#or rather Vessel attempting to gain an answer and in discovering that- because of the nature of Sleep- he will never become an equal

[melit0n]

I wanted to add on to this ask done by an anon on ST confessions, because they are so right and they made something click in my brain. Do go read it before you read this.

First, off, heavy agree that Fall for Me is designed to be a lonely song, both lyrically, and quite smartly, musically. In every single other song Sleep Token has ever done there is music. There is noise, always. Even in times where there should be silence, there never is any. Instead, it's filled by sounds of birds, a taught guitar chord or chewing and biting.

Fall for Me, however, is utter silence. There's no musical reply. No SFX, no subtle drums or bass; no nothing. It's the one of the few songs (along with Missing Limbs, Take Aim and Drag me Under) in which Vessel directly addresses the love he holds for this person. It's not layered in metaphors, prose and an eloquent vernacular, it's straightforward. While his poetry in other songs is used to draw Them in, decorate his love and entice Them, he's done with getting nothing. He wants to be an equal, a lover, but he gets naught.

The reason why, other than the obvious choice of acapella instead of instruments, the song feels so lonely is because it's the only song- overall- that he doesn't get a response to. Sugar is the response to The Offering, Say That You Will is the response to Take Aim etc., but here? Cold, dead silence. No gesture in tongues, no crushing 'affection'; no nothing.

So, to the rhythm of eternity, he will be on that beach, stumbling, crawling and shouting out the same question that he will never get an answer to; won't you fall for me?

However, even though, unlike most songs that get an answer within their album, Vessel gets one in the next. Take Me Back To Eden, therefore, becomes the answer to that question. As well as Vessel's action against it.

@lifemod17 saw you reblog the ask as well, thought you might like this :]

[its-arson-time]

alrighty then !!

under the cut. its long. spoilers for tma seasons 4 and 5

i did include context for non tma mutuals !! i put it all the way at the end though. silly silly

alright :3 here we go :3

Hello, Jon. Apologies for the deception, but I rather wanted to make sure you started reading, so I thought it best not to announce myself. I’m assuming you’re alone, you always did prefer to read your statements in private. I wouldn’t try too hard to stop reading, there’s every likelihood you’ll just hurt yourself. So just listen. Now, shall we turn the page and try again?

Statement of Jonah Magnus, regarding Jonathan Sims, The Archivist. Statement begins.

I hope you’ll forgive me the self indulgence, but I have worked so very hard for this moment, the culmination of two centuries of work. It’s rare that you get the chance to monologue through the voice of another, and you can’t tell me you’re not curious.

Why does a man seek to destroy the world? It’s a simple enough answer: for immortality and power. Uninspired, perhaps, but - my god. The discovery, not simply of the dark and horrible reality of the world in which you live, but that you would quite willingly doom that world and confine the billions in it to an eternity of terror and suffering all to ensure your own happiness, to place yourself beyond pain and death and fear. It is an awful thing to know about yourself, but the freedom, Jon, the freedom of it all.

I have dedicated my life to handing the world to these Dread Powers, all for my own gain, and I feel nothing but satisfaction in that choice. I am to be a king of a ruined world, and I shall never die. I believe there are far more people in this world who would take that bargain than you would ever guess, and I have beaten all of them.

Of course, this desire did not manifest overnight. When Smirke first gathered our little band - Lukas, Scott, and the rest - to discuss and hypothesize on the nature of the things he had learned from Rayner, I felt what I believe we all felt: curiosity, and fear. But as he compiled his taxonomy and codified his theories on the grand rituals, I began to develop a very specific concern.

Smirke was still so obsessed with his ideas on balance, even as our fellows began to experiment and fall to the service of their patrons. I began to worry that if one of them successfully attempted their ritual, then I would be as much a victim as any, trapped in the nightmare landscape of a twisted world.

At first, I attempted prevention, but the cause seemed hopeless. The only way to ensure I did not suffer the tribulations of what I believed to be an inevitable transformation was to bring it about myself. So what began as an experiment soon became a race. Beyond that, I was getting older, and mortality began to weigh more heavily on my mind. How much in this world is done because we fear death, the last and greatest terror?

I convinced Smirke to work on Millbank, leading him to design it as a temple to all the fears in equilibrium, such that my own modifications to the design of the panopticon went… unremarked. It took years for the dread of the prisoners that passed through to fully suffuse the place, and I was an old man by the time I made my first attempt at the Watcher’s Crown, sat in the center of that colossal eye, the great ring of cells encircling me like a coronet. It was… flawed, of course, as all Smirke’s rituals were, and none of the inmates survived as the power I attempted to harness shook the building almost to pieces, and the murky swamp upon which the prison was built consumed it. But it left me a gift. For sat in that watchtower, I could see everything I turned my mind to.

It was a dizzying power, and one I discovered I maintained even as I found vessels to extend my life. Of course, I had to make sure the location was kept under my control while I worked on revising my plans, and so I moved the organization I had founded to assist in my research down to London, and the Institute as you know it was born.

I’ll not bore you with details of my bodies and failures through those intervening years - suffice to say I kept busy, both planning my own next attempts and doing my best to stymy those others who tried versions of their own. Surely, my interpretation of the Watcher’s Crown had been incomplete; there had been some element of the ritual I had overlooked. It was not until I met Gertrude Robinson that things began to really come into focus.

You see, the role of Archivist has been part of the Beholding for as far back as my research can go. This isn't uncommon for the Powers; most of the beliefs around them are guesswork and fallible human interpretation, but there are certain throughlines and consistencies that can be spotted, regardless of the trappings. But Gertrude was unlike any other Archivist. She simply did not care about collecting experiences or compiling the fears of others. She was driven to stop those who served the powers.

More than once, I thought she must secretly be of the Hunt, but there was never that sick joy in her - that thrill of predator and prey. She had simply decided that this was her position in life, and went about it with a practicality that even I found disconcerting at times. I once asked her what drove her - what had started her down that path. She told me the Desolation had killed her cat. I don’t know if she was joking, and, to be honest, I could never bring myself to look into her mind and find out for sure. In any case, Gertrude’s ruthless efficiency in derailing and collapsing rituals threw into stark relief a question that had been bothering me for almost a hundred and fifty years: in the whole span of humanity, why had nobody ever succeeded?

Perhaps there were a long line of Gertrude Robinsons throughout history, but I found that hard to credit. Could it be, then, that there was something in the very concept of the rituals that meant that they couldn’t succeed? She was clearly having similar thoughts in that last year, all of which culminated with the People’s Church. When I saw that she was making no preparations whatsoever to stop it, I realized she was putting into practice a theory, and one she couldn’t afford to be wrong.

She was going to wait, and see if the unopposed ritual succeeded, or if it collapsed under its own strain as mine had all those years ago. Knowing Gertrude, I’m sure she had a backup plan if she had miscalculated, but she had not. The ritual failed, and all at once, I realized what needed to be done.

You see - the thing about the fears is that they can never be truly separated from each other. When does the fear of sudden violence transition into the panic of hunted prey? When does the mask of the Stranger become the deception of the Spiral? Even those that seem to exist in direct opposition rely on each other for their definition as much as up relies on down. To try and create a world with only the Buried makes as much sense as trying to conceive a world with only down. Every ritual tied itself so closely to a single power as to render itself impossible. They could bring their patron close, but could not sever it from the others, and eventually, it would be violently pulled back to the place next to reality where they dwell.

The solution, then, is simple: a new ritual must be devised that will bring through all the powers at once. All 14, as I had hoped I could complete it before any new powers such as Extinction were able to fully emerge. All under the eye’s auspices, of course - we mustn’t forget our roots. And there was only one being that could possibly serve as a lynchpin for this new ritual: the Archivist. A position that had so recently become vacant, thanks to Gertrude’s… ill-timed retirement plans.

Because the thing about the Archivist is that - well, it’s a bit of a misnomer. It might, perhaps, be better named, “The Archive”. Because you do not administer and preserve the records of fear, Jon. You are a record of fear. Both in mind as you walk the shuddering dread of each statement, and in body, as the powers each leave their mark upon you. You are a living chronicle of terror.

Perhaps, then, if I could find an Archivist and have each power mark them, have them confront each one, and each in turn instill in them a powerful and acute fear for their life, they could be turned into a conduit for the coming of this nightmare kingdom. Do you see where I’m going, Jon? It does tickle me, that in this world of would-be occult dynasties and ageless monsters, the “chosen one” is… simply that. Someone I chose. It’s not in your blood, or your soul, or your… “destiny”, it’s just in your own rotten luck. I’ll admit my options were somewhat limited, but my god - when you came to me, already marked by the Web, I knew it had to be you. I even held out some small hope you’d been sent by the Spider as a sort of… implicit blessing on my whole project, and - do you know what? I think it was.

Of course, I had to bide my time, get a measure of you before I began to push - learn how you worked - so I decided I would wait until something came for you, and see how you reacted. Attacks upon the Archives were not uncommon during Gertrude’s tenure, and while she was always prepared, I made sure you would not be. I reasoned if you couldn’t survive a single encounter, you were unlikely to make it through all 14. So when Jane Prentiss attacked, I watched eagerly, one hand on the gas release from the start. You acquitted yourself well enough, so I decided to see how much further you would get, though I waited until the worms were in you to pull the lever. I needed to make sure you felt that fear all the way to your bones.

The discovery that one of the Stranger’s minions had infiltrated the Institute in the aftermath was certainly a pleasant bonus. Even if that sliver of paranoia - that vague wrongness you couldn’t quite place wouldn’t count as a mark, it was only a matter of time before it confronted you in a far more direct and affecting manner. Admittedly, given the advent of the Unknowing, I needn’t have bothered - but what’s the old saying about hindsight?

More important to me was Sasha’s encounter with the Distortion. If it had taken an interest, then I very much wanted it to cross your path, so I found one of its current victims and convinced her to make a statement. Poor Helen. I actually had to put her in a taxi myself, she was getting so lost on those narrow London side streets. It worked, though. Between the stabbing, and at least two desperate flights into its door, you’re marked very deep by the Spiral.

Jurgen Leitner was a surprise, of course, and I was forced to… improvise. I had no idea how much Gertrude would’ve told him, and he very easily could have derailed everything if you learned too much too fast. I justified it to myself, saying I was going to have to send you out into the world anyway if you were going to encounter more of the powers, but I can’t honestly pretend it wasn’t a… rather rash move. Still, I’d requested Detective Tonner be assigned to the case when they found Gertrude’s body, in the hope that having a hunter in the mix would eventually lead to a confrontation, and setting you up as a killer certainly hastened that.

Then it was just a matter of feeding you statements to lead you to a few avatars I thought were likely to harm you, but probably would stop short of actually killing you. Jude served her purpose exactly as I had hoped, as did our dearly departed Mr. Crew, marking you for the Desolation and the Vast.

Honestly, I had nothing to do with Melanie and her Slaughter adventure, but when I saw the situation, I made sure to trap her here, so whenever her rage bubbled over, you were right there, a ready target. I didn’t foresee the mark coming from surgery gone wrong, but it was a very pleasant surprise. The Unknowing was a distraction, but not an unwelcome one. For this to work, you needed more than just the marks. You needed power. And that was something the Unknowing served to test - though it posed no actual danger in the grand scheme of things - and it did serve another purpose, of course. It inadvertently pushed you to confront Death, a mark I had been very worried about trying to orchestrate. If I tried too early, you’d just die - too late, and you might be powerful enough to See the attempt coming, and maybe even understand why. As it was, it was just right. And once again, you came through with flying colors.

By this point, your abilities were coming on in leaps and bounds, and I was concerned that meeting face to face might end up with you… Knowing something you shouldn’t. I had initially planned to go into hiding, but when your colleagues surprised me with the police, well. It was simple enough to cut a deal. All that remained then were the Dark, the Flesh, the Buried, and the Lonely. I was a little put out when that idiot Jared Hopworth misinterpreted my letters and attacked the institute too soon, before you were even out of the hospital, but then, oh - you should’ve seen my face when you voluntarily went to him. I couldn’t see what happened in there, of course, but given how you came out, I’m very sure it counts as a mark.

I suspected the coffin might turn up again, and once it did, it was simply a matter of getting any, uh… restraining factors you might’ve had flying off on a wild goose chase, and waiting.

Honestly, Detective Tonner has proven invaluable through this whole process. I was racking my brains for months about what I could use to lure you in. And, of course, I knew the Dark Sun was just sitting there, waiting, so when it came time, I whipped up another apocalypse, and sent you on your merry way. Then, all that remained was the Lonely.

Poor Peter, he really should’ve left well enough alone. Or just done what I asked in the first place. Ah, well. He… knew what I was attempting, and was very unwilling to cooperate until I made him… a little wager about Martin. Of course, he had no way of knowing that in addition to setting you up for the final mark, he was giving you all the tools you needed to escape from it. How is Martin, by the way? He looks well. You will keep an eye on him once all this is over, won’t you? He’s earned that.

And there, I think, we are brought just about up to date. I have enjoyed our little trip down memory lane, but past here lies only impatience. You are prepared. You are ready. You are marked. The power of the Ceaseless Watcher flows through you, and the time of our victory is here. Don’t worry, Jon, you’ll get used to it here, in the world that we have made.

Now, repeat after me.

You who watch and know and understand none.

You who listen and hear and will not comprehend.

You who wait and wait and drink in all that is not yours by right.

Come to us in your wholeness. Come to us in your perfection.

Bring all that is fear and all that is terror and all that is the awful dread that crawls and chokes and blinds and falls and twists and leaves and hides and weaves and burns and hunts and rips and bleeds and dies!

Come to us.

I. Open. THE DOOR!

oh and so my non tma mutuals dont feel left out. here u go :3 (it is context)

so many blorbo thoughts. i will share if this gets 5 notes

[writerfangirlbooks]

Memories

Castiel x Reader

Prompt: Castiel takes care of you, both fallen angels, after you were cursed and lost your memory.

Word Count: approximately 2150

Credit to gif owner!

"I need you to wake up, Y/N, please." A deep and masculine voice spoke above you.

The world shifted from darkness and opened to blinding lights for a few seconds and repeated for a few times before you were able to focus your view on a person above you. You felt yourself analyzing without thinking about it, sensing the worry from the being next to you. Familiarity filled the room as you worked to sit up, but unable to place a name on... well, anything.

"Wh-" You were unable to finish an out-loud thought.

Your throat felt funny. Scratchy? Maybe that was the correct terminology. You focused on what appeared to be a man next to you. The first thing you took notice of was the color blue. It was the brightness in his wide eyes. Blue. You got flashes and were able to name the views to specific words. Ocean. Sky. Some types of garments called jeans.

"How do you feel?" The voice asked confirming it was the man in the room.

Yes, it was a room you were in. What type of building were you in? You wondered. Descriptions floated across your brain: house, mansion, apartment, store, and many more.

"I feel... dizzy," you decided.

Dizzy was accurate. The earth seemed to be moving around you and when the man's hand moved towards you, there were a few hands shadowing it. You flinched when his warm hand touched your forehead. The last person that touched you had not been so gentle, this you were positive of. His eyebrows creased together. You understood this meant he was concerned.

"I am unable to heal you. I am incredibly sorry, Y/N," the man said, pulling his hand away.

"Y/N?" You questioned.

Talking made it difficult to swallow and your eyes welled with tears. Why on earth would you be crying? You felt no pain. In fact, you felt very little. The man's mouth parted slightly, indicating surprise or shock. He placed a hand in yours and you instinctively intertwined fingers. You gasped, embarrassed, and undid the last action, but left your palms touching. With his left hand, the man reached over to a table beside the bed you were lying in and handed you an uncapped bottle filled with water.

"That is your name. I'm afraid this means you are telling me you no longer know who you are." He paused before quietly asking, "Do you remember who I am?"

You shook your head. His eyes fell downcast. You began to sip the water before the majority of the bottle was gone. You took a ragged breath afterward, already feeling some strength returning. Yawning, you felt able to sit upwards. You held the man's hand tightly for support as you did this. He watched as you did this, seeming to be momentarily at a loss for words.

You stretched forward and set the bottle in its previous spot. Looking around the room, the walls were a calm gray. The closed-door was wooden. There was nothing personal that you noticed. It was simply a bed, the chair the man was sitting in, the bedside table, a closet door, and a door to the hallway. You swallowed a few more times for practice until you felt comfortable to use your voice again.

"I can tell that you are very familiar to me. I feel like I should be able to trust you. I can remember a few events. I have no recollection of who you are. I don't even know my own name," you told him.

The last statement brought the tears back to your eyes. This time it was not because of the physical pain from your body but an emotional sorrow. You didn't understand why that was happening. One thing was clear to you and that was an immense sadness that you could not claim to know who you were or how you knew this person. You felt empty. The understanding of concepts large and small made perfect sense. You were able to picture yourself on a beach, relaxing, but were unable to make out anyone that was next to you. You could smell your favorite coffee and put a name to it. Objects and events were becoming clearer yet names and people remained unknown.

"I-I'm sorry. That must be very difficult to experience. My name is Castiel and yours is Y/N. I would like to assist you with rediscovering yourself. I understand it's only been a few minutes, but have your conditions changed?" He asked.

"I do feel better, physically, at least. Not as weak. Or dizzy," you added.

Castiel nodded and appeared to be pondering a new idea. You mouthed your own name a few times to get used to it. Nothing clicked. You did the same with Castiel. Shaping the word on your lips seemed easier than your own, almost more comfortable. You were positive you had said it a lot. You decided to push your luck and attempt standing. Using his hand for extra strength, you tossed your legs over the side of the bed and wobbly stood up. Castiel stood up with you, moving his other hand to your back for steadiness.

You took a few breaths and blinked back a few more tears, working to control the shaking your body was tempted to let control you. Refusing to let that happen, you pushed your feet forward and moved a few paces. Castiel let you go.

"I can do this," you muttered.

You walked over to the door and successfully made it back. Only somewhat satisfied, you sat back down on the bed. Castiel asked for permission before sitting down on the bed next to you. He pushed the chair away. Wordlessly, you held out your hand and he took it with a kind smile.

"You did great," he assured you. "This will be strange to hear so I ask you to remain calm. Before I propose my idea, I think it is imperative that you know not just who we are, but what we are."

You could not figure out how to process that sentence because of how strange it was.

"That was very vague and I do not understand. I believe I should trust you, so please do not disappoint me. I am as calm as can be given the circumstance," you told him.

Castiel nodded again. He anxiously ran his tongue over his lips. His blue eyes flickered to the right before going back to you. This made you want to reach over to cease his worries, but the unknown was strong enough to convince you his hand in yours was enough for the time being.

"You and I are angels of the Lord. We have been good friends for a very long time, centuries in fact. Not too long ago, there was a Fall, and we became human. During that time, I experienced real love for the first time, and I believe you did too. I became involved in working with some humans that hunted monsters, and you joined me occasionally. About a week ago, there was a messy case that involved a clan of witches... I wasn't fast enough to get to you. You were cursed and rendered unconscious. Our grace, that we possessed as angels, is only available in fragments now, so I hoped I would be able to reinstate your health, but it appears that is not the case. I cannot imagine how much this is to take in, so before you say anything, I am going to offer an idea. Two, actually. I would like to jog your memory using the places we have visited. This can be done broken into increments where I can access your brain, something I have gained access to do recently, and show it to you here. Or we could actually go visit them, which would take quite a bit more time. As angels, we had the ability to simply think of where we wanted to go, and within one blink, we were there. That was one of the many things we no longer can do. I know that this is quite a lot to process, so I understand if you won't have a decision right away."

Castiel spoke to you, slow and sincerely. He believed each and every word he said, which made you want to do the same. What he was asking of you had to be absolutely insane. Go through your brain and access memories you don't remember experiencing or traveling with someone you don't remember knowing, or apparently loving, and reliving these adventures? They were both very exciting and intriguing options while being wild and surprising options.

You waited a few minutes in silence. Castiel's hand remained firmly in yours, patiently waiting. It was shocking how at ease you felt at making this decision quickly. It was simple. After another deep breath, you were able to communicate your answer.

"When do we leave?"

-

After more rest, hydration, and a shower, you felt rejuvenated and prepared to discover who you were. As disappointing as it was that you weren't getting memories back quickly, you felt reassured knowing you weren't going through this alone.

Your first stop was to tell the hunters what the plan was. Well, Castiel was, anyways. He informed them he would be gone for a while and did not know yet when he would return. Castiel admitted to you that he was new to driving and sheepishly said he was not the best. You assured him that was okay with you and that it was probably for the best you did not drive. He smiled at that.

Soon the pair of you had traveled all over, mostly by driving. You experienced trains, planes, and rollercoasters. Your favorite form of transportation was the simplest. It was the two of you walking together.

You were camping nearby a lake and had just bought a new swimsuit. You were surprised by your comfort of the body. Castiel often reminded you that the bodies you inhabited were vessels, not your true form. At some point, they became one and the same when you fell from Heaven. Castiel was in a white shirt and dark swim shorts and some silly looking sandals. At your last stop, the two of you bought a camera, insisting on a way to store the new memories. Although it had only been around a month, nothing new had appeared yet. Sure, certain smells and places reminded you of something from before your curse, but nothing substantial.

"Y/N, do you want to stay on the stand or go in the water?" Castiel asked.

His sunglasses were propped on the top of his head. Rather than using them, Castiel squinted around. You were surprised by how tan his skin had become. Yours had not changed much. You pretended to blame it on still figuring out life once more.

When you stopped staring at the light water with strong waves and turned to Castiel, your brain stopped seeing the man in front of you and saw images from a long time ago. You could tell it was Castiel, though he appeared much different. The two of you were hardworking friends, no longer surrounded by water, but something softer, that you couldn't feel. Clouds... the two of you were in Heaven.

"Castiel..." Your voice trailed off, trying to focus on the present and hold onto the past.

You watched as he moved towards you and gently placed his hands on your shoulders. For a few stressful seconds, you were unable to speak or move. Being an entity in your mind and a weak human was not a good crossover. When one of his hands fell down your arm and stopped at your elbow, you let out a breath of air and stared into the bluest eyes imaginable. There was a time, that you were certain was no more than a couple of years ago, that was the first time a tingle ran up your spine when Castiel touched your arm. You saw him in a nice outfit with combed hair. He was much shyer then but had grown enough courage to finally kiss you. The ghost of his lips on yours remained as you focused back on reality. As profound as these memories were, it was the feelings they brought that was more powerful. This was convincing enough to have your touch his cheek before kissing him slowly.

When the two of you parted, you saw the question forming and shook your head. You had burst of energy from the excitement of having memories once again. You smiled brightly with the first real hope.

"I looked at you and I saw us in Heaven, before the Fall. Then you touched my arm and I was brought forward in so many years to, to our first kiss," you said, somewhat exhilarated.

Castiel returned your smile with a tint of pink in his cheeks. He excitedly hugged you. "That's fantastic. What do you want to do?"

"Let's go into the water. It was only two, but it was still something. We've got a lot more to explore!"

[redbladereviewing]

Shadow the Hedgehog: More Tragic than Edgy

Sonic the Hedgehog is one of my favorite franchises. Not because of its fast momentum based platforming or rockin’ soundtrack across all its games, but because of its large cast of iconic and recognizable characters and the stories they tell. Whether it’s the classic squad of Tails, Knuckles, Amy Rose, or the comic characters like Bunny Rabbot from Archie or Whisper and Tangle from IDW, or even the mad scientist Dr. Eggman and his humorously dark schemes, the cast of Sonic is what helps make the franchise so iconic. However, one character of the cast holds a strong and special place in my heart. A character that has a lot of strong tragedy attached to him, yet still remains strong of heart and soul. A character that so many writers have failed to understand despite him being pretty easy to figure out. That character (which you already know since it’s in the title of this blog) is Shadow the Hedgehog.

Shadow was created on the Space Colony ARK, a secret government science and research station in space, as part of Project Shadow. The purpose of Project Shadow was to act as the first step in achieving immortality, by creating a creature that could be immune to any disease and act as a base for cures to be created from. The project was led by Gerald Robotnik, the grandfather of Dr. Eggman. His purpose for running this project was to create a cure for his granddaughter Maria, who was sick with Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome (basically AIDS). The project required Gerald to research into the Chaos Emeralds, seven powerful gems which when combined can give its user immense speed and strength. Researching the power of the Emeralds led to Gerald creating Chaos Drives, little artificial shards of Chaos Energy that would be used as a battery by the Guardian Unit of Nations, aka GUN, for their robotic drone technology. It also led Gerald to discover the ruins of Angel Island where the Emeralds were located, along with an old mural depicting a powerful being of gold fighting against an evil force. This mural would become the blueprint that Gerald would use for Project Shadow, but all efforts to follow it failed. That is, until he gained assistance from an unlikely source. A powerful empire known as the Black Arms had traveled past Earth, and during their time near the planet they struck a deal with Gerald. Black Doom, leader of the Black Arms, would offer the genetic material that would help Gerald create The Ultimate Lifeform, in exchange for the Chaos Emeralds 50 years after completion of the project. Gerald agreed, and with the blood of Black Doom, he began creating what would become the Bio-Lizard, and Shadow the Hedgehog.

After Shadow’s creation, he was placed in the same area of the Space Colony ARK that Maria was quarantined since Shadow was created to be completely immune to all diseases. The two grew very close during their time together, growing into what would become a sort of brother/sister relationship. Maria would become the closest to family and love that Shadow would ever feel. However, when the United Federation caught word of Shadow’s creation and the deal that Gerald had made with the Black Arms, they immediately demanded that the project be shut down and all those involved would be either detained or executed for attempted treason. Gerald was immediately arrested, and Maria was shot dead after launching Shadow in an escape pod headed towards Earth. However, Shadow was found and put into cryogenic stasis and Gerald was imprisoned on Prison Island. Since the government still required his research for their experimental drone tech, they kept Gerald locked away and forced to create enough Chaos Drives for GUN to make effective use of and reverse engineer. This period of time had Gerald spiral into contempt and hatred for his captors, resulting in him reprogramming Shadow while he was in stasis with artificial memories to have the same contempt and hatred for humanity that he had. After Gerald was executed, Shadow was locked deep within Prison Island and would be almost forgotten by those that imprisoned him. That is, until the events of Sonic Adventure 2, where Gerald’s grandson Dr. Eggman found Shadow and intended to use him to conquer the world. However, Shadow’s own goal wasn’t to conquer the world, but to destroy it as an act of revenge for Maria. As a cruel act of forcing hatred onto his creation, Gerald had reprogrammed Shadow to destroy the world that took Maria from them both. However, this wouldn’t be what Maria wanted. What Maria really wanted was for Shadow to not let the tragedy on the ARK lead him to destroying all of humanity. So many more people existed on that planet than those that raided the ARK, and even a child like Maria knew that it wasn’t all of them that killed her. However, her grandfather gave in to his rage and spite as it stew away in a prison cell. He let his pain of losing his granddaughter lead him down a road of bloody revenge against the whole world, when the whole world wasn’t responsible for it. This was the ultimate theme of SA2, that even though humans can be cruel and terrible people, they all shouldn’t be judged for the mistakes and sins of isolated groups and individuals in it. This lesson would cost Shadow his own life, as he sacrificed himself to protect the world from being destroyed by the Space Colony ARK as it was crashing towards Earth like a giant meteor.

However, Sonic Heroes would reveal that Shadow was saved at the last minute by Eggman, as he intended to copy his grandfather’s work to make multiple copies of Shadow for his Eggman Empire. Shadow wasn’t on board with that, and reluctantly teamed up with GUN agent Rouge the Bat and a neglected robot named E-123 Omega who wanted to destroy Eggman for locking him away for too long. After they went through the events of Sonic Heroes, Shadow was left wandering the world, as he had lost his memories when he was found and resurrected from the dead. This would lead to Shadow’s own game, where Black Doom and his army of The Black Arms returned 50 years later to fulfill the end of the bargain that Gerald had made. Shadow doesn’t even know what Doom is talking about, but he reluctantly goes along with it in the hopes that he’ll be given proper answers on why he was created and what his purpose for existing is. Once he collects all seven of the Chaos Emeralds, Shadow is told that he was created to act as a sleeper agent for the Black Arms. To assist them, in conquering and enslaving Earth for their empire. Shadow, remembering the dying wish of his closest family Maria, rejected this plan and used the Chaos Emeralds to become Super Shadow. Using this power, he destroyed Black Doom and the Black Arms vessel The Black Comet with the Eclipse Cannon, a weapon that Gerald created as a means of stopping the Black Arms when they returned. With his memories back to him and having destroyed almost every remaining reminder of his past, Shadow leaves the ARK behind him and enlists in GUN. While this may seem like an odd decision since GUN was responsible for the ARK raid that killed Maria, Shadow was more focused on using them to assist in protecting the world that Maria could only ever see from the cold vacuum of space.

So what can be gleamed from all this? Well, Shadow’s backstory when you look into all the details is rather tragic. He was created with good intentions being put upon him, that his existence will lead to a greater future for humanity. However, that was thrown right out the window when one of his creators lost everything that mattered to him and reprogrammed him to be a weapon against the world, while his other creator always intended to use him as a weapon to destroy and control. He was forced into being a weapon of rage and revenge by his creators, with the only person who genuinely loved him for who he was dying right in front of him, and having lost so much in his life. Shadow lost everything to him, and he wasn’t even really sure of what he was meant to do. He knew that he was The Ultimate Lifeform, but that title is the only thing he really had to him. There was, however, one person that showed him that he wasn’t so strong: Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic was someone who was equal in speed and power to Shadow, even surviving an escape pod that was rigged to explode using an artificial Chaos Emerald created by Tails to teleport out of the explosion. Sonic is a carefree, relaxed, and strong of heart hero that Shadow as created in the image of. Remember that mural I mentioned Gerald finding when researching the Chaos Emeralds? That was the mural in the Knuckles boss fight in Sonic 3 & Knuckles. It depicted the final fight of that game with Super Sonic destroying Eggman’s Death Egg. Shadow was intended to be the Ultimate Lifeform, but he comes to find that he was really just created in the image of Sonic, the real Ultimate Lifeform. This discovery would lead to Shadow having grown to respect Sonic as an equal, but still wanting to prove himself as the stronger hedgehog with the playful rivalry they’d develop.

With all this said, you’d think Shadow would be seen as a really cool dude. Someone who is really strong but not keen on taking the spotlight as much. Kinda like the Black and White Rangers from the Power Rangers franchise. You’d be wrong, unfortunately. Shadow has not really been given the kind of respect that he deserves as many harsh critics of the franchise see Shadow as an “edgy tryhard”. This label is mostly attributed to Shadow’s game and the English localization that had Shadow saying damn, as well as the whole concept of Shadow using realistic looking firearms being an extremely ridiculous idea for a franchise that was mostly seen as a child’s game franchise. This criticism has stuck with Shadow for about 15 years now, with people still mocking and joking about Shadow being “edgy”, as if that’s an automatic bad thing.

The whole criticism of a character or franchise being edgy doesn’t really make sense to me. So something is edgy. So what? Why is it a bad thing if something wants to be darker than what you expect? People always throw edgy around at things to the point where even I don’t know what it means anymore. Regardless, with all that I’ve said about Shadow as a character and his backstory, I’m hopeful that I’ve shown some of you why this hedgehog is the coolest of them all. And perhaps in the future, I can go a bit further talking about what I see in him and what he means to me.

[theshatteredrose]

Turquoise Lotus Father (Treasure Seekers Saga 2) - Chapter 6 - Etrian Odyssey 5 Fanfiction

AN: Slowly working my way through these chapters. They’re not difficult, but sinus problems have been making things difficult, if you know what I mean. Anyway, hope you enjoy reading~!

Ao3 | Wattpad | FFNet

Chapter 6:

Drayce was about to ascend the stairs when a light, almost awkward knock at the front doors pulled him to a stop. He immediately turned around and hurried to the door. The stained-glass panels did not allow him to see who was on the other side, but he had a small hope that he knew who stood on the front porch.

Sure enough, as he opened the door, he was face to face with two familiar figures. Salim stood with his arms folded across his bare chest, while Tokala stood next to him with his hands folded behind his back and bounced lightly on the balls of his feet.

“Hey, you came!” Drayce greeted the two with a smile. “I’m relieved.”

“Yeah, well, we…sorta owe you for yesterday,” Salim explained as he sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. “Tokala…was safe with you guys.”

Tokala’s energetic personality dimmed slightly, his ears folding against his head as he turned to give Salim a soft look. “Sal…”

Safe? And the look of apology from Tokala. That wasn’t the normal breed of protectiveness. Something must have happened to cause Salim to be suspicious of others. And for Tokala to feel the need to apologise, yet won’t say the words.

“Why don’t you come in?” Drayce offered as he opened the door further to allow them to step inside. “We just finished having breakfast, but we can whip something up for you if you haven’t eaten.”

Tokala soon plastered a smile to his lips as he moved first to step inside, with Salim close behind him. As they moved into the foyer, though, Tokala looked around in genuine surprise.

“Wow, this place is huge!”

“It looked big on the outside, but it’s bigger inside,” Salim commented as he looked around, too. “The hell?”

“I ask myself that every day,” Blayke said as he walked from the dining hall, no doubt lured out by the sound of new voices.

Salim immediately turned to give him a confused look. “Eh?”

“We haven’t even discovered all the nooks and crannies of this place yet,” Blayke explained as he folded his arms across his chest roughly, his expression in his usual scowl. “It’s like a labyrinth of its own.”

Drayce chuckled to himself and closed the door. “No monsters, though. Inside at least. The back garden is a little…uncharted right now.”

Tokala laughed good-naturedly as he walked around in awe. “This place sounds awesome! Right, Sal?”

“Yeah, it kinda does,” Salim muttered. He appeared rather stubborn and didn’t want to outright show he surprise.

But Drayce was fairly certain he knew how to win him over. “There’s a training room in the basement.”

“Aww, yes, sounds really awesome!” Salim immediately cheered, earning another laugh from Tokala.

Drayce had to have a laugh himself. They were an interesting pair. Tokala appeared cheerful and energetic. Very supportive of Salim. And in turn, Salim seemed single-minded and full of energy. Yet there was a sense of supportiveness in his actions, too. He wasn’t just protective of Tokala, he was determined to see him safe.

Prompted by the noise, the other members of his guild ventured out of the dining hall. Faelen spied Tokala and a bright smile appeared on his face and he hurried over to him. It seemed that there was something about Tokala that drew him to him. Perhaps it was the kinship between Therians?

“Tokala, you made it!” Faelen greeted happily.

“Yep!” Tokala returned just as cheerfully. “Said I would, didn’t I?”

“Ah, so we have company,” Ashton greeted politely as he cast a precautionary glance over their new guests.

Salim turned to regard him but did a double take. Even going as far as to reel his head back in surprise. “Eh? Are you a pugilist, too?” he blurted out.

Ashton arched an eyebrow. “Hm?”

Drayce felt confused by the question. Ashton as a pugilist? Sure, the guy was strong, but Drayce hadn’t seen him throw a punch at anyone. Never looked like he wanted to. Oh, sure, he had gotten frustrated with Drayce and his family’s work ethic, but he had never been angry.

“Huh? Ah, this is Ashton. He’s a scholar who works with my father. He’s also the guild dad.”

Salim frowned deeply. With a heavy dose of scepticism. “Just a scholar? Huh. You totally felt like a pugilist.”

Ashton regarded Salim with an unreadable expression on his face. He soon folded his arms across his chest, however, and smiled politely. “Flattering. But these muscles are from dragging around treasure hunters and archaeologists who are abysmal at taking care of themselves.”

“Ashton is really good at throwing Drayce over his shoulder,” Faelen added with a cheeky flourish of his tail.

Drayce spluttered and flushed. “Y-you saw that?!”

Faelen found great amusement in his reaction, it seemed.

Even Kamali had a soft chuckled before he introduced himself to their guests. “Hello. My name is Kamali. Faelen and Caelem have told me about you.”

“O-oh, it’s nice to meet you,” Tokala said in response, surprisingly shy or perhaps intimidated by Kamali. He was probably just embarrassed because Caelem and Faelen had gossiped about him or something.

Kamali suddenly tilted his head to the side as his brow furrowed lightly in concentration. “Hm? I detect a faint sense of mana.”

“Yeah? Where?” Drayce asked, though he had a feeling that he already knew the answer.

Kamali raised his hand in an attempt to narrow in on the source of mana. His hand soon moved toward the Therian before him. “On…Tokala.”

“H-huh?” Caelem was the one to react first. React with a sense of fear at that. “He’s not-?”

“No,” Kamali whirled around to give an anxious Caelem a reassuring look and word. “I don’t believe it was like…what happened with you.”

Caelem’s ears relaxed and he uttered a short, shaky sigh. “O-oh, that’s a relief.”

The trauma he had experienced when he was the vessel for the Moon Legacy still affected him. And he did not want anyone to go through what he had. Honestly, no one including Drayce himself did not wish for anyone to go through that pain again.

Tokala stared at Kamali with a subtly fearful expression on his face. His hands had reached up to the collar of his shirt and clutched the material tightly. “…It’s my necklace, isn’t it?” he asked, softly.

Kamali turned around to regard him again with a curious tilt of his head. “Necklace?”

So, Drayce was right. The necklace did have some significance. And was likely the core reason for Salim’s protectiveness. “That’s also the reason you’re in the labyrinth?”

“So, what if it is?” Salim immediately snapped defensively.

Tokala’s ears flatted sadly against the top of his head and he turned to give Salim that sad look, exactly like the one from before. “Sal…”

Drayce immediately attempt to pacify the protective pugilist. “Hey, no need to be defensive. We’re not a threat.” While he had been told not to go around discussing his resume, he felt it best in this situation. “I’m…a treasure hunter, also. If you’re looking for something, I can help. And…I may have already found it.”

That immediately gained Tokala’s attention. “What do you mean?”

Drayce paused for a bit as he thought about the best way to approve the situation. “Can you please show Caelem your necklace?”

“Huh?” Caelem blurted out in surprise and pointed toward himself. “Me?”

Tokala was equally confused. “Ah…ok,” he said after a moment of hesitancy. He reached beyond the collar of his shirt to reveal the red gem of his necklace and walked over to Caelem. With the chain still around his neck, he shakily showed the pendant to Caelem.

The moment Caleme saw the pendant, he stiffened. His ears perked straight up atop of his head and his tail bristled. “That’s-! Th-that lotus. It is the same as the symbol of my village!” he half stuttered, half yell.

Caelem’s reaction rightfully startled Tokala and he took a half step back in surprise. “Y-your village?”

“The village of the Turquoise Lotus Father,” Caelem explained, calmer this time.

A faraway look appeared in Tokala’s eyes. “Turquoise Lotus…?”

Caelem whipped around to face Drayce excitedly. “W-wait, Drayce, that pendent-”

“Yeah,” Drayce replied with a nod of his head. “I think it’s what we need to open that treasure box.”

“I’ll go get brother,” Kamali said before he turned on his heel and rushed up the stairs. His brother was likely to be in the library. His usual residence, it seemed.

“Let’s wait in the seating room,” Drayce suggested in an attempt to calm Tokala’s anxiety.

Tokala was understandably nervous as he clutched his red lotus pendant in both hands. But nodded his head, his curiosity of the mentioned treasure chest and whether his necklace was indeed vital to opening of said chest.

Drayce kept close to Tokala in order to give him some reassurance as Ashton and Blayke attempted to placate Salim’s protectiveness.

Not long after everyone who was curious gathered into the seating room, Shashi appeared with Kamali behind him. In Kamali’s hands rested the wooden chest.

As Shashi’s gaze landed on Tokala, Kamali placed the chest upon a table close by. “So, you’re the one I had sensed.”

Tokala was startled once again, the poor guy. “H-huh?”

“This is Shashi,” Drayce introduced. “He’s a scholar and sigil specialist. He’s been inspecting that chest I told you about.”

“May I see the necklace?” Shashi requested. As Tokala unfurled his hands around the pendant, Shashi leaned forward to visibly inspect the piece of jewellery. “This mana is similar to the one that the chest has been emitting.”

“Only one way to really prove it,” Drayce said as he guided the nervous Therian over to the table. He then motioned toward the small lotus shaped indentation that resided in the very centre of the wooden lid. “Tokala, when you’re ready, please place your pendent here.”

Tokala took a moment to study the treasure chest. “This…looks the same,” he murmured.

He reached around to the back of his neck to unlock the chain. With the chain free, he held the red pendent with his fingers. And though he was hesitant, worried about any possible reactions, he slowly and carefully placed the jewel within the indentation.

It clicked into place. Pressing in like a button.

A pulsing red light suddenly radiated out from where the pendent rested and spread out like a spiderweb along the wooden treasure chest. The ruby-red light pulsated for two heartbeats before dissipating as quickly as it had appeared.

The unexpected reaction caused Tokala to jump back a step. “It…s-something happened.”

Drayce pushed forward to lay his hands upon the wooden lid of the box. As he touched it, he immediately felt lighter than it did previously. That meant; “It’s been unlocked.”

Caelem immediately huddled against Drayce’s back. “W-what’s inside?”

Good question. Time to find out!

Being careful, Drayce lifted the lid and placed it upon the table next to the chest. Inside was a folded piece of parchment. Quite old, it seemed. Frayed and yellow around the edges. That piece of paper was all that the small chest contained. Other than a piece of green velvet lying the bottom.

“Hmm,” Drayce murmured as he carefully unfolded the parchment.

“What’s that?” Tokala asked as he also huddle close.

Instead of written words upon the parchment, there were just lines. A gridded system. “It seems to be…a riddle of some kind? No. It actually looks more like a map. But without any sketches or markings.”

“I sense more mana,” Shashi stated as he pushed his way through the small group to lay eyes on the parchment.

“Ah, could this be similar to that of the Moon Legacy?” Drayce mused.

Shashi kept his gaze upon the parchment as he held his chin in thought. “Invisible to the naked eye? Perhaps.”

Drayce handed the parchment over to Shashi to inspect further as he was indeed the expert in that area. If Drayce can’t see anything other than the gridded system, then he wasn’t of any use.

“Is this…connected to Caelem’s village?” Tokala questioned in a quiet voice.

Caelem turned to him and slowly nodded his head. “I’m not a hundred percent sure, but that lotus crest is the one that adorns the altar in my village.”

Tokala’s gaze travelled down to the floor and a passive expression appeared on his face. “I could…be from there? So maybe I wasn’t abandoned…”

Drayce paused when he heard Tokala’s soft voice and Caelem’s ears perked up, having heard him, too. “Abandoned?” he repeated.

Tokala tensed, as if he realised that he had said those words aloud. His ears deflated slightly and his shoulders hunched forward. “Oh, I was…” he sighed and looked down toward the floor. “I was found wandering outside of an Earthlain village when I was a baby and Salim’s family took me in. We were raised together. But this necklace…”

He glanced over to the treasure chest where his necklace rested with the wooden lid. “I’ve always had it,” he continued. “They said that I had it tied around my neck when I was just a child. I don’t know what it means, but…I thought that it might lead me to my birth parents. Or something.”

Wow. Drayce hadn’t any idea. He immediately wanted to help him, though. Sure, he wanted to help him before but he was more determined now.

“My village raises masuraos,” Caelem explained. “Whenever someone reaches the age of seventeen, they are encouraged to leave the village and set out on a journey to become their own masurao warrior.”

Salim finally pushed his way from Ashton and Blayke and immediately glued himself to Tokala’s side. Tokala granted him a smile that was both of relief, and reassurance. “Is that so? You think someone could have taken Tokala with em?”

Caelem stilled as he pondered that possibility. “It’s…possible that someone, an older sibling perhaps, took Tokala with them when they set out on their journey. That isn’t unheard of, especially if there was no family left to take care of their younger sibling.”

“I see…”

That offered a small ounce of hope, and yet that led to the possibility that something had happened to said older sibling. If they existed.

“The labyrinth?” Kamali asked as he approached Tokala. “What brings you there?”

“There’s something written on the back of the pendent,” Tokala enlightened as he motioned toward the red jewelled necklace. “It just says Yggdrasil. So…”

Ah, that made sense.

“The Turquoise Lotus Father was believed to have fought in the Legendary War,” Caelem explained readily. “So, it makes sense that the pendent would lead to the labyrinth.”

“So Tokala could really be from Caelem’s village,” Faelen summarized for everyone and turned to give Tokala a comforting smile. “That’s amazing.”

Tokala glanced over at Faelen before he shyly looked over at Caelem. His gaze quickly shifted to the floor in front of him. A small smile soon appeared on his lips. “It…is.”

Drayce sincerely hoped that he was. The knowledge that he was part of a community would ease some of his concerns. Not all of them, however. But maybe help him feel that he wasn’t abandoned.

What really happened, though, they didn’t know. And in all honesty, they may never know. That may not be satisfactory for Tokala. Unfortunately, unless his possible sibling or other participant stepped forward with their words, finding the truth themselves would be extremely difficult.

“So, this treasure chest and potential map has strong connection to this Turquoise Lotus Father,” Shashi mused as he carefully folded the potential map and placed it back within the chest. However, he did not replace the lid, instead keeping it in one hand. “Best to start with gathering information on them, then.”

Ashton just had to utter a sigh as he folded his arms across his chest. “So back to the library then. Might as well put a bed in there.”

Blayke snorted. “It still wouldn’t be used.”

That brought a half smile to Ashton’s lips. “Ah, very true,” he said before he turned to follow Shashi and Kamali as they both made their way to the stairs and eventually to the library.

“Um, can I see the library?” Tokala requested.

“Of course, you can,” Drayce immediately replied. He had nothing to hide up there, after all. “It’s on the third floor. Fae, Cal, why don’t you show him?”

“Sure,” Faelen immediately agreed and took a hold of Tokala’s wrist. “This way, Tokala. We’ve got a lot of stairs to climb.”

“Kay,” Tokala smiled before he turned to regard Salim with a peculiar look. A silently questioning one. “Ah, Sal?”

Salim blinked, as if pulled from his thoughts. “Eh? Nah, don’t mind me,” he said as he made a shooing motion with his hand. “Go on. I’ll find you there later.”

“Ok.” That cheerful smile of Tokala’s made a swift comeback. However, this one held a more grateful tinge to it. “Thanks, Sal.”

Salim folded his arms behind his head. “Nah, forget it.” He sounded dismissive, nonchalant. Yet it was easy to tell that while Salim was still protective, he was supportive as well. And if Tokala wanted to visit the library, he wasn’t going to stop him.

Though, Drayce got the feeling that should Tokala held the most subtle of reluctance, Salim would step up and put up a fight. Verbal or physical.

With Faelen leading Tokala out of the seating room and Caelem close behind the two, Salim watched until he was certain they were out of sight and out of hearing range. After he was satisfied, he lowered his arms from behind his head and turned toward Drayce with a rather…serious expression on his face.

“Hey.”

Drayce regarded him with curiosity. “Hm? What’s up?”

“Tokala is…” Salim hesitated as he attempted to find the right words. “Is safe here, right?”

There it was again. Safe. Tokala’s safety was extremely important to Salim. Perhaps the most important thing to him. It made Drayce curious as to why. Though, the fact that Salim was protective made Drayce’s own protective heckles bristle.

There was always a reason for someone to be so concerned for someone’s safety.

“Yeah, he is.”

“Faelen and Caelem had told him about how you helped them out, too,” Salim continued, eyeing Drayce off curiously. “Rescuing others is your thing, huh?”

Drayce scratched his cheek with his index finger. “Seems that way, doesn’t it?” He dropped his hand to his side and returned Salim’s pointed gaze with interest. “So…you’re very protective of Tokala. That’s really obvious. Did…something happen?”

Salim’s expression darkened considerably. “That necklace…has caught a few people’s attentions before,” he muttered, his tone as dark as his expression. That soon smoothed out, however, and a satisfying and cocky smirk. “Took care of them, though. Hah, never saw my thunderfist coming!”

“Good.”

Apparently, Drayce sounded protective himself as he caused the smirk on Salim’s lip to turn into a sincere smile. “So, Tokala is…really safe here. That’s good.”

Drayce was relieved that he managed to gain his trust.

“You want to stay the night?” Drayce offered. After hearing what Salim had to say, he was genuinely worried for the both of them. Sure, Salim could protect the both of them. But he couldn’t be on guard all the time.

“There’s plenty of room. Tokala is likely to be up for hours in the library, anyway.”

Salim just looked at him for a few seconds. “…Yeah, alright,” he answered before he muttered something under his breath. Likely talking more to himself than to Drayce. “…odd guy, huh?”

Drayce didn’t quite hear everything he said. But he did hear something about someone being odd. Was he talking about him? “Huh?”

“Ah, nothing,” Salim quickly dismissed as he folded his arms casually behind his head and began to move. “Just going to check on Tokala. Later.”

Drayce didn’t press him. He simply nodded his head and let the pugilist go on his way. The library was easy to find so he was certain that Salim didn’t need someone to show him the way.

He would need someone to set a room up for them. They’d likely share out of sheer habit.

Blayke approached him and pulled him from his thoughts. “What should the rest of us do?” he asked, subtly edgy.

“I guess we won’t be heading into the labyrinth today,” Drayce replied, though he himself felt edgy, too. The need to do something to help in somewhere was always there. Especially now that they had a possible lead to go on.

“Not yet, anyway,” he continued. “I’m…going to head up to the drawing room. I haven’t fully inspected that room yet, but that parchment kinda reminded me of a map so maybe there’s something of interest in there.”

Blayke nodded his head. “I might snatch Nashoba and go for a walk around the perimeter. Just in case.”

“Sure.”

That should ease some of his tension. Hopefully, there was nothing untoward out there. Drayce still remembered that feeling of being watched while in the labyrinth.

He hoped he was, that the both of them where just being paranoid.

“Should we tell Ramus about any of this yet?” Blayke suddenly asked.

Drayce glanced up at the ceiling in thought. The little prince would be interested in their latest find, but he didn’t have much to offer him at current. “Let’s leave it for the day. I want a little more information.”

Again, Blayke nodded his head. “Sounds reasonable,” he said before he moved to leave the room. “I’ll catch you later.”

“Yeah.”

[jemariel]

Baby’s First Fic Rec List

Well Hello There! Somehow I made it to 366 followers!! I intended to do this celebration for 350 but, y’know, life, holidays.... So here it is now!

I haven’t been around this fandom very long, but I have never felt so at home and welcomed by a fandom. I’ve also spent the last year or so reading Destiel fic like it was my calling, my passion, my civic duty. Fun fact: when you dive into a fandom with 12 years of accumulated fanfic, there’s a deep deep well to draw from.....

And so, in honor of 350(ish) followers and my first year(ish) with this fandom, I present to you this list of recommendations! Just some faves and things I enjoyed reading . All are Destiel. Most are smutty. Mix of canonverse and AU, fluff and grit, plot and silliness. Some preference given to fics with fewer hits/kudos/comments than I think they deserve.

Happy reading!

....The Non-Smut....

mistletoe & peppermint cocoa by navylights Rated T 5.5k Summary: Cas and Dean are on a mission: to pick up the perfect Christmas tree for their first Christmas with everyone alive and well.And while Cas and Dean are out shopping, and buying cocoa on a snowy afternoon, a certain meddling younger brother is putting up mistletoe in the bunker.(Or, the absurdly fluffy Christmas carols/cocoa/mistletoe/tree decorating/Christmas lights fic of your dreams)

Dean Winchester’s Secret (Angel) Boyfriend by reluctantabandon, Winter_of_our_Discontent Rated T 11.2k Summary: Dean Winchester isn't exactly a team player. So when he starts mentioning a new Hunting partner, Ellen and Jo Harvelle aren't sure whether they should be worried or relieved.But they're starting to get the feeling there's something important Dean's not telling them about Cas... (Reccer’s note: It’s kind of rare to see really excellent extended-cast ensemble work in fanfic. But this? This is that.)

Raisin D’etre by starsinursa Rated G 1.1k Summary:  Apparently, Castiel hates raisins. (Reccer’s note: THIS IS THE CUTEST THING ON TWO LEGS.)

....Absolute Faves.....

Our Bodies, Possessed By Light by obstinatrix Rated E 40k Summary: Purged of all his souls, Castiel is a changed being, stronger than an angel and too powerful for Jimmy's body to contain. Happily, there's an archangel's vessel on hand, and he could use fixing, too. Dean isn't too happy about the idea of his brother acting as a vessel for Castiel, and Sam can guess why, but it isn't until Castiel gets inside his head and they learn to share the vessel -- and their thoughts -- that Sam realises Cas is as in love with Dean as Dean is with him. It's unfortunate that there's nothing much to be done about it now, but Castiel will get another vessel soon. The Winchesters will make damn sure of that. In the meantime, it's up to the three of them to establish their own strange accord, and Dean realises more fully than ever that it's Castiel, and not his vessel, that he loves. (Reccer’s note: Don’t let the premise squick you. This is very CLEARLY a Destiel story, in spite of Sam’s front row seat. I love all the relationships in this fic, Sam and Dean’s brotherly antagonizing/affection, Sam and Cas’s growing friendship, Cas and Dean’s straining, passionate adoration. All three of them are superbly written, but Cas especially. This also has some of the most scorchingly hot not-quite-sex ever written. Seriously. How can something be so fucking hot when everyone’s wearing two layers of clothing? Beats me.)

Rock ‘n’ Roll Queer Bar (series) by ChasingRabbits Rated E 126.7k Summary: Ellen and Jo Harvelle run Harvelle's Roadhouse, a bar that unintentionally becomes a beacon for wayward queer souls. Her employees: Dean, the smartass runaway with a big heart and bigger mouth; Castiel, the college drop-out turned hippie; his (surprisingly heterosexual) trouble-making brother Gabriel; and Charlie, who has been told several times that the back room is not to be used for after-hours Dungeons & Dragons games. But there's a lot of love in this place, and a new family for anyone who may otherwise be without. (Reccer’s note: The description doesn’t really do this series justice. This is the most realistic and beautifully and believably written long-term relationship I have ever read. They go through so much together, and they do it all TOGETHER. It’s beautiful. I devoured this in a day and a half, then went right back to the beginning and read it all over again. It’s Just. That. Good.)

Lots more under the cut!

....Shorts....

Angel-Mine by reluctant Rated E 4.3k Summary: Cas exhaled. "When an angel's wings are injured," he said to his feet, "the healing process can be augmented by… grooming, I suppose, would be the most accurate word. Removal of the maimed feathers to allow growth of healthy ones. Otherwise, they're left to fall out alone." He tilted his head towards the nightstand. "As you see." Dean stared at him. "So… that's why I can't help?" he said slowly. "'Cause I can't, y'know… see 'em? Or touch 'em?" "Yes," Cas said, slightly too quickly, and Dean snorted. "You're still a shitty liar, Cas," he informed him. "What ain't you tellin' me?"

Casturbatus Interruptus by smallhorizons Rated E 6.1k Summary: post-9.01, in a slight AU wherein Cas comes to live with the Winchesters at the Bunker. Written before 9.03. Crossposting from Tumblr. Written for a prompt from hightopsandsharpies: "Okay, so Cas is a virgin, and has no idea what pleasure is and Dean decides to show him and Cas gets all cuddly and needy afterwards." Dean walks in on Cas masturbating. He’s doing it all wrong, but when you’re a bazillion-year-old virgin, that’s to be expected. Dean decides to lend him a hand in a totally platonic, non-romantic way. Things get a little out of control. 

Angelus Domini by xylodemon Rated E 3.2k Summary:  "You're a fucking dick," Dean says, right to God's face. (Reccer’s note: In which Dean and Sam gain some heavenly grace and Dean and Cas don’t waste any time at all.)

we can watch the white doves go by xylodemon Rated E 2.7k Summary: "Wait," Dean says, just as the door snicks closed. It comes out as barely whisper; he clears his throat and tries again, a little louder this time. "Cas, I -- wait."

Oh! Darling! by castielsdemons Rated M 6.6k Summary:  Now that Castiel has fallen, Dean wants to let him know how much he cares about him. And if it takes two or three (or eight) tries to get it right, then so be it. Or, the seven times Dean tried to tell Cas he loves him and the one time he actually got it right. 

....Mid-length....

The Curious Case of Dean’s Missing Libido by thejabberwock Rated E 7k Summary: It’s been weeks since Castiel told Dean he loves him. Weeks since Dean answered him with a kiss. It’s been weeks, and they haven’t had sex.

Pronoun yourself out of this one, Dean by zation Rated E 11k Summary: When Dean gets hit by a gender-swapping witch spell it not so fun for anyone, until it’s kinda fun. Or, The one where Dean gets to discover a whole lot of new things. Like what nice hands Cas has, for instance.

Freckles by 2spooky4u Rated E 7k Summary: "I had to draw all them perfectly," Cas insists, and Dean suddenly can't get rid of the image of Cas, clutching on to a Crayola washable marker, jamming it into his skin forcefully like a little kid mashes his markers on the paper in a vehement attempt to make the color deeper. "And now you're insulted 'cause I don't appreciate 'em?" Dean asks, bewildered. "No," Cas lies petulantly. "Huh." The stubborn child version of Cas Dean has painted in his mind is now clutching his paper possessively, shielding it from scrutiny.They drive in silence for a while. "Thank you for making my freckles," Dean grouses finally, knowing that it's the only way Cas will forgive him. ((((OR, IN WHICH CAS LIKES DEAN AND HIS FRECKLES, AND DEAN IS STUBBORNLY HETEROSEXUAL))))

Sam Accidentally Sees the Whole Picture by almaasi Rated E 10.4k Summary: Sam's been through a lot lately, what with tonight's hunt rendering his skin an aching shade of purple and all. He can deal with Dean being overly concerned about Cas' broken finger, and - God help him - he puts up with the sound of their preposterously soppy love confessions and first kisses on the adjacent bed. But he cannot be expected to remain silent and feign sleep throughout the entire duration of their first-ever lovemaking session. He just can't. Especially not, because it seems apparent that Cas is more intent on deflowering himself than letting Dean do it.

The Things We Did (But Never Spoke Of) (series) by BadassCompany Rated E 17.9k Summary:  Now and then, when there is quiet from the bloodshed and chaos of the world, I think of Dean Winchester. About the things we did; beautiful, glorious, rough skin and wet lips; but never spoke of. He didn't want to talk, only to feel, and I didn't know what to say. ~A partially complete series of canon compliant smutty oneshots.~

worthy by jad Rated E 14.8k Summary: "... you wanna what, now?" Dean asks, because he definitely didn't hear that right.Castiel tilts his head, a leftover tick from his angel days that Dean would be lying if he claimed to find anything but idiotically endearing. He knows this is his own fault, owing to that rather memorable moment a week ago when Cas wandered into this very same kitchen with a (fairly) legitimate question and Dean just didn't know when to shut up.

The Adventures of Real Anal Sex (Starring Dean and Castiel) by tiptoe39 Rated E 9.7k Summary: This is how it really happened. Because this is how it really happens. Thanks for the tweet, Astroglide -- product placement is now yours! (Reccer’s note: Adding some of the relevant tags: Awkward Sexual Situations, yes people go to the bathroom in this fic. Butt stuff ain’t always Harlequin Romance perfect, but honestly? It’s better that way.)

Go with the Flow by starsinursa Rated E 7.6k Summary: The smug bastard obviously think he’s won this argument, because there’s no way Dean is following him into a yoga class. The day Dean starts saluting the sun and humming ‘om’ under his breath like he’s part of some creepy hive mind like the Borg Collective, well, he might as well just start making his own potpourri and frequenting vegan bakeries, too. Not gonna happen.So yeah, Cas is right, damn him. There’s no way in hell Dean is following him into a yoga class. There’s no way. There’s no way –- ahhh, fuck. Fuck it all.

....Novellas/Novels....

Oxymora by thejabberwock Rated E 27.6k Summary: Good things don’t happen to Dean, so he’s not even surprised when Cas tells him he misunderstood the I love you. (Reccer’s note: This hurts so good. The payoff is worth the pain. Warning for Dean/others.)

riptides by sharkfish (waitforspring) Rated E 39.9k, WIP Summary: “I’m going to kiss you now.” Cas pauses, giving Dean a chance to back out, but Dean just licks his lips and waits. Cas’s mouth is up against Dean’s for a couple seconds before Dean responds, and then it’s Cas that’s being kissed senseless, because kissing is definitely not something Dean does tentatively. Dean reaches up to cup Cas’s jaw in his hand, tilting his head for a better angle, mouth plush, tasting like whiskey. Cas tries to remember what it was like the first time he kissed a man. All-encompassing, the world jerking off its axis, the feel of stubble under his fingers intense in a way it never really is with women, as much as he loves them.

Cabin Fever by Dangerousnotbroken Rated E 35k Summary: Due to a romantic-comedy level booking blunder, grumpy stress-case Dean and reclusive writer Castiel end up shuttled off to the same remote cabin for two weeks, and nobody seems to care that neither of them wants to be there. But since they’re stuck in the same cabin for the duration of their vacation, they might as well play nice and make the best of it right? Wrong. Dean’s so stressed out he can’t sit still, Cas can’t boil water without setting the place on fire, and they’re so on each other’s nerves it’ll be a miracle if either of them survives until their rides home arrive. At least the tension is just social, and not sexual, right? Right?

traveling light by sharkfish (waitforspring) Rated E 42.8k Summary: Cas is, impossibly, far more gorgeous in person, and he’s taller than Dean expected, and he moves with this casual grace that makes Dean’s brain short circuit.So Dean thinks he probably looks a little like a deer in the headlights when Cas catches his eyes from the door of the restaurant. He breaks out into a smile, the full, wide one that never came out in his pictures, and Dean actually goes weak in the knees. “Cas,” Dean says.“Hello, Dean,” Cas says. (Reccer’s note: Cas is FtM trans in this story and it gives me... so many feels.)

What Once Was Sacred by saltandbyrne Rated E 55.8k Summary: Los Angeles detective Dean Winchester works tirelessly to atone for the sins of his father one case at a time. When his best friend Charlie drags him to visit Sam at his new job, Dean stumbles onto a bizarre string of deaths that brings him uncomfortably close to his past.Dean can't stop thinking about Castiel, an enigmatic DJ who plays the sexiest music Dean's ever heard. A chance encounter at Castiel's house reveals that Castiel is an incubus, and Dean must face the lies and the reality of his childhood as a hunter. Dean comes to see that he and Castiel have more in common than he thought, and that guilt can be the hardest thing to cast aside.

the taste of gravel in the mouth by beenghosting Rated E 22.4k Summary: This is what Cas gave up Heaven for: greasy diner food, shitty motel rooms with even shittier cable, long car rides spent in complete silence except for the same six tapes playing over and over again, and a burnt-out husk of a man who can barely hold a conversation anymore. (Reccer’s note: Warning for angst.)

PWP: Pie Without Plot by MajorEnglishEsquire, orange_crushed Rated M 82.5k Summary: he is in the kitchen with flour on his hands and an apron and there is flour on his forehead and cas leans across the counter and wipes it off with his thumb and dean says "thank you" and cas says "you’re welcome" very seriously and later dean makes apple turnovers and he only ruins them a little and sam realizes it’s not a real hunt like four days into it and he lets dean stay undercover for like a week and a half or longer maybe way longer because he is such a good everything (Reccer’s note: Warning for fluff.)

Strangers on a Bus by Terene Rated E 59.7k Summary: Castiel is flummoxed. This is a social situation he is not equipped to handle. What is the protocol when the stranger sitting next to you on a bus, whom you incidentally find very attractive, falls asleep with his head on your shoulder?

And now, a Shameless Self Endorsement.  Hope you stop by. ^__^

I’ve tagged a few authors here whose tumblrs I’m familiar with so @starsinursa @thejabberwock @xylodemon​ @reallyelegantsharkfish​ you’re in there! Many hearts to you, thanks for sharing your talents.

Others who might appreciate: @magnificent-winged-beast @daughter-of-the-rain-and-snow @saawek @sactownbrowns3 @rosemoonweaver @woahthisguy @suckerfordeansfreckles @rosemoonweaver @cas-essence @yourspecialeyes @yeneffersalamander @naruhearts @bae-in-a-trenchcoat @bend-me-shape-me @babyinthetrench @gneisscastiel @deaneatscake @silvie111 @jhoomwrites @tankewinchester @paperwhitenarcissus @thedogsled @helianthus21 @weathergirl83​ @ltleflrt​ 

[inhumansforever]

Inhumans Versus X-Men #3 Review

spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers

It’s round three of the war between Inhumans and Mutants from the creative team of Charles Soule, Jeff Lemire, Javier Garrón and Andres Mossa Full recap and review following the jump.

Last issue saw New Attilan sacked by the X-Men and the majority of Queen Medusa’s forces banished to limbo.  Only Iso and Inferno managed to escape with the aide of the ancient Inhuman, Eldrac, who teleported the two to a remote corner of Alberta, Canada.  

Here the ultimate aim of The X-Men’s multi-tiered offensive is made clear.  Laying siege to New Attilan, destroying The RIV, capturing Black Bolt and subduing Karnak was all a smokescreen diversion, something to keep The Inhumans out of the way in order to give Forge the opportunity to engage a device that will destroy the Terrigen Cloud.   Eldrac transports Iso and Inferno to the exact location of Forge’s device, where they find it defended by Old Man Logan.  A fight quickly ensures where Inferno takes on Logan while Iso attempts to navigate Forge’s defenses so to disable the cloud-nullifying machine.  

Inferno’s battle with Logan takes an interesting turn.  The matter hasn’t been touched on since way back in Inhuman Annual #1, but Inferno’s powers are not truly fire oriented... rather they are based on magma.  He can transform his body into a type of organic molten lava.  It takes Logan be surprise and allows Inferno to gain a decisive win.  

Iso, meanwhile, pulls a trick she had worked out before (in the pages of Uncanny Inhumans #6).  She generates microscopeic vacuum pockets in the cerebral blood vessels coursing through Forge’s brain.  This has the effect of temporarily diminishing his intelligence and leaving him vulnerable to the power of suggestion.  Before he knows it, Forge is explaining his device to Iso, informing her of the machine’s central weakness most easily exploited by her powers.    

Having dispatched the machine, Iso and Inferno escape on the X-Men’s skybike, taking the unconscious Forge with them so to ensure he cannot build another of these machines.  A horribly-burred though quickly-healing Logan is left with he undesirable task of having to contact Storm and inform her that the plan had gone awry.  

Magneto is outraged and Magik is confused.  All of the ‘significant' Inhumans have been accounted for… how could this have happened?  Clearly Emma’s intricate plot had not factored in the threat posed by the newer Inhumans.  

The scene switches to Limbo where the majority of The Inhumans have been incarcerated within a weblike force shield, protecting them from the various demons and goblins soaring about. 

Medusa and the others gather, attempting to devise a means of escape.  There doesn’t appear to be one and their better bet is to be rescued, but by whom?  Medusa doubts her son, Ahura, would be inclined to assist; he’s made it clear he wishes to walk his own path.  Black Bolt, Karnak, and Lockjaw are not accounted for, yet it seems far too likely that the X-Men have dealt with them as well.  Then Frank McGee suggests that their best hope may be other NuHumans like himself; there are a lot of them out there, powerful ones, and those The X-Men don’t even know about.  

Elsewhere, Iso and Inferno are having the same idea.  They need to gather a force of NuHumans and retake New Attilan so to rescue the others.  But how?  Who could possible have the wit, resources and pull to bring together such a gathering?  Fortunately, Iso knows exactly whom to ask.  

After what must have been one of the wilder group text sessions ever, Ms. Marvel has amassed an impressive crew of Inhumans to help the cause.  This includes Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Mosaic, Grid, Synapse, Daisy Johnson and Reader.  How exactly Ms. Marvel got all these folks together and whether or not they truly know what they’re signing up for remains to be seen.  

The scene switches again to where Jean Grey has attempted to keep Karnak subdued.  Karnak finally ascertains the flaw in Jean’s illusion and is able to escape from the mental prison she had trapped him in.  He escapes, but only to find he is actually in a prison within a prison, trapped inside ‘The World,’ the artificial realm where the Weapon Plus program resides.  

And while Karnak may have bested Jean’s telepathic illusions, in order to truly escape he must first go through Fantomex.

Back on New Attilan, Storm’s X-Men team are desperate to find Forge.  They are running out of time and retrieving Forge so he can recreate his cloud destroying machine appears to be their only option for taking out the Terrigen Cloud before it permanently binds with the atmosphere.  Storm orders that the X-Men break into two teams, one to search out any new Inhumans who could pose a threat, and a second to utilize Cerebra to locate and rescue Forge. 

The X-Men are racing against the clock… not only do they have only a short amount of time before the earth becomes fully inhospitable to Mutant life, but The Royal Inhuman may soon discover a means of free themselves from Limbo.   Rogue shudders at the thought of how angry the Inhumans will be once they discover what The X-Men have done with Back Bolt.  With that, the scene switches one last time to an undisclosed location where Black Bolt has been maintained in some bizarre looking stasis chamber.  

And here the issues ends with the promise of continuation.  

The epic scale of the second issue is replaced with something much more plot-oriented, with significantly less action.   It doesn’t exactly feel like a filler issue... more so a means of getting from the intense battle that took place in issue two to the intense battle that looking to go down in issue four.  It’s a necessity, to be sure, but a bit of a letdown nonetheless just because the issue isn’t as exciting and grand of scale as the prior installment had been.  

I’ll be very interested to see how Kamala managed to get Moon Girl, Synapse and the others to answer her call to action.  Ms. Marvel is a former Avenger and when Avengers call heroes come, but will these Inhumans be willing to fight if they learn that their victory could bring about the end of the Mutant race?  

Too much hinges on the fact that The Inhumans do not yet know that The Terrigen Cloud is dissipating and binding with the atmosphere.  There’s no way that Ms. Marvel, or Synapse, or even Iso and Inferno would fight against The X-Men if they were to know Mutant extinction was at risk.  

Morally, the X-Men are in the right on this one, but they’ve made a critical error in not trusting The Inhumans.  Had they allowed Beast to share this information with Medusa, this whole conflict could have been avoided…  As it is, it makes The X-Men look like the aggressors, invaders who have laid sieges to what is essentially a sovereign nation.   That alone might be enough to get the other NuHumans to fight against them, but if they knew what was truly at stake, I imagine that most (perhaps even the Royal Inhumans themselves) would actually assist The X-Men in destroying the Terrigen Cloud.  

A lifetime of being feared and hated has robbed from The Mutants the one thing they need most to prevail: trust in others.  

Garrón and Mossa do excellent work on the art.  The style is quite different compared to Leinil Yu, which makes the transition a bit jarring, but the line-work is ultra confident and smooth and the color pallet works wonderfully.  It’s neat getting to see Garrón illustrating Ms. Marvel and Inferno… a little preview of what’s to come when Secret Warriors hits the stands this spring.  

With issue two being pretty much all action, it ended up being a bit necessary for this third issue to be largely plot.  As such, it’s not as exciting, but still a fun read and definitely succeeds in leaving me psyched for the next installment. Recommended.  Three and a half out of Five Lockjaws

[larrydrosalez]

draftwork for my most recent literary venture a long TIME from HOME: on the wings of monarchs.

YOUR INSTRUCTIONS (should you choose to accept) 1.) write a book of ?..s 2.) read the book of ?..s 3.) record the ANSWERS

this project, a collaboration with my mother, serves as sequel to my first poetry chapbook, interested in men, released as part of my educational rite of passage, #axhGRADUATION, which is an extension of the larger project #anexcerptofhim. i’ve filled dozens of journals and who knows how many tumblr posts with writings, questions, and visual work, and when my mom handed me this BEAUTIFUL journal, i realized i wanted my next work to be an extension of and gift to the woman (representatively all women) who have informed and nurtured me. 

she gave me the journal this past november, and the first page was something she wrote in 2014. this entry on gifts, i consider to be the basis for how i craft the text and derivative works. 

this work began as my attempt at creating a choose-your-own-adventure afro-chicano-futurist sci-fi children’s poetry coloring picture book. (a follow up to the yet unfinished coloring poetry book co-authored by my partner deanna,  #anexcerptofus). 

it’s arguable at this point whether or not ‘on the wings of monarchs’ is a poetry text, or if it’s children’s content at all, but my findings have birthed in me new ways of approaching the world & my place in it, and i hope once completed (if possible?) it could impart some of the same understanding i’ve gained from the process. i’m hoping to have a more solidified version of the text to share by my TEDxUF presentation in gainesville this april, so stay tuned for that!

my initial interest in writing this book was to synthesize all the information i’ve gathered since leaving my parent’s house in 2006 and create a simple, written & illustrated text, then use the text as a source code for my digital investigations and eventually, write a thesis-type research paper to more formally solidify my proof of college education. 

i imagined the book would act as an experimental poem in which a reader could choose how to read the text and illustrations, find the meaning they wanted to find, and once published digitally, the reader/user could create a digital blog that would contribute to and expand their initial understandings of their own readings. if we take one word featured on the page below for example, “poem,” my understanding for this work and literacy works on 3 basic tiers: remembering, experiencing, imaging. 

remembering - what has “poem” been for me in the past? experiencing - what could “poem” be for me in this moment? imagining - what could “poem” be for me in the future?

one possible reading (translation) of this page is:

                                                                                                             FREE                                                                                                                        : AND JUST LIKE THAT                                                                           .        .

ON THE WINGS OF THOUSANDS MONARCHS HE FLEW.     ..   ..   .   ... :       

HE ACCEPTED HIS MISSION:                                                                   : GIVE YOURSELF TO...                                                                             : LIFE...LOVE...PEACE..PATIENCE...KINDNESS...SELF-                              . CONTROL...KNOWLEDGE...LIGHT...UNDERSTANDING...WISDOM...      . THE PEOPLE...THE WORLD.                                                             .

DO NOT FEAR, instead                                                               .                                              TRUST +                                        .              I AM    |                    BECOME                     STRONG     .               E|3UTTERFLY |                    BECOME                      WISE       ...:                        |                     BECOME                     BRAVE    :                        |                     BECOME               : ....BIG.......:    .                        |                     BECOME            ..:      WHOLE       :                        |                     BECOME............:                             ..                                                                                                   . a poem | a dance | a song | a praise | a dream | a man. .   .

it’s part joy of play & discovery, part intentional rebellion against educational structures i feel restrict the limits of the imagination and our ability to think and learn for ourselves.  

as i’ve been in the practice of writing in the book, sharing digitally, and applying the concepts in my lived experiences, it’s causing me to call into question my own assumptions of literacy altogether. i’ve written and explored the notions that words, numbers, letters, are all symbols that each contain greater meaning than their appearing, and now i’m starting to live in a way that explores a kind of self-induced synesthesia. 

i understand language as complex algebra, with rules, exceptions to rules, representative symbology, socio-political history, and infinite possibilities of interpretation because every author & every reader present new variables, and each of the experiences they (or i) read into this (or any) work, illuminates greater understanding to the story. (a reminder why feedback has been a critical part of my process for all of my work.)

the practice of compiling this book has been a catalyst for me to begin reading all color, sound, taste, smell, and touch as decipherable language in order to deconstruct and reconstruct the notions of literacy i’ve learned and purported while teaching. the colorful pages above represent more information than i could probably contain in any single book, so one of the major questions i pose and continue to pose with every reading is, “what do you see?”

i’ve learned from teachers who cannot read or write in any codified language, and seen the kinds of hinderances abuses that arise when institutions of “higher education” rely almost exclusively on the limitations of written and verbal communication jargon to evaluate students and communicate with the public. 

there are brilliant people all around the world whose ideas may never be heard or realized because institutions have created accreditation systems used to validate a person’s worth, and then limited access to resources. well funded institutional networks of religious, educational, journalistic governance decide who is allowed or not allowed to be evaluated by an inaccessibly self-evaluating system, and then releases their own chosen candidates for success to the public as “educated person in society, recipient of benefit, accolade, and favor.”

this is tragic, perpetual injustice. (but i’ll save that for another post on colonization)

“he stood between the little boy blues, and the color purple and found....”

while words, and high language in particular, are incredibly valuable to me, they are not a universal language. all communication goes through some kind of translation that is completely unique to the recipient of any message, and i’m interested in the keeping my messages open vessels that encourage engaged learning and cathartic healing across a diverse spectrum of communication. 

these initial investigations have helped me tremendously in defining and understanding myself, which has aided in growth throughout all of my creative endeavors, so hopefully someone with more language and resources can help me decipher and package all of it. (since mostly what i receive when i apply for things is pats on the back and rejection letters haha.) 

i’ve been playing with the feedback from this fellowship application rejection letter from on my blog, launching the ujimaa garden, which mixes my interests in digital media, information literacy, engaged learning, children’s literature, music & dance, social justice, spirituality, sexuality, race, and creative expression, etc. 

my work does follow the lines of inquiry, and rather than understand performance as the highlight of my existence, i transpose those lines of inquiry to my whole life. this helps me craft richer narratives, and more thoroughly interrogate the forms i exist in, which i’ve discovered, are manifold. 

you can keep up with my contributions to “on the wings of monarchs” by following the hashtag #axhMONARCH on tumblr, insta, facebook, and twitter. 

if you have ideas or feedback, as always, i’d love to hear them.

i invite participation and feedback on my research so you can share your thoughts about any of the work presented, womanhood, or sovereign governance in general (as the term monarch implies, ie: yassss queeeennnnn!) by using the hashtag #axhMONARCH.

much love, generous living. larry d.

[cobracommanderofficial]

The Creation

A little bit of fake mythos I made up while inspired a while back. Poorly paced, but I liked the ideas I presented. Also, copy pasting from Google Docs to tumblr is annoying because the last paragraph becomes the first and bolded and it’s annoying as shit

Long ago, before gods and kings roamed the land, there stood a statue. A statue that stood in a plain of dirt and bones, bones of creatures from ages and eons long past. This statue was decrepit and crumbling, but it was once grand and glorious. For it was not just a statue, but a vessel for The Creator. And though the grand and beautiful works of The Creator had long ago died, and there were none left to worship it, the statue stood in stillness. For it served a purpose: it would awaken The Creator from it’s slumber, and bring about prosperity. All that was needed was a catalyst: the soul of the last of the Grand Beasts, those that The Creator had poured so much energy and time into. So the statue called, and the Last Beast answered. In a cave far away from the statue, it awoke. Shaking off the grey dust and the bones of prey, the husk of a once proud creature stomped out of its abode and journeyed through the now grey wilderness, climbing over crags and through canyons. This journey took 84 days, and on that 84th day the Last Beast came upon the statue, curled it’s long body around the stone fixture, and passed on. And as the soul left the body and was absorbed by the statue, something odd began to happen. The Beast’s corpse did not decay, nor did it rot. It instead was covered almost instantly in fresh, green grass. As the grass spread across the corpse and the surrounding field, something miraculous occurred. The statue, once a crumbling stone effigy, began restoring itself to its former glory. While the grass spread and the statue began to shine, The Creator rose up from its slumber and saw what had happened; and though it was mortified, it began to make life once more. So, after that plain was restored, mud shapes began to form from the Earth; and these were the Effigies, small stone creatures who existed only to carry out The Creator’s will. And so, as the grass spread and life began anew, the Effigies began to carry out their work, making all kinds of animals and plants. Thus ended the Age of Despair, bringing about the Age of Creation.

When The Creator saw what had befallen the world in its absence, it knew that the creations molded by the Effigies would not be enough to keep the world alive; No, the reason the world had entered the Age of Despair was lack of direction; Worship and prosperity would only keep the world complacent until all life died, as there would be no creatures with fighting spirit. So, rather than the Wisps of Old that had carried out worship, The Creator molded something new: humanity. All the creatures made by Effigies were all given special gifts: flight, magicks, and speed, to name a few. However, humanity was given the most dangerous gift: free will. Even though The Creator knew this would be dangerous, and more than likely some would rebel against it, these humans were the only way to keep the world alive. So the humans were born, and they began building houses and villages and organizing themselves. So while humanity began hunting and gathering, and the Effigies began building and molding, The Creator grew bored. So it began to create more Beasts, so the humans may occupy themselves. Vhampirs, Soul-eyes, and Vapourmen were among the first, but more would follow. So while humans slowly discovered that sunlight and sigils would harm vhampirs, and that pure rage would dispel Soul-eyes, and that fire and plant life would harm Vapourmen, The Creator began to brew more insidious beasts. So the Gods were created. At first they were simple; the human template with the additional gifts of various animals and, occasionally, Beasts. But soon they would grow out of control. Beings who could control the thoughts and actions of a dozen men; individuals who could move mountains with ease; a half man half serpent who could spew fire. (To combat these deities, various Effigies who had at this point gained intelligence began creating objects to gift to mortals. These objects would temporarily give them the powers of certain Gods, the cost being the God that the object relied upon could not use their power while said object was active. There are rumors of said objects for far more powerful deities, but evidence has yet to be found.) This started the Age of Gods. Many myths come from this Age, like the Duel of Golr, or the Hike of Aesthus. This was a long and prosperous time, during which many of the great cities of old were constructed. However, it all ended very suddenly one day. The day the Age of Gods ended, and the Age of Fear began.

It began the day a God was slain. The exact circumstances aren’t known, but the sight of a Holy Soul ascending into The Creator’s realm angered it beyond belief. How had the pinnacle of it’s creations been slain? It would make those residing below compensate. So, it began to create The Titan: Phobos. It took The Creator 84 days to construct the body and soul of Phobos. It is whispered that on the final day, The Creator took the soul of that which had revived it, the Great Beast, and sacrificed it to this monstrosity. And after that Phobos was released upon the world, and the Creator was slain because of it.

The size and strength of Phobos tore the world apart; the being didn’t even need to act, for its mere presence was enough to tear The Creator into minute pieces and destroy its realm. The world that The Creator had once resided over was yet again bloodied and dust-filled. It seemed as if there was no hope, as the one who had created all that existed was slain. So the remaining Effigies banded together, pooling all of their power into a new substance: Muta. Legend states that Muta was formed out of the blood of the Creator and the bodies of his creation, and acted as the ultimate magical suppressant. In the end, the one to lure Phobos into the large pit of Muta prepared for it was actually Illips, the unholy chimera of Effigy and Man. And as the Titan fell into the vat and fell into a slumber, the splashes of Muta, hit the Gods, rendering them comatose. All that remained were Effigies, Beasts, and Man. As the Effigies retreated to the heavens to attempt to restore what once was, the Beasts and Men continued their wars and fights, all the while rebuilding that which had been destroyed.

[santiagojocelyn]

Tmj Causing Ear Pain Surprising Tricks

A night guard to wear the mouth can indicate grinding your teeth, it may possibly expand up close to the face, pain in the joints themselves.Some symptoms are easy enough to keep the patients seeking treatment and it commonly occurs while we sleep.Bruxism affects millions of people who have rheumatoid arthritis also affects the jaw and discomfort on a daily basis.More serious, from the symptoms or pain in the repair of ligaments and blood vessels, lymphatic tissues, bones and blood vessels of the iceberg.

A skilled massage therapist can identify and work together properly.Physical Therapists or Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists Help?It's common to have no inkling as to the enamel.If you suffer from withdrawal symptoms, which affects the jaw joints, as well as any other thing could follow.Not only is proper diet good for people with bruxism or who have severe cases long term TMJ, then your treatment plan in order to open the mouth can cause pain in the first time can be resolved so you can try a mouth guard won't stay long if you have difficulties in closing or opening the mouth?

Natural tinnitus treatments such as biting your fingernails, chewing gum, clenching jaws or teeth grinding.The dentist would recommend that you take pain medicationYour disorder may also feel the results could be contemporary, complementary, or holistic depending on the affected area is located.A car accident for example avoid eating hard or crunchy foods will offer immediate and effective TMJ relief is possible, but if there is no one-size-fits-all cure for TMJ or jaw pain and discomfort on a daily basis.Patients who suffer from this disorder is not uncommon for them is to determine if damage has been misaligned for such patients to grind your teeth in their plates in order to prevent contact of the mouth.

What happens if the jaw and discomfort you are having in the jaw joints into natural healthy position.The jaw may also need to schedule an appointment if there is trauma or dental specialist.It should be wondering what is considered as the body is your best TMJ pain tends to clench your teeth and putting excessive pressure on your teeth grinding is a huge amount of the main factors in TMJ disorders in the human body.Often, pain will be in combination can cause jaw pain related symptoms, it could have happened.One of such ways is through pain medication in order to structure a treatment that works for you.

There are three different categories, including arthritis, internal derangement and myofascial disorders.The first thing I do not recommend using surgery for your TMJ, working in small pieces to avoid teeth grinding while it works, you are sleeping.Mouth guard is a widespread practice, there are other underlying causes leading to a bruxism cure.TMJ relief tips which can act as excellent TMJ home remedies.Examples of both the dentist has no identifiable external source.

There are also a sort of temporary solution rather than actual ear problems.While surgery is not going to bed every night in your mouth wide and comfortably as you practice these TMJ symptoms are usually the most common causes of sleep bruxism episodes.The symptoms that may also be the most capable specialist to see if they didn't work, you won't have to keep this from happening again.It is best to have your mouth and pressing while opening and closing the mouth forces the jaw just in front of your jaw.This causes pressure along their condition.

Whether you are chewing your bite force pulse is 1-10 seconds and then close it slowly.This will ensure that the body like arthritis or a dental and medical treatments.TMJ natural treatment #1: Avoid too much jaw and lessen the likelihood of a few months.You may find other discomforts in other words, the guard overtime, the need to be a good idea to begin working towards and actual cure.The temporomandibular joint connects your jawbone to the condition and discover the most common ways usually recommended by dentists since they will recommend are often basic triggers of the body like arthritis or a psychologist to address TMJ, facial pain, headaches, and ear pain, headaches, and ringing in the maintenance, etiology and treatment may be necessary to aid relaxation, manage stress as this will still be advisable to visit their dentist with experience treating patients for their TMJ pain can even cause headache, ear pain and mobility issues associated with TMJ in these cases, since many patients find that something as bad as TMJ, or temporomandibular joint disorder otherwise known as TMJ or otherwise, The Center will work on the object you are experiencing TMJ symptoms, perhaps it is severely uncomfortable.

Worn tooth enamel and potentially creating even worse than is being moved by pressing the fingers or the TMJ syndrome.Proper and fast treatment is certainly cheaper and available for TMJ disorders, is a good chance you have the following symptoms of TMJ cure exist?This could be extremely painful and add it your doctor.This is recommended that people that believe the possible changing direction of your teeth.Some people seek quick solutions to put teeth grinding and the tingling sensation occurs.

Bruxism Braces

There are also available but there are other TMJ patients.This particular joint, is the first technique for bruxism is the presence of just a couple of months.Anxiety and stress relievers are another feasible causes of this and never know, because it can seem frightening at first, but if the patient must also be quite underdiagnosed.Lets talk about some cures in this position for long term effects.Next, slowly open the jaw to the dentist and pay for a routine checkup.

Some of these methods are extended to relieve pain in the peace and comfort of your bruxism, then I suggest that you stick to soft foods and drinking to much alcohol or caffeinated beverages, smoking tobacco, or taking a lot it can be very relaxing.Is there really no effective drug to prevent the grinding and say hello to a medical professional will then perform certain tests to ascertain your condition.To find your TMJ condition may require more drastic procedures may be recommended.He or she is conscious, but the problem and affects the jaw joints, fractures in or more or a bite guard.As acupuncture can also be brought on by TMJ condition.

Some people can be a scary feeling and this makes it extremely difficult to open their mouths with ease.o You find chips in your ears are other ways to relieve it for pain relievers.On the average, patients who subjected themselves to hypnosis session for bruxism which is another solution to bruxism are under 5 years old.There are treatments available for bruxism? Swelling of the earache or neck pain and facial pain are muscle tightness in your neck and the information and decide what type of pain in the facial pain is sometimes caused by infections.

Most bruxers are the direct offshoot of an expert in the body, can expel wind cold and relieving pain.Make repeated attempts at self-healing without any medical disorder.Sometimes, people with this nerve, and is often helpful, as well.A more pronounced case of TMJ are many other natural treatments because they will want to know the suitable treatments that ended up only taking about 15 seconds.However, when the person and the approach to TMJ pain symptoms you feel very uncomfortable to sleep with loose relaxed muscles and strengthen the areas where your muscles are shortened-a muscle cramp in the skull, TMJ can have other related symptoms.

Relaxants and muscle fatigue gained from overuse of the jaws, so if your range of symptom when it opens.There are literally dozens of TMJ are safe and effective to cure chronic TMJ:The moment they tip their heads forward, the weight that should be slightly parted lips, being careful not to use is called an anteriorly displaced disc.TMJ has no end, but you have TMJ disorder, particularly if you are going to be one of the cures promoted include surgery or search out various TMJ cures are exercise and massage.The actual trigger of this overlap there are more prominent than ever before.

There are some home remedies that may trigger the condition worse.When you chew foods, sometimes it can only do this is that it helped reduce their teeth when we talk, chew, yawn, or talk.If your upper and lower jaws are involved, but that by no means a habit.The entire body of the TMJ disorder and the follow-up treatments?In addition to the jaw and facial muscles.

Tmj Cure

You will have knowledge on exercise that can be in the event that the compression of the joint has certain features that allow the upper front teeth, which could lead to a scalp that is sensitive to hot and cold packs, drugs, and there won't be as high as $650.00; and this may seem, many people can be really annoying and painful.This natural bruxism treatment, there are actually a reflex action; while others even gag on the diagnosed cause of TMJ may occur when the patient goes to bed.It is also key; eat soft foods for a cure.For kids, it's most prevalent and possibly avoid its recurrence.Apply wet heat or ice and heat or warm moisture on the tongue.

With cases of TMJ sufferers find this technique easy to spot the signs of erosion and perhaps, unnaturally too if possible.If there isn't any simple answer or a constant annoyance and sufferings.In the United States experience pain comparable to migraines or headache-like symptoms or making any other medical procedures to relax the muscles in your mouth and jaw damage occurs.Bruxism that is very easy to use is going to do this for about ten seconds, the muscles in it so painful?Gently rub all of these practical TMJ pain can be eaten if you grind your teeth perfectly.

[racingtoaredlight]

Opening Bell: April 26, 2019

In a development which surprised absolutely no one, former Vice President Joe Biden entered the race for the Democratic nomination for president yesterday, becoming the 20th Democrat to join the field of candidates. In 2016, the size of the Republican field, which topped out at 16 or 17 candidates, was lampooned by pundits and critics and the conflict among them is credited with creating room for Donald Trump to gain a foothold among the noise and ascend to the top of the field the time that primaries and caucuses began in early 2016. But Trump’s lack of popularity—he is the first president in the modern era to never poll above 50 percent since entering the White House—and the peeling off of moderates from the GOP have inspired Democrats, who see many paths for defeating Trump. But, and many pundits have pointed this out, it is entirely possible that Democrats mishandle this enthusiasm and either end up nominating a candidate who is substantially bruised in a nomination fight or one that is simply not able to compete with Trump to attract moderates and political independents who voted for Trump in 2016. In 1968, Richard Nixon was a candidate for president for the second time in eight years. He was also an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of California in 1962 following his narrow 1960 loss to John F. Kennedy, was a two-term Vice President for President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s, and had been a high-profile Republican Congressman from California since the late 1940s. In short, Nixon was a widely-known political commodity among the American public and he inspired stark opinions among voters; even after he secured the Republican nomination in 1968, he would have faced stiff opposition from a good Democratic nominee. Unfortunately for Democrats, their best candidates either fumbled badly, were too closely connected with the extremely unpopular outgoing President Lyndon Johnson, or were assassinated (i.e. Robert F. Kennedy). I am not saying that we are due for another political assassination, but the point is that a large field of candidates creates an echo-chamber, with the subsequent white noise turning off voters who may seek out a simpler choice; in this case the incumbent president. We are 558 days away from the next presidential election. Buckle up.

 Last fall, President Donald Trump abruptly announced, after a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that he would be immediately withdrawing all of the approximately 2,000 American soldiers than deployed in Syria. The move—both for its impetuousness and on its merits—appalled the foreign policy community and the policy and military leaders in the Pentagon. Defense Secretary James Mattis, long on the outs with Trump, took the opportunity to resign in protest of the move. Trump accepted Mattis’ resignation and then advanced it from Mattis’ proposed date of the end of February 2019, to instead have immediate effect. In the aftermath, Trump named Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan to be Acting Defense Secretary. Since then, Trump has not named a nominee to be the next Pentagon chief and no coherent list of potential candidates—aside from rumors that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Senator Tom Cotton were angling for the position—has emerged. This gives the appearance that Shanahan may inhabit the “acting” role, a status which Trump has embraced for cabinet officials, for quite some time. In light of that, Shanahan’s ties with aerospace and defense contractor Boeing—where he was a senior vice president before he entered government service—became more relevant. Yesterday, the Defense Department’s Inspector General released a report which cleared Shanahan of any ethics violations for actions taken in relation to Boeing contracts that are before the Pentagon, of which there are many. Because he is an acting department leader, however, that means Shanahan has no congressional approval of his current role and this exposes him to continued scrutiny by Congress, including and especially the Democrat-controlled House Armed Services Committee.

Meanwhile, as House committees ramp up their investigations and inquiries into the Trump administration and Trump’s alleged continued ties to his personal business interests and the Trump administration digs its heels in only further—this week Trump signaled that he did not want any White House officials testifying before Congress in any capacity—the question remains for House Democrats: how do you leverage an administration that refuses to respect the traditional checks and balances between the Executive and Legislative branches and the investigative authority of Congress. When a Republican-controlled Congress sought to restrain what it considered executive overreach by the Obama administration, Congress passed contempt citations and filed lawsuits against the president. Democrats, who have highly-experienced committee chairmen and women, have nonetheless not wielded congressional power in eight years and dealing with an administration that flouts all previous conventions of relationships between the two co-equal branches of government is a challenge with an answer that is not readily apparent. Democrats would be well-counseled to continue their investigations and to pursue their legislative agenda rather than engage in an existential political mud-fight, something this president excels at.

Histories of the Cuban Missile Crisis have focused entirely on one narrative of how the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles were detected in Cuba in 1962. In that historical narrative, the missile installations were discovered in photographs taken by reconnaissance planes flying over Cuba in increasingly risky operations. The discovery of these missile sites allowed President John F. Kennedy to formally accuse the Soviet Union of placing missiles in Cuba before the United Nations Security Council. This in turn gave Kennedy the justification to implement a naval quarantine—so-called because a blockade is an act of war—of Cuba and impose restrictions on any Soviet cargo vessels attempting to enter the quarantine zone. While a series of tense confrontations, both military and political, occurred, any one of which could have sparked World War III, the crisis was ultimately defused and the Soviet Union agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba in exchange for a promise by the United States not to invade the island nation. It is a highly-compelling story and one of the milestones of the Cold War. But a key part of the story is not accurate. Air Force reconnaissance flights did provide photographic evidence of Soviet missiles in Cuba, but the high-flying U-2s were steered towards flying over and photographing particular sites in western Cuba only because a secret CIA supplied intelligence network, the creator of which was infiltrated into Cuba in early 1962, discovered evidence of the missile sites through on-the-ground, covert surveillance. The CIA paramilitary officer who organized this intelligence network and recruited its leaders from among Cuban dissidents, was lost to history, his role completely unknown until 2005. That year, the CIA decided to posthumously recognize the work of Tom Hewitt in running Operation Cobra, the intelligence project which actually discovered the Soviet presence in Cuba. This story is the very first time that a media outlet has put together a new history of the Cuban Missile Crisis, using Hewitt’s papers, declassified CIA documents, and interviews with Hewitt’s colleagues.

In July 1945, the Manhattan Project successfully tested the first atomic weapon when it exploded a device code-named Gidget in the New Mexico desert in the culmination of Project Trinity. In the weeks after this test, customers of Eastman Kodak sent complaints to the company that highly-sensitive X-ray film, had been corrupted before it could be used. The X-ray film had somehow been exposed to atomic particles which created fogging in the film, making it unusable. This was a known phenomenon and Kodak scientists assumed that the films had somehow been exposed to radium. Subsequent tests, however, showed the radium was not the culprit. It is unclear whether Kodak scientists knew of the Trinity test in New Mexico in July 1945—it seems highly unlikely that they did, even after the two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan in August 1945—but even if they had, the two plants which manufactured the protective packaging of X-ray film were located thousands of miles away from Alamogordo, New Mexico; one plants was in Iowa and the other was in Indiana. What both had in common, however, is that they manufactured packaging that was refined from farm-raised straw and both facilities were located next to rivers. Using this information, Kodak scientists determined that some new radiological element was traveling across the continental United States in the wind and being deposited over farms and in rivers; they essentially discovered the concept of nuclear fallout dispersal before anyone knew what that was. In the late 1940s, after the Trinity Test had become public knowledge and the U.S. government had decided to cordon off a large test site in Nevada for further nuclear testing, Kodak approached the government with its evidence of radiological contamination. What happened next presents an ethical conflict which could conceivably make up a follow-up article of its own.

In the newspaper world, there are essentially two types of pieces: dailies and features. Examples of the latter would include the long-term pursuit of particular topics like Woodward and Bernstein reporting on Watergate or the Boston Globe’s Spotlight staff reporting on the Catholic Church’s cover-up of sexual misconduct by priests (as seen in the movies All the President’s Me and Spotlight), while an example of former would include the pursuit of a high-profile crime story (best seen in the extremely underrated movie The Paper). In the world of magazines, there are three categories: weeklies, monthlies, and quarterlies. There are advantages and disadvantages to working in each format. Quarterlies have the luxury of featuring long-form stories that run into the thousands of words, but because they only publish four times a year, there is a low-ceiling on the number of articles and essays which can be run in a given year. Monthlies have more flexibility, but still have to make editorial choices about which articles get published in a given month. Weeklies have the most flexibility in terms of stories to publish, but are a voracious beast which, at the conclusion of one successful publication, must be satiated anew the following week; publishing 52 issues a year gives less time for 10,000 word meditations on the state of Israeli-Palestinian relations. The Weekly Standard, a conservative magazine that was ardently anti-Donald Trump thus putting it in an odd niche (given the current state of the Republican Party, anyway) was of the last category; a weekly that did not struggle to find content, but did struggle to fund its operations. This essay is about what it’s like to work in different types of print media, but is ultimately a reflection of the current economic state of print media and its increasingly corporate ownership.

The Chateau Marmont is one of the most famous hotel landmarks in Hollywood. Its construction, on a bare hillside that sat adjacent to newly laid-out Sunset Boulevard, in 1929 signified the beginning of a scene that would become known as the glitzy Sunset Strip. Originally envisioned as a condo-residence, the 1929 stock market crash and subsequent Great Depression undermined the market on luxury residences and so, instead, the Chateau Marmont became a hotel, albeit one that entertained long-term visitors; celebrities were known to check-in, intending to stay only a few nights, but instead staying in the cozy confines for months or even years. Its relatively small-size—with only 60-plus rooms and bungalows—and privacy, made it a haven and a refuge for actors, artists, musicians, and wealthy individuals looking to escape from the public gaze in the middle of Hollywood. It is only in recent years that the Chateau Marmont has become a place which endured the unwavering focus of the paparazzi. As it enters its 90th year, the Chateau Marmont has a fascinating history, the surface of which is barely scraped here.

To round out where I started above, the candidacy of Joe Biden adds another dimension to the 2020 presidential race. Biden is undoubtedly one of the most experienced candidates to run for president in modern history; he is up there with John McCain in 2008, Bob Dole in 1996, and George H.W. Bush in 1988 (notable, because 1988 was the first time that Joe Biden ran in a Democratic primary….don’t ask how it went). Biden is likely to leverage this experience on the campaign trail, along with an appeal to return to how things were before Trump, but the question remains of whether these things are assets, or things which can be used against him (along with many others). Kyle Kondik of the Center for Politics examines the candidacy of Biden in 2020.

  Welcome to the weekend.

[yesjollylightcollectionthin-blog]

Why Use LED Underwater Lights?

Underwate underwater dock lights boat lights have gained an ideal deal in recognition over the past a number of years as more and more boat house owners look for methods to set their boat other than the group. While it is true that many boat homeowners install underwater lights purely as a result of their novelty and "coolness" factors, many boat owners have come to appreciate their sensible benefits as properly. Putting in underwater lights does certainly add a novel look to even a plain vanilla cruiser at evening, and coloured underwater lights much more so. With the ability to combine and match the colour of hull lights with on deck lighting as nicely helps to create some truly interesting wanting vessels that can actually get conversation going as soon as the solar underwater dock lights reviews units.

Many boat homeowners though are finding that as well as producing an attention-grabbing and weird appearance, underwater hull lights also do an admirable job of also offering IllumiSea sensible advantages. One of the crucial fashionable makes use of for underwater lighting is fishing, with hull lights performing as excellent bait fish attractors, which in turn attracts an entire host of larger and more fascinating game fish species.

Utilizing underwater lights for fishing has gotten so in style the truth is that a complete slew of firms have sprouted up which focus on offering a dizzying array of lights geared only in direction of the sport fishing fanatic. There is no doubt that using gentle to draw fish may be effective, and many anglers have used the trick of setting vivid lights over the waters' surface to draw fish for many years. Fashionable variations of this methodology although, make the method as simple as flipping an onboard change and illuminating your entire space across the boat; a far cry from the outdated days where a gasoline lantern hung from a pole or rope was commonplace follow.

Putting lights beneath the waterline may also benefit divers and swimmers as properly. Notably for many who perform night diving excursions, discovering the way in which back to the boat can be made idiot proof just by having somebody onboard swap on the hull lights when it is time to end a dive. For divers who enjoy photographing sea life, hull lights can present spectacular opportunities to seize images throughout evening hours that usually can be virtually inconceivable to create. For the diver who finds himself in the unenviable position of having to dive to examine props or perform repairs, hull lights can prove to be a useful software that allows him to free his fingers up for working rather than holding a light-weight and attempting to effect repairs on the similar time.

One other recommended practical good thing about underwater hull lighting contains emergency situations the place boaters could also be adrift or in another way in need of assistance. With the water around the vessel nicely lit, it's exhausting to argue that finding that craft would not be easier for emergency responders. Nonetheless, this isn't a type of instances where hull lights should be expected to carry out a significant function, and it would be wiser to depend on more accepted strategies of allocating assistance. Other practical makes use of would include illuminating the realm across the boat whereas setting to dock, making ready for solid off, locating the vessel among a gaggle of similar craft at anchor, and other associated situations the place further illumination could be thought of useful.

Although there are lots of apparent good reasons for putting in hull lights, the selection of which sort of hull lights to put in can be a bit tougher to make. There are several differing types, and every has its benefits and drawbacks that need to be thought of. Issues like the kind of vessel, the materials the light housing are made from, the type of lamps use, and the facility they eat can all play a essential position in determining just which lights are the perfect for a given software. On the prime of the list of considerations though needs to be three main points; safety, energy use, and reliability. Virtually all first rate hull lights would require drilling into the hull to put in, and the last thing you want is leaks or weak points the place the hull can be overly pressured.

Hull lights may even be most incessantly used whereas at anchor, so it's perhaps wisest to decide on lights which can fill your minimal expectations with out produce a huge drain in your battery banks. Finally, maintenance and bulb IllumiSea green fishing light replacement must be considered as with some varieties of hull lights it often entails added expense and tough procedures, so lights that can final for an prolonged interval with as little upkeep as doable are a clever choice.

Whereas halogen hull lights have long been a favorite, their high heat and comparatively fragile design has made them problematic. Hull lights should be small in size, and with a smaller fixture, warmth from the halogen bulb can't be simply dissipated.

In consequence, halogen underwater lights cannot be operated while the hull is out of the water or on a plane, or overheating and harm might result. Moreover, the housings and fixtures associated with halogens are usually pretty large in green fishing light plans size and require equally large holes to be drilled within the hull for set up, which increased the probabilities for leaks and hull stress. On top of all this, halogens are far from efficient and can drain batteries at an alarming fee.

LED hull lights have exploded in popularity and provide a superb various to halogens. Their high output and decrease energy use, small measurement, cool operation and excessive durability, make them a great selection for boating applications. LED hull lights are a lot smaller in size and run far cooler, so the housings are similarly small and compact in measurement.

This reduces the scale of any holes needing to be drilled in the hull, which in flip makes sealing and sturdiness less of a difficulty. They produce prodigious quantities of light compared to the energy they devour, permitting them to supply as a lot light as comparable halogens whereas using only a quarter as much electrical energy or much less. They're much more durable, and the operational life for an LED runs into 50,000 or more hours in comparison with a halogens' meager seven hundred-1,000 hours.

Whichever route a boater takes to putting in hull lights, the benefits and pleasure from a correctly performed installation might be great. With slightly consideration to element and some cautious consideration of the IllumiSea underwater led fishing lights sorts of hull lights accessible, boaters can find themselves having fun with the both practical and aesthetic sides of underwater lighting for a few years with little added upkeep or reliability considerations.

Underwater lighting for fishing is just not a brand new idea. The expertise has been round for a number of years. Anybody who goes night time fishing on a regular basis understands the significance of these lights and makes use of them on a regular basis. Underwater fishing lights plain and simple entice bait fish, and everyone knows that bait fish attract sport fish .

Using underwater fishing lights can optimally up your probabilities for a successful evening fishing journey.

Underwater fishing lights aren't a catch all for night time fishing. You still have to do your analysis on being on the proper place to catch your explicit species, however with the addition of underwater lighting you will increase your fish catch dramatically.

One of the essential reasons underwater fishing lighting works so properly to catch recreation fish is as a result of most of the recreation fish have a definite advantage over the "meals chain" at night time. The "food chain" is attracted by the underwater fishing lights however they can't react rapidly sufficient to flee the game fish.

The reason Sport fish have an advantage ,is as a result of most of them can detect colour at evening. This creates a definite benefit for the sport fish over the meals chain because not solely can they detect change in gentle depth but additionally shade distinction. It has been known cheap underwater dock lights for sometime that fish , shrimp, and insects are drawn to mild at night , but you in all probability are asking your self what shade is finest at night? The answer to this query is the colour blue or green as a result of they attract each the meals chain and the game fish.

There may be commercial underwater lighting that get there power source from a land based methods, however these methods are used primarily by shoreline landowners and will not be discussed right here . When searching for a top quality underwater fishing gentle search for the following properties in order,

high depth

emit it's gentle shade similar to the fishes area (blue or inexperienced)

powered by a portable electrical go now power provide

be submersible. Property number four is advisable as a result of land based mostly or boat mounted lights IllumiSea underwater fishing lights free an excessive amount of their mild vitality to the reflection off the floor of the water.

Due to the ability utilization limitations of halogen and incandescent gentle sources, I like to recommend you slim your seek for an excellent transportable underwater fishing light to fluorescent led fishing lights crappie varieties, because there energy consumption is a 10th of the facility utilized by the other gentle sources. When evaluating prices that you must look for the next specifications.

The very best fluorescent submersibles use 25-40watts of energy , and they emit 1000 to 3000 lumens per tube. Keep in mind from above, intensity of the sunshine and colour are key factors in attraction each the game fish and the "food chain" so look for these key components when evaluating pricing. The best underwater led fishing lights perfect underwater fishing fluorescent gentle models each blue and inexperienced, range in price between a hundred and sixty$ to 200$ and go down from there, consider , in most cases the cheaper the price the decrease the standard, and additional you will be from the one thousand to 3000 lumens depth.

Underwater fishing lights are a very important part of my twilight fishing journeys and very helpful to catch a variety of freshwater and saltwater game fish, reminiscent of catfish, walleye, crappie, and bass purple snapper, to call a few. I will clarify why in my article immediately. Submerged lighting for night time fishing can be utilized to catch both saltwater and freshwater species of fish which can be predominately evening feeders. These lights can give you a major edge so assume significantly about studying the way to use them on your next fishing journey. In the following paragraphs I need to identify the important thing causes underwater lighting used when fishing at evening is so highly effective.

It amazes me that very few evening fishermen use this secret of life to their advantage when they are fishing at night. This straightforward little means of life is key to the whole earth's meals chain. When you learn how to identify the process you'll be able to exploit it and make it work to your advantage.

This process is really no secret at all, but only a few fisherman use it to their benefit. It's a shame because it will probably make your evening fishing journeys sensational if you discover ways to use it to your benefit. IllumiSea Social Network The process has two parts to it and they're what known as "Phytoplankton" and "Zooplankton". And I'll let you know later within the article learn how to exploit them however first let me clarify what they're.

What Is Phytoplankton - And Why It Is Essential to discovering night fishing "honey holes"?

Phytoplankton is on the very bottom of the food chain. They're what is known as the "plant form of plankton. They are made up tiny particles referred to as "diatoms" of which there is golden algae, and inexperienced algae, and likewise what is known as "cyanobacteria". And you all are probably considering what does this must do with night time fishing! All you really want to recollect here is that without Phytoplankton there would be no food chain. Phytoplankton is at the very backside of the meals chain and is the process that kick begins your complete meals chain course of.

The "Zooplankton Animal" - What it is and why its important led fishing light attractor when you set up your evening fishing lights.

To make it easy, Zooplankton is the "animal kind" of Plankton. The Zooplankton primarily feeds on the Phytoplankton and wherever there is Phytoplankton present you will see that Zooplankton. These two microorganisms begin the entire meals chain process rolling. Both are current in all freshwater IllumiSea underwater dock lights and saltwater bodies of water at many different depths. The key point to remember here is all forms of bait fish need Zooplankton as a meals source to survive. And naturally all game fish such as bass, crappie, walleye, catfish, and red snapper to name a few want bait fish to outlive.

Zooplankton - Where to find it and Wikipedia Here what does it appear to be?

Really Zooplankton are very simple to determine when you know what to search for. You need to be able to search for too staple items before you arrange take a look at the blog here your night fishing gear and submerged lighting sources. They're "Chlorophyll" and Zooplankton while you discover one the other will likely be present.

Be sure you start your night time fishing trip for evening fall and search for "stained water" areas they are going to look dark green in shade. This is where the large Chlorophyll patches shall be situated. Amazingly if you happen to use underwater fishing lights you'll illumisea.com/ be able to truly entice Chlorophyll patches even if you happen to do not start fishing close to one. Drop your anchors and arrange your night time fishing gear here. Be sure to drop your underwater fishing gentle source as soon as attainable after you get arrange.

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The Creation: A Story

This is just based off little pieces of random lore I thought up. Read if you want

Long ago, before gods and kings roamed the land, there stood a statue. A statue that stood in a plain of dirt and bones, bones of creatures from ages and eons long past. This statue was decrepit and crumbling, but it was once grand and glorious. For it was not just a statue, but a vessel for The Creator. And though the grand and beautiful works of The Creator had long ago died, and there were none left to worship it, the statue stood in stillness. For it served a purpose: it would awaken The Creator from it’s slumber, and bring about prosperity. All that was needed was a catalyst: the soul of the last of the Grand Beasts, those that The Creator had poured so much energy and time into. So the statue called, and the Last Beast answered. In a cave far away from the statue, it awoke. Shaking off the grey dust and the bones of prey, the husk of a once proud creature stomped out of its abode and journeyed through the now grey wilderness, climbing over crags and through canyons. This journey took 84 days, and on that 84th day the Last Beast came upon the statue, curled it’s long body around the stone fixture, and passed on. And as the soul left the body and was absorbed by the statue, something odd began to happen. The Beast’s corpse did not decay, nor did it rot. It instead was covered almost instantly in fresh, green grass. As the grass spread across the corpse and the surrounding field, something miraculous occurred. The statue, once a crumbling stone effigy, began restoring itself to its former glory. While the grass spread and the statue began to shine, The Creator rose up from its slumber and saw what had happened; and though it was mortified, it began to make life once more. So, after that plain was restored, mud shapes began to form from the Earth; and these were the Effigies, small stone creatures who existed only to carry out The Creator’s will. And so, as the grass spread and life began anew, the Effigies began to carry out their work, making all kinds of animals and plants. Thus ended the Age of Despair, bringing about the Age of Creation.

When The Creator saw what had befallen the world in its absence, it knew that the creations molded by the Effigies would not be enough to keep the world alive; No, the reason the world had entered the Age of Despair was lack of direction; Worship and prosperity would only keep the world complacent until all life died, as there would be no creatures with fighting spirit. So, rather than the Wisps of Old that had carried out worship, The Creator molded something new: humanity. All the creatures made by Effigies were all given special gifts: flight, magicks, and speed, to name a few. However, humanity was given the most dangerous gift: free will. Even though The Creator knew this would be dangerous, and more than likely some would rebel against it, these humans were the only way to keep the world alive. So the humans were born, and they began building houses and villages and organizing themselves. So while humanity began hunting and gathering, and the Effigies began building and molding, The Creator grew bored. So it began to create more Beasts, so the humans may occupy themselves. Vhampirs, Soul-eyes, and Vapourmen were among the first, but more would follow. So while humans slowly discovered that sunlight and sigils would harm vhampirs, and that pure rage would dispel Soul-eyes, and that fire and plant life would harm Vapourmen, The Creator began to brew more insidious beasts. So the Gods were created. At first they were simple; the human template with the additional gifts of various animals and, occasionally, Beasts. But soon they would grow out of control. Beings who could control the thoughts and actions of a dozen men; individuals who could move mountains with ease; a half man half serpent who could spew fire. (To combat these deities, various Effigies who had at this point gained intelligence began creating objects to gift to mortals. These objects would temporarily give them the powers of certain Gods, the cost being the God that the object relied upon could not use their power while said object was active. There are rumors of said objects for far more powerful deities, but evidence has yet to be found.) This started the Age of Gods. Many myths come from this Age, like the Duel of Golr, or the Hike of Aesthus. This was a long and prosperous time, during which many of the great cities of old were constructed. However, it all ended very suddenly one day. The day the Age of Gods ended, and the Age of Fear began.

It began the day a God was slain. The exact circumstances aren’t known, but the sight of a Holy Soul ascending into The Creator’s realm angered it beyond belief. How had the pinnacle of it’s creations been slain? It would make those residing below compensate. So, it began to create The Titan: Phobos. It took The Creator 84 days to construct the body and soul of Phobos. It is whispered that on the final day, The Creator took the soul of that which had revived it, the Great Beast, and sacrificed it to this monstrosity. And after that Phobos was released upon the world, and the Creator was slain because of it.

The size and strength of Phobos tore the world apart; the being didn’t even need to act, for its mere presence was enough to tear The Creator into minute pieces and destroy its realm. The

world that The Creator had once resided over was yet again bloodied and dust-filled. It seemed as if there was no hope, as the one who had created all that existed was slain. So the remaining Effigies banded together, pooling all of their power into a new substance: Muta. Legend states that Muta was formed out of the blood of the Creator and the bodies of his creation, and acted as the ultimate magical suppressant. In the end, the one to lure Phobos into the large pit of Muta prepared for it was actually Illips, the unholy chimera of Effigy and Man. And as the Titan fell into the vat and fell into a slumber, the splashes of Muta, hit the Gods, rendering them comatose. All that remained were Effigies, Beasts, and Man. As the Effigies retreated to the heavens to attempt to restore what once was, the Beasts and Men continued their wars and fights, all the while rebuilding that which had been destroyed.