#i imagine them being a Very Important family from a neighboring place

[emry-stars-art]

Not sure if you answered this already; But does Stuart have a place in the Royal au? Since Nathan still killed Mary and is out here joshing and trying to re-kidnap her son multiple times

GREAT question bc yeah he is def not around to help much huh TT

I think the tragedy of it is Mary was planning to run just like she had in canon, but this time didn't manage it before Nathan caught wind and. Probably just killed her yeah. And it being an arranged marriage still makes total sense in this au, so who knows WHERE Mary and her family are from, because of the possibility it was some sort of protection/alliance thing yknow. Maybe the Hatfords were getting favor so they could keep/gain power, running one of Evermore's colonies. I don't imagine the family being anywhere near the castle proper based on what I remember of canon but maybe that's dumb actually

Stuart still exists for sure, but everything in those times was slower - especially travel, whether it be travel of people or travel of news/word. If Stuart is still in a separate home kingdom/state doing his own business, maybe he did try getting some sort of sway or custody of Nathaniel. But that would be an extremely difficult and long process, with very little hope of success. There's a good chance that after Nathaniel ran off, the first word he heard of it was after the fact - likely word from Evermore assuming Nathaniel had died while on his mission.

The REAL problem is that, after Abram's recapture, it takes anywhere from a little less than a month to a few months for word of it to even reach Stuart, that his nephew is alive after all, and even if he started the journey then, he or anyone he sent wouldn't have reached Evermore for another month or more. Abram is at Castle Evermore for much longer than he was canonically in Baltimore, obviously. I'm just not convinced it would have been physically possible for someone in another country/colony to get there before he either escaped or it was too late.

Thankfully Stuart's intervention isn't necessary here like it is in canon, or this would have been a VERY different story that I don't think I could write 😅 no, Kevin Day still knows more about the workings of Castle Evermore than most of the Moriyamas are comfortable with, and he knows who he can correspond with under the table when Kings Tetsuji and Kengo won't cooperate and Prince Riko refuses to give Nathaniel up.

[nimrochan]

I don’t think that my few handfuls of followers on various social media accounts realize that I’m an American-Israeli. I’ve been watching things unfold and staying silent for the most part. I know it’s very easy to have an opinion from the comfort and safety of my home, but too many people are also echoing online opinions without enough information or thought behind them. Although it’s fair to say that I’m biased, I think it’s important to view conflicts from multiple perspectives. Including and especially from someone from the actual region/culture that everyone outside of it suddenly has an opinion on. And I think I’m ready to say what I wanted to say:

Why aren’t people more angry with Hamas?

I’ve spent some childhood years in Israel. Every week on the news was another incident - a bus b*mbing, a car b*mbing, a s*icide b*mber… I remember being terrified of getting on buses, or going to public places. I remember soldiers standing at the entrance of every mall, and I remember hearing how one soldier died while stopping a s*icide b*mber at a mall entrance - both were women in their early 20’s. Until today my father tells me to avoid crowded places, and to always stand in a corner with my back on the wall to observe my surroundings.

When I moved to America I had moved on from these memories and didn’t really think about them. But the attacks never stopped. For DECADES. And over the last few years I did notice that very few non-Jewish Americans were aware of what life is like in Israel - having a barrage of rockets rain on you every once in a while. Having alerts to warn you to head to the nearest shelter. Israel has the protection of the Iron Dome. But it’s not perfect, and some rockets do hit their targets. Also, you know, maybe people shouldn’t be firing rockets unprovoked into another country?? (Don’t even get me started on Hezbollah, too.) No one bats an eye if other countries randomly shoot rockets into Israel, but as soon as Israel retaliates to try destroying the area where rockets come from, everyone comes out of the woodwork to condemn them.

Some of my American family members have an app that dings every time rockets are fired into Israel. I could never bring myself to download it. The number of dings drives me crazy.

In fact, if you ever wanted to buy a piece of jewelry or sculpture made of Hamas rockets, there are businesses upcycling them.

If you’re not from Israel, I just want you to imagine the number of rockets that regularly have to come into your country for any rockets-to-products businesses to even exist. For reasons beyond my comprehension, a lot of political parties in America want to defund the Iron Dome, a system designed solely for defense. But I digress.

Gazans never had an Iron Dome and yet Hamas gives no regard to the lives of their own people when they fire openly from homes, schools, hospitals. When they hide hostages and weapons in heavily populated areas.

I remember frantically texting and calling people on 10/07 to see if any of my family members were harmed or killed in the attack. All while anti-Zionists already rallied on social media to offer no sympathy and blame the attack on the Jews on, the Jews. Right. Luckily, whatever close family I had in the area was far away enough from the attack that they were spared, and they soon evacuated. My second cousin and her kids were only spared because they happened to be away, but their home was in ashes and their friends and neighbors were dead.

Israel is a small and close-knit country. I don't have words to describe how we grieved. 1200 innocent civilians sl*ughtered for no reason. That number is just a little under half of the number of deaths on 9/11, and it was done without the help of airplanes, just men running around killing people. The youngest one was 14 hours old. This is the largest m*rder of Jews since the Holocaust. I won’t even go into detail about how some of their bodies were mutilated because it’s too horrific for me to want to type it out. In fact I left the most disturbing footage out of this post. I had been avoiding seeing the footage of Shani Louk, but it was shown at the exhibit too and I’ll never be able to forget it for as long as I live. It made me sick to my stomach.

Look at the pictures. Look at all those shoes. The last time I felt such powerful emotion staring at shoes was at a Holocaust museum. A lot of item displays included their owners’ smart phones showing their final videos on a loop. The people who attend the Nova festival tend to be laid-back, free spirits. They show up covered in glitter and wearing fairy-wings, waving rainbow flags. They lived next to Gaza because they felt safe there, and they often supported Palestinians. Listen to the unhindered joy in the voice of the man calling his father to tell him he had m*rdered ten Jews. One of the most disgusting parts of this is the fact that people protested outside this exhibit as well.

When I brought myself to browse social media again, over and over I saw posts about how “they deserved it” and “they had it coming.” The same people, the same self-proclaimed “feminists” who would shared the #MeToo and #YesAllWomen hashtags, people with immensely large followings, were now having no sympathy for the Israeli women who were r*ped, basically saying “she asked for it.” People defending and excusing Hamas because they “weren’t created in a vacuum.” When did we start excusing r*pe and t*rrorism for ANY reason? On that note, don’t you think Israel’s aggressive defense of itself also stems from a historical reason, shaped by outside forces?

And then there are many voices still expressing plain denial! This was the most well-documented t*rrorist attack in history, because the attackers filmed it with pride, and yet over and over I also saw people posting about how “it never happened,” “they would never do that,” and how these t*rrorists were just “resistance fighters” with propaganda crafted to “make them look bad.”

In my home state of New York, I saw people marching wearing same types of scarves that these “resistance fighters” wore to commit crimes against humanity so recently, tearing down posters of Israeli hostages instead of hanging their own posters on innocent killed Gazans and sharing in the grief.

I see people over and over calling Israelis “white colonists,” when in fact MOST OF THEM ARE BROWN, dark-skinned just like their neighbors (if I showed you photos of my family in Israel, you'd be surprised to learn they aren't Arabic). We are an ethnic minority on this planet and in every country except Israel, but antisemites love to flip the script and paint us as majority white colonizer oppressors. When the majority of Americans calling for the abolishment of Israel are themselves actually living on colonized land (I mean, really?) When most of North Africa has been colonized by Arab populations, yet everyone seems to conveniently forget that. Most alarmingly, I see people marching the streets and praising Hamas and the actual 10/07 attacks.

These same people probably could never spot Gaza on a map before 10/07. Where were they for the Chinese Uyghurs? Where were they for the mass murdered Syrians? For Afghans left at the mercy of the Taliban? For Iraqis killed after 9/11? For Darfur? Because no news unless Jews, right? How can you say you care about Muslims and then praise Hamas? How can you be Pro-Palestine and Pro-Hamas at the same time?! There is a huge, sick problem in America when college students here are applauded by overseas t*rrorist leaders on goddamn Twitter.

And these “Queers for Palestine”- where is the support for the gayest, most feminist, and most liberal country in the Middle East? (Go ahead and look up which country in the Middle East holds annual Pride Parades.) Where is the support for the millions of Arab-Israelis and other non-Jews who call Israel their home? Where is the support for the Arabs and non-Jews also killed on 10/07? Where are the feminists using their voices to demand Hamas return the hostages that are very likely being r*ped as I type this?

I feel like I’m going crazy telling people that there is a lot of fake news and propaganda being spread by Hamas and eaten up by the West. I am not the kind of person to use the phrase “fake news.” But when I see some extreme footage allegedly showing the IDF doing something especially horrible, I count the hours or days before the news is silently retracted because it turned out to be incorrect. Propaganda against Jews has seeped so far into gentile culture over the decades that people don't even realize it. It’s become sickeningly casual and normalized in all kinds of circles. Hell, I don’t even know who to vote for or who secretly wants me dead - the left side with the pro-Hamas crowd or the right side with their white supermacists .

No, I am not denying that a lot of innocent Gazans are dying horrific deaths. When I see footage of injured Palestinian children, I don’t look away and pretend it doesn’t happen, because it does. But what about Hamas dressing up as civilians, firing weapons among civilians, and continuing to hide the hostages??? What about the 15-17 year old brainwashed children marching with guns? When is enough enough? You know which army doesn’t hide in civilian clothing, or recruit children, or parade naked dead women around after they’ve killed them?? Take a guess.

War is fucking awful. And I'm not trying to justify it, just trying to articulate why this is such a clusterfuck of a situation. Someone please name any other country that wouldn’t retaliate and demand their hostages back after such an ugly, unprovoked attack. Someone please explain to me why the hatred is so intense and out of proportion. Again, DECADES of attacks. Someone please tell me what should be done - because if you do nothing, then 10/07 happens over and over and over again. Israelis are all living, breathing people with families just like Gazan civilians are. Stop dehumanizing us.

Why is it that after the Ukraine-Russia war started, when most westerners were on Ukraine’s side (including myself so don’t jump down my throat), that individual Russians living in western countries did not feel threatened the way individual Jews are being threatened? That war actually seems a way more black-and-white situation to me. Why did the Israeli singer for Eurovision need presidential-level protection from the mob gathered outside her hotel? Why did the other contestants continually insult her? You think every single Jew on the planet has a say in what happens in Israel?

Why am I going on social media to dumb down, only to see posts like “Reblog to increase IDF soldier s*icides” and “Like to # CeaseFire” and “From the river to the sea” (that expression basically means to promote the killing of all Israelis, I don’t care how you look at it). Why are you trying to call a cease fire with t*rrorists who are known to constantly break ceasefire, then make a surprised Pikachu face when they do it again?

Anti-Zionism is a clever cover for anti-semitism. The very definition of Zionism is the pursuit of an independent Jewish state (of which there is currently only ONE - for comparison, there are 57 Muslim countries). A lot of people don’t even know what Zionism is when they call themselves Anti-Zionist. And if you do? Most Jews are Zionist. You can’t separate semitism from Zionism to make yourself feel better. Israel is such a tiny country, it takes 6 hours to drive end-to-end across the longest part. While all over the world, synagogues are being threatened, Jewish graveyards are being vandalized, and Jews are being attacked, you are absolutely telling me and my people that we don’t deserve a safe space. And yes, Jews are indigenous to the Middle East just like Arabs are.

How do people rally against discrimination, but in the same breath act like discrimination towards Jews doesn’t count? You can’t reason your way out of it. You do not get to tell me what is and isn’t antisemitic.

Hamas does NOT give a damn about the actual land that Jews are living on. Hamas’s ultimate goal is to kill all Jews (it's LITERALLY spelled out in their government charter), is that what people want?? And even if you deny it, you think you could theoretically move all 8 million Jews out of Israel to where exactly?

You think other countries want to welcome a mass migration of 8 million Jews? (Remember why Jews left in the first place?) You want literal t*rrorists to have a stronger foothold in the Middle East?

Why do the surrounding countries condemn Israel, yet not step up to help Gazans either? Why won’t they open up their borders?

I’m sick and tired of people who have zero stake in the Middle East and very little knowledge just jumping on the bandwagon and virtue-signaling like it’s some clear black-and-white situation when it’s not. And then having the nerve to lecture ME. I’m angry and I��m frustrated.

Bring them the fuck home.

[unreliablesnake]

My place (Miguel O'Hara x reader)

Summary: Miguel has a thing for his neighbor.

Warnings: brief mention of masturbation (m), reader's wearing a dress.

Note: Y'all, I'm not gonna write smut at work.

After losing the family that had never really been his, Miguel promised himself to focus on work to fix things, to make things right after what he had done. But that wasn't the only thing he promised himself. He also decided to stay away from relationships, keeping up his walls so no one could get too close to him again.

But you…

You were hard to resist. You had moved into the apartment next to his about three months ago, always greeting him with a beaming smile when you met in the hallway. He often thought about letting you closer, inviting you over for coffee or dinner, maybe even making a move on you at one point.

There were times when he touched himself fantasizing about you, believing nothing bad could come out of thinking about you every once in a while, imagining what you would be like when he fucked you senseless. All the sweet sounds that would leave your lips, the whimpers, the moans, his name, all of them sounding like a perfect melody that filled the room. He had a feeling you would be very vocal during sex, and the thought drove him crazy.

“I think this is the point where I need to remind you that this is practically stalking,” Lyla told him one day when he was waiting for you near the building you worked in.

Miguel let out a sigh as he considered her warning. She was right. He had been following you around when he had the time a few times in the past week or so, but he always justified his actions by saying it was to protect you. Just to know you got home safe. It was the right thing to do as Spider-man, right?

“You should go back to the HQ,” the AI spoke up again. He let out an annoyed groan, one to which she replied with a roll of her eyes behind the sunglasses. “Or maybe try to talk to her this time. You know, like a normal human being would probably do.”

“I'll talk to her when the time is right,” he replied.

“And when will that be? You've been neglecting work lately. People are looking for you.”

Miguel looked down at Lyla, his mouth open as he was about to answer. But then he took his time, deciding not to lash out at the one person who was trying to help him. “I'm not neglecting work. If anything, I'm neglecting sleep,” was all he said.

His assistant didn't push the matter any further, but it made him think about what he was doing and he realized what a creep he had been. He should talk to you the next time you meet, telling you how he thought about asking you out, just as Lyla suggested, hoping you wouldn't turn your back on him halfway through his monologue.

To his surprise, though, he received a message while he was working at the HQ. It was from you. He had no idea how you found him, but seeing your number–that he already had from not-so-legal sources–made his heart rate jump. At first he didn't even want to read it, being afraid whatever it was would just avert his thoughts from more important matters for the rest of the night. But in the end it turned out not knowing why you wrote him was much worse, so he opened the message and began to read it.

You: Hi, it's your neighbor from 349. I got your number from the janitor who apparently had it for emergencies. Anyway, I know it's probably weird, but I was wondering if you'd like to join me tomorrow evening to watch a play. I got two tickets at work but have no one to go with.

He had to reread the message a few times to understand that you've just asked him out on a date. Or maybe you were just trying to be friends with him with no other intention. Why did this have to be so confusing? After cursing out loud in Spanish, happy that no one was around apart from Lyla to hear it, he began to think about how to reply. He had to be cool about this.

Miguel: Hey. It sounds nice, I'd gladly join you.

You: Cool. Meet me in the hallway at seven?

Miguel: Sure.

“You'll have to talk to her tomorrow, you know,” Lyla noted as if he hadn't known that.

The next evening couldn't come fast enough. He busied himself with work to make time pass faster, but you were always on his mind, the possibilities of how your encounter would end on repeat in his brain. If he played his cards right, he might have you where he really wished to see you–in his bed.

When he stepped out of his apartment two minutes before seven, you were already there, wearing a gorgeous black dress with high heels that were killing him. The moment you noticed him, your eyes began to shine and your lips curled into a sweet smile, making him wonder how you could be this cheerful all the time.

“You look absolutely stunning,” he said before he could stop himself, but you didn't seem to mind. “I can't say I wasn't surprised when I got your message, though.”

You nodded as you licked your lips nervously. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be weird, I just… I've been planning to chat with you for a while now anyway. Thought tonight could be the chance for that,” you explained.

“I'm glad you invited me. And you're not weird.” Miguel assured you with a smile. “I've been thinking about talking to you, too, I just wasn't sure you would be interested.”

“I am.”

You fell silent, but just when he was about to break the silence and ask you if you were ready to go, you launched forward and pulled his head down to kiss him. It was a messy, hungry kiss, and he was sure he would devour you if you weren't careful enough. But you didn't seem scared, not even when you felt his fangs tear into your bottom lip.

When he pulled away for a moment to breathe, admiring your puffy lips and the way you were looking up at him through your lashes, he realized that you didn't want to go anywhere. You had your finger hooked under his belt, and you were pulling him towards your door at a painfully slow pace.

“I don't know about you, but I'm not even that interested in that play,” you whispered quietly.

Miguel kissed you again, this time not holding back when he pushed your back against the wall. “My place,” he growled against your lips, and you were quick to nod in response. “Good girl.”

[recurring-polynya]

Idk if you’ve answered this question (sorry if you have) before, but how do you think Renji & Rukia first met ? What do you think their life was like originally before Soul Society ?

Pardon me if I'm reading this wrong, but...Rukia and Renji's first meeting is enshrined pretty thoroughly in canon? She rescued him from a water heist that was about to turn disastrous.

This is from Chapter 98/Episode 32: A Star and a Stray Dog, which is the first place you should be looking if you're interested in pre-canon Renruki lore.

As to the second part of your question...you mean before they died? What sort of lives did they have in the World of the Living?

I'm gonna pontificate, so I'll throw that under a cut

First off, I am fascinated with the fact that Kubo gives us nothing about what anyone's living life was like. On one hand, I would like to know everyone's pre-history, but on the other, I'm glad he didn't, like as a literary choice. The slate is supposed to be wiped clean. It doesn't matter. It's maddening, but also correct.

It's also one of those places that is just ✨fanfic free real estate✨ in terms of I think everyone should make up their own version for their blorbos, so of course I have them for Renji and Rukia. I have absolutely nothing to support these, they are just what I felt in my heart.

I have actually talked about Renji's beforedeath quite a bit, here and there in various fanfics, usual under the conceit that, particularly in their Inuzuri days, he would sometimes blurt out some half-remembered thing and then promptly forget it again. Here an excerpt from Chapter 3 of go places:

It’s an Alive Memory, Rukia is nearly certain. Most souls get them. All the boys did, from time to time. To Renji, it’s just brain dust. Whatever it is in Soul Society that makes people forget their lives also makes this memory detritus slippery to hold onto. Renji won’t think of this later, or attach any importance to this conversation. The funny thing is, after ten years of watching him stumble through these moments, Rukia probably has a better idea of what Renji’s life was like than he does. He lived on a farm of some sort. A small one, or at least his family grew a lot of their own food. He died of a fever. Nearly all of his Alive Memories involve his mother. Rukia is almost positive that Renji’s mother is the one who taught him to write. The sewing scissors were likely hers. In Rukia’s imagination, Renji’s mother is very tall and beautiful and kind. Rukia doesn’t need to use her imagination to know that Renji loved his mother very much.

Just to offer a little more detail--doing the math out, where Bleach starts in the early 00s, Rukia and Renji have been separated for 40 years and knew each other for 10 years before that, it would make a lot of sense for both of them to have died in WWII. However, I like to think that time is very wobbly, especially in the outer Rukon, so I like to make their deaths a little earlier-- specifically, I think that Renji died in the 1918 flu pandemic, which may have contributed to getting a plague spirit for a zanpakutou. That being said, my general vibe for his childhood is based on Kanta, the neighbor kid from My Neighbor Totoro, which takes place in the 50s. In any case, he had a pretty small and unremarkable life in rural Japan, aside from the fact that he was loved very much, which will never be unremarkable, no matter how common it may be.

I have written less about Rukia's beforedeath, mostly because she was too young when she died to have any phantom memories. [Note: I know there are some theories out there, based on some arcane clues that Kubo has dropped that Rukia may not actually be a normal soul and may be related to Hell. That's...fine. While I'm never going to say no to a storyline that centers Rukia, I really do hope that it comes to naught. Ichigo has enough Crazy Origin going on and I like the Rukia's backstory the way it is, so I'm just going to ignore all of that for the sake of this post]. Ahem! So, infant death is not anything surprising, or even really interesting, but what makes Rukia's kind of compelling is the fact that her much-older sister died at the same time. To me, this indicates either a natural disaster or a death-by-violence.

As I said above, there are infinity ways you can go with this, but to me, there were two important things I wanted to capture 1) given Renji's descriptions of Rukia having an inherent grace and nobility, and the idea that something about Hisana caught Byakuya's eye, I thought that maybe they should have been noble, and 2) I wanted them to live by the sea. I do not actually remember how I landed on this, but in the 1850s, a bunch of sea fortresses were constructed to protect Japan by attack from sea (see here for more detail). This was the tail end of the Edo period and I liked the idea that maybe Rukia came from an old samurai family, and her father was sent to oversee one of these coastal forts. Did they die in a bombardment? A bad storm? The Kanto earthquake? I never got that far. I'm not even sure if this is a realistic scenario, if they had civilians living there, etc, this was just a half-thought-out thing I came up with for a bonus chapter of a fanfic that someone requested once. The one other detail from that that I came up with and stand by is that I think there were more siblings in their family between Hisana and Rukia. I also like that this idea that makes Rukia somewhat older than Renji, even though the math is impossible and the points are made up anyway.

[pigtailedgirl]

Due South and a Canadian White Girl North-ish

I'm so nervous. Addition: Perhaps some trigger warning for abuse and illness talk?

So I read this great Due South fanfic.

BLESSED

I think it's going in my top ten. And I have a bunch I like that deal in the same theme. In Fraser's fit of himself in the city versus northern Canada and how he finds something in the contrasts.

Still this fanfic, though it does a neat re-examine overall, and others, have an image I guess that is put out by Fraser, by the narrative, of Canada that just does not work for me.

EXAMPLE

***

"Think about being somewhere else," Cleve told him as the strings began to vibrate again. "Anywhere but here."

And he did. Where did he want to be? Anywhere but here. Yes, Cleve had indeed answered the question for him.

The MacKenzie River, strong and swift, slicing through the spruce and pine, cutting a path between the snowcapped mountains.

The frozen, inhospitable Beaufort Sea, where a man could see his own breath turn to ice on the air and blow back to his face, clinging crystals of ice on his skin and lashes.

The mighty forests of tamarack and poplar that covered the western slope of the coastal mountain ranges. The warm, gentle breezes of heady lodgepole pine scent. The soft hiss and crackle of campfire, mellowed by a handful of cedar bark.

"There you go," Cleve decided at last in a quiet, satisfied voice.

Ben smiled until his face hurt, not quiet ready to open his eyes and let go his vision just yet. The strings felt good, like the strips of cedar bark he had imagined for the fire, the neck of the guitar a more than adequate rendering of the canoe paddle the MacKenzie demanded. The smooth, time worn wood of the box pressed into his belly, a body that complemented his, perfect in its unyieldingness, yet matching his every bend and twist.

Stella the True.

Ben would have given her another name.

His eyes opened then, noticing first how the world seemed to have blurred in more ways than one, and that the smile had faded away as the memories had faded in upon him. The world was only blurry for a few seconds more, until he realized that once he blinked the beginnings of tears from his eyes, the world became amazingly clear. So much became amazingly clear.

"Don't give up on yourself, son," Cleve Abernathy's voice came from somewhere very, very far away. Fraser gave his saturated eyes to the man who had spoken.

***

"Where I come from, people help one another. If one goes without, then all go without equally, so that everyone has a chance. You don't let your neighbor's coal run out in January. You don't let their stomachs go empty when your kill is plenty. When their children don't return from the trail, you go looking for them. That's just the way it is."

***

It's beautifully written, but feels wrong to me. Feels like lies to my lived experiences. Being from a small place like Fraser, this is a beautiful sentiment, and not at all true to it's realities.

When Fraser, Due South's narrative and comedy, and fandom view the otherness of the wilderness or northern Canada, make big deals to study it, never mind just mark Canada different in broad... It feels othering. Othering in a way I think is really important to how Fraser doesn't fit in if he's got this perspective too.

I've grown with stories about people and family who lived the same kind of lives as the Fraser family. In modern ways my home here still is like this. I even lived some like this and I'm baby in comparison.

Remote and isolated. Lots of nature to be in. Law, education and medicine as tiers in the community that are mostly outsiders to the community either brought in short-term or recurring.

Even those who live here permanently now, have founded themselves career wise, and have to, going away to do it or having been born and raised elsewhere. Christ, we have to basically leave after high-school more than 1000km away. HAVE TO.

And there is a definite disconnect between this group who are outsiders and the what I would call settled persons in the emotional connection to the place and town and the ability to fit in.

If it's a truism to me, this idea of grand north, natural beauty or isolation in a small town, with the people, to get in touch with an emotional growth is the biggest lie I have ever witnessed done by people to themselves. And this is an idealism of outsiders. You don't come out into isolation or live it to get NEW emotional needs met. You don't grow yourself thinking this is something special or the true way or will fix you.

Those that say living like this is a personal spiritual ride are:

1. High on their own supply as it were, aka, either tapping what they had dormant before or pretending.

2. Doing so off the backs of those who just don't think too much about it and are where and what they are.

If I had a dollar for every doctor or therapist I met who came here and were enamored by the place, the seas and freedoms and kind people and opportunities in solitude, expected it to change the people here and them, and then ran wild because they were always dumbasses, or took advantage, or after a year of seeing it day to day still wouldn't or didn't understand how to live with it and ran or got burnt out...RICH.

Because the truth is that small communities and remoteness don't make special or perfect people or places. We aren't magic, we aren't even that different, we just face a different or smaller reality.

I'm struck by the story One Good Man paints of Fraser's grandmother, who faced early trauma, and to me tells a reality you maybe don't want to embrace fully but should reflect on before concluding the nature of life here. A young woman who saw her town burn, who saved some of the children in it, but watched the others and adults die and was also horribly physically and probably emotionally scarred by it. Who only had an idea, and with it, bravery in the face of that moment, and after the strength to hang on as her backbone tip of surviving. Any wonder then, the tough it attitude and gift of wisdom was maybe her main survival and emotional mantra. That what tied her there to keep trying to give knowledge to people and how she pushed that above emotion on her grandson was this.

I think canon does a good job of highlighting an undercurrent of why Fraser and family still didn't fit in and why Fraser and Due South is a story of growth as a person and finding his home/community is going outside. His emotional needs weren't here. That's alright to find elsewhere when you need it.

@juniperpomegranate made a really great point of difference of Fraser's north, so often idealized in show or fic, and how it isn't actually like a town. It's not imagined or filled or understood in the reality of a community. Which is hella important. Because your community and relationships is how you really fit in a place like that or in my home.

And that's people. People to connect to. People who aren't wildly different. Experiences only seem wild to outsiders. Perfection or an image of better peeps is only lauded to cover in my opinion.

We face hardships and issues. We don't face them mythically. Nature is pretty and it requires work and understanding of it, learned only from experience and listening or knowing others who have, to survive and thrive in.

The reason we have outsider law or medicine or education come in is...

Well it can be real fun when the town is faced with say influenza and has no resources, or knowledge about it. Where you have to be cajoled to get immunized by your sister dressing up in the nurse's coat and leaving, to trick you into coming out of hiding. Where Dad tells stories of my great-grandma who plastered everyone with coal oil for cures as the rock of the town. Or where, when you have criminal stuff or domestic violence or mental illness and you can't treat or stop. A woman who hurt her family for decades because she was sadly untreated and unknown Schizophrenic. When another woman my dad's age wrote of her harrowing experience of childhood, of her mom dying from cancer and her father putting her to work as a teenage girl to care for the siblings and home, and then not providing any of his income or the support people gave him for them, until she and her siblings were literally found starving. Cause he fucked off to the neighbors. Cause the whole town knew it was happening, but there was no alternative, this was just their monetary and work survival versus that family and that family's lack of social capital paired with no place to go. Where solution was when law finally came in an forcefully moved the minor kids to different fosters in villages 100s of kilometers away, this was just a daily continuation of life though for most here.

See law, as external resource, can't even do much beyond come in twice a year and judge people. Punishment for crimes is more social than moral and depends on taking a person out of the community most times. Bob Fraser, Mounties and cops who ship around to different spots, if they are good get then respect sure, but they were and always have to stay detached to not bias too. It's a hard one. It's you can have impact and respect, for example the priest use to come a couple times a year and get the good dishes out for him, but you don't build the emotional connection of say staying for the weddings after-parties of music and dancing all night. Of people crossing islands to visit each other at the end of weeks' work.

In this vein I'm not surprised Bob had a great reputation and a lot of "friends" he didn't know.

And education. Where it's people come to knowledge at you, or knowledge from you. Where it's students come to study you like you are a tropical native of the 18th century. Write their papers and go back and take your history and skills to sell and forget the here left behind. Or come dodging the drafts of the States. All our stories or archives are in a "local" museum we can't even get to without a plane ticket yo. Or again those who come to give wisdom like they are the holders and we are heathen plebs. With maybe a one in ten being someone or something honest or decent. Though I'm a little bias here. My mom was a teacher who came here in the 70s and spent her whole life teaching grade school. Literal one room school house start. Who met and married and stayed with my Dad here. Some people do catch. Some, I think like maybe the example of Fraser's grandma, which I have soft feeling for probably because of this, just really want to impart shared knowledge and get happiness from seeing it grow and having that personal shot to help it. In a small community that seed growing outwards, to see it, is freaking awesome. But key is shared. You got to learn from too.

Finally, small isolated communities need and foster their connection through the people. Who you know. How you are all related. The meme of does everybody know everyone in Canada hits lol. But that's got the inverse too. There is no privacy. Loners be seen and judged. Again, social fit and capital being supreme.

That's why the nature loner or lover is myth too. Drop you off on a pretty snow covered lake. Pretty yes, magical and just for you, no. You still need the community knowledge to know where the fish, which direction is inland or sea, where is best shelter, where is Indians in the country to help you trap, when does the supplies boats and airdrops come. Nothing is done alone okay, trust me on this. You go out to snowshoe alone on a clear day, and weather strikes and you die.

I guess my point I keep trying to rope back into is maybe the experience or place or people sound different, or magic, but it's superficial. It's no different than how stories of history or cities sound to some. Emotionally I think we run the same. I think the true beauty is in seeing that reality. That you can't be the best stuck in an unreality or hiding from finding your fit. And again the true charm of Due South and Fraser, is his going south grows himself to see it. The show gets us to play and have fun seeing it.

And that the best of people or place, Canada or States, small town or city, outsider or no...is accepting and acknowledging that difference and sameness is the way to grow. Is the best beauty.

It's how my community did grow out of most of it's struggles imo, and hopes to go further I tell ya.

So here are my recs on the wonder of difference and sameness in Due South. Again like the fic above, can't rec enough.

Here are a small sampler of finding yourself near and away.

Stars, I Have Seen Them Fall (squidge.org)

Smaller Gods - arrow (esteefee) - due South [Archive of Our Own]

Our Dancing Days - sdwolfpup - due South [Archive of Our Own]

Also, does anyone have a link to an old ds flashfic of Fraser wandering Chicago in a power outage? I loved that one.

[snobgoblin]

@stickystickyduck

OOOOH that's a good question I had to think about that. I've touched on how he would react to Nadia's parents before so I'm gonna also touch on how he gets along with them (he is very friendly and family oriented and wants to meet everyone in his new family!)

🔮Asra's route. he loves Asra! he's so excited to share travel stories with them and learn about all the new places he should visit. he's also very impressed by their magic skills and he loves seeing how they and his son are always learning from each other. he is very nervous though, he doesn't like the idea of his Danny going off and seeing the world. he knows how dangerous that is. but he knows he has to let him go eventually and tries to be supportive (though there are tears and tight hugs) also, he gets along great with Aisha and Salim. they all exchange stories about both of their children when they were kids- and Mercurio can relate to them in the aspect of like... he feels like he missed so much of his son growing up. but it's too late to go back now

🐚Nadia's route. he loves Nadia too! but I'm probably going to say that for everyone, any friend of Danny's is a friend of his and that goes triple for a partner. he's a little bit intimidated from her being a princess at first, like, he doesnt wanna come across as rude for being overly friendly. but once he gets over that, Nadia finds it very refreshing to be around someone that doesn't bend over backwards for her and she's curious about his travel stories. she's pleasantly surprised to hear from him about how Prakra is doing since she hasn't heard about it in years- he offers to bring her a seashell back from his next trip since she misses the beaches so much. he's really taken aback from hearing about the wedding though, like HIS SON being a COUNT?? MARRIED TO A PRINCESS?? he always hoped Danny would get to live comfortably and he knows he's in good hands with Nadia (also I already drew his reaction to Nadia's parents but he is absolutely delighted to meet all of Nadia's sisters especially considering his own sister died)

🍺Julian's route. this is definitely his favorite outcome. he's been rooting for this for YEARS and he feels a lot of satisfaction that all his favors ended up paying off. he likes playing matchmaker! he loves love. he loves this outcome and he loves being part of this family, it's very tight knit just the way he likes it. there's definitely a similar thing with Asra's route where he doesn't love the idea of him traveling the sea, but if that's what they want to do...

🌿Muriel's route. he's glad Danny found someone who has a hard time making friends like he does. upon realizing they have no problem sitting in silence for hours on end, he just... i dunno, he feels really warm. like he's kind of a talkative guy so he doesn't understand it but he's glad Danny found someone on his wavelength. that's what's important to him. Muriel doesn't really have a remaining family so to speak so Mercurio welcomes him with open arms. it takes a lot of getting used to but Muriel does eventually get used to him, and Mercurio does have to learn to tone it down a little around him. and be patient with him (dude is 4'10 with a 6'10 son in law. slay)

💫Portia's route. definitely one of the more baffling ones for him, but he's happy about it anyway. (imagine trying to set your son up with someone and he ends up dating their sister 💀) Portia's really friendly like him so they end up getting along great. Mercurio lets her look at all the maps he's acquired over the years since she has an interest in that

👑Lucio's route. he's definitely... confused. wasn't this guy supposed to be dead? anyway, he never had a strong opinion of Lucio. his neighbors didn't either, they're just happy to get drunk and set off fireworks for the masquerade. this is one of those where he really checks in with Danny to make sure he knows what he's doing though. like, he's heard of the things Lucio is capable of and he's terrified for him. but, he quickly learns Danny's pretty much got him on a tight leash and he'll be just fine. he finds Morga incredibly intimidating, too. they have a really interesting dynamic. like... they both love their kids more than anything but one of them is emotionally unavailable and the other proudly declares it at any given opportunity. Morga has definitely called him weak at some point but he knows his heart is his greatest strength

[redux-iterum]

About the last chapter- I enjoy that their secret isn’t something entirely hidden. With how brazenly open they were about it in the books it’s ridiculous to think only two cats knew about it.

I’m enjoying that a lot of cats are already looking at the couple somewhat suspiciously with two (maybe three with Privetclaw) knowing exactly what’s going on. I’m hoping it isn’t a “oh my goodness how could this happen” reaction when everything comes out, but a “oh… so it was happening” type of reaction. Less so surprise and moreso disappointment I guess.

And now onto a question, when did it become a rule to not couple with a cat from another Clan? I can’t imagine it was a rule from the beginning and more of a gradual rule that forms as history goes on.

Thank you for the kind words! The sneakiness and subtlety of the books leaves a lot to be desired in many respects, especially with GreySilver. I'm glad you like how we did it here!

As for your question: originally the Clans were very open - visitors could come and go as they pleased, cats jumped from one colony to another, and no one thought of relationships between Clans as a big deal. When the code got properly written and introduced to the territories as a result of fights between neighbors (see the lower third of that linked post), it started as a form of protection for young cats that gradually grew into a form of protection for everyone of every age. Over time, loyalty to your community became increasingly important; you needed to decide where you wanted to live and stick with them, because you needed to help keep your friends and family safe. As a result, the code's first section was arranged to be about loyalty (despite its contents not being the original beginnings of the law). Cats stopped swinging between Clans, picking one or the other and staying there for good.

As you can expect, the attitudes of the Clans changed over time, becoming more insular in their territories and customs. Warriors began to side-eye their neighbors, even though fraternizing was still going on and there were still friends and mates to be had across borders. With kits being born and expected to stay in their homes, they became a bit more of a commodity, as did their mothers (not that they weren't valuable before, but now it was for a different reason than the desire to protect innocent lives). When litters were born that had a father in a different Clan, arguments would rise over who had the right to those kittens, and it wasn't uncommon for things to escalate into a fight. It took some lives being lost for the Clans to set down a law that the mother's Clan had claim on her and her children by default.

That worked for a while, but Clans are prouder and stupider than they think they are, so fights continued to break out, whether it was over the father demanding his family come to him or the kits being curious about the other half of their heritage and giving in to the temptation to leave once they grew a little. Demands for litters kept happening, even with the mother-law in place. Culture was affected too: the Clans' members now scorned a molly who had an outsider father because she had just given that other Clan reason to come over and start some shit, and for pete's sake, there's plenty of fine toms in this Clan that won't cause issues over their family, what is wrong with you?

A law was finally put into place forbidding romantic relations across borders at all. No outsider fathers, whether loner, warrior or kittypet. You have your Clan to choose from, and that's plenty. Enough was enough, and as the leaders reflected, it really should've been written earlier. So much trouble would have been prevented.

Of course, as has been stated many times on this blog, the outsider law does have a loophole that was introduced as a later point to allow fresh genetic lines to come into the Clans and prevent a shitload of inbreeding. That loophole is that a queen does not have to tell anyone who the father of her litter is. In the case of non-Clan outsiders, no one really cares enough to press a queen on if her baby daddy is a loner or not, because that loner is unlikely to try and come after his children. However, as the Clans have evolved to look very differently from each other, it's extremely easy to tell when a kit is half of another Clan, and that is concrete proof of breaking the laws of loyalty, which has only become more and more taboo over time. Maybe there won't be a fight, but maybe there will. Clans can get pretty greedy when times are tough.

[made-nondescript]

Lore guy anon returns! With question answers! (I love answering questions so feel free to ask any)

The whole him traveling thing is. Complicated to explain due to a big giant piece of worldbuilding I did that is, basically, long story short: oopsie! The fae realm is all over the ocean now and it's messed up almost all sea travel! (The pirates (or at least their captains) are fae, don't worry about it its a whole thing)

But it basically means that when people leave the continent, they aren't really expected to return. Doing some worldbuilding on the spot (since your questions have revealed where this backstory idea conflicts with the family idea), maybe Scott's parents croaked (since I just haven't bothered with them so might as well shove them out of the picture) and that's what prompted scott to go on his travels, cuz ya know might as well see the world. I've also given him vague sisters (sisters to contrast qith the brother he had in xornoth in s1) that also left not long after him, siting better opportunities outside of chromia and the continent as a whole.

(((Oh wait I just remembered he's mentioned his parents (as his dad was where he got the hat from, and he was a traveler as well), so maybe that's also why he decided to leave. He also prolly saw most of the continent on family trips and such, so beyond was the only place to go that would be new)

But scott eventually did return (after being literally robbed blind), and became the talk of the town because of it! With the sisters being a useful writing thing to show that aspect of the culture more directly, because like. They haven't come back. Most don't.

And again on 'questions providing useful jumping off points for building', I haven't got much for the family fueds (I'll have to make the families and their fueds first. I've been on holiday so I haven't quite managed to), I imagine scott, now an adult rather than just a child hearing gossip, prolly doesn't see much of it. He'd be like, the last member of that branch of his family, so he can kinda do what he wants. But since he became Important by happenstance, the other families might even try to get in his good graces, get him to agree with them and get trades and allies that favor their laws. Weither or not he's aware of their attempts, who knows, not me! (yet).

Also on the topic of his family, the llamas are less a chromia thing and more a smajor family thing. I say this cuz i find the llamas being more a scott thing to be halarious, but like theres still a whole park dedicated to them. Although scotts definitely particular about the llamas, in a very rich animal kid kind of way. Like, say, when the bar needed a new barkeep, scott was all like "Oh! Owen could do it!" "Good! Who's Owen?... scott that's a llama..... eh ya know what, better than our last guy!"

Also I'm liking the idea that the whole no central leadership thing in chromia is a big source of pride. They don't need someone to order them around, they can simply come together to agree on things! They ignore how the Important Families are still a similar concept (although again on pride, those families also tend towards making sure that they care for their communities. If they aren't, they aren't being proper citizens! And if they become cruel, the people can always just. Stop listening to them, due to the structure of the laws and all that. (Obviously a bit more complicated than that but yeah))

This ask is even longer than the last :D! (Haven't even mentioned the ancient capital!!) But like feel free to answer more questions. For other empires I also have some slight stuff for Sanctuary (although it's more in how it relates to the other empires), I've got some concepts for Stratos (and how it contrasts the other empires, including its nearest neighbor, in both local and culture, chromia), as well as two seperate ideas for tumble town??? One of which, the more recent one, I believe was prompted from musing on your blog! (Like tumble town being a gold rush town who's mines have run empty)

FAE PIRATES OMG... that is very unique. I really dig that and the idea that like, leaving the continent is kind of expected to be the end of you. Scott's whole eye situation very nicely compliments that attitude towards venturing off continent too, because he may have come back but like, at a cost.

The llamas being a Scott thing IS so funny I love that. They just like their llamas okay!! the real question is whether the whole family treated animals like they're capable of human tasks or if Scott is just Weird. EITHER way, Owen would have to be very well trained to stay behind the bar for a suitable amount of time! so! Scott's affections are not misplaced.

Imagining in this society that the affluent families kind of apply pressure on one another to be good maintainers of their communities as well. Like it's a status symbol or something to have a particularly well cared for community.

Which, on the subjects of communities being clustered around the more affluent families, does that mean that Scott's family (or rather, Scott and his sisters?) was kind of negligent by leaving? Regardless of responsibility - if any - to their community, did they (temporarily or permanently) redistribute their resources before doing so? Was somebody else in charge? Maybe dynamics vary a lot between communities (which would no doubt be infuriating to foreigners). Did they simply not amass very much in the way of traditional resources? Ohh maybe their affluence comes from a non-traditional source, due to their travels.

Additionally, on no centralized leadership being a point of pride: I can imagine that getting very frustrating for Scott very fast. Not that he wants to be leader or anything, but he's basically being made to do the job of one without having the power to actually make decisions. So someone from another Empire asks him a question and he just sighs and says he'll get back to them after the 5 to 25 business days it takes for everyone to chime in on the issue.

These are so awesome thank you for sharing!!! All of those ideas sound wonderful frankly!!!! Specifically staring really hard at what you said about Stratos and Tumble Town omg ??

[callipraxia]

My area was expected to take a much worse hit than we actually did, due to the storm turning slightly at basically the last moment; we were never told to evacuate or even consider it something that was likely to end up on the menu, but we were grimly resigned to spending a few days without electricity and possibly needing wince-inducingly expensive house repairs afterward, and are just grateful we didn’t end up with those problems while also feeling horrible for all the people in areas that did get hit bad. Truth is, you never really know exactly what the weather is going to do until it does it, at which point it’s too late to adjust your response, so you just do the best you can with what you have…which often ain’t all that much or all that good. This goes double for people like my neighbors in Appalachia proper, where

1) poverty is extremely common, making it somewhat difficult to uproot on a dime,

2) a lot of people who stay long enough to have houses there often are deeply emotionally invested in the land and their communities,

3) people and small groups of people may be very isolated from everywhere else, so that trying to bail out could land you in as bad or maybe even worse position than trying to ride it out - or at least, people might think that it could do so, and

3) quite a lot of people are part of religious groups which are more likely to pray to be spared than to take major steps to mitigate the risk…not least because the members are often poor and also in a place where their family has all been for generations, to the point that older people in particular are often not quite able to compute the idea of being somewhere else. Also relevant to those older people is “I’ve survived storms here for eight decades, I’ll survive another one,” a false sense of confidence bolstered often to the extent of just not grasping the idea that storms these days are a fair bit more likely to be violent than storms of yesteryear. But while the “pray and hope” idea might have its roots in such depressing realities, it also obtains a power of its own; I could easily imagine someone feeling they were committing a sin by not trusting God to get them through.

And all of that on top of everything else already mentioned in the OP, the most important bit of which is that nobody deserves this. The rain falls on the just and the unjust alike, and in these parts, the unjust tend to be the people with the means to get out in no more time than we had before the storm made the news, too.

we go through this every hurricane season but the way people will find any excuse to point the finger at the victims of natural disasters and say cruel shit like "fuck around and find out" like it's not horrifying having to leave behind your home and all your belongings and potentially your pets with the full knowledge that there might not be anything to come back to after... ignoring that there are people that don't have a car or the money to evacuate, ignoring disabled people who have no way to get out, ignoring people that can't find places for their pets to shelter, ignoring people that have medical equipment that can't be moved or replaced, etc... and even if someone stays behind solely because they want to, they still don't deserve to suffer.

as someone who worked extensively in disaster response previously, it is not easy to "just" evacuate, and the relief that comes afterwards is intentionally difficult to obtain. and already the forces that be are trying to spin this narrative that the victims are at fault, to put the blame on them so that if (probably when) people are forced to resort to looting (because the aid never comes) everyone will nod and agree that they're all bad people and deserved it... rather than acknowledging the fact that there was no attempt to make the evacuation accessible and safe for everyone, no guarantee that aid will be waiting for them when they return to a home that has been swept away... no empathy for the fact that these people's entire lives are potentially destroyed with no safety net to catch them.

[adelaideriedesel]

A Carrot Goes Swimming - Week 3: January 26, 2024

I started off my day with making my lunch at 7:30 in the morning even though I should have done it yesterday. But that didn’t stop me from having another fabulous day at the DeBary Hall! We started today off again with story time. This week’s theme was soup (partly because the weather had been colder… but became hot again. Oh Florida!). We read three books and did a craft and of course my personal favorite: head, shoulder, knees, and toes. My rise to fame within story time was being the carrot for an activity with the kids as they had to pretend to pull the carrot out of the ground. I was the lucky one who was chosen to be the carrot. I had a green and orange scarf to make it look like a carrot and was yanked (lightly) like Gumby except I don’t have green arms. 

After we cleaned up and headed back to the office we started getting ready for the real treat of the day… going to the long-awaited pool. Tracy, the director, gave me a pair of her muck boots that were just a size too big. We brought bug spray and a walking stick to scare away snakes. That’s when it got real. We walked down the road to what looked like just another plot of land. The typical rough path was not cleared out so we went through the neighbor’s yard on the side and obviously were very respectful to their land. We began going through the woods with Tracy taking the lead and tapping fallen palm fronds to make sure there were no rattlesnakes… Great! We walk for a few minutes and pass huge trees and walk on land that has not been touched by man in a very very long time. In the thicket of the trees, there is barbed wire encasing the long-awaited pool. It is basically just a huge hole in the ground with rainwater filling it and a shed that fell into it after Hurricane Matthew. But I was still impressed. As I was surrounded by snakes and spiders and things I am equally afraid of, I imagined the DeBary family relaxing out in the sun surrounded by the wild Florida frontier. Wondering if they drank lemonade how was the walk from the mansion to the pool and if they had a favorite bathing suit. I was very lucky and grateful that Tracy and Lisa went out of their way to show me this very hidden local secret as the location is not revealed to many. We then went back through the woods and discovered grapefruit and tangerine trees and grabbed a few. If you are wondering the fruit was not taken from someone’s yard as it is county property and we (they) are county employees. We walked back to the mansion and had lunch. 

The second half of my day consisted of working on my archival project as mentioned last week. There were three bins and last week I went through one so I began going through the second. I found that there was a lot of paperwork and bags of artifacts missing. I organized them the best way I could on the spreadsheet and made note of what was missing. I am curious as to what happened to them, but it is likely that they were never put there in the first place as the excavations were done by an archaeologist and a group of young volunteers… things are bound to be missing. Once I was done I opened the third and final box. The first few bags were fine until I realized they had put the artifacts in a very cheap plastic bag and after over 25 years it has started to disintegrate. Going through these bins has given me insight on how details truly do matter. There were mistakes on the labeling of the bags and the paperwork throughout the entire thing. Being keen on double checking and ensuring tasks are done properly is so incredibly important for the preservation of materials. So that means next week I will be reorganizing all of the artifacts into new, more secure bags and I am excited to see what I find then! 

As I had my hour drive home I was thinking about my time so far at the internship and thinking overall why I am pursuing the museum field as a career. I won’t get too deep into it, maybe I’ll save that for next week, but simply put, when I was a kid all I wanted to do was time travel and see the world from every person’s eyes throughout space and time… and now this is my opportunity to do it. 

This week's pictures are of me at the pool, the pool itself, and the disintegrated bags!!

I’ll see ya next week!

Adelaide

[rafi420]

Can Apple's MR take us into the metaverse era?

The opening chapter of the Bible, Genesis, reads: In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. The earth was formless HE Tuber and void, and darkness was over the face of the abyss; but the Spirit of God was upon the waters. God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day" and the darkness "night." There is evening, there is morning, this is the first day...

What follows is a process that many people are familiar with: the creation of heaven, earth and light on the first day, the creation of water on the second day, the creation of land and plants on the third day, the creation of the sun, moon and stars on the fourth day, the creation of marine life on the fifth day, and the creation of marine life on the sixth day. After creating animals and humans, God rested on the seventh day and completed creation, so we have 7 days in a week.

Back to the topic, recall the positioning of Apple’s just-released vision pro, and review its past releases of iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods, which have redefined our consumer electronics and have cross-era significance. They all seem to be in line with the concept of Genesis. One rule. The summary is as follows:

The above is what the author calls Apple-style product genesis.

Redefine "Metaverse = Improve Productivity + Emphasize Emotional Connections between People ≠ Entertain to Death + Social Isolation"

Returning to the product itself, let’s take a look at what functions the first generation Vision Pro supports and its corresponding application scenarios.

Different from its predecessor Meta, Oculus focuses on entertainment and gaming scenarios, while Apple's Vision Pro places more emphasis on office and home use. After all, Apple's product positioning has always emphasized productivity tools. Moreover, the product definition of "Metaverse ≠ Entertainment to Death = Improved Productivity" will be more easily accepted by mainstream values ​​and can better impress consumers.

Although "productivity before buying, iQiyi after buying" is very common (iPad, a product advertised as a portable personal computer, ended up being a tool for watching TV dramas, and e-book knowledge products like Kindle, ended up being just a cover for instant noodles) artifact), but every user who spends a lot of money to buy it is looking forward to how this Vision Pro can give them more creativity. With Vision Pro, they can become a creative writer, vlogger, artist, and efficient at home office. Programmers wait instead of becoming addicted to playing games in the virtual world every day...

Arousing people's better " imagination " of their own future is the secret to the success of a product. " Owning it = I will become a better version of myself . "

The concept of the metaverse in some science fiction movies such as "Ready Player One" is completely a virtual entertainment world. The real world is dilapidated and people no longer communicate face to face. The product concept of Vision Pro is exactly the opposite. Even if we enter the metaverse, we will not cut off the connection with people. On the contrary, this product will more conveniently promote and strengthen the emotional connection between people. Vision Pro can allow you to have an emotional experience that is close to the reality of "a close friend in the sea, and a neighbor in the world". Even if you enter the world of the metaverse, don't forget to communicate with your family and friends.

Apple’s metaverse is all about spatial computing

The term spatial computing may be unfamiliar to most users, but this term is not newly coined by Apple. In fact, in the academic world, spatial computing has always been a relatively important research direction, that is, how to combine the two-dimensional planes that we now mainly use on a two-dimensional plane. The various algorithms carried out are extended to the three-dimensional space, so that the algorithms and various capabilities can be better integrated with our actual physical space. This is also the most important homework that needs to be done before entering the metaverse era.

How does Apple perform spatial computing?

Space productivity: A boundless canvas created for apps, suitable for both office and home scenarios: vision OS provides a 3D interface so that apps are no longer restricted by the boundaries of the display screen, and apps can be arranged side by side in any size ratio. Apple Vision Pro lets users take advantage of unlimited screen real estate to increase productivity, access frequently used apps, and unlock new ways to multitask. Supporting Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad, users can customize their workspace, or wirelessly connect Mac capabilities to Apple Vision Pro to create a large, private and portable 4K display that presents clear text.

Figure 1. Productivity scenario (no need to rely on physical monitors, you can enter office mode anytime and anywhere)

Spatial audio and video: Through two ultra-high-resolution displays, any space can be converted into a personal theater. The screen feels as if it is 100 feet away, and is equipped with a spatial audio system. Users can watch movies and TV shows, or enjoy 3D movies . Providing 180-degree high-resolution video and equipped with spatial audio, users can watch a series of immersive videos and be instantly transported to a new space.

Figure 2. Audio-visual scene (immersive giant screen, an experience beyond the cinema)

Spatial environment (you can choose to be more real or virtual through adjustment): The spatial environment allows the app to transcend the boundaries of real space in the user's world. Dynamic and beautiful landscapes help users focus or simplify the cluttered environment. By adjusting the digital knob, users can control the degree of immersion in reality and experience in the spatial environment.

Figure 3. Make the real and virtual world quantifiable and adjustable

Give users a great sense of control and freedom;

Why Apple’s product is called MR mixed reality instead of VR or AR? This is the essence;

The digital crown design that has been inherited from Apple watch → AirPods max → vision Pro is wonderful.

Spatial Album (redefining photo albums and enhancing the emotional nature of photo albums): Apple Vision Pro is equipped with Apple's first 3D camera, allowing users to capture, relive and immerse in precious memories together using spatial audio. Every space photo and space video takes users back to unforgettable moments. Special experiences such as celebrating time with friends or a meaningful family gathering seem to reappear before their eyes. Users can access the entire photo library on iCloud and view their photos and videos at true size, with vibrant colors and stunning detail. Every panoramic photo taken with iPhone expands and surrounds the user, giving the user the feeling of being there.

Figure 4. Memories-space photo space video

There are many classic scenes in science fiction movies, whether it is Tom Cruise looking at the holographic image of his wife and daughter who died in a car accident in Minority Report, or the clip of his daughter calling for dad in the room that Chinese boy watched repeatedly in The Wandering Earth 2; science fiction is reflected in reality, which means Digital immortality is not far away.

Spatial FaceTime video calls (strengthening the emotional connection between people) : Apple Vision Pro allows FaceTime calls to use the space where the user is. During the call, each participant is presented in a life-size window. With spatial audio, the voice sounds like The same thing that comes from where that person is. Users wearing Vision Pro will be presented with a persona created by AI algorithm (3D face reconstruction) during FaceTime calls, which will instantly reflect the user's facial and hand movements. Users can watch movies together, browse photos, or collaborate to present PPT through simulcast sharing.

Figure 5. Spatial FaceTime

Benchmarking the Google Starline holographic communication system, the user's highly realistic virtual image is created directly through a 3D camera, and then driven through voice, expressions, and hand movements. The real-time performance is better guaranteed, making holographic communication low-cost and highly reliable.

Spatial interaction (eyesight strengthens the emotional connection between people) : Equipped with EyeSight, it helps users stay connected with the people around them. When someone approaches the user who is wearing Vision Pro, the viewing area of ​​the device will become transparent, allowing the user to see the person, and people approaching will also be able to see the user's eyes. When a user is immersed in a spatial environment or using an app, EyeSight provides visual clues to let others know what the user is focusing on. A new interactive system that allows users to interact with digital content through eyes, hands and voice control. As users browse apps, they simply look at them, pinch to select, flick their wrist to scroll, or dictate input.

Figure 6. Spatial interaction method

New interaction methods: eye contact, gesture and voice interaction;

Even if you wear a headset, you can still communicate with people around you, and others can also see your eyes. It is officially called eyesight function.

visionOS spatial operating system: Taking into account the low-latency requirements of spatial computing from the beginning of its design, it uses the space around the user to provide a powerful spatial experience and unlock new opportunities for work and home. Equipped with a new 3D interface, digital content looks and feels like it exists in the user's real world, helping users understand proportion and distance through changes in natural light and shadow.

Figure 7. Space operating system (visionOS)

[jpaulanzia]

I, II, III: A Blog About Myself

Hi! Welcome to this blog! I am so glad for everyone who can read this and to be here on this post, seriously. Well, because there are already hundreds of millions of blog posts on this very vast internet in a vast modern world, what are the odds and who am I, right?

Oh…

Sounds like an interesting question.

I.

Sorry about that! Now, allow me to tell you everyone who I am.

Hi again! Luckily, this is actually a blog of mine about myself and some things I like and do. My name is John Paul and you can all call me Ampy or Amfy. Let me share the story behind that nickname first. Since I was a kid, anyone from our place including my friends, relatives, and neighbors called me Ampol, something my family gave me. Cool nickname, right? Or so I think. But yes! I think it is cool and unique. Since then, I have been happy about it but as I went to Senior High School, some friends, and classmates of mine suddenly called me Ampy. I was like “That is different, but sounds classy. I’ll take that.” After some time, it likely did become my secondary official nickname, or mostly for my friends. One day, I just thought of making it spelled “Amfy” sometimes, until it became somewhat my “artist name” every time I share my artworks and outputs on social media. Wait. Me, an artist? Well, an aspiring artist.

As of now, I am currently a 3rd-year college student. I am taking a Bachelor of Multimedia Arts in Lucena City, Quezon, Philippines. I think art particularly with drawing has been my game since then, and I’m happy about it. I remember back then when I was a kid, I drew anything I imagined and anything I saw. But that was me as a kid. I think I just learned to fall in love with it as we may all do with any art we like. From learning to becoming a hobby and to now, pursuing it. Going to the other things that I do like; I also love doing photography. I can say that it is also one of my most done works as an artist. I also do paper crafting and modeling sometimes as hobbies. I would also like to say that I love cats. I have seven of them.

II.ighlights in Life

            Now, I will talk about some highlights in my life. I believe the things that would be the most important and memorable for us are the ones that we do with commitment and love. Even if they are only just some simple or even normal daily activities, they could still be achievements that we all can be proud of forever. So far as a multimedia art student, I have had some fulfilling experiences and moments for myself that I am glad and grateful for. With drawing, I am now able to reach some other people by sharing my artwork online. There are also already some small commissions that I have taken before. It’s not the biggest but I am happy about that as I am still on my way to taking on more projects.  What makes me delighted is every time I see my works in public being shown and had by many people before. Seeing them enjoy and appreciate my work was something I’ll never forget. I have also been doing production assisting before for some studios and a few times, as an assistant photographer, going to such places in Quezon. Those are such accomplishing experiences for me.

Honestly, I can say that there may be not that many accomplishments that can be shown off to other people besides the school awards and other apparent ones. But to myself, I know that there are lots of them from what I know and feel. Making my family and other people happy with me is a big achievement for me already. Being with my family, meeting my friends and everyone; everything I have today, and being able to do what I love are all important highlights of my life. There may be some times that there are some harsh challenges and difficulties concerning our choices in life, but I still do my best and I know that we all do.

III.yself still in the future

In all my future aspirations, I envision myself as a professional concept artist or visual development artist and being part of some large and renowned teams and studios, perhaps even having the opportunity to work with the amazing visual development teams at Marvel Studios, for movies, shows, and maybe even games. Five years down the road, I know that it may be possible, but if not, I see myself well on my way, if not already there. Another possibility is continuing freelance work as a multimedia artist, with a potential venture into owning my very own studio or collaborating with someone else. It's not just a dream; every day, whether with my studio or in a big studio, I'm working towards these goals and I will create them as masterpiece.

[earthnashes]

Allllrighty, time for some headcanon >:)

Meet the main gang’s pals!

I know it's mainly because Mario is the main character and therefore needs a "trusty steed" of sorts, I.E Yoshi, but there are times where I wished Luigi and Peach had their own buddies, so that's exactly what I did here! Birdetta is Peach's companion, Peppers is Luigi's, and of course Yoshi is Mario's. uwu

Yoshi follows Mario around and joins him on his adventures, thereby making him a Spec-Op of the Mushroom Kingdom as well. Long story short he's essentially Mario's partner; he watches his friend's back just as Mario does his!

Birdetta met Peach when they were both youngsters, with Birdetta's mother having worked in the castle kitchens. The two became good buds and would play all around the castle, something Peach remembers very fondly because at the time she didn't really have many friends. In fact, Peach would probably say Birdetta was the first legitimate friend she's ever made, Daisy the second. Today, Birdetta aids Peach as a royal messenger, where it's her job to run throughout the kingdom to deliver important documents between jarls. She's exceptionally good at her job due to her speed, and sometimes have been tasked with getting messages to neighboring kingdoms.

She and Yoshi are mates. :)

Peppers met the brothers through Yoshi, since she was in a neighboring tribe and often came to Yoshi's tribe to play. She accompanied the boys when they all made the decision to travel to Mushroom Kingdom, and when Luigi first opened his bakery Peppers was adamant about working in it, so it was pretty much a natural progression since they were already roommates. :)

While we're on the topic, please have some headcanon regarding Companions and how they work:

Companions are animals with human-level intelligence. This generally means that while they don’t necessarily have their own kingdoms, they usually reside in simplistic societies with clear structure and culture, and as such they are considered sapient. Companions typically aren’t able to speak (or if they do, it’s extremely limited due to their vocal range) but can very clearly communicate regardless through other means, whether it be through universal form of Sign Language or some other way.

They got the name “companion” since in general terms they are friendly and are sometimes known to have families to host them when they travel into much larger, much more modern cities and towns. As such there were laws put in place to make sure the hosting families did not treat these beings as pets or even live-in servants, something I can imagine being an issue before the World Convention was formed. As time went on, the Convention had begun a program where companion races can petition to be recognized as a Kingdom and join their ranks. The requirements of such include having one or more Sponsor kingdoms, their own land/island, and clearly having an established body of government of some form (that is in some ways democratic in nature).

The very first “companion race” to have done this are the Kongs and the Kremlings, in which they were officially named a kingdom under the name D.K Isle.

Other companion races include Birdos, Yoshis, Rexes, and Nintendogs.

Now, Pets are animals who do not hold human-level intelligence and are, typically, domesticated from their much more feral counterparts for a variety of purposes. Sometimes its for companionship, sometimes for livestock, beasts of burden, whatever it may be. These animals include Spinies, Buzzy Beetles, Reznors, Poochies, Dhino-Rhinos, so on.

---

But ye! Hope you enjoyed this headcanon blurb! Feel free to ask questions and more to come soon :)

[more-than-a-princess]

Sonia nodded, listening to Chiaki explain the nuances of the different Ghostbusters games. She was familiar with the films of course, so she could place a game with the corresponding movie easy enough. But famicom? And movies never made? Oh, now it was getting terribly complicated!

But what wasn't complicated were two very important things: how much positive energy radiated from her friend when she was prompted to speak about video games at length, and how she did not expect Sonia to follow along completely or be an expert in it all. She did not frown upon that either, which allowed the princess to relax in her best friend's company. There was no need to come up with just the right response to say that wouldn't be scrutinized. She simply seemed to want someone to care, to listen and engage where they could. And Sonia could do that: it was the easiest thing in the world, she thought. To care and show kindness towards others.

"I must say, I have considered the possibility of zombies consuming my neighbors at home," Sonia giggled. Imagining the aristocrats in neighboring counties to her family's manor, their summer home, becoming infected and it spreading throughout the countryside...it rather sounded like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It wasn't a video game film to be sure, but if Chiaki enjoyed zombies, she might find some fun in the horror-inspired retelling of Jane Austen's classic novel. "That does sound like great fun! Perhaps you might show me the mechanics sometime? We might fight zombies together, then!"

She was quick to catch up, but just as quick to fall behind. Just how many games were there in this game? And there were different sorts of gameplay? Sonia smiled but, in truth, she was becoming even more lost than before. To her, it seemed there was a certain pattern of buttons to press at a certain time and that was what assured success in many games. Chiaki would, certainly, know better, but it was far beyond her own scope of play. The games she played the most were the Mario Kart and Party with her cousins, and chess with her father. On occasions where they could all get away with it, they'd rustle up the video game controller guitars, microphone, and drum pad and pretend they were in a music band. Sonia was always given the drums because while she could keep a beat, she could not sing or play notes for the life of her.

"I doubt Freddy Kreuger would appreciate being referred to as a low-tier killer," Sonia remarked, a small pout on her lips. "But I believe he would jest in retaliation! Surely charisma and manipulation count for something where serial killers are concerned. In real life, they especially do."

That didn't seem to count for much in games, or at least that one specifically. But it seemed that Chiaki had selected another for them to play, and thus Sonia settled down on the sofa as she set up the proper console. "Well, what can I say..." She smiled, albeit a bit sheepishly. "It can be a challenge to resist the allure of champagne and canapes, but I admit that after awhile, the plated dinners are a bit boring. Truth be told, so often I crave something simpler. Like karaage! Or a gyudon bowl. Nothing that needs several sets of cutlery and china to consume, you know?"

It was a side of herself that, despite how eager she was to prove to her classmates and the world that she wasn't perfect and hardly represented the ideals of animated princesses, she often kept hidden. Underage alcohol consumption was still somewhat frowned upon in Japan, while in Novoselic it was common to drink with meals. And more, when one was affluent enough to have parents too consumed with their lives and social statuses to even pay much attention until a catastrophe occurred.

But Chiaki...she simply accepted it. There was no judgement to be passed, just a concern that her friend was eating appropriately. "Then it is good I ordered enough food for two, then? But I rather like this idea of an interactive horror film! With you mastering the game's mechanics, I shall endeavor to do my best to ensure our characters, and ourselves, are deffo 'final girls!' We must prevail with a harrowing story for the authorities, or the journalist who comes to interview us, after!"

❝ There are also some Ghostbusters games. ❞ Chiaki mentioned. Some are old, like the MSX or the Sega Mark III ones. ❝ Licensed games aren’t considered very good, but even so I like playing them. ❞ no-one makes a bad game because they want to, there is effort and people who actually want to make a good game involved even if it wasn’t a fun experience for them ❝ Some of the best games is the DS game that you can save civilians and scout them back to safety, and also do some side-missions to increase the public approval – it doesn’t interfere with the game, but it is nice. There was also a second Ghostbusters II game released for the famicom both for Japan and Europe that is very fun ! It has cute chibi characters, an AI companion and it has nice graphics ! Oh, and there are also splatters that may or not be blood. Or paint. The megadrive one is the best game in my opinion, it has some difficulty spikes but it is rarely unfair. The 2009 game is also nice it had most of the original cast reprising their roles along with using the ideas for the third movie that was never made. ❞ yes, she did some research when playing the game, she was intrigued ! ❝ But for a fun two-player experience maybe Zombies Ate My Neighbors can be a better experience. You run around defeating zombies and other monsters to save your neighbors, the level only ends when there’s no more neighbors to be saved because either you recued them or the zombies got them. It is a thrilling experience ! ❞ the sequel Ghoul Patrol was also good, but in this case the original was the best in her opinion.

❝ You are quick to catch up. ❞ Chiaki nodded, satisfied ❝ You need to act within a certain timeframe before the round ends. The maps have fixed landmarks but the starting points, the locations of generators, chests, lockers and exit gates are randomized. There are 20 different “realms” that are the kind of locations, and 41 different maps. One of the patches introduced a repeat prevention mechanic so unless you do a custom game or use a game feature then it is very unlikely you’ll have the same map in a row. ❞ she explained ❝ On top of that each survivor have their own skillsets and you can build your character to suit your gameplay the best, and the same goes for the killers. You also need to account for each player’s individual levels and experiences, so there is a lot of strategy that goes in playing Dead by Daylight. Of course, some characters are considered better than others in terms of meta, but some dedicated players can put their efforts in someone considered ‘low tier’ and outshine others easily. For example, the Nightmare is considered a low to mid-tier killer, but I’m sure that someone who really likes Freddy Krueger can put him to good use.  ❞

There was a moment of pause after so much talking – she wasn’t someone who would raise her voice very often or talk for a long period of time but she loved sharing the games she loved with her dear friends. Sometimes the girl was a little self-conscious about being “too much” – horror games are just a step away from horror movies, right ? There would be action-oriented games that use the ghosts as set pieces like Castlevania series, and some that use horror as a tool like the Fatal Frame series. She knew that Sonia wasn’t a gamer, she had fun but some titles can be slightly harder for newcomers – the main allure of survival horrors is, of course, the tension and the resource management but might not be too fun to watch sometimes, unless…

❝ Oh, I know. I think I got the perfect game for us. ❞ Chiaki had an idea. Sonia liked horror movies so why not presenting her with an experience closest to movies ? She moved to turn on her Playstation system under Sonia’s “threats” of healthier eating. ❝ You too could use a nice meal outside the banquets. I forget to eat, you are always too stressed.   ❞ the gamer remarked ❝ We both need to eat better… I think ? ❞

And like that Chiaki booted a game called “The Devil in Me”. ❝ This game is like an interactive horror movie. ❞ she explained ❝ There are many endings and you are prompted to press some buttons or make a decision quick or you can die. And you can also make a decision that will lead to someone dying or surviving. This one is inspired by a real-life serial killer, H. H. Holmes. A filming crew is going to make a documentary at the hotel build by the killer but...things don't go well for them.❞ she actually considered playing “Until Dawn” as it has some famous actors like Rami Malek but Sonia might be more interested in a real killer. ❝ I’ll do the quick time to avoid getting killed, but the real decisions I’ll let you tell me. Whoever lives or dies is entirely in your hands. Choose wisely, Sonia-chan.❞

[tarydarrington]

Veth doesn’t know who she’d expected to be waiting on the other side of the knock at the door, but if she’d had to guess, Essek Thelyss wringing his hands like a worried grandmother would have been near the bottom of her list.

“Oh,” she says. “Hi?”

He bobs his head, almost more a quick bow than a nod, tenting his fingers in front of his chest. “Good afternoon,” he says, with the distinct cadence of someone who has repeated the words to himself in the mirror all morning. “I hope you are well?”

“I’m all right,” Veth answers haltingly.

The two of them stand there for a moment, awkward silence hanging between them. Then, finally, Essek gives her a nervous smile.

“I do not wish to impose, but, ah…” He gestures past her. “May I enter?”

“Yeah. Sure.” She steps aside, and Essek gives her a grateful nod before walking - walking? - past her into the living room. “Take a seat, if you like.”

He takes the invitation, perching gingerly onto the very edge of the armchair they keep for their larger-sized guests. Veth follows him in, shutting the door behind her and wondering if this isn’t all a very strange dream. Essek barely meets her gaze as she circles around to stand before him. She leans forward, narrowing her eyes.

"What is this? Why are you being weird? Did something happen? Did Caleb die?"

"No!" Essek reins in his volume, pressing his palms together in apology. "No, certainly not. It is simply…"

Veth raises her eyebrows to prompt him.

"Well, I, ah…" His fingers draw little circles in the air, as though he can pull the words out like a spell. "I have read that it is custom in the Empire to request the blessing of a guardian if one wishes to…" The pained look on his face stretches even further. "Court."

Veth blinks at him. He’s serious. He has to be. That face, all pinched up towards the middle, reminds her of the way the neighbor boy looked when he admitted to breaking her dining room window. It looks absolutely absurd on the former Shadowhand.

"Well, I'm sure he would be flattered, but even with the slower aging, Luc's a little young for you."

She can practically see the joke fly over his head. "No," Essek blurts hurriedly, eyes blown wide with mortification. Veth might have laughed if she didn't feel a bit guilty. "No, I…" He brings one hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, eyes squeezing shut, and she suspects he's rooted out the sarcasm.

"If you're talking about Caleb," she says as a peace offering, "I'm certainly not his mother."

"No." Essek presses his palms together again, this time in his lap. "I have considered ways to make a meaningful gesture regarding his parents, but…"

He shakes his head. Veth can fill in the blanks. She wouldn't want the beginning of a new relationship to be tangled up in past trauma, either.

"So," he continues. "I had thought, perhaps, that as his closest friend, you might be a suitable alternative."

Well, that’s… She isn’t sure if it’s flattering, exactly, but she’ll accept the show of respect. She takes a moment to scrutinize him as he watches her apprehensively. Essek and Caleb. Caleb and Essek. It makes a certain kind of sense. Once, years ago, she might have railed against it; despite his growth, it’s still difficult sometimes to look at Essek and see anything other than her husband’s former jailer.

But lately, these last few years, Veth has been at home. She’s been with her family, the most important people in the world to her, and Caleb… well, he’s been off on his own adventures. And without Veth there to look after him, it’s been on Essek’s shoulders to make sure he comes back from said adventures alive and whole. Which he has, so far, without fail.

And that look Essek is giving her, as though if she says no, it might actually dissuade him?

"First of all," she begins with a sigh, "you’re not at court. You’re not courting. You're dating."

At the look of confusion on Essek's face, she takes a deep breath.

"You'll take him to have a meal together, or to see a play, or to watch a lecture. Don't do the lecture thing, that's a bad idea. That would be a terrible date." She pauses. "Although, with you two, maybe."

She can tell from the look on his face that she's losing him, so she waves her hands. "Nevermind that. Disregard all of that. The point is, you'll take him to nice places and do enjoyable things together."

Essek shifts uncomfortably. “I… don’t know if I can do that,” he admits. “I cannot be seen outside of the confines of his home or areas outside of the Empire.”

Veth frowns. “Well, you’re going to have to take him somewhere. You have disguises, right?”

Essek seems to consider it. “I do,” he says. “I suppose it would be worth a small risk, from time to time.”

“You’re darn right,” Veth agrees. “And don’t skimp, either. Caleb deserves the best.”

Essek nods entirely too seriously, as though he’s filing all this away in his mind. Veth makes a mental note to pester him with a progress report in about six months’ time.

Not one too rigorous, though. It’s hard to imagine prodding at him for entertainment’s sake when he looks so pathetic.

“Is there anything else?” he asks tentatively, when the silence persists.

“Well, let’s see.” She runs a finger over her chin, theatrically deep in thought. She already knows her answer. “Do you care for him?”

“Of course.” The sincerity on his face almost makes her feel bad about this. “More deeply than I have ever cared for anyone.”

She shouldn’t ask. It’s probably not something he’s discussed with Caleb himself, yet, if they’re only just now getting together. It would be prying, even for her. “Do you love him?” she asks, anyway.

A little, lost smile turns up one corner of Essek’s lips, and it’s almost a whisper when he replies, “How could I not?”

A pang of something that has never quite left Veth’s heart smarts for the first time in years, and she looks away with a matching smile.

When she and Caleb had been traveling with the others, people tended to hem and haw when she brought up how amazing Caleb was. They thought he was talented, sure, but it sometimes felt like none of the others could see the unquenchable light in him. But looking at Essek’s face, at the way his eyes are shining, Veth can’t help but think that maybe, finally, somebody gets it.

"Alright." She reaches out, and before he can flinch away, pats his hand. "You've convinced me. You have earned my permission to have regular sex with my adult, human son."

“I…” His brow furrows. “Truly?”

“Yeah, go nuts.” She waves a hand dismissively. “Caleb’s a grown adult. He can make his own choices, and if he’s choosing you, then good for both of you.”

Essek blinks at her like she’s just handed him a full pardon from the Bright Queen.

“I mean, obviously, if you hurt him, you will have all of us to answer to,” she says. “But you’re the guilt guy, so I think you’ll probably have yourself to answer to, first.”

"I…" He clasps his hands together. "I expected more… what is the word? Pushback.”

Veth braces her hands on her hips. “You know what? Fjord and Jester didn’t even tell me they were dating until I literally saw them kissing, and Beau and Yasha were barely better.” She jabs a finger towards Essek’s chest, ignoring the way he startles at the movement. “So you have just made it to the top of the Winter’s Crest card list.”

Essek presses his steepled fingers against his mouth, but not before Veth catches the bashful smile spreading there.

“Thank you,” he says. “Truly, I… This means a great deal.”

“Heck yeah, my blessing’s worth a lot,” she replies with a grin. “You know what? Tell Fjord that. He doesn’t have my blessing. I’m gonna make him work for it.”

This time the joke doesn’t pass him by, and she can read in his small smile that he’s grateful for the show of familiarity.

“I should hope he will rise to the occasion,” he says, and Veth gets the feeling he isn’t just talking about Fjord.