#eia speaks

[exhaustioninducedapathy]

never have i ever written pretend relationship

you know what, I have not!

it would be very fun to write if i can find the right pairing, and there's a few variants as well!

"pretend-to-real", the base romantic version, is delicious for pining and close proximity reasons, and has so so many subvariants. i personally am a sucker for "pretend to be my partner to prevent danger, wait actually you're kinda cute" and "rival you have to pretend to be my date to this snooty event wait why do you look hot in formalwear and why are you treating me nice and why am i being nice back shiiiiiit"

in platonic varaints, "pretend-throughout" is good for building platonic relationships and finding out traumatic backstory, "exes-have-to-pretend-and-they-hate-it" is good for both establishing why the relationship fell apart and in what ways the couple did work, and "beard buddies" which gets bonus gay and can be deployed at the drop of a hat for whatever reason i choose!

[arcane-apathy]

Chapter 11

Prologue | Previous | Next

AN: Firstly I'd like to apologize for teasing y'all in April. However family and my mental health always come first. Turns out that planning a funeral, attending said funeral, and grieving one of the most influential people in your life sucks. Again thank you all for your patience and support. And I hope you'll enjoy it! 🌻

Warning(s): Self Mutilation, Blood Ritual

  The morning came too quickly. For once you weren’t the first awake, as Kurakh shook your shoulder. “Come on Odmili, it's morning.” You groan in protest but still sit up, knowing well enough you asked for it. The fire was barely lit, meaning Kurakh mustn't have been awake long. As if he read your mind, “I still have the sand in my eyes.” 

  “Would you like me to tend to the fire?” 

  “If you feel so inclined,” he yawns while slowly standing up. You follow behind him, quickly slipping on your boots to protect your feet from the cold stone floor. Fabric rustles behind you as you feed a new log to the fire. The flames were now high and illuminating the small room well. You quickly glance over your shoulder to make sure Kurakh was decent enough for you to tolerate. With a sigh of relief, you turn around. "I don't know how you can function in this cold." 

  "Years of training," you chuckle while pulling your stay over your shoulders. You didn't even bother to look while you re-laced the front, muscle memory taking over. "Besides, this isn't the worst of it. Wait until the snow is above your knees." 

  "Only when you say things like that, I regret coming north," he sighs and slips on a furred vest over his tunic. 

  “I doubt that is true,” eyes rolling at his antics. 

  “I speak this truth. I have yet to lose a warrior, Moltschab’s horde is too scared to travel this far north, I have gained allies… And I met you.” 

You pause in the middle of tying the final knot, fighting to ignore the fluttering of your heart, "that is the most saccharine thing I've ever heard you say." Surprisingly you were met with silence, making you pivot on your heel. Kurakh's confusion was written all over his face. Again the fact that the two of you come from completely different worlds dawned on you. "Saccharine means something is very sweet," you explain while stepping into your habit.

  "Oh, I couldn't tell if it was good or bad," he chuckles a little and stands. Retrieving his cloak from a hook on the wall. "If Mazna asks, please tell him I'm out hunting." 

  "Of course, he should still be asleep, right?" 

  "Yes, and hopefully for a few more hours. For Roldza's sake." 

  "Indeed, bless that woman," you smile and begin to re-lace the habit. "Should I assume it shouldn't take long, considering our numbers have grown?" Your smile quickly disappears as a knot forms in the laces. 

"Correct," he smirks and approaches you. He gently moves your hair aside, breath fanning across your neck. "You said our numbers."

  "Yes, and," you counter while a blush starts to make its way up your neck.

"You're no longer considering yourself an outsider," he carefully takes the laces and undoes the knot. His fingers gently graze along your back as he finishes lacing the habit for you. "That is good." 

  "Oh... And you don't have to do this for me. I can lace this thing in my sleep."

  "I know," his voice didn't give room to argue.

  "Then why are you insisting on doing it?"

  "Why must you be suspicious of everything I do?"

  "Well, we didn't start on the right foot."

  "Fair point," he lightly tugs on the laces to signal he's finished. "Would you like me to tuck the laces?" You only nod, trying not to tense up as he tucks the laces into the habit. Kurakh's hand finds its way to your hair and moves it back to how it normally lays. "There. Save for that blasted headcover you look like a proper Maid of Eia." 

  It felt like you could finally breathe as you stepped away from him, "I'm also missing the pin... But that's the last of my worries right now." 

  "I'll be fine." 

You smack him in the chest playfully, "and what made you so sure I was talking about you? I'm more concerned about Schelura cutting my hair!" 

"Right," he smirks, "don't worry, you'll be in good hands. Schelura's family has been hairdressing for generations." 

  "I thought she was a beadmaster?" 

  "Most beadmasters are also hairdressers. The work goes hand-in-hand." He hovers in the middle of the room, contemplation written all over his face. "I suppose I should go to the main hall." 

  "I believe so, Otoschlibt. I'll be right behind you, I just need to fix my stockings." He nods and slowly walks to the door. Taking a deep breath before he opens it, bracing for the cold air of the hallway. "The faster you do it the sooner it'll be over with," you tease. With a quiet laugh, he opens the door and enters the hallway. You watch as he goes, kindly closing the door behind him so you can have more time to savor the warmth. 

  It didn't take long for you to deem yourself fully dressed. With your cloak fastened you step into the hall. The cool air hitting your face, properly waking you up. The halls were lowly lit with glimmerstone, and eerily silent. As you stepped into the main hall it almost felt like a different world. Warriors bustle about as they prepare. The sound of blades on whetstones surrounded you as you made your way to the center of the room. Kurakh and the commanders surround a table covered by a makeshift map.   

  Eteos seemed to be the mastermind of the attack, effortlessly explaining as he pointed to the map. No one seemed to pay attention as you sidled up to Kurakh. “We will attack from all sides. Dogar and I will lead the larger group attacking from the south. Kalos will lead the western group and Aren will lead the eastern. Kurah and Galta will lead the northern group to capture the lieutenant and the maid.” 

  I lean in closer to Kurakh, trying to keep quiet, “the maid I understand, but the Lieutenant? Have you gone mad?” 

  “We need leverage, and Eteos says the winter will work in our favor by slowing rescue efforts.” 

  “It could also lead to our slaughter.” 

  “The council has already voted,” the finality of his tone kept your mouth shut. You could see a hint of doubt in his eye as he refocused. His fingers tapped on the table absentmindedly. Usually, Kurakh was able to keep still, but within the last week, you’ve caught him fidgeting more than usual. Hopefully, it was only his secret project he was worried about. 

  “Alright everyone, ready your weapons. We must leave before dawn,” Eteos calls to the crowd. Kurakh gently moves you away from the table as he also leaves. 

  “I'm unsure what we should do for the new Maid, should she stay with us?” 

  “I don't see why not, but it depends on who she is. It's usually the newly ordained Maids that get drafted.” 

  “Except you?” 

  “There might be some marks on my record.” 

  Kurakh laughs, “So I'm not the only one who's dealt with your attitude?” 

  “The Elders didn't appreciate the fire in my eyes like you have,” you scoff as you follow him outside. The wargs were already lined up waiting for their riders. Sukkori wags her tail at the sight of you and Kurakh. “With all seriousness, please try to be gentle with this Maid. She is likely not even twenty years old.” 

  “I'll make sure of it,” Kurakh mounts Sukkori swiftly. “I’ll task Galta with her care. She’s the gentlest option.” 

  “Gentle is not a word I would use to describe Galta, but it is the better option.” 

  Galta scoffs from a few steps away, “I heard that!” Even with the lack of sunlight, you could make out the warpaint on both of their faces. The dark red paint dripped from their foreheads and onto their cheeks. While the design was simple it got the point across.

  “You’re lucky we don’t have any more to say Galta,” Kurakh laughs before returning his attention to you. “We’ll be careful.” The rest of the warriors make their way towards the gate around the two of you. “I must go.” 

  You grab his hand, causing Kurakh's breath to catch in his throat, “come back in one piece.” 

  He brings the back of your hand to his lips, “I promise.” He gently squeezes your hand before joining the group as they speed past the gate. Save for the guard closing the gate you stood alone in the yard. And you stood there until you could no longer hear the centaur’s hooves hitting the frosty ground. Once you made yourself go back inside you began to mentally scold yourself over your lovesick antics.   With your mind so distracted you didn’t notice someone walk into the main hall behind you as you set up your triage. 

  “Didn’t want to go back to sleep I see,” a soft voice startles you from your work. When you looked up there was an Elven woman merely a foot away. Of course, you didn’t hear her coming. 

  “There was no point, I would’ve just laid awake with worry.” 

  “I’m the same way when my brother goes out on those missions. I’m Artenna,” she extends her hand. You first noticed the delicate and glowing tattoos that littered her pale hands. It was difficult to pull your eyes away from the faint pink light as you shook her hand. “Sorry, I probably should have given you a warning.” 

  “You’re a hypnotist?” 

  “Yes, I promise I’m not as scary as the King makes us sound.” 

  “It’s not that, I’ve never met a hypnotist before. It’s a niche field of magic, even before the decree.” 

  Artenna shrugs, “it depends on where you are. My mother also said it used to be more common when she was a child. Can I help you with anything?” 

  You glance around to see if there is anything left to do, “not at the moment. I already sped through everything I could do. Unless you wouldn't mind keeping me company until they return?” 

  “It would be my pleasure,” she smiles and sits on a bench across from you. Thankfully Artenna proved to be pleasant company as you exchanged stories, jokes, and camp gossip. After some time passes you both venture outside. The sun was finally over the horizon, signaling for you to continue preparations, and for the rest of the camp to rise. Artenna helps you break the ice and carry water from the well. The luxury will only last a few more weeks until the ice is too thick to break. Then the camp will have to rely on melting snow. 

  With the last bucket you were willing to carry in hand, the sound of hooves began to echo through the valley. It was urging you to hurry back into the main hall. Setting the bucket beside your tools, hoping no one else will try to use it. As much as you didn’t want to be scolded by Schelura, you quickly shove your hair into your linen cap. Infections are always worse to treat in the winter. 

  You didn’t know what you expected when the warriors returned, but it wasn’t the Lieutenant being carried in by Kurakh. “What happened?” Kurakh quickly sets him on a table before you. 

  “He poisoned himself, and we don’t know what he used,” Kurakh grumbles. Galta quickly approaches beside you, with a vaguely familiar shadow cloaked in blue. “Their Maid also doesn’t know what he could’ve taken. The officers are cowar-” 

  “It’s new, all high-ranking officers are supposed to take it if they get captured,” a meager voice interrupts. 

  “What is your name,” you glance at her as you roll up your sleeves. Her fair skin was red from the wind and her deep blue eyes were wide in shock. 

  “Yulla.” 

  “Cut off his armor and enough of his shirt so I can access his neck,” you reach for your satchel with determination. “Kurakh we’re going to need charcoal, and more wood added to the main fire.” He thankfully didn’t question you and made haste. It didn’t take you long to find your most treasured tools. A tiny iridescent blade that was easily the size of your hand, and almost as thin as your fingers. And a cast iron press of Eia’s true sigil.  You carefully set it on the table before searching for other ingredients and bandages. 

  Yulla sees it and immediately stops in her tracks, “is that a Kisarvuhevstabler?” 

  “Yes, is he ready,” you didn’t even look up as Kurakh returned with a small bowl of charcoal. Muscle memory takes over as you begin to mix your ingredients in a brass bowl decorated with ancient runes. Before Kurakh gets comfy you push the cast iron press towards him, “this goes in the fire. Long handle facing out obviously.” 

  Before Kurakh could take it, Yulla attempted to smack his hand away, “Elder, are you insane?” 

  “I beg your pardon?” 

  “Blood magic is forbidden!” 

  You couldn’t help but laugh, “it’s only been forbidden for the past six years. While Maids of Eia have used this magic for centuries. I’m not throwing centuries of tradition down the drain, simply because our King gets nauseous at the thought of it. Now you are going to watch and learn a technique that can no longer be taught in the temples, or Commander Galta can find you something else to do. He doesn't have much time left.” Yulla doesn’t respond or leave, conflict written all over her face. You spare a glance at Galta who looked as equally concerned as Yulla. “Galta we’re going to need a bucket that we’re not afraid to get dirty.” 

  When Galta steps away from the table, Yanna takes the opportunity to stand beside you. You place the bowl on the table, “the potion is made with crushed unicorn horn, charcoal, and stinging nettle. I’ll tell you the exact amounts later.” With a deep breath, you pick up the blade and remove it from its sheath. “It doesn't have to be a Kisarvuhevstabler for the spell to work. They are more a sign of status, to show you know the magic.” 

  You take a second to examine the disheveled Lieutenant laid before you. His skin was paling, a mysterious gray forming around the mouth. And his veins looked as if his blood turned black. His breathing was ragged, but strong enough to tell he was alive.  It appeared as if he wasn’t able to finish the full dose of the poison considering he survived the journey from the battlefield. By now a crowd has formed around the table, and you try your best to ignore them. The sound of an empty bucket hitting the floor signaled it was time to begin. 

  With the iridescent blade in your right hand, you turn to Yulla, “I will need you to turn him towards me when I give him the potion. But first, the bucket should be closer to where he will vomit when he is turned.” 

  “Understood,” she quickly moves the bucket before getting into position. You take a second to scan the crowd, surprisingly unable to find Kurakh anywhere. With a deep breath, you move the blade closer to your left wrist. 

   The blade pierces your skin, immediately stinging. In the ancient tongue, you pray, “Noble Eia, hear my prayer as I spill my blood as a testament of my conviction to thy doctrine.”  As you drag the blade up your arm diagonally, blood pools atop your skin. As soon as the first drop hits the bowl the runes carved inside begin to glow. “Hear my prayer so I may rid this soul's vessel of poison. Hear my prayer so I may heal in thy name.” The pain finally catches up to you, causing the blade to fall on the table. 

  You steady yourself by leaning on the table, “hear my prayer so this blood is not wasted.” You force yourself to push through the pain, picking up the blade and using it to stir your blood and the ingredients together. The room was silent around you, and every eye was focused on you. You gently lift the bowl to the Lieutenant’s lips, coaxing him to swallow the potion. Once the bowl was empty Yulla tilted him towards you. Luckily for him, it didn’t take long for the potion to work. 

  The visible darkness in his veins crept up his chest and into his neck as the spell expelled the poison from his body. It was almost like tiny black snakes were writhing in his veins. At this point, you knew he would be saved, and now it was time to save yourself. Weakly you raise your left arm, keeping your wound above your heart, and turn towards the main firepit. The crowd quickly parts for you as you step away from the table. No one said a word to you, mostly staring at you in disbelief. With the silence, it was easy to hear the Lieutenant retch the poison into the bucket. 

  It was a struggle to move your body through the pain and blood loss. But you've done this before. As you neared the fire it felt like the world around you was spinning. Within the blink of an eye, you were on the floor. Crawling instead of walking to the fire. Many voices were shouting your name. But nothing could shake you from this trance.  And none of them could save you from this, there was only one with that power. And you couldn’t help but mutter apologies in the ancient tongue, hoping for a sliver of mercy. 

  The world around you was slipping away, and all you could see was the hot iron in the coals. It felt like someone was kneeling beside you, trying to talk to you but there wasn’t much time to listen. You grab the handle of the hot iron, determined to prove yourself. With no hesitation, you laid the flat end decorated with sigils and runes onto your wound. The scream that escaped you would be considered unholy by some, but to the clergy, it was one of obedience and understanding. The pain was blinding, no matter how many times you've done it. Perhaps that was the point. The iron was lifted from your arm, most likely not by you. And despite how much you fought it, the void consumed you.

[varpusvaras]

Polis Massa is a miserable place.

Vader had seen a lot of miserable places during his life. All of them different but still the same, as in the end, it didn't matter what type of planet or moon or anything else a place was, as they were all miserable in one way or another.

Polis Massa is a cold, empty place, far away from anything. The whole place is dead, littered with only the bones of eras that have already gone by and been forgotten.

Some would say that it is a good place to come and die.

Vader hates it.

It had taken him too long to find his way there. Too long had he had to do what his Master told him to, and push back his own mission of seeking the truth. Too long had he had to get used to his new body and all the hindrances it had given him. Too long had it taken him to trace the steps back, all the way from Naboo, to this place.

The fact that he is finally here brings him no joy.

He watches as his men sweep through the base. They are simple soldiers. None of them have any incentive to reveal their location or reason to be here to the Emperor. Not that they even fully know what for they are here, exactly. Taking anyone high enough on the ranks would've been a guaranteed way to get his Master on his trail.

He stands there, in the emotionless base, and he does not imagine her lying on any of the cold tables, just as cold as the surface beneath her.

He gets a ping from one of the droids that had been taken there, to more effeciently salvage the information still left.

The frequency cuts off almost immediately. But not fast enough for him not to follow it to its source.

The doors open. The droid is laying on the floor, with its head blown off.

One of his men is kneeled next to another droid, and he is sending off a message when Vader walks in. He turns, sees him, and takes his blaster and shoots the other droid in front of him as well.

Vader pulls the blaster out of his hand and crushes it. The man hurries backwards, fumbling with his comlink, and when Vader ignites his saber, he throws it onto the floor and crashes his heel on it, once, twice.

He goes for a third time, but the saber has cut through him before he can put his foot back down again.

Vader looks at them all for a moment. The two droids, both laying on the floor, smoking. The comlink, in pieces. The man, now slumbed onto the floor next to it.

Then he makes a call.

"I want another forensics droid here", he says. "And someone who can trace back messages."

---

The files they get out of the droid's memory banks are mostly corrupted.

There are glimpses. Of her. Screaming, crying. Alive. Of a baby, crying with a high-pitched wail.

"It's a ---------- " That voice speaks.

The recording cuts of to static for a moment, before the voice continues speakin.

"----------- g- irl."

"L----------eia"

That name.

It is familiar.

More static, before the recording continues.

"Obi-Wan. There's good in him. ---- I know. I know there's... still- ------"

Vader cuts the droid in half.

A beat of silence.

"My Lord." He turns his head to look. The man standing behind him swallows. "We managed to trace the message. Not its contents, but where it was being sent. We also found recordings of the ships that were on the base during the same day as that...recording."

Vader continues to look at him. He gets the hint quickly.

"The message was sent to the Alderaan system, My Lord", he says. "And we've discovered that a ship that belongs to the Senator of Alderaan was here during that time frame as well a year ago."

Vader thinks.

"The Princess", he says, then.

"....yes, My Lord?"

"What is her name?" Vader turns around fully now. "The Princess of Alderaan? What is her name?"

"Oh, I", the man swallows again. "I'm not exactly sure. I can check it for you, if you wish so?"

"Do that."

Vader thinks while the man clambers to do as he is told. It would have taken time, to get from Mustafar to Polis Massa. If what his Master had told him had been true, there would've been no recordings for him to find. No final words for him to hear.

His Master had lied to him.

"My Lord." Vader looks back down at the man. "I've just checked. The Princess of Alderaan is being called Leia."

Vader nods.

"Erase all the records from that day", he orders, and then marches away from the room.

His Master had lied to him.

Not just him, either.

There are liars all around him.

"Get my ship ready", he calls the piloting crew. "We are heading for Alderaan."

---

"My Lord."

Vader doesn't slow his steps. Jovan has to hasten his in order to catch up with him.

"My Lord", Jovan speaks louder as he gets next to Vader. "Members of the Royal family have managed to contact others outside of the system. It is already spreading to the Senate. We can not keep them imprisoned for much longer without there being a serious outburst."

"That outburst will be dealt with", Vader answers simply. "The Queen is still going to lead her people, just as an absentee ruler. There will be a new Senator appointed, one of their liking. That will keep them content for longer."

"But not forever", Jovan says. "We have not published any proof that would justify us for keeping them in custody for much longer. I would propose a house arrest instead-"

Vader raises his hand. Jovan falls quiet.

"They are withholding information regarding dangerous individuals that are wanted by the Emperor himself." Vader stops and turns. "We can not risk them getting away with that information. They will remain in our custody for as long as it takes for us to get that information out of them."

He lowers his hand. Jovan sucks air in sharply.

"Are my orders clear, Admiral?" Vader asks.

Jovan nods hastily.

"Yes, My Lord."

"Good." Vader turns around again. He hears Jovan cough.

"But what of the Emperor, My Lord?" Jovan asks. "All of the Senate will soon know, and when that happens, so will the Emperor."

"The Emperor will not know everything", Vader says. "He will only hear the necessary parts. I will deal with my Master myself when it comes to that."

He would have to hurry, then.

"Prepare for the next round of interrogations", he tells Jovan. "And begin the interrogations on all of the members of the Royal family and the Palace staff. Whoever has the child is close with the Queen and the Senator. Someone like that can not go unnoticed with so many people around. Someone is going to know something."

"Yes, My Lord."

With that, Vader walks away.

He thinks.

Someone close. Someone who is close enough, so that even a thought of harm coming for them causes fear.

Someone who is loved by them, more than they love themselves.

Vader is going to find out who they are.

Then he is going to find them.

[highlordofkrypton]

WIP preview // rhysand's parents fic

One of my biggest struggles as a writer is that it's a very lonely exercise for me. I usually just power through the writing, and then gush later, but I'm so, so excited about this, I wanted to share a cute little snippet.

Context: Rhysand's mother has been taken in by the local seamstress, who was the mother of the previous tribe leader, and she's preparing a garment for a very important and mysterious client.

Uray = made of gold, a term used for older women who had influence among the tribe.

Lilith sets her tea down, and leans over a rich fabric. Soft and supple, it catches the light perfectly despite being so dark. Its weight speaks of his luxury, but it disperses heat well enough that the wearer stays cool. Very few of their clients can afford something so precious, and that excludes the work that goes into making something out of the material.  The embroidery requires too much magic for her. To bottle up the stars themselves, or to capture the auroras from the skies, it takes years of practice, if Lilith can do it at all. Her hands tremble from lighting the lantern, even such a small show of magic is taking a toll on her. She squeezes them and wills herself to focus.  I should stop taking the concoction, she thinks to herself. Anger bubbles up inside her; she’s getting too comfortable under Eia’s protection. There is still no telling what will happen once the bleed comes for her, and there is no guarantee that the old uray can stop Brykos from claiming her. He did, after all, kill her sons, and their children, and their wives.  She focuses on the patterns, pinning them to the fabric. Lilith slides her hands over the front panel. Broad shoulders. She cuts the piece out, admiring it. Slim waist. As she works towards the bottom of the cloak-like-addition to the suit, her brows raise in muted surprise. Tall.  The order certainly isn’t for the false-King Brykos who is large and stocky. He wears his strength, but this client is… not small. Slender? Lilith runs her hands over the shoulders again, imagining the mystery male to whom this will belong to one day. He might be as tall as wings, which is a feat in itself. No one among their tribe could afford such a large and intricate piece. The style is too restrained for it to be Illyrian, both their daily wear and their wartime textiles. The fabric is not suited for the mountains, so she knows this has nothing to do with the Autariatae. Perhaps a High Faerie merchant, then? No, that’s not the answer either. She has seen Eia working on similar outfits with similar proportions and sharp tailoring, always in black with the occasional silver of the cosmos weaves into them. Lilith doesn’t dare name her suspicion. Instead, she dares to dream. (Dreaming had always belonged to Az, but she's gone, and Lilith must carry hope for both of them.) She has never allowed her imagination to roam freely, except to plot survival her survival. Perhaps this man is a refugee, hiding among the trees and the mountains where he preserves his peace. Perhaps he is old and has hoarded wealth over centuries, all to spend it on fine textiles to please himself. Lilith wouldn’t fault him for it; he doesn’t owe anyone anything, not their salvation or his piece. She wonders if she will cross him, if she will watch him lower his head as he enters their humble shop, and speak in elegant High Fae. Perhaps he would speak the old tongue with Eia, one of the few people who would remind her of older, happier times. 

sdgfksdgfjk IDK MAYBE IT'S NOT AS CUTE WITHOUT CONTEXT, BUT SHE HAS A CRUSH ON THIS STYLISH MYSTERY MAN 😭 i'M JUST!! I lOVE THEM!!

My beta will be sending me her favourite parts, so maybe I can share those too while I finish working on this fic!

Let me know if you enjoyed this, I've been hesitating about previewing my WIPs but there are people reading this, I'd be happy to do more.

[fiveguysshake]

QSMP: The First Generation of Quesadilla Island

Context: in my head canon, I believe that the current members of Quesadilla island were the “eggs” of a previous generation, with the exception of a few members. Here’s a story of that head canon! :3 this one is just a prerequisite, so look forward to further installments!

Many years ago, when One was unaware of the horrors of the island experiments, One descended upon a certain ‘Quesadilla Island’ in hopes of curing One’s boredom.

When One arrived, One noticed a few familiar faces - the God of Architecture, for instance, and his partner: The God of Strength. Alongside them, One assumed that it was the daughter of Her Majesty Goddess of Flame, and One would be correct.

As we stared upon the beady eyes of a woman in a jarringly realistic Catus Domesticus costume (of which scared One to One’s core, despite One’s eternal status), we learned of its’ name - Lacrimosa. It was, in layman’s terms, a sort of “manager” for the project. It was to look after us, make sure we were content with this sort of ‘vacation’.

The first day was hardly anything to speak about. We simply got acquainted to one another. A few notable new faces comprised of the following …

Roier (who One now refers to as Roier Senior), who appeared to already have lived most of his life by the time he arrived. Despite us being stripped of most of our possessions at the beginning, he always had mints. One never took them.

Danielewski Mouse, who stood no taller than a single meter, but was a smart businessman who always had a cigar in his mouth.

Harris“MC”, who was (is? One is unsure) a young man from the deep wastelands of a far away planet. He spoke of his experience there in the wastelands. One found it terrifying, but inspirational.

Mayday “Studios”. No one ever figured out his real name, and he was the skittish type. One rarely saw him, so it’s no wonder his children turned out the way they did.

While most of these individuals felt fear at the prospect of being stuck on an island, One remembers oh-so clearly how Mayday grinned. It was like he was waiting for this his entire life. One has never seen such a look, in One’s billions of years of existence. Frightening.

Day two was…exciting, to say the least. This was the day we received the news that we would be looking after the remnants of a DNA experiment.

Each of us (of which there were about 40 of us, give or take) were “gifted” with an infant to look after. One named One’s son Kameto. There were various ways people came up with names. My favorite was certainly Mina’s (the daughter of the Goddess of flame One was talking about earlier) decision to name her child “BadBoyHalo”. One found that amusingly ridiculous. She did not laugh, which caused One to laugh even more intensely.

Kameto was a handful from the very beginning. Each of our experiments had a unique item that they arrived with, and his was a black headband. There is not enough room here to explain how many times One caught him chewing on it. One’s child was a born leader, and he, on many occasions, dragged One around to interact with the other children. Despite One’s status, One prefers to bide One’s time by simply being left alone. Unfortunately, due to Kameto, One had to interact with the other islanders.

One found this utterly distasteful.

The only islander One became genuinely acquainted with was a young woman by the name of Eia Apollo. Her son, Enzo (who now goes by Etoiles), matched One’s son with terrifying accuracy. Unfortunately, many years after the experiment ended, One had to bury her after an attack on her village.

Enough of One’s rambling, One supposes One should go through the experience in more detail, so One shall end this log here.

[enter-the-performapals]

@arcvmonth Day 5: Action Magic- Overpass

Alright, so I know the Dragon Boys Roleswap Shuffle is a pretty basic AU but I feel like I have an interesting take on it!

For the art today I wanted to draw Fusion!Yuya (hes gotta have some absolutely messed up anglicised name... Eia? Taking suggestions lol) being intimidating during the Xyz war, but it turned into POV: You're getting turned into a card. And stormy ambiance because Winter storms have been pretty crazy over here...

AU thoughts under the cut!

(Quick content warning for mental absue!)

Ive seen a couple of people theorise that Yuya, if roleswapped with Joeri, would still be happy-go-lucky but in a murderous psychopath kinda way. Personaly, I think the opposite.

In my idea of a roleswap, Yuya would be grow up as an orphan, desperately doing whatever he could to eventually get into Academia, which he does around ~10 years old.

Having pretty poor social skills, but still having a positive attitude, he'd make some acquaintances in the first month or so until he catches the attention of Leo Akaba.

Leo, terrified of what Yuya would become, decides to isolate him. While his peers are jealous that he gets special treatment, Yuya is over the moon and starts to see Leo as a father figure and idolises him, following his every move.

Around the same time, Fusion!Yuzu would be taken in Leo as well. Over time, Yuya would see how much better Yuzu would be treated than him, the way Leo doesnt let him too close to his replacement daugter, the hate that would occasionally flash in Leo's eyes when talking to him, and he would start to resent them.

Yuzu's no saint in this AU either, being coddled by Leo so much that she'd view herself above everyone else. She'd figure out how to manipulate Leo into getting whatever she'd want, and rub it in people's faces. She'd act perfect around Leo, but as soon as as shes away from him, she'd demean and undermine the people around her. And Yuya would be her favorite verbal punching bag- as hed also been selected specially by Leo-and save the worst insults for him. She'd probably be known as The Princess of Academia.

With hs confidence beingbeaten down by this version of Yuzu, shunned by his peers who are jealous that he was hand selected by Leo, and just knowing that Leo hates him for a reason he has no idea of, he'd just... mentally shut down. Spiralling into a deep depression.

He would never smile. Barely speak a word outside of duels, which he'd be ruthless in. His eyes would be cold and dead, other than occasionally showing flashes of an intimidating gold.

Of course, even though he knows Leo hates him, hed still do anything for the Professor, in a futile attempt to be loved and accepted by him. Hed be a major player in the war, and hed still kidnap Xyz!Rin and Synchro!Ruri

He'd still be the personality with the most amount of Zarc in him and at the end of the AU, standard!Yuuri would probably show him that he deserves to smile and that no matter what hes faced in the past, there will be people there to support him and be his friends.

After a charater arc duel where he breaks down after defeat and vows to become a better person, Leo would have an angry rant about him being useless tool to the reigime and a worthless demon child that he never should have taken in and expunge him, where then hed fuse with Yuuri.

My thoughts for his deck would be something similar to Sergey's deck, but instead of humanoids theyre animals (like the performapals) in a very old, black and white, rubber-hose style constricted with vines, chains and locks to symbolise a trapped but not lost sense of innocence.

If youve read this far, thank you so much! Let me know-either by dropping me an ask or putting it in the tags- if youd like to see more of this AU, because Boy Howdy have I thought about it In Depth. Thank you for reading!

[kestrelvylbrand]

I am soooo late, but here we go!

Tagged by: @luck-and-larceny, thank you for the tag! Sorry I'm being so slow on Tumblr at the moment!

Tagging: @vetinarivisuals

Favorite OC: It honestly varies from day to day. But anyone who has stuck around enough to actually have some work put into them, I generally love.

But I love them for super different reasons.

Oldest OC: Ok, I did goth-y forum RP back as a teenager, so it's probably some vampire girl I can't quite remember. But my first serious RP character in a game was Eia, a Blood Elf Warlock (World of Warcraft) who had grown up super sheltered and was trying really hard (and mostly failing) at being dramatic and ruthless. She was a total cupcake though.

Newest OC: Teeechnically Rook, my Necromancer in Diablo 4. But I haven't really roleplayed her much and it's not the *best* game for RP in general, so... The newest OC I'm actively roleplaying would be Diaphanous Veil, my Eclipse Caste Solar Exalted. She's a courtesan and social climber, very ambitious and socially savvy so... Basically the opposite if me, but man, I love her a lot.

Meanest OC: Estrith no doubt. She's a mean old goat. When I played her in an MMO, I would constantly be whispering people to assure them that I am not actually as mean as she could be lol. She did have a huge soft heart though, which I think is what made her enjoyable to me.

Softest OC: Probably Eden, my character from Aion. Another very sheltered young lady who often struggled with understanding the world. And perhaps Fawn Cassidy, my Wildstar character. She was a storyteller, or trying to be, and just... Very optimistic and fun.

Most Aloof/Standoffish OC: Estrith again. Also Venice, my Aeon character. I try not to make my characters too aloof cause I find it harder to get into RP with, but it can be a lot of fun if you have people to help pull them out of their shelves!

Dumbest (Affectionate) OC: Kestrel? Kestrel. I think Kestrel is a bit of a dumbass but I love her.

Dumbest (Derogatory) OC: Yiria. She was my OC in Age of Conan ages ago and I played her at a time in my life (late teens) where I was pretty insecure and dealing with a bunch of stupid relationship stuff and just... She kind of reflects that.

Smartest OC: Oh man, tough one. It really depends. Ley is very booksmart, but I'm not sure I'd consider her the smartest. Venice is probably the one with the highest "Intellect". She's very well educated and a scientist who really values learning all the mysteries of the universe. Dia is probably the most clever though.

Horniest OC: Dia is a courtesan, so you may think it's her, but she's not actually all that horny herself. Faust took a lot of inspiration from Kierkegaard's Aesthetic Phase, plugged with a bunch of hedonism and self-indulgence, so.. She's pretty horny. Even if she actually doesn't hook up as often as youd think lol

Kes definitely deserves an honorable mention too, realistically speaking, she's probably the horniest.

OC you'd bang: Listen, if the point isn't to make OCs you'd want to bang, what is it really? Kes, Faust... I have always had a major weakness for villains, so Vilje, even though it would probably be a really terrible idea.

OC you'd be best friends with IRL: I feel like I'd get along pretty well with Ley. Even though she's not "like" me, she's probably the character I feel most strongly represents me as a person, she's kind of nerdy and socially awkward and I think we could have some great conversations about storytelling. Same with Fawn. She was just a happy, joyful character and I think we could have been really great friends.

[xchief-global]

Target levels and forecast for the week 06.05.– 10.05.

The week begins with the failure of negotiations between Israel and Hamas, because Israel does not intend to abandon the attack on Rafah. We are waiting for a reaction on oil. ⠀ Britain's Conservative Party lost regional elections. British media are announcing new parliamentary elections in September. A Labor victory in the elections will lead to a rise in the pound due to strengthening ties with the EU, but the pound does not like moments of uncertainty and may be very stormy in the next 2-3 months. ⠀ The RBA and BOE meetings are interesting, but at the current stage, both rates will remain unchanged the market will only react to comments. ⠀ China's trade balance will have an impact on risk appetite. Fed members will appear on the air daily, markets will react to their rhetoric, but before the publication of US inflation for April on May 14-15, breakouts of the current price ranges are unlikely. ⠀ Recall the fundamental events that you need to pay attention to (GMT 0 time): ⠀ Tue, 07 Earnings Dates & Reports: Disney, BP, Ferrari AUD: Retail Sales (01:30); RBA Interest Rate Decision, Monetary Policy Statement (04:30) USD: EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook (16:00); API Weekly Crude Oil Stock (20:30) EUR: Eurogroup Meetings (10:00) ⠀ Wed, 08 Earnings Dates & Reports: Toyota, Uber, Airbnb, Shopify, BMW EUR: ECB Non-monetary Policy Meeting (07:00) USD: Crude Oil Inventories (+Cushing) (14:30) ⠀ Thu, 09 CNY: Exports, Imports, Trade Balance (03:00) GBP: BoE Interest Rate Decision (11:00); BoE Gov Bailey Speaks (11:30), (13:15) USD: Initial Jobless Claims (12:30) ⠀ Fri, 10 GBP: GDP, Manufacturing Production, Trade Balance (+Non-EU) (06:00) EUR: ECB Publishes Account of Monetary Policy Meeting (11:30) USD: WASDE Report (16:00)

[exhaustioninducedapathy]

WHAT

Uh.

Well.

Yippee!

[umichenginabroad]

Week 2: Best Week Ever

Welcome Welcome Welcome back!

This week was intense. Educationally, emotionally, physically, and drinking-ly (drinking-wise?). The theme for the program this week was marketing and prototyping and let me tell you something: it can be very difficult to create a prototype of a product when you have very little money, resources, and expertise. And I suppose that is the point -- start-ups do not have a lot of money or resources so it is essential to be as efficient as possible with the resources you do have. At least I'm pretty sure that's what the point is: otherwise we're just spending money. However, I digress. Let's get into this week.

This week, in addition to prototyping your product, the team was also tasked with formulating a marketing strategy. So we decided our best bet was social media: everyone is on it all of the time and our target audience is college students and young adults. That being said, please follow @theloungepopup on Instagram! The bio has a link to our website so please check out if you're interested!

We also continued experimenting with mocktails this week and we had a breakthrough! Our favorite recipe so far according to our team and everyone who has tested it: the gorgeous mocktail "Mama Knows Best". It's amazing what some college students can create with orange juice, orange syrup, sprite, mint, pomegranate juice, and black currant syrup. Behold:

We debuted this drink at the business expo on Friday where all the teams had the chance to walk around and see other teams projects and practice pitching their start-ups to friends and staff members at EIA! Our team had a great day and everyone loved our mocktail. So it was amazing week for business but it doesn't come close to the fun we had outside of business this week.

This weekend we spent exactly 24 hours in the city of Lisbon, Portugal which is about a 3 hour bus ride from Porto. Lisbon was a massive city and had a very different energy from Porto. We arrived at 10:30 pm Friday night and proceeded to head out to Bairro Alto: a half-mile square block of streets filled with bars and nightclubs and is well-known as Lisbon's nightlife district. Unfortunately I didn't take a lot of pictures in Bairro Alto, only lots of drunken videos that are over a minute long so I want to spare everyone reading here but trust me it was one of the best nights out I've ever had.

Then we spent the rest of Saturday in the beautiful town of Sintra which is about a 40-minute train ride from Lisbon. We really enjoyed the gorgeous little town and then explored the castles that Sintra is famous for!

Finally, we arrive at my favorite part of the Porto trip so far. On Sunday, my friends and traveled with a tour guide to Peneda-Geres National Park. I cannot say enough how this tour was one of the best experiences of my life and I've never seen or done anything quite like it. We hiked and then swam in the azure blue and green lagoons of the park before having the most delicious traditional Portuguese lunch at restaurant with scenic views of the mountains. I could talk for hours about how amazing this place was but instead I think I'll just drop a bunch of pictures and let them speak for themselves. That's all of the updates I have for this week so if you actually read this far, I appreciate you and hope you're doing well. Hopefully these pictures are motivation enough to make you want to visit Porto and Portugal! See ya next week!

Joe Restivo

Chemical Engineering

Entrepreneurship in Porto, Portugal

[arcane-apathy]

~Protective~

The Prize of War Masterlist 

AN: A little while ago I had someone mention in an ask that they’d love to see something from Kurakh’s perspective. I originally brushed it off, but I got a rush of inspiration to write a short piece. And because this month is so busy for me, I’ve barely had time to make any progress on upcoming chapters. Hopefully this will tide y’all over until I can actually update. While today may be my birthday, this is my little present to y’all. Thank y’all for your support, and I hope you’ll enjoy! 

Warning(s): Swearing, Suggestive Language, Angry Kurakh (he deserves his own warning)

 A week has passed since the first snow. And whilst beautiful, the cold was a shock to many in the horde. It was becoming more of a struggle to leave the warmth of the furs in the morning. Kurakh didn't know how Odmili did it with ease each morning. Their usual rolls have switched, with her getting up first to put wood into the fireplace before getting ready for the day. Her routine never changed. Starting with her boots, then brushing the knots from her hair before braiding it and hiding it beneath the cap. 

  Kurakh hated that cap. While it had its purpose, it hid the maid’s best feature. Much like her entire outfit. Designed to hide the personality of the wearer, to diminish their importance despite the skills they possess. The sleeves are long, neckline high, hemline to the ankles, and baggy. Everything she wore was rough to the touch. Purely utilitarian. And she deserved better, even if she thought she didn’t. But despite the habit’s best efforts, Kurakh couldn’t ignore the maid’s beauty. To the point that he struggled with daily tasks. 

  “You’re not even cutting any wood, you’re just staring,” Eteos grumbles beside him. 

  “Sorry, just got distracted,” he turns away from her just as she looks at him. Schelura laughed alongside her as they got water from the well across the camp. 

  “Tends to be happening more and more buddy,” the centaur smirks as he splits another log. “When’s the wedding?” 

  “Be quiet,” he huffs while putting the split pieces in the cart. 

  “You’re being a big baby. She obviously likes you back.” 

  “You don’t know that.” 

  “We offered her a room to herself, she refused. Marvi offered to help her make a second bed pad, but she refused. I tried to rescue her and she jumped off my back. She likes you!” 

  “I don’t want to rush her…” 

  “Well you better get a move on before someone else does. I’ve got too many horny, single men in this camp. Who would love nothing more than to be up her skirt.” Kurakh frowned and split a log, trying to ignore it. “Speaking of, here comes one now… Hello Fergal, how’s the leg?” 

  Kurakh could see the Tiefling out of the corner of his good eye as he chopped, “hello Commander, Warchief.” Nodding to each of them respectively, “it’s fine, just sore, not as bad as the first two days.” 

  “That’s good. Why don’t you make yourself a little useful and stack the wood neatly in the cart? There’s not much to catch up on, since someone here is distracted,” Eteos teases. 

  “I’m sure the Warchief has a lot on his mind,” Fergal smiles and begins to straighten the contents of the cart. Kurakh rolls his eyes before chopping more wood. The silence quickly ruined, “Warchief may I ask you something?” 

  Kurakh sighs, “go ahead.” 

  “What is the Maid of Eia like?” 

  “Why do you want to know?” 

  “I’ve lived in Evor all of my life, the clergy of any deity is mysterious to the common folk. We only see them on holidays, major life events, or when dying… She’s also very pretty.” 

  Eteos watches Kurakh carefully, the orc standing at his full height. “She is an honorable woman with many skills, and a great addition to the horde. The rest of my people would agree.” 

  “She’s nice,” the Tiefling smiles. “Although she’s got quite the mouth on her, I think I can find a better use for it. I know she’s smart and all, but those maids take vows of chastity… I’d be happy to teach her a few things. Not like I’ve done it before, maids are always fun to break in.” 

Kurakh grips his axe tighter, “you’ve done it before?” 

  “Several times, not just Maids of Eia. But they tend to be the most fun, considering they know how everything works down there.” Eteos watches as Kurakh places his axe on the ground, taking a step towards Fergal as his back is turned. “And getting to see what’s under that habit is the best part. They always seem more shapely than the habit lets on. I’m sure she has fat ass underneath that blue mess of fabric.” Fergal turns around, freezing as he realizes how close Kurakh was. 

  “I’m only going to say this one time, and you will not have a smartass response. I can still reach my axe and you can’t run that well. The Maid of Eia is not a trophy for you to win or a shiny new toy for you to play with. And you will never speak of her in such a way ever again. You will only speak to her only on matters of your health. Do you understand me? 

  “Yes sir.” 

  Kurakh leans in just a tad bit closer, his voice quieter yet just as stern as before. “And don’t even think that you can be sneaky about it either. I’m the one she shares a bed with, and I’m the one who holds her at night. I will find out. One step out of line and I will feed you to my warg, alive. Have I made my intentions clear?” 

  “Y-Yes Warchief.” 

  “Good, now go find someone else you annoy,” Kurakh steps away from him. Just enough for him to move away from the cart. The injured Tiefling limps away with his tail between his legs. The few bystanders quickly acted like they weren’t listening to every word. “So you sort wood while I chop,” the orc lifts his axe with a sigh.  

  Eteos rolls his eyes, “feeding him to your warg? A bit much, isn’t it?.” 

  “Not when it concerns her.”

[college-girl199328]

The new CEO of pipeline giant Enbridge Inc. says regulatory uncertainty in this country has resulted in a "lost decade" for Canadian liquefied natural gas production.

Greg Ebel, who took the reins from outgoing Enbridge CEO Al Monaco, spoke in an interview following the release of the company's fourth-quarter financial results.

Ebel, who left Spectra Energy in February 2017, said he was in Ottawa last week to speak with cabinet ministers about the need to accelerate energy infrastructure development in this country.

He pointed out that the U.S. didn't begin exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) until 2016, eight years after the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and that the United States now has more LNG export capacity than any other country and has exported more LNG than any other country.

U.S. LNG exports averaged 11.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) during the first half of 2022, according to the EIA, while Canada does not yet have a single LNG export terminal.

He said the company continues to be interested in further acquisitions in the Gulf area that could accelerate its energy export strategy, and someone responsible for allocating both human and financial capital, I have to do that where it seems most welcome.

Progress on LNG is being made here in Canada, with LNG Canada's massive LNG export terminal under construction near Kitimat, B.C., and Enbridge's own Woodfibre LNG--a partnership with Singapore's Pacific Energy Corp.—also approved.

Proponents say with Western Canada's vast reserves of natural gas, there is room to expand the country's LNG industry even more — something they say could help other parts of the world reduce their reliance on coal and address global energy security concerns.

But concerns over climate change and the coming energy transition have created uncertainty for the energy investment, suggesting there isn't a business case for an LNG export terminal off Canada's Atlantic coast, even though advocates have said such a facility could help wean Europe off Russian energy.

Energy infrastructure projects in this country have also been plagued by cost overruns, and delays recently revealed that the price tag for its Coastal GasLink pipeline project — which will carry natural gas across northern B.C. to the LNG Canada export terminal — has increased to $14.5 billion, up from $6.6 billion a year ago.

Last February, the Crown corporation behind the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project--which will increase oil transportation capacity from Alberta to the West Coast--announced the new cost of the project was an estimated $21.4 billion, up from an earlier estimate of $12.6 billion.

In the case of Trans Mountain, the ballooning price tag was on "scheduling pressures related to the permitting process," as well as route changes to avoid culturally and environmentally sensitive areas.

[highlordofkrypton]

WIP word game

The - give me the most out of pocket/unhinged one you got

LMAO I'M!!!

Okay, okay, I think this is unhinged because I love my stab first ask questions later, and just plot-wise it's unhinged because why introduce a charming rogue when HER HUSBAND HAS YET TO BE INTRODUCED WHY?? WHY WOULD I MAKE MYSELF GROW ATTACHED TO ANOTHER PERSON??

Again, this is for the Rhysand's parents fic!

Eia’s shop is revered, but it lacks the protection that the halfway home had. There are many who do not know or care about the influence of a dead leader’s old mother. Lilith lowers herself, trying to make herself as small as possible. She cannot and will not trust a male. “If you don’t open the door, I’m breaking in!” A weapon—she needs a weapon. Lilith crawls on the floor reaching for the large fabric scissors Eia had given her. She remembers the rule: only use them on fabric, or the blades will be ruined. She’ll find a way to replace them, but for now, she must protect their home. The only thing she has on her side is the element of surprise. She pulls the door open quickly, somehow at the same time as the male had thrown his weight into the door that is… no longer there. Lilith does not hesitate, driving the scissors down with all her weight. It drives into the wooden floors with a thump. “Are you insane?” The male shouts, having rolled away. 

I have a more unhinged one, but it's like... highkey uncomfortable and like verbal SA (in public, someone says some uncomfortable shit to Lilith). I WASN'T SURE HOW UNHINGED YOU WANTED, it's not graphic just discomforting.

Here it is under the cut, if you DID want that one:

Lilith is forced into submission when a hand buries itself in her dark hair, leaving her no choice but to look down. The position is humiliating, bringing fire to her cheeks as her hips are pressed against… against— “I can smell you ripening.”  No, no, no! As soon as she starts to struggle, Lilith is released. She nearly barrels forward into her sister and the other lord. The more she fights, the worse it is, and she can already feel the crowd assembling around them. Lilith keeps her eyes down this time, not wanting to meet the eyes of her very personal nightmare. “Teutan Dardani,” she says, urging her voice to be steady and calm. Those around her repeat the words. King of the Dardani people. King Brykos grunts, and the village resumes its regular hustle. The crowd is freed, but not her. He pulls her to him again roughly, planting her at his side and strokes her cheek as he speaks to his lesser. “Does that one interest you?” Lilith’s heart kicks up, and she wonders if they all can hear it. It’s one thing to be given to a warrior after the clipping, there’s a chance to find a kind partner who would be willing to see past their use. It’s another to catch a lord’s interest. They have no time to care for people. Victories and bloodshed are more important. Asmodea will be forgotten while her husband ploughs through the battlefield.

I think you can guess who Asmodea, affectionately referred to as Az, is ;)

Also, there is context and lore reason for the clipping. It might not be perfect, but it does have more nuance than the books.

[essie623]

Thursday, January 12, 2023 Financial Data in Focus (Singapore time)

20:30 Philadelphia Fed President Harker speaks on the US economic outlook

21:30 US December unseasonally adjusted CPI Y/y

Us December quarter adjusted CPI m/m U.S. initial jobless claims for the week ended Jan. 7

Us December unseasonally adjusted core CPI Y/y

23:30 EIA Natural gas inventories for the week ending January 6 in the US

[your-dietician]

US Stock Futures Gain; All Eyes On Consumer Price Index - Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT), Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL)

New Post has been published on https://medianwire.com/us-stock-futures-gain-all-eyes-on-consumer-price-index-applied-materials-nasdaqamat-delta-air-lines-nysedal/

US Stock Futures Gain; All Eyes On Consumer Price Index - Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT), Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL)

Pre-open movers

U.S. stock futures traded higher in early pre-market trade on Thursday after closing slightly lower in the previous session.

The consumer price index for September is scheduled for release at 8:30 a.m. ET. Core prices increased 0.6% in August with analysts expecting prices slowing to 0.4% for September. Overall prices might rise 0.2% in September following August’s 0.1% gain.

Data on initial jobless claims for the latest week will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET, while the U.S. Treasury budget report for September will be released at 2:00 p.m. ET. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic is set to speak at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Investors are also awaiting earnings results from Domino’s Pizza, Inc. DPZ, Delta Air Lines, Inc. DAL, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. WBA and The Progressive Corporation PGR

Check out this: Cameco, Kinnate Biopharma And Other Big Losers From Wednesday

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 158 points to 29,419.00 while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index futures rose 19.75 points to 3,608.25. Futures for the Nasdaq index rose 35.50 points to 10,876.00.

Commodities

Oil prices traded slightly higher as Brent crude futures rose 0.4% to trade at $92.81 per barrel, while US WTI crude futures rose 0.1% to trade at $87.29 a barrel. The Energy Information Administration’s weekly report on natural gas stocks in underground storage is scheduled for release at 10:30 a.m. ET, while the EIA’s weekly report on petroleum inventories in the U.S. will be released at 11:00 a.m. ET.

Gold futures rose 0.3% to trade at $1,682.10 an ounce, while silver traded up 0.9% at $19.11 an ounce on Thursday.

  A Peek Into Global Markets

Europe Markets

European markets were higher today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index rose 0.2%, London’s FTSE 100 rose 0.2% while Spain’s IBEX 35 Index rose 0.4%. The French CAC 40 Index gained 0.5%, while German DAX climbed 0.8%.

Annual inflation rate in Germany was confirmed at a rate of 10% for the month September.

Asia-Pacific Markets

Asian markets traded lower today. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.6%, China’s Composite Index fell 0.3%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 1.87%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.1%, while India’s BSE Sensex fell 0.4%.

The value of loans in Japan rose 2.3% year-over-year in September, while producer prices in Japan climbed by 9.7% year-over-year in September.

Broker Recommendation

Raymond James initiated coverage on Nike Inc NKE with an Outperform rating and announced a price target of $99.

Nike shares rose 0.5% to $89.00 in pre-market trading.

Check out this: Ethereum Drops Below $13,000; Here Are The Top Crypto Movers For Thursday

  Breaking News

  Applied Materials Inc AMAT lowered its fourth-quarter guidance. Applied Materials now expects fourth-quarter revenue of approximately $6.4 billion, plus or minus $250 million versus average analyst estimates of $6.67 billion.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited TSM reported a Q3 net profit of T$280.9 billion ($8.81 billion), versus estimates of T$265.64 billion. Revenue for the quarter surged 36% to $20.23 billion.

India-based car-sharing platform Zoomcar Inc. is likely to go public through a merger with blank-check company Innovative International Acquisition Corp. IOAC reported Bloomberg, citing sources.

Twitter Inc TWTR is reportedly reviewing its permanent ban policies to bring moderation of its platform more in line with Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk’s point of view.

Check out other breaking news here

Read full article here

[sugar-and-pearls]

1, 2, and 5 for a self-insert lore. If you've got one for TAMB? -@ofieugogyshz

Thank you Sarah!! My TAMB si is my Mega Crossover si Mai Addams. She’s recently been revamped so

1. what are the basics of your self insert? name, date of birth, height, etc.?

See here please!

2. when in canon does your self insert come in? do you have a scene in mind for your entrance?

Mai comes into Ancient Magus Bride in the first couple of episodes, like as early as episode 1 or 2. Though I also like the idea of Chise meeting Mai on the Train in episode 4, just a quick intro/ cameo appetences - maybe two or three minutes tops. Mai would be reintroduced when John Constantine and her go to Eias to talk about a case. While waiting outside for her father, Mai and Chise talking. After this Mai becomes a semi-regular character.

5. does your self insert have any special powers or abilities?

Admittedly I’m still working on this but here is what I have so far;

Water Manipulation - she can breath under water and control it. If she and someone else are touching water at the same time she can view their memories and read their surface thoughts. When Mai becomes more powerful she can increase the speed and intensities of the tides depending upon how emotional she is and the distance from her and the sea.

Slight fire Manipulation - Due to being a favoured of Hestia Mai has a knack for fire magic. If she chooses, when she blows in something she can set it alight. This also has an emotional component. When angered sparks fly with every step she takes.

Plant Manipulation - When dripped onto a surface her blood roses grow from it. Due to being raised with the children of the Gentry Mai can speak to flowers. She also has an innate understanding of floriography (the language of flowers). When overpowered flowers grow in her every steps.

Addamness - The Addams Clan are not strictly human, nor are they vampires or fey or anything else but a mixture. you could even go so far as to call it a new species if you want to look at it that way. Due to this they do have powers and abilities but they can vary from person to person. All Adams has a certain level of invulnerable (not to the point of immortal but close), an immunity to poisons and a darken tinge to their magic.

Dimensional Travel - Due to a near death experience Mai was gifted by Klarion with a rare crystal made from pure chaos, which gives her the ability to travel to different dimensions. 

Hypnotic Voice - While similar to charmspeak though stronger, when Mai sings she is capable of enchanting and luring anyone who hears it. When lacing it with magic, her voice can be used as a conduit for her magic (think Disney musical here). When working as a hero Mai would often used her voice as a distraction.

Magic - Last but never least, Mai has the ability (or learned talent, depending on how you look at it) to use magic. Defined as the power to utilize supernatural forces to potentially achieve any effect one desires. Mai learned from many different sources the types and styles of magic and as such is fairly powerful.