) Yohei: *picks up GET, tapping his head like a dispenser to have more hot cocoa pour out of his mouth into Chie's cup, then grabs WASHU for the marshmallow dispenser...* medea: =_______________________= ugh...what a night... Shotaro: "Hey, Medea! Want hot chocolate with the tiny marshmallows?" medea: *she just makes some black coffee and downs it* .... Yohei: "???" medea: i had to deal with a particularly annoying soul.....he really wanted to speak with you.... -thumps from medea's room- Shotaro and Yohei: *look at each other, then Medea* " 'You'?" medea: yes, you yohei...he was....rather adamant..... Yohei: "Uuuuuuuuum...Name?" medea: i didnt get any- *DOOR SLAM* Plushie!NoFix: *high-pitched voice* "Guess who's back, motherfuckers?!" Shotaro: o_o Yohei: "...No." Tool: -_-; Kepuri: "???" Emine: "...Fuck." Emine: *drops a quarter into "Emine's Swear Jar"* chie: OH FUCK NO! saki: *gun arm aimed* Plushie!NoFix (PlushFix): *winks at Saki, points at her* "Hey, babe. Miss me?" -PUNTED- saki: why? medea:....i take it you dont like this particular stray soul. chie: nope. not in the least. PlushFix: *crashes into Yohei's face* PlushFix: "You like that? You like my cock up against your--" o___O "i'M NOT ANATOMICALLY CORRECT?!" Yohei: "..." *peels PlushFix off his face* "GET...Burn him." PlushFix: ._____. GET: >8o chie: *throws the doll into the fire.....its not burning* WHAT THE FUCK?! PlushFix: "BWA HA HA! You can never kill me now! And all the torments I will now impart on you! I may not have my bits anymore, but I still got these hands to put all over Saki's sweet body again!" Shotaro: *shaking* Emine: "...I want to kill him." saki: *turbo stomp* PlushFix: o____o "OW OW OW OW Oh, yeah baby OW OW OUCHIE OW FUCK SHIT MOTHERFUCKER OW OUCH!" io: O-O Emine: "..." *covers Io's eyes* Shotaro: *covers Io's ears* setsuna: oh? so this is the 'nofix' i heard so much about? Shotaro and Emine: *nod* "Bad man." Yohei: "As if many of us weren't traumatized enough..." setsuna:...hello. ^^ PlushFix: *pained* "...Hello, Mrs. MILF." Shotaro and Emine: "...KIIIIIIIIIIIIIL..." Kepuri: *glares at Medea* "...You ever resurrect a lightning beast bald bastard, and I will shove ticks up your--" setsuna: owo; medea: *back in her room cowering* i've made a terrible mistake. PlushFix: *to Setsuna* "Am I the doll you'll take with you to bed tonight? You can hold me nice and close~" Yohei: "...Chie? I think we need to talk with Medea..." chie: *cracks knuckles* way behind you. nea: .....what the fuck...? PlushFix: "Oh, you're hot, too! Maybe a two girls, one dolly kind of deal? How you feel about kissing another woman?" Shinoda: "...I remember why I don't like this guy." nea: *KICKS INTO THE WALL* die. -_- Shinoda: T_T "That's my Nea." PlushFix: *spots Lin* "...Wait...Didn't I kill you?" lin:.....fuuuunny story about that... >w> *FLEES TO HER ROOM* nope nope nope nope nope! Emine: "!!! Lin!" *follows her* Tool: "Fire won't work...Maybe scissors?" Kepuri: *holds some up* "Way ahead of you...Let's see whether he's only stuffing inside..." > : ) chie: MEDEA YOU LITTLE SHIT OPEN UP BEFORE I COME IN THERE! medea: i apologize for my summoning of an....unfortunate resident. Yohei: *holds Chie back* "Sweetie, let's try our diplomatic voices..." *approaches Medea* "We...have been tortured by that monster. Why him? Why bring _him_ back?" medea: well, i suppose his soul had been attracted to this place... mono: we're home! Yohei: "...Oh no..." mono: ?? aww, what a cute plushie! *hug* PlushFix: "Wait...You look familiar..." Assi: *follows Mono inside* "Hey, Yohei made a talking dollie?" PlushFix: "Hee hee hee...Now I remember...How are your parents, you scrawny whiny cunt?" Zuno: "!!! What did he just say?" mono:........ *eyes widen and she screams, throwing the doll to the wall* PlushFix: *squeak against the wall* "I remember...You were crying for them as I killed them...showed their corpses to you..." *smirks* "You're looking well." medea: i'm going to the shrine to get ofuda.....lots of them. mono: NO! NONONONONONONO!! *in hysterics* Zuno: o_____O "NOFIX! NOFIX! AAAAH!" Assi: "THAT'S THE THING YOU REMEMBER!" *holds Mono* "Mono, calm down! mono: i-i-i'll fuckin kill him! akaderu: tried that, didnt work. PlushFix: "Hee hee hee...I may not have my abilities right now...but I can still pick up weapons..." *holds up hands...without opposable thumbs* "...I just need to learn how to hold scissors. Yo, Bug Bitch--hand me those--" Kepuri: *stabs scissors into PlushFix's head* PlushFix: -_-; "...Yeah, I'm not dead. Skank-ass ho." mana: well, i guess we got our wish of making this house more interesting -_-; Kepuri: *anger twitch* Assi: *glares at Mana* "Who was asking for _this_ kind of 'interesting'?" mana:.... >_>; io: O_O PlushFix: "Daddy's home..." io: Q_Q *cries* Tool: "Get Io away from this monster...I'm going to lock him in a box and try to pull this soul out of him..." medea: he might attempt to possess someone here... best try to keep him sealed.... saki: *protectivly holding io* Yohei: o____o " 'Possess'?!" PlushFix: "If so, I'm gonna possess the MILF first!" Emine: "..." *holds up a lighter* Shotaro: "Emine, no!" *holds up a flamethrower* "USE THIS!" medea: his soul is a rather aggressive one...though that's obvious. Everyone: "NO SHIT!" medea: .__.; PlushFix: "Okay, look, I'll behave...if I get to see Yohei's massive dong." Yohei: "...What the fuck?" chie: *TURBO STOMP* no. PlushFix: "YEAH, BABY! HIT ME HARDER!" Kepuri: "I'm going to be putting new locks on the doors...and windows." chie: *puts a pail over him and holds it down* PlushFix: "Hey! It got really dark in here! Is it nighttime? Is it time to--Zzzzzzzz..." chie: phew...... mono: *still in a frenzy, about to throw up* Assi: *holding her* "It's okay, he's stopped...You're going to be fine..." mono: *crying into his chest* PlushFix: *sucking his hand, like sucking his thumb asleep* Yohei: *slight shakes* chie:....*she hugs him* Yohei: *holds onto her* Tool: *hugs Saki and Io* Shotaro and Emine: *hugging Setsuna* akaderu:....*hugging kepuri* hugs all around, i guess. lin: *peeeek* is it safe? Kepuri: -\\\\\\- Emine: *nods* -elsewhere- Kishiri: -_-; "Vivian, please." vivian: *sharing a scarf* hehehe~<3 Kishiri: "Look, I need some distance...although..." vivian: *pouts* Kishiri: -\\\\\- "You are rather warm...and..." vivian: *shiny eyes* Kishiri: "...You are attractive." >\\\\< vivian: *SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE* Kishiri: "...A lot of women don't like me...despite how much I like women." vivian: their loss then! because i think you're the coolest guy i know! Kishiri: "...Why? I'm a douchebag." vivian: what i see is a really cool and free spirited guy who doesnt give a crap what people think and just goes by his own rules! Kishiri: o\\\\\o "...Seriously? And you like that?" vivian: *she smiles* Kishiri: "...You're very enthusiastic and driven..." vivian: O///w///O Kishiri: -\\\\- *scratches his cheek* "You never give up, do you?" *leans a bit closer* vivian: nope~! Kishiri: "..." >\\\\\\< *smooch* vivian: @//////////////w////////////////@ Kishiri: *pulls back* "...That was pretty much my first kiss. Like, other than something out of preschool." vivian: *SQUEALS OF HAPPY* Kishiri: "..." *holds her hand* "It felt nice. You feel nice." vivian: *in absolute joy mode* -elsewhere- Crona: *in a Christmas tree lights sweater* -\\\\\- mami: ^^; soul: cute. Crona: "It-It seems a bit much...all bright and shiny..." tsubaki: still. Black Star: *two thumbs up* "Rock that sweater, Crona!" kyouka: nothing says christmas like corny christmas sweaters. sayaka: dont you mean chron-y christmas sweaters? -silence- sayaka: 8D Crona: -_______-; Black Star: "Boo!" soul: really miki? Crona: "That joke was hardly very...bright." mami: *chuckles* Black Star: -_______-; -elsewhere- Arthur: *pelted with snowballs* "RUN AWAY!" shinra: ACK! Arthur: *snowball to the face* "Curse you, Maki!" maki: hehe~ Arthur: "I swear that I will defeat you all in--" -BWAF- tamaki: HAHA! Arthur: "..." *removes sword hilt* -BWOMPH- Arthur: o______O *squeak as he collapses* -elsewhere- Anya: *smirking, next to a tiny snowman* tsugumi: *making snow figures resembling herself, anya, meme, ao, and mio* Meme: "Those look great, Tsugumi!" *Anya's snowman starts to shake a bit* ao: oh? *Kana explodes out of the snowman, gasping* Kana: "Anya buried me in snow!" Anya: *playing innocent* "What? I did no such thing..." tsugumi: gagantous! mio: *playing 3ds in an igloo* Kana: *small growl at Anya, then cries* misery: *appears behind them like the damn slenderman* hello girls~ *calm face but terrifying aura* Meme: o___o "ANYA DID IT!" Anya: "TRAITOR!" -and then there was a wacky chase scene- -elsewhere- Hibana: *bundled up under sheets* -w- "Ah, this feels so good..." gabriella: =///= Hibana: *small smile, as she slides down into the sheets, wrapping her arms around Gabriella's waist and leaves a small kiss on her belly* gabriella: *blush* Hibana: *nuzzles against her belly, her hand resting along one of Gabriella's knees* "Warm enough?" gabriella: yes. Hibana: *kisses her right knee* "Good..." *kisses along her right knee to her right thigh* -elsewhere- Karim: *panting* "Jeez, this workout..." pearl: *face down* x-x dia: *completely unaffected* Burns: "Lying down on the job, Pearl?" Karim: "!!!" *picks up Pearl, holding her straight* "No, no, she's fine!" pearl: X-X im ok siiiir... Burns: "Good. Then let's wrap up with a jog around the building." -elsewhere- Kid: "Hot chocolate..." *hands the mug to Stocking* stocking: thanks kiddo~ Kid: *snuggles, pulls up the blanket over them* =w= stocking: mmmmm~ *turns on the tv* Kid: *sips chocolate, watching TV with her* -elsewhere- otogiri: oh thank god you're back, it's been hectic. Mr Tsubaki: "What's going on?" Shamrock: *inspecting the room* "Hmph." naho: quit hogging the blanket! belkia: NO YOU! sakuya: mahiruuuu.... Q_Q lilac: *cowering under a table* Q_Q lavender: AHHH OH FUCK~! Mr Tsubaki: "Shamrock, distribute the blankets and--" Bellhop: "You like that? You like it like that?" Mr Tsubaki: "...What is that noise?" otogiri:.............*excalibur face* Mr Tsubaki: "..." *marches into the room, knocks down the door to Lavender's room* lavender: oh, hey. *wave* Bellhop: D: "What the hell?! Shut the door! Please don't tell my boss..." Mr Tsubaki: "..." Mr Tsubaki: "..." *reaches into his pocket, tosses a box of condoms at the Bellhop, repairs the door, and leaves* Bellhop: "...Is he going to tell my boss?" lavender: if he does, you'd be getting off easy....speaking of getting off~ Bellhop: o\\\\o "A-Am I doing good? You're very hot." -in the hotel room- Mr Tsubaki: "What have I missed?" -otogiri explains the situation- Mr. Tsubaki: -_-; "Can she not keep it in her pants, can you children _not_ share blankets...?" naho: Q.Q Shamrock: "And this room is filthy." *puts on a glove, traces finger along the bedstand* "Disgusting." lilac: ....... Mr. Tsubaki: "??? Lilac? What's wrong?" lilac: i....met that girl at school.... Mr. Tsubaki: "...Really?" lilac: ....*he nods* Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *sneers* "Good...I want you to befriend her." lilac:....o-ok. Mr. Tsubaki: *sneers* "Soon...she will be mine." -elsewhere- *Text to Shinra and Iris's phones* Relan: [pic attached: "I think people in the 3rd like my gingerbread cookies"] *In the pic, everyone seems to enjoy eating them...while Giovanni looks like he doesn't know how to eat through his mask* iris: [cute ^^] shinra: [they look great!] Relan: [thanks! i saved some for you all later. how's today been?] shinra: [good] Arthur: Q____Q *holding icebag to his nuts* -elsewhere- Mifune: "Finish your soup--it'll keep you warm." yuma: *drinking up* Mifune: "Angela? You okay?" angela: *under the kotatsu* *nod* Mifune: *small smile* "Don't get dehydrated. Keep drinking water." angela: ok. Mifune: *pours more tea, sips, looks at newspaper* *Articles about local activities, tree lightning ceremony, increases in blood donations...* -elsewhere- Ponera: *wringing her hands* grimoire: *hands her a jacket* Ponera: "Th-Thanks..." *puts it on* -elsewhere- Kishiri: *sitting next to Vivian in cafe* "...So...How's your coffee?" vivian: so yummy~<3 Kishiri: "...You got a little foam on your nose." -elsewhere- Joker: "Update?" -elsewhere- ochako: seems some new students are here. girl: hi there~<3 super duper nice to meet you all~ *her bangs cover the left side of her face* Izuku: "???' girl: *her bangs flip to the right side* oh....im sorry....im probably bothering you all....maybe i should just dig a hole and bury myself... ochako: uhhh.... o-o; Izuku: "WHAT?! DON'T DO THAT!" girl: *her bangs flip back to the left* sorry~ that was just my other half being shy~ hehe~<3 kyouka: what's with this girl?? Izuku: o____o "Um...You have a quirk, then?" girl: *she nods* my name's Emoko Furifuro, nice to meet you all~<3 Izuku: "Nice to meet you. I'm Izuku, and this is Ochako." ochako: *she smiles* emoko: i hope we can become friends then~ Izuku: "S-Sure...Want a tour of the school?" emoko: yeppers~! *flop* though im sure i'm probably going to get lost and die of starvation... Izuku: "...Um...I can assure you that no one has starved from getting lost...I mean, a lot of people get lost all the time here, but that's supposed to help you get stronger at--" *ramble ramble mutter mutter* -elsewhere- Yumi: "All warm and toasty, Shiori?" shiori: buu! >u< Yumi: "D'aw..." *snaps a pic* Yumi: [texting Marie: look at her!] marie: [2 CUTE! X3] Yumi: [i know, right?! how is christa enjoying the snow?] marie: [doing well, she's watching frosty the snowman right now] Yumi: [that's fun viewing] -elsewhere- Yohei: *shaking* chie: *holding him* Yohei: "Why now? Chie...I'm sorry...I shouldn't be like this..." chie: its not your fault, yohei.... Yohei: *shuddering* "I feel so weak, letting this get to me..." chie: im right here, ok? Yohei: *nods, holds her* "I don't want you hurt..." chie: *she nods*..... Yohei: "...Can you...be here, while I get stronger?" chie: of course, always. Yohei: *holds her, kisses her cheek* -elsewhere- Black Star: "Hope this meal keeps you warm!" tsubaki: thank you. *she smiles* Black Star: "Hee hee." *digs in* -later that night- Black Star: "Mmm..." tsubaki: zzzzz.... -elsewhere- Bellhop: x______x lavender: it was good *licks lips* you? belkia: delish! otogiri: .... lilac: *passed out* Mr. Tsubaki: *sighs* naho: whats wrong mr tsubaki? Mr. Tsubaki: "Just thinking...How are we explaining to the management what became of Mr. Bellhop? Also...Could someone please put a sheet over him. The man is naked." belkia: maybe we could mess with their brains and make it like he never even worked here? naho: ...... shammy, could you make mr tsubaki feel better somehow? Shamrock: "..." *pulls out a crudely made Tsubaki Nakatsukasa plushie* Mr. Tsubaki: ._. *SQUEE* naho: T__T (thinking: WHY MUST SHE BE C*CKBLOCKING MY OTP?!) Shamrock: *puts blanket over the naked dead Bellhop* "Really, Lavender, must you play with your food?" lavender: may as well make his last moments enjoyable. i think i did the poor bastard a favor. otogiri: you really are shameless. lavender: damn right i am! Shamrock: "Onto other matters...How much longer are we in this hotel?" -elsewhere- Relan: *looking in the mirror, wearing a white dress* -\\\\\- mikami: it looks really nice ^^ Relan: "...You don't think it's weird, do you?" mikami: not at all. Relan: "...Could you snap a pic for me?" mikami: sure! -elsewhere- heibito: *asleep* Asura: *smiles* mikan: *she smiles* do you think...we could have another child...later down the line? Asura: ._. "...I am simultaneously terrified and excited by that prospect. So...yes." mikan: *hug* ^^ Asura: *hugs back, strokes her back* "...You would be as amazing a mother as you are to Heibito..." -elsewhere- *Text to Shinra and Iris* Relan: [hope it's okay] *Pic in white dress* iris: [its sweet ^^ i think i have a dress just like it] shinra: [adorable!] Relan: [iris, really? maybe we could both wear them...in private. not as comfortable going out like this yet] -elsewhere- saki: *checking on io* ....*she smiles...and hears music from down the hall?* ??? *she goes to check* PlushFix: *lying in Saki's bed, among a trail of roses, as seductive music plays* saki: ...............................*poker faced* PlushFix: "Hey, sexy. Why don't you crawl on in...?" *stretches, yawns* "Need someone cute and fluffy nestled between those glorious tits of yours?" saki:............*twitch twitch* PlushFix: "Maybe I could help you in those hard to reach spots...I still remember that beautiful snatch of yours--" saki: *grabs him and throws him back into his box* no. PlushFix: D: "B-But...But we had such a great thing together!" saki: *locks the box* PlushFix: "WHAT?! YOU DON'T WANT THIS?!! I'M NOW CUTE AND FLUFFY AND WANT TO FUCK YOU SO HARD!" saki: *puts in her earbuds and just ignores him* PlushFix: "Hmph. My padded hands can't break out, and I can't even fuck myself...I don't even have a cock." lin: ?? ???: "Wh-Where am I?" medea: ah, so we have another stray soul? who are you? lin: *picks up the box* ???: "Doctor...Doctor..." medea: doctor? were you a doctor? ???: "Yes...Doctor...Doctor of robotics..." medea: ah, i see. lin: *she carries the box to her room* ???: "Doctor...Rage...Agey! That's my name! ...But...I died..." medea: hmm. would you like a doll to host in? Agey: "A doll? Wh-What do you mean? I...really am dead?!!" medea: unfortunately, yes. lin: *opens the box and places plushfix on a shelf* there you go~ PlushFix: "...That chick I killed?! What the fuck?!" Agey: "Wh-What?! A doll? I don't understand any of this...What do you mean? Would I eat? Breathe? How would I even be 'alive'?" medea: calm down, i'll see what i can manage. Agey: "...Fine. I will wait." medea: *an assortment of plushies are laid out, including a tanuki plush* would any of these suit? -rage agey's plush corpse is in medea’s room- Agey: "Hmmm...I don't know. I--" o___O "IS THAT MY CORPSE?!" medea: is it? lin: my ragey plushie went missing, so i needed someone to fill the spot. Agey: D: "J-Just...Just put me into the tanuki, I guess." medea: very well. PlushFix: "...I could fill your spot." lin: yay! *place* there we go~ ^^ PlushFix: *sneers* "I meant that spot between your legs." -CHOP- lin: rude! D:< PlushFix: "Ouch! Okay, fine--just let me nuzzle up to your tits." -CHOP x2- PlushFix: "FUCK! *grumble* That time of the month, huh?" -CHOP x9001- PlushFix: "OW OW OW OW OW OW ooooooh, God, yes, OW OW OW--" lin: *poker faced* PlushFix: *stunned silent, broken* lin: *goes to bed* PlushFix: "...Now I can't even move to crawl into bed with her..." *sneers* "Can't wait for her to undress, though." lin: zzzzzz... PlushFix: *tries to push the box open* "???" *pushes harder* "...FUCK!" -elsewere- Hibana: *gripping the sheets* "Ah! Ah! Oh, Goddess! Aaaaaaaah~!" gabriella: *lick lick lick lick* Hibana: *groans before lying back, orgasming and panting* "Fuuuuuuuuck..." *pants* gabriella: how was it? Hibana: "A-Amazing...Goddess, Gabriella, your tongue..." *pulls her up to her, kissing along her lips, as she squeezes her backside* gabriella: >////< i love you. Hibana: *smiles* "I love you, too..." *kisses down her neck and breasts, sucking a bit on her nipple* -elsewhere- ????: *licking blood off her knife* Victim: *panting in pain* "Oh, God, why?! Why are you doing this?!!" ???: because...i like to watch them suffer. *carves into the victim's wrist and slides the blade down the length of the arm* Victim: "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" ???: *she grins* like music to my ears.... *stab.....stab....slice* Victim: x_____x ???: that was fun....*sigh* now im bored.... *Someone walking in the streets* *Footsteps in snow* ???: *hiding in the shadows* (thinking: if its dokeshi hunt, i cant let them see me....as far as they're concerned, im already dead....) Person #1: "That was a great meal--thanks!" -elsewhere- Black Star: *turns in bed...and hits something...* Black Star: *groans* "What the heck...?" *puts out his arm* tsubaki: zzzzz.... Black Star: "...Oh..." *lies back down...then..." o_____O tsubaki: zzzzz..... Black Star: *remembers what happened* ("I'm in her bed...or she's in my bed...") o\\\\\o *yawns* "..." *puts his arms around her in bed* tsubaki: .....*smiles* Black Star: *leans against her, sleeping by her side* -morning- Agey: "...Is it done?" medea: yes. Agey: *looks in the mirror* o_______o "...This is what my life has come to?" lin: medea have you seen- oh THERE he is! *picks up the rage agey corpse* hehe~ Agey: "YOU?! HOW ARE YOU ALIVE?!!" lin:....?????? Agey: *in the corpse* "UNHAND ME!" lin:....*SCREAMS AND THROWS HIM OUT THE DOOR INTO THE WALL* Agey: *CRASHES* "...Ow." -elsewhere- tsubaki: zzzzz.... Black Star: *yawn, hugs her from behind* tsubaki: mmmm... Black Star: *sits up, looking at her* "...Tsubaki?" tsubaki: yeah? Black Star: "...Sorry. I'm just trying to work out everything that happened..." *looks under the sheets* tsubaki: ......*she hugs him* Black Star: "!!! ..." *returns the hug* "You're okay, right?" tsubaki: yeah. Black Star: "...I'm sorry you had trouble sleeping...but...this feels right...to have you here." tsubaki: *warm blushing* Black Star: "..." *looks at her...closes his eyes as he leans into her face* -smooch- Black Star: *concludes the kiss, pulling back and smiling* tsubaki: ^^ -elsewhere- naho: *awake before the others, peeks into the bedrooms* Shamrock: *slight snore* naho: *peeeeeek* Shamrock: *turns over, his hand laying across Otogiri* naho: TnT *closes the door and goes to the next room* Mr. Tsubaki: *groaning in his sleep* belkia: *sprawled across the bed* zzzzz mm...stabby stabby darlin....hehehe.... naho: OwO *overjoyed* Mr. Tsubaki: -_-; *kicks at Belkia* belkia: grk- *falls out of bed* ow! oh hey toguchin. naho: morning. Mr. Tsubaki: *yawns, sits up* "Hmmph...What's going on?" naho: it's morning sir! otogiri: *awake* good morning. Shamrock: *opens one eyes, sees Otogiri* "???" otogiri: get up *puppet strings him out of bed* Shamrock: o_o; lavender: *yaaaawn* Shamrock: *stands, exits room, spots Lavender* lavender: mornin sham. Shamrock: "...Morning. Are you using the bathroom right now?" lavender: not right now. you need the shower? Shamrock: *nods* lavender: you go do that then. *turns on the TV* Shamrock: *enters, closes the door* naho: *watching the TV* Mr. Tsubaki: *yawn, walks up to the bathroom--and it is unlocked* naho: !!! *sneaks and follows* Mr. Tsubaki: *throws open the door...and Shamrock is just about to enter the shower* Mr. Tsubaki: o____o Shamrock: D: naho: OwO *vibrating* Shamrock: "PLEASE, CLOSE THE DOOR!" Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *he's not closing the door* Shamrock: o_o; naho: *vibrations intensifiy* sakuya: O_O; Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *enters, closes the door behind him* Shamrock: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Mr. Tsubaki: "I really need the bathroom..." Shamrock: "?!!!!!!" -elsewhere- Hibana: *washing Gabriella's hair* gabriella: ^^ Hibana: *kisses her shoulder* "Last night was wonderful. You're so...loving." gabriella: thank you... Hibana: *rinses Gabriella's hair, looking at her* "You're so beautiful." -elsewhere- Tool: *tending to Io* "It's okay..." io: *whimpering* saki: ....... Tool: "Let it out...It's okay..." *hums a song* io: *sniffles, slowly calming down* Tool: *holds Io to Saki* saki: *cradling her* Tool: "...What do we do...?" Shotaro: *yawn* setsuna: good morning, son. Shotaro: *yawn* "Mornin'..." *hug* -elsewhere- Kid: *cuddles* stocking: hehehe~ Kid: "So warm..." *snuggles* stocking: ^^ Kid: "What are your plans today?" stocking: maybe start decorating for christmas? Kid: "I would like that...Bring out the plushies..." stocking: ^^ Kid: *wraps arms around her in bed* "And what do you want for Christmas~?" -elsewhere- Arthur: *walking awkwardly* sayu: need some ice? Arthur: T_T *nods* sayu: *she goes to get some* Takehisa: *exiting his bedroom, looking miserable...* shinra: commander, you ok? Takehisa: *grumbles* "Was up late, finishing paperwork...I'll need a nap later." ("...Nightmares...") shinra: well, try to take care of yourself sir Takehisa: *grunts, takes his coffee and goes back to his room, slamming the door* Arthur: "..." *higher pitch* "What's his problem?" shinra: ..... *concerned* Takehisa: *sits at his desk, sipping coffee...in the dark...* "..." *small whimper* -elsewhere- Karim: *groans* "Muscles still sore..." pearl: *getting him some tea* Karim: *smiles* "Thank you. How are you feeling?" pearl: sore, but i'll try to tough it out! Karim: "That's all you can do. And you're getting faster out there." pearl: t-thank you! >///< Burns: "You're up bright and early--good. Workout begins in 30 minutes." *walks away* Karim: -_- -elsewhere- Black Star: *finishing up breakfast, waiting for Tsubaki* tsubaki: ready for class? Black Star: "Yep!" *finishes packing lunch* "Got your breakfast..." -in school- Patty: *smirking a bit at Liz* liz: what? Patty: "Wes seemed awfully happy to see you during the snow day..." liz: yeah. *blush* Patty: "So, when's the wedding?" liz: ./////. Patty: "...Wait...Did he ask? Seriously?" liz: no! *muttering* not yet.... Patty: *pouts* "Well, darn...Maybe you need to drop some hints." *pulls out a sign from behind her back that says, "Wes, marry me already!"* liz: gimme that! >n< Patty: "Yay! So, you'll use my sign? I made sure to add extra glitter for love!" liz: I DIDNT SAY- Patty: *looks behind Liz...smirks* Wes: "Hey, Patty!" liz: O///////////////////O *attempts to eat the sign* Wes: "Hey, sweetie--" o____o "...That's a large sign you are eating...with a lot of glitter..." liz: O///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////O Patty: "Sis has been needing more roughage in her diet--and the glitter will help her digestive system sparkle!" *sincere smile* Wes: "...What the fuck?" -later- Kid: *in tacky but symmetrical Christmas sweater, looking so happy in class* stocking: hehe~ *in a wintery lolita theme outfit* Kid: "You're the cutest~" kirika: *in her krampus sweater* Gopher: o___o; "...Your Santa sweater is going to haunt my nightmares, Kirika..." (in reindeer antlers) kirika: it's tradition, so...im just rollin with it. Gopher: "Hmm...Odd tradition." Arthur: *still miserable* Aoyama: "Want me to kiss it to feel better~?" Arthur: "No." -in another class- Izuku: "How are you adapting to classes?" -the door opens- ochako: ?? !!!! Izuku: "???" Iida: "..." ochako: iida?....how are you feeling? Iida: "..." *takes a step forward, walking stiltedly, like he feels taller than he is, having to put his feet slowly up the steps* "I...have a lot to get used to..." ochako:.....*she looks at him* Iida: o\\\\\o "Wh-What?" ochako:....*peace sign* Iida: "Th-Thanks..." *sits next to her and Izuku* Izuku: :) Iida: "..." *puts on eyeglasses* "...Purely cosmetic. The lenses are not prescription..." ochako: *HUG* Iida: "..." *awkward pat* "Thank you?" eijiro: great to have you back iida! Bakugo: "Yeah...We needed someone to tell us to get our feet off the desks." *sincere smile* momo: im glad you're doing better. i've been doing my best to keep everything in order. Iida: *nods* "I see that..." *glances at one desk, then frowns* "But I do see one shoe-mark here..." *The shoe-mark is barely perceptible* Izuku: o_o; "H-How can you even see that?" ochako: *looks at his eyes* !! Iida: "...They, um, added some features to my cybebiotic eyes...Ochako, you're a little too close..." ochako:.......mecha-iida. Iida: -_-; "It's only my eyes. I hardly think that small percentage of my body constitutes 'mecha.'" Mineta: "Okay, but what if Iida had a robotic--" -CHOP- kyouka: no. mina + denki + eijiro: MECHA-IIDA! MECHA-IIDA! MECHA-IIDA! Iida: -_______________- -elsewhere- Emine: *unscrews salt container's top* chie: honestly medea, you're kind of a poor judge of character -_-; medea: my apologies. Emine: *sets the salt back and exits* akaderu: ok, what did hitori-kakurenbo girl do now? Kepuri: "This isn't more 'souls in dolls' stuff, is it?" chie: define 'doll'. Agey: "I'm right here!" *waves at Kepuri* Kepuri: ._. *stands behind Akaderu* Zuno: *takes the salt to his slice of pizza, and--* *SALT DUMP* D: akaderu: what the fuck? Agai: "I am the brilliant doctor, Rage Agey!" Kepuri: "..." *loud laughter* "This guy is supposed to be a genius?!! BA HA HA!" Agey: ._. "St-Stop laughing at me!" Zuno: *brushing salt off his pizza* T_T akaderu: well, you're kind of in a plush toy, so its gonna be hard to take seriously. Agai: *temper twitch* "TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY!" *leaps and lands on Akaderu's face* akaderu: GAH! *creates a double and kicks agey off his face* nea: coulda been worse, she could have brought back electro-hitler. Kepuri: *triggered, collapses into a huddled ball* "No no no no" akaderu: kepuri! *hugs her* its ok babe, he's not here. you're fine. nea: sorry.... Kepuri: *holds onto Akaderu* Zuno: *crying while eating salty pizza* -elsewhere- Kishiri: *oddly euphoric* maki: whats up with him? Relan: "I heard Kishiri is dating someone." maki:......am i in an alternate reality right now? Relan: "I don't know much about Kishiri...Is it weird that he's dating a girl?" maki: relan, you sweet little cinnamon role, let me explain toru kishiri for you. *she does just that* Relan: o______o "...Why haven't you castrated him?" Kishiri: *doodling* iris: i'll talk to sister about it. Relan: "Probably a good idea..." Kishiri: *drawing Vivian...crudely* -elsewhere- Medusa: *staring at Grimoire* "..." grimoire:.....?? Medusa: "...I think I have gotten over how much you look like Noah." grimoire: oh.....im still somewhat shocked the index modeled its avatar after me...did it really take that kindly to me? Medusa: "Him taking on your kindness had nothing to do with 'kindliness.' He wasn't 'kind'..." -_-; "Not kind at all..." grimoire:........what? Medusa: *sigh* "You got his looks, but not his brains..." *looks him up and down* "...Hey, what is the deal between you and Ponera?" grimoire: .... 7////7 Medusa: "...Are you gonna hit that or not?" grimoire: such vulgarity. -_-;; what are you, Shaula? Medusa: *small smirk* "I call it as I see it...and as a scientist, sometimes I have to address a point clearly and directly. So, I will ask: are you going to approach Ponera or not?" grimoire:...more like she approached me. Medusa: "Oh? And what did you do?" -elsewhere- Wes: "Liz, any plans after school?" liz: maybe walk through town and check out the displays. Wes: "Want some company?" liz: i would like that. Wes: *smiles* "Cool...Maybe get some Christmas-y lattes on the way?" liz: hell yeah. Wes: -\\\\- ("She's so cool...") "Awesome!" *kisses her cheek* "See you after class!" -elsewhere- Arthur: *stares at Tamaki* "Help...me..." tamaki: ?? Aoyama: *waves* "Bon jour, chaton!" Arthur: "He won't leave me alone." tamaki: O-O nozomi: ^^; Aoyama: *spots Nozomi* "Ah, Nozomi! I have not seen you in some time. We should catch up~" nozomi: oh, um...im sure that would be nice. Aoyama: "Excellent! And Tamaki and Arthur will have to join us. The more the merrier..." tamaki: yeah! Arthur: -_- "Super." -elsewhere- Kid: *in art class, painting a bowl of fruit* yumikage: *focused* Jacqueline: *looks at Yumikage's work so far* "Turning out well..." -elsewhere- Shamrock: o\\\\\\o *still shell-shocked* Mr. Tsubaki: *calmly drinking tea* naho: =w=~<3 *fantasizing* Shamrock: "Sir? I really must ask for retribution for the indignity that you made me suffer." Mr. Tsubaki: *GLARE* Shamrock: "!!! If-If you want to, you know...Just a suggestion!" *nervous smile* Mr. Tsubaki: "...Naho, how would you have me make it up to Shamrock?" naho: heeee~- eh? what was that? Mr. Tsubaki: "How should I apologize to Shamrock for exposing him to our peers?" sakuya: do you really want to ask _her_ of all people? Mr. Tsubaki: "Well, then, I can open it up for recommendations from everyone here: how do I make it up to Shamrock for exposing his nethers to everyone?" belkia: expose your own so it isnt as weird. sakuya: -_-;;;; naho: OwO otogiri: no. Mr. Tsubaki: "...This suggestion suffices." *stands, takes his cloak, and--PULL* "...There. Now I am naked." Shamrock: o\\\\\\\\o otogiri: -.- naho: O/////w/////O sakuya: *disgust + covering lilac's eyes* lavender: dang. Mr. Tsubaki: *nods* "Good. Now we are even, Shamrock." *sits back down to finish tea* Shamrock: "AT LEAST PUT YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON, FIRST, OR YOU WILL CATCH A COLD!" -elsewhere- Kid: "Classes are now concluded." stocking: so what did you want to do? Kid: "I did have one spot to stop by for your Christmas gift...so I may have to visit on my lonesome." stocking: ah, see you at home then? Kid: *nods, smiles* "Love you." stocking: love you too~ *kiss* Kid: -\\\\\- *smooch, waves* Wes: "Ready to go, Liz?" liz: *she nods* -and so- Wes: *points to one display* "Must've taken forever to get those lights just right..." liz: yeah. Wes: *holds her hand, looks at her* "...How did you get to be this stunning?" liz: *blush* Wes: *rubs her hand* "i'm so proud of you, and what you have accomplished..." liz: *she smiles* im proud of you too. Wes: *blushes* "Th-Thanks..." -elsewhere- Kishiri: *practically floats through the door into the 5th--and spots a stern Gabriella and Hibana waiting for him* "...Hey. What's up?" Hibana: "Gabriella..." gabriella: where the heck were you young man?! *ear tug* Kishiri: "Ow! I was just hanging out with my girlfriend!" gabriella: oh really now? ^^# Kishiri: "Y-Yeah! What's the big deal?!" Hibana: *grabs his other ear* "...You using protection?" Kishiri: o\\\\\\o -elsewhere- Shotaro: "We're back!" mana: how was it? Shotaro: "Pretty good. Got almost all gifts I wanted for everyone...And I stopped someone from robbing the local Santa." mana: good job! Emine: "How are things here?" *removes his scarf* mana: surviving. Emine: "...The dolls? I should check on Lin..." Shotaro: "Ooooooh, checking on your girlfriend..." Emine: -\\\\- "Shut up..." *looks for Lin* lin: welcome home emine! *hug* Emine: "!!! ..." *small hug* "Hello. How are you?" lin: ok, minus mr spinny pervert and mr tanuki. Emine: "...Maybe we can kill them." lin: we all tried. *sad pout* Emine: "...Want to torture them?" -elsewhere- Black Star: "What're you up for this afternoon?" tsubaki: maybe go to the mall? Black Star: "Awesome! Can shop for some gifts, then..." tsubaki: *she nods* Black Star: "...Sooooooo...What're you gonna get me?" tsubaki: it's a secret~ Black Star: *pout* "But I wanna know..." -elsewhere- Takehisa: *asleep on the couch* *snore* maki: *puts a blanket over him* Takehisa: *talking in his sleep* "M-Maki..." maki: hmm? Takehisa: *talking in his sleep* "It-It keeps happening...I can't lose more people..." maki:....*she pats his head* Takehisa: *initially recoils at the touch...then smiles at how soft the hand feels* "Zzz..." maki:...*she smiles* *Knock knock on the front door* maki: ??? *she looks out the peephole* *Relan is outside, holding a box* maki: oh, hey relan *opens the door* shinra and iris are out christmas shopping, but you can wait here if you like. Relan: "Oh...Okay, thank you." *nervous smile* "H-How are you?" maki: doing well, you? Relan: "O-Okay..." *seems to be holding tightly to the box* "J-Just a little nervous...being away from home during the winter break...Kind of happy about that, though." maki: *she nods* Relan: "...Is that Hinawa asleep on the couch?" maki: yeah. Relan: "Wow..." *whispers* "He must have worked late last night...But then again, he is such a hard worker!" maki: he sure is. Relan: "..." *whispers* "Maybe for Christmas, you should get him a new pillow. It helps me sleep better." maki: good idea. Relan: *smiles* "...I don't want to wake up the Commander. Want to have some tea in the kitchen?" maki: sure. -elsewhere- Jacqueline: *in dressing room* "...This is going to look stupid." kim: you dont know until you try. Jacqueline: *grumbles* "Fine. But don't laugh..." kim: i wont. *Jacqueline exits in a sleeveless black dress* kim: you look great! Jacqueline: -\\\\\- "Feels weird going sleeveless." kim: still, its a good look on you. Jacqueline: "...I guess I'll buy it then..." *plays with her own hair a bit* -elsewhere- Kid: *carrying a stack of wrapped gifts with him, smiling widely* homura: hello kid. *small wave* Kid: "Homura! Hello!" *keeps holding the gifts* "How are you?" homura: doing well. Kid: "That's good. How is holiday shopping?" homura: i got my parents their gifts. Kid: *smiles* "I'm sure they'll like them. Care to share?" -elsewhere- Patty: "Can Takeru come out to play?" takeru: um...h-hi patti *meek wave* Patty: *energetic wave* "How's it going?!" -elsewhere- Arthur: -_-; Aoyama: *sparkly* nozomi: ^^ Arthur: "So...I think I'll get the burger..." Aoyama: "Sounds a bit average...I think trying something new..." -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: *sitting in bathhouse* "Thanks for coming with me. Just felt lonely with how sad Benimaru and the 8th all are..." kabuki: it's not a problem, miss usada. Tsukiyo: *sipping tea* "...Can I ask you something?" kabuki: hmm? what is it? Tsukiyo: "...I'm kinda of annoying, aren't I?" kabuki: why would you think that? Tsukiyo: "I tend to be loud, forward with people, flirt a lot..." *rubs her nose* "Got punched a few times..." kabuki: well, you do step out of line on occasion in that regard, but i dont believe you're a bad person... Tsukiyo: *pouts* "I just want a little attention now and then...I do try to look my best, be friendly." kabuki: *he nods* Tsukiyo: *sighs* "Kabuki, do you like it here in the 7th?" kabuki: *he nods* the atmosphere is very nostalgic to me. Tsukiyo: "It reminds you of home? Really?" kabuki: yes. my home was a village in the mountains. Tsukiyo: "...Only child?" kabuki: i did have a few siblings. Tsukiyo: *sets down her tea* "...Oh. Sorry." kabuki: oh, they are still alive, dont worry. i just havent seen them in a while. Tsukiyo: *small sigh of relief* "...Any chance you'll visit soon?" kabuki: one day. did i ever tell you the story passed down through my family? Tsukiyo: *shakes her head "no"* kabuki: a long time ago, when the country of the rising sun was still young, one of my ancestors found a wounded fox. they took it in and nursed it back to health. the fox turned out to be a kitsune, and in exchange for my ancestor's kindness, they were gifted the ability of fox flames, which was passed on through my family. Tsukiyo: *frozen, imagining this...* "...Wow." kabuki: is it truth, is it just a fairy tale, i'll let you decide~ Tsukiyo: "..." *small laugh* "One heck of an ending to your story--lot of mystery." *stretches* -elsewhere- Kishiri: [texting Vivian: how u doin?] vivian: [doing well ^^ <3] Kishiri: -\\\\- [glad to hear. my commander hasn't contacted yours has she?] vivian: [not that i know about.] Kishiri: [hibana and gab were flipping out on me. i think they're worried about me dating. weird] vivian: [hehe~ <3] Kishiri: [could i get a pic of your smile?] vivian: *sends pic* ^w^ Kishiri: [cutie. hang on] *Texts pic of him smiling, winking--and shirtless* vivian: *NOSEBLEED* -elsewhere- Black Star: *picks up gift-wrapped presents, pays for them--then his stomach growls* "...Well, said I'd meet Tsubaki at food court..." ???: um..h-hello. Black Star: "???" lilac: .///. sakuya:....oh, so you're...black*star right? my buddy lilac here told me all about you! Black Star: "...Hell yeah, I'm Black Star!" *heroic pose* "Most badass meister at the DWMA!" sakuya: neat! -elsewhere- Agei: >_< *has disassembled the TV set* chie: WHAT DID YOU DO?! Agei: "I detest this abysmal body, and I demand to be resurrected to my full original health before that monster--" Agei: *points at Emine, who is cuddling with Lin on the couch* Agei: "--killed me!" lin: *sticks out tongue* Agei: *twitch twitch* "AND WHAT DID THIS TINY WELP DO WITH MY BODY?! She turned it into a doll?!" lin: yep~ it is your original body, correct~? Agei: "How could you do that to my original body?!" Emine: "I wanted to give her something nice..." *cheek smooch* lin: hehe~<3 Agei: *growls, points at Chie* "Where is your husband's workshop?! I am making a new killer robot with these TV parts, then I will KILL YOU ALL!" PlushFix: *on armchair, reading a porn magazine* chie: *tosses plusfix at agey and throws the magazine in the trash* Agei and PlushFix: *GAK!* PlushFix: "GIVE ME BACK MY SPANK-MAG, C*NT!" chie: -_- *she removes it from the trash* showtaro, could you use your bone of the dragon to burn this? PlushFix: D: "NOT THE PORN!" Shotaro: "Sure thing! Let me just get my bone and-- ... Chie...Is this how babies are made?" chie: JUST BURN THE DARN MAGAZINE PLEASE >//////////< Shotaro: "!!! Right! I just need my boner--BONE!" *bites the Bone of Dragon, blows fire onto the mag, incinerating it* chie: good boy showtaro. *hair ruffle* PlushFix: Q______Q "...I will just have to rip that bitch's top off, then, to get my daily nutritional value of tits..." *leaps at Chie* Shotaro: "Hee hee..." *smacks PlushFix away* -SHADOW B*TCH SLAP* PlushFix: *sent crashing into wall* -SQUEAK- chie: -_-; *rubs her stomach* its ok toru honey, i wont let the mean teddy near you. PlushFix: *pulling his face back from the wall* "I'm gonna kill her, and her stupid baby--" Yohei: "I'm home." *opens door, which slams PlushFix deeper against the wall* PlushFix: Q_____Q chie: welcome home yohei~ *smoooooooch* Yohei: "Hee hee..." *kiss* "How are you?" chie: doing better~ *snuggle* Yohei: *holds hand over her stomach* "And Toru?" chie: doing good. mana: i think i understand his name, because there's no-fixing his f*cked up brain.....eh? eh? Yohei: *smiles* Emine: *boos at Mana's pun* mana: QwQ Emine: "..." Shotaro: "Dude...Run." mono: back from school! mana: SCREW YOU THAT JOKE WAS GOOD! Zuno: "Hello, strangers! How are--" Emine: "The joke was terrible, and so are you." Shotaro: o_o; "Dude...Stop." mana: *HEADLOCK* lin: D8 mono:....another boring day, huh? Emine: *choking* "H-Hey! Stop this!" Assi: ._. Zuno: "...I think we entered the wrong house." Assi: "No, unfortunately, we didn't." mono: no, its the right place, trust us. Shotaro: "..." *tilts head* "Isn't Mana doing to Emine what that one lady was doing to that one man in Mr. PlushFix's porn magazine?" mana: NO! ABSOLUTLY NOT!!! Emine: *struggling to breathe* "HELP...ME..." lin: *PULLING MANA OFF* Shotaro: *pulling Emine away* PlushFix: *falls off the wall, onto the floor* "Ugh...My aching head..." mono: !!! PlushFix: *looks up* "..." mono: O_________________O ~stripe~ PlushFix: "..." *sneers* "Hi-ya." mono: EEEK!!! *KICKS HIM INTO THE WALL* PlushFix: D: "EEEEEEEEEEEEK--" Shotaro: *still pulling Emine loose* mono: *throws him out the door and slams it* PlushFix: *falls down* -elsewhere- Relan: *waiting in Shinra's room* shinra: we're home! Relan: *stands up, looking out the door...* shinra: !! rel! *hug* Relan: o\\\\o *hug* "H-Hi...How are you?" shinra: good. you ok? iris: ^^ Relan: "Y-Yeah...I brought something...Iris, do you have that white dress?" iris: ah, yes! it might be a bit cold out today, but the heating in here is good so- Relan: *pats the box on top of Shinra's bed* "Y-Yeah, I didn't mean to go out in public since...Still embarrassed about it, but I brought my d-dress." iris: congratulations! shinra: *blush* Relan: "...Okay...Um...So, you'll change in your room...Shinra, could you step outside while I change in your room?" shinra: oh, sure. *waits outside* -elsewhere- Black Star: "So, how are you getting used to Death City?" lilac: its...a very big place. sakuya: but i've been keeping an eye on him so he doesnt get lost. tsubaki: that's very noble of you. sakuya: well, we've known each other our whole lives, since my dad and his dad work for the same company. Black Star: *nods* "Maybe show you more around the City! Park, laser tag, restaurants..." sakuya: that sounds awesome! Black Star: "Awesome! Maybe we can go out to dinner later this week." sakuya: sounds awesome, i'll see if i can convince my dad to reserve us a spot at higanbana's Black Star: "Right on!" -back at the hotel- Mr. Tsubaki: *clutching his Tsubaki Nakatsukasa plushie* Shamrock: -_-; "Sir, you've been playing with that dollie for an hour..." belkia: he doesnt even hug _me_ for that long T3T Mr. Tsubaki: *sets the doll down, pouting* "Fine...Where are Sakuya and Lilac?" otogiri: making friends. *turns on the radio so that they can hear sakuya and lilac's conversation, but the two cant hear them* tsubaki: hehe, is that right? Mr. Tsubaki: o\\\\\o "The voice of an angel..." otogiri + belkia + lavender: -_- (thinking: he's got it bad) Black Star: "Ha ha ha!" Black Star: "Tsubaki is a great cook, too!" Shamrock: "Sir, you are drooling." otogiri + belkia + lavender: -_______-;; (thinking: he's really got it bad) Mr. Tsubaki: "Shamrock! You will follow them to their meal and pretend to be their waiter!" Shamrock: "...Fine." *groans* otogiri: if i may give my professional opinion...i think you have a problem. belkia: no shit sherlock! Mr Tsubaki: "I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM! I LOVE HER! AND WE WILL MAKE BEAUTIFUL VAMPIRE-WEAPON BABIES!" Shamrock: -______- lavender:....what? Mr. Tsubaki: *back to cuddling with Tsubaki Nakatsukasa plushie* "Would you like babies, Tsubaki?" *high pitch* "Yes, I would." Shamrock: -____________- belkia: aaaaand things just got way creepy! Mr. Tsubaki: "Shhh! I am listening to my beloved on this communicator." *puts his ear up to it...* Black Star: "YAHOOOOO!" *Mr. Tsubaki knocked back* naho: *wince + slight excalibur face* tsubaki: black*star! get off the horse statue! you arent supposed to ride it! Black Star: "I'm riding it! Heigh-ho, Silver! Away!" sakuya: does this...happen a lot? tsubaki: unfortunately, yes. yes it does. Black Star: "Hee hee! Ha ha ha--" *CRASH* "...Ouch." tsubaki: aah! *she goes to patch him up* honestly, its a good thing i bring a first aid kit in my bag... *sigh* Mr. Tsubaki: "???!!!" Black Star: "Heh...I can always count on you to patch me up..." Mr. Tsubaki: "He's...getting touched...by my...beloved..." Shamrock: o_o; tsubaki: *sigh* just try to be more careful from now on, ok? Black Star: "If I was careful, how would I ever surpass god?! ...Oh, thanks for cleaning the wound." Mr. Tsubaki: *twitch twitch...he's going to explode...* otogiri: *gives him a black*star plushie* here. Mr. Tsubaki: *takes the Black Star plushie...and starts stabbing it while giggling maniacally* Shamrock: o_____o;; *hides behind Otogiri* naho + belkia + otogiri + lavender: (thinking: this is a whole new level of crazy for him...) Mr. Tsubaki: *is ripping the plushie with his teeth, shaking it like a puppy with a toy* belkia: O_O; lavender: holy shit. Black Star: *on the radio* "So, ready to head out?" naho: o^o; tsubaki: yeah, it was nice seeing you. sakuya: see you guys in school tomorrow! lilac: s-see ya... Mr. Tsubaki: "?! I don't get to hear my angel again?!" belkia: *on gravebook, faving all stocking's posts* ^^ Mr. Tsubaki: *looking at Belkia* "...What is that?" -elsewhere- Relan: -\\\\\- "Is this okay?" *smooths out the dress* shinra: you look great. *blush and smile* iris: ^^ *with the sunhat* Relan: "Y-You look beautiful, Iris." iris: oh.. t-thank you .///////. shinra: so cute! you're both so cute! >////< Relan: .\\\\\\. "Th-Thanks..." *small laugh* "I'm sorry I didn't think to bring a dress for you, Shinra." shinra: i'm ok for now. -elsewhere- Patty: "Well, I better head home. Night, babe!" takeru: g-good night! >///< Patty: *smooch on the cheek* takeru: >/////< *tiny kiss on the forehead* Patty:  "Bye-bye! Text when I get home! Night!" -elsewhere- sakuya: we're home... Shamrock: -_-; "He's...upset." sakuya: noted. lilac: s-should we give him something to eat? Mr. Tsubaki: *angrish coming from a locked room* Shamrock: "If you don't mind." lilac: *gulps and scurries to his room* Shamrock: *sigh* "He did seem calm hearing her voice through the radio transmitter..." sakuya: then he'll love this. *hands shamrock the pictures from the photo booth, specifically the ones with tsubaki in them* Shamrock: "..." *smile, hands them back* "You give them to him." sakuya: why me?! -__-; Mr. Tsubaki: *slams open the door, tears streaming down his face, with love songs playing in the background of his room* "WHAT IS ALL THIS NOISE?!!" Shamrock: *hides behind Sakuya* sakuya: *hands him the photos* here. Mr. Tsubaki: o\\\\\\o "..." *singing* "My angel~" sakuya: yeeeeahhhh... 7___7; Mr. Tsubaki: "Is there anything to eat~?" sakuya: ....should i order take out? Shamrock: "May as well..." sakuya: alright, from sushi palace? Mr. Tsubaki: "That sounds delightful~" sakuya: ok then. -and so- Mr. Tsubaki: "Yummy~" belkia: thanks for the grub, sakkun~ otogiri: delicious. naho: ^^ *nom nom* Shamrock: "Quite good. Thank you." lavender: not bad! lilac: *asleep in his room* Mr. Tsubaki: *finishes his meal, looks at the photos of Tsubaki he has taped up* "Well, I now have pleasant dreams ahead of me~" sakuya:........im gonna pretend i never heard that. Shamrock: -____- "We all heard it. We're never forgetting that." sakuya: well, now i know what will be on the inside of _my_ nightmares tonight. Mr. Tsubaki: *kissy-faces to his plushie again* sakuya: *excalibur face and shudders* Shamrock: "...I think I'll take the couch, let Mr. Tsubaki have the bedroom alone." -and so- *From Mr. Tsubaki's room*: *THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP* Shamrock: o____o; ("I wanted to sleep...") sakuya: *mortified disgust* belkia: i'd rather listen to lav and the geezer bumpin uglies than this! lavender: thanks? Mr. Tsubaki: *panting, groaning* "Yes...yes..." naho: *disgust+annoyance* sakuya: *gags* Shamrock: *puts in earplugs* otogiri: *asleep with ear plugs* naho: *looks at tsubaki's door, then at shamrock* *growls* (thinking: WHY! ISN'T! IT! CANON?!?!) Shamrock: "???!!!!" ("Why is Naho upset with _me_?!") Mr. Tsubaki: "Ah...ah! Ah!" sakuya: *about to vomit* Mr. Tsubaki: "Ooooooh, Tsubaki-Chaaaaaan!" belkia: that sounds so weird and awkward -_-; otogiri: this is all your fault you know. belkia: i thought it would be funny! Mr. Tsubaki: *lying nude in bed, purring* sakuya: *goes to the bathroom to throw up* Mr. Tsubaki: *snore* Shamrock: T_____T belkia: did he do what i think he did to the doll? Shamrock: "I hope he did nothing to the doll..." Q_Q belkia: amen to that! Shamrock: "Let's all just...try to sleep. He's probably exhausted himself." -elsewhere- Black Star: "Tsubaki?" *blushing* tsubaki: hmm? what is it? Black Star: "...Do you mind if I sleep with you tonight?" tsubaki: oh, i-its fine. *blush* Black Star: o\\\\o "I-I just mean...sleep. Like, 'sleep sleep.' Not 'sex sleep.' Just...want to get used to that..." tsubaki: y-yeah! right! ^^;; Black Star: "...Okay. I-I'll go wash up and brush..." -elsewhere- stocking: zzzzzz.... Kid: *smiling in his sleep...before...* stocking: zzzzz...... Kid: *muttering in his sleep* "...So beautiful..." stocking: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...... Kid: *holds Stocking closer, sighing* "You're so beautiful." stocking: mmmmmnn.... Kid: "Stocking...I love you so much...So symmetrical, like a beautiful butterfly..." stocking: zzzzzz.... Kid: *asleep, starts kissing along her ear* stocking: mmmmn~ Kid: "My beautiful angel...You're so amazing..." *kisses along her neck* stocking: nnngh~ -elsewhere- chie: zzzzzzzz...... Yohei: *slight shudder* chie: hmm? babe? Yohei: "S-Sorry...Just..." chie: *she holds him close* i know... Yohei: "..." *small cry* chie:...*strokes his head* Yohei: *holds onto her* "I...I'm so scared." chie: i'm going to keep you safe.... -in another room- nea: a-ahhhh~ Shinoda: *riding her* "You're so sexy..." *thrusts deeper* "Tell me how much you like this." nea: oh god it feels so good~! Shinoda: *takes one of her breasts in his hand, suckling along it* PlushFix: *containing his excitement* nea: *moan* Shinoda: *licks, before thrusting into her again* "I want you to say my name..." PlushFix: *pant pant pant pant* nea: s-shi-shinodaaa~<3 Shinoda: "Oh, Nea!" PlushFix: "Oh, fuck yeah!!!!" nea: O_O; Shinoda: o______O PlushFix: "...Hiiiiiiiiii--" nea: FUCK OFF YOU LITTLE SHITRAG! *le toss* =///////////=;;; Shinoda: "...I am so sorry." PlushFix: "EEEEEEEEEK--" nea:...we really should lock the door from now on. Shinoda: -\\\\\- "Yeah..." setsuna: *making tea* oh? *puts the doll on a chair* PlushFix: o____O "Hey! The MILF! How ya doin'?" setsuna: i'm just making tea. you? PlushFix: "Nah, I don't got a digestive system anyway. But you know what liquid I do want?" setsuna: i dont think that would work either. PlushFix: *sneers* "Nah, I just want this liquid poured all over me...Just bathe in it..." setsuna:....a tea bath? PlushFix: "Nope. I want that milk off your titties all over me--" -milk from the fridge- PlushFix: -_-; "...No." setsuna: i'm not breastfeeding right now, so i'm afraid it wont be possible right now. PlushFix: "What if I helped coax it outta ya? Just put my lips all over your nipples..." setsuna:................*she just has her tea and goes to bed* PlushFix: "...She digs me." medea: you really are terrible -_-; PlushFix: "Oh, excuse me, flat-board, but I didn't ask to be put into a fucking sock puppet!" medea: -_________-; PlushFix: "Couldn't put me in an anatomically correct specimen?" medea: *slaps an ofuda over his mouth* -_-; PlushFix: -____-; ("...I'll just sneak into someone's room and feel them up...") medea: *locks him in the box* good night. PlushFix: >< ("Fuck!") Shotaro: *dreaming...* "...Hmm..." \kyoukotsu: hello~\ Shotaro: "Oh...Hey!" \kyoukotsu: whats new with you, kiddo?\ Shotaro: "Um...Should I start with all the new roommates, people who were in comas but back, or weird evil plush toys?" \kyoukotsu: wow, sounds like it's been quite busy.\ Shotaro: "Uh huh. How about you? Getting enough milk?" \kyoukotsu: milk fo days\ Shotaro: "Hee hee...That's good! So...Am I alright I mean, you tend to visit when something major is going to happen, like a new power, some future-sight warning. Anything to tell me?" \kyoukotsu: just checking up on you this time....although, i feel a new threat will be coming soon....something from yohei and mono’s past\ Shotaro: "...Really? Like, some Dokeshi Hunt stuff?" \kyoukotsu: you could say it is, but you could also say it isnt. just keep an eye out, ok?\ Shotaro: "...Wow, trippy paradox." *smiles widely* "I'll definitely keep my eyes opened! BONE OF SPIDER!" *chomps on Dream!Bone of Yokai-Spider--gaining six more eyes* -elsewhere- Black Star: *lies next to Tsubaki* tsubaki: zzzzz.... Black Star: "..." ("Pretty...") *falls back to sleep...* *snore* -morning- Kid: *yaaaaaawn* stocking: breakfast is ready kiddo~ Kid: *smiles* "Happy to hear..." -snowman pancakes~- Kid: *shiny eyes* "So beautiful!" lord death: since its december now, better get festive with it, haha! Kid: "Of course! Hang up light, the tree, ornaments, plushies..." Patty: *looking around for Liz...goes to her room...* liz: zzzzz....

[repwinpril9y0a1]

She's The Best Answer To Donald Trump You Never Heard Of

Heather Booth doesn’t look like a revolutionary. She sits demurely on a sofa, dressed simply in black, fingering a silver necklace. She speaks softly, selecting her words with care and enunciating cleanly. Dignity. Respect. Community.

But something comes over her when she begins to talk about helping people organize to make their world better. The sweet smile fades. She sits up straighter. Her voice tightens, the words come faster. Power. Together. Act. She strikes a gently curled fist into an open palm. IM-pact.

Booth, 71, is one of the nation’s most influential organizers for progressive causes. Inside almost every liberal drive over the past five decades ― for fair pay, equal justice, abortion rights, workers’ rights, voter rights, civil rights, immigration rights, child care ― you will find Booth. But you may have to look hard.

Because she’s not always at the head of the protest march. More often, she’s at a let’s-get-organized meeting in a suburban church basement or a late-night strategy session in a crumbling neighborhood’s community center. She’s helping people already roused to action figure out practical ways to move their cause forward. And always she’s advancing the credo she learned as a child: that you must not only treat people with dignity and respect, but you must shoulder your own responsibility to help build a society that reflects those values.

Heather is one of the people who makes this all work. Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Booth is the founder and president of the Midwest Academy, which for over four decades has trained grassroots activists to advance progressive causes across the country. The academy’s goal, according to its website, is both aspirational ― to “give people a sense of their own power to improve society” ― and enormously practical ― to teach a “strategic, rigorous, results-oriented approach to social action.”

To that end, Booth has worked with a range of liberal groups, from USAction, MoveOn, People’s Action, NAACP National Voter Fund, Alliance for Citizenship and the Voter Participation Center, to the National Organization for Women, the National Council of La Raza, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and the Center for Community Change. (She’s also blogged for HuffPost.)

“Heather is one of the people who makes this all work,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), indicating a sweep of progressive issues ― including the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Warren, then a Harvard law professor, had a vision of that federal consumer agency in 2007. But she confessed to a colleague that she had no idea how to make it happen, how to harness the political energy needed to push it past the opposition of powerful corporate financial interests.

Her colleague said simply, “Call Heather.”

So it was that, deep in the financial crisis of 2008, with Wall Street giants collapsing, mortgaged homes going under water and banks facing insolvency, throngs of activists appeared to demand real financial reform. They were drawn from labor unions, civil rights organizations, consumer and citizen action groups, and unaffiliated individuals who had never before been politically active but who were furious at the abuse of ordinary Americans.

Booth’s work wasn’t simply a matter of gathering people for protest marches, although those were important. She helped activists devise the tactics to pressure specific legislators. Together they faced off against the monied interests of big business and the political bosses.

And they succeeded. In 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau into law. Politicians and other notable figures gathered on stage for a gala signing ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Building. Booth was in the back of the auditorium.

But she felt vindicated. In the fight against Goliath, Booth later told Bill Moyers with a disarming smile, “Sometimes David wins.”

Warren said, “I’m in awe.’’

Today, opposition to the actions and conduct of President Donald Trump keeps rolling out in the street and on social media. The ugly firing of FBI Director James Comey has ignited new outrage. But the question is whether all that energy can be harnessed for action beyond protest marches ― or if it will dissipate like the 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement.

That’s where Booth comes in.

The Trump era “is a perilous and inspiring time ― both are true,” she told HuffPost. “The peril can’t be overstated. I do think families will be ripped apart, people will unjustly be imprisoned, jobs will be destroyed. I think lives may be destroyed,” she said. “I fear for unjustified wars. I think the structure of democracy itself will be threatened, from simple protections of people’s health and safety to the ability to live a decent life. So ... a time of great peril.”

“But ...” She allowed herself a broad smile, offering a glimpse of the spirit that has powered uphill battles all these years. “I am incredibly heartened by the outpouring of people standing up to say, ‘You’re not going to do this. We are going to defend our lives, our families. Our democracy! And we are going to defend each other.’”

“If you stand together and organize,” Booth said, “you can change the world.”

This conviction goes way back. In the early 1950s, the sole African-American child in her first-grade class in Brooklyn, New York ― a boy named Benjamin ― was accused by a white student of having stolen her lunch money. The accuser and her friends crowded around Benjamin, pointing and taunting. Booth pushed her way into the circle, put her arm around Benjamin and just stood with him. (And, of course, the accuser then found her lunch money in her shoe.)

As an adolescent, Booth felt she didn’t fit in. She tried out for the cheerleading squad, but quit when she found out that more talented black girls had been turned away. She volunteered for the school chorus, but apparently had no aptitude for singing. At the Christmas pageant, she was asked to just silently mouth the words.

“I was insecure most of my life,” she said, “and in almost all situations felt I was not good enough, didn’t know enough.”

Even so, one day in her early teens, the would-be activist stood by herself in New York City’s Times Square handing out leaflets urging an end to the death penalty. It wasn’t pleasant. In the late 1950s, Times Square was a vile pit of hucksters, porn shops and addicts. One guy spit on her. Flustered, she kept dropping her leaflets. “I was really frightened,” she said.

The lesson she took from that experience, however, wasn’t that you had to stop protesting, but that you had to stop doing it alone. You had to draw others into the action. Get organized. Together you could achieve results even if you were scared and insecure.

Booth felt that power a few years later in Mississippi, where as a University of Chicago student, she spent the Freedom Summer of 1964 organizing for voter rights. That, too, was frightening and inspiring. “We were standing for something that mattered, that was bigger than ourselves, and if as an individual I didn’t know what I was doing, as a group we did know what we were doing,” she said. “And over time I could see that because of this, we were ending segregation.”

Some years later, as a young mother of toddlers on Chicago’s South Side, Booth gathered a group of working moms to form a neighborhood day care cooperative ― and found the idea blocked by the city’s byzantine licensing codes. So they began organizing other parents across the city, at church and synagogue meetings and other community forums.

“People flocked to us,” Booth recalled in a recent TEDx talk. “People gained confidence, found their voice, spoke about their love for their kids, the child care they needed, their vision for the future.”

They framed the conflict as loving mothers versus uncaring bureaucrats. The press noticed. Then Chicago’s politicians noticed. Within six months, she said the city had agreed to one-stop licensing, a licensing review board of parents and child care providers, and $1 million for new child care centers.

It starts where there is an injustice in the world. ... And people say, ‘We need to do something about that. Let’s take some action.’ Heather Booth

The potency of targeted, strategic organizing is a key idea taught at the Midwest Academy, which Booth started in 1973. She chose the name not for the academy’s location, Chicago, but because it sounded wholesome, a clean break from the strident rhetoric of the student left. “We didn’t want to be mean,” she explained.

Three core ideas guide the 25,000 activists who have trained at the academy: The goal of organizing must be concrete improvement in people’s lives. The organizing must help ordinary people develop their own sense of power. And activists should seek change that is systemic ― not just fixing the water supply in Flint, but giving people in Flint some oversight of the water system.

Among the academy’s teaching materials is a strategic planning chart to help organizers link a specific and achievable goal with available resources (money, allies, media contacts), the names of decision-makers whose support or acquiescence is needed, the tactics required to win over opponents, and the messaging to mobilize others to join in.

“Rather than saying, ‘Oh, this is awful, they’re giving money to the wealthiest and taking away our fundamental services, so let’s do a hands-around-the-Capitol’ ― well, that may be a good thing to do,” Booth said. “But can we do it in a way that builds our organization’s resources, brings in more people, maybe raises funds? And afterwards, let’s look at what worked and what didn’t work. What do we do next?”

As valuable as organizing is, Booth understands that it’s a tool for social progress, not the driving force behind it.

“It doesn’t start with training, although the training helps people be more effective,” she said. “It starts where there is an injustice in the world ― people living in fear that some family member will be deported who’s been here 20 years. And people say, ‘We need to do something about that. Let’s take some action.’”

After a police officer killed black teen Michael Brown, for instance, “there was an outpouring across the country. No one had to be told, ‘I can’t take it anymore.’ Not just ‘I can’t,’ but ‘we can’t.’ So it starts with people’s anger, love, fear, hate, concern and standing up to say, ‘It can’t continue like this.’”

Today, at a time when many feel powerless and despairing, Booth draws inspiration and energy from the protests that have been erupting since Trump’s inauguration. “We are gaining strength,” she observed.

“The size, the numbers, the beauty of the effort, how representative it is of America ― all of America ― the number of places it’s happening. And how beautifully nonviolent, peaceful and intense they are simultaneously.”

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2rcnSmM

[pat78701]

She's The Best Answer To Donald Trump You Never Heard Of

Heather Booth doesn’t look like a revolutionary. She sits demurely on a sofa, dressed simply in black, fingering a silver necklace. She speaks softly, selecting her words with care and enunciating cleanly. Dignity. Respect. Community.

But something comes over her when she begins to talk about helping people organize to make their world better. The sweet smile fades. She sits up straighter. Her voice tightens, the words come faster. Power. Together. Act. She strikes a gently curled fist into an open palm. IM-pact.

Booth, 71, is one of the nation’s most influential organizers for progressive causes. Inside almost every liberal drive over the past five decades ― for fair pay, equal justice, abortion rights, workers’ rights, voter rights, civil rights, immigration rights, child care ― you will find Booth. But you may have to look hard.

Because she’s not always at the head of the protest march. More often, she’s at a let’s-get-organized meeting in a suburban church basement or a late-night strategy session in a crumbling neighborhood’s community center. She’s helping people already roused to action figure out practical ways to move their cause forward. And always she’s advancing the credo she learned as a child: that you must not only treat people with dignity and respect, but you must shoulder your own responsibility to help build a society that reflects those values.

Heather is one of the people who makes this all work. Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Booth is the founder and president of the Midwest Academy, which for over four decades has trained grassroots activists to advance progressive causes across the country. The academy’s goal, according to its website, is both aspirational ― to “give people a sense of their own power to improve society” ― and enormously practical ― to teach a “strategic, rigorous, results-oriented approach to social action.”

To that end, Booth has worked with a range of liberal groups, from USAction, MoveOn, People’s Action, NAACP National Voter Fund, Alliance for Citizenship and the Voter Participation Center, to the National Organization for Women, the National Council of La Raza, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and the Center for Community Change. (She’s also blogged for HuffPost.)

“Heather is one of the people who makes this all work,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), indicating a sweep of progressive issues ― including the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Warren, then a Harvard law professor, had a vision of that federal consumer agency in 2007. But she confessed to a colleague that she had no idea how to make it happen, how to harness the political energy needed to push it past the opposition of powerful corporate financial interests.

Her colleague said simply, “Call Heather.”

So it was that, deep in the financial crisis of 2008, with Wall Street giants collapsing, mortgaged homes going under water and banks facing insolvency, throngs of activists appeared to demand real financial reform. They were drawn from labor unions, civil rights organizations, consumer and citizen action groups, and unaffiliated individuals who had never before been politically active but who were furious at the abuse of ordinary Americans.

Booth’s work wasn’t simply a matter of gathering people for protest marches, although those were important. She helped activists devise the tactics to pressure specific legislators. Together they faced off against the monied interests of big business and the political bosses.

And they succeeded. In 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau into law. Politicians and other notable figures gathered on stage for a gala signing ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Building. Booth was in the back of the auditorium.

But she felt vindicated. In the fight against Goliath, Booth later told Bill Moyers with a disarming smile, “Sometimes David wins.”

Warren said, “I’m in awe.’’

Today, opposition to the actions and conduct of President Donald Trump keeps rolling out in the street and on social media. The ugly firing of FBI Director James Comey has ignited new outrage. But the question is whether all that energy can be harnessed for action beyond protest marches ― or if it will dissipate like the 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement.

That’s where Booth comes in.

The Trump era “is a perilous and inspiring time ― both are true,” she told HuffPost. “The peril can’t be overstated. I do think families will be ripped apart, people will unjustly be imprisoned, jobs will be destroyed. I think lives may be destroyed,” she said. “I fear for unjustified wars. I think the structure of democracy itself will be threatened, from simple protections of people’s health and safety to the ability to live a decent life. So ... a time of great peril.”

“But ...” She allowed herself a broad smile, offering a glimpse of the spirit that has powered uphill battles all these years. “I am incredibly heartened by the outpouring of people standing up to say, ‘You’re not going to do this. We are going to defend our lives, our families. Our democracy! And we are going to defend each other.’”

“If you stand together and organize,” Booth said, “you can change the world.”

This conviction goes way back. In the early 1950s, the sole African-American child in her first-grade class in Brooklyn, New York ― a boy named Benjamin ― was accused by a white student of having stolen her lunch money. The accuser and her friends crowded around Benjamin, pointing and taunting. Booth pushed her way into the circle, put her arm around Benjamin and just stood with him. (And, of course, the accuser then found her lunch money in her shoe.)

As an adolescent, Booth felt she didn’t fit in. She tried out for the cheerleading squad, but quit when she found out that more talented black girls had been turned away. She volunteered for the school chorus, but apparently had no aptitude for singing. At the Christmas pageant, she was asked to just silently mouth the words.

“I was insecure most of my life,” she said, “and in almost all situations felt I was not good enough, didn’t know enough.”

Even so, one day in her early teens, the would-be activist stood by herself in New York City’s Times Square handing out leaflets urging an end to the death penalty. It wasn’t pleasant. In the late 1950s, Times Square was a vile pit of hucksters, porn shops and addicts. One guy spit on her. Flustered, she kept dropping her leaflets. “I was really frightened,” she said.

The lesson she took from that experience, however, wasn’t that you had to stop protesting, but that you had to stop doing it alone. You had to draw others into the action. Get organized. Together you could achieve results even if you were scared and insecure.

Booth felt that power a few years later in Mississippi, where as a University of Chicago student, she spent the Freedom Summer of 1964 organizing for voter rights. That, too, was frightening and inspiring. “We were standing for something that mattered, that was bigger than ourselves, and if as an individual I didn’t know what I was doing, as a group we did know what we were doing,” she said. “And over time I could see that because of this, we were ending segregation.”

Some years later, as a young mother of toddlers on Chicago’s South Side, Booth gathered a group of working moms to form a neighborhood day care cooperative ― and found the idea blocked by the city’s byzantine licensing codes. So they began organizing other parents across the city, at church and synagogue meetings and other community forums.

“People flocked to us,” Booth recalled in a recent TEDx talk. “People gained confidence, found their voice, spoke about their love for their kids, the child care they needed, their vision for the future.”

They framed the conflict as loving mothers versus uncaring bureaucrats. The press noticed. Then Chicago’s politicians noticed. Within six months, she said the city had agreed to one-stop licensing, a licensing review board of parents and child care providers, and $1 million for new child care centers.

It starts where there is an injustice in the world. ... And people say, ‘We need to do something about that. Let’s take some action.’ Heather Booth

The potency of targeted, strategic organizing is a key idea taught at the Midwest Academy, which Booth started in 1973. She chose the name not for the academy’s location, Chicago, but because it sounded wholesome, a clean break from the strident rhetoric of the student left. “We didn’t want to be mean,” she explained.

Three core ideas guide the 25,000 activists who have trained at the academy: The goal of organizing must be concrete improvement in people’s lives. The organizing must help ordinary people develop their own sense of power. And activists should seek change that is systemic ― not just fixing the water supply in Flint, but giving people in Flint some oversight of the water system.

Among the academy’s teaching materials is a strategic planning chart to help organizers link a specific and achievable goal with available resources (money, allies, media contacts), the names of decision-makers whose support or acquiescence is needed, the tactics required to win over opponents, and the messaging to mobilize others to join in.

“Rather than saying, ‘Oh, this is awful, they’re giving money to the wealthiest and taking away our fundamental services, so let’s do a hands-around-the-Capitol’ ― well, that may be a good thing to do,” Booth said. “But can we do it in a way that builds our organization’s resources, brings in more people, maybe raises funds? And afterwards, let’s look at what worked and what didn’t work. What do we do next?”

As valuable as organizing is, Booth understands that it’s a tool for social progress, not the driving force behind it.

“It doesn’t start with training, although the training helps people be more effective,” she said. “It starts where there is an injustice in the world ― people living in fear that some family member will be deported who’s been here 20 years. And people say, ‘We need to do something about that. Let’s take some action.’”

After a police officer killed black teen Michael Brown, for instance, “there was an outpouring across the country. No one had to be told, ‘I can’t take it anymore.’ Not just ‘I can’t,’ but ‘we can’t.’ So it starts with people’s anger, love, fear, hate, concern and standing up to say, ‘It can’t continue like this.’”

Today, at a time when many feel powerless and despairing, Booth draws inspiration and energy from the protests that have been erupting since Trump’s inauguration. “We are gaining strength,” she observed.

“The size, the numbers, the beauty of the effort, how representative it is of America ― all of America ― the number of places it’s happening. And how beautifully nonviolent, peaceful and intense they are simultaneously.”

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2rcnSmM