#table rock north division

[jrpneblog]

North End hoping for Pompey chimes after an indifferent week or so.

North End head to the South Coast on Saturday to face Portsmouth for the first time in twelve years. Pompey sit rock bottom of the Championship and North End have a great opportunity to climb the table after a fairly indifferent spell over the last couple of weeks. In the league this week we had a very poor 1-3 reverse to mid table Bristol City last Saturday followed by a much improved performance on Wednesday evening at Deepdale against top of the table Sunderland. Following this weekends fixture we have the final international break of the year and North End will be looking forward to that I am sure particularly with the striker situation being as acute as it is.

Last Saturday saw us comprehensively beaten at home by Bristol City in a game few of the North End side will want to remember. After going a goal down we managed to pull it back level but the Robins went on to win comfortably and give North End a real shock in a game we were quiet confident of winning. Too many players had off days but I think that fatigue played a big part in North Ends performance, or lack of it, and the situation with the strikers is not really helping us at all. Fair play to Emil Riis who has battled on since Keane got injured and Osmajic had a piece of Owen Beck for his Sunday lunch but the Dane must be feeling the pain now and will certainly be ready for a few days off after Saturday afternoons encounter.

Wednesday evening saw Sunderland come to Deepdale sat at the top of the Championship after thirteen games. North End put in a much better performance on the night and one which was much more akin to the type of football that we have come to expect under Paul Heckingbottom. In fact I thought North End should have won on the evening as we had three or four very decent chances in the first half but we just could not put the ball in the net. Sunderland have some decent players but they are very much a counter attacking side and a team who rely on set pieces somewhat. Anyway it was a morale boosting performance and a good resuly given all the circumstances and it will look even better if we can take the three points at Portsmouth on Saturday.

Saturday sees our first visit to Fratton Park since a 0-0 draw on the 15th December 2012 in the dying days of the Graham Westley era. It doesn`t seem twelve years ago but time marches on and this Paul Heckingbottom Preston side will face the man who captained North End under Westley and that is John Mousinho. Pompey have not had the best of starts in their return to the Championship and their home record so far leaves something to be desired. Of the six home games played they are yet to win having drawn three and lost three. They have scored just three goals and conceded nine so North End will be hoping that they can keep Pompey firmly rooted ot the bottom of the division.

And finally this week:- Paul Heckingbottom said after the Sunderland game on TV on Wednesday evening that the standard of refereeing in the Championship was "appalling". I have to say I agree 1005 with the North End managers comments. Our woes at the hands of the officials have been well documneted but the old saying that "actions have consequences" does not seem to apply to the merry whistle blowers of the Championship. Im not sure what the answer is or what can be done but we sure as hell are due some luck from the officials after what we have seen so far this term.

.

MATCH PREDICTION -

PORTSMOUTH (A) League - Away win

.

JR`s HIGH FIVES

Sunderland to beat Coventry 23/20

A £5 Stake returns £10.75 on bet365

SEASONS STATS

Returns £37.63 Stake £65.00

Percentage profit+/-loss - % 42.11

Predictions 13 won 3 lost 10

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Windsor Road Gang Gets Settled At North Bay,” Border Cities Star. 1931-10-08 - Page 01 & 10. --- Find Grub Is Very Good --- Plenty to Eat and Boys Make Furniture For Huts --- No Time Is Lost -- Contingent in Camp 20 Minutes After Train Arrives in Town --- By E. E. KELLEHER Staff Correspondent of The Border Cities Star (CAMP No. 4A4) NORTH BAY, Oct. 8 - Rain clouds were scudding across the northern sky, but lamps were shining brightly and barrel-stoves were singing last night in the eight huts in this camp. which will be the home of 50 men from the Border Cities during the next six months while they are playing their part in building Canada's long-wanted transcontinental highway.

PILE OFF TRUCK PILING off a large truck about ten o'clock yesterday morning Windsor's first contribution to the road army organized as an unemployment venture by the Ontario Government spent most of the day in getting settled in their eight-man tar paper cabins. Everyone was set for a good sleep last night, welcome after a boisterous day and night on trains, and toil was to start in earnest in the morning when clearing bush, ditching and grading will get under way.

The camp is only four miles east of North Bay, reached over a rough and winding, but picturesque, colonization road. It is the first camp east of the "Bay" on the 115-odd mile stretch of the new highway survey from the busy rail centre of Chalk River, which is about 25 miles west of Pembroke. Fifteen miles at the Chalk River end was built last year. A dozen or so of the boys got in a few hours work last evening between rain squalls. Three of them drove stakes for the surveyor on the right-of-way which skirts the rear of 4 A 4 Camp. The rest were taken into the bush by Foreman W. W. Paul and given a taste of axe-wielding.

Mr. Paul, a veteran of the hard timber regions, was not so enthusiastic about the technique of Windsor's jungaleers, but he says they may get into their stride in a couple of days time. They may have been a little nervous during the first day.

And just a stone's throw from the cook house is a small lake, where a squad of the new comers wooed the elusive pike during the afternoon. There were regulation fishing poles, real hooks and fat muskeg worms, but the pike proved ornery and not one decided to fraternize with the Windsor gang.

Carpenters were putting the finishing touches on the camp buildings when we hove in view yesterday morning and it certainly is a cozy layout considering that it was erected in less than two weeks.

At present, there are 15 sleeping cabins, each housing eight men, with two-decker bunk accommodation, a husky camp stove, and with plenty of space in the centre for crap games, poker, bridge, blind man's buff or boy scout meetings, springs, mattresses. pillows and blankets on each bunk, of course, and all equipment new.

"WINDSOR AVENUE" Trail blazers have already named some of the main thoroughfares. Windsor and Howard avenues being the busiest intersection at the present time. And the dormitories will be known henceforth as the "Better "Ole". "Windsor Castle," "The Royal York." and other names yet to be chosen.

About noon, Superintendent D. J. Kennedy, of the Northern Development Branch, called for carpenters among the first division from down East. Either the boys didn't hear him or they were bashful, but the fact remains that Mr. Kennedy found only one man who said he was good with raw and hammer. However, twilight saw most of the huts equipped with benches, tables and miniature writing desks, home-made and smart looking. No carpenters? Don't believe a word of it.

"If that Windsor crew can learn to do rock work and handle axes as well as they build their own furniture, this will be one of the best gangs in the whole outfit," A. Miller, the other foreman in this neck of the woods, told the writer afterwards.

BILL OF FARE The Windsor platoon expects to fight on its stomach the same as any other collection of bush whackers, and the way George Finick has managed the bill of fare on the first day indicates, that all of us will feel like Ghurkas in 48 hours time. The dinner tom tom sounded at twelve o'clock sharp and when we entered the two mess halls. It looked as if we had stumbled upon a harvest festival banquet, or at least Kiwanis luncheon. Vegetable soup which actually contained those things roast beef swimming in gravy, pork and beans for the more fastidious, boiled potatoes, beets, raisin pie (the kind you see in magazine ads) at least five kinds of cake and cookies, new bread, with no moratorium on butter. and gallons of steaming tea.

Those who delivered the sinister threat enroute that “I hear the outfit is tough on grub and if they are they can ship me home." came out of the mess hall feeling ashamed of themselves.

Congratulations were offered self-consciously to the cook during the afternoon, but George, in all his wisdom, only answered: “A good cook makes a good camp."

Crawley and McCracken, well-known northern contractors operate the boarding house and the commissary. The store was opened after supper and it was soon filled with a handful who wanted to buy, and the rest of the gang who were just sizing things up.

DRIPPING SKIES We weren't given any time to look around North Bay yesterday morning as a truck was waiting at the station when the train chugged to a stop under dripping skies. W. H. Cameron, of the Employment service of Canada, checked the men over quickly and inside 20 minutes we had reached camp 4 A 4 sounds like a ranch) which is set right down on the farm of T. A. Bebee.

The atmosphere is surely rural, a fact which makes a lot of the boys feel more at home. Cook's helpers throw their dish water out on corn stubble, and every now and then farm wagons trundle along the road.

Seventeen milch cows, belonging to Mr. Bebee, wander close to the camp. They still think it's their ranch, and many of them had to be chased out of the way so that the Windsor lads could drive stakes along the surveyor's tape line..

There are 24 camps on this stretch from North Bay to Chalk River.

ARRIVE DAILY It is estimated there are now more than 600 in the highway army. Additional recruits are coming in daily. The population of this camp will be increased by another fifty tomorrow.

A small granite hill through which the road will pass is less than a mile from the cabins, but rock blasting in not expected to start for two weeks. It will keep the boys busy in that time levelling bush, cutting ditches and grading.

The big idea in this section of the country is to shorten the road distance between North Bay and Pembroke, and at the same time give tourists something that looks like a good highway. It is some job, with muskegs and winter delays to contend with, but it will be done-if the jobless army doesn't join another rebellion somewhere.

In all there are 15 buildings in camp at present. Sturdy of construction, and well fortified on the outside with tar-paper. The washroom isn't ready yet, but should be opened to the public some time today. Neither have the sleeping huts been banked against wind and drifting snow. but that will be accomplished before the cold spell sets in.

Lumber trucks were swinging down the lane today bringing supplies for an addition to the kitchen and mess rooms, already well underway.

NO RADIO YET Not a radio around yet, as the men in charge have been so busy getting things ready for the Border "Originals" that they have had little time to think of musical entertainment. One of the Windsor soldiers has already arranged to have his music box shipped north. In the meantime, the two mouth organs and the piccolo must satisfy the musical appetites of the new arrivals.

Not much revelry in the club rooms last night. Weary from travel and excitement. the highway pushers tumbled quietly onto their new mattresses, and probably dreamed of the day when they will be driving their Hispano-Suizas over the road they helped to blaze through the rock and Iake and forest empire that is Northern Ontario.

[dustedmagazine]

Listed: Son of Dribble

Son of Dribble, from Columbus, Ohio, recently had their second album receive the vinyl treatment by the Minimum Table Stacks label, following its digital release last year. “The band’s fuzzy yet morose Velvets-meets-Joy Division garage rock clamor practically screams out for a wider audience and a more robust pressing,” Dusted’s Bryon Hayes wrote in his review of Son of Drib Against the Wind, “so it’s great that the label took the bait.” Since the album’s initial release, the trio of vocalist Andy Clager, guitarist Darren Latanick and drummer Vicky Mahnke, welcomed second guitarist Mike Nosan into the fold and have been busy playing shows and plotting its follow-up. But not so busy that they couldn’t take a moment of their time to share with Dusted readers a list of things that inspire them musically, lyrically and otherwise. Enjoy!

The Mekons

Cosmic auntie/uncle vibes. They’re like gypsies who created their own world, exploring and expanding at their leisure. Mekons are a band with guts.

Mummenschanz

How can mime-adjacent performance for children be funny, kind, and sublime all in the same moment? Deep dive into the comps — especially the 1970s and 1980s stuff. Are we all just blobs trying to get up a ramp? Are we the blob? Or are we the ramp?

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

A real wizard. He had a hauntingly beautiful vision that cut to the heart of the human condition. A great actor as well (Kamikaze 89, Baal). An early reference for our song “Candy Boy” was “disco song for a Fassbinder film.”

Norman McLaren

Early minimalist psychedelia. It’s really fun to get lost in his work. They used to have a DVD compilation at the library. They don’t have it anymore, maybe somebody stole it.

Teenage Fanclub

Just look at that guitarist playing with leather gloves on.

Jean Dubuffet

Art brut is for the people, it reminds you that you should cut your own hair. His series Pisseurs is several drawings of people peeing in alleys. Our song “J & Dubuffet” was inspired by Andy taking his kid to the local museum, but it’s mostly about just doing what you want while you can.

ELO songs that don’t get radio play

That moment when you realize that something incredible has been right in front of you the whole time. Listen to “Starlight” (1977), “Midnight Blue” (1979), “Don't Walk Away” (1980), and “Another Heart Breaks” (1981). It's a wild ride of space travel and heartbreak (and robot backup singers).

Donald Barthelme

He could write very poignantly and then quickly melt everything into absurdity, sort of throwing things out the window. Great technique.

Schoolly D

A child finds a copy of the first tape (Schoolly D, 1985). They look at the artwork and think it is the coolest, rawest thing they’ve ever seen. They then listen to it, and it is the coolest, rawest thing they’ve ever heard. “P.S.K., What Does It Mean?” sounds like it was recorded in a room full of fog.

Scott Walker

Before recording the album, Andy took a pilgrimage to Walker’s hometown of Hamilton, Ohio (just north of Cincinnati). Checked out the local sculpture park and then found the house that he grew up in. Dug some dirt out of the yard, mixed it into a strawberry milkshake and drank it in an attempt to consume some sort of spirit. A true poet.

[largemouthbassnation]

Kitchen Table

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group North America

Kitchen Table · Jake Bugg

Shangri La

℗ 2013 Virgin EMI Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited

Released on: 2013-01-01

Producer: Rick Rubin Studio: Shangri La Studios Editor, Engineer: Dana Nielsen Asst. … source

[futuristicyouthvoid]

Thorin Oakenshield x Reader

Another guest was unexpected when Thorin Oakenshield's company gathered in the tiny hobbit hole.

At least it wasn't expected by the dwarves and the hobbit.

Surely the cunning mage knew. He was crouched on one side of the table full of dwarves, where the king sat at the head corner. Bilbo was on the verge of losing his mind as he studied the contract when the atmosphere got heated again as the meeting continued. Taking a deep breath, Thorin got up from the table and paced around, his arms folded across his chest. Just then, he heard the sound coming from the door. When no one was there, he advanced and opened the door.

In front of him stood a tall figure dressed in black. Before he could open his mouth, the other person broke the silence as he lowered the cap of his cloak.

"Good evening, master dwarf. Gandalf invited me here for a meeting. I hope I'm not too late."

Thorin looked intently at the owner of the gentle voice. It was a human woman. Thorin finally managed to break in.

T: Your timing is not very good.

Just then, Gandalf's voice was heard from behind.

G: Oh dear friend! You finally made it, I was starting to think you disappeared!

As he approached the door, he made Thorin stand aside and let her in and closed the door. The woman looked at the mage with a slightly mischievous expression.

"I thought this was your job, my dear friend."

Gandalf laughed with delight. Meanwhile, when Thorin and the woman came face to face, she greeted him briefly.

"I am Y/N, a Dúnedain ranger of the North. I am at your service."

Thorin returned the salute.

T: Thorin Oakenshield.

~~~

It had already been a few weeks since Y/N had set off with the company. They were trying to find a suitable place to camp now. At first Thorin and some of the dwarves from company were reluctant to accept him. Being a woman had a big part in this, of course, but she was also part of the uncanny rangers. Although these two elements caused great prejudices at first, they were broken over time. He had the opportunity to prove himself. Now the dwarves had acknowledged his existence. Bilbo had agreed from the very beginning. First of all the dwarves, Balin had shown him a kind of kindness, the most sensible of them. Then the princes Fili and Kili, Ori and Bofur followed him. Dori and Nori brought the sequel. In fact, Dwalin's ice had melted after a while, but his relations with Thorin were volatile. He was a mean and stern dwarf. He was stubborn and domineering, sometimes even rude and hurtful.

However, Y/N seemed to tolerate this side of him with his composure.

When a suitable place for the camp was found, everyone determined a certain corner and left their belongings. The fire was lit and the division of labor was done. By the time the food was eaten, most of the dwarves were already asleep. Kili and Fili were sitting on the bottom of a rock near the fire. Balin and Ori were chatting in a corner, while Thorin and Dwalin were sitting in the far corner of the others. Gandalf was sitting under a tree, smoking his pipe, watching the scenery. Bilbo was back on his pony again.

Y/N had gone to look around as part of his duty. When he turned, he came out of the darkness and proceeded to the place where the fire was. He knelt by the flames and reinforced the wood, along with some wood he had brought with him. At this moment, he was aware that two pairs of eyes were watching him, and he slowly got up and went to his corner. It was his first watch.

Dwalin nudged his distracted friend lightly and said, "You're doing it again, Thorin." she muttered softly so only he could hear. Thorin snapped out of his thoughts and refused. "No I don't."

He fidgeted restlessly, struggling not to meet his friend's eyes, but without success. Dwalin grunted. Thorin reluctantly agreed, showing his displeasure. "Yes I did."

Dwalin had known his friend for a long time, and it was the first time he had seen him like this. "You can't take your eyes off her. Thorin…it's clear this isn't about insecurity anymore. Whatever it is, this needs to be settled."

Thorin let out a shaky breath as he listened to his friend. Then the strong hand gripping his shoulder showed his support. "We have enough trouble. This is neither the time nor the place, Dwalin."

Dwalin added, "Then it's better for him to gnaw at you. Then you may not have the opportunity." Thorin thought he had said too much and immediately returned to his inner world. He sighed as his gaze wandering over the floor shifted back to the body sitting in the darkness.

As Y/N sat on the top of the rock watching the surroundings, feeling overwhelmed, he slowly turned his gaze to the right. Here again the same thing happened. He made eye contact with Thorin. This time, however, was different because Thorin wasn't the first to look away. This had been happening, especially lately, and Thorin was usually the first to look away. However, he did not cut off the contact. When their eyes were locked for a while, they exchanged a short smile at each other. Although there were arguments, mostly due to Thorin's stress, they also managed to have decent conversations a few times. Yet there were still crackles, and at times he even thought that Thorin hated him.

Y/N was the first to catch his gaze. He had to keep his mind off and go back to his vigil.

As the hours passed, the dwarves' snores began to echo more and more. It was literally a headache, even their sleep was chaotic. It was at such times that his longing for the peace of Imladris increased. He took a deep breath.

After a while, he turned in that direction when he heard footsteps near him. He was a little startled to see that it was Thorin approaching him, but he didn't show it.

"An hour until your shift. Looks like you're having trouble sleeping again." said the woman.

Thorin smiled and asked permission to sit down. When the confirmation came, he sat down. "You should have noticed by now."

The woman shook her head. "You're right, stress brings dark clouds over everyone. I can understand that."

Thorin was silent for a moment. In the midst of this silence, he cast some glances at the woman. He looked like he was going to say something, but the woman broke the silence.

"What reason do you have for hating me, Thorin?"

Thorin wasn't expecting this, as he looked up in surprise. Then he answered without delay, "Of course I don't hate you. Do you really think so?"

Her eyes fell on him. "You didn't give me any other choice. It's okay Thorin, that's not my problem. I'm going to say that I'm here on duty. You may not realize it, but I know what it's like to be homeless and tossed around. I accepted the offer as soon as I heard it because I wanted to help. I asked you to come back, with all my heart and I will keep my word."

As Thorin turned his full attention to the woman speaking, his expression began to soften his uncomfortable expression. There was even a slight smile. His eyes didn't lie, though he had proven himself to the company all this time and helped them many times over.

"Erebor will be restored to its former glory. The dwarves will return to their homeland. Until then, we must support each other. It will be easier if we are united and respectful. Then we will part ways and I will leave you alone. Now just allow me to help, I have no further requests. "

The dwarf king's face fell towards the end. A sense of unease came over him again. Of course, separation... Their paths would diverge at some point. This human warrior would have to return to his realm, and it strangely disturbed Thorin. While saying these, Y/N couldn't help the bitterness in him.

He watched the expression on the man's face. Then their eyes met. The woman mustered up her courage and placed her hand lightly on the man's wrist, intending to quell the restlessness. Thorin seemed startled at first, not expecting contact, and held his breath for a moment. The feeling of warmth that then spread through him burned him, actually both.

Thorin's expression softened a little, and he smiled as he watched her face.

Then he began to speak, "Thank you for everything." Then he added, "And I'm sorry... for everything."

Now it was her turn to be surprised. Had Thorin really just thanked and apologized? This is seriously unusual, but he soon realized the importance of it. Thorin had rarely done this, and he was completely sincere. It was definitely one of those rare moments. The woman smiled. "I will remember this moment for the rest of my life, Thorin. It was unusual." lightly stuck. This made Thorin laugh.

With the withdrawn hand, the warmth in his wrist had disappeared. He almost seemed to protest, but of course he remained silent. Instead, they both enjoyed each other's laughter.

They sat there chatting for a considerable time. They understood each other a little more. The warrior woman told some things about her past without going into details. Over time, the duo found more in common.

They sat until late at night. Even Thorin's watch had passed, and Bofur's watch had come. Thus ended the night. In fact, they had a lot more to talk about, even something they had to resolve between themselves. But they had set that aside. They dispersed and settled into their beds, relaxed, with smiles on their faces.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Tuesday 27 August 1839

7 ¾

9 ½

fine morning F60 ¼° at 9 am breakfast at 9 ½ and at yesterdays’ accounts till 11 20/.. – then off to the mine at 11 ½ - we walked – there at 11 55/.. in 25 minutes – sent Jean back for A-‘s sketch book etc. and my travelling cap (casquette, blue cloth from Jupp’s London 1835) I had no idea of this mine – a large oval opening perhaps about 200 yards in circumference with seven great large shed-covered 2 horse gins and their tackling on the north side (left as we stand) at C (close to the gin that let us down into the bottom) in the Damp-machine (steam engine now disused)

deep achtzig klafter (80 klafter) the mien goes in a Southwest (I think he said) direction 80 famms (1 famm = 3 ells) I had no idea of this mine – an enormous yawing gulph to look down into with a deep chasm or cleft entrance to the mine itself – the red timbers supporting the sheds very picturesque on the north side which is walled at the top with a good ashler wall 4 or 5 yards (high down to the solid rock) to keep all safe at the top – the stone at the top not worth much – 3 sorts – the best yields 64 p.c. of iron – no foundries here – the ore is sent away in winter – 12 proprietors and comte...................... who has one-third of the whole mine

Tuesday 27 August

200 workmen in the mine

1st pit 100 Klafter deep (mellan faltet Dannemora)

2nd ditto 120 Klafter deep (  Sudra faltet Dannemora) does not communicate with the gulph sketched above, and is close to the square tower-like blacksmiths‘ shop (to the southwest) and here are 7 pits close together and here is the best ore.

observed in the blacksmiths’ shop very convenient rack for whimbles – would do very well for our rails

standing one of the side walls – rack about 2ft. damp 4 or 5 ft. high and the divisions about a foot wide?

the ore consist of Eisen (iron) quartz and Zweifel (sulphur) ready to go down at 2pm tied my pelisse shirt tight round my middle put on my travelling cap and one of mans frock coats, and did not feel it too warm 8 minutes going down and the same coming up –

200 workmen in the mine and about 200 more employed 1 way or other

1 hundred thousand Shipond of stone got per annum

the Hull company has taken the whole mine and all that is got and pays every tenth part to the crown –

Every workman paid per ton – when the stone is hardest 14sk. rigs.

and when softest 3 1/2sk. rigs per ton – a good man can get 4 tons and more a day – or (for the stone has to be got and landed) a man can earn a rigs per day dollar – 10 pair of horses and 14 pair of oxen – one cay say 40 pair = 80 horses for all the work – the pump is worked by a water mil ¼ mile off – on reaching the bottom turn along the mine or drift at d, 20 famms long – wants only one famm of being completed and then will open a communication from this great gulph to the Stegge ladders that go down into the pit at that place

SH:7/ML/TR/13/0013

August Tuesday 27 these works not expensive – a mass of harded snow and ice at the bottom – the better iron at the bottom, and 20 famm deeper at the south pits –

Kleina (black stone, argillaceous) not Eissen (iron) near the top – paid the man at 3 ¼ and then stood by A- as she sketched – just ½ hour in the bottom –

the blasts are fired at noon – the big pieces are broken in the natural cleavages by making fires (charcoal) under them -  

See what Van Buche says – working at 4 or 5 different heights in the mine

a tonneau (I went down in one) seems about as big as one of our 12 gallon tubs –

home in 25 minutes at 4 55/.. – dinner at 5 10/.. in 40 minutes – fried fish (brochet) Moorcock, gelinotte (partridge) and sweet omelette and potatoes and cucumber – good – the Moorcock looked like a plump rumpless barn-door fowl – and sent to table like one without head or feet (legs cut off at the knee) – the outer flesh brown – the inner (on the breast bone) quite white – an auction outside our Inn door, - of carts, a gig, tubs, pottery etc. etc. saw a largeish common white round pot dish knocked down at one dollar rigs – 2 or 3 priests, and several respectable looking men and women and peasants were assembled – out at 6 – sauntered in the village (Österby) to Mr. Tamms’ forges – then about his sheds and barns and then into his garden – 5 gardeners (garçons) and 4 filles – hothouses –pineries – grapes under cucumber frames – fruit from July to October – planted in a good light soil 1 vines 2 a pit

three Swedish Ells deep and 2 or 3 ditto wide filled

with horse dung – fresh dung every year – when fruiting over, the glasses taken off, and then as soon as the leaves have fallen rafters are laid over, and on these rafters an ell deep

“Moorcock” a pheasant the woman of the house said worth rigsdollar.

Tuesday 27 September [August] of litter for the winter says from 1 November to 1 April when the glasses are put on again and the vines grown vigorously – vines here of 30 years old – several sort so grapes – all looking well – gave the man 80sk. banco – had just written so far at 7 20/.. – get to Stockholm the gardening book of the Directeur Landström – vide for this manner of cultivation [vating] the vine – the vines are trained on espaliers – then left John at the Inn and A- and I sauntered about till came in at 8 – very fine day – then looking at maps ¼ hour –

Remark in Sweden

Fjords and forests

Houses and hedges

Roads and snow ploughs

See at Stockholm the collection of farming utensils –

the last ¾ Swedish miles of last stage but one and almost all the last stage forest

[multimetaverse]

HSMTMTS 2x01 Review

New Year’s Eve was a great way to return to HSMTMTS especially after such a long gap. Let’s dig in!

Vladimir Lenin once said that, ‘’ there are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen". It’s been almost a year and half since S1 ended but this past week has seen revelation after revelation as the fandom has resurrected itself and promotion for S2 kicked into high gear: Joshua Bassett came out, Frankie and Joe confirmed that they are a real life couple, Larry seemingly confirmed that S2 will only have 11 eps rather than the 12 initially ordered, and perhaps most importantly Olivia revealed that she and the main cast are under contract for 4 seasons and made clear that she’s leaving the show as soon as her contract is up.

I really enjoyed this premiere, it felt like picking up right back where we left off. I’m guessing that S2 was originally supposed to premiere around Christmas or New Year’s but the holiday decorations and real Utah snow add a charming aesthetic to the ep. Tim Federle deserves credit for giving HSMTMTS more of an ensemble feel which is no easy feat with a cast as large as this show has. It likely won’t last due to covid restrictions  but at least for tonight we got to see all the characters hanging out together acting like a real group of friends.

The dialogue tonight really reminded me of Glee and I think I mean that as a compliment. Miss Jenn in particular seems to be doing her best April Rhodes impression minus the alcoholism. 

The rini scenes tonight were lovely. Perfect gift was a great song and I loved the rini duet during the music in me as the world faded around them leaving just the two of them. The Harry Styles reference is funny in light of Josh’s coming out interview. Of course, it’s hard now to separate Nini and Ricky and Olivia and Josh. Their chemistry shines through as 2x01, 2x02, and possibly parts of 2x03 were filmed pre Jolivia breakup which seems to have happened around summer 2020. Whether they can keep that same chemistry later on in S2, not to mention future seasons, remains to be seen.

A major theme tonight was communication and clearly Rini need to work on theirs. Poor Ricky had to learn that Nini’s moving to Denver the night before she leaves town which has to remind of him of his mom effectively abandoning him. Ricky saying that he’s never gonna breakup with Nini ever again sure sounds like foreshadowing for a disaster though the odds that this time Nini initiates the breakup are pretty good. 

I’m glad that the show is continuing to delve in the Bowen’s divorce story with their house being sold and Ricky and his dad having to move into an apartment. Divorce is expensive and the division of assets typically leave people less well off. Mike Bowen needs to work on his communication skills but he’s rocking that beard; it takes him from depressed divorced dad to depressed divorced daddy.

Seblos was cute and in a nice change of pace Disney doesn’t seem to be cynically teasing them then cutting their scenes. It was refreshing to see them just being a couple and to hear Carlos casually refer to himself as gay. In that regard tonight’s ep didn’t seem like it was a Disney show at all and it’s major progress that there are now two main gay characters on HSMTMTS. We learn that Carlos is rich which seems likely to be a source of conflict with Seb who comes from a large farming family.

Bet on It was really fun and I liked that Ricky apparently couldn’t stop singing it. The medley of HSM 2 songs was fun but I’ll be real with you wildcats, I never thought HSM 2 or 3 were nearly as good as the first movie so I’m not sad that they’re doing something else this year.

Wild that Big Red’s mom also calls him Big Red. Salt Lake Slices seems poised to be a big part of S2 both as hangout spot and work location for some of the characters. Redlyn are sweet together but sometimes Big Red comes off as a closeted gay guy which isn’t ideal for a het pairing that is supposedly a big part of S2.

Nice to see Gina so excited to have sleepovers with Ashlyn. We know from 2x03 that Gina contends with being single on Valentine’s day and from her glances at Ricky tonight she’s clearly not over him. Tim’s playing with fire and I can only hope he knows what he’s doing. I liked the little detail of Kourtney having AOC on her vision board, it feels true to the character (hopefully AOC gets elected president one day if the USA doesn’t collapse into a fascist dictatorship or civil war before then). EJ’s beard has got to go but I like that he seems committed to being a better version of himself; very doubtful his plan to go straight to Duke like his forefathers doesn’t change by the end of the season. 

Derek Hough did a good job of playing Zach as a subtly condescending man who managed to swiftly undermine Miss Jenn’s confidence, we’ll see what he and North High bring to the table.

Looking Ahead:

Next week are auditions for Beauty and the Beast, we know Ashlyn gets the role of Belle and EJ has conveniently removed himself from the running for Beast which presumably clears the path for Ricky to take the lead. There’s been some controversy over the casting choices and I’ll save my comments about it for the 2x02 review.

We get to see Lily who looks like a meaner version of season 1 Gina, we’ll see how much depth she actually ends up getting. Howie is introduced in 2x03 and Antoine likely shows up later on. Jack likely shows up towards the end of the season.

Howie seems to have a connection with Kourtney though the character synopsis does say he gets close to a wildcat or two which certainly leaves room to slide him into Gina’s plot. We know Antoine is into Ashlyn so that’s another love triangle to look forward to. Jack was described as having wanderlust and most of the cast seems not to have filmed with him so I think it’s likely that he plays a role in convincing EJ to take a gap year rather than head straight to Duke. 

A translation leak on TikTok reveals that in 2x03 Gina is sad that she’s only gotten a Valentine’s Day gift from her mom. A brief clip from the promo shows up her on her porch at night holding a heart shaped box of chocolates. If that’s supposed to be from a secret or semi-secret admirer than it has to be from either EJ, Ricky, or Howie. If it’s a platonic gift then it could be from anyone, we’ll see what Tim has up his sleeves.

Nini moving back to SLC is a question of when not if. It’s going to be very difficult to bring her back in a way that’s justified and also doesn’t leave the time she spends in Denver looking like a total waste. Frankly, I’d rather the show just bite the bullet and bring her back with as little fuss as possible.

We’re possibly around a quarter way through HSMTMTS given that the mains have 4 season contracts and presuming that the show is not cancelled earlier. At the very least the show will be radically different after S4 if they try to continue it as Olivia has made very clear that she’s going to leave asap to pursue her burgeoning music career full time (notably she’s only done the bare minimum of promo for S2). 

Looming over the remaining seasons of HSMTMTS is what the professional relationship between Olivia and Josh looks like especially since in many ways the show is built around Ricky and Nini. Off screen relationships have often caused on screen problems and dating a co-worker is rarely a good idea since even clean breakups leave lingering resentments. Obviously the Jolivia breakup was not clean, Driver’s License, Deja Vu, and Good 4 U (which is a certified bop) were clearly written from a place of hurt and in some ways were written to hurt. It’s no surprise that Joshua has dropped his duet with Sabrina Carpenter from his EP; someone on his team at least is trying to stop the damage to his reputation. There’s a decent chance that Olivia’s songs becoming such hits has irreparably damaged Joshua Bassett’s reputation among the same pool of largely young women that he’s targeting his music towards thereby cutting off his music career at the knees. If nothing else this behind the scenes drama should keep things entertaining for a while.

Until next week Wildcats 

[maggiec70]

Prince Bagration Makes a Cameo Appearance

Another excerpt from the longest-running histfic draft. This is for Tairin. I hope I did her prince justice, small though it may be.

Jean’s staff found a two-story house large enough for them all in a northern Viennese suburb. General Compans ordered the portly, red-faced owner and his large family to leave, slipping him a fistful of gold coins before he could protest. Mariana couldn’t tell how many coins constituted a fistful, but they produced an incredulous expression on the man’s face and then a deep bow that revealed his blindingly bald, pink pate. There must be a secret source of gold coins that only Compans and Thomières knew about, perhaps hidden away in a sturdy oak box labeled Bribes. She had seen these coins appear whenever Jean wanted to sleep somewhere other than a barn or outside on the ground for several days. She also knew only a very few marshals and generals bothered to compensate the people whose lives they disrupted or even thought to do so.

“Don’t wreck the place,” Compans ordered them after the Viennese family had bustled out the door, their personal belongings tied up in large, unwieldy bundles.

“Why would we?” she asked Joseph as two adjutants added more wood to a fire in the large stone hearth. She wondered how much food she might find in the kitchen cupboards and the spacious pantry leading from the kitchen. Indeed, the life expectancy of the well-fed hens she’d seen in the dooryard was measured in minutes.

“It was a pro forma reminder,” Joseph replied. “We’ve never been a horde of Vandals or Huns, and the marshal knows it.” He grinned at her and stretched so much that he almost slid out of his chair. “I can’t say the same about Prince Murat’s cavalry or anyone in Marshal Augereau’s VII Corps. Now there’s a collection of seasoned plunderers—as bad as one of the plagues of Egypt, but not, I think, as dedicated to looting as Marshal Masséna.”

Later that evening, with a cold November wind safely outside and warmth and food inside, she sipped her second cup of rich coffee laced with cream from the black and white cow standing up to her knees in hay in the barn. “After ages in Purgatory, I’ve been given my reward.”

“Savor your taste of Paradise, Gabriel, while you can. We’re leaving in a couple of days,” Jacques said, unhooking his cloak and shaking sleet from it.

“Why? The Austrians surrendered at Ulm almost four weeks ago, and we’re north of Vienna with no Austrians anywhere that I can see. There isn’t anyone to fight.”

Jacques poured coffee from a porcelain pot and backed up to the fire. “Don’t you read the dispatches, Gabriel?”

“Not often—they’re boring.”

“Well, you should. We hadn’t seen the Austrian army because it left Vienna right before we arrived. Now they’ve gone further north, with General Kutuzov’s Russians.”

“Who’s Kutuzov?” she asked, trying not to yawn in his face. She really should pay more attention to the dispatches and reports. If Jean ever asked her about the campaign's minutia, she had better know enough to answer. She’d seen what happened when an officer couldn’t tell Jean what he wanted to know and didn’t want to subject herself to the humiliation of a profanity-laced public rebuke.

“Some clever Russian general, older than God. He’s heading for Moravia, though, not Mother Russia.”

Mariana remembered Jacques’s words three days later. Ejected from the warm stone house before dawn, she bundled up in her heavy cloak and gloves and rode out of Vienna with the rest of V Corps. Now, close to midnight, she didn’t think Moravia was anywhere close or warmer than Russia. It was full dark when they rode into a tiny hamlet so small they would have missed it if the scouts and leading edges of Oudinot’s grenadiers hadn’t literally stumbled over it. Snow topped with a thin layer of rime covered the cottage roofs, garden walls, the rough pathway serving as a street, and stubble in the surrounding fields. The inhabitants had shuttered every window, but thin cracks of pale yellow light escaped from some of them.

“They’re more afraid of the Russians than they are of us,” Jean said in response to her question. Each word came out on a small puff of white, as her own had done. Soon it might be too cold to talk. “If you looked in those barns, you’d find nothing but old straw. There’s nothing of value in the cottages, either. If the villagers had enough warning, they would have hidden everything, and if not, the Russians have it all now.”

Mariana had never seen a hamlet this small before or so eerily deserted. The barrenness she saw in the faint snow light and that Jean had described made her shiver. This time the cold struck deep in her bones.

“We’ll be sleeping outside, gentlemen, on the other side of Hollabrünn and eating whatever we have with us. It will be a short night anyway—the enemy’s less than six miles ahead.” Jean spurred his horse forward over the little village track, and the rest followed, riding close enough to brush each other’s stirrups. Mariana wrapped the reins around one wrist and massaged her hands and fingers inside her gloves, afraid to take them off. The idea of trying to sleep on the frozen, iron-hard ground was dreadful. If the Russians were so close, and if Jean meant to attack them in the morning, she might as well sit up all night. If she didn’t freeze before dawn, then a brisk encounter with the enemy, even hand to hand, would warm her up nicely. “Aunt Lucrezia, you would be appalled,” she whispered through stiff lips cracked and bleeding from the cold.

Despite her plan to sit up all night, Mariana had just fallen asleep, curled into a tight ball, knees drawn up nearly beneath her chin, when Joseph shook her into befuddled wakefulness. “Get up, Gabriel,” he said, peeling her cloak away. We’re leaving now.”

She staggered to her feet, grabbed her cloak back from Joseph, and buttoned it up tight. “No breakfast?”

“No time for any. There’s a small Russian rear-guard ahead. We have to eliminate it before it reaches Kutuzov.”

Mariana didn’t mind not eating as much as she minded not having something hot to drink. However, the worst prospect was having to do the necessary at the edge of the forest to her left. She still thought it was manifestly unfair that lately, she nearly froze whenever she pissed, while her comrades did not. An inequality, however, that she was powerless to alter one whit.

Having concluded her business in the forest, she hurried to untie Odysseus from the picket line, tighten his girth, and climb into the saddle. She trotted off to join the aides, who waited in a nearly silent group, close together, their horses impatiently stamping the hard ground. Without a word, they swung around and fell in behind Jean and General Compans. She wanted to know how far away the Russian rear-guard was and how many Russians comprised a rear-guard, but she couldn’t make her lips move.

General Thomières saved her the trouble. “Excellency, how many troops does Bagration have ahead of us?”

While she wondered who Bagration was, Jean slowed his horse to respond to his senior aide. “Fewer than I have, even though I’m short two divisions and even shorter of supplies. Neither the weather nor the ground is good for much but a short skirmish.”

The air was so silent and frigid that Mariana heard the intonation beneath his words that often meant more than the words themselves. He sounded confident rather than cocky or foolhardy. A short skirmish, he’d said, and that was fine with her.

The encounter between Bagration’s rear-guard and V Corps’ grenadiers, reinforced at the last possible moment by a squadron of Murat’s heavy cavalry, was not a skirmish. Mariana thought it was more like a brawl in some wayside tavern, loud, fast, and disorganized. It ended before she’d had a chance to do anything and because Bagration told Prince Murat that he had just learned about a truce. The prince believed him, dismounted, told Jean to order his troops to cease fire, and went inside a slightly shell-shocked villa that had been some Moravian aristocrat’s summer home.

“A truce? What the fuck is he talking about? I had the damn Russians on their arses, and he rides in and orders me to stop!” Jean was livid, his expression as hard as granite. Mariana worried what he might do when he jumped from his horse, leaving the reins to trail in the snow, and stomped after Murat. Acting on instinct, aides, chief of staff, and a few senior adjutants closed around him like a protective wall and entered the villa together.

Intended for soft summer breezes, the villa struggled to combat the mid-November cold. Fires burned in hearths at either end of the reception chamber’s black and white tiled floor. Clear glass bottles filled with colorless liquid stood among scores of crystal glasses on heavily carved tables in the center of the room. Someone had shoved chairs and settees against the walls. Officers in uniforms Mariana had never seen before crowded around the tables, opening bottles, pouring liquid into glasses, and handing them around. She watched Prince Murat take a sip, then drain it and hold it out for someone to fill. She watched Jean barrel forward, his expression still thunderous, until a tall officer with the face of a young eagle and enough medals on his chest to blind half a dozen men stepped forward and intercepted him. Together they moved away from Murat and his entourage and stood by one of the double windows, heads bent close together, talking. Another officer approached them, two glasses on a silver tray, and quickly left when they took the glasses and continued their conversation. When Major Guéhéneuc tried to insinuate himself into the conversation, Jean turned on him like an enraged wasp. The major scuttled away, staring at the floor, his face scarlet. Mariana rocked back on her boot heels, a smirk spreading across her face.

As voices rose around her, followed by the rank odor of damp wool and unwashed males, Mariana felt the beginnings of a headache. To take her mind off it, she asked Thomières, “What are they talking about? And who is that Russian?”

He laughed, a soft sound but not derisive. She was glad since she rarely spoke to him at length. “I haven’t the slightest idea what they’re talking about, but that’s Prince Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration the marshal’s talking to.” He laughed again, this time even softer as if he worried someone might overhear. “Talking now, fighting later. Fine looking general, though, don’t you think?”

“Indeed he is,” Mariana said. With his chiseled features and thick, dark hair, the tall, slender Russian looked a little like Jean. Big rooster and bantam rooster, she thought, and almost hooted with laughter. When she could trust herself to speak, she asked, “What’s in the bottles?”

“Vodka. Have you never tasted it?”

“I’ve never even heard of it.”

“Then allow me, lieutenant,” Thomières said and escorted her to the nearest table. Rummaging among the glasses, he found two relatively clean ones and filled them from one of the bottles. “Salut,” he said, threw back his head, and drank it down.

She sniffed at the clear liquid. It had no odor. Since Thomières was still standing, how dangerous could it be? She drank hers in a single gulp, and the alcohol burned all the way to her stomach, where it exploded. Tears flooded her eyes, she sneezed and then coughed. One cough led to several until Thomières pounded her on the back and filled her glass.

“Quick—drink this.”

She did and stopped coughing. This time the vodka felt smooth as silk, and she grinned at the senior aide. “You should have warned me.”

“And miss your reaction?” He filled her glass for the third time, but before she could drink it, four Russian officers joined them at the table, clutching their glasses filled to the brim and sloshing onto their dingy white gloves. Their faces were clean-shaven except for amazingly full side-whiskers, their cheeks brick red in the candlelight. Raising their glasses, they shouted in unison, “Za vashe zdorovye!” When they had downed every last drop, they tossed their glasses toward the fireplace. The sound of shattering crystal brought to a halt every conversation in the spacious room, and then other Russians began throwing their empty glasses to the floor.

“Why not?” Thomières said and threw his glass toward the hearth.

“Indeed!” Mariana replied and threw hers, too.

Whatever Jean and Bagration may have been discussing, or whatever Prince Murat may have believed about the alleged truce, or whatever the French and Russian officers thought about the prospect of imminent hostilities between them, everything disappeared beneath the sharp-edged sound of crystal shattering and the roars of toasts in French and Russian. Mariana linked arms with Thomières to keep from reeling and tried to get her tongue around the consonant-laden Russian words. Somehow, they sounded more satisfactory than light, polite French phrases and better suited to the vodka, of which she had become quite fond in no time at all.

Jean summoned aides and staff officers with a sharp whistle that penetrated the merriment and stalked out of the villa and into the icy, starlit night. The sudden cold jolted Mariana from her torpor, and the sharp air stung her eyes and nose. Her comrades showed similar symptoms of waking from a muddled sleep, and she wondered what might have happened had they stayed and emptied all those bottles.

[elizabethemerald]

The Nein, The Sapphire and The Ruby

The tower of the Xhorhaus echoed with the sounds of laughing and splashing. At the base of the tower the Mighty Nein relaxed in their hot tub, after their long stint in the frozen north, they relished the warmth. 

Beau, Caleb, Jester, Fjord and Yasha all soaked in heat, the water up to their chests. Veth sat on the steps into the hot tub, the water only up to her hips. Caduceus walked around the others, his pants rolled up to his knees while he served them sandwiches and tea. Beau was laughing loudly, as Fjord regaled them all with a story when Caleb suddenly sat bolt upright. 

"Everyone shut up!" He said, then stared off into space. The rest of the Nein recognized the look of someone receiving a magical message. The voice of Yussa, their Archmage friend from Nicodranas filled Caleb's head. 

"Mister Widogast, your party's presence is urgently required. Madame Lavoure requires your assistance at the Chateau. Awaiting your arrival at Tide Peak Tower. Arrive ready."

Caleb's eyes widened, he snapped his fingers at the others, and rose from the water as he responded to the sending. 

"We will teleport directly to the Chateau." He didn't bother to count his words or to add more than that. 

The rest of the Nein were already rising to their feet and exiting the hot tub, though at Caleb’s words they froze and multiple eyes flicked to Jester. 

"Your mother is in danger." Caleb said to her, then to the rest, "Grab your things and meet me in the entrance way." 

Fjord and Veth immediately dashed up the stairs to their rooms to grab their things. Caduceus set down the tea things and followed at a slower but still brisk pace. Yasha’s sword was never far from her, even when she was relaxing, but she still hurried to her room to grab her armor. Beau watched the frozen Jester for a moment before putting on a burst of speed with a shout that she would grab Jester’s armor and weapons from their room. 

The shout startled Jester into motion. She threw her clothes on as she wove her hands in the air, pink sigils following her fingers as she wove the spell for her own sending. 

"Momma? Are you ok? Are you in danger?" For once she didn't try to fill the word count. She waited desperately for a few seconds before looking in a panic to Caleb who was throwing on his own clothes, fortunately he carried his spell books with him always. "She's not responding!"

Jester grabbed her symbol to the Traveler and began weaving another spell. Caleb finished putting on his jacket in time to watch her finish the spell. For a second he thought she was trying to send another message, but this spell was longer, more intense than a simple sending spell. He gasped in horror as she blinked out of existence right before his eyes. 

“Nein! Jester!” He shouted, far too late, then dashed into the entrance hall and shouted into the rest of the house. “Jester cast Sanctuary! We need to go! Now!”

He watched as Beau jumped on one foot trying to put her other boot on, her other hand full of Jester’s weapons and armor. Fjord and Yasha were working to buckle their armor in place. They were taking too long. Jester was there now! By herself, facing who only knew what. Caleb squeezed the clay turtle in his hands for a moment, before making a snap decision. 

Caleb gave the turtle another squeeze, then felt the jerk in his stomach as the Xhorhaus disappeared from view, a second later to be replaced with the dining room of the Lavish Chateau, and utter chaos. The tables were flipped and chairs strewn around the room. The servants were screaming and running there was a small fire burning in one corner. He took all of this in with a glance as he looked for any foes, when a scream dragged his attention up the stairs. 

“Bluud!!” Jester screamed. Her Sanctuary was her bedroom upstairs, right next to where the Ruby lived. 

Caleb didn’t hesitate, casting Fly on himself and immediately soaring up to upper floor where the scream had come from. If the lower floor had been chaotic, then he wasn’t sure he had an appropriate word to describe what was happening here. The landing was packed to the rails with armed and masked men, each carried short swords or bows. Some were already laying wounded or dying on the ground. 

Bluud, Marian’s minotaur body guard roared in pain, more than a dozen slash marks covered his hide, while as many arrows stuck out from his body. He had a small stack of bodies around him, but was quickly being overwhelmed. 

Floating in the air above him was Jester’s spectral lollipop. This one was jagged and serrated and already coated in gore. Caleb took only a moment to spot Jester. She grabbed one of the men’s face and screamed at him, inflicting wounds. The man’s blood vessels in his neck and chest burst open then blackened and shriveled from the necrotic energy. 

Her scream sharpened in pain and rage as one of the sellswords slashed her. She tried to block the attack, but without her shield or armor, it carved across her arm. Frost and ice coalesced across her body before rocketing off and burying themselves in her assailant. He fell with a gurgle, but immediately another man was in his place. 

Caleb quickly ran through his spell repertoire. Most of his go-to offensive spells, polymorph, fireball, or wall of fire were too dangerous in the close quarters. Especially with Jester and Bluud in the fray. Instead he waved one hand over the other and multiple scorching rays flew from his hand blasting into the armed men. He specifically targeted those closest to Jester and Bluud to try and give them some breathing room. 

Before the smoke had even cleared the air was filled with hamster unicorns, as Jester cast Spiritual Guardians. The unicorns had sharp teeth and massive claws as they began tearing into the surrounding men. Her lollipop bashed into another sending him flying over the rail to the lobby below. 

Caleb barely noticed an arrow fired in his direction and cast shield on reflex. The arrow bounced off the armor and he unleashed another wave of scorching rays. As the cinders of men fell to the ground, he struggled to overcome the memories that tried to flood his mind. He knew he was falling, when suddenly the screaming in his head was drowned out by a scream from the door behind Bluud. 

"Momma!" Jester screamed. 

Jester’s scream tore through Caleb's mind, bringing the world back to a laser focus. Jester dashed past Bluud, tapping him on the shoulder, green energy closing some of his wounds. Caleb landed right behind her and flung some iron filings into the air and the minotaur suddenly towered over the few remaining men even more. Caleb pushed into Marion's room as Bluud roared, then froze bumping into Jester. 

"Take another step and the Ruby dies!"

Marion Lavorre stood in the center of the room,  her eyes wide with fear. Behind her stood a man, better dressed than any of the others, with a knife held to her throat. He was clearly the leader, if anyone knew who had hired them to attack the Chateau it would be him. 

Caleb mentally ran through his spell list again. Magic missile would be able to avoid hitting Jester’s mother, but disintegrate would ensure this scum died and never threatened Marion again. 

"We're just here for the blue tiefling." The man snarled. "Surrender and no one else needs to get hurt." 

Jester stiffened. Caleb stepped up behind her, trying to reassure her with his presence.  This wasn't her fault he wanted to say, but this wasn't the time. He didn't let his eyes leave the man using her mother as a shield. 

A single drop of blood, dripped down Marion’s scarlet skin from the knife at her throat. Jester bared her fangs in rage, but before she could do anything Marion growled in what Caleb recognized as Infernal. The man was suddenly engulfed in crimson flames, he fell back shouting and patting at the flames. 

Jester raised her hand immediately and a bell sounded, a deep resonate clang, and blood poured out of his ears and eyes. Before he could recover Caleb pulled a cricket from his pocket and waved it in the air and the man collapsed to the ground snoring. 

Marion slumped to the ground away from the man, a sob rocking her form. Jester flew to her side, wrapping her in her arms.

"Its ok momma. Its ok. Your Jester is here." Jester whispered softly into her mother's red hair. 

Caleb pulled some string from his pocket and tied the sleeping man's wrists, then quickly cleared the rest of the Ruby's apartment. When he was sure there were no more threats within her quarters he jerked the front door open fire whirling at his fingertips. However it appeared the giant sized Bluud had taken care of the rest of the assailants. 

Before too long the rest of the Nein arrived. Caduceus had used his sanctuary spell to bring the rest of them to the lighthouse. Beau got there first, putting on a quite frankly inhuman display of speed as she raced to the Chateau. The rest weren't far behind her. 

With the Nein around them and Jester’s mother in her arms Caleb breathed out for what felt like the first time since he had received Yussa's message. 

* * *

With the full power of the Mighty Nein gathered together, the first priority was ensuring Marion’s safety. She was escorted by the Nein to Tide Peak Tower. All of them had their weapons drawn and ready, spells sparking at their finger tips. When she and Bluud were safe in the tower a few things immediately became apparent. 

First off, it was obvious that the local Zhelezo had been paid off or distracted so that no one would respond to the attack at the Chateau. They encountered no guards as they walked her to Yussa’s tower, and the wizard himself had to message the local division into investigating the attack and protecting the staff of the Chateau. 

Secondly they found that Yeza and Luc had been visiting with Marion when the attack had started. Marion had snuck the two of them down a servant’s stair and told them to run to the Open Quay, after all of Jester’s stories she knew Yussa was an ally. He was able to protect the two halflings and message Caleb. He then sealed his tower and prepared for further assault just in case. 

Finally, who ever had orchestrated this was filthy rich. The amount of money it would cost to pay off that many guards, to start fires around the city to draw even more of their attention, and to pay for the sellswords to attack a well known establishment in the middle of the day, was more than the Nein had seen in all their days of adventuring. 

Eventually they had Marion safe in the tower. Bluud, after a significant healing from Caduceus, insisted on staying by her side while she rested from her ordeal. Caleb had, at Jester’s insistence cast his own magical mansion, so she was double protected by magical barriers and could rest comfortably in Jester’s bedroom. Yeza and Luc stayed in Caleb’s tower as well. Partially to be near Marion if she needed any assistance. Partially to keep Luc out of the way for what would come after. 

* * *

The mercenary captain woke up, bound to a chair, and surrounded by grim faces. Yasha gently rested Skin Gorger against his shoulder. Fjord had the Star Razer against his other side. Small flesh eating beetles crawled all over him from Caduceus’ staff and Veth kept her cross bow aimed at him the whole time. Beau cracked her knuckles and Caleb allowed fire to dance across his fingers. As the mercenary awoke, the room quickly filled with the stench of fear and urine. 

“Let me make our position very clear.” Caleb said stepping forward now that he was awake. “You have attacked someone who is very dear to us. In doing so you have committed an unspeakable mistake.”

Beau stepped up next. “We have a lot of different ways to make you talk. Truth spells, my Cobalt knuckles. Pain. We’ve got a lot of pain we can bring against  you. So how about you spare us all of that, and just tell us. Who paid you?”

The man was sweating, his eyes wide. Yet still he clamped his jaw shut. Beau shrugged. 

“Have it your way.” She cocked her fist back, but froze as a blue hand hand fell onto her shoulder. She stepped back as Jester stepped forward. 

Unlike the stern looks on the face of the rest of them, Jester wore a bright smile. If Caleb didn’t know her, he would say she was completely at ease. However he could see the cold fury, raging in her eyes underneath her mask. The man pulled back as she stepped up to him, unnerved by his quarry smiling at him like that. 

“You hurt my momma.” Jester said. Her voice was soft as she dragged a finger along his chin. Green magic healed his wounds, and he took a deep breath, even more surprised. “I don’t like it when people hurt my momma.”

Jester dug her nails into the man’s chest and the veins around her fingers blackened and burst, and the skin withered and died. He screamed in pain, Jester’s smile never left her face, now looking more demented then truly joyful. 

“Lord Sharpe!” The man gasped out, agony heavy on his words. “We were paid by Lord Sharpe.”

Please reblog!!

[vandaliatraveler]

With sheer rock walls rising 900 feet above the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River, Seneca Rocks is one of the premier rock-climbing destinations in the eastern United States and was a training site for the US Army’s 10th Alpine Division prior to its deployment to the Apennines Campaign in Italy during World War II. Formed of Tuscarora quartz sandstone thrust up from the earth more than 200 million years ago, it forms an imposing crag cradled between the Allegheny Mountains to the west and Northfork Mountain to the east. Although most of the razorback “fins” along the summit are only accessible to experienced rock climbers, a very steep and windy trail leads to an overlook near the northern-most fin, where the views east and west are quite breathtaking. Incidentally, the mountains to the east of the Allegheny Front are among the driest and most fire-prone in the eastern US, a fact reflected by the local ecology. The top of Seneca Rocks is dominated by Central Appalachian pine-oak rocky woodland, primarily consisting of elfin scrub oak and various pines, including Virginia, table mountain, and pitch pines.

[pink-bird-30]

Becoming My Own Hero-Olicity & Robstar Crossover Fic

Ight.  I’m making this the go to place to find alllllllll the links to my story because tumblr has this astounding ability to make my story impossible to find.  Even using my own hashtag I have difficulty finding it!  

So here we go.  The links to all 7 chapters of Becoming My Own Hero:

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7

Full Synopsis: 

Oliver Queen Felicity Smoak had a daughter named Star Gabrielle Queen. On the night of her 8th birthday, her life changes forever. She is kidnapped by ARGUS and is recruited by Amanda Waller to protect the earth from Aliens, like Superman. But the genetic mutation she undergoes makes her stronger than they thought. To hide their mistake, they send her to her home planet Tamaran. Years later, the Justice League needs help from the Titans. The Titans head to Star City to assist in taking down a greater enemy, but how will Starfire handle being home after 11 years of being away, and her family believing that she would never come back?

This is a slow moving story.  If you can tell by the publish date, I’ve been working on this for 3 years. A lot has happened that I haven’t been able to keep up with this story, but I’m trying to do better.

I hope you guys enjoy this story and my latest chapter!

As always, Happy Reading!

                                                   Chapter 7

                                                  Trained Pt.2

I can’t believe this is happening

For as long as Robin could remember he’d always had some sort of attraction to Starfire.  Don’t get him wrong, its undeniable that she is this beautiful person, but standing there with his arms around her, deepening their ‘first’ kiss was blinding.  He hadn’t truly realized how much he cared about her, how much she means to him, how much this could ruin everything.

What if they broke up?  Would she still be his friend?  Would she leave the Titans and never come back?  Would she go home!?

Robin abruptly pulls back, allowing his doubts to control him, and puts Starfire at arm’s length.  Starfire gives him a hurt expression and steps away from him, wrapping her arms around herself.

“Richard?”

He opens his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing comes out.  He’s standing there like a fish out of water.

Starfire feels her whole world come crashing down.

How could he…I’m so stupid.

Not waiting for the ‘we’re teammates and shouldn’t date’ conversation, she turns her back on him and reaches for the elevator button.  Once it reaches the ground floor she walks inside and finally turns to face a grief stricken Robin.

“I do understand why you wear the mask; you’re eyes tell a story the different than the actions.  Night, Robin.”

The doors to the elevator closes and she lets her tears fall freely knowing he will never understand how much he hurt her tonight.

Down in the garage, Robin beats himself up for allowing Batman to continue to dictate his life.

“Dammit!”  Robin punches the wall of the garage and immediately regrets it.  He crumples back in pain, his hand throbbing.  He can already feel the bruise spreading across his hand, creating deep shades of purple.  But he doesn’t care.  He finally had the opportunity to be happy for once in his life and he chose to listen to his hero side while standing there as Richard.  

What did I do?

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

Gotham 1996

“Mr. Wayne,”  Bruce looks up from his desk taking note of his PR lady, whose name he can’t seem to remember; Rebecca?  Leslie?  “The press is ready for you.”  

Bruce stands up from his desk, straightens his tie, and checks his hair one last time in his cabinet mirror before leaving his office with…Vickie, Vickie Vale!

“Thank you, Ms. Vale.  Lead the way.”  He smirks and winks at her, knowing how his charm needs to be on full blast for what he’s about to do.  He gestures for her to walk out of his office first and follows behind, adjusting his cufflinks as they make theie way to the conference room.

The large windowed room held Gotham’s top reporters from: Gotham Gazzett, Channel 9, The Gotham Times, and Gotham News Network. The first wave of flashes startled Bruce, it’s been many years since he was exposed to the media, and having all these news stations here today is jarring compared to his secluded life back in Nada Parbat.

“Mr. Wayne, is it true you are the Batman?”

“Mr. Wayne, did cha’ really crash your new Bentley?”

“Mista Wayne, are you single?”

Bruce takes a deep breath, allowing himself to adjust back to his playboy swagger; concealing the person whom only a select few know.  He opens his arms wide and smiles dazzlingly to the press,  “Ladies and Gentlemen, I understand my disappearance has been hard on everyone in Gotham, especially the single ladies.”  He winks at Vickie again, making her blush, and continues, “I know my families influence in Gotham is important.  And for that, I am apologetic.  But there is reason for my disappearance.

“Since the death of my beloved parents, Martha and Thomas Wayne, I’ve always wanted to discover if I had family elsewhere.”  Bruce moves across the room, passing the large wooden table in the center of the room, and leans against the glass windows looking down to the city below.  He can clear as day see all the destruction his absence has caused in such a short period of time.  The thought sending a deep blow to his gut, knowing he chose to leave, but wished there was someone who could have kept Gotham free from evil.

Bruce looks back to the press, taking note they are waiting for him to continue.

“I went across seas to search for a missing relative on my father’s side.  My butler, Alfred Pennyworth, had informed me of a long lost niece.”  The crowd of reporter gasping at the new discovery.  “I’ve brought her here today for you all to meet her.  Her name is Gabrielle Wayne.”  On cue, Alfred walks into the room pushing a black stroller and stops in front of Bruce.

“If you’d like to take a photo of my niece, please turn the flash off.  It can harm a baby’s eyes.  She’s only a few weeks old.”

Gently, Bruce reaches into the stroller to pick up Star and holds her in his arms.  The room stills at the sight of the new Wayne child.  No one never thought the Wayne bloodline would continue considering Bruce’s relations with women has never lead to a serious relationship.

“Excuse me, Mr. Wayne.”  A young brunette woman from the Gotham Gazette pushes herself through the crowd of reporters.  “Gloria with Gotham Gazette, what are your plans for taking care of Gabrielle?  Will Alfred be her primary caretaker or will you be heiring a nanny?”

Bruce smiles down at Star as she stares back at him, a small giggle escaping her.  “Alfred and I will be responsible for her.  If I do need additional assistance, it will be taken care of in private.  Gabrielle deserves to live a relatively normal life.”

Gloria reaches her tape recorder out further to Bruce, “Follow-up question:  How can you raise a child in a dangerous city such as Gotham?  With the rise of the Falcone crime family, and unrest in the deep underground of Gotham, how can you guarantee her safety?”

“Excellent question, Gloria.”  Bruce shifts Star in his arms, moving her to rest her head against his shoulder.  “Given my new status as her guardian, it will be my top priority to protect her at all cost.  With that being said, today I will be announcing the charity event I will be hosting for GCPD.  We will be holding an auction to raise money for the police department and expanding their crime division to include metahuman training.  In our ever changing world, we must be prepared for the impossible.”

“Final question Mr. Wayne.  How does it feel knowing Oliver Queen is alive and well?”  Bruce’s mind goes blank realizing he’s been gone far longer than Oliver has been back in Star City.  He feigns shock, “O-Oliver is alive?  Since when?”

“He was discovered on an island in the North China sea about two years ago, Mr. Wayne.”  Gloria supplies.  “Why are you unaware of the sudden reappearance of your long-time friend, Oliver Queen?”

Alfred clears his voice, the attention of the media shifting from Bruce to Alfred.  “Master Wayne did not have access to the news overseas, he spent his time searching for his belove niece.”

Gloria scrunches her eyebrows in confusion and pushes forward, “Sir, it’s 1996.  The media is everywhere.  I find it hard to believe Mr. Wayne was unaware of Oliver’s reappearance.”

Bruce’s jaw locks in a straight line, “Gloria, please understand.  If I weren’t overly set on finding my niece, leading to deep parts of Europe where there was hardly an internet café, I would have been in Star City when he arrived home.  Trust me when I say, he’s like a brother to me.”

Gloria raises a brow at his claim, still seeing through the holes of his story.

I’ll find out the truth later…

Star becomes restless in Bruce’s arms.  He rocks her gently but it doesn’t seem to be calming her down.  He casts a slightly panicked look at Alfred who gestures to her stroller. The media watches as Bruce kisses the top of Star’s head, a few camera shutters going off, and he sets Star back into her stroller.  He buckles the small black belt across her chest and between her chubby little legs.  Almost instantly she starts to nod off, cooing softly.  Bruce smiles down at her and places a light blue knitted blanket over her legs.  Alfred steps forward to take her back out of the room.

Bruce turns back to the group of people and they are all silent in awe if this new Bruce Wayne.

“Gloria,”  Her attention snapping to him, realizing she was entranced by his care as a new father. “I’m grateful my friend is alive and well; I’ll have to check up on him at some point in the future.  Until then, thank you all for coming here today to share in this great day.  I look forward to mingling will you all at the GCPD Charity event.”  Bruce waves to them as he leaves the room, ignoring the onslaught of questions being hurtled his way as he backs out of the room and heads back down where he once came.

Out in the hallway, Vicki Vale walks ahead of Bruce, her maroon heels clicking against the marble floors.  He can feel himself releasing a slow breath.  This was a journey he never envisioned for himself.  He never thought he’d take on such an important responsibility without much thought.  This wasn’t like him.  But the second he met Star, he knew he needed to protect her at all costs.

He knew it was time to reach back into the Bruce he shut off a long time ago, the young man who didn’t know his purpose in life.  The young man who lost everything he cared for and became a playboy that he knew his parents would be disappointed in.  The young man that shut himself off from anyone who cared for him and pushed them away.  He needs that innocent, vulnerable part of himself back for this new challenged.

He needed to be Bruce, not Bruce Wayne.

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

Titans Tower 2012

Starfire lays in bed tossing and turning all night until the first peak of light start to sneak its way into dawn.  Starfire growls at the ball of fire that typically greats her happily each day, but after last night, she wanted to be left alone.

She felt a new wave of tears gather in her eyes thinking about last night’s events.  Why had Robin pushed her away?  Why did she think it could be easy?  Why does this human boy have such a hold on her heart?

“Richard…”  she sighs into her pillow, hugging it close to her chest.  She wants nothing more than to be with him.  The feeling of his arms wrapped tightly around her, making her feel safe.  The taste of his lips still ever present even hours later.  And his eyes, he trusted her enough to show her who he was.  And that’s what hurts the most.  Robin was so vulnerable with her but pulled away.

What is wrong with boys…

A subtle knock on her door gains her attention.  She scrunches her brows in confusion, knowing no one would be up at this ungodly hour besides her.  Starfire always rises with the sun, wanting to take in the first few rays to power her through the day.  But today was the opposite, she wanted her room to keep the light out.  She wants to be alone and bask in the darkness her curtains can provide her.

The knock comes again more urgently, “Star, we really need to talk.  I fucked up bad.”

Starfire stills hearing Robin’s voice ring through her door.  Why does he think he can  pull a stunt like he did last night and not expect any consequences for his actions?  Does he expect Starfire to accept an apology and be happy he finally acted on his feelings for her?

He knocks again.

“Star? Please, open the door.”  The desperation in his voice was enough to make her eyes roll.  Starfire huffs in frustration and weighs her options.  It’s either deal with this now or have the entire team butting in when they are trying to hash it out.  That thought alone was enough for Starfire to sit up in bed and make her way to her floor length mirror.

Starfire runs her fingers through her hair and checks herself in the mirror.  She’s wearing shorts and a string tank top, nothing too risqué, but enough to short circuit any teenaged boys’ mind.  She walks over to the door to unlock it, letting it swish open revealing an equally tired Robin.

“Hello, Robin.”  Starfire turns away from him and walks back over to her bed, not bothering to wait for him to reply.  She hears him clear his throat and step into her room, letting the door swish close behind him.  She doesn’t bother to look up at him; she didn’t want him to see how much he hurt her.

“Star—I.” he stops just short of her bed, keeping a friendly distance between them, but close enough that he can still reach out to her.

“You what?  You have the regrets?  If that is so, please do the leaving.  I rather save myself the humiliation.”  She crosses her arms and huffs, her hair slightly flaming at the ends.

Robins sighs, already feeling defeated.  He spent the last three hours trying to find the right words to express himself, but he’s never really been in a relationship with anyone before.  Barbara doesn’t count too much.  They were only 14 and she ended up having feelings for someone at their high school.

“May I sit?”  He gestures to the space next to her on the bed.  He’s never asked permission before, he’s always felt comfortable enough around Star to be there with her, but now everything was different.  Her bed didn’t seem oh-so innocent anymore.  If anything, it made him very much aware her pajamas cover very little of her.

Her green eyes are sharp and sizing him up, “You may.”

Shaking away all impure thoughts running through his head, Robin sits down next to Starfire on the bed, turning to take her hands in his.  “Star, I didn’t mean to push you away last night.  I was—”  he pauses feeling Starfire pull her hands from his slowly.  Robin feels panic settle in his chest for a moment.

Oh god, she doesn’t even want me to touch her anymore.

Tentatively, she touches the corner of his mask, silently asking permission to remove it.  Robin sighs in relief and nods, understanding why she wants it off.  He has nothing left to hide from her; he’s ready to be open and honest with someone for the first time in years.

Her fingers are soft against his cheek as she gently pulls at the mask, letting it fall to the ground next to her bed.  She brushes her thumb against his cheek before dropping her hands to her lap again.

“You may proceed.”

“What I was going to say is that I was—I was scared, Star.”  He stares at her with his intense blue eyes, the fear showing bright within them.  “All these negative thoughts of what could happen if this doesn’t work out came rushing all at once, and I-“ Robin takes a deep breath, trying to steady his voice.  “You’re the last person I want to lose.  I’ve already lost too many people I care about.”

Starfire sits there in silence allowing Robin’s words to hang between them.  She can see the panicked expression settling across his face.  His hold on her hands starts to loosen, but she’s quick to tighten the hold, preventing him from fleeing again.

“Ouch.”

Starfire is confused by his sudden pain and looks down to look at his hand.

“Oh!  Richard, what did you do?!”  she examines his right hand, running her delicate finger over the deep purple bruise, touching it tenderly to feel for any broken bones.  He hisses when she touches the darker stain across his knuckles.

“Ah, yeah.  I sorta punch the garage wall last night after you left.  I was angry because I still let—”  Robin realizes what he was about to say and freezes.

“I am the confused, who are you allowing to do the controlling of you?”  Starfire asks as she stands from the bed and goes to her adjoining bathroom for a first aid kit from under the sink.  She settles back on her bed, close enough that her knee brushes his thigh.

Robin frowns, “I-my adoptive father.  He’s…you don’t know about my family, do you?”  Robins asks.  Starfire frowns.  Of course she knows who Robin’s adoptive father is.  It’s her uncle, but Robin doesn’t know that she has her memories back yet.

She’ll have to pretend not to know.  But then again, Bruce Wayne is a very public figure…

Feigning confusion Starfire shakes her head, “No, I am unaware of your k’norfka.”  She continues to rifle through the first aid kit trying to find a disposable ice pack.

Robin flexes his fingers, feeling the pain radiate through his fingers.  “Let’s just say he’s a very public figure and the reason why I have to keep my identity hidden, if they know who I am-“

“Then they will have the knowledge of whom the Batman is.” Starfire looks up to meet Robin’s eyes.  She can see the sadness embedded deep within, but she still can’t shake the fact he rejected her last night.

Breaking eye contact, Star pulls the ice pack from the kit and breaks it, letting the beans cool up.  She takes hold of Robin’s hand and gently lays the ice pack on his hand.

Robin hisses at the weight of the ice pack, but then relaxes once the cool pack starts to numb his hand from the pain.

“Thanks.”  He smiles at her making her heart jump, seeing his eyes crinkle at the corner and the warmth radiating from them.

He really cares for me…

Starfire shifts closer to him, positioning his hand on her thigh, and takes a small pack of pain medication from the kit and hands it to Robin.  When he doesn’t reach for them, Starfire looks at him quizzically; confused by his distracted state.

“Richard?”

“Hm.”  His eyes are still focused on his hand resting against her thigh.  The warmth seeping its way from his hand through his veins.

“Here, take the medication of pain.”  He open his hand, accepting the pack of pills.  Her hand grazes his, a soft brush of her fingers against his gloveless palm.  It sends a small spark to his heart, and he can see Starfire is just as affected when she doesn’t retract her hand right away.

Feeling brave, letting his fears go and taking responsibility for his actions, Robin closes his hand around hers.  “For a long time, I let him dictate what I could and couldn’t do.  And sometimes that younger, more obedient version of myself overclouds my judgment and I make poor decisions.”

Robin releases Starfire’s hand, letting the packet of pills drop to her bed, and reaches to cup her face.  At first she freezes, unsure where this conversation is going, fearful he may reject her again.  But when his thumb brushes her cheek tenderly, she leans more into him, accepting the small comfort he is offering her.

“When we formed the Titans, I didn’t want to be the version of myself I was before I came to Jump City.  This isn’t Gotham, the threats aren’t the same and the people aren’t the same.  I had to become a different type of hero for those kinds of people because there’s hope here.”  He smiles lightly, making Starfire smile in return.  “ This city isn’t on the brink of destruction; sure there’s been plenty of villains attempting to take over, but the five of us are able to keep them at bay.  Each and every single one of us is able to not only protect one another, but ourselves.

“I guess, what I’m trying to say is: I’m afraid of something happening to you.  To all of you, but I can’t let that fear dictate my happiness.  I know you can handle any situation, but I still can’t help that small voice that tells me otherwise.  I trust you Starfire, and I trust that us, together, can work.”

The only sound in the room was the distant rumble of waves hitting the island rocks down below.  Could he really mean it?  Does he…does he really want to be with her?

Starfire’s eyes widen at his words, “Richard, I do not want to do the reading of the words, but are you—are you asking me…?

The ice pack on Robin’s hand plops to the bed as he moves his hand up her thigh, causing a slight blush to cross her cheeks.  He moves up her side, grazing it softly, feeling the soft fabric of the tank top against his hand.  As he reaches her shoulder, he inches his face closer to hers before his hand finds home threading slowly through her long auburn locks.  Starfire can feel her skin burning from where his hand traveled, leaving a wake of gooseflesh bubbling her sun kissed skin.

Just like the night before, the magnetic pull between the two was undeniable.  Starfire rests her head against Robin’s, “Do you promise not to do the freak out again if we have the lip contact?”

Robin chuckles deep in his throat, “I won’t.  Not this time.”  He brushes a strand of hair away from her face, “I’m all in if you are.”

Wrapping her arms around his shoulder’s, Starfire pulls Robin towards her as she lays down against the pillows, leaving him hovering over her.  Robin gazes at her warmly finally feeling content.

Her green eyes glowing bright with glee as she drags him closer to her again.  Their bodies flush together, and her hand weaving its way into his hair.  His injured hand rests against her hip and the other cups the side of her face.  He tilts his head down allowing their lips to brush lightly as Starfire’s hand caresses the side of Robin’s face.

“I very much am, Richard.”  She whispers against his lips and gives him a slow, chaste kiss before pulling back completely, watching Robin’s eyes open slowly.  A smile spreads across his face making Starfire giggle in return.

“But—“  her face taking on a serious look, making Robin squirm.  “—If you do the pulling of the yesterday events, I will not have the pleasantries for you once more.  You have the understanding?”

Robin visibly gulps, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.  “I promise, Star.”

She smiles brightly and gives him another slow kiss.  This one sending waves of happiness through the young alien.

“What are we going to tell the others?”  Robin asks as he pulls back and reluctantly untangles himself from Starfire.  He lays down next to her on the bed, propping himself against the soft purple pillows.

Starfire moves to her side facing him and takes his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together.  Will they be upset?  Will they celebrate?  Should they keep it a secret for now?

Starfire’s train of thought is cut short by Robin’s hand slowly grazing up her side, sending shivers down her spine.  She find herself cuddling closer to him, allowing his arm to wrap around her fully.

I can definitely get used to this.

Feeling more and more comfortable Starfire feels herself succumbing to her exhaustion.

“I do believe—”  She lets out a yawn and blinks her eyes sleepily.  “—it is the problem for later.  I did not have pleasant shlorvax last night.”  She yawns again, emphasizing her tired state and snuggles closer to Robin’s warm body.  Robin shifts to lay on his back, leaving room for Starfire to rest her head on his shoulder and her arms to wrap around his waist.

Sleepily, Robin yawns as well, feeling the events of the past few hours finally catching up to him.

“Sounds good to me.” He whispers, feeling his eyes grow heavy.

“Pleasant shlorvax, Richard.”  She kisses the underside of his jaw and falls into peaceful sleep.  He wraps his arm tighter around her waist, pulling her closer to him, and drags the blanket over the both of them.

“Night, Star.”

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

Starling City 1996

Felicity finds herself wander down the long winding staircase of the foundry.  Her still protruding belly stretching her black knit sweater uncomfortably as she waddles down the stairs.  She can hear the grunts of someone working out on the gym mats and the sound of keys being clicked on her keyboard.  The thought alone sends Felicity to waddle down the stairs at a brisk pace, making her shoes thump against the hard concrete floor.

“Who the hell is touching my keyboard?  Is it Roy?  How many times have I told you not to touch—”  

“Felicity!?”  John Diggle shoots up from her desk chair as Felicity approaches.  She does a double take to see she’s really seeing who she thinks it is.

“Dig?”  She says in disbelief.  The past year has been extremely hard on Felicity and finally coming home, but without her love and daughter, she didn’t think anyone would be down here.

Diggle wipes a tired hand down his face and lets out a short laugh that could pass as a choked sob.  “You’re okay?  Really?”  He looks down her body.  She looks paler than usual, her hair showing her dark roots and her belly, hanging low.  This catches Diggle’s attention immediately.

His eyes widen, “Are you pregnant?”

Felicity bites her lip, knowing this was not how she wanted to tell Dig she and Oliver had a child together.  She thought it’d be like when Sara was born.  All of them huddled in a hospital room wanting to take a turn holding Star in their arms.  They’d take their first Team Arrow photo together.  But Ra’s took that from her, from them.  

Felicity presses a hand to her bulging stomach, he lips quivers from the onslaught of emotions facing through her.

“I was pregnant, Dig.  Oliver and I—”  her voice cracks and the damn breaks.  Diggle pulls her into a tight hug, wishing he could take all the pain away.  She sobs into his chest, wishing Oliver and Star were there with her.

After a few moments, Felicity steps back and wipes away the tears with her black sleeve.  She sniffles as she walks over to her forgotten computer desk and sits down in her chair.  The chair where she watched Oliver for hours using the salmon ladder.  Where she and Oliver would talk about their future together, how they both wanted a family…

And now she sits there alone.

“Dig.”  Her voice rough from tears.  “We need to help Oliver get out of the league, no matter how long it takes.  I need my family back.”

Diggle nods in understanding.  If it were Lyla and Sara on the line, he’d be raising hell to get them back.

Felicity begins her research on Ra’s al Ghul in order to develop a plan to bring down the League of Shadows.  She starts by listing anyone and everyone that is in association with the league:

Sara Lance, Malcom Merlin, Maseo, Talia al ghul, Nyssa al Ghul, Star Queen...

The last name catches Diggle off guard, “Felicity, whose Star Queen?”

Her fingers stop moving on the keyboard and turns to him sadly, “That’s our daughter’s name.  Star Queen.”

Diggle feels his throat tighten realizing this baby girl is stuck in one of the scariest places on Earth.  Why would Felicity leave her there?  Why not bring her back?

“Before you ask, I did not have a choice.”  She looks up at the celling of the foundry her eyes growing wet once more.  “She had to stay and be inducted to the league as an heir.  They took my baby from me Dig,  my baby.”

Diggle places a comforting hand on Felicity’s shoulder.  Not truly knowing how to comfort her in this situation.  How could he?  His wife and child are safe at home, far away from these kinds of monsters that Oliver and Felicity find themselves fighting against.

“Yo, Dig!”  Roy bellows from the training mats.  “Did you see the news?  Bruce Wayne is back in Gotham.  And he has a kid!”  Roy comes barreling in from the sparring mats, sweat dripping down his face.  He takes a good look at the small blonde perched in her usual seat.  Roy stops short of the med table, the shock overwhelming him before he rushes at her, and engulfs her into a big hug.

“Felicity, is it really you?!”  Roy asks in disbelief.  How is it possible that she is back?  It’s been almost a year since she and Oliver went to Nada Parbat to resurrect Thea.  Thea came home right away and told them how Oliver had to stay to be the Heir to the Demon Head.  And Felicity was subjected to stay, but did not understand why.  But standing there, taking in Felicity’s appearance, it wasn’t tough for Roy to put two and two together.

“That’s why you stayed.   You were pregnant…Where’s the-?”

“Roy.”  Dig says warningly.

Felicity looks away from them, feeling her throat tighten.  She clenches and unclenches her firsts trying to control her emotions, but post-partum has already kicked in and she couldn’t help the few tears that fell.

“She is safe.”  She whispers.  Roy steps forward and wraps his arms around her again, giving her a tight hug. Felicity reacts immediately feeling safe in her friend’s arms.  Roy was always like a younger brother to her, and she missed him terribly for the year she was gone.

But why did Roy come in here again?

“Bruce Wayne is back in Gotham.  And he has a kid!”

Felicity abruptly pulls back from Roy and swings her chair back around to face her desktop.  She rapidly types in a series of codes and brings up the local news.

“Good Morning, Starling City.  I’m Summer Gleeson and here’s Today’s breaking news.  Billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne has returned to Gotham City after being gone for nearly 7 years.  Not only is his reappearance suspicious, but he has a child!  Before you all lose your hats, here’s the dish.  Our sources at the Wayne conference earlier today confirm that it is a long lost niece on Bruce’s father’s side.  Here is the first look at the new baby of Gotham, Gabrielle Wayne!”

The tv cuts to the press briefing at Wayne Enterprises.  They watch as Bruce makes this grand speech before Alfred rolls in a stroller.

Felicity feels her chest beat fast as she realizes what is happening.

“Oh, frack.”

Diggle looks questioningly to Felicity before watching the screen once more.

“…her name is Gabrielle Wayne.”

“That’s my baby…”  Felicity sobs, clutching at her still round belly.

Roy’s eyes widen, “Why would Bruce Wayne…”

“Oliver, this was the plan he didn’t tell me about.  But I don’t think he thought Bruce would be so public…”  Felicity’s voice drifts as she watches her baby girl giggle on screen, bringing a smile to her tear streaked face.

A warm hand lands on her shoulder and she leans her head against it.  “She’s beautiful, Felicity.”  Diggle gave her shoulder a squeeze letting her know he’s here for her and ready to take on whatever it take to bring her home.

With a renewed feeling of ambition.  Felicity takes a deep breath, sits up in her chair, and squares her shoulders, causing Diggle’s hand to fall away.

“So,”  Roy steps forward to lean against the desk, facing Diggle and Felicity.  “What’s the plan, boss.”

Felicity smiles for the first time in months,  feeling hope after all the darkness she was exposed to for 9 months.

“We’re getting them back.”  She reaches out to take Diggle’s and Roy’s hands.  She needed their team to get this done.  They will need all the help they can get to bring Oliver and Star home.  

“Let’s get to work.”

[doubleattitude]

NUVO Dance Convention, Chicago, IL: RESULTS

High Scores by Age:

NUbie Solo

1st: Calla Massey-’Control’

2nd: Sadie Wilson-’Barbie Girl’

2nd: Aubrey Mooney-’Calling All The Monsters’

3rd: Brady Rosenberg-’Look Out’

Mini Solo

1st: Aoife Nugent-’Blackbird’

2nd: Nina Poulimas-’Buenos Aires’

2nd: Ella Dobler-’Sara’

3rd: Eva Coufal-’As We Lose Sight’

4th: Taylor Page-’The Rose’

5th: Sydney Madurzak-’Eden’

5th: Gracie Adamson-’Rich Girl’

5th: Olivia Manship-’The Water Rises’

6th: Emmie Plitt-’This Old Heart of Mine’

7th: Sage Sulentic-’Breathe’

8th: Brielle Baumgart-’Blink of an Eye’

9th: Lilah Ryan-’Clay’

9th: Landry Wilson-’Let Her Go’

10th: Olivia Georgy-’I Can Breathe Again’

Junior Solo

1st: Natalia Garcia-’Hallelujah’

1st: Kylie Kaminsky-’The Offering’

2nd: Audrey Mayernik-’All Human Beings’

3rd: Ellie Buckland-’Le Jazz Hot’

3rd: Ella Sexton-’My Breaker My Keeper’

3rd: Kenley Fogltanz-’One Mistress’

4th: Kendall Burkhart-’Bending Shadows’

5th: Emma Arentz-’Noise’

6th: Nathan Carter-’Bringing The Heat’

6th: Amelia Duncan-’Lonely’

7th: Jake Siswick-’Corner of the Sky’

8th: Alessandra Rocco-’Avril14th’

8th: Madeline LaCoursiere-’Mama Yo’

8th: Gabriel Johnson-’When There Is Love’

9th: Keighan Kinard-’Native’

9th: Lily Neumann-’Red Flags’

9th: Sienna Yilk-’Sines’

10th: Keira McCarthy-’I Will Wait’

10th: Lila Block-’Madam’

10th: Sophia Padilla-’We Move Lightly’

Teen Solo

1st: Kylie Buedel-’Freyr’

1st: Ella Querrey-’Ottto’

2nd: Andres Jiminez-’Frontieres’

2nd: Blanche Arnold-’How To Be Your Own Person’

3rd: Taylor Dieter-’Portrait’

3rd: Tess Muelbroek-’The Prayer’

3rd: Scarlett Szewczyk-’Things They Don’t Talk About’

3rd: Ryan Hyun-’Underwater’

4th: Kaitlin Menz-’All Is Fair’

4th: Alexis Adair-’A.M’

4th: Ella McCarthy-’Anna’s Theme’

4th: Athena Reel-’Emerge’

4th: Cassie Kefalas-’Jealous’

4th: Sophia Springer-’Lannantuoni-’Thousand Years’

5th: Reese Noha-’Another Love’

5th: Callie Weinert-’Comfortable’

5th: Quinn Fridrich-’Cute’

5th: Micaella Gennett-’Remember’

5th: Kaja Chow-’Retreat’

5th: Kylie Czarnik-’Solace’

5th: Zoey Straka-’White Flip Flops’

5th: Brandon Wolfington-’yeah.’

6th: Audrey Donnelly-’Breakdown’

6th: Addison Sadowski-’iMi’

6th: Isabella Laucys-’Mood’

7th: Sophie Madden-’Collision’

7th: Audrey Zhu-’Everybody Knows’

7th: Emma McMahon-’On Broadway’

8th: Abigail Welenc-’Formidable’

8th: Keira McDonald-’Painting Greys’

9th: Shane Gould-’Changes’

9th: Kenzie Karges-’Enter One’

9th: Anna Coufal-’Into Wind’

9th: Sophia Balara-’Peace’

9th: Nevi Marinakos-’Rain’

10th: Avery DePaul-’Dissolved’

10th: Lilly Loften-’Greim69′

10th: Samantha Veerachat-’I Do What I Love’

10th: Delaine Tyler-’Inhale’

10th: Dylan Newman-’Next To You’

10th: Lara Kounkel-’The Sacrifice’

Senior Solo

1st: Katrina Hidalgo-’Jump’

1st: Elle Tosh-’Rubble’

1st: Sophie Tosh-’The’

2nd: Elisabeth Pabich-’The Art of Dealing With Pain’

3rd: Olivia Zeiml-’Armira’

3rd: Minda Li-’Efforts to Reignite’

4th: Samantha Schmaling-’Then I Heard A Bachelor’s Cry’

4th: Gabrielle Koenig-’Treve’

5th: Katie Kim-’River Rise’

5th: Kendall O’Keefe-’Sweet Dreams’

5th: Jordin Suwalski-’The End’

5th: Lexi Heath-’Visions of Gideon’

6th: Kaya Martin-’Golden’

6th: Ellie Rowoldt-’Remedy’

7th: Ola Asuan-’Gold’

7th: Brianna North-’Melancholia’

7th: Olivia Wegner-’Ship In A Bottle’

7th: Maliah Keaton-’Street Fighter’

7th: Colin McKee-’Tomorrow’

8th: Avery Boose-’Both Sides’

8th: Olivia Papa-’The Lakes’

8th: Emma Sangorska-’Twilight’

8th: Mackenzie Haensgen-’Vendetta’

9th: Ella Schwarzenbach-Don’t Look Down’

9th: Madeline Bannwarth-’Godspeed’

9th: Rachel Samojedny-’Heart of Glass’

9th: Cammie Schultz-’Past Lives’

9th: Madison Burkhart-’Revolution’

10th: Keaton Eakins-’All My Heroes’

10th: Kayla Kamilis-’A New Emotion’

10th: Amelya Fox-’The Wire’

10th: Allie DeMay-’Timeless Flight’

NUbie Duo/Trio

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Wash That Man’

2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Get Silly’

Mini Duo/Trio

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Take It’

2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’

3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Do It Like This’

Junior Duo/Trio

1st: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Spring’

2nd: Accent on Dance Mukwonago-’Smiling With You’

3rd: Embody Dance Company-’Ashes’

Teen Duo/Trio

1st: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Cello Sonata’

2nd: The Colony-’Slippin’

3rd: Nolte Academy-’Unison’

Senior Duo/Trio

1st: Nolte Academy-’Colors’

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Hot Hit’

1st: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Symphony of Sorrow’

2nd: Woodbury Dance Center-’Lonely’

3rd: Academy of Dance Arts-’Circumstance’

NUbie Group

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’How Will I Know’

2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Walk The Dinosaur’

Mini Group

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’I Won’t Hurt You’

2nd: Steps Dance Center-’SHHHH!’

3rd: Inspire School of Dance-’Despicable Me’

Junior Group

1st: Academy of Dance Arts-’All That’s Left’

1st: The Colony-’Lose Control’

2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Jet Black’

3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Falling’

3rd: Inspire School of Dance-’Tightrope’

Teen Group

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Magnets’

2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Get Low’

3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Ripple Effect’

Senior Group

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’Confessions’

2nd: Woodbury Dance Center-’What Happens to the Heart’

3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Forget Your Troubles’

NUbie Line

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’Monday Monday’

2nd: Elevate Dance Experience-’Zero to Hero’

3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Special Delivery’

Mini Line

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’Go Your Own Way’

2nd: Impact Dance Studio-’You Can’t Stop The Beat’

3rd: Inspire School of Dance-’I Do What I Love’

Junior Line

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’Derniere Danse’

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’Mein Herr’

2nd: Impact Dance Studio-’Hallelujah’

3rd: Academy of Dance Arts-’Perfect Harmony’

Teen Line

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’New York New York’

2nd: The Colony-’They Don’t Love You’

3rd: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Santa Maria’

Senior Line

1st: Woodbury Dance Center-’Cleopatra In New York’

2nd: Impact Dance Studio-’Here Comes The Rain’

3rd: Woodbury Dance Center-’Uninvited’

Mini Extended Line

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Ay Caramba!’

2nd: Elevate Dance Experience-’Pray’

3rd: Steps Dance Center-’I Won’t Dance’

Junior Extended Line

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’It’s A Hard Life’

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’Thoughts’

2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Looking for Something’

3rd: Inspire School of Dance-’Get Jiggy’

Teen Extended Line

1st: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Recomposed Summer’

2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Flight of Fancy’

2nd: Inspire School of Dance-’Ya Nas’

3rd: Elevate Dance Experience-’Everybody’

Senior Extended Line

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Show Me’

2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Gimme A Beat’

3rd: Academy of Dance Arts-’Epiphany’

Junior Production

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’One More Time’

Teen Production

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’Free’

2nd: Elevate Dance Experience-’All For Us’

High Scores by Performance Division:

NUbie Jazz

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’How Will I Know’ 2nd: Elevate Dance Experience-’Zero to Hero’ 3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Let’s Boogie’

NUbie Hip-Hop

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Special Delivery’

NUbie Lyrical

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’We Belong’

NUbie Specialty

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’Monday Monday’

Mini Jazz

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’You Can’t Stop The Beat’ 2nd: Inspire School of Dance-’I Do What I Love’ 3rd: Inspire School of Dance-’Awoo’

Mini Ballet

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Pizzicato Polka’

Mini Hip-Hop

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Ice Cream’ 2nd: Steps Dance Center-’SHHHH!’ 3rd: Inspire School of Dance-’Roller Girlz’

Mini Tap

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Pennies from Heaven’

Mini Contemporary

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’I Won’t Hurt You’ 2nd: Inspire School of Dance-’Cattails’ 3rd: Elevate Dance Experience-’Pray’

Mini Lyrical

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’Go Your Own Way’ 2nd: Inspire School of Dance-’Daughter’ 3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Rainbow’

Mini Musical Theatre

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Ay Caramba!’ 2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Revolting Children’ 3rd: Elevate Dance Experience-’We Go Together’

Mini Specialty

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’Despicable Me’ 2nd: Inspire School of Dance-’Zooma Zooma’

Junior Jazz

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’One More Time’ 1st: Academy of Dance Arts-’Perfect Harmony’ 2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Dummy’ 3rd: Embody Dance Company-’I Want To Love You’

Junior Ballet

1st: Steps Dance Center-’One Note’

Junior Hip-Hop

1st: Steps Dance Center-’New Zs’ 2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Jet Black’ 3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Looking for Something’

Junior Contemporary

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’Thoughts’ 2nd: The Colony-’Lose Control’ 3rd: Steps Dance Center-’From The Lily Pad’

Junior Lyrical

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’Hallelujah’ 2nd: Academy of Dance Arts-’All That’s Left’ 3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Falling’

Junior Musical Theatre

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’Mein Herr’ 2nd: Elevate Dance Experience-’I Wanna Rock’ 3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Telephone Hour’ 

Junior Specialty

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’Derniere Danse’ 2nd: Inspire School of Dance-’It’s A Hard Life’ 3rd: Inspire School of Dance-’Tightrope’

Teen Jazz

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’Free’ 2nd: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Santa Maria’ 3rd: Inspire School of Dance-’Somebody to Love’

Teen Ballet

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’Welcome to the Jungle’ 2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Concerto’ 3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Ascension’

Teen Hip-Hop

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Magnets’ 2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Get Low’ 3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Back It Up’ 3rd: Inspire School of Dance-’Give It Away Now’

Teen Tap

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Brain Stew’ 2nd: Steps Dance Center-’In The Air Tonight’

Teen Contemporary

1st: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Recomposed Summer’ 2nd: The Colony-’They Don’t Love You’ 3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Ripple Effect’

Teen Lyrical

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’Son’ 2nd: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Then You Look At Me’ 2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Nicest Thing’ 3rd: Embody Dance Company-’Turning Tables’

Teen Musical Theatre

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’New York New York’ 2nd: Elevate Dance Experience-’A Chorus Line’ 3rd: Embody Dance Company-’Nowadays’

Teen Specialty

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Flight of Fancy’ 1st: Inspire School of Dance-’Ya Nas’ 2nd: The Colony-’Said and Done’ 3rd: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Highest Flood’

Senior Jazz

1st: Woodbury Dance Center-’Cleopatra In New York’ 2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Forget Your Troubles’ 3rd: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Fade’

Senior Hip-Hop

1st: Steps Dance Center-’Show Me’ 2nd: Woodbury Dance Center-’CrAzY’

Senior Tap

1st: Academy of Dance Arts-’Creep’ 2nd: Academy of Dance Arts-’Bird Song’

Senior Contemporary

1st: Inspire School of Dance-’Confessions’ 2nd: Woodbury Dance Center-’Uninvited’ 2nd: Woodbury Dance Center-’What Happens to the Heart’ 3rd: Academy of Dance Arts-’Calamity’

Senior Lyrical

1st: Academy of Dance Arts-’Epiphany’ 2nd: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’How Do I Live’ 2nd: Steps Dance Center-’Empty Space’ 3rd: Woodbury Dance Center-’Vagabond’

Senior Specialty

1st: Impact Dance Studio-’Here Comes The Rain’ 2nd: Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Moonlight Presto’ 3rd: Steps Dance Center-’Gimme A Beat’

Best NU Groups:

NUbie

Steps Dance Center-’Special Delivery’

Inspire School of Dance-’Monday Monday’

Elevate Dance Experience-’Zero to Hero’

Mini

Steps Dance Center-’Ice Cream’

Inspire School of Dance-’I Won’t Hurt You’

Impact Dance Studio-’Go Your Own Way’

Junior

Steps Dance Center-’New Zs’

Inspire School of Dance-’It’s A Hard Life’

Academy of Dance Arts-’Perfect Harmony’

Impact Dance Studio-’Derniere Danse’

The Colony-’Lose Control’

Teen

Inspire School of Dance-’Ya Nas’

Impact Dance Studio-’New York New York’

The Colony-’They Don’t Love You’

Elevate Dance Experience-’All For Us’

Steps Dance Center-’Magnets’

Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Recomposed Summer’

Senior

Inspire School of Dance-’Confessions’

Impact Dance Studio-’Here Comes The Rain’

Woodbury Dance Center-’Cleopatra In New York’

Academy of Dance Arts-’Epiphany’

Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Moonlight Presto’

Steps Dance Center-’Forget Your Troubles’

Studio Pick:

Steps Dance Center-’Magnets’

Academy of Dance Arts-’Epiphany’

Artistic Edge Dance Centre-’Recomposed Summer’

Elevate Dance Experience-’All For Us’

Embody Dance Company-’Turning Tables’

Inspire School of Dance-’Ya Nas’

Lake Shore Dance-  Port Washington-’Heaven I Know’

[largemouthbassnation]

Table Rock Lake Pre-Spawn Bass – Day 1 A surprise trip to the famous Table Rock Lake in Missouri gets me searching for my first pre-spawn Kentucky Spots! It's cold and windy but I think I can find the perfect location to nab a few fish! source

[quetanto]

The latest chapter from Five Ways. Hope you like it!

***

You can’t remember much Before There were lights bright lights And colours All the colours of the world A man you called Dad He could do magic He could turn fire into anything A dragon flowers a friend warmth You remember concentrating with everything you had trying to be like Dad You closed your eyes You opened your Eye Everything is connected

Now there’s just The Mission You have your cage And the Headband You hate the Headband Dad never made you wear a headband But Dad trusted you And you killed him Master doesn’t trust you You’ve always known that So he puts the Headband over your eye every time you’ve accomplished your Mission And he blinds you to the world outside It’s only fair It’s only fair A life for a life You owe him your life when anyone else would have killed you and left your freakish body in the gutter Blocked by illusion

And then One day The fight starts and you attack from afar And a man throws something at you and it hurts It’s like the Headband but sharper harder quicker there and gone You try to See The explosion rocks the world around you

and there’s a man there when you wake up.

he’s short and stocky and bald. he’s nothing like the Warlord. he’s not like Dad either. he gives you water and food. you threaten him with a look and tower above him. he doesn’t move. he doesn’t flinch. even the Warlord flinched. he doesn’t talk much about anything. just the odd question. you don't answer for a long time. and then he just sits there and takes books and reads. the Warlord could read but he never taught you. you’d never need it. but this man reads and he reads aloud. he never tries to touch you. never tries to hit you. never puts a Headband on you.

one day you go over and point to the characters, two boxed-in little shapes.

自由

he says they mean “freedom”. you don’t know what that means. you ask him. he smiles, a big goofy grin. weak. foolish. lost. calm. kind.

"To be free is…to be like the wind. Everything in the world open to you, nobody holding you back, or holding you down. To be free is to know that nothing and nobody can stop you from being who you want to be.

”Everyone has a right to be free. Everyone should make decisions only for themselves.”

The man’s dressed in long white robes with a hint of purple. But he usually takes them off when he visits you, and leaves on a brown shirt and pants. Loose clothing, good for movement and breathing.

After a month you realize you’ve been counting days again. And you remember what a month is.

And you realize that you're in a room. Not a cell, but a room. There are no bars on the window. The walls are stone, but covered in white paint. There's a mat on the floor where you sleep, and a pillow. There's a table where you sit to eat. There's a door there, and it's never locked. You can leave when you want to.

You don't want to.

There are burn marks on the floor, on the walls, on the ceiling. You don’t remember how they got there.

The man starts to bring people to see you. A lithe but muscular man with long hair, who always feels so warm. A short woman with a face sharp enough to cut, whose hands leave patterns of cool water in the air. They joke. They laugh. You begin to smile.

After two months, you can write your name.

"P'Li," says the man. Your friend. He smiles at you.

You smile back, and nod.

He takes his time, and draws two characters.

杷力

Then you write the two characters. They're not as pinpoint precise as the ones in the man's books. They're not as flowing as when your friend writes, brush darting across the page like a leaf in the wind. But they're yours.

You read them aloud, proudly.

"P'Li."

There's that wonderful smile again.

You reach out, hesitating. He takes your hand. The hand is rough. The touch is gentle. So different, so familiar.

He bows his head.

"It is an honour to know you, P'Li. I am Zaheer."

***

150 AG

Years pass.

You learn that Zaheer and his friends belong to a group called the White Lotus. They serve the Avatar. It's a thought that makes your knees buckle. The Avatar, living spirit of the planet itself. Zaheer read to you the stories of an Avatar called Roku, who could turn mountains to dust with a gesture and diverted a typhoon that would have destroyed the east coast of the Earth Kingdom. His last act was saving the Fire Nation from a volcano big enough to plunge the world into an age of ice. You can't imagine what that kind of power would be like to hold.

You learn Firebending again, from another woman who comes by every so often. Zaheer never comes to those lessons, not until you ask him to. Seeing him around makes it easier to warm instead of burn.

You learn, from Zaheer, a story of a woman long ago who had eyes that could pierce through flesh and stone, like yours can. But a kindly monk, from the Southern Air Temple, had taught her to gaze more deeply instead of more strongly. To learn to see into a world of spirits.

You learn to love that story, and the woman whose eyes pierce like your Eye, and the monk. (And you learn that on your own, every character from that little book etched in your mind so you’ll never forget the words.)

You learn that Zaheer rescued you from the man you'd always thought of as Master. He'd been a renegade Fire Nation officer, trying to carve out his own petty kingdom in the north. He'd come across you in an accident. As far as they can make out, he'd broken you in. Used you as a weapon of war against those who would take apart his empire. One day, the Avatar was called in to take him down, and he had brought with him the White Lotus.

"Zaheer over here had heard the stories," says Ghazan one night. "He wanted to see you first, I think. And he'd heard the stories of Chief Sokka taking down a Combustion Man with only a boomerang. I think he wanted to try it out for himself."

Zaheer looks so ashamed. "I regret that deeply, P'Li. I was expecting a fully-grown warrior, and--"

"And instead he got a kid just a little younger than him," says Ming-Hua, grinning. "You could literally feel the blood drain from his face."

"I could have killed you."

You hold his hand. "But you didn't," you say, squeezing it gently. "You saved me."

He blushes at that. Ghazan and Ming-Hua smirk at one another. You're not entirely sure of the cause of either reaction.

"Anyway," Ghazan continues, "after that the White Lotus kind of had to stay in the open. Too many people had seen them, and the new members. Which was handy, for a while, but come on, we're supposed to be protectors here. Not glorified bodyguards for the Avatar."

You look puzzled. "Is it wrong, to look after the Avatar?"

"It's disgusting," spits Ming-Hua. "He ignores everything the Fire Nation did, and the Earth Kingdom is doing, so he can focus on 'harmony' and all that crud. It's hypocrisy. He's trying so hard to preserve the old ways that he's forgotten everything bad that happened back then. And now."

Ming-Hua's family had been captured by the Fire Nation too, you learn later. Nearly eighty years ago, her mother had…fallen in love with her father, who was a Waterbender in the prison, Zaheer says. Their kid had been secreted away. And years later, there was a Waterbender born on a volcanic island, who didn't know what to do with herself.

"And that's why we're meeting with this Xai Bao," Ghazan reassures her. "He says he's got an answer to this problem. And he's got friends on his side, like the prince of the Northern Water Tribe."

"Tonraq?" says Ming-Hua, surprised. "Never thought that oaf would be much of a rebel."

"Nah, the other guy. Kinda scrawny."

"Unalaq," says Zaheer. He doesn't much like him for some reason.

Zaheer usually has good instincts.

"But what does this have to do with me?" you ask.

They all look at one another.

It's Ming-Hua, of all people, who speaks up gently. "It’s because of you, P'Li. The Order's been getting cranky about new members. They say you've been living on their dole for too long now. They want to make you a member."

"Isn't that good?"

"No, it's not," says Zaheer. He's angrier than you've ever seen him. "Because you deserve better than this, this cage. I’ve been trying for years to get them to let you out of this compound. You're not a weapon. You shouldn't have to be someone else's enforcer."

"Enforcer?" you ask.

Ghazan looks stone-faced. "There's this other guy in the Order, Gong Zhi. Completely out of his skull, brought in as a master Earthbender after King Bumi passed on. But he wants to use you as a guard in the White Lotus. There's plenty of them, lots of grunts, but you'd be…special division, he calls it. A tactical line of offence against the warlords."

"Why not? I want to kill warlords." And you do. You really do. You can't think of anyone else wearing a Headband to be controlled.

"P'Li," says Zaheer, pleadingly. "You won't be used against warlords. You'd be used against everyone around them. The people, the armies who don't have a choice but to fight for them. It wouldn't be attacking the warlords. You'd be sent to kill children while the Order," he spits, "arrests their masters, instead of giving them what they deserve."

You think about this.

"Is he wrong?" you ask the other two.

Ghazan doesn't say a thing. Ming-Hua shrugs.

"It's the way of the world," she says. "At least, this world."

"Then perhaps Xai Bao can lead us to a better one," says Zaheer. "Because I'm not abandoning you." He turns to you. "I made a promise that you would be free, P'Li. I'm not going to let some old men and women in those ridiculous robes decide your fate like you're a tool."

You think about that, too.

Finally: "Maybe we can listen to him, at least."

***

The Spirit World, 157 AG

She closed her eyes.

She opened her Eye.

Zaheer loved this place, Xai Bao's grove. Always so peaceful. So true to the spirit of the man who'd shown them the way.

P'Li had only been here once or twice before, but somehow she never felt out of place in this peaceful little valley, despite having every reason to. She was a warrior, not a guru. Could never be a guru.

But she could enjoy the sunshine, at least.

There was Unalaq, walking out from the forest. There was always something so…dark about the man. A midnight blue surrounded him, through her Eye, even without any water to Bend.

Zaheer, sitting cross-legged beside her, bowed his head to the man. "You bring news, then?"

Unalaq nodded back, barely spared her a glance. That was a sore spot between him and Zaheer, and P'Li wasn't going to apologize for that.

"I do bring news," said the Crown Prince of the Northern Water Tribe. "The Avatar has been found."

P'Li felt her heart skip a beat.

"It…hasn't reached our channels in the White Lotus yet…" said Zaheer.

"That's because I was one of the first to hear about it," said Unalaq. "My father was so proud," he spat, "of his little granddaughter."

"Then–"

"Yes. It seems as though the spirituality of the noble lineages has brought another Avatar to the fore again. My niece, Korra, is the new Avatar."

"And at the South Pole," P'Li pointed out. She didn’t like that point about “noble lineages”. Neither of them did.

Unalaq smiled wryly at that, acknowledged her for the first time. "Yes, well. Not for long. We're going to have to ensure that she's ready to let Vaatu forth by the time Harmonic Convergence comes to the fore."

"So that the Avatar may truly be useful again," said P'Li, determinedly.

"So the world may taste freedom," said Zaheer, hopefully.

"So humanity will finally reconnect with the spirits of the world," said Unalaq, gravely. "Are your people ready, Zaheer?"

"My friends will do what they can, Unalaq," Zaheer replied, just a hint of disapproval in his voice. "But the White Lotus is crafty. They'll probably be keeping an eye on her. And so will Chief Sokka and Lady Katara." This last was spoken with a hint of guilt that only P'Li caught.

"Chief Sokka," said Unalaq with a sneer, "is pushing on seventy years and has barely a dribble of energy flow within him. He'll be no trouble. Katara is an old woman, grieving as she watches her husband toddle around someone else's house and burn things and offer insult as easily as breathe. As for the rest…well, that sloppiness in training is why you left, isn't it Zaheer?"

Zaheer pursed his lips. "Something like that, yes."

"Then it's settled. We'll gather together again soon, once we can work out a plan. And the Avatar," said Unalaq, "will learn how to properly restore balance to the world."

P'Li was warm in the Spirit World. Zaheer was a flickering flame, warm and wild and free (and yet somehow constrained, somehow always missing something).

So why, whenever she looked Unalaq's way, did he feel so cold?

[lornahansonforbes]

Prologue

If you’re reading this today, then you know I’m dead, dead to you as you are to me, and that should make you so very happy.

I gave it all up sitting at a red light.

This last piece is the final chapter of “The Emesis Tray of Feelings,” it’s a trilogy.

The trilogy contains one play, “Hot Neon Lights” and “Patina on the Edge,” which is a series of monologues and now this, “It Didn’t Happen,” a one act play.

The first installment, “Hot Neon Lights,” tells the story of two events. Act One is a very messy breakdown followed by the fourth and final attempt of my taking my own life. I failed four times. Act Two is about six to weeks later and the family meeting with the psychiatrist where they decide if I should be locked up in hospital or go cold Turkey. There was no option, no Grey area, only black and white.

“Patina on the Edge,” is a series of monologues that highlights moments of grand and glorious to being a homeless junkie who was sucking dick, meanwhile being a thief and a shitkicker was a great way to being truly infamous. Lofty goals. It parallels the story that’s laid out in “Hot Neon Lights.”

“It Didn’t Happen.” is a one act play with four scenes. Scene one, the night of the breakup and a month after the breakup. Scene two, a phone call about the breakup. Scene three, a group of friends who just saw the two aforementioned plays and are in a bar talking about what The New York Times will say about “Hot Neon Lights” and “Patina on the Edge.”

As you read this, do know that this is like Ivory Soap, ninety-nine and forty-four one hundredth percent (99 44/100%) true.

Several people have been merged into one character and not vice versa.

You should know that I died alone and bitter that I was never truly loved by anyone except by my dogs, Zoey, Chase, Auggie, The Brother Levi, CoCo and Harry; and my three cats, Rasselas, Othello and Belle Kitty.

I sadly cannot think of one person, past or present, who ever truly loved me.

I suffered with Bipolar Depression and Anxiety for a large portion of my life. The three guys who I stupidly referred to as my boyfriend, I see now that they barely tolerated me as did my family.

I don’t give a shit. You and whomever can say what you want about me and pepper it generously with Drama Qween. You do know that but I can only tell you what my perception was and how I saw things, but as usual, you’re right and I’m wrong. Fuck you, your opinion is paying for my funeral and you had the option not to read this.

Lastly, all the things I’ve written starting in the 1980’s and in between has been thrown out and erased etc. Yeppers. All gone. I kept it all but as of this entry, I threw it all out.

Since I’ve submitted to various outlets and people yet only to learn I’ve been ignored.

But you can find me on Tumblr and not on Tinder. Good luck with that.

Post Script:

I’ve told stories about how I lived and how I overcame. “You should write a book.” Motherfucker, don’t play with me. You ain’t gonna fucking read it. Why even bother existing? I’m done. If you really want to know, actually pick up the phone and call me. Bye, Felicia.

I forgot to tell you that someone asked me not to give up writing. Sorry but I’m not gonna change my mind about cutting off my nose to spite myself.

Scene One

The late summer sun was slowly going down as we approached the corner of Melrose and North Robertson.

Granted it was nearly 8:00 PM, the sun was still blazing away. I turned to look from the passenger seat to see people milling about waiting to go inside but also the paparazzi was there gawking and snapping pictures.

She slowed the car down for just a millisecond and then took a sharp left turn. Then Sister Mary of the Perpetual Parking Spot smiled down upon us and she pulled in and parked the car.

The restaurant sign read Ty’s Thai Tie Dye, an Indochina Conglomerate. We went inside and were seated way in the back. It was a jungle, flowers, potted trees and Passion Flower vines everywhere. The sun broke through like mosaic tiles.

Dinner was delicious and uneventful. She was now pulling up in front of my modest flat.

“Darling, I’m sure we’ve had a wonderful evening but I feel that my husband is all over us these past few weeks. I’m just so sick and tired of seeing his Gold Audi here and there every time we go out. Why can’t we agree to disagree with the fact that I’m who I am and you are you we aren’t able to carry on like this anymore. I know that I should break it to you gently, but let’s rip the fucking Band-Aid off, it’s over. Don’t speak. Let’s go our separate ways with our splendiferous memories and as the cliché states, when you do speak of me, be kind,” she blurted out without looking at me.

It took me a moment and then I watched her Black Jaguar Vandam Plas glide away and disappear. Nearly comatose, I fumbled for my keys and took those first tentative steps towards the front door. I saw my cat in the window and her deep gold eyes. We looked directly at each other. I got in my car only to pound the steering wheel with tears in my eyes.

“You ungrateful bitch,” I screamed so loud that my ears were ringing worse than being a rock concert.

I drove into the night with flashes of our tongues lashing about like in some porn as we tore our clothes off each other. She was moist. My turgidity.

I landed at Pfeiffer Beach and I saw a Sandpiper. Fuck my life. The sound of the crashing waves and the sun rising. Stumbling back to my car I spied that CHP had paid a visit with a bright orange parking ticket tucked neatly underneath the wiper blades. God damn it to hell.

When I turned the car over, the radio was blaring, some static but nonetheless it jangled my nerves.

“Now, I am strong enough. Now, I’m strong enough to accept change. Yes, my darling, if you want to live in another place, I can understand it. It’ gonna hurt for a little while, but I can understand it, but before you walk out that door, touch me in the morning,” this woman’s anger and hurt were front and center. We were simpatico at that moment. We were both in a world of hurt and she like me, we were not feeling it.

I tapped a button on my car radio and my playlist replaced her voice as I pulled into traffic on Route 1 South heading home leaving Pfeiffer Beach in my rear view mirror.

Whoever that female voice was previously on my radio, I felt like Kathy Bates and I was swinging that sledgehammer and I left her there to suffer.

Normally I’m not that guy who “gets in touch with their feelings.” It’s just not in my DNA and when I do “get in touch,” it’ll be like a Gatling gun. Crumpled up like a wad of paper, riddled with bullets and left to die gasping for breath in a pool of blood.

This morning I got up and was meandering around my neighborhood. I have absolutely no idea how it happened but I stopped into a local coffee shop and got a Chai Latte. I usually get a green juice with pomegranate and Acai.

I was in a deep, deep funk since I had dinner with my friend and she dumped me. Who was she to me? My girlfriend; friend with benefits: fuck buddy; mistress or just another conquest? Whatever it was, it was good and it lasted but it wasn’t like this hadn’t happened before and so this came to pass and now in my mind I heard Louis Prima singing, “…everywhere I go.” If I really wanted to hear that song, I’d rather find the David Lee Roth remake.

Apparently I got my steps in this morning without some contraption attached to me or some app on my phone. I plunked my narrow behind down on a concrete Jersey barrier and I looking at the waves crashing onto Dockweller Beach. I know it’s not Malibu Beach just a short drive North and it certainly wasn’t Malibu Beach in Boston. From that vantage point, you’ll see the highway and Sister Corita Kent’s artwork in the distance.

Seriously what the fuck, yo? Processing, tabulating, analyzing, and parsing the events of being dumped. I know I saw the data, but what did it reveal? Was it actually that simple or was I looking at the galley’s for the unabridged Cyrillic version of Tolstoy’s tome with copious notes in the margins. Could I decipher The Daily Jumble? Was I looking at some foreign language? Was I experiencing some sort of dyslexia? Sigh! Could I really clean this mess with a piece of used snotty paper?

I’m solving Pi!! Yeah, yeah!! That’s the ticket!!

I clenched my hand around my paper cup and almost spilled my Chai latte. I was fucking pissed.

“Ungrateful BITCH,” that right I said it and I said it with such furious anger venom was dripping of my fangs.

What a difference a day makes. Bull-fucking-shit. Something felt dissimilar yet had I seen the same thing from a different vantage point?

At that exact moment I heard one of those thumper cars approaching blaring something I didn’t understand  anything but I did hear, “Baile, baile con El General” and just like that the car was gone. Was Joy Division only for headphones? This is Los Angeles not Colby College.

Perched on the Jersey barrier, I wasn’t contemplating why lint gets in my navel.  I couldn’t dodge raindrops. Had I tabled my ego? Were my expectations quickly quieted? Was it like that thumper car; was I blaring or amplifying some sort of acceptance of defeat? The hounds had been released at the same time as I gave up my control? I can be that Type-A personality, driven and getting in touch with my feeling resided in an abyss somewhere, but the fuck if I know.

I felt dampness. Where am I now? Am I on the Maid of the Mist or standing underneath Niagara Falls? God damn it to hell!! I was crying. I normally don’t do that. I clenched my jaw so tightly I had TMJ.

“Mission Accomplished,” I think was actually the last time I did cry, but that was for my furry friends, Mickey & Minnie and then it was Stanley & Blanche. Do I get ahold of the anger in me? What the fuck? Maybe a word, a smile, an hour of happiness? NETX??!! I picked up my phone. I scrolled through my contacts. In a parallel universe, I called you a thousand times when I know I did not and I never will call you.

A boisterous and vociferous colony of seagulls appeared just a few yards away from me. Fuck. Hitchcock.

My paper cup is empty. I knew I had to dispose of it. Recycle, reuse, repurpose or like this affair, would it end up in a landfill? Just another thing to be unceremoniously and recklessly tossed away. It’s just a thing.

With a great exasperated sigh, eight months, two weeks and a day. That’s how long it lasted without me actually keeping track of it. Don’t go there. Don’t judge me. Men and women silently judge me and you but I can only assume they leave something on me so I don’t catch cold. Oh, shit. We had seen other naked. She fucking hurt me. Okay, I’m not that person, who’d scrawl, No Sale, on a mirror if I found a check and a note that read, “Last night was dope.”

My phone beeped, a text message letting me know I had to drive to Pacoima.

Gotta bounce. Later. Onto embrace the new challenges ahead and channel them into existence.

Scene Two

Part Three.

A Hello, bleep.

B How did you know it was me?

A I’ve known for a long time and plus it’s out there.

B Why did you say that?

A What did I say exactly?

B Don’t give me that bullshit. I saw it.

A I told you about how I felt but then I felt around in the dark and I didn’t know how that single cell actually started to feel like encouragement.

B What I said was to do it for yourself and not me.

A I did it for you first and then afterwards I got to me.

B You took more than you should have and you took it to another place. Also that’s not how it went down.

A It’s how some people work. As I told before, give me a thing to work with and I can easily create from there.

B I only told you about a sixteenth of what happened.

A But that was enough for me and those three sentences told me everything I needed to know. Fuck bleep, I told you recently about my Bipolar Depression and how I grapple with it hour by hour and mostly by myself with no assistance or guidance from anyone.

B I appreciate that and your candor but it makes me crazy. But fuck bleep, I know how mentally exhausted some people feel being in your orbit.

A Bleep, dude, we’re trying to get to that place in the day where we can say, I’m still here. First we get out of bed unassisted and the rest is gravy.

B Why such labels? I mean I know most of the names but you know I’m a tee shirt and jeans.

A Without inferring or intimating the slightest thing, I had a good feeling that who she is and most likely she has her own money but she doesn’t dismiss her husband’s money.

B I have my own money too but I’m not going to be seen eating on North Robertson.

A Possibly I’d see you at one place on Melrose or on Alameda and they’re not that far from where I put you. Then again, there’s a place around the way and you can walk there. I pay attention to things like that ever since I saw Russell Simmons ex wife Creamora eating at raw restaurant in LA a few years ago.

B Wow. How did find that out?

A She had a reality show and they showed her eating there and as a woman of color, she nearly lost her mind. One of things they served was a pizza but it wasn’t a New York pepperoni pizza all hot and gooey with cheese. I yelled at the TV, Gurl, I’ll take a slice. I’m in.

B Wait a minute, bleep. You told me you have issues with food.

A I do but sometimes I’ve got to throw caution to the wind and suffer with each delicious bite.

B So that’s why you fabricated that restaurant.

A Well, kinda sorta. When I was in LA, I found a great little Thai place a few blocks away from The Dolby and if I remembered the name I would’ve told you about it. They’ve got some amazing vegan options.

B This is one of the things I find about you, you know some of the most trivial things and it’s fucking scary.

A Bleep, I just hope I don’t actually lose my mind. I’d hope that you or someone else would put me down if dementia or Alzheimer’s effected me.

B Don’t say that. I sometimes like it when you remember what happened way back when.

A I’m not sure what’s going to happen but I’m still here regardless.

B I’ve got to ask why you said I cried.

A Bleep, you are but one of many Taurus men I know and if they do actually cry, it’ll be in the shower and they’d never admit to knowing how to cry. They might well up with tears but never cry in front of anyone ever.

B That’s fucked up.

A Taurus men do write but never about their feelings nor do they own a diary or journal. If that April born man exists who shares their feelings, they are a very rare breed of man.

B Well writing isn’t my thing.

A You sound exhausted.

B I had to compose myself and all the while I cursed your name.

A Oh it’s because I hit a nerve?

B You’re the last person I’d ever, of course, I think of to wax philosophic and then admit it to someone else let alone admit it to myself.

A Bleep, motherfucker, I’m completely aware and yet I’m not living under the delusion by pining away waiting for you to ask.

B No, it’s not that but does fall in the same zip code and then I used one word, empath. You dug as deep as you could and I’m like, fuck, man, I’m on the phone with you.

A Bleep. Bleep. I’ve known ever since your old EarthLink email and I never and I wouldn’t unless you asked. I told you before I see things that I don’t necessarily understand and with each message, I just end up seeing something.

B I gathered as much. There’s my Nou-Nou. Come up. It’s okay. Come on, Nou-Nou. Move your lard ass, Janx. There you go. All better. Rumple, not a word. You stay right there and let Nou-Nou get some.

A The kittehs!!

B Don’t distract. I’m not sure if you have a malignant will or you gave me something to think about.

A I can’t apologize more. I’m truly very sorry. I riffed on an idea and here we are.

B Life isn’t over as you think of it just because you’re alive. There’s more.

A That’s why I told you that I wouldn’t write again. Stirred the pot.

B You’re a dick.

A And your point is? A cunt? I’m The Dowager Empress and that’s all there is to that.

B You’re so full of shit.

A We’re not going to snap at each other like two terriers.

B Is this what we’ve been reduced to? Bickering just for arguments sake?

A You’re the one with the brown eyes, so you could possibly be full of shit. I’ve got green eyes, pea green with jealousy.

B You said some shit and it hit me. What’s that thing you usually say? Oh yeah, it’s a punch in the face you can’t take back.

A Bleep, dude. Most people want that moment in life where someone grabs ahold of you and pleads with you not to leave. It’s been played out in the movies, but not in our lives, right? I don’t know the life you led but I’ve had three boyfriends and each one of them dumped me. I’ve cried and played all the sad songs. You could have possibly done the same thing but let’s face it fucking Cher said it best, we all sleep alone.

B Whitney clapped back and said I’d rather be alone than be unhappy.

A True. But I had the near perfect relationship with The Beast. More than 40 years together. We both had separate lives and we were celibate lovers. We had each other’s back we did everything for love but we never did that. I knew that he wasn’t some Sir Galahad to love from afar, motherfucker was two legged boa constrictor. I’m okay with dying alone and unloved.

B That’s really a fucking bleak future. Well insert a happy go-lucky cliché here followed by Shady Pines. I can’t with you, bleep.

A I know that we’re estranged but don’t divorce me or fire me just yet.

B Okay.

-The curtain comes down and the audience breaks out in an uproar of applause and cheers-

Scene Three

E What was that we just watched?

CI wish I knew.

E 90 minutes of a conversation that never happened?

D Clearly you’ve missed the point of it. Two guys who knew each other since high school and they meet up years later. One guy had a bad break up and the other guy was now, as he said, a widower.

C Excuse me?

E Yeah excuse me. I don’t see it. Okay high school is one thing but forty years later, they’re talking like that?

D Okay let’s go for a quick pop at The Stone and we’ll go home afterwards.

E Which stone?

C I think that the closest one is Rosetta.

D No. That’s by Park Avenue. I think this one is Killarney but is it Kilkerry? Fuck. It’s right here at 8th Avenue.

C Don’t make thing of it but look over getting of that cab, Miles Silverberg.

E I know that name.

D Murphy Brown.

C It is him. Not bad looking but not my type.

D Bitch, your type is anyone who can make the letter O.

C You should talk. You’re still paying off that asbestos abatement from the last one.

D The two of you are practically virgins again, but then again Father Frank doesn’t give confessionals.

C/E Fuck you.

D Oh look, we’re here.

E I’ve always wondered exactly how many bars in Manhattan are actually Irish bars.

C Probably a few but I’m not sure. There’s only one Blarney Stone and I think it’s in Lower Manhattan not here in Midtown. I’m thinking that anything above 23rd Street is either owned by The Vara or Lyons’ Brothers.

E Damn.

D Hello, Merrick. We like a bottle of your best Shiraz and three glasses. We’ll be over here. Thank you. Yes, Merrick, yes you’re all that but put a ring on it.

E Why won’t you just fuck him and get it over with?

D We like this game. We just love to flirt with each other. No harm, no foul.

C She’s been playing with Merrick for years and he loves the attention.

E I wonder what The Times says tomorrow.

D This is the the last chapter of the trilogy. Uh…

C First was Hot Neon Lights, second was Patina on the Edge and now, It Didn’t Happen.

D I can’t get it out of my head that one scene with the mother fighting with the dad. She was so mad at him, she put out a cigarette in her hand.

C Oh fuck yeah, that was fucking brutal.

E Can someone get that mad?

D She’s his mother and momma bear wasn’t having it.

C True but I’m not sure about the pretentious names. Trenton Burroughs English and Daniel Charles Snyder. But you know what? They’re actual people. I found out that Trenton is some how many times removed from the Queen of Norway and Daniel is a surgeon with Doctors Without Borders. AND the most fucked up thing is that they don’t know each and have never met.

D You know what’s even more fucked up than? There’s an actual family here on the social register here in New York with the last name, Frankenstein. Google that.

E Thank you, Merrick. Ladies, a toast?

C Yes please and don’t be stingy.

D Miss Thing, leave some for the rest of us.

ALL 3 Cheers! Give my regards to Broadway!!

E Hot Neon Lights was excellent, though I thought the two fantasy moments were beyond me.

D Why?

E Is that what you’d expect from dropping a hit of acid?

C Not all the time. It’s different from person to person. I did it once and I had goosebumps most of the time and I saw these white penny tiles dance like waves and I was surfing.

D I went to see a midnight showing of Eraserhead in college and I hate that fucking movie. Sigh. I cringe whenever I hear, Eraserhead is dead. I wanna punch someone in the face.

E Damn and I said I was traumatized by seeing Gina Gershon’s pubic hair in Killer Joe. I’m sorry but on the silver screen in a crowded theater. I shudder to think.

C A straight guy cringing at the mound of Venus? What happened? Did you see your mother in the shower?

E It’s not that deep. My face is one thing but on a forty-foot screen? Shit was scary.

D Yeah that is unforgettable. Besides that, was the movie any good?

E I don’t know. I mean William Friedkin directed The Exorcist. Both are going to fuck with your head, period.

D Oh yeah he did but what was really fucked up was in Patina on the Edge when he told us how his father and stepmother thought that they were watching his life story on the silver screen.

C What fucked with my head with my head was when he told us that he actually went to M Street and those stairs. I saw the picture and it was daytime and the caption read, Here laid Father Merrin’s body. Regan MacNeil astro-projected his priestly self right out the window. Rest in Power, Mercedes McCambridge.

E What?

C Yeah. Gimme a second.

D You’re obsessed much?

C I couldn’t believe it myself and I took a screenshot. Look.

E Damn. That’s really fucked up. Here.

D Oh my God! That is fucked up.

C I know reality stranger than fiction.

E It wasn’t science fiction or was it tonight?

D Whatever it was, it was some great writing. He can tell a story.

C What did you get out of it?

E I’m thinking that after seeing Hot Neon Lights, Patina on the Edge and tonight’s It Didn’t Happen, I think they should have a face to face and make a decision if they’re going to be actual friends and figure out if they want to be celibate lovers and in a platonic marriage.

D Fuck that bullshit. It’s obvious that they are actually going to have a contentious relationship and they’re not going to find each other sitting together chatting it up in Shady Pines. The only thing that they can have is a hidden mutual respect for each other and the rest of us can only imagine that since neither one of them will admit to anything. He’s a whore and he’s a prude. They don’t know what they want, but can they be friends in any iteration of the meaning. We’ll never know.

C Well…unrequited love can keep you going. Okay I’ve got unrequited love too but I see mine as that song, All American Boy by Steve Grand. I just love that song and I’m obsessed with the media calling it Brokeback Breakout and he’s like the Gay Cowboy. That’s really a bad cliché but it’s even worse to know that not every fag wants to suck the quarterback’s dick. Yeah let that big man on campus get a pot belly and go bald, and at the 40th high school reunion you’re still in a size seven like me and what’s even worse is that all the girls want to kill me.

D Do let me know when old and bitter arrives.

E Oh c’mon. It can’t be all that bad. You’re supposed to live off a compliment for two weeks, but I always hope for the best. I mean I like my family and we all get along.

C Well how nice for you but I doubt it. It’s like Homer isn’t going to strangle Bart for the umpteenth time.

E Back to the other moment in Hot Neon Lights, what was up with that Diana Ross scene?

D That was explained in Patina.

C Yeah. He went to the Diana Ross Live at Caesar’s Palace show on two hits of mescaline but I think the point was like she said, I am and I’m going to be.

D Powerful.

E Didn’t he also explain how he could actually touch the guy on the flying trapeze at the circus. Apparently he likes dropping acid.

C Patina had that whole conversation about “Gee whiz. Boy I was drunk last night.”

D Yeah it was consensual but I’m not sure if they were that drunk or that high.

E I know right but he did fuck that girl after an eight ball.

C Oh yes! He was up to THANGS!!

D Indeed he was but that failed threesome was even funnier.

E Give the guy a break. I’m not sure if he wanted to fuck the husband in front of his wife or fuck the wife as the husband was going to fuck him.

C YES!! The bamboo chair hanging from the ceiling. If I was in that same situation I have no idea how to proceed.

E True, true, but I’m glad he told us from the jump, we’d never believe it actually happened. My mind hurts.

D Look gentlemen, the bottle is empty and we all have to go to work in a few hours. Let’s table this for the next time. Until then.

E Okay but it’s Romeo & Juliet with social media at The Public.

C That’s got to be something else. We’ll text after we read the review in The Times.

ALL 3 Good night, Merrick!!

[colorfulnerddaze]

What is the bioreactors market?

Single-Use Bioreactor Market is valued at USD 1.10 Billion in 2017 and expected to reach USD 4.50 Billion by 2027 with a CAGR of 15.13% over the forecast period.

Single-Use Bioreactor Market: Global Size, Trends, Competitive, Historical & Forecast Analysis, 2021-2027. Demand in Efficient Vaccines is a key driving factor for the growth of Single-Use Bioreactor Market.

The Single-Use Bioreactor report provides independent information about the Single-Use Bioreactor industry supported by extensive research on factors such as industry segments size & trends, inhibitors, dynamics, drivers, opportunities & challenges, environment & policy, cost overview, porter’s five force analysis, and key companies profiles including business overview and recent development.

Get Sample Copy of this Premium Report: https://brandessenceresearch.com/requestSample/PostId/1463  

In this report, our team offers a thorough investigation of Single-Use Bioreactor Market, SWOT examination of the most prominent players right now. Alongside an industrial chain, market measurements regarding revenue, sales, value, capacity, regional market examination, section insightful information, and market forecast are offered in the full investigation, and so forth. 

Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, revenue (Million USD) The geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa) focusing on key countries in each region. It also covers market drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and key issues in Global Post-Consumer Single-Use Bioreactor Market.

Key Benefits for Single-Use Bioreactor Market Reports

The analysis provides an exhaustive investigation of the global Post-Consumer Single-Use Bioreactor market together with the future projections to assess the investment feasibility. Furthermore, the report includes both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the Post-Consumer Single-Use Bioreactor market throughout the forecast period. The report also comprehends business opportunities and scope for expansion. Besides this, it provides insights into market threats or barriers and the impact of regulatory framework to give an executive-level blueprint the Post-Consumer Single-Use Bioreactor market. This is done with an aim of helping companies in

Top Key Players:

Some major key players for Global Single-Use Bioreactor Market are Sartorius, Xcellerex, Eppendorf, Applikon, Danaher Corporation, Merck Millipore, Thermo Scientific HyClone, PBS Biotech and others.

Key Highlights of the Single-Use Bioreactor Market Report : 

Single-Use Bioreactor Market Study Coverage: It incorporates key market sections, key makers secured, the extent of items offered in the years considered, worldwide Single-Use Bioreactor market and study goals. Moreover, it contacts the division study gave in the report based on the sort of item and applications. 

Single-Use Bioreactor Market Executive outline: This area stresses the key investigations, market development rate, serious scene, market drivers, patterns, and issues notwithstanding the naturally visible pointers. 

Single-Use Bioreactor Market Production by Region: The report conveys information identified with import and fare, income, creation, and key players of every single local market contemplated are canvassed right now. 

Single-Use Bioreactor Market Profile of Manufacturers: Analysis of each market player profiled is detailed in this section. This portion likewise provides SWOT investigation, items, generation, worth, limit, and other indispensable elements of the individual player. 

Demand for Effective Vaccines is a key driving factor for the growth of Single-Use Bioreactor Market

The major factors driving the growth of global Single-Use Bioreactor market is rising in demand of effective vaccines and medications. They have also been widely accepted for the applications like development of pharmaceutical materials, personalized medicines, upstreaming process, and production of cell cultures. The market has seen significant growth after adaptation of automation and control for Biomanufacturing processes.

Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Ask Our Industry Experts!

Single-Use Bioreactor Market Report Covers the Following Segments:

By Construction:

Stirred Bioreactor

Rocking Bioreactor

By Mode:

Batch

Continuous

Fed-Batch

By Size:

500L

1000L

2000L

6000L

By Application:

Academic

Pharmaceutical

Environment

Life sciences

Get Methodology of this report: https://brandessenceresearch.com/requestMethodology/PostId/1463

Table of Content:

Market Overview: The report begins with this section where product overview and highlights of product and application segments of the global Single-Use Bioreactor Market are provided. Highlights of the segmentation study include price, revenue, sales, sales growth rate, and market share by product.

Competition by Company: Here, the competition in the Worldwide Single-Use Bioreactor Market is analyzed, By price, revenue, sales, and market share by company, market rate, competitive situations Landscape, and latest trends, merger, expansion, acquisition, and market shares of top companies.

Company Profiles and Sales Data: As the name suggests, this section gives the sales data of key players of the global Single-Use Bioreactor Market as well as some useful information on their business. It talks about the gross margin, price, revenue, products, and their specifications, type, applications, competitors, manufacturing base, and the main business of key players operating in the global Single-Use Bioreactor Market.

Market Status and Outlook by Region: In this section, the report discusses about gross margin, sales, revenue, production, market share, CAGR, and market size by region. Here, the global Single-Use Bioreactor Market is deeply analyzed on the basis of regions and countries such as North America, Europe, China, India, Japan, and the MEA.

Application or End User: This section of the research study shows how different end-user/application segments contribute to the global Single-Use Bioreactor Market.

Market Forecast: Here, the report offers a complete forecast of the global Single-Use Bioreactor Market by product, application, and region. It also offers global sales and revenue forecast for all years of the forecast period.

Research Findings and Conclusion: This is one of the last sections of the report where the findings of the analysts and the conclusion of the research study are provided.

Get Full Report: https://brandessenceresearch.com/medical-device/single-use-bioreactor-market

About Us:

We publish market research reports & business insights produced by highly qualified and experienced industry analysts. Our research reports are available in a wide range of industry verticals including aviation, food & beverage, healthcare, ICT, Construction, Chemicals and lot more. Brand Essence Market Research report will be best fit for senior executives, business development managers, marketing managers, consultants, CEOs, CIOs, COOs, and Directors, governments, agencies, organizations and Ph.D. Students.