#summer well festival 2024

[keane-updates]

Keane on stage at the Summer Well Festival I Hopes and Fears Tour in Buftea, Romania (📷:Stefan Oancea, August 11th, 2024)

[angeltread17]

The Last Black American Lenny Kravitz FAN…

Let me be clear. I haven’t taken a survey. But to me. I am the last black American Lenny Kravitz fan. Love at first Hearing. I fell for Lenny back in the 90’s. But as life would have it. I was not able at that time to see him in concert. It was always a wish. Wish Granted,,, I first saw Lenny 2015 at #afropunk in Commodore Park Brooklyn, NY. Lenny in Brooklyn 2015 I traveled alone and…

[antread10]

The Last Black American Lenny Kravitz FAN…

Let me be clear. I haven’t taken a survey. But to me. I am the last black American Lenny Kravitz fan. Love at first Hearing. I fell for Lenny back in the 90’s. But as life would have it. I was not able at that time to see him in concert. It was always a wish. Wish Granted,,, I first saw Lenny 2015 at #afropunk in Commodore Park Brooklyn, NY. Lenny in Brooklyn 2015 I traveled alone and…

[8iunie]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but that guitar pick is now mine 😭

look at this pookie 🥹

[breelandwalker]

Buck Moon - July 20-21, 2024

Put on your flower crowns and your walking shoes - it’s time for the Buck Moon!

Buck Moon 🦌

The Buck Moon is the name given to the full moon in the month of July and is called this because at this time of year, the rack of antlers previously shed by male deer are beginning to regrow and harden in preparation for the fall rutting season. 

Other North American Indigenous names for this moon include Salmon Moon (Tlingit), Berry Moon (Anishinaabe), Month of the Ripe Corn Moon (Cherokee), and Raspberry Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe). The West Abenaki also call this the Thunder Moon in reference to the often-stormy summer weather. (This one is my personal favorite and the name appears in lunar calendars just as often as the Buck Moon.)

European names for the July moon include Hay Moon and Wort Moon, and it should be noted that the name Stag Moon does appear in some European sources as well.

This year's Buck Moon will be at peak illumination at 6:17am EST on July 21st, so the moon will appear to be full on both the 20th and 21st. Also, it's a weekend, so plan your festivities accordingly!

What Does It Mean For Witches? 🦌

The July full moon continues June’s template of planning for the future, this time with a focus on your passions and ambitions. Reflect on what you’ve accomplished so far this year and plan your next step.

Dream big and plan big, but don’t give in to reckless urgency. Summer (and capitalist grind culture) gives us the urge to Go Go Go. Despite all this, it’s important to take time to rest and recharge, lest we find ourselves burning out and losing our motivation.

What Witchy Things Can We Do? 🦌

Celebrate your victories and revel in the abundance of the summer season. If you’re inclined to do so, take a page from the deer and do a bit of prancing around a bonfire or your favorite flower arbor with some festive flowery headgear.

Go exploring! Find a local park or garden and take a stroll among the greenery, or use TV and the internet to explore and learn about faraway places. This is another opportune time to go and check out pick-your-own farms and farmers markets as well. Sharpen your foraging and plant identification skills while you’re out and about!

If you’re tending a garden, harvest some herbs and investigate what you can make with them. Whether it’s seasoning for meals, homemade botanical products, or just helpful spell ingredients, many herbs and flowers have a plethora of uses. As an exercise, select three plants growing in your yard or garden, research their magical correspondences and botanical properties, and try to think of as many ways as possible to use each one for witchcraft and for practical purposes. For extra credit, pick something native to your area that doesn't appear in the western magical canon and use its' physical, folkloric, and historical associations to create something new!

(Safety Note: Always clean and prepare home-harvested herbs properly before using them for kitchen, bath, or medical preparations. Always be sure to properly identify any wildcrafted or foraged plants. Always consult a doctor before trying an herbal treatment and take all allergies, medications, and pre-existing conditions into account. Please also note that while herbal treatments can be helpful, it can have negative interactions and side effects just like any other medication, and it is not meant to be a replacement for modern medical care.)

Apart from the usual full-moon festivities, I’ve always found this is an excellent time for weather-witching. Summer weather is notoriously fickle, but it is also highly malleable - one recalls that old American Southern epithet of, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.”

If you’re hoping to bring some rain to water your garden or break the back of a heat wave, this may be the time to do it. My personal favorite folk magic ritual for rain-calling involves going outside with a broom and a bucket of water, using the broom to scatter drops of water over your yard, and shouting up to the clouds, “SEE? IT’S NOT HARD!”

Make sure you take local weather patterns into account and try to draw on existing fronts and nearby precipitation to get the desired result. And keep in mind that with weather magic, less is more and one casting is enough. Asking for too much or asking too often can produce undesirable results. And if you manage to make it rain, be sure to collect some for moon water!

If you’re interested in weather-witching, I highly recommend checking out this masterpost by @stormbornwitch for a number of excellent articles and suggestions.

Happy Buck Moon, witches! 🌕🦌

Sources and Further Reading:

Bree’s Lunar Calendar Series

Bree’s Secular Celebrations Series

Witchcraft Exercise - Creating Correspondences

Buck Moon: Full Moon in July 2024, The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Buck Moon Bonanza: Embrace July’s Massive Energy!, The Peculiar Brunette.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison.

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[cheritzteam]

[Mystic Messenger] The Sparkling Night Sea 🎆 and Us Who Shine Even Brighter,  November 2024 Rika’s Birthday Event

Hello, it’s Cheritz.

Trick or Treat!

Halloween has arrived with the last day of October. While Halloween comes every year, I'm sure I'm not the only one excited to see what this year's trends are for costumes 😝

Around this time, we can feel both the end of fall and the beginning of winter. As fall seems to get shorter each year, we feel winter approaching through the chilly weather, warm clothing, and winter snacks on the streets.

But! Various autumn festivals are still in full swing to make the most of late fall that hasn't completely ended yet.

With the start of winter, Halloween, and not much left of this year, Rika's birthday has also arrived!

Curious about what Rika's birthday will be like this year? 

Then please check the details below~ 😉

< ① Rika’s Birthday Event >

When the weather gets a bit chilly, various festivals featuring lanterns, flowers, food, and fireworks are held everywhere to make the most of this short autumn.

But it seems unavoidable that everywhere is crowded as people have waited for this cool weather 🤔 While going to the fireworks festival would be nice, Rika suggested that spending her birthday together quietly by the sea would be more meaningful than being among crowds, even without fancy fireworks 🎆

Unlike summer beaches visited to escape the heat, this will be their first time at a nighttime beach in chilly weather, so they're preparing thick blankets and heat packs while waiting for their fireworks night.

(If you're curious about the picturesque sparkling night sea and their cozy private fireworks show, please wait a little longer!)

Also, there will be a repost event on X for Rika's birthday. 

Selected participants who repost will receive 50 hourglasses⌛ through a drawing♥ (15 winners)

Additionally, a Bonus Event has been prepared to celebrate Rika's birthday!

Use the hashtag #Happy_BDay_Rika to celebrate her birthday,

and don't miss the chance to win 50 hourglasses⌛ through the drawing♥

Lastly, there will be a discount event for some Rika-related merchandise,

so those who have been hesitating to purchase, please don't★ miss this opportunity!

Cheritz Market Discount Period : November 1st(Wed) 2pm ~ November 8th(Wed) 2pm 

< ② In-Game Login Event >

During the event period below, you can check out Rika’s Birthday Commemorative Title Image by logging into the game! Enjoy the game with the beautiful title image and celebrate her birthday.

Also, don't miss the Halloween login rewards!

Title Image Period : October 31st(Thurs) ~ November 13th(Wed)

Halloween Login Reward : October 31st(Thurs) ~ November 3rd(Sun)

Did you receive our November Event News well?

We would like to thank the coordinators who will join us for Rika's birthday this year. 

With only two months left in 2024, please leave your worries and concerns here, and may only happiness and good things await you going forward coordinator!

Thank you!

Sincerely, Cheritz

[seraphinitegames]

The Wayhaven Chronicles - Update 22/Dec/2023

Oh, making the switch back to Book Four after Holiday Magic has been quite the experience, hehe!

For a start, I have to keep remembering that Book Four is set at the end of Summer instead of winter and lingering descriptions of sparkling snow drifts is a bit out of place! :D

But I have enjoyed reading through the plan of where I was at. I was thinking on just getting stuck back into the writing full steam, but with Christmas break so close on the horizon, I ended up editing instead…the sensible option, lol.

I am really promising myself this time around that I am going to be so much more organized with editing! :D Anyone who has followed me for a while knows it’s not exactly my favourite part, as much as it’s the most important!

So, I resisted the urge to just write and focused on rewriting a couple of bits I knew I wanted adapting, as well as changing a couple of choice sets, then rereading and editing all of what I’ve already written.

It actually puts me in the perfect spot to come back to, which works out well because we’ll be going on Christmas break tomorrow!

We’re all a bit knackered after Holiday Magic’s release and jumping back to Book Four, so I think a rest is much needed…although I keep looking at Book Four’s plans and thinking how desperate I am to get to a certain part coming up, hehe!

Our Christmas break will be from 23rd December 2023 to 3rd January 2024.

That first week back in January we will be coming back into things slowly and getting ourselves organized for the year ahead, as we have some amazing things planned. Though my focus will be completely on Book Four and getting the first demo released!

We hope you all have the most magical festive season if you celebrate it, and if not then just a wonderful time ahead, and a sparkling New Year! It’s gonna be a good one in Wayhaven, hehe! ;D

[ateez-himari]

SUMMER SONIC FESTIVAL

Atiny show concern over the physical health of the group.

August 19, 2024 (2:55PM)

ATEEZ's consecutive performances at the Summer Sonic festival mere days following nearly two months on tour raises concerns about the members' conditions, as some were seen struggling in the blazing heat. While the sets were indeed much shorter than normal concert performances, only fifty minutes, the weather that day was so humid even locals have found it unbearable.

While the moment was only partially captured as it took place behind two flags used during the Guerilla introduction, the youngest was seen nearly bowed down in pain while clutching her chest and members who witnessed this happening hurried over immediately. Using the recently released statement from KQ Entertainment netizens were able to infer that they were likely on edge due to the cardiac arrest she experienced the previous year, which stemmed from a level of fatigue quite similar to the one that was observed during the festival. It would seem that there is no need to panic as the vocalist rapidly regained her composure and with the flawless performance that followed, attendees standing away from this area remained unaware of this slight mishap.

Another thing that caught attention however was the return of an elastic rib brace, which was only seen during the first week of touring while she recovered from surgery that reportedly took place in the middle of the year. It became visible during day two when the heat had exhausted her to the point of having to use the main rapper as support during one of her verses, although with their interactions now being more freely close it seemed rather inconspicuous. His worried expression while gently steadying the young woman with two hands around her waist was what gave away the situation.

"Baby, do you need to stop ? Do you need me to get you some water ?" Could be seen being asked by Mingi in a video. His girlfriend simply denied and went off to dance in front of fans after giving him a quick kiss.

Attendees exiting the stage area in order to watch other artists also noticed that medical staff was already on standby the moment their set ended, one of them immediately checking the youngest's pulse while holding her upright. When these clips began circulating through social media fans were shocked as there seemed to be nothing wrong during their performance, the energy behind every aspect of it being the same as during regular concerts.

During the exiting bow on day one attendees noticed that the extreme heat had gotten to another member as well, San, who was seen biting down on his thumb briefly in order to stay conscious prior to stumbling away backstage. Throughout both performances he was seen stumbling during choreography, his facial expressions having also lost their usual animation with much more tiredness becoming visible. One singular video of their main vocalist, Jongho, looking as though he was about to faint any moment went viral alongside these clips which lead to atiny wondering whether they were truly getting enough rest.

Share This Post

[seecarrun]

Pokeshipping Week 2024

Prompt 2: Fireworks

The sun, which had been setting earlier and earlier every evening, was just sinking below the distant mountains when the fireworks began lighting up the sky at the Summer’s End festival down by the Pallet Town coast.

Brock was inside helping Ash’s mom clean up after dinner, so it was just Ash, Misty, Pikachu, and Togepi out on the patio, enjoying the show.

Their mindless conversation petered out as the fireworks began, lulling them into a comfortable, easy silence.

“You know,” Ash began casually after a bit, “Gary and I almost set that tree on fire with a firework once.”

Misty’s face broke into a grin. “No,” she gasped, delighted. “What happened? And also, who in their right mind would give you two explosives?”

“Gary stole them from Professor Oak, obviously,” Ash chuckled, and stretched out his arm to point to a barely noticeable, bare, dark patch of bark on the big maple tree next to his house. “There used to be a branch right there. We had a swing tied to it and everything. Well, Gary snagged a bottle rocket or something from the Professor’s stash and we decided it would be a good idea to, you know, try it out.”

“Oh no, Ash,” Misty said, biting her lip in anticipation.

Ash just grinned. “He had his family’s growlithe, the same arcanine he still has now, by the way, use a little flame thrower on the wick.” He paused to laugh at his younger self again, shaking his head. “We were like, eight years old, so we had enough common sense to not aim at the house, but, well…”

He trailed off, cringing playfully at Misty who gasped in disbelief and amusement. “You forgot about the tree.”

“We forgot about the tree.”

It was something they did from time to time while traveling; reminiscing and telling stories of their childhoods, and for a while, Ash had actually been self-conscious. Misty and Brock both grew up in cities, in their families gyms, surrounded by pokemon and battling and excitement. What could Ash, who grew up in nowhere, Pallet Town, possibly share compared to them?

He brought it up to Brock one day after Misty had told them a story about dumping bubble bath into the main battlefield two days before an inspection when she was four years old, but he just raised an eyebrow and smiled down at him wryly. “Ash, have Misty or I ever looked bored during one of your childhood stories?” he asked.

“No,” Ash admitted.

Brock hummed. “Because we’re not. Especially Misty, she’s always thrilled to hear about the stupid and ridiculous things you got up to as a little kid.”

Ash shrugged, feeling just a bit shy at the idea. “I don’t know why,” he murmured.

“Maybe because it’s not so much the content of the story that she cares about as much as it’s the fact that it’s you, and she wants to learn and hear more about you,” Brock had explained, like it was that simple. And even though Ash seriously doubted that was it, he had to admit, Misty was always excited for him to share the antidotes of his past.

Exactly like she was now, her eyes sparkling with the reflection of fireworks and glee at his tale of almost-arson. For some reason, he always enjoyed making Misty laugh the most.

“What’s so funny, you two?” came Brock’s voice as he patio door slid open, Brock and his mom joining them with a tray holding hot apple cider. Misty give them a gigantic grin.

“Ash was telling me about the time he nearly set the whole yard on fire,” she chirped in excited exaggeration. Ash’s mom sighed.

“Which time?” she asked, tiredly.

Somehow, Misty’s grin got even wider as she bounced in her seat, prodding her into sharing more stories.

Ash just sat back and enjoyed the show, the fireworks forgotten.

[keane-updates]

Keane on stage at the Summer Well Festival I Hopes and Fears Tour in Buftea, Romania (📷:Stefan Oancea, August 11th, 2024)

[phanfictioncatalogue]

2024 Era (2) Masterlist

part one

Blonde (ao3) - philforscale

Summary: Phil went blonde. Dan loves it.

cornetto and a hot chocolate (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: a cute little stolen moment shared on a tour break 💙

Dan & Phil 2024 (ao3) - VPofPanic

Summary: This is a ficlet written for the prompt "Dan & Phil 2024" from the Phinktober 2024 challenge.

It covers the first three months of 2024 with a focus on one video/event per month:

1) January: Viewers Pick My Birthday Presents 2024

2) February: Reacting to My TERRIBLE Acting

3) March: Keeping or Yeeting My Entire Closet with Dan!

Date Night (ao3) - achromatic__sky

Summary: Playing a game made for couples on the channel is not really a big deal is it ?

And yet as they wrap up filming like any other night, with the tour coming up in only a few days, Dan finds himself doubting everything once again.

Date night, or Dan is having a mild freak out about Terrible Influence and Phil is there to comfort him.

Duneussy (and other ways to say I love you) (ao3) - Lesbianphan

Summary: A companion piece to Gentle. Dan's thoughts after his 33rd birthday livestream on DanandPhilGAMES, featuring the Dune bucket

dreaming of you (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: “and now I’m dreaming, dreaming, dreaming, dreaming, dreaming of you” - cigarettes after sex

Fall in love again and again (ao3) - Anonymous

Summary: An evening, right before tour. Phil thinks about feeling lucky and different ways to take care of someone.

Float (ao3) - Aliquis

Summary: Dan's a professional, after all, and this is his job. Just another day at the office in front of hundreds of their grown-up fans whose expectations exited the stratosphere somewhere between his last two posts on socials. Fuck.

french toast, again (ao3) - buskingalbatross

Summary: Dan's ice cream shop dream, sort of. Not really.

Go out with a bang as it were (ao3) - natigail

Summary: The cursor was mocking Dan as he was trying to work on his Terrible Influence Tour script and he kept getting distracted thinking about his life with Phil and the relationship with their audience. Until Phil showed up with water, stole his laptop, made him faint and promised to love him for 100 years.

heart skipped a beat (ao3) - starryfaced

Summary: Dan and Phil have a day to spare in Stockholm - cue the seals and the meese, it's time to go to the zoo!

I have to tell you something (ao3) - solarpower21

Summary: Dan confesses he was the one behind the PhilsLion account.

In our garden (ao3) - trashcanfromgallifrey

Summary: The boys spend a warm summer afternoon in their garden together<3

liquorice ice cream (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Dan and Phil go on a date to the zoo.

(Snapshots of their Swedish zoo date, September 2024. This fic is free from TIT show spoilers!)

not a lot, just forever (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: working through the feels post-hospital incident ❤️‍🩹

One and Only (ao3) - clcprint

Summary: dan meets a new phil and his phil gets jealous.

or

phil loses the idgaf war

Phome is where the heart is (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: dan and phil go shopping at target while in Seattle for tit. they’re feeling festive for the season and a little sappy bc, well, duh 🧡

Phouse Chores (ao3) - SpiritsDJH

Summary: Very loosely based off of the chore segment of the preshow at TIT.

pizza & packing (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: dan and phil eat pizza and pack for their trip. they might love each other a little bit

Precious baby angel (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: Dan and Phil buy matching precious baby angel shirts because they’re gay and in love. Dan shows Phil how much he likes the shirt on his angel 💖

Precious Baby Angel (ao3) - toadsappho

Summary: Phil shows Dan his new t-shirt, but that's not the only surprise he has for him.

Proxy Requests (ao3) - philsmeatylegss

Summary: A story about poop and fear (unrelated)

Sheets and sharpies (ao3) - wwoodles

Summary: “Are you going to be good for me?”

He hovered above Dan’s face, awaiting his response. Dan was always taken aback that Phil had this power in him. The ability to completely disarm him.

“Yes, Father.”

Or, in the moments after the end of Dan’s birthday stream, Dan is not only incredibly grateful for Phil, but also incredibly horny.

Side By Side (ao3) - SpiritsDJH

Summary: Dan and Phil, reeling in all the feelings of tour, and finally being able tour the world together again.

silent and sure, keeping watch in the night (ao3) - gaydreaming

Summary: Phil has always loved being on tour. The adventure, the sounds of the tour bus, the way his quality time with Dan takes on a different shape. On the road between Oslo and Helsinki, he sees some beautiful stars through the bus window and wakes Dan up in the middle of the night to enjoy them with him.

Spa night (ao3) - philsbignaturals

Summary: In which Phil gives Dan a nice pampering set for his birthday that's big enough for two.

Spearmint & Espresso (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: Scents (and cuddles) can be healing ☕️🫧

Stolen Sweets (ao3) - e_5456, Frog910

Summary: Phil's sweet tooth strikes again

sunkissed (ao3) - ivylakes

Summary: Maybe Phil was made to pour warmth into this man and leave little marks all over his body the way the sun does when it covers his skin with freckles. Maybe everything they’ve ever done and every little way they’ve loved each other has culminated in this very moment, where they can hardly see each other in the low light but are still brighter than the yellow light that breaks through the sky and glitters on the ocean.

Or, Dan and Phil go on holiday, and every photo they take tells a story.

Sweet Haribo (ao3) - dprkives

Summary: Phil says corny shit to Dan while he’s high on fentanyl at the hospital

switch it up (don’t stop) (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: post workout activities wink wink

Through Sickness and In Health (ao3) - Mysticallykai

Summary: After Phil's hospital stay and their vacation, Dan and Phil try to fall back into their routine. Though it's hard to go back to normal when your normal has changed so suddenly. How will the significant health scare affect Dan and Phil even weeks after it's over?

tweet and retweet (ao3) - gesticulationbubble

Summary: Dan wakes up to a 'surprise on twitter' discovered by Phil. Knowing the Phandom, he guesses he's in for a treat.

Or the August 1st/2nd 2024 Incident, retold.

wear no disguise for me (ao3) - lesbaurinkos (pluginbaby)

Summary: It’s not exactly jealousy, Phil doesn’t think. Not– exactly. But he’s feeling petulant and selfish and maybe like he wants to be a little mean about this… not-Phil. This Phil who doesn’t know the half of what it means to be half of Dan.

(or: dan made a new friend called phil. am i a joke to you)

When you're in the mirror, you're just looking at me (ao3) - Anonymous

Summary: A morning, in a hotel during the tour. Dan thinks about tours past and present.

Where it began (ao3) - Frog910

Summary: Dan and Phil are thinking back to how things started

you will be (the death of me) (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: “I wanna play the game, I want the friction

You will be the death of me”

- Muse (Time is Running Out)

[maplegracefour]

You - Schlatt song fic

* ˚ ✦ Song: You - dodie

Summary: A summer fling. Or was it?

Warnings: Alcohol (minor mention)

Word Count: ~1200 words

Author’s Note: This is very much a vomit on a page moment, I missed the old school 2014 ukulele music I would listen to as a teenager and this came to mind as I was listening. It’s quite choppy and maybe a bit confusing. I’m not really happy with it but enjoy it regardless if you’d like :)

I told you I was looking for some empathy

Well you fooled me

Just, a touch and a thought and I was gone

May 4th 2024, 22:46

Parties weren’t your thing. But alas, if you were going to live in LA, if only temporarily, you had to live the LA lifestyle. At least that’s what your friends said in an attempt to sell you the idea of attending. Funny how as soon as you got there, none of them were anywhere to be seen.

Working on a long-term project that had shifted your life trajectory had seemed worth it at the time, but standing on your own in the corner of some sort of ass-kissing festival seemed like hell on earth. You hadn’t even noticed a figure standing beside you until he spoke.

“You don’t look like you’re having a good time.” He murmurs, nursing a plastic cup of some mysterious liquid.

Your head turned, spinning to greet the smug smirk of JSchlatt himself. You leant back against the wall, gripping your drink a little tighter. “I’m not.” You responded, nonchalantly.

He paused, as though thinking of the exact right thing to say. “Anything I can do to change that?”

“You can answer a question.” You turned to face him, one shoulder against the wall. You two were way closer than you’d expect two people to stand and why did no one tell you that this man is so much more attractive in person? “Why does this place just feel like a massive dick measuring contest? Does anyone here have just an ounce of empathy?”

He laughed, a large belly laugh. The sound was like music to your ears, much to your dismay. 

And now someone’s gonna get to know the better you

When I was supposed to

Why did it have to be you?

September 8th 2024, 15:22

It had hurt much more to leave than you ever had expected it to. Staring out the window of the long-haul flight, your mind was preoccupied. It was hard to even look back at what happened.

How could he just say nothing? How could he pretend that nothing had happened between you? Was it really all just a bit of fun?

I guess

Now the next time there’s an opportunity

I’ll tread more carefully

My heart’s running out of cellotape

October 13th 2024, 19:24

You tried dating, you tried every single app that suggested being able to build any sort of connection. Anything to fill the void inside you that he had left there.

Even if you got on with them, it just wasn’t right. You couldn’t let yourself open up, many of them fizzled away after dry texts. The ones that you had a date with, you can’t remember a single one that called you again afterwards. But you didn’t care.

After him, no one ever made you feel the same.

You know

How is it I’ve never felt that way before?

I was so sure

It wasn’t going to be you

July 2nd 2024, 10:41am

There had been no apprehension. You two slotted in together like you had known each other for years. You spent almost all your time together. Schlatt postponed his flight, telling Ted that it was to work on the podcast, or he wanted to host a couple meeting in person. But Ted knew it was to spend more time with you. 

“Hey man, where’ve you been?” Ted asked, looking up from the couch when Schlatt walked into his apartment. Schlatt waves him off, grumbling something about needing to sleep.

“It’s the middle of the day, the fuck you been doing?” Ted continued his questioning to no avail as Schlatt ignored him and walked into the spare room.

Days of hanging out, cooking you dinner and absolutely thrashing your ass at Mariokart turned into late nights, whispering about your goals and dreams. And then those whispers became sweet nothings, heavy breathing, gasps for more.

Neither of you intended it to be this way, you had insisted that you were just friends. But, that’s not the way it was, was it?

Why do all the red flags,

Just look like so much fun?

I have a habit of

Searching for the damage

To share my love

August 19th 2024, 21:59

You had started to feel more. You couldn’t help it. How could you not?

You knew it was a bad idea, confessing. You’d be gone in a couple of weeks. You had been psyching yourself up for the past few hours whilst curled up on the couch with him, limbs tangled together and a throw blanket draped over you both.

“Jay, can we talk?” You asked, pulling yourself up from his grip to sit opposite him.

He frowned, arms reached out as if you were still in them. “Uh, yeah. What’s going on?”

“I wanted to know where we stand.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

“I just thought we were kinda just messin’ around.” He said, scratching the back of his head. His eyes were darting around, avoiding yours. “Nothing serious.”

“Yeah, cool.” You shook your head, a weak laugh escaping your lips.

“You sure? You seemed pretty serious for a sec there.” He said, looking you up and down.

You laughed again, a nervous habit you had as you shook your head again. “Nah, I’m okay. I just wanted to check that we were on the same page.”

I promised to be numb

But somehow you were the one

Now to unwind

Months of a good time

September 8th 2024, 14:41

You noticed the distance immediately. Schlatt went from being at your AirBnB everyday to every other day. Then it was once a week. For a couple hours a time, you would do your business and he would be out, sometimes before you had even made it out of the bed.

He didn’t even say goodbye in person when you had to fly home. 

When that flight took off, you knew that this was the end. A single summer in your life that meant everything turned into a couple months that you just wish you could forget. But he was always in the background of your mind.

People will tell me that I messed up

And it wasn’t love

And I’m secretly hoping they are right

September 16th 2024, 17:22

Confessing to your friends from home seemed like a good idea at the time but they immediately were sceptical.

Of course, it was just a classic case of a fuck-boy. It was a fling. It should have meant nothing. The next best thing will come along soon.

But something in your mind told you that it couldn’t have been. There was something more there, there had to be. You had been checking your phone almost obsessively.

Just one text. But there’s just radio silence.

Because

Whatever it was, it was wonderful

But non functional

November 22nd 2024, 02:37

Your phone was buzzing. Who the fuck would be calling you at this hour?

The screen read ‘unknown’, making you frown. It could be anyone. But you knew who you were hoping it would be. You reached over your bed, picking up the phone and clicking that little green button.

“Hello?” Your voice was raspy, throat dry.

“Did I wake you up?” Oh fuck. Oh shit fuck shit. It was him.

“Yeah.”

“Sorry.” There was silence for a moment, like he was unsure of what to say. “Could I just talk to you for a few minutes?”

I really hope I don’t love you

[ofmdrecaps]

10/20-22/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Happy very Belated Birthday Rachel House! David Jenkins; Rhys Darby; Taika Waititi; Con O'Neill; Samba Schutte; Vico Ortiz; Kristian Nairn; Nathan Foad; Boris McGiver; Tiny Boats Raffle! Articles; Fan Spotlight; amuseoffyre; Love Notes!

== Happy Birthday Rachel House! ==

Oct 20 was our dear Mary Reed's Birthday! She's been a staple in so many Aotearoa films and TV, and we hope to keep getting to see all her fantastic work for many more years!

Img Src: Screengrab from TheylorSwift Gif

== David Jenkins ==

Chaos Dad has confirmed that the "summer teeth" was Alyssa Lane and Alex Sherman's doing!

Source: David's Twitter

And some love for this OFMD pumpkin!!!

Source: David Jenkins' Twitter

== Rhys Darby ==

Okay so this is really for Rhys AND Taika, and Jemaine-- but Guess what? It's been 10 years since WWDITS 2014 came out! In celebration there's a a limited edition bluray out! I'm still waiting to hear back whether or not it's region free.. because it's got some cool stuff!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Madman (@madmanfilms)

Source: Rhys' Instagram

I didn't see him in the trailer, but it's also been announced that Rhys will be joining Ke Huy Quan and Sean Astin in the new movie Love Hurts coming to theatres on Feb 7, 2025!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Love Hurts (@lovehurtsmovie)

Source: Ke Huy Quan's Instagram

== Taika Waititi ==

Taika was out in Tokyo with Rita for her concert! We got some silly behind the scenes shots of him and Bret from Flight of the Conchords!

Source: Roara Magazine Instagram

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bret McKenzie (@bretrospective)

Source: BretRospective's Instagram

Also -- more news for Taika -- he helped to Executive Produce all 10 episodes, but also directed one of the episodes! It premieres on Nov 19 on Hulu!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Taika Waititi (@taikawaititi)

Source: Taika's Instagram And in case you haven't seen enough of Taika -- he's out taking selfies with fans!

Source: Instagram

== Con O'Neill ==

For those of you who still have access to Max-- Our Izzy Hands, Con O'Neill showed up episode 5 of The Penquin as Gotham's Chief of Police!

Source: Gotham Chief Twitter

== Samba Schutte ==

Samba's been so busy with interviews about Advanced Chemistry! First up is Beyond the Glam!

Source: Beyond the Glam

Next up is Watch or Pass with Samba and the writer Alec Moore!

Source: Youtube

Not an interview-- but Samba did a voting short that he shared on his Instagram as well!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Samba Schutte (@sambaschutte)

Source: Sambas Instagram

== Vico Ortiz ==

Did any of yall join Vico for Drag Your King this Saturday? I wasn't able to make it but looking forward to the video once it's available! You may already know this-- but Vico has been doing A LOT of voice work lately. They've narrated Metal From Heaven (August Clarke) which you can check out here! They are also the narrator for The Stars Too Fondly!

Are you in LA on October 25th? Hit up the LA Femme Int'l Film Festival where you can see Vico's film Lesbophilia! Get tickets here!

Source: Vico's Instagram Stories

== Kristian Nairn ==

Kristian was digging through some old stuff and found these awesome Wonder Woman Bracelets <3

Source: Kristian's Instagram

Reminder UK Crew! Kristian and Nathan will be at MCM Comic Con in London Oct 25 - 27!

Source: Nathan's Instagram

== Boris McGiver ==

Another trailer for Father Bonnet's new show Teacup! Warning-- it's creepy AND bloody! Just in time for Halloween!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Scott Speedman ✰FANSITE (@sscottyfan)

Source: Boris McGiver's Instagram

== Tiny Boats Raffle ==

Okay so I'm MANY days late on this one-- the Tiny Boats Charity Raffle is up! They've announced all their charities! Wanna learn more on how you can win one of Auntie's tiny boats? Visit their Linktr.ee! Or @ofmd-buys-boats on tumblr! It's super cool that all the charities were chosen by the cast! Here's the Entry Form: TinyCrewBigRaffle Entry Form and Entry Guide!

Source: TinyCrewBigRaffle

== Articles ==

== Fan Spotlight ==

= A Muse of Fyre =

Back again with a new muppet is @amuseoffyre! I can't tell you how damn impressive this Ned Low is! He's practically sinister!

Source: amuseoffyre's Twitter

== Love Notes ==

Hey there lovelies. It's been a long beginning of the week for me.. as you can see I'm several days late again.

I just wanted to send a quick reminder that I badly needed this week.. and that is that we are not defined by our low points.

Sometimes things are not gonna go our way, no matter how much we plan, or try to make them do it, and sometimes we just gotta let the tide take us in a direction until it calms the hell down. When it finally does, you're gonna still be the same kind, and wonderful person you've always been-- maybe with some new outlooks or experiences, or even some new lessons learned. We're never the same person we were the day before, but we can still hold onto the things that make us us. Your kindness, your love, your laughter, and your tears... and so much more. Hard times don't define us lovelies, we define us. I hope this week goes in an upward direction for you, and the tides calm down a bit. Please know, even when I'm not around I'm always thinking of you. Take care <3

Source: The Latest Kate's Tumblr

[breelandwalker]

Sturgeon Supermoon - August 19 2024

Buckle up, witches - we've got supermoons on the horizon and August begins the wild ride!

Sturgeon Supermoon - August 19, 2024

The Sturgeon Moon is the name given to the first full moon in August. The name comes from the plentiful numbers of sturgeon which appear around this time of year.

Sturgeons are living prehistoric relics, examples of which appear in the fossil record as far back as 200 million years ago. Today, they are endangered due to overfishing, pollution, and habitat loss, but giant sturgeons growing up to 12ft (3.65m) long were once a common sight in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain in North America.

Other North American Indigenous names for this moon include Flying Up Moon (Cree), Corn Moon (Algonquin and Ojibwe), Harvest Moon (Dakota), Dry Moon (Catawba), Mountain Shadows Moon (Tlingit), and Black Cherries Moon (Assiniboine). European names for this moon include Haymaking Moon (Norse), Lightning Moon (English), and Grain Moon (Anglo-Saxon).

It's also interesting to note that in China, the seventh full moon of the lunar year is called the Hungry Ghost Moon, during which spirits of departed ancestors visit their relatives and homes, and trickster spirits may cause mayhem among the living if not properly appeased. Food offerings and incense are put out for ancestor spirits, families visit gravesites to offer prayers and site maintenance, and festival dances and floating lanterns celebrate the honored dead.

What Does It Mean For Witches?

The August full moon is the first of FOUR CONSECUTIVE SUPERMOONS for the 2024 calendar year. So if you've got a lunar magic inclination and the patience for a long-term working, this a great time to start making things happen!

Peak illumination will occur at 2:26pm EST so tonight's moon will be big and bright and full of potential.

August's full moon is technically both a supermoon AND a seasonal blue moon. A blue moon is the second full moon occurring in a calendar month. A seasonal blue moon is the third full moon in a season when four full moons occur. September's full moon falls before the autumn equinox this year.

Both blue moons and supermoons are particularly advantageous times for spellwork, especially that which involves the fulfillment of goals, desires, and wishes, or the culmination of long-term plans. It's also a great time to start new projects and set new goals for the fall and winter.

Supermoons carry your magical workings forward with a little dash of extra strength and vigor, and may provide extra clarity during divination or reflection. It's also the perfect time for spells related to wishmaking and abundance, drawing in the appearance of something long-awaited or extra bit of luck or prosperity you've been needing. And with three more supermoons coming our way in September, October, and November, this is a particularly advantageous time to begin a long-term working that will culminate toward the end of the year.

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

In August, we harvest one set of crops and sow another, reaping the rewards of our previous efforts and planting the seeds of future success. Look back on the magical workings you've done so far this year - how are they working out? Have any of your spells produced especially notable results? Go back and add to your notes, making sure to record anything that worked particularly well. (And also anything that DIDN'T work well. Remember that failure is a learning experience too.)

Evaluate your progress and reflect on what you want to carry forward and what you might need to put on hold or just let go for the time being. If you're partial to divination, a reading may help to provide some additional clarity on your current status, as well as some perspective on the possibilities for the near future.

Celebrate the harvest of grain and corn with your favorite recipes or a summer picnic. But don't just limit yourself to corn and wheat! Late summer fruits are also ripe and make a tasty addition to any table.

Set your intentions and your goals for the latter part of the year and start preparing for the autumn and winter. It may seem silly to prepare for the cold when the weather is still blazing hot, but it will be here before you know it. Take time for one more summer beach trip or camping excursion before the hustle and bustle of the fall sets in.

The observation of blue moons and supermoons as magical occasions are a modern addition to witchcraft, but the lack of antiquity doesn't mean there's any shortage of metaphysical potential!

Prepare for a bountiful fall season with lots of opportunities to make things happen. Set yourself up for success by making your wants and needs clear in your spellwork. Attend to practical matters to remove whatever obstacles you can and clear the way for your hard work and magical endeavors to pay off.

Set out a big jug of potable water each month to catch the light of the supermoons between now and November - it will be great for cleansing, protection, wish-making, and drinkable potion bases later! If you've got wildcrafted or garden-grown herbs with a lunar alignment, or which correspond to prosperity, success, and strength, harvest a few this evening and keep them specially labeled for future workings. And remember to put out your moon jars!

All in all, this month's full moon is supercharged with lunar energy and primed for magical workings, so make your spells count!

Happy Sturgeon Moon, witches! 🌕🐟

Further Reading:

Additional Lunar Calendar posts by Bree NicGarran

2024 Witches' Calendar post by Bree NicGarran

Supermoon in August 2024: The First of the Year!, The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Hooked on the Magic of August’s Full Sturgeon Moon, The Peculiar Brunette.

Hungry Ghost Festival, China Travel, June 20 2023.

Sturgeon, Wikipedia Article.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison, Llewellyn Publications, 2004.

Image Credit: "Leaping Gulf Sturgeon," by Dawn Witherington

(If you're enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, subscribe to my monthly show Hex Positive, or check out my published works on Amazon and in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[weirdowithaquill]

Traintober 2024: Day 31 - Dusk

Tidmouth Train to Hell:

Pip and Emma stared at the timetable, not quite sure what to make of it. “Why is there a massive gap?” Pip finally said, still trying to wrap her head around the odd space from dusk until the next day. “Oh, that’s a Halloween tradition,” replied Bear, looking over from his own train. “Every Halloween they put us all away early for some reason. Never quite understood why, but each to their own and all that!” Pip scoffed, while Emma looked more bemused than anything.

The High-Speed diesels were still new to Sodor, and had only been once before, on trial during the summer period. This was their first October on the Island of Sodor, and all month they’d been amazed to find that the engines were far more interested in the holiday and its various traditions than the mainland was. Particularly, it was extremely popular amongst the native Sudrian people, who had been performing several rituals and festivals since the start of the month.

Emma had been far more curious about the whole thing than her sister, and decided to ask one of the older engines, in hope of getting some information. “Well,” hummed Percy, “it’s a Gaelic thing. Sauin, I believe the Sudrians call it. It’s like Samhain up in Scotland, and is all about the end of the harvest season. I remember how much Sir Topham the First put emphasis on listening to the local Sudrians about how important the rituals and festivals were. For example, at the start of the month is the cleansing ritual; it’s a bit like a spring clean, but in autumn. It used to be when the men would go out and start chopping wood for winter according to Edward.” At that moment, the signal clunked up to show green, and Percy puffed away.

Pip snorted from her end of the train. “Asking about all these silly holidays again?” she asked. “They’re not silly!” protested Emma. “They’re—” “An excuse to get more days off work,” finished Pip crossly. “Now come on, we’ve got a train to pull.”

Pip and Emma ran the WildNorWester express to London, stopping only at Crovan’s Gate, Barrow and Preston. It meant the two were often the most out of the loop on all the important gossip of the railway, as they were over on the mainland and missed it. One such titbit of gossip the pair missed was the track repairs being done at Crovan’s Gate. On their return run a week later, Pip and Emma were stopped at the platform to wait while several old signals and a set of points were replaced.

Their repair shed had recently been completed and stood on one side of the line while the narrow gauge railway sat on the other, the mainline trapped between the two and the Works. Pip and Emma had been switched onto the wrong side of the line to avoid a massive section of missing track. This put Emma right next to the Skarloey Railway sheds, where Duke was resting. “Excuse me,” Emma called. “You’ve been on Sodor for a long time, Duke – do you know much about Sau---een?” “Sauin,” corrected Duke kindly. “And I certainly do. My old line used to run through the heart of old Sodor, so I learnt all about it.” “Not this again!” groaned Pip from the other end of the train. Duke and Emma ignored her.

“Sauin is a festival to celebrate the end of the harvest, the start of the winter season… and the point in time when the barrier between our world and the Otherworld is at its weakest. The month begins by preparing for winter and giving thanks to the sun, before pivoting to asking for protection from the winter gods and giving sacrifices to the ancestors as thanks for their guidance. Then, it ends with Sauin itself, which is better known as Halloween. People celebrate the wicked and supernatural, then stay indoors overnight with scriptures for protection painted on the doorway to ward off evil spirits. It’s said they begin to break out of the Otherworld at Dusk, and party in our world until midnight…” Duke broke off, looking contemplative. Emma wasn’t sure why, but she felt uneasy all of a sudden.

A group of people walked along the platform, offering blessings to the stranded passengers and burning incense. Pip refused to be blessed, and then the group made their way over to Emma and Duke.

“Ah, if you wouldn’t mind,” Duke said. A man stepped forward, painting a sigil on Duke’s forehead in red paint before waving the incense around him. Duke smiled warmly, his old eyes closing as he relaxed while the ritual was performed.

“Oooh, can you do me next please!” asked Emma. The group nodded. “Of course we can,” one said. “Explain it to Emma while you do,” Duke added. “She’s new, and this is her first Sauin.” The man stepped forwards, dipping his thumb in some more paint.

“Alright then Emma, I’m going to paint a sigil for protection on your forehead in Ancient Sudric, and then we’ll bless you with the incense.” A few of the more curious tourists wandered over to watch, intrigued by the ritual. The man painted the sigil in careful strokes on Emma’s forehead, and then several of the others walked around her as much as they could, waving the incense over her radiator grills and wheels.

“Thank you!” said Emma happily when they finished. “I… I actually feel better already.” “You should,” hummed Duke. “It’s a popular Ancient Sudrian tradition to get blessed prior to Sauin night – just in case you’re caught out after dusk.”

Pip just rolled her eyes down at her end of the train.

Emma asked a few more questions while they waited, before finally deciding to broach a topic she’d been unsure of since she’d begun asking around about Sauin. “Why is the timetable completely empty on Sauin night?” she asked. Duke frowned. “I said everyone stays inside, so why would anyone want to take the train?” “What about tourists, or goods?” quizzed Emma. “This is Sodor – there’s always another reason.” “You’re… not wrong,” sighed Duke. “Every Halloween, a train runs from the Rolling Bridge to Tidmouth. It’s on no timetable, and has no schedule. Some engines assert it leaves at dusk, while others suggest it crosses the island in the blink of an eye. What is known about this train is that it arrives at Tidmouth at exactly midnight… and continues on through the buffers.” “Through the buffers?!” squeaked Emma. “What, do they crash the train on purpose?” “Oh no,” sighed Duke. “It’s a train to the Otherworld – though some of the workers call it the ‘Tidmouth Train to Hell’. It’s pure black from one end to the other, and absolutely no one is allowed to set eyes on it.”

“What happens if someone does?” asked Emma, spooked. Duke sighed. “Well – a man was walking along the line in ’37 when he saw it. He was found a gibbering wreck on the trackside, white as a ghost and shivering like mad. He spent the rest of his life in a mental asylum, poor chap.”

Emma winced; at that moment, the signal turned green, and the two High-Speed twins were cleared to go. The passengers hurried back aboard, and the twins set off.

“It’s poppycock,” sniffed Pip as they rocketed along. “Ooooo, be afraid of ‘The Tidmouth Train to Hell’. Duke’s trying to have you on. I bet if you ask a sensible engine like Henry or Gordon they’ll tell you it never happened!”

Pip was proven very wrong. Emma decided to ask the pair that very night, and to Pip’s surprise they immediately confirmed Duke’s story.

“Oh, old Jefferies,” hummed Gordon. “Duke told you about him? I’m surprised he didn’t use one of the earlier cases – when I arrived, people still didn’t believe in it, and we’d find three or four every Halloween stumbling about the line screaming and gibbering and acting like lunatics. I remember very vividly Glynn going down the line and picking them all up in a compartment coach so they could be kept separate and brought to the hospital safely. By the end of the 20s, every had learnt better than to be out on Halloween. Sir Topham always ensured that we were in our sheds on that night too, and his son and grandson have both followed his example.”

Pip and Emma were both stunned!

“So… it’s real?” asked Emma slowly. “It’s very real,” Henry said grimly. “I’ve seen a peek of it through the shed windows. It’s a frightening thing, let me tell you! All black, with great red headlamps and it’s puffs sound like screams. We all stay in here and tell ghost stories and try not to think about it. And I’d suggest you do the same – I know you’ve got the last train of the day. Do not be late getting here.”

Emma agreed that she definitely was going to be on time, and even Pip seemed nervous.

The week went by, and the two new engines watched as more and more Sauin festivals were held. These were less and less about the harvest, and more and more about the oncoming winter and the spirits. A number of the native Sudrians and older engines began to have protection sigils painted on their foreheads when they went out; Duke was joined by Skarloey, Rheneas, Thomas, Edward, Henry and Gordon within a few days. Donald and Douglas, who’d learnt about Samhain back in Scotland, had their own sigils written in Scottish Gaelic. Duck and Oliver got their own Scottish sigils written in support of their friends.

All around them, Pip and Emma watched as Sodor prepared for Sauin night. Hotels filled to capacity, with large parades held celebrating the spirits in several of the bigger towns and cities.

And then finally, Halloween came. The day was incredibly slow, with barely any passengers at all riding with the railway. Pip and Emma wondered if it was worth pulling their train at all – at least, until they set out on their last express of the day. It was packed.

“Why are there so many?!” exclaimed Emma. “We’re going to be barely able to hold them all!” “It’s everyone heading to the mainland to avoid Sauin night,” James said, puffing in. “You’ll be hard pressed with this many – I think it’s cause there was a fog warning put out earlier; no one wants to be caught out past dusk with that in place. Spirits and fog? No thank you!”

James steamed away to shunt his coaches into their siding, while Pip and Emma prepared to head off. It was a struggle setting off. Every single seat was filled, and a number of others stood in the corridors, making the trip extremely difficult. Even more piled on at Crovan’s Gate, where almost all the Skarloey engines had already been hidden away in their shed. Emma watched the slowly descending sun with worry.

“If we get held up on the mainland even once, we’re not going to be back for dusk,” she fretted. “We’ll be fine,” replied Pip. “Worst comes to worst, we’re a little late. ‘The Tidmouth Train to Hell’ isn’t a threat to us.”

Oh how wrong Pip was.

The big sheds at Tidmouth were filling to capacity rapidly. The usual crowd had filed in, as had Edward, BoCo, Thomas, Percy, Toby and Daisy. The sheds were so full that the tank engines had to share a road between two of them; Duck and Oliver on one line and Percy and Toby on another. The scripts had been painted on the doors, and the storm shutters rolled down on the windows. Daisy huffed grumpily, glaring out at the yards as thick fog and mist wafted in. “I hate having to spend the night here, it’s so bad for my swerves!” “Oh belt up!” groaned Thomas. “It’s better than being out there – no one wants to be out there.” “Speaking of out there, where are Pip and Emma?” asked Gordon. “Dusk is in half an hour, and they aren’t back.”

Edward, sat on the turntable, winced. “I heard they had a full train leaving Tidmouth. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve been waylaid. Let’s just hope the stationmaster at Barrow parks them there for the night.”

Pip and Emma would have no such luck. The pair were late leaving London and Preston, filled up once again with people wanting to get home for the holiday – but the platform at Barrow was deserted. The fog had truly begun to set in, leaving long shadows where none should be.

“You can’t stay here,” the stationmaster said grumpily. The sun was beginning to sink over the horizon. “There’s no space, and you’re not a Northern engine anyway. Go back to Sodor.”

Pip and Emma both tried to argue – but it was no use. At least the lack of passengers meant they didn’t need to wait around. The pair roared out of Barrow, trying their best to claw back time from the setting sun. Dusk was coming fast: too fast. The fog was willing it on faster, thick cloud cover blocking out part of the sun and making it increasingly harder to see.

Vicarstown flew by, followed by Henry’s tunnel and then Crovan’s Gate. Clear signals guided them through each station, the two honking their horns loudly. It was almost as if they were heralding the dusk, trying their best to make it back home before night came. Dark figures watched their progress from deep in the shadows, hiding where neither twin could really see them. “Faster Pip, faster!” called Emma. “I’m giving it all I can!” called back Pip.

Finally, Tidmouth came into view, one door still rolled up for them. Pip and Emma were quick to back through it, the door slamming down behind them just as the last rays of the sun vanished over the horizon, leaving behind only the fog.

“Cutting it close there,” said Gordon darkly. Both Pip and Emma winced. “We were held up on the mainland… a lot. And then the stationmaster at Barrow wouldn’t let us stay there.”

Gordon huffed. “Stupid man – he’s got no sense. Why, the other day!—”

He was cut off by James shushing him. The two shot glares at each other, before allowing Edward to pick up his story again.

The old engine wove stories throughout the next few hours, telling tales of twisted grins and haunting ghouls heralded by owls, of spirits sent to help and those sent to destroy. The engines relaxed, enjoying the night even as the hours ticked on. Pip and Emma could have fooled themselves into thinking it was just another horrible storm trapping all the engines in the shed.

That is, until a most horrific sound pierced through the air, shattering Edward’s story and leaving all the engines deathly silent. The clock showed a minute to midnight. The sound came again, a ghastly howling and screeching and moaning that seemed to work its way into the engines’ frames and bury itself there, leaving them all shaking. The doors and windows began to rattle and shake, as if hundreds of people were banging on them, trying to pry them open.

“Out after dusk!” they howled. “They were out after dusk!” Pip and Emma began to shake, terrified.

Another ear-piercing whistle filled the air, made of even more tortured howling and screeching. Then came the screams. As the engine thundered towards Tidmouth, each beat of its cylinders sounded like the screams of the damned. The entire shed seemed to shake, as the horrific banging and rattling continued.

“Out after dusk! Out after dusk! They belong to us! They belong to us!” Pip and Emma quivered, petrified. The other engines looked equally terrified – all except Edward. As the cacophony reached a peak, he took a deep breath.

“You are not welcome inside. We are protected. This shed has been blessed; these engines have been blessed. You are not welcome inside!”  

“ONE HAS NOT!” boomed the creatures outside. Pip gasped – she had refused the blessing!

The engine grew nearer; time seemed to slow. Edward took a level breath, and spoke again.

“You are not welcome inside. We are protected. This shed has been blessed; these engines have been blessed. You are not welcome inside!”  

“ONE HAS NOT!” came the furious reply. Before Edward could speak again, there was a horrendous roar and scream of whistles, brakes and steam – the Tidmouth Train to Hell had arrived. It roared past, it’s red lamps illuminating against the doors. The shed walls groaned, as if nearly at braking point. The windows rattled harder, dents being made it the metal. Daisy shrieked and fainted.

Thomas began praying under his breath in one language; the twins did the same in a different one. The train sped into the station, thundering towards the buffers. One dent slammed against the glass of the window next to Pip, cracking the glass. A gnarled nail pierced through the shutter.

“You are not welcome inside. We are protected. This shed has been blessed; these engines have been blessed. You are not welcome inside!”  Edward thundered again, his eyes darting over to the shutter.

The train hit the buffers.

The creatures outside let out a chorus of tortured screams. They were in agony, ripping away from the sheds and howling in pain. The nail was torn from the shutter, giving Pip just enough space to see dark figures writhing on the ground.

The clock ticked over; a new day began. The creatures let out one last screech. The floor seemed to open up around them, hellflames licking up at the night fog and illuminating the entire night in a sea of blood red. The creatures screaming and screeched, dragged downwards and suffocated in the earth before they could be scorched alive by the flames.

And then there was silence.

“Oh…” managed Pip softly.

Everyone looked shaken. Edward sighed softly, and looked over at the twins. “The last time an engine was out after dusk and wasn’t blessed was in 1916, during the war,” he said quietly. “Thomas mightn’t remember it – but I do. It was a loaned engine who told us all that Sauin was stupid… that is, until the creatures of hell surrounded the sheds and began demanding we give him over. Glynn kept trying to keep them out, but he slipped up. The engine’s shed door was ripped open suddenly, and he was… dragged out. We never say what pulled him out – but whatever it was bent that door open like it was a tin can and shoved it back down afterwards. We all heard the loaned engine’s screams as it was given to the creatures and torn piece from piece…”

Edward paused, and gazed at the shed doors, looking wary.

“It’s said that engine became the Tidmouth Train to Hell, crossing the island and giving the spirits and creatures time to roam free before arriving in Tidmouth and condemning them all back to hell, to make sure none can inflict that fate on another.”

He finished his story and looked around the silent room. Daisy was still unconscious, and it was a miracle none of the others had followed. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the dent shutter and cracked window, a stark warning of how close the creatures got.

No one slept that night.

And suffice to say, Pip and Emma were never late again on Sauin.

Back to the Master Post

[hunieday]

Oogami Banri 2024 RabbiTV - Episode 1 : A travel Guide

Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3

Please note that I am not a professional translator and I'm only doing this to share the side materials to those who cannot access them, if you notice any mistakes please let me know nicely. Enjoy!

(Cut to the i7 Dorms)

Nanase Riku: Manager is here~!

Takanashi Tsumugi: Thank you for your hard work, everyone! Sorry for the intrusion…!

Nikaido Yamato: Oh, there you are. Good work, Manager.

Izumi Mitsuki: Thanks for your hard work! Sorry for calling you here out of the blue! We just wanted to discuss something we can’t really talk about at the office.

Takanashi Tsumugi: Don’t worry about it at all…! You’re holding a meeting about Banri-san’s thing, right?

Rokuya Nagi: YES! It’s an important meeting to celebrate Banri’s birthday!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Yaay! Our Ban-chan!

Osaka Sougo: We’re thinking of offering him a one-day tour of Atami this time.

Nanase Riku: We were lucky to work on the "OFF/Travel @ SHIZUOKA" project since it’s such a wonderful city, so we were hoping Banri-san would experience its charm too!

Izumi Iori: It would be difficult to tour all of Shizuoka after all, so we’re planning the tour around the  Atami area since it’s easier to go through. 

Takanashi Tsumugi: So you all came up with an original tour plan! That’s wonderful…!

Nikaido Yamato: And we have this thing over here.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Ta-daa! Our original travel guide!

Izumi Mitsuki: We made the entire thing by hand!

Rokuya Nagi: King Pudding and Kinako are dressed up in OFF/travel fits on the cover!

Takanashi Tsumugi: Wow! I-I want one…!

Izumi Iori: Everyone contributed to the illustrations of the guide. We plan to make a few copies, so we’ll give one to you as well.

Yotsuba Tamaki: I supervised Sou-chan’s drawings so I don’t think they’ll freak Ban-chan out!

Osaka Sougo: Tamaki-sensei gave me some guidance.

Rokuya Nagi: And the person who drew this Kokona over here, is actually me.

Nikaido Yamato: Yeah, we could tell without asking I think.

Nanase Riku: We also made a schedule together! I thought we could add a few more detours but…

Izumi Iori: Your suggestions were way too inefficient. If we walk for more than 30 minutes between every stop, we won’t have time to do any sightseeing. And Nagi-san keeps suggesting taking taxis for every trip…

Rokuya Nagi: Of course! Japan is still hot even in September.

Osaka Sougo: As you can see, Iori-kun was supervising the schedule.

Izumi Mitsuki: By the way, the gourmet food selection was supervised by Yamato-san! He compiled all the delicious things we ate in Atami.

Nikaido Yamato: Well, Banri-san likes Japanese food so we have similar tastes. Mitsu and Tama were a big help with the sweets stuff.

Yotsuba Tamaki: All thanks to Mikki!

Izumi Mitsuki: You did well, Tamaki!

Nanase Riku: And the highlight of the trip!

IDOLiSH7: The Atami Seaside Fireworks Festival!

Takanashi Tsumugi: A fireworks festival…! Isn’t that amazing? They hold it more than ten times a year…!

Nanase Riku: That’s right! And not just during summer! We want Banri-san to finish a day of sightseeing by watching the fireworks!

Izumi Iori: I watched a video about the festival, and the way the fireworks reflected on the sea was beautiful. I think it’ll be even more impressive in person.

Rokuya Nagi: Please take lots of photos. We’re looking forward to hearing all about it.

Takanashi Tsumugi: Right, I’ll ask Banri-san about it!

Nikaido Yamato: No, no. We’re asking you, Manager.

Osaka Sougo: Could you please take a look at the participant list here?

Takanashi Tsumugi: Huh…? 

Takanashi Tsumugi: Banri-san and… me and the other agencies’ managers…!?

Izumi Mitsuki: I’m sure Banri-san would feel too reserved going alone, so the president decided to make this the annual manager’s trip too!

Takanashi Tsumugi: The president…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Yup! Then we asked the other managers via rabbitchat and everyone was on board to help out!

Osaka Sougo: I was in charge of supervising the messages sent to the senior managers just in case.

Rokuya Nagi: There sure are a lot of supervisors!

Nanase Riku: Everyone just wants to express their thanks to their hard working managers! They even helped us a little bit with the guidebook.

Izumi Iori: That’s why we want you all to have fun and take it easy. (1)

Nikaido Yamato: Go eat lots of delicious food!

Takanashi Tsumugi: Thank you so much! I’ll take you up on the offer and enjoy Atami to the fullest…!

(Cut to Trigger’s Apartment)

Anesagi Kaoru: …And that concludes our meeting. Thanks for the tea. I’ll come back and pick you up again tomorrow!

Yaotome Gaku: Wait, Anesagi! We didn’t invite you here just to drink tea!

Kujo Tenn: Actually, we have a request for you, Anesagi-san.

Anesagi Kaoru: A request from you guys…? That’s unusual.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Anesagi-san, please go on a trip to Atami during your next day off!

Anesagi Kaoru: Huh!? Atami!?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: The IDOLiSH7 members are planning a celebration for Banri-san’s birthday, and they suggested turning the relaxing trip into an annual retreat for all the managers!

Kujo Tenn: You haven’t been able to take a break recently, right? This is the perfect opportunity to relax and refresh your soul.

Yaotome Gaku: We even made guidebooks! We worked on them with the IDOLiSH7 guys. Look at the souvenir page here.

Kujo Tenn: I included a section on hot spring water skincare products that looked appealing.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Your skin’s already beautiful Anesagi-san, but it could become even more radiant!

Anesagi Kaoru: Oh,you! You say such sweet things. Those skincare products sound great too…

Anesagi Kaoru: Wait. Oh my god…! Nagi-kun drew something too!

Yaotome Gaku: How do you even know that…?

Kujo Tenn: Hehe, who knows?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: So, what do you say?! You’ll go, right?

Anesagi Kaoru: …Well, since you went through all this trouble to plan this… I guess I’ll go to Atami!

Yaotome Gaku: That’s the spirit!

Kujo Tenn: That’s a relief. Gaku and Ryuu have been itching to tell you ever since this trip has been decided.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Y-You think so!?

Yaotome Gaku: No I didn’t!?

Kujo Tenn: Yes you did. In fact, you kept saying “Atami” so much that you started having nonsensical conversations, like whether or not a hot sea even exists. Well it probably depends on the temperature outside.

Yaotome Gaku: Because the thought of you watching the awesome Atami fireworks made me so happy!

Anesagi Kaoru: Fireworks?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: That’s right! Anesagi-san, the other day you mentioned that you wanted to go to a fireworks festival after hearing them in the distance on your way home, right?

Kujo Tenn: The moment we heard about the fireworks setting off over the sea, we knew we definitely wanted to show that sight to you.

Anesagi Kaoru: That was just a random passing comment I made… But you guys actually remembered.

Yaotome Gaku: Of course! We’re talking about our precious manager here after all.

Kujo Tenn: We want to see your smiling face as well, Anesagi-san.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: You always put us first, so please let us fulfill your wish!

Anesagi Kaoru: You silly boys. It’s not about putting you first or not. It’s my pleasure to support you!

Anesagi Kaoru: …But, thank you. I’m gonna enjoy my trip to Atami to the fullest!

(Cut to Okazaki Agency)

Momo: Dan-dan-dada-dun-dan♪

Yuki: Dadadadadandan-dan♪

Okazaki Rintaro: What’s up with your singing? You’re in a good mood today.

Okazaki Rinto: Isn’t that the song they play at award ceremonies? And is Momo-kun holding what looks like a piece of paper…?

Okazaki Rintaro: So that’s what it is! A ceremony to honor my great achievements, huh? You can be cute sometimes.

Okazaki Rintaro: Well then, what kind of award will you give me? “Hottest president”? “Most amazing president”?

Yuki: There sure are some randos in this sacred award ceremony.

Okazaki Rintaro: Don’t call your president a rando.

Momo: Sorry Prez, it’s Okarin’s award ceremony this time!

Momo: Ta-da! Thanks for your hard work, Okarin! We’re giving you the “World’s best Manager Award”!

Yuki: And your prize for winning this award is a one day tour to Atami. Here’s your guide book.

Okazaki Rinto: Huh!? What award and what kind of prize is this!?

Momo: Haha, you look surprised! Well to summarize, you’re the best for always supporting us! And in return we are gifting you a trip to Atami to show our gratitude!

Yuki: Okarin, thank you for everything.

Momo: Please give us an acceptance speech!

Okazaki Rinto: A-An acceptance speech!? 

Okazaki Rinto: Uhhh… Well, I’m very honored to receive such an award. Thank you very much. I will continue to support Re:vale from here on!!

Yuki: Woo! Okarin!

Momo: Look this way!

Okazaki Rinto: Oh, thank you, thank you… Wait a sec, what do you mean by a trip!? And this adorable travel guide…!

Yuki: IDOLiSH7 is planning a trip for Ban’s birthday this year as well, and they suggested making it a tradition for all the managers to go on a vacation trip.

Yuki: Momo and I also helped make the travel guide book.

Momo: Yuki and I put together a list of food that’s easy on the stomach!

Yuki: We already asked Rintaro to make sure you have the day off.

Okazaki Rinto: The president knew about this!?

Okazaki Rintaro: Well yeah. These two really insisted on it. I can’t say no to Re:vale can I?

Yuki: We casually mentioned it on rabbitchat that’s all.

Momo: Okarin, have a blast in Atami!

Yuki: Don’t think about work that day.

Okazaki Rinto: T-thank you so much…! I’ll bring back lots of souvenirs from Atami!

(ŹOOĻ Waiting Room)

Inumaru Touma: Utsugi-san said he’s gonna be a little late since there’s something he needs to confirm with the director.

Natsume Minami, Isumi Haruka & Mido Torao: …Sigh…

Inumaru Touma: Huh. Why the long faces!?

Inumaru Touma: Aren’t you gonna tell Utsugi-san about the Atami trip? Look, the travel guide we just finished is right here!

Isumi Haruka: I thought it’d be great to make the managers' trip a regular thing…

Isumi Haruka: But when you really think about it, isn't it a bit questionable for us to decide their vacations without asking?

Mido Torao: Like they might have other plans...

Natsume Minami: Or they might prefer mountain food over seafood…

Inumaru Touma: Well, I get what you mean. Why don’t we tell him the gist of it first and ask if he’s interested in going?

Natsume Minami: But it could make it hard for him to refuse if we ask.

Isumi Haruka: And we wanna surprise Utsugi-san if possible anyways.

Mido Torao: I think he’d appreciate it more if we surprised him.

Inumaru Touma: Make up your minds already!

(Door opens)

Utsugi Shiro: Sorry for the wait. The meeting’s over.

Utsugi Shiro: ...Erm, why do you all look so serious? Did you not like the snacks I bought for you?!

Natsume Minami: No, the dorayaki was delectable.

Mido Torao: The sweetness of the red bean paste was just right.

Utsugi Shiro: Then what’s going on…

Isumi Haruka: L-Listen. The thing is, IDOLiSH7 is planning a trip to Atami to celebrate MEZZO��’s manager’s birthday…

Natsume Minami: And so, they suggested combining it with a trip for all the managers as well.

Mido Torao: Last year’s trip looked like it was a great way for you to refresh, so we wanted you to go this time too.

Inumaru Touma: Here’s the travel guide! We helped make it too.

Utsugi Shiro: Atami!? A travel guide…!? Wait a second, you want me to go on this trip?

Isumi Haruka: Ah… was this too sudden and unpleasant after all?

Utsugi Shiro: Not at all…! On the contrary! I’m so happy that you all prepared such a wonderful surprise for me!

Inumaru Touma: Hehe. That’s great guys! Just now everyone was worried about whether or not you’d like it.

Mido Torao: Well, I knew you’d be happy with it.

Natsume Minami: And seafood is delicious.

Isumi Haruka: And the seaside suits Utsugi-san.

Utsugi Shiro: Thank you, I’m so happy! Which part of the travel guide did you guys work on?

Mido Torao: This part. We recommended the best spots to view the fireworks and food stalls.

Natsume Minami: We put a lot of effort into it, so please take your time reading through it later.

Isumi Haruka: Make sure to share lots of photos in the rabbitchat!

Inumaru Touma: We’re looking forward to hearing your stories!

Utsugi Shiro: Yes…! I’ll enjoy Atami while following the guide!

(End of Episode 1)

Iori originally says “羽を伸ばしてきてください”  (stretch one’s wings), which is a polite metaphor to suggest someone relaxes and takes a break. I have no idea if it’s intentional, but I think if it is then it’s a pretty clever reference to Silver Sky (the Re:vale song named after Banri’s character color that has bird imagery in both its cover and lyrics). (that or im just insane)(sorry)