#sorry for the formatting

[clovercow8228]

just started apotheosis i love these weird little guys

[iwritesickfic]

An Unmissable Night

New fic! warnings for emeto

Seamus can already hear tomorrow’s blind items - “infamously awful popstar is noticeably absent from his all-too-forgiving boyfriend’s birthday soiree. is their relationship on the rocks? again?!”

He knows why Theo’s not here, and he knows it’s not because their relationship is on the rocks. Theo’s been sick as a dog for the past two days, and there was no way in hell Seamus was going to wake him up to get to his birthday party.

So Seamus is here alone. Not really, all his friends will be here soon, but he still feels like he’s here alone. If so many people hadn’t already been invited he would’ve just cancelled, but it’s way too late for that. He’d so much rather be at home with Theo, puking or otherwise. Pretty much anywhere he is, he'd almost always rather be with Theo.

They’re at a small but incredibly extravagant spot downtown, with maroon velvet curtains and low lights and a mahogany bar. The crowd has only just begun to arrive, and though he said no gifts, a pile of them are accumulating by the entryway.

As he’s grabbing another drink, he hears more than the average chatter from the door. He turns to see Theo, looking incredible in one of Seamus’s cream fisherman sweaters. It’s cuffed at the sleeves so it doesn’t fall over his hands. He’s talking with the bouncer (and a few of the other guests) as he’s taking off his coat, and Seamus almost thinks he’s made a miraculous recovery.

He knows better than to assume Theo showing up means that, though. Then Theo catches sight of him, beaming. Seamus smiles back, and then Theo’s making his way over to him.

“Happy birthday!” he says, and kisses Seamus’s cheek. He clasps his hands loosely behind Seamus’s back, so his arms are around his waist before kissing him again, this time on the lips. Seamus leans back against the bar top, letting himself enjoy this for a moment before making himself acknowledge how feverish Theo feels against him. He lays his palm on his cheek, and sure enough, he’s burning. Still, he’s so happy to see him he can’t quite wipe the smile off his face.

“Feeling better?” he asks, still half hopeful, and Theo snorts.

“No, absolutely not. But I’m fine. Tylenol, Pepto, whatever. You look so goddamn beautiful.” He’s smiling like he’s being completely sincere. Seamus sighs, cupping his hot cheeks.

“Thank you Teddy, but there’s a reason I didn’t wake you up. You should be in bed. Seriously.” He tries to keep his tone admonishing, but it's hard when Theo is between his legs and has him pinned to a bar. And is calling him ‘so goddamn beautiful.’

He tightens his arms around Seamus’s waist, grinning like a devil.

“And miss your birthday?” He asks, and it’s clear he’s putting every ounce of seduction he can into that one sentence.

“Yes. And miss my birthday. You’re…” He tucks some of Theo’s hair behind his ear. “You’re really burning up.”

Theo tucks his face against Seamus’s neck as Seamus wraps his arms around him. They stay that way for a while, and eventually Seamus finds they’re ever so slightly rocking from side to side.

“I don’t think the tylenol is working,” Seamus finally says as they pull apart. His voice is still low. Theo sighs, closing his eyes.

“That would make sense. I threw up like…almost immediately after.”

“Oh, baby…” Seamus is back to stroking his hair. Theo relaxes into his touch for a moment before straightening back up.

“Look, I’m fine. I’m not missing this.”

“Yeah, because it's gonna be such an unmissable night,” he says, even though he knows that's not what Theo means. “I don’t care what people are gonna say,” he finally whispers and Theo’s brow furrows.

“What?”

“If you’re not here.”

Theo’s brows shoot up.

“Oh. I didn’t even think about that.” He pauses, he looks around the room.

“Then… Why do you wanna stay so bad?” This all makes even less sense knowing that the idea has just occurred to Theo. His face softens, almost hurt.

“Because it’s your birthday,” he says, voice quiet. Seamus's chest immediately aches. Part of him feels terrible for assuming it was Theo’s desire for good PR that drove him here, another is guilty for his stupid birthday being the reason Theo’s not in bed where he should be. Instead he's here, burning up a fever, swaying in Seamus's arms. “You don't want me here?” Theo asks, and Seamus cups his cheek.

“Oh my god, of course! Jesus Christ, of course I want you here, Theo. You're just-” he cuts himself off, tucking a bit of hair behind Theo’s ear. The fever heat pouring off him is astonishing. “You're so sick, baby.”

Theo lets out a shuddering sigh and, again, turns his face into Seamus’s touch.

“Don't make me leave, Shay. I wanna stay,” he murmurs, his big brown eyes pleading in the way Seamus can never resist. The hint of a smile has returned, like he knows how irresistible he's being. It doesn't help that Seamus’s thumbs have found their way under his sweater, to the hollows of his hips. Seamus sighs and looks up at the ceiling, as if the strength he needs to send him away is up there somewhere.

Before he can reply, a voice cuts in.

“Sorry to interrupt the love birds but I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday!” It's Elise, one of the assistant engineers from the studio, and Seamus (very reluctantly) breaks away from Theo to return her hug. As they start to talk, Theo catches Seamus’s eye, raising his eyebrows. After a moment, Seamus nods back, and Theo smiles before going off to talk to another of their mutual friends.

Over the next half hour the crowd grows, and Seamus makes his rounds. It feels like an eternity before he finally spots Theo on one of the maroon velvet tufted couches, laughing with a group of a few other people. When he spots Seamus he beams.

“Hey!” he says, resting his hand on Seamus's thigh as he sits down beside him. Seamus's stomach tightens as he feels the fever heat from Theo’s palm. Seamus kisses his cheek.

“Hey, love.”

As the conversation picks back up, he's almost able to forget what's going on, just able to enjoy the company. God, his boyfriend is so funny. God, he's so charming.

Then Theo’s fingers stiffen where they rest on Seamus's leg, and all of that ease disappears. He turns to him, looking very pale, and all of Seamus’s attention snaps to his face.

“I'm gonna go get a drink,” he says, and Seamus can hear the breathless nausea in his voice. “Do you want anything?”

“No, no, I'm ok. Are you -” He takes Theo’s hand as he stands up, shaking his head.

“Be right back,” he says, and disappears back through the crowd before Seamus has a chance to ask him anything else.

Seamus tries to fall back into the flow of conversation, but he can't quite relax.

“Where's Theo? It's been like, 20 minutes or something,” one of his friends finally remarks, and someone else shrugs.

“Bar’s probably super backed up.”

“20 minutes backed up?”

“Know what? I'm gonna go grab something, I'll find him,” Seamus says, standing up and making a beeline for the bar. It's moderately busy, but Theo is nowhere to be seen. Seamus starts to make his way to the bathroom, and when he tries the handle, he finds it's locked. He knocks.

“Sorry, I'm - Someone's in here,” he hears Theo’s voice say, muffled through the door.

“It's me,” Seamus says, and it takes a few moments for the lock to click. He slips inside quickly, only to see Theo bent over the sink, his sweater rolled up to his elbows, flushed and trembling.

“Hey,” he murmurs waveringly.

“Hey, love,” Seamus says. He doesn't need to ask what happened, he already knows. And Theo knows he knows. So instead, he starts to comb his fingers through Theo’s hair, removing the hair tie that's already begun to fall out. He takes his time gathering his hair into as neat a bun as he can while Theo breathes slowly and deliberately. He rests his palm on Theo’s back when he's done. His fever is raging, his whole body shaking.

“So…” Theo swallows thickly, finally pushing himself upright. “So should I go out first, or you? Or at the same time?”

“Same time I think,” Seamus says, and Theo raises his eyebrows.

“Yeah?”

“Why not? Oh god forbid someone think you gave me head on my birthday.”

Theo laughs, sniffling.

“Yeah, I guess you're right.”

“You ready?”

Theo nods, even though his expression says that he's the opposite of ready. They leave together, back out into the party, and Seamus wraps his arm around Theo’s waist, pressing a kiss to his sweaty temple.

“You wanna go sit back down? Or you wanna come with me to the bar?”

“With you.”

They make their way through the crowd, and the bartender is immediately in front of them as soon as they approach, despite the bar being completely crowded.

“Hey, um, do you have anything with, like, ginger in it?” he asks, and the bartender blinks.

“A Moscow mule?” She asks, verging on condescension.

“No, no I mean… Ginger beer? Or grated ginger or something? No alcohol.”

“Well I can make you a virgin Moscow if you want?” She asks, and Seamus nods.

“Perfect. Two of those.”

She goes back down to the other end of the bar to make the drinks, and Seamus turns to Theo. He just stands beside him, breath shaky and intentionally slow.

“I can't wait to give you your present when we get home,” he says, his voice still wobbly. He's forcing himself to smile, and Seamus smiles back.

“I don't know if you're in any state to give me what I really want,” he whispers back and Theo laughs softly, a genuine smile growing now, and presses himself closer. He bites his lip and leans in.

“I thought you like when I gag on it,” he whispers, and it's so filthy and unexpected that Seamus bursts out laughing at full volume, turning a few heads. He quickly tries to compose himself.

“You are fucking disgusting,” he whispers back, his cheeks aching from how hard he's smiling.

“You can't set me up,” he says, and leans in closer, pressing a soft, open mouthed kiss to Seamus’s throat.

The bartender sets down the two copper mugs in front of them wordlessly before walking away and Seamus feels his face flush as he picks them up.

“Thanks,” he calls to her, and Theo laughs again against his skin. Before he can return to their rapidly escalating banter the lights dim, and he hears Happy Birthday begin in about 7 different keys.

Then Theo is singing too, and the crowd parts as someone wheels forth a gigantic birthday cake with about a thousand candles.

He doesn't have to fake his smile as the song finishes. As he blows out the candles the room cheers, and the lights come back up.

He's relieved the only real event of the night is over, because now he's free to leave whenever he wants. And judging by Theo’s fever that's going to be sooner than later.

A server is cutting and passing out cake, and Seamus rubs Theo's back gently. He's holding his mug with both hands, taking tiny sips, his chin quivering.

Seamus gives him a look, and Theo seems to understand because he nods back, his mouth in a tight line.

“I'm gonna go start saying bye, maybe you can go get some air?” He asks, and Theo nods again, eyes closing as he swallows thickly. He gives him a peck on the cheek before making his way back through the crowd.

It's about 15 minutes before he finally makes it back to the front door where Theo is. He's in his coat, leaning against the wall with his eyes screwed shut, cheeks flushed red. It only takes Seamus's thumb brushing his jaw for him to open his eyes.

“Ready?” Seamus asks, and Theo nods, eyes half lidded. Seamus takes his sweaty palm and they walk outside only to be met by the flash of about a dozen cameras and shouted questions.

He hears Theo take in a sharp breath, and he squeezes his hand.

Just before they make it to the car Theo stops short. Seamus is just turning back to see what's the matter when Theo doubles over and vomits into the gutter. The sound of the camera shutters doubles, and Seamus feels awful about it but he practically drags Theo into the car despite him clearly not being finished. The last thing Theo needs are tabloids writing about how he left a bar “hammered” when his sobriety is already a constant topic of speculation.

When they’re safely inside, the driver is prepared with a bag. Seamus just rests his hand between Theo’s shoulder blades not saying a word. The car pulls away, and the flashes of cameras and muffled questions slowly fade as Theo heaves.

When he's finally done they’re on the Manhattan Bridge, and he leans back, still shaking.

“I'm so sorry,” he breathes, and Seamus frowns.

“No, no, no. Stop it. Nothing to be sorry for,” he says as Theo wipes his mouth.

“You're too nice. I'm such a fucking idiot for coming out tonight, I feel like I'm gonna die,” he whimpers, and Seamus kisses his fiery temple.

Theo's arms are wrapped around his stomach, his shoulders tense.

“I'm not going to not be nice. But, yeah,” he teases gently. Theo's head leans down to rest on his shoulder.

“You're supposed to argue and say I'm not an idiot,” he murmurs back. The car goes over a bump and he moans.

“Well I'm not going to lie either,” he says, before pressing another kiss to Theo’s damp hairline.

“I'm gonna make it up to you. With your present,” he mumbles.

“That's alright, it can wait.”

[pardi-real]

Honeymoon Knight / Chapter 4 - Gondola of Happiness

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~ After a while ~

Lucas: "Well, my lord... While talking is enjoyable, how about heading to a restaurant for lunch? The sun is getting higher, and staying outside might get you a sunburn.”

> "Got it, let's move"

> "Right, let's have lunch"

Muu: "Hehe…! I want to eat delicious fruits!

> "Yeah, sounds good!"

> "I want some as well"

Nac: "Hmm, fruits… In that case, I know a cafe where you can enjoy various fruits."

> "I'd like to visit that cafe"

Nac: "Fufu, understood. Well then, let me guide you. It's a bit of a distance from here, but if we take a gondola, we'll get there quickly."

Muu: "What's a gondola?"

Nac: "It's a small boat propelled by a person. The boatman will row us to our destination."

Muu: "Oh! So that boat is called a gondola! I remember riding it with Flure and others before! My lord!"

> "Indeed"

Lucas: "But still... a gondola during the June bride season is quite romantic, isn't it?"

> "What do you mean?"

Lucas: "Fufu, well… In Velis weddings, the married couple often takes a gondola to the venue. I've seen it a long time ago, and it's a truly beautiful sight."

> "I see..."

Lamli: "As expected, Master Lucas knows everything! I'm starting to look forward to riding the gondola with my lord! When we board and when we disembark, please hold onto my hand!"

> "Understood”

> “Thank you, Lamli”

And so, we headed to the boat dock to board the gondola.

Boatman: "Welcome. Where will you be going?"

Nac: "The destination is the West Area. As it involves an important individual, we request a safe journey."

Boatman: "Understood. We'll head to the West Area at a leisurely pace."

Muu: "Hehe… A gondola after so long! I'm excited!"

Lucas: "Muu, be careful not to fall. Let me carry you."

Muu: "Yes! Thank you very much!"

Lamli: "My lord, I'll board first... Hold onto my hand and board slowly, please!"

I carefully stepped onto the boat with Lamli supporting me.

Once everyone was on board, the gondola started moving, and the scenery began to unfold slowly.

Nac: "Fufu… The cityscape of Velis is truly beautiful. My Lord, it may only be for a short while, but please enjoy the view from the boat.”

> "I will"

> “Thank you, Nac”

Lucas: "Hmm..."

Lamli: "Oh? What's wrong, Master Lucas?"

Lucas: "Well… I was just thinking."

> "About what?"

Lucas: "Yes, a while ago...

We talked about couples taking a gondola ride in Velis, right?"

> "Yes"

Lucas: "There's actually… A little tradition associated with that."

> "A tradition?"

Lucas: "Yes. When you ride this gondola and compliment each other, it is said that happiness will visit each of you."

Muu: "Wow. That's a lovely tradition!"

Lucas: "So...♪ shall we give it a try?"

Nac: "Us too?"

Lamli: "Yes, yes! I can say lots of good things about my lord!"

> (Feels like this might get embarrassing...)

Lamli: "Alright then, may I go first?"

> "Wait a moment…!"

Lamli: "Huh?"

> "I want to hear good things about everyone first"

Lamli: "Ours?"

Nac: "Good things about us… well, I have no qualms, but why…"

> "I want each of us to be happy"

Nac: "My Lord...! Haa… How kind of you…! You always consider us so dearly."

Lucas: "Since my lord is saying that... Let's compliment each other."

Lamli: "Master Lucas… there are many wonderful things I can say about you!”

And so the butlers proceeded to compliment each other.

Lamli: “Master Lucas has a lot of good points… but your loving nature is the most charming! 

And, when we're together... I feel you're incredibly~ mature! Is this what they call adult charm...? Somehow, I admire those cool and gentlemanly behaviors!"

Nac: "And, particularly notable is… Your calm and realistic approach. Balancing kindness and rationality...

As a butler… No, as a human being, I aspire to learn from you."

> "Indeed, Lucas is level-headed"

Lucas: "Fufu… Thanks, everyone. Now, moving on to the next person… Lamli, let me share some of my positive thoughts about you.

When I think of you, Lamli, your cheerfulness and sincerity stand out, and It's truly admirable how devoted you are to our lord.

I sense that this dedication might be a bit risky, but… your ability to wholeheartedly love and prioritize them above all else is undeniably your greatest strength, Lamli.”

Lamli: "Ehehe… Thank you very much, Master Lucas!"

Muu: "Mr. Lamli seems so happy, doesn't he? Alright… Now, Mr. Nac, what are Mr. Lamli's good points from your perspective?"

Nac: "Hmm, well…

……”

Lamli: “Uhm, Nac… if you say something like 'I can't think of anything in particular,' I might get real mad, you know?"

Nac: "Good heavens… of course there's no way I would say such rude things. 

So, about your good qualities, Lamli… Well, Mr. Lucas had mentioned this too, but I suppose your sincerity is admirable.” 

Lamli: “Eh…”

Nac: “Expressing emotions and affections so openly… It's something I could never imitate.

Well… Though at the same time, it's a weakness. But still, such straightforwardness... I sometimes envy it."

Lamli: “E-err…”

Nac: "Hmm… Complimenting Lamli feels strange."

Lamli: "M-me too, hearing you complimenting me is creeping me out…"

Muu: "He said all that… but Mr. Lamli looks a bit happy."

> "Good for you, Lamli"

Lamli: “N-not at all… I'm not happy or anything getting complimented by Nac!”

Lucas: “Fufu, Lamli is… not quite honest when it comes to Nac.”

note: I wonder why they didn't call the boatman as a gondolier despite openly calling the boat as a gondola

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[il0vep0rtal]

Avatar AU ideas (mainly just a list of random ideas I have)

If Katara was the Avatar:

The most interesting outcome, I think, is where she doesn’t discover she’s the avatar until, like, early teens. I think she would struggle between her ideas of responsibility. She would feel a sense of duty to her tribe. Not only in the roles women traditionally serve there but also as the avatar. She would want to stay, to be able to protect it if another raid occurs. But she would also feel a responsibility for the world as a whole; to the water tribe soldiers fighting and the colonized Earth People. Eventually, this would propel her out of the Water tribe to be an active participant. Of course, Sokka won’t let her go alone so he tags along. I can definitely see them going to Kyoshi island to try to connect with past avatars. Also, due to the lack of waterbenders in the South Pole, she wouldn’t start learning the elements with water but probably with Earth. They have to pass through the Earth kingdom to get to the Northern Water tribe anyways, so she may as well try to learn.

If Sokka was the Avatar:

I imagine he wouldn’t learn he was the avatar until he was in his teens, about 15. He would have the same trouble as Katara as there are no water benders to teach them. He I imagine his success comes not from skill but from creativity, as in Sokka’s Master. He leaves the Southern Water tribe in a similar sense of duty as that of the men of the tribe. Katara insists on going because like hell is her entire family going to leave her. Sokka tries to refuse but Katara is a force of nature unto herself so she goes along.

If Suki was the avatar:

I feel she would be an incredible warrior. She would have a similar character arc as she did in the show (and Katara hypothetically): where at first she just stays as a protector of Kyoshi island until she eventually leaves to be a greater part of the war. I think she would be way more connected to Kyoshi than Roku.

If Zuko was the avatar:

He would probably wouldn’t discover he is the avatar until after he is banished which leads to an oh fuck moment when he finds out. He’s torn between fear and love. He hopes that if he were to bring himself to his father, he would be accepted. This might make up, in his mind, for the fact he’s a weak bender compared to Azula. There’s also the propaganda angle of having the avatar a member of the fire nation royal family. But he’s also very afraid of what his father might do. He knows that the avatar should restore balance so he knows he should do something, especially after all he’s seen after being banished, but is too afraid of his father to turn again him. Iroh (and the gang, eventually, when they find out) pressures him into learning the elements. (The gang hopes to also teach him the power of friendship and doing good and all that). Zuko doesn’t want to. He thinks that if he sticks with fire bending, he can hide the fact he’s the avatar.

[allalrightagain]

WIP Snip Game

Tagged by @billsfangearring a whole month ago but I finally have words to share so!

Harry said something and Andromeda laughed. Remus could picture every line of James’s face, the smug pleasure at someone else’s amusement— and then Harry turned and hopped up onto the counter, shucking his shirt as he went, and all the ways he wasn’t James overshadowed the ways he was.

A sheepish, acquiescing smile; a thin frame at odds with the bulk of his clothes; scars the likes of which James hadn’t seen even at his death. The flushed irritation of fresh wounds slathered in healing cream and the sharp blackness of surgical thread holding the skin together.

Remus should be there. Should have been there. Should be standing next to Harry now with the same empty promises his own parents had given him thirty years ago.

The distance across the kitchen seemed insurmountable; the rest of the room fell away to make it feel like miles, impossible to cross on foot.

Without even trying to stand, he could feel the soreness of his right calf, wrecked again after another full moon without wolfsbane, and it drew every bit of attention that wasn’t focused on the expressions crossing Harry’s face. The pain crossing Harry’s face.

Tagging: @black-sparroww @lunapwrites @venom0usbarbie @broomsticks @mkaugust

[mynamesaplant]

Lost in Transit and Translation (part 1)

One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to be willing to try new things. So, I’m going to post some of a story I’ve been working on. Nothing perfect. Just something I did for fun.

----------------------------------------

Plot synopsis: Subway Boss Ingo finds some lone Pokéballs and decides to hold on to them until the owner can be found. The Pokémon, however, aren’t too keen to stick around some stranger who they can’t understand, and decide to find their trainer on their own.

Characters: Subway Boss Ingo (Pokémon), Subway Boss Emmet (Pokémon), Olivia Kame (OC)

---------------------------------------

There were two Pokéballs and a Luxury ball sitting on the bench seat. They were rolling back and forth with the motion of the train but thankfully they had not fallen to the floor and started rolling around on the ground. Ingo scooped them all up with a puzzled look on his face, someone must have left them there by mistake. They must have fallen from a purse or off a belt and the trainer had not noticed their absence yet. He felt a little pang of sadness for the poor trainer. When they figured out their Pokémon were missing, they would really be panicking as they tried to backtrack and find them.

He decided to hold on to them. Usually misplaced items -including Pokémon and Pokéballs- were all brought back to Gear Station, but Ingo decided to just call this discovery in. That way he could perform his duties uninterrupted. If the trainer tried calling the main office, they would know their Pokémon were safe with him and he could return to the station then. He attached the two Pokéballs on his belt beside his own, but hesitated with the Luxury ball in his hand, running a gloved thumb over the surface.

Again, he felt that little twinge of regret in his heart for the unfortunate trainer who lost them. An honest mistake to be sure, perhaps someone young and inexperienced, someone who was not used to magnetic belts or keeping track of their Pokémon. If that were the case, Ingo would give them a gentle scolding, just to reinforce the importance of awareness in these matters. He reported in the lost Pokémon to Gear Station, the radio crackling as he relayed what line he was on and what car he found them in, slowly looking over the Luxury ball in his hand.

“I didn’t see any distinct markings. Let me see what we’ve got here.”

Ingo tossed the Luxury ball and the Pokémon inside exploded from the ball with a blinding flash of bright light. It was small and tawny-brown and that’s about all Ingo could see as it streaked around the train car. He could feel some of his hair standing on end beneath his hat as an Alolan Raichu came to an abrupt halt a few inches from his face, hanging over him at an impossible angle had it not been for his typing.

The Pokémon gave him a perplexed look, his brilliant blue eyes blinking in confusion as he looked at this unfamiliar human. Where was his human? He looked around, feeling his anxiety start to mount when he did not see her. An old fear stirred inside him. One that he hadn’t felt since he was a Pikachu back in the wild. Had… Had this man taken him away from his trainer?

“Hello. I apologize, I’m not who you appear to be looking for.”

Raichu tilted his head, ears that would have ordinarily flopped to the side in a relaxed state were rigid and pinned back. What was all that gibberish that he just said? This man was very loud and doing quite a bit of pointing, but Raichu had no idea what he was saying, which only served to make him more uneasy. Why was he dressed like that? Why was he yelling? Where was Olivia? Where were her other Pokémon? He zoomed in a little closer to this man as he spoke into a little black box, sniffing him until he located the familiar scent of his trainer hidden under his strange coat.

“Wha- Hey!”

The Raichu had zipped under Ingo’s coat, sniffing at the Pokéballs and correctly identifying which were his and which belonged to his trainer. Raichu grabbed one ball with his paws, and it popped off when he put his weight behind it, his eyes glowing as he grabbed the other with Psychic before quickly darting away from the man’s grabbing hands.

“Excuse me, you mustn’t do that. All passengers must remain seated at this time.”

The man’s voice has raised another notch and Raichu made a little noise of distress, his cheeks starting to crackle in response.

He didn’t understand this odd-looking man that was advancing toward him, his trainer was nowhere to be seen, and he was perilously alone. Oh, wait… No, he wasn’t. Olivia’s Pokémon were right here with him, also finding themselves in this scary situation even if they weren’t aware of it just then. Without much consideration, Raichu launched one Pokéball at the man which he was able to avoid, but only narrowly, his scowl deepening as he turned back to the Raichu just as the second Pokéball pelted him in the face.

There were two more flashes of light and an Infernape was looking around, about as confused as the Raichu that rushed over to him, chattering up a storm as the starter stared at him. Ingo’s hat been knocked off when he had got hit in the face and he rubbed at the welt on his forehead where the ball had struck him, a Golurk was looming over him, whirring quietly, and extending their large hand out to him.

You have to slow down, I don’t-

Infernape started, trying to contain his unease as he looked around and only saw a strange man on the ground and Golurk trying to help him to his feet, ever the helpful one when it came to humans. Raichu was in his face, shrieking inconsolably,

I don’t know where Olivia is! I don’t know who this weirdo I, but I can’t understand a single word he’s saying. I don’t even smell her nearby.

Now Infernape knew what he was talking about, their trainer was nowhere to be seen, not even a faint scent in the air that indicated that she was in the vicinity. There was only the man, now on his feet, that Golurk was delicately trying to dust off as he spoke into a little black box with a curly string on it. In his other hand was Raichu’s black ball, holding it tightly like he was afraid that he would lose it.

Raichu was also correct in saying that this man’s words made no sense, Infernape had no idea what he was saying. He tried hard to focus on the words, but he spoke too quickly and the tones and sounds that rolled off his tongue were just unintelligible to the Fire type. Well, they were in a new region. They were used to how their trainer spoke, but they were still in the process of learning what these humans here spoke. Doubly so for Raichu since he was not from the same region that Infernape was, that was two levels of translation for the Alolan Pokémon.

Hey, you’re from here. Do you have any idea what he’s saying?

Infernape called over to Golurk, as the newest member of the team and the only native, maybe they would have an inclination what this odd man was saying. They listened to him for a moment as the man looked around at all of them, still rubbing his forehead as he spoke into a little black box, and they shook their head, tapping their fingertips together awkwardly.

I am… Unfamiliar with this human’s language. I apologize. Where is our trainer?

I don’t know! He had Olivia’s Pokéballs when he summoned me. What if he stole us from her? What if… What if he’s a thief? It would explain his weird clothes.

Raichu wailed as Infernape grumbled, returning his gaze to the man, his suspicion growing. The whole situation was off. He had no idea where they were. They were with an unfamiliar human with their trainer mysteriously absent. He refused to believe that Olivia would have left any of them behind by choice.

Golurk sidled over to them, nervous energy radiating off them as they also looked at this man. Something about him was familiar, like they had seen his picture somewhere while they were helping their trainer with her work.

Ah, wait! This man, he has, uh… Posters with him and another man.

They strained to remember any of the contents, but only remembering that he was on a poster with a man in white.

I apologize, that is all I can recall.

I don’t like this.

Infernape muttered. They were on something that was moving, he felt his body subtly shifting to remain upright, but that was about all he could ascertain without exploring, which was about as unlikely as Olivia suddenly appearing from thin air. The man was coming toward them, speaking to them with his voice raised and his tone stern -almost commanding. It was the same tone their trainer had when one of them had done something she disapproved of. His expression was as sour as an Aspear berry. Was he also a trainer? Why did he think he could boss them around? Infernape desperately wished he could just understand what this man was saying, it would clear up everything, but he didn’t.

He was the oldest, he had to make a decision on how to keep him and his trainer’s Pokémon safe. He could trust this man -this very odd-looking loud man, who they did not know, did not understand, and who had Olivia’s possessions, his intentions with them unknown- or they could try to get away from this man and try to find her on their own. That presented its own logistical issues, the Pokéballs namely. If this man had their Pokéballs, he could just resummon them at his will, they could just keep breaking out, but as long as they were in his possession, they were stuck with him.

Wait, don’t bad guys have posters?

Raichu said abruptly, recalling something from quite a long time ago. When he was still a Pikachu and still living in the wild, he remembered posters of people, bad people who tried to steal Pokémon, and other wild Pokémon had warned him to look out for the people in those black and white outfits.

What?

Infernape asked impatiently, trying to think as this man got closer to them. Why was he pointing?

No listen! Bad guys have posters. They’re always dressed weird. He has our Pokéballs. I think he stole us.

Raichu said, his tone riddled with anxiety as he half hid behind Golurk.

We don’t know that.

Infernape was trying to be reasonable, but Raichu’s anxiety was infectious. He just sounded so sure that his man had some seriously bad intentions. It was clouding his brain. The man had picked up their Pokéballs again, he must have dropped them when Raichu hit him in the head with Golurk’s ball, and he reattached them to his belt with only the Luxury ball still in his hand. Infernape saw that there were more on his belt, he must have been a trainer of some kind, just as he suspected.

What do we do? He has our balls.

Golurk murmured, shifting uneasily as the man paused, finally sensing their nervousness as they huddled together. The Infernape was giving Ingo an intense glare, the Raichu was trying to hide behind the Golurk as the light inside them flickered restlessly and growing darker in color. Ingo lifted his hand slowly, these Pokémon did not trust him and were extremely anxious, he did not think they would hurt him, but he needed them to be calm.

“It’s okay.”

He tried to say gently, making an effort to lower his booming voice while taking another step toward them but that must have been a step too far for the Fire type. He lunged forward and kicked the ball out of his hand, emitting a loud screech. Ingo flinched when he did that, the kick had been light and deliberate, the Pokémon had not been trying to hurt him so much as he was trying to get the Luxury ball away from him. Golurk snatching it out of the air delicately, beeping frantically as Raichu squeaked, Ingo felt a tugging at his belt as the other two Pokéballs were wrested from him.

“Hey!”

It was the Raichu again, his blue eyes glowing with the Pokéballs floating around him as he chittered anxiously at the Infernape. Quietly, he was impressed that they were smart enough to know to get the Pokéballs away from him, but now he was starting to get worried because he was responsible for their safety and now, he had no way of controlling them.

“Please remain where you are! All passengers must abide by safety procedures.”

What is he yelling about?

I don’t know- I don’t care. We need to get away from him and find-

There was a bright flash of light as a ghostly purple Pokémon was floating before them. Raichu felt his hackles rise on instinct, zipping beside Golurk. At least they were a familiar Ghost type.

Hello.

Her voice sweet and melodic as she surveyed the situation.

My trainer needs you to stay where you are.

Next>>

[sevinite]

love her more than anythinggggg

[ajakals]

There's a special kind of hurt that I'm going through right now, being able to watch the Olympics and realizing that, in a significant amount of sports, mostly those who rely on grades and/or heavy judge decisions like Artistic Gymnastics, Surfing, Football, and the like, and just seeing my country, that while mostly not all that good, I still kind of like it, I can see its good, being just straight up robbed by international (mostly NA and European judges) commitees that are meant to represent one of the purest forms of human expression (in sports and games), where the Best may shine, and be rewarded thusly, and not seeing that happen on grounds of clear preference for a flag they like more to be at the top.

Honestly, really fucking appropriate I get reminded of this just as I find out I have a slim, real, but incredibly slim chance of being an actual athlete for a sport I fell in love with, that relies on HEAVY judging, and maybe, just maybe, be able to get into LA 2028. It feels insane that the world is like this, it's so wrong, and to know that this is greater than just sports, and that it permeates most people's lives at least to some degree, with people suffering, dying, and so much more for things like this, and, in the Best case scenario all of this is for some stupid fucking reason, and if not, it's for profit, or cruelty, or worse, for nothing. For nothing you will make one's life worse, or unjust, or anything else, and, sometimes like the Olympics, you will remember millions that they, at least in your eyes, they are simply worse, for no choice, decision, will or anything else of their own

[fishfingersandscarves]

they've never had sex

[corruptimles]

MikuAllWeeku Day 4: Five Nights at Freddy's

[spoopdeedoop]

WYD WHEN MY GANG PULL UP !!!

[clarissasbakery]

walk with me, walk with me yall….

[heritageposts]

What does life in North Korea look like outside of Pyongyang? 🇰🇵

Hey, I'm back again with a very scary "tankie" post that asks you to think of North Koreans as people, and to consider their country not as a cartoonish dystopia, but as a nation that, like any other place on earth, has culture, traditions, and history.

Below is a collection of pictures from various cities and places in North Korea, along with a brief dive into some of the historical events that informs life in the so-called "hermit kingdom."

Warning: very long post

Kaesong, the historic city

Beginning this post with Kaesong, one of the oldest cities in Korea. It's also one of the few major cities in the DPRK (i.e. "North Korea") that was not completely destroyed during the Korean war.

Every single city you'll see from this point on were victims of intense aerial bombardments from the U.S. and its allies, and had to be either partially or completely rebuilt after the war.

From 1951 to 1953, during what has now become known as the "forgotten war" in the West, the U.S. dropped 635,000 tons of bombs over Korea — most of it in the North, and on civilian population centers. An additional 32,000 tons of napalm was also deployed, engulfing whole cities in fire and inflicting people with horrific burns:

For such a simple thing to make, napalm had horrific human consequences. A bit of liquid fire, a sort of jellied gasoline, napalm clung to human skin on contact and melted off the flesh. Witnesses to napalm's impact described eyelids so burned they could not be shut and flesh that looked like "swollen, raw meat." - PBS

Ever wondered why North Koreans seem to hate the U.S so much? Well...

Keep in mind that only a few years prior to this, the U.S. had, as the first and only country in the world, used the atomic bomb as a weapon of war. Consider, too, the proximity between Japan and Korea — both geographically and as an "Other" in the Western imagination.

As the war dragged on, and it became clear the U.S. and its allies would not "win" in any conventional sense, the fear that the U.S. would resort to nuclear weapons again loomed large, adding another frightening dimension to the war that can probably go a long way in explaining the DPRK's later obsession with acquiring their own nuclear bomb.

But even without the use of nuclear weapons, the indiscriminate attack on civilians, particularly from U.S. saturation bombings, was still horrific:

"The number of Korean dead, injured or missing by war’s end approached three million, ten percent of the overall population. The majority of those killed were in the North, which had half of the population of the South; although the DPRK does not have official figures, possibly twelve to fifteen percent of the population was killed in the war, a figure close to or surpassing the proportion of Soviet citizens killed in World War II" - Charles K. Armstrong

On top of the loss of life, there's also the material damage. By the end of the war, the U.S. Air Force had, by its own estimations, destroyed somewhere around 85% of all buildings in the DPRK, leaving most cities in complete ruin. There are even stories of U.S. bombers dropping their loads into the ocean because they couldn't find any visible targets to bomb.

What you'll see below of Kaesong, then, provides both a rare glimpse of what life in North Korea looked like before the war, and a reminder of what was destroyed.

Kaesong's main street, pictured below.

Due the stifling sanctions imposed on the DPRK—which has, in various forms and intensities, been in effect since the 1950s—car ownership is still low throughout the country, with most people getting around either by walking or biking, or by bus or train for longer distances.

Kaesong, which is regarded as an educational center, is also notable for its many Koryŏ-era monuments. A group of twelve such sites were granted UNESCO world heritage status in 2013.

Included is the Hyonjongnung Royal Tomb, a 14th-century mausoleum located just outside the city of Kaesong.

One of the statues guarding the tomb.

Before moving on the other cities, I also wanted to showcase one more of the DPRK's historical sites: Pohyonsa, a thousand-year-old Buddhist temple complex located in the Myohyang Mountains.

Like many of DPRK's historic sites, the temple complex suffered extensive damage during the Korean war, with the U.S. led bombings destroying over half of its 24 pre-war buildings.

The complex has since been restored and is in use today both as a residence for Buddhist monks, and as a historic site open to visitors.

Hamhung, the second largest city in the DPRK.

A coastal city located in the South Hamgyŏng Province. It has long served as a major industrial hub in the DPRK, and has one of the largest and busiest ports in the country.

Hamhung, like most of the coastal cities in the DPRK, was hit particularly hard during the war. Through relentless aerial bombardments, the US and its allies destroyed somewhere around 80-90% percent of all buildings, roads, and other infrastructure in the city.

Now, more than seventy years later, unexploded bombs, mortars and pieces of live ammunition are still being unearthed by the thousands in the area. As recently as 2016, one of North Korea's bomb squads—there's one in every province, faced with the same cleanup task—retrieved 370 unexploded mortar rounds... from an elementary school playground.

Experts in the DPRK estimate it will probably take over a hundred years to clean up all the unexploded ordnance—and that's just in and around Hamhung.

Hamhung's fertilizer plant, the biggest in North Korea.

When the war broke out, Hamhung was home to the largest nitrogen fertilizer plant in Asia. Since its product could be used in the creation of explosives, the existence of the plant is considered to have made Hamhung a target for U.S. aggression (though it's worth repeating that the U.S. carried out saturation bombings of most population centers in the country, irrespective of any so-called 'military value').

The plant was immediately rebuilt after the war, and—beyond its practical use—serves now as a monument of resistance to U.S. imperialism, and as a functional and symbolic site of self-reliance.

Chongjin, the third largest city in the DPRK.

Another coastal city and industrial hub. It underwent a massive development prior to the Korean war, housing around 300,000 people by the time the war broke out.

By 1953, the U.S. had destroyed most of Chongjin's industry, bombed its harbors, and killed one third of the population.

Wonsan, a rebuilt seaside city.

The city of Wonsan is a vital link between the DPRK's east and west coasts, and acts today as both a popular holiday destination for North Koreans, and as a central location for the country's growing tourism industry.

Considered a strategically important location during the war, Wonsan is notable for having endured one of the longest naval blockades in modern history, lasting a total of 861 days.

By the end of the war, the U.S. estimated that they had destroyed around 80% of the city.

Masikryong Ski Resort, located close to Wonsan. It opened to the public in 2014 and is the first, I believe, that was built with foreign tourists in mind.

Sariwon, another rebuilt city

One of the worst hit cities during the Korean War, with an estimated destruction level of 95%.

I've written about its Wikipedia page here before, which used to mockingly describe its 'folk customs street'—a project built to preserve old Korean traditions and customs—as an "inaccurate romanticized recreation of an ancient Korean street."

No mention, of course, of the destruction caused by the US-led aerial bombings, or any historical context at all that could possibly even hint at why the preservation of old traditions might be particularly important for the city.

Life outside of the towns and cities

In the rural parts of the DPRK, life primarily revolves around agriculture. As the sanctions they're under make it difficult to acquire fuel, farming in the DPRK relies heavily on manual labour, which again, to avoid food shortages, requires that a large portion of the labour force resides in the countryside.

Unlike what many may think, the reliance on manual labour in farming is a relatively "new" development. Up until the crisis of the 1990s, the DPRK was a highly industrialized nation, with a modernized agricultural system and a high urbanization rate. But, as the access to cheap fuel from the USSR and China disappeared, and the sanctions placed upon them by Western nations heavily restricted their ability to import fuel from other sources, having a fuel-dependent agricultural industry became a recipe for disaster, and required an immediate and brutal restructuring.

For a more detailed breakdown of what lead to the crisis in the 90s, and how it reshaped the DPRKs approach to agriculture, check out this article by Zhun Xu.

Some typical newly built rural housing, surrounded by farmland.

Tumblr only allows 20 pictures per post, but if you want to see more pictures of life outside Pyongyang, check out this imgur album.

[haxxydraws]

🍉 Arab.org - Click Daily 🍉 eSims for Gaza 🍉 UNRWA.org 🍉 Gaza Funds 🍉 Vetted fundraiser masterpost 🍉 Commissions for Aid

please consider checking out the above links!

[ninjafuuzz]

saw this twt post and had an epiphany

[batboyblog]

Link