#marciana: school days

[a-titty-ninja]

「先生はトイレじゃありません」 by バナ | Twitter

๑ Permission to reprint was given by the artist ✔.

[cruelangel94]

Artist By ONEDOO

[sakasagami]

[augusto-alcaraz]

GRADUATION IS JUST A DAY OF TRUE JOURNEY

The on-the-job training would not have been accomplished without God’s help and protection throughout the training and in the completion of this second semester. I am grateful also wants to thank all those people who contributed to this work. To Mrs. Marciana D. Soriano, School Administrator, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology—Municipal Government of Talavera. Thank you for all the…

[nymphedesfleu]

What Would Emsy Do?

IN PROGRESS

August 28th, 2020

Thayer rubs his eye as he finally moves to check his email, the exhaustion of another low-sleep night setting in, steeling himself so as to not let his eyes close and droop, needing to get through these emails...he lets out a small yawn as he makes his way through them, usual administrative shit, usual class shit, until...his eyes move along the email from Snow, catching that cheeky little CC of one Marciana Mendez, as he reads about the whole return to classes shebang, and wanting the SBA to help guide the whole staggered in person days thing on the first few days...narrowing his eyes a bit as he sees the follow up email from Marciana volunteering to lead the charge if he didn’t feel safe returning to class, given his circumstances...his mind instinctively moving over what he had learned from Emory in anticipation of taking on the reigns of the law school shit, wondering if this was some sort of power play, or her just...being nice, she was Car’s sister after all, but she was Marciana....he reminds himself, thinking about all of the top grades she had swooped from under him the prior year when they had shared some classes...shit, his mind fogging from the whole shit and his brain just....mush in the moment from the late nights with a newborn, instinctively moving to text Emory before...stopping himself, feeling like that was the Wrong choice, that it wasn’t proving himself at all, before....closing his laptop, heading back into the nursery where August was with Silas, placing a gentle kiss on both of their heads. “Hey,” he warmly, softly murmurs, as he sits down next to them, just...feeling better being with them, letting the whole law school shit slide from his mind for just a moment to be in it with them.

August continues to gently rock Silas, her hand moving softly along his back as she continues to sweetly whisper just how special, perfect, smart, loving he was, how much of a blessing he was to him...her lips twitching upwards as she feels the kiss and sees the other one take place, looking towards Thee, overjoyed that he was there with them. “Hiii,” August softly breathes back out, feeling Silas moving a bit in her arms, looking down to see his eyes were closed, wondering what he was dreamingggg about, hoping it was sweet, her finger gingerly moving along the wisp of hair at the top of his head, as she feels Thee move down beside her, “We missed You.”

“I missed you both, too,” Thayer warmly, gently says, just relaxing with them for a moment, looking lovingly down at Silas as he sleeps, hoping he was having the best of dreams, before...recalling what he needed to figure out...”How do you feel about me going back to the school, for this start of the year thing? There’s someone who can cover for me, since they know about Silas, but also, it’d probably be good to be there, since the start of the year really kicks everything off?” He explains to August, wanting to hear her thoughts and feelings on everything.

August’s lips naturally twitch a bit as she hears about Thee...leaving, softly, sadly, batting her lashes, “Do they reallllly Need you to Go...if somebody else is happy and kind enough to do it for you...?”

“I don’t think they Need me, and if it would be too dangerous for Silas, then I Won’t,” Thayer seriously says, that being the automatic line in the sand to him, if it would be a risk for Silas....”But I also think it would be good to Be There, at least once, to just...start having a Presence, showing them what I’m going to be all about leading the charge this year?”

A smile slowly yet happily blossoms onto August’s face as she hears Thee say he Wouldn’t, leaning over carefully to kiss him it sending a warm wave of happy little sparklings within her even as she draws back some, “Well, I know two people who really Need you instead...” She softly murmurs out in a not so secret secret, about to lean in again until she stops short hearing Thee’s words again, her lips protruding out once again, subtly...delicately looking over him, slowly leaning away, “Maybe...you could show Us first?” August softly suggests, looking from Silas and back to Thee, giving him a warm little smile wanting to see it live herself.

"If you Need me here, I'll stay here with you," Thayer affirms to August and Silas, a soft warmth moving through his voice, even as in the back of his mind, he wondered if Marciana might...he shakes the thought from his mind, not wanting to dwell on it in the moment, before a half smile cocks upwards onto his lips. "You want the full on demonstration?" He playfully asks, letting out a warm chuckle, before giving August a wink. "Gotta let me change into my suit first, for the Full Effect, if so."

August’s gaze softly flickers searchingly over Thee, wondering if he would Swear...before she nods her head with a delighted eagerness seeing the smile appear, “Pleeeeeease?” She begs, her voice raising a few succulently sweet octaves as she softly bats her lashes at him, pressing a soft kiss along Silas’ temple as she gently, ever so, lifts his arm a bit to cheer Thee on some...

Thayer gives August a quick little wink of affirmation, a grin teasing across his lips, before giving a quick kiss on August's lips and the top of Silas's head, moving to fetch out the crisp, sharply-tailored suit he had gotten just for the occasion, along with rest of the get up to fully make the polished look, moving into the bathroom to slick his hair back a bit and make sure everything was looking good, before sliding on the dress shoes, professional, crisp, clean, but with a subtle gold-plated heel and toe for just that little bit of extra Flair to make it Him, dusting both hands over the edges of the jacket, before entering the room with a confident stride, definitively, powerfully, before doing a little pose for August and Silas. "Well?" He offers, the rightmost corner of his lips cocking upwards.

[wxldchxld]

An updated timeline:

So, I have reworked a couple of things in Beck’s history but I haven’t written them ON Beck’s history page yet bc that’s going to be a bear to deal with. I’m just going to post this as a hc for right now, and hopefully update the pages in a couple of days.

Look this is LONG and there are trigger warnings for suicide attempt mentions as well as abuse and animal cruelty. None of it is explicit. It’s even more vague than my current history has it. So I’m begging you, if you write with me or want to write with me, please look at this updated canon. But I will put it under a cut for the sake of triggers as well as the insane length that it got to.

Birth - 6

The daughter of a political marriage between the Wolf and the Fox clan leaders. Named Dahlia Adelaida Beck by birth. Born at the height of the winter solstice, marking her as a priestess among her people.

Nicknamed Dolly by her grandmother Alma.

Lives with her mother Élea, her father Oskar, her brother Fenris, and her grandparents Alma and Percy on their family owned land in Montana. She gets Ringo, her first familiar here and learns how to ride a horse, and some basic camping/fishing/farm skills from her father and grandfather. Her grandmother teaches her basic knitting/sewing/cooking. Her mother is, in large part, absent during this period of her life. She and Fenris are inseparable. 

At three Beck makes her first shift into a fox, marking her in the eyes of everyone as a feral witch. Whatever meager affection her mother had for her evaporated completely at that moment.

On her sixth birthday she is given a mare who her father has named Dawnbreaker.

Three months after her sixth birthday her father passes. Her mother takes them on a vacation back to her family home in Sweden that lasts the remainder of the year. They stay with her maternal grandparents, Linnéa and Stefan Tandy

7

A month after Beck’s seventh birthday, Linnéa and Elea have a falling out over the way Elea is treating her children. Elea consistently refuses to take care of Dahlia in particular, and she begins to learn to fend for herself, which is deeply concerning to her grandmother.

Her maternal grandparents ask for custody of both Dahlia and Fenris. Elea responds by taking both of her children back to the states to California where she resumes her master’s program.

Shortly after her mother reverts to her maiden name, and forces her children to do so as well. Dahlia, furious and still deeply grieving her father, declares that her name is Beck, and refuses to answer to anything else.

Elea’s abuse of her children gets worse. Fenris, who was a more passive child, rarely got physically punished like Beck, but he still suffers from severe emotional abuse and manipulation. Beck is, for the most part on her own. She stays out of the house as much as she can, sleeping in parks or other abandoned places, and learning to steal for her food, as there is little to hunt for in the city. This is embarrassing to her mother, and she’s frequently punished for it.

Beck meets Cora, an older witch ostracized by the local covens, who becomes Beck’s mentor in everything she can teach her.

Beck finds the city suffocating, and she frequently wanders out into the countryside when she can, and cries when she cannot. Elea finally consents to bringing the horse her father gave her to a stable outside of town, and lets Beck walk to the stable several times a week. In this time, Dawnbreaker becomes her second familiar.

Both Fenris and Beck are homeschooled by coven members at this time. Most of them are apathetic, some downright hostile to her. She is eventually diagnosed with dyslexia, but is given little help with it.

8-9

Beck is able to stand the city less and less. She begins disappearing for longer periods of time. At first days, then weeks, and eventually she begins to take Dawnbreaker away for months at a time.

Elea, who is using Fenris’ birthright to rule both her people and the Wolves, sends men after her. The fights between them grow even more violent and bitter, and Elea struggles to even cast the appearance that her house is in order. She begins to drive a wedge between Beck and Fen, who still loves his sister dearly. But this backfires, and gives Beck even less reason to return home. 

10

Beck’s mother finds her one final time. When they are brought to Elea this time, they are not taken to the family home in the city, but a secluded section of woods. Her mother proceeds to have her bound, and forces her to watch as Dawnbreaker is hanged from one of the old trees in an attempt to keep her from ever running again.

Several months of inconsolable grief, where she scarcely eats or leaves her bed at all, send her brother Fenris into a mad rage. He begins to plan his revenge in secret. At the next coven meet, he reveals her heinous crime and kills her. The witches absolve him of the murder of another witch in light of what Elea did, and they help cover up the crime.

Shortly after Beck moves in with Cora, but Fenris refuses. He tells her he was offered a chance to learn powerful magic from a coven member, a man Beck doesn’t trust. For the first time in their lives, they are truly separated. 

11-13

Fenris and Beck try repeatedly to mend their relationship and get back to where they were as children, but they fail every time. Beck grows more restless, more wild, by the day, and the magic and fear and anger are twisting Fen into someone she doesn’t know.

Before she can even turn twelve Cora’s loving support is no longer enough for Beck. She has no desire to stay in a house, among people, not even someone she loves. She and Ringo leave the safety of Cora’s home permanently, returning only for visits.

On her thirteenth birthday, Beck is attacked by a mountain lion. After a long battle, before the creature makes its killing blow, she catches the animal’s eye. Understanding sparks between the two of them, and this time when she tells it to go, it obeys. Both she and Ringo are nearly killed in the incident, but her familiar manages to limp to the nearest town and bring back help.

She is taken back to California and returned to her brother rather than Cora. Fenris has grown in power and status among the witches there. Her appearance strikes Fenris with a cold terror, and though he is extremely kind to her in helping her heal, Beck feels as if something is deeply wrong.

14-16

After a long recovery, Beck begins to get restless again. She yearns to return to the wilds. The city suffocates her more and more by the day, but her brother refuses to let her go. 

Tensions between Fenris and Beck reach a boiling point, and she is eventually confined to a room until she agrees to stay in the city with him. The change overtakes Fenris as the year drags on, and he’s not the sweet young boy she once knew. She feels as if she’s living with her enemy rather than her brother.

She is enrolled in a coven school, where they attempt to continue her educate while working around the fact she is almost completely illiterate. This is where she meets Harper, just two months after her 14th birthday.

Beck and Harper fall into a quick, extremely heated teenage passion. All of the grief and loneliness they feel slowly evaporates. Beck reconnects with some of her old friends at this time too. When she’s with them, she feels as happy as she can possibly feel living in a cage, but things only seem to get worse and worse every time she goes home.

 17

On her seventeenth birthday, Harper gives her a ring. Harper is anxious to leave home to move to New York, and asks Beck to marry her the second they’re both eighteen and to move away with her. Harper doesn’t know what’s going on between Fen and Beck. She doesn’t know about the healed bruises and the shouting and the threats. Beck refuses to take the ring without being able to tell Harper the real reason why. Even if Fen did let her leave, she would never survive New York. They don’t break up but Harper vows to leave for Juliard the second she can. With or without Beck.

Between life with her brother and the ever looming deadline of Harper leaving, Beck becomes increasingly fragile and hostile. She knows she cannot stay. 

Harper, older than Beck, leaves for New York a few months later, and without her protective presence, things at home get even worse. When she tells another coven witch, the woman either doesn’t believe her, or she’s too frightened to listen.

After several failed escape attempts, and Fenris’ control getting tighter and tighter, Beck eventually attempts suicide. She is taken to a hospital, a place she’d been a handful of times before because of her brother’s wrath, and a woman there offers her help. She accepts and is stolen away.

Beck is introduced to the Sisters of the Holy St. Marciana of Mauretania, a group of humans, witches, and other supernatural beings who masquerade as an order of nuns. They operate in secret under many names and in many places, helping those that no one else will help. After a brief recovery, Beck leaves them, but not without a promise to help if they call on her. 

18

Beck returns home to her family land, despite knowing her grandparents have long since abandoned it. She finds her father’s old VW bus still in (mostly) running order and begins to use it for travel. 

In the early spring, Beck returns to the wild herds of Montana, where Dawnbreaker lived in the months they were separated, and where she was born. She meets a golden stallion and instantly recognizes him as one of her foals. The stallion begins to follow her around tirelessly, and Beck tries again and again to send him away. But the stallion will not be shooed, and eventually Beck lets him remain with her. She calls him Grani, and soon after he joins her, he becomes her familiar.

Beck begins to do odd jobs and magical favors for people in order to gain certain magical objects, slowly building a steady collection in her bottomless bag.

Beck remains constantly on the run, knowing her brother’s men are only a breath behind her at any moment. She has the van enchanted so it can be easily concealed, can travel off-road, and can haul a horse trailer.

19-21

Beck mostly still lives in the wilds, but takes several jobs helping children and adults escape situations similar to hers. Victims of domestic abuse by powerful people that are beloved or feared by everyone else. These jobs are the only time she goes into cities, and often while she’s doing research and laying low, she steals from wealthy nearby homes and businesses.

During one of these thefts Beck steals a kitten after it follows her out of the mansion she’d just robbed. The kitten becomes her final familiar, and when she gains her sentience, she re-names herself Angrboda.

In the fall before her 22nd birthday Beck sees Harper jogging in Central Park while working on a job. Knowing it was a bad idea, she still approached her. Harper was different in almost every way, and yet some how she was still as hopelessly passionate and deeply furious as the day she’d left for New York.

22-24

Beck and Harper fall back into a relationship. Perhaps both of them knew it was a bad idea, or maybe it was only Beck, but dread grew alongside passion. Harper could scarcely stand her absences, and life in the city was hell on Beck.

They dated for two years. Harper even consented to moving out of the city center to a farm near Roxbury. Marriage was a frequent topic between them both, and yet it never happened.

Eventually even Harper’s power on the East Coast wasn’t enough to keep Fenris away, and the fear of the conflict that would ensue between the witch factions and fearing her brother and deeply missing her life on the road, Beck left. She couldn’t bring herself to say goodbye, and it has been her greatest regret.

24-present

Beck lives in the wilds with her familiars, constantly traveling, and for the most part very happy. There are people she misses, and places she knows she can never return to, but she’s free. Even on nights when she’s hungry or the weather is bitter and savage, she’s free. 

She’s mastered several other forms in this time, and I didn’t want to break down their discoveries by age, but they happened over the years, not just after she turned 25.

[novemberseas-novemberskies]

Week 2: Character Challenge 4

              The day after the Parade I am tired deep in my bones, and I know that training is not in the cards today. I stay in bed far longer than I’ve allowed myself in days, luxuriating in the ability to drift in and out of sleep. Finally, when I feel that I’ve sufficiently indulged myself, I rise. My skinned and bruised knees are stiff, and my lips are dry and cracked. Stretching, I feel my joints creak, and for the first time in all my seventeen years, I know what it might feel like to age. I may not be riding today, but I still have duties to attend to, stiffness or no. Because, after my brash and, upon reflection, stupid decision to spend all my remaining money on purchasing my water horse, I’ve had to find a way to sustain this mad venture. Mother’s meager earnings from doing the washing and mending for families about town is only enough to sustain the four of us, and certainly not enough to feed a ravenous capall uisce. So I hike up my skirts (metaphorically), and get to work.

                Unfortunately but certainly not surprisingly, there is little need on Thisby for the skills one learns at Saint Marciana’s School for Young Ladies. When I first set out to fund my race, it took me a few days wandering the island between training sessions to find something suitable. Gratton’s offered me a position behind the counter, and it would’ve been a good fit with their proposal to pay me in half-decent cuts of meat, but I couldn’t stomach the sight nor smell of the massive sides of raw beef and pork that hung like grotesque ornaments in the back of the shop. Palsson’s had no need for a new shop girl, and I had no talent for baking. Shop after shop I entered and left without success. Parched and tired, I made my way to the Black Eyed Girl, an inn popular with local and tourists alike. It was sitting there at the bar with a glass of hot cider that the barmaid had sympathetically tipped a bit of whiskey into and listening to an old radio warbling out tunes from the mainland that I got my idea. The barmaid was more than pleased to have another young woman to share the male-dominated space with, and the owner was more than pleased to have another young woman to keep drawing them in.

                As I enter and unwind my scarf, Bridget is already pouring my cider. We exchange a friendly grin and Bridget claps me on the shoulder in admiration, having already heard tell of my escapades from the night before, and I take my place at the piano. A sip of whiskey-laced cider and a deep breath, and I start to play. Conversations quiet, and heads turn to where I sit as my fingers dance across the keys, muscle memory making the task as easy as breathing. Though I’d prefer to play through some complex Chopin or a gentle Brahms, traditional songs from the Mainland hold much broader appeal and are significantly easier to sing along to. So, each day I play through my repertoire, one built through nights stealing out to pubs near school with my friends and allowing the field hands to buy us gin and call us pretty. I play to my audience, rousing quiet groups of work-tired fishermen to their feet with a bright and lively round of “Spanish Lady”, and coaxing crowds of rowdy drunks to tears with a sweetly voiced rendition of “Oh Danny Boy”, accompanied only by the beating of my own heart. I’m allowed to keep whatever coin makes its way into the jar atop the piano, and I pull in a good bit, more than usual as I’m able to devote the whole day to it. Drunk mainlanders are loose with their purse strings, and I feel only a tinge of guilt to be taking their money. But I’ve lived in their world, and they scarcely miss the fiver they clumsily stuff into my jar.

                At the end of the night, Bridget and I share another drink and a Sunday roast, the second part of my payment for providing the entertainment for the night. In these moments, perched on a barstool in the empty inn, talking and laughing far later into the night than I really should, that I feel most content. Because here, I am not part of a fallen family. I am not the talk of the island. I am not even a rider. I am simply Lettie, the girl with the pretty voice, the piano player, Bridget’s friend. Perhaps more money could be made elsewhere, and if things turn out poorly in the Races I’ll surely have to go searching for something more lucrative. But for now, thoughts of the future are far and away. I am relaxed and happy and warm, my secondhand pocketbook is full, and there’s a slight buzz in my blood from the alcohol. And I can believe, if only momentarily, that everything will be all right.

[haouintheworld]

Prologue & Epilogue

OOC: Dropping mun’s first fanfiction in a decade featuring Judai and Johan before and after the events of Bonds Beyond Time. 

Pairing: Spiritshipping

Edit: Typos are fixed and now there are links in the text if you want know about more about Johan’s nightmares dreams and the mysterious mask, go follow @itsashowtime​ to learn more!

___________

The former Osiris Red student had been traveling the globe alone for almost a year now and had fallen out of touch with most of his schoolmates. He texted occasionally with O'Brien and Jim, mainly because they both felt the need to look after Judai as if he was their youngest brother. Asuka checked in once and a while, providing updates on her and Manjyome's lives. Kenzan texted when he could to update Judai on how quiet life had gotten at the Academy. Edo had badgered Judai into downloading Snapchat and they kept up with each other's adventures through brief pictures. The last Judai heard from Edo was a couple videos of Ryou moving in with him a few weeks prior. They'd made Judai laugh especially when he heard Sho complaining in the background. Despite Judai leaving without really saying goodbye, Johan had never drifted away. It was like Judai and Johan hadn't separated. Johan ensured they texted and called each other regularly while he was at university. Judai loved hearing about Johan's path to getting a degree in the history of dueling with a focus on ancient Rome. Apparently, his university had a acquired a few artifacts from an old nameless kingdom. They consisted of some golden braces and a gold-platinum sword which eerily matched this old mask Johan's family had kept for generations. 

Johan didn't mind staying up till odd hours just to talk depending on what time zone Judai was in. Judai didn't care about keeping odd hours either, especially if Johan needed to talk after a nightmare or a bad day. He'd found himself keeping a clock of Oslo's time zone on his home screen and sending postcards to Johan when he remembered to. 

Regardless of the miles between them, the connection he had with Johan only grew. Judai admitted to himself he missed his best friend more than anyone else. He'd said multiple times that he wished Johan could travel with him.

Judai shouldn't have been surprised with what happened in Venice. He traveled there following a lead about someone who'd stolen Ryou's Cyber End Dragon.

He'd just finished asking a batch of local workers if they had seen or heard of a mysterious masked stranger stealing Duel Monster cards. Then Johan called and after a few minutes of talking, Johan asked Judai to describe his surroundings. "Well if you'd just video call me, I could just show you." Judai pouted. "Judai, I told you my camera isn't working after I dropped it. Come on, I wanna hear about it." Johan dragged out the syllables in his name teasingly. Judai sighed, signalling that he agreed to humour his best friend. The giggle he heard from Johan made him smile involuntarily. "Well, I just walked out of a big library and behind me are two very tall columns with different statues on them... They both have wings?" Judai trailed off as his description of his surroundings turned into a question. Johan laughed, "You're the one who's there! And that big library is called the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana."   Judai smiled, he liked the sound of Johan's Italian. He noticed windy feedback on Johan's end. "Are you on your run or something?" Judai inquired, reminding himself how more than a few times they'd caught up while Johan was working out. "Yep, I called you right before I walked out of my place," Johan confirmed before adding, "now go on." Judai rolled his eyes, "There are plenty of tourists around and jeez these people like their fancy archways. I'll have to send you a picture." "Ha, please do. I love that there's all these religious details and then they just have four horses randomly on the centre arch." "I know, right?" Judai glanced up at them before asking, "Have you been here before?" "Not until today." Judai's brain didn't process that the source of Johan's voice had changed for a second. He'd opened his mouth to question his best friend and then his heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest, his brain screaming at him to turn around. 

So he did.

And his heart soared.

"Johan."

"Judai." 

Closing the small distance between them, the two boys embraced each other. They both laughed joyfully, lost in their own little bubble. Judai even picked Johan up and twirled him around. They didn't realise the few kind looks they received from tourists and locals alike. Another couple was walking toward the water and looked knowingly at each other.

"What are you even- don't you have university or work?" Judai wondered, this was the last thing he'd expected to happen today. He was so thankful to see Johan in person instead of on a tiny screen! He was considerably taller than him now too! He held on to Johan's arms, not wanting to break their connection as if the bluenette would disappear. "I did this crazy thing called finishing a school year?" Johan teased before adding, "I was planning to come find you no matter where you were since I'd have the time. It's been too long and I... I really needed to see you." Judai smiled softly, he was so touched. He'd desperately missed having Johan by his side. As much as he appreciated Hane Kuriboh, his professor, Pharaoh, and the other duel spirits, Judai wanted to be with people that didn't exist on another plain of existence. Moreover, he missed getting lost in those emerald eyes. "I needed to see you too, Johan." Neither spoke for a beat, something unspoken shared between their souls. They were happy to just be in the moment with each other.  

Johan would've been the first to break the silence had not Ruby Carbuncle and Hane Kuriboh appeared angrily looking in the direction of a plaza. Swooping over their heads with a piercing metal screech, was a darkened version of Cyber End Dragon. Its tail running through the central part of the library Judai was just in. Everyone in the streets began screaming and sprinting in directions away from the dragon. Within seconds Judai and Johan had dropped their respective bags. They loaded and activated their duel disks in sync before calling out their ace monsters. "Let's go Elemental Hero Neos!" "Come on out, Rainbow Dragon!" The two monsters shimmered into existence, Judai tapped into the powers given to him by the Supreme King to materialise the monsters into real beings. 

Whoever was doing this had some serious power behind them.

Rainbow Dragon allowed Neos to fly near his head as the two sped towards Cyber End Dragon, their powers charging. However, before either could act, an unfamiliar pearly dragon appeared and rammed Rainbow Dragon into the ground in a flurry of stardust. The force sent Johan and Judai to the ground as Crystal Beasts and Elemental Heroes appeared around them.

"RAINBOW DRAGON!" Johan cried out. He pushed himself forcibly to his feet so he could run to his largest family member. Before he could sprint, Rainbow Dragon disappeared in a flash of light along with his respective card. The remaining dragons flew upwards and began circling the city. Neos barely had time to move out of danger's way and touched back down in the crater Rainbow Dragon was in.

"No... No. No! NO!" A chorus of denial sang from the Crystal Beasts and their Protector who fell to his knees. 

Amethyst Cat roared alongside with Topaz Tiger before lying around Johan. Ruby Carbuncle cried as she climbed into Johan’s arm and he cradled her. Emerald Tortoise settled himself next to Topaz before shrinking into his shell in an effort to hide his tears. Cobalt Eagle landed atop Emerald with a strained call. Sapphire Pegasus and Amber Mammoth flanked their family closely, both crestfallen. 

Judai watched the group mourn for a moment before moving to throw an arm around Johan. His best friend leaned into the touch and let his tears fall, his shoulders jerking. Judai had felt Rainbow Dragon disappear and couldn't sense him with any of his powers. He looked to his heroes and they shared looks of awe and disbelief. He could barely process what had just happened or how in the world something could defeat Rainbow Dragon that quickly. Where did the card go? Who was doing this and why?

A few minutes passed like this and Judai got the feeling there was more to Johan and his family's reaction. Something had been wrong as of late... Judai wondered if it related to the bad dreams Johan had that he hadn't even wanted to describe. Suddenly, Johan stood and turned, startling Judai and the duel spirits around them. "Sapphire. Cobalt. We're going up to get some answers. I’m not letting this happen again." His tone was firm as he made to mount Sapphire, Ruby hopping out of his arms and onto Sapphire's back. To Johan's shock Sapphire denied him, "You can't be reckless, we don't know what we're facing." "He's right," Amethyst chimed in, her voice painted with sadness, "we have to think about this." "We're not all being separated again." Amber added. Judai felt unknown guilt flood him at the idea of the Crystal Beasts being separated. Johan began to protest when Topaz growled back toward the sky. Everyone turned to witness a darkened Rainbow Dragon emerge from gathered clouds. A maniacal laugh echoed above. Emerald emerged, murmuring, "Judai Yuki..." His words carried more than a name. Emerald's tone and eyes asked Judai for an answer. For a hero.

Judai nodded and flashed a reassuring smile. “I'll bring Rainbow Dragon back! This guy won't know what hit him!”

Johan spun towards Judai, his face a conglomerate of incredulous, concerned anger.

“You're not going in there alone!”

Judai scoffed, rolling his eyes and taking a few backwards steps towards the chaos, “I won't be! I've got duel spirits too you know.”

“Judai! Whoever that is you can't duel them by yourself!”

“Watch me, Duel Academy prepared me for crises. Plus, if they're after rare spirits, you have to protect them and keep them away from the fight.” Judai motioned to the worried Crystal Beasts.

“Judai, I swear to- Fine! I'll use my Gem Knights then, that way their cards don't-”

"I CAN'T lose you again!" Judai implored and almost screamed, his eyes flashing gold. 

Johan looked taken aback, his eyes, red and glassy from crying, widened. Judai followed his impulse to close the distance between Johan and him. He took Johan's face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together. 

"Johan... You have to be safe, I can't duel, let alone think clearly at the thought of losing you, seeing you hurt like this..." Judai's eyes stared into Johan's emerald ones, willing him to understand.

Off in the distance, sounds of buildings crashing, dragon roars, and people screaming were heard. The two didn't have time to speak what their hearts yearned for.

Johan wrapped his arms around Judai's waist and squeezed him tight. They both shut their eyes for a beat.

“Go save Rainbow Dragon… and the world too while you're at it.” Johan relented, eliciting a chuckle from Judai.

“As you wish.” Judai joked, his eyes opening to see Johan's beautiful green eyes and a ghost of a smile. He was thankful to see those eyes.

“I'll wait for you here.” Johan loosened his grip so Judai could step away.

Judai smiled and made his “Gotcha” sign before sprinting towards the Piazza San Marco.

----

With a grin, Judai waved to Yusei as the latter started up his D-wheel and sped through a portal back to his time. Feeling the breeze pick up, Judai turned and observed his surroundings. He was back in Venice and the sun was setting, washing the buildings with shades of gold. His heart had settled after the intense duel with Paradox and once in a lifetime chance to tag duel with the King of Games. His smile wouldn't leave his face as he thought of all the incredible combos they pulled off to save their respective timelines. As Judai relived the duel, his thoughts were stolen by how Paradox had corrupted Rainbow Dragon also known as the reason Judai battled the villain in the first place. He pulled out his deck and flipped the top card. "It's good to see you, friend." Judai murmured to the card. He felt the dragon's gratitude channeled towards him before he heard what sounded like an ancient voice question him. "My protector, I am sure, is worried about both of us." The dragon ventured, echoing in his mind. At those words, Judai's heart started beating erratically and he clutched the cards in his hand tighter. Johan... With a quick movement, the cards were back in the deck box he kept clipped to his belt and Judai took off towards the place he'd last saw his best friend.

Gratefully, he admired how it seemed the destruction Paradox caused earlier disappeared because now he could appreciate the view. There weren’t many people lingering around. Judai wondered if anyone remembered how close they came to danger or if Time’s magic had interfered.

Either way, he could make out the silhouette of his best friend looking out over the water. Only Ruby sat on his shoulders now. Judai felt in his soul that he’d made this walk to Johan many times in this life and the one previous. He didn’t know very much about his past as the Supreme King besides the dreams he sometimes had. Once in a while, something might trigger a memory, but those moments were few and far between in this past year.

This was one of those moments. It was brief, but as the sunset shifted from golds to reds, Judai swore he saw Johan in glittering armour complete with a cape billowing in the wind.

As quick as it came, the illusion faded away as Ruby turned his way, alerting Johan of Judai’s return.

“What is it, Ruby?” Johan murmured, inclining his head towards her.

She chirped happily before disappearing to the plane duel spirits existed on. Judai assumed that’s where the other Crystal Beasts were along with his own duel spirits. He could hardly feel any of their presences, he wasn’t even sure Pharaoh was nearby?

They were purposefully leaving Judai alone with Johan.

Judai was good with that.

Johan turned to him, his eyes full of concern, doubt, hope, and something else Judai couldn’t decipher.

“Judai…”

Judai stopped an arm’s distance from Johan, trying his best to keep a straight face. Ultimately, he failed the second he reached back for his deck and pulled out Rainbow Dragon’s card. He smiled reassuringly and held it out for Johan.

“You did it!” Johan carefully took the card and held it to his heart. “I knew you would, but I was- we were all so worried, but when the buildings went back to normal I- How did you do it? What happened? I...I don’t know how to thank you.” Johan rushed through his words, his bright smile making Judai smile even bigger.

“It was no problem, I’d do anything for you!” Judai admitted happily as he watched Johan return the precious card to his deck. A dim rainbow halo emit briefly from the deck and the duelists knew things were back to normal.

They looked back at each other and laughed, pulling one another in for a victory hug. Johan’s arms wrapped around Judai’s neck while Judai’s went round Johan’s waist.

“You’re my best friend.” Johan said softly after a minute, making no move to end the embrace.

Judai responded by holding Johan a little tighter. His heartbeat pounded as something in his mind clicked into place. Judai couldn’t help but smile as he realised what he was about to do. This was something his heart and soul had known longer than his brain. Now, Judai wouldn’t let himself leave this spot without putting it into words.

“You’re mine…” Judai said finally, matching Johan’s tone. “Hey, I have an idea on how you could thank me.” He added playfully.

Johan pulled back and suspicion was etched on his face along with an unknowing smile. “What did you have in mind?”

Johan withdrew his arms from their hug only to have Judai take both of his hands into his. Judai loved seeing the blush which crept on Johan’s cheeks. Judai could feel his own cheeks burn at the what he was about to do.

“Just listen for a second, okay?” Judai asked.

Johan gave him a small nod. His emerald eyes were wide and his pupils dilated as he searched Judai’s face for a hint.

Taking a deep breath, Judai started, “I got to tag duel with Yugi Mutou and my new friend from the future Yusei against the jerk who stole Rainbow Dragon. It was incredible that we got to work together and meet up despite being from different times. Afterward we talked about how, somehow, we’d meet again because the friendship we made defies time.”

Johan reacted to everything Judai said and clearly had tons of questions from the way his jaw dropped. At the mention of defying time, Johan’s expression grew more serious, as if he was remembering something.

“And it’s just… such a cool thought that people can do that. No matter the adversity or what the world throws at us, people find their way back to each other.” Judai interlaced their fingers together at that and held his gaze on them.

“Johan, you’re… I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier, I realised in that moment… No I think I’ve known for a while that I… I’ve learned so much this past year being on my own. Most of all I learned how important you are to me. I care about everyone else from school too and our duel spirits. But you and I go through so much together and you’ve always been here for me even with continents and evil between us.”

Judai paused and looked back into Johan’s eyes, “I wish I had the words sooner and no matter what you say, I just hope you can let me stay in your life. I want to protect you and be by your side for as long as you’ll let me because... I’m in love with you. I have been a long time, so long that-”

“You don’t remember when you started?” Johan finished for Judai. The look on his face was one Judai will never forget because he knew that the love he felt for Johan was reflecting back at him. Their faces were a couple inches away.

Judai grinned, “Exactly...”

With that, they both leaned in and kissed each other tenderly. Johan disentangled one of his hands to cradle Judai’s face while Judai’s free hand found its way around Johan’s waist. They both smiled into their series of kisses, breathless and happy.

“I love you, Judai.”

“I love you too, Johan.”

[go-down-studying]

Heyy!! 

So I love music, and my first language is Spanish, so I thought I’d do a list with my favorite music in Spanish for you lovely people who are either learning, fluent, or just want to find new music/remember some good oldies.

Talking about good oldies, and if you want to know what I sing in the shower, here’s my Spotify karaoke playlist with only songs in Spanish (I recommend you listen to this on shuffle), for more music and fantastic desscription of it by me, keep reading!

Let’s start with Alejandro Sanz. So hot. He has a really particular raspy soft voice that I really enjoy and his music is so beautiful. 

You can go classic with “Corazón partío” this is the original (x), and this is a live version with Ivete Sangalo that I really like (x). Other songs that I like are “Mi marciana” (x), such beautiful lyrics and I love love love the piano, really, dedicate this song to me and I’m yours forever, “Desde cuando” (x), another beautiful love song, and “A que no me dejas” (x), listen! to! that! voice!

Keeping with the Spaniard theme, here’s the deepest love songs my little nine-year-old heart could handle, Álex Ubago.

I could literally put all of his early 2000 work here because I love it so much but I’m not going to, although if you’re ever on a sappy mood, he’s the man you’re looking for. I’m going to recommend three songs to you: “Sin miedo a nada” (x), “Aunque no te pueda ver” (x) this music video is really pretty, and “Dame tu aire” (x). Listen to this. Love it.

Before this gets too sad we’re shifting to a more fun rhytm. Carlos Vives.

He’s been doing music since forever so if you look you can find more traditional songs, however, I prefer some of his more recent work. here you have “Cuando nos volvamos a encontrar” (x) which has hints of a more traditional rythm but it’s very modern in other ways, also the chorus brings out the accent that I very much do not have, “La foto de los dos” (x) very nostalgic, and an old one that I forgot about but poped out looking for songs for this post, “Dejame entrar” (x).

Old school Shakira, Everybody needs old school Shakira in their life.

My personal faves from the black and red hair days: “Si te vas” (x), which is an awesome break-up song, though a bit a lot not into the whole “don’t put women against each other” thing but still amazing to yell-cry in the car, “Inevitable” (x), “Te dejo Madrid” (x) yes, she’s blonde there but still, I love this song too much to leave it out, also a very good break-up song, and “Ojos así” (x).

If you have a little emo heart like I do, allow me to introduce you to latin american emo stars, Kudai. Just look at them! (x) how can you not love them?

They were also a very cool band, they have songs against domestic violence (”Morir de amor” CAUTION this video could be triggering [x] This is a video with just the lyrics: [x]), eating disorders (”Llevame” CAUTION this video could be triggering [x] This is a video with just the lyrics: [x]), and climate change (”Lejos de aquí” [x]).

In a completely different direction, this artist is brought to you by my dad: Joaquín Sabina. 

I really love Sabina, he’s more of an artist from my dad’s generation but I grew up listening to him and I really love him. His 500 noches para una crisis live album is amazing and it’s pretty much all on youtube. My favortie songs are “19 días y 500 noches” (x), “Una canción para la Magdalena” (x), “Y sin embargo te quiero / Y sin embargo” (x), and my absolute favorite is “Contigo” which has a thousand versions like all of the other songs from Sabina, here’s one with Fito Páez (x), one with Serrat (x), the one from 500 noches para una crisis (x), and the original (x).

I could go on forever, I don’t know much about music but I will recommend you songs to no end. I hope you enjoyed this!

If this gets notes I’ll make a second part, maybe with more contemporary artists? Maybe with just/more women? Idk, let me know if you’d like that.

More from me:

First Week is Over: Self Care Tips

My Rules for Staying Strong All Year

Back-To-School 1: What’s in My Bag

Back-To-School 2: How I Organize

Tips For College Freshmen

Love, Anna

[phgq]

Marikina starts 'Nutribun' program for kinder, Grade 1 pupils

#PHnews: Marikina starts 'Nutribun' program for kinder, Grade 1 pupils

MANILA -- To ensure that the health and nutrition needs of its kindergarten and Grade 1 pupils in public schools are met, the Marikina City government on Wednesday started the implementation of the Nutribun program.

Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro led the launching of the city’s Nutribun Program at the Parang Elementary School which was attended by more than 1,000 pupils and their parents.

“Titingnan natin ang kanilang grades at performance after 120 days kung nag-improve sila sa pag-aaral. Ayon kasi sa mga pag-aaral, may relasyon ang tamang nutrisyon sa performance sa pag-aaral ng mga bata (We will check on their grades and performance after 120 days if they have improved on their studies. Based on studies, proper nutrition has something to do with the children's academic performance),” the mayor said.

Teodoro said the bread, fortified with vitamins and minerals, and milk, will be provided free to kinder and elementary students.

Teodoro also told the parents not to solely rely on schools in providing proper nutrition to their children as they should be the ones advocating healthy eating habits.

As ordered by Teodoro, Marikina LGU will conduct a seminar on nutrition among parents to teach them the recommended food daily allowance needed by their growing children.

“Sa kanilang batang edad, talagang mapili sila sa pagkain, picky eaters kumbaga kaya naman dapat ang i-push natin sa kanila ay balanced nutrition. Kailangan nating ituro ang tamang pagkain sa ating mga anak (At a young age, children tend to be picky. They are picky eaters that is why we must push a balanced nutrition for them. We need to teach the importance of proper diet to our children),” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, Teodoro lauded former City Councilor Judy Magtubo, head of the program, for successfully implementing all his plans on the Nutribun Program.

Magtubo said that they are also providing milk to go along with the fortified bun.

Marciana De Guzman, principal of Parang Elementary School, said the school has around 600 malnourished children.

According to the principal, they have their bakery, which they call “Nutripan.”

“Hinahaluan natin ng kalabasa ang Nutribun, minsan naman ay malunggay ang halo. May tanim kami na 50 na puno ng malunggay dito sa school kaya hindi na kami bumibili. Iyong kalabasa na lang ang binibili namin (We mix squash with the Nutribun. We have 50 malunggay plants here in school so we don't have to buy. We only buy the squash,” De Guzman said.

The fund for the Nutribun program will be coming from the Special Nutrition Fund of Marikina City, Mayor Teodoro said.

The bread is well fortified with nutrients and was designed around a “base” product that could be modified using any number of locally available substances. (PNA)

***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "Marikina starts 'Nutribun' program for kinder, Grade 1 pupils." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1083358 (accessed October 17, 2019 at 09:16PM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "Marikina starts 'Nutribun' program for kinder, Grade 1 pupils." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1083358 (archived).

[sakasagami]

Marciana

[cruelangel94]

[cruelangel94]