#ccs faculty

[cryptidunknown]

just found out my community college doesnt offer physics 1 in the spring so my options now are to 1: take it online, 2: take it from the uni i want to transfer to next fall who's physics classes notoriously suck, or 3: take it as an intensive over the summer

[musicalthought]

getting ready for my type class that I havent been to in two weeks and the teacher went and told the faculty to check in on me but she, herself, never answered my email......... cant wait to get eaten alive out here

[sweetbans29]

Catch Me If You Can - CC

Pairing: Caitlin Clark x Reader

Summary: You were untouchable, until one summer day (based on THIS request)

Warnings: cuteness

Word Count: 4.5k

Sweetbans Masterlist

AN: I may have done a little too much with the backstory...

You were born and raised in Iowa City. Grew up going to all the local farmers markets and participating in any and all town events. Your parents are both teachers at the University of Iowa, your mom is a business professor, and your dad is an English professor. A lot of your time was spent on campus which made you pretty known starting at a very young age.

It started when you were a little girl, your parents would bring you to lectures and you would sit in the corner and do whatever you could to keep yourself occupied. The students in your classes never minded and would often come and color with you or read with you when class was over and your parents stayed around to answer questions.

When you were in middle school you would go to campus every day after school to do homework. It would either be in your parent’s offices while they had class and/or hosted office hours or they would let you go to one of the coffee shops on campus, as long as you were with one of their trusted students. At this point, you were pretty well-known on campus by both students and faculty.

Things pretty much stayed the same when you got to high school. You never really had many friends at your own school but had so many the second you stepped foot on campus. You continued to spend most of your time there - most of it studying but sometimes going to campus events (if your parents were okay with that).

The University of Iowa had always been your fate. With both of your parents working there, it was a no-brainer that's where you would be attending school. It also helped that you knew the campus like the back of your hand and were already known. It made going to college less intimidating.

For your high school graduation - there was a group of students at Iowa that hosted a view party since they all couldn't go to your graduation. If you got more than 8 tickets, they would have been there in a heartbeat. They live-streamed it from one of the lecture halls. You didn't know at the time but it filled up with students and faculty all super proud of your accomplishment and ready to have you as an official student. After your graduation, your parents took you back to campus saying they had a surprise - it turned out to be a surprise grad party with a couple hundred people from campus. You have never felt more loved than you did that day.

When fall rolled around, you started your journey as a Hawkeye. Campus felt like home and had become home when your parents gave you the option to commute or live on campus. It was a no-brainer as it was your dream to live on campus and would try and convince your parents to let you stay overnight ever since you were in 4th grade.

Your first year goes as expected. You started to make solid friends. Everyone knew you around campus and if they didn't they for sure knew of you. You would do homework at the same on-campus coffee shops and began to venture out more as you began studying on lawns and in different places to switch up the scenery. Freshman year was everything you had hoped and more.

Going into your second year at Iowa was about the same as the first. Campus remained comfortable for you. You couldn't go anywhere without several people stopping to say hello - people thought it would be annoying but you genuinely loved talking to people. You were well-known and well-loved by pretty much everyone.

As active as you were on campus, one area you never really paid attention to was sports. Your parents never made them a priority thus you never made them one either. Another reason they kept you away from games was because of the reputation a lot of the players had around campus. Ever since you started hanging out around campus in high school - your parents made it known that you were off limits and would remain off limits. It became an unspoken word on campus.

Even with your parents, relationships were never a priority for you. Not to say it was something you didn't want because there were times that you really did long to have the same experiences as your peers. After high school though, relationships weren't even a thought. It was interesting because it wasn't like there weren't people interested, but more so there was no one that you found interesting. Seeing your parent's love, your bar was raised far higher than any college student could really commit to.

It surprises you how frequently you get asked out. It isn't weekly but you consistently have people coming up to ask you out. It unofficially became a game on campus - specifically among athletes. They would place bets on who could get you to say yes to going out with them but nobody ever availed.

You of course learned about the whole thing when one of the guys you were friends with let you know out of respect for you. He was one of the waterboys for the men's basketball team and overhead them taking bets on who could get you to say yes. John always kept an eye out for you - he was a year older than you and treated you as his little sister. He has 3 little sisters at home, as he was the oldest and the first to leave for college - watching you was a second nature to him especially since he was one of your parent's favorite students.

When John learned it was more than the basketball guys and more teams were jumping in to see who could court you, he made it a point to make sure you always felt comfortable on campus. Not that he ever doubted you, but doubted all the guys and girls trying to get in your pants.

You were sitting and waiting for John and some other friends to meet up with you when you were approached yet again.

The star of the school's water polo team approaches you while you are studying on the lawn.

"Hey," he says trying to get your attention. You finish typing out your sentence then look up at him.

"Hi," you say with a smile. "It's Erick, right?"

He flashes a smile when you know his name. "Ya, we are in the same stats class."

You nod.

"Hey, I was just wondering if you were free this Friday night? The team has a game and it would be cool it if you came. We could go grab ice cream or something after and hang out." He asks with the confidence of you knowing who he is.

You give a light smile.

"Erick, I am sure you are a nice guy," you say - knowing all too well that he was not. It was just last week that he took a cheerleader out then was caught making out with one of her teammates the next day. "But I'm just not interested."

"Good luck on your game though - should be a tough one," you say and he walks away.

John comes up catching the tail end of the encounter and gives you a look.

"Another one?" He asks as you get up from the grass.

"Yep, nothing new - he went with the 'come watch my game then we can hang out' bit. You would think they would all get the hint considering I haven't been to a single Iowa game." You say.

"They all want to be the first," John says. You laugh.

"Well jokes on them," you say as the two of you head to meet up with the rest of your group.

You get through the rest of the semester with only a few more people attempting to ask you out. You never mention it to your parents because the last thing you need is them making some big fuss about something you have a pretty good handle on.

That summer is one where things took a turn in a direction you would have never expected.

A majority of your summer was spent around town at your favorite coffee shops. They would be your favorite place to read. It was something you did every summer at the same coffee shops - so much so that they would have a reserved sign at the table you would always sit at.

It was a gloomy morning when the shop was extra busy. You had been settled in for a while now and were sucked into your book. You are used to the buzz of the coffee shop but are pulled out when you hear a loud sound.

You look up and see a frazzled girl, bending over and collecting the bag she just dropped. You set down your book and immediately help the girl. You gather some things and stand up, passing them to her.

"Thank you," she says, still flustered from how busy the coffee shop is.

"Of course," you say with a smile, hopefully easing her.

"I came here hoping to have a quiet morning not realizing how busy it was going to be. I heard this is the best place to come to work," she says.

"Well I agree that this is the best place to work - it typically isn't this busy. I think there is an event going on in town this week. If you are looking for a table, you are more than welcome to join me," you say as you sit back down.

"Thank you," she says and sits immediately. It is just after she sits when you see her relax. You introduce yourself, offering your hand to shake. She reaches out and shakes it. She knows who you are - everyone knew who you were but thought it would be better to just keep your meeting simple.

"I'm Caitlin," she says. You smile at her - also knowing who she is. She had quickly became one of the faces on campus - the 'basketball superstar'.

"It's nice to meet you," you say with a smile. "You are always welcome at my table."

She notices the 'Reserved' sign on it and laughs.

"Did they do that for you?" She asks.

"Ya," you say with a laugh. "I've been sitting here for years now."

The two of you spend the rest of the morning working independently. You locked into your book shortly after your conversation missing the stolen glances Cait would take of you.

Caitlin took you up on your offer every day for the next several weeks. She even went out and got books to read just to come and spend time with you. The two of you would chat when she first got there, then would settle in and being reading for a few hours until you both got hungry. What started as a place for Caitlin to sit turned into so much more. The two of you started getting lunch together and really getting to know one another.

It's in the final month of summer when Caitlin asks you on a proper date. You are unsure at first but remind yourself that she isn't a stranger. The two of you have genuinely gotten to know each other over the course of the summer and you trust her.

It is after that first date that you decide Caitlin is worth it but if you were to ask her when she knew you were it, she would have said that first morning in the coffee shop.

Heading back into the school year, there were subtle changes in your day-to-day. You would still be on campus to study in all of your favorite places but when it came to grabbing your mid-morning smoothie, Caitlin would be waiting outside your first class of the day - smoothie in hand, waiting to walk you to your next class. Caitlin made it a point to be a part of your morning, just like you did in the summer.

It slowly became something Caitlin's team noticed - the first one being Gabby who passed by Caitlin holding two smoothies outside of one of the lecture halls.

"Cait - what are you doing here? Isn't your next class on the other side of campus?" Gabby asks when she sees her teammate.

"Ya, just catching up with a friend," Caitlin says, hoping Gabby will go before you come out. One of the things Caitlin had learned while getting to know you was the bitter taste athletes gave you. Caitlin was slowly changing that but didn't want to give you any reason to backtrack. She also hadn't told the team that she had started seeing you over the summer and would like to keep it that way for as long as she can. Not to hide you, but she valued having you all to herself. And she knew that the second her team found out - she would lose you to them. You were too incredible.

Gabby nods but her suspicion remains.

"Whatever you say Cait," she says and continues to walk. "I'll see you at practice."

Gabby turns a corner but stays in the vicinity - wanting to see the mystery person Caitlin is waiting for.

You walk out of class and see Cait standing against a wall with two smoothies in her hands. You make your way over to her and she meets you halfway.

"Why hello there," you say with a smile. She passes you one of the smoothies.

"Your favorite," she says and you thank her.

The two of you proceed to walk to your next class, missing a hiding gabby who sees Caitlin is walking with you. Gabby can't wait to take the news back to the team. Everyone knows you are not a fan of Iowa sports but here you are walking about with one of the biggest stars on campus. She also doesn't believe that Caitlin is one to wait outside of someone's class with a drink in hand only to walk them in the opposite direction of where she is going.

Later that day Caitlin arrived at practice to find her team bombarding her with questions.

"Woah, woah, woah - what's going on?" She asks overwhelmed.

"Gabby told us who you were spotted with and we think that is the cutest thing ever," Jada says - excited for her teammate.

Caitlin feels her cheeks heat up.

"How did you swing talking to her?" Another teammate asks. "She practically hates every sports team on campus."

"She doesn't hate us - well you know the shit that goes around with teams asking her out and making bets and stuff. It's left a bad taste in her mouth. It's not like they were discrete about it anyways." Caitlin says backing you up.

"Ya but still, I mean what makes you different - Cait you are the biggest name on campus right now and it is only junior year," Sydney says.

Caitlin shrugs, opting to leave how the two of you spent the summer out of the conversation.

"Is it even like that?" Kate asks. "I mean she could just be a friend."

"A friend that Caitlin goes out of her way to get a smoothie for then walk to class?" Gabby scoffs. "No ya, sure sounds like a friend to me."

The team keeps making fun of Caitlin to which she never confirms or denies any of their allegations. The two of you had been on several dates but never really solidified what you were to each other so Caitlin didn't feel like it was proper to bring it up when the two of you really didn't even know what you are yet.

"There is no way Caitlin could pull her - I mean it's CC, can you imagine her dating at all? Let alone the campus's princess." One of the girls says in a joking manner. Caitlin knows her team means well but it sort of rubs her the wrong way when they think she isn't worth your time.

Caitlin speaks before thinking.

"What if I get her to come to a game - would you believe it then?" Caitlin asks and immediately regrets it.

"No way in hell could you get her to come to a game," Jada says. "I've heard she's never gone to a sporting event nor will go near one with a ten-foot pole."

"Ya, but if she comes, then you'll all shut up about this?" Caitlin asks hoping it will be enough to just get you to a game.

"Get her there in your jersey and we will know it's real," Gabby says.

Caitlin grumbles but agrees.

After practice, Caitlin messages you and asks to meet up. You tell her to come over and that you will be making chocolate chip cookies - you know they are her favorite. Her mom also happened to send you home with her famous recipe after Caitlin brought you home once during the summer. It was before she asked you on a date - it was actually quite spontaneous.

"Would you be up for joining me on a little trip home? I told my brothers I would be there for an event of theirs. It won't be long but I don't want to make the drive alone." Caitlin asks you at the end of one of your mornings.

"I would love to," you say and she just casually mentions she is heading there now. When you still agree to join her - she is ecstatic but hides it well.

The two of you head to her home, talking the whole way there. When you get there Caitlin goes to help her brothers and you stay with her mom, she is baking for the event. You help her make her chocolate chip cookies and tell her about yourself. She then tells you all the stories of when Caitlin was little. You couldn't help but grow fonder of the girl after hearing about her childhood.

When the two are heading out, Anne pulls you into a hug and asks you to watch over her baby girl. You smile and nod. She then proceeds to stick something in your pocket - her chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Caitlin gets to your apartment and instantly recognizes the smell of her favorite cookies. You pull them out right after she gets there.

"Are these," she begins and picks one of them up right away.

"Caitlin! You are going to burn yourself!" You swat at her hand but she is too fast for you. She takes a bite of the cookie, blowing out the hot air and trying not to burn her tongue. Once she is able to enjoy it, her eyes close and she lets out a moan.

"You like them?" You ask, already seeing her answer. She finishes the cookie before speaking.

"Just like home. How did you get these?" She asks finally opening her eyes and going for another.

"From the one and only, Mrs. Clark - told me to take care of you," you say with a smile. "And I know that the only real way to care for you is through cookies."

Caitlin looks at you in awe and her mind begins going a mile a minute. Her mom doesn't give her recipe out to anyone - she doesn't know what you did in the kitchen with her that one day but seeing as you have her full approval, Caitlin begins to seriously consider what life would be like with you.

You can see the gears turning in her head.

"Talk to me," you say to her with a little laugh. "I can practically see the steam coming out of your ears. What's going on?"

Caitlin wants to tell you how much it means to her that you made her cookies, her mom's cookies. She wants to tell you how she misses how it was just you and her like it was during the summer and wishes the two of you could go back to that. She wants to tell you how she has started talking to your parents about you and how they have unofficially given her the okay to take you on a date (she didn't tell them how she had already taken you out but that is beside the point).

"How would you feel about coming to my game this Friday?" She asks, settling on getting this out of the way first.

You stand there putting more cookies on the cookie sheet, thinking over her question.

"I know you don't go to games and how much you aren't a fan of Iowa sports, especially with all the athlete's track records with you," she is cut off by you.

"Ya but I am a fan of you," you say which earns a little chuckle. Her heart skips a beat but she continues.

"But we are playing one of our biggest rivals and I think it would be neat to have you there," she says debating on adding the part about her team. She thinks about all you have been through and decides it is better to be honest upfront.

"And my team doesn't think I can get you there," Caitlin says nervously.

You look up at her amused, kind of shocked she would think you would be open to it. But you ponder it.

"It's not a bet - you know I am not like those other guys and girls. You know that right?" She asks.

You just look at her.

"Please tell me you know I am not like them," she says beginning to panic.

"Yes, CC, I know you are not like them."

"One of them saw me waiting outside of one of your classes and started saying that you're out of my league and it irked me." She says.

"And you thought it would be a good idea to tell them that I would go to your game and what? Cheer you on? Wear your jersey?" You press her.

"Well, ya - kind of," she says shyly.

You don't know why but this whole thing should make you uneasy but it doesn't. Not one person has actually told you to your face that their team was betting on you. Caitlin sought out talking to you about it - but in her words, it wasn't a bet.

"Okay." You say and her head shoots to look at you.

"Okay?" She asks.

"Okay."

Friday comes around and you look at yourself in the mirror. You are wearing Caitlin's jersey with some black leggings. You are second-guessing your decision and want to back out but know that's not an option.

You head to the game with your friend John. Caitlin got you two tickets which you instantly asked John to join you for.

The game is intense - watching Cait on the court was mesmerizing to you. She is electric on the court and you wish you had started watching her sooner. It's easy to see why so many people love her.

The game ends and Iowa takes the win by 4.

You turn to John.

"Should I go down to her? I don't know if I should wait until she is done or what to do," you say nervous.

"Go to her - show her how proud you are of her. Be the excited girlfriend," John says with a smile.

"She's not my girlfriend," You mumble.

"Just go," he says and pushes you towards the court.

You walk down to the now-packed court looking for Cait.

When you see her, you begin making your way to her. When her eyes find yours, she lights up. When you get to her you jump into her arms and she spins you around.

"You were incredible," you whisper in her ear.

"Thank you," she says with the biggest smile.

She puts you down and the two of you just look at one another. She finally speaks.

"I like you in my jersey," she says and you blush.

"Please stop," you say and hide your face.

"You're cute," she keeps teasing you.

"Okay okay, I'm going to go now," you say and begin to walk away.

"Wait no," she says and grabs your arm. "I'll be good. I promise."

You stop walking away and turn back to her.

"Come meet my team?" She asks and you nod.

You make your way to some of her teammates as Caitlin introduces you to them. You shake all of their hands then stick to Caitlin's side.

They all try to hide how shocked they are but don't do a real great job with it.

"You all look surprised I am here," you say with a laugh.

"We are - you are sort of known for avoiding sporting events like the plague," Kate says with genuine intent.

"Well, I decided to make an exception for a special little someone," you say and pinch Caitlin's side causing her to blush. All of her teammates take note and poke fun at her.

"Why Caitlin?" Sydney asks boldly and Kate hits her. "What? I am genuinely curious - Caitlin isn't the easiest person to be around."

You laugh and smile up at Caitlin. Then shrug.

"She puts up with me," you say.

"Ya but you're the campus's sweetheart," Sydney says.

"Don't let her fool you," Caitlin jokes and you hit her arm. She puts her hands up in surrender.

"Oh you two are cute," Kate says.

"I can see now why CC was playing extra hard today," Jada says coming over.

"Okay, you are all embarrassing me," Caitlin says and excuses the two of you. The team wants to get to know you more and protests but you follow Caitlin. She leads you to the tunnel where it is not so crowded.

"They are all sweet," you say.

"If by sweet you mean embarrassing then ya, they are great," she says laughing and rubbing her forehead.

You turn to face her.

"What is your intention with me, Clark." You say boldly, catching her a little off guard.

"Well, I really enjoy spending time with you - and I like you, but everyone likes you so that is really a given," she says stringing along more little comments.

The once confident All-American, now a blabbering mess.

"Caitlin Clark," you say pulling her out of her jumble of words. "Ask me to be your girlfriend."

She stands there looking at you, takes a deep breath, and takes your hands.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" She asks, her eyes locked on yours.

Without blinking, you respond.

"No."

"What? You literally just told me to ask you," she says with protest.

You laugh and she catches on to you.

"You are unbelievable," she says.

"I may be but I'm your girlfriend now, so you are just going to have to deal with me," you say.

"Well you just said no, so it looks like I am still on the market," Caitlin says now teasing you.

"Mmhmm, sure you are," you say wrapping your arms around her neck as her arms wrap around your waist. She laughs and looks into your eyes.

"I'm going to kiss you now," you say.

She waits and you stop leaning in - she takes you in.

"Okay," she says and your lips meet hers for the first time. The first time but certainly not the last.

AN: This may be one of my favorites...ever. But my opinion doesn't matter, let me know what you think. And as always, thank you for all the love and support 🤍

[bpod-bpod]

Can't Beat Betas

β-cells of the pancreas produce insulin that regulates levels of blood glucose and malfunction of these cells causes diabetes; the pancreas also contains other non-β-cells (called α-, δ- and γ-cells). In this study a mouse model lacking non-β-cells shows that β-cells alone are sufficient for maintaining normal blood glucose levels, meaning therapies for diabetes may be less concerned with inclusion of other cell types

Read the published research article here

Image from work by Marta Perez-Frances and colleagues

Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, iGE3 and Centre facultaire du diabète, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution – NonCommercial – NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Published in Nature Metabolism, August 2024

You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

[alldancersaretalented]

Choreographers and where they danced at

ALDC

Rachel Kreiling (NYCDA Faculty) Gianna Martello (ALDC Faculty)

Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts

Mandy Korpinen (Radix Faculty)

Bolero

Nika Kljun (Jump Faculty)

CC & Company Dance

Kirsten Russell (Jump Faculty)

Center Stage Performing Arts Studio

Ashly Costa (Nuvo Faculty) Jenna Johnson (24Seven Faculty)

Club Dance Studio

Kalani Hilliker Brynn Rumfallo (Club Dance Faculty) Jaycee Wilkins (Club Dance Faculty)

Dance Academy USA

Cindy Salgado (NYCDA Faculty)

Dance Connection 2

Erica Marr (Jump Faculty and Club Faculty)

Dance Connections (Greensboro)

Jared Grimes (NYCDA Faculty)

Danceology

Alexa Huey (Danceology Faculty) Jackie Mougel (Danceology Faculty)

Dance Precisions

Molly Long (Jump Faculty and Project 21) Scott Myrick (Pave Faculty) Lonni Olsen (The Space Faculty) Jessica Riches (the Space Faculty)

Dance Town

Rudy Abreu (Dance Town Faculty) D'Angelo Castro (Dance Town Faculty) Ruby Castro (Dance Town Faculty) Easton Payne (Dance Town Faculty) Camila Schwarz (Jump Faculty)

Dance World Academy

Mristen Gorski (Nuvo Faculty)

Denise Smith Dance Studio

Akira Uchida (Jump Faculty)

Denise Wall's Dance Energy

Travis Wall

DC Dance Factory

Elizabeth Petrin (24Seven Faculty)

Elite Dance By Damian

Chelsea Sebes (Evolve Dance Complex)

Evolve Dance Complex

Lauren Herb (Evolve Dance Complex Faculty)

Focal Point Dance Studios

Angela Cifone

Haja Dance Company

Madi Mac (Evolve Dance Complex Faculty)

Joanne Chapman School of Dance

Shannon Mather (24Seven Faculty and Mather) Blake McGrath (24Seven Faculty)

Just Plain Dancin'

Kenzie Fisher (K2 Studios) Kierra Fisher (K2 Studios)

Kathy Haller School of Dance

Julia Pearson (Danceology Faculty)

Kerry Smith's Academy of Dance Arts

Michael Keefe (Jump Faculty)

Larkin Dance Studio

Eva Igo Madison Jordan (Larkin Faculty) Taylor Sieve (Jump Faculty) Mackenzie Symanietz (Larkin Faculty)

Le Studio

Suzi Taylor (NYCDA Faculty)

Mary Alice's Dance Studio

Ali Dietz (NYCDA Faculty)

Master Ballet Academy

Sophia Lucia

Mather Dance Company

Kenzie Fisher (K2 Studios) Kierra Fisher (K2 Studios) Emily Madden (Mather Faculty) Autumn Miller (The Space Faculty) Lonni Olsen (The Space Faculty) Jessica Riches (The Space Faculty) Lexie Rosenstrauch (Mather Faculty) Nicole Smith (Mather)

Michelle Latimer Dance Academy

Kayla Radomski (Radix Faculty) Dana Wilson (NYCDA Faculty)

New Jersey Tap Ensemble

Jason Janas (Radix Faculty)

OCPAA

Hannahlei Cabanilla (Jump Faculty) Rheana Tumang (Studio X)

Pelagie Green Wren Academy of Dance

Kelby Brown (24Seven Faculty)

Perry Mansfield School of the Performing Arts

Jess Hendricks (24Seven Faculty)

Plumb Performing Arts

Jordan Pelliteri

Project 21

Selena Hamilton Addison Moffett Kelly Sweeney

Royal Dance Works

Jaci Royal (24Seven Faculty and Royal Flux)

School of the Arts

Brooke Pieroti (24Seven Faculty and TDC of SF)

Studio 19 Dance Complex

Courtney Schwartz (Radix Faculty)

Taps & Company

Chloe Arnold (NYCDA Faculty)

The Academy of Dance Arts

Madi Hicks (24Seven Faculty and Moving Forward Dallas)

The Dance Club

Joey Dowling (NYCDA Faculty)

The Dance Company of San Francisco

Chantel Aguirre (Nuvo Faculty)

West Coast School of the Arts

Lex Ishimoto (Jump Faculty) Jazelle Torre (Club and Project 21 Faculty)

Westside Dance Project

Megan Goldstein

Westside Ballet

Kim Craven (NYCDA Faculty)

??

Chaz Buzan (Radix Faculty) Tina Caspary (Radix Faculty) Danny Lawn (24Seven Faculty and Club Faculty) Ashley Moffitt (Club Faculty) Nick Meola (Nuvo Faculty and Danceology Faculty) Nick Young (24Seven Faculty)

feel free to send me a message or anon if there are people missing (which I know there are)!

[feroshgirlsims]

Villareal Household 1.3

Final Part of this Halloween-y and fun side story using this gorgeous cc and build by @surely-sims and @doctorsimcraft! If you get an invitation to Magic Town, make sure you go 😈

PREV

(Did you come here from the Main Story? Click here to get back.)

[TRANSCRIPT]

Claire Voyant: I commune with the spirits. They whisper their secrets to me and tell me of your futures, for the Dead know much.

Siobhan: Great, I want to know—Claire Voyant: I give you answers only. I don’t need your questions.

Luna: Not to be rude, but how can you give us answers if we don’t tell you what we want to know?

Sofia: Yeah, like, when is my album going to come out? Is Thorne Bailey going to produce it? What about–

Claire Voyant: Hush, child! And Luna, I’m especially disappointed in you. One who walks in both worlds should understand. But it is no matter. Let us all raise our hands. 

Siobhan: (whispering) What does she mean by ‘walk in both worlds’?

Claire Voyant: SILENCE!

Sofia: Probably that Luna walks a lot. You know, because she doesn’t drive.

Claire Voyant: I SAID ‘SILENCE’!

Claire Voyant: Hear your answer Siobhan Fyres! Your mate is fated. But howl will you find her? That chase will have to wait until you get to San Myshuno. 

Siobhan: Fated Mate? What is that supposed to mean? You’ve got it all wrong, lady. I don’t even want a girlfriend. I’m way too busy for commitment.

Claire Voyant: Sofia Bjersten, hear your answers! If fame comes too easy, remember it's a fairy tale. For your true calling, you’ll need all your faculties. 

Sofia: Wait, fairy tales are good, aren’t they? Or is this bad? I can’t tell. 

Luna: Um, not all of them. I think they might be pretty bad, actually…

Claire Voyant: I have given you answers. The portal will close in five seconds. I take cash or the MySimoleon app. 

Siobhan: She is crazy. I would never chase after a woman. What am I? A man? And I said I’m not paying for it.

Sofia: I think it would be a fairy tale if I was famous. It’s literally my dream. Do you think I should learn the violin?

Luna: So I don’t have a future?

Claire Voyant: Sims have futures. You are no sim; you have a Fate. Though goddess help me, you won’t embrace it. 

Luna: That can’t be right. I don’t have any power to deal with some scary fate. And even if I did, I wouldn’t know how to use it. 

Claire Voyant: You, Luna Villareal are the Devil’s own. It is not my job to teach you strength of character. Get out of my tent.

-----

LATER

Luna: Thanks for taking me tonight

JJ: It’s literally my job…

Luna: Oh.

JJ: I mean, I had fun. Why are you sad? It’s cause of that fortune teller, right?

Luna: No, that didn’t even bother me. 

JJ: Yet another reason you and Akira won’t work. The fae hate liars. 

Luna: And what about werewolves?

JJ: Werewolves have a 10-year-old kid, and the devil is their boss. 

Luna: Right. Sorry. I know you work for my dad. I didn’t mean to make it awkward.

Luna: And anyway, the fortune teller said there’s a vampire in San Myshuno that’ll make me and all my friends go through hell. So, staying away from me is probably for the best. 

JJ: (sighs) Luna? You don’t need that fortune teller to believe in you. You believe in yourself, and you keep your friends safe. And…and if you want me to teach you to fight, I will. 

[princess-of-the-corner]

Ok, so. I don’t know if it’s just cause Blood is Thicker is part of the CC series, so you’re worried about “repeating yourself”, so to speak, but things I think you could do (that would be fun to read):

- Moving into the dorms, meeting the class

- Himiko’s 1st day at U.A., Quirk Apprehension Test

- Quick overview of her first week, and how she feels about it

- the USJ (and/or the aftermath) from Himiko’s perspective

- Izuku & Himiko testing her Quirk

- Himiko starting to really notice a problem with her health (possibly in relation to testing her Quirk?)

- Sato & Yaomomo talk about how they have problems with nutrition because of their Quirks (blood sugar levels, & General calories, respectively) and any similarities fly right over Himiko’s head

- Himiko Attacking Sato and How that’s handled

- pov switch to the class, for their reactions and thoughts (holy shit, did Himiko get hit with a Quirk? Is this emerging PTSD??)

- the faculty try to work out what’s up with Himiko, the Saito incident gets brought up, teachers are getting suspicious of Himiko’s parents

- Himiko’s interactions with the class after The Incident, dealing with guilt and so on

- Himiko’s various hang ups on starting her “treatment plan” (any medicine she has to take, everyone trying to get her comfortable with drinking blood, the infamous “Capri Sun” incident, maybe just a bit of everyone trying each others wild and outrageous tastes in food)

- The Sports Festival (Any pertinent scenes, maybe Himiko gets a call from her parents after a match?)

- Himiko’s parents showing up, and getting arrested (was this a phone call, or did they actually show up, did they try to fight The arrest, so on and so forth)

Also, just … general friend fluff, bonding, tea parties, shopping, what Himiko’s dorm room looks like, any hobbies she feels comfy exploring now that she isn’t at her parents house, the beginnings of her crush on Hagakure, that sort of thing.

Though, I’d also get it if it makes more sense to make BiT a stand alone, and incorporate any other Himiko stuff into the bigger CC fic.

-

True!

Like there’s stuff I could do, I just don’t want to get too hung up on some things .

[literallyjusthereformods]

Finally finished my sim for @angel-cake120's sim-swap! The 27th Specimen (aka "Livard") was present at the bastion during the collapse. During the breach of security by infected entities, they fled their containment and awaited the aftermath, which allowed them to gain freedom. On their escape, they looted a few items from or nearby faculty corpses, including the cardigan of Dr. Livard (who's name-tag was attached. Entity 27 would appropriate the name for herself.) "Livard" the entity is immune to the outbreaking pathogen, but due to experimental biology, mutated a form of the pathogen which can spread to machines. They are immune to this strain, but still a carrier.

A secondary stolen article of clothing can be seen tied around their waste. (CC links and Tray file will be posted sometime soon. Keep a look out.)

[legacyshenanigans]

Hello B 🖤

Could we please maybe possibly get a short little AU of Cecilia starting Hogwarts? Or like a short little HC of how she would be in her school years vs her brother? Based on the short lil convo you did with volo and his son 🖤

Sure, I dont mind talking about their kids! 😊

Cecilia and Tobias Gaunt AU🐍

The children of Marvolo and Aurora (MC)

Cecilia had some trouble in her first year with some older bullies. Marvolo and Rowan ended up putting a stop to that by walking her to school one day and giving the bullies "the look." Which made them back off. She grew more confident as her years went on in Hogwarts. She was definitely a troublemaker while in school, but she wasn't really clever about it. She was reprimanded a number of times by professors and was a very turbulent and troublesome student. Where as Tobias was a "golden child" and never caused any hassle at Hogwarts, very intelligent, and very quiet. You could often find him alone around the grounds or in the halls, reading. Whereas Cecilia was always around with her little group of friends, causing mischief or some other form of annoyance for the school and the faculty.

Their relationship scenario's

Cecilia: *laughing with her friends while walking down a hallway at Hogwarts*

Tobias: *reading on a bench in the hallway, he looks up and rolls his eyes, turning away to carry on reading*

Cecilia: Hello Brother! *sarcastic fake smile*

Tobias: *rolls his eyes again and ignores her*

(She carries on walking with her friends)

Her friend: Your brothers cute *smirks* Introduce me?

Cecilia: Ew, girl, shut up *pulls a disgusted face*

(At the dinner table at home)

MC: Your father and I could have done without that meeting with your headmaster today CC.

Cecilia: *small moody face* I didn't know I was gonna get caught!

Tobias: Pffft..

Cecilia: *looks over at Tobias* What's so funny? *frowns*

Tobias: You have no finesse or intelligence...

Cecilia: *gets out her wand* Tobias I swear to-

Marvolo: *chuckles* Now now. Not at the dinner table *playful grin* Rip each other to shreds LATER, in the garden. I'll come and watch and give support.

MC: *chuckles* Marvolo, don't encourage them.

Tobias: Them ? Ha...Her you mean...I wouldn't lower myself.

Cecilia: Scared? *smug grin*

Tobias: Terrified..By your lack of brains.

Cecilia: *moody frown*

Cecilia: *sneaking in late one night*

Tobias: *who was coming out of the kitchen after making himself a drink*

Cecilia: Oh bollocks *rolls her eyes* Dont tell mum and dad...

Tobias: CC I care SO little about what YOU do...Also...I don't have to tell.

Cecilia: *looks confused*

Tobias: Fathers behind you.. Anyway, goodnight *small smirk and wanders off*

Cecilia: (?!) *spins around*

Marvolo: *looking down at her* And where have you been?

Cecilia: Shit..

~

[dystopicjumpsuit]

OC Sunday: Jurij "Doc" Vega (OC of @ladyzirkonia)

Who's that I see? My cyberpunk crush Doc?! I'm honored, Z! 🩵💜🩵💜

Oisin sends his regards and says to tell Doc to stop dodging Benduday dinner. He's worried that she's not eating enough. 😘

Want a Datafile for your Star Wars OC? Find out how to get one here! Or check out other OC Datafiles I’ve created here!

Transcript in alt text and below the cut.

GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC

Personnel Datafile

Name: Jurij Vega

Rank: Major (Specialist/Senior Surgeon)

Identifying number: MO-7599

Duty assignment: Medical Corps Coruscant, Research Department Coruscant 

Status: Active

Service Record

Commendations: Distinguished Service Medal for innovative advancements in cybernetic technology and surgical procedures

Qualifications: Doctorate in clone genetics (topic: enhanced senses and desirable mutations)

robotics engineer specialized in cybernetic implants

Medical record: 

vicarious traumatization

early symptoms of compassion fatigue

genetic disposition of schizophrenia

Remarks:

attended the medical engineering faculty at Coruscant Academy

maintains relationships with researchers on the core worlds

collaboration with the research department on Kamino and support of the clone rehabilitation program

under surveillance:

possible connection to anti-war and clone activist movement (Robert Zane Weaver)

resistance to state authority (CC-1010)

possible connections to the underworld

possible drug abuse

[astrojulia]

Hey, what do you think about Mercury trine Uranus? Thank you very much <3

Mercury trine Uranus (with Elements)

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Hello Siren!

Mercury trine Uranus creates a harmonious flow of energy between the planet of communication, Mercury, and the planet of originality and unexpected change, Uranus. This aspect enhances your mental faculties, imbuing you with a quick-witted, inventive mind and a thirst for knowledge. I see the contact of Uranus and Mercury slightly complicated, since Mercury is a planet that likes organization, while Uranus governs chaos, but in a trine they work together in their best way possible.

Now, let us consider the elemental influences at play:

If this trine occurs within the Fire element (Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius), the fiery energy infuses your intellectual pursuits with passion, enthusiasm, and an enterprising spirit. You possess an innate ability to think outside the box, making connections and generating innovative ideas effortlessly. Your communication style is bold, confident, and inspiring, often igniting the sparks of creativity in those around you.

If this trine occurs within the Earth element (Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn), the grounded energy channels your mental acuity and innovative thinking into practical applications. You possess a keen attention to detail and a methodical approach to problem-solving. Your communication style is precise, focused, and reliable, making you a valuable source of practical insights and ideas.

If this trine occurs within the Air element (Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius), the airy energy enhances your mental agility and intellectual curiosity. You possess a natural gift for processing information, making connections, and communicating your ideas with ease. Your mind is open to new perspectives, and you excel in brainstorming sessions and collaborative endeavors. Your communication style is articulate, persuasive, and captivating.

If this trine occurs within the Water element (Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces), the watery energy infuses your mental realm with depth, intuition, and emotional intelligence. You possess a remarkable ability to tap into the subconscious, making profound connections and grasping the underlying emotions in any situation. Your communication style is empathetic, intuitive, and compassionate, allowing you to connect with others on a deep emotional level.

Kisses from the Sea! 🐠

(CC) AstroJulia Some Rights Reserved

[leolingo]

(rant about linguistics, aphasia and q!quackity’s impairments post-memory loss!!! to anyone who knows more about any of this, PLEASE add on or dm me id love to learn if anyones into neurolinguistics or anything of the sort)

ive been digging deeper into q!quackity’s condition (because I quite literally CAN’T stop thinking abou it) + taking note of his symptoms/behavior and it seems like what he’s dealing with could be called alexia (acquired inability to read) with agraphia (acquired inability to write), which are types of general aphasia, except i still need to know MORE about his production and comprehension i need to get in there!!!!!

it seems like he could be experiencing literal/verbal alexia with agraphia, which would mean he can’t recognize written letters or symbols at all and that is why he’s unable to read (this is all very tentative… all i have to go off of is my psycholinguistics class and as many academic articles as i can read). from what ive seen, q!q hasn’t actually tried to read any signs out loud, there’s no verbal attempt or production of speech which would make sense if he really can’t recognize the alphabet. BUT. what bothers me is that he can speak spanish with no issues. since spanish has a high proximity between phonology and orthography, theory says people who are able to speak it should be able to read and write the phonemes. and he can’t — or hasn’t tried. THAT makes me think he Can recognize the letters themselves

to confirm this i would really like to see him try to spell…. Or just name a letter! if its confirmed he CAN recognize individual letters, then id say what we’re looking at is more like pure alexia (without agraphia) — only a reading impairment, which would cause him to be unable to Arrange the letters in a sensical order. Its tough to check any of this w minecraft as a medium…. with a keyboard (or, in rp, on a communicator/in chat) it’s kind of impossible to know if he’s clicking at random or actually Trying to seek specific letters. but ill say that the way he sometimes dictates what he’s intending to write makes me think he DOES have the visual of each letter in his mind, and just struggles to order them or accurately transpose them

its also interesting to me how theres no sign of a speech impediment. q!q could speak fine from the very first moment we saw him. all hesitation was modal/owed to circumstance and not actually tied to his production of speech. i think that has more to do with the memory part of things! it could be that the extend of his memory alteration only goes as far as his writing and reading do. speech and comprehension come first in regular human development, and those are the faculties he has kept mostly unaltered. there could also be an argument to make about this pointing spanish as his first language (like cc!quackity) and english as his second, which would explain the dissonance between his production in one language and the other — but given that last stream he did express knowledge of english, idk if its relevant

i dont know much about the actual anatomy of things but i think it’s interesting that most aphasia cases are caused by lesions on the left temporal-parietal lobe. AND that its also possible for aphasia to be caused by head trauma like a hard hit to the head or deprival of oxygen (due to drowning? food for thought).

psa i know the situation in canon could be a lot less deep than im trying to make it. i get that. i dont expect the writers team to have researched the symptoms to this extent, but i enjoy discussing it. this is part of my major and a big area of interest for me so i find it really fun :) ill keep reading on this topic as much as i can and reblog w more of my musings if i find more relevant info. baseline qsmp team please let me in i need to study q!q under a microscope (lovingly)

[aliceinclockland]

COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO CARDCAPTOR HIGH AU IN THE WORKS (i wake up at literally 1am here for work pls hav mercy) BUT.

IMAGINE CARDCAPTOR CHARACTERS DISCOVER THE ENTIRE CCS MANGA AND READS IT THEMSELVES?

this has been inspired by a twitter post bc that tweet made my rusty brain start working again. thank u to that person (and to cinzia's wonderful drawing of yunaaki 🥺🥺)

okay so what I'm thinking as a backstory is that this is post clear card arc (incl. special chapter).

the Kinomotos are doing some spring cleaning in the Fujitaka library basement and then Sakura discovers these books (im thinking the collectors edition) that has a simple, yet captivating cover... and also happens to be magical?

just by seeing the book, sakura feels a little magic in the book, and what surprised her is that its very faint but she can recognize that it is hers.

she then asks her father about it and he just shrugs, saying that he doesn't remember how, where and when did he get them from. Sakura then asks permission to read the books, and she does.

the two then starts reading the books together, until they finished the first book.

um... actually, she didn't read the book... yet.

she contacted tomoyo, asking her if she published a book about their adventures (just like how tomoyo published the video for the animated series to happen).

tomoyo's response is no, and asked her why did she think she did... well, the cover looks like an uncanny illustration of sakura and her parents in the first serialization (cue the infamous Tomoyo reaction "my!")

few minutes later someone rings the doorbell for the kinomotos and fujitaka was surprised to see tomoyo , as sakura hasn't informed him that she'll come by and visit.

they brought the book to school and made everyone see it in lunchtime. naoko volunteered to read it first and remarks that the illustration looks so much like sakura a day after, and that the book is really good and was drawn well. then chiharu and yamazaki took it home to read and said the same thing naoko said. then it was syaoran's turn.

akiho also was informed about this book and asked kaito whether it was part of the books that went to the kinomoto library when sakura removed the book from kaito's soul— kaito said it was a possibility, and is now as intrigued as akiho and wants to read it themselves.

the question would be: would they be intrigued enough to go back to Tomoeda to borrow the book and examine it?

well, color everyone surprised when they saw sakura walk to school WITH akiho a couple of days after the "book fiasco" (everyone forgot about it very quickly).

they've all made some small talks before class starts, and akiho walks around thr faculty to also do some paperworks while they're still in tomoeda.

kaito on the other hand is bringing their stuff to the hiiragizawa mansion (my canon is that eriol gave them a key so they have a temporary home whenever they wanted to visit— bc he knows they will do so when they have a proper excuse for it + akiho's book collection is still in the "basement", safe and sound).

syaoran then sends kaito a picture of the book— still in his possession, bc he needed more time to read it (in other words he wanted his mother to know if there's anything that's going to cause his girl any harm and wanted to be prepared), kaito immediately recognizes it as one of the books that went to the basement when sakura did the deed. he then facetimes syaoran to confirm the suspicions, but also clarifies that it's not the blank book but rather, the book that was once called "alice in clockland". (i miss momo so momo definitely must have a mention here).

you might be asking, "how the hell can kaito CONFIDENTLY facetime syaoran?" well another headcanon i have is that eriol occasionally calls the two during their world tour, just to check up on them, and give them some advices and guidance on their trip (he— eriol— also reports to sakura about how they are doing). kaito feels uncomfortable answering those calls at first and lets akiho set his phone up so that the two of them will be in view as eriol tells kaito that he needs to get used to modern technology because "you'll need it one day".

also their phones are from the one and only, Tomoyo Daidouji. tomoyo sends them prototypes, with all of the tomoeda people's numbers saved in there. the two actually keep all of the gadgets tomoyo mails to them and akiho enjoys using them everyday that she can.

back to present, kaito explains to syaoran that the clockland book was used to record sakura and akiho's life, so he can cast the spell where he could incorporate akiho seamlessly into sakura's life without anyone "sensing any discrepancies". that explains why the book's characters are much alike from their counterparts in real life, including the physical description, but they're not sharing their real names with the characters.

akiho then comes home to the sight of the two facetiming each other, and said hi to syaoran on the other line. she then did the same but with sakura, and the two just talked about everything (by everything i mean EVERYTHING— sakura telling akiho what she learned in school, what recipes she's been learning, her magical experiences, etc., and akiho tling sakura all of the places she and kaito have visited, what books she have read, the culture of the country where they were, and also showed some sovenirs she got (aside from the books she's currently putting on her library)

they then talked about the book, and how sakura felt that the book was her, but wonders why the character doesn't share the same name as her real life self. akiho then explains how important someone's name is and reminded her that she only told her real name to sakura after everything that went down. they then chatted about what name would be perfect as an "alias" for sakura...

i honestly would've written way more if my brain didn't stop braining just after i wrote the last paragraph smh...

I'm planning to do this as an ao3 series but i still need to work on my wordings and grammar bc i am bye-lingual 🙃

that's it today byeeeee~ see y'all after a few months 😭

[bpod-bpod]

Brain Age Functions

Mitophagy is a process cells use to neutralise damage sustained by their mitochondria – the organelles that generate energy. This study profiles the dynamics of mitophagy across different cell types in the healthy mammalian brain as it ages

Read the published research article here

Image from work by Anna Rappe and colleagues

Translational Stem Cell Biology and Metabolism Program, Faculty of Medicine, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Published in The EMBO Journal, October 2024

You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

[ladyzirkonia]

Art by the lovely @lightspringrain. Divider by the amazing @dystopicjumpsuit. Game edit by me.

Grand Army of the Republic datafile Name: Jurij Vega Identifying No.: MO - 7599 Rank: Senior Chief Surgeon Assignment: Medical Officer, Research Department Qualification: Doctorate in clone genetics (enhanced senses and desirable mutations), robotics engineer specialized in cybernetic implants Remarks: attended the medical engineering faculty at Coruscant Academy, maintains relationships with researchers on the core worlds, collaborates with the research department on Kamino and supports the rehabilitation program under surveillance: possible connection to anti-war and clone activist movement (Robert Zane Weaver), possible connections to the underworld, psychological instability (checks are ordered), possible drug abuse, resistance to state authority (CC-1010)

Meet my OC Doc

Mood board

Character inspiration

My oc as...

OC Sunday's

Most important thing, hobby and Starbucks

Favorite book, favorite trait and weakness

Voice, home planet and weapon

Shoe, scenery and first impression

Artwork

Secret death stick session (Doc and Ghoul) by cloned-eyes

Doc and Zane by amalthiaph

GAR datafile by dystophicjumpsuit

Sketch page by xanthouransong

sketch by lightspringrain

Let's get this over with, Doc by cloned-eyes

Gaming edit

Corrie guard shenanigans by coldbrewarts

Shattered Minds (Fanfiction)

Part 1 - The note

Part 2 - You came

Part 3 - Enhanced senses (or how Crosshair got his toothpicks) - work in progress

Snippets

idealism turning into madness

[freesia-writes]

Howzer + Aurelia Ch. 34 - Opening Up

Beginning with his shiny days, this story follows Howzer's character arc through some heartwarming romance, action, adventure, yearning, angst, and growth.

Content/Trigger Warnings for Entire Work (individual chapters not labeled): wartime peril, injury, and death; sexual assault up to kissing; relationship passion up to making out and heavy petting; sexual relationship alluded to (smut is posted separately); pregnancy, birthing trauma, and stillbirth (chapters 30-39, can be skipped and still keep up with the story).

Master List of Chapters

Word Count: 2.9k (eep!)

34. Opening Up

"We've got a full workup coming in," the nurse said, flipping pages on her clipboard. "Sounds like he was just rescued from some remote mountain. He's been shot, but they say he's alright, although there's a note on here to check his mental faculties. Something about an explosion, head injury... Whoever wrote this made a complete mess of it."

"Not much of the standard protocols left, it seems," Lennox said, shrugging dismissively. "Let's get him in here. Aurelia, can you please prep the diagnostic bed?"

"On it, Doc," came the reply, as Aurelia bumped a nearby cart with her mildly protruding belly. It had been another couple of months, full of the rhythm of work, rest, and the ever-changing spectrum of pregnancy quirks. Thankfully, the lingering first trimester symptoms had mercifully subsided. Her energy had returned, including an extra spark that she hadn't anticipated, and her baby bump had finally started to show. It was still fairly small, but she frequently found herself rubbing it with fondness, smiling as she thought to herself about all that it represented. 

"I told you! I'm fine!" a voice came from the hall, slightly louder than usual, as a flustered nurse ushered in a clone. He looked diminutive, as they all did without their armor, and his unique appearance was even further accentuated by his strikingly sharp features. His cheeks seemed to be more angular than most, and his expressive eyebrows were working overtime to convey his displeasure. Aurelia smirked at the bravado, but the lighthearted observation was immediately replaced by a stabbing pain as her eyes rose to his hair: he had a faded undercut that reminded her of Howzer, though instead of being thick and tousled on top, it was smooth and laid flat against his skull. 

"You alright?" Lennox asked, appearing at her side. He seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to her, and she could never quite decide if it was helpful or annoying. 

"Yeah, sorry. Just distracted," she flubbed, turning away to continue entering the protocol on the diagnostic bed. 

"Thank you, nurse," Lennox said kindly, turning to face the clone and rising to his full height, standing a good few inches over the head of the newcomer. "Alright, CC-5576 is it?"

"That's my number, sir, but Gregor is my name!" came the answer, and Aurelia tilted her head to inspect him again. He was a standard clone, but his voice had a unique lilt to it that caught her attention. It was hard to describe -- somehow slightly higher in pitch than the others, and as he continued talking, she noticed a periodic squeak on various syllables. She punched in an additional command on the screen for a more thorough vocal cord inspection in addition to the brain scan. 

"Alright, Gregor," Lennox continued evenly. "I understand it's a bother, but we'd like to make sure you're all good to go, and we'll get you back out there in no time. Maybe we can see if we can modify the machine to give you some superpowers while you're in there, eh?" He had a variety of approaches with patients, attempting a variety of humor, discipline, paternal sternness, and gentleness until he found the particular combination that worked for each clone. Aurelia was amazed at his ability to connect with such a wide array of personalities, and she had learned quite a bit in this area during the last four months of working with him. 

"Oh!" Gregor said, "Well now you're talking!" He followed it with a sudden giggle that brought a smile to Aurelia's face without her permission. That was a new one. 

"All you have to do is lie still for a while and we'll do the rest from here, alright Captain?" Lennox said, noting Gregor's title from the clipboard, which seemed to go a long way in increasing the clone's respect for him and led to subsequent cooperation. With a grin, he hopped onto the diagnostic bed with a bit of a wince, moving a hand to his chest where his blaster wounds had been stabilized on the journey to Coruscant. "We'll take care of those as well," Lennox assured him as he flattened himself on the gurney, which slowly slid into a large plastoid tube that whirred to life as the captain disappeared within. 

"Do you know him?" Lennox asked Aurelia as they watched the data screen populate with various readings. 

"Him? No, why?"

"You just had a funny look when you saw him."

"Ah," she said, shrugging dismissively, "My face looks funny sometimes, I guess."

"Why do you keep pushing us all away?" Lennox asked gently, reaching out as if to place a hand on her shoulder but rethinking it last minute, moving it quickly to the side to grab a tissue analyzer that he didn't really need. "Wouldn't it be nice to have someone to comfort you? To share in your thoughts, both the good and the bad? There are wonderful people here, who truly care..." he drifted off for a minute, swallowing hard. "I mean, I'm here for you, but even if you don't want to confide in me, that's fine... I just know the value of having someone that feels like... I don't know... a counterpart of sorts. You know? You don't have to do it all alone." 

There was a wistful tone to his voice, and Aurelia studied his face intently, with a sudden realization that perhaps his friendliness toward her had evolved into more than just decency. A flurry of emotions swirled around at once: self-criticism for not having seen it before, immediate guilt at the thought of letting anyone in other than Howzer, and a yearning for that kind of companionship that she'd been in complete denial about. 

"I have that..." she attempted, voice falling flat. 

Lennox remained silent for a moment, eyes roving the ground as though it would give him guidance. When he looked back up at her, he put forth a small smile and a brisk nod as he returned the tissue analyzer to the counter. "Alright," he said, though he didn't look convinced. He always wanted to respect her boundaries, though it was his very nature to try to help anyone in any kind of pain. But he also realized that it couldn't be forced... All lessons he'd learned over years of both personal and professional experience. "Well, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here, and I know others are too. Alright?"

"Alright," Aurelia answered, meeting his gaze. "I appreciate it, Len. Really, I do... I'll keep it in mind."

"Good girl," he said cheerfully, reaching up to pinch the bottom of her chin playfully, but Aurelia flinched and backed up suddenly in a seemingly disproportionate reaction. "Whoa!" Lennox said, putting both hands in the air in submission, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be out of line...? I apologize..." He watched her closely, confused by her immediate reactivity and the unequivocal look of disgust on her face. He thought they'd reached a comfortable level of closeness and friendship, and he was surprised at the hurt he felt in response to the abhorrence on her face.

"Sorry," Aurelia breathed, though she didn't know why she was apologizing. As she processed it all, and waves of the past washed over her, she shook her head. "It's not you. I just... Please don't ever call me 'good girl', okay?"

"Of course," Lennox said gently, lowering his hands at a snail's pace. 

"I had a boss, back on Ryloth," Aurelia proceeded, the words flying out as though they needed to escape. "He was a slimy, gross, smooth talker who worked for the Empire. I was his assistant, but I was basically supposed to do whatever he wanted. Or so he thought...His name was Moss Gowden..." She shuddered at the thoughts, face contorted. "He was always hitting on me, always whispering nasty stuff... And he used to say 'good girl' under his breath whenever I answered his requests. It made my skin crawl."

The indignation and anger were plain on Lennox's face as he listened, and he clenched his fists at his sides for a second before releasing them and letting out a slow breath. "That must have been awful," he commiserated, leaving space for her to share more if she wished, hoping that she would continue to open up. He felt as though he were diffusing a bomb -- one wrong move and things would never be the same. And he desperately wanted to get it right. 

"It was," Aurelia conceded. "I kept refusing him, trying to keep it professional... So one night he put spice in my food and waited until I could barely stand, then he tried to take advantage of me." Tears swelled in her eyes, and she looked up at the ceiling to try to hold them back. "He probably would have, too, if not for..." she faltered, lost in the splintered memory of Howzer's rescue. Lennox knew better than to inquire any further, and instead opened his arms slightly to the sides in a nonverbal invitation for comfort and closeness. 

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Aurelia gave in. It had felt like ages since she'd been held, and she'd felt so alone, as though she'd been ripped in half. In that moment, she felt like a child, lost and scared, longing someone to simply take care of her when she'd been working so hard to take care of herself. She stepped forward, allowing Lennox to wrap her in a gentle hug, her own arms hanging awkwardly at her sides. He was significantly taller than her, and the small indent where his ribcage split apart made a perfect place for her to hide her face. 

Tears stole silently down her cheeks, wetting the front of his white uniform, and he lifted a hand to peaceably stroke the top of her head. He felt as though his heart were exploding in his chest. He didn't know how he'd come to be so fond of her, but she was brilliant and witty, strong and resilient, and had piqued his interest within the first few weeks of her arrival. He sympathized for her situation even though she didn't want him to, and he felt a strong desire to lighten her burdens. He'd caught a few glimpses of her humor, as well as brief flashes of curiosity, wonder, and delight that had warmed him to the core. She carried so much, and yet kept everyone at an arm's length even within the congenial friendships she enjoyed. Her heart seemed to be set on another, even though she didn't appear to hold much hope of his return. How someone could hold that kind of affection along with a stark sense of realism was beyond him, but it only increased his fascination. 

"If not for what?" came a squeaky voice from inside the diagnostic bed. Aurelia sprang back, surprised by the unexpected third party. 

"I thought they couldn't hear anything in there!" she hissed, wiping her eyes quickly. 

"They usually can't," Lennox grumbled, leaning down to speak loudly into the tube. "You have to stay still please, Captain. Even speaking could cause it to miss some of the micro details. Plus... this conversation is not for you, my friend." There was a slight edge of correction to his voice, though it remained affable overall. 

"Sorry!" was the singsong reply, "Just getting bored in here!"

Aurelia couldn't help but smile. The interruption was a welcome one, if she was honest. The consolation of Lennox's embrace had made her feel as ashamed as she felt gratified, and she'd been wrestling with a multitude of thoughts about it the entire time, which had felt like forever even though it was mere seconds. She appreciated the support, but it still felt wrong. She closed her eyes for a moment, envisioning the lazy evenings she'd spent wrapped up with Howzer on the couch, listening to his heartbeat and his husky voice, enveloped in perfect contentment and comfort. It felt like a lifetime ago, and the bittersweet reminiscence gave her a steadying sense of focus. She'd do everything she could to find him... whether he was dead or alive. The last thought made her stomach turn, and she opened her eyes, shaking her head briskly as if to chase the thoughts away. 

"It's about finished anyway," she said, distracting herself with the data panel. At a nod from Lennox, she tapped the screen and the machine's loud whirring slowed to a quiet buzz as the gurney slid out slowly, freeing Captain Gregor from the tube. He sat up, rubbing the back of his head and looking sheepishly back and forth between them.

"Sorry if I was eavesdropping," he said, "I didn't have much else to do..."

"It's alright," Aurelia answered, "I shouldn't be discussing that kind of stuff at work anyway."

Lennox tilted his head as if to say something, but he was cut off by an oblivious Gregor, "Eh, it's as good a place as any. Besides, he seems like a good one." He jabbed a thumb toward Lennox, who had apparently earned his complete approval in the short time they'd been acquainted.

"Thank you, Captain," Lennox said uneasily, slightly flustered in an endearing sort of way. "If we could get back to matters at hand, however..." He skimmed the datapad, tapping various points to enlarge the detail. "The blaster wound is healing well, and we'll cover it with a fresh bacta patch on your way out. That should finish the job. It says in your file that you survived an explosion on Abafar..."

"Karking right I did!" 

"Yes..." Lennox proceeded, smirking fondly at the enthusiasm. "Well, the lasting effects seem to be fairly minimal. Your motor skills are virtually uninhibited, and your brain function is surprisingly good, considering the trauma it received. I am seeing some damage, however, in the thalamus, as well as the hippocampal formations in your temporal lobe... There are also some rather permanent-looking lesions on the dorsal laryngeal motor cortex... "

"Whoa there, heh, can I get that in Basic, please?" Gregor lilted, looking to Aurelia for translation, who found his unfettered charisma a welcome respite from her troubling thoughts. 

"These areas in your brain are connected to memory, so you may suffer bouts of amnesia or mood swings," she began, interrupted once again. 

"I barely knew who I was before the explosion!" the commando interjected, "Some little bug man and his droid squad filled me in. So no surprise there!"

"You will likely have similar periods in the future, so finding a good support system and creating structures to remind yourself of things when it does happen would be a wise precaution," Aurelia suggested, "And the lesions are on the part of your brain that controls various elements of your vocal cords, including the pitch and cadence of your speech."

"Well noooo kidding..." Gregor marveled in mock surprise. "So I'm Captain Squeak from now on then, eh?" he chuckled as though it were an involuntary reaction. "Ah well. And what about my superpowers?"

Lennox smiled, patting the clone on the shoulder and inviting him to stand. "Your superpower seems to be that you are as difficult to kill as a spider-roach, my friend. You'll be a great asset to Captain Rex's team, should you choose to pursue that option."

"I'll take that as a compliment?" Gregor said, rubbing the back of his neck thoughtfully as he shifted his weight from one foot to another. A disembodied voice came from the small comlink near the door -- the nurse informing the doctor of his attention required in another room. 

"Absolutely," Lennox answered, "Aurelia will get your chest mended with a new bacta patch, and you'll be on your way." He gave an appreciative wave as he exited, leaving the two of them staring at each other. 

"Would you prefer to stand?" Aurelia asked, tearing open a fresh patch and removing the protective strips from its adhesive. 

"Yes ma'am!" Gregor chirped, puffing out his chest with a smile. 

"We need to remove the top of your blacks, please."

"Ohhh, getting frisky now, are we?" His teasing was clearly harmless, and it brought Aurelia a fond memory of Pivot's innocuous advances at 79s. She found a genuine smile on her face once again; this clone was an undeniable ray of sunshine in seemingly any situation, and she was honestly grateful for it. "Juuust kidding," he giggled as he pulled his turtleneck over his head, revealing a surprisingly gnarly chest wound that was covered with fairly shoddy work. The scorched flesh peeked out from around the edges of the wrinkled and faded bacta patch, and Gregor's grin turned into more of a grimace as she removed it as tenderly as she could. 

"Sorry," she murmured, focusing intently on her work.

"You don't have to take it out on me," he muttered in return, hands gripping the edges of the diagnostic bed behind him. The patch was quickly freed from its enmeshment with his skin and hair, and Aurelia moved quickly to apply a soothing bacta spray, earning a deep sigh of relief from the commando. Her nurturing spirit warmed at the sight, and she felt a new sense of affirmation herself, inexplicably, some random inkling that perhaps things were going to be alright.

"By the way," Gregor said, bringing her awareness back to the present, "You should take it easy on that doc. He seems like an upstanding guy, and obviously cares a lot about you. Hard to come by good people these days, you know?" He waggled his eyebrows so suggestively that Aurelia's surprise was overshadowed by the levity of his expression, and she shook her head with a smile, fitting the fresh, large bacta patch across the side of his chest. 

"You're a fun one, Gregor."

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