#she's still close to her family though she's definitely considered an outcast by the village.

[miracles-and-butterflies]

Any Pepa Head-cannons?

Of course! Apologies for this being late. Here’s some for Pepa:

Pepa’s middle name is “Catalina”

Pepa and Bruno were each other’s best friend in their early years

This changed when Félix and his family moved to Encanto and Pepa found herself quickly replaced

From that point on, Pepa disliked Félix

Though her gift was difficult for a child to control, she initially found no issues with it and enjoyed manipulating the weather

Pepa’s habit of playing with her hair when nervous started as a child, she just never grew out of it and became increasingly more on edge

Is actually very squeamish and usually avoids helping Julieta with work

When the triplets started taking dance class, Pepa purposefully made herself look bad - therefore never having to be partnered with Félix, who was one of the best

She can dance just as well

Out of the triplets, Pepa had the worst reputation growing up

The villagers disliked her gift as it was impossible to live with the possibility that the weather could change so quickly

And her classmates use to bully her for being so “emotional” and “childish”

She was extremely self-conscious during her teenage years - especially as Julieta was considered the most beautiful of the town, and Bruno carried similar charms to their late father

She became close friends with Agustín as fellow outcasts when he moved to town in their late teens

There was never romantic feelings between them, although they did promise if neither were married by 50, they’d marry each other

Pepa was the one who introduced him to Julieta at a party, as he may or may not have fallen off a roof from a dare she gave him

She was very happy when the pair got together

She was less happy when he befriended Félix, giving Félix more reason to hanging around Casita

She is very good at lip reading

Subsequently, she had tons of gossip - in spite of nobody actually talking to her

Out of the triplets, she has the least amount of relationships and dating experience. But was too proud to ask either of them for advice

It took her many, many years before she dropped her grudge against Félix. And even more before she realised Félix had a crush on her

Félix proposed to her with a song on his tiple

Félix and Pepa married in December, 1928

Yes, in a hurricane

Pepa didn’t speak to Bruno for the rest of the day

She blames herself for not having better control of her emotions, but everyone else blamed Bruno and she conformed with them; it was nice to not being the hated triplet for once

Dolores came prematurely

Baby Dolores was a very quiet baby, until she started talking, which came unusually quick for babies

Isabela is her favourite niece, for many reasons. But their closeness started when Isa was a baby and had trouble sleeping, only comforted by the sound of Pepa’s storms

Contrary to popular belief, it was Pepa who started braiding Isabela’s hair, not Alma - though it was based on old photographs of Alma

Félix, coming from a big family, and Pepa, having always wanted children of her own, expected to have at least five or six - unfortunately, Pepa struggled to have children

Pepa would later have a miscarriage between Camilo and Antonio. It was another boy

The baby is buried alongside Pedro; Pepa lays new flowers on their graves every so often

Baby Camilo was the exact opposite to his sister, loud and always craving attention

In addition to raising baby Camilo, Pepa also kept an eye on Mirabel during the early months when nobody (besides Luisa and Félix) would interact with her

Pepa thinks raising Mirabel is what raising Julieta was like

Antonio was the most difficult pregnancy

Like Isabela, baby Antonio also found her weather to be good white noise for sleeping. Even after he moved into the nursery, he would still creep back into his parents’ bedroom

Pepa runs lines with Camilo when he’s practicing for a show

In spite of being the more chaotic of her and Félix, she’s the (slightly) stricter parent

Though she’s definitely argued in defence of her children at multiple parents’ evenings

She has also destroyed anyone who bullies her children

She may be a little overprotective

Pepa taught all of the children how to dance - Isabela, Luisa and Camilo were the most promising (Dolores has two left feet, Mirabel overthinks it, and Antonio just isn’t interested in dance)

Reading is one of Pepa’s favourite hobbies

Has always shown up at family dinner for dessert and drama (nothing else)

Out of all her children, Dolores is the most like her - she’s just quieter

Pepa is one of the few adults who actually remembers the names of all Antonio’s animals

Following the return of the miracle, Pepa insisted the Madrigals retake the photo in Antonio’s room

Gets at least one umbrella every year for her birthday

[seaquestions]

my touhou oc, naegi! i think i succeeded well enough w/ the zun art style.. naming her was the hard part! her bio:

七草 苗木 | Nanakusa Naegi ~ Unwilting Green-Thumb Magician

A human magician. Naegi was once a simple gardener who wanted to get better at caring for her plants, but after reading a few old books, she got sucked into the world of magic. She currently lives somewhere between the Human Village and the Garden of the Sun. Down to earth and always positive, but a bit impatient.

Spell Cards:

Flower Sign "Herbaceous Border" | 花符 「草本のボーダー」

Earth Sign "Guerrilla Gardener" | 土符 「ゲリラ庭師」

Garden Sign "Sunshine Revolution" | 庭符 「日光革命」

Spring Shower "Festival of Seven Herbs" | 春雨 「七草の節句」

Theme: きせきのタネ (Miracle Seed) ~ Lucky Number Seven

[ivendarea]

The Gaanar

Stronger together, against all others

Banner art based on and supported by my Patrons ♥

Considered outcasts and refugees in their own country, branded as rebellious subversives, and isolated from the Ivendarean Mainland, the Nyr of Maan Garth are looked down upon by many Ivendareans.

The Gaanar though see themselves as the last bastion that would need to fall to entirely lose their country to the Assadin invaders. They are the last keepers of their culture, resilient, determined, and willing to give everything to hold on to their homeland.

Table of Contents:

Culture and History

Cultural Heritage

Language and Dialect

Shared Values

Important Historical Figures

Common Ettiquette

Fashion

Art and Architecture

Ideal

Beauty Ideals

Courtship Ideals

Relationship Ideals

Continue reading below or on World Anvil

[Support the Project on Patreon]

Culture and History

The Nyr of Maan Garth call themselves “Gaanar”, which was the name of the tribe that used to roam the island before Iovana Neron united the nation.

Cultural Heritage

Until the spread of Aman‘s Teachings and their rise to godhood, the Gaanar were predominantly fishermen and hunters, as the rocky island with dense jungles and active volcanoes is not very suitable for farming. That being said, on the formerly green slopes around Panthil and along the southern coastline of the island, farming and animal herding was more commonly practised. Aman teaches though that the consumption of animal flesh is morally questionable, particularly when the creature is slain for this particular purpose and did not die of other causes naturally. It is very likely that Nyr are reborn as animals from time to time, and being hunted as prey by one‘s peers is as traumatizing as the death penalty to the soul. The death penalty was abolished with the introduction of Aman‘s teachings as the nations main religion, and eating meats and fish became a big taboo.

The Gaanar had trouble adapting to this new way of life, but wanting to honor their heritage – Aman being of their people originally – they found different ways to survive. The Giant Goats so commonly seen on Maan Garth are no longer slaughtered for their meat, instead dozens of variations of dairy products are made from their milk. Every possible inch of farmland is used to grow grains, rice, fruits, and vegetables, and scientists put years of effort into creating more farmland out of the seemingly most inhabitable spaces, including the tips of the sharp rocks protruding from deep within the islands surface. Volcanic ash is used as fertilizer, and whatever can‘t be grown on the island is imported from the mainland to sustain the growing population.

Still though, particularly the poor and those living in secluded villages resent the state religion‘s restriction and continue fishing or hunting or slaughtering their animals in times of dire need. Even in Panthil itself there are establishments where fish and meat are served, simply because it is as much the island‘s heritage as Aman‘s Teachings are.

Language and Dialect

While most people on Maan Garth speak several languages, the traditional Nyrval is spoken almost exclusively in everyday life. This leads often to a Gaanar immediately giving their place of origin away when they leave Maan Garth, as most speak other languages with a clearly noticeable accent. The typical dialect of Maan Garth as such also has a harsher pronunciation, relatively fast way of speaking, and a great range of modulation of the voice compared to most mainland dialects and “pure“ Nyrval. Some describe the sound of Maan Garth‘s flavour of the language as passionate to angry sounding, which is more than fitting for the rough islanders.

Shared Values

The greater good of the community is always to be regarded as one of the highest virtues one could strive for. Independence and freedom are valued just as much as honoring history and one‘s ancestors, as well as learning from one‘s own past lives. It is true that a lot of the Gaanar seem to have a rebellious streak, which is something the prophet Aman could already say of themself. “Take nothing as granted“ and “question what you‘re told by your superiors and outsiders“ would be mottos many Gaanar agree to.

Yet, rebelliousness doesn‘t necessarily equal violence. Peaceful resistance – and sometimes a certain sass and disrespect for authority figures that don‘t prove themselves worthy in their eyes – are just as effective.

Definitely the most isolated group of Nyr since the beginning of time, the Gaanar have always felt a little as outsiders longing to be part of the community on the Ivendarean Mainland. Torn between keeping their independence and unique way of life and being a part of something bigger, they are a people of contradictions. Often appearing harsh or cold to outsiders, they are one of the most passionate peoples of Ivendarea in love, life, and conflict. To truly move forward you have to go all – in, and indecisiveness is generally disliked.

Important Historical Figures

Aman: Scholar, Prophet and now one of the eleven gods, born and raised in Panthil

Iovana Brestine: Sometimes referred to as the “Queen of Peace“, who set up a peace treaty with king Zerenda to end the conflicts following the Invasion War. Technically she wasn‘t born on Maan Garth, therefore is not truly of Gaanar origin, yet she spent more than half of her life on the island and her revolutionary deeds carried out out of a passion for the future of her people and nation alone render her worthy of calling herself “Gaanar“. She still resides in Panthil and is an active part of Iovana Panmorn‘s council, despite her high age

Iovana Rava: Sometimes called the “Rebel Queen“, the first and so far only Ivendarean Iovana to be born on Maan Garth, and one with one of the most tragic fates

Common Etiquette

Being direct and open with one another is usually valued more than false politeness. If someone makes a mistake it is talked about very directly and immediately, but still in such a constructive manner, that the one accused can learn from the situation for the future. If someone dislikes someone, it is told to the face of the other person, not behind their back – gossip is not well – liked or accepted.

In a city as crowded as Panthil, unwanted body contact is as much a part of the daily routine as getting dressed in the morning. Therefore, as soon as there is enough space available to put a comfortable distance between each other, bystanders can witness groups dispensing quickly to give each other room to breathe. At least an arm‘s length of distance is very appreciated whenever it is logistically possible, particularly with strangers and in business – or educational settings.

Generally though most of the Gaanar aren‘t afraid of body contact, and especially in relaxed situations with friends and family they will most likely sit close by each other.

The elders of the community are treated with great respect – some of them still alive were born in a time before the Assadin invaded and still remember how life used to be, have travelled to places long lost, and have spoken to individuals Nyr children nowadays only know as historical figures from books and stories. The elder‘s knowledge and wisdom are invaluable – on the downside they tend to look down a bit on the exceptionally brash and overly ambitious youth.

Fashion

The clothes of Maan Garth are colourful and light, particularly in the warmer months, but everyone has at least one garment made from the wool of the Giant Goats native to the island. The wool is the perfect protective layer against rain, which can occur suddenly at any time and get very intense.

Most of the inhabitants of Maan Garth consider themselves devout followers of Aman, and therefore they don‘t wear a lot of clothing made out of animal leather. Most clothes are made from natural fibres such as linen, but silk is just as popular. Shoes are made from anything ranging from driftwood over straw to wool. Common motives in clothing are dragon scales, water, and the ocean. Most Gaanar wear their hair long, open, or in braids, although with younger generations more daring hairstyles are becoming popular. Due to the often heavy winds, rain, and stormy weather, headscarves and hoods are a common sight, worn to protect the hair and preventing it from slapping into other people‘s faces.

Art and Architecture

Maan Garth‘s art is inspired and strongly influence by religion, common themes as well are magic, the change of the seasons, and the local flora and fauna. Flowing lines symbolizing water, circles showcasing the cycle of rebirth, and mosaics consisting of thousands of intricate glass pieces demonstrate how every little member of a community contributes to a bigger picture.

The architecture of settlements like Panthil reflects Maan Garth‘s wild but harsh beauty, with most buildings being made from the common dark – grey stone, overgrown with moss and ivy, as well as details made from obsidian and driftwood. Nautical motives are common, such as one of the highest districts of Panthil being called the “Crow‘s Nest“, and handmade, braided ropes serve not only functional but also decorative purposes throughout the city.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Individuality, originality, and tradition are celebrated among the Gaanar. They preferrably grow their hair long, wearing it in intricate braids that demonstrate skill, patience, and craftsmanship. Clothing can sometimes be quite revealing, and is often very fitted to the form of the wearer. Showing off one‘s skin and body proudly is met with respect, symbolizing being true to oneself, accepting of oneself, and proud of one‘s identity as Nyr. Piercings, body jewelry, make – up, and tattoos are also relatively commonly seen and considered as enhancements of natural beauty, accentuating one‘s features.

Courtship Ideals

Long phases of courtship aren‘t popular on Maan Garth. Life is harsh and can end quickly, just one wrong step too close to a cliff or too deep into the jungle and it‘s over. Most individuals prefer directness, stating one‘s wishes from the start, and not wasting time or disappointing the other party by hiding what one truly wants from a potential relationship.

Flirting and courtship are open and direct, can appear almost blunt to outsiders, but the communities of Maan Garth are tightly – knit and most individuals already know each other in one way or another anyway. Being turned down is never taken as an offense, and if a romantic relationship isn‘t desirable, friendship is always offered as an option instead.

Relationship Ideals

Many relationships, especially among younger demographic groups, are usually very casual, open, or of a short duration when new adventures await elsewhere. Casual flings with friends or even strangers are commonplace, which led to the stereotype of the Gaanar being detached from their feelings or peers, irresponsible, or even disloyal.

With most stereotypes, there is a true core even to the worst of them. The Gaanar are indeed relatively solitary and distanced from the Nyr on the mainland, but in regards to interpersonal relationships this is of course not true. Long – lasting relationships are just as common on Maan Garth as elsewhere, but especially in their adolescence, sometimes even until way later, romantic partnerships, friendships, and sexual relationships have not as clearly defined borders as almost everywhere else.

Due to recent events young couples on Maan Garth are currently also encouraged to not have more than two children. Panthil in particular is facing a serious problem of overpopulation, with water and food resources as well as health care and education not being able to keep up with the influx of refugees. So in return this policy of fewer children has lead to a significant surge in polyamorous relationships, where two or three children are brought up in families of three or more romantic partners, which is in line with the laws and allows raising an individual more children than what would be possible in a non – polyamorous relationship.

[Read on World Anvil]

[Support the Project on Patreon]

[grace-ko]

Alana (nee Silvers) Ko (51) FC: Robin Wright

Alana and Grace met in their late 20s while they were both pursuing their PhD’s at Columbia University. Though the first time they met was at a bar in the west village. Alana approached Grace with a cheesy pickup line about polar bears and then opened with a quote from one of Grace’s favorite Paulo Coelho books. Grace has been known to say that she fell in love with Alana the night they met. They spent it drinking and walking the streets of downtown NYC, staying up for hours while they sat by the Hudson Rive and exchanged stories. The night ended at Alana’s apartment and Grace never looked back from there. 

Alana and Grace were together for 12 years before they were married in 2011 when same sex marriage was legalized in New York State. They had a huge wedding at Gracie Mansion that was covered by the New York Times and attended by most NYC social elite and well known artists of all kind. No one could spend more than two minutes with Alana and Grace and not be able to see how incredibly in love they were. Grace’s first book is dedicated to Alana and Alana’s first book was fully edited by Grace and dedicated to her as well. 

Born in Edens Town, Alana is the daughter of a high school janitor and waitress at Anna’s Diner. As a teenager she was fairly quiet, spent a lot of time with her head in books, dreaming and dying to be anywhere but in Edens. When she got into NYU for college and was able to leave, she did so and never looked back. It wasn’t that her parents weren’t good people, she just never felt like they were her people. So she packed everything she had and the most contact she’d have with her parents was the check she’d send them every month to help with the house. NYC truly became her playground and she found so much of herself in the city that never sleeps. As a college sophomore, she finally came out as a lesbian and it was a turning point in her life she never imagined could be so freeing. 

A poet, actress and hopeful playwright, Alana is an extremely dedicated artist. She was a bit hesitant in pursuing her PhD, debating if whether or not she should just move to LA. But she decided to apply on the day of the deadline and never regretted it after meeting Grace the first week of her program. Grace was the first person she met that made her truly feel like a star, but more than that she made her feel seen. Made her feel valuable. And more than anything, she made her feel loved. Alana was sure she wouldn’t have graduated without Grace’s encouragement and upon graduation and moving into their own apartment, it felt like a no brainer to start a family. 

After Noah’s Birth, Alana was the one who suggested they move to Edens Town to settle down more and have stability for the kids.  That and Alana’s parents were sick and for once she felt responsible to come back and take care of them. But the move changed everything. It changed Alana. And when her father passed after three years of them being in Edens she felt the darkness wrap her up even more. It was no excuse but it was a start to a sort of recklessness she could never take back. 

12 years of partnership, 8 years of marriage, 3 kids, a beautiful home in Edens, and then a short affair, one that was blinding and all consuming resulting in her losing Grace for good. 

Does she regret it? Absolutely. Can she change it? She has no fucking idea. 

Allen Ko (16)  FC: Darren Chen

The first born, Grace’s little angel and ball of hope. Allen is the best parts of Alana and Grace, having gotten the chance to grow up at a time when Grace and Alana were at their best. They were new professors but a strong team, surrounded by loving family who were always willing to help out. Namely Grace’s parents, Allen is very close to his chinese grandparents, the first one of the kids to become fluent and to practically beg his parents every weekend to go to Queens to see his grandparents. Which is why he took it extra hard when they moved. He complains all the time about missing NYC even though it’s been six years and he’s made a lot of friends in Edens. He wouldn’t say he’s popular by any means but he’s definitely not an outcast. He’s on the swim team at Edens High and told his moms he joined debate but he actually skips debate to go hang out with his crush. 

He doesn’t like to talk about what’s going on with his moms, pretty pissed at Alana and kind of angry at Grace. Though he’s started to let go of that anger with the help of some mentor ship from AJ and his newfound love of boxing thanks to Cassandra. 

Despite all the chaos, he just wants to make his moms proud and take care of his sisters. He thinks he’ll live a good life as long as he can do that. 

Nina Ko(14) FC: Anna Cathcart

The balance keeper, the level headed, the middle child. Nina is in many ways, Grace’s saving grace. This is mostly because out of everyone in her life, she has spent the most time with Grace. In the kitchen, in her office, at her publishers office, Nina was a child who liked to be glued to her mother’s sides. She was the kid who would sit in the back of her mother’s lectures and draw because she couldn’t be bothered to stay in the house all day with a babysitter. She wanted to be with her moms, wanted to be where the books were, where life was. She knew from a young age that her family was different, that most of her friends had moms and dads but she never really cared about it much. She loves her moms and loves her family. 

The divorce hit her hard but for the sake of her siblings she’s been trying to keep it together. And she loves Edens Town. Loves her friends, the water, the Montgomery museum, the ice cream shop, all of it. Unlike her brother, Nina is someone who would be considered pretty popular and her mother almost took her phone away once because it was always going off. She’s not a huge partier but she’s very social, usually the mom friend out of all of her friends despite usually being the youngest in her group. 

And she supposes part of the reason why she hasn’t been distraught over the divorce is because she’s concocted a plan with her younger sister to try to get her mom’s back together. 

Noah Ko (8) FC: TBD

The baby of the family, everyone’s unproblematic fave and the most like Alana. She has quite an imagination, always charming with her words and able to get a laugh at of anyone in the family. It’s hard to be mad at her, even harder to say no to her which she always uses to her advantage. She’s only ever really known Edens Town as home since they moved when she was only 2 and she couldn’t imagine herself being anywhere else. 

The divorce has been confusing for her and mostly she just hates to see Grace crying. She still calls Alana every night, though she hasn’t exactly told her siblings that. 

She was the one who convinced Nina that they should try to get their moms back together. 

[alwaysaladysworld]

Red & Wolf Series

Chapter II

"It's not right Eloise!"

"I know, but there is nothing you can do to change their minds."

"Why can't they just see that you're amazing? You and Aunt."

"I don't know. People tend to believe words rather than see with their own eyes."

"Well that's stupid."

Stomping away from the tailor's shop, Ames vents his frustions which he believed should've been Red's own. Unfortunately, he was alone in that regard due to Eloise being immune to the way others viewed her or her family. Ames sighed, though exasperated, partitally due to the fact that Red's words started to fully sink in once he cooled his head. This isn't the first time he took offense to the mistreatment of the girl, and surely it wouldn't be his last. He hated not being able to speak up for his dear friend and call out those who grumbled about her residency or proximity. He felt useless.

He felt powerless.

Ames came to an abrupt halt. With Red being so close behind, she couldn't stop herself in time before bumping into his back. Her gaze moves upwards, confusion carved on to her face as to why he suddenly stopped walking. They were away from the village square now, having almost made it to the edge of Lenghant.

Ames turned to Eloise, laying firm hands on her narrow shoulders. Eloise found his eyes, a dark earthy brown that seems to always put her at ease with their playful shine and warm gaze. Her irises scanned the rest of his face. Ames would be what you'd consider attractive.

Sharp jawline, tanned skin, curly dark locks, a lean, but fit body that catches the eyes of other girls her age. He was the walking definition of tall, dark, and handsome. It was a wonder how he wasn't already promised to another. She guessed it was because no matter his looks, Ames John Lewis will always be just that. Himself. And Red certainly hoped that would never change.

Nonetheless, the tightening of his fingers on her shoulder brought her back to reality. The expression on the male's face makes her wonder what he could be contemplating in that brain of his.

Eventually he opens his mouth to speak, "Eloise,"

Her eyes widen. For Ames only calls her by name when he is truly serious about a particular subject; and a serious Ames is a rare sight, his eyes became hard but still held a look of deep concern, "it pains me that I cannot even do the most simplest of things at times, and it pains me even more when I can't do anything for you! I hate it, y'know. I hate how they are biased against you just because you're different. Just because they don't know you. I wish I could just-" Ames clenched his teeth, fearing he would say more than he planned, but his voice was so raw with emotion to the verge of breaking. He felt so strongly about not being able defend Red- to defend her mother, whom he also cared for as his own. It tore at him, the ignorance of others.

"I just want to protect you. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, let me protect you!"

Red blinked hearing such an honest confession. She knew of Ames' feelings of frustration and anger but not to this extent. Slowly, she reached her hand to brush the knuckles of his larger one on her left shoulder. At this his grip loosened to not dig his nails into the wool of her cloak and accidentally bruise the person he cared for most.

Red took his hands in her own and brung them to her lips in appreciation. A thin blush crept up the boy's neck and dusted his cheeks, but said nothing.

"I'm grateful," she whispered, "to have you in my life, Ames. You already do so much for me by simply being my friend and for that, I must be truly blessed. Thank you, Ames. Please continue to protect me in a way that no one else can."

A beautiful smile, one of adoration and love enveloped Red's lips as she gazed at her lifelong friend and companion.

Ames has been taken with Red from the start, and didn't notice as his body leaned forward in hopes of stealing a kiss with the one who stole his heart, and share a sweet moment of utter bliss.

Unfortunately, this wish did not come true.

From high above, a white dove flew down quickly gaining the attention of the girl in scarlet wool.

"Ames, would you look at that."

Why should he? His inner self questioned as he sighed at the fact that the moment between them has passed and gone. The bird perched itself on a low hanging branch, and chirped a greeting that the girl had returned.

The rumors about Eloise communicating with wildlife and being accurate in regards to the weather were indeed true, but that did not make her a witch, much less evil.

I'm sorry, was I interrupting you?

The dove asked.

"Not at all. What brings you here?" Eloise inquired the white bird. The pure creature tells Red of her hunt for food for her young ones. From this point on, Red ends up conversing with the bird. She introduces Ames and he even asks the female dove what's it like as a dove to which she responds with a question of her own that Eloise translates:

What's it like to be a human?

Ames laughs, "Not at all what it's talked up to be."

They continue their talk with the mother bird while looking around for anything she can digest to feed to her babies later on.

The sun has risen to mid-day, and bled into mid-afternoon by the time the dove bids her farewell and thanks to the two humans who helped her own her way.

"I should probably get going too, before Mother gets upset with me for being gone too long." Ames voiced aloud.

Eloise turns her head in alarm. "Did you tell her you're with me?" She knew Ames' mother did not care for her son to be hanging around the village outcast, and Ames' mother- Red began to pale- she can get quite violent with the right amount of booze and barely any reason to take out her anger and frustions on her dear friend.

"Ames-"

"I'll be fine, Eloise." He interrupted, already knowing what the sixteen-year-old would say.

Eloise closed her mouth but glanced worriedly at her friend by her side. Her eyes raking over his form in wonder of where the mad woman would strike him next. Her heart clenches at the thought. In the next few moments, both parties remain silent, but soon Eloise found her voice again, somehow with the strength not to waver.

"You say you want to protect me," she began, facing Ames to look him in the eye with the same intensity as waves crashing against an earthy shore; she swallowed the lump that threatened form in her throat, "but how come you won't let me protect you?"

One beat. Two beats. Three. The beating drums of dead silence pounded their ears. Red waited patiently for an answer though she knew she may never get one.

Ames didn't say a word a he reached over to pull the scarlet hood of her cloak over her head. He then pressed his lips to her temple. It was such a soft action that Eloise thought she imagined it. Only the sound of their hearts beating, and the overlapping voices of the forest creatures, filled the space around them until Ames spoke.

"You already protect me in a way that no one else can."

*Second chapter of my rewritten work on wattpad, the cover is an original please don’t take it*

[livingdead666]

My Other Boruto OC: Yoshiro

So, here is my other OC, Yoshiro. His background is more complex than Hotaru’s, so seriously, constructive criticism is not a sin!

Name: Yoshiro

Age: 16

Birthday: June 14

Village: He is a shinobi of Sunagakure, but he was originally from a much smaller ninja village with a similar climate.

Family: Yoshiro’s parents, Tadashi and Seiko, unfortunately died when he was five years-old. He was and is currently being raised by his paternal uncle and Tadashi’s identical twin, Tamotsu. Tamotsu was the one who moved them Suna the day after his sixth birthday. He seems to suspect that Tadashi and Seiko’s deaths were foul play...

Current Rank: Jonin

Age of Graduation: 12

Squad Captain: Shira (I know he's a filler character, but he's also one of the more interesting Suna characters outside Baki and the Sand Siblings. Also, taijutsu masters rule.)

Skin Tone: He has a tan, similar to Baki’s.

Hair: Dark blonde, shaggy, and past shoulder-length, which he keeps in a low ponytail.

Eye Color: His left eye is hazel. His right, however, is covered by an eyepatch with a sealing. So not many people know what it looks like.

Height: 5′9 ft (1.75 meters)

Weight: 160 lbs (72.6 kg)

Body Type: Toned and athletic

Outfit of Choice: Wears the standard Suna shinobi gear, with a tan flak jacket and dark blue shirt, pants, and shinobi sandals. He also wears his forehead protector as a bandana.

Chakra Types: Earth and Wind

Most Proficient Justu: Ninjutsu

Least Proficient Justu: Genjutsu

Abilities: He is a simulated jinchuuriki, having Shukaku’s chakra sealed in him hours after his birth, and it manifests in his right eye. As a result, that eye not only has a similar black ring around it like Gaara’s, but also has black sclera, yellow iris and the cross-shaped pupil, just like Shukaku and it made him an outcast in his birth home. Because of this, he is able to manipulate sand and carries a small gourd with him. Unlike Gaara, he doesn't have the luxury of an automatic defense, so he focuses on taijutsu to make up for it.

Unfortunately, he has almost lost control of the chakra he possesses more than once, and he goes into a frenzied state, attacking friend and foe alike, usually when he's under a LARGE amount of stress. He wears the eyepatch to counteract this.

Personality: Yoshiro is a genuinely kind, idealistic, cheerful, and heroic young man. He will never hesitate to help someone who needs his protection, and will always do the right thing. However, he will charge into battle without thinking his strategy through and distresses those who love him by putting himself in danger. Also, while he never shows it, he has a good amount of doubt in himself and often contemplates his own self-worth.

Favorite Food: Mabu Tofu, Curry, and generally anything good and spicy.

Least Favorite Food: Raw squid

Hobbies: He is surprisingly a huge fan of horror manga and has a small bookshelf dedicated to his collection. He also enjoys traveling and seeing new places. Though the desert will always be home.

Main Relationships:

Tadashi and Seiko- Yoshiro doesn't remember much of his parents other than they were both shinobi like Tamotsu. He does remember his mother as warm and gentle and his father as kind, if a bit stern.

Tamotsu- Tamotsu is essentially Yoshiro’s key parental figure. He’s a friendly and laid-back man who will go through Hell and back for Yoshiro and absolutely BOILS at the idea of anyone taking advantage of and harming his nephew. After arriving to Suna, the first thing he did when he met Gaara was throw himself onto the ground and beg the Kazekage to let Yoshiro live there and be able to grow up a normal kid. After a period of time, he himself became of Suna’s most loyal ninja.

Gaara- Yoshiro deeply respects Gaara, especially since Gaara took the time to help him train his sand ninjutsu and refers to him as simply ‘Sensei’. Gaara himself feels that Yoshiro should know that he isn't alone in his situation and wants him to be a better man than him. He also can't ignore the similarities they have and quite happy that Yoshiro has no problem socializing and making friends. He certainly doesn't want the young man going through same, virulent path he was once on.

Shira- The two are quite close as mentor and student. Shira helped Yoshiro compensate for his lack of an automatic defense by sharpening his reflexes and getting him used to pain. Yoshiro can also empathize with Shira, since they both used to be outcasts. 

Shinki, Yodo, and Araya- Yoshiro sees them as younger siblings to an extent and does his best to keep them on the right path and to protect them. He helps them hone their abilities and encourages them. They themselves are also fond of himself and do see him as something as an older brother. Though, naturally, being close means they will get on each other’s nerves from time to time. Especially Yodo and her damn earphones. Poor Yoshiro has lost count on how many times he's threatened to cut the wire if she didn't pay attention.

Kankuro- Out of all the adults in his life, Kankuro is definitely more of a friend. They tend exchange friendly ribbings and have each other's backs. Kankuro is quite surprised by how different Yoshiro is to Gaara personality-wise. They will also keep ribbing each other in combat, with Yoshiro playfully calling him an old man while Kankuro groans how young people should respect their elders. It's really kind of amusing.

Hotaru Hyuga (My other OC)- To say some people consider their friendship odd is an understatement. The bright and friendly Yoshiro and the dark and sarcastic Hotaru consider the other as their best friend. The two had met when they were taking the Chunin Exam and, despite facing each other in the final rounds, really hit it off. In a way, they sort of balance each other. Hotaru keeps a cool head and can talk Yoshiro out of his more rash actions while Yoshiro, out of everyone else, can bring out Hotaru’s sweeter side the most often (though she's still snarky, since that's how she is). They are also beginning to develop romantic feelings alongside their friendship. Though Yoshiro with his self-esteem issues and Hotaru not being a terribly expressive person leads them to deny it. 

But even Gaara can see it.

* Phew! That was definitely longer than Hotaru’s. Like her, I will make a separate post on his overall childhood and academy experiences. Seriously, don't hesitate to point out flaws.

[lydiaabroad]

Blog #7C: Wednesday at CRHP

Wednesday March 27, 2019

Major Events: Walk through slum, preschool pickup, shadow preschool, lecture on factors of health, lecture on communicable and non-communicable diseases

        1. Preschool Pickup

        Today we did preschool pick-up with Meena, the CRHP preschool teacher! There is a slum right next to CRHP called Indiranagar which CRHP has no presence in. Indiranagar has never been able to organize or mobilize and reach out to CRHP for a partnership. The community has a large migrant population that spends half of the year working at a sugarcane factory. There are some sewage tanks that CRHP installed, but aside from that the NGO has no presence in the slum. Thus, they decided to build a preschool outside of the slum that families could send their children to. The primary reason is to provide food. The preschool provides two meals per day to children ages two and a half to six years old who attend. Students can begin to attend at any point in the school year, the only requirement is that their parents give them a bath in the morning before school.

        We walked around the slum to pick up students before school. Every day Meena Ji walks through the slum to collect children whose parents can’t take them or who are too small to come alone, but the deeper purpose behind her daily walks is to raise awareness and encourage families to send their children to school. When walking around, Meena is able to identify new families who have returned from the sugarcane factory. As we walked around she would call out to families and say “Send your kids to school.” Or “Tomorrow when I come by have your children washed and I will take them to school.” She said about 70% of children in the slum come to preschool. When children come to preschool it is more likely that they will continue onto primary school and stay in school for a significant time.

        The slum has various levels of development. Some homes are big and nice, some are shacks with open sewage ditches. There is a big problem with alcoholism in the slum. We walked past a few families that were drinking and gambling (it was nine am), and Meena said these families generally will not send their kids to school. We picked up a very cute brother and sister pair first. The little girl was so sweet she had a ponytail on the very top of her head so her hair popped up like a fountain. She immediately held our hands and pulled us on our way to the school. We stopped by another home where a little girl was crying because she couldn’t go to school. Her parents were afraid she had an infection and didn’t want her to leave the home. They had another child who had died from an infection. Meena immediately called the mobile health team and requested them to set up a time to take the little girl to the hospital to be checked. Even though the MHT does not regularly check on Indiranagar, the resources of CRHP are always available. Meena decided that the girl seemed well enough to come to school, so she came skipping and jumping the entire way. We picked up about seven more kids and then headed off to school.

        There are around forty kids who attend the preschool. We started the day in a big circle, singing songs and moving a bit, then we did the alphabet, and then was playtime. After play time the kids had a breakfast time. They all went into a separate room to eat. It was very sweet they all line up to wash their hands and then they serve each other! Meena scoops the food onto plates and then these tiny little people serve their classmates before they sit down and eat themselves. It was very sweet. The meal was a porridge, couscous like grain with onions and herbs in it. I really liked it. The kids also have water and can have as many helpings as they like. We only stayed through this meal, but I definitely think this visit was one of my highlights of the week.

        2. Communicable and Non-Communicable Disease Lecture

        The major communicable diseases that used to afflict the Jamkhed area are leprosy, tuberculosis, and Guinea worm. In the past, when someone began to see symptoms of leprosy they would go to a faith healer. As the person failed to get better, the community would call them a “bloody person” and eject them from the community. The person was completely outcast–no food, no socialization–and they were essentially left to die in a hut. Leprosy was considered a curse justified by reincarnation; if you did something bad in your past life you had leprosy in this life. When CRHP began to treat people with leprosy it was very difficult because of the cultural meanings surrounding the disease. People believed that a goddess had given the curse, so when doctors said, “No, this is a disease that can be treated with medicine,” people wouldn’t trust them. So, doctors had to make the treatment fit into the religious ideas of the goddess and the curse. I am not sure exactly how this was done, but Jayesh Ji said the health teams “sugarcoated” the information about the treatment to be somehow supportive of the religious ideas. Eventually people began to recognize the power and efficacy of medicine. Aside from treating the people who had leprosy, CRHP offered support and counseling. People were taught and encouraged to cover their hands and feet with cloth when they were doing work to protect their limbs, which were more sensitive. As CRHP initiated these missions, people suffering and recovering experienced more support from their communities and were no longer sent to institutions or sent away to die.

        Tuberculosis had a similar stigma in communities, and the community rejected people with confirmed TB or signs such as coughing blood. The Village Health Workers used to actively check villagers for TB, going door to door and administering tests. If someone was determined to test positive, they would be treated in secret to prevent the stigma. TB has a very high risk of relapse because the treatment is 18 months and generally people begin to feel better within the first month and stop taking medicine. It is for this reason that VHWs were highly responsible for visiting patients every day and administering medicine. The Village Health Workers we met with, Lullamby and Asha, said they had saved 21 and 18 people from TB, respectively. A few interesting facts––CRHP used to get TB medicine from friends’ connections in other countries because they couldn’t rely on the government. Now of course TB is essentially eradicated in this region and if someone were to be diagnosed the government would be responsible. Another interesting fact is that if someone had TB they would be told to put a cloth over their mouth if they were going to kiss anyone. This was a strange and funny fact. The best part about learning about TB was that the VHWs and Jayesh Ji sang us a tuberculosis song. The song is sung at women’s group meetings and essentially tells the signs and symptoms of TB.

4.     Non-Communicable Diseases Lecture

        The rates of communicable disease are very low now that proper sanitation, nutrition, and resources are generally available. Instead, India is beginning to face the crisis of non-communicable diseases of diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure (cardio-vascular diseases) that arise as the population ages and changes in nutrition and lifestyle occur.

        Diabetes is becoming very common because of lifestyle and heredity. Especially if someone was malnourished as a child, their pancreas might not have developed enough, and thus as an adult they are unable to produce appropriate insulin. In the 1990s, sweets and junk food were introduced to India for the first time (India’s economic liberalization occurred in 1991) and companies actually made smaller packets so that people even in poverty could buy chips, candies, etc. It was during this time that liquor also began to be much more prevalent.

        The most common cancers found in the region are oral, skin, uterine, and breast cancer. The oral/mouth cancers are directly correlated to a high use of tobacco. The causes of uterine (and I think they meant cervical) cancer are very interesting because they lie in direct relationship to sanitation.  Apparently if a man is not adequately cleaning his foreskin, HPV can develop and then is transmitted to the woman. Another cause for cervical/uterine cancer surrounds sanitary practices during menstruation. Because there is such stigma about menstruation in rural India, many women will wash the cloths they use when menstruating in secret. This often implies a stressed environment so the cloths are not adequately cleaned, nor are they able to hang out to dry. Women end up using dirty or wet cloths, which can prompt infection. In areas with even more stigma around menstruation, women will use ash or even cow dung in the place of a sanitary napkin. We did not talk more about solutions to this aside from educating women and men about sanitation, I wish we had discussed in more detail.

Reflection: I enjoyed the preschool pick up most, the one little girl we picked up was so full of love with the chubbiest cheeks, I definitely needed some of that love. In terms of a more critical reflection, it is incredible the Meena walks through the slum every single morning to pick up kids and to try to get other families to send their kids to school. She said at one point that if she didn’t walk through each morning some families just wouldn’t send their kids, her presence is crucial. I found it surprising that there are still an estimated 30% of families who aren’t sending their kids. It is free childcare and food, six days a week. But still, the value of education is not always recognized. I also found it really cool to discuss communicable and non-communicable diseases in context as opposed to in a classroom. Technically we were in a classroom, drinking chai and discussing how men must be taught to clean their foreskin, which was an interesting moment, but the relevance of what we were learning was so tangibly close. With the closeness of the topics we were discussing too, I found myself slightly bothered that these issues still exist. Cholera has been wiped out, no more TB, no more leprosy, but men are not cleaning themselves and some women are using ash as sanitary napkins! Like I said, I wish we talked more about this and I wish in the moment it occurred to me to inquire more