#girard speaks

[rene-girard]

personally, as noted girardian,, rene girard, i understand the frustration re people copying your posts (intentionally or no), however, as i am rene girard, it would be remiss of me to not acknowledge the mimetic crisis occurring. some people say imitation is the finest form of flattery and while this is not incorrect, it is also important to remember that all desire is a desire for being and when people copy a post that is the central desire at play

[antisocialxconstruct]

been following for a while but not like long enough to know totally whats up with the ghost city crew… i know its kinda shadowrun based so im curious what maksim’s ware kit generally is 👀

(love the ocs btw tho heart heart)

Oh thank you! Yeah it is definitely sort of... well I was gonna say "Shadowrun without the magic" but then that's just kind of standard cyberpunk LOL It started as a SR roleplay and then we filed off the serial numbers, there's still some people with Brain Powers™ but now it's the result of dubious genetic experiments, naturally.

I do have some earlier art that breaks down his kit, I made this when he was still a SR character but the only thing that's changed is I'd probably tweak the names of some things to be less immediately associated with that IP. And rather than depleted essence making him less magically adept, it just has the more general effect of over-taxing his brain and making his telepathy much harder to do. I'm having trouble finding the original post so.... I'll just drop it all here again lol

[axperjan]

weirdos in love

[catilinas]

pinned post 👍 #beeps -> my posts #five consecutive vowels -> queue tag. count the vowels in 'queueing' #epistulaeposting -> translating cicero's letters and then letting his ghost email them to people

@e-pistulae -> cicero translation project

@lekythoi -> my film photography :*)

44 bce is going to be my year

[chirpingfromthebox]

The Sirens' Post-game Session from 3/16/2025 - MIN at NYC in Detroit

The Sirens' post-game press session from after their Takeover Tour game against the Minnesota Frost in Detroit, MI, USA on March 16th, 2025.

At the table were assistant coach Josh Sciba and forwards Taylor Girard and Abby Roque.

My transcription is under the break.

[Video begins]

Off-screen staff member of some kind:

Good evening, everybody. We have assistant coach Josh Sciba, Michigan native. And Michigan-native Taylor Girard. As well as Michigan-native Abby Roque. Anyone can start here.

[Image Description: a screenshot from the interview. Josh Sciba, Taylor Girard, and Abby Roque are sitting at the interview table. Girard has her head cocked and is smiling in a smug-looking way and Roque seems to be giving her a side-eye. In truth while I'm pausing the video to transcribe I sometimes pause on a random moment that makes me laugh, because it seems to have an out-of-context life all its own and I'm compelled to show it to others. /. End of ID.]

Reporter:

Taylor, we kind of talked about it last week leading up to this weekend, but how did this game- did it meet your expectations? Did it exceed your expectations? The crowd, the atmosphere, everything?

TAYLOR GIRARD:

Yeah, for sure. I think it exceeded my expectations, for sure. I mean, we just broke the U.S. record: that’s so special. I had chills out there. So cool to see everybody, so cool to see all the little girls in the stands wearing their home team jerseys. It was really cool, I wish I got to experience this growing up.

Reporter:

Are you glad you were part of it as a player though?

TAYLOR GIRARD:

Oh my god, so happy. Yeah. It’s wonderful.

Reporter:

Abby, you want to kind of speak on it too? Obviously I know you’re from the U.P., but obviously still got the Michigan ties [???].

ABBY ROQUE:

Yeah, absolutely, I’ve been getting, like, bullied because I’m from the U.P.. Everybody’s like, “I’m from Toronto and I’m closer to here.” I’m like, “Okay!” [laughs] But obviously Michigan and, like, being in Detroit like that was the big trip when you were a kid to see the Red Wings play and things like that. And that was kind of the only option around here to see this level of hockey, unless you wanted to go watch men’s college. So being able to have this game and see all of the little girls? I mean, you look around there’s every little team jersey you could imagine from the state coming to this game; so it is really special.

Reporter:

Abby, going off that, you posted on your instagram a couple photos of you in the Joe Louis Arena—not in this arena of course—but you know, walking down here, seeing all the photos, the banners, everything like that; how does it feel now to be, you know, playing here? Seeing all that from a player’s perspective, but also thinking about little you sitting in Nick Lidström’s stall in Joe Louis Arena.

ABBY ROQUE:

Yeah, I was for sure blessed as a kid. I know the equipment manager for the [Red] Wings really well, so I got to meet a lot of the guys and I got to go in the locker room as a kid. So right before the game I was like, I wanna see the new one, so I went and checked that one out. And it is really special. Those are the people I looked up to. Like Pavel Datsyuk was like the guy when I was a kid. Like, now you’re playing in the same building the Red Wings do? It is something that you, like, as a kid, I don’t think I ever truly imagined when I got to the point that I knew girl’s hockey was the only route? And now that it’s kind of coming full circle and we’re getting close to selling out these giant arenas, like, it’s a full circle moment for sure.

Reporter:

Josh, I mean, obviously, you know, the last couple years we’ve really seen that these two Takeover games, just the attention to women’s hockey growing in this state, for a state where women’s hockey hasn’t really been at the forefront because of no pro team or NCAA team. What is it like to see, just the support for this league and how these two games have gone?

JOSH SCIBA:

Yeah, I think you look at the crowd out there: I think it speaks volumes to what hockey means to Hockey Town here, right? And I think it’s a really special opportunity that we get to participate in a game here. And just to be around these players, I think, every day and to see how they interact with the young girls that are at these games. But, you know, to see the environment here in Detroit, to feel that passion, to say- at the end of the game you hear the chants of “We want a team”? I think just a really special opportunity for us. I think we’re grateful to be a part of it here.

Reporter:

Abby, kind of going off that, we spoke a little bit on Thursday, just, there’s a gap between such high-level hockey, so many amazing programs for youth here, but once you turn 18 there’s not really opportunities to continuing playing at the next level. And with the talk of Detroit potentially getting an expansion team what do you think about Michigan, Michigan State, other universities, NCAA, like, stepping up to try and close that gap? And should we have a PWHL team if we don’ even have a single women’s NCAA team?

ABBY ROQUE:

I mean, I think, definitely not having that college team, I don’t think affects the PWHL

team being here, if that would be the case. I think, honestly, having any team for these little kids to look up to in this state would be amazing, whether that’s college or the PWHL. I mean, I was sitting here probably 15 years ago and probably was waiting for Michigan or Michigan State to get a team. And I think a lot of people are still kind of waiting. But I think now that there’s this professional level, there’s other outlets for kids to look up to and be able to look to and I think that’s really special as well.

Reporter:

Taylor, do you think there’d be a benefit of having an NCAA or P-dub team? For the growth of the game which one would benefit more do you think?

TAYLOR GIRARD:

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I don’t think there’s one or the other that would be more beneficial, just having visibility of great women’s hockey players to be able to show the young generation that there is more after college. To be able to take that next step and just have someone to look up to.

Reporter:

Who had to comp more tickets: Taylor or Abby?

TAYLOR GIRARD:

Who had to what?

Reporter:

Who had to comp more tickets, who had more family and friends come out?

TAYLOR GIRARD:

I don’t think we even talked about it, so-

ABBY ROQUE:

I didn’t- I just, I like didn’t even tell them they could get- I was like, “You gotta buy your tickets if you’re coming. I can’t keep track of this.”

TAYLOR GIRARD:

Same.

ABBY ROQUE:

So-

TAYLOR GIRARD:

I was like, “we don’t even get any.”

ABBY ROQUE:

I was like, “You guys gotta figure it out.” But I have a lot of people for sure waiting upstairs. So it’ll be nice to see them.

TAYLOR GIRARD:

Yeah, for sure.

Off-screen staff member of some kind:

Any final questions here?

Reporter:

Well, Josh, I guess talk about the team here. You know, a couple weeks left, tough game against Minnesota, [???], but there’s still time left. How do you think the team’s gonna finish out?

JOSH SCIBA:

Yeah, well I think tonight was another good effort by our team. You know, we needed 3 points, for sure, but I think we’re just trying to take it a day at a time. Game at a time, day at a time. You know? Continue to try and get better. You know, I think our group’s feeling pretty good right now after the last two games, for sure. I thought we played a really connected game tonight. You know, had some really good individual performances, but I think collectively as a team? This is how we want to play. Right? We want to play this type of hockey and I thought we played with a lot of confidence and I think if we continue to do that we’re gonna start to earn more points as we go here. But we’re just gonna take it a day at a time. And I think that’s our players’ mission, that’s our goal, that’s all we’re focused on. So our next stop’s Toronto and try to take 3 points there.

[Interview wraps up and the video ends.]

[respectoughfully]

Me about myself in my Late 90's Fame Dr

ABOUT ME:

FULL NAME: Isabella Rachel Allard-Tessier

NICKNAME(s): Izzy, Iz, Ibby, Belle

FACE CLAIM: my cr face but better and a bit older

AGE: 22*

BIRTHDAY: June 14th, 1976

BIRTHPLACE: Lyon, France

GENDER & PRONOUNS: female || she/her

NATIONALITY & ETHNICITY: British, French || British-French

CURRENT PLACE OF RESIDENCE: Zurich, Switzerland

ZODIAC SIGN: Gemini

MBTI: infp

FAMILY:

· Robert Allard - father,

· Élisabeth Tessier - mother,

· Isla Allard-Tessier - triplet sister,

· Isaac Allard-Tessier - triplet brother,

LANGUAGES I CAN SPEAK:

English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, Russian

HOBBIES: reading books, horse riding, cooking, dancing, travelling, swimming, stargazing

CAREER:

· actress,

· film & music producer,

· dancer,

· singer,

· songwriter

INSTRUMENTS I CAN PLAY:

electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, piano, drums, flute, violin

PREVIOUS ROLES (UNTIL 1998):

· E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) as Gertie,

· Dune (1984) as Alia Atreides,

· Millie (1990) as Amelie “Millie” Girard **,

· The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) as Sally (voice),

· Jurassic Park (1993) as Lex Murphy,

· Hokus pokus (1993) as Allison,

· Heavenly Creatures (1994) - Juliet Hulme,

· Little Women (1994) as Beth March,

· A Kid in King Arthur's Court (1995) - Princess Sarah,

· La Fille seule (1995) as Valérie,

· La Nounou (1995 - 2003) as Adèle Bernard **,

· La Cérémonie (1995) as Melinda,

· Scream (1996) as Sidney Prescott,

· Romeo + Juliet (1996) as Juliet Capulet,

· The Fifth Element (1997) as Diva Plavalaguna,

· The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) as Lex Murphy,

· The Rainmaker (1997) as Kelly Riker,

· Scream 2 (1997) as Sidney Prescott,

· Anastasia (1997) as Anastasia (voice),

· Titanic (1997) as young Rose DeWitt,

· 10 things I hate about you (1998) as Katarina Stratford,

· Pleasantville (1998) as Jennifer / Mary Sue Parker,

· La Fille étrange (1998) as Fleur **,

· Les Misérables (1998) as Cosette,

· 23 (1998) as Lisa **,

ALBUMS (UNTIL 1998):

· The Woman Who Love Too Much (1994),

· Girls' Night Affairs (1996),

· The Lady in Red (1998)

BACKSTORY:

I was born in Lyon as the eldest of triplets, the children of British traveller and writer Robert Allard and French model and photographer Élisabeth Tessier.

Less than a year after we were born our father was offered the chance to host a travel programme called The Strider for the BBC. Together with our mother they decided to take me and my siblings on those journeys.

Since then, we have spent more time on the road than in our home in France. Together, we have explored Australia and Northern Europe, both Americas, and a good part of Africa.

Despite the unusual conditions, our parents took great care of our education and development. I had private tuitions, practised ballet and singing, learned to play a few instruments. During those travels, I aslo learnt about the culture and traditions of the countries we visited and learnt a couple of languages.

We have settled in the USA for a few years where my siblings and I finished high school. It was then that I met my best friends to this day; Judy and Kayleigh. I later got into Harvard, where I studied psychology and linguistics.

I got my first role - Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - at the age of six; I went to the audition out of curiosity. Later I also played the young Alia Atreides in Dune, but I didn't tie my future to acting. My love for it was born in the high school drama club. My return in front of the cameras was the 1990 film Millie, but it was with the role of Lex Murphy in Jurassic Park, which I got at the age of seventeen, that I was truly noticed. Other productions followed and with them came increasing success and popularity.

At the beginning of the university, I began to take interest in music - my first album, The Woman Who Love Too Much, was released in 1994 and it quickly became clear that I was as talented an actress as I was a singer.

At age of twenty I move alone to cottage house near Zurich.

LIKES: strawberries, misty and rainy weather, incenses and scented candles, cold pizza, winter mornings, sweets, the sea, spices, nightly baths in the lake, self-care days, the wind in my hair when I'm horse riding, forests, long walks, fireplaces

DISLIKES: arrogant people, feelings of lack of control, violence, hot weather, loud noises, bright and cool light, being sick, small and closed spaces, peanut butter, chlorine smell

* For the year 1998, to which I'm shifting to,

** Self-scripted roles/films

[planetkiimchi]

soo my lovely aspen asked for moots as fictional characters and i assigned tinker bell characters to some of my moots before running out of options, so here's the "the seven husbands of evelyn hugo" edition!

(please note that this book was not necessarily a positive portrayal of some of the characters... if you've read the book and you get assigned a character you didn't like from it i'm sorry 😔😔 i read the book a long time ago and lowkey forgot who was likeable and who wasn't)

ria / @i-luvsang: evelyn hugo. she knows what she wants in life and she has a tenacity that i think you would have. she's not afraid to speak out for what she believes in, similar to your strong support for palestine.

noelle / @icyminghao: max girard, a true romantic who knows just how to capture his muse. ok how not to lie i've actually just realised i don't think i've read any of ur works before (IM DEEPLY APOLOGETIC) but i read ur "asking svt what they'd do if u became a cockroach" and i think u captured them wonderfully.

moon / @fylithia: robert jamison. he's a caring stepfather to evelyn's daughter, and i kind of think you're a great parent to billy and loki. :D (how are they btw i would love to see more pictures of them!!)

jan / @dearlyminhyung: john braverman. a strong, steady presence, he's someone who isn't afraid to set boundaries and call others out on their bullshit. i think you'd be somewhat like him.

ven / @ikrivi: connor cameron. a little argumentative, she can be quick to love and latch onto misunderstandings. i think you're like her in her youthfulness and knowing more than it seems in her innocence.

ara / @arafilez: celia st james. she's a well-loved person, very head on and straightforward in her words. she loves fully and completely and is extremely amused by all the little characteristics of those she loves.

sky / @weird-bookworm: monique grant. giving main character energy, very eager to learn, i think that's totally you. also attentive and sometimes yells at people she loves (i think)

ally / @winterchimez: rex north. a rather sensational character. a very professional person! just like u and your writing and proofreading :)

dreamy / @jisungsdaydreamer: harry cameron. he's probably the one evelyn was married to the longest. he's realistic, down to earth and caring. i think you would match his energy!

[irrealisms]

sorry im still thinking about my web weave from earlier. some liner notes

go read the plague in literature and myth... if you don't have jstor access it's pretty easy to find a pdf online....... i was avoiding it for a bit bc i wanted my next girard to be violence and the sacred (<- foundational but also a whole-ass book) but it's! short!! it's a little essay and it's so readable. this also goes for non-divorcesteal fans. tgcf fans im looking at you. i'm not super happy with the quote i ended up going with from it but there weren't many that were short enough to fit + poetic rather than obnoxiously on the nose

this will also give you context for the crime and punishment quote. context matters! while it's also functioning as a "people don't understand each other & cannot see the full picture of what we're all doing" it is, in context, a quote about a plague that has no directly ~medical symptoms and instead kills through war, by making people confused & amoral & violent :) and these are related! the not-understanding is part of the plague!

the piranesi quote & to some extent the quote from the idea of the labyrinth are intending to emphasize the ways it can be seen differently. piranesi is a book about the beauty & wonder of a labyrinth! like the direct quote is asking "why a labyrinth?" which is also about. like. the experience of not knowing, cf the last bullet point. but again it's one where context matters

and yes it is deliberate that each "here is a sentence about how i don't understand" has context that adds to it & isn't included in the collage itself. and in one of them that context is a beautiful maze and the other is a dream of a horrific pathogen. this too is divorcesteal. what you see depends on where you stand!!!

i kinda debated on whether to include revelation but like... apocalypse imagery AND plague imagery AND angel imagery AND sun imagery.... how could i not

i know i already posted it separately bc of how much i liked it but i rly like the nocom + maze overlay... check out fit's video on nocom btw it's really cool but tl;dr nocom was a coordinate exploit on 2b2t that let a team track players and find over 15,000 bases. overlaying the heatmap with the maze, so that the player activity blends into the lines of the maze, is my attempt at evoking the obsidian maze on divorcesteal that leads to bases

you're probably familiar with the wall-with-spikes drawing at the bottom but in case you're not: it's a piece of concept art from the attempt to generate long-term nuclear waste warnings that also originated "this place is not a place of honor". i considered doing the Forbidding Blocks design instead of Spike Field bc obviously the divorcesteal maze doesn't have spikes and also i really liked the description of it but i decided Spike Field is more recognizable and the extra recognizability was worth it to me. anyway it's also [huge black grid made to unsettle but also contain a contaminant] with bonus quasi-apocalyptic connotations so. obvious choice. also i like the guy looking at the gap between the two....ive been there....and again it's also speaking to the impossibility of communication. will the future understand?

no special meaning in the sources of sun photos sorry....i just wanted a bit more color and decided to lean into the thousand suns thing. three is basically the same as a thousand right

ok so this is one you can totally pick up on from just looking at it and i've been trying to avoid talking about those as opposed to talking about "here's some context that you may not realize if you don't know the sources" but i'm really proud of it so. i really like the background being partly bird's eye view of a maze but at the bottom you get a guy seeing it from eye level on the ground. maze-viewers vs maze-treaders again

i think you can probably pick up on the rest of it without context of the sources (though feel free to ask questions) so i'll leave this post there for now :3 but it's doing like 3-4 things and i'm! proud of it

[myrachondria]

The Durmstrang Champion - Chapter 3

(Ominis Gaunt x f!OC, Sebastian Sallow x f!MC)

☆view my bookcase here!☆

◇view Layla's character sheet here!◇

Summary - The Triwizard Tournament Champions are announced, mentors are chosen, and Layla has an interesting conversation with her brother

Warnings - none for this chapter!

Notes - whenever someone is speaking in Hindi, the font will be blue, also i wrote and rewrote this chapter 3 times lmao. I'm still working on the other half so I decided to split it. I also changed Emily, the MC's, name to "MC" so it's one less name to remember. BUCKLE UP for the next chapter, it's gonna be a funny one. I'll try to get it out ASAP.

Word Count - 2.1K

Chapter 2 here

The Great Hall hummed with anticipation, the atmosphere charged with excitement as the time for the selection of the Triwizard Champions approached. All eyes were fixed on the centerpiece of the hall, the majestic Goblet of Fire, its flames flickering with an enticing allure. The Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and Hogwarts students alike held their breath, eagerly awaiting the announcement that would determine the champions. At the podium stood Headmaster Black, his eyes shimmering with anticipation. He cleared his throat, commanding the attention of the gathered students. "Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, the moment has come to unveil the three champions who will proudly represent their respective schools in the Triwizard Tournament. Let the selection commence!"

The air crackled with tension as the Goblet of Fire suddenly erupted in a burst of flames, causing every individual to lean forward in anticipation. Amidst the fiery display, a single piece of parchment shot out from the goblet and floated towards Headmaster Black. He caught it in mid-air, his hands moving with practiced grace, and unfolded the parchment with a flourish.

"The first champion," Headmaster Black declared, his voice resounding throughout the hall, "chosen by the Goblet of Fire, is none other than Vincent Girard from Beauxbatons Academy!"

A thunderous applause erupted from the Beauxbatons students as Vincent Girard, a striking figure with his tall stature and flowing platinum blond hair, made his way towards the stage. With a confident grin, he executed a graceful bow, basking in the admiration from the crowd that surrounded him.

In an instant, the Goblet of Fire propelled yet another piece of parchment into the air, causing a ripple of anticipation to sweep through the hall. Headmaster Black unfolded the parchment slowly, deliberately, before announcing, "The second champion, selected by the Goblet of Fire, to represent Hogwarts is Sebastian Sallow!"

A mixture of applause and murmurs filled the air as Sebastian, his lips curved in a self-assured smile, rose from his seat. Each step he took towards the stage exuded confidence, as if he were savoring the attention. A smug glance cast in the direction of his fellow students only fueled their awe and envy.

As Sebastian made his way towards the stage, Layla, Rani, Sonia, and Cassie leaned in closer together, their eyes widened with shock, their whispers too hushed to be discerned by anyone else. So engrossed were they in their conversation that they almost missed the next announcement.

Once again, the Goblet blazed to life, casting a luminous glow across the Great Hall. Headmaster Black reached out, his hand swiftly seizing the parchment that emerged from the mystical flames. "And lastly," he began, his voice commanding attention, "the final Triwizard Tournament Champion, hailing from Durmstrang Institute, is Layla Ansari!"

A hush fell over the Great Hall as Layla, rose from her seat. Dark, determined eyes sparkled as she made her way towards the stage. The students from Durmstrang cheered, clapped, and stomped their feet in support, while a handful of Hogwarts and Beauxbatons students joined in the celebration.

As the three champions stood united on the stage, Headmaster Black addressed them. "Congratulations, champions! You have been chosen to represent your schools in the Triwizard Tournament, a formidable and perilous competition that lies ahead. May the finest witch or wizard emerge victorious."

Once again, the hall erupted in a chorus of applause, the air pulsating with energy. Layla and Vincent exchanged nods of mutual respect, acknowledging the challenging path that lay ahead, while Sebastian, unable to resist, offered Layla a sly smirk, relishing in their newfound rivalry. The stage was set, and the Triwizard Tournament was poised to begin, an exhilarating journey that would test their skills, courage, and forge unexpected alliances.

As the students erupted in cheer and the champions prepared themselves for the trials that awaited, little did they know that this tournament would not only push the boundaries of their capabilities but also ignite rivalries and unravel mysteries that would shape their destinies.

After the grand feast, Headmaster Black led the three Champions to his office for a private meeting to delve deeper into the tournament rules and select their mentors. Vincent, the Beauxbatons student, wasted no time in choosing his mentor. He opted for Professor Hugo Renard, their esteemed Defense Against the Dark Arts and Dueling instructor. A letter was promptly penned by his Headmaster, dispatching it via owl to ensure Professor Renard's arrival by Monday.

Now, it was Sebastian's turn to make his decision. He pondered for a moment, weighing his options. Initially, he considered choosing Professor Hecat, but he ultimately settled on Professor Sharp. Sebastian knew that Professor Sharp, a former Auror and potions expert, would be an invaluable asset to have as a mentor. 

Headmaster Black summoned Professor Sharp, who promptly arrived a few minutes later. He was informed of Sebastian's request to be his mentor, and Professor Sharp agreed. 

Finally, it was Layla's turn to select her mentor. Her gaze briefly shifted to the Durmstrang Headmistress, and then she spoke. "Sarah Nightshade," she said, sounding more like a question than a statement. However, seeing the look on Headmistress Petrova’s face she swiftly regained her composure, her tone firm as she repeated herself, "I select Sarah Nightshade."

Headmaster Black paused, momentarily taken aback. "Is Miss Nightshade a new Durmstrang Professor? The name is unfamiliar to me," he inquired.

"No, she is not a Professor," Headmistress Petrova replied.

"You are aware that it is strongly encouraged for the mentors to be Professors."

"I am well aware. However, I do not believe Miss Nightshade would pose a disadvantage to the other champions. She is only two years older than Miss Ansari, lacking a distinguished career as an Auror or a similar background. Moreover, she has not received a conventional education from a formal institution. If anything, I believe Miss Ansari is the one at a disadvantage," Headmistress Petrova countered.

"Very well," Headmaster Black conceded. He called upon Professor Sharp and Professor Renard, as well as both Headmasters, to engage in a brief discussion. After a few moments of deliberation, they collectively agreed that Layla's chosen mentor would not grant an unfair advantage, considering the mentor's background.

Headmaster Black granted Headmistress Petrova permission to send the owl to Miss Nightshade. However, Headmistress Petrova had a surprising response. "I don't believe that will be necessary. I believe Miss Ansari has already sent for her. Isn't that correct?" she asked, directing her gaze towards Layla.

Layla nodded.

Sebastian watched the interactions between the Durmstrang Headmistress, Professor Black, and Layla. Something didn’t quite sit right with him. Why had she already selected and called for her mentor? How did she know that she would be the one selected? I definitely saw other Durmstrang students enter their names. And shy did she choose someone so young and inexperienced?

As the three Champions were dismissed from the meeting, Sebastian playfully bumped his shoulder into Layla's. She glanced up at him, and he couldn't help but flash a mischievous smile. "I guess we'll be seeing a lot more of each other, huh?" he remarked, his voice laced with flirtatious undertones.

"I suppose so," Layla replied, her voice firm, and… cold?

A couple days later, Sebastian got ready to meet up with Imelda at the Quidditch pitch. She had held tryouts this weekend for the newly opened Seeker position, and he wanted to know who she had picked, if anyonet. As he approached the pitch with MC and Ominis, he saw Imelda speaking to a certain group of four girls who seemed to be everywhere.

“Hello, Imelda. Have you finally selected a new seeker?” Ominis asked.

"No," she sighed in frustration. "None of them were up to par. I've been trying to persuade Layla to join us all morning. She' not a bad seeker."

“Not a ‘bad seeker’? That's high praise coming from you, Imelda," Ominis chuckled.

"Is she... allowed to join the Slytherin team?" Sebastian questioned, puzzled.

“No,” Layla responded.

“Not as of right now,” Imelda corrected her. “But I sure can try to convince Professor Black to allow it.”

"It doesn't matter, Layla's parents won't allow her to play Quidditch," Rani interjected with a flat tone. “They’re very… particular… in how they do everything.”

“Exactly. She has other… extracurricular activities, that she prefers” Sonia added playfully.

"What kind of extracurricular activities?" Sebastian asked with a raised eyebrow, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"Well, here comes an example," Sonia announced with a wide smile.

"Well, here comes an example," Sonia announced with a wide smile. Sebastian turned his attention in the direction Sonia pointed, spotting two men approaching the group. They were only a few years older than him and wore Auror uniforms, albeit slightly different from what he had seen before. He guessed one of them to be Layla's family member, likely her brother judging by their striking resemblance.

As the two men approached, his assumption was confirmed. One of them was her older brother, and the other was his partner, Louis. Layla’s brother, Khalid, introduced himself to everyone and made some small talk. He stepped a couple of steps aside and spoke to his sister in a soft tone, a little too quiet for Sebastian to hear what they were discussing.

MC also noticed that the two men’s uniform differed from the usual Auror uniform she had seen. She asked about the uniform, and it was Louis who answered her.

“We’re aurors but we work in a specific department. We are assigned to capture high profile criminals. We are allowed to bring them in dead or alive, by any means necessary,” Louis said with what was probably the thickest French accent MC had heard. “After you graduate you have to go through a year long, very intensive training processes as well as pass multiple psychological tests to ensure you would be a good fit for the department.” Louis kept glancing over to Layla as he spoke.

 Sebastian noticed how Louis watched Layla when she spoke to her brother. There was definitely something going on. As Khalid turned back to Louis and spoke to him, something regarding a case they were working on, Sonia spoke up.

"Hey, Khalid. I was wondering, how would you feel if Layla and Louis got married?" Sonia asked, her voice laced with mischief. Before anyone could react, Layla shoved Sonia sideways, causing her to collide with Rani, who then pushed Sonia forward into Khalid.

Khalid spun around, his annoyance evident on his face. He placed his hands on Sonia's shoulders and gently pushed her back a few steps.

"What did she mean by that?" Khalid demanded, his tone suspicious.

“How am I supposed to know? She’s a stupid girl so she asks stupid questions,” Layla responded with annoyance, shooting a brief glance at Sonia to signal her to keep quiet.

"I-It's actually true," Sonia stammered nervously. "I am fairly dumb. My parents even say that to me all of the time. They always praise my sisters for being the smart ones. Sometimes, I even forget where I am. On our way to Hogwarts, I completely blanked and forgot where we were going, and-"

Khalid raised his hand, cutting her off. He rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Enough." He motioned for Layla to follow him, indicating they needed to speak privately.

Layla and Khalid distanced themselves, creating some space between them and the rest of the group.

"She wasn't chosen?"

"Evidently not."

"Why?"

She looked at him annoyed. “How would I know?”

"Well, did she even participate in the selection? Or did she decide not to enter at all, leading to someone else being chosen?" Khalid pressed some more.

“I don’t know. I’ll find out.”

“Okay. Mama and baba are asking.”

Khalid started to walk back to the group, but Layla grabbed his arm.

“One more thing…”

“What?”

“Those three are everywhere. I don’t know if they’re following me or it’s just a coincidence.”

“What are their names?”

“Sebastian Sallow, MC, Ominis Gaunt. Oh, and Amara Hawthorne.”

"Okay. I'll deal with it."

"Not like that. I just... want to know more about them."

"Fine."

Sebastian's eyes remained fixed on Layla and her brother, observing their hushed conversation with growing curiosity. It seemed like a serious conversation. They approached the group once they were done and just as fast as they came, Khalid and Louis were gone. Sebastian couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to their conversation than meets the eye.

Tag List - @imaslytherpuff @flowered-bicycles @celestialsky1993 @avadakadabra93

[rene-girard]

[antisocialxconstruct]

hello good people I would like your input

on the one hand, taking Maksim out of the shadowrun setting makes me wonder if I should tweak his design just a bit so it doesn't have as many markers of the SR troll designs, and I feel like the tusks are the most distinctive element

on the other hand... I'm so used to drawing him with them now that it looks strange gfsdgsd

[rachelkaser]

Masonry Monday: The Case of the Purple Woman

A crooked art dealer sells a forged painting called "The Purple Woman" and laughs in the face of both the infuriated buyer and the stiffed forger. But its his wife, who consulted Perry Mason in an attack of conscience after learning of his schemes, who is accused when he turns up murdered.

Who's Who

Perry Mason's client: Evelyn Girard, a wife in an unhappy marriage who can't run off with her paramour due to her religious father

The victim: Milo Girard, a crooked art dealer who sold a forgery and laughed in the face of those who tried to confront him

Suspects: Rufus Varner, a self-proclaimed art expert and collector who failed to notice the victim sold him a forgery Aaron Hubble, the drunken, eccentric artist who forged a lost painting for payment the victim never intended to deliver Wayne Gordon, an art critic who's in love with Evelyn and tried in vain to get her to leave her husband Doris Andrews, Girard's secretary, who's a little more familiar with him than one would expect an employee to be Laslo Kovac, an art expert who immediately recognized the forged painting -- at least until he gets a second look

The Setup

Rufus Varner is showing off his large private collection of art to one Laslo Kovac, saying he has the "finest collection of Van Hootens" in America. However, there are a dozen or so Van Hooten paintings that have been lost to time -- most notably "The Purple Woman," which was supposedly destroyed. Varner triumphantly pulls a curtain to reveal "The Purple Woman" herself. He won't tell Kovac what the painting costs, but Kovac says it doesn't matter -- it's a fake.

Varner furiously confronts his art dealer, Milo Girard, for selling him a fake for $86,000. Girard laughs and says Varner can't get his money back without revealing the scam and sacrificing his reputation as a art expert. Girard claims he advised Varner to double-check with an expert, which Varner refused to do. Varner caves and leaves the office, but not before asking who painted the forgery, which Girard refuses to say. Meanwhile, Girard's wife Evelyn is meeting with drunken artist Aaron Hubble.

She doesn't know who he is. Hubble says he's been painting "The Purple Woman" in a building she owns. Girard returns home, and Evelyn leaves the two men to speak. Hubble says that Girard promised him a one-man show if he could forge "The Purple Woman," but Girard reneges on his promise and Hubble has nothing to combat him with. Hubble stumbles out. When Evelyn tries to ask Girard about him, Girard points out that both she and Hubble despise him. Evelyn says she won't be happy as long as Girard lives.

Enter Perry Mason, Attorney at Law

Evelyn meets with Perry Mason, explaining that she has reason to believe her husband is defrauding an art collector. Should it be discovered, she can't afford to go down with him. She tells Perry about "The Purple Woman" and Hubble using her property, which could be evidence of collusion. She can't get a divorce due to her religious family. Perry says he'll get Paul on the case. After Evelyn leaves, Della notes their client seems very disillusioned.

Girard meets with Wayne Gordon, a prominent art critic, who wants to know why he and Varner are no longer working together. Before Girard can answer, Evelyn arrives and Girard introduces her to Gordon, then leaves to attend a visitor. As soon as he leaves, Gordon pleads to see Evelyn, who promises to call him. Gordon leaves as Girard returns -- he's not fooled in the slightest, and produces the love letters Gordon wrote to her. Evelyn says she never answered the letters and has not been unfaithful.

Girard gleefully says he can still use the letters for a scandalous divorce, which would destroy her relationship with her reverend father. Evelyn grabs a pair of scissors and tries to attack Girard, who stops her. She swears she'll kill him as his secretary, Doris, walks in. Evelyn leaves, and Doris shows she's also quite familiar with Girard. Back in Perry's office, he says Paul's discovered that Girard's retained a divorce lawyer on grounds of infidelity. The next morning, Doris arrives and finds Girard slumped over the desk in his office, dead.

The Murder

Perry meets with Evelyn at jail -- the police believe she killed Girard after he filed for divorce. They have eyewitness accounts of their quarrels and her fingerprints are on the murder weapon. He asks where she was at the time of death: Midnight and 2am. Evelyn tries to say she was at home, but her servants say she left at 11:30pm and didn't return home until after 3am. They also found the remains of burnt letters in Girard's office, all addressed to her.

Evelyn finally admits she was in the office to plead for the letters return, but found her husband already dead. She picked up the figurine next to him before she burned the letters. She refuses to tell Perry who the man is, saying he doesn't need to be involved. She insists she didn't kill her husband.

Back in his office, Perry questions Doris, who claims that Girard didn't do business with Aaron Hubble. She gets fired up until Hubble himself walks in and addresses Doris familiarly. She storms out. Hubble criticizes the artwork in Perry's office, and takes a drink from Della. He tells Perry about painting "The Purple Woman" well enough to fool Rufus Varner. He also went to the district attorney, though Hamilton Burger didn't believe in his involvement. He insists he's a great talent and deserves a one-man show.

Perry next meets with Varner, who claims Girard's murder is irrelevant to him and he only bought a few paintings from Girard. Perry says that Varner might have reason to be involved if Girard sold him a forgery, and Varner arrogantly insists it couldn't happen and refuses to go with Perry to speak with the DA. Later, Perry meets with Gordon, who says Varner started collecting on a big scale 15 years previously after making it big with tin mines in South America.

Perry asks Gordon if he'll testify as an expert witness for the defense, and about Van Hooten, who referred to "The Purple Woman" in a letter to his sister. Gordon says Van Hooten gave the painting to the model, who stored it in the cellar of a house that burned down in 1895. Gordon says a rumor about a forged Van Hooten was doing the rounds, but he couldn't find out any more. Perry asks about an expert who could authenticate "The Purple Woman" should it be found, and Gordon nominates Kovac, who's in town but leaving for Paris in a few days.

Paul enters as Gordon leaves, and says he spoke with Kovac. The expert is willing to testify to seeing "The Purple Woman" and proclaiming it to be a forgery. Della mentions Gordon and Paul has another scoop: Gordon's not just a prominent art critic, but the boyfriend that Evelyn is trying so hard to protect. And unfortunately, that's no longer a secret: Paul discovered that detail from the DA's office.

The Trial

Burger questions Doris, who said that, on the night of his murder, Girard asked her to call his wife and say he would be working late at his gallery. Evelyn was the only person Doris told -- Girard didn't want to be disturbed. Doris also testifies about seeing Evelyn attack Girard with a pair of scissors the day before the murder, and the love letters Girard had. On cross, Mason produces a hotel slip showing that Girard "and wife" traveled to San Francisco together and shared a room. Doris confesses she was the one with him, and declares her love for the victim.

Next Burger questions Wayne Gordon about his relationship with Evelyn. Gordon says he loves Evelyn and asked her to divorce her husband and marry him, but she refused. He also claims she wasn't seeing him -- the phone calls Burger shows were her asking for advice about her husband possibly involving her in a fraud. Gordon recommended Perry Mason.

On cross, Mason asks Gordon about the fraud, and Gordon introduces the subject of "The Purple Woman." Burger tries to object that he asked none of this on direct, but Mason counters that Burger introduced the subject of fraud and the judge overrules the objection. Gordon testifies about the story of the potential fraud and Hubble's fraud. Burger sends Tragg off investigating as the judge adjourns for lunch.

Tragg confronts Mason, Della, and Paul as they're having lunch, and says that Mason has inadvertently introduced evidence incriminating his own client by bringing up "The Purple Woman." Back in court, Hubble is on the stand, testifying about his visit with Girard and Evelyn the day before the murder. Hubble keeps rambling about his genius until the judge reprimands him. He then says that he overheard Evelyn telling Girard she'd never been happy while he lived.

On cross, Mason asks about his vitriol for Girard and asks if it extended to Evelyn. Hubble says he assumed Evelyn knew about "The Purple Woman," and Burger once again tries to object to the introduction of the forged painting. Once again, Mason forces the door open. He questions Hubble, who says he painted "The Purple Woman" from a rough color sketch Girard gave him. He also testifies about working on it in a building Evelyn owned, and that Girard sold the painting to Varner.

Burger approaches the bench and says that Mason must be using Hubble's delusions about the painting to discredit his testimony. Mason challenges him to produce the painting and let an expert determine whether or not it's a delusion. The judge says that, since the painting has played such a role thus far, the court should look at it and have an expert appraise its value. Burger begrudgingly agrees.

The Investigation

Cue Kovac giving testimony about seeing "The Purple Woman" and deeming it a fake. Burger asks Kovac to show how he made such a determination at a glance, and Kovac steps down to point out the deficiencies in the painting. However, when he examines it, he goes silent for a moment and then drops the bomb -- the painting may actually be a real Van Hooten. Hubble, of course, erupts with fury at this invalidation of his work, and he's held in contempt.

On cross, Mason asks Kovac why he initially thought the painting was a forgery, and Kovac says he has private details about the painting, including that the model had a cast to her eye. When he saw the painting in Varner's gallery, the purple woman had no such cast. Mason asks if it could have been retouched, and Kovac can't be sure. With Kovac's support, Mason asks that infrared and x-ray tests be conducted to determine the painting's age and authenticity.

That night, Paul gives Perry the scoop: The painting is a real Van Hooten. Perry decides to test a theory, and he and Paul visit Girard's office in his gallery (Evelyn gave them a key). Paul asks what it is they're looking for, and Perry says that Girard must have owned the authentic "The Purple Woman" -- after all, how else could Girard have made a color sketch to give to Hubble? So where could he have hidden it? Paul suggests hiding it behind a decoy so hideous no one would ever buy it -- and there just so happens to be just such an ugly painting in Girard's office . . .

In Summation

XXX

Case under review; please return at a later date

[readingbibooks]

“The hardest aspect of being bisexual is that there is little known precedence… The lack of precedence provides tremendous freedom and flexibility on the one hand, but also from time to time creates a tremendous vacuum.”

- Chris Girard, Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

Payphone - Calling...

Payphone - Still calling...

Authority - Again? Seriously?

Payphone - Someone with a masculine voice picks up:

Payphone - "Hello, Girard speaking!"

Conceptualization - Hello, Girard. Technically speaking, you're electricity.

[leylayilmz]

about.

Full Name: Leyla Eda Yilmaz

Age & Birthday: 35 years old; December 1st, 1989

Zodiac: Sagittarius sun ☀︎ Cancer moon ☾ Libra rising ➶

Occupation: Owner of Everything Goes / ex published author

Preferred Pronouns & Gender: she/her, cis female

Sexuality: Bicurious

Hometown & length of time in Briar Ridge: Born and raised in Briar Ridge, lived in New York from 18-29. Has lived in town consistently for the last 6 years.

Neighborhood: Downtown, in a 3 bedroom apartment with her daughter, Billie and best friend, Valentina.

Positive Personality Traits: resourceful, hardworking, loyal, protective.

Negative Personality Traits: disorganised, critical, cynical, impulsive.

✍︎ Penned by: Tee

☆ dot point bio | connections / pinterest / timeline

tw: death mention, pregnancy, grief.

Town local Leyla Eda Yilmaz has had a love/hate relationship with living in Briar Ridge. She loved growing up the way she did, with her dad and brother and sister. But something about New York called to her; it felt like there was nothing for her in her home town. She initially left town after graduation for Columbia University to chase success and study literature, a determination that saw her become a published writer of a two-book series some years after college. But alas, life, as it does, would get in the way. Her brother’s tragic death caused her to return to the Ridge just a decade ago. After his funeral, she pulled yet another disappearing act, leaving town for good. That is, until she fell pregnant to her then musician boyfriend, coming back home after his refusal to be a part of his daughter’s life. Soon after Billie was born, Leyla began to work at Everything Goes, which was recently left to her by the elderly owner. Nobody can make a pastry like Evelyn Girard, but Leyla’s learnt a thing or two and come pretty close. She’s often seen making coffee, overseeing the baking process and recommending novels to those interested. When people ask why Leyla hasn’t written another novel, she quickly shuts it down by telling them that raising a daughter and running a business has taken up almost all of her time. But really, dabbling with words and emotions and throwing herself into her own writing feels impossible when she knows it brings about the possibility of having to face her grief. And that terrifies the hell out of her. 

headcanons.

Every so often, she closes Everything Goes for a day to teach the kids in town how to bake. And Mari Cabrera!

Always has a book in hand, hanging out her bag, etc.

Is always late everywhere, despite being a hard working citizen.

Wears a necklace with a small October birth stone, representative of her brother and mother's birth stone.

CANNOT live without coffee. If she looks mad, give her coffee immediately. If the coffee machine is broken at the bakery, leave. Just run.

Knows ASL

Inspired by — Lorelai Gilmore, (gilmore girls), Rachel Green (friends), Carrie Bradshaw (sex and the city), Summer Roberts (the oc) & Brooke Davis (one tree hill).

wanted connections.

sister: wanted connection link

baby daddy/ex: wanted connection link

cousins: must be turkish

childhood/high school connections: she grew up in briar ridge.

high school sweetheart: this can go any which way! but i'm guessing they broke up before/after she left for new york after graduation.

new york connections: leyla lived there for over ten years (age 18-29) and went to columbia university

downtown neighbours: she lives in a three bedroom apartment with her daughter and Valentina Flores.

everything goes: coworkers & regular customers, pleaaaase.

parent friends: people who understand parent life lol

coffee addicts: speaks for itself. she respects coffee lovers but just like people who need coffee like an iv drip, hanging out and talking smack/gossiping about the town. i need it!!!!

[stxsis]

i bought legendary edition and started a new playthrough since i haven't played mass effect in a decade, and i am learning some things. first of all, the combat system for vanguard class in the first game is.... just nothing like the other two games, so trying to get a feel for combat shepard is really difficult because the close quarters fighting i was used to from me3 is non-existent in me1. i'm actually using her sniper rifle at default rn (which is my personal fighting style and not shepard's, so i feel like i'm not playing in character)

i'm also learning that shepard is a lot more paragon than i really like to admit or give her credit for. she's pro-alliance and pro-other races and she takes a genuine interest in the wellbeing of her crew and likes to know them personally. she also really works her ass off to make sure her squad has the best gear she can afford and her first combat command is always barriers up. also shepard is tight with the french speaking citadel people, particularly girard and michel.