#starlight slimmer

[zoeyhorse]

It was only a kiss

[zephyrchama]

Movie Night with Diavolo and Barbatos

A self-indulgent fic (under the read more) inspired by the The Brothers' Hobbies Devilgram story.

SFW fluff, gender neutral reader, it's like 1.5k words long? I just threw together whatever because I wanted to imagine a cozy movie night.

Very few beings in either of the three realms ever got to witness Diavolo or Barbatos in their pajamas. You were the lucky soul who got to see both as they guided you through the castle for a special movie marathon night. Sweatpants and a loose robe were a nice change of pace from the usual stiff-collared uniforms Diavolo typically wore. He excited donned the dragon slippers you gifted him once. Barbatos had his matching owl slippers on under a slimmer, flowier set of pajamas with matching button-up top and bottoms. The fabric looked incredibly smooth, with not a single wrinkle.

The room they led you to was dimly lit. The curtains were drawn so that starlight couldn’t shine through the windows, in front of which were various stacks of DVDs as tall as you. A plush three-person couch had been placed right in the room’s center, squarely in front of a projector that took up an entire wall. In the back of the room closest to where you all entered was a table piled high with treats. Most of it was an approximation of human world movie snacks, but Barbatos had clearly done his best.

"Are those nachos?" You asked. "Pretzels and popcorn... That's so many toppings... M&Ms!? Really? Are those real?"

Barbatos chuckled. "Indeed. Seeing your face light up was worth all the effort to procure them. Please, take as much as you'd like."

Barbatos and Diavolo went to claim their seats on either side of the couch, but encouraged you to take your time with the food. Diavolo clutched a half dozen blockbuster movies in his hand.

“Will you get a plate for me too? I can’t decide what we should start with.” He hummed and hawed, turning each package over to read their summaries.

By the time you were ready, Diavolo had made a choice and loaded up the movie’s main menu. You carried the heaping plates over with enough food for everyone. They each offered to hold them while you sat down.

There was not a lot of room to sit. Despite seating three, Diavolo could have taken up half of the couch by himself and Barbatos was being unusually liberal with how much space he took up. They happily motioned for you to take a seat, Diavolo grinning like a kid.

You sandwiched yourself between them as best you could, wiggling until your back touched cushions. It felt awkward basically distributing your weight over the side of their laps, but neither one made any outward signs of acknowledgement. It was very warm between the two demons. With your thighs brushing those on either side of you, you could confirm their pajamas really were soft. It was incredibly cozy. They both smelled like a recent shower.

“Ready?” DIavolo asked once you were settled in with your plate. “I thought we’d start with an action film to really kick things off on a high note. Let’s begin!”

The bright film cast a gentle light over the three of you. Every time something exploded or a twist occurred, Diavolo would whoop and laugh. He was a very expressive movie watcher.

“This is rather delicious,” he commented in a low voice after cleaning his plate. Diavolo leaned into your ear, bumping your shoulder with his own.“Mind if I try some of yours?”

“Feel free. Barbatos, you too.” There was plenty left, not to mention the entire table of food. Every few minutes his highness would pluck a chip or handful of chocolates off your plate. You realized shortly before the credits that it should have run out already with the two of you constantly snacking. Was it refilling itself?

You turned to Barbatos. His eyes were already transfixed on you instead of the projector, as if you were the night’s main event. “Is something wrong?”

You pointed to the magic plate. “Are you doing this?”

He merely smiled, neither confirming or denying. You softly nudged him in the side in appreciation as he whispered, “if there’s anything you need, just ask.”

As the action flick finally ended, Diavolo leaned forward to browse through the other movies. “What shall we watch next? Romance? Comedy?” He asked as you took advantage of the extra space to stretch.

“I believe romance and comedy often go together, so we could watch both genres at once,” Barbatos said.

“Oh! What about this? It’s very famous, right?” Diavolo thrust an old horror movie at you. You’d heard the name before and vaguely knew its plot, but never actually saw it.

”Yeah, everyone in the human world knows that movie.”

“Then we’ll go with this!”

He loaded it up, while Barbatos sifted through the pile and pulled out a disk. “Let us put this romance comedy on standby.”

The horror movie was way scarier than you thought. Weren’t old films supposed to have cheesy graphics and a now-overdone plot? This was gory and dark. Barbatos and Diavolo were actually laughing at the chainsaw-wielding maniac on screen. “Hilarious! I thought the comedy was after this?” Diavolo exclaimed. You realized once again that demons were not normal.

You put on a brave face and powered through the movie, intent on not ruining their good time. But a particular jumpscare caught you off-guard, prompting a shriek as you shakily turned away from the movie. That turned all the attention on to you. “Sorry, sorry. Don’t mind me, just surprised me,” you stammered.

“Do you find this scary?” Diavolo asked. “This silly thing?”

Barbatos apologized, saying “I hadn’t considered this could be distressing for you. I’ll turn it off immediately.”

“No, it’s fine! We can keep watching,” you insisted while diverting your eyes from the scene on the screen.

Diavolo grabbed your hand. “Nothing could possibly hurt you when we’re here. Isn’t that right, Barbatos? Why, I dare say you’re with the two strongest men in the whole Devildom. We could stop a thousand of these murderous humans.” His lighthearted smile was reassuring as always as he belted out another laugh.

“Would it help if we held your hands?” Barbatos suggested. It was a childish recommendation, but tempting nonetheless. “We could even lock arms, and if the film becomes too much, you can rely on one of us to block it out for you.”

That sounded agreeable, and you approved of it just to get their attention back to the movie. You were thankful the two self-professed strongest demons in the realm would be so accommodating for you. Though embarrassing at first, it did help to bury your head in one of their sides any time things got too horrific.

Any time you jumped towards Diavolo, he would wrap his arm around your shoulders and bring you in closer for a comforting side hug. He’d make small comments, “this actor is very good, does he have any other famous works? I wonder if they filmed this on a set,” so you could focus on the sound of his voice instead of the televised screams.

Any time you jumped towards Barbatos, he would cover your ears and bring your forehead against his chest. It helped to focus on the calm, steady beating of his heart until the scene ended. One hand would gently brush through your hair and down your back until you were composed again.

This film was thankfully shorter than the first one. As you excused yourself to the restroom, you heard Diavolo comment about how it was “too short,” with Barbatos agreeing it was “more fun than expected.” You hoped they really meant the movie, and not the way you acted.

Upon returning, Barbatos had prepared a large fluffy blanket.

“It’s getting quite late, and as you know the Devildom gets rather cold at night.”

You doubted you could get cold while wedged between these two on a sofa. Though, It did add to the movie viewing experience.

The third movie was, as expected, much lighter and more enjoyable. You could laugh along with them and at times explain aspects of human culture important to the plot. 

“If she doesn’t want her ex to show up, why doesn’t she just cast a warding spell? Such an easy solution.”

“Humans usually can’t cast magic. Until I got here, I didn’t even know magic was real.”

”Oh! Right.”

Maybe it was all the food, or the addition of the blanket, or the overall coziness of the situation. Your eyelids were starting to get heavy and interest in the film was waning. “Hey, I know we’re only on the third movie, but how many of these are we watching tonight?”

Diavolo stared at you. “As many as we can! We have all those.” He gestured to the massive collection by the windows.

”My lord, some will have to wait until next week.”

“Right, but the night is still young!”

You were at a loss for words. It had been five hours so far. “I don’t… Uh… I’ll try my best, but like, I don’t know if I can stay up that long,” you admitted. Did these two ever even sleep? They were in pajamas, so maybe?

“That is a problem.” Barbatos seemed troubled, unable to think of a solution that didn’t involve delaying their schedule.

“Well, let’s just keep going,” Diavolo offered. “It can’t be helped if you’re tired, but we can still get through what we can. I greatly enjoy having you here! Both as a friend and to clarify what’s happening.” He ruffled your hair before turning his eyes back to the screen.

Before you realized it, you were waking up from a snug slumber. You don’t remember falling asleep, only that you guys had finished the romantic comedy and started on something sci-fi with robots.

On the screen now was a documentary about birds.

“Oh, awake now? This movie’s getting really good, I think you’ll like it.” You were more focused on how nonchalant Lord Diavolo was acting about being your pillow. You quickly and apologetically lifted your head from his lap.

Barbatos had apparently moved you into a more comfortable position while you slept, as the lower half of your body was in his lap as well. He helped you sit up, “careful not to fall now. But yes, this film is most fascinating. Can I get you anything? Some water?”

There were half a dozen questions running through your mind, but the first one out was “what time is it?”

“6:15am, nearly time for the Young Master to begin his day.”

DIavolo huffed. He couldn’t fight the looming workload he had to deal with, so he popped a potato chip into his mouth instead. Despite your insistence that you would sit normally, the two of them equally insisted you lay down and stay comfortable for the remainder of the documentary. It was peaceful.

When all was done, Barbatos procured everyone a change of clothes and started wrapping up the food table. First pick of leftovers went to you. “Would you like to take it all?” he asked.

“Don’t think I can finish all that, but Beel can help me.”

Diavolo went to change in the other room, but called out, “There's still so much we have to watch, and I'd like to go back over the ones you missed! What do you say, same plans for next week? Same day, same time?”

That sounded good to you.

---

(Thanks for reading!) (bonus pic I wanted to put in the text but didn't want to interrupt the story)

[artistic-endchamber]

OC Profile -- Naruto 🍥

[ My girl!! <3 ]

Momoko Rurizawa 

Basic Information

Momoko Rurizawa

Blood Type: A positive

Age: 12-16 (As the series goes on, Older in ‘Haruto’)

Birthplace & Current Residence: Village hidden in the mist, Village hidden in the leaves

Occupation: Shinobi/Kunoichi 

Affinity: Water Chakra nature

Height: 157 - 167.8 cm (5'2-5’6, grows)

DOB: February 26th

Sex, Gender Identity, and Sexuality: AFAB, Female, and Demisexual.

Voice Claim: Bubble Girl (BNHA)

Personality

Momoko is a kind, Caring, but powerful young lady. She’s a bit on the rougher side, though, and she tends to knock sense into her allies using force. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t care; she loves her friends. Momoko will jump in front of a train for any of her closest friends, and she’ll never regret it. 

Likes: Spending time with her friends, and learning about medicinal herbs. She also enjoys reading. 

Dislikes: Inconsistency and bright colors. They’re both very random things but she doesn’t have many things to hate or dislike outwardly. Oh, and she also hates pork.

Appearance

Momoko changes her outfits multiple times during the series – Due to being a part of the Akatsuki and a leaf shinobi, plus having a time skip outfit. 

Light blonde hair, (A pigment between Naruto’s and Tsunade’s hair color) but with a streak of Rosy red in her right bang. 

Weight: 140 lbs

Height: 157 - 167.8 cm (5'2-5’6, grows)

She has a slimmer build but is still slightly curvy. She builds muscle over time. 

Lavender purple eyes that glow in the moonlight and shimmer in starlight. She’s decently tan, due to training in the hot sun. 

Her outfits are hard to describe due to there being so many, but she does go from wearing the Sound Village headband to not wearing one at all. She joins the Akatsuki and wears the robe shortly, but then returns to the Leaf village and wears the Leaf headband from then on. 

Modifications to her Body: Momoko has a tattoo on her that helps her with the Chakra-draining attribute in the Jutsu that was passed down by her family. It isn’t visible for most of the time, but much like the Byakago seal, it forms on her when she uses it. 

Skills

Momoko is swift and agile. She has the preciseness and ability to unleash her strength only when she needs it and no later. Her endurance and stamina built up an incredible amount over time; which also helps her push through and reserve her incredible amount of chakra. 

Background

Momoko Rurizawa was born in the Hidden Mist – or in other words, the Bloody Mist Village. She grew up with her mother and father, and although they weren’t wealthy; they still lived happily.

Until her Mother was Killed. 

Momoko’s mother, Makio, had seemingly owed debts to Gatou, a local tyrant and delinquent. When she was unable to pay everything back, he promised to kill her whole family. Mamoko’s Mother was slaughtered gruesomely after being taken advantage of – but Momoko was able to flee with her father. 

Around the time they got out of the Mist, was around the time a new village had been established – The Hidden Sound. Momoko’s father, Hiroshi, had been offered a job there, and so they stayed. Orochimaru was still in the village at this time, and his eyes fell on Momoko, fully aware of the amount of Chakra she possessed. 

Momoko grew up with only her father for years, trying to learn about her Chakra and Abilities in secret. No one around her understood, and she didn’t count on them to understand either. Hiroshi was starting to grow weary of Orochimaru – but continued doing his dirty work. Momoko never knew who Orochimaru was, she just knew his name, and that Hiroshi worked for him. 

Of course, even this time, Momoko’s sense of reality had to break one day. 

Hiroshi finally figures out what’s going on with Orochimaru, and he retaliates. He stops doing his boss’s dirty tasks, and that infuriates Orochimaru. After much fighting, Hiroshi dies. Yet again, Momoko is forced to run to escape, and she makes it to the outer parts of the Land of Rice Paddies. She gets taken in by an older woman for a while, and after a year or two – she returns to the village (By now, Orochimaru is gone). 

She enters the Chuunin exams as a shinobi of the Sound, and her team consists of two other teammates – a girl and a guy – who seem to have a distaste for her. 

Jutsu

Personal Jutsu-

Ninja Art – The Staff of Souls

Momoko has a special Bo staff known as a Chakra weapon (A concept from a personal Naruto project I’m working on) that allows her to imbue someone's Chakra into it. She uses this for any of her general attacks, and It really comes in handy for offense. This also works like a summoning jutsu, she can essentially summon the staff to her as long as she has her scroll. 

Summoning Jutsu 

As referenced above, this one is pretty simple. Momoko can summon her staff to her but only if she has her summoning scroll. She only discovers this after she almost looses her staff in the Forest of Death. 

Kekei Genkai / Family Jutsu? -

Ninja Art – Chakushou 

A chakra barrier that occurs from using her own chakra, and the chakra that is sealed inside of her staff. To keep the domain going, Chakushou drains the opponents Chakra and uses it to keep refueling itself. (Think of a Mana Zone or Domain Expansion)

Generic Jutsu -

Summoning Jutsu 

As referenced above, this one is pretty simple. Momoko can summon her staff to her but only if she has her summoning scroll. She only discovers this after she almost loses her staff in the Forest of Death. 

Shadow Clone Jutsu

Momoko Learns this forbidden Jutsu from Naruto after the chuunin exams – Before she leaves with Sasuke. 

Clone Jutsu

The generic clone Jutsu that anyone can use to make illusions of themselves. 

Water Whip Jutsu

This is a personal one that I (The OC Creator) made up, but It is in no way a personal Jutsu that Momoko Owns. This is solely based on her Water chakra nature, which she can use to manipulate nearby water into a whip or other forms later on in the series. 

Clone Jutsu

As per the title – The usual CLone jutsu that is typically used as an illusion or evasion tactic. Not like the shadow clone Jutsu. (Every Genin must learn this and perfect it so obviously she knows it). 

Substitution Jutsu

Also a Jutsu used a lot in the show – An evasion tactic in which the user substitutes their body for an inanimate object. 

Transformation Jutsu

In which the user can transform their looks and voice into someone (or something) else’s – but obviously, cannot copy a Kekei Genkai or a special Jutsu. 

Unnamed or WIP Jutsu - 

-> A sealing jutsu in which Momoko can trap her opponents inside her staff

-> A special COmbo Jutsu she uses with Sasuke ( OR Naruto)

Chakra Items (If any) - 

-> The Staff of souls! Also known as her Bo staff. 

~~

Other art refrences!

~

^ Above art by @yukiblob

[ninjaneonleon]

A Clash of Feathers and Steel

Start

Prev

There was no helping him. Leo was lost to whatever curse the Crow had placed on him and he seemed to be not only willing but actively embracing the situation. Donnie couldn’t tell how much was Leo and how much was the curse at this point.

“What’s wrong, Othello? Can’t find the beat?” Leo snickered, flapping his wings and sending a small wave of water at Donnie. He had to jump to avoid being knocked over.

“You were never this much of a jerk before,” Donnie grumbled, pirouetting and sending the same back at Leo. He spotted on Leo, watching as his twin gracefully landed in an arabesque after the leap.

“That’s because I never had a reason to be!”

As much as Donnie wanted to talk Leo out of this, he knew it wouldn’t do a thing. Leo was too far gone and if Donnie’s family talking to him on his bad days did nothing, there was no way Donnie talking to Leo now would help.

So he did the one thing he was hoping to avoid. Donnie held out his hand and summoned his staff. It was different from what he could recall his old tech bō looked like, it was slimmer, longer and more elegant. Like it was made from starlight, delicate but enduring and unchanging.

Upon seeing the weapon, Leo let out a gurgling hiss. It sounded closer to a crow’s caw than a turtle’s hiss and it made Donnie’s feathers stand on end.

“So we’re getting dangerous, are we?” Leo spat. “Fine. I had hoped that this interaction would be different, but you’re leaving me no choice!” He flapped his wings once, twice, and two long feathers fluttered down from the tips. Leo grabbed them as they lengthened into midnight rapiers that shimmered with frozen moonlight. No doubt they’d be just as sharp a steel.

“I don’t want to do this, Leo! I want to help you and get you home!” Donnie cried, getting into a defensive position.

“That’s all I want to do for you!” Leo shot back, readying his swords. Even when on the brink of battle, Leo was just as graceful as Donnie.

The two collided with an echoing scream, the cacophony of metal on metal. This fight was as much a dance as it was a fight for their lives and honestly, as scary as it was, Donnie had never felt so alive.

This is why he was here.

This is what he was meant for.

Leo’s snarl was poisonous, his glare deadly from his shimmering blue eyes. Donnie gave as good as he got. He would defend himself and his Lake with his life.

Then Donnie got a good hit on Leo, sending him flying from the water and to the bank. His twin didn’t get up, his wings shrinking back down to be the little feathered tufts behind his shell.

“Leo?” Oh god no, had Donnie actually gone too far?! “Leo?!”

Donnie was by Leo’s side in an instant, shaking his shoulder gently to wake up, please wake up. He felt two forms approaching. Donnie didn’t care who they were, they would stay back. He hissed in their direction, his wings spreading wide. Donnie would protect Leo until he woke up, until his twin was okay again. The two figures backed up and Donnie relaxed minutely.

Then Leo groaned.

“Donnie?” His eyes were hazy as they opened, no pain present but also none of that shimmering blue energy. “Donnie, is that you?”

“Oh thank god. Yes, hi, it’s me.” Donnie scooped Leo up and hugged him close, fated enemies or whatever they were be damned.

“I feel weird. What happened?” Wait, Did Leo not remember anything at all?

“You made a bargain with someone bad,” Donnie explained gently, refusing to let Leo go. “They made you into a crow, Leo. Like how I’m a swan.”

“Couldn’t have been a black swan, could it?” Leo weakly joked with a snort. “We’re twins, and it would have been better to be opposites.” That’s how Donnie knew Leo was back to himself. He was making terrible jokes again.

“Yeah, well, apparently the crow has no taste.”

They’d figure this out, they’d figure out how to free Leo and get him home. Donnie finally understood what his family was going through. If what he was feeling was even close to what they’d been going through for how every long he’d been the Lake Guardian… well maybe it was time for Donnie to find his way home too.

So part 4 is a thing now! I have maybe a couple more parts to add but not many, this was just a little idea that came to me while I was bored at work, lol

Still, thank you so much guys for your support! I’m glad you’re enjoying my ramblings.

@tangledinink @dryad-druid

Part 5

[cypherscript]

Eclipsed Story Lore

The Ghost Zone, otherwise know as the Infinite Realms by its inhabitants is in all sense of the word; infinite. No matter the universe, if there is death or the idea of an afterlife then the universe is connected in some part to the Infinite Realms. Many of the regions of the zone have been formed from general knowledge it receives when a being dies and joins the Realm. Faeted Wilds is the region of the zone where many of the Fae or Fey aspects of the world reside; the ghosts who have come to live there most often don’t think themselves dead but rather spirited away by faeries but really what’s the difference. The ghosts that form in this region take on more elven or fairy aspects; longer ears, slimmer builds or have wings. No one has met the ruler of the region but many know her name to be Titania. Witching Hour is the region where most magic practitioners end up forming at. The main city of Witching Hour is reminiscent of Salem Massachusetts. Almost every ghost here maintains some form of their magic after they form; witches, wizards, sorcerers, genies, djinn, warlocks, druids, shamans. This region is lead by the Sisters Three, who form a council.

The Far Frozen is home to the Yetis of the north, their technology is quite advanced even know they’re long dead and unfortunately it is needed. The Far Frozen’s lands play host to northern folklore and its monsters such as  Qallupilluk, ghostly Skinwalkers and a colossal great fox that drips starlight as it runs across the region creating its Aurora Borealis. It is lead by the fierce but loyal Frostbite, guardian of the Infi-map.

[acourtofthought]

Hiiiiii I asked the question earlier about the Azriel centric book, mentioning my more casual reader friends and their lack of feeling or interest in E/riel, etc etc. Thank you for the response 🥰

In HOFAS, so many things happened and I’m still trying to let it all sink in so I don’t remember it exactly but when Nesta Bryce and Az were talking about Bryce’s (and the Asteri’s) light, they debated if it was starlight or light or maybe even DAYlight. My Elucien ears perked up! Were the bonus chapters and HOFAS not as Az heavy as it was relative to the other characters and SJM bringing him up more than Elain in interviews lately, I would be 💯 convinced that Elucien is next. But I still have my hesitations, I guess we’ll find out! I so badly want it to be Eluciens!!

I feel like whichever couple is featured in the sixth (last?) book, they will not get as much page time or attention where we can really dig deep because SJM will be tying up a lot of things. So if I had to choose, I’d rather get Elucien in ACOTAR5 and not the sixth book so they get proper page time and exploration and explanation. I adore Gwynriel! But idk man, we’ve been with Elain and Lucien for way longer and that mating bond was revealed to us way earlier. Ultimately, in my ideal world, SJM will write a full book for both ships and write a 7th book to wrap it all up with all of our MCs POVs (including Feyre and Rhys!) and that would make for a wonderful full circle book! But the chances of that happening are way way slimmer. It sounds like after ACOTAR5, she’s gonna turn her attention elsewhere so who knows when we’ll get ACOTAR6 or even the possibility of ACOTAR7!

Again, thanks for answering, you’re awesome xx

Thank you for the follow-up, it's always fun to get a response to the first anon!!

I am pretty curious if Helion / Lucien will end up being tied to descendants of the first Starborn with the light they have and if so, will that play any important role to the plot as it did for Bryce's story as Theia's heir.

I think it's understandable to be going back and forth on the next book.

You're right, Az has gotten a lot of attention in the last two releases (SF and HOFAS) and if SJM is marketing the next book the way she did Nessian's than it would be valid to assume he's next.

But if she's marketing the next book the same way she did ACOMAF, where she was super quiet on Rhys's future role and what he would become to Feyre or the ending of CC2, where she kept it a secret from everyone than that could indicate "less is more" and Elucien is next.

There's precedence for both scenarios which is why I think the arguments on both sides are valid.

But with her saying that she's focusing on the next ACOTAR book then looking forward to a different project after that it makes me wonder if we are going to see some sort of major resolution to the Koschei / Beron / Spring / Vassa plots.

She wanted to move directly into CC3 after writing CC2 so if the next ACOTAR book sets up for the "final" spin-off, where the big bad is finally defeated, then wouldn't it make sense for her to continue on with the ACOTAR series rather than something else?

That is also something that makes me lean towards Elucien being next. Along the lines of what you said, if the next book deals with the Illyrians / Valkyrie / Time Travel (really big storylines) and that's then going to connect to Koschei / Beron / Spring / Vassa /the treaty, it seems like a lot for the final book.

But if she were to break those down into individual plots / series, it's less ground to cover.

If Elucien was next and they only dealt with Koschei / Beron / Spring / Vassa / and the treaty and their book did not need to bring in Time Travel / the Illyrians and the Valkyrie (because why would the Valkyrie / Illyrians be connected to Koschei in the next book then suddenly be meaningless in the final one?) that wraps up the arcs that were introduced in ACOWAR.

Then, SJM goes on to work on her new mystery project, then CC4 or hops back to the ACOTAR world. But at that point she calls it a new series that deals with the Valkyrie / Time Travel / the Illyrians and that will connect to the future crossover stories. And maybe that new series will not consist of only traditional romance standalone dual POVs. Maybe it will shift POVs between ACOTAR characters and even characters from other series but because it would then be labeled a "new series" it could standalone from Feyre's trilogy and the two books following her sisters.

There's a lot of different and valid ways to look at what SJM has planned and honestly, any single one could be right because we just don't know. She seems to be spinning a bunch of plates at the same time and we're all just trying to get inside her brain and think like her but she's managed to surprise us all time and again!

Thank you again for your new anon, I hope you have a wonderful weekend! I'm about to go try an aerial class, here's to hoping I'm still in one piece at the end of it, haha.

[sinkat-arts]

Watch The Stars

Daisuga, Daichi Sawamura x Sugawara Koushi

Angsty angst. MCD. Hospitals. Unnamed Chronic Illness.

On AO3 >

Summary: Daichi is plunged into the events of his life in fragments. He isn't sure what's happening, but he happily traverses the stories that make up his life.

Daichi closes his eyes. 

When he opens them again, he’s surrounded by boxes in an empty house. It’s their house, but this isn’t right. It shouldn’t be empty - the last of the boxes had been unpacked, finally, six months ago. He wonders if this is a dream, but it feels so real. He walks to what will become his bedroom window. Moving is slow, like he’s wading the wrong way through rapids. But he makes it and looks out. Sure enough, the moving truck is outside, right where he knew it would be. And there is Kou, directing the movers and laughing with them in that easy way of his. Daichi could hear it, even from behind walls and glass, and to his ears there was no finer music in the world. 

Daichi closes his eyes. 

They open on the little apartment he and Kou shared, before they bought the house. It was full to bursting with any and everyone who’d ever been important to them. Old classmates, friends from college, friends from work, the full team from that one miraculous year they’d all lived out their high school sports dreams. They are family, to him, all of them. He watches as everyone laughs, everyone smiles. Kou had made a banner, ridiculous and overly long, and hung it up on a wall in the living room. It read “Congrats on your continued existence!” Daichi chuckles despite the feeling that he’s being yanked through space and time by his nose, and tries to remember what they’re celebrating. He reasons that it could be a birthday - Kou’s sense of humor was always a little special. A simple “Happy Birthday!” wasn’t his style. Still, Daichi can’t pull the exact reason for this celebration from his memory banks, and strangely enough, he doesn’t care. He’s happy there, amongst all this love, and watches Kou. He catches his eye and Kou winks at him. His cheeks are flushed from alcohol and the temperature in the room. He leans his head back and smiles, unguarded and free, a picture of happiness. Daichi thinks he’s never seen anything so beautiful in his life.  

Daichi closes his eyes. 

He opens them to see the ocean, stretching out before him, vast and wide. It’s night time in winter, but they find themselves standing on the shore all the same. This is Kou’s favorite place at his favorite time - when the vast depths of the ocean stretch out to meet the vast depths of space, where the salt sea wind can rush past him and he feels renewed. He is there next to Daichi now. There’s a warm hand in his, and the physical sensation tells him this is not a dream, even though it has to be. Kou turns to him, smiling though his eyes were sad. 

Thank you for bringing me here, Dai, he says, and Daichi knows what he will say next. This was before the house, before the party - this was four years ago. Daichi remembers the winter trip to the ocean, he remembers what Kou will say next. He does not remember the reason why.

It’ll be ok. We’re going to fight, he says. His face is set, determined, showing off the extent of his stubborn, steely will. When have we ever not?, he continues. He squeezes Daichi’s hand, eyes fixed on the sky. Starlight shines off the tear that rolls down his cheek, and Daichi feels heartbreak so heavy he can’t breathe. 

Daichi closes his eyes. 

It’s his wedding day now. Heartache fades, the last dream turning to dust in his memory as he looks at himself in the mirror. This is not his face - not as it should be, anyway. This is a younger man, by a decade. He turns his head, one way and then the other, checking the angles and amazed at how the years have changed him. The young man staring back at him has a slimmer face and slimmer build - Daichi had been, he supposed, handsome in a conventional way. He remembers that he didn’t think so at the time, just as he remembers how much he worried over everything. Each and every detail about this day had been pored over, double and triple checked, and checked again for good measure. Were the flowers going to make it? Was the cake stored properly? Did we remember to include the photographers in the dinner count? Does he look stupid in this suit?

Was he good enough? Was he really enough to make Kou happy? For forever?  

Daichi smiles at himself, wanting to soothe the man looking back at him. That man had looked into this mirror and had seen someone who didn’t measure up, but now… given this extraordinary opportunity to see himself as he was, he knows he is enough. He wishes he could truly go back and tell this man that it would be ok. He’d tell him that he’ll love more than he can imagine and that he’ll receive every bit of that love back in kind. He’d tell himself that life is hard, but it is so, so good, too. And he’d tell himself that he is worthy, not because he does helpful things for people or keeps everything and everyone together, but for the simple fact that, out of everyone in the world, Kou chose him. 

And that was all he needed. It was all he ever needed, it just took him a while to realize it. 

Daichi closes his eyes. 

He’s in college when they open again, huddled over a laptop and watching as Kou is busy destroying his room mate’s kitchen with his dubious culinary skills. Daichi laughs at the explosion of flour that rises like a cloud and settles… everywhere. The picture on Daichi’s monitor goes hazy as Kou grins at him and walks over to wipe off his webcam. Guess I’m a better setter than I am a baker, he says, but goes back to it, anyway. Kou had always been stubborn, and there is no way a loaf of homemade bread is going to defeat him. Daichi knows he’ll have bread. It won’t be good bread, but it will happen. Kou just had that way about him. He could do anything. 

Daichi closes his eyes. 

He’s taken to a hill in Miyagi. Suga - not Kou, not yet - is beside him, and Daichi is so sick with nerves that he can hardly enjoy the night sky above them. He’d chosen this night, he remembers, to be the night he finally says something. The promise of a meteor shower had lured Suga out of his house, so they sat, watching stars and waiting… but for different things. Suga waits for falling stars, and Daichi waits for courage. He waits for the courage to say what he’s wanted to say every minute of every day for so long now he can’t even remember when it started. He doesn’t know how to say it - the feeling is so big now that it fills him completely, so big that it hurts to not say anything, but it’s also so big that he doesn’t know where to start. 

But he knows he says it. He knows that he will eventually take a deep breath. He will eventually unclench his jaw and turn to Suga. He’ll say that he needs to tell him something, and that it’s a something that might change everything. He knows that he admits that he’s scared, out loud, and he remembers how wide Suga’s eyes grow when he hears that. He knows all of this, and it gives him, this version of him in this dream, the courage to take a deep breath, unclench his jaw, and turn to Suga. 

I have to tell you something, he says, and it… it might freak you out. It might change things. And I’m scared to say it. 

Are you… are you ok? You’re not sick, are you?

No, nothing like that. I’m fine, I promise.  

Relieved, Suga relaxes. In silence, he looks at Daichi, waiting patiently. Daichi knows now that Suga had always been able to read him like a book. He realized a long time ago that sometimes Daichi needed space to think before he could act on big things, and here is the proof, plain to see, if he’d known to look for it back then. In the dream, he smiles, wondering again at how lucky he was to have actually met his soulmate. 

I just, he says, starting and then stopping. After a shaky breath, he continues. For a long time now, I’ve had this… I have these… 

He hates that he’s flubbing it, but what is in the past remains ever so. Even in a dream, he apparently can’t make himself more eloquent. 

Take your time, I can wait. I snuck out, anyway, might as well stay out all night. They can’t ground me twice.

Daichi laughs. But they can ground you for twice as long, dummy. You shouldn’t have done that.. I thought you had permission. 

Suga sniffs, indignant. You’d have just called it off if you knew. 

Maybe not… 

I know who you are, you’re a rule follower. And I wanted to break some rules. 

Why? Daichi asks. He knows what Suga will say, but he asked why in the past, and so he asks why now. 

Because. Look at all this, he says, and gestures up towards the stars, It’s beautiful. Even if we don’t see a single falling star, it’s still beautiful. And it’s like.. It’s all for us right now. All these stars, the whole universe, it’s ours. 

Daichi is so struck by beauty, and he knows it’s cliche, but the beauty he’s struck with isn’t of the universe or the cosmos. There is no star in his eye save for Suga, who is shining brighter than any celestial body. Suga stops talking, suddenly embarrassed, before he turns his head and fixes Daichi with a bashful look. 

And I just kind of… wanted to have that. With you. 

Daichi feels his throat closing, feels the sting of sudden tears in his eyes. He isn’t sad, he’s simply overwhelmed. It takes a moment before he can speak again, but when he does, he’s found his courage. 

I’d have let you break any rule you wanted, he says, Because it has to be tonight. Because I have to tell you… I have to tell you that… 

Slowly and with intent, Suga reaches over and takes his hand. Daichi flinches with shock, but relaxes almost immediately and lets their fingers intertwine, locking together between them. Suga’s eyes urge him to continue, and he does. 

I love you, Daichi says, and it is so stupidly simple once it’s said. It sounds so right, so natural now - he almost can’t believe he was so scared before. I have for a long time now. 

Suga nods, still quiet, but in the dim starlight, Daichi can see how bright his eyes are, how his lips had curled into a smile. His throat and jaw are working, like he’s fighting for the ability to speak, and Daichi knows this is because he’s felt the same way. He’s felt the same wonderful, painful weight of a love he never thought he’d be able to speak into existence. 

When he finally speaks, his voice is halting and catches on every other syllable, but it’s soft and wonderful, as he says I love you, too. Ever since first year, probably. 

Daichi reels. He remembers thinking that long? We’ve felt the same way for that long, and we haven’t said anything? He doesn’t say that, though. What he says is

We’re idiots. 

Yes, we are, Suga agrees, sliding closer. He’s right next to Daichi now, hip to hip. But at least we have each other. And this, he finishes, gesturing again to the sky with his free hand. 

Daichi turns his head, and Suga’s face is so close he could count eyelashes if he wanted to. He finds that he wants to, but that would have to wait for another time. Right now, Daichi is fully captivated by how close they are and how much he wanted to know, finally, what it would be like to kiss his best friend. He thinks Suga must be wondering the same thing, because they’re both being pulled in. Only centimeters separate them, and soon he’ll know how soft those lips really are. Soon he’ll know that he’s not a great kisser yet, and neither is Suga, but they’ll still pull away and gasp at how right it feels. They’ll be shocked into silence over how much they both feel like they weren’t just falling into love, they were falling into… into home, as strange as that sounds.  

They move closer and closer; they’re only a hair’s breadth apart, now and Daichi wants so badly to feel all that again. One more time. Just once more, please, he thinks, and doesn’t understand why as 

Daichi closes his eyes. 

He’s falling now. Or maybe he’s flying, he can’t tell. It’s a sickening feeling, like the worst case of vertigo he’s ever had. There’s nothing around him, only the bright, cold nothing of white. He hears a voice that, thankfully, pulls him out of that awful place. It’s Kou, and he’s calling him, telling him to come back. It doesn’t make sense, but he tries. He will always try for Kou, so he struggles. He fights, and god it is so hard, but he fights with everything he has and

He’s awake, but not really. He’s aware, but he’s out of place and disconnected from himself. He knows he’s in a hospital bed. He can’t sense much beyond the boundaries of his bed, but the sounds and smells are horribly, horribly familiar - they’re unmistakable. 

He knows Kou is there beside him, and Daichi tries to open his eyes or move a finger, but he can’t. This feels more like a dream than anything that had come before, but he knows for sure this isn’t a dream, not this time. He is too tired, too full of hurt, for it to be anything other than reality. 

Kou is crying, and heartache adds itself to the pile of pain wracking his body. Daichi’s loved this man damn near all his life now, at least the part of it that matters. He’s sitting by him, holding his hand, and he’s weeping. Daichi wants to call to him, to stop that fountain of tears, to let him know that he’s here, damn it, he’s here… but he can’t. Tears stream from Kou’s eyes as he tells Daichi to fight. He tells him that he believes in him. And then he stops and takes a breath, wiping the tears away as he shakes his head. 

“That’s selfish,” he says, “I’m sorry, Dai. You know me.” He laughs, a small, broken laugh and Daichi’s heart breaks at the sound. It’s still music to him, but right now, it’s the kind of music that grabs your heart and squeezes until it destroys you.

“We’re at the edge of the cliff again,” Kou says, “And I want to keep pushing. But…” A sob escapes his throat, but he coughs and, determined, continues, “You’ve been fighting so hard for so long, and I am so, so proud of you. So… baby, if you’re done… if you’re tired… it’s ok.” He stops again, fighting for control. Daichi feels Kou’s hand shaking. 

“I love you so goddamn much,” he says, but it’s strangled, “I wish I’d said something the first year in high school. We could have had two more years. Remember how stupid we were? But, damn, that night was beautiful. The stars were ours. They will always be ours.” Kou’s jaw clenches and he swallows. When he continues, his voice is quiet and low. “So if you’re staying just for me… don’t. Go get some rest.” 

He rises then and leans over the bed. Daichi feels tears fall on his cheek as Kou presses a gentle kiss to his lips, and it was just as soft, just as wondrous as that very first kiss that night on the hilltop, when they fell into an ocean of stars together. It still felt like home.  

“Sit and watch the stars and wait for me, ok?” Kou whispers, and though the tears won’t stop, he smiles.  

It really is the most beautiful thing in the world, he thinks and then

Daichi closes his eyes.

There is no pain here, no exhaustion. He’s not in that strange and cold white space from before, he’s in the void, but somehow this is comforting. There’s warmth and a sense of closeness. He can feel the stream of his life here as his whole self unravels, sending rivers and tributaries out into the universe. He is connected to all of it, his whole existence manifested itself whole. No more fragmentary dreams, it’s playing out all at once. Every single bit of joy, every ounce of peace, all the happiness, every dream held for a better future, it was here. And alongside that, the sadness, fights, insecurities, and anger. He accepts all of it, gratefully, the good and the bad. It was evidence that he lived, that he loved, and that it was real. 

He feels his heart beat once, a massive thump that sends waves out from him like ripples into eternity, and in that moment, in an instant, stars explode into existence around him. Multitudes of multitudes, they shine all around him and they are glorious. 

And so, smiling, he waits. This is his space, but it isn’t his alone, so he waits for the one who will truly complete this starry tapestry of his life to arrive. 

No sneaking out this time, Kou, he thinks, It’s your turn to take your time. 

He can be patient. It was, after all, such a short time to wait in the face of an eternity under these stars. 

[govindhtech]

New iPad Mini 6 and Low-End iPad Model Launch Dates

The September 2021 sixth-generation iPad mini sports a bigger display, no Home button, A15 Bionic chip, and USB-C port.

The iPad mini has squared edges, an all-screen design, and a top power button Touch ID fingerprint scanner like the iPad Air. Volume buttons are on top and there’s no Smart Connector on the rear, unlike the iPad Air. Latest iPad mini lacks Touch ID Home button.

The iPad mini has 8.3-inch 2,266 by 1,488 Liquid Retina display. The display has True Tone, P3 broad colour, and 500 nits. A15 Bionic CPU makes the iPhone 13 80% faster than the iPad mini. Initial 5G iPad minis.

Added features include a 12MP Wide rear camera with ̒/1.8 aperture and a 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera with Centre Stage for video chats.

The sixth-generation iPad mini magnetically stores, pairs, and charges this second-generation Apple Pencil. The 10-hour battery life matches previous iPads. Space Grey, Pink, Starlight, and Purple iPad minis are available. The 64GB Wi-Fi-only iPad mini costs $499 and the 256GB $649. Cellular models cost $150 extra.

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg said in his Power On email today that new iPad models, including the iPad mini, would be available as early as late 2024.

Design

Apple dramatically altered the sixth-generation iPad mini to resemble an iPad Air. All-display iPad minis lack bezels and Touch ID Home buttons.

Reduced bezels make the iPad mini 6’s 8.3-inch display larger than the mini 5’s 7.9-inch. Touch ID is on the top power button because there is no Home button. The iPad mini 6 has flat, rounded display edges like the iPad Air, iPad Pro, and current iPhones. The iPad mini’s top and bottom are slimmer despite its narrow bezel.

The iPad mini measures 7.69 inches (195.4 mm) long, 5.3 inches (134.8 mm) wide, and 0.25 inches (6.3 mm) thick, but the iPad mini 6 eliminates the mini 5 headphone jack. Apple’s smallest tablet, the iPad mini, weights 293 grammes. Cellular versions feature more hardware and weigh a few grammes.

First iPad with top-mounted volume controls. Volume buttons are on top to permit a magnetic side connector for charging the second-generation Apple Pencil.

Landscape cellular iPad minis have a nano-SIM slot on the side, two speakers on top and bottom, and a microphone. One-lens rear camera. Space Grey, Pink, Purple, and Silver-Gold Starlight are iPad mini 6 hues.

Power TouchID

Touching the iPad mini’s top Touch ID power button detects your fingerprint like the mini 5’s Home button. Touch ID unlocks iPads, opens apps, uses Apple Pay, etc. On iPad mini 6, Touch ID works in portrait and landscape. The Touch ID power button activates Siri.

USB-C

Apple replaced the Lightning port with a bottom USB-C port to align the iPad mini with the Air and Pro. USB-C links the iPad mini to 4K and 5K TVs, cameras, and more. The right USB-C cable charges iPhones and Apple Watches at 5Gbps.

Display

The 8.3-inch, 2266×1488, 326-ppi iPad mini 6 display is laminated. Like the iPad Air, the iPad mini 6 offers True Tone and Wide Colour for vibrant colours.

True Tone matches display white balance to ambient lighting for eye comfort. The iPad mini’s display warms to avoid clashing with the room’s yellow lighting. The iPad mini 6 has 500 nits, 1.8% reflectivity, and antireflective coating. Every iPad has oleophobic fingerprint protection.

Apple Pencil

The second-generation Apple Pencil works with iPad mini 6, Air, and Pro. The magnetic strip on the iPad mini 6 charges the Apple Pencil 2.

A15 Bionic Chip

The iPhone 13’s 6-core A15 CPU runs at 2.9GHz on the iPad mini 6. Due to downclocking, iPad mini CPU is 2–8% slower than iPhone 13. Single-core and multi-core Geekbench scores for the iPad mini 6 average 1,595 and 4,540. Average iPhone 13 single-core and multi-core scores are 1,730 and 4,660.

Chip is stronger than iPad mini’s, slower than iPhone 13. One-core and multi-core performance are 40% and 70% quicker on the iPad mini 6 than the mini 5. 4-core and 5-core GPUs for A15 CPU. The iPad mini has the iPhone 13 Pro’s faster 5-core CPU. The iPad mini 6 has 80% quicker graphics.

A Brain Engine

Cinematic Mode and Smart HDR 3 use 15.8 trillion image signal processor operations per second from the A15’s 16-core Neural Engine.

RAM

The new iPad mini features 4GB RAM, up from 3GB. Its RAM matches iPad Air.

Space to Store

Base 64GB and 256GB iPad minis exist. None in 128GB.

Rear Camera

The iPad mini 6 features a 12-megapixel rear camera with /1.8 aperture, 5x digital zoom, 5-element lens, and quad-LED True Tone lighting. Camera is equivalent to iPad Air but not as advanced as iPhone 13 or iPad Pro.

Panorama, Burst Mode, Smart HDR 3, Live Photos, Focus Pixels, broad colour capture, auto photo stabilization, and more are supported. Slo-mo 120 or 240 fps and 4K 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps are supported. The iPad mini can capture 1080p at 30 or 60 fps with time-lapse, cinematic stabilization, and continuous focusing.

Camera facing front, centre stage

A front-facing FaceTime HD camera has /2.4 aperture and 122 degree field of view. FaceTime’s Centre Stage, debuted with the iPad Pro, works with the front camera.

Centre Stage frames FaceTime calls. Wide-angle front-facing camera shows more, while A15 keeps you in focus when moving.

When there are many calls, the camera zooms out for visibility and sound. Centre Stage works with Zoom and other video apps despite being FaceTime-designed.

Battery Life

The iPad mini 6 utilises its 19.3-watt-hour battery. The battery lasts 10 hours on WiFi and 9 hours on cellular for surfing and streaming video, according to Apple.

Connectivity

The iPad mini 6 supports 5G networks, although not the fastest mmWave networks like US 5G iPhones. It only operates on slower but more common Sub-6GHz networks.

The fastest 5G networks are mmWave, but they are short-range and can be blocked by buildings, trees, and other obstacles, thus they are only used in major cities, concerts, airports, and other busy areas.

Urban, suburban, and rural US and international areas use sub-6GHz 5G more. Due to its low availability, mmWave won’t be missed in most 5G networks.

WiFi and Bluetooth

Both Bluetooth 5.0 and 802.11ax WiFi 6 are supported on the iPad mini 6.

Other Features

The iPad mini has a barometer, ambient light sensor, accelerometer, and three-axis gyroscope.

Read more on govindhtech.com

[ezribex]

FFXIV Write Day 26

You’re standing around the counter at the Last Stand on a cool fall morning, mulling over yesterday’s embarrassing breakdown in the library. You still have a few months until the Studium goes on winter break, and you can’t wait to see your family in Ishgard for the Starlight festival. You’ll stay through Heavensturn and then, ugh, you’ll be back studying in Sharlayan. You’re composing a letter to your parents in your head, one where you inform them that you’ll be dropping out. They’d be supportive, of course–they were excited when you were accepted to the Studium’s program for foreign students but they miss you dearly and eagerly await your return after you complete your degree. There’s no disgrace in knowing when to quit. 

Your fantasies about dropping out of school are interrupted when the barista calls your order. “Oat latte!” she shouts cheerily, and you grab the warm cup with a smile. You cast your eyes about the restaurant looking for open tables. It’s pretty busy. You spot Avery reading a book in the corner. You’re not sure if you want to bother them, but as you’re contemplating walking over, they look up and wave at you. 

You make your way over to Avery’s table, carefully cradling the latte in your hands. You set your drink down and pull out the chair across from them. “Thanks for inviting me to sit with you; it’s pretty crowded today.”

“You’re welcome.” You look across the table at their book; it’s a lot slimmer than the usual tomes people read for class.

“What are you reading?”

“A graphic novel from Hingashi.”

“What’s a graphic novel?” You’ve read novels, of course, and you used to adore cheaply printed pulp magazines, which were often illustrated. You think fondly about the printing press in the Brume, where they churn out revolutionary tracts and the latest creative works from Ishgard’s commoner classes. 

Avery slides the book across the table and bids you to pick it up. Its construction seems similar to the pulp magazines of your hometown, and the cover shows an illustration of two very beautiful people staring lovingly into each other’s eyes. You blush a bit. “It reads back-to-front,” Avery says, helpfully, as you begin to flip through it. The back cover has an export stamp bearing the crest of the East Aldenard Trading Company. “They’ve only recently started translating and exporting these. Before that, I used to have to ask my mother to send them specially.” 

You look up at Avery, searching for…something? You’re not sure. They tuck a lock of impeccable white hair behind their ear. “My mother’s Hingan, yeah. My father is Sharlayan. They split up when I was little, and I grew up here. People always look at me funny, though. Kind of like you’re looking at me now.” 

You blush again and look away. “I’m…so sorry.” 

They smile kindly. “It’s okay, really. I suppose you know as well as I do how difficult it is to be a foreigner in Sharlayan. Even if you’ve lived here your whole life, it’s not easy.” You start flipping through the novel again. The illustrations are all lovely, and the story itself seems to be a fairytale about a beautiful bird who loved a man so much that she assumed human form. “You can borrow it if you like,” Avery says, after watching you read for a moment. “This is only the first volume.” 

“I…would really like that,” you reply. 

“Just let me finish it first,” they say, grabbing the novel back and picking up their tea. You fish some study materials out of your satchel and start sipping your latte as well.

[captainmdhridoyhossain-blog]

[ad_1] If you wish to have an iPad, you have got 3 fundamental possible choices: the elemental 10.2-inch iPad, the dearer iPad Air, or the much more pricey iPad Pro. The usual 10.2-inch iPad is the funds possibility, with an getting older design (large bezels, house button, Lightning port) and older processor, and the 12.9-inch iPad Professional begins at a whopping $1,099 and is aimed at best essentially the most not easy of customers. So if you wish to have essentially the most pill with out breaking the financial institution on a $1,099 12.9-inch iPad Professional, you have got simply two choices: the $599 iPad Air and the $799 11-inch iPad Pro. The iPad Air was once simply upgraded with an M1 processor, making it as robust because the iPad Professional. However a pill is greater than its processor, and the Professional type does be offering a couple of enhancements that could be value your cash. Right here’s how those two capsules stack up. 11-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Tech specifications Earlier than we begin the matchup, let’s have a weigh-in and spot how they fit up on paper. iPad Air (2022)11-inch iPad Professional (fifth gen)Beginning worth$599$799Display screen measurement10.9-inch11-inchSize (H x W x D)9.74 x 7.02 0.24 inches9.74 x 7.02 x 0.23 inchesWeight1.02 kilos1.03 kilosColoursArea grey, purple, red, starlight, blueSilver, house greyShowLiquid Retina,True ToneLiquid Retina,ProMotion, True ToneProcessorM1M1Garage64/256GB128/256/512GB/1TB/2TBReminiscence8GB8GB/16GB (1TB and 2TB)AuthenticationContact IDFace IDRear digital camera12MP f/1.8 Huge12MP f/1.8 Huge10MP f/2.4 Extremely HugeEntrance digital camera12MP f/2.2 Extremely Huge12MP f/2.4 Extremely HugeWi-fi options5G (sub-6 best), Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.05G (sub-6/mmWave), Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.011-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Design and colour The iPad Air and 11-inch iPad Professional are necessarily the similar measurement and weight. If truth be told, the scale are so identical that they are able to each use many of the identical instances, covers, Magic Keyboards, and so forth. Most effective instances that experience particular digital camera cutouts for the one iPad Air digital camera received’t have compatibility at the iPad Professional, which has a squarish digital camera space with more than one cameras, however iPad Professional instances will have compatibility advantageous at the Air (they only glance slightly bizarre). With just about similar shapes, additionally they have just about similar designs with one major exception: colour. The iPad Professional is available in silver and house grey best, whilst the iPad Air has a extra whimsical array of colours to choose between: house gray, starlight, purple, red, and blue. You’re additionally getting ever-so-slightly smaller bezels at the iPad Professional, which is why Apple says it has room for an 11-inch show as a substitute of 10.9 inches. You’re now not in point of fact going to note that 10th of an inch, even though. Our pick out: With regards to measurement and weight, it is a whole tie. The designs are mainly similar as neatly. So it comes down to paint. If you wish to have starlight, blue, red, or purple, you’ll want to get the Air. Apple 11-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Show The 11-inch iPad Professional has a barely larger show than the iPad Air. We’re in point of fact splitting hairs right here—it’s one-tenth of an inch. The answer is identical—264 pixels in line with inch—however the iPad Professional has simply barely slimmer bezels across the show, giving it room for a couple of extra pixels. Each shows even have True Tone and a large P3 colour gamut and apply Apple’s “liquid” retina design, which means the corners of the display are rounded to check the tool itself. The iPad Professional’s show is for sure awesome, even though. It’s brighter, with a max brightness of 600 nits in comparison to the Air’s 500 nits. However

the large get advantages is ProMotion, which we could the show run-up to 120Hz for smoother movement and decrease latency, particularly when the use of the Apple Pencil. The variation is palpable when switching between units, and when you’ve attempted the Professional, it’s very onerous to return. Our pick out: The additional brightness isn’t an enormous deal, however ProMotion is in point of fact great and is helping justify the upper worth of the iPad Professional. 11-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Efficiency and reminiscence With the newest replace (to be had March 18, 2022), the iPad Air has the similar M1 processor because the iPad Professional. It’s were given 8 CPU cores, 8 GPU cores, and in virtually all respects must be offering precisely the similar efficiency. There’s just one small distinction. Each capsules have 8GB of RAM, except the 1TB and 2TB garage choices at the iPad Professional. Should you go for a kind of configurations, the iPad Professional may have 16GB of RAM. The ones garage choices don’t come affordable, alternatively, and the additional RAM almost definitely isn’t going to make a lot of a distinction with iPadOS. Our pick out: It’s a tie. It’s the similar processor, and to get 16GB of RAM you wish to have to pay for an enormous bite of garage at the iPad Professional. You’re not really to note the adaptation between 8GB and 16GB anyway, even in very in depth programs. Apple 11-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Battery The battery capability is just about the similar in each iPads, round 29 watt-hours. Apple lists identical battery existence specifications: As much as 10 hours of browsing the internet on Wi‑Fi or gazing movies, 9 hours when on mobile (iPads infrequently stray from those numbers). ProMotion could be a battery drain whilst in use, however can save battery when in some instances the place the iPad can transfer to a miles decrease refresh price. Alternatively, the iPad Professional’s brighter show will most probably drain the battery slightly quicker if you happen to crank up the brightness. Our pick out: Both pill will final you via hours and use. For essentially the most section, we predict battery existence to be identical. 11-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Garage The iPad Professional provides you with double the beginning garage: 128GB as a substitute of 64GB within the iPad Air. Each be offering a 256GB improve configuration ($100 extra at the iPad Professional and $150 extra at the iPad Air), however whilst the iPad Air stops there, the iPad Professional provides 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB choices. Our pick out: With the entire cloud garage and streaming at the present time, maximum customers don’t want greater than 256GB of garage in an iPad, however if you happen to do numerous paintings with 4K video or high-res footage, the choice for greater garage is good. Extra necessary is that the beginning garage is two times as large at the iPad Professional, and 64GB could be slightly small for all the apps and video games you’re going to obtain. 11-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Face ID vs Contact ID Just like the iPhone, the iPad Professional makes use of Face ID, which makes use of the TrueDepth sensors at the entrance to liberate the pill and authenticate purchases and passwords. The iPad Air doesn’t have a TrueDepth module; it has Contact ID constructed into the aspect button. Each are simple to arrange and use in their very own manner, however Apple says the chances of spoofing Face ID is roughly 1 in a million vs 1 in 50,000 for Contact ID. Our pick out: Contact ID is lots excellent, however there’s without a doubt that Face ID is in most cases the quicker and more straightforward method to authenticate, input passwords, and liberate your tool. Jason Pass/IDG 11-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Cameras At the rear of the iPad Air, you’ll discover a 12MP same old wide-angle digital camera. At the iPad Professional

you’ll in finding the similar digital camera, plus a 10MP Extremely Huge digital camera and a LiDAR sensor for higher AR positioning. We don’t assume you’ll be taking too many footage with both of those reasonably awkward cameras, however if you wish to, the iPad Professional has a obviously awesome array. Apple upgraded the iPad Air to a 12MP Extremely-Huge digital camera at the entrance, with beef up for Heart Degree, which pans and zooms to stay you the topic (you) within the body. So the entrance digital camera is just about similar between the 2 capsules. The iPad Professional has a TrueDepth sensor for Face ID, because of this it additionally helps Apple’s Animoj/Memoji, however picture and video-taking must be about the similar when the use of the entrance digital camera. Our pick out: The entrance digital camera is the extra necessary on a pill, and the 2 listed below are just about similar, as is the rear-facing 12MP digital camera. The iPad Professional has an edge with its 10MP Extremely Huge rear digital camera if that kind of factor issues to you. 11-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Audio and microphones The iPad Air has first rate sound from its two-speaker stereo setup and a twin microphone array. It really works advantageous, however it’s not anything particular. The 11-inch iPad Professional, then again, has 4 audio system and 5 microphones that Apple calls “studio high quality.” We don’t know if we believe that moniker, however it’s virtually positive that the iPad Professional will produce higher recordings and higher-quality audio playback. Our pick out: The iPad Professional must carry awesome sound playback and recording. 11-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Connectivity and equipment We like the iPad Air’s USB-C port, and it’s tournament speedy with the fifth-generation type, supporting information transfers as much as 10Gbps. However the 11-inch iPad Professional takes it a step additional. Its USB-C port helps USB4 and Thunderbolt, because of this a quicker most throughput of 40Gbit/sec. Each beef up a unmarried exterior show as much as 6K, even though. Each fashions beef up the brand new Magic Keyboard—even though the digital camera cutouts have compatibility slightly nicer at the 11-inch Professional—in addition to the 2d-generation Apple Pencil. Our pick out: Thunderbolt will not be one thing you wish to have now, however it could be well worth the funding. Through the years, there’s a significantly better likelihood that the units you purchase will paintings to their complete possible (or in any respect) with the iPad Professional’s Thunderbolt port over the iPad Air’s same old USB-C charging port. Should you’re basically fascinated with hooking up shows, the revel in must be identical with both one. Jason Pass/IDG 11-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Wi-Fi and mobile Each iPads have Wi-Fi 6 with MIMO, simultaneous dual-band, and speeds as much as 1.6Gbps, in order that they’ll paintings nice at house. You additionally get Bluetooth 5 for AirPods and different wi-fi units. However if you happen to go for the Wi-Fi + Mobile type, there’s a small distinction. Each fashions even have 5G choices, however the iPad Air best helps sub-6GHz bands whilst the iPad Professional helps the quicker short-range mmWave bands as neatly. The mobile possibility prices extra at the iPad Professional ($200) than at the iPad Air ($150). Our pick out: You must believe sparsely whether or not you in point of fact want mobile get admission to for your iPad—the use of your iPhone as a wi-fi hotspot works extraordinarily neatly. The iPad Professional’s skill to connect with mmWave networks is of restricted use and also you pay $50 extra for mobile than you do at the iPad Air. 11-inch iPad Professional vs iPad Air: Conclusion Final yr, we concept the 11-inch iPad Professional was once the easier purchase. This yr, due to the processor improve and stepped forward entrance digital camera within the iPad Air, our opinion has reversed.

The iPad Professional is largely the similar measurement and function and helps the similar peripherals, however it prices $200 extra ($250 extra if you wish to have a cellular-equipped type). For that, you get: ProMotion show5-microphone array and 4 audio system10MP Extremely Huge rear digital camera with LiDARThunderboltFace IDDouble the garageReinforce for mmWave 5G bandsOur pick out: Maximum of the ones enhancements aren't this type of stuff you’ll really feel on a daily basis. ProMotion is the largest get advantages, and the additional garage is good, however they don’t appear value an additional $200. We expect maximum customers can be happiest with the iPad Air, in all probability with the 256GB possibility (which continues to be $50 lower than the beginning worth of the 128GB 11-inch iPad Professional). [ad_2] #11inch #iPad #Professional #iPad #Air #pill #purchase

[a-spoonful-o-generosity]

Not this time, Darling.

As you can see Sci Twi is taking the lowest votes so Starlight will not suffer the same humiliation as last time but it also means the margins of victory are slimmer. You narrowly beat Sunset last time but with Tempest and Sci Twi as spoilers Sunset will likely win.

Sci Twi is a spoiler candidate, meant to take votes from you. She is not even qualified being both a human and good girl for 99.9% of her life. 5 minutes of corruption, really?

The OP is biased and displeased that Sunset lost the last election so they have rigged it in her and Starlight's favor.

I for one hope it backfires and Tempest takes Sunset's votes.

Best redeemed Unicorn poll... the Sequel

[exrconsultancy]

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Apple Watch Series 8 is the smartwatch that provides rich personal health monitoring, including ECG and stress tests, to enhance work/life balance. It comes with a stainless steel 1.2"eNIP mid-arm band that fits up to a 15" wrist, featuring pin-and-tuck closure for a secure yet comfortable fit on your wrist.

The Apple Watch Series 8 introduces two new features that are exclusive to the series. First, it boasts a new, long-rumoured skin temperature sensor that can alert you to sudden changes in your body's core temperature. Second, the device has a new feature called Low Power Mode with ambitious goals: Keep the watch's battery running as long as 36 hours without charging it up, while also making it easier to charge.With improved motion sensors, the Apple Watch 8 can also detect crashes instantly, providing instant assistance in a pinch.

In terms of apple watch comparison, the Apple Watch Series 8 is Apple's most technologically advanced wrist watch to date. It is packed with the most cutting-edge technologies in a water-resistant design that is easy to wear around your wrist and is made to fit men and women for everyday activity. The interior of the Apple Watch Series 8 is where the most notable improvements over the Series 7 can be found. It is also equipped with new gesture controls, a slimmer body that fits many more wrists, and features a brighter display.

The new low power mode in the Apple Watch Series 8 can extend your battery life twice as long as the previous Watch. The battery is also thinner than ever and has a faster wireless charge.

The watch has an elegant new design and permanent GPS, equipped with an LED display that is brighter and sharper than previous models. Along with new Bluetooth low energy (BLE) sensors, a new digital Crown that controls your workouts, as well as improved water resistance, this smartwatch can track your heart rate 24/7 – even when swimming.

On the side of the Apple Watch Series 8 specifications, you'll find the familiar digital crown and side button, which are used in hand with the touchscreen to navigate the device. The Apple Watch Series 8 has been redesigned to give you a modern look and feel. Colour choices include Midnight, Silver, Starlight and Product Red. The skin temperature sensor informs two areas of Apple's health suite: sleep tracking and cycle tracking.

Consider travelling or partying late at night.Then it might  be useful to keep track of what external factors affect your regular rest by checking the overnight temperature.Alternatively, if you have some kind of condition that impacts your cycle,overnight wrist temperature data might provide a sense of validation.

The Apple Watch Series 8 measures your heart rate and sleep cycle throughout the night. This information helps you monitor your body's condition in real time through trends on Apple Watch that can help you take steps toward how best to improve it with a Slope bar that plots your movement patterns over time. Take the temperature of your skin at night with the optional third-generation infrared sensor, and set a notification so you don't miss cues that indicate you're headed for trouble in your sleep or getting overheated.

Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS) is powered by an Apple-designed dual-core processor and is designed to track health and fitness in real time. The built-in GPS means your location can be tracked and shared at a moment’s notice, keeping you connected to your pedometer, workout and more.

Regarding privacy, end-to-end encryption is used to protect all cycle tracking data, and data can be wiped whenever desired. You can decide with whom you share information about your health.

In the future, Apple might employ skin temperature as one of the measures to determine stress, much like the Fitbit Sense 2. Others have suggested that it might also be used to identify fevers. All we can do is wait and see.

However, crash detection is not a new feature in the Apple Watch Series 8. Along with two new motion sensors, the Apple Watch Series 8 also has an upgraded gyroscope and accelerometer. Together, they can capture motion 4 times quicker than they could previously, enabling the watch to detect crashes precisely as they happen. Additionally, the Apple Watch will immediately contact emergency services and alert your emergency contacts in the tragic event of a crash. Though it's a grim concept, getting treatment sooner can be the difference between life and death.

With watchOS 9, the Apple Watch's fitness tracking interface underwent a significant upgrade. Now, you can design unique routines, switch between multisport events automatically, and keep track of your heart rate zones while working out. 

Another watchOS 9 feature that can be used daily is the new Medications app. After setting up  medications in the Health app on iPhone, the Apple Watch Series 8 started alerting at the same time each day to log my intake. It even gets adapted when you change time zones, and alerts you to possible interactions that you should know about.

For users of the Apple Watch Series 4 or Series 5, or simply anyone who wants a fully featured Watch experience,the Series 8 is the ideal upgrade option. It will also be a fantastic option for people with medical issues like aFib that the Apple Watch Series 8 can assist monitor.

The Apple Watch Series 8 has everything the majority of people with an iPhone might require in a wristwatch. Therefore, despite growing competition, the Apple Watch maintains its position as the gold standard for wearable electronics.

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[phoenixyfriend]

Sort-of sequel to Bleeding Starlight, longform of this post, in the #ascension au.

(This was written in about an hour and a half and has not been edited.)

------

Fives does not expect to wake up.

He does not, in fact, wake up.

There is a sensation of non-being, vaguely aware of the events that be, that consumes him as it consumes everything. His sense of self is fuzzy at the edges, but distinct from others. He thinks this might be what it means to pass into the Force.

Brothers join him. Jedi join him. They do not speak. They hardly act. They simply are.

The universe grows dark. He cannot think to why that is, but he despairs. He feels disappointment. Somehow, he thinks he could have prevented this.

Something changes. It brightens. It is familiar. She is familiar.

For years, Fives is dead. There is a peace in nonexistence. As far as the universe is concerned, he is not a being. Perhaps he never was. He is not awake, not alive, not a being.

And then, in a moment, like ice water over his head: he is.

------

Fives has seen people wear glitter, before. He'd found himself envious, at the time, because it seemed like fun. This is not glitter atop the skin. It is a glow from within.

"Commander?" he hazards, because he knows this individual, maybe. Her markings are slimmer, and a little more complex, and they glow brighter than the speckled stars under the orange of her skin.

Her eyes are still blue. They are not a togruta blue. The speckles of infinity are more than enough to scare him.

"I haven't been that for a long time, Fives," she says.

He looks around. He has no idea where they are. There are stars above, and he stands atop something, but the ground is knee-deep fog that he knows without testing he won't be able to move. The horizon hardly exists, and he thinks there is no curvature to this planet.

"Where are we?"

"A place beyond," she tells him.

"Because I'm dead."

"And I am more," she agrees, sort of. She's infinitely calmer than she was when he knew her. It scares him.

"And what... does that mean?" he hazards.

Her lips pinch, thin and unhappy. "I died at Mortis."

"I remember."

"I did not... come back the same," she says. "I thought I had. I was wrong. I am not the being I once was. My masters came out unchanged, for the most part. I didn't. I am..."

She shakes her head. "I am untethered. I am not a mortal being, anymore. I am endless and undone, and I am a being of the Force in the way even the Jedi could never become. I have left even my name behind."

"You're a demigod," he summarizes.

She blinks at him, slow and unruffled. "Maybe."

"Okay," he says, because what else is there to say? "So um... what am I doing here?"

"Time," she says, "Has turned back around us. We are before the empire, before the war, before the work on Kamino has even started. The Force works through me, beyond anything it did when I was alive. It is my role to undo the damage the Sith have wrought, now. It is my duty."

"Even more than it was as a Jedi?"

"As a Jedi, I chose to do so, and walked away when it was too much," she tells him. "Now, I am built to it. I am molded around what needs doing."

"Just like we were molded into perfect soldiers?" Fives guesses, not a little bitter.

"No," she refutes. "You had no choice. I chose the Force and my duty of care to those around me, over and over and over again, and so the Daughter woke her power in me. I proved my dedication and my life, and so I was chosen. I was not asked my opinion, but my actions did as much for me."

"And are you still... you?" he asks.

She contemplates that, staring at something beyond him, and tells him, "I don't know. We all change as we grow. I think I am as much myself as I ever was."

Not the most heartening of answers, he thinks. "Do I still call you Ahsoka?"

She smiles at him. "There is a little girl on Shili, just born, who carries that name. It is hers, now."

"And yours?"

"Fulcrum," she says. "And I am the Speaker of Mortis."

Intimidating enough title. He thinks she knows it. "Okay. So... I'll bite. I'm not even alive, yet, so what do you need me for?"

She sits on a chair that did not exist a second ago, and holds up five cards that she did not have a second ago, and lays them out across a table that was not there a second ago, like she's about to tell a fortune for a man who does not live.

"Five choices," she says, and Fives looks back behind him to find that there is a chair there, too.

He sits.

"I intend to prevent the army from being created," she says. "It was a cruel way to be raised, and a cruel fate to be led to. Your souls, however, live on."

She places a hand on the first card, and flips it over. It's a smattering of stars and nebulae. He doesn't recognize which. "The simple option, is to remain at rest. To stay dead, content or tired of the life you lived, and to be one with the Force as all dead things are meant to be."

She places a hand on the second card, and flips it over. It's an infant, swaddled and crying, but held close by a faceless human. "The second option is for you to be born to natural families. You would look different, and be separate from your brothers, and have only the faintest hints of memory... but you would be raised well, and raised happy, and get the childhood you missed."

She places a hand on the third card, and flips it over. It's an infant, swaddled again, but placed upon the top of a set of stairs wreathed in gold. "The third option is for you to be molded into a child, born to the Force, and placed among the Jedi. If you wish to fight the war against the Sith, and then against the injustices of the galaxy, this is the manner in which you may do so."

She places a hand on the fourth card, and flips it over. It's a Mandalorian helmet, dark and limned in flames. "The fourth option is for me to return you to what you were just before death. You would age naturally, and you would have little but the clothes on your back, and you would risk Fett coming after you for your supposed theft of identity, but you would have your freedom."

She places a hand on the fifth card, stares at him, and flips it over. It's the clone trooper armor, with his paints on it, and smoke coming from the gaps between shell pieces. "The fifth and final option is that you become mine."

He looks down at the card, and then up at her. "What do you mean?"

"I am the sword in the hand of the Force," she tells him. "I am its Speaker, its avenging angel, its hand of many gods. My role is to enact the will of the Force as none other can, and I have been given a divinity I did not ask for to do so. You... my boys, my brothers, I want by my side as I do so. You are to be ghost soldiers, phantoms of consequence. The Force is judge and jury, but I am now the executioner, and I... that is not something I wish to do alone, Fives."

She hesitates, and seems to deflate. "I can't do this alone. I have Rex and Wolffe, but if I'm going to represent justice or--or whatever the hell I'm supposed to do with all this, then I need to trust someone. And without the chips? There is no one I trust as much as the clones."

Fives absorbs that for an endless moment, and then asks, "Are all the brothers getting this choice?"

"Each and every one of you," she says.

"...what did Echo choose?" he asks.

She smiles. "He asked the same of you."

Of course he did.

"What... what would you choose?" he asks. "If it were up to you?"

She pities him, he thinks. It's in the press of her mouth and the curve of her eyes, and he's always felt older than her, but in this moment, she is ageless and eternal. "I cannot make that choice for you, Fives. I would like to have you by my side. The Bad Batch chose to go about as mercenaries, Omega with them, and I can tell that Echo is torn between joining them and joining you. I want to say that he could join them, and you could join me, and you could watch over him and his from the Force."

"But?"

"But as one of my soldiers, in this new reality, the Force would be your first, last, and only duty," she tells him. She reaches across the table and takes his hands in hers. "I will let you go, if you want; I will not say that you cannot later change your mind. But if you want to be one of mine, one of the spirits that enact the will of existence on a galaxy that has torn itself to shreds, if you want to be a trooper with brothers that remember? Then you will not be with Echo more than a moment now and again. He will be of the living, and you..."

Fives processes that. It's like the Jedi, with their loyalty and faith to the Force, but... more. The Force will be all there is.

But Fives has always been a trooper, has always been ready to fight for the Jedi and the Republic and, eventually, to fight simply for what's right.

He could have ended the war, ended the Sith, if someone had only listened to him. He wants to make sure nobody else has to have that experience.

"Is there anything else I should know?" he asks, because the choice is... he thinks he knows what he wants. Probably.

(Part of him thinks it would be nice, maybe, to choose one of the options of rebirth, to ask that he and Echo be actual twins, not just brothers who decided they were closer than most and declared themselves such.)

"Obi-Wan came back, too," she says, and Fives jerks in place. "He's going by Ben Kenobi, and playing the role of uncle to his younger self. People question it, but... we have a player on the inside, so to speak. Those who choose to become Jedi younglings or to roam the galaxy will have someone to turn to, should it all go straight to hell. There will be someone to watch over them."

"Why Kenobi?"

"Mortis," she says, and that really is the crux of it. "It did not change him, not as it did me, but it did touch him. It touched us all."

"Does he know about you?"

"...no," she admits. "Not yet. I'm... going to have an earthly form. A disguise that isn't one, just a return to what I once was, with a different name."

"What name?"

"Ashla," she says, "For one of the origins of the Jedi. A moon of Tython, the word for the light side when spoken of by Bendu, and the Lasat for the Force itself. It's also a name in plenty of languages, but it will mean much."

She smiles, and adds, "Ashla Torrent."

Oh.

Her boys, she'd said.

She even named herself for them.

He turns his hands where they're covered by hers, and squeezes. Her smile is soft, encouraging... and apologetic.

"Can I talk to Echo?"

She smiles, and nods, and less than a minute later... Fives is hugging his closest brother for the first time in years.

------

When rumors of the Speaker of Mortis and her army of shades begin to spread, the soldier with the eel on his crown and his brother with the handprint on his heart march among them.

[pink-pony-mod]

big mood

Bleh.

Also, me for the past year. :)

Full Res | DeviantArt | Twitter

[sailormoonandme]

Usagi’s Evolution as a Healer Goddess

The other day I saw a post discussing the evolution of Usagi’s fuku and it occurred to me how Eternal Sailor Moon’s costume was her first Senshi uniform to ditch the tiara. 

That in turn led me to consider how that kind of makes Usagi weaker as it removes a very useful weapon for her. After all, if you include the movies, Usagi uses some variant of Moon Tiara Action in practically every season prior to Stars.

However, dwelling more upon it I realized how this tiny change was all too appropriate for Usagi’s character development.

Firstly, by supplanting the Tiara with her Moon planetary symbol, Eternal Sailor Moon more closely resembles both Queen Serenity, her own Princess Serenity form and her future self as Neo-Queen Serenity. 

Since all three are objectively more powerful than Usagi typically is as Sailor Moon I think the change emphasises how she has ‘levelled up’ in her Eternal form. When combined with the angel wings, Eternal Sailor Moon shifts Usagi visually closer to her future self as NQS, which in the anime is implied to be her most powerful incarnation.* It is almost as though the visual was communicating that the Divine Miracle Magic that she’d previously drawn upon as Princess Serenity in Classic-SuperS had now become ingrained in her standard Senshi form and thus was more accessible to her. 

It was in thinking of her previous efforts as Princess Serenity that I inevitably recalled her duel with Metalia/Beryl in episode 46 and realized that Eternal Sailor Moon was the first time since Classic that Usagi’s default attack was a healing  technique not a destructive one. 

Moon Healing Escalation was Usagi’s first healing technique but until Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss (and it’s later upgrade, Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss) it was also her only healing technique. 

Between regaining healing techniques and ditching her tiara/other destructive attacks/weapons, I think this represents her subtle growth in both her power and status. After all, it is a sad fact of life that it is easier to destroy something rather than fix it, thereby making the latter far more impressive.**

This skewing towards healing power rather than destructive power is also (arguably) thematically appropriate given the nature of Sailor Moon as a female power fantasy as (rightly or wrongly) the act of healing is typically coded as feminine. 

We can even take this further by examining things from the ‘opposite direction’ as it were.

Consider that in the climactic final episodes of Sailor Stars, Eternal Sailor Moon’s healing technique actually fails her when used against Galaxia. In later episodes, upon adopting her Princess Serenity form (complete with larger and more obviously angelic wings), she uses a sword to duel Galaxia.

Obviously a sword is, at least predominantly, an offensive weapon and can therefore be viewed as symbolic of aggression; let’s leave any Freudian or gendered interpretations alone for today. Her use of the sword is highly uncharacteristic (in the anime). Even her explicitly offencive weapons (like the Cutie Moon Rod or Spiral Moon Heart Rod) weren’t as clearly aggressive nor obviously violent. Desperate times calling for desperate measures? Perhaps, but we might also speculate it was her subconsciously reacting to grief. Not only can grief make you act in ways you wouldn’t normally, but a sword after all was a weapon wielded by her lover in his Prince Endymion incarnation. Her lover whom Usagi had just learned Galaxia had murdered. In other words, amidst her grief she reacts by going too hard in the other direction after healing her enemy proves ineffective.

However, when all is said and done the sword fails her.*** Ultimately is simply escalates the conflict by prompting Galaxia to become Chaos Galaxia and thereby make Usagi’s chances of victory all the slimmer. If we wished to stretch things, you could perhaps say that this is a commentary about how war and violence ultimately begets yet more war and violence.

Even if that is an over extrapolation though, it still served to emphasis the point that a sword is not befitting of Usagi, that she was doomed to lose if she continued to battle with destroying her enemy as the end goal.

In fact, her road to real victory begins when she not doesn’t attack Galaxia but makes it easier for herself to be attacked. In the end, Usagi doesn’t confront her most powerful enemy as the God-Queen of the future, the demi-goddess Princess of the distant past, the sailor-suited soldier of love and justice in the present, nor even a humble school girl.

She does it by literally stripping herself of all those things, of stripping herself of everything in fact.

Her weapons? Gone.

Her other items, like her Tiare? Gone.

Her comrades? Gone, and they’d be powerless against Galaxia anyway.

And finally, even her clothes? Gone!

Beyond the Silver Crystal (an outward visualization of her heart/soul) and the angel wings (symbolic of her role as a saviour) she is completely (but tastefully) naked.

Usagi visually and quite literally is more vulnerable  than she’s ever been, even more so than on her first night as Sailor Moon.

And yet this is Usagi at her actual most powerful.

It is her distilled to her absolute essence as a person, all other trappings removed. She’d just one person showing another they will categorically not harm them, that they bear them no malice and they have nothing to hide. That openness and compassion is what ultimately enables her to connect to the good within Galaxia and pull her away from the darkness that had corrupted her.

Usagi in this moment completely fulfilled her character arc.

·      In the Dark Kingdom arc Usagi destroys (or seals away depending upon your POV) Beryl/Metalia.

·      In the Hell Tree arc, Usagi resolves the over all plot via a healing technique (although it is functionally similar to a destructive attack). However, that only happens because the Hell Tree both instructs Usagi to do that and because it lets her. It is the equivalent of a sickly doctor instructing a nurse on what to do to make them better. The nurse might have the power but their agency as a healer is limited.

·      In the Black Moon arc, Usagi, with help, destroys Wiseman/Death Phantom. 

·      In the Death Busters arc, Usagi does save Hotaru and ‘purify’ her. However, like the Hell Tree, that was something Hotaru wanted. Additionally, her purification functioned as a way to heal the body of someone sick and who wanted to sacrifice themselves, not someone actually evil. The evil in question was Pharaoh 90 and it is presumed that Usagi destroyed him (although it might’ve been Hotaru or the pair of them together). 

·      Forgive me for skipping the Dead Moon Circus arc as Chibiusa is the real protagonist there, and Usagi’s role is chiefly as a rescuer. It therefore doesn’t really apply, although the Nehelenia mini-arc from Stars is a different story. There, Usagi was a healer again, but she did it with the help of her loved ones and with the aid of her Tiare device. Nevertheless, we can see by this point Usagi’s capacity as a healer heroine had been gradually growing until we get to the battle with Galaxia.

By the end of series, Usagi has successfully healed Galaxia and it is neither with the aid of her comrades, nor with the power of a weapon or device, nor with any instructions from her ‘patient’ or any other third party.

Additionally, Galaxia (unlike Hotaru) wasn’t someone’s who was saved from a noble self-sacrifice or had a physical ailment that needs to be addressed. In Galaxia’s case, her very soul had lost it’s way and become corrupted. She had lost who she was supposed to be and her purpose in life had been perverted.****

When combined with how powerful Galaxia always was, how Chaos and the Star Seeds empowered her further, Usagi’s victory here cannot be understated.

Her ‘patient’ was more powerful than all her other adversaries, was in need of more healing than her other ‘patients’ and was more resistant to being healed. Not to mention, since she’d directly murdered her beloved friends (and indirectly aborted her future daughter), Usagi would’ve been forgiven for not  even trying to salvage Galaxia 

And yet, with no weapons, no backup and just the power of her heart and soul basically, Usagi succeeded. 

After Stars the idea that Usagi could heal the entire planet after a global catastrophe and reshape it into a fairy tale crystalline utopia was all too believable.

What’s healing one planet when her ability to empathise had already healed a whole galaxy?

Who needs a tiara to reduce evil to dust when you can simply convince evil to be good?

*This is arguably symbolized by baby Hotaru’s vision of NQS transforming into Eternal Sailor Moon in episode 1 of Stars.

In fact, we might argue that a low-key subplot running through all of Stars (both the Nehelenia and Galaxia portions of it) is gradually transitioning Usagi closer to the person she is destined to become as Neo-Queen Serenity, hence why the first episode features the most explicit reference to her fate as Queen since R. 

**Personally I am an atheist, but nevertheless I and others like me can grasp why  deities in most major religions through history weren’t simply capable of mass scale destruction, but also of essentially manipulating reality to create  things too.

By that same token, it’s little surprise that perhaps the widest spread religious figure in history was Jesus Christ who rarely (if ever) engaged in aggression or destructive acts, predominantly employing divine healing powers.

I suspect the attraction of such figures to human beings lies in the fact that on some level we know that, given the right time and resources, we mere mortals would be capable of destroying anything. Given time it’s all but certain we will develop the technology to even destroy planetary bodies. On the flipside, I think we also intuitively grasp that  reversing  such damage, of reattaching a limb, of stanching bleeding, etc, is far more difficult if not impossible. Hence we attributed the ability to do such things to larger than life Divine Entities.

*** Now that I think of it, it’s also poignant that Usagi tries and fails to defeat Galaxia with a sword when we take Sailor Uranus into consideration. 

Uranus is of course associated with her weapon, the Space Sword and, like Usagi, tried and failed to use such a weapon against Galaxia.

Giving Uranus a sword is symbolically appropriate given her role as the leader of the more aggressive branch of the Sailor Team. Having her fail against Galaxia and Usagi consequently fail by in some way ‘mimicking her tactics’ is equally symbolically appropriate. Not only because of their ideological conflict in Sailor Moon S but also their tensions in Sailor Stars itself. In both situations Usagi’s more open, less aggressive, ideology was ultimately proven correct. 

Thus in using a sword against Galaxia it represented how Usagi was always doomed to fail by taking the aggressive/destructive route and how she was arguably not being true to herself in that moment. 

****It’s not to dissimilar to Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker now that I think about it. 

[angielockser]

ACOTAR FANCAST

Rhysand - Ian Somerhalder

Rhysand is described to be tall, heartbreakingly handsome and has short blue-black hair, like a raven's feathers, and violet eyes with flecks of silver like starlight. His beauty and handsomeness are said to be legendary, greater so far than anyone else's in Prythian.

You really can't tell me (apart from the eyes, Ian has blue) that Ian isn't Rhys, I know this choice is a bit cliché, but he really resembles Rhysand - that Damon Salvatore interpretation just proves my point because. Rhys is very arrogant, as he knows exactly how handsome he is. He is extremely dark in terms of his behavior and has an air of mystery, swagger, and sensuality surrounding him, but at the same time he's a kind, generous and humble person.

Also, one of the reasons i choose Ian its because of his body time, i fell like henry Cavill, for exemple, is too big as a imagine Rhys slimmer but with muscle.

Cassian - Travis Fimmel

Cassian is tall with black, shoulder-length hair, massive, membranous wings, golden-brown skin, and hazel eyes.

Well, I think the image speaks for it self, apart from the blue armor (we know Cassians color is red). I know Travis is blond but after watch warcraft I couldn't imagine any other Cassian because in this movie Lothar is pure Cassian, with both the warrior aspect and the sarcasm and funny side of the Cass we know and love.

Azriel - Matthew Daddario

Azriel is described as classically beautiful, but near-unreadable. He is tall, with dark hair, golden-brown skin, and massive Illyrian wings. His eyes are hazel and the planes of his face are elegant.

I'm gonna be honest - for me he is not the perfect Azriel, i dont know why but it didn't fell so well Ian for Rhys and Travis for Cass, but Matthew is sure, very close to whom I imagined Az to be like.