#im really hoping to find some new people to rp with too so recommendations would be nice!!!

[runawaybun]

and jove lives??!

yoooo, what up anybody that’s around~ I’m back, hyperfixating on trying to revive this blog. i made a carrd for mobile users to access my links and i also made a private discord server for people that want to contact me there or rp. I’m much more active and give faster responses on discord.

feel free to send me any rp memes that I reblogged on my ;memes tag and hit me up if you wanna start something new with me~

[fyrapartnersearch]

Howdy there! How are you?

Self

My name is James Home. I’m a 23 year old trans male from Olympia WA. In time zones that’s PST (Pacific standard time) am a visual artist, graphic designer, and storyteller. My Briggs acronym ENFJ. In saying so I’m a huge talker and communicator, physically and literally! Personal interests of mine include BOTW, FFXV, and Hanibal atm. I have a lovely and incredible wife named Isabella. We both additionally like DND (were even painting our minis), collecting Halloween decorations, and watching Avatar the last air bender with our roommate. Though I do have a history in plenty of other fandoms as well and always on the lookout for recommendations.

Preference

So for myself I love to take care of my Rp partners in all accommodations possible.

Meaning if your heart has been craving fluff, rough smut, or a plain ol hug. IM GAME! If none, no biggie let’s make a plot spot!

Roles I usually fall under are but not limited too….

-DOM , Vers, Power bottom

-caretaker, guardian, teacher

-father, handler, knight

-beefcakes, robots, selfless leaders

And so much more!

The roles I lean towards are

-caretaker, strong and silent-ish type, and flamboyant entertainers.

-male roles, trans male roles, open to trying a female role?, non binary, pangender role.

- I do enjoy topping, some aspects of BDSM, and some hard kinks.

-fallen leader, relearning about a loving world, hopeful in a dark world.

-not taking their role as important as they should have or are, “I’ve been doing this for years. But this is new”, and “I brought you your favorite drink wanna cuddle, I’ll provide the sugar?” Types

And so much more!

As far as story things themes are

-highly complex kingdoms

-High pace fantasy

-society by the ocean

-abandon green houses

-heavily dense forests

-fae and fiend worlds

-AUs of pre-existing universes from shows

-magic incorporated

-supernatural

Worlds we design collectively.

My HARD NOs are…

NO MINORS ROLEPLAYING WITH ME, 19 AND UNDER DO NOT APPLY

-abuse in active Rp (can be used from background and really has to depend on circumstance)

-harm of any children

-harm of expected mother

-any form of r*pe play

-blood play, degrading play, hard impact play

-crying kinks, humiliation kink, and electric play

-no smoking kinks either or character usage of substances.

Writing

I’m not too big on proper grammar or sentence structure as long as there was an idea getting across. I’m ok with role playing as many people as you’d like to actively work on, so doubles, and even triples are okay. Plus working two different stories is fun! I do prefer paragraphing and we all know the feeling of one word responses. This is a hobby and creative outlet from myself so that’s why I have no big stressors about punctuation or spelling.

Storytelling

Here are some story concepts I’ve come up with. Yet if you’d like to imply your own let’s talk about it!

Counterpart pathways

A magical filled fantasy realm where all is possible including the bad. One summer day a incubus/demon hybrid named Jona, father of three, learns someone has kidnapped all three of his boys! He's on the hunt for clues and finding them at all costs. Gathering the best crew possible of Moof the best wolf bounty hunter in all the realm, Bell the boys spider caretaker shapeshifter, and Glover the bull/bison hybrid the green alchemist, set off to find the children. Along the way by gathering clues they encounter obstacles and trials of skill and pursuit! Will they ever find the three octopus babies ? Will Jona have closure and put on a shirt? Will Bell ever stop stealing everything shiny? Will Moof grow more confident in his teammates? Will Glover not stop shaking and being such a wuss? Who will help this odd 4 on their epic abnormal quest?!

Puddles

A time traveler that gets stuck in between dimensions due to their powers temporarily weakened from the extensive work they've been doing end up meeting a stranger who takes them in. Not used to the timeline they shows up in, they have to knowledge of normal behavior. They must figure out a way to recharge their abilities but has not of the slightly clue as to what it causing them to have lost them in the first place. Is the person that's helping them good or evil? Who's side are they on? How will they figure them out? Why do they find the stranger oddly familiar?

When men become mortal

An alien/robot/human species that survives by using different masks/chips for various occasions. It's like buying different clothes but they adapt or transform the hoist for a month or less of another body/form/identity. The main character experiences a technical difficulty where their head socket cannot adapt to a new face for long and has to get it repaired. Though along the way he seems to find that not wearing a false identity they actually enjoy seeing the outside world with no expectation of appearance. The other is a identity artist, the one whom develops different faces and identity. He spends hours tweaking details of bodies and faces. He always has the nicest things because of his work and from important commissions and work for certain clients.They meet at a gallery that the artist is hoisting at a museum. The individuals there are decorated like some of the model pieces and others artist curators-part sellers. The faceless one decides to go to the museum to see what's or who's being showcased and since he has a little bit of extra money he saved up for the occasion. Everyone finds him interesting since he doesn't have an appearance, they think he's a model. Thus they send him to meet with the artist for the show. The artist doesn't know him at all. They find eachother very different but most parts similar. From their meeting the artist gets inspired by his original face. Coming to realize that even himself that he has given into the world he never wanted to.The two of them hit it off. Both dwelling into the matters of the "perfect" vessel. Asking the serious questions such as what makes a body, a face, a soul attractive? They go on for hours and it starts to inspire the artists work into his new resorted craftsmanship. The faceless impressed by the purposed questions and also work. The two of them grow closer resulted from talking so much about bodies and meaning. All the while testing out the new creations, body parts, and vessels capabilities. Not all though is good while the two develop this hoist. There's a villain at hand who one of the artist's main clients that goes unsuspected. They want to use the designs to create a vessel for the bad and wealth. Only to include to kill off all humans.The two of them hit it off. Both dwelling into the matters of the "perfect" vessel. Asking the serious questions such as what makes a body, a face, a soul attractive? They go on for hours and it starts to inspire the artists work into his new resorted craftsmanship. The faceless impressed by the purposed questions and also work. The two of them grow closer resulted from talking so much about bodies and meaning. All the while testing out the new creations, body parts, and vessels capabilities. Not all though is good while the two develop this hoist. There's a villain at hand who one of the artist's main clients that goes unsuspected. They want to use the designs to create a vessel for the bad and wealth. Only to include to kill off all humans. Thus forces the artist to reveal his true identity. A human being. Not a hologram. Plus he's not just an artist but a ex-con scientist from the labs that have bloomed into a internalized war. Faceless becomes confused and also hurt that the artist to mention this. Only for the two of them being followed. The artist informs the robot that the hybrids (the children of the robot-species, generations of offspring) are the real threat to society. The one who hoists and is in charge of the power sorce is human and machine. The first of its kind, and also the previous mentor of the artist/ex-scientist. Who will get to the power source first. Our main dynamic couple or the robotic uprising that believe all humans should cease to exist once and for all?

Gay Cryptids

Themes

Active night life

Next to the ocean, sea, body of water.

Beach city/lost boys/Mad max?/punk/ regal?/neon lights/old mascots/vapor wave af

Carnival / festivals

Dark market authenticity

Biker gang(s)

Aquatic features, art, incorporated in surroundings

Lifestyles like fish importing, dock workers, sushi shops, fancy diners

Common foods are all fish and sea foods

The city was a work in process for a resort city, and a major violent storm came too early taking out some of the fancier parts of the island. Most of the higher end houses and mansions were believed to be damaged in the outer edges of the island. There had been a castle built as a main part of the hotel/resort. Old costumes, sets, mascots were left to rot by the seas breeze. Barnacles, ivy, and vines with exotic flora and fauna growing wildly cover the buildings. Possibly even growing in the mansion and other houses. The main part of the biker gang is in a abandoned church next to the sea caves is where the biker gang mostly resides and work primarily as hit men and women. The island would be decided by the two head family of vampires one powerful family versus the other in over control if the current situation of resort in the actual tourist location.A rambunctious gang of young cryptics disguise themselves as human during the daytime but during the night it's quite the time to be alive and young. Various story arcs of love and lust between the group members figuring out their own sexualities and forming adulthood. Though most of it is all of them just fucking around.A rambunctious gang of young cryptics disguise themselves as human during the daytime but during the night it's quite the time to be alive and young. Various story arcs of love and lust between the group members figuring out their own sexualities and forming adulthood. Though most of it is all of them just fucking around.

Plausible locations

Old mill

Carnival / freakshow

Rides and amusement

Abandoned Church

Greenhouse

Garden

Boat house

Log cabins

CAMP grounds

Old schools

Warehouses

The Docks or Port

Boat houses

Boat docks

Abandoned Hotel

Studios

Bike store

Surf or like diving store

Knickknack shack

Ma and Pa restaurants

Antique stores

Downtown

Library

Hospital or infirmary excotic masion

I have story plots for days SONNNN so these are at skim level for plot.

If you’d like to contact me the best ways are

Discord at

Agodnamedhome#4202

Onlyagodnamedhome@gmail.com

I work from 11:30 to 4 Monday-Friday

But available before, and after for sure.

Thursday’s at 5 are my therapist appointments

Weekends are 100% free atm

Looking for a long term, short term, a friend!

[agodnamedhome]

Howdy there! How are you?

Self

My name is James Home. I’m a 23 year old trans male from Olympia WA. In time zones that’s PST (Pacific standard time) am a visual artist, graphic designer, and storyteller. My Briggs acronym ENFJ. In saying so I’m a huge talker and communicator, physically and literally! Personal interests of mine include BOTW, FFXV, and Hanibal atm. I have a lovely and incredible wife named Isabella. We both additionally like DND (were even painting our minis), collecting Halloween decorations, and watching Avatar the last air bender with our roommate. Though I do have a history in plenty of other fandoms as well and always on the lookout for recommendations.

Preference

So for myself I love to take care of my Rp partners in all accommodations possible.

Meaning if your heart has been craving fluff, rough smut, or a plain ol hug. IM GAME! If none, no biggie let’s make a plot spot!

Roles I usually fall under are but not limited too….

-DOM , Vers, Power bottom

-caretaker, guardian, teacher

-father, handler, knight

-beefcakes, robots, selfless leaders

And so much more!

The roles I lean towards are

-caretaker, strong and silent-ish type, and flamboyant entertainers.

-male roles, trans male roles, open to trying a female role?, non binary, pangender role.

- I do enjoy topping, some aspects of BDSM, and some hard kinks.

-fallen leader, relearning about a loving world, hopeful in a dark world.

-not taking their role as important as they should have or are, “I’ve been doing this for years. But this is new”, and “I brought you your favorite drink wanna cuddle, I’ll provide the sugar?” Types

And so much more!

As far as story things themes are

-highly complex kingdoms

-High pace fantasy

-society by the ocean

-abandon green houses

-heavily dense forests

-fae and fiend worlds

-AUs of pre-existing universes from shows

-magic incorporated

-supernatural

Worlds we design collectively.

My HARD NOs are…

NO MINORS ROLEPLAYING WITH ME, 19 AND UNDER DO NOT APPLY

-abuse in active Rp (can be used from background and really has to depend on circumstance)

-harm of any children

-harm of expected mother

-any form of r*pe play

-blood play, degrading play, hard impact play

-crying kinks, humiliation kink, and electric play

-no smoking kinks either or character usage of substances.

Writing

I’m not too big on proper grammar or sentence structure as long as there was an idea getting across. I’m ok with role playing as many people as you’d like to actively work on, so doubles, and even triples are okay. Plus working two different stories is fun! I do prefer paragraphing and we all know the feeling of one word responses. This is a hobby and creative outlet from myself so that’s why I have no big stressors about punctuation or spelling.

Storytelling

Here are some story concepts I’ve come up with. Yet if you’d like to imply your own let’s talk about it!

Counterpart pathways

A magical filled fantasy realm where all is possible including the bad. One summer day a incubus/demon hybrid named Jona, father of three, learns someone has kidnapped all three of his boys! He's on the hunt for clues and finding them at all costs. Gathering the best crew possible of Moof the best wolf bounty hunter in all the realm, Bell the boys spider caretaker shapeshifter, and Glover the bull/bison hybrid the green alchemist, set off to find the children. Along the way by gathering clues they encounter obstacles and trials of skill and pursuit! Will they ever find the three octopus babies ? Will Jona have closure and put on a shirt? Will Bell ever stop stealing everything shiny? Will Moof grow more confident in his teammates? Will Glover not stop shaking and being such a wuss? Who will help this odd 4 on their epic abnormal quest?!

Puddles

A time traveler that gets stuck in between dimensions due to their powers temporarily weakened from the extensive work they've been doing end up meeting a stranger who takes them in. Not used to the timeline they shows up in, they have to knowledge of normal behavior. They must figure out a way to recharge their abilities but has not of the slightly clue as to what it causing them to have lost them in the first place. Is the person that's helping them good or evil? Who's side are they on? How will they figure them out? Why do they find the stranger oddly familiar?

When men become mortal

An alien/robot/human species that survives by using different masks/chips for various occasions.

It's like buying different clothes but they adapt or transform the hoist for a month or less of another body/form/identity.

The main character experiences a technical difficulty where their head socket cannot adapt to a new face for long and has to get it repaired. Though along the way he seems to find that not wearing a false identity they actually enjoy seeing the outside world with no expectation of appearance.

The other is a identity artist, the one whom develops different faces and identity. He spends hours tweaking details of bodies and faces. He always has the nicest things because of his work and from important commissions and work for certain clients.

They meet at a gallery that the artist is hoisting at a museum. The individuals there are decorated like some of the model pieces and others artist curators-part sellers.

The faceless one decides to go to the museum to see what's or who's being showcased and since he has a little bit of extra money he saved up for the occasion. Everyone finds him interesting since he doesn't have an appearance, they think he's a model. Thus they send him to meet with the artist for the show.

The artist doesn't know him at all. They find eachother very different but most parts similar. From their meeting the artist gets inspired by his original face. Coming to realize that even himself that he has given into the world he never wanted to.

The two of them hit it off. Both dwelling into the matters of the "perfect" vessel. Asking the serious questions such as what makes a body, a face, a soul attractive? They go on for hours and it starts to inspire the artists work into his new resorted craftsmanship. The faceless impressed by the purposed questions and also work. The two of them grow closer resulted from talking so much about bodies and meaning. All the while testing out the new creations, body parts, and vessels capabilities.

Not all though is good while the two develop this hoist. There's a villain at hand who one of the artist's main clients that goes unsuspected. They want to use the designs to create a vessel for the bad and wealth. Only to include to kill off all humans.

The two of them hit it off. Both dwelling into the matters of the "perfect" vessel. Asking the serious questions such as what makes a body, a face, a soul attractive? They go on for hours and it starts to inspire the artists work into his new resorted craftsmanship. The faceless impressed by the purposed questions and also work. The two of them grow closer resulted from talking so much about bodies and meaning. All the while testing out the new creations, body parts, and vessels capabilities.

Not all though is good while the two develop this hoist. There's a villain at hand who one of the artist's main clients that goes unsuspected. They want to use the designs to create a vessel for the bad and wealth. Only to include to kill off all humans.

Thus forces the artist to reveal his true identity. A human being. Not a hologram. Plus he's not just an artist but a ex-con scientist from the labs that have bloomed into a internalized war. Faceless becomes confused and also hurt that the artist to mention this. Only for the two of them being followed.

The artist informs the robot that the hybrids (the children of the robot-species, generations of offspring) are the real threat to society. The one who hoists and is in charge of the power sorce is human and machine. The first of its kind, and also the previous mentor of the artist/ex-scientist.

Who will get to the power source first. Our main dynamic couple or the robotic uprising that believe all humans should cease to exist once and for all?

Gay Cryptids

Themes

Active night life

Next to the ocean, sea, body of water.

Beach city/lost boys/Mad max?/punk/ regal?/neon lights/old mascots/vapor wave af

Carnival / festivals

Dark market authenticity

Biker gang(s)

Aquatic features, art, incorporated in surroundings

Lifestyles like fish importing, dock workers, sushi shops, fancy diners

Common foods are all fish and sea foods

The city was a work in process for a resort city, and a major violent storm came too early taking out some of the fancier parts of the island. Most of the higher end houses and mansions were believed to be damaged in the outer edges of the island. There had been a castle built as a main part of the hotel/resort. Old costumes, sets, mascots were left to rot by the seas breeze. Barnacles, ivy, and vines with exotic flora and fauna growing wildly cover the buildings. Possibly even growing in the mansion and other houses. The main part of the biker gang is in a abandoned church next to the sea caves is where the biker gang mostly resides and work primarily as hit men and women. The island would be decided by the two head family of vampires one powerful family versus the other in over control if the current situation of resort in the actual tourist location.

A rambunctious gang of young cryptics disguise themselves as human during the daytime but during the night it's quite the time to be alive and young.

Various story arcs of love and lust between the group members figuring out their own sexualities and forming adulthood. Though most of it is all of them just fucking around.

A rambunctious gang of young cryptics disguise themselves as human during the daytime but during the night it's quite the time to be alive and young.

Various story arcs of love and lust between the group members figuring out their own sexualities and forming adulthood. Though most of it is all of them just fucking around.

Plausible locations

Old mill

Carnival / freakshow

Rides and amusement

Abandoned Church

Greenhouse

Garden

Boat house

Log cabins

CAMP grounds

Old schools

Warehouses

The Docks or Port

Boat houses

Boat docks

Abandoned Hotel

Studios

Bike store

Surf or like diving store

Knickknack shack

Ma and Pa restaurants

Antique stores

Downtown

Library

Hospital or infirmary excotic masion

I have story plots for days SONNNN so these are at skim level for plot.

If you’d like to contact me the best ways are

Discord at

Agodnamedhome#4202

Onlyagodnamedhome@gmail.com

I work from 11:30 to 4 Monday-Friday

But available before, and after for sure.

Thursday’s at 5 are my therapist appointments

Weekends are 100% free atm

Looking for a long term, short term, a friend!

[cmtrydrve]

            hey ! my name’s link , i go by he/they pronouns , am 21+ & live in the cst timezone ! my only personality trait is being a bts , sment & girl groups enthusiast . i’m an aries sun with a pisces moon , which means i can be aggro , am always loud & obnoxious , but am a secretly sensitive softy , so plz be nice to me !!! this is my child , mikey , who’s stuck in 2006 & never grew out of his emo phase ( take that , mom ! ) . he’s also an aries , because my jjks always end up like that . hopefully , you’ll love him as much as i already do ! under the cut , you’ll find some misc . info & wanted connections . here are links to his dossier page & his pinterest board , which will hopefully give you some deeper insight . i’m excited to be here & write with you all ! like this if you’d like to plot & i’ll fly to your ims , but also feel free to add me on d*scord ( it’s easier for me as well ) : no brain only loving bts#6669 !

— jeon jungkook. he/they. demiboy. | was that michael “mikey” kwon i just saw in the hideaway lobby ? i hear the twenty-two year old spends most of their time working as a record store clerk / studying communications , but i’ve always just seen them dyeing their hair different colors with kool-aid . they live in 3c and i often see them in the halls. they always give me a vibe of getting into arguments online , an entirely black wardrobe and drinking six cups of coffee to make it through the day . 

misc . info :

his parents are both very hip artists who met & fell in love while attending art school. they’re both very modern kind of parents, which meant that mikey grew up around a lot of self-expression (& being told to try it for himself), paint everywhere & pot.

growing up, he was allowed to paint his walls & even ceiling however he pleased & it instilled a love of creativity in him. his parents still have paintings he did as a child hanging up on their walls & fridge. even now, he still draws casually, though it was always a hobby for him & not his actual passion.

his parents are extremely caring & understanding. as a teenager, they allowed him to go out & party & always made sure to get him home safely. mikey genuinely can not remember a single time they ever yelled at him even when he fucked up massively. so he tries his best to make sure they’re happy & taken care of. but they’re adamant in supporting whatever mikey wants to do.

they were both the alternative types, which meant that rock music filled their home. mikey was familiar with classic rock from a young age & the sounds of fleetwood mac & other similar bands fills him with a warmth that can only be attained from childhood nostalgia.

his first taste of love came at the age of seven. his parents always brought home new albums to listen to & his dad purchased three cheers for sweet revenge by my chemical romance. while the screaming & raging instruments could have been too much for anyone else his age, mikey embraced it fully.

it ignited an adoration for the genre as a whole & soon enough, his parents were bringing home various emo music albums to sate the always dramatic & over-reacting mikey. for christmas, he received mcr’s discography (at the time, just two albums) on vinyl, which he still has hanged proudly on his wall as an adult.

he owns every variation of every mcr album now. vinyl, cd, cassettes. he even collects the japanese versions because he likes the way they’re designed.

he dropped the name mike / michael because of mikey way & he refuses to answer to anything else.

even though it’s largely part of “cringe culture” now (which mikey refuses to participate in), he loves hot topic & goes there whenever he can. his closet is full of band tees & he has a drawer filled with those spiky belts, bracelets & pants with the suspenders from his teenage years.

he’s been dyeing his hair regularly since he was twelve. he’s had every color under the sun. this is what his hair currently looks like but he dyes the highlights with kool-aid, so the color is always changing.

he has a nostril piercing & would probably get more done if someone so much as implied that he should.

he has a mcr stan twitter account & he gets into fights with everyone he decides has a wrong opinion. he’s been suspended multiple times for being too aggressive online, but he always comes back. he also has a tumblr account but he just uses it to reblog pictures of gerard way (his bias KJHFDKJ).

he works at a record store & goes to school for communications. he hopes to either be a radio dj or podcast host. he wants to get paid to talk about how much he loves music either way. but he loves his current job because he gets to talk about music all day and recommend albums to people. also it’s helpful in perfecting his own vinyl collection.

yes, he cried the day mcr broke up & yes he bought tickets to all their reunion shows. he took the day off when the tickets went on sale & his boss was understanding, knowing how much he loves the band.

he’s extremely impulsive. if you tell him to do anything, he more than likely will. he has a lot of stupid scribbled tattoos on him for this reason, especially on his hands.

while he doesn’t mind appearing masculine & even embraces it, he doesn’t fully align with being a man. he started identifying as nonbinary in his teens, but has never felt 100% a man his whole life. he’s fine with both he or they pronouns for the most part, though he does have his preferences day to day. he introduces himself as nonbinary so it’s not a secret & everyone who interacts with him is aware.

he’s kind of a party animal. he’s that loud person who drinks too much & ends up blacked out on the floor.

he gets in trouble a lot, because he plays music very loudly at both his workplace & his apartment. but he’s of the opinion that if music is too loud for you then you’re just too old.

he’s aggressive & very arrogant. he will fight you about anything & everything. he just likes to argue & he thinks he’s right about everything.

in typical aries fashion, he loves to flirt & be flirted with. he just adores attention & seeks out affection where he can find it. he gets crushes really easily & pursues aggressively (he’s extremely charming & good at making people feel good about themselves), but he gets bored when he actually obtains the person he desires. he’s never really seriously dated, but has had over a billion crushes in his lifetime.

thought dramatic & annoying most of the time, he’s also very loyal & has a good heart. if you’re in his circle of people he likes, then he’ll do anything for you point blank. he always tells his friends that he’d die for him & he means it.

while he tries to appear confident, he has secret insecurities stemming from being the middle child. he has issues with feeling like he’s not good enough or thinks he’s unnoticed by everyone, so he acts up by being dramatic.

he drinks A LOT of coffee, so he’s pretty much always bouncing off the walls.

he’s extremely pansexual & loud about it. if you’ve known him for longer than five minutes then you’ll find out how he wishes he could smash gerard way specifically in the helena mv to smithereens.

he very casually knows how to play guitar. he’s that person who plays wonderwall at every party.

while he’s not a fan of pop music, he knows most girl group dances & can do them well.

wanted connections :

exes (any gender. it will more than likely be something casual, like a few months or less, but we can discuss the timeline! also it can be messy or friendly. extra points if there’s lingering feelings!)

hookups / fwbs (any gender. singular experiences or regular type things)

childhood plots for those who’ve lived in seattle (childhood friends, first kisses / crushes, all that good stuff)

flirtationships that don’t go anywhere

one-sided crushes (don’t mind who has the feelings!)

mutual pining but they’re both idiots & have no idea

party buddies (can be drinking &/or smoking). emo music buddies. netflix buddies. any of these can be combined.

enemies???? (if we can decide on a suitable plot. or enemies with benefits :smirk:)

someone who knows of mikey from his stan twitter but doesn’t realize it’s him & talks shit openly about the asshole who runs the account in front of him.

on the opposite side of the spectrum, someone who he flirts with in the dms & they plan to meet up after realizing they live in the same apartment building.

tinder date (it can go well or not)

frequent customers (customers he flirts with or can’t stand because they just loiter or gets into fights with because they have bad taste in music

someone who takes advantage of mikey being willing to do anything he’s dared to do. make him do all the stupid shit he shouldn’t be doing, whether it’s getting tattoos / piercings or anything dangerous or just idiotic.

you’re sick of this asshole blasting music late at night & go to yell at him for it but oops he’s actually attractive (or you actually can’t stand him, whichever GKDHFGJFKD).

i have a huge tag full of plots i’d love to do on my rp spam blog. not all of them will be fitting for mikey but just ask me & we can try to change some elements or something!

literally anything you can think of i’m probably down for it!

[hcrofraid]

Rules:

HALLO THERE! Here’s my rules! They’re a bit long, but hopefully you can push through ‘em and we can get a chance at interaction!

1. Themes might vary with this blog. Although I’m typically SFW, I might touch upon dark topics here and there.

Things will be tagged! I’ll try my best, anyways. If you want something in particular tagged, please let me know. The format I use for tagging is, for example, tw: swearing.

I don’t have any triggers but I do ask you tag all of your NSFW content.

That said, I won’t do anything NSFW - gore is okay, though.

I’m of age.

2. I‘m a little selective, but otherwise - I’m open to canon, au, crossover, and original characters! As long as their muns rp literately/write para.

If it’s a crossover, I have to know the fandom and be at least a little bit confident with it. This is so I’m able to work with you, our thread and have muse for it.

Absolutely no godmodding. It ain’t fun, fam. If you’re not sure what this term means, do look it up. This includes powerplaying, metagaming, and other things of that nature. This applies especially in fights if they happen (I’m chance-based and hope that you are too). 

I can be picky with OCs. But rest assured, if you’ve followed me/interacted with my promo, I’ll always give your pages a read.

Please don’t be offended if I don’t want to interact with you (and please don’t try to guilt me into doing so!). 

As for following back, I usually take a week tops to do so - but if you’ve hit up my promo, I go through that eventually.

As I’ve said, I’m selective and as a result mutuals do take priority - but I don’t have to be following you for you to interact with me. It just means I’m more likely to interact with you if you’re a mutual.

3. Please don’t rush me for starters or responses.

PLEASE understand that I have blogs galore and my muse tends to fluctuate; this can mean I’m everywhere at once and can end up neglecting a blog or two. It’s nothing personal; you know how muses are! Additionally, life happens to be a thing.

Please note the mun deals with anxiety and depression - this might affect how frequently she roleplays.

Chances are, I’ve probably has seen that bit of interactivity and just haven’t gotten around to responding yet.

My roleplaying style being para/multi-para, I may take a while to respond. I hoard drafts like a dragon - it’s really just the motivation to write and ship those out.

Just a reminder I hoard all your asks too, even weeks later. If I don’t respond to it, I’m either keeping it for a rainy day, or just can’t find the muse/interest for it currently. If it’s been a month or two though, just assume it wasn’t working for me unless I’ve informed you otherwise.

4. Shippings? Heck yeah I’m down for the fluffy content, as long as they’re of similar age to my boio.

If I don’t happen to be interested, don’t force anything on my character.

I do not ship incestuous ships. Do NOT follow/interact if you do.

Sontails will not be happening on this blog either, sorry.

The ship has to have chemistry; I’m generally shipping trash, but if they don’t click, they don’t click, sorry.

This is a multi-ship blog, meaning there will be more than one ship without them conflicting with eachother.

If you want to ship and I already have a ship of your choosing going with a duplicate, please don’t hesitate to hmu! My ships aren’t exclusive and each character/relationship portrayal is unique to me!

Relationships are eternal until you deem otherwise.

5. Whilst I am of age, I’m not aiming for sexual content on this blog (and will not be dealing with fetishes). That stuff makes me uncomfortable, and I typically don’t recommend pulling it with my character if you’re interacting with me. Nonetheless, should it arise, I will tag it appropriately. Also, Tails is a child. So no.

6. About reblogs…

I am not a meme source, and reblogs clog up my activity. Please reblog any memes you find on this blog from their SOURCE. The exception to this rule is if there is no source; go ahead.

I don’t feel comfortable with Personals reblogging my IC or OOC posts, so please don’t do that. If I put something in the fandom tags for whatever reason (bar promos), you’re free to, though.

Please don’t reblog my art unless I’ve drawn it specifically for you or said you can. I either have that as do not reblog for a reason, or I am planning to post it on my art blog at some point.

A few times is fine, as it happens, but repeatedly breaking these rules will result in me soft blocking you.

I try to participate in reblog karma as much as I can, but always reblog from the source/a meme source.

If a post or ask is for you, you’re free to reblog it to save it though - but only if you’re an rp blog!

7. I’m a para / multi-para blog, novella if I’m adventurous and have time. Whilst I may roleplay crack threads with shorter responses, this does not apply to all threads I write. This means:

I write my replies as detailed as I can muster.

Short responses (such as one-liners) in more serious threads where I’ve written a decent deal can instantly kill my muse for that thread.

Whilst I’d prefer for partners to at least somewhat match my length, it’s entirely up to you - just try your best and make sure you give me enough to work with. ♡

If my muse happens to go nuts out of nowhere - like, overboard - don’t stress too much about matching them.

If para roleplays aren’t your alley, I’m unlikely to roleplay with you. It’s nothing personal; it’s just finding muse for one-liner threads is incredibly difficult unless it’s dash shenanigans. Anything else outside that is fine, though - we can still have fun outside of proper threads.

If you need further context on the AU, the link to it’s tag is here! Otherwise just ask me!

Tails’ AU is one I’m very proud of and very attached to, so please don’t force your headcanons about him on me. If you’re unsure how certain events play out in the context of his universe, don’t hesitate to ask me about them!

That said, anything that might take place on this blog obviously isn’t canon to the AU itself; I just like writing for this boio and it helps me develop his character. It’s all hypothetical.

Additionally! Don’t worry too much if the headcanoned relationships between Tails and other muses don’t match yours. Those are mostly just guidelines for how Tails would USUALLY interact with your muse. I’m open to altering these relationships to better fit our threads! Don’t ever feel restricted to what I put down; it’s mostly just for context purposes because, well, Tails is absent. I’m an IM away for plotting.

8. Threads typically happen naturally with me, but if you’re looking for interaction opportunities:

I’ll have a permanent starter call somewhere for you to hit up; honestly though, if you’re a mutual? Pls feel free to hit it up.

Starter memes are the BEST way to interact me because they just yeet a prompt at my face and really help me write starters. If you see me reblog one, send one!

If there’s a verse you’re interested in, please specify.

If you want to turn an ask into a thread, go ahead!

I may not roleplay with every starter I am given - I’ll do a ‘background check’ if you’re a new blog on the block. If I don’t feel your writing style/length works with mine, I might not respond. Apologies. ;__;

Please don’t write para / novella starters up for me unless we’ve discussed something, sent something, or I’ve liked a starter call. I really don’t want to leave people hanging if I’m not interested.

IMs are open to mutuals, if you want to do any in-depth plotting.

I also have Discord! If you’re mutuals with me, feel free to ask for it!

9. Guidelines on mains and relationships:

If we’re mutuals and we interact a lot, you’re welcome to ask me if I’d like to be your main!

Please note that MAINS fall into two categories; one pertaining to Tails’ initial universe, and those pertaining to alternates. Although the latter is plenty, for clarity’s sake, there would be one alternate Tails might default to.

Please don’t be offended if I deny, though; I typically want to pick those I trust to be my mains as well as people I can comfortably write with.

Not limited to them! I roleplay with duplicates galore so don’t be afraid to hit me up if you want to interact!

Pre-established relationships are a-okay in my book; if you have an idea for a relationship between our muses we can work towards, hit me up! I reblog those pre-established relationship memes every so often too. Romantic relationships link back to the shipping guidelines.

Also, friendship/family/rivalry relationships are EXTREMELY valid to me. GIMME’ ALL THE PRECIOUS BONDING CONTENT PLS. THIS BOY NEEDS FRIENDS.

10. If you have any issues, please let me know and hopefully we can resolve it!

Mun is actually super nice, so don’t be afraid to hit her up!

I am absolutely terrible with IMs and sometimes even Discord. I either respond quickly or days later, depends on my mood. Social anxiety tends to interfere with this - but honestly, if you’ve sent something, I’ve likely read it and just haven’t gotten around to it yet! It’s nothing personal; trust me! I just need a social breather every now and again.

Please leave me out of drama; I’m here to have a good time, as is everyone else, and it pains me to see people arguing.

11. It’s easier with a clean dash for me, so I’m more likely to follow people who:

Trim their posts.

Have rules and about pages! I always read those before interacting or following!

If you don’t have either of those, I’m likely not to follow you - so make sure that you do!

12. On threads…

If you’re not interested in a thread anymore, and would like to drop it, please let me know! I’d feel terrible if we’re both not having fun with it or if partners feel overwhelmed with the amount of threads we have.

Honestly, unless I let you know, our threads have no expiry date - so no need to worry about me dropping them without telling you. I can just be quite slow sometimes.

13. Mun does not equal muse! Anything Tails might say does not reflect on how I think unless I explicitly say so.

14. Know that if I follow you, I WANT to interact with you.

I literally couldn’t care less about follower counts. I care about YOU guys and our interactions.

15. If you’re OKAY with threads being set in Tails’ universe (and acting as his inverse counterparts), please like / reply to this post! It just lets me know I’m A-OK to shoot you asks pertaining to it, rather than the usual alternate shenanigans.

16. These rules may be subject to change.

Please like this post if you’ve read the rules! You don’t have to, but it’s of personal reassurance to me if you have.

[tonysopranosfeverdreams]

hey 1.) i hope u can still find a way to enjoy ur birthday even if u cant celebrate how u wanted !!u seem like such a sweet and kindhearted person u deserve to have a good birthday i hope u can at least get urself like one of those fancy cupcakes or smth like that!! 💞2.) hope u dont mind me asking but what made u decide to join *meric*rps and at what point in life do u think is the best time to do it? and what was ur favorite part?im considering it esp if my plans now dont turn out but. idk

1. thank u bb ill  find something soothing to do im also just considering going somewhere and staying the night by myself just for a change of scenery  if nothing else i took the day off work and sleep in and hang out w my cat and stuff which is still a pretty good day 

2. i dont mind at all! so i joined americ*rps right after i graduated college but i also joined nccc so i was really only constantly around other people from 18-23, and can only speak from experience of me and the people i knew. basically. i was sick of school and doing things in offices or learning concepts for the sake of learning and i didnt have a next step lined up and to be completely honest someone mentioned it in passing and it sounded cool and thats literally kind of it i was like “i just think it sounds neat” and did it on a bit of a whim bc i was sick of waitressing . i think it was a really good time for me personally after studying for my entire life and speaking in hypotheticals for so long, but also i had a couple friends who was just out of highschool and a couple others who were either taking time off from college or trying to figure out what they want to do/study/etc and they all did really well too so. we also worked briefly w some other prorgrams that had people in their mid-20s to early 30s in more like settled, 9 to 5 positions w vista and honestly i would really like to do that too. so like i think really any time at all is good if you feel like you need a space to breathe and just really focus on giving your time and energy to the environment/other people. 

my favorite part was the people (my teammates and the people i met on projects) by a long long longgg shot i was super unsure when i went in but i really do recommend it to anyone who wants to try and like. immerse yourself in trying to be helpful to the community and if youre doing ncc/another program where youre in an alternative living situation try out a new lifestyle

[the-little-prophet]

BDRP Questionnaire 2019

Posting this on Charlie since I actually talked about him quite a bit! Let’s gooooo

Characters: Berlioz, Hades, Kiara, Nala, Andrina, Merida, Charlie, Apollo, John, Su, Ashleigh, Nemo, Jun

Pick one of your characters and talk about their growth (we recommend choosing an older character, but it’s up to you!) What about their story has surprised you? What are you proud of? How have they changed from their original inception to now?

This one goes out to Charlie. I pitched Charlie very deceptively-- claiming he was a prophet, aligning him, at first, with Calliope, making it look like Charlie’s magic was of the classical, Cassandra-inspired kind. But all along, I knew that what I wanted Charlie to be was more of this sci-fi/fantasy blend as an homage to his movie’s sci-fi bend too. This year, I got to actually reveal that Charlie is a time traveler after two years!! This is very exciting for me! I’ve enjoyed being able to lean into Charlie’s new image systems with this reveal, even though I’m out of my depth and breaking like 67 different time travel rules, probably lol. Still, it’s been great to take him to that place, and to invent Future-Charlie as both a deux ex machina and an expression of identity/choice/free will etc etc. I did not have Future-Charlie in mind when I created Charlie, so that was something I was proud of coming up with!

Pick another character and talk a little about where you WANT them to go. What are your plans for them going into the new year?

I’m going to talk about Nemo if only because everyone else feels like a spoiler lol. Nemo, as a relatively new character though, is still full-speed-ahead on his initial goals that I outlined for him in his application. Now that Nemo’s been established in the school and he has this little group of buddies, I want:

To focus on his wing. I want Nemo to push himself, get himself in a spot of trouble, potentially injure himself.

Reveal his wings to at least one mundus friend

Continuing to infuse his posts with body image issues. This is a slow build kind of plot that really is like...the broth of Nemo’s plot-soup, lol, while training for his placement is the chicken and belonging at school is the noodles….it needs to be this throughline more than like, para a, para b, para c. at least for now.

Pick a thread or a plot that you’re proud of and talk about why you loved it.

I could pick a lot of threads here lol it’s honestly so HARD. But I think I want to shout-out to the Charlie/Jim first kiss thread because it surprised even me and Hannah. We initially planned for the first kiss to be just that-- one kiss, then we done, Jim and Charlie go on to be friends. But like in the best of cases, Jim and Charlie’s palpable chemistry actually informed more of Charlie’s arc and opened up avenues previously closed to me/Charlie since Charlie had been so SHUT to the idea of love. So! I really loved that thread. Also because like, I literally made Charlie experience the big bang after his first kiss. And THAT’S the BEST way to use magic in my opinion. Like when you can infuse magic with an emotional catharsis-- I think the other time I did that super well was similar actually, when Herc kissed Kiki’s cheek and she grew a tree in his room lol. So yeah! Some of my best writing in that thread, amazing chemistry, big surprises. It was an absolute pleasure.

In terms of your own writing, identify 1-3 strengths and talk about why you think it’s one of your strengths.

-Image systems. I dragged myself for this, but I think it’s something that really helps me find a character’s voice and make myself excited to RP them! Also, I think it’s what people like about my writing sometimes. Maybe. IDK, lol. -Complex Emotion: I’m stealing this from my mentor who said I’m good at creating complex emotion and so you know its true. My most introverted characters get the bulk of this naturally--they are introspective and feely and give themselves the space to think and feel. But I really want to try to inject more into my extroverted characters. I think I’m doing well for Nemo, who had undiagnosed anxiety and so that informs a lot of his personality in very interesting-- very OPPOSITE-- ways as Berlioz; Nemo struggles with being alone because ‘alone’ means he gets too in his head. That’s been really fun for me and why he’s quickly become one of my fave voices to write (I know, u all thought it was because I am in love with Jimin (true), but no its bc Nemo is an anxious, big feeling baby and he’s always so Alive to me, plus i was made to write a fairy it was always my destiny.)

In terms of your own writing, identify 1-3 areas of improvement.

-Dialogue: PERSONALLY I feel like I’m not great at dialogue. Some posts are better than others and I think I’m good at like…..texting dialogue? IDK. I feel like I struggle in paras though to craft good dialogue. It’s just, rn, average dialogue. Of course not every post needs to have hilarious, punchy, great dialogue. But do my characters sound different? Am I doing all I can to create rhythm and speech patterns? -Filtering: Im being very picky rn, because actually I don’t do this too much, but I do it enough where I’m like, I gotta go read some really stellar writers adn ban myself from using “Feel” and “think” for like a whole month. What I’m talkinga bout is like: Ber realized/ Ber thought / Ber knew. That kind of writing is totally fine, but that’s about it. I need to come up with more creative ways to talk about feelings and abstract concepts!!!

-Character: I know everyone is probably like………….how dare lauryl put this here. But listen. I don’t think I struggle with character on RP. But outside of RP? Oh boy! The THING about RP is you MUST create a character, that’s your vessel for writing here, and so you do all that development plus u got the four years of worldbuilding informing that character, and literally EVERYTHING CHARACTER DRIVEN ITS...THERE IS NO OTHER WAY.  Outside of RP though I think I have struggled because my natural affinity is worldbuilding and shit like that. I’m type 5 baby, I am attracted to characters who let me poke at things I don’t know anything about, like even Jun, part of it really is like, petitions and grocery store management lmfadsofij. SOOOo idk I just need to be able to focus on crafting characters that are compelling vessels for the cool shit I like to do outside of RP.

Pick one of your plots, or even just a character, and come up with a list of 3-5 “mentor texts” where you can look for inspiration or research, then write a short (2-4 sentences) why you picked those texts. JOHN DARLING BREAKS INTO FAERYLAND 1. Call Down the Hawk/Raven Cycle: It’s no coincidence that my reread of Raven Cycle last winter played a pretty big part in inspiring this new version of John. The descriptions of the magical forest Cabeswater and the hunt for Glendower have the same kind of contemporary fantasy vibe that I really like for John. And of course, Ronan’s dream magic is very much intertwined with the faery realm feeling like a dream (and Ashleigh, obviously, as a dark faery who can manipulate them). More than that though, the attention paid to the psyches of each character and how they drive the plot forward is just… /chefs kiss. 2. The Mabinogian: I want to draw from these classic Welsh/British stories and incorporate them in creative ways! Or just as, like, motifs are something. :) I have tried to do this but would like to be a lot more intentional, instead of just being like lmao let me look up some random shit for this one reply~ 3. The Hazel Wood: This book deals with characters coming into the real world from a book world! This kind of goes along with the Mabinogian as I kind of ish want to do something similar, only treating the Mabinogian as a historical, cultural text as opposed to a fiction. This book also focuses a lot on fairy tale tropes (like numbers) which I really want to incorporate in John’s stuff. I want to ideally write some of my own fairy tales-- I have one in mind actually through Ashleigh but it’s related to John too since he’d the scholar of said stories.  

And now, a wishlist!

-Exploring Nemo’s disability. This is slightly challenging for me since we don’t have many fairies, but I’m brainstorming some ideas and hope to really kick it off in January, leading up to his Talent Placement Test.   -I really want to have a lot of town-centric plots for Jun. Would love to rp with the police officers! I want to have Jun try to get some ppl arrested tbh ahah, like, Fflew for loitering, or maybe reporting Mitte. I would love some arch nemeses tbh-- Mitte does seem like a good one. AND I want to submit at least three petitions next semester!! Maybe i should make that two!! Still!! -Do some Bonfamille plots. I already have something I’m really excited about and have already planned here so this is a teaser… -Keep writing essays. The fairies have been great, getting me really inspired to do these.What’s been an amazing mental exercise, and why I cannot stop writing these, is thinking about how the political philosophy of Pixie Hollow informs how it functions: technically, socioculturally etc. It’s really fun for me to basically build a communist thought project and then enact it for real. I feel like I’m learning a lot about...well, societies, lol, and how the material factors endlessly bleed into, and shape, ideas and beliefs (and vice versa). Also, I literally have to do these because when Nemo is IN the Hollow and I want to write him getting a glass of water, I’m faced with a lot of technical questions: do fairies have running water? Does he have to get it from a stream? How do they keep things cool? Etc etc. And that’s why I go off on these, and I’m excited to keep doing them, as many as I can, with feedback from my fellow fairies. Also, do want to do ones that are NOT fairy related, so we’ll see about that. -Write John backstory. He’s gone on a few other adventures and I’d like to actually one-shot those maybe lol. -Alternate Charlie Timeline: This is something that’s bopping around in my head and I haven’t found the perfect way to make it happen, but I want Charlie to travel to an alternate version of his life and get stuck. When I figure out the right way to do this, my partners will also get to rp alternate versions of their characters lol. That’s fun right!! Of course it is, we do it all the time with AUs, but this one obvi be more personal and more closely tied to canon.

OPTIONAL: Why do you RP? First and foremost, I RP because it’s writing for the sake of writing-- joy for joy. I think this is even more important this year as I’ve had to focus on mentorship writing outside of RP. RP became the place where I didn’t have to think so hard about making everything make sense, lol. It gave my brain a break so I could be less judgmental of myself and just have fun and do the most ridiculous stuff...and some of my fave stuff iS ridiculous because of that...like Nemo and Sindri making flower crowns or the ASC nonsense. It’s this kind of light, fluffy, low-stake (but still High Stake) stuff that provided me endless joy when I needed it the most. Second of all, I RP because I really want to invest in people’s creative energy. I think doing so gives back to myself. Building canon, helping people brainstorm, seeing people grow-- I feel like a proud mom when I get to have this kind of mentorship role myself. I talked to MK about this, but even though Sam left to go off and do greater things, that’s like-- to me, it was a lot like he was graduating from this weird BDRP school I’ve helped create. I felt nothing but pride and happiness for him and really felt like, if BDRP was to explode tomorrow, I ACHIEVED the thing I set out to do when, four years ago, I sat on my computer and drafted BDRP’s mission and vision and committed myself to this admin role. And THAT’S what I want ideally-- for BDRP to be this collaborative place that doesn’t focus too much on what makes sense, on sitewide plots that force people into roles. I have always wanted plots like ASC and John’s search for Excalibur to be able to exist side by side, and I think we’ve done that. Now we just have to tend this garden, don’t we, haha? May BDRP bear many delicious fruit.

[madamhatter]

am i valid for url meme...

Send Me A URL and I’ll Respond With My Opinions… / accepting 

Roleplaying/Writing

My favorite muse(s) of theirs and why: Bamboo Rice will have a special place in my heart because I love big ol’ dorks whO WILL DO ANYTHING FOR THE PEOPLE/THINGS THEY LOVE. And Bamboo was really the one I got to know and we were able to somewhat extend conversation about him :’D. 

My favorite interaction/thread of theirs: Any time Xander literally opens his mouth and everyone else has to reply like “NO” and he’s like “YES.” I really just love how your general interactions can literally terrorize multiple blogs/fandoms in one successful swoop, no matter which character it is. I only know so few of your characters but I can tell this is something that has happened frequently with the others.My thoughts on their unique characterization/interpretation of their muse(s): what do you mean tsun isn’t Bamboo’s writer? And Boston Lobster’s? And Xander’s?  Why am I being fed these lies? However, there was one thing I noticed that I adored and that was the fact you really brought in actual and plausible headcanons that make sense in relation to the character’s upbringing and what they have and may not have experienced. IE: I remember Bamboo being mentioned (by you) to be illiterate due to their surroundings and being deep in the forest. As strange as it sounds, people really don’t go that far down into detail and I appreciate it. My thoughts on their writing style as a whole: You know that meme where Gordon Ramsey says “finally, some good fucking food”?  That’s literally me when I see any of Tsun’s posts, IC or OOC. I just like reading their stuff and being intimated by the writing in a way that pushes to me to go back to my more serious writing times. Also don’t get me started on their meme ANSWERS, IM HONESTLY RECOVERING FROM SEVERAL ON XANDER’S BLOGS, DON’T @ ME IT READS LIKE POETRY - Situation(s)/Plot(s) I’d love to see their muse(s) in: HMMM… I would like to see Xander in an AU where he properly is a king of a land, even if it is through questionable means (which may be slightly OOC); I do think your Sengoku M. muses will have a god damn fun time in a deity-based AU. Lmao, and if you have doubles, you can always mimick the Evillous Chronicles series with like twins (Daughter of Evil, Servant of Evil, Regret Message, etc.) because those are fun times :3ccccSomeone else I love seeing them interact with: @box-of-characters and @cirocchio ; no questions about that. No matter which character, it IS THE FUNNIEST THING TO ME. Anything else I want to say about their roleplaying: So how the hell does a gem like you stay hidden for so long? What’s your secret? Why keep hidden?? I’m going to have to hold you high in the air for folks to realize the quality that is you as a writer. 

If We Know Eachother

What I Think Are Their Best Qualities: Can deal with my bullshit, has the shitty sense of humor like me, and doesn’t find me annoying. Tsun just really knows how to get the dash working and chat with others, making a whole group experience that doesn’t exclude anyone. Tsun also takes heavy consideration and stuff when writing for characters and trying not to insert his midwestern twang in otherwise very regal mouths. Seriouly, though, I think his best qualities will alwas be the way they’re able to frame their characters’ emotions and always involve movement with them, making a whole scene play out. It isn’t stagnant, it’s always flowing, like a river.What I Think Are Their Strengths: Can laugh and tolerate my horrible fucking puns. It’s just super easy and comfortable to talk to you and get to know you! I say that not only are you an amiable personality, I really do say that at the end of the day, you care for your fellow roleplayers much more than writing partners and more as friends. This is beyond writing that I’ll consistently gush about but, I get that you’re an all around package who brings your A+ game and only deserves the best. A Memorable OOC Interaction Of Ours: How…how do I choose one?? I usually send him very cursed things over Tumblr IMs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=120HFjKPuJ4) and we’ve explored the realm of what strange things seiyuus sing. Every OOC interaction is memorable! Why Others Should RP With Them: It’s really hard nowadays to find roleplayers that really care for their characters but also know when to mess around and not take them as seriously. With the addition in being dedicated to building their characters and open to new and exciting ways to interact, I don’t why why you aren’t following yet. Also, he helps me cope with the stupid and long novella replies with eveN BETTER ONES SO, YOU GOT THAT BONUS. How Others Should Approach Them: Maybe it’s me and I see that it’s really easy to message people like a moron like “he-hewwo??” But, I always say drop into Tsun’s messages and drop a hello! I always say it’s better to drop in to meet the person first rather than their writing. It helps build bonds! Other Roleplayers I’d Recommend To Them: @vacuitas ; I think both of your multimuse blogs will greatly mesh well together and with Kat’s blog backstory and OCs should really be explored and you got some interesting personalities on both of your blogs that can either get along or hate very much! Anything else I want to say about them: how you haven’t gotten tired of me yet and the weird things I’ve sent you is beyond me– But, Tsun, you’re a real sweetheart and know how to bring a smile to my face without realizing it ;v;

If We Have/Plan To Interact

A plot I’d like to write with them: ANYTHING. ANYTHING. just honestly throw me ideas about AUs and I’m like butter, easy to melt and get into things. *steeples hands* If there’s any way I can make a character suffer at the expense of one of mine getting hurt or being mean, lmk :eyes:. Maybe hm… “Asselin you’re not a demon and those horns are totally fake - what the bloody hell. No I’m not going to stop pulling these horns these are NO way real ” AU. A muse I want to introduce to them: Natsume from Enstars. Just trust me, just trust me you will love that little shit and he’ll fit in with your crowd and he curses people like a fucking moron please I LOVE HIM… Since you like characters in trashbags, but I want you to have a variety, I can also bleed in some of my Mogeko charas like Shirogane (a scaredy cat wolf) and Battler Ushiromiya from Umineko (he’s a man who defies meta to solve the murders of his family that fateful October 4th, 1986). Also Phantom from Maplestory, I …love him to bits, he’s amazing. He’s gorgeous, he’s powerful, tends to not take things seriously is a phantom thief but I …oh god I love him so much : ‘ ) A ship/broship I’d like to propose to them: Xander/Sophie’s dynamic is amazing, I love when the bourgeois and the peasants argue. I’m also glad that their relationship can translate on different levels but there’s always that call-back to bickering yet support. If I can propose another, uhh– I really like Bamboo/Spam as a friendship and Boston/Spam as a mix of plato/romo (not too sure but I really liked their differences, i can see it as a “grey” area).  UHHHH… Asselin/Sophie looks like it could be a god damn trip :tm: bc a servant of satan of a witch sounds all sorts of chaos :3c. A thread with them I’m excited about: CHISANA THREAD, CHISANA THREAD! GIANT ASS DRAGON INDEBT TO WITCH AND HE REGRETS TURNING HUMAN BUT THEN HE REGRETS TURNING BACK AND … YEAH.  Anything else I want to say: God has forsaken you since you’re my friend and I hope you realize the path you’re now down wnjdfksnfdsj/. 

[re-bee-key]

Do you know a good place to learn how to play D &D. A group of friends have invited me to join in a game, but I have no idea how it works lol.

Hmmm.. thats a good question. I think there isnt just one good answer either. For myself being still a relatively "new" DnD player I watch ALOT of DnD related videos to try and learn rules and how to better play classes etc Theres a couple of youtube channels I can recommend that Ive watched a few vids and liked. Heres a short list:* DnD Beyond(official and has good advice)* Zee Bashew (amazing tips all done in comedic animation)* XP to Level 3 (good tips and some funny elements that make for a fun watch)* Talking 20(Good tips)* Matthew Colville( some people dont like him but he does have some good tips, specifically for beginners)* Tablerop Weekly (only a few tip vids)(( I think thats all I have for now on youtube recommendations))I also think, if you can, give the players handbook a quick read. Or go online and look up all the classes, read up on them, and then pick the one you think sounds the coolest or most fun. I suggest then going and specifically learning about that one. Dont overload on knowledge, try to zero in on just what youre going to be playing. Thats sort of what I do and it helps.As for rules specifically for playing. I struggled with those when I first started and still sort of do, but watching Critical Role has helped. So my other recommendation is that it you have time, watch a little of someone else playing. Doesnt have to be Critrole. Anyone will do for this purpose. Just to see how the flow works.Good flow is RP moments, rolling to investigate or gain knowledge (through: Persception, Investigation, Survival, Nature, etc rolls), then combat.Combat is hands down the most difficult part of DnD because its where all the mechanics start coming into play.This is were some people would advice to play a Class that has no magic to make combat easier. My first roll was Barbarian and my second now is Rogue. Spells are fun but can be hard to manage. I know this was a lot of.. not the most helpful advice. Hopefully the videos help more. And I hope your upcoming game is really fun!You'll have to message me and let me know what you rolled (character wise) and how your first game is going. As ya'll have seen lately Ive been OBSESSED with DnD. So anyone anytime can come to me and talk about DnD. I love that shit. Also I made a sideblog specifically for DnD related stuff so my main doesnt get bogged down and make none DnD fans mad. The new blog is Storms-dnd-archive if anyone is intereted. Its mostly Critical Role right now, but Im in the process of moving a lot of stuff from here to there. Its going to be DnD stuff in general. Hopefully DnD tips too. Also I actually tag over there so its easier to find things. Anyways. Ramble over, hoped this helped!

[thexsisters]

2017

A lot has happened in 2017 for me. I started the year out getting incredibly sick and I had my first ever foot injury without being in any kind of sports. Haha. The month of January was awful. Let me tell you. But some of you know. Because you were there for me.

A few months speeding up to March and something really scary happened to my grandpa. Something that I wasn’t sure he could come back from. You guys helped me. Some of you more than others but what matters was that some of you reached out. Even if it was just once and only for a few minutes. Lord knows you all have your own lives too.

My grandpa is now nearly back to the way he was. It’s our miracle of 2017 for sure. I then went to the beach for the first time ever in May and it was a blast! I can’t wait to go to a different beach next year. As long as I don’t see any sharks because for real I may live in Ohio but sharks are my greatest fear, okay???

August started out as one of the most thrilling months of 2017 but within a week it became the worst month of 2017. I had been waiting to move out for so long and when I finally got my chance, I was played and lied to. Like usual. I think on some level I’m cursed. For reals. But anyway, August sucked. But you guys were there. You were. You got me through it.

2017 was also the year I finally learned what all the hype was about this group called BTS. I knew they were popular but I was just so hooked on VIXX that I wasn’t really ready to listen to anything else. And then I came back from my beach vacation in May and the Billboard awards was on. I was like “Oh cool! Kpop is making us proud with that BTS group!” And that was all it took for me to become a baby Army~

In the process of getting sucked into the fandom, I have met so many wonderful people! Army is a fandom that, like many, have good apples and bad apples. But I’m one of the lucky ones that have met nothing but good apples~ I’m very fortunate for that. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. You guys put up with my Jungkook spams and BTS trash posts in general. Haha!

Thank you

@grxnadxs

Chrissy. My adorable turtle with the cute shell~ Sometimes I imagine us just chilling in your shell while you tell me about things like your book cause I’m a huge fangirl, okay? But not just your book, I often imagine us talking about life and how I wish I could do more for you as a friend. If I could tattoo any quote to your body, it would be the famous quote by Christopher Robin. “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” You fight so many battles in your life. And even when you don’t always win those battles, you never give up the war. That takes real bravery, strength, and smarts. Gosh Chrissy. You’re one of the smartest girls I know. But I also know how anxiety has it’s way of clouding those smarts. Turning us into mumbling stumbling sheep who’ve lost our way. But this year you’ve kicked some major butt, okay? You got a job! You stared your enemies in the eye and you said “F*** you.” You went to that job fair, you got that interview, and you got that job. THE Chrissy that I know can do anything she sets her mind to got a job! I’m so proud of you, girl. This is our second Christmas as friends and you’re forever one of my best friends. There are still many battles to be fought, but let’s fight them together, okay?

@fluorvte

Laura. My skanky skank. The Sushi Mama. Sadly I did not get to spend as much of 2017 with you as I would have liked. Being what I believe is 6 hours apart makes things difficult, I know. But of course we always make it work. Bless you and Chrissy for throwing me that birthday party. You guys know how much I loved our AIM chats. Sadly AIM is a thing of the past now. But at least we have the memories in our head and our hearts. That birthday party meant so much to me. You made time out of your busy life for me. That means so much. I miss you. It’s probably selfish of me to say but it’s true. I try to be okay with it. I know you’re busy. But you’ll always be my owl that watches over me. You’re still sitting on my desk with Chrissy. I have those stuffed turtle and snow owl on my desk at work. So that I have you guys with me always~ No matter how often we don’t talk, I know you’re always with me. Thanks for being such an amazing friend and an amazing writer. You never fail to blow me away with your writing.

@intoyxurheart

Where do I even start with you? Aigoo. So much has happened that it feels like we’ve known each other for years. In fact it feels so long ago that I barely remember how we first started talking. Isn’t that awful? Haha. But I do indeed remember me approaching you first. I had been checking the people who were following me but had yet to actually approach me. So I thought I’d hit you up with an instant message here on tumblr. And that’s all it took. Here we are now. Several months later and we have so many ships and it makes me feel fuzzy. You, Chrissy, and one other person are the only ones who put up with all my crazy ideas and I’ll never be able to thank you enough for putting up with that because I know my imagination can get pretty wild and out there. You are most certainly my blessing from 2017. Being strong for me so that I can be strong for my friends and family. I can’t tell you enough how precious you are. Don’t let anyone tell you any different because my opinion is the only one that matters. Haha! Let’s have many more Christmases together, okay?

@hyohyorp

Oh sweet pea I’m so sorry. 2017 wasn’t good to us and I’m so very sorry for that. Things happened and I was still trying to find my way with how I wanted to rp male muses and you were my guinea pig most of the time. But you really stuck by me. And I just want you to know how appreciative I am of you and all your endless patience with me. Our time zones make rping live really difficult but you put up with it anyway. I’m so proud of you for making your multimuse blog. I bet you’re having a blast, right? heehee It’s so good to see you having a blast and enjoying yourself. I knew you’d love it. And hopefully 2018 will be full of fun moments for Taekwoon and Hyosung~

@gcholdtrops

I’m squealing and flailing cause like I don’t even know where to start, okay??? You’ve grown to be one of my idols. I’ll never forget how our story first started. The first chapter was honestly me watching you pop up on my list of recommendations provided by tumblr. I’d click your blog and instantly start sweating because like um hello. You’re totally above me and like I just didn’t think I’d ever be able to be worthy of your writing. Like I totally believed I wasn’t worth being in your ring of writers. Everything about you is amazing and I just couldn’t. Too chicken. Couldn’t do it. But one day I got the fuzzy dice to finally approach you. And I’m glad I did. Because here I am. And I’m still such a fangirl, okay? You’re always going to be my idol. I’ll never forget that first meme reply. I remember reading it over and over again on my lunch hours at work. Smiling like an idiot and being floored every time I read it. Our cuties are so naughty and cute and gosh I ship it hard core. Seulgi isn’t naughty in her other ships but dang she channels her inner BoA when she’s with her handsome composer.~ Let’s always be rp partners, Army, and most importantly friends.

@butlersrus

Waaah~ I know we don’t talk much out of character but from what I’ve seen, you’re absolutely precious! In fact I know so little that I don’t even know if you’re male or female so I do apologize. But this is about the people who’ve touched my life and been there for me this year and you’re one of them. Whether I know anything about you or not. And you deserve to be recognized. Much like with the cutie mentioned above you, I kept watching your blog pop up in my list of recommendations. Sooo many times I’d click your blog and nibble my nails nervously because like dang what if you thought I was weird or something. Like what if our muses weren’t compatible. But wow was I wrong. Like I die a fangirl’s death every time I see Seulgi with Shownu because I keep trying to blow on the sails of the ship. Willing it to sail all around the Caribbean. Haha! I love shipping and I’m terrible at slow burning ships because I just want it to happen now. I want them to kiss now! Haha! Thank you for making my days brighter with our rping. I always have a pleasant morning because there’s a cute reply from Shownu waiting for me in my IM on tumblr. It’s a wonderful start to my morning routine. Let me tell you~ Thank you. For everything. Let’s continue to be rp partners and even friends. I’m glad I got the guts to approach you. Hopefully you are just as happy~

@abxavterno

Cutie! Thank you so much for expressing concern over my icky eczema condition. Honestly if I were to bandage all my other patches of eczema, I would literally look like a mummy. There’s one big reason I dislike winter weather and this would be it. Dry skin. But don’t worry, I just gotta make it to at least like March or April and I think it’ll settle down and clear up. Till next time. OTL Anyway! Thank you so much for sticking around. I know there for awhile we’d have mun conversations and you’d share your worries with me. I still really value that and appreciate that. You’re so sweet and I feel like I can approach you any time. You’re a good person. I hope you know that. And gaaaah. Our muses are so cute! I don’t know if it’ll ever be an official ship but I definitely ship shy Seulgi with sexy Eros. I like the rp relationship we have. We’ve had a few threads and even though a lot of them haven’t worked out, that’s not stopped us from trying new pairings and plots. I like that~ I can appreciate and admire that. Thank you. You’ve made 2017 very enjoyable. Let’s keep at it!

@terniox

Sobs sobs sobs. I miss youuuuu. You were one of the first few people to pick me up when life around me was ending as I knew it. You were one of the first few people to help me dip my toes into the idea of being multiverse. I still only really had Tiffany at the time but I wanted her to have other verses. And you dived right in with me. Our ship is the longest lasting ship on this blog and it’s always going to be special to me. I hope you’re well. I really do because I know I don’t see or hear from you as often. But you’re still important to me. So you deserve your spot here with all these other wonderful people. Because you will forever be wonderful to me in my book. Let’s continue to be amazing friends no matter how far apart life tries to keep us, okay? Heehee~

@viiifates

Hellooooo~ Another one of those cuties who I don’t really talk to out of character but you’re still so wonderful to rp with! I like our plot. I honestly don’t know much about mafia plots no matter how many BTS mafia fanfics I read but haha! I promise I’m still having a blast no matter what. I have always wanted to dip my toes in the type of plot we have going on so it’s a joy and an honor to be able to rp that with you. I like how rping is casual and enjoyable while still being thrilling all at the same time. Thanks for putting up with my tumblr IM rping style that I’ve seemed to take quite a liking to lately. It’s so convenient and it’s still just as fun! You’re a wonderful rp partner and I hope we can also be good friends too!

@darksideofseoul

Ah sweetie pie! Thank you so much for being such a wonderful, understanding sweetheart. I was kinda sorta losing it and going out of my mind with panic the last time we spoke and I do apologize. I probably seemed so irrational. Apparently that’s what happens when eczema, stress, and coming down with a killer migraine falls upon you within two weeks’ time. I really do enjoy all our little threads we have going on. I’m glad we didn’t give up. BoA and Donghae are sooooo OTP material. heehee~ She’ll die if he ever proposes. haha! Thank you so much for being a wonderful rp partner. But not just for what you do within the rp community, but also what you do outside of it. You risk your life every day and I will always admire that. Stay strong and be safe out there, okay?

@dashdasxorphans

My fellow Ohioan! Congratulations on your wedding! I bet it was absolutely beautiful and hopefully you had lots of fun on your honeymoon~ Thank you so much for rping with me. I know it’s not something that happens often but I still enjoy every second of it. I never take it for granted. Your Leo was one of this blog’s first verses when it was still just Tiffany. Our muses have been through a lot and came a long way. I’ll always treasure the memories between our muses on this blog. You helped me learn what it was like to be multiverse so that I could one day become more confident in what I was doing as a writer and a mun behind the muse. Thank you. You’re wonderful and I hope you’re doing well!

@luminxscent

Sweet pea! I miss you bunches and I hope you’re doing well. I’ll never forget all that you’ve done for me. You were there when I was in so much pain. You managed to stay neutral while helping me piece myself and BoA back together. You know how much that means to me? When I was so sick that I could have physically puked. You were there. You were there. And I know we’ve had our ups and downs. But I think that’s what makes some of the greatest friendships. The strongest friendships. We always manage to gravitate back to each other. Through thick and thin. Thank you. I keep my pink haired Hongbin photo card at my desk and every time I look at it, I think of you. You gave me so many gifts and I wish I could give it back to you doubled! Please take care and never forget that you can always come to me to talk about anything~

@paperhecrts

New cutie friend person! Heehee~ You’re already turning into a partner who’s gonna fly with any idea I throw at you. I can tell. Thank you for embracing those crazy ideas and shipping with me from day one. Literally. Like I can tell we’ve got great chemistry as writers and I sure do hope I don’t annoy you with my out of character messages in tumblr IM. I get awfully paranoid when I realize that tumblr might not be sending my messages through. Seulgi and Baekhyun are just such OTP material and I’m excited for Tiffany and Jaebum. I love the rocky, unstable aspects of our two ships so far. It’s fresh and new and doesn’t scare me because I know in the end it’ll be okay for them~ I’m excited to see where they go in 2018!

@hvllelujah

Sweetheart! I sure hope you’re taking care of yourself. Color in a Hello Kitty coloring book for me, okay? Heehee~ I miss you and I really truly do hope you’re doing well. I know the last time we talked, you were getting life figured out which honestly is a full time job in itself. Remember, any time you wanna talk or need someone to just listen, I’m here. Our rping hasn’t exactly been a thing and once upon a time it really upset me but I’ve tried to grow up and be a big girl about things like that. Especially now that I’m gaining perspective and know how hard it is to keep up when all you wanna do is focus on other things. I’m sorry I ever made things difficult for you. I hope you can forgive me. I just really loved your writing and I wanted to be a part of it. But having matured over time, I really do hope you’re taking care of yourself and doing what’s best for you~ You be good, okay? Heehee.

@xvrwxrld

Whines I hope you’re taking care of yourself, sweet pea. You know how much I worry about you. Overworking yourself or living in conditions less than healthy. Stay warm this winter. I wish I could mail you a bunch of blankets. My grandmother made me a ton that I could give you. We’ve had our fun moments though, haven’t we? Time and schedules always seem to get in our way of rping. But I’ll never forget what you told me not too long ago. How you enjoyed my muses and thought they were wonderful. That’ll always mean a lot to me and I still blush like an idiot over it. I often worry that my girls are too....out there and weird. Haha. So thank you for taking the time to admire each one of them. I’ll always treasure that. One day we’ll get to plot and rp. I don’t know when, but it’s gonna happen. Count on it!

@avtvmnwings

I miss you, dear. I hope you’re okay and enjoying life~ Hopefully life is treating you well. It’s been awhile since we last spoke but I still think about you and I still try to watch over you from afar. We’ve had a lot of fun and exciting rps though, ne? You’re a great writer and I don’t ever want you forgetting that. Our out of character conversations were always enjoyable and heartfelt. I treasure those moments because you were able to open up to me and I appreciate that. More than you’ll know. You take care of yourself, okay? Be good and stay strong. You’re doing a wonderful job. Heehee~

[ex-empire-adventures]

visiting

RP with @hetaliaindie  under cut.

Shiv stood in the airport by the arrivals gate, holding a garland of flowers, with a group of dancers all in traditional garb; they wore beautiful silk saris, shiny jewellery and hair neatly tied up in buns or braids. When he spotted the ex-empire, he smiled and clapped, the dancers assumed their positions, music played and they all smiled as they began telling a story older than most modern nations with their craft. He smiled and placed the garland on the great traveler. "Welcome! I trust that the flight was comfortable?" -------- Rome was a little nervous on how they would be finding each other in this busy crowded place. He sure was glad he picked up speaking English, which seemed to be the international language now. He didn’t have a translator anymore, or an army, or people taking care of his clothes, or feeding him,... He was very aware he was pretty much useless just being by himself. Rome had adjusted as well as could be expected in such a short time. New stylish shirt, shoes and trousers even. It made him feel a little uncomfortable but at least he didn’t look like the middle-aged (*cough cough*) homeless person he was now. Indie had said he’d pick him from the airport himself, but Rome didn’t expect him to put so much effort in it. He was really touched. “Seriously Indie, I don’t know if I should cry or laugh. It took me just 14 hours to get here.” He shook his head “Bless you, I haven’t had a welcome like this in... well... you didn’t have to do all this.” -------- He smiled and withdrew his hands after placing the garland on him, the hands were folded and he bowed slightly. "I had bigger plans, but logistics is Hell these days. Though I promise that it gets better still." He waved a hand, and the dancers stopped, all bowing before they walked off in a line. The clinking of jewellery could be heard as they made their way to rented rooms. He grinned, "Wait till you see your carriage." Of course, he had gotten for him a stunningly elegant limousine. Only the best for such an esteemed guest, especially since it was his first time there. The early morning air was surprisingly chilly, complete with light breezes. He opened the door for the Roman, "Mind your head, please." -------- Rome's eyes shined brightly by amazement. "You should have told me, silly, I feel akward and way underdressed." he spoke under his breath to the nation as he felt the whole world was watching. -------- He laughed, "I have escorted men who dressed humbler than you, now don't feel awkward." He added, "There's an old fable that's popular here, people should be wiser than to actually judge a man by his clothing in my nation. -------- Rome kissed the other lightly on the lips as he was accustomed to greet, then smirked "My sheep clothing seem to fool most ladies anyway, or perhaps people just want to believe..." He looked away as if in thought "Where is it we're heading?" -------- He froze for a moment before sensibly taking it a sign of brotherly affection. He smiled with a resigned sigh. "Well women can be catty creatures. We're heading out of the city, I figured you'd like a change of pace, a villa for your relaxation." He sat next to him and the driver happily welcomed him in an accent much too thick to be English. -------- "That would be welcomed, yes. It seems everything runs fast these times. Looking back I think the only thing that went fast was the replacement of my bosses" he sighed "How do you and the others cope with it?" -------- He was silent for a moment and leaned back on his seat. "I can't speak for others, but I suppose spirituality helps. Everything in this universe is constantly expanding and shrinking, in motion but constant. When someone dies..." He spoke softly, "well regardless of the many religions in my land, I personally believe that they all return and contribute to the essense of life. In that sense, I accept their deaths and free myself of the past. That was always my biggest problem with the speed at how fast new leaders stepped up." -------- "Interesting, still you look happy to see me. I'm not so sure what I believe any more. But I do know it's all more complex than I once thought. Not sure about the contributing part, to be honest. I think I've lived long enough for others. It may come off selfish but I am because I want to be. Only when my empire fell I realised I've always lived to others expectations now I only wish for some days just for me. " He looked outside the window "It's nice to see your beautifull country flashing by. I always enjoyed travelling." -------- "Of course I'm happy to see you." He looked outside the window and smiled proudly. Not every place of his was beautiful, but as they were driving to a more peaceful area, far from violence and far from decadence, the scenery certainly was delightfully grand. "I don't know if it's selfish, I'm not of the belief that I can understand your situation. But I don't see anything wrong with your wish at all, let me help make it come true however I can." It almost seemed like what the other desired was closure, and he thought that respecting that was the best thing to do as a host. "Have you anything that you specially want to see here?" -------- "you" Rome answered straight away and turned to look him in the eyes. "Im just here to see you, not to talk business or planning a possible invasion for a change. I was hoping you'd just have me too, no strings attached." -------- He smiled, leaning on the headrest and looking at the other through the corners of his eyes. He sat up straighter and looked to him, "I have faith in you, though I do think we won't be seeing Jaipur." He laughed and shook his head, "And I did hope for an answer more like 'A white Bengal tiger' or 'the Taj Mahal', but I suppose I'll have to catch you up to the famous sights here. Hmm. Perhaps you'd like to bicker with monkeys or eat from a banana leaf." -------- He laughed "Sorry for not beeing very specific how Id like you then. Ha HA I haven't really thought it threw to be honest. But Id love to try different food and maybe see the dyes at a market? All the colorfull fabrics just blow me away, it's so pretty! I'm sure there are cute looking birds here that are as wonderfull to me as the Taj Mahal. I'm easily distracted, caused me quite some trouble back in the days." he thought for a moment "Is there anything I should know up front, to save you for shame. Our cultures differ so, you know...?" -------- He nodded, "There's plenty to see, but something tells me you don't know that the Taj Mahal is a pretty looking tomb when you compare it to pretty looking birds." He wondered if the other did know, and was just pleasantly strange. "Ah, but we shall definitely visit the markets, and I will point out to you which fruits are only native to this land! Surely, I'll take you to the sandy beaches and monuments. Hmm, I hope you do not get overwhelmed here, culture-shock is very common with the tourists who come here for the first time." "No public displays of affection, walk away from beggars- especially if they're children asking for money. Depending on where we go, there may be different requirements. In holy spaces, there are steps or fields you must not place your foot on- I think that's a pretty good set of general rules." -------- "no touching?... You could have just stabbed me at the airport." Rome joked about it but it felt like being said he was unworthy like a slave. Then again, what was his position really as a retired empire. He tried not to show it. "Is it alright for me to pet animals?" -------- He chuckled, "Well, displays of romantic affection in public are what I meant. Those behaviours are generally reserved for closed quarters. Though most of the cities are westernised and you'll be allowed to do most taboo things as you're a foreigner! Worry not, you can certainly pet animals!" -------- "well roman taboos differ quite from modern western ones, I've learned. But I'm pleased to hear that. Are there dangerous wild animals here or venomous ones, snakes and such? Oi... Look what's that tree, that's beautifull, look!!!" he was excited like an eight year old. -------- He was about to ask him to elaborate before his attention was taken to the trees and he grinned. "A common tree, but if you'd look over there," he pointed with all five fingers, "that there is a banyan tree, the one with roots hanging down from the crown. It's my national tree! There are a lot of different plants and trees near the villa, I would recommend lying under its shade during harsh weather." -------- "That's so weird, I love it!" "I wish i could show you my home but most of it is gone. And what's not should have been" -------- He stared for a moment before bursting out into quiet and well-meaning laughter at the others remark on the tree. "Well then, may I ask about your tastes when it comes to food? Sometimes my cuisine may be overwhelming to the modern European, but you have had far more experiences in other lands, than the modern European. Is there anything you can't stand, or that doesn't sit well with you?" He nodded sympathetically, "History is not forgiving in what it chooses to remember and what it doesn't." -------- He laughed "Seriously, Romans are known to eat nearly anything. And I've been send to the most decadent banques so my boss could stay in bed reading poems to his boytoy. I'm not sure about eating things that are still crawling on a plate." He sighed relieved "At least you understand." -------- "Don't worry, unlike some Asian nations, I've never found insect eating to be tasteful. Though you must beware the flies, and the ants, and in your own body's case, the mosquitoes." -------- "Waah Indie I'm so EXCITED! When can we get out of this thing?!" airplanes and automobiles were great because it made travelling so much faster, but you had to sit still and that wasnt one of Rome's fortes. He got a fidget spinner out of his pocket to calm himself down. It seemed to work pretty well for him. -------- "Excited for mosquitoes?" The corners of his lips lifted, and he asked the driver. "Not long, ten minutes or so! The road is clear, so maybe it'll take a shorter time." -------- Rome faked a frown and watched the other from the corners of his eyes whispering "Jaipur surely has potential..." -------- "You're not burning down any cities, that would be very undiplomatic." He grinned and leaned his head on his palm. "And getting to Jaipur would mean hours of commuting, ten minutes is a much shorter time!" -------- Rome started snickering burrying his face in his hands. Then took a deep breath before turning to India again. "This is going to be the longest ten minutes in world history. It better be worth the wait" -------- He smiled and was silent for a moment. "It's just nine, now." He leaned forwards and moved the divider between them and the driver up. In easy-going and casual Hindi, they discussed the possibility of traffic cutting them off from their destination, and then he pulled it back down. He sat back and the limo went faster, "For both our sakes, we're hoping to make it in 5 minutes rather than 9." -------- Rome laughed so hard tears were running down his cheek. -------- He couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, he passed him a handkerchief from his breastpocket and grinned. "Come now, if we get caught up in a traffic jam, the time it'd take us.... Well we would have been better off going to Jaipur." -------- "this is priceless. Your driver will dive us down a cliff because we're acting like eight year olds" -------- He gasped, and mirthfully pulled up the divider to tell the driver, "I won't pay you if you drive us down a cliff!" He closed the divider, "There we go, problem solved." The poor driver was confused. -------- "By all the Gods, you're killing me Indie." he took the handkerchief and wiped away his tears. "Im holding on to this for a while if you don't mind. Your words strike me and something tells me you're not done with me yet" He took a deep breath again "thank you" -------- He chuckled, "Keep it, I've learnt to keep all sorts of things on me when I leave the house. I have a spare." He also had a packet of roasted peanuts and other mysterious and arguably useless items that he fitted into his clothes. "Oh look! We're entering your temporary grounds. I think we're in them now. Hmm- oh yes, for as long as you stay here, that coconut tree over there is yours." Trust him to recognize the coconut tree and nothing else. -------- "Yes! I got my own tree, that's a great start." He already was trying to pick a new name for it. How did they get the coconuts out when they were all the way up there? Wait..."You don't got elephants at the villa, do you?" he looked concerned now. -------- "This whole ground is yours now silly, you have a lot more than one tree." He had the grounds, the villa, the well and the servants that maintained it now. He laughed, "No, I'm aware that if I want you to get used to them I should not force them onto you until you're ready. Though there are a few in a nearby temple." He smiled, "I was battling the idea of welcoming you with a domesticated tiger though." -------- Rome fell silent and gave him a puzzled look "I'm sorry... I might have given mixed signals... I can't except this gift. I'm really flattered..." Rome combed his hair nervously. "Im not ready" -------- He looked at him for a moment and helplessly laughed, "For as long as you stay here. When you're gone someone else will live here. Honestly, what goes on in that mind of yours?" -------- "I don't know, you confuse me greatly." he looked down blushing. "I don't know what it means here. But in the empire it would be considerd something like I'm going to wreck your career, by putting my dick up your ass, but don't worry about it because I promiss to take care of you. And Im not ready for such a commitment... Id like the big cat though" -------- He frowned, "Well here it's called hospitality and it's done with no such ulterior motives." He folded his arms and while he was slightly offended, he contemplated how their cultures were truly very different. In India, the guest was to be treated like a God. He was always extravagant with his gifts, and while that led to him being taken advantage of, he still adhered to his beliefs. He sighed and looked at the other, "Then you get the big cat." -------- Rome nodded "... I know, we are a vulgair bunch I get that a lot... Well,... thanks for clearing that up. Sorry if I have offended you." -------- He looked at him and shook his head, "No, you still took your great baths, that is something that your descendants had forgotten when I first met them." He smiled, clearly he was not meant to have been offended, it was a waste of energy to brood over it. The limo had paused in front of the Villa's gate, a servant opened it. "Well then, I promise you that all that I give you while you stay here are gifts of hospitable nature and goodwill, so you needn't worry at all." The vehicle moved again till it stopped outside the veranda. -------- "Thank you" Rome seemed relieved. The idea of being publicity degrated to a womens degree was very real and frightening to him. It was expected of him to be orderly, dominant and agressive to serve his people. Neighter the republic or empire had given him much space to keep lasting friendships or any other relationship. And now he made a fool of himself, just great. -------- He stepped out the vehicle excitedly and hurriedly moved around the car, just as the chauffeur opened the door for Romulus. He extended his hands and grinned as he presented the home. "Welcome!" Theatrics were sometimes, quite irresistible to the Indian. -------- Rome started snickering again and got out off the car. "Beautifull! And so is the villa. I'd be honoured if you would show me around" -------- He laughed, "But of course! Follow me." He waved at the chauffeur who without much difficulty would begin to reverse the car and move out. He opened the door, and then a second netted door to keep out insects, and gestured to the inside. "Hurry in before the mosquitoes spot you!" -------- "Is it really that bad with the mosquito's here?" He took a firm step inside, lingering in a doorstep he considered bringing bad luck. -------- He nodded, "Not unless you're wearing some sort of repellent, but I'm not sure that you are." He closed the door and smiled. The hall was large, and there were many divans, sofas and a large table fashioned in a native style that was only slightly influenced by an Islamic one. He removed his shoes and placed them near the exit. "The building surrounds an outdoor private bath (or pool), there's a slightly smaller one in the left wing if the weather's bad." He didn't expect the other to remove his shoes, though he'd be glad if he followed suit. -------- Rome almost directly took off his shoes too and glad so. "I like it. It has a really warm and welcoming atmosphere." finally he could wiggle his toes again. He placed his hands on Indies shoulders and pinched softly, then let go and did a little happy dance. "You will be dining with me too, right? I don't want to keep you from working ofcourse but I really enjoy your company" -------- He would have joined Rome in his happy dance if it weren't over so fast. The disappointment was almost visible, complete with a pout. But at the thought of food, he was very happy to say, "Of course I will be, I'm starving. Sorry for the intrusion, though." The floor was wooden and slightly slippery because of his cotton socks, but instead of falling he glided across the floor (of course he hadn't originally meant to). "Follow me, I had a meal prepared for you." And he had! In the dining room room of the complex was the entire package, he thought that it may have been too showy, but when did he let a chance to boast his magnificent cuisine ever slip past him? -------- Rome smiled broadly when he saw the other gliding on his socks. He himself wasn't wearing any and that was probably a good thing. "Ohh yo... I'm glad you're hungry cause I'm going to need help with all that" he laughed "I couldn't bake an egg by myself, this is amazing. What should I try first?" -------- "Who bakes eggs?" He raised a brow before passing him an ornate bowl of water and a napkin, "To wash your hands." He smiled and turned to a seat next to him where a similar bowl lay for him. -------- He washed his hands and dried them, looking at India. "Do you pray before eating and use cutlery?" -------- He paused, "Sometimes out of habit, but not really. And I don't use cutlery, though I suppose I don't refuse to either." He was a mess of cultures and European colonialism made it worse. "Do you pray before eating, I will join you if you do." -------- "I do not pray. Traditionally that's a girls job. I will take this moment to wish you all that is good and your enemies to ashes" -------- He smiled, "Then I wish you the same, though I pray that we do not become enemies." Sometimes it is hard to tell whether he's arrogant or respectful. He's both. He took the other's plate and served him a piece of each dish generously while giving an explanation of each. "This is a dish that's native to the north, it has cottage cheese, the green comes from spinach," he then revealed containers, "we don't typically have rice for breakfast, these idlis and appams are made out of rice-flour though." -------- "Ah, if it ever comes to that I wouldn't sell you for the world don't worry. I'd keep you close like a priceless jewel." Rome was delighted it all looked so wonderfull. "I think I might make me a ambassy at this very table for now! Ha ha. How do you say 'enjoy your food' in your speech?" -------- He may have flinched at the word 'jewel', or it may have been a reaction that never escaped his mind. "That's happened before, though I hadn't foreseen it at all." How condescendingly sweet was the title... The Jewel of the British Empire. He smiled, "I've over a hundred languages, but I'll teach you the Sanskrit phrase. Bhojanam svaadishtamastu." -------- Rome gazed at him in wonder. Only to snap out off it to try the phrase, he was sure he didn't say it quite right "I do hope I didn't accidentely say something innapropriate about your mother" he joked "Sometimes I just forget that you're older than me" he meant to say more experienced but that would have given the other to much to pester him with, he presumed. "So... hmn,... what's it like to be somebody's love then, if I may ask?" -------- He clapped his hands gamely, "It was a fair attempt! And thankfully you didn't." He gave the other a pleased look, for when he looked like he did, most of his own people had him bowing down to them despite his seniority. It was perfectly enough to pester him with, especially since the elders were always meant to be respected and forgiven. He considered the question for a moment, "Each experience was different. They were always more...honest in the old days, but in the last few hundred years, I've been lusted after more than I've been loved." He was always more capable of complaints than compliments, but he shifted away from that topic, back to the one that had been brought up. "It's really quite magnificent to be loved. Especially when the feelings are reciprocated. It's as if the planets aligned, the diseases cured, the world shifted into the light and the doom conquered." -------- "It sounds like a dream dipped in honey. You have a way with words. Do you like poetry? I used to write, with Greece and China mostly, I was thinking maybe pick it up again... It might be a little rusty, though." -------- He laughed, "Perhaps it ended because it was too dreamlike." He nodded at the question before the other had finished it. "Is that so? You must! Poetry, dance, music, painting, all the arts, we love them to a fault here! There have been many reknown poets from my land, it was something that earned the attention of the other Europeans during the 19th and 20th centuries. Truly, Tamil and Sanskrit are among the most poetic of languages." -------- "Oh, I'd love to read! Can you get me a copy. I'm reading some fantasy novel now and the story is entertaining but it's, meh.. It will help me to understand some of your languages better too. I Really like epic tales, love stories and witty jokes! You like art?! I'm gonna make you something!!!" Indie seemed to have pushed some right buttons there. Rome was overexited, he totally forgot to eat. (that's it, right there, you did it) -------- He smiled, "Epic tales? Well have the longest epic in the world, called the Mahabharata, it has 200,000 lines, featuring one of the greatest and oldest adventures in the world, complete with tales of wit and romance of course. You are?" He was not used to receiving gifts that were so significant -which is a little sad, really- "I'd be honoured to receive a piece of art from you." (Oh my-) "But first, you must accept my gifts, please have some food before it gets cold." He smiled and gestured to the table. "If there is anything you are fond of, the servants will prepare more immediately." -------- Rome ever had a great appetite because he never sat still in his life. Only when he was very focused drawing his mind and body was at peace. He had a bit of a sweet tooth but he seemed to like all flavors. He did however had a shocked reaction at a more spicy dish. He looked at Indie with a both thrilled as pained expression and a mouth half full with food. -------- Knowing what to do, he poured the other some cool milk, and separated the spicier dishes from the plainer ones. "Curd... Or yoghurt will rid you of the spiciness." He called a maid to bring some to them and gave it to him. "Are you not familiar with spicy dishes?" He was always confused by those who couldn't handle spice- what did they cook with?? -------- He coughed "I didn't expect it to be like this..." the yoghurt sure helped "This is not spicey, this is fire on a plate..." He didn't want to come off as weakminded though "Ok, Im ready, let me try that again" he still had tears in his eyes from the first try. -------- He laughed, "It's not that bad, I wouldn't serve you obscenely spicy food on purpose." He did admire the other's attitude though, "Why don't you mix it with the yoghurt, that way you could ease yourself into eating it instead of shocking your palate again." -------- "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger..." he took another bite "... this actually might be the death of me..." he just started waving his hands (not sure how that helps though he's a dork) -------- He sighed and started eating as well. Midway through his meal he made an off-hand comment like, "I would suggest that you don't continue forcing yourself to eat something that burns your tongue- unless you want your death to take place on the toilet." Which to him, didn't seem like quite a glorious way to die at all. -------- Rome hadnt thought about that really and decided he could always try again some later time. He smiled "this is so much better than that swedish crap i've been eating" -------- He chuckled, "Food from the north is made to keep one's stomach full and one's body warm. It's like that in my land as well, the south has more fish and coconut in their cuisine while the north have breads and potatoes." -------- "I used to eat lots of fish. Ah and I love fruits. My grandson likes it too I always brought him new ones to try. He's a good eater, strong boy. My youngest though is all bones, always been like that. When he was a still kneehigh people always thought he was a girl. Good boy, very talented in many things... Mmm... This is a nice dish..." He looked really happy "What do you drink around here; wine or beer?" -------- He nodded and identified the Italy twins by the other's description- he should remember to invite them both for food eventually. "Hah, I was confused for a girl at times when I was young- If I had to blame anything for making me so restless and eager to prove myself, I'd blame that-" He shrugged, "Both? Beer is fairly more common, though we have other alcohol that's native to this land as well. But many of my states have started prohibiting- I hope my tourism industry stays afloat despite it." -------- "Ofcourse it will! Ah, if a boy is quiet or fair looking or if he has long hair it's always like that. I think it's nice when people look a bit androgyn, like a angel so to speak. That, and skin smooth as marble, so pretty. My hair is so thick it's a curse. When I shave, according to Egypt, by the end of the day my cheeks are worse than sanding paper. And these messy curls are the worst! Total disaster." he said as he twirled his finger round his hair. -------- He shook his head politely, "What are you saying? That rough, half bearded look is popular enough here, and your curly hair is very charming. With some coconut oil, you can make it as shiny as silk." He smiled, "An angel, you say? Well the androgynous look is quite adhered to the idea of transvestism or the third gender here." -------- "You are the second person who said i should try the oil this week... what's that, third gender?" -------- "But of course, if it's about cosmetics, China and I are still ahead of the game. I'll have the servants bring you some later." He blinked, "We have a minority group called Hijras, who are considered 'neither fully male, nor fully female', they're born male but take on the female identity. They are ostracised, but have always been believed to have the power to bless you with fertility or curse you by taking it away." -------- "Really now,... we don't have those. not really anyway. Ah but when one of my bosses married he dressed as a bride and I was so moved i nearly cried. -------- He laughed, "Strange things move you, but I'm sure it must have been a lovely wedding." -------- "It truly was amazing. Lot's of dancing, drinking... I got SO drunk.. Pfffft. There were plenty of cute girls but i was way too drunk" -------- How nostalgic, he smiled and took a sip of some juice- not before offering it of course. "Did you regret it in the next morning?" -------- "A wise man once told me; regret is for the brainless. If you make a decision you should never question it again because you made it with the knowledge you had that day and no other... Yess I really regretted it." ha HA HA -------- He was in the middle of creating a sound argument against 'regret is for the brainless', tensing up and everything only to have his shoulders sink, and a sigh escape. "You.... Was this wise man, you?" -------- "Nah, I just made that up. It was really dumb to drink like there was no tomorrow" -------- He nodded, "If anything you should eat like there's no tomorrow." No bad advice. "Then excercise like there is a tomorrow." -------- "Well... that's excactly what we are doing now, aint it?" he said as he took one last snack on his plate "So what's the exercise? Want to eat some dirt for desert? we can wrestle and I'll let you eat some, tehee!" -------- He grinned, "Wrestling? That's fine with me, but I'm sure that I could make you eat your words instead." -------- Rome started laughing at him "You are ALL talk. Maybe we should just have a nice calm walk, far more fitting for an old man like you" -------- He chuckled, "Now, if you think it's that easy to provoke me, you're wrong. I wouldn't mind a nice calm walk, I could show you around the garden. But my sweet Roman friend, you must learn not to take your elders so lightly. For I would still definitely win against you in wrestling." -------- His eyes shone brilliantly and his smile was all mischief "Did I tell you about that one time that China kicked me in the nuts?!" -------- He shook his head with a silly grin, "Oh if pecan do it, so could I." -------- "You call him, what?!" -------- "A nut." He coughed into a fist and tried to keep a straight face. China is a rival, though they had once been close. -------- "nuts... ha ha, have you got nicknames for others too? What about me?" -------- "You? Well, I haven't gotten one for you yet. And I really don't give nicknames out that often. Though I do have a wealth of passionately created nicknames for England." -------- "Well then, I'm going to do my very best to make sure mine will be worth a tale when you do..." he thought a moment "... ah but you wouldn't kick me that would be cheating... But I'm going to take your word for it, like the responsible man I am and leave it..." the other had won him over by mere talking and won his respect, so there really was no need to fight him now "I will show you I am a man of many qualities and outgame you in some different field, just you wait!!!" -------- He smiled, "You did seem excited when I mentioned the arts, perhaps you could out-dance me?" No that would be slaughter. "Or perhaps you have an interest in archery? It's a sport that's very close to my heart! I assure you that many things are, I may truly be passionate about every field you could imagine." Likewise, his respect for his guest rose through their exchanges, but seeing him back up his words would be quite entertaining. -------- Rome leaned in a bit and just looked at the other with piercing eyes like he was scanning him. Then sat back with closed eyes as if he was processing it. Hmn, this was going to be tough. He needed to find something he could slaughter him with, without looking like a complete dick. "I need to think about it. Let's start with that walk, maybe then we come up with something." -------- Oh? He watched the other and smiled, it was nice to see that he was being judged and considered seriously. The only worrisome part was that he didn't know how good the other was at it. "Oh but of course." They were presented with refilled containers to wash their hands. Once he dried his hands with a napkin, he gestured to a direction that went into the house, towards a second exit/entrance out to a garden. -------- Roma didn't bother to pick up his shoes. He was glad to have them off. He did bring a small bag however that couldn't have hold more than a few books or clothing. That bag was all that he seemed to have brought on his trip. -------- He paused before a door on their way, "Ah my sincerest apologies! Would you like some time to settle in, this is a bedroom, the opposite room's a bedroom- you can take your pick!" -------- He pointed at the door without bothering to look inside "That one, I'm sure they are both lovely, let's just get some air for now, I'm fine really! I've been sitting still too much and I can sleep when I'm dead" he smirked and pulled the other along "come on, come on, come on..." -------- He shrugged, "That one it is, though you can always change your mind." Soon enough, he took the lead and pulled the other along. "Here you can see a spice much revered and loved these days, they used to call it black gold! Behold, the mighty peppercorn plant in all its glory!" Pepper, is grown on vines. -------- "It's piper, I didn't know it looked like this! They look like grapes but the size of berries. Ha Ha, that's cute. No wonder your food is so spicy!" -------- "We have more spices than these in our food of course." He laughed and looked around the garden, "There are many flowers here, but there used to be more." -------- "Do you have a favourite?" -------- "My national flower, you can't see any here though they may grow nearby. The lotus, it's been sacred to Hindus for a very long time. Do you have a favourite?" -------- "I like rosmarinus. I used to have them in my garden. The little flowers come in nice colors and they look so sweet. I used to draw them, it relaxes me. I can draw them from my mind, anything really. If I have seen it once I can draw it." -------- He smiled, "They suit you, somehow." How exactly did he mean it? "Oh? Do you have a photographic memory?" -------- "Is that what they call it these days? It is really handy when you need to invade a city too, say jaipur... Ah, but the girls loved the roses, ofcourse! Modern roses are rubbish, they don't smell as a sweet promise... They smell of nothing. The paper wrap is best" -------- "Hahah, it is handy but I'd rather live without it." But do you have it yourself or not, you mysterious hermit. "Oh, but how do you find the smell of the jasmines on your garland? They are used for temple worship as well because their smell is so sweet." -------- "Well, actually I like them best but ofcourse I wanted to pick something native. As much as I love my home, being away is very liberating. And it's scent always reminds me of it. " -------- Hmmm, "Do they remind you of a particular place?" A certain northerner came to mind. -------- "Egypt had some, but she's a lapcat that likes to stay inside most times. And well China's, but I only met him twice in person." -------- "And one of those meetings was a fight?" He smiled, but back then there were no troubles between the two. Life was quite different in terms of international relations, though he supposed he had his internal affairs to attend to. -------- "Ah well, I was VERY young and ready to prove my worth. So when I was sent off to 'make friends' as my boss would put it I had little patience for formalities. I was rude and got the fight I asked for because he was fed up with my piss teen attitude." -------- "Sounds like it was a short-lived fight. I taught him well." He's kidding, right? He grinned and shook his head, "Though perhaps patience is something we both lacked back then." -------- "yeah pretty much. I tried to hit him trice and he kicked me out. My men had a good laugh. I suppose they were just as annoyed with me after the long way getting there. But after that I was real polite. My boss even wrote him a thankyou note. We wrote for many years!" -------- "Really? He only gave you three shots?" Perhaps the old Chinese fellow was particularly irritated that day, even he'd have allowed at least five strikes. "Ah I am glad that you grew close despite that rocky start! Did you get the chance to learn a little of his language?" -------- Rome nodded, just three shots indeed, suposedly that was all that China had needed to know how to bring him on his knees. "Ah I know a little!!!" He took a stick and started drawing characters in the sand. His writing was quick and messy like a docters note, not elegant in the slightest, but it came from the heart. -------- *****Life that's scarse a hundreds years holds a millennium of fears, brief it's noon and long it's night, best then mingle dark with light. Merry-making while you may, wait not for another day. Fools that treasure up their sock after generations mock. Him that hold a bond with fate, none may seek to emulate.***** It was a poem he memorised. -------- He looked at it, and smiled. "What an interesting poem, it reminds me of an old Sanskrit one, though that one is far simpler in narrative." He moved to the left of the Chinese characters, and drew several lines of sharp and neat Sanskrit. "Look to this day: for it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course, lie all the truths and realities of your existence. The bliss of growth, the glory of action, the splendour of achievement- Are but experiences of time. For yesterday is but a dream And tomorrow is only a vision; And today well-lived, makes yesterday a dream of joy, And every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day; Such is the salutation to the new dawn." Long poem, it was more of spiritual advice than a pretty picture, but he felt that the meaning was the same. -------- "You have a pretty handwriting even with a stick!" -------- "Thank you, I'm sure we both could do better on paper." He translated the poem as best as he could, though certain words had a lot more essense to them than their English counterparts. When he was done, he erased the markings, leaving only the Chinese. -------- Rome had listened to Indies brief explanation on the Sanskrit and it didn't make much sense to him just yet. After Indie had cleared the ground Rome took the stick and wrote, or rather drew, it back again in a strange order like it was a patern instead of words. In the end it was all there, albeith a messy reflection of it. -------- He looked at it delightedly and back to the Roman, "And now you have proved your words with actions. Though if the curl on that 'tha' is not prominent, it may be read as a 'ya'." In Sanskrit words were not only separated by spaces, but also it the fact that they would have one line connecting them together at the top. He didn't have to edit much, though for the sake of clarity he poured sand over gaps that were too close to each other and marvelled at it. It was always wonderful to see. -------- Rome erased it all again together with the Chinese. "Let's take all that away. A garden like this doesn't need words to do what comes so naturally." and he tossed away the stick as well "neither will you be needing this. I promiss to be a exemplary student" he winked. No need to beat him XD -------- He laughed and stood up, patting away the sand from his clothes, "You are right, though the wind would have taken it all away naturally." Call him sentimental. "Oh? If you weren't, I don't think I'd need the stick." Whatever that was meant to imply. With a wave to his side, he began walking. "These days it is rather important to take care of your skin, the sun's rays can be unforgiving in the afternoons." -------- Romulus quickly followed giggling "Ah, you are more off the open hand method then? A true classic, totally you" -------- "A true classic? Far from it!! Back in my day there was a 'treading over hot coals' method, which I of course went through." Gurus could be very strict! -------- Rome looked as him with a expression that screamed 'bitch please' "You don't have to try so hard. I'm not buying this nonsense nor piper today" -------- He grinned, "What, you don't believe it? But you're right, it wasn't a punishment. It's a test of courage and faith. It's not painful when done right." -------- "Let's get you in the shade, your brain is melting" -------- He blinked, "No I really am not joking about it, burning coals look kind of like beautiful flowers so it's a temple tradition in the south that is quite a few hundred years older than you." He thought it was well known as a feat, if not for its reasons. -------- He laid a hand on your shoulder "You should take a rest" he smiled -------- He smiled and moved the hand away, "I'll show it to you later today." -------- "Ha Ha Ha, ofcourse you will! So, what's next?" -------- "Perhaps we shall move to the pond, I could show you the lotus flowers, and then we can meet the animals here." -------- "I'd love that! If it's not too much trouble. I don't know if you have other things to do?" -------- "I've cleared my schedule for the next few days, I'm a free man." -------- "AHH YEAH!!! Then we can drink together maybe like there's no tomorrow, hahahaha! I'm so happy, I haven't had so much fun in ages." -------- He smiled, "Hah! Then we'll drink all evening and adventure all day long. I do hope you could keep up with that." He playfully teased. -------- "I was born ready! Let's check out the animals first" -------- "Alright! Well this isn't a a zoo, but all sorts of creatures find their way here. I'm partly to blame as I tend to lose myself and feed strays- they keep coming back. But I should say, happy strays are better than starving strays." -------- "Im like that. Feeding others is a token of love. And when you've known hunger yourself and you see somebody gulping it down with such force you can only relate and help out..." He fell silent for a while, lost in thought. "... That's how I found my grandson, poor thing." -------- He nodded, "Poor thing. No one should have to starve, especially not the young." And yet they did, and yet he had so much poverty in his land. As he predicted, a stray forest cat strutted in. With a smile, he presented her, "Aha! Beware the beautiful jungle cat, she's wild." -------- He slowly bent down not to startle the creature. Rome just watched threw his eyelids producing some kind of nasal puppy growls. -------- "Try not to get scratched in the face, she's not too friendly and rather territorial." HE STILL LOVED HER! He himself found small pets to be unusual and quite strange, he loved the wild and majestic animals in his land more than he'd ever be able to love a squeaky Chihuahua or hamster. -------- Rome did his best to control his excitement, he was moving his toes (and would probably wiggle his tail if he had one) he stook out his hand so the cat could smell it and approach him instead. "What are you feeding her?" -------- "Fish remains." He tilted his head, and was about to warn him when the cat approached his hand and lightly bit it. Not food- It circled him once and walked to the house, mewing outside the kitchen. "Don't be disheartened! I got a lot worse than that the first time- does it hurt?" -------- "..no it doesn't, it's just a warning. If she had wanted to hurt me she would have locked her jaw and claw me. My brother had a mean bite" -------- Your brother? He stopped himself from asking. "Ah cats are interesting creatures! Though they aren't really popular here- they never had much husbandry value." -------- "I LOVE cats! Dogs have been domesticated so much is takes out all character. A cat doesn't have a boss, it has servants to control. They don't take crap from anyone, hahaha! And certainly not from some silly roman" -------- He laughed, "Oh please, the average house cat scarcely has character. The wild cats here on the other hand- oh how majestic they are! The leopard, the cheetah- the tiger!! I am painfully biased towards the 'big cats'!" -------- "i don't think I've ever seen a cheetah before. They are slimmer than leopards right? I don't suppose you have wolves here, do you?" -------- "They look different as well, cheetahs have clear well defined spots while leopards have rosettes. And of course we have wolves! Everyone has wolves- Well until they started killing them, sadly wolves are endangered here." -------- "Ahh that's sad. They scare people sometimes expecially when they come in large groups. But they wont kill your crops like deer, or boars. Let's give her something before she gets into the kitchen to take it herself" -------- He nodded, "Ah but alas I have nothing to offer her. The maids will probably take care of it, I bet they're gutting fish right now." Sure enough the cat didn't return, she was probably eating. "But the fellows I'm going to show you are quite something, hold your belongings close to you." -------- What was all the mystery about? "alright, show me" what could it possible be, birds? -------- He narrowed his eyes and looked around as they walked. There were more trees around the area, not coconut trees...decent...midsized trees. He heard one! He turned swiftly and it was gone. "Oh it might have been my imagination... Those tricky things..." He turned to the Roman and was startled for a second before pointing behind him. "Monkeys-" he whispered. -------- Rome gasped "you got monkeys?!" he looked around if he could spot one. "what do they eat?" -------- They were right in front of him, curious and mischievous. He looked at them discerningly, as if one was missing and "Appu!" One of them ran over to him from behind the crowd and climbed over to his shoulder, he laughed, "Ah, my excellent kleptomaniac friend." He handed him a small fruit, "All of you, meet my excellent Roman friend." They had their eyes on him as he moved closer to Rome. Appu wooted. India had a way with animals and while he still suffered their moods, he was generally on their good side! -------- "what they pick pockets is that what you're saying. They are funny, look at the tails, ha ha! I like them!!!" -------- "Pockets, bags, noses, ugh they pick everything. But they are an entertaining bunch! And they're so soft." He gave Appu to him. "Cuddly babies." -------- Rome petted him but it soon excaped his hold to climb on top of him. He looked up "salve appu" -------- He laughed and the other monkeys climbed upon him, he kept walking with the added weight of a few more bodies. "Well then, the lake is near." -------- "hold on appu, don't fall off" he said as he hurriedly followed. "can they swim?" -------- "These can, the lake is part of their habitat. Though most monkeys don't swim bwchumnnggff-" He picked up a monkey that had taken to exploring his face and let it cling to his hand instead. "Ah there it is!" Green lotus pads gracefully floated across the river and baby pink flowers were in full bloom. There were a few insects flying over the water as usual, "It's not safe to drink, but here we are!" -------- "HAHAHA,... Oh my... that's so pretty... I can understand they are dear to you... They are really energic the monkeys i bet they are smart too!" -------- "Yes, the Hindus believe that the gods themselves sit upon these beautiful flowers as their thrones. Oh yes, if only their intelligence didn't go into their little thievery rings." -------- Rome giggled "have you ever tried yourself?" -------- He paused and his face was clearly flustered by the question. "Of course not." He had, many times, and many unholy words had slipped out of his mouth every time he fell into the water, though of course that was a very long time ago. -------- "You don't believe to be a descendant? You haven't even tried once? As gracious as you are if any God can do that, so can you." was he joking or not it was hard to tell -------- He was about to say something but the man made an intelligent argument that had his mind working a little backwardly. Snap out of that man! "Unfortunately our Gods seem to have no mass, but I do." -------- The Roman laughed. "and now with a bunch of monkeys and a full stomic it's even more. A well, my people sure believed so. According to the tales, I was left to drown in the river as a baby. But I have no memory of it" -------- "Are you not afraid of the water?" He never really feared the sea as most early nations had. -------- "no, not at all. Im a good swimmer actually. You know, baby's know how to float, it's supercute!" -------- He laughed, "Are you trying to convince me that you're a good /and/ cute swimmer?" -------- "YES!" he laughed "Nah, I was pushed off in a basket back then. And then the Gods were like; this one is too cute to die let's save him!" he grinned "But they got more than they bargained for!!!" -------- "They definitely did, ah but you're not quite so cute anymore~" He was on the handsome side now, which was a compliment he kept to himself. "The lotus is very hard to grow out of the wild, would you like one?" -------- "..." he didn't know what to say. Ofcourse somebody like Indie would not think he was cute. He smiled but his eyes didn't "No, please save it for a pretty looking girl, someone special" -------- He kicked off his shoes, "Alright then, I'll still get them for your room." He ignored the last part, he'd already decided to give them to him when he asked. He removed the socks and pulled up his trousers before wading into the lake. Just a little further.... And that's the story of how he ended up completely drenched from head to toe, scolding similarly drenched lemurs and holding up a large lotus flower for his guest. -------- Rome took the flower with slightly shaking hands before he started crying "I told you not to" the monkey had already ran off with his fidget spinner. "You are all wet, how am I supposed to keep my eyes off you now?! " -------- He would have patted him. But he was all wet so he had to courtesy to resist it. He pressed his palms together, "It's alright, I will dry up soon, life is as it should be. Om." Or in English, 'Pls calm down.' -------- Rome's crying redused to a silent snottering. He nodded to Indies words but avoided meeting his eyes "... It truly is majestic... this flower is" -------- What a pity, his spare handkerchief had gotten wet. He stared at the lemurs as they sped away indignantly- They'd caused him to lose his balance, those scoundrels! Ah but it was alright, the water was cold and refreshing. He wondered what made the Roman so sad. "Indeed, the gods sit upon them, but it's not just their throne. The lotus flower is the universe itself, the symbol of morality, goodness, beauty... We strive to be like this perfect bloom, to be flawless despite our murky surroundings, to work without attachment and to rise above the mud." He squeezed out water from his shirt. "Keep it." -------- "Then I quess Id better visualise this lotus than Jaipur in ruins when I try meditating again" he opened his bag "I've got a spair tee, if you like" -------- He snorted, "Another technique is to visualise a lotus where your heart is, a light emerging from it as your conscious mind grows aware and enlightened. The lotus is as much a symbol of the universe as it is, a symbol of you." He smiled and accepted the T-shirt, "You're very kind." He removed his own shirt and quickly, a flash of wheat brown skin showing before he covered up again. "Ah, perhaps I'll still change out of these trousers in the house. Will you stay here while I change or would you like to come back into the shade?" -------- "I'll ehh go back to the villa. Than we can take care of the lotus after you're done" he gave him a quick glance "...maybe a shower is a good idea to wash the green off your hair..." he looked like a mermaid. -------- He felt his hair and moved out a string of green. Aiye- "Sounds like a plan, let's go!" -------- Rome followed with a easy tred carrying Indies shoes. "You are a idiot you know that" a sooking wet idiot with a cute tush -------- He laughed, "It's been a long time since I've heard that. I almost miss it." He grinned, "No, I don't really miss it. Though I'm still walking on burning coals today to prove a point, and you can't stop me." He opened the door with a merry swing and gestured for the other to step inside first. -------- "Make it a cold shower too cool off that melting brains of yours" he's not the one who needs one. "I'll be in my room, reading. Don't forget to wash behind your ears" -------- "Hah, just you wait!" He winked and gave one of the servants a little fright. Some sort of handsome swamp monster had returned in place of their nation- oh? Or not, it was still the same old strange man. "I did just cool down you know, maybe I should have made you join me." He smiled and turned, "Alright then, I'll be back soon." -------- Rome got in the guestroom and filled the sink with water, carefully placing the lotus in it. Then with a sigh he grawled up the bed, took a cushion and curled up around it. His eyelids felt heavy of a sudden and he drifted away in chaotic dreams that didn't make much sense. -------- He had taken a quick shower, getting the gooplike substance out of his hair. And he remembered to wash behind his ears though he did make a face at it. He really could walk on burning coals! He'd practiced it in the past... Ah but actions would speak louder than words anyways. When he was out, he wore a traditional piece of clothing that was much like a large fabric wrapped around his waist and tucked in, a lungi. Many men still wore it in the south. He dried his hair out with a towel and reapplied the tilaka on his forehead. He slowly opened the guest room, only to see that the other had fallen asleep! He must have been very tired from his travels. India closed the door gently and made his way to the living room where he'd lounge on a divan and read the newspaper. -------- Damnit, there were just too many of them. Fight, fight harder! "Forma - Duo finis!" Why did they have assault rifles, this was madness. He took a quick look to the right to see his brother already burried beneath a pile of bleeding auxiliar soldiers, trying to get up. "PILA IACE" a cloud of pilae flew towards their opponents but the tank just ploughed threw like it was nothing. Man was he pissed off right now. "Gladium stringe - Celeriter" this was going to be a massacre "Parati - OPPUGNARE - Ad Victoria!" They charged, finally somebody had taken down that stupid machine gun, it was starting to get on his nerves. The iron wagon wasn't going to stop anytime soon but they had put stones and pilae down the barrel and if a pig could be lit in fire than so could the pigs inside that thing. And man did they squeel hard when it finally started to be a pretty bonfire. He giggled. suit you right, stupid, think you can destroy me I got more tricks up my sleeve. But loo, over the hills there they came in, eight, with towers as high as houses, angry looking elephants to trample them. His men fled in terror. One bumped into him and he was trown down the ground - and off the bed. He looked around breathing heavily. -------- He laid down the newspaper, he had finished with it- and looked out the window. Mere minutes has passed since he left the Roman to his nap. The man sighed morosely and slid down the furniture, onto the floor. He sat up and leaned his head on the cushioned divan. Another sigh. The newspaper was depressing and his boredom guilt-inducing. Alright then! He was going to meditate and clear his mind so that he wasn't such a wet blanket when the other did wake. He placed his hands on his thighs, palms facing upwards and his thumbs and index fingers loosely touching. He closed his eyes and hoped that he would find the answers to the day's moments of confusion. He could stay in that position for hours if no one interrupted him. -------- Rome got up grumbling and arched his back then marched out the room to find the other. "Indie?!" now where was that fool. -------- Why did the other cry? He was still rather worried about that, though he had brushed it off earlier. In the midst of heavy self-reflection, he hadn't heard him. There was a saying, that the ones who laugh the loudest, cry the hardest. And that just unsettled him. -------- He flung open the doors of the living "Ah, there you are" he tossed his shoes at his side "come put those on, we need to go... now" -------- He opened an eye, what was all the noise about? -------- "please? I don't want to go by myself" -------- He closed his eyes, brought folded hands to his chest and exhaled. "Where are we going?" He stood up and put on the shoes, "You were asleep when I had finished bathing, thought I'd let you rest." -------- "I can't sleep. I need to face those beasts of yours and I don't want to d... do it alone." he looked determined yet anxious "They hurt me... they scare me and I want to forget" -------- "Beasts?" He figured he wasn't talking about those monkeys. "What, the elephants?" Would it be more expensive to hire a man who'd bring it to them or to hire a taxi- no, of course, they could walk through the markets and go to the temple! "Hum, perhaps you should know that they're a different type of elephant from the ones you have encountered." Indian elephants were just so much sweeter than their African brothers- Or they were at least, tamer. -------- "they look the same to me. I suppose they are nice to the hand that feeds them. I only know them as means for war... You have them to protect the temple right?" -------- "They aren't exactly watchdogs," he grinned, "but I'll take this as an opportunity to show you around the markets as we travel there." He felt refreshed, the newspaper was left on the divan like a forgotten thought. "Perhaps apply some sunscreen, you don't want to get sunburnt.' -------- "i don't have any, should i really?... You smell nice, way less like a wet monkey now" -------- "You should, I think there's some in each bedroom. I've had to treat many burns, and I only have so much Aloe." He laughed and pulled the other along, as they found a room he joked, "People tell me my natural scent is that of petrichor and spices." -------- Rome smiled and shook his head "I guess I just smell like what one would expect from a sexgod, like uhm a sauna" he licked his finger and rested it on it's cheek "Tssss...." really now why did they need to make a competition out of everything? He poured water on his face from the sink and freshed up a bit before putting on the sunscreen. He run his fingers threw his hair. With a little water his messy locks became pretty stylish. -------- "A sauna?" These Europeans and their unusual tastes, "Believe me when I say that's not what I associate the smell of saunas with." He found his new style rather lovely, but he didn't say anything about it. "Alright, the markets await!" -------- He was glad they were finally going now and that they would do some sightseeing too. "Ah yes, I hope it's not too crowded." -------- "It's never not too crowded!" He said cheerfully and led him out the main exit this time. "Prepare to hear a lot of shouting and bargaining!" -------- "Oh, Im lousy at setting a good price. Either i pay far too much or they give it away for free because i terrify them greatly" -------- He grinned, "Not to worry, you'll have an expert with you." He gestured towards himself and bowed as if he were in front of an audience and not just the one companion. He looked at the other and gasped, "I'll have them do a puja for you since you're here!" A ritualistic prayer for favour from the gods, but he really wasn't giving him a choice. Better safe than sorry! "And we'll get you a new garland of jasmines outside the temple!" -------- "You are so sweet to me, thank you!" he sighed. Why hadn't he visited him back in the days or vise versa? Perhaps his brother had but well. He didn't want to bring that up really. "I am aware I kinda abruptly ended your meditation, if you like I can try and join you later today." -------- It wasn't so much an abrupt end as it was a perfect one, it was like his thoughts manifested onto reality and brought forth his guest. "Alright, perhaps you'll indulge me further and join me in some hatha yoga. If you're flexible enough, that is." -------- he coughed "flexible enough? What do I have to do? I can touch my toes standing" Anything else? "Ah yes, and I can touch my nose with my tongue, see?" -------- "I'll show you then, touching your toes standing is a great start. Some stances are just harder than others, it's a nice way to test your limits. However I'm limitless-" he grinned. "Don't talk to me about touching your nose with your tongue if you can't move your ears." One of his many natural talents, he illustrated it and laughed. -------- Rome laughed too. "That's so funny! Yes show me when we get back! I'm sure I will pick it up quickly with such a good teacher" -------- It was far too easy to appeal to his pride. He beamed, "You're right, you'll reach an advanced level very fast under my wing, you already have strength, with some stretching and discipline, you'll have everything. -------- "I'm happy you want to teach this old dog some new tricks. Is it far to the market?" -------- "Are you old?" He didn't know the answer to that- but then that would make him ancient... He shook his head, he was still young at heart. "Not by too long, a few minutes? Is walking as boring to you as riding a car?" Oh that gave him a very, very good idea. -------- "Ahh, according to some... but I ripe like a good wine :) Others just turn sour. Ahh and then there are those lucky few that aren't touched by time at all." he smiled " oh no, i like walking! and maybe its different if you drive a car yourself. The kids seem to enjoy it." -------- He smiled at the analogy, confidence was always attractive to him, "Ah but if you were my student earlier then time would not have touched you, our cosmetic and health knowledge are supreme." -------- "Maybe so. I was found beautifull and promising enough to turn heads in Greece but I was not courted over. There was a time where Id get drunk at any word China would spare me, but he did not want me." and it still hurt "and seasons and years passed, because I was to stubborn to let go... So, that's my story. Im practically raised by the army, all I know of other fields is by reading" -------- He was craving... affection? Yes, his earlier question about what it was like to be loved did fit the speculation. He put a hand on his back, though he wouldn't offer comfort to the private matters he mentioned. "Well then, I'm glad you're here, you can learn of many new fields by trying them out yourself. Maybe you'll outdo me in more than a couple." He smiled, nope not a chance. -------- "YES I can do that!" he was really motivated to crush the other and he wasnt scared to work hard for it "...huh?!..." he checked his pockets "the monkeys really did mug me. Im glad they didn't take my wallet... Or did they?" he checked his bag "pfffft, it's still here. By Jupiter if they snatch that from me, no more mister nice guy. It got the pictures of the kids and everything in it!" -------- "No, no, put that thing away!" He shook his head, "You're my guest, there's no reason for you to bring out any money. Though you should keep it safe, especially if there're pictures in it." -------- He nodded "you wont believe the trouble i went threw to get them. I even tied up God in his office... And I still don't have one of my Romano" -------- "You tied him up?" He sighed unsurprised, "Did diplomacy fail?" Tying up people was not very nice, he'd have at least bribed the deity with something. "Ah, I'm sure you'll be able to get one eventually, worry not." -------- "I sure hope so. He's angry with me, as are the women in my life,..." and his brother and who not really?! "... even my best friend stabbed me. Fitting for a roman, no?!" -------- He considered his response, and sighed. "People can be complicated, it's how it's always been." The streets were starting to get more lively, with people travelling to work, a few cars moved past them. Since they weren't in the middle of the city, they were spared the noise and honking. "Though I do hope you make peace with all of them if you can." -------- "Well, that's why I'm back, my main reason, to say Im sorry" -------- "Oh?" He smiled, "Apologies from the great Roman empire himself- somehow when it comes to you, I feel that people would rather have explanations than apologies. Especially those who admire you." -------- "I would be happy to provide both. Although Im not that well a speaker like say Greece" -------- "That is true indeed, well if you can get a price down for anything by 40% in any one of the stalls in the marketplace, you'll have made great progress in that area." -------- "Pfff... Ok I'll try..." he better pay attention to see how other people handled this. -------- "Watch and learn." He had centuries of experience in bargaining- he nearly got things for free when he was in the need. Though there was a time when he was completely unable to do so- The marketplace was colourful! There were many many carts selling foods and trinkets, people were dressed traditionally except for the odd shopkeepers daughter who was daring enough to wear jeans and a t-shirt rather than a chudidar. India stirred them towards the direction of the fabrics which the other mentioned wanting to see. -------- "See this dark blue fabric, and that purple, how do they do it? How do they make the purpura, Indie? Does the color hold in tempera, for paintings? " -------- "From flowers in the past- Oh you should have been here during Holi, it's a festival where traditionally we throw colourful powders or vibrant paints on each other- They tend to be naturally made so that they don't harm anyone! Yes it holds in tempera. But nowadays they use ugly synthetic dye for clothes. It's quite nostalgic to see handmade fabrics, back in the days I was at the pinnacle of fabric dyeing!" Ah the key was to make sure the cotton would permanently hold its colour- after that was figured.. hah! Well then he was the greatest fabric dyer in the world!! -------- "Really?! Id love to come next time to see. They don't mind foreigners attending?" he tried to picture it "Think we can buy colors here? I'd like to make something pretty just for you" -------- "Of course we don't mind! In fact it's been adopted by some other countries, it's nice to have fun once in a while! Though there is, of course, a great story behind it." He was still quite touched by the other's offer to paint him something. "I... You really don't have to... But ehm, you can buy them here." He suddenly found a really cute elephant figurine to admire. -------- "You really like elephants, don't you? It must seem silly to you that they scare me." -------- He looked at him and shook his head earnestly. "Not at all." He was able to meet his eyes, "I've known elephants that destroyed villages. They're well worth one's respect, be it through love or through fear. I hope that you can see their gentler nature too before you decide on fearing them once and for all." -------- He nodded "One hit me with his snout and nearly trampled me... And when Hannibal led them over the alps I totally lost my shit. You know you can be sleeping and suddenly there is one in your house. Im not afraid much. My youngest is afraid of spiders. He can't sleep if there is one in his room." Rome laughed "I shouldnt laugh but it's so silly. You are not afraid of bugs are you?" -------- He nodded, "Yes they can be terrifying, I'm sorry you had poor experiences with them." He hoped that he would get over them, they weren't so much beasts as they were gentle spirits... Plus they were so cute! The ones that were native to his land, at least. And even when upset, he could tame them fairly quickly. "No, but I can understand being squeamish about them. I know someone who's honestly a terrible person who has done terrible things, but the sight of a cockroach alone is enough for him to turn into a mess. Did you know that elephants are terrified of mice? It must be like how some of us are terrified of bugs." -------- "Really, ah but if he annoys you you can drop a chart of cockroaches in his living to bug him that's fairly easy! Ahh, i didn't know they don't like mice. We used to scare them with pigs we covered in tar and set alight. The sound they made, brrr. Kinda horrible when you think of it, hmn?" -------- He looked like he was picturing it and made a heartbroken face, "The poor pigs..." He shook his head, "Believe me, I'm not above it to use that if I must with him. Do you want an elephant figurine?" -------- "yes! But a small one so I can keep it with me for good luck." India was spoiling him. "Are you going to demonstrate it now?" Rome felt a little sorry for the shopkeeper already. "I do hope you enjoy my time spend, cause it's the only thing you'll take from me now. Please accept a few good memories to stay with you." -------- Hmm, a small one. He looked at the other, "There are so many to choose from, I'll demonstrate after you take your pick." There were so many intricate little carvings in the various figurines, elephants with their trunks raised, made out of wood, stone- and just about any material. No matter how many times he saw it, he always found them so cute. But he kept a discerning eye and a neutral expression. Rule #1 of the trade, don't get overexcited. -------- "maybe one of those made from malachite, that's a pretty stone. You should take one to match for yourself." that would be super cute! -------- He looked over to them and nodded, "Chic." They were quite adorable though, "Another one for my collection then." He called for the shopkeeper and of course the price for the two figurines were higher than that of say, the wooden ones. (As mun is not nearly as good as the great Shivaramakrishnan at bargaining, she shall now skip a scene.) "Ah thank you, I'm glad that you won't be doing this to your next customers." Honestly! It was actually far too expensive for something so small. He handed his Roman friend one of the elephants, wrapped securely in brown paper. "45% off~" -------- Rome was highly impressed. The other made it look so easy so he wanted to try as well. To get an idea of the progress he picked an item he could find at different shops. This way he would pick up quickly what the set price was. He choose to go for a nice fountain pen. If he was going to write again he needed one anyway. But the shopkeepers weren't so easy on him. It was a dead giveaway he was a tourist which meant easy money. Also he was a open book to read, so not one was going to lower the price much. He was visible frustrated by it and people enjoyed messing with him. When he walked away after a fifth try he looked like he was going to give up and sighed. He looked at Indie and when he caught his smile suddenly got an idea. He strolled around just making some silly jokes until he found what he was looking for. There was one stand he was looking at from across the street and he took his sweet time to unfold his magic. There, she spotted him. The woman blushed, turned away and looked again. He came closer now and asked if she could help him. He said he needed a present for a friend. He asked her name, complimented on her dress, asked about what places were nice to eat around here... and all the while flirting shamelessly. At some point he took his wallet and folded a bill wonderfully in the shape of a heart. He then took the pen he liked best wrote down something on the heart and left it in her hands. She smiled, he walked off with a even wider one back to Indie "40% off, The shopkeepers here all want to trick me, but their women sure seem to like me!" he laughed -------- He was trying so hard, it was hard not to smile. But five tries, and not a smidge of success... To be fair, some others had done much worse. Bargaining was not just a skill, it was a culture one simply grew up immersed in. It was the familiar memory of holding a parent's hand as they shake their heads and complain about the quality of an item, it was the memory of the shopkeeper's eyes lighting up at the challenge. Maybe it wasn't very easy to pick up from just one observation- He almost lost track of the other as he stood there contemplating the nature of bargaining and vaguely reacting to a series of jokes, but he soon found him and watched him try his luck with that woman who had laughed at his joke. Several moments later he had returned with a pen. "Is that so?" He chuckled and shook his head, "The poor darling may never be cured of her broken heart, but you did succeed." Bargaining was unfair by nature, he looked at the other and nodded. "You've led me to believe that if you are persistent, you will definitely get your thoughts and feelings across to those you want to speak to. Though I'm not sure if charming them will be as effective." He smiled and turned, "Let's get you your dyes." -------- "ah yeah!" he was happy they were about to see the colours. "I'm not a heartbreaker. I now have a pen so I can write my new beloved friend and it will last me what ten years maybe before I need to buy another. While I gave her sweet dreams that may very well last a lifetime." he smiled "Ah but you are quite right. Flirting with the ladies, that's easy enough. The men, they wont buy crap from me" -------- "Ten years? Well, if you want to buy yourself refills, I suppose. Though I'd rather buy a new pen at that stage." He laughed, "Oh yes, I'm sure she'll have sweet dreams over your charming encounter." He doubted it, but who knew how the minds of people worked. He grinned, "Yes, you're going to have to work harder with the men. Assert your dominance without endangering their pride, and that's often your best bet." -------- Rome nodded " I still have a lot to learn, I suppose. Some of the young ones look up to me because they picture a big structured empire built from scratch in a couple of years. HaHa! I couldnt have done it on my own. Also we missed out a lot, being on campaign all the while as a Republic. I think the best thing was we adopted other cultures into our own." he starts laughing "Germania's boy freaking fetishises me. It's SO weird! I feel like I'm the opposite of what he thinks I am" -------- He laughed, "If I haven't had my own share of experience with invincible empires, I think I'd have /fetishized/ your empire as well. You're seen as the pinnacle of discipline and military prowess, aren't you?" -------- "Discipline just means being pushed in a position that's convenient. Some are easily disciplined with rewards, but most by fear. I'm not sure if that's something to be proud of. And then there is me as a person too. I very much doubt that's what you see when you look in my eyes. No, I don't think I'm that disciplined. What reward was there waiting for me? What was there to fear, really? I might very well be the least disciplined person you'll ever meet." he played a little with his guirlande, smelling the flowers " I don't think I'll ever grow up. I'm not saying I can't be motivated, nor am I lazy, I think. I'm just a very passionate man, you need to rub me the right way" he giggled "But yes, compared to the others, our military was most skilled!" -------- He laughed, "Is that what discipline means to you? To me it means being able to separate one's individual concerns and suppress them for the efficiency and quality of a larger machine." He didn't think there was a right definition to it, but conveniency and efficiency were two separate matters. "When I look at you, I see a miracle, honestly. I don't know whether you are disciplined or childish, unmotivated or lethargic, but you are most certainly a miracle. As such, I think you're unpredictable and worthy of being a great friend or a great foe." -------- "I'm not a saint. Maybe If you surpress all you are for the greater good for too long, say a couple of thousand years, you too would start to hate the machine you are feeding. Of course it's efficient when everybody does what they are supposed to do. But may I question what I am supposed to do? Everything that exists is in a matter the seed of that what will be, as my boss put it. I have no taste for blood nor do I enjoy breaking things. I like to built things. I build a great empire out of sand only to give my boys a handfull. After all I endured I wanted them to have a good life. Therefore I am very content their military is a complete mess" he laughed "But now India... you DO rub me the right way... will you stop it?" -------- "Did you hate the machine you were feeding?" He understood that the other was immensely lonely. He wasn't quite a part of that machine as he actually was the machine. In that sense were nations solitary by nature? India may have been lonely once, but he was trained to see the world with different eyes. He did think he was a God among men, but that made him ambitious, to raise the standards of humankind, to elevate them by being with them. He was never lonely, he had a purpose given to him by himself! He didn't remember it, but he was terribly lonely and whiny as well, in the past. It was grossly egotistical on his part. He blinked, and from behind his roman friend, he put both hands on his shoulders. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean, but I don't think I will. I'm curious to know what type of motivation I'm sparking." -------- "In a way yes I hated it. Because it drove me and my brother apart see? I was always trying to stress how much we are alike, he on the other hand pointed out our differences. He was my best friend and my greatest enemy. And I miss him greatly. I find it hard to except the credit for his efforts, cause truly he's the better half." Twins really are the worst. He was still angry for what he did. On the other hand he wanted to except his new chosen path. It was complicated on so many levels, Rome thought. Surely East crossed the line by fucking Greece though. And she knew, oh the bitch knew. He was startled when India touched him. "... Hmn see, you make me want to be a better man... I think I might just started to have a little crush on you. But no need to worry about it. " -------- "Is he now?" He smiled, the other clearly seemed to be a deep thinker, to be capable of critiquing himself in such a way. Or was it baseless gloom? He hoped for the former, because clouds of self-depreciation could easily ruin his otherwise golden radiance. What an expression, it didn't fully convince him that he only missed his brother. But brotherhoods so old were rightfully complicated. He sighed and ignored the thoughts that tried to depress him, of his neighbour and brother. He blinked and removed his hands, "Is that what it was?" He smiled, "Perhaps if you become a better man and impress me, I'll have a crush right back on you." He was downright cocky and he knew it, ...he didn't think the crush would last. He didn't treat it with much surprise at all, it may have even been a touch underwhelming. He wondered whether that was enough to extinguish the flame. -------- "HA! I sure hope not! Can you imagen all the gossiping ancients at the crossroads?! Greece would make your life a LIVING HELL." He put his thumbs in his jeanspockets and started walking "But make no mistake, I will better myself and impress you... better yet, I'll CRUSH you... Think of it as a warming up. After that I'll make Constantinople great again... I can't stay at Ikea forever, Swedish food makes me sick." he halted suddenly and beamed a most happy smile "wowww,... It's more beautifull than I imagined" he had found the dyes. -------- He laughed, "You'll crush me?" He was glad that he was in high spirits but honestly, "I'd rather that you don't try. Learn more about these times, you have far too much studying to do before you go around invading or building up cities." He really didn't care for gossip, "I had decent relations with Greece." He remarked before he looked over at the fabrics. "Isn't it? I was the very best with them. How many would you like?" -------- "But mummmm...." he said in a winey voice "seriously it's only fair I got at least half of Constantinople. And just think, I get to sent you lot's of nice food..." He sighed and put it to rest, India was probably right. Even though he had learned so much about the modern world. He didn't have his legions to actually invade anything. He was all talk now. But he could still bragg about his past accompliches. he snickered "Well MY relations with Greece were ANYTHING BUT decent." even that was a lie. His country was highly influenced be her and he loved her lot's. Ofcourse they had made out, but Greece could and would play him like a fool. "Hmn... just some basic earth colours, okers, black and white and maybe a bit of two brighter ones. I haven't got a clue what it costs and I don't want you to spend too much." -------- "You could send me nice food anywaayyyys." Why was he mimicking the whiny voice- he chuckled and watched the other sigh. Oh no, was that the sound of crushed dreams? It was...for the best, he decided. "Oh? I couldn't believe that, she seemed like such an amiable lady." "Basic earth colours?" He nodded and picked a few greens, yellows and reds. White and black, and then of course he picked a lot of indigo. Indigo was his most famous! "Choose as much as you like, what use is there in excess money if it cannot sate the desires of the esteemed guest?" -------- "Thank you Im so happy! I will learn to make food myself so I can send you! J.just you wait! " he was never going to repay this he thought "I will make you proud of me, your time will not be a idle investment I swear" -------- "You'll make the food?" What is this, he's being so spoilt, to be promised homemade food and an artwork? It was a little overwhelming and he was so grateful that he couldn't really say anything for a moment. Finally he smiled and nodded, "I'm sure it won't be, though rather than an investment, my time is a gift. I don't expect anything in return, and you needn't hold yourself to your words should they feel like weights." -------- "Weights? Never. You lift me up to rise above what I thought was possible. I am very thankfull" he put his hands together and bowed his head "That smile of yours was the only gift I truly needed. I'll keep it save and cherish it for a thousand years...and a day" -------- "And a day?" He thought he might have felt his heart skip a beat at the last addition, surely his standards were not high. What made him difficult was his negligence towards himself. He returned the gesture, bowing lower, "Your words are too kind, and the sincerity behind them, kinder still. My smile is a permanent matter of course, you may get tired of it." -------- Rome shook his head "I will grow tired of it the day easter and christmas fall on the same day, just as people grow tired watching dancing flames, the sun rising and waves washing ashore... you must show me the temple and tell me what it's for... -------- Well that put a silly grin on him immediately, "You are too generous." He nodded at the last bit, "I will show you the temple, it'll be easier to explain it when we're there. And I assume you are asking about my tilak and the Bindi on our foreheads. It is a Hindu custom," he touched the spot on Rome's forehead with his thumb, "this is where the soul enters and exits the body, the Ajna Chakra. By applying sandalwood paste on it, you are respecting the mind and soul. It's also said to improve your attention and intuition." The thumb moved upwards, "The different type of tilak can also help one understand which God the person worships, during religious instances. Women wear it in the form of a simple dot, married women wear it as a larger red dot." He withdrew his hand, "Like kohl, it also has cooling properties." -------- Romulus listened and seemed intrigued. "Do you have priests or virgins to look after the temple and do they also wear tilak or bindu?" -------- He laughed, "Temples tend to be owned by people who used to be from the Brahmin caste. They have families to take care of them- And yes, you will see it." -------- "This caste, is a familyline or house, or an institute of some sort? I am sorry Im trying to understand" -------- "The caste system (I've tried to dissolve it in these times) is a social hierarchy, the brahmins were at the top as people who are the closest to the gods. Then the warriors, the merchants and at the very bottom were the Untouchables, who are said to have been sinners in their previous life." -------- "That seems like a pretty fixed system that suits it's purpose but none can possibly escape from. Not like ours was much better I suppose. Both the free born and slaves were bound, in different ways -------- "We believed in the cycle of rebirth, and in that sense it was more than fair. You escape it by living righteously and being reborn into a better caste. But it's ultimately cruel and so nothing more than its legacy should continue." -------- "hmn,... Then you should know everything about how to be a good man with your experience. And your people have written down knowledge for those who want to make an effort to better their lives, no?... One of my bosses was really into that. He is known as one of the worlds greatest filosofers. " -------- "The more I think I know, the less I know, so I tend to just do my best and hope for good results." He sighed, "But of course, my people have written many rules and guides down, though I think it's most important to have a strong sense of dharma, and the rest fall into place." He paused, "Duty." He seemed rather curious when the other mentioned an old boss, he got the attention of the shopkeeper and looked back at him. "Which of them was he?" -------- Rome nodded, yes the more you know. "Ah... he's known as Marcus Aurelius. We ehh, change names at times. He was really kind to me. Even let me go travel and see Seres... we did make a short stop in Pandyan... It's a long time ago I don't remember the name of the city." -------- "You seem to remember him fondly," he took out his card and the lady shook her head. Only cash. But of course, he fiddled in his wallet for the price and kept it in her hand. -------- "Yes! And history has been kind to him luckely." some would claim the pax romana died with him. "We did we not meet back then, why didn't we?..." he was digging his mind. "I remember we had to keep a good pace even though I was feeling sick... we cut part of the main route, for some reason... " he shook his head his memory was too clouded. "Did you have leaders you were fond of, more than the others?" -------- He watched as the woman packed the dyes and he could feel the other's lapse in memory with just hearing his voice. "I did. Ashoka the Buddhist king was a force to be reckoned with, Akbar the Great from the Mughal empire was such a curious and wonderful man. There are many more, some dipped in mist within my memories as I fail to recall whether they were real or myth." -------- Rome laughed to that "And I thought MY mind was a mess" he sighed. "But I do think I've heard of this Ashoka before... But hey, let's put that in my bag, then we have our hands free." -------- He smiled, "Oh I'm sure that one was real. We use his chakra on my flag, saffron, white and green, with a navy blue wheel at the middle. It has twenty-four spokes and symbolises the twenty-four hours of a day, rotating, rotating without tire, to continue for an eternity." He took the dyes and thanked the woman. "The elephants (and coals) await us! Is there anything else that you would like to buy?" -------- Rome started grinning, whatever he was thinking he wasn't saying it out loud. "You're feeding me and everything. And since you won't let me invade nothing, what more do I need?" -------- He smiled and tilted his head, "What are you grinning about? Hm perhaps I am ideal company for swashbuckling young empires." -------- "I'm not telling" his grin widened. "but you may guess, HA HA" -------- "Is this about you still being sceptical about my hot coal walk? I will impress you nonetheless." -------- "You serious?! I don't want you to burn yourself please" -------- "Oh," he laughed, "since you said please, I won't burn. Though I had no intention of burning and I will still do as I wish." -------- Rome combed his fingers throw his hair and shook his head "You are a grown free man, by all means do as you wish. I'm still not certain what you are trying to proof though. Of all the ways you could pick to try to - impress - me, you had to choose walking on coals" he flung his hands in the air in a dramatic matter "You could have just got naked" -------- He laughed, "I don't tend to get naked for my guests (and its not the first time I've heard this...sadly), but walking on coals is no problem." He took his hand and held it firmly with his other, "Where's your spirit gone?" He was not going to be kept from it. It was that or snake charming. -------- "Very well... It clearly means a lot to you, show me. though I'm not sure what I think is scarier this moment. You doing just that or me getting trampled." he pouted "but it's not my fault if you get hurt in the process. Unlike popular belief I do not enjoy people suffering" -------- "I'm honoured that my safety is as important as yours." He let go of his hands and looked at him with a carefree grin, "Don't worry, your name will not be tied down to any mistake on my part." -------- "My name has left a much hated mark on far to many people, quite literaly. Let us go to the temple" -------- "Now do not go being depressed," he eyed him and held his hands behind himself, "the Mandir is a place of light. Put a smile on your face and let your heart be free of the past." He led the way. -------- Rome faked a smile and followed. Let your heart be free of the past? The past was basically all he was. Both good and bad. "What do elephants eat?" -------- He smiled at the question, "Bananas! Whole bunches of them. Though they'll like you more if you peel them and put in the extra effort." -------- "Should we bring some? Then maybe they wont smell my fear and peel me instead?!" -------- "They'll have some at the temple, don't worry. They really are gentle, you'll like them!" Very gentle and very smart. -------- Romulus wasnt so sure. "We will drink to celebrate after, right? If I do pet one, that is" -------- "If you take one for a walk with me, I'll even make sure to get the finest brew from my place." That was a little tricky these days, but if the other put in extra effort, so would he. -------- "Ww..." his voice cracked "Walk with.. you mean walk beside it? Ohh... I don't know India. What if I can't control it then the whole town is in ruin." -------- "I'll be with you, so of course that won't happen." He pressed his hands together, "They're not going to rampage with me around, and you don't need to control them, they're my friends." Because why wouldn't you have an elephant pal. -------- "You speak of them like they are big dogs. Like you can just let them lie down and roll over. Aah, I really am nervous, omg" he pinched India's arm "I can feel my heart beating in my chest" -------- He patted his shoulder, "I'll help you face them, you won't be in any danger and they are a different species from what you remember, maybe you'll notice their physical differences." -------- "I'll trust your judgement. This temple is it dedicated to one God or several?" he asked "Do you have a favorite?" -------- "I'm glad you will." He was honoured. "Oh, it's dedicated to one of Vishnu's most beloved avatars, Krishna." He grinned at the question, "Are you looking to get me in trouble?" -------- "Get you in trouble? They are a jealous bunch, is that what you are saying? Or is my company troublesome already?" -------- "They can be a jealous bunch, and your company is far from troublesome! You've been wonderful company." He nodded, "In seriousness, I used to favour Shiva the most, though now I think my admiration has shifted to Vishnu. Each God does play an important role though." -------- Romulus smiled shyly "What is Vishnu known for that you pick him?... Or is it a Goddess? See how little I know. I don't want to anger Vishnu... Sorry God, if you are listening, Im a silly tourist I mean no harm." -------- "Don't worry, he's one of the gods who never gets jealous or petty, he would not be offended." And as for why he picked him, how does one put Vishnu into words? He is like life itself! "I suppose it is only natural for me to appreciate him the most, he is associated with heroism and with protection. In Hinduism, we have the Vedic triad, three gods who are the most important from the entire pantheon. Brahma, he who creates, Shiva, he who destroys evil to make space for more creation, and Vishnu, he who protects what is good. In times of great evil, he is born to the earth and will become a saviour. According to the stories, he has done this 9 times already. He's like a guardian angel- That...And he's just really really admirable in each tale he plays a part in. He's collected and calm, within him lie the secrets of the cosmos." Only in India do you have such persistent fanboys for Gods or goddesses. Don't even get him started on Hanuman, the monkey God. -------- "He sounds like a great guy! You should tell me some of his stories when we have time to spare" -------- "Wonderful! Actually there's a perfect tale to pass the time with as we walk to the temple, it's about Vishnu and an elephant devotee of his." -------- "YEAH let's hear it!" Rome smiled -------- He laughed, "During the times of Akbar the Great, was a man so witty and intelligent in his court that his stories are well remembered. He was called Birbal, and unlike the Muslim emperor, he was a Hindu. Akbar sought for peace between the two groups and wished to understand this story. Once, there was a leader of a herd of elephants called Gajendra, he was a great leader and one who cared for his fellow elephants. He led them to the river so that they could bathe themselves, but suddenly, he was attacked! The jaws of a crocodile snapped shut on his leg and he cried out for help. But his herd backed away and began to turn away, as they had realised that death had come for Gajendra. Poor Gajendra struggled and struggled, to no avail. They say he held out for a thousand years, trapped by the crocodile, clinging onto dear life. But even his strength had its limits. With the last of it, he picked up a lotus flower with his trunk and held it up high," he extended an arm above him, as an offerring to the Lord Vishnu, as a prayer for help." There were almost by the temple, he could make out the shape. They say if you can view your destination, you're halfway there. "That's the temple, see?" -------- "I see,... then what happend? Did it got dragged down the water?" he was caught by the story already -------- He shook his head, "Upon hearing his devotee's prayer, Lord Vishnu himself rushed to the scene, looking for the one who surrendered control of their life to him. As Gajendra saw him, he exerted the last of his strength in raising the lotus even higher. At seeing this, Vishnu was moved and with his Sudarshana Chakra, a weapon that's much like a discus with jagged edges- he beheaded the crocodile and saved Gajendra. Akbar was rather shocked by the fact that Vishnu himself came down to help Gajendra when he could have sent any of his strong and loyal subjects to take care of it in his stead. Birbal took to explaining it later by telling the Emperor that his grandson was drowning in the pool. This was, of course, not the case, but Akbar jumped in himself to rescue his supposed grandson. The moral of that being that Vishnu treats his devotees with such personal care, it is as if he is family." -------- Romulus nodded "He is a good God. The elephants do know how to touch peoples hearts. We had some at the circus once, I did not go because I don't enjoy it. But a friend did and he said all left feeling sad because they wailed so bitterly and casts their trunks up to heaven. This friend never returned there ever again and became stoic. Seneca and Pliny also wrote about their greatness. The organiser of the event was cursed by both elephant and man it's said and he got stabbed." -------- He nodded, "It depresses me that we cannot take care of these animals and make proper use of them. For entertainment we have each other, why must tigers be chained and bears made to balance on balls?" He smiled without much humour, "There's a bit of poaching in my land, people kill elephants for the ivory. How pointless it is, the ruin a life so large and great, for a small bit of material." -------- "The Gods made many foolish people. But they may grow to do what is right. They should not anger you. Do not question why is it that these things happen and fill you with sorrow. Nobody is helped with such thoughts and you the last of all people." -------- "They don't anger me." He sighed but he was cheered by the other's words, "And it is impossible for me to be filled with sorrow when with it comes motivation to work against the nature of all things poor." Things will get better! "Thank you for your advice." -------- "We are all connected in a way, I believe. Only take the words that are of use to you that come from my mouth. Because I loose myself quite often, which is not very wise. I have still need to learn to shut my mouth and pick my words with more care. But you are making a great difference for my world this day. So that is progress, right?" -------- He smiled, "I don't know, maybe you were a better man before you met me. However, I can never know, so I'll believe that I made a positive difference." They were almost there! A cool breeze blew past them, shaking trees and letting flower petals and leaves fall onto the ground. "There's art in honesty and straightforwardness, there's science behind picking words with more care. Both are neutral choices, only you decide whether they harm or support. You're already very wise in the ways of art." -------- Rome smiled proudly at that. "Maybe" he looked at the leaves dancing in the wind then back at India "will there be paintings or statues of Vishnu in the temple of Krisna as well? Im curious to how he looks like" -------- "There will be statues, but honestly he looks different in every temple- ah but since it's a temple they'll sell paintings for worship outside! Imagine a dark man with beautiful eyes, like lotus petals, and a constant smile. He's normally lying on a large cobra with several heads, with his wife, the goddess of fortune and prosperity massaging his feet, floating on the cosmic waters that represent the universe." He was heavily romanticized, but which gods weren't? "Krishna is a form of Lord Vishnu so technically speaking, even the flautist with a peacock feather in his hair and doe-like eyes is him." -------- Rome giggled "He most be very charming indeed if the women lay at his feet like that. HA HA The temple looks really cool, are they all built likewise?" -------- "Oh yes, and his wife is madly in love with him. Everytime he is born to the earth, she comes with him, they always find each other and fall in love all over again." He was a romantic, and there was such beauty and aesthetic in the stories of Vishnu. "And Krishna had 16008 (or 16108, the stories are inconsistent) wives, each of whom he loved dearly and spent equal time with." "No, they vary from region to region, and they look different depending on which deity or which deities they are dedicated to." -------- "oh?" he froze and his mouth hanged open in amazement "seriously, that's the cutest thing ever!" ------ He grinned, "It gets cuter than that, he originally only had 8 wives, but 16000 (16100) of them were slaves of the demon Narakasura. After Krishna slew him, the women would not have a place in society as old servants of the late demon, so he married them out of kindness to protect their dignity. And they lived happily with him in his kingdom. One of the stories say that the mischievous God, Narada, asked him if he could take one of his wives -he had so many, after all- for himself. And Krishna agreed, provided that Narada would marry the one who he finds alone." He smiled, he loved telling stories, his eyes were still full of wonder and admiration, hands naturally moving to gesture and illustrate the nature of his words. "Narada went to the home of each of the 16008 wives, and in each home, his prospective bride was accompanied by Krishna who was very close with her, laughed and was intimate with her or even raised children with her. He finally realised that Krishna splits himself into a being for each wife and spends the night with them all simultaneously while in the daytime his selves combine as he performs the duties of a Prince." He actually learned to play the flute because of the stories of Krishna. -------- Romulus listened carefully and smiled all the while "I wish my Gods were as generous. Jupiter had quite some trouble with his jealous wife. Not as much as the Greek ones though. Personally I try to keep my relations with women open, it's not ideal but it's manageble that way. I could not handle more than two loves at the same time, Id go crazy I think. I was really blessed Greece and Egypt liked eachother." -------- "Haha," he had a sudden mini-film of flashbacks, one after the other, building up his spirits and crushing them, devastating him and consoling him all at the same time. He walked into a corner. Rubbing his head and torn out of his five seconds of silence he looked at the other, "You were blessed, catfights can turn ugly." -------- Rome nodded. It looked to him India had not been so fortunate with girls. "Well, girls are strange anyway" -------- He didn't have time to wonder what the other had thought to himself after watching his host walk into a wall, because when the stars faded from his view, he realised that they were by the temple. "We're here! Alright, now first we must remove our shoes and secure them." -------- Romulus tried not to laugh when the other hit his head "...ehh, you ok?" He opened his bag and took out a package of wipes offering them to India before he took a few to clean his face, hands and feet. Then took his spare sandals out. "secure them, you said?" -------- "I just showered," he said as he declined the wipes. He regarded the other fondly, "You know your temple etiquette, I'm impressed." It was very important to go into the temple with a clean body, but foreigners weren't required to observe each custom. "Yes, sadly they may get stolen by the time we return if we don't tie them to the pole." -------- "That would be a something, these.." he hold up his sandals "... Are the only thing that they truly 'respect', my boys" he smiled "I could put it al in the bag, although Id like to have the full experience, ha ha. Or uhm should I leave my bag here as well? I can take my pictures out, I have pockets in my jeans" having pockets was new to the roman. "If they take it then that's that. I try to live minimalistic now. It works rather well for me." -------- "They only truly respect your shoes?" He cocked his head to a side, "Your boys have strange tastes." He smiled and shook his head, "Carrying it in your bag is alright, just so long as your footsteps are pure on temple grounds, you needn't do anything else!" "Take your bag, you can carry all your items with you, though I wish you'd left some more in the house." -------- "Yes well, I'm not sure if they fear my fashion sense or the beating" he laughed. "Next time I'll leave it all at the villa. I'm just so used to carrying my stuff when I travel I didn't even think about it, silly heh?. This..." he shook his bag "...is everything I own, apart from my armor, which I left at a friends place in Reykjavic." He looked excited at the temple then back at India "It's just stuff. All that is important is stored up here" he said as he lay his hand on his brow. -------- "You sound just like an Indian aunty." He laughed, but in all his youthfulness, he still got the odd threat of being whacked by a slipper or rolling pin. "It's good to be detached from material things, but I don't know if you really are. I'll make sure that you do not part with your things if it can be helped." Unbeknownst to him, the monkeys had already taken his fidget spinner. -------- Rome put the sandals in the backpack and followed his friend to the temple silently. It sounded and smelled like a another world than the market they just visited. Temples were different yet the same in other countries. He felt truly at peace now. -------- "Now should we go to the elephants or the coals first?" He said with an excited smile, clapping his hands together as his hardened feet lightly kicked at the scorching temple grounds. The coals weren't a problem but he was trying quite hard not to hop around in front of the other. Of course he couldn't hide his relief when they came to a shaded path. -------- Rome shook his head, his new friend was an idiot. "Ok, show me your wonders first." they were quite alike, he thought. -------- Where was the lie though? Perhaps it was just a matter of eccentricity, all the ancients were excessively eccentric, India just happened to be worse than most. "Yes! Alright then, where was it again- that way? That way!" He dragged the other along, they could see children running along and playing, parents scolding them, those of marriageable age praying for luck- the atmosphere was bustling the way the market had been, yet it also felt different. As though there was a sense of lightheartedness in the air, everyone was smiling. It was a stark difference from temples dedicated to other deities. -------- Rome grinned as the other pulled him along. India's enthusiasm sure was contagious. Young countries more than often were so... serious. "You really are excited aren't you?" Rome still wasnt sure this was such a great idea but "you smile like an idiot" It was super cute to see him like this. -------- "Of course it's been years since I've done it!" That was cause for worry but clearly the thought hadn't reached him, he was immensely confident in his abilities. He found the coal pit, it probably hadn't been used in forever- there weren't so many young people who'd do it- burning one's feet off to prove their courage clearly didn't appeal to them in the way it appealed to more religious generations. "It's alright if I'm a cute idiot." He said as his eyes scanned for a handler, aha! He got one, he might have given the old man a fright for he must have only met him 20 years ago or so. "Shankar!" He called out in a similar tone and quickly got the man to light up the coals. He turned to his guest and whispered, "I think he thinks that I'm a form of the God... What do I do?" Would it be even more confusing to explain the whole nation thing or should the old man be humoured? It wasn't a simple and obvious moral choice. -------- Rome had to admit "fit for the asylum but equally cute" Rome thought for a moment "Let the old man think what he will. He'll be honoured..." he started laughing "When I was young I used to prank the poor souls. I would put on sandals and rub my feet madly at this wool carpet and then go around and electric shock people, HA HA! Some really believed I was the grandson of our King of Heaven. It was just a cheap trick but the faces they'd make... Ha HA" -------- He raised an eyebrow and laughed, "What a mischievous young boy you were!" The man looked old, perhaps he wouldn't live long- ah but somehow he may just live forever, one could never tell. In the end he went with his guest's suggestion, it wasn't a matter of personal pride, he just wanted him to have a good day. And he wouldn't do anything to purposely feed the idea! "Fit for the asylum?" He pouted, "Thats not very fair on me. My mind /is/ sharp." -------- "Hmn,... That is yet to be proven. But it only takes one look to see you're cuter than me. Maybe I get to outsmart you then. That's a honourable field to beat you in." he grinned "though I bet there are people who'd say Im just as wacko" -------- "Oh don't try to outsmart me," he spoke with such light-heartedness that even while he was facing the coals with as they were being lit, his tone was carried without the other seeing his smile. He turned to him, "Though of course you are handsome and there is no contest between our looks." Personally he was a better judge of the feminine beauty, for men it was hard to explain- there were too many different types of handsomeness that had never been given the same attention. Whether it was rugged or smooth, muscular or slender, there were too many handsome men to compare them all. It was during thought processes like this, that the Indian was filled with vexation as he couldn't understand why his country was yet to allow two men or women to be together. /Everyone/ is attractive and appealing. "The fire's been lit!" -------- Rome was about to challenge the other when India's reply left him speechless. He knew he should surpress his emotions because they would become overwelming. But he didn't. He accepted the compliment and felt so strong and beautifull he could move mountains now. He was all warm and fuzzy inside and it showed. "So it's on, this is it. I think you are really brave. I will cheer for you! " He bowed his head a little and gave him all the space to get ready. Please Gods watch over my friend, he's so precious. -------- He was dazzling- when he was so happy. India blinked at the sudden change, he hadn't thought it possible for the Roman to get even brighter and happier than he had at many moments throughout the day. Somehow, a part of him was worried that he'd made him feel too much, but he was also pleased that he left some sort of memory on the other. Though the latter was quite immature of him so he chided himself for it. "This is it!" He winked when the other made way for him. But beyond the coals was an idol of his beloved god, he folded his palms together, pressed them to his chest and bowed. The man gave him a garland of flowers and he took them carefully. "And now you'll see the walk." He murmured, before doing just as he promised. Now there was science to it, temperatures cancelled out and the time the coal made contact with his feet, whether they stick to the feet, how dry they are- it all mattered. But while watching him, it looked effortless and practiced. It was in equal parts fascinating and unnerving. He deliberately walked as slowly as the embers would allow, not rushing, but getting through the walk with grace, and back onto the sand at the other end. He hung the garland on the Krishna. A turn and a thumbs up, "See! It wasn't as bad as you expected, was it?" -------- Rome was blown away "That's incredible! How do you... Are you sure you're not hurt?" he turned to the old man "that's my friend, look at him" Rome run up to India and hugged him "sorry i doubted you, I saw you do this just now and I still not believe it!" Rome was blown away "That's incredible! How do you... Are you sure you're not hurt?" he turned to the old man "that's my friend, look at him" Rome run up to India and hugged him "sorry i doubted you, I saw you do this just now and I still not believe it!" -------- The old man looked just as stunned and India welcomed the embrace with a grin. "I'm sure, I'm sure." He lifted his legs and while they were covered in ash, there were no burns. He dusted them off easily, somehow even on one foot he looked as stable as an oak tree. "You must believe it, I will teach you how it works but I will not encourage you to try this /feat/ today." -------- "Oh, I'm so relieved you're ok." Pffffftttt HA HA HA "Ah indeed that would be a bad idea. The sand is warm enough for my feet!" the roman grinned -------- He smiled at the other's laughter, there were two types of reactions he was used to at this stage, groans and complaining or laughter. He genuinely thought he was funny so of course Rome's encouragement was confirmation of that notion. "Oh yes, the sand's scorching isn't it? Let's walk in the shade." He thanked the old man and bowed in front of the idol, before dragging the guest to a completely different part of the temple. "Now that I've done the impossible, it's time for you to bond with elephants." -------- Rome took a deep breath "Yes, I can do this!" he would make India proud. It was a totally irrational fear and he would face it. As simple as that. What could possibly go wrong? -------- India smiled encouraging but he was actually already running various scenarios in his head, how close to the elephant would he be able to bring the other, how would he keep the elephant calm- Should he let the Roman do this himself or should he lead by example? Elephants were brilliant creatures with much patience, but would something go wrong? He stopped the other and took some bananas from the tree, there weren't many ripe ones left but he got those on the brink. "Here, take half of these." He was going to do his best to make this as easy as possible. -------- Bananas perfect, he thought to himself. But felt tensing up already. Just because Rome was used to do whatever, whenever he was ordered to didn't mean he felt less. His mouth felt dry. He knew this would make him feel miserable, but that wasn't important. The fear was real, the treat wasn't. -------- He looked so tense, it made him feel a little bad, India pulled him into a tight hug. "Hey," he whispered, "calm yourself, loosen your muscles, breathe, breathe in as deep as you can, breathe out as much as possible, just focus on your breathing and you'll feel a lot more prepared." -------- He hold his breath with the sudden hug. Then slowly breath out again. He really was pumped up, ready for a fight. His nostrils wide, jaw clenched and soldiers stare picking up every essential detail of his surroundings. His arms hung unmoveble at his side when India wrapped his around him, like they were cut out marble. He did however lay his head against him. "yes sir, please let me go to feed it -------- How the Roman managed to get more stiff, went beyond him. He patted his head and looked downwards in thought, still hugging the other there. "Easy now, you're not about to wage war on Jaipur, are you? Hehe, I'm a little nervous, you /must/ comfort me from the thought before you go befriending elephants." He let go of the other and held his hands out wide, "I felt like I was hugging a tree!" What a bossy host he was, but he still felt that the had nervous energy threatening to spill out, call it a gut feeling. -------- There was a carefull grin on his face. He bit his lip and tried to order all the different thoughts plaging him. He dropped his backpack and bananas and duck back into a hug. The fingers of his rough hands, meant to wield a blade, running delicately over his back. He leaned into him with a whisper so close you could feel it "I could never harm you. -------- He laughed, finding the whispers ticklish and mirrored the way he felt the other stroke his back, "Is that so?" Perhaps there was a difference in 'could' and 'would' which the other ignored, but maybe there wasn't. "I won't give you a reason to, and neither will the elephants. Are you relaxed yet, or shall we walk around for a bit longer?" -------- Rome wouldn't let go just yet. "I'm glad we've came to an understanding. I will not tax Jaipur since you are so kind to part with it. It just needs a more fitting name" hmnn "I don't know, do I still feel like a tree to you?" apart from the broad chest haha "... I like your cuddles, they are better than Germanic ones. And you're not even drunk." -------- "Oi, who said anything about me parting with it?" He laughed, trust the other to take his opportunities when he saw them. "No, you're not much like a tree anymore, I'm glad too- Even I would feel like a fool for having seen a man in a tree." He smiled, "I'm the embodiment of therapy, of course my cuddles are the best." -------- "Ah you could carve a fine man out of it, mr tree hugger, but marble is finer." he let go reluctantly. "I don't need therapy. I have no sisters to grow a crush on, haha. Though id like it if you'd show me how to improve my cuddling." feeling lucky are we, Romulus? -------- "I could, but I prefer metal to stone and wood for such pursuits." He laughed, "You could get therapy for less than that these days." With a grin he winked, "It's not easy to teach, if you'd prefer, I could give you an ayurvedic massage instead." -------- "Really now?! Id love that, you spoil me greatly!!! But I still need to feed the elephants, because you showed your bravery too!" he indeed felt much better now "I promise to be a good boy and nice to them. They are your friends after all!" -------- Now those words certainly served their purpose in relaxing him. His lips curled to a smile and he nodded, "Then follow me, we'll head to their stables." What bravery, he had only done a small performance for the other, but if it inspired courage in him, then he had nothing to say. -------- Rome quickly slung his back over one shoulder and followed. As they got closer he heard one trumpeting and this startled him so much he grabbed the others arm rambling something in his native speech. -------- "Relax, they won't hurt you. They're not even out in the open- I think." He placed his banana-holding hand, as reassuringly as he could, on top of the hand that grabbed him. "And you will soon get used to their beautiful strange sounds!" -------- "I'm ok,.." he laughed nervously. He peeked around the corner if he could see them. "omg... They are huge!" Rome pointed his banana at India like a pistol "you, go first. If you do anything funny I WILL use this" he smirked -------- He stepped back, "Oh no! I suppose I have no chance now-" He took a banana from his own bunch and tossed it up, catching it as if it were a gun as well. "No funny business, you can't run away while I'm not watching." -------- "Not so fast!..." he aimed for the kill CLICK CLICK CLICK "why you little cheat, mine is unloaded!" he stuck his between his belt "Romans never run, dying in battle is prefered above decimation. Well,... there goes nothing, it was nice knowing you" Carefully but determent he approached the stables. He stopped only a few meters away facing one, breathing in his hands for a moment to calm himself. -------- "Unloaded? Hahah! That was not any action of mine." He returned the banana to his side gamely and nodded, "But of course, it was not my intention to insult your honour." He watched him from a distance as he walked to the elephants, still debating on his role in this matter. Finally he stepped up when Rome had paused, moving past him to the elephants and cooing soft greetings in the local tongue. He placed a hand on the trunk of one. "Gently, come forward and hold out a banana." -------- He stepped forward and peeled the banana. "On behalve of my people I ask p.please forgive us. We are really sorry." He looked at the big creature and tried to read it's eyes but it was hard cause his were tearing up. He kneeled and presented the peeled banana. "please accept" he was terrified. -------- Of course the elephant didn't quite speak, but the brownish grey trunk rolled around the banana and it opened its mouth wide, revealing rows of sparkly white teeth and in went the banana. And back down came the trunk. Shiv leaned in expectantly, and watched as the elephant expressed its gratitude by resting it's trunk on the Roman's head for a moment before removing it with a soft toot. "I think you've been blessed!" -------- Romulus almost didn't dare to look when the elephant brought the fruit to his mouth to happily munch it away. He looks a bit like a big cow he thought. His heart skipped a beat when the trunk returned. But instead of a smack in the face he got petted softly. India's comment brought a smile to his face. He stood up tall again. "This one is really kind" still scary though "Did you see how carefull he hold the banana? If he had more trunks he could play piano..." Rome joked. When turning to India he suddenly felt really lightheaded and his vision turned black -------- "They usually are, we pamper them so much here too, it's a lesson taught to them by example." He wouldn't go as far as to say that they are always like such. He was glad that Rome was keeping it together, he felt proud! "I saw, I saw! He really likes bananas, and you're a wonderful banana feeder. Hahaha, maybe one is enough to play the xylophone-" Time seemed to stop, he watched the other's legs, first seeing knees buckle, dropping the bananas, he moved quickly to catch him. "Ah well then, this is enough of a victory for today." He pressed his forehead against the other's and smiled, "You did really well, I hope you are still proud of it when you wake up." He got the others arm around him and walked a few steps away, bowing to the elephants before they left the area. Soon they ended up in the shade and India rested besides him, leaned on a tree. -------- When Rome opened his eyes again it took a moment to realise where he was. "1-0 for the elephant, Im seeing angels." He felt pretty stupid as he carefully got up again "...well... At least I did better than last time. I think this one likes me" -------- "He definitely likes you!" He helped him get up and lent him his shoulder, "I think it's a fair 1-1, you got something out of it by managing to feed him. Be proud of yourself." He looked at him for a moment, "Is this enough for today, or do you want to try again?" -------- It was a succesfull deed even though the end was a slight bitter. He was tired of all the emotions really. "You won't tell anyone, right?" he had a reputation to think of or whatever was left of it "I will do what you think is best. You are my guide and teacher, are you not?" -------- He had a twinkle in his eye as he smiled, "You mean I cannot speak of how you conquered the mighty elephant's heart and got a blessing from the icons of Lord Ganesh?" He patted him on the back, "Then my verdict is simple, you try again. I'm not one to encourage leaving work half-finished, you've come so far, you can only get further than this." He linked their arms together and held the bunch of bananas over his shoulder, "But this time we take him for a walk." -------- India was kind to him but would make him give everything and a little more. Then again Romulus was quick to do about anything for his new friend. In a way he just liked to show off his strenght and bravery to be the brightest pupil of the class. "Only if the elephant is okay with that." Romulus really was a puppy that took touching of any kind for a friendly pet. -------- He looked at the bananas through the corners of his eyes, "I think that the elephant can be convinced." Nodding in thought, he smiled. "We can spend some time with the youngster elephants, you might even find them cute." It was all part of his plan to ease the other into relieving himself of the unease. Of course it was a plan that he would not take credit for, any result at the end would be a result of Romulus' hard work alone. -------- "You mean they are brought here when they are young... Or do they breed them?" Rome could not picture it, it simply had never occured to him that they too had offspring like other animals "Do they have nests?" Imagen stumbling upon a nest full of angry little trunks?! -------- "Probably neither." The thought hadn't really struck him, "Well as they're temple elephants we really aren't keeping them captive, we are living with them." He chuckled quietly, "They're freerange Elephants, I suppose. Though carrying idols is all we really ask of them." The poachers however, would shoot them down for their ivory and the thought crossed his mind like a cloud dimming the light. But that was a separate matter. "Nests?" A shocking mental image, "They don't have nests, they tend to travel around the jungle in herds. Here they stay under the care of their mothers and caretakers." He removed his hand from the other's when he spotted an aforementioned caretaker, after convincing him, the man joined them to lead the way to the small elephants. India was clearly in awe of the little ones, he rested a hand on the Roman's shoulder and pointed, "Look at how cute they are!! They're like puppies- but cuter." Honestly, it was taking him Herculean efforts to keep from unlatching from his guest and hugging the rather big, little ones. -------- Rome was still processing what he was seeing. The smaller elephants were more moving about. "herds?" vague memories of sheep past his mind. These did not move like sheep. More like cows. "They don't lay eggs... they are nursed like cubs and calfs. They have mothers" He turned to India and seeing him cracked him up "Won't the mother eat us if we get too close?" -------- "Well not if you win her over," he winked. "These elephants are communal, they don't see you as a threat. They're quite intelligent, Ganesha the elephant-headed God is also known for being the God of wit." He rubbed the head of a small elephant that wandered near them and it squeaked. Elephants...squeak. "Isn't she adorable." He grinned and waved his hands, the elephant child waved its trunk. -------- "Hold on... You've got a God with a elephant head?" wow. Rome hid behind India when the little one came close. It was different now they were all loose. He laughed at the sound though, more like a relieved giggle. this was all crazy. He gasped and hold it's hart as the animal waved at them "oh my gods, it's waving at us like a human being. Tell me I'm not imagining things" -------- "Oh yes, I'll tell you about him later, if you're still curious. He's also the God of overcoming obstacles, maybe his story will inspire you too!" Poor Ganesha, though he was very very witty and India enjoyed his stories. He grinned and laughed, "You're not imagining things, they're very smart. Though this one is just copying me." He moved his away grandly and then towards Rome's shoulder grandly. The elephant followed and it lightly smacked him as its trunk slid down his side. India stifled a laugh and pulled the other along to the others. "You can pet them if you like, that which you felt is about the worst that they can do to you now." -------- He let out a panicked yelp but when the little elephant pulled back it's trunk and playfully hopped along he just stared at India in disbelief. He made it whack him. Romulus walked up to the little ones and tried to pet one. pulled his hand back. tried again. When he finally did it didn't feel like a snake like he thought it would. -------- What a sweet sight it was!! Well since Rome went his own way, India was free to dramatically fall to his knees and trap a little elephant in his loving embrace. "Aren't they sweet?" He rubbed its little head and sighed contently, elephants are the best. Animals are wonderful. Life is great. They were all so squeaky and cute, he could say he lived the perfect life and pass with no regrets if his death were to be in an 'elephant nest'. Ah, now this was why he found them dangerous. He gave too much of his heart to them, he gave the elephant one last hug and looked up at Rome, "How are you holding up?" -------- While India was enjoying his moment of pure bliss the poor roman ex-empire was attacked by a playfull bunch of elephants. He walked away, they followed, he walked faster... in the end he was defending himself with a folding chair as an improvised shield over his head and a broom against the nest of trunks patting him "save yourself" he said. -------- He blinked and tried not to laugh at the sight, "Are they troubling you? They must really like you, I'm sure they're only playing." He stood up and patted the dust off his clothes before ushering the elephants away from Rome, "Po da! Odi po°." He patted them away and got a trunk to the arm but didn't really find himself hurting over it. "You did wonderful- please don't hit me with your broom." Where did he even get that from? He set down the folding chair though. "I think they're ready with the bigger elephant. Are you ready?" °"Go on, run and go." -------- Rome played some chords on his broom then smiled tossing the broom back where he had found it. "you wont let it hurt me, right? I'm not as tough as I used to be... If he breaks my spine, this time, I'm not so sure I'll be able to walk again. I haven't really put myself to test it fully yet... "

[illusoirereveur-archive-blog]

(*As of today, I’m going to begin the process of archiving this blog.

And since the last time I brought this up, I had some people messaging me with a bunch of questions, I’ma post some of them here and hopefully clear some things up. Just check under the cut.*)

But why are you deleting this one? Because I came on here to have fun, interact with, and meet people, and lately, I’ve felt more like a meme resource than someone worthy of interacting with.

Are you going to use the same url? I’m still undecided on that, but probably not. I’m also going to become highly selective about who I’ll follow, and I feel like using the same url as I have now will encourage people to refollow me, and that’s precisely what I’m trying to avoid.

What about all your threads? I’m going to put up a post either later today or sometime tomorrow with a list of all the threads I currently have drafted (the urls of the other person and the links to the last response). If people want to continue the thread with me, then I recommend letting me know asap, otherwise all drafts will be dropped when I officially close this blog down.

Can I have your url? If you have to stop and wonder whether or not I’m going to give you my url, then I’m probably not. I understand that, eventually in time, people will find me again and start following me, but no, I will not be making a post that redirects toward whatever my new blog is. Real easy spoiler alert: if we’ve never talked ooc, then chances of me giving you my new url is really low.

But you are going to continue roleplaying? Yes. I love roleplaying, and I love all the fun things I have gotten the chance to do here with Ienzo. All the interactions and connections both I and my muse have made have helped me develop into what illusoirereveur has become. I’m not walking away from roleplaying altogether; I just feel like this blog in particular has gotten away from me. It’s messy and disorganized, I have followers who don’t interact, and I follow people that I’m still too scared too approach. Overall, it’s just more anxiety-inducing on here than it is fun lately, and I would like to change that.

Are there any other ways to get in touch with you in the meantime? Absolutely! In addition to having two other roleplay blogs (both of which will probably become more active in the time it takes me to start Ienzo back up), I have a Skype, Discord and, in the case of people who don’t have either of those, I’m pretty okay with exchanging phone numbers to text if we’ve spoken ooc enough. My two other rp blogs are @deliquescedheart && @heredeutnocte. Feel free to IM or shoot me an ask for my Skype or Discord.

If there’s anything else that you still wanna know, I’m around. My ask and IM are open. And please, don’t message me apologizing for not interacting with me or not sending me asks. I’m not doing this for pity or sympathy or apologies to make me feel better. I recognize that a lot of the reason this blog has been declining is my own fault, mainly for going on hiatus so many times. I’m not holding it against anyone, and I don’t need anyone to apologize. If you’d like take advantage of the fact that I’m remaking and maybe start plotting or interacting, then by all means, come scream at me in my ask box or Skype or wherever. Seriously, I adore every single one of you. Like I said before, Ienzo would have never become what he is today if it hadn’t been for everyone that clicked the follow button and supported me. So thank you all for every opportunity you’ve given me, and I hope that some of you will still be willing to follow me into a new chapter.

♥ Star

[khaliasama]

What server are u on? Also I just got ffxiv for my ps4 and I haven't started yet but I was wondering if u had any tips for a newbie :>

i play on Balmung! aka the hardest server to get on because it’s the unofficial RP server ; w; (like literally the only way to guarantee a spot is to either pay for a transfer or wait for the servers to blip or crash momentarily and then make a character. it’s really annoying!)

(i’m putting this under a read more because it got a little lengthy)

okay, let’s see tips ummmm let’s see:

don’t stress out too hard about picking a permanent class/job. you can switch at any time so long as you have it unlocked and have at least one weapon appropriate for that class/job. experiment around if you find yourself getting a bit bored! the neat thing about ffxiv is if you have one class/job at a higher level than the others, you’ll get bonus exp leveling others until they’re caught up with your highest level!

that said, keep on top of your class/job quests! you get a lot of skills and even some equipment as you go and the quests specifically are there to teach you how to use these new skills

at level 30, you can pick a job. all jobs (except the heavensward ones i believe) have pre-requisites where you need to be level 15 in another class. this site details what you need leveled in order to achieve the job that you want in the end

once you have your job ALWAYS keep your soul stone equipped or else you’re not the proper job. it may seem like a silly thing, like duh! of course you wouldn’t forget your soul stone. you would be surprised

playing your job ‘properly’ doesn’t stop at just having it leveled and having all the gear! be sure to have all the necessary cross class skills for the job you want to play! it’s super important! you don’t need to worry about this right away but later down the line if you want to know details hit me up again and i can tell you what you need for the job you’re playing!

don’t rush just to get to end game. like trust me here! i know it might be tempting to bully through everything to get caught up but there’s no rush! take your time! enjoy the story and the environments and THE MUSIC!

you’re actually starting the game at a really good time. when the new expansion drops, a lot of things are going to be changing so it’ll probably be easier for you to adjust to the new changes!

don’t worry too much about gathering and crafting right out of the gate. they will always be there and they can be very overwhelming to begin leveling so just concentrate on your battle class.

oh! and do the novice hall training! it teaches you the basics of the game and you also get a very nice set of gear that stays with you for a bit and has good stats! so you don’t have to scramble for armor early on!

once you get your chocobo companion, that thing is your best friend. it can tank, heal, or do extra dps for you! and it levels up and gets skills! it’s awesome! (i’d probably go heal or dps first though depending on what you play)

also don’t stress too badly about leveling up in general. doing the whole main story questline should get you to max level with little extra work needed. when i leveled up, i only had to do a tiny bit extra

that being said though, doing some FATEs isn’t a bad idea! you get extra money and grand company seals that are a form of currency and kind of useful now

OH YEAH and do your hunting log! keep on top of that! it’s easy peasy exp and money

and finally, just do your best to have fun! if you get a little anxious about going into dungeons alone, don’t sweat it! just take deep breaths and do your very best. there are some bad apples in the community but generally you run into nice people. ask questions if you’re unsure about something and if someone’s a jerk to you then just push through and forget about them! i’d recommend Balmung as a server to come to because it’s not too terrible but like i said, it’s nearly impossible to get on unless you pay to transfer or just get super lucky. i think the other servers in my data center are alright for the most part, just not nearly as populated. i think i’d might say stay away from Gilgamesh though. that’s the raid server and i never hear good things about Gilgamesh haha. 

okay i think that’s mostly it. hopefully i didn’t overwhelm you, but there’s a bit to remember at first. i hope you have tons of rad fun! ffxiv is probably my favorite mmo right now even though im on hiatus. i just love it a lot despite any complaints.

now for some resources!

FFXIV Wiki (main wiki)

Gamer Escapes FFXIV Wiki (i pretty much only used this one for looking up monster locations for hunt logs and looking up crafting recipes)

Eorzea Collection (previews for all glamour sets currently in the game. handy for when you get into glamouring at level 50 and also for if you wanna see what kind of gear your future job(s) are gonna get)

MTQcapture (youtube channel that specializes in making guides for all dungeons, trials, and raids in the game. they are super concise guides and very easy to process)

but yeah i think that mostly wraps it up. feel free to pop more messages into my inbox if you have more questions and i’ll try to help! i should be returning to the game sometime next year. a month or two before 4.0 drops hopefully!

have fun and welcome to the wonderful world of Eorzea! o/