#in repayment to the boy you destroyed who was kind to you anyway

[elizabeth-dicewielder]

Having emotions about Naminé again

[twilightknight17]

Yesterday on P3R: like three hours in Tartarus, Secret Meetings, and spending more time with Koromaru than anyone else.

I have made it to floor 100! It was like floor 109 by the time I left, but I was very proud. And kind of surprised that there was nothing weird on floor 100. But hey, bringing Koromaru along is reward enough.

Also did a bunch more persona fusions, so I’ve got a new fusion spell. All of my fusion spells so far other than Orpheus’s are Frosts. It’s very silly. XD

He’s so big. XD

Anyway, it’s been like 3 hours, everyone is low on stamina, time to head back and get back into the social link grind.

...are you serious??? We were literally there ALL NIGHT, when did someone wander in???? Ffs. X’D

Oh well. Later. Right now we’re going out for ramen with my rival track bro. Apparently every single restaurant in the mall lets him eat for free.

Dude, seriously, what the heck? Although… I’m getting some vibes that this guy probably doesn’t have a great home situation. So it’s probably a good thing that he’s at least getting regular meals. There really are good people in this city.

Junpei is off hanging out at the mall, and has noticed someone new and interesting! There’s a girl sketching, and she basically brushes him off and tells him to move out of the way when he goes to see how she’s doing.

She wasn’t with Takaya and Jin when they locked us in the military base, so poor Junpei has no way of knowing that this is one of Strega’s members. :/ He has a point about her outfit, though. Even Mitsuru was complaining about how hot it is today.

I arrived home to find Aigis engaged in a stern discussion with Koromaru about how he is not allowed to take himself on walks. Apparently Akihiko was supposed to take him, and has not returned home yet, so because Aigis ALSO can’t go out without supervision yet, it falls to me to take him.

Which is not a hardship at all because he is the bestest boy.

However, on our walk, we ran into Takaya, who is just… openly wandering around without a shirt and carrying a gun even during normal hours. Koromaru doesn’t like him instinctively, but he says he just wants to talk, so we head up to the shrine. He wants information.

It’d be a lot more fair if you’d get your hand off your gun. I know that one is real.

But, he says I can ask him a question first.

Well… they don’t really seem to have some grand goal in mind. And they’re getting in our way because they don’t want us to destroy Tartarus and the Dark Hour. So…

Hahaha, very funn-- Okay, actually, he’s joking, but it would be funnier if it was true and only Minato thought he was shirtless.

Basically, he wants to know why we’re so determined to throw away our powers. He says that if it’s because of the shadows, that’s the wrong way to look at it. He explicitly compares shadows killing people to car accidents. Plenty of people die in car accidents every year, but we’re not trying to destroy cars.

(Which is a half-valid point if you ignore the fact that the Dark Hour only exists because of mad scientists, and also some of those people who die during the Dark Hour are because of Takaya shooting them.)

...funny you should say that, since out of everyone in SEES, Mina is the least likely to care about anything, at least in the beginning.

Not wrong, technically. Like, yeah. You don’t have to help. But you’re also not the sole arbiters of what to do about everything, and your opinion would probably have more weight if you hadn’t already locked us in an underground facility to starve to death.

He does note how special Minato’s power is compared to everyone else. He really doesn’t get why Mina, specifically, would want to give all of that up.

……it’s not the blessing you think it is, my dude.

Anyway, he hands off a piece of paper with some info as repayment for helping him out before, and heads out. He really did just want to talk, which is… refreshing. Like, Strega is not a bunch of indiscriminate madmen. We’re still going to be enemies, but they’re not monsters.

“Test subjects”, huh? So Grandpa Kirijo was into human experimentation, too. Great.

Fuck it, I’m going home to brush Koromaru.

He’s soft and shiny~ But we can’t stay here all night, sadly. Time to stop, boy.

...okay, fine, a little longer.

The bookstore isn’t ready to rank up yet, so I head out again with Mamoru. I’m learning a lot more about his family situation.

I’m assuming he’s pushing himself so hard because he wants a scholarship. I get the vibe that the family doesn’t have much money. And unfortunately, his father is dead. Which, dude, I’m so sorry. That’s terrib--

…………okay I might be going to hell because I snorted a little bit. It’s just so abrupt. A cliff? Where are there cliffs?? X’’’’D I’m still sorry for your loss but omg.

Having Koromaru in the dorm means you can pet him and shake paws. 10/10, no notes.

And I opted to spend the next day with him, because he likes to chill out front and people-watch.

An old man who used to be friends with the priest came by, and he told us that Koromaru had been taken in by someone else once before, but he always kept going back to the shrine. Now that he’s staying with us, it’s because he’s chosen to be here. We’re his family now.

He makes us promise to take care of each other, and… I can do that. For sure.

[itsybitsylemonsqueezy]

Oh gosh i literally LOVE your analysis thank you. And what about Majima??

Awww, thank you very much ^^; I’ve been having a good time writing these, I”m glad people are enjoying them. And everybody’s free to ask for seconds too, if interested. *breathes deep* Hoo boy, you pulling out the big guns there. Okay lads, settle down, it’ll be awhile. 

character: hate them | don’t really care | like them | LOVE them | THEY ARE MY PRECIOUS

I would give my life for Majima Goro. But I won’t because that would trigger him to fuck and back. Best boy, golden son, I am mad fucked up about him. I don’t even have time to explain all my feelings about Majima fucking Goro. You can tell because I can’t go a single fucking post without mentioning him. *whispers* I love him. 

ship with: Y’know how sometimes things are popular and you don’t get why? This is not one of those times. It’s cliche, but Kiryu Kazuma is the popular option here For A Reason. Like, I started Zero not knowing a fucking thing about Yakuza, as I think many do. And I wasn’t at all sure how Majima and Kiryu were going to be with each other, I had heard that they were the going ship and that seemed legit enough. Kiryu’s a nice boy, Majima’s a nice boy, they’d probably get on. But you make it through Zero and they don’t meet, not even once. They vaguely hear about each other and if they thought enough about it, they’d probably figure out that each other was holding the other half of their story, but there’s only that 5 second meeting in the epilogue, after the entire game is already fucking over and... Oh Shit. 

That, my many gendered gentry, was an imprinting in live time. 

But first, let’s back up a second, because I bet you’re all wondering about the Other important love in Majima’s life. So Makoto, Makoto... As I discussed in my Saejima post, after Anagura, Majima is living to die. That’s it, that’s his only goal in life, to get back into Tojo and wait there so his brother knows where to find him when he comes to kill him. He’s not looking for any other attachments in life. Because that’s the way Majima loves, body and soul, his whole existence dedicated around one thing. And he’s already signed himself up for sacrificing himself as repayment for Saejima’s sins and wasted years in prison. But then this... tragedy happens. This hit that isn’t a hit, this villain that’s really a victim. Everything goes wrong and Majima is left with do I commit the unthinkable to shorten my wait for my brother or do I forgo my brother’s rightful revenge to save this innocent? And Majima can’t. He can’t. 

He could never kill and he can’t turn his back on someone who needs help. And she does need him, specifically, there’s no one else. Anyone else couldn’t be trusted, or if they can be trusted, they’re dead. Majima is the only person he and Makoto can trust so he’s just here, doing his best, trying to keep her alive in the face of everything he wants and all the power and hate the underworld of Japan can offer. He would sacrifice his one goal of staying alive for his brother if it means keeping Makoto safe. Is that love? Oh yes, but not the livable kind. You don’t come back from that kind of dedication. Majima loves Makoto as gods love: completely. It is without judgment and without reason. That’s not the love of one finite person to another finite person, admitting, exploring, and cherishing all the flaws and limits therein, it’s not even the love of a parent to a child or vice versa. It is infinite love, all-consuming and all-destroying. It is not cognizant of personality, worthiness, or risk. It just is. In many ways, Majima does not know Makoto, he doesn’t see her, neither, ironically, does she see him. These are not two equals of mutual interest enjoying who each other is. This is a far less personal and far more profound experience. It’s like a calling, a quest. And it’s not something a stable relationship can be built on because it doesn’t actually have anything to do with who Makoto is in her day-to-day life or who Majima is in his embodied, finite experience. This is love as a philosophical point, as a moral decision. 

It is the greatest thing I’ve seen in my life that he lets her go. That sort of love will destroy you if you let it, it crushes your existence, your personality and sense of self, entirely into that of another. And you can’t live as a part of someone else, you cannot actually live for someone else, not sustainably, no matter how badly you want to. It’s the strongest thing I’ve ever seen done that Majima has the power to walk away from her and walk away from that sweet, blinding death. To choose a finite, flawed, embodied, but his own individual existence rather than let himself be consumed in an idea. And that they walk away from each other where they can both survive it. Where the idea of what was and what might have been doesn’t drive them into despair of all earthly, finite joys. Because who would choose to have a normal, dirty, working life where you are required each day to be an individual with your own wants and desires that are spurned and rewarded by turns of luck rather than the pure, golden existence of perfect moral agape? And I’m so glad that they walked away before they could be blinded by it, again, ironically enough. 

But the fact that Majima is capable of that level of love is truly terrifying. And then how fascinating that he walks away from it. That he chooses a harder, darker life that will have the normal range of joys and disappointments. The restraint it takes. The incredible, unbending sense of self and to decide that there are selfish, individual things worth caring about, even if you had the chance to become selfless for the rest of your life. I don’t think we talk about or think about that Majima walking away there was a moral choice. He wasn’t walking away from happiness, he was walking towards a different happiness. And, most importantly of all, even though he is still waiting to be killed by his brother, the fact that he walked away means that Majima is much healthier and much less self-destructive than he was at the beginning of Zero. He could have escaped it all if he went with her. But he doesn’t. And that fucking blows my mind.

I love that Majima grows after Zero. That his absolute nihilism changes as he allows himself to care about people again, maybe even care about himself again. Especially after Shimano’s death, he starts to develop relationships and things that he cares about as soon as it is safe to do so. He decides that he isn’t going to waste away waiting for his brother, he will live in this time, even if it has an expiration date. He will build something he cares about. And I think, in no small part, knowing Kiryu gives him the courage and the will to do so.

Because Kiryu is this shooting star in the dark night of Majima’s world. He is this mighty pillar standing amidst slag and waste. Kiryu does things that are right because they are right, with no thought to his own gain or risk. Kiryu does things that are right at tremendous personal risk and will fight through people trying to stop him. And Kiryu will win. Not only does Kiryu agree with the way Majima thinks and feels but, mother of god, eh actually has the power and strength to survive. 

Think about that. You’re Majima Goro and every day since you became yakuza, you have been kicked down, tortured, and abused just because you wanted to do the right thing. You have watched countless friends, allies, and enemies be shot and killed in front of you because they were trying to do the right thing. You have no choice but to do right in the secret places of your heart, to do good only in ways that can never be traced back to you, in ways no one would confuse for being good, kind things. Because it will get you killed, or worse, it will get the people around you killed. It’s not paranoia, you’ve seen it happen, your nightmares are filled to the brim with the blood and horror or good people dying just because they were good and it’s your fault, it’s all your fault because you didn’t warn them, you let them get close, you let them see you were a good person and you can NEVER. EVER. let that happen to anyone again. 

And then there’s Kiryu. Stupid, mutton-headed freak with the arms of a lumberjack and a heart as white as lilies. He’ll be dead tomorrow, you know it. He’s too good, he’s too kind, and he’s not afraid. He’s not damn near afraid enough. He has no idea what’s waiting out there to snap him to pieces. But he’s there tomorrow. Not even a scratch on him, still standing, still strong. You try to warn him, you try to beat him in a way he can survive so that he learns to never try to be good again. But he beats you. He actually fucking beats you and what the fuck are you supposed to do with that? He’ll still die anyway, there’s no way he’ll live where so many have been slaughtered. And he’s still there tomorrow. You pester him, you follow him, you watch him closely, to see what he does, who he is, how is it he’s still alive? It must be some trick, he’s either not as good as you think he is or not as strong or, or... something! Because it’s impossible, it’s impossible that anyone could, that anyone could... 

And he smiles. He smiles at you, like he can see right down to that tiny, beating, pure heart you’re trying every second to wrap in barbed wire. And you’re done. You’re fucking done for. He smiles and... it’s all fucking over. Whatever happens now, whether he dies or lives, it’s too late. He’s everything you ever wanted and it breaks you that he, somehow, wants you too. Because who would smile at you if they didn’t know you? Oh, he’s dumb as rocks still, but... the way he looks at you, in those moments when you fuck up, in those moments that if someone was watching, they would see you. And he sees you. And worse, he thinks he likes it. And... oh god. You love him. This will all end in tears. 

But it doesn’t. Kiryu’s alive and the same and that’s... that’s wonderful. And that’s the love of two people, two people who see each other and know each other and, god help them, like each other. Despite it all, the risk and worry and the problems, they just... get along. That’s why I ship it. 

(I also ship Kiryu/Majima/Tachibana sometimes and we’ll save my essay on that for an entirely different post.)

brotp: Saejima Taiga, obvs. I will not repeat my sentiments on why that’s the brotp here, there’s the Saejima post for that. But I also put Nishida and Kage right up there as Majima’s best bros. You got Nishida out here doing his best to keep his boss from dying and facilitating Majima’s ridiculous courtship ploys and trying to articulate Majima’s feelings for him when Majima Won’t because Nishida cares So Fucking Much about Majima. And he knows that Mjima hates it when people care about him, he knows Majima actively does tno want you to like him but... Nishida’ worked with him for too long not to know what a good, kind person Majima really sis, even if he’s trying his best not to show it. And god damn it, but Nishida’s not going to let him live in misery when he’s got a heart of gold like that. 

And Kage too, he and Majima look out for each other. They enjoy the odd cage match and a morose drink of fine liquor. They’ve both seen tragedy in their lives and Kage tries his best to convince Majima not to give up all hope. That Kiryu boy, he really likes him. Even Kage can see it. He’d be happy to... no, no, alright. Just thought he’d say. 

Because Majima has that effect on people. He makes friends wherever he goes because he’s a good time, he’s generous and kind and has a knack for picking up people who are down. And he’d do anything for you if you didn’t have a friend in the world. He has so much love to gives and slowly, slowly, with time and healing, with the death of Shimano and the return of his brother, slowly Majima is allowed to feel safe in loving people once more. And it warms everyone’s heart to see him happy and whole with a family and friends. Everyone he’s touched just wants him to be okay, after all he’s done for the world, please, just give him this little bit. It’s all he ever wanted.

general opinions: I Am Love. I LOvE HiM. I lOVe. I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE. I Love HIm. *sobs*

[hiddendreamer67]

Gilded Cage- The Witcher

What’s that? Peter Pan Witcher AU, you say??

Summary: Geralt has been watching Yennefer through her window for weeks now. Jaskier flew ahead to scope it out tonight, and now Geralt’s fairy is doing time behind golden bars.

Word Count: 1,623

(In which young Geralt is Peter Pan, the lost boys are all witchers, fairy!Jaskier is his chattering Tinkerbell, and young Yennefer is the mysterious Wendy.)

Feel free to send in more prompts from my bingo card below! Also check out my writing blog @hiddendreamerwriting for more of my work!

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“You are one insane little girl.” Jaskier huffed, his wings twittering irritably on his back as the fairy fluttered about, trying to find a weak spot within his new prison. The golden bird cage seemed perfectly sturdy, unfortunately. “Mentally deranged, in fact. Completely off your rocker!”

“Hmm.” Yennefer gave him a predatory grin, for an eerie moment sounding like Geralt. “Could an insane person do this?” She pushed the side of the cage with her finger, making it sway.

“Yes! Indubitably- indefinitely?” Jaskier cursed his own lack of focus. “You cannot lock me up. Young lady, if you’re even a lady at all, I demand you release me at once!”

Yennefer huffed. “And why on earth would I, pixie, when all you’ve done in chant school yard insults in my direction?”

Jaskier felt his face turning very, very red, and forced himself to try and calm down. He couldn’t let his temper get the best of him, not when this child was holding all the cards.

“Now now, let’s be reasonable.” Jaskier hovered to the middle of the cage, crossing his arms to look stern. It never worked on the lost boys, but perhaps girls were different. “I am a very important fairy, darling. Without me, the very essence of nature would be thrown entirely off balance. Centuries in the making, gone! Poof! I certainly wouldn’t want that to rest on your young conscience, knowing you single-handedly destroyed the world.”

“I don’t have a conscience.” She teased.

“Of course you don’t.” Jaskier muttered. He fluttered up closer to her end of the cage again, glaring. “I’m serious, you know. 100%, total collapse of the earth, entirely in your hands. Ooooor, you open this measly little door, let one harmless fairy go free, and BAM! Savior of the world, right before me. Oh, wouldn’t that be wonderful? You could save everyone, wow, what an honor!”

Yennefer didn’t seem keen to take his deal. Even worse, she didn’t seem to be paying any attention to Jaskier, instead staring out the window.

The music-talent fairy couldn’t make sense of it; here was a child who has successfully caught a fairy, possibly the first to do so, and she wasn’t even interested in the actual fairy? What? Jaskier knew it couldn’t be about him personally, after all he was a sight to behold. A wonderful conversationalist as well (when not trapped in a cage), and though Geralt would never admit it Jaskier knew he made a delightful companion.

“...alright.” Jaskier sighed, knowing his curiosity could get him into trouble. “I’ll bear this burden, address the elephant in the room. What is it you want with me, hmm? I can’t grant wishes, not really my specialty, music’s really my passion but you don’t seem like the lullaby type-”

“You’re with the flying boy.” Yennefer cut him off, once again glancing his way.

...oh.

It wasn’t a question, but Jaskier answered anyway. “Well I’m certainly not with anyone now.” He laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. Strictly speaking, Geralt was meant to be a secret. Of course, so was all of fairy kind, but clearly that ship had sailed.

“Don’t play coy.” Yennefer rolled her eyes. “It’s unbefitting. He’ll come for you, of that I’m certain.”

And- well, she had a point. Jaskier had to hand it to her, it wasn’t a bad plan. Geralt may take pleasure in telling Jaskier off, but Jaskier knew the boy cared for him deep down in that stone heart of his. After all, it was Jaskier who had first found Geralt, the first lost boy, helping him settle on the island before they both discovered more abandoned children to bring to neverland. Jaskier was constantly flitting by his side, ever since Geralt first united the boys under one name: The Witchers.

But, sadly, despite their history, Jaskier knew when Geralt came it wouldn’t be for him.

“And if he doesn’t?” Jaskier asked bitterly. “Plan on keeping me behind golden bars until I starve to death? I won’t make it easy on you, mind you, my death will be slow and painful and vocal, I assure you.”

Yennefer considered this for a moment. “I suppose I’ll just have to transfer you to a jar, then. Put you out of your misery when the air runs out.”

Despite the teasing glint in her eye, her blatant comment made Jaskier turn furious. His chittering rose to such a high pitch that to Yennefer’s ears his swearing sounded more like tinkling bells. The young girl laughed, amused at his plight.

In all the commotion, a light breeze at the window went unnoticed, a figure with glowing eyes floating in to stand on the windowsill. He cleared his throat, immediately pulling all attention to himself. The young boy was dressed in dark rags, white hair tugged out of his face.

Yennefer let out a gasp in awe, appearing almost reverent. “You’re here.”

“You took my fairy.” Geralt jutted his chin towards the cage, and Jaskier ignored the pleased warmth that came with that title.

“True.” Yennefer admitted. “But I assure you, your firefly is unharmed.”

“Hmm.” Geralt’s face betrayed no emotion as Jaskier’s voice went too high to hear again.

“Mouthy, isn’t he?” Yennefer tilted her head, glancing at the fairy. “Don’t know how you haven’t gone deaf.”

Geralt’s lip twitched, clearly torn on how to respond. “...I’ve no idea.”

“Geralt!”

Geralt sighed at Jaskier’s indignant response. “Release him.”

The girl stood up, crossing her arms and coming closer to Geralt. “No manners? Perhaps think you can give me orders because I’m a little girl?”

Geralt wisely said nothing.

“Or perhaps you think it’s alright to come peer into my window when I’m sleeping.” Yennefer squinted at him with a knowing eye. “How long have you been watching me sleep, witcher?”

“Mmm.” Geralt looked displeased with where this was going.

“Hope you enjoyed the view.” Yennefer moved her hands to her hips. “But I think it’s only fair I get some repayment, I know fathers who have beat boys for doing less to their daughters. Not that mine would give a damn, of course, but a lady deserves her secrets.”

“I hardly think it’s fair recompensation, my life for his adolescent tendencies!” Jaskier called out, completely neglecting all the times Geralt had to save him after Jaskier’s own wandering eyes got them in trouble.

Geralt growled in his direction, clearly embarrassed.

“I won’t keep your fairy, boy, not to worry.” Yennefer patted Geralt’s cheek, making the lost boy flinch away from the unexpected contact. It had been years since someone had touched him so, even in jest. “I only ask for one favor.”

“What’s the favor?” Geralt asked.

“Teach me to fly.” Yennefer glanced out the window. “So I can escape this life.”

Jaskier and Geralt shared a look, glancing around the elegant nursery. They had met plenty of abandoned or neglected children on the streets, but in such a lavish home?

“You’d miss this life.” Geralt murmured.

“Don’t speak for me as if you know a thing about my life.” Yennefer snapped. “My choices are my own. I won’t stay where I’m not wanted, no matter the golden trim. My parents play a charade I want no part of and they’ve made it clear my less vocal siblings are preferred. I will start anew on my own terms.”

“Or you’ll die on the streets.” Jaskier piped up. “Starving, freezing, perhaps abandoned on a bench. Only so much pixie dust to go around, really, before you end up in the middle of nowhere. At least here it’s safe with a luxury pillow beneath your head.”

“Jaskier.” Geralt issued in a warning tone.

Yennefer ignored the musician’s squabblings, narrowing in on one fact in particular. “Pixie dust?” She glanced between them. “Is that the secret to how you fly?”

Geralt let out a long sigh. “No. And yes. It’s … complicated.”

“Then perhaps you should un-complicate it.” Yennefer challenged. “Or I’ll simply push you off and learn by observation.”

Geralt raised an eyebrow in a gesture that clearly stated ‘I’d like to see you try.’ Yennefer stared him down, the two clearly caught in a silent match for dominance.

“Let Jaskier out.” Geralt was the one to break their silence. “Only then.”

“Say please.” Yennefer challenged.

Geralt stayed quiet.

“Oh Geralt, come on!” Jaskier threw his arms out. “It’s one word, we’re so close- give the crazy child what she wants?”

Geralt’s jaw tensed, his teeth gritted. “...please.”

Yennefer smirked in triumph, sauntering over to the cage. “And I thought manners killed witchers. Perhaps you’re not all uncivilized urchins.”

The moment Jaskier was free he zoomed over to Geralt’s side, tugging at the boy’s hair. “Alright, we did it, time to go!”

Geralt looked at him as though he’d gone mad. “Jaskier, she let you go. I need to help her.”

“She also kidnapped me.” Jaskier hissed, clearly still peeved to be in the nursery at all.

“And you both spied on me first.” Yennefer frowned. “We can play the blame game all night.”

“No need.” Geralt brushed Jaskier to the side, easily stepping towards Yennefer. “I’ll teach you to fly.”

Jaskier felt his heart shattering, watching Geralt so casually pass him by. This was his big fear, the reason he had flown ahead to try and lock the nursery window. Geralt had fallen head over heels for Yennefer the past few nights and that was before she was even awake. Now Geralt continued to take her side, even when she proved herself to be a dangerous fairy-napper.

The music fairy huffed, sliding down to sulk atop the bookshelf. With his luck, Geralt would want to do something reckless like invite the girl back to neverland.

[xsteriism]

Too Good to be Bad

Chapter Two: Love is brewing

by celestial-irondad

2, 028 words

2/?

click on the chapter title to read on ao3!!

——

Tony wakes up without a headache for the first time in a long while, feeling light and well-rested, and the usual body aches he has aren't there to make him regret all his life choices. He smiles unconsciously, stretching a little in the giant bed he’s in. Is this what actual sleep feels like? A whole eight hours of sleep? How long had he been asleep, anyway? Granted, he was knocked out by the powerful villain, but this was probably the best sleep he’s gotten in years.

He turns to find the sorcerer sitting in a rocking chair, reading a thick book with his cup of tea left forgotten on the table beside him. When the sorcerer feels Tony’s heavy gaze on him, he chuckles lightly, placing his book down gently and helps the billionaire to a sitting position.

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” he speaks, voice low and sultry. Tony feels his cheeks heat up, smile turning uncharacteristically shy. Didn’t he use to be a playboy? Damn it, where did all his game fly off to? Where was it when he needed it?

They sit in silence for a while, before Tony realises he hasn’t greeted the person who gifted him the best sleep in years and without the need for sex as repayment. “Mornin’. How long have I been asleep?”

“A little over twelve hours,” comes the reply, along with a gentle pat to his head. “You must be hungry. I’ll be back in a minute with food.”

Before Tony can say anything, the sorcerer has left the room. The billionaire sits in stunned silence for all of two seconds before he’s snatching a pillow from beside him, burying his face and screaming into it. He hopes the sorcerer doesn’t have enhanced hearing, even with all the magic, because Tony will cry literal tears of embarrassment if the man hears his muffled squeals.

Tony will admit he’s not straight. He’s been with boys and girls alike— some really good-looking people, too. But, he doesn’t think he’s seen any one of such high calibre before. Stephen Strange’s looks, knowledge and magic are all top tier. He is the whole package and Tony isn’t sure how to feel at the thought of the villain taking such an immediate liking to him.

Him! Of all people! Tony Stark, an egotistical playboy who has no care for anyone but himself. Tony Stark, the evil billionaire who nearly destroyed the world, once. Tony Stark, the man who couldn’t be loved.

Even Steve Rogers said so.

“The only person you really fight for is yourself.”

“You better stop pretending to be a hero.”

If Mr Good and Righteous says he’s these things, then he must be those things, right? Who else is he? What else can he be?

But, oh. The sorcerer is really, really, really attractive. When Tony stepped into the room, the first thing he noticed was the sorcerer tied up, sitting on an uncomfortable wooden chair but somehow looking like he had risen from hell, burning ashes, flames and all— a magnificent being. Then, he spoke and by God was Tony sold. His voice was deep, a soft timbre that made Tony warm with all the good emotions he hadn’t felt in a long while.

Before he can gush more about the very no good, very bad villain who has kidnapped him, said person opens the bedroom door and walks in with a tray filled with an array of different types of breakfast food.

“Eat up, my darling,” the sorcerer says, smiling gently as he places the tray on the coffee table his neglected teacup was on. “We can’t have you going hungry, now can we?”

Blushing at the endearment, Tony gets up with the help of the sorcerer before a mini table appears before him.

“I wasn’t sure what types of egg you preferred, so I made them all,” he says as if making every single type of egg is a normal thing to do. “Don’t worry about food wastage, I’ll deal with it.”

Tony can’t help but compare the villain to his teammates. This man is the feared and ruthless Doctor Strange, but all he has done thus far was care for Tony. The villain had ensured he slept well, was fed and comfortable. Tony doesn’t think he’s met a nicer villain. His teammates, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about his health. The engineer tends to work for days on end without supervision sometimes, unaware of time passing if it wasn’t pointed out to him explicitly. His teammates would turn a blind eye to his unhealthy habits, only caring when they wanted something out of him. When that happened, someone would force their way into his lab, demanding he spent ‘quality time’ with the rest of the Avengers over dinner in the living room.

“How long have you been cooped up in this stuffy room?” Steve had once said, giving Tony that look of disappointment that nearly made him flinch. “Come up and have dinner with us, socialise for a while.”

And how could Tony refuse him? How could he refuse Captain America when he’s been told time and time again that he was the downfall of the Avengers even though realistically, he knew he wasn’t?

He quickly realised all they wanted from him was upgrades for their weapons and suit when he went to dine with them. Clint wanted sharper arrows and Steve wanted a lighter suit. The rest of the team hadn’t even been there, out eating on their own. Tony had wondered if his sole purpose on the team was to be their mechanic.

It didn’t help that Tony spent most of his life wondering if he was inadequate, incompetent, or… faulty. How could he not, with Howard nitpicking every single flaw he had? He tried his hardest to get Howard’s acknowledgement; from building his first circuit board to being accepted into MIT, Tony had given his everything to please Howard.

Not that it made any difference when his father hit him anyway.

But Stephen is different. A very good kind of different, the type of different Tony knows he needs. The man was careful with every action when it came to Tony, eyes gentle and hands soft. It doesn’t seem like they had only met a mere few hours ago. The way Stephen acts around Tony is as if he’s the only one in his life, someone to be cherished and loved.

Tony doesn’t know what to make of it. He also doesn’t know how the man got his name, but Tony isn’t a subtle character in their world, so it makes sense that he knows. Besides, if Tony had his resources to know about the villain, then Stephen would have his.

Within the next few days, both Stephen and Tony got comfortable around each other faster than either of them had expected. They even have a little daily routine of their own; Tony would be forced to wake in the morning, dragged to the kitchen by Stephen to have a proper breakfast before they would sit by each other in the library and do work. Then, the engineer would design new inventions he had in mind while the villain read his antique books quietly.

Even though Tony was kidnapped, he’s not feeling like a prisoner in the Sanctum Sanctorum. He has full reign of what he eats, when he eats, how he eats. He can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. The only thing he doesn’t have control over is what time he wakes, but the sorcerer waking him up at the asscrack of dawn is… a good thing.

God knows how much his sleep schedule needs work. Maybe being kidnapped by the villain is the first step to get his life back to normal human functionality.

Although Tony wasn’t being tortured or anything of the like, it is disappointing when the Avengers still don't save him three weeks into his capture. Is he just a dispensable team member to the Avengers?

No matter. Tony can see how bad the Avengers are and if they can do without him, then he can do without them, as well. He is Tony Stark, a genius, billionaire, philanthropist. He is Iron Man, someone who has taken the Ten Rings down. Tony doesn’t need a few people, enhanced or not.

But it still hurt knowing he would never be on their priority list.

On the first day of the fourth week, Tony is awakened by alarms blaring throughout the Sanctum. The first thing he thinks of is, ‘who’s attacking New York this early in the morning?’

Then, when he rushes out into the main hall, where Stephen Strange already is, he finds the Avengers staring right back at them. Tony frowns, not expecting the Avengers to save him, expecting them to be happily living on with their lives without him. But before he can make a smart-ass quip about how the Sanctum is closed for the time being,

“Tony, let’s go back home,” Steve Rogers speaks, arms crossed over his chest, going for an intimidating kind of look, but Tony has seen it so many times he doesn’t feel the fear he used to anymore.

“Home?” Tony asks, huffing his disbelief at his words. “The Sanctum has been more of a home in three weeks than the compound ever had.”

“Stop being so difficult, Stark. Hurry, let’s destroy Strange’s base and go,” Clint voices his complaints, hands reaching for his arrows.

The villain steps in, hands glowing a scary green as he chuckles darkly. “I had let you all off the hook when I took Tony with me the other day and yet you still dare come into my personal space and threaten me. Do you all wish to die?”

“You all seem to care,” the sorcerer spits the word out as if it’s poison, “for Tony, but you take weeks to come ‘save’ him. From what he has told me, he is much better off here than wherever you reside, no matter how gorgeous it may be.”

Steve frowns, unfolding his arms. “Of course we care about Tony. We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t.”

Stephen doesn’t even bother to answer the captain, choosing instead to pull Tony away from the main hall, insulting the Avengers by indirectly telling them they weren’t formidable opponents. Tony is sure he looks confused when they teleport to the library, feeling very much lost. The sorcerer just smiles and cups his face gently, making Tony’s eyes flutter shut with the unexpected feeling.

“We shall not waste any more of our time and energy on them,” the villain declares, “they are not worthy.”

Tony smiles, eyes still closed. “I… I like you, Stephen.”

It’s the first time Tony’s calling Stephen by his name and he can hear the sharp breath Stephen inhales. He smiles wider, the warm feelings rushing back to him, feeling like a pubescent boy who had a crush.

“I know you’re a villain and I know I’m not,” Tony starts, opening his eyes slightly to see a starry-eyed villain. “But the feelings you give me… they don’t feel bad— you don’t make me feel bad.”

Stephen blinks, unsure if he had been complimented or not. Tony lets out a soft giggle that startles them both, speaking again, “normally, I don’t confess three weeks into knowing someone, but I…”

Tony is interrupted by a kiss.

It’s the first kiss he’s had in a very long while. Stephen holds Tony as if he’s fine china with his trembling hands and Tony can feel the way his lips are quivering as well. The smaller smiles through the kiss and presses closer, taking the bold step to deepen the kiss.

And honestly? Forget butterflies and fireworks. Tony’s feeling as if wildebeests are stampeding in his tummy and magical fairies are throwing their pixie dust on them like confetti. Their kiss is more than just magical and Tony can already tell he’ll be addicted to the sorcerer’s kisses.

Plus, they say pixie dust is known for making wishes come true.

Oh, yes, Tony thinks his wish is coming true.

——

hello my darlings!! chapter two is finally up after weeks of nothing. tbh, i wasn’t really feeling this chapter and i deleted a few (many) scenes from the final cut and i still dont know how to feel about this chapter.

pls gimme sum luv (like and comment!!!) bc i tried really hard on this 

also, i'm an irondad blog but here i am, using my 100th post for ironstrange

taglist: @funkylittlebidiot (bc you’re the inspiration for this post and i wasn’t sure if you wanted to be tagged or not) @jake-the-snake-from-state-farm @considering3000homicide @justpassingby007 @ragingstillness @el-rezet @the-fifth-marauder101 @marvels-blue-phoenix (because you’re almost always the first to like my fics and i see you and i love you) @officialtonystarkprotectionsquad (bc you always support me and i also love you) @technically-a-little-dragon (ily bby, i hope u enjoy this!!)

[imaginedanganronpa]

Can you please do some Yandere Kokichi x Kaede headcanons?

I know it seems like I’ve been doing a lot of Yandere Headcanons lately, but I have a lot in my Inbox and I didn’t realize how many of my Requests weren’t involving a Reader S/O. I hope you guys don’t mind and enjoy!

Yandere!Ouma Kokichi x Kaede Akamatsu Headcanons!

Ouma wasn’t entirely sure where his feelings for Kaede stemmedfrom: maybe it was her determination and drive, or maybe it was her overallpositive attitude. Even in the bleakest situations, the peppy blonde alwaysremained calm and optimistic.

But he wasn’t the type of person who fell for someone this easily.He was so busy with his organization and secluded life that he didn’t letjust anyone in – that had to mean she was special,right?

Plus, Ouma wasn’t the best at showing his feelings and he had anunhealthy way of presenting them. He knew that Kaede had a thing for thatstupid Detective boy, and if he were to simply waltz in between the pair thennothing good would come out of it.

He developed a strong hatred for Saihara – what was so specialabout him, anyway? Why did Kaede want to spend all of her time with Shuichi and not him?

His “cute brat” personality was just a mask that he created tohide his true behavior and much darker intentions. Ouma normally called theothers “-Chan” anyway, mainly for his own amusement, but he called Kaede his “Beloved”or “Beautiful” and made his feelings towards her much more prevalent. There was no doubtthat she knew how he felt about her, but then why was she continuing to ignorehim…?

He keeps photos of her lined along his walls with scribbled heartssurrounding them. There’s an entire bulletin board in the DICE Headquartersdedicated to Kaede Akamatsu, where Ouma and his men have planned to steal heraway for quite some time now.

But there were some nuisances to take care of first. Saihara wouldhave to be disposed of, otherwise he’d be able to track her down in no time. 

Ironically, Ouma also keeps a dartboard with Saihara’s face printed in the center beside Kaede’s shrinefor when he’s feeling particularly hostile.

And he’s even bought the most expensive, extravagant piano he could find and put it in his organization’s Headquarters so that she has it to play once he finally steals her away.

He has followed Kaede home numerous times and knows her dailyschedule like the back of his hand. He’s also implanted a listening device on her backpack sothat he can hear her beautifully played piano as well as any conversations shemay have with those of lesser importance.

By now, Ouma knew everything there was to know about Kaede – heraddress, friends, family, and so on – he knows her entire life story.

When he’s close to her, his world feels much brighter and moremeaningful. Ouma will purposefully sit close to Kaede but is far toointimidated to actually strike up a conversation with her, so he gets as closeas he can tolerate and tends to pay more attention to her in class than theactual lecture.

Anytime the others point out his attraction, like Tenko or Angie,he will become inherently irritated and aggressive, as well as spew threats;but he’s able to hide behind his “cutesy” personality and play this off as justanother joke.

Ouma can feel himself being driven to madness over this girl, buthe doesn’t really mind. He has a plan to make her love him; and she’d be lyingto herself if she said that she didn’t… in his mind, at least. In his head, Kaede was attracted to himas well and simply using Saihara as a scapegoat.

All of his benevolent teasing aimed at the Detective was a way forhim to take out his pent-up aggression.

Kaede was too kind to notice Ouma’s glares whenever she talked toanyone other than him. That, and she didn’t necessarily pay Ouma very muchattention, but the others surrounding them certainly noticed by now. He alwayshad a twisted, evil expression whenever she was enveloped in someone else andit sent chills down the spines of his classmates.

His way of communicating to Kaede is through pranks. He oftenteases her or plays pranks on her just to get her to talk to him, but it has backfired and warded Kaede off instead, which was the opposite of what he wanted.

Ouma also slips in love-letters addressed to her in her locker orbackpack when she isn’t looking. Little does she know, he has a hoard ofdrafted love-letters at his house that she has never laid eyes on, and she’sdiscarded them as another boy in their class trying to get her attention. Afterall, she was fairly popular, but Kaede never would’ve guessed what theyactually meant or who they were coming from.

He dreams about how he’s going to make Kaede his, and when he finally gets the courage to ask her out, she better say yes or else DICE will be coming for her. The pianist had no idea what was in store for her.

And anyone that stood in his way would surely meet a untimely demise. Ouma could take away all of their possessions and bury them in un-repayable debt as well as send a hit-man after them if he so pleased, all with just the snap of a finger.

Although his unsettling nature got under her skin, Kaede does her best to ignore it. But he can only keep this mask on for so long; boiling deep inside of his veins is a much more hostile and violent little man who has a burning desire to destroy and ‘get rid of’ all of the people in Kaede’s life so that she can only love him. First, starting with Saihara, then Rantaro, and going down the line until he is all she has left.

- Mod Rantaro

[crystalninjaphoenix]

Possessed: a Jacksepticeye Fan Fiction

Previous | Next

Part Three: Broken Homes

(Originally, this was going to be the last part, but it got much too long, so there should be one more)

Summary: The boys deal with the aftermath of Halloween night, and make a plan for the next day.

Warning, things get kinda upsetting in the first paragraph. Graphic description of stabbing and death. Skip if you’re sensitive.

The blood splattered on the floor, soaking easily into the rug. The victim choked, arms flailing weakly, trying to somehow staunch the flow from the wound on his neck. He’d only live a few moments more, but that was plenty of time to be in unimaginable pain. The killer dragged his knife along the victim’s stomach, splitting it open. The victim couldn’t scream, and only made a few small noises.The killer laughed hoarsely. He raised the knife and drove it into the victim’s chest. Then again. And again. Seven times he stabbed, the victim unable to stop him. But the killer was just as helpless. In his mind, he screamed over and over, silently begging the thing controlling him to stop, to put down the knife. But the thing only laughed, mocking him for being so weak, so powerless. He could do something, but instead he’s just watching it happen. If you want to stop it so badly, then do something. Cry out, call for help, scream in despair, say something, say anything, but you can’t, you can only watch...

Jameson jerked awake, breathing heavy. A nightmare. It was only a nightmare. But also a memory.

Sitting up, JJ tried to remember where he was. Sun was streaming through open windows. Everything was...clear. Much clearer than it had been for a long, long time. The events of the previous night suddenly came crashing down, bringing mixed emotions flooding with them. On the one hand, Jameson was free. Free from Anti’s influence, forever. On the other hand, decades had passed. Everyone he’d known and loved was probably dead. Friends, family, coworkers...

Jameson shook his head. He couldn’t bother these lovely people with all his troubles. What kind of repayment would that be, dumping all his trauma on the ones who’d rescued him? Actually...where were they?

JJ stood up. The screen from the night before—the TV—was turned off. A messy pile of blankets on the floor showed where Marvin had slept. The sound of friendly voices came from a nearby room. JJ wandered over and poked his head through the doorway.

It appeared to be the kitchen/dining room, though more advanced than the ones Jameson knew. The counter was covered in messy bowls and plates, jugs of milk and bottles of orange juice. A sliding glass door led outside to the backyard. Chase, Jackie, and Marvin—wearing the same outfits from the night before—were all present, Chase and Jackie arguing while Marvin sat at the dining table staring at a small black rectangle in his hand.

“I refuse to eat anything with blueberries in it,” Jackie said, folding his arms. “They’re fucking disgusting.”

“But you can’t take the chocolate chips!” Chase gasped. “The kids love them, and I’m almost out!”

“Alright, no chocolate, but keep those filthy little berries out of the batter. I’d rather eat the pancakes plain.”

“Or you could, you know, make two batches,” Marvin jumped in without looking up from the device in his hand.

“We didn’t make enough batter,” Chase explained. “And we don’t have ingredients for more.”

“Jesus Christ, Chase, what does it take to get you to go grocery shopping?” Jackie said, exasperated. “Any longer, and I’ll have to drag you to the shop by your toes.”

Jameson coughed, drawing the attention of everyone else. “Oh, you’re awake!” Jackie said, smiling cheerfully. “Great! Are you hungry? We made pancakes.”

JJ paused, taking in the mess on the kitchen counter. He raised an eyebrow.

“Well, we made the batter, at least,” Jackie amended. “Now we’re trying to decide if we want anything in it? D’you have any preferences?”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Chase rushed across the room, grabbed a notepad and pencil that was sitting on the table, and threw it to Jameson, who fumbled before catching it.

“Oh. Right. Sorry,” Jackie muttered, embarassed.

Jameson quickly wrote, No, it’s perfectly alright. We met each other just last night, after all.

“Don’t worry, I’ll remember,” Jackie assured him. “Now, d’you want anything with your pancakes?”

I’ll stick with the plain Jane variety, if you don’t mind.

“Got it.” Jackie turned to Chase and said triumphantly, “That’s two votes for no blueberries! That means we win!”

“I vote for blueberries,” Marvin said, waving his hand.

Jackie turned to him. “Oh, come on! We just reached a decision! Why do you always have to do this?”

“I like to fuck things up,” Marvin shrugged.

“Okay, you know what, we’re making both, we’ll figure it out,” Chase stepped in.

As Jackie and Chase set about making the pancakes, Jameson crossed the room and sat at the dining table, across from Marvin. “Hey, you ever seen a cell phone?” Marvin asked, waving the rectangular device he was holding. JJ shook his head. “It’s cool. Phones can do almost anything nowadays. And you can touch the screen. Check it out.”

Marvin handed the phone over, and watched as Jameson’s expression changed from puzzlement to wonder. “You can tap on the little icons to open shit,” Marvin said. “Not literally, of course. I dunno if that’s what you thought.” JJ tapped the screen a couple times, a small smile crossing his face. It lit up his face, and Marvin couldn’t help but smile back. When he wasn’t scared and traumatized, JJ was a right little ray of sunshine.

But in a split second, everything changed. Jameson’s smile fell, his face went white, and he dropped the phone on the table. “Whoa, what happened?” Marvin picked up the phone. He frowned. “It’s just glitching out a bit. My phone is kinda shitty like that. Are...are you okay?”

Jameson nodded, though he was still pale. Marvin wasn’t fooled at all, but he dropped it, changing the subject. “So, d’you have any idea where you want to stay?” he asked. “I mean, I guess you could crash with Chase for a couple days, but his kids come to visit on the weekends and I dunno if you want to meet them, or whatever. And Jackie’s apartment is pretty small. Have any ideas?”

A confused expression crossed JJ’s face. You didn’t suggest your own home in that list. Is it unavailable?

“No, ah, not exactly.” Marvin laughed nervously. “I guess if you wanna you could stay in my hotel room for a bit, but that’s not a, um, stable location. ‘Cause, you know, I don’t own it.”

If it’s not too rude to ask, why are you staying in a hotel and not your own home?

Before Marvin could answer—or think of a way to dodge the question—the other two provided a distraction. “Flip them now, Chase!” “I know how to make pancakes, discount Spider-Man!” “Not good pancakes! Flip ‘em!”

“Fucking hell, you two, why is cooking the thing that destroys your friendship?” Marvin said, exasperated.

“Who would’ve thought it came down to breakfast?” Chase sighed dramatically. Meanwhile, Jackie took advantage of his distraction to reach over and hurriedly flip the pancakes. “Hey! Don’t think I didn’t see that!” The two of them proceeded to wrestle over the spatula while standing next to a hot griddle.

“None of us are adults,” Marvin shook his head. “JJ, you better have some common sense, ‘cause this group really fucking needs it.”

I suppose that depends on your definition of ‘common sense.’

“Well, you can’t be any worse than the rest of us. Anyway, back to the question. Where d’you want to stay?”

Jameson hesitated, pencil frozen on paper. Then, slowly, This may sound absurd, but I would prefer to go home. My house, that is. I believe you know the place I am talking about.

Marvin frowned. “That...doesn’t sound like a good idea. Actually, it sounds like a terrible idea. A no-good, fucking horrible shitwreck of an idea, for so many reasons I’m gonna have to take a moment to process that you actually said it.”

“Pancakes are ready!” Chase said cheerfully, setting plates on the dining table. The buttery smell filled the room.

“And we got drinks, too,” Jackie added, carefully balancing a stack of glasses while holding a jug of milk and a bottle of orange juice.

“Be careful, Jackie,” Chase said, keeping an eye on the stack. “I don’t want to have broken glass on the floor when the kids come over.”

“Oh yeah, because you’re gonna leave any glass just on the floor for anyone to step on, for two whole days,” Jackie retorted. “Or, you know, like I’m gonna just not clean up my own mess. Anyway, there’s no need to worry, see?” He’d successfully set all four glasses on the table without dropping any.

“Oh hey, Jackie, can you explain to our new friend why it’s a fucking awful idea to go back and live in the old house where the evil creature is probably still lurking?” Marvin asked, overly polite.

Jackie looked at Jameson, puzzled. “Is that really true?”

JJ thought about it, then wrote, I don’t know where else I would go.

“Well, any of us would be happy to take you in,” Jackie assured him. “But if you really want to, I don’t think we can stop you.”

“Wha-what?” Marvin spluttered. “Okay, never mind the malicious, homicidal, supernatural entity. How about the fact that the place is a shithole that’s falling apart with holes in the floor? And there’s no food or place to sleep anywhere?”

“We can make it work,” Jackie said positively. “It can’t be too hard to fix up. And besides, it’s not like we can force Jameson to stay here, can we?”

Marvin looked like he very much wanted to do exactly that. Luckily, Chase saw the warning signs and jumped in with a solution, “Hey, how ‘bout we all go there together and check it out? Then we can see if there’s anything evil there, and how much of a fixer-upper it is.”

Recognizing the line Chase was throwing him, and not wanting to fight with Marvin, Jackie agreed, “That’s a great idea, Chase. And if anything goes wrong, we’ll have each others’ backs. You know, like a team. Eh, Marvin?”

The magician sighed. “Alright, I guess it can’t hurt. But let’s go after breakfast, okay?”

[okageshadowkingfannovel]

Book 2. Enter the Pink Hero and Her Parasol

Chapter 1.

Before taking on this weird quest, before leaving home for the first time in his life, before carrying on with the evil machinations of his master, the Evil King Stanley Hihat Trinidad XIV, Ari, the hero of this epic, decides to visit the small village of Tenel one final time …

- to beg for money.

Fourteen sukel - the change belonging to the ghost previously haunting the Church basement - feels especially light when it’s all you have to live on. Ari fiddles with the coins nervously in his pockets as he walks, wishing he ate a big breakfast before leaving and wondering if grass is edible.

As he approaches Tenel’s front gates, Stan pops out from Ari’s shadow.

“What’s wrong with you, slave? You still need something from this pathetic village? Don’t waste my time with foolish errands! We’ve got fake evil kings to destroy, my powers to regain, and a continent to conquer!”

Ari takes a deep breath and rubs at his forehead.

“I-I know, King Stan, but … but I will need to, y’know, eat while we’re out traveling. You won’t be conquering anything if I starve to death, right?”

The evil king pauses in thought, a claw held to the 2-dimensional equivalent of a chin.

“I suppose you’re right, my minion. But hurry up! Every second they have my powers is another abuse to my dark, malevolent reputation.”

With that, he slips back down into Ari’s shadow. The boy crosses over into Tenel and it strikes him that this might be the last time he passes through these absurd, non-ghost proof gates. As he walks, every observation has the sour taste of possibly being the last. This may be the last time he passes by the Parm Inn that only gets two or three guests per year. This may be the last time he passes by that scared guy, standing off to the side of the path, muttering to himself about the evil king supposedly hiding out in the Madril sewer system. This might be the last time he passes by Julia-

Julia!

Maybe it’s the glare upon her usually soft, angelic face or maybe Ari just has a natural flee response when it comes to being faced with potentially awkward situations - either way, the moment he realizes that it’s Julia giving him a less than pleasant look, he darts into the nearest shop and slams the door behind him. With his back against the door, he prays she doesn’t follow in after him.

“Oh! Ari!”

The soft words of Mr. Bakster and the overpowering smell of baking bread clue Ari in that he just threw himself into the Bakery. He remembers the small pebble in his pocket.

“Hello, Mr. Bakster, Mrs. Bakster,” he says, nodding to the husband and wife in their respective places of business. “Uh … my grandmother asked me to stop by to give you something.”

“Ari, we heard that you’re off to travel,” says Mr. Bakster, seeming to pay no mind to what Ari just said.

Word travels fast … guess I’m not surprised.

“Yeah, that’s right … I guess.”

Mr. Bakster stands up, holding a hand out towards Ari. He smiles a bittersweet smile.

“We’re going to miss you, boy.”

Ari doesn’t know what to say. He steps forward and takes Mr. Bakster’s hand in a hearty man-to-man handshake.

“The little miss will miss you a lot.”

He looks over to Mrs. Bakster who stands behind the front counter, staring down at the wood intently.

“Go say a proper good-bye, will you?”

Ari nods and gently makes his way over to the front counter.

“I’ll- I’ll really miss coming into the Bakery, Mrs. Bakster. Um … you and your husband have always been so-”

“Gracious!” she suddenly exclaims, “I just don’t know what to do about that gap!” Mrs. Bakster finally looks up. “Oh, Ari! I didn’t see you come in. I’m in trouble, boy. A gap has formed in the bread oven!”

“I-I’m sorry, Mrs. Bakster. Anything I can do?”

“Nevermind that, Ari. I hear that you’re going off on an adventure.”

He nods.

“Remember this! A man should act with dignity! Keep your chin up!”

“Y-yes, ma’am. Uh,” Ari mutters as he fishes the pebble out of his pocket, “by the way, my grandmother told me to deliver this to you.”

He places the pebble on the counter. Mrs. Bakster leans in to look at it.

“A pebble?” she asks incredulously, but then realization illuminates her face.

She pinches the pebble between two flour coated fingers. “I don’t know how she does it!”

“Does what?”

“This looks like just the right stone!” Without any further, helpful explanation, she turns and rushes over to the bread oven. “Yes! It fits in the gap perfectly! What a relief!”

Ari chuckles because he can’t think of any other way to respond to something so strangely coincidental.

“Your grandma,” says Mrs. Bakster as she returns to the counter, “she seems senile, but she’s far from it. She’s a mystery, that one. Well, I suppose this deserves a bit of repayment.”

Ari’s hopes soared. “Oh, Mrs. Bakster, that means so much to me. I thought-”

“To show my thanks, take this.”

Mrs. Bakster places a piece of bread crust on the counter. Ari stares at it.

“… b-bread crust?”

“Freshly cut!” she exclaims as if to make the “reward” more enticing.

Not wanting to seem rude in the face of such enthusiasm, Ari picks up the bread crust and cradles it delicately in the palm of his hand.

“Um … thank you, Mrs. Bakster. That’s very kind of you.” He finds an empty pocket in his rucksack and sticks the bread crust in there - mostly for show. “Um, I was wondering. I’ve got a long journey ahead of me. And my parents advised me to make money on the road. I don’t have much right now. I was wondering if you might have some … some old bread or maybe a few rolls you could … um, you could spare?”

Mrs. Bakster’s face turns soft and motherly. “Oh, Ari, of course. We would love to help you,” she says sweetly.

She darts around the bakery and slips a few goodies into a bag. With each roll and pastry she grabs, Ari’s mouth waters and his heart feels more full.

The Baksters really are good people.

“Alright, Ari,” she says, coming back and plopping down an overstuffed bag.

“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Bakster. This is so-”

“That’ll be 2 sukel.”

Ari pauses. “O-oh … uh.”

“Discounted just for you, Ari,” she says with a wink, “to help you get started.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Bakster,” he says, fishing two precious sukel coins out of his pocket.

“You’re a good boy, Ari. Have a good trip! Bring back lots of stories!”

“I will,” he says, giving a small smile and blushing out of slight embarrassment.

When Ari steps out of the Bakery, he looks around carefully, making sure there’s no sign of Julia and her horrible, angelic, agitated, pretty face. His eyes land on Tinkers, the blacksmith. It occurs to Ari that he no longer has the possibly magic, but probably not magic stick that saved him down in the Church basement. If he’s going to go running into a wilderness filled with wandering, flesh munching ghosts, a weapon of some kind may not be a bad idea … even if it’s got to cost less than 12 sukel.

Inside Tinkers, Ari is immediately greeted by a rush of heat, kept constant by the forge in the far back. The smell of fire licked metals flood his nostrils and he can hear flames snapping and a hammer beating down with a metallic clang.

Cool!

“Hey Ari, never seen you in here before.”

He looks to the right of the shop to find a young boy leaning over the main counter. He seems only a few years younger than Ari. He’s got dark hair and yellow brown eyes and his smudged up face lights up with a genuine smile. Ari guesses that this is the blacksmith’s son.

“Ha ha, yeah, I guess I’ve never had reason to.”

“I heard what you did in the Church basement. Getting rid of that ghost! You must’ve had a really cool sword or an ax or something, right?”

“Oh … eh, not really. I … I kind of just used whatever I could find.”

“What kind of weapons do they keep in the Church?” asks the kid, genuinely puzzled.

“None really. I … I used a stick.”

The boy burst out laughing. “A stick! Ha ha! Oh man, Ari! They’re all right about you! You’re hilarious!”

Ari chuckles along, begging to God that this kid doesn’t want the actual answer.

“Anyway, did your grandpa give you a sword or something?”

“My grandpa?”

“Yeah.” The kid pauses a beat. “Wait, you don’t know?”

“Don’t know what?”

“Your grandpa was a famous swordsman when he was young.”

Ari stares at the kid, cocking his head in confusion. “My grandfather? The grandfather at the Nameless Dwelling?”

“Yeah, and he used to make swords before he hurt his back. He’s famous among blacksmiths. My dad’s a big fan.”

“I had no idea. He-he never talked about things like that.”

Guess there’s a lot more to grandpa than I thought.

“What’s going on up here?” says the blacksmith, bursting in from the back. “Lot of chatter going on. Son, you finish your chores?”

“Dad, Ari’s here.”

“Oh!” The blacksmith, a bigger, sweatier, more muscular version of the son, turns towards Ari and smirks. “Hey Ari! You’ve done it! You’re really something, you know that! You saved my business from going under with the Church basement business you pulled. Thank you!”

“Oh, uh, I’m happy it all worked out.”

“Like most blacksmiths,” he carries on proudly, “we make and sell weapons and protective gear.” Suddenly, he wilts. “Unlike most blacksmiths, I’m stationed in a town where there’s nary a hero in sight. So, most of my time is spent straightening out and mending metal kitchen ware. But what can I do for you, Ari?”

Ari gulps, fearing the price tag to come at the end of this conversation. “Well, you see, sir. Um, I’m going off adventuring and-”

“Adventure always comes with danger,” says the blacksmith seriously.

“Y-yes, exactly.”

“There’ll be times when you need to pick up your weapon and fight.”

“That’s my trouble, sir. I don’t have a weapon. I was wondering if you might have something I could … buy. But I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of money.”

“That’s alright, Ari. I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of weapons.”

“Oh.”

“But let me see what I can dig up for you.”

The blacksmith starts bustling about the place, looking in cabinets and chests and moving around metal pieces in progress, clanging all the way.

“So, you’re really going on an adventure, Ari?” asks the boy, “do you know where you’re going?”

“I have a map. I hear a lot about trouble in Madril. So, I think I’ll go there maybe.”

The boy shakes his head. “A lot of bad things happening in Madril. Whelp, at least I got to see you before you left. Imagine it might be the last time.”

“Here we go!” exclaims the blacksmith as he rushes back over to Ari.

With a grand flourish and gesture, the blacksmith presents Ari with a shiny, incredibly sharp looking fruit knife. He takes the presented hilt and holds it up. It’s just about the length of his palm from tip to the bottom of the handle. Ari imagines it in a fight against another pair of frogs and the ghost and a sick feeling starts in his stomach.

“It’s great for eating fruit!” exclaims the blacksmith, “I’m sorry it’s not something cooler.”

“No, thank you, thank you,” says Ari quickly.

It’s better than a stick, I guess.

“Are there no swords here?”

“I’m afraid not,” the blacksmith admits, “I haven’t been asked to forge or repair a sword in over two years. That’s the swordiest thing I have at the moment.”

“Oh … h-how much do I owe you?”

“Please, don’t even mention it. You saved the entire town, Ari. Consider this my thanks. Now, I better not keep you any longer from your adventure. And we’ve got to get back to work. If you ever find yourself in Tenel again and you’ve got yourself a proper sword, come straight to me and I’ll service it properly. I swear it!”

“Thank you.”

“Ah, the adventuring life,” says the blacksmith wistfully, “makes me want to get out there with a sword, but I guess being the blacksmith is all I’ve got. I just make the things. I can’t go out there and play with them myself.”

Ari looks at the blacksmith curiously, finding the statement odd, but unsure what to say about it.

“I’ll come back and visit as soon as I can. Take care.”

After leaving Tinkers, Ari darts from place to place, saying his goodbyes, humbly asking for whatever scraps he can get, and diligently keeping an eye out for Julia so he can immediately run in the opposite direction. The parting words of his fellow villagers strike a chord with Ari and he can’t help but feel a surge of optimism when presented with their encouragement.

“Hey Ari! You’re going off on a trip?” says Nathan when Ari passes by him in the street, “looks like you’ve changed some. Don’t worry about Annie while you’re away. She’ll be in good hands! Count on me, brother-in-law!”

Ok, so maybe that isn’t the most encouraging, heart felt statement of the day, but the thought is nice.

“Hey, you’re awesome,” says the clerk hanging outside the Village Office, “you’re setting off to travel soon, right? On an adventure around the world! Geez, look at me - I ask a girl from work for a date, and she tells me, ‘Your Classification is Class Lazy Goof Off type.’ No respect!”

Ari isn’t at all sure what the latter part’s all about, but he says ‘thank you’ anyway.

Inside the Village Office, the woman who previously suffered a mental breakdown over Ari’s absence from the list, approaches him as he enters. He braces himself for yelling.

“Ari, I hear you’re going on a trip,” she says, calmly, “make sure you find out why you name’s not on the list. It still doesn’t make any sense. And that’s unacceptable.”

He nods and backs away slowly, leaving the Village Office immediately.

“Hey Ari,” says Levi when Ari stops by to visit, “so we both got dumped by Julia.”

Ari is struck by an overwhelming urge to not want to talk about this. But he let’s Levi continue.

“This is lame. From now on, you and I are pals. Friends in dumped-dom. Ha ha ha! See ya …”

“Slave!” Ari is startled as he leaves Levi’s house when Stan suddenly burst out from his shadow.

“You’ve wasted enough of my time! We are leaving! Now!”

No argument comes to mind to have them stay any longer. He’s said his goodbyes to practically everyone and his rucksack is well packed with kind-hearted gifts and items on sale.

“Alright,” Ari says with a heavy sigh.

“That’s better!”

Ari walks down Tenel’s main path, back towards the gate. His heart beats faster as he draws closer to the destiny that awaits him out in Tenel Field. He touches the fruit knife clipped onto his belt for easy access.

This is it. It’s happening. Really, really happening. And I didn’t even have to face Jul-

Julia is waiting for him in front of Tenel’s main gate. She has her arms crossed and her foot is tapping furiously into the ground. The look on her face is cold and harsh.

Ari thinks he would rather face a hundred ghosts than have to talk to Julia right now while she looks like that.

“So, you’re some macho touch guy, now?” she spits as he walks up to her.

“Um … no, not rea-”

“You’re going further and further away from my ideal!”

“I-I’m sorry?”

“I see what you’re trying to tell me.” Her arms unfold so that she can dramatically press her face into her palms. “You never really cared about me. I was right to say good-bye to you!”

Before Ari can say anything, she runs around him and disappears into town.

He stands there a moment, replaying what just happened in his head.

Oh yeah … I forgot … forever alone … forever uncool …

great.

Book 1: Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3 • Chapter 4 • Chapter 5 • Chapter 6 • Chapter 7 • Chapter 8 • Chapter 9 • Chapter 10 • Chapter 11 • Chapter 12 • Chapter 13 • Chapter 14 • Chapter 15 • Chapter 16 - Finale

NOTE: Okage Shadow King is owned by Sony Computer Entertainment and Zener Works. This novelization is purely a fan-work and the writer claims no ownership over the characters, general plot line(s), etc.

[darbiblog-blog]

China is going west: a ghost city inside the sand involves lifestyles

New Post has been published on https://darbi.org/china-is-going-west-a-ghost-city-inside-the-sand-involves-lifestyles/

China is going west: a ghost city inside the sand involves lifestyles

Turned into a scheme as formidable and eccentric as any to emerge from China’s 21st-century dash towards urbanization: to build and populate a wonderful city of a million inhabitants deep inside u. S .’s barren western hinterlands.

China Lifestyles

China photos

Of their bid to make this Fitzcarraldo-rescue dream a truth there’s little Chinese language government have now not attempted. Masses of mountains and village after village have been bulldozed considering that production of Gansu province’s Lanzhou New Location started out in 2012.

A free change region has been created, a synthetic lake carved into the arid soil, and extra than four hundred miles of street and scores of excessive-upward thrust towers built. English-language billboards sing the praises of considered one of China’s most recent towns in a chorus of massive multi-colored adjectives: “Great! Bustling! New International!”

But the Communist party’s city planners have now not stopped there. Determined to lure outsiders to this a ways-flung, in moderation populated the place, officials have ordered the development of a duplicate of the Extremely good Sphinx of Egypt; the Parthenon; Beijing’s Summer Palace and Forbidden metropolis, or even of a stretch of the Amazing Wall of China.

Final however no longer least, they threw within the Dinosaur Nation, a sprawling Triassic theme park wherein Chinese travelers will soon be able to stare upon exceptional-sized fashions of flesh-ingesting theropods.

It is positioned about 40 miles north of Gansu’s gritty capital, Lanzhou – a smog-choked industrial hub carved in two via the meandering Yellow river. The old metropolis has about three.6 million residents; one hundred sixty,000 of whom are are individuals of the Hui Muslim minority. The area has long been known for its infected air, water, and soil, despite the fact that latest years have visible authorities attempting to smooth up, with a few success.

The so-called “Pass West” initiative – a bid to deliver a touch of China’s rich eastern coast to its underdeveloped interior – referred to as for less-advanced provinces together with Qinghai, Sichuan, and Gansu to take delivery of a dramatic facelift.

In addition to constructing tens of thousands of miles of avenue and railway, plans were also unveiled for a sequence of recent urban hubs scattered throughout u. S . A .’s south and northwest.

Wade Shepard, an American creator who has spent greater than a decade chronicling the fortunes of these new areas, said the campaign sparked a construction frenzy throughout inland China that peaked after the 2008 monetary disaster, as Beijing hurled enormous sums at infrastructure tasks in a bid to shore up boom.

“It was sort of a free for all. authorities officers had been essentially advised to go out and growth GDP to comply with this countrywide urbanization movement, and quite tons each degree of government had the authority to construct new cities. So that they went out and they constructed and they built and that they built,” he said.

In many cases, the hundreds did now not without delay flock to these new towns and so a notorious technology of Chinese language “ghost cities” become born: hollow urban shells that have been seemingly domestic to more cranes than humans.

“When they have been simply being built it was otherworldly. You’re taking walks thru these large new cities – some of them the size of New york or maybe bigger – and you can’t sincerely consider what You are seeing,” stated Shepard, who charts the rise of such cities in his book Ghost towns of China.

Lifestyles Magazine

“It’s this kind of huge, big homes and the entirety that you could characteristic to a city: shops, banks and authorities workplaces. however, there are not any humans. It’s form of like You’re in a dream or this Twilight area episode where you abruptly awaken and all and sundry else is long past and you are the Last guy on earth.”

Lanzhou New Location changed into one of the Final such country-degree new areas to accept the green mild before Xi Jinping, the president, got here to strength in late 2012. reputedly alarmed by the soaring degrees of local debt, he started to rein in such mega-projects because the united states of America sought an extra sustainable urbanization model.

Whilst the metropolis was approved with the aid of Beijing simply months earlier than Xi’s presidency, authorities introduced a series of outstanding targets for their metropolis within the sands.

Through 2020, Lanzhou New Area changed into to have five hospitals, seventy-five faculties and creches, and a GDP of 100bn yuan (£eleven.8bn). by using 2030 it would be home to a million complete-time residents and its GDP might have almost tripled, to 270bn yuan.

The challenge, which worried leveling Loads of barren hills, become known as “the finest mountain-moving task on the earth” and a Hollywood-fashion trailer with a stirring soundtrack offered a dynamic, neon-lit glimpse of the town’s destiny. It changed into an area of economic prowess and enjoyment and hi-tech enterprise, where glad citizens strolled via verdant parks or raced throughout the town’s lake in speedboats.

china stock market

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latest russia china military news

Truth took a while to seize up with the dream. Once I first visited in 2013, as villagers got here to terms with the destruction of their as soon as-faraway rural houses, an eerie hush gripped the town’s almost completely empty streets. The relentless din of car horns – a hallmark of city China – turned into completely absent. Dozens of tower blocks had been underneath construction, however, aside from developers, there was infrequently a soul to be seen. Each Chinese language and foreign reporters who flocked to the metropolis got here away satisfied it was a flop.

Returning 4 years later, but, I discovered this browsing western giant seems to be slowly awakening as housing initiatives begin to refill and pioneers start to flow in.

“Humans are buying belongings and transferring in,” insists Shepard, who has visited the metropolis two times. “As fantastic as it sounds, it’s kind of coming to life. The place is almost like a mirage out in the middle of the desert. You notice it glimmer at the horizon. You see it however you don’t surely agree with It’s far there – after which all of an unexpected You are within the center of it.”

Metropolis officers declined to be interviewed by using the Guardian about their progress in luring humans to the area’s lunar panorama. but all through a government propaganda excursion Remaining yr, Xu Dawn, Lanzhou New Area’s deputy Communist birthday celebration secretary, claimed it had already attracted one hundred fifty,000 everlasting citizens In addition to 40,000 construction employees who were quickly dwelling there.

“The assignment is ongoing,” Li Zhenjiang, an estate agent, explained sheepishly as he took a break inner and in any other case completely derelict, a dirt-included shopping mall that regarded to have been abandoned for months if now not years.

A record through nation broadcaster CCTV Last year claimed the actual wide variety of citizens was toward 40,000, lots of them nearby farmers who had been relocated to tower blocks in the town after their homes had been razed, or the employees of state-owned companies who had been ordered to relocate there. An extra modest discern of 80,000 permanents can now be observed on the city’s website.

lifestyle photography

alternative lifestyles and living

sears

different types of lifestyles

Regardless of the real figure, pockets of life are now arising throughout metropolis as human beings trickle into the town looking for a better future.

“I came right here Last August,” stated Zhang Yongshuai, a shopkeeper who moved here from the provincial capital, Lanzhou, along with his younger boys. Zhang said he have been attracted to this urbanization frontier through the decrease rents and the chance of a brand new life. He rented a ground-floor shop in a sprawling but nonetheless surely empty residential complicated of excessive-rises and luxury villas referred to as the Greenland Intelligent financial metropolis.

Zhang admitted the city had now not lived as much as all of his expectancies. “The largest trouble is there aren’t any people,” he said with a chuckle. “but I assume they’ll come. If there had been no human beings right here then it might all were a huge waste, wouldn’t it?”

Some blocks away, one of Zhang’s few neighbors, Zhou Fei, stated he also felt precise approximately the town’s future. “It’s getting busier,” said Zhou, who was born and raised in Dongshuitang, one of the rural groups that were destroyed to make way for the new town, and purchased a flat right here with the repayment surpassed to his family by way of the government.

Zhou’s spouse, Bao Shan, said she became nevertheless unimpressed with the gradual tempo of existence and of trade. Simplest approximately 20 families have been currently dwelling within the community of high-rises they now known as domestic. “I don’t like the quietness,” she stated. “Enterprise isn’t Exquisite.”

RM  City

But Zhou was convinced a less ghostly future lay ahead – and anyways there was now no turning again. “There’s not anything left [of our village]. It’s all demolished,” he explained.

Every other immigrant hoping the metropolis will take off is Xu Hawke, who moved to Lanzhou New Area Last Might also to help control the metropolis’s Only luxurious guesthouse, the Binhu Worldwide Garden hotel.

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Xu said the city’s portrayal as a ghost city was nevertheless half correct but insisted Commercial enterprise at his 76-room inn changed into progressively improving. The common occupancy price changed into now approximately 70%, Xu stated throughout an interview within the resort’s deathly quiet foyer, although at the day of the Guardian’s go to he said Only 30% of rooms were occupied.

[kalachand97-blog]

New Post has been published on Globeinfrom

New Post has been published on https://globeinform.com/china-is-going-west-a-ghost-city-inside-the-sand-involves-lifestyles/

China is going west: a ghost city inside the sand involves lifestyles

Turned into a scheme as formidable and eccentric as any to emerge from China’s 21st-century dash towards urbanization: to build and populate a wonderful city of a million inhabitants deep inside u. S .’s barren western hinterlands.

Of their bid to make this Fitzcarraldo-rescue dream a truth there’s little Chinese language government have now not attempted. Masses of mountains and village after village have been bulldozed considering that production of Gansu province’s Lanzhou New Location started out in 2012.

A free change region has been created, a synthetic lake carved into the arid soil, and extra than four hundred miles of street and scores of excessive-upward thrust towers built. English-language billboards sing the praises of considered one of China’s most recent towns in a chorus of massive multi-colored adjectives: “Great! Bustling! New International!”

But the Communist party’s city planners have now not stopped there. Determined to lure outsiders to this a ways-flung, in moderation populated the place, officials have ordered the development of a duplicate of the Extremely good Sphinx of Egypt; the Parthenon; Beijing’s Summer Palace and Forbidden metropolis, or even of a stretch of the Amazing Wall of China.

Final however no longer least, they threw within the Dinosaur Nation, a sprawling Triassic theme park wherein Chinese travelers will soon be able to stare upon exceptional-sized fashions of flesh-ingesting theropods.

“It’s like a mini-Disneyland,” gushed Xu Haiku, a nearby hotelier who these days moved to the city and is among those banking on its fulfillment.

Lanzhou New Region was conceived as part of a broader government push to increase China’s west that kicked off near the turn of the century.

It is positioned about 40 miles north of Gansu’s gritty capital, Lanzhou – a smog-choked industrial hub carved in two via the meandering Yellow river. The old metropolis has about three.6 million residents; one hundred sixty,000 of whom are are individuals of the Hui Muslim minority. The area has long been known for its infected air, water, and soil, despite the fact that latest years have visible authorities attempting to smooth up, with a few success.

The so-called “Pass West” initiative – a bid to deliver a touch of China’s rich eastern coast to its underdeveloped interior – referred to as for less-advanced provinces together with Qinghai, Sichuan, and Gansu to take delivery of a dramatic facelift.

In addition to constructing tens of thousands of miles of avenue and railway, plans were also unveiled for a sequence of recent urban hubs scattered throughout u. S . A .’s south and northwest.

Wade Shepard, an American creator who has spent greater than a decade chronicling the fortunes of these new areas, said the campaign sparked a construction frenzy throughout inland China that peaked after the 2008 monetary disaster, as Beijing hurled enormous sums at infrastructure tasks in a bid to shore up boom.

“It was sort of a free for all. authorities officers had been essentially advised to go out and growth GDP to comply with this countrywide urbanization movement, and quite tons each degree of government had the authority to construct new cities. So that they went out and they constructed and they built and that they built,” he said.

In many cases, the hundreds did now not without delay flock to these new towns and so a notorious technology of Chinese language “ghost cities” become born: hollow urban shells that have been seemingly domestic to more cranes than humans.

“When they have been simply being built it was otherworldly. You’re taking walks thru these large new cities – some of them the size of New york or maybe bigger – and you can’t sincerely consider what You are seeing,” stated Shepard, who charts the rise of such cities in his book Ghost towns of China.

“It’s these kind of huge, big homes and the entirety that you could characteristic to a city: shops, banks and authorities workplaces. however there are not any humans. It’s form of like You’re in a dream or this Twilight area episode where you abruptly awaken and all and sundry else is long past and you are the Last guy on earth.”

Lanzhou New Location changed into one of the Final such country-degree new areas to accept the green mild before Xi Jinping, the president, got here to strength in late 2012. reputedly alarmed by the soaring degrees of local debt, he started to rein in such mega-projects because the united states of America sought a extra sustainable urbanisation model.

Whilst the metropolis was approved with the aid of Beijing simply months earlier than Xi’s presidency, authorities introduced a series of outstanding targets for their metropolis within the sands.

through 2020, Lanzhou New Area changed into to have five hospitals, seventy-five faculties and creches, and a GDP of 100bn yuan (£eleven.8bn). by using 2030 it would be home to a million complete-time residents and its GDP might have almost tripled, to 270bn yuan.

The challenge, which worried levelling Loads of barren hills, become known as “the finest mountain-moving task on the earth” and a Hollywood-fashion trailer with a stirring soundtrack offered a dynamic, neon-lit glimpse of the town’s destiny. It changed into an area of economic prowess and enjoyment and hi-tech enterprise, where glad citizens strolled via verdant parks or raced throughout the town’s lake in speedboats.

An English-language website promised ability buyers that Lanzhou New Vicinity would witness “huge monetary build-up”.

truth took a while to seize up with the dream. Once I first visited in 2013, as villagers got here to terms with the destruction of their as soon as-faraway rural houses, an eerie hush gripped the town’s almost completely empty streets. The relentless din of car horns – a hallmark of city China – turned into completely absent. Dozens of tower blocks had been underneath construction however, aside from developers, there was infrequently a soul to be seen. Each Chinese language and foreign reporters who flocked to the metropolis got here away satisfied it was a flop.

Advertisement

Returning 4 years later, but, I discovered this browsing western giant seems to be slowly awakening as housing initiatives begin to refill and pioneers start to flow in.

“humans are buying belongings and transferring in,” insists Shepard, who has visited the metropolis two times. “As fantastic as it sounds, it’s kind of coming to life. The place is almost like a mirage out in the middle of the desert. You notice it glimmer at the horizon. You see it however you don’t surely agree with It’s far there – after which all of a unexpected You are within the center of it.”

metropolis officers declined to be interviewed by using the Guardian about their progress in luring humans to the area’s lunar panorama. but all through a government propaganda excursion Remaining yr, Xu Dawn, Lanzhou New Area’s deputy Communist birthday celebration secretary, claimed it had already attracted one hundred fifty,000 everlasting citizens In addition to 40,000 construction employees who were quickly dwelling there.

“The assignment is ongoing,” Li Zhenjiang, an estate agent, explained sheepishly as he took a break inner and in any other case completely derelict, dirt-included shopping mall that regarded to have been abandoned for months, if now not years.

Commercial

A record through nation broadcaster CCTV Last year claimed the actual wide variety of citizens was toward 40,000, lots of them nearby farmers who had been relocated to tower blocks in the town after their homes had been razed, or the employees of state-owned companies who had been ordered to relocate there. A extra modest discern of 80,000 permanents can now be observed on the city’s website.

Regardless of the real figure, pockets of life are now arising throughout metropolis as human beings trickle into the town looking for a better future.

“I came right here Last August,” stated Zhang Yongshuai, a shopkeeper who moved here from the provincial capital, Lanzhou, along with his younger boys. Zhang said he have been attracted to this urbanisation frontier through the decrease rents and the chance of a brand new life. He rented a ground-floor shop in a sprawling but nonetheless surely empty residential complicated of excessive-rises and luxury villas referred to as the Greenland Intelligent financial metropolis.

“The satisfactory issue is the infrastructure, the roads, the squares. The dwelling environment is better than Lanzhou,” said the 23-year-old.

Zhang admitted the city had now not lived as much as all of his expectancies. “The largest trouble is there aren’t any people,” he said with a chuckle. “but I assume they’ll come. If there had been no human beings right here then it might all were a huge waste, wouldn’t it?”

Some blocks away, one of Zhang’s few neighbours, Zhou Fei, stated he also felt precise approximately the town’s future. “It’s getting busier,” said Zhou, who was born and raised in Dongshuitang, one of the rural groups that was destroyed to make way for the new town, and purchased a flat right here with the repayment surpassed to his family by way of the government.

Commercial

Zhou’s spouse, Bao Shan, said she became nevertheless unimpressed with the gradual tempo of existence and of trade. Simplest approximately 20 families have been currently dwelling within the community of high-rises they now known as domestic. “I don’t like the quietness,” she stated. “Enterprise isn’t Exquisite.”

but Zhou was convinced a less ghostly future lay ahead – and anyways there was now no turning again. “There’s not anything left [of our village]. It’s all demolished,” he explained.

Every other immigrant hoping the metropolis will take off is Xu Haike, who moved to Lanzhou New Area Last Might also to help control the metropolis’s Only luxurious guesthouse, the Binhu Worldwide Garden hotel.

Xu said the city’s portrayal as a ghost city was nevertheless half correct but insisted Commercial enterprise at his 76-room inn changed into progressively improving. The common occupancy price changed into now approximately 70%, Xu stated throughout an interview within the resort’s deathly quiet foyer, although at the day of the Guardian’s go to he said Only 30% of rooms were occupied.