#listening to and participating in any conversations happening in the area

[taryo88]

When you try to get Avra down off the wardrobes, you do so at your own risk [based on this post]

Please go read RUNNING CLOSE TO THE WIND by Alexandra Rowland, I need more people to experience this silly little guy and his silly little mouth sounds

[anemonelovesfiction]

20~ Age Gap

So’lek x Fem! Human Reader

Warnings ⚠️: P! In V!, fingering, unprotected sex

Part two to this

Not proofread

MDNI 🔞

It’s the last day of Heatwave In Pandora and I’m saddened by this but also excited for having been a part of all of this with y’all. Thank you so much for those who participated and enjoyed my stories as well!

Word count: 2.2k

To say I was embarrassed about what happened during just before the comet’s raining across the sky was an understatement, I had been completely mortified of the situation, I’d basically masturbated in front of So’lek, and I think he did too? But the fact that I had been caught talking in my sleep- like I do most nights- had been too much for me to attempt to show my face around him again. I’d practically grown to avoiding him during any situation possible.

He’d attempted at steering my mind in the opposite direction that night by helping me draw giant penises on my coworkers masks, making sure each of them had a different kind of drawing on it. And the comets also helped for the time being, each of them pretty much being wished upon as they flew past us in a beautiful shimmer.

But another reason I had to learn to avoid So’lek was his age. He was in his forties and I was only twenty two, I was undeniably too young for him- and not even the same species. That was a considerable age gap and I’m sure the reason he doesn’t have a mate is because everyone in his clan had perished, but had any woman from his clan caught his eye, I’m sure he would have been mated with children by now and I’m certain he doesn’t even tolerate me to begin with- I’m human!

I’d been avoiding having to come into contact with him, strategically avoiding all of the areas he frequents, ensuring that I had something to do far from our base whenever they had their meetings -or went up or down on a different level when it was raining- and when all else failed and he was near I either ignored him or found a way to push someone else into his direction to hold a conversation with him. It was pretty easy considering Priya was a chatter box, she often went off on tangents, and did very well at allowing me the perfect amount of time to escape.

But today was a different day. Priya had gone on a patrol with Anqa while all of the Sarentu were busy doing some kind of training quest without So’lek, and here I was trying to look into a way I could quickly disappear while being in his sight, finding it futile to find a hiding spot and not being able to find a single one I give high hopes that Eywa is listening to my prayer that he wouldn’t need anything from me only to be proven wrong.

“You and I need to talk.” He stated as he stands directly in front of me, arms crossed and his hip tilted to the side, he looked so babygirl, but I couldn’t even think to laugh at a time like this. I could feel the adrenaline starting to course through my bloodstream and I felt jittery.

“In private.” He adds after having looked around before staring right at me. I could only gulp and nod at this moment wondering why the great mother would betray me at my most vulnerable moment, I can see So’lek turn around and motion with his head for me to follow him, and like a lost puppy with my head hung down in defeat, I do.

It hadn’t taken us long to reach the fourth floor which housed all of our rooms. I’d ended up spacing out long enough to pass him before looking up and realizing he was behind me, turning to face him and realizing I’d cornered myself between a wall and his body. Damnit.

“Why are you avoiding me?” He asks without beating around the bush and I start to think of a million excuses in my head, opening my mouth to spew whatever first bullshit lie could come out, closing it as he speaks again.

“Don’t lie to me.” He states as he crosses his arms waiting for my answer and I couldn’t help but chew on my bottom lip.

“I was embarrassed.” I admit and cross my own arms to try to shrink into the wall, my room was just around the corner and if I bolted I think I could make it, but I looked down instead.

“Why?” His voice is deep and holds me captive as I stand there looking like an idiot and shrug.

“If you have forgotten already I joined in too. You saw the evidence on the ground.” He speaks so steadily that I’m tempted to look up past my lashes but refrain from doing just that.

“Thats not it- well mostly- but not all of it.” I pull myself closer together and pray to Eywa that I could disappear at this moment to walk away from the conversation but feel his finger underneath my chin, lifting it up and forcing me to look into his eyes.

“Why are you avoiding me?” He asks once more and I couldn’t stop the shiver from running down my spine.

“I know you won’t reciprocate my feelings, I’m too young for you, and I’m not Na’Vi.” I stated honestly and want to look away but can’t find it in myself to do so, only for him to throw his head back with a chuckle, I could feel the embarrassment creep up on me once more and anger from him laughing at me.

“Whats so funny?” I asked with a huff, wanting to hit him on the arm for laughing at me.

“I do not care that you are tawtute nor your age. You are old enough to make decisions for yourself and you can choose if you want me or not, that is what matters to me.” He responds and seems genuine for his answer and it causes me to freeze.

“What are you saying?” I asked as the confusion was settling over my features, brows lifted and furrowed together, eyes searching his for clarification.

“Must I show you?” He asks simply and I’m still confused.

_________

He sits me onto my own bed as he kneel’s before me, being taller than me even if I’d been standing, he cranes his neck down and captured my mouth with his, his hands on my hips as he slowly shimmies my pants and underwear off in one go, tossing it off elsewhere without breaking the kiss. His hands returning toward my thighs as he squeezes them gently, his tongue inserted into my mouth as soon as I gasp, my own moan following after.

Our tongues don’t battle for dominance as I knew he’d win, his massaging mine as our lips toss and turn for him to do whatever he wanted to me, I didn’t even know how wet I’d gotten until he’d inserted a finger into my cunt and it slid right in. Another moan slipping through my lips as I lean my body back for him to get a better angle, finally breaking the kiss.

“So’lek~” I moaned right as he inserts a second finger easily, I’d thrown my head back at some point, lifting it back up to see him looking right at me with a smirk.

“Wipe that smirk off your- f-f-fuck,” I cuss as he moves his fingers swiftly in, caressing my sweet spot the entire time he’d gone in, my head lolling back and eyes closing as I attempt to focus on the pleasure.

“Lay back.” He instructs and I listen, laying my body back onto the bed while my legs dangled off the bed as did the bottom half of my ass, but I didn’t care at this point as the pleasure was too good.

“Lift your legs up and don’t let them touch the ground.” He stated again, I lifted my legs and settled the hells on the edge of the mattress, feeling his breath on my cunt and constricting myself around his fingers, a dark chuckle rasping through, driving me absolutely wild. His tongue takes a swipe up my cunt and I couldn’t help but gasp followed by a moan as he thrusts his fingers back in.

“Fuck, please go faster-“ I struggled to get out as he continued thrusting his fingers in and out of me, kissing my sweet spot periodically and making me thrash my head around the bed, surely adding knots to my already messy hair.

“I want to make you cum.” He mutters before placing his lips around my clit and giving a harsh suck, my hips jumping up at the sudden contact, a wail escaping me as he continues suckling and fingering.

“So’lek, fuck!” I yell out as he runs a stripe along my clit, his rough tongue catching in it and rubbing against it deliciously I couldn’t help but buck my hips upward. A pleasing hum running through his body and from the depths of the obscene noises happening in this room, I could hear a gentle rumble, almost like a purr.

“I’m coming-“ I could feel my eyes crossing behind my eyelids and my vision turning white as I feel myself rhytmically grasping his fingers, his movements never ceasing as he continues to plow through my own orgasm and I could feel myself start to lose my own breath in the process.

“You taste delicious.” So’lek comments as his fingering comes to a standstill, I lift my head and open my eyes even when they felt too heavy to keep open and looked at him with a lopsided grin. He only stares right back at me, taking his fingers out of my cunt, and sensually licking the juices off them. I could only stare at him as my own grin fell, the heat returning to my core as I watched him and heard him continue to purr with approval, I lunged toward him and brought his face onto mine and kissed the ever living fuck out of him, breaking the kiss as I started breathing heavily to catch my breath and placed my hands on the fingers of his loincloth.

“You are eager.” He mutters.

I look up at him and see he’s smiling down at me, I blindly undo the knot keeping his loincloth on as I stare into his eyes as well, the look of surprise crossing his features as he looks down at himself to see his loincloth falling off. His cock coming up to slap him in the stomach.

“I’m efficient.” I corrected him and watch the amusement dance around his eyes.

“How’s about you take a turn on the bed while I play with you?” I ask with my hand on his chest running it down his abs sensually, looking back up at him through my lashes.

“You couldn’t handle me.” He threatens and I take that as a challenge.

“Oh yeah?” I asked with a brow lifted as if I was taking him up on his challenge.

_________

I bounced on his cock again as I could feel the fire in my belly growing larger, one of his hands had been settled on my hips, guiding me up and down his length, his purring had returned tenfold from the moment he’d slipped the tip in, and here I was taming him and taking his cock like I promised.

“How is it you can take so much of me in your tiny body?” He strains through his teeth as I continue bouncing off his cock not bothering to quiet down.

“P-pu-pure w-will,” I rasp out while continuing my task, leaning my body over to rest slightly as I move my hips up and down his giant cock, close to the edge already.

“So’lek, I’m- fuck- I can’t!” I wail as I feel my clit being brushed against his pelvis every time I slam myself down.

“Let go, I’m right there too-“ He squeezes my hips tight and I look up to him eith my own eyes struggling to stay open, his own eyes closed as he basks in the pleasure I’m providing him, deciding to fight to keep my eyes open to see his orgasm face when a sudden thought occurs to me.

“I w-wanna s-see you,” I rasp out desperately as I slow down in my pace but continue going rough. I feel his other hand carefully caress my cheek up toward his face, his eyes already opened and looking at mine, and with that I come, it took everything in me to not close my eyes but the euphoria I felt dancing around my body.

“Fuck!” He groans out loudly as his hands go straight to my hips, holding me down on his cock as I feel the tip of him kissing my cervix and explode all over my womb, spurt after spurt of come hitting my womb in a way that sent tingles through my toes.

“Holy shit-“ I mutter as I feel my body ramped up into yet another orgasm, feeling entirely spent as my body limply falls onto So’lek’s my breathing heavy as I attempt to catch my breath, the orgasm still coursing through me as my pussy contracts around him, his own purring dying down as his hips slowly push up against mine.

“No no no, wait-“ I begin before feeling his knot forming and pushing into my body, locking us into place for the time being, but I was too spent to fight it anymore.

“I’m sorry yawne, I didn’t plan for this to happen.“ So’lek begins apologizing but I shake my head as I struggle to lift myself for him to see me.

“It’s okay, we’ll just have to stay here for a bit.”

“You do not mind being tied to me?”

“Think of it as our version of Tsaheylu.”

[hiso03]

Hal is the favorite uncle

One of my favorite headcanons is to think that Hal is the favorite uncle of all the kids around him.

I feel like his partners' colleagues always came up to him to ask about his space missions (of course Hal used to brag too much about his heroic deeds and the kids believed it blindly, especially Wally) and also Hal used to share embarrassing anecdotes about his mentors.

Hal may not have had a pupil like his friends, but still all of their pupils loved him very much.

Since Hal is the kind of prankster uncle who gives advice without being asked and would actively participate in the pranks, but he would also be the kind of guy who would defend his babys from whomever he is, that includes his own friends.

It is likely that on more than one occasion the children have jumped the instructions of the league and acted when they should not have acted, which then leads them to be all of them sitting with their heads down listening to the scolding and punishment that will be meted out to them; until Hal, who hadn't heard what was happening, walks around the area and listens to them and, of course, jumps to the children's defense.

He advocates for all the kids and probably gets into a heated argument with Batman (just as he usually does) and ends with a scolding from Diana for Bruce and Hal, but at least Hal leaves the place with his small victory.

Distract the team enough to focus on scolding him and not the kids.

(Probably later Hal talks to the kids calmly and explains that although what they did was amazing, they shouldn't put themselves in danger like that and also the league has a much calmer conversation with the babys.)

But that's the idea.

About a Hal who would defend any of his nephews in the league, though it's also a bit apparent that Hal has a soft spot for some guys more than others.

An example would be Roy and Wally, since he spends more time actively with them, is more involved in his personal life and because he saw them grow in a close and personal way.

[ya-bug-boy]

PLEEEASE WHEN YOU HAVE TIME I AM HOOKED!! i would love to see more aware reader!! i inhaled everything you've written and it is. so good.

ahh thank you!! The Self Aware Reader x Submas has been so much fun to write thus far. I'm so glad you enjoy it!

Submas x Self Aware Reader Part 5

After a lengthy conversation of you answering questions for the boys and a shared meal of roasted meat, you decide to go to sleep. To the twins they just see the outside of the tent that they made in the mini game they participated in. But to you, their character models are standing directly outside the tent. It's a little unnerving at first but because this entire world is a strange game, you come to the logical conclusion that they can't partake in certain things; considering neither of their characters actually ate the meal you shared. Sleeping must be considered one of the things they can't physically do, since Emmet and Ingo are viewing this world through some certain kind of special lenses. When you lay your weary eyes to sleep, time immediately passes by, turning night into day. You swear you've only laid down five minutes ago but at the same time, you feel like you've received plenty of rest. Daylight peeks through the tent flaps so you put your clothes back on and exit.

When you appear out of the tent, the twins in unison in real life exclaim, "Good morning!" You smile then ponder for a moment if they've always talked to you prior to your sentience.

"Good morning," you respond back. "Now that we're deeper inside the forest, this seems like a good time to use this lure." From your backpack, you reveal an incense that's designed like a spiral. "Using this, we can attract the Killer Bee scouts to come out of hiding. There's a trick to finding their hive."

"A trick?" Emmet asks aloud.

"Scouts are indistinguishable from each other, however they tend to attack in groups. If you defeat all but one, and leave that one injured enough but not dead, it'll flee. From there, we follow it to the hive. It's a cruel tactic, but at times a necessary one."

"I was never aware of this! Bravo!" Ingo exclaims.

"However, doing this trick comes with a risk. It all depends on how many scouts we're able to defeat prior to doing this plan. If you defeat enough scouts, the hive will be left defenseless. However. Do this trick too soon and the hive will have itself enough scouts to outnumber any band of heroes. Since it is spring, the scouts are very protective of their royal honey since they need to establish who the next queen will be."

You can hear both twins hum in thought as they listen to your explanation.

"The Queen herself is rather harmless. She is completely immobile. But she does have the power to call back any remaining forces to the hive. So we need to reduce the number of scouts in the area as much as we can, without completely annihilating them all."

"So defeat as many as we can, and when the numbers start to look thin, we spare one and follow it. Does that sound ok with you two?" A "yes" or "no" box appeared for both twins. Upon clicking on the "yes" button, both of their character models nod. "Good. I'll light the lure now. Please be prepared for what happens next."

While holding the lure, with your dominant hand you snap your fingers. Immediately like akin to a blowtorch, a flame appears from your index finger. You light the lure and snuff out the fire from your fingertip, setting the lure down on the ground. The smell of incense begins to waft in the air. What starts off as silence with the sound of the forest breeze becomes tingling with the sound of loud buzzing, Killer Bee Monsters.

You ready your hands to equip your bow, you see both twins preparing their weapons as well. Ingo is armed with a magic staff adorned with a fire crystal on the top and dagger whereas Emmet dons on a pair of enchanted gauntlets, the metal gloves tingling with electric energy.

Closing your eyes for a brief moment, you tune in your senses to the forces of nature before opening them wide, "To the west!" you exclaim as you prepare an arrow.

The sounds of buzzing drowns the air, you hear the wings of numerous beasts approaching. There is nothing you can do but fight for your life.

Enormous bee monsters flood the area, taking up the forest path before you. The three of you rush forward, striking the enemies as they attack you. Because of the twins only participating in this world with a proxy, their characters don't flinch or express any sign of pain when injured, attacking and evading with reckless abandon. But you are not the same. If you get injured, you will feel the pain. Your lifespan may be many times more than the average human but there were still consequences to your mortal body. With this in mind, you do your best to keep a distance from the monsters, knowing if you were to be attacked by their poisonous stingers, it could mark the end of your journey.

The twins are even more ferocious in battle than you could ever imagine. Emmet is a quick fighter, running up to one enemy in a 1 v 1 combat, punching and tearing them apart, before running to the next. Ingo is excellent with crowd control, taking on multiple enemies at once. With your archery skills, you land critical and super effective hits to the Scout's weak spot, pronouncing them dead the moment your arrows lands their mark.

Dead monster bodies begin to pile up, carcasses trying to feebly attempt to flee before they expire. The number of scouts has quickly dwindled down, to just two left. With your arrow, you land a critical hit on one of them. With another, you hit the survivor near its stinger. It immediately turns around to try and flee. "Chase that one!" You yell, as you run past the twins, glancing back only once to see if they were following you.

The last scout tries to flee into the forest maze, but you're able to tell where to go because of its distinct buzzing sound. You go through twists and turns, not daring to look back at the twins, unless you wanted to lose track of the scout.

Then you see it. The enormous hive mounted on the cliff side, its hexagonal honeycomb walls protruding outside. You give mercy to the scout by finishing it off with one last arrow to the head. Its body jolts and stutters before falling still.

You look at the queen, nestled up high on the cliff side and stance yourself into another fighting position. It gives a deafening sharp thrill that echoes into the forest, you ready yourself to fight some more but no one appeared. You look at the queen sadly for a moment, feeling an awkward connection to the beast. But she was not real and technically, neither were you.

You reach into your backpack and pull out a glass jar. "Boys, I'm going to grab the honey." You walk up to the hive and hear the queen hiss, but otherwise she is completely powerless to do anything to you. You look at the honeycomb walls and see it, a segment of the hexagonal walls that's dripping with glimmering, golden honey, it shines by reverberating a radiant light. You fill up the jar with as much honey you can grab, reaching into your backpack to get another jar. Because of how much you've taken, there won't be another queen, which is a consequence for this world.

With your three big jars of honey, you stop to think of the ramifications of your quest. You were essentially condemning an entire species of monsters to die without this honey, it could be considered a genocide. Though Killer Bee monsters were extremely dangerous and have been a constant threat to the people who lived near the border of this forest in the mountains…did this matter? This was a game. But this was also your whole entire life. But your life was also fabricated entirely for the sake of entertainment. You're not sure how to feel about this, it doesn't sit well with you. You sigh and walk back to the twins.

"You two have done an excellent job. Wonderfully so. I could not ask for better heroes to aid me. With this quantity, I am able to produce the potion's curing traits."

"Our journey here is now over. Let's leave this forest." You walk forward but give the queen one last look, you can hear her continue to cry for help. It doesn't feel good. But you needed as much honey as you can get in case you fail to produce a working potion. Without any scouts or royal honey, she can't produce a new queen. You have essentially subjected her to perish alone; she is immobile and can't fend for herself. But she is also a monster, Killer Bees have been responsible for the deaths of many.

"One moment," you say as the twins pause. You raise your bow and fire one last arrow to the queen. She lets out a gasping shriek before she collapses.

If your actions have actual consequences to this world; Killer Bees will never appear again. But there was also the chance that could simply come back. If this is a game, then there needed to be enemies for Ingo and Emmet to fight against. You did not know. You do not want to know the answer.

When you leave the Hive, your vision fades for a brief moment. This was another cutscene. You find yourself at the train station, at the mountain stop where you last left it when you blinked. It's hard to adjust how this world and game works.

You go home.

[dazed-poltergeist]

Was that a dream?

Pairing: (Vikings) Ubbe Ragnarsson x Reader, intended to be romantic

Warnings: None 🫶

Summary: After the first snowfall in Kattegat, you and the sons of Ragnar manage to take time out of your day to have a snowball fight.

Add. Notes: Hello there, I am participating in @vikingsevents 's Winter Solstice Event with the prompt "Snow!" The story is taking place before Ragnar's return is season 4. Also, I will start referring to the reader with 'You,' 'Y/N,' and 'they' terms by default. Looking forward to the holidays!

Masterlist ✧⁠*⁠。

It had snowed a lot the night before. The few dismayed people who were unprepared for the snowfall had to work arduously the next day. While these people were working their arses off, Hvitserk was sitting in the great hall in front of a fire with Sigurd, Aslaug, and a few other people unfamiliar to the third oldest.

"I've lost track of time. Has the snow come early this year?" Aslaug quickly responded to Hvitserk's question; "No, in fact, it has come late this year. It was and still is cold as it usually is during this time of the year, though." Hvitserk contemplated on what to do with that information, until Björn and Ubbe came inside with wood for the fire.

The two eldest threw the wood into the pile of other burning materials, and Ubbe half-jokingly asked Björn, Hvitserk, and Sigurd if they wanted to go near Floki's place to play in the snow. The brothers complained about the cold but still accepted; every single one of them plotted to snow-sneak-attack the others.

The brothers thought for a second if they should find Ivar and Y/N to bring them along. Aslaug was the one to answer that, telling them that they should, for it would be unfair to leave the two out from the fun. The inconvenience of Ivar's brittle bones didn't come to mind to any of the Ragnarssons, so they listened to her with an objection from Sigurd and went looking for Ivar and Y/N.

Ivar and Y/N were sitting at the docks, wondering what happens to all of the fish trapped under the ice. Hvitserk was the first one to notice the two of you and scared the life out of you both by yelling 'fish' from behind. Ivar barked at Hvitserk on how he almost would've pulled out his dagger and stabbed him. The rest of the brothers ignored what Ivar said and offered you and him to go out of Kattegat to play in the snow.

Ivar scoffed at the offer, claiming that it was childish and that he wouldn't be able to do much in the snow anyway because of his disability. The other Ragnarssons remembered his problem at that very moment, and all they could say was that they won't take him with them if he doesn't want to come.

Then they turned to you, hoping that at least you will join them. You accepted the silly offer, but you felt guilty for leaving Ivar alone. You told the brittle-boned man that the two of you will continue the conversation after you return with the brothers. Sigurd blew a raspberry at Ivar as you were walking away with the rest of the Ragnarssons.

When you arrived at the place where you intended to play with the snow, it was midday and the sun was still covered by the clouds, making the sky look white and grey at the same time. The area was surrounded by pine trees and bushes covered in snow, along with piles of more snow. It was the perfect place to have a snowball fight.

Since you nor the brothers had done such childish things in years, you simply stood there for a brief while, trying to figure out what you should do now that you were there.

You were the first one to get moving; you ran to one of the snow piles and grabbed a handful of snow to form a snowball. You chose Björn as your first victim. You threw the snowball at him, and it hit him right on his forehead.

You and the rest of the brothers scattered in a laughing fit, because Björn's face was red and covered in snow. None of you were going to wait for him to throw the next snowball. Ubbe was the next one to throw, this time the victim being Sigurd's shoulder. The latter let out a yelp of surprise from the cold snowball as his clothes absorbed the snowball's water.

Björn pulled out two snowballs and sent one in your direction and the other in Hvitserk's. He, fortunately, missed on your part, but Hvitserk wasn't as lucky. Oh dismayed was he, for the snowball hit the nape of his neck and slipped under his clothes right after. The snowball fight went on in such a state for a brief while, until most of the brothers were soaked from the melting snow.

Ubbe and you were the last ones standing and decided to temporarily stop to escort the rest of the Ragnarssons to Floki's home. The boat builder along with Helga were excited to see them, for they hadn't visited in quite a while. As you and Ubbe left to continue, you saw Floki taking out blankets for the shivering brothers as Helga was finishing soup that she was making when they arrived.

Ubbe and you hurriedly ran back to the 'snow arena' so you could finish the snowball fight and join his brothers in Floki's and Helga's cabin. You and the second eldest went to separate piles of snow and both of you started forming snowballs and throwing them at each other with your red-from-the-cold hands.

Once Ubbe ran out of snowballs, he began sprinting in your direction. Mild panic took over you, and you barely moved from your spot until Ubbe tackled you to the snow-covered ground, laughing in the process.

Yours and Ubbe's faces were cold from the climate around you, but yours turned hot from how close Ubbe and you physically were. He seemed to have words on the tip of his tongue, the kind that you were not certain if you wanted to hear.

He properly wrapped his arms around you. The snow below you was seeping through your clothing and you felt the snow's cold in your bones, but you didn't want to ask Ubbe to let go of you. You were waiting for him to say the collection of words he appeared to have the urge to tell you.

When he finally said something which probably was what he wanted to say, you almost missed what he had said. He had, barely above a whisper, told you "I love you."

You were frozen in place, unsure if you should respond in the same manner. Ubbe in return moved a bit up, so Ubbe's and yours noses almost touched. He lightly tilted his face upwards and gave a soft peck on your nose. Both of you grinned like the happiest, the most innocent children the world could see.

[^Pun intended]

The snowball fight was still ongoing, apparently. Ubbe grabbed a fistful of snow from the ground next to you and showed it into your hair, before saying "I win." You could only respond with "Let's head back to everyone else before my flesh becomes one with the snow."

Ubbe helped your soaked self up from the ground and the two of you started going back to Floki's warm house as fast as you could before the cold earth would reclaim you both.

Before you knew it, you were sitting with most of the Ragnarssons around a fire made by Floki. You had finally dried up and now we're eating a small portion of hot stew made by Helga. Ubbe was sitting next to you, having a conversation with Hvitserk on the topic of women.

Sigurd got up from his place and mentioned going back to Kattegat to have dinner with Aslaug in the great hall. You and the others had agreed and now were giving the furs and leftover stew back to your hosts before saying goodbye to them.

Yours and Ivar's conversation on how the world worked continued after the dinner in the great hall. Ubbe wasn't listening anymore for a while now, sleeping on your side with his head on your shoulder. Currently, you were pondering on the structure of stars with the cripple.

"What do you think the stars are made of?"

"I don't think I'll ever be ready to answer that question. Whatever the Sun is made of, I suppose."

"Everybody can say that, but what do you think?"

"Lightning. The heat of the Sun. Perhaps even ice, since all of them seem blue."

You were fortunate to sit near the door taking you outside because Ivar was trying to point at one of the stars in the night sky. You didn't want to wake up Ubbe by moving away from him.

"See that star over there? It's a red star. What is that made of, then?"

"Who knows? I think it's made of the high heat and fire from Muspelheim."

Soon enough, you and Ivar became too tired to carry on your conversation. It was time to wake up Ubbe against your will; there was no way you were going to carry him to his room. He was a bit clumsy in his dazed state, but you managed to escort him back to his bed. You whispered a response to his confession from earlier, and quietly left his room.

Ubbe woke up the next morning confused, trying to recall how he got to his room when he thought he fell asleep next to you in the great hall. For a brief moment, he thought that everything that happened yesterday was a dream. But then Aslaug knocked on his door and came inside, and asked him about how the snowball fight with his brothers went. He simply told her that they had fun, but they spent half of the time drying up in Floki's cabin. He left out the detail in which he confessed to you; she didn't need to know that.

Ohhh I liked writing this. I used to live in an area where it snowed a lot in the winter season. But now, I've moved and live in a place where the last time it snowed was 40 years ago. I miss snow tbh :[

-Eero, Dec 2022

[big-gay-bird]

I have kinda a stream on consciousness a lot the I/P stuff I need to get off my chest. I expect it piss off everyone, so I am putting it under a cut.

I just need to say something outloud and my loving gf has listened to me enough.

Some of this rooted in formal education, some is just my understanding. I am not gonna to dig up sources.

Palestine has been home to many different cultural groups for centuries. That includes a lot of different religious practices and unique histories too

Palestine was occupied, as much of the Middle East was at the time, by colonial forces like England between the world wars.

Historically displaced Jews facing antisemitic violence have at times chosen to go Palestine as they felt it was the best option in the face of a lot of shitty ones. (These are Jews whose homes were either burned down or occupied by others.)

After the Shoah, Europe and the US looked at the hundreds of thousands of newly freed Jewish people and said “instead of doing the slow painful work of getting you your original homes and communities back and stable, we’re just gonna send you somewhere else and give you some stuff to figure it and do the work yourself.”

The US actually weighed bringing them all to Alaska at the time but Palestine was chosen.

Out of a desire to, I believe, not have to deal with it, the US and Europe gave the brand new Israel all it needed to do whatever the hell it wanted to do. They didn’t want to actually help displaced people, but they had to do something so we wouldn’t show up in their own countries and require their help.

This began a multiple generations long genocide driven in part by a deep fear that Jewish peoples were no longer safe anywhere in the world so a iron oppressive grip on “Israel” was necessary. Were the early Zionists wrong to be afraid? No. Were they wrong to commit acts of genocide against Palestinian out of that fear? Of course, there were other ways to make a safe place for Jews, and the US and Europe absolutely knew that but they didn’t care enough to reign anyone in (at literally any point.)

I want to state at this point, I despise the way the Israeli government and the IDF especially has taken advantage of Jewish inter generational trauma and fear.

Now are the refugees of the Shoah and their descendants the only Jewish refugees in Israel currently? No! Not by a long shot! There are Jewish refugees from all over the world living in Israel to escape antisemitic violence. Yes this includes groups such as Ethiopian Jews who are not in any way shape or form white! They came to Israel specifically for a reason. To say Israeli citizens are all white is wild af as Israel, to my knowledge, is how to some of the most racially diverse communities of Jews?

Does being a refugee entitle you to genocide of indigenous people? No! Of course not! Refugees and how to support them in ways that keep them safe while not fucking over indigenous populations is an important international conversation that the west is objectively not ready to participate in and it sucks! A lot!!!

I keep hearing “I support all indigenous Palestinians, if you’re Jewish and Palestinian you’re ok!” But a lot of Jewish people in that area are not going to ID as Palestinian! A lot will ID as Mirachi or Sephardi, two identities I will bet that most gentile USAians don’t know much about!

So now getting into this conflict.

What is happening to Palestine currently is genocide plan and simple. The immensity of War crimes committed by the IDF and is isreali government is something I will do everything in my power to see prosecuted. It should not be happening full stop. It is also transparently an apartheid, which is also unacceptable. There absolutely racism being used to target and dehumanize Palestinians. It ALL has to stop and I have organized around this idea in the past.

Westerns who do not know people in the P/I area or do not have people in community that do know people there, are getting their news filtered to them. I understand that, and I understand there is A LOT of propaganda at work.

However I am literally begging leftists to believe average Isreali person who may have a lot of the same beliefs you do in all this. “Unconfirmed” in a war zone does not mean untrue. (Though I also believe the governments repeating it as fact is causing more harm all around too so like there is a little middle ground here.) I am not asking leftist to believe Netanyahu or the IDF, I am asking them to believe people who are literally there living through this who are not all white women.

I am also begging people to understand that not all Jews have a planes to hop on to leave. The reason why you are hearing from those American Jews who did is because they are American and they are more easy to access by news reporters in the US.

It is an absolute shit show over there and everyone has a bias! That is part of existing! It’s ok to have questions and note where accounts disagree, but to assume Jews are always the ones lying because you think they’re all white western colonializers or something actually is antisemitism!

Also I don’t think gentiles understand that Netanyahu and IDF are counting on your antisemitism. They are counting on you making the US unsafe for Jews. They look all this shit that’s being said and say “see, the leftists want you and your loved ones dead. They’ll assume you’re lying. The only safe place that cares about you is here.” So you want to be a real anti-Zionist? You help us fight that propaganda by being both a Palestinian AND a Jewish ally. I promise it is so possible to be both.

[allboutmee]

Moving with Kids Made Easier

Moving is a big deal, especially when kids are involved. From packing up their favorite toys to saying goodbye to friends, a move can be an emotional rollercoaster for young children. But with the right approach, you can make the transition smoother and less stressful for everyone. This guide will help you talk to your child about moving, easing their fears and making the change exciting.

Why Talking About Moving Matters

Moving can be a daunting experience for kids because they thrive on routine and familiar surroundings. When everything they know is about to change, it can cause anxiety and uncertainty. Discussing the move openly reassures them, allowing them to express their feelings and understand what's happening.

Understanding Your Child’s Concerns

Children might not voice their worries immediately, but they may be anxious about leaving friends, changing schools, or adapting to a new environment. Taking time to listen and acknowledge their concerns is crucial. By understanding what they're worried about, you can address these issues directly.

The Benefits of Early Conversations

Starting conversations about the move early gives your child time to process the information. It helps them gradually get used to the idea and reduces the shock of sudden changes. Early discussions also allow you to introduce the positive aspects of moving, such as new adventures and making new friends.

Preparing for the Big Talk

Before you start talking to your child about moving, it's essential to be prepared. Knowing what to say and how to say it can make a significant difference.

Choosing the Right Time and Place

Pick a calm, quiet moment when everyone is relaxed. Avoid discussing the move during stressful times, like bedtime or before school. A weekend afternoon might be perfect for a family chat.

Gathering Information

Arm yourself with information about the new neighborhood, school, and local activities. This will help you answer any questions your child might have and paint a positive picture of the new place.

Planning Your Approach

Decide what you want to communicate and how. Be honest yet optimistic, and tailor your message to your child's age and temperament. Younger children may need simpler explanations and more reassurance, while older kids might appreciate more details and involvement in the planning process.

Making the Move Exciting

To ease the transition, focus on the exciting aspects of moving. Highlighting the positives can help your child see the move as an adventure rather than a loss.

Exploring the New Neighborhood

Talk about the new neighborhood and what it has to offer. Mention parks, playgrounds, and nearby attractions that your child might enjoy. If possible, take a virtual tour together to visualize the new surroundings.

Family-Friendly Activities

Research fun activities in the new area that your family can look forward to. Whether it's visiting a local zoo, joining a sports team, or exploring a museum, having something to anticipate can boost your child's enthusiasm.

Creating a Memory Book

Encourage your child to create a memory book of your current home. Include photos, drawings, and mementos that capture happy moments. This activity helps preserve cherished memories and provides a sense of closure.

Involving Your Child in the Process

Involving your child in the moving process can give them a sense of control and reduce anxiety. Here are some ways to include them.

Packing Together

Make packing a team effort. Allow your child to pack their belongings, especially their favorite items. This empowers them and makes the move feel less overwhelming.

Decorating the New Room

Give your child the opportunity to plan and decorate their new room. This can make them feel more at home and excited about the new space.

Participating in Decisions

Involve your child in decisions related to the move, such as choosing new furniture or deciding on family-friendly activities in the new area. Their input can make them feel valued and heard.

Keeping the Lines of Communication Open

After the initial conversation, it's important to keep talking about the move. Regular check-ins can help your child adjust and address any new concerns that arise.

Regular Check-Ins

Schedule regular family meetings to discuss the move's progress. Use these sessions to address any questions or worries your child might have. Keeping the lines of communication open ensures everyone stays on the same page.

Validating Feelings

Acknowledge your child's feelings throughout the process. Validate their emotions, whether they are excited, sad, or anxious. Reassuring them that it's okay to feel a mix of emotions can help them cope better.

Encouraging Questions

Encourage your child to ask questions whenever they have them. Answer honestly and positively, providing as much information as possible. This builds trust and reduces uncertainty.

Creating New Routines

Establishing new routines in the new home can help your child adjust more quickly. Familiar patterns provide a sense of stability and comfort.

Morning and Bedtime Rituals

Keep morning and bedtime routines consistent to provide a sense of normalcy. Familiar activities, like reading a bedtime story or having breakfast together, can ease the transition.

Family Traditions

Continue or establish new family traditions in the new home. These rituals, whether weekly movie nights or Sunday morning pancakes, create a sense of continuity and belonging.

Socializing and Making Friends

Encourage your child to socialize and make new friends. Arrange playdates or enroll them in local clubs and activities. Building new relationships can make the new place feel like home.

Leveraging Community Resources

Tap into community resources to support your child during the move. Many organizations offer programs for new residents to help them acclimate.

Local Support Groups

Join local support groups or online forums for families who have recently moved. Sharing experiences and advice with others in similar situations can be comforting.

School Resources

Reach out to the new school for resources and support. Many schools have programs to help new students integrate smoothly. Meeting with teachers and counselors can also provide additional support.

Community Events

Attend community events and gatherings to meet new people and learn more about the area. Participating in local activities helps your family feel connected and engaged.

Moving with kids can be challenging, but with thoughtful preparation and open communication, you can make the transition smoother. Remember, involving your child in the process, creating new routines, and leveraging community resources are key steps to ensuring a positive experience.

[ledenews]

Thalman Campaign Focusing on Success and Wheeling’s Future

His campaign’s slogan delivered his main message from the beginning, and he is hopeful controversial distractions haven’t overshadowed his service and his vision for Wheeling’s future. Chad Thalman has served as the council representative for Ward 1 and as Vice Mayor since 2016, and now he wishes to follow termed-out Mayor Glenn Elliott in the position. On May 6, however, anonymous campaign mailers concerning the mayoral race were received by many Wheeling residents, and Thalman was forced to address the flyers on Facebook. He stated: “As many of you know, myself and several other candidates for mayor have been the subject of some negative campaigning. … I’ve had nothing to do with this and don’t believe any other candidate has any involvement in this either. I strongly condemn these tactics. I’m disturbed by what is happening. … Those running for mayor maybe my opponents, but they are not my enemies. I believe every single one of them is a good and decent person and I’ve enjoyed our interactions while on the campaign trail.” Vice Mayor Thalman will further address the anonymous mailers, and his campaign, Monday from 5-6 p.m. on River Talk, 100.1FM and AM 1290. “I believe there are a lot of positive things taking place in the city right now, and I want that to continue with me as the mayor of Wheeling. I feel like I know the ingredients after serving on council and as the Vice Mayor for the last eight years,” Thalman said. “I don’t think it’s wise to change horses midstream. Thalman met with Darin "Lurch" Koch to present this certificate last May at the Veteran Amphitheatre at Heritage Port. “I want to continue bringing investment into the city, and that includes all areas of the city,” he explained. “I know the downtown gets a lot of attention, but I want to put a lot of focus on our neighborhoods by continuing to focus on parks and playgrounds while paving even more roads and alleys and continuing demolitions where necessary.” Thalman has participated in the two public panel discussions that were streamed by local media outlets, and he’s explained his beliefs during radio and newspaper interviews as well. Each time he’s explained his experience is key to, yes, continuing the city’s comeback. “I have knocked on a lot of doors and talked to a lot of people, and I keep hearing the same things over … ‘We like what’s happening’ … ‘We like the path we’re on’ … ‘Stay the course’ … ‘You guys are doing a good job’,” Thalman said. “And I agree. Things are happening. “I feel like it’s my obligation to do my part to help the city I love, to help my hometown, and to help the city I’ll be spending the rest of my life in,” he said. “I’m proud of what we’ve done the past eight years, and I want to keep going.” He sees it as simple, too, when it comes to making that slogan become reality. “This year, visiting with residents from around the city has been great, and the people want to know my plans,” Thalman explained. “The people of Wheeling want a mayor that’s going to work hard and who’s going to keep their foot on the pedal. “But, if you want someone as mayor who is just going to sit on their hands and do nothing, I’m not your guy,” he said. “And when you talk to people in the city, they will tell you about the alley they want to be paved or the house in their neighborhood that needs to come down, and I believe we have to look at all of that. I can have ideas and so can the members of Council, but we have to listen to the residents most of all.” Thalman has been a part of many conversations about the future of downtown Wheeling, including this with Mayor Elliott and Kurt Zende, the president of the Wheeling Chamber of Commerce. Creating a New Neighborhood It began under former mayor Andy McKenzie with the introduction of The Stone Lofts in the Stone Center on Main Street, and it continued with Boury Lofts on the corner of 16th and Main streets. Thalman then joined Elliott with The Wheeling-Pitt Lofts project, an initiative held up by the economy and interest rates but one still on the “Possibility Board” when it comes to increasing the number of residential units in the downtown area. “The Doris,” though, was constructed and opened across from the Heritage Center project, and it features 46 one and two-bedroom apartments just in time for Williams-Lea Tag’s renovations for an expansion to a 650-person workforce. “Over the past eight years, we’ve talked about becoming a city that would attract the remote worker because we’re already on our way with updating our downtown for the people who work there and live there so we can make Wheeling a city people want to live in,” Thalman said. “We have good schools, great parks, a low cost of living, the cost of living is very attractive, and our downtown is becoming a new neighborhood itself. “When you work remotely, it usually doesn’t matter where you actually live,” he said. “So, if I’m elected, I would concentrate on how we can develop those amenities and continue upgrading our infrastructure so we can make the city as attractive as possible.” Chad's parents, including his mother, Vicki, were thrilled when he decided to move back home more than a decade ago. A few of those amenities, per se, are included in the ongoing $32 million streetscape scheduled for a July 2025 completion. “And once the streetscape is complete, we’ll have the infrastructure – above and below the ground – that we’ll need to attract even more new businesses, but I don’t want to wait that long. I want to work with developers right now,” Thalman insisted. “We’ll have all of the water and stormwater lines and all of the roads, the sidewalks, and the beauty above the ground so we can promote a great situation for an existing business or for someone just starting out. The opportunity will be here. “Plus, I’ve been talking about the sidewalks for a couple of years now because I would like to see them get fixed throughout the city,” he reported. “I would like to see street trees in our neighborhoods, and I’d like to see more public art in every area. We need more residential housing, and I believe we need more apartments downtown. While serving on Wheeling Council, Thalman says he’s learned the position comes with far more positives than negatives, and he’s also learned, without a doubt, what the residents want most. “All of my goals can be boiled down to one – I want Wheeling to be better than it is now,” he said. “And I’ve learned that’s exactly what the people of this city want, too. They want to see growth, they want to see new, and they want to see that the efforts are being made. “As mayor, I would want progress in every area possible so Wheeling can become what the residents want it to become,” Thalman added. “I’ve seen how it’s done, and now I want to keep it going.” Read the full article

[foulwitchknight]

Hello, I want to participate in your fs reading. My name is Ngoc (she), capricorn rising, taurus sun, virgo moon and my fs (he).

I want to ask about my first meeting with my fs.

Thank you! 🥰

Visual:The First Time 2013 - the blue van. Silli boy - YouTube I feel like you will meet your fs during a time where you are really overwhelmed. You may be at a transition period in your life and trying to decide what your next steps will be. You may be wanting to move into a different area? You feel very bored where you are and hope that moving will help you inject new energy into your life. I feel like you may be at the library researching different areas around you when your fs shows up. He may be there trying to complete an assignment for school and work. He sits down at the computer next to you. You work in silence for an hour and your fs happens to look up and see what your doing. ‘That area’s not good. People are trying to move out not in’ You jump at his voice. He looks sheepish and apologizes. ‘Sorry I noticed your list and your Google search and had to interject before you made a huge mistake.’ You school your features not wanting this stranger to know you think he’s funny. ‘Well thanks but I can figure this out on my own’ You say in a kind of snooty voice hoping to shut down the conversation. Your fs shrugs and returns to his work. Another hour past and you haven’t written down any new places to move. You peek at your fs who seems hard at work on his assignment. You sigh. ‘Where would you suggest?’ “Glad you asked!’ He says immediately and he launches into a comprehensive analysis of the different areas in the state. Your eyes widen as you listen. You find out later he’s lived there all his life so he knows it really well. You end up buying food together and returning to the library to continue your discussion. Time seems to fly and suddenly its almost closing time. You pack up in a hurry and leave together. You pause right outside the exit. He shifts his books and holds out his hand. ‘My name is____ . Sorry I didn’t introduce myself before.’ You take his hand and tell him your name. You smile at each other and don’t let go until you hear someone clear their throat. You both turn towards an annoyed Librarian. ‘Id like to go home please.’ You both nod and hurry out. You stop for a second to exchange numbers though.

If you like your reading please consider purchasing a reading from me! I hope you have a great day!

[diversityintoys]

Introducing Diversity To Kids Must Start At A Young Age

It can be difficult for parents to speak to their children about racism. Many parents worry about exposing their children to topics like discrimination and racism at an early age. Others generally avoid discussing things they don't feel comfortable discussing or fully understanding.

A conversation surrounding discrimination and racism will be different for each family. However, the earlier you initiate this conversation with your kids, the better. A baby can quickly notice physical differences like skin colour as early as six months.

Several studies have also shown that they can show signs of racial bias, like treating people differently by age five. Avoiding or ignoring these topics is not helping you protect your children. All you are doing is exposing them to racial bias, which exists everywhere.  Kids who encounter racism feel lost when trying to understand why they are being treated differently in society, which will impact their long-term well-being and development.

Toys Can Help

Introducing diversity toys is a great way to spur conversations surrounding race and ethnicity within the safe space of your home. Toys play a critical role in a child's development. Therefore, it's crucial for them to feel represented in the toys they play with and the media they consume.

As a parent, you should expect your kids to have some questions about race and discrimination when they enter grade school, and sometimes even sooner. It is usual for kids to notice some differences and want more information about what they mean.

Talking to your children about different customs, cultures, and races will show your child it's okay to notice the differences. The best way you can bring up these topics without hurting someone's feelings is by getting ethnic dolls.

Listen To Music From Around The World.

Select some music from any world culture you are unfamiliar with and listen to them when driving your child to school, cooking, or eating dinner. You can also make your own music with kids that are inspired by other cultures. Research shows that making music is an exhilarating and stimulating experience for all age groups.

Multicultural Experience

Try to participate in more multicultural experiences as a family. Participating in diverse activities and events can significantly reduce the chances of your kids’ developing stereotypes. You can easily find many cultural community events, restaurants, museums, performances, and festivals in most urban areas. Trying to participate in a new cultural experience is one of the best ways parents can introduce their kids to diverse groups.

Remember, as parents, you must ensure these discussions happen naturally and in short bursts while your kids are engaged in their daily activities. Try to have an open mind and trust that you can answer your child's questions. Open-minded communication is the primary step towards combating fear and promoting understanding. When you speak with your children about topics like diversity, you are making the world a better place. It will help ensure our future generations are better and more accepting than our past.

[sen-no-kotowari]

Dark Selena Interlude: An Elegy for a Flower Ch 2

Chapter 2: The Young Girl’s Straggle

The endearing young woman spoke. She wandered about while listening to the song the actors sang.

“Dear Selena, By the time this letter reaches you, are you taking a break from how tiresome your journey is? I mentioned it in the last letter, but I’ve been trying my hand at making a stage play right now. Though it’s a lot harder than I’d imagined it to be. One’s creative process is a lonesome journey that many people walk through, and yet searching for the right path itself is quite difficult. I tried to do things that showed what a “playwright’s” caliber is to figure out what I should write about, but… I have a funny story I wanna share with you. I’ll write about it at the end of this letter. I’ll be glad even if it becomes a made-up story between us friends. So about this funny story, I have to admit that I had always experienced some form of worry when I first started this creative process. Things like “is this way of writing good enough?” or “does this usage of metaphor sound strange?” These kinds of worries have always tormented me. But what made me really anxious was when I coincidentally saw a picture of you while I was checking a recent document. It was the photo your mom took after the opening night of “Arcadia: The Great Escape.” You were smiling in that photo, but you seemed to be more anxious than I am… Rather, I could see that you were distressed about something. What in the world happened to you that day? What did you experience at that time? Why… Why did you embrace your creation with so much doubt? I wish you could tell me the reason why, Selena.”

(——)

“—The following is a recording. Just as there weren’t any official reports, this wasn’t anything private like a diary of sorts. It’s more akin to having a conversation with a friend. I’ve written down what my current situation is in the form of penned letters. This is Conservation Area No. 184, it’s near one of the Great Escape’s escape points. I’ve always wanted to visit this area… Not as a member of the Archeological Platoon though. Right now, I am only borrowing the Arts Association’s investigation mission in name and after some time, I eventually got the opportunity to participate officially. After we made our escape from the crimson thorns that had spread on the earth, I came here. Not because of an investigation, but to convey my respect for a certain hero. Some exalt songs of praise for that hero while others would perhaps explore the ruins by the outskirts of the conservation area. I was searching for relics of civilization that Eden wasn't able to take with them for years—or so I thought I would be. I unexpectedly ran into an audience in this place.“

(......)

Local Boy: What are you writing, big sis?

Selena: Oh. Uhm, this is…

Selena’s hand stopped. The cursive letter that flowed out from the tip of her pen was suddenly put to a stop.

Selena: It’s a record. I’m writing a record that’s just like a story.

Local Girl: Big sis, big sis, tell us what happens next in the story just now. What’s gonna happen to Prospero?

Selena: Oh, well, so Prospero…

(......)

“That’s right. As of now, I’m having fun telling these stories to the local children. At first, I told them fairy tales. But now, they’re already trying to grasp opera stories. What’s surprising is that all of the children here have a high level of understanding when it comes to the stories I tell them. Whether it’d be fairy tales or operas, they seem to more or less understand the emotions depicted within those stories. The children most likely have an artistic sense inside them. It could be that their talents are waiting to blossom in full bloom, similar to seeds in the ground waiting for the call of spring in the yonder. It might be arrogant of me to say this, but I pray that it’d be nice if I could be their spring breeze when I narrate these stories to them. And at the same time, I also pray that this wind would reach far and wide in every corner of this world.“

(......)

Selena: …And thus, Duke Prospero abandoned his magic, forgave those who wronged him, and then returned to his hometown.

Local Girl: Hrm… Wait, but isn’t that wrong?

Why would Prospero just easily forgive Antonio for what he did?

Local Boy: Yeah! He was bullied a lot by Antonio. The bad guys must be punished!

Selena: Well… That’s because…

Because the circumstances around the characters should be explained… Uhm,  it’s the reason why he became like that—his past to be exact.

But, about that… Instead of listening to my interpretation, I think it’s better to think about it on your own.

Local Girl: Huh? But why?

Selena: Because… There's no right or wrong in stories.

Letting you have your own answers makes me truly happy as a storyteller.

Selena smiled at the children.

Selena: Okay, want me to sing a song while everyone’s thinking about it?

Local Girl: Yeah! I wanna hear you sing!

Selena: With pleasure. Then, please listen to my song.

Selena responded loud enough for the people in the distance to hear. Conservation Area No. 184 used to be one of the many escape points of the Great Escape. Several traces of artistic activities were discovered within the city’s vicinity and even the refugees have some understanding of the arts. With their hunger satisfied and their interactions with others developed, soldiers and locals alike have started to converse about their experiences in life or rumors they’ve heard. According to what the children were talking about just now, it looks like operas on Eden were broadcasted here from time to time. But right now, the harmonious mood in their lively conversations is gone and the expressions on their faces are constantly tinged with sadness. There seemed to be a large-scale battle that happened 10 days ago, just before Selena had arrived. The expression on the people’s faces tells the story of how cruel that battle was. They were longing to comfort the children. That’s why she chose to sing a lullaby. The young woman sang out in a tender tone. It was just as if a mother was rocking a cradle. Then, she slightly raised her voice during the chorus and it filled the air as though it had wrapped around the people. She gradually sang at the top of her voice even during the silent part of the song so that it could reach everyone around them. Her gentle voice as she sang wrapped around the shadow of grief surrounding the children, soothing them even for a short time.

Selena: This song… is called a lullaby.

It’s a song that comforts everyone, including children like you guys.

Local Girl: Oh I see… Did Prospero also want to listen to a lullaby?

Selena: I wonder… Perhaps Prospero also needed to listen to a lullaby… Everyone, what kind of lullaby do you think would be good for Prospero?

Local Girl: Uhm… I think something gentle, like that song just now.

Local Boy: But since it’s after such an epic adventure, it should also be something that’d feel like he’s praised for doing his best after everything, not just something gentle.

Local Girl: Aww, I don’t know. It feels different…

Selena gently drew the children from their circle close to her as she kept smiling. They, too, would need time for themselves to discuss what they’ve learned. During that time, she was given the chance to approach the person she’s been searching for a while now.

(......)

Selena: Excuse me, are you Sir Pard?

Pard: I am.

The Structure military personnel, who was in the middle of his maintenance, took off his helmet and showed his face. It was a rugged, resolute look that endured the ordeals of time. Selena straightened her collar and saluted.

Selena: It’s an honor to meet you, I am Selena.

Sir Pard, Eden has begun their survey within the vicinity of Conservation Area No. 184 in the wake of the battle that happened the other day. You led your platoon in that battle and finished an extremely important lynching strategy.

Your heroic actions had an immense contribution to the operation and saved the conservation area from catastrophic danger. All of the survivors here are grateful for what you did. By all means, won’t you attend Eden’s public recognition ceremony?

Pard: I’m honored. I shall attend the ceremony if time permits.

His response was simple and polite, there weren't any emotions of joy behind it. Given how old he was, it wasn’t unusual for him to have public recognition. However, he kept on talking as is.

Pard: If it was simply informing me about the public recognition ceremony, sending a transmission would’ve been more than sufficient, but to think that they went out of their way and dispatched someone to notify me about it.

That song just now… was that your idea?

Selena: Yes, I believe… that songs are the most gentle way to soothe a person’s heart.

Perhaps it was because she was liberated from the customs of high-born etiquettes, or because she felt connected with the arts of this place, the young woman eased up a little and opened up her magnanimous heart’s door to others.

Selena: I’m worried that my actions may appear blasphemous to people like you, who are setting out for the front line… Although I sang that for the children… I thought that it’d be nice if everyone also heard it, so I chose to sing that song.

The young woman glanced sideways at the same time she said those words, briefly catching a glimpse of the surroundings. It felt as though the crease on the brows of people who sleep in sorrow had slightly softened. She wants to hope that what she saw wasn’t an illusion.

Selena: There is no public recognition, no operas, no treatment for the injured, and they couldn’t drive back the enemies… But if there are soldiers who’d protect these people from those enemies, there should also be “soldiers” who would pay tribute to them in times of peace.

Pilow of the support troops in the rearguard, Braua of the reconnaissance team, Sara the analyst, and many others…

Their families and all of the people here need to understand why they had to sacrifice themselves so that a piece of their memory would continue to exist in our hearts…. That’s why I was deployed to this place.

It was so that the people who survived would embrace the hope they left us and at the same time, heal their grief-stricken souls… As such, this, I believe, is the significance of public recognition.

Pard: …Is that so. I think that’s wonderful.

There weren’t any emotions behind the veteran soldier’s words as usual. Based on his nod, however, he was able to grasp Selena’s feelings of admiration.

Pard: You’re Miss Selena, I believe?

I’ve heard about you. You’re the newcomer with a momentum in the Arts Association… I didn’t think I’d be able to meet you in such a place like this.

Thank you, Selena. I’ve duly received the report.

I still have a mission left to accomplish, so I’ll be excusing myself here.

Selena: Okay… Oh, please wait a moment.

Do you perhaps know Sir Flora? He used to be a member of your platoon if I recall correctly…

In that battle, he seemed to have taken the initiative to cooperate in killing a specific Infected. I’ve heard that act was a chance to determine the conflict’s outcome.

Although I only heard about it from the children, Sir Flora enlisted to be a soldier after he was inspired by a certain opera. As someone who is both an art enthusiast and a military personnel, I wish to show my respect to his heroic sacrifice.

I thought of informing his family that Eden has acknowledged his honor to console them for his loss. If you have time after your mission is over, would you like to accompany me as the captain of his platoon?

Pard: Of course, I’d love to. It happens very often.

Selena: Thank you. If you could kindly tell me where Sir Flora’s house is―

Local Boy: Uhm… If you wish to meet the Floras, I could guide you there, Big Sis.

While they were conversing, someone grabbed Selena’s finger. When she looked down on her hand, a small boy was pulling her finger.

Local Boy: Uncle Flora’s house is a bit far from here, so if Pard’s busy, I-I can go instead…

Uhm, if I went that far to lead the way, could I… listen to the song you sang again?

It’s, uh… Mom died in that battle the other day… When I heard the song you sang earlier, I remember the lullaby Mom sang to me…

That’s why, uhm… If it’s okay to record that song, I could listen to it any time I want… Can’t I?

Selena: …Of course, you can. Can I start singing now?

A child’s heart is fragile, yet strong, just like any adult. Selena looked at Pard. He nodded at her as he turned around and was about to leave them since he still had a mission to finish.

Local Boy: R-really?! Thank goodness! Where did I place the recording device…

The boy took out an old recording device from under his baggy clothes. The shape of its external speakers are in the shape of a morning glory flower.

Local Boy: This was something Uncle Flora made. Everyone’s got one with them.

Uhh… I… think the record button’s right around here…

The boy pushed one button on the device firmly. Selena was also ready to sing. However, it seems that there wasn’t any switch for recording the audio. An aria— a vocal solo in an opera—has started to play from the recording device instead.

Local Boy: Huh, wait, I pressed the wrong button… This is the song Uncle Flora sang. Uhm… How do I make it stop—

The boy nervously tried to operate the recording device, but Selena stopped him.

Selena: Wait… I��d like to listen for a little while more.

Selena closed her eyes, her body facing the direction of the recording device, and silently listened for a short while. The boy briefly stayed silent and saw her immersed in the song. He began to speak in a whisper soon after.

Local Boy: Uncle Flora… Loved this song a lot. It became his motive to head for the battlefield.

The young boy was perhaps telling Selena his feelings, or possibly what he had felt the first time he heard this song.

Local Boy: I also love this song… Whenever I listen to it, I remember the thing that the people who’re fighting the monsters outside the conservation area mentioned… What they describe as “their reason for marching to the battlefield.”

Why Mama sacrificed herself… What Mama thought of before she headed for the front line… Whenever I listen to this song, I feel that I can somehow understand her.

It’s… really amazing.

Selena: Mhm… I agree…

Selena replied back in a way that she showed sh listening to what the young boy said, but her focus immediately went back to the vocal solo. It was a magnificent and technical part. Even if that part was seemingly trembling with anger, it also ostensibly was crying from an overwhelming sadness—these two emotions are closely entwined with the threads of death. It was a consolation for a certain group of casualties. Even as the tone of the singer’s voice kept on changing, it was heading toward the climax— And at that moment, somebody frantically pushed the stop button.

Local Boy: Uncle Pard?

The veteran soldier, who was supposed to head out for his mission, stood behind Selena without warning.

Pard: …Litt, your father’s looking for you on the front lines… He said that he wants your help in sorting out your mother’s mementos.

Local Boy: O-okay… I’ll go right now.

I’ll get going now, sister… Can I come by again later?

Selena: Yes… Of course you can.

The boy placed the recording device away and hurriedly ran off. While gazing at the direction the boy ran off to, Selena’s eyes couldn’t focus on his back fading from her view—rather, she wasn’t trying to look at all.

Selena: Sir Pard, could I ask you a question?

Pard: …Go ahead.

Selena: That song that was played moments ago, even though it was one part of a certain opera…

That child said that Sir Flora was influenced by this song and marched his way to the battlefield.

Selena: (I distinctly remember this song… Its title is “Arcadia: The Great Escape.”)

I… wrote that song.

Pard: …There’s no need for you to feel responsible for that. I was the one who wasn’t able to stop his heroic sacrifice.

Although his voice was hoarse, it also showed kindness.

Pard: You should be proud of your talent. Your work has the power to captivate others. You’ve fulfilled your role of passing down the story’s narrative well.

Selena silently closed her eyes. ...... She could hear the storm’s howl. With a heart that holds faith and value in loving all things in nature, Selena believed that she could overcome any hardships that come her way if she can prepare a ship that could weather the driving rain. However, she certainly didn’t expect that a storm would brew inside her own heart. On top of that, it was because of something she sincerely loves. The people who commend her are those people who march to the theater of war because of her song. When the children informed her of that reality, she was once again at the mercy of the “storm,” just like Ferdinand and Antonio.

Selena: …Uhm, excuse me, do you know where this young girl named Flora could be?

Even when the storm inside her heart stirred, Selena still pressed on despite that.

Selena: I would like to meet her.

The veteran soldier had a troubled expression on his face from her sudden inquiry.

Pard: She’s… currently not here.

She went missing from her home last night. The mission I accepted earlier was to bring her back.

[prep4tomoro]

Are "Preppers" Whack Jobs?

Zealots and extremists exist for every opinion in the world. Outsiders look at these and twirl their finger around their temple to gesture "CraaaZeee". In most cases, it's really a matter of perception, not fact. Animals store things, and humans get insurance, to prepare for hard times. In the volatile world in which we live, maybe the real Whack Jobs aren't those who plan but those who fail to plan. I don't consider myself an extreme prepper but some of my acquaintances consider some of what I do and say "gibberish". Time will tell when SHTF. Boy Scout Before Prepper: I grew up in a very rural area. I was in the cub scouts and boy scouts; in fact, my entire family participated in scouting. The Boy Scout Motto is "Be Prepared" and I have taken that literally. Like most of you, I have experienced unexpected, unpleasant events. Life happens; dangers and joys. But, whatever happens, I prepare to survive the next occurrance with less surprise and panic. My usual post-event response is to prepare so that, if a similar event occurs, I will not be as affected by it the next time. I evaluate what happened, how it played out and what I could have done to deal with it better. Then I plan and acquire what's needed for that event. This process has served me well with power outages, food shortages, water contamination/loss and other, then-unexpected, events. I really didn't consider the term "prepper" until a friend brought it up in a conversation we were having about solar panels/power. After that conversation, I started to envision, and plan/prep for, scenarios that I haven't yet experienced. I believe that many who experience an emergency event focus of getting through it but never learn from it. A "prepper-type" person not only learns from the experience but takes action to deal with the "next emergency". I believe I have that prepper thought process because of my family, scouting and rural-life background; things were not readily available to me anytime I needed something. Many times, I needed to think on my feet and create solutions. I don't consider my emergency preparation activities to be an obsession but a precaution; proactive vs. reactive. To save money and sanity, I try to temper my emergency preparations to things, I consider, a bit more realistic; things that I have witnessed and experienced (like major, long-term, power outages in extreme temperatures) and others that seem, to me, to indicate something is heading down a bad road that could get ugly (just listen/watch the news for any length of time). There have been near-pandemic outbreaks; active shooter situations are not that uncommon and there is always a war somewhere in the world. To think "that won't happen here", and not prepare, seems unrealistic and irresponsible. We have insurance, locks and alarm systems to protect against the obvious. But, those "obvious" threats are not the limits of our risks. People get blind sided all the time by things that weren't that obvious. Quite honestly, I don't want to survive a major, cataclysmic, earth shattering event but if I have no choice, and I do manage to survive, to what extent will I be prepared? I'm thinking that there is just so much the average person can pack away in storage. After that, and if the emergency lingers, basic survival techniques need to kick in. Beware of the [Violent] Marauding/Rogue Prepper: Close friends, I've tried to convince to prep, tell me they will just come to my house if something happens. I tell them, they better bring lots of supplies with them and be prepared to work. I know/heard of others that say they will just take from, even kill, others to get what they want. These are people I consider "Whack Jobs". If they are serious when they say this, they have already prepared (not in a nice way) to steal and/or take a life. They have no conscience, mo morals, no soul. Someone in your own "trusted group" could be one of them. That's why it's so important to keep quiet about your preps and to watch out for, and be ready to defend yourself against, anyone you really don't know because they could be this kind of person. One episode (The Marauders) of the "Doomsday Preppers" TV series features one group with such an agenda; to conduct home invasions to get supplies after a societal breakdown. While some of the comments, for this YouTube video, poo-poo this guy and may be entertaining, in a real/serious SHTF senerio, these kinds of people will exist. Be prepare for them in your mind and your defenses. Related Resources: Learn to Think Outside the Box Brain Prepping for Your Worst Case Scenario Prepper vs. Survivalist; Which are You? If preppers become marauders, then what? Marauding to survive? How to Deal With the Unprepared (Non-Preppers) Prevent and Survive a Home Invasion [Reference Link]

[11-Cs Basic Emergency Kit] [14-Point Emergency Preps Checklist] [Immediate Steps to Take When Disaster Strikes] [Learn to be More Self-Sufficient] [The Ultimate Preparation] [P4T Main Menu]

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[cruciallifechangingskills]

Improve Your Communication Skills at the Workplace

Every one of us has experienced a situation where we are assigned a task or leave a meeting without knowing what to do next. It happens a lot. The numbers show that 57% of workers have not received clear instructions, and 69% of managers say they are uncomfortable talking to workers. It is evident from the numbers that workplace communication needs to be improved. But first, let's define workplace communication.

One sign of a high-performance culture in the workplace is communication. Workplace communication is the process of exchanging ideas and information inside an organization. However, clear communication happens when both parties transmit and understand a message. Effective communication is critical to success and enjoyment in all areas of life (both professionally and personally). For all corporate objectives, effective workplace communication is essential.

Five Methods to Have Effective Communication at Work

Now that you know how effective critical communication is at work, you must learn how to improve your communication abilities. Remember that effective communication requires active listening. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, putting the listener's needs before your own will frequently help you organize your communication.

Here are 5 tips for developing your communication skills.

Give it some thought - There are numerous communication frameworks, but if you want to grow better at communicating, start by making it a habit to consider these 5 questions before you send any communication: Why do you have this communication? Who is the participant, audience, or receiver? What are you trying to achieve? What actions do you want the recipient of the communication to take as a result of it? What style will help you achieve your objectives the most? You should take extra time to consider how and why you're communicating if you have trouble responding to these five questions. Afterward, check your comprehension with your manager or other co-workers.

Be patient - To ensure that your communication accomplishes the task you need, prepare what you want to say and review it. This particularly applies to written communications. Therefore it means to edit. Keep in mind that effective communication only sometimes comes naturally.

Make it simple - Almost usually, workplace communication serves a broader purpose. Everyone is busy. Ensure they can quickly grasp what you're saying and what you want them to do. When giving a presentation or writing something, immediately make your audience aware of your goal and critical point. Then enter the information.

Condense - In ordinary business conversations, you don't want to be condescending or "dumb it down," but you also don't want to make the other person struggle to comprehend you. Find a concise, unambiguous phrase to express your point. To make your message obvious and remember, repeat it at the beginning, middle, and finish.

Request comments - A few dependable co-workers and your manager are good places to start. Start by asking them to rate your written and verbal communication individually (i.e., on a scale of 1-10). then pose these 3 questions: What should I do first to improve my communication with you? What specific action should I stop taking in my correspondence with you? What one thing or talent should I focus on honing to enhance my communication at this company?

Companies place communication at the top of their desired abilities every year. There is a rationale. Our interpersonal and professional interactions are successful because of effective communication. It's how we demonstrate concern, spark change, and complete tasks.

That alone should be motivation enough to advance these crucial abilities. Fortunately, we can all improve our communication skills.

[ofmoonlitmagic]

Exhaling, Briggs felt mildly frustrated his point wasn't getting across, how whether they wanted to or not, their friends were pushing them away all because they found some happiness in this God-forsaken state of the world. Now all he wanted to do was hide it all away. He shot back without any hesitation, "no, I can't see that actually. You're going through some seriously fucked up shit, we all are, but that doesn't mean you're not good for us. Bro, we're not here for what we get from you. We're here for you. Someone that, yeah, we still happen to like. You've not got a lot to give right now? Alright. That's alright. Still call, we'll still come, because that's what friends do. And we're your best fuckin' friends." --Oh, shit. He hadn't meant to be the one to tell Lucas about that, he thought Billie already had by now, but, in hindsight, the vanishing act probably made that difficult. "Uh, yeah, it's been pretty recent," he confirmed because, well, he couldn't take it back now. "She's a real piece of work too, but the rest should really come from Billie when she's ready." He wasn't doing well at any of this, like everything he was saying was wrong. He tried to listen, just hear it all out and figure it out from there, but there was that one thing. He couldn't take that. "Absolutely not, the last thing you've ever been in his son, alright? This isn't broken, a little hurt, bruised probably, but not broken. We're not doing that shit because you are not him." Grabbing his friend by the shoulders, he insisted on his gaze, "look at me." He paused with the strike of an idea. It might work, it could. Thinking of the logistics for a few extra seconds, he patted his shoulder before motioning for him to follow, "get up, we're going somewhere. I think it'll help. Let's go." Participation wasn't optional as Briggs was already marching off with the expectation he'd be going along for this exercise. "It doesn't," he agreed, circling back to their conversation about Andy as they walked, "not saying it was the right thing for her to do. It's far from an ideal situation for either of you, and it should have been something you talked through together. I can't tell you what she thinks, but I can see she's going through some serious hell right now, same as you are. You said it yourself, you're not thinking clearly, so you can't expect her to be either." Walking out into the area he did manage to remember where to find, he finally explained his idea. "Oliver brought me out here to this junkyard after I got in some bar fight, I think it's his wolf 101 method so maybe you've done this before." Moving quickly to retrieve the bats and return, handing one off, he said, "he's got beers around here somewhere too, I'll find 'em, but just go for it. Lose your shit on anything and everything. All the rage, hurt, anger, it's allowed here."

Brows dip lower, features twisting into a mix of pain and guilt as Briggs speaks and his gaze lowers to the ground between them. This is what he was good at, pushing people away, destroying any relationship that was good for him. He was crippled daily by the fear that he was less like his mother and more like his father in more ways than one and this, this was all his father was good at, destroying the good things. "It's not you guys," Lucas counters. "It's not like that- It's- I'm, God, I don't want to ruin it. Don't you get that? Can't you see that I'm not good for you guys? I try to be, I try to be good for you and Billie, for Andy, for Jackie, for my siblings, for my mom but I just keep fucking things up. I keep taking one step forward and then drug back ten steps and you guys all deserve better than what I can give any of you." Digits shook at his side, brows furrowing as he shakes his head and emerald irises rise to meet his friends again. "Her birth mom is here," the hybrid questions. "I didn't- She never mentioned it." A sigh leaves his lips, shaking hands running through his locks once more. "What if I am though," he counters. "What if I'm not the person I thought I was? What if I am my father's son and all I'm good at is breaking the things that I love? That I can't control the emotions, the anger, the pain? Look at us, Briggs. Look at Andy. I'm doing nothing but destroying everything because I can't control any of it." There's a shudder of breath that escapes his chest, he knew time had moved differently for them, he knew that but it didn't change the way he felt. It didn't make him feel any less shitty, any less guilty, any less angry and he could feel it ripping through his veins with a vengeance, reminding him that he wasn't soft like his mother, that he wasn't a good man like he had tried so hard to be because a good man would ignore the anger, would understand, but he just couldn't. "That doesn't change the fact that she made a decision for me," Lucas retorts. "About me. If she thinks I'm that weak, that I couldn't handle seeing her again without even thinking for a moment that maybe, just fucking maybe I needed her here then what does that say about me? About what she thought of me before she died. I don't want to grieve anymore. I'm fucking tired of having to grieve. I don't feel it. All I feel is fucking hurt and angry."

[dycefic]

Have An Evil Day

No prompt this time, just a sequel to ‘Welcome To Evil-Mart’

Working at Evil-Mart is usually… well, it’s retail. It’s physically exhausting, you have to deal with a lot of idiots without being overtly rude, and your feet hurt. Even though the hours and pay are very good, the benefits are great, and our bosses treat us well compared to most retail employees, it’s still not what I’d call a fun job.

But it’s not what I’d call dull, either. Especially not on days like today.

I was promoted to supervisor after the Food Poisoning Incident, so I have a little more authority and a little less obligation to be pleasant and I got issued a weighted cosh because sometimes Evil-Mart customers get… feisty. I’d never had to use it, though, because those who hadn’t seen what I did to Majority Rules, either in person or on one of the cell-phone videos that circulated afterwards, had at least heard about it.  They didn’t give me any trouble.

I was halfway through my shift, and the worst things that’d happened had been running out of croissants and a machine oil spill in Aisle Seven, when our greeter pressed the alarm button, which sent an alert to my handset. As front-end supervisor, that meant me, so I went over. Sam, who is unusual in the henching community for having actually aged out rather than ‘being retired’ jerked his chin in the direction of a tall, swaggering figure. “He just came in,” he whispered.

I did a full double-take before I took it in. Superdyne. Fucking Superdyne.

We’d all heard about his dramatic heel-turn a couple of months ago. The whole world had heard about it. Superdyne, who’d skated closer and closer to the line for years, had decided to cross it in a blaze of bloodshed. He was a villain now, he said. There’d been a whole speech about how ingratitude had driven him to it blah blah blah.

I work at Evil-Mart. I’m from a hench family. If someone becomes a supervillain because they hate Mondays or want to turn us all into dinosaurs or whatever, I don’t judge. I will sell depth-charges and laser guns to anyone who can prove they’re over eighteen without hesitation. But even we get kind of grossed out by the ‘I am forced to turn evil because I haven’t been given enough love’ thing. People who are actually so fucked up by emotional abuse or neglect or some superhero killing their family, we’re fine with them. But they don’t say that’s why they do it, and most of them need a lot of therapy to even realize it. People who actually say that’s why are entitled dickwads.

And now the dickwad had walked into Evil-Mart like he was entitled. Like he thought he was one of us.

“Lockdown protocols,” I told Sam quietly. “On my authorisation.” That takes a minute or two, though, so I went over to talk to Superdyne. “Sir, I have to ask how you even knew where to find this place.”

He smirked at me. “I have my ways,” he said smugly. He’d either bribed or beaten someone, that was my guess. “So this is where the villains shop? We all thought you went to Wal-Mart.” He laughed, like he thought it was clever.

“Yes, so you all say,” I said dryly. I didn’t feel like pretending he was the first person to make the bad joke. “My next question, sir, is what made you think it was a good idea to come in here.”

He spread his hands. “I’m one of you now!” he said happily. “I’m a bad guy! So now I guess I shop where the bad guys shop!” He looked around, frowning a little. “Although I was expecting more weapons and explosives. A… more villainous atmosphere. I didn’t know Evil-Mart had fresh produce.”

“I don’t advise buying herbs here unless you’re a magical practitioner. Some of them have… unusual effects.” A lot of our produce is normal stuff, but some of it not only isn’t legal, it doesn’t exist anywhere else.

“Oh. Well, that makes sense. But the bright lights and the bakery?”

“We have excellent gluten-free breads. In many ways, Superdyne, this is just another store. We have sales, we mark down the breads in the afternoon, we even have a PA system.” I pulled out my handset, and thumbed the button that tied it to the PA. “Attention, shoppers,” I said in my most soothing Customer Service voice, which made him grin. “Evil-Mart wishes to inform you – “ The countdown on my handset reached zero, and I turned to look at the entrance as a huge blast door thudded down. That was the last part of the sequence – staff outside the area were already in lockdown and security were on their way. I smiled, and continued almost without a pause. “- That we are in lockdown at this time, due to the presence of Superdyne in the store. Please remain calm, and be advised that security are on their way to deal with the problem. If you have a personal grudge that you wish to address with Superdyne at this time, he is standing near Register Six with a stupid expression on his face.”

He was staring at me, stunned. “But… but…” he stammered, and damned if he didn’t look puzzled. “But I’m one of you now!”

“No,” I said flatly. “You were always evil, that’s true, but you’ll never be one of us. And for the record, I’m one of the people with a personal grudge. All those henchmen you’ve killed and maimed had families, asshole… and they all shop here.”

He swung at me, then, but I spent years in hench training. Even someone super-strong can be dodged, and once I slammed my cosh into his groin a few times his punches got a lot more aimless. Around then, Tiger Ty came over the register, claws out and snarling, and I figured I should stand out of the way.

About ten minutes later, I turned on the PA again. “Clean-up to Register Six,” I called, in the same special voice. “Category 7, class three. Shoppers, please be advised that lockdown is now lifted but Register Six will be closed until clean-up is completed.”

Hunter, who’d been working Register Six, came out from underneath it. He looked a little green. Well, he was still in his teens, this was probably his first fatal mobbing. “What’s Category 7?” he asked in a shaky voice. “I haven’t heard that before.”

“Biohazard.”

“Oh. Class three?”

“Send three people. He was a juicy one.” I stepped away from a spreading puddle of blood. “Run and get a couple of caution signs we can put around this mess.” I eyed it measuringly. “And one of those fifteen-gallon plastic tubs with a lid, I’ll damage it out.”

He eyed the mess. “Are you sure that’s big enough?”

“Yeah, the average human is only about seventeen gallons by volume, and I’m not going to put all the blood and mush in there, just the big pieces.”

He gulped. “Ah. Yes, ma’am.”

I called after him when he ran off. “One of the black tubs, not a clear one!” Which honestly should only be common sense, but you can’t count on a flustered teenager to have common sense.

We frown on killing customers at Evil-Mart, up to a point… but when a particularly murderous super-hero walks into our store, well, that’s something else. I’d have to fill out a ton of paperwork, though.

I had to chase off one of Doctor Malign’s minons and two members of the Genetic Reign before the clean-up crew arrived, both of whom urgently wanted samples. In the end I scraped a few pieces of liver and unidentified organ into two of the bags we use for possibly-contaminated money just to make them go away. (They’re good customers, and it was just going to go in the trash anyway.)

By the time the clean-up was done, all the big pieces were boxed up, and I’d finished the paperwork, my shift had been over for twenty minutes, and I’d been asked to come up to the boss’s office.

“Listen, I have no issues with how you handled the situation, I want you to know that.” Mr Trent leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingertips together. “It was quick, it was efficient, and… given your personal history with Superdyne, not to mention mine and that of half of our customer base… richly deserved.”

“Yes, sir,” I said. It came out too meek, and I cleared my throat and straightened up. It’s hard not to be intimidated by Mr Trent, when you’re in the same room with him. It’s not his fault, and he does his best, but even under the strictest control his fear-inducing powers tend to unsettle anyone who gets too close. We all know he’s not doing it on purpose and we try not to show our reactions. “Do you have any orders regarding the remains?”

“Doctor Order wants them.” He rubbed his chin. “Get someone from the pharmacy to prepare samples for him, please, including brain tissue. He’s our primary supplier, and we can’t offend him. As for the rest… as you know, I’m retired, and I don’t usually participate in the Endless War.” One of his hands dropped to his left thigh. His prosthetic leg is some of Doctor Order’s best work, but the injury that led to his retirement had been brutal even by our standards. “But this is different. Superdyne came here. To our place of safety. We need to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

I nodded. “Do you want the remains dumped somewhere public? Some kind of dramatic display?”

“No. Something more direct.” He rubbed his chin again, then tapped the intercom on his desk. “Iris, please send up Miss Fedorova from Marketing and Mr Levy from the warehouse.”

“Yes, sir,” Iris responded, and he clicked off the intercom again.

“The three of you worked together very well, during the food poisoning incident,” he explained. “And I believe they can assist us in a satisfactory conclusion.” He hesitated, then smiled ruefully. “Perhaps you should wait outside until they get here. I can tell I’m unsettling you.”

“Sir, I know you’re not – “

“Not doing it on purpose.” He sighed. “I do appreciate how hard you all work to make me feel… accepted, I really do. But I’m very annoyed right now, which makes control more difficult for me, so I think we’d both be more relaxed if you waited outside while I do my meditation exercises.”

I waited outside. When the three of us went into his office again, the miasma of low-level fear was definitely a bit lighter, and he smiled. “All right. Now, this conversation is going to be very confidential, and I will remind you all of the agreements you signed when you were employed.” We all chorused agreement, and he nodded. “Good. Now, this is very much a secret, even among Evil-Mart staff, but we do have a few online clients who are… ah… on the other side of the fence.”

Ms Fedorova blinked. “What?”

Knuckles sighed. “We ship to a few heroes,” he explained. “The ones who are… less homo than sapiens, if you get my drift.”

I didn’t, and from her expression Ms Fedorova didn’t either. Mr Trent spread his hands, drawing our eyes to his fingers. Which as a rule nobody looks at, because there’s fourteen of them, with four joints in each finger, and we know he’s self-conscious about it. “The less… purely human ones,” he said quietly. “One of the reasons I created Evil-Mart was to give those who can’t pass for human, like me, a place to be… people. To have dignity. So that the obligate carnivores weren’t reduced to living on pet-food or scavenging for scraps, so that those with complex metabolisms could get the supplements they need so that people who are still people, for all their outward differences, could shop in safety. There are a great many more monsters, demigods, abominations of science and other non-standard persons among our set than among the heroes, and I wanted to meet their needs, as well as selling weapons and Lair-away-from-home sets and so on.”

“And there are a few heroes who order from us for that reason,” Knuckles added. “The ones who can’t get medications to suit their metabolism, or need to eat things that you can’t get easily anywhere else.”

I nodded, because that much I understood. We have some very esoteric ‘dietary supplies’ that start with fresh, healthy, well-treated and disease-free prey animals frozen whole (from mouse up to calf and goat kept in stock, larger sizes by pre-order, halal and kosher certified where possible) and end with human blood (rejected blood bank stock mostly, we have an arrangement), and human flesh and organs (sourced from hospitals, morgues and crematoriums, guaranteed no murder, at least not by us). “Well, I suppose that makes sense. I’m surprised we ship to them, though.”

“Oh, they don’t know we know. It’s all assumed names and secret bank accounts.” Knuckles grinned. “But Mr Trent has all our online customers identified before we ship. And for the ones who don’t have any other options, well… we let it slide.”

“I can see why you don’t want that to get out.” Ms Fedorova tapped her chin. “What does this have to do with disposing of the body? I was planning to set up a really ghoulish display in a public place somewhere, I already have some sketches.” Marketing for Evil-Mart is… well, it includes more than designing our sale flyers.

“No. We’re going to deliver them to a hero… one of the ones who owes us… and make it very clear that just because someone decides to admit he’s a villain, that doesn’t make him one of us and it doesn’t entitle him to union services,” Mr Trent said flatly. “I want to make it crystal clear to all of them that a heel turn does not mean their sins are forgiven, or that we will accept them as anything other than a very brief amusement.”

Late that night – we were all on overtime, but it couldn’t be done in daylight – we wheeled a cart down the run-down hallway of a shoddy apartment building. “This is a terrible address for a hero,” Ms Fedorova muttered. “Are we sure he lives here?”

“I deliver here a couple of times a month.” Knuckles was pushing the cart. “I’m sure.”

“Okay.” Ms Fedorova cleared her throat, coughed once or twice, and suddenly her voice was deeper and her very faint Russian accent was as thick as pea soup. “This is intimidation tactic,” she said, grinning toothily. “Do not act surprised.”

I knocked on the door, but let Knuckles do the talking. “Delivery, Mr West,” he called, using the fake name the guy had been giving.

It worked… the door was unlocked and opened almost immediately. “I scheduled the order for next – “ the mark said, and then we were pushing inside, slamming the door behind us.

“Do not be alarmed, Mr… Dinoid, is it?” Ms Fedorova said, folding her arms. “Evil-Mart is knowing all along your real identity. But you are needing to eat, and we are not turning down regular business, so we make no trouble.”

Knuckles rolled his eyes behind her back at how much she was hamming it up, but I waved a hand. Let her have her fun. So Knuckles started unloading the boxes onto the table while she talked. “First, your Budget Bunny Box. Your favourite, da?” The next box, smaller, plunked down. “Two fresh chickens, halal certified, healthy and having lived good life, gift for good customer.” Knuckles dumped the plastic tub on the floor. “And mortal remains of Superdyne, with note.”

Dinoid was staring at us, but that made him shift into a combat stance, his long claws spread. “The… Superdyne’s dead? And in there?”

“Well. Most of him. The big pieces.” Ms Fedorova shrugged an impressively Russian shrug. I hadn’t even known that was a thing, but when she did it, it was obvious. “You must understand, when a mob tears a man apart, it is hard to find every little piece.”

“I’m pretty sure Doctor Malign and the Genetic Reign took off with doggy bags,” I said, as if I hadn’t handed them over myself. “And Doctor Order probably has some of him too, by now. So looking out for clones would be a good idea, I don’t know if that’s in the note.”

Insofar as that reptilian face could show readable expressions, he looked shocked. “Why on earth would… why? He changed sides? And why did you bring him to me?”

“We know your address, we know you don’t want to turn us in because we’re the only ones who can supply your meals, and our boss wanted us to make this very clear.” I indicated the note. Since Ms Fedorova was hamming up her Sexy Russian Supervillain act, and Knuckles was very obvious Muscle, I figured it was on me to be the Reasonable One. “He might have stopped being a hero, but that didn’t make him one of us. That didn’t make him acceptable to us. Our boss wants it made very clear that your failures shouldn’t expect to be accepted by us… or even spared by us.”

He shifted slowly, the tip of his tail twitching. “I… see. I understand why you would reject Superdyne. He was notorious for killing and maiming people on… your side. But I know other defectors have been accepted. Philomel, for example.”

“Philomel was child of villains. She is young, she is rebellious, she sides with heroes for a while.” Ms Fedorova shrugged. “Is understandable, da? The young do foolish things. She comes home, all is forgiven.”

He nodded slowly. “Tenebrous?”

“That story I don’t know.” Ms Fedorova glanced at me.

I nodded. “Tenebrous was just a kid. He was twelve when Varide recruited him. Nineteen when he broke with the guy. Varide put a kid into combat, left him with massive PTSD, then ditched him when he had a breakdown and went too far. Mx Frantique at least made sure he had a safe place to stay and some therapy.”

“It’s happened a few times.” Knuckles rested his elbows on the cart’s handles, his inhumanly big, strong hands dangling. “But there’s a process. A system. If someone’s sponsored by a villain in good standing, like Frantique sponsoring Tenbrous, they can be accepted. Nobody gets to just choose to join. Especially not a smug, entitled prick like Superdyne.”

Ms Fedorova suddenly leaned forward, scowling. “And why are you called Dinoid? You are not dinosaur. You are clearly monitor lizard. Golden monitor, I think.” She reached out and prodded his arm. “And not healthy, either. Look at colouration! You do not keep environment humid enough. Are having trouble with shedding, da?”

Now we were all staring at her. “You’re a lizard expert now?” Knuckles asked.

She shrugged. “What? Is hobby. Mamma’s little Varanus Acanthurus are pride and joy. Sadly, cannot keep larger monitors in city. Is unkind.”

Dinoid ran a hand over his head slowly. “Not many people realize,” he said slowly. “That’s why I order from you guys. I used to get frozen… food… from a pet supplier, but then I got contacted by someone who told me there was another option.”

“Is good thing. Those pet suppliers, they are rogues. They do not keep animals healthy, can get diseases or mites from those things.” Ms Fedorova sniffed. “I would never buy from them. My babies would get sick.”

He actually chuckled, then, seeming to relax a bit. “You’re not wrong. After… this happened… I got really sick a couple of times before I figured out what to eat, and where to get it. And even the reputable suppliers don’t always have the healthiest stock.” He opened his mouth wide, making a gagging noise. “You have no idea how bad that ‘reptile food’ is. Eating whole animals may be a little disgusting, but it’s nothing to some of that stuff.”

“I believe it,” I said emphatically. “There’s a reason Evil-Mart has such an extensive pet-food line. The horror stories we hear from some of our customers… well, you’d believe it, I bet, but most humans just look confused.”

Knuckles nodded, and spread his hands. “People who can’t pass for regular humans… or even for people, the way most normies see it… are a lot more common on our side of the fence than yours. That’s why we delivered to you. We figured you really needed it.”

“Does he order from the pharmacy?” Ms Fedorova was around behind him now, examining his back. “He is having calcium deficiency, am betting. He needs nutritional supplement.”

“I take a nutritional supplement,” he said defensively.

“The one for normal-sized lizards is not enough for man-sized monitor/human hybrid,” she said firmly. “Check pharmacy section next time. We are having excellent selection of supplements for hybrids, and chart to tell you how much to take for body-mass.”

He looked back and forth between the three of us. “You people are… not what I would have expected from an evil supermarket.”

“We may be… morally challenged,” I said, shrugging, “but we’re not heartless.” I looked around his tiny, shabby apartment. “Unlike some of your lot. I thought you were on a team. Why are you living here?”

He ducked his head. “I couldn’t live at the base,” he said, his tail drooping. “My… I made people uncomfortable. And the stipend isn’t much.”

“Isn’t much? With the merchandising deals they have?” Ms Fedorova sounded shocked, and the accent had dropped back a lot. “I know for a fact that if the accountants ever got hold of their books they’d owe more in back taxes than… well, than Evil-Mart would if our illegal product arm ever got discovered. And we pay our taxes on the legitimate stuff scrupulously.”

Dinoid blinked rapidly, though I couldn’t tell whether he was more surprised by her suddenly dropping her act or the idea that Evil-Mart pays taxes. “You do?”

“Of course. Not under that name, of course, there’s a shell company.” She sniffed. “All villains do. Al Capone, you know. We’re not getting caught that way again.”

Knuckles and I both nodded when he looked at us, and he shook his head. “Huh. Makes sense, I guess.”

“It does.” I looked around again. The place really was crappy. “I know it’s a personal question, Mr… West, but under the circumstances I’d like to know… how much is that stipend?”

He looked down at the floor for a while, then cleared his throat. “Uh. $1100 a month.”

We all stared at him. Ms Fedorova’s mouth fell open. Knuckles looked shocked, and I was horrified. “$1100 a month?!” I asked, my voice coming out louder than I’d intended. “For risking your life on a superhero team?! I have teenaged cashiers working part-time who make more than that!”

He looked almost as startled as we did. “For working a cash register?!”

“Evil-Mart pays pretty good.” Knuckles shrugged. “But that stipend is disgusting.”

“You are being exploited,” Ms Fedorova said, sounding really aghast. “That is terrible. Why, baseline henchman pay is twice that, and there are danger bonuses and…” Her voice dropped suddenly. “You don’t have a union, do you?”

“A union? Of course we don’t have a…” He trailed off. “You mean you do?”

“Of course we do. An extremely well-armed one.” Ms Fedorova folded her arms. “Henchmen And Allied Industries has represented us for generations. The last time a supervillain executed a union henchman for failure, he was boiled in oil… literally. On camera. Oh, of course some of the less reputable villains just pick up small-time trash from the streets, untrained rabble from the gangs and so on, so they can treat them as disposable, but we union members are skilled workers, with rights and protections. I bet you don’t even get overtime.”

“Of course not. Crime happens when it happens, and we have to…” He trailed off. “You guys get overtime?”

“We’re getting double time and a half for this conversation. And an extra day off.”

His eyes widened again. “Really? Wow, that’s… even when I was working a regular job, before this, I didn’t get pay like that.” He looked down at his hands and bared his teeth in what looked like an unhappy expression. “And now I can’t work anything but this kind of job. People don’t like having a scary dinosaur in their restaurant.”

There was a long pause.

“You can cook?” Ms Fedorova asked carefully.

“Yeah. I worked in my parents’ restaurant before… this.” He gestured at himself. “They were killed when we were attacked, and I was… changed.”

We all looked at each other. “After you’ve returned Superdyne’s remains to whoever you consider appropriate,” I said, grabbing a notepad and scribbling down my number, “I’d like you to give me a call. Evil-Mart is always hiring in the bakery and deli, and I mean always. Most bad guys aren’t great cooks. We don’t know why, it just seems to be one of those things.”

“You want me to join the bad guys?”

“I want you to work in a bakery. Villains and henchmen need to eat, and so do their families. Nobody’s going to ask you to rip superheroes in half, just maybe make a sandwich that won’t give anyone food poisoning.”

“That’s a regular concern?”

“Six months ago the three of us ran Evil-Mart’s physical store completely unassisted for most of a day because the only people who weren’t down with food poisoning were the ones who’d had the vegetarian and kosher meals.” I shuddered at the recollection. “Trust me. Someone who can cater staff functions without a major disaster would never have to live in an apartment like this working for us.”

“And we get full benefits, including dental.” Knuckles was shaking his head. “I bet you don’t even get hospital.”

“What hospital would take me? I always figured I’d go to the zoo and talk to the vet if – “

Ms Fedorova actually put her arms around him. “You,” she told him firmly, “are going to resign your terrible exploitative job, and then I will personally sponsor you to the union immediately. I have a spare room. You will like it. Humidity and temperature can be set just how you like, and Mamma Yelena will take you to real doctor expert in health of hybrids.”

“Those exist?” he asked, sounding a bit overwhelmed.

“Yeah, the Genetic Reign has like three of them,” I said sympathetically. “Listen, you can take some time to think it over, but you don’t have to put up with this kind of exploitation just because you don’t look human. Nearly a third of Evil-Mart’s staff can’t pass, and they’re treated just like everyone else.”

Superdyne’s dramatic demise got a lot of news coverage. Apparently it came as a real shock to the ‘good guys’ that there were some monsters even the superest villains wouldn’t embrace.

Dinoid no longer exists. Ismail Jameel works at Evil-Mart, and has expanded our fresh food lines a lot already. He’s a nice guy, and after Ms Fedorova told everyone how disgustingly he’d been exploited by those so-called ‘heroes’, he was welcomed with open arms. Literally, in at least one case – he’s dating someone from the warehouse, I’ve heard, though I don’t know who. He says we should rename the store, because we suck at being evil.

But evil is a really relative term. It can mean the blackest depravity, or a moment of viciousness, or even just ‘people on the other side’. Evil-Mart is called that because everyone, at least everyone on our side, is welcome. Plus, we all think it’s funny that the least-evil megacorporation is called ‘Evil-Mart’. What can we say? Bad guys have a sense of humour too.

Have an evil day!

[rosarrie]

It would be so fucking easy for you to AT THE VERY LEAST not use the term cottagecore and yet, despite being aware of its racism, you continue to spit in the face of First Nations people. You prioritize your racist little aesthetic over listening to First Nations people and you cannot be bothered to take even the most easy and basic of actions to stand with them. You cannot put even the most minimum of effort in and you continue to tie your art into a racist sunculture. You’re a racist, you don’t give a fuck about Indigenous people and you can go to hell.

 I've gotten multiple messages about this now in the same tone so I'm going to assume it's the same person sending them.

I’m going to use this as a chance to talk about the aesthetic of cottagecore as a whole in this post so it’s gonna be a long one. Hopefully this sheds more light on my current stance on the matter.

(I literally have no credibility aside from the fact i draw cute animals on the internet and call it cottagecore but I just gotta make my peace w this person)

I’d like to start by saying I never want to hurt people with my art, that is never my intention, whether intentionally or unintentionally. My art is made to make people happy and so being accused of hurting anyone with what I make upsets me and urges me to make things right.

There’s plenty of arguments to be made about the aesthetic, and I’m not here to be it’s guardian angel, this isn’t a hill I’m gonna die on. I acknowledge that there's problems even within the very concept of the aesthetic itself, but I also don't believe repeatedly accusing me of supporting harmful behavior is the right way of changing this and I'd like to respond to it in a constructive way. I'm also gonna be linking to a bunch of articles/posts regarding the conversation that I think were insightful.

Here’s the main points/problems I'm gonna talk about

To romanticise the idea of living in a house amongst nature away from society is ignoring the struggles of many indigenous people still trying to reclaim land. If everyone were to uproot and go live in a house in the forest away from civilization, you're taking away potentially important land to indigenous people in that area.

It is VERY white. There is an imbalance of POC creators in the cottagecore space, just type in “cottagecore” to google images or pinterest and there’s your proof.

The visuals are closely related to the trad-wife subculture, which is deeply rooted in white-supremacy and the alt-right.

Here’s my take:

Cottagecore is a form of escapism, easily evident in the aesthetic’s rise during the beginning of COVID-19. It’s a form of escapism the same way movies and books are. I can appreciate it’s visual elements while not actively participating in a lot of the activities depicted. I promise you I’m not going to go running off to the woods and building a cabin any time soon. I can understand the anger over trivializing the action of taking away potentially important land for its aesthetic value, but I also don’t think it’s in good faith to assume this is a genuine reality that is going to happen. The majority of people appreciating cottagecore are young, often times queer people looking to it as a form of escapism, not a step-by-step guide.

With that being said, there are however core principles within the subculture. It prioritizes handmade ethically sourced products and sustainability. It thrives off the importance of caring for the space u live in, actively shunning things like fast-fashion and encouraging the integration of slow-living practices into your own life (gardening, growing ur own fruit and veg, learning to cook, etc)

Cottagecore is incredibly white. Very rarely do I see non-white creators being spotlighted, and even when I do, their reach and audience is not nearly as much as their white counterparts. Addressing this issue through actionable achievable tasks feels like, where do u even begin. but I guess talking about the issue? Lifting poc voices within the community? I’m really not someone who should be a voice for this (as a white bitch myself) but I can acknowledge that there is actionable tasks I can take as someone with somewhat of a platform to at least help. I acknowledge the issue, I don’t know entirely what the solution is, but I’ll try to do better.

In regards to the trad-wife similarities, I can understand the argument being made, but the values of each subculture are so vastly different that it seems unreasonable to put them in the same category. Cottagecore is built on the fact that it’s a queer-centric feminist form of escapism, while Trad-wife principles originate from traditionalist christian values of being a mother and providing for your family. I think the overall intention of the comparison is to be made aware of how easily conversation around idyllic cottagecore lifestyle can blend into far-right rhetoric (this post does a great job of highlighting the similarities), but to say the two cannot exist separate of each other feels wrong. I’d like to think I am able to enjoy the cottagecore aesthetic while still critically consuming its content.

At it’s core (lol), cottagecore is a queer-friendly sub-culture that prioritizes nature, slow-living and the soft dainty aesthetic that can be associated. I am able to be critical of it’s downfalls while also still actively appreciating it for all it’s positive elements.

I am always open to the conversation around this topic! There’s definitely still plenty I don’t know about, and I am always eager to learn and better my judgment on things like this.

However! This is the last message I’m going to engage with that immediately jumps to accusatory language! Telling me to “go to hell” for using #cottagecore on my dumb cute art because it proves to u that I'm a racist is not a good use of ur efforts. PLEASE direct your anger somewhere else, I know this is coming from a well-intending place because you’re rightfully angry about injustices that are still present today, but pointing that anger at a 20-something-yr-old artist on the internet that draw frogs and calls it cottagecore is not a productive use of ur time.

Anyway thank u for listening, my dm’s are always open. feel free to reply with ur thoughts. Much love