#goodbye! so long! new adventures abound ..!

[yoshistory]

god. coming home from IKEA and then going on their website to browse what i saw in the store

but i DID get second tunnel for girls . com while i was there. and a wee one. now Olive can run back and forth in one tunnel while Hope lays in the other (as she is wont to do)

[itzleon345]

Cooking Cookies with Diana Cavendish, The Chronicle

Fandom: Little Witch Academia

Pairing: Diana Cavendish/Atsuko “Akko” Kagari

Rating: General audiences

Word count: 2,641 words

One shot

Summary:

Diana Cavendish, heir to the Cavendish house, descendant of one of the Nine Old Witches, the best student to have stepped on Luna Nova in nearly a hundreds years, savior of magic and one of the Nine New Witches, had never in her life touched a freakin pan, much less used an oven, but that was going to change today, besides, how difficult would it be to bake cookies .......?

Ao3 here

Diana Cavendish, heir to the Cavendish house, descendant of one of the Nine Old Witches, the best student to have stepped on Luna Nova in nearly a hundreds years, savior of magic and one of the Nine New Witches, had never in her life touched a freakin pan, much less used an oven, the only thing that she knew how to make was tea and that because — in the words of certain American witch — she had an "British and aristocratic addiction" with that drink.

But that was going to change today, or at least that's what the blonde had proposed to herself, because today was an important day, today was her 1 year anniversary of dating a certain noisy little witch, and after a lot of work and effort she decided that the the best gift she could make would be to cook something without magic — of course —, besides, how difficult would it be to bake cookies .......?

Apparently much more than she expected, the heiress was a mess, her hair was ill-fitting in a ponytail, both her apron and face were full of flour, her hands smelled a little bit like eggs, and she had chocolate chips stuck around her neck, and what to say about the kitchen? — which the goblins had lent her very kindly — it had dough everywhere, sugar on the floor, a suspicious cookie on the ceiling and also, the smell of burning abounded.

In the first batch the girl had burned the cookies, in the next one they seemed to be fine until the moment she tried them and realized that she had confused sugar with salt, in the third - somehow — she managed to make them explode , - So that’s how the cookie reached the ceiling! — surprisingly this ones tasted good, but they were not very nice looking, because they were a little burned —and exploited — so she discarded them.

The blonde was running out of time to be able to get to her date with Akko on time, and without cookie dough to make more than one last tray, so this would be the last batch that she would put in the oven, it was all or nothing, if she failed she would have to make them taste at least a little good with magic, which Akko would not like, so with a little fear — how can anyone be afraid of cookies? — she put them in the oven. While this happened the witch began to clean the kitchen

"Doing this was a mistake" the girl spoke alone "Akko would have been happy with a teddy bear" she sighed as she massaged the temples of her eyes because of the approaching headache

"Miss, are you going to vacate the kiiiit...chen?" One of the goblins asked her as he entered the place with a horror face

"Sure, I apologize for the disaster, I will vacate the place in about 10 minutes, if there is no problem?" she responded in the kindest way she could in the middle of her little breakdown — which wasn’t a great way—

"Y-yes, miss, I'll be back in a few minutes" The goblin stuttered a little nervously and left the kitchen

"Yes, a complete mistake" sighed a second time and then continue collecting her disaster

After cleaning the kitchen and taking out the lightly burned cookies, Diana left to her room to take a very much necessary bath and prepare for her date, the clothes she had chosen were really not a big deal, a sky blue baggy top, a skirt of the same color and a pair of white sneakers.

After arriving the meeting place Diana was not surprised at not seeing Akko, a year had already passed and anyway the brunette managed to be late to of all her dates —even when Diana picked her up from her room—

But whatever, Diana took a seat on a bench near her meeting point, which was in front of The Last Wednesday Society, because apparently that was Akko's favorite place in town.

Minutes later Akko had come running, sweating and with a couple of branches in her hair, apologizing for her delay and explaining why — apparently some squirrels attacked her? — after this they both started their long-awaited date, They walked through the small streets of the town, had an ice cream, and Akko danced for a while with a group of street artists, everything was perfect, but anyway Diana could not bear the anxiety of knowing if the damn cookies tasted good, because, how the hell was it possible that the perfect Diana Cavendish failed baking cookies? She spent the entire appointment thinking about that small box full of cookies she had left in her room.

The sun was already down and it was time for both of them to return to the academy, Akko chattered on about how Sucy had used her as a guinea pig a few days ago and how she had to spend all day with a fish tank on her head because apparently she had grown gills, they got to the Line Line and they went back to school.

When they get inside the academy Akko ran to her room in search of the gift that she would give to Diana, while the blonde walked to hers in search of the little box with cookies

'What if she doesn't like them?' The heiress thought on the way to her room 'I couldn't blame her, they probably aren't well done, I should have asked Hannah and Barbara for help, they probably would have known what to do' when she opened the door of her room, she met the two girls she was thinking about, both of them were sitting in the couches of their small living room, Barbara was reading some of the Nightfall shots and Hannah was talking to someone —probably Amanda— with the phone that Constanze had managed to get inside the academy

"How did your date go?" Asked the dark-haired girl looking up from her book

"Fine, thanks for asking, right now I just came to pick up the little present that I am going to give Akko" Diana said with a sigh going to her part of the room behind the bookcase

"That doesn't sound like it went ‘fine’, Akko didn't do anything stupid this time, did she?" Hannah said as she left her cell phone on the small table and approached her blonde partner

"No, I don't think so, everything went perfectly, I'm just a little worried about the gift I'm going to give her" she sighed — for the second time — and ran her hand through her hair as she collected the little pink box

"What's bothering you? You know that whatever you give her she is going to love it, she is completely head over heels for you” Bárbara also get up to go with her teammates

"Well, what did you prepare? I don't think there is anything very difficult for the powerful Diana Cavendish” The girl with the yellow bow said in a cocky tone

"Exactly! Whatever you done has to be perfect! ” Her black-haired companion continued enthusiastically

"..." Diana with a little doubt turned to see her friends and after sighing —for the third time in a row — she said in a whisper "... cookies ..."

"What did you say?" Hannah said doubtfully

"C-cookies" the heiress stammered while avoiding seeing her teammates

"Cookies?" Hannah asked again

"Yes ..." Diana replied with a little fear

"And what are you worried about? Nothing can go wrong with baking cookies…” Barbara said with a bit of confusion until she turned to see Diana's face that was painted with a bit of anxiety “… right? ”

After that conversation Diana told them everything that happened in the kitchen and how she managed to make a cookie stick to the ceiling or how she put salt instead of sugar in her mixture, each time she told more about it the faces of support and understanding began to erase from the faces of Hannah and Barbara to become one of confusion, when she finished recounting her little adventure in the kitchen, both girls turned to see each other and had a silent conversation while Diana was having an other breakdown

"Well, well, well, they couldn't have gone so bad, they are just cookies, let us try one, right Barbara?" Hannah said giving a side glance at Barbara

"Sure...?" Said her friend

"Are you sure? You really don't have to worry, anyways I was already planning to do something else with magic, I know that trying to make cookies was a mistake" Diana told them, because she did not plan to intoxicate her teammates "also, I already I have to go meet Akko before the curfew ”

"Just give us one, Barbara will try it" Hannah replied as she shot an apologetic look at her best friend

"Okay, as you say" Diana put the small box on the table and began to open it very carefully.

Meanwhile Barbara was looking at Hannah desperately because logically she did not want to have to go to the infirmary for a probable food poisoning.

Diana took one of the cookies and gave it to Barbara while she was giving her best friend one last look of terror. Barbara took the cookie to her mouth and gave it a good bite, Diana looked at her with a little hope while Hannah looked at her with fear, the girl finished chewing and swallowed her bite, then turned to see her teammates and say

Hey! They taste better than I thought! Just a little burned and a little hard, but they taste pretty good. ”She took the remaining piece in her hand and brought it to her mouth once again.

"See? I told you everything was going to be fine, now, go get your girl!" Hannah said as she led her to the door of the room “tell us what happened when you come back!” she said goodbye to the blonde

“How bad was it?” she said after closing the door and turning to see Barbara

“I think I'm going to get sick” the black-haired girl said to run to the bathroom and spit out the piece that was still in her mouth

Diana with renewed hopes walked to the Memorial Tree of the Great Witch Jennifer, she walked with her typical pride and her smug smile, when she arrived surprisingly she found Akko already waiting for her with a bouquet of blue lilies and a small box of the same color

"Sorry for the delay, I got distracted by a conversation with Hannah and Barbara" Diana apologized as she approached her girlfriend

"It's okay! Don't worry, I'm always late everywhere! ” Akko said with a little laugh "Well lets stop talking and take this!" the Japanese gave her the bouquet of lilies and the small box “I know it is not much, and you can not use it if you don't want to, also I did it thinking of you, but it's fine if you don't like it! I'm just saying I thought you would ”said the brunette while making many gestures with her hands to explain herself

Diana put the bouquet of flowers on her left forearm and the box of cookies on the right and then she carefully opened her gift, when removing the lid she found a necklace with only a blue sphere hanging from it.

"Every time you touch the sphere you will feel a kiss on your cheek ..." explained the brunette with a small blush on her cheeks "... or at least that's what it’s supposed to do, I did it with the help of Chariot-Sensei, I hope you like it ”continued the Japanese while scratching the back of her neck nervously

Diana watched adoringly as she pulled it completely out of the box

"Can you help me put it on?" she asked the crimson-eyed girl as she parted her hair to reveal her neck.

“O-of course!" stuttered the Asian girl as she put the necklace on her

"Thank you very much, it's beautiful," she said while she kissed her girlfriend on the cheek.

"Now I feel a little bad about my gift" said the heiress with resignation

"What do you mean? Whatever you are going to give me it will be more than perfect! ” Akko replied after coming out of her little shock

"Sorry anyway if it's not what you expected, after all it didn't turn out the way I expected" said the blue-eyed girl handing over the pink box.

As Akko opened her gift —With less care than Diana — the blonde had her third mental breakdown in less than 24 hours —new record! — on the outside, either way, she looked firm as usual. Akko managed to open the box and saw 14 beautiful — and not symmetrical —cookies with a slightly burnt edge

"Cookies!" The Japanese said with emotion as she turned to see an unstable Diana “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she continued while making small jumps

"You prepared them?!" she said with stars in her eyes

"Well ... yes ... sorry if they not taste good, it was my first time cooking" The blonde admitted with a bit of regret

"Wow! Really? I didn't know your first time was with me” she said giving her a flirtatious look

"Akko!" The blushing blue-eyed girl exclaimed

"Ya, ya, sorry, I couldn't help it" she laughed "but seriously, thank you very much! I bet they will taste delicious! ” She said to take one and take it to her mouth

"If you don't like them, you don't have to eat them, okay?" Diana answered "I know you were expecting a perfect gift or something well done at least, sorry for not giving it to you, I know that making them was probably a mistake" she continued saying with a small drop of sadness

"Hey! Thish cookiesh tashte ... holdn ohn" the Japanese had begun to speak with her mouth full, knowing that her girlfriend did not understand her due to the obvious face of confusion, the brunette swallowed what was in her mouth and continued" Okey now, these cookies are delicious! And they are more than perfect because you made them, and I don’t say it because you are the perfect 'Diana Cavendish', I say it because you are my imperfect 'Diana' who makes mistakes but solves them, who helps others and works daily to be better, who wants to make this a better world, that's why, for me these are the best cookies in the world, and you are the best girlfriend in the world” the brunette finished, and then gave the blonde a big hug "Besides, they do taste pretty well" the crimson-eye girl reconfirmed...

Diana Cavendish, heir to the Cavendish house, descendant of one of the Nine Old Witches, the best student to have stepped on Luna Nova in nearly a hundreds years, savior of magic and one of the Nine New Witches, had never in her life touched a freakin pan, much less used an oven, the only thing that she knew how to make was tea and that because — in the words of certain American witch — she had an "British and aristocratic addiction" with that drink.

But that changed today, because today, she made the most delicious cookies — According to Akko —in the universe, because although they were a little burned, they were not perfect circles and they were a little salty, they made the most important person in her life smile.

‘After all, this was not such a terrible idea’

Extra:

Akko finished the cookies that same night.

Suspiciously both she and Barbara had to miss an entire week of classes due to a terrible food poisoning, Diana also missed the classes because she had to take care of both of them

[tiny-smallest]

STEVEN UNIVERSE FINALE THOUGHTS: SPOILERS ABOUND

My criticisms mostly lie in how short it was. This whole epilogue season needed to be longer. More episodes, or longer episodes. I'd lean more towards longer personally because as much as I'd love to revisit old friends who didn't get any time in SUF (FUCKING. NEPHRITE.), I'd rather the stuff that exists were fleshed out more. If I had my way we’d have more episodes (maybe 30-40, and not all of them painful; some more like Why So Blue or Guidance- ones that hint at his escalating mental illness but aren’t a sheer punch of pain) as well as longer episodes when needed (some of these were perfect for their length; others could’ve used a longer run time to really flesh things out) but if I had to pick one, I’d pick longer episodes over more episodes.

So far the biggest things that bug me are Connie's speech and White's breakdown. 

Connie's speech only because she started it. In a show that kind of finally called the adults out for how much Steven had to give to them, it's a different child who rallies them to a clear head so they can figure out what to do. I'd much rather Greg have started the speech and Connie then interject. And then Garnet comes up with the actual plan? That'd have been perfect. They got so close to that too, since Greg is the only adult not falling apart instead of focusing on what Steven needs; he admits his faults and is obviously super upset about it, but his statement is a declaration of action: that this time he’s not running to let the magic people deal with this, he’s going to be there too. THEY WERE SO CLOSE TO THAT MOMENT BEING ABSOLUTELY PERFECT AUGH.

White's breakdown. I get what they were going for here, I really do: we’ve all seen The Big Bad be dealt with by stabbing them real good a lot and rarely is there ever any nuance applied to the concept of toppling a tyrant and where that would leave people, and the show is BUILT on the idea of what happens when you try that (or... fake the succeeding of it), so I get why they decided not to straight up kill her. But you also built White up to be like... Mother Gothel meets Frollo and then SHOWCASED IT IN ACTION and I'm forever gonna have a hard time swallowing the concept that she could ever be so utterly repentant of her crimes, I guess, both on a personal and universal level? I’d have almost rather she remained toxic and kept at a distance?

Add-ons to this are not a word about humanizing Pink/Rose in Steven's viewpoint and not a word about what White did to Steven-- which is possibly the most traumatic thing that happened to him.

That being said, corrupted Steven was a fucking HELL YES. And they USED THE WORD CORRUPTED SO HATERS CAN SUCK IT. I thought the corruption was solved a little too... easily and quickly? If other corrupted gems weren’t reachable just by talking to them Steven shouldn’t have been either even with being half human, and I would have loved if they’d had to go into his mind in order to reach him with their words--which would’ve been an interesting parallel to Change Your Mind, actually. But this is an example of what I mean about wishing episodes were longer. For this to be a thing the episode would’ve needed to be longer. As it was, it was fine. The emotion of it still got through. Everyone got to say their piece and that was important. It teetered a little dangerously close to ‘Connie fixes Steven’ but since everyone else did talk and said some really important stuff it’s more like Connie just happened to go last and not that her words in particular were important above everyone else’s.

Steven hanging up the poster from the song Mr. Universe also is like- another mild criticism in that the implications there could use A WHOLE EPISODE OF THEIR OWN (he has accepted he is a Universe, he has accepted his father; there may or may not have been a talk about Greg’s decisions and why he made them) but the implications are there nonetheless and I love it. 

STEVEN. HAS. A THERAPIST. THEY SAID THE WORDS ON CAMERA.

STEVEN'S COOKING AGAIN!! 

A final conversation between him and his father and it was of a decent length yes thank you god. 

He said goodbye to all the Crystal Gems not just the three he lives with YAY

CONVERSE KISS. AT LAST. Sure, it didn’t get to be the big dramatic moment we were hoping for, but it was sweet and THERE.

A CONFIRMATION OF A TIMESKIP which is good because he'd really need a stable place for those first few months following something that awful. 

I'm glad they established there had been time between that and his road trip. I’m also glad they made sure to establish that his support system is going to be in contact with him constantly. My mom instincts are screaming that he’s still too young and too sick to be on the road alone and I’d rather that have happened in a year or two, but since he’s gonna be in constant contact, can, go home at any time, and is probably 1-2 months away from being eighteen at the time he sets out, I can accept that.

The implication that Steven might return is a deeply appreciated one, because I’d rather this ended where it did last time-- a family together on a beach. But Steven needs time to grow and learn and he can’t do that in Beach City right now which is a thing I get- but the fact that he’s just as likely to return as he is to settle elsewhere means that after he’s seen all he’s wanted to see he can always return to his family and find a new adventure waiting in Beach City. (Personally I’d like to think he opens a restaurant.) And for those who’d rather he settle elsewhere, they get to have that, too! 

It’s a way to leave it open-ended without feeling cheap, because the whole season has been building up to him needing to get away at least for awhile, and I appreciate that.

I realize that Being Human was sung in pieces by (I believe) Sugar over the course of the season in the way that Love Like You was to hide that the speaker is Steven the way it was previously done to hide that the speaker was Rose, but man, my final criticism: I wish Steven had sung the song as he was leaving. Just. A short version of it maybe as he drove off. If the lack of Steven being musical this season was supposed to be a nod to his worsening mental spiral then it would make sense for him to sing one final song as he’s healing, a sign of hope, and to leave the viewers with one last goodbye from the boy himself. 

(And also so our only Steven song isn’t the incredibly sad I’d Rather Be Me With You.)

But all in all? It was a good finale. A solid finale. I adored it and it made me Feel Things. It was amazing to see some theories come to fruition. It was amazing to tackle the wounds that the original series would have left on a child’s soul. It was an amazing experience overall and while I feel some things could have been done better, I am so, so glad I binged my way through the original series to experience Future as it happened. I regret not keeping up with the original series as it aired and I am so, so glad for the experience of getting to do that with this series’ last hurrah. It kind of hurts; I’ll be mourning this show’s loss for a long time. But in an internet littered with cartoons killed before their time, I am incredibly grateful this show got to come to a proper close, got to tell its story through to the end.

In this world of people there really is no one like you, Steven. We will always be your family, and each other’s. Thanks for the ride. 

[ayellowbirds]

42 Webcomics Keshet Reads

I was recently reminded that I currently read a lot of webcomics, or have done so in the past. Here’s an incomplete list, linking to the first page where i can (which will usually mean the worst art). Organized thus:  Title, Author. Genre. Format (long-format stories, short-format & single-page stories, or mixed). Description.

The Adventures of Dr. McNinja, by Christopher Hastings. Comedy, Parody, Action. A man from a long line of Irish ninjas has devoted his own life to saving lives as a doctor, disappointing his family. His staff includes a sentient but non-speaking gorilla receptionist, and eventually a boy sidekick who grew a fabulous mustache out of sheer determination. Recurring threats include fast food mascots, ghosts, wizards, ghost wizards, and a disease that turns people into giant lumberjacks. Completed.

BACK, by Anthony Clark and KC Green. Comedy, Adventure, Absurdity, Weird West. Long-Format. A cowgirl comes back from the dead with no memory of who she was or how she died, and is told by a trio of “Cool Witches” that she has to bring about the end of the world—though what exactly that means remains a mystery. Consistently excellent visual storytelling from masters of sequential art; at least one WLW pairing among the characters. 

Bite Me!, by Dylan Meconis. Comedy, Horror, Historic Fiction. Long-Format. A young woman becomes a vampire amidst the chaos of the French Revolution. Featuring immortal angst, a Jewish werewolf, and sacré bleu, the chickens. Completed (website can be slow to load).

Broodhollow, by Kris Straub. Horror, Weird Fiction. Long-Format. By the creator of the original creepypasta that inspired Channel Zero. A young man abounding with neuroses and compulsions comes to a strange little town in order to settle a late relative’s estate. Themes of unreliable memories and differences of perception.

Chainsawsuit, by Kris Straub. Comedy. Short-Format. Three-panel gag comic.

ChaosLife, by A. Stiffler & K. Copeland. Slice of Life, Autobiographical. Mixed-Format. The life of a queer couple and their pets: humor, lgbt issues, mental illness (K. experiences paranoid schizophrenia), cats, and occasional puppets.

Crunchy Bunches, by Scott Warren. Comedy. Mixed-Format. Cereal mascot parody focused on snaggle-toothed feline mascot Munchy and his friends. 

Dead Winter, by Allison Shabet. Action, Horror, Comedy. Long-Format. Zombie apocalypse story with occasional partially-animated scenes, and a relatively low focus on the actual zombies. Infrequent updates, but has a Patreon with weekly content.

DRIVE, by Dave Kellet. Sci-Fi, Comedy. Long-Format. Humanity has taken to the stars, led by a second Spanish Empire that controls the secrets of FTL travel. When the crew of the Machito recover their science advisor and accidentally pick up a mysterious amnesiac alien at the same time, they become embroiled in intrigue that affects the whole of human space and beyond, caught between secret police, mind-controlling invaders, and a species dedicated to invention who have a grudge against humans.

El Goonish Shive, by Dan Shive. Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Superheroics, Slice of Life, Mad Science. Long Format. Difficult to pin down, once described as “the most squeaky-clean fetish comic online”—lots of characters undergoing fantastic transformations of their bodies. Starts out weak but gradually grew into one of the most progressive webcomics out there as the creator started to really think about the meaning of someone wanting to transform from a nerdy boy into a busty girl. I’ve said more about it, here. Significant LGBT content, including canon gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, genderfluid, and asexual characters.

Family Man, by Dylan Meconis. Historic Fiction, Horror, Romance, Libraries. Long-Format. A learned man of Jewish ancestry takes a position as a lecturer at a small Christian university in the middle of nowhere in the Germanies of the 18th century, and falls in love with the daughter of the head of the university—who has some secrets relating to her mother’s family  On hiatus as of July 2017.

Freefall, by Mark Stanley. Comedy, Sci-Fi, Furry. Long-Format. A larcenous alien and his naive robot pal living on a human colony world acquire the services of an uplifted humanoid wolf as their ship’s engineer under less-than-legal circumstances. As time goes on, the crew becomes caught up in the struggles and politics of the artificial intelligences of the colony. Binge-reading page here, colored strips here.

Girl Genius, by Phil & Kaja Foglio. Gaslamp Fantasy (Not-Steampunk), Action, Comedy, Mad Science, Alternate History. Long-format. A young woman discovers that she is the latest in a line of mad scientists including the vanished heroes of Europa as well as some of its most terrible villains.

Goblins, by Ellipsis Hana Stephens. Fantasy, RPGs, Action, Body Horror. Long-format. A tribe of goblins go from being mere MOBs to taking levels as adventurers themselves, facing ambiguity about alignment, morality, and the place of "monsters” in a world that seems to favor humanoids. Can get very gory at times. Light LGBT content including a prominent gay male character; transgender creator.

Goodbye to Halos, by Valerie Halla. Fantasy, Adventure. Long Format. Forced through a gateway to another world for her own safety, Fenic finds herself in the “run-down queer district” of a city of animal people—and spends a few years coming into own identity as a trans lesbian, forging a new life. But the reasons she was forced into this world are catching up to her, and she’ll need to turn her protective streak towards defending herself. Heavy LGBT themes; often not safe for work. The only work i can think of where a trans girl’s underwear bulge is treated as a completely nonsexual and innocent thing.

Grrl Power, by Dave Barrack. Superheroes, Sci-Fi. Long Format. Probably Not Safe For Work. Comics nerd Sydney Scoville winds up becoming a superhero herself after circumstances force her to reveal her powers and join up with an agency providing training and oversight. While consistently funny and clever with the use of powers, it can be very centered on the male gaze; the art starts out being pretty . I actually first started reading it because I recognized one of the characters from years prior when the artist was posting softcore smut to furry websites.

Guilded Age, by T. Campbell & Phil Kahn, art by John & Jason Waltrip and Erica Henderson. Fantasy, RPGs, Action, MMOs. Long-Format. A group of adventurers face off against threats to their world—such as the CEO of the company that programmed their world in the first place. Strong themes of intrigue, the nature of violence, and the concept of good and evil in fantasy settings. Completed, now running extras & side stories, including annotated repeats of the original pages.

Gunnerkrigg Court, by Tom Siddell. Fantasy, Sci-Fi. Long-Format. A young girl attends a strange boarding school specializing in matters of the supernatural and obscure, making friends with classmates, a ghost, robots, psychopomps, living shadows, fairies, and eldritch horrors in the form of silly woodland creatures while exploring the mysteries of the school and her own ancestry. Shows remarkable art progression; the style of the first storyline is unrecognizable from the present. Especially rewarding if you’re into alchemy. LGBT content, including prominent WLW characters. Warnings: unreality is a recurring theme, and there is a bit of “suicidal” fairies desperate to be reincarnated as humans. Boxbot is rubbish.

Johnny Wander, by Yuko Ota & Ananth Hirsh. Autobiographical, Fantasy, Humor, Mixed-Format. A mix of slice-of-life autobiographical pages, and short stories, including the longer format “Barbarous” and “Lucky Penny”.

Kevin & Kell, by Bill Holbrook. Comedy, Slice-of-Life, Furry. Mixed-Format. Extremely long-running strip (daily updates since September of 1995). In a world of anthropomorphic animals where predatory species can legally & without repercussions hunt & consume other species, a businesswoman wolf (Kell) and her uncommonly large rabbit husband (Kevin) make their blended family work in spite of social stigma against predator/prey relationships. Far more light-hearted than it sounds, though it often touches on social issues and drama. Light LGBT content from some minor recurring characters.

Kill Six Billion Demons, by Abbadon. Fantasy, Metaphysical, Martial Arts. Long Format. A college student’s attempt at heterosexuality is interrupted by the arrival of a legendary king of all reality. Thrust into a battle over the greatest power of all worlds, Allison faces devils, angels, and the city at the center of the 777,777 universes. It’s a lot to take in. Occasionally not safe for work. Frequent LGBT content, including WLW.

Love Me Nice, by Amanda Lafrenais. Comedy, Hollywood. Long Format. Set in a world shared by cartoon characters and ‘real’ people (think Roger Rabbit), where TV star Mac T. Monkey Jr. struggles between his irresponsible instincts and his attempts to build a life as an adult and a relationship with fellow protagonist (and manager) Claire. Some LGBT content; infrequent updates. Occasionally Not Safe For Work. 

Manly Guys Doing Manly Things, by Coelasquid. Comedy, Videogames, Parody. Mixed-Format. The staff of a temp agency for “ludicrously macho guys” tries to help the protagonists of video games, TV, and movies deal with their testosterone-addled brains in a constructive fashion. Occasional LGBT content—mostly MLM, naturally. Keep an eye out for the fluffy little velociraptors, and Mr. Fish the Gyarados. On indefinite hiatus since June of 2018.

Narbonic, by Shaenon K. Garrity. Comedy, Sci-Fi, Mad Science, Gerbils. Mixed-Format. Comp Sci. grad Dave needs a job. Helen B. Narbon, cute blonde mad scientist with a gerbil fixation, is hiring. Story arcs feature action-packed forensic linguistics, a worldwide conspiracy of guys with the same name, rodents uplifted to sentience, time travel. Some awkwardness around gender transformations, light LGBT content. Completed, with author annotations.

Nedroid Picture Diary, by Anthony Clark. Comedy, Absurdity. Short Format. Short comics that very quickly come to focus on the antics of the anomalous ursine orb Beartato and his friend/roommate Reginald, a bird who is just terrible. 

Not Drunk Enough, by Tess Stone. Supernatural, Action, Horror. Long Format. A survival horror styled webcomic by a creator with a history of exceptionally dynamic page composition and lettering. Expect lots of magnificently weird body horror.

O Human Star, by Blue Delliquanti. Roboticist Al Sterling died. Al Sterling woke up an android body mimicking his own. As he reconnects with his former partner-in-several-senses, he explores a world that remembers him as one of its greatest innovators. Major themes of identity, the definition of humanity, and gender and sexuality. LGBT themes including MLM and transgender characters. Warning for some discussion of self-harm.

Outsider, by Jim Francis. Sci-Fi. Long Format. Beautifully-illustrated science fiction story that is painfully slow to update. If you watched a lot of 80s and 90s sci-fi anime, you’ll get the vibe that this has—including its arguable weak point of being centered on a man who finds himself among an alien race dominated by warrior women. 

Patrik the Vampire, by Bree Paulsen. Supernatural, Slice-of-Life. Long Format. The unlife and history of an exceptionally awkward vampire and the mortals around him—book club, knitting, coffee shops, violent murder. Some LGBT content.

Poppy O’Possum, by I. Everett. Fantasy, Furries. Long Format. A single mother in a world of animal people where only opossums lack magic, Poppy just wants to settle down in quiet and safety with her daughter Lily. The world has other ideas—but fortunately, Poppy is mind-blowingly strong. On hiatus. Some LGBT content.

Questionable Content, by Jeph Jacques. Slice-of-Life, Comedy, Sci-Fi. Mixed-Format. Starts out focusing on indie rock fan Marten and his robotic “anthroPC” Pintsize. As the art evolves, so does the subject matter, focusing more and more on the rest of the cast and topics like the nature of personhood and identity for artificial intelligence. Eventually comes to feature significant LGBT content, including bisexual and transgender characters in the main cast.

Rae the Doe, by Olive Brinker. Comedy, Slice-of-Life. (Mostly) Short Format. If Garfield was a transgender doe and wore clothes and also there weren’t any jokes about Mondays or lasagna and the comic was constantly assumed to be autobiographical in spite of its creator frequently asserting otherwise and the comic was still genuinely funny. But otherwise just like Garfield, really.

Selkie, by Dave Warren. Sci-Fi, Slice-of-Life, Comedy, Drama. Long-Format. Former adoptee Todd becomes a father himself to a strange young girl who turns out to be a refugee from a secret underwater civilization. While the public gradually becomes aware that humans are not alone, family forms and is redefined as secrets from both Todd and Selkie’s past are revealed and dealt with, and kids confront issues of inclusion and exclusion. Also, for some reason two of the kids from Evangelion are Todd’s neighbors.

Skin Deep, by Kory Bing. Fantasy, Coming-of-Age, Monster Girls (and Boys). Michelle discovers the secret world of mythical monster people after a small medallion unlocks her own heritage as a sphinx—supposedly long-extinct, according to the other monsters. Michelle must explore who she is and her family history while also trying to avoid completely upending nonhuman society and maintaining secrets within a culture already used to the use of magical illusions and transformations. Light LGBT content.

Skin Horse, by Shaenon Garrity.  Comedy, Sci-Fi, Mad Science, Zombies, Canadians. Mixed-Format. Set in the same universe as Narbonic (see above), “Skin Horse” follows an organization of  the same name dedicated to providing social services to beings only recognized by the secret shadow government—staffed by a patchwork zombie bioweapon, a talking sled dog, a cross-dressing pansexual psychologist, and a receptionist in the form of an immobile Victorian robotic weapon of mass destruction, all overseen by a sentient swarm of bees. Frequent LGBT content.

Something*Positive, by RK Milholland. Comedy, Slice-of-Live, Parody. Mixed-Format. Very long-running comic that gradually grows from a dark and misanthropic sense of humor into a dark and misanthropic sense of humor with a warm and gooey center. Earlier comics can be pretty weak and handle many subjects very poorly (the first strip, linked above, features an abortion “joke”); gradually improves.in terms of LGBT representation to the point that it’s one of the better webcomics in that regard. I might recommend skipping ahead in the archives to the current decade (the “1937″ and “1938″ are strips flashing back to the previous generations).

Spacetrawler, by Christopher Baldwin. Sci-Fi, Comedy. Long-Format. The naive but brilliant alien race known as the Eebs are enslaved by interplanetary society at large, depending on their servile nature to maintain the high standard of technology and transportation across the void of space. A group of utterly incompetent aliens come to Earth to seek help in freeing the Eebs... and generally fuck everything up for the best with their terrible choices of sample humans. Currently in the midst of a sequel series focusing on new intrigue and antics, including a talking, murderous kangaroo.

Spinnerette, by Krakow Studios. Superheroes, Comedy, Sci-Fi. Mixed-Format. A grad student develops spider-themed superpowers—including extra arms—and attempts to navigate both concealing her transformation, and becoming a superhero in a world where super-powered vigilantes and criminals are a fact of life. Not Work-Safe due to suggestive artwork including improbably form-fitting costumes over improbably large bosoms. Recurring LGBT content.

Val & Isaac, by @tredlocity​. Sci-Fi, Fantasy,  Comedy. Mixed-Format. A space mercenary, her wizard buddy, and the cyborg fish girl who keeps all their technology functional, occasionally featuring their shapeshifting assassin friend Space Dread. Major LGBT content, including WLW and MLM, and a prominent transgender character.

Vattu, by Evan Dahm. Fantasy, Worldbuilding. Long-Format. Born to the Fluters of the grasslands, Vattu finds her traditional subsistence lifestyle torn away as a multi-species empire asserts a claim over her people’s lands. A fantasy epic with several major arcs; see also the creator’s earlier completed works Rice Boy and Order of Tales.

XKCD, by Randall Munroe. Science, Parody, Comedy. Short Format. Stick figures and scientific silliness. Make a point of checking the alt-text of each comic by moving your cursor over the strip. Early pages are much more along the lines of experimental sketches; link above directs to a random comic in the archives. Some comics are more along the lines of interactive games!

Yet Another Fantasy Gamer Comic (YAFGC), by Rich Morris. Fantasy, Comedy, Parody. Mixed-Format. Not Work-Safe. The inhabitants of a world heavily based in Dungeons & Dragons go about their lives as monsters, humanoids, and soul-searching mixes of the two. Begins with a romance between a beholder and a goblin, gradually builds up to battles between nations and the gods themselves, while also finding time to explore family, loss and love, and whether kobolds count as sapient. Moderate LGBT content including recurring gay & bisexual characters (it’s a very large cast); new readers guide here.

[veridium]

Veridium-Bye Fanfiction Master Post

Hello, lovelies - ‘tis, I, Veri!

I thought it might be high time to create another one of these, since my fanfiction has more than doubled since the last time it was all collected into a master post. Plus, for the first time, I have multiple OCs and ships to account for! Exciting times indeed. So, without further adieu, here is your comprehensive guide to my fanfiction, organized by OC + their ship!

Inquisitor Theia Sofia Trevelyan: Mage, Knight Enchanter

Ice In Her Blood: The Inquisitor Theia Trevelyan Saga - ONGOING

Theia’s story as Inquisitor, ongoing (currently on Chapter 38 out of 50(?). Focuses heavily on her romance with Josephine Montilyet, and her balancing of her radical Mage politics and her responsibilities as Inquisitor. Warning: NSFW for explicit sexual content!

A Kiss Goodbye (Ficlet)

A small, sweet snapshot of Theia’s and Josephine’s dynamic before the Inquisitor sets off on another expedition. Done for a inbox prompt. 100% good, honest fluff. 

Pull Me Under (Ficlet)

A ficlet depicting an intimate moment between Theia and Josephine after the Ambassador treats her love to a relaxing bath time. Warning: NSFW for references to nudity. 

Cold Feet (Ficlet)

A conversation between Seeker Pentaghast and Inquisitor Trevelyan over Mage politics, and how Theia came to understand her powers. A lighthearted, though meaningful conversation between two women which speaks to their budding close friendship.

The Sickly Branch (Bonus Chapter)

A extra episodic tale wherein Theia must return to her childhood home in the Free Marches to honor the death of her Mother, whom she had a tortuous relationship with. Her conflicts with her family members, all the while having Josephine at her side through it all, causes some Jane Austen-esque discord. A long, but entertaining and clever read.

Olivia Sinclair: Survivor of the Mage Rebellion, Temptress, and Apothecary Scholar to the Inquisition

*Olivia is first introduced as a character in Theia’s story in Chapter 16 of Ice in Her Blood, and most all of her independent fics recount her romance with Cassandra. 

A Wedding At Skyhold (Ficlet)

A wedding between two Scouts of the Inquisition gives Skyhold an excuse to celebrate a lighthearted event for a change. All of the Inquisition allies bare witness to some truly remarkable developments: for one, Cassandra Pentaghast of all people, pining for the attention of a happy-go-lucky Mage and best friend to the Inquisitor. 

The Seeker and the Black Dove

Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast has lived a life of discipline, control, and honor. Lady Olivia Sinclair has lived one of intrigue, adventure, and terror. One has built a wall of stoicism, the other of sweetness. Out of all possible outcomes to their friendship, no one could foresee such an unlikely attraction. This is the story of how the woman who would become known as the Black Dove of Orlais captured the heart of one of the most fearsome women in all of Thedas. Warning: NSFW for explicit sexual content!

Spoonful of Midnight (Ficlet)

A sweet moment in the early budding friendship between Olivia and Cassandra as she brings the Seeker a late serving of supper after a long workday. The two swap stories and ambitions in their own respective occupations, and learn a bit more about what makes the other tick. A fluffy, endearing exchange. 

Luminous (Ficlet)

Olivia comes rushing to Cassandra’s quarters as the evening draws to a close, wishing to show her an exciting new development in one of her Apothecary experiments. What follows is a sickly-sweet, sparkling exchange (literally).

An Unforgiving Night 

A six-chapter saga delving into the complicated politics of Olivia’s and Cassandra’s relationship, with one being a Mage survivor of the Rebellion, and the other a lifelong, loyal servant to the Chantry. An mixture of angst and fluff, with a touch of drama. Olivia grows into her own persona whist remaining true to her convictions, and Cassandra learns that it’s alright to evolve in her virtues as long as she does it for the right reasons -- but not before some intense, good ol’ fashioned violence happens.

Insult to Injury (Ficlet)

Olivia is wounded during a skirmish in the Exalted Plains, compelling her lover, Cassandra, to nearly make an entire hillside level in order to come to her aid. A sweet, fluffy scene, wherein Olivia gets doted on and Cassandra reckons with just how scary she can be when her woman is threatened. 

Marry Me (Ficlet)

The morning after a reunion has Seeker Pentaghast boldly requesting something Olivia wouldn't expect, and suddenly pillow talk becomes a whole lot more interesting.

Naomi Ambrosia: Survivor of the Mage Rebellion, One of the Chief Healers in the Inquisition

*Naomi is introduced as a character in Ch. 36 of Ice in Her Blood, thus her independent fics mainly center her love story with Lace Harding, and exploring her backstory a bit. 

Beautiful Demons - ONGOING

Scout Lace Harding returns to Skyhold to see an figure of her life back home in the Hinterlands alive and well, and it's not exactly casual tidings. Naomi, a former Circle Mage, turned Rogue of the Mage Rebellion, and now a Inquisition Healer on parole for her sensitivity to demonic influence, finds herself on the precipice of change in her life: does she grab life by the shirt collar and live it while she can, or does she hold herself separate from its tumult to protect herself and those around her?

Veronica Crespin: Survivor of the Mage Rebellion, Murderous Criminal known in Fereldan as “The Crimson Cutter,” turned spy and assassin for the Inquisition

*Veronica is introduced as a character in Chapter 26 of Ice in Her Blood, and thus her independent fics center her love story with Krem, and exploring her backstory. 

Crimson Hands - ONGOING

Veronica Crespin hasn't joined the Inquisition with the cleanest of reputations. A former renegade assassin and famed Denerim murderer who was cursed as the "Crimson Cutter" by most everyone in Fereldan, her friendship with the beloved Inquisitor seems the be her only saving grace. But, when she comes across the one man who doesn't fear her blades both strapped to her hip and on her tongue, surprises abound Skyhold. All bets are off as the bond between a Tevinter mercenary and a Fereldan femme fatale slowly boils over.

I will update this list occasionally or post a new one when I feel it to be necessary! Thank you to everyone who has encouraged my writing, who read my chapters and give commentary, or who just simply exist. Ya’ll are my fuel and I love sharing my writing with you. Love and Light!

[yourarmynoona]

Your ARMY Noona’s Fanfic Rec MASTER LIST (updated 5/13/18)

So as much as I LOVE writing BTS-oriented or K-pop fanfics in general, I have always wanted to compile a BTS Masterlist of Fanfiction writers and fics. I’ve read so many over the years but these are a few that stand out to me. I’ll continue to update as I read more or add to the list (or remember where the hell I wrote them down at) so for now, please enjoy the works of these incredible fantastic writers!

(Credit to all the writers listed as these descriptions and works are theirs)

~Your ARMY Noona ❤

 ☆ ☆@endearkim ☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “Pyramids” 

Description: It didn’t matter how many times you slapped yourself, but when those eyes of his landed on you, it was like life had stopped.

Rating: M

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Wordcount: 10k+

➤ “Aqueduct”

Description: You were a little more than enamored with the sun.

Rating: M

Pairing: Hoseok x Reader

Wordcount: 10k+

☆ ☆ ☆ @seokkbuns ☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “Wanted”

Description: His voice was powerful, commanding, catching your attention without any extra effort on his part and even without looking you could tell it was directed at you. Taehyung trembled, and you slowly turned your gaze to the Kelkie standing in the middle of the other two, his dark, doe-like eyes boring straight into yours as he spoke at you in a language you couldn’t understand. Your breath caught in your throat because standing right before you was the most ethereally handsome being you had ever seen

Rating: M

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader

Wordcount: 10k+

➤ “Inheritance”

Description:  After your grandmother passed she left everything to you. Her house, her fortune, and apparently… her cat? The grumpy male hybrid you encounter at her house is anything but the tame housecat you’d expected to find. Fulfilling your grandmother’s last request to look after him becomes a lot harder when he seems to be avoiding you, and your dissatisfied relatives start stirring up trouble.

Rating: M

Pairing: Yoongi x Reader

Wordcount: 2.6k+

☆ ☆ ☆ @drquinzelharleen ☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “Suga Daddy”

Description: Yoongi gives you an offer you can’t refuse.

Rating: M

Pairing: Yoongi x Reader

Wordcount: 7.8k+

➤ “Close as Strangers” 

Description: You were happy it was your last year of school. That was, until you started tutoring your old best friend Jeon Jungkook, otherwise known as “Mr. Popular.”

Rating: M

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader

Wordcount: 10k+

☆ ☆ ☆ @kinkjungkook☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “Tempting”

Description: Y/N is an angel and a good one at that. She steers clear of the seven deadly sins, especially lust. She is out performing her duties when she runs into a demon. Luckily for her, that demon, Taehyung, doesn’t seem to buy into that whole “Angels and Demons are sworn enemies” idea. But unluckily for her, Taehyung just so happens to be the very embodiment of sin. 

Rating: M

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Wordcount: 10k+

➤ “Soliloquy”

Description: Jimin was a boy who had an affinity for flowers. You were a girl who liked to talk to them. When you both end up in the same place at the same time, it only made sense that you both would have a lot to talk about. It all should have been very simple.

Rating: T

Pairing: Jimin x Reader

Wordcount: 5.5k

☆ ☆ ☆ @jiminisalier ☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “Giving a Hand”

Description:  Your work is not the typical job, you give hand jobs for money, but instead of feeling ashamed by it you’re comfortable with it. Until a man offers you to work in his company, where you would use your abilities to please seven guys.

Rating: M

Pairings: Reader x OT7

Wordcount: 134k+

➤ “Elevator”

Description: You got stuck in an elevator with a stranger boy who claims his name is Vante. You know he is lying, but he is funny and extremely hot, so you let it pass.

Rating: M

Pairing: Reader x Taehyung

Wordcount: 6.5k

☆ ☆ ☆ @taechubs ☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “Bygones of the Sun”

Description: Jung Hoseok was once the sweetheart of the school, the dance captain whom every girl, including you, can’t help but fall head over heels for. But like the force of the ever-glowing sun, everything that rises must also set. A year of inactivity later and he’s now the school’s resident bad boy. You’re a firm believer of allowing the past be the past, and yet you can’t help but wonder where the risen sun has gone into hiding—because perhaps its shadows have out-shined its own radiance.

Rating: M

Pairing: Hoseok x Reader

Wordcount: 10.4k+

☆ ☆ ☆ @oppamansae ☆ ☆ ☆

➤“Mission Badboy”

Description:  What if you could win 100,000 Won by giving someone a makeover? But here's the catch – you have 6 months to turn a nerdy, anti-social male into the school's biggest heartthrob.

Rating: M

Pairing: Namjoon x Reader; Hoseok x Reader

Wordcount: 10k+

➤ “Xeno”

Description:  The best part about being an assistant in a lab was watching all new inventions come to life, although sometimes some of them fail, leaving them away in a storage room, never to be bothered with; free for the taking.

Rating: M

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Wordcount: 10k+

➤ “No Regrets”

Description:  Forever, we are young’ – that was Seokjin’s motto. You had never expected to live by it, not until he came up with a bucket list and forced his friends to go on a week-long trip with him during spring break. All of you soon learnt that youth was an adventure, and a great time to make stupid mistakes.

Rating: T

Pairing: Seokjin x Reader

Wordcount: 4k+

➤ "Endgame”

Description: In chess, winning is everything – unfortunately, it is never easy. Y/N knew that as soon as she was ordered to assassinate the ruler of Seoul’s wealthiest mob empire, Park Jimin. The real question was: would she be able to survive this twisted game, all while keeping her identity a secret?

Rating: M

Pairing: Maknae Line x Reader

Wordcount: 5.5k+

☆ ☆ ☆ @chinnychimchim  ☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “So It Goes”

Description: Park Jimin knows a lot about humans. of course he does, he studies them for a living. he knows that they say hello by holding hands, and when they say goodbye, they put their arms around each other. but this particular human, he notes, is unlike the rest- stuck in a slump, going about your day praying for the Universe to stage an intervention in the form of an alien abduction. when he decides to finally fulfil your wishes, he finds that you have a little something to teach him about what it means to live life on Earth the way you do: ugly crying, underwear and all. in return, he shows you the possibilities that abound if you simply adopted their mantra: everything is beautiful, and nothing hurts.

Rating: M

Pairing: Jimin x Reader

Wordcount: 9.2k+

➤ "Catch Your Death”

Description:  Jung Hoseok has always been your number one antagonist. as a snow leopard hybrid, the only one in the kingdom— you’re always just too much for him— too pretty, too cold, too elegant, too weak to match up to his standards of a competent fighter. so when you’re betrothed to him in a very unusual matrimonial ceremony, its natural that your blood should run cold, because you hate him to the core. Right?

Rating: M

Pairing: Jimin x Reader

Wordcount: 5.1k+

☆ ☆ ☆ @imaginethisbts☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “Territory”

Description: Dogboy Tae gets extremely possessive when “that time of the month” rolls around and find’s it hard to control his natural instincts and his dominating nature during the monthly occurrence.

Rating: M

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Wordcount: 2.9k+

➤ “Lust & Errors”

Description: Step brother, fuck buddy… They were one and the same now. But what started out as some mindless fucking game, quickly turns into something much more difficult and complex.

Rating: M

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader

Wordcount: 4.3k+

☆ ☆ ☆ @iq-biased☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “Aromatherapy”

Description:  When your holistic hippie friend offers you a free massage at an unheard of health shop, you’re skeptical. But as soon as your masseur Jungkook walks into the room, you realize your outlook on massage therapy is about to completely change.

Rating: M

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader; Hoseok x Reader

Wordcount: 5k+

☆ ☆ ☆ @softjeon☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “Trust Nobody”

Description:  The first thing someone should know about you is that you’re an escort. Yes, you have fucked for money. One day your boss made you an offer you couldn’t say no to. One year - seven boys. One rule: never fall in love.

Rating: M

Pairing: Taehung x Reader

Wordcount: 5.7k+

➤ “Yes Mr. Park”

Description: Nobody had ever made you feel like this - made you feel like submitting so fully. There was an ache burning inside you, that just wanted to say yes to anything your boss would ask of you.

Rating: M

Pairing: Jimin x Reader

Wordcount: 4,6k+

☆ ☆ ☆ @httpjeon☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “1-800-Music-Street”

Description:  You’re enchanted by a street performer and then he saves you, resulting in multiple meetings one can only describe as fate.

Rating: M

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Wordcount: 5k+

➤ "Barbarian”

Description:  Your husband, hoseok, comes home from a raid with the need to make you pregnant with his child.

Rating: M

Pairing: Hoseok x Reader

Wordcount: 2.5k+

  ☆ ☆ ☆ Gimmesumsuga ☆ ☆ ☆

(Tumblr account @gimmesumsuga)

➤ “Sweeter Than Sweet”

Description:  You would have never expected someone like Park Jimin to notice you; he's handsome, seductive, and totally out of your league. Oh, and a vampire. You're enthralled by him from the moment you meet, addicted to his kiss and his bite, willing to do anything to be by his side - even if it costs you your freedom... and your life.

Rating: M

Pairings: Reader x Jimin; Reader x OT7

Wordcount: 250K+

➤ “Pink Panther”

Description:  Hybrid!AU. Smut with lots of kinks.

Rating: M

Pairings: Jin x Reader

Wordcount: 13k+

 ☆ ☆ ☆ Sugamins ☆ ☆ ☆

➤ "Valentino Summers”

Description: Whether or not Jimin was smuggling drugs really didn’t matter. He was hustling, and these days that was all there was to it.Hustle and survive, or struggle and die.

Rating: M

Pairings: Yoongi x Jimin

Wordcount: 560k+

➤ “House of Cards”

Description: Jungkook is the heir to a mob empire, the most notorious in the whole of Seoul. Taehyung is a rookie sent in to infiltrate by his select team and bring the empire crumbling down."You knew the game and played it, it kills to know that you have been defeated."

Rating: M

Pairings: Taehyung (V) x Jungkook; Jungkook x Jimin; Taehyung x Jungkook x Jimin; Jimin x Yoongi

Wordcount: 390k+

➤ “Taste of Ink”

Description: Jungkook is a drug runner for the largest gang in the whole of Busan: the Sam Yong Pa. One day he bumps into a runner for a rival gang in the next district that has trespassed into their territory: a Geum Sung Pa boy called Jimin. Jimin has a friend, a goon for the rival gang. Taehyung beats people up for a living, and boy, does he look good when he’s doing it.But their blossoming friendships reignite old gang flames and causes the most brutal gang war the country has ever seen. Dragons destroy and stars explode.

Rating: M

Pairings: Jungkook x Taehyung

Wordcount: 128k+

 ☆ ☆ ☆ MissterMia ☆ ☆ ☆

➤ “The Songbird and the Sea” 

Description: In a world where dominance of the sea is an endless battle between pirates and mariners, Park Jimin is content living in his little village on a small, uninteresting island by the eastern mainland. He wants nothing to do with the bloodshed of good and evil, the heartless killing of both innocents and condemned, the constant establishment and disruption of order. What he wants is peace, to live his life in the same town he was born in, to spend his days in the beautiful forest, and to use the powers of his Blessed Rune to nurture the home he loves so dearly.But when his island is attacked by pirates, Jimin will have no other choice than to do as they command and leave all thoughts of peace behind in favor of boarding the Agust, a pirate ship captained by the infamous Min Yoongi, Black Fox of the East.

Rating: M

Pairings: Yoongi x Jimin;  Taehyung x Jungkook; Namjoon x Jin

Wordcount: 255k+

➤ “Sirens Quest”

Description: Park Jimin was never much of a gamer. He’d always figured if people wanted stories, they could pick up books. If they wanted fantastic visuals, go to the movies or, heck, go to a museum. If they wanted to interact with people from all over the world, well, they could just sign up for the foreign exchange student tutoring programme at their school.So when his father got him a copy of Cypher Legends for his twentieth birthday, he decided to try it out only because he knew he’d feel guilty if he didn’t. He didn’t expect much at all, hell, he barely expected to get through even an hour of gaming before he’d lose interest.He definitely didn’t expect to be completely captivated by the gorgeous, fantastic, endless world of Cypher, or to form some of his strongest friendships with the people he met there, and he most certainly didn’t expect it all to happen because of another player called Suga and the beautiful staff Jimin swore he’d get his hands on no matter what.

Rating: M

Pairings: Yoongi x Jimin

Wordcount: 5k+

[nerdyhuntress]

“How Do I Love Thee?”

@effulgentcolors Hi there! I’m your CS Secret Valentine and here’s your fanfic! I really hope you enjoy it :)

Summary: Season 3 canon divergence. After months of courting, Emma wishes to make Killian happy on Valentine’s Day. Fluff abound!

Note that this is the dress Emma’s wearing <https://xo.lulus.com/images/product/xlarge/2956630_127386.jpg>. If anyone would be a dear and photoshop her into it, I’d love it so much!

Killian Jones wasn’t a foolish man. He spent centuries traversing the realms and encountering many cultures along the way. But no land had as many festivities as Storybrooke seemed to have.

When he walked into Granny’s one morning, he was surprised to find the whole diner tinted pink. The place was hardly recognizable. Rose ribbons and streams hung from the ceiling and hearts patterned the walls. His Swan was sitting at the counter, sipping coffee.

Emma grinned when she saw him, “Hey, you got my text?”

“Aye, love,” he smiled, taking the seat next to her. “What’s this valentime’s day about?”

“Valentine’s,” she corrected in a patient tone. “It’s a holiday. Like, where you do things for people you lo - like.”

There it was again, those walls of hers. He waited ever so patiently for her, and he’d wait centuries more if need be, but oftentimes, she was so infuriating. Adorably, yes. But it was infuriating to see her deny her feelings.

“I see. So what festivities does one plan?”

“I mean, whatever you want. I was thinking we could maybe have a picnic on your ship. Or if you want to stay in, we could finish ‘Empire Strikes Back’ ”.

Killian stroked her back, “Whichever strikes your fancy, Swan.”

She giggled, “No, really. I kinda want to make this day about you. Come on, what do you want?”

“Well, I’d be partial to a picnic on my ship, love. But why? I know the occasion, but there’s no need for anything big.”

“Don’t you want a day where we just do what you want, babe?” she said, stroking his arm. “It’ll be fun, trust me. I’ll see you on your ship at noon, ok?”

“I’ll be anxiously awaiting your arrival, my sweet,” he grinned, placing a chaste kiss on her hand.

Emma didn’t know why she was overthinking this.

She spent ten whole minutes trying to figure out what to wear. It may not seem like much, but she hardly ever spent that long deciding on an outfit.

It’s just Killian, she kept telling herself, he’d be impressed by you if you appeared in a goddamn potato sack. Just pick something, damn it!

But her transient dwellings hadn’t really left her with much of a wardrobe. Or much of anything, really. She wasn’t sentimental and preferred not to hold onto things, unless they had practical uses. It was a habit, a frustrating one that she never really grew out of. Jumping from foster home to foster home hadn’t given her something stable to focus on.

Until now.

She was seriously considering wearing the black leather dress she wore to the last date with Walsh when she had another idea.

Emma headed to Henry’s room and found his storybook. Flipping through the pages, she finally found the illustration she was looking for. She and Killian dancing at the ball in the past. Herself in that red gown and Killian looking dashing in his princely coat.

She didn’t wish to replicate the dress entirely, for she had no desire to spend the night struggling to breathe in a tight corset. Emma simply wanted to mimic its style, but with a smaller skirt and no sleeves. She hadn’t tried this type of magic before and was unsure how it would work. Nonetheless, she focused deeply on how good this dress would look on her and concentrated.

“So what am I to wear to this type of an occasion again?”

“I don’t know. Maybe a suit or something?”

It was his turn to walk Henry to school and despite the boy’s insistence that he was too old for this, Killian thought he really did enjoy it. Especially when he regaled the lad with tales of the high seas and swashbuckling adventures. Though he knew Henry didn’t regard him as kin yet, Killian hoped it was only a matter of time before he did.

“Hey, Hook,” he said, “Just make her happy. I don’t think she cares, really.”

“You think so, lad?”

“Yeah.”

Shouldering his backpack, he waved goodbye as he boarded the schoolbus. Killian pondered the boy’s words, once again admiring how he truly was wise beyond his years.

Killian walked up the gangplank on his ship, knowing he was early.

He hadn’t really changed his clothes much. Just a black leather jacket, jeans, and a dark blue shirt. He held a boquet of roses behind his back, bought fresh from Game of Thorns. They were said to be the greatest symbol of romantic love or at least that’s what the shopowner insisted. His pulse was racing, hoping that she would appreciate his new change in attire. He’d had that leather dust and black vest on for as long as he could remember.

Killian then heard heels clicking on the gangplank and watched Emma come in. All the air seemed to be siphoned out of the room once he laid eyes on her. She had on the most stunning scarlet dress (red was most certainly her color) and her hair was curled, golden curls cascading down her shoulders.

“Swan….uh, you look….”

“And you look….” his Swan replied, struggling to form words too.

An awkward silence settled upon them. Killian wasn’t sure how long it last. It could have been months or even centuries. All he knew was that he’d never stop looking at her.

His Swan cleared her throat, holding up the picnic basket, “Well, I suppose we should…..get started on lunch?”

Emma couldn’t remember a time where she felt more at ease with Killian. He was the perfect gentleman during their date. Pouring them wine, placing his jacket around her shoulders….it was all adorable and something she hadn’t experienced, well, ever. She loved the feeling of being pampered and appreciated.

But that wasn’t what she wanted at the moment.

She wanted this day to be about him. To make him happy. Emma couldn’t recall a time she had grown fond of a man like this, so fond that she wished to give the romantic gestures.

They were lying on their backs now as the sun set, feeling full from the meal they had eaten. Emma was rubbing the back of his neck casually, but then noticed something.

“Killian, babe. You have knots here. Do you want me to massage them?”

A blush suddenly came over her, unsure of what she had just said. Did she really just ask to rub his neck? She didn’t really think of herself as that type of a woman, but hell, when else had she gotten this type of a man in her life before? A little doting wouldn’t be strange.

“Huh, oh sure, love.”

Making him sit up, she gently placed her fingers on his neck. She started it out slowly, unsure of how it would go. But she was amazed at how well she managed to massage the knots out. All the while, Killian was groaning and telling her how well her fingers worked. She was sure she’d put those fingers to another use later tonight, but for right now, she wanted to help her man.

Perhaps this massaging would be a good part time job.

After her massage, Emma didn’t stop there.

Killian was amazed at the food she brought out, even a delicacy she called a “chocolate covered strawberry”. She fed it to him and giggled at his delighted reaction. Granted, he always had a sweet tooth, even when there was only the blandest of foods available aboard the ship.

His Swan swept her hair back, exposing that ravishing clevage of hers. Gods, he spent the whole morning toiling away at the fishery and right now, he wanted nothing more than to relax and bed her.

“Anything else you need, Killian?”

“Not really, lass,” he whispered, putting his hand forth and stroking her hair. “Just you.”

“You have me,” she said, leaning into his touch.

“Aye, that I do.”

They both seemed to lean forward at the same time. The kiss was chaste and sweet; he wondered why he waited so long for this.  Killian craved her in a way he never had before.

When they broke apart, Emma was breathless, her gorgeous cheeks were flushed. She still kept her hands on him and he wished she’d never let him go.

“Swan, I….I have to say I’m very happy with everything and all. All this for me….I rather liked it, I have to say. But why?”

Her green eyes suddenly seemed to glow in the moonlight. And he was sure they’d nearly filled with tears, but with the gentle smile on her face, he was sure those were derived of hpapiness.

“Killian, I think I would’ve said the same thing if you’d done it for me. I did it because….well, I don’t think we’re used to it. Never have been, you know? Someone taking care of us or pampering us. I just….I wanted you to feel special.”

He grinned, “Well love, then I’d say it’s….”

“Mission accomplished?”

“Aye, that.”

She giggled and leaned in for another kiss. And as the night went by below decks with much pleasurable activities, Killian Jones felt that he was the luckiest man in the world, indeed.

[chocolateheal]

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Avocado keeper

Treat the millennial or apple-pie eater in your activity to this accurate acrylic accumulator box — it helps cut avocados aftermost for longer.

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Say goodbye to throwaway coffee cups! This admirable cup will cut bottomward on artificial decay while befitting your alcohol brim hot, too. 

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Bluetooth wireless antiloss key tracker

This links to a smartphone via a chargeless app and shows you area you larboard your keys. 

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Ping for gin bell 

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This kitsch blush alarm will be a absolute analeptic for gin drinkers who about accept to lift a feel to get a drink. But accomplish abiding you don’t end up as their claimed butler.

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Ice cube tray

Make fun ice cubes in the shapes of cacti, pineapple and watermelon slices. 

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Animal Origami Kit

Discover the art of origami by afterward illustrated instructions to bend cardboard into able creatures that accommodate an elephant, mouse, fox, horse, frog and pig. 

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Watch

Clock a amount of this — a wristwatch for a fiver! The website has a advanced ambit of designs, from chichi to added adventurous attractive options for you to accept from — and we anticipate they deserve a big hand! 

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Cushion

Show your bendable ancillary by capacity this beanbag in a admired one’s stocking — it ability be a action but it’s a chichi way to bandbox up a sofa! 

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Matchbox puzzles

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Child’s umbrella

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Sleep mask

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[wildandfound]

One would think visiting the Cariboo during the largest forest fire disaster to ever hit the province would be a big mistake. Yet, in the midst of burnout, both my own and the regions, the beauty of the Cariboo-Chilcotin landscape and the kindness of its residents made the experience one to remember.

I came into the Cariboo region via Prince George, after driving nearly 4000km from Whitehorse through the Yukon and a large portion of Alaska. A year prior I’d decided I wanted to hike the Berg Lake Trail at Mount Robson and, after hearing how beautiful the Cariboo was from a guy who grew up there,  it seemed a natural place to visit.

The cutest welcome mural I’ve ever seen!

My plan was to drive from Prince George to Quesnel, south to William’s Lake, across Highway 24 (The Fishing Highway) to Wells Gray Provincial Park, up to Mount Robson for my hike and back to Prince George. It would be the perfect end to an epic 3 week trip, but I didn’t account for forest fires.

2017 was a devastating year for the region. Between April and November, more than 1300 fires burned over 1.2 million hectares of forest, displacing thousands of residents and costing the province 564 million dollars. It was officially the worst wildfire season in the history of British Columbia. Perfect time to visit, right?! 😉

I watched the fire reports and DriveBC’s road closure maps for weeks. Many of the parks were closed which was a bummer, but highways were opening where I needed them to be.  I almost decided to fly home early, but the lure of the mountains and conversations about the Cariboo tugged at me.

Flying into Prince George, I got to talking to the guy beside me about my travel plans. There are a lot of places one can go in Northern BC and he seemed a little perplexed at that my first stop was going to be Quesnel. What was I missing?

It wasn’t until I left Prince George and made my way south, that I started to understand the mindset this man must have been in.  He didn’t realize he was talking to a country girl who grew up in a rural farming community; similar to what you experience as you drive south.

I’m pretty sure my grandfather had that tractor.

To be quite honest, entering the Cariboo felt a little like coming home. Farmland, hay bales, pick up trucks, ATV’s. Find a country radio station on the dial and I’d be fit right in. This was exactly the kind of place I needed.

The massive gold pan, pick and shovel at Quesnel’s city limits, pretty much confirmed stories I’d heard about its strong connection to the Cariboo Gold Rush.

Welcome to Quesnel, the “Gold Pan City”.

You can’t really visit here without recognizing that they take great pride in their heritage. Murals adorn building facades and references to famed prospector, Billy Barker, abound. The city is small, but the area has a lot to offer.

Mural like this are all through town. Loved this. 

Quesnel sits at the confluence of the Quesnel and Fraser Rivers. I took a walk along the Riverfront Trail, which was lovely and calming. I could watch it running for hours.

The largest wood truss walking bridge in the world. 

The city is surrounded by over 30 historic sites, it is home to the largest wood truss walking bridge in the world, the award-winning Barkerville Brewing Company and its backyard boasts some of the best fishing and wilderness adventure spots in Canada.

Fraser River Bridge

A quick drive outside of town you’ll find Barkerville Historic Town and entrance to the world-renowned Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit. If you like hockey, there’s quite a few former hockey greats living here too. My stay was going to be short, so I wanted to visit all of the above. And of course, my first stop had to be for a beer.

Welcome to Barkerville Brewing Company!

I first heard of Barkerville Brewing Company after watching an episode of Timber Kings while at my parents. I told myself that if I did make it to the area, I’d make sure I visited. Luckily for me, it was one of the few places open while I stayed in Quesnel.

Now that’s a table!

I envisioned a much larger brewery but, as they say, good things come in small packages.  Ashley, the retail manager, gave me a warm welcome and set me up with a flight of their beers right away. This is definitely a favourite pastime when I’m travelling and Barkerville beer is pretty awesome. I wished I could have sent some home!

Not a wit girl, but everything else was stellar!

Shortly after I arrived, a regular patron, Carl, came in and we hit it off. It was really nice to have some company and he was game to chit-chat about Quesnel, our mutual passion for wine and his beloved Saskatoon berry wine. He was a wealth of knowledge and joy to spend time with. Truth be told, some of my favourite moments in the Cariboo are from sitting bar side at the brewery.

Long live (and bring back) this delicious licorice stout!

Carl and I shared a mutual appreciation for Barkerville Brewing Co.’s licorice stout. I’m a big fan out stout and this one was unlike anything I’ve ever had. Sadly, they had just discontinued it, but not before Carl and I were able to share a pint together.

I enjoyed my time at the Brewery so much that I ended up spending the better part of the afternoon there. Before I left I picked up some mementos and made sure to pay the bill to treat Carl for his company. I think it was a welcome surprise for him and that felt great.

If there is one thing that sticks out about my time in Quesnel, beside the huge tires on all the trucks in the grocery story parking lot (ha!), it’s the people. I can’t count the number of people who said hello to me on my walks through town, or at Granville’s while grabbing a coffee. It’s the kind of thing that makes a person want to return; which I plan to do next summer.

It came as no surprise to me when I returned from work a couple of months later to find a package from Carl with a special gift. Saskatoon berry wine, straight from the Cariboo!

Saskatoon Berry Wine!

The second place I’d heard a lot about what Barkerville Historic Town. I’d seen pictures and it looked so beautifully restored I wanted to check it out.

Barkerville owes its name to William “Billy” Barker, a famed prospector who hit gold in August of 1862 near where the town sits.  Officially declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1926, it is now home to over 125 buildings, museums, displays and shops and restaurants that make up Barkerville.

Barkerville Historic Town. A must visit in the area!

As soon as you walk out of the admission doors, you do feel a bit like you’re stepping back in time. The old church is wonderfully restored, horse-drawn stage coaches pass by carrying tourists and actors dressed in costume perform live scenes right in front of you.

The inside of the buildings hold old memorabilia and antiques. You can pan for gold or buy objects at the blacksmith shop, send a letter home from the post office, or have your picture taken in vintage costumes. If you’re a bit adventurous, you can even stay overnight a hotel or bed and breakfast in the middle of the town.

With a little imagination it’s easy to picture it brimming with miners and workers of the time.Notably the largest living-history museum in North America, Barkerville is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area.

Outside one of the buildings in Baskerville. Loved the pop of yellow!

From Barkerville, I wanted to check out Bowron Lakes Provincial Park, famous for its 5 lake canoe circuit.  The drive there was a fun twisty-turny adventure through the interior, trees hugging the roads on either side. I loved the lushness of this area, though it was strange to think that swaths of the region were facing massive destruction.

Enroute to Bowron Lakes. I didn’t get far into the park, but the drive was beautiful.

I was a bit disappointed upon arrival, as I expected something more like my home park, Algonquin. What I did come to accept is that the beauty of Bowron Lake requires a bit more effort, and as such, with a great deal of excitement, I intend to return to complete the full circuit in summer of 2019.

Good morning and goodbye, Quesnel. We’ll see each other again soon.

Having completed the few things on my bucket list, I decided to hit the road a bit earlier. The morning I left, I winds must have picked up, bringing with it hazy skies filled with smoke. It made for a beautiful moody sunrise as I headed south on Highway 97.

Felt like the Kawarthas, just south of Quesnel.

Areas between Quesnel and Williams Lake reminded me a great deal of my home region in the Kawartha. The Cariboo-Chilcotin area has such a diverse range of landscapes, it was truly a joy to drive through it.

Loved this view on Highway 97.

I honestly hadn’t researched a great deal about the landscape, so every bend in the road seemed to offer some kind of new picture worthy moment or scenic vista. I’d love to take a drive through here again, when I have more time.

Welcome to a very smokey, Williams Lake.

The more south I went the more think the smoke appeared. Never did I ever feel in danger, but it was evident that Williams Lake on the precipice of the danger zone. In the weeks prior, this city did face evacuation orders. It was the only place I actually witnessed fire ravaged tree trees from the roadside.

On the outskirts of town, I had the pleasure of seeing 5 deer running out of that charred forest and across the road. I couldn’t help but feel a bit sad for them. It was clear their homes had been destroyed and they were seeking refuge. Highway 97 was not ideal.

Mountains have their allure, but country-side does too. 

Lac-La-Hache, about 45 minutes south of Williams Lake, was probably my favourite spot along Highway 97. I so wished my Dad was with me through this stretch.

Canada or Italy? Surreal beauty in Lac-La-Hache.

The land flattened out and it turned into some stunning farming landscapes. At times, I felt as though I could actually be driving through southern Italy. So incredibly pretty.  I will be back to explore this area one day, for certain, as it’s never quite left my mind.

My dad would have been in his glory here.

It was after this stretch that the smoke got really bad again. To the point that I eventually closed off my car’s external air vent to re-circulate air inside. You could actually start to taste it in the air. I’m sure residents here are used to that smell, but I certainly wasn’t.

  In order to get to Mount Robson, I needed access to BC’s Highway 24, to cut across the region. Luckily, authorities had opened this stretch the week prior, though I couldn’t go any further south of the junction where it met Highway 97 .  I was pretty relieved to make it without any disruptions.

Highway 24 is also known as, “The Fishing Highway”. I was interested to learn it follows the same route once used by fur traders, then supported the transport of over 100,000 gold seekers and is now an important road for logging, ranching and tourism.

Known as “The Fishing Highway”, due to it providing access to over 100 fresh water lakes, it’s a beautiful stretch to drive through. The road itself is higher than I expected, so you’re not driving alongside many of the lakes, but there are some lovely view points along the way.

  The drive across Highway 27 takes about an hour and a half, after which you come to another famous park called Wells Gray, just outside of Clearwater.  Known as Canada’s “Waterfall Park”, it is home to over 39 waterfalls and counting – including this one…

That’s probably a good place for me to leave this post, but stay tuned for more on this stunning park, and why it made me believe that dinosaurs could actually have lived here.

Wild and Found

                Cariboo-Chilcotin: Burnt out in the Land without Limits One would think visiting the Cariboo during the largest forest fire disaster to ever hit the province would be a big mistake.

[gavy19-blog]

The Face Of My Soul / ReIncarnation

“Geiko” a gracious hostess, skilled in the art of conversation,dance, and music…always elegant,always attentive.

Chapter: 09 Wen Hwa, Never Say “Sayonara” To Me

Excruciating was the pain I was feeling in my feet! I could not stop crying. I was told repeatedly that all proper girls had their toes removed through the bounding process. My feet would then look lovely, resembling Lotus blossoms, by the time I became a lady. The gait in my walk would be enticing……but I barely heard these words. I simply could not understand why I was being put through such torture. I had always behaved well. No one ever had to reprimand me. I exceeded in my singing lessons, household chores, and was almost ready to be a Maiko. As the years passed, my hair grew long. It was the envy of the other girls, for its silky blackness framed my porcelain doll like face. Unlike the other women, I wore my hair down, just pulling the two front side strands by my face back, held with a bejeweled butterfly clasp. One day, while strolling over our bridge, I took a close detailed look at where I lived. We were surrounded by mountains. The coastline lay on the other side. Interestingly, we even had tropical weather in some regions. The city was laid out according to the traditional Chinese geomancy, in a grid pattern. For over 1,000 years Kyoto developed. The typical Japanese wooden architecture, with white paneled walls, still visible today in many religious Buddhist temples. Kyoto has been a large contributor to the lovely gardens for which Japanese style is known through out the world. Zen sanctuary gardens. I remember placid lakes. Glowing candles in small stone lighthouses at the mouth of misty rivers, with narrow walkways along their banks. In the Spring time, festivals were held to honor the beautiful bloom of the weeping cherry blossoms. For centuries Kyoto was the commercial and political hub of Nippon. The District I resided in, from the moment I became a Geiko, and my Donna took over my welfare and financial needs, was called: Arashiyama. Han Li, was the handsome Chinese merchant which brought happiness to this young girl. I was lucky in this lifetime, for he was a kind man. He was curious and adventurous. He took me exploring through out the territory. The Arashiyama district and Kyoto in general, had much beauty to offer its residents and visitors. My favorite were the Togetsukyo Bridge, and the musical bamboo groves which whistled, clicked and clacked together when the wind blew through them. We even ventured into limestone caves, armed with lanterns to light our path. The caves were not as dark as I had expected them to be. A relief to me, as I carefully followed Han Li’s men, who walked ahead of me with the lanterns. People from other regions visiting us were amazed at the fishing technique most peculiar to our area. I had naively thought it was a common practice every where, but apparently Ukai was not. Here, our fishermen use the Cormorants.A sleek diving black water bird, who is kept on a leash, so when he dives into the water, he does not swallow the fresh fish. Upon obtaining his catch, the Cormorant stores it in his throat pouch, till prompted to spit it out, whole! That is the reason our Fisherman tie a snare around his slim neck, so he cannot swallow the fish upon grabbing it! These birdies are quite smart! At the end of the expedition, they are given their share of food, for their great work performance. You don’t need a fishing line if you have a Cormorant as a pet😀 For reputation’s sake, Han Li and I had to keep secret the forbidden love we shared, until we were united and moved to another more rural part of the city. With him, I could express myself openly through words, of how I felt. It was I who insisted on always wearing my special Geiko makeup. He actually preferred my face clean and always accessible to his lips( a trait his Soul still desired while in the new body he inhabits in the modern lifetime). We had a keen understanding of each other’s personalities. When I felt like arguing, just for the sake of changing the pace, he would lead the conversation away from the discussion. Han Li would smile and say to me that it was pointless to be out of harmony. He did suffer with bouts of depression, which took a toll on our happy days. Our favorite outing was to the traditional steam baths. We preferred the outdoor lake with flat stones. Han Li never missed an opportunity to incorporate some love making time in what ever activity we engaged. The flat stones made a hard but functional bed. We usually went during the hours most people did not visit, and were busy eating their meals. I would lay stretched out while he sat next to me…. often commenting, what a pleasant surprise it had been the first time he unwrapped my kimono, to see that I had larger breast… compared to other women of this land. Many days I would sit behind him and braid his long black hair which rivaled mine in length and shine. Although I never told him, I enjoyed touching his smooth skin. We had a sweet daughter. Her name is on the tip of my tongue but it breaks my heart to say that I cannot remember it right now as I write this memory clip blog chapter. I only remember her as a child with shoulder length straight black hair, excited to see so many red and white lanterns being hung in the yard, to celebrate her birthday. Maybe LZ( who’s Soul is Han Li’s), will recall her dear name. I remember telling him very excitedly all the details, the morning I had my memory clip. We went to the Japanese Gardens that same day to see if the place and cultural artifacts would trigger more memory clips, and they did!!!! I was able to recognize and correctly identify so many things, that I even amazed myself( which is no easy task :) . That night we went to a restaurant to have dinner, and FATE sat us in a table that had by it a Book with pictures of Japanese gardens and homes, such as I had described. Even confirming the “ debate-able” white panel walls I clearly remembered…. but I digress, Let me get back to my Memory Clip writing 😀 Once a year Han Li would return to China for some months to manage business matters. Dressed in his golden robes, and accompanied by his two man servants, he would travel on horseback, then by sea. Those seasons he was gone, were dark periods for my Soul. Only the Sun each sunrise brightened my spirit, forcing me to get up out of bed after a long lonely night. The first time I said “Sayonara” to him, my eyes over flooded with tears. Hence forth, he requested that I never mention that word to him again. It was too harsh to be spoken between us. Han Li made it a point to teach me Chinese. He stated that goodbye in his native tongue( zai tien), was not so definite a statement. Merchants such as he replaced the aristocrat class after the war. Kyoto is special in so many ways. It has a rich history with multiple revival and prosperous periods. People are enriched by merely living in it, for it abounds in culture and natural beauty.

Lessons Learned: * One of the best ways I have found to remember more details of a past life, once you have a memory clip, Is to visit a place of that culture. Try to identify the artifacts displayed based on your Soul’s inner knowledge, not reading the information posted before hand. Only read it afterwards as a confirmation of your accurateness. * If you are lucky enough to meet a person who has the Soul of someone you knew closely from another life, look into their eyes and let your Soul talk to theirs versus communicating with words which may not be able to express properly the emotions only a Soul can transmit. I wish I would have known this tidbit of information 3 years ago! * Now I know why I love Japanese Gardens and how I intuitively understand many things about Japanese culture, though in this lifetime I have never once visited Japan…. but when I think about Kyoto, it is the same as if I am thinking about my old house in NW Miami, where I grew up, and lived as a little girl. Our Soul does not measure time in days or years…as the physical human does.

Sunday Post Note: I remembered My Daughter's name, it was Ming Sang. I feel so much better now😀

[boneshakerbike]

This post is the fourth in a series called the Team MoBill Story

I distanced myself more and more from Missoula touting it as a lonely place. Even though I had numerous friendships. I was just feeling sorry for myself and leaving town when I could.

When I was home I would blog about my adventures with embedded messages that said, “help I am lonely”. Embedded because I always cherished my solo lifestyle. I didn’t really understand what was going on.

This long ridge looks like it belongs in Oregon or Clifornia

After one such big adventure into Idaho I stopped by the Orange Street Market for some fake bacon. At the time I was unaware that real bacon was good for you. But continuing on with this story I spotted a familiar face. This person did not spot me and before she could escape I yelled out her name, “Mo”! I waived.

Long climbs is where my heart is

What do I say? What do I say? I talked about my recent adventure complete with photos from a iPhone.

“Wow, that is cool”, she said and I glistened with pride.  I felt like a grade schooler showing my crayon drawing to the teacher.

And that was it. That is all I had. Sure I had plenty of questions. But my mind was jumbled. It was all I could do to walk one isle to discuss what I was there for. I grabbed my bacon and ran. I would learn later that I grabbed turkey bacon and that was not a great impression.

Getting Lost

The biggest joy, when I did find it, was riding with my Thursday Night Family. Specially when Mo would show up on her cross bike. This person was so cool. She could ride that cross bike anywhere the group would go. I avoided taking photos because I didn’t want to come off creepy. But then when I stopped for photos of the group going through something like say a creek. And she just happened to be coming by.

Mo joined us on numerous TNR rides

But, if your trying to impress someone don’t just take photos of when they fail. Mo misjudged a creek crossing  and put her foot down. What mountain bikers call a dabble. Darn, just when I thought I would capture her greatness on a bike.

In numerous Thursday night rides we started to chat more and I was trying to figure out a way to show her I was interested. For instance one of my greatest moves was to suggest she partake in the after ride social that TNR is famous for. She agreed one time and I think it was because it involved ice cream. A person after my own heart.

At said ice cream gathering I popped the question.

“So you know Josh, right? Well he is having a party. Did you hear about that?”, I stumbled to get out a cohesive question. They both worked at Adventure Cycling and I knew they might already now each other.

“I am not sure, I don’t think so … that sounds fun”

I quickly blurted, “wanna go?”

“I am not sure, I’ll check my calendar … maybe”

So I gave her the details and we all dissolved back into our lives. I never went to parties. By by damn, I was going to this one.

I emailed Josh about his shin-dig and let him know I asked one of the TNR folks if they wanted to go and if that was OK. I was told that she got an initial invite but never replied.  Just doing my part to bring people together … right? That felt awkward.

At the BBQ I tried to blend in. Social gatherings made me feel quite odd. I grabbed a beer and joined in on a hula hoop contest. I destroyed it. As everyone walked away from my display of endurance whooping I noticed that Mo had indeed shown up.

Again she seemed to be greatly adored by everyone and a jewel of the party. Just like the previous year demonstrating that moonwalk at the holiday party. She engaged in smart conversation and quick puns. Everyone enjoyed her company.

I found three main instances where I inserted myself into the Mo experience.  Once to show a video of my friend playing drums, again with that damn iPhone.

I attempted to talk her into a weekend of riding in the Bitterroot Valley. I was immediately questioned about what time in the morning this be. I suggested a modest 8 am and was told, “good luck with that”. I didn’t press on this issue.

Then with some beer induced conversation about how I should read poetry at my next solo 24 hour race, you know, to pass time. I agreed to do that. And the party dissolved. I went home and thought about missed opportunities. The next day I rode all day in the Bitterroot.

Fresh off a win in Spokane …

I never read poetry at the Spokane race. I got so caught up in winning it that I forgot. Then I won another race in Rapeljie. And of course my good luck rolled into a new Job in Bozeman. Life was looking up. Opportunities abound.

The entire group that I would be missing someday

The crew making their way to the top of Mount Sentinal loaded up with party supplies

My friends

My TNR family threw me a going away party on top of Sentinel. As the toasts were given I did not show a lot of holding back the tear endurance. I started to realize what I was leaving behind and how much I actually was a part of people’s lives here.  Was I making a mistake?

Really regretting taking a job in another town at this point

And Mo was there. I found some time to catch up on her adventures and the news that she was buying a new mountain bike. I talked merits of full suspension and gave some advice. She told me about places to go in Bozeman that were cool. As I walked with Lydia back down to the trailhead Mo stopped by on her cross bike.

“Just wanted to say goodbye”, she said and then rode down the hills.

I turned to Lydia, “Am I making a mistake”?

She didn’t answer.

Seriously though, what WAS I doing? Why was I running away from the very town that gave me so much happiness. Too late now. I needed to grow up and get that good job. Make some money. Pay off some bills. And focus on the new opportunity.

The van is all packed

Moving out … I loved this apartment

And I moved. Just like that my interests in Missoula banished. The new life was in front of me. But first, one more stop at the Bridge Pizza. To get my favorite slice. And wouldn’t you know it?  I ran into Mo again … moments before leaving town. I flagged her down for some small talk. Then I drove away with tears welling up in my eyes. And it started to rain. It felt more like a funeral.

As I leave Missoula there were signs that I was making a great mistake

Team MoBill Part 4 – Encounters This post is the fourth in a series called the Team MoBill Story I distanced myself more and more from Missoula touting it as a lonely place.

[jenamaen]

IloIlo: The Philippines' City of Love

Jaro Belfry at Jaro, Iloilo City

Some travels are triggered by the innate wanderlust in a person. There are those that are work related with no fun included. And there are those that are enkindled by the desire to comfort someone in deep distress. I was reminded by an article that I read awhile ago about the alternative, or I should say, the main reason certain travel should mean to a person. It is so true that while we are going and visiting beautiful places to fulfill our burning desires to conquer the world, it is also true that we are losing the real essence of exploring an area.  As a person, there is always that aspiration is us to be an inspiration to others, to motivate others with our own stories and adventures. This time around, travel should not just be about visiting historical places, shopping for unique finds, or selfie-taking in a picturesque landscape. Going on a mission trip, traversing mountains to reach indigenous people and offer gifts they don't expect, or simply going to an orphanage and hand out presents to little kids who need love. Those are trips that give us more sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in life while making our travels more meaningful in a sense. One trip that prompted me to evaluate my intentions for travels is this: Paying a visit to a friend afar off who lost a loved one. It might sound boring and uneventful, which I thought so myself before going. But having known this family for so long, I just couldn't bear the idea of not paying a visit. Their son passed on to another life, so young and so unexpected.

Grief Unexpected

Jan 7, 2017 12:00 AM Having just arrived from a long day at the amusement park, my sister and I hustle off to get our stuff ready for a flight to Iloilo City at 4:20 AM. Our companions, my pastor, his daughter, and a wife from church, arrive at our house soon after. They wait for a little while, as we pack and print out tickets which we purchased just hours earlier. This has been an unexpected trip, so everything was rushed. We don't even bother to book a hotel since we know our pastor already took care of that. 6:00 AM At around this time, we are in Iloilo City already, with so much eye bags as well as anticipation to visit the family. We wait for the pastor's friends to pick us up and we drive off to the hotel to check in our luggage. 9:00 AM We stop at a local restaurant, favorite for its old-time 'Chicken Inasal' and we eat a-plenty for breakfast. We chat and they catch up as we savor the traditional Ilonggo cuisine. 10:00 AM Almost an hour away from Iloilo City town proper, we arrive at the Monte Claro's place in Miag-ao where the wake is being held. As soon as we step in, Mrs. Flores, the child's mother, comes out and hug us, as tears flow down her cheeks. In an instant, memories of my sister's agony on her own child's death come through my mind, and I couldn't help but shed a few tears of my own. In a few hours, the body will be buried, and we will say our final goodbye to the remains of a childhood churchmate and friend. 2:00 PM We assemble at the church building nearby to start the service. Eulogy to be given and special thanks to those who attended. Special numbers and final picture taking with the love ones will be held as a final adieu to the boy. Seeing the casket at the center of the church reminds me so much of my little nephew's funeral service where I found myself shedding so many uncontrollable tears. The cause of both their death is so similar that I could not help but wonder again why God do such terrible things like this to these faithful people. 3:00 PM We start to head out of the church for the procession to the graveyard. When we arrive, another mini service is held as we bid our final goodbye. I listen and observe as the family tries to control their tears in front of friends and family members. There's no denying the fact that this is a lot harder than losing a less than a year old baby. This boy was 16 when he passed away, so memories with him have already been gathered - which would be harder to forget, especially for the family. I can't even begin with that. I hug the mother and the daughter, feeling their grief as I hide mine. Nonetheless, they try to remain put together because they know that their son is now in good hands with God.

Hospitality Accepted

Jan 8, 2017  There has been no problem so far. Last night, we were treated to dinner by my pastor's old friends at a nice restaurant where flavourful foods were served. Today, we went to church to have Sunday service with same friends. It was interesting to observe how close these people still are. The older they get, their bond seems to get even stronger. I guess that's how old Ilonggo culture affected their relationship. That even through their offsprings, the friendship remains. Hospitality is more substantial here as well, with beso-beso as their respectful greetings to everyone. After church, we were invited at one of these friends' house for a visit and see the new baby in their family. I sat there, observing and smiling at how courteous and admirably soft spoken these people are compared to the uproarious Batangenous I have been used to hearing. They can easily transition to a proper American English without changing much of their accent and intonation. Which to me, is really quite impressive.

History Abounding

Jan 9, 2017 

Jaro Church

The next day, we only had half the day to spend before my companions head back home to Lipa. We had the chance to go around town to view some historical buildings still existing. Back at Miag-ao, we passed by the Miag-ao Church - a Unesco World Heritage Site known for its Baroque-Romanesque architectural style which served as a defense tower against invaders. Although we didn't have time to stop and look around, the facade was already too captivating to miss. Read for More Info: The Baroque Fortress Church of Iloilo: Miag-ao

Restored Molo Mansion

Handcrafted Goods courtesy of Kultura

More goods courtesy of Kultura

Alfresco snacks area at the gardens of Molo Mansion

Today, we stopped by Molo Mansion. Erected in the 1920s by the Yusay-Consing Heritage, this mansion was said to be destined for the wrecking ball. But, upon the finding the historical value of the building, it was bought and restored by a private developer, SM Land Inc. It now served as a tourist destination, with local goods and delicacies being sold inside, facing another historical landmark, the St. Anne's Church - a gothic-inspired cathedral.

Sipping a cup of Hot Choco made from Tablea with Tsokolatera and Batirol

After spending a few snapshots at the Molo Mansion, we entered Camiña Balay nga Bato - another heritage house that was built in the 19th century that combines gastronomy and antiquity. With its age-long design and structure with the ambiance of real Spanish-era, it's really a walk back in time. It's amazing to me how the locals respect their ancestors by preserving what's really theirs, and it really portrays how they love their culture by sharing it with other people.

Stairs made at almost 45-degree angle to keep invaders out and so that the person going up will have to stoop forward as a sign of respect to the Illustrados (the wealthy owner of house)

Antiquities and other stuff inside Camina Balay nga Bato.

Mememntos and photographs passed down from generations.

Tsokolatera and batirol traditionally used in making a cup of hot chocolate that comes out smooth and thick

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I've only seen the city proper thus far. But from what I have gathered from this trip made me realize that with the warm and approachable way of the people in Iloilo City, the generosity they shew us and the love and respect they have for the history of their place, it's no wonder it has been dubbed The Philippines' City of Love. Indeed, just look at the map, and you'll notice that it does look like its the Heart of the Philippines.

--=o=--

TIPS AND TRICKS

Don't forget to try the La Paz Batchoy, Deco's or Ted's - both originally from La Paz, Iloilo City.

Do check out all the historical churches. You will be amazed at their grandeur.

Do check out all the historical houses as well. It's their heritage, and they are worth seeing.

Do notice the difference in their cuisine, which the locals said are typically sweet and spicy. 

Do try their Bibingka. I was amazed at the difference it has from the ones they have in the North. 

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