#i've never had so much trouble phrasing english

[lauralot89]

"She makes a very beautiful corpse, sir. It's quite a privilege to attend on her. It's not too much to say that she will do credit to our establishment!"

what in the fuck

I mean I get what she means, but why would you ever say that to a grieving person

I feared that he, being a foreigner, might not be quite aware of English legal requirements, and so might in ignorance make some unnecessary trouble.

I'm sure his grasp of English law is as competent as his grasp of the English language

You forget that I am a lawyer as well as a doctor.

I am not the first to make this joke and I will not be the last: Dr. Barbie Van Helsing

Can I help you, friend John? I am free, and if I may, my service is to you.

Out of respect for the two women who just died, I will not use the gif here

till positively I could not believe my eyes that I was looking at a corpse

well Jack, I've got some news for you

Then he took from his neck, inside his collar, a little gold crucifix, and placed it over the mouth

So why doesn't this burn her? Is she still turning?

Let me tell you now

FINALLY.

but not a word to another

Of fucking course.

I want to cut off her head and take out her heart.

You really could have eased into this suggestion, Professor.

Oh, but I must not forget, my dear friend John, that you loved her; and I have not forgotten it, for it is I that shall operate, and you must only help.

Yeah that makes it better (it doesn't)

he will want to see her—to see it.

Van Helsing I am pretty sure you let Dracula have he/him pronouns when you speak about his undead self

But there are things that you know not

YOU DON'T SAY

If you trust me not, then I must tell what I think; and that is not perhaps well

for fuck's sake, Van Helsing

As I stood without moving, I saw one of the maids pass silently along the passage—she had her back towards me, so did not see me—and go into the room where Lucy lay. The sight touched me. Devotion is so rare, and we are so grateful to those who show it unasked to those we love.

bad news Jack

"Because," he said sternly, "it is too late—or too early. See!" Here he held up the little golden crucifix. "This was stolen in the night."

I don't fully understand what difference that makes to staking/beheading her

He went away on the word, leaving me with a new mystery to think of, a new puzzle to grapple with.

Classic Van Helsing

I assure you, my dear sirs, I am rejoiced at the result, perfectly rejoiced."

He was a good fellow, but his rejoicing at the one little part—in which he was officially interested—of so great a tragedy, was an object-lesson in the limitations of sympathetic understanding.

Understatement of the century, Jack

even his stalwart manhood seemed to have shrunk

I'm sorry, I know I'm terrible, but phrasing

"Jack, is she really dead?"

Yes and no

I take it that you do not—that you cannot—trust me now, for you do not yet understand. And there may be more times when I shall want you to trust when you cannot—and may not—and must not yet understand.

HE CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS

He went to and fro, as if patrolling the house, and was never out of sight of the room where Lucy lay in her coffin, strewn with the wild garlic flowers, which sent, through the odour of lily and rose, a heavy, overpowering smell into the night.

as someone who is horribly allergic to lilies, I'd have died of migraines after three seconds in the house

[bonefall]

sliding u some of my oc names across the table ... (sorry this is long lmao)

Craftjack Oakcarve -> Fofwarrlboe-rriu Byochenyach, (Weave-a lot-cat Oak's-scar) so "Craftjack" is a title in his colony which describes a cat who crafts/weaves/creates Things (when there's not an urgent need of prey/supplies). weave-a-lot-cat is pretty close so i went with that! oakcarve's actual name i had a little trouble with since there's no direct word for carve yet. he got his suffix from being exceptionally good at craftsmanship with wooden materials, so oak's scar is pretty accurate anyway!

Helper Wheat -> Yyan-babun Kiyrrkroon, (Nurseryhelper-heart Bladehay) wheat doesn't have a suffix because he was a barn-cat before coming to the colony, and requested to not take one! so instead, he can just be a blade of hay :) his title Helper is basically just a jack of all trades --- guy who is nice and who is well versed in most skills. hes just a silly sweet guy lol, i like to imagine the older cats affectionately call him nyemi

Coralbreeze/Drownedriver -> Solyssnanhrra'a (Colorful-fern-breeze), Kepke'ebssbass (Dead-squall-river) he's the leader of Running River colony and he's pretty awful. after he gets forcefully booted from his clan after a war he created, he's referred to as Drownedriver!

Looking fantastic!!

There is a word for wheat (Sherra) and a generic term for grain (Kerrheq), but Bladehay invokes the idea of an outsider much nicer! Nothing fancy or specific, just a dude.

I've gotten a couple of asks about carving specifically, so I think it's high time for some new words there;

To sharpen one's claws = Karrurrska/Karrurrsk/Karrurrs

This is the act of stimming by latching your claws into something and pulling them. It's a really important behavior for the mental health of cats, so there is a special verb for this. This usually refers to scratching on trees, BUT this could also extend to the very satisfying and rewarding whittling of wood to create figurines.

This almost always carries a positive connotation for the cat doing the sharpening. If Clan cats found a cat who had been declawed, either as a punishment or from humans, they would associate it with an intense cruelty. Like a bird with its wings plucked bare, or a fish with its fins sliced off.

To write, carve, etch, or inscribe with claws = Kissepssep/Kissepsse/Kissepss

This is the word more often used for artistic expressions, and the verb associated with writing glyphs and decoration. Unlike in English, this isn't usually related to any particular material! You can carve dirt, wood, or even stone if you've got strong claws.

(At least, I've never heard anyone say they're 'carving dirt.')

And, lastly... there are two words for drowning.

Drowned = Ssbawossan/Ssbawossa/Ssbawo

This word is used when the killing was done by the body of water. Neutral drowning, not a murder. Frogleap, who was fishing and got hit by debris? Duskwater, swept away by a flash flood when she went to the bathroom? Seedpaw, tangled in tall grass while saving her sister?

Urrssbawossan, they-drowned.

It comes from an older phrase, roughly, "The river killed them." The river is a strong and terrifying force, and the idea that it has a hunger of its own was very popular with Park cats. Over time, it became part of Clan culture that sometimes the river claims a life, and this is simply the other side of its great bounty.

And that other word for drowning?

Killed with water = Mwobwoun/Mwobwou/Mwobwo

Darktail's executions were this. When Graystripe flung Whiteclaw over the edge of the ravine, Leopardfur accused him of this.

When Birchface died, there was a very unique Clanmew translation quirk at play here. Appledusk was accused of killing Birchface with water, a type of murder, as if he intentionally tossed him into the river during that battle.

RiverClan refuted these accusations, saying that instead, Birchface had simply been taken by the river, that he had 'drowned.'

And, when Mapleshade showed up half-drowned, she was accused of having murdered her own children by trying to take them across the flooded stepping stones on that terrible night. That the river had not simply taken them, but that she had endangered them and therefore was at fault.

[doorsclosingslowly]

1, 7, 19, 25!

Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic. Hm idk I try not to repeat myself too much because I have so so many WIPs to work on. Probably the blorbo du jour with a strong narrative voice and selective perception is suffering due to something that's probably their fault, but someone manages to empathise with him and that doesn't solve the problems it still means something that they don't see blorbo as scum. Either that or a discord shitpost discussion about sex that got way out of hand and now "glove fingering uti" has sprouted feelings

Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it. (not going too far back bc I'll only be depressed I havent written much this year

Lexicographers were all liars. They put words into the dictionary for things that did not exist, such as “joy” and “calm” and “sleep”. Most emotions were invented, presumably for some malign plot specifically targeting Gríma and obviously connected to stealing his job. What else could they steal from Gríma, after all? He had nothing, not even dignity. Not since Saruman had taken over the department. He’d been so friendly to Gríma before Théoden’s illness and retirement. He’d commiserated about Gríma needing to take over some of the Department Head duties on top of his actual job, just because Théoden was less and less capable.

I just think I really nailed the vibe of a guy who's annoying and self-centred but also genuinely honestly miserable. (this is the catfishing AU, which kinda takes place after Saruman successfully and with Gríma's help conquered Rohan/the art department of a university and then that didn't improve Gríma's ennui at all somehow, in fact life is even worse)

Stephen King once said that his muse is a man who lives in the basement. Do you have a muse? I have an insatiable need to tell myself stories when I don't have anything to do & huge trouble falling asleep. I would make up shit about anything but if I do it about blorbos, I also get to talk about them

What do you look for in a beta? I've never *looked for* a beta specifically bc I'm very scared of bothering people, but I've shouted into the void in case anyone was interested in betaing my work and I've been super happy about working with Alyssa, Ro, Rumpel and Daro on various stories. My biggest needs are probably for someone to judge whether it all makes sense, bc to me a lot of mental jumps make sense that may confuse someone not trapped in my brain, leaving my third person present and nonstandard english phrasings intact, bc that's on purpose I'm not trying to win a grammar prize I'm trying to turn thought processes into text, and also just generally being a person I know and trust. Trust to put in the effort to understand and to be interested in where I want to take an idea and not where they would like to take it. And also especially I have to trust that I'm not forcing said beta to read something they hate, that they would tell me they want to stop and not force themselves to keep going, bc I've worked on myself enough to be ok with publishing a flop fic now but I'm very scared of making someone do something they hate

Thank you!!!!

[moorishflower]

hi, sorry for crashing in here every once in a while, would you share some of your writing process with us? I don't know how you manage to consistently put out god tier writing so regularly and would like to know if it's not too much trouble?

my dear my darling you can crash through these walls whenever you want just absolutely rip through 'em <3

So I always find it a little bit funny when the topic of writing process comes up because I really don't consider myself to have one, or rather, not a particularly VIABLE one

But the process goes kind of like this:

Have idea (idea is usually had while lying in bed trying to sleep, or while in the shower, or sometimes as the result of a prompt from my personal server or from an ask here)

Go to work the next day and absolutely SLAM KEYBOARD during my breaks. I have ADD and I am not medicated for it because I am largely well-functioning and I've previously had some uhhhh unfortunate side effects from Adderall, but one of the results of that is that I write fastest and best when I'm under pressure to do so. A manufactured time limit is the easiest way to trigger this, so I have a little bluetooth keyboard that I can connect to my phone, and in my spare time at work I write. I usually do like. 2,000 words this way? Sometimes more sometimes less.

It is important to note here that I used to do metadata entry for a living, a job which required me to have an insanely high wpm type speed, so at my fastest I was clocking somewhere around 89 to 92wpm with like a 75% accuracy. I am at this point probably typing 70-75wpm with a significantly higher accuracy (have not measured in a while, so this is a rough guess). What this means is that I type fast and hard and have broken keyboards, so I can and do fuckin SLAM words out, in very short periods of time.

When I get home, mostly what I want to do is write? It gives me a lot of joy to do so, and so at home I usually work on smaller projects, or answering prompts or asks. In between I play Pokemon or read or play with my cats (I got Pokemon Violet, and Shroodle is my one true love).

So kinda the unfortunate thing for me is that my writing and my reading brain are connected by some mysterious psychic link, so it's hard for me to switch back and forth between them. It means I don't have a lot of attention to give to other fic when I'm caught by an idea, which SUCKS ASS because everyone is writing a TON of really cool and good stuff. I suspect i will go through a hibernation phase at some point and catch up on like a year of fic in 1 month l o l

As for the quality of my writing I don't have a lot to say for that! I have a bachelor's in English and World Literature, which might contribute to just. Basic understanding of the flow of stories. But I mostly don't do editing, I've never taken classes on writing outside of what I took in college, and honestly I think any quality of my writing is more of a tribute to all the fantastic things I've read. I tend to absorb little bits and pieces of other writing styles as I go, so there are concepts and turns of phrase buried in my subconscious going back 20 years to when I first started reading fic. basically I turned imposter syndrome into my identity! (j/k j/k)

idk my friend judging the quality of my own writing is difficult, but if it resonates with other people, if it gives you feelings, if it makes you laugh or makes you horny or makes you think, that's all I can ever really ask. I have to try not to think about it much beyond that because i try to keep aware of my self esteem issues and hyperfixating on whether people "like" me is a problem, sometimes! though thankfully one I am often aware of, and can take steps to mitigate.

so like, the short answer to your question i guess is: have a cool job, regularly give yourself wrist damage, be feral about words. and write. just keep writing. the more you write, the easier it gets, the faster it gets, and the better the words feel!

[apricusapollo]

Hey! Saw your post about deciding what to do for uni. Obviously it's a choice you have to make for yourself in the end (i know how hard that is as im going to uni this year as well, and im having trouble figuring out what to do too!!). Just offering some of my thoughts here!!

Im from a smallish eastern european country and honestly, I've only recently really started to appreciate my culture and language. I've spent so much time on the internet, consuming and consuming and consuming english, and my mative language skills have suffered for it. Like i hate those moments when i need a word and the first one that pops into my mind is an english one.

English is in no danger. English lacks nothing. It has all the linguists and philology students it needs. Does Georgian have that? Idk how Georgian is doing, but i know that for my own native language the situation is quite bad. A lot of young people speak better english than the native language, they sometimes put in phrasss or have entire convos in english, and that really harms my language, because a language has to be used intensely and in every aspect of life for it to evolve and remain truly alive. So like if i had to choose between english and my language, i think I'd choose my language, just because it's in a more precarious situation.

Like people from all over the world study english yk. But do people from all over the world study Georgian? We have to take care of our culture when we know that others won't, because it *is* valuable, even if only to us.

In the end, i think the best advice is to do what interests you most. If that's english, then sure, go for it, but if it's Georgian, then go for that. Make sure that you don't give up on your passions just because of fear.

helloo<33

the thing is, like you've said, I've been obsessively consuming media in English since I was 11-12 years old and at this point my brain Works in English more than it does in Georgian, ykwim?? I completely understand what you mean when you say that when you need a certain word, English translation is the first one that pops up in your head and it's so frustrating, I completely get it.

I also started appreciating my culture / literature / songs / movies lately and I sometimes get so angry at myself for not being interested in it earlier because, truly, who cares about how much information you have about foreign movies and so on if you don't know anything about your own first, yk??

and people around me use English phrases instead of Georgian too and it makes me So Mad and what makes me even angrier is that I also do that?? like?? why. Georgian is the sort of language that does not lack words or phrases, considering that Georgian tribes have existed since 8 century B.C. so, the point is, we don't lack anything that English speakers have.

another thing (which I have talked about here multiple times since I started studying history properly) is that Georgia has always, always been under attacks throughout its entire existence and we were constantly on the verge of extinction but somehow we always survived and people always managed to find a way to pass our culture and everything sacred to us to future generations. when I look back at that I feel so bad about the possibility of choosing foreign language and literature which was NEVER under the same risk of disappearance while my ancestors had to fight tooth and nail to still speak Georgian as the Russian Empire pressured them into speaking Russian.

honestly tysm for this anon because yeah. as a fellow eastern european, yeah you Get it.

my national exams are in July so I still have time to think about all of this but unless the fear of our complicated grammar makes me change my mind, I have a tiny feeling that patriotism might win within me.

sorry I didn't intend this to turn into such a rant

[golden--doodler]

Bob's Burgers Random Facts

I love this show, so here are some random facts about it that I've discovered and want to share. Some are fairly obvious/well-known, but I also wanted to add some more obscure things as well. I might make a part two, but not sure yet:

--Linda's maiden name is Genarro! This was revealed in Season 12, Episode 20 "Sauce Side Story", where it's also revealed that Linda's family has a crazy feud going on

--Gene's favorite keyboard was a Christmas gift from Bob and Linda (as seen in Season 5, Episode 17 "The Itty Bitty Ditty Committee"), which he immediately fell in love with, which is adorable. I like to believe this being a gift from them made it that much more special to him

--It's never outright stated, but heavily implied that Bob has Hemophilia, because in Season 3, Episode 20 "The Kids Run the Restaurant", Linda states that Bob bleeds a lot if he injures himself and his body has a lot of trouble clotting. This episode also reveals he gets light-headed at the sight of blood

--The Belchers live in the state of New Jersey! This is revealed in Season 3, Episode 18 "It Snakes a Village". A cute little map is shown, featuring the Belcher's car, which is clearly seen in New Jersey

--In Season 6, Episode 6 "The Cook, The Steve, The Gayle, & Her Lover", Tina sings a bunch of random Spanish phrases which Louise translates very inaccurately, in an effort to break up Gayle and Mr. Frond. And apparently, in the Spanish dub (yes, this exists), Tina sings these random phrases in English instead, and it's hilarious

--Bob and Gene are both allergic to shellfish (which is probably why Bob hates Lobster Fest), and apparently, on Bob and Linda's first date, Bob got an allergic reaction to some shellfish. However, Linda somehow remained unaware of it the entire time, and to this day, still doesn't know he has a shellfish allergy despite him telling her about it multiple times. I personally like to believe she still took care of him after it happened, she just didn't know what was going on

--According to Gene in Season 6, Episode 13 "Wag the Hog", Bob isn't a fan of cilantro

--One small, funny thing I noticed is that both Bob and Linda's previous lovers before they met each other were blonde (Barbara Bunkley and Hugo Habercore, respectively)

--In Season 6, Episode 1, "Sliding Bobs", in Tina's story about an alternate universe in which Linda and Hugo actually got married and Bob becomes the Health Inspector, Bob mentions offhandedly that he tried renting out the building where "Hugo's Hot Dogs" is twenty years ago, implying that Bob and Linda have owned "Bob's Burgers" for around twenty years

--Not only has Bob forgotten his own birthday on one occasion, as seen in Season 1, Episode 1 "Human Flesh", but Linda has accidentally forgotten his birthday as well, as seen in Season 8, Episode 16, "Are You There, Bob? It's Me, Birthday". It seems on occasion Linda isn't great with dates, either

--As seen in a framed photo in Bob and Linda's bedroom, they actually got married at City Hall, and boy, do they look adorably happy in that wedding photo. I like to think that even though they canonically still had to work at the restaurant that day for money reasons, they still had a really nice wedding with cake and wholesome/tear-jerking vows

--According to Season 10, Episode 1 "The Ring (But Not Scary)", Bob, unfortunately, couldn't afford to get Linda a ring when he proposed to her, and instead gave her a nice high-five to make up for that. Also, in the episode, it's shown he's come a long way from "Human Flesh" by actually remembering their wedding anniversary and getting her a ring (I know she doesn't mind not having one, but it's too bad she still was never able to get it, thanks to it getting lost)

--In Season 8, Episode 13 "Cheer Up Sleepy Gene", it's revealed Bob and Linda both snore quite loud, and it's actually comforting to them both in a weird way and helps them sleep. Not only that, but they find other quirks of theirs comforting, as seen in Season 12, Episode 15, "Ancient Misbehavin'" when Bob admits he misses hearing Linda talking "emphatically" in her sleep. Even better, actual studies have shown that if you sleep in the same bed as your partner, it improves your sleep, even if they snore

--In Season 11, Episode 21, "Die Card, or Card Trying", it's revealed that Louise has been making the same "serial killer" smiling face in their family photos since she was really young, and it's really a sight to behold

--In the "Bob's Burgers Movie", it's revealed that Felix Fischoeder has a framed photo of his brother, Calvin, in his bedroom, which is surprisingly wholesome

--In Season 12, Episode 1 "Manic Pixie Crap Show", it's unfortunately revealed that Linda, when she was young, got incredibly attached to a neighborhood stray dog named Bottlecap (who got the name because he could balance bottlecaps on his nose) only to witness him getting run over by a hot dog truck. Apparently, she also witnessed her eighth-grade teacher get run over by a truck. Jesus, poor Linda ): It's implied this is a reason why the Belchers have never had a family pet before, besides being poor

--When Linda was young, she wore a pair of braces, though it's never stated how she felt about them

--According to Season 3, Episode 12 "Broadcast Wagstaff School News", Bob looked almost identical to Gene when he was young, which Gene is originally not happy about, but grows to accept. I like to think he'll look like Bob when he's older, even though that's one of the things he was worried about in the episode

--According to Season 3, Episode 14 "Lindapendent Woman", Linda actually has a really complex monetary system for the restaurant's finances, which keeps the family from being in too much debt. It's so complicated that Bob can't figure out how to do it himself once she temporarily leaves her job at the restaurant for another job, proving why she needs him around, besides the fact that he loves her and loves seeing her every day

--In Season 5, Episode 17, "The Itty Bitty Ditty Committee", it's revealed that Gene actually only knows how to play one chord, and isn't experienced musically in the slightest, struggling to get through doing scales a bunch of times when he briefly takes piano lessons. He even calls scales "gross". However, as seen in Season 3, Episode 16 "Topsy", he is still able to create amazing, Broadway-worthy musical numbers when he wants to despite this.

--As of Season 13, Bob and Linda officially have actual smartphones, because they had to upgrade after Grover Fischoeder threw their old phones in the ocean in the "Bob's Burgers Movie". Kind of ironic, considering in the two-part Season 4 finale, Calvin laments about how Bob hadn't purchased "a better cellphone". It's shown in Episode 11, "Cheaty Cheaty Bang Bang", that Bob is still struggling quite a bit with using his.

--According to Season 11, Episode 2 "Worms of In-Rear-Ment", Linda has always wanted to be a mother, ever since she was young. Despite her worries about how she's doing as a parent, I think she's doing pretty great

--Apparently, (as seen in Part One of the Season 4 Finale, "Wharf Horse") Linda told Bob she was pregnant with Louise on top of the Ferris Wheel in Wonder Wharf, and he "just kept screaming". They also share a sweet kiss in the same spot in Season 1, Episode 1 "Human Flesh", so that place is pretty significant for them. It makes me wonder how she told Bob she was pregnant with Tina and Gene

--According to Tina in the "Bob's Burgers Movie", she doesn't actually own her own phone despite being a teenager, and it gets "harder to explain every year". Hopefully one day she can get one

--According to Louise in Season 3, Episode 22 "Carpe Museum", not only is Louise secretly a huge daddy's girl, but she also truly believes Tina and Gene will stick Bob in a nursing home one day, and "not one of the nice ones"

That's all for now but hopefully, I'll make a part two if I can think of enough fun facts that I missed!

[propertyoftoru]

Tag game: Get to know me!

Thank you @abiaswreck for the tag! :] 🖤

1. Birthday?

8/11 (me and binnie are birthday twins)

2. Favorite color?

I'll say black but i dont really have a favorite!

3. How tall are you?

5’5 (and 3/4 thank you very much)

4. How many pair of shoes to you own?

somewhere around 14 idk i gave up on counting

5. Favorite song?

for skz probably ssick or easy but not skz probably ohio is for lovers by hawthorne heights

6. Favorite movie?

oh probably either the scream movies or unironically the twilight movies (theyre my childhood comfort movies)

7. Who would be your ideal partner?

Someone who makes me laugh and takes the time to understand me.

8. Do you want children?

I've said no for a really long time but i think if i met the right person and the circumstances were ideal then maybe.

9. Have you gotten in trouble with the law?

Not really other than a few times of being a stupid teenager nothing serious though. Watching my parents screw up a lot when i was young probably had a lot to do with that.

10. What color socks are you wearing?

oh god i hate socks so much. i only wear them when i have to and not a second longer.

11. Favorite type of music?

this is such a cliché but i really do listen to everything. edm, pop, pop punk, metal, sad songs, happy songs, hell on occasion even a tiny bit of country (only carrie underwood lets not get carried away)

12. How many pillows do you sleep with?

2! One horizontal and one vertical. Kinda like a half body pillow i guess? idk i have to be hugging something to fall asleep.

13. What position do you sleep in?

im a diagnosed insomniac so really whatever position my body finally passes out in... there's a lot of tossing and turning most nights.

14. What don’t you like when you’re sleeping?

Bright lights (a tv or any sort of light on an appliance) or dead silence i need a fan or rain or SOMETHING.

15. Have you tried archery?

Yeah actually my grandfather used to take me hunting when i was younger. I never actually killed anything but i got pretty good at hitting cans and targets :]

16. Favorite fruit?

ohhhhh either strawberries or blackberries or pineapple... idk i love fruit so much.

17. Are you a good liar?

I can be when I have to be. I hate lying though it always brings drama and negative energy.

18. What’s your personality type?

INFP-T

19. Innie or outie?

Innie

20. Left or right handed?

Both! but I mostly use my right!

21. Favorite food?

Pineapple pizza (fight me Christopher Bang)

22. Favorite foreign food?

Oh my grandmother makes Jag on special occasions and its one of my favorites. Other than that as of recently ive been eating japchae so much i literally have a craving for it like every other day.

23. Are you clean or messy?

sigh. my room? depression disaster area. Everything else in my life? Severe OCD neat freak (im talking labels, sorted by color and size, the whole nine yards)

24. Most used phrase?

buh. it really has no meaning its just a sound i make about 200 times a day. i also swear like a sailor so if not buh then probably cunt or fuck.

25. How long does it take you to get ready?

Depends on where im going and whos gonna be there. anywhere from 10 minutes to 45 minutes.

26. Do you talk to yourself?

Of course, im the funniest and smartest person i know. (on a real note my hyperactive imagination goes crazy so i spend most days rambling to myself about nonsense.)

27. Do you sing to yourself?

All day everyday like im in a fucking musical or something.

28. Are you a good singer?

Eh. ive been told i am but i think i could be decent if i took lessons.

29. Biggest fear?

Sharks/The ocean (its more a fear of the unknown because what the fuck even lives down there)

30. Are you a gossip?

Absolutely not. I learned my lesson in middle/high school that shit brings nothing but bad vibes and negative energy.

31. Long or short hair?

I wish i could say short because my hair drives me crazy most days but i also hate how i look with short hair so long i suppose.

32. Favorite school subject?

English or Criminal Justice/Forensics

33. Extrovert or introvert?

introvert but situational extrovert (ill be extroverted if theres someone more introverted than me solely because i cannot stand awkward tension) not quite an ambivert but somewhere close to one.

34. What make you nervous?

Groups of super outgoing people. I always get too afraid to talk in fear of ruining the flow of conversation or being talked over.

35. Who was your first crush?

idk probably justin bieber or nick jonas

36. How many piercings do you have?

4. Both of my ears and both of my nipples. i want to get my bellybutton done soon though.

37. How many tattoos do you have?

9 but im hoping to work on my leg sleeve again soon.

38. How fast can you run?

Depends on whos chasing me.

39. What color is your hair?

Brown right now. It was half black half blonde but i wanted to focus on getting my hair healthy for a while.

40. What color are your eyes?

Blue/Green/Gray depends on who you ask and the lighting in the room.

41. What makes you angry?

Not much im a pretty calm person but when im playing video games thats a different story.

42. Do you like your name?

No. My father chose it and i dont speak to him.

43. Do you want a boy to girl as a child?

IF i had a kid i would want a boy 100%. As someone whos mother had 3 babies when i was 16/17/18 i can confidently say little girls are the spawns of the devil and little boys are rays of sunshine.

44. What are your strengths?

Mental fortitude and my empathy for others.

45. What are your weaknesses?

I give second (and third and fourth) chances to people that do not deserve it.

46. What’s the color of your bedspread?

Light gray but i keep lots and lots of blankets around too.

47. What’s the color of your room?

Gray and dark blue.

Tagging for fun! Ignore if you don’t want it do it! Or ignore if you don’t feel comfortable!: @bbyquokka @lino-ppang @alphadisaster @aspenwritesstuff +anyone that wants to do this.

[hanakogames]

Not having a perfectly indexed brain to know what the oldest song I actually know IS... :D the first thing that came to mind is 'Douce Dame Jolie', which is 14th century and yes I do know the tune even if I would totally mangle the lyrics. I've never performed it really but it stuck in my head from a young age.

So then I wondered, how would I go about what songs I know that are older than that? What songs are really old - and that I specifically know as songs? (I was a MUSIC MAJOR, I have certainly listened to ancient plain chants and some of them are so simple that it doesn't take any doing to sing them, but I can't specifically point to a lot of that as a "song that I know".) And i thought, maybe Christmas carols, what are the really old carols? The first 'old carol' I could find was "In Dulci Jubilo" (which I HAVE definitely sung) which lands around 14th century again, "The Friendly Beasts" is apparently 12th century and I certainly know that one, this is all in the same category so I finally picked that on the poll. That's where I land without much effort.

But let's keep looking.

English folk songs? Probably not well recorded earlier than the period above... I've *heard* Sumer Is Icumen In but I couldn't sing the whole thing, I only know the beginning from The Wicker Man lol.

The trouble is that a lot of old songs and hymns and such, we have the WORDS for, but transcription of TUNES was much rarer. Some of those songs we know have changed tunes repeatedly over the centuries. Others we just have no idea about the melody and when/where it came from.

Probably I'm going to have to go back to the church to find anything resembling verification of a tune that old. And no, I do not know the Te Deum offhand, I never had to perform it.

There's a possible answer in "Whatever the line of music is that I used to have to sing psalms in as a church soloist". It's a couple of traditional musical phrases. As a soloist you got handed whatever the words for the week were and you figured out how to best fit them into the standard very-very-simple tune. (It also had a couple of variations possible) But it's been forty years, I don't even know how to accurately describe this and I certainly don't know how to find out what the origin of the tune was. It just seems like the sort of thing that might have been derived from ancient chants. But it also might have been made up in 1984 for all I know!

(... quick search suggests that this was probably some form of Anglican Chant, though as mentioned ours was a simple solo line rather than a choir harmony. I simply learned it by rote and instinct rather than being taught how to read the chant-specific notation. Anyway, haven't the FOGGIEST how to find out who wrote the specific tune I was taught to use, but if you're curious about the whole anglican chant concept, this video has a decent introduction.)

please do look it up if you dont know the date bc there may be at least an approximate answer and otherwise the last option will completely dominate and this poll will be boring.

and dont be like 'but i cant sing'... just answer the earliest tune you know well enough that you COULD sing it

periods of western classical music provided only for reference

[starryoong]

|— ୨|୧ [ get to know me tag ] ୨|୧ —|

tagged by @bbyquokka (thank you !!) ‹3

1. Birthday?

October 16th!

2. Favorite color?

green and brown, especially sage/olive shades and a good earthy brown... mmm yes

3. How tall are you?

164cm (again, shut up snowy, I will jump up and bite your ass.)

4. How many pair of shoes to you own?

hmm, three? a pair of trainers, a pair of winter ish boots and my trusty pair of slippers.

5. Favorite song?

I always answer these with my current one, so Treacherous (Taylor's version) by Taylor Swift! One of my two favourites by her.

6. Favorite movie?

I honestly don't know? I haven't watched a movie in so long because my attention span goes feral.

7. Who would be your ideal partner?

someone who would challenge me, but still be a comfort place. I'm gonna be real sappy and say that Binnie would fit the role..

8. Do you want children?

nope, I've never wanted them ever since I was a wee kindergartener. It's just never been something I've wanted?

9. Have you gotten in trouble with the law?

nope.

10. What color socks are you wearing?

grey wool socks with little black moose on them hihi

11. Favorite type of music?

My favourites are definitely indie (especially scottish indie, take Vansleep for example, my beloved) and generally I find myself leaning more into anything that has solid rhythm sections, especially bass lines. There's just something about a bangin bass line, man..

12. How many pillows do you sleep with?

Usually one, but since I tend to move a lot, I fold it so it's double if it's not the right™️ height haha.

13. What position do you sleep in?

99% of the time I end up on my stomach with one of my legs up in some angle. Yes, I am aware that I'm very attractive.

14. What don’t you like when you’re sleeping?

I get so fucking stressed if there's movement or blinking lights around me when I'm trying to relax.

15. Have you tried archery?

no, but I wish!

16. Favorite fruit?

peaches <3

17. Are you a good liar?

depends? I don't like lying, but I also don't get the point in being brutally honest all the time if it's a taste thing and it doesn't really matter? Idk

18. What’s your personality type?

INFJ-T (twinning with bestie Aragorn hihi)

19. Innie or outie?

innie

20. Left or right handed?

right

21. Favorite food?

I like sushi and taco a completely normal amount. I vibe with food as long as it's not too spicy or hot (temperature-wise) and the textures are right™️

22. Favorite foreign food?

Sushi and taco, hehe

23. Are you clean or messy?

Usually? A very clean person. I love cleaning and tidying as it calms my anxiety, but when I hit my depressive episodes? Yeah, you can easily spot it from the state of my apartment.

24. Most used phrase?

slay

25. How long does it take you to get ready?

usually like 5-15 minutes?

26. Do you talk to yourself?

not really? not unless I'm really scared and have to physically remind myself of my checklists etc

27. Do you sing to yourself?

all the time.

28. Are you a good singer?

idk? I used to sing in choirs and weekly one-on-one training from 4/5 to 16, but I'm pretty rusty these days. I have a goal to join a choir again this year 🤞🏻

29. Biggest fear?

two potentially very triggering topics that I'm not gonna air out on the internet. oh and also eels. cannot stand the fuckers.

30. Are you a gossip?

oh god, I hate gossip culture so much. I come from a town where everybody knows everybody and I hate it.

31. Long or short hair?

short

32. Favorite school subject?

norwegian, english and psychology

33. Extrovert or introvert?

a massive introvert ;-;

34. What make you nervous?

anything involving people. the fact that I am an adult supposedly able to take care of myself when I feel like a traumatised eight-year-old still.

35. Who was your first crush?

I didn't really do crushes, but I remember wanting to be paul waaktaar-savoy so bad

36. How many piercings do you have?

none right now! I've had my nostrill, septum, vertical medusa, medusa, smiley and earlobes pierced before, but I took them all out to heal last year. I wanna start fresh this year, bridge and some ear piercings are on the list.

37. How many tattoos do you have?

I've genuinely lost count.. A lot <3

38. How fast can you run?

very slowly.

39. What color is your hair?

a weird mix of semi-blonde, brown and my natural brown-blonde-grey ish colour.. idk man.

40. What color are your eyes?

blue/grey

41. What makes you angry?

mostly societal injustice. atm, I'm fucking fuming at the national healthcare system in my own country for refusing to offer non-binary folks help because we're not "trans enough".

42. Do you like your name?

I feel disconnected from both my deadname and my new name. Slowly unpacking that with my therapist. Starry feels more like a safe space though.

43. Do you want a boy to girl as a child?

I don't want children, but if I were to have one - it would honestly not matter. I would try to treat them as genderlessly as I could until they could choose for themselves, so it genuinely doesn't matter.

44. What are your strengths?

right now, I don't feel like I have any tbh. but normally, I think I try my best to make people feel seen and heard?

45. What are your weaknesses?

we're not gonna open that door right now

46. What’s the color of your bedspread?

white with brown/red lines

47. What’s the color of your room?

where I am now, white. in my apartment, light grey.

I'm too tired to tag anyone right now, but feel free to say I tagged you if you want to do this! 🫶🏻

[odakuram]

Theatre Love Song Music/Lyrics: n-buna Illustration: Awashima Singer: miki

It's your fault.

(also the song was never officially uploaded onto youtube so the link here is to a repost with chinese subs)

知ってない　聞いてない　待ってない きっと持ってっちゃったんだ　言い訳の塊を そっとさ　辛くもないようにしゃがんだら もう自分に嘘を吐いて　知らん顔の僕がいた

I don’t know, I’m not listening, I’m not waiting I surely had it all this time, this pile of excuses Gently, now, if I bend down like it doesn’t hurt, I was already feigning ignorance, lying to myself.

言いたいけど　見返したいけど ずっと待って何も成してないような僕じゃ呼吸さえ出来てない 泣きたいような　くだらない文句ばっかり覚えてる まだ　消えそうにないくらいのさ あの感じは切り取って笑っていたいのに

Even if I want to say it, even if I want to get back at you, Feeling like I’m waiting here forever and achieving nothing, I can’t breathe even one bit. All I’m remembering are useless complaints, said like I’m about to cry It doesn’t look like it’s going to disappear yet. Even so, I want to cut that feeling away and laugh.

「君のせいだ」　僕のせいなんだって もう考えたくもないよそんなのは 足して引いて出すだけの感傷を振りかざして あの日描いたそれが乾く前に 消せない願望さえ色を失っていく あぁ　変わっちゃったって　馬鹿みたいに笑ってさ

‘It’s your fault!’ The fact that it was my fault is something that I don’t want to think about Over my head, I hold the sentiment of just adding, subtracting and coming up with something Before what I drew on that day dries up The colours in my indelible wish fade as well Ah, even if you’ve completely changed, laugh like an idiot!

違う　信じたい　待っていたい 僕をもっと伝えたくて　そのくせに臆病で 知ってない　何がしたいかもわかってない もう期待さえ置いてって逃げ出せば楽だろうな That’s wrong. I want to believe, I want to wait I want to tell you so much more, despite how timid I am I don’t know, I don’t think I know what I want to do If I could leave behind all the expectations and run away already, it would be easier, I think.

言いたいとか　見返したいとか そんな声を「ちょっと幼稚だ」って笑って流してしまえたら どうしようもない　聞��えないなんてもうわかりきってる あぁ　消えそうにないくらいのさ　あの感じで 夢だって妥協しちゃう癖に

If in wanting to say it, or wanting to get back at you I can laugh off your comments saying, ‘That’s immature,’ it can’t be helped, I know for absolute certain I can’t even hear you anymore Ah, it doesn’t seem like that feeling is going to make it disappear, Even though I’m bound to give in to my dreams

嘘みたいに　僕をわかんないで ってほら残念そうな目で値踏んじゃって 媚び笑ったあの時の僕も死んじゃえばいいよ 馬鹿みたいだ　君もそうなんだ 冷たい観衆なんかもう見ないでいたい ほら　ピンスポットも外れた　シートに座ってさ

I wish the person I was back then who smiled flatteringly while appraising you with pitiful eyes and said, ‘you don’t get me at all’ would just die. It seems so stupid, just like you I don’t really want to look at such a cold audience anymore See there, go sit in the seat that even the pin spot light rejects!

あぁ　今思い出してみたって 僕らはすぐそれを淘汰していく どうにも眩しすぎた舞台照明も全部 きっと君のせいだ

Ah, even if I remember now, We’d immediately weed the memory out The overly, terribly dazzling stage lights, and everything else, is certainly your fault.

嘘をついた　逃げたかったんだ 止まない心臓音が嫌で笑ったって 誰か信じたいだけの僕らの劇場愛歌 惨めなんだ　ずっとそうなんだ 消えない願望なんかもう見ないでいたい あぁ

I lied, I wanted to run away. Even if I laugh out of hatred for the unceasing sound of my heart, This is our theatre love song that someone just wants to believe in It’s miserable, it’ll always be that way, I don’t really want to see a wish that won’t disappear Ah…

違う

That’s wrong.

「僕のせいだ」　全部そうなんだ ってもう考えないでいたいよそんなのは 足して引いて出すだけの感傷も君のせいだ 馬鹿みたいだ　忘れないなんて　またねなんて ねぇ　今ならもういいかい？ あぁ　まだ　まだ　まだ

‘It’s my fault!’ The fact that everything is is something I don’t want to keep thinking about The sentiment of just adding, subtracting and coming up with something is your fault too! ‘I won’t forget’, ‘See you soon’, it all seems so stupid Hey, is what we have now enough? Ah, not yet, not yet, not yet

[captn3]

💝 BOOM

chaos from spear?!?!?!?!? no fucking way . okay umm. reaching into my mind and pulling something out This is actually good practice for improvisation. this was actually a recent (as in changed?? idfk) opinion of mine We should abandon english covers of non-english songs- this is specifically in the vocaloid community ive noticed. following the same reasoning as "if i could sing songs in other languages and memorize those lyrics for music class, i can do that now". this is for a lot of reasons- there is no one correct english translation- well, i guess if the person who made the song provides one. but even then, a lot of phrases in other languages are hard to translate 1:1 to another language. (read more-d again i am SO sorry im like this)

not only that, a lot of words, therefore sentences, are not the same length in every language. so lyrics have to be put into a thesaurus to get shorter or longer words so youre not holding them out super long or going SUPERFASTHOLYSHIT [super fast holy shit] and can barely sing the next line cause you're out of breath. which would work, except now the lyrics sound all clunky, or too fancy, etc- and it removes the mood the original lyrics were meant to have. for example- additional memory by jin. a direct translation of the last line is "goodbye, i love you." which is direct and to the point. but to make it longer, will stetson's lyrics are "this is the end, I love you so" which is.. so Exaggerated. so fancy. 'i love you so'? who the fuck says that? do you get my point, here? at that point, it'd be simpler to sing in the original language, yknow? not to mention the trouble of keeping rhymes- which isnt necessary for a song, but is always nice. actively TRYING to memorize the words, pronunciation, even characters for what you're singing could help you slowly learn that language. i've never been good at learning other languages (after spanish classes ended in school that shit left my brain Immediately) so something like that could be nice. especially since romaji isn't read how most english words are and getting used to that could make singing other songs even easier ! just in general though, it gives off a weird vibe. why does this song need to be in english? its like- very much a reach, but it feels like if you were whitewashing the song. thats the only way i can think of putting it into words. the unnecessary need to make something that belongs to people of color 'normal', if that makes sense. again, the way im saying it sounds super intense! that's not what i want it to sound like at all- im just saying it has that small bit of oddness to it.. slightly unrelated; the popular artists that make english versions of these songs end up being weirdos anyway. i forget her name (godbless) but the chick that was acting weird about one of the underage vocaloids in the description of one of her covers who had absolutely Terrible lyrics is someone i immediately think of. also- the obsession Will stetson has with kanaria?? every time they make a new song he's immediately on making a cover of it- even in his community tab he makes posts like OMG NEW KANARIA SONG HAHA in such a weird obsessive way.. it was especially notable since i used to be subscribed to him and listen to his covers a lot (which im ashamed of now, obviously)

[checkxmaster]

"Yeah. Yeah, exactly," Chad agreed with her. "We'll make 'em sorry they ever messed with us, right?" he added with a smile. "I figure... maybe I can redeem myself a little if I can do something to prevent them from doing things like... what they did to you... to anyone else again in the future." At least that was his hope. A part of him knew, though, that nothing would really erase the guilt he felt over the whole situation.

He blinked when she seemed to not know what the phrase "wet blanket" meant, but then he remembered English wasn't exactly her native language. "Oh, it's um... Wet blankets are really unpleasant, right? You're expecting something soft and warm and instead you get something cold and wet. Nobody wants that. So... a 'wet blanket' in a group is that person who's always bringing everyone else down. Usually it's the person who's reminding the others of responsibilities or problems or dangers, or anything else that the others really don't want to think about. Like if a bunch of kids sneak out to go to a party without their parents' permission, and one of them says, 'Yeah but we might get into trouble.' Well, that kid's the wet blanket of the group."

"I've always preferred to play it safe, personally," he said with a nod. "Although... that's not always possible. I guess that's why I tend to worry about everything so much." Chad was one of those people who never felt in fully in control of life and therefore worried about all the possible bad things that could happen well before any of them actually did. Catastrophizing, his therapist at the compound had told him it was. But was he really making up problems and being paranoid if a lot of those problems actually came to pass?

He shook his head, looking apologetic once more. "No, I wouldn't ever hurt you. I've got no reason to want to do that. I'm... I'm sorry if I seemed afraid of you. It's just that... well, I've honestly never met anyone like you before. I mean I've never met anyone who could do the kinds of things you do. It's like magic or something. It's amazing, really, I was just unnerved by it at first. I don't feel that way anymore, though."

She was right about one thing. It really was nice to have someone who understood what Chad had been through. Maybe his and Wanda's experiences weren't the same, but they'd gone through hell at the same facility, so she knew better than anyone what had happened... and what kept Chad up at night usually. "Yeah... The people here are really nice and all, but they just don't understand. It's not their fault, but it makes it hard to connect with them." He found it much easier to connect with Wanda...

“Kaplan isn’t it? I heard your name being mentioned back in the compound. What are you doing here?”

Chad had been shoulders-deep into a waist-level electrical panel in one of the hallways when he heard a voice behind him. Not expecting it, he stood up fast, banging the back of his head on he top of the panel compartment. He yelled in pain, rubbing his head before standing up more slowly and turning around to see who has spoken. Although he didn't really know Wanda, he'd remember seeing her around the Hydra facility. That... made this a little awkward.

"Uh..." he said, trying to push past the guilt of being partially involved at what went on at the previous location. "The uh... The technology here is all state of the art, but it's terribly inefficient. The whole place is guzzling power, and it doesn't need to. So I'm gonna try to reroute a few things to shorten some of the relays and simplify some of the wiring."

Realizing he was rambling, he forced himself to just answer the damn question. "I'm the new computer and security engineer here." He swallowed hard, feeling obligated to apologize. "Look, I'm... I'm sorry for what happened to you at the Hydra facility"

[wingzemonx]

Flying in the Wind [Genshin Impact] - Chapter 01. Take my sadness with you

As children, Kamisato Ayaka and Kaedehara Kazuha were engaged to be married as adults, and a deep friendship and sweet youthful love blossomed between them. Everyone expected great things from both of them, like the young princess and prince of their respective clans. However, the Kaedehara fell out of favor in the end, Kazuha disappeared from view, and the engagement was undone.

Several years later, and at the height of the Vision Hunt Decree, Ayaka's path suddenly crosses Kazuha's again. And though that wandering swordsman is quite different from the boy who still lives in her memories, the Shirasagi Himegimi quickly realizes that her feelings for him still linger. But after all that the young Kaedehara has lived and seen, what will he feel for her...?

Cover by Chibi Mara: https://www.instagram.com/chibi.mara/

---

Author's Notes:

Hello everyone, I hope you are well. Today, I bring you the first chapter of this new story based on the videogame Genshin Impact, starring my favorite characters from it: Ayaka and Kazuha. This story has been rolling around in my head for a long time, and since I've recently finished the Inazuma arc, I've decided to bring it to life once and for all. It's initially written in Spanish, and I'll simultaneously try to translate it into English. I don't have much experience with this, so bear with me if any translations end up being "weird."

The story will be somewhat of a prequel to the Inazuma arc featured in the game, but with several changes to the events narrated, the backgrounds of various characters, and a few tweaks to their personalities and motivations. The core of everything you know about the game will still be here. Still, it's worth mentioning that I'll be taking a few freedoms to give everything a more narrative feel and, of course, adjust things to what I want to tell. For this reason, perhaps the correct thing would be to say that the story will touch a bit on the Alternate Universe or the Canon Divergent. From my side, I see it more as a reinterpretation of the Inazuma arc and its characters.

As I said before, the story will mainly focus on Ayaka and Kazuha, but it will also star various other Inazuma characters like Thoma, Sara, Ayato, Tomo, and many more. Likewise, several OCs (or Original Characters) will be introduced to support or complement the story.

At the end of each chapter, I will try to add some explanatory notes when I think it is necessary. But if you have any questions or require clarification, you can leave them in the comments.

Without further ado, let's begin...

Chapter 01. Take my sadness with you

Even at eight, Kamisato Ayaka had always distinguished herself as an obedient and helpful girl, who did what the people told her, and never gave any trouble to her parents, her brother, the servants, or anyone. And for this reason, when in that spring afternoon they informed her that her brother would have an important meeting with his advisers, and she should not interrupt them or even approach the room where they were, she did not hesitate to abide by the instruction as it had been given.

However, the young Kamisato's fervent tendency to obey was tested when she began to perceive her name among the discreet whispers of the servants. It was also accompanied by phrases of great weight such as "the future of the clan" or more... striking words such as "engagement" and "marriage."

Although Ayaka was unable to connect how all that related to each other, especially to her, it was still enough to make her childish curiosity vibrate and put aside her duty for the first time in several years.

The little girl walked stealthily through the corridors of the Kamisato Estate in the direction of the room that had they said to her bluntly not to go near. There were no servants or guards on sight, which was helpful. She then stood just outside the wooden door to try to listen to the mysterious conversation that was taking place inside; she practically had her ear glued to it.

The clearest and most recognizable voice to her was that of his older brother, Ayato.

"So, the Kaedehara clan," she heard him mutter with the usual seriousness that he uses at such meetings. "Yes, I think my father spoke to me a little about that family and its outstanding warriors."

"Indeed," Ayaka heard someone else's voice respond with moderate emotion right after, possibly one of her father's old advisers, who were now his brother's. "The swordsmen of the Kaedehara clan are some of the most skilled in all over Inazuma. Having their loyalty solely to the Kamisato clan would be invaluable."

"I understand," Ayato muttered, actually sounding somewhat indifferent to that allegation. "But, is having the loyalty of a clan of swordsmen really that important in a time of peace like the one we live in? Especially if the price is my sister's hand."

"My hand?" Ayaka thought, confused, frowning slightly. What exactly were they talking about? And what did she have to do with all this?

Inside the room, they were first, of course, the young master of the house, Kamisato Ayato, only fifteen years old. Sitting behind him, guarding his rear, was Thoma, his bodyguard and friend of the same age. And in front of them were three men, clearly older than the two young men; they were even older than the former clan leader was.

At that time, Ayato had just recently taken the clan's leadership after his father's death, and little by little, he was soaking up all these matters. But despite his agile mind and sharp intelligence, it was clear that he still had a lot to learn; and at times, his advisors seemed to want to use that to their advantage.

Even so, it was pretty clear to him that engaging her sister to anyone, while she was still so young, was not a decision he should take lightly.

What would his father have decided in his place...?

"If history has shown us anything, it is that peace is fleeting, my lord," another of the councilors added, bowing his head respectfully. "You never know what changes will come tomorrow."

"Not in Shogun Raiden's Eternal Inazuma," Ayato replied quite confidently. "Isn't that what she promised? Perpetual and immovable peace and prosperity?"

"Yes, of course," another of the older men answered, a little hesitantly. "Our beloved and powerful Archon will always be here, taking care of the prosperity of our people even after all of us have departed. But there are small situations far from requiring the intervention or interest of a deity like her. And for these kinds of issues, a man like you must consolidate his position, especially with the other commissioners. Having powerful allies will make you a powerful lord."

"And, of course, this is not just for your benefit, my lord," the third of the men quickly interjected. "You need to think about Lady Ayaka, also. There are many candidates to be her future husband, and we can review the entire list if you wish. But the three of us agree that this young man is undoubtedly the best prospect; politically, economically, and is also the same age and upbringing as her. And we know that you will indeed conclude the same."

The advisors were quite insistent, but Ayato was still quite hesitant.

While his lord was deep in the discussion, Thoma was aware of a slight noise coming from the door behind him. And by focusing his attention on that point, he became aware of the presence of someone on the other side; someone who had apparently been there for a while.

Moving discreetly so as not to attract too much attention from the others in the room (or from the person hidden in the hallway), the blond-haired young man backed toward the door. He got down on his knees right in front of it, opening it just a crack so he could peer out. On the other side, a surprised Ayaka flinched, backing away a bit and raising her sheepish gaze to the boy. He smiled back at her gently.

"It's not suitable for you to spy behind doors, my lady," the servant muttered under his breath, sounding very much like a scolding.

"I'm sorry," Ayaka whispered embarrassedly, lowering her flushed face a little.

"You don't need to apologize to me. But you'd better get out before your brother sees you. Okay?"

Ayaka nodded without looking at him and walked down the hall without complaint, even quickening her pace a bit. Once he was sure that lady Kamisato had moved far enough away, Thoma closed the door again.

"Is everything okay, Thoma?" Ayato muttered at that moment, turning to see the young servant over his shoulder.

"A minor matter, my lord," he answered in a friendly voice, approaching and sitting down behind Ayato again. He nodded, although something in his eyes told him that he did not fully believe those words. But there would be time to explain the situation directly to him when there weren't so many curious ears.

"Could I at least meet the boy before making a decision?" Ayato inquired, turning back to the advisors.

"Of course," one of them exclaimed happily. "In fact, he and his entourage came especially to have an audience with you."

Ayato nodded, apparently pleased.

— — — —

Embarrassed at being caught in her first disobedience in years, Ayaka walked down the hall with her head down. The obedient part of her seemed to be retaking control, berating herself for doing just what they told her not to do. She didn't know if Thoma would end up exposing it to her brother, but being the way he is, Ayato would indeed find it out sooner or later anyway. And when that time came, she would only have to accept the corresponding punishment.

The most conscious part of her had that all clear. However, there was still enough in the little Kamisato that was more interested in what she managed to hear and understand from the conversation...

Were they talking about her? And more importantly: were they talking about who she would marry?

Ayaka had already had a talk about it with her mother a long time ago. Back then, she had told her that when the time came, a suitable person would be chosen to be her life partner and that it would be her duty as a Kamisato to abide by the clan head's wish. Ayaka had understood it (or thought she had). Still, it felt like something quite far away that corresponded to an Ayaka from the future that she would never even meet.

And now it seemed that "Ayaka from the future" was right there, walking with her feet down that corridor.

The sound of several agitated voices nearby caught her attention, forcing her to pause for a moment and lookup. With some surprise, she realized which wing of the house she was in. Up ahead, a few meters from where she was standing, was Kamisato Kayo's room; her mother. Ayaka had headed there without even thinking about it, perhaps guided by the memory of that old conversation.

The bustle that had distracted her had come from that room; apparently, it was the voices of several maids, speaking and giving instructions to each other. And below them, intense and tearing coughs could also be heard.

Ayaka fearfully began to advance towards that door, which was half open at the time. She hadn't been explicitly instructed not to go near that room, as they had that afternoon with the meeting room. However, somehow or other, the youngest Kamisato stayed away from that place consciously or unconsciously.

Peeking her small blue eyes through the door opening, she caught sight of her mother's figure on her bed, leaning to the side coughing as the maids tried to help her. But what perhaps caught the girl's attention the most was a noticeable red stain on the white lining covering her mother's legs.

She was coughing up blood once again...

That left the girl quite impressed, so much so that it was even impossible for her to look away. For this reason, she did not realize when her presence was noticed by the maids, nor that one of them was approaching the door until she was practically standing in front of her, covering the image of her mother with her body.

"Don't worry, lady Ayaka," the older woman murmured, giving her a (forced) smile. "Lady Kayo is fine. The doctor is coming to see her."

She tried to speak kindly and sweetly to her as almost all servants tried to do. However, Ayaka realized that it was not easy for her to stay that way. And before she could question anything, the maid slid the door to the side to close it completely.

Before Ayaka's vision of the interior of the room completely disappeared, she caught a brief glimpse of her mother turning towards her, propped up against her pillow. Her eyes seemed so dull and her face so thin that it was very difficult for Ayaka to recognize her. When the door closed completely, and she couldn't see her anymore, a part of her was even a little grateful...

Ayaka moved faster down the hall, away from her mother's door without looking back.

Her father had passed away not long ago. Her mother was very ill, and her brother now carried the full responsibility of being the clan leader. Ayaka put a lot of effort into her studies and preparation to not be a burden but rather a substantial support for her family. Still, there was really very little she could actually do.

Except engaged to marriage, apparently.

If she weighed it against everything her brother had to do or what her mother was going through at the moment, getting married was a small and easy task. If that was what was required of her, she would do it without protest; obedient and helpful, as she had always been...

As she passed through the corridor next to the house's back garden, something new caught her eye. She turned for a second in that direction, and there, sitting on one of the rocks and surrounded by all the cherry trees, she saw the figure of a strange person and out of place.

It was a boy; or at least from her position, it seemed like that. He had platinum blonde hair so light it almost looked white as snow. He was now with his back to her, sitting on the stone looking up at the sky, or perhaps at the hundreds of pink petals floating in the air above him.

He didn't seem familiar to Ayaka at all. In fact, as far as she knew, the only child at the Kamisato Estate was herself.

Intrigued, she began to approach with a cautious step. That boy didn't seem to notice her presence, or at least he didn't show it. And when she was close enough, Ayaka could hear him repeatedly muttering something under his breath...

"Take my sadness... spring flower... No... Take my sadness with you... No... Sweet spring flower..."

The boy blurted out several similar phrases in that span of time, feeling a bit of dismay in his voice. Ayaka stood right behind him, waiting for him to finish so she wouldn't interrupt him. She had to wait several seconds before the stranger took a few moments of silent reflection, allowing her to speak properly.

"Hello, what are you doing here?"

The boy let out a small groan, which reminded her a little of when her father was thinking deeply about something. Then he looked up at the sky again and answered in a soft and carefree voice:

"I'm trying to make a haiku inspired by this setting and moment, but the proper arrangement of words eludes me."

"Oh... I see," the young Kamisato muttered under her breath. Actually, she was referring to what he was doing there in her yard, but she thought it would be a little impolite of her to contradict him.

The mysterious boy continued to recite his poem a few more times. He repeated the same ideas about flowers flying in the air and taking his sadness with them. However, he couldn't seem to accommodate them in a way that would completely satisfy him.

Ayaka also looked up and saw the petals dancing above them, blown away by the slightest blizzard. And then she felt identified with that idea, about how nice it would be if her worries and fears were blown away by the wind as easily as cherry blossoms.

And then, almost without thinking, the young Kamisato spoke slowly and steadily the words that were going through her head at that moment:

"Fleeting spring flower... you take my sadness with you... flying in the wind..."

The boy turned to see her at that moment, a little surprised apparently. Ayaka could see his white face and his unique reddish eyes until then. It seemed to Ayaka that he might be the same age as her. Also, he was cute...

After a while, the stranger turned up again and softly whispered the exact words Ayaka had spoken, making them sound almost like a beautiful chant.

"I like it," the boy concluded with measured glee.

"Yeah, me too," Ayaka added.

Right after that, she walked over to the same stone the mysterious boy was standing on and allowed herself to sit down next to him.

"Why are you sad?" she asked suddenly, apparently taking his companion by surprise. "You said you would like the wind to take your sadness away. Why are you sad?"

The boy looked at her for a while, perhaps a little hesitant about how to answer that question. In the end, he turned his gaze away, as if embarrassed, and answered in a low voice:

"It's just a poem..."

Ayaka nodded silently, not intending to over-press.

"What's your name?" she asked then, outlining a friendly smile.

The subject change seemed to encourage the stranger to turn back to her.

"I'm Kazuha. And you?"

The young Kamisato opened her mouth, ready to answer him, but someone else beat her to it.

"Ayaka," she heard her brother's voice shout behind them.

Turning on their shoulders, both kids saw the young head of the Kamisato clan approaching down the hall, followed a few steps behind by Thoma and his three advisors. In Ayato Kamisato's eyes, there was some bewilderment at seeing his sister with... that boy. However, he tried to hide it behind one of his almost famous affable smiles.

"Young master Kazuha, I guess," Ayato muttered, lowering his feet from the wooden-floored hallway to the garden lawn. He then proceeded to cautiously approach the two boys. Thoma and the councilors waited in place, but the four of them had their attention focused on what was happening before them.

The boy, introduced as Kazuha, turned on the stone and stood up from it, with outstanding agility, planting his feet firmly on the ground in front of the young commissioner.

"Lord Kamisato," he greeted, leaning his body forward with the appropriate respect that the position of the person in front of him required. "It's an honor to be in your presence, my lord. I, Kaedehara Kazuha, will be your loyal servant if you allow me."

That sentence seemed to Ayato... a bit artificial. But not necessarily negatively or condescendingly, but rather as if the boy had to rehearse it and repeat it so many times, to the point where it totally lost its meaning for him. Ayato sensed that this must be the work of his family. They had put a heavy burden on him to impress the Kamisato leader, despite being so young; similar to Ayaka, in a way.

"What were you doing here?" Ayato asked, now turning to his sister.

"We were doing a haiku, brother," Ayaka replied with total sincerity.

"A haiku?" Ayato asked, a bit surprised and certainly curious. Kazuha nodded, reaffirming what the girl had said. "Would you mind reciting it for me, Lord Kaedehara?"

Kazuha jumped, apparently a bit taken aback by the request. Surely his family hadn't instructed him how to recite poetry in front of the commissioner Yashiro.

He turned briefly to Ayaka, who smiled back at him, nodding her head. Kazuha took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and spoke those words, which came out of his mouth floating on their own in the air.

"Fleeting spring flower... you take my sadness with you... flying in the wind..."

That sounded much more sincere to Ayato. If he had to interpret it in any way, it would be that those were words spoken by the real Kazuha Kaedehara and not the version that his family wanted to present to him.

That brought a small smile to the young commissioner's lips.

"Do you like haikus, lord Kaedehara?"

Kazuha seemed to hesitate again.

"I don't know... I guess I'm not very good at them..."

"Well, the truth is that I'm not either," Ayato answered humorously. "But Ayaka is more versed in that sort of thing, isn't she?"

Ayaka jumped, a little nervous at his sudden mention.

"I... well..." stammered the girl, unable to answer anything clearly.

"Yes, she actually helped me put it into its final shape," Kazuha stated abruptly.

"There it is, I knew it!" Ayato added between laughs.

All this caused the girl's face to turn red with grief without being able to avoid it.

"Well, Ayaka," she heard her brother murmur, actually sounding more like commissioner Yashiro's usual seriousness. "Why don't you take your new friend on a tour of the house?"

"Friend?" Ayaka muttered, a little surprised, almost as if that word was... unknown to her. "Ah, sure... this way, sir... lord... ah..."

Ayaka hesitated a bit on how to refer to that boy. She almost always had to deal with adults, and she rarely interacted with someone her own age. So all of that was kind of new to her.

Her uncertainty was quite evident, so the boy decided to come to her rescue without being asked.

"You can call me Kazuha if you don't mind me calling you Ayaka."

"No!" exclaimed the blue-haired girl, perhaps with more impetus than necessary. "I mean... Yeah, okay... This way, Kazuha."

Ayaka started to walk across the courtyard, and Kazuha followed a few steps behind. As they walked, the girl was seen trying to speak to her visitor between nervous stammers. Still, he seemed somewhat distracted by the leaves floating above them and barely answered her with a word or two. Passing by the three senior councilors, they offered each one a reverence and even spoke a few words of glee. All this under the watchful eye of Kamisato Ayato.

"And what do you think, my lord?" Thoma asked suddenly, approaching him.

"At first glance, I like him," Ayato replied. "But the important thing is if Ayaka likes him. Let them get to know each other a little. And, who knows?; engagement or not, maybe Ayaka can at least make a friend for a change."

Thoma nodded in agreement with his statement.

No one would have imagined at that moment that, some time later, Ayato would regret even allowing his little sister to meet that kid.

Author's Notes:

—For this story, among other things, I will take the freedom of specifying the ages of various characters on my own. I really don't know if there is a reliable or official source for these, but for practical purposes, I decided to adjust them to my interpretation of each character. In this context, Ayaka and Kazuha are considered to be the same age, being around 18 years old at present. Ayato and Thoma, for their part, would be about 24 or 25.

—This first chapter was mainly a flashback, but we will jump ahead ten years later from the next chapter. Still, throughout the following chapters, we will continue to have some other flashbacks of Ayaka and Kazuha as children. Still, mostly we will be in the present.

[thorraborinn]

I've hit a proverbial brick wall with my research. I've been researching the Isa rune, and obviously my first stop was the rune poems. However, when trying to look further to see if the Isa rune had other meaning attached to it through kennings or other works but I keep coming across websites, and the like, that claim Isa have meanings that seem contradictory to what the rune poems say, such as Isa being an obstacle or representing tiredness. I was wondering if there was any truth to these ones such as these as no sources were listed?

I mean... I'm not usually a fan of those websites and stuff, but I can't help but note that you have, in this instance, actually run into an obstacle and stagnation in relation to the i-rune.

For me the question is never really "is it true?" but rather "where does it come from?" The former question is outside of my ability to evaluate but the latter I'm much more comfortable with working with.

In this case, that seems to be either Michael Howard or Ralph Blum. They both list it with that "esoteric meaning." Howard came first but the only work of his that I've found is from after Blum, so I don't know who gave it this meaning first. Neither were exactly what you'd call Norse scholars and this probably has more to do with either the demands of their systems or their own personal cultural biases than anything. If Blum started it, it might have something to do with I Ching, though I know very little about that (which I should probably correct, if I'm to write about the history of runic divination). I can't find anything from earlier than 1982 with this interpretation though I still haven't gotten my hands on everything from that highly influential period and it's certainly possible that the idea was already in circulation before those two wrote it down (wouldn't surprise me if Nigel Pennick were involved, but I haven't found evidence of that).

This interpretation doesn't come from the Armanen runes, so at least it has that going for it. They had some weird shit about it being "the true ego," maybe extrapolating from the English pronoun I (this is speculation on my part). Though, they also associated it with Hávamál verse 154 where Óðinn says that he knows a song which he can use to still the winds and ocean. For the Armanen people this was purely numerical -- it's the ninth rune, and this is the ninth of such songs starting in stanza 146 (the so-called ljóðatal) but I could imagine how this could feed back into a reinterpretation of the rune itself being associated with stillness and inactivity.

In my research of rune kennings, I haven't turned up much variety for this rune. It mostly reemphasizes ice as a barrier on top of water (wave's roof, water's blanket, ocean's lock, river's bark, lake's door); less often refers to it on land (mountain's hat, prevention of earth, land's chasuble (a priest's outer vestment)); as something to walk on or which gives access (broad bridge, birds' path, seal-hunting), and as dangerous or untrustworthy (doomed man's misfortune (fár), doomed man's path (far), a big fall. There is at least one that I know of that does (loosely) hint at it as an obstacle: "prevention of herding." A couple interesting ones I've only found rarely include "Ymir's hide/skin" and one I'm having trouble interpreting due to the pre-standardized language but which I think might mean "containment of meltwater."

There are a few Icelandic phrases referring to ice which mostly support the meanings given in the kennings. I'm getting these from Orð að sönnu, a dictionary of expressions and proverbs. Ekki er gagn að góu ísi is probably not so much a proverb as meant strictly literally, it means something like 'it isn't useful to trust ice after Góa (the fifth month of winter).' An opposite but corresponding phrase is sjaldan er mein að miðsvetrarís 'rarely is harm done by midwinter-ice.' Hávamál reminds us not to praise the ice until it's crossed (this is one that apparently entered the common store of proverbs). A foreign saying adapted into Icelandic is sá vakar ís sem þyrstur er, 'that one liquifies ice who is thirsty.'

Colloquially in Iceland the word ís refers to ice cream (so yes, Ísland could be translated 'Ice-cream land'; also Icelanders eat a disproportionately huge amount of ice cream per capita even in the winter which might be related to the ice cream they have there being ridiculously good... yes, you CAN improve on ice cream, the Icecreamlanders have done it. My favorite ice cream is Danish though).

In the sagas ice does sometimes become an obstacle when the ocean freezes over so badly that ships can't dock. There's also a famous fight scene from Njáls saga wherein Skarphéðinn pulls off some intense acrobatic action-movie fighting moves using the ice to rip through his opponents. Myth and legend also refers to a consequential battle on the frozen Lake Vänern. Needless to say, in a place like Iceland a little ice can't always bring about a cessation of activity although it can certainly change the parameters.

[mikami]

Hi! I've heard it reasoned that Near could not have controlled/killed Mikami because in the rules it's stated that once you're a Death Note owner, you can't be killed by a Death Note (third rule under the Shinigami Eyes). While I personally think Near didn't control Mikami, this rule is broken in the manga, since Light controls and kills Snyder with the Death Note, right? He was the owner and had the Shinigami Eyes and was killed by Light. And it's not a "The Shinigami didn't know" case.

Yeah, that translation in HTR13 is complete nonsense, though I get how the original rule was confusing enough that they arrived at translating it that way....

Light could not have killed either Kal Snyder nor Higuchi if "someone with the eyes is immune to the Death Note" was actually a thing. It evidently is not.

But then, what even happened here to lead to this translation?

First, the HTR13 rules are not the rules as they were printed in the original manga (which already included an English translation in its publication in Japanese, too). They're new write-ups that are now ordered into thematic subcategories.

The English from this specific rule originally reads like this:

By possessing the Death Note, an individual gains the ability to kill, and stops being a victim. From this point, a person with the Death Note cannot see the life span of other Death Note owners including him/herself. But, it is not really necessary for the individual to view the life span of him/herself or other Death Note owners.

Note that 'stops being a victim' does not actually include any mention of the Death Note. That is because this isn't about immunity at all. It's about the hierarchy of predator and prey that Rem explains when Misa asks why she can't see her own lifespan:

The hierarchy is shinigami (apex predator)->Death Note owner (mid-level predator)->normal human (prey/victim).

Notably, Death Note owners with eyes and without eyes have the exact same position in the hierarchy - neither of them have their lifespan showing up. They are both 'mid level predators'.

But like... predators can still kill other equally strong predators. That's true in nature and it is true in this allegory used in Death Note.

The Japanese text printed in HTR13 for this segment likewise makes no actual mention of immunity at all. It's phrased pretty much the same way as what Rem is saying here.

The English translator for HTR13 was like "oh no, this is confusing, I should make it more clear" and included the immunity clause except... in doing so, they just got it wrong and made it even more confusing.

tl;dr: this rule is worded weirdly since the beginning of time, but it was never meant to imply any immunity at all. This is obvious from the fact that Light kills Death Note owners not once but twice without any trouble or repercussions.

[yukusaki]

Hi I've been trying to learn the Japanese language for quite a while, I've been using Memrise and NHK Japan but i am having trouble with their grammar and I'm not sure if I ever made progress. Now, I don't know what's my next step to improve. Do you have any recommendations? I hope u had a good day :>

And to no one's surprise. I wrote an actual novel on the topic.

I'll give you some resources but I recommend trying out different kinds to see what works for you. Learning about your own learning style may also help--for example, I'm a very hands-on learner so I can read about grammar rules all day but until I actually try to put together my own sentences using those rules and get some feedback on what's right and what's not, I Will Not be able to use those rules effectively. Also I have no motivation so I don't study on my own unless I'm working towards a goal (such as the JLPT or answering an ask)

I started with the Pimsleur program, recorded audio lessons that were at my library to check out. You'll learn phrases mostly, but it does not go into detail about grammar and you will learn nothing about writing. If you're mostly concerned about grammar you can definitely skip this one. You can try programs and apps like Duolingo, Rosetta Stone. etc. Duolingo is a bit better about grammar rules and stuff but depending how in-demand the course is, it might not explain anything (try the PC version if it doesn't). I personally think apps like this are good for basic grammar and stuff but once you get more advanced you need More.

Textbooks are actually not a bad way to self-study. I used Genki in my first 2 years of Japanese at university and it's supposed to be one of the best. There's also so so many resources online now. Follow some blogs and get bite-sized tips during your leisure time.

Now, for how I like, Actually learned a lot of my Japanese before I started learning it in organized classes. Listen to music, look through the lyrics, pick out some words you hear a lot and look them up. Watch drama/anime/movies/etc and do the same. Or just put on the subs and don't really pay attention to the audio. I generally have a pretty good ear for pronunciation and intonation already but I attribute how often I get comments on my pronunciation to how much time I spent in my weeb days just hearing naturally-spoken Japanese even if I wasn't totally paying attention. I always recommend exposing yourself to as much content as possible, even in the early stages of learning.

I've got some general study tips on my blog (search studytips) that should help. If nothing else, remember to not burn yourself out. Learning vocab for 5 minutes a day is better than studying 2 hours one day ond taking a 2-month break.

One thing I might not have mentioned in those tips that I feel like more people need to be aware of: a lot of programs are like "learn naturally by immersion like you learned your native language! Just hear phrases and you will Understand the grammar eventually!" okay but like your brain goes through a critical period for language learning when you're like 2. You are (presumably) no longer 2. Your brain is not the same as it was when you were 2. You should not expect to learn the same way as you did then. I read somewhere that being able to learn rules is the one advantage the adult brain has over a child's brain when it comes to second language learninp. So what this means in practice is: when you come across some grammar thing you don't get, don't let people tell you "oh you'll get it in time, you'll just Know." Look that shit up! What's the difference between は wa and が ga? There a literal list of rules you can memorize! (I don't have a link, it was a handout from one of my classes, sorry!) Familiarizing yourself with English grammar even helps to learn how to apply those rules to a new language. Learn the difference between a subject and an object and all that good stuff. You have different resources now as a not-2-year-old so use them!!

Finally, some resources I personally use:

Kanji draw (app): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.lusil.android.kanjidraw.jlpt5 (not sure if there's an IOS version sorry)--like flashcards for kanji but makes you actually write it, and with correct stroke order which I promise makes them easier to remember (and this was the only app I found that actually checks you for accurate writing). It has some algorithm for how often you see each character that is fantastic for memorization--more often when you first learn a character and after you get it wrong, less often once you know it well, introduces new characters gradually but keeps the old ones in rotation for a while so you never get thrown into a set of 20 completely new kanji.

find you a good dictionary app--I can't find the one I use on the app store but I can search in kana/kanji or romaji or English, any conjugation of a verb or adjective, and find what I'm looking for. Also has a kanji lookup tool with radicals.

Google translate--yeah, for real. I use this one when I want to scan a large section of text for something specific. Or when I'm writing a long sentence that I want to doublecheck. Also has a kanji lookup tool you can handwrite in, and of course don't forget the camera translation tool.

honyakustar (website)--a website with a lot of sentences in both Japanese and English. I use it All The Time to figure out how a word is actually used in practice--what particles it uses, if it's formal or informal, if it's stative or dynamic, collocations, etc.

Hellotalk (app)--it's super well known, just google it. A social app for chatting with native speakers of your target language.

Common Japanese Collocations by Kakuko Shoji (book)--collocations are words that "go" together naturally. We say "take" a bath, Japanese says "enter" a bath (お風呂に入る). This book is a good reference for looking up these collocations.

The Basics of Japanese Grammar: Verbs (book)--I downloaded this on my nook in high school for like 2 dollars and 50 cents give or take and it pleased my rule-oriented brain greatly. just has like all the verb conjugations with short explanations and example sentences and stuff.

Thanks for your question! Feel free to ask me anything!💕