#one thing about me is i love placing huge windmills everywhere

[ruvviks]

FALLOUT 4 ➤ scenery [7/?]

[mamabearcatfanfics]

Battle Couple

I've had this little idea for a while, and then decided I could bend it slightly to fit this year's @inukag-week's first battle couple prompt. Because not all battles we face have to be huge ones against a deadly foe. Sometimes the battles can simply be standing up for what's right.

Inuyasha dragged the beanie down tighter over his head, stomping towards the exit of the store. He hated this. This is why he bought things online and had them delivered. Because then he could avoid interactions like he’d just had with that racist arsehole. He glanced down at the text from Sesshoumaru again, wondering if there was some other way he could get this gift for Rin. It was the first time his half-brother had thrown a birthday party for his adopted daughter, and no doubt it would be a big deal.

Rin has expressed an interest in this item. Her birthday party is on Saturday at 10am. Do not be late.

And of course the toy Rin had asked for was sold out everywhere online. The tiny dolls with light up dresses and a matching crystal necklace were apparently ‘the’ toy at the moment. She specifically wanted the purple one, the ‘hope’ doll, because it was her favourite colour, and she already had the other dolls in the set. This was the last one she needed. And he hadn’t been able to find it anywhere. He was failing as an Uncle. The last store he’d been to, he’d practically seen a pair of mothers come to blows arguing over the last CrystalShines doll on the shelf.

He was close to the exit of the store when an intriguing scent wafted past his nose. It was another store employee, dressed in the dark polo shirt and black jeans, with one of those ear walkie talkies they all seemed to wear. She was giggling, talking to someone using the button on her mike, her other arm full of a variety of women’s clothing that she was putting back on the racks. Her arms were a blur as she began sorting them into different sizes, working quickly to make each rack neat and tidy.

He watched as she flitted about the store, talking to a customer, smiling and waving at a baby in a pram, folding jumpers and t-shirts. His eyes were drawn to her dark ponytail; the way it swung as she moved was almost hypnotic. Her glossy hair was black, but had a blue sheen to it under the harsh fluorescent lighting, and he had a sudden urge to reach out and touch it, stroke down the length of the swinging tail to see if it was as soft and silken as it looked.

Without even realising it, he followed her, almost bumping into her as she suddenly spun around to go in a different direction.

“Oh! Good evening sir, can I help you with anything?”

There was a pleasant smile on her face, and she was looking at him expectantly. His voice didn’t seem to want to work now he was actually standing close to her, so he turned around his phone, showing her the picture of the doll.

“This is what you’re looking for?”

“Yeah”, he said softly, his eyes focused on hers as she glanced up at him again. He’d never seen anyone with grey eyes before. It seemed they were lit from within like starlight, and now that he was closer to her, she smelt even better. He cleared his throat, trying to get a hold of himself. “My niece wants one of these for her birthday, and I’m having trouble finding one.”

“Okay”, she said, reaching for the button on her headset to talk to the other employees on the shop floor. “Let me just talk to my colleague in the toy department, and I’ll see if we’ve got that item in stock.”

❤

Kagome watched as the man in front of her visibly deflated.

“Don’worry about it then. Already talked to ‘im.”

And then she got it. Ryan was working the toy department tonight. Ryan the racist bigot who didn’t like interacting with any customers who weren’t white, male, good ol’ boys, exactly like him. Usually he worked out the back in the store room, unpacking shipments, but due to the flu going around and the shortage of staff, the evening shift manager had put him on the floor tonight. And he’d no doubt said something innaproppriate to this gorgeous man in front of her, who obviously had some sort of youkai heritage.

She’d had her own run-ins with Ryan. He’d said many cruel things to her over the past six months, since he’d found out what happened a few years ago, cruel enough to make her run to the safety of the women’s toilets to shed a few silent tears in private. He never bullied her in a place where others could overhear, he always cornered her in dark places where there was no one else around. He frightened her. Jak knew she was uncomfortable around him, and did his best to make sure they were never rostered on at the same time, so it had been a while since she’d had to deal with him.

She took in the golden eyes, fangs and the beanie yanked down hard over his long silver hair, but it was the resigned bitter look on his face that caught at her heart. She knew that feeling. Internally Kagome fumed, but outwardly she hoisted her brightest smile onto her face, wanting to make it up to him. She could fix this!

“Wait. I don’t know the toy department that well, but I’m sure I could help. Just give me a moment to put these things down.”

He followed her to a wheeled rack in the aisle where she hung all the clothing in her arms back up, and then turned to him, smiling brightly again.

“Let’s go to the toy department and see if we can’t find this doll for your niece. When’s her birthday?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Oh dear, that doesn’t give you much time to find one!”

“I’ve been lookin’ all week. Online stores have sold out.”

“Well, hopefully we’ll have one in stock. Let’s see, the doll aisle is around here somewhere.”

They walked together down the aisle, both scanning the shelves for the tiny dolls.

“They should be around here”, said Kagome, her finger running along the price labelling on the edge of the shelf, her eyes lighting up as she found the right tag, but sighing in disappointment as she found the shelf empty.

“Yeah”, sighed Inuyasha. “I asked the guy around here if he could find out if there were any more out the back or somethin’ and he, ah…”

“Don’t worry”, said Kagome, a determined look on her face, “I will personally go take a look in the store room for you. Just wait here for me sir.”

“Inuyasha.”

“Huh?”

He coughed a little, his head turning to the side to avoid her direct gaze. “My name, it’s Inuyasha.”

“Oh. Right. Just wait here for me Inuyasha, and I’ll be right back.”

���Thanks Kagome.”

She blinked in confusion as he said her name, wondering how he’d known it, then realised he had read her name tag.

For some reason him saying her name out loud made her stomach swoop, like she was on a roller coaster, even though her feet were firmly planted on the ground. As he gave her a shy smile, she felt her cheeks begin to heat, and she whirled around, making a beeline for the storage room, talking into the mike on her headset as she left.

“Hey Jak, it’s Kagome – just going out to the store room for a moment for a customer. I’ll get right back on those returns as soon as I’m done, okay?”

“Oooh, tell me it’s the hottie with the white hair that I pointed out to you!”

“Jak!”

“Oh it is! Take your time honey!”

“You’re incorrigible, you know that?”

“And you love me for it. Make sure you get his name and number before he goes!”

“Jak!”

“For the customer form darlin’, what else did you think I meant?”

She could hear him still sniggering as she released the talk button on her mike, and she shook her head, grinning despite herself. He was her in-line manager and they got on really well, but rarely got to spend time together, as he was usually rostered on during the day, and her in the evenings so her day was free for lectures and study.

Kagome squeezed her way into the storeroom, scanning the aisles of stock yet to be placed out on the shelves. And then she saw it, the edge of a box with a picture of a tiny doll up on the highest shelf.

Dragging over the step ladder, she placed it under the shelf and climbed up, her petite size meaning she had to stand on the very top to have any chance of reaching the box. She just managed to reach the doll with the tips of her fingers, and nudged it. It tipped forward and fell, and with a gasp she managed to catch it with her outstretched hand, teetering on the top of the ladder, her other arm windmilling frantically to keep her balance.

She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her frantically beating heart after her almost fall, the box containing the doll clutched tightly against her. But she’d found one for him, a purple one, just like he’d wanted. She had no idea why that made her feel so incredibly happy, but it did.

Grinning widely as she emerged from the storeroom, she began walking directly to the toy department. She could see Inuyasha there, waiting for her. But she could also see Ryan, his arms crossed as he spoke to him, a sneer on his face. She quickened her pace. Previous experience had taught her that expression couldn’t mean anything good.

❤

Inuyasha stood his ground, hands clenched in tight fists by his sides. He had every right to be here – he was a customer, he hadn’t caused any commotion or damage. Kagome had asked him to wait here. But apparently that wasn’t good enough for this guy.

“I told you already, we’ve got none of what your looking for. Nothing for you. Are you deaf, or just stupid?” The volume of his voice wasn’t loud enough to draw anyone’s attention to them, but definitely loud enough to get on Inuyasha’s nerves.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his hands shaking slightly as he held back. He would not punch out this idiot – this was a department store, not a battle ground. Even though he deserved it because he was a racist bigoted shit.

“I already told you to leave youkai! Do I have to call security?”

Inuyasha breathed out slowly, trying to keep any trace of anger out of his voice, even though he wanted to let rip. He’d found out the hard way that security tended to not ask questions, just see his youkai traits and assume the worst.

“And I already told you, another employee was taking a look out the back for me. She told me to wait here for her.”

“Yeah, like I’d believe anything one of you would have to say. You’re all the same. What are hidin’ under that hat huh? Some kinda weird freakish thing I’d bet. ”

“Inuyasha!”

Inuyasha turned, his eyes lighting up as Kagome appeared. But she wasn’t wearing the wide smile she had when she left. She was stomping towards them, a box tucked tightly under her arm, the scowl on her face impressive. Thankfully that scowl was not directed at him.

He could smell the nervousness pouring off of her, but you never would have thought it looking at the way she faced off with her work colleague, stepping in front of him like she wanted to shield him from this man's ire with her much smaller body.

“Ryan, I’m handling this customer. And I’ve already found what he needed, so there’s no reason for you to be here. I think you’ve probably said enough.”

There was the barest trace of a tremble in her voice, and Inuyasha moved in closer behind her, wanting her to feel like he was there to support her. He wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but he didn’t like it.

Ryan rolled his eyes and then sneered at her, his voice low and vicious.

“Ha. Shoulda known it would be you Kagome. Such a helpful little kiss ass. Why don’t you turn that cute little tush of yours around and head back to the ladies department where you belong, unless you’re still that desperate for some demon tail.”

“What?”

Ryan grinned at the shocked expression on Kagome’s face, posturing like he’d somehow scored a point. “Bit ironic really, you working in the ladies department when you’re anything but. A human ain't good enough for Kagome, huh? Wasn’t it bad enough that the last guy you had got fired, now you’re after customers too? You really are a-“

“Don’t. Say. Another. Word.”

Both Kagome and Ryan flinched at the snarled words behind them.

“Kagome, call your manager”, said Inuyasha gruffly. “I wanna report this guy.”

“It’s my word against yours demon, and little Kagome’s not gonna say anything, are you Kagome, because you’re fuckin’ pathetic. There’s nothin’ you can report me for”, snorted Ryan.

“Oh, I don’t know. I’d probably pick being a racist arsehole, for starters”, said another voice cheerfully. "Then maybe we could add workplace harassment."

A tall man in a tailored suit stepped into view, his dark hair slicked back into a short ponytail. He was holding his phone up, obviously still recording the whole thing.

“Here I was, minding my own business in the Lego aisle while I looked for the perfect birthday gift for my little girls, and what should I hear? An employee bad mouthing a customer, when the customer had been nothing but polite and civil. Don’t worry about proof, I’m happy to be a witness. I was recording the whole thing. From the very first racist slur that left your lips.”

Kagome’s eyes were wide as she glanced from the ponytailed man back to Ryan, and Inuyasha could hear her heart beating frantically. He nodded at her approvingly as she took a deep breath, her hand steady on the button on her headset.

“Jak, it’s Kagome”, she said, her voice a little breathless, but firm. “Can you-“

Ryan lunged towards her.

“Don’t you dare, you fuckin’ bitch!”

Inuyasha ducked out from behind Kagome, his fist grabbing the back of Ryan’s shirt and lifting him into the air, Ryan’s legs kicking frantically as he tried to escape. Before Kagome could move out of the way, his steel capped boot caught her on the chin. She dropped like a stone, crumpling to the floor in a heap.

“Fuck, Kagome!”

Inuyasha swung Ryan out of the way and dropped him none too gently, all his focus on the small woman laying prone on the slightly grubby linoleum floor, still out for the count. He could hear a scuffle behind him as the man in the suit and a few other observers struggled to keep Ryan contained, but he no longer cared about him. He knelt down close to her, gently stroking the glossy dark hair back from her face.

“Kagome, can you hear me?”

Inuyasha shook Kagome’s shoulder gently, trying to rouse her, and her eyes fluttered open.

“Inuyasha?” she said groggily, her arm tightening around the box, a wobbly smile on her face. “I got your doll.”

❤

It took a while to sort everything out. An ambulance was called, and the police. The police took statements from Inuyasha, Kagome and the man in the suit, Miroku. Ryan was fired on the spot, and Jak was positively gleeful, despite the mountain of paperwork he’d have to fill out before he went home that evening. When the paramedic suggested that Kagome should go to the hospital to be checked for possible concussion, Inuyasha had immediately said he’d like to go with her, if that was alright with Kagome, and after a few polite remarks about it not being necessary, she’d gratefully accepted. Jak had positively pushed them into the ambulance together, waving them off with a bright smile. It was the most exciting evening shift he’d had in years.

❤

“You don’t have to stay you know. I’ll be fine, I’ll just get an Uber home.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, leaning back against the wall, his arm resting on the edge of Kagome's hospital bed.

“For the tenth time woman, I don’t mind. I want to be here when the doctor examines you to make sure you’re okay. And then I wanna make sure you get home safe.” He sighed as he looked at the dark purpling bruise on Kagome’s chin. “I’m just sorry I didn’t throw that fucker down to the end of the aisle when I had the chance.”

“But it’s so late! It’s almost 2am, and you have the party to go to tomorrow. Today I mean.”

“Eh, that’s hours away. She won’t mind if I’m a little late, Rin’s a nice kid. And now I have the perfect present, thanks to you.”

Kagome was quiet for a while. The silence grew to feel uncomfortable, because Inuyasha could sense how tense Kagome suddenly was.

“Inuyasha… I want to explain. About what Ryan said to me.”

“Hmm?” He could smell nervousness again, billowing around her like a cloud, and he didn’t like it. “Doesn’t matter, none of my business.”

“But I want to”, she said, her voice taking on a stubborn edge.

“Fine, I’ll listen. But nothin’ you can say will change my good opinion of you. You stepped up for me back there Kagome, and that don’t happen for me much. I will always remember that.”

Kagome reached out her hand to lightly grasp the clawed one sitting next to her on the bed, and squeezed it.

“Thank you.”

He squeezed back.

“You’re welcome.”

“Anyway”, she sighed. “About what Ryan said. I started working at that department store when I was still in high school, as a weekend job. And there was this training manager, a kitsune. He’d come around every so often, and all the girls thought he was really good looking. He had a little green sports car; a lot of the other girls thought was really important. They all were flirting with him, and then he asked me out. I was so surprised. I mean, me! I’m nothing special! He was so stylish, and so charming. I really thought…” Kagome laughed but it had no humour in it, and Inuyasha squeezed her hand again. She shrugged, her shoulders coming up around her ears as her face turned away from him.

“I was so stupid! It turned out I was right about being nothing special, because he was going out with a couple of girls at every store that he visited.” She flinched a little at Inuyasha’s low growl of disapproval. “There were around ten of us. And because a couple of us were under aged, he was charged. Lost his job. Ryan found out about it a few months ago and thought-“

“Don’t say it”, said Inuyasha gruffly, squeezing her hand again. “Don’t matter what he thought. It’s in the past. And the Kagome I saw tonight was amazing.”

“No I wasn’t!” Kagome shook her head, then winced as her head throbbed, realising that was a bad idea. “I was so scared Inuyasha! I’ve never been able to stand up to him before. But I couldn’t stand the thought of him being mean to you!”

“Then you’re even braver than I thought.” Inuyasha entwined his fingers with hers, and cleared his throat. “Kagome, I know you don’t know me. But I think I’d like to get to know you. Could I call you? Maybe we could go out for coffee or somethin’? I mean you don’t gotta answer, and if you don’t wanna, I totally understand, I mean-“

“Yes.” Kagome giggled at the wide toothy grin on Inuyasha’s face. “Give me your phone and I’ll put my number in.”

“Wait. Maybe you should see what all’a me looks like before you say yes.”

Inuyasha tugged off his beanie, revealing the pointed white dog ears on top of his head. “If you wanna change your mind, I-“

“They’re so cute!” squeaked Kagome. “Please give me your phone!”

❤

Kagome woke up the next morning very late, so late that it was no longer morning at all.

It had been 3am by the time Inuyasha had dropped her home with a bag of painkillers and the Doctor’s instructions for treating her mild concussion. He’d helped her into bed, placed her medicine and a glass of water next to the bed for her, kissed her softly on the cheek and whispered goodnight, closing the door behind him.

She rubbed her cheek gently at the memory of that small kiss, a smile on her face. She still had a headache, so she took two of the tablets, then reached for her phone on the bedside table where it had been charging.

There were two messages.

The birthday girl loves her present! Attached was a picture of a smiling Inuyasha kneeling with his arm around a little girl in a checked orange party dress and sparkly sandals, her dark hair up in pig tails. A wide excited grin split her face, revealing the gap of a missing front tooth. The doll was clutched tightly in her hand, and she was wearing the necklace that came with it.

I told Rin how brave you were, and she wanted you to have some birthday cake. Can I bring some over when you wake up? 🍰

Kagome smiled almost as wide as Rin, despite her headache.

I’d love you to ❤

[sonicringbond]

Sonic Ring Bond: the Journey - Scene 23

And with a lengthy little scene, we have moved away from the exposition for now. Or at least most of it. Rosy still has some exposition to give every scene just due to the story structure, but we actually have things getting started started again in this scene so i hope everyone enjoys...

    ~The biggest thing I love about adventuring is all the new people I meet and all of the wonderful places that I see. Sometimes though the people I meet need help, or just want a favor in exchange for a service. Tee-hee~♥ This time the people I met are little meaner though.

    ~To people who rely on Rings, they are irreplaceable. They do so much, and we rely on them so much. I don’t even think I really thought about it until I ended up in these strange lands with that little planet watching me every day. When I first discovered that most people here didn’t trust Rings it was so unnatural. Yet to them it was perfectly normal. Or so I thought until I met the Engineers.

    ~They were the first people here who actually used Rings like I was used to, but when Rings are treated as bad, they have to keep it a secret. It makes Ring Thieves even worse than they are back home. Stealing Rings is so hurtful, even helping a Ring Thief will get you hurt. I’ll have to talk Gill into changing his way of life when I finally catch up with him.

    ~Fortunately, though I was afraid that knowing Gill would have lost me an opportunity to catch up with Zooey, the cloud sailors were very understanding. They just didn’t trust me, or Draw, so they sent us out on a little quest to prove that we were trustworthy.

    ~Hmph! I think it’s ridiculous since they saw the photo with me and Zooey both in it. It should be obvious. But Gill did steal Rings from them, so it makes sense to help them gather Rings. I’m kind of excited too as I haven’t had a Ring gathering job in what feels like forever! Hee-hee! It’s what I used to do back home so it’s a nice little reminder of who I am. Which is fortunate too under the circumstances.~

    An airship that was barely more than a deck, cabins, and a hold wrapped around a metal balloon and further wrapped in sails, rigging, propellers, and wings soared across the jagged terrain. The mountains were unusual in that they almost appeared like domino tiles that had fallen on top of each other. The geography resulted in the top side of the mountains being covered as far as the eye could see in lush grasslands where sheep roamed, and Rings spun about on their axes arranged in any number of patterns. Despite being high enough for clouds to drift across the meadows the temperature was warm and balmy. From the deck railing Rosy watched the scenery passing by below with a huge and excited smile.

    “Ooh~! It’s so perfect! There are so many places to run, and so many Rings too! I bet there are all sorts of interesting things to find down below the cliffs too!”

    “You’re awfully excited considering they’re making you do their work,” Draw looked at Rosy wryly before a smirk adorned his face. With a shrug he closed his eyes and turned away. “But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised when dealing with a weirdo girl like you.”

    “How many times do I have to tell you stop calling me names!”

    Rosy complained and Draw snickered before Rosy stuck her tongue out in retaliation. It earned them both a good laugh, but Rosy felt it would be rude not answer the implied question from her koala companion. Wiping a tear from her eye she explained her excitement.

    “Believe it or not, but this is what I did back home,” Rosy demonstrated vaguely drawing a doodle in the air with a finger. “My job was to collect Rings and I went all over the place doing it. Me and my best friend. Ooh~ I haven’t seen Tails in forever and I miss him so much. I really hope he’s okay.”

    “I’m surprised you haven’t forgotten him with how long you’ve been searching. It seems like something you’d forget.”

    Hopping off the railing, Rosy sat down on the deck beside Draw and pulled her knees to her chin. It made her look very small, even next to the younger and smaller koala.

    As Draw continued to clean his bow, he looked at Rosy wondering if she was upset about something. The mischievous grin she wore hidden behind her knees told him otherwise and he leaned in closer as she motioned to him with a wave of her hand.

    “Well that’s the thing,” Rosy whispered excitedly, her wagging tail thudding against the deck giving away her enthusiasm. “I’ve noticed that the things I’m most likely to forget are things that aren’t associated with what I normally do. I think that’s why it’s so important for everyone to have the defined roles that they do. It helps you stay you, I think. But adventuring is what I do, and what my friends do too so most of those memories are just kind of fuzzy now, but I can still remember them. That’s why I’m not worried about helping the Engineers out.”

    “I get it,” Draw contemplated as he absently rubbed down his bow. “They aren’t trying to have you repay the stolen Rings, they’re trying to use how everyone always forgets things to make you loyal to them.”

    “That’s what I was thinking too,” Rosy beamed as Draw had caught on. “But I know it won’t work on either of us. First and foremost, I know that the Rings will always remember. Secondly, they think we’re dumb because we’re kids.”

    “Well you’re certainly a weirdo girl,” Draw countered Rosy’s attempts to build up their confidence. She puffed up her cheeks at him and he simply flashed her another playful smirk. He did not prompt her to go off topic however and stayed quiet.

    “But they shouldn’t look down on us like that. I know you’ll be fine too because practicing to hunt golems is what you do, and I’ll be fine because I’m going to be doing what I always do. They won’t beat us so easily, and we’ll still help them and get to hear more about where Zooey is.”

    ~I felt like my belief was spot on. Why wouldn’t it be? This strange land may steal people’s memories, but I’ve been doing my best to pay attention and protect my precious memories as best as I could. I had gotten Draw involved too so it was important that I protect his memories too. The thing is though, I wasn’t prepared for how bored I was going to be. And after it looked so exciting too.

    ~Overlooking one of the best views I ever saw of the wide openness of the world was a weird little tower that was as much a part of an old ruin as it was something that looked like it grew out of it. It was like a smashed together building built from a windmill, a water tower, a lighthouse, and a giant boiler chimney. There were pipes everywhere and covered almost as much as the ivy and other plants that covered the stone brick building. But there was nothing else of interest.

    ~A kitchen, bedrooms, and a lookout post. Even the weird little arch that served as the airship port was just quaint. The old guy who worked at what they called an Engineer’s waystation was nice enough too, but he laid down a very strict rule about never going further out than he could see. And so, by the afternoon of my second day there, I was so bored and turned desperately to Draw to help me chase away the boredom.~

    “It’s your fault for collecting the Rings so fast,” Draw remarked dismissively as he fired off a practice shot into a target he carved into the side of an old tree within the outer wall of the ruin that held the waystation.

    “I know, but I get so excited!” Rosy whined. “It really is like back home. Rings show up in random places and patterns every day and I just can’t help myself. It’s so much fun but being limited on where I can run makes it so boring. I know they don’t trust me, but it’s still unfair.”

    “And why do you think I can change their minds?” Draw asked as he fired off another arrow.

    “I don’t,” Rosy admitted as she clasped her hands behind her back and began swaying her body back and forth. “I was just hoping you could help me chase off my boredom for a little bit.”

    “Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” Draw asked as he eyed Rosy wearily.

    Her cheeks puffing up, Rosy energetically defended herself. “It isn’t anything bad! Really! I just want to practice my fortune telling. I may consult the cards every morning, but I know so many other ways of reading fortunes too. Like I can do a really simple one right here and now. All I need is for you to show me you hand.

    “And if I say I don’t want to?” Draw challenged.

    “Don’t be like that!” Rosy fussed and snagged Draw’s hand in both of hers.

    “Why do you care about my future anyway?” Draw pressed as he yanked his hand away, not noticing that Rosy drew her thumbs along his palm as he did. “Or do you think I can’t beat your golem–?”

    Draw stopped short as he noticed Rosy’s mischievous grin had returned and he frowned in disgust and fear. “What did you just do?”

    “Nothing,” Rosy swayed playfully, teasing the poor koala. “Just read your fortune is all~♥”

    “What! That easily?”

    “I’m really good at it,” Rosy laughed as she shook a playful finger at the bewildered Draw.

    “No way! What did you learn!”

    “Well…,” Rosy started enthusiastically, but she seemed a bit perplexed and looked down at her thumbs. Draw swallowed loudly afraid something bad lay in store for him, but Rosy dismissed it as she reached into one of the shoulder puffs of her leotard. “It’s kind of confusing so I’m going to ask my cards to help clarify for me.”

    Without missing a beat, Rosy flopped onto the ground, her legs forming a “W” like shape in front of her as she withdrew the small waterproof container. Carefully extracting her tarot cards Rosy split the deck and paused a moment before shuffling. Giggling, she lay the two halves on the ground in front of her. “I better give them a Ring first. I don’t want them getting worn out. They’re my oldest friends you know.”

    Draw gave Rosy a doubting look, but she ignored him and cheerily pushed a Ring into her cards. With a twinkle of golden motes of light, the Ring vanished as quickly as it had appeared from Rosy’s person. Her cards seemed no different, but it was obvious that they still looked brand new. Testing the snap of the cards Rosy smiled wider as she began to shuffle them.

    It was a mundane action, but a sudden breeze blew one or two free and Rosy gasped in apologetic surprise.

    “Ah! I’m sorry!”

    Scrambling to catch the errant cards, Rosy looked like a child chasing butterflies and Draw hung his head and sighed. The sudden urgency in Rosy’s voice as she spoke to him again though caused him concern as he looked back up at her.

    “Draw, we have to go.”

    “Eh! What!” Draw stepped back surprised, but Rosy’s face was desperate with seriousness. Still, he needed clarification as she hurried to put her cards away. “But if we leave… I mean won’t they never help us find your friend if we go now.”

    “They probably won’t,” Rosy conceded, but did not linger as she offered Draw her back so she might carry him piggyback. “But I know seeing them and how protective they are that Zooey is safe. I want to see her. Really, I do. But… but right now, someone else needs our help and we have to hurry before it’s too late!”

    “How did come up with that?” Draw guffawed at the absurdity of what Rosy claimed.

    “The cards told me!”

    Rosy’s claim baffled Draw even more and he gave her a doubting look and began to mouth a response but Rosy cut him off with a stern look as she forewent an explanation. “I know you don’t believe me, no one ever does at first, but my cards never lie to me. And right now, someone needs our help more than Zooey, so we have to go.”

    “Well… If you… argh! Fine!”

    With a shout Draw gave in and soon found himself whisked away at speeds he could not comprehend across the meadowed mountain sides.

Scene 23 · CLEARED A Tiny Voice, to be continued

-----

And with that, Rosy is chasing after trouble yet again. Draw seemed to have mellowed out this scene, but hopefully not jarringly so. I definitely need to get some excitability into him again. But we’ll leave that for the future.

Thank you for reading everyone! i hope you enjoyed!

-----

Special Thanks to Cutegirlmayra Story by @JoshTarwater/SonicFanJ Inspiring Song – What Makes the Sky Blue – Tsutomu Narita – Granblu Fantasy Original Soundtrack: Promise

Fair Use Disclaimer

Sonic the Hedgehog and all affiliated characters and logos are the express property and Copyright© of SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS used without permission under Title 17 U.S.C Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 in which allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. “Fair use” is use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be considered copyright infringement. The Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey alternate universe (AU) consumer written work of fiction is a non-profit transformative work primarily for personal use and can and will be taken down without warning or prior notice at the request of the copyright holder(s) should it not be recognized under “fair use”.

*Sonic Ring Bond logo created by DEE Art – twitter.com/daryliscute.

Sonic Ring Bond AU and Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey are the creation of Joshua David Tarwater/ynymbus/sonicfanj/@Joshtarwater and is to be, including all contents herein considered for all legal purposes the property of the Sonic the Hedgehog intellectual property (IP) and copyright owners, SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS. All story contributors via prompt, suggestion, written scene, art, and all and every other contribution acknowledge that all contributed material is forfeit for legal purposes to SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS upon official request from SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS.

[inupibaldspot]

Saviour : Chapter 2

Emilia had woken up to a loud laughing noise.She stood up from the bed (?).It was just board put together and a futon on top.Emilia sweat dropped.

She looked around and saw that the walls were was oddly shaking making her assume that she was on a ship.Then suddenly she remembered everything.

Mom!

Emilia was about to rush out when she thought what if she had been kidnapped by that god damn pirate.

So she quietly and carefully opened the door to peek.There were men everywhere all dressed in a familiar blue and white.

"What are marines even doing here?" She whispered to herself.

"Well that's because you're on our ship!GAHAHA" A loud voice boomed from her side making Emilia jump.It was the same huge man she saw before she passed out still looking as intimidating as ever.

"Ya don't worry.Everything will be fine."The man looked at her as he munched on his crackers.

"Where are you taking me?! What happened to the village?! What about my Mom?! "Emilia yelled,eyes half filled with tears.

The man sighed "The village is fine..Just a bit messed up.But your mom..."

She is dead. Those words hanged heavily in the air.

Emilia knew that of course but somewhere within her heart she still wasn't ready to accept this.Growing up with someone for the past 9 years makes you really attached.

"My name's Garp. I'm a marine"The man said.

What a familiar sounding name. Emilia thought.

"My name is Ainsworth Emilia." Emilia's voice almost cracked.How can she stay normal after losing someone so precious to her.

"Well.. Listen here.I discussed with your village and decided to take you to my village."Garp said while digging his nose as if taking a kid from their home and taking it to his was a normal thing.

"W-why?!" It was scary. Was I abandoned by my village?!

"Don't over think your self. GAHAHAH! My village is quite a safe place so that's why the people of your village is sending you there.Guess pirates attacking you village is quite normal." Garp said as he started to eat his crackers again.

How un-hygenic Emilia thought.

"Also.." Garps face turned quite serious. "You have quite a powerful force within you and that place will be a perfect place to train it."

"Is it about my Conqueror's haki?" Emilia said.She remembered these few stuff from her previous life.

"Oh. You know about these..When did you know you had It?" Garp questioned.

"I read it in a book." She lied. "And I didn't know I had it until today..."

There was a silence.

"WELL ANYWAYS! You're going to a village called Fuusha Village. GAHAHAHA! I have my two grandsons there as well. It hasn't even been 2 weeks since the younger one arrived." Garp explained.

"Vice Admiral Garp!" Another man in marine dress came running. "There is a pirate ship in the West!"

So this man is a vice-admiral...Wow

"Well.. How about you go in that room, child. Things might get abit crazy here. GAHAHA." Garp laughed as he went to the row of canons talking about how he is gonna throw them like meteors.

Emilia followed his words and went inside the room.

Mom . She thought as she cried herself ignoring the laugh of Garp along with boom of canons in the back ground.

Emilia then fell asleep.

.................

"Oi Brat wake up. We're here." Emilia felt someone wake her up.

Damn She felt like crap after all that crying.

"Am I going to stay here? In that village?" She questioned Garp following him out side but he didn't answer though. He just kept walking as if looking happy to be here again.

Well..You could say Fuusha Village is...Living up to its name. There was this gentle breeze blowing and along with it there were windmills.

It wasnt such a bad place! Maybe I 'll love it here. Emilia thought smiling.

"GAHAHA! You wont won't be staying here. Come on follow me!"Garp said suddenly making Emilia nervous.

He took her around the village and along the way many people greeted him.

Maybe he is a famous person after all being a vice-admiral was no easy task.But still there was this bad feeling within Emilia.

And that bad feeling exactly came true when Garp led her to a mountain.But it wasn't like the mountains you had in Dahlia village.

The mountains in Dahlia village was green with many flowers.Emilia would often find deers and rabbits near the edge of the forest.

This mountain was downright terrifying .It was dark and the size of the animals were huge.

"GAHAHA!" Garp laughed as he threw away a huge bear who was about to attack him making her sweat drop.

Emilia started to wonder if he really was a human like her.

"Garp-san..May I know the name of your grandsons?" Emilia said timidly.

"The older one is 10, his name is Ace while the other one is 7, He is called Luffy! GAHAHAH!" Garp explained "I'm going to raise them into fine marines one day!"

Ace...Luffy....

Those names sounded way to familiar.

"We're here!" Garp said still ever so enthusiastic while our poor Emilia was half way dead.

Climbing that mountain and running ways from those animals were no easy task.Especially if Garp just marched forward without a care that Emilia will be eaten.

Thank God I practiced fighting in order to protect myself. Emilia thought.

Emilia finally looked up and saw a house.It wasn't well maintained but somehow it made her feel at home.

[allyreactions]

Koi No Yokan : Chapter 2

Suho (EXO) x Jaehyun (NCT) x Fem! Reader

genre : college au, soulmate au, 

word count : 1901

warnings : drinking, strong language

Koi no yokan - japanese (n) the extraordinary sense upon first meeting someone, that you will one day fall in love

- chapter 1  written by @kpoppwriter

- masterlist 

~ A/N : Okay, so I know Max and I started this AU freakin forever ago, and I’ve been the one that hasn’t done my part on writing the next chapter. But I promise that this time, we gon’ do this thing. Anyway, I hope you guys love this chapter, I really just fell in love with the way I portrayed nerdy Junmyeon like ouch my heart. Please remember to go read chapter 1 first and give @kpoppwriter a follow 

_________________________

Friday, 

~ 7:12 pm 

      You walked into the campus coffee shop. The scent of ground espresso beans and freshly baked muffins burned your nostrils. The smell unbearably strong. You glanced around the small cafe, searching for a brunette boy with large glasses. 

     “Over here!” 

      You turn your head behind you in the direction of the voice. 

      Junmyeon was sitting by himself in the corner of the cafe. A large textbook and two cups of coffee sat on the table in front of him. 

     “I saved us a spot.” Junmyeon said, motioning to the seat next to him. 

     You made your way over to the table, gently setting your purse down on the floor. 

     “I wasn’t sure what kind of coffee you like, so I just ordered you an iced americano.” 

     Junmyeon seemed really eager to work with you. Although he was acting like a total nerd, you still found him endearing. 

     “I normally order a vanilla latte, but this is okay.” You responded politely, tucking your hair behind your ear before taking a sip of the icy drink. 

     “So what did you need help with exactly? I remember that you struggled with the last unit.” Junmyeon opened the textbook in front of him, frantically turned the pages, searching for the right page numbers. 

     “Yeah, um,” You said as you raised your hand.  

     You wanted to place your hand on Junmyeon’s, just to calm him down. He seemed a little nervous. But you refrained. 

     “How about we just look at my quiz and figure out what I did wrong?” You suggested. 

     You reached down into your purse and pulled out your quiz. It was covered in red pen. Blood rushed to your face, your face hot with embarrassment. 

     “Yeah, that’s a good idea. We’ll start there.” He smiled at you. 

~ 8:47 pm 

*vvrrrr vvrrrr* 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

incoming message : Amber 

duuuuuude! the nct frat guys invited us to their party tonight! u comin’ or what??

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

     You flipped your phone over on the table, face down. You admit you were tempted, but you were enjoying your time with Junmyeon. He had actually been really helpful. His explanations were way better than your professors. 

*vvrrrr vvrrrr* 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

incoming message : Amber 

come on, jaehyun’s gonna be there! u know u wanna.... 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

     “You can answer that if you wanna. I don’t mind.” Junmyeon said in response to your text messages. 

     “Sorry, excuse me.” 

     You stepped outside and called Amber. 

     “Hello” Amber answered in a sing-song voice. 

     “Amber, I’m kinda busy at the moment.” You said, a little irritated that she interrupted your study session. 

     “Doing what?” Amber questioned jokingly. “What could you possibly be doing that’s more important than an Nu Sigma Tau frat party?” 

     “I’m actually trying to study for once.” You said firmly. 

     Amber chuckled. “You, Y/N, studying?” 

     “Yes, Amber. I’m nearly failing my calculus class.” 

     “Alright alright, if you wanna stay in and study, that’s fine. But just remember that when you get bored of formulas, there’s a particular frat boy that’s awaiting your company.” Amber said tauntingly. 

     “I’ll think about it.”

     “You’ve got all weekend to study. Just take a break!” 

     “Goodbye, Amber.” You said playfully before hanging up on her.

     You walked back in and sat down at the table with Junmyeon. You sipped your coffee and contemplated whether you should attend the party with Amber or spend some more time studying with Junmyeon. 

     You went back and forth in your head. You started thinking about what Amber said, maybe you do deserve a break. And yeah, you’ve got all weekend to study, it’s not like you’ve got a test in the morning you need to cram for. A party might be what you need. You’ve worked hard, now you can play hard. Right? 

     But what about Junmyeon? You didn’t want to just leave him, you’d feel guilty. He’s so sweet. He gave up his time to help you out of the kindness of his nerdy heart. You can’t just tell him your prioritizing a party over him, he’d feel awful. You had to think of what to say. 

     “Y/N, is everything okay?” Junmyeon asked. 

     He looked at you, his head cocked to the side. He could tell something was up. You shook your head, unaware you had been zoned out in your own thoughts. 

     “Yeah, I’m fine. My friend just needed my help with something. I’m sorry.” You replied. 

     “If you need to go, I understand.” 

     Junmyeon was so sweet. You felt guilty at the lies that fell from your mouth. Junmyeon didn’t deserve to be lied to. 

     “Maybe we can pick up another time this weekend? Get brunch tomorrow?” Your guilty conscience led you to make plans with him. 

     “I’d like that.” Junmyeon smiled softly, his eyes shone bright. 

      “I’ll text you in the morning and we’ll figure out a time and place.” You started to pack up your stuff. 

     “Sounds good to me.” Junmyeon replied as he helped you gather your things. 

     “And again,” You threw your purse over your shoulder. “I’m sorry for leaving like this. I wanna make it up to you.” 

     “It’s all good, don’t worry about it.” Junmyeon placed his hand on your shoulder, giving a reassuring squeeze.

~ 10:01 pm

     “I’m so glad you listened to me, this party is gonna be sick.” Amber nudged. 

     You both approached the Nu Sigma Tau frat house. The entrance was grand, long white columns that appeared stories high. The carefully crafted image of such an upheld and prestigious building was crumbled by tipsy underage students running across the front lawn. The roar of the music could be heard down the block. Flashing rainbow lights lit up the exterior, creating an inviting aura around the building. 

     “It’s the end of initiation week, and so they’re throwing a huge party to celebrate!” Amber said enthusiastically. 

     “Let’s hope they went all out on the alcohol then. I could really use a few drinks.” You said, letting your body sway side to side. 

     You and Amber crossed the threshold of the house. The foyer was just as full as the rest of the rooms. Sweaty bodies were scattered everywhere. 

     “H-hey hey!” Shouted a burly man with a backwards cap and two red Solo cups in hand. “There’s drinks in the kitchen and a keg out back. Help yourselves!” 

     He sauntered off to the other room, handing off the other cup to one of his friends. You assumed he was a member of the frat, given his ‘warm’ welcome. 

     You and Amber weaved your way through the crowd and eventually found yourselves in the kitchen. You grabbed yourself a bottle of apple ale beer, while Amber decided on the red concoction in the Solo cups. 

     You two headed outside to get some fresh air. The stench of sweat and alcohol was overpowering. After walking around for bit, Amber found a group of girls from her physiology class and went over to talk with them.

     Instead of just standing off to the side, you decided to make your way back in the house and find someone you knew. You wandered around for a while and couldn’t find anyone, so you started to look for a place to sit. Most of the seats were taken, and you didn’t feel like sitting next to a stranger, so you opted for the stairs as a place to rest. You pulled your phone out from your pocket and started typing a text to Amber, letting her know where you can be found. 

     “You look lost” A familiar voice said. 

     You looked up from your phone. A tall boy with caramel locks stared down at you. Jaehyun. 

     “Hey!” You stood up, adjusting your jeans and placing your phone in your back pocket. “Great party.” 

     “Doesn’t look like you’re enjoying it that much.” Jaehyun chuckled. 

     Suddenly you got knocked off your feet and fell backwards on the stairs. 

     “Lucas! Dude, your windmill is gonna cause casualties!” A black haired boy yelled, holding his arms out to keep a safe distance from his friend. 

     “Y/N, are you alright?” Jaehyun reached out his hand to help you back on your feet. 

     Once he knew you had regained your balance he turned towards the black haired boy. 

     “Mark, I’ll handle him. Stay here with her.” Jaehyun said before marching off to the boy dancing wildly in the living room.  

     The black haired boy turned towards you and extended his hand to you. You reciprocated the action and shook his hand. 

     “Hi, I’m Mark. I’m sorry I ran into you, my bad. I hope you’re not hurt.” He slightly giggled, clearly tipsy himself. But he was still polite. 

     “I’m Y/N. And no need, I’m all good. No harm, no foul.” You said. 

     Jaehyun returned, this time with a floppy haired boy. He helped steddy the boy by throwing his arm over his shoulder.  

     “Mark, can you help me get him upstairs? I think he needs to lie down.” Jaehyun said. 

     Mark threw the floppy haired boy’s arm over his shoulder and helped him stumble up the stairs. 

     “Y/N, you’re welcome to follow if you like.” Jaehyun called after making it a few stairs up. 

     You followed the boys up the stairs and opened up the room to the door at the end of the hallway. Jaehyun and Mark slowly made their way over to the bed that was on the left side of the room. They carefully let the boy drop onto the bed behind them. The boy seemed to pass out instantly. Mark took off the boy’s shoes while Jaehyun placed a pillow under his head. 

     “Y/N, can you grab that trash can over there?” Jaehyun pointe to the black, plastic trash can by the desk. “I want to make sure he’s got a place to throw up when he wakes up.” 

     “Mark, you can head back down. I got it under control up here.” Jaehyun said, nodding his head to the bedroom door. 

     “If you need anything, bro, I got you.” Mark said before leaving. 

     The door shut behind Mark, the room settling back to silence. 

     “Guess he drank too much of that red punch.” You giggled. 

     “Yeah, that shit can really mess you up.” Jaehyun laughed, standing up from his seat. 

     “So who’s this?” You asked, gazing down at the floppy haired boy. 

     “This is Lucas. He’s one of the newbies that got initiated this week. Poor guy went a little too hard on his first party.” Jaehyun said looking down at the boy. “I’m in charge of him and Mark tonight. Just to make sure that they’re safe.” 

     “Well that’s awfully sweet.” You said, smiling softly at Jaehyun. 

     “It’s part of being in the frat. We look out for each other, a true brotherhood we got here.” Jaehun grinned, clearly a proud member of the NCT frat. 

     “Is this your room?” You asked, trying to make small talk. 

     You scanned the room. The walls painted a greyish blue, with posters scattered around the room. White, detailed crown molding wrapped around the ceiling. A full size bed on each side of the room. 

     “Nah, this is Lucas and Mark’s room.” Jaehyun replied. “How about we actually go to my room?” 

     Your heart rate spiked. Maybe it was the alcohol clouding your judgment, or maybe it was the look in Jaehyun’s eyes that spoke of danger and excitement, but you couldn’t help but say, 

     “Yeah, let’s go.” 

[shellheadtmarc]

Connections: Macready??

you just don’t know what can of worms you’ve opened, bc the fallout nonsense is like a mushroom:  y’all get to see the cute little toadstool that pops up above ground, meanwhile it’s this huge, ever-growing bullshit under the surface we (mercifully) keep in discord until it sometimes spills over.

so this is gonna get long, strap in.

okay.  let’s talk about tony’s relationship with robert joseph maccready: former mayor of little lamplight, ex-gunner, father, and tony’s emotional anchor in the commonwealth...and...everywhere else, at this point, as far as fallout 4 goes.

first things first, let’s clear up any lingering confusion here:  mac and tony are an item.  a thing.  a couple.  they do gross couple things and are sappy and disgusting and i literally hate them.  in fact, in tony’s fo4 companion verse overall, if there’s no shippy intention and mac was never romanced/picked up by a sosu or otherwise, tony directly defaults to his relationship there.  which is to say you usually get a tony that’s fairly settled and comfortable in that relationship and is usually out doing his own thing while mac’s doing his own thing, too.  at the end of the day, it’s home - wherever they’re calling home, typically fort hagen or sunshine tidings, i’m thinking - to mac that he’s going.

anyway, instead of doing a ~how they met~ retelling, lemme hit the major highlights in their relationship that haven’t necessarily been discussed at length so that they make sense.

+ when tony handed over caps (mac said two fifty, tony said two hundred, mac said deal) it wasn’t to hire a mercenary.  he didn’t think he needed one, didn’t want one, and thought mac would slow him down.  instead, it was for information about the gunners because he’d gotten jumped by them down the hill from fiddler’s green trailer estates (the overpass with the big windmill) a couple of days previously.  that was it.  that was all.  he’d inquired about the gunners in bunker hill and one of the caravan hands had pointed him to goodneighbor, telling him there was an ex-gunner merc working out of the third rail he could talk to.  he could have walked out of the third rail that night (the third rail, those not in the know, is a bar in an old subway station in goodneighbor) and not thought twice about it.  unfortunately (or fortunately) for tony, mac saw him win back his caps in a game of pool and decided to pretty much consider himself hired whether tony wanted it or not.

+ joke was on mac, however, tony has a thing about otherwise taking caps from people he considers needing them more.  he does a lot of work for free.  wasteland billionaire tony is not.  more days than not he’s barely got two caps to rub together - he prefers to barter.

+ that was and remains a big bone of contention between them.  it gets better, eventually tony turns the haggling of caps over to maccready and lets him do as he sees fit for the most part, but tony is focused on everything but money (i know, funny right) while mac is super honed in because he’s got a kid to look after - you don’t stop needing caps just because they’re not sick anymore.  part of this is because zetta gives birth to quinn (to be discussed in another one of these asks) and that throws tony fully into parent territory, and part is because while he doesn’t necessarily need a lot of caps to get by and it takes him a while to realize that just because he can scrape by with next to nothing, kids in the picture change that a whole hell of a lot.  the other is because there are just things you can’t make in the wasteland and need to pay for.  medical services are high on that scale - i don’t think tony expects stephen to patch him up for free, and croup manor and the fort hagen blood clinic need caps coming through to keep running.

+ there’s a rewrite of maccready’s quest, because tony moves too slowly for the affinity nonsense in that he’s got his own job to do in the commonwealth which isn’t about pinging affinity goalposts.  and because mac has a sick kid he’s gotta find a cure for now that can’t depend on tony being that slow.  mac decides to take on the waystation of gunners on his own.  tony wigs.  zetta tracks mac down.  tony shows up and it’s just...it’s a mess.  i’m pretty sure he probably tried to fire mac right then and there even if he never really hired him in the first place.

+ we see how well that worked.

+ part of the above is because tony had already caught feelings and tried to grind them into the dirt with a boot heel.  we also see how well that worked.  he hadn’t intended to stay in the commonwealth for any reason.

+ tony blurts out them feels at the worst time imaginable and - for someone with no shame - immediately wishes a hole would open up under him and swallow him whole.  unfortunately, he has to deal with that because there were no sinkholes opening that day.  things go weird and awkward for a while.  assuming - always assume (cough mala the smooch thread cough) - things go plan, things will get straightened out there in the dugout inn (another bar, this one in diamond city (fenway stadium)) when they finally both get their shit together.

+ another point  of note/point of contention is the fact that stephen and mac...don’t...really get along.  stephen’s weird, they butt heads a lot, it all stresses tony the fuck out.

+ to all of the above, tony was actually really leery about mac in the beginning.  and almost all of it has to do with the fact that tony knows what someone seeing an easy payday in him looks like.  the fact that mac, for whatever reasons of his own, sticks around when that doesn’t happen is what brings him around.

+ tony and maccready have a lot in common, as far as shared trauma goes.  they’ve both lost people they loved in horrible ways:  maccready’s wife lucy was killed by feral ghouls, his kid is sick with the new plague (a prewar disease that was also called the blue flu because of the blue boils someone would get with it - and is incredibly fatal) and may not make it.  they both have an ingrained fear of losing someone else they love.  the difference is, overall, mac has his shit together so much better than tony does.  he’s the mature one, if we’re being honest, he’s the one that knows how to handle the day to day domestic in the way that tony actually never really has, even now.  so while they share that, the fact is they’re different enough in the right ways to balance each other out pretty well.  mac is also leader material, but on a smaller scale.  the eventual plan is to get tony to semi-retire (never fully, he’ll never be able to not) and let mac oversee a settlement so tony can tinker.

+ third bone of contention - which isn’t really, it’s just a good example of prewar vs. wastelander mindset - is childrearing.  tony believes in letting kids be kids as long as they can be, especially with how shitty the wasteland can be - but the degree to which he feels that way about it isn’t feasible for the moment.  so it’s not really argument material more...you know you’re raising children of the corn, right?

+ mac absolutely calls tony a mungo, and tony has no idea what mungo means.  he really, honestly thinks mac’s pulling his fucking leg and that it doesn’t mean anything at all.

+ the rock thing:  tony mistakes a rock in the water for a mirelurk one time and maccready never lets it go.  but:  mac keeps handing tony rocks thinking he’s funny.  tony has a box full of said rocks.  he thinks nobody knows about it.  everyone knows about the rocks.  maccready has been known to send genuinely pretty rocks by way of apology when they fight and tony’s grumbling to himself in his lab (in the confines of fort hagen proper).

+ they don’t really agree about synths.  tony is very, very pro-synths are sentient beings and not property.  mac isn’t a fan.  it’s one of those subjects tony actively avoids - and after fallout 4′s main quest endgame has very little bearing on their actual daily lives, though he does do some tourist work for the railroad and doesn’t exactly hide it from mac.  

+ duncan (mac’s kid) finally does get brought to the commonwealth, for the record.

+ in the beginning tony is very much still...fly by the seat of his pants on a lot of things?  he doesn’t think twice about spending longer in the glowing sea than he’s given an estimate for (and with no way to reach him most of the time because of the radiation) or taking off to vegas on a whim (and taking a month to get back because he returns on a caravan full of people important to someone else in this little group to make sure they get there safely), but as time goes on and he settles in, he tends to do this less and less without warning.  he’ll probably never stop completely doing it - tony follows his nose and his gut and thinks it’s way better to ask for forgiveness than permission - but they get to be a rarer occurrence.

+ tony has never given mac a solid nickname.  you know, like pepper or rhodey or happy.  it attaches meaning to it, and for a long while he’s trying so damn hard to not get attached, and now...well, now it’s just a matter of how creative can he get with puns of mac’s name.  he’s also never once in his life called maccready anything but by maccready or a pun thereof.  no rj, no nothing.

+ they’re both rough and tumble - in the sense that playfighting ends with a higher than average amount of boo-boos.  they are, honest to god, children.  how many times has one or the other ended up with mud down their shirt who knows.  not me.  has tony had to have his jaw reset when a tickle fight goes wrong?  you betcha.  has one or the other punched the opposite in their sleep?  oh yeah.  

+ overall they’re very domestic?  like they have a life and it’s not always fun and exciting adventure entering prewar ruins and fighting super mutants or deathclaws or whatever.  a lot of it is day to day bullshit and being adults and chasing after the kids and fixing this generator or that water pump or herding binky the brahmin back into her pen because she got out again and their neighbor from three plots down won’t double check his gate and -  point being, the angst level is actually fairly low, there’s not as much upheaval as you might think, though they do have their fights and arguments about actual life things - less so about iron man, amazingly - and most of that’s down to the fact that they, literally, come from such different worlds, between tony being prewar and mac being a dyed in the wool waster.  like...it’s not a perfect coffee shop au relationship where everything is sparkles and rainbows, they function in a way real people do in that sometimes they don’t agree.  and sometimes they argue.  and they’ll make up and move on.  it’s not dramatic, but honestly i love them so much, i love that about them, how they function like a real couple.

ask about muse connections : accepting @ofspaceandmyth

[musicaljojo]

My birthday falls two days after bonfire night and we were gutted that everywhere we seemed to try and take Haribo to watch some fireworks, every single display had been canceled due to the awful weather we’d been having.

My dad had arranged a surprise for me for my birthday, he had booked us a night at the Cbeebies land hotel which also included a visit to the water park at the theme park also, after he’d informed us of this, I noticed that on the Friday, you could buy a ticket for £20 to enter the park after 4pm and watch the fireworks as well so it all fell into place.

The hotel was absolutely fabulous, we didn’t tell Haribo till we arrived and he was thrilled, everything that you could possibly think of has been thought of and aimed at the pre-school audience.

The outside of the hotel is bright and colourful and with the Cbeebies logo in large letters and a plane that children can sit in outside the main entrance.

Outside the Cbeebies hotel

    Upon walking in, someone greets you and makes sure you are on the list to enter, it’s very reassuring to know that little details are done especially when you think of the main age group that are going to be staying at the hotel.

The reception area is filled with buttons and activities for children to go and press whilst they wait and there are even Cbeebies characters you can meet that are around at the main check in times, sadly we just missed Ubercorn but Postman Pat was out, but he was very tall and Haribo wasn’t sure about meeting him.

The lovely little details are things like steps that go upto to the check-in desk so little ones can feel part of the whole hotel experience, my husband and I got given lanyards to wear which were informed that we must wear at all times whilst staying in the hotel as anyone who didn’t have one would be questioned and Haribo had a wristband that he could wear.

We were stopping in a Bugbies room which is the little mascot of the Cbeebies channel, as we went upto our room, the lift played a lovely light and sound show but there was a button to stop this if you think that your child might find this a little frightening.

Our room was a lot bigger than I expected and there was a separate area for Haribo to sleep but it was still open plan, Haribo had his own TV which he thought was great and there was a little activity panel on the wall for him to play with.

The room came with a large double bed for the adults, tea and coffee making facilities, a tv for the adults, bunk beds, a pull out bed, a travel cot,nappy bin, baby bath, steps to use sink in the bathroom with and a double toilet seat so perfect for traveling with children, plus lots of space to put suitcases and bags so they wasn’t on the floor or in the way. We had a lovely view out onto a little fountain.

  When we checked in we were given a little timetable and from the moment you checked in, there was some form of live entertainment going on until 9:30 that evening. Various meet and greets and shows featuring the well known Cbeebies characters.

  We made a reservation at the front desk to go to the Roller coaster restaurant which is at the back of the Alton Towers theme park. My hubby had told them that it was my birthday without me knowing and as we were sitting at the table, music started playing and on the Big screen a message came up saying it was someone’s birthday, suddenly lights started flashing on our table and down the track to our table came a free bottle of drink and a little poster saying ‘Happy Birthday from the Rollercoaster Restaurant’ it was a lovely touch and very nice of them to do that.

They had colouring sheets for Haribo and the food portions were huge, it was slightly expensive but you are paying for the experience of your food coming down a  rollercoaster track to your table, Haribo loved watching the orders come through so it was really good.

After our meal we went back to the hotel to enjoy some of the entertainment, Haribo loved the Bing show, dancing with Ubercorn and meeting the Octonauts, plus they had a bar and coffee shop which wasn’t too badly priced just near the area where the entertainment took place.

Upon returning to our room, my hubby had emailed the hotel and said that we would be stopping on my birthday and they had very kindly left a bottle of Prosecco and a card in our room which was a lovely and very thoughtful touch!

The following morning we had our breakfast which was included in the stay in the Windmill restaurant, it was very bright and colourful with a huge windmill in the middle of the restaurant, with lots of choice for breakfast even such things as spaghetti hoops for children. My only disappointment was with the cooked breakfast area, that there wasn’t anything for vegetarians, such as vegetarian sausages it was all meat so that was a bit of a letdown.

  After checking out and storing our bags in the hotel, we headed over to the water park, it was very big but also very clean, the changing rooms were lovely and spacious with single, double and family private changing areas. The lockers had a 20p deposit however this was refundable.

Inside the water park it was lovely and warm with lots of different areas to explore, there was a smaller area for babies and toddlers with toys to play with and a little slide which Haribo adored!

A lazy river which Haribo wasn’t keen on at first due to the big showers that you went through in some areas but then once we discovered you could skip those, he loved it.

A main large pool area and a water slide roller coaster, I was going to go on but lost my nerve at the last minute but my hubby is a bit of a thrill seeker and absolutely loved it, I think he went on about 4 times!

A Jacuzzi but this got crowded quite quickly.

Also there was a bit of a fun park area with lots of little slides and towers that had different water guns that you could squirt at people but Haribo wasn’t too keen on that area.

There were also two places in which you could grab some food by the poolside, again reasonably priced.

The only thing I found confusing is that it said on the higher levels that no photographs or videos could be taken in the pool but then we saw quite a few people with phones and such out and the lifeguards or staff members around didn’t seem to say anything so it was a little confusing on whether you could or not because I would have loved to have taken some photos!

After all the swimming and having some lunch Haribo was shattered, so he had a nap and hubby and I went for something to eat in the Splash Landings hotel whilst we waited for 4pm to come around so we could go into Alton Towers. We had the burger meal deal from the Bar, I had the vegan burger which was quite tasty however hubby said his burger tasted really cheap and wasn’t really worth the money that he paid for it which was a real shame.

At last, the time came when we could enter the Park, hubby went to go do some of the bigger rides such as Oblivion and Smiler whilst Haribo and I headed into Cbeebies land, we went on Postman Pat and the In the night Garden ride then Hubby rejoined us for the Octonauts, Go Jetters, Peter Rabbits Hippity hop, we were just about to queue for the tree top ride but they were shutting it down early due to the fireworks. So we headed for a cup of tea and somewhere to warm up because it was so cold, I’m glad I’d put layers on Haribo and was annoyed I forgot my gloves!

The fireworks were incredible, I’ve never seen a display like it, themed to music, light shows and lazers. We’d bought Haribo some ear defenders which I was very glad of because some were really loud but he sat for the majority of the show completely engrossed.

Everyone made a run for the exit after the fireworks, so because our car was in the hotel car park we didn’t fancy sitting in queues for leaving so we headed to shark-bait reef and looked around the sea life centre that is inside. Haribo has loved our visits to the Sealife centre in Birmingham so he loved looking at all the fish and different sea creatures that they had to look at.

Haribo was getting super tired so we tucked him up in his buggy with his cosy toes and blanket and headed back to the hotel to collect the car, on the way hubby rode Nemesis which is his favourite ride as it was so quiet, you could just walk onto the ride and he said it was made even more amazing by riding it in the dark.

It was a fantastic stay and I would certainly recommend it to anyone with preschoolers, they just need to offer more options in the restaurant and make it a little clearer when the rides are closing as even though we had a leaflet with the closing times in, the attendants didn’t stick to those times.

Cbeebies Hotel, Rollercoaster restaurant, Water park, Cbeebies Land and the fireworks at Alton Towers. My birthday falls two days after bonfire night and we were gutted that everywhere we seemed to try and take Haribo to watch some fireworks, every single display had been canceled due to the awful weather we'd been having.

[forkanna]

[AO3 LINK] [EF LINK]

NOTE: This is where things are gonna start to shift a bit.

Another week or so passed. To be honest, you really missed nothing, other than Stephen giving me a plastic baggie with some of my stone-flakes in it because he wasn't sure what else to do with them. He also gave me one of the bottles of Soft to keep in my place, just in case it happened again. That did seem like a precaution I should have already thought of myself.

And a lot of Knives. A loooot of her hanging around, and finally weaseling my number out of me so she could text and ask if she could come over. I ignored a lot of her texts, but she still always managed to get me to agree to a time she could come bouncing through my door with one of her attack-hugs at the ready. We mostly just watched movies or played video games. Met up with Stephen and Joseph some other night at a sushi place. And the whole time, I didn't know what to do with myself.

Before you ask, there were a couple of close calls. Because we can all tell where this is going already, so I'm just putting it out there.

Three nights after we were watching the samurai movie, she came in for a hug. Slower than usual, and I mean like, at a snail's pace. Turned out, she just thought it would be funny if we bumped noses, but I was just slightly-drunk enough to think she was going in for something else. I blame the tequila shots, and therefore, on Steph who had ordered them. Dumb lush. But I managed to play it off that she was just too close to my face, and that was why I flinched.

Then there was the next day, when we split a Canadian from Pizza Pizza for dinner. We both went in for a slice at the same time and our hands touched; that old thing. I accused her of being a greedy bitch, but she was just biting her bottom lip and giggling before she flicked a mushroom at me. It made me either want to slap her, or… I don't know. For the life of me, I don't know what the fuck was going on in my head, but she let me brush it off and grab a different slice.

But as they say, all good things must come to an end. Which isn't exactly what happens here, but like, go with it, okay?

                                                            ~ o ~

"I don't understand," she was sighing as she swung upside-down from the monkey bars in Hillcrest Park, jeans-clad knees taking the brunt of her slight weight effortlessly. "My mom acts like she's so worldly, but then she doesn't want me to have a totally normal barista job because it'll distract me from meeting 'a nice man' or becoming a doctor, or whatever."

I sighed as I picked at some peeling paint on one of the bars. I was sitting on a 'step' for the kids to climb up to the slide, though my omnipresent black cloud of misanthropy had kept any actual children far away from us. "She's being a mom. That's what they do: pass judgment on their children's decisions. Mine are in the professional league."

"That sucks." Her eyes went up — and in this case that means they were pointed at the sky, not above her head, which would have been sand. "Don't my tits look great like this?"

"Sure," I snorted. "I m-mean, what makes you think I noticed?"

"Nothing, Kim," she giggled. "Just a thought I had. Oh, did you know TCAD is getting back together?"

I pursed my lips for a moment before answering, "Are they really?"

"Kind of. I mean, it's not the original lineup, though. That'd be huge news, since that jerk Todd was turned into coins!" She flipped up through the bars and began walking on top of them, arms out to the sides to help maintain her balance. "Think the new bassist is that girl from Smashing Turnips. They broke up, remember? Plus they're holding auditions for new drummers but I heard she doesn't want guys applying. Sounded like she was pretty sure of that."

"So now they're an all-girl band? Quaint."

"Envy said in a press release that she was thinking about staying solo, but I guess she had a change of heart. But she did start going by 'Natalie' again, 'cause the solo career didn't work out for her. She said 'I'm just not cut out to be a pop star, it's too high-maintenance'." Then she gasped and turned to look at me. "DUDE! You should so totally try out!"

My eyes widened. "What?! Knives, you-"

"Think about it! You're a drummer, and a girl, and they're super-"

"KNIVES!"

But I wasn't upset about her needling me into life decisions. She wasn't paying attention to what she was doing anymore, and had started to slowly fall off the monkey bars. A little yelp of surprise sounded as her running shoes slipped down and back off the metal, arms windmilling. The world slowed to a crawl. Heart in my throat, I dove, and just barely managed to catch her before falling into the sand around the playscape.

"Shit… are you okay?!" I demanded, my voice an octave too high.

But she wasn't listening. Her eyes were round, and she had her hands locked around the back of my neck. She looked stunned speechless, which was a new look for her. My hands flexed awkwardly in her armpit and under her knee as I held her slight weight, which was still a little heavy but I'm a drummer, so I have a decent amount of upper body strength. I could handle it.

"You saved me," she breathed.

"What? Well… y-yeah, I couldn't let you… fall."

"Um… I probably would have been fine. It's only like five feet, and there's sand everywhere." Her face was closer again. Probably going in for another hug, like last time. "But you caught me, Kim."

For some reason, I couldn't put her down yet. Swallowing down my panic, I whispered, "What if you broke your neck? I'd… I could never live with letting that happen to you."

"Why not?"

She was prying into my feelings and motivations too much. Gruffly, I snapped, "Who else would annoy the hell out of me every day? What a stupid ass question."

Even though that was intended to get her to laugh and call me a dork, or say I was funny, or just to tell me I could put her down, it didn't seem to work the way I hoped.

Because Knives kissed me. And I mean kissed me… and I kissed back. Really, we might have done it at the same time, like when you and a friend automatically go in for the fist bump when something really awesome happens because you're both on the same page. Something about the moment just needed it, even if I didn't fully understand why. Her lips were soft and sweet, and familiar; I knew we'd kissed when drunk, even though I couldn't remember most of it. And the gentle weight in my arms made it perfect.

Of course, once we broke apart a few seconds — minutes, hours, centuries — later, I went into pure panic mode. Or tried to. But the lip-on-lip contact had robbed me of actual power and ability to move. Not like the time I turned to stone, though; this wasn't that serious.

"O-oh," was all she said at first. Though the look in her eyes and the way her breathing was so rapid and shallow told me that the "oh" meant a lot more than that, so just this once, I didn't snap at her to explain.

"Holy balls," I managed to breathe.

"Where did that come from? I mean… it was…"

When her face started glowing, a small, private, sacred smile of pure joy blossoming, I had to drop her to the sand and stand back up, turning around to grip the monkey bars overhead to keep myself from falling over. Why was I so dizzy? Why was I overreacting? I mean, a little part of me had been able to tell that we were trending in this direction. Like magnets, or gentrification of old neighbourhoods; sometimes you just can't stop it. Yet I had kind of thought it might never happen. Or at the very least, it would take longer than a few weeks.

"Kim?" One of her hands came to rest in the small of my back.

"Whoa, whoa," I squeaked, spinning around so fast I almost fell myself. "J-just because we- I mean, you shouldn't- don't do that!"

"Sorry," she breathed as she lowered the hand, rubbing her fingers together as if trying to rid them of the memory. I know I could definitely still feel them on my back.

"No, don't…" Sighing, I pressed both my hands into my face. "AGH!" There was a high-pitched whistling sound. "What the hell is even happening anymore?!"

After a few seconds of silence, Knives cleared her throat. "You, um… does steam come out of your ears normally?"

"No! And it didn't just now, either!"

"But I saw-"

"Nevermind that! Just…" Running hands through my hair, and feeling that it did feel a little warmer and more��moist than it should have been, I looked over at her. "Can we just rewind about five minutes and forget that ever happened? I… whatever that was, I'm not ready. I'm not ready for it, Knives."

A little shrug of her shoulders as she stared down at her running shoes. "I haven't unlocked that power-up yet, Kim. Sorry."

"Stop apologising, too! Like… we didn't do anything wrong, it's just way past what I can handle right now. Okay? Please, just… I can't even believe we're having this conversation. And on a playground!"

Ugh. Do you have any idea how terrible I felt? Panicking and making her feel like it was all her fault. It was so hard for me to explain my own feelings that I wound up trampling all over hers. But I didn't know how else to react.

"Kim… it's okay," she said finally, cautiously putting her hands on my shoulders. I twitched, took a step backward, but she followed and kept them there. "It's okay. I don't really understand this, either; I mean, I didn't think I was a lesbian. But then again, I didn't at Julie's aunt's, either, and that still-"

"Let's not talk about that, either," I grunted, ashamed of myself. "Especially since you were still in high school."

"Barely," she made sure to remind me. "But… seriously, you made me feel loved that night, and you made me feel loved just now." My eyes must have bulged in panic, because she reassured me, "Like a friend! A good friend who, uh, doesn't mind… that sometimes? If that's cool…"

"Just how far did we go?" I had to ask.

"Made out for a little while. Some… other stuff, but nobody took off their swimsuit," she assured me nervously, and I sighed in some slight relief. "And it was great! But if you want to not do that again, I'm fine with that. Seriously!"

Temptation reared its ugly head. "Well…" Then I shook myself, gripping at my hair around her hands still on my shoulders. "GAH! Like, I'm kinda curious, but also have never… I mean, I've dated guys all my life, this is a pretty big curveball of a life choice, if it is one. And I didn't think you were anything more than just a friend before today, so isn't it crazy to change statuses all of a sudden like this?"

"Why does it have to be some big 'choice'?" she chuckled softly. It made me mad that she wasn't being serious. No… that isn't true. It made me jealous that she wasn't having as much trouble with it as I was. Yeah, that's way more accurate. "I mean, either you want to kiss me or you don't. Whatever, right?"

"Right. Just so easy. Is that why you've been hanging around me so much? Hoping to wear me down?"

"What? No, I wouldn't- that's not it at all!"

"Are you sure?" She squirmed, but didn't back down. "All that time hanging around, you just were hoping that it would happen again. Great. I thought I really had a friend, and you're just another Scott waiting to happen."

But that was a low blow and we both flinched, her hands falling away from me. Before I could apologise, Knives got to it first. "Kim, I'd never do that. It's hard to blame Scott for what he did, because I hearted him so much, but that's just… not the kind of thing I could ever do to a friend! S-so please, don't say that I would…"

"Knives… shit." Pinching the bridge of my nose, I said, "Okay. You're right, I'm… not being fair."

"You're freaking out is what you are."

"Definitely. Can we… I don't know. I want to run away and hide, but I also don't want you to leave."

"Wanna go to Delicious Cup?" she suggested, again touching my arm. This time, I didn't react, either positively or negatively. "We, um, can just talk there. PDA in the café would be a little gross so it'll make kissing less of a… does 'issue' make sense? Is that the best word?"

Nodding, I swallowed hard. "Yeah. It's a great word. Maybe even word of the day, because I clearly have issues."

"Kim, nooo," she half-whined, grasping my wrist and pulling me along. We only made the briefest of stops to snag our bags from the deserted swingset before heading off past the wading pool. "I mean… I kinda freaked out the next morning after the first time, too, so I totally get it! I just… already worked through all that, maybe? Not with a legit therapist, just did a lot of thinking, and talking to Tamara."

"You talked to Tamara about this?!"

"Not a lot! Just, like, sorting through my feelings! And she wouldn't tell anybody, she's my BFF!"

My body felt like it wanted to turn into stone again, but I forced myself to breathe, to stop acting like every weird moment of my life was the end of the world. "Okay… you're right. Back in those days, I probably would have tried to talk to Stephen about this if I could remember more about that night. But I just wrote it off as being drunk. I mean, I never tried to make out with Ramona, or Julie, or…"

"Actually, I kinda heard that you and Ramona had a slight moment," Knives laughed. When I turned round eyes on her, she protested, "From Lisa! Like, remember when we all got together before she moved away?"

"What moment did we have?" I demanded.

"Something about you and she and Scott being all in the same bed, and you telling them both that you loved them." When she looked back after a few seconds of silence and caught me blushing, she giggled. "You were talking, not doing anything else. At least, I'm pretty sure I'd have heard about anything else."

"Oh, good. I mean, if I had a threesome with Scott and that hair-changing hipster, I'd blow my stack."

The bridge of her nose crinkled from the force of her smile as we made our way toward the bus stop. "Already did that once today. Seriously, can you teach me that trick with the steam?"

"GOD, SHUT YOUR HOLE!"

                                                             To Be Continued…

[mainlyterrestrial]

Haha, hey, look what i found in my drafts! I forgot all about this.  I’m surprised I took this kind of time to ramble.  Well, far be it from me to thwart past me’s rampant enthusiasm. Sorry for unleashing this, all!

“Aaaa, I'm deep in the grip of Klonoa fanaticism again.  ._.

I was thinking about Lunatea's Goddess Claire - her relevance, how Klonoa is like her, and the connection both Claire and Klonoa have to the King of Sorrow.

Claire has two forms: the Mother Goddess, which is her modern incarnation, and Claire the Ancient, which is the person she once was before her deification.

The statue of Claire the Ancient is said to be all that was left of Claire "after she was purged of all evil."  Presumably it depicts her the way she was as a mortal.  Here's a picture, courtesy of the Klonoa wiki:

The statue of Mother Goddess Claire is supposed to be a modernized depiction of the individual.  Here's a picture.  (I took this one, so it's kind of shoddy.)

I want to throw a couple of close-ups in here, too, so lemme do that.

At one point in the game, Popka, one of your companions, asks, "Doesn't Klonoa remind ya, just a little, of the Goddess Claire?"  Lolo, your other companion, agrees that he does.  And I agree with both of them - and I also think that the game's final antagonist, the King of Sorrow, has some of the same traits as well.  I think they all have a lot in common with each other.

For the sake of comparison, please also accept these pictures of Klonoa and the King of Sorrow:

So, there are some design elements that pull the three of them together.  First, there are their rings.  In her Ancient form, Claire's hands are bound by a ring of some sort. She also has a curling pattern on her forehead which, when paired with the (often upside-down) triangle that seems to be her symbol, is reminiscent of Klonoa's Wind Ring.  The King's collar is his ring, and it sports a braided pattern which also appears on Claire in both of her incarnations.  (Klonoa also sported an outsized collar when he appeared in his first game, Door to Phantomile, which ties them together further.)

Second, those ears!  Klonoa and the King both have large, outlandish ears, a huge part of their designs.  Both of Claire's incarnations have something similar going on in the head region, and while it could ostensibly be hair in her Goddess form, I have to say I think she might share the crazy ear thing with both of the other characters.  The two structures on her Ancient form are so flat and clearly divided I can't read them any other way, either.  You could even say that the separated shapes in her Ancient form evokes Klonoa’s design and the consolidated sheet-like shapes in her Goddess form evoke the King of Sorrow’s design.

But, y'know, there are story things that pull them together, too.

We don't know much about Claire, honestly:

Thanks to Popka, we know she ascended to Goddesshood after being purged of evil.

Therefore, we can infer that her Goddess form is free of evil.

We know that one of her roles is to forgive people for their sins, as Lolo prays to her for forgiveness when she finds out Popka has stolen something.

Aside from the comparison Popka makes between her and Klonoa, those are the only two times she's even mentioned in the game.  But we can tell from the pictures that Ancient Claire was unhappy.  She's bound at the hands and frowning. Compare this to Goddess Claire, who is, if not happy, at least neutral and unbound (and apparently possessed of some amount of power if the sphere she’s holding is like Klonoa’s “wind bullets” or like the elements that reside in Lunatea’s bells).

I think - and I think it's pretty obvious - that the entirety of Lunatea is the story of Klonoa coming to terms with his sadness about the tragedy of Phantomile.  Especially in Luntea's final levels, I think there are details alluding to it everywhere.  Leading up to the fight with the King for example, you travel through the "Kingdom of Sorrow," also called "Hyuponia" - totally a nod to Huepow/Hewpoe from Phantomile.  The music in this level is like a radio station with terrible reception, but through the static you can hear snippets of songs from both games - Lolo's theme and also Grandpa's theme, the Windmill Song, and the Song of Rebirth.  It's very bittersweet.

Lunatea is also the story of historical events done all over again, but better - kinder.  Lolo, a clumsy outcast acolyte, is a counterpart of Leorina, a powerful priestess-in-training turned rogue sky pirate. Klonoa, the dream traveler who has had everything torn from him, is a counterpart of the King of Sorrow, who has no place in the world he once occupied after his kingdom and his very self are forgotten by people who don’t want to remember sadness. Leorina and the King are from an older time where each felt outcast and acted on their pain, and each wrought only further unhappiness and destruction. Klonoa and Lolo are from a newer time. They have no place that they can see on their own, but they have each other and come to move past the unhappiness that holds them back.  They forgive their circumstances - and when their old-world counterparts follow their example, they in turn begin to rebuild the things they destroyed.

In Klonoa’s case, when he moves past his pain - when he literally defeats [the King of] Sadness (and forgives the King for what he has done) - he becomes whole and clean. His actions have, directly or indirectly, resulted in a sort of “rebirth” as the kingdoms are being connected once more.  When he moves on from the world he helped, he does so not against his will (as in Phantomile) but with confidence and purpose, having really come into his own.

In the King’s case, when his overwhelming sadness is defeated and the terror beneath it is confronted, when he is forgiven, he is literally reborn: his body fades away into points of light and the pictures in the credits of the game show an infant  who could only be a baby King in the care of the High Priestess.  He is, so to speak, “cleansed of evil” and able to begin anew in an innocent form.

But anyway that’s a lot of words. Tl;dr - I love Klonoa, like, unceasingly and I hope it brings me this much joy for all of my days.  I want to figure out everything and see all the details and delight in how nice it is to love something so much.”

[prisonerinheaven]

...

 swear to god, You’re the only one who is sending these lol. Thanks for tagging me @crazy-ass-bat So... Let’s start shall we?

5 things you’ll find in my bag:

1. My wallet, there is a “horse” sign written on it. Being my silly self I wrote “Dark” before “Horse”... Get it?... I’m lame 2. My sketch book which is about to end 3. Pencil case, I have a pencil addiction. 4. 3D glasses incase I go to cinema. 5. My headphones! I’m in love with it.

5 things you’ll find in my bedroom:

1. Bed. 2. My guitar. I learn Guitar by the help of Internet (Poor fella here) 3. My plushie doll named Cindy, she is currently 13 years old. I have her since I was 5. 4. Text books everywhere. 5. Doctor Strange Poster :3

5 things I’ve always wanted to do in life:

1. This might sound weird but I always dreamed of living in Amazon. I really like the atmosphere of it.  2. Discovering a place in earth that man kind is yet to discover. 3. Omg what a cheesy person I am... I want to help lots of people. 4. Own a mini house, they are so cute. I have no need to live in a big house. 5. Nothing else.

5 things I’m currently into:

1. Manga! I like anime but not as much as manga. It will always remain my no1 2. Resident evil 7!  3. Sleeping. I’m such a lazy bitch  4. Harry Potter. Writing a fanfic about it with my OC’s but I don’t know when it will finish. 5. Electro music. I’m just fed up with pop music. Same shit every single time

5 things on my to-do list:

1. Finish my homework. bored with them. 2. Finding a good action manga. I don’t want to see anything related to Ecchi in it!!! 3. Read a good fanfic (you know what I mean guys) 4. Meeting with my friends tomorrow. 5. Going to drama

5 things people may not know about me:

1. I can bend my thumb to the point it can touch my wrist. 2. Having a huge mole at the top of my head. 3. I like reading encyclopedia. I’ve read lots of them since I was 4. I didn’t know how to read them when I was 4 tho, my dad would always read it and explained to me. I knew the full functions of windmill. I knew what sextant is.  4. Playing basketball really good. My cousin was captain of the Basketball team  in highschool, he taught me some tricks.  5. I’m 18 years old... They assume I’m 14 or something. Not complaining ;)

Excuse me if I have grammer mistakes, English isn’t my first language.

@1-helluvabutler @mellojellochan @narusasusimblr @thatlazyassadult @not-just-another-brick @out-of-order-disorder @jennshaiel

If you don’t want to do it, dont do it. Kisses to everyone

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The 32 Best Things to See and Do in Amsterdam

Posted: 6/4/2020 | June 4th, 2020

Amsterdam is known as a party city, full of wild nights and all kinds of questionable debauchery. It’s a fun, eclectic, and party-focused destination popular with young backpackers looking to let loose.

But it’s a city with a lot more to offer too.

I’ve visited Amsterdam more times than I can count (it’s one of my favorite cities in the world) and I’m never disappointed. There are tons of museums, lots of chill cafes, and more nightlife than you can handle.

It’s a city with something to offer everyone. Even if you’re not looking to party the nights away you’ll still enjoy your visit.

To help you make the most of your trip, here are the best 32 things to see and do in Amsterdam:  

1. Take a Free Walking Tour

Whenever I arrive in a new city I start off by taking a free walking tour. They help you get oriented and give you an overview of the city, culture, and the main sights worth seeing. You’ll learn some history and be able to ask a local guide all the questions you have, which is the best way to get insider tips.

Free Walking Tours Amsterdam and New Europe both offer daily free walking tours. They last 2-3 hours and give you the perfect introduction to the city. Just be sure to tip your guide at the end!  

2. Visit the Van Gogh Museum

This museum is home to many of Van Gogh’s best works. It’s also the largest collection of Van Gogh’s works in the entire world. The museum does an excellent job of outlining his life, chronicling his works from beginning to end so you can better understand and appreciate his style and evolution (as well as his life beyond painting). Opened in in73, it’s one of the most popular (read: crowded) sites in the city, but don’t let that stop you from visiting. The museum also has paintings by other famous artists of the period, like Monet, Manet, and Matisse. If you want to beat the crowds, try visiting later in the afternoon.

Museumplein 6, +31 20 570 5200, vangoghmuseum.nl. Open Sunday–Thursday from 9am–7pm and Friday—Saturday from 9am–9pm. Admission is 19 EUR for adults. Students 18 and under enter free.  

3. Explore Jordaan

Jordaan is a trendy residential area. While it’s become more popular in recent years, it’s still one of the most overlooked parts of the city. The area is full of cozy shops and boutiques, bars and pubs, and hip restaurants. It’s also the area of the city where Rembrandt lived during the final years of his life. It’s a quiet place to explore away from the crowds if you want to get a better feel for the city outside its main tourist areas.  

4. Take a Canal Tour

Amsterdam is a beautiful, picturesque city thanks to the scenic canals that break up the city’s sprawl. To see the city from a new perspective, take a canal tour. There are large tour boats that can take you up and down the waterways, but you can also rent your own boat for a self-guided tour (if you’re comfortable driving a boat). Self-guided rentals are for small, open-air boats that give you a more intimate, unique experience. They cost around 50 EUR, which makes it super affordable if you have a few friends to join you. For a standard guided tour on a larger boat, expect to pay around 16 EUR per person.  

5. See Anne Frank House

This is one of the most popular tourist sites in the entire city. While it’s an important and somber place to visit, it’s also incredibly overcrowded. You just shuffle through the house and never really have time to digest what you’re seeing. Personally, I think the Jewish History Museum does a better job at highlighting her life. However, if you do want to visit then be sure to book your ticket in advance or arrive very early.

Prinsengracht 263–267, +31 20 556 7100, annefrank.org. Opening daily from 9am–10pm (shorter hours in the winter). Admission is 10.50 EUR.  

6. Visit the Rijksmuseum

Established in 1798, The Rijksmuseum is an art and history museum located right next to the Van Gogh Museum. The museum, recently renovated, features an extensive Rembrandt collection including the famous painting “The Night Watch.” In addition to works by Rembrandt, the museum is also home to an a robust collection of other classic Dutch painters, like Frans Hals and Johannes Vermeer. There are over 1 million items in the collection (it’s the largest museum in the country) with over 8,000 on display — so you can easily spend a few hours here.

Museumstraat 1, +31 20 674 7000, rijksmuseum.nl. Open daily from 9am–5pm. Admission is 19 EUR for adults. Students 18 and under are free.  

8. Relax in Oosterpark

If you need to get away from the crowds, head to Oosterpark. It’s a relaxing green space east of the city center and is perfect for lounging and enjoying a sunny day. It’s much less busy than the city’s popular Vondelpark and will show you a different, more residential part of the city. There are sculptures (including the National Slavery Monument that commemorates the abolition of slavery in 1863), playgrounds, ponds, and plenty of space to picnic or lounge. It was the city’s first large park too, dating back to the 1890s  

9. Try the Heineken Experience

Heineken is one of the most famous (and popular) beers in the world. You can take an interactive self-guided tour this former brewery and learn about how the beer was made and how the company evolved over the centuries (the beer dates back to the 1870s). Admission also includes two beers, so if you’re a fan be sure to book a tour. It’s a fun way to learn some history.

Stadhouderskade 78, +31 20 721 5300, heinekenexperience.com. Open Monday–Thursday from 10:30am–7:30pm and Friday–Sunday from 10:30am–9pm. Admission is 21 EUR at the door and 18 EUR when booked online.  

7. Wander the Red Light District

Unsurprisingly, Amsterdam’s Red Light District is one of the city’s main draws. Though much tamer than in previous years, the Red Light District manages to balance sex and seediness with being a major international tourist attraction. While it’s worth seeing, I’d keep your time here brief. While it’s quite calm and quiet during the day, at night the area is bursting with drunken revelers and gawking tourists that clog the sidewalks. Even if it’s not your scene, I’d still make sure to see the area with your own eyes. It’s certainly unique!  

10. See the Erotic Museum and the Amsterdam Sex Museum

Tucked away in an old warehouse in the Red Light District and has an exhibition about eroticism in all its various forms throughout the ages. It has sculptures, paintings, drawings, photographs, and other artwork. And, of course, there is a gift shop if you want a more unique souvenir from the city.

The Amsterdam Sex Museum is the more serious museum and if much more informative than the Erotic Museum (but also a little less fun). It was the world’s first sex museum, having opened in 1985. It highlights the history of sexual views and norms, as well as the lives of some of the world’s most sexually famous individuals (like the Marquis de Sade).

Erotic Museum: Oudezijds Achterburgwal 54, +31 20 623 1834. Open Sunday–Thursday from 11am–1am and Friday–Saturday from 11am–2am. Admission is 7 EUR.

Amsterdam Sex Museum: Damrak 18, +31 20 622 8376, sexmuseumamsterdam.nl. Open daily from 9:30am-11:30pm. Admission is 5 EUR.  

11. Visit the Tulip Museum

The Netherlands is known for its stunning and Insta-worthy tulip fields. This tiny museum, located in a tulip shop, does a wonderful job of telling the history of tulips in country. It’s one of the best off-the-beaten-path attractions in Amsterdam. It’s never very busy and and it’s only 5 EUR (which makes it one of the cheapest museums in the city).

Prinsengracht 116, +31 20 421 0095, amsterdamtulipmuseum.com. Open daily from 10am-6pm. Admission is 5 EUR.  

12. Take a Bike Tour

Bikes are to Amsterdam like wine is to Bordeaux. The locals love to bike everywhere and there are supposedly more bikes than people in the city. Bike useage has shot up 40% in the past two decades and locals collectivly cycle over 2 million kilometers every day! If you want to explore the way the locals do, take a bike tour.

Mike’s Bike Tours is the best company to use, whether for a tour or to rent a bike on your own. Not only do they offer city tours but they also offer bike tours of the surrounding countryside as well. Tours start at 32 EUR and last around 3 hours.  

13. Spend a Day in Haarlem

Haarlem is a walled city that dates back to the Middle Ages, located just 35km from Amsterdam. The city is home to around 160,000 people and it’s quite quiet and calm. It has a beautiful central church, great outdoor market, and all the beauty of historic Amsterdam with fewer crowds. If you feel like getting out of the city, spend a few hours here just wandering about. You’ll get a much better feel for the country away from the busy and tourist-heavy streets of Amsterdam. Be sure to visit the Windmill too. It’s right on the water and offers tours as well as a nice view of the city.  

14. Learn Something New at the Amsterdam History Museum

This is a huge museum that offers an in-depth and insightful look at Amsterdam’s past. There are a lot of artifacts, maps, paintings, and multi-media displays throughout that provide a comprehensive overview of the city and how it has evolved. museum. It’s one of the best history museums I’ve ever visited and you could easily spend 3-4 hours here. Even if you’re not a history buff like me it’s worth a visit. I can’t recommend it enough!

Kalverstraat 92, +31 20 523 1822, amsterdammuseum.nl. Open daily from 10am–5pm. Admission is 15 EUR.  

  15. Chill Out in Vondelpark

Created in 1865, this is Amsterdam’s largest (and most popular) park. Spanning over 120 acres, it’s the perfect place to walk, bike, people-watch, or relax — especially after a visit to a local coffee shop. In the summer, the park is filled with people and there are often lots of events here too. Pack a lunch, bring a book, and enjoy a picnic on a sunny afternoon!  

16. See the FOAM

Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam is a photography museum and home to a stunning collection of incredible pictures. Surprisingly it also sees few crowds even though it’s in the main part of the city. Opened in 2001, the museum is composed of four exhibitions that are constantly changing so you never know what you might see (check the website to see what is on display during your visit). They have a beautiful outdoor garden too. It’s a small museum and it doesn’t take long to see so don’t pass it by!

Keizersgracht 609, +31 20 551 6500, foam.org. Open daily from 10am–6pm (9pm on Thursdays and Fridays). Admission is 15.50 EUR.  

17. Visit the Jewish Historical Museum

This is the only Jewish history museum in the country, though it’s often overlooked in favor of The Anne Frank House. Personally, I think the museum does a better job whe it comes to highlighting the history and struggles of Jews in the Netherlands. Specifically, they have an excellent exhibit on World War II that highlights the Dutch resistance, complacency, and guilt over the Holocaust. Established in 1932 (and reopened in 1955, after WWII), the museum houses over 11,000 items, artifacts, and works of art.

Nieuwe Amstelstraat 1, +31 20 531 0310, jhm.nl. Open daily from 11am–5pm. Admission is 17 EUR.  

18. Browse the Waterlooplein Flea Market

This is the oldest and biggest market in the city. With over 300 stalls, this open-air market is essentially a giant flea market. You can find anything and everything here if you’re willing to look. Secondhand clothing, hats and accessories, antiques, electronics, and much more can all be found here (both new and used). If there’s something you want, you’ll probably find it here so be sure to spend some time wandering and browsing. Even if you don’t plan on buying anything, it’s a fun place to explore and people watch.

Waterlooplein 2. Open Monday to Saturday from 9:30am-6pm.  

19. Visit the Rembrandt House Museum

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is widely considered to be one of the greatest artists in human history (his famous painting, The Night Watch, is in the Rijksmuseum). This house, which he lived and worked in between 1639 and 1658 has been converted into a museum that highlights his life and work. You can see how he painted and how his house was decorated during his life. It’s a neat snapshot into history. If you’re an avid art/art history fan, this shouldn’t be missed.

Jodenbreestraat 4, +31 20 520 0400, rembrandthuis.nl. Open daily from 10am–6pm. Admission is 14 EUR.  

20. See the Museum Amstelkring

Hidden inside a 17th-century canal house, this is one of the most interesting churches I’ve ever been to. Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (“Our Lord in the Attic”) is a clandestine Catholic church that was secretly built during Protestant rule on the 3rd floor of a regular house (it was never really a secret, but since it was out of sight the authorities didn’t crack down on them too harshly). Built in the 1660s, the chruch has a beautiful drawing room and the furnishings and artifacts make this one of the best 17th-century rooms still intact.

Oudezijds Voorburgwal 38, +31 20 624 6604, opsolder.nl. Open Monday–Saturday from 10am–6pm and Sun days from 1pm–6pm. Admissions is 11.50 EUR.  

21. Learn About Drugs at the Hash, Marihuana & Hemp Museum

No trip to Amsterdam is complete without learning a little bit about drugs. This museum (which has a sister museum in Barcelona as well) is full of information about the historical and modern use of cannabis. It covers all the medicinal, religious, and cultural uses of the plant and focuses on how hemp can be used for all sorts of beneficial agricultural, consumer, and industrial products. It’s actually really educational!

Oudezijds Achterburgwal 148, +31 20 624 8926, hashmuseum.com. Open daily from 10am–10pm. Admission is 9 EUR.  

22. Explore the Museum Van Loon

Built in 1672, this museum is located in a canal house on the Keizersgracht canal. Originally, the house was owned by the wealthy Van Loon merchant family. They collected beautiful works of art and their house is now a museum full of period furniture, the Van Loon art collection, and Van Loon family portraits. Albeit small, it’s another museum that makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. There’s an immaculate garden here too.

Keizersgracht 672, +31 20 624 5255, museumvanloon.nl. Open daily from 10am–5pm. Admission is 10 EUR.  

23. Indulge at Foodhallen

Foodhallen is an indoor food market offering all kinds of delicious food. Opened in 20014, it’s essentially like having a bunch of food trucks all in one indoor location. There are over 20 different stalls here, making it the best place in the city for foodies. Personal favorites include Viet View and Le Big Fish.

Bellamyplein 51 or Hannie Dankbaarpassage 47, foodhallen.nl. Open daily from 11am-midnight.  

24. Visit Noord

Noord has evolved into one of the cooler and trendier districts in recent years. It’s one of the cheaper areas in the city so a lot of new bars and restaurants have opened here. The old industrial areas have been reclaimed and there is lots of green space too. It’s a fun, vibrant area with much fewer crowds than the central part of the city. Rent a bike and explore — you won’t be disappointed!  

25. Browse the Stedelijk Museum

I’ll be honest: I don’t like modern art. It’s just not my cup of tea. But if you do, this is the place in the city to see it. Opened in 1874, the museum is home to over 90,000 items including works by Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol. The exhibitions cover paintings, drawings, graphic design, sculptures, sound, and installations. To be fair, there is a ton of variety here — it’s just not my favorite style. But definitely check it out if you’re an art fan!

Museumplein 10, +31 20 573 2911, stedelijk.nl. Open daily from 10am–6pm (10pm on Fridays). Admission ins 18.50.  

26. Take an Alternative Art Tour

Amsterdam is home to some incredible street art. You’ll see it all over while you explore, but if you really want to appreciate it and learn about the alternative art scene in Amsterdam then take a tour. Alltournative Amsterdam runs an amazing, insightful tour where you can learn all about the alternative arts while getting to see the best murals in the city. All the people I took on the tour loved it!  

27. Visit Quirky and Offbeat Attractions

There are tons of offbeat attractions in Amsterdam. Here are a few more of the best if you’re looking for more unique, quirky experiences:

The Houseboat Museum – This decorated houseboat gives you a glimpse into what living on the canals is like. It’s cramped but interesting to see how people live on the canal.

Electric Ladyland – The world’s first museum dedicated to fluorescent light. It’s definitely not your typical art gallery/museum but it’s fun to wander and interact with the colors and the fluorescent space.

Micropia – A “zoo” home to all sorts of microbes and bacteria. It’s super educational as you can learn about all the invisible microbes that we interact with day to day (you can also scan yourself to see what actual bacteria and microbes are on you right then and there).

The Torture Museum – This museum showcases the punishments prisoners faced throughout the city’s history. There are all sorts of brutal tools as well as a hanging cage and Inquisition chair. Disturbing but insightful!

Museum Vrolik – This museum is home to one of the largest collections of human (and animal) deformities. It has some 150 different items, including creepy jars holding fetuses, human and animal skeletons, and even the remains of a pair of conjoined twins. Super weird!

  28. Take a Food Tour

As a foodie, one of the best parts of any trip is getting to eat my way around a new city. Food is an important part of every culture, and it’s something I’m always happy to splash out on when given the chance. If you’re looking to learn more about Amsterdam’s food scene and sample some of the city’s best offerings then I suggest taking a food tour. Not only do you get to try amazing foods but you learn a ton about their history, how they’re made, and how the food culture here has evolved.

If you’re looking to try a food tour, some companies worth checking out are:

Amsterdam Food Tours

Hungry Birds

Secret Food Tours

***

Amsterdam is more than just wild nights, drugs, and the Red Light District. It’s a hip, fun city with tons of museums and greenspace, as well as lots of history and delicious food. Plus, it’s incredibly scenic. It’s everything you want in a European capital!

Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway or planning a trip around Europe, make sure to spend a few days in Amsterdam. It won’t disappoint!

  Want the real, most honest, straight to the point guide on Amsterdam?

Want to plan the perfect trip to Amsterdam? Check out my comprehensive guide to Amsterdam written for budget travelers like yourself! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel and save money in one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world. You’ll find suggested itineraries tips budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, and my favorite non-touristy restaurants, markets, and bars, and much more!! Click here to learn more and get started.

Book Your Trip to Amsterdam: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Get Your Guide Check out my detailed guide to planning a visit to Amsterdam with suggested itineraries, places to stay, things to do, where to eat, and how to get around. Just click here to get the guide and continue planning today!

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You should book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. Some of my favorite places to stay in Amsterdam are:

St. Christopher’s at the Winston

Flying Pig Downtown

ClinkNOORD

If you’re looking for more place to stay, here is a complete list of my favorite hostels in Amsterdam!

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

Photo Credits: 4 – Jukka, 5 – Jason Riedy, 6 – Rain Rabbit, 8 – Patrick Müeller, 9 – martin_vmorris, 11 – Tine van Voorst, 12 – Kotomi_, 13 – Sharon VanderKaay , 14 – Guilhem Vellut

The post The 32 Best Things to See and Do in Amsterdam appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

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48 Blurry Hours in Amsterdam

Today I found myself on my couch sipping some coffee before work. I woke up a little early, turned on the television, made my coffee and began to read and re-read this card I got about a year ago at a networking dinner hosted by Keith Ferrazzi. The card says the following on its front side, “If money was not an issue, how would you spend your time?” That’s an easy question. I would travel. I would explore the world while simultaneously exploring the inner workings of my being. Life is short, there are no guarantees. The idea that I should not dawdle in life is exactly what took me to Europe to celebrate my 35th trip around the Sun two years ago.

I chose to head to Europe and specifically Spain because I wanted to run with the bulls. This was a tough decision for me because my birthday happens to land on July 14th which is Bastille Day and apparently France knows how to party on that day. The one thing I kept thinking about in terms of where to ring in my special day was that I could party in France any Bastille Day but given that I have had worsening knee pain the window for running with massive bulls while hungover in Spain was likely closing sooner than I would like. I decided to buy a one-way ticket to Amsterdam for $400 USD and said “Fuck it, whatever happens it will be fun.”

I mentioned my decision to fly to Europe to a few folks at my cousin Tank’s 4thof July party a couple of days before I was scheduled to head out and Tank’s dad, whom we call “Pops,” mentioned he might be interested in a good run through Spain. I told him my plan: Fly to Amsterdam on July 6thand party for two days, take a quick flight to Madrid and hang for the night, hop on a train to Pamplona in the morning so that we could run and rage there for a few days. Pop’s said he would look into it. On the morning of July 6th,I woke up to an email from Pops stating that he was on his way to Amsterdam and to find him there so we could wreck shit. FUCK YES! I lit up a joint, stuffed my pockets with THC infused gummy bears, summonsed my Uber and made my way to LAX.

I arrived at LAX and immediately started drinking with a group of French soccer fans. I found myself passed out in a cramped seat near the airplane bathroom a few hours later. I made my flight. I hurried off the plane as soon as I could. I took a few photos of the rain soaked tarmac at the Schiphol airport and messaged Pops. I made my way to the ClinkNoord Hostel and he met me there. Turns out Pops had no place to stay yet and our first order of business after lighting some legally purchased sacred kratom and marijuana was to find a place for him to crash. My hostel was fully booked. We dropped off our luggage at my hostel and Googled a bunch of places. We found a small hotel on the other side of the river, Pops checked in, and we were off.

The next 48 hours were a blur. The skies were cloudy. It sprinkled here and there but overall the weather was pleasantly cool for July. We smoked ample amounts of the Devil’s Cabbage all in the name of cultural immersion, we drank many local beers, stuffed our fat faces with doner kebabs, and rode bicycles everywhere. My inner fat-kid loves Amsterdam. According to my journal, we paid the Popeye’s Coffee Shop a visit. For the July bullet journal design, I created a simple calendar in my journal using my favorite bullet journal highlighters. Tank recommended this place and it did not disappoint.  We smoked a joint in the basement while sipping on Americanos. We then made our way to Barney’s for some burgers and ice cream milkshakes right after Popeye’s. Marijuana, burgers, milkshakes. It was all so damn good. We rolled up some joints in Barney’s and planned out our day.

Amsterdam is a visually stimulating place. The sun doesn’t set until sometime after 10PM, the streets have canons just chilling on random corners, party goers drink heavily on private boats cruising through the canals. The buildings look like gingerbread houses and castles. The Red-light district has all sorts of fuckery going on at any given time. This place is wild, legal marijuana, legal prostitutes, and legal magic truffles. All sorts of people walking the streets just having a good ol’ time. At one point, I got cursed out by a prostitute during the midday rush. Pops and I turned a corner and walked through a small street filled with doorways leading to some version of BDSM ecstasy. In my defense, I did not realize that taking photos of these women is frowned upon.

Pops and I decided to avoid anything looking like an organized tour like the plague, I feel bad for people on tour buses hopping on and off with their selfie sticks and hermetically sealed, germ free vacation packages. Pops and I decided to do the opposite of those lifeless souls…we rode bicycles dangerously close to cars in opposing traffic. We dodged pedestrians. I felt like I was in a James Bond movie driving my bike next to the waterways. I couldn’t help but think about what the fuck I was doing in Europe. I spent many of my formative years sleeping on floors and garages because we were piss poor and now I’m riding free through one of the prettiest cities on Earth. Life is good.

We visited the Rijksmuseum while under the influence of a nice sativa. I love museums. Amsterdam did not disappoint. Vermeer’s and Rembrandt’s work hung all around me. The Gallery of Honour was impressive. I remembered learning all about Rembrandt’s use of light sources in my high school and college art classes. Many of these paintings were larger than I could ever imagine from looking at a text book or online. There was a massive library in the museum filled with old books, essentially a bibliophile’s dream. Parts of the museum were dedicated to showing Nazi propaganda. This was hard to look at in some cases but it was important. Art should shake the viewer on some level.

Pops and I continued to wander off the beaten tourist path and found ourselves in the Jordaan area. We determined that based on the angle of the sun and our proximity to the equator that now would be the best time to get massages. Lucky for us the Jordaan had a massage place next to a nice bar. We had some drinks with the local crowd after our massages. We met the owner of this bar, a massive beast of a man with a kind heart. I don’t recall this gentleman’s name but man his fucking hand felt like a bear claw when he placed it on my shoulder and asked who we were and how we found his place. Turns out he was a former professional fighter who opened the bar with his father in law, who happened to be a former professional race car driver, after retiring from the fight game. This cat liked the tattoos that Pops and I have collected over the years and decided to show us his. He lifted his shirt up to show us some massive Brazilian flag tattoo spanning the width of his barrel sized chest. We all drank a lot. The bar owner encouraged it. Pops and I didn’t want to be rude to our host so we obliged and drank heavily for maybe two hours chatting with our new friend about life in Amsterdam and the Jordaan. I would absolutely go back to that area. They loved us there. Two Mexicans from LA and we were brave enough to walk a few blocks away from the tourist zone. Life rewarded our curiosities with good people, food, and drink.

For the record, Pops and I do not speak Dutch. Pops can barely speak Spanish. With that said we decided it would be fun to smoke a joint on our way to the train station in Amsterdam before hopping on a train to the Eindhoven airport in Utrecht. We booked a ridiculously cheap flight to Madrid on Ryan Air and could only fly out of Eindhoven. Fuck it more adventuring for us. The train ride was scary because for the first hour I wasn’t even sure we were on the right train. Pops slept. I wrote in my journal and looked out the window at random farms and windmills. This shit was weird for me. Los Angeles is lacking in the farmland and windmill department. I grew up around homeless people and gangbangers in Pacoima. It was culture shock on some level.

I had time to think on this leg of the trip. Headphones on, journal out, I couldn’t help but get into my feelings a little. I was dehydrated, smelly, sweaty, sporting some weird ass raccoon print tank top. I am certain the folks on the train looked at me like a damn alien. I thought about what we just did, we smoked over an eighth of weed each day in Amsterdam, rode bikes like maniacs through the city, hung out with complete strangers, bar hopped in the local zone. At one point Pops and I were in some part of town kinda far from the Red-Light District partying with a bunch of non-Americans. Pops is a bad ass for a 63 year old. He started egging on some large “Bros,” you know the frat guys who sport Tap Out gear but likely never fought, into fighting one another. Pops got tired of their tough guy posturing and called them all pussies for not fighting each other already. These guys were terrified of Pop’s little crazy ass. Meanwhile 20 feet away a crew of girls kept drunkenly stumbling onto each other. I have video of this somewhere. Amsterdam is wild yo.

Europe is the “Old World” people have lived in the same communities for generations. This is a huge contrast to my transient upbringing. Moving each year chasing that first month of free rent where ever we could. Making new friends each year. My experience in LA is worlds apart from what people experience in Europe, at least that’s how it felt. I liked it though.  Even if I didn’t know a soul in Amsterdam it still felt good to be in a place where people have real roots. These roads have been around for ages. Kings and their armies have marched through these old European streets for hundreds of years. There isn’t anything like that in the US. American heritage is a mashup of many things. The history of humans is a short one. The history of America even more so. It felt weird to know that over the course of human history millions of souls died on the land we were on. I reflected on what this meant to me at various parts of my trip. The sense of belonging, the sense of community, history both personal and on a larger scale.

My impressions of Amsterdam are probably not too different than yours. I felt like everyone was happily glowing, looking put together like living breathing H&M advertisements. I liked Amsterdam. Not entirely for the weed though that is a good selling point but mostly because of the people and culture. I thought it was amazing that so many paintings in the museums depict water wars and navies in battle due to the Dutch being a seafaring people. It was a contrast to what I’ve seen in other museums where the artwork depicts land battles and marching armies. Equally impressive was the variety of street art. Banksy’s were everywhere along with countless other artists’ work in cleverly placed spaces throughout the city. I also enjoyed that fact that this was a cyclist and pedestrian friendly city. The bike stations situated on the barges were amazing to look at because of the sheer number of bikes crammed on them. I wondered how often people lost track of where they parked their bikes. I especially loved taking the ferry across the river from the main part of Amsterdam to the Noord. I think my favorite memory of the trip was my last night out, I hopped on the ferry back to the Clinknoord and watched sunrise while sitting on my rented hostel bike. I could see the big Amsterdam letters on the roof of the train depot. I was in Europe.

I was happy that Pops came along. Pops is wild man. He told me some crazy stories about his memories of the seventies. Some guy once pulled a shotgun on him while he was sitting in his car and Pops’ homeboy snuck around from behind the guy and snatched the gun away. Pops then proceeded to beat the shit out of him as soon as he got out of the car. I’ve heard variations of this story from Pop’s wife Connie. This story wasn’t surprising. Pops was a lunatic in his day. LA breeds that shit. I love LA but damn if the street and prison cultures don’t make some crazy ass people. I relish the moments when Pops decided to wild out because it usually means I am gonna laugh at the wild shit he says or does next.

All of these thoughts floated around my mind as I watched miles and miles of farmland scroll past me on the train. We eventually made it to Eindhoven. I was relieved that I chose the right train platform and hopped on the correct train. Pops and I smoked our last joint outside the Eindhoven airport entrance. I exhaled smoke as I walked into the airport. We left our little half smoked joint on a bench just outside of the airport doors for the next person to enjoy. We drank beers on the deck while watching planes take off. We had a few hours before our flight to Madrid. This was the calm before the next part of our trip. I messaged my mom that we made it safely to Eindhoven. She expressed her worry over my plans to run wild through Pamplona. My reply, I’m good mom, probably I won’t die but if I do this is a far better death than dying on the toilet or decaying slowly over time in a shitty cubicle or on the 405 freeway. I am the voice of reason here.

48 Blurry Hours in Amsterdam was originally published on Passport Required

[forkanna]

[AO3 LINK]

See also: @pankite​

"What's the matter, Anna? Don't you like mashed potatoes and green beans?"

Anna twirled her fork idly in her food, staring down at the mix of vegetables but not feeling hungry enough to even attempt to eat them. Ever since Elsa left the cabin after their little 'fight', she felt like a lead ball had settled in her stomach.

"It's not that, Rapunzel," she muttered, scooping up some of the beans onto her fork before letting them drop back onto her plate. "Just… something happened, that's all, and it kind of sucked."

"What kind of a 'something'?" the short-haired brunette asked before raising her juice cup to her lips.

"It turns out I'm rooming with my sister who I haven't seen in years," Anna answered. She finally pushed her plate away with a heavy sigh. "We talked, but it… didn't go very well."

For a second, Rapunzel had been nodding along as if that were a perfectly normal thing. Then her chewing slowed, and she put down her fork. "Hang on… your sister? She's one of the counselors here?"

"Guess so." Anna nodded and started playing with the straw of her drink. "I knew she wasn't going to be the same as I remember… I knew that, but I just didn't expect Elsa to be so cold now." She sighed again. "It's frustrating. We were so close before, we were like best friends! And now…"

"Your sister's one of the counselors, and you ended up in the same room as her?!" Rapunzel hissed under her breath. Apparently, she was still stuck at the beginning of their discussion. "But wait, what do you mean you haven't seen her in years? How can you not see your own sister in years?!"

Anna rolled her eyes at the brunette but a slight smile graced her lips. "Yes, my sister is a counselor, pay attention!" She gave Rapunzel a playful swat. "We live with different parents in separate provinces. I live with my Dad in Winnipeg and we just haven't been able to visit." However, that reminded Anna of the fight and the smile was wiped off her face and she went back to playing with her straw.

"Oh wow… oh man, you hope divorce doesn't happen in the church, but it still does, huh?" She sighed, looking down at her tray. "That sucks. What's her name, again?"

"Her name is Elsa," Anna repeated with a little snort at how spacey her new friend was. She looked up from her drink and chuckled bitterly. "It's the church that made my parents split up in the first place. Dad didn't like how strict my mom was about her faith and how she kept forcing it on me and Elsa, and my Mom didn't like how lax he was about it. They dealt with it for the most part until I was five… Mom and Dad got into a huge fight over something, Dad and I packed our things, and we left."

But even though Anna was pouring out her life story to the girl, something that must have been painful, Rapunzel was clearly still slow on the uptake. This time, she would reveal that the reason was not as one-dimensional as simple disbelief.

"Not… Elsa Tremblay. You can't be serious."

Anna frowned. "Yes, my sister is Elsa Tremblay, what's the deal?" Her words were laced with irritation but it had less to do with Rapunzel's distraction and more to do with the tone she said Elsa's name. "You have a problem with my sister?"

Her round green eyes stayed just as round. "Oh… well… um… how can I put this in an, um, Christian way?" Lowering her voice even more, she whispered, "Elsa's pretty well known around here for being kind of a… well, she's just not very nice. To the other counselors, I mean; she's good with the kids, but with us, she acts like we're all beneath her. We're stupid, she's smart; like that. I was kind of hoping you wouldn't have a run-in with her so soon, and now…"

"I'm sure she has her reasons," Anna said, though her brow furrowed slightly. She let her gaze wander the cafeteria until she caught sight of a platinum blonde sitting alone at one of the tables near the back of the room. Her breath hitched softly. "H-Hey Punzie, I- I think I'm going to take a walk okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, she stood up and gave her sister one last longing glance before walking out of the room.

~ o ~

The day was nearing its end, the sky bathed in striking orange and yellows as the sun started its slow descent. A cool breeze caressed Anna's cheeks and the redhead stopped to take a deep breath. Admittedly, despite the sour turn of her day, Anna found herself smiling. Sights like this in a relatively big city like Winnipeg were few and far between, and she soaked up the view as long as she could before taking out her cellphone and dialing a familiar number.

"Papa? We need to talk."

"What's the matter, Anna Banana?" he asked in his usual cheerful tone. "Not enough woodsiness for your wild young heart?"

Anna clung to the phone even as her shoulders relaxed. Her father's voice was like a balm, soothing her with its cheerful warmth. "It's definitely woodsy out here." She smiled shakily before taking a deep breath. "Papa, did you know Elsa was going to be here? Was that the 'special surprise' you told me about?"

There was a brief pause, then a chuckle. "Guess you caught me, eh? Sorry, girly girl. I just couldn't think of any other way to get you two talking again." His voice became hesitant, worried. "How… is my little Elsie doing? Does she look okay?"

Anna trembled. Lying wouldn't get them anywhere. "S-She hates us, Papa," she said sadly, tears burning her eyes. "S-She thinks we stopped trying to contact her, she thinks we abandoned her and Mama…" She swallowed thickly. "Mama… sh-she never passed on any of my messages, Papa, why would she do that?"

"Oh, Anna… geeze, I'm sorry." He sighed, and she could practically hear him running his hand through his short red mop. "I had a pretty good idea she was the holdup, but by this point… well, it's just all so nasty between us, and I got tired of tilting at windmills. I'm not a 'good enough Christian' for Idunn, or whatever — even though you and me still go to church, still try to be good people." His tone took on a familiar bitterness as he went on, "But I don't read all the right commentaries, or own enough translations, do the right devotionals or go on the retreats, and it's just… God is everywhere, right? If he's everywhere and always listening, why does there have to be so much frickin' paperwork and bullshit?"

"So… she's not telling Elsa because she's trying to hurt you?" Anna asked. The iron in her stomach grew heavier. "Papa, I'm bunking with Elsa! I have to watch the kids with Elsa, too! How can I do that if s-she wants nothing to do with me?! It's already tricky enough since I… don't feel as devoted as everyone else here, I can't deal with a sister who h-hates me, too!"

"Hey," he told her firmly. "Remember what we said? You're no more or less Christian than the ones with sticks up their asses. Not because you're a first-time counselor, not because you're bi, and not because you have red hair and have no soul. God loves gingers, too, Banana."

Anna smiled at the old joke, even letting a giggle pass her lips. "I love you, Papa. I- If things don't improve, will you come and get me? Please?"

"Of course I will, but… you have to give it a real chance, alright? Five days. If you really can't stand being there with her after five days, we'll call it quits, and we'll spend the rest of the summer calling Idunn and Elsa every name that definitely isn't in God's Word. Deal?"

This time Anna laughed softly, smiling at the phone in her hand and giving it a squeeze as though she were giving her father a hug. "Okay, Papa, Deal." She giggled, "I'll call you soon, Papa."

"Good. And if I don't hear from you, then… well, I guess that means God really can work miracles, eh? Love you, Banana."

"Love you, too… bye."

Once she got the warm, standard response, she hung up. Feeling far better now that she knew she had her father's support, she made her way back to the sisters' shared cabin.

She knocked first, waiting patiently for an all clear but after several seconds of silence, she unlocked the door and entered.

Elsa was already seated on her bed, getting out her pyjamas and her toiletry kit. Her eyes barely glanced over at Anna before looking back into her suitcase for something else… even though she already seemed to have all she would need before retreating to the washroom.

Anna let out a sigh before moving over to her own bag, taking out her nightgown and shedding her shirt carelessly over her shoulder onto her bed as Elsa stepped out. We're just sisters, Anna thought, even if the mental image from earlier of her sister's naked back still made her cheeks burn like a fire. Elsa can deal with me being half-naked for a moment.

With a slight nod, her bra was next to go. She glanced down at her average sized breasts, sprinkled with a generous amount of freckles and her thoughts were once again unwillingly dragged to the image of Elsa's large, supple, perfect mounds straining against her bra. The blush darkened and she shook her head madly to rid of the images.

Around that time, Elsa returned to their room, moving with quick, efficient steps — and suddenly yelped, dropping everything to the floor. "Wh- ANNA! What are you doing?!"

"Changing," Anna retorted dryly. "You were in the bathroom so I just decided to do it out here. What's the big deal, anyway?" Her traitorous mind flashed another image of Elsa's marvellous chest and she gave her head another firm shake. "We're sisters and it's not like I have something you don't."

Luckily for the poor, flustered bisexual, her sister had slapped a hand over her eyes and was currently feeling along the floor for her day-clothes and toiletries. "W-well, I'm not that comfortable with… come on, you have to remember how I've always been about such things. It's improper to go around showing off your body like that!"

"Papa said that we shouldn't have shame in our bodies," Anna pointed out. "If a guy can flaunt his chest around in public, a girl should have no shame in having hers exposed in the same way if she feels like it." However, to spare her sister from further embarrassment, she slipped the silk gown on. The fabric going down almost to her ankles before she shimmied out of her jeans and socks and started to take out her braids.

Catching sight of the hem and toes beneath her hand, Elsa finally removed said hand from over her eyes. "Fine. You're a hedonist, that's fine; just don't be one in our cabin." Straightening with her things, she began stuffing them into her suitcase with needless anger as she grunted, "Perhaps we should set some ground rules."

"Ground rules?" Anna scrunched up her nose for a brief moment before she let out a little defeated sigh. If she was going to get along with Elsa, she might as well humour the older girl. "Alright. Lay 'em down."

"Really?" Shaking herself, Elsa straightened, standing like a soldier at attention. Alas, her old, faded baseball tee she was wearing as half of her pyjamas showed a couple of other things were "at attention", as well. "Right. Well… I guess 'no nudity' is a good place to start. And that we should always knock before coming in. I did appreciate that before, by the way."

Anna smiled at how adorable her sister looked in that moment but purposely kept her eyes off the small peaks in Elsa's shirt. "You're welcome," she said softly, bowing her head with a faint blush. "Okay, so no nudity and always knock when coming in; anything else?"

Evidently, Anna's complete willingness to comply was throwing her off her game. So then she shrugged and said, "I don't know. Um… I don't like to sleep with any lights on. I know it's been a while, but I remember you had a night light. That would probably bother me, if you still do."

"Elsa, I haven't needed a night light since I was nine," Anna pointed out. "You won't have to worry about that." She still remembered the days back when she needed one, and how she had run to her sister in a crying panic one night when it had burnt out. The memory sent a wave of nostalgia through the ginger and her gaze softened. "Is that everything, Your Majesty?" She used her old nickname for Elsa with a smile gracing her features.

"I… yes, for now." Elsa didn't seem to know what to do with herself for a moment. The grin on Anna's face was making her fidget and look away from it, glance back up at her and away again. "Um… so I guess now we ought to go to bed. They'll be expecting us to be up bright and early, before the campers are up. So… so yeah."

Anna was mildly disappointed that her attempt to break the ice failed, but she simply nodded at Elsa. "Yeah, okay," she said softly. She was just about to slip into bed when she hesitated, glancing over at the blonde before sucking up her courage and striding over to pull her sister into a loose hug, one that Elsa could easily escape from if she so desired.

"I love you, sis… I really did miss you."

"Please," Elsa whispered. She didn't move, didn't push Anna away this time. "I… I can't yet, I don't…" After a moment, she found her voice again. "I can't believe you. Because believing you means not believing Mama. I… did miss you, but how am I supposed to…"

Only then did she retreat, end the almost-embrace. "We really should get some sleep."

Anna knew that it was a vast improvement from earlier, that Elsa didn't completely reject her again. However, it didn't stop her from flinching, nor did it stop the knot from forming in her gut as she turned her back on Elsa, made her way slowly back to her bed and crawled into a tight ball.

"Goodnight," she called softly, letting her eyes close even though she knew sleep would take a long time to claim her.

It took a few seconds, but there was an answer; it came just as the light overhead went out. "Goodnight, Anna."

To Be Continued...