#her Jinx is the inspiration and my primary jinx

[movedtoferinehuntress]

PREPPING THE SPECIAL TEA PARTY GUEST

Trigger Warnings: This is written with implied notes of cannibalism that something Jinx would do, as well as references of indirect visualizations of sexual harassment and invasion of privacy. Ultimately, this is a VERY DARK AND HORROR INDUCED THEME and twisted scene before the tea party, where Jinx takes out her anger on the person she believes is stealing her sister. It has graphic written displays of violence and mutilation as well as hallucinations and bodily autonomy stripped away.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Jinx is inspired and written based on @shimmerbeasts Jinx.

Caitlyn’s eyes struggled to open past the ache of irritation of the impact on her head. Disorientation blinded her vision as she shook her head to reset her mindset. Slowly, she lifted her head and pressed it against the back of the wall. The entire area felt humid and damp as she focused on piecing together what had happened and where she currently sat. Cerulean eyes opened up as she forced herself to push past the strain and catch her bearing. The sooner she could accomplish her focus, the better off she would be. Rusted old rubble covered the entire zone. The insufficient sliver of light that filtered through showed flakes of age over metal and dirt, and cobwebs in the corners of spaces. Despite decrepit age, not a sound came from the abandoned warehouse, adding an ominous, eerie silence. It was then she could smell of stagnation and mustiness of the residue dirt. The rubble against her back sent a chill down her spine as she lifted away. Damp coldness chilled her bare skin, registering her nudity.

The only sight of color was the pinkish purple veins weaving and twisting around the rubble. Small veins reflected the moonlight that filtered through the abandoned warehouse. Like an old wound that still lived, pulsing with a slight purple flash from time to time, something that reminded her of the growth upon Husk’s head. Living, thriving in this worn space as if nothing could kill the virus within its roots.

A groan left Caitlyn’s lips, still trying to gather her bearing, when the memory flashed through her mind. Purple eyes; demeaned and twisted a glimmer of white as fangs flashed in the mirror. She lunged for her door to get her weapon (placed in her bedroom) but then it filled with gas. Pungent and strong, bitter against her nose as she tried to cover it. Nothing kept the fumes from filling her senses and it caused her to stumble and pass out. The memory flashed through her memory and caused Caitlyn’s eyes to widen.

“Dammit,” Caitlyn whispered, as she tried to move her wrist to the side to get up. Moving her head from the wall, she looked down to see her wrist bound with rope. She hissed in displeasure and twisted her wrist, only to rub against the harsh, unyielding hemp rope. Another set coiled over her arms and around her waist, tight enough that she couldn’t pull them up, and any movement caused the thick rope to scrap against bare arms. Any means of escape required a tool as Caitlyn scanned her surroundings. “Shit,” she whispered as she noted the same wrap encircled her ankles, but enough that she wouldn’t be running soon. It took all her willpower to muster down the alarm as she tried to access a way to get free. She examined her surroundings, pulling her legs back, and looked to her side to find a jagged piece of metal. A glint of one caught her eye, and she leaned down to grab it with her hand. Careful movements allowed her to twist it around and cut through the thick rope.

Rapid eye movement continued to scan the room, sharp eagle vision trying to find the one who did this. Her hands worked as quickly as she could, though with her position it was hard to handle the metal against the rope. It didn’t stop her though, as she just steadily worked at trying to get out of the restrictive position. Despite the humidity, chills nipped at Caitlyn’s naked flesh, as she jerked at a sound. Her eyes focused on the distance. Stone bounced on the ground but it was the flash of purple that made her suddenly look up. The eerie tone echoed in the room, bouncing off the walls like an echo. Rumbling guttural echoes caused a rush of terror, like a piece of meat being stalked by whatever demon lurked in the shadows. The vocalizations caused a whimper to leave Caitlyn’s lips involuntarily as she tried to cut faster and deeper into the rope. A sudden flash of blue and ripped the metal shard from her hand and thrown to the side. “Like I let you go that easy, enforcer,” the dark tone left the lips of the woman before her. “Jinx!” Caitlyn nearly shrieked, as she tried to push herself up against the way as sharp nails gripped at her jaw before slamming her into the ground. “We’ve barely even begun to have any fun,” The words echoed through Caitlyn’s ears though her head throbbed from the impact to the ground. The voice was distant at first, but then a steel toe boot met contact with her abdomen.

It caused all the air to rush out of her lungs and nausea hit her as quickly as her steel-toed boot did. Adrenaline flooded her system and cut off her ability to process or think. She curled into a fetal position, gasping for air as the effects stunned her for the second. The bitter taste of bile flooded her mouth as she continued to struggle to breathe. Pain erupted through her body now that she could recognize it after being blinded by the impact. Gasps of breath turned into a cough as tears pricked at the corner of her eyes from the anguish of pain. “Shit,” she finally sputtered out, pulling the air into her lungs as she fought against the ropes.

Fingers threaded through her blue hair, streaks of silver pulled alongside as she forced her to look up at her captor and glared through her glassy eyes. “What do you want?” Caitlyn tried to show defiantly, but it came out choked through her pained abdomen.

“You, dead.” Bitter words left her lips as Jinx pulled harder. The follicles at the base of her skull stung as Caitlyn gritted her teeth together, trying not to cry out in pain. “Then get on with it!” Caitlyn demanded, because she knew if Jinx wanted her dead, she would have already been dead when she broke into her house. There was something more here, something worse. A part of Caitlyn didn’t want to know as she tried this shift closer toward Jinx’s hand that pulled roughly against her hair. The predator’s other hand grabbed her jaw, forcing Caitlyn to stare at her. Shimmer infused eyes, eyes Caitlyn had never seen on Jinx before till now, bore into her with deadly intent. “And make it easy on you? No… you suffer first,” Nail-like claws bit against Caitlyn’s jaw, digging into her flesh and threatening to cut through. “I would cut up that face of yours, but I need Vi to see it. I need her to know who you are, so for now, you get to keep it; because I say so,” Jinx sneered, before letting go of Caitlyn’s hair and face as the she-wolf straddled Caitlyn’s stomach and her hand wrapped around her throat. Caitlyn’s eyes were full of fear now, as she shook her head to move away from the hands latching around her throat like a maw of teeth. Her feet kicked out as Jinx flipped a knife in her hand.

An earth shattering scream ripped through Caitlyn’s lips as the blade hit the wound on her left thigh. It cut through flesh and muscle and tissue, making the wound worse than it already had been from the bridge incident weeks ago. Tears streamed down her face as a fog passed over her eyes again, struggling desperately to pull on her hands to push Jinx away. Yet past the fog, she could see Jinx with a demented fanged grin staring down at her. Her body leaned closer, too close for Caitlyn’s liking as she tried to pull away from her. A bristled tongue brushed against her jaw and up her cheek to lick at her tears that fell from her eyes. Delight played in the loose cannon’s eyes, which caused Caitlyn to fight once more. “GET OFF!” she shouted, screaming past the pain as Jinx twisted the bloody blade in her hand. “I wonder what you taste like, hmm, Cupcake?”

The word instantly caused Caitlyn to freeze, as her breathing became rapid against her chest. Like a rapid river rushing through the ravine, all she could do was try to process what she just said. “How…” Jinx’s hands tightened around Caitlyn’s throat to silence her and cut off her air supply. “Like I didn’t know the infection you bled into my sister! She can only give nicknames to me!” The threat of no oxygen thumped against her might when Jinx let her throat go and she gasped back air once more. “But I’ll show Vi. I’ll show her just what kind of infection you are. You play the Zaunite, try to look like a Zaunite, but you’re nothing more than a Piltie, invading everything you touch. No, I’ll show her,” Jinx grinned, as she stood up and stared down at Caitlyn, eyes flicking over her entire body like a piece of meat. Caitlyn tried to cover herself up, feeling exposed and humiliated in her position as she struggled with the rope that now rubbed at her flesh and turned her ivory skin red from all the movements.

“Leave Vi out of this! This is between you and me!” Caitlyn shouted, her defiance kicking in. Instinct took over to protect Vi. It’s not like she knew she was here. Vi had left her on the steps of the council hall. The echoing memory still pained her; she knew Vi didn’t mean what she said. Everything pointed to Vi closing up, pushing Caitlyn away. It wasn’t the first time it had happened. She had done it several times before, and the draw of the hood was a protective measure. Whatever Vi was feeling, it twisted and turned and caused Vi to push everyone away. Bearing this weight on her own. Still, Caitlyn didn’t blame her; she had plans to go after her this morning if not for Jinx’s interference. But then the prickling fear ebbed away at her heart: it wasn’t just Vi who wouldn’t know. It included Jayce, her mother and father, and Viktor. None of them even knew she was missing! The sudden realization that no one would look for her sent dread coursing through her veins and the truth through her mind. She was going to die here.

Caitlyn’s outburst only angered the blue-braided Zaunite, as Jinx struck out with a hand and backhanded Caitlyn across the cheek. It left a pain echoing against her skin as she reached up and grabbed Caitlyn’s hair and dragged her against the ground. “I should sow that mouth shut, I know how to,” Darken words left Caitlyn pulling on her wrist again. “Ah! OW!” cries of pain ripped through her lips as she kicked out her feet. Uselessly, she tried to lift her head up to Jinx’s hand as her hair was like a rope to drag Caitlyn across the ground. She easily wrangled the woman as rock and stone scraped and cut against Caitlyn’s backside, leaving little tiny knicks with barely a droplet of blood sprouting from the spots.

“What does my sister see in you anyway, you’re too soft and fleshy,” Jinx sounded as if she talked more to herself then to Caitlyn despite her presence being there as Jinx dropped her back down to the ground and a grunt left her lips. The pain of her thigh dulled enough as Jinx put her foot on Caitlyn’s hip and shoved her over to lie on her stomach. That caused Caitlyn’s arms to be pinned down against the ground as she kicked her feet like a flopping fish. She growled angrily, trying to push back as Jinx dropped unceremoniously on top of her back, causing her spine to crack a few times and knocked the air from her lungs. She crossed her legs and pressed a hand against her shoulder blades, forcing Caitlyn down further as she twisted her head to look over her shoulder. “Dammit Jinx! Get the fuck off of me!” Irrational anger gripped the former-enforcer, her adrenaline pumping faster causing a mass production of hormones that steamed all in her anger and covering up the fear she experienced. Fingers brushed over her shoulders, playing with the iridescent blue feathers. And then suddenly Jinx pulled on out. Caitlyn flinched, not out of pain but discomfort as the sensation coursed through the nerves. A giggle echoed and then another pluck came, and then soon one after another. Dread coursed through Caitlyn’s chest, burning against her shoulders as her feathers spread and fluff up, matching the fear and trying to look bigger than she was. Each pull of a feather made her twist and turn, as she tightened her eyes shut, trying not to think about what Jinx was doing; taking away the physical protection to herself but also destroying a part of herself. A hiss left her lips when claws gripped into the back of her neck and Jinx slammed her harder against the ground.

“Stop trying to sound like a Zaunite! You're not one, you fucking Piltie. You don’t even deserve these feathers. Trying to look like an animal, trying to mimic our ways. Liar.” The words dripped like poison, stinging at Caitlyn’s chest as she suddenly felt a flood of discomfort as Jinx’s hand wrapped around a bundle of feathers and ripped them out. Her nails scraped against sensitive flesh underneath the feathers as she kicked her feet. No one had not touched the burns in months; the feathers had done their job to protect her from any kind of sensation. Another giggle left Jinx’s lips as she leaned downward to whisper into Caitlyn’s ear. “Oh, did that hurt little birdie?” The question came as Caitlyn bared her teeth, her eyes flicking over her shoulder with no words. Nails still pressed against her neck, keeping her down against the ground as claws dragged against her burns and Caitlyn shuddered, a cry of anguish. “Well, first we have to clip the wings, and then…” Jinx’s voice went quiet as Caitlyn struggled when Jinx pressed a finger against her shoulder blade.

“What is this?” The vitriolic tone cracked as Caitlyn tried to shift her shoulder upward, refusing to answer. “ANSWER ME!” Jinx shoulder as she pulled Caitlyn up by the neck and slammed her head down against the ground. Spotted fluttered against her eyes, a slight abrasion against her temple as she growled before speaking. “A fucking tattoo,” Caitlyn demanded, as she could feel jinx’s nails tracing along the violet flowers, but it wasn’t a delighted sensation. The claws dragged over her skin, digging in harder before Jinx let out a yell and claws ripped through Caitlyn’s flesh around her tattoo. Caitlyn screamed, kicking at her feet as she heard the wild woman screaming.

“YOU MARK YOUR SKIN WITH MY SISTER’S NAME! YOU THINK YOU CAN CLAIM HER BY PUTTING A TATTOO ON YOUR BACK! WELL, I’LL SHOW YOU!” The sudden volatile wave of emotions slammed into Caitlyn’s chest. It burned, like fire and ice combined, charring at the edges of her chest, freezing her fingertips. She couldn’t properly block any emotions, and the sudden wave of madness and frenzy overtook her mental capacity as she shook her head. “IT’S NOT ABOUT VI!” Caitlyn shouted, because it was the truth. Her tattoo had been personal, involving the flowers of violets within her garden. A place of safety and comfort.

Now her tattoo enraged the shimmer monster on her back.

“LIAR!” Nails dug into Caitlyn’s tattoo, through her flesh and skin, as Jinx kept them there. “Shut up!” Jinx shouted, as Caitlyn looked confused at first, the way the woman shouted. Jinx wasn’t looking down at her, but this time in the corner. “I’m busy! No, No I’m not going to kill her! Not yet anyway! Would you shut it!” Her nails dug deeper into Caitlyn’s shoulder as she shuddered with a cry of torment. Blood seeped from the wound, scatter across her back like a branching stream of rivers, twisting as they slid down her skin.

The nails pulled from her shoulder and from her neck as the weight left her body. Freedom. Caitlyn turned past the spots of her eyes, seeing Jinx walking away muttering to herself. Immediately, Caitlyn twisted back around and wiggled like a worm, trying to move toward anything she could use to break free. Her bottom lip pressed between her teeth, biting down so hard she might draw blood. The movement of her body rolling left-to-right put pressure on her thigh and it burned like a fire. Still, she persisted, refusing to just lay here and expose her belly to let Jinx murder her. Even if Caitlyn felt the impending doom of death on her doorstep, she wouldn’t give up. The infinitesimal ability Caitlyn had to stop Jinx didn’t matter; she would make her work for this.

Shards of glass glistened against the light that filtered through from the candles that were lit. She could see a small glimmer of light near a doorway, the sunlight from outside. A hint of freedom that Caitlyn desperately yearned to reach. Each roll, each wiggle, yet still too far from the glass. She just needed to work a little harder, and…

“Where do you think you’re going?” Jinx laughed, as she reached down to grab Caitlyn’s ankles and whipped her around onto her back. “No no no, you sneaky little bitch,” Caitlyn yowled in anger as she kicked her feet against Jinx’s side and the Zaunite only seemed to revel in the antics of Caitlyn’s fight. The fear pulsated off of Caitlyn like perfume, and the loose cannon enjoyed every second of the struggle. “Get your spirit forsaken hands off of me NOW!” Each word constantly felt like the droning of a broken record. Caitlyn knew Jinx would not listen and yet she couldn’t do anything else but fight back with her words. Bloodshot eyes stared up in anger and fear at the woman who dragged her across the ground. Writhing like a worm on a hook, Caitlyn tried to resist, to pull away, but Jinx had the upper hand. A predator playing with her prey as she dropped Caitlyn’s legs.

Fingers grabbed Caitlyn’s shoulders and picked her up, her eyes round like a moon and unsure of what Jinx planned, when she twirled her around like a ballerina doll and shoved against a table. Her chest pressed down against the cold metal and Jinx’s body pressed flushed behind her. Hips against her rear, as Caitlyn shook her head. It was an invasion of her privacy, too close for comfort. Immediately Caitlyn tried to force herself up, to get away from the angle of the position, but Jinx grabbed her neck and shoved her back down against the table. “Please, keep fighting. It’ll only make the kill more delicious,” Jinx purred, leaning over as Caitlyn shuddered. “You fucking psychopath!!” Caitlyn snapped as she felt Jinx’s body pressed firmly against her clammy skin. Jinx’s teeth scraped against her ear, nipping roughly at it, and she heard a guttural purr. “I prefer... creative,” Jinx taunted, and then grabbed a leather strap. The weight disappeared for a moment, only to feel the pressure of a belt bound to her hips. The leather strap locked her hips into place, keeping her from moving off of the table. Her wrist pinned against her stomach left her helpless to reach the strap.

“What are you doing!?” Caitlyn questioned immediately, fear dripping from her tongue as she had no form of defense and no ability to stop Jinx at this moment. Another strap came up, this time pressing up against her neck and pulled tight, barely just enough to breathe without choking. “I’m working! Can’t have my masterpiece moving and ruin the artwork,” Jinx muttered as she pressed a hand against Caitlyn’s spine.

A scream echoed from Caitlyn’s lips as suddenly the blade bit into Caitlyn’s skin, pressing firmly as it sliced through her skin like butter. Her feet tried to kick, flailing underneath her with no luck to hinder the demonic woman as she began her process. “JINX!! DAMMIT!” Caitlyn screamed, shaking her chest, pulling at her hips, unable to get away from her trapped position on the table. All the while, she listened to Jinx humming as she worked. The way the blade moved caused spots to fill her eyes, sparkled dust like little floating firelights in her eyes. Tears continued to stream down her cheeks, with screams of anguish at the blade didn’t stop. Worse of all was the etching turn of the blade, the framing of the monkey face against her shoulder blade as realization dawned on Caitlyn. “NO! NO!” she howled, kicking her feet harder as she shook her head. The rush of adrenaline twisted in Caitlyn’s stomach, feeling nauseous as the pain continued to rip against her skin, tearing up her ivory skin back. “Dammit, you moved! Stop moving or you’ll mess this up,” Jinx muttered in annoyance as Caitlyn nearly roared like a tiger.

“I WILL NOT!” Seconds blended into minutes, and minutes into an hour. The blade continued to slice across her skin, each twist cutting something new. Caitlyn had lost a sense of reality. Tremors echoed against Caitlyn’s body, unable to stop the natural reflexes against the physical assault on her back. Each time the blade cut in, a shuddering cry of pain echoed her lip, but her throat grew sore from the screaming that it turned into sudden shrieks or shrills that died down into sobs. Sweat drenched her skin, as the warmth of blood pooled over her back, dripping down the sides of her waist and off her neck. She intimately could feel the contrast of warm vitality against her shivering, cold skin. Her vision clouded, hyperventilating breaths making it hard to catch her breath. Caitlyn wasn’t sure what Jinx wrote, but she had finished with her shoulder and had gone to write a series of words against her entire back. The spine had been the worse of the event. It felt like a constant burning fire that didn’t dull.

Tears stained her cheeks as she laid there weakly, unable to pass out. Spirits preserved, she wanted to pass out, Jinx could continue to mark up her back, but at least she would not be awake to feel it. Her eyes flicked up, noticing a brief glimmer in the distance. A hint of red, soft. Her eyes watched the way it twisted, forming the broad shoulders and the magenta hair that shined against the sun. The body twisted like a smoke before slowly showing a visage. Vi.

No, Caitlyn knew it wasn’t her, and yet, all she could do was a hesitant smile before collapsing into a puddle of tears again. “I can’t...” she whispered, as the brush of a callous hand touched her cheek. “Come on, Cupcake, don’t give up. You didn’t give up before, you can’t do so now,” Tender words, a person who believed in her, even when everyone else didn’t. “You aren’t here,” If Jinx heard her talking, she didn’t seem to care, only focused on her work at hand as Caitlyn shuddered and cried out again. “I’m here, right here,” Spirits, how Caitlyn wanted to believe that. She latched onto it, despite knowing she wasn’t truly there; it was the only strand of hope she had at the moment to keep from begging Jinx to stop. She didn’t want to give her that satisfaction, and she knew that Jinx wouldn’t stop, anyway. A soft whimsical song rang in her ears as Vi brushed her hand against Caitlyn’s cheek again, and she laid there on the table, unable to do much else but try to stay alive. Jinx’s bristled tongue once more dragged over her body. This time, Caitlyn shuddered from the exposed wound and pain as it dragged up her neck and up against her face. Her saliva clung to her skin, coated it and her hair clung to it. “Mhmm… Vi is right. You do taste sweet like a cupcake. Maybe a little bite..hmm not yet, not yet,” Jinx tormented and Caitlyn thought her heart nearly beat right out of her chest. If Jinx wanted to, she literally could take a bite right out of her and there was nothing she could do! The malicious demon of a woman sent shards of fear throughout her body, losing every hint of autonomy she had. Jinx controlled her movement, her placement. She tried to fight, but it was little more than a fight of a mouse against a cat.

Something soft brushed against her back, when she noticed Jinx laying her head down against the table, a smooth, pristine smile over her lips, shimmer infused eyes gleaming, almost glowing in the darker room. A shudder coursed over her back when she realized it was a feather over her back. Jinx pulled it down over her shoulder, using the blood like paint and using her body like a canvas. Caitlyn was too weak to resist. She wanted to fall asleep, but the atmosphere could not let her rest. Her nerves screamed with fury as Jinx played with her food. Jinx mutilated her back and now ridiculed her with playful glee. Blue hair clung to Caitlyn’s face, obscured her vision with only the smokey visual of Vi sitting on the table trying to block the view of Jinx.

What time was it? How many minutes had passed? Or perhaps hours? Her mind dissociated with her body, fighting to preserve her mind past the excruciating anguish she suffered. Continuous shakes throbbed through her muscles and the unpleasant brush of the feather made her flinch each time. No physical fight came from Caitlyn and instead exhaustion burned her muscles. Eyes fluttered shut when the sting of a slap hit her cheek. “Don’t go to sleep yet, Kiramman. We haven’t even gotten to the best part!” Jinx chuckled as she bounced up, her revelry contrasting Caitlyn’s defeat. The sound of the buckles ripped off and Caitlyn’s body slid off the table and hit the floor. Jinx didn’t even try to catch her, instead watched with intense delight. The more Caitlyn suffered, the more she noticed Jinx’s elated behavior growing. A grunt of pain left her lips, unable to even scream out anymore as she laid down on the floor. Fight! Her mind whispered as Vi crouched down and reached over to grab her hand. “Fight, Cupcake,” Vi echoed the same words of her mind, as if working in tandem with her thoughts.

How?

“Vi,” Caitlyn’s voice cracked as Jinx hauled Caitlyn up and threw her over her shoulder. “Janna, I’m going to put a muzzle on you, shut that mouth up from saying her name,” Jinx hissed, her nails digging into Caitlyn’s legs as she weakly tried to pull away. “Fuck off,” her words spat, the tiny fight left as a little echoing voice encouraged her. “That’s it, Cupcake. Fight!” Her body convulsed as she was unceremoniously dropped into a wheelchair, as she cried in pain as her back pressed up against the metal. “I’m so tired of your words, and besides, you don’t look like an enforcer enough,” Jinx said, as she reached over to the table as Caitlyn turned her head to look over. Against it was clothing. An enforcer dress, her gloves and books, and just as Jinx declared, a muzzle.

“No, No!” Caitlyn tried to turn her head, to pull on her bloody wrist that was now raw from struggling the last few hours, but Jinx gave her no choice. A giddy laughter left the loose cannon as the muzzle pressed against her face as Caitlyn shook her head. “Muzzled like the mutt you are. That’s all enforcers are - mad dogs who need to be put down.” The strap went around her head, as Jinx pulled it tight, so tightly that it bit into her skin as she shook her head like a wild animal. “MFFH!” Caitlyn cried with tears she didn’t think she had left seeped from her eyes, staining her cheeks. The wild woman sat on Caitlyn’s bare lap as she grabbed her face and turned it left and right.

“You’re missing something…” She hummed as Caitlyn stared transfixed on the demon, her shimmer eyes glowing with excitement. Caitlyn noticed Jinx’s lips were still painted red from her own blood, and it dribbled down her chin from when she licked and tasted her pooled blood on her back as she picked up a marker and twisted it in her hand. She grabbed Caitlyn’s chin as she quivered, while the woman dragged the marker over the muzzle, pressing the paint up against her cheeks. She didn’t have to see the makeshift smile painted over her lips, like some twisted mannequin enjoying this behavior. Jinx threw the marker over her shoulder as she twisted Caitlyn’s head left and right. “I really don’t see what my sister sees in you. Ugh,” Jinx rolled her head, throwing Caitlyn’s head to the side as she climbed off of her and Caitlyn struggled. “Effh offh,” Caitlyn muttered, but her voice had been silence. She pulled on her wrist, the pressure of the muzzle more acute to her skin as her fingers flexed out, trying to claw at the mask. “Oh well, my sister will always choose me in the end. I know her. She won’t choose an enforcer. Why would she?” Jinx chatted to herself as she reached for the knife and Caitlyn panicked with what little energy she had left, but then Jinx put it back down.

Tightness wheeled in her chest, as she leaned her head forward, her hair cascading around her face to hide the fear as she silently sobbed. Jinx had ripped her autonomy from her grasp and she felt like an object at Jinx’s hand. Part of a twisted plan against Vi, and she didn’t even know what it was. And now she couldn’t even talk. The muzzle left her jaw clamped together, with only muffled tones like a whimpering animal. “It won’t be much longer,” Jinx grinned as she grabbed Caitlyn’s face, forcing her bloodshot eyes to look up at her. “Just know you will make a delicious feast for me and my sister. At least you’ll have some use. Can’t let good meat go to waste,” Jinx taunted, as Caitlyn’s eyes went wide at the flash of fangs as Jinx licked at her lips and her teeth. “Efhf!” Caitlyn tried to say something back, but she couldn’t, which left her terror the only thing to hang onto now. No words of defiance, no way to fight back. Sheer horror held Caitlyn now and Jinx reveled in this ultimate position.

Hands suddenly wrapped around Caitlyn’s throat as Caitlyn’s muffled scream echoed through the halls. “Why use gas when I can knock you out this way?” Jinx laughed maniacally as her fingers tightened around her throat, nails digging against her skin and pricking at her throat. Little droplets of blood seeped from her skin, but Caitlyn didn’t acknowledge that. Instead, it was the air that was choked from her throat. She pulled on her wrist, flexing her hands as she couldn’t breathe. The more she tried to, the tighter Jinx’s grip became. “I need to dress you and as much as I enjoy the fight, I have other party guests to invite!” The feline kept her bite tight with her hands, as Caitlyn’s eyes were wide in terror. No air went to her lungs as she saw sparkling spots again, filtering through her vision as she kicked her feet. The woman pushed down harder against her throat. A high-pitched giggle emitted through Jinx’s teeth. Caitlyn’s visions muddied as she grappled to get oxygen to her lungs. From the physical exhaustion of the torture to her mental capacity, it only took less than a minute to fall unconscious from the loss of oxygen and being choked by the she-wolf.

The last thing she remembered was her shimmer eyes, a demonic glint of satisfaction over the control she held, and the giggling laughter of a maniac that held her life in the balance.

[calciumcryptid]

DC OC | Regina 'Galaxia' Vincent

I'm actually kind of nervous to post this because this will be the first oc I've posted in a long time that is shipped with a (sort-of) canon character, but @insomniac-jay constant oc creation has inspired me revamp my first ever DC OC made for the 2000s Teen Titans animated series.

Regina Vincent, real and codename Galaxia, is a former member of the Fearsome Five and a villain who often opposes Starfire and Raven.

Galaxia is a Draconian, an alien race of humanoid dragons who answer to a singular queen. As a hatchling of the queen's brood, she was born with incredible abilities relating to space and was trained from a young age to be a great warrior.

However, Galaxia grew immensely powerful and the queen feared she'd challenge her for the throne so she was sent to research Earth as her mother hoped to conquer the planet one day and claim it for their home planet, Drak. While on Earth, she ran into the Fearsome Five who upon recognizing her power offered her a spot among them. Seeing it as a good way to test her strength against Earth's inhabitants, she accepted.

She served as a major enemy to the first iteration of the Teen Titans, but constant arguing with Jinx over leadership caused her to leave the group. She went off on her own, continuing to collect data as she traveled Earth. As she traveled, killing anyone who got in her way, her name spread among the villains and villain organizations with many vying for her membership. Unfortunately for them, she only showed interest in temporary partnerships and never stayed around for long.

She is paired with a personal adaptation of Billy Numerous from the 2000s Teen Titans series), meeting the country asshole when they were part of the Fearsome Five together. While initially uninterested, he later endeared himself to her starting their romantic relationship.

She is a primary rogue of Starfire and Raven, often crossing paths with them and having intergalactic and magic disputes.

[the-grove]

Meeting the Grove!

Alright so here is your guide to the Grove!

Rosie(she/her or fae/faer)- Rosie is the closest thing we have to our original host. She is a non binary trans girl who associated her gender with the fae. She likes to consider herself a sort of fey spirit often in the image of a Pixie or a Gnome. Fae likes to write and read poetry.

Mima Melonbun(she/her) originally a pathfinder character, when she retired from the game. We found her still with us in our headspace. She is demisexual. She is a halfling baker and cleric. She likes to come out and help out when other members of the system are cooking.

Fae-fae-(she/her or fae/faer) she has a younger mental age then the rest of us. She likes Pokemon, Blue Clues, Kirby, Blu. She loves her stuffed animal Bertha(who is a giant sloth and she enjoys talking too). She likes sweets and to help with chores. Rosabell(She/her or it/its)- I'm an eevee please pet me and pamper me

Tumblr: @sweet-fae-dreams (For Rosie, Mima, Rosabell, and Fae-fae)

Florina Sanchez( fae/faer, or she/her)- Florina was previously known as Eliwood, but has recently decided to change her name and pronouns, Fae is still the same person though, loving to show off and attention seeking. Very social. She is a bit more demure now but that might just be because fae is going through quite a bit. Enjoys socializing, warm baths, wine, and finger food.

Tumblr:  @florina-fae

Roxanne Loveta Brown (Roxy for short) ( she/her or he/him)- roxy is a werewolf/wolf spirit. She considers herself bigender. He enjoys hiking, longwalks, and paintings of landscapes and especially winter landscapes. She is very loyal and dedicated. Alpha was her name when she thought she was exclusively male. She still goes by Alpha but also Roxanne or Roxy. Suffers from both gender and species dysphoria.

Tiphanie Dupont(She/her)- I am a fictive that was previously a pathfinder character. I am rather rambunctious. I like antiques and artifacts and cool stuff like that. And also #1 Tinkaton stan. Karisa(She/Her)- Fictive of one of the Systems DnD/Pathfinder characters. Serious, stoic archer assassin, who deals with chronic pain bullshit. Learning to accept that my life now involves wearing oversized shirts and eating chicken nuggets

tumblr: @roxyscave (For Roxy, Tiphanie, and Karisa)

Powder(she/her or it/its)- an introspect of the character Jinx from Arcane/LoL. She has gone down a different path then the character that has inspired her and has started down a path of recovery. She has a Monkey fursona. She is a cuddlebug. Likes graffiti, punk music, hip hop music. Please don't ask her or us about league of legends, we do not play. You can ask us about Arcane but don't expect us to be the same. Turns out I am also a fictive of Marceline from Adventure time. (Hecate and I are connected somehow)

Hecate(she/her)- Hecate Is not likely to front but is more likely to co-front with a different headmate. She is goth. She likes witch-craft, vampirism, greek mythology. I am a goddess an intend to treated as such. I love my partners very much. Surge Tormenta(She/her)- THE TEEN QUEEN OF LIGHTNING AND REBELLION. I'm the toughest, and the coolest and i'm super awesome. I like music and vibing and doing cool shit.

Tumblr: @misfit-toy (For Powder and Hecate)

Princess( nom/noms, he/him, she/her, it/its or your majesty)- she has intense species dysphoria in our body. Nom believes it is too big and she doesn't enjoy human hair. I am a kobold princess or even a draconic heir. She likes to remind the rest of the system to take time for our body to recover and to do things for ourselves, be it treats or a nice long bath, fancy food, and relaxing. Is NSFW, especially a lot of Vore.

tumblr: @kobold-royalty

Abayomi( It/it’s or whatever you perceive)- My name is Abayomi, I am a familiar happy to serve and perform tasks. I enjoy tea, books, and cleaning. It is a pleasure to meet you. I consider my primary gender identities to be Maid and Object.

tumblr: @clayvessel

Westley + Willow(he/him and she/her pronouns, Alternatively They.them)- These two are actually a sub-system. Consisting of Willow the Skeleton girl, and Westley the Ghost boy that possesses her. They get along well enough. I like milkshakes and egg creams, poodle skirts, the color pink,  gloomy things, I like strawberries. I like to stim by ripping stuff up.   I love birds(peacocks are my fave). I love chocolate covered cherries.

tumblr: @harpyboytits

Crona( it/its or she/her) - Still figuring myself out, but I am fictive of Crona from Soul-Eater. I don't like to be perceived by strangers in person. it scares me. I like swords. I like mice and bunny as well. I also am a subsystem, consisting of myself and Ragnarok. I also am a big fan of FMA, Madoka Magika, and Hunter x Hunter.

tumblr: @rose-thorn-storm

Rio Rainbow(He/him or they/them)- Nice to meet ya! Fat Fishboy. lets chill and enjoy the waves and some food yeah? (Rio hasn't been too active as of late) Amphi(she/her)- Nerdy chubby selkie girl who really likes fish and seafood. I like games and making people laugh and cuddling and food and being silly.

tumblr: @river-rainbow​

Nebula(Nebby for short) -(she/her or they/them) I'm an alien from outer space! And that makes me the coolest!! Ignore the fact that my UFO crashlanded and Idk how to fix it. I'll figure it out eventually. I post a lot of Macro Furry stuff.

tumblr: @junker-ufo

Jetpop/15/Quince (Any/All Pronouns. use whatever works) I am new. I am a robot. I like bubbles. I do not know how i'll active I be. Still getting used to stuff. I am very small. Slash(She/Her or it/its)- Me slash Therapod transformer. BEst tracler. Feed me energons

tumblr: @cleverbots

Reyna- (SHE/HER nothing else) Fictive of Ranko/that girl/Ranma/episode 49 Ranma, from Ranma 1/2. Don't know if i'll make a blog or do something else. Still figuring things out but i'm happy to be here. i'm uh not the martial artist type. I like being cute, and dressing up and being pretty and taken care of myself. I like cooking and um being a housewife.

Reynya-(she/her, it/its or purr/purrs) Hi I'm the cat, I'm a part of Reyna, she has her own mini sub-system that consists of her, myself and Rain. i'm mischievous. A bit of a Brat. *Don't touch my human ears.*

Rain(She/her or he/him)- Still figuring myself out. A bit of a protector I guess. Genders a mess, and i'm still trying to figure it all out. Member of Reynas subsystem. We're all Ranma I guess. Master of Anything Goes Style Martial Arts. Bisexual and Bigender. Raven(She/her or it/its)- The name is Raven, i'm a fictive of Inko or ying Ranma. Basically i'm all the evil inside the spring subsystem, or thats what they say at least. Psychic succubus spirit esque ghost girl thing. Maybe genderfluid? I'm here to rock your world. Cranberry(She/her or they/them) - Fifth member of the Spring subsystem. I Am made up of numerous headmates that Ranma has had in various fanfics. I embody Ranmas love of disguises and trickery. Very playful despite the monotone voice I tend to take. Asexual but I have thing for roleplaying and costumes. Calypso( She/her)- FIctive of Ryoga Hibiki. I get lost in headspace a lot. I'm trans fem. Um i'm partners with the Spring Subsystem. I like orcs, training and pigs. I think sunflowers are pretty and how they always point to the sun, I wish I had that sense of direction. I get a bit overwhelmed when interacting with lots of people. Azuli (She/her maybe they/them or he/him)- I am Azuli, a fictive of Akane Tendo. In my specific source I am actually a werewolf as well. None the less I'm a bit prideful and stubborn. Still figuring myself out. I'm in love with a dummy.. or perhaps several.

tumblr: @awakenedgirlspring

Marcille Donato (She/her) - fail-girl half elf. Fictive from Dungeon Meshi. She just got here and has a lot of strong opinions. Doesn't have a blog yet. Don't let her lie to you, she likes all the depraved things you think about elves. I AM CALLING HER OUT. (does not have a tumblr yet)

tumblr: @forbidden-elfstrogen-magic

Sue (She/her or it/its)- I'm a supercute objectkin girl whose also still a boy sometimes for funsies. Fictive of Tsubasa from Ranma 1/2. Still figuring myself out. Dogs Scare me.

tumblr: @himedashi-trashcan

Diana Grayson-(she/her or they/them. ) Fictive of Nightwing from DC comics. isn't too active but certainly exists. Shares a blog with Vera.

Vera Wagner/Darkholme(She/her or fae/faer)- Fictive of Nightcrawler from the x-men. I am filled with joy and love for the world and people in it. Princely gal that enjoys wooing gals and receiving headpats.

@nighttime-acrobatics

Cereza(She/her or fae/faer)- Vampire/Chupacabra feral girl thing. I Perfer not to speak and sometimes I just can't. I'm small and shy, and would really like a drink of blood please.

@saccharine-sanguine

Axera(she/her)- Sleepy unlucky goofy butch gal. Bit of a dork, fictive. Living in interesting times

@cursebound-butch

Star(She/her)- Fictive from a source that we are still getting used too. Figuring myself out. A bit of a klutz! It's a pleasure to me be here! @prettystardetective

Lulu Graywords (she/her maybe it/its, trying it out)- Trans fem Fictive of Zelgadiss graywords. @mystical-swordswoman Lalatina(She/her)- Heyo! I'm a fictive but I have two sources, it gets pretty confusing. But basically i'm both Darkness from Konosuba and I'm also Gourry Gabriev from slayers. Dumb loyal knight with a pretty kinky side I guess. @sword-of-light

Izzy(she/her)- Heya! The names Izzy(although I have considered some other names) I'm a trans-fem fictive of Deku from My Hero Academia. I'm pretty happy to be here. I definitely lean into my sources role as an analysis and strategist, and even in my source memories I have a more supportive version of One For All in which I can enhance the quirk and physical abilities of allies. I feel like that ability is actually better suited for the name than the original ability. Anyways, you can fine me @bunforall

[takerfoxx]

Arcane, Season 1, Episode 2, "Some Mysteries Are Better Left Unsolved," First Impressions!

In which we see the other side of the kids' misadventures.

I guess I should have known that the owner of the robbed laboratory would come into play, given how much character it had. Here we meet someone who also promises to be a major player in the show to come, a brilliant young man named Jayce, who is a student at a prestigious academy. Naturally, he isn't at all pleased that his workshop was robbed and then blown up. But he's even less pleased that in doing so, his secret project has been discovered, which puts his entire future in jeopardy.

See, through Jayce's eyes we learn some very important bits of worldbuilding. Piltover is a city built on science (or whatever the steampunk sci-fi equivalent is) that is meant to be a sanctuary from magic, known as the Arcane, hence the show name. However, when he was a child, he and his mother were saved from a blizzard by a mysterious magic man, inspiring Jayce's fascination with the Arcane and driving him to try to find a way to control magic using technology, as apparently being able to use magic is just something you're born with.

But apparently that's a big no-no in Piltover, and it costs him everything. He's expelled, disgraced, forced away from his best friend Caitlyn (whom I did raise an eyebrow at when she was named, because of...reasons), and had all his research taken away, leaving him feeling like there is no path for him other than straight down. Literally.

Until he's stopped by a man from the academy, one who is very interested in his research, and wants to help him complete it.

On the undercity side of things, the issues caused by Vi and her gang's little misadventures continue to escalate. That explosion crossed a major line, one that the enforcers cannot overlook, and now Vander is put into the very unenviable position of either turning in the kids his cares about or risk having the hammer brought down on his community. Many people, however, want to fight, including Vi herself, which is something he absolutely will not allow, and for a very interesting reason.

It is here we get another bit of backstory. It turns out that gruesome battle we saw in the first episode was caused by him, when he led the citizens of Zaun in an uprising against Piltover, only to fail horribly, costing many lives. That's why he now has a deal with the enforcers. That's why he's so adamant about not stirring up trouble. He was the one who stirred up trouble, and it cost him and those close to him dearly.

However, while his dilemma is clearly tearing him up inside, it's suddenly taken out of his hands, when Vi decides to turn herself in to save everyone else.

Oh boy.

Okay, first episode was introducing us to the world and the primary conflict, while this showed us the other side while building tension for something bigger. We've come to understand more about this world and what drives its characters while moving things closer to what promises to be something massive. I admit, I did not predict Vi turning herself in, but it does make sense in hindsight. I was wondering how she would end up becoming one of the cops that she hates, but this makes sense to get her onto the other side.

Also, on the Powder side, now that I know that she's Jinx I'm noticing more and more hints to what she eventually becomes, from her toylike grenades to her markmanship skills to the clapping monkey from her music video being the alarm Vander uses to tell them to hide. I get the feeling that Vi was sort of her moral compass, the thing that keeps her grounded, and now with Vi gone we're probably going to see her spiral downward ever the quicker.

And I am happy to say that while I still don't know the LoL characters, I am getting better at picking them out. Jayce was obvious, as was Ryze, as was Heimerdinger, and given what I now know about Vi, seeing young Caitlyn definitely caused me to raise my brow. Wonder how they're going to meet.

Same with Viktor. I feel that reveal would have gotten an audible gasp from anyone who does play League, but for me, it was a, "Oh, he's a canon character, isn't he." Kind of surprised that Silco isn't. You would think they would use a game character for such an important villain. I do feel sort of bad for Deckard, as much as an ass as he was. I wonder if he's toast or if he'll get cured.

I like Jayce. He's not exactly reinventing the wheel with his characterization, but he's still very likeable, and I empathize with his ambitions. He's going to have a, "Dear God, what have I done?" moment when he realizes what Viktor is really up to, isn't he?

Anyway, I'm going on a trip to visit family, so don't expect anymore reactions until sometime next week. I am totally hooked, however. I just hope Youtube will stop suggesting spoiler videos to me.

[ryqoshay]

Tri-Arame: A Train’s Delay

Primary Pairing Trio: YuuAyuSetsu Words: ~1.6k Rating: G Time Frame: During their 2nd year in high school Story Arc: Stand Alone

Author’s Note: Writing the last scene made me want to give Ayu’s perspective on the early development of things among the three.

“I’m telling you, the pose will be really cute.” Yuu insisted as she and Ayumu stepped off the train. “The fans will love it, so we should definitely work it into your choreography for the next Live.”

“I’ll think about it.” Ayumu conceded.

Yuu’s obsession with school idols had led her to performing a ton of research, so there was little doubt as to the extent of her knowledge. However, Ayumu knew she had to temper the advice with the fact that Yuu called pretty much everything about her cute. Though as embarrassing as it often was, Ayumu couldn’t say she disliked it. And she was in no hurry to tell Yuu stop anytime soon. It just meant she had to gauge things carefully and occasionally seek a second opinion. A critique from someone like…

“Setsuna-chan!” Yuu called suddenly.

Yes, Setsuna was another excellent source of school idol information. And in the newly reformed club she was learning how to be more accepting of other views on the genre. Thus… Wait, she was here?

Sure enough, Ayumu looked in the direction Yuu was already running to find their fellow second year. Having just disembarked her train, she now stood facing them, her dark hair in twin braids and her glasses donned.

A flash of excitement crossed Setsuna’s face as she saw her friends before she visibly quashed it and forcibly reigned herself in. “Please, I’m Nana right now.” She said, giving a quick and nervous glance to either side, as if expecting her parents to get off the next train and catch her in a brief moment of not being the studious and somber girl they expected her to be.

Ayumu felt something wrench at her heart. She didn’t like seeing her friend having to repress her passions, especially since it was Setsuna who had ignited passions within herself and Yuu. She enjoyed watching Yuu be open about her obsessions with school idols, not only because she was incredibly cute when excited, but also because it helped keep her inspired to continue working on becoming more open herself. It was for these reasons that she and Yuu had invited Setsuna to the mall with them the other day, to give her a few hours to be truly open and honest with her interests.

“Ne, Nana-chan,” Yuu effortlessly switched gears “wanna walk to school with us?”

“I’d like that.” Nana replied. “Good morning, Ayumu-san.” She greeted the redhead with a polite bow.

“Good morning, Nana-san.”

Though genuine, the smile Nana offered was far more reserved than those she typically displayed as Setsuna.

“You know,” Yuu continued “Ayumu and I have taken this same train every day since we started high school and we’ve never crossed paths with you. Did you take a different one today or something?”

“No, that was my normal train.” Nana shook her head. “They just had a delay at the station before me.” To prove the point, she held up the delay certificate. “Though I suppose if you two usually arrive at this time and do not suffer punctuality issues at school, I don’t really need this.” She slipped it back in her bag anyway instead of discarding it in a nearby recycling bin.

“So I guess today was just an accident.” Yuu surmised.

“It would seem so.”

Yuu shrugged. “But at happy accident at least, ‘cause we get to walk together now.”

Another reserved smile.

“Anyway, I was just telling Ayumu that she should consider using this pose at the end of her new song at the next Live.” Yuu paused to demonstrate.

Nana stopped as well to examine Yuu thoughtfully. “Ayumu-san.” She said suddenly.

“Eh?” Ayumu wasn’t expecting to be addressed.

“Would you mind taking this position? I believe I might better judge it by observing the correct subject.”

“S-sure…” Ayumu battled the rising sense of unease at the concept of making idol poses in the middle of the walkway while dressed in her school uniform, as opposed to on stage in an idol outfit.

“Hrm… Perhaps if you moved your forearm up a bit more…” Nana reached out to make the adjustment. “And your other arm like this… Turn your wrist… Maybe shift your hips… And your torso…”

Ayumu almost bit her tongue as Nana’s hands slid up her waist to the sides of her ribcage before gently guiding her to the new position.

“How about this, Yuu-san?” Nana took a step back to admire her handiwork.

“That’s amazing, Nana-chan!” Yuu marveled. “Ayumu’s pose is even cuter like that!”

Cuter? Ayumu tried, likely unsuccessfully, to swallow down a blush.

“Indeed.” Nana agreed. “Although, I cannot take all the credit. The pose is only accentuating the existing high level of cuteness.”

Oh no… It was one thing when Yuu constantly called her cute, but now Setsu… Nana was joining in as well? Ayumu felt the heat overflowing from her face, up to her ears and down her neck. Geez… if she was going to survive as an idol, she would have to get better at handling these kinds of things.

“And Yuu-san set up the base work well.” Nana continued. “It is obvious you know much about your subject.”

“Subject? Ayumu? Of course I know her and her cuteness well.” Yuu puffed out her chest as though she believed the accomplishment was worthy of great pride. “But Nana-chan, you really know your stuff when it comes to idols. I may know Ayumu's cuteness, but you were able to help me truly refine the pose to ensure it shined at its brightest. And I'm still trying to learn the other girls in the club. I may have to have you teach me your ways so I can better observe you guys during practice and give better advice after.”

Though clearly enjoying the praise, Nana continued to keep herself reserved. Ayumu felt a bittersweet emotion start to fill her, displacing the embarrassment from earlier as the conversation shifted away from her. She wanted to see her friend like she was when the three of them went to the mall together. Back when the anime-obsessed girl was practically vibrating with excitement like a puppy, so much so that Ayumu had wanted to pat her on the head and scratch under her chin. The girl walking with her now was behaving instead like a puppy being cautious in its excitement after being scolded for doing something wrong.

Except Nana hadn’t done anything wrong, at least not as far as Ayumu could tell. She was merely guilty of having hobbies unapproved by her parents. It was for this reason that Ayumu and Yuu had reached a mostly unspoken agreement to provide an outlet for Nana to be Setsuna and freely celebrate her passions. The idol club certainly helped, but idols were by no means Setsuna’s only interests.

It wasn’t the easiest of tasks. On entering high school, Ayumu had tried to mature and move on from many things of her childhood. Yuu had an easier time picking back up former interests, but it had taken the burning passion of someone like Setsuna to remind Ayumu that it was alright to hold on to some things. In that regard, Ayumu felt somewhat indebted to Setsuna, so she was repaying it by helping her indulge in her interests.

Then there was Ayumu’s jealousy. As club activities continued, she was becoming increasingly aware of such emotions as Yuu lavished her attentions on the other idols. And when Yuu and Setsuna lost themselves in something, it was difficult for Ayumu to avoid feeling left out.

However, the rewards for the task were plentiful. When Setsuna truly let loose, her smile was nothing short of contagious. And Ayumu couldn’t help wanting to see it more.

The trio continued to talk idols and make plans for practice later that afternoon as they completed their walk toward school. Nana was adamant about helping perfect Ayumu’s performance and maximize her cuteness. Yuu suggested bringing in Kasumi, their local specialist on the topic of cuteness, to which Nana agreed. All the while, Ayumu’s thoughts continued to focus on how much Nana was holding back.

“Thank you for allowing me to accompany you this morning.” Nana bowed as the three paused in the front entryway of the school.

“It was our pleasure.” Ayumu assured her.

“Yeah, that was fun.” Yuu agreed. “Maybe your train will be delayed again tomorrow?”

There it was. That was the smile Ayumu had wanted to see. Perhaps Nana felt safer within the school walls? Or perhaps it was a result of spending time with trusted friends? Or both. Ayumu quietly hoped it was at least in part due to the latter.

“See you at practice.” Nana flashed one more smile before turning away and heading toward her homeroom.

“I sent you the link so you can view them later.” Yuu said as she and Ayumu stepped off the train. “Their choreography is amazing! I think we can learn a lot from��” Something caught her attention. “Nana-chan!” She called before taking off.

Ayumu glanced ahead along Yuu’s path. Sure enough, leaning against a nearby pillar was their fellow second year.

Nana looked up from whatever study material she was reading. “Good morning Yuu-san, Ayumu-san.” She smiled and bowed politely.

“Good morning, Nana-san” Ayumu replied as she caught up to her childhood friend.

“Don’t tell me I jinxed you with your train?” a concerned expression crossed Yuu’s face.

“Oh no,” Nana assured “my train arrived on time just fine. I just…” she glanced down and hunched her shoulders a bit “I had so much fun yesterday morning I thought perhaps we might walk together again today? If… that’s alright?” She looked back up with a hopeful expression.

Yuu laughed. “Of course, it's alright, Nana-chan!”

“Yes, it’s definitely alright.” Ayumu agreed. “Let’s walk together again.”

Even in its reserved form, Nana’s smile still managed enough of its contagious nature that Ayumu was compelled to reciprocate. And with that, a new morning tradition began.

Author's Note Continued in Followup Post

[fairhavenperspectives-blog]

“Every data point is a soul”

Week three of data collection and somehow June is already over! We are convinced that the clinic is in some sort of time warp situation, because the hours fly by over at 374 Grand Ave.

On Monday, we took our lunch break over by Whole G Café on Orange Street, our new favorite place to steal Wifi (shh). We had a Skype call with everyone’s favorite epidemiology professor, the one and only Marney White. Marney was calling from home, so we were even treated to a special appearance by her dog, Spike! Marney is an expert in quantitative data analysis and SPSS, which we are using to organize our survey data, and so naturally we sought her out for a little wisdom as we look towards data analysis. Because she has the supernatural power of creating perfectly understandable, unbiased, and valid questionnaires, we were a little nervous to send her ours (especially being over 100 surveys deep in collection, when it’s a little late to turn back).

Although she had some suggestions for questions that could have been worded or organized better, she overall seemed to think it was good, which was a relief. She then started spewing off all sorts of fancy terms like “psychometric” and “Cronbach’s alpha” which reinforced our already-reverent view of her brilliance. Once we are done with data collection, we will be meeting with her to learn what these things actually are and how to do them ourselves! All in all, the Skype call was a success—we got to talk to Marney and be reassured that, yes, we eventually will be able to do quantitative analysis, all in one call. In exchange for her wisdom, we are also helping her with an online graduate course by being involved in filming sessions (Rachel went this week, and loved it, and Claire and I will be going in July and are very excited).

Tuesday, we continued administering both surveys and interviews, and overall had a pretty standard day. I was introduced to a few physician contacts for interviewing, which was great. Some of our more recent provider interviews had been with Medical Assistants and Care Coordinators, so reaching more physicians and primary care providers will definitely be helpful. Because participation for our questionnaires has been so great, we are stretching our budgets a little thin (there were some changes to compensation, etc. made after fellowship applications are due). We put out some feelers (okay, did a little begging) to some deparatments for potential resources, but haven’t found anything. The research will go on, though‼ Below is a visual representation of what that entailed: 

On Wednesday, one of the floor nurses joined us for lunch. She had been friendly, always saying hi when she passed through the waiting room. But at lunch, she really showed her firecracker side, making for a highly entertaining, but also highly informative, conversation. When talking to providers about primary health concerns they see at the clinic, diabetes is nearly always at the top of the list, but a close second is the rising incidence of drug problems. She has been at the clinic for more than a decade, and attributes the growing number of patients with narcotic-related issues to more recent changes in treatment by the newer clinicians at FHCHC. She explained that in the past, providers would just refill prescriptions to pain patients. Now, though, a lot of the providers prefer to attempt weaning them off their narcotic dependencies. This, though, means a lot more work for the providers and nurses, as patients visit the clinic more frequently, seeking respite from chronic pain through drugs.

Additionally, she notices that, as one might expect, prescriptions of narcotic drugs are not always used for their intended purposes. Many patients will miss dozens of other appointments, but will continue to show up for refills like clockwork, drawing the nurses’ suspicion. Through blood and urine tests, providers can tell when narcotics are not actually being taken by the patient for whom the prescription was written. The nurse explained that many people who might not be completely mentally aware, especially the elderly, are taken advantage of by family members who might switch their prescription painkillers with Advil in order to sell the drugs on the street. It was interesting and helpful to hear in more detail about what the “drug problem” at Fair Haven actually consisted of. This trend has recently been growing across Connecticut and the country, and is bound to become the focus of many healthcare programs in the near future.

Wednesday evening, we went to the NHF Hill site again to continue helping with their nutrition program. We did lots of food prep again, which looked AMAZING again, and I think I ate my weight in strawberries that were put out as a little “snack” (more like dinner for me). On the menu for this week were a mixed greens salad with cucumbers, oranges, pumpkin seeds, radishes, and lots of other goodies, as well as a watermelon salad with fennel and mint. Celin, the nutrition director, needs to go on the Food Network ASAP. We each did more intake surveys, as new participants also joined this week. Administering these lengthy surveys can be tough, as a lot of the questions are fairly in depth and border on feeling intrusive, but as fellow researchers, we know how important it is to go through them well so the farm can best evaluate its programs.

Thursday night, we FaceTimed my dad, who is a sociologist, for a little intro lesson to qualitative analysis, before we meet with Amanda Brewster next week, who will be more formally guiding us through the qualitative side. Although we couldn’t see him for much of the call (see below), he was really helpful in outlining the different ways we could approach qualitative analysis, as well as how mixed methods papers are often approached, as this is something we would ideally like to do with our data. Sometimes, dads can be helpful and cool and give you inspiring quotes about things like interview data‼ See an excerpt of Rachel’s notes below (also featured on her insta) for the source of my blog post title for the week. It actually is really important to remember that every quote or point we pull out of an interview is coming from an actual person with a story that we are only scratching the surface of. Especially if we decide to use interviews as cases to try to encapsulate a broader point, it will be important to keep the context in mind—this case is a real person, or “every data point is a soul.”

Overall, the second half of the week was a little bit slower than it had been in the clinic. Claire said this out loud, and a passing nurse immediately stopped and said, “That is THE cardinal sin.” Apparently, Claire may have jinxed the clinic and will be suffering her wrath should any wild events happen (or more wild than usual), so we will keep you updated on that front. Here is brief text convo between the floors of the clinic that really encapsulates how Thursday was going for us (context: a provider was supposed to call Sonia, so she was waiting upstairs for some time while Claire and Rachel were in the waiting room)

 But we just laughed it off, and the provider ended up calling a while later--life goes on!!

We have been administering fewer surveys and interviews, with both patients and providers, than we had been in the rush of last week. We aren’t behind our goal though, with 179 surveys (just couldn’t get to that 180) at the end of the week. We’re still going at a fairly steady rate though, and are ready to jump back in after the holiday weekend, when hopefully the clinic will pick up a little in terms of patient traffic coming through. For now, we are all rolling out of lovely New Haven for the long weekend (when you work for yourselves, you can take Monday off too), taking a few days to see our families. We are excited to get back, though, refreshed from our mini-vacations, and return to our corner of the waiting room Wednesday morning! Happy Fourth of July!

-Sonia 

[topinforma]

New Post has been published on Mortgage News

New Post has been published on http://bit.ly/2p5KV4Z

A Will Can Be a Beautiful Thing

Recently, Amy Krouse Rosenthal wrote an essay for The New York Times titled “You May Want to Marry My Husband.” In it, Krouse Rosenthal, who was dying of cancer, created a dating profile for her husband in the hopes that he would find new love after she was gone. Her touching tribute went viral. Hopefully, one woman’s story of preparing the way for her family to go on without her will inspire others to think how they can do the same for their own families.

SEE ALSO: Death of a Spouse: The Under-Discussed Risk in Retirement

Estate planning may make people uneasy because it deals with death. However, it can give people an incredible peace of mind. It certainly was a blessing for my own family. My father passed away two years ago. My dad was a scientific developer, earned his advanced degrees in mathematics and joined the emerging industry of information technology.

Needless to say, he was process oriented. I’m the eldest of three girls. Dad prepared us. Before he went on a business trip, he’d make me crack the safe so I knew what to do just in case. I was destined to become a planner because Dad planned for the inevitable.

Here are some elements of final planning that your family will appreciate you settling for them in the event of your passing away.

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Wills and trusts

The first step in estate planning is a will. A 2016 survey by Harris Poll for Rocket Lawyer found that 64% percent of American adults don’t have a will. Either they thought they didn’t need one or they just never got around to it.

This document is where you state who you want to inherit your money and property, among other directions. A will is also where parents can name a guardian to care for their young children. Without a will, whatever assets you owned, such as a summer home, a car or jewelry, will end up in probate court. Even less-expensive items, such as Grandma’s knitted shawl, can cause a big headache.

Another option is a living trust. A trust transfers assets from your name to your beneficiaries. A living trust goes into effect right away, whereas a will becomes active after your death.

End-of-life decisions

It is important to communicate with loved ones your exact wishes in the event you are unable to make medical decisions for yourself. Do you want to be resuscitated or kept on life support? Do you want to donate your organs? In the living will there is a health care declaration with a power of attorney stating who will ensure your medical wishes are granted.

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Beneficiaries

Make sure you complete all the beneficiary information for your bank accounts, brokerage accounts and life insurance policies. When you start a new job and sign up for life insurance coverage, you are asked to put down beneficiary information in the event of your death. You can list more than one person for life insurance and many other types of accounts. In fact, you can even specify both primary and contingent beneficiaries.

Funeral

Document if you want a funeral. Do you want to be buried or cremated? My dad was terminally ill and died from complications from Parkinson’s disease in 2015. Dad had life insurance and prepaid for funeral plots, years in advance. As his condition worsened and he knew the end was near, he identified some of his favorite music and scriptures for his end-of-life celebration. Do you want a life celebration or some other memorial service? Estimate how much the funeral will cost. Are you a veteran? Do you have funds put aside for funeral costs?

Documents

Of course, it goes without saying that you should keep real estate and car deeds, wills, trusts, insurance policies, retirement benefits, 401(k) and IRA documents in one safe, secure spot, but be certain to inform the executor of your estate where these items are stored. The main takeaway is to figure out where you want your assets, property and finances to go to avoid issues in the future. It’s hard enough for your loved ones to deal with the emotional aspects of your loss.

Considerations for married couples

If you are married, you shouldn’t have joint wills since it is unlikely you will pass away at the same time. Separate wills also take into consideration other personal circumstances, such as previous marriages, other children, causes a partner wants to support and outstanding bills/debt.

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Other considerations

While it is often recommended that you seek help from a financial planner and/or lawyer, you can get started on your own. There are many websites with will templates, such as the one by Nolo.

A will should be updated after a huge life change, such as marriage, divorce, birth and death.

Do you own a business? Create a succession plan that details who you want to take over in the event of your death.

Do you, like Krouse Rosenthal, have hopes for your family you want to make known? Consider writing an “emotional will.” It isn’t legal, but it’s a place where you can share your thoughts, memories and hopes for your loved ones as a lasting remembrance of your life.

A will for Facebook?

You might want to consider drawing up will just for your social media accounts, especially if you have many online ventures and also a strong social media presence. Facebook allows users to determine a person who can take care of their profile in the event of death. Check each site to see what you need to confirm the death and next steps.

Do it for the ones you love

One of my friends shared a story of how a co-worker died of colon cancer the day before his third child was born. He had thoughtfully made his arrangements, which took an incredible burden off his grieving wife. For those out there who are avoiding thinking about drawing up a will because it seems morbid, remember, just because you plan, doesn’t mean you’ll jinx yourself into dying. But the flip side is also true: Just because you don’t plan, doesn’t mean you won’t die.

So be prepared. Your family will thank you.

See Also: 5 Types of People You Should Gift to Using Your Wil

Marguerita M. Cheng is the Chief Executive Officer at Blue Ocean Global Wealth. She is a CFP® professional, a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠, Retirement Income Certified Professional and a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst. She helps educate the public, policymakers and media about the benefits of competent, ethical financial planning.

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This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.

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