#it's supposed to be a good luck charm and a symbol of the sea being fickle and dangerous

[invinciblerodent]

god please let me see the body tattoos in veilguard, i can't take this

i'm like fuckin...... scuffing my metaphorical hooves, chomping at the equally metaphorical bit over here

"I need to rein it in, I don't know the characters yet, so I won't write fic about them- it'd just end up being out of character anyway."

(proceeds to write like four pages)

"well, okay, that's.... fine, it's ambiguous enough, they barely speak. but i won't mention the kind of tattoos this character is supposed to have without seeing what options I have for them in the cc, just to keep things neat and canon-accurate."

(proceeds to spend like half an hour brainstorming ideas for exactly that)

[starrieisdelusional]

How the Paopu Fruit Relates to Sora and Riku

a soriku endgame deep dive: part 1

This is part of my soriku endgame deep dive series, a series where i'll try to dissect everything and anything related to soriku, and what it means for future installments. In part 1, we will discuss about how the paopu fruit relates to sora and riku.

This started out as screaming at soriku twitter, and when i finally connected the dots, i can't help but make an analysis about it because i haven't really seen any blogs that discuss about the paopu fruit + soriku in depth.

I assumed you have somewhat a prior knowledge of soriku as I'll be taking a lot of arguments from theories and deep dives. I'll try to make this as brief as possible and try to make this easy to read for all of us who have ADHD (me).

But if you want the short version:

From the evidence given, the paopu fruit is a symbolism for riku-sora-kairi love triangle. However, this analysis argues that the context of the paopu fruit for sokai is platonic, while for soriku it is romantic.

Because of this, i believe that one day, soriku will share 1 paopu fruit with each other as sora's final answer to the love triangle.

With that being said, let's finally talk about the paopu fruit

Start of Theory

paopu in a platonic context

The paopu fruit, is a fruit that intertwines destiny if two person decides to share it. Kind of like a soulmate cheat.

" Selphie: Hey, Sora. Have you heard about the legendary power of the paopu fruit? They say if you share it with someone you really care for, it binds you together forever and ever, through eternity! (sighs) It's so romantic. I gotta try it sometime. "

The paopu fruit has somewhat been considered as the series staple for romance. However the paopu can be viewed as romantic or platonic depending on the situation. Kingdom Hearts never said that paopu is meant to be romantic-only.

An example of paopu being platonic, is when it was used by Aqua to metaphorically describe the wayfinder charm, that binds Terra-Ventus-Aqua together, just like how the paopu works.

Aqua: Somewhere out there, there's this tree with star-shaped fruit... and the fruit represents an unbreakable connection. So as long as you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like it, nothing can ever drive you apart. You’ll always find your way back to each other. Technically, I think you’re supposed to make them with seashells, but I did the best I could with what I had.

important keywords

The paopu fruit is related to a few things which includes:

Desitny: a fruit that binds destiny (or fate)

Star: The paopu fruit is in the shape of a star, which can also symbolize destiny.

Promise: a reminder of the promise that you made with that person you share your destiny with

A good luck charm: to ensure that no matter what, you won’t ever be separated, because your destinies are intertwined

Sea: a fruit that is native to Destiny Islands, that can be replicated by thalassa shells to make a good luck charm

kairi's relation to paopu fruit

At face value, the fruit is obviously related to Kairi, given how Kairi’s character is related to destiny, the star symbol, a promise, a good luck charm, and her name that translates to sea (海). Further elaboration of kairi's relation to the fruit:

Kairi came to destiny island by a meteor shower (or shooting stars)

Sora and Kairi’s cave drawing (star crossed lovers)

Oathkeeper (the blade is the shape of a star) or 約束のお守り Yakusoku no Omamori Promise Charm

Destiny’s Embrace (the keychain is a paopu)

Thalassa Shell Charm (in the shape of a star)

Separation and the promise never forget

Wayfinder Trio (owns a charm inspired by the thalassa (star) and came from outside of Destiny Island)

And finally, does the act of sharing the paopu fruit with sora in kh3

sokai kh3 mistranslation scene

sora-kairi's relationship in the lens of a paopu fruit is considered to be platonic with the argument: The act of sharing the paopu between kairi and sora in kh3 if you take the scene in a japanese lense:

it is kairi who initiates the thing

if anything, Sora looks so taken aback when kairi shoved the fruit in front of his face (he was looking at riku), but calms down once Kairi assures him that this is just a good luck charm to ensure that they wont be separated in battle

TR What’s R*ku doing all by himself?; TR Here!

Serves as a wrap up to sora and kairi’s arc as the realization of sokai's cave drawing

There’s even a version where this doesn’t exist at all?! (based on an interview done with their VAs, nomura made them take two takes, one with paopu, one not with paopu)

speaking romantically, if this is considered as their tie the knot scene it feels like it came out of no where because why didn't they just follow it up after kh1? why wait about 20 years to do it when there's multiple instances to develop sokai's relationship over the years aside from good luck charm

Serves as a wrap up to sora and kairi’s arc as the realization of sokai's cave drawing

There’s even a version where this doesn’t exist at all?! (based on an interview done with their VAs, nomura made them take two takes, one with paopu, one not with paopu)

speaking romantically, if this is considered as their tie the knot scene it feels like it came out of no where because why didn't they just follow it up after kh1? why wait about 20 years to do it when there's multiple instances to develop sokai's relationship over the years aside from good luck charm

if you squint, the legend says when the person shares 1 paopu fruit, so why does sora and kairi shares 2 here?

the thalassa, the crown, and the paopu

Now, going back to kairi's strong relationship with the paopu. (Notice how i say kairi's strong relationship with the paopu? ) There are multiple instances of the paopu being related to just kairi, when sora is not present (see kairi's relation to paopu fruit above) Therefore, the paopu fruit is more of a representation of KAIRI ALONE, not sora and kairi.

If anything, SORA AND KAIRI is represented more by the variant of the paopu: the thalassa charm, that is unique to sora and kairi only, as the only time the thalassa shell appears is if a scene involves Sora, Kairi, Xion, and Roxas.

Which parallels SORA AND RIKU crown necklace 'good luck charm', that is exclusively unique to them (necklace theory). Which is why Oathkeeper has the thalassa charm, not a paopu fruit.

Unlike how the paopu fruit is treated (pluck, eat/throw), both the thalassa shell (that came from the sea) and the kingdom crown (that came from land, riku 陸 shore) has been carefully and uniquely modified to sora.

The paopu fruit also grows exclusively on destiny islands, on a beach, near the shores where water and land met. And unlike the thalassa shells and kingdom crown that can be made on their own area, paopu fruit cannot exist without water and land.

Both the thalassa shells and kingdom crown are either rarely appears or never mentioned (like at all...) outside of SORA AND KAIRI and SORA AND RIKU, the paopu fruit is used more frequently, appearing everywhere, anywhere, and is used by every person in the game... including riku.

See what I'm getting here? Paopu fruit is the embodiment of riku-sora-kairi love triangle. Not a symbol for Sora and Kairi. It is important to also note that the paopu's dynamic only reflects

riku->sora and kairi->sora.

Namine's fake charm also contributed to this (if we are going by the believe that she's trying to insert herself to kairi and riku's messy love triangle, pls necklace theory and aitsu). Namine turns sokai's thalassa charm into a fake paopu fruit. So this charm became a mutant variation of Kairi's thalassa and Riku's crown.

And now where I'll back up aitsu and necklace theory: Again the form that came up is a paopu fruit. if we were to delete those theories into our narrative (meaning that namine is only inserting herself as kairi), it does not make sense, because why would she conjured up a paopu that has a messy relation with sokai?? why not a variant of a thalassa shell?? why not a drawing? a painting? why the paopu specifically? where no one else can be involved other than riku->sora?

riku's relation to paopu fruit

Unlike kairi, the use of paopu fruit with riku is almost to none (which is probably the reason why no one had really talked in-depth about this) so here are a few instances that it appears:

Terra and Aqua just so happen to find SORA AND RIKU on Destiny Islands after interacting with paopu fruit back in BBS

Riku 'teasing' Sora about who gets to share the paopu with Kairi

Sora and Repliku's fake paopu charm

GaybladeTM COMBINED: Isn't it odd that the key chain turns to paopu fruit when sora and riku combine their hearts together?? even though Kairi had 0 thing to do with it?? Even though this is an exclusive SORA AND RIKU thing? Even though we agreed that the paopu rarely ever appeared alongside riku?

*presence of kingdom crown

Note that all of the instances that i've jotted down, always rarely occurred, and has only been present.... when SORA AND RIKU are around.

One reason alludes that paopu only appears whenever soriku are in sync, another is because of riku's forgotten VOW (chikai) (see necklace theory, chikai & don't think twice, to sum it up chikai or vow is riku's version of kairi's promise (yakusoku), chikai in another context is the kh3 music that came from riku POV to sora).

A third is because Riku is the opposite of paopu, his whole identity defies destiny. He is an oathbreaker (opposite of kairi's Oathkeeper). He litterally destroys destiny island, altering sora and kairi's fates. The opposite of sea...

So following that logic, the paopu should be viewed as romantic when viewing Riku->Sora

soriku and the paopu

we finally arrived to the final chapter of my lengthy analysis. so, how does this affect soriku in future installments?

i believe that one day, soriku will (either in KH5 or KH4) share 1 paopu fruit with each-other, and it will be Sora who offers the fruit to riku as his final say to the triangle. The reasons why are:

a nod to kairi who initiates the offer to sora in kh3, with sokai's case, sora is technically the first who propose the fruit via cave drawing that he done in secret at the beginning of KH1. It wasn't actually until the end of the game that kairi saw that drawing and realized: WOW! Sora wanted to share the fruit, with ME??? (because the drawing is hidden in a cave...?)

this parallels to how Riku 'jokingly', not so smoothly, try to rizz Sora at the beginning of KH1 (nearly identical timelines) and basically try to trap sora into sharing the paopu with him. Notice that in this period, soriku still aren't 100% in sync and are still dancing around / masking their feelings for the other(it isn't until kh2 that they started to re-bonded, being more affectionate and honest)

that scene is also an interpretation of how paopu should be viewed as romantic (following riku->sora = paopu romantic), notice how i always stressed riku->sora, kairi->sora, and never kairi<-sora, riku<-sora?

despite being the center of it all, sora's relationship with the paopu fruit is neutral to say, not really leaning torwards one or the other (maybe kairi but it slowly changes)

it's Sora's final answer to riku-sora-kairi love triangle war that had been going on for 20 years, sora had already rejected kairi's romantic advances, choosing to stay as friends, a slot for a gf is still available....

i have a theory this is soriku leaning because sora had been abusing the power of waking that he got to mess with reality, (check sleeping realm) so now he's leaning on the defier-of-destiny side

soriku sharing ONE NOT TWO fruit to finally do the legend as intended, because in sokai's beta-testing (the cave drawing), it's sora give kairi, kairi give sora.

Meanwhile in soriku's beta testing ('riku's pathetic attempt at rizzing')

riku: *yeets the fruit to sora*

sora: *throws fruit away*

(sokai 2 fruits soriku 1 fruit, sokai 2 fruits soriku 1 fruit, sokai 2 soriku 1, SOKAI 2 SORIKU 1)

THE END!!!!

Okay we have actually reach the end!!! great job sorikus!! tysm for listening to my ted-talk!! i hope you like it

other parts

part 2 (meteor shower; the necklace and the sword)

[strawberry-soot]

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 🐙 AZUL BIRTHDAY SSR FLOWER ANALYSIS* 🐙*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

*Mandatory reminder that I’m no flower specialist, which means these are all very subjective opinions. Take everything with a grain of salt!

He either has lilac, ivory, or white roses (sorry but I’m never sure if it’s the shading or lighting but I’m always so unsure when they’re doing anything pale-colored.) Lavender/lilac roses stand for adoration, fascination, mystery, and enchantment, as well as eternity and a long life/quality of life. They’re usually given to those overcoming an illness, or for an anniversary (in which case their meaning changes to that of happiness (of being together)). The meaning of lilac roses generally is a bit vague, but if one looks at purple roses (even though they’re a much deeper color than what we can see in Azul’s bouquet) the flower language probably fits him/the values of the Sea Witch best, since purple is associated with power, prestige, and great achievement, as well as deep understanding and compassion. Ivory roses, on the other hand, represent luxury, charm and elegance, as well as thoughtfulness, grace, and perfection. They’re typically given as a gift to someone with excellent taste and style, as well as to show you care about the recipient without romantic connotations. White roses symbolize loyalty, purity, and innocence, as well as a new start/new beginnings and eternal love. While they’re popular wedding or funeral flowers, when they’re not given on a special occasion they’re supposed to convey appreciation for the recipient’s support and/or guidance. Or they’re gifted as a symbol of good heath to those struggling or to wish the recipient a prosperous future. Another thing to note is that the number of roses holds symbolic meaning as well. Azul has four roses – the reading of which is “nothing will come between us.”

On the left side of his bouquet he has clematis, which symbolize beauty of ingenuity and mental strength, ambition, wisdom, agility, and mischief. In Russia and Bulgaria they’re used to symbolize the joy of travelling. Purple clematis is used to express an elevated rank in society, wealth and royalty. It’s given to those you want to show your appreciation for their quick wit and ability to hold intellectual conversations. Since it squashes other flowers when it climbs to its full height it’s also used to represent mischief, deception, and egotism.

The silvery-purple thin ones next to the clematis are eremophila nivea, which, as far as I could gather, have no real symbolic meaning. They’re desert and solitude loving plants that have the ability to persist under the most undesirable conditions. It’s a popular ornamental plant, that’s tolerant of most soil.

White clovers are known for their use as good luck charms, but it’s also said they can ward off evil spirits. They also symbolize protection and (improvement of) love. Their essence can help overcome fears and a sense of inadequacy, live through change, as well as reducing fear of abandonment and failure.

The hydrangea on the right side of his bouquet symbolize a desire to understand someone deeply, as well as luxury, grace, pride, compassion and understanding (and a deep concern for others’ wellbeing). It also represents wealth, richness and fortune. In Europe they’re more associated with pride since they’re usually given to people who have been married for many years (this might be an allusion to his relationship with the tweels?) Hydrangeas can also symbolize elegance, gratitude, apology, vanity, bragging, vanity, and boastfulness.

Lavender represents purity, devotion, calmness, grace, elegance, refinement, and luxury. Since they’re often used as infusions or fragrance to induce a sense of tranquility they’re associated with serenity and virtue. It can also stand for undying love.

Purple carnations are most commonly known to represent capriciousness and whimsicality. However, they have many other readings as well, like that of unpredictable behavior, making it a perfect gift for someone who is daring, wild, and free spirited, though it’s also associated with success and wealth. They can also be given to someone you find witty, or as an apology. Though Azul’s flowers are fairy light in color, the depth of the shade usually evokes a sense of thoughtfulness, peace, and harmonious balance of consciousness, or to sooth your mind and reduce anxiety, helping the recipient remain calm in the face of adversity. Other meanings include creativity, open-mindedness, as a symbol to encourage acceptance and understanding, a celebration of diversity and equality, as well as compassion and an empathetic state of mind.

Eucalyptus are a symbol of strength, protection, resilience, adaptability, and abundance. They’re said to purify negative energy, though they can also invoke good health and protection. Other symbolism associated with eucalyptus are that of inner and outer strength, as well as leadership.

Naturally, these are only my un-educated guesses, but feel free to let me know if I got anything wrong/what flowers I might’ve missed.

[thearchivistsjournal]

Day 220,

New journal.  I left more blank pages in the back of the second one than I would have liked, but ultimately the decision came down to not wanting to risk it getting wet or going overboard or something on this expedition.  But a new book starting from this point?  I won’t lose too much if something happens to it, and worse case scenario I can try to summarize once we get back.

As I write this, I’m sitting with Cass, Lin, and Maiko around a campfire on an unfamiliar beach after watching the sun go down together.  There was some playful teasing when I pulled out this book, but it was an endearing sort.  They know this writing is important to me.  Cass even added afterward that she’d be more worried about me if I didn’t start writing about my day at the first opportunity.

So now, while my attention drifts between the past and present, Cass and Lin are engaged in a debate of some sort (something about root vegetables I think) while Maiko alternates between watching them (mostly Lin if I’m properly gauging where her eyes are focused) and watching the forest behind us.  She seemed pretty confident that there’s nothing dangerous on this island in her scouting earlier, but I suppose you don’t live out in the woods avoiding human beings for years without maintaining a certain degree of situational awareness as a matter of course.

But as for the past…

Not for the first time (I think?), I woke up to the sound of Cass knocking on the door and Maiko answering it.  I tried to tune out the self-satisfied “where would you be without your apprentice?” comments as I got ready to go.

Cheeky child.

A portion of the supplies, including the ones Cass’s parents sent her over with (how does that child regularly manage to carry more than me?), we left at the house for Maiko to load into her boat while we walked to the Village.  If anyone asked why we weren’t taking much with us we’d tell them that the walk from the house to the beach was shorter than the walk from house to Village and we’d be collecting them on the way.  Technically the truth too, although as it happened no one actually noticed or asked.

I’d like to call the walk with Cass an invigorating start to our journey, but the truth was I was still groggy and trying not to pettily resent her energy.  Also sore all over.  The upper half still from the boat exercise two days before and the lower half from yesterday’s trek.  Thankfully Lin handled most of today’s rowing so I’m feeling fairly alright now.  

Oh, and I established, rowing is when you’re going backwards, paddling is when you’re going forwards.  The Village boats you row; Maiko’s boat you paddle.

Getting back to chronological order, Lin was waiting for us already down at the docks with the boat already loaded up and ready to go.  Vernon, Norman, and Marva were there too to see us off.  I was relieved to see that there wasn’t more of a crowd.  I imagine Cass was as well when Marva gave her a necklace that she and Norman had made for her.  A good luck charm they said.  Not an artifact or anything, but weighty in sentiment and symbolism all the same.  At first I thought Cass was embarrassed over it, but once we were in the boat I’m pretty sure that wasn’t “a splash from all of us getting in at once” that she claimed to be wiping off her face.

Good for her.

And then we were off, and so far things have gone as planned.  We went up to the cove, met with Maiko, rearranged supplies and passengers, went over the notes and info I’d gotten from Tristan yesterday, and then out to sea we went.  Tristan’s info mostly jived with Maiko’s memory and she was able to identify a particular landmark on one of the islands he mentioned (a cave open to the water large enough to pilot multiple boats into) as a turning point where we would adjust our route to head to the healing spring instead of Iole.

*******

Just got distracted there for a few minutes by laughter from the others.  I missed what the joke was, but it looks like they’ve finally managed to draw Maiko into the conversation and she’s not glancing over her shoulder anymore.  I’m glad for her.  I think today’s been about the happiest I’ve seen her apart from that time I walked in on her and Lin making dinner.  Genuinely excited as we were getting ready to set off from the cove earlier and now at ease and talking freely.  By her standards anyway.  I suspect to a stranger she’d still come across as quiet and somewhere between subdued and standoffish, but having known her for a while now and been living with her it’s obvious.  Especially compared to when we first met.

Okay now they’ve noticed me staring and are telling me to get over there and join them.  I told them “five minutes.”  So, quickly wrapping up:

We spent most of the day rowing (well, our boat rowing, theirs paddling).  Lin and Maiko did most of the work, but I got a few shifts in, and looking over at the others from time to time, so did Cass.

Sticking right next to one another was more than we could manage and might not have been totally safe anyway, but we kept within easy shouting distance.

This island was the only one we stopped at, as much as I would have loved to explore the others we passed by.

We stopped a few hours before sundown.  Maiko wanted to be sure to have time to scout out wherever we stopped to make sure it was safe and see what could be foraged.

After we pulled the boats up onto the beach I loaned the pale ring to Lin so she could go scout with Maiko while Cass and I stayed with the boats.  Didn’t want anyone alone, but didn’t want the boats unattended and those two had the most experience poking around the woods looking at strange plants.

Like I said earlier, nothing dangerous found, and they brought back some fruits that they were both pretty sure were safe.  Apparently Maiko’s a bit more casual about that than Lin, but then again, she seems to have a more tolerant digestive system than the rest of us.

And that brings us to the present.  The present that’s pestering me to finish up already.

I’m lucky to have them.

<==Previous          Next==>

[dukemeropide]

Wriothesley catches the ghost of a smile on Neuvillette’s lips and amplifies into into his own hearty laughter, perhaps among the scant few in Fontaine - even in Teyvat as a whole - who would do so. But a convict, former or otherwise, does not fear being sunk to the bottom of the sea a second time, and over the years Wriothesley has found that his playful jabs have been met with a kind of wonder that a man without any sense of humor at all would never entertain.

”You would have been right a few minutes ago,” he admits and uncrosses his arms to pick up the mottled grey stone. He runs his thumb across it thoughtfully. He’d indeed thought of his brooch first, then the Fortress’ three-headed dog second, but he chuckles and shakes his head.

”The insignia of a prison doesn’t sound like an auspicious symbol though. These jade charms are supposed to be for good luck, after all.” Setting it down, he rocks to one side and reaches into his back pocket to withdraw a thin, leatherbound notebook, which he places on the table between them. On its cover is a hand-drawn sticker in the shape of a shark with, mysteriously, a mop of tousled black hair not unlike Wriothesley’s. He smiles fondly at it, and turns it to show Neuvillette.

”I think a shark might be better, don’t you? And the Head Nurse has already given me a design to work with.”

Lantern Rite: Wriothesley & Neuvillette

Lantern Rite 2024 | Dragon Charms

[vaguely-concerned]

The Mandalorian Chapter 11; the rewatch edition

I have found a bit more enthusiasm for this one on the rewatch, so here goes!

- din snapping ‘I’m trying my best here!’ in a vaguely annoyed tone as his entire ship is going up in flames around him because he mostly doesn’t get angry as much as sulky... the height of cinema 

- I love frog husband’s clothes, because they’re in a very similar style and colour scheme to frog lady’s but also incorporate the knitwear we see on the people of trask, so it both underlines his belonging with her and implies that he’s been on this moon for quite a while, they may have been apart for some time  

especially his scarf is a darling detail and there’s a bit of contrast in texture to it next to his wife’s, it’s nice. he’s wearing a similar kind of vest to what we see on the fishermen later, too 

- I think my favourite part of this entire episode (well second after din cradling the baby against him after nearly drowning) is just the design and Vibe of the planet and especially this harbour

for one I LOVE that it’s shown that even in the middle of the day it’s dark enough that the electric lights are still on when it’s overcast (it reminds me a bit of norway during the winter, actually, when dawn just never quite breaks and then slinks off in embarrassment before it’s even noon). and there’s also the... sails? nets? hanging around looking almost like flags, which are very Aesthetic but god knows what they’re for. maybe for drying fish on in the summer? 

I think the building in the distance behind frog husband’s back here is a lighthouse? or it could be one of those towers for loading you see when they scout out the empire ship too, I suppose!

and one for my strange obsession with Texture on this show: these fabric-covered crates!!! they look exactly as dingy and moldy as you’d expect them to be in this climate, I wonder what they’re for (& I vaguely want to touch them) 

- from the sound of it din’s vibroknife is uh ‘on’ when he pokes the squid thing, and he also goes for the tentacle the furthest away from the baby <3

proof the calamari flan have been scratched up a bit during all that time in din’s pockets! (the attention to detail in this show sometimes istg) 

- this is 100% me reading too much into things again, call the overthinking police I’ll do my time meekly lol, but the boat looks a little bit like the mudhorn signet from this angle: 

again din keeps his hand on or sooo close to his blaster in this entire scene, he knows this is sketch as all hell 

a) once again I want to praise the effects team for how GOOD the aliens look in this episode holy shit and b) the hell is this dude wearing on the straps of his overalls tho 

- the dude mando (axe woves) uses his little... wrist launcher thing to shoot with to finish two off the fishermen, so my theory that they can be loaded with other things than the whistling birds for slightly less effective use (maybe without the level of honing we’ve seen din’s be able to do?) is looking good!

- din actually has quite good form when diving into the water, I’m guessing he can swim at least tolerably when not in full armour, being stabbed at from all directions, having just had his son eaten by a sea monster and also being trapped in with said sea monster (I’m a strong swimmer and I can tell you that there’s a reason they make you swim with clothes on from time to time to see how hard it is, it sucks. with metal plates strapped all over you as well? yeah good luck) people don’t tend to hit the water that gracefully without some kind of training in my experience lol. might be some of the training with the jet pack has carried over too, considering he throws himself off that cliff in chapter 12 with similar confidence?

it’s interesting that they’re once again showing us a threat where the armour doesn’t help and even hinders him. we’re so used to the ways it can make him near-invincible, but it can also drag him down (literally, in this case. aha ha ha. well if I’m not here for my own entertainment then what am I here for honestly)

- din’s voice sounding like he’s just on the verge of crying as he cradles the baby (and the sound he makes as he realizes the baby’s alive) is my kryptonite, turns out. fucking breaks my heart into tiny pieces every time, I would die for this man and he wouldn’t let me

- in support of din’s paranoia: so far this season we haven’t been able to go five minutes without someone talking about peeling the precious beskar off a mandalorian corpse, I can see why his mind was primed to move in one particular way there

- I think the fabric of din’s cape has been treated with something that makes it waterproof; the water seems to pearl on top of it rather than soak in! can you imagine how heavy it would get if it did absorb water tho christ

(a bit hard to see at this size but that’s what it looked like to me close up anyway! could also be that it’s wool and that’s why it looks that way but I prefer an elaborate sci-fi explanation here, because it doesn’t look particularly weighed down afterwards) might also explain why he doesn’t seem worried about it catching on fire when he uses the jetpack haha, maybe this is something the mandos do with fabric they’re going to use for a long time 

I also enjoy part of the gambeson/undersuit thing poking up from under the shoulder pauldron and cape; I think this is about as disheveled as we’ve seen him since immediately post-mudhorn 

- the sound mixing in this scene, where din’s breathing is layered a bit over everything else so you almost feel like you’re in the helmet with him listening to what the others are saying........ oh my GOD, it embeds you so deeply in his POV but so subtly 

- not to be biased or anything... but din and the armorer’s armour design is so vastly superior to these guys it shouldn’t even be a competition lol 

din looks like an honest to god knight in shining armour except also sci-fi western and the armorer looks like a fucking war goddess from a time beyond memory; the clone wars mandos look like high end cosplayers (eh maybe it’s just my dislike for the boobplates that has me so 😒 lol. also a lot of dudes were very shitty about that whole thing and I don’t say anything but the ‘vaguely-concerned will remember this’ telltale message pops up in the corner every time) 

moment of saltiness over: I do like the differentiation between their individual character designs 

the differences in body type and helmet design is nice! they look like a unified team, but with individuality. I suspect the ladies have those belts and their armour plates on the hips instead of the front of the thighs to emphasize the ‘female’ silhouette, which. okay fine whatever

- bo katan looks very pointedly down at the baby after saying ‘a group of religious zealots who want to return to the ancient ways’ which makes me VERY nervous for reasons I can’t quite articulate

- the mournful guitar version of the mando theme as din watches the sunset...... hmmmmngh (this might be some Symbolism happening to us folks strap in for the identity crisis he still hasn’t processed) 

- I Cannot get over din being so unimpressed by and uninterested in bo katan’s ‘retake mandalore’ sales pitch from literally the first moment dfhasdkjfhsad sorry lady kryze this man just does not do main quest shit, he’s all side quests all the time and that’s why I love him  

- as someone who after chapter 8 wrote a whole-ass fic that was wholly & exclusively about din telling the baby he’ll always come back for him... some of the shit he’s been saying this season does feel like it’s been written to mercilessly victimize me, personally and specifically 

- guessing this structure in the background is the traffic control tower! doesn’t really matter, I just thought it was neat

- this part of the soundtrack is called ‘ship o hoj, mandalorians!’, which I found incredibly charming haha (it’s ‘ship ahoy’ except how you write it in swedish, good one herr göranson)  

- bo katan is vague about who exactly the new mand’alor would be if they took back mandalore to begin with, she doesn’t specify she is planning to be the ruler until she’s already got din on the ship and in no position to refuse to help. gotta respect the grift at least lol  

I do love her voice, though, it reminds me a bit of jennifer hale as shepard

- “I need to get back to my ship, with the foundling” your honor I uh love him so fucking much 

- frog lady stroking the baby’s back a bit as she holds her hand behind him to make sure he doesn’t fall backwards while playing with the tadpole ;___________;

and also frog husband and frog lady reaching out to hold hands and frog smooching as din and yodito leave ;____________________________________________;

- when din says the exasperated “mon calamari. unbelievable” line, the baby makes that little blowing a raspberry sound he does as if to agree ‘uh-huh unbelu -- unbelly -- unbelievable dad smh’ and it is very very adorable 

- there’s quite a bit of Stuff in the concept art that didn’t make it in this time around; I wonder if maybe they cut some stuff for pacing or whatever and that’s why this episode is so short? water leaking into the cockpit of the razor crest, something that looked a bit like whaling going on on the docks and more spaceships taking off (maybe there were originally meant to be some smaller ships defending the big empire one?), there’s quite a bit here  

[angst-fairygodmother]

Light Fingers (The Umbrella Academy)

Diego’s vigilantism brings him repeatedly across the path of a young cat burglar. But as he finds himself developing feelings for the thief, he begins to wonder if there’s more to her than meets the eye, and whether they’re really on opposite sides. And as their relationship deepens, it brings with it a plot involving his estranged adopted father, and threatens to destroy all of them.

CHAPTER 9: FOR BETTER OR WORSE

Word Count: 2597 Pairing: Diego Hargreeves x Reader Rating: T Cross-posted to AO3: here

Previous Chapter: Tireless || Masterlist

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“Is there one you’re trying to match?” the clerk asked as Diego stared in bewilderment at the case of rings. 

“Oh. Uh, no. We didn’t really...do things the traditional way,” he explained awkwardly. 

“I see…” the clerk nodded knowingly, in a way that made Diego fairly certain they actually didn’t. “Well, we have some nice simple sets in case you decide to go back and fill in later, or you can buy it now with these ones?”

He pressed his lips together in thought. One the one hand, why get a ring symbolizing something that never happened? On the other, Y/N deserved all of the nicest things he could offer her, nicer than he could actually. 

“Let me see what you have,” he stated decisively, even though it was a decision not to decide until he had thoroughly looked over all of his options. 

At first, everything in the tray that the clerk pulled out looked exactly the same, and exactly like the kind of thing Y/N would hate, all unnecessarily large gemstones and gaudy detailing. And then one, nearly lost in the sea, caught his eye: the ring was solid silver, and made of three uneven, textured bands woven together. He pointed it out to the clerk who raised their eyebrows in surprise but offered it up, explaining that it had been a custom piece the purchaser never picked up. Upon closer inspection, Diego realized that the bands were each shaped to look like a different material: rope, barbed wire, and chain, all intricately braided with knots like roses where the three shapes met. It was perfect, like fate had designed it for you. 

“This is the one,” he breathed, awed by the luck of finding it, actually feeling tears sting at the corners of his eyes.

“An...excellent choice sir. I’ll just box it up for you. Unfortunately we don’t have any that would sit right with that one as a stack, but we do have one men’s band that has a similar braided motif if you’d like to take a look at that and forgo the third?”

He nodded, and the clerk moved over to another case to pull out another ring, this one a solid, flat silver with an engraved “rope” spiralling loosely around it. It wasn’t a perfect match, but it complimented the other well. He had never been one for metaphors, but this one smacked him in the face hard enough to not be ignored. 

He paid the clerk for both rings, not even caring about the price, and checked the time, deciding there was enough to visit the consignment shop down the road and at least find a clean shirt to wear.

~

“Heeey, Daniel,” you said cheerfully. “What are you up to this morning?”

“I was sleeping, since I have a day off for the first time in who knows how long,” your brother answered, voice still cottony from sleep but twinged with a sharp irritation. 

“Great! Can I ask you a huge favor?” you smiled pleadingly at the receiver, even though you knew he couldn’t see you. 

“What did you do?” you could almost picture him scowling as he leaned forward, all professional now.

“Nothing. It’s actually about what I want to do. It’s a long story, and kind of complicated. There’s this guy. I’ve been dating him for a few weeks, but also we’ve kind of had a...thing for almost two years,” you paused marvelling at the realization you had known Diego for so long and yet also that it felt like so much longer. “And we decided to…” you trailed off, knowing that his protective instincts would kick in, and also that he was prone to being judgmental. “Look, can you please, please, please meet us at City Park in an hour and be our justice of the peace?”

“What?!”

“I know that it sounds nuts and that as my big brother you have every right to question my sanity, but, don’t fight me on it. I love Diego, more than anything. Please?”

There was a long pause and you wondered if he had put down the phone, or fainted, or something.

“Are you sure about this?” he finally asked.

You took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to answer that. 

“No,” you finally answered. “I don’t know how to explain. It’s just this…feeling I have. Maybe it’s a mistake, but I’m taking a gamble. Chasing what I want. It’s worth it. He’s worth it.”

You heard a rustling and the slam of a drawer. Daniel sighed. 

“You’re going to need two witnesses.”

“I know, I’ll get that bit sorted. Does that mean you’ll do it?”

“You know I’ll do anything for you, Munchkin. I want you to be happy.”

“I am,” you assured, unable to keep the smile from your face, or out of your voice. “I really, really am.” 

You said your goodbyes and hung up the payphone, trying to hold in the overwhelming joy you wanted to scream to the universe. Continuing down the street, shoulders slightly hunched to the morning breeze, you stopped short when you passed a little boutique, something in the window catching your attention. 

As luck would have it, the owner was just flipping the open sign in the window, and when she saw you looking at the display mannequin, she offered you a small smile and waved you in, as only charming old ladies can. 

~

Your heart was in your throat as you walked briskly toward the park where you were supposed to meet your brother and Diego. You wanted to drag out the distance, afraid that rejection waited for you at the end, that he had decided your whole plan was outrageous and left, maybe for good. But at the same time, you were anxious to get there, both because of the frosty chill in the air, and more importantly, because of the excitement that made you feel like you were about to burst.

Patch kept pace with you easily, her long coat fluttering behind her and a soft smile on her face. Every once in a while she stole a glance over at you, marveling at how beautiful you were in the lilac dress you’d bought, your hair swept back and up by a thousand tiny bobby pins, (on anyone else the look would have been ruined by the black boots laced to your knee, but somehow on you it just added to it) and also pondering whether this was all some elaborate prank. She wouldn’t put it past you and Diego. 

When the gazebo was finally in sight, three silhouettes on its open platform, your feet skidded to a stop. 

“I can’t do this,” you said suddenly, turning to walk away before Eudora caught your arm. 

“What are you talking about, Y/N?” she asked softly, giving you that patented look of concern that made you want to spill every secret and fear you’ve ever held.

“It’s been three weeks,” you cried, tears spilling down your cheeks and making you grateful you hadn’t taken the time to stop for mascara. “And we just decide this morning to…? The first time we said ‘I love you’ was yesterday. This is crazy. He’s crazy.”

“Y/N,” she said, taking you by the shoulders, grounding you with her touch. “It’s alright to be nervous, or scared, or have your doubts. And you don’t have to go through with this if you don’t want to. You get to decide what happens next. So, if you want to walk away, I’ll walk with you. Do you want to?”

You thought for a moment. But any attempt to rationalize or approach the question with logic like you thought you should was drowned out by the sound of laughter, the crinkle of warm brown eyes, the feel of a hand in yours and your heart beating out a rhythm matched to his that seemed to say “I’m home, I’m home.”

You shook your head, swallowing thickly. “I don’t want to run; I want to do this?”

“That sounded like a question. Are you sure?”

You swallowed again, nerves making your tongue feel heavy. “Yeah. Yes. I’m absolutely sure.”

She smiled at you and you couldn’t help answering the expression with one of your own. 

“Good,” she said. “I think we should probably keep moving then, before he has a heart attack waiting.”

You laughed, wrapping her quickly in a hug and murmuring a word of thanks.

~

Diego felt his knees go weak and his stomach do flips as he watched Y/N and Eudora approach up the cracked cobblestones of the park path. She was always beautiful, but now she looked actually angelic in the pale purple dress that trailed down to her calves. He couldn’t believe this was actually happening, even though he had been standing around for quite a while now, rings heavy in his pocket, as he talked with her brother and his wife (people he had met only once before, and now were part of the small group there for the most important day of his life) and they went over how the whole event would play out.  

Part of him wished he had been able to track down Klaus, or maybe extended a temporary olive branch to Vanya, or maybe even Luther, just to have someone there. But Y/N was there. And that was really all that mattered, the two of them. And Patch was as much a friend to him as to her, so it was something. A shabby-looking dark haired man walked past his peripheral vision and he turned his head quickly, hoping beyond reason. Unfortunately, it wasn’t his wayward brother and he sighed. 

Eudora and Y/N finally climbed up the steps, and Diego forgot all about his nerves and concerns when the woman of his dreams smiled at him, slipping her hands in his as they faced each other.

“Hi,” he murmured. 

“Hi yourself,” she countered. “Ready?”

“Never readier.”

Daniel cleared his throat and began to speak.

~

“Thank you for being here this morning, as Diego and Y/N enter into this union, a commitment of everlasting love, respect, and partnership. They join together now not as halves of a whole, incomplete without the other, but as equals, each complete and choosing the other as a compliment to themselves. They have seen each other for what they are, and what they are not, and actively decide to accept and cherish in all that entails,” your brother started. 

You shot him a glare, cutting him off before he could launch into a lecture. 

“Knowing my little sister, and the impromptu nature of today, I am prepared with something of a traditional reading, or we can forgo in favor of the more essential elements of the ceremony?”

You and Diego looked at each other. He shrugged. You rolled your eyes. “Skip the reading.”

Daniel moved on, turning to Patch and Amelia and asking, “Do you, as witnesses to this day, support, encourage, and affirm this union?”

They both looked over at the two of you, nearly lost in your own world and smiled. In near unison, they agreed. Several more formalities passed in something of a blur.

“Do you have rings?” Daniel asked, quirking an eyebrow in an expression nearly identical to the one Diego was familiar with from you.

“I do,” he said, fumbling in the pocket of his jacket, thrown over the rail behind him to pull out the small blue box. “I just hope I picked good ones.” 

You gasped as he opened up the box, showing you the rings he had picked out that morning. Your hands shook as you took it, looking closer at the detailing. 

“Oh Diego,” you sighed, smiling waterily at him. “They’re perfect.”

Daniel whistled lowly, losing his official mask in favor of being just your brother for a moment. “Damn. If I didn’t know better I’d think these were custom-made.”

Diego shrugged, blushing uncomfortably under the dual praise. “Nope, just got lucky.”

“Well, maybe that’s a good sign then, for the marriage,” Amelia chimed in, beaming at the pair of you. “Which we still need to finish…?”

“Right,” Daniel said. “Where were we? Vows!”

“I, Diego Hargreeves, take you to be my spouse. I promise that from this day forward I will regard you as my equal, my partner, and my closest friend. I will love and cherish you above all others. Our decisions will be together, in consideration of your needs and wishes as well as my own. For better or worse, sickness or health, no matter what we are going through, I will be there at your side, with love and support. Until the end of the world. I love you, so much.” He smiled, flashing you a wink before slipping your ring onto your finger.

You laughed, winking right back before reciting the same promises in turn and slipping the other ring onto his hand, keeping your fingers locked together after.

Daniel discretely swiped a tear from his eye. 

“With these rings and vows exchanged, a promise made before witnesses and a symbol of that bond between you, it is my greatest pleasure, by the power vested in me by the state, to pronounce you as married, joined in spirit and in law.”

Diego grinned, sweeping you into a kiss, holding you tight against him, until three voices around you cleared their throats.

“Breakfast?” Patch asked. “On me, as a gift to the newlyweds?”

~

An hour later, you sat beside each other (everyone else having left to go about their day), people passing by blithely unaware that for the two of you life had just changed, both staring down at your interlocked hands and the bands on your fingers. 

“Did we actually just…?” he asked breathlessly.

You laughed. “You were there Diego. You said the words, same as I did.” 

You hesitated, fearful still that he hadn’t intended it to be real, that it had been a joke or a fantasy you had taken too far.

“It’s not too late to undo it, though,” you explained hurriedly. “I mean it’s a weekend so Daniel won’t file the certificate with the city until at least Monday, so we can ask him to just rip it up and forget it ever happened. Or if he does file it early somehow, annulling this kind of thing is pretty easy since we haven’t mingled assets or anything. I just thought...well I don’t actually know what I thought.” Tears started to well up as you stumbled over yourself in your rush. 

He tilted your chin up with his free hand, kissing you tenderly, as if he could pour every feeling and thought in his heart into the one action. 

“I don’t want to undo it,” he murmured, eyes crinkling with mirth. “I just can’t believe we actually got married in the first place.”

“Well believe it. You’re stuck with me now.” You laughed, kissing the end of his nose. 

“There’s no one else I’d rather.”

Your heart swelled at the confession as he pressed his forehead to yours.

“Well, husband, what do you say we go home, spend the rest of the day as newlyweds should?”

He smiled, groaning as he stood and his battered body protested the idea of moving. As you let him tug you to your feet, you felt probably almost as bad as he did, aching from head to toe, the events of the night catching up to you.

“Or maybe we spend it sleeping…” you mumbled.

[lillotte17]

I sort of lost steam on the big fancy wedding picture I was going to pair with this, but at least I got the fic part done, right? RIGHT???

As always Inquisitor Uthvir belongs to @feynites

After nearly fifteen minutes of huffing and wheezing her way up several flights of stairs, and at least two instances where she nearly tumbled over the balustrade to an untimely death, Aili finally elbows her way into the Inquisitor’s bedchamber. She can’t see much around the large crate in her arms, so it is not all that surprising when she lumbers directly into Uthvir a few moments later. Luckily, they have the wherewithal to grab hold of both her and her cargo before she topples back down the steps and out the door again.

“More paraphernalia from your room?” they wonder curiously, taking the crate from her with enviable ease and carrying it the rest of the way into their bedroom, “Have you acquired this much equipment since joining the Inquisition? Your initial sleeping quarters at Haven were rather sparsely decorated, as I recall.”

“Oh! N-no, it’s not mine! Well, I suppose it’s sort of mine? It’s…ours, I guess,” Aili fumbles somewhat breathlessly as she follows them. They have been engaged for nearly a month already, and the day they have chosen for their wedding ceremony is fast approaching, but she still has not moved the majority of her things into Uthvir’s room. The space just feels…like it belongs to them. And only them. She has brought a few sets of clothes in, and some soaps, but that is all. Anything more seems like it would be an intrusion.

Uthvir arches a brow at her, pausing for a moment before setting the crate down on the floor.

“A wedding present?” they guess.

“Not exactly,” she says; one corner of her mouth twitching upwards as she kneels down on the floor and pulls the lid off, “Although it is for the wedding.”

The box it filled to bursting with brightly colored cords and ribbons.

Uthvir’s eyebrows tick upwards in obvious surprise.

“What are those for?” they wonder.

“To make the tie for the handfasting ceremony,” Aili explains, suddenly feeling a bit shy, and fidgeting with a few of the ribbons in the crate, “In most clans, the couple getting married traditionally braid it together themselves.”

“And we need this many?” Uthvir asks, giving the box a dubious glance, “How long is this tie going to be? Are we going to be bound together from head to heel?”

“No!” Aili laughs, “We only need three of them, really. They say that in the days of Elvhenan, spirits of love and harmony would bind the hearts of those who wished to share each other's lives. Of course, those sorts of spirits don’t really make a lot of appearances on this side of the Veil anymore and trying to summon one would likely get a bunch of angry Chantry-types chasing after us with swords. So, this is just… A symbol. A sign that we still remember the old ways, even if we can't precisely follow them."

She pauses for a moment, looking up at Uthvir to flash them an uncertain smile.

"So, I guess it's up to us to bind our lives together. Through our actions and choices."

"I cannot say that I do not prefer it that way," Uthvir admits, "And you might be glad of it too, in the end. The old rights of marriage were a bit…permanent."

"You don't consider the marriage we're about to enter into permanent?" Aili frowns.

"Not in the same sense," Uthvir shrugs, "Should you chose to leave me at some point, you would never have to know anything about where I am or what I may be doing ever again. It would not be the same if your spirit was bound to mine. We would feel each other's pain and wants, whether we wished to or not. And should one of us die before the other, it would be…deeply unpleasant. …Or so I would imagine."

"We…we're not even married yet, and you're talking about it like you don't expect it to last," Aili says in a low voice, suddenly very intent on studying the pattern of the rug on the floor. She knows that this is more or less a political arraignment, but she does like Uthvir. They're a good friend. And she had hoped that maybe someday they might…

An armored finger taps pointedly against the edge of the crate where her hand is still resting. Aili's gaze flicks up towards Uthvir's, who has kneeled down on the opposite side of the box, and appears to be carefully considering their next words.

“All things come to an end at some point or another,” Uthvir tells her slowly, “I have never seen much point in pretending that the world does not work that way. However, I did not mean to imply that our time together would be brief or unpleasant. I cannot say what sort of spouse I might be, I have never been married to someone before, but I intend to…try.”

Aili’s smile returns full force as she reaches over to place a hand on top of theirs.

“Me too.”

Uthvir nods once in acceptance, reaching over to awkwardly pat her hand a bit before withdrawing their touch and fixing their gaze back onto the crate of ropes and ribbons before them.

“So, if we only need three to make the tie for the ceremony, how did we end up with an entire box?” they wonder.

“Well, I mentioned needing a red ribbon to Josephine in passing,” Aili huffs in exasperated amusement, “And I asked her to see if maybe some of the traders and craftsmen around Skyhold had some extra fabrics or chords or ribbons in other colors lying around that we could use for the wedding, and… I guess this was the response. I’m not sure if they thought this would garner favor somehow, or if everyone just had a lot of junk they wanted to get rid of. …These all look pretty nice.”

"The perks of marrying Andraste's chosen," Uthvir smirks. "Do we just grab whichever three we fancy, or is there something specific we are meant to be looking for?"

"Well," Aili hums thoughtfully, riffling through the contents of the crate for a few moments before extracting a bright crimson chord that seems to be woven of something soft and silky, "The red strand is the most important one. It represents the spirit of…um…love. The one that is supposed to be binding the two of us together. We're each supposed to pick a color to represent ourselves, but usually there aren't this many options… I was thinking of picking a blue one for myself."

She rummages around a bit more until she unearths a similar rope the color of a pale summer sky. She twists it around the other one in her hand, admiring the two colors together. Holding them up for her betrothed to see.

"If we were getting married back home, we would make the tie into a loop and hang it on the outside of our aravel. We'd have the whole thing to ourselves for at least a month, unless the clan was hard pressed to travel someplace new. And everyone would come and hang trinkets and charms from it, or maybe even some coin, if things were going well. Wedding presents and wishes of goodwill," Aili explains, twiddling with the ends of the ropes, "It usually becomes something of a keepsake, so I thought it deserved a little more thought than some of the other preparations. I'm a little scared to see what sort of dress Leliana and Josephine have picked out, honestly."

"I like red," Uthvir offers, after a moment of consideration.

"I never would have guessed," Aili laughs, gesturing to the sea of scarlet décor surrounding them, "But we already have a red one. We can't do two reds and a blue, it'll look weird."

"It does not need to be the same shade of red," Uthvir insists.

"Hm, well…they all look pretty similar,"Aili says, pulling various colored threads and comparing them to the one already in her hand, "What about…ha!"

She holds up a chord for their inspection.

"That is…purple," Uthvir says, making a face.

"It's a sort of…reddish purple?" Aili tries. She sighs in defeat when their expression remains dubious. "Alright, fine. Are there any other colors you like?"

"Black," they reply flatly, and she can’t tell if they're being serious or not.

"We can't use black!" Aili declares, "That's a mourning color. It's probably bad luck or something!"

"Very well," Uthvir sighs, "What color do you think I should use?"

"Oh! Well, uh…"Aili stammers slightly, not expecting the turnaround, "Maybe… Maybe something like…this?"

She pulls a long rope out of the crate. It is a little thinner than the other two, and it is a rich warm gold color, threaded through with metallic strands so that it sparkles a little when the light hits it just right.

The look on Uthvir's face is inscrutable, but they do not immediately reject her choice either. Which is potentially a good sign. Their gaze seems very intense, but they almost seem a bit…surprised?  

"Why would you think that gold suited me?" they wonder. The question is not framed harshly. If anything, their voice sounds a little confused. Guarded. As though she has stepped too close to something private.

"Well, you know,"Aili fumbles, "You're the Inquisitor and all. Big and important with a throne room an everything. It made me think of gold and riches, I guess. But you’d look pretty in this sort of color, I think. It would bring out the warm tones in your eyes. You would look nice in gold. N-not that you don't look nice all the time! Because you do. Of course. Everyone's always looking at you. You've got such a…a presence. That's why they wanted you to lead, you know. You…you sort of….shine."

"The glowing hand helps with that, I am certain," Uthvir says wryly, though they seem rather pleased by her assessment. And strangely relieved. "Gold is a fine enough color, I suppose, but I have never really thought that it suited me particularly well. However, I think we might be on the right path. If I might suggest a slight alteration?"

They dig through the contents of the box for a minute or two before unearthing another chord with a metallic sheen. They hold it out for Aili's approval, the beginnings of a smirk curling at the corners of their mouth.

"I have always found bronze to be a more pleasant color, even if it is not seen to be quite so valuable as gold," Uthvir tells her.

"Oh, but…um," Aili trips through some mangled attempt at a sentence, color rising in her cheeks.

"You disapprove?" Uthvir asks, tilting their head and frowning slightly.

"N-no, it's not that!" Aili assures them, "It's just that bronze is… I mean, that color is awfully similar to…"

She raises her hand as though by reflex and brushes her fingers over the delicate whorls of the vallaslin on her chin.  

Uthvir blinks. Ah.

"It is a lovely color on you," they commend, carefully reaching over to touch the same place below her lip with a single clawed hand, "Would you mind if I borrowed it?"

"W-well its not like I own it or anything," she mumbles, embarrassed at being so easily flustered, "And it would look nice with the other two."

"Well, now that that business is all settled, what do you propose we do with the rest of theses ribbons and things?" Uthvir asks, leaning across the crate with a spark of mischief in their gaze.

"I don't know," Aili admits with a laugh, completely obtuse, "Do you know anyone else who's thinking about tying the knot?"

"I was…rather thinking we might try using them to tie a few knots of our own," Uthvir replies, reaching up to tuck a stray curl behind her ear and brushing her cheek with the sharp talons of their gauntlet in the process. Looming just a bit.

"But…we're already getting married," Aili points out, brow furrowing in slight confusion, "Why would we need to- Oh. …Oh!"

Her face is positively flaming.

"B-but we've only every really tried binding my wrists for that," she squeaks out a moment later,"W-what…what would you do with the rest of them?"

Uthvir's grin is wide and devious.

"Let me show you."

[daylighteclipsed]

Yes, it would be quite easy to write Kairi making good luck charms for herself and Riku so that everyone in the trio has one, not just Sora. It would be quite easy to have Kairi address both Sora and Riku in her letters. It would be quite easy for Riku to mention that Kairi inspires him like Sora does and he wants to protect them both. It would be quite easy to animate Kairi and Riku hugging after she awakes from her year-long coma in MoM. It would be quite easy to create the feeling that Riku and Kairi are as precious to each other as Sora is to them — as we see through the other trios and groups who are all best friends.

These other friend groups also have symbols, like wayfinders and sea salt ice creams, that bind them together and indicate they want to be together when they are apart. Before the battle in KH3, Aqua and Ventus are shown sitting together missing Terra, and Axel is shown sitting by himself missing Roxas and Xion. Sora, Riku, and Kairi are the only group that could be sitting together, but they are not. The closest symbol they have — the paopu fruit — has romantic connotations and has always served as a source of tension and division between them. The second closest thing they have — the raft, which represents their friendship in KH1 — is destroyed and ALSO a source of tension and division as Kairi doesn’t really want to leave on it, and Riku really wants to leave on it, and neither of them is wholly concerned about the other being there as long as Sora is.

It’s not a coincidence that, at the beginning of KH1, Sora has to choose between going with Riku or staying to look for Kairi. Not a coincidence that, at the end of the game, Sora has to choose between going with Kairi or staying to look for Riku. Not a coincidence that CoM pits Kairi and Riku against each other and forces us to ask which one is Most precious to Sora. The writing encourages you to view them as separate Except when they are occupying the same role in the story as the friend Sora’s trying to find/save and maybe has a thing for (KH2). Otherwise, we do not see them together. We do not see them as a team. We don’t even see the three of them as a team. Kairi doesn’t go with Riku and Sora when they leave to train after KH2. Riku doesn’t go with Sora to save Kairi at the end of KH3. Kairi doesn’t go with Riku to save Sora at the end of MoM. Riku only sacrifices himself to save Sora from the Demon Tide. Kairi only uses her PoH powers on Sora to keep his body together after the Demon Tide. Even while Sora is missing, Riku and Kairi aren’t together looking for him. They’re in different places, not communicating for an entire year.

That’s deliberate. By KH3, we are definitely not supposed to see Riku and Kairi as close friends. Nomura says the Destiny trio is meant to reflect friends changing and growing apart as they grow up. Kairi and Riku have drifted apart just like KH1 suggests they will. But they are also both in love with Sora. That’s why the paopu scene is Like That. It would be quite easy to exclude romance from this dynamic. Would be quite easy to show the three of them sitting together. But Kairi and Riku have drifted apart, and they are both in love with Sora, and the writing wants us to understand that. We are supposed to see Kairi’s gesture as romantic. We are supposed to understand that Sora is uncertain and confused about his feelings because he used to want this — heck, he’s the one who first added the paopu to the cave drawing — but now he’s not so sure, and we are supposed to understand the reason he’s not so sure is Riku — the only person Sora has consistently, significantly grown closer to over the series, the only person who has expressed (pretty blatant atp) homoromantic interest in Sora, the only person the writing consistently pits Kairi against, and the only member of the trio who’s not seated on the goddamn tree.

I get it. I wish Kairi and Riku could at least have some more meaningful interactions. But if you want Riku and Kairi to still be written as close friends, you are missing the point and the ways this trio is pointedly different than the others and always has been.

How do I explain that always feeling like Riku and Kairi’s friendship is outweighed by the separate, special feelings they have for Sora is on purpose because they are both in love with him and also word of god says they are supposed to reflect childhood friends who grow apart.

[hunzabazar]

Aquamarine Stone for Happiness and Wealth

Soft, sublime, and blue, aquamarines have a distinct look and color that makes them stand apart amongst all other gemstones. The lovely color of this stone reflects clear blue skies and the serene seas. The most admired quality of aquamarines is that they flatter most skin tones and eye color, the main reason behind their popularity with the ladies. (Read: Uses of Opal Stone)

Aquamarines get their name from the Latin words 'aqua' meaning sea and 'mare' meaning water. These charming stones have forever been associated with water. Greek soldiers in ancient times wore aquamarine amulets to protect themselves from the rage of sea gods. Some legends also say that aquamarines were first discovered in the treasure trunk of mermaids.

The alluring aquamarines possess many qualities. Where on the one hand they cure insomnia, on the other hand, they are considered effective for eye problems mainly short-sightedness. It is said that Germans used aquamarine crystals as eyeglasses to prevent shortsightedness. Aquamarines are positive stones that bring in a feeling of cheerfulness. Besides, the soothing color of aquamarines is believed to bring about feelings of belief, harmony, and camaraderie. Anybody sporting an aquamarine is said to benefit with happiness and wealth.

(Read: Benefits of Peridot Stone)

The most fascinating feature of aquamarine lies in its color. A lovely shade of clear sky blue that the stone reflects is ultimately beautiful. The value and worth of aquamarines are also determined by the color of these stones. The color in an aquamarine range from light blue to sky blue and teal. While a deep shade of blue is preferred and coveted in aquamarines, personal preferences may lead one to bluish-green or greenish-blue varieties of the stone. A wise aquamarine buy would be to go for a stone that has a good cut in a lighter shade that will sparkle like a diamond minus the price tag.

Aquamarines have fewer inclusions as compared to other gemstones. These stones have good clarity with very few inclusions. While buying an aquamarine it is a good idea to opt for a stone with more carat weight which will enhance both the color as well as clarity of the stone. Aquamarines like most other gemstones are heat treated. Heat treatment being permanent in nature preserves the beauty of these stones. (Read: Uses of Ruby Stone)

Aquamarines were first discovered in Madagascar. The 'Santa Maria' varieties of this stone found mainly in Brazil have created a storm in the jewelry world for their sheer beauty. Other sources of aquamarines are Tanzania, Kenya, and Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Russia.

Whether aquamarine rings, aquamarine earrings, or aquamarine pendants, these stones stand out in every form of jewelry. Teamed with diamonds or alone, aquamarines make a mark due to their innate charm

Aquamarine Birthstone - The Fantastic Facts

Simply beautiful aquamarine gemstone has numerous interesting facts associated with it. (Read: Uses of Sapphire Stone)

Name: The name itself is an interesting fact about this exotic gemstone. Coining two Latin words, 'Aqua' and 'mare' the word aquamarine is formed. This phrase in Latin means 'Water of the sea'. Birthstone aquamarine simply resembles the deep ocean waters in color and transparency. Aquamarine birthstone is crystal clear and breathtakingly beautiful.

Color & Iron in It: The distinctive blue-green color of aquamarine gems are pleasing to the eyes and soothing to the soul. The trace amount of iron present in aquamarine crystalline structure is responsible for its teasing blue shades that range from pale blue of the sky to that of the sea. Aquamarine with a tint of green is not uncommon. In fact, naturally occurring pale yellow aquamarine gems are heat treated artificially to get those darker shades of blue and green.

Size: Aquamarine gemstones are available in a wide range of sizes. Generally, mineral collectors would prefer stones of relatively large size. For jewelry, the designers would prefer small gems that fit into jewels like pendants, rings, bangles, etc. Aquamarine gems come in sizes that are liked by both the collectors and the designers. (Read: Uses of Topaz Stone)

Hardness: Hardness is an important parameter of any gemstone. Aquamarine stones have a desirable hardness that ranges from 7 to 8 in the Mohs scale. This is a relatively good value compared to that of other popular gemstones. It means that the durability of aquamarine gems is very good and it can host a variety of cuts favored by modern jewel designers. Hardness of aquamarine, which is relatively fair, makes it suitable for designing ultra-modern jewels that are attractive and distinguishable. (Read: Uses of Tourmaline Stone)

Cousin of Emerald: Aquamarine stones belong to the same beryl family as that of the green emerald. Highly prized aquamarines are equally sparkling and sizzling like its cousin emerald. Aquamarine rough though primarily available in blue shades, sometimes comes as a bi-color stone with a tint of green of emerald.

Source: Aquamarine gemstone mines are the present world over. Popular countries that contain aquamarine mines are Brazil, Nigeria, Namibia, Pakistan, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, etc. The mining of aquamarine is a simple and harmless process that is clearly environmentally friendly.

Cut: Aquamarine stones are naturally available as hexagonally shaped crystals and they are naturally faceted ones. Their surface has flat facets of the crystal that reflect the light interestingly making the gemstones more beautiful. To make, particularly the darker stones, aquamarine gems can be cut into more attractive cabochons.

March Birthstone: Aquamarine is the birthstone of March. It is the lucky gem of Pisceans. It is supposed to bring love, affection, care, friendship, long-lasting relationships, health, wealth, prosperity, positivity, good luck, etc to its wearers. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, honesty, and togetherness.

Brilliancy: One adorable quality of aquamarine birthstone is that it does not lose its brilliancy in artificial lights. Even at nights, aquamarine gems seem to gain brilliancy!

Aquamarine gemstones are truly a precious possession that adds power and prosperity to one`s life. The exotic aquamarine gems are surely an irresistible temptation to those who adore beauty and admire value.

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[y1s2-20182019]

Slice >> Graphic Slice

Cho Sue Kong is a Chinese Hokkien Shrine located next to Chao Phraya river. It is the oldest Shrine in Talad Noi, which was built in the reign of King Rama II (around 230 years old). This drawing is extracted what you will see from the outside to going inside the shrine, The meaning behind that element and the prayer ritual.

So I got to interview the caretaker of the Shrine is name is George. He is 65 years old and has been working here for almost 30 years.

 About Construction, The Structure of The Shrine is made from wood with a concrete wall. -The roof is made from tile Most Decorations are sculpted concrete -The Dragons are made from ceramic cut into the shape -The primary color is RED means Happiness, Success and Good Fortune It is believed to be an auspicious color for warding off evil. Representing happiness, beauty, vitality, good luck, success, and good fortune. -Yellow Corresponding to earth- symbolizes royalty and is reserved for the emperor. In Chinese Buddhism, yellow is associated with freedom from material needs and monks wear yellow robes -About the ornament and decoration. On the roof is A dragon Chinese dragons are powerful and benevolent symbols in Chinese culture, with supposed control over the watery phenomenon, e.g., summoning rain during a drought. Chinese dragons are symbolic of being lucky, powerful, and noble; not as monsters as they are portrayed in Western stories. Most Chinese dragon’s pictures have long bodies like snakes and sharp claws like hawks less like dinosaurs than Western dragons. Chinese dragons live at the bottom of seas, rivers, lakes, or anywhere with water. Its made by tile(plate)heated over 1000 and adjust/cut with a plier

Next is the lantern They were used to provide a shaded light for reading and working.and as aspects of Buddhist worship For decoration and modern forms of celebration and worship. The protection from wind provided by the beautiful silk or paper shade kept the lanterns from going out with the breeze.

the outstanding model on the wall is Chinese opera its Six parts of 6 stories, e.g., be grateful to parent/foolishness Made of concrete, mulberry paper, and brown sugar its lightweight but strong Clean up with a cloth and can fix a bit. But right now there is no one can make it anymore(doesn't look the same in terms of expression), if needed will order for south part of China. -Chinese Drum Use when there is ceremony Such as Vegetarian Festival

- Pee siah its a Creation of luck Combination of Li and Bird. Believe that it has no anus mostly Place in the casino (gaining money). A cloth material Red-Luck Green - Wealth. In front of it is a Jar with Golden Flower Chinese name is Gim Huay. its a  charm of the working position

-Blessing words To go in and out with luck right means healthy left means well known(work position)

-TEE GONG The god of heaven and earth (Mother & Father) Will be relocating outside the Shrine for a vital ceremony Starting place to pray before going further inside the Shrine. The god of heaven and earth (Mother & Father) -Guan Yu The Moon Guard the left door -Cho sue gong statue A Chinese Hokkien monk He died 900 years ago Initially a wood statue Cover with concrete for a security reason The Statue painted in black because of o skin color. 5 meters tall with 3 meters wide He is famous for the blessing of Health working. -Pu Lao Iah The Sun Guard the right door -The 36 Gods All 36 God statues are made from wood The Shrine works like a court whatever people seeking for its will first analyze and argue by the two sides because of one judge by feeling (Bu) and other side judges by thought (Bun) juries which are the 36 Gods before sending to the Shrines’ president for a final judgment.

The 1st step is to get the joss stick and burn it altogether. The first thing to pray is tee gong after then plunge the joss stick down   move to the next table to pray for Cho sue gong and plunge another 5, and the move to the right side to pray for the 18 gods than to the left each with three joss sticks after that walk out from the side door of the Shrine and pray to pee siah before leaving the Shrine.

[jewelersarmentor-blog]

A Guide to Birthstones

Each month of the year has been assigned one or more gemstones. A person’s birthstone is the stone associated with the month in which the person was born. This idea can be traced back to ancient times, some say as far back as biblical times.

Since then, the National Association of Jewelers standardized birthstones. The American Gem Trade Association and Jewelers of America last updated the list in 2016. Birthstones are unique and each holds a symbolic meaning.

January – Garnet

Garnet is found in a rainbow of colors. However, it is most commonly known for its red color. Garnet symbolizes a deep and lasting friendship. Legends suggest that garnet brings goodness to those who wear it and do good deeds themselves.

February – Amethyst

Amethyst is a variety of quartz and often appears purple. However, it can range from light pink to deep purple. Historically, Amethyst has been a symbol of royalty, often adorned by royalty and the clergy. Legends say that wearing amethyst can keep the wearer’s mind clear and focused.

March – Aquamarine and Bloodstone

Aquamarine was named for the sea. It’s no wonder why as this gem is found in a range of blues, like the sea. This serene-colored stone has had many symbolic meanings throughout history. It was believed to bring protection to sailors, mend friendships, rekindle love, and cure physical, mental, and spiritual illnesses.

Juxtaposed to aquamarine’s serene, calming colors, is bloodstone. This dark green stone features specks of red. The legends surrounding bloodstones and their “abilities” are somewhat varied. It was believed to possess healing powers and was used as a lucky charm.

April – Diamond

While most popular in a clear form, diamonds can be found in a variety of colors. The purest colors are the most rare. Due to their unique properties, diamonds have the ability to “sparkle” more than any other gemstone. Diamonds were once believed to hold great healing powers. However, they popularly symbolize eternal love, making them a common choice in engagement rings.

May – Emerald

Emeralds come from the same mineral as aquamarine. Rather than shades of blue, emeralds are found in shades of green. This green gemstone symbolizes rebirth. It is believed to bring the wearer luck, youth, and foresight. Emeralds were originally made “famous” by being a favorite gemstone of Cleopatra, and more recently Elizabeth Taylor.

June – Pearl, Alexandrite, and Moonstone

Gemstones are naturally occurring. The pearl however is the only gemstone made by a living organism (mollusks). Pearls have a creamy luster to them, but can be dyed various colors. Once a rare gemstone, only worn by the wealthy, pearls are now cultured for greater production, making them more affordable for everyone.

Alexandrite is a unique gemstone that changes colors. In the daylight, it appears blue-green and in florescent light it appears purple-red. Historically Alexandrite symbolizes learning, creativity, and intuition.

The final birthstone of June, moonstone, also exhibits unique coloring. Different layers of color create a cloudy illusion. Prominent colors include blue and white. Additional colors range from yellow, pink, green, and gray. This stone is known for fertility, protecting travelers, and encouraging sleep and dreams.

July – Ruby

Rubies are easily recognized by their red hue. This gemstone has been admired since ancient times. It was particularly popular in Asian countries. It stands for protection, prosperity, and passion. The second most durable gemstone next to diamonds, rubies have been utilized in medicine and technology, most prominently in lasers.

August – Peridot, Sardonyx, and Spinel

Peridot is identified by its lime green tint. Referred to as the “evening emerald”, it maintains its hue in any light. It comes to the surface by volcanoes and is occasionally found in meteorites. Historically, peridot protects against nightmares and brings peace and happiness.

Sardonyx is made up of layers of sard and onyx, ranging from yellowish red to reddish brown. Unlike many other gemstones, sardonyx has been affordable for many people throughout history. It is said to promote communication, courage, and happiness.

Spinel is often mistaken for other gemstones, due to its variety of colors and cuts. Most commonly, it is mistaken for rubies and sapphires. One variety of spinel has magnetic properties and has been used in compasses.

September – Sapphire  

While sapphire is most commonly recognized as blue, sapphire can be found in every color except red, which are considered rubies. Sapphires symbolize integrity, loyalty, sincerity, and nobility. Sapphires have been popular in recent years, possibly due to the attention on Princess Diana’s sapphire wedding ring, which Prince William has now given to Kate Middleton.

October – Opal and Tourmaline

Opals have a mystical folklore. Legends claim that opals fell from the sky or that rainbows left opals where they touched the earth. Since they reflect different colors, people believed that opals possessed the qualities of all the gemstones. Opals are said to bring good luck to people who wear them, but only if opal is your birthstone.

Similar to opals, tourmaline also reflects a myriad of colors. Tourmaline has the ability to be electrically charged and act as a magnet. Black tourmaline was once used as an amulet to protect people from evil. Even today, tourmaline is used to rid a person of toxins, pollutants, and radiation.

November – Topaz and Citrine

Topaz is commonly thought of as yellow and other gems have been mistaken for topaz for that reason. Topaz is actually colorless, but often tinged with other colors. Topaz is viewed as a calming stone, which has the ability to relax people, alleviate nightmares, and cure mental illness.

Citrine is a variety of quartz that takes a yellow-orange hue. Like topaz, citrine has been considered a comforting stone with the ability to soothe and heal. It is also supposed to bring prosperity, wealth, and new beginnings.

December – Tanzanite, Zircon, and Turquoise

Found only in Tanzania, tanzanite is a more modern gemstone. These gemstones were found in 1967. With a similar appearance to sapphire, tanzanite has rapidly increased in popularity.

Zircon dates back 4.4 billion years, making it the oldest mineral. While zircon can be found in many colors, blue has been the most popular color. Zircon is believed to dispel evil and promote sleep, wealth, and prosperity.

Turquoise has been a popular gemstone in many cultures including the Persians, Turkish, and Native Americans. It has been used to adorn both jewelry and weapons, believed to provide protection and power.

Armentor Jewelers has been serving Acadiana for 78 years. Our mission is to provide quality, value, and 100% customer satisfaction. Stop by today at either our Lafayette, LA or New Iberia, LA location and let us help you find a piece of jewelry featuring your birthstone. For more information, contact us today.  

*Photos and information credited to the American Gem Association.