#jinba falls

[sousleserablesenfeu]

Contribution de V. pour le 29/10/24, cascade de Jinba au pied du mont Fuji.

[sparrowsong-7]

FFXIV Write Day 28: Deleterious

Would it be so bad to remember? So bad to see their faces again?

If only I knew…

—

“There you are!” Mel shouted down the hall of the Studium as Mikoto was locking the lecture hall door, “Corin, this is Mikoto, she’s going to be helping us today.”

“Why hello, my name is Archon Mikoto Jinba, yes” Mikoto replied, her expression very confused, “And what exactly will be helping you with today Mel?”

“Oh, right” Me fished around in her bag until she finally pulled out a sizable crystal not unlike the one she and Mikoto used to trek through Cid’s memories, “I wanted the help of someone who’s done this before, so you seemed like the best bet.”

—

I’m falling, falling, falling.

All around me I can see scattered memories, each a pinprick in the aether of… my soul? I guess this would be my soul? 

I tumble faster, below me an ever approaching canopy of trees.

—

“Are you comfortable?” Mikoto asked, settling into her chair. It had been pulled from behind her desk and next to the small couch that she had pushed against the tiny wall of her office some time ago before forgetting it was there. “I want to make sure you're relaxed for this.”

Corin nodded, shifting slightly as a lump dug into her shoulder. “Yeah, I think so” she muttered in return, more than a little embarrassed that she and Mel were doing this for her. She gave a weak smile.

“I’m ready to start”

—

I see my mother run down and butchered by the shadowy monsters. She screams in her final moments as she watches her husband fall trying to save her. My mother and father…

Both dead in an instant.

They turn to me, I’m next. I slam my eyes shut and wait for the end that never comes…

It’s standing there, its ball jointed hand outstretched in offering. Behind it is a woman.

And I remember…

—

“I would prefer if you two would spend the night here tonight” Mikoto whispered over a cup of tea, her voice thick with worry, “I want to keep her monitored in case there are any deleterious effects on her mind…”

Mel sighed and pushed her tea aside. “Yeah, I’ll talk to Ojika.” She kicked herself, cursing her own name for this stupid experiment. “I feel so stupid for this” she whispered, heavy with guilt.

One room over, Corin sobbed into her pillow as the memories assaulted her mind. Over and over she witnessed her parents dying, her life in Amdapor, the night she was abandoned…

“I’m sorry…”

[yzeltia]

Closer to You

Chapter 3 Characters: Natsu Obinata, Violet Fisher, @driftward 's Nyx Blackmoon, U'odh Nuhn, U'rahn Nuhn, L'lolamo Lolomori, U'rahn Tia Rating: T for Nuhn Notes: cw Asphyxiation, cw mammet abuse

Natsu’s soul sunk into her belly as she soared through the air on Violet's dirt bike. Even with a helmet and assurances of having an aetheric barrier of protection it did little to assuage the uneasiness that came with 200 lbs of Garlean metal between their legs bounding over sand dunes.

“If you squeeze me any tighter I'm going to pass out,” Violet warned through her linkpearl, not flinching as she landed and sharply turned to putter down a dip between the high mounds of sand.

“S-sorry,” Natsu said, loosening her grip.

“It's fine. You should worry about yourself too. I don't want you passing out because you grazed me wrong.”

“I'm sorry?”

“You get hit with the Echo by touch and given the way you forget with your gloves, you've got little control over it.”

“Yeah…I'm told that is not conventional. Most apparently have visions of an event, I seem to live it. Where I grew up…it…well…”

“I get it. I can dip into the lifestream…people aren't exactly kind to those who know things they shouldn't. You won't find yourself short of those who can empathize if you continue to stick around the Free Company.”

Natsu tensed up, turning to rest the cheek of her helmet on Violet's back. “I feel I've rather worn out my welcome. Leon…”

“Don't start with that shit. You didn't do anything wrong. You hear me?”

“But-”

“Look. I can count the people that are close to me on two hands. Leon was one of them. Whatever is going on didn't happen because he decided to play big brother in Y'zel's absence. He was a good guy and would not blame you for his circumstances. You said you felt what he was feeling. Did he even spare you a thought, anger or otherwise?”

Natsu went silent. She didn't like to dwell on her experiences with the Echo, but Violet had a point. She was the least of Leon's concerns. It helped, in a roundabout way.

“Thanks,” Natsu said weakly.

Violet turned her head a little bit to look back at the Au Ra, “I wouldn't thank me yet. I had an ulterior motive for dragging you along.” 

Natsu sat back a bit, looking at Violet before jumping in her seat as news articles flashed into her visor. She yelped as Violet hit the breaks to keep her from falling backward.

“I threw together some Allagan tech and my own to display audio visuals as a means of communication or tuning out to boring conversations.”

Natsu nodded, looking through the articles, the pages seeming to pick up on her attention. Most described catch and release kidnappings by Garlean soldiers. “I don't understand…these people are reporting that they were lightly interrogated and then released unharmed. What does this have to do with me?”

“Possibly nothing, but there's two things that have given me pause. One is that, while not reported, every victim had the Echo.”

Natsu tilted her head, reading through an article again, “How could you know?”

“I didn't at first. Which brings me to the second part. Three victims have not been returned. First a researcher who studies those with the Echo, Patient Heaven, then Archon Mikoto Jinba and the other a nobody in terms of status, Hayzel Summers.Here's the thing though, the latter is the brother-in-law of one of the Free Company's grunt workers. He had asked for help and divulged that they have the Echo as well. So I hit the pavement to get more information.

“The Archon has the ability to get glimpses of the future rather than look into the past while the other can manifest dreams and nightmares. The others involved had your run of the mill brief headaches with little bites of the past.”

Natsu thought for a moment, “What made you piece all of this together?”

“Boredom, mostly. I've grown accustomed to chaos.”

“And my place in all this?”

Violet didn't answer immediately, rolling through the dunes carefully. “I think you're a potential target, along with myself.”

“Because of our Echo…”

“Exactly,” Violent said crisply before stopping as they neared the walls of the Forgotten Springs, “What's more is that this all coincides with Y'zel's disappearance. Shortly after the abduction of Mikoto and the trickling in of reports he went missing and the database at headquarters was softlocked forcing Gage to beef up security measures. I believe he figured out what was going on and tried to sabotage whoever is looking for Echo users.”

“I don't understand. Why wouldn't he say something?”

Violet pulled off her helmet then shook out her hair. “Most likely to keep himself hidden given his own Echo. Not to mention he is notoriously bad at communication.”

Natsu pulled her helmet free then rubbed on her horns, finding them a bit itchy after being compressed inside the helmet. Violet crossed her arms, leaning on her cycle as she bit her thumb and got lost in thought for a moment before looking to the gate. “All of it feels connected…but the why eludes me. No reason to worry about it now anyway. Let's go see what had our favorite automaton fly this way.”

“Automaton?”

“Nyx.”

“Are they not a Miqo'te?” Natsu asked.

“I am not a Miqo'te,” a monotone voice came from behind.

Natsu jumped then turned around to find Nyx staring at her. Nervously she took a step back, feeling as if she were being assessed by their vacant stare. 

“Rahn has been harmed by an unknown assailant claiming to be me. The Drake clan has conflicting stories about traffic to and from his home. U-Rahn Tia has been damaged and cannot give an unbiased report. There is an urgent need to perform corrective violence. Possibly to the point of extermination of the threat.”

Violet was taken aback at the news, “Someone hurt him? Physically?”

“Yes. Rahn is not invulnerable. He can be poisoned, drowned, starved-”

“Maybe we don't list all the ways you've calculated to kill your boyfriend and just tell us what happened.”

“Understood. Asphyxiation.”

Natsu let out a little gasp in shock, though Nyx looked on unphased. The Hyur simply nodded then turned to lead them back into the village where Drake huntresses gathered around a singular house, well armed and looking worried. As Natsu looked back to see if Nyx was following, she found them just as suddenly absent.

Natsu soon found herself in U'rahn's small house. The Nuhn was laid out on a bed with a damaged Miqo'te mammet under his arm. He was propped up against a Miqo'te woman who had his similar sandy hair as he slept soundly while in her arms. U’rahn’s breathing was shallow and pained. A large plum colored bruise covered his neck.

“Shit,” Violet breathed out before looking up to the older Miqo'te. “Nyx said you don't know who did this? Are you certain this wasn't a Tia scuffle and the ladies are just covering it up? I don't see the guys around.”

The man rubbed his beard and shook his head, “Khuba and Thyka are scouting the area for trrraces of the assailant. I'm not optimistic. No one can agrrree on a damn thing.”

“I'm sure we'll figure out who hurt your son, U'odh,” Violet said, giving the Au Ra a glance.

Natsu quickly averted her gaze and began to fidget with her gloves. She began to look around quietly taking in the room to avoid the Hyur’s knowing gaze as they talked with U'rahn's father. 

The room was fairly organized with just two beds, a kitchenette, and small dining area. Faded posters of bomball players and teams were slapped across the wall along with a bunch of newer pictures of friends and family. Many featured him squished together in a frame with Nyx. Books were stacked up next to his bed, most on prenatal and child care, the Nuhn seeming to be expecting his first. And then of course a pile of clothes and adventuring gear. “Um…where did it happen,” Natsu asked.

U’odh turned, “In here. We found him on the ground with Lolamo nearby.”

“Did you clean up then?”

Violet quickly spun her head, “Shit. You're right, Natsu! U'rahn isn't exactly the most perceptive of his surroundings. If there was a fight there'd have been signs.”

U’odh shook his head and looked to his son and wife, “Only the mammet and U'rahn seemed harmed. There was also an iron skillet on the floorrr. Aside from that, nothing was amiss.”

The Hyur moved to the bed, reaching for the mammet before having her hand intercepted by Nyx. “You will not touch U-Rahn Tia. I will start on repairs after I have finished assessing the threat.”

Violet held her hands up defensively as Nyx backed away with U’rahn Tia, placing the mammett on the counter in the kitchenette. Natsu squirmed where she stood, feeling more and more on the spot, knowing well she could simply get their answers with a touch. Carefully she pulled her glove from her hand and walked toward the bed.

“Obinata,” Nyx’s voice sounded by her horn, “Your experience will be unpleasant if you proceed with your course of action.”

Natsu jumped, startled by Nyx’s swift interception, “H-How did you-” “Observation.”

“R-Right,” the Au Ra said before looking down at her hands, “But…I think I’m the only one that will take the guesswork out of what happened.”

“Understood. You may touch Rahn. I shall standby to pull you away should you express discomfort,” Nyx said, moving to stand stiffly at the side of the bed. 

“Thank you,” Natsu said before sitting beside the sleeping pair before carefully putting her hand on U’rahn’s bicep.

Her thoughts were scattered. One minute she was worrying about her huntress having enough broccoli to wondering what Jannie was getting up to with her wedding plans before starting to feel anxious about asking Nyx to marry her. No thought stayed too long though. 

Shje sighed, looking to her mom in the next bed wondering if she was ever going to recover and wake from her sleep. 

“Father. Not Not Mother is here,” U'rahn Tia chirped from beside his bed.

“No no buddy. Heck you're getting worse. Just say Mother. Not, Not Mother…er, Not Not Not Mother,” he said, scratching his  chin, fumbling on the words before perking up as Nyx let themself in, “Hey Hey! I've been good and staying put like you asked. Did they tell you U’goromuli is officially with child! I'm gonna be a dad!”

“Yes, Rahn,” Nyx said, attention turning to U'rahn Tia as he wandered toward them.

“Not Not Mother,” U'rahn Tia said, pointing up toward Nyx.

Nyx’s eyes narrowed. Natsu felt her heart race as a sense of dread came over them. Nyx didn't squint…or really make any expression. Standing, he quickly put himself between U'rahn Tia and the imposter. “Hey Hey! You know how you were telling me about where you came from the other day but I forgot whether you were from a Seeker tribe or Keeper tribe…or just a Miqo'te from neither.”

Nyx seemed to search his face, “I am just a Miqo'te.”

Her ears perked. This wasn't Nyx. They would never say they were a Miqo'te. Suddenly all their conversations from the past month ran through her mind, thinking on them expressing a dislike for food she'd made as too salty and her ambivalence toward U'rahn Tia aside from the occasional glance. There were times where he'd asked about something they'd said before but could not recall. 

“I'm such an idiot,” she said in disbelief before finding Nyx’s hand tight around his throat and lifting him much higher than they should be able to.

“I was intending on keeping you here until I finished, but if you're intent on getting in the way, Warrior of Light, I will have to put you down,” Nyx’s voice sounded, though filled with a strange frustration she thought impossible.

She squirmed and tried to kick but the shock of not having air made her quickly weaken in struggle. Her aetheric shield seemed to falter as she panicked , feeling her trachea be collapsed by the hand. Out of the corner of her eye she saw U'rahn Tia come forward and start punching at the imposter’s shin.

“It is herrro time,” the mammet said in his monotone before being kicked and sent into the wall.

Fear flooded Natsu, having never been faced with her own mortality. As she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness a soft familiar voice sounded, “Get…your hand…off my…baby!”

“Obinata!”

Natsu yelped as she was pulled back into Nyx’s strong arms. Shaking she quickly pushed past everyone to get outside, Violet and Nyx following. As she knelt down to get sick, she felt both pull her bangs back. Once finished, she wiped her face and sniffled as U’odh bought a cool wet cloth for her to clean up with.

“S-Someone who looked like Nyx came. He knew it wasn't them just from a look they gave the mammet and when they were wise to one another they attacked him…I think…I think his mom woke up to save him? He was really confused and relieved right before I felt him start to fade.”

“Talk about mother’s instinct,” Violet said before looking to Nyx, “Any chance you have sisters running around?”

“Extremely unlikely. And they would not match my appearance.”

“Then our mysterious changeling strikes again,” Violet mused.

Natsu shook out her head then stood up. “I should see what I can get with his mom. Maybe they'll see something.”

“Obinata, your heightened emotional state due to experiencing the perception of end of life has caused injury to your physical state. Food and rest is recommended before you make contact with another,” Nyx cautioned in their monotone.

Natsu blinked then held her stomach a moment before giving a little nod. “If you insist.”

“I do not insist. Your wellbeing will do more to help Rahn and find my target.”

“Well, I insist,” Violet interjected, handing Natsu her glove, “Have anything to eat old man?”

U’odh crossed his arms, furrowing his brow a bit. “I will do my best to fix something up. Have U’goromuli find you a room to rest in. She should be in our common building.”

With that the Nuhn turned, leaving the three to themselves, though Nyx seemed to vanish in the time it took for the other two to think to look back for them. Natsu sighed, lightly bumping into Violet as they entered the Forgotten Springs’ commons, letting the Hyur wrap her arm around her in comfort.

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

There is so much potential for political and media drama in that set up 😍😍😍

Westerners exploiting Buddhism or actual Buddhists robbing Westerners?

Crime rings preying on women? Especially tourists? Now that's bad for business unless you are selling newspapers and if you are selling newspapers why stop there and then it's just two think-pieces of being a crime syndicate. Why else would one ruin a passport and take the ID card if not to stop the women from leaving the country and before long there'll be rumours about a sex-trafficking ring right out of your aunts sewing circle nightmares.

I hope we get a part 2 where the girl calls up the embassy and the media, sells it right and causes a whole ass international incident and poor little Shaun won't know what hit him

(yes that passport thing pissed me off)

Haha, it’s definitely not the high level criminal activity you are envisioning.

Shawn/Genyen is a petty criminal, he’s just there for the cash. The passport pages are simply souvenirs to him.

In Doctors he steals Jinba’s bank card because he’s done it before and knows Jinba won’t contact the police. I thought it would be too much of a plot hole to have him do the same in the fic, as the girls he robs he doesn’t know well enough to guess their PIN numbers, plus it would be too easy to block a card and trace contactless transactions. I had him go for cash and panties instead.

The passport pages are an idea I got from an independent Dutch movie I watched years ago on VHS. It’s called Siberia and follows the story of two guys that hang around Amsterdam train station, preying upon female tourists. They get them drunk, fuck them, then steal all their money and rip out their passport ID page as a souvenir. Their plan is to save the cash they steal to use for a trip to Siberia, but it all goes awry when one of the guys falls for one of the women they’ve targeted.

Anyway, I had planned a part two based on another Genyen request I’d received, but unsure of if I will do that now, as the response to this fic so far has kinda sucked.

[valena-nedela]

Valena is openly poly (and lesbian for that matter), but it took her some time to get there. She spent most of A Realm Reborn, and parts of Heavensward, with her interest drifting between multiple attractions and feeling guilty over her "fickleness". The worst was when she found herself falling for Ysayle while still hoping to reunite with Minfilia, then focusing on finding Minfilia while not letting herself properly grieve Ysayle, then feeling like she failed them both on multiple levels.

She wasn't in the head space for relationships during Stormblood, but she grew closer to Lyse and Naago than she was ready to admit, and spending time around the M tribe with Naago definitely planted seeds — the way the Seekers arranged their relationships started her towards accepting that a love divided isn't necessarily a love lessened, that it was okay for her to love more than one person, and she could make that her normal.

She wouldn't be ready to actually take that step until after the First, where she was able to properly let go of Minfilia and forgive herself, but once she got back... well, Ranaa Mihgo actually got her first, and remains on the periphery of her polycule (as does Mikoto Jinba), but her primary partners have been Lyse and Naago ever since.

Lyse and Naago are aware of and accepting of her relationships with Mikoto and Ranaa (and Naago, at least, kinda wants a share of the other two girls sometime); and Mikoto and Ranaa are both okay with not being Val's only partners (Mikoto is comfortable with being a less-active member of a poly relationship, while Ranaa seems to see herself and Val as more of an open FWB situation), though neither is as familiar with who her other partners are as Naago and Lyse. She's also had a handful of encounters with Fordola Lupis, which she has not disclosed to her other partners, and is kind of hoping that just never comes up.

During her time in Tural, she's been a relentless flirt with Yaana, but she's promised herself this time she'll discuss things with her girls before going any further.

Is your WoL polyamorous or strictly monogamous? Or are they simply uninterested in the whole thing?

[sakurasnowfall]

One Piece Characters As Broadway Songs/Musicals

This is my first time ever posting any sort of headcanon or piece of fic. All chracters belong to Echiro Oda Sensei, and all muscials to their respective creators. I'm sure I missed some great oppertunities, or didn't think of something...but....this is what I have right now.

Luffy - Honestly? Okay, I feel as if "Fight the Dragons" also captures him pretty well. "Giants In The Sky" from "Into The Woods."

Zoro - "My Shot" from "Hamilton?" No, before anyone comments, I'm not putting "Anybody Have a Map" from "Dear Evan Hansen."

Nami - "I'd Rather Be Me" from "Meangirls." "Money Money Money" by ABBA/from "Mama Mia!." "Six" the Musical for some reason also. For some reason, the way I'm thinking of her right now, is the moment she joins Luffy's crew after the Strawhats deeat Arlong.

Sanji - "Shiksa Godess" from "The Last Five Years." This one ESPECAILLY screams Taz Skylar's Sanji to me. Or "Come Home WIth Me" from "Hadestown." Not in a mocking way, but a sweet way, beucase that song is so sweet beucase Orpheus is so lovestruck and oblivious. "Helpless" from "Hamilton." "Hurricane" from "Hamilton." Also, I have a headcanon that once Sanji meets and falls in love with THE ONE, his flirting with other women would stop. He'd still be a gentelmen, but once he meets the true love of his life, he's devoted and locked.

Usopp - "Big Fish." Oh man. Usopp is a storyteller that loves to stretch the truth. Just like Edward Bloom. "Be the Hero" and "Fight the Dragon" capture him perfectly. I also really think that he'd like listening to "Six" and "Mean Girls" with Nami.

Chopper - "Girl Scout" from "Beetlejuice." The tone of this song. The fact that he's scared easily, and his carefree, innocent, naive nature, all sort of remind me of this song. I love Chopper.

Robin - "Monster" from "Frozen." "All I've Ever Known" from "Hadestown." "My Days" from "The Notebook."

Brook - MAYBE "Memory" from "Cats." So, I feel like this can work for Brook and Robin. But in the musical, Grizzabella used to be a Jelicle cat, and no longer is. She longs for that again. She's hurt and lonely, and rejected. Brook used to be a part of a crew. His crew died....he is alone. He is lonely. After 80 years, he gets the chance to not be alone anymore.

Franky - "Guns and Ships" from "Hamilton?"

*I didn't want to do Jinbae yet beucase I've met him, but I haven't spent a ton of time with him yet. I'm in Fishan Island Arc. I don't feel confident with how well I know his character yet.*

[lionfloss]

陣馬の滝 by Takeshi Kimura

[autumnslance]

would you be willing to make a masterpost of all your sharlayan research and headcanons? please please please and THANK YOU if you do

I can certainly try! A lot of my info is from what little we have so far, and my own fics are where a lot of my headcanons go to live, with little snippets about various characters here and there in my scattered lore posts, as well as stuff I’ve collected from other players.

Other Resources In Louisoix’s Wake - The twins’ official Calamity short story on the Lodestone. One Name, One Promise - Thancred’s backstory, from Limsa to Sharlayan training to his early assignment in Ul’dah and then early Shadowbringers. Mirke’s Menagerie - A compilation of lore info from in game, lorebooks, panels, interviews, short stories, etc. There are about 4 or 5 Sharlayan-specific posts @mirkemenagerie has made.

Encyclopaedia Eorzea - If you can get your hands on copies (physical officially; digitally is Unofficial so far as I know), I recommend it! They’re both good reads, though EE 1 is the one with a blurb on Sharlayan as a nation.

Posts by Other People - that I have collected Leveva Comment About Archon Loaf - Keeping in mind Sharlayan’s bad cuisine has been canonical for years per lorebook 1. They care more about ease of eating while studying, also seeing culinary arts as an academic field, not a practical daily exercise. Lorebook 1 Astrologian Lore - screencaps from the lorebook. Phaedra’s Teen Scion Sharlayan Antics fic - I am happy to take responsibility for inspiring @phaedra-mero to write this delightful scene.

My Own Posts Red Mage Research - Includes books from Gubal Library. Scion Ages - Pointing out the ages of the Scions, particularly the Archons.

My Fics - Sometimes there’s more HC musings in the Notes and Comments. I try to stay close to canon, at least as it is when the fic was written. Rogue’s Prelude - Multichapter, teen Thancred meets Louisoix, Yda, and Papalymo. Written a year prior to Thancred’s official ShB story above. Aetherology & Skulking Boots-Beginnings - Y’shtola agrees to tutor Thancred in how to speak properly as teenagers in the colony. Chin Up - Yda gives Thancred advice as youths in the colony. Dreams of Home-Lucubration - Yda, Lyse, and Thancred in the colony. Younger Sister - Thancred’s relationships with the Hext sisters over time. In Violet’s Wake-Louisoix’s Children - A Master Matoya PoV from StB patches. There’s a brief chapter with her and Y’mhitra in Dreams of Home, too. Excerpts from other posts - things that ended up as commentary on other threads, with some editing since.

From a thread that started off as about Thancred’s Gear from ARR to HW:

Sharlayan is a nation on an island NW of Eorzea proper; the Sharlayan everyone we know hails from was a colony that became a city-state a few hundred years back and part of the Eorzean Alliance, in the Dravanian Hinterlands, where Idyllshire is now. After the fall of Ala Mhigo and then the Battle of Silvertear Skies, the Forum (their ruling body) decided to abandon the city and return to the motherland, a process that took 5 years before they all just teleported out in a day. Except Matoya, and those archons that worked for Louisoix and that he asked to stay and go to the remaining 3 Alliance cities. This would have been 15 years before ARR/Heavensward.

The Students of Baldesion are also Sharlayan; the Isle of Val, their headquarters, being under that nation’s banner. Sons of St Coinach are another offshoot; Rammbroes (Crystal Tower raid story) was originally part of Louisoix’s Circle of Knowing (who eventually became the Scions), and Y’shtola’s sister Y’mhitra is one of the Sons and part of the Summoner storyline.

Thancred got involved as a youth–by trying to pick Louisoix’s pocket, and impressing the old man with his skills, and so Louisoix brought Thancred back with him to give the kid an opportunity for study. Yda and Lyse escaped Ala Mhigo, and with help from Papalymo, who was part of an effort to help refugees seeking shelter in Sharlayan, they ended up there, and Yda is the one who actually became an archon.

Most of the other senior Scions, so far as I know, are native to Sharlayan, either the motherland or the colony. The Leveilleur twins were born in the Hinterlands Sharlayan, but raised in the motherland, as they were less than a year old when the exodus happened. The university they and Krile attended is the Studium. Becoming an Archon seems to be a separate process not everyone goes through, and is a demonstration of mastery in chosen field(s) of study. That’s the significance of the tattoos some of the Scions have on their necks or faces.

Sharlayan is basically a nation particularly focused on academia; the trouble is, for the last couple decades, it’s been controlled by a faction of isolationists who would rather hoard knowledge and sit in the proverbial ivory tower looking down on non-Sharlayans, claiming others would abuse their knowledge, and that they should simply observe history and not try to affect it. Louisoix, Matoya, and the organizations they associate with (the Circle of Knowing/Scions; Sons of St Coinach, the Students of Baldesion, etc), think that viewpoint is stupid and go against it. A big part of the Astrologian storyline is dealing with Sharlayans who dislike Leveva’s family sharing Sharlayan astrology with outsiders, for example.

What sort of relationship Sharlayan and Ishgard had before the exodus isn’t really detailed much; both were pretty insular and focused on their own issues (like many of Eorzea’s city-states outside of crises), and the Dravanian threat at the time might have kept them pretty separated by land. Sharlayan was responsible for Eorzea’s aetherytes and keeping the aethernets working, though, and it’s suggested they still handle that post-Calamity to some degree. We pay fees for teleports because reconstruction and upkeep is pricey for all of the city-states.

Next post:

The Isle of Val was the headquarters of the Students of Baldesion, Krile’s family and order, and was a Sharlayan institution. It’s destruction/missing status happened during the ARR patches, and Krile was saved by Hydaelyn as she has the Echo (as an aside: you can hear Minfilia talking to Krile via linkpearl in the background on the Enterprise after rescuing the Scions from Castrum Centri before Ultima, and she constantly refers to and worries about Krile after the Isle of Val goes missing, but then plot happened to Minfilia so we never see them together as friends). The Ascians seemed to have a hand in the Isle’s disappearance…but there’s story about the fate of the Isle of Val and the Students of Baldesion in Stormblood’s Eureka plotline.

As for the Archon Marks, if they do confer social benefits, aside from being an easily seen status symbol for some highly skilled & educated folks, it hasn’t been mentioned yet in concrete terms, though we know the rank has benefits (like access to forbidden lore). Mostly they are a way to tell at a glance who has obtained the rank. It’s like if people with doctorates had a tattoo of their degree symbol on them so you knew just by looking.

As of Shadowbringers 5.4, we know that to become an Archon a thesis is required, and it’s a great deal more work than a Studium graduate’s final thesis. It strikes me that Studium (which some of the Scion Archons also attended) is like undergrad or Masters studies, while Archon is a Doctorate level.

I personally headcanon that the arcane marks confer some minor, slowed visible aging and other vague magical benefits befitting their rank in Sharlayan society. Really, that’s a way for the devs to avoid new models and add to the confusion in 1.0′s intros and the running joke about Y’shtola’s age, BUT let’s come up with an in-world thing, too. There has to be some explanation for Thancred’s perpetual baby face when he’s not RPing a Mountain Hobo ;) Also we really don’t know for sure how old Matoya is. Just old.

Lorebook 2 Notes:

Mikoto Jinba (Return to Ivalice, Save the Queen storylines) worked on aetheric siphon research with Moenbryda, and at 29 is the youngest Raen with the rank of Archon in recent history. It was Jessie’s connections that brought her to Cid’s attention and got her involved in the Return to Ivalice story.

Ejika Tsunjika (Eureka storyline) went to school at the same time as Krile and Leveilleur twins, endorsed by Galuf Baldesion, who Ejika later chose to work under. He’s resentful of Krile and the twins as Ejika himself is of humble origins and had to struggle to get to where he is, yet hides his Archon brands with high collars as he refuses to believe himself unique or exceptional.

[valena-nedela]

Valena is prone to falling for people too quickly and easily, and then dwelling on the imagined ideal of the relationship rather than actually following through on trying to make it happen.

Yes, she is very much the stereotypical Useless Lesbian.

But she's drawn to power, intelligence, and passion, and big boobs but I think that mostly stems from a inferiority complex because Au Ra, and is almost exclusively attracted to women.

Post-ARR, Heavensward, and (slight) Shadowbringers spoilers past the break.

Her first crushes were probably back home in Werlyt, before she fled the Garlean invasion, but I've never written much about her early life. She was, however, almost instantly drawn to Minfilia, and Valena's attraction to her was a major factor in deciding to join the Scions. She never actually broached the subject to Minfilia, just spent as much time and she could around her and did anything she wanted for her and supported her in everything because, again, useless lesbian.

And then she met this very clever and bubbly Miqo'te man who had mysterious ties to an ancient bloodline that could potentially access unfathomable power and knowledge and she was intrigued to the point she seriously questioned her orientation...

But then the Crystal Tower went how it did, and so she had to put those thoughts to rest. Suffice to say, no other man has since caught her interest that way since.

And then the dinner party went how it did.

But on her journeys across Coerthas, Ysayle quickly became the biggest crush she'd ever had, and Valena would have almost certainly broached the subject for once once this whole dragon business was dealt with.

And then Azys La went how it did.

And then she visited the Antitower, and learned about Minfilia.

About this time Valena decided she was apparently cursed and shut herself off for a while. She didn't pursue any romance during her entire journey though Ala Mhigo and the East, despite being among others like herself for the first time in ages, or despite getting on very well with Mikoto Jinba.

She did, briefly, consider going along with Magnai's search for his Nhamma, because if she was cursed, maybe it would get him killed and save everyone else the headache.

And then she got yanked to the First. A new world, new people, new adventure! And nothing to tie her to the Source, and especially no reason for some sort of love-curse to follow her across the aetherial sea. Perhaps she could relax! And this friend of Alisaie's, Tesleen, she's kind of cute. She's coming off a bit flirty, even. Just maybe...

...and that went how it did.

She's doing better now though. The post-ShB Dancer quest has me convinced that she spent at least one night with Ranaa Mihgo. And after the EW healer quests I wouldn't rule out a night that neither she nor Fordola will talk about entirely comfortably. Koh Rabntah is more intriguing than ever, though her condition makes consent dubious, and Valena keeps meaning get back in touch with Mikoto...

8/4/23

When did your wol(oc) first fall in love? How did they feel about it?

[sweet-light]

TOP 5 CARROS DEPORTIVOS DE ESTE 2020

Bienvenidos a otro blog esta vez se tratara de top 5 carros deportivos para este 2020, De seguro te dejaran con la boca abierta, asi que busca un lugar cómodo para disfrutar mejor de este blog:

1 TOYOTA SUPRA

Pasamos años esperando que Toyota resucitara la placa de identificación Supra, y la espera valió la pena. Presentado en el Auto Show de Detroit 2019, la quinta generación de este coupé sagrado se destaca con un chasis bien equilibrado y un aspecto llamativo. Eso sí, el emblema de Toyota es un poco engañoso: comparte muchas partes con el BMW Z4.

Esto significa que la potencia del Supra proviene del 3.0 litros de seis cilindros en línea de BMW, un motor turboalimentado que bombea 335 caballos de fuerza y ​​365 libras-pie de torque. La potencia se envía a las ruedas traseras a través de una transmisión automática de ocho velocidades, también creación de BMW. Toyota aún no ha dicho nada sobre la posibilidad (o no) de contar con una caja de cambios manual en el futuro. Esperamos que sí.

2 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT350R

En muchos sentidos, los fanáticos de la automoción deben agradecer la rivalidad interminable entre Mustang y Camaro, rivalidad responsable de buena parte de los autos “musculares” de alto rendimiento que vemos hoy en día. Lo que una vez fue una guerra de caballos de fuerza, hoy se ha convertido en una batalla de tiempos de vuelta más rápidos. Es un mundo extraño en el que vivimos, en donde un Camaro (Z/28) puede igualar a un Porsche 911 GT3. Y los emparejamientos raros se han vuelto aún más extraños, especialmente desde que el Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R ha superado y elevado el umbral de rendimiento del Camaro Z/28. Más allá de su motor, el GT350R se diferencia del Mustang regular por una transmisión manual Tremec de 6 velocidades, diferencial de deslizamiento limitado Torsen, amortiguadores magnéticos Ford MagneRide, rotores de freno delantero de 15.5 pulgadas con pinzas Brembo de 6 pistones, discos traseros de 14.9 pulgadas con pinzas de 4 pistones y una altura de conducción reducida. La aerodinámica ayuda, además de que la fibra de carbono le ahorra algo de peso. Todo esto se suma para conseguir uno de los carros de pista más capaces

3 ASTON MARTIN DB11

El DB11 es el primer diseño “de hoja limpia” de Aston en más de una década, y eso se nota. Si bien todavía se parece a un Aston Martin —y tiene el rendimiento para respaldar su apariencia— se trata claramente de un automóvil del siglo XXI.

Ya sea que elijas el propio V12 de 5.2 litros con turbocompresor de Aston, o el V8 de 4.0 litros twin-turbo de Mercedes-AMG, el DB11 tiene mucho músculo. El modelo V8 “de nivel de entrada” tiene 503 hp y 513 libras-pie. Aston dice que pasa de 0 a 60 mph en 4.0 segundos, y alcanza una velocidad máxima de 187 mph. Si eliges el V12, obtendrás 600 caballos y ​​516 libras-pie, disminuyendo el sprint en 0.1 segundos y alcanzando una velocidad máxima de 200 mph.

4 LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN EVO

  El Lamborghini Huracán Evo combina un aspecto de un póster con la mejor tecnología. Es una versión actualizada del Huracán de nivel de entrada (de ahí el nombre “Evo”), con tecnología adicional. Lamborghini Dinámica Veicolo Integrata (LDVI) utiliza datos de una serie de sensores para predecir los movimientos del conductor y configurar el automóvil. LDVI controla todo, desde la aceleración y la fuerza G lateral,  hasta la rapidez con que se cambian los pedales. Si el conductor pasa bruscamente del acelerador al freno, LDVI asume que el automóvil está en una pista y está a punto de entrar en una esquina. El sistema utiliza esta información para ajustar aspectos como la distribución de la suspensión y el par para evitar que el conductor falle. Eso significa que puedes disfrutar de una gran velocidad sin palmas sudorosas. El Huracán Evo sigue siendo un superdeportivo. Un motor V10 de 5.2 litros produce 640 hp y 443 libras/pie de torque en los modelos de tracción total, lo que permite cero a 62 mph en 2.9 segundos, y una velocidad máxima al norte de 200 mph. Para 2020, el fabricante de automóviles también lanzó un modelo de tracción trasera. Produce menos potencia que la versión con tracción total (610 hp y 413 libras/pie), pero te permitirá disfrutar de su deriva interior.

5 MAZDA MX-5 RF 

Aquí se combinan velocidad y estilo. Viene en varios colores, pero el negro le da una apariencia imponente y profesional. Se trata de un naftero 2.0 de 184 CV. Una reversión moderna del MX-5 de 1989, que sacó Mazda a la venta en el año en 2019, para celebrar los 30 años de la automotriz.El Mazda MX-5 es un descapotable de capota rígida que conecta con el conductor de una forma muy especial. Y con el Mazda MX-5 RF 2020 hemos logrado nuestra mejor versión tras una revisión exhaustiva de todos y cada uno de sus detalles. La interpretación targa del diseño Jinba Ittai, más deportiva y apasionante, te hará disfrutar de la conducción del Mazda MX-5 RF como si tú mismo fueras parte del coche, conectado a la carretera como nunca antes.

Bueno chicos les agradesco su tiempo para leer este post espero y les guste si es asi no se olviden de dar corazon se los agradecería mucho, Nos vemos en otro blog bye 

[hoshalicious]

CollegeAU!Jun

Genre: Fluff Warnings: Mention of Overdose Part: 10

“Oh my gosh what happened..I hope she’s okay”

That’s all Jun was thinking as he was running to y/n’s apartment.  What could have happened to make her do something so drastic that he would have to go? Why would Surim tell him to go. She hates Jun. He keeps looking down at an app on his phone going to the address Surim told him to go to. He’s running, he can’t be too late.

Jun bangs on the door as loud as he can. She doesn’t answer. He desperately goes into his wallet and finds a credit card and unlocks the door.  Her apartment was average as it didn’t take long to find her as her sobs filled the apartment.  Jun walks into her bedroom and sees her on the bed.  With 3 bottles of pills on her nightstand and all of them mixed up in her hand with vodka to get it down.

“STOP!” Jun yelled. All y/n could see was a tall, fair-skinned man that ran inside and knocked the pills in the floor.

“Why would you do something like that??” Jun said as he cuddled you into his chest.

“Because I was done”

“Why were you done?”

“Why would you choose to do something like this?”

“I lost-”

“Tell me..I’m here”

“I can’t tell you”

“Well I won’t leave until you do” he said calmly

You cried into his chest from all of these emotions going through your head.  Jun didn’t force you to tell him anything right away but you knew sooner or later you’d have to.  Every few minutes, he lifted your head up to make sure you’re awake and eventually he stopped and you fell asleep in his embrace.

You woke up still in Jun’s embrace tightly.  He was awake but you could tell he’d been sleeping too.  

“Are you ready to talk now?” He asked rubbing circles on your arm. 

“I don’t know how..i’m scared” you said wishing you were still asleep.  He could feel your heart race and you filled with anxiety.

“You don’t have to be afraid around me.  I’ve seen you very vulnerable and I didn’t hurt you.  I won’t hurt you now”  He told you as he gave you a hug.  The way his chin landed on the top of your head as he hugged you made you calm.  “Okay”

“So let me start from the beginning.  When I first met you I had no attraction towards you whatsoever.  I hated you a little bit to be honest because you seemed obnoxious.  But as you helped me study I fell harder but I never even realized it.  Surim would always tell me I’d fall in love with you but I didn’t believe it and I stopped recognizing my feelings if that makes sense.  I remember when you told me about Wonwoo.  I was scared.  I only had Surim and Jinbae and at the time it seemed like you too.  I was afraid of losing you.  Wonwoo is the father of my child biologically but he never helps me with him.  Only Surim.  My parents and family began to hate me because I was pregnant and I told them I didn’t know who the father was even though I did because I’d only ever slept with Wonwoo but he had a great reputation and he didn’t want it to be messed up.  He completely changed after I got pregnant.  I still got into college and I take care of Jinbae along with Surim all the time.  She has night classes so she keeps him during the day.  And when you left the last time we studied together I had a hunch that Wonwoo told you about Jinbae because he always ruins my friendships with anyone I get close with. Then we stopped talking..I told Surim to take Jinbae since she is his godmother. I guess she texted you for some reason which I don’t know”

You put your head into Jun’s chest wondering what would happen.  You opened yourself up. You basically confessed.  “So you did it because you thought you lost me?” Jun asked.

“Yes” you said quietly

“I’ll always be here.  I’ll never leave you”  He said.  He Then he kissed your temple.  You started thinking if he liked you too?  

Or was it to comfort since he knew you liked him? 

-daisy

⟶ PREVIOUS | NEXT

[firefistlaw]

Ship #2 🌺

This is the second ship/match up! I hope you’re not mad that it took so long, please enjoy it and be happy; you got Snooji! Thank you for playing in the “special special”!! @musicmarble

Your partner is Snooji Sanji!

When Sanji first announced his love for you, no one was surprised, but when he started to ignore other woman and only cared for you, they knew, he got serious. He falls for your energy and for the love you have for your friends. When he first met you, he wanted nothing more than to be called one of your friends, but after some time, he wanted, no, needed more of you. He is a sucker for your voice and whenever you ask him if  he’s hungy, his heart jumps in excitement. He doesn’t care at all that you might not suit the “girly person” society has build, he is only interested in you and your personality, the rest doesn’t matter. For him, you’re the most beautiful person he has laid his eyes on, even if you say that you’re imperfect and that you have flaws, your him you’re a masterpiece. He makes sure you know your real worth, even if he has to tell you every night. Also, when he found out about your past, he realised that you both have more in common than you think. Without noticing, he found the perfect match for him and he is not ready to let you leave all too fast.

Your best friend is Chopper!

Sweet, precious and maybe a little dork; here are two perfect best friends. You and Chopper click the first second you meet each other and are not able to be without each other for too long. You both get high on each others’ spirit and never fail to make everyone else feel happy, that’s just how you both work. He is a doctor too, so he will try to help you whenever you feel a bit pain from your injury, he will notice if you’re acting different than unsual and will make sure to make you feel better. Also, if stupid Snooji ever hurts your feelings, this little cutie will beat his ass for you, believe me. Sometimes you both sit around for hours and talk about anything, sometimes you play pranks on the others and snicker behind books.

Your bounty is 80 Thousand Berry!

First, you’re a part of the strawhat crew, so let’s put some berry on your head. Second, you’re the partner of Sanji, so let’s put some more berry on your head. Third, that one time, in middle of a fight, you accidentaly kicked someone so hard, they went unconscious for a few hours, which made everyone wonder… how the hell did you do that? You don’t know, they don’t know… lets put some more berry on your mysterious head.

Your secret admirer is Usopp!

He hates himself for the way he feels, he feels so so bad! Sanji is one of his family, his brother and yet, he crushes on his partner… It was the way you laughed, the way you adapted to your friends and the way you cared so deeply for them, that he couldn’t stop himself and fell for you. You were something different in his eyes; a treasure that didn’t know it’s worth and he was swept away from it. When you went up to him and asked him if he could teach you to become a sniper, his heart stopped in his chest. You just turned more perfect by the second, but he couldn’t act on his feelings. He decides that his friendship with Sanji was more important than his feelings, so he leaves you alone. After some time, he feels himself losing his interest in you and he’s glad. But deep down, he still has a sweet spot for his brothers partner.

Worst enemy is Enel!

You both, you barely know each other, but from the short moment you saw each other, a horrible and deep enemyship was born. You hate this guy with everything you can think of and he? He thinks it’s fun, so he hates you back. Sanji and Chopper had to pull you back in skypia, so you wouldn’t run into your death, but you were harder to calm down than expected. It was the way he talked, the way he wanted so much attention and the way he treated others that made you hate him. When Luffy beat his ass, you were glad, bu still to this day; every time you hear his name, you just get grumpy. You both had some other kinds of sparks..

Who comes and saves you if you’re in danger: Jinbei! (Jinbae)

Look at this Jinbae, he will fight everyone for you! He will get all of his friends/fighters to save you, not only because you’re in the strawhat crew, nah, because you both are good friends as well. He loves the way you talk about the ocean and he will not let someone hurt you, not now and not later.

Who is secretly trying to catch you and get your bounty: Big Mom! (Spoiler)

SPOILER WARNING! When she found out that you were in a relationship with Sanji, she knew, she had to get you in her hands. There could be only one person who can have Sanji and in her eyes; it couldn’t be you. So, to everyone’s surprise, the yonko wants you. You, the 80 thousand berry person. To say that you’re shocked is not enough to explain what goes through your head.

Kitchen concert - a little drabble

Soft sounds of Sanji cutting vegetables surround your figure leaning against the kitchen counter, making you sigh in content. Today had been a quiet day, dark clouds were shielding the bright sunlight away, making everyone either hide in their rooms or relax in the kitchen. You didn’t mind though, it was nice to relax like this from time to time.

You glance at your boyfriend moving the knife faster than you ever could and lean your head back, sighing another time.

“Are you okay, my love?” The sounds of the knife turn quieter. You look at the blonde haired man and see him staring at you in amusement. “Are you so bored?”

“No…” You mumble and shift from one foot to another. “I’m just a bit tired.”

Sanji nods, turns back to his work and is about to start again, when he stops another time. “Y/N, come here.”

“Hm?” You frown and stay where you are, not knowing what he wants.

“Come here for a second, I promise, I won’t bite.” He says and winks. “Not now.”

You feel yourself blushing and slowly walk up to him, avoiding his eyes. You hear him mumble something about you being cute and then, he stands behind you, arms wrapped around your body. “What-”

“I’m scared you will fall asleep, so I’d rather have you here in my arms.” He whispers into your hair and softly pecks your cheek. You purse your lips, trying to hide the smile that tries to escape.

You stay in his warm arms for a few minutes and stare at him cutting food, still surprised at how good he actually is. Neither of you say something, both enjoying the company, when suddenly, you start to hum quietly, still shy.

Your boyfriend stops his actions- you stop. He turns his head towards you and smiles. “Ah, don’t be shy. You sound so nice, don’t hide it!” But you’re still too embarrassed, which makes Sanji sigh.

“Okay then.” He says and kisses your cheek again, making you turn your head to the side, laughing quietly. You lean back against his body and after a few seconds, Sanji starts to hum himself, quiet at first, but grows louder with every second that passes. You take another glance at him and bite your lip, slowly joining him.

You grow more and more comfortable and after a few more seconds, you start to sing quietly. Sanji makes sure to sing along, even tries to sing the instruments, which makes you laugh.

Suddenly, the door opens and a skeleton comes inside. “Is this a concert? Yohohoho, let me join!”

“I want too!” The sweet voice of your best friend echoes through the kitchen and then he appears in front of your eyes; Chopper.

You smile and turn around, about to walk to your friends, when Sanji steals a kiss from your lips, making Chopper giggle loudly. Your cheeks turn deep red, but Sanji just winks. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”

[msf-diamond-dog]

Tagged by @a-war-against-heaven!

THE LAST: 1. Drink: Water 2. Phone call: The pharmacy. Person, I think was my uncle. 3. Text message:  Jana 4. Song you listened to: Jinba Ittai by Zao! 5. Time you cried: Uhhh three weeks ago I think.

HAVE YOU: 6. Dated someone twice: No 7. Kissed someone and regretted it: No 8. Been cheated on: Nope 9. Lost someone special: Yeah 10. Been depressed: Lots of times. 11. Gotten drunk and thrown up: Unfortunately,

LIST 3 FAVORITE COLORS: 12. Blue 13. Black 14. Purple

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU: 15. Made new friends: Yeah! 16. Fallen out of love: Yeah 17. Laughed until you cried: Nope 18. Found out someone was talking about you: Yeah but in a good way. 19. Met someone who changed you: Idunno. 20. Found out who your friends are: Yeah 21. Kissed someone on your Facebook list: Nope.

GENERAL: 22. How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: Uhhh I have no clue. Most of them. 23. Do you have any pets: Yes, Zuko my pupper. 24. Do you want to change your name: No, I like my name! 25. What did you do for your last Birthday: Drank most of a bottle of tequila. 26. What time did you wake up: Late, like 10:30 27. What were you doing at midnight last night: I think I was asleep actually. 28. Name something you can’t wait for: Getting an Xbox! 29. When was the last time you saw your mom: A few hours ago. 30. What is one thing you wish you could change in your life: Just like…my whole me. 31. What are you listening right now: The TV! Watching The Office with my sister. 32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: Yeah. 33. Something that is getting on your nerves: Lack of money to travel. 34. Most visited Website: Tumblr amd Youtube.

LOST QUESTIONS. I JUST PUT IN RANDOM INFO ABOUT ME 35. Mole/s: No 36. Mark/s: Yeah 37. Childhood dream: Idunno it was probably more of a nightmare. 38. Haircolour: Black 39. Long or short hair: Short. Very short. 40. Do you have a crush on someone: I do. 41. What do you like about yourself: UHH MUSIC TASTE 42. Piercings: None, yet. 43. Bloodtype: Idk man just let me die. 44. Nickname: Lots…DJ is the most common one! 45. Relationship status: Single 46. Zodiac: Gemini 47. Pronouns: He/him 48. Favourite TV Show: Too many. Right now, Fresh Off the Boat 49. Tattoos: FUCKIN NONE yet. Going to have sleeves. 50. Right or left hand: Right handed 51. Surgery: Nope 52. Hair dyed in different color: Yeah when I was younger 53. Sport: I’m not into sports 55. Vacation: Hopefully Germany in the nearish future. 56. Pair of trainers: what

MORE GENERAL: 57. Eating: now? Nothing 58. Drinking: Water 59. I’m about to: Do nothing. 61. Waiting for: PILL TIME 62. Want: Someone 63. Get married: Yeah 64. Career: Something artsy

WHICH IS BETTER 65. Hugs or kisses: Either!! 66. Lips or eyes: Fuckin both. 67. Shorter or taller: Shorter 68. Older or younger: I don’t care! 70. Nice arms or nice stomach: I don’t care! 71. Sensitive or loud: Sensitive 72. Hook up or relationship: Relationship 73. Troublemaker or hesitant: Little bit of both

HAVE YOU EVER: 74. Kissed a stranger: Nope 75. Drank hard liquor: Yeah 76. Lost glasses/contact lenses: Too many times to count 77. Turned someone down: Yeah 78. Sex in the first date:  No 79. Broken someone’s heart: HAH yeah right 80. Had your heart broken:  Yeah. 81. Been arrested: No 82. Cried when someone died: Yeah 83. Fallen for a friend: Yeah. I only end up falling for people I know.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN: 84. Yourself: Hah, no. 85. Miracles: Yeah 86. Love at first sight: Nah 87. Santa Claus: Would anyone on Tumblr say yes to this?? 88. Kiss on the first date: Yeah! 89. Angels: Yeah

OTHER: 90. Current best friends name: Rachael 91. Eyecolour: Poop brown 92. Favorite movie: RIGHT NOW, Get Out and John Wick Chapter 2

Thank you Jana! I tag @carvedfrxmstone and @through-the-magnifying-glass!

[closeracing]

30 years of magnificent Miata’s

There was a big birthday for the Mazda family this week and a lot of people across the world got involved. It was the celebration of Mazda MX-5, it has been a long journey but shockingly it still only 30 years young!

To celebrate Mazda threw a big party – as we all would – there was plenty of Mazda MX-5’s to go round, with the colour scheme sporting the new racing orange created for all the new limited editions. It was nice to hear that even after all this time that the Mazda MX5 Miata is showing to have a bright future. Obviously, this celebration was to look at the road car mostly but that’s not how we kick it round here. We take things to the track.

A little roadster once upon a time had big dreams of living life to the max. The saying in the Mazda HQ is ‘Jinba lttai’ – A feeling of oneness that makes driving something to fall in love with. We feel this every time that ‘ON’ switch is flicked up and a little roar vibrates through the car right into our fingertips gripped around the worn out steering wheel. Being in our little MK1 we can feel the passion given to these little beauties back in the 90’s. We walked passed a nut and bolt the other day and instantly new that came off a front bumper of an MX5. We love these little roadsters. they’re unmistakably timeless, the sweeping lines and above all else, the simplicity of what is just metal essentially.

But its not though is it? For those seen on the road, those gone down the mad-max route or like us, those who took the MX5 and given it a new lease of life as a race car, everyone loves them. A Million sales and four generations later we are still turning our heads when one goes past. Mazda describes that this edition of the family belongs to the fans and no one else.

Mazda sees a future for these. The racing orange colour will be splashed across all the new limited edition, a new colour that is to show the breaking of dawn on the next chapter. What will come of it we don’t know. But what we are sure is that the Mazda Race Cars like ours will not be going anywhere.

Now lets Zoom Zoom to the race season ahead.

CR Team

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

For your fanfic title game (Depeche Mode edition 🤭), a small selection:

Shake the Disease

Ghosts Again

Never Let Me Go

Barrel of a Gun

Four?! Blimey, okay...

A Florismond fic - Floris falls for Aemond when he goes to Storm's End and picks her, but it's not reciprocated.

I'd do a short Daemon POV piece for this - an internal monologue of his grief surrounding the deaths of Laena, Viserys and his daughter.

Ettore falling for someone on the ship and not knowing how to process those emotions in a healthy way, as he's never had to before.

A Genyen fic. An epilogue of what life was like for him before he met Jinba.

Send me a fic title ask game

[jeffrey2garner]

Driving the New CX-5 Proves Mazda Can Compete as a Premium Brand

With the addition of a couple of new trims to the 2019 Mazda CX-5 crossover lineup, it’s now clear: Mazda plans to compete directly with premium vehicles like the Acura RDX and Infiniti QX50.

The premium market has plenty of appeal. Higher price tags often correlate with higher profit margins, and finding buyers with more spending power easily translates into higher sales prices.

But breaking into the luxury market can be tricky. Just ask Kia, Hyundai, or even Chrysler. All these brands have attempted to break into the premium car market in one way or another. Kia debuted the $60,000 K900 in 2015 and hoped to reap the benefits of having a high-end (and high-margin) option in its lineup. But while the K900 offered luxury in spades, it also had a Kia badge on the hood. Convincing shoppers to view that logo as a viable luxury symbol has been challenging, and as a result, the company has sold barely 5,000 of them.

Hyundai had a similar story with the Equus sedan, and has since placed an even bigger bet by debuting a luxury brand to move its metal. While the new Genesis G70 has earned plenty of praise for its combination of technology and comfort, it’s still yet to be seen whether the Genesis brand will succeed, as Lexus was able to when it arrived in the early 1990s.

Breaking into the luxury market is not the only hard part, either. It’s also hard to stick around. Even companies historically associated with premium cars, like Chrysler and Buick, have seen how quickly their stars can fall in the eyes of American consumers, and how hard it can be to regain lost prestige.

So, how does Mazda expect to measure up against established players? Well, the CX-5 Signature and Grand Touring Reserve both fill their interiors with supple leather and upscale touches, like layered wood trim and satin chrome accents. The CX-5’s MazdaConnect technology suite has a European feel, too, employing a rotary controller to handle user inputs, and the system is (finally) equipped to run Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

But simply adding leather and smartphone connectivity isn’t always enough. Luckily, Mazda may have the secret ingredient. When premium-car shoppers shop for a car, they don’t just consider upholstery and infotainment, they look for a refined and engaging driving experience—the car is expected to deliver accurate feedback through the steering wheel, the pedals, and the chassis. And at Mazda, every part of the car comes second to perfecting how it drives.

The company’s Jinba Ittai engineering philosophy is grounded in the idea that a car should act as an extension of the driver’s body. And this is clear every time you drive the CX-5. The steering is well weighted, the 6-speed automatic transmission shifts predictably, and even the all-wheel-drive (AWD) system is tuned to provide a smooth and consistent drive. Rather than reacting to slippery conditions, the system works proactively, relying on inputs ranging from wheel-spin sensors to the car’s thermometer and windshield wipers to deliver traction and stability without disrupting the car’s natural driving dynamics.

Premium vehicles are expected to have premium engines, and as such, drivers will find the larger CX-9’s turbocharged 2.5-liter engine under the hood of top-tier CX-5s. Like the car’s suspension, the engine has been tuned for real-world performance and not hypothetical benchmarks. Zero-to-sixty measurements were replaced with freeway-passing tests, and the turbocharger employs dynamic pressure technology, simulating a person’s thumb over a garden hose to modulate pressure to keep its output strong and steady.

In the end, it’s hard to describe the CX-5’s driving experience as anything other than balanced. This car doesn’t lay on the power unnecessarily, and the steering never feels simulated.

Mazda has long been credited for building cars that reward driver engagement, and it has recently earned a reputation for adding upscale features at relatively bargain prices. With the CX-5, those two roads have met, resulting in a car ready to steal market share from established premium automakers. But will it succeed? The Mazda CX-5 seems to have everything a luxury-car buyer would want, except for an expensive logo on the steering wheel. So, while Mazda may be fully capable of building a premium vehicle, there is a final question left to answer: Will consumer perception of the Mazda logo keep it off shopping lists filled with Acuras and Infinitis?

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from The CarGurus Blog https://blog.cargurus.com/2018/12/20/driving-the-new-cx-5-proves-mazda-can-compete-as-a-premium-brand via Car Gurus from Blogger http://jeffrey2garner.blogspot.com/2018/12/driving-new-cx-5-proves-mazda-can.html via IFTTT