#sophia rosing parents

[scoopflash]

Sophia Rosing Parents: A Journey Through Life's Ups and Downs

Parenting is one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences that life has to offer. It is a journey that requires patience, understanding, and unwavering dedication. For Sophia Rosing, a young woman from California, this journey has been particularly challenging, as she has had to navigate the complexities of life without the support of Sophia Rosing parents .

The Early Years: Where It All Began

Every story has a beginning, and for Sophia Rosing's parents, it starts in quaint towns and bustling cities. Their childhoods, marked by unique experiences, laid the foundation for the lives they would lead and the family they would raise.

A Tale of Two Cities: Sophia Rosing's Parents' Hometowns

Sophia's mother grew up in a small town, where community bonds were strong, and everyone knew each other's names. Her father, on the other hand, hailed from a vibrant city, full of opportunities and challenges. This contrast in their upbringings played a significant role in shaping their perspectives and values.

Education and Ambition: The Path to Success

Education was a cornerstone for Sophia Rosing's parents. They believed in the power of knowledge and pursued their academic goals with determination. Her mother excelled in literature, while her father was a whiz in mathematics. Their academic journeys were filled with late-night study sessions, passionate debates, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Love Story: How Sophia Rosing's Parents Met

Fate has a funny way of bringing people together. Sophia Rosing's parents' love story is one for the books. It was a chance meeting at a university event that sparked a connection between them, a connection that would eventually lead to a lifelong partnership.

The First Meeting: Sparks Fly

Sophia's mother noticed her future husband across the room, engaged in a heated discussion about a recent literary work. Intrigued by his passion, she joined the conversation, and they clicked instantly. Their shared love for knowledge and debate became the foundation of their relationship.

Courtship and Marriage: Building a Life Together

Their courtship was a blend of intellectual exchanges and romantic escapades. They traveled together, explored new ideas, and supported each other's dreams. Their marriage was a celebration of their shared values and mutual respect, setting the stage for the family they would create.

Parenting Styles: Nurturing Sophia Rosing

Raising a child is no easy feat, and Sophia Rosing's parents approached it with thoughtful consideration. They combined their diverse backgrounds and experiences to create a nurturing environment for Sophia.

Discipline and Freedom: Striking a Balance

Sophia's parents believed in striking a balance between discipline and freedom. They set clear expectations but also encouraged Sophia to explore her interests and passions. This balanced approach helped her develop a strong sense of responsibility and independence.

Education and Extracurriculars: A Holistic Approach

Education was paramount, but Sophia's parents also recognized the importance of extracurricular activities. They encouraged her to participate in sports, arts, and community service, ensuring she had a well-rounded upbringing. This holistic approach played a crucial role in her personal and professional development.

Challenges and Triumphs: Overcoming Obstacles

Life is full of ups and downs, and Sophia Rosing's parents faced their fair share of challenges. From career setbacks to personal losses, they navigated these obstacles with resilience and grace.

Career Setbacks: Rising Above Adversity

Sophia's father experienced a significant career setback early on, but he didn't let it define him. With unwavering support from his wife, he reinvented himself and found success in a new field. This experience taught Sophia the importance of perseverance and adaptability.

Personal Losses: Strength in Unity

The family faced personal losses that tested their strength and unity. Through these difficult times, Sophia's parents demonstrated the power of love and support, showing Sophia the importance of family bonds and resilience.

The Impact on Sophia: Shaping Her Future

The influence of Sophia Rosing's parents is evident in her achievements and character. Their guidance and support played a pivotal role in shaping her into the person she is today.

Academic Excellence: Following in Their Footsteps

Sophia excelled academically, much like her parents. Their emphasis on education and intellectual curiosity instilled in her a love for learning and a drive for excellence. She followed in their footsteps, achieving remarkable success in her chosen field.

Personal Values: Integrity and Compassion

Sophia's parents' values of integrity, compassion, and respect for others were deeply ingrained in her. These values guided her actions and decisions, helping her build meaningful relationships and make a positive impact on her community.

The Legacy of Sophia Rosing's Parents

The legacy of Sophia Rosing's parents extends beyond their immediate family. Their contributions to their professions and communities have left a lasting impact, inspiring others to strive for excellence and make a difference.

Professional Contributions: Leaders in Their Fields

Sophia's mother became a renowned author, while her father made significant advancements in his field of mathematics. Their professional contributions have been recognized and celebrated, leaving a mark on their respective industries.

Community Involvement: Giving Back

Giving back to the community was a core value for Sophia Rosing's parents. They actively participated in charitable initiatives and community projects, demonstrating the importance of social responsibility. Their legacy of service continues to inspire others to contribute to the greater good.

Conclusion: A Lasting Influence

The story of Sophia Rosing's parents is one of love, resilience, and dedication. Their diverse backgrounds, shared values, and unwavering support shaped Sophia into the remarkable individual she is today. As we unravel their story, we see the profound impact they had on her life and the legacy they leave behind.

Sophia Rosing's parents exemplify the power of education, resilience, and love. Their journey is a testament to the strength of family bonds and the importance of nurturing and supporting one another. As we reflect on their story, we are reminded of the lasting influence parents can have on their children's lives and the world around them.

[sayoneee]

☆ PARENT TRAP

in which, a plan is devised to set the two of you up (1.9k)

contains: luke castellan x fem! reader. mortal au. baby percabeth (they are 12). percys pov. loser older brother luke castellan 🔛🔝

kashaf’s note: i think we can tell i love my music references by now. (answering requests soon!)

i. remember the time - michael jackson

PERCY HAS ALWAYS liked afternoons: sitting on the green couch in his apartment, the smell of his favorite blue cookies wafting through the air, and the constantly running episodes of gilmore girls on the tv — that you had convinced him to give a try — and sometimes the addition of grover, who was prone to start passionate tirades on climate change.

though after summer camp, his relatively quiet afternoons now included at least two mentions of “seaweed brain” and two of “wise girl”. 

percy’s trying to stay focused on rory freaking out over thanking dean for something (annabeth is almost laser-focused), but the doorbell rang a while ago, and you still haven’t returned. 

“annabeth,” he whispered, to no avail — he guessed dean really had that effect on people. he tried again, waving a hand in front of her face. she blinked twice before being lifted from the spell of gilmore girls. 

“what?” annabeth asked.

“who’s at the door?” 

annabeth’s eyebrows rose. she turned around, looking past where you were still holding the door open, one hand animatedly gesticulating, the other still on the doorknob. 

“that’s my brother,” annabeth said, turning back to look at percy. 

but percy isn’t paying attention to her right now, instead, he’s focusing on the bits of conversation audible between you and this stranger, who’s smiling very peculiarly down at you.

“— no way, me too,” the stranger is saying, grinning.

you’re saying, “deadass? prove it —” 

“— are you always so skeptical —” 

percy gets up off the couch, annabeth beside him, striding over to you and the stranger, who, for a reason he can’t quite put a finger on, seems weird. 

“hi,” percy says, looking at you, pointedly ignoring the stranger. you and the stranger seem to freeze, your hand halting mid-tuck of your hair behind your ear, something percy has only seen you do around one of your ex-boyfriends. 

“hi,” annabeth says, looking at the stranger, who smiles in response. again, weird.

“ready to go?” the stranger asks, “or are you going to take over their spare bedroom?”

“luke, you’re not funny,” annabeth grumbles, but she doesn’t look that put out by luke’s teasing percy notes. 

you’re smiling, but you’re not looking at annabeth. you’re looking at luke, your one hand still on the doorknob. interesting. 

“you’ve got your yankees cap?” you confirm as annabeth laces up her converse, as you and luke are engaged in a tiny conversation of your own. percy wordlessly hands the worn-out cap to annabeth once she’s finished, saying his goodbye.

once annabeth and her brother are long gone and you’re no longer leaning against the door, you’re still smiling widely, and percy wonders why.

ii. shoop - salt n pepa  

gilmore girls is on again, and luke is here to pick up annabeth. again. but for whatever reason, annabeth still hasn’t left, and you and luke are sitting in the kitchen, alone, conversing loudly. 

annabeth isn’t as hyper-focused on dean and rory’s argument as percy had thought she would be a week ago — he assumed that dean’s appeal died the minute he got mad in that banged-up car. annabeth is saying something about architecture, eyes shining, though he’s not sure which one she’s talking about, hagia sophia or st. basil’s cathedral. your loud laugh seems to ring from the kitchen every minute or so, and well since you’ve begun babysitting him, he can’t say the sound is unfamiliar, but the frequency is suspicious. he doesn’t trust luke. 

“annabeth,” he says, when she’s stopped talking.

“percy,” she responds in the same tone, her smile bright.

“how long has your brother been in the kitchen for?” he says, trying to sound nonchalant, but missing the mark horrifically.

annabeth looks at the watch on her wrist, “woah —”

“what does woah mean?” percy knows he’s being impolite, and his mom taught him to never interrupt people, but he can’t help it at this moment. 

“i was just getting to that, seaweed brain,” annabeth rolled her eyes good-naturedly, “we were supposed to leave an hour and half ago.”

this was bizarre. “no offense, but what does my babysitter and your brother even have in common to be talking nonstop for an hour and half?”

“no idea,” annabeth says, thoughtfully. “is she in a band? luke’s in a band.”

“no,” percy says, but he thinks he remembers your last boyfriend being in a band. “is your brother a senior?”

“yeah — does she do boxing? luke does.”

“i actually don’t know,” percy pauses, “i think we should see for ourselves,” he stands up. 

“wait,” annabeth says, “they might go quiet if they see we’re around. let’s just turn off the tv and eavesdrop.”

percy grins, annabeth was such a genius, “you got it, wise girl.” 

they’re both so silent, he wonders if you’ll notice, but with the way you’re laughing again, borderline giggling, actually — which is odd — as you say, “shut up, you know what i meant,” he doesn’t think you’ll realize. 

“erm, actually i don’t,” luke says, nasally (in what percy hopes is mockery). 

percy looks at annabeth, who rolls her eyes at him and mouths, ‘he’s being ironic’. percy stares at the patterns in the carpet, and annabeth stares at the picture of percy and his mom hung on the wall, as they continue to strain their ears — which isn’t hard because of how noisy you and luke are together.

“you’re so insufferable.”

“and you’re the one who invited me in, so.”

“i was being nice,” you sound like you’re protesting, but percy and annabeth note the amusement in your voice with another shared glance.

“you? nice? let’s be forreal.”

“i’m literally not even mean.”

“you literally are.”

annabeth peeks at him, and percy thinks he’s had enough of listening to this conversation, which is quickly becoming weird. and mushy. he can practically see how you’re looking at luke, and how he’s looking at you, which is not at all something he wants to imagine.

he nods at annabeth, and they both try to make their footsteps as loud as possible when they start approaching the kitchen, just in case. 

he’s grateful to every higher being out there when he and annabeth find you and luke in the kitchen simply sitting next to each other, no funny business involved. 

iii. doo wop (that thing) - ms. lauryn hill

you’re on the phone, giggling. annabeth is over again, and there’s no luke in sight, but percy suspects he’s on the other end of the line. 

percy sighs and turns to annabeth, who always seems to know what to do because this little situation has gotten unbelievably out of hand. 

“is that your brother on the phone?”

annabeth’s concentration on the teetering jenga tower on the coffee table lingers, doo wop (that thing) playing on the tv in the background, “yeah, i think so.”

“how do you know?” percy asks, watching annabeth carefully choose a jenga block to remove.

“they like each other,” annabeth says, looking at him, as if it’s as obvious as grass being green.

“no, they don’t,” percy pauses for a minute when annabeth raises her eyebrows at him. “how do you know?” 

“luke’s always calling her at home,” annabeth said, “and he made her a mixtape.”

“that doesn’t mean they like each other, that just means he likes her,” percy points out, crossing his arms. 

they hear you giggle in the kitchen again. annabeth looks at him as if that proves her point.

annabeth blinks, her face lighting up, “oh my god, percy, we should set them up.” 

percy stares at her. he can’t deny that for as long as he’s known annabeth, she’s seldom been wrong, but he doesn’t think this is the best idea. but, percy trusts annabeth, so he agrees.

iv. this is how we do it - montell jordan

percy’s spying on you. well, he doesn’t consider it to be spying exactly, he’s just making sure nothing happens to you because despite annabeth’s constant defense of her brother, percy still doesn’t trust luke. percy’s always thought of you more than just his babysitter, after all the attempts at making blue hot chocolate and the comforting after nightmares, you’ve turned into his sister. 

he’s at annabeth’s place now, and both of them decided to put their — what annabeth swears is fool-proof — plan into action. step number one: getting luke to invite you inside when you come to pick him up (which was so unbelievably easy, considering how luke has perpetual heart eyes when you’re around).

currently, you’re in the kitchen with luke (the two of you are always congregating in kitchens for some reason), and annabeth decided that she and percy absolutely had to keep an eye on the two of you.

you’re gasping, “luke castellan, you are such a liar.”

luke is laughing, “no i’m not.” his cheeks are red.

you’ve seemed to notice this, and percy can see your gaze soften as you look at luke, but that doesn’t stop you from making your point, “no, oh my god, you call me the mean one but here you are, talking shit about your rivals, just because they’re better?”

percy has seen you argue with your ex-boyfriends, but not like this — not bright-eyed, and smiling, and none of them have been able to just flow the way you seem to with luke. this is it, he thinks, annabeth was completely and utterly right (as she is 90% of the time). 

“you take that back right now, those motley crue knockoffs aren’t better than us,” luke says, sounding kind of angry, but percy can see his smile.

“you’re totally bugging,” you say, “what’s wrong with motley crue?”

luke looks scandalized, and almost as if he’s pleading, he says, “please tell me you’ve at least listened to guns n roses,” pushing his hands together in a namaste position.

“i don’t live under a rock, castellan,” you rolled your eyes at him, pushing his hands down. annabeth shares a look with percy.

“i mean, you never know,” he says, and you scoff, shoving him.

percy raises his eyebrows at annabeth, and she seems to know exactly what he’s thinking — time to put step two into action: set up a going-out idea.

percy and annabeth pretend to walk closer to the kitchen, to give the two of you time to spring apart, because you and luke weren’t a very pg distance right now — maybe pg-thirteen, but percy wasn’t supposed to be watching those, so.

annabeth jerks a finger at percy, as you and luke looked up at their arrival, addressing luke, “percy doesn’t believe that your band actually plays in public.”

percy’s head whips toward annabeth, trying not to glare at her, because the look on luke’s face right now was not at all amusing, but at least you were smiling, so you’d definitely stop luke from killing him.

“yeah, luke,” you say, smirking, “where do you guys even play?”

luke frowns, “the usual but we’re playing at the fair next week if you’re so interested.” the last part is aimed at percy, but their plan is going well so far, so percy doesn’t think he’ll have to sleep with one eye open tonight.

“when?” you ask, interested.

percy watches luke turn to you, surprised. “saturday — why, you wanna come?”

“yeah,” you admit easily.

percy looks at annabeth, who’s smiling and percy can’t help but feel proud of their idea.

“really? we don’t go on until like seven though.”

“yeah, someone has to be there to cheer for you so you don’t feel too bad when no one else does,” you grin.

luke turns to you, masking his smile with a fake air of irritation, “gee, thanks.”

“what are friends for?”

percy shares a disappointed glance with annabeth who begins to shake her head, as luke’s smile freezes in place, and you suddenly look extremely remorseful.

time to come up with a new plan. 

© sayoneee on tumblr. do not repost, plagiarize, translate or claim any of my works as your own.

[shilohsylvanian]

I am screammiinnngggg New Deer release for Japan 2024 Feb. 10 Three sets:

~Parents Marius & Primrose with sister Sophia and newborn baby Kai (pink) in a sling shaped like a lily of the valley. ~Standing baby Aster, newborn babies Nova (yellow) and Rose (blue) on a vine & flower swing over the water. ~ Twin babies Nils (crawling) and Lida (sitting) with a pushcar train.

They're keeping with the secret forest theme it seems, which makes me incredibly happy. Still missing a brother though... Color wise, some have a more caramel color while others have a more cocoa coloring. The cocoa coloring ones have a heart/petal shape in their ears while the others dont, similar to the Buckley deer except it seems the "boys" might have the hearts, instead. Gender was ambiguous on the swing set but I love the idea of Aster being a boy in a dress OR being the only girl with heart ears and cocoa coloring. Also everyone has heart noses and flower themes.

[russellsppttemplates]

here to request more daniel !! literally just anything with his partner being pregnant x

Cw: reader's pregnant, mentions possibility of body insecurities

"Daddy", Sophia called Daniel as he straightened the blanket at the end of her bed, "yes, honey?", he called back. "Mummy is asking for you", she said as she walked back to your bedroom with him, letting him in first as she sat on the bed.

"What's wrong, love? Do you need anything?", Daniel asked before he even looked at you, "Oh, Y/N", he giggled as he saw you struggle to take out the shirt you had on, "let me help you", he added.

Pulling the fabric away from you and only stretching a few stitches, the three of you giggled as you were left in your bra, "I wanted to help mummy, but for that I'd have to get on the bed and she didn't want me to fall off", she explained.

"It fit well when I put it on this morning! I don't know why it was so hard to take off", you blushed, kissing Daniel's jaw as a thank you before walking to your drawer of bikinis, grabbing the one you would be the most likely to fit in ao you could join your family outside, "your parents, your sister and the kids should be arriving soon, so I'm going to get dressed - I think I can do it on my own now - and then I can help downstairs, too", you smiled, "I'm going to put mine on, too!", Sophia said as she walked to her bedroom.

Daniel took the opportunity to hug you as you tied the straps on your hips by the mirror, "you're so gorgeous", he whispered on your ear as his hands rubbed your baby bump, "I'm in awe of you, every single day", he kissed your neck.

"What's with you? Don't get me wrong, I love all of this, and you do it quite often", you reasoned, "I don't ever want you to doubt about your beauty and your worth", he looked straight into your eyes.

"It's not the first time, you know? This time is different. I know how things work, I know how it is. I'm also aware my body is incredible because, for the second time, it's growing and keeping our baby girl safe and healthy", you smiled. "That's what I like to hear", he smiled back, kissing you a couple of times before he changed into his shorts.

"You look very, very handsome, mister", you complimented, kissing his chest as he didn't bother to put on a shirt, walking into the hallway as Sophia followed you to the garden, leaving her towell by the pool as you heard cars arriving.

"Hello everyone, come on in, come on in!", you said as they greeted you, the bump getting a few consented touches from the kids and your mother in-law, "you're glowing, Y/N", Grace said as she left her things by the sun loungers.

Taking off the cover up you were wearing and folding it in your lounger, everyone's eyes travelled to your uncovered bump as you walked to the pool steps, carefully getting in so your body could get used to the water temperature, Daniel following you inside too.

"Help me float, please", you held your husband's hand, getting ready to let yourself fall on your back and taking his support to do so while you heard Sophia play with her cousins on the grass, not missing your sister in-law telling them to wait a little to get tin the pool ao you could relax, remembering to thank her later.

After a few moments of finding your balance, your bump and chest rose up, poking out of the water while you floated, "does that feel nice, love?", Daniel asked as he made sure you were fine and comfortable.

"She's kicking", you mumbled, Daniel's hands coming right up to feel the movements, "she loves swimming, too! If she's anything life Sophia, she's going to be a little fish, always wanting to spend her time swimming", you said, looking up at him as he made sure you didn't hit the walls, "still feels so surreal", he whispered, "and soon enough she'll join us", you added, "little Alice is going to join us soon".

(Thank you for your submission ✨️)

[torveiglyart]

Due to my inability to post a comic page today, I have some more fleshing out of the Avicorians… and a Lance AU.

Due to the unique materials that many Avicorian’s body parts are made of, this race has been poached to extinction. The feathers, bones, teeth, claws, and eyes of an avicorian are held in high regard on the black market. Although they are universally known as extinct, there was a rather large group of Avicorians that escaped the mass poaching epidemic by fleeing to a small outer-rim planet known as Earth, and hiding there.

As generations came and went, the degree of chameleonisation rose, making it impossible to tell an Avicorian from a human, 2,000 years after the genocide. The only indicator that a person could be Avicorian or of that descent is heterochromia, yet even that genetic factor happens in regular humans, so there is no sure way to identify them.

Like Alteans, Avicorians have a unique connection to quintessence. The light markings on their wings indicate a person’s connection, or “power”, to the quintessence they feel strongest. for Avicorians, the composition of quintessence differs based on the colour: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Teal, Blue, Violet, and White. Coincidentally, this colour action works similarly to Earthling’s “Auras” in that personalities can be identified by the quintessence colour. Unlike Alteans, Avicorians cannot “wield” quintessence or manipulate it in the way alchemists can. They can react to and with it, like recharging a Balmera, but cannot utilise it, like Oriande shows. Avicorians require quintessence usage to shape-shift (to morph, not sustain), while Alteans do not.

Quintessence and meaning

Red: Passion, agression, impulsion, heart

Orange: Energetic, creative, impatient, skittish

Yellow: Stubborn, support, compassion, caution

Green: Inquisitive, petty, productive, amicable

Blue: Fluid, thoughtful, trust, fawning

Violet: Decisive, level-head, weary, calm

White: “Purity” White quintessence does not normally appear naturally as it is a refined version. There are no traits, as there are none with a connection to white.

Teal: “Raw Quintessence” Balmeran crystals are the easiest example of quintessence in a raw form. Curiosity, kindness, flexibility, empathy

And now the Lance AU:

Unknown to Lance McClain, he is half Avicorian. His parents, who were actually a full-blood Avicorian and his “aunt” Rosa, were killed in a car accident when he was only 2, and so he was taken in by his aunt Sophia, who he knows as his mom. He was never told of his true parentage, as no one felt it was important for him to know. He was a McClain anyways.

Lance always had heterochromatic eyes, brown on bottom, blue on top, but preferred to wear coloured contacts to hide the unusual colouration, especially after a bad spout of bullying when he first moved to America.

Years later, when Voltron went to aid an Empire outpost with broken shields, Lance sacrificed himself to save Allura from a beam of electricity and was revived by her newfound knowledge of Altean alchemy. Upon revival, he began to have strange pains in his back and nails, yet continuously brushed them off as battle scars or “the whole dying thing”. Months later, when they fight Lotor in the quintessence field, Lance passes out after their victory and wakes up in Red, his armor broken on the ground in front of him and eyes burning. He doesn’t actually take note of the changes until Red is packed with his things and the castle is gone. No one ran into him during the packing trips, but now that things have settled, Pidge is the first to point out Lance’s silence. It is then that Lance freaks out about the wings, blue sclera, and claws.

[saintsenara]

I’m sending you some next gen ships!

Scorbus (Scorpius Malfoy/Albus Severus Potter), Rosphia (Sophia Barclay/Rose Granger-Weasley), Yolly (Polly Chapman/Yann Fredericks), Crames (Craig Bowker Jr./James Sirius Potter), Nienice (Janice Pepper/Nienna Robins), Trinique (Trinity Lynn/Dominique Weasley), Lorgo (Hugo Granger-Weasley/Lorcan Scamander) and Roxody (Melody Fawley/Roxanne Weasley).

These are all canon characters btw. No OC’s in this one.

thank you very much for the ask, anon!

scorpius malfoy/albus severus potter

which also got a shoutout of its own from another mystery anon:

yes, this slaps.

but - crucially - not because it brings up any latent longings and regrets on harry and draco's part.

[i remain committed to finding drarry only mildly interesting at best, and that's because the girlies are - as is their right - completely delulu about its plausibility...]

but because the concept of harry and draco being forced to interact awkwardly with each other for the rest of their lives is funny.

as is the idea of harry going home from dropping albus off at king's cross thinking that he absolutely smashed the parenting moment of dealing with his insecurity about being in slytherin by telling him to just ask the hat to put him in gryffindor... only to discover ten hours later that albus had immediately forgotten it the minute he heard scorpius had a racing broom.

[scorpius and either rose or hugo, though... immaculate generational repercussions. ron and draco are sneaking out of the engagement party for hate sex, one hundred percent.]

hugo granger-weasley/lorcan scamander

if you ever meet a tory voter under the age of forty, nine times out of ten they are the child of the sort of crunchy, lib-dem-voting, soft leftist who likes morris dancing and lentils. similarly, the most ardent young communists you meet will usually turn out to have been educated at £60,000p/a boarding schools, know at least one minor royal, and have parents who like grouse shooting and have strong opinions about argentina.

lorcan scamander, on the basis of this principle, is the most middle-of-the-road man imaginable. he loves cardigans and putting money in his savings account and feeling faintly embarrassed whenever he has to explain that his parents live in a commune.

he's the perfect son-in-law. ron and hermione love him.

all the rest of these

[extremelyblackandwhite]

pairing: dad!bucky barnes x au pair!reader

warnings: age gap (reader is 10 years younger than bucky), smut (18+, dni if under 18)

author’s note: sorry this one is a bit short. i am worrying myself silly until tomorrow.

masterlist

and wouldn't you love to love her?

Bucky didn't know if Y/N wouldn't be back. He had decided to give her space, allow her the time off since she never had any but explaining it to Sadie was, to say the least, complicated. The two year old had decided to live up to the terrible two cliche and between refusing to go to school and kicking any time he tried to bathe her. Whenever she asked when Y/N would be back all Bucky could say was that he did not know and, honestly, that was the truth. The more the days passed by and her viva examination got closer, he was starting to believe more and more that maybe she just wasn't coming back at all. I like you just the way you are, what ever happened to Hey Y/N, would you like to go for some coffee? No, he just had to be upfront about it.

As if Sadie living up to her prophecy wasn't enough, Christopher was equally on him blabbing and wondering about Y/N. He could only tlel him so much before Chris charted a jet to Ohio and he was certain Y/N would hate that more than what he told her.

Bucky was in the middle of dealing with Sadie screaming bloody murder about the pancakes not having chocolate chips when he heard the front door close. At this point, if someone came to shoot him in the head he wouldn't mind. However, it turned out to be a much pleasant sight dressed in a professional black dress.

      - Why is she crying? - Y/N drapped her coat over the chair.

      - There's no chocolate chips. - Bucky sighed both of relief that Y/N was here and of tiredness.

      - Sadie Barnes, you either eat your pancakes or there will be no TV, no tablet, no toys, no Etch-a-Sketch and definitely no Bluey, Disney + or any other streaming service your dad may be paying for. Your choice.

The redhead stared at Y/N before starting to eat her pancakes. That's it, Y/N was a witch. She had to be a witch. That's it. She was a witch, a very pretty witch who looked way too polished to have come out of an Ohio farm, but a witch.

      - How were the cows?

      - Pardon?

      - Your parents. You went to see your parents right? They live in a farm in Ohio?

      - Yeah. They were ok. Apparently mum has named them Rose, Sophia, Dorothy, and Blanche much to dad's dismay.

      - Like the Golden Girls. - he chuckled. - So, your viva is today.

      - Don't remind me. It's like walking into a slaughter house and then being denied being called a doctor. They should decapitate me, put my head on a spike, and parade me around Columbia as the massive disappointment.

      - What's decapitate? - Sadie asked.

      - It's the capital. - Bucky said not wanting to traumatise his two year old with the scenario Y/N had just described. - Go wash your hands and get your backpack, bug.

Sadie nodded but not before going over to hug Y/N's leg. Y/N ruffled her head before sending her along to wash her hands. Bucky got to making Y/N a plate, patting the chair next to him. She smiled at him before taking a seat and cutting a bit of the pancake. She stopped chewing, looking at him with a forced smile.

      - Good?

      - Buck, why are they salty? - she put a napkin in front of her mouth to spit out the pancake.

      - They're not salty. - Bucky took a forkful from her plate to try it himself.

      - We've had this discussion, Buck. Salt is in the black pot and sugar in the white one.

      - I'm gonna be a mess when you quit. - he pushed the plate away from her. - Speaking of which, I would like if you interviewed your future replacement. I trust you to pick the right person.

      - Most likely you won't need a replacement because I'm failing my viva today.

      - You are not. - Bucky put his hand on her shoulder. - You are smart, Baudelaire.

      - Baudelaire?

      - Do the scary thing first. Get scared latter.

(...)

Bucky drove Y/N down to Columbia, ensuring she got there safe and ready for her VIVA before driving down to take Sadie to school. Y/N swallowed in empty, merely staring at the hallowed halls of a building which had many notable alumni and she was now hoping she would be one. The VIVA was intense to say less and as she came out of the room, she was sweating buckets and wanting to be as far away from the building as possible.

      - Y/N! - shit. Shit, shit, shit, she'd forgotten he existed. What ever happened to men taking a hint?

      - Chris. - she turned around with a fake smile. - What are you doing here?

      - Anderson told me it was your VIVA today, I wanted to come see you. I haven't seen you in a while and Barnes said you were on holiday.

      - I thought after our last chat you wouldn't want to talk to me, Christopher.

      - It was a hurdle, Y/N. - he got closer to her. - Listen, I understand it was rough of me to attack your job like that but you have to understand it's because I care for you and that job is beneath you.

      - No job is beneath anyone, Christopher. You think that silver spoon mouthed talk is gonna make me forget you basically insulted me, my boss and the child I look after?

      - You have a Bachelors and a Masters, Y/N. You should be working internships, assistant positions to help you build your curriculum, not being a silver spoon mouthed man's child's babysitter.

      - That's all fine when you can afford to work a non paid position, Christopher.

      - I care about you, Y/N.

      - But I don't love you.

      - I don't expect you to love me yet, we haven't been seeing each other for too long and if we ...

      - Christopher. - she interrupted him. - I love someone else. It's not gonna stop.

(...)

Y/N dragged herself home. It was now a week, a week long of worrying wether she passed or not. She guessed it was better than having to do it again, heck she hoped she wouldn't have to do it again. She opened the door and heard mumbling with all the lights being off. She moved to turn the lights on, coming face to face with a home made sign and Sadie yelling surprise.

      - What is this? - she smiled, leaning down to pick Sadie up.

      - You're done, it's a party. - Bucky chuckled, pointing to the sign. - We have reservations in about 3 hours. Bought an ice cream cake and Sadie made you a card.

      - You shouldn't have done this.

      - What? After 3 years and a half of you moaning and whining over psychology, you need a nice night out.

      - You do know she'll start crying at around 10.

      - That's why we have dinner reservations at 6.30 and once she's in bed, I will allow you full control of the television. How does that sound?

      - I may not pass.

      - You got this far. You deserve a celebration just for you.

taglist: @talesofadragon @themermaidscales82 @winters1917 @vladsgirlxx @stinkerbelle007 @maybefoxysouls @blackwood-bodecker-housewife @chipilerendi @kandis-mom @belennasif @abitofblues @buckybarnessimpp

[chefbuck]

what are you doing new years?

wc: 1.7k, eddie's winter of abandonment on new year's, for @mayslipgloss

--

Eddie’s going to blame it on Sophia for putting on High School Musical. 

Look, it was a lovely party. It was no 118, but his aunt knew how to throw a New Year’s party, all things considered. Her house was all decked out with the cheesy decorations they’ve held onto since 2015. There were scattered headbands and sunglasses to celebrate the upcoming year with plastic “NEW YEAR!” and “HAPPY 2025” adorned across. Mole had been eaten, ponche had been drunk, and still there was enough food littering the table to send home for leftovers. Adriana’s laughter carried across the hall and family chatter was loud enough to make up for the months Eddie spent in a silent house. It’s good enough to feel like home. 

It should feel like home. Chris is here with his cousins, all of them insisting that they’re old enough now to stay up with the rest of them; they can make it. He’s been staying with Eddie in his apartment for a month now and they’ve been talking, really talking. It’s not back to normal, but Eddie’s started to make peace that maybe they’ll never get back to normal. Made peace with the fact that maybe that’s okay, better even. They’ve been talking and Eddie’s been squaring away his place here and back in LA. They’re set to move back within the next week, so Eddie should feel at home. 

There’s just a lot of talk. His family are a chatty bunch. Sophia would say Eddie fits right in with the gossip—Eddie wouldn’t call it gossip but rather keeping himself informed. And, okay, Eddie can admit his family likes to gossip, him excluded, but this time it’s not gossip. There’s just been a lot of talk from them about how nice it is to have Eddie and Chris back home, how lovely to have them around for Wednesday dinners, how it’s good for Chris to be with his cousins, with his family, how they’re all so excited for them to stick around. 

They are not sticking around. Chris has been adamant about that. He’s itching to move back to LA, back to their old house (he’s made sure many times Eddie didn’t sell the place), back to his old school, and back to his friends. Back to Buck. Chris can talk about Buck like it’s easy. Eddie can…

Eddie’s not making a big announcement about him moving. The right people know and he’s not exactly going to stand on a chair and shout at a New Year’s party, no matter how suffocating these people make him. Look, once upon a time El Paso was home. And it was. It’s where his baseball bat lived, where he and Sophia covered the scuff marks against the wall with a framed photo of Abuelo, where he first learned the lyrics to “Te Lo Pido por Favor”, where he first kissed Shannon against the side of his parents’ house. Then, one day, he’s not sure exactly when, it felt so suffocating to the point that if Eddie didn’t get out he wasn’t sure he would last another day alive. One day El Paso was home and another day it was the place he was from. 

He’s coping. It’s probably not up to the standards of his therapist’s desires (his new therapist, Dr. Rose, not Frank. Fuck Frank. Okay, no that’s a bit brash. Maybe not full fuck Frank, he did refer Eddie to this new therapist who is a much better fit. Sorry Frank.) But Eddie’s coping. He’s nodding along, eating Tía Luciana’s bacalao, making sympathetic smiles when necessary. He’s not letting himself mope and he’s certainly not biting any relatives hands off, even when he kind of almost wants to. 

But then, Sophia puts on High School Musical. She insists on it in fact, and it’s just enough to make him drop his composure. 

Eddie remembers it. He remembers his sisters’ obsession with the franchise, their comments here and there, them singing throughout the house, but that’s really the extent of his knowledge. He’s never seen the movies themselves, so he’s kind of thought whatever towards them. But now, as he’s heading to the kitchen to steal some more buñuelos, his eyes are pulled towards the tv. 

“What’s this?”

“High School Musical,” the kids respond, without tearing their eyes away.

The screen focuses on two characters, one guy with sandy hair that covers a good portion of his neck and face, and a girl with dark brown curly hair. Both look fairly young. They’re singing karaoke, of all things, and it seems to be the end of the song as they hold out their last notes, mics the only thing separating them from each other. But it’s not the singing that makes Eddie stop walking; it’s the look. They’re holding each others gaze like they’re the only two people in the world, like they’re communicating something that only their eyes can say, like they’re inventing something. 

Eddie knows that feeling, not the karaoke—he only remembers a disjointed montage of snippets of the night—but the look. He’s done that look. It makes his stomach fall far too fast. 

And there’s a new scene. They’ve made their way outside, making conversation that matches the youthful cringe of their age, but they can’t stop stumbling over each other’s words, too hungry to miss a beat. Then finally, a pause. A moment where they’re just making eye contact, but this time it’s both of them waiting for the other to say what they both want to be said. Until one of them breaks, and then there’s fireworks. 

It’s so ironic, they way the scene goes beat for beat with Eddie’s memory, even though the details are a bit different. (Ambulance bomb explosion doesn’t really look the same as fireworks, but semantics, really.) The kind of thing that lives in the back of his mind with the one person he can’t really talk about. Not that it matters; his absence further cements his presence. 

The scene changes again and the moment disappears. Eddie continues to the kitchen, but by now he’s dead on his feet. His shoes are by the door but every step still sounds like what’s the point? What’s the point? What’s the point in celebrating when he’s lonely at his Tía’s place, no one to make biting comments with that makes the night bearable? Eddie’s stopped turning his head to tell Buck something, forgetting he’s not here, but that doesn’t mean the feeling goes away.Christopher will fall asleep and Eddie will wait for five minutes till midnight to wake him up and Tío Alejandro will make them watch the ball drop. Chris will eat his twelve grapes before diverting back to his grumpy, tired self (although he might insist that he is not tired), and Eddie will give him a laugh because that is definitely his kid. Then, he’ll close his eyes while he leans against Eddie’s leg and Eddie can go back to pretending like something isn’t severely missing. 

-

Surprisingly, it’s Adriana who’s dragging him and Chris out to the front yard. The neighbors set off the fireworks, every year like clockwork, because it will never be done at a Diaz house. For every relative that might want to suggest it, there will be three to snap at you, “Don’t be stupid.” 

A good amount of the adults around him are coupled up, so they’re out here, kissing and proving to the moon how much they love each other. Because his brain hates him, it makes Eddie think of a conversation between him and Buck a few years back. 

Buck’s sliding in so fast next to Eddie on the couch that he almost sits on top of him. He’s got that puppy dog twinkle about him lately, the kind he gets whenever he’s in a relationship, because he loves the fact that someone wants him, no—that he belongs to someone. Even if that person happens to be Taylor Kelly. 

But whatever. Because Buck’s here. With Eddie. His partner, his work partner, but still his partner. Narrowly missing his lap for the couch, looking at him giddy at work where there’s no Taylor Kelly to be seen. Unfortunately, Eddie barely has time to be smug about it before Buck’s saying: 

“I kissed Taylor on New Year’s.” 

Eddie breathes normally. The most his face does is raise a singular eyebrow at Buck. 

To Buck’s credit, fair enough. He’s definitely done more with Taylor in the past, especially now that she’s his girlfriend. Not that Eddie’s heard more than the bare details, which probably isn’t great best friend behavior, but it stops him from saying his real opinion about her, so wouldn’t that really be a testament to Eddie’s best friendship? 

“Wow, moving fast, huh?” 

Buck whines. “Eddie, be serious.” 

“I am!” But Eddie’s smile says otherwise. 

“Come on, Eddie,” Buck nudges him with his elbow. “Don’t you know that superstition?” 

Eddie doesn’t even need to make the face for Buck to know his answer. 

“When you kiss someone on New Year’s, it’s for good luck. Because you want to spend the whole next year with them.”

Buck’s wish ended up coming true. Granted, they should have broken up around month eight and a half, but they lasted a few weeks shy of a year. Buck called it a pretty lousy year. 

Eddie’s never kissed Buck, and he’s certainly never kissed Buck on New Year’s. But they’ve been together for a solid seven years now, and they’ve been some of the best years of Eddie’s life. Of course, that was then. That was before Eddie pushed his son away and had to chase him back to his childhood home. That was before Eddie did what he does best and ruined the best things he could ever have. 

Meanwhile Buck stays in LA, probably at some bar in WeHo or celebrating New Year’s at the Han’s place. He’ll probably be kissing some new face that Eddie’s never met and they’ll spend a lovely new year together, and nothing about Eddie will matter because he’ll simply be too late. He doesn’t know. Lately, it seems like he’s only getting half of Buck’s life in his ears, missing out on anything worthwhile. Everything about Buck is worthwhile. 

There’s a poking in his side, one that hadn’t been there before. Eddie looks down and Chris is already looking up at him. He leans down and hums to let Chris know he’s listening. 

“I miss Buck,” Chris mumbles. 

Eddie sighs and rubs his son’s back unhelpfully. “Yeah. Me too, kiddo.” 

[melanieph321]

Gabriel Medina x Reader - Untamable Part 7/8

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Reader spends the summer with her first love, Gabriel Medina, for him to get a chance to know their three year old son. However, both Reader and Gabriel struggle to keep their feelings at bay.

Enjoy 💞

For some reason, this summer felt warmer than the previous, more peaceful than the previous and ultimately happier than the previous. Even when it rained, the heat lingered in the air as a solemn comfort that your family was whole again.

"Gammy, gammy, look at me!"

"I'm looking baby, I'm looking."

Because you didn't stay with her anymore, Vovó frequently made the effort to come to Maresias and watch Nemo surf the whitewash. She was his biggest cheerleader just like she had been yours.

"He's getting better." She said, tilting her body until nudging yours. The two of you sat on a blanket on the beach, your toes digging deep into the warm sand.

"It's getting impossible to keep him away."

Nemo was definitely finding his attachment to the water, his strongest resemblance to his dad. That and his untamable hair, now growing way past the nape of his neck.

"Are you worried?"

"No." You smiled. The sight of your son failing to find the balance on his surfboard, tumbling head first into the shallow water, would have left you livid not too long ago. Now it amused you. "He's in safe hands."

Nemo got back up on his board with the help of Gabriel and his sister Sophia. They helped him align himself with the next wave, pushing him into it, cheering for him as he successfully got back up on his feet.

Vovó turned to you. Another question in her restful expression. There was a tug of your heart as you took her in, her age, revealed through the numerous creases and wrinkles on her forhead and around her eyes. She will be leaving you soon. Everyone eventually leaves you.

"I have no doubt that Gabriel have your best interests at heart...."

Your eyes fell to where Vovó had gone to rest her hand over yours. "But not everyone from his side of the family does."

"I know." You nodded. But Gabriel would never let his mother come between us again. He even said so himself."

Vovó made a sound, a murmur deep down in her throat, that you could only be interpreted as skepticism.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing." She shirped, her lips pouting.

"Vovó. If you have something to say, say it."

Her chest rose when she sighed. "I sense a storm coming."

"A storm? Really Vovó?"

"Yes, a storm. In the name of that old hag."

You rolled your eyes.

"I mean it, querida. I worry for my grandchild and my little fish." Her smile made the seriousness of her words fade as your attention drew back to the water where Nemo and Sophia continued playing.

Perhaps Vovó was right. Maybe Gabriel's mother would come for you again. However, what was the worry, when this time Gabriel would be on your side?

********************************************

"You gold digging bitch!"

As predicted, Gabriel's mother rentered your life in dramatic fashion. "If you don't get your gold digging self out of my son's house, I'll make sure to get rid of you myself...... "

"Mamãe!" Gabriel and Sophia hissed in unison. "Please, stop it."

While Gabriel took you and Nemo aside Sophia, step forward, a magnitude of guilt displayed on her face. Her mother's discovery of the rekindle of your relationship with Gabriel's happened through the mouths of Sophia's friends. Up until that, Sophia had snuck to visit her brother without telling her parents that you had moved in with him.

Nevertheless all good things came to an end.

"Listen to me Gaby. She is using you! She and her shamless family have been plotting against you for years!"

Sophia held her back. "Mamãe, you're embarrassing yourself."

"For years!"

She was blocked out of your view by Gabriel, who placed his hands on your shoulders, his eyebrows furrowed, expressing his worry for you. "I'll get rid of her. I promise."

"Okay." You squealed. Nemo clung to your neck, sensing your distress. You had no clue on how to explain that the crazy woman yelling at you was his grandmother.

"Mamãe, please." Sophia pleaded, struggling to get her mother to leave the house with her. She wouldn't budge, at least not until she had spoken to Gabriel.

"Have you no shame?" He said, fuming as he approached his mother. "You barge into my home, causing a scene by threatening my wife."

"Please Gabriel, you don't know about her. She's only using you for child support. Look, I have proof."

"I said quit it, mom." He watched as she fumbled for something in her purse, a copy of a document. "Once and for all, won't you just give it a rest. Y/N is the mother of my child. Of course, I'm gonna pay her child support."

"But you don't have to. At least not for the past six months."

"What?"

She held up the document as if it was a holy scripture meant to cast out the demon in their life. "She has a fiance, and it says so right here."

Gabriel fell silent, casting a swift glance at the document before slowly turning to you. "Y/N, is this true?"

"Don't bother asking her for the truth querido. Everything that comes out of that bitch mouth is a lie."

"Mom."

"Oh shut up Sophia."

Your heart pounded in your chest, caught between a fairytale and a nightmare all the same. However, the only thing that mattered was the truth. You could see it in Gabriel's eyes, demanding answers from you.

"The private investigator I hired tells me that Y/N here is soon to be married to one Dr. Victor Nuñes, ain't that right?"

"I..." It doesn't matter. Nothing you said mattered because the look on Gabriel's face, the pure tournament, told you who's word he believed.

And just like that, summer came to an end, and so did your fairytale.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

[taus-inc]

My thoughts and feelings on Uglies the movie

I'm starting to think I understand a bit of how people who read Percy Jackson before watching the movies feel. Uglies was... a movie. I have thoughts that I wanna share with a condensed version of my rant with the notes I took at the very bottom. I know in the end it's just a movie but at the moment it's important to me. Obviously SPOILERS for Uglies, the book (mainly the first one) and the movie.

I want to start with the things I liked since that's a much shorter list.

i LOOVEE the casting for Dr. Cable as Laverne Cox, Keith Powers as David, Brianne Tju as Shay. I also like the casting for David's parents, Croy, Sussy, Dex and An.

Not all the design elements hit for me but the look and sound of the hover cars and boards i really liked. As well as how the interface rings looked and worked, kinda showing how easy it was for things to be "hacked". The look of the operation tank wasn't something I thought too hard about but I like how they brought it to life. And "THE SMOKE LIVES" was beautifully done. While reading the books I imagined something more childish given the sparklers but the movie did them wonderfully.

And something small and rather insignificant, Tally telling Shay that Peris was the one who gave her the necklace makes a little more sense than some random person giving it to her and her caring enough to wear it all the way to the Smoke.

Now... on to the nitty gritty of the things I didn't like as much. Some are kinda nitpicky so take my word with a grain of salt as these are all just my personal opinions. I took notes as I watched so they will kind of be in chronological order.

First is the casting of Tally and Peris. I knew when I saw the trailers I wouldn't like Joey King as Tally Youngblood, I don't think she's that bad of an actress, she just doesn't fit my vision of Tally. I like alternatives of someone like HAVANA ROSE LIU !!!, Sophia Lillis, Emma Myers, Paris Berelc, Chandler Kinney, Inde Navarrette, Talia Ryder, Quintessa Swindell. Basically, anyone other than Joey King. Someone I could see being book 1 Tally but also becoming who she was in later books. And for Peris maybe someone like Archie Renaux, Archie Madekwe, Nico Hiraga, Brodie Townsend, Connor Sherry, maybe a Finn Little or even a Charlie Plummer. Clearly, I don't have a set look for these characters just vibes.

I don't like that Dr. Cable is a public figurehead. Most of the things she does and are capable of are because she's more secretive. She's a manipulator who works behind the scenes. I could've appreciated it if they had done more with it and made it a purposeful change but like many other things I don't see the point in it.

Tally's relationships with anyone are honestly one of the most disappointing things done and my #1 gripe with this movie. It just does not make me care at all. We're missing so many vital scenes that I'm sure they couldn't fit all of them in but because of what they cut out I couldn't buy into them as people. Everything just felt so temporary and non concrete. I know it was probably to save money from actors ( f you btw netflix) but I'm sad the only other scene with Tally's parents, them convincing her to give up Shay and the Smoke, was missing. Her and Peris' relationship falls very one note and her and Shay's just falls flat. No real friendship between the two, bonding over feeling lonely and (at least to Tally) beginning their next step to prettiness together. Shay's constant reassurance that she doesn't think Tally is ugly and how she feels about keeping her original face because she doesn't think of herself as ugly either. Shay's anger is completely missing for me when in the book it was a very big thing considering how much Tally's betrayal cost her. The same anger thing with Maddy happened too but more on that later. Even with Dr. Cable manipulating her I think it was so poorly done. She just straight up lied to her about what was going on in the Smoke instead of using everything Tally had wanted for the last 16 years against her.

Next is what I think to be one another major failing on the movie that I have to force myself to understand that they simply didn't have time for but.. Cutting basically all of Tally's journey to the Smoke really hurt me because I feel like throughout all the books Tally's relationship and outlook on the wild is some of the most important because it shows a lot about who she is as a person when she really has to be alone with herself in such dangerous conditions and situations. The wild is always the start of her radicalization and her free thinking. It helps her be more open about the Smoke and it honestly informs a lot of her decisions later down the line. Her puzzling through Shay's note and learning to survive (with the help of some city things) were very detrimental and sad almost none of it made it into the script. And they didn't even get the note right!!

Short and to the point- replacing the rangers who helped Tally (and gave lowkey clues about what she learns later) with the Smokies.. Again, I understand time and money restraints but still Ugh!

Them making Croy immediately overly aggressive and skeptical of Tally also just takes away from his character. Even in the books we have little to go on, but I think taking away making him slowly put pieces together about Tally's stories and the math of the SpagBols simply not mathing is a small but disappointing takeaway.

The entire time in the Smoke went by wayy too fast, they never let you or Tally just sit and exist with the people living there already so again i just don't care that it was raided! We missed out on Tally discovering the people who lived there along with more of her relationship with Shay being discarded. Taking out the library, Tally discovering all of the people and faces from before through books and magazines and the man who looked over all of that. Which flattens her character more seeing as that was one of the first deaths she experiences that she feels is her fault. Tally meeting David's parents felt rushed and their conversation about the lesions just felt like it was her entire reason for suddenly not wanting to listen to Dr. Cable instead of her forming her own opinions and that being her final straw.

Something the movie loved to do was take away so many crucial parts of the story, a major thing being the raid of The Smoke. In the movie it happens so quickly even though I'm sure they could've included a majority of it. Tally's desperation in fighting for something she had inadvertently helped destroy, her and the Boss fighting to protect the last of the books and her watching him get killed because of it. Because of her. Her getting captured and gaining trust and respect from people (Croy!) who previously doubted her, but at the same time her relationship with Shay hitting the fan because she instantly knew Tally was at fault. Her being smart enough to outwit and out maneuver a Special Circumstance soldier and escape. Her hiding in the cave with David. Her coming back to see Croy had convinced people to leave their shoes because she didn't have any while hoverboarding away. All which fuels her guilt and need to protect and rebuild The Smoke seeing as she felt it her fault. In the movie she hid out in the open.. ran out screaming when Az was killed... outed what she had done in front of everyone. Then she blew up a building and Dr. Cable literally just let her go for no apparent reason. David finding out what she had done and what she caused should've warranted more anger but of course we get none of that. Next we just jump into helping the captured Smokies escape and Tally's crazy ass plan that actually helped show the depth of how smart she is was glazed over. We lose the reveal of Dr. Cable testing on Az causing him to pass away which, on top of being a doctor, fuels Maddy's need to have someone give informed consent before testing the cure for the lesions. The movie also took Maddy rightful anger toward Tally away from her. It might seem small in the grand scheme of things but agreeing to be the test subject for an untested brain alter for a woman who dislikes you for having a part in her husband dying is a step in her trying to earn forgiveness.

Shay's reveal to be turned pretty was completely under done and felt because of the lack of depth they gave to her character along with her relationship with Tally. Shay never wanted to be turned pretty and Tally is a big part of the reason her choice was taken away from her. Her becoming pretty was another thing that made Tally completely regret all that she had done and showed more of the ripple effect of the consequences of her actions. Plus that fuck ass wig and ugly silver dress they had her running around in !!

Overall so many of the choices made by netflix just lets me know they never intended on continuing the series in future movies regardless of the outcome of this one. Like them making Peris special and then killing him off ??!! The Specials having special suits and not special bodies. Changing out the rangers to not expand on the lore. ((Edit: The flowers being made by the cities actually does so much to harm the story which also explains why they removed the rangers because it was cities fighting against yet ANOTHER rusty invention that was destroying the world. The cities (who knows how many) were fighting to preserve nature which lends to them dulling people to slow down their overconsumption and later Tally's mission to make sure the wild was protected when people eventually got their free will back.)) Making the ending open ended because there was no way they could fully close it out because of the nature of the books but every other choice felt so definitive as to an ending and nothing more, like showing Tally pretty at the end when the closing of the book was just her surrendering. The movie itself didn't expand on even just the first books’ lore and it just felt like an extremely lukewarm version of the story that happens over a 30 minute period even though the movie is an hour and a half long. Everything felt rushed and not true to Uglies the book at all and it upsets me to see these books introduced to people in this way.

Ok, rant over. Peace out.

───────────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆───────────

TLDR, my sparknote ver.

Things I liked:

Lavern Cox as Dr. Cable

Keith Powers as David

Brianne Tju as Shay

Design of the hover cars and boards

Design of the operation tanks

Design of the "THE SMOKE LIVES" message

Thing I did Not like:

how this movie is a TERRIBLE introduction into this world

their failed attempts at humor

joey king as tally youngblood

dr. cable being a public figure head

the montage that skips basically all the world building

tally and shays watered down relationship

tally and davids watered down relationship

tally's parents not coming to see her before peris and really showing she was pushed into working with dr. cable

making the crash bracelets work like a bungee jacket and not using the mechanics from the book

dr cable lying abt what david and the smoke were doing to that extent

montage of the tallys journey in the wild

replacing the rangers with smokies

croy being over aggressive abt not trusting tally when he was sly and smart abt figuring out her story doesn't make sense

david just going "these are my parents" and no one clarifying their names

tally not slowly coming to realize that the smoke isn't that bad and her doubts before learning abt the lesions

the talk abt the lesions

peris being special

the attack on the smoke

not meeting the boss who keeps track of the books/magazines

tally and david hiding out in the open during the attack on the smoke

peris killing az bc az dying from medical testing was important !!! + az's "wah are yu doin"

tally outing herself in front of everyone 😒 + her dumbass escape scene bc she literally just got let go

not explaining or using tally's very smart plan to get into special headquarters

no pretty speak

shays ATROCIOUS ASS WIG that thing looks like a lego piece on her head and them contacts and that dumb ass dress

that glass breaking as soon as the fire touches it

the pt 2 of the solution being so easy to find and maddy not stealing dr. cables interface ring

the body suit for the specials bc their body is what made them special not the suits

joey king breaking up peris and david's fights was giving the fighting from the kissing booth

peris dying ??!!(!(!(

maddy not RIGHTFULLY being mad at tally for destroying her home and getting her husband killed

croy all of a sudden being on tallys side 

[thedragonchilde]

Going back and making notes for the first dozen episodes, since I downloaded the series! Here I have 1-6

"Gundam Fight Begins! The Gundam That Fell to Earth"

-some prime worldbuilding opportunities already!

-Domon’s first smile of the series is toward a child :)

-I wish we'd gotten more of Rain’s gadgets

-if these kids lost their parents in the last Gundam Fight, Sophia would've had to be just a baby. These boys raised a baby!

-we never get more on how the KoH title (and by extension the rest of the Shuffle Alliance) is actually known to belong to an elite fighter

-it's a shame that Michelo is such a hate sink because he's regrettably quite fashionable

"Roar of the Winning Punch"

-second episode, second instance of Domon in a bar. Is that whiskey?

-when the hell did he have time for 100 bouts? Even if you fudged his age, that doesn't make sense. They have to be counting practice or something

-Chibodee does NOT take embarrassment well

-and this is why they're rivals - that was a solid punch!

-ah, the shady government officials, who assassinate rival fighters and… hypnotize/brainwash people?

-little Chibodee!

-why is Mount Rushmore on the colony?

-the phallic sword positioning makes its debut

-”we'll eliminate you as well!” Damn, okay

-how can she know what Domon's suit-up sequence looks like and call Chibodee the showoff

-“Oh yeah”

-”why don't you just finish me off/I bet you pity me/my dream is now over” shit, the “Star of Hope” isn't very optimistic, though I guess that appellation was given to him to live up to rather than him choosing it

-he doesn't get why the crowd is encouraging him, let alone Domon. Oh honey

-”you're one of the good guys” hee :)

"Beat the Dragon Gundam"

-Sai, why are you sleeping in the road

-you little shit

-lol Chinese Gundams and water

-there's a lot of moving parts in this plot so I feel like I don't have much to say

-besides various versions of “you little shit”

-a draw! Nice to see Domon not winning handily

"Challenge! The Red Rose Knight!"

-They actually designed a Sand family crest

-ah, early installment weirdness, Raymond (or his lookalike) is with the princess

-DAMMIT DOMON

-is George psychically interfacing with his Gundam? Like, he's not in it, and he doesn't have a remote. Voice activation? And he's able to stand on it while it's moving, that's some A+ balance

-what is that bottle? Booze again?

-is he gently shooting her down or is he just oblivious? Probably the latter, since he's confused that she didn't want to listen to him wax poetic about his Gundam

-Marie-Louise how did you come up with this

-okay Domon going along with the plan is actually pretty funny

-who makes a toilet with an outside lock

-”I see nothing before me with the exception of this man” das gay

-he's not going to finish you, George, because that would mean you'd let go of the tower

-the French in that letter actually kind of sucked. And with @amplexadversary's headcanon that Domon is a polyglot, I wonder if he theoretically could have written it

"Great Escape! A Captive Gundam Fighter"

-“Why are there names of countries on this?” How do you know how to read Japanese?

-oh, this will be a huge scandal when it gets out

-for someone his size, Argo is quick as hell, being able to knock Domon out of the sniper's way

-okay, is Nastasha military or law enforcement?

-the eternal question: are suit-ups usually like this and just truncated for time, or is it only that difficult for Domon?

-Nastasha is a little turned on by being talked back to

-is it an asylum or a prison??

"Fight, Domon! Earth is the Ring"

-Kyoji shows more outright attraction to Rain than Domon does :P

-Domon gushing about Master is adorable

-saved by the mom! I'm guessing Domon didn't want to talk about the science stuff he could never get into

-so the finger snap activation is a Kasshu trait

-more early installment weirdness, with evil!Karato and an alternate explanation for Ulube’s mask

[bookns]

Tortured Poets (the analogy) favorite lyrics:

The Black Dog: When someone plays "The Starting Line" and you jump up, but she's too young to know this song that was intertwined in the tragic fabric of our dreaming 'cause tail between your legs, you're leavin'

Imgonnagetyouback: Even if it's handcuffed, I'm leaving here with you OR Pick your poison, babe, I'm poison either way

The Albatross: A rose by any other name is a scandal (the English major and fanfic reader in me almost died when THE TITLE of so many fanfics is in a Taylor song)

Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus: If you want to tear my world apart, just say you've always wondered

How Did It End: (side note: I love this song) We learn the right steps to different dances OR We'll tell no one except all of our friends but I still don't know...how did it end?

So High School: No one's ever had me (had me), not like you (so simple but so pretty)

I Hate It Here: Like you are a poet trapped inside the body of a finance guy (again English major with a business minor I DIED HEARING THIS. truly this one was a no-brainer) OR You see I was a debutant in another life but now I seem to be scared to go outside OR I'll save all my romanticism for my inner life and I'll get lost on purpose

thanK you aIMee: Screamed, "Fuck you, Aimee" to the night sky as the blood was gushing (screaming my tears ricochet at the eras tour while looking at the sky is this lyric to me. that moment is unforgettable eras tour moment to me)

I Look In People Window: Does it feel alright to not know me? I'm addicted to the 'if only' (niche reference but if only was in fact a favorite of this former descender)

The Prophecy: I've been on my knees change the prophecy…Don't want money....just someone who wants my company

Cassandra: Blood's thick but nothing like a payroll (as someone who is currently having a job that follows her passion and not what her parents want..I tend to want to ignore this lyric)

Peter: The goddess of timing once found us beguiling

The Bolter: A curious child, ever reviled by everyone except her own father OR That as she was leaving, it felt like freedom

Robin: You have a favorite spot on the swing set

The Manuscript: (my favorite off TTPD in general so this one is a long one): Afterwards, she only atе kids' cereal and couldn't sleep unless it was in her mother's bed OR The professor said to write what you know. Lookin' backwards might be the only way to move forward. Then the actors were hitting their marks and the slow dance was alight with the sparks. And the tears fell in synchronicity with the score. And at last, she knew what the agony had been for (yes im aware this is legit the entire bridge: I love this song and this bridge)

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.137 Gratefulness

I didn't expect for Less and Mama to arrive together. Actually, I didn't expect for Less to arrive at all, given she had three newborns at home. But, given her situation and lifestyle, it made sense that she would hire a nanny immediately. One day, I'd probably have to break down and do that, but until then, me and Sophia were the only caregivers Desiree needed. Less seethed with anger, and my parents were quietly upset for her. I almost felt guilty about being so full of joy. But it was my birthday, and I had finally become a father. Surely they wouldn't feel betrayed by my happiness. I could resume my murderous thoughts tomorrow, but for the moment, I wanted to feel joy.

My thoughts were like a broken record sometimes, and once again I considered how my home life may not have been what I wanted growing up, but I could never say we didn't stand by each other. Even while divorced, my parents put aside pride and hurt to come together to give us as much love and support as they could muster. They were both flawed sims and gave me many examples of what not to do, but somehow still managed to show me the way and help me to arrive safely at the current moment. Their unwavering love outweighed all the bad, and I was grateful they were still here to welcome me into this next phase of life.

My sister, my first friend, always astonished me. I watched her go from being a listless little girl who only cared about pancakes to a woman who moved to another country to pursue her newfound passion. She went from being dead set against relationships to being in love—though that ended badly. I feared she would never open herself again, but no matter what happened in her life, she always rose to the occasion in the end, and I loved that about her. When she was involved, I gave more than I received, but I didn't mind. She'd always have a soft place to land in my heart.

I could write volumes of books explaining why I loved my wife, but at that moment, I was just in awe of the woman she was. Life with Sophia had truly been an adventure, and I never knew what to expect next. She was bold and confident, sometimes even more than me. I felt safe with her, and there was no one else on earth I would want by my side as I hiked this next trail.

Today, Maira was the only one who reached out to me, which spoke volumes about our relationship. Our friendship had its complexities, but we remained close despite all the hurdles life threw at us. She was the first sim outside my family I ever felt close to. The first sim I ever called friend. Regardless of what I felt for her or explored in my mind in the past, she had always been friend first, and I was so grateful to have her there with me.

Last, but certainly not least, my baby! We had only known each other for a few hours, but we already had a deep bond. She was my gift, and I was at a loss for words for how grateful I was to have her in my life. All of my favorite sims (plus Dub in spirit), all the sims I could always count on, came together by happenstance to celebrate me, and I finally knew what it felt like to have an inner circle. It was great to know that whatever I faced in life, I'd always have a village to help carry the load.

Happy birthday to me!

[sazeracs]

I’m sure someone else has beaten me to it, but here’s a translation of the ledger Andreas can find in the abbey library, with my translation notes – long post below the cut:

Mother Katharine, Prioress AD 1459[1]

Sister Hildegard, 16 years old Named Anna Gölderich, of Ravensburg. Proficient in Latin. Studious and obedient, with a soft, pious voice. 150 florins donated by her father. Additional 15 florins annually.

Mother Hildegard[2] AD March 1481

Sister Cecilia Daughter of the Welser family of Augsburg[3]. Named Adelheit. She is wise and learned in Latin and French. 200 florins given by the family before her arrival. Additional promise of 20 florins annually. AD August 1505

Sister Gertrude Named Metze[4] Huberyn, born in the Variscan Court[5]. Minimal proficiency in Latin. Kind and knowledgeable about herbal medicine. Most knowledge passed down by her father, an apothecary, who donated six florins to the monastery.

Sister[6] Matilda, 17 years old From Kempten[7], named Matilda. Moderately proficient in Latin. Calm, disciplined. Daughter of a Frisian merchant who donated ten florins and a large quantity of ultramarine pigment for the Scriptorium’s use. Mittenwald Ascetarium, May 1515 to September 1515[8]

Sister Illuminata Named Angelina, from the noble Capocci[9] family of Perugia, who were close to Abbot Rudolf[10]. Extremely learned in Latin as well as French and Germanic languages[11]. Restrained[12], sensible, and perceptive. The Capocci family donated 50 florins before her arrival, with an additional promise of 20 florins annually. 1507

Mother Cecilia, Prioress February AD 1510

Sister Sophia Born to the Hafner family in Birgitz. No knowledge of Latin but gentle and reverent. Parents are humble paupers. Three sacks of flour donated. AD 1512

Sister Lijsbet, 34 years old Born in Dutch Trecht[13], from the Hack Woutersen marriage[14]. Moderately proficient in Latin but proficient in Saxon. Hardworking and pious. Merchant parents. She has long been connected to Kiersau through her mother’s family, the Kaufmanns of Rothenburg ob der Tauer. They gave 12 florins, with an additional promise of two florins annually. AD 1514

Sister Margarete From the Auer family in Krimml. Mostly blind due to glaucoma. Can see colours. Moderately proficient in Latin. The daughter of wealthy peasants who each donated bags of wool and pastureland in Krimml. AD 1515

Sister Zdena The third daughter of the Rožmberk family of Tábor[15]. Very learned and proficient in Latin. The Rožmberks paid 100 florins before her arrival, with an additional promise of 30 florins annually.

---

[1] In the original text, the year is written as MCCCCLVIIII. Typically this would be written as MCDLIX, in accordance with subtractive notation (i.e. how we normally write Roman numerals), but there are historical examples of additive notation sometimes being used, for some reason – sometimes both would be used interchangeably in the same document, or even the same number.

[2] This entry likely documents Hildegard’s promotion as opposed to there being two Hildegards in the abbey, as there’s no other information included and the same is done for Sister, later Mother Cecilia below.

[3] The Latin here is originally pretty clunky and obscure (“Welser daughter of the Augsburg Vindelici”); Andreas explicitly mentions Cecilia’s family as well (and telegraphs other important information for the player this way). The Welsers were a German merchant family that rose to prominence in the 16th century as financiers for the Habsburgs along with another family, the Fuggers. They accumulated their wealth mainly through trade and the German colonisation of the Americas, including enslaved labour, so. Yikes!  The Vindelici were a Gallic people based in present-day Augsburg; I don’t actually know if the Welsers themselves were descended from them, but I’d assume so, given that the region is correct.

[4] Diminutive form of Mechthild.

[5] The contemporary name for Hof, believed at the time to be the seat of the Varisci/Narisci people.

[6] Sister Matilda is an oblate, as are Lijsbet and Magarete. Oblates aren’t professed monks or nuns, and so are technically part of the laity, but have associated themselves with a monastic community. They make formal promises – either annually or for life, depending on their affiliated monastery – to follow the Rule of the Order; as a result, they’re considered an extended part of the monastic community.

[7] I initially was stumped by this word and thought it referred to Matilda’s occupation in the abbey as cellarer, but then remembered Andreas reads she’s from Kempten, the old Latin name for which is, indeed, Cambodunum.

[8] Matilda’s age is either current in 1518, which would’ve meant she was 14 when Lorenz Rothvogel attacked her, or her record was retroactively updated to reflect her leave in 1515, making her 20+. Unfortunately, I think both are equally plausible, though being in her 20s would mean her relationship with Brother Wojslav, who imo appears to be older, has (slightly) less of an age gap.

[9] A quick search reveals the real-life Capocci were mostly associated with Viterbo, which is not Perugia lol.

[10] Another clunker originally.

[11] Theodiscus was the contemporary term referring to West Germanic languages; it comes from a Germanic adjective meaning ‘of the people.’ Since Latin was the language of science and religion, theodiscus was its opposite, i.e. the language spoken by the people.

[12] Retinēre very broadly means ‘to keep or hold back’ and so usually gets translated as either ‘to restrain’ or ‘to uphold.’ In describing a person, it can suggest any number of things: literally, physically restrained, or emotionally restrained, as in temperate or even repressed; someone who is steadfast and firm, or simply just is intelligent – as in, literally retains information well. Illuminata is all of these things, but I think ‘restrained’ suits her most compared to, say, tenacious.

[13] Utrecht. The city takes its name from the Roman fort Traiectum on the Rhine.

[14] Imma be real with you chief, other than Hack and Woutersen both being Dutch names, I have no fucking clue what this references – if anything – and I’ve found nothing that would help shed some light on it, either.

[15] The Rožmberk (Rosenberg) family was one of, if not the most powerful noble family in Bohemia from the 13th century until the early 17th century. Zdena is RICH rich, but her story is also pretty sad; it’s little wonder she’s Like That.

[losfacedevil]

Magic Potions // FM!SFK

a/n~ This newest installment of my market realm will speak about grief and the loss of a parent so please do not read if you don’t feel comfortable to do so!

As the air become cooler, and days became shorter,  Sam knew that a shift in her bubbly mood was imminent. He wasn’t sure when the fall time blues would hit but he knew that he would have to be prepared for anything. 

Day by day the pep in her step diminished and her excitement over helping him make his jams and watching Danny harvest honey slowly disappeared, leaving what Sam would call his melancholy love in its wake. But he knew one thing that always put a smile on her face and awakened her inner child, something she’d never say no to; no matter how down she felt. 

He knew where to find her, laying bundled in the hammock, a big crocheted cardigan swallowing her tiny body whole as she read the latest book that caught her eye. A soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he placed two ceramic cauldrons and two small cups down on the cement slab they called their patio. He made quick work of collecting dry leaves and dandelions from around the yard and placed them gently next to their workspace. 

“Hey, whatcha reading?” Sam kept his voice steady, not knowing if a change in his tone would trigger her fight or flight, or if there were any tears on the horizon he may have to dry. She lifted a hand, holding her finger up to silence him briefly and her eyes continued to dance across the page she was reading. 

“One should never interrupt someone who’s in the middle of a page, kind sir.” She spoke quietly and tucked her make-shift bookmark between the pages to hold her spot. Sam couldn’t help the giggle that slipped past his lips as he held his hands up in surrender, not wanting to actually disturb her. But the soft smile that spread across Sophia’s face gave him the permission he needed. 

“I apologize profusely for being so disrupted madame! But what say, I have a way to make this up to you? Hmm?” He raised a brow and held his hand out to help her up and out of the hammock that still swallowed her whole. Tilting her head from side to side and lifting her hand up to stroke her fingers against her chin, she put on a bit of a show for him as she came to her decision. 

“I say, that all depends on what you have planned, your majesty!” She giggled, a sound Sam couldn’t get enough of, and extended her hand to his wrapping her fingers tightly around his palm and he gently hoisted her up from where she lay. 

“Come with me and you’ll see.” His voice had a child like and whimsical tone about it, causing the smile on her face to spread even wider but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.  He knew by the look in her eyes that he had disturbed her more than he had planned. 

Sophia walked as slowly as she could and tucked her book safely under her arm, hoping that whatever he was tugging her to would allow for her to just let herself get lost back into the world of Practical Magic. Her eyes landed on the set up he had placed haphazardly across the patio and quirked a brow, suddenly interested in what he had up his sleeve. 

“What is all this?” She mused and let go of Sam’s hand, bending at the knee to perch herself gently on the edge of the patio. Her gaze danced over the bits he had collected, all things she had once told him her mom would collect so she could make a potion along with her favorite characters in her favorite movie. 

“There are some things that I know for certain. Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder, keep Rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck and fall in love whenever you can.” Sam quoted the movie perfectly as he sat down and pushed the dark purple ceramic cauldron in her direction. 

Tears prickled Sophia’s eyes as she observed everything surrounding her and placed her book down where it would be a safe distance away from what she knew would soon be a pair of bubbling cauldrons. She swallowed the emotion that rose in her throat at the memory of her childhood that played in her mind. 

“Wait! You even found real sprigs of lavender?” Her voice held a tone of awe as she reached over and scooped up a few, slowly letting them drop into her cauldron one by one. Sam smiled proudly and pushed a small basket she hadn’t noticed sitting by the door towards her. In it sat fresh Rosemary as well as a trial sized bottle of cinnamon. 

“You can find just about anything at the market this time of year! Especially fresh herbs and such.” Sam chuckled, proud of himself for remembering something as simple as fresh lavender and putting that smile he loved on her face. 

“Sammy…” She finally met his eyes, the tears she fought against so hard welling up in her eyes. Leaning forward he plucked a few dry leaves out of the wicker basket and began to crumple them up, letting the small pieces fall into his cauldron. 

“Sometimes you have to awaken your inner child and let her have some fun.” He kept his voice light and airy and reached out, placing the remaining leaves into her hand. 

“My mom… as soon as it would start to get chilly and smelled of fall she would make sure there was always a potion making station prepped and in the shed. I spent so many afternoons outside collecting things from the yard to make the newest potion I had thought up. She even made a silly book of ‘spells’ that we would recite as the cauldrons bubbled away. They never made any sense but man would they make us giggle.” 

Sam watched on as Sophia slowly began to put together her potion, her body clearly on autopilot as she spoke so lovingly of her mother. This was a side of her he didn’t often see and fully encouraged when he did, wanting nothing more than to learn of the woman she longed to hug once more. 

“The dandelions were always her favorite touch. But you had to add a handful of grass so they weren’t lonely among the lavender and rosemary. And look! If you sprinkle just the tiniest bit of this into the baking soda it’ll smell of fall rather than science.” She giggled and leaned forward, reaching for the tiny bottle of cinnamon. Sam knew exactly what she meant and set to work taking the cap off and opened the seal before handing it off to her. 

Sophia quickly made her mixture of cinnamon and baking soda and leaned forward, sprinkling just enough into both cauldrons to create the reaction with the vinegar. Sam reached out and wrapped a hand gently around her wrist, causing her to finally meet his gaze for the first time since they sat down. Letting his hand slide down to hers he wrapped his fingers around hers and pulled her hand upwards to press a soft kiss against her knuckles. 

He knew this time of year was hard on her, the wounds that never fully healed beginning to reopen once more. Sophia knew what he was onto and a genuine smile spread across her face, the need for him to know she fully appreciated his gesture at the forefront of her mind. 

“And then… we’d say some silly incantation like…double double toil and trouble, this makes zero sense but watch it bubble!” She giggled and leaned forwards, wrapping her hand gently around the cup of vinegar. Sam couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face as he watched her pour the smallest amount of vinegar into each cauldron and watched it bubble up. Soft giggles emanated from her chest as she watched the cauldrons bubble over and the soft scent of cinnamon wafted into their noses. 

“You’re right, it doesn’t smell like science, does it?” Sam cooed and dipped a stick into his cauldron, using it to mix around the potion. Sophia couldn’t help the giggles that escaped her as she watched Sams cauldron bubble over a little more. 

“Mama always said stirring it made the fizzing last longer and would stir hers forever as I was on my second or third potion. And she’d make up the silliest stories to go along with whatever potions we were making. I miss her..” Sophia trailed off and pushed the cauldrons aside, clearing the distance between she and Sam. 

He knew her well enough to know what she needed and reached his arms out in her direction. Sophia’s bottom lip jutted out in a pout and she crawled towards him, perching herself in his lap and let her body meld into his. He reached up and ran a hand gently though her hair, something he knew soothed her. 

“I really needed this, thank you.” She kept her voice but a whisper and fought back the sobs that threatened to escape her. A soft smile spread across Sam’s face as an idea popped into his head he didn’t think she could turn down. 

“What say we do it again next week? Only this time we can actually plan for it, hm?” Sophia lifted her head from where it lay nestled in the crook of his neck and her eyes widened at the thought. 

“Really? You’d make potions with me again?” He couldn’t help the laugh that slipped past his lips and he nodded, fully on board with the idea of making a mess of the patio just to hear that laugh and see her smile. 

“We have to keep the tradition alive! Of course I’d make potions with you again.” He chuckled, knowing just how healing this was for her. Tears began to cascade down Sophia’s cheeks as her reserve broke and she finally let herself feel the emotions she had been repressing all week. Sam reached up and cupped her cheeks in his hands, using his thumbs to catch the tears that still fell. 

“Keeping her tradition alive is something I never thought I could ask for.” She mumbled and pressed a soft kiss of thanks to Sam’s cheek. 

“You can ask for anything your heart desires, Lovebug. But right now we need to clean this mess before Danny has our heads.” Sam chuckled and nodded to the patio that now needed a good rinsing. Sophia couldn’t help the belly laugh that escaped her as she nodded and slowly began to collect the random bits that had fallen from the basket. 

“Yes, let’s do that. Wouldn’t want to upset his highness now would we?” She giggled and climbed off of Sams lap, tucking her book safely back under her arm and gathered up both cauldrons to dump and rinse out for their next adventure. 

TAGLIST: @vanfleeter @readyforthegarden @sammykiszkamyass @belovedsamuel @ascendingtostardust @the-wicked-gnome @gracev0609 @dannythedog @runwayblues @sunfl0wer-power

[sixpillarsofgenesis]

A Thought on Lies of P

So, I have recently - kicking and screaming, mind - gotten into Lies of P, and there's some things that bother me about the primary driver of conflict. I'm going to put this under a spoiler, so... sorry anyone who isn't expecting what's underneath.

Spoilers under the cut for the reading material, gameplay, and mini cutscenes in Lies of P.

How did Carlo die?

This entire plot point is the driving force behind how the plot in Lies of P starts, narratively, and it's also the core reason for the Real Boy ending. The reason I ask this is because common fandom concensus is that Carlo died during the Rose Estate Incident, where an outbreak of Petrification Disease killed a good chunk of the staff, including Carlo, Romeo, (allegedly) and Sophia's father.

But when you explicitly come across the memory of Carlo's death near the end of the game, it looks like he was cut in half given the Famed Stalker was apologising to him - which is further supported by the Nameless Puppet's body being entirely puppet material from about hips down.

But it also begs the question - what killed him? We never really get an answer on what, who, or even why he was killed. Carlo's death wouldn't have been a boon for anyone involved - Geppetto cut ties with the Alchemists to some degree about this in particular, and Geppetto's assistance would have been well worth keeping Carlo alive.

Given that the famous Stalker apparently rejected Carlo from training, we could infer that perhaps he wasn't up to the regular skill level she was famous for. But Romeo's message - and all of the remaining details in the game - paint Carlo as a much more competent potential Stalker than what would have been anticipated. While our Player Character is also apparently very much his own person, the fight with the Black Rabbit Brotherhood implies that Carlo learned enough of the Famed Stalker's combat by observation alone to have had it affect his combat style and capability significantly. Romeo also specifically makes note that Carlo was relentlessly stubborn and that him demolishing the puppets he sent out as an envoy to try and tell the Player Character the truth was pretty much what Romeo expected of him.

All of that marks him as very competent and capable indeed, to say nothing of the Nameless Puppet, if the puppet itself had anything of Carlo left in it, or whatever pressures Carlo might have faced as the famous Union Workshop President's son.

It's also implied that there was at least a year or two since Carlo's death. If we assume Carlo was old enough to read the original La Storia di un Burattino (The Story of a Marionette) in 1881 aka what would be the published novel of Pinnochio in 1883, then Carlo could be enrolled in the French Education as young as three years old and likely old enough to read La Storia di un Burattino as an actual book around five.

(Yes, I am aware Carlo Geppetto is Italian. For the best accuracy to match both the Belle Epoque and the Italian history, I have placed Krat near the seaside a few kilometres from the Italian Border to account for the culture blending we see in Lies of P. So sue me don't.)

Given Pinnochio is canonically Carlo's favourite childhood story, we need to look at the next landmark in the games - The Wizard of Oz. (Did you know that The Wizard of Oz was officially released in 1900?) Carlo could then have been born in 1878, placing him at 22 (or would have been) at the time of Lies of P. Around this time, it was more common to have apprenticeships around age 14-18, which would have likely been when Carlo approached the Famous Stalker to apprentice under her. As we don't know when the Rose Estate Incident took place, Carlo could have been there to complete his lycée (French secondary Education akin to high school) or baccalauréat, colloquially known as le bac.

(The reason I place Krat in France is for this reason, as Italy had a much more difficult time encouraging parents and children to attend formal education - elementary, middle, and high school, more specifically - than France, and the baccalauréat is actually pretty similar to the Stalkers, Alchemists, and Workshop Union as it is presented in canon. The entire premise of the original Pinnochio was quite literally C.Collodi's attempt to convince children to learn their basic education.)

Now, the game does not say how long either the Petrification Disease or the Puppet Frenzy lasted - but I'm still playing the game, though I did watch a walkthrough to try and get all the juicy bits - but given how fresh the bodies are, I would think that the Frenzy was definitely more recent. I would think that - for the purpose of this attempt to make sense of the Lies of P canon - in this case, the Puppet Frenzy was the most recent part, with Simon Manus causing the Rose Estate Incident when Carlo was somewhere between 16-17. Old enough that he could have graduated to become an Apprentice Stalker, but still young enough to not have anywhere to go (as he certainly didn't want to spend any time with his Father, and it was unlikely that Geppetto would have allowed Carlo to live with him anyways.)

All of these things allow for a few specific, unanswered plot points to be addressed - the apparent transformation of Gemini from Stalker to Sophia's Monad Lamp, The time Geppetto would have needed to create at least three P-Organ Prototypes and do whatever tf he did to his hand if that wasn't there already, and for him to additionally steal the Arm of God - as the only transport the Alchemists had would not have accepted Geppetto.

(This would also allow Geppetto to hold Carlo's funeral, attempt Nameless Puppet one, fail, and attempt making the Player Character/Pinocchio/P however you call him, fail again, and then kick the Puppet Frenzy into high gear.)

Outside of how Gemini was put into the Player Character's care, this timeline accounts for everything up until the reveal of Dorothy, who, if she is the person based on the 1900 novel, could have travelled to Krat to escape the fame the novel The Wizard of Oz and the subsequent sequels would have cast on her, as the original novel was so popular as to spawn around 13+ sequels.

Of course, since I am posting this here, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. If there's a better, more comprehensive timeline, I'd love to get a chance to look at it.

Some additional thoughts:

Why three P-Organs? Three because the one Romeo uses in the play is pretty close to what we see on the menu screen - I could see it being perhaps his conceptual design or prototype copy that, once the first real P-Organ was made, was left for future reference.

Why make a big deal out of Dorothy? Because Dorothy and subsequently, The Wizard of Oz would be released during the Belle Epoque (1890-1914) timeframe which this setting takes place. Given the Endgame Credits Scene, this makes considering Dorothy's appearance in Krat at the very least somewhat relevant.

A fun thought I had was the idea of Dorothy being the Famed Stalker, but that person in particular is implied to have been so much beyond the Stalkers that she superseded their hierarchy and had her own place at the top without belonging to any particular faction.

Another interesting thought was the idea of Carlo having been a Listener - as Listeners were often hunted down and experimented on, it seemed like a fun idea to play around with, but in this case, it's not certain one way or another.