#orange rabbit is named Creamie

[msbellebelle]

Random assorted Sprunki drawings ive made in the past two days. Featuring those fankids i drew.

Tumblr ruined the quality of the first image >:[ rude

[magicpaint]

TWST Indie Perfume Recs

While browsing, I've noticed a lot of fragrances reminding me of TWST characters. All characters have five fragrances, while each dorm is given one general fragrance. 22 named students of NRC, Ramshackle, the staff, RSA, Book 7 characters, and event characters have been included.

Fragrance notes are taken from their respective websites.

Heartslabyul —

Alice (Crow & Pebble) — Bakewell tarts and black tea, white roses painted red, a distant whiff of black pepper and orange marmalade.

Riddle Rosehearts

High Tea (Possets) — A very true to tea blend. Infused with lemon, sugar, milk, and that indescribable scent of the best starched linens.

Rosewater Lemonade (Hexennacht) — Tart, sweet lemonade infused with fresh, heady rose petals.

Dormouse (Wild Hybrid) — Tea-soaked fur, caramel cakes with a thin smear of butter, toast crumbs and pink pepper

Last Breath (Deep Midnight) — A sweet goodbye as an organ pipes a haunting hymn. Main notes of red roses, lily of the valley, and white tea waft in as the lid closes…

Jabberwocky (Pierrot Perfumery) — An interesting blend of labdanum resin, charred oak, amber musk, and blood.

Ace Trappola

Cherry Fizzy (Death & Floral) — Classic dark cherry soda with small hints of cocoa beans and strong carbonation

The Red Hare (Stone & Wit) — Fresh ginger, fig preserves, cherry, almonds, suede

Black Cherry Bomb (Death & Floral) — Melted black cherry popsicle juice, ginger ale cream soda, salty and hot summer skin, honeydew, golden caramelized amber

Sucker Punch (Sugar & Spite) — Red, shiny lollies, lemon hard candies, and fluffy pink cotton candy

Knave of Hearts (BPAL) — Crushed roses and blackcurrant tarts.

Deuce Spade

0 The Fool (Wild Hybrid) — The dust of a road travelled, davana, tea rose, sunflower, honey myrtle, pink pepper, rhododendron leaf, angel's trumpet, orange and crystalline musk.

Misspent Youth (Death & Floral) — Iced cold root beer, the glowing hum of a 7-11 parking lot, peppered vanilla, blood orange & ginger candy, fuzzy grey amber

White Rabbit (Siren Song Elixirs) — White musk, Coconut, Narcissus flower, Lime verbena, Amber, Double Vanilla

Clowning Around (Luvmilk) — Fresh, buttered, caramel popcorn, salty peanuts, tufts of blue cotton candy, and taffy apples.

Storm Chaser (Fyrinnae) — Misty, salty onshore winds, wet sand and soil, storm surge, broken branches, and gasoline.

Trey Clover

Violet Pound Cake (CocoaPink) — Fresh baked pound cake squares sprinkled with wild candied violet petals then softly dusted with confectioners’ sugar.

Flourite (Hexennacht) — lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, spearmint, a faint wafting of violets.

Coco Violette (Deep Midnight) — Reminiscent of old fashioned violet candies and sweet childhood memories. Old fashioned violet, milk chocolate, and a hint of creamy vanilla.

Dead of Night (Lovesick Witchery) — Notes of lavender, white pepper, dryer sheets, detergent, warm cotton, and vanilla musk.

Lab Partner (Nui Cobalt) — Unripe mandarin, chilly grey cashmere, green peppercorn, flushed skin, and toasted oats.

Cater Diamond

Raining Diamonds (Nui Cobalt) — A glistening air of wonder and enchantment. Chilled white grapefruit, ambrette seed, stellar musk, forget-me-not blossom, sheer vanilla, and honeyed almond.

Tell It to the Moon (Sugar & Spite) — Precious woods, cashmere vanilla, resin, spice, and a swirl of bright mandarin.

The Aquarius (Lovesick Witchery) — Notes of pear, ginger, nutmeg, salty popcorn, tart lime, sugared citrus, sea salt, lotus, calendula, and cedarwood.

Festival Nights (Luvmilk) — Melon kakigori, dango drizzled with mizuame, wataame, and fireworks in the distance.

Everything Is More Beautiful Because We Are Doomed (Death & Floral) — Rich gourmet vanilla blended with benzoin and black woodsmoke

Savanaclaw —

Dantalion (Fantome) — Creamy chai tea, obscuring mists, sandalwood, a plaster mask, clarifying ginger, carnations, dandelions, & a melted beeswax candle.

Leona Kingscholar

Afterglow (Alkemia) — A softly glowing veil of golden musk, Madagascar vanilla beans, woodsmoked black amber, chai tea, spiced rum, and incense woods.

Lion (BPAL) — The dry, glorious warmth of the Savannah. A golden, spiced amber, proud, regal and ferocious.

Untamable (Imaginary Authors) — Leather Saddle, Tonka Resin, Saguaro Blossom, Texas Yellowstar, Cumin, Tumbleweed, Paso Fino

Badlands (Solstice Scents) — Dry woods, worn leather, dusty fossils, sandalwood, palo santo, hot resins, juniper wood, ponderosa pine cone, parched grasses and desert plants, oud, spices.

Villain Origin Story (Nui Cobalt) — Jaded by the world’s ills, a heart is ignited not by hope, but by fury. Sinister patchouli, spiced mulberry wine, smoldering musk, deep mahogany, and a sliver of peach skin.

Jack Howl

White Fir (Pineward) — orange, ginger, white fir, clove, anise, pine, musk, vetiver, oakmoss.

Turquoise (Hexennacht) — Wild blueberry, white amber, prickly pear, apricot, artemisia, green tea, honey sage, ghost flower, lemon verbena, lavender, lemon balm, cactus flower, dry grass.

Bitter Cold (Lovesick Witchery) — Notes of freezing air, cedarwood, balsam fir, pine needles, and a delicate touch of mint.

Werewolf (Lovesick Witchery) — Notes of patchouli, black spruce, juniper, amyris resin, rosemary, clove, and clary sage.

The Cactus Where Your Heart Once Was (Death & Floral) — Prickly pear cactus accord and orange flower absolute

Ruggie Bucchi

First Dandelion (Alkemia) — A bright meadow of sunny dandelion flowers, green dandelion leaves, and warm dirt.

Laundromat (Hexennacht) — Laundry soap, fabric softener, ozone, and coin-op washing machines.

Maplemallow Doughnut (Hexennacht) — Fresh doughnuts, topped with sticky maple frosting, and tooth-achingly sweet marshmallow fluff.

Laundry Day (Cirrus Parfum) — Clean white laundry musk, lavender, vanilla, earl grey tea, and New Caledonia sandalwood

Blood and Donuts (Deep Midnight) — Dark Egyptian amber and gaharu wood, well blended and served with creamy vanilla, cinnamon spice, rich chocolate, and a splash of turkish coffee. It's.... to die for.

Octavinelle —

Black Pearl (Wild Hybrid) — The scent of deep sea life and vanilla

Azul Ashengrotto

Voice of the Sea (Alkemia) — An olfactory musing from the underside of a wooden dock—salinaceous seabreezes, sun bleached driftwood, crushed seashells, a twist of Meyers lemon peel, barnacles, mineralistic sand, and seasoaked timbers.

Breakwater (Wylde Ivy) — Mist soaked and sun scorched basalt, bergamot, dried black tea leaves, and white sandalwood

Small Comforts (Stone & Wit) — Black tea, tamarind, clove, anise, cinnamon, white musks

Poison Pen (Death & Floral) — Black musk, mahogany wood, balsam accord, old paper, ink, red sandalwood, ylang, lapsang souchong, and a tiny touch of cinnamon bark

With the Fishes and the Dead (Death & Floral) — Black squid ink and mile long oceans. Black ambergris, black labdanum absolute, salty ocean water, and black pits of stretched out emptiness.

Jade Leech

Koschei the Deathless (Fantome) — Forest mushrooms, turmeric, myrrh, treemoss, dry bones, sea kelp, dark patchouli, creamy ylang.

Ghost Whale (Crow & Pebble) — Stormy sea air, clary sage, black pepper, jasmine green tea, ambergris, cedar and agarwood.

FROGS! (Death & Floral) — Grounding and warm woods, Virginia cedar, cold-pressed yuzu, overgrown moss, forest mushrooms, wet humid frog skin

Leviathan (Hexennacht) — ambergris accord, soil, ozone, marine accord, seaweed accord, mitti attar, geosmin, matsutake mushroom, algae.

The Lighthouse (Mythpunk Olfactive) — The cozy aftermath of a seaside storm - maritime pine, ozone, heather, bloodmoss, rocky wet sand, black tea, wet wool drying by the fire

Floyd Leech

Scenic Route (Hexennacht) — California sagebrush, narrow-leaf eucalyptus, purple sage, pink peppercorn, driftwood, ocean air, orange blossom, sandalwood, cypress, palo santo, patchouli.

Why Would You Make This!? (Stone & Wit) — Lime, bergamot, Sichuan pepper, paprika, apples, raisins, salt, watermelon

OYSTER! (Poesie) — Grey musk, ocean brine, bitter cucumber, a twist of lemon, elemi resin, and angelica

Siren (Wild Hybrid) — Salty ocean water, barnacle covered rocks, wet ship wood, beeswax, sailor's pipe tobacco and spiced rum and the tang of blood to be spilt.

1991 (Sunsphere Scents) — Saltwater, grapefruit, an old boardwalk

Scarabia —

Eternal Sunshine (Hexennacht) — Coconut water, pineapple, apricot, papaya, banana, sunscreen, pool water, sandalwood, seaweed accord, sea salt, driftwood, mysore accord, sun-warmed sand, pool toys, choya nakh.

Kalim Al-Asim

Eight Minutes of Light and Heat Left When the Sun Dies (Death & Floral) — Pulpy coconut water and sweet Thai tea, blended with soft orange blossoms and a scorching desert thunderstorm looming in the distance.

Tempest (Siren Song Elixirs) — Dragon fruit, Lychee, Dahlia, Black Vanilla, Creamy Vanilla

Awakening Desert (Alkemia) — Rainstorm across desert. Cracked earth drinks deeply, softening into moist clay. Desert springs refill and replenish. An elemental scent of awakening... dry warm earth, parched grasses, dried wood, and mineralistic clay drenched in rainwater.

Beautiful, But Annihilating (Sorce) — Fresh coconut, jasmine sambac, tonka bean, salty skin

Cardigan (Death & Floral) — Bergamot and spiced cardamom blended with Egyptian musk superior and sandalwood

Jamil Viper

Serpentine (Sorce) — Ripe figs, fig leaf, cardamom, caramelized honey, vanilla, Peru balsam, Cedar, Iso E Super

Moonstone (Hexennacht) — argent ambre, night-blooming jasmine, evening air accord, lunar musk.

Whisper Your Bitter Things (Poesie) — Pressed coffee beans, dried clove bud, cassia bark, jasmine and neroli blossoms, and roasted vanilla pods

The Snake (Lovesick Witchery) — Notes of black narcissus, night blooming jasmine, honey, toffee, and black musk.

Violent Moon (Sugar & Spite) — Candied clove, incense, elemi, palo santo, raspberry leaf, sanguine musk, litchi, moss, sandalwood and patchouli.

Pomefiore —

Champagne Supernova (Black Hearted Tart) — Fizzy pink champagne is elevated with frozen mangoes and a sweet red berry accord. Freesia petals, baby powder, and cashmere musk add a flirty feel.

Vil Schoenheit

Smells Like Teen Slayer (Pierrot Perfumery) — A blend of stone fruits, sandalwood, amber, and white florals.

Thigh Highs (Luvmilk) — Juicy mango, creamy papaya blossom, a touch of resin coated vanilla, hints of jasmine and violet on a woody, earthy base.

Fluffy Pink Murder Robe (Fable & Canon) — Delicate blushed florals, Madagascar vanilla, soft fuzzy peach skin, and a spilled glass of champagne.

Proud Queen (CocoaPink) — She rules all that is strange and dangerous, poisonous and beautiful. Foxgloves, opium poppies, bitter nightshade, green roses of hellebore, oleander's apricot notes, and innocent orange blossom, with a breath of raspberries, white chocolate, marshmallow, and warm white musk.

Evil (BPAL) — Smouldering opium tar, tobacco absolute, green tea, black plum, kush, ambergris accord, ambrette seed, and costus root.

Epel Felmier

Bad Apple (Redwood Alchemy) — Apple, Leather, White Musk & Civet

Blue Jay Orchards (Birch & Besom) — Apple cider donuts, gently smoked honey, orchard soil, cedar, ripe gourds

Riverside Hayride (Solstice Scents) — Moist Dirt, White Carnations, Fallen Leaves, Bare Branches, Hay & a Hint of Pressed Apples

November (CocoaPink) — The unmistakable scent in the air the moment winter arrives. Pale snowflakes, bitter, cold air, dry vanilla, snow dusted trees, agar-wood, baked apple pie and smokey swirls of crackling tobacco.

Bite the Apple (Black Hearted Tart) — Honeycrisp red apples are plunged into a cauldron of creamy caramel and rolled in pieces of toffee and crushed walnut.

Rook Hunt

Crossbow of Vengeance (Fyrinnae) — Dried tobacco, freshly crushed black pepper, and the almost undetectable sweet scent of your poison-dipped bolts.

Balcony Tryst (Fyrinnae) — Tangerine blossoms! Sweet tangerines mixed with the heavier scent of their flowers, grounded by a bit of ginger lily, soft leather, and benzoin.

Ranger (BPAL) — Untamed wilderness: buckskin accord with Terebinth pine, Russian birch, black ironwood, elder bark, hay, armoise, juniper, patchouli, galangal root, Spanish moss, and cabreuva.

Hunter's Moon (Pulp Fragrance) — An Ode to Diana, lunar goddes of the Hunt: Moonflower, tonka bean, honeyed amber, sandalwood, tolu balsam, oud, and rich golden spice.

The Hunter's Kiss (Andromeda's Curse) — Key Notes: Leather, Dark Forest, Incense

Ignihyde —

Starship Mechanic (Fyrinnae) — Working among the generators and weapons control areas all day ensures the scents of titanium, steel tools, engine oil, and fuel stick to their skin and hair for hours. Even after a scented shower, mixing with the lingering fragrances of bergamot, woods, and patchouli, their line of work is fairly obvious when you get close. But you don't mind at all.

Idia Shroud

Please Rewind (Amorphous) — Highlights include VHS tape cases, hot popcorn, and the ozonic, static-like aroma of a hot VHS tape fresh from the VCR.

Artificer (BPAL) — Gleaming metal, gear oil, sparking wires, shattered glass, and a blue flicker of arcane power.

Shroud (Sugar & Spite) — Obsidian violet, geranium, coconut milk, amyris, saffron, cedar, and vetiver

In The Styx (Birch & Besom) — Cool mineral water, metallic silver, dry woods, aquatic atmospherics

The Black Gate (Pierrot Perfumery) — A truly evil blend of wormwood, labdanum, nag champa and blackened metal.

Ortho Shroud

Aerobraking (Fyrinnae) — The combination of warm machine oil, cold titanium, and the slightly stale scent of re-circulated oxygen.

Electric Feel (Death & Floral) — A blend of different electricity accords; hot wires, neon signs, tv static fuzz, the electricity that rumbles inside a thunderstorm.

Deus Ex Machina (Alkemia) — An olfactory portrait of industrial decay and the fallen gods of age of disruption, innovation, and technological revolution… fire hardened steel, rusted iron, motor oil, wet cement, burnt copper wires, and grey amber

Abduction (The Eyes Are Always There) — metallic and ozone top notes transition into a heart and base comprised of a subtle blending of rich spice, wood, organic and earthy components.

Eldritch (Red River Apothecary) — Inky black musk, cosmic horror, patent leather and a smattering of dark energy

Diasomnia —

Gargoyle (Nui Cobalt) — Rain-drenched lavender, cathedral incense, beeswax candles, and ancient stone.

Malleus Draconia

Green Eyes, Black Hair (The Strange South) — Oud, marshmallow, freesia, and vanilla.

Beastly (CocoaPink) — Ancient castle stones, the brooding airs of a dark forest, a threat of winter; a fougere fit for a prince, the musk and leather of a beast; a library filled with rare books; and a single red rose.

Insomnia (Sugar & Spite) — Oud, Black Pepper, beeswax, dragon's blood, light and dark patchouli, benzoin resin

Lost Temple (Nui Cobalt) — A nexus of mystery and hidden power. Damp moss, a humid tangle of mandevilla vines, freshly cut palo santo, rain-drenched stone, and the memory of sacred fires.

Thunder In Your Ear (The Strange South) — Dragon's blood, red musk, sleet, mandarin, and vanilla.

Silver

Aurora (Alkemia) — A luminescent skin-but-better aurora of soft cashmeran, orris root, cardamon infused coconut milk, white amber, white musk, white violet, white ginger, lotus flower, and a touch of honeyed cream.

Gentle Tormentor (CocoaPink) — You are that wild-eyed faery's child, beautiful and merciless. A bed of vanillas, tonka and white musk, laced with delicate lemon and bergamot.

Doe Eyed and Dreaming (Sugar & Spite) — Assam au lait, dry vanilla pods, burned brown sugar, oak wood, tonka, ambrette and the tiniest hint of firewood

Fey Touched (Nui Cobalt) — A glistening aura of elemental power to enhance all spellcraft. Sunflower petals, honeyed almond, yuzu, sacred benzoin, and prismatic mist from woodland stream dappled in sunlight.

Inside a Nightmare (Death & Floral) — The olfactory profile of a constantly changing nightmare. Freezing cold water, asphalt, sea salt, lavender & chamomile. very soft leather car interior. Which turn was wrong, and where did we end up?

Sebek Zigvolt

Magic Compass (Nui Cobalt) — An enchantment to navigate you through the fog and keep you on the right path. Shining brass, benzoin, angelica flower, quatre épices, sandalwood, golden patchouli, and a touch of ripe passion fruit.

Vert et Noir (DSH) — A bright, citric-green eau fraiche vetiver fragrance with vegetal notes and ozone to bring the unexpected.

Sorcerer (BPAL) — A golden, sparking surge of raw, wild magic: waves of amber, frankincense, red cacao, blood orange, and lavender touched by demonic incense and dragon’s blood.

Lightning (BPAL) — Lightning slashing the midnight skies over the endless reaches of the ocean. The electric tang of ozone, marine notes, and a drop of sharp rain.

16 The Tower (Wild Hybrid) — Lightning and stone

Lilia Vanrouge

Frickin' Bats (Hexennacht) — Vanilla ice cream, black licorice whips, candy corn, root beer, kettle corn.

90s Goth (Amorphous) — Aroma palette is a spooky, spicy, dark floral musk with hints of leather and spice. Highlights include clove cigarette smoke, jet black lipstick, worn leather, fog machine, and white violet musk.

Bats in the Belfry (Pierrot Perfumery) — A sweet, musty blend. Notes of vintage lace, dried flowers and dusty photos.

You'll Never Grow Old (CocoaPink) — A vintage amusement park on a summer night boardwalk where the coolest vampires hang out. The irresistible mingling of cotton candy, waffle cones, caramel popcorn, and candy apple is stalked by the tang of an oncoming storm, sea salt, freshly-dug dirt, and a primal, seductive musk.

Moondust Will Cover You (Sugar & Spite) — Lush green foliage, tiny, still-green wildflowers bathed in moonlight, and a sweet breeze that smells of love and sorrow.

Ramshackle —

Parlour (Fantome) — A darkly polished mahogany rapping table, spirit boards, sweet rosewood chests, burning incense, and a hint of vetiver.

Grim

Purr (Hexennacht) — kitten fur accord, yarn (wool absolute), milky kitten breath, tonka bean absolute, musk.

Le Chat Noir (Hexennacht) — chimney smoke, freshly fallen snow, and the cool, dry, musky scent of a cat just in from a long winter stroll.

Vampire Cat (Nui Cobalt) — Playfully alluring. Top notes of tart cherry and pomegranate, a warm heart of rooibos, torch ginger, and hibiscus, and a base of red cedarwood and dragon’s blood resin.

Making Biscuits (Deep Midnight) — The most ubiquitous of cat practices, biscuits are about sharing. Main notes of: bread, sugar, fire, pumpkin, cardamom

Kitten and the Falling Leaves (Alkemia) — An olfactory portrait of crisp dry leaves and warm musky kitten fur.

NRC Staff —

Dire Crowley

The Night-Raven (BPAL) — Indigo musk, wild plum, rose geranium, benzoin, night-blooming jasmine, and patchouli.

Prismatic Crow (Crow & Pebble) — Soft woods, dark forest fruits, dry pine needles, juniper branches and a wisp of smoke.

A Fine Gentleman (The Strange South) — Blackberry, licorice, wood shavings, bay rum, and clove.

Ravenous (Siren Song Elixirs) — Frost, Snow, Ozone, Birch, Cypress, Fir Needles, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Black Salt, Black Pepper, Charcoal, Sweet Milk, Blue Musk, Vetiver, Nag Champa, Mahogany, Narcissus blooms

Villain (BPAL) — A classic Victorian men’s cologne: a lavender fougere, with hints of lilac, lime, and citrus musk.

Divus Crewel

Hand Me My Leather (Hexennacht) — premium leather/suede accord, vanilla, benzoin, tolu balsam, Peru balsam, olibanum, amber, black pepper, cedar, sandalwood, tonka, musk.

My Curse (Stone & Wit) — Red wine, hyssop, cashmere, suede, musk

The Devil's Bentley (Pierrot Perfumery) — Coal, brimstone, car exhaust, black musk and 1970's amber cologne.

Wardrobe (Solstice Scents) — Creamy woods blend with cashmere, fur, velvet and a touch of dry woody spice.

Hexes 4 My Exes (Birch & Besom) — Leather, Earl Grey tea, vintage powder, crushed violets, cauldron smoke

Mozus Trein

1891 (Alkemia) — A delightful anachronism of French lavender buds, mandarin peel, lime leaves, bergamot, bay leaves, coriander, clove, nutmeg, ginger flower, pink pepper, elegant white carnations, heirloom tree rose, opium tar accord, and woody amber resin nestled in an embrace of precious oriental incense woods.

Beloved (Stone & Wit) — Apricot brandy, sandalwood, cedar

Vintage (Hexennacht) — Golden amber, Medjool dates, vanilla, amber attar, citrus, resins, Mysore sandalwood, opoponax.

Lucifer (Hexennacht) — White sage, blue musk, cedar, blackberry, black tea, bergamot, apple.

The Blues Are All the Same (Death & Floral) — Smooth vanilla cognac, aged barrel wood, and sticky honey.

Ashton Vargas

The Heartbreaking Simplicity of Ordinary Things (Death & Floral) — Freshly opened tennis balls, cool crisp meteor shower nights, warm and sweet cardamom

Black Mass (Hexennacht) — essentially, "MOON-mallow ": smoked vanilla, frankincense, Peru balsam, labdanum, amber, vetiver, atlas cedarwood, patchouli, night musk, and scorched marshmallows.

Greymist (Pineward) — noble fir, scotch pine, expressed citron, blond tobacco, botanical musk, vetiver.

Lothario (Wild Hybrid) — Night blooming flowers with a touch of campfire smoke and leather.

The Wolf Only Needs Luck to Find You Once (Death & Floral) — Crisp forest night air, lunar musk, large drifting Oakwood trees, the musky scent of a trailing shadow.

Sam

Spellbound (Lovesick Witchery) — Notes of cinnamon, bourbon, tonka bean, salted caramel, sandalwood, and vanilla.

Cafe (The Strange South) — Chicory coffee, hot beignets, and pralines.

Memento Mori (Siren Song Elixirs) — Lily, Tuberose, Forget-Me-Nots, Rain, Amber, Incense

Parlor Trick (Solstice Scents) — Ivory lace, white wax, aged paper, glossy white smoke, teak, black tea, blonde woods, delicate spice, bone musk, Manor and a faint trace of rose

Imp (Haus of Gloi) — Peculiar passion fruit mingling with sun cured apricots, perfectly pink grapefruit juice and innocent whispers of wet mimosa blooms.

Royal Sword Academy —

Ambrose the 63rd

The Mentor (Nui Cobalt) — A venerable wizard, mysterious but kind, with faded robes and shining eyes. Ancient sandalwood, well-worn linen, olive leaf, oakmoss, Earl Grey tea, and sacred temple incense. Wear for guidance in times of confusion, and for spiritual support in times of discouragement.

Wizard's Tome (Pierrot Perfumery) — An herby blend of sage, lavender, with notes of parchment and wet stone.

Wizard's Library (Birch & Besom) — Antique books, a smooth cup of hazelnut coffee, cedar desks, sandalwood, sweet tobacco

Nocturne #10 (Siren Song Elixirs) — Mahogany, Amber, Dried leaves, Vanillin, Fireplace Smoke, Coffee, Shea butter, Wood embers, Marshmallow

As Above So Below (Sugar & Spite) — Delicate, ephemeral lilacs, sweet swirls of cream, and mahogany wood

Chenya

Cereal Marshmallows (Hexennacht) — Cronchy, sugary, delicious. Also terrible for you, but OH WELL.

Pouty Kitten (Luvmilk) — Old fashioned cream soda, piles of sugared strawberries, a bowl of whipped cream, freshly cut grass on a warm summer day.

Cheshire Cat (BPAL) — Grapefruit, red currant, dark musk, Roman chamomile, delphinium, and lavender.

Lavender Sugar Cookie (Fable & Canon) — Soft, sweet lavender and rich vanilla folded into buttery sugar cookies.

Lofty Castle (Luvmilk) — Candied lavender, fresh honey, puffs of cotton candy, and raw sugar.

Neige Leblanche

Sit For a Spell (Sorce) — Salted cantaloupe, a light drizzle of wild rosemary honey, fresh spring air, ambrette seed, and winding honeysuckle vines

Lost in the Wood (Crow & Pebble) — A thicket of mossy silver birch, bluebell flowers and violet leaves crushed underfoot, with apple blossoms and elderflower blooming overhead.

Meadowmoss (Pineward) — Oakmoss, alpine sandwort, wild grass, green wheat, orange blossom, fir balsam, tomato leaf, azure bluet, mountain wildflowers.

Angelic (Lovesick Witchery) — Notes of sparkling yuzu soda, white tea leaves, mint, apple blossom, white sage, cedarwood, and angelic musk.

Good (BPAL) — Shimmering celestial musk with vanilla, white honey, acacia, and sugar cane.

Book 7 Characters —

Baul Zigvolt

The Faerie Knight (Wild Hybrid) — Tuberose, aged leather, helichrysum, cassie absolute, apricot, ethereal musk and tangled greenery.

Chevalier Vert (Olympic Orchids) — Citrus, rhubarb, tomato leaf, armoise, violet leaf, violet, orris, and peony, Sichuan pepper, and soft woods.

Luna (Laurel & June) — Crystal white amber, night blooming jasmine and lotus flowers; heather, fig blossoms, cool night rain

Stratus (Osmofolia) — Broken stems, ambergris, bitter galbanum, silvery osmanthus, wet stones, damp soil, glimpses of cherry blossom buds, and never-ending fog.

After the Night's Shade (Mythpunk Olfactive) — Earl grey (bergamot, black tea), 'blue' Spanish lavender, golden amber, osmanthus, rosewood, sandalwood, tonka bean, vetiver (Bourbon), aged patchouli, opoponax 216, pure oakmoss, and pine tree moss

Dawn Knight

Forest Prince (Luvmilk) — A woodsy clean scented blend of cedarwood, moss, hyacinth, sandalwood, and subtle musk.

Paladin (BPAL) — Immaculate white musk, sweet frankincense, bourbon vanilla, white leather, and shining armor.

Iron & Oak (Redwood Alchemy) — Oakmoss, Cashmere Wood, Iron, Lily of the Valley, Spice

Lost Epitaph (Mythpunk Olfactive) — Briar rose, narcissus, creeping ivy, crumbling headstones, cemetery rain

Apparition (Hexennacht) — Spectral amber, alabaster vanilla, bone-white woods.

Maleanor Draconia

Dragon Princess (Crow & Pebble) — Ocean waves, gifts of pink peony, waterlily blooms and ripe tangerines, underpinned by deep red amber and dragonsblood incense.

What's Inside a Girl (Sugar & Spite) — Smoldering embers, honey, clove, and wildflowers

Draconic Resilience (Nui Cobalt) — A stalwart spell for strength and reinforcement. Glowing embers of cedarwood, oudh, and mahogany, supple leather, copaiba balsam, vermillion musk, and heat.

Love is Lost (Sugar & Spite) — Dark plum, black vanilla, nag champa, indian sandalwood, cashmere, red patchouli, and smoky embers

She Was the Storm (Death & Floral) — Black hemlock, driftwood, hay absolute, dreamy sandalwood, spiced oudh, dried fruits, dead leaves

Event Characters —

Dylla Spade

Tulips and Chimneys (Alkemia) — An urban springtime of rainy aldehydes, wet asphalt, industrial steam engines, farmer's market bouquets of fresh tulips, Toulouse violets, mint pastels, and a warm touch of clove viburnum.

Odette (Haus of Gloi) — Clean sun dried linens, tuberose, ginger lily and white musk.

Meadow Nymph (Morari) — Wildflower Accord, Green Apple, Dew-Laden Grass, Lemon Peel

Night of Folly (The Strange South) — Exhaust, floral musk, and a Zulu coconut.

Street Racer (Cirrus Parfum) — Cherry bubblegum, leather car interior, newly laid rubber, hot tarmac, a tinge of anxiety

Eliza (The Ghost Bride)

Dance With Me (Possets) — Refreshing and refined at once. A superb coumarin-laced lavender combines with fizzy pink grapefruit, and it all rests on a bed of white musk.

Scenes From a Marriage (The Strange South) — A single violet rose, apple, champa flower, ylang-ylang, chipped paint, and dusty old picture frames.

Midnight Wedding (Sorce) — Bergamot, oud, patchouli, sandalwood, tonka bean, Ambroxan

Dead & Lovely (Pierrot Perfumery) — A flowery blend of jasmine, wisteria, lilies, corpse flower, and casket silk.

Forever As Now (Sugar & Spite) — Lavender, Tonka, French vanilla, sandalwood, Egyptian musk

Eric Venue

Private Eye (Solstice Scents) — Natural Blend of Cocoa, Myrrh, Pink Pepper, Black Pepper, Tonka, Buddha Wood, Tobacco, Coffee, Guiacwood & More

Invocation (Sugar & Spite) — Spiced brandy, toasted praline, pistachio and walnut, oak, mahogany, palm Santo and patchouli

World Famous For 15 Minutes (Death & Floral) — Sweet tobacco and vanilla, blended with a hint of violet and gin

Black Iris (Alkemia) — Royal purple iris and Queen Elizabeth orris root pillowed in a soft nimbostratus raincloud.

Sassy (Hexennacht) — glossy magazine pages infused with a wafting fusion of 90's scent strip samples. IYKYK.

Fellow Honest

Carnival of Illustrious Hearts (Alkemia) — A glitteringly gourmet gala of French sugarcreams, candied orange blossoms, raspberry cotton candy, rosewater torte filling, and Bourbon vanilla amber.

Mischief Master (Crow & Pebble) — A heart of carnation, orange blossom and rock rose atop a base of oakmoss and musk, topped with a burst of fresh, sweet orange and aromatic saffron.

Shadow Touched (Nui Cobalt) — A dusky philtre for stealth and sleight of hand. Black vanilla, unsweetened chai, antique myrrh, Omani musk, rich pipe tobacco, agarwood, and unrefined cashmere.

Lament of the Midway (Lovesick Witchery) — Notes of spilled cherry slush, bubblegum, black licorice, hay, dead grass, motor oil, cement and corn husks.

Widowmaker (Siren Song Elixirs) — Mirabelle plums, dark ripe fruit, black vanilla, gunpowder, black suede, hint of cotton candy

Gidel

Bubble Pop (Death & Floral) — Bright pink bubble gum, spiced apricots, lemon rind and bitter orange peel, red berries + bergamot.

Star Circus (Luvmilk) — Rich, creamy vanilla and blueberry.

Night Carnival (Lovesick Witchery) — Notes of funnel cakes, whipped cream, and a dusting of sugar sprinkles.

A Whiff of Wafflecone (Imaginary Authors) — Fragrance Notes: Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Saigon Cinnamon, Heavy Cream, Sandalwood, Orgeat, Scoop Shop

Boardwalk Sideshow (Birch & Besom) — Salty sea air, bright orchids, mint limeade, white musk, jasmine

Kifaji

Archipelago (Haus of Gloi) — Golden fruits from across the seas. Toasted coconut, kola nuts, tamarind and jackfruit - all warmed with a light dusting of brown sugar.

Helios (Osmofolia) — Honey, heliotrope, chamomile, lemon, mango, and white amber.

Alibi (Cirrus Parfum) — passionfruit, orange blossom, guava, strawberry yuzu lemonade, and a dash of coconut cream over a rosewood base.

Sun Gold (Laurel & June) — White amber, banana milk and honey

Sent From Heaven (Laurel & June) — Hibiscus blooms, rice flower, shea, faint bit of smoke, white amber

Marja Felmier

Villa Diodati (Poesie) — Pungent wild rosemary, fresh balsam pine, crystal clear lakewater, dry, and dark vanilla

Snowshoe Hare (Nui Cobalt) — Nutmeg and tonka bean nuzzle up against fluffy marshmallow, cottonflower, white suede, clove bud, cashmere, and a trace of carrot seed.

Winter's Lament (Deep Midnight) — Crackling Firewood, Cassis, Apple, Spruce, Balsam, Citrus, Dark Tea, Pinecones, and Sugar Crystals

Grandma's Best Friend (Deep Midnight) — Iris, Sandalwood, Heliotrope, Musk, Apple, Citron, Jasmine, Cedar

Orchard Brew (Lovesick Witchery) — Notes of candied apples, mulling spices, caramel apple cider, and dark amber.

Najma Viper

Cipher (Stone & Wit) — Lime, jasmine, spices, oud (black agar) accord, raspberry

Good Omen (Sugar & Spite) — Jasmine, pineapple, green apple, tart grapefruit, musk and sandalwood

Titania (Poesie) — Blonde woods, sparkling bergamot, orange creamsicle, magnolia, and stargazer lily

Pink Lipstick (Lovesick Witchery) — Notes of orange cream pops, sugar, vanilla bean, heliotrope, oats, pink velvet, whipped tonka, gilded amber, and fluffy pink musk.

Sitting On the Edge of a Cloud (Sorce) — Mandarin orange, pink grapefruit, cotton candy, coconut water, amyris wood, sandalwood, palo santo, ambrette, tonka bean

Rollo Flamme

C'est Noel (Sorce) — Coffee, freshly baked cinnamon bread, roasted chestnuts, blown out candles, lingering church incense, and softly falling snow

En Repos (Sugar & Spite) — A mélange of melancholy, indeed. Beeswax candles, church incense, pale musk, amber resin and funeral flowers.

A Midnight Dreary (Wylde Ivy) — Notes of scattered coffee grounds, cedar smoke, rum, well aged leather, black vanilla, singed tonka, dripping wax, with a touch of spiced amber and fireplace embers.

Cathedral (BPAL) — Venerable and solemn: the scent of incense smoke wafting through an ancient church. A true ecclesiatical blend of pure resins.

Dance of Death (BPAL) — Dry, bone-white orris, black musk, serpentine patchouli and our murkiest myrrh.

Skully J. Graves

Not Dead, But Arisen (Fantome) — Freshly turned grave soil and spring greenery lie beneath uplifting orange and crisp yuzu.

Cemetery Tour (The Strange South) — Osmanthus, crumbling stone, brick dust, moss, and graveyard dirt.

Lacrimosa (Sugar & Spite) — Blonde woods, heliotrope, a bouquet of dried, dusty flowers tied with tattered velvet ribbon, bone-white birch, guaiac wood, tears, and a pinch of graveyard dirt

Cemetery Soirée (Nui Cobalt) — A celebration of life in the presence of Death. Mossy stone walls, lanterns aglow, steam from a cauldron of hot spiced cider, funeral flowers catching rain from crimson leaves above.

Merry Halloween (CocoaPink) — The Pumpkin King comes to Christmas Town! A festive clash of holidays. Sweet pumpkin, salted caramel apples, candy corn, and night woodsmoke meets snowy mounds of vanilla ice-cream; wild pinyon pine, black spruce needles, cranberries and candied orange peel.

Website Links —

Alkemia

Amorphous

Andromeda's Curse

Birch & Besom

Black Hearted Tart

BPAL

Cirrus Parfum

CocoaPink

Crow & Pebble

Death & Floral

Deconstructing Eden

Deep Midnight

DSH

Fable & Canon

Fantome

Fyrinnae

Haus of Gloi

Hexennacht

Imaginary Authors

Laurel & June

Lovesick Witchery

Luvmilk

Morari

Mythpunk Olfactive

Nui Cobalt

Olympic Orchids

Osmofolia

Pierrot Perfumery

Pineward

Poesie

Possets

Pulp Fragrance

Red River Apothecary

Redwood Alchemy

Siren Song Elixirs

Solstice Scents

Sorce

Stone & Wit

Sugar & Spite

Sunsphere Scents

The Eyes Are Always There

The Strange South

Wild Hybrid

Wylde Ivy

[lil-dinopup]

Mahou NO Star Hana Chapter 4

Here's Chapter 4! Thank you for reading!

Read Chapter 3 Here

Summary:  Kohana Kousei was a 28 year old NEET, but not by choice. One day, the fairy Hanatora decides to help her. She gives Kohana a special collar and bracelets that let Hanatora transform Kohana into a beautiful teenage girl. Hanatora will do whatever it takes to make Kohana's childhood dream to become a famous actress come true, no matter how much magic it takes. This story is inspired by classic animes like Mahou no Stage Fancy Lala, Mahou no Idol Pastel Yumi, and Mahou no Tenshi Creamy Mami

Or you can read the story below!

      Today was the big day. Torahana had woken Kohana up with banana nut muffins and fluffy eggs cooked perfectly. Kohana’s nerves were all over the place, but the tiger fairy believed she would do great. After they ate the fairy transformed the human into her teen idol form. She had a tiger hair clip and a lily hair clip in her curlier black hair on one side. She had been magically put in an orange knitted cardigan with black fluff around the neck and sleeves. While the dress was a simple light yellow summer dress. Her shoes were some nice black boots. Torahana had made her look so pretty. 

      “Can I…. do you think you could stay in fairy form and come… Come with me?” Kohana whispered.

       The tiger fairy gave her a sweet smile. “Of course” 

       While they walked to the place, luckily Torahana was good at directions so the two managed not to get lost. Kohana was a little overwhelmed by the comments she got as they walked. She wasn’t used to people complimenting her or hitting on her. She did her best to ignore them and keep walking. Luckily she was able to hug the tiger fairy like a child carrying a comfort plushie. 

      The building where the auditions were taking place had a lot of teenage girls who were just as pretty if not more so. 

      She didn’t belong here, she wasn’t actually a teenager, she wasn’t actually as pretty as Torahana made her. What was she even doing here? All this was so stupid.

       But, hearing Torahana reassuring her and believing in her, made her want to try. 

       Filling out the information she gave it to the nice woman at the desk who had said she liked her stuffed tiger. It was only after she went back to the chairs Kohana realized she probably shouldn’t have used her real name. In the animes they always used fake names. But, it wasn’t like anyone in her real life would connect the dots. 

       “Your stuffed tiger is adorable.” The girl next to her said brightly. 

       The other teenager was pretty, she had messy light pink hair and bright green eyes. She wore a light green turtleneck shirt and a pink overall dress. In her messy pink hair there was a yellow bow hairband that kind of looked like bunny ears. She had a bee themed backpack purse and sticking out of it was a light almost white pink stuffed bunny, with pretty green eyes. Something about the other girl reminded her of something, but she couldn’t put her hand on it. The bunny looked like it was wearing some form of outfit but the bag hid most of it. The more she looked at it, the more the plush kind of reminded her of Torahana. It made her wonder if maybe the creator was inspired by flower fairies like Torahana to make it. 

      “Thank you…” Kohana whispered shyly, hugging Torahana closer.

      Before they could say anything else a man called “Sakuto Ukka.” 

      The pink-haired teen smiled at him “That's me!” With that the rabbit-like girl hopped off to the audition room. 

      “Sakuto Ukka… Sakuto could mean Cherry Blossom and Kindness or it could be written to mean Blossom and rabbit. Ukka means rabbit and flower too” Kohana hummed to herself. 

      It felt like forever before it was finally someone called “Kousei Kohana” 

      She was ushered to a familiar set up. It was just like that first time all those years ago 3 unfamiliar faces all staring at her ready to see her perform for them, ready to tell her she wasn’t what they were looking for. Who would want an invisible plain girl like her? They spoke to her but she didn’t really hear what they said. 

      It was supposed to be a simple commercial; she knew the lines. But, Kohana felt frozen. They were staring at her, it was different from before they seemed actually interested. Back then before, despite it having been her audition the strangers had been more interested in her prettier little sister. There was no one to take their attention away from her. She couldn’t stop shaking, tears started to form and she couldn’t breath.

      Not knowing what else to do Kohana did what she did best when problems happened. She ran away and hid. She found herself in the bathroom. Kohana tried to catch her breath as she stood in the stall hugging Torahana tightly. Her lily scent helped center her, and kept her grounded. The fairy tried reassuring her but Kohana struggled to listen to her, she had totally messed up and ruined everything just like the first time. 

      There was a gentle knock on the door. Kohana let out a startled sound. She clasped her free hand around her mouth hoping the person would just go away.

      “Tiger girl?” The voice was familiar. 

      Suddenly someone was on the ground looking under the stall. Pink hair, and green eyes. It was the bunny-like girl from before, Sakuto. 

      “Rough audition?” She asked in her cheerful voice. For a bunny-like girl she wasn’t that shy at all.

      She didn’t wait for an answer. “I messed up too. I got the lines all wrong. It was my first time auditioning. I ended up rambling about flowers and rabbits. And I forgot what the commercial was supposed to be about. But, there is always next time.” 

      Kohana felt a little odd, she wasn’t used to someone trying to comfort her, or be nice to her. She had always been the one who comforted the other person and her thanks of course would be, to have been forgotten the next day. She opened the door so the teenage girl could stand up. Kohana whispered timidly “Thank you” 

      “I love helping people and making new friends. Hey how about you we trade numbers? Now that we’re friends. You can call me Ukka. What’s your name?” 

      “Kohana” The adult who currently looked like a teenager found a phone being shoved into her hands. It was pink with a bunny on it. 

      Ukka was already going into her small simple black purse and pulling out the plain black phone. “Kohana is a very pretty name! Can I just call you Hana? I put my number in your phone.” 

      Not knowing what else to do Kohana entered her phone number in and added her as “Hana”. She nodded awkwardly, but she wasn’t sure if becoming friends with a random teenage girl when she was actually an adult woman was okay. She felt weird. Like this was all… wrong. Not that she was going to do anything to this girl. It just felt like she was lying.

      Ukka’s phone started to ring in her hands. It read “Asshole” That seemed to startle the happy go lucky teen and she snatched the phone away. “I gotta take this. Please text me Hana!” With that the girl ran off.

      “I never expected you to get the first audition cub. Now we know what we need to work on.” Torahana soothed.

      Suddenly there was a soft sound of bells and her bracelets were flashing. “What’s wrong?” The human exclaimed looking at her fairy friend afraid of what it could mean.

      “Magic only lasts so long before I will need to recast it. But, I think it would be best if you returned to your true form, that way you can go home more comfortably. Now that we know what you need to work on. We have a lot to work on. But, we can start that tomorrow. I hope you know cub, you did amazing today.” The tiger tried to reassure her. 

      The human laughed bitterly “I literally ran out of the audition room without saying anything” 

      Torahana looked at the phone still in Kohana’s hands. “But you made a friend.” 

[sonosvegliato]

you always rb fic recs but what’s YOUR favorite fic? one that you will reread forever?

*sweats* I know you just said one but I've been meaning to do this for ages, to contribute to the greater good of this fandom, but the problem is I go so far down the bookmark/history rabbit hole I get sucked in all over again. Me and my bookmarks are like a squirrel and its acorns; I save 'em up then forget about them and years later it's like I've been blessed with a flood of good fic food.

been a number and a name by WynterSky and everything else by them. I love this fic. I love this author. I feel lucky just to have stumbled upon any of their work---their 1990s Tim/Kon work lives in my heart and I'll highly suggest it to anyone to give it a shot, even if you're not a fan of ships or TimKon. My bookmark note: CREAMY ORANGE POPSICLE OF FICS TRY TRY TRY

The Power of Family and This Stalker I Found by JackHawksmoor. Bookmark note:

hands in my hair mcfreaking incredible can i learn to write adrenaline scenes like this is there a course where is that course also i need to learn how to bedazzle a sash for this author a sash of wow so everyone knows wow WOW if anyone goes through my bookmarks click this one click this one i promise your circadian will be so messed up but you will like it you will mcfreaking enjoy the blurry word at hour 2 you will drink from the fountain of wow i feel like i'm on a rollercoaster like legit like stomach in my ribcage throw up out of excitement and also fear i've never actually been on a big kid rollercoaster ahHHHHH pacing flipping tables i don't know man I DON'T KNOW this is without words this is beat my fists through the fourth wall fall into the fifth dimension into the white water rapids that's where the fountain of wow comes from

READ THIS FIC

Anything by Vamillepudding. I am not subscribed to many authors, mostly because I'm forgetful, but I did remember to subscribe to them---and whenever I get a little alert my heart goes rahrahrah. Extremely talented writer.

Anything by incogneat_oh. One of the first authors I ever read; I found them over PINTEREST over a screenshotted tumblr post. I had no idea who this Tim character was, but thus my life was changed forever. Story in particular was Just Like You, but I read everything---and they have LOTS. God bless.

Obedience by Sohotthateveryonedied. I read lots from them, but Obedience I read very early into my tumble into Batman and it just sort of floats into my head from time to time, the way some fics do.

The Next Life by spqr. Another one that floats around the brain. Bookmark note: STUPENDOUS

contemplate the beauty of the earth by downwithtyranny. I'm a bit biased on this one, but it's short and sweet and pleasantly different. And written by a very smart person who I know for a fact picks up roadkill off the side of the road and fixes them up nice and pretty for study (if you ever meet a real-life-not-a-medical-doctor-biologist, you're in for a treat). Bookmark note:

Human achievement at its finest 👏 👏👏

s c i e n c e r u l e s

And for the holiday season---only you will have stars that can laugh by silverwhittlingknife. Though I did go through all their works---SUPERB Dick characterization.

[musekicker]

I was looking back at some old Winnie the Pooh drabbles I did because I was thinking about writing some more. And going over the drabble I wrote with a Tigger/Rabbit kid named Balla, I'm thinking of revamping her design a bit. I'm keeping the old ballet slippers as part of her feet in her design. But originally she was more Tigger shaped with rabbit ears and yellow fur. I'm now thinking of making it that she's more rabbit like and has a creamy shade of orange for her fur color instead of yellow. The ballet slippers would still be pink.

This redesign does give me a idea for a drabble actually. Balla wanting stripes like her other dad, possibly drawing them on.

Rabbit: Balla, you can't just draw on yourself like that! Balla draws on angry eyebrows over her eyes.

Rabbit: Balla!

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

Day 2 with Angel Reyes: Matching costume.

Warnings: nsfw, smut.

Word count: about 650.

Aurora says: this writing hasn't been edited, you may find some grammar mistakes, I'm sorry about that!

Gif credits: to @thedevilsmoonshine.

Masterlist. You can subscribe to my broadcast list, to be notified whenever I post a writing!

“Catch it!”

You throw him the basketball, grabbing it before it hits his abdomen. Angel looks really amazing with the white clothing and blue stripes of Space Jam and his Bugs Bunny's ears. That color suits him perfectly. But he's the one who is about collapsing, watching you stepping out from his room dressed with the same clothing but a little shorter than his, fitting your anatomy to perfection. Turning your back towards his and pumping your ass, you show him the fluffy tail on your Basketball's shorts.

“Damn, mami”. He whispers fascinated, hearing the ball falling and bouncing on the floor. “You sure you wanna go to the party…? I mean… We can play a match here”.

“Nah, I wanna be the drunk version of Lola Bunny and jump on Templo's table”.

“But I can give you beer and tequila”. He replies with a hoarse tone of voice, grabbing your waist to pull you closer. “And a better place to jump on”.

Chuckling and shaking your head, you lean over your tiptoes to reach his lips.

“If you're a buen conejo, I will let you dunk”.

When you reach to the party, you can see how upset Coco is because your custome it's amazing and he hadn't thought on something like that, so his girlfriend make him dress like Stitch as she is Lilo.

“Isn't that considered zoophilia, carnal?” Angel takes a drag from his cig, putting his free arm on your shoulders.

Lara and you laugh loud.

“You're an animal too, cabrón”.

“Yeah, but that isn't anything new. And my girl is a rabbit too”.

“Very appropriate to emphasize that you have a problem”.

Turning to EZ, you find him dressed like Jack Skellington.

“Where's Sally, ah?” Throwing him the orange ball, you hold Lara's hand, leaving away your boyfriend.

“Right here!” Rocio steps out from the clubhouse carrying three beers.

The three of you are like a triangle of trouble, making your boyfriends sweat when you meet.

“Ready to party, putitas?"

“Sé un buen conejo en mi ausencia”. You whisper to Angel, making him gulp. “And meet me in the bathroom in thirty minutes”.

You can't say that you're already drunk, but a little tipsy. Whenever you mix tequila and Angel's touches, you find happiness in your life. That's a fact.

His white short sweatpants are rolled down on his ankles, sitting on the toilet seat, while you bounce naked over his hard cock. Your boyfriend stretches your wall so easily, creating a friction and filling you up completely that only makes you need more, and more. His head is resting back against the wall, watching him with eyes closed and parted lips enjoying every move you do.

“Fuck, mi dulce… Take that fucking carrot like the good bunny you are”.

Your laughs sync with his flood the bathroom, stopping for a second.

“C'mon!” He complains chuckling. “Hop on my dick little bunny”.

“Angel, stop!” You laugh loud, resting your forehead on his chest for a second, feeling his fingers getting nailed on your hips. “You're killing my mood!”

“Nah, I'm gonna fucking kill you”.

With a quick move, he stands up carrying you to the nearest wall. Surrounding his waist with your legs, he slams his hard dick into your cunt once and again, making you scream out his name. His mouth collides with you, kissing you lustfully while his hands paws your breasts, squeezing and pinching your nipples.

The orgasms hit your anatomies between grunts and moans, being sure that the crew outside can hear you perfectly. That only makes it better. Taking your time to recover yourself from the tickles on your lower belly, he pulls his creamy cock out of your soaked pussy, having to put your shaky feet back to the floor.

“That's all Folks!” He laughs holding you into his arms, because you're not able to stand by yourself.

“Pendejo…” You giggle with a soft sob.

“I love you, mi conejita”.

[shilohsylvanian]

Maple Scottish Fold Cat Family

Release Date: 2017 in Japan. 2018 in UK/US. US names/Descriptions:  Father Theodore, Mother Georgina, Older Sister Miranda (purse), Sister Millie, Brother Jasper, sitting baby sister Daisy (orange), standing baby brother Alfie (blue), crawling baby sister Misty (pink) Georgina loves to make all kinds of gelato from the fruits that are in season. She even designs new ways to serve it! Everyone is always saying her gelato is delicious. Theodore is very good at giving directions. No matter where the villagers want to go, he knows just how to get there. He has a little notebook where he writes about all kinds of things that he sees when he’s out and about. Older Sister Miranda is cheerful and is always smiling. Everyone says talking to Maple Cat Older Sister makes them feel all warm and fuzzy. In contrast to the light mood she so often has about her, she loves reading engaging mystery novel. Millie is good at growing flowers and decorating with them. She likes to talk about her favorite hobby with her family and friends. Because of Millie, the Maple Cat family’s house is always full of lovely flowers. Jasper loves to read. He likes to read in the park and jump into the exciting worlds of his books. Sometimes he concentrates so hard on his books that he forgets where he is! Lately he has started writing stories of his own. Daisy loves music very much. When her sister Misty laughs or cries, she does too. But Daisy is different from Misty in one way – Daisy thinks loud noises are funny. Misty is afraid of loud noises – they make her jump. Sometimes she even cries. She’s the best of friends with her sister Daisy, and when Daisy laughs or cries, she can’t help doing the same. *I’m only missing the crawling baby from the twin sets, since I got my babies from blind bag series instead of the twin or standing baby (UK) set and the Older Sister from the Town Girl Series. Sets:

Family of 4 set, 2017/18 - includes mom, dad, brother, sister.

UK 2019 Fan Club Exclusive, Millie with umbrella (was a choice between her or a Hopscotch Rabbit)

Baby Band Series Blind Bag 2018 - sitting baby in orange playing trumpet. Baby Party Series Blind Bag 2019 - standing baby in blue with bouquet. Twin Sets 2018 & 2019 - sitting and crawling twins were released in 2018 with the standard bottle and pacifier, then in 2019 there was a relaunch of most current twin sets where they come with connectable riding cars or trains and a slightly bigger mold to help them sit up easier. Town Girl Series - 2018. Older Sister Miranda with purse. Creamy Gelato Shop - 2017 town series.-run by Georgina but does not include her. *stock photos from Official site, rest are mine.

[starstruck-thirst]

Pariston Hill: Cake Date

@asamino asked: could you write about Pariston feeding you cake, please?❤

SFW, Fluff

“I’m so glad you decided to come out with me,” Pariston said as he opened the bakery door for you to walk through. The warm smell of fresh bread with an undertone of sugar and cream wafted out at you, hitting you like a baked good truck. “I think you’ll really like this place.”

You chuckled under your breath at him as you walked through the door, “Thank you, Mr. Hill. I’m sure it will be lovely.”

He followed you into the bakery and took in a deep breath, smiling more sincerely than he usually did at the office. The inside of the bakery was painted with warm neutral tones and it made you crave bread even more than you already were. Pariston walked past you towards the counter. He looked so excited and his white suit made him shine in the neutral environment.

“I didn’t know you liked sweets so much, Mr. Hill.”

“Please,” he said turning to look directly at you, “Call me Pariston.”

You hadn’t been sure when he asked for you to come out to a fancy bakery with him if it had been intended as a date, or if he was just trying to find someone to go to with him. And even now you weren’t quite sure. Was calling him by his first name a sign of him trying to just behave normally outside of the office?

“Of course. You can call me by my first name too,” you responded after a pause that hopefully wasn’t too long.

Something in the way he looked at you made you feel like he was pleased. “Go find a seat and I’ll order.”

“Oh. But it’s so expensive. Are you sure?”

He nodded and motioned for you to go find a table before going to the counter alone.

Your heart fluttered a little bit as you did as you were told. Now you were sure it was a date, and you could feel nervous energy take over your mind as you sat down at a table near the window.

When was the last time you had even been on a date? Why would Pariston Hill of all people ask you out?

You could feel your mind swimming with uncertainty as you clasped your hands under the table and fidgeted with your fingers out of sight. You had too much nervous energy now and you really wished you had a way to get it out.

“Sorry that took so long,” Pariston’s sweet voice broke your concentration on wondering if the outfit you had picked today was nice enough for a date.

“Not a problem!” You said in a pitch that you instantly wondered had been overly cheerful or not. “What did you get?”

Pariston sat down a silver tea tray in front of you before sitting himself, being mindful to smooth his suit jacket down as he moved. The tea set was real china, white with hand painted flowers on the rims of the cups and serving pieces. “I hope you like black tea. I thought it would go well with the sweet cake,” he said with a smile.

His long fingers took the small china tea cup and placed it in front of you on its saucer before filling it with fresh tea from the pot that came with the tray. Every move he made was so naturally elegant that your fingers curled into your hands. Suddenly you were worried you’d pick up the cup and spill it all over yourself like an embarrassment.

“I like black tea,” you replied as he poured himself a cup also. You leaned over your cup to take in the rising steam that curled with the smell of dark leaves and perhaps a touch of orange citrus. “Oh. That smells lovely. Is there orange peel in this?”

Pariston’s eyebrow raised just slightly at your comment. “You have a good sense of smell for tea I see. It does. Just a little though, nothing over powering.”

Being more mindful of your own movements than you had ever in your life, you reached up and sprinkled just a little sugar into the tea. “I know you said the cake would be sweet, but a bit of sugar will help bring out that orange,” you explained, as if worried he’d take offense. Were you worried he’d take offense?

If he had it didn’t show, he took his own cup to his lips and took a small sip as he watched you prepare your own tea with an apparent, warm joy. “How delightful. I didn’t know anyone at the association shared my interest in tea and cakes. I should have brought you here sooner.”

The sensation of a small blush crossed your cheeks as you lifted your cup, the warmth of the tea spread over your cold fingers and making you feel just a little bit more secure. “Oh, I couldn’t come here out of habit. It’s much to fine for someone like me,” you replied before sipping the warm beverage.

The orange wasn’t apparent in the first sip. The warm and slightly bitter black tea came first, making your mouth warm. The citrus flavor curled in under that, more apparent in its presence after the initial bitterness. Something about the combination was perfect for the weather: the end of a warm summer and the beginning of a crisp fall. You sighed into the cup thinking about the feeling. “It’s perfect.”

A soft clink made you look up again as Pariston set his cup down gently, “I like coming here. But it is better with good company, and I don’t mind paying if you promise to come with me again.”

“Well… I wouldn’t mind coming back with you again but don’t you worry…” you trailed off as you set the cup down as quietly as you could, but it still seemed loud comparatively.

“Worry about what?” he asked with a slight tilt of his head making his golden hair brush over his eyes. His smile smaller now, with a bit of a curious twist instead of the pleased grin he had been sporting.

“Worry… that people will think we’re dating?” you asked looking at the tea tray and its beauty as a form of distraction. You made yourself so uncomfortable with your own question, how would Pariston feel hearing it?

“Your cake,” came a sugary toned voice at your side suddenly. The woman that had brought the cake seemed to fit the bakery well, you thought as you looked at her- your new distraction. She was warm and her smile as she set the plate on the table made you feel comfortable in the building. Or it would have if you could even feel comfortable in your own skin at the moment.

“Thank you,” Pariston replied as she nodded and left. “It’s cute, isn’t it?”

You managed to look at Pariston again before looking to the cake that had been left on the table. An innocent, white rabbit was sleeping on the plate that rested between the two of you. It couldn’t be bigger than one of your hands. “This is a cake?” you asked breathless. The smooth white of the rabbit shined under the sunlight that came in through the window.

“I was hoping you’d like it because it was cute,” Pariston replied with a laugh. “Tap it with your spoon.”

‘Is he making fun of me?’ you wondered as you gently picked up the spoon and turned it over so that the curve of it was towards the rabbit. “Okay…” you said and gently tapped the animal. It jiggled joyfully on the plate and you couldn’t help but to laugh and tap it one more time. “How is it a cake? It’s too cute to be a cake,” you mused out loud wondering how anyone could eat such a perfect thing.

“Oh, but it is delicious, I assure you,” Pariston responded as he picked up his own spoon. Smoothly he dragged the utensil through the rabbit, severing its head from the body. It was slightly scary, but at the same time the face staring at you from the smooth silver almost appeared as if it would pull itself out. As if in a lake. “Try it,” he commanded offering the spoon towards you.

It was hard to be sure but there was a good chance your face was completely red as you realized he intended to feed it to you. With only a slight hesitation you leaned forward and opened your mouth. Gently he guided the spoon into your mouth and waited for you to close your lips before sliding it back out of your mouth again.

The outside of the rabbit was creamy, with a bit of gelatin to help it keep its form. But the inside was a moist cake. Orange and spice mixed with the creamy outside and you wanted to get lost in the perfect taste that laid heavily in your mouth. Without meaning to you let out a low, delighted moan.

Pariston’s smile lit up again as he leaned his head on a hand watching you enjoy the cake. “I told you it was good,” he said before using the same spoon to scoop up the neck of the rabbit and slowly put it into his mouth. He made a noise of joy as well and you grasped your tea cup in both hands to allow the warmth to spread over your fingers again as you sipped the tea to help give you a moment to recover.

If it were possible for a human to melt in shame and thirst, you would have. On the spot. The tea couldn’t touch the thirst that was building inside of you, but you sipped it in hope anyway.

“Would it really be so bad?” he asked you as he took another dainty bite of cake, watching your reaction closely.

“Hm?” you asked setting your teacup down again.

He scooped another part of the rabbit and held it out for you to take once more. Dutifully you leaned forward and took it into your mouth. “If people thought we were dating?” he asked when your lips closed around the spoon.

You almost choked on the cake. He pulled the spoon from your mouth, resting it against his lips as he watched you sputter and cover your mouth. With an effort you managed to swallow the cake. “I-I suppose not,” you said wringing your shirt hem in your hands under the table.

Another laugh from across the table as Pariston lifted his cup once more. “Good. Then you won’t mind joining me tomorrow.”

You nodded taking your cup into your hand and sipping to clear the cake that had attempted to kill you from your throat.

Idly you did note, as the tea slid down your throat, that Pariston had been right.

The tea complimented the cake perfectly.

[diinofayce]

Shadows on the Horizon - 4

Pairing: Winter Soldier! Bucky Barnes x OFC! Layne Hardin | Word Count: 2,666 (I’m very amused that I ended on that) | Warnings: Language, ANGST, Layne falls off the wagon | A/N: I believe everyone needs to fall down once to pick themselves back up stronger. This is a sequel to my story Like A Whisper in the Night. | Shadows on the Horizon Masterlist

“Fuck,” Layne murmured.

“Friday! Any read on him?” Tony’s voice came billowing out from the other side of the floor as he landed in full Iron Man suit.

“It seems like he’s heading towards the living quarters, boss.”

“Shit!” Steve swore harshly and turned on his heel to bound up the stairs.

Layne’s hopes rose, she would be first to admit that she thought maybe, just maybe Bucky broke through and he was just going back to their room to take one of his scalding hot showers. The kind that made Layne feel the like the flesh was going to sear from her bones. And go to bed. It’s been a long day for all of them, bed with Bucky sounded so fucking amazing.

Layne rushed off after Steve, she knew she would never beat him up there but she would be hot on his heels.

They found Bucky in his and Layne’s room, Steve blocked the doorway with his broad frame which caused Layne to try and squeeze in under his arm, but he jutted his hip to the side and cut her off.

“Bucky?” Steve asked hesitantly to the man who had his back turned to them as he stared out the window overlooking New York.

He turned slowly and Layne stopped fighting to get under Steve’s arm. It was still the Soldier, his eyes as cold and expressionless as ever, the only read she could get on him was the confusion that tugged at his eyebrows.

“You always call me that,” the Soldier acknowledges and Steve softens slightly. Layne digs her nails into his elbow to keep him on alert, now was not the time to go soft, no matter how bad they wanted too.

“That’s your name,” Steve presses.

“That’s his name.”

Steve and the Soldier stare at each other for a moment, assessing one another, trying to get a read on the other’s next move. But they were too alike, trained by different people to fight in the same manner.

Layne finally managed to push herself in front of Steve. “Then tell us yours.”

The Soldier eyed Layne up and down, his gaze pausing on the handprint bruise that spanned her throat. It was already a deep purple with green around the edges, if he had squeezed any harder that would have been it, he would have crushed her throat. They both knew it, but she was ignoring it, looking past it like it was something completely trivial, like her brainwashed boyfriend didn’t almost squeeze the life out of her with his bare hand.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he responded stoically, turning to look back out the window.

He wasn’t dropping his guard, not by any means. He knew that Susanna and Sam had been portalled into the hallway in case everything went to shit. He knew that Stark hovered below the window line, the soft sound of his boosters giving his position away. He knew that Thor stood on the roof, waiting to give chase if necessary. He was surrounded in enemy territory, but he’s been in worse situations.

“In our room, James?” Layne asked, cocking an eyebrow and moving herself slowly to the side entering the room further.

“That’s not my -” he started, his voice still cold and monotone.

“I know it’s not. But you don’t have one, they only ever called you Soldat or Asset, and that’s not right. It’s not fair.” Layne was trying to put herself between him and the far wall. The wall that with one press of Bucky’s flesh hand would open and reveal the hidden arsenal of weapons. A literal smorgasbord of guns and knives and grenades. She didn’t know if he knew they were there, some deep-rooted muscle memory having brought him here to begin with, but she couldn’t take the chance of him getting into it.

The soldier ground his teeth together, not looking at her, not looking past her to the wall, just a steady beaded gaze out the window over the Manhattan skyline.

“I’ve seen you,” Layne continued softly, motioning for Steve to back off because she was sure his intense stance was only putting the Soldier more and more on the defensive. “I have. On the nights the nightmares are so bad and I wipe away Bucky’s tears, I can see you. I see you in his eyes and I know you saw me last night when they woke you up. Before they hurt you again. I know you saw me.”

“I am not him.” He gritted out once more.

“Yes you are and he’s you.”

“You’re just going to lock me away again.”

“What if we don’t have to?”

“Layne,” Steve hissed, a threatening edge to his tone.

The soldier finally turned to look at her. To actually take stock of the small woman in front of him, with her slim shoulders and narrow hips, limbs long and frail like a bird’s. Her chocolate waves were streaked with auburn highlights that caught like fire in the morning sun and were frizzing out of a poorly kept ponytail that sat high on the back of her head. His icy stare landed again on the bruise he placed on her throat, the blotchy purple standing out grotesquely on her creamy flesh and somewhere deep down inside of himself he felt a searing hatred for himself for doing that to her.

“You are James Buchanan Barnes and I love you. I love you so much that I will do everything I can possibly think of to make your two halves work as one if that’s what it takes. No one is going to lock you away, no one is going to put you in the dark. If I had known that was what was they had chosen as a solution, I promise you, I would have offered to find a different way sooner,” Layne swore vehemently. And she could see it in his eyes, the icy blue cold precision of what he had been trained to be, and the warm intuition and insight of the man Layne loved. Because as much as Bucky needed to hear that he wasn’t the Soldier, the Soldier needed to hear that he was Bucky, or at least someone.

The soldier closed his eyes and took a deep-drawn breath. It was the first break in composure any of them had really seen from him. He swallowed heavily, his Adam's Apple bobbing in his throat.

“You need to leave,” he said with finality, his voice coming out harsh and raspy like crunching gravel. The warmth that had been there for just a quick flash was gone from his eyes and Layne scoffed in disbelief, her jaw falling open and her hands falling to her sides.

“Well. No. You can’t just be here on your own. Like you said, you aren’t him. Only he gets to stay here,” Layne argued.

“I can stay. Being in here is probably better for him than the container,” Steve piped up and Layne shot him a venomous glare.

The soldier turned and eyed Steve up and down before nodding. “That’s fine, but she needs to go.”

Layne ran her tongue along the front of her top teeth, sucking on them harshly as she tried to bite back the hot sting of tears and rejection.

“Fine!” she finally snapped. Slamming into their shared bathroom she grabbed her overnight bag and then her guitar off the wall of their living room. “Fucking fine. Kick me out of my own goddamn motherfucking apartment. FRIDAY! Wipe all of Sergeant Barnes’ passcodes and prints from all of the safes!”

“Done, Agent Hardin,” came the AI’s reply.

With one last glare at Steve and the thing that was invading the body of the man she loved she turned like a hurricane and stormed from the apartment. Steve had to practically jump out of her way; Loki and Susanna still stood in the hallway, all three watching Layne warily like she was about to break or rabbit from the tower completely. Angry at Hydra, angry at the world, and angry at herself and her inability to keep her boyfriend safe she ducked her head against their stares and pressed her thumb into the handle of the door directly across the hall. It clicked, the little light flashing green before she threw it open and slammed it closed in everyone’s faces behind her.

It must have been Susanna that kept them from going after her because if anyone would know when to leave Layne alone it was Sue and if anyone could stop a bunch of overbearing superheroes that cared too much it was Sue. Susanna had been there through most of the rough patches in Layne’s life. First when Danny disappeared, and then with the ex-boyfriend, and again when everything with The Avengers and Bucky had gone to shit for a while. That wasn’t counting all the little times in between, the not-so-major life events that Layne might not have come out as unscathed as she had if Susanna Sweet had not been by her side. But Susanna was also very skilled at knowing when to give Layne space.

It was not a crowning moment of maturity and it certainly wasn’t the best way to handle the situation at hand. But she didn’t want to see their looks of pity any more than she wanted to deal with the cold, hallow, emptiness that sat like a heavy pit in her stomach. She looked around her old room, the one she hadn’t even moved back into since she left to go on tour a year back when she needed a break to sort herself out. As soon as she came crawling home she had moved into Bucky’s larger apartment. He hadn’t even thought for a moment about taking her back, it was instantaneous, all slights already forgiven on both sides.

Tony still had cleaners for all the empty rooms, so they didn’t go stale, so there wasn’t any lingering dust on the furniture. The furniture that he had let her pick out on her arrival, her old bright orange down comforter looked like it had washed recently, the bedding crisp and clean. Hooks for her guitars still hung on the wall, she wishes she knew that before she ordered new ones off of Amazon. Hanging her cherry red Paul Reed Smith from the bracket in the hall she caught a look of herself in the mirror and was startled to see that she was crying.

Dropping her bag at her feet she swiped harshly at her face and sniffled softly because now that she was aware she was crying she was finding it hard to stop. She observed herself in the mirror, the face-framing of her brown hair pulled free from its hair tie and sticking to her damp cheeks which were flushed pink with anger and pain. She had dried pine sap crusted to the shoulders, back, and ass of her uniform from sitting in that goddamn tree and she was sure if she reached up to check it was probably matted in her hair too. She could see why everyone kept staring at her neck, it looked bad, hurt like hell - but not as much as her heart. She didn’t heal as fast as the boys, already the super fiscal cuts and the burns from the chair had already healed on Bucky, she’d have this bruise for at least a week.

What she hadn’t noticed, until now, was the amount of blood that was crusted to her from after she returned to her body to rush into the compound with Thor in her attempt to save Bucky. Too late, she had been too late. Maybe if they could have gotten to him before they stuck him in the chair? No. He was just as dangerous after the words and before the chair. The important thing was that they had killed all the Hydra operatives before anyone had given the Winter Soldier a mission. She had killed Hydra operatives. Tackled the scientist at the switch and pressed a pistol between his eyes and fired. That was probably why Bucky was being so compliant, everyone who was supposed to be giving him orders was dead. But she was still too late. She should have just sent Thor in, lightning flying, stealth be damned. Maybe they wouldn’t have had time to finish the words, could he be half activated?

Screaming once more in anger and frustration she ripped the mirror from the wall and threw it across the room where it shattered, silver glass tinkling sadly to the floor. Grabbing her go bag she stomped into the bathroom. She had done that too much in this room, shatter mirrors while trying to repair her shattered heart. The only difference was you could always buy a new mirror.

Stripping off her combat suit, she started the shower and immediately stepped in. Bucky needed his showers scalding hot, all the time, the heat that flayed the skin from your bones if you weren’t careful. But she understood that lived with that, after decades of being stuck in cryofreeze there was no way she could ever expect him to take one of her showers. Layne needed the water like ice when she got like this. It made it so she could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest, could feel the air ripping through her lungs as she raggedly gasped for breath. The water pelted onto her bare back, finding cuts she didn’t know she had, numbing bruises she knew she did while leaning forward - arms outstretched in front of her - holding her body up with the wall.

It was there she let herself fall apart and break. Crumbling disastrously as she clawed fruitlessly at the tiles until her nails, soft from the water, gave way and bled. She screamed at the shower wall, screamed at the gods, screamed at herself. This should have been different, she should have been better, she should have never come back. All she did was poison and hurt everything, she was in charge, her soldiers should have come home safe and in one piece. But now her soldier, the most important one of them all, was broken in two all over again. All because of her.

Layne turned the water off when her fingers stopped bleeding and started turning blue and she couldn’t get her teeth to stop chattering. Stepping out she realized there were no towels and numbly threw on what clean clothes were in go bag over her dripping form, the clothes instantly soaking and sticking to her skin. Layne stared at the toilet, wondering how thorough Tony’s cleaners were as she reached out with shaking hands and lifted the lid from the tank. Licking her lips with a feeling of regret and trepidation she reached in and pulled out a tied off plastic liquor store bag. Untying it she pulled out the 750 of Jack Daniels and set it down on the closed toilet lid. Slowly she sank down to the tile bathroom floor and pulled her knees to her chest, staring at the bottle of amber liquid that had been her fall back for so long.

It was like an affirmation, like it was okay, just this once. Because it was still here and accessible and no one was here to tell her no. There was no sponsor, no Bucky, no anything to tell her to just be strong. Before she could talk herself out of it she reached forward and snatched the bottle to her chest, ripping the plastic off and breaking the seal on the cap. She pressed her lips to the lip of the bottle and froze, blinking once at the tile wall of her bathroom, contemplating for a just a second about what she was doing, before tilting her head back and letting the amber liquid burn a path down her throat.

[prcdigia]

really  LONG  CHARACTER  SURVEY.   RULES.  repost ,   don’t  reblog  !    tag  10  ! good  luck  !   TAGGED.  found it !   TAGGING.  all of ya !

BASICS.

FULL  NAME :   Sherry Birkin. NICKNAME / ALIASES :   Agent Birkin, Supergirl, Cherry, Little Miss, Raccoon Survivor, Test Subject AGE : 26 years [ verse dependent tho ] BIRTHDAY :  March 7th, 1986 ETHNIC  GROUP :   American RACE / NATIONALITY :   Caucasian / American LANGUAGE / S :   English, bits and pieces of russian, chinese and german SEXUAL  ORIENTATION :   Heterosexual ROMANTIC  ORIENTATION :   Heteroromantic RELATIONSHIP  STATUS :   Single / Verse dependent CLASS :   Middle class HOME  TOWN / AREA :   Raccoon City / The outskirts of Arklay CURRENT  HOME :   There’s no such thing she can call a firm home atm but the DSO’s offering different places for her to stay [ motels, cabins etc. ]. She’s usually kept under strict surveillance by the government, however. PROFESSION :   US government agent [ unknown agency, ?-2012 ] ; DSO - 'Division of Security Operations' agent [ 2012-to now ]

PHYSICAL.

HAIR : Flaxen-haired, short with bangs, slightly curvy. A little bit longer than a pixie cut. EYES :   Azure blue and bright, adorned by long, spidery lashes. Usually optimistic or gentle. NOSE :   Small sloped, ordinary, knobbly at the peak FACE :  Delicate, with soft & youthful features; middle-high cheekbones and a gently pointed chin; eyebrows are semi-thin, trimmed in a natural way & expressive LIPS :   Sharp, semi-full lips; upper lip is thinner COMPLEXION :   fair && smooth, almost porcelain-like, giving a false indication toward her age, her skin is thin enough for her veins to show through sometimes BLEMISHES :   Slight freckles scatter across her nasal area && cheek bones, though they’re only to be seen from close-up SCARS :   None. Or at least none of them are visible to the plain eye due to the G-virus' infection meddling with her DNA. TATTOOS :   None so far HEIGHT :   5’4" [ 163 cm ] WEIGHT :   103 lb [ 47 kg ] BUILD :   Fit, Athletic, Tiny / Something between Ecto- & Mesomorph/ Curvy but slender. An all around petite figure, which is quite beneficial for both her speed and agility in order to execute smooth combat moves FEATURES :   Nothing extensively peculiar except for the fact that despite how many scratches and wounds Sherry has sustained over the years, they've all healed well and left no traces for the raw eye to be seen. She's also very pale, not in a sick but distinctive way. ALLERGIES :   A mild form of hay fever USUAL  HAIR  STYLE :   Mostly smoothed with some parts being curvy; a little touseld, but all in all nothing out of the ordinary. She likes to keep her hair style sportive but simple. USUAL  FACE  LOOK :   Focused, determined, optimistic, thoughtful, melancholic, kind, caring, maybe even judgmental sometimes, although she really never does judge a book by its cover. USUAL  CLOTHING :   Formal when on duty, a white shirt with green capris, turtleneck sweaters & leggings, coats, something casual & comfortable, though she doesn’t mind to dress playful or elegant as well. She usually always wears a azul scarf around her neck & brown boots if the occasion allows it

PSYCHOLOGY.

FEAR / S :  Mild form of Claustrophobia [ The fear of being enclosed in a small space or room and having no escape. ] Mild form of Achluophobia [ The fear of darkness. ] Mild form of Aichmophobia [ The morbid fear of sharp things, such as pencils, knives and especially needles. ] Severe form of Atychiphobia [ The irrational fear of failure or being incapable to help and protect. ] ASPIRATION / S :   To bring peace to the world & restore balance, not wanting to end up like her parents, to fight bioterrorism & live up to her childhood friends & idols Claire & Leon. POSITIVE  TRAITS :  Organized ● Holistic ● Commited ● Idealistic ● Empathetic ● Compassionate ● Firece ● Kind ● Reserved ● Determined ● Optimistic ● Artistic ● Intuitive ● Gentle ● Wise ● Loyal ● Selfless ● Romantic ● Reflective ● Profound  ● Trustworthy NEGATIVE  TRAITS :   Fearful ● Naive ● Overly trusting ● Sad ● Hurt ● Sceptic ● Self-Critical ● Stigmatized ● Mournful ● Gullible ● Anxious ● Self-doubting ● Emotional MBTI :   ESFJ / The Caregiver ZODIAC :   Pisces ♓ TEMPEREMENT :   Phlegmatic ANIMALS :   White Dove VICE  HABIT / S :  Tends to overthink her own actions a lot due to self-critical behavior / Keeps people at arms length sometimes in order to steer clear from the involvement of personal feelings FAITH :   She doesn’t believe in God or the church or any other beliefs but she believes in fate GHOSTS ? :   Well, if there can be such things as  zombies & monsters . . . ? She probably does believe in higher forces the eye cannot perceive AFTERLIFE ? :   Yes REINCARNATION ? :   Yes ALIENS ? :   She finds the thought amusing but . . . no. POLITICAL  ALIGNMENT :   Liberal ECONOMIC  PREFERENCE :   --- SOCIOPOLITICAL  POSITION :   Law Enforcer EDUCATION  LEVEL :   Upper secondary education

FAMILY.

FATHER :   William Birkin [ Scientist, Virologist, Biologist ], deceased MOTHER :   Annette Birkin, [ Scientist, Virologist ], deceased SIBLINGS :   None EXTENDED  FAMILY :   None she knows of NAME  MEANING / S :   Sherry is French for "Cherie"; Darling, Dear One & Birkin is a simple, english surname that is locational from a place called Birkin near Knottingley, in the county of West Yorkshire. HISTORICAL  CONNECTION ? :   None

FAVORITES.

BOOK :   Romance, Thriller, Fantasy, Action, Comedy, Tragedy MOVIE :   Disney Movies, sometimes love stories, sometimes crime or thrillers. That really depends on her mood. Though to be fair, she’s never really had the chance to watch a lot of movies in her life. 5  SONGS :   Supergirl ; Drama for life ; Heal my wounds ; I want love ; Broken DEITY :   Theia [ Titaness of sight and the shining light of the clear blue sky. ] HOLIDAY :   Easter & Christmas MONTH :  March SEASON :   Spring PLACE :   The beach at dawn or dusk, a lively room with broad, open windows, a balcony with view at the city lights below or the stars above, a market place or wild flower field WEATHER :   She likes all kinds of weather conditions; the rain on her skin, the sun warming her up again, a gentle breeze tousling her hair & the snow giving her a chilly sensation. SOUND :   A gentle breeze brushing the treetops & fields, the rush of ocean waves crushing against the shore, the sound of rain pitter-pattering against sturdy ground or the windows, the howl of a storm or the whistling of a gust, naked feet traipsing along cold linoleum, gentle & melodic hums. SCENT / S :   A flowery soft, feminine essence that lingers and leaves a gentle impression, notes of sandalwood and cashmeran ground. It can be an exquisite blend of mandarine, magnolia and cedarwood for the natural, playful occasion, or a little more complex in theory for the starry, elegant nights with head notes of bergamot and orange, middle notes of rose, gardenia and orchid; and base notes of vanilla and coconut milk. Overall, she usually smells sweet and delightful, like a flower field after the rain, brisk with a hint of untouched innocence. TASTE / S :   Something sweet that lingers but feels natural with a hint of sourness, like peaches or apples, kiwis & grapes. Sweet tea with fruits, green or jasmine tea, buttermilk & Orange juice. Creamy pies, hefty & extremely salty meals - she enjoys all of the sensations. FEEL / S :    Soft linen against skin, mid-warm water in a bathtub or a shower, firm but warm hands around her hips, a breeze tickling her neck, a mild summer night where the sun shines down her back ANIMAL / S :   Dogs, doves, horses, rabbits, storks NUMBER :   3 COLORS :   Light blue, sky blue, cerulean, navy blue, silver, white, grey-blue, beige

[dungeonsanddying]

Bargain Box Wands

below is my homebrew list of humorous but possibly useful wands, with some magical effects taken from wild magic lists. In the game I'm GMing, these can be found in the clearance bin of a wand shop, with only the price and physical description of the wand, and the players have to buy them and use them to see their effects. Anything that effects another person gets the chance to roll a will save. You are more than welcome to use these in your game, but please think carefully before including them, as there is a chance your players can find a loophole and tear apart your game. These should be primarily for fun, and probably aren't for serious game. ---------------- Blueish green iridescent peacock wand - gave a third eye that allowed caster to see auras (alignments) for 6 seconds. Might be false. Peach colored wand - gives the target permentant horns / antlers of GMs choosing Guacamole colored wand - makes the taste of drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth. The higher the caster rolls on a 1d20 the worse the taste is Twisted wood in a braided wand- gives the target a random hairstyle, the less they want it the sooner it will disappear a opal wand that has a toothy grin carved into it- gives the target cat fangs, giving them a bite attack of 1d4. Fades in 1d6 hours Crystal frosted wand- make a 10ft sq area snow and little baby snowmen come out to help you, they also call you dada Black grey ombré wand- creates a 20x20 ft fog cloud in a random direction Obsidian wand- takes a photo of what the caster is pointing at and prints it out Cotten candy pink fading into pastel blue- target turns into a baby for 1d10 rounds. Pink, black writing "RATZ"- summons 1d100 rats around you. They are not controlled by you Black, grey writing "BATZ"- turns the target into a bat for 1d6 rounds. 10% chance of also turning you into a bat for same amount of time A maroon knotted wood wand with three orange feathers tied to it- summons a random god, they may or may not respond A light colored wood with metal coiled around it- the target becomes illiterate for 3d4 days Pitch black wand with a glowing red crystal at the end: target is suddenly aware the next person they tell their name to will instantly attack them Navy blue wand with little pink elephants painted on the side- target hallucinates for 1d12 weeks A partially leather bound wand with a small hilt, with a flat sharp metal rod for 2/3 of the wand, and you know what it's a knife, its a fucking knife wand- summons a random knife object. (Object with a knife taped to it, E.G. a knife fish, which is a fish with a knife taped to it, or a knife gun) Silvery grey dragon hatching horn, with small grooves in it- Everyone in the party hears an announcer voice in their head, announcing what they are doing and critiqueing it. Lasts until combat is over or 1 hour, which ever comes first. It then gives a synopsis of what happened Radio antenna that you have to stretch out before you can use it- caster's arm stretches out (up to 50 feet) to bitch slap the target. Deals 1 dmg Olive green branch- random person polymorphs into something that rhymes with their name, or is a pun of their name Copper wand with a hollow copper hand at the end- Target becomes mute for 1d20 hours. Purple wand with three eyes, the two outer closed and the center eye open- The dm gives you three pieces of information (dm chooses what it is about), two are lies and one is the truth A gradient dark brown to pale flesh tone wand, with black markings scrawled across it- target gains one tattoo, of dm's choice. The target experiences all the pain of getting a tattoo at once, but the pain is completely gone by their next turn A blue wand with childish yellow stars on it, like a cartoony wizard hat- caster swaps all their spells with the target. If you do not have spells, you swap your feats for their spells or feats instead Black wand with completely transparent crystal for the center 1/3- random body part of target becomes invisible, permanently. Only works on each person twice This wand has the aesthetic of an angsty 2003 teenage garage band- freaky Friday !!!1!!! Caster switches bodies with a random creature nearby, DM can choose or leave it to the dice. Is reversed in 1d8 rounds An uncomfortable shade of beige wand- Target's face turns into that of Nicholas cage's for 1d20 minutes A charred husk of wood- a random object within 40 feet of the caster shrinks Slightly translucent brown wand, with the tip a creamy color, and little lighter brown spots throughout- changes what ever the person is holding into a mug of beer. The person gets a will save to resist it A dark green wand with small runes that is slightly sticky: reverses your alignment for 1d6 days (e.g. Lawful good would be chaotic evil). The person can then choose to keep it or revert back. Cannot be used on an unwilling person more than once A white wand with blue horizontal stripes, and three holes cut out- you turn into paper for 1d6 rounds. From head on you are nearly invisible (seeing as you are paper thin) but you are highly vulnerable to fire and your weapons do no damage, except to rock Light yellow wand with brown ends, and brown spots- one random person around you (including yourself) falls over Two rusty orange wooden wands, bound together by a chain- creates a doppelgänger of the caster, who can communicate telepathically with the caster. I roll to see the doppelgänger's alignment and if they will help your group or cause you trouble. HP of 2 A wand completely covered in soft creamy down feathers- random item in target's possessions sprouts wings and flies away. If the item is grabbed the wings disappear Ten twenty sided dice, all glued together- target suddenly has a vision of the players sitting around the table. They hear who ever controls them saying the action they just took, and starts describing them hearing the controller describing them hearing what the controller is describing them hearing what the controller is describing them hearing... then their sight flares red, and the vision ends. Roll a will save for how they take this info Slightly transparent white wand, with golden glitter in it- Caster can see ghosts for 1d4 hours. Ghosts may be friendly, neutral, or aggressive. Orange wand with darker orange stripes and a white underside- Target smells of catnip, and nearby cats will casually swarm around them for 1d6 hours A sky blue wand with a internet explorer symbol carved into it- After using it, the sound of an action preformed by someone in the next round will be delayed for 1d4 rounds. The caster chooses which sound, and it has to be something they know is coming (e.g. A teammate telling them they will clap next round) A oak wand with a carved sad dog head at one end, and has the words "god damn it Sarah McLachlan" painted on the side- Target begins crying for 1d4 rounds. Roll 1d20 to see how badly they are weeping. A fucking rad lookin glow stick-for 1d20 days the target becomes a living glowstick. Any time they get injured the area around it begins to glow a neon color, like cracking a glowstick. A shimmering black twisted wood wand with a quartz crystal at the tip- Random person in area can now only speak in rhymes for 1d4 hours. A wand made of malachite carvings of spiders, snakes, and wasps all intricately layered-Target gains 1 phobia of GMs choice (players wishes can be considered). Can only be used on the same person twice. A rubber chicken on a stick- the wand spews out 1d10 x 30 feathers up to 30 feet. Doesn't cause any damage. A vial filled with clear liquid, with a button on the side of it- The liquid becomes a random magical potion, good or bad. GM can choose or leave it up to fate. A boring ass black wand- User has X-ray vision for 6 seconds. GM can decide when an object is too thick to see through. A soft grey wand with buttons 0-9, with each of the buttons also having 3 letters, like a flip phone- player can take a few moments to type a message to send to anyone they know who has a blank piece of paper available (journal, scroll, etc all work). The message then appears on the paper, and the sender can decide if it makes a notification sound or not. Depending on the length of the message, it takes a different amount of time. For 3 characters or under it is a swift action, for 10 characters or under it is a standard action, and for 20 characters or under it is a full round action. There is a maximum of 100 characters available per each use. An extremely old yellowed wand, with a wine colored leather hilt. There is a ominous feeling to this wand- the target/s (can target up to 5 people) and the caster are transported to a different world, that of a common story book of the GMs choosing. They must try to make it to the end of the story alive to escape. The people may change species / gender, but they will be able to communicate to the others. (Some story ideas: Charlotte's web, the tale of peter rabbit, Charlie and the chocolate factory, green eggs and ham) A sea foam green wand with little fishes painted on the sides- Target grows gills for 1d6 minutes. Can breathe underwater and in air. Roll 1d20, if 20 you also grow a little dorsal fin, shark tail, and connective tissue between fingers and toes to allow you to double your speed underwater. These modifications are now permenant. This wand appears to be a bone from a human ribcage. Curious.- Target forgets their name and profession for 1d6 hours. Player to the right decides what they think their name and profession is. If the wand is used on a NPC, they still know what they are currently doing (trying to kill the players for example). With NPCS the gm can choose which player to pick the new info, so it isn't always the same person. A carmine pink metal wand with a large crystal ball at one end- tells you one thing you missed in a situation 24 hours or more before.

[darisu-chan]

The Price of Love, 4

Postlude

“This is nice.” Rukia murmured as she pulled Ichigo closer to her, their naked bodies becoming more entangled.

“Yes, it is.” Ichigo agreed, nuzzling her head, and grabbing her by the waist. Rukia’s hair tickling his chin.

Almost four years had passed by since Ichigo and Rukia had graduated from high school and had started their college lives. They had gone to Tokyo, each renting different apartments, but close enough so that they could still see each other daily. Their lives had changed in the sense they were more independent now, but had more obligations than during their high school lives. They were also pretty much by themselves, with Byakuya rarely seeing Rukia even if they now lived in the same city. In this way, they had managed to continue living in their fantasy, ignoring the harsh reality. Nevertheless, with the four year marked approaching, they couldn’t ignore it anymore.

“I wish we could stay like this forever.” The young woman mentioned, as she gently drew patterns on Ichigo’s chest with her finger.

“Me too.” Her lover said in return, kissing softly her neck.

She laughed. “Stop it.” She said noncommittally.

“I don’t want to.” The man whined, eliciting a chuckle from his girlfriend.

“You’ll have to, Ichigo. I’ve got two essays to finish before the deadline.”

“I had forgotten how much of a nerd you are.”

“Ha, ha.” Rukia laughed sarcastically. “Don’t make fun of me. You should do your own work as well.”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me.” Ichigo grumbled, and Rukia took the opportunity to stand up.

He couldn’t stop staring at her. She was so beautiful, standing naked before him, with the sun setting in the background. He licked his lips. Her skin was smooth and creamy. Her legs were long and firm. Her neck elegant. From where he was laying, he couldn’t see her breasts clearly, just the outline of them, which was enough. He knew that they were small but perfectly rounded. They easily fitted his hands. His eyes roamed her behind next. Her butt was firm and round, like a peach.

He grew hard.

“Rukia.” Ichigo said, voice husky and demanding.

Rukia turned to look at him, and gave him a challenging gaze. “Yeah?”

“Come back to bed.”

She smirked. “Make me.”

Never one to say no to a challenge, Ichigo stood up and grabbed her hips, pulling her back to bed as she laughed. He started tickling her as punishment for daring leave his side. She kept laughing, but then started moaning, when Ichigo’s hands started massaging her breasts, and his mouth left wet kisses on her stomach.

“Ichigo.” Rukia moaned as the man continued with his ministrations, now kissing her nipples. She grabbed his hair, and directed him where she wanted.

“Don’t be so impatient.” He chuckled, as she huffed.

“Then do what I want.”

“Of course.”

He then kissed her passionately, in the way she had always liked it. It was the kind of kiss which made you close your eyes, and enjoy the ride as it lifted you up higher and higher. As he kissed her, his hands traveled south, rubbing and caressing her where she was most sensitive. Finally, he reached that spot which drove her crazy, and started rubbing her.

After so many nights together, Ichigo was quite familiar with the way Rukia liked to be touched. Making love to her was a privilege, and he always strived to make her feel amazing. He continued kissing her and touching her in ways only he could, memorizing the sounds she made every time. Rukia, likewise, etched on her memory how he made her feel, and how it was like to be loved by him.

Her back arched when he finally entered her, and Rukia moaned his name, as Ichigo grunted. They pulled each other closer, as close as they could be, and the dance started. He never stopped kissing her, and she never let go, not even when both had reached their climax, and had collapsed on the bed, spent and sweaty.

“I love you.” Ichigo said affectionately, playing with Rukia’s short strands of hair.

“I love you too, Ichigo.” She replied, caressing his cheek.

Days like this one were often the norm. The two spending every waking moment together, knowing it could be their last. As much as they tried to ignore it, reality was always at the back of their minds, like a ghost which haunted them. It was obvious that at one point the pressure would be too much, and one or the two of them would snap under the pressure. This event finally occurred that very night, as they both tried to concentrate on their works, but Ichigo’s mind had been elsewhere.

“In a few months we’ll be graduating.” He mentioned, interrupting Rukia’s typing.

“I can’t believe it. Seems only yesterday we were still in high school.” She replied with fondness, thinking about those days in Karakura.

“We were kids back then, and now we’re adults.” Ichigo said sadly.

Rukia snorted. “We’re not that old, Ichigo. You’re twenty three and I’m twenty two.”

“Still, we’ll soon face the real world. We won’t be able to afford being careless anymore, Rukia.” He said dejectedly.

“What is this really about?” She finally asked.

“In a few months, we’ll have to break up and you’ll marry Kaien.”

Ah. Of course.

Rukia sighed. “Don’t remind me. I wish it wasn’t happening.” Denial was bliss in that little world of hers.

Ichigo scooted closer to her. “Do you regret it? Being with me, that is.”

She shook her head. “Never. Don’t even think about it.” After a few seconds of silence, she added. “Do you regret it?”

“No!” The man exclaimed. “It’s just that sometimes I wish we’d done it differently, y’know?”

“Oh, I know. If I hadn’t been a noble, if we had met as regular high school students, if we hadn’t needed to conceal our true feelings, if only I wasn’t engaged to your cousin.” That was the harsh truth.

“I wish you could decide what you want, Rukia.” He said, taking his lover in his strong arms. The young woman hugged him back.

“So do I. Sometimes I feel guilty.”

“Why?” He shifted so he could look at her.

“I’ve been cheating on Kaien-dono for six years now.” It was the first time Rukia had admitted it out loud. The affirmation stunned them into silence.

“And I’ve been in a relationship with my cousin’s fiancée.” Ichigo replied dryly.

Rukia laughed without mirth. “What a pair we make!”

“I’d still do it all over again if I at least got the chance to be with you for six years.” He confessed, and the woman immediately kissed him softly on the lips.

“If there was a way out of this, believe me, I’d take it and be with you.” Rukia’s words sparked something in his mind, memories, more precisely, of when he had been fifteen and had just discovered he was a noble. His father’s words resounded in his ears. Isshin had found a way out.

“There is.” That phrase resounded in the otherwise silent room.

“What?” Rukia said perplexed.

“My dad got out of an arranged marriage. If he did, you can.”

“I see where this is going.” She said. “But I can’t.”

That wasn’t what Ichigo wanted to hear. “You can’t or you won’t?”

“Ichigo, what your father did wasn’t that easy. He left everything behind, not only his position, fortune and name, but his family too. He hid his true identity from you for years. And even then, it wasn’t a true act of rebellion. The Shiba Clan let him go.”

“What do you mean?”

“You think they’d let their Head go without a plan? No. It was good that your father had a brother, one that the elders obviously liked more. If it wasn’t for that, he wouldn’t have been able to escape. That’s why my father bent the rules to marry my mother, knowing there was no one else but him. I don’t have any siblings, Ichigo, not first cousins. It’s basically only me. If I left, there’d be no one. The elders and my father would pursue me to the ends of the world. I just can’t run away with you.” Rukia explained as best as she could, trying to make him understand.

“No, I get it. You have chosen duty over love.” He said, standing up.

“Ichigo.”

“Just because you’re too afraid of letting your father down, you’re not willing to try and change your destiny. But I’m not afraid. I will find a way, Rukia, and you can’t stop me.” With that said, he left.

“Ichigo! Wait!” Rukia shouted but it was too late. He was gone. “Damn it!” She cursed and punched a pillow. Things were rapidly crumbling down.

Although Ichigo had told Rukia he’d find a way to stop the marriage from taking place, he didn’t know how or where to start. Truthfully, he was still pretty pissed at Rukia for not fighting for their future, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss her very much. Just two days after their fight, and he was already feeling crappy about not being able to talk to her or see her. He wouldn’t survive it if she got married.

Sighing and frowning as he sipped dark coffee in the cafeteria was how Abarai Renji found Ichigo. Renji, who had been his friend since freshman year of college, knew what was wrong. It was weird to see the orange haired man before him without a certain petite woman who was fond of rabbits. He instantly knew they had fought, which was definitely nothing new, except for the fact they usually made up the same day. The fact Ichigo was alone and brooding meant they hadn’t made up quickly this time.

“Problems in paradise?” He jested, as he sat down on the same table as Ichigo.

“I’m not in the mood for your lame jokes, Renji.” Ichigo answered.

“Whoa, you sure are moody today. What’s up? Rukia didn’t let you choose movie night?” Renji was not blind. From the moment he had met them, he had quickly realized they were an item even if they said they weren’t. He had noticed this because he had had a crush on Rukia the very moment he set eyes on her, only to find out she was more than likely already in love with Ichigo. Regardless of that situation, Renji had gotten over his crush, and became good friends with them. For whatever reason, they chose to hide their relationship and Renji respected that, barely commenting on it. Unless he needed to get a point across.

“It’s not about Rukia.” Ichigo denied.

“Oh, so it is! What did you do this time?”

Ichigo scoffed. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Uh-hu.” The red haired man said. “Like I’d believe you.”

“Whatever.” Was the dry response.

“Look, I don’t mean to intrude─”

“You’re doing a pretty good job about it.”

“I don’t need your sarcasm, Ichigo! What I mean to say is that if you have problems with Rukia, just talk to her. She’s stubborn and possibly more thick-headed than you, but she’ll listen if it’s you. You’re her weak spot, man. And it’s time you realize it.” Renji said earnestly. Those two were probably the only people he’d met who didn’t judge him because of his low background or the many tattoos he had. He’d do anything for them.

“Thanks. You’re awesome, Renji.”

“Hey, now, don’t get all mushy on me, bro, I don’t swing that way.”

“Shut up!”

Listening to Renji’s advice, and realizing they were wasting precious time together, Ichigo, as Renji would put it, grew some balls and went to Rukia’s apartment that very evening with a box of chocolates and a promise of watching the new Chappy the Rabbit movie Rukia had been dying to see for a while now.

“You’re such a fool.” She told him as he entered her apartment.

“I know.” Ichigo conceded and finally kissed her. “I’m sorry. We don’t have much time left, we should enjoy it while it lasts.”

Rukia happily agreed with that sentiment.

Rukia was having the most boring time in her life at a family gathering. Most elders and other members of the clan were there, including her father. She felt all their eyes on her, waiting until she made one mistake to scold her. Rukia, since childhood, had known what they all thought of her. She was that bitch’s spawn, who had come to infect the honorable Kuchiki Clan. They hadn’t liked Hisana, her mother, and of that Rukia was aware. They had delighted in her death, and probably were unhappy that Rukia hadn’t inherited Hisana’s sickness. They couldn’t get rid of her, though, for she was Byakuya’s only child ─he had refused to remarry after his wife’s death─, and as such, the only heir to the Kuchiki Clan. So, they could only content themselves with making Rukia as miserable as it was possible. Her manners, her physical features, her speech, intelligence, personality, and even her mere existence had been mocked for almost twenty three years. Seeing them all gathered in front of her disgusted her.

One would think her father, the Head of the Clan, would demand the respect his daughter deserved. Sadly, Byakuya had caused too much trouble during his youth, and had made a promise to his parents’ grave that he would never break the clan’s rules again. That meant not going against the elders, even if he had to watch his daughter suffer in silence. It was most unfortunate.

“How are your studies going, Rukia?” Byakuya asked his daughter during dinner, noticing her discomfort.

“Very well, father.” Rukia answered. “I will be graduating in March.”

That caught the attention of the elders. “Excellent! That means we can start planning the wedding. We must notify the Shiba Clan.”

That was right. The elders were the reason she had to marry Kaien-dono. She had barely turned fifteen when they were already saying that the Shiba Clan had promised the Kuchiki Clan a union, and now they could fulfill it by marrying their two heirs. The Shiba Clan had accepted, if only because having their heir marry the Kuchiki heiress would certainly elevate their status as a noble clan above the other three, for the Kuchiki Clan was always on top. Byakuya, because of his promise, hadn’t been able to refuse the offer, and thus had condemned his daughter to the situation she was in right now.

“Of course the wedding will have to be traditional.”

“And the ceremony will be held in one of our shrines.”

“The banquet needs to be exquisite.”

“The reception should be at our main manor.”

As the elders started planning, Rukia felt herself growing nauseous. It was finally happening. Her freedom would be over after March. She’d never be with Ichigo again.

She excused herself.

Rukia wasn’t the only one who had to deal with family dinners. Shortly after the Kuchiki Clan gathering, Kaien called him to eat dinner with him and his siblings. Isshin and the twins had also been invited. Ichigo dreaded seeing his cousin. It hadn’t been a problem at the beginning, not when they rarely saw Kaien at Karakura, and knowing Rukia loved him was enough. But as they grew older, and as the wedding date started approaching, Ichigo developed a grudge against Kaien. To an outside party, his feelings wouldn’t have seemed surprising, it was natural to dislike the man that could take it all away. Yet Ichigo was shocked to discover he harbored such hatred for his cousin, who had been nothing but kind and caring towards his family and him. He felt like a hypocrite too, for he had been sleeping with his future wife for years, while Kaien remained none the wiser.

“Welcome, welcome!” Kaien said as he saw Ichigo at the threshold of his manor at Tokyo. There he had lived with Kūkaku and Ganju until his studies and later his business had taken him elsewhere. Ichigo knew that he currently was living in his own apartment on the outskirts of Tokyo, though he visited his siblings often. “Your father and sisters are already here.”

The younger man nodded and followed Kaien to the living room. He observed him as they walked. Kaien hadn’t really changed through the years. He was just a jovial and carefree as he was when they first met. But he did notice that his eyes didn’t sparkle as much as before. Perhaps the stress of leading his clan was taking a toll on him.

“Ichigo! You’re late!” Isshin accused his son the moment the two men stepped into the room.

Said man rolled his eyes. “I’m here, right? That’s what matters.”

“I wish you hadn’t come.” Ganju muttered under his breath. He and Ichigo hadn’t stopped being rivals yet. The rest of the family knew they cared for each other, even if they denied it.

Suddenly Ganju was whacked with his sister’s prosthetic arm. “Don’t be rude, Ganju!”

“Yes, nee-san.”

The family caught up with recent events. Ganju wanted to start his own veterinary clinic. Kūkaku had been working on a new project which was top secret for one of the companies owned by the Shiba Clan. Kaien had been working in international law, and had been traveling to Osaka often for business. Meanwhile, Yuzu had started studying to be a chef, while Karin had taken into her father’s footsteps and was studying medicine. Ichigo told them he was going to be graduating soon, and was not sure if he’d stay in Tokyo or go back to Karakura.

“You’re going to be a detective. There’s more work for that here than in your hometown.” Kaien commented.

“Maybe.” Ichigo grumbled. His decision relied more in the fact of whether or not he could stay where Rukia and Kaien would be living.

Soon, conversation went somewhere else until it unavoidably landed on Rukia.

“So, what is this I hear about the wedding being soon, Kaien?” Isshin asked after dinner.

The conversation stopped an all eyes turned to the man. “Yeah, the Kuchiki elders are setting it in April.” He said sheepishly.

“Are you ready?” Isshin said rather seriously. “Do you know where you’re going to live?”

Kaien scratched his neck. “We haven’t figured things out yet.”

“You need to think about that soon.”

“We will.”

Things got awkward after that point. It was no secret that the Kurosakis loved Rukia as part of the family, but they all disliked the idea of her marrying Kaien out of obligation. Kūkaku and Ganju had similar feelings, believing this would just make their brother unhappy.

“Anyway, who wants wine?” The host asked, and all of his guests said they wanted that beverage. “Alright, be right back.”

Ichigo stood up. “Let me help you.”

They walked in silence until they reached the cellar. Once there, Kaien, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, turned to look at him and crossed his arms.

“Well, speak.”

“What?” This bewildered Ichigo.

“I’m not an idiot, cousin. I know you wanted to talk to me in private and that’s why you followed me, so speak.”

The younger man shook his head. “Nothing escapes you.” Then he sighed. “Are you really going to marry Rukia?” He finally asked.

“What do you mean? Of course I’m going to marry her.” Kaien answered.

“Then, do you love her?” Ichigo asked, again surprising the other man.

“What?” He said, dumbfounded.

“Do you love her, do you have romantic feelings towards her?” He repeated.

“I’m not gonna lie, I care for her. But I don’t love her like that.” Kaien said sincerely.

“So are you happy with trapping her in a loveless marriage?” That was the real reason for their abrupt meeting.

“Ichigo, what brought this on?”

“That she’s gonna have to marry you soon. That she’s gonna be stripped of her freedom, and become a housewife. She doesn’t love you nor does she want this life. She can’t fight back for some bullshit reason, but you can.”

“It’s not that simple, Ichigo. You wouldn’t’ understand. You didn’t grow up a noble.”

From where he was standing, Kaien didn’t look like the carefree young man he had met when he had been fifteen. He looked dead tired, as if he was caring all the weight of the world on his shoulders. Worst of all, he looked defeated, ready to embrace his dire fate, which didn’t sit well on Ichigo. It was wrong, and he was going to make him see it.

“I understand, alright. That you’re slaves to some old bastards. But I do know that you can fight back. You just need a reason, and I’m gonna give it to you. If you truly care about Rukia, you’ll find a way out.” And with that said, Ichigo left his cousin to mull over his words. He hadn’t noticed until later, he finally was taller than Kaien.

It was Rukia’s birthday, and she had decided to spend the whole day with Ichigo. They had gone to the movies, eaten burgers at the mall, went to the Chappy Store where Ichigo had bought her a Chappy ring and a Chappy plush with a party hat on, and finally they had gone to Ichigo’s apartment, where he had surprised her with dinner he had made himself. The day had been amazing, filled with fun and warmth. That is how Rukia would describe her days with her lover. Fun. Warm. As if she had been visited by the sun itself. And to think her days feeling like this were numbered… That brought her a sense of grief similar to losing her mother but different as well. She’d have to mourn the company of a man who would continue living, just not near her.

She sighed and blinked back tears as she played with the strawberry ice cream Ichigo had served her.

“What’s wrong?” He asked her once he piqued on her mood.

“Nothing’s wrong.” Rukia said, trying to smile. “This is perfect. You are perfect.”

“But?” He added, knowing there was more to it than she was showing.

The woman shook her head. Sometimes she hated how well Ichigo could read it. “It’s just sad, y’know? This will never happen again.” She gestured to Ichigo’s apartment and the dinner he had prepared for her.

Ichigo nodded as if he had been thinking the same thing. It was scary how attuned they were. “I know.” He sighed and started massaging his temples. “But this doesn’t have to end.”

Rukia blinked twice. “What do you mean?”

The man sighed. “I know I’ve asked you before, and I know your answer, but I’m gonna repeat it. Rukia, run away with me.”

She looked at him at a loss of words, then to the table, and finally back at him again. Other times he had insinuated running away, she had looked at him with resolve in her eyes and an answer in her tongue, but this time there was doubt in her. “I… I don’t know.” Rukia finally said, her heart torn between what she wanted and what she had to do.

This gave him hope. “We can do it. Kaien won’t force you to anything. He doesn’t have it in him. And even if the Kuchiki Clan tries to hunt you down, perhaps Byakuya won’t let them. I think he understands best than anyone what you’re going through. Maybe he’ll let you go. Perhaps he’ll change the rules.”

Rukia awkwardly shifted in her seat. “I don’t know… We’re working with a lot of possibilities here and not one definite answer.”

“That’s how life is. It’s all a gamble. You never know how’s it gonna be. That can’t stop you from living.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” She whispered, and crossed her arms around herself, creating a barrier to protect herself.

He chuckled. “You could never hurt me.”

“This is all so complicated. Why can’t it be easy?” Rukia complained.

“It can be.” He said simply.

“How?”

“Rukia, just think about what you want and decide from there.”

She didn’t have to think twice. “I want you.” Simple words that meant so much more. Him. A life with him. Marrying him. Having a family with him. Being with him always.

“Then the solution is easy. Let’s run away.” Ichigo proposed. They could run away back to Karakura or someplace else entirely. Japan was big enough to hide them.

“Okay.”

And that’s all it took.

Their plan had not many details. It was very simple, actually. They would wait until their graduations. Once it was over, Rukia would leave a letter for her father explaining her situation and decision. Then, the two would move far away from Tokyo and start over. They hadn’t told Ichigo’s family yet, but he was sure his father would understand. They would start working, and rent an apartment for themselves. In a few years, they would get married and no one could stop them. Now, their destination hadn’t been decided yet. It could Osaka, Sapporo, Kanazawa or Okinawa. It didn’t really matter as long as they were far away from Tokyo.

As for their lives, they went on as normal for a whole month. Taking classes, studying, finishing essays before the due dates, and spending the rest of their free time together. They had gone to Karakura Town once to visit Ichigo’s family. They had even met their old high school friends and caught up. They all had been going well, but things were about to change drastically.

February was dying, giving way to March, and with the approaching ceremony and subsequent eloping. It was just an average Friday night. Ichigo and Rukia had been watching movies at the latter’s apartment, and, as always, things had escalated until they had ended up naked in tangled sheets, high from sheer ecstasy. They were currently cuddling, their bodies close, breathing still erratic, messy hair, and smiles adorning their faces. Ichigo played with Rukia’s hair, while she drew patterns on his chest. They whispered sweet nothings to each other. Then started talking about trivialities, enveloped in a cocoon of intimacy. They could have stayed like this forever, but their bubble was burst by Rukia’s cellphone ringing.

“Who could be calling at this hour?” Ichigo complained, for it was well past midnight.

Rukia checked the caller ID and turned white. “My father.”

She instantly stood up, threw over her body Ichigo’s shirt, as if the thought of speaking while naked with her father on the phone was unthinkable, and walked to the living room, finally answering his call. “Hello, father. What is it?” Ichigo heard her ask.

She was shaking as she spoke, feeling faint. Had he had discover them? If that was it she was prepared to fight for her relationship with Ichigo, the man she loved. She would call off her wedding right then and there, their previous plans be damned. But what she heard from the other side of the line was completely different to what she expected.

“What?” She blurted out in disbelief. Ichigo, curious, walked towards the living room, finding his lover standing there, still as stone.

“Yes, yes, alright. I’ll tell him. Goodbye.” She hung up, and stared at the floor as if it had all the answers she wanted.

“So what did Byakuya want?” Ichigo finally asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

Rukia turned to look at him slowly, eyes widen in disbelief. “It was about Kaien-dono.”

The man frowned. “Is something wrong with him?”

“He eloped and married another woman.” Rukia answered, still in shock.

Ichigo had to laugh, his voice echoing through the night.

They were summoned for an urgent meeting the next Saturday, in which all members of the Kuchiki and Shiba Clans had to be present, which meant that even Kurosaki Isshin and his three children had to be present as well. The meeting was held on the main Kuchiki manor, inside its largest room. It was furnished in classic Japanese style, with only a painting adorning the wall, and large tables spread across the room as its only furniture. The tables were filled from one side to the other by the members of each clan. Byakuya was sitting at the head of the main table, along with Rukia. The other end of the table was empty, for Kaien hadn’t showed up.

The room was anything but silent. Although all nobles prided on being dignified, this time they were all shouting at each other, yelling insults, making threats, and more. Such behavior was more appropriate of a market rather than the meeting room of the great Kuchiki Clan.

“I can’t believe Kaien-sama would have done such a thing! This wouldn’t have happened in my days!” One Kuchiki elder lamented loudly, while his peers nodded in agreement. “It’s unbelievable how such a noble man stained his own honor like that.”

“This wouldn’t have happened if Rukia-sama had gotten married to him years ago. He got tired of waiting. Can’t blame him for that.” A Shiba elder retorted maliciously.

“Excuse you, but I should think that the heiress of the Kuchiki Clan is worth the wait.” Another Kuchiki elder defended their position.

“Kaien-sama is but a man. A man has needs.” Replied another.

“But an honorable man such as himself should have waited for his bride, instead of settling for some whore.” A third Kuchiki elder interfered, smirking at the end of the sentence.

“Shall I remind you that your precious ojou-sama’s mother can be described with those very words? In fact, I recall your clan referred to her as such.”

“How dare you bring that up?!”

“Maybe that’s why Kaien-sama ran away. He didn’t want to get married to the daughter of a whore. Maybe she’s just like her mother.”

“Silence!” Byakuya, who up until that point had remained silent, finally spoke up. His shout resounded against the walls, quieting all the room. His face remained as impassive as ever, but if one truly knew him, they would have noticed he had gotten angry at the sly remarks towards his late wife and daughter. “I am astonished at the way the honorable elders have spoken today. Such behavior is more proper of commoners. I will not tolerate any disrespect towards my wife or my daughter in my own home. Are we clear?” He didn’t raise his voice again, but Byakuya spoke with such authority the rest were humbled in return.

“Hai, Byakuya-sama.” They all answered.

“Very well.” The Head of the Kuchiki Clan nodded, pleased that they had finally shut up. “Now, does anyone in here know the whereabouts of Shiba Kaien?” He went down to business immediately.

Kūkaku raised her hand. “As far as my brother Ganju and I know, nii-san was attending a business meeting in Osaka.”

“Lies, all lies!” A Kuchiki elder interjected.

“Silence.” Byakuya commanded again. He then turned to the young woman. “Was he notified about this urgent meeting?”

“Ganju and I left him several text messages and voice mails, so we think he must know by now.”

Byakuya nodded again. “Then we must begin without him. We have summoned all of you due to a serious matter which concerns the Head of the Shiba Clan, Shiba Kaien, and my daughter, Kuchiki Rukia. Akira-dono, if you please, tell the rest the news that you shared with me last night.”

A woman in her seventies stood up, bowed towards Byakuya, and spoke. “Last night we received some troubling news. One of our relatives in Osaka told us he had seen Kaien-sama with a woman several times. We asked him to investigate, as it were to know for certain he had not been cheating on our ojou-sama. Last night he confirmed our suspicions, and it was worse than we could have imagined, for Kaien-sama, as it appears, has recently wedded a woman by the name of Miyako.” She finished, and the Shiba elders erupted in anger.

“Kaien-sama would never do that!”

“This is a scam!”

“Silence!” Byakuya shouted again. “This is the last time I will ask you to keep quiet. The next time it happens, I will ask of everyone who shouts that they exit the room.”

“Byakuya-sama, I have finished my report.” The woman said.

“Very well, please sit down, Akira-dono.” The woman bowed down again, and sat down. “If this information were to be true,” Byakuya continued, “it will mean that Shiba Kaien has made a serious affront not only to this clan, but to my daughter as well.” He finished gravely. “Does any member of the Shiba Clan have information regarding this woman named ‘Miyako’?”

“Nii-san has mentioned her once or twice.” Ganju blurted out before his sister could stop him.

Byakuya nodded, impassively. “So at the very least, it has been confirmed that Shiba Kaien does in fact know a woman named Miyako. How much time does he spend in Osaka?”

“He goes very frequently, more than we would like.” A Shiba elder confessed.

“Hmmm.” Byakuya murmured, as if he were thinking. “So it appears this information must be true. How shall we proceed?”

“Byakuya-sama, if I may?” A Kuchiki elder spoke.

“Please do, Saburo-san.”

“I hadn’t even been born yet, when this decision came to be, but my father communicated this to me in time, and I know it to be true. Long ago, the Kuchiki and Shiba clans agreed that they should join forces, and promised that the children of the heads would get married. Alas, as it were, only boys were born for the next three generations, until twenty three years ago, Rukia-sama was born. Given that the Shiba Clan had produced two sons, it seemed it was finally the time to fulfill this pact.” Saburo explained to the nobles, some of them had been unaware of this situation. “Shiba Kaien not only broke his engagement and promised to marry ojou-sama, but he also broke his ancestor’s plans. This is a disgrace for the Shiba Clan.”

“In the pact it was only stated that the children of the heads should get married?” One Shiba Clan member asked.

“It is as you say.”

“Then not everything is lost! Ganju-sama is also the son of the previous Head, surely he can marry Rukia-sama!” That same Shiba elder proposed, and the rest seemed to agree.

“I wouldn’t start planning the wedding, though.” A voice said from the entrance.

“Kaien-sama?!”

Shiba Kaien in the flesh stood there, looking rather cocky.

“You made it, Kaien-sama! Splendid! Now you can explain your situation!” Another elder said, clapping her hands.

“Ah, that’s right.”Kaien looked around the room. “What you heard is right, I am married but not to Rukia.” He declared, making the nobles gasp.

“But why, Kaien-sama? Why did you break your word?”

“To be completely honest with all of you, I never wanted to marry Rukia. Not because there’s something wrong with her, but simply because it was never my decision. I don’t love her, and I know she doesn’t love me either. But back then, I was too stunned by recent events to say anything. I had just lost my father and had become Head in the span of a few months, and now I had become engaged to a much younger girl. It was too much to take in in so little time.

I never wanted to marry Rukia, that’s true, but I intended to. It hadn’t crossed my mind that I’d be sacrificing more than just my life, but Rukia’s as well. Our freedom would be gone. And I also hadn’t realized that, as Head, I had a say in this, I could stop it from happening, until someone reminded me of it.” He said, locking eyes with Ichigo, who nodded in understanding. “It also helped that I fell in love.” He chuckled. “So, I followed my heart like my uncle before me, and I married the woman I love, setting Rukia free in return.”

The whole room gasped, and then erupted in accusations.

“Why wasn’t Rukia-sama enough?”

“You have no shame!”

“You broke your word, Kaien-sama!”

“Shut up!” He yelled. “As always, you elders only care about your interests. Rukia is not a piece of meat for you to decide who she should marry. She’s an incredible young woman who has barely seen and experienced the world. She should travel, work, and do what she pleases before she settles down. And when she does get married, she should marry the man she loves, the man she will choose herself, like I did. I married Miyako not for money or benefits, she’s not even a noble, she’s a regular woman, but with a big heart. I love her and I don’t regret marrying her. And if the great Shiba nobles can’t accept that, then I quit. I don’t want to be Head anymore if it means I shall renounce to my own freedom, and integrity as a person.” And with that, Shiba Kaien left the room to the astonishment of the rest.

It chaos from then on. Accusations followed. Some Shiba nobles cried. Kūkaku and Ganju exited the room, and went after their older brother, probably having a lot of questions themselves. Isshin shook his head, remembering his own experience, when he himself had left the clan. They say that love is the death of duty, but this had to be with much more than just the love of a woman. It was something only few could understand. It was freeing yourself from previous attachments to live the life you wanted. It was scary but worth it. Something the nobles, who loved rank and money above all else, wouldn’t understand.

“Silence!” He said, using a tone of voice he had heard his father often use. “My nephew has formally left his position as Head in a meeting as the rules of our Clan dictate. He’s no longer Head. Now, before we settle this issue of the broken engagement, the Shiba Clan will need a new Head. For that, we will need to meet again after some time has passed, and we can think with a level head.” The former Head explained, and various voices agreed with him.

“Very well. We will meet again in the Shiba estate in precisely two weeks from now. You are all dismissed.” Byakuya said, stood up, and left with Rukia in tow.

The young woman locked eyes with Ichigo, the two wondering what would happen with their lives next

In exactly two long weeks later, all the nobles were reunited, but this time in the main Shiba manor. All Shiba Clan members were there, minus Kaien. Similarly, all Kuchiki Clan members had gone to the manor for the meeting. Isshin decided to direct the meeting, seeming as the elders seemed still too shock by the course of events to be objective and keep order. They were all sitting down as in the Kuchiki manor, but this time both Byakuya and Isshin were sitting at the heads of each table.

“Well, honorable members, what have you decided?” Isshin asked once everyone had settled down.

One of the younger elders stood up. “As per custom, the next Head should be the previous Head’s heir, which in this case would be Shiba Ganju.” Said man gulped, and shifted in his seat. “However, we deem Ganju-sama as his brother, too young to rule, and certainly not one who will follow the rules of the Clan, and will eventually leave it too. Next we thought about Kūkaku-sama, older than Ganju-sama, but more spirited. She is also not fit to be the next Head.”

“Then what will proceed?” Isshin calmly asked.

The elders started looking nervous. “Well, you see Isshin-sama, the next Head must be always the son or daughter of a former Head, no exceptions. As you see, besides Kūkaku-sama and Ganju-sama, there is only one such person, and as it is, it happens that that person is yourself, Isshin-sama.” This statement was met with gasps not only from Isshin’s children, but from the Kuchiki Clan members as well.

“Is there no other way?”

“I am afraid not, Isshin-sama.”

Isshin contemplated it for a few moments. He looked at Yuzu, his darling daughter who was so much like her mother, then at Karin, his very headstrong daughter, and finally at Ichigo, his only son, who would probably lose much more than anyone else in the Clan if he were to make the wrong choice. His mind settled. “Then, I will take my title as Head back, as I suppose it should always have been.” The Shiba Clan erupted in cheers.

“Dad?” Ichigo asked, but Isshin shook his head.

“Not now, son.”

“Then, we shall move onto the matter of the engagement.” Byakuya spoke, and the rest nodded.

“Father, may I speak? I believe I have the right to voice my opinions as it turns out it is my engagement we are talking about.” Rukia interjected, startling the Kuchiki elders, who had never heard her speak in a meeting before.

“You may.” Byakuya conceded and she stood up.

“As Kaien-dono said in our previous meeting, I never wanted to marry him, and thought about our wedding with dread. I was happy when, through his own wedding to another woman, I became free of that engagement. Now I voice my opinions regarding this matter: I shall not marry a man, unless I have chosen to marry him. I will not let the Clan manage my affairs any longer. I do not want to leave the Clan, but I’m afraid I’ll have to if my decision is not approved. From now on, I will choose my own destiny.” She spoke clearly and with confidence, rendering everyone in the room speechless for a few moments, until the nobles were back at their accusations.

“Stubborn girl, how dare you try to change the rules?!”

“Like mother, like daughter!”

“The union between both clans must be fulfilled!”

“What has become of the great Kuchiki Clan?”

“The youth are becoming too proud!”

“Silence!” Byakuya said. He remained impassive, and then turned to his daughter. “Rukia, have you thought your proposal through?”

“Yes, father. I have thought hard about what I want for the last two weeks, and this is what I want, the freedom to choose when and who to marry.”

“And is there a man you wish to marry?” Byakuya said, almost knowingly.

Rukia, in fact, had thought and spoke with Ichigo several times during those weeks. They thought about worst case scenarios, and other possibilities. Finally, Rukia came to a decision. She was going to be truthful and say what she wanted to do. She was going to be brave and fight for her relationship with Ichigo, and if the nobles didn’t agree, so be it, she’d leave the clan and start anew. She knew Ichigo was her it, there was no man in the world she wished to be together with. After listening to her father, she was prepared to admit the truth, but before the words could leave her lips, a voice resonated across the room.

“There is!” Kurosaki Ichigo said confidently, standing up and locking eyes with Rukia. All nobles gasped.

“Isn’t that Isshin-sama’s son?”

“When did this happen?” The nobles murmured, but the couple wasn’t paying attention anymore.

“Ichigo…” She whispered. The young man started walking towards her, and when he reached her, he boldly grabbed her hand and entwined their fingers together, displaying their love for everyone to see.

“Rukia, is this true? Do you wish to marry Kurosaki Ichigo?” Byakuya asked.

“I do.” She proclaimed, but she wasn’t looking at her father anymore, her eyes never strayed from Ichigo’s brown eyes.

“And do you, Kurosaki Ichigo, wish to marry my daughter?” He asked the other man.

“Hell yes!” He exclaimed, and grinned at his lover, who chuckled.

“Then, it seems like all of our problems have been solved.” Isshin interjected. “Ichigo is my son, which makes him a Shiba, and since I’m the Head, he is my heir. This makes him completely eligible to be Rukia-chan’s fiancé. This way the pact can be fulfilled, to the happiness of each party.”

Some elders tried to protest, but their arguments died before they could express them. This solution had come from heaven itself. As Isshin had pointed out, Ichigo was now the best prospect for Rukia, and it helped that such a union was desired by both of them as well. Now, it was not possible for the pact to be broken.

“Then we can all agree that my daughter and Kurosaki Ichigo are betrothed?” Byakuya asked.

“On one condition.” Ichigo said, and all the nobles felt like groaning. They had been so close to a decision.

“And what could that condition be?”

“Ichigo and I will get married whenever we decide to do so, not sooner or later.” Rukia said.

“Very well, I accept that decision. Elders?” All the elders and the rest of the nobles nodded in agreement. “Then, the Kuchiki Clan accepts this engagement.”

Isshin grinned. “I also accept it. Shiba elders?” The Shibas nodded as well, they didn’t need to argue anymore. “Then, Kuchiki Rukia and Kurosaki Shiba Ichigo are hitherto engaged, and will get married when they decide to. We all expect wedding invitations within a reasonable time when the occasion comes, so that we can all make it to the event.” The Shiba Head proclaimed, and the nobles clapped.

Rukia and Ichigo smiled at each other. Then, they leaned in and shared a passionate kiss, grinning madly when they heard Ichigo’s family cheering in the background. Things were finally going their way.

Ichigo took a look at the Shiba manor’s gardens. They were as beautiful as Yuzu had described them. They had a wide variety of plants, and were calm and peaceful, the perfect environment to think. He sighed in sheer bliss from the calmness that surrounded him. It was a perfect evening to rest from his wild life.

“Ichigo.” The man looked up and saw his father already sitting next to him.

“Dad.” He greeted the man.

“How do you like the manor?”

“It’s huge. I can’t believe no one gets lost in here. I also can’t believe you grew up here, and turned out the way you did.” Ichigo said ironically, earning him a hit on the head.

“Disrespectful son! Is that the way to speak to your own father?” Isshin said with mock hurt.

“It is when you have a father such as you.”

“Hmmm… when you have a son as rude as you, you’ll understand all my woes.” The father threatened his son, who rolled his eyes.

“Whatever.”

“Speaking of which, I sure do hope Rukia-chan and you don’t wait too long to make me a grandfather. I think you’ve had enough practice and can get started on the real deal.” Isshin complained.

Ichigo turned bright red at the insinuation, and gaped at his father. “What?”

“Oh, please, did you think you could fool me? I’ve known about you two from the very beginning. You’re not as discreet as you think you are.” Isshin said, as if he hadn’t just thrown a major bomb at his son.

“Then why didn’t you say anything?!” Ichigo exclaimed.

“I wanted to see how you would resolve it. I had a feeling you’d end up eloping, but I’m glad everything got solved in the end.” He commented and smiled. “I’ve loved Rukia-chan from the start, and I’m glad she’ll officially become my third daughter.”

The young man shook his head. “And it didn’t bother you that we were straight up cheating on Kaien?”

Isshin snorted. “Please. Do you think Kaien didn’t cheat on Rukia? He probably dated other girls before getting together with his wife. In fact, I always found it weird he went to Osaka so frequently. Eventually I came to the conclusion a girl was involved. I was just waiting to see which one of you would break first. It did surprise me it was Kaien, though. I thought for sure you’d convince Rukia to run away with you before the wedding. Or that you’d stop it, anyway.”

Ichigo scratched his neck. “We did plan on eloping before this whole Kaien situation.” He admitted.

The father chuckled. “Like father, like son. And Rukia-chan just now managed it like a true Kuchiki. I guess she’s more like Byakuya than anyone thinks. Also, it did surprise me the nobles didn’t throw a fit when Rukia and you told him about it. Byakuya must’ve something to do with it. He probably was also counting on you to break that marriage.”

“Wait… Byakuya knew too before this?” He asked, bewildered.

“Yes, he has known for years, but never did anything to stop it. He likes seeing his daughter happy, and that’s why he even allowed it. Yuzu and Karin knew too, if you were wondering. And Kaien as well.”

“What?”

“And even if he hadn’t known it before, after your little ‘conversation’ with him, he probably put two and two together, which is good since that gave him the final push he needed to do what he wanted.”

Ichigo smiled. “I guess we were never alone. You all helped us in your own ways. Thank you for that.”

“Don’t even mention it, son. If Byakuya and I got our happy endings, by all means, our children should do too. However, I’m afraid that even your union with Rukia-chan comes with a price.” Isshin said gravely.

That caught Ichigo’s attention. “And what’s the price?”

“You’re a noble now, Ichigo. This makes you equal to Rukia-chan in all aspects, including the right for your freedom. From this moment onwards, you will have to fight for it, and make decisions that otherwise you wouldn’t need to do. The elders won’t forget Kaien’s affront, or even Rukia-chan’s bold decision. They will be at your backs, and later on they will take it out on your children. You will also become both heads of each clan. Remember that.”

Ichigo mulled over his father’s words for a while. “What the meeting showed me is that things are changing within the clans, especially when the heads take charge. I think it’s possible to change outdated rules, and grant more freedom to the members. But even if it weren’t possible, it’s a small price to pay for a life with Rukia. I think it would’ve been worse if she had ran away with me, and had been separated from her father. It would’ve deeply hurt her, and she would’ve regretted it forever. Now, she doesn’t have to stop seeing her family, and we can be together. We thought the price would be greater, and we’re thankful for this opportunity.”

Isshin smiled. “I suppose so. Regardless, the price of love is always willingly paid, no matter what.”

“I can testify to that!”

Father and son both laughed.

[thesundaycocktail]

The Harvey Wallbanger

It’s great to get away. And better yet – get away without the kids.  I love em’. They make you laugh and cry and scream all in the same game. One cheats because the other changed the rules. One cries because the other one wins. And at some stage the ‘I’m not playing anymore’ comes out. There is constant bargaining, consoling and downright good parenting that helps you through this one card game that should have taken 10 minutes but has already surpassed the half-hour mark. So when you get the chance to ‘get away’ you get going. I just came back from a lovely weekend away with the wife and the left the children at my inlaws. Enough said.

My wife and I went for a hike. It rained, well actually poured…. We checked into a hotel. We played tennis. We went to the pool. We got changed ourselves without helping others (children obviously). We relaxed. We enjoyed time without the kids. Sometimes we do take-out at home. We don’t include the kids. We make them frozen pizza. I feel guilty sometimes but they are happy. So when we actually got to sit in a restaurant without ‘entertaining them’, it was like heaven. There was no high chair. I don’t even think this place had a children menu (well at least not attached to its dinner menu). And on top of that we got to have a cocktail beforehand.

While the wife pondered over what wine to choose, I gave the once (or four times) over of the cocktail menu. There was a dedicated page to Gin & Tonics. There were the usual ones I make on an average Sunday, and a house special. I was just about to go with the house special which contained Prosecco but at last glance, there was a Harvey Wallbanger, one of the cocktails on my to do (or drink) list. It is also the same cocktail, my famous Aunt said she ordered because she like the name of it. 

The Harvey Wallbanger in simplier terms is a Screwdriver with a small bit of Galliano Liqueur. It was created in the United States during the 1950s. The name Harvey comes from the movie of the same name and in the movie the rabbit character slams up against the wall. How they merge the two is beyond me. This fact is coming from my cocktail bible but I cannot verify it with other sources (oh well..., don’t tell my college professor) So after what appeared to be two minutes, my drink arrived and truth be told, it tasted like a screwdriver with a bit of an orange slick kick. It was creamy as well, which was nice and reminded me of the Orange Julius brand back in the early 90s. I let me wife have a sip, she enjoyed it and I sat back and enjoyed it as well. It wasn’t terribly alcoholic. It could be drank on a nice day. The combination of orange juice and vodka was perfect. Not too citrus, but not overly alcoholic. I get worried about too much vodka... it reminds me of the 60/40 (vodka/oj) I used to do when I was much, much younger. We talked quickly about the kids, about her job and my upcoming soccer season. After the drink, I decided not to get another as dinner was approaching and don’t like to mix the two (having a cocktail with your main course is a no-no). We looked over the menus and moved over to our table. I ordered the fish and chips and my wife ordered the burger. We finished one more glass of wine over dinner and talked about how great our day was and how its great to get out without the kids. I saw other kids at other tables annoying their parents. Playing with a phone over dinner. Aimlessly walking around the restaurant, while the wait staff dodge with smiles. Kids standing on a chair?!?!. I can’t say during the meal, I missed my kids... We said we would do all the same again... another hike, another hotel.. maybe another Harvey Wallbanger. Or maybe bring the kids. We could bring a deck of cards... Maybe not.

Harvey Wallbanger 50ml Vodka 90ml Orange Juice 20ml Galliano Liqueur 2 cherries and an Orange to top 

[isaiahrippinus]

The 50 Best Beers of 2019

At last estimate, there were more than 7,500 breweries operating in the U.S. in 2019. As more breweries open — introducing a never-ending stream of new beers to the marketplace — finding the best is near impossible. Luckily, we’ve spent a lot of time over the last year tasting them.

This, evidently, was the year of saison; our 2019 list concludes with an unprecedented number of Belgian-style farmhouse ales, which signals that yeast may be having its moment. Lower-alcohol, “better-for-you” beers are in the limelight, too, as more craft beer drinkers seek beers that fit healthier lifestyles, or simply want more sessionable options — and more breweries are figuring out how to make these delicious.

On the whole, we as a craft beer drinking society may not be pivoting away from IPA to craft lager just yet (at least, not statistically), but rest assured, plenty of both make the list.

This ranking was determined by members of the VinePair team. Hundreds of selections were considered and narrowed down to 50 with the following criteria: All beers must be available for retail in the U.S. in a can or bottle retail, or otherwise be a seasonal release or part of a rotating series we expect to see back in 2020. Placement is limited to one beer per brewery. The 50 best beers of 2019 ranking focuses on labels released within the year, although this is not a requirement. Selections from last year’s 50 best beers of 2018 were not considered.

Availability has an effect on ranking: In other words, if you have to travel, trade, or sacrifice your firstborn for a 4-ounce pour, recommending it in our top 10 is not helpful to a majority of beer drinkers. Now for the fun part!

These are VinePair’s 50 best beers of 2019.

50. Mother Earth 4Seasons Hazy IPA (With Fremont Brewing)

Nampa, ID ABV: 7.5%

Previously dubbed “The Four Seasons of Mother Earth,” this 4Seasons release debuted in summer 2019 in partnership with Seattle’s Fremont Brewing. The duo used “craft” malt from a farmer-owned co-op in Spokane to further share the local love. On the hop front, this beer showcases African Queen, a fruity, herbal, spicy variety from South Africa, along with Galaxy, Mosaic Cryo, and El Dorado hops. The result? Mango, passion fruit, and orange aromas; a grain-forward, almost savory malt flavor reminiscent of sage; and a fruity, herbal finish. Although a limited release, we look forward to tasting more “seasons.”

49. Lakefront Brewery Hazy Rabbit IPA

Milwaukee, WI ABV: 5.2%

Pouring bright gold and cloudy, a Camembert-esque cheesy aroma kicks off the nose on this hazy IPA, followed by orange, tangerine, passionfruit, and a melon cotton candy note. Low on bitterness, but less sweet than “traditional” hazy/juicy IPAs, it’s bright and balanced with soft carbonation and light malt character due to flaked oats.

48. Anchor Brewing Fog Breaker IPA 

San Francisco, CA ABV: 6.8%

San Francisco stalwart Anchor Brewing’s relatively new Fog Breaker, released in 2018, earned its fair share of loyal drinkers this year. It was especially a hit among classic IPA lovers, who lament the days of IPAs that tasted like pine, weren’t too bitter, and didn’t look like OJ. This IPA has some West Coast bitterness, a hint of fruitiness and a touch of haze (O.K., fog). It’s piney and crisp, and adds Cryo hops to its dry-hopping regimen, along with whole-cone Denali and Cascade.

47. Shiner Ruby Redbird 

Shiner, TX ABV: 4%

Spoetzl Brewery’s Shiner Beer updated its Ruby Redbird lager in 2019 with nutrition facts faux-dive bars will be fawning over: It contains 95 calories, 3.1 grams of carbs, and Texas-grown Ruby Red grapefruit juice. Grapefruit and ginger are present on the nose and palate, making this easy-drinking sipper with a kick perfect for sushi pairing.

46. Cascade Brewing Cuvée du Jongleur

Portland, OR ABV: 9.4%

Toward the tail end of 2018, Cascade re-released this oaky, complex, funky cuvée for the first time since 2008. A decade after its original release, the label did not disappoint: Berry and oak aromas are followed by a creamy mouthfeel and fruity tartness. When nursed in a tulip glass, it opens up nicely as it warms, releasing further fruit aromas such as cherry, plum, and hints of grapefruit and caramel.

45. Goose Island Bourbon County Double Barrel 

Chicago, IL ABV: 18%

In this 2019 variant of Goose Island’s infamous barrel-aged stout series, “double barrel” refers to the stout aging one year in 11-year-old Elijah Craig barrels, then afterward aging another year in (different) 12-year-old Elijah Craig barrels. Fruit, leather, chocolate, and yes, intense bourbon flavors swirl on the palate, with a whiskey-beer-hybrid warmth all the way down. Although this variant is very limited in quantity, several other Bourbon County stouts are out there. Forget the drama, they’re still delicious.

44. Hardywood Park Distorted Perception 

Richmond, VA ABV: 7%

A cornucopia of tropical fruit explodes on the nose of this NEIPA — tangerine, passionfruit, guava. With our eyes closed, we could swear this was actual juice. Mango-flavored bubble tea and tart, juicy smoothie flavors make this a little sweet, but it is lip-smackingly delicious.

43. Separatist Beer Project Spellbook Imperial Stout 

Easton, PA ABV: 13%

Maple syrup and cinnamon additions amplify this imperial stout’s sweet side, while roasted malt’s coffee and dark chocolate notes add bitterness to balance.

42. Wiley Roots Black Bart Monstah 

Greeley, CO ABV: 11%

Inspired by the Spanish-descended fried dough sopapilla (or more specifically, the sopapilla served at Mexican Restaurant Casa Bonita, which has a room named “Black Bart’s Cave”), this dark, velvety imperial stout brings chocolatey, roasty flavors rather than fresh fried dough. Cinnamon, burnt sugar, and honey are added for extra decadence, making this a sweet stout to sip on a cold, boozy afternoon.

41. Garage Brewing Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout 

Temecula, CA ABV: 7.1%

This liquid Reese’s Pieces is rich, but not sticky; chocolatey, but not cloying; and full-bodied, yet feels lighter on the palate than its peanut-butter-chocolate-flavored 7.1 percent ABV might have you think. Our panel unanimously found this pastry stout daringly easy to drink.

40. WeldWerks PB&J Berliner 

Greeley, CO ABV: 4.6%

Considering that it was mostly its juicy IPAs, not wildly flavored kettle sours, that put this Colorado brewery on beercationers’ maps, a peanut butter and jelly-flavored Berliner weiss wasn’t what we expected to love most from WeldWerks this year. Yet, here we are. Berliner weiss and fruit are ancient companions, so perhaps it’s not surprising that strawberry puree would complement grain and tart flavors so well — add peanut powder to the mix, and the combination of flavors is unforgettable.

39. Reuben’s Brews Brettania (Series): Boysenberry and Blackberry

Seattle, WA ABV: 6.3%

Brettanomyces can make or break a beer. In the right hands, as at Reuben’s Brews, it really sings. In this mixed-culture saison aged for six months in oak puncheons, then aged with boysenberries and blackberries for an additional six months, and finally refermented in-bottle, it sings. Brettania: Boysenberry and Blackberry was the first release in Reuben’s Brews’ barrel-aged sour program, and it promptly began winning awards. Brettania: Guava and Brettania: Blackcurrant followed, and we’re anxious to taste what’s next.

38. Bell’s Brewery Official Hazy IPA 

Comstock, MI ABV: 6.4%

Released in March 2019, Bell’s Brewery’s “Official” marked the legendary beer pioneer’s entry into the hazy IPA category. Long celebrated for its Two Hearted IPA, a bracingly bitter, grapefruit-flavored exemplar of the more “old-school” IPAs style, this newcomer stands on its own with tropical fruit and citrus aromas, a palate that’s lighter than the style-defining NEIPAs of the Northeast, and an orange juice kick on the finish.

37. Oskar Blues Can-O-Bliss Hazy IPA 

Fort Collins, CO ABV: 7.2%

Can-O-Bliss “Hazy,” part of a rotating IPA series (“Tropical” and “Citrus” are others), serves up OJ, pineapple juice, and a hint of cheesy funk on the nose, followed by a fruity, herbal, spicy potpourri of hop-driven flavors on the palate. (Strata, Cashmere, Enigma, Hallertau Blanc, and Eureka hops are all used in this brew.) It’s surprisingly light in color and body, though, with crisp carbonation to balance its pungent hoppiness.

36. Springdale Beer Pearly Wit 

Framingham, MA ABV: 4.8%

Springdale Beer, of Jack’s Abby, debuted this wispy witbier last year, but in 2019 we started to see it on a lot more tap lists — and rightfully so. It’s the definition of a sessionable wheat beer: pillowy soft, crisp and coriander-flavored, with a hint of tangy citrus to keep things interesting.

35. Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest (2019)

Chico, CA and Asheville, NC ABV: 6%

Sierra Nevada’s Oktoberfest got so much love this year, people married it (or at least, got married with it. At Oktoberfest. In Germany.) As for us, we appreciated the 2019 version of this annual classic as a bubbly aperitif. Brewed in collaboration with Germany’s Bitburger Brewery, it combines the smooth flavors of Caramel, Munich, and Pilsner malt with a bitter punch, perhaps from Bitburger’s Siegelhopfen — that’s German for “sealed hops,” or the brewer’s “secret” hop blend.

34. Equilibrium Moon of Vega

Middleton, NY ABV: 8.7%

Brewed in collaboration with Florida’s J. Wakefield Brewing, this double IPA is made with more than copious amounts of Citra, Galaxy, and Mosaic hops, vanilla, and lactose (milk sugar), pouring creamy and sweet, aroma-dosed with mango, and just a hint tart on the finish. It’s the ridiculousness of a milkshake IPA in an obscenely delicious package.

33. Pure Project Rain

San Diego, CA ABV: 5.3%

Unfiltered, yet clear and golden as a summer sky, topped with a fluffy white cloud of foam, Rain is a subtle eruption: pilsner malt’s telltale biscuity aroma is amplified by its single-malt, organic producer; lemongrass follows, from Hallertau Mittelfruh hops’ herbal, citrus nudge. German ingredients and an American craft brewer’s hand make this bitter little pilsner exactly what to look for at the end of — or start of — a long day.

32. Brouwerij West Picnic Lightning

San Pedro, CA ABV: 6.8%

Picnic Lightning proves West Coast breweries can do New England-style IPAs well — and even add their own touch. Lemongrass, grapefruit, and a hint of tropical fruit blend on the nose as well as on the palate, creating a slightly sweet, herbal-citrus mix with a bitter kick. Along with malted barley, this beer uses oats and raw spelt, allowing a soft mouthfeel. Juicy, earthy, and memorable, this one is on tap at the brewery at press time — nab yourself a pour if you happen to be in L.A.

31. West Kill Kaaterskill IPA

West Kill, N.Y. ABV: 6%

Teetering on the edge of dialed-in juicy IPA and new-American pale ale, this farm-brewed New beer from New York’s Catskill Mountain region is modern and rustic at once. Modern, with its dry-hopping regimen of Azaaca, Columbus, Mosaic, and Citra hops. Rustic, in that it’s crafted on a farm in the mountains. Though not as available as other IPAs on this list, this beer is worth the hike. Mountain or specialty beer shop, a word to the wise: a 4-pack is never enough.

30. Avery Bon-Bon Cerise

Boulder, CO ABV: 14.6%

Stout lovers won’t know what’s coming until sipping this bourbon-barrel-aged imperial stout aged with cherries, cacao nibs, and vanilla beans. Sounds like standard fare for a barrel-aged pastry stout, but it’s anything but: Yes, it’s boozy and laced with bourbon-barrel character, but what stood out to our tasters was its powdered chocolate note and cooked fruit flavor, akin to cherry pie. Like the dessert, Bon Bon Cerise has layers to enjoy.

29. Left Hand Raspberry Milk Stout 

Longmont, CO ABV: 5.7%

Launched in 2019, this sister to Left Hand’s category-defining milk stout has raspberry on the nose and palate, balanced with roasty notes and a touch of sweetness. Bitter chocolate and cherry on the finish wrap it all up in a smooth, dessert-friendly (or dessert-replacing) package.

28. Monday Night Ante Meridiem Blend No. 1 (2018)

Atlanta, GA ABV: 13.5%

Several Monday Night beers were considered for this list, but its “imperial brown ale” — fair enough, it’s 13.5 percent ABV, aged in locally sourced bourbon barrels, and dosed with locally roasted coffee, Ugandan vanilla beans, and maple syrup — is a testament to the Atlanta brewery’s relentless experimentation. Firstly, it brings the noise for brown ale (even if it’s hyperbolizing the usually subtly roasty style). In a similar conundrum, It smells like vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup, and tastes creamy and sweet. But warm bourbon and coffee bean prevent it from becoming cloying. The body has excellent texture, rich but drinkable, with just enough carbonation to give a crisp edge, lifting it safely out of the barrel-aged-syrup-beer danger zone. No single part overpowers another, making this a rare treat. (It’s available seasonally on draft and in 500-milliliter bottles in Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama.)

27. Lamplighter Major Tom 

Boston, MA ABV: 6.8%

This space-themed, true New England-Style IPA brewed by Boston’s Lamplighter, a brewery, coffee purveyor and soon-to-be-distillery, is, like its maker, bold. Floating in this tin can* are Australian Galaxy hops, imparting tropical-fruit juicy flavors, but also a bitter bite hiding in the haze. *The can is aluminum.

26. Saint Archer Mexican Lager

San Diego, CA ABV: 4.8%

Saint Archer Brewery debuted its Mexican-style lager in March 2019, and it rose up our ranks for its many juxtapositions: sweet and herbal; cooked corn tortilla and fresh herbs; and, philosophically, a San Diego-brewed, Mexican-style beer owned by the very North American MillerCoors. Maybe it’s not that crazy. You would, however, be crazy to pass this up if you’re a fan of Mexican lagers like we are. Pair with chicken enchiladas, tortilla chips with salsa verde, or a lime wedge.

25. Athletic Brewing Co. Run Wild NA IPA

Stratford, CT ABV: < 0.5%

This isn’t the first time we’re praising Athletic Brewing’s flagship IPA, but it is the first time a non-alcoholic beer has made it to the top 50 beers of the year list. This says a lot, not only about the quality of this particular brew — which is made with all-organic grains, and five hop varieties from the Northwest U.S. — but it speaks to the market’s move (if inching, even) toward no- and low-ABV, as well as lower-calorie (this one’s 70), options. This beer is flavorful and balanced, featuring an herbal, citrus kick over a mild malt backbone. It became a regular purchase for some panelists over the course of the year. We’ve bought out in the wild on several semi-sober occasions. For us, this one isn’t about abstaining, it’s about sustaining — through the day and night with friends, can in hand.

24. J. Wakefield 24th Street Brown Ale

Miami, FL ABV: 6.5%

Don’t let this beer’s street-smart exterior dark, murky interior fool you. On the inside, from the first sip, it’s sweet chocolate malt balls, smooth toffee flavor, and roasty, dialed-back bitterness (think cold-brewed coffee compared to burnt iced coffee). 24th Street Brown Ale is named for the brewery’s Miami address, and with the recent remodeling of that taproom, we felt it was owed another look and a new appreciation in 2019.

23. Coronado Set West

Coronado, CA ABV: 7%

This West Coast IPA from California stalwart Coronado Brewing dials back the style’s bitterness with biscuity, freshly baked bread and fresh-squeezed orange juice on the nose. It’s dry on the palate, with a bitterness that lingers just the right amount, allowing the beer to be refreshing, rather than weigh down the palate. A hallmark West Coast IPA.

22. Two Roads Area Two Table Terroir 

Stratford, CT ABV: 3.7%

Connecticut-grown malts, hops, and yeast so local it was captured in the brewery’s own hop yard put the “terroir” in Table Terroir, a food-pairing companion and conversation starter that’s as fascinating as it is tasty. Delicate and complex, with fruity and spicy notes, it’s one we wish we could find more often — but, like this beer’s ingredients, you’ll have to go to the brewery for that.

21. Gueuzerie Tilquin Oude Pinot Noir Tilquin à L’Ancienne

Rebecq, Belgium ABV: 8.2%

“Finesse” comes to mind when attempting to describe this spontaneously-fermented lambic, which gets its fruit not from the traditional cherries (kriek) or raspberries (framboise), but from Pinot Noir grapes (260 grams of Pinot Noir grapes per liter of lambic, according to Gueuzerie Tilquin). The first version of this lambic, made to mark the 10th anniversary of legendary Belgian beer bar Moeder Lambic, used hand-harvested grapes from Valentin Zusslin Estate’s biodynamic Bollenberg vineyard. This new version uses organic grapes from a family farm in Steinseltz, France.

20. Cerebral Forbidden Idol: Mai Tai (Tiki Sour IPA Series) 

Denver, CO ABV: 7%

Kicking off the year with a tiki sour IPA series is a bold move. For Cerebral Brewing, which we already love for its show-stopping IPAs and interesting forays into categories like wood-aged lager, Forbidden Idol’s pineapple, lime, and passionfruit-flavored tiki cocktail-inspired release was an awakening. Our panel agreed this one actually tasted like a Mai Tai, proving that tiki cocktails can translate into IPA forms — and that sour IPAs, at their best, beautifully emulate cocktails. We were hooked from the start, but Cerebral Brewing has released this beer in Mai Tai, Singapore Sling, Castaway, Zombie and Painkiller versions. (And, by the way, Mai Tais are better than you think.)

19. Finback Rolling in Clouds

Queens, NY ABV: 7.1%

When we think of an ideal juicy, hazy IPA, this is it. It’s not too sweet, not too boozy, and has a smooth mouthfeel. Fruity without being super sweet and gooey, it’s just right.

18. Tired Hands Shambolic 

Ardmore, PA ABV: 6.5%

Shambolic, a saison brewed with malted spelt and raw wheat, rested in oak foudres, and dry-hopped with what is likely a lavish amount of Nelson Sauvin and Simcoe hops, is a lot to take in. Tropical fruit, lemony citrus, and floral notes create an intense perfume and palate, while fermentation with Tired Hands’ house saison yeast (and maybe microflora from the foudres) adds a tart, citric kick on the finish.

17. Grimm Artisanal Ales Awoogah IPA

Brooklyn, N.Y. ABV: 6.4%

At this point, seeing an IPA below 7 percent ABV is a godsend. Fruity and floral aromas give way to a soft palate, with spicy hop character and a hint of tangerine tartness coming from a combination of Columbus, Galaxy, Hallertau Blanc, and Simcoe hops. It’s refreshing and balanced, with certain parts pleasantly exaggerated — citrus zest, for example — without going even a molecule too far. Truly hazy and juicy, without being too bitter or sweet, this is a perfect IPA.

16. pFriem Family Brewers Pilsner

Hood River, OR ABV: 4.9%

Available in cans starting in 2019, this crystal-clear, golden pilsner is reminiscent of springtime. A fresh floral aroma, soft carbonation, and suite of unusual herbal hops varietals like Perle and Saphir make this both palate cleanser and a center-stage sipper. Whether thoughtfully or thoughtlessly, enjoy this on a porch, in a backyard, at a barbecue, or basically anywhere, anytime.

15. The Referend Bier Blendery Le Mur (2018)

Pennington/Hopewell Township, N.J. ABV: 6%

“Blackberry spontaneously fermented golden ale” is a mouthful of a beer description, but it only begins to scratch the surface of how this exquisite vintage is made. Released in July 2019, Le Mur is a blend of one- and two-year-old beer, the younger re-fermented with southern New Jersey blackberries in French oak, and the older with northern New Jersey blackberries in stainless steel. It pours a dusty garnet with a fluffy ruby head. Tart cherry, raspberry, and blackberry aromas are pungent from first whiff. Up close, nose to glass, it’s all citrus — fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, acidic orange, and a hint of lemon and lime. A brioche scent wafts in, creating a tart berry-pie aroma. The palate is tart, concentrated fruit, sharp but balanced with jammy berry flavors — it is not puckeringly sour like so many unoaked, kettle-soured beers tend to be. Oak puncheons, and perhaps more so, time, have softened its edges. Depth, complexity, and excitement.

14. Perennial Artisan Ales Prism: Mosaic

St. Louis, MO ABV: 5.5%

Showcasing the multi-faceted, New-World Mosaic hop in a classic saison would be a terrible idea if you were anyone but Perennial. But saisons and farmhouse-style ales are among this small St. Louis brewery’s specialty, and this particular release in its “Prism” series did the best job at convincing us the result can be delicious. Maybe it’s the magic of Mosaic meeting a saison yeast strain, but this saison is better than the sum of its parts.

13. Holy Mountain Witchfinder

Seattle, WA ABV: 6.1% ABV

Golden, frothy, and skunky (in a good way), this pungently-scented saison is all earthy funk on the nose, followed by floral and citrus flavors and a lingering pithy finish. It’s one of many excellent saisons from this Seattle brewery, and solidifies our suspicion that we’ll grab a bottle any time we see one — if the beer budget allows.

12. Threes Brewing The Dictator Is The People

Brooklyn, N.Y. ABV: 6%

Pungent, peppery spice, and tart apricot aromas are a precursor to this oak-aged saison’s delectable journey. Lightly fruity, dry, Champagne-sparkling, it’s a saison worth celebrating with — or celebrating, period. Next in rotation of mixed-culture, oak-aged wheat beers is Bad Faith.

11. Transmitter Brewing S9 

Brooklyn, N.Y. ABV: 5.8%

After moving from a very small space in Queens to one of Brooklyn’s biggest commercial centers, Transmitter released S9, a saison that rivals its smaller-scale days, and, dare we say, its Belgian inspirations. This iteration is pale and can be perceived as light on the palate, but it has hidden complexities: earthy, fruity notes derived from yeast and hops complement cereal grain flavors, with lively carbonation and bitterness hitting at the finish.

10. Trillium Crown and Crate

Boston, MA ABV: 8.6%

Massachusetts hives provide the nectar for this double IPA with raw wildflower honey, which, along with lactose, give the beer its ultra-creamy mouthfeel, and supple, smoothie-sweet decadence. Named for the queen bee (the “crown”) and the milk crate her worker bees use to create their hive, its abundance of tropical fruit flavors invoke the plenitudes of spring, royalty, and indulgence.

9. Harpoon Rec League

Boston, MA and Windsor, VT ABV: 3.8%

Is there anything more exciting than a 3.8-percent-ABV hoppy beer? It’d be hard to convince us while sipping Rec League. Harpoon is officially back in the game with this refreshing, light-bodied, lightly bitter and light-everything low-ABV refresher. Hints of pineapple and tropical fruit on the nose, and clementine and tangerine on the palate, yet dry as a bone, it’s a standout of the year.

8. Lagunitas Daytime Ale

Petaluma, CA ABV: 4%

Whether you’re into the low-alcohol, low-calorie phase of your beer-drinking career or not, it’s important to know that brewing a beer that’s light and tastes good is no easy feat. As the can perhaps suggests, Daytime Ale nails it. It’s citrusy and herbal, light and flavorful, and barbecue-friendly in every way. Coors Light chicks and hazebros can unite over this hoppy yet thirst-quenching summer sipper.

7. Sixpoint Citrus Jammer

Brooklyn, N.Y. ABV: 4%

We tasted every Jammer variety time and time again this summer, and while our favoritism fluctuated between the original and tropical fruit flavors, we ultimately landed on Citrus Jammer. It has the salty, spicy gose flavor we’re looking for, but is slightly subdued (compared to American goses that overdo it). Added to that are candied orange aromas, Sprite-like lemon-lime, and a lingering, lemony tang, and we found its bright and bitter finish was more refreshing than the original. Soft coriander on the finish.

6. New Belgium Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza (With Primus Cervecería)

Fort Collins, CO; Asheville, NC; and Mexico City, Mexico ABV: 4%

Mural Agua Fresca got its start via test batches brewed by New Belgium and Primus at the Mexico City cerveceria. In 2019, the agua-fresca-inspired ale is available in all 50 U.S. states (and, coming soon, more flavors). It’s refreshing all around — Mural gets its red-pink color and tart essence from hibiscus, its thirst-quenching flavor from watermelon, zippy refreshment from lime, and a touch of sweetness from agave. Get out there and try this “cerveza” before it’s rebranded as spiked seltzer.

5. Funkwerks Passion Fruit Provincial (Series)

Fort Collins, CO ABV: 4.2%

If sour ales can be sessionable, Funkwerks is one of the few breweries that can accomplish it — and lucky for us, the Colorado farmhouse-style brand added New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Kentucky, Chicagoland, and, finally, Kansas to its distribution network this year. Passion Fruit Provincial is a memorable bottled ecosystem of passionfruit’s interaction with soft malt and saison yeast. Tart, tropical, and refreshing, it’s one that has us looking out for more “Provincial” variants — raspberry, “rhuberry” (strawberry and rhubarb), and pineapple guava are among them.

4. Rodenbach Classic 

Rosalare, Belgium ABV: 5.2%

Nationally available as of 2019, Rodenbach Classic in cans — cans! —is what brought this classic brand to the top of our list this year. Rodenbach, a nearly-200-year-old Belgian brewery that defines the Flemish red beer style, launched its Rodenbach Classic label statewide in the U.S. in cans. The sleek, elegant take on a tallboy puts one of the best beers of all time in a pedestrian package, signaling that centuries-old tradition and the mastery of foeder-aging (courtesy living legend Rudi Ghequire), actually can be enjoyed anytime. No longer do we have to hoard our Rodenbach for Christmas dinner… unless it’s a vintage. As for the classic, it’s a blend of young and aged beer, the latter part of the blend aged for two years in giant oak foeders. It’s fruity and tart, pairs perfectly with rich foods, and is surprisingly sessionable on its own, too. Also in 2019, Rodenbach announced its first-ever beer collaboration with American craft beer pioneer Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.

3. SweetWater 420 Chocolope Stout

Atlanta, GA ABV: 6.4%

Chocolate stouts have been brewed many times over, but none have tasted like this. SweetWater’s 420 Strain, a series of cannabis-inspired beers, can be gimmicky, but this one wowed us every time we reached for it. It’s brewed with three types of roasted malt (Pale Chocolate, Chocolate, and Roasted Barley), a pair of herbal hops (Bravo, Willamette), and what the brewery refers to as “strain-specific terpenes and natural hemp-type flavors” — the latter being the “X”-factor. It’s insanely aromatic, like a sticky nug of weed, but roasty, too, and somehow, actual chocolate completes the package (Dutch chocolate, naturally). Insert weed joke here.

2. Cigar City Guayabera Citra Pale Ale 

Tampa, FL ABV: 5.5%

Guayabera pours frothy, fruity, and intensely aromatic. Using only Citra hops, known for their citrusy profile of grapefruit and tropical fruit, this American pale ale is juicy and refreshing, balancing citrusy bitterness, soft, bready malt character, and endlessly quaffable aroma. It also makes a great shower beer.

1. Allagash River Trip

Portland, ME ABV: 4.8 %

2019 was all about easy-drinking refreshment, and Allagash nails it with River Trip — most importantly, the pioneering brewery does so without sacrificing its style. While craft brewers clamor to diversify with light lagers and hard seltzers, this Belgian-style session ale is easy-drinking with an edge. Spiced with coriander like a traditional Belgian witbier, and fermented with Allagash’s house yeast, it adds bright, bitter, grassy notes to its table beer base. Yes, Allagash excels at beautifully executed mixed-fermentation sour beers, but it was River Trip we kept coming back to this year, again and again.

The article The 50 Best Beers of 2019 appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/best-beers-2019/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/189627528744

[johnboothus]

The 50 Best Beers of 2019

At last estimate, there were more than 7,500 breweries operating in the U.S. in 2019. As more breweries open — introducing a never-ending stream of new beers to the marketplace — finding the best is near impossible. Luckily, we’ve spent a lot of time over the last year tasting them.

This, evidently, was the year of saison; our 2019 list concludes with an unprecedented number of Belgian-style farmhouse ales, which signals that yeast may be having its moment. Lower-alcohol, “better-for-you” beers are in the limelight, too, as more craft beer drinkers seek beers that fit healthier lifestyles, or simply want more sessionable options — and more breweries are figuring out how to make these delicious.

On the whole, we as a craft beer drinking society may not be pivoting away from IPA to craft lager just yet (at least, not statistically), but rest assured, plenty of both make the list.

This ranking was determined by members of the VinePair team. Hundreds of selections were considered and narrowed down to 50 with the following criteria: All beers must be available for retail in the U.S. in a can or bottle retail, or otherwise be a seasonal release or part of a rotating series we expect to see back in 2020. Placement is limited to one beer per brewery. The 50 best beers of 2019 ranking focuses on labels released within the year, although this is not a requirement. Selections from last year’s 50 best beers of 2018 were not considered.

Availability has an effect on ranking: In other words, if you have to travel, trade, or sacrifice your firstborn for a 4-ounce pour, recommending it in our top 10 is not helpful to a majority of beer drinkers. Now for the fun part!

These are VinePair’s 50 best beers of 2019.

50. Mother Earth 4Seasons Hazy IPA (With Fremont Brewing)

Nampa, ID ABV: 7.5%

Previously dubbed “The Four Seasons of Mother Earth,” this 4Seasons release debuted in summer 2019 in partnership with Seattle’s Fremont Brewing. The duo used “craft” malt from a farmer-owned co-op in Spokane to further share the local love. On the hop front, this beer showcases African Queen, a fruity, herbal, spicy variety from South Africa, along with Galaxy, Mosaic Cryo, and El Dorado hops. The result? Mango, passion fruit, and orange aromas; a grain-forward, almost savory malt flavor reminiscent of sage; and a fruity, herbal finish. Although a limited release, we look forward to tasting more “seasons.”

49. Lakefront Brewery Hazy Rabbit IPA

Milwaukee, WI ABV: 5.2%

Pouring bright gold and cloudy, a Camembert-esque cheesy aroma kicks off the nose on this hazy IPA, followed by orange, tangerine, passionfruit, and a melon cotton candy note. Low on bitterness, but less sweet than “traditional” hazy/juicy IPAs, it’s bright and balanced with soft carbonation and light malt character due to flaked oats.

48. Anchor Brewing Fog Breaker IPA 

San Francisco, CA ABV: 6.8%

San Francisco stalwart Anchor Brewing’s relatively new Fog Breaker, released in 2018, earned its fair share of loyal drinkers this year. It was especially a hit among classic IPA lovers, who lament the days of IPAs that tasted like pine, weren’t too bitter, and didn’t look like OJ. This IPA has some West Coast bitterness, a hint of fruitiness and a touch of haze (O.K., fog). It’s piney and crisp, and adds Cryo hops to its dry-hopping regimen, along with whole-cone Denali and Cascade.

47. Shiner Ruby Redbird 

Shiner, TX ABV: 4%

Spoetzl Brewery’s Shiner Beer updated its Ruby Redbird lager in 2019 with nutrition facts faux-dive bars will be fawning over: It contains 95 calories, 3.1 grams of carbs, and Texas-grown Ruby Red grapefruit juice. Grapefruit and ginger are present on the nose and palate, making this easy-drinking sipper with a kick perfect for sushi pairing.

46. Cascade Brewing Cuvée du Jongleur

Portland, OR ABV: 9.4%

Toward the tail end of 2018, Cascade re-released this oaky, complex, funky cuvée for the first time since 2008. A decade after its original release, the label did not disappoint: Berry and oak aromas are followed by a creamy mouthfeel and fruity tartness. When nursed in a tulip glass, it opens up nicely as it warms, releasing further fruit aromas such as cherry, plum, and hints of grapefruit and caramel.

45. Goose Island Bourbon County Double Barrel 

Chicago, IL ABV: 18%

In this 2019 variant of Goose Island’s infamous barrel-aged stout series, “double barrel” refers to the stout aging one year in 11-year-old Elijah Craig barrels, then afterward aging another year in (different) 12-year-old Elijah Craig barrels. Fruit, leather, chocolate, and yes, intense bourbon flavors swirl on the palate, with a whiskey-beer-hybrid warmth all the way down. Although this variant is very limited in quantity, several other Bourbon County stouts are out there. Forget the drama, they’re still delicious.

44. Hardywood Park Distorted Perception 

Richmond, VA ABV: 7%

A cornucopia of tropical fruit explodes on the nose of this NEIPA — tangerine, passionfruit, guava. With our eyes closed, we could swear this was actual juice. Mango-flavored bubble tea and tart, juicy smoothie flavors make this a little sweet, but it is lip-smackingly delicious.

43. Separatist Beer Project Spellbook Imperial Stout 

Easton, PA ABV: 13%

Maple syrup and cinnamon additions amplify this imperial stout’s sweet side, while roasted malt’s coffee and dark chocolate notes add bitterness to balance.

42. Wiley Roots Black Bart Monstah 

Greeley, CO ABV: 11%

Inspired by the Spanish-descended fried dough sopapilla (or more specifically, the sopapilla served at Mexican Restaurant Casa Bonita, which has a room named “Black Bart’s Cave”), this dark, velvety imperial stout brings chocolatey, roasty flavors rather than fresh fried dough. Cinnamon, burnt sugar, and honey are added for extra decadence, making this a sweet stout to sip on a cold, boozy afternoon.

41. Garage Brewing Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout 

Temecula, CA ABV: 7.1%

This liquid Reese’s Pieces is rich, but not sticky; chocolatey, but not cloying; and full-bodied, yet feels lighter on the palate than its peanut-butter-chocolate-flavored 7.1 percent ABV might have you think. Our panel unanimously found this pastry stout daringly easy to drink.

40. WeldWerks PB&J Berliner 

Greeley, CO ABV: 4.6%

Considering that it was mostly its juicy IPAs, not wildly flavored kettle sours, that put this Colorado brewery on beercationers’ maps, a peanut butter and jelly-flavored Berliner weiss wasn’t what we expected to love most from WeldWerks this year. Yet, here we are. Berliner weiss and fruit are ancient companions, so perhaps it’s not surprising that strawberry puree would complement grain and tart flavors so well — add peanut powder to the mix, and the combination of flavors is unforgettable.

39. Reuben’s Brews Brettania (Series): Boysenberry and Blackberry

Seattle, WA ABV: 6.3%

Brettanomyces can make or break a beer. In the right hands, as at Reuben’s Brews, it really sings. In this mixed-culture saison aged for six months in oak puncheons, then aged with boysenberries and blackberries for an additional six months, and finally refermented in-bottle, it sings. Brettania: Boysenberry and Blackberry was the first release in Reuben’s Brews’ barrel-aged sour program, and it promptly began winning awards. Brettania: Guava and Brettania: Blackcurrant followed, and we’re anxious to taste what’s next.

38. Bell’s Brewery Official Hazy IPA 

Comstock, MI ABV: 6.4%

Released in March 2019, Bell’s Brewery’s “Official” marked the legendary beer pioneer’s entry into the hazy IPA category. Long celebrated for its Two Hearted IPA, a bracingly bitter, grapefruit-flavored exemplar of the more “old-school” IPAs style, this newcomer stands on its own with tropical fruit and citrus aromas, a palate that’s lighter than the style-defining NEIPAs of the Northeast, and an orange juice kick on the finish.

37. Oskar Blues Can-O-Bliss Hazy IPA 

Fort Collins, CO ABV: 7.2%

Can-O-Bliss “Hazy,” part of a rotating IPA series (“Tropical” and “Citrus” are others), serves up OJ, pineapple juice, and a hint of cheesy funk on the nose, followed by a fruity, herbal, spicy potpourri of hop-driven flavors on the palate. (Strata, Cashmere, Enigma, Hallertau Blanc, and Eureka hops are all used in this brew.) It’s surprisingly light in color and body, though, with crisp carbonation to balance its pungent hoppiness.

36. Springdale Beer Pearly Wit 

Framingham, MA ABV: 4.8%

Springdale Beer, of Jack’s Abby, debuted this wispy witbier last year, but in 2019 we started to see it on a lot more tap lists — and rightfully so. It’s the definition of a sessionable wheat beer: pillowy soft, crisp and coriander-flavored, with a hint of tangy citrus to keep things interesting.

35. Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest (2019)

Chico, CA and Asheville, NC ABV: 6%

Sierra Nevada’s Oktoberfest got so much love this year, people married it (or at least, got married with it. At Oktoberfest. In Germany.) As for us, we appreciated the 2019 version of this annual classic as a bubbly aperitif. Brewed in collaboration with Germany’s Bitburger Brewery, it combines the smooth flavors of Caramel, Munich, and Pilsner malt with a bitter punch, perhaps from Bitburger’s Siegelhopfen — that’s German for “sealed hops,” or the brewer’s “secret” hop blend.

34. Equilibrium Moon of Vega

Middleton, NY ABV: 8.7%

Brewed in collaboration with Florida’s J. Wakefield Brewing, this double IPA is made with more than copious amounts of Citra, Galaxy, and Mosaic hops, vanilla, and lactose (milk sugar), pouring creamy and sweet, aroma-dosed with mango, and just a hint tart on the finish. It’s the ridiculousness of a milkshake IPA in an obscenely delicious package.

33. Pure Project Rain

San Diego, CA ABV: 5.3%

Unfiltered, yet clear and golden as a summer sky, topped with a fluffy white cloud of foam, Rain is a subtle eruption: pilsner malt’s telltale biscuity aroma is amplified by its single-malt, organic producer; lemongrass follows, from Hallertau Mittelfruh hops’ herbal, citrus nudge. German ingredients and an American craft brewer’s hand make this bitter little pilsner exactly what to look for at the end of — or start of — a long day.

32. Brouwerij West Picnic Lightning

San Pedro, CA ABV: 6.8%

Picnic Lightning proves West Coast breweries can do New England-style IPAs well — and even add their own touch. Lemongrass, grapefruit, and a hint of tropical fruit blend on the nose as well as on the palate, creating a slightly sweet, herbal-citrus mix with a bitter kick. Along with malted barley, this beer uses oats and raw spelt, allowing a soft mouthfeel. Juicy, earthy, and memorable, this one is on tap at the brewery at press time — nab yourself a pour if you happen to be in L.A.

31. West Kill Kaaterskill IPA

West Kill, N.Y. ABV: 6%

Teetering on the edge of dialed-in juicy IPA and new-American pale ale, this farm-brewed New beer from New York’s Catskill Mountain region is modern and rustic at once. Modern, with its dry-hopping regimen of Azaaca, Columbus, Mosaic, and Citra hops. Rustic, in that it’s crafted on a farm in the mountains. Though not as available as other IPAs on this list, this beer is worth the hike. Mountain or specialty beer shop, a word to the wise: a 4-pack is never enough.

30. Avery Bon-Bon Cerise

Boulder, CO ABV: 14.6%

Stout lovers won’t know what’s coming until sipping this bourbon-barrel-aged imperial stout aged with cherries, cacao nibs, and vanilla beans. Sounds like standard fare for a barrel-aged pastry stout, but it’s anything but: Yes, it’s boozy and laced with bourbon-barrel character, but what stood out to our tasters was its powdered chocolate note and cooked fruit flavor, akin to cherry pie. Like the dessert, Bon Bon Cerise has layers to enjoy.

29. Left Hand Raspberry Milk Stout 

Longmont, CO ABV: 5.7%

Launched in 2019, this sister to Left Hand’s category-defining milk stout has raspberry on the nose and palate, balanced with roasty notes and a touch of sweetness. Bitter chocolate and cherry on the finish wrap it all up in a smooth, dessert-friendly (or dessert-replacing) package.

28. Monday Night Ante Meridiem Blend No. 1 (2018)

Atlanta, GA ABV: 13.5%

Several Monday Night beers were considered for this list, but its “imperial brown ale” — fair enough, it’s 13.5 percent ABV, aged in locally sourced bourbon barrels, and dosed with locally roasted coffee, Ugandan vanilla beans, and maple syrup — is a testament to the Atlanta brewery’s relentless experimentation. Firstly, it brings the noise for brown ale (even if it’s hyperbolizing the usually subtly roasty style). In a similar conundrum, It smells like vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup, and tastes creamy and sweet. But warm bourbon and coffee bean prevent it from becoming cloying. The body has excellent texture, rich but drinkable, with just enough carbonation to give a crisp edge, lifting it safely out of the barrel-aged-syrup-beer danger zone. No single part overpowers another, making this a rare treat. (It’s available seasonally on draft and in 500-milliliter bottles in Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama.)

27. Lamplighter Major Tom 

Boston, MA ABV: 6.8%

This space-themed, true New England-Style IPA brewed by Boston’s Lamplighter, a brewery, coffee purveyor and soon-to-be-distillery, is, like its maker, bold. Floating in this tin can* are Australian Galaxy hops, imparting tropical-fruit juicy flavors, but also a bitter bite hiding in the haze. *The can is aluminum.

26. Saint Archer Mexican Lager

San Diego, CA ABV: 4.8%

Saint Archer Brewery debuted its Mexican-style lager in March 2019, and it rose up our ranks for its many juxtapositions: sweet and herbal; cooked corn tortilla and fresh herbs; and, philosophically, a San Diego-brewed, Mexican-style beer owned by the very North American MillerCoors. Maybe it’s not that crazy. You would, however, be crazy to pass this up if you’re a fan of Mexican lagers like we are. Pair with chicken enchiladas, tortilla chips with salsa verde, or a lime wedge.

25. Athletic Brewing Co. Run Wild NA IPA

Stratford, CT ABV: < 0.5%

This isn’t the first time we’re praising Athletic Brewing’s flagship IPA, but it is the first time a non-alcoholic beer has made it to the top 50 beers of the year list. This says a lot, not only about the quality of this particular brew — which is made with all-organic grains, and five hop varieties from the Northwest U.S. — but it speaks to the market’s move (if inching, even) toward no- and low-ABV, as well as lower-calorie (this one’s 70), options. This beer is flavorful and balanced, featuring an herbal, citrus kick over a mild malt backbone. It became a regular purchase for some panelists over the course of the year. We’ve bought out in the wild on several semi-sober occasions. For us, this one isn’t about abstaining, it’s about sustaining — through the day and night with friends, can in hand.

24. J. Wakefield 24th Street Brown Ale

Miami, FL ABV: 6.5%

Don’t let this beer’s street-smart exterior dark, murky interior fool you. On the inside, from the first sip, it’s sweet chocolate malt balls, smooth toffee flavor, and roasty, dialed-back bitterness (think cold-brewed coffee compared to burnt iced coffee). 24th Street Brown Ale is named for the brewery’s Miami address, and with the recent remodeling of that taproom, we felt it was owed another look and a new appreciation in 2019.

23. Coronado Set West

Coronado, CA ABV: 7%

This West Coast IPA from California stalwart Coronado Brewing dials back the style’s bitterness with biscuity, freshly baked bread and fresh-squeezed orange juice on the nose. It’s dry on the palate, with a bitterness that lingers just the right amount, allowing the beer to be refreshing, rather than weigh down the palate. A hallmark West Coast IPA.

22. Two Roads Area Two Table Terroir 

Stratford, CT ABV: 3.7%

Connecticut-grown malts, hops, and yeast so local it was captured in the brewery’s own hop yard put the “terroir” in Table Terroir, a food-pairing companion and conversation starter that’s as fascinating as it is tasty. Delicate and complex, with fruity and spicy notes, it’s one we wish we could find more often — but, like this beer’s ingredients, you’ll have to go to the brewery for that.

21. Gueuzerie Tilquin Oude Pinot Noir Tilquin à L’Ancienne

Rebecq, Belgium ABV: 8.2%

“Finesse” comes to mind when attempting to describe this spontaneously-fermented lambic, which gets its fruit not from the traditional cherries (kriek) or raspberries (framboise), but from Pinot Noir grapes (260 grams of Pinot Noir grapes per liter of lambic, according to Gueuzerie Tilquin). The first version of this lambic, made to mark the 10th anniversary of legendary Belgian beer bar Moeder Lambic, used hand-harvested grapes from Valentin Zusslin Estate’s biodynamic Bollenberg vineyard. This new version uses organic grapes from a family farm in Steinseltz, France.

20. Cerebral Forbidden Idol: Mai Tai (Tiki Sour IPA Series) 

Denver, CO ABV: 7%

Kicking off the year with a tiki sour IPA series is a bold move. For Cerebral Brewing, which we already love for its show-stopping IPAs and interesting forays into categories like wood-aged lager, Forbidden Idol’s pineapple, lime, and passionfruit-flavored tiki cocktail-inspired release was an awakening. Our panel agreed this one actually tasted like a Mai Tai, proving that tiki cocktails can translate into IPA forms — and that sour IPAs, at their best, beautifully emulate cocktails. We were hooked from the start, but Cerebral Brewing has released this beer in Mai Tai, Singapore Sling, Castaway, Zombie and Painkiller versions. (And, by the way, Mai Tais are better than you think.)

19. Finback Rolling in Clouds

Queens, NY ABV: 7.1%

When we think of an ideal juicy, hazy IPA, this is it. It’s not too sweet, not too boozy, and has a smooth mouthfeel. Fruity without being super sweet and gooey, it’s just right.

18. Tired Hands Shambolic 

Ardmore, PA ABV: 6.5%

Shambolic, a saison brewed with malted spelt and raw wheat, rested in oak foudres, and dry-hopped with what is likely a lavish amount of Nelson Sauvin and Simcoe hops, is a lot to take in. Tropical fruit, lemony citrus, and floral notes create an intense perfume and palate, while fermentation with Tired Hands’ house saison yeast (and maybe microflora from the foudres) adds a tart, citric kick on the finish.

17. Grimm Artisanal Ales Awoogah IPA

Brooklyn, N.Y. ABV: 6.4%

At this point, seeing an IPA below 7 percent ABV is a godsend. Fruity and floral aromas give way to a soft palate, with spicy hop character and a hint of tangerine tartness coming from a combination of Columbus, Galaxy, Hallertau Blanc, and Simcoe hops. It’s refreshing and balanced, with certain parts pleasantly exaggerated — citrus zest, for example — without going even a molecule too far. Truly hazy and juicy, without being too bitter or sweet, this is a perfect IPA.

16. pFriem Family Brewers Pilsner

Hood River, OR ABV: 4.9%

Available in cans starting in 2019, this crystal-clear, golden pilsner is reminiscent of springtime. A fresh floral aroma, soft carbonation, and suite of unusual herbal hops varietals like Perle and Saphir make this both palate cleanser and a center-stage sipper. Whether thoughtfully or thoughtlessly, enjoy this on a porch, in a backyard, at a barbecue, or basically anywhere, anytime.

15. The Referend Bier Blendery Le Mur (2018)

Pennington/Hopewell Township, N.J. ABV: 6%

“Blackberry spontaneously fermented golden ale” is a mouthful of a beer description, but it only begins to scratch the surface of how this exquisite vintage is made. Released in July 2019, Le Mur is a blend of one- and two-year-old beer, the younger re-fermented with southern New Jersey blackberries in French oak, and the older with northern New Jersey blackberries in stainless steel. It pours a dusty garnet with a fluffy ruby head. Tart cherry, raspberry, and blackberry aromas are pungent from first whiff. Up close, nose to glass, it’s all citrus — fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, acidic orange, and a hint of lemon and lime. A brioche scent wafts in, creating a tart berry-pie aroma. The palate is tart, concentrated fruit, sharp but balanced with jammy berry flavors — it is not puckeringly sour like so many unoaked, kettle-soured beers tend to be. Oak puncheons, and perhaps more so, time, have softened its edges. Depth, complexity, and excitement.

14. Perennial Artisan Ales Prism: Mosaic

St. Louis, MO ABV: 5.5%

Showcasing the multi-faceted, New-World Mosaic hop in a classic saison would be a terrible idea if you were anyone but Perennial. But saisons and farmhouse-style ales are among this small St. Louis brewery’s specialty, and this particular release in its “Prism” series did the best job at convincing us the result can be delicious. Maybe it’s the magic of Mosaic meeting a saison yeast strain, but this saison is better than the sum of its parts.

13. Holy Mountain Witchfinder

Seattle, WA ABV: 6.1% ABV

Golden, frothy, and skunky (in a good way), this pungently-scented saison is all earthy funk on the nose, followed by floral and citrus flavors and a lingering pithy finish. It’s one of many excellent saisons from this Seattle brewery, and solidifies our suspicion that we’ll grab a bottle any time we see one — if the beer budget allows.

12. Threes Brewing The Dictator Is The People

Brooklyn, N.Y. ABV: 6%

Pungent, peppery spice, and tart apricot aromas are a precursor to this oak-aged saison’s delectable journey. Lightly fruity, dry, Champagne-sparkling, it’s a saison worth celebrating with — or celebrating, period. Next in rotation of mixed-culture, oak-aged wheat beers is Bad Faith.

11. Transmitter Brewing S9 

Brooklyn, N.Y. ABV: 5.8%

After moving from a very small space in Queens to one of Brooklyn’s biggest commercial centers, Transmitter released S9, a saison that rivals its smaller-scale days, and, dare we say, its Belgian inspirations. This iteration is pale and can be perceived as light on the palate, but it has hidden complexities: earthy, fruity notes derived from yeast and hops complement cereal grain flavors, with lively carbonation and bitterness hitting at the finish.

10. Trillium Crown and Crate

Boston, MA ABV: 8.6%

Massachusetts hives provide the nectar for this double IPA with raw wildflower honey, which, along with lactose, give the beer its ultra-creamy mouthfeel, and supple, smoothie-sweet decadence. Named for the queen bee (the “crown”) and the milk crate her worker bees use to create their hive, its abundance of tropical fruit flavors invoke the plenitudes of spring, royalty, and indulgence.

9. Harpoon Rec League

Boston, MA and Windsor, VT ABV: 3.8%

Is there anything more exciting than a 3.8-percent-ABV hoppy beer? It’d be hard to convince us while sipping Rec League. Harpoon is officially back in the game with this refreshing, light-bodied, lightly bitter and light-everything low-ABV refresher. Hints of pineapple and tropical fruit on the nose, and clementine and tangerine on the palate, yet dry as a bone, it’s a standout of the year.

8. Lagunitas Daytime Ale

Petaluma, CA ABV: 4%

Whether you’re into the low-alcohol, low-calorie phase of your beer-drinking career or not, it’s important to know that brewing a beer that’s light and tastes good is no easy feat. As the can perhaps suggests, Daytime Ale nails it. It’s citrusy and herbal, light and flavorful, and barbecue-friendly in every way. Coors Light chicks and hazebros can unite over this hoppy yet thirst-quenching summer sipper.

7. Sixpoint Citrus Jammer

Brooklyn, N.Y. ABV: 4%

We tasted every Jammer variety time and time again this summer, and while our favoritism fluctuated between the original and tropical fruit flavors, we ultimately landed on Citrus Jammer. It has the salty, spicy gose flavor we’re looking for, but is slightly subdued (compared to American goses that overdo it). Added to that are candied orange aromas, Sprite-like lemon-lime, and a lingering, lemony tang, and we found its bright and bitter finish was more refreshing than the original. Soft coriander on the finish.

6. New Belgium Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza (With Primus Cervecería)

Fort Collins, CO; Asheville, NC; and Mexico City, Mexico ABV: 4%

Mural Agua Fresca got its start via test batches brewed by New Belgium and Primus at the Mexico City cerveceria. In 2019, the agua-fresca-inspired ale is available in all 50 U.S. states (and, coming soon, more flavors). It’s refreshing all around — Mural gets its red-pink color and tart essence from hibiscus, its thirst-quenching flavor from watermelon, zippy refreshment from lime, and a touch of sweetness from agave. Get out there and try this “cerveza” before it’s rebranded as spiked seltzer.

5. Funkwerks Passion Fruit Provincial (Series)

Fort Collins, CO ABV: 4.2%

If sour ales can be sessionable, Funkwerks is one of the few breweries that can accomplish it — and lucky for us, the Colorado farmhouse-style brand added New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Kentucky, Chicagoland, and, finally, Kansas to its distribution network this year. Passion Fruit Provincial is a memorable bottled ecosystem of passionfruit’s interaction with soft malt and saison yeast. Tart, tropical, and refreshing, it’s one that has us looking out for more “Provincial” variants — raspberry, “rhuberry” (strawberry and rhubarb), and pineapple guava are among them.

4. Rodenbach Classic 

Rosalare, Belgium ABV: 5.2%

Nationally available as of 2019, Rodenbach Classic in cans — cans! —is what brought this classic brand to the top of our list this year. Rodenbach, a nearly-200-year-old Belgian brewery that defines the Flemish red beer style, launched its Rodenbach Classic label statewide in the U.S. in cans. The sleek, elegant take on a tallboy puts one of the best beers of all time in a pedestrian package, signaling that centuries-old tradition and the mastery of foeder-aging (courtesy living legend Rudi Ghequire), actually can be enjoyed anytime. No longer do we have to hoard our Rodenbach for Christmas dinner… unless it’s a vintage. As for the classic, it’s a blend of young and aged beer, the latter part of the blend aged for two years in giant oak foeders. It’s fruity and tart, pairs perfectly with rich foods, and is surprisingly sessionable on its own, too. Also in 2019, Rodenbach announced its first-ever beer collaboration with American craft beer pioneer Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.

3. SweetWater 420 Chocolope Stout

Atlanta, GA ABV: 6.4%

Chocolate stouts have been brewed many times over, but none have tasted like this. SweetWater’s 420 Strain, a series of cannabis-inspired beers, can be gimmicky, but this one wowed us every time we reached for it. It’s brewed with three types of roasted malt (Pale Chocolate, Chocolate, and Roasted Barley), a pair of herbal hops (Bravo, Willamette), and what the brewery refers to as “strain-specific terpenes and natural hemp-type flavors” — the latter being the “X”-factor. It’s insanely aromatic, like a sticky nug of weed, but roasty, too, and somehow, actual chocolate completes the package (Dutch chocolate, naturally). Insert weed joke here.

2. Cigar City Guayabera Citra Pale Ale 

Tampa, FL ABV: 5.5%

Guayabera pours frothy, fruity, and intensely aromatic. Using only Citra hops, known for their citrusy profile of grapefruit and tropical fruit, this American pale ale is juicy and refreshing, balancing citrusy bitterness, soft, bready malt character, and endlessly quaffable aroma. It also makes a great shower beer.

1. Allagash River Trip

Portland, ME ABV: 4.8 %

2019 was all about easy-drinking refreshment, and Allagash nails it with River Trip — most importantly, the pioneering brewery does so without sacrificing its style. While craft brewers clamor to diversify with light lagers and hard seltzers, this Belgian-style session ale is easy-drinking with an edge. Spiced with coriander like a traditional Belgian witbier, and fermented with Allagash’s house yeast, it adds bright, bitter, grassy notes to its table beer base. Yes, Allagash excels at beautifully executed mixed-fermentation sour beers, but it was River Trip we kept coming back to this year, again and again.

The article The 50 Best Beers of 2019 appeared first on VinePair.

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Learn English For Kids | Spelling of 17 English Words

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/learn-english-for-kids-spelling-of-17-english-words-4/

Learn English For Kids | Spelling of 17 English Words

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I am a endure me Are there i’m particularly quite huge and Furley love to devour lots and tons of honey.I have a enormous brain which style of makes me shrewd other animals run a long way away each time I fart i’m a endure whats up, are there I? Love to sleep via the neighborhood I run relatively rapid like a sprinter fish nuts Plantain meat is what I consume long strides, I take my 4 ft i’m a endure they are reasonable My infant is cold and are available all a excellent tree ruff Can see style relatively? Well? I also have a eager sense of smell i am a endure The sound I make feels like a bark.I’m very very brave not afraid the darkish it’s a attractive brilliant sunny day So odor me yet again earlier than you exit and play beep hiya, endure You deserve a enormous undergo hug? Yes, i am a e P. I reside in both a hive or a colony with my very very large loved ones chief Is referred to as the queen bee she is candy one other imply me. I am a bee a bee Bee, I make honey the sweet and now not sound from the nectar of a flower have quite a pointy sting that may harm anyone even a king am a baby E e b.We are the one bugs that make meals which you could eat We hold our dwelling rather smooth and neat we are grounded and kicked out if we’re messy whilst a child we are stored very busy am a b b d e b after we wish to speak to one another we do a targeted dance We wash our tail or go round and round and circular in a trance have you heard the sound I make buzz? Buzz do you know I certainly not ever take a snooze? Snooze am a significant b e e b i like how is there crimson yellow and blue I would like to spend extra time with you however i’ve lots and lots of work to do so repeat after me e B e e b. You’re a All correct Eric sit capable, are you might be you lt? Kurt i am the favourite food of their rabbit taking me up is their habit i am long and Slim my lovely green hair is what you trim I? Am a carrot see a get together carrot, you could devour me oiled or or zzz appear i’m handy to draw , candy and crunchy Luncheon to me when you’re hungry, i’m Carrie you see wait water rose.Sure, carrot Scrub and clean up hold your teeth I develop within the soil underneath eating me daily is excellent in your eyes suppose me. I am telling you no lies right a mechanic will see method we are yarn Carrot make up cool. Pointy nostril on the as you watch impose recall To munch and current on me cuz i’ve finiman beef c D and e And these you already know are excellent on your mind Now let’s play a game and spell my title once more. I’m a carrot will see a are Are o Tu you might be particularly i am an Act they him tea Am an insect that is rather fairly tiny ? Are living with my family and friends in a significant giant Colony i’m an 8 any then booty bet i have six yards which are very very powerful if I pink Act and that i chunk you ah It definite is gonna sting and that’s genuine. Am an a empty mattress like you I like to something that’s sweet ? Do not have to use but I hear with my feet. I’m an ant a and booty bed Touching one one more is how me and my associates speak? Relocating in a straight line is how we wish to walk I? Am an ant a empty bed The Summers wish to sleep seven hours a day We have to stomach slide away So spell me as soon as once more do not say you can’t i’m easy to claim i’m a empty i am butter a little bit bit me makes the taste higher Yellow and creamy like silk. I am became and became from good historical milk. I’m butter be our Return put me on toast tap mom roast add me to a cake that your mother is Gonna bake i am butter i know, I super yummy but hearken to your mommy cuz an excessive amount of of me will make you sick for your tummy. I’m butter B T g e are we at Er. How am I made you ask it can be relatively an effortless challenge Shake Shake Shake in a jar a variety of cream voila our love is me.I’m no longer only a dream Elaine butter Tt. E butter now spell out my identify loud be definite not to mutter Dimly to your mama proud. I’m butter and Gt/e dashes i’m a booklet don’t be now oh k e-book Come on. Open me up and take a look amazing mysteries you are going to discover a entire new world you are going to detect read me any time of night time and day. I tell magical studies areas close a long way away, i’m a guide oh Oh, ok. Seem in me matters that will open your intellect Why? Where when What? Who how solutions to these will have you pronouncing i am a booklet b.Oh okay, when you have a paramour a story for your , i am correct here to help you get began do not forget we don’t like canine ears So protect as well to restrict our tears. I’m a e-book b. Oh okay booklet enjoy the pix of men and women locations tons extra Get for all into experiences that you have not ever heard earlier than will constantly be there if you are When you want to get away from everybody ? Am a guide be a k publication in case you learn a page of me everyday excellent your teacher will say So let’s follow spelling me correct exhibit everybody that you’re vivid oop be oh k, seem you’re a genius am a pencil and Pi pencil You be trained to put in writing utilizing me? Whether or not it’s 1 2 3 are, Abc you employ me to draw sketch and stripper i am also quite a lot of enjoyable to do it off and the pencil be e and C. Ai L pencil i’m made wooden on the outside Clay and Graphite is what i’m on the within come in all colors dark and shiny and now not simply black and white i’m a pencil Pp, and C.I elf pencil I was first used for marking sheep. I will be able to be each fairly low-cost you utilize me almost daily On March 30th have fun my birthday i am a pencil PV and C5 Pencil i am valuable in lots of another approach at school. I will work and at play Be it writing poetry or a narrative Or sketching stunning surroundings for taking notes and mobile messages crossword puzzles and fascinating mazes i am a pencil P/e Mc. I elf pencil my two high-quality buddies eternally The eraser in this Chakra are of nice support to you and me i am sure you will agree hi, i am a pencil thief e Mc.L pencil i can draw a line 35 Miles long are attempting me out and spot if i’m flawed. Am going to play a sport Repeat after me one last time as I spell my identify pencil p P and seeking line, L. And so you deserve a gold superstar green inexperienced publishing as When you are wide unsleeping simply sleep close your eyes and watch me our hundred traces Keener if it really works me do inform your neighbors I A machine has h and m 3 My boot is made of smooth. Not as powerful a extra but I sure will hold you heat for the duration of the cold winter snow, i really like she has side howdy. Hi there really high top of a hill and even when it is cold i don’t trap achoo Shannon who’s my grasp takes care I don’t need my oh she has she adored eating grass all day long that what makes us for ah? Ah the sound we make? We rattling run fast see snake i know she us and The time has come for me to cry however earlier than i’m going, let’s sing my recognized, right? Baa Baa black Sheep. You any wool? Yes, sir? Yes, sir three bags full now get set equipped to spell sheep as sheep? Whoa you smell that quite good i’m a lion El I/o and lion i’m referred to as the king of the jungle And no, i’m not an angel you’ll also in finding me in a zoo napping through the day. There’s what I do Am alive El I Air and Lion am so happy with my glorious mane, i don’t wish to get it moist within the rain My favourite favorite meal is meat Grass and Fruit is not what I eat am El I/o and the road like to bask within the afternoon solar On seeing me the deer take off and run The sound I make is a growling roar? All animals consider at any place i’m a lion I oh Than me is my buddy the tiger but I definite am more advantageous Have a robust jaw and really sharp enamel Rubbing our heads is how we greet we rubber heads when meet I? Am alive El I/o reside A child lion is known as and come and so they do love Tommy Rob join him as he spells his title As he likes to play this game, right? I oh i’m a camel see Mal Camel i’m referred to as the ship the desolate tract my lengthy curly eyelashes maintain out sand and dust inform directions with every leg i will be able to kick riding on me could make you believe seasick of a camel see m and m L Camel if you tease me a smelly fluid on you, i will spit this is something you are going to certainly not ever omit in my hump my store not water, that offers me power my game in Arabic way magnificence i’m a camel see a m in El Gamal Getting me up once i have lay leisure no convenient venture considering the fact that i will be fairly a pest We walk in the blazing sun and don’t suppose the warmth We is probably not swish, however we’re rapid on our feet i’m a camel see and um Oh camel. Am known to be very very strong considering that I elevate plenty of weights all day long With my poop you could a hearth right away can consume build the dis for me and prickly i’m a camel see a Mal, Kevin i am very sufferer and gentle if you treat me well Now the time has for me to say farewell you recognize my identify is convenient to spell So say one final time on the sound of the valve see a um e el Camel you might be cool