#six chapters is an estimate and a goal

[indigowriting]

writing birchlorn now is weird because the first ~25k is just set up and getting all the pieces moving but then as soon as i hit 30k the proverbial trap began to close and now i’m scrambling to make sure all the pieces fall just right like some sort of demented rube goldberg machine

[cherrrydragon]

➤ find something worth saving (it's all for the taking)

CHAPTER SIX: MAKE OUT FAKE OUT

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SUMMARY ↳ An unlikely ally appears! “I know you’re Spinnerette.” . . . What. The. Fuck. pairing: jon kent x gn!reader x damian wayne warnings: (the non-existent) threat of blackmail wc: 4.4k

Victoria’s been acting weird. You suppose it’s normal given the events from last week. Since then, multiple articles have come forth speaking of Robin and Spinnerette saving the day. The people of Gotham seem to be taking to their new arachnid friend well.

But back to Victoria—she struggles to maintain eye contact with you for more than a few seconds. It doesn’t stop her from being a stern teacher though, so you guess nothing other than that has changed. Whatever, you have better things to worry about.

Progress has been… progressing with the badassium. You’ve begun assembling the makeshift particle accelerator, but Karen estimates that you’ve only built three percent. And it took you that long. Have mercy.

You’re currently in the Den, looking over your creation.. The walls are lined with various tools and blueprints, and the centerpiece is the skeleton of the particle accelerator. You sigh, wiping sweat off your brow. This is going to take longer than you thought.

Karen’s voice chirps in your ear. “Perhaps taking a break would help clear your mind, [Name].”

You glance at the clock. It’s already past midnight. Maybe she’s right. “Yeah, I guess so.. Let’s call it a night.”

Robin meets you on the rooftop you’ve perched yourself on. He crouches next you, watching the streets below. Robin’s eyes follow the movement below with a practiced vigilance, his dark cape fluttering slightly in the breeze. The city's nightscape is a blend of lights and shadows, with the occasional sound of sirens breaking the relative silence. He glances at you, his expression giving nothing away.

“Long day?” you ask, breaking the silence.

“You ask, why?”

You groan, stretching out your stiff muscles. Robin tracks the movement. “Surely you wouldn’t come hang out with me just because you felt like it. I doubt one night of ass-kickin’ makes us friends.”

“This is not ‘hanging out’,�� he grumbles, making you nod your hand in a ‘you’re proving my point’ fashion. “I am simply taking a short recess, you happen to be in my resting spot.”

“Yeah, uhuh.” You don’t believe him for a second, but you can’t bring yourself to really care.

“Batman wants you on the team.”

You damn near fall off the rooftop. “What.”

“Perhaps you are older than I thought, if your hearing isn’t on par,” he smirks.

“First of all, my hearing is way better than yours, fuck you,” you quip, quickly righting yourself. “Second of all…” you hesitate, “can we take a raincheck on that?”

Robin looks at you. “I… am busy right now. And do not have time for a team… yeah. Also, I just prefer to be alone.” The words come out choppy, as if you’re coming up with them on the fly (you are). That last part is a straight lie, you love your Avengers.

You know Robin obviously is skeptical, but he says nothing. “Why does Batman want me, anyway?”

Robin shifts slightly, his expression unreadable behind the mask. “You share the same goals we do. It only makes sense to join forces.”

Robin's words hang in the air, punctuated by the distant sounds of the city below. You shift uncomfortably, trying to process the unexpected offer. Joining Batman's team? The idea both excites and intimidates you. You've always admired the vigilantes of Gotham from afar, but becoming a part of that world was another matter entirely.

You don’t belong here. It was different when you were asked to officially join the Avengers, but fictional comic characters turned real? Your mind wants to melt. You don’t want to drag them into your mess.

“I really do appreciate the offer, but…” you sigh, and lean back. “...not right now.” And probably never. You clear your throat and stand up, Robin following. “Well, it’s been awkward. See you!” you rush out, quickly swinging away. Robin eyes you until you swing out of sight, thinking.

“They denied.”

Bruce sips his tea, humming. “Did they say why?”

Damian comes to sit next to his father. “Their reasoning was that they were ‘too busy for a team’ and preferred to be alone. It was very obvious they were hiding something, father.”

Bruce sighs, putting down his cup. “We’ll keep trying to convince them, slowly,” Bruce adds as he sees Damian moving to get up. “Stay cautious, but also stay amiable, Damian.”

Damian scoffs. “I am amiable.”

Bruce chuckles as Damian leaves.

Ms. Varley announces a project at the end of class the next morning.. The class groans loudly, of course. “It should be fun for you young folks,” she emphasizes, like it disgusts her. “It is a partner project,” the class lights up for a second, “with your tablemate.” You swear you see a glint of satisfaction in her eye as the class slumps. You and Damian look at eachother. “Together you will explore unconventional perspectives on any known superhero or vigilante of your choosing.”

The projector shows a powerpoint labeled “Hot Takes”. A few snorts are heard. “I want you to to challenge yourselves boldly,” Ms. Varley states, walking around to pass out the rubric. “You’ll select a figure that intrigues you and craft a thesis that challenges the traditional view. Support it with thorough research and present your findings in a persuasive manner."

“It’s not about being right or wrong, it’s about being able to defend your point.” Ms. Varley takes her place in front of the classroom. “This is your final project. From now until winter break, we will be spending our Fridays working on it. Only Fridays, so I suggest working on it with your partner outside of school.”

She sits down in her chair, signaling that she’s done talking for today. Buzz fills the classroom immediately, peers chattering and making plans. You scoot your chair closer to Damian. “I know what I want to do,” you declare.

“As do I,” says Damian, facing you.

“My take is better,” you challenge, crossing your arms.

Damian scoffs. “I sincerely doubt you are capable of coming up with something adequate to the challenge.”

“Don’t be a hater Damian, it makes you look jealous,” you tease.. The bell rings, filling the class with sounds of hustle and bustle as students pack up. “Oh! Before you go,” you say, grabbing Damian’s wrist. You hold out your phone. “Number?”

Damian looks at your phone in confusion. You huff. “Your phone number, Dames. So we can contact each other and plan our project?” you clarify in a ‘duh’ tone.

You watch as he stares for a moment, before taking your phone and putting in his contact info. “You will come home to the manor with me,” he declares.

You blink. “Huh?”

“We will start working on it today,” he elaborates, handing you back your phone. You fumble with it for a second before shoving it in your pocket. “The faster we get it done the better.”

“Um, ok. Yeah, makes sense,” you gulp.

This time you’re the one distracted in ballet. Victoria huffs and snaps at you multiple times, so you figure she must be back to normal. Art class proceeds as norma, Ms. M making you practice your color theory. You hold back on designing new iterations of your suit, something you did a lot of back home out of sheer boredom.

Damian guides you out of the school with a hand on your back, like he did at homecoming. You wonder what exactly he is doing, since you know he feels the eyes and points at the two of you from other students. You sigh, hopefully nobody bothers you about it.

Alfred greets you at the gates, this time you make sure to actually get his name officially. Damian gets in the car first, pulling you in by the hand. Your shoulder bumps into his as you land with an ‘oof’. The ride to the manor is silent, leaving you twiddling with your thumbs. Thankfully, the ride isn’t too long.

The manor looks imposing, standing here looking at it. It’s different from seeing it from WEBBERs point of view or from an inked page. Damian grabs your arm, snapping you out of your daydreaming. He leads you through the grand halls of the mansion, his steps confident and purposeful. The interior is as opulent as you imagined, with rich furnishings and tasteful decor that speak of wealth and history.

"Your family's home is... impressive," you remark, trying to break the silence as you’re dragged along.

Damian nods curtly, saying nothing. You sense there's more to his demeanor than just his usual aloofness.

He leads you to a spacious study lined with shelves of books and a large, fancy desk at its center. Papers are neatly organized, and a computer hums softly in one corner. Damian gestures for you to take a seat. You do, placing your bag down beside your chair. Damian sits next to you.

You take out your laptop and open a new powerpoint. “My idea was that we do it on Batman,” you state, turning to Damian. “I think Batman is part of a cycle of violence. I think that he does help and protect people, but he also enables a lot of the behavior from criminals.” You stand up and begin to pace the room.

“He inadvertently contributes to a culture that normalizes violence as a means to solve problems. I mean, all of his criminals eventually break out of arkham. Scarecrow literally attacked our school a while ago! Criminals respond to Batman’s intervention with heightened aggression and increasingly dangerous tactics, which results in a cycle where each side justifies escalating their actions in response to perceived threats.”

You pause, stopping your pacing. Damian is staring at you. You cough. “That’s all to say, violence begets violence, hurt people hurt people, yadda yadda,” you grin sheepishly.

Damian nods intently. He leans back in his chair, tapping his fingers thoughtfully on the armrest. After a moment of silence, he speaks, his voice calm yet decisive.

"Your perspective is not entirely without merit," Damian begins, his tone measured. "Batman's methods have indeed perpetuated a cycle of violence in Gotham. His reliance on fear tactics and physical force against criminals often leads to heightened retaliation and more extreme measures from his adversaries."

He shifts in his seat, eyes narrowing slightly. "However," Damian continues, "one must consider the broader context. Gotham City is a cesspool of corruption and crime, where conventional methods of law enforcement have repeatedly failed. Batman's presence, while controversial, fills a void where the justice system falls short."

Damian stands up abruptly, pacing the room with a controlled energy. "His actions, while extreme, have prevented countless tragedies and protected innocent lives. The criminals he faces are not ordinary. They are deranged, relentless, and would wreak havoc unchecked if not for his intervention."

He stops in front of the window, gazing out at the expansive grounds of Wayne Manor. "Batman's commitment to justice is unwavering. He sacrifices his own safety and personal life to ensure that Gotham's citizens have a fighting chance against the darkness that plagues our city."

Damian turns back to you, his demeanor earnest. "Our challenge will be to present a balanced argument," he concludes, returning to his seat. "Acknowledging the complexities of Batman's methods while critiquing their consequences. We must delve deep into both sides of the debate to craft a compelling thesis."

You nod, absorbing Damian's perspective. You’re impressed, but yeesh. He could’ve been more subtle, in your humble opinion.

“I’m impressed,” comes a voice from the doorway. You and Damian turn around to see–

Bruce Wayne. You sigh deeply inside your mind.

“Father,” says Damian, looking a bit lost. “How long…?”

“Since your friend started speaking. I apologize, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I only meant to introduce myself when I heard your compelling argument, I didn’t want to interrupt,” he says, looking awfully apologetic. Of course, Batman himself heard all that.

He turns to you and sticks out his hand. “Bruce Wayne, Damian’s father.” You shake his hand humming in affirmation.

“Nice to meet you, sir,” you smile. Alfred comes in with some snacks and refreshments, placing them down on the table. You and Damian thank him, seemingly on autopilot. Bruce smiles at Damian.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” he says, and then he’s out the door.

You rub your palms on your pants. “Welp,” you hum, sitting back down and pouring yourself a cup of tea. “I think he likes me.” You pour a cup for Damian and pass it to him. He sits back down as well, accepting the cup.

“I think he does, as well,” mutters Damian, sipping his tea.

The rest of the evening is spent refining your argument and laying out the skeleton on your powerpoint. Despite Damian's initial reservation about your abilities, you find that you complement each other well in terms of ideas and research methods. You check the time, it’s a little past nine.

“I should get going, I don’t wanna leave Nari alone for too long,” you say, beginning to gather your belongings. Damian raises a brow. “My cat,” you clarify.

Damian's eyes brighten very subtly. You know what he’s thinking, so you show him the picture you took of Jon holding Nari. “He’s cute, right?”

Damian analyzes your picture like it’s an art. He nods in approval. “You shall have to bring him over to meet Alfred.”

“The.. butler?” you question, as if you don’t know better.

“The cat.”

Damian walks you out of the manor where you find Bruce. His eyes spot you two approaching and nods in acknowledgement. “Alfred is already waiting outside for you,” he tells you. You nod and step outside, feeling the cool air hit you. You thank Alfred as he opens the door for you, stepping inside. Damian and Bruce are standing together on the porch. Bruce is telling Damian something, but he is only looking at you.

You send him a hesitant smile, and he nods at you.

Bruce watches the car drive off. “Still suspicious?” he asks.

“Nothing of note has happened,” Damian begrudgingly tells him. Bruce warmly chuckles.

“Well,” he starts, looking at Damian. “I like them.”

Damian narrows his eyes. “I do not like what you are insinuating.” Bruce shrugs innocently, stepping back inside the manor. Damian stands in the cool air for a moment, before following him inside. 

The dance instructor has a headache, so she says that you all can do whatever you’d like, as long as you don’t bother her. You sit against the far wall, laptop on your legs. You’ll use the time to finish the assignments you’ve been procrastinating on.

Victoria surprises you by sitting next to you. She surprises everyone else to, if their wide eyes are anything to go by. They quickly look away at her glare. “Hey, Vicky,” you mumble, unbothered.

She pretends to look interested in what you’re typing. Her eyes watch your fingers as they rapidly move across the keys. She clears her throat.

“I would like to practice some more after school. I expect you to be there,” she says primly.

You raise a brow, still looking at your screen. “There’s no practice today.”

“Obviously,” she scoffs. “I wouldn’t be asking you if there was. I just think… it would be beneficial to us.”

You look at her. She’s crossed her arms and is looking down at her lap. You exhale and nod. “Yeah, okay.” You didn’t have anything planned after school anyway. Victoria nods, sitting beside you for the rest of the period.

Damian suggests that you come over again to work more on the presentation, but you have to deny. “I have a ‘special’ practice session with Vicky,” you wink.

Damian ignores your innuendo in favor of furrowing his brows. “You don’t have practice today.”

“First of all, what do you know?” you huff, putting your pencils away. “Second of all, you’re right. However, Vicky has ordered extra practice. Just the two of us.”

Damian grips his bag a little bit tighter. You wave goodbye as you leave the classroom, heading to the dance studio. Victoria’s waiting for you, still in her uniform. You place your bag down, suddenly tense. Victoria crosses over to you, grabbing your hand. “Shut the door,” she demands.

You obey, curious. “Something wrong?”

She fidgets with your web-shooter-turned-bracelet, like she’s looking for something. You’re not worried, the form it’s in right now gives nothing away, but you are really confused right now.

“Vicky?” you implore, trying to catch her eye.

“I…” she hesitates, before straightening her shoulders. “I know who you are.”

You furrow your brow. “What exactly does that mean–”

“I know you’re Spinnerette.”

.

.

.

What. The. Fuck.

You blink, because that’s all you can do. “What?”

“Don’t try to deny it. There’s no use,” she crosses her arms.

“Vicky, this is crazy. I’m not Spinnerette! Was it the Scarecrow attack? Are you still scared? Maybe you should see someone–”

“Spinnerette called my Vicky!” she snarls, pointing a finger at your chest. “No one calls me that but you.”

Your tongue pokes your cheek, stepping back. You never would’ve thought Vicky would be the first to figure you out. Though you suppose you haven’t been as careful as you thought. Fuck, how could you be so careless? Do you still try to deny it? Surely it won’t be that hard, but clearly Vicky is smarter than you think.

“Perhaps she could be a formidable ally,” suggests Karen. “She may have access to resources we need.”

You straighten at Karen’s voice. She’s right, of course. Victoria’s loaded. She can throw money at people to get you the materials you need. Expensive, high quality material. There’s just convincing her…

And maybe… it’ll be nice to have someone else know in this universe.

You sigh and hold out your arms. “Fine, you got me. I’m Spinnerette.”

Victoria smirks victoriously. “Show me.”

“Show you…?” you mutter.

“Show me some proof.”

You blink at the audacity. She was just accusing you of being Spinner, and when you admit that you are, she tells you to ‘prove it’ to her!? You sigh, tired of it all.

You walk to the wall of the room, placing your foot on it and climbing up. It’s a comical sight, the way your body completely changes rotation effortlessly. You walk along the ceiling, moving back to Victoria. Jumping down, you purse your lips and spread your hands. “Happy?”

Victoria’s got a glint in her eye that makes you nervous. She nods, and you set your hands on your waist.

“Okay listen, you know now, there’s no going back from here. If you tell anybody–” you begin, voice taking on a threatening tone.

“–I want to help you!” she blurts.

You blink. “Pardon?”

“Let me help you do your… saving people thing!” she says, waving her hand around. She steps closer to you, eyes shining. Huh. Well, you were going to threaten her and her parents' credibility as members of society. Rich people always have some skeletons in their closets, and you sure as shit are capable of finding them. This is a surprising turn of events.

Still, you scoff. “This is insane–”

“I can be your sponsor! Like whoever makes all of Batman's stuff!”

“I would’ve never expected this from you—why do you want to help me?” you ask incredulously.

“Nothing I do satisfies my parents!” she growls. Oh dear, backstory time. “They literally left me the company to inherit, but doubt my ability to run it. I pay attention, I get good grades and I do everything they say, but they still doubt me. I even try to get with stupid Damian Wayne.” She throws her hands up. “I don’t even like him!”

“I know I can’t tell them you’re Spinnerette, but if I can successfully help you do what you do…” she curls her hands together. “Then at least I would know that I’m good at something.”

You’re left speechless. It’s like you’re listening to a brand new person. You place your hands on her shoulders. “You already are good at something, dance!” You gesture to the room. “You work harder than anyone else here!”

“Dance isn’t my future,” she scowls.

You purse your lips. You have no idea how she feels. The adults in your life have always let you be yourself. Even if they didn’t you’ve always had the backbone to tell people to step off and let you do your own thing. Rich people like Victoria’s parents can get pretty extreme. You wouldn’t be surprised if they disowned her for not wanting to inherit the company.

You sigh, running a hand down your face. “Okay,” you mutter. Victoria stiffens in anticipation. “You can help.” You’ve been evaluating her this whole interaction. She’s a sheltered rich kid looking for adventure and on a weird journey of self discovery. She isn’t looking to rat you out (she kind of needs you, anyway).

She squeals and claps her hands, before clearing her throat and composing herself. “I look forward to our partnership.”

Arms crossed, you grumble out, “uhuh.”

“How do they work, anyway?” she says, grabbing your wrists, pressing around your bracelet.

“Uh, it won’t work in the state that it’s in–” a web shoots out of it, sticking to Victoria’s blazer. You guffaw. “Karen!” you gasp, knowing in the web-shooters’ bracelet form it wouldn’t shoot unless she made it.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” she asks cheekily. Traitor. God, she’s been waiting for someone else to talk to, hasn’t she?

 Victoria looks mystified by the web actively attached to her. “Who’s Karen? she asks as she tries to grab the web.

“Do not–!” you grab her hand. “–touch it.”

“Why? Oh, right. It’s sticky, huh?”

“Yes, Vicky. The spider webs are sticky–” the door to the dance room opens, and you stiffen. Shit, the web–

Victoria closes the distance between you two, jumping on you and wrapping her legs around your waist. You instinctively hold her thighs to support her, looking at her in alarmed confusion.

“What–” she silences you by pressing her lips against yours. All coherent thought goes out the window, because literally what is your life?

Her hands wind around your head, and her lips caress yours with a soft yet firm pressure. Your heart races, pounding in your chest as you instinctively tighten your grip around her legs, pulling her closer. The warmth of her body against yours and the taste of her lips make everything else fade away.

After what feels like an eternity, she slowly pulls back, leaving your lips tingling. She gazes at you with a mix of mischief and satisfaction, running a hand through her hair to tuck a loose strand behind her ear. You stare at her in awe, your breath coming in short gasps. She's got balls of steel, no doubt about it. You just gained a whole new level of respect for her.

She looks to the side. “Oh, hi Damian.”

Oh god. You look to the entrance of the room and sure enough, Damian’s there. He’s looking at the two of you with wide eyes, unable to school his expression. He’s stopped dead in his tracks with your phone in his hand.

Wait… your phone!

You shift so Victoria’s back is facing him. You balance her with one hand, reaching between you two to get rid of the web that’s squished between you. You do it quickly, balling it up in your hand and setting down Victoria on the floor and heading over to Damian.

“Thanks, I didn’t even notice I left it,” you smile casually, internally screaming.

Damian says nothing as you take your phone from him, stuffing it in your pocket. You place your hands on his chest and guide him out. “Okay. Bye now. Talk to you later!” He seems to finally realize what’s happening, brows furrowing and looking at you before you close the door in his face. You lean against it, listening. There’s no sound for a bit, before you hear Damian walk away. You sigh.

“Holy shit, Vicky. What the hell?” You can’t help but laugh. You throw the balled up web in the trash, making your way over to her. She’s got a cheeky smile on her face, hands behind her back.

“It’s like I don’t know you anymore,” you tease. She’s looking at you.

“I like you,” she says, making you freeze for probably the tenth time this afternoon. When will it end?

“I have feelings for you,” she elaborates, pacing. “I know that you don’t feel the same. I just…” she stops, turning to face you. Her eyes peer earnestly into yours. It crushes your heart. “...I know your secret. Now, you know mine.”

You whisper, painstakingly soft, “oh, Tori…”

She sniffs, swatting your shoulder. “Don’t flatter yourself, I’m not in love with you or anything.”

Still, you feel like the worst human being ever. It’s not your fault you don’t have feelings for her, you know that. And yet… you’re probably the first person she’s ever shown this side of her to. Dare you say, her first real friend.

You pull her into your arms. “I’m so sorry.”

She melts into your arms, gripping you tightly. Her light sniffles fill the room.”I’ll get over it,” she promises. You only hold her tighter. After what feels like an eternity, she withdraws from you, wiping her tears.

“Okay, some ground rules,” you say, hopefully providing a much needed topic change

“Number one, you can’t tell anyone.”

She nods. “Obviously.”

“Number two, I call the shots. If I say do something, do it. I know better, it’s for the best.”

“Number three, this changes nothing. We can act like friends if you want, but if your grades start dropping or people start noticing you acting strange, we’re done. Got it?”

“Got it,” she agrees. You heave out a sigh. “Go home, Tori.” You web over her bag and hand it to her. She goes sparkly-eyed again.

“Will you patrol?” she can’t help but ask.

“I think I deserve the night off. The Bats can handle it.” You grab your stuff and turn towards the door. “I’m gonna take a long nap when I get home.”

“Let me take you home then!” she blurts.

“Jesus, do all you rich kids have chauffeurs?” you ask. She shrugs. “Yeah, sure. Whatever. I just wanna lay down and not wake up for three years.”

Victoria bids you goodbye as you make you enter your apartment. You drop your bag, groaning at your stiff shoulders. You sag your way over to your bed, flopping face first into it. You knock out almost immediately, letting the stress of the day leave you. Spideys never have it easy, do they?

notes: y'all i've had that tori scene in mind since i first made her LMAO

[idletransfigurations]

Villain Gojo #1

this is the first chapter of my ongoing villain gojo au.

i want to clarify that i am not a manga reader so kirara and hakari's writing may have been a little off. i got their personality help from my friend who has read the manga. thank you.

#1, Satoru's Game

2015

“He’s dangerous.”

 “Who?”

 “Satoru Gojo,” Masamichi looked at Suguru. Suguru already knew that. Of course, he knew that, he hated that he did. Satoru was his best friend and it felt like he was dreaming every time they brought up his current state. The realization that Satoru Gojo, a six-eyes user and a limitless user. “Is there a plan?” He asked, a pit growing in his stomach. Could this mean that someday he’d have to kill his best friend? Well of course. “How many people?” He asked, avoiding the answer to his first question. Masamich inhaled deeply. “Two villages, there were an estimated 200 total victims,” Suguru clenched his fists. Satoru destroyed two villages, but why did he leave if he could destroy the rest? The answer was simple.

He wants to be caught.

Suguru knew Satoru’s plan. If Suguru were sent to kill him he’d hesitate. He couldn’t see him killing his best friend. He made for an amazing plan and an even better game. “Geto, you need to focus.” Masamichi snapped him out of his thoughts. Suguru rubbed his temple. “I know..” He tried to think of what Satoru’s long-term plan was. He was toying with everyone, that much was obvious to him. This Satoru was different from what he knew in high school. These jokes weren’t light-hearted, this was torture. This was a game to Satoru and he knew that. “There isn’t anybody stronger than Satoru,” Suguru exhaled. He couldn’t imagine himself in that situation, turning out that way.

Satoru Gojo, the leader of a newfound group of people who plan to bring back a new age of curses, where Satoru would rule as a god amongst them, the new king of curses. At least if he could get Sukuna on his side, which was highly unlikely. Suguru made his way back to his classroom, his hands were shaky. He couldn’t bear to do this, to kill his friend but he knew the day would come. He sighed. With one final huff, he walked into the classroom. He had new students, Kinji Hakari, and Kirara Hoshi. He didn’t want to but had no option but to ask for their help. He needed everything to deal with Satoru. “Where is Hakari?’ He asked. “Suspended.” Kirara shrugged, earning a sigh from Suguru. Well when wasn’t he suspended or fighting, at this point Suguru wouldn’t surprised if he ended up dropping out of school. He couldn’t bring himself to even say what he wanted to say. How does he ask his students to fight in a situation like this? In a situation that felt so /personal/. This was Suguru’s best friend, somebody he trusted. Kirara could tell something was upsetting him but she didn’t ask. If he didn’t say anything it was most likely a personal problem. He was always so calm and collected but it was obvious his mind was racing. “I need to go for a moment.” He said. 

 -

Shoko looked at Suguru. “I know,” He didn’t even have to say anything. They both knew what the situation was and how dangerous it was. “I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” Suguru looked at her. “He doesn’t have an end goal.. That we know about at least.” Though the end goal was obvious. The higher-ups wanted to paint Satoru as a ticking time bomb with a bounty on his head after birth. They would never know what the effects of death are. How it feels to be hunted down almost every day. Thanks to Toji Fushiguro, Satoru learned one important thing.

 The jujutsu world is a kill or be killed.

You either kill those who cross you or wait till they decide they want to kill you.

Satoru wasn’t going to wait anymore. He was lucky to have survived the attack from Toji and he would thank him for helping him realize it before it was too late. “What’s your end goal?” A blond-haired man looked over at Satoru. Usually, he never cared about the way he acted but Satoru walked like he was set on a plan but never talked about it, constantly leaving them in the dark.. “The end goal is fun.” Satoru narrowed his eyes at him. “Why? Did you stop trusting me?” He asked, smiling. “By all means, tell us your great plan.” He folded his arms. “Before you question somebody you better have a plan or else you keep quiet.” He glared at him. The man rolled his eyes and made a ‘blegh’ sound, leaning back against the chair. “Gojo doesn’t even have a plan..” He mumbled, pausing when Satoru stood. Everything happened way too quickly for everybody in the room to process. One second the man stood up and the next he was dead on the floor, blood coating the floor and even the clothing and faces of the others in the room. “And that's why you have a plan.” Satoru wiped his cheek with his hand. “Gross..” He whispered before looking at the others. “Any questions?” He asked, a low chuckle escaping his lips.

This was a game to Satoru, after every village, every victim, and every diaster. It was a game, a challenge for the other sorcerers. Is a fight important enough to sacrifice the lives of so many people?

Satoru was never giving up. Why should he? So many people wanted him dead. He wasn’t crazy but he surely wasn’t the same Satoru Gojo. 

But after everything, he had one big plan in store.

So enjoy it, Suguru.

[comesitintheclover]

Six Sentence Sunday Monday 📚📜🖊️

Thank you so much for the tag @bookish-bogwitch! your chart is awesome!

I will remember to try that/ a similar thing if I keep having issues with this fic I'm writing (but I should at least try to slog through a first draft of my trouble chapters first - i just get so anxious that I will fuck up the funny-conflict and make it miserable or something when it's 'perfect' (but vague af) in my brain and has been that way for 4 years...).

And thank you everyone who has tagged me in the last months/year <3 @nausikaaa, @ileadacharmedlife, @monbons, @supercutedinosaurs, @brendughh, @rimeswithpurple, and anyone else if I missed you because my tumblr notifs won't go that far back 😭💗💞💖 I love you all! Thank you for including me in the community even when I haven't been writing for a while! It's been so inspiring seeing what you all have been up to and I've finally started writing again so yay!

My goal is to finish this fic I've been writing for four years (i've written what I'm estimating is 50k words freehand and am transcribing and editing them onto my laptop and I still need to write the other half ... hahahaha 😅. But I love it. ) called *The Long Summer*, within a month (the first draft at least, I'll come back and edit it at a later date. I want to post it on ao3 over a summer so hopefully I will be ready next summer! I need to write it while I still love it!), and then I want to write the first draft of an original story for a month or so/NaNoWriMo, and then I will pick one of my Carry On WIPs to work on (hopefully just in time to celebrate snowbaz's anniversary!)

(The Carry On WIPs in question: I'm thinking I will probably pick my soulmate au fic called Meet the Parents/When You're an Adult You'll Understand, or a trans au called Fraternity house, orrrrr this magical Agony-Aunt fic called Basilton Grimm-Pitch’s 10 Step Plan for Getting Over*(letting himself be in love with) Simon Snow ).

And I'm planning to interact more with wip-wednesdays and six-sentence-sundays from now on to keep me motivated and accountable! (hopefully this works, battling my motivation is like trying to wrestle a fish or something... i'm constantly at a loss with my brain - oh why won't I do things that I love and have time to do??)

....Oh and I want to make some Carry On animations.... (this is probably why I don't do things... Too ideas many and hard to pick. I tried to make a schedule last night that included everything I wanted to do in a day and it was 35 hours long... oops).

*The Long Summer* is a harry potter fic, and since I know all of you lovely people from Carry On, and I know lots of people avoid hp stuff for obvious reasons (JKR is wrong! Trans liberation now!), I will keep the rest of this under the cut <3

here are the first six sentences from my 💗beloved fic💗:

Ron Weasley wasn't an introspective soul. By the time something actually rolled around to happening he would probably have had twelve chances to predict it, if he was Hermione. He presumed something like this would never have happened to Hermione. Summers were probably a lot more quiet in the Muggle world, as an only child, with parents who weren’t - well Hermione was so smart she probably already knew, no there was really no reason to write to her. And Harry - well he didn't want to write to Harry about it either.  Honestly, it would probably be better if he never found out.

(I wrote these when I was 16 and they may need editing but that's for future me to worry about - rn I'm trying to push out a first draft as fast as possible...)

Thank you to anyone who read this far!

Hi!'s, tags, and hand-hearts to everybody 🫶 @stitchy-queerista, @umdiasujo, @carpeosculum, and open tag to anyone who wants to be tagged! <3

[recurring-polynya]

Writing/Art Update 2.12.2024

👏I 👏had 👏a good 👏writing week 👏for once!👏

I finished Chapter ?10?

I wrote ✨7702✨words!

I sort of figured out a title--I haven't finalized it yet, but I've got about six variations on a phrase that I'm rolling around trying to figure out which one I want to use. They're all better than "Ductwork," which I had all but resigned myself to using

I even drafted a story summary? It could probably use some polishing, but it's not even terrible

Chapter ?10? came out to 8668 words, which is an ideal chapter length. I might tweak the chapter opening a little, but there's no point in stressing about it until I've actually written Chapter 9, so I feel like I earned the checkmark for that as last week's goal.

The big thing I have left to do is to fill in the chunk from Chapter 8 to Chapter 9*, where Chapter 9* will probably be two chapters. At this point, I'm just trying to write it based on filling a day and a half of story-time, and then I'll worry about how many chapters I have to chop it into. My guess is that this is all going to take between 20 and 30k words, of which I have written 10k (spread over a number of non-connected scenes, most of which are about Byakuya, even tho this fanfic is not about him, a thing I have to keep reminding myself). This is one of those things that is either I'm just going to do, and the ideas will show up when they are required to, and it will be fairly easy OR I will have no ideas and it will be agonizing. I feel like a grizzled cowboy muttering "we can do this the easy way...or the hard way" except I don't get to pick, it's just that one of them is going to happen.

The little thing I have left to do is the epilogue, which, for some reason, I had budgeted at 5k words, but that's absurd. I looked back at the epilogues to Between Tides and Call Me Back, and they were, like 1-2k, which is more like what I'm looking at here. In any case, the epilogue isn't even important to the story. It ought to be fun to write, so I'm leaving it for last for a treat, and if it's not fun or easy, it's not even strictly necessary.

I temporarily gave up on my daily art thingie. The theme for February has just...not been very appealing to me. I watched a tutorial on doing collage early in the week, and I tried to talk myself into trying it, because perhaps, I would find that something rewarding in the activity, and then I realized that I had energy and drive that I wanted to put into my fanfic, and I can do exploratory art activities later.

Anyway, for my own record-keeping: the Part B document is at 35,175. My estimate for overall workcount right now is at 85,085. Novel territory, baby!

[school-of-pe]

Topics You Should Prepare for the FS Exam 

Preparing for the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam is essential for obtaining professional licensure as a surveyor. Focusing on the exam’s key topics will help you build a strong foundation for success. Below is a detailed overview of the main subjects you should master to achieve a high score on the FS exam. 

FS Syllabus 

Surveying Processes and Methods 

Mapping Processes and Methods 

Boundary Law and Real Property Principles 

Surveying Principles 

Survey Computations and Computer Applications 

Business Concepts 

Applied Mathematics and Statistics 

Visit the NCEES website to learn more about the list of topics, the number of questions from each chapter, and other relevant information. Now that the subjects have been organized, you can create a list and focus your studies based on your learning preferences. 

Key Topics 

Learning all the topics for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is essential; however, focusing more on the key areas can significantly improve your exam performance. You can access the FE reference handbook on the NCEES website to identify these key topics. Additionally, gathering questions from previous years will help you prepare for these important areas and get ready to excel in the FE exam. 

Block Your Calendar to Prioritize Your Studies 

Checking your calendar for FS exam preparation is essential to avoid distractions and missed study sessions. Start by outlining all the required topics and estimating the time needed to master each one. Set aside specific blocks of time on your calendar, whether daily or weekly, to study the FS subjects effectively. 

Do not compromise your study plan. Learn thoroughly and develop a habit. Eventually, you will conquer the exam. This dedicated time will help you understand challenging concepts and gradually build your knowledge. 

With proper time management, you can avoid last-minute cramming and surprises on exam day. Consistent review of the FS topics helps you build a strong grasp of the subjects and ensures that you are fully prepared for the exam day. 

Invest in a Review Course 

Taking a review course can significantly enhance your preparation for the FS exam. Expert-led courses offer structured content that efficiently covers all key topics. You will have access to practice exams, personalized study materials, and targeted feedback to improve your understanding. Additionally, interactive sessions provide opportunities to ask questions, stay motivated, and maximize your chances of success on the exam. 

Mid-Week: Take a Full Practice Test  

Choose a specific day during your mid-week preparation phase to simulate the exam experience. Take a full-length practice test to become familiar with the format, question types, score distribution, duration, and more. Completing a practice exam allows you to develop a testing strategy and understand how much time you need to efficiently complete each question. 

Completing all 110 questions within the six-hour time frame will help you gauge your pacing and identify areas that require further review. After the test, assess which sections took longer or contained more errors. Use this information to adjust your study plan by prioritizing your weaker areas while maintaining confidence in your strengths. 

Conclusion 

To excel in the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, it is crucial to consistently review key topics and subjects. Creating a study plan is essential, and you should follow this plan diligently until your preparation is complete. Utilize online study resources from the School of PE to reinforce your knowledge and develop the skills needed for success. By refining your study techniques, you can achieve your goals! 

For more information visit: https://www.schoolofpe.com/fe

[ejenvs3000w24]

What is My Ideal Role of Environmental Interpretation?

Describe your ideal role of environmental interpreter.

An ideal role of environmental interpretation that I could see myself pursuing is not necessarily a career being a nature interpreter, but one where I apply what I’ve learnt to effectively interpret nature to clients as a landscape designer. Although pursuing a career as a conversation tour guide would be amazing, which I may still do in the future, I would love to be able to learn how to think like an environmental interpreter and use that knowledge to interpret the landscape I will eventually be partaking in designing. I think any field that involves some sort of design aspects, whether that's creating a management plan, interpretive tour guide, or piece of art, includes important aspects of interpretation. One of Freeman Tilden’s six principles of interpretation states, “interpretation is an art…through different scientific, historical, or architectural mediums” (Tilden, 1957). The medium I wish to explore is the symbiotic relationship between the natural environment and the built environment. 

What might this entail? 

Well it's a combination of so many factors playing together; it's purposely choosing certain materials or plants that “best” fit certain environments, whether they are placed in urban plazas or a children's playground. These “best fits” are often propelled by favorable environmental conditions, as well as the site's past, present, and future history (Beck & Cable, 2011). Being able to interpret this kind of information to unsuspecting visitors can be quite challenging. This is due to different concepts and theories often being overlooked by the public, because what they see, for example, is just another combination of dirt, cement, grass and trees—but what you see is a rich history which paints a picture for how this landscape use to function, and the footsteps which paved the way. This is what Beck & Cable, 2011 call “the gift of personalizing the past”; and this is one of the goals I wish to invoke when interpreting environments to others. 

Where might it be? 

Ideally, this type of interpretation would take place on the site “to-be”. It would involve the site itself, its surrounding environment, and the landscapes which surround that. I have had many experiences in my program where we would go to a site we are planning to design, and our professor would explain the context and importance, and why we should care about designing this piece of land. It’s only until now that I see what they were doing was interpreting the environment to us, instilling the desire to care about creating experiences for others (Beck & Cable, 2011). Conversely, since the end of 2019, this form of interpretation took place online, via zoom, teams, google earth, and other software's that allowed students to gain some type of bond to a landscape we couldn’t touch.    

What skills might you need? 

The skills I thought I would need to invoke this sort of experience are the ones gained from my program, but soon after reading our textbook, specifically in chapter 5, I realize I am not as educated or prepared as I thought I was. I am used to understanding and gaining knowledge of the past history of a particular site, and using that as an aid to implement certain materials or programs. I have even explored ideas of estimating how visitors will experience a site; how will a parent with a stroller versus a college student or a senior be able to have a meaningful experience in the short or long amount of time that they are on the site. What is a curveball for me, which I learnt from our textbook, is the importance and application of thematic communication. Sam Ham argues that a theme’s purpose isn’t to be remembered by an audience, nor to tell an audience what matters most; “its singular purpose is to stimulate thinking about and around the theme” (Ham, 2013). This is something I can tell I’m going to struggle with a bit, as I've spent the past four years taking landscape architecture, and one of the main goals for designing is to choose materials with a purpose, and that purpose always should relate to one's theme or concept. Now as I am learning about thematic communication, I realize I’m going to have to consciously stop my brain from thinking too much into how the theme will cohesively connect, to thinking about feelings or reactions the theme will elicit from others (Beck, 2011).

Beck, L., & Cable, T. (2011). The gifts of interpretation: Fifteen guiding principles for interpreting nature and culture (3rd ed.). Urbana, IL: Sagamore.

Ham, S. (2013). Interpretation: Making a difference on purpose. Golden, CO: Fulcrum Publishing.

Tilden, F. (1957). Interpreting our heritage. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Caro-lina Press.

[assignmenthelpukworkingment]

Data analysis dissertation help

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Every time we make decisions in our daily lives, we may observe a fundamental instance of data analysis in action by considering the past or the future consequences of our choice. In essence, this is the process of doing a study on the past or the future and then coming to a conclusion. Data Analysis Types There are now six widely used forms of data analysis that are frequently used in the business and technological domains. Are.

• Analysing Descriptively In descriptive analysis, a dataset's primary characteristics are summed up and described. The primary objective is to arrange and exhibit the data in a significant manner, frequently employing metrics like average, median, mode, as well as standard deviation. It gives a summary for the data and facilitates the discovery of trends or patterns.

• Deductive Analysis Using sample data, inferential analysis seeks to draw conclusions or forecasts about the broader population. It entails using statistical methods including regression analysis, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing. It facilitates extrapolating results from an experiment to a broader population.

• Analysing exploratory data (EDA) EDA is concerned with analysing and comprehending the data without making assumptions. To find patterns, linkages, and intriguing aspects, it makes use of data profiling tools, summary statistics, and visualizations. It aids in the creation of theories for additional research.

• Analysis of Diagnostics Understanding the cause-and-effect linkages in the data is the goal of diagnostic analysis. It looks at the elements or variables that lead to particular results or actions. Diagnostic analysis frequently makes use of methods like regression analysis, correlation analysis, and ANOVA (Analysis of Variance).

• Estimative Evaluation Predictive analysis is the process of forecasting or predicting future events based on past data. To find trends and create prediction models, it makes use of machine learning algorithms, statistical modelling approaches, and time series analysis. It is frequently applied to risk assessment, consumer behaviour forecasting, and sales forecasting.

• Script-Based Evaluation By making recommendations for decisions or actions based on the forecasts, prescriptive evaluation goes beyond predictive analysis. To produce meaningful insights and maximize results, it integrates historical data, algorithms for optimization, and business rules. It facilitates resource allocation and decision-making.

Data analysis dissertation help: - One service that helps students analyse their study data is dissertation data analysis aid. Many academic service providers, notably, workingment offer it. The service can assist students with organizing their findings and/or discussion chapter, interpreting their dataset, and editing their paper. Workingment is an excellent resource to start with if you need assistance with the data analysis for your dissertation. They provide practical help with data analysis from a knowledgeable coach who can walk you through every stage of the procedure. In addition, they offer a variety of other dissertation assistance services, such as software support and content assessment.

Note: Join our Telegram group or check out our Instagram for further updates and questions about Do my assignment.

[theredraccoon]

Safe Haven

Summary: A few years after returning to New York from Alicante, a tragedy spurs Magnus to stretch the boundaries of knowledge and magic in pursuit of a noble goal. A goal that will force change in both the Clave and the Downworld, bring hard truths to light, and deepen the relationship that he has with his husband in unforeseen ways. There is hope here, and peace, and bright new beginnings.

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: non-explicit child death, sex

Pairing: Malec, side Jimon

This fic was created for the Shadowhunters Mini Bang 2023: Presented by the Malec Discord Server

Artwok by the Amazing Jevan

Link to AO3

Chapter 1/4:

June 21st

The spell took three months. Three months of intense, draining, exhausting effort from Magnus , Catarina, Lorenzo, and the sizable contributions of a half dozen other warlocks. It was the first of its kind, requiring a level of sophistication such that it was on par with Magnus’ invention of the Portal, and if it worked, it would be rolled out in other cities besides the five boroughs of New York. 

Magnus watched as Catarina, clad in a long white gown that glowed against her blue skin, stepped up to the northernmost spot on the chalk pentagram, meticulously drawn on the smooth concrete of the penthouse roof. The location of the spell had been yet another argument but in the end, Magnus had won. For a spell of this magnitude and complexity, every bit of familiarity and connection to his magic was important, and Magnus had been casting on this part of his rooftop for more than two decades. As he stepped onto the lower right point of the star, he felt the energy beneath his feet practically leap into his hands, eager to be used. He inhaled rapidly as it rushed in, then breathed out slowly and carefully as it settled into him. 

One by one, he watched the other warlocks step into place. Lorenzo Rey, top left. Húlí Min, top right. Blaise Spear, bottom left. Each represented a borough of the city and believed in the mission that gathered them all here tonight, on the summer solstice. 

Once all of them had assumed their places, Catarina cleared her throat, making brief eye contact with each warlock as she asked, “Are we ready?” 

Magnus met her eye and allowed a brief smile to touch his lips as he answered, in sync with the others, “We are ready.”

“Then let us begin,” she said, and all the light of the day, the light of the longest day, from the first sweet breath of sunrise to the very last gasp of sunset, started to gather together in her hands. 

Later, as Magnus watched the golden net, twinkling and sparkling, slowly descend on their city, he cast his thoughts back to six months previous, when this journey had begun.

***

The potion was in its very last stages and Magnus’ feet were killing him. The potions he created during the winter solstice were always finicky and exacting, needing rare ingredients added at extremely precise times. It was always aggravating but ultimately rewarding, the effort matched by the beautiful concoctions that his brewing produced. He’d perfected his technique over the years and now the restoratives he made during the long night were imbued with immense power and were sought after by warlocks around the world.

Magnus carefully added the last ingredient and then watched as the potion moved rapidly through about five colors before finally settling on a deep, vibrant purple. Perfect. He then reached for the set of specially cleaned flasks and started the slow process of decanting the elixir into each one. 

With busy hands and exhaustion creeping in, Magnus let his mind wander, thinking about the list of customers who had requested the restorative this year and how much he would have extra after shipping it off. As the flasks filled, he estimated that he’d have half a dozen leftover and free to sell. This year’s batch looked especially promising and Magnus knew that he could charge a high price for it and he would still sell out before the new year. Maybe I’ll buy Alec something special, he thought, contemplating the husband he hadn’t seen much of recently, occupied as he had been with brewing. 

He and Alec weren’t exactly hurting for money these days, even after returning to New York from Alicante several years ago. The stipend for the Head of the Institute was definitely less than the role of Inquisitor but was still hefty enough that there wasn’t really anything that the two of them wanted that they couldn’t have. Magnus’ clientele had only gotten bigger since his marriage, as his ties to the different parts of the Shadoworld had expanded and strengthened. Besides, the investments he’d made over the last century had developed quite nicely, even if he did direct most of the profits to his pet projects. 

With a relieved sigh, Magnus finally capped the last bottle gently and moved it carefully to the shelf to rest with the others. He turned back to his work room table and started methodically putting everything back into its proper place. Magnus tried to remember what the patrol schedule was for that night, and if Jace or Izzy would be free for dinner. With the buildup to his long night of potion brewing and Alec’s responsibilities with the New Year coming up, they hadn’t seen much of their family. 

Magnus smiled as he thought of Alec’s siblings. He’d always known that the three of them were really a matched set but the depth of their bond had never been as obvious as when they had been in Alicante for those few years. Alec had been restless and distracted for a solid six months before Magnus had managed to pry him open and make him admit that he missed his parabatai and sister being close. Deciding to resign his position and move back to New York had honestly been easy and surprisingly smooth. Their marriage had settled Alec in such lovely ways.

Closing the door behind him, Magnus glanced around the empty room with a small frown. It was obvious that Alec still hadn’t arrived home and Magnus tried to force his tired brain into remembering if he actually should be there. His cell phone was on the kitchen countertop where he’d left it earlier; he never brought anything into the stillroom with him when brewing. Picking it up, he frowned at the two recent missed calls. Not from Alec, but from Jace. Why was Jace calling and not Alec? Normally his husband was the middle man between him and Alec’s siblings. 

Magnus was still staring down at his phone in confusion when it started vibrating with an incoming call, making him startle. Jace. Again. Magnus swallowed down his unease and picked up. 

“Jace? What is it?”

“Magnus.” Jace’s voice was ragged. Magnus’ slither of disquiet abruptly became a spike of fear. 

“Jace, where’s Alec? Where are you? Who is hurt?” He kept his voice measured and slow, instead of giving into the urgency rising within him, his exhaustion wiped away by the thought of Alec in danger. Magic was already sparking at his fingertips, ready and waiting for a direction. 

“Alec’s not hurt. But he’s hurting. There was… the wolves found –” There was a deep breath over the phone and then Jace’s voice steadied, became brisk and professional. “Use your fancy ring and come find us, we’re still in Brooklyn. You’ll understand the situation when you get here.” The phone clicked off. 

Magnus took a breath and shot a quick glance around the penthouse, trying to think if he needed to bring anything with him before deciding Jace would have told him if the situation was actually dangerous. What in the world had happened? Not hurt, but hurting.

His wedding ring was heavy on his hand. Magnus’ first piece of substantial magic after their marriage was to choose a sapphire from his small collection of gemstones and carefully split it, imbuing it with his power as he did so. The two stones, embedded carefully into the underside of each ring, right next to their skin, would always remember and call to each other, two halves of one heart. 

Cradling his left hand in his right one, Magnus focused on the hidden blue gem, letting its song fill the air as it sought out the one in Alec’s ring, tracing the path it laid for him straight to his husband’s location. It was the work of an instant, borne of long practice, and a portal flashed into being a second later, a slash of darkness in the warm glow of their penthouse. Magnus stepped through it without hesitation. 

The flare of the portal briefly illuminated a dark alley before closing, and then the dingy space was plunged into darkness again. Magnus blinked rapidly, his eyes trying to adjust. His wedding ring was warm against his skin; he knew that Alec’s would be too, letting him know that Magnus was here. 

As his eyes cleared his husband wasn’t immediately visible, though, which ratcheted up Magnus’ anxiety further. His eyes flicked around the scene in front of him, surprised and anxious at the number of people in front of him. Too many. The sapphire was still drawing him forward though, and Magnus let it lead him toward the eerily silent and still tableau. 

The outermost ring of people were all wolves; Magnus recognized that unique body awareness and strange synchronicity of movement as he stepped through the line. There were four men and two women, all watching him with glowing eyes, silent, faces still as stone. They parted for Magnus with barely a whisper of sound and he approached the second semi-circle of people.

The lines on Luke’s face were deep and he looked haggard in a way that Magnus hadn’t seen for a long time. He nodded at Magnus but otherwise didn’t move or speak. His eyes weren’t glowing like his Pack members had been. They just held shadows. 

In contrast, Maia’s eyes were ablaze with neon light and her body was strung tight with tension. Again, though, no words were spoken, nothing disturbing the silence of the alley. Magnus’ heartbeat was in his throat even as he looked at the other two people next to the werewolf leaders. What could have drawn them both here? Especially without sounding an emergency alarm?

Next to them, uncharacteristically still, was Jace. And then Magnus noticed that his hands, hanging loosely at his sides, were clenching and unclenching. That periodically one would flutter up like it wanted to press against his side, over the rune that meant Alec, before it would jerk down again. His clothes were neat, no blood, no ichor, nothing to reflect that hurt that had clearly been inflicted somewhere, even though Magnus knew that Jace would throw himself into danger in front of Alec if he could.

The heartbeat in Magnus’ throat was thundering in his ears now and there was magic sparking at his fingertips again. 

There was a sudden rush of displaced air, and Magnus was already lifting his hands defensively – and then Simon was there, stepping up behind Jace, and Magnus let the magic die away as fast as he’d prepared it. 

He watched Simon touch Jace’s shoulder and saw how the Shadowhunter turned into him immediately, hiding his face in the vampire’s shoulder. Simon didn’t say anything, taking in the tense scene at a glance. His eyes were alert and steady as he met Magnus’ eyes but he was quiet, no burst of normal babble. He wrapped one arm around Jace’s back and used the other to stroke Jace’s hair and Magnus saw him murmur something low into the other man’s ear. Jace shuddered and pressed himself closer. The open vulnerability added another horrible layer to the mystery and Magnus built his mental shields just a bit higher.

Turning away from the two of them, Magnus finally looked at the man kneeling on the filthy ground. Alec was curled over something in his arms, his broad back hunched, the white nape of his neck stark against the black of his jacket and hair. Magnus drifted quietly closer and closer and then he was there, his right hand settling softly down on Alec’s shoulder, his left hand clenched tight.

The baby cradled in Alec’s arms was perfect. A dirty brown blanket surrounded the newborn enough that only their delicate face was visible. Magnus absently cataloged the round cheeks and the snub nose, long eyelashes forming two little semicircles under closed eyes. Their hair was wispy and as black as his husband’s. 

And finally, finally, Magnus let himself focus on the two little horns that poked through the baby’s forehead, curved and brown, and the fact that their tiny chest was not rising or falling and was still as stone. Magnus closed his eyes and felt the breath move in his own lungs. Alec hadn’t moved an inch either, and for a long moment the whole alley was frozen. Just as frozen as the poor baby abandoned by a mother who could not handle the obvious marks of a non-human child. 

Magnus planted his feet more firmly on the black asphalt of this dingy, dirty, neglected alley somewhere deep in the heart of Brooklyn and let the weight of his years press him down into the earth. 

And then he opened his eyes and addressed the silent onlookers, row by row.

“All right, this is what we’re going to do. Luke and Maia, please thank all of your wolves for us, on behalf of the Spiral Labyrinth and the New York Institute. You have our deepest gratitude for notifying us. We will take it from here.” 

The older man nodded his head, with a bob that dipped low enough to signal both his respect and his grief. Maia’s eyes still burned but her chin lowered and her shoulders settled down. Slightly. With a quick glance around at the silent wolves around them, they all faded away into the night between one moment and the next.

Magnus took a deep breath and turned to the Shadowhunters. “Simon, take Jace back to the Institute. See what kind of surveillance footage we have on this alley and if we can identify the mother and if she needs help. I’ve got Alec.” The concrete job would help Jace focus now and Simon would be there for him afterwards when everything hit. The vampire’s face was full of deep compassion, a quiet grief and a steadfastness in the midst of sorrow that seemed unique to Simon. He nodded at Magnus, before looking briefly at the bundle in Alec’s arms. Simon’s mouth moved and Magnus could see the beginning prayer of Mourner’s Kaddish form in the air and then they were gone in a flash of speed. 

And then they were alone. 

Magnus sighed softly and then stared down at the top of his husband’s head. Alec still hadn’t moved, his arms and eyes locked firmly on the small body in his arms, not even to acknowledge Magnus’ presence. With another slow breath, Magnus moved his hand from Alec’s shoulder to the soft hairs at the base of his neck, rubbing gently.

His words, when they finally came, were low and tender. “It’s just us now, darling. Can you look at me?”

There was a pause, and then Alec lifted his head. His brave Alexander, always meeting his demons head on. And then his eyes met Magnus,’ the storm of grief and rage and bewilderment in them so strong that it seized the air in his chest. Alec was pale as a sheet except his terrible eyes, and everything in Magnus ached with sorrow. 

“All right, my love, stand up.” He reached down and cupped Alec’s elbows, coaxing him to stand. Alec staggered a little, his legs clearly stiff from kneeling for so long. He’d gone back to gazing down at the baby again. He still hadn’t said anything. Magnus looked at him for yet another long second and then came to a decision.

“Alexander, will you keep a secret for me? Even from your siblings?”

Alec’s brows drew together in confusion, a little line forming between them on his forehead. He said, slowly, “Yes, of course, Magnus. I won’t tell them whatever it is.” And then he looked expectantly at Magnus, waiting. His fingers twitched a little, fussing with the blanket in his arms, but otherwise his focus was finally on Magnus. 

“I’m going to take you somewhere, darling, a place very sacred and special to me. No one other than warlocks has ever been there. But I think you need to go and I would like to take you. Will you come with me?”

“Magnus, I followed you to Edom. I trust you. You won’t… you won’t take her from me, will you?” Alec’s shoulders made as if to hunch back down and Magnus quickly reached out to stop him.

“No, my love, she’s coming with us.” He kept his voice gentle but firm.

Alec straightened up again and a little color had come back into his cheeks. “Okay, then. Let’s go.” 

With a last look around the horrible alley, Magnus called his power forth and blue and gold lit up the air, fresh and clean and free from the shadows of the night. The world on the other side of the portal beckoned and Magnus put his hand on Alec’s back and they both walked forward into the light. 

[whatisonthemoon]

Private Groups Step Up Aid to 'Contras' (1985)

By Peter H. Stone The Washington Post Joanne Omang contributed to this report May 3, 1985

Whether President Reagan ever wins congressional approval of funds for rebels fighting Nicaragua's leftist Sandinista government, a private-sector campaign involving well-known conservatives is intensifying its efforts to keep the insurgents well-supplied.

The rebels continue to claim that they are well-funded, though it is impossible to establish precisely where the money is coming from. The two most prominent and active support groups identified so far are the World Anti-Communist League (WACL) and its U.S. chapter, the United States Council for World Freedom (USCWF). The head of both organizations is retired Army major general John K. Singlaub, who was ousted as chief of staff of U.S. forces in South Korea in 1977 when he publicly criticized President Jimmy Carter.

Singlaub apparently is an informal link among several other organizations raising money and political support for the "contra" rebels, whom they call "freedom fighters." The boards, donors and membership lists of these groups overlap, often reading like a "Who's Who" of the right. They say that in the wake of congressional refusal to provide U.S. aid to the rebels, it is up to private citizens to show U.S. support for democratic efforts worldwide.

Adolfo Calero, political chief of the Nicaraguan Democratic Force, the largest rebel group, said in an interview that "a substantial part" of his arms funds have come through Singlaub. He said his cash flow has improved recently, and estimated his total receipts at "close to $10 million," of which 40 percent is arms and the rest nonlethal help.

Many organizations send humanitarian aid to refugees in the area and try to avoid supplying any of the various armed groups. The Connecticut-based Americares Foundation, for example, dispatched $14 million in medical aid last year, mostly to El Salvador, and plans $20 million this year, distributed through Knights of Malta groups regionwide. About $3 million of that has gone to refugees in Honduras, where many of the families of Nicaraguan contras are living.

The president of the Americares Foundation, Robert C. Macauley, acknowledged that there is no way to guarantee that recipients are apolitical. Other aid donors, such as Singlaub, openly are helping the "contras" fight the Sandinistas.

In a recent interview, Singlaub said that he has raised almost $2 million outside the United States for arms for the Nicaraguan rebels, primarily through the World Anti-Communist League. (U.S. law bans fund raising inside U.S. borders for weapons to be sent overseas.) He and Calero said they were seeking military and financial help from WACL chapters in South America, noting that the chapters in Brazil and Argentina are large and active.

The humanitarian side of Singlaub's drive -- collecting medicine, food, clothing and other nonlethal aid -- has focused on domestic donors. This effort, he said, "has the support of the White House, the Pentagon and the Department of State."

Singlaub works actively for the Nicaraguan rebels' cause. Six weeks ago he was at a contra training camp with Calero offering advice and encouragement and promising to do more fund-raising. Within days, the general was seeking donations at a Palm Springs meeting of the conservative, 400-member Council for National Policy, made up of business, religious and political leaders, of which he is a board member.

Singlaub also is a board member of Western Goals, a conservative educational group founded by the late Rep. Larry McDonald (D-Ga.), and is on the advisory board of Refugee Relief International, an organization that has aided Salvadoran refugees that was established by editors of Soldier of Fortune magazine, a journal specializing in stories about mercenaries. Singlaub has said he has helped raise funds for Friends of the Americas, a Louisiana-based group chaired by Louisiana state Rep. Woody Jenkins, a conservative Democrat.

Jenkins said in an interview that his group has sent $1.5 million in medical aid to refugee groups in Honduras, including some Miskito Indians. His wife, Diane, a group director, said the aid includes 25,000 "shoeboxes" from private donors.

"They're like little CARE packages with a pound of beef, rice, soap, vitamins, candles and salt," she said, and sometimes include fishing lines, hooks and a mirror or photographs of the donors. She said they are worth $25 to $30 each.

Imposition of U.S. economic sanctions against Nicaragua, announced Wednesday by President Reagan, will lead to "thousands of people fleeing out of Nicaragua, and we hope to increase our efforts," especially on the Pacific Coast near the Nicaraguan border, Jenkins said.

Singlaub said the U.S. drive by USCWF and its allies is bringing in just under $500,000 a month, one third to one half of it from a group of wealthy Texas conservatives. They include Bert Hurlbut, president of First Texas Royalty and Exploration Co., prominent conservative donor Ellen St. John Garwood and Mr. and Mrs. John Howell of Howell Instruments. All confirmed that they had made donations.

Singlaub set up the U.S. Council for World Freedom in Phoenix, Ariz., in late 1981 with a loan of about $20,000 from Taiwan, according to retired Air Force lieutenant colonel Albert Koen, who was USCWF treasurer until May 1984. Koen said conservative Colorado businessman Joseph Coors was one of the group's few early backers and remains a staunch supporter.

The USCWF board includes several prominent conservatives: Retired lieutenant general Daniel O. Graham of High Frontier, the "Star Wars" lobby, as vice chairman; Anna Chennault, president of Transportation and Communications (TAC) International; John Fisher of the American Security Council; former U.S. representative John LeBoutillier (R-N.Y.), and Sammy Y. Jung, a Korean business consultant.

Hurlbut, who sits on the advisory board of the USCWF, said he heard about Singlaub through High Frontier while helping it raise funds. Since he joined in 1982, "the general and I have been working the fund-raising side of the street," Hurlbut said. He has traveled around the world with Singlaub and said the general is "treated like royalty by resistance forces everywhere."

Hurlbut has been heading the private drive in Texas with Singlaub. He said he and Mrs. Garwood have contributed more than $100,000, but emphasized that the money is used for medicine, food and clothing for the contras, their families and refugees.

"None of the funds from this country go for hardware. We've solicited funds elsewhere for that. The entire WACL board is trying to help out with arms," Hurlbut said.

The WACL chapter in France "has been very good in helping out" and the one in Britain "has been getting more involved," he said, referring to arms purchases. Chapters in Taiwan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia are among the most active and generous, each contributing more than $100,000 a year for WACL general operating purposes and more for emergencies or special projects, Hurlbut said. His statements could not be independently confirmed.

The World Anti-Communist League was formed in Taiwan in 1967 as an outgrowth of the Asian Peoples Anti-Communist League, a regional alliance against communism launched at the behest of Chiang Kai-shek after the Korean war. WACL board member and honorary chairman Dr. Ku Cheng-kang, head of the Taiwan chapter, has been a high level member of the ruling Nationalist Party in Taiwan for almost 50 years.

Hurlbut maintained that the Taiwan and South Korea chapters are sending $50,000 per month each to the contras. But Singlaub said that was "wishful thinking" and that Hurlbut was not in a position to know the figures.

Some WACL chapters have close ties to the Unification Church of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon. The Japanese chapter of WACL was founded in the late 1960s by Ryoichi Sasakawa, a wealthy conservative businessman who now heads the Japanese Shipbuilding Industry Foundation. He was jailed as a war criminal after World War II and subsequently helped start the Unification Church in Japan.

An arm of the Unification Church called Causa has run media seminars around Latin America for several years in the "cause" of anti-communism. Its director, retired general E. David Woellner, said the group has "set up our own channels of shipment and programs" to aid refugee groups in Honduras with food, clothing, toys, blankets and canvas for tents. He said the estimated $1 million in aid the group has sent since mid-1984 included a field kitchen, and that former U.S. ambassador John Negroponte had provided "cooperation."

"This program has been coordinated by the Honduran president's wife, the ambassador's wife and my wife," Woellner said. Former U.S. ambassador to Honduras Philip Sanchez is now head of Causa's U.S. branch, and its board of directors includes Daniel Graham of High Frontier and Lloyd Bucher, commander of the USS Pueblo when it was captured by North Korea.

WACL's most visible annual activities have been its conventions and its World Freedom Day rallies. Since the early 1970s, WACL conventions in Europe, Latin America and Asia have drawn delegates from 100 member countries and international groups. Recently they have included representatives from the anti-Castro Cuban terrorist group Alpha 66 and the far right Italian political party Italian Social Movement. The Italian terrorist group Ordine Novo, Croatian terrorist organizations and the Argentine AAA death squads also were represented, according to freelance writer Henrik Kruger, author of the book "The Great Heroin Coup."

Calero mentioned that he attended the WACL convention last September in San Diego and discussed contra needs with two WACL board members: Ku and Belgian Sen. Robert Close, a retired general who heads the European branch. "They said they were going to help and my understanding is that they have come through," Calero said.

Hurlbut said some USCWF board members have helped in innovative ways. Sammy Jung, the Korean consultant to American, Korean and Taiwanese firms, has obtained a large quantity of clothing for the contras at reduced rates. Hurlbut said he is trying to get a wealthy clothing manufacturer in Taiwan to provide similarly inexpensive clothing for the rebels, and said he has approached the Mormon church about providing seed packages in large quantities.

In the past month, Singlaub has made fund-raising trips to Fort Worth and Palm Springs, Fla., where he said he obtained about $100,000 in commitments from fellow members of the Council for National Policy. The 400 or so members of this group, headed until recently by Woody Jenkins, are religious, business and political conservatives including oil magnate Nelson Bunker Hunt, Christian Broadcasting Network chief Pat Robertson, singer Pat Boone and Robert J. Perry of Perry Homes.

An aide to Hunt confirmed that he has donated funds to aid Miskito Indians; Hurlbut said Perry was a contributor to refugee aid, but Perry could not be reached.

Much of Singlaub's 35-year military career involved classified programs and covert operations, starting with the Office of Strategic Services in World War II and then as a CIA station chief in Mukden, China. He was deputy CIA station chief in South Korea during the war there, and during the Vietnam war he ran a classified covert operation from 1966 to 1968 known as the Studies and Observation Group, or SOG. Using about 10,000 men, SOG ran secret raids, sabotage and psychological operations in North Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

His deputy during that program was Brig. Gen. Harry C. Aderholt, who now runs the Florida-based Air Commando Association that transports donated medical and other supplies to refugees, primarily in El Salvador.

Another transport organization, the Civilian Military Assistance Group, headed by Tom Posey and based in Alabama, claims more than 1,000 members nationwide and has sent several volunteer teams to fight with the contras. Two of its men were killed Sept. 1 when their helicopter was shot down over Nicaragua.

Last year, Singlaub headed a panel for Fred C. Ikle, the undersecretary of defense for policy, which recommended the use of more unconventional warfare tactics in Central America. Also last year, Singlaub set up a private center in Boulder, Colo., called the Institute for Regional and International Studies. He said it will "recruit people" with intelligence-gathering and psychological operations skills to train the Salvador police and perhaps the Nicaraguan rebels.

Singlaub is now planning this year's USCWF conference in Dallas this September. The final night's schedule is set: it will be a "Freedom Fighters Ball and Banquet" to support the contras.

[comfortlesshurt]

Wrapping up July a day early because nothing else on this list is getting done before August!

The two un-highlighted general goals are iffy. Definitely didn't show being comfortable with not going for longer fics since I published *reads note on hand* two new fics, which ranked #3 and #7 of my 61 currently published AO3 fics when ranked descending by total word count. I resisted the urge to end yet another chapter with someone passing out a few times, so I think that's enough of a win. (It's a crutch and I swear I'm trying to minimize it.) Met the rest of my general goals, and I'm especially proud of going over my word count goal even though I purposely set it higher than I thought I'd hit.

Whumperless Whump Event was a success as far as I'm concerned! I originally hoped to cover more of the prompts, but I was expecting to do much shorter fills if I did that, and I'm much happier coming out of the event with two new chapter fics even if I only used six prompts.

I'm running behind on the bingo prompts, but they'll stay on the backburner. There's nothing screaming to me from them just yet, and I don't want to write something mediocre for the sake of filling a prompt. Pretty sure my brain just needs some time to rotate them in the background and come up with something I like.

I overachieved on Augusnippets because I'm weak to dares, and a little Excel program I made dared me to finish the damn thing in one sitting after I'd done the rough drafts. Those are all queued up for August now. On the personal side, I got a promotion and a pay raise (and my department is restructuring, so I suspect another promotion is coming by the end of the year), so I'm talking to someone about making some art for the Augusnippets fic! It won't be ready by the initial post dates, but it'll be exciting to come back later and get to add it.

With Augusnippets done, my new focus for August is the series I've been working on. I'm still aiming for the original time estimate and just taking this surprise extra month as time to 1) slow down a little bit and 2) prep ahead for unexpected delays later. I am hoping to publish about 5k words more than my Augusnippets prompts covered next month, so you'll probably see either a random oneshot or a third chapter for Chemicals, chemicals in my brain if I get the inspiration for that. I've found in the past that counting drafted word count doesn't hold me accountable the way having a goal for published word count does, so that's what I'm sticking with for now.

I also added a new personal goal to have my total published word count for VLD surpass my published WC for Spider-Man by the end of 2025 because man... I think people see that and think I still focus on Peter when I don't. I had 100k of love for him once and it's unfortunately faded away since!

July's AO3/FFN stats will get their own post tomorrow because given the chance, I would nerd out and make this post way too long by bundling them in here. I might be a litttttttle vague about my methods because the exact tools I use are publicly associated with my real identity at this point, but if there are any other stats nerds out there, you are welcome to PM and discuss it privately! Every tool I used was free except Excel. You can block the tag #stats update if seeing that kind of thing will bother you! (It's currently just me celebrating my little baby wins since I'm not in a huge fandom anymore lmao)

July 2024 Plans!

I'm trying something new to see if it works for keeping me more consistent, so don't mind me.

Still insanely obsessed with Keith Kogane so uhh... sorry, that's all you're probably going to see from me this month if you read my stuff.

General Goals:

Get more comfortable with writing shorter fics instead of pushing for record word counts

Work on finding better end scenes for fics

Brainstorm for some longer multi-chapter fics for the future

Newly published word count: 19,920/15,000

Come up with a consistent writing schedule before August

Drafting priority - aim for the minimum viable amount of initial editing (then go back and refine everything in September)

Whumperless Whump Month:

7/1 (emergency first aid) - published

7/3 (like a record, baby) - published

7/10 (your work is never finished) - published

7/16 (say goodbye to filters) - published

7/19 (the whump morning after) - published

7/30 (I don't mean to get emotional) - published

Looking into 1 or 2 more days between the 19th and the 30th, but I haven't picked any yet! (Got sucked into another project and moved on to that!)

Really pushing to finish the days on time for this and move on no matter what at the end of the month. No completionist attempt here!

Bingo Prompts from @builder051:

Addiction/withdrawal - published along with whumperless whump fill

Self-surgery - published along with Whumperless Whump fill

Outlines for 3 other TBD squares, but unlikely to finish those fics in July (I'm short on my projected word count goal for August, so I'm expecting to get these finished and posted then)

Apologize profusely for taking 6 years to get to this

Augusnippets:

By mid-July, decide between path of hurt and path of whumperless whump

Resist urge to say I can do both because I simply cannot

Complete all outlines for chosen path by end of July (did I say outlines? because I accidentally made rough drafts for all of these instead)

Draft the first week by the end of July (I suspect work will be busy in August, so we're getting a buffer ready)

July and August are both planned writing months, but I'm expecting to take September to publish less and focus more on editing some stuff I've posted in the past without polishing as well as I could have. I also think I'll burn myself out if I try to write a ton three months in a row, so this just works out well.

Quick overview of the rest of 2024:

July - Whumperless Whump Event focus

August - Augusnippets focus

September - 1 or 2 short fics and a big round of editing my backlog; start to get a detailed outline on my Klance series

October - Whumptober focus

November - NaNoWriMo (either original fiction or a longfic I've been outlining, depends how I feel by October)

December - probably a heavy editing month (I want to get that NaNoWriMo fic edited so it can start to be published as we ring in 2025, but that probably means I won't publish anything new in November or December)

[bambino1294]

of beasts and blood

A Beauty and the Beast AU

6 Chapters | ? Words | Rated M

“You seem equally as dwarvish,” she ends up saying, her voice strained enough to sound harsh, “they’re not fireproof.” A hand grabs the end of the torch, fingers dipping into the flame to yank her forward. She squeaks involuntarily, trying not to let her fear seem so obvious when the light catches his face and she watches the last of the dragon sink into the golden scales covering the bridge of his nose. “I don’t think you want to burn that part away,” he says quietly, raising an eyebrow and puffing smoke from between his teeth, “do you?"

OR

Sigrid trades her life for her father’s and finds herself in the clutches of a cursed mountain, fending off the fangs of beasts

[j4y-lvr]

REJECTED?! (on hold) ...a series of enha hyung line angst...

❝FROST ON YOUR SMILE❞ — lee heeseung.

SYNOPSIS. Two lost souls try to pursue their passions amid many struggles carried by his fame. Time brought them together through their highs and broke at their lows. Lost love, lost lovers, lost words, all lost in the times. The chapter in life when "only friendship and love mattered."

GENRE. idol!au, friends to lovers!au, lovers to strangers!au, sprinkles of fluff, angst.

PAIRING. idol!heeseung x reporter!fem!reader

WARNINGS. mentions of breaking up, heartbreak, misunderstandings, sad ending, tba. lowercase intended.

WORD COUNT. estimated 5-7k

READ MORE.

❝LIKES ME NOT❞ — park jongseong.

SYNOPSIS. Gushing over sim jake was no easy task, particularly when the irking swarm of squealing girls crowded him and his six other friends, who all looked like they descended from heaven. You were no fangirl, candid with your words and emotions. Watching him from afar was a no-no. So what did you do? Approach his best friend, park jay? Precisely.

GENRE. strangers to potential lovers!au, fluff (misleading, all installments end sad), angst

PAIRING. non-idol!jake x fem!reader x non-idol!jay

WARNINGS. rejection, tricking each other, mentions of toxic relationships, tba. lowercase intended.

WORD COUNT. estimated -

READ MORE.

❝SUMMER TREMOR❞ — sim jaeyun.

SYNOPSIS. Summer had something up its sleeve this year, seeing as you were in the hands of the notorious playboy, sim jake. Through the gazes of passersby, it was a sight to see the two most influential figures at Decelis having more than just banter, but have his arm snug by your waist. Yet it was all an act, a verbal contract, for a mutual goal; fame.

GENRE. playboy!au, contractual lovers!au, flirting, angst.

PAIRING. playboy!jake x popular!fem!reader

WARNINGS. aimless leading on(both), playing, getting played, lovers by contract, goal is well, messed up, tba. lowercase intended.

WORD COUNT. estimated -

READ MORE.

❝UNBLOOMED FLOWER❞ — park sunghoon.

SYNOPSIS. Wealth wasn't all that fun, apart from glamorous things and all the glory it could buy. Except when you were with sunghoon. The captivating boy you knew through your parent's business ties. He soon earned the title of your best friend, though you discreetly harbored a fondness as more than friends. It'd work out if you weren't engaged to a kid in your academy, sim jake.

GENRE. friends to lovers!au, fluff, angst.

PAIRING. richkid!sunghoon x richkid!fem!reader x richkid!jake

WARNINGS. lying, unspoken words, sunghoon gives mixed signals, sad ending tba. lowercase intended.

WORD COUNT. estimated -

READ MORE.

send an ask or comment to be on the taglist!

[cowsaves]

WLB - Ch 3

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2

Shaw Farms attempts to break Essie May.

Essie doesn't know how long it's been since she came to Shaw Farms. All she knows, is she wants to be good. She eats what she's supposed to, even when it's a new texture. She's never eaten something so grass-like, of course. And while it tastes sweet and yummy, there's always a fine pink powder overtop it that she sniffs at. Essie gets used to it quickly, though, as she eats six times a day. All this food must be why her thighs have been squishier than ever, and her breasts no longer fit in the palms of her hands. A part of her wants to say it's uncomfortable and she could use more support than the paper thin outfits they give her, but another, louder part is enjoying filling out her frame for the first time. Something in the back of Essie's mind remembers that thought as if it were an echo, as if she'd heard it before from some soft whisper in her dreams, but Essie doesn't have the patience to follow that loose thread.

In fact, Essie doesn't have patience for many thoughts at all anymore. Her mind has become more simple, more pleasure-oriented. She follows Tommy's orders, she listens to the voice when she trains and sleeps, she follows all commands to the best of her abilities, all for the satisfied rush that comes with obedience. She works diligently to feel that euphoria, right up to her breaking point. There always comes a time at the end of the day, right before Tommy leads her back to bed, when she's prompted to accept her new life completely. There's a sound she must make, a sound she can't make before she flushes red and remembers that this isn't her life. It can't be, because she's all wrong. This isn't who she's supposed to be, she remembers, and that feeling only becomes more painful as she sees the disappointment and frustration on Tommy's face. He tries to hide it, Essie knows, but Tommy's too honest. He says he's trying to help her and Essie believes him. But she's protecting herself. From what, she doesn't know. But Tommy doesn't stop trying.

Essie is sitting on the floor of her room, wolfing down her breakfast when Tommy buzzes himself inside. She looks up at him with a wide, empty smile, pleased to see her handler. He greets her by ruffling her hair and giving her a tap under the chin, and she wiggles with excitement. She's grown to look forward to Tommy's visits, to working with him and the way he makes her feel. As long as she's a good girl, she stays happy.

Today, though, there are three people who follow Tommy inside. Essie scoots away from them, clutching her breakfast close to her person. Tommy whoas, and lowers himself to Essie's level.

"Hey girl, it's alright. These are friends," he says gently. "They're gonna watch me give you your shots, and you're gonna behave." Essie hears his command, and she's nodding before Tommy finishes his sentence. She knows what shots mean. She puts herself on all fours and pulls her paper shorts down to her knees, exposing her ass at just the right angle. Essie winces only slightly as she takes her first and second injections. She's gotten used to her new routine.

Tommy stands and talks to the three behind him. Two are men, one a woman. They wear pink scrubs, but look less sure of themselves than other nurses Essie's seen. As Essie rights her shorts and continues to eat, she barely processes their conversation.

"Based on size and shape," Tommy asks, "how long do you think Essie May's been with us?"

The woman juts her pen into the air. "Compared to her starting measurements, she's gained quite a bit of weight in her chest and her rear. I would say she's about eighty percent of the way to her goal, putting her at roughly a week and a half."

Tommy nods. "Good, good justifications, Holiday. But like I said, EMT299 is our challenge right now, the special project Mr. Shaw is hard at work on. Given how much effort is being spent on EMT, how would you adjust your estimate?"

One of the men shoves himself in front of Holiday. "At most, I would say two and a half weeks, sir."

Tommy narrows his eyes, but elects to gloss over the man's behavior. "Close, Gardner. Essie's been in our program for three weeks as of today. Holiday had the right idea, though. If Essie was a standard admittance, she would've been moved to her own pen at the two-week mark, and she's rapidly approaching her correct size and level of obedience. In that case, who can tell me what tools have been implemented to alter Essie, and at approximately what measurements?"

The other man steps aside, glancing between Gardner and Holiday, and clears his throat. He introduces himself, "Devon Lewis, sir. Um, her treatment should include subliminal messaging in her pod during her sleep, and a serum in her nightly IV meant to make her more docile, suggestible, and help with milk production. Her meals would be grass-based and full of artificial vitamins designed to help her gain weight in the desired areas, like her breasts, thighs, and uh, buttocks. They're also meant to complement the effects of the serum and help stimulate, or rather, destimulate, her brain. I would assume, based on how low her OSS scores were, that you initially started with double the regular dose in all areas. By now, you might've gone to triple, but that's up to her handler's discretion."

Tommy nods. "Very nice, Lewis. Anyone else have something to add?"

Holiday speaks up. "Lewis forgot to mention her hormone injections, the ones you just gave her. We watched you do two shots, both at a full milliliter. Like he said, that's twice the regular dosage."

"Yes, that's right. Gardner, what's the last part of Essie's plan your peers forgetting?" Tommy asks, boring into Gardner's slack face.

"Aside from drugs, she's in daily training to test the results of her subliminal messaging and to further alter her mind. If she were an ordinary specimen, she'd be on the last of her videos, probably on set twelve or thirteen. Since she's Shaw's pet project, I'm assuming she's got her own personalized regimen." Gardner doesn't blink as he keeps Tommy's eyes in his own grasp.

"You'd be right on the money," Tommy says, though he doesn't smile. "Essie's got an individualized series, recorded by Mr. Shaw himself. It's proven to be much more effective than any attempts to give her the generic set, and she's accustomed to Mr. Shaw's voice, pacing, and specific induction. At this point, Essie's picked up most commands necessary and follows through on initial prompting. Who here has memorized the basic vocab you'll need as a member of Shaw Farms?"

All three put their hands up.

Tommy slaps Lewis on the shoulder. "Let's see what you've got."

Lewis immediately steps forward, as the others press themselves to the far wall of Essie's cramped room. They assume silence to keep distractions to a minimum.

Lewis doesn't squat to Essie's level, or wait for her to acknowledge him. Yet, his voice is soft and caring as he orders, "Essie, down."

Essie looks up at him with wide, brown eyes. She tentatively pushes her empty plate aside puts herself on all fours once again, this time leaving her clothing intact.

Tommy murmurs something appreciative at Lewis' back.

Lewis says, "Essie, open wide."

Her mouth falls and her tongue lolls out. A small, small part of her at the back of her throat remembers that this is embarrassing, degrading, but it's become too tiny to voice it.

"Essie, speak."

Essie giggles as a wave of ticklish energy shivers its way up her spine.

Tommy interjects, "Notice how EMT didn't moo, as intended by that command. Why not?"

Holiday answers, "Because her training is not complete. Your cows only moo once they're finished."

Tommy nods. "Yes. And while we knew this project would take longer than most, Shaw is getting restless. We want results we can be proud of, not something half-finished. And today, that's your job."

Holiday and Lewis glance between each other while Gardner stands squarely assured of himself.

"We've been going about the traditional methods, albeit by a slightly more intense route," Tommy continues. "And as far as commands, weight, and follow-through, EMT is plenty prepared to join the herd and allow the rest of her processing to occur with the general population. It's that final acceptance we're struggling with."

"All due respect, sir," Holiday voices, "but shouldn't someone more...experienced be doing this? Why interns?"

Tommy cocks a half-smile. "We're hoping you three have a fresh take. Frankly, our upper management is stumped, and their only suggestion is to keep on with what we've been doing. So, we got creative and pulled our most promising interns from their class, hoping they could find a solution. Would you rather go back to your textbook, Holiday?"

"No! No, sir," she insists. "Thank you for the opportunity."

"Alright then," Tommy claps his hands together. "Have at it."

He gestures for the interns to take the floor, and backs himself up to the glass wall facing the hallway. "All your tools should be on the counter beside her pod. Holler if you need anything."

Lewis, Gardner, and Holiday huddle before her. They whisper amongst each other. While Holiday and Lewis seem to find common ground, Gardner cuts through them sharply and struggles his way into leadership. Gradually, they agree to his plan, though Holiday and Lewis both show reluctance.

Essie sees Holiday first, as she crowds her vision while the other two busy themselves behind her.

"Hi, Essie," she says, her voice octaves higher than it was before.

Essie blushes and smiles, trying to find anywhere to look besides Holiday's wide blue eyes.

Holiday continues, her voice dripping with sweet, pitying honey, "You must be getting so sore with all these growth spurts. I can only imagine how round and full you feel."

Essie wriggles, but Holiday holds steady. Their eyes locked together, crystal irises swimming in Essie's vision. She nods tentatively. Holiday goes on, "I would feel so tight and needy if I were you. Like I just needed someone's hands to make it all better. Like, you must be so uncomfortable. Do you...maybe want some help?"

Essie shifts her weight from her knees to her upper arms, now feeling exactly how swollen her chest has become. Still, she says nothing.

"Don't you want to feel good?" Holiday asks. Essie nods instinctually. "Right! You want to feel so good, you want to feel some relief. Of course you do, sweet girl."

Essie hasn't seen Holiday's hands, not when they slowly went between her arms, or when they gently lifted the light material of Essie's shirt out of her way. She doesn't see them now as they each cup her breasts, though Essie groans through her closed lips. Her eyes go to the ceiling rather than her body as Holiday firmly massages them from chest to tip, eventually coming to roll Essie' pink, puffy nipples between her fingers. Essie arches her back; her breathing quickens. Wetness rolls down her thighs as Holiday's fingers work through her engorged chest.

From behind, Lewis takes his gloved hand to Essie's pussy. Essie's mouth falls open as he does. His fingers work through her slick labia to her clit, alternating between slowly introducing his finger to her hole and rubbing against her. Essie's legs spread quickly until there is just enough room for the stretcher bar she's trained with. Lewis quickly pops the bar between her legs, and she is fully in position.

At the front, Gardner watches Essie shudder with pleasure every alternating second. Her brain is clearly gone, as her eyes are unfocused and her face is slack.

"Essie," he starts. "My name is Ben. I'm going to help you today, okay? All you have to do is listen. Tell me you'll listen."

Essie faintly breathes out, "L...listen."

"Good girl."

Essie moans again, the tension in her body building and building.

"Essie, today you're going to moo. And when you do, you're going to know that this is who you are, and who you were meant to be. Tell me you'll moo."

Essie repeats, "M...moo?"

"Yes, exactly. I can only reward you if you do as you're told. So, you're going to do this for me. Tell me you'll do this for me."

Essie's eyes close, and her face wrinkles. "For...you?"

Gardner frowns. "Lewis, speed it up. I want her on the brink."

Lewis grunts, and moves faster. He thrusts in and out of her with two fingers now, only a second at a time. Holiday takes the hint and focuses on her nipples, the tips eliciting louder moans and quakes from Essie's entire body.

"Essie, you're going to moo for me, that's right. For Ben. Tell me you'll moo for Ben."

Essie struggles to follow as she begins to sweat, her arms shaking with the effort of sustaining herself in such intense pleasure. Every hard thrust empties her brain and readies her for new commands, but every roll of her nipples blanks her mind as well. She has nothing behind her eyes but sheer, white arousal. It's more than Essie's felt in a week, and it's electrifying.

As Essie can give him nothing but heavy, panting breaths, Ben frowns. "Stop," he commands.

Holiday and Lewis remove themselves and slouch at their stations. A shudder travels through Essie. She whines.

"Please," Essie gasps as her blurred vision tries to come into focus, "more, please. 'M sorry."

Ben shakes his head. "Tell me you'll moo for me."

Essie's head droops. Something deep within her locks. She can't. She shakes her head.

Ben tuts. "Oh, Essie. Tell me you'll moo for me, or we'll have to train you a little harder."

Essie stares at the grout between her palms. "S-sorry."

Ben strokes her head, his hands working through the her long, straight brown hair. Essie relaxes into him, and allows him to gather it into a ponytail at the back of her head.

He lowers himself to her ear and whispers, "Moo for Ben, Essie."

She shakes her head, only just catching her breath. "I... I can't. I can't, I'm sorry."

Gardner says, "Then I'm sorry, too."

With one quick yank, he wrenches Essie's head up by her hair. Essie cries out simultaneously with the other interns.

"Gardner!" Lewis yells. "We don't hurt them!"

Ben shrugs. "Maybe we should. Maybe it's the only way they'll really learn." He gives Essie another hard pull, and she whimpers.

"Go on, Essie. Say you'll moo."

Essie cries softly as her eyes dart for Tommy. She tries to turn her head, and Ben tugs at her again, pulling at her neck. Before she can yell for her handler, Ben lands a hard spank across her ass. Essie cries out, and Ben hits again.

"Quiet," he growls. "Unless you're ready to moo, I don't want to hear it."

"Gardner," Tommy orders. "Release her. Now."

"Sir, maybe this is something you need to try. You said we're your last resort." Gardner lands another hard hit on Essie's ass and commands, "Moo!"

Tommy switches to his phone, dialing as quickly as he can. "Hey, we need Shaw and security in EMT299. Now, right now."

When he hangs up, he directs the other interns to stand behind him.

"Gardner, this isn't helping anybody. Even an intern should know that pain is antithetical to our practices." Tommy approaches him from the side.

Gardner tsks. "Another step closer, and she gets one across the face."

"Tommy!" Essie yells, and Gardner spanks her three times. Tears roll down her cheeks, though Essie refuses to sob.

Hurried footsteps move down the hall.

Tommy tries reason. "If those guards get here and you're still holding her, they're not gonna show you a lot of mercy, Ben. Let's go out the dignified way, huh?"

"I don't plan on going out at all. She's going to do what she's supposed to," Ben laughs and throws a leg over Essie, straddling her. While one hand keeps its grip on her hair, the other comes around to her jaw. He grabs her firmly, and orders once more, "Moo, bitch."

Essie screams through his hands, and he shakes her face between his fingers. He yanks on her hair again, pulling so hard Essie's eyes feel like they'll pop from her skull. She wiggles underneath him, trying to throw him off though her muscles are already soft and weakened. She struggles and bucks until she hears loud, booming voices. They yank him from her, and Essie collapses to the cold, hard tile. Hands and bodies are all around moving faster than she can process.

As Essie lays there, she sees Ben pulled kicking and screaming down the hall. The other interns lean over her as if documenting the results, ready to catalog it for later study. Essie recognizes Tommy's scent as he pries the spreader bar from her legs and strokes her hair, her back, her sides, shushing her and helping Essie to sit up. Her breath comes in short, panicked bursts as she feels her airways trying to close themselves. Essie's hands tremble as she collects herself into a ball, tightly pulling her knees to her chest. She holds herself as best she can, as best as she always did in her childhood bedroom with the door barricaded as she hid in the dark corner of her closet.

A pair of legs in dark suit pants and glossy black dress shoes appear before her. She cannot look at who they belong to, but another hand pets the top of her head. They squat before her. The voice, her voice that has trained Essie for countless hours, commands, "Essie, rest easy."

And Essie's eyes shudder closed, darkness swimming as she reaches a state of sleepy contentment. She feels weightless, then held, pressed close to a warm chest and cradled as if she were small again. Her head falls against a shoulder, and she drifts to rest.

[zeawoo]

LAST FRIDAY NIGHT

— PROFILES 1

JAKE: Junior, class 3-A, Decelis Academy’s #2 junior and second best student overall. Works his butt off to be able to achieve his goal. Awkward as hell.

HEESEUNG: Like his profile says, the man is good at everything and anything. Senior, class 4-A, part of the dance club where he met Riki. Pretty famous amongst the student body for his performances at the school festivals.

JAY: The fashionista of Decelis. Junior, class 3-B and president of the fashion club. Probably the only sane one in the friend group. Someone please come save this poor man from these deranged teenagers.

SUNGHOON: The one that actually has a social life and goes to parties. Junior, class 3-B. Friends with Y/n and her circle. Extremely cocky when it comes to his looks, man knows that he’s got it going on.

SUNOO: Part of the student council even though he’s most definitely not qualified. Sophomore, class 2-A. Secretly the owner of a blog that spills the gossip thats circling around at Decelis. definitelynot@decelis.gossipontwitter Dude has zero remorse.

JUNGWON: Also part of the student council except he actually is qualified. Sophomore, class 2-A. Someone please come save this poor kid he’s going insane. He’s so tired of his friend’s antics.

RIKI: Part of the dance club. Freshman, class 1-B. Scarily good at Fifa and can easily solo two or more people at once. Enjoys making fun of his hyungs because he knows they’re too soft to tell him off.

PREVIOUS | NEXT

— MASTERLIST

SUMMARY ▸ Being the top student at Decelis Academy is easy when you’re a born prodigy. In fact, it’s so easy that you don’t even have to study! So imagine the shock on Sim Jaeyun’s — Decelis’ second-best student overall— face when he finds out you spend your time drinking your soberness away at parties instead of having your head six feet deep in textbooks like him. When your parents decide to host Jake after his parents leave for a business trip, chaos arises between the two of you as you fight to see who really is Decelis’ best student.

TAGS ▸ @soobin-chois @enhacolor @yyunari @ethereal-engene @niskoo @beomsun @msxflower @iwonzzi @certainyouthpeanut @treasuretaeil (taglist is open! just send and ask or a dm <3)

a/n: i’m just posting the profiles for the time being whilst i continue working on the chapters :) the estimated release date is still the same; around late march so in the meantime uh- have fun!

[doppel-drop-distance]

Doppel Spotlight: Giovanna

Surprise~!

I know, I know, about time, right? The hypothetical Soul Gem has broken, and the Doppel Spotlights are back from the dead! Er…temporarily, anyway. I can’t say for certain how many more of these I’m up to doing just yet. It’s a bit too early for me to make any big estimates or guarantees. But! This Doppel analysis has sat here unfinished for quite some time now! And you all have shown such lovely support that I couldn’t help but be excited looking at all this old material again. So as a gift to you all, let’s finally analyze the Doppel of our main protagonist, Iroha Tamaki!

This analysis will contain spoilers for all of Magia Record’s first arc! This does include anime-specific content, as I will be discussing certain scenes from Episodes 5 and 7! You have been warned!

Let’s dive in, shall we?

GIOVANNA

Doppel of Silence

Feature: Cuckoo

“The master of this emotion is aware of how pitiful her Doppel is and refuses to look at it. This Doppel wordlessly wraps around and strangles anything it doesn't want to hear as it continues its search for something to fill the hole in its heart. While it should be calling for someone, it is cowardly and afraid of acknowledging the reality it has concealed, and so it remains, silently covering its ears.”

It's been a while, so how about we start things off with a little refresher?

Both Giovanna and Campanella’s names are direct references to Night on the Galactic Railroad, a Japanese novel written by Kenji Miyazawa. In the story, a shy boy named Giovanni travels on a star-bound train with his close friend, Campanella. To keep things brief, I’ll leave most of the general plot details out. However, if you’d like a lengthier summary, I suggest reading the summary I provided in the previous Doppel Spotlight, which is linked here.

I should also mention I actually located an English-translated copy of Night on the Galactic Railroad! As a result, I can quote the story directly, although I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the translations or my own interpretations. Please keep that in mind as you read!

The opening scene of the novel establishes early on that Giovanni is a reserved, self-conscious boy. In class, he is certain he knows the answer to the teacher’s question. However, when called on, he doubts himself and stays silent, bringing upon the jeers of his classmates. Campanella, who also raised his hand for the question, willingly chooses not to answer, despite also knowing, in order to show some sympathy for the flustered Giovanni.

This opening scene is likely what is referenced in Giovanna’s nature as the Doppel of silence. Giovanni stays silent out of self-doubt, and as a result believes himself to be pathetic. Iroha also silences herself in her own way, being very passive, self-conscious, and reserved at the beginning of her story. And, true to that comparison, her Doppel’s reflections of insecurity make her feel pitiful, to the point where she refuses to look at it.

Giovanni’s character can also be representative of Iroha’s inner loneliness. With his mother sickly and his father out of the house, Giovanni is too occupied with taking jobs and caring for his family to have time to talk. More often, he is bullied by his peers. The only exception is with Campanella, who doesn’t bully him, and even sympathizes with him. As Giovanni and Campanella travel on the Galactic Railroad, Giovanni’s loneliness is at its clearest. Campanella begins talking to Kaoru, another passenger on the train, and Giovanni becomes morose with jealousy. See this quote here:

“Is there really nobody who will stick with me to the edges of the universe and beyond? Campanella just sits there jabbering away with that little girl, and it hurts me more than anybody knows.”

Iroha is also incredibly lonely, deep down. She lives on her own, with parents away on business trips. The anime implies she doesn’t have a lot of friends either, with her classmates talking behind her back instead. Worst of all, her sister, who she values more than anyone else, is completely absent, Iroha being the only one that remembers that she exists. Such relationships sound awfully lonely, don’t they? It’s only through her bond with Yachiyo and the rest of Mikazuki Villa that Iroha grows into her own, letting her optimism, warmth, and confidence shine through.

Giovanna’s connections to Giovanni tie her quite close to Campanella, Yachiyo’s Doppel. And, well, Yachiyo is certainly not the kind and sympathetic Campanella at first meet. Her first encounter with Iroha is cold, brutally honest, and fully intent on keeping Iroha out at any cost. We learn later on that this attitude is a wall Yachiyo puts up to protect people – that she believes the people that get close to her die, and that she still struggles with the guilt of her past. Yet, it is Iroha who shows sympathy to Yachiyo, breaking down that wall between them. For example, let’s take a look at Chapter Six. After a trip to the Memory Museum Uwasa, Yachiyo has been reminded of the death in her life and is reflexively closing herself off again to keep Iroha safe. Iroha once shriveled up in response to Yachiyo’s intimidating rejection, but now, as her friend, she isn’t having it. She says this:

“You saying there’s nothing you can do to help Tsuruno and the others… It makes me feel sad…Lonely…We fought together all this time…But more than that, I’m angry. I’m angry with you, Yachiyo...”

“I’m your friend, Yachiyo. And as your friend, I’m going to take out that Uwasa, all on my own! I’m going to be the one to protect you. I’ll smash this made-up idea you have of me sacrificing myself for you!”

Just as Giovanni interprets his journey with Campanella as a sign to stay diligent in life, Iroha’s friendship with Yachiyo allows her to steady her own resolve and fight adamantly. Their namesake connection is a sign of their bond, and their newfound devotion to fight together and protect each other.

To wrap up this Galactic Railroad talk, have you noticed that in many of the anime’s early episodes, Iroha is riding on a train? In fact, it is on a train that Iroha is whisked away to Zenobia’s Barrier in Kamihama, where she meets Yachiyo for the first time. Perhaps a stretch, but a fun little detail regardless.

Anyway, there’s far more to Giovanna than story connections! Giovanna’s silent nature reflects a lot of Iroha’s character struggles: mainly, her feelings of denial, and her inclination towards self-sacrifice.

“This Doppel wordlessly wraps around and strangles anything it doesn't want to hear as it continues its search for something to fill the hole in its heart. While it should be calling for someone, it is cowardly and afraid of acknowledging the reality it has concealed, and so it remains, silently covering its ears.”

When you think of someone “strangling anything it doesn’t want to hear”, concealing their own reality and being afraid of acknowledging it...well, that sounds a lot like someone who doesn’t want to accept the truth.

Iroha shows quite a bit of denial in her search for Ui. The odds are stacked against her for a lot of Arc 1. She finds little to no clues wherever she searches, and the Ui she encounters from the Uwasa of the Commoner’s Horse is only a fake. Iroha is certain that Touka and Nemu, Ui’s closest friends, will remember Ui. But, they do not, and only ridicule Iroha for her seemingly impossible set of memories. Throughout Chapter Ten she is belittled for sticking to her goals. She’s ensured on all fronts that Touka and Nemu aren’t believing her, and that there’s nothing she can do to change their minds. But, no matter how many times Iroha is told by the world that she’s believing in a lie, she never lets her belief go.

“I’m still going. No matter what you say. I’m bringing Ui back with me…She’s the whole reason I came back to Kamihama.”

This stubborn determination, when twisted by the corrupt perception of a Witch, is far more like paranoid desire: an aching, fearful need to find whatever is missing in her heart and get rid of whatever threatens it.

Following this, let’s talk about Giovanna’s feature: a cuckoo. Cuckoos are solitary birds, shy and secretive, and best known for their calls. Yet, Giovanna’s beak is tied up with cloth. She cannot call for anyone. Her journey to find Ui is painted as one of futility: Giovanna searches and searches for the one she’s longed for, but in the end, is too afraid to call out to her.

Here’s a fun detail, by the way:

In Episode 5, when Iroha summons her Doppel for the first time, Giovanna actually does not have bandages around her beak (which is why she’s able to let out that high-pitched shriek):

In future appearances, however, Giovanna does have the bandages around her beak.

Come to think of it, Giovanna looks rather... different in her first appearance, doesn’t she? Not only is her beak not bandaged, but her colors are a lot redder and more decayed, her cloak is worn and full of holes, and the crown around her head is gone. This may just be a stylistic choice for Iroha’s first Doppel, but I can’t help but wonder if it’s a sign for something else. Maybe that Giovanna is angry with the Commoner’s Horse Uwasa for projecting an illusion of Ui? Giovanna does fight a lot more aggressively here than in any other appearance, after all - she wraps the Uwasa up and drills into it with her beak. Meanwhile, in her second appearance, she only attacks an Uwasa with her bandages.

Giovanna’s unwillingness to call for others actually brings up an interesting facet of Iroha’s character: her sacrificial devotion. The reason that Iroha unleashes her Doppel in Episode 5 is because she neglects her own needs in favor of others. She believes that she must be strong on her own to find Ui, a thought reflected by her own Doppel’s words in Episode 7:

“Stronger…If you don’t become strong, you won’t be able to find anything! Cover your ears! Shut those eyes! Silence determines fate!”

When Iroha fails to find Ui within the Uwasa of the Commoner’s Horse, she is filled with despair. Ui was right before her eyes, proving the beliefs that even she may have begun to doubt. Yet, in that same instant she recognizes the Ui she sees is nothing but an illusion the Uwasa projected for her. So close, and yet so far. When Iroha begins to succumb to her despair, she even mentions that it might’ve been from the shock of not seeing Ui.

With all of these feelings, all of this disappointment and despair, who does Iroha use her only Grief Seed on? Yachiyo, of course. At this point in the story, Iroha wants to be friends with Yachiyo, but they are not seen as equals. She is not comfortable enough to open up to Yachiyo about her feelings, and neither is Yachiyo with her own. Yet, Iroha still sacrifices herself to keep Yachiyo from falling to despair. And by staying silent about her own woes, Iroha falls to her despair for the first time, summoning her Doppel.

Let’s keep this topic in mind and focus on something I haven’t addressed before: the Magia Archive artbook! There are some production notes in here that provide insights on the meaning and symbolism behind a Doppel. Unfortunately, I don’t know Japanese, but I did find a translation of Giovanna’s section, courtesy of @greenyvertekins. Here is a small piece from it that I would like to highlight:

“The motif is a bird flute and a saint with a rabbit-like appearance.”

The theme of a “saint” struck me as a little odd, at first. I wasn’t sure where I was supposed to get that idea from her design. But, it did lead me to a unique little find, which is probably a stretch, but maybe kind of cool anyway?

(credit to Silvermoon424 on Reddit for the scan!)

It’s a bit harder to see in the official art, but that crown circling Giovanna’s head – to me, it sort of looks like a crown of thorns. A crown of thorns is a very striking sign of self-sacrifice.

And sure, this is the stretchiest stretch that ever stretched, but those drop-like patterns on Giovanna’s body are red, and kind of look like drops of blood, right? Beads of blood that have also been associated with the crown of thorns, r-right? Right…?

Phew…I’ve been going on for a while, haven’t I? Is this…is this longer than the first one? I don’t even know anymore…Let’s silently wrap this up with one more, fun little stretch on my part.

Both cuckoos and bunnies, which are elements of Giovanna’s design, are symbolically representative of spring. Spring is cherry blossom season in Japan, and the Eternal Sakura Uwasa lives near a cherry blossom tree only said to bloom when Touka, Nemu, Ui and Iroha are united again. At the end of the event Cherry Blossom Dreams, the Eternal Sakura even remarks that “spring can finally begin” because they are all together. So, if you squint really hard, maaaaybe the springtime connections here are representative of Iroha, Touka, Nemu, and Ui’s union under the cherry blossom tree. But probably not. I’m just having some fun.

And, that’s it! That’s all I’ve got for Giovanna! Wow! That sure was something!

I hope you all enjoyed my silly little analysis! I know some of these connections are a bit loose, but I like drawing whatever parallels I can with what understanding I have, haha. It was great to write one of these again and share it with you all!

If you have any of your own thoughts, additions, or corrections, do send them along! I would love to hear other interpretations!