#ascended esther

[jr-verse]

The angelic form of Esther, after retrieving The Six Medallions, thus transforming her into this to fight The Fallen Guardian Of Hope for granted.

In order to achieve this form, you must collect EVERY - LAST - CRYSTAL throughout the entire game, thus accessing The Good Ending. If you have failed to collect all the crystals, The Good Ending will be discarded and you will received A Bad Ending.

Getting those crystals... reminds me of Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards where you do the exact same thing, per level, in all worlds.

I first send this on Twitter, and The MoonBit Team liked it. I'm actually fond of that. Sure I made a few flaws of this picture, but now, it's too late to fix it.

[yzafre]

*vibrates wildly* look okay moonbrooke is the breaking point of this au it's where it all comes to bear and most of them have no idea that half the conflict is on a metaphysical level but SOME of them do

[cosmicseapop]

pov: you're the remnants of a dead god who's giving your mantle of power to the first person who shows up

this action will have consequences

[shiurkoma]

Take: chaotic evil Yehonatan, in which he knew David is meant to replace him and his father from the very start.

TLDR: Yehonatan is as, if not more likely to be the abuser in their relationship because it is plain unfair to overlook how humongous their power gap is, and he is abused enough to be at least a little unhinged in his noggins.

Warning: dead dove do not eat. Im going to entertain an idea where Yehonatan is definitely not a good person. If you have a problem with that, or have issue reading fictional underage abuse and emotional manipulation, please stop reading. Finally, nothing about this is meant to be serious interpretation of the original text, it's all plain headcanoning for fanfiction.

(For the record, i seriously do not consider David (even close to being) a morally good individual in any possible sense of the word. It doesn't make any of this ok tho)

Some fanfics i've seen paint the davinatan ship as a manipulative one, with david being the seducter that manipulates Yehonatan into simping for him, only to discard him after David achieved his goals. Even outside of fanfictions, i know of people who view Yehonatan as a tragic victim. While i appreciate David's more malicious side being acknowledged, and agree with it more than depicting them simply and benignly loving eachother(tho i appreciate that too), I can't help but think how both protrayal down plays just how utterly creepy yehonatan's part in the relationship is.

Like, Yehonatan, a middle aged man with wives and kids, went ahead and basically stripped in front of a teen the first night they met then gave him some really personal and valuable gifts. If thats not a red flag i don't know what is.

Yehonatan is someone you do not want to cross, maybe even more so than Saul.

It is easy to forget that, holding the title of eldest son and legal heir to the throne comes with immense pressure, responsibility and danger, and dealing with all that takes more than just a thick backbone. With a deranged father as king, people around him are constantly plotting to take the throne for themselves. All bets are off in the war for the throne, even if Yehonatan doesn't actually want to be king, his competitors (which includes but not limited to his entire family) wouldn't rest until he is dead. He isn't in a position where he can just back off: it isn't unheard of that princes and kings renounce their positions, retire, and end up getting assassinated or executed anyway. Because king or not, they are still legitimate heirs to the throne and therefore a potential threat.

Basically, Yehonatan lives in a situation where he simply cannot afford to show weakness or hesitation, not to his subordinates, not to his brothers, not to his father, not to anyone. What doesn't kill you makes you dangerous, and Yehonatan is deadly in that sense.

(But its not to say all that didn't take a toll on his mental wellbeing. Yehonatan has no business being mentally ok. He watched his father ascend to the throne, watched as Saul sunk further towards insanity, and had to endure his often psychotic abuse for years. I don't believe one bit that he isn't depressed and at least a little messed up, especially in a time where mental illnesses aren't even acknowledged yet.)

To sum it up, as a weathered crown prince, Yehonatan would logically be a person who is reasonably paranoid, moderately ruthless, extremely strong willed and more than competently intuitive about the motives and intentions of people around him.

David on the other hand (at the start of their relationship anyway) had no prior experience mingling with politics, no ties in the palace, was never regarded with importance by his father or brothers (meaning he had zero exposure and no one ever invested in him), young and inexperienced (meaning vulnerable to manipulation), stands no chance against Yehonatan if he were to play mind games on him.

David could pull an Esther on Yehonatan. But keep in mind Esther and a lot of other femme fatal spies in history had ties that helped pull strings from the outside, they are often not the master mind either. David had himself, and practically nothing else.

This is why Yehonatan helping him matters so much. Useing weak willed and easily manipulated individuals only works for you if you are already a powerful dictator. If you have absolutely nothing you need powerful allys.

The most straightforward option for dark Yehonatan is just to kick the creep element up ten notchs. David tries to seduce Yehonatan, then immediately realises he bit off more than he could chew: he is just too possessive to be controlled. Yehonatan in this scenario probably somewhat resembles that purple creep from Tokyo ghoul, entertaining while the shock value lasts, but after that it gets pretty shallow. I hate this approach tbh.

Or, him seeing David that day was Yehonatan's last straw(what i doodled basically). He stops giving a sh*t about everything, and thought since he is so "in love" he might as well groom and sodomize David. Its a petty way of getting back at God for making him fall for the boy, and for making his life miserable in general.

He uses his charms and presents himself as a saintly figure to appeal to David's more religious side, then proceeds to not only make sure that David is emotionally dependent on him(i won't elaborate how but its easier than you think), but also plans to make it so that if he dies it will f*ck David in the head. He enjoys this, because for once in his life he feels a "real" sense of control, albeit a twisted and perverted one.

(Maybe he will feel shame and regret eventually, but thats another talk for another day.)

I'll borrow my friend's comment to sum up the take: "a broken abused individual perpetuating a cycle of abuse to an ambitions sociopathic twink, each making the other worse just through being together." Another reason i prefer this version of dark Yehonatan is cuz it restores some agency Yehonatan desperate lacks.

Strayed quite far from his canon image with my shameless slandering but yeah that's about it. For now. Might explore David's pov in this later.

[petervintonjr]

Today we celebrate the life and accomplishments of the "Godfather of Voguing," Willi Ninja. Born in 1961 Queens, New York, Willi was raised by an encouraging and supportive mother, Esther Leake, who not only encouraged his passion for dance but --significantly-- supported his own self-identity. While not able to afford dance lessons, Leake nevertheless took her son to ballet shows and other performances at places like the Apollo Theater, and Willi embarked on a self-taught path to dance greatness.

Borrowing heavily from the Harlem ballroom scene (and its established role as a socially safe space for Black, Latino, and LGBTQ+ alike), Willi mastering the singular art of voguing, a unique form of dance that blended fashion poses with precise martial-arts movements. In 1982 Willi founded his own dance troupe, the House Of Ninja, which --in keeping with Harlem ballroom tradition-- also served as a community safety net. The "Ninja" moniker was inspired by Willi's own interest and study of various martial arts. Willi rapidly ascended to stardom, perfecting and reinventing his dance techniques. By the 1990's Willi had landed appearances in music videos (including two with Janet Jackson), films, talk shows, and international runway shows; drawing attention from pop icons like Madonna and fashion moguls like Jean-Paul Gaultier. One 1991 appearance on Joan Rivers' show caused considerable buzz as he encouraged audience members to "walk" as if participating at a drag ball.

On this very date (June 9) in 1990, Jennie Livingston's inspiring documentary Paris is Burning, which features appearances by Willi and the House of Ninja, was released at the NewFest New York LGBT Film Festival. The film exposed Willi and his signature choreography to a much wider audience. Shortly after the film's premiere, Willi starred in Anthem, a critically-acclaimed 9-minute video directed by Marlon Troy Riggs.

Willi never neglected his own community, though --his rising stardom offered him a megaphone to advocate for many issues important to the LGBTQ+ community, among them HIV/AIDS awareness and fighting to end the relentless social stigma that accompanied patients with the disease. Willi himself died of heart failure due AIDS complications, in 2006.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Esther Williams (Million Dollar Mermaid, Neptune's Daughter)— America's mermaid but more importantly my grandmother's favourite (even received a signed photo back from her). She was almost an Olympian and no one was hotter or more qualified in a bathing suit.

Keiko Awaji (Stray Dog, A Japanese Tragedy, When a Woman Ascends the Stairs)— Her role as Harumi— a dancer who lives with her mom and will go to incredible lengths for one nice dress— is so fucking killer. she more than holds her own against Toshiro Mifune, the incredible sense of dread and foreboding in their scenes has really stuck with me

This is round 2 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Esther Williams:

She was a famous swimmer and movie star. She looked so gorgeous with those curls and that smile!

A sense of humor is very attractive so I wanted to share Esther’s appearance on What’s My Line from 1955.

They don't make real movies anymore (ie movies where your leading lady water skis up a ramp attached to a helicopter):

Anyone who can swim with their eyes open, whilst smiling, and not looking a mess deserves to be adored the world over.

Keiko Awaji:

[babyseraphim]

working on a new oneshot about edwin and chronic pain. here's a little snippet (unedited currently, some stuff may be rewritten later):

“You said your body goes incorporeal on its own, right?” Crystal asked for the hundredth time, typing absent-mindedly on her computer. The dream journals and meditation notes had turned up very little useful information, so she had now resorted to consulting a number of suspicious looking New Age websites that claimed to hold various cures for all ills. They also claimed that every ‘enlightened’ human being on Earth had once originated from an ascended colony located within the Orion star system, so Edwin wasn’t exactly holding out hope for accurate results.

“Yes,” Edwin replied, also for the hundredth time. “At first it felt as though the pain caused by Esther’s machine never fully left, which I was content to deal with, but the acute headaches and my inability to remain corporeal have begun to interfere with our work.”

“Jesus, Edwin," Crystal scoffed. "You being in pain should have been enough of a reason to start looking into this. Your ability to solve cases isn’t the only thing that matters, your well being is also an important factor here.”

Edwin continued to flip through one of Crystal’s books on energy centers, refusing to look up. “I suppose we will have to agree to disagree on that matter.”

EDIT: here is chapter 1

[wynought]

since i haven't seen it being pointed out before

all of the first stoats' names essentially mean "light"

kiran is of sanskrit origin meaning "ray of light" (and, according to wikipedia, an explicitly unisex name), uri is a hebrew name meaning "my light", hester is a variant of the name esther (of biblical/jewish origin) which comes from the same old persian root as the word "star", and, while i didn't find any particularly reliable source, various babyname websites at least seem to agree that jomei is a japanese name meaning "spread light"

additionally, their names seem to correlate with their purpose/position in last bast:

jomei is the speaker, they are in charge of propaganda - quite literally spreading the belief system and worldview of the first stoats aka the Light. it feels like this name is extremely straightforward in its meaning, but i was also unable to find much else on it, so there may be some additional hidden truth that i'm missing so far.

hester is the silence (the one with the gas mask missing their lower jaw and tongue) and their sphere of influence is secrets. now, i'm no religious scholar, and i have all of my information from quite literally the introductory paragraphs of the wikipedia article on the name esther. however, it seems that queen esther only took this name after ascending to the throne of persia to hide her true identity. this is reflected in the hebrew root of the name esther translating into "hide"/"conceal". (i am unable to provide more info on this, but anybody with a working understanding of how hebrew works and/or with more insight on the book of esther, feel free to interject/correct/add on to this)

uri is our beloved stoat pope. apparently, the name uri comes from the verb for "to shine" (to either be or to give light) and the mark of possession, resulting in the first connotation i mentioned earlier - "my light". this possessive marker, however, can also be interpreted as the name Yah which would be an abbreviation of YHWH - a marker of the divine, if you will. Therefore, Uri can also mean "Yah is my light", a very fitting name for the stoat whose department we only see called "faith".

i was unable to find a deeper meaning behind kiran's name, although to me "beam of light" feels very much like a name befitting the first stoats' leader. considering the way they commanded the wolf of theseus, it also seems to reflect the way their magic/their brand of control worked (their line of sight was part of how they controlled the wolf, indicating that was a key part of either their magic or the conditioning inflicted on the wolf - i'm partial towards the latter, considering how the wolf reacted to tula after she healed it). if anybody has anything more concrete to offer, though, i am all ears!

anyways, the first stoats' names are really cool, and we as a fandom don't talk enough about them because they died so fast. huge props to aabria for this fun bit of world building!

(disclaimer: as mentioned above, i have no background in theology or judaism, nor do i have any deeper knowledge of sanskrit, hindi, and indian mythology/folklore, nor japanese, and japanese mythology which would give me a deeper understanding of these names. my information comes from google and while i did try my best to verify the claims, i am fallible and happen to currently be very tired, so please correct me, if i made any mistakes!)

[transdimensional-void]

jonsa inspired by “children of dune?”

thanks to the anon that messaged @esther-dot recently about parallels with the dune series, i’ve been thinking a lot about what grrm might have taken away from dune in terms of themes, reactions, plot points, and more.

i began thinking today about the end of the third book, children of dune, which rounds out what many think of as the dune trilogy. there are additional books in the series, but these are set far in the future, so children of dune can be seen as the end of the story of paul atreides which the first book began.

warning: spoilers for the entire dune series will follow, for anyone trying to avoid those!

plot summary

children of dune focuses on paul’s twin children, leto ii and ghanima atreides. when paul overthrows the imperial house corrino to become emperor himself, he marries the former emperor’s daughter, imperial princess irulan, to cement his rule. however, paul refuses to sleep with her, so at the end of his reign, his heirs are the children of his beloved concubine, the newborn twins leto and ghanima (side note: ghanima is actually the older twin).

because the twins are babies at the point when paul gives up his throne, his younger sister alia serves as regent for them. due to alia’s own tragic circumstances, she becomes an enemy to the young twins. so, the twins, who possess prescient powers similar to their father’s, plot to ensure their own safety and leto’s accession to the throne. at the age of nine, leto runs away and, while in hiding, undergoes a transformation that sees his body fuse with a mystical creature. he leaves behind his sister, ghanima, who is vulnerable to use as a pawn in others’ plots to take the throne.

eventually, leto re-emerges, having gained new skills and resolve during his time in hiding, overthrows his tyrannical aunt, and marries his sister ghanima to prevent her being used as a pawn to challenge his claim to the throne. however, the transformation leto underwent rendered him incapable of fathering children, so while he is married to ghanima, he has no intention of consummating the marriage. instead, he makes an agreement with farad’n corrino, a member of the former ruling dynasty which leto’s father had overthrown, to become ghanima’s concubine and father the future atreides line.

farad’n’s mother, a princess of house corrino, had been attempting to murder leto and ghanima to restore her own house to throne. farad’n grows disgusted with his mother’s attempts to gain the throne, leading him to join with the atreides. the agreement between leto, ghanima, and farad’n allows the atreides and corrino lines to merge their claims, thus resolving the conflict over the throne. 

the story is, of course, more complex than that. it is especially important to note that leto and ghanima are hesitant to take the throne initially because they have foreseen the great personal sacrifice it will require. leto ultimately makes a sacrifice of his own personal happiness and personhood to ascend to the throne, not because he desires power or wishes to carry on his family’s legacy but because he and ghanima have foreseen a terrible threat to humankind in the future and have a plan to use the power of the throne to guide humanity to safety.

parallels

as i considered this story, the parallels to the tv show ending of king of westeros bran/queen in the north sansa began to jump out at me.

like leto, bran goes missing at a young age and during that time undergoes mystical training and a physical transformation that involves fusing with a magical creature, the weirwood tree. he eventually re-emerges, changed forever, and takes the throne. while the tv show didn’t do much with bran’s powers, the books have strong hints that they are in some way tied to one of the greatest threats to humankind, the others. (another side note: i tend to see more parallels between leto ii’s “golden path” and the targaryens’ “prince that was promised” prophecy than what’s going on with bran, especially in terms of how leto feels that mass levels of human suffering are the price he has to pay to ensure humanity’s survival. but of course grrm isn’t going to copy another story beat for beat but instead will grab the parts that resonate with him and use them to tell the story he wants to tell.)

however, bran cannot have children of his own. the tv show claims that this makes him a better candidate for the throne (???), but of course in the books it will likely be seen as a disadvantage because of the lack of a clear succession. if king bran does end up needing to designate an heir, the most likely candidate would be a descendant of his eldest living sibling: his sister, sansa.

sansa, like ghanima, starts out under threat from a tyrannical regent (multiple ones actually: cersei, tywin, lysa, littlefinger) but becomes a ruler alongside her brother at the end of the tv show. bran and sansa of course do not marry, but they are co-rulers of the continent of westeros. and, just like ghanima, sansa is bran’s only real option for an heir from his own family (arya theoretically could marry and have children, but if she’s not even in westeros at the end of the story like in the tv show, that won’t do him a lot of good)--and if bran and sansa don’t plan carefully for sansa’s future marriage and the succession of both crowns, the next generation could see the continent break out into war again.

so, much like in the case of leto and ghanima, bran has a vested interest in ensuring sansa marries someone who won’t be a threat to either of their claims.

and, you know, just like in the case of farad’n corrino, a surviving member of the dynasty bran and sansa’s father helped to overthrow could prove to be a major threat to the stability of bran’s rule. so, say, if there happened to be a targaryen still hanging around westeros somewhere at the end of the story, wouldn’t bran have a strong interest in ensuring that that person’s descendants didn’t become a threat to his rule? (especially if said targaryen had a female relative who was a princess of the former ruling house who threatened the lives of bran and/or sansa while trying to take the throne back for her own dynasty...)

just spitballing here, but if there were a male targaryen still in westeros, and sansa’s children are going to be bran’s heirs anyway, then marrying sansa to said targaryen would actually be a smart method for smoothing the way for sansa’s child to accede to the iron throne. her children would have a claim through both their mother (as the current king’s sister) and their father (as a member of the previous dynasty).

conclusions

we don’t know for sure whether grrm was influenced by the dune series, but there are some striking parallels between the journey leto ii undergoes and bran’s own journey. it is very possible grrm wrote bran in response to the character of leto ii.

there are also some interesting parallels in the struggle for the throne which children of dune sets up and the resolution of said struggle, at least in terms of the tv series’s ending. the extremely critical question of succession which the tv show so carelessly glossed over in its ending is at the heart of the resolution that frank herbert wrote for children.

that resolution involves: 

1.) a boy with superhuman powers choosing to take the throne after gaining resolve through a mystical transformation

2.) sibling marriage to protect a woman’s claim from being usurped

3.) siblings as co-rulers 

4.)  the monarch designating his sister’s children as his heirs because he can’t have children of his own 

5.) marriage between a man of the former dynasty and a woman of the current one to resolve a dispute over the throne and hopefully belay future ones

6.) a man agreeing that his children will bear their mother’s family name rather than his own

we don’t have absolute confirmation that grrm plans to make bran king of westeros, but there is some evidence that this is one of the plot points he shared with the showrunners. the question of grrm’s interest in or influence from dune aside, the example provided by children of dune’s leto/ghanima/farad’n trio shows that if bran becomes king of westeros (and sansa and jon both live to the end of the series), a sansa/jon pairing is almost guaranteed to be the best way to secure the succession.

(and if jonsa was originally meant to be part of the story but was scrapped in later seasons, that could explain why the question of succession post-bran was addressed so sloppily by the tv show...)

Edit: now with a part 2

[dcfanficsgallore]

Didn't Plan for This: Chapter 4

Wonder Woman x Fem!Demigod!Reader

No Warnings I think? Reader being anxious

3.5k words

Chapter 3

Masterlist

Summary: What WILL you do next?

A/N: I'm sorry, this wasn't supposed to take so much time to complete, or have as many words. Hope you enjoy it more than the Depression one I made a while back

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What came next was showers, movies, shows and now it’s monday again. The news, during the weekend, didn’t seem to know that I was involved, they only talked about the heroes and only showed footage of far away Earthlings and only really focused on the giant monster and the city’s efforts to fix Intergang’s destruction. Which would’ve been much worse if the monster had made it to the city. And I think it’s good they didn’t mention me, I don’t know if I could handle it if my face was that public, me and Ana probably would have to move faster than we already were… 

Monday came and we only had to be at work as a formality as our boss had promoted us to go to a new branch of the company in Metropolis, something about it being in need of the best in-house security and trainers. All being paid by LexCorp, Ana was chosen to be the manager and teach all the newbies on how to keep the company running and I was chosen so that I could “Give the security your magic touch” my boss’s words not mine. It also helped that we were best friends so they didn’t have to pay for more than one apartment. But I’m getting ahead of myself. 

Monday came and I was happy to wake up and see a message from Diana saying: “Good Morning Y/N. I wanted to update you and say that the two criminals you took out are on their way to the Belle Reve Super-Prison, I hope you have an amazing day.”

I giggled at her very formal message as I always do and responded accordingly: “Sounds like our next date is going to be a lot slower. 😌”

After a little back and forth, I heard Ana banging on my room’s door.

- Y/N get up! We gotta go right now!

- Don’t worry I’m up. I’ll be right out - I said before putting on my shoes, quickly fixing my hair, and going out

- Finally, I thought you finally became a creature of the night and went off to be one with the owls. - She smirked

- Trust me. You’ll know when I’ve ascended. - I lightly elbowed her on the stomach. - Now let’s go, we’re late, I’ll buy you something on the way

- Now you’re talking! - She sprinted towards the door.

After we got some breakfast, we eventually got to the building we worked at. It really didn’t look like it was on the precipice of crumbling in on itself a week ago.

As soon as we got inside we were greeted by some men in suits holding briefcases, Ana’s replacement that was behind the secretary’s table talking to these men, they were facing away from us as the table is facing the front door so the new secretary, Esther I think was her name, saw us first and looked relieved.

- There you are! - she said to both of us, ushering me and my friend to come closer - These gentlemen say they are with LexCorp and need to talk to the new hires for the Metropolis building.

The two men in suits turned around to look at us and I don't know what it was but something told me not to trust them. So I linked my arm with Ana’s so she’d be next closer to me.

One had a goatee and was bald with an air of doing this job for far too long, with the bags under his eyes and the permanent scowl on his face, definitely didn’t look like the type to be a lawyer. I would know, I met a few while on the job (you’d be surprised how much bureaucracy it took to get those slides installed).

The other gentleman looked younger, clean shaven and hair combed back. He had small circular glasses, he actually did look like the type to be a desk lawyer. Going over contracts. Not the type to be outside the office. He held onto his briefcase with more force than his colleague who was more relaxed.

- You must be Ms. Y/L/N and Ms. Blönd - The older man said - I am Vince and this is my partner Isaac. As the secretary already said, we’re with LexCorp - He shook both mine and Ana’s hands before handing me his card. It looked right, but I’ve been in this job for far too long so I looked back to him and said:

- Do you have any official documents Mr..?

- LeBlanc and his is Grey. And yes we do. - he handed me his official credentials, it looked legitimate, and he IS a lawyer, one with a soldier-like stance but maybe he was in the army. - We wanted to talk to you two and your boss for some final document signing and relieve you from this station. - That’s a weird way to put it…

- Well then, shall we? - I said motioning to the elevators.

Getting to my boss’s office I relaxed a little, his attitude is familiar and that makes me calm. He took the reins in the dialogue clearly having done this before, the lawyers kept throwing legal jargon at him, perhaps testing him though I wouldn’t know the reason why someone would test a person they already made a deal with. Nevertheless he never looked confused or lost. 

Throughout the whole thing my mind just kept wondering back to Diana and the offer Batman made, being a Superhero… That was always my dream as a kid! And to a hero that stands beside the Justice League? Earth’s protectors. I mean, it wasn’t a year ago when they made others official leaguers, but those were superheroes with reputations, heroes like: The Atom, Captain Marvel, Dr. Fate and Black Canary have saved the country at least once on their own. I’ve only saved one building and maybe the city if you squint, but even that was a group effort… I don’t know if there’s an angle that they’re playing but that’s for me to find out. So maybe their angle is- Wait shit Mr. Whatshisname asked me a question.

- I’m sorry, could you repeat that? - I said giving him a small smile, he sighed and said.

- I asked when can you and your friend get ready to go to Metropolis. - Vince, I remembered, scratched his goatee in a nervous tick I noticed.

- Oh, umm… - I looked at Ana who shrugged, we didn’t have much in terms of really important stuff, we didn’t even have a TV. We just watch movies on our laptops. - Tonight I guess. In terms of ‘how soon can we get packed to leave’ not move out of our apartament I’m assuming. We still need our beds and stuff.

- You assumed correct Ms. Y/L/N. Though the place LexCorp is providing is already furnished with all the basic necessities, beds, fridge and other appliances are included on the contract. We’ll be sending a car tonight to your apartment and it’ll take you two to Metropolis; dropping you off at your new place. - The smaller man, Isaac, said while looking over the contract. - So you two should get packed as soon as you can and we’ll move all your other possessions… - He took a little book out of his briefcase. When he opened it I noticed a little silver box inside, too big to be a ring box but small enough to not pay attention to itself. - Next week works for you? - That was a rhetorical question of course, we now “work” for them.

- It does, yes. - Ana responded, noticing my look of “I'm gonna say something that will upset them” I gave her. Electing to speak for the both of us so I didn’t make a snarky comment.

- Then all that is left is the signing of the documents - Isaac said, motioning to Vince. 

The larger man took out a folder from his briefcase and laid it on my boss’s table, we all read it, approved it and signed. After shaking both Mr. LeBlanc’s and Mr. Grey’s hands, the former having a firmer grip than the other, they left and Mr. Vamp, my boss, released a huge sigh.

- I’m so glad that went so well. - he said to us. - We have a lot riding on this deal, so you two better not disappoint me. Especially you Ana, You’ll technically be the boss over there. You’ll answer to me and your supervisor, but they won’t be there everyday. - He looked at his copy of the contract - Yeah, your superior will only be there three days a week, the rest is all you.

- I know sir, I won’t let you down. You know that I can do this, being a secretary kept me sharp and up-to-date on everyone and everything. So I know how to manage myself and others. - she said - And of course I won’t be alone. - I nodded and put a hand on her shoulder - Y/N/N here should be good as a fallguy! - I slapped her arm and that made Mr. Vamp laugh.

- Gee thanks, it's not like I’m in charge of your office’s lock and key! - I retorted - But yes sir you can count on us.

- Glad we talked, it’s not going to be the same without you guys around here - he said with a sad smile - I hope this deal goes well and you two become our most successful filiate. Now… - He checked his watch - If you want to be all packed for your move tomorrow you should go now.

We made our way to the ground floor and just as we were about to leave we made a quick stop at the receptionist's desk to talk a bit with Esther.

- Yeah they were weird weren’t they? - Esther said when asked about the two lawyers who came to close the deal. - I felt as if they were hiding something. But also they asked a few weird questions, specifically about you Y/N.

- Me? Why would they- - Maybe they knew? They couldn’t. Could they? - What kind of questions?

- If you were talkative, when were you hired, if you ever did anything “out of the ordinary” - She did air quotes, those questions are unrelated but also not. I’d need more time with this to think - I just said “Well everything she does is weird” but that didn’t get a reaction - She giggled, I chuckled.

- Well, thanks for everything Esther. Good luck with keeping this place in one piece without us - I said, turning to leave

- Yeah, it's gonna be really boring without your two favorite people - Ana added moving to my side as we left.

- Oh please, don’t flatter yourselves. - she said, walking us to the door before pulling it open for us. - Good luck… I mean, with not driving the other building into the ground. - She smiled softly as we pulled her into a hug.

Getting back to our place, me and Ana started packing. When I finished before her I decided to try and call Diana and tell her the good news. I sat on my bed and called. After a couple rings I was surprised when she actually picked up, I assumed she would be busy doing more important things.

- Y/N? - she asked, it was so good to hear her voice again. she sounded a little exasperated like she’d just stopped running.

- Diana? Hi, yes it’s me, can you talk? - I asked, not wanting to catch her, in the middle of an important thing.

- Yes I can, what did you need? Are you okay? - She asked, it was sweet how much she cared. It made me feel warm inside.

- Yes I’m okay, I just have some big news that I wanted to share.

- Oh? What is it?

- My job is moving me to Metropolis so I can be that place’s new Chief of Security! - I squealed into the phone. I hadn’t actually said out loud yet to anyone but that moment made me realize how it was that it was happening to me. - I think they might send a limo to pick us up. - I said quietly to myself

- Oh Y/N that’s wonderful! Do you know when you’re starting? - She genuinely asked, trying to engage which made me very happy.

- Tomorrow me and Ana are going to go to the building to get acquainted with the place, so I’d say wednesday! I’m guessing tonight me and her will be moved. - I answered, while looking for my planner book to see if I was remembering things correctly. And I was!

- Sounds like you have a full week ahead of you. I also have some news! - She said in an excited manner which made me excited for her, how does she do that to me?

- Oh? And what kind of news is big news for The Wonder Woman - I teased a little, earning a chuckle out of her.

- Well… I just got a job as Security Personal for a big company! I mean, Diana Prince got a job. Wonder Woman already has a job… - She rambled, making me chuckle.

- Your secret identity didn’t have a job before? 

- I did, it just wasn’t very good. They kept putting me on boring desk jobs and never gave me actual assignments. This new job might be better… At least, the pay and benefits are. - She giggled - And it’s also in Metropolis! So that’s also a big plus! - She finished and I could hear her smile through the phone

- That’s amazing Diana! And where are you going to work?

- A big company that makes electronics, Gradeck Inc! - She said, and I audibly gasped - Y/N? What’s wrong?

- Nothing's wrong! - I quickly said - It’s just. Well, that’s where I’m gonna be working! - She also gasped.

- By the gods! We’re going to be co-workers? I am honored! - That comment made me blush and I was glad she couldn’t see me.

- I’m the one who’s honored! My co-worker is Wonder-Woman! They might as well get rid of me. That place can’t get any safer! - I joked.

- Hey, you are still important, they got you in the chief’s chair for a reason and I can only think of good ones. - If I wasn’t a blushing mess before… 

- Thank you Diana, that means a lot to me. - We stayed in silence for a second before I gave in to the little voice inside my head and said - Diana. Are you free this weekend? So we can celebrate? - I added so it didn’t seem like a “formal” date and maybe she didn’t feel pressured into a date and more like a hang-out. She shouldn’t feel like she needs to go on a date but maybe the pressure is already on her and she doesn’t like it? Maybe she’s gonna say no and be don-

- I would like to go on a date with you, yes. - she said, snapping me out of my anxiety induced thoughts. I released a big sigh of relief.

- That’s good! That’s great! Yes, I’m so excited! - I started to ramble, she just listened and told me she was very excited as well.

We decided on a place and time, opting to have a “regular” date, figuring the last one had plenty of excitement already.

As we were talking about nothing in particular, I heard the buzzer in my apartment ring.

- Oh. Diana, I got to go! I think the car is here. 

- Okay! We’ll talk more tomorrow then. Have a good night Κούκλα - she said, I didn’t really know Greek, just bits and pieces. But it made me feel warm inside so I assumed it was something cute.

- You too Di, have a good night as well! - I said before hanging up with a big grin on my face. 

I grabbed my bags and answered the buzzer. The doorman said that, indeed, it was a car from LexCorp. I asked him to tell the car to wait a second and that we were on our way. I knocked on Ana’s bedroom door and said:

- Ana! Come on! The car is already here.

- Hang on, I’m just… Closing… my… - she was clearly struggling with something. I let myself in and saw my best friend on top of a travel bag trying really hard to close it. - Bag…

- Let me help.

- No, I got it!

- What you’re going to get is a hernia! Let me help! - I chuckled when she pouted but got off from the top of the bag. With a little demigod enhanced strength, I was able to push it down while Ana zipped it closed. - See, that wasn’t so hard. - I smirked.

- I thought your mom was the goddess of nerds, not jocks… - She thanked me in her way. - But since, you’re so strong. You can carry it! - She grabbed our backpacks and purses, leaving me to carry the heavy stuff.

- Your way of saying ‘thank you’ touches me everytime. - I grumbled while we got in the elevator. She laughed.

- Yeah, thanks. Now, tell me about that phone call. - She turned to me with expectation written on her face.

- Nothing to tell… Yet - I kept Diana’s new job a secret as I thought seeing Ana’s reaction would be too funny to miss

- Oh come on! - She complained but she knew I wasn’t talking so she switched subjects - Are you gonna take the Bat’s offer?

- I… Don’t know. - I said as we got out of the elevator - I mean, being a hero would be sooo cool and I’ve dreamed of making a real difference for years!

- But..?

- But the Central Park fight was so scary I had no idea what to do. I was lucky the big guy was a push-over. And, being a public hero would be so much more pressure.

- You’d have a team.

- Of Superpowered and extraordinary people, I’m just kinda smart.

- And the smart one of that team asked you to join, he must see potential in you. - She argued back.

I thought about it in silence as we got into the car that LexCorp sent to drive us to our new place. It looked like a regular car not the limo I somehow convinced myself it was going to be.

Ana’s response made sense, but remembering how Batman acted at the beginning and at the I can’t help but feel he has an angle. I can’t figure out the angle right out now, but if I was working with him I could probably get more info.

- I’ll do it. - I said to Ana that was sitting next to me in the backseat. 

- I knew you would - She seemed pleased with herself.

- Not because of you, though you were a great help.

- Is it because of- - she started to say Diana’s name but I cut her off.

- Not her! - I said quickly, earning an eyebrow raise from my best friend - Well… Not necessarily because of her, though I admit she’s a pretty big reason as to why I’m saying yes.

- Then why? - She asked. I eyed the driver in front of us, call me paranoid but I wasn’t about to say I got an offer from the Justice League to become a hero within earshot of him.

I shook my head and mouthed a “not now” to her, she nodded, understanding and switching topics immediately.

We kept chatting about nothing in particular until we got to Metropolis. I stopped talking and just admired the architecture, seeing it on TV it always seemed way too futuristic but seeing it from the ground floor it looked just right with all the stores and high-end cars they had. All the buildings aligned with each other perfectly, the structural base of each one a puzzle piece that fit together. Even the park we passed looked mathematically perfect. Safe to say my mouth was hanging wide open.

I didn’t even notice when we arrived at my and Ana's new place, the driver simply said we had arrived and very quickly got out of the car to grab our bags in the trunk. Depositing them in front of us, handing me a key, saying his goodbye and leaving us in front of a very pretty building and no other direction.

- I guess that’s metropolian courtesy for us - Ana said making me chuckle

I gave Ana the keys, grabbed our bags, her carrying our backpacks and we stepped into the building. It was pretty late at night so it wasn’t surprising we didn’t see our neighbors on our way up. 

As soon as we got to our floor and got into the new apartament, Ana barely gave me time to close the door before demanding to know my reasoning for accepting the offer.

After explaining my train of thought she hummed before saying

- You’re gonna try and spy on The Batman?

- It sounds stupid when put it like that. I’m just going to make sure his ulterior motives for bringing me on are justified. Not spying, just gathering more information once I’m there.

- And why do you think there’s an ulterior motive?

- Because why else would he bring on? - I said plainly, not giving a chance to respond before going to my room and starting to unpack.

When I finished organizing my books and putting a clean bed sheet on the bare mattress that came with the place I looked at the time and saw it was only eleven, I decided to take the plunge and call the number Batman gave me.

Ring once, Ring twice

- Name and answer - a robotic but gentle voice said.

- Y/N Y/L/N. I accept.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5

A/N: How's that for foreshadowing? Anyway, after this I'm gonna start a new series to run side by side with this. And I'm hoping I won't die from exhaustion, but I probably won't I have a plan for this next one AND for the next few parts for this one. lmk what do you think Y/N's Hero-Name is going to be?

[viewfromgumlog]

Blog 2: Chinese Medicine, Its Complexity, and Me

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

Albert Einstein

A view from our front porch:

Trying to change my perspective and eating patterns to follow Traditional Chinese medicine’s (TCM's) recommendations has proven to be difficult. I consulted several sources. When I got down to specifics, like what to specifically eat or not eat, not all the sources agreed.

My husband hates change. He eats differently than I do already, but I do the shopping and cook our main meal. However, he always cautions me about making too many changes too quickly. After being married almost 36 years, he does know me fairly well! So . . .

Easy Does It

and

Keep It Simple

Chinese Medicine Simplified

Chinese medicine’s complexity far exceeds the limitations of this blog, but I will try and provide a simplified overview of it.

From the perspective of Chinese medicine, everything is interdependent and comes from the flow of qi, or energy. To be healthy, we must keep a dynamic state of balance in our bodies, living in harmony with ourselves, others, and all of nature. 

The familiar tajii, or Yang/Yin symbol, illustrates this dynamic balance. Yang energy, the white area, motivates, energizes, and embodies qi. Yin energy, the black area, cools, moistens, nourishes, and anchors our shen, or spirit. These intertwined energies are found in every living thing.

Food is medicine.

Food is not just something with calories, vitamins, minerals, protein, carbs, and fat content. Every food has a thermal energy, the qi of food, that affects our internal balance of yin and yang. All food is categorized according to its thermal energy which can range from cold to hot. Warming foods have a yang action while cooling foods are yin acting. Yang foods cause ascending energy while Yin foods cause descending energy.

Chinese medicine also considers a food’s flavor as therapeutic. Sweet and pungent foods have a yang action. Salty, sour, and bitter foods bring about yin energy. Foods can be drying, lubricating, neutral, or strengthening. 

Learning More About TCM and Foods

I consulted three books about food and TCM.

The first book I consulted was Total Health the Chinese Way: An Essential Guide to Eating by Esther Tin and Marian Jas. She has a nice table of foods organized by their thermal properties and another table matching the thermal properties to symptoms. Its simplicity makes it handy to look at when menu planning and grocery shopping. They also have included a questionnaire to determine your body temperature and energy level. I was somewhat confused by my results since I have symptoms in several areas. (More on this in my next blog.) In my opinion, this book ranks the highest for ease of understanding.

For extensive descriptions of foods and their properties and much more information on TCM, Paul Pitchford has written over 600 pages of information. I ended up using the index to figure out what would work for me since reading everything was overwhelming. If I want to know the properties of a food and what it is recommended for, this book tops all others. The PINES library system has this book, but after reading parts of it, I ordered a copy for myself. This books does not use the motto, "Easy Does It," but it did help me clarify the direction I need to take to heal my infirmities. I checked out my conclusion with my acupuncturist at my first visit. She confirmed that my conclusion was right.

Goldsmith and Klein also write about TCM so anyone can understand it. I bought the book for the recipes but she uses many Chinese ingredients that are not available in rural northeast Georgia. Plus, her recipes are somewhat complicated. I use the motto "Keep it simple" in the kitchen!

To find out how I applied this to my health challenges, be sure and read my next blog.

Book References with links to them on Amazon:

Goldsmith, Ellen and Maya Klein. Nutritional Healing with Chinese Medicine.  Robert Rose, 2017.

Pitchford, Paul. Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition. North Atlantic Books, 2002.

Ting, Esther and Marianne Jas. Total Health the Chinese Way: An Essential Guide to Easing Pain, Reducing Stress, Treating Illness, and Restoring the Body through. DaCapo Lifelong Books, 2009.

[dakotaawolven]

Elena takes a deep breath as she ascends the staircase in the Mikaelson mansion. In another life, she memorized each and every inch of the house, and she is somewhat relieved to find that it appears to be exactly the same in this one, despite other changes to this universe. The noise of the party fades as she ventures deeper into the mansion, knowing which way to turn and what door waits at the end of the hall. Her heart beats wildly in her chest, and she's surprised that she does not even run into Finn, who escorted her last time. 

When she reaches the door, she swallows thickly and takes a moment to mentally prepare for what is to come. She has a vague plan for how she wants to handle Esther, but with all the strange differences in this life, Elena can only hope that her plan will still work. Persephone’s reassurance that Esther can't escape the pomegranate branches she has in her bodice helps steady her. 

— Chapter 6 of Orpheus

[cancerian-woman]

I have the same issue with Caroline it's not that I hate her character I hate how her character was used as a bonnie plot block she always was used as a excuse to not have bonnie in plots or a romance because they was putting her in the middle to a point bonnie didn't exist anymore even in the plots heavy centered around bonnie the Bennetts or witches it gets old how the Fandom hates on people pointing out the obvious about Caroline character even Elena got sideblocked by Caroline at times the last season Elena was on Caroline had more emotional storyline with her mom dying and her humanity switch turned off then Elena got because they was more worried about setting up Caroline as the main then giving Elena a proper send off and they Unintentionally set up bonnie to take over Elena place by putting her asleep as long as bonnie alive so why is Caroline the main writing in a diary she's going to see Elena again so why is she writing in a diary over bonnie

you spoke real👆🏽this is so long I’m sorry but lmao.

I know I can’t find my post right now but I said it before TVD functions in way so viewers can support in full Caroline due to her “growth” but not give the same to Bonnie(magical negro),& Elena (neglecting everyone around her that isn’t Damon..) but Caroline is “perfect” next to them.

Caroline becomes a better friend filling up spaces Elena was in. The Bennett’s were being leeched off of by Esther yet Bonnie is pushed far away from the Mikaelson essential plots. Mikaelson Ball for Bonnie where? New friend in Rebekah maybe? Bonnie x Mikaelson ship? Nah

Gemini coven and plots were around the Bennett’s at first. Sheila sending a Bonnie to the prison world/helping create them Bonnie wanting to mentor Liv, the prison world with Kai. Right up until Caroline’s pregnancy with the twins which btw just because Candice was pregnant doesn’t mean Caroline needed to be. Caroline becomes their mother and Bonnie is just “Aunt Bonnie”. Legacies lets the twins mention Bonnie just to use her blood for the ascendant or other things. Just nasty lol.

On top of being include in the originals final season. Hayley and Hope is missing and KC is just reminiscing around town?? Marcel’s goodbye to Klaus? Julie’s writing I tell ya.

Caroline is used to call out Elena (not talking about DE) anytime Caroline has an issue with how Elena’s acting she makes it known. Elena never does the same to Caroline at all or judged her. Caroline had sex with Klaus and Elena never gave her any flack. Elena tried to offer emotional support to Caroline then entire fandom said she made it about herself lol. Julie utilized Caroline as a self-insert to the fullest. How did Caroline go from “never being the one” to being desired by many, the best friend in the world and the “star?”

If we’re honest in my last point in this long ass rant I’m sorry lol. The only time Caroline is mistreated is when Damon raped her & the series didn’t acknowledge that. Before anybody jumps down my throat if you see it indifferently that’s cool! I’m NOT arguing with you on it. TVD never acknowledging makes the rules of consent very different for some people lol. Everyone looks bad for befriending Caroline’s abuser. Overall she got plenty of things. The only thing people complain about is that she didn’t run away to NOLA and be some vampire queen for Klaus and Hope’s mother.

[the-penguinspy]

Ava x Lilith 😘

thanks for the prompt, esther :) tysm for including the screenshot too, it was impossible to write seriously while looking at the sims option. blasted my focus to bits

--

A quick tug in her belly and then she’s inside the office, muscles tense and body stock-still as her eyes rove around the dark room. Her gaze flicks to the security cameras interspersed along the edges of the ceiling, taking in the lack of blinking red lights – there won’t be any prying eyes on them.

“All clear. Cameras dark, no hostiles. Cam, time please?”

A crackle of the comms, then: “Five minutes, forty-three seconds.” 

“Copy. Thanks, Cam.”

A beat, two. A tell-tale hum at the base of her head, and Ava phases through the ceiling and lands in a crouch beside her. She straightens with a small hop and brushes the imaginary dust off of her shoulders. Ava’s decked out from head to toe in form-fitting dark leather armour, cruciform sword strapped to her back, face set in grim determination, and she’d cut quite the imposing figure of Warrior Nun if she didn’t insist on wearing that ridiculous baseball cap at every opportunity.

Ava looks over to her and smirks, tipping the frayed bill of her cap towards Lilith while giving her a shameless once-over. “Now, what’s a place like you doing in a girl like this?”

Lilith glares. “I’m on a stealth intel-retrieval mission. You are too.”

Ava chuckles, undeterred by Lilith’s sour expression. “Yes, I know.” It only takes her two small steps before they’re chest-to-chest, bodies flush against each other, and the burst of warmth that travels up Lilith’s spine makes her want to spread her wings out to better dissipate the heat. 

“We don’t have a lot of time, just put it in already.”

“That’s what she said.”

“Must you test the limits of my patience in each and every mission?” Lilith hisses.

“Relax,” Ava murmurs, “We’ve got plenty of time.” Her voice drops low to keep the illusion of quiet. Their gazes stay locked as Ava brings a hand to the side pocket of her vest, the growl of the zipper deafening in the silence of the room. 

She retrieves the USB stick and brings it up until it’s within Lilith’s line of sight, and she waggles her eyebrows for good measure before turning away to insert it into the laptop with a soft click. “Okay! Cam, you’re up.” Lilith exhales, slow and even. Focus.

“Copying files now; this shouldn’t take more than three minutes. I’ll let you know when you can remove the disk.”

“Roger that.” The progress bar pops up, percentage increasing at a merry rate. 

The frantic clicking of keys on the other end of the line turns into background lull, the sound familiar and comforting after a dozen missions. They’re on standby until Camila gives them the go-ahead to remove the hard-disk before she installs the virus to infect the local server. Ava’s already drifted off to inspect the various knick-knacks that line the office walls, and when she spots Lilith looking, she grins and jerks her thumb to the item hung behind her. 

Lilith stalks over to inspect the giant shark’s head mounted on the wall, her lip curling at the smooth, polished sheen of its skin. Weird, but definitely not the strangest office decor she’s ever encountered. 

The sudden whir of the elevator’s motors catches Lilith’s attention, her keen ears picking up the accompanying thuds of heavy boots, both ascending to their level. So much for a quiet mission. Her wings spread out and her claws unsheathe in tandem. “Aves, we’ve got company. Cam, status?”

“Just a bit more! Can you hold them off for the time being? There seems to be–” 

Static crackles for a second before the line shuts off completely. “Cam? Camila! Do you copy?”

No answer. “Damn.” Lilith glances over to Ava to find her already looking back, fingers tapping against her own earpiece and shaking her head. The march of combat boots on linoleum is getting louder, loud enough that even Ava can hear it, and she chances a look at the double doors before grabbing the laptop and shoving it into the open space beneath the desk, none too gently. Lilith winces at the dull thud it makes against the hardwood floor before she ducks underneath to hide, both of them barely managing to cower behind the desk. Ava’s elbow knocks into her ribs. One of her wings is caught between her body and the desk; it’s already starting to cramp. 

Ava’s kneeled in front of the laptop, back hunched and eyes squinting at the screen. “Uh, okay – I see the cursor moving around, and the progress bar’s at eighty-five – no, eighty-six percent now, so Cam’s still on it.”

Lilith growls. They’ll manage to have the files copied in time, but not fast enough to make a clean exit before they’re stormed. A fight it is, and Ava seems to have come to the same conclusion as she fidgets with the scabbard of her sword, with the chape of it. Impatience itches under her skin, and Lilith peeks over the edge of the desk, notes the lack of doors aside from the singular set that’s in front of the room – one entrance, one exit. 

A stairwell door bangs open somewhere on their floor and someone barks out a command, and suddenly she feels Ava’s hand cup around the nape of her neck, feels their mouths meet as she gives Lilith a quick but bruising kiss. Ava pulls away but stays close, ‘see you on the flip side’ murmured against her lips. 

Lilith grabs her hand before she can get too far. “Ava, wait.” The shouts get louder, boots thundering down the corridor towards their room. Ava’s forearms tenses in her grip, ready to bolt into action, but she heeds the request and arches an eyebrow; the plan’s already laid out, and Lilith’s never been one to stall. This isn’t the first discreet mission where they’ll have to go loud, either, and it certainly won’t be the last.

Lilith bites her lip and hesitates, the tempo of her heartbeat matching the rapid footsteps outside. Will she, won’t she, why won’t she – oh, fuck it. “Be careful.” 

Ava shoots her a grin, cocky and confident and so infuriatingly hot. “Always am.” 

“You literally got stabbed last time–”

“I love you too.” Lilith scoffs, but she curls the edge of a wing around Ava’s shoulder before she retracts it; nothing more than a light brush, a mere suggestion of something, but Ava’s smile softens. The backs of her fingers stroke gently against the inside of Lilith’s wing, and Lilith swallows; it’s too slow, too tender for a moment such as this, a moment that would very much be stained quick with the flash of steel and blood.

They’re interrupted by a cheerful ding! from the computer, and Ava gives a quiet whoop in celebration at the fully green progress bar. She tugs the thumb-drive out and tosses it up, snatching it out of the air and placing it securely in her pocket, right as the heavy oak doors blast open. Flashlights from guns sweep back and forth as they go searching, searching; the beams don’t find them, not yet. The Director’s office is luxurious in its square footage, but there’s only so much area to cover, only so much time before they’re found. 

Ava adjusts her cap so that it’s bill-backwards before she unsheathes her sword in one smooth, practiced motion. The blue glow of it plays across the contours of her face; it coaxes the shadows to settle above the arches of her brows, between the seam of full lips, behind the firm architecture of her nose. Her cheekbones cut sharp, her teeth glint with hunger, and Lilith thinks she’s never more beautiful than in moments like these – seconds away from a fight, where Lilith can almost taste the energy and anticipation radiating off of Ava’s skin, the thrum of it sharp and sweet in the air. 

She licks her lips. “Exfil?”

Ava looks over as she crouches in place, ready. She looks excited. She looks good. “We’ll make our own way out, Lil, you and me. Now, let’s show these guys exactly who they’re messing with.”

[albertfinch]

FREEDOM FROM THE PAST

We are entering a new season of a fresh start! We are in a divinely appointed time of refreshing and restoring:

"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame" (Joel 2:25-26).

This is a new day in which you may boldly declare, "Old things have passed away!" (see Isaiah 48:6-7).

GOD FORGETS YOUR PAST

Through our repentance, God always makes a way to free us from our past. We take this encouragement to heart -- not letting our past failures keep us from experiencing our future victories!

We remember this vital promise:

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2 KJV).

The Lord has already lavished us with abundant, extravagant forgiveness and grace to empower us to leave behind:

every single past sin and failure, which includes -- the days of regret,

doubt and fear,

the many missed opportunities and failed relationships,

the seasons of backsliding and passivity,

the detours of the works of the flesh.

As we believe His Word of forgiveness and set our heart to seek the Lord, we will find overwhelming grace and mercies for each day (see Jeremiah 29:12-13).

AFFIRMATIONS:

I never give up.

I ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7) until I understand and implement God’s purpose for my life.

I never give in again to a mindset of guilt and failure (see Hebrews 10:35).

I was created to carry His glory and presence into a lost and dying world.

God has confidence in me as I advance His Kingdom by equipping others in the ascended life in Christ.  (see Deuteronomy 28:13, Matthew 6:33)

I am His choice (see Ephesians 2:10), chosen for "such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).

GOD REDEEMS YOUR WOUNDS

Truly, it was by the stripes of Jesus Christ that we were healed (see Isaiah 53:5).

Even the wounds that we have suffered will become great avenues of healing. Since we are healed from our wounds -- then we receive grace for healing others! We bring Christ's healing and comfort to others in the areas in which we ourselves have been afflicted (see 1 Thessalonians 5:11). This may include wounds from bad preaching and teaching that we have endured over the years that has not helped us understand our Christ identity, therefore, not being equipped for life. As a result we are sure to properly equip today’s generation of Believers.

GOD BRINGS BREAKTHROUGH

God is even now releasing divine favor to us for accomplishing great exploits for His glory. In Psalm 84:11 (NLT), we learn how He lavishes His blessings of grace and glory:

"For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right."

Matthew 7:8 AMP -- "For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, the door will be opened."

Even if you have not had revelation of God's CALLING on your life, do not lose heart! God is saying, "Try again!" It is time to regroup and try again, knowing that failure is never God's plan (see Jeremiah 29:11). You will see doors open that were closed to you previously. God is granting breakthrough.

You experience the overwhelming love and favor of God as you leave the past behind and boldly take hold of your Christ calling and begin bearing fruit that remains for His Kingdom.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

[eric-the-bmo]

More Starbound! 🪐⭐

Even though Esther wants Yam to see her at the Ark, I decided to go to a new solar system to try and find another Avian dungeon since Koichi wants us to steal a sarcophagus. We ran into an old Hylotl castle, which had a really lovely view! (Also i stole some furniture from there)

Continuing west, we found a lovely little mushroom biome with some myconid folk, and later ran into a swamp of frog people! I didn't know they existed outside of the furniture salesman?? Riko seemed to like them lol, and I also found two frogmen with a little frog. I decided that that was their son.

Not even a few feet away from the most recent frog house, Yam stumbled across- a van??? And it lead to a human settlement!!

I was overjoyed to find this, since it's the first human camp Yam's ever found. Like, sure, he's found some solitary humans and others on ships, but a camp! aaaa!

I did a bunch of quests here, and due to a lot of quest battles happening in the swamps all the frogmen died :-/ However I took this as a chance to take their fairy lights! But a human saw this, called for guards, and Kit and Riko. uh. well, let's say i discovered an achievement...

Anyway moving on!!!!! Continuing to another planet in the new solar system, we found a nice little house, and stumbled upon another Avian village! They had a few temples, including a tower with some slightly disturbing diaries written by a bird who was chosen to be an Ascendant- and when no one was looking, Yam snatched up the sarcophagus that Koichi requested.

I'm still exploring, really, and there's quite a few little meteorite sites in this solar system; sadly im really bad at those so I might ask Teal to help me explore those eventually ;-;

It was nice to play again after a break! :-)