#the complet opposite of the Enchanted Island who are like GIRL POWER

[anastasia974realqueen]

So a few days ago instead of listening of what my teacher was saying in my online classes, I suddenly have a thought.

So for starter, a few days ago, in the morning, I was playing Pokemon Go, the problem is that on my phone, the app was LAGING. So as the afternoon start, my online class begin and I was still angry about it. As I was trying to calm myself, trying to think about something else (while still not listening to the teacher) I suddenly have a thought :

"If Alex and his gang have the game, what team would they be in ? Team Red (Valor) ? Team Blue (Mystic) ? Team Yellow (Instinct) ?" then it became "If Alien was a pokemon, I think he will be a Minun" to "What would be the gang as Pokemon Trainers ? In the Pokemon World, what region would they be from ? For Alex, I can totally see him being from Kalos. Ruby, I can see her at Alola, because the region is made up of four tropical island (+ one if Foudation Aether count) and in the show, Ruby came from the Gunpowder Island, who seems like a tropical place (if we move away from the boat port). Also, to go to the other islands she will have to sail, something she like to do (does that means she will love Hoenn if she visit the place ? Because you know, water). As for Gene and Twinkle, I don't know..." at

"WHAT IF ALL THE PLACE IN THE SUPER 4 SHOW WERE LEAGUE CONNECTED ! LIKE IF YOU WANT TO TRY AND BE THE POKEMON CHAMPION OF ALL THE ISLANDS YOU HAVE TO FIGHT EVERY GYMS, WON AGAINST ALL GYMS LEADERS FROM EVERY ISLANDS, FIGHT AGAINST THE ELITE FOUR OF ALL THE ISLAND AND THE POKEMON CHAMPIONS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ISLANDS WILL BE THE FINAL ELITE FOUR !"

SO

yeah, I got on a hyperfixsation for this Super 4/Pokemon AU

SO

Let's start with how I imagine the background of this AU :

This AU is settle in a modern era, which means that everybody have access to thecnology and the internet. It's totally normal to have a TV, phone and stuff like that.

Fairies, witches and unicorns doesn't exisct in this AU. The closest thing you could have of a unicorns are Ponyta and Rapidash.

Médiévalia, the Enchanted Island, the Gunpowder Island and Technopolis kinda work like the Alola region.

As you known, Alola is made up of four islands + and artificial one. Over there, they have the island challenge (or the island trials ? I'm not sure how you say it in english) and if you become the Pokemon Champion after winning against the Elite 4, you are the Pokemon Champion of all the islands.

In this AU, it's different :

Each islands have their own Pokemon Champion, to be able to face them you have to collect all 8 badges from all the Gym Leaders and challenge the Elite 4. It's possible to be the Pokemon Champion of all the islands, but it's extremely difficult and almost impossible.

Now, let's start with how I imagine our characters works in this AU :

Twinkle

In this AU she would be a human

She would totally be a Fairy Type trainer

She came from the Enchanted Island. It was named this way because there are numerous fairy type pokemon in the area

Twinkle would have a LOT of fairy type pokemon (the exception being Alien)

She is the type of person to catch a pokemon mostly because of his cuteness and she will also totally give her pokemon cute nicknames

Twinkle is a pokemon performer, she wish to be a successful pokemon coordinator in the future

Here, the Fairy Queen (who is also a human) is the Pokemon Champion of the Enchanted Island, she is as well a famous and well known pokemon coordinator (she is the NUMBER ONE in this area). She is also known to train a few girls who are pokemon performers, because she see in them potential to become great pokemon coordinators in the future. Unfortunately, she had to retire early in this career due to an incident. Something happen to her legs and since then she lose the ability to walk, she can only move in a weelchair. Whatever if her being paraplegic was Twinkle accidental fault or not, the Fairy Queen will forever accuse our poor Twinkle for this tragedy.

Also, Fairy Queen is not her real name, it's the nickname her fans gave her

Her being paraplegic doesn't affect her work as a Pokemon Champion, but she still longs for the days of when she was still a pokemon coordinator and was able to perform on stage with her pokemon

Since Twinkle is ban and forbidden (by the Fairy Queen) from performing, she disguises herself as Miss Mystery so she can continue doing what she loves with her pokemon

Her performance attire (while disguises) will be the clothes she wears in the episode "The Golden Wand", a pale blue dress with a cyan blue mask

Over time, Miss Mystery will have a fanbase. It will be small at first, but it will grow bigger as she continue with her performing

As for her pokemon, I like to think that when Twinkle meet the group, she will already have a few pokemon with her, such as a Sylveon and a Cutiefly.

Sylveon was given to her by the Pokemon Professor of the Enchanted Island, the Wise Fairy, when it was still an Eevee. With her Eevee they caught Cutiefly.

At some point, during the journey that she will have with her friends, her Cutiefly will evolve into a Ribombee. She will cry tears of joy, just like when her Eevee had evoled into a Sylveon.

During her journey, she will caught other pokemon who will be fairy type (which pokemon ? Idk)

Once the Fairy Queen realise that her being paraplegic wasn't really Twinkle fault, she will lift the ban and allows Twinkle to perform again, without her needing her secret identity. Twinkle will also be an official pokemon coordinator. As an official pokemon coordinator, Twinkle will create a new category of contest, a category that let people and pokemon, with any kind of disability, able to join in.

And just like this, the Fairy Queen got her career back and is no longer retired of performance.

Alien

Since he look like a bunny, I associate him with Minun, but now I don't think that it suits him. Alien just doesn't look like the electric type to me.

Personally, Alien give me psychic type vibe or at least he has a double type, and psychic is one of them (what will be his other type ? Normal ? Rock ? Plant ? Idk)

Why did I choose pyschic ? Because, in the episode "Origins Part - I" Alien was able to show Alex something in the past, something that happen to his species and in "Origins Part - IV" at the end of the episode, he was able to show the group something that will happen to them in the future. I meant sure, he use an object for that, that triangle thingy things that glow

But in the World of Pokemon, the only type of pokemon that has the ability to see into the future are only psychic type, so.....

What if, Alien also have the ability to see people's aura ? That would explain why he showed our group his visions and not other strangers : it's because the aura of his friends are powerful, strong and good. Perhaps this was why Alien stayed with them in the first place, after which he geniously developed an affection for the group.

(Will that mean Alien give a Meowstic and Lucario vibe)

Alien can also maybe be that mysterious (legendary) but cute pokemon that is always with the group and traveled with them, he is also under the good care of Twinkle (kinda like Bonnie and Squichy in the pokemon anime).

Alien actually came from a unknown place : The Lost World, the very mysterious and hidden fifth island. That place is only known by rumours and legends. It tell that if you go there, you will never come back.....

EXCEPT FOR OUR HEROES OF COURSE !

So when the group were able to get there, they will discovered the species of Alien and learn they actually are Legendary pokemon. Twinkle will name their species Mysterios.

They will also realise that Alien doesn't have the same colour pigmentation as his peers. After an examination from Gene, the group will learnt that Alien is in fact a ✨shiny✨ (cue to Gene who is losing his mind because he always wanted to see a shiny and all this time, since the beginning, he had one in front of him)

In this AU, the dinosaurs can be Ultra Beasts who came into the island because of Ultra Wormholes

While exploring the caves, fauna and flora of this new world, they somehow found Rock Brock who was chilling in a hammock. He tell the group he doesn't remember how he got there but he loves the place so much he has decided to stay and live here.

Rock Brock knows the Lost World like the back of his hand and he considers himself to be a good friend of the Mysterios. He wants to be best buddy with the Ultra Beasts (you just know the Mysterios are just sooo tired of his shit shenanigans)

The Furios (name giving by Twinkle) are the other species of Legendary that live on the Lost World. They are more hostile towards humans than the Mysterios.

While the Mysterios are more peaceful, friendly, pleasant and unwarlike. The Furios are more hostile, aggressive, confrontational and warlike.

The Mysterios and the Furios are kinda like the pokemon Unown. So that's why there are many of their species, there are just many various forms of Mysterios and Furios

Both of their species are the duo Legendary of this AU (kinda like Kyogre/Groudon; Reshiram/Zekrom or Yveltal/Xerneas)

Alex

In this AU he isn't a prince nor a knight

In the social class, him and his family are privileged. They have a lot of wealth (he is a rich kid but a nice rich kid), yet he doesn't show it off

He lives with his sister and dad in a large mansion. Over there, it's the domestics who do the chores

He has never being at school, all his education was made at home by his private tutors (same for his sister)

He sometimes felt like he's trapped in his house and he is very eager to start his journey as a pokemon trainer

His father Kendric is the Pokemon Champion of Médiévalia

Alex wants to be the Pokemon Champion of Médiévalia (just like his dad)

He had a friendly rivalry with Ruby

On his 5th birthday, he received his first pokemon : honedge

Before he will start his journey with his friends, honedge would have already evolved into a doublade. At the end of his adventures, his pokemon would evolve into a aegislash.

Between the fact that I can see him well with a Mudsdale or a Rapidash, idk what other pokemon Alex will catch and have. I'm able to see him with some steel type pokemon (maybe because knights have a lot of steel armor on them and since in the show Alex is a knight......)

I don't really have many backtstory idea for him, sorry

Ruby

In this AU she isn't a pirate

She came from the Gunpowder Island. On the island, she lives near the port part (think of it like Slateport City in Hoenn)

Her dad owns a little restaurant. He mainly works in the kitchen and prepares the food for the clients.

In her dad's restaurant, she usually mopped the floors and cleans the cultery. She was rarely the waitress, because if a client said something slightly bad towards her, her temper would get the better of her and she would fight him.

As punishment for fighting with a client, her father makes sure she is on chores for at least a month. Of course, if the fight was disserved because the client said something inappropriate to Ruby, the girl will not receive any punishment and the client will be banned from the restaurant for life.

Upstairs is where Ruby and her dad live. The ground floor is reserved to the restaurant only.

The restaurant is located not far away from the League

Since the place is close to the League, a lot of strong trainers came here to take a break and eat. Sometimes, the Elite Four as well as the Pokemon Champion, whose is known as Shakebeard, came also here to eat. The folks who come here mutually tell each other about their adventures, travels and journeys. They also retail stories and legends that they have heard.

Young Ruby will overhear the stories of the clients, and all of this tales will awake in her the love of pokemon battles. She dreamt of meeting strong trainers and having to fight and win against them.

Her first pokemon was Gimmighoul. She have him his Roaming Form

She spotted him one time when she was outside, as she was walking home and about to enter the restaurant. Gimmighoul was hiding behind a barrel. Ruby ask him if he was cold and if he want to come inside to get warm and have some food. He shyly nodded and accepted the offer. And since then, he never leave her.

Also why the Roaming Form and not the Chest Form ? Well in the show, when Ruby was close to a treasure (or with anything that have to do with gold and jellewry), she always has to leave it behind, so I went to give her a Gimmighoul, who like her, leave money behind

So, as she grew older, her desire to become a strong pokemon trainer and win pokemon battle against strong people grew even stronger

One time, the Elite Four and Shakebeard, the Pokemon Champion, were there. So she tell them about her dream, that one day, she was gonna be a strong pokemon trainer, and win all her fight, just like them

Their answers ? They laugh at her face.

They were hysterical, tears were pouring through their eyes, some laugh so hard that they even fall off their chair. When they were able to recollect themselves, Shakebeard said to Ruby "Stop dreaming ! A little girl like you would never be able to win in a pokemon battle. Also, you know the League is close by, right ? Tell me, have you ever seen any women coming here to eat and take a break ? No, never. Why ? Because no women were able to win against all Gym Leader in Gunpowder Island, because the men here are too strong. Sorry laddie, but women are just weak."

Shattered by those sentences coming from the mouth of her idol, Ruby, who tried to hold back her tears that might falls at any moment said that "She would show, to him and to everyone in this room, that she going to be a great and strong pokemon trainer, so strong and great that she will be the Pokemon Champion of all Four Islands."

Cue to more hysterical laughter that is coming from everyone in the restaurant and more people fall off their chairs. Some even call Rubens, Ruby's father, to tell him the nonsenses his daughter is saying.

At that, Ruby ran upstairs to her room and cries hot tears. She was a wreck. Humiliated and hurt, Ruby oath to herself to never felt like that again, the feeling of being inferior for being a girl. And she promised herself that she will be the Pokemon Champion of the Four Islands, just to show them what a girl can do ! Whatever it takes, she will be ready for it.

And so, before it was time for her to go on her journey, she searched and researched a lot about who she has to battle against for winning the title of Pokemon Champion Master (that's the title you won when you are the Champion of all Four Islands). She knew that she have to battle against all Gym Leaders of all four islands. She learned that she have to battle the Elite 4, from each of the four islands too. But she boil with eagerness to face and battles The Supreme Elite Four who are of the Pokemon Champion of their respective islands : Kendric, Pokemon Champion of Médiévalia, the Fairy Queen, Pokemon Champion of the Enchanted Island, Shakebeard, Pokemon Champion of the Gunpowder Island and Dr.X, Pokemon Champion of Technopolis.

Later, when she will start her journey and before meeting her friends, Ruby will learnt the true reason why there are no women coming to fight the Elite 4 in the Gunpowder Island : it's because, when a girl win against a Gym, the Gym Leader will refuse to give her the badge, their ego being tarnished by the fact that they have failed against a girl. They would also banned the girls from returned to the Gym, making them unable to go to the Elite 4, because of the missing badges. Ruby is fuming at this.

Honestly, idk what Ruby's pokemon team will be. I can se her catching some water and fighting type pokemon, but except from that, I don't know.

She had a friendly rivalry with Alex, they often have pokemon battle.

Her father didn't at first believe in her dream, but seeing that his daughter was able to get some badges from some Gym in Médiévalia, Technopolis and the Enchanted Island, he now supports her at 100% and believe in her dreams.

She communicate with her father by letters or by landline phone. When Gene ask her why doesn't she facetime her dad with the phone he create and gave her (Gene also gave it to their Twinkle and Alex), Ruby answers that her dad is very bad with technology and explaining how facetime works to him will lead to nowhere, so she prefers to communicate with him in the old fashion way (the truth is, Ruby is like her father, she is not very bright with technology. She doesn't remember how to do a facetime even though Gene have already explain it to her in the past. She is to proud of herself to ask Gene for help again. Also, before Gene gift her the phone, she was the only member in the group who had a phone similar to a Nokia)

In her friend group, Ruby is the best cook (it help having a dad who own a restaurant who is also the chief cook). Twinkle is second, she knows how to cook BUT her foods are either delicious or unconsumable. There are no in between. Alex doesn't really know how to cook, at home it was the domestics workers who use to prepared all his meals, it was like this throughout his whole life. Now, he isn't sure how to proprely prepare a healthy good meal, but he is willing to learnt. As for Gene, throughout his life, he has only ever eat meals that was reheated in the microwave. He doesn't know how to cook. Don't let him near the kitchen. This man can't cook to save his nor his friends lives.

Gene

The scientific and inventor of the group

He came from Technopolis who is an artificial island (like Aether Paradise) who is known to be the home of genius and prodigious individuals. It's an island whose at the cutting edge of technology. Of all the other place, Technopolis is the most modern and futuristic, but it's not as futuristic like on the show.

He, Magda and Franz are the assistants of the Pokemon Professor who is also the Pokemon Champion of Technopolis

Dr.X is renowned for being the Pokemon Champion AND the Pokemon Professor of Technopolis BUT he is also known for his prestigious and fantastic inventions. He is also acclaimed for his scientific discoveries, having many, many, many degrees.

In this AU, his vanity and pretentiousness are bigger than on the show.

Dr.X loves to ear the individuals of Technopolis cheers him, he also loves feeling validated for his wonderful creations and incredible scientific discoveries. He doesn't like people (like Gene) having different and "better" opinions than him on a scientific subject or on inventions. He is used to always being told yes.

Because he is often very busy with his work as Pokemon Champion, inventor and scientific. He decided to employ assistants, since he needed help in his tasks and works as a Pokemon Professor. Which makes him very rarely present to gives the starters and pokedexes to the new young trainers, but it's rather Magda, Gene and Franz.

I still don't know what will be the reason that will push Gene to start his journey. Maybe he had argument with Dr.X about something, and to prove that he was right he decided to leave and to came back only when he would have found the thing they were arguing about. Or maybe he was just tired of staying in Technopolis, he began to feel like he was locked up and want to see the world and pokemon outside ? Whatever the real reason is, he left Technopolis and start his journey.

His first pokemon (he caught this pokemon before he was even Dr.X's assistant) is Rotom. He has giving his Rotom a nickname : Lenny

Franz partner will be a Chatot as for Magda..........Honestly I don't really know which pokemon is good for her. Maybe not a pokemon whose type is plant, because she has pollen allergies (she canonically said that in the episode "Let's Be Rational").

As he starts is journey, he and Lenny will get attacked and chased by wild pokemons. As they tried to runaway from them, Gene realised that he doesn't have the necessary skills to battle them, since he is mostly an inventor at heart, not a battler. Thankfully, him and Lenny will be save by Alex and Ruby, both of them are used to pokemon battles and so, battling against wild pokemon isn't new. As the wild pokemons fled, Twinkle will see that Lenny is not well and will use one of her potion on him. Gene didn't know this yet, but this is how he meet the people he will call his best friends

Gene will join Alex, Twinkle and Ruby in their journeys. Alex and Ruby will also teach him how to fight in a pokemon battle, because Gene never really have a pokemon battle before, since he was more focused on his inventions.

During his journey, I can totally see what will be Gene's goal : aiming to complete his national pokedex at 100%

Talking about pokedex, Gene will create the Rotom-Dex. It's an electronic device that works thanks to a Rotom possessing it and living inside it, and in this case, it will be Lenny. In addition to functioning like a classic pokedex, the Rotom Dex also has other features : such as being able to speak, having a map and having the ability to tell their exact locations. As time will go, Gene will give it further new updates and several new features.

(AND NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN TO LENNY, HE IS PART OF THE TEAM ! HE MATTERS ! HE IS ON THE JOURNEY JUST LIKE ALIEN !! What ? Gene, Techno-Explorer - Part IV ? It doesn't exist here)

Gene will later gifted his friends a new invention that he created. He said that with this, they will be able to stay in contact even when they are far away. He gift them a Rotom Phone.

The design of the phone is 100% inspired by a Rotom (Gene's favorite pokemon)

It work just like a normal phone, with the exception that a Rotom can possessed it. When it happened, it will somehow be much easier to use the phone. The Rotom Phone is an electronic device, it host a multitude of functions and features. In the future, Gene will give it further updates, making it possible to have a large amount of applications, such as a pokedex app

As the Chameleon doesn't exist here, Gene and his friends carries around their bikes. Each of their bikes has a different appearance, it's because it represents the place where they came from.

Each of their bike have some similarity with one of the Chameleon mode. For exemple :

Gene's bike is white and green and have some futuristic looks. (kinda like the Chameleon on his Classic/Regular Mode)

Twinkle's bike is mostly pink and purple, with flowers patterns and design on it (kinda like the Chameleon in Enchanted Mode)

Alex's bike is mostly silver and brown, with some touch of blue and yellow on it. His bike is more metalic than the others (kinda like the Chameleon on his Medieval Mode)

Ruby's bike was previously own by her dad, he gift it to her as she was about to start her journey. So it's not very new and you can see that it has been used before, but nonetheless, Ruby loves it. The colour of her bike are light brown and bits of white. (I tried to make it like the Chameleon on his Pirate Mode)

Gene is very protective of his bike, and like in the show where Ruby wants to pilot the Chameleon, here she (stealing) pedaling Gene's bike. Cue to Gene being mad a Ruby for using it without his permission, and telling her to use her own bike.

As for Gene's pokemon team, I see him as the one with the least pokemon on the group. But I can see him catching and having a Kecleon, because you know.....this pokemon looks like a chameleon

I can see Gene's having both electric and normal type pokemon

BUT THEN ONE DAY

At some point on their journeys, as they walk on a rocky and quite deserted place in some part of Médiévalia, Gene and his friends will found a egg.

As they look around for his mom, hoping the egg wasn't abondonned, the egg hatched and the pokemon inside show itself.

In this AU, the hatchling is a Charmender, and he immediately became attached to Gene, much to his dismay.

As they searched around, with very few hopes of finding the mother of the egg, Gene will developed a fondness for the little fire pokemon. As the moon start to set and there was really no trace of the mother, Gene decided to keep Charmander as his pokemon

Now, cue to him learning how to take care of a baby pokemon who has fire breath (he's still not use to that) but after a while, he get the hand of taking care of a hatchling

Thereafter, his Charmander will evolved into a Charmeleon. Gene will be emotional at that and he will cry a little, tears of joy will be rubbing through his face because his baby pokemon has evolved. He will totally denied that he cry to Ruby and Twinkle, whose already calling him the mommy of the group

AND THEN, AFTER A WHILE

As they were resting in a Pokemon Center, our group began to ear some trainers talking, quickly their conversation spread throughout the Pokemon Center. Our group learned that the conversation was about trainers that have face a team of crazy people, and those persons have stolen their pokemon from them.

Five months ago a trainer got his Pidgeot stolen from him, for another one, it's been a month since he no longer have seen his Beedrill who was kidnapped. As for that girl who is crying in a corner, it was her Audino that was takken by these madmem just a few hours ago.

So the trainers that got their pokemon stolen warn the others about those crazy madmem. Our heroes promise they will be careful and cautious.

But

✨Par la magie du scénario✨

Our heroes (somehow) came face to face with those crazy guys

They learned that they call themselves the "Team Dark Knights" and meet one of the Admins, who call himself Black Baron.

Our heroes will learns that the "Team Dark Knights", in addition of stealing trainers pokemons, also have kidnapped and snatched an amount of wild pokemons from their place.

When Alex asks why they are doing this, the Black Baron answers : "Well, I don't see any harm in telling this to the four of you, since you and your friends are never getting out of here ! We kidnapped these pokemon because we want them to Mega Evolved. But since our boss doesn't have much more information about Mega Evolution and how this can be realised, he ask us to try by any means, in any way we could. And as we were about to begin another one of our experimentals tests, you four have disturbed us !"

An (epic) pokemon battle then ensues, while Alex and Ruby fight, Gene and Twinkle, with the help of their pokemons, free the pokemons who were locked in their cages. Many flee, but a Charizard had stay with them to help free the others pokemons.

At the end, Gene and Twinkle were able to free all pokemons who were locked in their cages and cells, while Ruby and Alex were able to win against the Black Baron (who had ran away but swears he will get his revenge)

So yeah, that was their first meeting with the evil Team of Médiévalia

As they were finally outside, the group looked up at the sky and saw that it was sunset and night was about to come. As they were going to continue on their way to found a place to sleep (without forgetting to notify and warn the authorities as soon as they had the opportunity), they meet again the Charizard who had help Gene and Twinkle free the others locked pokemons.

The group thanks Charizard for the help, but as they start to leave, Charizard follows them.

The group doesn't understand why Charizard follow them, but as Gene look at Charizard Gene realised that the pokemon eyes were locked with his Charmeleon, and then it hit Gene. Charizard must be Charmeleon mother. She actually never wanted to abandon him, it's because she was captured by force, she had no choice but to left him behind.

It wans't fair for him to keep a pokemon that wans't meant to be abandoned and therefore he made the painful decision to give Charmeleon back to his mother. After tearful goodbyes, Charmeleon is reunited with his long lost mother.

While still sad, Gene calls the next day his friends from Technopolis, Magda and Franz, to ask them if they have any infomations or documents about the "Mega Evolution". They both said they would look at that.

In the meantimes, to hide his grief, Gene works much more on his inventions (which causes him to starts neglecting his own pokemons)

It took many weeks, like a month, for Gene to get a call back from Magda and Franz about the "Mega Evolution"

They said they didn't find much, just three papers covering the subject, dating back from before the birth of Dr.X

They show on the video call that one of the papers have a symbol. The group recognize it, having already seen this in a cave, back on the Lost World.

(the symbol in question)

Franz, being very interested into the subject of Mega Evolution, want to do more research about it. He also want to prevents the "Team Dark Knights" to have more informations about this. For that reason, he decided to go on an expedition to the Lost World, wanting to have more research on it (he has the support of Dr.X for the expedition)

Our group helps him get there and introduces him to Rock Brock. They said Rock Brock can surely help him in his research because he knows the place like the back of his hand, and he will be able to help him find news symbol or informations about it. Franz accept the offer.

Cue to Franz and Rock Brock becoming besties ^^

So yeah, this is what happen when I have a hyperfixation about a AU, I write A LOT about it !

I have other ideas so there might be a part 2 of this post in the future

But if anyone reading this have other ideas for this AU I'll be happy to ear !

[book--brackets]

Summaries under the cut

Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter

Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school—that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses, but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"—but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Trespassers will be turned to stone

For centuries, mystical creatures of all description were gathered to a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary is one of the last strongholds of true magic. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite . . .

Kendra and her brother, Seth, have no idea their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws keep order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken, powerful forces of evil are unleashed, forcing Kendra and Seth to face the greatest challenge of their lives, to save their family, Fablehaven, and perhaps even the world.

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott

Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on 28 September 1330. Nearly seven hundred years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life. The records show that he died in 1418. But his tomb is empty and Nicholas Flamel lives. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. And that's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it. Sometimes legends are true. And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

Out of My Mind by Shannon Draper

Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom - the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she's determined to let everyone know it - somehow.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Orphaned Kit Tyler knows, as she gazes for the first time at the cold, bleak shores of Connecticut Colony, that her new home will never be like the shimmering Caribbean island she left behind. In her relatives' stern Puritan community, she feels like a tropical bird that has flown to the wrong part of the world, a bird that is now caged and lonely. The only place where Kit feels completely free is in the meadows, where she enjoys the company of the old Quaker woman known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond, and on occasion, her young sailor friend Nat. But when Kit's friendship with the "witch" is discovered, Kit is faced with suspicion, fear, and anger. She herself is accused of witchcraft!

Books of Bayern by Shannon Hale

She was born with her eyes closed and a word on her tongue, a word she could not taste.

Her name was Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she spent the first years of her life listening to her aunt’s stories and learning the language of the birds, especially the swans. And when she was older, she watched as a colt was born, and she heard the first word on his tongue, his name, Falada.

From the Grimm’s fairy tale of the princess who became a goose girl before she could become queen, Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original, and magical tale of a girl who must find her own unusual talents before she can lead the people she has made her own.

Fudge by Judy Blume

Life with his little brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Whether Fudge is throwing a temper tantrum in a shoe store, smearing mashed potatoes on the walls at Hamburger Heaven, or trying to fly, he's never far from trouble. He's an almost three-year-old terror who gets away with everything, and Peter's had it up to here! When Fudge walks off with Dribble, Peter's pet turtle, it's the last straw. Peter has put up with Fudge for too long. Way too long! How can he get his parents to pay attention to him for a change?

Bartimaeus by Jonathan Stroud

Nathaniel is a boy magician-in-training, sold to the government by his birth parents at the age of five and sent to live as an apprentice to a master. Powerful magicians rule Britain, and its empire, and Nathaniel is told his is the "ultimate sacrifice" for a "noble destiny."

If leaving his parents and erasing his past life isn't tough enough, Nathaniel's master, Arthur Underwood, is a cold, condescending, and cruel middle-ranking magician in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The boy's only saving grace is the master's wife, Martha Underwood, who shows him genuine affection that he rewards with fierce devotion. Nathaniel gets along tolerably well over the years in the Underwood household until the summer before his eleventh birthday. Everything changes when he is publicly humiliated by the ruthless magician Simon Lovelace and betrayed by his cowardly master who does not defend him.

Nathaniel vows revenge. In a Faustian fever, he devours magical texts and hones his magic skills, all the while trying to appear subservient to his master. When he musters the strength to summon the 5,000-year-old djinni Bartimaeus to avenge Lovelace by stealing the powerful Amulet of Samarkand, the boy magician plunges into a situation more dangerous and deadly than anything he could ever imagine.

Shadow Children by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Luke has never been to school. He's never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend.

Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He's lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family's farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside.

Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows - does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to?

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her small village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from among the girls of the village. The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess.

Miri soon finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires to be chosen and win the heart of her childhood best friend. But when bandits seek out the academy to kidnap the future princess, Miri must rally the girls together and use a power unique to the mountain dwellers to save herself and her classmates.

[bookshopkat]

Asian Fantasy Novels for the Lunar New Year

Photo by Thyla Jane

Happy Year of the Ox!  The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, is a major celebration in many Asian countries.  Marking the first new moon of the lunar calendar, this celebration lasts for days and is a time for family and friends, lantern festivals, dragon and lion dances, gifts of money, fireworks, and feasts.  There’s something enchanting about the Lunar New Year, with its bright lanterns lining every street and its sparkling starbursts lighting the night sky.  At its heart is tradition, cultural beliefs, and a mixture of mythology and magic.  Simple charms are used to bring good luck and drive away evil.  The supernatural has a firm place amid the celebrations, from shoe-stealing ghosts in South Korea to Vietnamese kitchen gods to the lion-like monster Nian in China.  As such, this holiday presents a marvelous opportunity to both celebrate various Asian cultures and conjure a sense of wonder.  So, to celebrate the Lunar New Year, here are four fantasy novels rooted in Asian culture and lore.

Jade City by Fonda Lee

On the island of Kekon, jade grants those with the ability to wield it special powers, but promises pain and death for anyone lacking the right genetics who tries to use it.  As a result, jade smuggling is a profitable business and those families with the capacity to use the mineral, called Jade Bones, make up the highest class of society. But now ordinary citizens are somehow gaining the ability to use jade, and it is throwing the society of Kekon into turmoil.  As suspicion fuels inter-clan warfare among the noble class, the future of the island nation hangs in the balance.  In the midst of this chaos stands three siblings. Kaul Lan, the new, young, peace-loving leader of his family, finds himself faced with the uncomfortable necessity of bloodshed as he tries to steer his clan through these uncertain times.  Lan’s brother, the hot-tempered and passionate Kaul Hilo, is like a warrior straight out of old tales: honorable, protective, and hungry for battle and glory.  Their sister, Shae, is an independent modern woman who chose to cast aside her jade along with her traditional roles in favor of freedom and marriage to an outsider.  Added to this cast of characters is Wen, Hilo’s forbidden lover, who is burdened by the combination of coming from a disgraced family and being a rare Stone Eye, a supposedly cursed person completely immune to jade.  All four have their differences and disagreements, and the tension between them mirrors the growing strain in their homeland at large.  It will take them all, however, to find out who is responsible for the dangerous drug allowing non-Jade Bones to wield the sacred stone before it is too late.

This is a novel that bridges high fantasy and urban fantasy, weaving a tale of heroism, betrayal, and intrigue against the backdrop of a thoroughly modernized enchanted society. Lee’s narrative is intricate and interesting, her world building is exceptional, and her magical system is comprehensive and intelligent.  Running throughout the entire tale are elements of Chinese myth and culture, with folklore concerning gods and monsters playing a vital part.  Complex, well-written, and engaging, Jade City is grand and unique fantasy adventure.

Tears of the Wind by Phung Lam

This collection of short stories is a touching as it is magical.  Taking place on the fictional Island of Wishes, each tale explores human nature and the deepest desires people harbor in dark corners of their minds. From a lonely heart seeking solace to a soul hungry with ambition, this anthology explores the not only the power of wishes, but the question: what would people do if the one thing they truly wanted most could be theirs?  It’s basically impossible to find an English version of this book, and I had to rely on the Smart Book translation application for the ebook format.  That led to some odd phrasing in portions of the text, but the collection was nonetheless enjoyable. That is because Lam writes not only with imagination but also with a keen understanding of humanity.

The narratives are dreamlike, the content somewhat akin to magical realism and the tone ultimately surrealistic.  Ranging from heartrending to horrifying, Lam weaves stories about the darkest parts of ourselves, when we harbor wishes we dare not name, as well as about the unforeseen and often terrible consequences of getting exactly what we think we want.  The author explores the nature of love, the power of longing, and the baser side of our very nature. It’s an engaging collection that seems, and its core, to turn upon one basic thought: be careful what you wish for.

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

Set in late-nineteenth-century Malaya, on the island of Borneo, this novel sparkles with folk beliefs and superstitions.  Li Lan is a spirited girl and only child from a family wrapped in what can only be called genteel poverty.  Her life is certainly not perfect—her mother is dead, her father, although loving, has allowed his grief to lead to opium addiction, and her marriage prospects are extremely limited—but things aren’t so very bad.  Apart from occasional longings for beautiful new clothing such as she sees other wealthier girls sporting, Li Lan would be reasonably content if it weren’t for one thing: her father has asked her if she would like become a ghost bride.  He says it almost as a joke, but the moment he speaks the words, the wheels of fate start to turn. The rare tradition of ghost brides is meant to mollify the spirits of wealthy young men who died without marrying, and it presents both tempting and terrifying prospects. While accepting would mean financial help for her aging father as well as a place for Li Lan herself in one of Malacca city’s most affluent households, it would also mean giving up any dreams of love, passion, or children of her own.

Li Lan, of course, refuses, especially when she starts to develop feelings for another decided living man.  But the choice may not be as easy as the thinks.  She finds herself haunted by Lim Tiang Ching, her spectral suitor, and he is determined to have her.  Tiang Ching, the young woman soon learns, was selfish and cruel when he was alive, and death hasn’t improved him. Desperate, Li Lan seeks the help of a local wise woman, and unwittingly finds herself embroiled in a supernatural struggle where ghosts are all too real and her only hope hangs on a mysterious young man who may be more than he seems, and who is most definitely keeping secrets.  On top of that, she begins to realize that the Lim family is harboring some dark secrets of their own, and one of them may be deadly.  

Choo’s narrative is imaginative as well as brimming with cultural folklore and traditions.  A blend of mystery and fantasy, it is engaging from start to finish.  Many of the characters are interesting and a little quirky, although a couple feel less well developed and there were a few moments when I felt the protagonist was a bit too flighty for my tastes. Nonetheless, this is a fun, entertaining fantasy book, perfect for an evening of light reading with a cup of tea or coffee at your side.

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

This is a truly wonderful novel blending together magical realism, mythology, family drama, and a deeply touching coming of age tale. It’s a beautifully written and imaginative narrative where opposites don’t so much collide as they do interweave in a complex dance.  Dreams tangle with reality, childhood blurs with adolescence, Korean tradition intersects with modern America, folklore mingles with daily life, and stories become solid enough to touch. Through it all runs a profound understanding of emotion and the human spirit.

Lily has always loved visiting her Korean grandmother, catching stars to learn what stories they hold and listening to traditional tales from their ancestral homeland.  This, however, is different.  Now Lily, along with her mother and her sister, are moving in with the old woman because Lily’s grandmother is sick, and isn’t getting any better.  A new city, a new school, and new fears about her beloved relative would all be difficult enough, but Lily has another problem: upon arriving, she sees a tiger straight out of one of her grandmother’s tales.  This is both a metaphor for many things: words unsaid, terminal illness, fear, and long-ago mistakes.   It is, however, also an introduction of the magical real.  Upon informing her grandmother about the big cat, Lily begins unraveling the old woman’s greatest tale yet, and takes the first step in a personal journey to discover family secrets and leave her childhood behind.  As marvelous as it is heartfelt, When You Trap a Tiger addresses conflicts between generations and cultures, as well as the reconciliation of the past, through the lens myths and storytelling. At its core, this is a novel about the power of both love and stories, as well as about one girl finding herself.

Perhaps one of these books will make an excellent companion over the next several days as celebrations of the Lunar New Year progress. Blending Asian folklore with a sense of the fantastic, these works may prove to be the perfect way for those not immersed in these festivities to still capture a bit of the season’s spirit.  Readers hungry for an interesting narrative that is a little out of the ordinary will likely find any one of these to be a feast for the imagination, as well as a wonderful way to start of the Year of the Ox.  Happy Reading!

[ladala99]

Spyro Reignited Countdown - Spyro the Dragon

Hey, as someone who only owns a Switch of the current console generation, and as someone who grew up playing Spyro on the PS1, I’m super hyped for the return of the dragon!

And I thought up yesterday, what better way to do that than by reviewing every Spyro game I’ve played.

Well, I’ve played... *counts* 22 Spyro games. Counting the 3DS ports of Skylanders games which are different enough to talk about separately.

Alright divide the number of days left until it comes out and...

Uh... one every two days, huh? Guess I better get started! (May space them out or have bonus comparisons/recaps at the end to deal with the extra days)

Spyro the Dragon

The first Spyro game! Also the first video game I ever played. One day, when I was 3, my dad plopped me down in front of the Playstation, gave me the controller, and started up some demo disk. The first one on there was this game called Spyro the Dragon, and he told me what the buttons did (since I couldn’t read the screen that told you), and let me play.

I told my mom about it (divorced parents), and we rented the game from Hollywood Video. *She* played it. She loved it. And I loved watching. And pressing buttons on a controller put into slot 2. I had a fancy Barbie controller. I don’t know what eventually happened to it.

Eventually the Hollywood Video lost the disc and we bought it for ourselves. We were renting it every week, anyway. I remember us going up to the video game counter and my mom going “We’d like to get this game, it’s about a dragon...” and I shouted “And he’s purple! And his name is Spyro!” I loved him so much.

Now I didn’t play through the entire game myself until I was a teen, but unlike any other game, I did see the ending as a kid because my mom was able to make it through the game, into 100%. It’s a series we bonded over, and I have so much nostalgia for it. I can’t wait to play it in Reignited and see what she remembers.

Anyway, stopping with the memories and onto the review! It’s just... really hard to be fair for a game like this. I have too much nostalgia related to it. Honestly, though, that’s the case for a lot of the series.

Gameplay

Spyro the Dragon is an early 3D platformer. Despite being early, though, it controls really well. I’ve played a few others from that era (Croc, uh... Crash? Maybe not a few) and none of them control quite as well as Spyro does. Spyro is extremely responsive, stopping and starting on a dime.

You have two attacks, spitting fire and charging with your horns. The latter can be used to move quicker, but you don’t turn as sharply when running. When to use each attack is well-conveyed, as large opponents are immune to your horns, but weak to your fire, and opponents with a shiny metal shield are the opposite. There’s a few enemies immune to both, but they can be beaten by ways that are broadcasted well.

Collectables

One of those ways is the dragons. There’s three main collectables in this game: Gems, Eggs and Dragons. Gems are everywhere, Eggs are only in a few levels, and Dragons are placed in key locations in each level. The Dragons are I suppose the main collectable, but all three are needed for progress. Dragons in particular also double as tutorial and lore pieces, as each tells you something when you free him. They also all look unique, with each of the five species having their own general look and each individual having his own textures. I go into a lot more detail in this blog post. This really makes the dragons in this game stand out amongst the series, as no other collectables are nearly as unique.

Gems I don’t really know what to say about. Many collectathon platformers have collectables like them: something spread around every level so you need to explore the entire play area. Gems are special in that each one has a different value: red being 1, green being 2, blue being 5, gold being 10, and purple being 25. And this spread shows approximately how common each was, with the lower values being more common and spread around, and the higher values being rewards for going into more out-of-the-way areas. Collecting them is satisfying, especially in larger amounts. Just watching the numbers spin is one of the highlights of this game, especially at the end of the bonus level.

Eggs are special. They come from chasing down blue thieves, which are the most annoying enemy in the game. Sure, now I can get them in one try, but back at the beginning the ones that don’t have a full circular path were the most annoying things, since if you got to the end, they’d just jump out of reach and taunt you.

Powerups

There’s two main powerups in this game: Superflame and Supercharge. Both have a couple of levels that use them extensively.

Superflame definitely is the weaker of the two. You get kissed by a fairy, turn red, and then for a limited amount of time you can use your flame breath to destroy metal objects and enemies. In the two levels it’s in, there’s an enemy you specifically need to use it on: the terrifying spiders and the enchanted suits of armor. The thing is, Superflame otherwise looks and works exactly like normal flame, just is usable on more things. While it’s cool to get the limitless one in Haunted Towers, overall it’s not a very memorable ability, and is improved dramatically in the sequels.

Supercharge you get from charging over lit arrows, and it enhances your charge to work on larger enemies and makes you go really, really fast. It takes a bit to master, but once you do, it is a very satisfying skill to use. Too bad none of the levels in this game have a limitless track to use it on. The levels that use it use it in very creative ways, including the one where I’m not even sure how you’re supposed to know the path you’re supposed to take. It really spices up the gameplay, to the point where Tree Tops feels like an entirely different game. And if you know me, you know that I love games that spice up the gameplay.

Bosses

The one weak point of this game is its bosses. They’re basically normal enemies, just with a slight gimmick. And that gimmick usually involves a large battlefield where they will run away from you. It does make you feel powerful: after all, they’re running away from the fire-breathing dragon attacking them. But at the same time, they offer very little challenge. The only really interesting one is Metalhead with his electric-guarded power generators, but even then, it’s not like he can hit you or anything unless you’re standing completely still. And the final boss is only hard because of how many holes the stage has in it. Not at all because of Gnasty. He’s still the most likely to directly hit you of all the bosses, but that’s not saying much.

Levels

The levels are all themed to their world, which is pretty neat, but does get repetitive at times. Still, it made each world feel more real.

Speaking of things feeling more real, something I’ve noticed is that Spyro the Dragon doesn’t fall into the same pitfall of having platforms that are just platforms because this is a platformer. Every piece of land is connected to something, oftentimes even in Dream Weavers which is literally floating islands. Moving platforms are caused by wizards, dangerous platforms are caused by Gnorcs zapping them, and often random platforms in the middle of the level are themed to it, like the stumps in Beast Makers.

The game progresses from easy to hard very smoothly, adding more gimmicks and platforming challenges as it goes along. This is also shown by the Gnorcs getting more competent as the game goes along, beginning with no weaponry in Artisans, getting cannons in Peacekeepers, electricity in Beast Makers, and finally machine guns in Gnorc Gnexus. Too bad Gnasty never learned to use a gun.

Story

Gnasty Gnorc turns all the dragons into crystal for insulting him on live TV. And if you read the instruction manual you learn that he hates gems because he hates his own reflection because he is too ugly. Really, there’s not too much here, but that’s not the point of the game. At least it’s not a save-the-girl plot. You don’t really see save-the-adults too often.

Unique in the Series?

Truly what makes this game unique is the fact that it’s completely platforming-based. No minigames, few gimmicks, just the entire game is platforming and collecting stuff.

This comes with a lack of real NPCs, which many people find makes the game lonely, but I don’t mind at all. It’s definitely a different feel from later games, but it’s not in a bad way.

Also something I’m surprised is unique to this game is the fact that many of the secrets involve going onto parts of the level that look like they should not be accessible. You glide onto the surrounding hillsides in Stone Hill, you climb up nearly-invisible steps in Terrace village, and you use the walls that look just like random scenery to fully explore Misty Bog. This type of thing isn’t used in future Spyro games, and rarely (if ever?) in video games in general. Truly a unique experience that has since turned me into an accidental bug hunter because I keep trying to get out-of-bounds just in case in other games.

Conclusion

All-in-all, Spyro the Dragon is tied for my favorite video game of all time with its sequel, Spyro 2. I compare everything I play to these games. They’re just the standard. I love them. Nostalgia-bias? Maybe. But despite there being a few flaws, I can’t really find fault when I play it. It’s too fun.

[paradisushq]

NAME: Feyre (Fey) Marlowe

PRONOUNS: She/Her

FACECLAIM: Danielle Campbell

AGE: 25

SPECIES: Witch

OCCUPATION: Photographer, Attendant at A Fresh Tart

BIOGRAPHY:  (TW: drugging, kidnapping, death)

On June twenty first, nineteen ninety six, Elisha and Lola Marlowe welcomed a baby girl into the world. They were thrilled to meet her, and the entire coven had been preparing to meet the new witch for months. Most prepared with joy and excitement, while one witch, Amanda Darnley,  prepared to use Feyre’s birth as a catalyst to tear apart the coven from the inside out. Amanda, grieving the death of her own child, turned to the Christian God. She couldn’t understand why the gods and goddesses hadn’t equipped her with the right healing capabilities to heal her child, and wondered why she should honor them at all. When the church discovered her past, they approached her and created a plan to dismantle the coven and, hopefully, get rid of witches all over in time.

The seventh night of Feyre’s life, Amanda had offered to cook dinner for Elisha and Lola. The new parents were exhausted, and gratefully accepted the kind offer. Amanda slipped a few herbs into their dishes, which would put them into a deep sleep and make the entire evening foggy in their memory. It would be like watching a movie with their heads submerged in vaseline. Once they were asleep, Amanda plucked the child from her cradle and ran into the night. The church gave Feyre to a religious couple in Oregon, to be raised without magic and be purified.

Feyre lived in Ashland, Oregon for seventeen years, completely unaware of her true nature. Her “parents” would slip a concoction of herbs, recommended by Amanda, that would suppress any powers that may arise, even so far from her coven. These herbs gave the girl the most vivid, grotesque nightmares of dark, unforgivingly cold nights, where the still air would be cut with guttural screams of women being tortured. Some on a pyre, with forked flames flicking at the edges of their long skirts, some lined up on a dock, stones tied to their ankles and wrists, and others were paraded up a hill towards the gallows, ropes around their necks.

One day, when the man who’d raised her had been hospitalized due to a heart attack, the woman who had raised her sent Feyre home to gather some of their medical files, and that is when she found it. A log with her true name, her parent’s names, her home. Everything. Tucked away in the bottom drawer in the very back. With a ringing in her ears and her heart in her stomach, she packed everything up in a duffle bag and drove to Alberta. When she arrived at her parent’s home, she found they weren’t there. Nobody in the coven was there, but she found the books they kept that explained herbs, spells, sigils, enchantment- all of the things they would have taught her over the years. As she grew, and accepted her Witch heritage, the nightmares subsided, and she slowly grew into her power.

When she saw the advertisement for Paradisus, she saw the chance to find a home, rather than a lonely house full of pages she was still struggling to understand, and instantly sent in an application. She wanted to find a family, perhaps a small part of her held hope that her parents would be there too. Though she had felt alone for so long, and so helpless, she always found importance in making others feel heard, seen, and cared for. She knew what the opposite felt like so deeply in her bones, she would do anything to make sure others wouldn’t endure the same pain.  In her new life on the island, what better way to continue her attempts to brighten everyone’s day, no matter who they are, than to help them obtain a sweet treat? She is now getting settled in on the island, learning all she can from her new family that is her coven, and trying to find friends in this new environment.

BLOG LINK

[chaosflight]

hello i had an awesomely weird/dark/heavy dream that’s somehow an au of a disney film, if you want to read it, venture below:

so it’s a weird mixture of ‘sleeping beauty’ and ‘beauty and the beast’, but the twist is that it’s not belle, the beauty, who’s asleep.  it’s the beast.  prince adam.  

instead of a benevolent/wise fairy who curses a malevolent and selfish child, it’s a wicked one, a la Maleficent, who curses a decent if spoiled young man to be a monster, his whole kingdom similarly suffering for his brash but uncharacteristic actions.

the kind fairy does show up, tho, and she can see no way to break the spell herself, and has no hope for someone coming to the ruined kingdom or loving the beast for what he is now, at least, not in time.  Maleficent still gave him the curse’s rose and the deadline and the ‘cure’, but only because she believed he would never be able to fulfill the requirements.  So the kind fairy puts his kingdom on pause, more or less asleep, such that time will not pass for them, thus extending the deadline indefinitely.  Maleficent doesn’t care or doesn’t know, if she did, she’d think it’s hilariously awful and would still leave them alone for the rest of the movie, maybe.

so the kind fairy leaves as well to search for a way to break the spell, but leaves the prince and his kingdom with a shared dream, so they can attempt to live some sort of life instead of being dead for what could be forever.

years pass, maybe centuries, maybe only a decade or two.

a wandering girl shows up at the mysterious and enchanted kingdom, seeking shelter from a storm.  It’s Belle, and she’s on a mission.  inside the castle, time is halted, but she moves through it with ease, unaffected by the spell.  there is food and fire and sleep, and when she wakes in the morning the storm is still raging, so she explores her housing.  So much she doesn’t understand.  So much that doesn’t make sense.

she comes across a grand bedroom, and by the window lays a hulking shape, the prince, the beast.  He is deathly still, and his head rests a covered rose, glowing and hovering.  it, too, is impossibly still, emanating a light that seems to want to dance, to pulse.  And on the other side, exactly opposite the sleeping monster, is another stone bed.  

in a desire she doesn’t understand, she lays down there, and sleeps.  

she wakes up in the world of dreaming the kind fairy crafted, and meets everyone she’d unknowingly seen in the castle.  the candlestick by the entrance is actually a man.  the teapot and the cups she’d made tea in are actually a woman and her children.  there’s a clock who is a steward, a featherduster that’s a maid, so on and so on, all astounded to see her, the first new person in ages.  but she is kind, and so are they, and they take her to meet the prince.

he is the only one still touched by the curse here, a monster even asleep, but he is fair, if distant, and welcoming, though tired.  

they talk, he explains, and she is in awe.  magic!  curses, fairies!  what a story she’s fallen into!  she wishes she could help, of course, but she doesn’t see how.  she can’t make herself fall in love, and as it turns out, love itself will not break the spell.  ‘only someone who loves you as you are may break the curse’ were Maleficent’s words, and they suspect that she meant for that someone to find their own way of dealing with it than making it a fair or simple exchange. 

belle knows she should leave the sleeping kingdom, but her curiosity is too great.  by day she explores the castle, reads, and tries to attend to the physical forms of those she met in dreams, and at night she would join the prince and his kingdom in their dream.

time passes, and belle stops aging.  she forgets how long she’s been in the kingdom, and she almost forgets her mission, but she does fall in love with the prince. he is her greatest friend, and she wishes she could show him the world as she knows it is outside, but as they suspected, her love is not enough by itself to save those it belongs to.  

belle therefore proposes a plan:  as the kind fairy is doing somewhere in the world, she should go out and search for a way to break the spell herself.  prince adam is reluctant, afraid to lose her to the dangerous world outside, but he cannot stop her, and so he gives her his blessing for the journey.

before she leaves, he calls upon the one other favour the fairy left to his kingdom: a magic mirror that would allow true and honest visions to the outside world.  belle first asks where she must go to save her found family, and the mirror shows her a peninsula that leads to a set of islands she does not recognize from any map she knows of.  the mirror shows her the way, a path of magic and danger, but she knows she is up to the task.  

then, hesitantly, knowing it’s the tiniest bit selfish, she asks the mirror where she might find her missing father.  the mirror shows her once again the peninsula and it’s islands.  the cure to the curse and her father, both in one place?  what a mad coincidence, but the mirror does not lie, and she asked the right questions.  

it’s settled.  she kisses her family goodbye, and the prince wishes her the safest travels, and that she come home quickly.  she promises she will, as quickly as possible, but promises are dangerous, and she knows that.  she leaves, sets out on her journey, following the trail the mirror set out for her.

the place she seeks, the peninsula and the islands, are in the heart of fairy country, a place of pure magic, wild and weird and strange.  the journey is slow and dangerous, but belle makes her way well enough, always careful, always thoughtful.  in the time of a year and a half, she’s found the peninsula.  

it’s permanently gray, there.  the sky rolls with meditating thunder, alight with murmurs of lightning, but never the sun, never the moon, and the stars had never once hung in it’s sky.  

but the journey is not without cost.  belle is dangerously ill when she stumbles across the cottage, and does not have the strength to drag herself inside.  she falls asleep, afraid of failure, just outside it’s rickety gate. 

she wakes up, however, inside.  an older fellow, who greets her curiously when she sits up.  he comments on her attire, pants and vest and boots, and wonders who she is and how she came to be here.  her heart hopes that this man is her father, but it can’t be.  he would know her, wouldn’t he?  and he looks nothing at all like she expected he would from the small painting her dying mother made for her.

but they talk and she learns he does not know who he is, nor why he is here.  he knows there is an item of powerful magic at the last island, and that for years he has been attempting to retrieve it, but he cannot get past the last puzzle that allows access to the final island. he has not tried in many years, but the magic of the world has kept him in limbo until he does, or leaves.  belle insists they try together, that she needs the magic to free the ones she loves, and the gentleman eventually submits to her request.  perhaps she will know something he does not, and they will at last both have some answers.

the next day they prepare for the upcoming tasks, and the next day they head out. there are seven islands, and they look like pillars, mountains lurching out of the sea, each connected to the other by an impossible bridge.  the first six islands they pass through easily, the man having solved them time and again, many years ago.  the last island’s bridge is the most complicated, the most dangerous, and the most tiring.

it’s a pulley system, with a rickety platform for the travellers to stand on, prone to leaning or tipping the passengers into the dark and deadly sea.  belle wants to help, but the man insists that this is no time for trial and error.  error here would mean death, and he knows he has the strength to do it.  she begrudgingly allows him to do it alone, and holds on. 

the system is miles long, and the platform on which they stand dips low over the raging waters.  to pass the time, they share the details of their lives.  the gentleman explains he has forgotten what he came here for, the reason he once desired the magic item, whatever it is, but he came for it in desperation, and each time failed a puzzle, a memory was taken from him, until all that remained of him was the peninsula, the islands, and the gates.  he knows about the islands from the journals left behind by another, but the journals themselves have rotted away.  

the gentleman finishes his story as he painfully pulls them up onto the island, the arduous task of ascending the last half of the pulley system finally complete.  he asks her about herself as they approach the gate.  who is she?  what makes her special? 

she tells him about her quest for her father, and how that has consumed most of her life.  she tells him that she finally found a home, someone to love and be loved by, and that she has to save him, but must ultimately abandon her search of her father to do so.  the mirror showed her these islands as a solution to both, but she suspects her father is dead, possibly the man who wrote the journals at the cottage.  if this is true, it means there is nothing more she can do for him, and their reunion would never come to be.  

they are silent as they come to the final gate.  it is massive.  two solid steel obelisks serve as the doors, engraved with symbols and imagery that belle is not familiar with.  the gentleman can make no sense of it either, but following the trend of the last few doors, he knows it’s a riddle, and they must find the correct answer or submit a memory for their failure.  

they think and think and think, conversing and wondering but never submitting an answer, never sure of what it could be.  still, it’s the most progress the gentleman ever made with this door, all his previous attempts being wild guesses based on next to nothing.

eventually, in conversation, they think they discover the answer.  belle speaks it, but the doors do not open, yet niether are they cast out, a memory taken.  she hesitantly pushes on the door, and they swing open.

inside is a wand, and upon retrieving it, it releases the stolen memories of the gentleman, and of belle.

for you see, the gentleman eventually ran out of his own memories to give, and began to barter away the memories of his sick and dying wife, and their child.  the wife, when asked by the daughter what her father looked like, could only paint what she hoped her husband looked like, having forgotten the truth long ago.  the wife died, and belle went in search of her father, out there in the world.  she grew up alone, until she’d discovered the enchanted kingdom, her prince, and his subjects, which had led her here.

the man remembered his daughter, and was so happy to know she’d been with him this whole time, just as belle was so glad to know she’d found him, and that her initial hope had been correct.

the kind fairy appeared then, and with the wand that belle gladly gave to her, took her home to her prince, woke the sleeping kingdom, and broke the bindings of the curse.  

prince adam then proposed to belle, and they were wed in the spring.  for a year they stayed in the kingdom, reuniting with each other, but come their first anniversary, prince adam left belle’s father as his regent, and the two travelled the world, returning home every year with gifts and new alliances and trade.  the kingdom prospered, and so did belle and adam.  

the end <3

some of that i had to fill in the blanks on, since the dream didn’t exactly cover it, but i feel like this is how it was meant to play out, more or less.  anyway.  long silly post over, thanks for reading!

[bellyofkorea]

Mt. Bukhansan

One thing I set my sights on (literally) was to hike a trail in the Mt. Bukhansan range - the range that can be seen from all angles in Seoul. The range, called the Bukhansan National Park, translates to “mountains north of the Han river”. These mountain peaks are beautifully jagged and, on a clear day, look monstrous from afar. The three main peaks are Baegundae Peak, 836.5 m (2,744 ft), Insubong, 810.5 m (2,659 ft) and Mangnyeongdae, 799.5 m (2,623 ft). I kept reading that Baegundae Peak was the most popular hike, so I stupidly insisted that Chris and I hike it. My use of “stupidly” is, obviously, meant as foreshadowing. 

For reference - here is a photo I took from my uncle Eddies apartment in Bangbae looking north, out at Mt. Bukhansan. You can seem Namsam tower (which is essentially where Chris and I are staying now) and then behind that is the mountain. I don’t think it’s actually a particularly big mountain, compared to the surrounding countries mountains. However, for a girl who grew up amongst the ancient, eroded, slopping Appalachian range - these mountains looked thrilling. 

And here is another photo, this time a north facing panoramic from Namsam tower. The range doesn’t look nearly as big from Namsam, but it still is pretty impressive. I can’t wait to see them become snow tipped as the weather continues to cool. 

What I read about Baegundae Peak only said that it was extremely popular with Koreans. Koreans are fanatics about the outdoors and about hiking. They wear the most extravagant and sometimes unnecessary hiking gear. I read warnings that specifically said do not go hiking on a weekend because the trails become so packed you essentially hike tail to nose the whole way up. The only other thing I read was warning that the hike could be pretty steep. I also am probably guilty of skimming over the finer details about the hike. Either way, I felt cocky enough that a steep hike meant nothing to me. Chris and I made plans to go on one of my days off, on a Friday. The weather was absolutely perfect - low 60′s and sunny. It also had rained the day before so the air was crystal clear and crisp. 

One of my favorite things about NYC is the surreal feeling of leaving your city apartment, taking the subway for less than an hour and stepping out into the beach or, better yet, Coney Island. In Seoul, getting to Mt. Bukhansan had the same surreal feel. We hopped on the subway in our neighborhood of Myeongdong and, about 30 minutes later, we arrived to the foot hills of Mt. Bukhansan. 

We grabbed some gimbap (essentially Korean sushi), water, and chips and caught a bus that would take us to the trail head. 

I (again, stupidly!) saw this view and thought, hey that doesn’t look that bad! 

The first half of the hike was wonderful. It was cold in the shade and we got to walk along a stream that boasted a couple cheerful waterfalls and a lot of beautiful trees turning out their fall colors. We had the ease of staircases in the steeper parts. There were only a handful of other hikers - all of them in serious hiking gear. We laughed at how ridiculous they looked and also how they probably thought we looked ridiculous. 

We came to a point where we passed what I guess must’ve been some temple, and then suddenly the terrain became significantly rockier and steeper. It became a full body work out to climb. Using our hands to steady ourselves and carefully picking a route to climb became the norm. Then, we came to the first of several instances where you were given a metal rope guide to help climb a section of the hike. Suddenly, the crazy gear and hiking boots that most Korean hikers were wearing made sense... 

We were drenched in sweat by the time we reached a sign indicating that we were less than 1 km away from the top. We also had started racing to the top because we ran into a group of tourists that were loudly chatting in english and I got really irritated with them spoiling the quiet of the mountain. I pushed on ahead as fast as I could so we could outpace them. It meant that we were exhausted and ready for a break by the time we got close to the peak. Seeing that sign made me feel excited and relieved that we were almost done. 

Okay, so now I have to say - we made it to the highest point. However, I went into a state of utter panic that I’m not proud of. You see, I suffer from a pretty bad fear of heights. I didn’t realize it was that bad until I talked to Chris on our descent and realized that all the anxiety and emotions I went through were completely unlike anything he experienced up there on the peak. 

I’ve always been wary of edges on cliff and my hands get sweaty just thinking of the time I went to the top of the Eiffel tower. However, I had no idea how bad my fear was until this hike. I can safely say, this was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done in my life. And I have Chris to thank for dealing with me nearly shutting down and instead encouraging me to keep going. He also put up with me when, upon reaching the peak, I insisted we turn around immediately. 

Here is what it was like - after the picture above was taken, you begin to climb some metal stairs. These stairs themselves are pretty steep and I immediately started getting vertigo. You are suddenly above most of the trees and ahead of you is sheer exposed rock. I felt the air was thinner around me and like I was about to tumble off the stairs and to my death. 

I could only muster a handful of photographs because I was so scared. 

Then, the only way up was to guide yourself with these metal ropes along the sheer rock face. There were some lunatics that were just walking around like it was the fucking sidewalk on a street. I was walking like at any moment the wind would blow and I would topple over and die. I was walking like there was an invisible hand threatening to pluck me off the mountain and I needed to flatten myself and make myself as glued to the mountain as possible. Every time we rounded a corner I would say, “Omg, I don’t think I can do this.” Because every time we rounded a corner I would get a glimpse of the view and be reminded of how high up we were. The only way I could keep moving was by focusing entirely on what was in front of me and not think for a second about the view. Kinda of like the opposite of car sickness - when you’re carsick you’re supposed to focus on something far in the distance. With vertigo I guess you focus on things that are close to you. Or at least that is what worked for me. 

Chris was thoroughly enjoying himself and kept pointing at things to look at. There were people mountain climbing other peaks using ropes and wearing helmets. I felt like I was going to throw up every time I took a quick glimpse at any of these activities. I still managed to snap a few pictures because the view was breath taking

Yeah, that’s my finger in the above picture - it’s hard to take pictures when you’re so scared. 

There were significantly more people at the very top park of the hike - mostly because it is so popular, but also because several different trailheads lead to this point. We were surrounded by locals and foreigners of all age ranges and wearing some of the most intense hiking gear to the least (most under prepared) amount of hiking gear. One guy - solo hiking with iphone headphones in - was wearing street clothes and just casually carrying a to-go bag from one of the many bakeries around Seoul. This meant that he had just one hand free to pull himself up. I joked with Chris that it almost appeared as though this man, on a whim, decided he wanted to get a picture from the top of the mountain. 

The peak itself is a small boulder. Once you get near it, it’s just a matter of following the metal guides to the top of the boulder which is marked by the korean flag and a 360 view of the area. People clustered on this boulder to get a selfie and to soak in the triumph of having conquered another mountain. There was something about that that moved me - it seems like such a human thing to do... climb mountains just to say we did it. 

Before I felt for my trip to Seoul, my close friends Lauren and her wife Jen gifted me the book “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer. The book is a true story about a tragic mountaineering expedition to the top of Everest. I won’t go into detail about the book other than to say the thing that captivated me the most was this ongoing theme of Everest calling people to it. That the call to climb was almost like hypnosis or a drug or a fever. People were just drawn to do it. Everest is always depicted as a god and that she enchants and calls out to hikers... challenging them to come meet her on her summit. 

Theres something chilling and thrilling about the call. I felt mildly seduced as I read the book - the call to do something so extraordinary like climbing to the highest peak in the world. But Why. What is this thing that calls us? The thing is, humans have been climbing to the peak of mountains just to say they did it for ages. It’s just another way that we feel closer to the gods (or maybe to feel more powerful than a god?). 

This is what I kept thinking about as we drew closer to the peak - Why, why do we as humans want to climb mountains? What is the draw, other than to feel the elation (adrenaline high) at the top? Is there something truly religious happening here? A moment of being called by a mountain god to come and prove our human prowess. What is the payoff? Or is it one of those things where it’s about the climb, not the actual act of making it to the peak? 

My hands are sweating just recounting this part. I was able to turn around briefly before heading to the peak and take a few more pictures. Keep in mind that the entire time I took these photos I had one hand white knuckle gripping one of the metal guides. 

We also noticed the craziest thing - at this top most part of Seoul, there were a couple of kittens running around. They seemed to be most at home and at ease up here than any of the humans. For just a moment I forgot my anxiety and was able to look on in wonderment at how ridiculous it was that cats were living up here. 

Sadly, I did not take any photos at the peak. The minute I got up there I looked wildly around, trying to appreciate the moment. But honestly my brain went into overdrive fear and I can barely remember that moment. Chris was casually snapping photos and I was trying to not throw up onto the elderly Korean man that had easily lopped up the side of the boulder to take a selfie with the korean flag.

We turned around and Chris tried to get me to stay and eat our gimbap on the slope with the rest of the crazy hikers enjoying the view, but I couldn’t do it - my brain couldn’t even process the thought of food at that moment. 

We made our way back down - Chris soothingly reassuring me that I was okay. Once we were back down among the trees I was finally able to relax enough for us to sit and eat. Chris was ravenous, but I ate one bite and then couldn’t stomach anything else. 

We were joined by a stray dog that stared hungrily at us. She looked like she probably had a litter of puppies nearby, but she also looked well fed from all the foot traffic that hits these slopes daily. We ignored her and didn’t feed her, but took lots of photos of her because she was very cute. 

I didn’t find my appetite until we were back down near the spot where I snapped a photo of the buddhist temple. Chris took a few photos of me up on the peak. I kept begging him to stop because I felt so terrible for being so scared. However, I’m partially glad that I have evidence that I did it and also an image of me at my lowest... here, I’ll share one of them now with the few people that read this blog:

In retrospect I can laugh at how silly I was being - how sweaty and disheveled I looked. But god, that fear was fucking real in the moment. 

I’m so glad I did this hike. The following day Chris and I were very sore. I felt a full body soreness that I haven’t felt in a long time - a mark of an extremely strenuous work out that required every muscle in my body. I feel embarrassed that I had been so ignorant about what I was getting myself into, but I’m glad that I did it. I’m glad that I know I have this fear and it has only reinforced this desire in me to keep forcing myself to do the scariest things imaginable. I definitely had the mountaineering equivalent of a runners high afterwards. I’m sure everyone that climbs a mountain feels this way - invincible, powerful, exhausted, and fulfilled. Perhaps, I could cheesily conclude, that this is the gift the mountain gives you for having come all the way up to say hello. 

[mystical-flute]

Dark Fire Chapter 5

Neal was shaking as he paced back and forth in the dark cavern. He was a monster. Everything he hated was staring right back at him and he couldn't do anything to stop it. He'd ruined Hook's reputation (and of course, while Neal had wanted the truth to come out, he hadn't wanted it to happen like this) and he was destroying God only knew how many more with the introduction of these people from another world.

He was a puppet on a string, nothing more, nothing less. Just like his father had been… only at least his father had been in control of his own dagger for the most part. Neal had to deal with not one, but two psychopaths who were using him for a game not even the Dark One understood.

 "See Bae? Didn't I tell you that the power was better than anything you could dream of?"

 Then, of course, there was the image of his father that was stuck in his head along with the memories of every other Dark One to exist. But his father's image was the one that bothered him the most out of them all.

 "Be quiet," he whispered at the wall of key chains that hung in front of him, ignoring the phantom at his side. "Just be quiet."

 "Is that any way to talk to your father?"

 "You're not my father!" he shouted, throwing the key chain in his hand at the… whatever it was. But of course, the key chain harmlessly sailed right through it and clattered to the ground as he turned to face the phantom. "You are not my father and you never will be!"

 "Oh dearie, dearie, dearie… I am your father. I'm who he has always been. And who he would still be had your grandfather not been an issue."

 "I SAID BE QUIET!" Neal shouted, a burst of magic escaping his hands and shooting directly through the phantom, blowing a hole in the wall opposite him.

 "Now now Dark One, there's no need to be so violent…" the deep, smooth voice of the man controlling him hummed as his footsteps came closer to the room he was in.

 God, it was the darker one. Although, Neal wasn't sure he could say the other one was a light one considering he too was getting some sort of sick thrill out of controlling Neal the way he was. Neal desperately wanted to know why the hell they had an issue with his father.

 Regardless, both of them were obnoxious, and more clever than any of the villains they'd dealt with before (Neal knew even someone like Cora would be filled with envy over how clever these men were).

 "What the hell do you want now?" Neal asked. "I did what you said. Your people are here. Now let me go."

 "That is not how this works, Dark One… I'm not leader of this town yet, and I need your help to get me there."

 God, what was it with villains and wanting to take control of Storybrooke? It was just a small town in America. Yes it was filled with magical beings but still, Neal didn't understand why they all needed to take it over.

 "Why should I help you?" Neal asked.

 A dark chuckle escaped the man as he held out the dagger. "Because you don't have a choice. Now Dark One, come along. I have much to prepare before the morning."

 And, like a dog on a leash, Neal followed, the swan key chain laying on the ground, forgotten.

 ----------

 "The Land of Untold Stories?" Rumplestiltskin asked, frowning at Emma as she stood in his shop that night after managing to herd the people in the airship to the town hall. "Are you certain that's where he said?"

 Emma nodded, leaning against the counter. "I've never heard of anything like that before. I mean… Wonderland, Oz, yes. The Enchanted Forest, yes, but that…"

 "No, I don't expect you would have…" the man replied, pulling out a key from one of the glass cases. "Only people that have a key like this one know of such a realm. It is a place where time stands still – not unlike Storybrooke had been during the curse. All the stories pause. It's like a safe haven for people who are going through a rough time."

 "So if you're dying and you go into that world…"

 "Your death would cease. You would be fine until you went back into a world where time moved… like crash-landing here. And then, the thing that had stopped killing you would start back up," Rumplestiltskin explained. "Which is what I expect happened to the girl that was critically injured when they arrived. Where are the rest of our visitors?"

 "Regina set them up with cots at the town hall. We figured we'll let them rest for the night and then we'll go from there tomorrow."

 He didn't seemed impressed. "And do you have any guards set up?"

 "Ruby, Mulan and the dwarfs."

 Again, the shopkeeper's face remained unimpressed. "I suppose I'll go set up some barriers to provide further protection for them. Would you like to join me? The more hands the better, and I feel like it's not safe for Regina to be out at night."

 Emma blinked in surprise. She'd never done anything like that before. Hell, she didn't even know if she could. "What? You want my help is setting up a magical barrier?"

 "Well… yes. You are magical, are you not? And you're powerful. Remember what you did in Neverland?"

 How could she forget working with Neal and Regina to save their son? It seemed like a lifetime ago that she and Regina had literally moved heaven and earth in order to get into Skull Island. A barely-repressed shiver went through her as she nodded slowly in agreement. If it meant protecting the people that had crash-landed in Storybrooke, she would do it.

 "Okay. Let's do it."

 They drove in silence down the dark Storybrooke streets, Emma at the wheel of the cruiser. She wondered where Neal was now, or what the man controlling him was planning.

 "Do you have any idea who could be holding him hostage?" Emma asked quietly, having a feeling that he did. He knew about this Land of Untold Stories, so he must have had some sort of idea of who would be involved in that and want to control the Dark One.

 "I do," he replied. "But I am not comfortable saying such thing out loud until we're somewhere where ears can't pry."

 She nodded slowly in understanding. She wasn't sure what exactly was happening in Storybrooke, but she did know that whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

 Especially if Rumplestiltskin was worried. Emma knew from experience that if Rumplestiltskin was worried about something – it was bad.

 "I probably should have started with this but… why did Maleficent and Anastasia not stay and put up a barrier?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

 Emma shrugged. "Well, Maleficent's powers still haven't fully come back to where they were and she was exhausted after going into her dragon form and Anastasia sort of… disappeared after we'd huddled everyone back to town. It was weird."

 Rumplestiltskin didn't seem to find it odd though. "Perhaps the people from the Land of Untold Stories aren't the only ones that don't want their stories told…" Rumplestiltskin mused. "Everyone has secrets, Miss Swan. And sometimes those secrets aren't let out until you don't have a say in the situation."

 "Believe me," Emma said as they arrived in front of the town hall. "I know."

 The only light visible was the occasional bob of a flashlight held by one of the guards that had been posted at the building. It was quiet, and Emma was unnerved. If Neal was being controlled by someone, there was no telling what time of day he could strike.

 "Are you ready, Miss Swan?" Rumplestiltskin asked, holding his hands toward the building, magic slowly wrapping around it like mist around a tree.

 She took a deep breath as she nodded. "Yes. I'm ready."

 "Okay. Now this might be a bit difficult but I want you to focus on that feeling you get when someone you care about is in danger – that urge to protect and defend them. The same urge you had in Neverland when it came to Henry."

 She closed her eyes, holding out both hands and let herself feel. She let herself feel the urge to protect Henry, to protect Neal when she'd found out what happened to him. To protect her parents and brother from whatever it was Neal's controller was planning.

 And then slowly, she let those emotions overflow, the magic shooting out of her fingertips and racing toward the building, joining Rumplestiltskin's in surrounding the building. Emma opened her eyes, letting the emotions stay strong as she watched it with amazement. She was doing this.  She was really doing it.

 No one would harm her family. Not today, or any other day. Not while she was still alive.

 "Very good Miss Swan," Rumplestiltskin said, dropping his hand. "I think that should be sufficient. Now… I suggest we both go home and get some rest. I have a feeling tomorrow will be… quite eventful."

 He disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving a bewildered Emma to drive home by herself.

 "Emma… how did everything go with Gold?" her mother asked as she laid little Leo down in his cot.

 She could only shrug as she sat down on the couch. "Cryptic as always. But we did manage to put the town hall under protection spells so it wasn't a complete loss. I'm just nervous for what tomorrow is going to hold," she sighed.

 "Well," her mother said. "That's something we're going to find out, won't we?"

 That's exactly what I'm afraid of Emma thought, getting up off the couch and going upstairs to her bedroom.

 "Don't be nervous," her mother said the next morning as the group stood outside the town hall doors. "You'll be great Regina. Just pretend they're us."

 Regina didn't look so convinced, but managed a small nod as they pushed the doors open and strode to the front of the room. To be honest, Emma wasn't so convinced either. The previous night had come and gone without any of them getting a phone call or text that something was going wrong. It seemed too easy.

 In the light, Emma could see the people bewildered and frightened, many of them looking like caged animals that were caught by animal control, and she was nervous as she stood with her parents, Ruby and Mulan in front of the stage.

 "Good morning, everyone," Regina called, standing on the stage and trying to get everyone's attention. "I know that this is all a lot to take in so I'm going to start with myself. I'm Regina. I am the town's mayor, and I am delighted to welcome you to Storybrooke."

 That's when Emma noticed a man beginning to make his way to the stage.

 "IT'S THE EVIL QUEEN! EVERYONE OUT OF THE WAY!" he shouted, drawing a sword out of the hilt on his side.

 Mulan leapt into action, drawing her own sword as Emma held out a hand to stop him from going any further.

 When Emma looked over to look at Regina, the woman had vanished in a cloud of purple smoke.

 "Regina…" she murmured as the last remnants of the purple smoke disappeared. Oh boy. This must have been what Rumplestiltskin had been talking about when he mentioned the past coming back to haunt them.

 "Edmond!" her father exclaimed as he walked up to the man being restrained by Mulan. "What are you doing?"

 The man was seemingly calmed by Regina's disappearance. "The Evil Queen. She lied to me. She promised me the names of the people who killed my fiancée if I did what she wanted. And I did. And she abandoned that promise and poisoned Charlotte, your handmaiden! The girl I fell in love with! It was fine when we went to the Land of Untold Stories but now she's dying in the hospital right now!" he shouted. "Your majesties… how can you be okay with her here? After everything she did to you…"

 Her mother took a deep breath as she made her way over to the man. "Edmond, please, if you'll just hear us out we can explain everything," she said. "I promise you. Just please… calm down."

 Edmond nodded, relenting as he looked at her parents. "Fine. I'll give you a chance."

 Emma frowned as she followed her parents up to the stage. "Who was that guy?" she whispered to her father.

 "Edmond. He's also known as the Count of Monte Cristo. He worked for us in our castle, but apparently there's more to the story than we were originally told… Charlotte was your mother's handmaiden. She and Edmond both left suddenly. We had no idea why," he replied.

 "Um…" her mother called out to the crowd. "Good morning. I am Snow White, and this is my husband Prince David and my daughter Emma. She is the sheriff of Storybrooke. I know it is frightening to be here right now, but please, you are safe here. We promise not to let any harm come to you while you are here."

 Emma looked out into the crowd, seeing the worried faces of the people looking at her mother for guidance.

 "We have already spoken to the restaurant owners in town. They will all be collaborating together to provide you with food, which is being set up outside right now actually. And the bed and breakfast will be providing rooms for you all. I know this is not what you all wanted, but I promise, Storybrooke can be a fresh start for you as it has been for many of its citizens."

 That seemed to perk some of the people up, and a few of them began murmuring in excitement, smiles crossing their faces, and Emma mentally let out a sigh of relief.

 "I will take it upon myself to go to the hospital and get updates on those that were injured. If you have a family member at the hospital, please speak to me so I can get their names," Emma called out. "But I promise, Storybrooke's medical professionals are excellent at their jobs and will work their hardest to heal those that have been hurt."

 Emma knew she didn't have much time to waste here – she had promised Maleficent that she would go looking for her daughter today, so she'd have to be quick about this hospital thing.

 When no one had any questions, Emma stood next to a table on the stage, taking the name of the injured down on a piece of paper and quickly followed the crowd outside, hurrying to the hospital.

 "Hey Aurora," she said, going up to the front desk and smiling at the princess on the other side. "Do you have any information on these patients yet?" She slid the list of names over to the woman, nervously tapping her fingers against the desk.

 "Oh, let me see…" Aurora's fingers glided across the keyboard like she'd been working on a computer her entire life. "Mary Lydgate is out of surgery and is doing well. Charlotte No Last Name is still unconscious, but Dr. Whale said that he thinks she'll make a full recovery. It's just a waiting game. And Captain Nemo's still in surgery to repair something in his leg," she told Emma. "Raoul de Chagny is getting ready to be discharged now. Do you think you could get him back to the Town Hall?"

 "Yeah, of course. His wife is very worried about him anyway so no problem," Emma said with a smile. "Thanks Aurora. I'm sure everyone'll be happy to know the updates."

 She wasn't super thrilled about having to wait for someone, but it was better than just having them wander around the town without any knowledge of where they were going. She'd be a terrible sheriff if she did that.

 "Thank you for helping me get back to my wife," the man said as Emma pulled out of the hospital parking lot. "That hospital was much nicer than the ones at home. And these carriages are so fast!"

 "Thank you. Do you have any idea why anyone would want to bring you here?" Emma asked curiously.

 "Oh… one can never know what goes on in the mind of Mr. Hyde," the man said with a sigh. "We tried to avoid him whenever we could. He was dangerous. Very dangerous. And now we're here…" the man shivered, continuing on but Emma had stopped paying attention at the word Hyde.

 Raoul de Chagny practically flew out of the car as Emma put it in park, running for his wife, which made Emma smile. At least some good was coming out of this, she thought as the family and friends of the injured came up to her to get the details of their loved one.

 "Excuse me, Sheriff?" a voice asked as she'd turned back to her car to start heading out to find Lily. Emma turned to find a shorter man with round glasses standing behind her. "I'm sorry to intrude, but I was hoping to inquire about an injured person."

 Emma nodded. "Oh, sure. I'm sorry, I didn't see you with the others."

 The man winced. "Yes well… her father isn't exactly a fan of us being together so I thought it best to wait until he was out of my line of sight to come up to you," he explained, fidgeting with his hands nervously.

 She was on guard immediately, giving the man a slight nod. "Sure. What was her name?"

 "Lydgate. Mary Lydgate."

 "Oh," Emma smiled. "She's going to be just fine. Now if you'll excuse me, I really need to get out of here. I'm late for a meeting. I'm glad I could help you Mr…"

 "Henry. Call me Henry please. Thank you for telling me about Mary. It means a lot to me Sheriff Swan," the man replied.

 Emma nodded as she got into her car. "Nice to meet you Henry."

 As the man turned to walk away, she pulled out her phone and found Ruby's number.

 There's a short guy in glasses named Henry that I want you to keep an eye on. I don't know why, but I just got a bad feeling about him when I met him.

 Then, she found Rumplestiltskin's.

 I think Mr. Hyde is the one controlling Neal.

 With that done, Emma exhaled slowly as she drove toward the Town Line. With her parents, Rumplestiltskin, Regina, Anastasia, and so many other strong fighters in the town, she had faith that the town would at least still be standing when she got back.

 But still, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong with the man she'd met just before she left.

 In her rearview mirror, she saw Neal standing by a tree just as she crossed the border into the world outside Storybrooke.

[kidensdouble88]

Newfound chapter II

A/N: YAYYYY part two is up:) thanks for showing love to my first part, I really didn’t expect much bc I’m a small account! Nevertheless, thankssss!! Part three should be up eventually:)

P.S I realize this is kinda short, but hopefully you like it. This series is going to be super angsty and longish.

Pairing: Eventual Peter Pan x Reader

Warnings: none

Slight Summary of chap.2: Something big about Y/N and Pan’s plans for her have been revealed!

After your body had hit the sand, Peter smirked to himself. This was too easy. (Y/N) was just too weak when she wasn’t at her true potential. And with that at bay, Pan should be able to execute his plan flawlessly.

He picked you up from the sand bridal style, then teleported the two of you to camp within the blink of an eye. As Pan appeared in the middle of camp, he dropped your unconscious body to the ground without a second thought. Felix walked up to him, awaiting orders.

“Felix I want you to take her to the tent you prepa-”

The sound of a sweet, honey-like voice interrupted him. It wasn’t a song with lyrics, but a humming that was coming from another area of the island. Peter and Felix froze in their spots, leaving you on the ground for a tad bit longer.

“She’s acting up again.” Felix murmured.

“I’ll be back.” Pan said, curiosity and mischief shining in his eyes. “Take the girl to the tent.”

And with that, he disappeared to investigate the mysterious and uninvited humming. However, as smoke enveloped him, he was oblivious to the fact that his boot was just barely touching your body on the ground, but that was enough to allow the smoke to take you with him. As your body disappeared, Felix merely shrugged his shoulders. Pan would find out shortly that you were taken with him, but you were no longer Felix’s problem.

Pan, and unintentionally you too, arrived in a large clearing; a circle of no trees, with bushes and blooming flowers everywhere, a rare sight in Neverland. Once the smoke cleared completely, Pan could see that there was a... you standing in the middle of this clearing. Only it wasn’t you. It was a figure: gray, translucent, and made from smoke. But it was the spitting image of you. It strolled around the clearing, flowers appeared as its hand brushed along the tall grass. It was humming a tune that was unfamiliar to both you and Pan, even though you were still too deep in your sleep to hear it.

Pan’s brows furrowed in confusion as he looked at the ghostly figure. His attention was then diverted from the figure to you as you shifted and hummed in your sleep. The singing stopped as you did, and the figure turned to look at you as well.

“Shit...” Pan mumbled. He was sure that with you and this figure of you together, something was bound to happen. Something he didn’t want. He returned his attention to the copy of you, standing a good twenty feet from the real you, which was still sleeping soundly at his feet. The figure was staring at your body on the ground, mouth agape in surprise. The figure looked up to meet Peter’s eyes, smirking. This copy of you was smart. It knew it had Pan confused, and therefore he was nearly powerless to stop it from getting what it wanted, you. Almost 5 seconds after Pan and the figure locked eyes, it disappeared. Just poof. Gone. Peter still felt it’s presence, however, and noticed the wind shift toward you and him. The grass leaned toward you both, and the wind caressed his face, and played with your hair. Then all was still.

Peter turned to your body on the ground, utterly perplexed. He wasn’t sure what had just occurred between him and the figure, and he felt as if it was trying to tell him something with that smirk.

It wouldn’t just leave, (Y/N) was right there, open. He thought to himself, but his thoughts were cut short when you lurched from your position on the ground, taking in giant gulps of air at a time. As you did, your eyes were wide, and changing colors. Fast. The only ones Peter could catch were blue, green, neon yellow, orange, fuchsia, and then finally your eyes set on purple slightly longer than the others. The cycle of colors in your irises repeated for a mere five seconds as you pulled in a breath before returning to their original (Y/E/C). You were breathing hard, and Pan just stared at you, bewildered, but concealing it well. You couldn’t calm down, you were hyperventilating now. Your breath came in short pants as you looked at your hands. Pan knelt beside you, trying to calm you down, but you felt too off from your normal self to just brush this weird situation aside.

He grabbed your arm, but you were shaking too hard for him to be able to do anything useful. He moved his hands to your face, and breathed in and out slowly. You mimicked his breaths, trying to calm down like he was showing you. No words were exchanged between you two, but you knew he was trying to help. You felt warmer than you had before, with his hands on your face. Just then, as you were still trying to match his breaths, you realized how close his face was to yours, your noses only centimeters apart. His breath mixed with yours, and your cheeks reddened. He pulled away, oblivious to how you were blushing fiercely, and stood to his feet while offering you his hand. You grabbed it, and he pulled you up before teleporting the two of you back to camp with a frown etched onto his face at the events that transpired with the figure.

You reappeared in the middle of camp and Pan called a boy named Felix over, but not before dropping your hand, which you oddly felt disappointed at. After introducing the two of you, he left, claiming he had ‘business to attend to’. Felix turned to you, looked you up and down, and raised a brow.

“When did you wake up?” he asked, somewhat sounding as if he didn’t want an answer, so you decided it was best just not to give one. Instead, you fired back a question of your own.

“Where am I? Your leader forgot to tell me... well... anything.”

“Well,” Felix started, “Welcome to Neverland. Thats the name of this island. And you, my dear-” he  paused to–rather harshly–poke you in the chest “-are stuck here."

Your eyes widened, and you became afraid all over again. “Don’t worry, it’s not all bad. Let me show you around.”

Felix explained much about life on Neverland. He introduced you to the lost boys, showed you your tent, gave you some clothes, a cloak, multiple daggers, and was overall very kind. Slightly mysterious and creepy, but kind nonetheless. He told you that training was tomorrow, and that he would wake you up. So without any more delay, you went to your tent. But you didn’t sleep. You couldn’t. How could you? You were torn from your family, knocked out by a cocky boy with weird magic, and woke up to him being somewhat nice to you. You are on an island with savage boys around your age and some younger, and given about 3 daggers to protect yourself with. What would you even have to protect yourself from? Wild bears? This was all so stupid. After many hours, with the hopes of eventual escape, you fell asleep only to have your eyes re-open. The only difference, was that they were purple.

You were you again. You were awake. You were back. You sat up in bed and recalled the past few years.

You were on a savage/thief in the Enchanted Forest. Many had asked for your expertise in killing, so you were technically a mercenary on the side. Just how lucky were you to end up under a curse? Wonderfully lucky. Just exceptionally lucky. You had stayed in Storybrooke for a while, orphaned, as you had no known family. Finally assigned to a pair of parents in a town far away, you were able to escape. Nobody knew how you were able to leave Storybrooke, but you could, and you did. Your new family was great. You loved them, but one day when you woke up something was missing. You felt empty, because unbeknownst to you, a part of you left. Your dormant powers were unused for so long due to the curse, that they decided to separate from you entirely, and resided in Neverland undetected for years, as it was a very magical place. That is until you came, because Pan had kidnapped you. You two weren’t the best of friends, enemies actually. You were the only person that he had ever encountered that could rival him and his powers, and therefore to him you were utterly annoying. Why had he kidnapped you? You didn’t know. Might as well ask the devil himself. So, off to his treehouse you went.

All you could do was wander the forest, as you ultimately had no idea where Pan’s treehouse was. your eyes were still strikingly purple as you cut through leaves and bushed with a tiny dagger. How convenient for Felix to be oblivious to your title, otherwise he would never have given you those daggers. You stopped as your ears perked up; you could hear whispering not far off. You slowed your steps and hid in the shadows of the night, as you followed the whispers that lead to Pan’s treehouse. Who was he talking with? you thought to yourself. The once faint whispers got louder as you arrived. Without making yourself known in any way, you listened as best you could to the conversation.

“You don’t understand, Felix! She’s dangerous!! I don’t care how much you think she’d fit in here. She’s the bloody Maiden!”

“...The what?”

“The Maiden of Many Forms. Otherwise known as just the Maiden. She is incredibly powerful. Her powers are the only ones I’ve ever seen that rival mine.”

‘Damn straight’ you thought, but you kept listening.

“Then what the hell were you thinking telling me to get her a tent? Why not send her to the cages?”

“She doesn’t remember who she is. If anything, she is the bloody opposite of who she was. We need her trust me, but I wasn’t planning on her merging with her powers. I only needed her so I could draw them out. It’s going to be loads harder to steal her magic if she’s remembered who she is.”

That Imp! What’s this about taking my magic? She was slightly outraged, but listened in as the two in treehouse spoke more:

“What’s the plan now?”

“We’d better hope she doesn’t awaken her magic and regain her memories. Matter of fact, you go make sure she’s still in bed, and I’ll get my contacts to check is the curse has been broken in Storybrooke.”

‘As stupid as ever, that one,’ you thought. ‘I only needed the magic of Neverland to regain my memories.’ And with that, you teleported yourself to your tent, hopped in the cot, and pretended to be innocently asleep. If Pan wanted to take her powers, he’d be playing a dangerous game. And what’s the fun of a game if you don’t have a second player? Pan was in for it now.

A/N” YAY finally another part! Sorry I took so long and it’s a little short, I had this unfinished in my drafts for so long, and my break is later than many of yours because I attend a private school. I have tons of projects due soon so I may not have time for another part, but I’ll be working hard (mostly during the night bc why not) to deliver one for you guys; I LOVE this series. I think It’s going to be a long angst-filled ride... buckle up ;)

P.P.S not the best editor, so I Apologize sincerely for any mistakes or typos. please ignore them, hopefully they didn’t ruin the story experience. And i’m praying this story makes sense because I literally had so many jumbled ideas in my head for this chapter/overall outcomes

love you guys<3

[duonghoangkim43-blog]

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Awesome Destinations for Women Traveling Alone

Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes tips and advice for solo female travelers. Like this awesome list of destinations for female travelers! Traveling solo is a unique opportunity to find out exactly who you are in completely new surroundings and without anyone around from your past to influence you. That can be a scary prospect, but the good news is there are plenty of places out there that can make you feel safe and welcome. And when in the right place, a solo trip — regardless of how long it is — has the power to benefit you for years or even a lifetime thereafter. Before I traveled alone, I was pretty terrified, mostly because I didn’t think I’d like my own company enough to be solo 24/7. I was delighted to find that I met new people constantly (something that’s true for solo travelers in general). When on the road, people are social. While it was possible to feel inspired and delighted everywhere, a few places in particular stand out as great options for women traveling alone. Below are 10 solo travel destinations that you probably didn’t expect to be awesome for solo female travelers in particular, whether for their women-oriented businesses or for their safety, solitude, spirituality, or sociability: 1. Moab, Utah

Moab is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. For those all about the camper van life, bouldering, hiking, and kayaking, Moab has it all going on. It’s where you’ll find Canyonlands and Arches National Parks as well as Dead Horse State Park. Basically, it’s one of the most gorgeous areas on Earth with a high concentration of incredible rock formations and free campsites. Why it’s great for solo female travelers: I easily met people just by hanging around the free campsites, the coffee shops, and while watching the sunset over Dead Horse point during my solo American Southwest road trip. I tend to find that when a place attracts people because of a common shared interest, especially something outdoorsy, it tends to be social. Moab is a perfect example of that. 2. Yubeng, China

Yubeng is a remote village in the Chinese Himalayas that can only be reached by foot or mule. During the hike in, I saw Tibetan prayer flags strung from tree to tree, snow softly falling, and animals roaming freely all throughout the town. There are stupas (mound-like structures containing relics and used for meditation) everywhere. Yubeng is peaceful in a way that much of the rest of China isn’t. The feeling is hard to explain, but it’s felt by all who pass through. If you’re overwhelmed with the rest of China, seek refuge in Yubeng. Why it’s great for solo female travelers: In the big cities, scams often target young female tourists, but in the Himalayas, you’re more of an esteemed guest. The friendly people of Yubeng are so relaxed, patient, and welcoming, as are the younger tourists who flock there, often with some English-language ability and curiosity about foreign visitors. As a solo traveler, I was worried that I would be completely going this one alone, but I was surprised and delighted to find that young and friendly Chinese people take this route too, seeking the same sacred place. 3. Maui, Hawaii

Maui isn’t typically what comes to mind when most people think of a solo trip, but with all its activities — from surfing and hiking to driving the road to Hana and taking boating and snorkeling tours — it’s actually a great place for those flying solo. With its constantly changing microclimates, the beautiful island has pockets of sandy sunset beaches, sprawling resorts, quaint little camping spots, and hikes through the valley. Why it’s great for solo female travelers: The cool thing about Maui is that it feels like a different country than the States, what with the tropical weather and Hawaiian culture, but you don’t need a passport, an RTW flight, or to learn a different language to enjoy it. Plus, there are female-focused activities — like the Maui Surfer Girls camp, designed specifically for solo female travelers who are looking for a supportive group of women to take up a new sport with. It’s an experience that is both empowering and fun! 4. El Chaltén, Argentina

If you love nature, there’s almost no better spot in the world to enjoy it fully than in Patagonia. Much of the region can be quite remote, but El Chaltén is Argentina’s trekking capital, and as such there are plenty of hostels there, and the whole town is totally chilled out. It also draws plenty of solo travelers who are open and happy to meet others to share the trails with, some of whom I met and hiked with when I was there (albeit not solo myself), and we left as new friends. Why it’s great for solo female travelers: With its constant catcalls, South America can sometimes feel stressful for solo female travelers, but this trekking town is different. It’s full of nature-loving artists and hippies who are welcoming, as well as hikes that are full enough of people that even if you show up solo, you can easily meet others on the trails. So, you could spend time in town just chilling and relaxing, or you could join glacier hikes, learn how to rock climb, or go on camping excursions, all of which accommodate solo travelers. 5. Iceland

It hit me as I was staring up at the Northern Lights in Iceland, watching them swirl and snake across the sky in flashes of green, that this has got to be, hands-down, one of the most unique and drop-dead gorgeous places on this planet, with its black sand beaches, icy fjords, and those huggable, iconic ponies. Where else can you see the northern lights, geysers, and incredible land formations all in one spot? I saw so many waterfalls, during my Ring Road adventure I stopped counting and even paying attention. That’s how abundant the natural beauty is! Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Iceland is the safest country in the world. Seriously, people leave their cars running, with the keys inside, when they go grocery shopping. That’s how high the level of trust between people is! Plus, the capital draws so many solo travelers on layovers from the US that it won’t be hard to meet someone cool at your hostel to split a car rental with for a day trip like the Golden Circle or even a longer journey like the Ring Road. 6. Ylläs, Finland

When thinking about an escape, heading to the Arctic during the winter was not exactly at the top of my list, but after experiencing how amazing the Arctic could be in Iceland, I went for it: Lapland, Finland, in January. I found that when the weather is so cold that it drops to 30° below freezing, the air becomes incredibly crisp. Also, that far north, the sun barely sits on the horizon during the short time that it’s out, creating an an unusual combination sunrise/sunset. Why it’s great for solo female travelers: The locals are so darn amiable that you’re sure to make a few friends, especially if you head to the female-owned-and-run Aurora Estate, where the owners can help you plan some awesome excursions snowmobiling and snowshoeing. The region is also home to the only ski slopes in the country, which tend to draw solo travelers. Head to an after-ski bar, join a husky safari, or talk to the locals in Snowman World (ice bar and restaurant). Who knows? You might catch the Northern Lights, too! 7. Big Sur, California

I call California home, but for some reason it took me until I was 29 to finally visit Big Sur — and I couldn’t believe what I had been missing: the rocky coastline, whales breaching in the distance, dolphins just about every time I looked at the horizon, and waterfalls in the state parks. It’s no wonder that the Central Coast has long enchanted actors, poets, and writers (just crack open any book by Jack Kerouac and you’re bound to read at least a little bit about coastal California, particularly Big Sur). Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Camping in Big Sur is the perfect opportunity to meet others because campers are friendly. Chances are good you can make a pal at the very next camping spot, especially if you offer them a locally-brewed beer. The hustle and bustle of Los Angeles turns some visitors off, so if what you’re seeking is some incredible nature, just head five hours north and you’ll be in paradise. How can you stare up at a redwood tree (some of the largest and oldest trees in the world) and not feel moved? 8. The Nusa Islands, Indonesia

The Nusa islands off the coast of Bali in Indonesia are exactly what you’re looking for if you want the beauty of Balinese culture but wish it came without the crowds. Made up of three islands, namely Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, and Nusa Ceningan, They are what people say Bali was like 30 years ago. Think gorgeous beaches with half the crowd of Bali’s, opportunities to swim with manta rays and staying in a real treehouse, viewpoints that require some footwork but absolutely worthy, and the bluest water you can imagine. It’s a lovely place to spend a few nights on and have a nice taste of how Bali used to be. Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Most couples traveling in this area opt for Bali, so chances of you sitting awkwardly next to a loving couple on a stunning beach is much lesser on the Nusa Islands. While some roads are in better condition than the other, they are all great for a full day of solo excursion on a bike. You are likely to end up in the same spots with other solo travelers, so meeting others is also very easy. 9. Sossusvlei, Namibia

It might seem like a barren desert isn’t the place to enjoy by yourself, but I have found it to be quite the opposite. That kind of space to think and feel can really be incredible for personal development. Plus, in Namibia, it’s warm and dry, so the sky is absolutely incredible for stargazing. Climbing up and around Dune 45 at sunrise was a beautiful experience for me. After everyone else descended, I stayed up top to explore a bit more — and I had the whole view to myself. Can you imagine sitting in one of nature’s biggest sandboxes and having it feel like it’s all yours? My inner six-year-old rejoiced. Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Namibia is adventurous and social without feeling dangerous. All of the backpackers and camping accommodations have pools and other common areas, which makes it easy to meet others if you’re solo. It’s also a gorgeous destination in Africa that isn’t crowded and chaotic and is more about the peace and space than anything else. In a country of only two million people, your biggest worry is the scorpions (for real, though — watch out for those!). You can also join a tour or safari and meet plenty of other solo travelers. It’s what I did, and I loved it! 10. Berlin, Germany

How did a big city make this list? Well, Berlin is not just any city; it’s full of artists and has been for the past 30 or so years. It’s hard not to feel inspired in a place where so many people make their living by creating and honoring their passions. This is why I’ve also made it my home base and became a resident of Germany. I just couldn’t be without this funky place for too long! Though it’s the capital, Berlin doesn’t feel crowded because it is so spread out. And with so many big parks in just about every neighborhood, peace and quiet is easy to come by. Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Berlin draws many solo travelers, and it’s easy to meet others. It’s also a socially progressive city with a low violent crime rate that’s simple to navigate and easy to love. Take a street art tour and combine everything at once! There are also tons of expats, so check out a Meetup.com group or a Couchsurfing event to get a mix of visitors and those who are more familiar with the city. Read the full article

[erickmalpicaflores]

Erik Malpica Flores Erik Malpica Flores recommends: What is Coming to Amazon Prime Video Canada in September 2018 |

Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen star in the new Amazon Original Series FOREVER, which will coming to Amazon Prime Video Canada in September 2018. The end of September will also mark the start of Thursday Night Football on the streaming service and fans of GRIMM can catch the series in its entirety beginning in early September.

Related: What’s coming to Amazon Prime Video U.S. in September 2018?

September 1

13 Going on 30 – A girl makes a wish on her thirteenth birthday, and wakes up the next day as a thirty-year-old woman. Starring Jennifer Garner.

Chocolat – In the 1950’s, single mother Vianne Rocher and her 6-year-old daughter move to the small French town of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, where Vianne opens a chocolate shop, during Lent, across from the town’s church (and she’s open on Sundays). As you’d imagine in a small town, her wares are soon adored and consumed by the locals, but not without some resentment and opposition.

Cold Mountain – Cold Mountain tells the story of Inman, a wounded confederate soldier who is on a perilous journey home to his mountain community, hoping to reunite with his pre-war sweetheart, Ada. In his absence, Ada struggles to survive, and revive her father’s farm with the help of intrepid young drifter Ruby. Starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Renée Zellweger.

The Crying Games – Hailed by critics as an instant movie classic, The Crying Game is a brilliant and unpredictable masterpiece. Stephen Rea and Miranda Richardson are Irish terrorists, Forest Whitaker is their hostage, and Jaye Davidson is Whitaker’s exotic girlfriend, the film is a humorous and shocking romantic thriller. Never has a motion picture undermined viewer expectations so thoroughly and enjoyably.

Emma – Emma (Gwyneth Paltrow), a meddling but well-meaning 21-year-old, loves to play matchmaker. She’s currently obsessed with finding the perfect man for her friend Harriet. But what appears to be a simple task becomes a nightmare, as Emma’s machinations set off a chain reaction of misunderstandings between a number of people.

Enchanted April – Four women rent a chateau on a remote Italian island to try to come to grips with their lives and relationships. They explore the differences in their personalities, reassess their goals, and reexamine their relationships in a sisterly fashion.

Kinky Boots – Charlie Price faces the impending shut down of the Northampton shoe factory that his family has owned and operated for generations. Just when he feels that all is lost, he has a chance encounter with Lola, a flamboyant transvestite cabaret star. Lola’s desire for stylish, kinky boots for herself and her colleagues provides a glimmer of hope for the factory and its employees.

Life is Beautiful – It’s 1939 and Guido has come to the Tuscan town of Arezzo with his poet friend Ferruccio. With unabashed humor and joy, the two seek fortune and romance, ignoring the growing anti-Semitism and Fascist government that surrounds them. Guido falls in love with a beautiful young school teacher Dora. Unfortunately, she is already engaged, however he is not deterred and a fairy-tale romance ensues

Little Children – Sarah (Kate Winslet), a grad-school dropout is a stay-at-home mom to her daughter Lucy. At the local playground her routine is broken by the sudden return of Brad. Despite being married to gorgeous Kathy, Brad is going through his own malaise. Struggling to pass the bar exam, he is distracted by the lure of a touch-football night league. One day Sarah decides to approach Brad in the playground…

My Left Foot – My Left Foot is the true story of Christy Brown (Daniel Day-Lewis) who was born with cerebral palsy and learns to paint and write with his only controllable limb – his left foot. Paralyzed from birth, Brown is written off as mentally disabled and helpless. But Christy’s mother never gives up on the boy. Using his left foot, the only part of his body not afflicted, Brown learns to write. He grows up to become a well-known author and painter, and along the way falls in love with nurse Ruth McCabe.

Proof – Catherine (Gwyneth Paltrow) is a young woman who has given up a seemingly bright future in order to take care of her ailing father, Robert, a formerly brilliant mathematician who, in his later years succumbed to dementia. After he dies, Catherine’s closed-off world is invaded by Hal, a young mathematician who worshiped Robert, and Claire, her successful sister who fears that Catherine is too much like their father.

Grimm (Seasons 1-6) – A homicide detective discovers he is a descendant of hunters who fight supernatural forces.

September 7

Six Dreams – A brand new sports docu-series (Prime Original) which follows six individuals throughout their 2017-2018 season of LaLiga. The show is produced in collaboration with MEDIAPRO and LaLiga. Six Dreams will give Prime Video users an exclusive and unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the famous Spanish football league following three players, two coaches and a club president as they navigate their way through their 2017/18 season. Each participant comes from a different team and offers a unique insight into the daily challenges and struggles of professional football at its highest level.

Wishenpoof (Season 2B) – This magical Prime Original follows Bianca is just like any girl…well, kind of. She has one teeny ability, “wish magic” – the power to make wishes come true. A Prime Original.

September 10

The Chorus – The new teacher at a severely administered boys’ boarding school works to positively affect the students’ lives through music.

Marley – A documentary on the life, music, and legacy of Bob Marley.

Project Runway (Season 1) – Heidi Klum hosts a reality series where aspiring fashion designers compete for a chance to break into the industry. Each week, a designer is eliminated from the competition after exhibiting their work in front of a judges’ panel.

September 14

Forever – Married couple June (Maya Rudolph) and Oscar (Fred Armisen) live a comfortable but predictable life in suburban Riverside, California. For 12 years they’ve had the same conversations, eaten the same meals and taken pleasant vacations at the same rented lake house. But after June talks Oscar into shaking things up with a ski trip, the pair suddenly find themselves in completely unfamiliar territory. Forever is an utterly original, insightful and poignant comedy about love, commitment and marriage, created by Emmy® Award-winning writers Alan Yang (Master of None, Parks and Recreation) and Matt Hubbard (30 Rock, Parks and Recreation).

September 15

Betty White’s Off Their Rockers – A hidden camera show where senior citizens play pranks on unsuspecting youngsters.

Copper – Set in the Five Points neighborhood of New York City in the 1860s, focusing on a rugged young Irish cop who is forced to navigate his unruly and dangerous immigrant neighborhood while interacting with the uptown Manhattan crowd and the black community.

The Neon Demon – An aspiring model, Jesse, is new to Los Angeles. However, her beauty and youth, which generate intense fascination and jealousy within the fashion industry, may prove themselves sinister.

The AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) Hawaii Invitational will come to Prime Video members to stream live on September 15th and 16th.

September 21

Pete the Cat – Based on the best-selling children’s books, Pete the Cat is a fun, musically driven series about exploring your world and trying new things, while being smart, accepting, and optimistic. Whether you’re making new friends or facing all of life’s ups and downs, Pete always finds a way to put a groovy spin on things. The series stars Canadian Jacob Tremblay (Room) as Pete the Cat, and musicians Diana Krall and Elvis Costello as his Mom and Dad.

Laver Cup – Prime Video is set to stream all Laver Cup matches live and on-demand to Prime members in more than 200 countries and territories in a landmark deal. The second edition of the Laver Cup will be staged at the United Center in Chicago from September 21st – 23rd. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic will lead Team Europe, and Juan Martin del Potro, John Isner, Kevin Anderson, Diego Schwartzman and Nick Kyrgios are confirmed for Team World, with further player announcements to be made in the coming weeks.

September 27

Thursday Night Football – Prime Video will kick off its coverage of the National Football League’s Thursday Night Football games beginning with the Los Angeles Rams vs. the Minnesota Vikings on September 27.

September 28

Extrano Enemigo – Starring Ariel Award winner Daniel Giménez Cacho (Get The Gringo), Kristyan Ferrer (La Habitación), Antonio de la Vega (Club de Cuervos), Karina Gidi (Falco) and Fernando Becerrill (Sr. Ávila), Un Extraño Enemigo follows the story of Comandante Barrientos (Giménez Cacho), a brilliant man with a dark side that started from the bottom and now seeks to expand his power during a critical election year in Mexico. The captivating story is told across 8 episodes, with each installment juxtaposing the journey of Barrientos among key moments in the country’s history as well as historical figures of the time including ex-presidents Gustavo Díaz Ordaz and Luis Echeverría.

September 30

Martin Lawrence: Runteldat – After undergoing a number of personal crises, Martin Lawrence returns to the stage for a one-man show featuring stinging social commentary and very personal reflections about his life.

Starship Troopers – Humans in a fascist, militaristic future wage war with giant alien bugs in a satire of modern world politics.

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10 Awesome Destinations for Solo Female Travelers

Updated: 8/19/2018 | August 19th, 2018

Every month (most of the time), Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes a guest column featuring tips and advice for solo female travelers as I obviously can’t talk expertly on the subject! She’s back this month with an awesome list of destinations for female travelers!

Traveling solo is a unique opportunity to find out exactly who you are in completely new surroundings and without anyone around from your past to influence you. That can be a scary prospect, but the good news is there are plenty of places out there that can make you feel safe and welcome. And when in the right place, a solo trip — regardless of how long it is — has the power to benefit you for years or even a lifetime thereafter.

Before I traveled alone, I was pretty terrified, mostly because I didn’t think I’d like my own company enough to be solo 24/7. I was delighted to find that I met new people constantly (something that’s true for solo travelers in general). When on the road, people are social.

While it was possible to feel inspired and delighted everywhere, a few places in particular stand out as great options for women traveling alone. Below are 10 solo travel destinations that you probably didn’t expect to be awesome for solo female travelers in particular, whether for their women-oriented businesses or for their safety, solitude, spirituality, or sociability:

1. Moab, Utah

Moab is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. For those all about the camper van life, bouldering, hiking, and kayaking, Moab has it all going on. It’s where you’ll find Canyonlands and Arches National Parks as well as Dead Horse State Park. Basically, it’s one of the most gorgeous areas on Earth with a high concentration of incredible rock formations and free campsites.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: I easily met people just by hanging around the free campsites, the coffee shops, and while watching the sunset over Dead Horse point during my solo American Southwest road trip. I tend to find that when a place attracts people because of a common shared interest, especially something outdoorsy, it tends to be social. Moab is a perfect example of that.

2. Yubeng, China

Yubeng is a remote village in the Chinese Himalayas that can only be reached by foot or mule. During the hike in, I saw Tibetan prayer flags strung from tree to tree, snow softly falling, and animals roaming freely all throughout the town. There are stupas (mound-like structures containing relics and used for meditation) everywhere.

Yubeng is peaceful in a way that much of the rest of China isn’t. The feeling is hard to explain, but it’s felt by all who pass through. If you’re overwhelmed with the rest of China, seek refuge in Yubeng.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: In the big cities, scams often target young female tourists, but in the Himalayas, you’re more of an esteemed guest. The friendly people of Yubeng are so relaxed, patient, and welcoming, as are the younger tourists who flock there, often with some English-language ability and curiosity about foreign visitors.

As a solo traveler, I was worried that I would be completely going this one alone, but I was surprised and delighted to find that young and friendly Chinese people take this route too, seeking the same sacred place.

3. Maui, Hawaii

Maui isn’t typically what comes to mind when most people think of a solo trip, but with all its activities — from surfing and hiking to driving the road to Hana and taking boating and snorkeling tours — it’s actually a great place for those flying solo.

With its constantly changing microclimates, the beautiful island has pockets of sandy sunset beaches, sprawling resorts, quaint little camping spots, and hikes through the valley.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: The cool thing about Maui is that it feels like a different country than the States, what with the tropical weather and Hawaiian culture, but you don’t need a passport, an RTW flight, or to learn a different language to enjoy it. Plus, there are female-focused activities — like the Maui Surfer Girls camp, designed specifically for solo female travelers who are looking for a supportive group of women to take up a new sport with. It’s an experience that is both empowering and fun!

4. El Chaltén, Argentina

If you love nature, there’s almost no better spot in the world to enjoy it fully than in Patagonia. Much of the region can be quite remote, but El Chaltén is Argentina’s trekking capital, and as such there are plenty of hostels there, and the whole town is totally chilled out. It also draws plenty of solo travelers who are open and happy to meet others to share the trails with, some of whom I met and hiked with when I was there (albeit not solo myself), and we left as new friends.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: With its constant catcalls, South America can sometimes feel stressful for solo female travelers, but this trekking town is different. It’s full of nature-loving artists and hippies who are welcoming, as well as hikes that are full enough of people that even if you show up solo, you can easily meet others on the trails. So, you could spend time in town just chilling and relaxing, or you could join glacier hikes, learn how to rock climb, or go on camping excursions, all of which accommodate solo travelers.

5. Iceland

It hit me as I was staring up at the Northern Lights in Iceland, watching them swirl and snake across the sky in flashes of green, that this has got to be, hands-down, one of the most unique and drop-dead gorgeous places on this planet, with its black sand beaches, icy fjords, and those huggable, iconic ponies. Where else can you see the northern lights, geysers, and incredible land formations all in one spot? I saw so many waterfalls, during my Ring Road adventure I stopped counting and even paying attention. That’s how abundant the natural beauty is!

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Iceland is the safest country in the world. Seriously, people leave their cars running, with the keys inside, when they go grocery shopping. That’s how high the level of trust between people is! Plus, the capital draws so many solo travelers on layovers from the US that it won’t be hard to meet someone cool at your hostel to split a car rental with for a day trip like the Golden Circle or even a longer journey like the Ring Road.

6. Ylläs, Finland

When thinking about an escape, heading to the Arctic during the winter was not exactly at the top of my list, but after experiencing how amazing the Arctic could be in Iceland, I went for it: Lapland, Finland, in January.

I found that when the weather is so cold that it drops to 30° below freezing, the air becomes incredibly crisp. Also, that far north, the sun barely sits on the horizon during the short time that it’s out, creating an an unusual combination sunrise/sunset.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: The locals are so darn amiable that you’re sure to make a few friends, especially if you head to the female-owned-and-run Aurora Estate, where the owners can help you plan some awesome excursions snowmobiling and snowshoeing. The region is also home to the only ski slopes in the country, which tend to draw solo travelers. Head to an after-ski bar, join a husky safari, or talk to the locals in Snowman World (ice bar and restaurant). Who knows? You might catch the Northern Lights, too!

7. Big Sur, California

I call California home, but for some reason it took me until I was 29 to finally visit Big Sur — and I couldn’t believe what I had been missing: the rocky coastline, whales breaching in the distance, dolphins just about every time I looked at the horizon, and waterfalls in the state parks. It’s no wonder that the Central Coast has long enchanted actors, poets, and writers (just crack open any book by Jack Kerouac and you’re bound to read at least a little bit about coastal California, particularly Big Sur).

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Camping in Big Sur is the perfect opportunity to meet others because campers are friendly. Chances are good you can make a pal at the very next camping spot, especially if you offer them a locally-brewed beer. The hustle and bustle of Los Angeles turns some visitors off, so if what you’re seeking is some incredible nature, just head five hours north and you’ll be in paradise. How can you stare up at a redwood tree (some of the largest and oldest trees in the world) and not feel moved?

8. The Nusa Islands, Indonesia

The Nusa islands off the coast of Bali in Indonesia are exactly what you’re looking for if you want the beauty of Balinese culture but wish it came without the crowds. Made up of three islands, namely Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, and Nusa Ceningan, They are what people say Bali was like 30 years ago. Think gorgeous beaches with half the crowd of Bali’s, opportunities to swim with manta rays and staying in a real treehouse, viewpoints that require some footwork but absolutely worthy, and the bluest water you can imagine. It’s a lovely place to spend a few nights on and have a nice taste of how Bali used to be. Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Most couples traveling in this area opt for Bali, so chances of you sitting awkwardly next to a loving couple on a stunning beach is much lesser on the Nusa Islands. While some roads are in better condition than the other, they are all great for a full day of solo excursion on a bike. You are likely to end up in the same spots with other solo travelers, so meeting others is also very easy.

9. Sossusvlei, Namibia

It might seem like a barren desert isn’t the place to enjoy by yourself, but I have found it to be quite the opposite. That kind of space to think and feel can really be incredible for personal development. Plus, in Namibia, it’s warm and dry, so the sky is absolutely incredible for stargazing.

Climbing up and around Dune 45 at sunrise was a beautiful experience for me. After everyone else descended, I stayed up top to explore a bit more — and I had the whole view to myself. Can you imagine sitting in one of nature’s biggest sandboxes and having it feel like it’s all yours? My inner six-year-old rejoiced.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Namibia is adventurous and social without feeling dangerous. All of the backpackers and camping accommodations have pools and other common areas, which makes it easy to meet others if you’re solo. It’s also a gorgeous destination in Africa that isn’t crowded and chaotic and is more about the peace and space than anything else. In a country of only two million people, your biggest worry is the scorpions (for real, though — watch out for those!).

You can also join a tour or safari and meet plenty of other solo travelers. It’s what I did, and I loved it!

10. Berlin, Germany

How did a big city make this list? Well, Berlin is not just any city; it’s full of artists and has been for the past 30 or so years. It’s hard not to feel inspired in a place where so many people make their living by creating and honoring their passions. This is why I’ve also made it my home base and became a resident of Germany. I just couldn’t be without this funky place for too long!

Though it’s the capital, Berlin doesn’t feel crowded because it is so spread out. And with so many big parks in just about every neighborhood, peace and quiet is easy to come by.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Berlin draws many solo travelers, and it’s easy to meet others. It’s also a socially progressive city with a low violent crime rate that’s simple to navigate and easy to love. Take a street art tour and combine everything at once! There are also tons of expats, so check out a Meetup.com group or a Couchsurfing event to get a mix of visitors and those who are more familiar with the city.

**** While solo traveling and soul-searching don’t lend themselves to a one-size-fits-all approach, generally the places that draw solo travelers are the ones that are the most interesting and unique, provide opportunities to enjoy nature and connect with others (and with yourself). Regardless of which place you’re targeting in the world, with these options covering just about every continent and style of travel, you can find a place that suits you.

Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over four years, covering every continent (except for Antarctica, but it’s on her list). There’s almost nothing she won’t try and almost nowhere she won’t explore. You can find more of her musings at Be My Travel Muse or on Instagram and Facebook.

Conquering Mountains: The Guide to Solo Female Travel

For a complete A-to-Z guide on solo female travel, check out Kristin’s new book, Conquering Mountains. Besides discussing many of the practical tips of preparing and planning your trip, the book addresses the fears, safety, and emotional concerns women have about traveling alone. It features over 20 interviews with other female travel writers and travelers. Click here to learn more about the book and start reading it today!  

For more articles by Kristin and solo female travel tips, click here.

The post 10 Awesome Destinations for Solo Female Travelers appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Traveling News https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/ten-solo-female-travel-spots/

[melissagarcia8]

10 Awesome Destinations for Solo Female Travelers

Updated: 8/19/2018 | August 19th, 2018

Every month (most of the time), Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes a guest column featuring tips and advice for solo female travelers as I obviously can’t talk expertly on the subject! She’s back this month with an awesome list of destinations for female travelers!

Traveling solo is a unique opportunity to find out exactly who you are in completely new surroundings and without anyone around from your past to influence you. That can be a scary prospect, but the good news is there are plenty of places out there that can make you feel safe and welcome. And when in the right place, a solo trip — regardless of how long it is — has the power to benefit you for years or even a lifetime thereafter.

Before I traveled alone, I was pretty terrified, mostly because I didn’t think I’d like my own company enough to be solo 24/7. I was delighted to find that I met new people constantly (something that’s true for solo travelers in general). When on the road, people are social.

While it was possible to feel inspired and delighted everywhere, a few places in particular stand out as great options for women traveling alone. Below are 10 solo travel destinations that you probably didn’t expect to be awesome for solo female travelers in particular, whether for their women-oriented businesses or for their safety, solitude, spirituality, or sociability:

1. Moab, Utah

Moab is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. For those all about the camper van life, bouldering, hiking, and kayaking, Moab has it all going on. It’s where you’ll find Canyonlands and Arches National Parks as well as Dead Horse State Park. Basically, it’s one of the most gorgeous areas on Earth with a high concentration of incredible rock formations and free campsites.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: I easily met people just by hanging around the free campsites, the coffee shops, and while watching the sunset over Dead Horse point during my solo American Southwest road trip. I tend to find that when a place attracts people because of a common shared interest, especially something outdoorsy, it tends to be social. Moab is a perfect example of that.

2. Yubeng, China

Yubeng is a remote village in the Chinese Himalayas that can only be reached by foot or mule. During the hike in, I saw Tibetan prayer flags strung from tree to tree, snow softly falling, and animals roaming freely all throughout the town. There are stupas (mound-like structures containing relics and used for meditation) everywhere.

Yubeng is peaceful in a way that much of the rest of China isn’t. The feeling is hard to explain, but it’s felt by all who pass through. If you’re overwhelmed with the rest of China, seek refuge in Yubeng.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: In the big cities, scams often target young female tourists, but in the Himalayas, you’re more of an esteemed guest. The friendly people of Yubeng are so relaxed, patient, and welcoming, as are the younger tourists who flock there, often with some English-language ability and curiosity about foreign visitors.

As a solo traveler, I was worried that I would be completely going this one alone, but I was surprised and delighted to find that young and friendly Chinese people take this route too, seeking the same sacred place.

3. Maui, Hawaii

Maui isn’t typically what comes to mind when most people think of a solo trip, but with all its activities — from surfing and hiking to driving the road to Hana and taking boating and snorkeling tours — it’s actually a great place for those flying solo.

With its constantly changing microclimates, the beautiful island has pockets of sandy sunset beaches, sprawling resorts, quaint little camping spots, and hikes through the valley.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: The cool thing about Maui is that it feels like a different country than the States, what with the tropical weather and Hawaiian culture, but you don’t need a passport, an RTW flight, or to learn a different language to enjoy it. Plus, there are female-focused activities — like the Maui Surfer Girls camp, designed specifically for solo female travelers who are looking for a supportive group of women to take up a new sport with. It’s an experience that is both empowering and fun!

4. El Chaltén, Argentina

If you love nature, there’s almost no better spot in the world to enjoy it fully than in Patagonia. Much of the region can be quite remote, but El Chaltén is Argentina’s trekking capital, and as such there are plenty of hostels there, and the whole town is totally chilled out. It also draws plenty of solo travelers who are open and happy to meet others to share the trails with, some of whom I met and hiked with when I was there (albeit not solo myself), and we left as new friends.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: With its constant catcalls, South America can sometimes feel stressful for solo female travelers, but this trekking town is different. It’s full of nature-loving artists and hippies who are welcoming, as well as hikes that are full enough of people that even if you show up solo, you can easily meet others on the trails. So, you could spend time in town just chilling and relaxing, or you could join glacier hikes, learn how to rock climb, or go on camping excursions, all of which accommodate solo travelers.

5. Iceland

It hit me as I was staring up at the Northern Lights in Iceland, watching them swirl and snake across the sky in flashes of green, that this has got to be, hands-down, one of the most unique and drop-dead gorgeous places on this planet, with its black sand beaches, icy fjords, and those huggable, iconic ponies. Where else can you see the northern lights, geysers, and incredible land formations all in one spot? I saw so many waterfalls, during my Ring Road adventure I stopped counting and even paying attention. That’s how abundant the natural beauty is!

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Iceland is the safest country in the world. Seriously, people leave their cars running, with the keys inside, when they go grocery shopping. That’s how high the level of trust between people is! Plus, the capital draws so many solo travelers on layovers from the US that it won’t be hard to meet someone cool at your hostel to split a car rental with for a day trip like the Golden Circle or even a longer journey like the Ring Road.

6. Ylläs, Finland

When thinking about an escape, heading to the Arctic during the winter was not exactly at the top of my list, but after experiencing how amazing the Arctic could be in Iceland, I went for it: Lapland, Finland, in January.

I found that when the weather is so cold that it drops to 30° below freezing, the air becomes incredibly crisp. Also, that far north, the sun barely sits on the horizon during the short time that it’s out, creating an an unusual combination sunrise/sunset.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: The locals are so darn amiable that you’re sure to make a few friends, especially if you head to the female-owned-and-run Aurora Estate, where the owners can help you plan some awesome excursions snowmobiling and snowshoeing. The region is also home to the only ski slopes in the country, which tend to draw solo travelers. Head to an after-ski bar, join a husky safari, or talk to the locals in Snowman World (ice bar and restaurant). Who knows? You might catch the Northern Lights, too!

7. Big Sur, California

I call California home, but for some reason it took me until I was 29 to finally visit Big Sur — and I couldn’t believe what I had been missing: the rocky coastline, whales breaching in the distance, dolphins just about every time I looked at the horizon, and waterfalls in the state parks. It’s no wonder that the Central Coast has long enchanted actors, poets, and writers (just crack open any book by Jack Kerouac and you’re bound to read at least a little bit about coastal California, particularly Big Sur).

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Camping in Big Sur is the perfect opportunity to meet others because campers are friendly. Chances are good you can make a pal at the very next camping spot, especially if you offer them a locally-brewed beer. The hustle and bustle of Los Angeles turns some visitors off, so if what you’re seeking is some incredible nature, just head five hours north and you’ll be in paradise. How can you stare up at a redwood tree (some of the largest and oldest trees in the world) and not feel moved?

8. The Nusa Islands, Indonesia

The Nusa islands off the coast of Bali in Indonesia are exactly what you’re looking for if you want the beauty of Balinese culture but wish it came without the crowds. Made up of three islands, namely Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, and Nusa Ceningan, They are what people say Bali was like 30 years ago. Think gorgeous beaches with half the crowd of Bali’s, opportunities to swim with manta rays and staying in a real treehouse, viewpoints that require some footwork but absolutely worthy, and the bluest water you can imagine. It’s a lovely place to spend a few nights on and have a nice taste of how Bali used to be. Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Most couples traveling in this area opt for Bali, so chances of you sitting awkwardly next to a loving couple on a stunning beach is much lesser on the Nusa Islands. While some roads are in better condition than the other, they are all great for a full day of solo excursion on a bike. You are likely to end up in the same spots with other solo travelers, so meeting others is also very easy.

9. Sossusvlei, Namibia

It might seem like a barren desert isn’t the place to enjoy by yourself, but I have found it to be quite the opposite. That kind of space to think and feel can really be incredible for personal development. Plus, in Namibia, it’s warm and dry, so the sky is absolutely incredible for stargazing.

Climbing up and around Dune 45 at sunrise was a beautiful experience for me. After everyone else descended, I stayed up top to explore a bit more — and I had the whole view to myself. Can you imagine sitting in one of nature’s biggest sandboxes and having it feel like it’s all yours? My inner six-year-old rejoiced.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Namibia is adventurous and social without feeling dangerous. All of the backpackers and camping accommodations have pools and other common areas, which makes it easy to meet others if you’re solo. It’s also a gorgeous destination in Africa that isn’t crowded and chaotic and is more about the peace and space than anything else. In a country of only two million people, your biggest worry is the scorpions (for real, though — watch out for those!).

You can also join a tour or safari and meet plenty of other solo travelers. It’s what I did, and I loved it!

10. Berlin, Germany

How did a big city make this list? Well, Berlin is not just any city; it’s full of artists and has been for the past 30 or so years. It’s hard not to feel inspired in a place where so many people make their living by creating and honoring their passions. This is why I’ve also made it my home base and became a resident of Germany. I just couldn’t be without this funky place for too long!

Though it’s the capital, Berlin doesn’t feel crowded because it is so spread out. And with so many big parks in just about every neighborhood, peace and quiet is easy to come by.

Why it’s great for solo female travelers: Berlin draws many solo travelers, and it’s easy to meet others. It’s also a socially progressive city with a low violent crime rate that’s simple to navigate and easy to love. Take a street art tour and combine everything at once! There are also tons of expats, so check out a Meetup.com group or a Couchsurfing event to get a mix of visitors and those who are more familiar with the city.

**** While solo traveling and soul-searching don’t lend themselves to a one-size-fits-all approach, generally the places that draw solo travelers are the ones that are the most interesting and unique, provide opportunities to enjoy nature and connect with others (and with yourself). Regardless of which place you’re targeting in the world, with these options covering just about every continent and style of travel, you can find a place that suits you.

Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over four years, covering every continent (except for Antarctica, but it’s on her list). There’s almost nothing she won’t try and almost nowhere she won’t explore. You can find more of her musings at Be My Travel Muse or on Instagram and Facebook.

Conquering Mountains: The Guide to Solo Female Travel

For a complete A-to-Z guide on solo female travel, check out Kristin’s new book, Conquering Mountains. Besides discussing many of the practical tips of preparing and planning your trip, the book addresses the fears, safety, and emotional concerns women have about traveling alone. It features over 20 interviews with other female travel writers and travelers. Click here to learn more about the book and start reading it today!  

For more articles by Kristin and solo female travel tips, click here.

The post 10 Awesome Destinations for Solo Female Travelers appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Traveling News https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/ten-solo-female-travel-spots/

[islandofkiwi-blog]

Time’s Mirror Episode 3 - A Web Series by Steven Embers

Chapter 3

 I sat at a bar stool in the kitchen and stared at the blue flames underneath the metal tea kettle. There was something enchanting about the flames, something about the way they danced like tiny, turquoise, teardrop wisps, synchronized in a perfect circle while their slow, swaying shimmy set the world above steaming with life. I reached out my hands and popped opened the lid of the kettle so I could hold my palms over the scalding, silver steam. The warm, wet air lazily lifted up and enveloped my hands and brushed in between my fingers and I imagined I was absorbing the energy of those dancing, blue flames.

           The steam was starting to form droplets at my fingertips when my father walked in through the door to the garage.

           “Hey,” he said, tossing back the hood of his dark green parka and running his hand through his short, brown hair.

           “Hey,” I returned, closing the lid of the kettle and wiping my hand on my pants. “You’re home early.”

           “Yeah, work blows,” he said, throwing his coat on the rack by the door.

           “Don’t I know it,” I replied, looking back at the blue flames.

           “Snow’s supposed to come tonight,” he said, rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt.

           “Huh.” I remarked, setting my chin down on the island to look under the kettle at eye level.

           He walked over towards the opposite end of the kitchen island where I was sitting and he started spooning tea leaves into a ceramic tea pot.

           “You’ve been talking to her, I see.” He whispered the vague pronoun; he knew she could always hear when someone was talking about her.

           “How did you know?” I asked.

           “You have that look on your face. The ‘EMC’ face.”

           I looked at him funny. “Pretty sure it’s called a ‘Eureka’ moment.”

           “Ah, so you know it. But not exactly. ‘EMC’ is a trademark classic from your mother. Epiphany, then Meaningless Chore, masterfully orchestrated by your very own, Morgan Prince. She’ll give you a vague life lesson or new outlook on life – because she has one for every situation – and then she sends you on a fifteen-minute assignment to figure out your life. She loves messing with your head, and you always leave feeling like a child. Hell, she might have even guessed your exact predicament without you ever saying so, that’s how much of a wizard she is.”

           “Giving away my secrets?” My mother walked through the kitchen door right on cue. “Pretty shoddy on the presentation don’t you think: lot of guess work, flimsy metaphor. I’d be a witch or a sorceress, but never a wizard. Gold star for flattery behind my back though.”

           She took a step closer to him, and greeted him “Hello, Darling.”

My dad replied “Hey, Kid,” and they kissed. She was just a couple inches shorter than he was, so they were able to stand like a two-headed, eight-limbed monster-thing when he craned his neck a little to rest his chin on her shoulder. He held her around the waist and we all stared at the blue flames for a short moment, disregarding that adage of the watched pot.

           “Bailey is thinking about what he wants to do with his life,” my mother said after a pause.

           “Oh, I take the wizard comment back,” my father quipped. “That definitely couldn’t have been hard to guess given that he’s a teenager.”

           “Don’t trivialize his situation.” She slapped the hand that was holding her. “Support your son.”

           “Not while you’re watching.” He winked at me, a sign I had learned to recognize to mean that he was trying to impart a twisted life lesson. “I can’t show my soft side in front of a woman or I’ll lose my place in Darwin’s Hall of Fame.”

           “Oh, please.” My mother scoffed, and they continued to argue while still in that weird, standing, spooning position. “You could literally point at any bunny and it would beat you in a number of survival competitions.”

           “What about that bunny out back who keeps falling into that window well? Pretty sure I’d be able to find my way out after the seventh time. And I would gladly take a seat below a bunny. They’re noble creatures.”

           My mother shook her head and pulled herself away from him. “Just talk to your son,” she said. The kettle started to whistle and she turned off the stove. I watched the blue flames fade away while she poured the water into the tea pot to steep.

           “Bailey, we’re behind you in whatever you want to do,” my father began. “That is unless what you want is to do is be a drug dealer or a dentist.” He had a weird thing with teeth.

           “Actually if you would like to get into dental practice reform and tell them they can stop putting cold, metal picks and power tools inside of my mouth I would be very appreciative. Just throwing that one out there.”

           I hadn’t said a single thing since my parents had started talking, so I wondered how they knew I just needed a little push in the right direction. They started making dinner and I went to do homework, but mostly I was thinking about my life, because I thought I had finally found what I was missing.

 From the time when you’re a kid, barely able to sit on the toilet seat by yourself, to the time you get out of college you’re continually asked one question:

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

A normal kid will answer something like “Doctor,” or “Firefighter,” or “Policeman,” but we all know the real answer for a kid between the ages of seven to twelve is something along the lines of, “Why are you asking me about this? I don’t know squat. Give me another year and I’ll try to figure it out.” And so it goes until the kid sits through enough Parent Career Days and figures out what the internet is and then the answer becomes “Marine Biologist,” or, “Archeologist,” or “Back-up dancer for that one rapper I like.”

           For me, somehow or another, I managed to skate by sixteen years of my life and still hadn’t come up with a real answer to that question. And right up until the conversation with my parents I had no idea that I was reaching the stage where that question becomes very important. I had this vague idea that I wanted to make people laugh, or maybe I wanted to help people in need, but somehow I was still at this point of “Hey. Let me have another year and I’ll get back to you.” But the problem with not knowing what you’re working towards means there’s nothing that you can focus on.

           The thing that I so desperately wanted was: ambition.

           That night was a pretty important for me in terms of sorting out who I really was. I started to think about people way back in the Stone Age. People who were fighting to survive – their purpose was very clear: don’t get eaten. It was kind of weird to think about, because I have the luxury of not having to worry about getting eaten by saber-tooth tigers, yet I struggle to find purpose when there is no saber-tooth to eat me.

           As my thoughts shifted to present day, however, I started to think about my lot in life. I had parents who loved each other, which I counted as very lucky, and moreover, they loved me. I had a roof over my head and food in my belly. I had friends that I could vent my problems to and video games to distract myself with. I had a sufficiently functioning brain and a body that wasn’t sick or dying. The only thing I could say was missing was an overarching purpose to it all.

           I was beginning to think that I didn’t hate being content, like my mother had thought, it was worse than that. I hated being happy.

           And that thought scared the hell out of me.

 And so I become aware of my problem, but completely unaware of a way to fix it. The next day, despite, again, the predictions of a terrible snowstorm, I find myself at school scuttling through the hallways like a dejected zombie, not even willing to raise my arms in self-defense as Dylan Clifford slaps me upside the head, and blames me for getting him yelled at in his math class.

           My mind is stuck in a sea of thought, which quickly reduces to muddled nonsense as the day drifts by. Depression becomes apathy and it is not until midday that I remember actually being conscious that day.

           I am in the bathroom on the second floor next to the Science classrooms and, after heeding nature’s call, I wash my hands – I am a zombie, not a barbarian – and I look into the reflecting glass and I see a wounded man and I think to myself: I cannot help you, friend, but I wish you luck, and I shuffle out of the restroom.

           I stand at the brink of the hallway and I become truly aware of my surroundings for the first time. I see a hundred students move past me and, for some reason, I see them differently than I remember ever seeing them before. My zombie state has given me a zombie-radar and I can distinguish the other zombies in the crowd; I notice the lackluster movement of bodies that differ from their excited or determined counterparts. I try to count those that seem to move with no purpose and I find a surprisingly even mix.

           I enter into the flow of students and I brush shoulders with the lively few that I see, hoping that I can sap some of their determination for myself. This game provides small interest for my mind and helps me retain whatever sanity I have left. I feel more beast than man now. I have lost connection with my inner thoughts – I passed my class two rooms ago yet I continue to walk.

           The number of bodies in the hallway has thinned as people find their classrooms and I find myself close to the end of the hall searching for something that isn’t present. I am prowling the familiar scenery, hoping I might find something that I missed, something that will save me from my depression.

           I search until something catches my eye that commands all of the focus that I have left. I cannot walk. I cannot move. I can only stare.

           I see a girl and she is more stunning than I can handle. She is an angel on the battlefield where I lie half-dying; a flower in the desolate wasteland that I call my home. Her dark amber hair flows like a waterfall as she tosses it after turning her gaze. Her lips pucker and unfurl like a ship’s sail kissing the wind. The bridge of her nose slopes to a dainty point, and her eyes shine like a pair of emeralds as they look directly at me.

           I am still a beast at this point, and true beauty cannot deign to know that one such as me gazes upon her. I look away for a moment, but I have so little will to resist that I find myself staring once again. She, for some humor, continues to look at me. A moment passes, maybe more, and the bell rings to signal class has begun.

           The ringing stops and our eyes are still locked. She approaches, but I cannot speak for I am a creature of body only. My senses have deserted me even as she continues to advance.

           She stops right in front of me. The heel on her boot allows her to stand nearly eye to eye with me, and her stare is unwavering. I fear she is about to say something and air escapes my mouth in a soft, primal growl. She does not snort; she does not walk away in disgust. She merely continues to look into my eyes as though she wishes to tame the beast inside of me. I can smell her now, her scent, not rough or overwhelming like perfume, but like a forest. She smells wild and intoxicating, yet serene and inviting.

           We remain silent, though I begin to feel the beast recede into the awkward boy that I truly am. I know that in moments, if the silence continues, I will have to break the stare and hum a safe song to myself to keep from bursting in flames of shame. Who is this girl, I think to myself, that she can break me with only her eyes? She seems to sense the beast is gone and she cocks her head as if to comment that I am no longer interesting.

           But, curiously enough, she moves her hand, palm facing upwards, like she is extending an introduction. Before I know how to react her hand has risen to my face. Her touch is soft and she traces the line of my jaw from my ear down to my chin. I begin to breathe heavier, being notoriously uncomfortable in close proximity to pretty ladies. Her thumb stops on my chin right below my lower lip and grips gently so that my mouth opens in a stupid gape. Her face comes closer to mine and my brain erupts in panic.

           I am about to kiss a stranger.

           She touches her lips to mine and her hand runs the line of my jaw back up behind my ear. Her kiss feels like velvet against my lips, and her nose pushes up against mine as she straightens her face and her lower lip glides along my mouth. I’m unaware of how to react, so I simply stand in shock, staring at her hair on her shoulder and smelling her scent and feeling my heart pound anxiously in my chest.

           As she pulls away our eyes meet once again and I notice that her lips seem a shade of blue, but I can’t be sure that was the color of them before we kissed. She appears to be looking at my mouth as well, perhaps assessing the quality. She smiles, at any rate, a coy smirk, and she presses a piece of paper into my hand. Then she winks once and turns to leave.

           I watch her walk away, unsure if I should call after her, but mostly wanting her to turn around so I can look at her face once more. But she keeps walking. She hasn’t made a single sound since I met her, and I happen to notice that she walks so lightly that her boots barely even click against the hard floor.

           As she disappears I become aware of myself, but completely unaware of what to do next.

           “What…” I say.

TO BE CONTINUED!