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sirpoley · 4 years ago

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On the Full Plate Threshold and the Nature of Money

"Can I buy a magic sword?"

This is a question that seems straightforward, but is actually fraught with follow-on implications that are not obvious. It is also one that's asked at some point in any D&D campaign. You might be thinking, as GM, that you're making a choice about the setting of your campaign (is this a high-magic or low-magic world, a desert island, a major trade city, etc). While you are making this decision, you're also deciding (perhaps without knowing) what money is in this game. You're deciding whether your adventuring party will build castles or not, whether they'll hire armies or not, whether they'll go adventuring or not, whether they'll be greedy or not, and whether they'll care about rewards at all after the fighter gets her hands on a set of Full Plate.

In my experience, money in RPGs is used for one of six things: character power, narrative power, oxygen, skill, XP, or nothing.

Money as Character Power

This paradigm is the one most familiar to 3.x veterans such as myself, and is the direct result of allowing magic items to be purchased freely for money. This allows players to invest money in their character's powers and strengths in the same way they do with skills and feats. There is a slightly different set of constraints on how money is spent than skill points (which is to say, the party must find a city), and may be further restrictions still (such as 3.x's limitations on the most expensive items that can be bought in each size of settlement), but at the end of the day, players can pretty much buy whatever they have money for.

In essence, if a player can convert currency into better stats, damage, armour, etc., then in your system, money is character power and should be treated as such. The GM should keep a close eye on how they hand out treasure and quest rewards, as too little or too much money can easily result in difficulty balancing encounters. Third edition D&D came with a table stipulating how much money each character should have at each level (the (in)famous "Wealth by Level" table) and balanced monster CR based off of this assumption. In my younger years, I GM'd several campaigns in which I restricted purchase of magic items because of campaign setting reasons (it was a low magic setting, or the party was far from civilization, or whatever), and then was shocked as the party struggled against ethereal monsters or monsters with damage reduction, yet with CR far below their level. Additionally, such restrictions won't affect all characters equally—a 3.5-era sorcerer, for instance, can operate just fine despite absolute poverty, while a fighter will really feel the lack of a level-appropriate magic sword. Monks, despite not using weapons or armour, are ironically among the classes most dependent on magic items because of their dependency on multiple ability scores.

Determining whether your system assumes money as character power may not be immediately obvious, but as a GM, it is crucial that you find out. D&D's modern-era spinoff, D20 Modern, does not use money as character power, as you can't simply buy better and better guns as you level up—once you've realized that the FN 5-7 pistol and the HK G11 rifle are mathematically the best guns and you've bought them (which you can easily do as a first-level character), you're set for the rest of the campaign. However, D20 Modern variant campaign settings, such as D20 Future and Urban Arcana, do allow you to directly convert money into character power, as the reintroduction of D&D-esque magic items of Urban Arcana and the "build your own gear" gadget-system of D20 Future allow unlimited wealth to be converted to unlimited power.

What to Watch as a GM: Ensure a steady trickle of monetary rewards that increase as the players level, realize that players will be increasingly antsy to reach town the more treasure they have, keep an eye on any game-provided wealth-by-level suggestions, and be wary about player-driven "get rich quick" schemes and item crafting systems. Be very cautious about allowing a PC to borrow money from an in-world bank or other lender, as they could quickly invest that money in magic items and destabilize the game balance.

Advantages: Combing through books to find perfect magic/sci-fi items is very appealing to some players, and it allows the GM to dangle money in front of his or her players to hook them on adventures.

Disadvantages: Can lead to very hurt feelings (and huge game imbalances) if a character is robbed/disarmed in–game, as it is functionally equivalent to erasing a feat from their character sheet. Further, the game can break down very quickly if there is a wealth disparity among the party, as there are more than simple roleplaying repercussions to playing a "rich" or "poor" character. Some players find this system "video gamey," and others feel that it overwhelmingly encourages players to steal everything not nailed down.

Best For: Combat-heavy games in which a "build" is important, high magic/soft sci-fi settings.

Money as Narrative Power

When money sees its most use bribing officials, hiring mercenary armies, building castles, or funding large-scale operations of any kind, money in your system directly converts to "narrative power." Players can use cash to influence the game world and the direction of the story, but not necessarily to deal more damage in combat (or heal more, or buff more, or whatever). This is where D&D 5e tends to get to after low levels (see "Crossing the Streams" for more on this). Many gritty, film noir-esque stories rely on key characters being dangerously in debt and are called to adventure by motivation to pay off said debt. Depending on the details of the campaign world, however, Players might stop caring about money entirely if it doesn’t directly relate to the plot or some kind of scheme.

What to Watch as a GM: If you come from a legacy of "Money as Character Power" games, you might have to remind yourself to loosen your grip if one or more characters seems to be accumulating "too much" money. Just because money doesn't have direct applications in combat and adventuring doesn't mean it isn't an important game resource—be sure to provide opportunities for players to use their money to solve problems, or else they'll quickly ignore it entirely.

Advantages: Allows a host of narrative options restricted by "Money as Character Power" games, such as managing businesses, organizations, or fiefdoms. Allows a wealth disparity between party members with only moderate issues. Additionally, allows stories involving borrowing and lending money without breaking balance in half, and overall can feel quite freeing.

Disadvantages: Can still cause problems if one PC is notably wealthier or poorer than the rest, depending on the players themselves, as they might end up driving the story. Unless finances are baked into the plot, using money as a reward is unlikely to garner much interest on behalf of the players.

Best For: Gritty realism, power politics, games that will eventually result in characters becoming lords/ladies/CEOs/etc.

Money as a Skill

In some ways, this is the exact opposite of "Money as Character Power"—when money is treated in your system as a skill, players have to sacrifice combat power in exchange for wealth. For instance, in the Fate-based Dresden Files RPG, if a player selects Resources to be one of their better skills, they are consciously giving up choosing, say, Weapons or Fists as a good skill. In such a system, a character's wealth is abstracted, and largely unaffected by major purchases or sales. Similarly, monetary quest rewards are pretty much off the table unless similarly abstracted.

This system strongly encourages huge disparities in wealth between party members, allowing rich and poor characters to solve problems equally well, just in different ways.

Note that "Money as a Skill" doesn't just mean that purchases are handled by skill checks, but rather that the wealth of a character is as core, internal, and untouchable as their other core stats, like Strength, Agility, etc. D20 Modern uses a system similar to skill checks to handle finances, but a character's Wealth score fluctuates hugely when they buy or sell things, so doesn't entirely fit in this paradigm.

Sometimes these systems do away with money altogether, such as the mecha rpg LANCER, which exists in a post-scarcity world entirely without money. Equipment is earned by getting progressively better "licenses," which authorize PCs to replicate increasingly powerful weapons and mecha shells.

What to Watch as a GM: You'll have to find ways to motivate players without monetary rewards, and be sure to find opportunities to reward players who invested in their "money" skill, either through narrative or scenario design, just as you would ensure to place a few traps in every dungeon for a rogue to disarm.

Advantages: Allows (and, indeed, almost requires) large wealth discrepancies between characters, and greatly reduces bookkeeping.

Disadvantages: Tends to be highly abstract, which can lead to a mismatch of expectations (such as if players start looting bodies to sell, with absolutely no mechanical impact, or being unsure if "+5 wealth" is middle-class or Bezos-class).

Best For: Narrative games without much focus on accumulating wealth and treasure, but in which money still matters.

Money as XP

This is the oldest of all old-school approaches, and in many ways the logical extreme of "Money as Character Power." When money is used as XP, acquiring gold directly leads to characters increasing in level. Sometimes this requires spending the money (i.e., donations to charity, training, or spell research resulting in XP gains), while other times, it only means acquiring the money (in which case, you have to answer the question of what players are to do with all this accumulated wealth after its primary purpose—giving them XP—has been achieved). This approach has largely been left by the wayside, and many modern players will discount it out of hand, but I'd encourage you to stop and think about it: we already accept that fighting more powerful monsters and overcoming more difficult challenges lead to greater XP and greater material rewards, so why not cut out the middleman and just say the material rewards are XP? One caveat is that, even moreso than with "Money as Character Power," this can result in PCs doing anything to get their hands on cold, hard cash—but, conversely, by removing (or downplaying) combat XP, it can also result in encouraging peaceful or stealthy approaches to solutions. This would lead into a whole conversation about when and how to give out XP, and what behaviours this decision encourages around the tabletop, but such a discussion is outside the scope of this essay.

This system works well for GMs that want their players to be treasure-hungry, like in Money as Character Power, but don't like the inevitable proliferation of magic items that results.

As with "Money as Character Power," under such a paradigm, GM's must keep a close eye on PC's pocketbooks. Taking away their treasure, either through in-game theft, a rust monster, or similar, will lead to frustration and hard feelings. Similarly, anything that lets players turn a profit without adventuring, such as item crafting or simply by getting a day job, could destabilize the game unexpectedly—many systems specify that only treasure found while adventuring counts towards XP, though determining what counts as "while adventuring" can be something of a headache (albeit not an insurmountable one). Additionally, this system strongly discourages wealth imbalances between PCs, as they directly result in some PCs being higher level than others.

Given how out-of-style this is in tabletop games, it's perhaps surprising that several modern video game RPGs fall into this category in the late game. In Skyrim, for example, after I'd bought the best weapons and armour that could be found in shops, future resources went into buying all the world's iron and leather to grind up my Smithing skill again and again, giving myself easy levels.

What to Watch for as GM: Same as with "Money as Character Power."

Advantages: Eliminates post-battle XP calculation entirely, encourages players to avoid direct confrontation, and gives players a very strong monetary motivation (which can also be a disadvantage) without resulting in a high-magic world.

Disadvantages: Can strike some players as unintuitive, and strongly encourages desperate treasure-hunting (which can also be an advantage).

Best For: Games involving treasure-hunting and exploration.

Money as Oxygen

With Money as Oxygen, money becomes something that players need a steady stream of just to survive. Maybe they're deeply in debt, have to make rent payments, have to maintain their equipment, or just have to feed themselves. The reason for their regular thirst for wealth might be narrative (rent, debt, etc.) or mechanical (equipment maintenance, etc.) in nature. In Traveller, a huge source of motivation for the party is just trying to keep ahead of mortgage payments for your starship. Money becomes the same as food, water, and air—a vital necessity that you simply always need more of.

With Money as Oxygen, players constantly have to eye their dwindling bank accounts and do cost-benefit calculations before accepting a mission, or else disaster could strike. This is a very, very different genre from "Money as Character Power" or even "Money as Narrative Power," as it rarely results in the party spending their money on anything other than survival. Unless they really hit a gold mine, they won't use money to upgrade weapons or armour, or to buy land and power, because doing so runs the risk of starvation/bankruptcy/etc.

This probably isn't the paradigm to use for most D&D-esque campaigns, as it can (and should) result in players actively avoiding heroic archetypes—if survival depends on a paycheck; the crusade against evil is someone else's problem.

What to Watch for as GM: This paradigm is bookkeeping-heavy, so make sure the players understand that from the get-go. Also, anyone expecting "Money as Character Power" might find themselves frustrated by their ever-dwindling resources. Make sure you have a very good handle on the math of the players' survival (that is, exactly how many gold pieces/dollars/credits they need to survive a week) or you might accidentally underpay them and lead them to ruin. Not that this shouldn't happen; it just shouldn't happen by accident. If you accidentally give them too much money, feel free to timeskip ahead several months until they're broke again, or dangle another moneysink in front of them, like a one-of-a-kind, now-or-never opportunity to buy a shiny magic item or spaceship upgrade (dipping judiciously into Money as Character Power).

Advantages: Makes the players feel poor, desperate, and downtrodden.

Disadvantages: Both the players and the GM have to keep a very, very close eye on finances in order to maintain tension. If paired with a mechanical system that doesn't result in substantial character progression from XP (such as skills, feats, etc.), then players can feel stuck and lacking motivation.

Best Used For: anything that can be accurately described with the words "seedy underbelly."

Money for Nothing

We've all played games in which money is straight-up useless. In many Zelda games, for example, like the classic Ocarina of Time, monsters drop rupees all through the game. In addition, there are secrets, hidden chests, and puzzles that pay out rupee rewards as if the game thinks they would make you happy. After the first hour of the game, it becomes blindingly obvious that there's no point to this money, as the things you would buy (arrows, sticks, bombs) are just as freely dropped from monsters and bushes. Many other video games hit this point after the early game as well (like Diablo II, where monsters continue to drop thousands and thousands of gold throughout the game, but there's nothing worthwhile to spend it on).

I personally can't see any advantages to this system, as I don't think it's chosen by design.

Crossing the Streams

Of course, few games fall strictly into one of the above categories, and most aim to do two or even three, which can lead to some common pitfalls. For example, the 3e splatbook the Stronghold Builder's Guide allowed players to spend tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of GP on elaborate castles and mansions. These was very cool, and the rulebook is one of my favourites from the edition… but I've never seen it used in actual play, because any player who did so would find themselves handicapped for the remainder of the campaign, as they hadn't invested their gold in magic items, as the system requires you to. (Again: the math of monster design in 3.x assumes and requires that player characters gain magic items at a set rate).

Some of the paradigms play nicer with each other than others. For example, many variants of "Money as XP" practically require a secondary output for money. Unless the XP is only gained by spending the money, all of that accumulated loot has to go somewhere—typically either into magic items (Money as Character Power) or into strongholds (Money as Narrative Power). Games that have large-scale battle rules (which, I've been told, ACKS does, though I haven't played it firsthand) blur the lines between Narrative and Player power, because the castles and hirelings a player buys actually do something, mechanically, though they typically don't help you in an actual dungeon. "Money as Oxygen," similarly, may require temporarily dipping into another paradigm to bleed off surplus money from the party to keep them permanently poor (something Traveller does gracefully by allowing incredibly-expensive spaceship upgrades).

The Full Plate Threshold

The Full Plate Threshold: once the players have bought the most expensive item available to them, the nature of money permanently changes.

One very common dynamic is for games to have Money as Character Power in early levels, and transition to another paradigm (or fall into Money for Nothing) at later levels. This is particularly common in video game RPGs, where after the early game, nothing anyone sells in stores is of any value whatsoever (or if they do, the price is trivial), yet despite this, monsters continue to drop thousands upon thousands of gold. If these games have a multiplayer aspect, players usually settle on a rare item as the de facto "currency" for trades.

This is also the dynamic that results when the sale of magic items in D&D-esque games is restricted, as in early levels, players save up to buy half-plate to replace their breastplates, warhorses to replace their feet, composite bows to replace their shortbows, and so-on. Once the most expensive upgrade has been bought (in D&D, the last character to make this transition is typically the fighter, as the best mundane armour available is a steep 1,500 GP in 3.x and 5e—a friend of mine dubbed this the "Full Plate Threshold" after my 5e paladin bought full plate, and we all suddenly stopped caring about gold), money is no longer convertible to Character Power. At this point, which can happen between level 3 and 7 depending on character class, system, and GM generosity, the nature of money in the campaign will change. This could result in the widening of scope in the campaign, as players invest in land, armies, and castles, or it could result in money piling up like in Diablo or Final Fantasy, totally meaninglessly. Similarly, many campaigns that start with "Money as Oxygen" can escalate into "Money as Narrative Power" as players finally hit the jackpot, and no longer need to worry about maintenance/mortgages/etc.

As a GM, handling this transition can be tricky. If it sneaks up on you without realizing (many 5e D&D GMs might not know (because they weren't told), for instance, that the nature of money changes dramatically the second someone buys full plate), they might suddenly find their players disinterested and bored around the table even though seemingly nothing else has changed. Their adventures are just as gripping, their monsters just as scary, their dungeons just as unique... but the players seem to be just going through the motions If your system or campaign doesn't have an endless supply of increasingly-expensive bits and baubles for players to buy, you're going to have to manage this transition, whether you want it or not.

Wrapping Up

There is no objective "right" or "wrong" way to handle money in an RPG, but some methods definitely work better for certain genres than others, as changing the "rules" of money in your campaign will massively change the feel and pace of the game. On the same note, be careful of follow-on effects from changing the rules: simply saying "magic items can't be bought," without making any other changes, will lead 3.x campaigns into a series of very predictable roadblocks (weakening martial characters, unevenly and unpredictably increasing encounter difficulty, and potentially eliminating motivation to go on some adventures) that you have to have solutions to. Similarly, adding a "magic item store" to a system not initially designed for it, such as D20 Modern, can lead to massive imbalance and weird behaviour. For instance, due to bizarre math, even relatively powerful magic daggers fall below the threshold at which rich characters lose wealth points in that system, making them literally free, while buying an unenchanted, off-the-shelf AK-47 (which is just above that same threshold) permanently drops the wealth bonus of any character. This leads to the system incentivizing any problem that can be solved with thousands of +3 Daggers being solved with thousands of +3 Daggers in a way that neither GMs nor (I assume) game designers intended.

These incentives matter. If a game penalizes one option and incentivizes another, that second option is just going to be taken more often. Maybe a lot more often. If you can align your campaign's incentives with desired behaviour for your players, you'll save a lot of headache, frustration, and counter-intuitive behaviour for everyone involved.

#D&D #D&D5e #d&d 3.5 #RPGs #TravellerRPG #Traveller

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thekidultlife · 5 years ago

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The Most Convenient Escape | Jihoon Soulmate! AU (2)

⍟ Pairing: Jihoon x fem!reader

⍟ AU: Fantasy/ Soulmate AU

⍟ Genre: ANGST, SLOW BURN, fluff

⍟ Warnings: swearing, mentions of abuse, drinking, and sex

⍟ Word Count: 5.2k

⍟ Synopsis: For all your life, you have a deep disdain towards Soulmate Bonds, so much so that you are able to write opinions about it in a local newspaper. However, as life would have it, you wake up one day bonded to a person you hardly knew. Throwing in an investigation, annoying roommates, and a revolution looming just beneath the surface, you had to seek for the most convenient escape.

RIOTS AT THE PARLIAMENT by Jeon Wonwoo

The Porta Persa Edition, August 30

On the morning of the 29th, news of the passing of the reformed Soulmate bill in Parliament incurred throes of protesters in front of the building. Armed with handmade placards and their own voices, each were shouting the alleged corruptness rooted in the said decision. Effigies of the King and the Prime Minister were burned and branded as 'capitalist bootlickers'. According to the leader of the Free Will Movement, a student activist named Lee Chan, they all have gathered to voice out their overdue dissatisfaction in the government and its ineffective actions towards domestic and sexual violence. He says that people needed to be aware of the crimes committed under the name of the Soulmate bond.

What prompted these events was the case of Himi Gestalt who was murdered at her home June last year, a crime which was later on confessed to by the owner of Luce Trading Co., her husband and soulmate, Rene Gestalt. While the lower courts had deemed Mr. Gestalt guilty, further appeals were made in Higher Court where he was, instead, absolved of the crime. Motions were then made for the Parliament to amend the hundred-year-old Soulmate Bonding law, in order to prevent such incidents to happen again, and such amendment, after a year, has now been decided upon and passed for the prime minister and the King to sign.

According to one Parliament member of the Santaragossa Assembly, Rep. Lee Jihoon, the bill has been decided with the intentions of the people in mind. In his opinion, while the bill may seem unsatisfactory to some, necessary changes to the proposed bill were made in order to form an agreeable consensus.

The gathering of protesters however did not end peacefully, only dispersing after the Royal Guard appeared and tried to arrest the protesters. None were arrested yet most surely, some were injured in the process…

◇

The sun was high, the birds singing eagerly: it was time for lunch. As if separated from the troubles of the world by the tall wisteria trees and ancient walls of the Royal Academy, students leisurely attended to their hunger.

"I'd say you were lucky to get out of there," you remarked, pushing your homemade lemonade to Wonwoo, who drank it eagerly.

"It wasn't really that intense, you know," he replied, shrugging.

"You're just too relaxed under pressure," Soonyoung answered back. "If I hadn't gotten your call and threw in a carriage for you, you would've been arrested."

The three of you shared a rather peaceful lunch together at the courtyard just after morning classes. In your uniforms and carefully prepared seafood pasta, the three of you chatted domestic affairs as if it were your love lives. It was definitely something you preferred more than the latter.

"In my opinion though, the protests were well deserved," you started, "The Parliament couldn't even keep its own integrity with how they're trying to appease these corporations."

Wonwoo shrugged, "Well, they do have a motive. Some representatives are part of the sex trafficking scheme we talked about before: people who are powerful enough to tame the amendment. The Gestalt case was just the tip of the iceberg; an ugly head roaring out of the shadows."

"How's your investigation going with that though?" Soonyoung asked, his eyes gazing seriously at the cooked scallop.

"At a dead end. I better find new leads soon," he replied as he took a forkful of fettucini. "But I do believe it'll take some time."

"That's true, but our newspaper is already under fire," you remarked solemnly. "We hardly have any time before they crack on us as well. Soonyoung's and your father's influence can't save us all the time."

The three of you sighed and nodded.

"You think the monarchy is in this as well?" You asked.

"Maybe." Wonwoo shrugged again, glancing at the other male.

"I've seen the money trail go all the way up though, so it's possible," Soonyoung whispered, incharge of looking into the monetary accounts and the financial side of things.

A shiver crept underneath your skin.

"It's deeper than we initially thought. If we still want to go with this report, we really should be careful," you warned them, looking each into their eyes as they understood that this was no longer a silly impulse made by three university students.

Silence passed the three of you. Only the sound of the breeze rustling through the colorful flowers adorning the surroundings could be heard, as well as the white noise of chatter and carefree laughter. The gravity of the situation finally weighed down on you three.

"Right so, uh…" Soonyoung spoke, unable to tolerate the awkwardness and the tension around him.

A sweatdrop on your cheek. "Right."

"I must say though, it was surprising that you have Lee Jihoon as your roommate," Wonwoo started with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

While he was usually stoic and silent, Wonwoo tends to be playful from time to time with his teasing, dad jokes and hit-or-miss puns. An intelligent individual, Wonwoo was your newspaper's government correspondence, lurking in the parliament or at the courts using his politician father's influence.

"I don't see any wrong in that," you replied, rolling your eyes, a chicken panini on your hands.

"Well, for one, he's quite popular despite his abrasiveness," Wonwoo said as he adjusted his glasses.

"He's a classmate of yours, right?" Soonyoung asked his bespectacled friend, now lying comfortably on the freshly trimmed lawn.

"We share a few classes. Usually he's busy working so I see him more often when I sit on Parliament sessions, than inside the classroom."

The other male whistled. "I surely can't imagine having him as a roommate. He looks like a neat and orderly type of person. Does he even have a soulmate yet?"

"Not much I can say. We rarely talk or even see each other and no opportunity has been provided for such interactions," you remarked, tugging your sleeve down.

"Regardless, girls in my class would kill for your position. Lee Jihoon, his power and his money is that popular."

"I'd rather kill to have your dorm room!" The other male interjected, whining at how unfair the world was while you grinned at him.

"That's one reason I stayed, you know," you told him, getting a bite on a tomato slice. "As long as we mind our own business, there wasn't any problem to be honest."

You definitely sighed at this, remembering another thing you have to keep your own business to, yet as soon as you recalled this certain memory though, you had it banished from your thoughts.

"That is fortunate to hear then. I was contemplating that you would wish to change rooms," Wonwoo offered. "It's not that hard to talk to the administration."

"That's right! We can talk to the school for you~" Soonyoung chimed in.

You sighed. I'd rather not use your families' influence with something like this.

"You need not to worry. Lee Jihoon isn't that hard to live with. At most, we would exchange small greetings but that's all there is to it."

Your friends raised their brows. "Are you sure?"

Nodding without a word, you concisely ended the conversation about Lee Jihoon. Any more mention of his name might summon his presence in front of you three.

"Oh, by the way, Y/N. For your next editorial, you're going to interview a few people in a soulmate bond, is that correct?" Wonwoo asked, looking into a leather bound journal in his hands, clearly his planner.

"Yes, maybe after class. I've already contacted a few people to interview," you replied as you began to clean up. "This shouldn't be much of a task."

"Wait! Y/N gets to interview people?!" Soonyoung suddenly cried, sitting up from his relaxed position on the grass. "While I have to look into shipment laws?!"

"You do study International Trade, in case you've forgotten," Wonwoo, who was a Magical Law major replied, again adjusting his glasses.

Soonyoung whined, and slumped back on the grass in his random dramatics. "Why do you guys study such cool things?"

"You're an heir of a business empire."

"Besides, you like your major anyway. You're just being extra."

"Please stop bullying me!"

Soonyoung complained, tackling you both to the ground. Bouts of laughter echoed across the courtyard as the three of you enjoyed days such as these. You wished it would just stay like this forever.

It was almost a week after classes began and to say they were challenging was an understatement. The Academy was definitely not for slackers yet you still managed to balance it out with your responsibilities as a budding journalist, albeit with great effort. Every day's end left you exhausted even though you only had a few classes in your schedule, plus the amount of studying you had to do at night.

Despite all that though, classes were very much enjoyable. The topics discussed were definitely right up your alley. Rather than a chore, studying has become a bit more interesting than before.

"Among the most ancient types of magic is the Soulmate Bond. It is as old as the mountains, older than the Kingdom of Porta Persa."

You sighed on your seat. This was the least interesting of them all.

"Soulmate Bonds connect two people either through their thoughts, their emotions or their memories. These connections are essential to deepen this bond, even though these two people are inherently compatible with one another. Of course not all thoughts, emotions or memories can be transmitted through the connection. If there are no issues with the bond, then they are able to control whichever they wish to transmit."

Another sigh from you. This class was solely giving you a headache. The teacher was an old magus who, according to her, served under the King's Royal Magis for more than a quarter of her life. Now too old to actually perform duties, she was now teaching Ancient Magic History.

Nevertheless, the class was irritating and boring.

'I wouldn't be surprised if you hated this class.'

Those weren't your thoughts.

Pursing your lips, you adjusted your position on your seat and braced yourself.

'I thought we had already established rules? '

The other side of the line was silent for a while.

'The 'rules' merely state that you are uninterested in knowing a single thing about me, which of course, is fine by all means. But that doesn't mean I am prohibited wanting to know more about you.'

Massaging your temples, you could feel a headache breaking out in a few moments.

'You definitely know not a single thing about making rules.' Your soulmate continued.

The problem with this bond, you realized, was that you can't actually hear their voice. It's just information arriving into your head that you know what they were saying. Your tampering neither helped nor stopped you from arriving at this situation at all.

'Regardless of my rule-making capabilities, let me remind you what those rules were since you seemed to have forgotten all about it.'

Propping your head on your arm as you pretended to take notes, you scowled at the air.

'First, there shall be no communication between the two of us. I am unwilling to know you, to meet you, to share any of my thoughts to you.'

'Denied.'

You exhaled, exasperated.

'What do you mean by that? Didn't you agree to it before?'

'Well, I am no longer agreeing to it now. Besides, your little rules are obviously to your own benefit. I don't mind not meeting you, yet I propose I get to talk to you at certain times of the day.'

'The week. Make it two times a week.'

'Four times, out of seven days.'

You clicked your tongue. You were totally unprepared for something like this.

'Fine. Four times.'

You had a feeling your soulmate was smirking on the other side, much to your chagrin.

'Glad we can come to a consensus.'

You knew you were not going to like them.

'I know you're just trying to make me fall for you.'

They were laughing on the other side, you didn't need to guess.

'I don't even need to try. You will fall for me eventually.'

A sudden need to defend yourself welled up inside you; their words wounding your pride.

'Absolutely not.' You bristled.

'Whatever you say. There are reasons why the Universe brought us together, and even if you force it to bend to your will, it will simply backfire on you.'

Completely livid, the only thing that was stopping you from blowing was the fact that you were in the middle of a class. Instead, you breathed in and out to calm yourself down.

'Just from this conversation, I could already tell that the Universe has been largely mistaken in bringing us together. A person with no sense of agency and a total lack of concern for others would be the last person I shall prevail upon to marry.'

You could already tell they were affected by your emotions by the way they bid time to compose themselves.

'There are things that you can change while there are those which you cannot. You should know the difference.' They paused. 'Yet I doubt it. You can't even tell that I am a guy or anything about me for that matter.'

'I'm not interested--'

'Run while you can then. Though I'd assume you could hardly go that far anyway.'

Wanting to defend yourself, he had only cut you off at every opportunity, leaving you hanging with your own words.

'I must apologize for taking so much of your time. Until then, my dear soulmate.'

As he spoke those last words with utter spite, like spitting on the ground, the communication went silent, leaving you embarrassed and furious in the middle of class.

Obstinate.

If there was one thing that Lee Jihoon wanted to do right now, it would definitely be something like plopping on his bed back in his dorm room and sleeping the rest of the century off.

That way, he wouldn't have to worry about mulish soulmates or fucking lobbyists.

If it wasn't clear yet that he was exhausted right down to his very bones, then he didn't know how to express it anymore. His work was gratifying, sure. He liked creating proposals, he liked battling wits with other representatives, he liked things to get better in Porta Persa. But oftentimes, the risk reward ratio was just too unbalanced.

He threw away the pair of glasses he was wearing onto the desk in front of him carelessly, allowing it to bump on the stacks of binders arranged neatly on top. Loosening his tie, he never thought it was this exhausting.

Jihoon sighed.

The glistening horizontal bars around his wrist seemed to be mocking him; laughing at his rather peculiar situation. He definitely knew a few things about his soulmate just from the stray thoughts which enter his mind from time to time: student in the Academy, hates the soulmate bond with passion, probably a writer. With how brash she was, it was easy to deduce a bit of information.

"You are certainly mistaken."

Whispering to himself long after that conversation, it was as if he had been wounded by her words. If that was indeed the case, Jihoon gave no indication nor confirmation. He simply sat there in his office in the Parliament building, skipping his own classes.

Removing him from his reverie, a small knock came at his door, only to see Jeon Wonwoo, a classmate of his, greeting him with a deadpan look.

"Jihoon, I heard you were looking for me?" He asked, standing tall and adjusting his glasses.

The dark haired male sat up straight from his seat and glanced at Wonwoo, assessing the situation from his position, before he opened his drawer to place a newspaper on the table.

He pushed the newspaper before Wonwoo and propped his head on an arm.

"You and Kwon Soonyoung own this newspaper?" Jihoon asked, his voice devoid of any sort of emotion, a skill he had honed during countless hearings.

The other stared at Jihoon for a while, weighing his words and planning what he was about to say. Wonwoo might be slow yet he was careful.

"Soonyoung owns The Porta Persa Edition on paper, but I'm listed as co-founder. Why do you ask?" He finally answered.

Yet underneath those words was another question unmentioned: 'Are you trying to set us up in a trap?'

Jihoon leaned against his chair, crossing his arms in and legs in a power position. Wonwoo knew the other was trying to intimidate him yet if Jihoon had known any better, Soonyoung would've reacted in his favor.

"No reason in particular," Jihoon replied.

How dishonest. Wonwoo thought as he watched the other.

"Though I must say, your Alex Fireflower sure has been quite provocative over the recent months," he continued, side-eyeing Wonwoo.

"Alex Fireflower writes editorial pieces which are fundamentally their own opinions. It is up to the reader if they wish to be provoked," Wonwoo countered. What a long-winded introduction.

"I am well aware of that," he glared at Wonwoo, as the other remained poker-faced. "Yet that is not the reason why I asked of you."

Wonwoo raised a questioning brow. Here it comes.

"I wanted to talk about the Gestalt case," Jihoon began, while Wonwoo looked at him with a look akin to surprise.

Did he just use his power to summon me so that we can talk about the Gestalt case? Wonwoo was perplexed and refused to believe there was no ulterior motive over this.

"What about it?" Wonwoo asked. "I mean, it's quite straightforward."

"Well, it is straightforward but I wanted to know your thoughts about it."

My thoughts? Is it because of the article I wrote? The tall male was apprehensive yet answered nonetheless.

"Rene Gestalt murdered his wife Himi Gestalt. The evidence was against the defendant and the verdict of the lower courts was sound. However I believe the higher court's decision was highly politicized, instead of objective weighing of evidence."

Wonwoo dared not to mention any of the investigative work he was doing regarding that case and how far he had sunk deep into the mystery. He was wary of Lee Jihoon and what his motives were when he asked him about the case.

"But that would mean that the Soulmate Bond is a faulty system if soulmates are able to murder each other," Jihoon replied, his expression hard but unreadable.

"Yes, it is a faulty system. If I say so myself, Alex Fireflower is right by saying that if this system was indeed perfect in the first place, then why is there a need to have divorce laws and violence against women and children laws?"

Jihoon arched a brow at Wonwoo.

"Then, do you think it is necessary to remove the Soulmate Bond all together?" He asked, fiddling with the glasses he had thrown on the table a little while ago. "You did say that it was a faulty system and Alex Fireflower, as I have read, seem to insinuate that we should be done with it."

Wonwoo felt a sweat drop down his cheek. This was really intimidation. If you were in his position what would you even do? You hated the whole thing and would've answered passionately, no matter how incomplete your logic was. If Wonwoo was indeed nervous, he didn't even try to show it. He was as level headed and cool as ever when he answered.

"What needs to be removed is the clear propaganda spread by this government by painting the bond as something perfect. Not the bond and all of its entirety. I believe that it has created millions of beautiful relationships, yet there are some which are less than perfect. Rather than making it seem like something complete, the soulmate bond is aiding us to a person who could help us grow into someone better and more mature."

Jihoon hummed at his reply, fully considering it.

"Then that would mean that the system itself is not faulty but the people who falsely interpret it as such," he snatched the newspaper on his desk and began folding it into half. "The government did no such thing as propaganda. If people wish to express the happiness they experienced due to the bond, we are in no position to stop such expression, as we are in no position to repress your freedom of expression in your little newspaper."

Wonwoo almost sighed. It wasn't because Jihoon was a particularly brilliant debater, he was just good at disarming people and diverting topics at an alarming rate that Wonwoo, who was slow in reaction, cannot efficiently fend off.

"Then let's go back to the Gestalt case," Jihoon continued. "If the system is not inherently faulty, but the parties involved, then it is suffice to say that something went wrong between the two of them."

The taller male narrowed his eyes. "What are you implying then?"

Jihoon made a paper fan out of the newspaper and began stroking his cheek with it as he prepared for his answer.

"If the bond is sound and properly working, then it would be virtually impossible to kill your soulmate who is basically your other half. It's suicide."

Wonwoo blinked, several times in fact. As Jihoon's last two words swirled inside his mind, he felt this door of darker unknowns opening up before him, ready to swallow him whole. How did...? Does Lee Jihoon know…?

On the other hand, Jihoon who was observing Wonwoo's reaction was smirking behind the paper fan.

"It looks like we seem to agree on a few things about the Soulmate Bond," the darker haired male continued when Wonwoo gave no response. "However, your dear Alex Fireflower would gladly beg to differ, wouldn't they? Anyway, that's all I wish to ask. You're free to leave if there's nothing else."

The politician was already dismissing Wonwoo who was still digesting everything that has happened, and has even more questions to ask. While that would be convenient, he was worried about placing himself in such a precarious position especially in the middle of his investigation with a new lead to work on. Deciding to leave it as it is for today, Wonwoo bid farewell.

"I'm glad to have this conversation with you Jihoon. I shall be excusing myself now," he finally said, turning around and walking towards the door.

However, as he was halfway out of the doorway, Jihoon stopped him.

"While you're at it Wonwoo, I should warn you to be cautious. Calling the government as propagandists with no factual evidence can lead to libel cases, if I'm not mistaken," he told him.

Making a wry smile as he went out, Wonwoo could feel Jihoon's intense stare at the nape of his neck like a panther ready to pounce.

Now I know why I've been called.

You could feel a sweatdrop roll down your cheek; a polite tight-lipped smile on your lips.

You were slowly descending into madness, being surrounded by all this madness.

"You know Y/N, meeting my soulmate was the most incredible experience I ever felt. The connection just appeared one day while I was buying groceries and finally meeting him was just...oh no, this is quite embarrassing."

The woman who was around her early thirties was gushing about her partner in front of you who was slowly detaching from the present moment.

"I-I see...but, I mean, surely he wasn't what you were expecting, right? Are there times where you would think of someone else?" You tried once more, pen poised on your notepad.

The woman, who was named Cecille, placed her hand on her chest and knitted her brows, seemingly offended by your question.

"Oh dear, why would I do something like that? Philippe is my soulmate. What are you even implying by those questions?"

You made an awkward chuckle, hiding your growing embarrassment.

"A-ah, is that so Madam? I can totally see the strong bond you have with your husband!"

There was really no escape.

Sighing as you kicked a stray pebble on the street, you were so close to being kicked out of the woman's house. Crawling your way to finish the interview without crossing the line was kind of difficult.

One last interview.

"I'll ask Madam Ascott a few questions if that is alright?" You started, sitting comfortably on a garden chair as you interviewed your final respondent over late afternoon tea.

"Of course! I would be delighted!" She replied, her hair perfectly coifed, her posture restrained and polite.

A young woman, Julie Ascott was once a lady of a noble house. However, according to your research, she had married a modest shipbuilder: her destined soulmate, now they are living a normal life by Porta Persa's busy docks where she manages their shipbuilding business.

You glanced at her rather poised mannerisms. What a total one-eighty degree flip.

"So, how are you Madam? I hope you have been doing well," you began, totally an amateur interviewer yet you could only blame your inexperience.

Fortunately, Madam Ascott did not notice or minded your awkwardness, instead she was cheerful and incredibly polite with you.

"Thank you for asking, Y/N. I am actually doing quite well! We had built a steady clientele for our business over the years, creating a steady stream of income every year," she replied. "While I was a complete beginner at this when we started, I've been able to learn quite a lot!"

"That's good to hear! Shipbuilding is quite a good business to venture on, considering the booming trading industry," you responded, angling for your actual first question. "So, with all these going, did the soulmate bond help you in any way?"

Madam Ascott pondered for a while as she took a sip of tea, before answering you.

"Well, I could say it helped a lot with the decision making. Since my husband and I have an emotional connection, we usually do not encounter moments of misunderstanding. If he or I feel like something is off, we would talk about it first before taking action. It's quite convenient, to be honest."

"Oh wow, being able to work as a team like that is actually something amazing. But I'm curious where it all began. We're things as smooth sailing as this even from the start?"

Now you were genuinely curious. You have never met a bonded person such as Madam Ascott, who in a sense, was more grounded than all the women you have interviewed all afternoon.

Humming, she averted her gaze at the nearby window as she tried to reminisce memories a few years back.

"In all accounts, my family did not appreciate the bond I had with William. Even if it was destined and good at the eyes of society, marrying your first daughter to a commoner was teetering on a fine line between what is acceptable and unacceptable."

You understood what she meant. While the Soulmate Bond offered a chance to rise in the class ladder, that would also mean there would be a few people going down. Social mobility has become easier yet that doesn't mean it is a truth easily swallowed.

"Truthfully speaking, I had been lucky. I was keen to leave nobility behind. William was at first, just a mere excuse. He was the most convenient escape available to me. Yet he understood what I felt then and supported me as my husband and my soulmate," Madam Ascott confessed, gazing at the palm of her hands. "This was not a love at first sight story if that is what you are looking for. I used him to gain my own freedom. William knew that yet he still accepted me. Maybe that's the reason why I fell in love with him."

Blinking once, then twice, you felt a heavy toiling weight form inside of you. What a shame.

"It's truly amazing how it had worked out for you Madam. Maybe someday I'll be able to have something like that."

"Y/N, have you had your bond yet?" The Madam asked after taking a sip.

You flushed immediately, hoping it wasn't as obvious to your interviewee's eyes. There was no way you could tell her.

"N-no...I still haven't," you replied, glad that you had strategically placed a wristwatch to hide the markings.

Smiling at you, Madam Ascott placed her hand on yours and gave a tight squeeze.

"Then I hope you don't mind a bit of unsolicited advice," she began, chuckling, "Soulmates aren't perfect, as much as there are no perfect people. Yet they come at the perfect time where both sides need each other to grow. People like that also enter our lives to teach us important lessons and then leave, yet soulmates are the ones who stay."

The weight inside you grew heavier, like a burden you could no longer ignore; a truth you had long ran away from.

"Unlike what other people think, it isn't always about romance. You are bonded to a person who is fundamentally your other half. They would magnify your insecurities, your fears, your greatest flaws as a person, and force you to face them. That is what a soulmate truly is. Accept them and learn."

The french doors were heavy as you entered the common room.

It was already late in the evening, yet you couldn't feel any signs of hunger or fatigue. Rather, there was this deep dark void of emptiness inside you that you could not fathom. Afraid that if you take a look long enough, it would swallow you whole.

As you dropped your bag at the couch in front of the fireplace, that was the only time you noticed that your roommate was there in the room, sitting on an armchair, playing a cello.

Both of you were silent as he observed, assessed your actions. Yet there was really nothing he could find notable. You had no drive to react to him in any particular way as you continued to stare into empty space.

Well, that is until you broke your silence.

"Jihoon, do you think it's possible to be friends with your soulmate and marry another?"

You still refused to look at him, and instead gaze at the ornate white ceiling.

"Where did that even come from?" He asked, in the middle of a downbow.

"Just curious."

"Good in theory but not in practice. Imagine yourself falling in love with a person who shares their thoughts, their feelings to someone else. I don't think that would feel good on your part. I could even call it unfair."

"Does one really have to fall in love with their soulmate?" You asked another, now in a brooding mood.

"I don't think that's even a conscious choice. Soulmate bonds, by design of our magic system, are inherently romantic. You fall when you fall," Jihoon replied, now deciding to take a break on practicing.

"How then, do you know if you have fallen in love? What makes it different from infatuation?"

For a while, both you and Jihoon exchanged glances. His dark chocolate orbs intensely stared at you as if trying to figure you out, nitpicking your words and your body language, until it simply became pure and unadulterated gazes.

'Beautiful.'

Jihoon averted his gaze. It stopped. "I don't know."

Sighing, you nodded and marched towards your room. Passing by him, you bid him good night.

"I didn't know you played the cello, you know."

* A/N: Here’s chapter 2!! Chapter 3 comes out next week!! I’ll be taking a break from this for next next week, and instead 30 Nights with Lee Jihoon would be posted! Hopefully, I can return after that week!! EDIT: CHAP 3 IS OUT!

-Hyeri

#seventeen #svtcreations #seventeen scenarios #seventeen imagines #seventeen fluff #seventeen woozi #lee jihoon #woozi fluff #the most convenient escape #chapter 2

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spongeguyandlelouchvibridankia · 5 years ago

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SpongeGuy Reviews Every Disney Cartoon Ever!: Sofia The First (1.1): “Once Upon A Princess”

yeah, it’s been a while, life is hectic and i have two shows backlogged because my bros want to see it but we never get to. Anyway, gonna try to get a lot of reviews done this weekend.

Sofia The First is a little children’s show that actually tries to be good, created by GOD HIMSELF Craig Gerber, a man who has portrayed blended families, latino rep, disabled people, diversity, death, grief, depression, guilt, familial ruin and more with utsmost perfection.

So yeah, even in a simple pilot like this which still isn’t as complex as his later work, still deals with the troubles of fitting in with a new family, especially when it’s blended, and yeah, I nearly adore it!

SUMMERY: The pilot movie introduces Sofia, the daughter of a shoe-shop owner named Miranda. Both of them have been living happily together in the kingdom of Enchancia for as long as Sofia can remember. On a fateful day, her and her mother are called to the castle to help King Roland II for a shoe fitting, who soon marries her mother, crowning her Enchancia's new Queen and Sofia as its new princess. With the help of Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather from Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty, now headmistresses at a school for royalty known as Royal Preparatory Academy, Sofia tries to adjust to royal life. She is also gifted a beautiful purple amulet as a welcoming gift, soon realizing that it is in fact the power of the Amulet of Avalor that grants her magical powers, such as the ability to talk to and understand animals. However, this amulet is coveted by the kingdom's royal sorcerer Cedric, who wants to use its power to take over Enchancia. Combined with the stresses of royal life and fitting in to a new school, Sofia has to deal with her jealous stepsister Amber, who feels that her father loves Sofia over her.King Roland soon announces a welcoming ball for Sofia, where she has to dance in front of everyone. Sofia has no clue about Cedric's evil plans and consider him a good friend, borrowing a spell from him to make her look like a good dancer after missing out a dance class thanks to Amber. The truth is that the "dancing spell" is actually one enforced to make everyone in the ballroom fall asleep, and that is when Cedric will trade the antidote for the amulet with Sofia. Before the ball, Amber accidentally rips her dress, and stays in her room due to her embarrassment and her brother James berating her for her schemes. During the ball, all the guests at the ball and the royal family present (excluding Sofia and Amber) fall asleep, including Cedric. The Amulet of Avalor summons Cinderella to give Sofia the courage to step forward and resolve matters with Amber, who teaches her how to dance. The two girls infiltrate Cedric's tower and find the counter-spell after Sofia sews up Amber's dress for her. Waking up everyone, Sofia dances proudly at her ball, as her new father anoints her the title of Princess Sofia the First.Songs: "I'm Not Ready to be a Princess", "Royal Prep", "A Little Bit of Food", "True Sisters", and "Rise and Shine (end titles)"Disney Princess guest: Cinderella from Disney's Cinderella trilogy

COMEDY: 2 Out of 5

I hate starting off negative, this was so wholesome and pure and lovely and deep! But, sadly, the comedy, even for a little children’s show, is a bit lacking.

Not completely, mind you! There are some decent gags, some fun dialogue between Sofia and Cedric the Sorcerer, the whole woodland animals wanting food as payment for helping princesses song is witty.

But, well, there aren’t many jokes attempted, as the focus is more on the story and the characters and Sofia’s problems fitting in, which is totally ok! We respect that here, which is why it’s getting a still sort of decent score here, and why the pilot movie will receive a really good score once we move on to the next sections!

CHARACTERS: 4 Out of 5

While we are only at pilot mode, and many characters (Roland, Cedric, Baileywhick, the other students, Miranda, heck, even the animals) are yet to show their true depth, we do have a great emotional plot between the three new siblings!

We have Sofia, our optimistic and wonderfully kind but lonely protagonist; James, the slightly too fun loving but very caring older brother; and Amber, the flawed and mean older sister who has a heart deep down despite her first impression.

Sofia is an absolute gem, a moe girl who doesn’t care for all the “perks”, and is only wants to help and love, but also to be loved in return. One can tell that she is afraid of letting everyone down, that her new family won’t love her if she’s not a perfect princess, so she works her hardest to be one. It’s honestly heartbreaking everytime she’s sad, and her kind deeds are so genuine you’ll just d’aww at her every time! She earns your sympathy immediately, and that’s BEFORE all her TRULY kind deeds!

James is an interesting bridge between Amber and Sofia: While he can be naughty like his sister, he’s a lot kinder and nicer to Sofia, willing to welcome her immediately. I love that he doesn’t really understand that pranking her is mean, and when he does he works super hard to make it up to her, even giving Amber a “Reason You Suck” speech to make her understand she was wrong to prank Sofia. He plays to his role perfectly, and I am a lot more interested in him than I was when I watched the show!

And at last we have Amber, the pseudo antagonist (more a foil) of the special. Amber acts like a total jerk for nearly the entire runtime, I wouldn’t blame anyone for disliking her, I did too! However, her motivations (while vain) are understandable. We all hate feeling left out, replaced, forgotten. Amber knows that everyone loves Sofia more, and she is determined to be loved too, but it just doesn’t work out. That is, until Amber realizes she did a wrong thing, more than makes amends, and accepts Sofia as her sister. I honestly LOVE characters like this, so I have a good feeling about her!

And while they don’t get to play deep roles, everyone else fills up the cast remarkably, from the fun antics of Clover, Mia and Robin, to the parental love of Roland and Miranda, to the incredibly joyful “evil” that is Cedric (can’t WAIT to talk about his arc!).

STORY AND HEART: 4 Out of 5

A lot of critics like to bash wholesome whimsey as childish, as useless. True art is angsty, after all, and nothing good can come out of optimism, childlike wonder, or love.

Those people are wrong.

A show doesn’t need to be a heavy drama or a deep exploration of the darkness of men to be good. Sometimes you just need a fairytale with a good message.

Sofia The First may seem like a cutesy girl show, but it isn’t. It’s a show about treating others the way you would want to be treated, of being kind and caring to everyone, of learning to overcome your flaws and mistakes, and becoming a good person.

I felt really happy watching this. And in these hard times, where good people are being oppressed for the most trivial of reasons, it’s nice to remember that there ARE kind people out there.

So I will be like Sofia: I will stand with those who need help, and may the whole world hate me, i don’t care. We are a family, and those who want to destroy it will back down.

For I stand with George Floyd.

Yeah, I know this is an odd place to put that, but IDC. BLM!

FINAL SCORE: 10 Out of 15

A damn good pilot! Can’t wait for the rest!

Next time we have Nightmare Ned, a slightly incomplete show (tho i might be able to find the rest), and it should be interesting!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/194d3gsPrhlOsFPYsXU-lJirY4sWncrBl/edit

#disney cartoons #disney channel #disney junior #craig gerber #sofia the first #ariel winter #cedric the sorcerer #princess amber #princess sofia #prince james #flora #fauna #merryweather #spongeguy #every Disney Animated Show Reviewed #george floyd #blm #blacklivesmatter

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vitalpen · 4 years ago

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The Daily Visit

(Written for The Webcomics Review’s Write a story you worthless piece of shit contest

Prompt: A dragon is kept locked up in a tower by an evil princess )

A slight figure descended on clacking shoes down a flight of spiraling stone stair. She’d have been stomping if not for the heeled slippers on her feet.

As she reached a heavy wood door, she held up a ring of keys, having already found the correct one. This was the last of several barriers between the base of her tower and the cavern in the mountain which it rested on. She shoved the key in with a small grunt, turned it, and wrenched the door open.

The stone brick staircase was traded for one carved into the rock wall. Her steps now echoed off into the massive dark. She carried a torch with her, but it only lit the few yards in front of and behind her. Any further and the chasm swallowed its light. Bringing it was more habit than anything these days. With the sheer number of times she’d been down here, she could’ve taken the steps blind.

It was a scheme 7 years in the making… and counting. She’d known about this cavern for years, but it was only when she’d finally decided she’d had enough that she began to use it. At ten years old, she’d first discovered the creature. By the time she was eleven, she’d devised her plan to capture it. In her twelfth year she’d killed her parents and replaced them with puppets, animated with her own prodigious magic to a facsimile of life, then she’d created the strongest magically binding shackles the world had ever seen. At thirteen, she engaged with, fought, and tricked her target into the cavern, binding it with the shackles.

That was supposed to have been the hard part.

Yet here she was, at seventeen, four years later…

Not a day went by that she didn’t think about it and it never failed to sour her mood. All that work, the kind that even the most powerful magic users would balk at, and she’d done it. At thirteen. She could already go down in history as one of the greatest sorceresses to ever live.

She came to the bottom of the cave, a smooth surface, slick with dripped water. Only a passing thought went to her skirt dragging through the puddles and she quickly decided that she didn’t care.

“Speaker!” Lucia DuFort shouted the name it told her heatedly into the shadows.

The first response was something between a growl and a groan. Whichever it was, it shook the very air. “GOOD EVENING, YOUR HIGHNESS.” The words were spoken slowly, tiredly, and snidely. It was the cadence something very old and powerful with nothing but time on its claws. “YOU SEEM… IN POOR SPIRITS.” It chuckled, sending a gust of foul-smelling wind toward her.

“You might say that,” she replied through gritted teeth.

The ground shook as it shifted in its spot with a laugh. It knew that she had been dreading this thinly veiled excuse for aristocrats to masturbate over their status for weeks. That’s what all these parties were, an orgy of the egos. She could hear the rumbling of the creature standing up and the sound of parting wind as its long neck swung down to her. Then its lid opened, revealing a swirling green and black orb that was twice her size and a slit-shaped pupil she could’ve walked through like a doorway. “WAS THE BALL NOT WHAT YOU HAD HOPED?”

Lucia’s face twisted into a snarl. With graceful, practiced movements, she lifted her arm and outstretched it toward the beasts.

Blood-red streaks of lightning lanced from her fingers, bathing the room in angry illumination. They revealed the entire mountainous form of the dragon she had worked so hard to break. They pierced its scales, causing it to howl in pain and thrash against the perfectly polished shackles that had held it for the past four years. She tortured the beast for nearly a full minute before her bloodlust subsided. When she was done, the dragon was heaving in its spot, smoke rising from the fresh burns that covered its body.

That was when she heard it, the unmistakable sound of deep, growling laughter. “WORSE THAN EXPECTED, THEN?” The snark to its tone was pained, but strong.

“Do you have any idea what I’ve endured tonight?” She snapped at it, resisting the urge to simply shock it again. Instead she dropped onto the floor and began tugging the uncomfortable heeled slippers she’d been forced to wear for the entire day.

“WOULD IT BE COMPARABLE TO ELECROCUTION?” When she only glared in response, it continued with a grin. “DO TELL.”

“For the past eight hours, I’ve been made to play host to the most pompous, mind-rotting, ivory-tower-dwelling band of narcissists I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.” Free of her footwear, she stood up once more. “These… degenerates are supposed to be the ruling class, yet they are so insulated from the outside that I am deeply surprised I was only subjected to a single ‘dear wife and sister’. They’re as inbred as the backwood troglodytes that work the fields.”

The dragon let loose a roaring guffaw at that, massive belly shaking. “TRULY THE HEIGHT OF YOUR SPECIES. I IMAGINE THEY GET ALONG WITH YOUR PARENTS FAMOUSLY.”

“Quite,” she took on a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Puppets with only a semblance of thought, a perfect match, really. It never ceases to amaze me how no one has noticed anything different about them in five years.” Lucia had nothing but animosity for the inane pair of twits that brought her into a world of idiots. Only when she was approaching “marrying age” did they begin to interact with her whatsoever. Gutting them in their sleep was the first thing she’d ever truly enjoyed. “Did you know one of the visiting kings has a rebellion on his hands?” Finally, her eyes matched her smile and she actually began to giggle. “Because he doesn’t. He’s going to be slaughtered in his sleep by the month’s end and he has no idea.” She spoke the words like they were school yard gossip.

“IS THAT ONE OF YOUR PET PROJECTS?”

“The rebellion? Not this one, no.” She shook her head, still smiling. “They’ve simply been overtaxing and underfunding.” She dowsed the torch and let her eyes adjust to the dark, pulling her legs in and hugging them as she began to pout. “I hate being used as decoration for these people.”

“IGNORED, WERE YOU?”

“You know if there’s one thing I hate, it’s being talked about like I’m not in the room.” She grumbled. “I don’t think a single thing of substance was said to me the entire party.”

“AND WHAT OF YOU PARENTS? DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING INTERESTING FROM THEM?”

“Nothing that I didn’t alre-“ she stopped, deflating a little. “Ah yes. The men.”

The dragon laughed again. “YOU ARE GETTING TO THE MARRYING AGE.”

“From time to time, it seems I made those puppets a little too well.” She lied back on the stone. “They have to keep up the charade and part of that includes introducing me to… suitors.” With a huff, she climbed to her feet.

“NO PLACE FOR ROMANCE, CHILD?”

“If these are the only options I have, I’ll gladly die alone.”

“AH, TO BE YOUNG AND DRAMATIC AS A PRINCESS JUST SHY OF ADULTHOOD.”

“You’ve seen my archery?” She asked, ignoring the snipe, taking a solid stance, and mimicking the well-practiced form of a bowman.

“‘SEEN’ IS AN INTERESTING CHOICE OF WORDS,” Speaker replied pointedly.

It was only now that Lucia recalled that she’d temporarily blinded it with arrows to the eyes some months back. The memory made her chuckle. “Then you’re intimately familiar. See, despite six years of training both on foot and on horseback, a certain prince from the north is simply convinced that I’m a novice and he must graciously impart to me the wisdom he’s obtained in the past year on the subject.”

The dragon groaned in annoyance. “PLEASE TELL ME THAT THIS ISN’T THE SAME ONE FROM THE LAST PARTY. WHAT WAS THE NAME AGAIN? ALTI-SOMETHING.”

“Oh, so you remember Prince Alitran Bartimus von Gildenshire,” she emphasized each and every syllable of the name with pure, distilled contempt. “Long pursuer of my affections and condescender of my every step.”

“THAT TWIT, YES.”

“Well, I am pleased to report he is no less an ingrate since last we saw him. You would also be interested to know that my back is ‘too straight’, my shoulder blades are ‘too close’, my legs are ‘too wide’. It was all I could do not to plunge a damn arrow into his throat.” Her fists were squeezed so tightly they were starting to hurt, but she was too angry to care. “And his parents are no better.” She began to pace and took on an unflattering imitation of King Gildenshire’s pompous voice. “Our ‘quaint’ little kingdom is so charming to them and my parents so agreeable that they couldn’t bare to see anything terrible befall us. After all, we’ve only just a thousand soldiers in our ranks, barely enough to keep the peace should the peasantry grow restless!” She picked up one of her shoes and stared daggers into it. “We’re one of the smallest territories in the region. So of course we’re the but of every joke and belittling backhanded compliment.” Her grip on the shoe tightened. “Quaint. I could kill them all in an instant and they have absolute gall to call my kingdom quaint.”

Speaker chuckled, drawing her attention. “CAREFUL CHILD. PRIDE IS LIFE’S GREAT FOLLY. I BELIEVE I AM LIVING PROOF OF THAT.”

“It’s not pride if I’m right,” she snapped back, magic crackling in her hands momentarily. “They talk like they know anything that goes on in their own kingdoms. I know more about their kingdoms than they do. But I’m just the daughter of a bumbling, unthreatening king and queen, good only for my looks. And all the while, I must sit there,” her voice took on a sickeningly sweet tone, even raising in pitch. Meanwhile, smoke began to rise from the shoe in her hand. “I must be sweet and bubbly and charming as can be,” just as quickly as the façade came, it left. “Constantly denying the ever-more-tempting urge to slide a blade into the throats and drag it across.” As if to punctuate the sentence, the shoe burst into flames and she dropped onto the floor. “And do you know the worst part?”

“I MIGHT, BUT ENLIGHTEN ME NONETHELESS.”

“Trapped beneath the castle, beneath my tower, is a force that could reduce armies and cities alike to ash.” She lifted up from the ground, feet leaving the floor and levitated right up to the giant set of eyes. “But it. Won’t. Cooperate.”

The dragon made a show of lowering its head onto its front claws and blowing air out its nose ponderously. “TRULY A DILEMMA FOR OUR TIME. I ONLY REGRET THAT I AM INCAPABLE OF ADVISING YOU ON HOW TO ATTAIN THIS POWER YOU SEEK.” The formal tone, the overcomplicated sentence structure, Lucia knew when she was being made fun of. The dragon suddenly raised its head. “AH! GRACIOUS INSPIRATION, I HAVE KNOWN THEE ONCE MORE!” it turned to her again, its eyes dead serious. “HAVE YOU CONSIDERED POLITELY REQUESTING ITS SERVICES?”

Lucia began to bite the inside of her cheek, a habit she’d picked up recently to try and keep herself calm in the face of unyielding rage. She couldn’t let it get to her, not now. “Have I not shown I am worthy,” she almost pleaded. “Have I not demonstrated my dedication to these lofty goals? What must I do?!”

“YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED YOUR ABILITY TO STALL AND WHINE.” With a gust of air from its movement, the dragon stood up and came to its fullest height, glaring at her with a ferocity she hadn’t seen it use since the day she captured it. Only this time, there was an element of familiarity to it that stung. “YOU ARE A CHILD WITH ALL THE POWER SHE COULD EVER DREAM OF, ALL THE CUNNING AND RESOURCES SHE COULD EVER NEED. YET YOU ARE STILL A CHILD. AND NOT ONCE SINCE BIRTH HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD YOU HAVE VALUE. YOUR MOTHER AND WERE NAUGHT BUT FLEETING DISAPPOINTMENTS. BY THE TIME THEY BEGAN TO CARE, YOU COULDN’T STAND HAVING THEIR APPROVAL. SO YOU SOUGHT THE APPROVAL OF SOMETHING FAR GREATER. YOU DO NOT SEEK A SERVANT, YOU SEEK A PARENT.”

The words, spoken with equal parts dismissal and disappointment, stung her in a way she hadn’t been expecting. And Lucia couldn’t understand why. She wasn’t just a child, she was a sorceress, she wasn’t stalling, she was planning, she never cared what her parents thought. She didn’t care what anyone thought. The very idea that she did… it brought upon her a pure distilled rage that overwhelmed her. It was only now that she noticed the metallic taste of blood. She’d bitten her cheek too hard. That taste was all it took to send her over the edge.

“I do not want your approval,” she spoke, trembling as sparks of red arced between her fingers. “I want your SUBJUGATION!” With a scream of rage, she let loose her lighting with both hands, impaled the creature in dozens of places. Speaker screamed in agony and writhed on the ground. Only the shackles prevented it from bringing the entire cavern down around them. Lucia didn’t know how long she held it like that, but it had long since stopped moving when she ceased the onslaught.

All was silent. The dragon was still. “Speaker?” Lucia called warily, suddenly feeling her resolute rage crumble away like sand against the tide. “Speaker?!” She called, more frantically. There was no reply.

No. She hadn’t. She couldn’t. It wasn’t.

What had she done?

All that time, all those talks, every hour she’d spent planning, preparing, everything in the last seven years of her life. Gone in an instant. Slowing, her hands moved to her head, fingers running into her hair. Slowly her grip on the locks began to tightened. She began to shake again, not from rage, but from fear, anguish, and frustration. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Then it began to move.

“FOOLISH CHILD. FRAGILE CHILD. RECKLESS CHILD. WEAK. CHILD.” The only way to describe Speaker’s tone was ‘ominous’. The words were laced with history, experience, and disdain. For the first time since they’d met, Lucia felt the millennia behind the voice. “WE DRAGONS HAVE BUILT A LEGACY OF OUTLASTING. NIGH IMMORTAL, NIGH IMPERVIOUS, I HAVE SEEN THE RISE OF CIVLIZATIONS THAT YOUR GRANDPARENTS DON’T REMEMBER. YOUR EMPIRE COULD LAST TEN GENERATIONS OR MORE AND IT WOULD BE LONG FORGOTTEN BEFORE I FIND MY FINAL REST. THE OLDEST AMONG YOU ARE BUT CHILDREN TO ME, AND YOU ARE BUT A CHILD TO THEM. DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE A HUMAN LIFE IS BUT A TRIFLE FOR ME? WHEN YOU DIE, YOUR ENCHANTMENT WILL FADE AND I SHALL SIMPLY BE FREE AGAIN. YOU WILL, BEFORE TOO LONG, BE NOTHING BUT A DISTANT MEMORY TO ME. AN AMUSING DIVERSION WHILE IT LASTED. JUST LIKE OUR LITTLE TALKS.” It spit the final word out with more venom than any viper. It lied back down on its claws and closed its eyes. “NOW I SUGGEST YOU GO AND SLEEP. IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, YOU HAVE ANOTHER PARTY TOMORROW.”

Without a word, Lucia flew back to the doorway was fast as she could, locking the door behind her. When she was safely back up the stairs and in the tower’s basement, she fell to the floor and wept bitter tears. She had the monster in chains, unable to do anything but endure, and somehow it had come away the victor. All her pride, all her ambition, what did it really mean if she couldn’t act on it without the terror of failure holding her back? Speaker understood that perfectly. All she’d accomplished, all her power, and it amounted to a raindrop in the ocean to a dragon.

Einwyther, known to the young princess as Speaker, allowed herself a smile. In just four years, the girl had displayed dramatic improvement. Many others would brush off this opportunity for introspection or worse, wallow in it. Not Lucia. It might take a moment, but she would come back stronger, as every time before.

In another year or two, she’d be ready.

#writing #short story #fantasy #dragon #princess #my work

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enbiart · 5 years ago

Text

Rooted Deep

In which Angeal has always struggled with depression and the like. TW for suicidal thoughtd and attempted suicide.

If he was being completely honest, it was always a problem for him. His monstrosity was just the icing on the cake, the straw that broke the camel's back. Before the truth of his birth came out, it was pretty manageable. Sure, he'd have his bad days, but no one ever caught on, so it couldn't have been that bad.

At least, that's what Angeal told himself.

It started when he was little. It had probably been a problem since before then, but the first time the full thought crossed his mind was on Genesis's 13th birthday. He'd never tell a soul, but the class difference between him and his friend. . . He'd never put it against his friend, Gaia no, but jealousy was only human, and he had a lot to be jealous of.

His Mom raised him right, though, so jealous thoughts never lingered long. What did linger, though, were the feelings of shame and inadequacy that often acquainted jealousy. He tried so, so, so hard to be proud of his family, of his Mom -- but sometimes, sometimes he'd look at Genesis and his home, at his fancy clothes and new toys and private tutors, and then he'd look back at his measly shack, at his ragged, patchy clothes and lack of playthings and books that Genesis had to lend him so that he could learn how to read good because despite how much his Mom loved him she just couldn't afford to send him to school the whole time, and he'd wonder if there was some sort of joke he was missing. He'd wonder why someone like Genesis, the Mayor's son, the richest kid in town, would bother with someone like him. He'd wonder when Genesis would realize just how much he was lowering himself to spend time with someone like Angeal, and give up. He knew, really, that Genesis wasn't that kind of person, and he felt awful thinking of his friend that way.

Still, on nights he had trouble sleeping, he wondered.

He felt so, so guilty on the days he found himself wishing he had even half the money his friend has, when he wished he could've been born in a different family. He felt so, so guilty because that wasn't fair to his Mom, who tried so hard and gave up so much for him. His Mom was an angel, his hero, and whenever he caught himself being ungrateful he beat himself up over it. His Mom deserved a son that would be satisfied and grateful for her efforts, not one that stole apples just because she couldn't afford to give him three meals a day.

On Genesis's 13th birthday, though, he realized he was a worse son than he ever thought imaginable.

It was an important day, obviously. The day he would transition from child to teen, and he'd been looking forward to it for a while. Angeal had been, too. He was excited for his friend! He couldn't wait! The whole town was looking forward to it, with Genesis being the Mayor's son and all. There would be a huge celebration throughout all of Banora -- The Rhapsodoses didn't often pay attention to their son, but they did often flaunt him to the townsfolk. (A fact that Genesis often resented, but just this once he was too excited to care.)

Angeal was so excited, and so, so nervous, because what the hell was he going to get him? For all of his earlier birthdays, Genesis told him not to worry about presents or anything, but they'd always celebrated his birthdays privately before then. This was in front of the entire town! There's no way he could get away with just a card, or, Gaia forbid, nothing!

So, yes, Angeal was very nervous about that. His Mom, bless her heart, took notice, and often tried reassuring him. Genesis was his best friend, he'd never get mad over something like this. There was truth in her words, he knew, but (he thought of the shame, the embarrasment, the fact that this was going to be one of the most important days of his friend's life and he could just imagine the look of disappointment, or worse, the understanding, the pity) just once, he wanted to be something more than the son of a poor widow.

He had no clue what the hell was going through his head when he did it, but Angeal would regret every day for the rest of his life that he stole from his own mother. He normally felt bad enough when he stole from just the neighbor's trees when he needed to eat, so he had no idea how he managed to convince himself to sneak into his Mom's bedroom after dark to rifle through their measly Gil savings. All he knew was that the party was tomorrow, Genesis had been talking nonstop about the new Materia the shop had just gotten, and he still didn't have a present.

The morning after his theft, before his Mom even woke up, Angeal had shot out of the house to wait for the Materia shop to open. As soon on the doors opened he'd ran straight for the display on the front counter, the one that had the new, shiny Fire materia, and traded all of his stolen goods and savings for the magic little orb. The shop owner gave him a curious look, no doubt recognizing him for his poverty, but in the spirit of the day didn't say anything. The little sphere was warm in his hands, and he cradled it carefully as he brought it back to his room, laying it in an admittely cheap and flimsy box. The gift itself would more than make up for it.

Later that day, when the party began and all the townsfolk crowded the streets, he was nearly bouncing in anticipation. He followed Genesis around as he went around enjoying the festivities, and eventually came the time for gifts. He was excited! Finally, he was going to be one of the people that gave things instead of taking them. He ignored the way Genesis looked surprised at him being in the group of gift-givers, brushing off his protests with a "Just open it!" and waiting in eager anticipation.

The look on his friend's face when he took the green materia out was one of pure bliss. No matter how much guilt and regret Angeal had about that day, he fact that he was the one that made his friend so happy would always be something he'd be proud of. He was proud then, too. Proud and relieved and just a little bit smug, because throughout the rest of the party, and the whole month, really, Genesis never lost that bright-eyed look, never stopped showering him in thanks and praises. It was amazing to be the source of so much happiness in his friend.

And then, one week later, he overheard a conversation between his Mom and the grocer. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, and only caught bits and pieces, but what he did hear completely shattered his high.

". . .buying less and less lately, Mrs. Hewley. Everything alright?"

"Fine, it's just. . . I think we had a break-in last week. Only took about half our Gil, though, so. . ."

He didn't stay to hear the rest of it, the gravity of what the hell he'd done hitting him, and he locked himself in his room the rest of the day. It was then that he realized how much his Mom had been frowning since the birthday, how small their meals were, how little she'd been eating. How little he'd been eating. There were few days he found himself completely full, but he'd never been this hungry in a long time. Already, his Mom was looking a bit thinner, staying at work longer, trying to make up for the loss in funds.

Oh, Gaia. What was he thinking?

His Mom sacrificed so much for him on a daily basis, and this is how he repayed her? With shame, embarrasment, and bitterness? With theft? She gave him so much love, and what does he do? He leaves her to starve herself just to feed an ungrateful brat. He was awful. He was terrible. He - He --!

He shouldn't have been born at all.

Twelve years old, guilt-ridden and ashamed beyond belief, that one thought led to another, more horrific thought.

Maybe he should just kill himself.

It would've solved so many problems -- His Mom could use all their money on herself instead of wasting it on him, Genesis wouldn't have to make the choice between his class and his friend, he --

He cut the thought off quick, because he was starting to scare himself. So, he ignored the train of thought he had taken, got a pencil and paper, and decided to plan a route that would let him take as many dumbapples from as many houses in one night, because despite how much he hated stealing at that point, he'd rather think on how he could make this up to his Mom than whatever he was thinking about earlier.

He should've told someone, probably, that he'd considered it at all. He was too scared and ashamed to even think about it, though.

So he didn't.

So, it probably shouldn't have been as shocking as it was when it became a recurring thought, because now that the idea crossed his mind it just wouldn't leave him alone.

In the dark recesses of the night, he often found himself wondering just how much the planet benefitted from him remaining alive. Thinking, really, how much difference did it matter in the grand scheme of things if he died or not? His Mom would be sad, of course, and so would Genesis, but they'd move on, wouldn't they? Just how big of a deal would it be, really, if he just stopped breathing in the middle of the night?

It became a bit of an morbid curiousity, almost. Just something to ponder when he was bored. He'd wonder what would happen if he threw himself into that pond on the other side of the orchard. He'd wonder what would happen if he swallowed all of the pills in his Mom's medicine cabinet. He'd wonder what would happen if he snuck one of the kitchen knives into his room. The answer to all those questions was that he'd die, of course, but what then? How much better would the lives of the Banorans be with one less mouth to feed?

He never acted on those thoughts, Gaia no. He knew, logically, just how much he meant to the people that loved him.

Still, though, it persisted.

He got used to it, and he still refused to tell anyone.

(He wanted to, sometimes, though. When he started getting bad days, and it was so hard to find a meaning behind anything he did, when it seemed almost impossible to justify the space he was filling, and he questioned the validity of others' love for him -- He wanted to just lay everything out, to tell his Mom his thoughts and have her tell him it was okay, for Genesis to argue himself out of his self-deprecation.

He doesn't, though, too ashamed of himself for being so dissatisfied. Too determined to burden his Mom with as little as possible. Too busy trying to help Genesis deal with his own array of problems.

Too honorable to be any bigger of a problem than he already was.)

Joining SOLDIER helped, in a way. The intensity of cadet training often left him too exhausted to humor any thoughts about his place in the world; There was no room left in his head to think about the many ways he could kill himself with whatever was in a room when it was stuffed full of materia theory and tactics. The physical aspect also provided a surprisingly nice distraction -- he found himself enjoying the rhythmic swing of a sword, and whatever built up feelings of aggravation and inadequacy oftentimes were taken out of the training dummies.

It'd been a long time since he last felt so comfortable in his skin. It was nice.

Not to say his problem was completely gone, no, nothing was ever that easy. As time and promotions passed by he got more and more used to the rigid schedules and new responsibilities, and soon enough his mind started wandering. And once again, it latched onto its apparent favorite subject: death.

Once he'd passed that point, he made a rather worrying discovery. While the routine and resposibility of his rank might have helped when it came to considering the futility of his continued existence, the mako injections had the opposite effect. In fact, he'd even go as far as to say that it completely undid whatever progress joining SOLDIER had helped him gain. When fresh mako ran through your veins, there was a period of time in which everything was enhanced tenfold. Sight, sound, sensation, smell, taste -- and while it was true that once the mako was fully absorbed into the body, your senses would level out, Angeal would've liked to have warned that, apparently, emotions were also included on that list. He learned that fact the hard way.

The "hard way" being Genesis finding him sitting in his bathtub with a knife to his wrist.

Thankfully (or unfortunately, depending on when you ask him), his mako-addled mind couldn't tell right from left and cut the wrong damn wrist, but the intent was clear as day. When he finally came down from his mako high, it was to find himself tucked snugly into bed, bandages wrapped around his right hand, with the sound of Genesis crying coming from his living room. To say that he was overcome with guilt was a massive understatement.

When he finally mustered the courage to leave his bedroom, he was a bit shocked to find that Sephiroth was also there. The man in question looked unbelievably uncomfortable, what with Genesis hanging onto him and crying all over him (and the thought that Angeal had managed to scare him enough that he'd called in Sephiroth of all people for comfort almost made him want to finish the job), but he'd yet to move away, and was even giving what he probably thought was a comforting hug, but looked more like he was about to snap the redhead's neck. He didn't have long to take in the strange and oddly heartwarming scene of his friends not at each others' throats for once because as soon as his feet hit hardwood floor, both heads shot up, and suddenly he was the one with an armful of distraught Genesis.

"An-Angeal, you -- I -- you scared the shit out of me, wh --," His friend cried out, frantically alternating between holding onto him and grabbing his face to look it over. It seemed like he could barely speak, tears coming back full force now that Angeal was actually awake and could answer his questions. "What the hell were you -- Y-you could've died, were you trying --?! Why --?!"

In the end, Angeal just couldn't take the sight of his friend to barely kept together, and pulled him close into a back-breaking embrace. Genesis held him hard enough to leave bruises, and probably did, but he was too focused on rubbing comforting circles into his back and trying to soothe his sobs. In his peripheral, he could see Sephiroth hovering, unsure, and with an unreadable expression.

He didn't know how long it took for Genesis to finally calm down; In fact, he didn't even know how long it had been since he had been caught in the act. As soon as his friend composed himself, though, he found himself sat down and told in no uncertain terms that he would explain himself, and that he would do so promptly and in full. He was reluctant. It had been his dirty little secret for so long, to tell someone about it now...

He was nervous, ashamed, a little scared, and tried very desperately to avoid the subject. Surprisingly, it wasn't Genesis that finally made him relent; Sephiroth had simply given him THAT look, the one he reserved for hysterical troops on the battlefield, and he'd cracked like an egg.

And so he spilled. From start to finish. He told them about the guilt, the shame, the everything that was wrong with him -- haltingly, at first, then gaining momentum as finally, finally he could just let it out. He didn't look at them while he spoke, knowing it'd be futile trying to read Sephiroth and not wanting to see the horror and guilt he just knew Genesis would wear, instead watching the way his hands shook ever so slightly with a sort of detached amusement. By the time he was done, his voice was hoarse and he felt like his insides had been scraped out, leaving him raw and empty. He felt tired, and strangely numb, as if the words had stolen his strength and left a shell of a man in its wake.

He didn't realize he'd been silently crying until, once more, a blur of red collided with him. This time, though, he was the one being held. It was a bit awkward, given the size difference, but in the blink of an eye he found himself held snugly against his friend's chest, a soft stream of "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry..." in his ear. He was momentarily confused; Normally, he was the one doing the comforting, not the other way around. And what did Genesis have to apologize for, anyway? He didn't get it. He didn't get to question it for long, though, because the longer he stayed in that embrace, the tighter his chest began to feel. Something was squeezing his heart and his lungs, burning his eyes, and making his breath hitch. There was a weight on his back, and while he couldn't muster the strength or energy to turn his head, he just knew it was Sephiroth, and when the solitary weight of a single hand became the encompassing warmth of yet another embrace he just couldn't take it anymore.

(The last time someone else had hugged him, had gone out of their way to make sure he was okay was the day he left for Midgar, when his Mom had pulled him aside and hugged him with the kind of strength that only a distraught mother could. She told him through teary eyes how much she loved him, how proud she was of him, how sure she was that his dream would come true and that she just knew he would be a fine man when he finished growing up.

He almost cried that day, but didn't.

Even then, when he was the one being held, he had to be strong for her.)

The dam broke.

Later that night, after a whole day of pampering and soft words and comfort and a promise of more just like it, what with the week of leave the others had managed to get him, Angeal found sleep elusive. It wasn't for the usual reasons, though. This time, as he lie in bed, sandwiched between two warm, comforting bodies, he was not kept awake wondering the numerous outcomes of his death. Quite the opposite, in fact; He found himself looking forward to the endless doors of opportunity now open to him.

#this was half a vent fic #and half me wanting more of angeals character to be explored #than his eligibility as the perfect husband #my writing #ff7 #final fantasy 7 #ffvii #final fantasy vii #ff7 crisis core #angeal hewley #TW:#suicide

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lady-divine-writes · 5 years ago

Note

Fic prompt "Open your eyes? Please? Do this for me?" for GO. Love your writing, btw

Hey, nonnie! Thank you so much :) Here goes. Hope you like it

In Trade

Crowley doesn’t enjoy working underground.

The noise-sucking quiet, the oily darkness that snuffs out even the strongest lights, the stench of earth, the dampness that seeps through his clothes and into his skin …

Some creatures find comfort in these things but Crowley never has. It’s the closest one can come to the experience of being entombed alive, which he has been once or twice.

Not for long though. And mostly just for show.

Unfortunately for Crowley, Hell happens to be the basement of the whole Goddamned planet, so there are times he can’t avoid it. But he doesn’t spend more time down there than he needs. Below ground is where the world forgets about you.

Which is why Evil tends to reside there – scheming and dealing and lying in wait.

Like this latest pet project of Hastur’s, grown from the seedier alleys of SoHo downward, churning through the underbelly of the city.

A bordello - one that appeals to a very specific clientele with detestable desires.

And Crowley doesn’t approve.

As demons, they’re supposed to influence humans to act upon their baser instincts not physically create the means for them to do so. If Hastur wants so badly to infiltrate the sex worker industry, then he should get the humans to build their own bordellos. Of course, humans have been doing that for thousands of years without demonic influence, and worse.

That’s the problem.

Like Crowley told Aziraphale ages ago, humans come up with much more diabolical ways to bring each other down than he ever could so he’d often let them have at it. Is it his fault that Hell commends him for things that were never his doing? The First Barbary War, the Second Barbary War, Fulani Jihad in Nigeria – he got the credit but he was asleep when all of that went down.

Best century of sleep he’s ever had really.

Hastur doesn’t have anything close to Crowley’s reputation (or dumb luck), but that’s because they spend a great deal of their time below. But they crave the recognition. And this haven of sin has managed to reap some pretty remarkable souls for their Master – everyone from celebrities to clergy.

Crowley can’t stomach it. He would rather be creative with regards to his tempting than to simply put a gun in someone’s hand and aim it for them. This masterpiece of Hastur’s is on a level of Evil that Crowley, even as a demon, doesn’t subscribe to. He feels that Hastur has gone a bit too far, but seeing as it has tipped the scales in Hell’s favor, Beelzebub chooses to routinely overlook some of the finer points of the demon’s plan.

But it’s a slave trade, pure and simple.

Crowley has seen slave trades - centuries of humans caging fellow humans and using them against their will as labor, guinea pigs, or for sex.

That’s what this is. A sex slave trade.

And some of the slaves that Crowley has seen being held here are children.

It turns his stomach to the point of wringing dry but he’s not in a position to say anything. Demons by the hundreds work down here, lurking in the shrouded corners, overseeing the day to day in order to raise their own numbers. Crowley can’t possibly fight all of them single-handed.

If he can sneak Aziraphale down here to bless them, maybe this can get sorted out without anyone knowing he was involved.

“So what do you think, Crowley?” Ligur asks, closing in on the end of his unsolicited tour. Hastur had summoned Crowley down there – to gloat, more than likely. But they’re nowhere to be seen, so Ligur has been playing guide. “Impressive, wouldn’t you say?”

“That’s one word for it,” Crowley grumbles, ambling along the yards of musty hallways, peeking over the frames of his glasses into room after room. They all look the same – a table, a lamp, and a single bed with some poor, hypnotized bastard chained to it. Crowley gets no joy out of this, unlike Ligur, beaming villainously, particularly when they pass a room housing a whimpering teenage boy and Crowley grinds his teeth together.

“Don’t be a sore loser just because you didn’t think of it … then again, you wouldn’t have, would you?”

“Probably not,” Crowley says, massaging his tense jaw. “The zoning laws alone must be a nightmare …”

“Always with the jokes, you.” Ligur grimaces in disgust, presuming disrespect by this clown for Hastur, an esteemed Duke of Hell. “That’s not what I mean and you know it. You have a soft spot for these mortals, don’t you?”

Crowley chuckles. It’s hollow, rather unconvincing, but he’s never actually cared what Hastur’s pet lizard ever thought of him, Duke or no. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I only care about one being on that miserable marble of a planet and that’s me. That’s all.”

Ligur snickers. “I bet. Speaking of, Hastur has arranged something special for you. Sort of a consolation prize, seeing as you won’t be the favorite around Hell anymore. Not when things here get off the ground.”

Crowley looks at the demon with his eyes popped, not a single clue what that could mean and not in the least eager to find out. “Oh, uh … I … no. That’s alright. I’ll abstain.”

“Are you sure? Because I think you’re going to want to see this.”

There’s a surreal sing-song quality to Ligur’s voice that leaves Crowley cold. Ligur is an old-school demon with no sense of humor that Crowley knows of. Even the sarcastic quips he’s come up with are uncharacteristic for him. His attitude over the past hour can best be described that way.

Uncharacteristic, but in a cocky way.

Confident.

Yes, that’s it.

He’s confident about something. Something he thinks can make Crowley change his tune.

That thought sends armies of sharpened steel nails crawling up Crowley’s spine.

“Fine,” Crowley says, grousing to cover up this new and very real concern. He suddenly feels he’s walking into a trap, and like an imbecile, he waltzed into it willingly. “I’ll take a look. Why not, right? While I’m down here. Before I go. Seeing as you lads went through the trouble ...”

Ligur leads Crowley further into the labyrinth of this bordello, hallways winding in on themselves, opening at the last, then leading to new ones. Farther and farther they walk - down, Crowley suspects when the air gets chiller and the torches around them flicker, each one after burning lower and lower, struggling to find air to breathe. With each step, the hallway gets darker, quieter, more removed from the hustle and bustle they left. Crowley stops seeing rooms before they ever reach the final hallway, no more poor souls trapped against their will. There is one room up ahead – a single doorway that this hallway was built to house.

That fact disturbs him on its own.

But it’s the light coming from the room that raises every alarm in Crowley’s body, every hair on his skin standing entirely on end.

A soft blue glow.

A familiar blue glow.

So familiar, in fact, that Crowley calls out before he’s even at the room.

“Aziraphale?”

Crowley runs for it, forgoing the cool, calm, and detached act he’d been plying until he could get himself out of here and go for help. He slides into the doorway, the slick soles of his snakeskin shoes finding no traction on the smooth stone floor. Crowley expects to see the same as the other rooms – a table, a lamp, and a bed. But there’s none of that here, and their absence makes the scene in front of him that more sinister.

In the center of the room he sees an angel on their knees, white wings extended outward in both directions, kept spread and aloft by chains dangling from the ceiling wrapped around the joints. The angel looks like Aziraphale, but in many ways not like Aziraphale. He looks ethereal but artificially so, as if his wings, hair, and skin have been miracled to appear whiter than they would normally whilst down here with Evil slowly seeping into his brain. He’s bound, arms behind his back tied from elbows to wrists in a complicated gauntlet made of steel rope, simmering with the subtle red cast of damnation so they can’t be miracled away by holy magic, the ends locked around his ankles, giving him no slack to stand. He’s been re-dressed from his usual attire into a loose-fitting drape of a garment, reminiscent of their robes from Eden, only this one has no sleeves and a neckline so baggy Crowley can see straight down to the angel’s chest and back. Aziraphale’s exposed skin seems to be marked, carved with symbols whose origins Crowley doesn’t know.

It’s not just the marks on Aziraphale’s skin that bother Crowley. There’s a hardness to his face. Instead of looking peaceful in this semi-sleep state, he looks charged, ready to fight.

Ready to kill.

Crowley glares at Ligur, his eyes behind dark lenses burning like a sulfuric flame. “What have you done to him?”

Ligur grins. Crowley doesn’t scare him. Who cares if he is one of Satan’s favorites? He’s a joke. A fool. Hastur tells them constantly. Vain and insipid Anthony J Crowley, who drives a human car, wears human clothes, drinks human alcohol, lives among them like a native.

And worst of all – who fell in love with an angel.

“Wat? We’ve done nuthin’ to him. Nuthin’ at all.”

“Then what the Hell are those marks!?”

“They’re demonic locks, meant to keep him down here. Hastur’s latest and greatest idea …”

“Hassstur …” Crowley hisses under his breath. “That ssson-of-a …”

There’s no reason for Hastur to devise such a plan against the angels. Demons don’t kidnap angels. That’s not in the nature of their battle against one another. Besides, Gabriel and Beelzebub are too egotistical to let their sides duke it out on their own and risk anyone rising victorious without the virtue of their leadership. So in their infinite wisdom, they decide when and where wars between angels and demons take place.

Another one’s due in about eleven years – an all or nothing, take no prisoners battle between good and evil – so such a weapon would be pointless.

Which means these locks were created to target Aziraphale and Aziraphale alone.

But this doesn’t end with Aziraphale. Crowley would be blind not to see it.

Capturing Aziraphale and bringing him below ground, binding him to this place and then parading him in front of Crowley …

… this was a plan by Hastur to get to Crowley as well.

Either to exact revenge or to figure out where his loyalties lie.

“Each demon put one on, that means each demon would need to unlock their own for the angel to leave, so don’t get any bright ideas. Unless …”

Crowley’s eyes don’t leave his angel’s face. Only a single raised brow signals that he’s still listening. “Unless …?”

Ligur shrugs as if the answer to Crowley’s question is ridiculously obvious. “If you corrupt him, you can save him.”

Crowley swallows hard.

Corrupt Aziraphale?

Make him fall?

Crowley can’t do that, not even to save him from this. Of course the horrific truth is he’ll have to if there is no other way. Would Aziraphale understand?

Would he forgive him?

“And how do you expect me to do that?”

“I don’t know. You’re an expert on corrupting humans. You spend all your time with them. I’m sure you can think of something.”

“Ligur!” Crowley growls at the demon’s back as they begin to saunter away.

“He’s already on his knees,” Ligur says, waving a dismissive hand. “That’s a good start from what I hear. Use your imagination.”

Ligur’s cruel, throaty laugh echoes as a door appears, just to slide closed behind them. It seals out the light, plunging Crowley and Aziraphale into total darkness. The only hint of illumination Crowley sees comes from the angel himself, but only just. Overwhelmed by the Evil around them, it’s fainter than Crowley has ever seen.

And growing even more so.

Which means he may be running out of time.

If that light goes out, Aziraphale won’t need Crowley to corrupt him.

The deed will be done.

The only difference is Aziraphale may turn on him after.

Crowley has often suspected (backed by things he’s seen and things he’s heard) that if Aziraphale were to fall, it would need to be at Crowley’s hand, or else he risks Aziraphale becoming his enemy. It’s the nature of demons to avoid one another when possible, be distrustful of each other constantly.

In his wickedest dreams, he’d hoped that if Aziraphale ever fell, it would be whilst the two of them made love, wrapped in each other’s arms.

Then they could be with each other forever.

If that is to be the way of it, Crowley refuses to let that happen here.

But will he have a choice?

Crowley drops to his knees. “Angel!?” He grabs Aziraphale’s upper arms and gives him a shake. “Can you hear me?”

“Mmm … Crowley?” Aziraphale replies, the voice sliding between his lips a mixture of the one Crowley knows and something tainted and coarse.

“Thank God,” Crowley breathes before he can catch himself. “Angel? I need you to open your eyes and look at me. Can you do that?”

Aziraphale hums in response. “I’ll … I’ll try.”

“Don’t try! Do it, Aziraphale!” Crowley’s head falls forward, his forehead finding Aziraphale’s and pressing gently against it. “Please, Aziraphale? Open your eyes. Do this for me. I need to make sure …” Crowley can’t finish, the words clogging his throat, wrenching his windpipe shut.

“All … all right.” Aziraphale clears his throat in between but it does nothing. Every word becomes rougher, the lyrical nature of his angelic voice eaten away. “I’ll … try.” His face scrunches as his eyelids pull, fighting to split and look upon his demon. Crowley hears him groan with the effort, this small task Herculean for some unknown reason.

Except there is one Crowley can think of, and it makes what’s left of his soul wither with the agony of defeat.

After several tense seconds of active praying on Crowley’s part, Aziraphale tips his head up, opens his eyes … and a single word escapes Crowley’s mouth. “No,” he says, shaking his head. “Please, God … no,” as Aziraphale comes to and blinks blood red eyes.

#good omens #ineffable husbands #crowley x aziraphale #aziraphale x crowley #frankie writes

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quietya · 6 years ago

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31 Days of quietYA: 2018 Books Your Mod Wish She Got To

I’m only human and there’s a lot of books I meant to pick up in 2018 and...didn’t. Here’s some that fit in well with this blog’s purpose.

Suitors & Sabotage by Cindy Anstey

Shy aspiring artist Imogene Chively has just had a successful Season in London, complete with a suitor of her father's approval. Imogene is ambivalent about the young gentleman until he comes to visit her at the Chively estate with his younger brother in tow. When her interest is piqued, however, it is for the wrong brother. Charming Ben Steeple has a secret: despite being an architectural apprentice, he has no drawing aptitude. When Imogene offers to teach him, Ben is soon smitten by the young lady he considers his brother's intended. But hiding their true feelings becomes the least of their problems when, after a series of "accidents," it becomes apparent that someone means Ben harm. And as their affection for each other grows—despite their efforts to remain just friends—so does the danger. .

We Are All That’s Left by Carrie Arcos

Zara and her mother, Nadja, have a strained relationship. Nadja just doesn't understand Zara's creative passion for, and self-expression through, photography. And Zara doesn't know how to reach beyond their differences and connect to a closed-off mother who refuses to speak about her past in Bosnia. But when a bomb explodes as they're shopping in their local farmers' market in Rhode Island, Zara is left with PTSD--and her mother is left in a coma. Without the opportunity to get to know her mother, Zara is left with questions--not just about her mother, but about faith, religion, history, and her own path forward. As Zara tries to sort through her confusion, she meets Joseph, whose grandmother is also in the hospital, and whose exploration of religion and philosophy offer comfort and insight into Zara's own line of thinking.

The Deepest Roots by Miranda Asebedo

Cottonwood Hollow, Kansas, is a strange place. For the past century, every girl has been born with a special talent, like the ability to Fix any object, Heal any wound, or Find what is missing. Best friends Rome, Lux, and Mercy all have similar talents, but to them, their abilities often feel like a curse. Rome may be able to Fix anything she touches, but that won’t help her mom pay rent or make it any easier to confide in Lux and Mercy about what’s going on at home. And Rome isn’t the only one. Lux has been hiding bigger, more dangerous secrets. As Rome struggles to keep her friendships close, she discovers the truth about life in Cottonwood Hollow—that friends are stronger than curses, that trust is worth the risk, and sometimes, what you’ve been looking for has been under your feet the whole time.

The Bird and the Blade by Megan Bannen

As a slave in the Kipchak Khanate, Jinghua has lost everything: her home, her family, her freedom … until the kingdom is conquered by enemy forces and she finds herself an unlikely conspirator in the escape of Prince Khalaf and his irascible father across the vast Mongol Empire. On the run, with adversaries on all sides and an endless journey ahead, Jinghua hatches a scheme to use the Kipchaks’ exile to return home, a plan that becomes increasingly fraught as her feelings for Khalaf evolve into a hopeless love. Jinghua’s already dicey prospects take a downward turn when Khalaf seeks to restore his kingdom by forging a marriage alliance with Turandokht, the daughter of the Great Khan. As beautiful as she is cunning, Turandokht requires all potential suitors to solve three impossible riddles to win her hand—and if they fail, they die. Jinghua has kept her own counsel well, but with Khalaf’s kingdom—and his very life—on the line, she must reconcile the hard truth of her past with her love for a boy who has no idea what she’s capable of ... even if it means losing him to the girl who’d sooner take his life than his heart.

Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Eighteen-year-old auto mechanic Sawyer Taft did not expect her estranged grandmother to show up at her apartment door and offer her a six-figure contract to participate in debutante season. And she definitely never imagined she would accept. But when she realizes that immersing herself in her grandmother's "society" might mean discovering the answer to the biggest mystery of her life-her father's identity-she signs on the dotted line and braces herself for a year of makeovers, big dresses, bigger egos, and a whole lot of bless your heart. The one thing she doesn't expect to find is friendship, but as she's drawn into a group of debutantes with scandalous, dangerous secrets of their own, Sawyer quickly discovers that her family isn't the only mainstay of high society with skeletons in their closet. There are people in her grandmother's glittering world who are not what they appear, and no one wants Sawyer poking her nose into the past. As she navigates the twisted relationships between her new friends and their powerful parents, Sawyer's search for the truth about her own origins is just the beginning.

Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton

In the ancient river kingdom, touch is a battlefield, bodies the instruments of war. Seventeen-year-old Mia Rose has pledged her life to hunting Gwyrach: women who can manipulate flesh, bones, breath, and blood. Not women. Demons. The same demons who killed her mother without a single scratch. But when Mia's father suddenly announces her marriage to the prince, she is forced to trade in her knives and trousers for a sumptuous silk gown. Only after the wedding goes disastrously wrong does she discover she has dark, forbidden magic—the very magic she has sworn to destroy.

Ten After Closing by Jessica Bayliss

10PM: Closing time at Cafe Flores. The door should be locked, but it isn't, Scott Bradley and Winsome Sommervil are about to become hostages. TEN MINUTES BEFORE CLOSING: Scott's girlfriend breaks up with him over the phone while he's in the cafe's basement storeroom because he's late picking her up for the big end-of-the-year party. Now he can't go to the party, but he can't go home, either--not knowing if his dad will still be in a drunken rage. Meanwhile, Winny wanted one night to let loose, away from her mother's crushing expectations. Instead, she's stranded at the cafe after her best friend ditches her in a misguided attempt at matchmaking. TEN MINUTES AFTER CLOSING: The first gunshot is fired. Someone's dead. And if Winny, Scott, and the rest of the hostages don't come up with a plan soon, they may not live to see morning.

A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena

Sixteen-year-old Zarin Wadia is many things: a bright and vivacious student, an orphan, a risk taker. She’s also the kind of girl that parents warn their kids to stay away from: a troublemaker whose many romances are the subject of endless gossip at school. You don't want to get involved with a girl like that, they say. So how is it that eighteen-year-old Porus Dumasia has only ever had eyes for her? And how did Zarin and Porus end up dead in a car together, crashed on the side of a highway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia? When the religious police arrive on the scene, everything everyone thought they knew about Zarin is questioned. And as her story is pieced together, told through multiple perspectives, it becomes clear that she was far more than just a girl like that.

An Assassin’s Guide to Love and Treason by Virginia Boecker

When Lady Katherine's father is killed for being an illegally practicing Catholic, she discovers treason wasn't the only secret he's been hiding: he was also involved in a murder plot against the reigning Queen Elizabeth I. With nothing left to lose, Katherine disguises herself as a boy and travels to London to fulfill her father's mission, and to take it one step further--kill the queen herself. Katherine's opportunity comes in the form of William Shakespeare's newest play, which is to be performed in front of Her Majesty. But what she doesn't know is that the play is not just a play--it's a plot to root out insurrectionists and destroy the rebellion once and for all. The mastermind behind this ruse is Toby Ellis, a young spy for the queen with secrets of his own. When Toby and Katherine are cast opposite each other as the play's leads, they find themselves inexplicably drawn to one another. But the closer they grow, the more precarious their positions become. And soon they learn that star-crossed love, mistaken identity, and betrayal are far more dangerous off the stage than on.

Ink, Iron, and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare

A certain pen, a certain book, and a certain person can craft entirely new worlds through a branch of science called scriptology. Elsa comes from one such world that was written into creation, where her mother―a noted scriptologist―constantly alters and expands their reality. But when her home is attacked and her mother kidnapped, Elsa is forced to cross into the real world and use her own scriptology gifts to find her. In an alternative Victorian Italy, Elsa finds a secret society of young scientists with a gift for mechanics, alchemy, or scriptology―and meets Leo, a gorgeous mechanist with a smart mouth and tragic past. She recruits the help of these fellow geniuses just as an assassin arrives on their doorstep.

Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles

When Marvin Johnson's twin, Tyler, goes to a party, Marvin decides to tag along to keep an eye on his brother. But what starts as harmless fun turns into a shooting, followed by a police raid. The next day, Tyler has gone missing, and it's up to Marvin to find him. But when Tyler is found dead, a video leaked online tells an even more chilling story: Tyler has been shot and killed by a police officer. Terrified as his mother unravels and mourning a brother who is now a hashtag, Marvin must learn what justice and freedom really mean.

The Game Can’t Love You Back by Karole Cozzo

Eve is used to being the odd woman out. As the only girl on her school's baseball team, she knows exactly how to put sweaty, macho baseball players in their place, and she's focused on one thing and one thing only—being the best pitcher she can be. But when a freak accident forces her high school to be absorbed by the neighboring town, Eve has to contend with a new group of guys who aren't used to having a woman on their team. And the new team's star pitcher, Jamie, has no interest in being ousted from his throne. He can't afford to give up his starting slot to a new pitcher—even worse, to a girl. As the competition between Jamie and Eve starts to heat up, so does their attraction to each other. Can they keep their heads in the game, or will they end up getting played?

Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine

Sixteen-year-olds Leena and Mishie are best friends. They delight in small rebellions against the Saudi cultural police—secret Western clothing, forbidden music, flirtations. But Leena wants college, independence—she wants a different life. Though her story is specific to her world (a world where it's illegal for women to drive, where a ten-year-old boy is the natural choice as guardian of a fatherless woman), ultimately it's a story about friendship, family, and freedom that transcends cultural differences.

Fire and Heist by Sarah Beth Durst

In Sky Hawkins's family, leading your first heist is a major milestone--even more so than learning to talk, walk, or do long division. It's a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you're a wyvern--a human capable of turning into a dragon. Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing, the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family's wealth and rank in their community. With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society--a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be.

The Queen Underneath by Stacey Filak

The Above and the Under have a tenuous truce that is shattered after the death of both their respective rulers. Gemma, the new queen of Under, must throw history aside and team up with Tollan, the heir to the Above throne, in order to take down a power that seeks to rule them all. Their group of rebels is comprised of an assassin, a sex worker, and a palace servant from Above, and we follow their unique perspectives as they are forced to question previously held beliefs. But even with war looming, romance still grows. Challenging gender roles and the expectation that every prince must have a princess, Tollan discovers love with Elam—a young man, a sex worker, and one of Gemma’s closest friends.

Hole in the Middle by Kendra Fortmeyer

Morgan Stone was born with a hole in her middle: perfectly smooth patch of nothing where a something should be. After seventeen years of fear and shame, doctors and nurses, "peculiar" not "perfect," she has had enough of hiding. Feisty, feminist and downright different, Hole in the Middle is the story of what happens when a girl who is anything but normal confronts a world obsessed with body image and celebrity.

Game of Secrets by Kim Foster

Felicity Cole sells flowers in the streets of Victorian London to feed herself and her young brother. But she has a close-guarded secret--her brother is a Tainted, born with special abilities that society fears and a shadowy organization called the Hunstsman scours the country to eliminate. When Felicity becomes the target of one of these individuals, she discovers something horrible: she's Tainted, too. Rescued by a mysterious gentleman on the eve of execution, she's whisked away to a school funded by Queen Victoria, established to train selected Tainted into assassins in service of the crown. Struggling to harness her incredible strength, speed, and agility, and despised by her classmates, all she wants is to use her new position to find a cure so she can be normal and reunited with her brother. But with the Golden Jubilee fast approaching and the discovery that there's a traitor in their midst, she has no choice but to embrace the one thing she's been fighting all along.

Brave Enough by Kati Gardner

Teenager Cason Martin is the youngest ballerina in the Atlanta Ballet Conservatory. She never really had a choice of whether she learned to dance or not. Her mother, the conservatory's artistic director, has made all the decisions in Cason's life. But that's about to change. Cason has been hiding an injury, and it's much worse than anyone imagines. Davis Channing understands all too well what it's like to give up control of your life. He's survived cancer, but his drug addiction nearly killed him. Now he's been sober for seven months and enjoying his community service at the hospital. But just when he thinks he's got it together, Davis's ex-girlfriend, who is still battling her addiction, barrels back into his life. Cason and Davis are not friends. But, as their worlds collide, they will start to depend on one another. Can they both be brave enough to beat the odds?

Chaotic Good by Whitney Gardner

Cameron's cosplay--dressing like a fictional character--is finally starting to earn her attention--attention she hopes to use to get into the CalTech costume department for college. But when she wins a major competition, she inadvertently sets off a firestorm of angry comments from male fans. When Cameron's family moves the summer before her senior year, she hopes to complete her costume portfolio in peace and quiet away from the abuse. Unfortunately, the only comic shop in town--her main destination for character reference--is staffed by a dudebro owner who challenges every woman who comes into the shop. At her twin brother's suggestion, Cameron borrows a set of his clothes and uses her costuming expertise to waltz into the shop as Boy Cameron, where she's shocked at how easily she's accepted into the nerd inner sanctum. Soon, Cameron finds herself drafted into a D&D campaign alongside the jerky shop-owner Brody, friendly (almost flirtatiously so) clerk Wyatt, handsome Lincoln, and her bro Cooper, dragged along for good measure. But as her "secret identity" gets more and more entrenched, Cameron's portfolio falls by the wayside--and her feelings for Lincoln threaten to make a complicated situation even more precarious.

When We Caught Fire by Anna Godbersen

It’s 1871 and Emmeline Carter is poised to take Chicago’s high society by storm. Between her father’s sudden rise to wealth, and her recent engagement to Chicago’s most eligible bachelor, Emmeline has it all. But she can’t stop thinking about the life she left behind, including her childhood sweetheart, Anders Magnuson. Fiona Byrne, Emmeline’s childhood best friend, is delighted by her friend’s sudden rise to prominence, especially since it means Fiona is free to pursue Anders herself. But when Emmeline risks everything for one final fling with Anders, Fiona feels completely betrayed. As the summer turns to fall, the city is at a tipping point: friendships are tested, hearts are broken, and the tiniest spark might set everything ablaze. Sweeping, soapy, and romantic, this is a story about an epic love triangle—one that will literally set the city ablaze, and change the lives of three childhood friends forever.

Love and Other Carnivorous Plants by Florence Gonsalves

Freshman year at Harvard was the most anticlimactic year of Danny's life. She's failing pre-med and drifting apart from her best friend. One by one, Danny is losing all the underpinnings of her identity. When she finds herself attracted to an older, edgy girl who she met in rehab for an eating disorder, she finally feels like she might be finding a new sense of self. But when tragedy strikes, her self-destructive tendencies come back to haunt her as she struggles to discover who that self really is.

When the Beat Drops by Anna Hecker

Seventeen-year-old Mira has always danced to her own beat. A music prodigy in a family of athletes, she'd rather play trumpet than party -- and with her audition to a prestigious jazz conservatory just around the corner (and her two best friends at music camp without her), she plans to spend the summer focused on jazz and nothing else. She only goes to the warehouse party in a last-ditch effort to bond with her older sister. Instead, she falls in love with dance music, DJing... and Derek, a gorgeous promoter who thinks he can make her a star. Suddenly trumpet practice and old friendships are taking a backseat to the packed dance floors, sun-soaked music festivals, outsized personalities, and endless beats of the EDM scene. But when a devastating tragedy plunges her golden summer into darkness, Mira discovers just how little she knows about her new boyfriend, her old friends, and even her own sister. Music is what brought them together... but will it also tear them apart?

Lizzie by Dawn Ius

Seventeen-year-old Lizzie Borden has never been kissed. Polite but painfully shy, Lizzie prefers to stay in the kitchen, where she can dream of becoming a chef and escape her reality. With tyrannical parents who force her to work at the family’s B&B and her blackout episodes—a medical condition that has plagued her since her first menstrual cycle—Lizzie longs for a life of freedom, the time and space to just figure out who she is and what she wants. Enter the effervescent, unpredictable Bridget Sullivan. Bridget has joined the B&B’s staff as the new maid, and Lizzie is instantly drawn to her artistic style and free spirit—even her Star Wars obsession is kind of cute. The two of them forge bonds that quickly turn into something that’s maybe more than friendship. But when her parents try to restrain Lizzie from living the life she wants, it sparks something in her that she can’t quite figure out. Her blackout episodes start getting worse, her instincts less and less reliable. Lizzie is angry, certainly, but she also feels like she’s going mad…

Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean

Each generation, a competition is held to find the next empress of Honoku. The rules are simple. Survive the palace’s enchanted seasonal rooms. Conquer Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Marry the prince. All are eligible to compete—all except yōkai, supernatural monsters and spirits whom the human emperor is determined to enslave and destroy. Mari has spent a lifetime training to become empress. Winning should be easy. And it would be, if she weren't hiding a dangerous secret. Mari is a yōkai with the ability to transform into a terrifying monster. If discovered, her life will be forfeit. As she struggles to keep her true identity hidden, Mari’s fate collides with that of Taro, the prince who has no desire to inherit the imperial throne, and Akira, a half-human, half-yōkai outcast.

Beyond a Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake

The ancient land of Éirinn is mired in war. Ciara, Princess of Mide, has never known a time when Éirinn’s kingdoms were not battling for power, or Northmen were not plundering their shores. The people of Mide have thankfully always been safe because of Ciara’s unearthly ability to control her enemies’ minds and actions. But lately, a mysterious crow has been appearing to Ciara, whispering warnings of an even darker threat. Although her clansmen dismiss her visions as pagan nonsense, Ciara fears this coming evil will destroy not just Éirinn, but the entire world. Then the crow leads Ciara to Leif, a young Northman leader. Leif should be Ciara’s enemy, but when Ciara discovers that he, too, shares her prophetic visions, she knows he’s something more. Leif is mounting an impressive army, and with Ciara’s strength in battle the two might have a chance to save their world. With evil rising around them, they’ll do what it takes to defend the land they love…even if it means making the greatest sacrifice of all.

Out of Left Field by Kris Hui Lee

Marnie has never had a hard time fitting in with the guys. It would take a lot more than their goofy antics to keep her from joining them at the neighborhood sandlot to do what she loves best: play ball. An added perk of hanging out at the sandlot? Spending time with Cody Kinski, their high school's star pitcher and Marnie's best friend. Sure, he can be stubborn and annoying. He also knows how to make her laugh and respects her skills on the field. And when he gets nailed in the arm by a bone-fracturing pitch, Marnie becomes the team's best chance at making it to the playoffs. Except no one told the guys they're supposed to be on her side. With her own team against her, Marnie begins questioning her abilities. And when fate throws her a curveball, can she play without losing the game, Cody, and her belief in herself?

Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier

Nineteen-year-old Elias is a royal explorer, a skilled mapmaker, and the new king of del Mar's oldest friend. Soon he will embark on the adventure of a lifetime, an expedition past the Strait of Cain and into uncharted waters. Nothing stands in his way...until a long-ago tragedy creeps back into the light, threatening all he holds dear. The people of St. John del Mar have never recovered from the loss of their boy princes, kidnapped eighteen years ago, both presumed dead. But when two maps surface, each bearing the same hidden riddle, troubling questions arise. What really happened to the young heirs? And why do the maps appear to be drawn by Lord Antoni, Elias's father, who vanished on that same fateful day? With the king's beautiful cousin by his side—whether he wants her there or not—Elias will race to solve the riddle of the princes. He will have to use his wits and guard his back. Because some truths are better left buried...and an unknown enemy stalks his every turn.

A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna

In a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back. Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the King of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way home: she’ll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali. It’s a great plan. Until it falls apart.

Learning to Breathe by Janice Lynn Mather

Indira Ferguson has done her best to live by her Grammy’s rules—to study hard in school, be respectful, and to never let a boy take advantage of her. But it hasn’t always been easy, especially while living in her mother’s shadow. When Indy is sent to live with distant relatives in Nassau, trouble follows her. Now she must hide an unwanted pregnancy from her aunt, who would rather throw Indy out onto the street than see the truth. Completely broke with only a hand-me-down pregnancy book as a resource, Indy desperately looks for a safe space to call home. After stumbling upon a yoga retreat, she wonders if perhaps she’s found the place. But Indy is about to discover that home is much bigger than just four walls and a roof—it’s about the people she chooses to share it with.

Now a Major Motion Picture by Cori McCarthy

Unlike the rest of the world, Iris doesn't care about the famous high-fantasy Elementia books written by M. E. Thorne. So it's just a little annoying that M. E. Thorne is her grandmother—and that Iris has to deal with the trilogy's crazy fans. When Iris gets dropped in Ireland for the movie adaptation, she sees her opportunity: if she can shut down production, the Elementia craze won't grow any bigger, and she can finally have a normal life. Not even the rascally-cute actor Eamon O'Brien can get in her way. But the crew's passion is contagious, and as Iris begins to find herself in the very world she has avoided her whole life, she realizes that this movie might just be amazing…

Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

The del Cisne girls have never just been sisters; they’re also rivals, Blanca as obedient and graceful as Roja is vicious and manipulative. They know that, because of a generations-old spell, their family is bound to a bevy of swans deep in the woods. They know that, one day, the swans will pull them into a dangerous game that will leave one of them a girl, and trap the other in the body of a swan. But when two local boys become drawn into the game, the swans’ spell intertwines with the strange and unpredictable magic lacing the woods, and all four of their fates depend on facing truths that could either save or destroy them.

The Unbinding of Mary Reade by Miriam McNamara

There’s no place for a girl in Mary’s world. Not in the home of her mum, desperately drunk and poor. Not in the household of her wealthy granny, where no girl can be named an heir. And certainly not in the arms of Nat, her childhood love who never knew her for who she was. As a sailor aboard a Caribbean merchant ship, Mary’s livelihood—and her safety—depends on her ability to disguise her gender. At least, that’s what she thinks is true. But then pirates attack the ship, and in the midst of the gang of cutthroats, Mary spots something she never could have imagined: a girl pirate. The sight of a girl standing unafraid upon the deck, gun and sword in hand, changes everything. In a split-second decision, Mary turns her gun on her own captain, earning herself the chance to join the account and become a pirate alongside Calico Jack and Anne Bonny. For the first time, Mary has a shot at freedom. But imagining living as her true self is easier, it seems, than actually doing it. And when Mary finds herself falling for the captain’s mistress, she risks everything—her childhood love, her place among the crew, and even her life.

Beneath the Haunting Sea by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Sixteen-year-old Talia was born to a life of certainty and luxury, destined to become Empress of half the world. But when an ambitious rival seizes power, she and her mother are banished to a nowhere province on the far edge of the Northern Sea. It is here, in the drafty halls of the Ruen-Dahr, that Talia discovers family secrets, a melancholy boy with a troubling vision of her future, and a relic that holds the power of an ancient Star. On these shores, the eerie melody of the sea is stronger than ever, revealing long-forgotten tales of the Goddess Rahn. The more dark truths that Talia unravels about the gods' history--and her own--the more the waves call to her, and it may be her destiny to answer.

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman

Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings. These are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate. Compiled by We Need Diverse Books’s Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, the authors included in this exquisite collection are: Renee Ahdieh, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. Lee, E. C. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, and Alyssa Wong.

Sweet Black Waves by Kristina Perez

Two proud kingdoms stand on opposite shores, with only a bloody history between them. As best friend and lady-in-waiting to the princess, Branwen is guided by two principles: devotion to her homeland and hatred for the raiders who killed her parents. When she unknowingly saves the life of her enemy, he awakens her ancient healing magic and opens her heart. Branwen begins to dream of peace, but the princess she serves is not so easily convinced. Fighting for what's right, even as her powers grow beyond her control, will set Branwen against both her best friend and the only man she's ever loved.

Sometime After Midnight by L. Philips

In a dingy Los Angeles club late one night, Cameron and Nate meet and find they have much more in common than their love of an obscure indie band. But when Nate learns that Cameron is the heir to a record label, the very one that destroyed his father's life, he runs away as fast as he can. The only evidence of their brief but intense connection is a blurry photo Cameron snaps of Nate's Sharpie-decorated Chuck Taylors as he flees. Considering that Cameron is a real life Prince Charming--he's handsome, famous, and rich--it's only fitting that he sets out to find the owner of the Sharpied shoes. Cameron's twin sister, a model and socialite, posts the picture of Nate's shoes on Instagram to her legions of fans with the caption, "Anyone know the gorgeous owner of these shoes? My hottie brother is looking for him." The internet just about breaks with the news of a modern fairy tale and the two become entwined in each other's lives in this sparkling story about the power of music, the demons that haunt us, and the flutterings of first real love.

Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis

When seventeen-year-old Nedra Brysstain leaves her home in the rural, northern territories of Lunar Island to attend the prestigious Yugen Academy, she has only one goal in mind: learn the trade of medicinal alchemy. A scholarship student matriculating with the children of Lunar Island's wealthiest and most powerful families, Nedra doesn't quite fit in with the other kids at Yugen, who all look down on her. All, except for Greggori "Grey" Astor. Grey is immediately taken by the brilliant and stubborn Nedra, who he notices is especially invested in her studies. And that's for a good reason: a deadly plague has been sweeping through the North, and it's making its way toward the cities. With her family's life--and the lives of all of Lunar Island's citizens--on the line, Nedra is determined to find a cure for the plague. Grey and Nedra continue to grow closer, but as the sickness spreads and the body count rises, Nedra becomes desperate to find a cure. Soon, she finds herself diving into alchemy's most dangerous corners--and when she turns to the most forbidden practice of all, necromancy, even Grey might not be able to pull her from the darkness.

Always Forever Maybe by Anica Mrose Rissi

When Betts meets Aiden at the candy store where she works, their connection is like a sugar rush to the heart. Betts already knows the two of them are infinite. Inevitable. Destined to become an us. Betts has only ever kept one secret from her best friend, Jo, but suddenly there’s a long list of things she won’t tell her, things Jo wouldn’t understand. Because Jo doesn’t see how good Aiden is for Betts. She finds him needy. Possessive. Controlling. She’s wrong. With a love like this, nothing else matters.

Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) by Lev A.C. Rosen

Meet Jack Rothman. He's seventeen and loves partying, makeup and boys - sometimes all at the same time. His sex life makes him the hot topic for the high school gossip machine. But who cares? Like Jack always says, 'it could be worse'. He doesn't actually expect that to come true. But after Jack starts writing an online sex advice column, the mysterious love letters he's been getting take a turn for the creepy. Jack's secret admirer knows everything: where he's hanging out, who he's sleeping with, who his mum is dating. They claim they love Jack, but not his unashamedly queer lifestyle. They need him to curb his sexuality, or they'll force him. As the pressure mounts, Jack must unmask his stalker before their obsession becomes genuinely dangerous...

Where I Live by Brenda Rufener

LINDEN ROSE HAS RULES FOR SURVIVAL. 1. Prevent the in-class nap. 2. Never carry too many belongings. 3. Avoid looking the part. Her rules guarantee no one discovers her secret–that she’s homeless and living in the halls of her small-town high school. Her best friends, Ham and Seung, have formed a makeshift family, and writing for her school’s blog prevents downtime. When you’re homeless, free time sucks. Despite everything Linden’s burdened with, she holds on to hope for a future and a maybe romance with Seung. But when cool-girl Bea comes to school with a bloody lip, the damage hits too close to home. Linden begins looking at Bea’s life, and soon her investigation prompts people to pay attention. And attention is the last thing Linden needs. To put a stop to the violence, Linden must tell the story. Even if it breaks her rules for survival and jeopardizes the secrets she’s worked so hard to keep.

Not the Girls You’re Looking For by Aminah Mae Safi

Lulu Saad doesn't need your advice, thank you very much. She's got her three best friends and nothing can stop her from conquering the known world. Sure, for half a minute she thought she’d nearly drowned a cute guy at a party, but he was totally faking it. And fine, yes, she caused a scene during Ramadan. It's all under control. Ish. Except maybe this time she’s done a little more damage than she realizes. And if Lulu can't find her way out of this mess soon, she'll have to do more than repair friendships, family alliances, and wet clothing. She'll have to go looking for herself.

Amber and Dusk by Lyra Selene

Sylvie has always known she deserves more. Out in the permanent twilight of the Dusklands, her guardians called her power to create illusions a curse. But Sylvie knows it gives her a place in Coeur d'Or, the palais of the Amber Empress and her highborn legacies. So Sylvie sets off toward the Amber City, a glittering jewel under a sun that never sets, to take what is hers. But her hope for a better life is quickly dimmed. The empress invites her in only as part of a wicked wager among her powerful courtiers. Sylvie must assume a new name, Mirage, and begin to navigate secretive social circles and deadly games of intrigue in order to claim her spot. Soon it becomes apparent that nothing is as it appears and no one, including her cruel yet captivating sponsor, Sunder, will answer her questions. As Mirage strives to assume what should be her rightful place, she'll have to consider whether it is worth the price she must pay.

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma

Winnie Mehta was never really convinced that Raj was her soulmate, but their love was written in the stars. Literally, a pandit predicted Winnie would find the love of her life before her 18th birthday, and Raj meets all of the qualifications. Which is why Winnie is shocked to return from her summer at film camp to find her boyfriend of three years hooking up with Jenny Dickens. Worse, Raj is crowned chair of the student film festival, a spot Winnie was counting on for her film school applications. As a self-proclaimed Bollywood expert, Winnie knows this is not how her perfect ending is scripted. Then there’s Dev, a fellow film geek, and one of the few people Winnie can count on to help her reclaim control of her story. Dev is smart charming, and challenges Winnie to look beyond her horoscope to find someone she’d pick for herself. But does falling for Dev mean giving up on her prophecy, and her chance to live happily ever after? To get her Bollywood-like life on track, Winnie will need a little bit of help from fate, family, and of course, a Bollywood movie star.

Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd

Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime. Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for.

The Art of French Kissing by Brianna Shrum

Seventeen-year-old Carter Lane has wanted to be a chef since she was old enough to ignore her mom's warnings to stay away from the hot stove. And now she has the chance of a lifetime: a prestigious scholarship competition in Savannah, where students compete all summer in Chopped style challenges for a full-ride to one of the best culinary schools in the country. The only impossible challenge ingredient in her basket: Reid Yamada. After Reid, her cute but unbearably cocky opponent, goes out of his way to screw her over on day one, Carter vows revenge, and soon they're involved in a full-fledged culinary war. Just as the tension between them reaches its boiling point, Carter and Reid are forced to work together if they want to win, and Carter begins to wonder if Reid's constant presence in her brain is about more than rivalry. And if maybe her desire to smack his mouth doesn't necessarily cancel out her desire to kiss it.

Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie

Aisha Un-Haad would do anything for her family. When her brother contracts a plague, she knows her janitor's salary isn't enough to fund his treatment. So she volunteers to become a Scela, a mechanically enhanced soldier sworn to protect and serve the governing body of the Fleet, the collective of starships they call home. If Aisha can survive the harrowing modifications and earn an elite place in the Scela ranks, she may be able to save her brother. Key Tanaka awakens in a Scela body with only hazy memories of her life before. She knows she's from the privileged end of the Fleet, but she has no recollection of why she chose to give up a life of luxury to become a hulking cyborg soldier. If she can make it through the training, she might have a shot at recovering her missing past. In a unit of new recruits vying for top placement, Aisha's and Key's paths collide, and the two must learn to work together--a tall order for girls from opposite ends of the Fleet. But a rebellion is stirring, pitting those who yearn for independence from the Fleet against a government struggling to maintain unity. With violence brewing and dark secrets surfacing, Aisha and Key find themselves questioning their loyalties. They will have to put aside their differences, though, if they want to keep humanity from tearing itself apart.

Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitch Smith

When Louise Wolfe’s first real boyfriend mocks and disrespects Native people in front of her, she breaks things off and dumps him over e-mail. It’s her senior year, anyway, and she’d rather spend her time with her family and friends and working on the school newspaper. The editors pair her up with Joey Kairouz, the ambitious new photojournalist, and in no time the paper’s staff find themselves with a major story to cover: the school musical director’s inclusive approach to casting The Wizard of Oz has been provoking backlash in their mostly white, middle-class Kansas town. From the newly formed Parents Against Revisionist Theater to anonymous threats, long-held prejudices are being laid bare and hostilities are spreading against teachers, parents, and students — especially the cast members at the center of the controversy, including Lou’s little brother, who’s playing the Tin Man. As tensions mount at school, so does a romance between Lou and Joey — but as she’s learned, “dating while Native” can be difficult. In trying to protect her own heart, will Lou break Joey’s?

Unstoppable Moses by Tyler James Smith

After accidentally burning down a bowling alley with his cousin and best friend, Charlie, Moses has one week as a camp counselor to prove to the authorities—and to himself—that he isn't a worthless jerk who belongs in jail, when Charlie doesn't get that chance.

What the Night Sings by Vesper Stamper

After losing her family and everything she knew in the Nazi concentration camps, Gerta is finally liberated, only to find herself completely alone. Without her Papa, her music, or even her true identity, she must move past the task of surviving and onto living her life. In the displaced persons camp where she is staying, Gerta meets Lev, a fellow teen survivor who she just might be falling for, despite her feelings for someone else. With a newfound Jewish identity she never knew she had, and a return to the life of music she thought she lost forever, Gerta must choose how to build a new future.

Odd One Out by Nic Stone

Courtney "Coop" Cooper Dumped. Again. And normally I wouldn't mind. But right now, my best friend and source of solace, Jupiter Sanchez, is ignoring me to text some girl. Rae Evelyn Chin I assumed "new girl" would be synonymous with "pariah," but Jupiter and Courtney make me feel like I'm right where I belong. I also want to kiss him. And her. Which is . . . perplexing. Jupiter Charity-Sanchez The only thing worse than losing the girl you love to a boy is losing her to your boy. That means losing him, too. I have to make a move. . . . One story. Three sides. No easy answers.

Love a la Mode by Stephanie Kate Strohm

Rosie Radeke firmly believes that happiness can be found at the bottom of a mixing bowl. But she never expected that she, a random nobody from East Liberty, Ohio, would be accepted to celebrity chef Denis Laurent's school in Paris, the most prestigious cooking program for teens in the entire world. Life in Paris, however, isn't all cream puffs and crepes. Faced with a challenging curriculum and a nightmare professor, Rosie begins to doubt her dishes. Henry Yi grew up in his dad's restaurant in Chicago, and his lifelong love affair with food landed him a coveted spot in Chef Laurent's school. He quickly connects with Rosie, but academic pressure from home and his jealousy over Rosie's growing friendship with gorgeous bad-boy baker Bodie Tal makes Henry lash out and push his dream girl away. Desperate to prove themselves, Rosie and Henry cook like never before while sparks fly between them. But as they reach their breaking points, they wonder whether they have what it takes to become real chefs.

A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan

King Midas once had the ability to turn all he touched into gold. But after his gift—or curse—almost killed his daughter, Midas relinquished The Touch forever. Ten years later, Princess Kora still bears the consequences of her father’s wish: her skin shines golden, rumors follow her everywhere she goes, and she harbors secret powers that are getting harder to hide. Kora spends her days locked in the palace, concealed behind gloves and veils, trying to ignore the stares and gossip of courtiers. It isn’t until a charming young duke arrives that Kora realizes there may be someone out there who doesn’t fear her or her curse. But their courtship is disrupted when a thief steals precious items from the kingdom, leaving the treasury depleted and King Midas vulnerable. Thanks to her unique ability to sense gold, Kora is the only one who can track the thief down. As she sails off on her quest, Kora learns that not everything is what it seems—not thieves, not pirates, and not even curses. She quickly discovers that gold—and the power it brings—is more dangerous than she’d ever believed. Midas learned his lesson at a price. What will Kora’s journey cost?

Nothing But Sky by Amy Trueblood

Grace Lafferty only feels alive when she's dangling 500 feet above ground. As a post-World War I wing walker, Grace is determined to get to the World Aviation Expo, proving her team’s worth against flashier competitors and earning a coveted Hollywood contract. No one’s ever questioned Grace’s ambition until Henry Patton, a mechanic with plenty of scars from the battlefield, joins her barnstorming team. With each new death-defying trick, Henry pushes Grace to consider her reasons for being a daredevil. Annoyed with Henry’s constant interference, and her growing attraction to him, Grace continues to test the powers of the sky. After one of her risky maneuvers saves a pilot’s life, a Hollywood studio offers Grace a chance to perform at the Expo. She jumps at the opportunity to secure her future. But when a stunt goes wrong, Grace must decide whether Henry, and her life, are worth risking for one final trick.

The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke

Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are the Boneless Mercies—girls hired to kill quickly, quietly, and mercifully. But Frey is weary of the death trade and, having been raised on the heroic sagas of her people, dreams of a bigger life. When she hears of an unstoppable monster ravaging a nearby town, Frey decides this is the Mercies' one chance out. The fame and fortune of bringing down such a beast would ensure a new future for all the Mercies. In fact, her actions may change the story arc of women everywhere.

The Brightsiders by Jen Wilde

As a rock star drummer in the hit band The Brightsiders, Emmy King’s life should be perfect. But there’s nothing the paparazzi love more than watching a celebrity crash and burn. When a night of partying lands Emmy in hospital and her girlfriend in jail, she’s branded the latest tabloid train wreck. Luckily, Emmy has her friends and bandmates, including the super-swoonworthy Alfie, to help her pick up the pieces of her life. She knows hooking up with a band member is exactly the kind of trouble she should be avoiding, and yet Emmy and Alfie Just. Keep. Kissing. Will the inevitable fallout turn her into a clickbait scandal (again)? Or will she find the strength to stand on her own?

#31 days of quietya #quietya #ya books #book list #this is your mod speaking

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acsversace-news · 7 years ago

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The penultimate episode of “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” is almost like a checklist of all the challenges a director might face in crafting an episode of TV. For Matt Bomer, that’s exactly why it made for the perfect directorial debut.

“We had two child protagonists in the first couple acts of the episode, so you’re already on child hours. We’re in three different countries, five different cities. Party scenes, trading floor scenes, a period piece,” Bomer told IndieWire. “I was so grateful to be thrown so many challenges my first time directing because I was able to tick off so many boxes of things that I don’t have to worry about any more. Half of it was just getting it done and knowing you can do it and do it on schedule.”

Known for his work in front of the camera, Bomer had other opportunities to direct before but always wanted to wait for the optimum chance to immerse himself in a project. When “American Crime Story” became a possibility, Bomer devised his own personal film school to get himself ready to meet the challenge.

“I was waiting patiently in the wings. Ryan had reached out to me back in December [2016] and asked me to direct. After I passed out and regained consciousness, I said yes and really spent four and a half months on this episode,” Bomer said. “I read over 3,000 pages of books on directing, I shadowed two different directors on the show. I sat down with film and television directors who are friends of mine who were willing to be mentors. I did an intensive at the DGA. I knew the level of artistry that was [happening] on set and I wanted to meet everyone on their level.”

Part of Bomer’s signing up for “American Crime Story” was the chance to fully commit to the task. He was on set for a month of shoots while the show was filming other episodes in the season, affording him the chance to know the full crew before he started.

“I didn’t want that partial directorial experience. I wanted to really immerse myself and approach it like any director would. I wanted to be there for all the scouts. I wanted to be in the room for all the casting. I wanted to be in all the design meetings. I didn’t want to just lean on the director of photography to get me through while I worked with actors,” Bomer said.

For an episode that meant turning L.A. into locations as wide-ranging as San Diego and the Philippines, it was an investment that paid off down the road.

“I had to find three different countries within a Los Angeles area,” Bomer said. “We had an incredible production designer in Jamie Walker McCall. She worked her magic, particularly what she did in the Baliuag shack. That final confrontation between Andrew and his father is a setpiece we talked through that she built. I think her work on that was tremendous.”

The pivotal piece in the “Creator/Destroyer” puzzle is Jon Jon Briones, who plays Andrew Cunanan’s father Modesto, a man whose pathological drive to appease his son lays the groundwork for the rest of the “Versace” saga that came before this. Briones’ reputation as a performer had preceded him on set, with “Versace” star Darren Criss and writer Tom Rob Smith both praising his legendary, long-running work as The Engineer in “Miss Saigon.” Through the audition and right up through the first day of shooting, Bomer knew they had the perfect man to play Modesto.

“We started with that move-out scene early on. He had this guy and he knew this man. We were also shooting this while he was in a Broadway show, so we had to shoot all of his stuff out in six days straight and then he had to fly back to New York,” Bomer said. “That final scene, that ‘Heart of Darkness’/’Apocalypse Now’ confrontation at the end of the episode, that was really when I went, ‘OK, this guy is sensational. He’s got this all mapped out and he knows how to do this.‘”

Building a relationship with the two performers at the heart of the episode was key. Even though Bomer didn’t come in with a predetermined directorial style, he had the advantage of having already seen what Criss was doing with Andrew Cunanan as a character before it came time to show how he got there.

“I had been witness to what Darren was doing on set and had been blown away by it from Day One. I knew how he liked to work. I think a big part of directing is when you’ve got something great, get out of the way. Just set a good frame that tells the story right, stage it right,” Bomer said. “I try to give the actors a lot of information about what the scene’s about by how I stage it. There are also times when it’s a three-page scene between two people and I go, ‘I’m not giving you anything. Let’s rehearse until we get something that’s organic and true and then we’ll shoot that.’ So there’s no one-size-fits-all. You’re always dealing with a different box of crayons, depending on which artist you’re working with in any given scene.”

That preparation meant that even the smaller moments in the episodes, ones on a much simpler scale, had the opportunity to take advantage of everyone’s shorthand.

“One of my favorite things we did was that really quick scene where he puts on the CD and he’s picking out his big reveal outfit for the party. It was a tiny little thing, but we were just vibing creatively with the camera people, with Darren. Everything was coming together at that point. I think we did it in one take,” Bomer said.

That sense of understanding came from collaborating with people that Bomer had previously worked with on other Ryan Murphy projects. Those individuals were part of every step of the “Creator/Destroyer” process, from the on-set crew to the stewards of the post process.

“I was so fortunate because when you’re working with Ryan Murphy, you’re working with the best people in the industry. I’m not talking about episodic. I’m talking about in the industry,” Bomer said. “The camera crew, the production designers. Simon Dennis, the director of photography. Alexis [Martin] Woodall, what she does in post-production, the way she tones these shows is phenomenal. My editor, Shelly Westerman, was a personal hero of mine. She did ‘Velvet Goldmine’ and worked on so many of the films that were really central to my cinematic experience as a young man.”

That editing process shines in the boardroom scenes where Modesto is essentially pitching the American dream to his employers, both before he’s hired and after his penny stock scheme has been sniffed out.

“This is Sidney Lumet-esque style, where these performers are all bringing their A-game. Shelly and I knew we wanted these scenes to live for a long time, not to be this MTV, jump-cutting thing. Stay in masters longer and not chop and chop and chop to distract,” Bomer said. “Particularly in an episode like this, it’s so psychological, you needed to have this creepy drifty feel and live in these moments that are uncomfortable and horrific and scary. Especially when you have performers operating at this level.”

Bomer said he’s back to being patient about any future directing opportunities, but having this finished and released to the world is the first step in keeping those future options open.

“It was all a learning process, but I feel like with anything, discipline can give you freedom. I was so overly prepared because I had the time and the luxury to be overly prepared. The first couple days we finished a bit early and I was able to take some deep breaths,” Bomer said. “I know that there will be a time when I am directing and I’m having to deal with some much harsher realities that you don’t have to deal with when you’re working for Ryan Murphy television. The best thing this gave me was this sense that I can do it.”

#acs versace #indiewire #matt bomer #interview #2.08 #article #march 2018

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tealeaves-rp · 7 years ago

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Welcome to Tea Leaves RP, EMMY, please grab a pot and pour a cup for yourself and LILY RUTH EVANS!

We are can’t wait to see how Lily develops with how she has achieved most of her goals...and yet, she wants more in some ways! Please send us a link to your tumblr within 24 hours.

II. CHARACTER STATS:

NAME: Lily Ruth Evans

BIRTHDATE/AGE: 22

GENDER IDENTITY & PRONOUNS: Female, she/her

WAND: A simple stick of oak wood, cut ten inches long, polished and worn from years of use. It has no core and no inherent magical properties, save perhaps as a conduit for better brews from being used as a mixing stick for so long. Lily carries it mostly for the aesthetic and because it tickles her patrons to see that she is a real wix, look, she even has a wand!

IV. CHARACTERIZATION DETAILS:

SOCIAL POSITION: The Evans were decidedly lower class in the broader scheme of the world, but within the bubble of Cokeworth, their tea business edged them into respectable middle class. They rose higher as their teas took off even more thanks to open knowledge of Lily’s wix nature. By the time Lily left for London, the Evans were firmly established in the quite comfortable upper middle class. Lily herself is harder to place. While being an openly avowed wix taints her socially in the eyes of some, it elevates her in others. Fiscally she’s well off enough, and her acquaintances certainly reach lofty heights. Yet while tea isn’t really trade, and a brewing maven always has a degree of respectability, truly escaping that low background is difficult and she’s more of a social oddity than anything truly placeable.

EDUCATION: Lily got a basic education from the parish school, and did what she could to further her education on her own. She is an avid reader and her handwriting is neat and even beautiful, both in a clear copperplate and a script (she makes all the labels for the teas in the shoppe). Her maths are strong in the basics, what she needs to manage a business and to properly brew. Anything beyond that is largely self taught. Her magical education was a mixture of trial and error, and learning with Severus from his mother, thoroughly rooted in magical brewing. Any other magic has been self taught from a few illicit books.

DAILY GRIND: Lily co-owns Tea and Talons; the shoppe is her life. From living above the shoppe, having her workshop in the basement, and handling most of the customer interactions, it consumes most of her time. However, as she’s gotten more settled in London and the shoppe has taken off, she’s been venturing out into greater London more often. She has to put those pretty things she’s been buying to good use, and a silk dress is not appropriate for brewing tea.

THE TEA: Lily makes so many nuanced, complex brews all the time, one would be forgiven to expect that her regular mix would be some masterpiece of her brewing skills. Instead the brew she’s most likely to be caught downing is a simple black tea barely sweetened by sugar and so rich in caffeine it’s amazing she hasn’t had a heart attack from it, with just a few infusions added for calm to offset the caffeine jitters (caffeine is its own sort of magic, you know). Her personal brew, however, is more nuanced, taking an earthy, smokey base and adding notes of peppermint. Rather than sugar, she sweetens it with honey and, when in private and truly enjoying a cuppa by herself, she’ll have some flower petals floating in the tea. Most often, the petals are from petunias. She puts surprisingly little magic into the blend, tempering it more with nostalgia and thoughts of family and love. A ‘hug in a cup’, she sometimes thinks of it. She’s not likely to casually share it with anyone.

GOALS: Most of Lily’s big goals have been achieved; open a tea shoppe in London with her best friend and have it be successful. Now her focus is on smaller things: building herself a proper life beyond the bounds of the shoppe walls, enjoying the life her new found respectability and money can afford her, having nice things. She’s worked hard, she deserves to have some fun. And then there’s the other goal; she wants to know more magic. Not just for her teas, but for herself, digging deeper into those mostly-forgotten traditions. Even if that means working with some occasionally shady figures to get her hands on those ancient texts.

V. CHARACTER INTRODUCTION:

It was Halloween, and that meant there were expectations. In general, yes, but especially of an ‘out’ wix. Considering her wix status was at least 50% of the draw to their fledgling shoppe (still, despite the growing acclaim for the brews themselves), that mean Lily had to go all out. As long as she could leverage it to help the shoppe, she’d gladly do it. Even if that meant dressing in an all black dress (a masterpiece from Diggle that still managed to be flirty and light despite the sombre colour), wearing a pointed hat, and leaving the shoppe broomstick by the front door like she was ready to go for a fly at any moment. This on top of the autumn decorations around the shoppe, decked out in browns and oranges and reds over faded greens. Then of course there was her wand, wielded with a grander flourish than normal.

Severus said she was being ridiculous. Lily countered that he had no sense of salesmanship.

Her day started early, well, earlier than normal, going over the packets of brews that had been special ordered for various parties that day. Bubbling and broiling, things that would tickle the throat and the mind while frothing over in a delightfully wicked way. ( One patron had even confided in Lily that she’d found a genuine cauldron that the seller swore had been used for real magic in old times to serve the tea from. Lily made extra sure to get all the stray edges of magic tucked neatly away in that brew. The last thing she needed was some lingering residue from an ancient potion mucking with her tea and getting her in trouble.) Then there was going to the emporium down the alley to pick up the little black kitten she’d rented for the day to add that extra bit of colour to the counter.

By the time she actually opened the shop, she’d been awake for two hours already. Two hours more and she was downing her second cup of PepUp Tea to keep her going as the patrons tried to run her off her feet. At the end of the day, when she finally turned the sign in the door over, seeing the last patron off to whatever party they were headed to, her cheeks ached from all the smiling. Snagging the broom from where it had wound up in the front window (someone had made a show of trying to fly it around the shoppe), she swept up and retreated to the back workshop to join Severus in helping prepare the teas they were low on and try some new blends, enjoying the dry banter between them and the special cuppa he brewed for her.

It was nearly midnight by the time she trudged up to their flat above the shoppe and toppled into bed, saying goodnight to witching day with enthusiasm fueled by knowing they’d done well. Another big holiday like that, and the might actually be solvent.

VI. MUN BACKGROUND QUESTIONS:

What is your ideal game? Games where world building not only happens, but is encouraged by the mod team

What is your least favorite element of this game? Where the conflict of the game is currently feels very lowkey and individualized. Seeing a plot or even a short lived event that introduces a grander scale conflict would be nice.

I chose this character because… I have been playing Lily for many years now, and this game gives me a chance to put her into a new situation and write a different take on her from so many angles: her relationships, her attitude towards magic, her general state of well being, not being dead at 21.

#TeaAccept #lily evans #lily evans bio

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dramioneasks · 8 years ago

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Most reviewed fics (on ffnet):

As of March 2017

Rebuilding by Colubrina - M, 300 chapters - Hermione Granger returns to Hogwarts to help rebuild the shattered castle the summer after the war. She and the other summer resident - and eventually their friends - have to come to terms with how the war broke more than just the walls of the building. Follows multiple Hogwarts students through '8th year' and one additional year of early adulthood. COMPLETE.

Isolation by Bex-chan - M, 48 chapters - He can't leave the room. Her room. And it's all the Order's fault. Confined to a small space with only the Mudblood for company, something's going to give. Maybe his sanity. Maybe not. "There," she spat. "Now your Blood's filthy too!" DM/HG. PostHBP.

Like Brothers by Colubrina - T, ABANDONED - Minerva McGonagall steps in on the awful night the Potter are killed and arranges to have Harry Potter raised by Sirius Black and his somewhat cousins, the Malfoys. Draco and Harry grow up as almost brothers and everything - everything - is different. Gryffindor!Draco. Dramione. AU. I WILL NEVER AGAIN UPDATE THIS.

The Wrong Strain by Colubrina - T, WIP - Everyone knew what veela were. Veela were magical creatures, breathtakingly beautiful, who captivated men with a single look. It would have been nice to have been that strain. Instead, Hermione Granger was infected by another. Instead of captivating all men, she was captivated by one. She'd die without him. She was already in almost constant pain. DRAMIONE.

Turncoat by elizaye - M, 101 chapters - Switching sides. "I have only one condition, and I trust it won't be hard for you to meet. I want Granger." Rated M for sex/language/torture.

The Prank War by CrazyGirl47 - T, ABANDONED - Now that Voldemort is dead, Harry and company are enjoying their last year of school by taking part in a timehonored Hogwarts tradition: the seventh year prank war. Edited and reposted. First brand new chapter now updated!

The Bracelet by AkashaTheKitty - M, 103 chapters - Hermione has everything she could possibly want... Except a life. People are getting sick of her superior attitude, especially Draco Malfoy, who schemes to get her down, once and for all. And then there's the thing with The Bracelet... 7th year AR. COMPLETE SINCE 2009 XD

Parenting Class by IcyPanther -T, 38 chapters - Complete DHr & HG Sixth years at Hogwarts are now required to take a parenting class, what fun! Hermione, Draco, and Harry are paired up in which they'll trade off being children. Can they live through the class or will being a parent prove too hard?

Simply Irresistible by bookworm1993 - T, 30 chapters - Draco gave a cocky grin. "I am going to give you a makeover." "I'm sorry what?" "You heard me Granger, I'm going to give you a makeover that will make every man want you,and make Weasley die of regret. You will be simply irresistible."

Eros & Psyche by RZZMG - M, WIP - Draco challenges Harry and friends to play EROS & PSYCHE, a scandalous card game with a dark, mysterious history. It's Slyth vs. Gryff, male vs. female, pride vs. desire in the ultimate game of hearts and amour! Pairings: Draco/Hermione,Blaise/Ginny,Ron/Pansy,Seamus/Lavender,Theo/Daphne,Harry/Tracey. AU 7th yr. Secrets, romance, angst, and sex await the turning of the first card...

Presque Toujours Pur by ShayaLonnie - M, 38 chapters - Bellatrix's torture of Hermione uncovers a long-kept secret. The young witch learns her true origins in a story that shows the beginning and end of the Wizarding wars as Hermione learns about her biological father and the blood magic he dabbled in that will control her future.

The Bespoke Witch by glitterally - M, 80 chapters - Hermione is offered a war-stake by Dumbledore. She ignorantly accepts the beautiful scroll only to find she has thereby agreed to become Wife to the House of Malfoy. An on-the-go education by Minerva, Molly, and Astoria ensues as Hermione enters formal courtship by Draco and Lucius. Utterly absurd and a tad naughty. AU, OOC. Utter tripe.

Broken by inadaze22 - M, 36 chapters - He felt something close to pity for the woman in front of him. And while that disturbed Draco to no end, what really disgusted him most of all was the harrowing fact that someone or something had broken Hermione Granger’s spirit beyond recognition.

Hermione Malfoy by superscar - M, 20 chapters - reviewsAt the request of Dumbledore, Hermione Granger marries Draco Malfoy. COMPLETED

A Marriage Most Convenient by AnneM.Oliver - M, 54 chapters - Hermione lost it all when she divorced. Draco would lose it all by age 30 if he didn't marry. Marriage to each other would be perfect, one would even say it was most convenient. Her daughter even looked like him, although, he wondered why that was.

We Learned the Sea by luckei1 - T, 37 chapters - Draco Malfoy turns himself in after a very successful career as a Death Eater, then enlists Harry and Hermione to help him in a scheme to bring down the Dark Lord. DHr. A story of forgiveness.

Revenge Is All The Sweeter by Twilight to Midnight - M, 24 chapters - A marriage law has come to pass; an unfaithful boyfriend has been caught and an enemy has been chosen. Draco and Hermione discover the fine line between love and hate. Won 2nd place at the Dramione awards for best Draco and best action/adventure!

The Green Girl by Colubrina -T, 22 chapters - Hermione is sorted into Slytherin; how will things play out differently when the brains of the Golden Trio has different friends? AU. Darkish Dramione. COMPLETE.

The Alkahest by Shadukiam - M, WIP - The Marriage Law, once enacted, has the power to destroy Hermione's perfectly normal life. Luckily, she and Ron are already planning to obey the horrific law together as a team... Until a Malfoy-shaped wrench gets thrown into the works. Dramione. Cover by littleneko1923 (thank you!).

Scales and a Tail by Halfling - M, ABANDONED - Unfinished. The Scales is a secret Slytherin society within Hogwarts. Its male only policy must change for an upcoming event, and Draco grudgingly recruits Hermione. This choice contributes to something more important than imagined.

#ffnet #most reviewed

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anthonybialy · 5 years ago

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Studied Costs

Student loans are tricky if you avoid math classes. Those demanding others fund their questionable studies are certainly not learning psychology, either. You say it's tough to find work with that course of study, but understanding how brains function can make life much easier. Others may not want to buy you things.

The call to cancel student debt is like asking kindergarteners if they want ice cream for dinner. It's the easiest way to get a cheer among those with the minds of children. Elizabeth Warren knows her constituency. It's one of the powers she gets from listening to the Earth. Act like someone else paying for their art history degrees embodies society's selflessness for true enlightenment.

Pretending the counter can be reset without consequence violates what should be the core lesson of about half a dozen majors. Screw over everyone else to flaunt enlightenment.

Paying back what's borrowed costs money, so it's best to just forget it. Sure, deeming school to be gratis would come at the expense of loan issuers, Washington, taxpayers, and anyone who paid back their debt. But those who flee burdens they agreed to accept will repay politicians offering payment amnesty with votes. Learning irresponsibility is common on many campuses.

You're really going to make us pay for the food we ate? This restaurant is mean. Many students refuse to adhere to terms just because they agreed to purchase tuition.

Figuring out how things got this way would seem to appeal to the academically inclined until you realize they're dodging the answer. There's a reason why the price on the diploma's back is long enough to be cut off at the edge, and you may be unsurprised our eternally efficient government is involved.

Grants and subsidized loans made tuition more costly than plutonium in the first place. But Washington has to be involved. If we let students and schools negotiate rates, kids might never get smart.

Throwing money is not an NCAA event, as they prefer to keep those dollars from student-athletes. But the solution is obviously throwing more even if it's not a sanctioned sport. Liberalism's chief problem is it always takes just a little more to work. We need politicians with the courage to spend what others earned.

Who's better at fixing the problem than those who caused it aside from everyone? Arsonists arrive on the scene with grand plans to extinguish blazes. Careful observations by anyone able to read a graph will lead to noticing that tuition skyrocketed when Washington began throwing dollars on quads like they were submarine crews at a strip club. But that's only because the free cash wasn't in big enough piles.

Those attempting to divide by zero don't grasp why anything costs anything. See, there was something provided for you, typically a good or service. It only seems tricky how each party hands over something, as mutual exchange is typically seamless in practice. It's so greedy to want money in return. I know it feels cynical to realize how many people have an ulterior motive for working, but recipients of your cash use it to in turn purchase things like housing and garments.

Forcing others to pay is the surest way to make anything more costly, which confuses those who don't account for incentives in their simple calculations. What do you think making others pony up does? If you're one of those curious people born earlier today maintaining faith in the power of any random president to improve lives, you think they make things cheaper.

Giving money makes things free, according to those who understand economics as well as they do human nature. Either government has magical accounting powers or those who have succeeded should be forced to fund the attempts of others, according to deep thinkers with kind hearts.

Universities will have to offer complimentary classes from now on. It's unfair to everyone who had debt cancelled for future generations to do anything as unseemly as pay bills. Everyone demanding a free education really thought this out. Are you suggesting presidential candidates demanding that expenses not be repaid might fail to have tomorrow in mind?

Isolating people from prices makes both of them run crazy. An active willingness to ignore results of experiments right in front of them doesn't say much for them regarding conclusions in any field. The same ones who proclaim human comfort will render Earth uninhabitable in a decade sure don't care about who's going to pay for the ludicrous bar tab once we're cut off in a few hours.

The best case against cancelling loan payments is who's making them. Far too many students stay on campus for awhile and never got smarter. Many of those so dim that they majored in political science learned one lesson, namely that telling people something is free will buy a couple votes. Their schemes to perfect society will work if only the uneducated masses invest enough faith in them and tax dollars in being told what to do.

College is supposed to be the best half-decade or so of your life. But you should spend at least a few semesters learning that you're not so important that society should pay. So many graduates should've learned modesty. They'd have been much better luck doing so at trade school.

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eddiejpoplar · 7 years ago

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First Drive: Mopar 2017 Dodge Challenger

The Mopar 2017 Dodge Challenger was dropped off at noon, and it sparkled in my driveway as if the ripe blue beneath the character line was flecked with asteroid dust. But the glaring rays robbed the black roof and hood of their sheen. It would have been better to greet this 80th-anniversary car when sunset seems to liquefy the lacquers, revealing their true names: Contusion Blue and Pitch Black.

This is the seventh Mopar special since 2010. It rolled off the assembly line in Brampton, Ontario, as an all-blue Challenger R/T Scat Pack and then went to the Mopar Custom Shop in Windsor, across the river from Detroit. There, the trim came off, lots of sanding and hand-masking took place, the black was applied, and the “392” emblem was painted by hand. (The numeral “3” is the Mopar “M” turned sideways.) Other special pieces such as the Shaker hood, shock-tower braces, and Hellcat exhaust tips were installed. The car departed with an owner’s kit: a leather case containing a “birth certificate” engraved on a metal plate, a signed artist’s rendering, a brochure filled with breathless congratulations, a handsome acrylic display piece, and jewelry including a key chain, anniversary badge, and valve-stem caps. The Mopar ’17 Challenger is also offered in Billet Silver and Pitch Black—just 80 examples of each paint scheme. No matter what color, the buyer gets a big brawler with a face that says, “Outta the way!” Goodyear Eagle F1 tires on 20-inch wheels bulge like massive biceps. Indeed, the car has a few poses that make it one of the nicest-looking retro statements on the street.

No matter the color choice, the Mopar 2017 Challenger buyer gets a big brawler with a face that says, “Outta the way!”

I opened its huge door and sat on a lovely, suede-trimmed bucket seat with the Mopar logo embossed on the headrest. The 6.4-liter (392-cubic-inch) V-8 came to life with classic Detroit verve. It was immediately clear how much the oversquare engine likes to rev. Even on local roads where prudence should be exercised, there was no resisting. I might as well have been walking across rangeland with a shotgun and bag of shells. Smacking the power peak of 485 horsepower at 6,100 rpm in second gear brings the voice of a Roman god and a marrow-sapping rush of speed. Third brings a belly laugh, but fourth brings the fear of being fitted for an orange jumpsuit. The 180-mph speedometer is there for a reason. (Fifth and sixth gears are overdrive ratios.) But for all the commotion, all the flapping of dewlaps, this is a refined car with exceptional chassis and suspension development and strategic updates in interior feature content.

“To the credit of Mopar, they continue to do tremendous things with that product,” said Eric Noble, president of automotive consultancy firm The Car Lab, when I called him for some perspective. Noble pointed out that the LX platform, which serves as the Challenger’s basis, is more than 10 years old. “That’s an example of the power of the Mopar brand and also the clever continual evolution of it by passionate people inside. Mopar’s basically the fountain of youth for every model it touches.”

The Mopar “M” gets sideways for the handpainted “392” emblem. The Shaker hood always seems on the verge of making a big announcement

The Mopar 2017 Challenger is tagged at $57,885. “I bet every unit goes out the door at that plus dealer markup,” Noble said. “It’s a way for [Fiat Chrysler Automobiles] to continue to reap profit out of a very old platform. The vehicle-line executive on the main model line is happy, the dealers are happy, and Mopar continues to maintain or build brand equity. It’s hard to say a bad thing about Mopar. They’re just damn good at what they do.”

In fact, Noble suggests Mopar is FCA’s third-most valuable division after Jeep and Ram. This value is the result of gradual development of today’s portfolio of limited-edition vehicles, 500,000 products, 1,750 Mopar Express Lane oil-change centers around the world, mechanic training programs at community colleges, 50 parts warehouses, 11 Mopar Custom Shops in various countries, and 1,500 employees at home base in Detroit’s suburb of Center Line.

It all started rather humbly in the same year the American auto industry gave us the Blue Flame inline-six and the sit-down strike. It was initiated August 1, 1937, after Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation had already been operating for eight years, when Mopar offered “Chrysler Engineered” antifreeze (part number 1316 209) as its first product for the corporation’s Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, Chrysler, and Imperial brands. Matter of fact all the way, Mopar said what it did: motor parts.

The Mopar Challenger’s speedometer goes to 180 mph for a reason. It taps the available 485 hp at 6,100 rpm and can hightail it out of anywhere.

If the name was prosaic, the earliest marketing idea—put together for a Shriners’ parade in Detroit—was kooky. The effort entailed creation of a parade float bearing a 10-foot-tall camel made of auto parts. Wearing Mr. Mopar labels, this creation was led on the float by a small mechanical man, a real nut job named Accy—for “accessories.” In the annals of pitchmen, Mr. Mopar and Accy fall somewhere between Mr. Clean, whose sudden appearance in a commercial was unnerving but effective, and that inefficacious prevaricator, Joe Isuzu.

MoPar, as it was then written, with horizontal rules above the “o” and “ar,” offered radios in 1941, just in time to hear FDR proclaim December 7 as a date which will live in infamy. The sets were “custom built to specifications developed by Chrysler Corporation Engineers.” There was the Universal, the Model 600, and the mighty Model 800, an eight-tube wonder with great reception and a color-changing display that matched the broadcast.

A postwar ad presented car care products such as MoPar Automobile Polish. “Excellent for furniture, too!” claimed the copy in what was perhaps an industry first: allowing people to shine up their Plymouths and parquetry from the same can. The full-color cover of a Replacement Parts and Service Guide from the 1950s showed mufflers, brake hoses and fluid, fan belts, and spark plugs. It was still pretty ho-hum.

By now, MoPar had lost the horizontal rules, and if the early attempt at a mascot was corny, the graphic design was equally misbegotten. “Mopar’s branding since 1937 looks like design ideas run through a blender at max speed,” said my friend, Angela Riechers, who teaches typography at New York’s School of Visual Arts and writes a weekly column on typefaces for Eye on Design, the American Institute of Graphic Artists’ blog. I’d asked Riechers to look over the images Mopar released for its anniversary. She found “a mishmash of colors, typefaces, attempts at logotypes, and varying notions about how much info to include. They never really found a groove or an engaging logo.”

Considering the bulging “Omega M” created by marketing manager George Robinson in the mid-1960s, she said: “It looks logo-ish, to be sure, but it’s visually divorced from its automotive context. A first read evokes the image of bunny ears—or Neptune’s trident.”

Besides the introduction of the enduring logo, the 1960s were big for the brand. “Mopar’s gone independent!” announced a 1963 ad for the new wire and cable line. But the parts we remain excited about to this day are the intake manifolds, valvetrain pieces, and headers that made Dodges and Plymouths so predatory on street and strip, establishing Mopar as synonymous with Chrysler performance. These were lightweight cars with outrageous V-8s. In 1962, an unhandsome little Dart stopped gagging on its 413-cubic-inch Ram Charger motor long enough to record a 167.3-mph flying mile at Bonneville.

“They had it going all the way,” said Bob Beck, a Southern California racetrack announcer for decades who has always enjoyed telling audiences Mopar stands for “Move Over, Plymouths Are Racing.” Besides the huge engines, Beck attributes much Mopar success to Plymouth’s and Dodge’s early adoption of unibody construction. “You wanted to win on the dragstrip,” he said, “you came along a Hemi or Max Wedge, and you knew that was going to be tough business.”

From the seatbacks to the special Mopar owner’s kit, the Challenger does not lack for logos. And no matter the age of the chassis, this car delivers pleasure on the open road

Those who didn’t buy their own factory dragster with an aluminum front end could go to the dealership for some Mopar magic. “They even had kits where you could build yourself a race car,” Beck said. The phenomenon was known as package cars. “It was a part number. You could get everything you needed right from the dealership.” The performance-parts trade led to creation of the Direct Connection, which grew into today’s Mopar Performance Parts.

It’s hard to imagine the NHRA without Mopar, which sponsors the newest star, Leah Pritchett, for whom 2017 has been a breakout year.

From dominating the Stock and Super Stock categories at local strips, Mopar grew with the National Hot Rod Association, which left behind its original competition sites on World War II airfields and moved to purpose-built stadiums and today’s 24-date national tour. The front-engine rail and slingshot dragsters grew into rear-engine Top Fuel cars with enclosed driver compartments. And the Funny Cars deriving from Jack Chrisman’s Mercury Comet had flip-up fiberglass bodies of ever more radical design and supercharged, nitro-fueled engines. The second-generation Hemi V-8 introduced in 1964 was the foundation for Mopar teams. “The engine was so strong and very amenable to the use of nitromethane and blowers,” Beck said. Don Garlits (see page 117) relied on Mopar power while becoming the sport’s foremost legend. It’s hard to imagine the NHRA today without Mopar, which sponsors the newest star, Leah Pritchett, for whom 2017 has been a breakout year.

The cutout in the hood leaves some wiggle room for the mighty Hemi. The big V-8 dispels misguided notions of turbo V-6 superiority.

The Challenger, introduced in 1970, almost missed the fun, coming to market much later than its ponycar precursors and just in time for the federalization era. I was 15 years old in 1970 and had a better-late-than-never attitude about the Challenger. Its simple lines, shapely waist, and overall stance drew me. (By then, the Mustang and Camaro were getting a little busy.) The 1971 car-chase movie, “Vanishing Point,” enhanced the appeal. I happened to work at a drive-in theater that summer and saw it a dozen times. Even the teenaged me recognized the story as a total crock, but I was paid $1.35 per hour to watch Kowalski, the Challenger R/T’s amphetamine-popping driver, outrun motorcycle cops, force a Jaguar E-type into a river, and meet a naked hippie girl who rode a Honda Scrambler without burning her leg on the side pipes. Jennifer Lawrence might have an Oscar, but could she ever do that?

“Vanishing Point” stayed in my mind while I sampled the Mopar ’17 Challenger. Granted, there are even more potent Challenger derivatives—the Demon and Hellcat—but the Mopar Challenger is still a beast. With the ferocious V-8 and taut driveline, smooth shifting requires a real knack. Rather than fully automated, multimode supercars, this is a simple recipe for deliciousness. Mopar’s head of design, Joe Dehner, had spoken about the reaction of enthusiasts in a preview showing. “I think these people eat spark plugs for breakfast,” he said.

If he’s right, green smoothies might be overrated in making it to 80.

Mopar 2017 Dodge Challenger Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $57,885/$57,885 (base/as tested) ENGINE 6.4L OHV 16-valve V-8/485 hp @ 6,100 rpm, 475 lb-ft @ 4,100 rpm TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual LAYOUT 2-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, RWD coupe EPA MILEAGE 14/23 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 75.7 x 55.9 in WHEELBASE 116.2 in WEIGHT 4,232 lb 0-60 MPH 4.5 sec (est) TOP SPEED 179 mph

The post First Drive: Mopar 2017 Dodge Challenger appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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