#instead of substituting the ones from red with the equivalent.

[why-does-this-happen-to-me]

Ok, remember how I said that I had copied Kanto's map in rpg maker with pokemon essentials and let a random number generator choose the pokemon for the region? Well, I decided to modify the maps and I started with the cities. Initially, I just wanted to add grass to them so I could have encounters in them because the habitats of some of the pokemons is defined as urban and I don't want to have a lot of NPCs trading or selling them as the solution, but then I changed more things and I want to talk about it. I'll put a read more thing because I don't know how long this is going to be.

Pallet Town:

I didn't change a lot in this one, just added some grass in the lower left corner (and a streetlight, because it bothers me that there are none. How are people supposed to see at night? Flash seems like overkill in a city. This addition is present in every city).

Viridian City

I got rid of that random bit of forest in the middle of the city and put a park instead, because no city would actually build around those trees. I used something that I'm pretty sure is meant to be a small shrine or something similar as a beehive, because Cutieflies and Ribombees are too big for a normal sized one (the events can't be seen from this far, but the ones in the park are 2 cutiflies that fly around supervised by a shiny ribombee). I gave a trainer that talked about being a pokemon trainer a jigglypuff, because I think it's weird that most NPCs in cities don't have any. I also put the gym in a elevated area made of gray stone to give it a little bit of personality and to make the surroundings related to the ground type, which is why the rocks are there. I did something similar with Brock's, so I tried to keep them different enough.

Pewter City

I added grass to the left of the museum and dirt and breakable rocks to the right so those spaces have something going on in them. I added benches and rocks to the park. I moved the house on the left up so it's in the same line as the pokemon center and used that new space to put some dirt, a rock column and an NPC that tells you about how he got there from Cerulean with the bike next to him. The gym doesn't have trees and fences next to it, instead, it's in a platform of mountain rock, surrounded by pushable and breakable rocks and fossils. The rocks in the map are tiles right now, but I plan on changing that.

Cerulean City

I added some plants in front of the houses, got rid of the fences next to the river (except for the ones belonging to the houses), and added grass in the house's backyard. I deleted the house that was halfway into the forest and replaced it with the one where the rocket grunts steal the TM for dig. The grunt is now waiting in the right exit of the city. The gym is behind where that house used to be and semi-surrounded by water. There is a pond where the gym used to be. This is almost the last gym in which I edited the location/surroundings to match the type, as the others are more difficult.

Vermilion City

I didn't do a lot with this one. I made the old man's plot of land actually need work, as it now is full of grass and rocks, and the man has a breloom now. I added more sand to really show that this is a coastal city and I used part of some ruins sprites so it looks like there are sandcastles (I'm thinking about changing it and using the overworld sprites of sandygast and palossand). The path from the dock ends in the little roof thing instead of continuing just 2 tiles more for no reason. The shape of the south coast has been modified, I'm not sure about that change. The gym can now be accessed without cut, because, in-universe, it's a terrible idea to have your gym only be accessed via a move that you can only learn if a specific ship is in the city and you have tickets.

Lavender Town

The town is a lot bigger now, as it has ruins next to the tower. That's mostly because some pokemon's habitat specify that they appear near ruins, but I also want to make some dungeon or something inside. Right now it doesn't look great because there isn't a lot of variety, so I'll try to make some semi-decent sprites of random bricks on the floor or something like that. The ruins, of course, have a lot of rocks, dirt and grass around to help make them seem old and so you can find pokemon around them.

Celadon City

I moved back the northern buildings, as there was a lot of empty space there only for a hidden item that can be placed somewhere else. I also deleted the building to the left of the department store and, with some sprites made modifying some present in the tileset, created a parking for two trucks carrying boxes and two bikes. The new space around the fountain allowed for a park, but this one with most of it's floor covered in concrete. The park has benches and potted flowers. I made a patch of grass where the buildings next to the pokecenter used to be. I also deleted the fences around the body of water and the casino, as I don't understand why they are there. I moved the signs telling you to go visit the department store, as they were almost next to each other. The buildings around the gym are gone, as it's now surrounded by plants. I'm not fully convinced on how that looks.

Fuchsia City

I didn't know what to do with this one. I added grass to the backyard of the house and I modified the habitats so they are distinguishable. I deleted the building in front of the entrance because, unless the maps I used as reference are missing it, it doesn't have an interior. I have to add something there, because it feels too empty in-game.

Saffron City

I also didn't know what to do with this one. I moved some buildings, added a hidden truck between the trees, next to the gym and dojo, and deleted the buildings in front of Sylph Co. to make a park with some bikes, grass, flowers and benches. I also added spots of sand using the sand autotile (I can't remember if that one is default or one I made. I think it's the first one because the texture sounds like a lot of work for me, but I also know I've made others before to have to work less on the long run). This city has potential because of how big the map is, but I'm not sure how to use it.

Cinnabar Island

I had to make the island bigger so it could have anything else in it. The shape is random, so I hope it looks good. It has a little pseudo-park in the center, with a bench, a tree, bushes and grass. There are rocks scattered throughout the island and a lighthouse (at least I think that's what those tiles are). There is a boat near the lighthouse. The pokecenter is now next to the gym, in the north-east corner of the map. The burned mansion is in the same place, the lab has been moved down and the pokemart is in front of the pokecenter. I'm yet to work in making route 21 connect properly to the new map, and the new size of the route will probably mean new things to the south of Pallet town.

Also, I think none of them are visible, but I still feel like I need to add that the pokemon overworld sprites where made by someone else and can be found here. I'm not talented enough to make something like that.

[toskarin]

Dear Advice From Toskarin,

I need fashion advice for FFXIV. I want my black mage outfit to respect the chuuni lifestyle of the thaumaturgy guild, but I also want it to look royal and regal.

How do I design a regal chuuni look?

- Yours truly, random anon.

so I'm going to limit these suggestions to HW at latest and keep budget/ease-of-access in mind based on the fact you mentioned the thaumaturgy guild

you're going to want at least the jacket from the plaguebringer set but I'd also recommend the gloves (for the asymmetric black/white hand) and possibly the boots (for the cute little heart-shaped buckle on them). you can't dye that set and there isn't a dyeable equivalent, but black with red and white accents is really easy to build an outfit around

if you want something with a little more bagginess, pick up the scholasticate robe (it's a quest reward and you can dye the accent on it). additionally, if you want something a bit edgier, look into picking up the gloves from the darklight casting set to give yourself claws. the oasis tunic (from the gold saucer) could also be a good substitute if you really want to cheat things

if you're reading and this and feeling your eyes glaze over at the idea of putting something together instead of just farming one relatively easy trial for a full set, disregard everything I've said and farm out the dark divinity caster set from urth's fount (the loki trial)

the hat's up to you, but I personally just wore glasses in my head slot 99% of the time

[moodswingsabz]

It’s been an eventful few days for Aberdeen and the fan base, punctuated by a pair of 2-2 draws that could hardly be any further apart in how they’re being viewed. Firstly came the long awaited first European night of a season in which at least eight are guaranteed, away to BK Hacken in Gothenburg, which offered the chance for something of a pilgrimage for Dons fans and a first  look at Aberdeen on the European stage this year. Even the most optimistic of Aberdeen fans didn’t seem to be taking the challenge of Hacken and Europa league qualification lightly and as the match, which was played at a rip-roaring pace swayed in the favour of the home side, who took a 2-0 lead, the challenge looked even greater. Then came that final 20 minutes. The travelling support and RedTV or dodgy stick faithful were given their first look in red of James McGarry and Jamie McGrath, who both impressed in their respective Dons debuts. As Aberdeen piled the pressure on the hosts, Miovski did what Miovski does and finished brilliantly with his left foot to haul the Dons back into the tie and then Nicky Devlin, finally unleashed in his favoured position of right wing back, did what none of us expected Nicky Devlin to do and latched onto a Miovski ball to dink over an onrushing keeper. The game was level, mayhem ensued in Gothenburg and living rooms and pubs back in the North East and with some top level shithousery from half the Aberdeen team as the icing on the cake, the tie was turned around with it now coming back to Pittodrie finely poised and with a dose of confidence injected firmly into it.

The next couple of days were hugely positive, with social media buzzing over the fight back from the Aberdeen team, plaudits given to Barry Robson for finally utilising his bench, the home leg at Pittodrie swiftly becoming a sell out and the Aberdeen support largely glued to their phones, watching and rewatching the clip of aforementioned shithousery in the wake of Devlin’s equaliser. Excitement levels were building for this coming Thursday but there was unfortunately a trip to perhaps one of the least exciting places possible, Paisley, to come before the Hacken home leg.

Again, not many predicted an easy afternoon for Aberdeen on Sunday, with the home team in good form with two wins in the league and impressive performances noted as they continue to build under Stephen Robinson. It was hoped that with a good performance that the dandies could overcome the spirited home side and build on the excellent momentum from midweek. This was not what followed.

After grabbing an undeserved lead through a Jonny Hayes cross, it seemed that if Aberdeen could be revitalised at half time and replicate the level set in the second half performance in Gothenburg, they might just get out of Paisley with three points. Whilst the second half mirrored the one against Hacken in terms of controversy, the quality was severely lacking and the substitutions this time failed to make the same impact, instead looking like what they were, players which had very recently been added to the squad. In the 99th minute, Aberdeen were presented with the opportunity to rescue, or perhaps, rob a point from the game when a second hand ball incident, this time committed by the hosts, led to a penalty. Even in the closing moments, as Miovski fired home from the spot, the drama wasn’t over as the ominous letters of VAR flashed up on the screen and we were presented with the Scottish football equivalent of the white and gold or blue and black dress conundrum from a few years ago, as the penalty was checked for a double touch. The goal, rightly in my opinion, stood and Aberdeen escaped with a point that they possibly didn’t deserve and which at times looked highly unlikely but which they will very much take.

After a series of tricky matches on the road, we now have two huge games to look forward to at home. Pittodrie has always been absolutely brilliant on big European nights and given how the atmosphere has been ramping up in recent times, I expect Thursday night to be something truly special. The mood around the game seems to one of optimism and enthusiasm and we can only hope this carries on into the game itself, in both the crowd and with the players on the pitch. Come Friday morning, we’ll know where our European futures lie for this season and whichever league we find ourselves anxiously awaiting the draw for, I hope that we’re left feeling proud, of the performance on the pitch and of Pittodrie on what is set to be our biggest game in many years!

[itsaboringname]

(At risk of doxxing myself,) I used to make big batches of what I call Creamy Beans or Bean Mud for a vegan student pub. And I daresay I think mine is better than that! I find that the trick is to not use the aquafaba and actually rinse the beans very thoroughly, and instead get most of the thickness from a good base of vegetables and spices, as well as the coconut cream. I developed it to be easily scalable, cheap, variable, filling and delicious. You can strip away almost everything and it will still make a decent meal, the absolute bare bones would be onion, beans, coconut cream(you can do without it but the result will be significantly less inspiring), mustard, olive & cooking oil, frozen spinach salt and pepper and I could still make it passable

Ingredients are for about 4 servings, completely scalable. the below image is probably this scaled for 4x 3kg cans in which case I would use 3 kidney+1 chickpea

2 cans of kidney beans 1 can of chickpeas same volume of coconut cream or milk as one of your bean cans is including the aquafaba Scentless coconut fat, around a tablespoon (optional really, but I find it good for frying in. use more cooking oil if unavailable) Any regular cooking oil, ditto (at least) Water, 2-4 cups Nutmeg, up to a quarter of one nut Dijon mustard, 2-3 teaspoons (you can honestly use tablespoons just as well, it's difficult to add too much) A dash of syrup/a pinch of sugar A pinch of salt (most of the salt should come from the stock and the soy sauce and miso) Light vinegar (I prefer apple cider, but white wine also works if you use only a few drops), one careful dash Olive oil, around a tablespoon soy sauce - if chineese, a few drops, if japanese, one careful dash the bouillon or stock of your choosing, one or two careful dashes if liquid/one cube/one teaspoon. My favorite when I make it at home is a liquid one called 'butter-fried shallots' but regular vegetable stock is fine) You can also use miso, it is a fine umamifier though I usually have not had it available. About a teaspoon should be plenty if memory serves. It is fine to use both miso, boullion and soy sauce but split the boullion and miso in half 1 onion (I prefer red) (can be substituted for a something like a half deciliter of onion powder) 1-4 cloves of garlic according to taste One small pinch of fennel seeds (if available) Herbs: Up to a generous half deciliter in total of dried herbs according to availability at the rough ratio of sage:chervil:tarragon:parsley:thyme:dill - 10:10:5:2:1:1 (or any other you'd like, anything that lends itself to a rich, musty flavor). Pepper: (preferably fresh ground) dried pepper according to availability, black:white:green - 3:1:1, around a generous tablespoon total at least

Vegetables: You can use most anything (not potatoes which aren't vegetables, but I specifically tried and it never turned out well so I feel the need to state it). I like the following Half a head of broccoli or equivalent frozen - a quarter of a large head of cauliflower also works very well Up to an eight of a large celery root ~5 stalks of celery some ~100g of mushrooms (fresh weight), any kind works - 4-6 medium sized champignon 150~200g spinach, frozen is perfectly fine (I always had extra frozen shredded spinach on hand to balance out the salt and acidity towards the end) The total fresh volume of vegetables after they are chopped should be between the same and double of that of the beans.

First I rinse the beans and the vegetables and such, and open the coconut can(s). It's important to have everything ready when I begin or I risk burning the onions. I chop (actually shred with the kitchen assistant using a coarse shredder) all of the vegetables including the onion and mix them together in a bowl and set it aside. I peel the garlic, crush it, and chop it fine and add it to the vegetable bowl. Then I prepare my herb and pepper mix as well as crush my fennel seeds with the herbs, and set them aside.

I heat up my largest saucepan to medium-hot, and add the cooking oil + coconut fat. Once the fat is melted, I pour in the vegetables, the syrup and about half of the herbs and pepper, while stirring constantly. It is often necessary to add the vegetables in stages as they collapse. I add one teaspoon of mustard, the soy sauce, the vinegar and the bouillon and miso, and I shred the nutmeg directly into the pan. Keep stirring, it should be frying vigorously. Add more cooking oil if necessary but try to keep it to a minimum or it will be overly oily at the end. Once all the veggies are nicely browned, I add the beans along with most of the rest of the herbs and pepper, another tablespoon of mustard, another light dash of vinegar. Keep stirring, once the beans are heated up and start to mash when I stirr them, add the coconut cream and the olive oil and lower the heat. Keep stirring the bottom of the pan often until the temperature has gone down to a calm simmer! Or it will burn!

When it simmers it's time for the first taste test. That is about the time of the first picture below. It should taste a little spicier than how I want it to be at the end, and be a little thinner, but already rich from the fried veggies and mustard and stock. The coconut taste should be noticeable but not prominent. If there is too much of literally anything (except the veggie broth taste) adding more spinach will help. If there is too much of the veggie broth taste, add more mustard, and a little extra olive oil & black pepper. If it is too acidic, add a little extra syrup or sugar, as well as spinach. If it is too sweet, add a little extra vinegar and olive oil. If it is not rich enough, add more mustard and more boullion/stock/whathaveyou, a little more pepper(but be careful with it) and more herbs. Stirr it all down, simmer for a moment, then taste again. Now, if necessary, add salt to taste and then simmer. Stir periodically and add water as necessary to keep it liquid.

After 20-30 minutes, the color should have darkened and I should have had to add a cup of water once or thrice. Taste again, it should be very rich and thick now. The spiciness should be about what I want it to be, so be very careful about adding more pepper. Mostly I am checking the acidity and salt at this point, so add spinach or salt as necessary to compensate.

I turn off the heat and let it evaporate until it is at the thickness I want it. Serve with any starch, fresh vegetables and beer or red wine.

under construction:

here served in the traditional spartan style: over oven-cooked rice with a light beer

but I prefer it over pasta on fresh spinach. mm I'm getting hungry!

So, I made The Beans again, and I have some notes:

If you make it as directed and include the liquid in the cans of beans, it does thicken the broth a little. But also the leftovers are...kinda slimy.

Now, if you don't have a problem with that, that's fine?? People eat natto on purpose. I'm not judging. This is one of my sensory issues, though. I couldn't make myself finish eating the leftovers.

If you also do not like the liquid in cans of beans, I'm here to tell you I measured it--and if you're making a single batch, it's a cup and a half, so you can replace that with water. So if you make the doubled version, you want three cups of water.

This does make it more liquidy though so maybe next time I'll use less.

ALSO yes it says to use miso but if you have a bullion paste you like (I love Better Than Bullion's "No-Chicken Base"), use that.

Also I added dill this time instead of parsley

hell yeah

[script-a-world]

When creating a Fantasy world, how can you figure out where to use recognizable words and where to make up new ones?

I'm creating a whole new world and I realized that a lot of foods are named after Real Life places. It ended up opening a whole can of worms of trying to think of what words for itens and foods to keep and what ones to replace.

Tex: How far removed is your fantasy world to the one the reader comes from? Who are your readers? Are they from a single demographic (i.e. American, middle class, etc), or are they from varying demographics (Anglophones from across the planet, people of different religions, etc)? What does recognizable look like in your context?

If you’d like to mimic the look of Real Life Places, try introducing the place first, give it a few snippets of personality over a chapter or two, and then introduce the food. For example:

Chapter 1: Protagonist is in Red Door Village. There are very few red doors in this village, however protagonist is busy with Other Plot Things.

Chapter 2: Villager from Red Door Village answers question on the village’s name. “Well you see, ol' Granny Sewer's father couldn't see blue, and this was our only other paint." Mystery solved!

Chapter 3: Protagonist is in a town reasonably far from Red Door Village. They venture into an inn that has a red door, and the server recommends them their traditional dish. It turns out to be smoked herring ice cream. Protagonist learns that Ol’ Granny Sewer’s fifth cousin on her mother’s side who married into Fisherman Smoke’s family used to top all their food with smoked herrings, and did the same thing when ice cream came into town - it’s kind of grown on everyone, and most villagers will grudgingly admit it doesn’t taste that bad.

Voila, a food named after a place! In most instances, this is approximately the same amount of exposure to a food and its namesake place that is experienced in real life. How many people who have eaten New York-style pizza have been to New York? Proportionally, not many, though they’ve probably heard of the place in some aspect (most superficially, “this pizza is popular in New York”). It’s the same concept, you just need to put in a little more legwork on introducing to the audience a place in your world first, and then the food it’s named after.

Utuabzu: Another option is to take advantage of something called collocative substitution, where you can replace a part of a familiar phrase and readers will still be able to infer what it is. You often find this with insults like 'you absolute walnut', where it's clear that walnut is standing in for something significantly more unkind. So if you refer to 'Longish tea', people will infer it to be a kind of tea, perhaps equivalent to Chinese tea.

Otherwise you can also just replace the geographic adjective with a simpler descriptive one - bubbling wine instead of Champagne, spiced tea instead of masala chai, fruit-filled pastries instead of Danishes.

Feral: Unless you plan on creating a conlang and writing your story entirely in that conlang, maybe it’s best not to worry too much about it. “Uncleftish Beholding” by Poul Anderson is a famous sci-fi short story about atomic theory (that’s what the name means by the way) without using any loanwords whatsoever into English outside its German origins. It was an attempt to show just how stupid linguistic purism is, but I think this tumblr post does a pretty good job of explaining how to extend it to fantasy worlds.

[pemfrost]

For the bingo what about spideydevil hogwarts AU . Good luck on your bingo!!

Thank you if you do it.

Thanks for the prompt :D

So, this is like 3 times longer than I wanted to make these bingo fics lmao. Oops 🤷‍♀️. It still could use some polishing, but I'm terrified that Peter will find another plot thread if I poke at it anymore.

Bingo fic 1/?

As much as he devoted himself to studying, Peter could not bring himself to care about Divination. The whole class reminded him of cringe inducing hacks he'd seen on t.v. growing up. Except, no one was jumping out with hidden footage to debunk it. Everything appeared hollow: randomness assigned meaning. And, while Peter didn't often procrastinate, he found it harder and harder to work on his Divination homework the more weeks that passed. 

There was one silver lining, though. Another student, one he'd held a torch for from afar, was in the class with him. That too, turned out to be hollow and meaningless until today. Despite having a class together, Peter still had no real reason to approach Matt. However, he stumbled into the opportunity in his usual Parker way: completely on accident. 

His procrastination on his Divination assignments reached a plateau, and, despite his ability to work quickly under pressure, Peter was late to class. When he'd finally made it -ten minutes late and scribbling the last lines on his essay- he'd thought the repercussion would be a lecture. Or detention. The usual stuff Hogwarts professors liked to through his way.

Instead, the professor welcomed him to class in her airy way and quietly assigned him a partner for the project she was currently guiding the class through. "Ah, Mr. Murdock, please join Peter for the remainder of class." 

By stoke of luck, Matthew Murdock had been an unlucky third wheel in another group, and made no fuss about changing seats. His usual partner was in the infirmary; the exact cause was the subject of many rumors. Peter was rather fond of the theory that Foggy was involved in a fight with the group of slytherins who often tired to bully Matt, but anyone involved was keeping their lips zipped tight. 

It wasn't a glamorous impression, but Peter was thankful for the opportunity. 

"Do you know what you're doing?" Matt crossed his ankle over his knee and leaned back in the cozy chair across from Peter. He nodded to the steaming cup of tea in front of him, raising an eyebrow. 

Peter nodded, then mentally kicked himself and verbally answered, "Yeah. I read over the basics last night." 

It was a basic tea leaf reading, and the set up was quite straightforward. The professor was kind enough to provide hot water and a selection of tea leaves at each table. Though, she did note they would have a better reading with their own supplies. 

"Good. I started my tea already, so you can read mine while yours-"

"Mr. Murdock." The professor tapped the cup in front of him with her wand. "You must start over. The leaves are easier for your partner to interpret when they are brewed just for them." With a flick of her wand, his cup was replaced with an empty one and she glided off towards another set of students. 

Matt sighed and reached for the tea selection, deftly selected Earl Grey and pinched a healthy amount of leaves into his cup. Peter followed suit, choosing one at random without reading the labels.

"Don't you care for tea?" Matt's gaze was slightly to the left of where Peter sat, his face not giving away his thoughts. 

"I do, I'm just not picky." His pulse quickened. This was the most they'd spoken in years. He watched Matt's hands as he poured the hot water into their cups, tracing the calluses earned from long hours in the greenhouse. 

"Now we wait." Matt sat the pot back to the side of the table and leaned back in his chair. 

The tea would need to steep for at least three minutes. There were many things to do during that time to ensure a good reading, or so the professor said. Holding the cup and thinking about what you wanted the leaves to tell you seemed like a good option, but Peter really didn't believe in fortune telling enough to meditate over his tea. Another method was to talk to the person who was going to do your reading. And the third, and one Matt seemed keen on, was to silently wait and let what happens happen. 

In Peter's opinion, silence was something to be broken

"Uh," Peter shifted nervously as watched the steam rise from his cup, "how is Foggy? That was a hell of a match last night, shame he missed it."

"He's fine." Matt's voice was flat. "He should be discharged in time for dinner."

"That's… good to hear." Peter eyed him nervously. Matt was a year ahead of him and in a different house, meaning they had very few direct interactions. Yet, Peter knew a good amount about him. Or, rather, he knew what the Daily Prophet said and what he'd observed with his own eyes didn't always match and had drawn his own conclusions. 

Coming from a muggle family meant Peter had very little frame of reference for most things, and he could only try to compare having an Auror as a father to having one who was a cop. Matt was a third year when his father was targeted by a group of dark wizards and Matt was caught in the crossfire. 

Peter, always in search of knowledge, desperately wanted to know which curse caused Matt to lose his vision, and which spells gave him a sense of the world around him. As far as he could tell there was no braille equivalent in the Wizarding World. He didn't ask, of course. He had more sense than that, even in the pursuit of knowledge. He wanted to know Matt first, because he seemed like a cool -and handsome- guy.

Even if he was callous enough to just ask, it wasn't like he had many opportunities to do so. This was actually their first class together in Peter's six years at Hogwarts- and would be the only one since Matt would be graduating in a few months. 

Despite having no real social interactions, Peter was well aware of Matt, and would have been even if his story wasn't in the papers for months. The very first time Peter stepped foot into Hogwarts, he was so enthralled with the majesty and magic of the castle -- until he spotted Matt. It was silly, and, even though Peter couldn't name the sensation back then, that moment stuck with him. 

Peter had read everything he could prior to entering Hogwarts, dreading being behind his peers who grew up in the Wizarding World. His heart was set on Ravenclaw, drawn in by the lure of knowledge and like-minded students. That was until he locked eyes with Matt from across the hall and, for a brief moment, yearned to be adorned in red and gold. Reason won, and he was proud to be sorted into Ravenclaw. But, part of him always wondered. 

"Thank you." Matt's voice jolted him from his reminiscing. 

Peter wasn't sure what he'd done to deserve thanks, so he deflected with a joke. "Hey, I'd be thankful too if someone rescued me from the 'Dream Couple'. More like 'Most Annoying Couple'." He tapped his index finger on the table towards students Matt was originally teamed with, rolling his eyes at how closely they sat together.

A small chuckle escaped Matt and Peter's chest puffed with pride. Matt was such a serious person, he hardly ever smiled or laughed, and then it was almost exclusively with Foggy. 

"For that, too, I suppose. I meant to thank you for being the only person in this class… probably the school… who hasn't ask me… about… it."

Oh. Peter looked away, embarrassed by how many questions he truly wanted to ask while simultaneously reeling from the fact Matt apparently paid enough attention to notice. "It's not my business. Besides, there's way more things I'd like to pick your brain about."

Matt raised an eyebrow, "Like?"

Peter opened his mouth to list off a litany of botany questions, but was cut off before he managed a single syllable. The professor stared down at them, "It's been long enough, time to drink your tea, be sure to do your rotations. Read the leaves immediately, take notes on your findings before looking up their meanings. Then, give your reading to your partner. Ideally, you will know each common symbol by heart by the end of the term, but for now use your books."

They dropped the conversation, following her instructions and downing their tea. Peter was pleased with his random choice, noting hints of citrus. 

"Here," he pushed his empty cup towards Matt. As he took Matt's cup, he wondered how Matt would read his leaves, but didn't ask. 

Peter peered into Matt’s cup, trying to find patterns in the chaos of leaves. Eventually, his eyes focused on the task and he could make out what he thought were symbols. He wrote down his list and set the cup and notebook on the table. 

Across from him, Matt was focused on Peter's cup. He ran his wand over it, then his hand, then with a flick of his wand his quill automatically made a note. 

"You'll have to teach me that sometime," Peter said before he could stop himself. 

Matt paused, lips pursed.

Peter continued, "If I could direct my quill to write, it would save a lot of time when I'm trying new potion ingredient substitutes. The constant starting and stopping to note every step and change I make is such a juggle."

"That's pretty dangerous," Matt said with an amused lilt to his voice. "Though, I suppose teaching you that would make it slightly more safe."

"Yea, it would be negligent for you not to," Peter's heart raced as he teased the handsome student across from him. 

"We should probably do the readings." Matt shifted, "But we'll figure out a time that we're both free, yeah?"

Peter nodded, "Yeah."

"I'll start, if that's okay."

"Uh, yeah. Did you need to look up your symbols? 'Cuz I have no idea what some of these mean."

Matt heaved a large reference book into his lap, "I'm doing it on the fly. Let's see…" He waved his wand over the pages and ran his index finger over the text. 

Peter didn't put much stock into fortune telling, but he was curious what Matt would read in the leaves. 

"So, your leaves are interesting. There is a small ring or letter 'O' at the top, so either a love interest is close or you have something important with someone with an 'O' name." He continued on without waiting for Peter's reaction or input, "There is a spider that spans both the present and future, which could mean you have a choice to make soon which will have a huge impact on your life. But, there is a smaller thing that could be a spider, too? So maybe you have a lot of choices to make?"

Peter shrugged. The close love interest piqued his interest, though he was more curious what Matt would say about it. Maybe he would be given a beacon of hope, a sign that Matt noticed him too. 

"Ah, and this at the bottom! It's a very clear anchor, meaning a stable future." Matt tilted his head towards Peter, "You do not seem impressed with your reading."

"Nothing personal, I just don't think these things are more than carnival tricks and fun games."

"Fair enough," Matt chuckled and set his notes to the side, folded his arms on the table and leaned in. "Now mine."

Right, Peter had to figure out Matt's. He pulled out his own book and looked over the page of symbols. "Well, let's start with what I know without reading paragraphs of contradictory symbology. So, there is a ring -or 'O'- at the bottom and it's pretty big. Future relationship? Or someone with an 'O' name? And there is a smaller one of the same in the present."

He paused to look at his notes. "Uh… I think this is a ladder? Which means travel in your future. And a Knife in the future meaning a fight. Umm, I wrote down a snake, but it could be a worm? Which… is a bad omen or a secret enemy."

Peter glanced up at Matt, and was about to apologize for accidentally reading a bad future for him when the Professor approached their table. 

"Ah, let's take a look, then, shall we?" She gently plucked Peter's tea cup up from in front of Matt and swept her eyes over the leaves. "Oh, my. You have a small romantic notion towards someone that has lasted a while but hasn't grown into anything more. You have several challenges which will appear in the near future and your decision to take them on or ignore them will drastically shape your life. Those choices are why a lot of your future is fuzzy, but if you remain true to yourself there is great prosperity and even greater love waiting for you."

She looked over Matt's notes and pointed out the symbols he missed. Peter sighed, he was ready for the class to end. At least he had his study not-date with Matt to look forward to. 

"Let's have a look at the other one," She said as she lifted Matt's cup from where Peter set it. "You have a recent romantic notion, it is small and very new, but you will have a journey before it can grow. There are a lot of small victories in your future, but they can be overshadowed by betrayal. I see a powerful romance in the future, but it could be lost if you're not careful."

Matt seemed to hang on every word, but quickly folded his arms when the Professor finished her own reading. Was he taking it seriously? Peter made a note to ask later. There were some interesting parallels between their readings, giving Peter a sliver of hope of his feelings being returned despite the absurdity of fortune telling. 

"Overall, not bad for your first times. Keep studying, there will be a practical component to the final." With that, she drifted towards another group, leaving Peter and Matt to clean up. 

"You're a muggleborn, aren't you?" Matt wasn't looking at him, but Peter could feel the weight of his attention pinning him to his chair. "Foggy is too," Matt added quickly, "and has the same opinions on this," he waved his hand generally. 

"Ah, yea. It's a bit… "

"I get it. Don't worry, no judgment here. Still, the reading was a bit uncanny."

Peter huffed. "It's easy to assign meaning to a vague set of events."

"Is that so?" Matt tilted his head. 

"We're teens, so it's not uncommon to have a crush. And everyone has a journey at some point, or choices to make. That's life. And it's not unusual to get married later in your life."

"True." He calmly began to clean the table. A swish of his wand and his cup was clean. "So, you do not deny liking someone."

Well, that was unexpected. Peter sputtered, searching for a string of words to put together as his pulse raced. "I- well- that's- I-"

Matt had the audacity to laugh at him, and the sound alone was almost enough to make Peter's embarrassment worth it. Almost. "Why so embarrassed, I thought it wasn't uncommon?"

Peter busied himself with clearing his side of the table. "So, you're not denying it yourself?" He leaned into the hope the conversation sparked, imagining his feelings being returned. Tea leaves be damned, Peter made his own fate, and if he was given the chance there was no amount of future-telling that could ruin what he felt for Matt.

Their conversation dropped when the professor requested everyone's attention for a short lecture before the end of class. It was important information they would need for their test, but Peter's attention drifted to Matt. By the upward tilt of Matt’s lips, he was well aware of Peter's distraction. 

There was a flurry of activity after class, and Peter didn't have any chance to speak with him further. However, Matt was true to his word and sought Peter out over the weekend. The weather was fair, creating the perfect opportunity to study together outside and away from the prying eyes of their classmates. They found a shaded area and set up their makeshift study session under the shade of a tree.

"I think I got it." Peter waved his wand over a fresh piece of parchment, whispering the spell Matt taught him. The tree bark dug into his back, and Matt’s cologne was distracting, but he could feel the tingle of the spell working. His quill sprung to work, jotting down a few lines of potion ingredients before sputtering out and falling to the page. As it rolled to the side, he sighed and leaned his head against the tree. 

"It takes practice to keep it writing longer, but you've done more than I expected for your first lesson. You really are every bit the genius they say."

"People talk about me?" Peter was top of his class, but he didn't think his grades warranted discussion with the 7th years. 

Matt shrugged and knocked his shoulder into Peter's. "I may have asked around."

Peter's heart somersaulted. "Oh? What, uh, else did 'they' say?"

"That you're a smart ass."

Peter nodded and leaned towards Matt, "Go on."

"Peter…" Matt's breath ghosted over his cheek sending a thrill up his spine. 

"Matt…" Peter continued forward, gently pressing his lips against Matt's. For a brief moment, Matt pressed back; then suddenly there was a large distance between them. 

Peter's lips felt cold. 

"Sorry. I-"

"Don't be, I-I kissed you." Peter fumbled to put his quill and notebook into his bag. "I thought-"

"Peter." Matt's voice was soft, unsure. "It wouldn't be fair to you."

Peter stared down at his notes, trying to make sense of what Matt was saying. 

"I graduate in a few months." He held up a hand when Peter started to protest, "and I've just been accepted into a school in Germany. I leave right after graduation to get a head start with their summer law program."

"But-"

"We would have an expiration date, Peter." Matt's eyes were closed. There was a rigidness to his posture which made Peter suspect there was more he wasn't saying. 

"Ok. Then just friends."

Matt inhaled sharply, like he hadn't expected Peter's reaction. "Friends. Yea, I'd like that."

With that, they settled into a rhythm for the rest of the school year. Studying together when time allowed, ignoring the tension between them whenever they accidentally touched. Whenever the tightness in his chest returned, Peter reminded himself of their tea readings and imagined a future where they shared a happy ending.

----

Woo, thanks for reading!

There is a part two I'm working on where they reunite as professors several years later. I actually started that first then switched gears when Peter made a reference to their past. Hopefully I'll finish it soon so it's not so much of a cliffhanger lol. 

[fit-artichoke8738]

Taking a Close Look at Stuff in Rantaro’s Lab (3/3)

The last part of my three-part analysis of the “Ultimate Survivor” lab. Just a warning, this part is a lot more in-depth than the other two were. Links to the other parts at the bottom.

————

The Vault Doors

Usually circle vaults only have a single door, so it’s interesting that this vault has two doors.

Together, they loosely resemble the shape of the character for ‘infinity.’

There’s a bunch of different theories about the door puzzle itself, and I’m not going to go into those. But, I will touch on the Japanese characters written on the doors.

In the English version of the game, the characters on the door are ‘B’ and ‘A.’ In the Latin alphabet, these letters are sequentially right next to each other, so it makes sense that they’re used. It’s not so much the case for the Japanese version, though...

As seen in the picture above, the characters on the door in the Japanese version are the katakana ロ (ro) and イ (i)—the homophonic hiragana equivalent of these being ろ (ro) and い (i). Unlike in the Latin alphabet, with the way that hiragana/katakana are typically ordered in a chart, these two characters are no where near each other, so I at first thought it was very odd that they were chosen.

Then I found something called the いろは (iroha) poem. This ancient, very famous poem is a representation of a pangram, meaning it uses every sound from the Japanese hiragana system at least once once. An English equivalent of a pangram would be, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog,” where every letter from the alphabet is used at least once.

The poem serves as its own character ordering system, which would sequentially place ろ (ro) and い (i) right next to each other—and that would answer the question of why they were chosen for the door.

But why use the いろは poem order instead of the usual kana order? Well, because it’s a pangram, the poem’s ordering system has historically been used many times as a base to create ciphers and coded messages—both of which are pretty relevant to this lab.

Which brings me to my next point...

The Cipher Papers

Dangling from the ceiling from white strings are papers with renditions of different cipher keys drawn on them, like the Polybius (the 5x5 grid) and Railfence (the four long rectangles) ciphers. They’re left blank, though, so it’s difficult to determine whether or not there’s anything to discern from them.

^^^ These symbols, on the other hand, are a code rather than a rendition of a key.

In all my searching, I can only reason that these symbols are taken from the Rosicrucian cipher, also known as the Pigpen, Templar, or Masonic cipher.

Originally created from the Hebrew alphabet (I think), this symbol system has been adopted as a substitution cipher for Latin letters.

Using the most common key for this type of cipher (shown above), these symbols would be decoded as the two Latin letters, “HH.”

But... That being said...

Many different keys for this cipher exist (like using others I’ve found, the message could instead be “OO” or “PP”), and I don’t know which exact key would be appropriate here—I just used the most common one.

It’s also possible that we may have to create our own cipher key for this message out of clues found in the game.

But, for the time being, “HH” is my best guess.

The Color Red

For my last point, I just want to acknowledge that this room is, obviously, very red. In this game, red is the color associated with lies (or it may actually be representative of despair, it’s difficult to tell) and also has associations to Himiko and Maki for their clothing color schemes.

The color also matches that of Kaede’s room, which is the only dorm room in the game (that we get to see) that’s colored red.

And there’s a lot of red in the library’s hidden room as well, but it may be more pink than red.

The color also kind of matches the ambiance of Korekiyo’s lab, but upon second review, Kiyo’s lab is much more brown than red. It does match the eerie red glow of the fourth floor hallways, though.

I’m probably missing some red areas, but that’s all that comes to my mind right now. Please let me know what I’m missing.

————

Annndd that’s all I got.

In conclusion, there seem to be more things in this lab referencing Kaede than any other character, with Tsumugi references coming in second. Also, ciphers are a bitch.

Anyway, let me know if I missed anything, got something totally wrong, or if you have something you’d like to add!

Other parts here:

Part 1: https://fit-artichoke8738.tumblr.com/post/648907074844147712/taking-a-close-look-at-stuff-in-rantaros-lab

Part 2: https://fit-artichoke8738.tumblr.com/post/648981943624597504/taking-a-close-look-at-stuff-in-rantaros-lab

[faline-cat444]

Super Giles*:Chapter One-The Wise Decision

*Also known through titles such as Super-Brikke and De Geheimzinnige Benzinepomp

Some of you out there might have seen videos and posts about a book intended for kids of the vaguely recalled plot which is a boy becoming a gas pump.While I did not experience this particular story during my days in elementary school there was something about it that stuck out to me and through observing the other souls hunting for it I did learn a few French copies were still in the wild and managed to acquire one(Technically the title in their language was Super-Gilles).

Considering this book is mainly intended to be read by those around 9-11 years in age/fourth graders it’s a bit more of an effort than some of the other things I’ve tried English-Ing up.Maybe there is still a chance an actual English copy will surface and we will see how similar/different the wording I went with is or while I’m messing with this someone has their hands on one of the copies in another language it’s been recognized to exist in.

As it tends to go for language in general whether it’s two different regions that both know English whether that’s two regions in the United States or pitting the US against Canada,the UK,and/or Australia there’s a bit of your typical language barrier I had to get self-taught and try to figure out an equivalent to.Most obvious being the name of the main character as I’m not sure how you get “Giles” from “Brikke”(Might need to ask a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan if they have the foggiest idea).As of this first chapter the most “major” example of this was the term of “cloche” which can translate into “bell” but specifically in French can mean a silly or clumsy person.I substituted this for “dolt”.Also keep in mind this book was apparently published in...

*punches in the Roman numerals on the publication information page*

1987

This might only be the first chapter so I have no idea what we’re fully in for but judging by the outcome so far...Some book you decided to remember existed,you kooks.

That morning,long before the alarm clock rang.Giles knew it was the big day. He knew what he wanted.

“This is nothing extraordinary,” he mumbled.”A ten-year-old boy knows exactly what he wants.This is no exception…”

For months,he had thought about it.He had his doubts and worries until this moment when his decision became unshakable.It had not been easy.It might be dangerous.But he knew he was going to do it.Today would be the day.

It was therefore impossible for him to stay in bed any longer.

Besides,this morning his room seemed totally different,as if he had nothing more to do there.He ran a finger along the books he had certainly read once,along the many toys he had been tired of for a long time.And he saw nothing he would miss.

In the next room he heard his father.Slowly he opened the door and approached the big bed.His father was laying on his back snoring peacefully,his mouth partly open.His mother put a pillow over her head and therefore was temporarily invisible.

Hesitant,Giles stayed near the big bed.Should he tell them what he was planning to do?But what if they didn’t understand?They might laugh at him.Or worse,they would lock him in his room.Then all would be at a loss!No,better not say anything.Let them find out on their own.If his plan was successful,they could be proud of their son.Giles even started to blush with pride.Silently,he left the room.

At school,the hours passed even slower than usual.It was a pure waste of time.Sometimes,the teacher’s voice became so vague Giles would zone out and begin to daydream,thinking about later,when he would…

“…Isn’t it so,Giles!” The teacher’s booming voice brought Giles back to earth.What was this man with his tiresome numbers talking about again?And what was with all the idiots chuckling around him?

Saved by the bell.Giles gathered his books and hurried…

“Hey,Giles,you come to play soccer?” Giles acted as if he heard nothing.”Hey,dolt,I’m talking to you.” A long and flabby boy insisted.

“Leave him be,” his friend interrupted,”he never want to play with us!”

“His mother forbids him,”another mocked.And then the whole group chanted maddeningly “Dimwit,dimwit!” and “Giles is a little mama’s boy!”

Without a glance,Giles followed his path,like someone who knew where he was going,straight to the point.This feeling of excitement took hold of him again and Giles accelerated his pace.Straight ahead,at the corner on the right to the traffic light and then…

His heart beating wildly,Giles stopped in front of a shiny gas pump,lacquered in red and yellow.Up above hung a gigantic panel with large square letters.Aloud and with a certain respect,he read the inscription,as he did every day he came here:SELF-SERVICE.

For a few months ago,Giles had discovered that Self-Service was a very special gas pump.Not at all like the silly pumps you find at gas stations.Those wait patiently for the pump attendant to come out of their glass cage to make them work.Self-Service did not need anyone.The glass cage behind it with its dirty and misty windows was empty and closed.It was completely unnecessary.Self-Service existed by itself.It stood along the road like an I and looked dignified.It even had a slight air of defiance,which Giles was a bit jealous of.The brutal honk of a car’s horn knocked him out of his state of admiration,he stepped aside to allow a large black car to approach the pump.The driver got out,took a few dollars out of his wallet and slipped them into the vending machine on the pump.

“Self-Service must be very rich.” Giles thought.

The man unscrewed the gas tank cap,took the pistol from the pump and placed it in the tank.

Self-Service immediately began rumbling.The pump began to live!Inside you could hear a continuous dull snoring,counters began to run,a lamp flashed,and one could hear a very distinct DING-DING-DING.At the same time it spat out a continue stream of gasoline,until it had enough.The driver looked disappointed at the last drops and returned the pistol to its place.For Self-Service,the business was settled,motionless and straight as a candle,waiting for the next customer.

The pump didn’t give gasoline to just anyone.A couple times Giles would see drivers in too much of a hurry did not receive a drop,even if they inserted several dollars.The insults,prayers,and beatings were useless,Self-Service remained intractable.When the black car was gone, Giles approached the pump.He stroked it with his hand and placed his ear against its stomach.Very deeply he felt his heart beating.

“I will become like you,” he whispered.A slight rumble ran through Self-Service.And instead of going home like previous days,Giles roamed the city in all directions,until he arrived on a beloved main road he didn’t know.He followed this road for several miles until he was exhausted.One last time,he looked around cautiously and with a broad movement he threw his bag into the bushes.He took a few more steps and finally stood where he felt he should be,right near a busy road.He stood there,straight as a candle,immobile,feet against each other,head upright,with a sincere yet slightly vexing gaze in his eyes.

Because since this morning,Giles knew exactly what he wanted to be…A gas pump. Slowly, he brought his right hand to his head and thrust two fingers into his ear.

[angel-bazethiel]

What, How, Why is Flame Alchemy?

--or how Roy Mustang can potentially bottle up a star. --or I’m sleep-deprived and writing this fic that relies on a deeper understanding of how Flame Alchemy works and I’m posting what I thought of bc why the hell not? and if I read another post saying it’s plain ole combustion and how easy it is, I will probably lose my mind --or goddammit, where is Flame Alchemy?????

Content:

I. Introduction II. Mass-Energy Equivalence and Nuclear Energy III. Flame Alchemy? More like Nuclear Alchemy (and Other Myth Debunking) IV. Why would someone study such a research topic? V. Summary

Note: Long post and a lot of Science ahead.

I. Introduction

First we establish that whatever we know of Flame Alchemy is utterly bogus. Solely because of the fact that if Roy and Riza really wanted for the knowledge of it to die, no one will ever know of it. No one. So that explanation by Havoc about aligning oxygen molecules and then snapping to ignite them is not true. I mean, “reactive cloth?” What is that even made of? For a show that was extensively researched, that seems a bit lazy.

Also, this explanation makes Flame Alchemy sound so easy. So why isn’t everyone doing it? For a military-run country, one would think that something easy and can be weaponized would be mass-produced, right?

Another fact, fire feeds on oxygen, yes. But fire is a combustion reaction of oxygen and a C-H compound. Something I hope that the air in a 1900s FMA-Earth isn’t abundant of.

Although, I haven’t thought about what if the fuel Roy uses is H2 compounds instead of Hydrocarbons. That would be funny. Roy deconstructs H2O molecules only to create them again. But if you still want to see whether or not I’m crazy, by all means, do read on. I will still use Flame Alchemy = Nuclear Fusion for my fic. So ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Now, it got me thinking how does Flame Alchemy actually work? And my highly convoluted train of thought started while I was writing this fic where I based Riza’s mother on Marie Curie. (Which I may expand on but now is not the time.)

I thought then, so how about Berthold? Is he Pierre? Naw, man. Who else has had his research mishandled during a war? Who else was a brilliant thinker but is also such a shitty dude to the women in his life? Yeah you guessed it. And what is one of his greatest works?

II. Mass-Energy Equivalence and Nuclear Energy

Albert Einstein’s Mass-Energy Equivalence is such a simple and very elegant equation saying that mass is interchangeable with energy. This postulate led to this branch of physics (or chemistry, whatever) called Nuclear Physics/Chemistry. Bear with me.

Did you know that when you add up the masses of an atom’s nucleons (the collective protons and neutrons) the actual mass is not equal to the calculated? Where did that mass go? As it turns out, that mass defect takes in the form of energy that holds the nucleons together. And when we substitute that missing mass on Eq. 1, we have a specific number for that binding energy.

So what do we mean by nuclear energy?

Nuclear energy is the binding energy released when a nucleon is taken out of its nucleus. And that can happen by either of two reactions: nuclear fission or nuclear fusion.

Now I didn’t think much about nuclear fission because that’s shit’s nasty. And I’m sure that Roy doesn’t have Uranium just lying about. So let’s talk about nuclear fusion. Specifically, the fusion of Hydrogen atoms:

When you fuse two Hydrogen-1 atoms it has three products: deuterium, a positron, and energy. Fuse that deuterium with another Hydrogen-1, we get Helium-3 and energy in the form of gamma radiation. Fuse two Helium-3 atoms, we get helium-4 and hydrogen and more energy. Then start the process again if you want more more energy.

So what has that got to do with Flame Alchemy?

III. Flame Alchemy? More like Nuclear Alchemy (and Other Myth Debunking)

I firmly believe that the “Flame Alchemy” we see in FMA is just the H-H fusion reaction (Eq. 2).

And like an idiot, I only did my research after I thought of all that shit and found this interpretation of Riza’s tattoo.

I don’t know how how much of the tattoo is canon, I tried looking for it in the manga and the anime is too small to see. But I see it everywhere so-- it must be canon?

But in that post, in the upper left part of Riza’s tattoo, we see the fusion reaction of deuterium. And of deuterium and tritium. To which I say, why? Those Hydrogen isotopes are rare. I mean, fine, a D-T fusion reaction gives 40 times the net energy from an H-H fusion reaction.

And, sure, Roy can create deuterium and tritium himself, but it’s just not efficient. I don’t know how alchemy works but I do know that to do that (by which I mean an H-H fusion, then a D-D fusion, then a D-T fusion) would require more energy than just stopping at the H-H fusion.

So I stand by my statement that the “Flame Alchemy” we see in FMA is just the first part of the H-H reaction (Eq. 2).

a. So how does it work as seen in the manga?

Roy would line up the atoms to where he wants the reaction to happen. And here’s the kicker, he can use other light atoms just no heavier than Iron-56.

But I think he uses Hydrogen-1 because that shit is everywhere. Again, not the heavier isotopes. So we’re sticking to that.

How do we know that that’s what’s happening and not Roy doing whatever the hell Havoc said? Because we see this:

I don’t know about you, but I think the sparks we see when someone is doing a transmutation aren’t just there because it’s cool.  

Atoms require energy in order to stay bonded as a molecule. So when alchemists transmute, they break the bonds and release that energy. In this case, the energy released is in the form of light. (I also have some thoughts about why we see red and blue sparks but, again, now is not the time.)

If Roy is just controlling the O2 molecules in the air, we shouldn’t see any sparks because there is no deconstructing happening.

Hydrogen-1 is usually present as part of the many water molecules in the air. So, I think, what we see is Roy deconstructing the H2O molecules and pulling the Hydrogen-1 atoms to where he wants them to be. The Oxygen-16 atoms bond with each other and form O2 molecules but we don’t care about them.

Unless Roy fuses Oxygen-16 instead of Hydrogen-1. In that case, we will see an even bigger release of energy. OH! Maybe that’s why he uses his left hand for smaller and more controlled explosions and the other for bigger ones. Because the gloves are different! One is for H-H fusion and the other is for O-O fusion.

Anyways. Hydrogen-1 atoms, by themselves are positively charged. So to fuse two together we have to overcome the repelling force by those same-charged atoms. To do that, they must meet either at high velocity or at high pressure. In the manga, they do the former.

Remember the sound whenever Roy does his thing? That isn’t actually caused by his snapping. After all he is wearing gloves. The sound when you snap is made by the pad of your middle finger striking your palm. If your hand is clothed, you won’t produce any sound when you snap.

No. That sound is the sonic boom of Hydrogen atoms going faster than the speed of sound. Also, I don’t think his gloves is made up of some special material. He just snaps to cover up the sound. Everything is just nuclear fusion.

b. How about those “flames” that we see, then?

That is how we perceive the energy released by the reaction. When the energy is transferred into the surroundings, it gives off heat. Not only that, but the other atoms in the air get excited (this is a technical term btw) and glow. For all intents and purposes, I guess they are flames? Just not caused by a combustion reaction.

c. But if that’s how the Flame Alchemy works, then what is up with the useless when wet schtick?

That is a misconception. Sort of.

Roy’s alchemy will still be useless in the rain because there is just too much macromolecules in the air. He can’t align the atoms properly and the Hydrogen atoms may collide with the water molecules. That would decrease speed which he maybe can take account of. But the time to calculate then recalculate for each atoms can be too long. So he just lets Riza take care of the imminent threat when it’s raining.

As for when it isn’t raining, but he’s wet… I think he can still do his Alchemy, he just doesn’t. Because in doing so, it would deconstruct all the lies Roy and Riza have built around “Flame Alchemy.” Like that fight with Lust with Havoc. He manipulated Hydrogen atoms and I think he could have just fused them. Instead he let Havoc throw his lighter. Good thing Hydrogen is flammable. And this:

This is just Roy Mustang being the drama queen that he is.

d. Why would Roy and Riza lie about the Alchemy?

They feed false information surrounding Nuclear Alchemy because there can never be another Nuclear Alchemist. They created a version of the Alchemy and make up some magic cloth that supposedly becomes useless when wet. All of that so that no one can learn the actual secret. Maybe even discourage other alchemists, seeing as “it has such a huge weakness.”

IV. But why would someone want to study such a research topic?

Now, I don’t claim to know how Berthold Hawkeye’s brain works. But have you ever looked up to the sun and think, “Woah. That big ball gives life on this piece of rock? How does that even work?” I hope you haven’t because you will hurt your eyes. Please use protective eye-gear if you’re going to look directly to the sun.

All joking aside. It all comes down to energy. The sources of energy we have today have their pros and cons. Our main source, which is burning fossil fuels, is very much harming the environment.

So we look up. The sun has millions of Hydrogen atoms that undergo nuclear fusion. And the energy from that keeps all of us 7 billion little shits alive. What if we bottle up a star?

If we could ever recreate even the smallest fraction of that reaction, we can power hundreds of cities. And with Helium to spare, which we can use to blow out the balloons for our party in celebration of the fact we can finally stop killing our planet.

If nuclear fusion is so clean, then why aren’t we using it?

Because we still don’t know how to contain and control it. Today, there are two designs of fusion reactors and there are research facilities that conduct experiments. But so far they are still developing the technology.

And get this, this is a very hard and expensive thing to do. Whatever Berthold did, it’s genius. Way ahead of his time. He’s still an ass of a father though.

To add salt to the wound, like with what happened to Flame Alchemy in FMA, governments have used this research to create weapons instead. Because why try to contain that energy and use it for technological advancement when we can let it loose on a city, right? Hah. We are such dumbfucks.

V. Summary

So in conclusion, human beings suck. Kidding! Well, not really. But yeah. So. Flame Alchemy is a nuclear fusion reaction of Hydrogen-1 atoms. And it’s very hard to control and contain that even in 2020 Primary-Earth, we haven’t figured that shit out.

It could have been used for the people if the Amestrian government actually cared about the people. And after the trauma Roy and Riza experienced in Ishval, we may only see Nuclear Alchemy in the distant future when humans are kinder – not just to the world they live in – but to other humans they are living with as well.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[itsuki-minamy]

“K - THE FIRST STORY”

CHAPTER 11: THE NIGHT BEFORE (Complete)

* K - The First Story (List of Chapters) * Projects & Chapters

Translation: Naru-kun Raws: Ridia

Awashima bowed deeply into the command car parked in front of the Gakuenjima bridge.

"I'm sorry. Not only did I let the 'Red King' escape, but I also made this happen... it's all my responsibility."

"The expression on your face accepting such humiliation is not all bad."

Before Awashima seriously apologized, Munakata joined his hands and said that with a serious face.

"Captain."

"Feeling responsible for not being able to stop the 'Red King' is a sign of considerable arrogance."

The apology became an advance and she turned her eyes to guilt, but Awashima lowered her eyes again without saying anything to return to the lines of Munakata.

"Yes."

Awashima received it mysteriously, understanding that it was not an unstoppable mistake, but a reckless attempt to stop him.

Munakata stood up silently and left the command vehicle without further pursuit or mention.

"Still, it was troublesome."

Awashima also got out of the command car following Munakata and stayed a bit behind. Munakata looked towards Gakuenjima in cloudy weather. The panic that might have happened there couldn't be seen from here, and the island beyond the connecting bridge was silent in the middle of the sea.

But now that island is in danger of ending even this country.

Munakata opened his mouth with a sharper light in his eyes.

"The 'Red King' Mikoto Suoh occupies the school island. The purpose remains..."

"Capture Totsuka Tatara's killer."

"That's right... But if that person was another 'King', it would be really annoying."

"You mean the 'Colorless King'?"

Before Awashima, who said that with a firm expression, Munakata continued speaking.

"Unlike other kings, the Seventh King, the 'Colorless King', develops his own unique abilities with each substitution of him. You won't know what he looks like until he appears."

"A trickster who stirs up relations between 'kings'. He's like a joker in a deck of cards."

"Awashima-kun, I hate the joker. That smells like deception... I feel like he lacks justice. Especially when he's out of my hands."

Awashima was a bit surprised to see that he was blatantly thinking that it would be fair if he had the joker. However, even though she thinks he's pretty badass, she doesn't think he's wrong.

Munakata sighed a bit frustratingly, which was unusual for him.

"Well, it would be much easier if he remained secluded in the mountains like his predecessor Ichigen Miwa."

"An unpredictable 'Colorless King' is added to the 'Red King', which is equivalent to a bomb on the verge of detonation. I must say that this situation is extremely dangerous."

"Because we have not been able to capture the existence of the 'Colorless King', we have no choice but to hold down the 'Red King'. A full-scale collision with the Red Clan is inevitable."

By confirming the seriousness of the current situation, she was prepared. Awashima turns to Munakata, lines up her legs and stretches her spine.

"All units are ready for battle. You can give the order whenever you want."

Munakata looked back at Awashima after a brief pause.

"Awashima-kun. Can I make a rather selfish request?"

Awashima was surprised by the sound of the word "selfish" that came out of Munakata's mouth. Before Awashima asked the content of the expression "selfishness", it was not an order, instruction or request, a white thing fluttered next to Munakata's face.

Munakata and Awashima looked at the sky together.

From the heavy cloudy sky, the white shards began to flicker like petals.

"Snow."

Munakata muttered like a soliloquy.

++++++++++

The amount of snow that began to fall at dusk increased and piled up as if to cover the colors of the world.

Suoh was lying on the clock tower that he had knocked down, whether it started to snow or at night.

When he lay on his back on the rocky shore of the clock tower and looked up at the night sky where the snow continued to fall, he felt that the world had become two colors, black and white. The snow that touched his skin quickly melted and disappeared, but the snow that had accumulated on his clothes and hair was thickening on the board.

From the bottom, he heard small footsteps and the sound of chunks of rocky shore falling.

Suoh didn't move and was listening to the approaching noise.

However, he heard the sound of the rocky shore collapsing and reached out. What he grabbed with his left hand was Anna's hood.

"What are you doing?"

Suoh puts Anna's small body, which he clutched like a kitten, next to him and asks.

Anna blinked on the spot and looked at Suoh with a serious face.

"Because the snow piled up on Mikoto."

"What with that?"

"I'm in trouble if I can't see the color red."

Anna complained, looking very serious.

Suoh thought of the world through her eyes, which only reflected red, for a moment, but he couldn't quite imagine it, so he stopped immediately. Instead, he slightly released the power of red and the heat melted and evaporated the snow from his body.

The white snow that covered Suoh disappeared and Anna loosened her eyes a little.

"Mikoto's red is the most beautiful."

Anna said. It was like trying to give something important. Since Anna has few words, she seems like she puts an invisible power in every single word she says.

Anna lay down next to Suoh. When he reached out, she obediently put her small head on Suoh's upper arm.

"It's cold?"

"It's warm next to you. This is the only warm place."

Snuggled into Suoh's chest like a small animal, Anna closed her eyes silently.

Suoh silently looked at Anna, who closed her eyes as if she was at ease.

When he thinks about it, Anna has rarely asked Suoh for anything. The only thing she asked for was (I want Mikoto's red).

Maybe it was just that moment when she wanted to be a member of Suoh's clan.

Suoh finally heard the wish. He shared the flame with Anna and gave her what she called "red" to make her a member of his clan. He knew it was not the same as doing it to street boys in search of power, but he offered his hand on fire as she wanted.

Since then, Anna has been with Suoh. She doesn't say anything, she doesn't ask anything, she just snuggles with Suoh, she stares at Suoh's red and squints in satisfaction. Even now, even though she can see ahead of anyone, she remains silent next to Suoh.

When he was in the "Scepter 4" detention center, he remembered that Fushimi had come to see him only once. He doesn't know if it was a sweetheart-type action that he used to have in "Homura", or if he just wanted to complain, he came to the front of Suoh's cell, where no one but the members could approach him, and he threw up a few sentences, though he was strangely scared.

(Are you playing the fool?)

Unexpectedly, he thought he was a polite and serious guy.

(I wish I hadn't gathered around you with all your friends.)

He disagreed with anyone because it seemed dishonest to everyone, but he thought it was good to have someone blame him like that.

Furthermore, that revived the words of an irresponsible man who said the exact opposite of Fushimi.

(Your power is not to destroy, but to protect.)

At the very least, he made a dome-shaped shield releasing the red power with a small outlet, feeling like this. The little red shelter was warm and protected Anna from falling snow and chills.

When the falling snow approached the shield, it reflected the light and turned red, and he vaguely thought that he must smoke.

++++++++++

Yata continued to look around the large school, as he skated on the roofs of the school building.

That criminal boy has yet to be found. Yata was appointed an entire island watchdog due to his mobility and good eyesight, but the job of just looking was frustrating.

Beyond the connecting bridge, "Scepter 4" is waiting. If they attack quickly, they will withdraw it, but they just line up a series of strict armored vehicles and observe this situation, and they do not move easily.

(I wonder if he will always come.)

He thought about it, and it didn't matter! He shook his head immediately.

Fiuuu fiuuu. He heard the sound of a finger whistling from a distance. Seeing that, Yata felt slightly offended. He thought he should use the PDA, and thought about ignoring it for a moment, but in the end he dutifully kicked the concrete on the rooftop and flew between the school buildings with his skateboard.

"What are you doing? I'm not a dog, so I'd like you to stop calling me that."

Upon landing, Yata sighed and looked at Kusanagi. Kusanagi, who was still in the whistling stance, laughed fearlessly.

"You are not a dog, I thought you were a crow with great night vision. What did you observe?"

"There is nothing unusual on the island. There were some idiots trying to escape, but they weren't that damn bastard, so I tied them up and threw them into the school building. Passing the bridge, it seems the Blues have the area completely surrounded."

Kusanagi took out the cigarette and it was probably troublesome to use his lighter, so he moved his finger to make his own flame appear from his fingertips and set it on fire. Yata, who doesn't smoke, secretly thought that the way he used his fingertips like flint was great.

"If we do face it, this time it will be a full-scale war."

"I say let's go get them!"

Yata clenched his fist with all his might at the words Kusanagi spoke as he exhaled smoke.

"I can't wait for it."

Fighting spirit boiled up and the power of red seeped out from the body, enveloping Yata's entire body in a faint red. Kusanagi shrugged and laughed a little.

"Don't get excited. You really do a better job when the blood circulates less through your head."

"It's hard to stay calm at a time like this!"

"Yata-chan, you'd be better off if you weren't such an idiot. But it wouldn't be you, if you weren't an idiot."

When Yata was congested and about to scream, Kusanagi suddenly looked at Yata with a slight smile and seemed to be cheering him on.

"You especially get excited when Fushimi is involved. Well, I can't blame you since they used to be partners."

For a moment, deep in Yata's eyes, he took the hand that held Suoh's flame, accepted Suoh's flame, and the moment he got the mark, the scene flashed.

(Yeah! This is a genuine companion!)

When you pass through the Suoh installation, you will see a tattoo-like "mark" in the shape of a flame somewhere on your body. Yata is proud of it, which is proof of the above.

When Yata graduated from high school, he and Fushimi received the installation from Suoh, and at the same time, they both received a mark under the left clavicle in the same place.

He remembers Kusanagi, who was watching them, saying that it was the first time that someone got the "mark" in the same place where the other's was.

Yata was happy that he seemed to prove that he was a partner of Fushimi.

When the feelings at that moment seemed to revive, Yata bit the surging emotions and said to Kusanagi forcefully.

"No matter how much you say it, it sucks."

Fushimi's finger with flames. A flame that crushed the "mark". A smile that looked at him with contempt.

Yata fought back bitterly, recalling the scenes he wanted to forget in a chain reaction.

"Besides, he was the one who betrayed me first."

Kusanagi glanced at Yata and shrugged a little.

"By the way, since you will be guarding the area for the rest of the night, there is something I would like you to do."

Kusanagi easily changed the story, turned his face to Yata and spoke.

Yata opened his eyes to the content.

"Eh? Why is it like this...!"

"There was a request for a 'personal meeting' in route from the lieutenant over there for me."

"Why don't you get it?"

Kusanagi forgave the yapping Yata with a smile. Kusanagi sometimes showed him a smile that he didn't know what he was thinking.

"The next time we meet face to face, it will be a war without questions. If you want to talk before that, you can't."

"But..."

"It is a violation of the rules to attack the messenger in war... But if other people know about it, I will have the same revulsion as you. Keep this matter here alone."

Kusanagi seemed to accept it and touched Yata's shoulder when he closed his mouth without complaint.

"Trust me, Yatagarasu."

Kusanagi called Yata's nickname and stepped away from the rooftop.

Yata, who was left alone, was silent for a while and then shook his tongue.

(From now on, the "Blue King" will come alone to this island.)

He remembered the words he had heard from Kusanagi and threw them away.

Yata does not like the "Blue King". He just doesn't like him, and he feels like he's going to take important things away from Yata, because he's going to attach a flirtation to Suoh, whom Yata respects more than anyone else.

Yata squeezed his eyes shut.

As he talks to Kusanagi, memories that he did not want to remember came to mind and they did not disappear.

Until a few years ago, Yata and Fushimi were best friends.

They met in middle school and spent their youth together. The two of them were holding something that surrendered to each other, but they could breathe well side by side and they had a great dream if they were together.

Yata still doesn't know where something went wrong.

He was in the back alley in front of the HOMRA bar where he ended up with Fushimi.

"I joined 'Scepter 4'." Said Fushimi. For Yata, it was a declaration of war in his ears.

"Bastard, what's wrong with you now?"

After being stunned for a moment, blood suddenly spilled over his head and Yata grabbed Fushimi's chest and squeezed it. Fushimi didn't move and looked at Yata with icy eyes.

"Didn't you hear me? I joined 'Scepter 4'."

"What for?! Why did you betray me? Depending on why..."

When he shook him hard, he swayed while Fushimi swayed, and was looking at Yata with rumored eyes seemingly distant from him.

He was shaken by Yata's hand and his neck was exposed, revealing the "mark" of "Homura" under Fushimi's left clavicle. The pride of "Homura", who is in the same place as Yata, and a test of Yata's partner.

When he left, Yata put his fist on Fushimi's "mark" and pushed hard.

"This is a sign, probably our pride! Even though I have this on my chest, why you...?"

"Pride?"

He asked Fushimi's voice, which turned wetter. Somehow, it was a voice that pushed through the emotions that Yata didn't really understand.

The fingertips of Fushimi's right hand harbored flames. Yata was confused when he saw the tips of his five muscular fingers emitting red flames. He had often seen red power in his knives during battle, but this was the first time he had seen Fushimi use this type of flame.

Facing Yata, who forgot his anger for a moment and waited for Fushimi's next behavior, Fushimi put his burning fingers on the "mark" below his collarbone and scratched his hard.

He heard a burning sound on his skin.

The "mark" was on fire. It should be hot. It should hurt. However, Fushimi scratched the "mark" up and down with a distorted smile as he sweated.

He drew a red-black burnt line at the "mark", as if it were a strikethrough.

Yata's entire body was bleeding. His limbs grew cold and didn't move well, and his lips trembled. The scent of Fushimi burning his skin drifted to the tip of his nose and he felt the rocking motion in front of him.

"Ah... the pride you say has collapsed, Misaki?"

Fushimi said. Fushimi's voice was slightly hummed with a smile, probably because he was encouraged to endure the pain.

Yata was beginning to lose track of her feelings, whether it was anger, sadness, or despair.

However, even when Fushimi hurt himself so terribly, he was ignorant of the fact that he was trying to destroy "Homura's" pride and Yata's essence.

Fushimi continued speaking with a distorted smile.

"You ask me why I betrayed you? Because this is stupid. Although we have a special power, everything we do is play punks and gangsters. I really suck in 'Homura'."

Yata's emotions, which had been scattered and disturbed, slowly integrate into one. He was angry. Anger rebuilt Yata, who was about to collapse, and gave him some power in his abandoned childlike mind.

Fushimi desecrated what Suoh gave him, which Yata prized above all else. Fushimi imitated spitting at Suoh, who gave birth to Yata's locked world.

"Saru! Even though you were picked up from the street by Mikoto-san, how dare you be disrespectful to "Homura"?"

In response to Yata's anger, Yata's red power overflowed to the surface of his body and he burned. He dissipates the heat to evaporate the tears that had risen.

He looked into the eyes of the man who once called his partner with the intention of shooting.

Fushimi shook his shoulders and laughed out loud. His eyes glowed with a dark light, but he lifted the edge of his mouth satisfactorily.

"That's right, Misaki. Don't laugh, look at me all the time."

"Damn traitor... I'll kill you...!"

The path between the two was divided.

Unable to understand what Fushimi was thinking, Yata suffered the sensation of ripping out his internal organs over and over again. He wondered why, he went to the place they shared and gritted his teeth.

(But that's okay. If you want me to look angry, I will. If you stand in front of me, I will crush you.)

Shaking off the pain in his chest, Yata took off across the sea.

At the end of the Black Sea, a group of blue lights lit by "Scepter 4's" armored vehicle floated in a row.

++++++++++

Munakata, who arrived on the island in a small boat at midnight, thanked Kusanagi for welcoming him with a slight bow of his head.

Kusanagi replied with just a small bow and started walking without exchanging words.

Kusanagi took the lead, followed by Munakata. The snow flickered but kept falling.

Instead of going to the school building, he was heading to the shrine at the back of the island in a wooded area so as not to bump into other members.

"Wait here."

In front of the stone steps of the shrine, Kusanagi turned around, letting out only a minimum of words. The fact that he was on the brink of war was taken into account, not himself, but Kusanagi was called from behind when he was about to leave.

"Why?"

Kusanagi stopped and looked back. The orderly "King", dressed in a blue uniform, looked a little different than the usual Kusanagi knew, irreverent man, calm and serene, transcendental. There was even a childish atmosphere that he kept asking why he didn't understand.

"You know what he's waiting for at the end of this rebellion, right?"

When asked directly, Kusanagi did not have an answer. His question was correct, but he thought that Kusanagi would not be convinced when he answered.

"Breathing and living is crazy."

To say that, Munakata had an expression that was the opposite of what he was convinced of, and made an icy voice.

"So you're dying to 'live' as you call it? Involve unrelated students and endanger the lives of hundreds of thousands of countless citizens?"

Kusanagi smiled silently with a slight smile. He wasn't afraid to hear legitimate accusations from him, but he didn't mean to argue, so he chose silence.

Seeing Kusanagi like this, Munakata erased the irritation and discomfort from his facial expression and said in a simple voice.

"If you are so stubborn, why did you accept my offer?"

"Because you came to speak to him as an individual, not as a 'King'. I have neither the right nor the will to reject you, and I prefer that you see him."

Munakata said nothing more. Kusanagi started walking leaving him this time.

Kusanagi broke through the bushes surrounding the shrine and headed toward Gakuenjima's front place, trampling the fine snow. Immediately after entering the gate, where a clock tower was built as a symbol in the square, but it was knocked down by a light blow of fire from Suoh, and now he was lying on his side. The collapse of the clock tower was probably still neglected there.

The menacing threat to destroy the clock tower made the noisy students quieter and easier to handle, but a bit over the top.

(King's flames are too big, right?)

Totsuka said that when he was with him.

Yes, that was the first winter that Suoh became the "Red King", and Totsuka and Kusanagi became members of the clan.

It was a flickering snow night like today, when Suoh mistakenly controlled his power and burned down an entire abandoned building.

After getting rid of the situation, Suoh, Kusanagi, and Totsuka were walking down the snowy night street. Suoh was in a bad mood, but Totsuka said with a smile as usual, "King's flames are too big, right?"

Suoh made a little irony and let out a rarely misunderstood voice: "It was bad." Totsuka laughed in amusement.

"Didn't you say you didn't like it? No one complains that firepower is too strong like the sun."

"I don't want to be like the sun."

"That's right. King is a king, not the sun, so he doesn't just keep burning, but he burns and burns as he wants."

As Suoh thinks. Kusanagi appears to be frowned upon when Suoh, who hides the urge to destroy himself, hides on the back of his chest and behaves the way he really wants.

"I hope you are a little more dexterous. I wonder if the building often burns from the impulse of things."

"King is so clumsy!"

"Hahaha.", Totsuka laughed, and Suoh hit him on the head with a "Shut up."

Then, he practiced using the flames skillfully, and Totsuka turned his palm to the sky. A flame floated on the white palm like a dot and a red pill, which transformed into a butterfly shape and fluttered. The flaming butterflies rising from the palm of his hand flutter in the flickering snow, as if they were actually alive.

"This is an unexpectedly difficult and good practice."

With a red clan flame called the "Flame of Destruction", Totsuka would often do something clean and smooth, like a child enthusiastic about working with clay. They were mostly butterflies, birds and other creatures that flew free, showing off the beauty of the color of the red flames.

Kusanagi and Suoh looked at the red butterflies flying on a winter night with their detoxified eyes. The flaming butterflies that flew while scattering sparks were somewhat blurry and cute.

"But you can do something with a terrifying flame of destruction."

"King's flames aren't all scary. It's warm and clean."

In fact, Totsuka spun a fire butterfly and wagged Kusanagi's nose, claiming it would be hot and clean.

Emerging from the thoughts of the past, Kusanagi exhaled a white breath into the cold air.

It was a snowy day like today, but when he thought that he felt much warmer than today, Kusanagi laughed softly when he found a small dome of warm colors wherever he went.

"Yes, I know. The 'King' sleeps all the time, though his vassals are hanging around."

Kusanagi shouted slightly towards the dome of red light that floated above the clock tower that lay on its side.

The dome of light was formed by Suoh's power. Suoh was lying next to Anna. The inside of the dome was hot due to the power of the red that controls the flames. The broken tiles of the clock tower were decorated white with snow, but there was no snow inside the dome, and Anna, who was lounging outside at midnight in December, did not appear to be cold at all.

"That's what it means to be a 'King'."

Kusanagi shrugged while Suoh was lying down.

"No, I think there is a problem with your image of a 'King'. Well, I'm not saying you have to work with us, but…"

Kusanagi frowned after saying that in a scared voice.

"...You are waiting?"

"Yes."

Do you think it will work?"

"Yes."

Suoh also gave a minimal answer to the questions. Kusanagi sighed with a bitter smile and lowered his eyebrows.

"Well we'll humbly do our best to catch him before then."

When he sat on a cracked tile, he turned his back on Suoh and Anna. Staring up at the night sky where the snow was falling as he felt the signs of him behind, the fluffy heat approached from behind and the fine snow that had accumulated under Kusanagi's feet began to melt. Suoh seems to have expanded the dome a bit.

He was deeply moved by the fact that he sometimes used gentle power, and was reminded of the flaming Totsuka butterflies that he once saw.

As if carried away by him, various memories so far emerged one after another in Kusanagi's head and exploded.

"When I met Totsuka, I wondered if that boy was not enough. I felt it was dangerous for him to get close, but he was happy saying that he would become a servant of the king."

Before Suoh became "King". Although he had a difficult and scary personality, he met Totsuka, a middle school student who called Suoh King and laughed at Suoh, who was just a high school student who did not carry something so troublesome and so big. It seemed like it was a long time ago, and it seems like it was yesterday.

The three of them hung out, hanging out and playing like fools. Eventually, however, Suoh became known as the "King" by people outside of Totsuka, and was chosen by the Slate and became the "Red King".

Kusanagi remembers the first time he saw the sword that appeared above Suoh's head. That day he was cloudy. In the cloudy sky that he hung low, a huge sword appeared while emitting red light. Instinctively it turned out that he ruled Suoh's fate.

Kusanagi thought that the huge red sword, which was shaped like a flame and pointed downward, was beautiful and terrifying.

"Don't put your sword to your head."

Kusanagi giggled and said that. Suoh seemed to be a bit embarrassed or confused, with an indescribable thin smile, causing flames to appear on both hands. He extended his right hand to Kusanagi, who was enveloped in the red flame, and his left hand to Totsuka.

"Would you like to hold my hand?"

The fate of Suoh, who possessed a powerful flame that could burn everything, changed, and the fate of Kusanagi and Totsuka, who held his hand, also changed.

"But you have become a literal 'King' to 'Homura'."

Those were the days of the angry clan. The number of friends and people who thought that the HOMRA bar was his home had increased. Between them, Totsuka always laughed. He kept trying to make the place where his friends gathered around Suoh a fun place.

"I thought you were a bomb that wanted to explode, not a guy who would protect or rally people, but... I guess Totsuka saw something different in you."

Suddenly, he heard Suoh laugh with only his breath behind him.

"You are more right than Totsuka."

Kusanagi also exhaled and laughed. Kusanagi himself believes so too. However, he believed that Suoh was a "King" even though he was not of that type.

"Even so, since you became 'King', you have become a weapon that shoots at enemies to protect what you need to protect, not an explosive bomb. With you and the people around you. At first, I thought that I could have a good time. "

It was fun.

Kusanagi obediently thought about it.

"Don't say that, it's irritating."

Suoh said that with a very irritated voice. Kusanagi laughed lightly this time and stood up.

"I'm sorry. When you're older, you start trying to hold on to the past."

He turned around, changed feelings, and called out to the girl next to Suoh.

"Anna, come with me."

Anna got up and looked at Kusanagi with her red eyes. Just by looking at him, Anna attended and took Kusanagi's hand as if she knew everything.

Kusanagi hugged Anna from the top of the clock tower tile, and Suoh turned off the warm red dome and lifted half of his body.

"Someone has come to see you."

He doesn’t ask who he was. Suoh had a slightly subtle expression, but he silently jumped off the rocky shore.

When he told the location, Suoh said nothing and walked silently towards that place.

Looking at his back as he walked away, Kusanagi spoke words that he had never said or intended to say.

"Couldn't ask for a better king."

++++++++++

He hears the sound of stepping on the snow.

Munakata was on his way to the shrine, waiting for the King of Steps. Looking down from the side, he saw a red-haired man walking through a snow-covered torii gate and up a long stone staircase.

The cold snowy night was horribly quiet, and Suoh's silent footsteps seemed to be the only sound in the world.

Even seeing Munakata, Suoh giggled a little and approached slowly without accelerating.

"I thought sharing the same air as me made you want to throw up."

"Sometimes I want to breathe poison."

Munakata laughed wryly and pulled a box of cigarettes from his chest when Suoh stopped in front of him. Facing Suoh's unexpected face, he added one and offered it to Suoh.

Suoh obediently took out the cigarette and put it in his mouth, and before Munakata reached for a lighter, he lit the tip of Munakata's cigarette with his finger. Suoh's flames turned red in front of him for a moment, and when he realized it, Munakata's cigarette was on fire. While Munakata was puzzled, Suoh laughs with an evil child face, slid down the side of him and climbed the stone steps to the top.

With some relief on his shoulders, Munakata inhaled slowly and deeply the cigarette smoke.

It was the taste of the cigarette he smoked for the first time in a long time. When he was an adult for a while, he first bought a box and smoked it to find out how he tasted, but got no more impressions than that.

He understood how to enjoy the taste and aroma, but it was not enough to balance the disadvantages they gave him and others, and he did not get into the habit of smoking.

But now, he was grateful for the cigarettes. He felt it would be a little easier to get away from his being, letting himself be carried away by the bitterness and sweetness that he felt on his tongue and the sensation that his skull was tingling.

He walked to the top of the stone steps and looked at Suoh, who shook the cigarette from him and for a moment purple smoke glowed silently.

"I'm going to get straight to the point."

Munakata said.

"Peacefully leave this school. I can't overlook the way you're involving unrelated high school students. If you do it now, he could handle this before things got out of hand."

"That's a good idea... is that what you hope it says?"

"It's not an idea, it's an ultimatum. You've gone too far, Suoh."

Suoh didn't seem to move the dust or move, and he was smoking slowly.

"That being the case, let me kill the criminal who murdered Totsuka Tatara, who calls himself the 'Colorless King'."

This time, Suoh slightly moved his expression. He looked at Munakata with a helpless and surprised face, and then laughed wryly.

"It's an interesting proposal coming from you, but... I refuse."

"I am sure you have seen the terrible form of your Sword of Damocles. The Sword is the symbol of a 'King' and manifests its true form depending on its condition. Your sword will soon fall."

"Oh, really?"

"Your deviation from Weismann is already at the limit. If the burden of killing a 'King' is applied here, it will definitely reach its limit, and you could cause a repeat of the Kagutsu crater tragedy. You no longer have any right to be 'King'."

Munakata looked at Suoh and said that out loud. He told him the same thing as in the dark detention center of "Scepter 4" with the urgency that there was no time left. He even felt like praying.

"It's time for you to resign, "Red King"."

Suoh laughed.

"I never acted like a 'King'."

He smoked the cigarette Munakata had given him. Munakata grabbed Suoh's chest and pushed him down hard. Suoh fell backward onto the stone pavement covered in fine snow and relaxed without resistance.

Munakata bit his back teeth angrily, easily knocking him over.

Suoh was the only man who didn't always turn out as expected. Excluding the reason why Munakata preached, he fought the sword of Munakata with a fiery fist, destroying the ideal order of Munakata with chaotic violence.

Even so, Suoh was never afraid of Munakata and stood in front of Munakata. He now he was being ridden without resistance upon being defeated by Munakata. Munakata did not recall anger under justice, even personal hatred, in his attitude as if he was willing to accept anger for the destruction of sin.

The hand that grabbed Suoh's chest was shaking when he flinched because he was too strong.

"There are ordinary unrelated students here. Your men are here too."

He said to Suoh from a close distance.

"Do you understand?"

Suoh, who had been avoiding the chase with a relaxed demeanor until then, did not look away, did not move his eyes, and looked directly into Munakata's eyes closely.

As he looked at Munakata with a slight immobile eye, Suoh slowly tied his words together as if saying something.

"I'll hang my head. You'll do your job. That's it, right?"

At that moment, Munakata's entire body was struck by a feeling of helplessness that he had never felt in his life.

Munakata relaxed and released the hand that was holding Suoh's chest.

He froze and stood, aware of his emotionally heated head.

"You are a savage. You are beyond my understanding."

"Huh. Did you think you could persuade me? That's not your style."

Suoh also stood up saying that.

Not even at the gala could it be like that. He didn't understand Suoh, but he could tell that he understood him at the same time. At least he knew Suoh wouldn't bend his will here.

However, he believes it would be different if it were his own gala to surrender.

Above all, he would feel bad if he had to hit Reisi Munakata's words as an individual before facing him as the "Blue King" who championed a cause.

"Not really… I just came to see my friend."

When he turned around and said that he wasn't even at the gala, Suoh expressed his most amazing emotions. The expression quickly turned into a bitter and embarrassed smile.

Suoh dropped the cigarette he had just grabbed, and stomped on it.

"Come on."

Suoh turned his back on Munakata and said that in a soft voice.

The two of them, looking in different directions, stared at the chunks of snow falling in front of them for a while.

"Suoh, are you sure you don't change your mind?"

"I'm sure."

Munakata lowered his eyes.

The snow was a little bigger than before, and it fell softly to the ground without a sound and piled up.

The passion he simmered in Munakata had cooled, and the coldness of the snowy night had penetrated to the core of his body.

"Idiot."

The words he would normally never use disappeared as if they were absorbed by the snow.

++++++++++

The exterior of the connecting bridge in Gakuenjima was surrounded by members of "Scepter 4", and the interior of the campus was guarded by members of "Homura".

However, none of them could see the "King", so by making full use of Neko's cognitive manipulation ability, they were able to reach Gakuenjima's bedroom and the place that was the boy's room without being discovered by anyone. To those who passed near the boy, they just looked like a cat, a dog, and a working garden.

"I returned!"

When he opened the door to the room he was used to living in, the words naturally leaked from the boy's mouth. However, he snuck into a scene far from the family room.

"Ah! What happened here? A thief?"

The boy's room was charred black. There was a large hole from the wall to the floor, and the rebar was exposed, and the churning snow was piling up at the edge of the room. The bed the boy was always lying on, the chabudai where he ate delicious rice with Kuro and Neko, and his favorite rice cooker were charred.

"What world would thieves blow up the wall to enter?"

Kuro said with a rough face. Certainly this high temperature burned mark is likely a powerful explosive, or the Red Clan's job to manipulate the flames at will.

When he was looking around the room, he heard Neko yell, "Nyaa!"

"My cup! She was my favorite!"

There was a broken bowl in Neko's hand. This is the bowl that was used when the three of them surrounded the chabudai and ate Kuro's homemade food. The bowl, which had been filled with white rice, was now split in half and stained black with soot. Neko was staring at the bowl in her hand with teary eyes.

The boy also lifted his tattered shirt on the ground and sighed a little.

"I desperately escaped the aircraft crash, but my homesick home ended like this..."

He was exhausted because he escaped from the helicopter involved in the accident through Kuro's ingenuity, he entered the hotel (it was a love hotel because he was not in a position to stay in a normal hotel) to recover his energy and physical strength. The boy's body was also recovering, but when he saw that this place, which was his base, was destroyed, he was disappointed.

Kuro also lowered his eyes with a harsh expression.

"We heard that Gakuenjima was occupied by 'Homura' and we hurried back, but I never imagined that the 'Red King' would show up."

"And it appears that the Blues have the entire area blocked off. Well, I'll put off looking for my true identity for now."

"This has become serious. At worst, this school could become a battlefield between clans. Perhaps we shouldn't have come here."

Neko, who was trying to hold the broken bowl together, puffed out her cheeks.

"I told you before! This is our house! It's only fair that we go back to our house!"

Looking at Neko who appealed to his claims, the boy was motivated to recover from his feelings of depression. It is not the case when he stumbles in a place like this and cannot escape from here.

The boy stood up with a strong forehead and laughed at them.

"Neko is right. We have to clean our own house. So what should we do now?"

In the middle of the boy's words, Kuro unconsciously touched his chest. The boy knew well what he was keeping there. Kuro's late master, whom he loves from the bottom of his heart. It's a voice recorder that records Ichigen Miwa's haikus.

"Would you like to ask Ichigen-san?"

When he asked him with a smile, Kuro replied, "What?" with a face that he realized what he had achieved for the first time.

"He had the power to look to the future, right? Then he could have given us some advice before our current situation."

When he thought about it, Miwa's words on the tape recorder helped him choose whether or not to kill the boy on the spot and encourage him to search for his true existence.

It was a casual question for the boy, but Kuro looked at the recorder that he took out of his pocket with a serious expression and thought for a moment.

"No, we already know what we have to do."

Kuro returned the recorder to his pocket without listening to it.

He looked directly at the boy and said.

"We have to rescue Kukuri and the others. That's obvious. You don't have to listen to Ichigen-sama's words to know that."

Kuro, who maintained his stance that Miwa Ichigen was everything and should be prioritized above all else, prioritized his own will and decision.

That fact surprised the boy a bit and encouraged him even more.

"Yes, that's right. Let's find out where Kukuri and his friends are. Neko, let's go."

"Huh? But I still haven't done..."

Neko looked down to put a stop to the bowl she was holding, that had the cracks stuck in a dangerous balance.

The boy smiled gently at Neko.

"Okay. We'll be back soon."

"Yes."

Neko still had a sad and lonely face, but she stood up. When she left the room where she lived with the boy, Neko said it was a "house" and looked sad.

"Goodbye."

She said a little goodbye, and Neko closed the bedroom door.

[coinofstone]

For this two part episode, I'm combining both parts in one post. Unfortunately there's no commentary track on these so it's just the episodes I'm commenting on.

2x05 Beauty and the Beast pt 1

Merlin complaining about nothing interesting ever happens is the most OOC thing he's ever said

Nothing like a damsel in distress to blind a man to reason. I mean except Gaius. He's instantly distrustful of this bish. But even MERlin falls for her shit at first.

Uther flirts with the Lady Catrina at dinner and Arthur's completely disgusted while Morgana has the most devious, knowing grin on her face. It seems implied that there's an age gap between Uther and Catrina, the way he talks of her as a child.

Sarah Parrish is absolutely wonderful. Her performance puts everyone else in this series to shame.

Imagine finding a ride before breakfast charming. That sounds like my nightmare. Fully dressed and on a horse BEFORE coffee? No thank you.

The Lady Catrina's bed hadn't been slept in but her bedspread was changed 😂

I really love the way her hair is done. It's like, they used part of her hair from the front to act as a loose hair tie at the back, giving you freedom from hair being in your face without actually having to have your hair up. I wish I knew how to do that.

It looks like there's a headband in there too. I should get headbands.

There's a reeeeeally strange cut in that scene. Not sure what happened there. But it seems like Merlin is testing the waters to see if Arthur is receptive to suspicion of Catrina, but ultimately Arthur seems to dislike her without any sense of questioning her identity or motives.

Gaius trying to plant seeds of doubt in Uther's mind but he still gets yelled at 😂

How come every time Arthur 'catches' Merlin supposedly pining after a lady he threatens Merlin's life?

So, Gaius warning Uther that his new girl is a literal troll, and Uther refusing to hear it and instead responding with a thinly veiled threat - is that like the 'guy' equivalent of what women do when one of them finds a dude with a giant red flag planted on his skull that she somehow can't see, and all her girls try to warn her but she ignores it and possibly becomes a little hostile even, until the one doing the warning says 'fine but don't come crying to me when he breaks your heart'?

It's a very bad idea to watch this while eating. Just, fyi.

It bothers me that we're never really told what kind of creature Jonas is.

Arthur is excruciatingly stupid in this episode. Merlin isn't the brightest he's ever been either.

Gaius doesn't go looking for Merlin after he didn't come home at night? Arthur doesn't raise any kind of suspicion when Merlin's not there to help him get dressed for his father's wedding? Idk it's a stretch.

Merlin sliding into the hall ten seconds too late was undoubtedly the best possible outcome. If he'd interrupted the ceremony how was that going to go? There's literally no way that doesn't end with him in the dungeon, unless Uther orders him killed immediately on the spot.

2x06 Beauty and the Beast pt 2

Uther being super horny for his wedding night consummation is gross. I love Tony but bruh you're supposed to be all dignified and shit have some self respect.

It's strange to me that Catrina sets up a whole plot to blame Merlin for stealing, when she could've just as easily outed him as a sorcerer.

Arthur knowingly and willfully misleading his men so he could get to Merlin first and warn him, so Merlin could escape 🥺🥺🥺🥺

Yet Merlin still never trusts Arthur enough to reveal his magic. Arthur literally TELLS him he doesn't care if Merlin was guilty or not, he just wants him to escape before he gets caught and captured. He's DIRECTLY going against Uther, actively sabotaging the manhunt, assisting Merlin in spite of Uther's orders ... again. But still, Merlin doesn't have enough faith in him to trust him with who he really is 🥺🥺🥺🥺

Dumbasses

Remind me again why Merlin and Gaius didn't bother to involve Gwen or Morgana in their plot? At all? Did they just forget that these characters exist? I think they each had one line in the first part.

Merlin's such a baby tasting the potions for comparison.

And why is he hiding in the cupboard when there's a back door right behind him?

Catrina is literally the new GOP.

Gorgeous framing with Uther standing on the dais and Arthur looking up at him while saying all he's ever tried to do is make him proud. Arthur looking up at Uther's larger than life visage is really just, everything.

Morgana and Arthur following Uther chasing after Catrina 😂 they just want the gosssssss also noticing now that Arthur didn't bother to get dressed up for the ceremony.

Camelot really has the most incompetent guards in the history of ever.

🚨inappropriate thirst moment🚨 right in the top corner of the screen when Arthur cones around the corner, all smolder and billowing jacket, stalking up on the scene. Have mercy.

Arthur: "You're a troll!"

Catrina: 😨😲

Me: 😂😂😂😂😂

Uther:

The TRUE best kiss in this show:

I know I've said the superior het ship is Gwen/Lancelot but I'm amending that - the truly superior ship is Uther/Troll, but I don't know that an interspecies ship can be classified as het, so they hold dual titles.

Yes, I'm taking photographs of my television and cropping them. Yes it's at a weird angle. No I'm not sorry.

That council meeting to try and make sure Uther realizes he's married a troll is literally what I imagine Melania's bachelorette party was like.

Khilgarrah's laughter is everything.

I love that Arthur never replaced Merlin with a substitute servant even though he thought he left Camelot. Just left his chambers in a mess. Then he gets super angry at the thought of Merlin hiding under his bed... like he's afraid Merlin might've witnessed something while under there? Hmmmm?

Can I just point out Camelot's most wanted fugitive is literally in the room with nobody even noticing.

The aborted hug! Poor Merlin. He deserved a hug. Great moment.

[marilynlamantia]

Top 5 Way How to Lose Weight Fast

The best thanks to reduce and keep it off is to make a low-calorie eating plan that you simply can stick with for an extended time. Additionally, exercise a day to burn extra calories and keep your heart healthy. If you only want to drop a couple of pounds fast, there are many techniques and tips you'll adopt to assist you reach your short-term goals, too.

Method 1.. Trying Specialized Diet Plans1.Do the Mediterranean diet if you wish fish and veggies. an idea just like the Mediterranean diet could also be ready to assist you sustain weight loss. it's supported the normal ingredients and cooking sorts of people living near the Mediterranean . Research has shown that folks adhering to the present diet have reduced risk of heart condition - plus it helps you shed pounds and appearance lean and trim. If you would like to undertake the Mediterranean diet, avoid bread, dairy and processed foods. Instead, build your meals round the following foods:[1]FishOlive oilVegetablesFruitBeans and other legumesSpicesNutsRed wine

📷

2.Try the paleo diet to assist you avoid processed foods. Back when cavemen still ruled the world , they did not have time to bake cupcakes or fry potato chips. The paleo diet (short for paleolithic) seeks to recreate an equivalent diet that our early ancestors ate, claiming that our systems aren't built for contemporary ingredients and cooking styles. You eat meat, vegetables, fruit, and other foods that might are available some time past , and avoid anything paleo people wouldn't have had

3.Do the Whole30 diet to focus on whole foods. The idea behind this diet is to eliminate all processed foods from your diet for 30 days to cleanse your system of artificial ingredients and other processed items that are hard on your digestive system. After 30 days, you may also notice a reduced waistline and higher energy levels.[3] Avoid grains, dairy, sugars, legumes, alcohol, and all processed foods. Eat meat, vegetables, and some fruits. Additionally, drink plenty of water.

4.Do the raw food diet if you enjoy raw veggies and fruits. If you dislike meat and are tired of cooking, this one's for you. The raw food diet consists entirely of foods that have not been cooked. You lose weight by consuming loads of fresh vegetables and fruits. Coconut milk, nuts, seeds and other uncooked foods are also allowed on the raw food diet.[4] You can find recipes for creating flavorful raw food dishes by searching online. Dietitians warn that a long-term raw food diet may leave you without essential nutrients.

Method 2...Adopting Healthy Eating Habits

1.Select smart substitutes for your favorite high calorie foods. Most foods have healthier counterparts that will allow you to enjoy your favorite foods without unnecessary fat, sugar, and calories. Exchanging high-calorie processed foods and drinks for healthier alternatives can help you lose weight faster. Consider eating vegetarian a few days each week. By replacing meat with nutritious foods like beans, tofu, or lentils, you can cut significant amounts of your daily calorie intake while adding many nutrients to your diet. Eat delicious fruit for dessert rather than a processed cookie or cake. Swap potato chips and candy bars for snacks that are nutrient-rich and low in calories and fat. Try combining string cheese with a handful of grapes, spreading peanut butter on a few crackers, or dipping sliced red pepper into a few tablespoons of hummus. Try substituting vinegar and lemon juice for your regular salad dressing. Cook with a tablespoon of olive oil instead of butter. It has the same number of calories, but it is a healthier type of fat.

2.Avoid going down grocery aisles that tempt you with high calorie foods. It’s best to stay along the perimeter of the grocery store, which is where the fresh foods are typically located. However, when you need to go down the aisles to get something, try to stay away from areas where foods you crave are stocked, such as the candy or soda aisle. If you don’t see them, you’re less likely to be tempted. You don’t want to ban foods you love, but keeping them in your home makes it likely you’ll indulge. Don’t stock “junk” food in your home. Instead, make it a rare treat.

3.Stop drinking sugary drinks to save calories. Sugar-sweetened drinks can quickly add extra calories to your diet, so it’s best to cut them out. Eliminate sugary soda, sweetened tea and coffee, and juice from your diet. Instead, sip on water, tea, black coffee or seltzer.[7] Drinking water or unsweet tea instead of soda, coffee, alcohol, juice, or milk may help you cut hundreds of calories per day.

4.Eat more of foods that fill you up. Some foods help you feel full faster and may help you stay fuller longer. Many of these foods contain protein, fat, or fiber. However, foods that help keep your blood sugar stable are also great options, as this helps you keep your appetite in check. Here are some great foods to incorporate if you want to feel fuller longer Non-starchy vegetables Fish Meat Nuts and seeds Beans and legumes Grapefruit Oatmeal Apples Eggs Ginger Leafy greens

5.Calculate how many calories you can eat while still losing weight. Start by finding your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is how many calories you need to stay alive. Then, use an online calculator to estimate how many calories you burn through activity. Finally, subtract 500 calories for every pound you want to lose that week.[9] To calculate your BMR, first get your weight in kilograms by multiplying your weight in pounds by .45. Next, get your height in centimeters by multiplying your total inches in height by 2.54. Then, use this formula to find your BMR: (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) - (5 x age) - 161. To estimate the calories you burn through exercise, try this calculator: For an easy way to estimate the number of calories you can eat, use an online calculator like this one: Calorie counting apps, like My Fitness Pal, usually do this calculation for you. Never eat fewer than 1200 calories a day, unless your doctor is supervising you. Eating fewer than 1200 calories a day is dangerous for your health.

6.Keep a food diary. Write down every meal, snack, and drink you consume. Track the quantity of food you’re eating, as well as the estimated calories of each item. Writing down what you eat helps you stay mindful about how much you’re eating and helps you stick to your goal. You can keep a paper diary or track your food digitally. Apps are a great way to easily track what you eat. For instance, you might try MyFitnessPal, which allows you to track your meals and has an easy to use food database with the nutrition information already entered. Don’t forget to include things like coffee mix-ins, condiments, salad dressing, and other items you add to foods or drinks.7.Plan your meals around lean proteins and non-starchy vegetables. Fill your plate with 1/2 non-starchy veggies, 1/4 lean proteins, and 1/4 whole grains or starchy veggies. Additionally, incorporate healthy fats, like olive oil, avocado, and fatty fish. For snacks, eat fruits, nuts, seeds, and cut up veggies. If you’re having trouble, meet with a dietitian to get help figuring out your ideal calorie goals, dietary needs, and potential area for improvement. They'll create a plan for you that fits your preferences.8.Eat smaller portions to help you cut back on calories. You don’t need to give up your favorite foods to lose weight. Similarly, choosing healthier dishes doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want. Instead, portion out your meals using measuring cups or special spoons that measure out servings. Alternatively, make things easy by eating off smaller plates or bowls, which trick your eye into thinking your servings are bigger.[13] To make it easier to track portions, prepare your snacks ahead of time. For instance, you might weigh out 1 serving of almonds, then put it in a baggie or container for later. Stronger flavors can help you control portion size. For example, dark chocolate or a dark beer are satisfying in small amounts and can be difficult to consume quickly.9.Identify your food triggers and plan accordingly. Everyone has food triggers, so don’t feel bad about craving certain foods. Cut back on these foods by figuring out the things that trigger your cravings, like a certain activity, a time of day, or feeling certain emotions. Then, plan for better ways to handle those triggers, and don’t keep these foods around your home or workplace. This can help you avoid giving into temptation. For instance, you might crave popcorn at the movies, or may want candy in the afternoon at work. To deal with the temptation, you could replace the snack you crave with something that’s a better fit for your diet. For instance, you might bring a bag of plain popcorn to the movies, which is a healthy alternative. Similarly, you could eat a single square of dark chocolate each afternoon instead of your typical candy selection. Remember, you don’t need to stop eating your favorite foods. However, it’s best to plan for how you’ll incorporate them into your calories.10.Eat regular meals or snacks every 2-4 hours. Skipping meals isn’t the answer to losing weight, and it may even derail your efforts. Food gives you energy, so going too long without eating can leave you feeling tired, which decreases your activity level. Additionally, it triggers your body to crave high-calorie, high-sugar snacks for a quick energy boost. Instead of starving yourself, plan frequent, healthy meals. Regular meals and snacks also keep your blood sugar stable, which helps control your hunger levels. Method 3...Exercising Daily Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Getting regular exercise helps you burn more calories, keep your heart healthy, and maintain your metabolism. Aim to do cardio activity most days, and do strength training 2-3 days a week. Choose an activity that you enjoy so that you’re more likely to stick with it. For example, you might walk, run, do aerobics, do an elliptical workout, cycle, or swim. At a minimum, you need 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week to maintain your good health. When you first start exercising, it’s normal for your body to retain water as it

works to repair the muscle tissue you’re breaking down during your workout. This might make the scale tick up a few pounds, but this weight will fall off again once you get used to regular exercise.

Choose exercises and workouts that match up with your fitness level. If you’re new to exercise, you likely won’t be able to push yourself too hard or workout for long periods of time. However, it’s not necessary to overwork yourself to see results. Choose exercises that you can do well, then build from there.[16] Always talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise program. Remember, games like volleyball, tennis, and frisbee can help you burn calories while having a blast, so it’s possible to exercise while having a good time. Before you begin exercising, use a measuring tape to measure your waist, hips, and bust. If you are gaining weight but these measurements are going down, it means that you are gaining muscle and losing fat.

Take up cardio training. While a combination of cardio and resistance training are important for overall body health, cardiovascular training is what will help you shed those pounds quickly. Weight and resistance training may not lead to immediate weight loss but can trigger your metabolism to use energy more efficiently Cardio exercise includes anything that gets your heart pumping. For best results, include both moderate and high intensity aerobic exercise.

Keep your exercise regimen interesting. Variety is the key to both promoting a healthier you and keeping you motivated. When you do the same exercise day in and day out, you put yourself at a higher risk of injuring yourself. You are also more likely to become bored, thus making it harder to find the motivation to keep exercising. While at the gym, switch between machines, join a fitness class, and add some resistance training into your schedule.

Do strength training 2-3 times a week. Resistance training and weight training help you stay lean by building muscle and raising your metabolism, even when you’re not working out. Incorporate these exercises 2-3 times a week, with at least 1 rest day between your workouts. It’s okay to do cardio on your strength training rest days, as long as you don’t push yourself too hard. Choose a light to moderate activity level. Muscle cells are more metabolically active than fat cells. This means that they burn more calories than fat cells, even while you are resting and sleeping.

Choose workouts that require your entire body to exert an effort. This way, you work every muscle group and burn calories with more muscles at one time, like multitasking with your exercise. For instance, combine a form of resistance training with your arms, like raising dumbbells overhead, while you jog or cycle with your legs.

Get more activity throughout your day. Increase the amount of walking you do by choosing a far away parking place or taking the stairs instead of an elevator. Make as many trips upstairs as possible or walk the dog three times a day. Additionally, dust, sweep, and mop with vigor. The more you move, the more calories you burn. You might even start a hobby that involves moving around a bit, like gardening, carpentry, working on cars, or painting large canvases. This will help you burn more calories even when you’re not exercising.

Get enough rest. Being properly rested will help you maintain sufficient energy throughout the day, making you less likely to overeat and less prone to injury during physical activity. Sleep deficiency has actually been linked to an inability to lose fat, so getting enough sleep can really help you on your path to losing weight Create a sleep routine to help you fall asleep faster. Relax for an hour or 2 before bed, and avoid screens during this time. Additionally, turn down your thermostat, make your room dark, and put on comfy PJs.

Method 4..Trying Weight Loss Treatments Go to a sauna to sweat off water weight. Saunas may result in a loss of a pint of sweat in just a quarter of an hour. To prevent dehydration, limit your sauna time to 15 or 20 minutes per day. A sauna won’t help you lose weight permanently, but it can help you look slimmer for a special event. Make sure you increase your water consumption after you use a sauna to rehydrate your body. Pregnant women, young children, and people with blood pressure or heart problems should not use saunas.

Use a body wrap to temporarily look slimmer. Body wraps claim to help you slim down by smoothing and tightening your skin to make your waist, thighs, and arms appear thinner. While these results are temporary, they might help you look slimmer for a special event. Here are some wraps you might try

Mineral body wraps: These wraps use a mineral-based cleanser that is supposed to reduce cellulite, and tone and firm your skin almost instantly.

Lipase body wraps: First, an enzyme wrap is applied to help smooth fat tissue near the surface of the skin. Then, a second mineral wrap is applied to help tighten and smooth your skin.

European body wrap: These wraps target trouble spots and are typically offered at spas. They are supposed to firm and tone your skin, while reducing the appearance of cellulite or stretch marks. Hot body wrap: Heat-based body wraps are also typically offered at spas. They’re designed to stimulate smooth, toned skin.

Attend a weight loss camp. Sometimes sticking with an exercise routine and diet plan is too challenging. Old habits and daily routines will steer you back to your old foods and activities at every turn. To combat this, many people enroll in residential weight loss programs that remove them from their daily lives. Sometimes called fitness retreats, these programs come in dozens of different styles, and are available for youth, adults and seniors. Before you attend a weight loss camp, make sure it’s equipped to safely handle your age and health specific needs.

Consider liposuction. Liposuction is a surgical option for fast, targeted weight loss, generally only recommended for people with 1-2 specific areas of highly fatty tissue but an otherwise relatively healthy body weight. Because it is a surgical procedure, it carries significant health risks and should only be performed by a licensed professional.

Get Here To More Information

[farelian]

Galactic Quarrels: Unexpected Visitor

And here I am, back again with another edition to this series. Thank you all for your support, this one I flashed through and had so much fun writing it! Be prepared for the next one because things are about to get... teddy bit crowded

~~~~~~~

In the early morning, as the sun rises over the horizon, Michael is out on the balcony doing stretches, bending his body and legs in ways a Zarqonan would most definitely find disgusting and painful.

Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes returning back into reality, looking left and right looking at all the high-rise buildings and the large blue lake over in the distance.

He needs to maintain his physique and strength, but as of now, he hasn’t built up the courage to go outside in sleeveless shirts and running pants with shoes. So to substitute for it, he starts doing body exercises and stretching in his residence.

Walking back inside he walked to the coffee table picking up his holo-watch and taps it a few times. Screens show up showing his fitness routine and exercise record, not enough by him letting out a disappointed sigh.

He is still a citizen of the UTF as per the migration deal, he’s basically just out on vacation instead of moving away from his parent’s house and finally moving into his own.

And being a citizen of the UTF, he is still a Lieutenant in Frontier Command, UTF’s equivalent of a space army and fleet. 

He wonders if he should go home again.

Turning the watch off and placing it back on the table, he walked to the kitchen counter taking his glass of orange juice. It’s a surprise when he got a package of Earth’s fruits, he also got a blender so better use it rather than leaving them in the fridge.

He feels watched though, the last few days he has this unease in his heart and the feeling of being watched 24/7, even when he’s going to go to sleep. He looked up and around the apartment again, there have to be cameras in here there has to be.

He returned his focus back to his orange juice and went behind the counter to blend some dragonfruit. The sounds of the motor and turning blades blast the room while the noise of the fruit being chopped and blended echoes outside into the hallway.

“I hope they don’t think I’m making a bomb in here” *He muttered to himself as he waited and waited. Turning it off and pouring it into another glass, he raised it up to his mouth, ready to drink the dragonfruit only to be interrupted by the quiet knocking of the front door.

“What?” He said quietly, he knows Yaku, or any Zarqonan never knocks on the door and just burst in unannounced, this is new. “Coming” He yelled putting down the glass of dragonfruit and cleans his lips with some tissues before walking to the door.

He looked around again as that feeling of being watched still lingers, then he faced the door. No peephole or see-through tech, he wished he was back on Earth now. Taking a deep breath, he reached for the knob. This feels different, it feels like it’s not a Zarqonan over on the other side. Could it be a Murumur? Could it even be a government agent that came to pick him up without telling him in advance?

He doesn’t know.

He doesn’t know if he opens the door he will wake up inside a shipping crate on his way to the edge of the galaxy to be sold in the galactic black market.

A muffled feminine voice can be heard. “Come on what’s taking so long?” Human, a human voice.

He’s taken aback, he turned the knob and slide the door open and looked down at the figure. A human woman, wearing a black and dark red coat with a full military-style uniform. Taking a quick glance at the woman’s face, yellowish eyes with hair that’s tied back into a long ponytail that stretched down to her hips.

Around 5’7” tall, he couldn’t believe it. “Um, hello how may I help you?” Michael let out an uncomfortable chuckle. “Haven’t seen a human face for a while”

“Of course you haven’t” The woman replied with a relatively sour but somehow comforting attitude. “Jill Porter, nice to meet you, Michael”

“You know me?”

The woman laughed while nodding. “Everyone knows you, Lieutenant! The mad man that wants to migrate to the Zarqon homeworld” Mad man? Is that his title now? The mad lieutenant?

“Oh, that’s uh… interesting I guess” “Yeah, interesting indeed” Jill claps her hands together and peeked into his apartment. “Can I come in?” Michael stepped aside. “Sure, let yourself in.”

As the woman walked into Michael’s apartment, he walked into the kitchen finally drinking his glass of dragonfruit while the door automatically closes itself. Glancing back towards the girl, he prepped a cup. “Tea or coffee? They’ve come from those weekly packages.” He said taking the coffee jar.

Jill took a seat on the armchair in the living room, looking back at him. “Cofee would be good” Then she looked up and around his apartment. “Nice place”

“I thought every room is designed like this?” He responded while brewing a cup of coffee.

“I mean yeah mine is basically a carbon copy but it’s nice to be polite” Jill replied with a chuckle as she fixed her attention to the tv, turning it on.

He walked over placing the coffee onto the coffee table and sat on the couch, leaning forward resting his elbow on his thighs folding his hands together. “Alright, cut the chit chat. Who are you and what do you want?”

Jill laughed as she looked back at Michael with a smile. “Are you deaf? I just said who I am. Jill Porter.” She shrugged and tilted her head. “For what I want, I want you to help me here.” She said pointing at Michael.

Silence, a few seconds pass by without a word being spoken before Michael replied to her request. “I like to know who my employer is.”

Jill laughed once again, shaking her head then nods. “You’re smart Michael, no wonder you go through the ranks at a young age.” Jill reached into her coat and pulled out an id card. “Jill Porter, lead xenobiologist for the Putter Institute.”

He took the id card and looked at it. A rotating model of Jill, name, age, occupation. He returned it and sighed. “Alright, what do you need help with?”

“I need a willing specimen, a Zarqonan”

“And what will you do with them?”

Jill pulled out a holoprojector. “Exactly one week ago a Zarqonan arrived at our local Topirus branch, the outermost colony in UTF space” An image of the Zarqonan in question appeared. “She is missing a back-left tentacle after a horrible accident in one of their orbital research stations.

To create the prosthetic requested by the Zarqonan, we need to examine the back-left tentacle.”

“Let me guess, they don’t let any humans onto the station?” Michael concluded first before she continued.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Alright, I understand why you’re here now,” He said nodding while Jill put away the projector.

Jill leaned back into the armchair. “So, lieutenant? Can you help”

A few seconds of silence as Michael stared at the ground. He looked back up and answered. “I know a girl”

~~~~

Michael’s residence has been turned into a makeshift examination lab and Yaku was brought in for the examination. The xenobiologist, Jill, worked examining Yaku’s left-back tentacle taking scans and examining its structure.

Yaku herself did not mind but is thinking if there’s another way to make this more efficient and not resulting in a mess.

Power cables scattered across the floor connecting the power to the lights and scanning equipment Jill brought with her. The doctor looked eager examining the subject, asking Yaku all sorts of questions.

“So what are the purposes of your tentacles?” The doctor asked while Michael is leaning back against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

Moving up one of her two front tentacles, she speaks. “The two front tentacles are used to maneuver, turning left and right and to slow down.” She then lowered the tentacle lifting up one of the back ones. “The back is for moving around.”

Michael grunted as he pushed himself off the wall and walked over, crossing his arms on his chest. “I still don’t know why you just don’t render a model immediately and make it.”

While continuing the examination, Jill answered. “At Putter we do not waste resources. We take the exact measurements, the exact height and preferred weight, joints and muscle contraction points” Writing the last bit of info into her datapad she stood back up.

“Also, this is a great learning experience for us, in the case aliens demands for prosthetic rises,” She said turning away to the table and portable little computer transferring the data.

“So there’s a consumer satisfaction stance, and a marketing stance,” Michael concluded once again.

“A hundred percent correct Michael, I thought you would be hard to work with” She turned back around. “But it looks like everything worked out fine.”

Michael turned to Yaku and nods. “Thank you Yaku”

“No problem Sir Michael, I’m glad to help.” Yaku said turning to Jill and make an attempt at smiling.

The two humans not noticing the subtle small attempt of smiling, both of them shook hands. “Well looks like everything’s done now, thank you, Michael, I’ll get an update soon enough”

“My pleasure” Letting go of the firm handshake. “Well since everyone is bored and doesn’t have shit to do, want to stay and watch some movies?”

Jill chuckled and shrugged with a smile. “Well sure! Just don’t put on a romantic one, we’re not there yet.”

Michael laughed and waved her away. “Oh, how bold of you to think that we are already in a relationship? We’re just acquaintances” That gained laughter from the opposition. Michael turned to Yaku and gestured to the couch and armchair. “You want to join Yaku?”

Yaku looked over at the couch and tv before nodding slightly. “I would love to.”

“Great!” Michael was about to go to the kitchen only to realize all the equipment in his room. “Oh uh, clean this mess first would you?”

Things are starting to get a tad bit crowded.

[perkwunos]

Symbols grow. They come into being by development out of other signs, particularly from icons, or from mixed signs partaking of the nature of icons and symbols. We think only in signs. These mental signs are of mixed nature; the symbol-parts of them are called concepts. … A symbol, once in being, spreads among the peoples. In use and in experience, its meaning grows. Such words as force, law, wealth, marriage, bear for us very different meanings from those they bore to our barbarous ancestors. …

C.S. Peirce, CP 2.302

Evolving concepts are analogous to "Platonic Forms," not in the sense of being metaphysical essences, but in the sense that each successive concept can itself be characterized as fixed, eternal, unchanging, and, indeed, "toward the side of math." For, according to Peirce, meanings do not literally change; instead, a new meaning replaces an old meaning. Though the same words may be used, there is a substitution of the meanings or concepts attached to them. Thus Peirce, in the context of discussing the semiotic interrelationship of ground, object, and interpretant, can hold that ideas are "to be understood in a sort of Platonic sense."

Sandra B. Rosenthal, Charles Peirce’s Pragmatic Pluralism

"Idea" is here to be understood in a sort of Platonic sense, very familiar in everyday talk; I mean in that sense in which we say that one man catches another man's idea, in which we say that when a man recalls what he was thinking of at some previous time, he recalls the same idea, and in which when a man continues to think anything, say for a tenth of a second, in so far as the thought continues to agree with itself during that time, that is to have a like content, it is the same idea, and is not at each instant of the interval a new idea.

C.S. Peirce, CP 2.228

Evidently new propositions come into being with the creative advance of the world. For every proposition involves its logical subjects; and it cannot be the proposition which it is, unless those logical subjects are the actual entities which they are. Thus no actual entity can feel a proposition, if its actual world does not include the logical subjects of that proposition. The proposition 'Caesar crossed the Rubicon' could not be felt by Hannibal In any occasion of his existence on earth. Hannibal could feel propositions with certain analogies to this proposition, but not this proposition. …

Alfred North Whitehead, Process and Reality, Part III, Chapter IV, Section II

in the becoming of an actual entity, novel prehensions, nexus, subjective forms, propositions, multiplicities, and contrasts, also become; but there are no novel eternal objects.

Alfred North Whitehead, Process and Reality, Part I, Chapter II, Section II

The only way of directly communicating an idea is by means of an icon; and every indirect method of communicating an idea must depend for its establishment upon the use of an icon. Hence, every assertion must contain an icon or set of icons, or else must contain signs whose meaning is only explicable by icons. The idea which the set of icons (or the equivalent of a set of icons) contained in an assertion signifies may be termed the predicate of the assertion.

C.S. Peirce, CP 2.278

A proposition enters into experience as the entity forming the datum of a complex feeling derived from the integration of a physical feeling with a conceptual feeling. Now a conceptual feeling does not refer to the actual world, in the sense that the history of this actual world has any peculiar relevance to its datum. This datum is an eternal object; and an eternal object refers only to the purely general any among undetermined actual entities. In itself an eternal object evades any selection among actualities or epochs. You cannot know what is red by merely thinking of redness. You can only find red things by adventuring amid physical experiences in this actual world. This doctrine is the ultimate ground of empiricism; namely, that eternal objects tell no tales as to their ingressions.

But now a new kind of entity presents itself. Such entities are the tales that perhaps might be told about particular actualities. Such entities are neither actual entities, nor eternal objects, nor feelings. They are propositions. A proposition must be true or false. Herein a proposition differs from an eternal object; for no eternal object is ever true or false. This difference between propositions and eternal objects arises from the fact that truth and falsehood are always grounded upon a reason. But according to the ontological principle ... a reason is always a reference to determinate actual entities. Now an eternal object, in itself, abstracts from all determinate actual entities, including even God. It is merely referent to any such entities, in the absolutely general sense of any. …

Thus the endeavour to understand eternal objects in complete abstraction from the actual world results in reducing them to mere undifferentiated nonentities. …

But a proposition, while preserving the indeterminateness of an eternal object, makes an incomplete abstraction from determinate actual entities. It is a complex entity, with determinate actual entities among its components. These determinate actual entities, considered formaliter and not as in the abstraction of the proposition, do afford a reason determining the truth or falsehood of the proposition. But the proposition in itself, apart from recourse to these reasons, tells no tale about itself; and in this respect it is indeterminate like the eternal objects.

Alfred North Whitehead, Process and Reality, Part III, Chapter IV, Section I

[barinacraft]

Hot Toddy Drink - Far East Of Scotland Long Before The Cocktail

The Toddy Was Hot Before The Cocktail Became Old Fashioned

Or cold maybe. Point is, the Toddy, hot or cold, was old-fashioned before the Old Fashioned was ever even fashioned.

Although many, including ourselves, associate the Toddy with whisk(e)y, honey, lemon juice, hot water and maybe some nutmeg, cloves or cinnamon, technically its just whisky, sugar and H2O. Add some bitters and you have an Old Fashioned which, ingredient-wise, is the very definition of a cocktail.*

History Of The Toddy

A British Chaplain Travels With The East India Trading Company

The earliest reference to the word Toddy may have been when it was included in the notes observed by Edward Terry, then Chaplain to the Right Honorable Sir Thomas Row, Knight, Lord Ambassador to the Great Mogul, in 1615-1619 during his Voyage To East India.†  These records later became published as a book of the same name in 1655.

Liquor From The Toddy Tree

“And here I cannot choose but take notice of a very pleasant and clear liquor, called Toddy, issuing from a spongy tree, that grows straight and tall without boughs to the top, and there spreads out in tender branches, very like unto those that grow from the roots of our rank and rich artichokes, but much bigger and longer. This toddy-tree is not so big, but that it may be very easily embraced, and the nimble people of that country will climb up as fast to the top thereof (the stem of the tree being rough and crusty) as if they had the advantage of ladders to help them up. In the top tender branches of those trees they make incisions which they open and stop again as they please, under which they bang pots made of large and light gourds, to preserve the influence which issues out of them in a large quantity in the night season, they stopping up those vents in the heat of the day.

“That which thus distills forth in the night, if it be taken very early in the morning, is as pleasing to the taste as any new white wine, and much clearer than it. It is a very piercing, medicinal, and inoffensive drink, if taken sooner in the day, only it is a little windy; but if it be kept later until the heat of the day, the sun alters it so as if it made it another kind of liquor, for it becomes then very heady, not so well relished, and unwholesome; and when it is so, not a few of our drunken seamen choose to drink it; and I think they so do, because it will then presently turn their brains; for there are too many of the common sort of those men who use the sea, who love those brutish distempers too much, which turn a man out of himself, and leave a beast in the skin of a man.

“But for that drink, if it be taken in its best, and most proper season, I conceive it to be of itself very wholesome, because it provokes urine exceedingly; the further benefit whereof some there have found by happy experience, being thereby eased from their torture inflicted by that shame of physicians, and tyrant of all maladies, the kidney stone. And so cheap too is this most pleasing wine, that a man may there have more than enough for a very little money.” ~ Reverend Edward Terry

Hot Tadi Turns To Hooch

So, if left to ferment in the heat of the day, this “Hot Toddy” becomes an intoxicating liquor and by all accounts also turns sour and bitter like vinegar. Combine this with the age old practice of adding sugars to wine, cider and other beverages to sweeten the taste along with a specific mention in the Accounts of India and China as far back as AD 890 which says of Ceylon (present day Sri Lanka); “Their drink is made of Palm honey boiled and prepared with the Tari (pronounced Tadi), the juice which runs from the tree” and all you need is a little water to complete the recipe.

One theory has Scotsman returning from the Far East embracing the term Toddy as a nickname for an alcoholic drink with those generic ingredients. Just substitute Scotch whisky for fermented tadi, sugar for palm honey and add water.

Scotch Springs Eternal From Tod's Well

A second, more widely accepted theory on the origins of the Hot Toddy (in western culture as opposed to the Far East where it is still alive and well in its historical version there) centers around one of Edinburgh, Scotland's city water sources, Tod's well, affectionately known as Toddy and some early poets' prose. First some history on the Todian spring and then a pair of Scots will wax poetic.

In 1681, Peter Brauss brought water into Edinburgh, Scotland from Tod spring in Comiston through a system engineered by George Sinclair where gravity fed the supply via a series of 3 inch diameter lead pipes built by Robert Mylne.‡, 1 - 2  Comiston springs at Tod's well was located on the Pentland Hills about 3 miles to the south of Edinburgh and the aqua duct originally channeled its flow into five stone wells along High Street, part of the Royal Mile in between the Edinburgh Castle in the heart of the city and Holyrood Palace near Arthur's Seat Volcano, home to a pair of another of the city's spring fed water sources, St. Margaret's and St. Anthony's wells.

The cisterns were located at multiple heights in the Old Town and women 'caddies' would gather to draw water from the wells for their homes. The system was a significant public works project benefiting everyone's health and was later improved in 1720 by increasing the main water pipe from Comiston into the city to a 4 1/2 inch diameter which more than doubled its capacity.

The Morning-Interview. An Heroi-Comical Poem by Allan Ramsay (MDCCXIX)

This 1719 mock heroic ode to courtship which parodies the struggles of a beau hoping to overcome his foe is often cited as a key piece of literature which some say proves the etymological history of the toddy is based in Scotland and not the Far East. In the lead up to the poem's ending shown below, the epic romantic passion is emphasized with great comedic effect.

The ninth stanza both highlights and summarizes the poem's main storyline when Celia awakens to answer the door to her apartment dressed only in the loose attire of her morning gown. Expecting that her cousin Frankalia had come to take her morning tea, her initial pale surprise to see Damon standing there instead turns into a blushing red exchange. Here's the last 3 of the 16 verse stanzas:

A sumptuous Treat does crown the ended War,

And all rich Requisites are brought from far.

The Table boasts its being from Japan,

The ingenious Work of some great Artisan.

China, where Potters coarsest Mold refine,

That Light through the transparent Jar does shine,

The costly Plates and Dishes are from thence,

And Amazonia must her Sweets dispense;

To her warm Banks, our Vessels cut the Main,

For the sweet Product of her luscious Cane;

Here Scotia does no costly Tribute bring,

Only some Kettles full of Todian Spring.3

Where Indus and the Double Ganges flow,

On odoriferous Plains the Leaves do grow;

Chief of the Treat, a Plant the Boast of Fame,

Sometimes called Green, BOHEA's its greater Name.

O happiest of Herbs! Who would not be

Pythagorized into the Form of Thee,

And with high Transports act the Part of TEA?

Kisses on thee the haughty Belles bestow,

While in thy Steams their coral Lips do glow;

The Virtues and thy Flavor they commend;

While Men, even Beaux, with parched Lips attend.

Teetotalling Tod

Much ado has been made about the inclusion of the Todian Spring and how the author specifically calls out in the footnotes that it is in reference to Tod's Well. This has been interpreted as meaning kettles full of Toddy which by association then translates to whisky since the word whisky is derived from water and it was a common custom of the day for whisky to be invoiced as aqua in Scotland.4

But, maybe it actually means just what it says and this is much ado about nothing.

After all, all the other objects mentioned directly relate to those items needed for a tea party. You have a table from Japan, the place setting from China as well as the tea (Bohea is a type of black oolong tea), and sugar from the Amazon river banks in South America. All you need is H2O, so why would the inclusion of actual water from the Todian spring be construed to mean Toddy, therefore meaning whisky?

In fact tea was becoming such a common drink in Scotland that in 1742 Duncan Forbes, Lord Culloden, the President of the Court of Session is quoted as saying, “the meanest families, even of laboring people, particularly in burroughs, make their morning's meal of it, and thereby wholly disuse the ale which heretofore was their accustomed drink; and the same drug supplies all the labouring women with their afternoons' entertainments, to the exclusion of the Twopenny.” 5  The last refers to a Scotch pint of pale ale, the equivalent of two quarts, which sold for two pence each a.k.a twopenny ale.

Another implication of tracing Toddy back to here is that it also suggests waking to whisky was wanton. Was it?

Holy Mother Of Toddy

And finally in 1785, from the garbled Gaelic of Robert Burns, a Scotty speaks of Toddy. In "The Holy Fair," the National Poet of Scotland satirically describes what had become a common phrase in the west of Scotland for the biennial gathering to celebrate the sacramental occasion of communion.6

This was no prim and proper formal ritual either. It was a party, and the often unruly crowds of strangers would sometimes toss decency out the window in exchange for questionable behavior. Wonder if you had to bring your own Toddy or was the bar stocked?

The Holy Fair by Robert Burns

Heres a partial passage from the poem pertaining to the potation:

Leeze me on drink! it gies us mair

Than either school or college;

It kindles wit, it waukens lear,

It pangs us fou o' knowledge:

Be't whisky-gill or penny wheep,

Or ony stronger potion,

It never fails, or drinkin deep,

To kittle up our notion,

By night or day.

The lads an' lasses, blythely bent

To mind baith saul an' body,

Sit round the table, weel content,

An' steer about the toddy:

The Toddy reference here is pretty clear. However, this opens up another question. In the Eucharist or Holy Communion, isn't the blood of Christ supposed to be wine and not whisky? Let's not go there.

Meanwhile, Back In The States

All this talk of Toddy's Scottish heritage is all the more confusing when you consider that the U.S. appears to have beaten them to the (publishing) punch some 35 years earlier. Toddy was the talk of the town in “the July 1750 issue of the Boston Weekly Post Boy, and the ‘fashionable’ Toddy, as the Newport, Rhode Island, Mercury dubbed it in 1764 was a fixture of American tippling for a century or more.” 7

It looks like, at least for now, America lays claim to the first known recipe for the Toddy as well. The American Herbal, or Materia Medica by Samuel Sterns was printed in Walpole, New Hampshire (1801).

Toddy (New Nation punch formula in the Age of Jefferson):

24 oz  water

8 oz  rum or brandy

a little sugar

a little nutmeg

Add the rum or brandy and the sugar to the water, and after stirring, the nutmeg. Author notes that “It is called a salutary liquor, and especially in the summer season, if it is drank with moderation.”

The Toddy Is Well Represented In The First Ever Cocktail Book

There's tons of Toddies in How To Mix Drinks, or The Bon-Vivant's Companion by Jerry Thomas (1862). The Brandy, Gin and Whiskey Toddy, no Rum is included, are all pretty much the same recipe.

[ Insert Name Of Preferred Spirit Here ] Toddy Drink:

2 oz  Brandy, Gin or Whiskey (chosen names the recipe i.e. Gin Toddy)

1 oz  water

1 tsp  sugar

1 small lump of ice

Use a small bar glass and stir with a spoon. The only Hot Toddy specifically called out among these three liquors is for Brandy where you omit the ice and use boiling water instead.

A side note elsewhere in this book under a description of punch has Jerry instructing Hot Toddy / Hot Punch makers that they must put in the spirits before the water. This was moved to the Hints and Rules For Bartenders section, like these home bar how-tos, and was changed to a rapid rinse of hot water first to aid in the prevention of heat cracking the glass in his 1886 Bartender's Guide.

By the time you add in the recipes for Sangarees, Slings & Skins (detailed more below), there are a slew of similar sips with a single standout, the Apple Toddy. Sort of a Hot Apple Pie Cocktail with real fruit filling.

Apple Toddy Drink Recipe:

2 oz  cider brandy or applejack

1 tbs  fine white sugar

½  baked apple

Roast the apples; cored, peeled and cut in half with some sugar and nutmeg; in the oven in a baking pan with boiling water until soft. About 30 minutes at 375 degrees Farenheit. Add the baked apple, sugar and brandy to a small bar glass. Fill ⅔ full of hot water and garnish by grating some nutmeg on top.

Mr. Thomas does give an honorable mention to the Indian intoxicate stating that Arrack, mainly used to flavor punch here in America, improves with age and is used in parts of that country where it is distilled from Toddy, the juice of their native coconut trees.

What's Your Opinion?

So, do you think the alcoholic drink Toddy from Western culture is derived from Tadi, Tod's Well or something Todally different?

A Cure For What Ails You - Depending On What Ails You

Regardless of its origins, a Hot Toddy (or totty) is a classic hot drink for cold days and nights which happens to coincide with the Christmas holidays up north. Its a basic cocktail that's popular in many variations. Perhaps none more so than when adding in the combination of honey and lemon to the drink.

Besides being tasty, the lemon-honey pairing is often recommended as a cure for what ails you, from sore throats to weight loss to colds & flu. Probably better make it a mocktail if you're actually sick though, as burning the bug out with alcohol may do more harm than good according to many in modern medicine. Sort of ironic that the initial Toddy recipe appears for now to have made its debut in a medical journal.

Behind The Bar - How To Mix A Hot Toddy At Home

If you're not sick though, Hot Toddies are a great way to warm up throughout the winter holidays and gives you another excuse to use your seasonal barware. Other than a few other Christmas cocktails and holiday themed drinks, what else are you going to use those fancy glasses decorated with boughs of holly for anyway?

Hot Toddy Recipe:

1 oz  bourbon, rye or scotch whisk(e)y

1 tbp  honey

2 tsp  lemon juice

1 cup  boiling hot water

Preparation - spoon or squeeze the honey into the bottom of your mug. Add the bourbon and juice from about a quarter of a lemon. Fill with hot water well short of rim for easier handling and safe sipping. Garnish with lemon wedge, optionally studded with cloves, cinnamon (sticks or ground), nutmeg, etc. An almost infinite combination of possibilities are available as almost any liquor works well and many substitute hot tea or cider for the boiling water along with different spices. See 5 tips for hot toddies for additional ideas.

BTW - January 11th is National Hot Toddy Day!

What better way to embody the spirit?

Drink Variations and Similar Cocktails

Toddy's Tipple Twins:

Bumbo - a brown sugar, rum Sling that sings Pirate's praises.

Grog - a nautically rooted drink where a sailor's portion of rum was watered down.

Highball - Scotch whisky & carbonated water along with other spirit and soda combos like the Cuba Libre, Gin & tonic, Moscow Mule and the Seven & Seven.

Sangarees - Toddies topped off with a little port wine.

Slings - liquor, water, sugar and nutmeg.

Skins - a Toddy with a twist or piece of lemon peel added.

More Hot Drinks For Home Bar Hosts:

Eggnog - a frothy holiday favorite.

Glogg - hot mulled Christmas wine.

Hot Buttered Rum - toddy's cocktail cousin?

Wassail - hot apple ale blesses the crop for the coming new year.

References

* - Minus the typical orange and cherry fruit salad many modern old-fashioned recipes [sic] like to muddle into the drink.

† - The original passage was written using the long 's' which looks like the letter f. Those old-fashioned ligatures along with some older word spellings were converted to reflect modern writing so they would be easier to read. As an example of both instances, choose was written as chufe in seventeenth century English.

‡ - The History of Edinburgh by William Maitland (1753) via The Statistical Account of Scotland Drawn Up From The Communications of the Ministers of the Different Parishes by Sir John Sinclair (1791).

1 - Castlehill Cistern. Civil Engineering Heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders by Roland Paxton and Jim Shipway (2007) via the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

2 - The Architect Robert Mylne. Electric Scotland. Saint Cecilia's Hall in the Niddry Wynd.

3 - Tods-Well which supplies the City with Water. (original footnote, verbatim from the poem).

4 - Origin Of The Word Toddy. The New York Times (1871).

5 - Chambers' Edinburgh Journal conducted by William and Robert Chambers, Number 285, Saturday, July 15, 1837.

6 - The Official Robert Burns Site. All verses to The Holy Fair poem complete.

7 – Imbibe! by David Wondrich (2007). From Absinthe Cocktail To Whiskey Smash. A Salute In Stories And Drinks To ‘Professor’ Jerry Thomas. Pioneer Of The American Bar.

[emsartwork]

I hope its not too much of an ask, but what would be like a "typical traditional dress" of each of the winx home planets? Like, I know modern and interplanetar fashion is mostly worn, but what about like a dress that just screams *insert planet*?

omg yes!!! ive been wanting to talk about this for a while lol thank you for indulging me

all of the girls are drawn as the princesses of their respective planets(even the ones who aren’t princesses), excluding tecna who is drawn as the queen of zenith because the royalty there is based on intelligence and not bloodline.(and also because tecna will def become queen lbr)

lynphea has very temperate climates, not too cold but not too hot. the land is primarily covered in forests and prairie, with a moderate level of variation in hill and valley heights. the costline is ragged with many inlets and port cities, as well as many many sources of fresh water inland. Lynphean clothing is primarily made with natural fibers and dyed with various plant and animal substances. though many dyes of lynphea could produce VERY vibrant colors, they prefer to leave their cloth in more subdued colors. 

lynphean traditional dress consists of a light colored stand up collar shirt with lighter cuffs, dark loose pants gathered at the ankle, and simple flat bottom shoes(or none at all), and is all gender neutral. in warm weather they wear cotton or linen as a short sleeve shirt, with loose and breathable silk pants, with flats usually made of bees-waxed fabric(to water proof) with a leather sole. in cooler weather they wear a long sleeve silk shirt over a woolen undershirt, with wool pants and leather boots. Lynphean royal dress(floras outfit here is based off of krystal’s dress at the sovereign’s council) consists of a loose shirt/dress over pants with metal accents, and a sleeveless floor length coat featuring a high detailed collar. The lynphean circlets are two parts, one on the head and one around the shoulders, both are tied in the back with cords and are made of a uniquely flexible metal called lynphenite. The heir’s circlet’s have an orange stones and the sovereign’s have blue.

lynphea is the only one that i didn’t base off of another culture, which might be why its a little more plain lol

Melody has a varied climate, leaning a little more towards cold than warm, but some areas can approach tropical. The topography is full of mountains and valleys, and people live where they can. the coast has many many small islands scattered around it before stretching out into open sea. fresh water is available primarily in the form of rivers. Melodian clothing is primary made of silk and hemp equivalents that leave the cloth in strong colors from the beginning. They can produce very strong dyes, but a sign of wealth is having clothing in pure white which is very hard to achieve with traditional methods.

Melodian traditional clothing consists of a wrapped tunic/robe with a belt, over tight or wide legged pants, and slippers. Its mostly gender neutral, thought men tend not to wear as wide belts/sashes.  In warm weather they wear a short robe over fitted capris and slippers, they tend to wear brighter/warmer colors in the summer and spring. In colder weather they wear a long robe, usually layered over another robe or wide pants(not pictured), with an unfastened coat of thick woven fibers. Melodian royal dress (i VERY VERY loosely based what musa is wearing off of Galatea’s outfit at the sovereign’s council) consists of many many layers of snow white cloth trimmed in gold, its really hard to do anything in traditional royal dress so its only really worn for ceremonies and hyper formal events.

I based Melodian clothing off of chinese and japanese clothing.

Solaria has a warm to VERY WARM climate.  The land is very largely covered in desert, the only spots of life are surrounding a river or oasis. the coast is full of river deltas and is the where the most cities are located. Solaria has a near constant rain storm at the northern pole due to their wonky rotation. It is the source of most of their rivers, and living in that area is considered impossible. their clothing is primarily made of linen and is incredibly light. They have mostly blue or orange/red dyes.

Solaria traditional dress consists of a light linen dress fastened at the chest or shoulders, a belt of leather or metal, and leather strap sandals. It is all gender neutral. In warm weather, solarians wear short tunics draped from the shoulder. In the odd cool weather, they wear a long, short sleeved dress, with a draped vest. leather is more common than metal in cold weather. Solarian royal dress(stella’s dress here is based off her episode 1 dress before she and blood get to alfea) consists of a long long dress or short tunic, with a long, colored sash/wrap over it. metal accessories at the waist and collar are common. the crown  of the solarian heir has no jewels, but the sun and moon crowns feature white/blue and yellow/orange gems.

I based the solarian clothing off of ancient greek, roman, and egyptian clothing

Andros is MOSTLY ocean, and has a climate similar to earth’s, warm in the middle cold at the poles. Islands are spread all over the planet but most of the population lives on the largest cluster and have a lot of bridges and ferries through them. Their clothing is made of linen and silk, as well as a planet specific fabric called tidal-web which is mostly water resistant. a lot of it is actually knitted instead of woven leaving no seems. They have MANY dyes and prefer bright colors.

Androsian traditional clothing is a bright thigh or knee length shirt, is belted at the waist, over darker pants gathered into a cuff below the knee, with leather, strapy sandals or boots; there is gold embroidery everywhere. Gender neutral. In warm weather the shirts are sleeveless and the pants shorter, both are made of linen or tidal-web. in colder weather they wear a short sleeve tunic over a cuffed long sleeve. the pants are thicker and have more fabric but are still gathered into a cuff. the leather androsians use is generally seal leather, and is used for shoes and belts, and sometimes coats. Androsian royalty wear a longer tunic over silk pants. The tunic is usually more complex with more embroidery or a different cut to the sleeves. The heir and the king/queen related to the ocean also wear a draped, pinned, floor length vest. 

I based these outfits off of other androsians I’ve drawn, but I think i based the original version of Aisha’s parents off of Afghan clothing.

Zenith has a very cold climate, most of the planet is tundra or glacier. where there is land, they have some impressive mountain ranges and a lot of the zenithian cities are actually inside the mountains in cave systems. the coastline suffers frequent cold storms in the winter and much of the population there are summer only. Zenithian clothing is made of cotton, wool, fur, and leather. They use knit as often, if not more, than woven material. They have very few plant based dyes, and are limited to purple and green. 

Zenithian traditional clothing consists of a front fastened, collared, shirt, a fur lined coat, and wool trousers with leather boots. they’re pretty gender neutral, women will sometimes wear a skirt instead of pants, but this isn’t preferred as its leaves legs cold. In warm weather they wear a light coat over a cotton long sleeve, the pants are a loose wool, and the boots are water proofed leather.They usually wear darker colors in the summer. In cold weather they wear fur hats, wool scarves, knitted undershirts, sweaters, a fur lined wool/leather coat, wool thermals, leather/wool pants, and waterproofed leather boots with metal grits on the bottom to grip ice. Zenithian royalty is determined by intelligence, so even if your dad is the king of zenith you might not be the prince/princess. The King/Queen formal wear consists of the Spark of Zenith head-dress(the crown basically), a collared shirt, with metalic fibers woven in, a fur lined, metal accented coat, a metal collar/chest plate, pants, and leather/metal boots.

I based the zenithian clothing on russian and mongolian traditional clothing.  

Domino has a unique climate as its totally dependent on the topography. The planet is covered in high, high mountains, and most peaks are uninhabitable. The people of domino live in the more temperate valleys between the mountain ranges. The coast line is a lot of sheer cliffs, but where some valleys meet the ocean there are thriving port cities. Their clothing is made of cotton, linen, leather, and wool, as well as a planet specific clothing called dragon’s-breath, which is light while still being very warm. They have access to a few dyes, and mostly stick to light/bright colors, or leave cloth undyed.

Dominian traditional dress for women consists of a shirt and skirt, made of either linen, cotton, or dragon’s-breath, with a leather corset and shoes. The men would simple substitute pants and a vest. In warm weather, they wear the most basic set of shirt and skirt, with a leather under/over bust leather corset, and water proof leather shoes. the sleeves are often rolled up and the skirts are occasionally hiked up to the knee depending on the heat. IN cooler weather the shirt and skirt are made of dragons-breath, providing warmth with out heaviness. the shirt is ruched and fastened up all the way. an over skirt is also added consisting of moisture wicking wool and a contrasting trim. the corset is leather and lined with cotton. Dominian royalty (bloom’s dress is completely made up here) have a shirt with invisible fasteners, and a long skirt. The over skirt is replaced by a draped floor length vest under the embroidered leather corset. The sleeves are full and gathered along the upper arm with a ribbon that matches the cuff holding the sleeve to the wrist. Dominian royalty hand make their crowns so each one is different.

I based Dominian fashion on medieval europe, specifically scotland/ireland, with a few chinese aspects thrown in(because the great dragon looks more like an eastern dragon despite being associated with fire???) 

lmao this was probably more than you wanted but i love worldbuilding so much sry