#i wish men would simply not! i would have happily paid full price!

[murderballadeer]

the thing i'm upset about with the screen protector thing is that now i feel like i can't go back anymore bc i got a discount under false pretences which is a scummy thing to do (even tho i did not do it on purpose) so i don't rly want to do that again. but that's the only place i know of where they still have screen protectors for iphone 11, don't charge like $30 for them and will install it for you while you wait at no extra charge. so like next time i need a new screen protector idk what i'll do lol

[liviethewriter]

Nightmares || Ezio x Reader

Fandom: Assassin’s Creed Type: Oneshot Requester: None Warnings: Fluff, Italian Swearing, Minor Violence, SPOILERS for Assassin’s Creed 2 Note: You gotta admit, the expressions in a lot of Assassin’s Creed games are just simply great. For example, Ezio’s expression in AC2 when his mother said, “Still recovering from last night?” And almost instantly, he feints surprise, like, “Uh, no idea what you’re talking about…” I’m laughing just thinking about it! Also, I wish to apologize for any incorrect translations. My first language is English, and I can speak some basic Japanese. Google Translate was bullied here.  Anywho, the Assassin’s Creed franchise is not mine, and rights to it go to Ubisoft. You are your own person. The only thing that is mine is the fan fiction itself. Enjoy! -Livie

All was quiet in the halls of the Villa Auditore. Moonlight spilled through the windows of the villa, illuminating the rooms it could get into. The inhabitants were sound asleep, save for one soul. A woman by the name of Y/N. 

Y/N was a traveling bookbinder, a book doctor of sorts. Most men did this job, but she was one of the few women who mended old books and bound new manuscripts together. Women were especially good at this, mainly because of their ability to skillfully use a needle with thread. Y/N loved books and her services were fairly priced. On top of that, she was pretty friendly to many clientele. 

Y/N was a close friend to Giovanni Auditore, a banker of Firenze. He had many documents and files, and she traveled through Firenze frequently. Whenever she was in town, he’d have her weave some of the books together and always paid her full price for her services. He even let her stay with his family for a few days if she were weary of travel. 

Thus, Y/N became a close friend to the Auditore family. Maria, the mother, was approving of her choice of profession, as most women around this time period flocked to a brothel or began displaying their cleavage in hopes of hooking a husband on the streets. Fredrico seemed to like her, as a friend of course. He was already promised to another woman, and she was not too keen on making enemies. Petruccio avoided Y/N, though she never understood whether it was because he was shy or if he was disliking of her. Y/N and Claudia got along fairly well, and the bookbinder often gave her advice about Duccio. She was especially upset when she found out that he was being unfaithful. 

It was the middle son, Ezio, that vexed Y/N the most. She never got too close to him, knowing he was with another woman by the name of Cristina Vespucci. But Ezio was always quick to throw Y/N that adorable, cocky grin of his. She could never tell if he was trying to flirt with her, or if he was trying to make her lighten up. He loved spending time with her. Whenever Ezio wasn���t running errands for his family or doing chores (or other unmentionable things), he was spending time with Y/N, grinning and joking around with her. 

But then the Auditore family ran into trouble. Y/N didn’t even know about it until she was passing through Firenze on a supply run, and she heard a passerby say, “I can’t believe it. Who’d have thought the Auditore family…? Mio Dio (My God).” 

Y/N felt her stomach hollow, and she grabbed the man by the shoulder and said, “Wait, what happened?” 

“You didn’t hear?” The man looked surprised. “Giovanni, Fredrico, and Petruccio Auditore da Firenze were hung yesterday for treason and conspiracy to murder.” 

Y/N let him go as he shrugged and walked away. Stumbling to an alleyway, she threw up, shaking. Giovanni and two of his sons were dead? Mio Dio, indeed. Feeling unsteady on her legs, she wiped at her mouth. Then what did that mean for Maria, Claudia, and Ezio? Were they all alright? Were they running? Did they escape? So little time, so many questions. 

And so began her search for the remanents of the Auditore family. 

Y/N didn’t find them until several months later at Villa Auditore, in Monteriggioni. She had stopped there for a few supplies. She was looking around some of the stalls for flasks and food when suddenly she was grabbed from behind and dragged into a nearby alleyway. 

Y/N struggled, about to bite the hand over her mouth. But she was suddenly turned around and met with a pair of familiar brown eyes, glittering happily in the dimness of the alleyway. The fire in her eyes quickly dissipated, recognizing the face in front of her. He had aged a bit since she had last met him, dark brown stubble lining his jaw and amplifying his handsome appearance. Y/N was definitely attracted to Ezio. 

The Auditore Assassin grinned at her. “Y/N! Mio Dio, look at you!” 

She grinned right back at him, hugging him around the neck. “Ezio!” 

Ezio laughed a little and hugged her right back, his strong embrace nearly crushing her. A surprised squeak from Y/N was all it took for him to let her go and hold her at arm’s length. “Where have you been?” Y/N asked excitedly. 

“Here. There. Everywhere,” Ezio shrugged, chuckling softly as he cocked a brow at her. 

Y/N shook her head, smiling a little. “That’s so like you, to be vague,” she commented, to which Ezio proceeded to pretend to be surprised. 

“Bellissima (Gorgeous), what ever do you mean?” Ezio asked, a hand lying across his heart. 

Y/N laughed and he grinned, chuckling along with you. Putting an arm around her, he said, “Venire (Come), Mother and Claudia will want to see you.” 

Excited at the prospect to see the Auditore family she had been searching for so long, Y/N happily went with him. As the two of them exited the alleyway, Y/N noticed the white armored outfit he was wearing. It wasn’t exactly what she’d expect Ezio to wear. No one seemed to be bothered by its peculiar style. In fact, they seemed to welcome Ezio, greeting him happily. 

A group of girls giggled and flaunted themselves invitingly as the two passed by and a dark feeling curdled in the pit of her stomach. With a stab of shock, Y/N realized the feeling was jealousy. Why was she jealous of a few brothel-born women who wore clothing that left little to the imagination? 

It definitely had something to do with the fact that she had Ezio by her side. Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that he interested her. In more ways than one. 

Curious, Y/N then decided to ask it. “So… how’re you and Cristina?” 

Ezio knew she had to have some reason for asking about his former girlfriend. With his free hand, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, we’re no longer a couple, if that’s what you’re asking.” 

Y/N widened her eyes, flabbergasted. “Wha-! What happened?”

Ezio looked at her, seeming a little upset. “Well, after my father and brothers… you know, I took my mother and sister here. We were about to leave for a ship to Spain, but my Uncle Mario convinced me to stay here. Since Cristina did not know if I would return or not, her father betrothed her to another man. I did nothing as I knew her father did not like me. And I did not want Cristina to be called an unfaithful puttana (whore). So…” 

Y/N frowned sympathetically. “Oh… I’m sorry, Ezio.” 

“No, non scusarti. (No, don’t apologize.) After all, I think Cristina will be happier with him.” Ezio looked forward, sighing a little as the tips of his hair brushed his cheekbones. 

Y/N always thought he had handsome features, but with the dark brown facial hair coming in, she thought he looked absolutely gorgeous. 

“Mio dolce (My sweet), you’re staring,” Ezio teased, a playful little smirking gracing his features as he looked at her from the corner of his eye. 

A light pink dusted YN’s face as she sharply looked forward, tense. Ezio laughed heartily, his brown eyes glittering in amusement. Y/N shook her head, huffing. 

Only then did she notice that they were going to the large villa ahead. Y/N went bug-eyed. “No way,” she mumbled in amazement. 

Ezio chuckled as the two reached the top of the stairs leading to the front yard. He guided her inside, grinning. “Y/N, welcome to Villa Auditore!” 

Y/N was stunned by the beauty of the recently restored Villa. It was exquisite outside. But inside was absolutely beautiful. “Stunning, sì (yes)?” Ezio asked, standing by the door as she looked around in wonder.

Y/N looked at Ezio, smiling. She was at a loss for words, so she merely nodded. 

“I can think of a few other things that are twice as stunning. One of which is smiling right at me,” Ezio chuckled at his obvious flirt. 

He looked fairly amused as the heat rushed to Y/N’s face and she looked away. 

~~~

And now here she was. It must’ve been close to midnight. Y/N was shaking, terrified. She had just woken from a gruesome nightmare that’d both horrified her and made her cry softly. 

It’d been Ezio on the gallows, not his father and brothers. She’d woken up as his screams for her to run were cut short as the trapdoor let out and the rope was drawn taut. 

Comfort. Y/N wanted comfort. She knew where Ezio’s room was thanks to Claudia giving her a tour of the entire Villa earlier that evening. Claudia had been excited to see her, but Maria was a little… out of it. Y/N had expected her to be in shock like she was. 

Shaking a little, Y/N wrapped her blanket around herself, nibbling on her lower lip as she got out of bed. She was quiet as she quietly walked down the corridors to Ezio’s room. Y/N raised her hand to knock on the door, but she hesitated, unsure if he’d even be in a good mood. 

But Y/N still wanted to be near someone. To have human contact. And she only felt close enough to Ezio to allow herself close like that. Mustering up her courage, she knocked on the door softly, before wiping her red eyes and suppressing a sniffle. 

The thought of the rope creaking as Ezio’s limp body swung from it nearly shook Y/N to tears again, but Ezio opened the door before she could break down crying again. He was only dressed in his dark trousers and a thin, white nightshirt. He instantly took note of her tear-stained face and reddened irritated eyes, and he realized what had happened without her needing to say anything. 

“Oh, amore (love), come here,” he said softly, drawing her into his embrace and cradling her head to his chest. 

Ezio pulled Y/N into the room and closed the door, having a feeling that she didn’t want to be seen in such a state. She was trembling as she held onto Ezio as if he were life itself. The Assassin held her close, kissing the top of her head and whispering sweet nothings to her soothingly.

When he heard a sniffle, he looked down to see Y/N silently crying. She was scared. And knowing this broke the Italian man’s heart a little. He had liked Y/N for quite a long time. But she was always rejecting any flirts from him, knowing he was with Cristina. But with his former girlfriend going to another man, he had no hesitation with being there for Y/N. 

Gathering her up in his arms, Ezio carried her over to the bed and let the frightened woman sit in his lap as he held her close and comforted her. Ezio knew that talking about your nightmares often helped, but he wasn’t sure that talking about a nightmare that scared Y/N this badly would help anyone but the demons haunting her. 

Ezio gently rocked her, still softly whispering in Italian. He would’ve told anyone else to just grow up. But Y/N wasn’t just anyone to him. 

It wasn’t that much longer until Ezio noticed that Y/N’s soft crying had faded to hiccups. He looked down at her, very gently moving some of her hair out of her face. Her eyes were red and irritated even more than before, and her cheeks were wet with salty tears. Her face was flushed red and her lips were moistened. 

Sitting her up a little more, Ezio cupped her cheeks in his hands and drew his thumbs across the still-damp skin. “Guardami, bella… (Look at me, beautiful…)” Ezio said softly, noticing that her eyes were looking down as she attempted to collect her thoughts.

Y/N’s chest lurched a little as she hiccupped again, but she complied and brought her eyes up to meet Ezio’s dark chocolate irises. Ezio’s gaze softened before he closed his eyes and pressed a gentle, chaste kiss to her salty lips, still wet with tears. 

Y/N froze, her eyes widening at the feeling of Ezio’s plush, slightly chapped lips. It was a feeling foreign to her. But it still made her momentarily forget about her fears. Ezio opened his eyes as the kiss ended, and said, “Are you alright now, Y/N?” 

The bookbinder nodded, her eyes a little wide at this point. Ezio nodded as well. “Bene, bene… (Good, good…)” Ezio murmured as he held her close again. 

Y/N didn’t protest as he laid down on the bed, pulling her with him. She snuggled up to him, feeling the warmth seeping through the thin white shirt he was wearing. Ezio smiled fondly at her, affection in his eyes as he pulled his red covers over himself and Y/N. “Ti amo (I love you), Y/N,” Ezio whispered softly. 

He was responded to by Y/N, who said quietly, “Ti amo anch'io (I love you too), Ezio.”

As they returned to the depths of the dream world, Ezio hoped Y/N’s nightmares would not return. He buried his face in her orange scented hair, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep. 

[sparda3g]

Attack on Titan Chapter 121 Review

The truth hurts. The truth will not set you free. It goes without saying: this series is full of surprises. At the same time, the actuality made a lot of sense. The next anime season can’t come any sooner; the reactions will be jarring. I believe so, because I was floored by the revelations. This chapter had me in one crazy emotional roller coaster; the cliffhanger was the cherry on the top and that’s one sundae I don’t want to have.

Going in to the chapter, I was expecting Eren to try to convert Zeke’s opinion with the rest of the memory trip. Technically, I was right, but not the exact outcome I was expecting. Zeke summarized the last chapter well by stating Eren wasn’t manipulated by Grisha. His life was all lively and well until the wall was tore down, of course. The point is, Grisha has nothing to do with Eren’s influence. So why Eren backstabbed Zeke? Why not end the war? What is his agenda? Life truly began with Eren saving Mikasa. Remember the image of Eren and Armin happily hanging out. The tone is going to get heavy.

The scene with Eren’s first visit with Mikasa now carries more weight than simply Mikasa’s turning point, let alone a defining development. It speaks for Eren’s character to be a boy who will grow up to be a man who will fight for his freedom. If there are men that intend to steal his freedom, he will steal theirs. The shot of the worrisome father trying to calm his furious son let out a troublesome feeling.

The way I see it is, Grisha didn’t want to see his son to go to the path he made a mistake to take. When you recall the last chapter, life was going to be normal with not following Krueger’s order. However, this moment was the beginning of a path that will ultimately set the story straight. Eren’s pride denies Grisha’s desire to restore Eldia. In a twisted way, Eren should be thankful for Grisha’s actions to open his eyes, which means the father is the savior of the world. Wrap your head around that.

I do wonder what is up with Eren’s expression when he watches his young-self wrapping the scarf around Mikasa. It’s a look of guilt if anything. I don’t want to interpret as a pairing moment, but I do believe Eren owes her an apology after that act of heartbreak. It was seriously messed up; hate is a strong word. Hopefully, they patch up their relationship and well, we’ll see where we go from there.

I recall fans were confused on why Zeke, who has the Founding Titan’s power in control, would go to this memory trip to help Eren. I called it, he did it to save him; not going to abandon him. I like the fact he referenced Tom; clear indication of what he considered family. Eren is the only one Zeke has left and despite not being the little brother he wished for, blood is thicker than water. I also like more of the collage of Grisha’s moments, including the famous basement; leaving the note for the story’s great advancement. Then, this is where the chapter unfolds the craziest revelation to date.

Shifting back to chapter 1 left me feeling a good kind of nostalgia. However, that’s not the intention. It builds up the moment when Grisha leaves the house with his family alive and well for the last time. The tone I’m feeling is morbid because we know the downfall begins on that day. The panel paid close attention to Grisha’s expression as Eren argues with his mother about joining the Survey Corps. It’s all going accordingly, but then shocking part number one comes in.

The scene when Grisha promised Eren to return with secrets waiting to reveal is seen much differently. In fact, I was horrified. The truth is, Grisha was in fact staring at adult Eren when he made that promise. I couldn’t shout, “What” any louder. The scariest part is, the scene wasn’t altered; it’s like that in chapter 1. It’s not like Isayama went out and retcon the position. It was designed that way from the very start. It’s most likely just me, but it’s downright eerie to see Grisha watches his family one last time with only Eren being happy and joy. After all, the path will be favoring him from this point on, and Grisha can’t escape the inevitable. Massive foreshadow for the major revelation.

The confrontation with Grisha and Frieda is an emotional roller coaster that I won’t forget for a long time. This is the moment where the series took the course of the story we know today. As we all know prior to this extended scene, Grisha invaded Frieda and the King of the Walls’ HQ, and killed them to devour the Founding Titan. My first impression was Grisha was a murderer that would do whatever it takes to fulfill his destiny. After the last chapter, I assumed he had no choice but to kill them because of the invasion; awakened his old mission to fulfill and carry forward. Now, I am lost with words.

Right from the start, Grisha announced his heritage and plead them to save his family and citizens of the walls from the titans. This completely destroyed the thought of him killing them from the get-go. The fact he begged them first gives me a better impression of his character. He was no longer the old self who was hell-bent to save Eldians; he wanted to avoid hell at all cost. I felt bad for him before, but now, my sympathy is growing more. It doesn’t stop there.

Frieda turned down his pleading, because of her belief. She believed this is their sins and judgment day has come. They can’t afford to use the Founding Titan and fall to the wrong hand. They must accept the price they made. In short, Frieda told him to deal with fate. I guess it’s not a bad argument on falling to the wrong hand, but it does irritate me to think maybe the conflict could have been prevented. I find it funny how Zeke thinks he and Frieda will get along well. They might as well, considering how their train of thoughts are quite similar. The sensation gets worse.

Grisha begged them again, but now it’s making me sad. His expression screamed pain, agony, and broken apart. Frieda, on the other hand, started to frustrate me. Maybe you don’t find her wrong, but it’s mainly due to how Grisha was suffering from a possible solution. If it wasn’t for the last chapter, I wouldn’t be this sympathetic. It’s not to say she’s the villain, but two different belief don’t collide well. No matter how much he cried for help, she stick to her words and let them perish as they felt they are rightfully judged. Eren’s face is filled with anger. I got chills. Now, this is where the chapter begins to drown me in a pool of revelations.

Grisha finally gets to the part where the fans know exactly what happened: genocide. Not without a shocking reveal. We all know that each Shifting Titan has its own perks. Attack Titan was interpreted as a fighter, hence the title, “Attack.” But, was that really it? The real perk is the ability to receive the message from the future successors; in other words, foresee the future. Many have guessed it, but it’s great to have clarification now. I’ll explain more on the reveal later.

The amazing part about this reveal is the contrast. Attack Titan revolves with the future as the Founding Titan revolves with the past. It’s practically the future versus the past. It gives the name “Attack” more meaningful when you include the mythology, let alone the fitting nature for Eren. Isayama, you are a sly man. Grisha was ready to shift to Attack Titan and begin to kill them all for the greater good; well, at least in story viewpoint. I think. Then, a big surprise happens. The scenery led me to believe this is the moment. It was, but something is different. Grisha refused to kill them. I was downright confused.

I thought we have a multiverse in our hands. I thought I needed sleep. Part of me believed he gave up now, only to rebound later to kill them. But, it wouldn’t be necessary for Isayama to write this. It was depressing to watch him cry and refused to kill children, which again, gave me a much better impression of his character. However, if the timeline is fixed for him to kill them, how can he recover?

Adult Eren approaches to Grisha; screaming at him to get up and kill. Like Zeke, I was completely lost with words. Eren shouts at Grisha in tyranny tone and words that are painful as stabbing. It’s not even encouraging; it’s purely manipulative. He pressured him on and on, until he finally made his move. This is the story he started. The scene is far worse than before, and that’s saying a lot. I couldn’t comprehend on what just happened, but it’s actually what it was shown: Eren manipulated Grisha.

HOW IS THIS SHOUNEN?!?!

My brain isn’t processing well enough to continue. Our hero is the main villain. Well, not really, but the action is incredibly twisted. When you have to fight, you fight. Eren has stuck to the code since the beginning and this is where it led him to. It’s not to say he loves to kill, rather had no choice on the matter to advance to freedom. You can tell by his reaction towards the mass killing. It’s “whatever it takes” gone horribly disturbing. This is madness. As for Grisha, I’m astounded. First, he came off as a villainy character. Then, a redeemed character. Now, I can safely say, he’s the most tragic character of them all. That is unholy.

It’s incredible how Isayama can decipher a character that is more than meets the eyes. I haven’t changed my opinion on a character this many times before, but here we are. It’s hard to watch him cry; wondering if this pleased Eren. He also begged to see the rest of the future. Attack Titan was tearing him apart. Although it’s more than black and white, Eren comes off as a villain to his mind. The son manipulating the father; that’s messed up. Grisha’s life is suffering.

To add more weights to his character, he can finally clearly sees Zeke in the current time. The following scene is really heartbreaking. I didn’t expect Zeke to receive a closure under this circumstance. The way how it was written made it seem like Eren is hell, but Zeke is the son he wants to communicate. He tells him that Eren’s future is chosen and Zeke won’t have his. Once he sees him clearly, he embraces for forgiveness. It hits me in the feel with Grisha hugging his first son, and Zeke calls him, “Dad.” That’s powerful. Family is family. Before closing out, Grisha has one last words: stop Eren. It seriously paints Zeke as the protagonist.

In case this is too confusing for anyone, Zeke summarizes the whole revelation. I like the detail on Zeke calling Grisha dad, only to revert back to calling his name. The embracement affected him dearly, and understandably so. It’s the fatherly love he wished to have, and he got it. Long story short, Eren foreseen the future through his future-self’s memory, which led him to manipulate Grisha to set the path we’re journeying through today. Eren learned about everything four years ago; the moment when he held Historia’s hand. How rewarding.

Let’s discuss about the reveal on time messaging. Some speculated that they can travel through time. The reality is, they can only receive the message from the successors as well as see their presence, based on Grisha’s early turmoil. This eliminates actual time traveling, and it’s probably for the best. The series could get really messy when one can actually jump through time and alter it at will. By that, I mean changing a timeline multiple times alas multiverse. It narrows down to one timeline to focus on with the use of possibly multiverse visions.

It’s kind of hard to explain. I like to think of the series Orange. In there, the story involves with students that received messages from future selves in order to correct their mistakes. There’s no time jumping, no other multiverse to explore, aside of one for characters’ purposes, and it only focus on one timeline. In short, what we see is one timeline that has been “invaded” by the future. It doesn’t mean they will jump time now; the damage is done. This is the path.

As for Eren the Mastermind, it made tons of sense. It’s no wonder Grisha appeared in miserable pain prior to passing down the Titans to Eren. Now I get why he told Shadis to not get involved. He was manipulated by that point and his destiny was to fulfill Future Eren’s future. It connects far back to Krueger with his confused statement about Mikasa and Armin. Maybe there will be more towards it, but since Eren is the mastermind, it’s no wonder those two names were brought up. It’s incredible when you look back and see the pieces coming together.

As for Eren’s character, it’s believable to think he has changed when he saw the memories. The only part that is missing is whether he can see everything or only certain pinpoints. It’s addressed more or less at the end, but we’ll get to that very soon. The reason to be concerning is due to how Eren has been plotting and reacting. It’s not said the future is pre-determined, but perhaps it’s why Eren has been trying to change something.

Once he saw the memories, his focus changed drastically; wanted to take down the world for freedom. What I want to know is, does he know every outcome, including Sasha’s death. He was frustrated when he heard the news; was it a reaction to his future fate unchanged? Connie did say he laughed as well. Did he laugh because of an act of a villain, or was it a reaction towards his destiny to be inevitable. It’s clear that Eren is trying to change the journey, but the destination is locked in. This is merely a speculation. There’s a chance for Eren to elaborate his memory trip in depth. We know he has, but we don’t know what he has seen.

One of my predictions has Zeke converting to Eren’s side alas the good side; if you can even call it that. Honestly, it sounds pretty damn silly. Reminds me of Naruto in its worst days; which is why I hope it doesn’t happen. Fortunately for me, Zeke resume his first and only intention and force Ymir to enter the PATHS to end the Eldians. You would think Grisha’s forgiveness will change his mind. Instead, it encouraged him; now, against Eren and favor for Grisha. What a crazy round about.

Zeke does bring an interesting point though. If Eren becomes desperate to stop Ymir, wouldn’t that mean he didn’t see this coming? Can he only see certain destination? My guess is, he has seen everything, so he is trying to change its journey, but the destination remain the same. That or it’s gotten worse. It’s hard to say, but regardless, if Eren fails to stop Ymir, the future doesn’t belong to his.

This chapter was quite something else. It’s remarkable with its execution and paneling. I couldn’t do justice on describing the impact of these panels, especially the last scene with Grisha and Frieda. The artwork has come a long way from chapter 1 and it’s fortunately presented really well here with deep and sorrowful expressions. The revelations were mind-blowing, yet the puzzles fit in place. It ended on a hell of a cliffhanger; probably worse than the time Eren lost his head. This is it; the path to end all. We’re in the endgame now…

[youremypride]

The Truth About Love | Ch.5

☽ Have you ever love someone so much, you would do anything for them? Even disturbing the peace between the living and the afterlife? Love knows no boundaries but there is always a price to be paid. How much do you say? As much as your heart desires for your true love.

Pairing: AHS! Michael Langdon x Reader

Genre: romance, angst, violence

Warnings: none

Note: This chapter is a little short, just to let you have an idea of what’s about to happen in the upcoming chapter. The plot thickens.

Word Count: 1594 words

prev - next

“Why did you rescue me, then? You didn’t even let me say goodbye to Mr. Jacobs before those agents took me away to that bunker.” I told him.

“There was no time for goodbyes and I had to make sure you were under our protection before it happened.” He expressed.

“Mr. Langdon had gotten you to safety, Y/N. You should thank him instead of being hostile to him.” Ms. Meade warned.

“How can I not be hostile towards him? Ever since the bombings occurred, no one has ever given me a clear explanation for me to be here. You know what it’s like to be kept in the dark, seeing as he kept a part of you hidden from you. I demand to know my reason for being here, and I don’t want to hear your nonsense about being an asset to The Cooperation or it being ‘classified’. There was an assertive tone in my voice, raising the tension between me and Michael.

“Y/N, that’s no way to speak to him. Apologize, now.” Why should I? I deserve to know something, you try having questions left unanswered for eighteen months. See how you like it.

“That’s no need for that. I think it’s time Y/N here finally have some answers. You’re right, no one deserves to be kept in the dark for so long.

You were never an asset to the Cooperation to begin with. When we were trying to find survivors that were worthy enough to be saved and brought to The Outpost, we received an anonymous tip. We tried tracing it back to the sender but nothing came up.

On the note, it had your information, address and location. Below it, wrote a message saying, ‘statera’ which meant ‘balance’. We couldn’t find a relation between the word and you, so we tried running your info in the database and not one single piece of data about you came up.” I was bewildered. They had lied to me all this time. For some reason, I felt he was holding back other information from me.

“If nothing came up, why still bother with me anyway? You could have chosen someone else.” I heard him sigh.

“We did, and we didn’t put your name on the list until we received another note that read, ‘Et monent vos’. It was a warning, that as long as you weren’t chosen to survive, they’ll keep sending it again. Also, there was a date on the note, the day of the bombings.

The Cooperation took precaution of it and agreed to let you on the list. That’s all I have for you, and you know what happened next. So, tell me, Y/N. What’s so special about you that someone needed you safe and decided to wipe out the entire world?” Michael questioned me.

“You think I’m associated to the person behind those bombings? Maybe you’re the one who did it. You have connections since your part of an organisation, no? I bet you all the other survivors are in that library, dead from your wonderful plan.” I smiled at him.

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. It happened anyway. Everyone’s dead now, and I like to keep it that way. The seven trumpets of the revelation have already sounded and now the dead shall rise from the underworld to roam the Earth.” He exclaimed, his face shining with happiness.

“I don’t think it’s happening so soon.”

“Why do you say that?” He frowns towards me.

I looked up towards him, “We have company.”

“I’ve always thought the world would end with fire and ice, not witches and warlocks.” I heard one of the witches speaking. I didn’t join Michael and Ms. Meade down to see the other witches that had arrived. But sooner or later, they were bound to feel my presence.

Slowly, I walked down the stairs, my heels clicking against the surface with every step I took. I stood beside Michael on his right to see the others staring at me in shock and fear on their faces.

“Well, I be damned. I thought I would die before I could see one of his flesh and bone standing right before me.” The red-haired lady, also known as Myrtle spoke up.

“Y-Y/N. Why are you here? You were dead. Your parents said you were. How is it that you’re here?” Mallory asked, she was just as surprised as Myrtle was.

“Ah, I’m afraid you had it all wrong. I was never dead at all. I made you think I was with my powers, and those weren’t my real parents. They’re just acting as my cover so I wouldn’t get caught. Oh, and about the dying thing, yeah, I simply returned back home after I spent a year gathering information about The Coven, you didn’t think I was there as a student, did you?” I explained to her.

“You’re a witch, Y/N?” Michael asked me. I chuckled at him and started walking towards the fire pit in the middle of the foyer.

“As if the last thing I would want to be is a witch.” I tell him.

“She’s not a witch,” Cordelia says, “She’s something else.”

“And how can you tell, Ms. Cordelia?” Michael questions her.

“Because I had a vision of the past. It happened when Mimi Delongpre was the reigning supreme at that time. The Coven didn’t speak about this because Mimi didn’t want it to be disclose to the others. What happened to her family was such a tragedy, a mother shouldn’t had gone through at all.” Cordelia explained.

“Oh, I hear a story coming! Do tell, I wanna hear about this story too!” I chimed happily while the others still had a serious look on their face. “Hey, there’s not much going on here and no entertainment. Might as well get some storytelling happening, am I right?” I smirked.

“No one was told the real truth about what happened to Mimi’s youngest son, Damien Delongpre. He was a warlock, the greatest of his time. He had everything going for him, until he fell in love with one of the witches of The Coven, Lilith Ambirose. Maybe it was coincidental that he had fallen in love with the greatest witch among her peers.

Back then, it was forbidden for witches and warlocks to fall in love, even as to even copulate with each other. The council was afraid of the prophecy regarding a child born from a warlock and a witch. In which they will rise to become the most powerful of them all and bring destruction and chaos.

When the council had heard about their relationship, they decided to put an end on their lives by putting them up on a stake and burning them alive. All because of a precious soul. By the time the council was outside of their room, trying to break it down and dragging their bodies away, the two of them had set themselves on fire and when the fire had been extinguished, they found no trace of a living soul in Lilith’s body. She was never pregnant at all.

The news broke Mimi’s heart and she wasn’t the same ever since. Even she grew disgusted by her title and only wished for a new one to arise to replace her. After she step down, she burned herself in her own home.

The story you all heard before was that a fire had broke out because the witch hunters had found out about them and that they had been killed brutally by those men and women. The truth was then known when they found a journal containing all of Mimi’s entries of her memories. To think she was holding the truth of it all by taking it to her grave. No one knew why.” Cordelia ends her story.

“You got everything right, but you’re wrong about one thing.” I stared into the flaming hot fire that was burning the coal rocks behind it.

“Damien and Lilith weren’t the only ones who perished that night. Another soul did too.” I admitted. “The soul that the witches and warlocks were so afraid of and they managed to kill it.”

“How do you know about this, genius?” Madison asked.

I rolled my eyes at her, I heard about Michael bringing her back from hell. Shouldn’t have done it in the first place and let her rot there instead.

“Grandfather told me.” I simply stated. “Your grandfather told you this?” I nodded at Myrtle’s question.

“He once told me the story that Satan had went to the In Between to look for them. He had offered them a deal they couldn’t refused. He offered them the chance to be reborn again for the price of a soul, which they willingly agreed.

However, they didn’t listen to the full terms and agreement of Satan and in return, they were separated from each other, while Satan had received three souls, one he had sent away to Heaven. He executed his plan carefully so that the prophecy he had created will come true.” I sat at the edge of the firepit, putting my right thigh on top of the edge.

Myrtle walks up towards me, “Y/N, who is your grandfather?” She asked, softly.

I fluttered my eyes towards her, while I bring my right hand towards the fire, caressing the flames with my bare hand.

Everyone in the room was startled when I did that, “Who do you think it is when the only person who knew of the story is him?” I smirked at her.

Taglist:  @buckynatlarry @hxdesworld @champagnejoker @morningstarkit @bitchierrichie @meeeeeeeeeps @somethingweird168 @frozenhuntress67 @snookabooforever @habblez-the-babblez

[cutegirlmayra]

Commission Product/Document Review

My Commission Info: (x) Should you want to, please read rules and prices first.

Marydragneell: Assisted Story - Ember the Immortal Wolf’s Backstory

Time: About 2 days to complete roughly 22 pages consisting of 2 chapters.

Amount paid: 10$ (9$ for Assisted Story benefits and 1$ for added tip by customer choice.)

Review: @marydragneell  OMG I LOOOOOVEEEE IIIIITTTTT.  The title, you totally got the horror of having a perfect memory and you really nail her personality of what I read. I absolutely love it <3 <3 <3 <3 I really love it and you totally captured the personality of Ember, I was impatient to read the finished story and I do not regret it coz it's absolutely perfect. And I loved it so much I'm gonna give you the money to continue writing on her coz I just love how you do it X3

Finished product: ( a provided example of what I sell, permission to advertise according to rules and customer discretion was given.)

A Spark of Ember

By: Cutegirlmayra (Assisted Story for Marydragneell)

It was the dark of night.

I guess you could say she had been traveling for hours, or at least, still on the trail of G.U.N.

Man, where had the time flown off too?

She paced the dark night, strung with fireflies and lost in her thoughts. The only thing pulling her forward was the dirt in her nails from digging the children’s graves before swearing she’d seek revenge.

‘It shouldn’t have happened that way.’ Her teeth clenched, gripping an object in her hand, round and with the inscription G.U.N. ‘I won’t lose more to those… those monsters!’

***

Maria ran through the ARK, excitedly racing away from something. She was young, full of energy, and wasn’t afraid to skid her knee on the cold steel of the floating spacecraft.

She laughed and laughed, as two figures followed behind her, open-eyed and seeming rather calm though the girl was obviously elated at the game.

“Tag me! Tag me~” she chimed, giggling some more as she twirled around.

One figure looked to see the other’s eyes fixated on Maria’s youthful beauty, her innocence and charms, and smiled.

“Maria!” the figure called, racing even faster, breathing so much harder now, as she reached forward to tag her.

“STOP!”

Maria and the two figures paused, scared out of their game as a large, round man walked into view. His towering figure had his arms wrapped behind his back, his glasses gleaming in the vast sparkling lights of deep space behind him.

“How many times must I remind you.” He handed Maria a vile, and wearily, she trembled and stepped back.

“But grandfather…” she pleaded, before he shook his head, and bent down to her. His mustache moved with each tender word he spoke.

“Now, Maria. You were coughing up blood last night… you must take your medicine and rest more than play. I know you want to play, and feel exceptionally invincible with Shadow and Ember by your side… but you must remember…”

He then looked with a shaded stare to his creations… less tenderly than he had the child…

“They are still dangerous.”

The figure held her hand… stepping back and looking in the light with widened eyes.

Claws…

The other figure entered the darkness, “We can’t actually play with her, Ember.”

In horror and sorrow, the figure began to cry, and lifted a claw to touch it, unsure of what it was.

She flinched back as it scratched her, unaware of her body or her abilities.

She looked to the other figures hands, and shouted, “Why were you created differently!? You can play with her!”

“…No, Ember.” Shadow stepped into the light, his eyes glaring down at her in all seriousness. “I can’t.” he lifted his head up, pride and protection filling his brilliant red eyes.

“We never will.”

***

Ember had crash landed in a separate pod from Shadow. Gerald had sent her down first, having created her to protect rather than cure humanity, as was Shadow’s true design.

In all honesty, she was created as a companion to assist Shadow… but since she couldn’t find him or even know if he existed anymore, she wandered around the earth in search of anyone who needed help.

Her memory of everything was perfect. As was part of her creation, she was a walking scrapbook of every detail she had ever witnessed in her life.

She had stumbled upon a village, who accepted and welcomed her in.

Every day she would venture out to gather food and supplies for them, beginning to learn more about the world Maria loved so much, and happily did her designed purpose of watching over the earth and keeping its people safe.

Until that one day…

***

“Sing, sing!”

Ember, an immortal wolf with dark grey hair, red streaks much like Shadow’s, who she considered her brother; white tips on her ears, feet, and hands, eyes a deeper purple than amethyst, was given new clothes and a home. It was more than she could ever ask for.

“I… could maybe sing… one song~” she winked and stuck her tongue out to the side. The kids all cheered, as the adults smiled and nodded their heads.

Sweet is the winter,…

Calm is the thunder…

And don’t you cry~

Mother is here now…

To bring in the spring and create the things of life~

Rain, rain, rain…

Do you remember the warm rain?

Be patient, my child, and sing without guile

Bittersweet is the spring, that carries in the breeze…

Calmed by the melting snow…

And don’t~ you~ cry~

Before Maria would go to sleep each night, she would ask Ember to sing to her. And soon after that, Maria would sing it to Shadow before he was placed back in his experimentation pod for further study and… ‘fixing’.

Ember’s tail flicked as her face lit up from the children cheering and begging for her to sing it again, but the adults hurried them to bed.

The orphans… on the other hand, wouldn’t stop pleading.

The orphans were rumored to have parents who funded the ARK project, since the pod she escaped in was programmed to land somewhere ‘safe’ she figured it meant one of the funders.

Then… that horrible night… a night she wished to simply forget.

But such was her curse…

To never… forget.

There was smoke everywhere.

G.U.N had tracked down the children, sent to the village for safe keeping… and performed… a horrible, horrible deed…

“No…” Ember dropped all the supplies she was carrying, seeing the village on fire.

“No…” She dropped to her knees when her feet carried her faster than she thought possible to the orphanage.

Blood.

Crimson blood mingled with ash and smoke.

Her claws gripped into the floorboards.

“NOOO!!!”

She tore into them, as something on her chest burst free from it’s hiding and shined brightly around her.

A dark aura rose.

She had failed her purpose…

She was created to protect humanity…

She had failed.

“We can’t actually play with her, Ember.”

Her eyes jutted open, having not realized what she had done.

“We never will.”

She had taken down the whole building. Shredding the beds, ripping the burning roof and ceiling down.

She cried and cried… staring up at the smoky sky, grey as her fur…

Then, she felt something like a ‘tink!’ hit the ground hard and roll towards her feet.

With her horror-stricken eyes, she slowly gestured her head down to it.

Her eyes flinched in a sharpened focus at the words inscribed on the smoke-grenade.

G.U.N

***

“I’ll kill them.”

She huffed, leaning a bruised arm against a nearby tree, and looking out at the G.U.N headquarters.

“I’ll… urk… make them pay.”

She was tried, weary, and but her silliness never stopped coming. She leaned her head back, “Then I’ll buy ice cream~” she laughed, in a maniacal, broken-spirited way before collapsing to the ground.

“50 years… and you’d think Gerald would have considered putting some healing properties into me too.” She struggled, but quickly lifted herself back up again.

She hadn’t eaten in days.

***

“Sir! There’s been a disturbance in sector B!”

“What in blue blazes is going on here!?”

“General it’s… it’s a girl!”

“A girl!? What the devil… Someone’s Ex?”

“Sir… she’s…”

The Solder froze at the monitors, shaking as his mouth and knees wouldn’t move any further.

“…Crazy Ex?”

The general looked old, his short white beard lifted to the side as did his confusion.

“Give it here!”

He shoved the boy aside and then gawked at the image.

Blurred and with a lot of static, you could make out the tail and ears of a figure moving quickly and jumping around the scene, attacking and knocking men and robots alike down with a single strike.

“…She’s fast!”

“No… teleporting.”

“What?”

The General quickly walked down the stairs of his upper division computer-room, pointing and shouting at people in various desks below them. “Get me a Chaos reading on that girl. I want to know what this thing wants. What’s her power level? Do we have Rouge on standby?”

“Sir! Rouge is currently on route to cracking Project Inferno.” A woman stood perfectly straight, having a head-mic that spiraled in a cord around her neck before curving upon her cheek.

He grabbed his hand and threw it against the railing, leaning on it.

Then… slowly, in his moment of feeling trapped… he turned around. “… Put her image on the big screen.”

The soldier looked to his commanding officer, who nodded. He wearily, with sweat dripping down the side of his forehead and cheek, flicked the switch and hit a button.

Ember’s face came in on a close-up, her teeth rearing open to chomp down on a robot, shaking the disk-like gun from it’s small pole and shaking it till it ripped free.

“…More like a monster than little girl.” The General scoffed… before putting his hat back on, and adjusting it.

“…Bring out…”

“Project Shadow.”

(My thoughts: While writing this first chapter I wanted to get the information the reader needed as soon as possible. When going back for edits, I’d like to organize it to be more compelling, but with so much data on her, I wanted to make sure the essential of ‘need to know’ basis was there. I’ll include more based on the Patron’s wishes, but for now, I really wanted to show Ember as loving, conflicted, protective, wild, and still a goofball as her description made me believe she is. I included some minor details about powers, but I want to expand upon them on the following pages. This is simply my first few chapters in introduction before moving on to ‘rising action’ where she will be reunited with Shadow, who won’t remember her until she triggers a memory, which is part of her job/task. I wanted to stay true to her, but leave her as a mystery the audience still wants to figure out, and learn more about. This was the ‘interest’ and ‘hook’ of the story, something I hope to go back and work with if the Patron has any further comments for. : ) Overall, I deeply enjoyed my first attempt at writing for Ember the Immortal Wolf, and hope many others will enjoy her story as I continue writing it!)

The Ashes of Embers

Ember teleported, feeling the radiating warmth of the lost Chaos Emerald Gerald Robotnik stole from Angel Island long ago…

It was imbedded deep in her chest, peeking out on occasion, though she never fully knew the extent of its power.

During times of hardship, she’d sometimes blackout and awake to see her glowing… but what did it mean?

Chaos Emeralds weren’t common knowledge, even to Gerald.

Ember simply tried to harness or ignore it, worried it may control her more than she let on.

She knocked out more robots and security cameras, before the whole sector started shutting down.

She looked around her, her eyes shifting as the lights cut off and large, metallic doors slammed in her wake.

“…So, we’re playing hide and seek in the dark, eh?” She smiled, but a small bit of sweat trinkled down her spine.

What were they playing at?

She couldn’t trust them. She couldn’t even trust the dark. They would play dirty… they always did.

Suddenly, a green glow shined through in lines above the ceiling, and she cautiously looked up, before jumping back in fright.

“Ah!” she put her hands up over the front of her head, trying to defend herself if something should jump down from the air-conditioning units above.

The barred lining above did get dented and hit, before crashing down, along with some ceiling debris, as a figure leaped down and threw out his arm in the dusty green light.

“Chaos Spear!”

“W-woah!”

Instinctively, she raced on all fours away from the explosion, only seeing the shadows of the spears and carefully tumbling into the side of the adjacent wall to avoid injury.

“Offph!” she landed upside, her butt crashing against the wall and taking most of the damage. “Yyyyyeeee-ooooww…” she groaned in some pain, her eye twitching a bit as she turned herself over on the ground.

Getting to her knees, she heard a gun cock, and frightfully looked up with eyes shrinking in terror.

She saw the dust settle… as the front of the gun pierced her vision and hovered steadily in front of her face.

“Don’t move.”

She obeyed, but her eyes couldn’t help and wander up to the figure as the green light still beamed a beautiful aura around him.

She suddenly recognized the red stripes… the hedgehog quills… the serious frown.

“…Shadow?”

She couldn’t believe her eyes!

He raised an eyebrow to her.

“Shadow! It’s me..! It’s-!”

She moved to her legs.

Then a gunshot.

Her vision went blurry as something warm and wet traveled down her leg…

***

“Ember, come with me!”

“But, Doctor, what about Mari-!”

“Shadow’s taking care of her, you must be preserved! For his and her sake!”

The two traveled desperately down a long corridor, on the opposite wing of what they feared were the other G.U.N solders hunting down Shadow and chasing Maria.

Ember would have never guessed the sound of the gunshot, nor the escape pod was only holding one experiment… and not another human life.

“Doctor…” she saw him panting, and realized he wasn’t going to make it.

She tried to take the initiative, gripping his hand tighter that was holding hers and racing ahead of him. “Come on!”

He looked to her in amazement.

“Why… why are you so determined to..?”

An explosion happened by the right side of their faces, and the Doctor was having a hard time stabilizing himself.

“We have to keep moving!” Ember encouraged, her heart full as she dared not turn around to see him suffering to run any longer.

When just in front of the escape chamber, Gerald collapsed, holding his side.

She spun around and gripped his arm with both her hands this time, being careful to not dig her claws into his fragile, old skin.

“Gerald, please!”

“…Gerald?” He looked up at her, “My dear girl…”

Her eyes began to water.

“You’ve always known… you can call me… Grandpa.”

Her eyes widened.

She thought only Maria could address him as true family.

He always seemed so strict…

She started sniffling as her nose became filled with her emotion as well, and in her embarrassment, she shook her head and tears flew everywhere as she cried out.

“Don’t leave me behind!”

“My creation… how beautiful you’ve grown… but I’m afraid it’s me you’ll be leaving behind.”

Another explosion, and this time, they were both thrown against the wall. Pieces of the ARK crash against them, and when Ember came too, footsteps were already approaching.

“Doc… Granpa…”

She wearily summoned the last of her strength, pushing the metallic pieces off of her and digging ferociously through the pile of debris.

“GRANDPA!!!”

When she found his face, her eyes shone with gratitude for seeing him still alive.

“Grandpa…”

“Y-you must go…”

She clenched her teeth. That shine fading.

She looped an arm over her shoulder and hoisted him up, carrying him fully over her shoulders and racing into the room.

“Coordinates…” she stated.

He didn’t respond, just looking at her blankly…

“Coordinates!” she turned more fiercely to his face, demanding he let her save him.

“… 0.003. 27. The planet Earth.”

She typed such things in, and it looked like a speed-dial for earth.

“…You’ll be safe there?”

“…”

He looked down.

“Gerald?”

She looked worriedly up at him, before shaking her head.

“I mean..! …Grandpa.”

“…Hurh..”

He moved himself up, and she lightly set him down, allowing him to lean on the console.

He rested a hand by his chest, and the other… tenderly upon her cheek.

“If only I had the chance to tell you this…with Shadow by your side, so that he may too know how I truly feel.”

“…W-… what are you saying?”

“Open the door!”

Ember gasped, flinging her tail back as she turned around, squatting on her knees before racing forward to grip a large, angular and pillared machine all the way around.

She grunted, squirmed, but her super strength came into play and she hoisted it up from it’s controls, which sparked around as she threw it at the door, causing a barricade.

“That won’t last long…” she feared, speaking out loud, and racing back to Robotnik.

“We have to put you in the escape pod!” she reached her arms out. “Please!”

“…If only Shadow was here…” His sorrowful voice pierced her fragile heart, and she felt the insult of a thousand needles upon a thousand swords rip into her being.

“…Why… Am I not good enough?” Her hands balled into fist, shaking…

She lowered her head, “Why did Maria always favor Shadow?... cause he could hold her? And I could hurt her?” she looked at her clawed-hands. “Why… why did you make me in the image of a monster!?” she started to cry, before Gerald lifted his hands to her face.

“My dear… I created you to scare away the evil of humanity… you’re more beautiful now than I could have ever imagined your design to take form in.”

She slowly opened her shaking eyes, “Grandpa…”

“We’re moving in! All units standby!”

The door was being budged open by powerful hits, freaking Ember out as she turned around, but Gerald moved forward, pushing her back little by little while he moved on his knees.

“You’re all humanity has left in this time of cruelty and panic. Find Shadow. Protect Maria and all humanity. Don’t let my research die in vain. And with all the love of a father… know that I created you and Shadow with the intent to serve and provide humanity a service for the future! You are its last hope! Do this for me..! Do not fail me! Do not fail Maria!”

Her eyes widened, “Granpa…” he shoved her into the escape pod, and pulled down the lever.

“Heh…” he smirked.

“I..! I love y-!”

The pod dropped, as Ember watched the men storm the room with explosives and gunfire. “Drop to your knees-!”

***

“It was over instantly.”

“That’s our Shadow!”

Ember slowly rotated her head, realizing her since of gravity was off, and looked at her restrains on a tilted countertop.

“W-…Where the heck am I?!”

“Silence.”

Her ears recognized the familiar sound and turned to Shadow. Her eyes trembled with joy. “Shadow!”

He looked at her… but there wasn’t anything in his expression that showed the same familiarity.

“Shadow?” She became confused, had they brainwashed him?

“State your purpose.” A man approached her.

She growled, her tail flicking around in annoyance. “To seek revenge for all those innocent children and families you slaughtered to cover up the ARK incident 50 years ago!”

Shadow’s eyes widened, as he unfolded his arms to grip his head.

He seemed in his own world, trembling slightly as he seemed to have a triggered headache.

“Impossible! How can you say such a thing!?”

“As if you don’t know!” She spat out, hitting a guy in the eye.

“My eye!” he screamed and raced out the window.

“Someone get that sergeant a napkin and a new pair of privates, private.”

“I know what I saw…”

She snarled down, glaring at the man speaking.

“You wimps can’t even admit your wrongs!!!”

She struggled from her binds, “RAhhh…!”

“Secure her soldier!”

“Touch me and I’ll rip your arm off with one fell bite!”

The soldier stepped back as she clamped her mouth down with a nip his way.

“Shadow, teach our ‘guest’ some manners.” The man folded his arms.

“…Shadow?”

He didn’t look at him.

“…Shadow! For pete’s sake!”

“…No.”

Shadow rose his head up, fire in his eyes.

“For Maria’s sake…”

“What?”

Shadow pulled up the gun.

“What on earth are you doing!?”

The men stepped back, all aiming their weapons to Shadow.

“What on earth indeed.”

He smirked and aimed up.

He shot a sprinkler-system, causing the rest to go off and then started fighting the men in the room.

They tried to fire, but the water made their gunpowder moist, leaving the guns useless.

“Darn!” the general cried out, before being knocked down.

Shadow turned to Ember.

She held her breath a second, before waving her tail out as if saying ‘Hello, remember me?’ as he raised his arm across his chest.

“Chaos…”

She started panicking, humorously wiggling and shaking in her now cold restraints.

“Spear!”

He shot out some spears that cut her restrains clear-clean off her skins, and she happily leaped down from the counter.

“You do remember me-!”

She went to hug him, but he slammed a hand in her face, and threw her over his shoulder, carrying her out as he blasted the door down.

“Nooope. I think you don’t.”

She blinked her eyes in silly understanding then.

Maybe he had brain damage?

But with his fast recovery…

She then looked to her side, and realized her injury had been patched up and healed as well.

“Phew…”

She was glad something was done to it before it got infected and polluted her recovery.

“Stop them!”

Shadow raised up the Chaos Emerald, as she noticed it was similar to hers…

There was a huge missile that blasted through the water at them.

“Hang on!” Ember, even stationed on his shoulder, still summoned a bubbled-shield around her and Shadow, her emerald glowing from her concealed chest, and guarded them against the blast.

He looked over to her, “…Hmph.” Then away.

“Ah, don’t tell you weren’t impressed.” She looked cockily over to him, waiting for him to thank her, but it never came.

“Woah! Is it possible you got even more serious with dementia?”

“Chaos Control!” Shadow teleported them away, as G.U.N soldiers blocked their every move.

“Dang it!” The general raced out, holding his disabled gun. “She had to mention Code Blue!”

***

(Author’s note: Although this second chapter carries the amount paid for, I decided to give the Patron more for her money. Enjoy! :D I also really liked giving her a silly side, along with an interesting and compelling backstory!)

Shadow dropped Ember down roughly to the ground, and walked towards a tree upon a hill, before turning back to her, the wind rapidly pressing against the two of them.

His quills moved swiftly in the wind, but his face remained stationary.

“Who are you? And how do you know about ARK?”

Ember rubbed her head, “Ouch… can’t you be easier on me? I’m your sister after all.” She sighed, dropping her head. “You always did play rough.”

“Sister? No such thing.” He raised an eyebrow, before turning fully to face her. “Speak up… I have no time for-“

“As far as I’m concerned, you have time to bake as many cakes as you want and eat them all on different days too.”

He seemed confused, unsure of her riddle, as she waited to see if he would laugh, but then knew he never would.

She got up, holding out her hands. “My name is Ember. I was created with you. To be a aid for you and protect humanity. I’ve failed protecting humanity… but maybe I can still help you.”

She then walked forward, cautiously as he seemed to be looking for any sign of lies.

“It’s hard for me to trust people… I’m sure, with whatever you went through, it’s just as hard. Tell me what happened to you and Maria, and I’ll relay everything.”

His eyes looked down, a deep painful sorrow before back up at her, “...What do you mean… relay?”

“Heh.” She smiled, “The word you should get hooked on is… everything. Thus, why I emphasized it.” She joked a little, before straightened up and stretching a bit. “Alright, alright. Here goes nothing.”

She leaned forward, hands on her hips, looking him straight in the eye as she tipped her boots up slightly, trying to look cute and sister-like. “I have a perfect memory. I can remember everything I’ve ever seen. The joy outweighs the sorrow, the anger… but family triumphant over all my memories… no matter what they are. Or how tragic they appear.”

She took a deep breath, leaning up. “Shadow The Hedgehog.” She out stretched her hand to him again.

There was a long pause…

“I’m your family.”

(This was all that was paid for, plus the tip! I would like to remind you to please send me a link where you post this, and also if you could give me a review of your experience with me and the product, I would be very appreciative! As always, you must keep my name and who made this product for you on the document. If you post it anywhere, I have to be listed with it. And please send me a link cause that’s always fun to show-off something I’m proud of making XD I hope you enjoyed it! I really liked fiddling with Ember and figuring out how to organize her backstory for you. You can always pay for me to continue this story, too. So there’s that option. Thank you and I hope you’re satisfied with your purchase! Ember is so interesting because of her emotions being so complexed. For one, she’s kind and silly, but on the other hand, she’s got a darker tone that can almost match Shadow’s. It’s fun to play with those complicated emotions and I really gravitated towards the emerald in her chest and also her detailed memories. Flashbacks would be so common, in my logic anyway, if you had a perfect memory of everything; mostly cause everything would trigger it! Shadow gets triggered a lot, I figured Ember would get triggered even more so. Thank you and I hope to work with you in the future as well! :D If there’s any concerns or things you want me to elaborate on, I’d be happy to go back and review this rough draft. If you’d like anything edited, I should remind you that this is the time to consult me to do the revisions. There is no refunds, and the rules state that only I can edit this document/product. So make sure it’s everything you want before we shake hands. Thank you and I really do love your amazing Sonic Character: Ember the Immortal Wolf! *Also, thanks for the tip ;Db)

(Friendly reminder to please give me link if you're submitting it anywhere, a review of how your experience with me and how the product was for you, and lastly to mention me wherever the document is submitted or posted to with a link or mention. (This is enforced by the rules you agreed to upon your purchase!) I'd also like to reblog or share wherever you posted it so that many may enjoy the work!

 This is the last look-over. So please let me know what you like or would like edited. There will be no refunds or post-edits after this call, and according to the rules only I can edit this document. So please, remember to tell me if you see any errors or things you'd like mentioned. If there's anything you want elaborated on and such. I'd be more than happy to go over the document/product with you till you are satisfied :) )

[shenzhenblog]

Q and A With 91-Year-Old Retiring Billionaire Lee Shau Kee

As Henderson Land Development Co.’s Lee Shau Kee steps down and hands the baton to his sons, here are a few of the 91-year-old billionaire’s views. Bloomberg asked Lee about property in real estate crazed Hong Kong, young people in the city today and his charity work.

On Hong Kong’s property market

Bloomberg: UBS Group AG said recently that Hong Kong property prices may rise for another decade. Do you agree with this view? What are your views on the outlook of Hong Kong property market? Will the Greater Bay Area be a big driver?

Lee: Hong Kong is a blessed haven. We have the support of mainland China, which is a very strong geographical advantage that is beneficial for property development. I am relatively positive about Hong Kong’s property prices. After all, “wealth comes with land.” The current market still enjoys substantial housing demand, mainly because the interest rate is quite low, and also because Chinese people like to have their own properties. Therefore, investments tend to gear toward properties. But we shall not neglect the risks too. The market is always subject to external economic factors. Buying home for one’s own use is not a problem. The most important thing is that they cut their coat according to their cloth.

Lee Shau-kee

Source: Henderson Land Development Co.

Bloomberg: How vulnerable is Hong Kong to a major property crash, given the lack of affordability and rising debt levels?

Lee: If the property market in Hong Kong were to collapse, then it would definitely be a huge blow to the local economy, because the relevant industries have contributed to a significant part of our GDP. Last year, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said around 65% of the homeowners have paid their mortgages in full, not to mention the fact that local banks are all very conservative in their home mortgage policies, with some properties getting only a maximum of 50% mortgage.

Overall, those who choose to buy their properties do not usually have affordability problems. Moreover, the HKMA has always been vigilant against these risks and closely monitors the situation. When there is a need, there will be measures to rectify the situation. Therefore the current risk should not be high.

Demand for housing is huge is Hong Kong but it is not easy to buy a property here. In view of this, I have donated some land and properties that are to be redeveloped, to provide youth hostels and transitional housing projects. I hope this will alleviate housing problems that the city is facing right now, and to offer the much-needed accommodation to the families in need.

  In the long run, we support the government’s housing policy to allocate more land to build homes. Developing the New Territories and renewal of older districts are options worth considering too.

Many people may know that I have always been supportive of urban renewal because renovating older properties is beneficial to the society. Not only does it bring a face lift to the community, it can also help deter illegal building works, and to prevent hazards that arise from the deterioration of buildings. Some of the buildings we redeveloped were built over 50 years ago, some even had structural problems and created safety issues in the community. Therefore, urban renewal benefits both the government and the people.

Bloomberg: What are your views on the current government’s land supply policy, for example, allocating more land to public housing and building artificial islands?

Lee: Increasing land supply is the ultimate solution to our housing problems. Each solution has its own pace, and timing is also a consideration. Doing it quickly is better than doing it slowly because the government could speed up its land supply. The government has the responsibility to take care of those unable to afford a home. Public housing is a safety net that ensures a stable and prosperous society. There should be a balance between private and public housing, and the government should be attentive toward the very strong demand for private housing. Developing land in the New Territories requires infrastructure including transportation and drainage system. It needs the government’s support and the process won’t be easy.

On young people in Hong Kong

Bloomberg: Do you have any advice to young people in Hong Kong who are worried about their financial future and are not able to afford an apartment?

Lee: I am always of the view that young people need our support. My advice for them would be:

It is important to work hard and not to be afraid of hardship. As the saying goes, “if you can endure hardship, you will be the best of men”

It is advisable for men not to choose a wrong profession, while the women need to be wise in choosing their husbands

If you are not financially secure, it is best not to get married too soon

One must work hard to get one’s first capital, and from then on learn how to generate more money with the capital

There is no linear relationship between getting rich and buying your property. Do not let a property limit your dream. One must know how to manage their finances well, and to be prudent in spending. That way, you can accumulate wealth.

Lee Shau-kee with his sons Martin Lee Ka-shing, left, and Peter Lee Ka-kit.

Source: Henderson Land Development Co.

Bloomberg: Henderson Land donated a site for Hong Kong’s biggest youth hostel and last year offered a site in Sham Shui Po for container homes for needy families. Would the company consider more similar projects going forward? If yes, what would they be?

Lee: Other than modular housing in Sham Shui Po, I have also done various projects to relieve housing demand, including donating land to build elderly care homes and youth hostels. We have refurbished old buildings that are pending redevelopment for transitional housing. These projects share the same principle, which is to maximize the use of existing land resources.

In 2013, I donated a piece of land in Yuen Long to the government for an elderly care home. I wish this would alleviate the lack of supply of places in elderly homes. As the elderly in need of care move to these homes, the public housing units they formerly occupied will be vacated, thus letting other families take up the space.

In 2015, I donated land to build youth hostels, so as to allow young people to secure affordable accommodation. That way, they can save money more easily for career development or home ownership. When they have the ability to move out, other people can get the same opportunity.

Whether it is modular housing or social housing, transitional housing shares the same objective, which is to offer support to those households who live in partitioned homes or homes in poor living conditions, and to help those who are still waiting for an allocation of public housing units.

Be it modular housing or refurbishment of old buildings, we are simply making use of sites or buildings that are pending redevelopment. I think that these projects can be effective in helping to maximize the potential of land resources, and to alleviate the housing demand for people in need. In this sense, it is worth doing. We have various projects pending urban redevelopment, and will continue to identify those that can be adapted for transitional housing.

On Hong Kong’s future

Bloomberg: What’s your take on Hong Kong’s future? Is Hong Kong’s competitiveness at risk given the rise of mainland cities? How should Hong Kong position itself going forward?

Lee: I have confidence in Hong Kong. Some time ago I said there are four factors for a good governance of Hong Kong: Economic development, improvement of livelihood, narrowing the wealth gap and creating social harmony. Hong Kong still enjoys a good business environment. The tax system is simple and the tax rate is attractive,” he said. “The comprehensive legal system and the cluster of talents enable Hong Kong to maintain its status as an international financial center. But I think Hong Kong must keep abreast and attract talents to maintain its competitiveness. We should not simply consider mainland cities our competitors. We can in fact cooperate with them because Hong Kong will be better if China develops well.

Lee Shau-kee feeds his fish.

Source: Henderson Land Development Co.

Bloomberg: At this point in time, what are your greatest fears or worries for Hong Kong’s future?

Lee: When I was young, I experienced the period of war and turmoil. Life was very hard back then, but I survived through the adversity and continued to build my career. Comparatively speaking, Hong Kong is already a paradise. I really have no fear nor worry.

Hong Kong is unique in many ways. The government has a surplus with good income that enables it to cater to the needs of the grassroots. Hong Kong is blessed for its excellent geographical location as an international hub for economics, finance and logistic. Like a Switzerland in Asia, Hong Kong’s future will get better and better, thanks to our own edge and fortune. It is something we should all cherish.

On China

Bloomberg: What’s the company’s expansion plan in China? Does recent China’s economic slowdown worry you?

Lee: Hong Kong and China are equally important for Henderson Land. We will continue to seek growth and room for development in both Hong Kong and China. That is also why we need two chairmen to perform their own duties.

On your legacy

Bloomberg: What would you have done differently if you had your time again? Personally and for your business.

Lee: If I could go back to the old days, I would go back to the days with Mr. Kwok Tak Seng and Mr. Fung King Hey when we — the “three musketeer” — worked together for business. At that time, we were able to divide up jobs among ourselves based on our strengths and we were happily associated as both teachers and friends. When we encountered problems, we would have a good discussion before coming up with a solution and shared our responsibilities accordingly.

Mr. Kwok was the most hardworking person I know. He would go to the construction site to monitor almost every day. Mr. Fung was a well connected man with extensive knowledge most suitable for the financial world. My expertise is in property sale, and I am able to judge the potential of the sites for project development. I gained not only a great sense of business achievement from working with them, but also a deep friendship that I have treasured my whole life. It was truly a regret our partnership did not last long for various reasons.

In the days after, I fought a lonely battle. I always told my sons they were lucky because they could discuss and give each other advice. Two heads are better than one. They have a much easier life than I did when building up Henderson Land.

Bloomberg: What are the different responsibilities and focus of your two sons as (to-be) joint chairmen of the company?

Lee: They have different personalities. Peter is flexible and Martin is practical. They have all along a good division of responsibilities. Peter mainly takes care of our China business and Martin takes care of the Hong Kong business. They have very good communication in all important matters and make joint decisions. For years I have stayed behind the scene and let them run the show. They have done very well with full marks. I am confident to pass them the baton.

Lee Shau-kee teaches Chinese calligraphy to his grandchildren.

Source: Henderson Land Development Co.

Bloomberg: How would you conclude your life as a businessman in a few words?

Lee: I have been lucky my whole life. I am grateful for the universe that offers me opportunities to develop my businesses. I do not have any expertise apart from working hard. Because the universe has treated me well, I felt that I must pay back to the society in return.

I think simply knowing how to make money should not be considered a success. It is equally important to know how to spend it well. And the best way to spend money is on charity.

Ancient Chinese saints advocated one to“be good as water and to carry the outer world with a breadth of character.” I hope I will get there one day.

Bloomberg: What are you planning to do after you step down as chairman? Are you planning to focus on your foundation or charity work? Will you continue to donate HK$1 billion annually whenever Hang Seng Index hits 30,000 points? Why did you make such a pledge in your biography?

Lee: I will step down as chairman but remain as a director. I will let my two sons — Peter and Martin — to handle the daily operation. I will still participate and offer my opinion in major matters. Aside from work, I hope I will have more time to enjoy family life, play with my grand kids and continue with my charity work.

I have 11 grand kids, including six boys and five girls aged between 3 and 30. They all honor me and love me so much. I enjoy spending more time with them — they make me feel young again. Sometimes they have little sense of family hierarchy and play tricks on me. I find it quite enjoyable since no one in my office would dare to play with me like that. I also hope that they could soon form their own families and have babies so I could have my grand-grand kids. I will be able to give out red packets again.

I once said that I would practice the money philosophy of Tao Zhugong, a Chinese ancient saint who advocated efficient spending. It is to be successful in generating wealth but also to be successful in spending it. Therefore, I look for charity projects that yield the highest returns in order to benefit the most number of people.

I believe in giving back to the society. Recycling and channeling the capital to good use will boost the economy and enhance livelihood. My philosophy in charity is the same as that of business: using a sprat to catch a herring. Through leveraging, a dollar invested could become 10 dollars, and that is how I define success. I would not waste money in places where they do not have good returns just for the sake of doing charity.

Fung King-hey, left, Kwok Tak-seng, center, and Lee Shau Kee.

Source: Henderson Land Development Co.

Our principle in charity is to benefit as many people as possible. Take the “Warmth Project Million Farmers Training Program” as an example, we provided vocational training to over 1 million farmers and 10,000 village doctors. That also benefited their families. I still find it worthwhile even after having donated over HK$400 million on this project already.

I am most interested in education and medical-related charity works, where I spend more time and efforts. Besides, Hong Kong, like other international cities, has relatively big wealth disparity. It is incumbent for the government, with the support of the community including the business sector, to do more to fight poverty. And everyone who has the ability should contribute too.

To alleviate poverty, I think we should start with education because it is the most important factor for social upward mobility. Most of my billions of donations went to education, which included 10 local universities in Hong Kong, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University and other foreign universities. In addition, I set up the Hong Kong Pei Hua Education Foundation 37 years ago for talent nurturing.

Charity should not be a one-off act. It should be persistent with no time nor money limit. We have been diligently seeking for the right projects that can benefit as many people as possible.

The instruction I gave to my sons was “make more, donate more.” While running the business well is essential, they must also continue my charity work in order to give back to the society.

— With assistance by Shawna Kwan

    This post was originally posted on Bloomberg by Fion Li

Q and A With 91-Year-Old Retiring Billionaire Lee Shau Kee was originally published on Shenzhen Blog

[anodyne-sunflower]

If you are going to write arranged marriage hc you can make like that newt actually loves reader but she hates him(I'm the same anon)

Ok! Sorry for the wait! Also, I changed it just a bit! Hope that’s ok. Also, this is seriously my favorite fic I've written! Ugh...it gives me feels.

Master list

Imagine: Being in an arranged marriage with Newt.

“But, I don’t want to marry him Rosie.” Your voice cracked at the end of your words, heart heavy in your chest at the thought of marrying a complete stranger. But, your sister, ever the happy one, simply smiled.

“Oh, don’t be dreary Y/N. You think father would match you up with some blaggerd?”

You trusted your father, with everything, but losing your free will was not something to be happy for. It seems your hand was a high price, and the Scamander family paid it in full. Rosie tied up the back of your dress, fluffing out the bottom, and looking up at you.

“There. You look so lovely! I dare say Mr. Scamander won’t be able to keep his eyes off you.”

It was a dinner event in a few minutes, and on this day it would seem you’d be meeting your betrothed for the first time. A simple meeting before the wedding that was supposed to take place in a month. Your future was set before you, and yet it wasn’t something you wanted. This isn’t how you imagined falling in love, better yet it wasn’t even a promise there’d be love involved at all.

“Rosie…the man fancies himself a magizoologist. Whatever that is, I believe he made that title up.”

Your sister giggled at your cruelties, rolling her eyes and pinching your cheeks to create a blush. “Now be kind, sister. He’s actually the most prominent one in the beasts division at the ministry.”

“Rosie, he’s the only one…”

“Well, still. Better to be the best by yourself than the worst in the bunch.”

A smile formed on your features, and you pushed your sisters fussy hands away. “I’ll meet him. But, I won’t marry him.”

“Well, you’ll do as you please as you always do, Y/N. I, on the other hand, have heard quite the rumors about his older brother, Theseus. I hear he’s very handsome.”

Your sister trailed off about the older Scamander, and you couldn’t help but smile. If anything, her gaining some happiness from this situation was more than enough reason to just deal with tonight. She left the room, and you followed a bit after, entering the dining hall with a sense of dread. Every step closer to it, took you that much nearer to the future.

“Ah! My dear daughter!”

Your father, and the rest of the men stood from their chairs, awaiting your entrance. You smiled softly, not looking up because you were frightened of which man in here was your husband to be. Rosie motioned for you to sit next to her, and it was at least comforting to be next to a familiar face. With a sigh you sat down, looking up when a woman with red hair leaned over the table towards you. She was pretty, a slight bit older, but still ever the bit happy.

“Oh, my darling! I’ve been dying to meet you. I’m Your future mother in law!”

She clapped happily, taking your hand in hers as she stared at you. She was rather excited, and you’d be lying if you said her enthusiasm wasn’t contagious.

“My dear boy has been eager to meet you.”

At her words your heart fell, and you gathered as much courage as you could to ask. “Um…may I ask which one is your-”

She cut you off, pointing her butter knife towards a young, handsome brooding man at the end of the table.

“That is my oldest, and darling son, Theseus.”

Rosie leaned over to you, cupping a hand over her mouth as she whispered. “Isn’t he handsome, Y/N? Oh I believe he’d make a fine husband for me.”

A feeing of relief washed over you, for a moment you had believed him to be your fiancé. And as handsome as he was, his demeanor was rather off putting. You smiled at Rosie, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Go and talk to him.”

She did just that, hugging you tightly before excusing herself and heading in his direction. Just as you were going to ask about your fiancé, the doors to the dining hall flew open, and a young, handsome man stood there. His suit was of fine make, and his reddish brown hair was slicked back just enough to show off his features. He had a very freckled face, and you’d dare say he was a gentleman if not for the crooked bow tie he had on.

“Oh! My dear, Newton!”

Mrs. Scamander stood up, walking over to her son and kissing his cheek. Newton smiled back, fighting off his mother’s incessant affections.

“It’s a pleasure to see you too, mother.”

Your father walked passed you, holding his arms out as he went and shook the man’s hand. Newton’s eyes looked upon your father, and you couldn’t stop yourself from noticing how delightfully green his gaze was, sparkling brightly against the rays of sun that seeped through the windows.

Newton shook his hand quickly, scratching at his head as he spoke. “Forgive my tardiness…I was chasing my Niffler. Um, please excuse the mess in your ballroom, sir…I believe the chandelier might need some mending.”

Yet, your father hardly seemed to care for such things. He just laughed, and patted the man on the back and held his arm out towards you.

“Newton, allow me to introduce my daughter, Y/N.”

You felt the world crashing down on you, all the attention now on you as you slowly got up from your chair. The wobble of your knees betrayed the calm look you had, but you managed to stop just in front of Newton. His charming gaze met yours, and in that second your heart stopped. Maybe it was the few sips of champagne you had, but you ventured a guess that he felt the same that second.

“It’s a…” Your mouth felt dry, and you sighed as you bit at your lip nervously. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Scamander.” You held out your hand, waiting for a shake of his, and instead he just stared seemingly entranced by you.

His mother pushed him gently on the side, interrupting his thoughts. He shook his head, and grabbed your hand in his, but instead he flipped yours over, kissing the back of it gently.

“Um…yes, a pleasure.”

It would seem the whole room became quiet, all awaiting the first moments of love to take place. And you two just stood there, your hand still clutched in his. It was Rosie’s giggle that brought you back to reality, and you tore your hand away from his.

“Well, shall we eat?”

Your father’s voice filled the room, and everyone happily took their seats, conversation starting up again. Newton took his seat next to you, eyes never leaving your form. It was making you slightly uncomfortable, and yet your stomach would not seem to settle around him. A fine blush spread across your cheeks, and you glanced in his direction.

“Is there something amiss, Mr. Scamander?”

He looked away, embarrassed a bit at having been caught gawking. “Uh..no no.” He smiled, grabbing for his cup of champagne. “Forgive me. And please…Newt is fine.”

With a smile, you nodded at him mimicking his movements out of nerves and grabbing for your glass. “As you wish, Newt.”

He seemed happy with the change in titles, and he took a quick sip of his drink before engaging you in conversation.

“May I ask what it is you do?”

You turned the potatoes over on your plate, the realization that you’re a total stranger to him covering the attraction you felt when you saw him. With a bit of a rude tone you answered him.

“I’m set to be a professor at Hogwarts this semester. Potions.”

He didn’t seem worried with your tone, and he just smiled actually intrigued by your admission.

“Hogwarts is the finest wizarding school, I’m sure you’re proud to be-”

But, this polite conversation was getting to you, knowing you were talking to your future husband without so much as a say in the matter. You slammed your fork down, everyone’s eyes falling on you. The embarrassment you felt was overwhelming, and you gripped the edges of your dress and rose from your chair.

“Excuse me.

Your father got up to trail after you, but Newt held his hand up. “No, please allow me.”

He rushed after you, calling out your name as you ran down the halls of your home. It wasn’t like you had a plan in mind, you just wanted away from it all.

“Leave me be, Mr. Scamander!”

But, he didn’t listen, he chased after you until your heeled feet couldn’t take much more. You kneeled down against the garden walls of the outside, tears welling in your eyes. His footsteps came closer, and you waved your arm at him, willing him away.

“Please, just go away…”

Newt kneeled down next to you, eyes filled with worry. “Y/N…”

“I don’t want to get married!”

His eyes softened, and he gave you a knowing smile as he wiped a tear away.

“Then we don’t have to.”

His words took a moment to settle, but you gazed up at him in shock. “Truly?”

Newt nodded, and he grabbed your hand in his as he spoke. “I need you to understand, my intentions were never meant to cause you any ill will. I agreed to this marriage for my mother’s sake…and I won’t pretend that I’m…” He looked deeply into your eyes, a blush forming on his freckled cheeks. “That I’m not, um, entranced by you Miss Y/N.”

You felt those familiar butterflies again, only this time you did not panic at their formation. His understanding meant everything to you right now, and you gripped his hand tighter in yours as he continued.

“I don’t expect you to love me, not now, maybe not ever…but, if you’ll allow me the chance…” He looked down, not wanting to look you in the eye as he spoke the last part. “If you’ll have me, then I’d like to get to know you. And if marriage is in the future then, I would be honored to be your husband.”

It wasn’t the proposal your parents were quite hoping for, but to you both it meant the world. You smiled through your tears, and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek in gratitude. He returned your smile, and he rubbed the back of your hand with a soft comforting touch. “Then will you take me as a suitor?”

You giggled delightfully, nodding your head and whispering.

“Yes.”

[ohzoya-blog1]

photographer on young and the restless

fotograf "That's an excellent photo, you need to have an incredibly pleasant camera!" This sort of will be the thought of most who don't really know nearly anything in regards to digital photography. It's approximately the same reasoning as expressing "that was an awesome food, you must have a nice range!" After having been a digital photographer for quite some time (and in many cases selling photography gear for quite a while) I've noticed this statement frequently. When I was marketing, shoppers would constantly arise if you ask me and say related claims. Normally the one I probably listened to one of the most was "My pal Tom carries a [put digicam identify here] digital camera and then he becomes wonderful photos so I wish to buy the identical a single. Almost with out crash the exact same mentioned buyer would come lower back a couple of weeks afterwards whining since "some thing has to be completely wrong together with the digicam you offered me since the pictures aren't as great as Tom's." I would usually response with "may well I view your video camera?" and would then inquire if they minded if I required several photographs. I would personally put the video camera either in aperture consideration option or handbook, adjust the controls as reported by the photograph i wished to produce, hit the shutter link, then display the individual the picture. They might generally followup with something like "Incredible, that appears fantastic, the reason my pictures don't appear that very good?" That I would begin the lengthy talk regarding how I use a digital camera being a device to create the looks I want rather than staying determined by a high-end camera to accomplish the many wondering to me. Because of people, typically erroneous, morals about taking pictures I've decided to make a number of 101 reasons that men and women need to engage a skilled shooter rather then depending on their "buddy which has a great digital camera." This list - in no specific order - is primarily centered on photography but could involve any kind of taking photos. An Expert Wedding photographer 1. creates photos, he doesn't go on a photo and "hope it comes out." 2. has invested several years understanding every facet of making a shots. 3. understands which lenses to implement by which scenario. 4. is able to establish the camera for a constant look no matter location (wedding service, wedding reception, in the open air, and many others.) 5. is able to adequately work with a display for gentle, even lighting fixtures. 6. knows when to use many flashes to produce a stunning landscape. 7. knows how to generate a landscape seem "natural" but not like he was by using a display by any means. 8. knows what aperture to create his lens to for that search that will make you look the most effective. 9. is aware what shutter quickness setting to record the background gentle, make the sensation of activity, or freeze an item into position. 10. will sometimes invest a few hours retouching one particular take pictures of to make sure it is ideal. 11. is familiar with when you ought to use off of digital camera lighting (strobes) to make a a number of seem or uniformly light-weight a group of men and women or even a room. 12. owns specialist gear. 13. has spent about the same sum or higher for *every single* camera lens he has than he did for his digicam physique. 14. is the owner of a number of high-end camera systems if there is equipment disappointment. 15. understands to backup his shots to a number of spots to prevent computer accident difficulties. 16. has expended far more on components Backdrops , Gentle Stands , Remote Controls for Display , Storage space Circumstances , Umbrellas , Tripods , Tripod Heads , etc.) than he do on his digital camera(s). 17. spends a lot of cash and time creating a website, marketing and advertising, and advertising. 18. will gladly shell out numerous several hours achieving along, responding to concerns, emailing, going through everything with the wedding ceremony, scouting the area(s), and many others. to make sure that things are all completed the way you want to buy. 19. will discuss a "shot record" along to ensure nothing, or no one becomes omitted. (You know that you've acquired an granddad Joe, but your professional photographer doesn't except if you tell him.) 20. will likely be expert about getting photographs of your new bride and bridesmaids whilst they are getting prepared. 21. is able to strong sets of men and women to be photographed to make sure that everybody seems fantastic (no shut eyeballs, yawns, men and women concealed behind others, and so forth.) 22. won't be enjoying with the wedding reception like uncle Joe. 23. is able to grab the second. (not when you're taking from the first kiss but correct for your mouth area contact) 24. is able to put together a wedding album to ensure that it not simply demonstrates good photos, but shows a fantastic story. 25. is able to match the shade of his flash lighting effects towards the hue of the background light (tungsten, luminescent, in the open air during the tone, etc.) 26. maintains track of the latest styles in taking photos models in order that he is able to deliver something that a person may want. (imagine green red wine sunglasses using a black and white track record ) 27. helps to keep track of the most current electronic digital editing and enhancing resources to make unique and custom fine art that you should appreciate. 28. can shoot video. 29. did this before. He's not at your wedding party to "training his digital photography" 30. will just let your guest turn into a guests. Grandfather Joe would actually be capable of take advantage of the wedding party as opposed to staying anxious about ensuring that he becomes all the images that he perceives you should have. 31. will generally invest all around 5 time BEFORE the wedding party when preparing, and among 40 and 60 many hours As soon as the wedding event editing and enhancing images, generating printing, framing, generating slideshows, making wedding ceremony albums, affirming instructions, conversing with the research laboratory, etcetera. Would you think you have been paying various thousand bucks simply for 8 many hours on the special day? 32. understands that the common value of a large wedding party is about $20,000 and that the sole thing which you will help keep (besides the dress) would be the taking pictures. 33. understands that the normal price used on catered food services are around $3000. 34. sees that the average price invested in roses(that may finish up in the trash is about $2000 35. will be happy to let visitors acquire pictures during the entire wedding event. 36. will abide by all principles regarding flash photography during your wedding service. Most spots of worship will never enable display photography during the ceremony. How can you get excellent photographs inside a dimly lit cathedral without having a display...? Engage a specialized! 37. understands how to make great photos whilst becoming unobtrusive and unobtrusive. 38. is aware of that it is considerably wiser to save cash by skimping for the blossoms, food, tunes, place, and so forth. as an alternative to to skimp on the only thing you will have to maintain from the wedding day (your photographs). 39. is familiar with what it's like to have a bride (who didn't retain the services of him due to the fact her grandfather Joe possessed a wonderful digital camera)call up him in tears asking if you find in any manner he could "correct" uncle Joe's images. 40. has learned the value of not keeping his consumers holding out on their photos for several weeks at any given time. 41. will give full attention to recording fantastic recollections rather than speaking to his buddies at the wedding event (eh hmm...uncle Joe...) 42. understands how to create the bride and groom (and also bridesmaids, groomsmen, household, and many others.) to ensure you seem your very best. 43. is aware what facets to capture so your photos would be the most perfect. 44. knows that the price of the camera has practically nothing regarding the creative excellence of the shooter. 45. will "view the photo" long before he increases the high-end camera to his eyes. 46. will prepare for the time beforehand in order that he is completely ready when it takes place (the kiss, the wedding cake receiving smeared with your new hubby's deal with, etc.) 47. has witnessed the marriage approach many times and may happily work together with you (or even your coordinator) to make sure that every thing should go as clean as possible. 48. is going to be packed with fantastic ideas to help you with your wedding ceremony far beyond just using the shots. 49. can shoot objectively and won't be as mental as a member of family or good friend. 50. can seize the emotions of everyone different in the wedding. 51. understands how to organize and deal with other pros at the event (ring, DJ, wedding coordinator, minister, and so forth.) 52. carries a vested interest in allowing you to appear your better. Not alone perhaps you have paid him for his services but he also recognizes that if you want what he does you will then be recommending him to all of your good friends. There's an old declaring amid photography addicts that moves "if you mess up a portrait you need to apologize, when you mess up a wedding you will need to keep community" 53. sees that you may in no way be sorry for getting hired a professional and having expert effects, and you will be sorry for, from now on, trying to "reduce costs" and achieving your close friend become the professional photographer. 54. doesn't use the "vehicle" setting up about the video camera. Actually. 55. understands that word of mouth is the ideal advertising and may just be sure you are cared for so that you will spread a great expression. 56. can place people today at ease who aren't use to being in front of the digicam. 57. provides a "bag of tips" up his sleeves to create probably the most mystical encounter feasible for you and the wedding. 58. will make it exciting. This isn't employment for him, it's a interest! 59. won't just offer you a Compact disc or DVD of graphics directly out of the camera, and can painstakingly go through just about every picture to skillfully boost them while using the latest electronic application. 60. knows about personal time management and definately will shoot in such a way as and also hardwearing . wedding event running properly.