#sure some villages and locations aren't well developed

[randomnameless]

So this may be an odd ask, but if you could pick a real-world culture to be the basis of a Fire emblem nation in a future game, which ones would they be?

Hmm...

Given what Fodlan did to Almyra...

I mean, we're on par with "Verdane was inspired by Persia" from Jugdral, and we're not in the early 1990s anymore, so I'm not really trusting IS with any "real world culture" anymore.

But for some sort of revenge bias - after Almyra and TS, well, Hyzante - I'd like to see IS, try to get designs and clues from the Middle East, but without the 1800s bias that ultimately created Almyra.

I know FE isn't like, an Assassin's Creed game so you can't explore "real world cultures" that much, but if they could just take inspiration for clothes and designs from one "real world" place without slapping obvious prejudices it'd be nice.

[arvoze]

[1/3] HHNFLARTAS - the master trials

hell hath no fury like a rescue team association scorned not a fic or anything, i just ramble a lot about my pmd ocs in a digestible format that's more or less that kind of content. random yearly event for rescue teams. covers no more than like, one week of VV content

[ X / 2 / 3 ]

the master trials

an annual event where the rescue team association (RTA) judge teams of a certain rank and higher. this judgement is made after teams are put through a series of challenges to make sure that the rescue teams are up to par and can perform their duties.

whilst many pass, it is also entirely possible for a team to fail the trials, subsequently getting demoted. in this case, teams may earn enough points to reach the entry rank again, though in order to be recognised as that rank, they must pass that year's trial. this is not a requirement unless you are re-entering the rank.

..

many high-ranking teams will be famous within good reason. one way to earn notoriety is to place well in the master trials -- but if a team comes in the top spot, chances are they'll already be known anyways, and be some of the highest possible ranks. there are outliers, though, but they're few and far between.

hundreds, if not thousands of teams will take part regionally. each continent has its own top 100 chart. it's fine to place below the top 100; this doesn't mean you're getting demoted, it's just a way to deter giving everybody a placement. many of those who make it into the bottom bracket of the ranks aren't cared for much, either, even if it's still an achievement.

the rescue team association

the RTA is like a board of directors within the rescue team profession. it is worth noting that this covers all forms of rescue team; if it operates under guild rules, it counts. rescues, exploration, discovery, all-rounders -- it's all under the "rescue team" umbrella. many on the RTA board are former high-rankers, but some less-than-savoury upperclassmons have had their says in their matters too.

regardless, many of the pokemon here are strongly revered in their fields. they oversee many of the trials in action, after a certain point within the master trials begin (they can't track the progress of every team).

in the final few stages of the master trials, they observe teams using rotom devices linked to familiar technology -- nothing entirely new. just rotom drones projected to a large connection orb, probably. developed technology still isn't that great.

..

the RTA are responsible for sending messages out across all guilds, whenever needed.

verdant village

verdant village is situated within the water continent, meaning that it's part of the master trials (water division). guildmaster rime doesn't actually have that many great teams registered under the guild itself; it's mostly just a place for other teams to hang out and get missions from, sometimes. and a lot of the actual teams are pretty low-ranking, because not a lot of heavy missions show up. that's really just because verdant village is a "new" location in comparison to most other guild origins, having only been founded within the past 50 years. it's still finding its roots, but they're growing.

there's a good few number of teams that can apply for the master trials, however. but the only ones that are really important right now are keith's team (keith/cacturne, mike/breloom, luwel/nuzleaf) and team pb&j (roadblock/garganacl, minecart/palossand). they're rival teams, but in a one-sided sense. PB&J is more of an inconvenience to keith's team.

..

keith's team, having been doing this job for at least 20 years under verdant's guild, have taken part in the master trials several times. team PB&J are fresher on the scene, but have participated in at least one previous trial. keith's team has barely cut into the top 100 within the water division a few times, though always in the lower bracket. they're the highest scorers in verdant village, though, which isn't really a surprise to anybody.

keith's team

keith's team - real team name, nonexistent, they've never had one - have been registered under verdant village since [the team's] creation. the team has existed since the trio were children, and continues to exist as each member is in their thirties (varying ages). despite their general additiude and demeanour, keith's team take their job as a rescue team very seriously -- which is precisely why keith is set to become the future guildmaster. in rime's words, despite what he shows, nobody cares about others quite like him.

the master trials go about as average as you'd expect. keith's team never fail the master's, but they're nothing to entirely write home about either. they're somewhere above average, but they're also not the most famous team in the continent. far from it. (they're recognised within the village, though, as each member is social in their own way). their teamwork and planning-ahead tends to be standout, but still nothing to make other guilds remember the name.

luwel usually prepares far in advance for the master trials, because he's fucked up and likes to make sure everything is right. this always works tremendously in the team's favour, because his tendency to overthink and over-worry allows for the team to solve problems they'd otherwise have no way of figuring out.

hell hath no fury like a rescue team association scorned (#1)

the master trials have begun. they're pretty far in, in fact. the top placements are already well under consideration -- they're going to really be put to the test. the whole point is to make sure that these teams are earning the right to be trusted, right?

higher-ranking teams (and lower-ranking ones of interest) will face further challenges. many teams have already passed the trials and can rest easy; they've nothing else to prove. they're just keeping their status, not needing to prove themselves or aim higher.

keith's team press on for the fun of it, and because they do truly believe that they have something to show. and they're not entirely wrong -- their teamwork and synergy is great, and they get along with eachother & understand eachother far greater than even some of the best.

but they're three grass types. and to some of the stuck-up oldies of the past at the RTA, that's a concern. they've got an incredibly glaring weakness that can make them a liability under certain circumstances. monotype teams can exist, yes, and there's no inherent problem with this, but you also can't just… allow a team like this to think that they can take on anything without acknowledging their faults.

..

they're going to a volcanic dungeon. it's a rescue, of course -- get deep enough into the caverns to find and save a pokemon, but prove yourself further by "completing" the dungeon. it's a deliberate set-up, of course; no team this far into the master's is going to be given the easy way out. the point is to prove yourself.

and it's… a journey. keith's team have survived volcanic endeavours before, but not often -- other teams are better suited for that. the master trials have thrown this at them before. it's always been enough for them to maintain their ranks. luwel's prepared enough, he thinks. keith's belief of if we don't save them, who will echoes in their minds. mike's just here, really. he's always been cautious about these dungeons. he's always worried about what could happen.

..

[pt 2.]

[norwegianfriedokra]

Berlin, Spreewald, and the wandering Wanderers

In Berlin Sven and I visited a couple friends of his and explored the very vibrant alternative scene that is at the heart of Berlin culture. There are so many amazing food options, museums and so on, that you could spend a week in Berlin and barely scratch the surface. I wanted to visit the famous Pergamon Museum, however I failed to realize that you have to buy tickets well in advance.  Oh well, luckily we have many reasons to visit the city again soon.  

While there we ate some Sudanese food at a small restaurant called Basmah. I highly recommend it, with the vegetarian options and delicious peanut sauce. I do love peanut sauce, and that stuff was great! There are also lots of craft beer options in Berlin, but as we were visiting friends as well, craft beer wasn't a priority. For those interested in visiting Berlin at some point in the future, I encourage you to research which museums you want to visit and make sure to buy tickets ahead of time. Also, be very careful where your hotel is located, as the city itself is very broad and you could lose a lot of time traveling from point to point instead of enjoying your trip.

After Berlin we headed south to the Bohemian Switzerland National Forest in the northern part of the Czech Republic. On the way we made a quick stop in Spreewald to have a quick snack and buy some pickles.  Spreewald (Spree Forest) is famous for its pickles throughout Germany, and that is in part due to its unique landscape. 

Image courtesy of Radweg-reisen. 

The Spreewald is a Biosphere reserve that is made up of primarily Floodplain and Bog that was at some point developed into a massive collection of small canals to manage the water.  This made the landscape particularly good at growing cucumbers, and thus was the Spreewalder Gürke born. They are…so….tasty…seriously the best cucumbers I have ever had in my life.  Sven and I made a midday stop and did a quick cucumber tasting at a local farmers stand. It was a very good time to stop as well, as there was a lot of construction in the area and Sven had to drive in small villages with some ridiculous traffic, and was a bit exhausted after the short drive, understandably so.

After our short jaunt in Spreewald we headed off for the Czech Republic. To drive from Berlin to the Czech Republic it takes you about 2 and a half hours. That trip to Spreewald extended our drive a bit, but we were quickly sliding into the forests of Northern Czech, a place called the Bohemian Switzerland National Forest . Here we stayed at an Artists Collective/Airbnb called the Nova Perla. 

We had a great time while there.  Our plan was to enjoy the forest and get some hiking in, and that we did.  After 12 km of hiking in the lightly rainy forest, I can say that we both enjoyed a very beautiful area of the world. The hiking paths in the Czech Republic aren't as well marked as the ones here in Germany, but we still found our way around. There were even some ways that had been blocked because of fallen trees. We tried to push through some areas of them, but in the end it was too dangerous and we turned back. Despite that setback, we had a great time and would definitely go back. This is a wonderful place for hikers, and the Artist Collective where we stayed was a great experience. Here are some photos of that drizzly day.

I would really love to go again. It has great cycling and hiking trails, so I recommend it highly for all nature enthusiasts.

After our time in the Bohemian Switzerland National Forest we headed off to Prague!!!

[roversremovals1]

How To Enjoy Your Stay In Blackburn, UK

Blackburn is a town in Lancashire, England. It lies on the River Darwen and next to the Ribble Valley and has around 110,000 inhabitants. Blackburn's history dates back to the early medieval period when it was a royal settlement. There were churches, markets and even a fairground. As Blackburn developed into a town in the 19th century coal mines opened up in the surrounding area making it an important industrial area. The town has many links with industry and is currently home to local businesses including Nissan, Coca-Cola and Ikea.

Blackburn is a town in Lancashire, England.

Blackburn is a town in Lancashire, England. It lies on the River Darwen and next to the Ribble Valley and has around 110,000 inhabitants. In the 19th century Blackburn was one of five towns that made up a huge industrial district known as "the North West".

The most famous product from this area was cotton textiles but there were also many other industries such as coal mining and iron working that helped develop Blackburn into a thriving town. Over time though these industries declined and today many people commute out of Blackburn for work because there aren't enough jobs locally anymore - although there are still some factories left open too!

Abbey Village

Abbey Village is a village in the English county of Lancashire and the constituency of Chorley. It is located on the A675 road, six miles from Blackburn, eight miles from Chorley, nine miles from Preston and ten miles from Bolton. The village is generally ribbon in layout lying along the A675. It is centred on a now redundant cotton mill which is broken down into industrial units. It has a number of amenities including a pub to the south of the village and an Indian restaurant to the north, which has now closed. There is also a driving school that operates from the area, aptly named Abbey driver training.

Abbey Village is located six miles from Blackburn, eight miles to Chorley. Four miles to Preston and ten miles to Bolton.  The village is near the Upper and Lower Roddlesworth Reservoirs as well as the West Pennine Moors. The reservoir north of the village on the River Roddlesworth- is known as Close House Reservoir. This is the latest addition to the reservoirs around this small village and was designed to increase water storage capacity in wet years. Click below to access the woodland walk around the reservoir.

Hoghton

Hoghton is a small village and civil parish in the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England. At the 2011 Census, it had a population of 802. Brindle and Hoghton ward also includes the parish of Brindle. Hoghton Tower is a fortified manor house, and the ancestral home of the de Hoghton family from the 12th century.

Also within the parish are the hamlets of Riley Green and Hoghton Bottoms. The villages of Gregson Lane and Coupe Green are sometimes described as in Hoghton, although they are outside the parish, forming the ward of Coupe Green and Gregson Lane in the South Ribble district. A local folk tale tells that two Hoghton poachers once raided a rabbit warren inhabited by fairies. When they heard the fairies' voices coming from the sacks they were carrying, they fled in terror.

Rovers Removals is the leading provider of residential removal services blackburn. We have been in business for over thirty years, and we know how to make a move as comfortable as possible. Whether you are moving across town or across the country, we can handle your needs. At Rovers Removals, we understand that moving can be a stressful time. Our team of professionals will help you in blackburn removal services plan your move and make sure it goes smoothly. We are fully licensed and insured and have a wealth of experience in the industry. We offer a wide range of services including house clearances and office moves.

Rovers Removals 6-8 Lord St W, Blackburn BB2 1JX, United Kingdom (254) 403-786 https://removalsserviceblackburn.co.uk/ https://www.google.com/maps?cid=16136469332046463691

[twisted-wonderland-but-gayer]

Unit Y-0U

Prologue: Fragmented Memories

Notes: Yuu is Gender-Neutral. No set description of Yuu at all, aside from some mentions of scars and them being on the taller side. (explained in the prologue). The characters in this are a bit older as I made night raven an actual college. This is based off of the Great 7 Parent Au on this blog ans stuff.

This Prologue is entirely optional and just provides some basic worldbuilding for the world Yuu is from. Important stuff will be repeated in later chapters. I based this world on the Mirrorverse game. Also, I fixed Pocahontas because I am native and still enraged. She is a kid too, and not colonized. The Horned King is a forgotten Disney villain which surprises me since he's worse than Chernabog.

This kinda sucks ngl…. It's a series of, well… fractured and corrupt memories that aren't entirely accurate or in their entirety. I hope it gets better from here, but I doubt it. Yuu will actually start to remember things correctly/remember their actual feelings as time goes on. Yuu is generally a pretty kind but traumatized trope that will also tend to push the OBs around more to help them develop. Idk lmao.

Locating Unit Coordinates...

[An error has occurred. Review crash log?]

Rebooting…

Unit coordinates can no longer be tracked. Unit has disappeared.

****

Unit has sustained large amounts of damage. Reviewing backup cache… Fragments of information have been restored. Note: What is seen here may have been altered by unit mental state or devices that can change or alter memory. The following memories are out of order. Proceed with caution.

****

Magic was once the lifeblood of your world. It pumped life into every corner of the universe, bringing balance to all inside. At least, that is what the elders said. Ever since the disappearance of magic, nothing has been the same. As magic began to die, so did the world, causing cataclysmic events.

The fae was the most affected, and their home became a barren wasteland, and with each new generation of fae having weaker magic and mages becoming rarer, there was no guarantee their species would survive. Without magic to balance the world, it came down to the people. Many argued about who should be in charge and how the world should be poised; some sought to control the world through structure and rules. Others turned to violence and discord.

You were born during this apocalypse, or rapture, as many called it. Though, you never really understood most of it as a kid. Your village and your parents taught you more about how to survive. How to hide. How to hunt. How to barter. How to be crafty and frugal. How to run. How to have no waste. How to sneak around. How to read safety diamonds and warning labels. That was your life. Then an invasion came.

****

Mercenaries of the higher powers came in their high-tech armor, and fancier phones, and scary beasts they rode upon because they could afford to feed them. 

“The detectors say there is either a mage or catalyst among you filth.” Catalyst? You and the other village kids hid behind the adults, confused by the big words they spoke. “We do need some magic batteries for the city, so give up whoever it is! Cough them out, and I may just let you live.” The man spat, cruel eyes glaring down at everyone atop his high-griffin that swiveled its head around vigilantly.

Behind your parents' back, you recognized a signal. One said, ‘take the other children and hide. You’re the oldest. We believe in you.’ You used the adults as a shield as you grabbed other children by the hand and led them to the safe zone—a hollowed-out tree with rocks and mud covering the opening. 

Digging through the rocks and mud, you removed the barrier to safety and slid inside to prepare the inside for the others, making sure it was safe. All those years of skipping meals to keep the younger ones fed made you thin enough to slide in. Through one of the cracks in the trunk, you saw the griffin push over an adult and screech at the group of children. 

The last thing you remember is watching the man grab the sword around his waist and his men grabbing blasters. You remember desperately digging your fingers into the mud and rocks and digging till they bled to make the opening wider. While digging, you heard screaming, running, gunfire, violence, and crying.

You were in that trunk for what felt like hours, and not a single other kid made it in. “Men! Find that mage and spare no mercy!” echoed through your head over and over. Your body shivered from both fear and the cold.

****

Happy memories surge forth to try and protect your fragile mind. 

“We never cut our hair in our culture. It contains your knowledge and wisdom. That's what my mama told me, at least.” The girl in front of you leans her head back and smiles as you braid her hair. “Really?”

“Mmm-hmm. You could only cut on a new moon when you need to make a change or when you lose a loved one,” Pocohontas leaned back up and stretched her spine. “Sometimes, when the women in my tribe get really stressed, they would braid their hair super tightly and go outside on a windy day. They then undo their hair and let the wind carry away all of their worries!” 

You adored listening to your friend and learning about her culture. She was like a little sister to you. Both of you had to grow up too fast. Her face fell as the conversation dwindled. “I miss my tribe….”

****

The sounds of bloodshed continued and continued for what felt like days. Still, no one else came into the shelter. Did you fail…? The only thing keeping you awake was adrenaline and the cold as you shivered in fear. Left in pitch black darkness, hoping to survive—

****

“Some pancakes for you, Mulan.” “Thank you, Kronk.” “And for you too, Merida.” The redhead didn't wait to dig in, thanking the cook through a mouthful of food. “You too, Rapunzel.” “Ooo! Thank you.” “And finally, here's some for you, kiddo; Go on, take a bite. We did make them together, after all.”

You beamed as you bit into a pancake you and Kronk made together. The man has been your teacher in the kitchen and even taught you how to be a proper scout. He even taught you how to understand the woodland creatures within the forest. You adored the tan man and hoped to get as big and strong as him someday. You hope he's safe…

The other girls were also important to you. Mulan was a master at the sword. She carried six on her person, along with a shield that hung off her armored body. She was so kind and taught you some basic blade and footwork. She often went out on missions to help gather materials for the village. If only she was here right now…

The blonde with the long hair was also the village healer. Her hair and singing healed any wound there was. You often ended up in her care, but it wasn’t bad at all. Together, with her chameleon, Pascal, you both painted together. You would make up silly stories with her and sing silly songs. Maybe she can heal the others.

Merida, the redhead with an accent. She taught you everything stealth. Everything hunting. Under her training, you learned to hit bullseyes easily. You often went out with her to practice your hunting skills, and she’d always congratulate you no matter how small your catch was. She should be back from her hunting trip soon you hope…

****

Peaking out of the tree, you saw tents and buildings in ruins. The few vehicles and other technology your village had were either scalped or broken beyond repair. You squeeze out of your hole, head on a  swivel to check for any danger as you try to find an adult.

Sneaking slowly you trudge forth into the broken village. Beneath your feet, you step into something warm and sticky. Looking down you recognize the bodies that hugged each other in death as your parents— you can barely remember their faces any more or the name they gave you— and you fell to your knees, letting out a wail. You didn't care who heard, unaware you were being watched.

****

“A catalyst with such potential… how rare…” 

A skeletal figure watched from afar, whispering to himself. Running into a potent catalyst was lucky enough, but now he doesn’t even have to put effort into kidnapping or indoctrinating them. He can step in and ‘save’ that child.

The hooded figure approached the kid, standing behind them as they mourned. “You poor thing, all alone with no one left…” His bony hand rested on their back as his honeyed words soothed them. “There, there. I will take you in, I promise.”

****

You held the rotting, bony hand of the man who saved you. The Horned King. You allowed him to guide you through the castle he constructed with his own magic. He spoke of many deranged things in a manic tone. Politics. Power. Desires. Ideals.

Then he stopped in front of the balcony, admiring the red sunset in a grey, smog-filled sky. “The world we are in is dying. But… It can be saved.” Your eyes went wide. “It can?”

The king nodded. “I have been using what magic I have to give my men power to rebuild The Black Cauldron, a magical item that will save us. I have sent my men across dimensions and planets in mechanical space boats to seek a catalyst powerful enough to bring the cauldron. With it, I can rule over the land and bring back the magic this world has forgotten.”

“Catalyst?” You remembered the men at your village, what did that word mean? The horned king’s sunken eyes looked down at you. “A catalyst, unlike a mage, is something that can absorb magic, and redirect it. Like a magestone.” The king paced in front of you. “Catalysts, not to mention powerful ones, are rare. They can handle storing high amounts of magic to be used at a later time.”

The king turned to you. “This is where you come in, little one. I have found seven magic fragments that I cannot use. You, however, just might…” The hooded figure of rotting flesh knelt in front of you. “With your power, we can bring back magic and save the world. What do you say, little one?”

****

Spread on a vivisection table you lay, barely covered up by a hospital gown of sorts. Your chest and stomach hurt, your body was weak, and you can feel the thin, paper gown brush against the sensitive scar tissue on your body hurts. It hurts so bad. You feel your heartbeat in your ears being accompanied by a faint ringing and pulsing. What did they do to you?

A muffled groan echoes in your head, followed by the sounds of cracking and popping. ‘Oh it feels good to be back…’ a gravely voice echoes in the back of your head, reverberating in your thoughts. You can hear additional whispers and laughter in the back of your mind. Please shut up. Please. You can’t take any more noises or voices in your head. You just want some time to yourself. ‘Woah easy there kid, no need to worry…’ The voice purrs, ‘Just give me control, and you’ll be fine…’

You didn’t even know what that meant until you felt your body go slack, twitching by itself as if there was a puppeteer over you. You panicked, trying your best to fight back against the feeling of your eyes drying out from glowing or the weird blue flicker of your hair. You couldn't do much, strapped down to the vivisection table, but damn it if you didn’t try.

Odd power surged through you as you felt your body flicker before going back to normal. ‘What the hell?! Why can’t I take control?! What's goin on? Actually better yet, why am I in you, kid?’ You were too tired to answer, and the energy that flowed through your body early drained you of what little energy you had left, making you pass out. The entire time you swear you can hear a conversation within you. Your body hurts, but you remember what your savior said. “I am sorry for the pain you must endure, but know that it is necessary, and that you are strong enough,”

****

Log 3: Side-Effects

Unit Y-0U has been successfully fused with the 7 mage fragments uncovered from [REDACTED]. The child is now in recovery mode from what appeared to be an extremely painful surgery, I sadly wasn’t present at the time, however, I heard it was done without painkillers. Master said that it was to make sure the weapon becomes resilient by increasing tolerance to pain. Surgery to eliminate pain receptors: Pending.

The Cauldron Mage Unit has remarked about hearing more voices in their head than usual. These voices are apparently very rude and confused. The (Child) Unit seems disturbed. When put on anti-psychotics the new voices did not go away. This must be a simple side-effect of the casting process. I will continue to keep an eye on them

-Yzma Researcher #121000

Log: End

Personal Diary: New Entry

This child has lost all light in their eyes. As time goes on they have become more ill-mannered and rude. I do not blame them. No child deserves any of this torture. I just wonder what The Horned King is thinking, making this kid into some strange ‘cauldron born’ soldier to bring back all of magic. Fucking hell. I regret what I did. I regret working with them. Am I truly doing the right thing? Torturing a child? Ripping the wings off fae and draining them of what little magic they have left? Will this really bring back magic to our world after it disappeared? I have a lot to think about. I’m going to be sick.

If this continues I doubt this weapon would even work with us. I am going to try and sneak it some bread tomorrow, Cedric’s approval be damned. I can disguise it as maintaining the weapon and its cast. I can’t imagine what it is like to wake up in a new body. Poor kid, it doesn’t even have a proper name. 

#121000

****

The next few days were odd. You started to hear more voices… But this… This will go away. It will be worth it if you can help your savior save the world! Right…?

****

‘I see… So… I am now stuck inside you, a kid no less…’ You can see a ghost of a hand drag across the specter's face in your mind. ‘Great… Wonderful. How am I supposed to take over Olympus like this?! Did I die? Is this the afterlife for gods?’ The voice snarled in your head, making you flinch, you can feel his rage wash over you, heating the inside of your body.

‘Silence. You are giving me a migraine. I cannot believe that someone like me is trapped inside this… unsightly vessel. I swear no vessel of mine will be looking like a slob.‘ A cruel voice cuts in. Her words harsh, but true. 

‘And now I have roommates. Also, what do you mean by your vessel? I woke up first! This thing is mine, get your own!’ ‘Yeah, you tell them boss!’ you hear a few voices mutter. Your chest felt cold as the cruel voice from before became silent. Her rage, icy and cold. ‘Enough, I am not talking to an ill-mannered slob such as yourself. Unlike you, I am actually trying to find a solution.‘

An argument was brewing in your mind, and you can tell a headache was coming on.

****

‘Revived? Inside a child? Tch, it's better than that lamp I suppose.’ the voice sneered.

‘Ah Jafar, what an unpleasant surprise, you’re here as well. Hmph. So you were revived as well. What a shame…’ another voice who called herself Maleficent hissed.

‘Please don’t fight you two. I don't know what happened. I was just told I was going to be fused and woke up like this.’ It was quiet for a minute before a sigh echoed through your head. A new voice came. This one is older, but smooth and soothing despite the words she spits, but before you can hear anything you let drowsiness overtake you as the conversation gets quieter.

****

Your training got harder by the day. Magic theory. Potion craft. Alchemy. Tactics. Sword Fighting. Hand-to-Hand. Dodging. Weight Training. carrying weights for days on end without sleep. Pushing, pushing, pushing.

You were a weapon, a beacon of hope, and you must be strong. You were subjected to experiment after experiment. Regimen after regimen. “Allow them no breaks! We have no time to waste!” The Horned King speaks.

It was the last thing you remember before being attached to a machine. A machine that plugged into the flesh of your neck and kept you active. It would both rest and still train you. Not even in dreams do you escape your work. Your stomach hurts. They forgot to feed you again. Your head hurts from the strange voices in your head that have yet to clear up. Every word they speak is strangled and garbled on some days, yet completely clear the next. As you drift off, you hear a conversation

‘The gall of those mages to hit my vessel. Next time, you are to strike back- no wait. We are going to concoct a poison so potent, that two sorry excuses of mages won't see it coming. they do not know the first thing when it comes to magic anyways!’

‘They speak as if magic is foreign to them and teach poor, pathetic, elementary spells.‘ The new woman's voice muttered. ‘I think if we all long for freedom, we should teach this child how to use our magic, for a price of course…’

****

Personal Log:

I saw the child destroy the only object it had in its room the other day— a mirror. It couldn’t stand looking at itself in its new body. I don't blame it, this new one isn’t designed with any warmth in mind. Just a simple cast to help one achieve being the perfect weapon. I have heard the child scream to shut up multiple times while grasping its head in pain. The voices haven't stopped.

At least it is showing promise of power, recently it has been wielding high-power magic and is now taking on even higher-level training exercises. The weight it can now lift is incredible! Truly a worthy vessel under our king who will turn things back to the way they were before! 

I heard they are sending the child out to the wastelands to retrieve more relics. That's good and all but how are we sure they won’t run away? Their handlers refuse to treat them with an ounce of respect, and we barely feed it for the sake of ‘strengthening it just in case the weapon goes too long without food. This feels strange. How long before it gets wiser?

I guess it doesn't matter since I can simply implant better memories in them or remove those fragments temporarily and render them unable to use magic. I'm sure the King wouldn't mind me doing a biiiit of brainwashing.

Anyways, new ships capable of gliding across water and into space have been constructed. Our empire will now grow even stronger. The child will now be sent on missions across dimensions and into space. Now they can truly train for phase 2 of the king's plan. To rule the world with our Cauldron Born army. And with such a happy and kind child showing off their magic and helping villages, no one would dare to oppose us, but rather, welcome us with open arms.

- Cedrick

****

‘You must rest now, otherwise evil and vengeance will never prosper’ The dragon fae soothes you with her words as you rest in a medical tent, the last mission exposed you to some poisonous spores, giving you a fever. A warm washcloth rests on your forehead and you can feel the ghost of her fingers brush against your cheek. ‘I'm not used to just sitting around so idly…’ ‘You should really learn how, it would benefit you’ Scar interjects. You can see the specter of him stretching before lounging on top of you. Oddly enough, you could feel the weight of him on you, along with the strange heat that comes off of him. You can even hear the three hyenas rummaging around beside you.

It's so strange feeling so loved… You remember just a year ago how hostile they were to you. This insolent subject! How dare you refuse a command from me?! You remember the Red Queen yelled at you. You are to obey or it is off with your head! Now you are her ‘Little Crown’ or heir as she sometimes calls you. It’s crazy just how fast things change

****

You came to realize that with the seven in your head, you were being used. No hero would abuse their subjects like the Horned king did. He lacked transparency. He let those scientists hurt you. ‘We should burn him’ Hades replies in your head.

‘Absolutely not. That King’s followers are quite devoted. Furthermore, we are not in a position to fight back.’ Jafar notes. Scar grumbles in agreement, ‘No place to escape to, surrounded by insanely devoted minions… The effort it would take to win…’ ‘Would not be ideal…’ Ursula purrs. ‘Even with our magic combined, the poor guppy here isn’t in the ideal condition to fight.’

You roll in your bedroll within your ‘room’. An observation room in the lab with a one-way mirror taking over an entire wall. Windowless, no decoration or light. The silence and plainness of it all is maddening,

‘Isn’t strange to not take care of your weapons?’ Grimhilde notes. ‘Surely, if your plan relies on one person, you would take care of them…” Her voice became sour at the end, disgusted at the treatment you have endured. 

‘Which means, he may know about our loyalty wavering, or he knows that we may rebel…’ Maleficent notes. ‘Well, maybe he wouldn't have to worry about that if he were to have actually treated our precious crown right’! The Queen of Hearts sasses, you can hear the low clicking of the eel twins and the Jabberwock agreeing with the queen.

‘Stay on your toes, young one. Be careful. And look for an opening to escape.’  Jafar whispers to you, and you feel the ghost of his hand cup your cheek.

****

“The village people have constructed a statue of us in the town square.” The king hums. “Really?! I mean— I’ve hardly done anything…” The king looks down at you, rotting, sunken eyes analyzing you. “You have grown so much stronger than when we first met, I knew it was a good idea to take you in on that day.” 

‘Tch. What a pathetic attempt at lying. Also do not doubt yourself so much, little dragon.’ Maleficent responds. ‘All those years of dealing with this asshole probably did something to their self-worth, if only someone suggested we kill him sooner!’ You close your eyes in agreement with them. Lies. He never cared. You were just another test run that ended up making it the farthest.

‘Language, Hades. That foolish plan wouldn’t have done well, as for you Vessel. Do not talk down to yourself. I am not letting someone that represents me do such a thing!’ You smile a bit at her words, able to read between the lines to understand that what she really means to say is ‘I care about you so much’. Hades huffs. ‘Whatever Hidey… Now let's focus on what this Underworld escapee has to say.’

Oh right, there's a statue of you in your honor and a few propagandic stories of your tales to make you feel like you’re doing the right thing.  All this work just to make sure you don’t fight back. As much as The Horned King hated to admit it, you were stronger than him, and that's terrifying. No one has ever survived this long as a Cauldron Born Unit. At least, when he is done using you, you will be sacrificed to the cauldron, making him the most powerful one of all, and he would no longer have to worry about pleasing you. 

Or so he hopes. You see through him. But you will continue to play dumb and take the abuse. But… a very small part of you believes it all. You deserve to be hit. You are doing the right thing. Maybe He was right. Maybe, you truly are worthless...

****

In your room that night, you curled up in your bedroll, hiding the data crystal you swiped from the lab earlier. You were gonna get down to the bottom of whatever the hell these people were doing.

Tapping it, a small screen popped up from it. The beginning of the report was titled “Magic Extractor”. By the description, this was related to fueling both the cauldron and The Horned King himself…

Opening it you began to read, and with each line, you began to feel sick. Your stomach sunk and your heartstrings felt like they were played by a knife as you continued. You knew that the people you served were bad… You never knew it was like this.

All those fae, all those mages, those children…

Something snapped in you that day, and the seven found themselves supporting you. You are done. You are escaping. You will bring hell to all of those to hurt you.

****

“My King! Unit Y-0U has run off and escaped.”

“What?!” The Horned King yelled. “Where are they?!"

“They ran out of the lab without permission and were last seen going to the Magic Extractor.”

The Horned King fumed and immediately teleported off to you. Maybe this was a rebellious phase he needed to hammer out. You were still a kid after all. Maybe he can convince you that what you would see is what had to be done. Maybe he could just simply erase every memory you have.

As he teleported and appeared at the sight, he looked upon the ruins of what remained of the extractor. It was destroyed. Mages, mers, beasts, and fae all escaping out of the prison he built. Many were fighting the workers. The king felt rage bubble in his bones as he searched around for— you. A child amidst it all. 

In the middle of it all, fighting with those who want to fight, instructing the others on where to go. Summoning waves to carry the mer away. “YOU! CHILD. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” The king roared, catching your attention.

You gripped your polearm in your hand and turned towards him. “The future you want is one I despise. I never wanted any of this!”

“Do you really think you can defeat me?! I created you!”

“And I am stronger than you.” Fae and beast stood aside as you raised your polearm. From this day on, you bow to no king. From this day on, you declare war on your creator….

….

...

You swear you hear Hades, Pain, and Panic all yell “Viva la revolution” while cheering you on…

[tsuisou-no-despair]

Higurashi TEN (Role Swap AU) - 34 Random Facts

Well, I'm slightly stuck with the question arcs, so instead I'm just going to write up and throw out a whole bundle of random facts about the world, its characters, and things that have or could happen. Hopefully this will lead to something clicking into place for me, and hopefully you'll like it, too.

Kei, Reina, and Mion still use a bat, nata, and taser, respectively, as their main weapons, though Mion's been forbidden from using the taser by Oryou. Hanyuu uses the ritual hoe and swords in about equal measure. Miyoko uses whatever's on hand to frightening effect.

Shion thrives at St. Lucia; however, she is pulled out of the school by her family after Oryou decides that Mion's twin would be better utilized if she was right on hand...

Miyoko does the Joseph Joestar "your next line is..." thing, which almost always works like a charm. (It doesn't work on Satoko or Bernkastel, but the former plays along when she's not in the black outfit)

Hanyuu's horns aren't initially broken, but by the end of the series, they have their signature crack.

Tomitake is a much more common sight in Hinamizawa than he was in the original universe, being a resident of Okinomiya who frequently visits. He's also quite well-liked, mostly because he's there to fix just about anything that breaks.

Rumiko was the original user of Rena's signature nata, as well as the person who first converted the van in the dump into a hiding place.

Satoko finds the contents of the Saiguiden fascinating but ultimately disappointing; she expected something more directly tied to Hinamizawa Syndrome's origins.

Irie almost always manages to get clear of Hinamizawa before Emergency Procedure #3105 is executed; however, he's usually dead in under 24 hours due to his escape catching Tokyo's attention.

Both Ooishi and Akasaka are hated by the Sonozaki family but the former much more so, to the point where Ooishi schedules his visits to Okinomiya when the Sonozakis will be looking elsewhere, such as on festival nights.

Rina targets Kei's dad in the loops where she doesn't die. Kei's mom does not take it well - to the point where she goes L5, in some cases.

Mion's "feelings" for Satoshi are primarily a result of Satoshi being just that nice and caring and good-hearted. It helps that she's enamored with a saintly image of him that's only grown more pure since his absence.

When Miyoko bothers to start telling people about how she's lost in time loops, their reactions are mostly in the vein of "oh, that explains so much".

Bernkastel can be heard by people who are deep in the throes of Hinamizawa Syndrome; naturally, she uses this to fuck with people for kicks.

Okonogi takes the role of the clinic's head after Satoko dies/disappears. He's regarded exclusively with suspicion - if he wasn't only filling the role until the GHD triggers, he'd probably get run out of town within a month.

Rumiko regularly made Miyoko curry after learning that Teppei and Tamae were denying her food; this led to Rumiko taking her curry very seriously because it represented the only "acceptable" way for her to help Miyoko.

Officially, Tatsuyoshi Sonozaki and his wife (Naeko) are Mion and Shion's parents. In reality, Akane is their mother, and whether or not Tatsuyoshi is the father is strictly a matter between him and Akane.

All of the locations from the original universe are present and more or less unchanged, along with a few new "sets" such as Akasaka's apartment.

Satoko has an alternate version of her "Tokyo" outfit that includes a mask that resembles an inverted Eye of Providence. She wears this when acting in Hinamizawa after her death, claiming that she needs to hide her identity due to being known in the village. (Okonogi thinks that doesn't matter in the slightest and that Satoko is trying too hard to be "cool", and he isn't wrong... except that it's managed to keep Miyoko from realizing who it is throughout the loops)

Beyond mahjong, Akasaka, Satoshi, Irie and Tomitake were fast friends. Their name for the quartet is the "Soul Brothers" - thankfully, it's a more serious (and infinitely less horny-focused) group than in arcs like (ugh) Batsukowashi-hen. (Kei still becomes an honorary Soul Brother in some arcs, though)

While she's reasonably familiar with a gun and a bow, Shion's real weapon is her contacts: her stay at St. Lucia (and Rika-in-Gou levels of popularity while there) means she has a slew of St. Lucia-ites (with powerful fathers) who would bend over backward for her.

Akane and Satoko are the two most skilled individual fighters in Higurashi TEN - who wins in a fight between the two is generally decided by who screws up first, but this is usually Akane getting blindsided by a trap unless she's warned. (They fight in more fragments than you'd expect - Akane Kasai is the most dangerous person in Hinamizawa and Satoko knows it.)

Miyoko starts her loops at the same point every time - the morning after the festival in 1982. This is mostly to dodge the abuse from Tamae - the fact that people assume her changed personality is because she's escaped an abusive home is icing on the cake.

The official reason for the Clinic "studying" Hanyuu was that they were researching the effects of her horns' growth pressing on her brain and monitoring the brain tumor-like symptoms (hearing voices, delusions of being Oyashiro-sama reborn, etc.) that it caused; this was all a fabrication hiding the research done on Hanyuu as Queen Carrier. Satoshi was disgusted by this facade and eventually told the Furudes that Hanyuu's brain was fine, leading to them pulling Hanyuu out (and Satoko murdering them as a result).

Irie occasionally mediates the Games Club's punishment games, sometimes getting dragged into it himself. He's a stalwart protector defender of the young club members' honor, making whatever sacrifices he has to in order to make sure that they're not forced into perverted situations or outfits.

Rumiko may or may not have had feelings for Mion, which Mion subconsciously returned; Mion's quietly put two and two together in the months following her disappearance, and it's had a palpable effect on her relationship with Reina.

Ooishi lives in Kakiuchi City and is a part of its police department, and he's not the only former Hinamizawa resident on its force - there's a bright young detective named Natsumi Kimiyoshi who I've heard interesting stories about, though I don't know much about her...

While he's still capable of being the "Magician of Words", Kei's charisma is heavily tempered by the restrained, somewhat cold wall he's put up around his emotions for "everyone's own good".

After all that looping, Miyoko's trauma response to Teppei moving back in and forcing himself to be her caretaker is anger moreso than shutting down. More than a few loops have ended with Teppei killing her after she was too insolent (or too creepy) for him to put up with.

Yukie was a reporter who was extremely critical of the anti-dam protests, especially after the kidnapping occurred. At least some of the antipathy towards Akasaka is due to being Yukie's husband.

When the seeds of distrust aren't sown, Reina's empathy is one of her most powerful tools, making her able to stand up to just about anyone in Hinamizawa and reach out a hand to them. (Sometimes this leads to getting a baseball bat to the head, but hey, she tried.)

Hanyuu can hear Bernkastel at lower levels of Hinamizawa Syndrome than anyone else in the village, and seems to be cognizant of her presence even when she's at L1/L2. The exact details of Hanyuu and Bern's rapport are known only to them.

Miyoko and Hanyuu are closer to each other than they are to anyone else, but there's still a big ugly wall between them due to Hanyuu's quasi-divinity butting up against Miyoko's hatred of any and all gods. Tearing that wall down is an important part of Miyoko's character development.

Irie had (has?) Satoshi's blessing to try and win Satoko's heart; according to Satoshi, Satoko's not entirely against the idea of a relationship. Satoshi also made sure that Irie didn't cross any lines when going after her; after Satoshi disappeared, Irie ceased his attempts until Satoko herself encouraged him.

Everyone is wearing different outfits - the new ones are more or less the same pieces of clothing as the original "position" but with the color palette and general feel of the character filling the slot. For example, Reina's casual outfit starts as Keiichi's - a vest, undershirt, and shorts (and no hat) - but then is adjusted to fit Rena's style and is given a white, light blue, and purple palette. My attempts at mocking up Reina and Mion's designs are below.

[callmeunstable]

Angels & Demons - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Characters: Reader, Godling, Savilla

Summary: Alva tries her best to adapt to her current lifestyle. Savilla helps her by teaching her the ways around this world. But some dangerous forces are on their way. And a familiar face shows up.

Warnings: Monsters, Cursing, Blood

Words: 2.000+

A/N: Hey! This is the third part of my fic. I accidentally deleted this part as well as the second part so I had to reupload. I hate myself and I cried .

Disclaimer: GIF’s and PNG’s are taken from Tumblr and are not mine! Credits to the creators!

Tags: @marvelbrat @charliestuff

Song: I thought this fitted the scenery

Alva adapted slowly. It was important that if she wanted to pass as a villager she had to develop. Where she came from, who her parents were and why she came.

And they came up with an easy background story. Alva was the daughter of two Medics, Drarnoz and Isada of Verden. Verden is one of the minor kingdoms in the North, located at the very mouth of the river Yaruga, with Kerack and Brokilon on its northern borders and Cintra in the south, just on the other side of the river. After her parents died in a brutal raid of their village Alva sought a sanctuary by a family friend Savilla living in Riverdell. She took the orphan in.

James brought Alva the Ducates he had collected over the years which made up a small fortune. He promised to bring her every coin he’ll find in the future.

That’s how Alva started her life in a small village. Savilla had an extra bed for her and she didn’t mind sharing her food and clothes.

“You are pretty bad at healing you know that? You’ve been here for almost a month.” Savilla always made fun of the way the girl was bandaging or trying to figure out which plant was good for the specific treatment.

“I just don’t understand how you can separate all of these. They look all the same.” Alva sighed and took a seat. Trying to figure out which herbs were able to calm a burn.

“This isn’t your desire and I get it. It’s not your fault. And I maybe have something set up for you.” The mage smirked while she picked big orange blossoms from her garden. “Merigold, Alva. One of the herbs that can potentially save lives.”

“Don’t change the subject. What did you do?” The girl gave her a doubtful look while watching her picking even more blossoms.

“The tavern in the village. They need a servant. The old one got scared off because the olds kept trying to seduce her and she felt uncomfortable. But I figured you’d be perfect for the job.” She walked inside with a full basket in her hands.

“Are you insulting me or what are you trying to say?” Alva hurried after her, stumbling while getting up.

“You need to get better at walking when you want to serve the folks.” The maid laughed and started to cut the flowers into small pieces.

“But to get back to your question, no. But you are tough and have a huge temperament. Exactly what a good servant needs. The old douches won't have it easy with you.”

Alva let out a loud sigh.

“And I should warn you. They acquire you to look … a certain way.”

“I’m not going to dress like slut and shake my booty.”

“Yes…alright. Anyway, that was not what I was trying to say. They want you to wear your hair down and a dress that will make you look pretty but still can get stained.”

“That’s fine by me but why exactly do they want me to keep my hair down?”

“Maybe they liked it. You know the time we got some bread? That’s when the tavern owner offered me this position.”

The girl hummed in agreement.

“They’ll pay you well. You need that money if you want to find a way back. Mages aren’t cheap. They usually work for kings and queens.” Sevilla stopped with the chopping and went still for a couple of seconds. Her gaze went up and she looked Alva straight into the eyes. She hated that look. It never meant something good.

“You want me to find a different mage?” The girl was confused. How was she supposed to find one? She has no contacts whatsoever and it’s not like she could call the information desk to give her a number.

“I’m not sure who I want you to find for now. It's dangerous out there. I need to find out who I can trust with you. I don’t want you to get captured.” The mage was serious. She liked the girl and felt the urge to protect her. She was sure it was her duty in this life. To help this girl around her world and keeping her safe until she found a way to get back.

“Why would they? I mean I’m not that special and I pretty got at acting old like you.”

“I know. But if they see anything strange in you, just some glance. They don’t need a good reason anymore to imprison the people. It’s getting rough out here. Cintra will lose the next battle. Nobody in this kingdom wants to hear it but you can feel the tension in the air. The Niflgaards are coming and we need to be prepared when they do.”

“Are they like Germany in the Second World War?”

“You do know that I have no information about that.”

“Let me explain. World War II was a global war involving fighting in most of the world and most countries. Like shit went down. Most of the world's countries, including all the great powers in our world, fought as part of two military alliances. They fucking hated each other. World War II was the largest and deadliest conflict in all of our history. It involved more countries, cost more money, involved more people, and killed more people than any other war in our history. About 80 million people died. It included massacres, the Holocaust, strategic bombing, starvation, disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons against civilians in history. Like they could fly bombs from one country to the other through the air and just let them explode wherever they wanted to. It was horrible but I wasn’t alive when that happened.”

The mage had listened carefully only to realize that their worlds aren't that different. “You have to understand that the Nilfgaardian Empire is the most powerful in the history of the known world. It is located in the southern part of the Continent and boasts both a thriving economy and a strong, well-trained army with talented commanders.

It has expanded mostly through the conquest of foreign countries, which were then turned into provinces of the Empire. The Empire's inhabitants believe that "real" Nilfgaardians are only those born in the heart of the Empire and not those born in the conquered provinces. All of them are ruthless. Killing anyone and anything that’ll come in their way. We need to be careful and prepared.”

“So you think they’ll just walk in here like they own this place.” The girl felt she was pulled into something like Lord of the Rings style. Everyone wants to kill the other race. What was happening in this world?

“They won’t pretend that they own these lands, they will fight until they own the whole continent. Saying they want to protect the citizens but slaughter the like an animal for fun. I want you to be prepared that not everyone in our world will respect you, especially because you’re a woman. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Sevilla meant every word she said.

“That’s why I want you to be protected. Here.” She opened the wooden closet and pulled out a silky cloth. “Take it, I have my own. And I won’t need it, I still have the chaos inside of me that’ll help me if needed. I hope you never need it.”

Alva received the loth and lifted the cloth. Underneath there was bedded a silver dagger. It was heavy, but still manageable with one hand.

“Come on, I’m not going to stab anybody. This is not Assasin’s Creed.” She held up the dagger and inspected the weapon. It was beautiful, looking exactly like something a video game character would keep under their robe.

“I’m not joking around Alva! I want you to work so we have enough Ducates in the case of an emergency. If you’re not willing to protect your one life no one else will. I can protect you as far as my power goes but everything is limited. At this point, you don’t have a choice. If you want to get back to your world you need to adapt completely! Do you understand?” Sevilla handed her a scabbard possibly fitting for the dagger.

“No need to be rude.” Alva took and let the weapon slide smoothly into it.

“Attach it to your belt. It's best if you keep it on you at all times. Even while you sleep.”

The girl nodded and pulled her dress up to gain access to the pants she was always wearing underneath. She tied it around her waist and let loose of her dress.

“I understand but I hope I’ll never have to use it.”

“Me neither.”

-

The next weeks went on smoothly. Alva tried her best to lie to herself. If she realized that she left her entire family and friends behind, everything she loved. She didn’t know if she could handle the pain and panic that would appear again. She remembered her first week here. It was exhausting. She didn’t want to stand up and live in a world she didn’t belong. The only thing keeping her from ending it all was the promise Sevilla gave her.

She will bring her back. No matter what is going to happen. She’ll find a way out. And if she could get back, she can’t give up. That wasn’t an option. But she couldn’t think about it anymore. The pain that would crawl up into her chest even if she only thought about it for a second. It was unbearable.

Alva tried to act like new her role this life. At least for now. Her dad was Drarnoz of Verden and her mother was Isada of Verden. She was an orphan. Currently serving at the tavern where she was allowed to live with a family friend. Sevilla. That’s all she needed to remember.

Usually, no one asked about her past. That wasn’t a thing in this village. As soon as Alva said the word ‘orphan’ no more questions were asked.

She liked her job at the tavern. It was an easy way to meet new people and experience the world fully. Adapting day by day. But still being herself. Everyone loved the way she talked. Foolish but skeptical. No man was able to win her or flirt with her. She shut them down real quick.

Today was such a day

It was an afternoon and everyone was ending their work for the day coming to the tavern to get a well-deserving drink and sometimes a meal, but Alva knew by experience you shouldn’t eat the food of this tavern. Dossar, the owner, didn’t know how to cook but he surely wasn’t giving up on an opportunity of getting more money.

The folks around the area knew never to ask for a meal but it was always a pleasure to see the look on a travelers' face.

Alva was serving everyone with a kind smile but some men interpret this as a sign to flirt with her. Woldor, a farmer, decided to try his luck today. He was trying to gain her attention by whistling at her and holding up his cup of beer. Only for her to come and check if he needed a refill. But at his point, she was ignoring his calls and gestures.

But the man didn’t stop. So Alva thought it was her time to shine.

“I’m not an animal! You can’t win my attention by whistling at me and calling me with sloppy pick-up lines! Cut it before I start acting like one.”

“I’ve never been threatened so adorably before.” Woldor and the men sitting beside him star to burst out into laughter and continued drinking.

“Yes well, I’m about to adorably kick your fucking arse.” The laughter silenced and the men stared at the girl.

“This isn’t going to end well is it?” Her coworker Cozlo walked up to her and tried to calm her down, by laying his arm around her shoulder. Alva liked him. He was a good friend and was amazing at keeping her out of trouble when she had a tantrum. This was one of them.

“Fuck no.” The girl wanted to jump at the man and rip his eyes out. He was the one that couldn’t take no for an answer. He was harassing her since the day she started to work as a servant.

Getting ready to throw some punches Cozlo grabbed her by her waist and picked her up.

“Let me down! Let me show this bitch what my adorable hand can do around his throat! I want to see if he still thinks their pretty when I choke him!”

“I think I’m in love with you my dear!” Woldor called out for her while sipping on his beer.

“That’s fucking unfortunate!” Alva was yelling across the tavern while trying to fight her way out of Cozlo's grip.

“You are significantly more destructive than I was anticipating.” That was Cozlo's response after Alva successfully freed herself and was ready to throw fists.

“Enough!” The dark voice of Dossar echoed between the walls. “Woldor get your arse out of here before I tell your wife that you're harassing my servant again!” The tall and bear-like built man stepped in front of the counter and was ready to throw him out with his own hands.

“Can’t take a goddamn joke, can ya?” The farmer grumbled some swearings under his breath and tossed his payment on the table before leaving the bar with his men.

“Next time leave a fucking tip, bastard.”, Alva shouted out through one of the windows and held up her middle finger. “Fuck that dude.”

“You did well Alva, let me admit that.” Dossar gave her a thumbs up and headed back to the kitchen area.

The conflict calmed down and the girl started to clean the table the men had left as a mess. Scrubbing the sticky beer of the top.

“May I compliment you on your skill of handling this rude of a man, my beautiful Lady.”

Alva turned around and in front of her stood unmistakably a bard. The usual costume they were wearing gave it away in an instant. But the lute that was strapped on his back made it even clearer. The man wasn’t older than probably 30 years old. His clothing had seen better days and his brown hair was all messed up.

“Thanks, I guess.” The girl wasn’t in the mood for a conversation so she continued scrubbing the table.

“My name is Jaskier if I may introduce myself. I’m the new bard in town.”

“What brings a bard like you in a village like this?”

“I expected a job, which was me kindly offered by the master of this tavern. A nice man. Allowed me to show off my talent every evening.”

“Good for you Jaskier.” She wasn’t trying to be mean but the bard was definitely flirting and she just wasn’t in the mood for another thirsty mean.

“That makes us workmates if I’m not mistaken? I look forward to seeing more of you…?” It was obvious that he waited for her name and the girl let out her sigh while turning toward him.

“Jaskier, I don’t mean to be rude but I had men trying to marry me at least 4 times today. And a dozen of them were just trying to bring me to bed. So please, if you stop that flirty behavior I will see you as my workmate and friend. But that’s all I can offer.

“Of course, Alva. I didn’t mean to upset you in any way. I’m glad I found a friend already. My last company wasn’t that welcoming.” A half-hearted smile was on his face and he scratched the back of his head.

“Why? Were you trying to flirt with them too?” Alva smirked and put her hand friendly on the shoulder of Jaskier.

“Oh no. Trust me. That would have been very … disturbing, may I say so. I see around Alva.”

“Yes, Jaskier. I’ll see you around.”

[beardedmrbean]

Some do, it's not really as big of a issue as it's been made out to be over the decades though. You're going to get them for sure you're also going to get the people that like to live that way and the folks who may be mentally ill and the different shelters and programs aren't equipped to service them.

And then there's this issue

This is nearly identical to a WaPo article from the day prior, but there's no paywall.

TL:DR; half of the occupancy of the apartment buildings was being paid for with vouchers for housing homeless people, which sounds nice until you see damage they've done to the place by doing things like shooting up and shitting in the hallways.

Police visits went up 400% and there had to be social workers on the grounds at nearly all times.

Residents weren't all bad, but many of them had zero respect for the property they were living in, which part of that comes from not having a stake in it by not actually having to pay to live there, some folks will take that as a entitlement instead of a kindness. ________________

Now for what @askcherrypie was saying they'd proposed, Los Angeles recently did this.

Units cost $7,500 each, including labor and materials, and were shipped as ready-to-assemble stacks of panels from builder Pallet Shelter in Everett, Washington. The total cost of the project was about $5 million, according to Kerkorian's office, with the majority spent on re-routing water, power, and sewer lines to the site. Hope of the Valley gets a $55 per person daily reimbursement from the city to cover three meals and social services for residents.

5 mil for 39 person village seems steep, probably a lot of one time costs involved there though, like it says with the utility lines and such so if the project expands in this location future units should likely be cheaper to install

Pretty sure Arnold got involved in one of these programs too, not sure how they're working out currently, but hopefully it's going well

This is capitalism's vast irrationality and inhumanity in action. Markets and The Economy™ matter more to capitalism than the concrete distribution of resources according to tangible human need.

Resources exist in abundance -- give them to people. Housing sits empty -- give it to people. The rules of the feast table should apply to our economic system -- no one gets seconds until everyone has gotten a plate.

We stand at a crossroads in these chaotic times: socialism or barbarism! The ruling class repeatedly chooses the latter. We need to organize and choose the former!

[gosetmind]

Exercise - An Effective Way To Lose Weight

  Are you trying to lose weight? Have you tried exercising? In case you do not know, exercising regularly is the most effective way to lose weight. Dieting is another way to do it and people choose it very often because it helps them to achieve weight loss very quickly. The problem with dieting is that, in most cases, when dieters return to their old eating habits they gain back all the weight they had lost, which is something very frustrating. That is the reason why you should try exercising regularly and changing your eating habits gradually instead of following diets that will not help you to maintain your weight in the long run.

If you are the kind of person who likes doing nothing but sitting and watching television when you come back home from work, it is going to be hard to start with an exercise program. Anyhow, you can start bit by bit, for example you can start doing just fifteen minutes of exercise a day and you will feel and look a lot better. Then, once you begin noticing the changes it will be easier for you to get on exercising more often.

Always bear in mind that you should consult your doctor before starting any exercise program to lose weight. It depends on your cardiovascular health the type of exercise program that you can do. Doctors also tell you how much exercise your body can stand. With the guide of your doctor you will be sure that any kind of exercise program you follow will do you good.

  Have you ever embarked on any kind of exercise program? If not, the best you can do is to join a gym or hire a personal trainer. The majority of health clubs have a great variety of free classes for their members. You can chose from the traditional stair-stepping classes and aerobics to the newer and more specialized classes like kickboxing, Pilates, and yoga. In some cases, gyms offer Spinning classes, which consist of an instructor and various stationary bicycles. But if what you are looking for is to exercise on your own, you should ask for help to a personal trainer to make a program especially for what you need. You can choose from a private personal trainer or an employee of a health club.

If you do not like going to the gym, you can join the sport you like the most. This way you are not only going to lose weight but you are also going to have fun. There are many recreation centers and YMCA from where you can choose the sport you like. There are many options: you can choose to play with a group of friends or join a team already formed with people you do not know. It is the best opportunity to meet new people, make new friends and have fun.

After some time you will notice that exercising has become a habit, and at that very moment you can begin to increase the amount and intensity of the activity you are doing. For example, if you have started by walking, you should try, after some weeks, running a little bit. It does not matter how much you increase, you should do it bit by bit.

When you are exercising with the intention of losing weight, it is very important to bear in mind that the most important thing is getting healthier and not just reducing pounds. You have to know that it could be very probable for you to gain some weight when you start exercising just because you are augmenting your muscle mass and muscle are heavier than fat. Yet, when you acquire more muscles, you also use more calories every day. Therefore, even if you do not change your diet, you will still be losing weight. However, it is vital to have a very healthy feeding in order to have enough energy to go through your workout sessions.

Exercise is the key to helping you lose weight

  Many people make the mistake of thinking that the way to lose weight is to control what they eat. If only you could avoid those damned chocolate cream cakes, everything would be alright in the world! At the same time, these people often see thinner people scoffing those same foods and get very jealous: Why aren't you fat by now if you eat like that? The answer, of course, is exercise. Exercise is a far more potent weapon against fat than changing your diet. It literally burns it off you. If you exercise enough, you can be burning more calories than you could ever hope to consume, leaving you free to fulfil that old diet promise of eating absolutely anything you want.

Sometimes people are put off exercising, believing that they don't have the time or the money to join the gym or take some other form of regular exercise, but in reality it's just not true. I'm sure you walk somewhere at some point in your day, jog instead. And you could no doubt manage a few sit-ups while you're watching the TV of an evening. If you have a dog, take it for longer walks. This has the added bonus of making your dog very happy.

You see, the best forms of exercise are the ones you can do every day, like going up stairs instead of taking the lift, or parking towards the back of the car park when you go to the supermarket. These are easy changes to make that take very little time and effort, but can begin to pay huge dividends quite quickly when it comes to your weight. Then, once you've made that first step towards fitness, it's much easier to find the energy and motivation to really go for it.

Exercise for Everyone

  Walking is the easiest and safe and most natural form of exercise. Its an effective exercise for people of all ages and all levels of health.

Studies have shown that regular, brisk walking can lower cholesterol levels, stimulate circulation, strengthen the heart, and decrease high blood pressure.

It reduces the risk of developing serious health problems like diabetes, osteoporosis (brittle bones), and heart diseases.

Walking strengthens and tones the lower body especially when done on an inclined surface. It increases one's endurance particularly if there is progression of difficulty. It also reduces stress and depression and increases the sense of well being.

Walking contributes to effective weight control. Numerous studies show that a person who walks 10,000 steps a day can burn 2,000-3,500 (equivalent to 1 pound of fat) extra calories a week.

For weight loss, it is now recommended to complete 10,000 - 15,000 steps a day.

According to the book "The Fidget Factor" by Frank and Victor Katch, walking on the job for one hour at less than 3.2 kilometers per hour (slow pace) can burn 108 calories for a 110-pound person, 144 calories for a 150-pounder, and 192 calories for a 203-pounder. This is approximately equivalent to 40,000 steps, 3.2 kilometers.

The heavier the person is and the faster he/she walks, the more calories can be burned in one hour. The number of steps completed would depend on one's stride length.

Lifestyle walking is the most frequently performed type. It is what people do when they get up from bed and move, walk around, or take a stroll in the park.

This kind of walking is low-intensity. It is different from fitness walking that is designed to increase the heart rate and help burn extra calories.

The amount and duration of lifestyle walking that a person does might depend on several factor.

Occupation

A study by the American Council on Exercise examined on-the-job physical activities of 10 common occupations in the United States, Secretaries were shown to walk only an average of 4,327 steps per day (2.7 km) as compared to mail carriers at 18,904 steps (12 km).

Bases on lifestyle assessment, an average office worker, unaware of lifestyle walking recommendations, can only complete 1,000 - 4,000 steps/day.

If your job requires you to sit for eight hours, try to insert at least 30 minutes of accumulated or continuous walk within duty hours. You can further increase inside the mall or in you village. Purchase a pedometer to monitor your steps.

Economic Status

It is not surprising to find out that some well-off individuals with cars and drivers can just finish up to 1,000 steps/day. The effort to walk more for health has been replaced by confinience. But commuters can have an additional 2,000-5000 steps a day.

For those living in secure villages, try to walk early morning or at night outside your house and try to complete at least 5,000 steps/day.

Environment

Asians living in countries like Hong Kong and Singapore are known for their flavorful dishes. They love to eat, yet they do not get fat because they love to walk in a walk-friendly environment.

For office people, you can try to walk your way home.

Now is the time to explore your location and find the safest and most convenient places to walk.

Intention to Lose Weight

Usually, a person who is motivated to lose weight will intentionally increase daily target steps. Daily steps can even be doubled once educated about their effect on faster weight loss. But the amount of additional steps will be based on existing exercise programs and target calories to burn per week.

Identify you goals and set a distance or number of steps per day. An accumulated 5,000 - 8,000 steps during the day is good enough to improve or maintain health.

Its benefits will be more evident if you switch to fitness walking where there is progression in speed, intensity and duration.

You need to walk more to burn more!

Start Exercise Now

  Proper, health exercise is an important part of any weight loss program. Do remember to consult your physician before starting an exercise program. You don't want to hurt yourself!

Ideally, an exercise program will not only help you lose weight, but will help you build muscle and stamina. You also want to design a exercise program that is balanced and exercises each part of your body.

Of course, if you are a member at your local gym, all you have to do is go to your gym, where you can easily do a complete body workout with just a few machines.

If you don't have access to a gym, or you're like me and prefer to work out other ways, you'll want other exercise options.

Biking

Biking is an excellent exercise for losing weight, especially if you are not in good shape to start with. If you choose a relatively flat route and start out with short distances, you can start out very easily and work up to more strenuous rides. Be sure, though, that you are properly outfitted with an appropriate bike and equipment. Visit your local bike shop for help and advice.

Swimming

Swimming is another excellent exercise for losing weight. It is not hard on the body, but provides an excellent workout. Especially if you are a novice at swimming, you should swim in a pool with a lifeguard. If you don't know how to swim, check your yellow pages or ask around. You can get swimming lessons pretty cheaply most places.

Running

Running is a great way to lose weight and get in shape, but it is harder on your body than swimming or biking. If you need to lose weight, you should probably start out with one of the other exercises until you get into better shape. Keep in mind that running and biking both work the legs, but they do work different primary muscles.

Don't wait. Start and exercise program today to lose weight!

[sage-nebula]

Top 5 Pokemon types (I assume Fire and Dragon will be up there!), top 5 Pokemon locations (from any regions, gameverse or animeverse), top 5 BotW locations, top 5 Zelda characters that aren't Zelda or Link, aaand top 5 Hogwarts classes!

Hmmmm, let’s see!

Top 5 Pokémon Types:

Fire

Ghost

Dark

Dragon

. . . Normal . . . ?

Fire has been my favorite since Gen I, wherein I gleefully set Erika’s entire gym ablaze with my charizard, laughing all the while at the idea of grass-types posing a threat to me. (I’m awful, I know.) I also have two on my One True Team™, so that’s a testament to how much I love them, haha. I loooooove most ghost-types, both in terms of lore and overall design, but I never had one on my OTT™ until Gen VII graced us with the amazing grace that is mimikyu. Dark-types are also great; I love most dark-types, even if the only one I have my OTT™ is my umbreon. When it comes to dragons, I prefer ones that are dragon by species over dragon-type, technically (e.g. I’m always going to prefer charizard and consider charizard to be more of a dragon than, say, Alolan exeggutor, which may be a dragon-type but is not an actual dragon by species), but a lot of dragons by species are also dragon by type, so it still does count. And lastly, I don’t think I have a fifth favorite, but, uh . . . normal types are cute . . . ? Hahaha.

Top 5 Pokémon Locations:

These are practically all going to be in Johto, orz. All the same, not in any particular order:

The Charicific Valley --- It’s literally a wild charizard reserve, what’s not to love? Even if it’s anime only, it’s still a place where charizard can live freely and happily. It’s a dream come true, tbh.

Ilex Forest / Celebi’s Shrine --- This whole area has a very mystical feeling, especially since Celebi’s Shrine is so unassuming, yet so important when it comes to the fact that a time-traveling legendary has an attachment to it. And it makes you wonder, like, did people used to pray here? Is it possible that the people of Azalea Town still do? Johto pays so much more adherence to legends than Kanto does, so it’s possible . . . but it’s also possible that it’s forgotten. Ilex Forest just has a sort of Lost Woods vibe to it, though. I love it.

The Burned Tower / Bell Tower --- Likewise, I love both of these towers for a similar reason. There’s so much history here, and with the Bell Tower especially you know that it still is visited by Ho-Oh in the right circumstances. These are sacred places, even if (or perhaps especially because) one of them was burned to the ground. It just has that sort of feeling to it, that you’re walking somewhere special whenever you go there.

The Ruins of Alph --- THE GREATEST MYSTERY IN THE WORLD, THE GREATEST SOURCE OF LOST POTENTIAL, LIKE---what is this place? Why is this place the way it is? Radio signals don’t work there. The unown haunt it. But why? We know that the Sinjoh Ruins might have something to do with it, given the connection there, and that Arceus and the unown have some kind of connection, but we still don’t know what, precisely, that connection is. There’s so much mystery and I feel that there’s so much more to be done with the Ruins of Alph, more dimensions that can be accessed from them, more that can be uncovered and explored. I want to uncover that, I want to see it!

All of the mystical / legendary islands in Hoenn --- Okay, there are too many to list here, but like . . . Mirage Island, which changes location and really does appear and disappear like a mirage. Faraway Island, which to this day is the only known habitat of Mew. Birth Island, where you find Deoxys in the original Gen III games. Southern Island, where you find one of the Latis. And all of the mystical islands where you find Hoopa’s Rings in ORAS. Like . . . these places, they’re always so remote, the music is usually mystical and fills you with this sense of wonder and legend and myth. God, I crave this sort of thing, these are always my favorite places, and Hoenn was so great for that because they could include so many different little islands scattered throughout the region. (Something you would think Alola would have done as well, but alas . . .)

So yeah, all my favorite places are in, like, Johto or Hoenn, hahaha. But really, I love mystical, legend-infused places. Give me your remote islands with legendaries. Give me your sacred places of ancient worship. Give me your alternate dimensions with your eldritch abominations. I want to see and explore it all.

Top 5 BotW Locations:

My House --- I’m really attached to the idea that Link has a home, haha. I like to keep Keith there a lot, I always go back there to cook, et cetera. I really love that Link has a place to call home amidst all the adventuring and traveling.

The Temple of Time --- I’m mad that the Temple of Time can’t play an actually important role in this game, even if I kind of understand it. Even so, I’m very attached to the Temple of Time and probably always will be. It’s sacred to me even if it’s just a cool place in this game where the Old Man tells you who he really is.

The Lost Woods --- This is the best rendition of the Lost Woods yet. Although I’m not too fond of Korok Village itself (too many framerate drops, the music isn’t great, Koroks are annoying), I love the Lost Woods, how creepy and ethereal they are, and the music is fantastic. A++++, best Lost Woods yet.

The Forgotten Temple --- One of my newest favorite locations. To me, the Forgotten Temple is definitely linked to SS. How much is debatable; that’s clearly the Statue of the Goddess in the very back, but I’m not sure if this temple is supposed to be the Sealed Grounds (maybe built on top of the Sealed Grounds?) or what. But it has a very mystical feel to it all the same, so I love it.

The Mounted Archery Camp --- In truth, I can’t decide on a fifth, so this one will go here because JINI IS WAITING COME WIND OR STORM, AND WANTS LINK TO BE CAREFUL. ;__; JINIIIIIII

I’m really attached to Jini, okay.

Top 5 Zelda Characters (that aren’t Zelda or Link):

Tatl --- Tatl is always going to be best companion, best girl, as far as I’m concerned. I love how she actually had a full personality of her own; she’s incredibly snarky (especially in the N64 original; they toned her down for the 3DS remake and I’m mad), unwilling to help at first, and is extremely focused on protecting her little brother, Tael, regardless of what happens to others. But she develops; she becomes more helpful, more attached to Link as well, and she even continues to develop after you beat the game once, because the first time you go to the moon she doesn’t want to go until Tael says that, fine, he’ll go. Every time after that she jumps at the chance, saying that Link is her partner and if he’s going, she’s going, too. I love how much development, personality, and history she gets. She even gets it in response to other characters, such as how she keeps snarking Kafei as he tells his story. Tatl’s not a perfect person, but I love that. I love her. (And I mean, she’s a wonderfully protective big sis. Give credit where credit is due.)

Urbosa --- QUEEN. Urbosa is everything I ever wanted from the Gerudo and more. She’s clearly a fierce warrior, but she also has a nurturing aspect to her as well with how she looks after Zelda and the others. She’s incredibly badass with the way she calls lightning with finger snaps. And on top of it all, she calls upon Gerudo history and marks her beef with Calamity Ganon as being personal due to the time he was reincarnated as a Gerudo. Fuckin’---I love her. Far and away the best Champion in the game (excluding Link, of course). I love her. 

Marin --- Marin is especially notable because of how much characterization she got despite the fact that Link’s Awakening is a GB game. She could have easily been just another boring maiden, but we see that she, too, takes to calling Link “thief” if he steals from the shop; Link gets to go on a date with her, in which we see more of her personality through the various shenanigans they get up to; and we even learn that she has suspicions about a world outside of Koholint Island, that while everyone else on Koholint believes that there is no world outside of the island, she does. And she’s so desperate to see what’s out there that she daydreams about being a seagull, just so she can fly away. That’s pretty deep for a GB!Zelda character, and I love that she was fleshed out so much. I’m always going to love my girl Marin, and I’ll always headcanon that she, like Link, washed up on Koholint’s shore. I hope that she got to find a life outside of the island one day, as a person or seagull or otherwise.

Kafei --- Not only is Kafei being notable for one of the few (and perhaps the first) instances where you get to play as someone other than Link temporarily, but I love him as a character, too. I think my favorite part of Kafei is how deadpan he is about so many things; he refuses to even acknowledge Tatl’s snarking, much less rise to it, and he insists on calling Link “green-hat boy” for pretty much the entire time they know each other. But he’s also so sincere; if you fail to get the Sun’s Mask back, his despair over losing it is palpable. I do wish he realized that Anju would accept him regardless, but even so, that’s just another fault, and characters who have flaws are good. I love Kafei, he’s great. (And I also still believe that he’s a Terminian Sheikah.)

Fi --- Lastly, Fi. I wish that we saw more development from her over the course of the game, but the connection between the Hero and the Master Sword has always been important to me, and SS just made it even more so. Her goodbye can still bring tears to my eyes. Here’s hoping that the BotW DLC gives us a chance to see her interact with this Link. Please, Nintendo. Please.

Top 5 Hogwarts Classes:

Care of Magical Creatures

Defense Against the Dark Arts

Transfiguration

Charms

Ancient Runes

Those are the ones I’d be most interested in, anyway!