#as I said before I view the Passage Guide as a parental figure to the kids

[angrybatart]

Need to set a good example for young moths.

Got the idea after watching the spirit parade again and seeing Overactive Overachiever aggressively walking behind the others. Saw other people mention the aggressive emoting and finally saw it myself. It's hilarious to watch.

[midas-or-khaos]

Wrong place, Wrong time. Part 1

God of war x borrower oc story

“-And remember, DON’T touch anything! Reavers aren’t exactly a clean bunch,” a gurgling followed. “Ugh, really bad at keeping anything clean in fact.” The poor man really could be a worry wart at times (and a clean freak as always).

“Sindri, I’ll be fine. I promise! Cross my heart and everything. The whetstone will probably be kept somewhere safe if it’s precious enough to be stolen, so it’ll hopefully be clean when I find it.”

“Oh. Well, I hadn’t thought of that. Just...stay safe ok? And don’t get caught!”

“I won’t, I never do. See you soon!”

Reluctantly the dwarf answered,“See you soon jojo.” But the poor dwarf’s knee couldn’t stop shaking, thinking about worst case scenarios. Jojo knew he’d just have to prove poor Sindri wrong once again. Maybe one of these days he’d actually learn there was no use worrying himself into a frenzy. Taking off, the 5 inch figure wasn’t stopped as he scurried along natural ledges in walls, and began his descent into the heart of the earth.

Jojo didn’t see what all the worry was for. One of the few perks of being a borrower was often big folk like Reavers or monsters were always too busy looking ahead for bean sized people, that they never looked far enough down to see him. He knew the dwarf didn’t like asking him for help, even though the boy often came to Sindri’s shop outside ‘Fafnir’s storeroom’ (or whatever he called it) asking for challenges and new borrowing spots.

Most borrowers would call it suicide to be talking to beans and other big folk, ESPECIALLY with all the new monsters that have started popping up recently. Hel walkers they’re called apparently. But Jojo wasn’t most. He’d sought out his favourite Dwarf and brother when his parents died drowning in the lake of nine when the waters suddenly flooded, leaving their 8 year old son to fend for himself. Not immediately, obviously. No, at that point he was still a weedy little scaredy cat himself, not able to be even in the same area when footstep started to shake the earth. It could only last so long though. He hadn’t been old enough to be taken out borrowing before being left alone, and supplies ran low quickly. So, spurt of the desperate, when he saw the two set up shop outside his home in the foothills, the child decided to stride right out into the open and ask for food.

4 years later and he still never regretted that decision. Still scrawny, “the side effect of being young” said Brok, but definitely more confident. Brok taught him a lot of that confidence (and a whole lot of swear words too, despite Sindri’s attempts to undo his brother’s work) and Sindri taught him kindness and generosity. The generosity was only spent on the brothers, because who else was he going to see? No borrower would trust another that hung around beans, and Sindri wouldn’t let him be found by anyone if he had anything to say about it, but kindness he tried to show all IF he could without getting sliced in half.

Gathering focus for the change in environment, the world became darker. White, natural light was flittering out, slowly being replaced by the ethereal glow of blue crystals bouncing off liquid smooth stone corridors leading into a fatal drop. An underground ravine. Nothing had shown its face yet, though the odd grunt of some undead beastie would make itself known now and then. Being so small meant there was no need to cross the water below, or find ways to get the chain ropes down so as to climb across. All he had to do was stick close to the roof where stalactites could be leapt between till he reached some valley in the wall to rest. Nothing too hard. Looking for the fist place to jump, a low hanging spine was just a couple of feet away (to Jojo); taking a leap of faith, the boy managed to snag the tail end. Right, next one. Leaping like a lemur the drop was easily avoided, and soon something came into view. Sunlight yellow was beginning to mix with the unnatural blue, and Jojo knew there was an opening into the outside world around the corner. Good, finally he would be able to see, though he would be easier to spot in the illumination of day.

Sindri

How had Brok convinced him to let Jojo go treasure hunting alone? So many traps, monsters, ancients even! “He’ll be fine” said Brok when the two had discussed it together during one of their rare ‘chats for important matters’. So nonchalantly Brok threw out, “Kid’s never been seen before, he ain’t gonna be now!” We’ll that was just testing fate wasn’t it! The rhythmic thumping of hammer to metal was doing nothing to take his mind off the matter, and a few too many near misses to his thumb told Sindri he wasn’t going to get any real work done at this rate. Perhaps he should have a break and go visit Ivaldi’s workshop?

“Hey Sindri!”

“Agh!!!!” Both hammer and work went flying overhead, just missing the flat of his skull. The lithe boy in question at least had the gall to go red, abashed as he walked over to the Dwarf’s workbench, scratching at the buzzed fuzz across the side his head.

“Sorry.”

“Well you should be! That could’ve hurt you OR me, and all the infections that could get in-”

“Boy, be careful.”

The source of the voice sat further back up the slate corridor, hidden in shadow, hawkish gold glowed beneath a heavy brow.

“Sorry father.” Atreus called back to the hidden figure.

With meaningful strides, the figure came into the light of day, bleach white skin, jet black beard and a crimson tattoo striped across an eye setting the figure apart as none other than his worst fear. Kratos. Why? Why were these two here?

“What brings you two to my place of work to scare me?”

Leaning on the edge of his (freshly cleaned) work bench, the spritely youth explained with excitement, “We’re gonna get that whetstone you wanted!”

Shit! He’d mentioned that to them, hadn’t he? Why had they come to fulfill that promise now, when they seemed so disinterest in before?

“O-o-ooooohhhhh yeahhhhhhh, THAT whetstone. Well...”

Atreus leaned in with a head tilt and a brow lifted, “...well? What’s wrong, did you find it already?”

“No-“

“-No? Then what’s the problem?”

“Speak clearly, we have come for the promise of improvements.” Straight to the point, both father and son were on edge now.

Damn it, he was digging a hole for himself again. Stupid mouth. Obviously, if the two of them went in those mines, there was a chance his kid would get spotted and wearing that rat skin outfit, either of the pair could mistake Jojo for an actual rat and hit him with something. Oooooo, that’s horrifying, don’t think about that! Ughhhh don’t vomit! Don’t-...But On the other hand, there was a chance that the father/son duo could clear the way and make it safer for his boy to get back. And more searching eyes makes for less work. Sindri would just have to encourage them not to be too... liberal with their killing.

“Yes the offer is still there, but you must heed this warning.”

“You mentioned no warning before, why?” The irritation lacing the bestial man’s tone didn’t keep itself hidden, growls billowing out that barrel chest. The dwarf didn’t shirk away like a turtle. Not at all.

“O-oh-well-I didn’t know before. Bbbbut I got new information...from Brok. He said not tooooooo... kill the ratssssss?”

The growls took a higher pitch.

“Errrrr, ok? Are the rats protected are something?” Quizzed Atreus, bringing the blacksmith off the subject of the terrifying god before him. A perfect excuse.

“YES! Yes, sorry, the rats are the protected subjects of Freya. Wouldn’t want to upset her right?!”

“Oh! Well, she never mentioned that when we met her.” These two met FREYA! Of course they had, who was he kidding, they’d met everyone and probably started a fight with them too.

“Must’ve slipped her mind, now hurry up! Don’t want any drauger or wolves to get their disgusting hands all over it! Otherwise it’ll be so dirty even I won’t be able to clean it!”

The excuse was enough. The two turned (but not before the kid’s enthusiastic good bye) and disappeared below the cramped passage into the inky black mines, their footsteps echoing out.

“Please let this be the right idea.” Huffed out Sindri with stale, held breath, shaking his head at his own recklessness.

Jojo

Making the last of his descent down the sheer cliff walls, vibrant green broke the dead stone and made life at the edge of the darkness. The sweet ache from overworked tendons and muscles began the slow process of slipping away, fresh air and bird song rejuvenating the boy’s ambition to find his prize, a grin pulling at bubbly cheeks. He was halfway now! Strolling through the ivy, form barely making a rustle, sunlight illuminated the boy’s way through the thickets. Brok mentioned that before he reached the main chamber where the actual traps and treasure was kept, there was a ‘small’ field for him to cross with bits of precious metals along the way. Jojo knew he’d need to make height soon in order to know where he was going, but this time it’d have to be calculated; all black stood out in all this greenery. Now where to go? Rocks. He could use the rocks as an outpost to look out: dark coloured, easy to climb and easy to blend into. Just a matter of reaching it. Strolling through the ivy, the speckled light beaming on the crumbled earth was just enough to guide the way forward, boots barely making a sound.

Squawk

Stopping dead, a cold trail prickled along his back. The boy made the slowest tilt back possible to peak throught the canopy, trying to avoid detection. Too late, looking with a ghostly green eye, a monsterous raven was stalking with keen interest, perched almost serenely upon it’s watch point. Ravens weren’t notorious borrower hunters, seeing people like him often as a chore to catch and consume. But rats...rats were their favourite.

And he was dressed as one.

Atreus

“Father, what do you think had Sindri so shook?”

“Anything, boy. The dwarf has a talent for fear.” No denying that, agreed the doe eyed boy. Sindri did fear just about everything.

Crouching did nothing for the chalk giant, disgruntled grunts sounding out amongst the overhead drips of droplets every time his bald head scraped the sandpaper rough ceiling. It’s one of the few examples in life that made Atreus happy to be short. Yowls were coming from further into the mineshaft, but drauger were a minor setback, easily dispatched.

“Be on your guard boy, we are nearing danger.”

Jojo

“Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck-“ How could one bird be more persistent then all the drauger in the world?

SSSSSQQQQUUUUUAAAAAARRRRRRRKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!

Too close! Every attack was only wearing the borrower down more; the saving grace from this endless stream of dive bombs was that in the bird’s haste, it made enough flapping to give its location away at all times, making it easier to dodge. But now Jojo was lost, lost and close to just falling down if his quaking limbs were anything to go by.

Atreus

“Well that was easy.”

A sagely look was drawn toward Atreus, not angry, but not impressed, “Easy because there are two of us, boy, but don’t let your guard down because you perceive an enemy as ‘easy’.”

Always one to lecture. “Yes sir.”

The cave entrance as coming into sight, stoic father and brash son walking side by side. With electrical arrows at the ready and frosty axe drawn the odd pair walked into daylight, sun illuminating the thick blood staining their skin and wares. Both were ready for any kind of battle ahead, be it fierce or simple.

Well, except for the kind of battle that they stumbled onto.

“Father? What’s wrong with that bird?” Quizzed Atreus, looking up, but Kratos was busy scanning the wooded field

“It hunts for prey boy, pay it no mind.” No beating around the bush.

“But it looks like one of Odin’s crows.”

The barely there expression of strained, chalk temples and widening, heavy set eyes might as well have been a scream.“Shoot it down.”

This rarity was not lost on the boy, heart pounding in response. If his ever-stoic dad was frightened, this was more of a danger than he had anticipated. Wasting no time, Atreus locked on as the bird went for another dive, and let loose a wizzing arrow. It fired true puncturing the breast and punching through to the other side with a resounding crack of the rib cage. The creature never hit its mark, breaking apart in a surprising burst of green flame, but never actually setting anything on fire. The witchcraft of Odin was strange indeed.

The boy couldn’t feel pleasure out of his elegant kill, still too shaken by what he’d seen. Atreus knew better than to ask his father what was wrong, the man would switch on him like a rabid dog driven mad by rabies if any fear was ever acknowledged.

“We go on, boy.”

Kratos took the lead, heading further uphill into the tree trunk horizon, sun spilling over the crest and illuminating some of the lower valley where the boy stood. Atreus made no move to follow. If he was to get answers, it would have to be now whilst his father charged on unaware. Tip toeing over to where the bird would have fallen, eyes trained on his father, the archer found his arrow wedged fast into the soft earth with wandering hands. Turning his gaze for just a moment to inspect his find, there were signs of burns, suggesting that the animal must’ve been made of pure magic; probably a spy of some kind if Odin had anything to do with it, the man was notoriously suspicious and crafty (even all seeing as his mother had mentioned) so would want to know at all times what was going on in midguard. Hold on... pulling the tip of the spear out, a rat skin sat pierced at the end. Weird thing was though, it was clean, even looking tanned on the inside like some kind of weird miniature hooded tunic! This wasn’t an animal the crow had caught and killed, but clearly was worn by the thing that the bird was after on the ground. Wait... Sindri mentioned not killing any rats, but this one was allowed to die and be made into clothes, meaning Freya wasn’t protecting the rats at all. Sindri was lying, he was protecting whoever wore this tunic-

“BOY! COME!”

Oops. He’d zoned out too long.

“Father, I think Sindri was lying!”

Footstep were coming down behind him in a charge. Curiosity wouldn’t let him leave, but flight was making his feet flitter and shake, ready to take off from the raging bull behind him.

“Did I just not tell you to follow?! The dwarf is of no concern-“ Fighting curiosity won over.

“DAD! Just. Look.”

Turning back and presenting the tunic to the man who’d finally reached him, the golden hue burned brightly with hatful embers down at the find. Just as quickly the gaze focused back on the child. He neither cared nor understood.

“It’s a tunic, made from the skin of a rat. Sindri said the rats here were under the protection of Freya, but if that were true, this one wouldn’t be dead and Odin’s ravens wouldn’t dare go after it. Sindri’s hiding something.”

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Pioneers may be picturesque figures, but they are often rather lonely ones.

- Nancy Astor, the Viscountess Astor

Nancy Astor was an American-born British politician who was the first female MP to take her seat in the House of Common. Viscountess Astor had won the constituency of Plymouth Sutton in 1919, and after Irish Sinn Féin’s Constance Markievicz had refused to take her seat the previous year, became the first woman to sit in the House. So in effect Astor became the second female Member of Parliament but the first to take her seat, serving from 1919 to 1945.

Nancy Witcher Langhorne was born in 1879 in Virginia to a prosperous  railroad businessmen.

Following the American Civil War, prosperous Southerners who had relied on slavery fell on hard times. Such was the fate of her father, Chiswell Dabney Langhorne, who had been a successful railroad businessman before the war. So when Nancy, his eighth child was born on May 19th, 1879 he was still struggling to recover. However by the time that daughter, who had been christened Nancy, was thirteen, he had re-established his fortune.

Nancy Langhorne had four sisters and three brothers who survived childhood. All of the sisters were known for their beauty; Nancy and her sister Irene both attended a finishing school in New York City.  She finished successfully and in 1897.

In New York Nancy met her first husband, a wealthy socialite Robert Gould Shaw II, a first cousin of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who commanded the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, the first unit in the Union Army to be composed of African Americans. They married in New York City on 27 October 1897, when she was 18.

The marriage was an unhappy one. For Nancy it was not such a success, since she left her husband for the first time during their honeymoon and after a turbulent and troubled four years and a son, they separated permanently.

Nancy Shaw took a tour of England and fell in love with the country. Since she had been so happy there, her father suggested that she move to England. Seeing she was reluctant, her father said this was also her mother's wish; he suggested she take her younger sister Phyllis. Nancy and Phyllis moved together to England in 1905. Their older sister Irene had married the artist Charles Dana Gibson and became a model for his Gibson Girls.

Nancy Shaw had already become known in English society as an interesting and witty American, at a time when numerous wealthy young American women had married into the British aristocracy. Her tendency to be saucy in conversation, yet religiously devout and almost prudish in behavior, confused many of the English men but pleased some of the older socialites.

She did marry an Englishman, albeit one born in the United States, Waldorf Astor - 2nd Viscount Astor, an American-born English politician and newspaper proprietor.

While crossing the Atlantic to Britain, Nancy had met Waldorf Astor, the son of the American magnate William Waldorf Astor. Waldorf had been born in New York on the same day as Nancy, but when he was ten years old his father had moved the family to Britain to raise his children as English aristocrats. Waldorf had been educated at Eton College and Oxford University.   In May of 1906 Nancy and Waldorf were married and moved into their wedding gift – the 375 acre Cliveden Estate and its 400-foot-long mansion in Buckinghamshire, which Nancy modernised and had electrified.

The Astors moved into Cliveden, a lavish estate in Buckinghamshire on the River Thames that was a wedding gift from Astor's father. Nancy Astor developed as a prominent hostess for the British social elite.

The Astors also owned a grand London house, No. 4 St. James's Square, now the premises of the Naval & Military Club. A blue plaque unveiled in 1987 commemorates Astor at St. James's Square. Through her many social connections, Lady Astor became involved in a political circle called 'Milner's Kindergarten’. Considered liberal in their age (but in reality very conservative), the group advocated unity and equality among English-speaking people and a continuance or expansion of the British Empire inspired by the vision of Cecil Rhodes. 

Nancy encouraged Waldorf to enter politics and he became a Member of Parliament in 1910 for the Conservative Party, although he broke ranks with his party and tended to vote for social reforms. When his Liberal friend David Lloyd George became Prime Minister of the wartime Coalition government in 1916, Waldorf became his parliamentary private secretary and part of his circle of advisors. In 1916 his father William was made a peer - Viscount Astor. When William died in 1919, Waldorf tried unsuccessfully to avoid taking the title, but was forced to surrender his seat in Parliament and enter the House of Lords as the 2nd Viscount Astor.

This triggered a by-election for his Plymouth seat, which Nancy contested and won. Women had only recent been granted the right to vote. Her American informal style was new to the British and seems to have charmed them in an age where campaigning was very much about personality.

Nancy Astor was a very remarkable woman: determined, witty and accomplished. She was also the beneficiary of considerable privilege, through birth and marriage - none of which is generally looked on with forgiveness in our age.

Her sharp wit hid a cold, aggressive, paranoid and illiberal personality.

She also clashed with her contemporary, Sir Winston Churchill and there’s a famous exchange between the two that goes along these lines “Winston, if I were married to you I’d put poison in your coffee”….”Nancy, if I were married to you I’d drink it.” This supposedly occurred during a weekend house party at Blenheim Palace in the early 1930s.

Nancy Astor's accomplishments in the House of Commons were relatively minor. She never held a position with much influence, and never any post of ministerial rank, although her time in Commons saw four Conservative Prime Ministers in office. The Duchess of Atholl (elected to Parliament in 1923, four years after Lady Astor) rose to higher levels in the Conservative Party before Astor did. Astor felt if she had more position in the party, she would be less free to criticise her party's government. She did gain passage of a bill to increase the legal drinking age to eighteen unless the minor has parental approval.

During this period Nancy Astor continued to be active outside government, supporting the development and expansion of nursery schools for children's education. She was introduced to the issue by socialist  Margaret McMillan, who believed that her late sister helped guide her in life. Lady Astor was initially skeptical of this aspect, but later the two women became close; Astor used her wealth to aid their social efforts.

Left out of the boy’s club within the all male atmosphere of Parliament, She worked hard instead to use her wealth and influence to recruit women into the civil service, the police force, education reform, and the House of Lords.

Lady Astor chaired the first ever International Conference of Women In Science, Industry and Commerce, a three-day event held London in July 1925, organised by Caroline Haslett for the Women's Engineering Society in co-operation with other leading women's groups. Astor hosted a large gathering at her home in St James's to enable networking amongst the international delegates, and spoke strongly of her support of and the need for women to work in the fields of science, engineering and technology.

Her legacy though remains very controversial as she was intimately bound to the upper-class appeasement movement of the 1930s. She was a fierce anti-Communist and like many others saw the rise of Germany as a bulwark to thwart the Bolshevik menace.

Astor was critical of the Nazis for devaluing the position of women and opposed the idea of another war. But as Harold Nicholson (among others) noted in his diaries, she was perfectly willing to indulge in the kind of ugly, reflexive anti-Semitism that was thought to be “clever” in aristocratic circles in those days. She exchanged anti-Semitic letters with the then American ambassador to Britain, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and entertained prominent members of the Nazi government. She herself asserted she was not an anti-Semite; she said in 1947, "I'm not anti-Jewish but gangsterism isn't going to solve the Palestine problem".

When World War Two did break-out Nancy Astor admitted that she had made mistakes and supported the war effort, although still causing controversy by, for example, opposing the entry into Britain of Communist refugees at a time when Russia was an ally in the war.

As her views became more extreme and eccentric she became an embarrassment to the Conservative Party and with them facing defeat by the Labour Party in the 1945 election, Waldorf Astor was persuaded to force her to step down. She did, but with anger and bitterness which she continued to express for many years.

She and Waldorf drifted apart and his movement to the political left did not help their marriage. They began to live separate lives and travel apart, although there was a reconciliation before his death in 1952.

During the 1950’s she added racism to her other views and became notorious for, among other statements, proudly announcing to the white minority Rhodesian government that she was the daughter of a slave owner and telling a group of Afro-American students that they should be more like the servants of her southern childhood. As her brothers and sisters died and she became estranged from her children, loneliness took over.

Nancy Astor died in 1964.

A statue commemorating her life was unveiled in Plymouth in November 2019 by Prime Minister Theresa May - and her future successor Boris Johnson also posed by the statue of the former Tory MP. The unveiling was one way to commemorate the centenary of women being involved in Parliamentary politics in the UK.

Theresa May said at the unveiling: “For two years Nancy Astor was the only woman in a House which was not designed for women. A place of Honourable Gentlemen, somking rooms and no ladies’ loos. She ignored the jeering, the patronising and the bawdy jokes, and began to make the Commons an easier place for the many –but all to few – women who have followed her.”

The statue was the culmination of a popular public campaign started by Labour MP for Plymouth and Sutton and Devonport, Mr Luke Pollard. The campaign enjoyed cross political party support. All of Plymouth’s living former MPs were present at the unveiling  - Alison Seabeck (now Raynsford), Linda Gilroy, Baroness Janet Fookes and Liberal peer Lord David Owen.

Prime Minister Theresa May said the whole country should be “proud of the great strides Nancy Astor made for equality and representation”. The inscription on the statue’s plinth reads: “Real education should educate us out of self into something far finer - into a selflessness which links us all with humanity.

In June 2020, her statue was placed on a target list of Black Lives Matter movement and other activist groups to campaign for its removal.

[osakaso5]

DUSK TiLL DAWN Event Story

19.15-21.00

Chapter Index

19.15

Io: Huff, huff..!

Bang bang

Io: Damn, there's no end to them!

Bang bang

Rictor: ....! Io, watch out..!

Bang bang

Somas: Io!

Io: Somas..! I'm glad you're safe!

Io: I tried to contact you so many times!

Somas: Sorry, looks like I dropped my phone while running...

Somas: Ah, but I'm fine, since I got rescued by these people! And I've got a handgun!

Io: A handgun... I see, so it's the same gun you went nuts with during training.

Mick: Is this the friend you were talking about?

Somas: Yes! This is Io!

Nagistopher: And the other one?

Rictor: My name is Rictor!

Mick: ......! Wait, that white coat...

Rictor: Ah, I'm a researcher for World Reflective Unit.

Io: You have to be an elite to be affiliated with W.R.U!

Rictor: Huh? Do I?

Mick: Cap..!

Nagistopher: Yes...

Nagistopher: Rictor, where is the vaccine?

Rictor: Huh..?

Rictor: Vaccine..?

Rictor: W-who are you people!?

Rictor: I don't talk to strangers!

Mick: Huh?

Io: Sorry about him. It seems like he's been told not to talk to people he doesn't know.

Mick: How sheltered do you have to be?

Nagistopher: My name is Nagistopher. I'm the captain of the special forces unit I.DOL.

Nagistopher: This is Mick. He's in my squad.

Nagistopher: And these two are civilians.

Yamarson: ...I'm Yamarson. These guys saved me from being attacked.

Somas: I'm...

Rictor: You're Somas, right!?

Somas: Huh?

Rictor: Io told me he had a strange friend!

Io: Hey..! Don't say anything that might cause misunderstandings!

Rictor: Ah... I-I'm sorry..!

Somas: Ahaha, it's fine! Io says that about me all the time.

Nagistopher: Rictor, we're no longer strangers to you, so if you could please answer.

Rictor: Ah... Right. Thank you.

Rictor: U-um... Since you're looking for the vaccine...

Rictor: Does that mean that this was caused by the virus..?

Nagistopher: "The" virus?

Rictor: The D-X Virus...

Nagistopher: ........ I see...

Rictor: W-what?

Mick: So you know about the D-X Virus...

Rictor: Huh? No, you're the ones who said you were looking for the vaccine to this D-X Virus...

Mick: Cap never specified which vaccine we were looking for.

Rictor: Ah..!

Nagistopher: We have intel that it's in this hospital. Where can we find it?

Rictor: I-I don't know!

Rictor: I'm just an intern... So I won't be able to help you..!

Mick: Ugh. ...Rictor, right? Look, we don't wanna get violent with you.

Rictor: W-wait, please! It's highly classified information!

Mick: Highly classified, eh...

Mick: Then why does an intern like you know about something that's supposedly all classified?

Rictor: W-well... I was raised in the lab...

Yamarson: Hey! There's a vaccine? If we find it, can we stop this epidemic..!?

Mick: Yeah. Or so we've heard.

Mick: The city's already in ruins, and the infection's spreading.

Mick: We need this vaccine to control the situation.

Nagistopher: Rictor, tell us what you know.

Rictor: But...

Io: Rictor...

Rictor: .......

Rictor: The vaccine... Is not here...

Yamarson: ......! Then where is it!?

Somas: Yamarson! Please, calm down..!

Yamarson: ........ My bad.

Rictor: The W.R.U lab... It's in there.

Rictor: It's being held in a very secure place, even within the lab.

Mick: ...Got it. So it's in the lab?

Nagistopher: Handsome reporting. Sugar, can you hear us?

Nagistopher: The vaccine is in a W.R.U laboratory.

Bzzt

Voice from Transceiver: <I hear ya. I just sent you the coordinates.>

Bzzt

Nagistopher: Coordinates confirmed.

Rictor: U-um! Wait! It's not on the surface level!

Mick: Huh? What do you mean?

Rictor: There's another lab underground. It's in there...

Somas: There's a laboratory under the streets of this city!? Cool..!!!

Nagistopher: Sugar. Get us a map of the underground.

Bzzt

Voice from Transceiver: <Just a sec. Underground, underground.>

Voice from Transceiver: <Cap, I'm not finding any info for an underground lab.>

Voice from Transceiver: <Hmm, but there's an area that's weirdly blurry.>

Voice from Transceiver: <Almost like someone's been messing with the data...>

Bzzt

Nagistopher: Understood.

Nagistopher: Rictor, you'll have to guide us there.

Rictor: Huh!? Me?

Nagistopher: Only you know where we're headed.

Rictor: ...Alright.

Rictor: It's this way.

- - - -

Uooorgh

Yamarson: Hey, the exit..!

Somas: Oh my gosh..! So many Gathered!

Somas: It's just like a movie, Io!

Io: What are you saying!? This is real life!

Mick: We're at a disadvantage... What do we do, Cap?

Nagistopher: Mick, prepare a grenade.

Bzzt

Voice from Transceiver: <A grenade can't take down them all.>

Voice from Transceiver: <Get everyone to cover, I got this.>

Wrrrrr

Mick: Sugar? Wait, don't tell me..!

Nagistopher: Get down!

Io, Yamarson, Somas, & Rictor: .......!

Voice from Transceiver: <Safety off, and... Alright, here I come!!!>

20.00

Uooorgh

Ratatatatata!!!

Wrrrrrrrrr

???: Ta-dah! The cavalry's here!

Mick: Don't you "ta-dah" me. Were you trying to kill us!?

???: Nah! I figured you and Cap would be fine.

???: You're alive, aintcha?

Mick: We've got civilians here!

Io, Yamarson, Somas, & Rictor: Uuh...

Io: What happened..?

???: They look fine to me.

Mick: Why you...

Mick: Ah! And why would you jump down like that!? What about the chopper?

???: The Pudding models are self-flying, so no worries.

???: It'll come if I call!

Mick: If you call...

Mick: Ugh... You don't even like being on land!

???: Yeah. I hate it, but I hate things I can't analyze even more.

???: So I'm gonna see it with my own eyes!

???: Don't sweat it! I had a pudding drink up there, so I'm full of energy!

???: Look. Hmph! Hmph, hmph!

Mick: Sigh...

Mick: It's nice that some soft drinks are all we need to get you into high gear...

Somas: Um... This is..?

Mick: Right, sorry for getting you guys involved.

Mick: This is Tamathony. He's with us.

Mick: He can be pretty weird, but he's smart and a good fighter.

Tamathony: You didn't need to tell 'em that I'm weird.

Somas: I'm Somas. That's my friend, Io. It's nice to meet you!

Tamathony: Yup.

Tamathony: Then I'm guessing the four-eyes is Yamarson, and you're Rictor.

Yamarson: Huh..?

Tamathony: I heard you guys on the radio.

Nagistopher: We should be on our way. ...I'll miss my anime otherwise.

Mick: Ugh... Cap, now's not the time to worry about that...

Nagistopher: Rictor, show us the way.

Rictor: Very well.

Rictor: We must get to the lab through the subway.

Io: The subway?

Rictor: There's a hidden passage on the side of the tracks that leads there.

Somas: A hidden passage to a secret research facility underground..! How exciting!

Io: Somas, how many times do I need to remind you that this isn't a movie?

Somas: Yeah, I know, but my body can't help itching...

Io: Sigh...

Yamarson: In any case, let's hurry. If we stay here, more of them will come for us.

Rictor: Right. I just hope the lab is safe...

Yamarson: ........! Haah...

Somas: Yamarson, are you alright? You look pale...

Yamarson: It's nothing. I'm just a little tired.

Rictor: ...Yamarson..?

Yamarson: What?

Rictor: I was just wondering... Have we met somewhere before?

Yamarson: ...I don't know you.

Rictor: I see...

Io: Are you really alright? You do look a bit sick...

Tamathony: Hey, we're not gonna wait on you.

Tamathony: Oh I know, you should give him that stuff that makes your eyes go all weird, Mick!

Mick: Don't describe it like that. It's just a health drink!

Mick: Here, this isn't much but it should help a little.

Yamarson: ...Thanks.

Io: Are you alright..?

Yamarson: ...Yeah, that helped.

Tamathony: Let's get a move on.

20.30

Tamathony: The subway's right at the end of this road!

Io: Aagh..! There are monsters behind us..!

Mick: Don't look back!

Mick: Just keep running!

- - - -

Yamarson: Haah, haah...

Somas: Those monsters really are fast.

Io: Huh?

Somas: It's great that they're so zombie-like!

Io: How are you enjoying this!?

Uooorgh

Yamarson: Hey, we're surrounded..! What do we do!?

Mick: Yeah, hold on! I'm gonna use my secret weapon!

Mick: Cover your ears..!

Crackle

Uooorgh

Mick: Alright!

Nagistopher: Mick, there's more over here.

Mick: Gotcha, Cap!

Mick: Crap, I slipped..!

....!

Somas: Wow! So cool..!

Rictor: I-incredible... They got all the Gathered...

Mick: That's Cap for ya!

Nagistopher: Mick, that was the seventh time so far.

Mick: Ugh, have I been doing it that much..?

Yamarson: Whoa, what's that!? A siren head!?

Uoorgh

Io: They just keep coming..! Just how many are there!?

Io: Somas, look out for that monster!

Somas: Whoa..!

Yamarson: Shit, we were so close to the subway, and now I've got to fight these things off with a knife..! 

21.00

Io: Haah, haah... We made it to the subway somehow.

Mick: It's awfully quiet here...

Io: It feels so eerie without people...

Somas: There's a weird fog here, and lots of dead rats.

Yamarson: Sigh... Is the entrance really here?

Rictor: I'm sorry. This is the closest and safest route.

Rictor: We're near a hidden passage that not even most people at the lab knew about.

Io: How do you know about the passage? You said you were an intern.

Rictor: ...The doctors told me.

Rictor: Since I was born in the lab, I rarely went outside. They told me to use it in case anything happened...

Rictor: The doctors were always kind to me, so I wouldn't get lonely.

Mick: If you were born in the lab, does that mean those doctors were your parents?

Rictor: No, they're just doctors. I don't know my parents...

Rictor: Whoa!

Rictor: Ow ow ow.

Io: A-are you alright?

Rictor: Ah, yes... It's so dark that I can't see properly...

Io: I think it's more because of that mask...

Rictor: Huh?

Io: Come on, stand up.

Io: You should take off that mask.

Somas: Huh!? He's going to take it off, even though it looks so cool and strong?

Mick: Io's right. A decreased field of view is life threatening in here! If you don't wanna turn into one of those monsters, take it off.

Rictor: ........

Rictor: But... Is the air here safe, I wonder?

Mick: The air?

Rictor: It's so filthy here...

Io: It seems like he's been told to keep the mask on when he goes outside...

Tamathony: Seriously? Does this mean we're in trouble, since we don't have masks?

Mick: No. ...Geez, how did they train you?

Mick: Rictor, you'll be fine. If it was dangerous here, the rest of us would already be dead.

Rictor: R-right... Very well.

Rictor: Phew... That was suffocating.

Mick: Wait, you're just a kid! Are you really a researcher?

Rictor: How rude! I'm a grown adult..!

Tamathony: I woudn't wanna hear that from Mick, either.

Mick: Huh? What was that?

Tamathony: Nothin'.

Tamathony: Ah... Hey, should we get going?

Uoorgh

Rictor: Aaagh!

Yamarson: Wait, how many of them are there..!?

Tamathony: A lot. It's like rush hour.

[thewarriorandtheking]

An Unexpected Rescue

When I read this prompt I immediately got the idea for this little story...

“Oh, my dear. Your have nothing to apologize for.” 

52-Week Challenge MasterList 

The Warrior and The King MasterList 

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

Thorin Oakenshield was sitting by the campfire enjoying a pipe and watching the sun go down in a blaze of red when the wolves came running into camp. He and Kaylea Wolf were on their way back to Erebor, camping along the Anduin on a beautiful summer night, perfect for being out of doors. Kaylea was down at the river cleaning up after dinner, all was peaceful and quiet until the wolves showed up. They came flying into camp at full speed, Vuko stopped to circle him while Ajax ran for the river. She was very agitated, Thorin could feel her pleading with him to follow her, but he could not make out why.

“Calm down, girl,” he told her. He set aside his pipe and stopped her, grasping her head with his hands. “Tell me what it is.”

Vuko sent him a jumble of pictures. Strangely dressed Men, wagons, wolf pelts, wolves in cages. Many wolves, and little frightened faces. Pups. He was trying to make sense of it when Kaylea strode back into the camp with Ajax.

“It seems we have some animal traffickers in the forest,” she said, gathering her weapons.

Thorin shook his head. “Who would want a wild wolf?”

“Lots of reasons, none of them good.” Kaylea whistled for the horses. “For sport in the arena, to train hunting dogs, to fight them with other animals, for rich men with no hunting skill to kill in a pen.”

“The depravity of Men never ceases to amaze me,” Thorin sighed, picking up his saddle. He looked at Vuko beside him. “And here I was, looking forward to a quiet evening.”

Kaylea laid a hand on his shoulder. “It needs to be done,” she said. “And it will be fun!”

Thorin rolled his eyes at his wife. Though he had spent years among them, he still did not understand the Dorsai thirst for battle, how they could run into any fight with wide smiles, always looking like they were having the time of their lives. But he also knew his wife would never understand the joy he felt working a piece of metal into exactly the right shape, even if it took days.

The wolves led the way along the edge of Mirkwood, headed north toward the old Forest Road. Thorin had many bad memories of the forest and it was still a very dense, forbidding wood, but since the defeat of Sauron it had become a much less evil place. He had ridden through it a couple of times now with Kaylea and Gandalf had been right, as long as you stayed on the road the passage was not difficult. The road ran nearly straight and was wide enough in places that sunlight and cool breezes could reach the ground.

As soon as they went into the wood Thorin could feel the trees pressing in on both sides, absorbing most of the remaining light. He always felt as if he was being watched in Mirkwood, the old forest made him uneasy. They had not gone more than a mile when they heard noises ahead, men shouting, horses snorting, creaking wood, the crack of whips. It sounded like Men were trying to get wagons moving. Kaylea guided her horse off the road into the trees, Thorin felt his skin crawling as soon as they left the road, but his wife always seemed to know where she was going. They came to a little open grove of smaller trees and left the horses, following the wolves toward the noise ahead. As they came up on the road Thorin saw it dipped down to a creek crossing where three wagons were stopped. Kaylea pulled her hood over her golden hair, staying low and keeping to the shadows they crept cautiously forward.

The men were Southrons, dressed in the traditional garb of that race, shouting at each other in their singsong language. The first wagon looked to have made it partway across the stream and become wedged, holding up the other two. The stream was either deeper than it looked or the wheels were in a hole, the water lapped against the wagon bed. Each wagon was drawn by mules and crowded with heavy steel cages full of animals. Wolves, bears, eagles, even wolverines. Thorin could see wolf pups in separate cages from the adults, some looked barely weaned. The Men were lashing the mules, trying to move the stuck wagon. The animals were straining at the traces, several Men were in the stream pushing but they could not shift it. He glanced over at Kaylea to see her face had gone hard; you did not want to be in front of her when she looked like that.

“I count ten,” she said quietly. “Five for each.”

Thorin nodded. He unslung his bow and aimed for one of the Southrons lighting some torches near the last wagon. As he let the arrow fly he heard a huge splash. The men had pushed one of the bear cages off the stuck wagon to lighten the load. The cage landed at an angle, the trapped animals struggling to keep their heads above water. Now the men were moving one of the wolf cages to throw it off, the next cage behind it was full of puppies. Before Thorin or Kaylea could react their wolves were in motion, gray and white fury streaking toward the wagon, leaping to attack the two astonished Southrons.

Kaylea vaulted onto the road to follow them, drawing her sword. “So much for the element of surprise.”

Thorin took out a second man with an arrow, then ran after his wife. Kaylea had two of the Southrons down before they could even get their weapons out. Thorin ducked under a mace, then swung his sword to take the man’s head off, the next one was more skilled, he had to parry a few strikes before running the man through. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Vuko go flying off the wagon and looked up to see one of the men had jumped up to defend his fellow and struck her a savage blow with his mace. The man shoved the wolf cage to send it into the stream and it started to tip, then slowly righted itself. Thorin blinked, it should have fallen, but something had stayed it. He looked around for his wolf and saw her standing out in the stream, shaking her head. Just then a huge white bear broke out of the woods. Roaring, she ran between the wagons trampling the last Southrons, rending them with her claws and throwing them far into the forest. At the same time a large owl hit the man who had struck Vuko in the face with his talons, knocking him off the wagon where Kaylea finished him with a sword stroke. The white bear then turned and quickly clamped her jaws on the cage in the stream, straining to drag it out of the water. Another large brown bear hurried out of the woods to help. Kaylea went to the other side of the cage, helping the bears move it to the far bank while Thorin went to Vuko. She seemed stunned but her armor had taken most of the blow, she licked Thorin’s face as he bent to check on her. Together they waded to the streambank.  

As Kaylea waded out of the stream, she turned and grinned at her husband. “Told you it would be fun,” she said, dripping with water and blood.

Before Thorin could respond he saw Ajax and Vuko both prick their ears and followed their gaze to see a tall, brown-robed figure standing in the road leaning on a wooden staff. Even in the dark Thorin would have recognized him, the narrow-brimmed felt hat with a sprig of oak tucked in the band, the close-trimmed brown beard streaked with grey, the array of pouches and tools hanging from his belt. He was speaking softly to the mules in some musical language, the brown owl on his shoulder swiveling its head from side to side.

Kaylea was laughing. “Radagast the Brown. What a surprise to find you here! I am sorry if we ruined your ambush.”

The wizard waved his hand dismissively. “Oh, my dear. You have nothing to apologize for. You gave those heathens a quicker death than Oso would have.” He spoke to the mules and they walked forward, the wagon wheels suddenly turning freely; all three were soon across the creek. “But I could use a little help with these cages, if you don’t mind,” the wizard said. He walked around to the back of the wagon where the cage of wolves was still teetering. He put a hand on it and it slid back, then he nodded towards the caged bears beside Kaylea. “Ah, those first!”

Kaylea moved around to work the lock on the cage, making sure to stand behind the door as she opened it. The two wet bears clambered out, sniffing at the other bears gratefully. Radagast came over and laid a hand on each of their heads, the bears were still for a moment then turned and disappeared into the forest. Thorin jumped up on the wagon, he and Kaylea began to unload the animals. As they placed each cage on the ground Radagast spoke softly to the animals inside, carefully looked each of them over and treated their wounds with the astonishing array of herbs and ointments he was carrying in his pouches. The animals each bowed in their own way to the wizard before heading off in different directions. The process took more than an hour, Thorin found torches on the wagons and got them lit so the wizard could work. The last cages to be opened were the wolves and puppies, the younger ones went immediately to the adults, but two groups of older puppies hung back uncertainly.

“Why do they not join the others?” Thorin asked, puzzled.

“Their parents are here,” Radagast said gravely, laying his hand on the stack of wolf pelts on the second wagon. “Those will not accept them.”

“Can you not persuade them?” Kaylea asked. “They look too young to be on their own.”

Radagast shook his head. “The society of wolves had many rules. They will never take in the young from another pack, they view it as aiding their rivals. It is not my place to ask.” He looked over at Ajax and Vuko, standing together by the stream. “Maybe those two will.”

Thorin’s eyes went wide. “Oh, no! I am not taking…” he counted quickly. “Ten wolves to Erebor!”

The wizard’s green eyes laughed in the torchlight. “Why not? Your mountain has plenty of game, and once your wolves have taught them to hunt they can form their own pack in the northern Misty Mountains.”

“Except for the one your daughter is going to keep,” Kaylea smiled. “Of course, she might try to keep them all.”

Thorin rolled his eyes. “They are not coming with us!” But before he could protest further the pups trotted over to the Dorsai wolves, wagging their tails and licking at the noses of the tall adults.

“Well, that is decided then!” Radagast exclaimed, clapping his hands. All the cages were emptied and reloaded, the mules standing quietly in their harnesses. The big white bear reappeared out of the trees and Thorin realized all the bodies of the Southrons were gone. He looked at Radagast again, thinking the Brown wizard was never what he expected. He seemed younger and had a sense of physical strength that Gandalf lacked, and while Gandalf always seemed intent on being in the middle of every story, Radagast quietly went about his work. He realized suddenly what he had taken to be a pouch on the wizard’s belt was actually a bat when it fluttered its wings.

“What will you do with these wagons?” Thorin asked, eyeing the bat dubiously.  

“I will take them to Esgaroth. I know a man who can give these fine animals some honest work and these cages will make a sturdy fence.” The wizard climbed into the wagon seat and took up the reins. “Thank you again for your help,” he said as the mules started forward. “Take good care of those wolves, or you will have to answer to me!”

Thorin looked at the group of wolves. Ajax was giving Kaylea a sheepish look, but Vuko was wagging her tail and licking the puppies. Kaylea laughed and stepped over to put her arm around her husband.

“I think you said you wanted more children,” she teased.

“No, I certainly did not,” Thorin leaned over to kiss her neck. “Three was more than enough trouble.” He gave Vuko a stern look. “These are your responsibility, Miss Wolf. You keep them out of the city, on the far side of the mountain.”

Vuko blinked at him and led the pups across the stream, Ajax followed, carefully herding the swimming youngsters.

“Time to get back to camp and build up that fire,” Thorin said. The night was wearing on, he was wet to the waist and the forest was cool under the trees. “Wash up and get warm.”

“I can warm you up faster in our bedroll, husband,” Kaylea said slyly, taking his hand as they made their way back towards the horses.

Thorin chuckled, pulling her close to kiss her. “Now, that is a definition of fun I can understand!” He reached up to brush a loose lock of hair away from her face. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”

She smiled at him. “Not lately. Maybe you can show me.”

Read the adventures of The Warrior and The King on AO3 & FanFiction, links on my homepage. 

@sdavid09​ @soradragon​ @fizzyxcustard​

[dfnews]

Episode Recap of "The Vuolos Take LA" Season 10, Episode 2 October 22, 2019 "Jinger and Jeremy explore L.A. with new friends. While hiking, Jinger discusses her decision to wear pants, which is unusual for Duggar women. The Duggar boys' road trip could be the last time they're all together before one of them starts a new courtship." TV Guide Online This will be a review in three parts; 1. The Gospel of Jinger: Thou Shalt Not Follow Your Parents' Pants Shunning Legalistic Ways 2. The Gospel of John and Abbie: Conservatives Visit Reindeer and Socialism and Survive 3. The Gospel of The J Boys: Thou Shalt Not Buy Lemons & Try To Pass It Off As Lemonade 1. JinJer and Lissy are visiting LA and decide to take a hike up to the Hollywood sign. Why two conservative evangelicals want to see the sign is beyond me. My suspicion is that they plan to stake out the location with the hope of one day altering the sign. If the HOLLYWOOD sign changes to JESUSWOOD overnight we'll know who is responsible. They somehow got special permission to actually walk down to the big letters. I guess the city saw this opportunity as good advertising. If they didn't get permission JinJer may want to lay low for awhile. If the city doesn't bust them child welfare might after watching Jeremy stumbling down the mountain with a baby strapped to his chest. Jinger explains she decided to wear pants for the hike due to the steep terrain. What? That didn't stop her before when hiking mountains in a skirt and flip flops. One of the Duggars most often used phrases is a Duggar girl can do anything in a skirt. Jinger explains about her pants wearing that her parents taught her "To honor Christ in everything that we do and that is where the Lord has led me, as of now." Sooooo, the Lord told her she could wear pants? I'm confused. She also says, with Michelle sitting by her side, that her parents instilled in them the importance of modesty and she appreciates that training…yet Lissy wears pants. She doesn't find that foundation important for her own daughter? Michelle is asked by the producer why she decided to wear only skirts and dresses. She goes right to blaming herself which isn't the true reason. The real reason is that she fell in with hardcore legalistic church people who put false biblical beliefs into her head. Beliefs that blame women for the actions of others. She said she had a lot of baggage in her life like wearing a bikini while mowing the lawn as a teen which she feels may have caused some men to have bad thoughts. Michelle, you aren't responsible for others thoughts. Wearing a bikini while mowing the lawn is bad for so many reasons but not because your body is shameful or hurting others. It's bad because rocks and sticks and dog poop may fly into places you wouldn't want them flying. Oh, and she also claims the Bible says for women to not wear what men wear. As I've said before, why would God give a darn what people are wearing? That passage seems more men sponsored than spiritually inspired. You really need to learn to read between the lines to find true inspiration in the Bible. You'd think they would have figured that out by now. Jinger says she discussed with her parents about wearing pants before she decided to rebel against her mother's convictions. Michelle says she's okay with it as long as they walk with God and continue to be modest. So I guess short shorts might be a cause for shunning? Anyway, as they talk about walking with God, scenes of Jeremy with baby and jeans wearing Jinger are being shown as they walk/fall with God down the side of a mountain to the Hollywood sign. Michelle seems a little resigned that she can't keep dressing Jinger in prairie dresses anymore and is just glad that her kids will at least walk in truth which does her mama's heart good. In other words, "Wear your stinkin' jeans! Just don't become an atheist or a Catholic!!!" Later, JinJer meet up with that Cade hair guy and his future wife to see the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I discover from Jeremy that Alice Cooper is now a Christian and Jeremy fan boys all over the Backstreet Boys. The producers ask various Duggars on the couch who their favorite Backstreet Boy is and most of them don't know and just laugh about it. They've learned to take these questions that exploit their ignorance lightly. But I can't blame them for being ignorant on this one. I couldn't name a Backstreet Boy or any of their songs either. Boy bands were never my thing. After a hedonistic walk through Venice Beach, (They walked passed a tattoo parlor. Gasp!) Lissy gets to see the ocean for the first time and then is proselytized to by the hair guy who sings Amazing Grace. Why the heck didn't he sing a Backstreet Boys song? 2. John and Abbie decide to flee the winter in Arkansas and fly to the even more winter of Finland for their honeymoon. John says the typical Duggar line of saying that marriage is great because there are no more chaperones watching your every move. Ummm, I recall that they didn't use chaperones during their courtship. They said they were too mature for that hence the photo of them alone in Walmart where John allegedly smacked unmarried Abbie in the arse. These people are raised on so many family talking points that they can't remember what their reality is. John and Abbie play with reindeer in the snow. Smart Abbie decided to wear snow pants instead of following Michelle's lead of snow skirts. Abbie is a walk in truth pants wearer and thankfully John is okay with that. Later they visit a Greek Orthodox church where they take selfies on the steps but don't go inside. They were there either to try to show the world that they don't hate other types of Christians or they passed out tracts on the steps that announced Greek Orthodox believers were hellbound. Probably a bit of both, I guess. 3. Jed, Jeer, James, Justin and Jason are in Philly to pick up three used limo lemons to sell at their car lot. Jed is wearing a dress shirt with large pictures of cars all over it. They seriously make those in men's sizes? They need to drive the cars 20 hours back home and they leave without test driving the vehicles. Smrt! These five goofy guys with walkie talkies drive out onto the highway announcing, "Jed is president, Jeer is vice and I'm (Jason) is speaker of the house." That must be a little peek into the conversations being held around the Duggar dining room table these days about their future. (giggle) Of course the five daddy owned stooges run into car problems pretty quickly. As they stand along the side of the highway with a camera crew the boys discuss their car problems and their decision to wear skirts. As long as you walk in truth, boys. After driving way too long they decided to stop in an RV park without an RV. They plan on sleeping in the limos though they don't show that and I bet they actually found a nice motel nearby. The boys talk about someday settling down and for some reason they think if they get married they won't be able to hang out and go on road trips anymore. It's all just blah, blah, blah talk just so they can bring up personal beliefs again as is their mission for the show of which none of them are paid. They need to spread the word of DugGod in each episode because saying it once isn't enough. All the family on the holy couch chime in with their views, I mean, Duggar views, on courtship and marriage in this very long boring segment that we've seen way too often. Why is TLC allowing them to proselytize without giving equal time to other beliefs? Jana is again put in that uncomfortable hot seat of having to defend her singleness. She says at least she can still go on family trips which her married siblings can't…except Josh. Josh and his clan go on most of those family trips for some reason. Jana claims to never have been in a courtship before despite reports of her mentioning relationships. I guess technically she can call her one relationship that I know about a "promise". She was promised to a guy named Andrew but he broke off that relationship because he just wasn't ready to settle down. Since her family is probably looking for someone within their cult to marry Jana, somebody her age and financially stable, Jana may be waiting for a very long time. That is a very limited pool of guys unless they want to take a chance and go outside the cult again and then all of a sudden BOOM! Jana is sporting jeans and is living in a city. How much more can Michelle's mama's heart take. Next week, John and Abbie head to Lapland in an attempt to use natural birth control to freeze their reproductive systems limiting the size of their family. Science, you know.

[darkmindsthinktwistedthoughts]

A Supportive Tide

A very Happy Birthday to Yesha. Here you go, my humble offering for the Birthday EXTRA-ganza! I took the liberty of adding an NB OC here. The picture of them will be at the end of the fic. ^^ Really hope you like it x

Warnings: I guess a very small bit of angsty stuff but mostly fluffy and supportive.   

**Original fic created by Yesha @ikesenhell​ lovingly borrowed to take liberties with it to create this little tale. Please go check out To Honor and Protect series and it’s delightfully enchanting spin-offs (I See Starlight and The Measurement of Time) Yesha’s Masterlist link here. 

---

A Supportive Tide

The ebbing tidal waters made the dock creak lazily as a set of sure-footed feet clad in soft-soled boots bypassed it in favour of the slightly uneven ground near it. It was quiet here and that is what they yearned for most. 

They couldn’t explain it, but back in the city, their head hummed a broken tune that threatened to drive them over the edge. Sometimes it was louder than others. Drowning out the world around them, making it feel like they were standing in the epicentre of a hive of rather annoyed hornets. It had been like this for so long they had begun to forget a time before the noise. Was there such a time?

Slowly they followed the shadow of the cliff face, a small worn leather satchel tucked in tight to their side. Pale hair dragged back into a haphazard ponytail behind their head revealing the darker tips that often provoked comments on changing seasons as Autumn gave way to winter so to did their hair. Their snow-capped hair tumbled into dark chocolate rivers, the tips of it brushing lightly in the breeze over their shoulders.  

It is said that things come in threes. In this city, it had certainly seemed to be the case. Whilst whatever had happened before the records were taken properly had been forgotten what had happened after was well documented. Not long ago there was a time where people feared the magically talented. Times had changed but it was still prudent to exercise caution when casting spells. There was no longer the penalty of death, but that was not to say that there were not opportunistic people in the world who wouldn’t exploit such talents for their own ends. Training had become more intensive, lack of results was both equal parts frustrating and disturbing to them. And still that humming in their head persisted. 

When they were finally certain that they were out of direct view from the dock they arranged themselves on a large rock, their back pressed against the jet black rock of the cliff. The warmth of their body lost to the impervious chill behind them. It was the same rock present in the city, it just seemed to suck and absorb without ever changing. Some would find that frightening but to them, it was strangely comforting. 

Opening up their satchel they took out a book and started to read. The runes were faded and in an old hand but still, they could feel the warmth of that hand gliding over the pages as it spun its story. A tale of a Princess who found love and magic. Who had the strength to stand and change the flow of the tide itself. Protecting and saving her people against unimaginable odds with the help of a few brave men. Stories had a way of drawing the reader in deeper to them. Allowing them to disappear for a few hours in the pages of text that pulled on heartstrings and stirred spirits. Time passed and it wasn’t until the icy water touched their foot that they even noticed the tide had come in. Their mismatched eyes widened as they scurried to stand up.

Panic. The way back was cut off by the swirling water and there was no way forward either. Stranded on their rock all they could think to do was clutch the book they had taken from their father’s library to their chest and curse their own lack of foresight. This was exactly the kind of thing that they had been warned about by their mother. Focus was something inherent in them and ran strongly in their veins thanks to the traits of both their parents. But putting such a thing into practice had proved difficult.

If you didn’t focus in training you were injured, but the same was said for lack of focus during study. One false move during an experiment, one wrong calculation you were at just as much risk as in the training area of losing a limb. They could hear the stern voice of their mother now. All those lessons on paying attention and this is what happens? Their father would have been a little more forgiving even if he too would have a few choice words to say about calculated risk and poor judgement. 

Eyes scrunched shut their senses began to clear. They could clearly smell the fresh salt that hung in the air and clung to their skin. Feel the jet black rocks behind them, strong and steady against the moving tide. The water had risen further, the large rock was little more than a stepping stone beneath their feet at this point. Why couldn’t they do it all the time? Why couldn’t they channel that latent magic they were told they had? It remained trapped like a corked bottle even now when a little magic would have been better than nothing at all. 

“I just… I can’t do this! Why did this have to be my fate? I don’t get it. How do I make it all stop? I can’t hear myself in all this mess. I can’t… I-” The throbbing in their mind was enough to blur their vision as they practically screamed across the surface of the rising northern sea. The book they gripped tight to their chest felt like a lifeline anchoring them in place. Their chest was tightening, their heartbeat pounded away as the air was robbed from their lungs. 

Small bubbles rose in a fast stream to the surface near the rock generating a layer of fine foam on the water. Before they could question what had caused such a thing to happen clear solid jets of water swirled in the air like twisting glass. Growing larger and larger until they joined into a doomed peak and suddenly dropped revealing the soft smiling figure of a man with violet eyes. Water clung to his silver hair and caught the changing light of the day making it appear almost as if he were wearing a crown.

“Hello. Might I be of assistance?” The stranger seemed familiar even though they were certain they had never met before. There was something about his friendly approach that washed over them in a calming wave steadying their erratic heartbeat, allowing them to breathe again.

“Who are you?” 

“I have many names. But you can call me Mitsunari Ishida. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The kindly figure stepped forward a little only at that point did they realise he was standing on the surface of the sea water, almost hovering in defiance of the natural laws.

“Ishida? … THE Mitsunari Ishida? The mage?” Tales, facts and a heavy dose of personal assumption combined to form the only logical explanation. As unbelievable as it was here stood the man from the tales in the book. The one in the history books, the one in the paintings in the castle and the sculpture by the dock. He was here as solid and real as anything else and looking not one day older than the last time anyone living had set eyes on him. 

“One and the same.” He gave a small nod of his head and looked around realising they were balanced on a disappearing rock surrounded by rising water. “It seems you are in a spot of bother. Would you like some help to get home?” A muted reply in the form of a nod came as they fell silent suddenly unable to speak while the fact that a living legend had just materialised in front of them sunk in.  “Very well. Mind your step.” He waved his hand and water began to form floating blocks by them. Every step he took whilst holding on to their hand gently guiding them forward had another block forming beneath him. So this is what it's like to have magic?

“That was incredible.” Stepping foot on dry land once more and looking over the edge of the cliff below they sighed in awe. They knew that was nothing compared to what the great mage could do but it was still impressive to one that couldn’t even so much as command their pencil to move when willing it to.

“Was it? Thank you.” Modestly Mitsunari smiled before allowing himself to incline his head in curiosity, a hint of concern in his voice. “If I might be so bold as to inquire. What were you doing down by the cliff?”

“Escaping.”

“Escaping? I’m sorry I don’t follow.” Mitsunari admitted watching as his companion slipped to the ground on their knees, eyes fixed on the distant horizon at sea. 

“My head. It only ever feels quiet when I'm there. I don’t know if its the distance from the city, the water or the stone of the cliff but my head stops humming. I tried to explain it to my mother she insisted that training would clear my head by giving me something else to focus on. And my father tried his best to understand but I don’t think I made any of what I was feeling clear enough. I’m a little afraid I’m going crazy.” Turning in the direction of their saviour they realised they had been rambling and began to laugh derisively. “Haha, and now I’m talking to the man of the ocean. If I go back now I doubt anyone would believe a word I say.” They leaned back adjusting their legs so they could bring them up to their chest and sit on the ground properly

“Stranger things have happened. Might I see your book?” Mitsunari joined them on the ground gently teasing the tome from their frightened fingers. His touch was soft like a lapping wave on the shore. After flipping through a few pages he smiled. “Ah yes here we go. You see? You would not be the first to see me as I am.” He turned the book revealing passages of his return to the new nine. 

“Still. You appeared back then when there was a need for you. A strong, dire, end of all things need. Why would you turn up to help a kid on a cliff?” They took the book back brushing the familiar writing with their fingertips their expression softening for the first time.

“I wonder. Not all things are set in stone some must be carved out and crafted by our own hands.” He turned his gaze to the horizon. A look on his face that could only be called melancholic as he remembered times past. “Are you a rock or water?” he muttered. 

“What?”

“A man I once knew many lifetimes ago now asked me when I was training if I was trying to be a rock. I’m afraid I was rather terrible with swordsmanship. I’m still not the best at it, and to be honest I always preferred my books. Still, his question set me wondering. Many would see a rock as a source of strength but it is in the strength of water’s ability to move and flow freely, change its own form and adapt that makes it truly the stronger opponent.” Mitsunari calmly guided the youth through the reasoning.

“... So right now I’m being a rock and I need to be more like water.” They frowned. 

“No. Right now you are discovering who you are. You have the potential to be and do whatever you see fit precisely because right now you are neither stone or water.” Mitsunari smiled a beaming enigmatic smile.

“It’s all very cryptic but I guess I kind of get it.”

“Good.” He nodded knowing that even if it made little sense to the other now it would given time. 

“Erm. It might sound strange to bring this up now but why did you show up now? I’ve been here many times and you’ve never once appeared like this.”

“I have always been here and always will be. I appeared tonight because of you, little Princess.” He spoke matter of factly without a hint of a joke. 

“I am not a Princess.”

“No? My apologies you’re right. You will be whoever you want to be and that is something no one can take away. But for now at least you must run home before you miss your curfew. Today is a special day after all.” He had a knowing smile on his face and his violet eyes seemed to hold a warmth to them as he gave them a fond look. They couldn’t shift the idea that they had met before. A distant memory of summer, a kind hand guiding them safely back to their parents. 

“How did-- no, you know what? I don’t care. You’re right I didn’t realise the time I have to run back or I’ll be in real bother.” Standing up they brushed off the loose grass and dirt from their clothing before thinking of something. Reaching into their satchel they pulled out a small notebook full of sketches they had made whilst studying with their father. Most, if they were honest, had nothing to do with the topic they were meant to be looking at and were in fact just doodles of flowers and animals. They had no idea why they thought it would be a nice gift but something unspoken inside guided them to that idea. “Thank you. It’s not much but would you please accept this? Although I have no idea what you would do with such a thing.”

“It would be my honour. Until we meet again…” Mitsunari graciously accepted the small book smiled a blindingly bright smile that rivalled the sun reflecting on the ocean. The wind picked up and they were forced to avert their eyes to prevent dirt from getting whipped up into them

“Meet again?” When they turned to look they found Mitsunari was gone. In his place was a rather pretty looking ocean flower perfectly preserved in some kind of suspended animation. They reached down to pick it up, lost for a moment in the beauty of such magic to be so strong and yet so delicate. I wonder if I’ll even manage to get the hang of it. “Dammit, I’ll end up in double intensive training sessions with mother for a week if I miss my own birthday party.”

Slipping the flower into their bag they took off at a run back in the direction of the city and the tower for the guard. 

---

Image created on Picrew *link* and edited by me later in 3d paint.  

[aspoonofsugar]

Perfect Blue: Finding One’s Identity Between Fiction and Reality

I know Perfect Blue has already been analyzed a million times and that this analysis will probably not offer anything new and will just scratch at the surface of the movie. Still, I enjoyed watching it, so I wanted to share some thoughts which came to mind.

I think there are two main themes which are intertwined and underlined through lines from the TV series Mima is working in:

Excuse me...Who are you?

There is no way illusions can come to reality

These two lines are repeated several times in an almost obsessive way. They summarize what the movie wants to explore.

1) Problems related to finding one’s own identity when growing up.

2) The dangers of living in an illusion.

GROWING UP AND IDENTITY: “EXCUSE ME...WHO ARE YOU?”

Perfect Blue is basically the story of Mima growing up and changing from teenager to adult.

This transformation is symbolically represented by Mima’s change of career from idol to actress.

It is said several times how Mima’s new persona as an actress is “dirty” and that after the roles she has played she can never go back at being an idol since idols need to be pure.

This dychotomy between dirty and pure which comes up mostly when discussing Mima’s more provocative image as an actress can easily be seen as a dychotomy which can be applied to the passage from childhood to adulthood. After all exploring the sexual sphere is seen as an experience which marks a trasformation, so the movie is using such symbology in a metaphorical way in order to underline the fact Mima is becoming an adult.

Her becoming an actress marks a step into adulthood also for the nature of the job itself which is connected to the other theme of the movie i.e. the line between illusions and reality.

Idols have a public persona and a private one. In short, they too act, but they only have to deal with two sides of themselves whereas as an actress Mima will have to deal not only with more complex and even ambiguous roles, but also with multiple ones and she will need a strong sense of identity in order to remain herself despite them.

However, in the beginning Mima lacks such a strong self-awareness and she is coded as a young girl stepping into a new phase of her life without being ready:

Frames of feet stepping lines or entering doors are often used in Japanese movies and animes and they mark the character making an important step for themselves. However, in this case, Mima doesn’t confidentely take this step, but she is passively pushed. In a sense it is a step she can’t avoid to take.

This is something which we viewers and Mima herself are reminded of on multiple occasions.

She can’t stay an idol forever. If she wants to survive in the industry she has to re-invent herself and to change. This is similar to how children can’t avoid to grow and to have to face complicated situations.

Let’s also underline that Mr Tadokoro and Rumi are often seen discussing and bickering about the future of Mima’s career and which direction she should take in order to become successful. They are two adults who guide Mima and whom Mima depends on. In short, they can easily be read as Mima’s metaphorical parents.

A short call between Mima and her mother especially underlines how the woman shares Rumi’s point of view on Mima’s change of career. As a matter of fact both women see it negatively and would prefer that Mima keeps pursuing her career as a singer.

In short, Mima’s struggle to become an actress can be seen as the struggle of a girl becoming a woman and having to adjust herself to her new situation.

Mima’s adjustement starts with her changing her room:

Mima’s room at the beginning of the movie is very girlish and it reflects her immaturity. Since Mima knows she has to change, one of her first actions in the movie is to take away the CHAM’s poster symbolic of her previous life as an idol. As the movie progresses Mima’s room becomes more adult-like, but also more impersonal because it reflects Mima’s identity crisis. However, at the same time the room’s change also symbolizes the necessity for Mima to leave her comfort zone. Despite the obstacles Mima faces, this choice will be proven to be correct in the finale when she will go back once again to “Mima’s room” only to realize that that’s not her room anymore:

This is not my room

Mima has changed and she can’t go back to being an idol, but this is not per se a negative thing. As a matter of fact the movie makes clear that the important thing is not for Mima to choose if she wants to be an idol or an actress, but that whichever choice she makes what counts is that she doesn’t let herself be swallowed by her public persona.

In short, she must separate her character from herself. 

DREAMS AND REALITY: “ILLUSIONS CAN’T COME TO REALITY”

Illusions can’t come to reality

The person repeating this line over and over is Eri Ochiai who is who Mima should aspire to become:

Eri Ochiai is a great actress after all. She is a different person so completely involved when the camera is rolling.

As a matter of fact Eri is able to change personality in front of the camera, but maintains a strong sense of identity and goes back to be herself once her part is over.

Mima in the beginning lacks such a strong sense of self and we can see this in how she as a person starts identifying too much with her own character to the point where she doesn’t know who she is anymore.

Mima’s character in Double Bind seems to parallel Mima’s apparent development in the movie.

1) Her character starts as a normal girl who is simply the sister of one of the victims killed in the series.

She has no complex characterization and in the scene that we see she appears confused and scared.

This is how Mima feels in the beginning when she joins the cast of the series. She feels she doesn’t belong and is uncomfortable because of it.

2) Later on, her character is raped and through this plot-twist she manages to become a regular in the story.

This symbolizes how Mima feels pressured by the industry to the point where she feels forced to accept parts and a public image she doesn’t really like in order to become successful. She feels objectified and used exactly like her character in the rape scene.

3) Finally her character is revealed to be the criminal behind the murders of the series. She turns out to be a mental ill person who lacks a proper identity.

This mirrors Mima’s progressive loss of the sense of self. This loss is conveyed in the central part of the film which is confusing since it shows how Mima’s vision of the world is becoming unclear and how she mixes dream and reality.

For example this frame repeats itself several times:

A truck seems to be about to kill her, but then she wakes up in her room. This specific image may symbolize how Mima feels overwhelmed by the whole situation and can’t really manage it.

By this point reality is entangled with illusions and Mima risks to lose herself in this chaos.

However, as Eri reminds her:

Illusions can’t come to reality

It is not by chance that the woman Mima wants to become reminds Mima of this just before her confrontation with Me-Mania.

As a matter of fact this fight is a breaking point even if it might not seem immediately so.

Mima is assaulted and she risks getting raped. It symbolically happens in the same set used in the rape scene in the series. However, Mima is not her character. While her character didn’t manage to react, she does and is able to successfully fight off her assaulter. This is where her destiny and the one of her character starts to diverge.

However, by this point Mima is still not able to properly differentiate between what is true and what is false. In order to finally do so she needs to go back into Mima’s room:

We are going back to Mima’s room

MIMA’S ROOM: TRUE MIMA VS FAKE MIMA

Mima needs to return one last time to “her” room in order to realize that it was a good thing she left it in the first place.

First of all, if she had not left it she wouldn’t have been able to realize that she was not in fact in her room, but in a replica:

And failing to realize it in time might have been dangerous for Mima.

More importantly, she discovers what would have happened to her if she had refused to leave it aka if she had refused to grow up.

She could have become like Rumi.

Rumi is everything Mima is scared of and at the same time risks of becoming.

a) She is a person who has not been able to properly grow old and who is trapped in her own past as an idol.

b) She is a person with an extremely frail sense of self to the point that she has tricked herself into believing she is someone else.

Let’s also underline how Rumi from a symbolic point of view also represents two other things.

1) She is a synthesis between the two characters Mima identifies with the most. As a matter of fact Rumi represents Mima’s idol persona, but she also commits acts similar to the ones Mima’s character in Double Bind does and she does so because of similar reasons to the ones the character has. In short, Mima fighting Rumi is basically her refusing her false identities and affirming her own.

2) As I mentioned before, Rumi has a protective behaviour towards Mima which is similar to the one a mother could have. Because of this, Rumi is to an extent a maternal figure who is trying to control Mima’s life in a selfish way. So, Mima’s last fight with her is also Mima reclaiming her own Independence and control on her life.

So, several thematic lines meet in Rumi and Mima’s final confrontation which is solved in a highly symbolic way.

We have Mima finding herself and affirming who she is:

I am Mima!

Rumi, in contrast, destroys the glass and later on is unmasked by Mima:

However, she can’t stay without her mask, so she attempts to take her wig back and hurts herself in the process. Symbolically, while she does so she is reflected in a frammented mirror because her own identity is frammented:

So, Mima manages to find herself, while Rumi doesn’t and this is why she loses.

Finally, Rumi can’t distinguish between what are her delusions and what is true and because of this she risks to die:

However, Mima manages to save her and she does so because she has a better grasp on reality. Mima saving Rumi is metaphorically her winning against her nightmares like the one of the truck killing her.

Like with the rape scene, Mima might have not been able to react in time in the dream, but she manages to do so in the real world and in this way she proves she is able not to let herself being overwhelmed. This makes so that she can reach professional success, since after having won her battle Mima is implied to have become an affirmed actress.

Let us underline how she is now wearing her hair long in a fashion which is similar to Eri’s. This can be seen as a symbol of her having grown up.

At the same time she has now a stronger identity as the last line of the movie confirms:

AMBIGUITY: THE TITLE “PERFECT BLUE”

I am aware that the above interpretation doesn’t solve all the ambiguities the movie offers.

For example:

Was this Mima’s dream (a representation of some of her suppressed wishes) or reality?

Or also did Rumi put the blood-stained clothes in Mima’s room or did Mima herself put them in it?

As we are told in the movie itself:

A continuous stream of memories...Given only that we create the illusion within ourselves that we have only one fixed persona.

The only proof that a person is the same as before lies in one’s memories. However, Mima’s memories of that period of time are confused and mixed with dreams. So, in the end there is no proof about who the real murderer is.

I am more partial to the interpretation I have previously illustrated, but there is enough to make the situation ambiguous, especially when it comes to color symbolism as this video explains.

Basically, the idea is that the color red is used in the narrative to illustrate Mima’s progressing deteriorating psychological condition.

According to this interpretation, the title Perfect Blue might represent a state of mind which is perfectly clear and in which mental illness has been completely overcome:

However, even when such a perfect state seems to have been realized the color red makes its appearance in the very last scene of the movie:

A car is a closed space (like a room), so it is perfect as a metaphor of one’s mind. The fact that it is red, exactly like Rumi’s car, might suggest how Mima has not completely overcome her illness which might come back in the future. So, in this case, the last frame wouldn’t be about a young woman who can now affirm with confidence who she is, but about a person who is still struggling with her reflection and with the persona she projects to others.

Of course one could simply read the whole scene to represent the idea that forming and affirming one’s identity is an ongoing process and that one has to continuously struggle and to affirm to one-self who they are.

However, you could also embrace a darker interpretation according to which Mima was the real murderer and Rumi just happened to become a convenient scapegoat on whom Mima could project the worst part of herself without needing to truly face them.

Depending on which interpretation you like the most this line might have two different meanings:

Thanks to her I am who I am today.

On one hand, if you accept the darkest interpretation, then Mima unconsciously means that by assigning the role of murderer to Rumi and by making her guilty of all the violent events which happened in the movie Mima managed to rebuild a sense of identity strong enough to keep going.

On the other hand, if you prefer my previous interpretation, then Mima’s words metaphorically refer to how, by facing her own jungian shadow (so all the negative traits she was repressing) in Rumi, Mima managed to actually grow and to become stronger.

This second way of reading the text is linked to another possible meaning of the title where the expression Perfect Blue may represent the constant struggle between the persona we project for others to see  (perfect) and the shadow made of all the things we don’t want to face about ourselves (blue aka a colour associated with sadness and negative feelings). This reading suggests that one’s identity is born by finding the right balance between these two halves of one-self.

[imagine-loki]

Mr. Laufeyson's Ward

TITLE: Mr. Laufeyson’s Ward

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 15

AUTHOR: goddessofmischief

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine you are living in the late 1800’s and your parents pass away due to a tragic accident. Leaving you an orphan, you are sent to a miserable orphanage. Then, a mysterious and harsh man named Loki visits the orphanage and takes you on as his ward. He brings you to his crumbling mansion in the English countryside, where you face his cruel intentions, and eventually discover that you care for him much more than you’d like to admit.

RATING: T

I hadn’t gone too far on my walk that afternoon. The place that I did venture to was a serene little spot underneath an oak tree: a location that I had been to many times with my master. I just needed some time to myself following the conversation that I had with Elsie, as it had made me uneasy about my imminent future once again. The truth was that I had somehow forgotten all about Lavinia, which was because Loki had not mentioned anything about her since the May Day picnic. The solitude of the quiet hour spent beneath the mighty tree allowed my spirits to be restored, and I grew joyous at the prospect of spending the approaching evening with Loki, Agnes and her family.

I once again used the servant’s entrance when I came back, and was greeted by the delicious smell of Mrs. Cunningham’s shepherd’s pie wafting out of the kitchens. I practically walked in a trance while following the smell, until I heard Mrs. Cunningham suddenly exclaim. “You mustn’t try that, master! It is still too hot!” I rounded the corner and entered the room, where I found Loki, Mrs. Cunningham and Dickon situated about the large cast iron stove, on which lied a large serving platter of the dish. My master let out a chuckle. “It is the perfect temperature for me, and as scrumptious as always, Petunia.” He winked towards her and she smiled broadly in return, evidently proud of her own cooking.

The three individuals then turned their attention to the newcomer in the room, as they had just noticed me at that moment. “Welcome back, Victoria.” Dickon said warmly, as he poured some water for me into a small glass from a dainty gold-rimmed carafe. I must have appeared flushed from my walk back home. “Thank you, Dickon.” I responded, while taking the cold glass into my hands before I imbibed the liquid in one gulp. Mrs. Cunningham took up the platter in her gloved hands, and she told us to promptly be on time for dinner, as to remind us not be tardy for our guests. She and her husband then filed out of the room.

“I expect you’d wish me to quickly change into some evening clothes for supper, sir?” I inquired once we were left alone. My master smiled. “No, there is no need to. Tonight shall be a casual occasion.” I then noticed that his eyes trailed over my entire body, from head to toe. “You do seem rather frazzled, my dear. Are you alright?” “I have exhausted myself on my walk. That’s all.” I turned my back to him in order to inspect my clothes and make myself more presentable. “I’m sure that some nourishment will help to reinstitute my vitality.”

When I turned back around, I found that he had silently sauntered over to stand right before me. “Your hands. Let me see them.” He directed. He held out his own two hands palm up, indicating me to place mine directly on top of his. My eyesight redirected upwards to meet his imposing green eyes, after which I gradually lowered my hands into his open palms.

All at once, our hands met. His thumbs ever so gently brushed at the outer sides of each of my index fingers while he tilted up my hands more so he could closely examine them. “How dirty your hands are Victoria, and just look at those fingernails! Tsk, tsk.” He berated, yet in a playful manner as a grin was plastered upon his thin lips. “It is no proper state for you to be in for our guests.” He continued to talk down to me with jest, before he guided me to the wash basin.

Warm water quickly trickled out of the spigot once he turned the taps. He guided my hands under the water before handing me a bar of lavender soap to wash my hands with. I proceeded to wash my hands thoroughly as he stood close to supervise me. “And don’t forget to scrub under those fingernails.” He pointed out as he crossed his arms about his chest and leant against the kitchen counter. “Yes, master.” I responded by glaring sternly at him while performing a small curtsey in his direction, which made him laugh.

Once I was finished, he handed me a clean washcloth to dry my hands with. Upon drying them, he cast the cloth aside and once again took my hands into his to observe them. “There, much better.” He praised with a smile and a pat on my right hand. “Now, shall we go up to dinner together? I know you must be hungry, hmm?” My urgent nods caused another sequence of his warm chuckles to cascade throughout the room.

¨¨¨°º0º°¨¨¨

Many pleasant hours were spent in the company of the Blythe family throughout the next couple of days. We had traveled to the nearby farm the day after their arrival, and the Blythe’s had openly expressed their admiration for the property from afar before my master had the chance to conduct a tour.

I had allowed them to go forth while I lingered back. Agnes and her mother had desperately tried to keep up with the long, swift strides of the two men that were in deep conversation with one another. And as I stood there alone, my first extensive view of the farm cottage and the surrounding land placed me in a strange reverie.

It was then that I had pictured myself and my own parents walking up the hill towards the house. Them two arm and arm, while I, as usual, carried on by myself a distance away. Had they survived, what would my life had been like if we had moved here after all? I knew that I would not have minded the departure from London’s high society, but would we have been happy here together? Would they have grown to honestly express their feelings towards me, and openly love me?

And Loki? Would he have been an utter stranger to me? A man that I would only seen in passing? As I had looked upon him at that moment, I couldn’t bear to think of that idea. His sharp, elegant appearance and the way he was carrying himself in front of the Blythe’s had made it seem that he was not merely on the top of a rather insignificant hilltop, but on the top of the world. The mere thought of him no longer being a part of my life made me feel hollow inside, as though a vital part of me was absent and that my mere existence was somehow incomplete.

The Blythe’s eventually wished to move in as soon as possible, despite my master’s entreats for them to stay at Heathcote until all of their belongings were unpacked. They seemed rather impatient to move into their new home as a reunited family.

The farm cottage was already furnished from the previous owners, and the only monetary purchases to be made were the farm animals and new supplies. Mr. Blythe additionally searched for, and found, a strong and skillful farmhand named Benjamin who conveniently lived with his family within close proximity to the farm. Benjamin happened to be the same age as Agnes and I, and upon our first meeting with him, I had been greatly entertained to watch Agnes fall into a daze, in which she could utter no words. As a result, I had amusingly taken up the role of introducing her.

I continued to make trips over to the Blythe’s home to visit Agnes and see if they needed any further assistance with settling in, but I mostly passed the hours of the day at my master’s side once again. This restoration of things to what they had always been calmed me, and I held on to every moment that I spent with him with a quiet passion, as I did not know how much longer such moments would last.

I was convinced that he simply could no longer be mad at Lavinia’s immaturity and selfishness, and that surely he must have made things right with her once again. I knew that everything in my life at that present moment was temporary, and that my happiness could easily fritter away with the arrival of a particular letter, or of an unannounced visitor.

But no letter or visitor came, and because of this, I remained utterly content.

¨¨¨°º0º°¨¨¨

May quickly turned to June, and on one night, just a few days before my eighteenth birthday, I found myself sitting at my desk in my bedroom. A single candle casted down a substantial amount of light on the volume situated before me. Due to how invested I was to the story I was reading, I had heard no footsteps lead up to my door, but only the solid knock that followed. I had jumped in my seat, given how unexpected the action had been at that hour. Nevertheless, I still responded promptly by shrugging on my dressing gown before preceding to the door.

On the other side stood my master, who I had left not an hour before. Seeing him again so soon made me believe that he had forgot to mention something of importance to me. I figured that he feared to hold onto the information until the next morning, as it could easily be forgotten.

“Hello, sir.” I said, pausing to take in the expression on his face. It was as though he was mystified by where he found himself at that present moment: as though his own two feet had brought him to my door on their own accord. “Do you wish to tell me something?” I further pressed.

As I asked him this, he avoided my eyes. Instead, he twiddled with the signet ring that sat upon his ring finger, while he admired the elaborate woodwork of my doorframe. He then dropped his hands rigidly to his side and made to depart. “No. I shouldn’t have come here. Goodnight.” He briskly answered as he turned away from me.

“Please. Don’t go, sir. Come inside. I was only reading.” I called out to him in the corridor, which was unusually bright that night due to the pale moonlight that cascaded through the massive windows lining the passage. This uncommon illumination had also caused him to leave his candlestick behind, given how he could navigate throughout the winding halls without one.

He pivoted his body slightly in the center of the hallway, as he remained inwardly conflicted as to where he thought to go. However, he shortly retraced his footsteps back towards my bedchamber. I stood against my door to allow him entry before I sealed the entryway once again. He had not been in my own chamber since those days when I had been afflicted with a fever. I stood out of the way as he walked around the room a bit, examining some of the minute changes that I had made - such as how I had shifted my desk to an available, and far more spacious, corner.

“You may sit here if you wish, sir.” I gestured towards to armchair situated before my fireplace, which was currently not in use as it was a mild evening in late spring. “No,” He stated stiffly. “I am most satisfied with standing.”

I sensed that something was wrong, but I did not have to courage to ask him about it at that moment. Instead, I made for my desk again, but he stopped me gently. “Have you brushed your hair just yet?” “No, sir. I have not.” “May I?” He requested. I paused and gazed at him curiously, before expressing my permission with a slight nod.

He followed me over to my vanity table and pulled out the small tufted stool that I had tucked away underneath the antiquated piece of furniture, whose dark mahogany color matched the elaborately carved bed frame and the other furnishings that filled my room. I thanked him before situating myself on the low seat. The oil lamp placed on a sconce to the right of the table allowed me to clearly observe his place behind me through the mirror. His right arm brushed against mine as he reached around my body to take up my sterling silver hairbrush, an item that I had had in my possession for many years.

His height domineered my seated figure in a way that almost made his face absent from his reflection that I studied, but as the ivory boar bristles made contact with my hair, these speculations ceased. I found myself falling into a quiet stupor with every soothing stroke of the brush. Each brushstroke was delivered slowly and carefully, and I soon found that my eyes could no longer remain open.

It was as through he was one of those snake charmers described in The Arabian Nights - his actions as consistent and hypnotic as the tune that emitted from the charmer’s flute. Not unlike the snake, I would also sway  backwards into my master’s sturdy body behind me after a single stroke was completed. I attempted to catch myself and situate myself more upright instead of making contact with his body, but I found that this eventually could not be helped.

I could not stop myself from behaving in such a entranced manner the further he progressed. Nor could I cease the heavy breaths that I emitted.

I assumed he had counted to one hundred before he finally stopped, but in my current condition, I could not tell. After the bristles coursed through my hair one last time, I fully fell back onto him, which caused him to let out a low chuckle.

I did not move, nor open my eyes for moments afterwards, as he further continued to tortuously run his fingers through my dark, brunette locks. I was soon granted deliverance from this overly euphoric state, however. His large hands fell from my hair to rest upon my shoulders, and it was then that I finally opened my eyes. “There, all done.” He spoke softly as I began to reawaken from the absent-mindedness that I had fallen under.

I was quite embarrassed, to say the least. It was as though I had entered into a Limbo and that I had momentarily lost all meaning of time and place. His hands lifted from my shoulders and he again picked up the hairbrush that he had just recently used. “This is a very beautiful hairbrush, and I can tell you have had it for many years, but it has various chips and dents in it…” He moved closer to the oil lamp and turned it over in his hand multiple times to examine it. “And the wooden base under the bristles is beginning to crack. I shall buy you a new one, along with an entire vanity set that matches. It shall be another gift for you on your birthday.” Thinking this over to himself, a satisfied smile settled across his visage.

“No!” I exclaimed, more loudly that I had intended. “No?” He laughed at my unexpected reaction. “Why ever not?” “Because it is in fine working condition, and you have other, more important, expenses to take care of…” I asserted. But as I recalled how he had once responded to a similar statement, I immediately regretted the latter part of what I had said.

“Expenses? What do you know of my expenses, Victoria?” His tone of voice then became much more grim. “And haven’t I warned you before? You are not to question me about what I do with my money, especially in regards to providing for you.” “You mustn’t spoil me, sir. You have your future wife to take care of, and I am sure she has many wants.” “My future wife?! Oh Victoria…”

He slowly placed the hairbrush back on the counter and wrung his hands with distress. He remained silent as he paced back and forth a few times in the available space that separated my vanity from my bed. “I-I can no longer take this.” He finally declared. “Tomorrow the futurity of your situation here, and what I wish from you, shall finally be addressed. Meet me in the garden before breakfast. Goodnight.”

As confused as I was, I could say nothing in response. I just continued to stare at the heavy door of my chamber, long after he had firmly closed it in his wake.

[coldwhitefire-blog]

Happiness, Happy Hello Friends,

Today is May 17, 2020 starting at 7:00am but now 8:07am. I start my morning with an hour of scripture study. I try to find topics that come to mind that exist in the reality of my life in the present moment. I do the same for phrases, #VisualFireworks, #MoviesInMyMind, and other methods of consideration and spiritual learning.

I'm trying to find a resource library based around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lexicons. I use Apple Dictionary on the Mac because its not online and I don’t have to leave the Mac to be able to find resources for questions and content I want to know about. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about trying to learn to understand and broaden my small vocabulary of words and phrases. This is one of the reasons that etymology, language, jargon, semantics, and what not’s are important to me. In the Standard Works of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly used books within the Church are known as the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine & Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and other prophetic words. There are going to be more Scriptures brought forth in the Last Days as recorded in the Book of Mormon https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/29.13?lang=eng&clang=eng#p13)

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I think its important to not elevate my views upon the views of another whether or not my views may be more or less important than another. I believe its important to find truth, because truth in my opinion does elevate over other falsehoods (but that’s another topic for another day). With that in mind, I went to a very diverse school. The Art Institute of Seattle (which is no more as the school went bankruptcy). I learned to get along with a lot of viewpoints and world views that were not my own. I first went to Brigham Young University Idaho (they were Ricks College but changed the name the year I was there). I like to consider but I’m not very good with trying to sort through a lot of information, as processing it is challenging for me.

In the Holy Scriptures, today I was looking around the word ‘happy, happiness’ because I haven’t been feeling much happiness in my life. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (we are not Mormons, the church of Mormon, nor the church of Joseph Smith, nor anything else of the sort. We just want to be called by our proper name, which includes the name of Jesus Christ within the foundation stone of our logo for the Church) we receive when we are spiritually ready (all determined by the individual and one’s parents) one receives their patriarchal blessing. A patriarchal blessing is known as a prophetic person revelations for that individual from God through the Holy Spirit, by the Priesthood, to a patriarch. They place their hands upon one’s head and receive instruction (that can be accepted or rejected) from the proper authority for the individual. With this said in my patriarchal blessing it says the sentence. “Now dear brother, your Father in Heaven is mindful of you. He knows you. He understands you. He wants you to be happy, and He wants you to be content.” I have often thought of those words many times over in my life. Why does Heavenly Father want me to be happy and why does He want me to be content? It has come to my attention over periods in my life, that I should ask God the Father how I can be happy and how I can be content. In my literal mind I started looking up definitions of the words, ‘happy’ and ‘content’ in secular and spiritual resources including the Holy Scriptures. I have done a lot of study regarding the word ‘content’ but with all my studying on and off, by not being consistent with the study, it hasn’t been a verbose study. I just started last night asking the Father in the name of Christ what does happiness mean. How is it different than what is told by big brother for us to know what it means online, let alone what it means to the Father. The the idea of happiness has led me on a study this morning that I couldn’t find what I was looking for so I wanted to write about it online and express how I was feeling. I was trying to find historical contexts online in dictionaries (definitions of words), lexicons (the vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge), etymologies (the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history) and other jargon (special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand). Trying to sort through mainstream Christian lexicons, secular lexicons, and Latter-day Saint resources has been a challenge let alone trying to find them in a way that would be beneficial for my scripture study neither has more or less value to me, but I do favor those resources that I don’t have to weigh the value of truthful or less truthful. Like trying to weigh apples, bananas, and oranges by their flavors. Certain flavors i’m allergic to and others I favor more than others because that’s what my body likes or prefers. It kinda works the same way with my spirit inside my body, “What is it?” “It” is the way certain flavors relate to someone and not to another. My spirit (as an eternal being of Light) that is within my body, is reaching out to your Light through this blog post by letting one know that as one prefers different spiritual flavors than I do, not everyone is going to like apples, bananas, or oranges’ flavors.

I looked in the topical guide in LDS Scriptures (an app that is no longer giving support) but something I purchased a while back and I still use. I found a scripture related to ‘happy’ and ‘happiness’ in the Study Helps (capitalized because of their visual appeal as it shows online). https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures?lang=eng

I was trying to find out about what “happiness” is in the scriptures; which has me in this rabbit hole in a hole and through another hole (kinda like the movie Inception). What does happiness mean to me? What does happiness mean to God? What does happiness mean to me versus the ancient times when Christ was upon the Earth? What does happiness mean to Christ when in ancient times before Christ during the Old Testament in Job’s era mean to him? How has the word changed over time? Are there any analytics that I could make let alone find. I found some analytical viewers and one especially from Google I love: https://books.google.com/ngrams this is helpful because one can search books through Googles Ngram Viewer I can see up to three words at a time (or less) from the 1500’s to present day about how many times the word(s) were used. With that data, I can go to the book(s) during that time period and read from the actual text! OMG! https://www.onthisday.com is helpful to find out during what dates certain things happened that coincide with the Ngram Viewer. https://www.visualizefree.com/#home this is helpful because one can create their own data from an CSV file. Overall in Job it says: 17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

Job 5:17

The connotation of the phrase “whom God correcteth” and “the chastening of the Almighty” could mean different things at different times. The written words wasn’t invented on paper with the Guttenberg printers in 1400’s, the way the words were used were used a lot longer than that. The way we use the word today differs from the handed down use the word that exists into what we have today. Of course the phrases above aren’t just words they are a combination of words. Based around transliterated Aramaic to English content (let alone any lexicon with etymology for the Standard Works) in the days of Christ its hard to find written examples unless expressed in literary and oral evidence.

There are so many resources that are not LDS outside of the scriptures that it's hard to weigh what is true and what is not, which is very tedious. I was wondering if there were resources of which you use for commentaries, lexicons, dictionaries aside that the public is able to use for scripture study?

I want to further research and study the scriptures but trying to understand the etymology and language of words used in Hebrew (Aramaic) transliterated to English (outside of our contemporary and post modern jargon that is commonly spoken today is challenging to find.

I found this resource: https://www.lexico.com/ from Oxford used by Google; which I’m not sure is spiritual, secular, or anything else.

I figured if the languages we use today are so different from the passages of scripture during the times of Christ, how are we to understand the context of the words, let alone their original meaning?

For example, the word 'chastise' on Google & Apple Dictionaries defined it as: see images in comments.

The 2013 Bible Dictionary says, "The topics have been carefully selected and are treated briefly. If an elaborate discussion is desired, the student should consult a more exhaustive dictionary." Although its helpful to do so, it doesn't recommend any such location for that dictionary, lexicon, etc.

I have found some resources to find more details, but my search is definitely not over.

[malthuswibble]

Father Hunger: Ludo vs. The Forces of Psychology

In my previous post "Mother Issues", I examined some theorizing behind the motivations of Star, using "Attachment Theory". Subsequently, Marco was discussed as well. The conclusion I came to was each of these characters represented a different attachment class, as proposed by the theory: Star, "Ambivalent Attachment"; and Marco, "Avoidant Attachment. Jackie probably represnts "Secure Attachment".

1. Disorganized Attachment

Ludo arguably represents the forth category, one that had not been mentioned up to now: "Disorganized Attachment".

This is the attachment style that is particular to children who have been both neglected and abused by parental figures. A common pattern is abuse by a narcissistic father, with a mother incapable or unwilling to assist the child. The child often experiences inconsistency - comforted and abused in turn.

Disorganized Attachment is given that title because a child suffering under such conditions is stuck in a terrible dilemma: their survival instincts tell them to flee to safety when in trouble or in need of comfort, and "safety" is hard wired to be one's parents: but in this case, the problem or lack of comfort is represented by the very people to whom the child wishes to flee. The abused or neglected child's problem has no solution ... so their reactions to their parents appear "disorganized" - sometimes loving, sometimes fearful or hostile.

2. Disorganized Attachment and Father Hunger

What are the characteristics of someone suffering from Disorganized Attachment?

The first and most obvious characteristic is that such children long, above all else, for a loving, caring parental figure who will do everything that their own parents would not - yet they remain intensely fearful that such a figure will hurt them, as they have been hurt before.

In particular, such children experience an intense "father hunger" - the desire for a caring, guiding father.

Why father?

Typically, the father figure is the first individual who is a stranger to the mother-child dyad that a child will get to know.

When very young, children often don't differentiate between their mothers and themselves. The father is the figure who mediates between the child's growing ego and the world outside of the immediate mother-child dyad. The growing child often forms the impression of how the world views the child, based on how their father views them; and models their behavior towards the world, based on the expectations and teachings of the father.

However, where the father is neglectful or actively abusive ... the neglected/abused child both experiences the world as frightening (thus having a tendency towards paranoia), and learns from the abuser how to interact with the world - dispensing abuse or neglect in turn.

However, underlying all of this is an intense and understandable desire on the part of the child for positive direction, for a "father" who will be loving, supporting, teaching - who will do all the things the child's own father would not.

Critically, children who suffer this form of attachment often display very poor judgment as to who these surrogate father figures ought to be - and end up further abused or neglected.

3. Ludo's Father Hunger

Is there evidence that Ludo suffers from Disorganized Attachment?

First, we must examine Ludo's family.

In Face the Music, we learn that Ludo was "the runt" of a large family. His father was "extra hard" on him, as a result. There is some evidence of domestic abuse and routine child neglect within Ludo's family: when Moon visits, Ludo's mother casually drops a child on the ground; she herself appears to have a swollen eye, potentially from domestic abuse (though this is more hinted at than stated).

Ludo further claims abuse, from his entire family (with the exception of his brother Dennis), in Starcrushed, when talking to Moon.

On top of abuse, there was lack of guidance. Ludo was keenly aware that his father had not mediated adequately between Ludo and the world.

In The Hard Way, Ludo says something like:

"Do you know what my dad taught me about making my way in the world? Nothing! Zip! I was one egg out of fifty! Everything I've learned, I've had to learn dirty!"

"But for once in my life I would like ... some guidance."

This is a key passage. A lot is disclosed in it, in addition to a lack of guidance.

Ludo experiences the world, and reacts to it, as a fearful place ("I've learned dirty!")

Ludo desperately wants guidance - from Glossaryck.

The rest of the episode demonstrates exactly what Ludo wants from Glossaryck - he wants Glossaryck to become his surrogate father. One who is proud of Ludo, and who will both teach and love Ludo.

This is demonstrated by Ludo demanding that Glossaryck tell Ludo how proud he is of him; making Glossaryck tuck Ludo into bed; and finally, making Glossaryck tell Ludo "Goodnight my darling".

All of these are things a loving father would do for a son - that, very obviously, his own father had never done for him.

(As an aside, not only does Ludo see Glossaryck as a surrogate father, having stolen Glossaryck from Star, he sees Star as a surrogate sister - and is jealous of her: he constantly wants Glossaryck to tell him that he is "better than Star". I'll expand on this later!).

4. Disorganized Attachment and Dissociation Disorder

So far, much of the analysis is not terribly controversial. However, it is noteworthy that Disorganized Attachment is often associated with Dissociation Disorder - which has an interesting relationship to the plot.

As you will recall, at the end of The Hard Way Ludo looks into to Eclipsa's chapter, flies into the air, his eyes glow with green, and Toffee had 'possessed' him.

This is obviously due to magic - but had intriguing parallels to Dissociation Disorder.

The symptoms of which are as follows:

depersonalization, or a sense of detachment from one' self;

derealization, the feeling that ones surroundings are illusory;

identity confusion, or an inner struggle over one's own identity; and

identity alteration - acting like a different person.

The most severe of these Dissociation Disorders is "Dissociative Identity Disorder" (which used to be called Multiple Personality Disorder), typically associated with persistent abuse or neglect as a child. In this condition, distinct, coherent identities exist within one individual and are able to assume control of the person's behavior and thought.

Sound familiar? "Toffee" and Ludo arguably display this pattern - although in this case, the distinct personalities really are distinct, and caused by magic and not a syndrome.

One last thought: the experience of "derealization" is said to resemble the patient viewing everything at a distance, as if they were floating some distance off the ground.

[2700fstreet]

THEATER / 2018-2019

SHE A GEM

STUDENT GUIDE

Written by Josh Wilder Directed by Paige Hernandez World Premiere Kennedy Center Commission

Teacher and Parent Guide: She a Gem

“When one of us makes it, we all make it. That’s the whole point of being a gem.” —Jaleesa

So, What’s Going On?

Tick-tack-tick-tack-tick-tack—the sound of twin jump ropes spinning up a cyclone makes a joyful noise for three girls on this side street in South Philadelphia. Krystin, Jaleesa, and Amber are practicing to show off their Double-Dutch skills at the upcoming neighborhood block party. They’re aiming for a special prize: to be a “gem,” a special figure of love and leadership within the neighborhood. Double Dutch, though, is way more than a game for the trio of friends, who live together in the foster home of Topaz, or Ms. T. It connects them, binds them, and creates a shared strength to celebrate, handle disappointment, and face any and every challenge.

Krystin, the team’s captain, especially faces some tough decisions. With her 18th birthday just days away, her time in Ms. T’s foster home is ticking down. Where will she go? Should she stay in school and shoot for college? Does she have a chance of turning Double Dutch into something more? Choices, self-doubts, and fears weigh heavy on her as she faces a transition from a caring environment to a future of unknowns.

Into the mix comes Symone, a pregnant teen from North Philly who brings her own Double-Dutch and stepping talents to the group. Right from the start, she and Krystin clash about who’s the better jumper and being forced to share a room. Yet, as they begin to polish their routine and settle their frictions, they start to see more clearly who they can be—but only if they can work and stick together. It also becomes clear that Symone is not there merely by chance. She carries ties to the neighborhood’s past, a mystery that affects the girls, their sisterhood, and the whole community.

“One of the themes of the play is the idea about how we have the power to choose or make our own families,” says the play’s director, Paige Hernandez. “How we work together to develop confidence and build self-esteem even when the odds are stacked against us.”

Think about…

Gems are precious or semi-precious stones. How do gems function as metaphors in the play? What are ways gems show up in the play’s dialogue, chants, and other parts of the show?

How do each of the girls change during the course of the play?

Who’s Who

A neighborhood double-dutch team who live together in a foster home:

Krystin, 17 Jaleesa, 16 Amber, 16

Symone, 17 a new girl from North Philadelphia Topaz (Ms. T), foster mother Ms. Mary, never seen…eccentric and mysterious, the O.G.gem

Check this out…

Professor Kyra Gaunt, PhD, is an ethnomusicologist at the University at Albany in New York. In this video interview, she shares some of the history of jump ropes and the unique culture of Double Dutch in urban African American communities.

You can also find a Q & A interview with Professor Gaunt in the Adult Guide.

A Short History of Double Dutch

Who were the first kids to ever jump a rope for the fun of it? You’d have to take a time machine back thousands of years. Various clues lead to Ancient Egypt and China. From there, it eventually skipped its way to Europe and the Netherlands, and the Dutch are credited with bringing it to North America in the 1600s. One of their jump-rope games evolved into “Double Dutch,” and American kids and teens have been turning twin ropes ever since. Girls in particular took to it, aided by a shift from long dresses to skirts with pantaloons around 1800.

Double Dutch really took off in the 1940s and 1950s, especially in northern U.S. cities. For many African American girls and young women there, Double Dutch became much more than a game. Using clotheslines, braided rope, and even super-long phone cords, they took it onto the streets where girls might jump from morning till night. The tick-tack-tick-tack of the ropes laid down a beat not only for jumping but for rhymes and game songs that became part of the tradition. Often turned away from guy-dominated sports, girls doing Double Dutch transformed jump roping into a realm all their own. They introduced moves, etiquette, chants, and traditions that passed from girl to girl and generation to generation.

In the 1970s, a couple of New York police officers, Ulysses “Mike the Cop” Williams and David Walker, sought to use this love of Double Dutch as a tactic to keep teen girls off drugs and out of trouble. Walker created the American Double Dutch League (ADDL), and for a while McDonald’s restaurants sponsored local and national Double-Dutch tournaments.

The competition could be intense. Teen girls were pushing what was possible between the ropes. They introduced back flips, handstands, and other acrobatic moves that were shared back and forth between them and breaking, the dance style of Hip Hop; and not by accident. Hip Hop and Double Dutch of the 1970s were developing side-by-side in the neighborhoods of New York, Baltimore, Chicago, and other U.S. cities, and the two gladly sampled from each other.

Today, Double Dutch has diverged onto two distinct paths. For the more competitive, it is an intense competition featuring uniforms and judges, becoming a sport that has spread worldwide. For others, “street Double Dutch” continues as a neighborhood tradition that binds together girls and women—especially African American girls and women—in a powerful, joyful tradition that brings together rhythm, song, dance, teamwork, and friendship.

Check this out… “Double Dutch is very present in my life,” says She a Gem’s Double-Dutch coach, Ebony Ingram. “I use it to learn about myself. It teaches a lot about persistence and fighting through pain. That’s part of it. You love it so much you’re never going to stop.”

then think about…an activity or passion you love so much you’re willing to keep going even when it causes pain, even when the going gets tough.

The word grit stands for perseverance, drive, and courage. Together with friends, identify people you know—personally or as public figures—who have overcome obstacles and demonstrated grit in pursuit of their goals. What common habits or traits do they seem to possess?

Discuss your favorite book or movie with others. Usually, the protagonists face their biggest challenges and most hopeless moments just before they succeed. Why are we attracted to such stories and characters?

The African Tradition of Scarification

She a Gem echoes some African ancestral traditions, like membership in a tribe or community, says the show’s director, Paige Hernandez. “The strongest parallel to Africa in the play is the idea of scarring,” she says. “It confirms identity, like a tattoo. It shows that you are part of a lineage. It can also be symbolic of your age and status in your given community.”

In parts of Africa, Papua New Guinea, North America, and elsewhere, ritual scarification has been an ancient practice, similar to tattoos in other cultures, as Hernandez notes. Under the guidance of their elders, different groups make superficial cuts in specific patterns. Ash or pigments may be inserted in the cuts before they heal as scars. For some groups, it has been a form of body art that marks them as a member of their family or community.

For some women and men, getting scarred could also be a rite of passage. It might mark life-changing moments like the death of a child or bravery in battle. It represented their ability to not just endure pain, but to demonstrate they had spiritual strength and a willingness to sacrifice for the community. However, the practice of scarification in many cultures has been in decline in recent generations.

Scarring as a symbol shows up in She a Gem. Scars are specifically borne by women who become gems, like Ms. T. At one point, Jaleesa says,

There’s this scar that [Ms. T] has on her face that nobody can miss it. It starts here and it goes all the way down to here. Like its some kind of sign. I asked Ms. T one day what happened and she just looked at me and said, “I got it playing Double Dutch. “That rope cut your face like that?” “No,” she said.

Think about…

Scars are both symbols and a theme in She a Gem. For the characters with scars, how did they get them? What might they represent?

What are reasons people get tattoos, piercings, or dramatic forms of permanent body art? What aspects of their identity are they trying to communicate—to themselves as well as others?

Write a short piece about how your friends signal their allegiances through language, clothing, hairstyles, music, or other means? Then, take it a step further: How do leaders of the group indicate their status?

Setting the Scene for She a Gem

A play’s setting is everything that appears on stage—scenery (background), furniture, and props. “It’s often the first thing in a production that the audience sees,” says Deb Sivigny, who designed the set for She a Gem. Sets can be realistic or fanciful, complex or simple—it all depends on the production needs of the play and the creative vision of director.

She a Gem takes place on a side street in South Philadelphia. Sivigny wanted to get a feel for the neighborhoods there to help her create the “onstage Philly” where the action happens. Unable to visit in person, she instead went for “Google Walks” down South Philadelphia streets using Google Maps (google.com/maps). She snapped “photos” of the buildings and row houses, seeking details that would help her bring the community to life.

She began sketching, using her imagination to create not just a look but a feel. She then rendered the set in model form so she and the director, Paige Hernandez, could view it in three-dimensions.

What to Look and Listen for

Compare what you see onstage with the following photos, sketch, and model from set designer Deb Sivigny’s development process.

Caption: Images from Google Maps.

Caption: Concept sketch for She a Gem. Credit: Deb Sivigny

Caption: Digital Rendering for She a Gem. Credit: Deb Sivigny

Check this out…

Set designer Deb Sivigny says, “My job is to interpret where words can’t go.” What are experiences you have had that require something more than words to express them? What are other art forms that tell a story “where words can’t go?”

Then look and listen for…

The uses of color in the set, costumes, lighting, and language.

The phone lines arcing above the stage, and what they resemble.

The three onstage buildings in She a Gem. What does the set and its buildings tell you about the neighborhood and the changes it has seen?

Projections on the set and its buildings. Consider what these projections represent and how characters interact with them.

The use of music, rhythm, and chants, and what they reveal about the girls and their relationships.

The sound of thunder and specific moments when it occurs during the play.

When the actors interact with each other and when they speak directly to the audience. How do the characters’ monologues differ from their dialogues?

Similarities and differences between the sounds, moves, and ideas of Double Dutch and Hip Hop.

Then think about…

At the beginning of the play, Krystin says: “What does Double Dutch mean to me? Freedom. Jumping inside this whirling circle of danger; of hurt; of pain. Getting to dance with all that. I think it’s brave; and ‘if you wanna be brave then you gotta get off them ends and jump!’” What might Krystin be seeking freedom from? What represents freedom to you personally? What does it mean to be brave—not like in action movies, but in real day-to-day life? How are freedom and being brave related?

Double Dutch takes serious teamwork. Besides turning and jumping, what are ways the girls demonstrate teamwork in other aspects of their lives? How do you demonstrate teamwork in your life?

What conflicts arise among the characters? What causes them, and what are ways the girls deal with them?

What are ways different generations connect and communicate during the play?

The play speaks to the power we have to make our own families. What does family mean to you? What does it mean to “make our own families” as we grow up?

Take Action

Be a Gem

Several gems are mentioned in the play: amber, diamond, ruby, pearl, onyx, jade, opal, jasmine, etc. Do some research on precious and semi-precious stones. Which one (or more) do you feel a special connection with? Why? Name it, explain it, and share your thoughts in writing, or with family and friends.

Take a Virtual Walk

Different views offer different perspectives. Input your home address or the address of your school in the Google Walk feature on Google Maps and take a tour of the streets and neighborhood. Look for things you’ve never noticed before and write them down along with thoughts and feelings. Share them with your family and friends.

Design Your Neighborhood

Give your neighborhood the set-design treatment like Deb Sivigny did for a South Philadelphia neighborhood in She a Gem. Imagine you were going to represent your street, community, or school onstage. What buildings, trees, streets signs, or other physical details would you include? Turn loose the artist in you—take photographs and draw sketches or maps. Consider creating a model of your set where your personal story is taking place.

Jump!

Has it been a while since you’ve jumped rope? To get into the swing of She a Gem, find your old rope or unwind a length of clothesline. No need to go all Double Dutch if that’s not your thing. But see what it feels like to jump again—on your own or with friends. One of the beauties of jumping rope? All you need is some space and a little rhythm and your body comes alive.

Double Dutch Chants

Silly, funny, creative—Double-Dutch chants make their own music. Try them out with your friends!

“Rollercoaster” Down, down baby, down down the rollercoaster. Sweet, sweet baby, I’ll never let you go.

Shimmy, shimmy ko-ko pop. Shimmy, shimmy, pow! Shimmy, shimmy, ko-ko pop. Shimmy, shimmy, pow!

Grandma, Grandma, sick in bed. She called the doctor and the doctor said.

Let’s get the rhythm of the head, ding-dong. Let’s get the rhythm of the head, ding-dong. Let’s get the rhythm of the hands (clap clap). Let’s get the rhythm of the hands (clap clap). Let’s get the rhythm of the feet (stomp stomp). Let’s get the rhythm of the feet (stomp stomp). Let’s get the rhythm of the hot dog. Let’s get the rhythm of the hot dog.

Put it all together and what do you get? Ding-dong, (clap clap) (stomp stomp), hot dog. Put it all backwards and what do you get? Hot dog, (stomp stomp), (clap clap), ding-dong!

“Cinderella” Cinderella dressed in yella, Went downstairs to kiss a fella, Made a mistake and kissed a snake. How many doctors did it take? 1, 2, 3, … (Jumper counts until she misses.)

“Miss Susie” Miss Susie had a baby, She named him Tiny Tim. She put him in the bathtub, to see if he could swim. He drank up all the water, He ate up all the soap, He tried to eat the bathtub, But it wouldn’t go down his throat.

Miss Susie called the doctor. Miss Susie called the nurse. Miss Susie called the lady with the alligator purse.

In came the doctor. In came the nurse. In came the lady with the alligator purse.

Mumps said the doctor. Measles said the nurse. Hiccups said the lady with the alligator purse.

Miss Susie punched the doctor. Miss Susie kicked the nurse. Miss Susie thanked the lady with the alligator purse.

“She a Gem” by Josh Wilder

CHALLENGE! CHALLENGE! 1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... 10 – GIRL CAN YOU MATCH THIS? FOOT! AND BOUNCE! AND HOP! AND TURN! AND CRISS! AND WALK!

HEY BABY BABY WHAT DO YOU SEE? WHEN YOU WALK DOWN THE STREET DO YOU NOTICE ME? JUST LIKE THE EARTH’S ROUND JUST LIKE THE SKY’S BLUE THERE’S A BEAUTIFUL GIRL OH, YOU SEE HER, TOO?

SHE A GEM SHE A GEM SHE GOT A CUTE FACE SHE GOT THE BEST SNEAKS HER STYLE’S THE BEST TASTE SHE WALK THROUGH YA DREAMS LIKE A MOVIE SCENE HAIR LAID BILLS PAID JUST WAIT AND SEE

LADY ON ONE FOOT! (jump on one foot) LADY ON TWO FOOT! (jump on two feet) THROW ‘EM UP (raise hands) GETT’M UP THROW ‘EM UP GETT’M UP

IF YOU WANT A GEM YOU GOTTA SEARCH THE SEAS THE MOUNTAINS AND THE CLOUDS THAT’S WHERE WE BE PRECIOUS PRETTY HARD TO FIND FLAWLESS ROYAL IT’S OUR TIME TO SHINE

ONE! Like a diamond! TWO! Like a ruby! THREE! Like a pearl! FOUR! Hey girl! FIVE! Stay alive. SIX! Onyx. SEVEN! Go to heaven EIGHT! At the gate! NINE! She fine! TEN!

Get Your Write On

Read the Double Dutch chants above, paying attention to their rhythm, rhyme, and humor. Write your own and try it out with your own rope-jumping or step routine.

Professor Kyra Gaunt, PhD, talks about “memories in objects.” For her, holding the ends of the ropes triggers memories of jumping Double Dutch as a girl. She says such objects can be things like favorite toys or jewelry, but also books, songs, sounds, or anything that helps us remember significant moments in life.

Interview…an older person about a “memory object” in her or his life. What is it? Where did it come from? What is its story?

Write about…a “memory object” in your life. What memories does it bring up? What does it mean to you? What feelings does it trigger?

Write…a piece of fiction. Imagine finding an important personal “memory object” 50 years in the future. Describe it and the memories it triggers for you, and how it connects your fictional future with your present. Or considering writing the story from the object’s point of view.

Go Deeper/Learn More

If you’re not up to speed on the ins and outs of Double Dutch, check out Stan’s Pepper Steppers “Double Dutch Basics.”

Watch competitive Double Dutch and be amazed.

Read some truth about the early ties between Double Dutch and Hip Hop. “Double Dutch’s Forgotten Hip-Hop Origins.” By Lauren Schwartzberg. Vice. March 31, 2015.

Foster care, including group homes, are part of a government system to take care of children and teens who cannot live with their families, for whatever reason. Curious about the program and how it operates? Check out:

Group homes: “Giving Group Homes a 21st Century Makeover” by Teresa Wiltz. June 14, 2018. The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Foster care: “Foster Care”; Child Trends.

EXPLORE MORE

Go even deeper with the She a Gem Performance Extras.

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Writer: Sean McCollum

Content Editor: Lisa Resnick

Logistics Coordination: Katherine Huseman

Producer and Program Manager: Tiffany A. Bryant

-

She a Gem is part of the Kennedy Center's Human Journey representing Identity.www.kennedy-center.org/humanjourney

The Human Journey is a collaboration between The Kennedy Center, National Geographic Society, and the National Gallery of Art, which invites audiences to investigate the powerful experiences of migration, exploration, identity, and resilience through the lenses of the performing arts, science, and visual art.

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

Deborah F. Rutter President

Mario R. Rossero Senior Vice President Education

Bank of America is the Presenting Sponsor of Performances for Young Audiences.

Additional support for She a Gem is provided by A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation; the Kimsey Endowment; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.

Funding for Access and Accommodation Programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David M. Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts.

© 2019 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

[romancatholicreflections]

6th January >> Sunday Homilies and Reflections for Roman Catholics on the Feast of The Epiphany of the Lord

-To be celebrated on 6th January 2019 –

The Epiphany of the Lord

Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:1-12 vs.1  After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. vs.2  “Where is the infant king of the Jews?” they asked. “We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.” vs.3  When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. vs.4  He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. vs.5  “At Bethlehem in Judaea,” they told him, “for this is what the prophet wrote: vs.6  And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judaea, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.” vs.7  then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, vs.8  and sent them on to Bethlehem. “Go and find out all about the child,” he said “and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.” vs.9  Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward and halted over the place where the child was. vs.10 The sight of the star filled them with delight, vs.11 and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincenses  and myrrh. vs.12 But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

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We have three sets of homily notes to choose from. Please click on the one required.

1.   Michel de Verteuil         Lectio Divina Year B

2.  Thomas O’Loughlin, Liturgical Resources for Year C (Mark

3.  John Littleton,               Journeying through the Year of Luke.

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Michel de Verteuil Lectio Divina,  The Year of Mathew www.columba.ie

General Comments

In the Christmas story as told by St Luke, the Word made flesh manifests himself to the shepherds; in St Matthew’s version, he manifests himself to the wise men from the East. Although at first sight the two stories seem different, they are in fact basically alike – as you will discover when you meditate on each passage – since there is only one God and he has one way of relating with us.

For this feast, then, make the journey with the wise men, as you did with the shepherds on Christmas Day and on January 1st.

The story is told in clearly defined stages, and you will find that each of these stages will touch you in your meditation, so that you need not include the entire story  in order to do a good meditation.

Verses 1 and 2 tell us of the journey from “the east” to Jerusalem, and the symbolism of the first searching which takes us some of the way, before we get lost and have to resort to a religious center.

In verses 3 to 9 we have the meeting between the wise men and Herod – very dramatic, and so true to experience. You can read these verses from the point of view of the wise men, so humble and open to learning from religious leaders, even though these have bad motives; or from the point of view of Herod, typical of ourselves when we are in a position of authority and privilege and become insecure at the mere thought of a new religious insight.

In verses 10 and 11 we have the touching story of all moments of grace – the joy of recognition, the sense of homecoming, the simplicity of the presence of God. The mention of the “treasures” is clearly meant to convey the arrival of other cultures doing homage to Jesus.

Verse 12 is very significant, indicating the new-found freedom of the believers.

Prayer Reflection

Lord, there comes a point in our lives when we finally discover what we want to give our whole lives to: * a cause like racial equality, community development, women’s rights; * a spirituality which combines union with God and social involvement; * the religious life or the priesthood; * contemplative prayer. We look back on the long journey that brought us to this point, from the time we knew in some vague way that we wanted to change our ways – like the wise men seeing a star as it rose and deciding to follow it. Then, as it always seems to happen on a spiritual journey, we lost sight of the star and drifted aimlessly for some years, until we realized that the only sensible thing to do was to get help.

So we went to our religious leaders, and though they were rather confused themselves, they put us back on the right track and the old enthusiasm returned. The last part of the journey went quickly: suddenly we knew that we had found what we had been looking for, and it was like coming home, so that we went into the house, fell on our knees and opened our treasures. Thank you, Lord, for guiding us every part of the way.

Lord, it is strange how we become attached to positions of privilege * as parents or teachers; * occupying  a position in the Church; * accepted as one of the better educated members of our little circle. When people come forward who are from a different background, or who are asking new questions, we are pertubed, as Herod was when the wise men came to Jerusalem. We reflect on what to say, and may even give them good advice, but deep down our main concern is that we should continue to feel secure where we are. No wonder those whom we help do not come back to us but return to their country by a different way.

Lord, for many centuries now the Church has been European. We thank you that in our day people of other cultures are looking for Jesus because they  have seen a star out in the east. Naturally, we are perturbed by all these foreigners, and so is the whole of Jerusalem, for they will bring changes to the whole Church, and we will lose our special status. So, though we give them the right instructions, we tell them that once they  have discovered Jesus they must come back and tell us exactly what they  have found. But you are guiding them, Lord, and when they come to Jesus they will open the treasures of their own cultures. Furthermore, you will reveal to them that there is no need to come back to us, and they will make their own way home.

Lord, we sometimes think that we must spend plenty of money to make Jesus more attractive, or that we must be very learned so that our preaching of him can draw many to him.

Jesus learning his trade

But wise men are looking for an infant king, and the Scriptures say that he will come from Bethlehem, the least among the leaders of Judah, because people are tired of great kings who dominate them. But if they go into a simple house and see the child Jesus with his mother Mary, even as they fall on their knees and do him homage they will feel comfortable to open their treasures and offer him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Lord, we look today for instant results and for the “quick fix” in all things, so that we end up looking for instant spiritual growth as well. But before we can see Jesus and fall on our knees and do him homage we have to make a long journey from the east. We have to follow a star, lose it and discover it again many times, until finally it halts over the place where he is.

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Thomas O’Loughlin, Liturgical Resources for Year C (Matthew) www.columba.ie

Homily Notes

1. This feast cannot escape the links with the colourful exotic figures in the crib and their gifts. However, the task of the preacher is to draw attention to those aspects of the mystery of the incarnation that Matthew wished to highlight by introducing the story of the eastern visitors into his infancy narra­tive.

2. In a nutshell, the infancy narratives in both Luke and Matthew should be seen as ‘identity cards’: they tell us about who Jesus is, before we hear anything about what he did. But they approach the question of identity using the forms of his­torical narrative rather than abstract theological categories. Once this is stated then each of the episodes within these nar­ratives, such as the visit of the magi, must be seen as express­ing various aspects of the mysterious identity of the Anointed One. So what does this story tell us about Jesus and our faith in him?

3. That Jesus was the one for whom Israel waited over the gen­erations of promise was established by Matthew at the very beginning of his gospel in the genealogy. However, there was also a strand of messianic faith that the Christ would not only bring salvation to Israel, but to all ‘the nations’, the whole of humanity. We find this faith in the oracle in Zechariah: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from nations of every language shall take hold of a Jew, grasping his garment and saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you'” (8:23). Now with the arrival of these magi, representatives of the nations, this prophecy is fulfilled and one more aspect of the nature of Jesus is revealed. Jesus is the one who is awaited by all nations.

4. The message of the Christians is that God has sent us his Son in Jesus Christ; today we rejoice that this mystery of God­with-us is not something that is confined to a select few, but something that is for all humanity.

5. Matthew is careful to show that while God reveals the Anointed One’s coming by a star, it is also something that comes through the magi’s own deep searching. In this Matthew’s gospel is very different from Luke’s gospel where the angel tells the shepherds who has come and what it means and what to do, and then they do it. In Matthew we have professional searchers who realise that there is a greater mystery beyond their present conditions and then set out to find it. They follow the evidence, they at first come to the wrong conclusion when they go to Herod’s court, and the truth only becomes dear when they find themselves in the presence of Jesus. The Christ, and his gospel, is thus seen as the fulfillment of human longings and of the human search for the truth – not as something imposed on humanity from outside that is destructive of human desires and creativity. Alas, we Christians often present the gospel in just such a negative way.

6. To celebrate this feast is to rejoice that God’s love has become available to us and that that love invites a response from us: to offer to Truth himself all our human talents.

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3. John Littleton, Journeying through the Year. www.columba.ie

Introduction to the Celebration

Today we recall the strange and exotic visitors who went to greet the infant Jesus. They remind us that in a myriad of ways the Christ beckons all of us to gather with him and offer thanks to the Father.

Gospel Reflection

For many Christians, the Feast of the Epiphany (which is also known as Little Christmas in Ireland) marks the end of the Christmas season. Yet the Epiphany is at the heart of the Christmas message. The word ‘epiphany’ means ‘manifestation’ or ‘showing’. Fundamentally, the Christian vocation is to show Jesus and his glory to the world. The Epiphany acknowledges that Jesus Christ, the newborn baby, is the Saviour of all people.

During the Christmas season, we reflect on what it means to believe that the Word became flesh and lived among us. God has chosen to live among us, hh people, in the person of Jesus Christ, our Lord anc Saviour, who saves us from the justly deserved consequences of our sins. This is why we celebrate Christmas. All other activities associated with Christmas — for example, the exchange of gifts, the holidays from school and work. the visits to family and friends — are secondary. The real wonder of Christmas is not just that God becamc human in and through his Son, Jesus Christ, but thaT Christ, through his Church, continues to be present in our world.

    God’s Word, Son and Revelation

Christmas and the Epiphany challenge us to renew our appreciation of the commitment God has made to us by becoming human. In the person and life of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, God has demonstrated beyond all doubt how much he loves us and shares his life with us. God shares his life with us especially through the Church and the sacraments. In the person and life of Jesus Christ, God has embraced human nature completely and he has become one with it. This is the mystery of Christmas and it remains true for all time and for all God’s people everywhere.

The Feast of the Epiphany invites us to consider once again the real meaning of Christmas and to respond accordingly. The wise men, in presenting Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, acknowledged him as Saviour of all people. The feast invites us to ask: what gift can we present to Jesus that acknowledges him as our Saviour?

Surely the most appropriate gift is striving to live a life that imitates his teaching and example. Therefore, the Epiphany is an ideal time to reflect on the practice of our Christian faith so that, during the coming year, we will ‘show’ the world the glory of the Saviour who has redeemed us from sin and who gives us life through his Church and the celebration of the sacraments.

For meditation: We saw his star as it rose andhave come to do the king homage. (Mathew 2:2)

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[mrlnsfrt]

The Hero of Your Story

A more accurate title would have been, “The Protagonist of Your Story,” but it did not have quite as nice a ring to it. The story we are about to read is full of unanswered questions and mysteries, not to mention some terrible and unfair situations. I believe many of us would agree that Joseph is the hero of the story, at least on a human level (since on a universal level God is ultimately the hero). However, Joseph seems to spend the whole chapter (Genesis 37) at the mercy of his brothers. Joseph seems helpless and defenseless.

Do you ever feel that way?

Like you are powerless to defend yourself against those who wish to harm you? You probably don’t feel like a hero, but allow me to challenge you to view yourself under a different light. Imagine yourself as the hero of your story. By hero I mean the protagonist, the main character, the story is all about you. Now, how will you react?

If your child was to tell your grandchild your story, you are the main character, the story is all about you, imagine they are going to make a movie about your story. Now, how will you react when life is unfair? How will you face challenges? When generations will be reading or watching your story, telling your story to their kids, what kind of story will it be? What kind of decisions are you making as a follower of God? Will your story inspire others?

What if one day we were to read your story like we are reading Joseph’s, what would your story look like? Do you give up, do you cheat, do you rebel against God?

If you would like a refresher you can check out my post Returning to God where I explore Genesis 35.

I am skipping Genesis 36 for now because it is essentially made up of genealogies geographical details pertaining to Esau and the Edomites (descendants of Esau). There is value to this chapter but it is not directly relevant to the study of the narratives we are currently looking at so I’ll skip it for now.

Now we are ready to dive into Genesis 37 and the story of Jacob!

Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. - Genesis 37:1 NKJV

Jacob is the first patriarch to actually dwell in the land of Canaan. While Abraham and Isaac traveled and camped around the land of Canaan, Jacob has settled and now dwells there. This points to the fulfillment of God’s promise to give this land to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 12:7).

Chronicles of a teenage boy.

This is the history of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father. - Genesis 37:2 NKJV

I find it fascinating how verse two introduces and the history of Jacob and jumps right into telling the story of Joseph! I agree that the story is really about Jacob and his sons, but there is no denying that this could easily be described as the story of Joseph, so I will be referencing this as the beginning of the Joseph narrative.

Joseph is 17 years old and I find this meaningful because it helps me relate to Joseph not only as a historical figure or Bible hero but also as a human being, a teenager, and this grounds his experiences emotionally for me. Knowing that he is 17 as he is facing what he faces guides my emotional response to the narrative. Another benefit is that it facilitates the creation of a timeline of the events in the life of Joseph.

Joseph is described as hanging out with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah and some interpret this as Joseph possibly getting along with them better than with the sons of Leah. It is also interesting to note that both women are described as being wives of Jacob.

The first mystery of this passage is related to Joseph bringing a bad report to his father. You can read different English translations of Genesis 37:2 here. The mystery revolves around the reason for this. Was Joseph being a tattletale? And just running to his father to say what his brothers were doing wrong? Did his father ask him to check on his brothers? Because in that case, it would make Joseph an obedient son. Clearly, Joseph was not involved in whatever “bad” things his brothers were doing. Yet there is no mention in the narrative of Joseph’s brothers being upset with him over this.

Favoritism strikes again!

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. Genesis 37:3 NKJV

Here we have the problem. Jacob/Israel loves Joseph more than all his children. By making it obvious that he loved Joseph more than all his children Jacob had doomed his family to go through a similar heartache that he had to go through growing up. Isaac’s preference for Esau leads to all kinds of problems (more details on the following posts Everything Will Be Okay, How Much for That?, and Thy Will Be Done?).

It is worth noting how similar sins from the parents are repeated on the children. Abraham lied about his wife (Genesis 12:10-20, post Called by God, Genesis 20 post But God Came) and later Isaac lies about his wife (Genesis 26, post Faithful Still). Isaac had a favorite son, Esau, and Jacob has a favorite son Joseph. We will notice more of this later on.

Another interesting point is the only other mention of a tunic of many colors came from 2 Samuel 13:18 referring to royalty. Imagine Joseph’s brothers watching Joseph walking around dressed like a prince. This is what causes the brothers to hate Joseph.

Hate is such a strong word.

But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. - Genesis 37:4 NKJV

Up to now, Joseph has given his dad a bad report (which does not seem to have angered his brothers, at least not enough to earn a mention in the story.) and he is the object of His father’s favoritism, which does make his brothers angry. So I would argue that Joseph is not to blame for his brothers being angry with him since it is not his fault that he is the favorite. But I believe that Joseph should have noticed and tried to avoid further angering his brothers.

Dream on.

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. - Genesis 37:5-8 NKJV

Of course, why not make matters worse by sharing with your brothers, the ones who already hate you for being the favorite, a dream about your superiority. This is another mystery for me. Why would Joseph feel the need to share his dream with his brothers? If I had 10 older brothers who hate me I don’t think I would share a dream like that with them. Simply out of an interest in self-preservation I would do all that I could to keep my older and bigger brothers from being angry with me.

However, Joseph, perhaps innocently, shares his dream with his brothers, who of course now hate him even more for his dreams and his words. Earlier they only hated him because o their father, now Joseph has given his brothers more reasons to hate him. This is 100% his fault, she is the one who decided to share the dream.

You would expect Joseph to take a hint and stop making matters worse for himself but instead, he seems oblivious to how much his brothers hate him.

Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”

So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind. - Genesis 37:9-11 NKJV

Joseph shares a second dream, this time with not only his brothers but also with his father. Jacob rebukes Joseph but this seems to be mostly for show because he kept this matters in mind, meaning that he expected these to come true. Also, the fact that the dreams are repeated prepares the way for what will take place in the future when Pharaoh has repeated dreams (Genesis 41:1-32).

Speaking of Shechem…

Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.”

So he said to him, “Here I am.”

Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. - Genesis 37:12-14 NKJV (bold mine)

Israel/Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers who are tending the sheep. This makes me think that the bad report Joseph brought to his father back in verse 2 might have been under similar circumstances. But what really ought to catch your attention is how many times the word Shechem is mentioned. Why would the storyteller mention Shechem three times? Especially when it turns out that the brothers are not even there. The storyteller already knows that the brothers are in Dothan, so why the repeated mention of Shechem? This should remind the audience of the story mentioned in Genesis 34 (blog post When God is Absent) when the sons of Jacob kill an entire town. The repeated mention of Shechem ought to remind us of what Joseph’s brothers are capable of. If this was a movie, this is when you yell at the screen, “don’t go there!”

The mysterious man.

Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?”

So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.”

And the man said, “They have departed from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan. - Genesis 37:15-17 NKJV

How lucky of Joseph that “a certain man” found him, and that this man happened to know exactly where Joseph’s brothers were. I believe it is plausible that this “certain man” could be similar to a man who showed up in Genesis 32:24 and wrestled with Jacob (blog post Wrestling with God). I do not think it is beyond the realm of possibility that God guided Joseph to find his brothers. After all, Joesph was only able to find his brothers because this man found him.

The conspiracy.

Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!”

But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, “Let us not kill him.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father. - Genesis 37:18-22 NKJV (bold mine)

As we expected from hearing the mention of Shechem, Joseph’s brothers plan to kill him. Interestingly, his brothers call him a dreamer or literally “a master of dreams,” which he will be known as in Egypt in a few years.

Also worth noting is how Joseph’s brothers’ behavior, their attitude of “let us” now frustrate God’s plan. If they understood the dream to come from God, then they should have understood that to go against it was to go against God’s will. The attitude of Joseph’s brothers mirrors that of the builders of the tower of Babel (Genesis 11, post United For All The Wrong Reasons) who said “tet us make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4b)

Interestingly it is Ruben who delivers Joseph out of the hands of his brothers. Ruben is the oldest brother (Genesis 35:23) and he is the one who should have felt the most threatened by Joseph since the firstborn usually received the special treatment that Jacob was giving Joseph. Jacob seems to plan to give the birthright to Joseph instead of Ruben. Perhaps Joseph wanted to undo the consequences of his uncle’s trickery (blog post Rules of Engagement) which caused him to mary Leah which was never his desire.

It is also interesting to note that Ruben was not included in the discussion but rather he heard their plan and intervened.

Stripped.

So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. - Genesis 37:23-24 NKJV

Joseph arrives and his brothers strip him of his tunic that caused them so much anger. Joseph was no longer dressed as a prince, and he was now essentially in prison. Pay attention to this because this order will be reversed int he future. Also, notice that the placing or removal of Joseph’s clothing often indicate a change coming regarding his position/authority.

Sold!

And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened. Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. - Genesis 37:25-28 NKJV

“They lifted their eyes and looked” is a phrase we have seen before. In Genesis 22:13 Abraham “lifted his eyes and looked” and saw the ram that God provided for him to sacrifice in the place of his son Isaac ( for more details on this story read Akedah). In Genesis 18:2 Abraham “lifted his eyes and looked” and he saw three men one of which was the LORD, and the other two angels. So at this point in Genesis, we might expect God to be acting. Judah, Leah’s son (Genesis 29:35 post He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not) speaks to his brothers and they listen to him. It is not clear in this story if Judah was trying to save Joseph like Ruben had been trying earlier, or whether he was just trying to make some money and get rid of a “problem.” Later on, this event is interpreted as something meant for evil (Genesis 50:20) and based on that I believe it is safe to assume that Judah was not trying to help his brother. His argument for selling Joseph is so good, right? He points out to his brothers that there is no profit in killing their brother and hiding his blood, after all, he is their brother and their flesh. It’s like saying “C’mon guys, brothers should not kill brothers. That would be bad. Now, selling our brother, our own flesh and blood, as a slave, that would be perfectly fine!” He does not say it in those words, but in my head, that is how I hear his argument. And his brothers listen to him. I imagine them stroking their beards and nodding thoughtfully.

Judah and his brothers agreed to sell Joseph and the Ishmaelites got him at a bargain price, twenty shekels. Exodus 21:32 values a male servant at thirty shekels of silver. Perhaps the Ishmaelites noticed that something shady was taking place and took advantage of the brothers who were in a hurry to get rid of Joseph. Also interesting how God is using the Ishmaelites to help save Joseph and fulfill God’s plan for him.

Now what?

Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?”

So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood. Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son’s tunic or not?” - Genesis 37:29-32 NKJV

Once again, Ruben is left out of the conversation. He is shocked to find Joseph is not in the pit. Ruben clearly and openly disapproves of his brother’s actions. They do not answer his question with words but rather with actions. They kill a kif of the goats and dip Joseph’s tunic in the blood. This is not the first time that a kid is used to help deceive someone. Genesis 27:16,23 record Jacob’s use of the skins of the kids of the goats on his arms and neck to fool his father Isaac into believing that Jacob was in fact his older brother Esau (more details on Thy Will Be Done?).

Also, take note that this will not be the last time that Joseph’s clothing is used to tell a lie (see Genesis 39:15-18).

Notice how the brothers try to avoid speaking a lie by sending Joseph’s tunic of many colors to their father and asking him whether he recognizes it. Perhaps they tried to quiet their own conscience by saying they didn’t tell their father that Joseph was killed by a wild beast, they simply asked if the tunic belonged to his son. Deception is deception, directly or indirectly, they intentionally deceived their father with a question and the help of the blook of a kid and Joseph’s tunic. Notice also how the brothers distance themselves from Joseph by referring to him as the son of Jacob as opposed to their brother.

Fooled.

And he recognized it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.” Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. - Genesis 37:33-35 NKJV

“Father, do you recognize this?”

“Yes, it is my son’s tunic!”

Jacob was indeed fooled. He believed that Joseph had been torn to pieces. There was no doubt in Jacob’s mind that Joseph was dead. Jacob grieved Joseph’s death so severely that he thought he was going to die. I believe that as the brothers witnessed their father mourning the death of their brother they regretted their actions. It seems like it’s all over. Joseph is gone, good as dead, and Jacob almost died of a broken heart.

However, there is one more verse in Genesis 37!

Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. - Genesis 37:36 NKJV

Joseph is alive! He is in Egypt, living in the house of an officer of Pharaoh, an important and influential man. As long as Joseph is alive, there is hope!

Takeaway

As long as you’re alive there is hope! Maybe people have plotted against you and hurt you. Maybe you were attacked by those closest to you. Things that are beyond our control happen in life. But I would like for you to think of yourself as the hero of your story, you are the main character. How will you handle the situation you find yourself in? Will you trust in God to provide for you or will you take matters into your own hands and rebel against God? When others tell your story, what will they say, did you remain faithful, did you trust? As long as you have breath in your nose, there is hope. Trust in God’s plan. Trust in Him to save and provide for you.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11NKJV

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah - Psalm 46:1-3 NKJV

I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. - Psalm 212:1-2 NKJV

[ramialkarmi]

Homeschooling is more popular than ever but still widely ignored

During Betsy DeVos' recent three-hour confirmation hearing to become President Donald Trump's education secretary, charter schools came up no fewer than 60 times. Homeschooling was mentioned once.

Charter schools have become a significant part of the US public-education system and now educate 2.5 million kids. But homeschooling has quietly experienced a surge in recent years too. Brian Ray, a homeschooling researcher at the National Home Education Research Institute, estimates the number of kids taught at home is growing by as much as 8% a year since the total hovered around 2 million in 2010, according to US Census figures.

That puts the upper estimate at approximately 3.5 million children, far surpassing charter schools.

The homeschool myth

Teaching kids at home has long been controversial, with critics saying the instruction is uneven in subject and quality and makes kids asocial.

But in recent years, technology and changing attitudes have made homeschooling easier and more effective, helping boost its popularity. And research suggests homeschooled kids do better on tests and in college than their peers in public schools.

"Homeschooling really cultivates a trait of open-mindedness and [being] open to new experiences," says Claire Dickson, a Harvard sophomore who was homeschooled from kindergarten through her senior year of high school. Her mother, Milva McDonald, pulled her out of her Boston-area public school when she realized, for example, that 5-year-olds were being told to sit still. McDonald felt structure was the enemy of education, and she vowed never to subject her kids to that kind of environment.

Dickson is quick to dispel homeschooling stereotypes. For example, religion wasn't a factor, and she wasn't holed up at home all day.

"I have to explain to people that we didn't have a blackboard in our kitchen with equations written on it. I was out in the world," she says. "Homeschooling more refers to the lack of going to one institution."

After seven years of the standard menu of subjects — math, science, history, English — Dickson's mom let her study whatever she chose. She says she drifted toward psychology, which she ended up taking additional classes for at local community colleges and at Harvard Extension.

"Because there was no structure, I was forced to look at my options and say, 'This is what I like,'" she says. Now, she's studying psychology to earn her degree.

Taking a personalized approach

Research suggests homeschooled children tend to do better on standardized tests, stick around longer in college, and do better once they're enrolled. A 2009 study showed that the proportion of homeschoolers who graduated from college was about 67%, while among public school students it was 59%. Catholic and private schools fell even lower, with 54% and 51% of kids completing all four years.

Maybe it's the way today's homeschoolers learn.

Research on effective instruction suggests it's all about personalization, in both content and style, which homeschooling offers from the start. And thanks in large part to the internet, contemporary homeschoolers have far more options at their disposal.

In Mount Kisco, New York, members of the Kelley family spend five-hour schooldays absorbed in their inner worlds. As classical music plays in the background, John, 17, sits in the front room studying for an AP test on his iPad, and 15-year-old Regina sits on the couch with art-history flashcards. The three youngest kids gobble up workbooks at the dining-room table.

Their mother, Amy Kelley, says she began homeschooling for a number of reasons. In the beginning, it was to help her oldest son, Nat, who has a genetic disorder that makes traditional learning difficult. During that time, she grew increasingly frustrated with the public-school system.

Like Dickson's mom, Kelley thought traditional schools were too strict and formulaic. She wanted her kids to have a more freewheeling education but still with a Catholic bent. About 64% of today's homeschool parents cite religion as a reason they chose their particular route. Kelley says that if her approach lives up to any stereotype, it's that one. On the dining-room table are stacks of workbooks with such titles as "Vocabulary 6 for Young Catholics" or "Better Handwriting for Young Catholics," and religious art adorns the rooms of the house. But many homeschooling families don't emphasize religion.

In the Bronx, New York, Jessica Epting says that while she does try to instill Christian values in her kids, there are no workbooks rooted in religion. The only visible sign is a handwritten copy of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tacked on the door above the kids' work plan. The passage, which begins "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast" is hardly the Bible's most devout verse.

'He doesn't get this all day ... so here's his chance'

Just by virtue of the kids' interests, Epting says she needs to make sure her four kids are exposed to a wider world of knowledge. Recently, her 5-year-old son Creighton asked about the big bang theory. He couldn't quite grasp the idea that the universe started from a giant explosion, but Epting says she told him the idea would come in time. "I said, 'You'll probably keep coming back to that a million times in your life. You'll keep reassessing if that could happen, if it couldn't happen.'"

Both the Kelleys' and the Eptings' efforts to open their kids' minds have defied the stereotype that homeschoolers are asocial. Regina and John Kelley have met up with local kids and others across the country on social media. Epting regularly takes her children to gymnastics, ballet, and piano lessons. Both families attend homeschool meet-up groups.

But there's a lot of growing up that happens in a schoolhouse that, for better or for worse, is hard to recreate outside its doors. The cliques and bullying, for all the misery it brings, can teach kids coping skills and confidence. Epting has forced herself to let Creighton suffer teasing on the playground so that he may develop those defenses.

"He doesn't get this all day, every day, like every other kid out there," she says. "So here's his chance. I'm going to sit there and distract myself."

A legal back-and-forth for 40 years

Homeschooling's roots go back hundreds of years. Before school was institutionalized as teachers standing in front students, kids mostly learned through apprenticeship or private tutors. But in the past 40 years or so, families began to push for alternative methods — the kind of free choice that DeVos and others have advocated. Jim Mason, director of litigation for the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, a nonprofit advocacy group that fights for homeschool parents' rights, says the greatest changes involved the loosening of laws that required parents to be certified as teachers and, of course, the internet. Together, swaths of nonteacher parents who were interested in homeschooling could choose to do so even if they had minimal training.

But some say that's not a good thing. Rachel Coleman, executive director at the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, says the research is still too thin to definitively say homeschooling works well consistently. People still need to ask tough questions to know which approaches aren't successful, for the sake of homeschool students.

Homeschool parents seem to acknowledge the method has flaws, adding that they're just not as dire as the ones found in public, private, and Catholic schools. In the age of the internet, they say, when university lectures and guided lessons are getting nearly as good as in-person instruction — and are free from distractions — almost anything can be taught.

A slow march toward the mainstream

Every Friday after school, the Kelley kids pile into their 12-person van bound for tennis practice. It's one of the few ways the family spends time with other homeschoolers in the area. 

On the way home, Kelley reflects on the lingering insecurities homeschoolers face, even after her 15 years of involvement.

But she adds that the stigma has faded as parents realize the true size of the community they're entering and how many options sit before them.

"When you have a bunch of young kids, you love the schools," Kelley says. If you're a new parent, you can drop your kids off at preschool or kindergarten and spend the workday knowing they're learning and having fun.

But that doesn't last forever, she says. Kids start resenting certain teachers. They complain about their lunches. They fear their bullies. Bright spots do come along, but often at a steep price — like the love of learning or the desire to pursue interests other kids deride as "weird."

"It's only as life goes on that the imperfections become more visible," Kelley says. "And then people start to view homeschooling more positively."

SEE ALSO: Schools aren't teaching the most important subject for kids

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