#but seeing these sourced double down on a date mid May

[chirpsythismorning]

Clown makeup fully applied, if hypothetically byler was endgame and there are a few really incriminating scenes of Mike and Will alone in s5 to be had, leading up to that revelation… the skeleton crew filming with Noah and Finn alone for the first couple weeks of filming does sound like something they could do… Otherwise, if they filmed those scenes sporadically all throughout s5 production, random PA’s leaking it would be likely (end of s4 cabin scene leak teas). However, doing a few of their most incriminating scenes alone before most of the casual production are even there: no leaks…

[voidtouched-blue]

Forgotten-contract--prior

He knew that sometimes his ability for conversation was lacking. Though, as seemed to be a rarity turned constant, the lord turned from his usual posture of looking out the window after a fair bit of travel in the familiar lands - finding his attention on the young woman across from him, studying her for a moment as she made herself comfortable for the longer trip - his voice quiet in the close space. “You mentioned you’d shown a map to the driver? May I see it?” Was it due to his curiosity for what it was? Perhaps. Was it due to the fact the servant had no cognizant ability to navigate without his knowledge? Much more likely.

Almost as quickly as she had sat down, her compendium had been opened in her lap. She had just barely opened it when her ears pricked up at Silvaire's question. She had been preoccupied with those unfinished thoughts from the night before, most of her questions and notes still neatly tucked away in her own source of knowledge. With the book laid out open in her lap, she looked up at him inquisitively.

"Hmm?" The sound was more an acknowledgement than a question. "Oh, yes. Just a moment."

Cyra glanced briefly at the page she had opened to in her carefully penned book, checking to make sure she hadn't flipped it open to one of the pages of her earlier entries. She reached into her bag, pulling out what looked like a wrapped parcel. The leather cord tied around it swiftly undone as she began to unfold the large parchment. It had been drawn in layers with each sheet containing a more detailed map of each region.

Drawn across it's almost unmarred surface were gentle lines with dates listed near each one. If not anything else, Cyra was absolutely meticulous. Every trip she had taken in the past two years had been labeled, and their path marked. The only one that did not have a date on it, was the crudely drawn house marked in a place nestled deep within the Black Shroud. It was far rougher than the notes she had writ in her compendium, and the ink far more faded to have been marked recently.

She double checked which regions she had unfurled previously to Silvaire's mute manservant. Brow furrowed as she made sure she had the correct regions in her hand before passing them to him freely, and without a second thought. So focused was she on reviewing the work she had started before passing out mid-task, that she hadn't even thought to point out where their destination was on the map. Hand immediately returned to set the bundle of maps on top of her bag while her violet-blues returned to scan through the brightly inked pages of her recent efforts.

Just as she had done the night before, her ears flattened against her head as her brow furrowed in thought. Clawed fingers tapped lightly on her lips as her chin rested in her palm. The small movements of her eye quickly scanning the page were nearly the only thing that moved aside from the gentle sway of the carriage as it moved.

I'm so close.

Cyra rubbed her eye with the back of the free hand that had been resting delicately on the pages of her well-loved book.

[ijustdragon]

Everything About The Moon in Magick

An Overview of The Moon Cycles

The Lunar Phase or Moon Phase is the shape we see of the moon, which is lit by the sun, when viewed from earth. The Lunar Phases gradually change over the period of a Synodic Month, which is around 29.53 days. This occurs due to the orbital positions of the Moon around Earth and the Earth around the Sun moving. The Moons location is tidally locked by Earth's gravity, this causes most of the same lunar side to always face earth.

Each of the main four "intermediate" lunar phases is around 7.4 days but this will vary slightly due to the elliptical shape of the moons orbit. There are four main principal lunar phases: • New Moon (0°) • First Quarter (90°) • Full Moon (180°) • Last Quarter (270°) The Degrees show the Moon's ecliptic longitude at the angle to the sun. All of these phases appear slightly different times at different locations on earth.

During the intervals between principal phases are intermediate phases, during which the Moon's apparent shape is either crescent or gibbous. The intermediate phases last one-quarter of a synodic month, or 7.38 days, on average. The descriptor waxing is used for an intermediate phase when the Moon's apparent shape is thickening, from new to full moon, and waning when the shape is thinning.

Full Moon of The Months

January Full Moon

The first Full Moon of the year is named after howling wolves, hence the name The Wolf Moon. In some cultures, it was known as Old Moon, Ice Moon, Snow Moon, and the Moon after Yule. In ancient times, it was common to track the changing seasons by following the lunar month rather than the solar year, which the 12 months in our modern calendar are based on. For millennia, people across Europe, as well as Native American tribes, named the months after features they associated with the Northern Hemisphere seasons, and many of these names are very similar or identical. This is the time for protection and strength, this time symbolizes both the beginning and the end.

February Full Moon

The Snow Moon is the Full Moon in February, named after the snow on the ground. Some North American tribes named it the Hunger Moon due to the scarce food sources and hard hunting conditions during mid-winter, while others named it the Storm Moon. Some sources also call it Chaste Moon, although most attribute this name to March Full Moon. About once every 19 years, February does not have a Full Moon, known as a Black Moon. In 2018, this was the case in most time zones. Instead, January and March have two Full Moons each, creating a double Blue Moon. This is the time to focus on magick for fertility and strength.

March Full Moon

The Full Moon in March is the Worm Moon, and it is usually considered the last Full Moon of winter. It is also called Lenten Moon, Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Chaste Moon, Sugar Moon, and Sap Moon. The Worm Moon got its name from the earthworms that emerge at this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the time to plant plans in your mind, its also a period of purity and newness.

April Full Moon

The Full Moon in April is the Pink Moon, from the pink flowers – phlox – that bloom in the early spring. Other names for this Full Moon include Sprouting Grass Moon, Fish Moon, Hare Moon, and the Old English/Anglo-Saxon name is Egg Moon. It is also known as the Paschal Moon because it is used to calculate the date for Easter. Now is the time to put your plans into action!

May Full Moon

The May Full Moon is known as Flower Moon to signify the flowers that bloom during this month. Other names for the Full Moon in May are Corn Planting Moon, and Milk Moon from Old English/Anglo-Saxon. Now is the time to focus on love, health, romance and wisdom. It’s time to rekindle your withering flames.

June Full Moon

June’s Full Moon is the Strawberry Moon as these little red berries ripen at this time. Other names are Hot Moon, Mead Moon, and Rose Moon. Now is the time to focus on love, marriage and success. June is the month of marriage!

July Full Moon

The Full Moon for the month of July is called Buck Moon to signify the new antlers that emerge on deer buck's foreheads around this time. This Full Moon is also known as Thunder Moon, Wort Moon, and Hay Moon from Old English/Anglo-Saxon. Now is the time to focus on enchantment, health, rebirth, strength and celebration. It’s a great time for prosperity magick and others of the sort.

August Full Moon

The Full Moon for August is called Sturgeon Moon because of the large number of fish in the lakes where the Algonquin tribes fished. Other names for this Full Moon include Green Corn Moon, Barley Moon, Fruit Moon, and Grain Moon from Old English/Anglo-Saxon. Technically, the Harvest Moon is the Full Moon closest to the September equinox around September 22. Most years it is in September, but around every three years, it is in October. The Harvest Moon is the only Full Moon name which is determined by the equinox rather than a month. Now is the time for abundance, agriculture and sharing. Enjoy the bounty of the earth but don’t forget to share with those who don’t feel the abundance like you do.

September Full Moon

The Full Moon in the month of September in the Old Farmer's Almanac is called Harvest Moon, which corresponds with the Old English/Anglo-Saxon name, while other names are Corn Moon or Full Corn Moon or Barley Moon. Now is the time for protection, prosperity and a continuation of abundance.

October Full Moon

Every three years, the Hunter's Moon is also the Harvest Moon. Traditionally, people in the Northern Hemisphere spent the month of October preparing for the coming winter by hunting, slaughtering and preserving meats for use as food. This led to October’s Full Moon being called the Hunter’s Moon, Dying Grass Moon, and Blood Moon or Sanguine Moon. However, this should not be confused with a Total Lunar Eclipse/Blood Moon. Now is the time for new goals, resolution and spirituality. Evaluate yourself, reflect, what could you do better, who could you be?

November Full Moon

According to folklore, the Full Moon in November is named after beavers who become active while preparing for the winter. It is also known as Frosty Moon, and along with the December Full Moon some called it Oak Moon. Traditionally, if the Beaver Moon is the last Full Moon before the winter solstice, it is also called the Mourning Moon. Now is the time for prosperity and your bonds with family and friends. Take this opportunity to use divination to show what your future holds.

December Full Moon

December is the month when winter begins for most of the Northern Hemisphere, and the Full Moon is called the Cold Moon. The Old English/Anglo-Saxon name is the Moon Before Yule, while another name is Wolf Moon, however, this is more common for the January Full Moon. Now is the time for hope and healing, let go. Start anew. This is your new self.

The Moon in Magick

Moon magic is associated with the Moon. There is a belief common to many cultures that working rituals at the time of different phases of the moon can bring about physical or psychological change or transformation. These rituals have historically occurred on or around the full moon and to a lesser extent the new moon. Such practices are common among adherents of neopagan and witchcraft systems such as Wicca. Witches in Greek and Roman literature, particularly those from Thessaly, were regularly accused of "drawing down the Moon" by use of a magic spell. The trick serves to demonstrate their powers, to perform a love spell or to extract a magical juice from the Moon. These beliefs would seem to be consistent with many other cultures traditions, for instance; casting of the i ching is often done during the full moon's apex.

The following are correspondences with the moon’s phases.

Phase 1: New Moon

The new moon is a fresh start. When the moon is in this phase, you can barely see it, and the sky can appear black. Sometimes magick can be quite literal, and with the moon out of sight, this can be an ideal time to do shadow work or acknowledge our dark sides, or shadow selves, that we typically like to keep hidden.

For instance, perhaps you have a manipulative side you tend to insist doesn't exist when called out. Are there healthy ways you could use these skills, such as to get ahead in your career without hurting others in the process? Or you could use your ability to read others to encourage your partner to communicate together rather than to control them? New moons are great for exploring our shadow sides and finding ways to work positively with them.

Additionally, as new moons are new beginnings, the new moon is a wonderful time to set goals and intentions for the forthcoming cycle. What do you want the next month to look like? Is there a toxic lover you're finally ready to cut out of your life to make room for the person of your dreams? The new moon is a great time to encourage beginnings, especially in love. And you know what beginnings require: letting go of the past. If you want to clear bad energy in your love life to attract an ideal mate, the new moon has your back.

Magick for this Time Includes;

Bath Magick

Cleansing Magick

Acquiring New Things Magick

Shadow Magick

Phase 2: Waxing Moon

The waxing moon phase is when the moon is visually getting bigger and brighter, shifting from a new moon to a full moon. During the waxing moon, the moon is growing, becoming brighter, and creating an ideal phase for sympathetic magick around growth. Sympathetic magick means magick that works through symbolic resemblance. The moon is getting brighter, so let's use that energy to make your career, self-esteem, and love life brighter, too.

Magick for this Time Includes;

Persuasion Magick

Intention Magick

Manifesting Magick

Seeking Magick

Candle Magick

Journal Magick

Love Magick

Phase 3: Full Moon

Emotions run high on full moons, and everything is extra intense. You can use this intensity and apply it to basically any spell you like, with the knowledge you'll have a bright ball of shining power to aid you. Many people charge their crystals during full moons by placing them somewhere they'll be exposed to the light. Another trick is to make full moon water, by placing a goblet of water under the light of the full moon on top of a letter of intention. Let the full moon charge the water, and then utilize it in potions or spells. Any magick can be done under a full moon with extra potency, but it's also a time in which psychic abilities are heightened. Trust your instincts under a full moon, even if emotions are running high. One of the simplest and best uses of full moon energy is to meditate in its light for clarity on a situation.

Magick for this Time Includes;

Sex Magick

Strength Magick

Confidence Magick

Physic Magick

Higher-self Magick

Tarot Magick

Familiar Magick

Spirit Guide Magick

Phase 4: Waning Moon

The waning moon is the time period in which the moon is getting darker again, moving from a full moon back to new. Remembering sympathetic magick, the waning moon is great for banishing work, or cutting cords with a past lover. However, you don't always need to banish a person from your life entirely — some of the most powerful banishing work you can do is spells to rid yourself of feelings for someone you know is bad for you, insecurity or self-doubt. Empowering yourself works better (and some would argue more ethical) than trying to change the will of another. Banish unfair treatment at work, banish your impostor syndrome. Remove unwanted negativeness that is keeping you from living the life you deserve.

Magick for this Time Includes;

Banishment Magick

Insecurity Magick

Positive Mentality Magick

Lunar Cheat Sheet (basic)

New Moon: Renew, Cleanse, Purify

Waxing Moon: Attract, Gain, Love

Full Moon: Manifest, Enlighten, Heal

Waning Moon: Banish, Negate

Blue Moon: Wish, Dream, Achieve

Lunar Cheat Sheet (advanced)

New Moon: 

Blank Page, New Beginnings, Planting Seeds of Intention, Money Spells, Manifestation For The Month, Blessing of a New Project

Crescent Moon: 

Fresh Energy, Form New Ideas, Focus on Details

First Quarter Moon: 

Momentum, Challenges, Paying Attention

Gibbons Moon: 

Patience, Edit, Refine

Full Moon: 

Peak Energy, Gratitude, Blossoming, Psychic Energy, Connection, Love/Soulmate Spells, Banishing Negative Energy or Influences, Divination, Protection Magick, Thanking Deities and The Universe

Disseminating Moon: 

Release, Receive, Harvest

Last Quarter Moon: 

Breakdown, Forgiveness, Let Go

Balsamic Moon:

Rest, Restoration, Reflection

Blue Moon:

Protection, Energy Boost, Positivity

Blood Moon:

Transformation, Banishing, Prophecy

A Halo Around The Moon (A Sign Of Disruption)

A Change in The Weather, A Fever To Come, A Streak of Bad Fortune

Alas a double ring means anything can happen, the more tangled it is the worst the outcome will be.

Uses of Moon Water

Moon water has many uses and is very common in spells that involve liquid or elixirs. The following are a few examples of their uses;

Bathing or Cleaning One Self, incorporating Moon Water into Bath Magick is a very expensive use of a large quantity of water but will undoubtedly boost the power of the magick in use.

Energizing/Charging and Cleaning Crystals, Moonlight can charge and clean your crystals but so can your water, although you do have to check if your crystals can go in water. Selenite is a brilliant example of one that cannot.

Tea’s or Beverages, this is a very direct way to empower yourself with the power of the moon for daily use. If you do intend on using your moon water as a drink please be sure to use clean water, prevent insects or animals of the like for coming into contact with it and make sure the container is clean.

Making Potions, Or sprays. It is very common to find Moon Water as an ingredient for cleansing sprays and potion bases. As a potion base Moon Water depends on the moon phase it’s associated with, meaning that the Moon Water is already imbued with the power and meaning of that specific Moon Phase. Make sure they correspond accordingly!

Watering Plants and Flowers, adding Moon Water to your plants can influence them to grow better and develop a further connection between the two of you.

Making Fragrances or Perfumes, Moon Water is extremely popular in Glamour spells and sprays, as it is a pure form of gentle power. The Moon is commonly associated with femininity and a boost of this can help influence your feminine side. Not to say that Men can’t use Moon Water, every person has a feminine side, no matter what’s in their pants!

Diffuser Water, placing Moon Water in your diffuser can help empower the fragrance and boost the Magickal energy of the area it’s placed by.

Being A Symbol of Your Moon Goddess/God. A jar or bottle of Moon Water on your altar can help symbolize your Moon related deities.

Moon Deities

In mythology, a lunar deity is a god or goddess of the Moon, sometimes as a personification. These deities can have a variety of functions and traditions depending upon the culture, but they are often related. Some form of Moon worship can be found in most ancient religions.

The following is a list of Moon related Deities I could find, if things are incorrect please let me know! I will be writing their name and then the mythology/religion they originate from.

African Moon Deities

Ala, Igbo

Gleti, Dahomean

Mawu, Dahomean

Iah, Egyptian

iNyanga, Zulu

Khonsu, Egyptian

Thoth, Egyptian

Ela-Opitan, Yoruba

European Moon Deities

Arianrhod, Welsh

Artemis, Greek

Artuma, Etruscan

Ataegina, Lusitanian

Bendis, Thracian

Cynthia, Greek and Roman

Diana, Roman

Elatha, Irish

Hecate, Greek

Hors, Slavic

Hjúki and Bil, Norse

Ilargi, Basque

Kuu, Finnish

Losna, Etruscan

Luna, Roman

Mano, Sámi

Máni, Norse

Meness, Lativan

Phoebe, Greek

Selene, Greek

Triple Goddess, Wicca

Asian Moon Deities

Kunnechup Kamui, Ainu

Kaskuh, Hittie

Men, Phrygian

Jie Lin, Chinese

Chang Xi, Chinese

Chang’e, Chinese

Tai yin xing jun, Chinese

Tu’er Ye, Chinese

Wu Gang, Chinese

Napir, Elamite

Chandra or Soma, Hindu

Kusuh, Hurrian

Selardi, Urartian

Ratih, Indonesian

Silewe Nazarate, Indonesian

Tsukuyomi, Japanese

Tõlze, Mari

Myeongwol, Korean

Bulan/Libulan, Visayan

Mayari, Philippine

Aglibol, Palmarene

Baal-hamon, Carthaginian

Sin, Mesopotamian

Ta’lab, Arabian

Wadd, Minaen

Yarikh, Canaanite

Ay Ata, Turkic

Austronesian Deities

Andriambahomanana, Malagasy

Lona, Hawaiian

Avatea, Polynesian

Fati, Polynesian

Hina, Polynesian

Mahina, Polynesian

Marama, Polynesian

Australian Deities

Bahloo, Australian Aboriginal

Kidili, Mandjindia

Ngalindi, Yolngu

American Deities

Coyolxauhqui, Aztec

Metztli, Aztec

Tecciztecatl, Aztec

Menily, Cahuilla

Muuya, Hopi

Mama Killa, Incan

Ka-Ata-Killa, Incan

Coniraya, Incan

Alignak, Inuit

Igaluk, Inuit

Tarqiup Inua, Inuit

Hanwi, Lakota

Awillix, Maya

Huitaca, Muisca

Chia, Muisca

Pah, Pawnee

Abaangui, Tupi Guarani

Arasy, Tupi Guarani

Jasy, Tupi Guarani

Kalfu, Voodoo

My apologies if I have missed any or spelled them incorrectly as my knowledge was limited to a few websites.

Spells That Use The Moon

A Spell To Increase Communication

Increase Psychic Abilities

Cleansing Spray

Filtering Moon Water

Glow Like The Moon

Simple Full Moon Ritual

Full Moon Tea

Sea Knot Magick: a Wish Bracelet Spell

Self-Love Moon Spell

Full Moon Attraction Jar Spell

Cleansing of The Mind Spell

Moon Cloud Meditation

New Moon Manifestation Ritual

A Spell To Increase Wealth

Strength and Luck Bath Spell

New Moon Jar Spell

Sailor Mercury Study Spell

Blood Moon Blood Spell

Moment of Peace Spell

Solitary Moon Ritual

Cold Moon Intuition Magic

Full Moon Release Spell

Full Moon Enchantment Spell

The Banishing Bottle: A Spell to Thrust Away Banes and Stresses

Divining by Clouds

Thank You For Reading!

-Blessed Be, Circe

[ducktracy]

185. porky’s hero agency (1937)

release date: december 4th, 1937

series: looney tunes

director: bob clampett

starring: mel blanc (porky, emperor jones), tedd pierce (gorgon, assistant), sara berner (porky’s mom)

the final porky cartoon for 1937, and what a busy year it’s been for him! hard to believe he had an entirely different voice, look, and demeanor just 8 months prior. even then, his character still had much to explore, as we see here—in this cartoon, he’s cast as a child again. curiously, bob clampett is often credited as the one who refined his personality into the one we know today (he did give him his iconic suit and tie), but, like everything else, it was more of a collaborative exploration by all of the directors.

the title card is one of the more interesting title cards in the warner bros. repertoire—it’s a photo of a porky statuette! bob clampett would make several statues during his time at WB and distribute them to his top animators. while the statue in the credits is painted over, you can view an unpainted model here!

here, porky dreams of the wonders of ancient greece, prancing around as the mythological messenger parkykarkus. however, a gorgon has her sights set on turning him into stone, and it requires some quick thinking from porky to weasel his way out of this mess.

bobe cannon animates the expositional sequence, with porky propped up in bed, sucked into a giant book full of greek myths. his mother (offscreen) tells him it’s time to go to sleep, but porky objects, protesting that he was just at the exciting part. cannon’s animation is easy to spot with his trademark buck teeth, yet the gestures he gives porky--finger points, turning the page, etc.--give him a nice dose of youthful energy as he recaps the story, telling tales of gorgons and “great great great” greek heroes.

nevertheless, a disembodied hand turns out the light, dismissing porky’s protests. he heaves a resigned sigh, lamenting how he wishes he could be a great greek hero. 

the cartoon doesn’t make any attempts to keep the dream sequence a surprise--instead, the face of the book’s cover takes up the entire screen, the pillars emblazoned on the front melting to life as we fade into ancient greece. and, as to be expected, our favorite porcine hero proudly stands in front of the building, proudly advertising “HERO FOR HIRE AGENCY -- PORKYKARKUS PROP.”

porkykarkus is a play on parkykarkus (”park your carcass”), a character on eddie cantor’s radio show “the chase & sanborn hour”. truck into porky’s services as he narrates over the specials:

“has anybody any eh-deh-deah-deah-dragons you want seh-seh-sleh-slay-slaye--rubbed out? or maybe ya have some, uh, fair meh-mai-meh-maide--honeys ya want rescued! it’s a peh-pleasure. is your daughter safe? phone eh-peh-porkykarkus at olympia 2222!”

porky’s narration, as always, is fun to listen to, and the physical advertisement has its own charm and appeal, with discounts and deals on certain rescues. not only that, but it’s a damn smart way to save money, having just the narration over the still frame. smart thinking!

conveniently, porky gets a phone call, sparking the tried and true “gear up for a big sprint but merely tinker on over to your destination” gag. as porky answers the phone, filling us in by repeating the hidden dialogue from the other line, we find out it’s the emperor--he wants one hero to go.

chuck jones’ layouts stick out quite strongly throughout this cartoon, especially in the human designs. porky’s statue of mercury is no exception--the bulbous nose and rounded body construction are all surefire trademarks of his work. porky grabs the messenger’s hat and winged shoes from the statue, never once taking a beat to stop as he hobbles along, dressing as he prepares to head out. woodblock sounds simulate the sound of his hooves clopping, but also add an extra jaunty jive to the merry score of “have you got any castles?” in the background, the cartoon’s motif. it would also be a merry melody courtesy of frank tashlin not even a year later.

with that, porky takes off, soaring in the skies like a pro with his winged shoes. if the scene wasn’t appealing enough with the overhead layouts, the animation of porky steadying himself is wonderfully smooth and fun--the cherry on top. he circles the palace where the emperor is located, swooping down to his destination. complete with airplane sound effects, of course.

“howdy, empy!” another bulbous-nosed jones character silences porky from behind his armchair. emperor jones (boy, who could that name reference, i wonder?) speaks in a ridiculously hilarious dialect, completed with a thick accent: “shh! i’m making a fireside chat with my sheeps!” his voice then slips into a rooseveltian draw as he coos “my friends, grecians and customers, this is emperor jones speaking...”

pan to the audience, which consists of a sea of smiling statues. this entire speech sequence is wonderful--not only is his terrible grammar terribly amusing, (”statistics show... what last season at this time was population in greece from 6,000 with 500 with 54 people, with 17 statues.”) but little touches such as one of the audience statues roasting marshmallows and later a hotdog over the fireplace, the emperor making his audience clap by pulling on ropes tied to their arms, and so forth make the entire charade highly amusing with lots of details to look out for. porky standing idly in the background, awkwardly fidgeting as he tries not to intrude is a great little piece of character animation as well.

the emperor gives the skinny, all while chowing down on a hotdog: a gorgon has been turning more and more people into statues, and they need a hero to steal her life-restoring needle in order to turn all of the statues back into humans again. the hero he has in mind is, of course, porky, who bashfully accepts the offer. when the emperor asks those in favor to raise their right hand, he pulls on a lever that causes all of the statues to raise their hands in unison, including a hand on a nearby clock. with a handshake, empy concludes “it’s a deal!”

one of the most impressive pieces of animation in the cartoon (i actually dedicated an entire drawing to it!) is when the emperor sends porky on his way, who waves goodbye as he flies through the air with his winged shoes. just as he tips his hat, he knocks into a pillar, which sends him tumbling upside down, but still airborne. the wings on his shoes form hands as they shake their fists in the glory of the good landing, with porky flashing a cheeky grin to the audience before spiraling lower in the air, regaining his balance, and barreling onward towards a smoldering volcano. the animation is full of life and character--though porky is consistently jolly in the B&W clampett cartoons, the grin towards the camera as he prides himself in his save is a great little touch of personality. slowly but surely, bits of character are now becoming more defined.

a gag that took me just now to recognize it--porky swoops into the heart of the volcano, where we spot the source of the black fumes pouring out the top: the gorgon statue factory. a merry score of “you’ve got something there” serves as some easy listening as we’re treated to a sign gag:

outside of the factory is a human picket fence, comprised of familiar faces: statues of bobe cannon, norm mccabe, john carey, bob clampett himself and chuck jones surround the area. directly outside of the factory is the frozen statue of a salesman with his foot in the door--the joke is not only amusing, but the pose is quite strong and readable, too. though nowhere near the dynamism of frank tashlin’s poses in the mid ‘40s, clampett’s poses in this cartoon are quite defined and exaggerated for the time period. this is especially sharp in the scenes with the emperor.

porky knocks on the door held ajar by the ceramic statue’s foot, holding out an envelope. “telegram for the guh-geh-gee-geh-gee-gor-geh--” a hand snags the envelope out of porky’s grip, causing him to mutter “aww, nuh-neh-nee-nuh-neh-neh-nut--shucks,” a phrase he echoed in clampett’s previous entry, rover’s rival.

we transition to the inside of the factory, where we see the gorgon herself, positioned in front of a camera, awaiting to take “pictures” of her models. tedd pierce voices the gorgon, whose vocal stylings are a parody of tizzie lish, bill comstock’s character on al pearce and his gang. interestingly, the cartoon before this, the woods are full of cuckoos, featured a caricature of lish as well, also voiced by pierce. 

clampett and pierce’s comedic timing is sharp--not nearly as sharp as tashlin’s timing in the woods are full of cuckoos, but abundantly amusing nonetheless. the gorgon asks for a boy--”a sorta young-ish one”--and in comes a decrepit old man who can hardly hold himself up. the gorgon waits for the man to assume his position on the podium where his picture will be taken, singing a pitchy rendition of “am i in love?“, another homage to the characteristics displayed by lish’s character on the radio.

the gorgon snaps her photo, which turns the shaky old man into a stone statue at once, cheekily labeled “ANTIQUE --  $60,000 (P.S.: 000,000)” before he’s yanked off of the podium with a cane. 

“now let’s try a group picture.” you know it’s a ‘30s cartoon if the three stooges come waddling in--they made their caricatured, cartoon debut in the 1934 film the miller’s daughter, notorious for being chuck jones’ first animation credit. as expected, they all beat the tar out of each other while on the podium, rendered immobile only through the power of medusa’s camera. they turn into the three wise monkeys, labeled “3 MONKEYS OF JAPAN -- MADE IN GREECE”. 

norm mccabe’s animation is easy to spot in the next scene with porky, characterized by his signature double eyebrows. porky knocks on a door, parroting a favorite catchphrase from the al pearce show that frequented many a clampett cartoon: “i hope she’s eh-eh-at home, i hope, i hope, i hope, i hope, i hope...”

porky shakes the hand of the assistant, unfortunately a blackface caricature (save for the voice, who is just tedd pierce speaking in a deep, suave voice) as he greets “welcome, stranger. won’t you come in?” before porky has time to answer, he’s yanked through the iron bars of the door and placed neatly in line for the photoshoot, where he peeks through the door to see the action inside.

a pile of men form a pyramid, where the camera turns them into a literal statue of a pyramid, with some slight imperfections. “aw, shucks!” laments the gorgon. “you moved!” she approaches them with her life restoring needle, allowing the men to form into the proper position, maintaining good balance. she gets her “genuine egyptian statue”, quipping “ought to make a handy paperweight!”

the assistant informs porky that he’s next. porky backs up anxiously, echoing a short-lived catchphrase of his from the joe dougherty era: “nuh-neh-no! eh-nn-nee-no! a-a thousand times no!” the decision to make his thoughts visible (his head is slapped onto that of a piggy bank’s) is playful, and also reflects just how big of an influence comics had on bob clampett’s work: comic artists such as milt gross and george lichty have been cited by clampett as inspirations. the george lichty influence is definitely noticeable in rod scribner’s animation under bob clampett, as we’ll discover in the coming years.

in the midst of his panic, porky backs into a statue of "dick a. powello” (dick powell and apollo), causing it to break. but, rather than fuss over the mess, porky uses the opportunity to hatch an idea instead.

in comes strolling porky, concealed by powello’s upper body and a blankett hiding his hooves. the triumphant score of “he was her man” and the gorgon’s smitten woos makes the scene hilarious as is, but the blanket falling off and revealing porky’s pudgy little hooves is the icing on the comedic cake.

porky perches himself on a conveniently placed couch, where the gorgon approaches him. “pardon me, is this seat taken?” she doesn’t wait a wink before snuggling right up to him, a heart symbolizing her affections popping in the air. though clampett would play with typography at times and maintain an overarchingly jovial mood to his cartoons, it’s an odd thing to see him play with comic-like visuals in this manner, such as porky physically envisioning himself as a piggy bank or the heart from the gorgon. i wish he had done it more in this nature!

with the gorgon too close for comfort, porky uses this as an opportunity to grab the gorgon’s life-restoring needle, dangling from her neck and lying against her body. it wouldn’t be a clampett cartoon without sexual innuendos--porky reaches aimlessly around for the needle, prompting the gorgon to let out a shriek, cooing “why, mr. a POWELLo!” 

she smothers the ceramic head in kisses, giving him a nice lipstick finish to boot as she pretends the statue has given her a ring. her ecstasy is hilarious and WONDERFULLY conveyed through strong, rubbery poses worth freeze-framing. picturing porky’s befuddlement is another humor within itself. 

finally, porky’s disguise is revealed when the gorgon literally crushes the statue in an embrace, stone crumbling around him as he desperately slips out of her grip. as the gorgon makes threats to call the cops, reciting the WB favorite catchphrase of “calling all cars! calling all cars!”, porky makes with the needle and jabs it in various statues, warning them “uh-geh-uh-get goin’! i-i-eh-it’s the guh-geh-geh-eh-geh-gorgon!”

as the gorgon chases porky with her camera, he continues to revive a barrage of statues: the antique, the famed discus thrower (who throws himself out of the scene rather than the discus), the man from the end of the trail statue, who exits riding his horse like a merry go round (a nod to friz freleng’s sweet sioux), a woman who marches off with popeye’s forearms--note the bobe cannon statue in the back here--and a mermaid who unzips her fin and makes a run for it. the highlight of the entire montage is when porky approaches two temples (the two of them together labeled “shirley temple”) and injects the needle into them, prompting the temples to use their pillars as legs and run for the hills.

the chase reaches its climax as the gorgon pursues porky with a movie camera, turning the crank ferociously as she runs. her plan works--porky slows down, freezing in mid-air as the gorgon cries “hold it!” thus, the gorgon pins porky to the ground, who tries his hardest to fight back, but ultimately flailing around as she commands him to open his eyes.  

we melt into the present, where we find porky’s mother in place of the gorgon, telling him softly to wake up. he does so, after she pries one of his eyes opens. relieved that it was all a dream, he embraces his mother, prompting a happy end and an iris out.

this cartoon has a soft spot in my heart--it was one of the first LT cartoons i saw on this whole venture. i thought i was the smartest person alive, understanding the three stooges, popeye, and shirley temple references. who knew just how much i had (and still have!) to learn! though even without my sentimental biases, this still stands as a very good cartoon.

as i mentioned previously, the poses in this are full of elasticity and energy, especially in the emperor and the gorgon. porky does a very nice job as well--little pieces of animation such as him fidgeting awkwardly while the emperor rambles on, swinging from side to side as he’s offered the job to be a hero, etc. etc. are full of charm and character. while his personality isn’t the most electric in comparison to characters like bugs and daffy, it’s the little things like these that really make porky stand out. with him, a little subtlety goes a long way, and that’s why he’s one of my favorites. he’s so reserved in comparison to such a wild cast of characters that his timidness actually shines through and sets him apart! (though, on the other hand, he can still have quite the personality, as we’ll discover!)

personally, the only gripes i have with this cartoon is the blackface caricatured assistant (which, in comparison to some cartoons we’ve seen and still have yet to see, is relatively mild, but uncomfortable nonetheless). the jokes, while corny at times, still hit, the animation is full of life and vigor, and the short as a whole has a lot of charm, whimsy, and personality. it has my seal of approval! go check it out!

link!

[onenettvchannel]

NEW THIS MORNING: LukaNette's Couple was Nearly Kissing at a Movie Theater, while a Secret Revelation of Ladybug is Allegedly Messed Up [#OneNETnewsEXCLUSIVE]

SEINE, FRANCE -- It all comes down to this, fresh from a televised press trailer... A newest information was both first reported between by Mid-March until before the observance of a Holy Week in the Philippines this year in 2021, from Globo Noticias on Gloob in Brazil & Le Journal de 13 on TF1 for TFOU in France.

Our South American Correspondent, much currently for the Nickelodeon News Bureau & Correspondent in Michigan region (Ronnie Anne Santiago) is on a Spot Report outside the News Headquarters of Canais Globo in Rio de Janerio.

You might remember in our recent developing story of BREAKING NEWS, that is only on our Facebook-exclusive post. Our theory from this said couple, in regarding to propose a wedding ring in advance and the illegal sexual activity before marriage... It turns out for a couple of things as according to our Research Team of OneNETnews.

At a honeymoon movie theater during a front-seated indoor cinema of "Crocodile Heart"... Instead of a wedding ring, Marinette was giving out a Plectrum for the guitar and the other useful instruments to Luka. It was quite too early to getting married in between with Luka and Marinette, under the Family Code of the Philippines: Article 2.1 & The Civil Act #3613: Section 27 or The Marriage Law of 1929, "No marriage shall be declared invalid because of the absence of one or several of the formal requirements of this Act if, when it was performed, the spouses or one of them believed in good faith that the person who solemnized the marriage was actually empowered to do so and that the marriage was perfectly legal".

Upon a cinematic couple between Luka & Marinette, a mysterious monster was appeared for a love interruption from this said dating of making out on him. We clearly don't know if it's possibly determined for a targeted attack against the Ladybug.

Meanwhile in Paris at a Boulangerie Patisserie bakery upstairs on her final home floor for Marinette... A newest guardian turnover was issued from Wang Fu of the Miracle Box for a later transformation suits of Ladybug. But suddenly, she accidentally pressed a centered Ladybug button to release all the Kwamis.

In a private text message as our TF1 News reporter (Marinette Dupain-Cheng) told exclusively to OneNETnews... Her friends like Alya and others, including Luka and/or Adrien... will be separated for good, due to her secret of Ladybug (in a Season 4 PREMIERE) has been committedly exposed to the public by accident, under a violation of Republic Act #10173 or Data Privacy Act of 2012: Section 25.

Optionally under a personal recommendation from a local psychiatrist in Paris... This may be added later for a Republic Act #11036: Section 4-k or The Mental Health Act of 2017. She will be sentenced for 1-3 years & 6 months in jail if pleaded guilty at a Court of Cassation in Sainte-Chapelle town for a Suspension or Prisión Correccional order, as possibly referenced from a Revised Penal Code.

A YouTuber Netizen named Kenana Machlah has pointed out for LukaNette's kissing and the opinion, "Marinette is not alright she’s stressed that she can’t hang out with friends or her boyfriend Luka, since she has to guard the Miracle Box and she’s stressed because she has to lie to them forever to keep her identity a secret. Luka felt like Marinette has a secret but he thought that he wasn’t trustworthy enough in her mind so he got akumatized into telling the truth. While he’s akumatized, he wants to know Marinette’s secret and Ladybug and Chat Noir’s identity. Luka was just trying to be there for her and comforting her but not rejected for sure since they will go on a date like we’ve seen in a spoiler and that date is in a different episode".

Machlah adds from this said comment, "Her friends wanted to hangout with marinette since she hasn’t been hanging out with them lately so they surprised her by a visit to her house. They knew that she was hiding something and very stressed so Rose took of the doll house roof since Marinette was being so protective of it they wanted to see what’s in there. Marinette's problem got mad at them and kicked them out of her room/house. They called Luka to see what’s wrong and he probably said that Marinette is very stressed lately and everything. So they all get akumatized because they think she has no more time for them anymore. It’s not confirmed that she did reveal her identity it could be she’s was telling her self. But if she revealed her identity it would be to either Luka or Alya. She wanted to tell someone so she or he can cover for her and at least he doesn't blame her for why she is so stressed and everything. She wanted someone to talk to about her double life".

The accidental revelation of Ladybug and a love couple as unfortunate, Gabriel Agreste (Adrien's father) will face an immediate interrogation talk using a brain telepathy, just a few hours before her criminal arrest of Ladybug at a French court in the afternoon onwards.

A LITTLE SHORT NOTE as FINAL: No LukaNette shippers were harmed in making of this news report, for now.

SCREENGRABS from the YouTube Channel Users of BeMiraculous, Cartoon Universe & MundoGloob

This news report is brought to you by: XTend Food Supplement for Men, Drivemax Adult Herbal Coffee (A Brigada Product) & Trust Condoms (Magtiwala sa Trust, Your RH Partner).

SOURCE: *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TF1#France *https://www.chanrobles.com/executiveorderno209.htm *https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/civil-registration-laws/act-no-3613 *https://miraculousladybug.fandom.com/wiki/Truth and *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQpstpcDDTw (referenced YT comment from Kenana Machlah)

EXTREMELY HONEST DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed from this news report are not those from the ZAGtoon, Method Animation & Canais Globo. These love-making couple and the issues does not really imitate in any matter. Furthermore, the assumptions of this news report will NOT state, intervene or reflect those of our Radyo Patrol reporters. The show, the station, management, interwebs, and the network. Thanks for reading, stay safe and may the Celestia blesses you. Later!

-- OneNETnews Team

[mikauzoran]

Lady Noir/Adrienette: Save Yourself (I’ll Help You): Chapter Two

Read it on AO3: Save Yourself (I’ll Help You): Chapter Two: Self-Help

At some point three years prior, before Adrien became cognizant of his crush on Marinette, he had surreptitiously begun to pay close attention to her. These years of reconnaissance allowed him to quickly pick up on the fact that something was up with his charming friend that Monday at school.

She was fidgety and distracted, obviously preoccupied by something.

Alya and some of the other girls noted her particularly odd behavior, but, when asked what was wrong, Marinette politely waved away their concerns and made excuses.

Adrien let it go that first day. He knew she had a lot on her plate with all of her extracurricular responsibilities. Marinette was rivaled only by Ladybug in her jam-packed schedule and need of multitasking.

When she was noticeably agitated the second day in a row, Adrien caught her as they were packing up to move classrooms, resting a hand on her forearm and giving her a confidence-inspiring smile.

“Hey. You’ve seemed really stressed out the past two days. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. Even if you just need to vent, I’m here for you, okay?”

She blinked, blushed, and looked away, smiling weakly. “Thanks, Adrien. I really appreciate the offer. I’m okay, though.”

His own smile faltered slightly because she obviously was not okay, but…if she didn’t want to confide in him, it wasn’t like he could force her.

He nodded, turned up the wattage on his grin, and removed his hand from her forearm. “Well…let me know if you ever change your mind.”

She nodded, returned the smile with one even more fake than his own, and quickly finished packing her books, hurrying out the door as fast as she could without appearing to be fleeing.

On the third day of watching the woman he loved in obvious distress, Adrien could no longer stand by and do nothing.

He packed up quickly and waited for her outside the locker room after school, and when she came out with Alya, he flagged her down, asking if she were headed home.

“May I walk you there?” he inquired, shooting Alya a quick, meaningful look.

Alya promptly remembered that she’d forgotten a notebook she needed back in her locker, literally pushing Marinette towards Adrien as she beat a hasty retreat.

Quick of reflexes, Adrien deftly stopped Marinette’s fall and helped her get steady on her feet.

“I’m going to kill Alya,” she seethed, straightening her jarred purse and backpack as they nearly slipped off her shoulders.

“Forgive her,” Adrien chuckled. “She and Nino have this scheme about setting us up with each other so that the four of us can double date. Goodness knows I need all the help I can get to make you fall for me. Alya is doing God’s work.”

Marinette rolled her eyes, glaring petulantly at her friend’s retreating back as Alya disappeared into the locker room. “Goodness also knows that I don’t need help falling flat on my face, so I think I can do without Alya shoving me.”

“Fair,” Adrien allowed, holding out a hand. “May I carry something?”

Marinette shook her head, hugging her sketchpad closer to her chest reflexively. “No, thanks. I’ve got it,” she assured, starting to head for home.

In the back of her mind, she worried about coming off as rude, but the last thing she needed was for Adrien to carry her books and somehow see the endless doodles she’d been doing of Chat Noir all week as she fretted ceaselessly about him.

Slightly dejected, Adrien slipped his hands into his pockets and followed after her, regretting her brisk pace, fearing it wouldn’t give them much time to talk.

“So…” He cleared his throat as they made their way down the school steps.

She looked back at him and nearly tripped to her death.

Luckily, he caught her by the arms, keeping her from nosediving into the concrete.

Unfortunately, her books and notebooks went flying as she flailed in the seconds before he steadied her.

Once he was sure she wasn’t going to fall, Adrien bent down to gather up her things, only to be stopped as she gasped, “Don’t look!” and rushed to retrieve them herself.

“Sorry,” she added when she came to her senses. “Just…private stuff. I don’t…” She paused to take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “Sorry I’m being such a spazz today. I have a lot on my mind.”

“Is it anything I could help with?” he offered, holding out a hand to assist her back to her feet.

She shook her head, getting up on her own. “I’ll be fine. Thank you, though.”

He bit the inside of his cheek, debating whether or not to let it go.

“…I’m really worried about you,” he confessed after a moment, unable to hold it in.

She stopped mid-step, turning to face him with a puzzled expression. “…You are?”

“Yeah,” he replied in a hushed tone. “Seriously worried. You’ve been really off all week. I’m not trying to force you to talk to me if you don’t feel comfortable doing so, but…I just want you to be okay, and I don’t think you are, and I’m feeling kind of helpless, so…”

He almost felt bad for forcing her hand, but it was getting to the point where he was worried about Marinette getting akumatized, and that was no good for anyone because how was he supposed to fight against the girl he adored if worst came to worst?

He couldn’t…so he crossed his fingers and hoped he’d be forgiven for being slightly manipulative.

“I’m concerned about getting akumatized over worrying about you,” he told her with a grimace.

Her eyes flew wide in alarm before fluttering rapidly in a series of astonished blinks.

“And, if that happens, I’m scared my akumatized self will come after you because you’re technically the source of my negative emotions, and then you’ll be caught up in things,” he elaborated, “and I really don’t want that. The last thing I want to do is add to your stress, so…”

He worried his bottom lip between his teeth and gave her a pleading look. “Sorry, but…isn’t there anything I can do to help? I’m not asking you to talk to me about your problems, but if there were some way I could feel like I wasn’t so powerless to help you…”

He watched as her surprise crumpled up like a note passed during class into a troubled, thoughtful expression.

“…Sorry for being such a pain. I don’t want to cause problems,” he added earnestly, dropping the act and retreating one step at a time. “Sorry. Forget I said anything, but if you do want to talk, know that I’m always here for you.”

He turned to go, but she caught him, fingers wrapping around his forearm, gripping, holding him in place.

“…Wait,” she called softly, a weary resignation in her voice.

He arched an eyebrow questioningly and waited for her to continue.

She sighed and tipped her head, motioning for him to come with her. “Walk with me a bit?”

“Sure,” he easily agreed and followed as she led him across the street and then past her house to the park next door.

They completed one lap around the square, Marinette deep in thought the whole time. Then, she went and took a seat on one of the park benches, and he sat beside her, waiting patiently for her to give some kind of cue.

She inhaled deeply and, gazing down intently at her shoes all the while, finally spoke. “So…there’s this guy.”

Adrien stiffened, his heart screeching to a halt as his mind called up helpful memories of all the times Ladybug had told him about her mystery boy.

Why was there always some other guy? Adrien wondered bitterly but then mentally slapped himself because of course there were guys in the lives of smart, talented, beautiful women like Marinette and Ladybug.

“A friend,” Marinette clarified. “A really close friend, and I’m worried sick about him,” she sighed heavily, shaking her head, at a loss as to what to do.

Adrien relaxed slightly at the friendship label but didn’t let his guard down as she continued.

“He’s having some trouble with mental health and his family relationships, and I think he’s really depressed.” She looked up from her feet to meet Adrien’s gaze, and it hurt his heart to see the glistening tears blurring her vision. “I’m scared, Adrien, and I feel really useless because there’s nothing I can do to help him.

“It’s complicated,” she explained softly, looking away as if it would hide her guilt as shame turned her cheeks pink. “I can’t be there for him the way a friend should, so…I guess I’m feeling for him what you’re feeling for me. I’ve been agonizing over this since Saturday night, and I don’t know what to do. I know that there’s nothing to do. I just wish I could make it all okay for him.”

She lifted her head once more as she vehemently informed, “Adrien, he’s one of the sweetest, best people I know, and he deserves better than what he’s stuck with. I wish there was something I could do so that he wouldn’t have to struggle so much. He shouldn’t have to.”

Adrien nodded, tentatively reaching out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. “You’re such a good friend, Marinette. I wish someone would worry about me like that,” he chuckled, but the manufactured mirth didn’t quite make it into his voice. “He’s really lucky. It sounds like you care about your friend a lot.”

She smiled wretchedly, giving a sad little nod as she admitted, “I love him.”

It felt like getting hit with an icy blast of winter air or walking outside without a coat, shocking his system.

His hand froze on her arm.

It took a minute for him to form words, and, when he did, they came out stilted and awkward, betraying his distraction. “Oh. Wow. Uh… That’s… He’s really lucky.”

Marinette tipped her head to the side, frowning in concern. “Is everything all right, Adrien?”

“Sorry.” He forced a smile, cheeks stinging as he blushed. “Ignore me. I was just a little surprised because I think this is the first I’ve heard about you having your eye on someone. I mean, it’s only natural that you would, but…”

His hand went up reflexively to rub at the back of his neck, and he shook his head, trying to clear away his muddled thoughts. He was supposed to be helping her feel better, not having a pity party for himself.

“Sorry,” he repeated softly, sheepishly. “I’m just kind of flustered…and more than a little bit jealous,” he added honestly.

Marinette’s mouth dropped open, and she leaned in to stare at him in shock. “W-Wait. What? Like…what?”

“I thought I was pretty obvious,” Adrien laughed openly at himself, hoping to keep the atmosphere light so that she wouldn’t see his heart breaking. “You really didn’t know I have feelings for you?”

Slowly, she began to shake her head from side to side, speechless in her astonishment as she tried to determine whether or not she was dreaming this entire scenario up.

“Marinette,” he chuckled more genuinely, his voice warm and affectionate. “You’re amazing. Any guy who didn’t fall in love with you would have to be a total idiot.”

She gripped the bench seat to keep herself from tipping over and falling flat in the dirt.

Her head was spinning. How could this be happening? Adrien loved her?

Impossible.

And yet…he was looking at her with such a fond, soft expression in his eyes. It was just like the looks Chat Noir often gave Ladybug, so… Maybe it was real.

Her lips parted to respond, to confess her own feelings, but Adrien cut her off.

His eyes widened in alarm, and he gave a start, jolting back and putting up his hands in defence. “…Oh, but, I mean, I totally support you! With this guy. If he’s the one you love…. I support you,” he rushed to assure.

Marinette blinked, mentally reeling from the whiplash.

Did he love her or not? She wasn’t entirely sure now, if he weren’t willing to fight for her. His affections couldn’t be that strong if he was okay with giving up so easily.

“More than anything, I’m your friend, so I don’t want my feelings for you to get in the way of that or make things weird between us,” he explained, desperate for her to understand. “So, if you have to pretend that I never said anything, that’s totally fine. I support you. Whatever makes you happy is the most important thing.”

She had to pause to consider before responding. Her thoughts were so twisted up like a ball of writhing serpents battling to consume one another.

“Thank you, Adrien. That’s so sweet, and it’s seriously not a problem,” she promised, reaching out and placing a hand on his forearm. “We’re fine. Everything’s fine…. Honestly, there’s nothing for you to support. Things aren’t going to work between me and my friend, so…thank you, but nothing’s going to happen between us.”

Adrien’s eyebrows gradually pulled together into a V of concern. “Is it…because of his mental health situation?”

Marinette recoiled, staring at him in stupefaction. “What? No! No, of course not! Nothing like that. He’s amazing, and I’d be more than willing to stay by his side and support him through his struggles. He’s worth putting in the hard work for.”

Adrien’s stomach stopped clenching, and a faint hope welled up in his chest. If things weren’t going to work out between Marinette and this other guy, maybe Adrien still had a chance. Maybe she could see past Adrien’s struggles and still care for him too.

“So…what exactly is the problem, if you don’t mind me asking?” he pressed gently, chewing nervously at the inside of his lip.

She looked away, frowning down at her knees. “It’s…complicated.”

Adrien arched an eyebrow. “Is he gay?”

It was the only reason Adrien could come up with why a guy wouldn’t want to overcome all obstacles to be with Marinette.

Marinette chuckled softly, shaking her head. “No. He’s bi, so…”

She looked back up at him, scrutinizing his face, evaluating his trustworthiness. “…I’m going to tell you a secret.”

He scooted in closer, nodding that he was ready. “I won’t tell a soul.”

She glanced around, scanning the area to make sure they wouldn’t be overheard before she lowered her voice, whispering, “It’s Chat Noir.”

Adrien blinked slowly, uncomprehendingly. The words meant nothing to him.

Seeing his confusion, Marinette elaborated, her cheeks turning cherry blossom pink as she confessed, “My friend, the guy I’m in love with…it’s Chat Noir.”

Adrien’s brain crashed, and it took him a good ten seconds to reboot.

His initial inclination was to laugh hysterically because finally his love was requited, and he couldn’t have asked for a better romantic partner than Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

His mind next trotted off to construct a detailed plan of all the ways he was going to make her happy and spoil her rotten.

It then occurred to him that he needed to tell her his identity, but then he decided to table that idea because Ladybug would be furious, and he wasn’t sure how Marinette would react.

He also wasn’t so sure that this was the best time to reveal his identity because Marinette was convinced that things wouldn’t work between them. She was also currently upset…because of him.

“You’ve been worried all week because of Chat Noir?” Adrien breathed as his brain came back online.

She nodded meekly. “I…Yes. He’s having a rough time, and I’m worried that there’s nothing I can do to help him. I’m not doing a very good job as his friend.”

Adrien rolled his eyes, wrapping his arms around Marinette and pulling her into a fierce hug.

“You’re doing amazing,” he whispered into her hair, wishing he could express how much it meant to him, knowing that her skylight door was always open when he needed a safe space to escape from his life.

He may not have confided in her before about how bad things were because he was afraid of burdening her and scaring her away, but all the times when she’d allowed him to hang out on her balcony or in her room, all the times she and her parents had strong-armed him into making dinner and eating with them once they’d found out he ate alone most meals, all the times she’d saved pastries for him and Plagg…

Chat Noir might not have let Marinette see how dark it was inside of his mind, but she’d always been there to help right when he needed her. She’d gotten him through many tough times, even if she’d never known it.

He pulled back to look her intently in the eyes. “Marinette, I’ve seen you two together before, and Chat Noir is crazy about you. Trust me. I can tell. If you love him and he loves you, why can’t you two be together?”

“Adrien, he’s a superhero,” Marinette snorted, rolling her eyes as if the problem were obvious.

“So?” he scoffed right back. “You don’t think you’re good enough for a superhero or something? Marinette, Chat Noir is the one not good enough for you. Stop being humble and date him already.”

“I’m not being humble,” she returned saucily. “I’m being practical. I can’t date a guy whose identity I don’t know.”

“Then let him reveal his identity to you,” Adrien suggested matter-of-factly. “You’re making this more complicated than it needs to be.”

“I am not,” she protested, crossing her arms indignantly. “It’s too dangerous for me to know his identity.”

“How so?” he argued. “All you have to do is just not tell anyone that you know. Don’t get caught kissing Chat Noir, and no one will be the wiser. No one’s going to think twice if you start dating his civilian self.”

She pursed her lips, trying not to see his point. “What if I get caught up in an akuma attack and get brainwashed into revealing his secrets?”

“Chat Noir has been mind-controlled countless times, and he hasn’t given away his secret identity yet,” Adrien continued to stack solid argument on top of solid argument. “If you don’t tell anyone you know who Chat Noir is, Papillon won’t know to come after you. You’re perfectly safe so long as you keep your mouth shut. I think you can manage that, Marinette.”

“What if there’s a truth-telling akuma?” she tried in one last-ditch attempt.

He frowned at her in mildly annoyed disappointment. “Has there ever been a truth-telling akuma? In the past three and a half years?”

She averted her gaze, her lip pushing forward into a pout.

“No. No, there has not,” he answered his own question triumphantly. “See? I’m not going to say it’s perfectly safe for him to reveal himself to you, but the risk is small enough that I feel comfortable with you taking it. Don’t you think he would be worth it?”

“Of course he would be worth it,” she replied in a small, tired whisper. “It’s just…it’s complicated, Adrien.”

“It’s really not as complicated as you’re making it,” he sighed, gently cupping her cheek and tipping her head up to make her look at him. “Marinette, you’re a wonderful person, and you deserve happiness and love. Why won’t you let yourself have this?”

Her lips slowly moved into a self-deprecating smile, and she shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid that I really am a masochist who doesn’t allow herself to have nice things.”

It was like a foggy pane of glass shattered between them at her words, and Adrien flashed back to Ladybug sitting on the roof of Sainte Chapelle saying the same thing Saturday night.

He couldn’t breathe.

“What…did you say?” he choked as the pieces slid together: Ladybug’s insistence that Chat go to Marinette when Ladybug couldn’t be there for him herself. Marinette’s claims that things were complicated between herself and Chat Noir.

She shook her head again. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

His Lady, his Princess…the same person? Could he be so lucky?

Her brow pinched into a frown as she registered his expression. “Why are you grinning like that?”

“Because I love you,” he chuckled giddily, rendering her utterly speechless.

She found that she literally couldn’t remember how to make her mouth, brain, and vocal cords work in concert to form any kind of reply, so she just sat there, parting and closing her lips like a drowning fish.

“Hey,” he called softly, slipping his hand into hers. “I really need to talk to you. It’s important,” he emphasized. “Could we please head to your house so we can talk undisturbed?”

She tried to speak, but it came out sounding like a collection of gibberish syllables, so, instead, she nodded and got to her feet, leading him back to her house and up the stairs to her room.

He had to let go of her hand in order to file up the narrow staircase, and, by the time they reached the attic, Marinette’s brain was once again semi-functional.

She took a seat on her chaise longue and motioned for him to sit anywhere he liked, urging, “Make yourself comfortable.”

“I’m good standing, thanks,” he assured. “I’m actually feeling kind of jittery, so…do you mind if I pace?”

“Uh…go right ahead,” she encouraged, watching as he did indeed start to walk back and forth across her carpet. “…You said that you needed to talk to me?”

He took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh, “Yeah. Yeah. I did. I do. I…”

He bit his lip, rubbing at the back of his neck as he tried to get his harried thoughts in order. “I’m not sure you want to know, but I feel like I have to tell you. You’re not going to be happy, but this isn’t something I can keep from you.”

He stopped and turned to face her. “Honestly, I’ve kind of been in a dark place lately, Marinette.”

Her eyes rounded, pupils dilating in fear for yet another one of the most precious boys in her life going through a hard time.

“I’ve been feeling pretty down,” he confessed. “I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to bother anyone or make them worry.”

“Adrien, we’re your friends,” she scolded, fighting back a whirlwind of emotions.

Hurt that he hadn’t trusted her, frustration that he thought so little of himself and how much he meant to them.

“Worrying about one another and supporting each other is what friends do,” she stressed, hands going to her hips. “When you need help or just someone to listen to you vent, you come to us. We will always be there for you.”

His lips quirked into a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry. I know. I just…have self-esteem issues. But I’m coming to you now, so…better late than never?”

Her expression softened, and she pushed herself up, going to him and wrapping him in a loose hug. “Oh, Adrien…you idiot.”

He rested his head against hers, muttering, “I was also afraid to talk to you about it because I was worried about ruining my chances with you. I know I wouldn’t want to deal with me and all of my insecurities and hang-ups. I couldn’t imagine someone as epic as you picking someone like me when you could do so much better.”

“Adrien,” she cooed, pulling back to meet his gaze with an abundance of sympathy and affection. “Don’t…say things like that. There are so many amazing things about you.”

“That’s what Plagg said too,” he chuckled softly.

She blinked, her brain not registering. “Plagg?”

He nodded. “Saturday…I told Ladybug about how lost and alone I’d been feeling, and she told me to come talk to you…so here I am.”

Marinette’s jaw dropped as she struggled to make sense of what she was hearing.

Saturday night, Ladybug had talked to Chat Noir, not Adrien, so…

Her lungs seized, cutting off her breath.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered like a chastened child waiting to be struck. “I know you didn’t want to reveal identities and that’s why you sent me to Marinette instead of trying to help as Ladybug, but…I think the cat’s out of the bag, My Lady.”

To her credit, Marinette did not faint. She would have liked to because, if she were unconscious, she wouldn’t have to deal with reality right away, but she remained in full control of her faculties and, thus, had to attend to the matter at hand in real time.

“I need to sit down,” she announced, heading back over to the chaise to compose herself.

Adrien followed nervously, taking a seat beside her without infringing upon her personal space. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

She waved away his words, shaking her head. “No. No. It’s fine. I…This is my fault. I knew you could potentially figure out my identity every time I had Chat Noir over to watch movies or play video games. I knew I was taking a risk.”

She turned to look him in the eye. “If I had the chance to do it all over, I wouldn’t change anything.”

“Oh,” he whispered, dazed as she leaned in and pressed her lips to his cheek, smiling softly.

“I don’t regret anything except not being able to be there for you more,” she added, making his heart swell. “But now we have to sit down and figure out what to do about this catastrophe now that we’re here.”

He arched an eyebrow, echoing, “Catastrophe?”

She nodded. “I mean…you know my identity. We’re in grave danger, Chaton.”

Deep furrows gradually dug their way across his brow. “Are we actually, though?”

She blinked, taken aback.

“Is this really the end-of-the-world scenario you think it is?” he pressed. “Like what I was saying earlier, if we don’t advertise that we know, why should Papillon target Marinette and Adrien more than any other Parisian?”

Marinette opened her mouth to argue her point but then closed it again when she realized that she didn’t have any good rebuttals to make.

“That’s why I’m always so careful when I come over here as Chat Noir. I don’t let myself get spotted coming and going so that I don’t tip anyone off to the fact that you’re important to me and could be used against me,” he explained, scooting in a little closer on the chaise. “If no one knows we know, how are we in danger?”

She pursed her lips and thought hard, trying to come up with a way to refute his logic. “…But what if there’s a truth-telling akuma?” she inquired weakly, knowing the feeble argument wouldn’t hold water.

He cupped her cheek in his hand and swore, “I would literally die before I betrayed you.”

Her heart cracked open at the very thought, and tears started to stream down her face.

“You die too much already,” she whispered, looping her arms around his neck. “I don’t want you to die…. I love you.”

He didn’t protest as she leaned in and pressed a butterfly’s wing beat of a kiss to his lips.

“Okay,” he chuckled, resting his forehead against hers. “No dying. We’ll figure something else out, but it’s going to be okay, Marinette. No matter what, we’ll get through this together.”

“Promise?” she hummed, a gentle smile lifting the corners of her lips.

“Promise,” he affirmed, inching forward to steal a more substantial kiss.

When they broke apart, there was a question in his eyes. “…Me being Adrien doesn’t change the way you feel about me, does it? You said you loved Chat Noir, but…”

A scarlet flare lit up her cheeks and spread across the bridge of her nose as she finally confessed, “You know the mystery boy I’ve been pining after since we were thirteen?”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Yeeeees?”

“His name is Adrien Agreste,” she giggled.

He burst out laughing. “You have horrible taste in men.”

She slapped him playfully on the arm. “You have horrible self-esteem. That’s the real problem here. I only fall for the sweetest, kindest, most thoughtful guys. I have impeccable taste.”

“…You really think so?” he sought to verify, amazed that such a thing could be true, that such a woman could want him.

She nodded, gaze earnest. “You don’t give yourself enough credit, Adrien. We’re going to have to work on changing that.”

“Is this a team effort thing now?” he hummed, delighted by the prospect.

“Absolutely,” she confirmed…but then the air of teasing left her. “…I’ve been really worried about you since Saturday. If there’s anything—anything—I can do for you, please let me know. …What do you think I could do to help?”

He chewed thoughtfully on the inside of his cheek for a moment before answering. “…I don’t know, really. You’ve done so much already for me as Chat Noir just by giving me a warm, safe, place to go when I need to escape. I feel bad asking for more.”

“Don’t,” she urged. “It really is fine, Adrien. Earlier, you said that you wanted me to be okay, didn’t you? That’s how I feel about you too, so don’t ever feel bad for asking.”

Slowly, he began to nod as comprehension dawned upon him. “…Oh….”

She gave him an encouraging smile and squeezed his hand. “Yeah.”

Blushing, he looked down at their joined hands. “Okay. Well…I’ll have to let you know as I think of things, but…I don’t know if there’s a whole lot you can do. I think a lot of being mentally healthy starts and ends with me, so…I think I have to do most of the work myself.”

“But you can still let me know if there’s anything I can do to support you,” she reminded.

He nodded. “Yeah. You’re right. …I will. I think mostly I just need someone to talk to about things.”

“You can talk to me whenever you need to,” she assured. “I mean, I hardly sleep, so you can call or text whenever.”

He frowned at this. “I think maybe we need to reevaluate your self-care behaviors while we’re at it. I’ve always known that Marinette had a crazy hectic schedule full of stress and deadlines, but now that I know you’re juggling a side gig as a superhero on top of everything you do as Marinette, I’m kind of worried.”

She averted her gaze, sticking her lip out in a pout. “I liked it better when we were focusing on you.”

“I’ll bet you did,” he snickered. “Just know that this is a two-way street. I’m here for you too, Marinette.”

She dropped the pout and looked up at him with a soft smile. “Thanks…. I think you should talk to Nino about how you’ve been feeling lately. Maybe Alya too, if you feel comfortable talking to her, but definitely Nino. He’s going to freak.”

Adrien winced. “Yeah…. Yeah, I know. I just don’t want—”

“—Don’t you dare mention being a burden or bothering him,” she warned. “Nino would be insulted. He loves you literally as much as he loves his brother, if not, more.”

“Yeah,” Adrien sighed, sufficiently cowed. “I’ve just been too scared to say anything.”

She hesitated before continuing, “And…you know…maybe we could go see a therapist?”

He raised an eyebrow in surprise at the suggestion. “A therapist?”

She nodded tentatively. “I know I’m awesome, but I’m only seventeen, Adrien. There are a lot of things that I’m completely clueless about. I’ve looked into psychology a little bit to help me deal with akuma victims, but I’m not an expert. I was just thinking that maybe talking to a counselor would be helpful. Maybe they’ll think of things that could help that we would never come up with on our own.”

“That’s true,” he allowed, considering the idea.

“I don’t know,” she sighed. “I just know that there are a lot of times where I think, ‘Man, I wish I had an adult to help me out with this’. Most of the time I’m completely on my own—besides you and the others and Tikki, I mean…. I was just thinking that this is maybe one time where we don’t have to go it alone. Maybe an adult can help.”

“I’ll think about it,” he granted. “It would be hard to see a doctor without my father finding out, and he isn’t going to like this, but…it’s a good idea,” he agreed.

“Good,” she sighed in relief, leaning into a languid, exploratory kiss that Adrien was more than happy to return.

They broke apart a few minutes later with a contented hum and stared dreamily into each other’s eyes.

Suddenly, an idea occurred to Adrien, and he gave a start.

“Stupid question,” he announced hesitantly.

“No such thing,” she assured, wrapping her arms around him more snugly.

“Are we dating now?” he warily inquired. “Sorry. Do I need to ask you out still? I mean, I assume we’re on the same page because we both said that we loved one another, and we’ve been kissing, so one would think that we’re dating, but I just wanted to make sure because I’ve never done this before, and I’m—”

“—Adrien?” she cut him off gently.

He tipped his head to the side. “Yes?”

“Will you go out with me?” she asked so that there would be no doubt in his mind as to what she wanted.

“Yes,” he responded breathlessly, and the joy in his eyes made her heart melt.

“Good,” she chuckled. “For our first date, would you want to have movie night tonight? We could snuggle on the couch and make cookies together.”

He surprised her by saying no.

“That can’t be our first date,” he whined. “It’s not romantic enough. I’ve had our first date planned for years, Princess. There have to be rose petals and candles and mood music. We’re supposed to eat at this amazing restaurant and take ballroom dancing lessons and then have a rooftop picnic as we watch the stars and snuggle. We can’t have a night in as our first date,” he argued.

She stared at him with a deadpan expression, debating whether it would be damaging to their nascent relationship for her to face-palm.

“My boyfriend is a high-maintenance dork,” she sighed.

“Hey,” he pouted, and she could almost see his ears and tail drooping despite the fact that he wasn’t transformed.

“All right,” she relented. “If we don’t call it a date, would you like to hang out and snuggle and watch movies and bake cookies?”

“Definitely,” he easily approved but then thought to add softly, in a slightly hurt tone, “I’m not silly, you know, for wanting my first date with the woman I love to be everything I’ve ever dreamed it would be.”

“No,” she agreed, reaching up to stroke his hair lovingly. “I’m sorry. You’re not. You deserve to have the first date of your dreams. I shouldn’t have scoffed, even if it is a bit more…” She searched for the word, came up with “over the top”, and decided against voicing it. “…more than I had in mind,” she ended conciliatorily.

“I love you, and I want you to have nice things,” she assured, earning herself an affectionate nuzzle from him.

“Thanks,” he whispered. “That means a lot to me.”

She then did something she knew she would later regret as a show of her love for him: “You can plan our first date,” she offered. “Whatever you want it to be. Go wild.”

The way his eyes lit up at her giving him free rein confirmed her fears…yet, the pure joy in his expression made her think that, if a crazy rom-com-cliché-filled date was the price of his happiness, it was well worth it.

The End

[writeroutoftime]

lost in love and time - chapter 2

CATCH UP - PROLOGUE PART 1, PROLOGUE PART 2, CHAPTER 1

pairing: bucky barnes x reader 

summary: haunted mansion au - now that you, sam, and natasha have arrived at the manor, it is time to meet the person who summoned you and learn what exactly you are there to do

warnings: none 

words: 2885

a/n: it’s been a hot minute since I updated, but here is another part! once again, bucky is back in the picture and I’m so excited that the plot is starting to move forward, the action, the drama, and the romance is coming! also, I think this picture really represents how I sorta picture bucky in this series! please enjoy this chapter and have a lovely day! 

(this chapter does contain some dialogue from the movie, which I am not taking credit for)

oOoOo

“Now how do we get through the gates?” Sam asked.

Instead of Sam’s question, your ears caught onto to something else that had your eyes darting back and forth to find the source. “Do you guys hear that?” you asked.

Not waiting for a response from Sam or Natasha, you stepped out of the car, walking closer to the gates that separated you from the beautiful mansion. There was a tug of familiarity as you heard the soft, yet frustrating, melody of the waltz that was so often stuck in your head. It seemed as though as it was coming directly from the mansion, and the closer you walked to the gates, the louder the noise got. A frustrated sigh left your lips at the heavy, padded lock that denied you access to the answers you were looking for.  

Sam and Natasha gave each other a nervous look, for they heard nothing except the wind rustling the leaves and tree branches. “Hear what, y/n?” Natasha asked, taking a few, cautious, steps toward you.

As it did the other day, her voice brought you out of your trance like state and back to reality. “Uh, never mind.” you said, dismissing your behavior with a wave of your hand. A quick glance around the property showed that there weren’t any other ways in, and there wasn’t a call box by the gate to alert anyone of your arrival.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Sam asked, inspecting the heavy lock for himself.

“This is what our potential client told me.” you defended and unlocked your phone to double check that the GPS had brought you to the right address, but you quickly realized there was no signal this far removed from the city.  

Natasha tried her luck with the reception on her phone, to no avail. “Maybe we should just head out.” she suggested. “If they really wanted you to look at the house, they would have left the gates opened. I’m sure they’ll call back on Monday.”

Right as you were about to agree, a large gust of wind rushed past you, and there was a long, slow creak as the gates seemingly opened by themselves. All three of you looked at each other in confusion, before you briskly walked to the car and motioned for Sam and Natasha to do the same. Driving down the grand, gravel road, you found a place to park your car, and stepped out, ready to head towards the front door. Yet, it was Sam’s voice calling your attention to a small, stone patio off to the side that piqued your interest.

“Do all houses have a personal cemetery in their backyard?” he asked half joking, half petrified.

Following his gaze, you looked out onto the expansive, private cemetery that took up most of the land’s space. Rows and rows of graves, worn and weathered from exposure to the harsh elements rested before your eyes. To top it all off, a mausoleum further back, stood tall and confident. A shudder ran through your body as you took in the sight, but you tried to roll the feeling off your back. Maybe it was a family house – to each their own.

“You can’t say it isn’t unique, Sam.” you joked and would have continued, but rain began to pour, soaking you to the bone instantly.

The three of you ran for cover under the awning over the front steps and looked for a doorbell to announce your presence. Not noticing one, you picked up the heavy and intricate door knocker and knocked three times. After a few moments there was no response, and you worried that no one had heard you inside the sprawling mansion, but as you raised your hand, the door opened.

On the other side of the door, stood a tall man with blonde hair and kind, blue eyes. He wore a slightly dated suit, which raised an eyebrow, but when he graciously let you inside, you couldn’t care less. Warmth flooded your body once you stepped inside and out of the chilling rain. Trying, and failing, to not get water everywhere, you took in your surroundings and you were in awe. If the outside of the house had been beautiful, this was magnificent.

A grand, entrance way, with polished marble floors, greeted you, which led to a set of twin staircases that joined in the middle, all with intricate carvings along the sides and the railings. Your feet led you around as you admired all the fine pieces of decoration, not noticing Sam or Natasha’s looks, or the kind smile from the man who let you in. This mansion was a designer’s paradise, and there you were, standing right in the middle of it.  

“See something you enjoy?” the man asked with a small smile.

Embarrassed, you looked down at the floor, hoping he didn’t think you to be rude. “I’m sorry, it’s just this place is so beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it.” you admitted.

“It’s quite alright” he said, warmly. “It is truly magnificent. Built in the mid 1800’s, and still standing today. You don’t see many buildings like this nowadays.” he said.

“No, you don’t.” you agreed, still marveling at how many pieces looked to be originals from the 19th-century.

It wasn’t until Natasha spoke that you remembered why you were there. “Yes, it is very lovely. What exactly was it you were hoping that Stark Realtors could help you with, Mr.- I’m sorry, we never got your name.”

The way his eyes widened before he answered quietly, suggested that the man had not truly noticed Sam nor Natasha when they stepped inside with you. “My name is Steven Rogers, and I was not away you were bringing guests with you, Miss. y/l/n.”

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Rogers. We are about to leave for a trip, and this was the only way I could swing by today.” you explained and hoped that this wouldn’t ruin his employer’s interest in you as a designer. “I apologize again, I should have called ahead.”

“T-that’s alright.” Steve stuttered. “I will just let the staff know we need two extra spaces for dinner.”

Sam was the one who spoke up next. “Woah, woah. Dinner? I’m sorry Mr. Rogers, but as y/n explained, we cannot stay very long.”

Before Steve could respond, another pair of footsteps echoed from the hall and grew louder with each step. Steve nearly flinched once the older man with thin, grey hair stood next to him. “What do we have here, Steven?” the man asked, harshly.

He took the time to look over Sam and Natasha, and when he stopped to look at you, he glared. You swore you felt a chill run through your spine as the new presence seemed to look directly through you, but you pushed that aside and step forward with your hand outstretched. “y/n y/l/n, sir. Are you Mr. Rogers employer who asked for the services of Stark Realtors?” you questioned.

The man gave Steve a glare before he looked to you. “The name is Pierce, and no, I am not the master of the manor. I was unaware that we would be having guests, though.”

There was a moment of tension between the five of you, and Sam saw this as an opportunity to take your leave. “Well we don’t want to be a bother, Mr. Pierce, and as we said, we really can’t stay long. So, we will take our leave now, and y/n can come back on Monday.” he said, his hand on your shoulder, leading you towards the door.

“No!” came Pierce’s harsh reply. “What’s done is done. I will see to it that there are extra places set at the dinner table. Steven, if you will guide them towards the dining room, Master Barnes is waiting for Mrs. Rogers to serve dinner.”

He disappeared as quickly as he appeared, and Steve relaxed slightly at the sound of Pierce’s retreating footsteps. “My apologies.” he chuckled in an attempt to defuse any awkwardness. “If you’ll follow me to the dining room.”

Steve began to walk ahead, and you followed, giving Natasha and Sam and sharp look to follow you. It was your job to keep potential clients happy, and you could spare thirty minutes for dinner. At the end of the hallway, Steve opened a massive door that lead to an equally massive, and enchanting room. There was a long table in the center, intricately set, with candles lit throughout the room, providing a warm glow that contrasted the jolts of lightning that strike every few minutes.  

With all three of you scattered about the hall, Natasha stood in front of the fireplace and called you over. “This is beautiful. I haven’t seen anything like this before.” she said.

“Haven’t you?” yet another new voice spoke, and you turned to see a handsome man, with dark hair and entrancing eyes a few feet away from you, watching as you admired the grand room. “My grandfather spared no expense when building this mansion.”

The man walked closer to you, and as he did, he stopped in his tracks and gasped. The way he looked at you was closer to that of seeing an old friend, not a stranger, but you dismissed that thought and smiled as you reached your hand out to him. “y/n y/l/n, sir.”

“y-y/n?” he stuttered, but quickly regained his charm. “I am James Barnes.” he said and kissed the back of your hand. “May I ask what you are doing here?” he asked, though more so to Steve who stood in the shadows than to you.

“They are here to look at the house.” Steve explained, his eyes telling James to just ‘roll with it’. “I believe Peggy is about to bring in dinner, if you will take your seats.” he said and motioned towards the table. “Miss. y/l/n, you can sit on this side, and your colleagues on the left.”  

James gallantly pulled a chair out for you, then took his place in the one next to you. The whole time you couldn’t keep the smile of your face or the flutter from your heart. There was something about James that had you under a spell – it was the feeling that all your previous dates were missing. Meanwhile, you were so caught up in your own world that you missed Natasha and Sam’s looks of concern.

“What do you think of the house, Miss. y/l/n?” James asked, eager to see how you felt about his family’s home.

“Oh, well.” you began, trying to contain your excitement for what you felt for the house, but failing. “I think it’s truly magnificent. The Italian influence, the Renaissance style of the molding, the attention to detail. You truly have a wonderful house here, Mr. Barnes.”

He smiled at your words as though you had given him the greatest compliment. “I’m so glad you think so. And please, call me Bucky. Only Pierce calls me James, and that’s only when he’s mad at me.” Bucky said.  

There was a long pause as you and Bucky simply gazed into each other’s eyes. Sitting next to him in that mansion, strangely enough, felt as though you had come home to a familiar presence after being gone for an extended period of time. Though you had only met the man minutes before, there was a gut instinct that told you need to get to know Bucky more. It wasn’t until Sam cleared his throat that either of you remembered you were not alone. 

“So, what exactly were you looking to do with the house?” Natasha asked, never one to be afraid to steer the conversation back in the right direction.

Just as Bucky was about to answer, Steve returned, this time accompanied by a woman who looked to be about your age. Her dark hair was pulled out of her face and she was dressed in an outfit that looked like something out of a period drama – just like Steve’s suit. Tucking that thought in the back of your mind, you were distracted by the smell of the stew that wafted from the bowls on the cart. It wasn’t until that moment you realized how hungry you truly were.

“Peggy, you spoil us. This looks wonderful.” Bucky complimented.

“Bucky, don’t try and flatter me. Just because you compliment my cooking does not mean I’m going to easily forgive you for underestimating my skills in our poker game.” Peggy teased as she placed a bowl in front of Bucky and one in front of you, while Steve placed bowls before Sam and Natasha.

Bucky rolled his eyes good naturedly. “Peggy, this is y/n.” he introduced, and you turned to smile at the woman.

Peggy took one look at you and had a similar reaction to Bucky, “y/n, you say?” she asked, almost in disbelief. Then, just as quickly as it happened, she composed herself and shook your hand. “It’s nice to meet you, dear.”

A comfortable silence fell over the table as you all dug into the stew that Peggy had made that evening. Even Sam and Natasha, who were so eager to leave before, couldn’t resist the homemade meal. A comfortable silence fell over the room, the only sound coming from the clinking of spoons against the china bowls 

“To answer your question from earlier,” Bucky eventually gestured towards Natasha, after wiping his mouth. “this house is my inheritance. However, lately, it’s been too much for me to bear.”

Wordlessly, Natasha nodded, but before she could comment, Bucky continued. “Tell me. Do you believe in ghosts?” he asked the room, though his eyes focused solely on you.

Natasha thought about it for a moment. “I’m not sure I’ve really given it much though before, Mr. Barnes.”

“Asks the man whose house has its own private cemetery.” Sam mumbles, to which you deliver a swift kick to his shin under the table.

“Well, I believe that there are many things unknown to us, so why should we say that they don’t exist?” you answered quietly, feeling bashful under Bucky’s passionate gaze. 

With a glance at his watch, Sam pushed his bowl to the side and clapped his hands together before he addressed Bucky. “Thank you for a lovely meal, but it’s best we get going. y/n can call you on Monday to further discuss what changes you wished to make to your house.”

However, without missing a beat, there was a flash of lightning that ominously illuminated Pierce’s figure by the window. “The storm has swollen the river.” 

“Excuse me?” Natasha questioned.

Pierce turned towards the table and rephrased. “The storm has flooded the river. I’m afraid no one will be leaving the mansion tonight.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s just not possible.” Sam argued. “We have to be on our way.”

Despite Sam and Natasha’s protests, you stayed silent, finding that your heart fluttered a bit at the thought of spending more time with Bucky. Maybe you were reading too much into it, but you saw this storm as fate gifting you with more time to get to know the dashing stranger that sat before you. Could the missing piece of your life be just feet away from you? 

“Of course, you are all more than welcome to spend the night here.” Bucky offered as he quickly stood up. With a final glance at you, he slowly began to back away from the table, seemingly nervous. “Pierce and Steve will show you to your rooms.” he said before he disappeared through another door. 

“Miss. y/l/n, if you’ll follow me.” Steve offered, and you turned to shrug at Sam and Natasha before following Steve in the opposite direction Bucky had exited. 

The two stared at your retreating figure in shocked until Pierce motioned for Sam and Natasha to follow him. Reluctantly, the duo did so, and traveled in uncomfortable silence until they reached a room. “I expect this is sufficient.” Pierce said, almost sounding bored.

One look in the room showed dusty furniture with a singular bed that look as though it hadn’t been slept on in decades. Outdated curtains hide the storm from view, and there was a strange smell that both Sam and Natasha knew they would not quickly get used to. However, when they turned to voice their concerns, Pierce had already disappeared, leaving the two of them alone. 

"That chair looks mighty comfy, Sam.” Natasha said, referring to the cushioned chair that sat in the corner of the room. 

“No way I’m sleeping on that thing.” Sam tried to argue, but found himself talking to the bathroom door Natasha had just shut. With a sigh, he threw himself on the bed that groaned underneath his weight. As he made his best efforts to get comfortable, there was a knock at the door, which Sam reluctantly opened. 

Pierce, who had suddenly returned, stood on the other side. “The master was wondering if he might have a word with you in the library.” he said, his voice sounding bored.

"Yeah, I guess.” Sam answered. “I’ll be back soon, Nat.” he called out over his shoulder and, once more, followed Pierce through the mansion, not sure what laid ahead of the three of you. 

oOoOo

tagging:  @readermia, @mgk-rooklover1997, @crazinessgraveyardsandcartoons, @dabooks23, @loser-alert, @themeanestlittlewitch, @peaches-roses-sins, @tiffanynguyen03 @t33n-tw4t

[voltreach]

VoltReach

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[darkelfshadow]

Session Summary - 101

AKA “The Trap Is Sprung”

Adventures in Taggriell

Session 101  (Date: 22nd January 2021)

Players Present:

- Rob (Known as “Varis”) Elf Male.

- Bob (Known as “Sir Krondor) Dwarf Male.

- Paul (Known as “Labarett”) Elf Male.

- Travis (Known as “Trenchant”) Human Male.

- Arthur (Known as “Gim”) Dwarf Male.

Absent Players

- John (Known as “Ragnar”) Dwarf Male. <Played By Rob>

NPC

- (Known as “Naillae”) Elf Female. <Controlled by Travis>

Summary

- Moonday, 15th Desnus in the year 815 (Second Era). Summer.

- The party begin this session, mid afternoon still within the large massive complex of Kranun’s Crater. Having dispatched Kranun, who had been taken over by the ancient extra-planar being Tyranthraxus, the party now set about organising what to do next.

- The party make their way up to a large ledge, about 100 feet up the crater wall, where the party believe that the broken statue head may have come from. Labarett detects a strong source of magic coming from the crater wall and Gim locates a faint and very old depression in the ledge ground that would indicate that the statue head did indeed come from where the source of magic is.

- Using his Mage Hand to move aside some ivory leaves growing on the crater wall, Labarett finds a shiny metal sphere engraved with twin entwined circles. Varis and Ragnar step towards the shiny sphere, Ragnar exclaiming that it is the symbol of his god Berronar Truesilver.

- Ragnar places his hand upon the sphere and yellow glowing light erupts in front of him to form into the shape of a door. As the light fades away a pair of large double doors now stand before the party but the doors are not connected to the crater wall.

- When the doors are opened only bright light can be seen. When Ragnar steps inside he disappears and the party realise that these doors are a portal to somewhere else. One by one the party enter to find themselves in a large stone hewn chamber with a stone coffin in the centre. The coffin has a warrior surrounded by light engraved upon it, holding a blazing sword, and with the symbol of Truesilver carved on it. To the sides are two metal braziers with flickering flames, but the braziers and the metal are translucent. Four alcoves on the walls, each with a hand sized hole, can be seen positioned around the room. Two stone statues flank the entry wall, one with a broken section of its head missing.

- Varis carelessly steps off the engraved area of the floor that follows the outer edge of the chamber, and as he does so rays of light start to shoot at the party burning them with radiant light. Figures in light can be seen beginning to form.

- Sir Krondor shouts out, “Get back on the engraved section ya bloody idiot!”

- Varis sheepishly looks down at his feet, and then takes a step back onto the engraved floor and away from the coffin. The rays of light stop and so too the figures in light fade away.

- The party begin to examine the room, being careful to remain on the outer engraved section of the chamber. They eventually work out that a person of good and true heart can place their hands into the translucent flames and then ignite the four holes around the room. Only Ragnar and Trenchant appear to be of good enough virtue to do this. As each hole is lit up, a ray of light shoots forth from the hole directly at the coffin. Gim gets badly burnt when he places his hand into the fires.

- Once all four rays of light shine upon the coffin an audible click can be heard from the coffin. Confident that they have dealt with the room, Ragnar steps straight to the coffin, but once again the rays of light shoot forth and strike each member of the party, burning them radiance. This time the figures of light immediately appear: seven Radiant Spirits and a large mass of glowing faces and limbs (Souls Of The Past).

- The party are forced to battle, but soon discover that destroying the creatures achieves little as they simple reform. The party are getting damaged badly, Gim especially as the foes seem to take offence as his presence, perhaps sensing the darkness carried within his heart. Gim, Bucky and Shadow are forced to flee the chamber but discover that once they leave the chamber they are unable to get back in whilst the party still rages.

- The Souls Of The Past is able to temporarily control some of the party to attack each other.

- Sir Krondor realises that the party can not keep attacking these foes, they have to do something else. He tries to push the lid off the stone coffin but it is too heavy. He shouts out, straining, “I need some help here!”

- Varis is shooting arrows around the room and trying to stay away from foes, “A little busy here!”

- Trenchant races over to the coffin and begins to help push the lid. The other members of the party are trying to fight off the foes, forcing the way closer to the coffin.

- Trenchant sees that Sir Krondor is struggling, he shouts words of Inspiration towards Sir Krondor. With one final heave, the Dwarf Knight, helped by Trenchant, push the stone lid of the coffin and it moves a foot open revealing an empty coffin with a sword hilt, with no blade, laying on the ground.

- Sir Krondor shouts, “Ragnar grab it!”

- Ragnar leans into the coffin and grabs the sword hilt, the fabled Sun Blade that he has searched for eons. The weapon of his order. He raises the sword hilt high and a suddenly a blade of blazing light erupts from the hilt, lighting up the room. The Radiant Spirits and Souls Of The Past shy away from the sword. Ragnar starts to chase down each of the foes, slashing the blade of light, and as it slices through each one they disappear permanently.

- As the party try to stay away from the fleeing but still attacking foes, Ragnar follows and one by one the foes are finally dispatched. The party leave through the portal and return to the Crater, with Ragnar now possessing the ancient Sun Blade of Truesilver.

- The party quickly set about siphoning the remaining liquid in the Pool of Radiance into the barrel, which Trenchant tries to inscribe the arcane symbols on the barrel that he saw in his vision, with Labarett and Ragnar assisting him. He does not quite get it right, as he does not know all the symbols required. When he is finished, the rest of the party look at the barrel with some suspicion and skepticism.

- Labarett looks at the barrel, like it might explode any minute, “How do we know that the symbols you put on the barrel are working.”

- Trenchant stammers, “Well of course they’re right. Should be as safe as houses.”

- Naillae says, “Lover, you know I am impressed with your many talents, and your very talented hands. But this is magic! You’re not a wizard or trained in this. Shouldn’t the symbols be glowing?”

- Trenchant walks up to the barrel and kicks it, as he discreetly uses a Minor Illusion, to cause the symbols to glow, “See. Told you, nothing to worry about.”

- Labarett seeing the glowing symbols nods his head, “Good enough then.”

- The party use Varis’s summoned Giant Owl to transport them and the “protected” barrel up from the crater’s bottom to the top ridge, 200 feet above. Using the abandoned wagon to transport the barrel,  they set off towards the Phlan.

- A couple of hours later as night sets in, they setup camp with Trenchant using Leomund’s Tiny Hut to hide and protect the party, with the barrel and wagon left outside the arcane protected shelter.

- Toilday, 16th Desnus in the year 815 (Second Era). Summer.

- The party arise and Trenchant dismisses the Leomund’s Tiny Hut. The grass and bushes all around the area, except for where their Hut had been, is now black and withered. The party look around the black area, that extends about 20 feet around them.

- Varis looks at this dark area, “Was it like this when we set up camp?”

- “Yes, yes, it was dark when we got here. Come on let’s go,” Trenchant says quickly.

- Sir Krondor tilts his head in disbelief, “We just happened, by chance, to set up camp in the only black area of land that the eye can see from horizon to horizon?”

- Trenchant ignores the question and the party quickly break camp, the strange area of black around them unsettling them, and they leave once again with the “protected” barrel.

- The day goes by uneventfully but the party full uneasy. They once again set up camp, this time Sir Krondor looks around to make sure the ground looks normal.

- Wealday, 17th Desnus in the year 815 (Second Era). Summer.

- The party arise, once again protected by arcane shielding of Leomund’s Tiny Hut. When Trenchant dismisses the Hut they see the ground, grass and bushes around them are now black once again, up to distance of about 40 feet.

- “Right!” Sir Krondor bellows, “Don’t give me any of ya guff this time! The ground is now bloody black and it wasn’t last night. That barrel is dangerous!”

- “Yes, I’ve felt unwell all yesterday travelling with that thing,” adds Naillae, “I’m starting to feel sick.”

- “Me too,” adds Labarett.

- “Alright, I might have missed some symbols,” Trenchant admits but quickly continues when he sees Sir Krondor about to bellow, “But we are only a few hours from the coast and our ship. It will last until then.”

- The party quickly set off and hurriedly make their way towards the coast and do indeed find the Frostskimmr waiting for them anchored off shore. Three row boats leave the ship and meet them at the beach, with Captain Lerustah and Maccath The Crimson meeting them. Maccath immediately recognises the danger of the poorly protected barrel and warns Captain Lerustah that the ship and crew will not make a week long journey back to Crescent Moon with that barrel on board. She suggests either dumping the contents into the sea or taking it somewhere closer where someone might know what to do with it.

- The party suggest taking it to Phlan and giving it to the Lord Sage as he was quite knowledgable about the Pool of Radiance. The party set off on the two hour sail back up to Phlan and easily dock into port. There appears to be less Cult guards on the streets. Thankful for their good fortune, they take the barrel, along with other cargo, in a cart back into the city and to Mentor’s Library where the Lord Sage is in hiding.

- The Lord Sage is alarmed to have the dangerous liquid so close to him at first but he quickly controls himself and sets about making a new properly protected container, which will be ready by tomorrow.

- The party leave the Library and make their way around the outskirts of Podol Plaza, and enter into the Tea Kettle. They are greeted by Madame Freona and Olisara Lightsong. The party are updated on the current situation on Phlan. For some reason, the Cult’s patrols have been reduced, though the few remaining patrols are acting in a much more aggressive and antagonistic manner towards the locals. Olisara explains that Captain Greycastle and her men have been dealing with the Cult patrols, intervening when things get out of hand.

- Olisara still does not know who the “Black Knight” is or what their plan is, but the Black Knight has been attacking officers of the Cult when they are poorly guarded.

- The party then head over next door to the Cracked Crown Inn, where they are greeted by Ellywick and Seranolla The Whisperer. They exchange some information.

- Once done the party head over to the main bridge to the other side of the city, where they see a young mother and her child being spoken to harshly by a pair of Cult guards. When one of the guards slaps the mother down to the ground, with a heavy metal gauntlet fist, suddenly Captain Greycastle and half a dozen of her men leap out of a nearby wagon. They immediately cut down one guard and knocked the other unconscious.

- From around the bridge, from various buildings come the sound of shouts and one particularly loud voice, “The trap worked! Quickly capture Greycastle!”

- From one building, on the opposite side to the party, a large group of Dragonwing Enforcers lead by a Dragonfang race out.

- The Dragonfang and Dragonwings leap up, their wings extending as they fly over to the bridge and quickly surround Greycastle and her men.

- Trenchant speaks, “We can’t let Greycastle be captured by the Cult! She knows too much!”

- The party can hear the sounds of other Cult forces desperately trying to get out of the other buildings. Sir Krondor yells, “Make this fast!”

- The party race forward and engage, watching as two of Greycastle’s Knights are quickly dropped to the ground under the combined assault of the Cult Enforcers. Captain Greycastle struggles against multiple foes, sustaining serious injuries. The party quickly cast Healing spells towards Greycastle.

- Trenchant summons a Stinking Cloud over the entire bridge, friend and foe alike, to slow down the combat. Some of the party race into the Cloud, and begin swinging weapons into the foes.

- The bridge and riverfront suddenly plunge into shadow as something massive flies overhead, the sound of beating wings and a strong gust of wind knocking down people.

- “Vorgansharax is here! I’m getting Greycastle!” shouts Labarett as he starts to sprint with inhuman speed, through the Cloud and towards Captain Greycastle.

- Labarett reaches her and shouts, “Captain! Captain we have to get you out of here! Vorgansharax is here!”

- She knocks aside an incoming sword and then kicks back another Dragonwing Enforcer, shouting “I will not leave my men behind!”

- Labarett side steps towards her, “You have my blood oath, on my late father’s name, we will rescue you and all your men, but will need to leave NOW!”

- The Captain parries an incoming Dragonwing sword, knocking the Enforcer’s head with her other gauntlet, “Lead me away then!” As Labarett pulls her back, she shouts out, “Soldiers! Defensive line, withdrawal to my voice now!”

- Her Knights, well trained, move into a defensive line, cutting off the bridge and retreating backwards.

- Vorgansharax appears again, his gigantic form sweeping across the sky, as the DragonFear sweeps across the battle. Bucky, Naillae, and Shadow all succumb and drop to the ground, trembling in Fear. Captain Greycastle and all her Knights ignore the Fear.

- Another group of foes has now arrived, Red Plume Mercenaries lead by a Dragonfang Enforcer. Trenchant smiles, “Thanks for the troops.” The Bard casts Mass Suggestion on the newly arrived Mercenaries and shouts, “The Cult has betrayed you! Fight them now before they kill you!”

- All but three of the Mercenaries are affected, and they immediately turn their heavy crossbows against the Dragonfang.

- The party run towards a sewer grate, with Captain Greycastle and her men retreating in a controlled formation. The party use Spell, arrow and blade to cut down any remaining foe trying to stop them. They manage to pull the sewer grate off and they begin descending into the sewers. One by one they jump down into the darkness, fighting back the remaining foes. With only three of the party left, and Captain Greycastle and all her men now rescued into the sewers, Vorgansharax swoops down, his massive bulk breaking and smashing the tops of the buildings, scattering broken roof tiles onto the paving.

- The Dragon’s massive claws reach out towards Gim and Varis, intent on grabbing them to sweep them up into the air. Gim manages to deflect the claws away with his Greatsword and Varis dives to the ground, rolling away from the claws.

- Gim runs towards the sewer hole, “That’s it! I’m out of here!” and then leaps into the dark hole. He is quickly followed by the last two members of the party.

- Captain Greycastle, who is now holding a lit torch speaks, “Quickly follow me. I will lead any pursuers to the Guild traps and lead us to our hideout.”

<And as the party once again race through the sewers of Phlan, lucky to be alive and feeling elated at saving Captain Greycastle, that is the end of the session.>

XP Allocation

Group - Combined (This is equally divided by the number of players who were involved)

Quests (Only quests that are completed or rendered undoable, during this session, are shown here)

- “The Radiant Light” - Recover The SunBlade = 200 XP

- “Wonder Of Ages” - Recover Barrel Of Radiance (1/2 Barrel) = 200 XP

- “Rally To Me!” - Rescue Captain Greycastle = 5000 XP

- “Remember The Fallen” - Loss Of Civilian Life in Rescue Penalty = NIL

- “Lost Brothers In Arms” - Loss Of Military Life in Rescue Penalty = -400 XP Penalty

Creatures Overcome

- Radiant Spirit = 1400 XP

- Souls Of The Past = 1800 XP

- Dragonfang Enforcer = 1800 XP

- Dragonwing Enforcers = 3600 XP

Individual (This is only given to that person and is not divided amongst all players)

Special Bonus (Outstanding Role Playing)

Nil

XP Levels and Player Allocations

Player : Start +  Received = Total  (Notes)

Rob : 133466 + 2429 = 135895

Arthur : 106934 + 1943 = 104332

John : 102875 + 1457 = 104332

Travis : 122807 + 1943 = 124750

Paul : 112290 + 1943 = 114233

Bob : 124129 + 1943 = 126072

NPC (Naillae) : + (972)

[khelinski]

7.1 - Mythology

I am currently sitting in my car, parked on the side of a road near a bridge in Melbourne, FL – reflecting upon true love. I am feeling sentimental, for it is the day before Valentine’s Day. Specific dates in the year leave me with these shared, same sentimental feelings; a mixture of longing, depression, guilt, and love. The bridge in Melbourne is a place I often visit when I have these melancholy emotions. The long story short, I was married to an addict who I thought was my soul mate. Things got too intense, too much for me to handle. We divorced. A few years later, she passed away due to her addiction. That was over two years ago. I have been able to live on, keep on. But I have not been able to move on. One never truly moves on when it comes to true love, do they? This raises the question - does true love exist? Are soul mates just a myth in itself? Is the search for a loved one only an archetype, a motif/theme in mythology 101? In truth, I do not know. Love is an abstract subject matter that not even the poets can fully explain, let alone try to decipher in yesteryear's ancient myths. Nonetheless, it is a fascinating topic to dive into. I will be using the myths of Plato's Symposium and The Ramayana as examples, as well as the story, What Dreams May Come.

           In the dialogue of Plato's Symposium, there is a story about a group of men discussing the many facets of love. Aristophanes, a character in the myth, gives a speech about chaos on this planet, that we were all one being. “The sexes were not two as they are now, but originally three in number; there was man, woman, and the union of the two, having a name corresponding to this double nature, which had once a real existence, but is now lost (Plato).” The gods above shot, lightening down below to earth, separating the beings as two halves. The idealism behind ‘soul mates’ are the two halves that are in search of each other. “And when one of them meets with his other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy, and would not be out of the other's sight, as I may say, even for a moment: these are the people who pass their whole lives together; yet they could not explain what they desire of one another. For the intense yearning which each of them has towards the other does not appear to be the desire of lover's intercourse, but of something else which the soul of either evidently desires and cannot tell, and of which she has only a dark and doubtful presentiment (Plato)”.

           The Ramayana, an ancient myth from India, at its core is a love story about Rama and his wife, Sita. They get separated by a trickster, with Sita locked in a prison. “Rama, in his desperate quest of Sita, was journeying southwards and crossed the frontiers of Kiskinda.” Rama must overcome odds to rescue Sita from a monster. By the end of the myth, Rama defeats the monster and reunites with his wife. “From the heart of the flame rose the god of fire, bearing Sita, and presented her to Rama with words of blessing. Rama, now satisfied that he had established his wife’s integrity in the presence of the world, welcomed Sita back to his arms (Narayan).”

           There is a metaphysical aspect to love, which makes humans, humans. It is the belief that we have a purpose beyond our existence, and that purpose is in search of our other half our being. We are not whole until we find our other half, which goes full circle to Plato’s Symposium. Though love is a frame of mind that completes the physical nuisances of our body and mind, it’s also deep in our soul. But, what is love? “The first part says that romantic love can be characterized by its place in a social structure or framework. The second part says that biological states of human animals play out the roles currently defined by that social framework. So it's not wrong to say romantic love is a social construct, and it's not wrong to say it's a natural, biological, phenomenon; we're just describing the world at different levels when we say those things (NPR).”

           Love and soul mates have enriched the human psyche since humanity's existence, indicated from the myths that were told generation to generation. “We are born born, we eat, we drink, we are raised by a family or tribe, we die. Some experiences are not universal, but common nonetheless: some of us marry, some of have or raise children. Some of us will have conflicts with our parents, or our tribes, some of us experience violence, some of us receive love. And of course, some of us move. So given these truisms, I can accept the idea of archetypes as grounded in our common human experiences (Mythscrafts).”

           A modern story, What Dreams May Come, by Richard Matheson, examines soul mates in the afterlife. Chris Nielsen dies, leaving his wife, Annie, behind. Chris discovers an afterlife after life, and journeys through the many realms of his heaven, Summerland. Meanwhile, Annie, distraught by the loss of her husband, ends her life. Her journey through the afterlife leaves her soul in darkness, hell. Chris learns about his wife, and travels from his heaven to her hell to save her and be with her. Though, he does save her soul – and through reincarnation, they do end up together (Matheson).

           March of 2019, I drove at the very spot I am currently residing at as I am writing this out. I got out of my car, walked along the pathway of the bridge, and stopped mid-half. I looked down at the water. I had contemplated of jumping, thinking that would help solve my depression (and in hopes that I would see my long-lost love again). Instead, I threw the wedding band I wore in honor of my long-lost love’s passing, in the water. A splash of water could be heard. I stared at the circles the dropped ring made in the water with tears down my face. I wonder the feelings I had at that very moment were the same emotions Rama felt after losing Sita to a monster. In some sense, the beast took my other half.  Or what Chris felt when he discovered his wife, Annie, had killed herself over the grief. I have been in search of my lost-love since we parted ways (and then her tragic depart from this world). It might take me a lifetime to find her, but I will continue to keep on searching and living the tale tall of this chaotic life in the meantime, as a wise-woman recently wrote to me, “"True" love will come when you are not looking for it - "true" love has a lot more in common with deep friendship than with romance, it just doesn't look the way you might think, and the first step seems counter intuitive -- you have to get so you are alright on your own before you can be alright with someone else.”

           The myths and stories are a reflection of our very soul – whether there is truth in it or not, we believe. And that is enough.

 K.H.

Primary Sources.

Plato, Symposium. http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/symposium.html

R.K. Narayan, The Ramayana http://dt.pepperdine.edu/courses/greatbooks_v/gbv-15/66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan.pdf

Matheson, Richard. What Dreams May Come. 1978. Tor.

 Secondary Source.

https://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2015/02/16/386750965/exploring-the-metaphysics-of-love

https://mythcrafts.com/2017/01/11/the-collective-unconscious-vs-dispersion/

[sixtyfivehundredmiles]

High Waters in the Great Lakes Reveal Two Centuries-Old Shipwrecks

In the month of April alone, the remnants of two historic vessels washed up on Lake Michigan’s shores

The wreckage of a mid-19th century ship washed ashore north of Ludington, Michigan, on April 24. (Mason County Historical Society)

The depths of the Great Lakes are littered with the sodden remains of an estimated 6,000 sunken ships. Many of these wrecks—preserved by the cold, fresh water of the so-called inland seas—are nearly pristine, frozen in their final death throes for centuries.

This month, waves and high water levels unearthed two historic shipwrecks on the shores of Lake Michigan, reports Lynn Moore for MLive. Experts from the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association (MSRA) identified the first, discovered near the city of Manistique on April 20, as an early 20th-century schooner named after part-owner Rokus Kanters, a marine contractor and the former mayor of Holland, Michigan. The second, which washed up near Ludington on April 24, has yet to be identified but is thought to date back to the mid-19th century, according to the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum.

The high water levels divulging these ancient wrecks have plagued the Great Lakes region over the past several years, eroding its beaches and threatening lakefront properties.

“We’re seeing some of the highest water levels in recorded history on the Great Lakes, and that’s the result of very wet weather experienced over the last several years,” Keith Kompoltowicz, chief of watershed hydrology for the Detroit district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, told the Washington Post’s Kim Frauhammer in 2019.

Climate change is the simple explanation for the region’s unprecedented weather and rising water levels, but in lakes, the situation is more complicated than in seas. Instead of an inexorable march upward, the Great Lakes are expected to seesaw between extremes, according to the Post. That means both flooded basements and shipping lanes too shallow for cargo ships loom in the lakes’ future.

The unidentified ship bears the hallmarks of vessels built between the 1850s and 1880s, according to the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. (Mason County Historical Society)

MSRA experts identified R. Kanters—the more recent of the two shipwrecks—by tracking down photographs, old newspapers and historic records following a video call with the local man who happened upon the wreck, reports Emily Bingham in a separate story for MLive. Records indicate that the 112-foot-long, double-masted schooner sank on September 7, 1903, after getting stuck in shallow water south of Manistique during a storm.

Just three days after its reappearance, the wreck had already started to sink back into the shores of Lake Michigan, reports Brent Ashcroft for local broadcast station WZZM 13.

The older, unidentified ship bears the hallmarks of vessels built between the 1850s and 1880s, according to the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. Its hull fragment measures roughly 32 feet long and 8 feet wide, according to local broadcast station WWMT3.

The area where the 19th-century ship was discovered is notoriously hazardous for ships: More than 300 vessels have grounded along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan over the past 170 years, the museum notes in a Facebook post. Collaborative research with the MSRA has yielded the names of five vessels that may be responsible for the chunk of hull: The J.B. Skinner, built in 1841; the George F. Foster, built in 1852; the J.O. Moss, built in 1863; the Eclipse, built in 1852; and the Orphan Boy, built in 1862.

The two newly discovered wrecks may soon be added to a recently launched interactive map of the shipwrecks found in Michigan’s state waters. And for those looking to learn more about the thousands of ships lost in the Great Lakes, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum on the shores of Lake Superior offers a wealth of information and artifacts. The museum is located at Whitefish Point, a treacherous area known for possessing a trove of some 200 shipwrecks.

Speaking with Smithsonian magazine’s Arcynta Ali Childs in 2011, Sean Ley, the museum’s development officer, explained, “The reason there are so many wrecks along there is because there are no natural harbors for ships to hide when they have these huge storms. Whitefish Bay is kind of a natural bay, and with its point sticking out, it does provide a great deal of protection for ships that are lost.”

(source: Smithsonian Magazine)

By Alex Fox SMITHSONIANMAG.COM APRIL 30, 2020

[spyder-m]

Shumako Week 2020, Day Five: Put Some Love Into It

@shumakoweek​ Day Five: Coffee / Cooking / Dinner Date.

AO3 / FF.net

Summary:  When her sister spoke fondly of the coffee sold by a shop in Yongen, Makoto felt compelled to try it. AU 

.

Makoto wasn't entirely sure what had brought her to the coffee shop in Yongen-jaya. The cafe had been out of her way, the complete opposite direction from both her apartment and the University campus. 

It seemed like a lot of effort to go to for something she could have just as easily bought from a vending machine, or one of the many chain stores dotted around the city.

Yet, hearing her older sister speak so fondly of the store's coffee had piqued her interest.

Sae was a perfectionist. For the coffee to have left such a good impression on her, it must have been of the highest quality.

Seeing as she rarely stopped by their apartment, perhaps Makoto had also hoped they might run into each other there.

Leblanc was tucked away in a narrow alley, boasting its own hustle and bustle unique from the sprawling metropolis. There were smatterings of children, families and pets, moving about between the local businesses.

Bells chimed as Makoto stepped through the front door, her body enveloped by warmth and the permeating scent of cigarettes and the store's many roasts.

It drew her eyes to the shelf lined with a variety of beans and spices. Makoto considered herself quite capable in the culinary department, yet she never realised there were so many different blends of coffee to choose from.

The range was rather overwhelming.

"Oh, welcome."

A middle-aged man stooping over the counter set down his newspaper to greet her. He stood beside a contraption made of numerous bulbs and clasps, appearing more like something out of a laboratory than any machine she’d seen in cafes.

"What can I get for you?"

"I- I'm not quite sure." Makoto answered, eyes drawn to the menu board. "There certainly is a lot to choose from."

"A newbie, huh?" The owner chuckled, before turning and setting to work. "Hold on. I can make you something I think you'll enjoy."

Hesitant, the strap of Makoto's bag slipped from her shoulder as she seated herself at the counter.

A black cat sauntered down the stairs with a stretch of its limbs and a long, deep meow, sniffing at her feet, curious. Makoto eyed the animal. For many businesses, its mere presence would be an obvious health violation.

Did Leblanc also double as a cat cafe?

"Here you are." The man called, Makoto's focus shifting back the counter-top as a steaming cup was placed before her.

"Oh, thank you."

Coffee was something Makoto had developed a taste for in high school; the caffeine helping her concentrate during long study sessions. While, over the years, she'd found a tolerance for the bitter nectar, it was never really something she savoured or choose to drink for any purpose other than necessity.

She was, by no means, a connoisseur.

Yet, the care shown to this particular blend was apparent to her from the moment it settled on her tongue. No sooner had the first sip of rich, brown liquid trickled down her throat, that Makoto was struck by a realisation.

She had never truly drunk coffee before. 

The city was crowded by people all in a hurry, rushing to make a train or their next meeting. They needed their coffee prepared as quickly as possible, the margin for quality wasn't quite as high.

Yet, in this shop, tucked away from the rush and demand, the owner had been afforded the time and luxury necessary to capture a roasts potential. Customers would wait patiently, sitting, engaged in relaxed conversation; almost an entirely different culture that Makoto had not been privy to.

Nursing her drink, Makoto began mentally mapping out alternate routes she could take to class; wondering if she could feasibly pass Leblanc on her way to University.

She would definitely be coming again.

.

The cafe provided a safe haven for Makoto when mid-terms rolled around.

Even having stayed at the top of her year and been entrenched in regular study sessions for as long as she could remember, the academic demands of University still gave Makoto challenge.

She was now competing against some of the best performing students from across the country, many of whom; like her; had scored the highest grades in elite prep schools. Makoto still held the coveted, number one spot but was having to work harder than she ever had before to maintain it.

Though normally favouring the library to study, Makoto had opted to avoid heading there for today. The facilities were packed out at this time of year, with students all trying desperately to fit in a last-minute binge of the term's curriculum, praying that the information would stick.

Finding a place to sit would be a nightmare. 

The ambiance of Leblanc, however, would allow her the concentration necessary for one last refresher of notes for her next exam. As well as a much-needed shot of caffeine.

"Oh. Welcome."

The unfamiliar voice startled Makoto, drawing her to a person behind the counter she did not recognise. Dressed casually in a button-down shirt and jeans; he peered towards her, his dark, shaggy head masked by glasses.

He was young, much closer to her in age than Sakura-san; or any of the cafe's regular clientele, for that matter. Seeming out of place amidst the shop's rather rustic decor.

Makoto wondered, momentarily, if she had mistakenly stepped through the wrong door, the evening having coated the streets in darkness.

Yet her eyes carried over the familiar canisters of beans and spices, suddenly enveloping her again in that eerie, nervous energy she had felt before. This sense of being out of place that Makoto thought she had managed to dispel. As though, in this stranger’s presence, the safe haven she had sought was slowly slipping away, an alien replica forming in its place.

"H- hello," she ventured after a moment. "Is- Is Boss around?"

The man behind the counter shock his head, black waves of hair rustling slightly with the movement.

"He had to step out for a moment. Left me in charge to run the store."

"Oh."

While the young man seemed pleasant enough, any further thought of conversation was stifled by Makoto's struggle placing the young man before her.

From the apron, and his position behind the counter, it was obvious he was working here. Yet, Makoto found this confusing. She had thought Sakura-san ran a one-man operation. Leblanc didn't seem like it did the business to afford, or even warrant, other employees.

Still, no other possible explanation could come to her. The only family Boss had mentioned to her had been a daughter, so this couldn't have been relative of his.

As she usually stopped by in the morning, it made sense that she wouldn't have seen him, until now.

Conscious suddenly that she had been standing, silently pondering, for several seconds; the part-timer still watching her expectantly; Makoto flushed.

"W- well, in that case. May I have a cup of Jamaican Blue?"

It was the first blend Boss had made for her. In a way, the aroma and flavour that had forged her connection to the Cafe and Boss. Perhaps retracing that palette would remind her of the comfort this room had brought her, making her feel home in her own skin and extending an olive branch to the stranger before her.

Blossoming perhaps a similarly fruitful relationship.

"Sure thing," the barista saluted. "I can't promise my coffee will be as good as Boss', but I am learning."

Though she wouldn’t dare admit it aloud, his words held true. His coffee was not as refined as Boss’. Still, it was familiar in its care, in the depth of its flavour profile. As she sipped from the cup with a contented sigh, it was clear to Makoto that he had followed the man’s instructions closely and would bud into a fine protégé.  

"So, what brings you here tonight?" The barista asked her between sips.

Normally such a conversation might bother Makoto, particularly when she had plans to study, but the man's easy smile and soothing timbre were welcome. Setting down her cup, she replied.

"I'm in the middle of exams at Tokyo University. I was hoping to get some last-minute revision in and needed the kick."

"Tokyo, huh? Isn't this kind out of your way? Or do you live around here?"

"No, I don’t. But the coffee is worth it. It's ruined me for anything else in the city."

"Really?" He chuckled. "Perhaps I could teach you then? That way you don't have to keep coming here."

Makoto smiled softly at the man's quip, but in all honesty she enjoyed coming here. Despite the laborious trips and extra train fare, sitting and savouring each finely prepared roast made it worthwhile. The store had a different atmosphere from anywhere else in the city.

"Oh, no. I couldn't trouble you. I don't have the equipment at home anyway."

She could only imagine how much she would need to save to be able to afford a proper coffee siphon like that. Nor where she could source beans the quality that Sakura-san used.

"Oh yeah, that's a problem." The part-timer nodded, scratching his head. "Still, it couldn't hurt to try."

Makoto's fingers stroked against her chin, weighing the temptation in her mind.

Though she had more pressing obligations, she couldn't deny her curiosity. She had watched Sakura-san prepare coffee many times and still hadn't been able to wrap her head around everything it involved.

"Are you sure it’s okay?"

"Why not?" The barista shrugged. "It's pretty much dead here, anyway."

Her books and plans to study momentarily forgotten, Makoto set her bag down; slipping on the apron that was handed to her in its place.

He led her meticulously through the process. Measuring out and grinding the coffee, using timers and thermometers to make sure everything was precise. Even breaking things down slowly, Makoto was a little overwhelmed.

To think that Sakura-san and his apprentice had to recall such an involved recipe off hand, all to make a single cup of coffee.

It was no wonder why they were of such quality. The love and effort that was devoted to each blend could not be substituted.  

His tutoring was disrupted by bells tinkered as the front door opened. Heart catching in her throat, Makoto turned as Sakura-san took her in; apron and all; with a look of bewilderment.

“Niijima-san? What are you doing here?” His employee waved from beside her with a sheepish grin “And you?

As Makoto attempted to stammer out an explanation, Sakura-san’s eyes narrowed at the space between, a mischievous, knowing glimmer crossing his features. 

"Oh. I’m sorry,” He said, voice suddenly devoid of any confusion.  “I didn’t realise you had company.”

“Boss, I-” Makoto's head bowed, apprehensive to meet his gaze.

“Please, don’t leave on my account. This old man’ll get out of your hair. Just make sure you lock up, kid.”

Though she wasn’t looking directly towards him, from her periphery, she could’ve sworn she caught Boss winking behind the counter, in their direction.

Puzzled, she glanced over at the man beside her who shrugged, a breathless laugh trailing from his lips.

It struck her as odd that the part-timer didn’t seem at all concerned about being caught by Boss in such a manner.

“I’m sorry. I hope you aren’t in any trouble.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it.” His hand waved, non-plussed. “I doubt he’s gonna fire me flirting with a customer. If anything, he’s probably pleased.”

“Y- you were flirting with me?”

“Well, I guess it wasn’t the most conventional method, but...” He blushed, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Yeah, that’s what I was going for”

“Oh. I- I see.”

Though she hadn’t thought anything of it, in hindsight, it seemed a rather strange offer to make out of the blue. From the way they had been standing close to one another, his hands helping to guide her through each step. Now that he had clarified, it seemed obvious.  

Shrinking in on herself from embarrassment, Makoto struggled to peel her gaze from the floor. The chain of events she had just endured leaving her mortified.

"It's uh... It's getting late. I might take this to go, if that’s alright.”

“Oh. Sure.”

Makoto wasn't even sure if Leblanc offered take-away drinks, typically, but the barista nonetheless retrieved a Styrofoam cup from behind the counter. Hands dipping into his pocket, he fished out a black marker and began to scrawl something on the side of the cup, pausing briefly to glance up at her.

“You know, I never caught your name.”

“Huh? Oh, it's Niijima. Niijima Makoto.”

Makoto frowned, wondering what reason he could possibly need her name for. She was the only one in the store, there wouldn't be any need for him to call it out.

“I'm Amamiya Ren.” He replied as he set the cup back down and began pouring out her coffee. “Pleased to meet you, Niijima-san. Seeing as you're a regular here, I guess I’ll see you around?”

“Yeah.”

Ren was careful to turn the cup away as he handed it over, shielding whatever he'd written from view. Bursting with curiosity, Makoto held off the urge to turn it around until she'd made it outside, beyond the reach of his gaze.

She was surprised to find printed there carefully was not her name but a series of digits – his number, presumably.

Rolling her eyes, a fond smile lifted Makoto's expression as she took another sip; the rich taste seeping tantalisingly between her lips.

She would definitely be coming back.

[lostsummerdayz]

Persona 5 Scramble Japanese Demo Nintendo Switch Review

Is it a Last Surprise or is it “too fast for eyes?”

By: Nay Holland

The Persona series has come a long way in terms of its success. What was once a spinoff of a series that is currently three decades strong is now a franchise all on its own. The latest game in the series, Persona 5, proved to be a financial and critical success despite the infamous “Winter 2012” meme. Five years later and the Persona 5 van still has a lot left in the tank.

With an anime series, a manga spinoff, countless audio dramas, a handheld RPG spinoff, and a dancing game spinoff, Joker has been around the world and back. At the time of writing, the updated re-release, Persona 5 Royale, hit Japanese store shelves in December with a Western release at the end of March 2020. 

There is one more game in the Persona 5 universe that has yet to be mentioned. Scramble.

When this game was first announced, it was met with a favorable, yet confused, response. Here was a Persona 5 title announced for the Switch; A game that was a Playstation exclusive. While many initially thought it was the highly requested Switch port, the Omega Force logo revealed otherwise. It was instead a Musou game. Or, a Warriors game for the Western audience. Several months later, a PS4 version was also announced, further nullifying the dreams of a Switch-port of Persona 5 for now.

Omega Force are the brains behind the long running Dynasty Warriors series. Can you believe that this series started back in ‘96? As a fighting game nonetheless? The climate was different in the mid-90s that’s for sure.

After countless, and I mean this quite literally, countless entries in the Warriors series, several spinoffs were released. This included Samurai Warriors, which featured Japanese historical figures substituting the Three Kingdoms characters, and Warriors Orochi, which combined both because why not?

It was due to the wild collision course between Oda Nobunaga and Lu Bu clashing swords that other possibilities began to bore fruit. Someone in the Bandai Namco office thought “What if we had Gundams engage in intergalactic battles vs hundreds of Zaku units?” Omega Force obliged.

Several years later, someone else, probably the same person as before, in the Bandai Namco office thought “What if we had Luffy fend off hundreds of pirates?” Omega Force went to work.

Long time partners, Koei Tecmo, pitched the idea of a Hokutou no Ken Musou game and OF was on the scene.

After a while, it did not matter what the source material was. Berserk? Fire Emblem? The Legend of Zelda? It didn’t matter. So long as Omega Force had a check to look forward to, nothing was impossible for them.

So to see the Omega Force brand assigned to the Persona series raised eyebrows, but those in the know nodded their head in approval. Fans such as myself were wondering how a game like Persona would incorporate their mechanics in a Musou game. With the Persona 5 Scramble public demo released on February 5th, our curiosities are finally sated. Or are they?

Turns out it’s not an English demo, but it’s a Japanese demo. Fortunately, it’s not awfully difficult to obtain nor play through the demo, but for the sake of convenience, I’m covering the Switch port. The main reason was that I already had a Japanese Nintendo account. The second reason was my curiosity. I wanted to know how the game played on a console with lesser specs. 

I played the demo on the Switch Lite, so I exclusively played on handheld mode. That said, the game played really well. If there were any slowdowns, it wasn’t noticeable for me. Controls were responsive and everything I wanted Joker to do, I was able to do with no hindrance.

When you first boot the demo, you’re introduced to a sizzler of sorts as you fight several shadows in Shibuya until the game cuts away to several cutscenes.

Now, this is where we reach our main caveat. These are first world problems, but I cannot tell you much about the story. Not because of spoilers although there are certainly here, but because the voices and subtitles are in Japanese. I could deduce what’s going on based on the original story however so, I’ll try my best.

Judging the time of the game, July, the game takes place quite some time after the ending of Persona 5. Several key giveaways are the props within Cafe Leblanc, such as Yusuke’s painting. All of your comrades are present and accounted for, with new attire and the like.

Immediately something is amiss as another app is downloaded on the phone. It is here where you can name your character. Remember when I said this was a Japanese game? Japanese characters and alphanumeric characters only! With very limited space as well!

I went with this. It’s a demo. Don’t judge me.

So, you’re sent to investigate any abnormalities in Shibuya with your best bud Ryujii when an idol appears to have a concert. Almost immediately you’re placed in the Metaverse. A few seconds later you’re fighting hordes of shadows with your buds in Shibuya. 

It is here that several mechanics are introduced, so, I’ll list the controls that are the most important.

X - Light Attack

Y in the middle of a combo - Heavy attack

Y by itself - Projectile

Just like in most Musou games, any combination of light attacks can be finished with a Heavy Attack to provide various results. If you use the Heavy attack by itself, Joker will use his gun.

ZR - Dodge

While walking and holding ZR - Run

R + Button = Spells

These are self explanatory. You can dodge and weave in between enemy attacks. Just like in Persona, he has access to skills. Each skill has a different effect within a different radius. The Eiha spell will hit enemies in a circle while Cleave will hit those in a cone.

X+A - Showtime 

This is this game’s version of the Musou attack. In Warriors games, these are the cinematic attacks that deal massive damage to those around the user. Not only does it look badass, but you’re also invulnerable while using it. This can be used as a way to form wiggle room when overrun.

Halfway through the first palace, as you are introduced to the palace owner and are disposed of, you come across a giant cube. As Joker interacts with the cube, a girl emerges from the cube. The girl tags along with you until it is revealed that this girl is nowhere near defenseless. She can hold her own in combat quite well. The cube she emerged from seems to be her Persona of sorts.

A - Grants you access to the interactable environment around Joker

B - Jump, press again to double jump Environmental attacks let you interact with your surroundings, like the streetlamps in Shibuya. These allow you to stay perched, away from harm as you swoop down on your enemies like a hawk to his prey. Hitting this successfully chains into another wide-ranging attack  for even more damage.

Utilizing the environment to your advantage can also provide a tactical advantage. There’s a moment in the demo where there are three powerful shadows. There’s an alternate path you could go to and sneak behind them. You could choose to fight the shadows head-on, but if you take the beaten path you’ll see a flimsy scaffold. If you use the environment attack on the scaffold, not only will the platform break, but you’ll  also surprise the enemy.

Weaknesses, critical attacks, and technical bonuses from Persona 5 are also existent here. If you hit an enemy’s weakness, you’ll be able to hit them while they are staggered to torment their surrounding foes. Tech bonuses, like in Persona 5, activate when a combination of elemental skills are used in succession. I wasn’t able to activate the tech bonus, but a tutorial prompt explaining the bonus did appear.

In Persona 5, you can negotiate with shadows to coerce them into joining your party as a persona. This game works a little differently. Sometimes if you defeat a shadow, they have a chance to join you as one of your Personas. This is good to cover your strengths and weaknesses.

As in Persona 5, certain enemies are resistant, weak, or invulnerable to specific attacks. The more personae you have, the better equipped you’ll become.

Eventually you’ll face a powerful shadow. This serves as this demo’s boss. These boss fights work a bit different from the rest of the fights thus far. The more you hit a shadow’s weak spot, the more you’re able to attack as they are staggered. Exploit their weakness enough and you’ll be able to do an All Out Attack, much like in the original game.

It is here that the demo ends. If you skip through the cutscenes you can easily beat the demo in about an hour. First impressions, I’m honestly surprised how integral the story is to the game. I’m surprised that I’m surprised, considering the source material is a story intensive game.

I wasn’t able to understand the dialogue, but it was great to travel through Yongen-Jaya and Shibuya once again. It was also nice to see that the game’s story seems to be canon to the main story. The combination of Persona’s mechanics with the twitch-reaction of Musou is like chocolate and peanut butter.

By the way in case you were wondering. The menu animations make a return and they look just as beautiful now as they did in Persona 5.

With the game’s release right around the corner in Japan, Western fans are still starving for so much as a crumb of information relating to a release date. Heck, even a confirmation that the game is coming out to the States at all! While it may be up in the air when fans will be able to look forward to news, there’s still a demo that we can enjoy.

Persona 5 Scramble releases in Japan on February 20th

[cindylouwho-2]

RECENT NEWS, RESOURCES & STUDIES, May 24 2020

Welcome to my latest summary of recent ecommerce news, resources & studies including search, analytics, content marketing, social media & Etsy! This covers articles I came across since the early May report, although some may be older than that. Due to a need to get my taxes filed, and a continued busy jewellery business, I don’t expect to be able to do another update for a few weeks. You can follow me on Twitter for important breaking news, though! 

Have any topics you would like to see me cover in more detail? Drop me a line here on Tumblr, or email me through my website.

TOP NEWS & ARTICLES 

Small businesses can survive the pandemic and beyond, if they learn to provide what customers are now looking for. From desks to 3-D printed face shields, to including toilet paper on your takeout menu, to moving online, acting quickly has given these businesses hope. ABC also did a piece on this topic. [text & video; mentions Etsy & masks] Here’s another article discussing adapting to pandemic ecommerce “new normal”, with interviews with staff from Etsy, TechStyle and Zulily.

Ecommerce is about to get way more competitive (it probably is already), & arguably the retailers who will succeed are the ones who already put plans in action, including advertising plans. (mentions Shopify, Google Shopping & Etsy.)

Facebook and Instagram will now have “Facebook Shops”, which are free to set up. Sounds like it will be a slow rollout, though. Many take this as direct competition for marketplace sites such as Etsy, but it will probably also have a large impact on small website builder sites such as Indiemade. 

ETSY NEWS 

Etsy’s first quarter for 2020 was good, but April was astonishing by any standards; I covered it all here. 

Etsy Payments will soon be available to sellers in Turkey, Malaysia, & Mexico. This will likely be welcome news to sellers in Turkey in particular, who haven’t had an easy way to accept payment for Etsy orders since PayPal left Turkey a few years back. It looks like this move will be optional at the moment for those 3 countries, unlike those of us who are forced to use EP if it is available in our countries. 

Etsy gave some listing credits and ad credits to shops who had substantially lower than normal sales in late March through April; the credits don’t kick in until July, though. 

Etsy is beta-testing a new listing video tool. You can join here; if you want more info first, here are some details. Note that the videos must be quite short, and will not include sound. 

Etsy is still getting some good traction from the face mask initiative: “I would argue they were just in the right place at the right time," says Kodali. "When you think of who is able to consolidate the power of a million sewers in the country, the only answer is Etsy."  However, they are also getting some criticism for masks taking forever to arrive, if at all. The slow customer support is also annoying many of these new customers that the CEO was so happy to attract, with little to no response from Etsy. 

The Wall Street Journal did a well-received article on people buying food (mostly baked goods) on Etsy [paywall]. Other sources have picked it up, although some are a bit skeptical about safety. 

More trend info directly from Etsy: first, summer at-home ideas with Dayna Isom Johnson [podcast links with transcript]. It also covers what to do for socially-distanced celebrations. “[P]eople are taking what they would typically do for a birthday, but then doing it virtually. So many people love paint night parties and I've actually seen quite a few paint kits that Etsy sellers are creating. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate your birthday and still have that experience of expressing your creativity and having fun with your friends, but just through a screen.” Also, “tie-dye is blazing hot right now.”

Second, craft supply sellers get their own trend article for a change. Supply searches close to doubled in April, with “346% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for “diy”. Many buyers are making their own masks with supplies from Etsy; “2,089% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for “elastic”. Do read the whole article if you want to spin your shop in this direction, as there is a lot of good info included. 

SEO: GOOGLE & OTHER SEARCH ENGINES 

Google pushed out a core algorithm update starting May 4, which finished rolling out on May 18. It seems fairly large, maybe the biggest in some time, and may have hit more areas than other recent core updates. They did take some criticism for releasing it during a pandemic. Possible targets aren’t agreed on yet by the people tracking it, but could include cryptocurrency, travel, real estate, health, tech, finance & dating. Or maybe we shouldn’t rush to pick winners & losers so quickly? News media changes may be affected by the regular algorithm reaction to people reading a lot more news these days, and some ecommerce companies had a boom that could affect their rankings. This article discusses Etsy among other companies, who might have benefitted from the update. [I’m not sure on the Etsy complaints, as I have been seeing multiple links for some searches for well over a year now.]

Link building is generally the hardest part of Google SEO, in part because you aren’t allowed to do any of the obvious things that might get you easy links. Anyone confused about the rules & the benefits should check out this guide for 2020. 

While you can learn a lot from general SEO guides, if you have a Shopify site, this guide provides some specific SEO tips. 

LinkedIn managed to de-index itself from Google on May 6, at least for the United States. Here’s one theory. Well-paid webmasters for major internet companies can still screw up, it turns out. 

(CONTENT) MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA (includes blogging & emails) 

If you are one of those organized marketers who plans their campaigns ahead of time, here are 5 content marketing ideas for June. 

With so many people not working as much as usual, this might be a good time to start a podcast. Gizmodo has compiled instructions on doing it cheaply.  

The best time to send an email depends on the purpose of the email. For example, “General site traffic emails have always been most effective mid-week — mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Mondays and Fridays tend not to perform as well” while “A general awareness campaign can be sent almost any time to be effective.”

Refreshing your evergreen content can be more productive than producing new content. That has some really good ideas for many types of businesses produce

Facebook bought Giphy, and while it will still be available to people without Facebook-owned accounts, it will be integrated directly with Instagram. 

Instagram is testing new fonts in its Stories feature. 

Twitter is enabling users to see how many people quoted a tweet, but so far only on IOS. They also have a new test where you control who can reply to your tweets. 

LinkedIn is rolling out both video events and polls, but maybe it is too late to get a big bump from either change? 

ONLINE ADVERTISING (SEARCH ENGINES, SOCIAL MEDIA, & OTHERS) 

Online advertising can be expensive; here are some stats on the cost of various search engine ad clicks as well as a bit on social media. 

Google Merchant accounts now let you compare your prices to other sites and also look at trends in clicks. 

Here is a good brief overview of the new free Google Shopping listings, including the 3 main reasons the author believes Google made this change. Here is another much longer overview, with screenshots for those not in the US, and info on how to set this up for your website. The PayPal integration is now available. 

Online advertising clicks seem to be bouncing back from the worst of the pandemic, according to several sources, including this one. It is still far too early to tell if this will last, however. 

YouTube has re-conceived its premium ad program, now called YouTube Select.  

If you have ads that slow down people’s computers or drain batteries by being too “resource-heavy”, note that Chrome is going to begin blocking those in August. “Chrome will filter ads based on the following thresholds: 4MB of network data or 15 seconds of CPU usage in any 30 second period, or 60 seconds of total CPU usage.”

STATS, DATA, OTHER TRACKING 

Seeing all hits to one page in Google Analytics is a lot easier if you exclude the URL query parameters (but note that sometimes they are useful, such as for various pages on Etsy.) If you like the idea of filtering your GA results in general, here is another tutorial on that. 

If you want to do A/B testing on your website, here is a fairly straightforward introduction to Google Optimize, which is free to use. 

ECOMMERCE NEWS, IDEAS, TRENDS 

Many online companies had a good first quarter despite the pandemic, including Shopify, which beat income estimates and saw its stock rise 5% after its first quarter report. “New stores created on the company’s online platform jumped 62% between March 13 and April 24 as many brick-and-mortar businesses migrated online.”

Shopify rolled out software that allows its users to more easily do curbside pickup orders. “...Shopify was already in the process of redesigning its POS before the coronavirus, but decided to accelerate the development of a few new features, namely fulfilling curbside pick-up orders and home delivery. Shopify said that by the end of April, 26% of its merchants with a brick-and-mortar presence were offering local delivery or buy online, pickup in-store, compared to 2% in February.”

Rolling out for the US first, Shopify is also getting into financial products, offering a new debit card which you can use to receive your sales income on the same day you earn it. Shopify Balance can be described as “a merchant account with no fees and no minimum balances.” It’s also setting up an instalment plan feature for customers. 

Also new with Shopify: a Pinterest app for turning all your products into shoppable pins. 

An Amazon VP quit - very publicly - over the company firing several whistleblowers and labour organizers. “Amazon declined to comment.” The company is taking heat for those issues as well as poor management of and information about how many employees have tested positive at various warehouses. Several employees are known to have died of COVID-19 so far. 

Amazon has extended its order performance suspension exceptions for the pandemic to May 31. Which is a good thing, because it seems that buyers are leaving more bad feedback than ever before [soft paywall] “More than 11 percent of reviews left for sellers in the past 30 days are negative. That’s nearly twice the level of frustration vented by shoppers regarding Amazon’s third-party sellers during the holidays, when customer anxieties spike over not getting presents on time”. eBay extended some seller protection changes until July 19. [note: if you sell on these platforms outside of the US, lease check for your own country’s rules, as some of them are different.]

Amazon Handmade sellers from the US got a boost from a new local makers page and the accompanying blog post. [I was unable to find any similar promotions for other countries; seems like a missed opportunity]

Buyers in Canada and the US are trying to get class-action lawsuits certified against Amazon for their policy preventing/discouraging its vendors from offering lower prices elsewhere. This article includes the US class action complaint paperwork. 

If you are wondering about Prime Day, Amazon is apparently going to try for September, but there is no official announcement yet. 

eBay will be changing the fee structure for sellers using managed payments, including charging one fee on the entire transaction instead of separate commission & processing fees. 

USPS, complaining of deficits and being pressured by Trump, is reportedly reviewing its package delivery contracts with large companies such as Amazon. “According to the Washington Post, over the last few weeks the USPS has been seeking bids from consulting firms to reexamine what the agency charges companies like Amazon, UPS, and FedEx. Contracts are generally reviewed on a yearly basis, and analysts have repeated warned that suddenly raising package prices that drastically would cause more bad than good, not just for the USPS or Amazon, but for small businesses and individuals too.”

Square has created an easy online checkout option that works without being connected to a website/shop. (US only)

BUSINESS & CONSUMER STUDIES, STATS & REPORTS; SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY, CUSTOMER SERVICE 

Google has introduced a new Trends-like tool that covers recent top product searches by the amount of growth. Yes, it is free!

Gen Z wants to see “fun and exciting advertising” during the pandemic, because they are bored. They are apparently not really fond of “things are different now” ads. Also: “A survey taken seven weeks ago indicated that younger consumers were more likely than older adults to say they wanted to see purpose-driven advertising that showed how companies were helping others.” Actually, Gen Z isn’t alone in wanting something different from commercials right now 

Consumers want to see companies taking positive action and supporting their employees during the pandemic - and claim they will remember who did a good job, so they know who to support with purchases. 

Not surprisingly, mobile usage is up during the day time since the pandemic was declared, and people are also staying online later during the week. Web browser usage is up, and more serious news and information is getting attention. 

There will likely be many more bankruptcies as the effects of COVID-19 ripple through the economy, but some businesses don’t have enough cash flow to go bankrupt. [text & video]

Canadian retail sales were down 10% in March compared to 2019, but many things went up, including general merchandise stores (6.4%) and online retailers (40%). Note that the online numbers didn’t include sales made from Amazon.com or Amazon.ca and delivered in Canada, so ecommerce was actually higher than that. In the US, March retail sales were down 8.7%, but April looks like it turned around for many ecommerce sites. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

So-called “cookie walls” are not enough to comply with the EU’s privacy laws. “[I]n order for consent to be legally valid under Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) there are specific standards to meet: It must be clear and informed, specific and freely given.  Hence cookie walls that demand ‘consent’ as the price for getting inside the club are not only an oxymoron but run into a legal brick wall.”

Website layouts (and even other elements) are starting to look like each other more & more.

[insurrectionist-fetishist]

What is Difference Between Using an Epilator and Waxing?

Epilators or Waxing -- Which at-home depilatory process is best for you? Or"That is better?" . Epilators and waxing equally eliminate hair from the origin, so they are similar in their result. However, the practice differs for each. So here is a guide which contrasts epilators versus waxing some critical attributes, such as waxing versus epilator pain or that costs more, which could help you figure out which of the hair removal techniques might work for you.

Compare -- That lasts more

1. Compare -- Price

2. Compare -- Anxiety

3. Assess -- Skill required

An epilator is a electric epilation system that removes hair from the origin. It's a pair of tweezers onto a rotating wheel which immediately eliminates many hairs with every pass of this epilator on skin. There may be anywhere from 20 to 100 tweezers within an epilator, or so the epilator can pull two to 4 days the hair with every brief pass.

Epilators may be plug apparatus or rechargeable battery, for dry use only or for wet/dry that allow you to use them at the shower, also include numerous useful accessories which may decrease the pain.

Want to find out more?

Wish to attempt an epilator?

Waxing is the procedure of employing a gentle or hard wax skin at the direction of hair growth then taking away the hair from its origins by immediately pulling off the wax. A fantastic excellent wax will deteriorate quickly to the hairs rather than skin, carrying the hairs onto it if it's pulled off. Waxes come in 2 chief consistencies -- gentle wax and hard wax.

Soft wax is your milder version that's eliminated with wax strips made from cotton or recycled paper. Hard wax is thought better for waxing rough hair. It's less tacky and may be pull off since it cools by multiplying the edge of the implemented wax and thus that you don't require any strips to get hard wax depilation.

All waxing also gently exfoliates skin by also removing a coating of the deceased skin cells.

Want to find out more? Read our comprehensive guide to waxing at home here, complete with a cookie cutter, pain levels, and comprehensive reviews on a number of the greater waxing kits to get home available now.

1. Compare -- That lasts more

Lets assume you have a fantastic waxing procedure and a fantastic excellent epilator and you aren't breaking hairs in the skin and actually are pulling them out from the origin: Hair removal by the epilator or waxing ought to continue both long, which is anywhere from two weeks to 4 months.

However, once you epilate or wax along with the hair grows back , how soon will you wax or epilate? To wax , you are going to want the hair to return into a 1/ 4 of an inch or longer. Otherwise, the wax won't have the ability to hold the hair. On the flip side, a fantastic epilator can catch hairs which are just 1/ 2 of an inch. That means you might epilate sooner.

But some folks might discover that should they epilate hairs as they come , they should epilate more often. Hair grows back in phases, which means you can always have hair growth in. It is likely that throughout your own regrowth, all of the hair which you pulled out did not regrow. That means you might end up epilating more frequently for each time hairs cycle during their stages and return in. With waxing, since you need to wait till hairs achieve a certain period, you might realize that you are ready to eliminate more hairs since hairs have grown back in as you continue removed hair.

So each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Based upon your lifestyle or needs, you could find that one works best for you.

The epilator or waxing triumph on the premise that they continue equally long. However, you are going to have the ability to epilate new expansion sooner than you will have the ability to wax fresh expansion.

2. Compare -- Price

Let's suppose you bought a mid sized best epilator for approximately $100. Epilators are a 1 time purchase and should you take good care of these, you do not need to get replacement heads or alternative parts to get a lifetime. So that's a 1 time price of $100.

If you are waxing, you will have to change out your wax since you workout. If you are using hard wax, then all you want to wax is your wax. But if you are using wax, then you are also utilizing disposable wax strips and waxing applicators such as popsicle sticks. Gigi brand's replacement wax prices $10-20 and ought to last about 3 weeks even when you're using it 2x per month. Replacing strips and applicators might cost $25 complete but will last the entire year. So doing the math, you could invest $80 maximum for your initial year of waxing at home when you're tough wax and $105 maximum for your initial year of waxing using soft wax.

Obviously, we contrasted epilators versus waxing in the home for our example . Obtaining a wax performed professionally will cost a great deal more than that.

The price of epilators versus waxing is exactly the exact same for the initial year, but you are going to see your prices increase linearly annually with waxing while an epilator is a 1 time price.

Wish to attempt an epilator?

Evaluate -- Pain

Both the epilator and wax pull out the hair from the root so are more debilitating than shaving or a depilatory lotion which merely removes the hair at the skin's surface rather than below.

Epilators can be especially painful if you generally shave or use a depilatory (compound shaving) lotion like Nair in which the hair isn't eliminated from the origin but just in the skin's surface. That is because over the time your own hair follicle (or root of the hair) regrows more hair every time that it's shaved and the hair follicle becomes quite powerful over time since it regrows and regrows. When you yank out the hair from its origin, the hair which grows back in seems nicer.

This really is what causes people to believe that waxing or epilating makes hair grow less and nicer, but that's really a myth. In fact, shaving leaves a thicker follicle (appears darker), and pulling it from the origin cause a thinner hair return. There is not less hair consequently.

Therefore, in the event that you've just shaved to date then you attempt using an epilator, you are pulling out this thicker follicle that will hurt more than if you're pulling out a follicle which was yanked out lately and regrown. Tweezing those hairs out can be debilitating.

If you would like to epilate long term rather than wax, but possess just shaved thus far, we advise that you wax off all of the hair after then epilate the regrowth. The epilator will harm much less in this manner.

This brings us into the pain of waxing. High powered epilators may have near 100 tweezers and may pull a great deal of hairs with every pass. Waxing additionally brings out a great deal of hair simultaneously. On the other hand, the procedure for placing warm wax onto skin, pressingand then immediately removing the wax sends a great deal of sensory info at once to your mind and a great deal of individuals discover that waxing may hurt less. Some waxes are soothing to the skin too and may decrease redness while cleansing the skin. In comparison to epilating for the very first time, waxing hurts much less and is much simpler.

Waxing hurts a bit less than the epilator. The senses are distinct, however, and several men and women discover they are fast accustomed to epilator pain and also find it a lot easier to address than waxing.

Save cash by waxing home -- Start using our reviews of the Top 5 in home Waxing kits →

Compare -- Just how long each takes Employing an epilator is extremely straightforward. Pass the epilator in skin against the hair growth and it'll remove double-digit quantities of hairs with every pass.

Using wax, you need to do a little bit of planning to prepare for waxing. Namely, you have to heat your wax that could take 5-15 minutes depending on the wax.

If your accounts for heating up wax, then the epilator can eliminate hair quicker. But as soon as the wax is heated up, a seasoned waxer will eliminate hair equally as quickly as somebody who utilizes epilators regularly.

Wish to attempt an epilator?

If you are a newcomer, you likely will get rid of exactly the identical quantity of hair quicker using an epilator compared to waxing.

But if you've crushed often, it is going to take you the exact same period of time to remove hair as though you were using an epilator.

So there's less of a learning curve using an epilator compared to waxing. But that learning curve may be well worth it since you're much less inclined to break hair through waxing since wax does a fantastic job of pulling out hair at the origin with very little work. Having an epilator, it's simple to get started but there's some skill involved in really pulling out the hair rather than breaking it. A fantastic excellent epilator helps for this.

Evaluate -- Convenience

Lay a towel down and you'll be able to epilate anywhere. Particularly in case you've got a battery billed epilator. You're able to epilate before the television as you catch up on the most recent show. You may even take an epilator with you once you travel and epilate at a resort.

To wax, then you have to cover the ground using a more durable cover of any sort (paper, a paper bag, etc) to catch drips. In addition, you require a reliable heating source and might want to be close to a microwave to reheat your wax or a socket to plug into your wax warmer. It'd definitely be awkward to attempt and choose your wax kit along with you while traveling. But, none of them are inconveniences if you are home.

The epilator wins just as it's simpler to pack for traveling.

The epilator wins hardly complete. If you're searching for a fast, simple electronic gadget, possess pain tolerance, also enjoy the ease of having the ability to remove hair on the move, then the epilator is the buddy. In case you've got extra sensitive skin, do not mind the further preparation of waxing, and favor a tried and classic process of hair removal, then waxing is the go-to.

Nevertheless, you might prioritize 1 attribute or attribute over another, so only you can choose that may be a much better way of hair removal for you. We expect this breakdown helped you to decide which attribute was important and make an educated choice.

Know more about epilators or waxing in home

If you would like to find more information, take a look at our Complete Guide to Epilating with testimonials of the top epilators here.

Or you wish to try your hands in waxing at home since these salon visits are adding up? We have written a handy manual to Wax in the home . Take a look for tips on getting started and which wax choices are offered for various skin types or lifestyles.

Credit : https://beautyshuffle.com/

[thesuper17]

Compiling seasonal singles released throughout the past year, 2019 is an enjoyable, if at-times uneven, stopgap between full Lucy Dacus album releases.

The Virginian singer-songwriter had an industrious 2018, releasing her sophomore solo effort, Historian, in addition to collaborating with peers Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers on the boygenius project.

Her work across the two records demonstrated a mature approach to songwriting, and while they rarely reached the wrenching peaks of her compatriots’ material, tracks like “Salt in the Wound” and “Night Shift” remain masterful exercises in slow-burning rock intensity.

The latter song in particular closes out with a colossal mid-tempo refrain, Dacus’s voice almost drowned out between the pounding fuzz guitar riff and driving snare. Unlike the unrelenting devastation of Baker’s oeuvre though, “Night Shift” offers a small measure of relief, looking forward to a time when the songs that describe her pain ‘sound like covers.’ It even resolves to a major key, inviting the listener to join in imagining the possibility of a better future.

One year on, Dacus remains committed to nuanced and robust songcraft rather than straining for emotional extremities. On 2019’s three original tracks, this ethos produces rich, compelling results, but on the EP’s tranche of covers, it can be difficult to discern what the singer brings to the material.

Although it was the last track to be released this year, “Fool’s Gold” enjoys first billing on the EP, and it’s easy to see why. Tender and empathetic, with a barely concealed seam of melancholy, the song was written after the last person left Dacus’ 2018 New Year’s Eve party. It immediately conjures the scene: an empty room strewn with slightly worn decorations and half empty glasses, a golden afterglow steadily shifting to January blue.

The track begins after the party is already over, and as such, there are no dramatic declarations, no midnight kisses. Despite the occasion’s association with new beginnings, Dacus is more concerned with the worries that are “coming with”. For all the parties she throws, she knows the world was a dark place in 2018 and 2019, and will likely continue to be in 2020. Beyond that, she can offer little certainty. The track’s instantly memorable hook subtly builds in glassy piano and held cello notes, sidestepping mawkish sentimentality in favour of measured understanding.

A double-tracked Dacus enumerates the sources of our collective traumas: family, addiction, religion, ‘the evening news.’ Rather than prescribing an exact problem and solution, she embodies a kaleidoscope of perspectives, and inhabits each with a generosity of spirit that never feels condescending or belittling.

Mid-EP highlight “Forever Half Mast” is a rumination on the ‘daily dissonance’ between joy and shame that characterises America’s relationship with its own history. Its nostalgic slide guitars are deployed almost satirically, as Dacus repurposes the country’s most quintessentially patriotic genre in a plea for accountability. Sharp turns of phrase litter the track, from a commitment to ‘love the beast no matter what it thinks of me,’ to a more honest dressing down of ‘America, the tried and true, the red and white and black and blue.’

Her tendency towards even-handedness perhaps leans towards apologia here - the assertion that America ‘put out [its] palm more than the back of [its] hand’ feels particularly generous – but it’s hard to fault a queer woman for trying to find a path to forgiveness and eventual healing.

The track ultimately boils over in the EP’s most intense passage, all sludgy powerchords and insistent double time drum stabs, but even this dissipates as swiftly as it arrived, with Dacus’s delay-soaked voice melting into the background. There’s no doubt she could sustain her anger for longer, but why bother? She made her point already.

The EP’s four covers are unfortunately far less interesting. The stronger two, renditions of Edith Piaf’s “La Vie En Rose” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” are both recoloured in Dacus’s signature mellow rock palette. Unfortunately, where the dated elements of the original songs are excised, so too are their charms. The resulting recordings feel more like underwhelming originals than exciting reinterpretations.

The latter two covers on the album are, unfortunately, totally skippable. “In the Air Tonight” is attempted with some faithfulness to the original, but Dacus’ ever-restrained vocal performance simply doesn’t fit the song’s iconic explosion. On Twitter, the singer described her cover of “Last Christmas” as a ‘joke,’ and in the spirit of giving, it’s perhaps worth leaving commentary on the song to that*.

While it’s not perfectly consistent, 2019 is a thoughtful way for Dacus to maintain her presence following 2018’s more Serious releases, and if the EP’s original tracks are anything to go by, there’s ample reason to eagerly anticipate the singer’s next full length. She may falter slightly in reinterpreting other people’s material, but ultimately, it only highlights how sharply she writes her own.