#they may sell out quick since there's not that many of them but who knows

[shopwitchvamp]

These designs arrived alongside all the preorder stuff last Friday, so expect them to go up in the shop in a week or two!

sneaking.. peeking....

[decepti-thots]

Do you know of anywhere to get the mtmte paperbacks I've looked everywhere and can't find any of them.

So. The MTMTE physical paperbacks have been out of print since IDW lost the license and between the fact they never sold that well for a variety of reasons (and IDW, anecdotally, seemingly did not do more repeat printings than they had to; some comics may have only had one printing) and the fact that MTMTE's continuing cult popularity meaning there's very high demand, they are notoriously price gouged these days and very expensive. You can find them on ebay, but especially later volumes can go for over fifty dollars a trade. Sometimes far more. I've seen individual sales of some of the later trades in MTMTE and especially Lost Light go for over a hundred bucks for one paperback. I have to this day never seen an ebay listing for the final collected edition of Lost Light, which I suspect had a very, very small print.

Historically, I have said that weirdly the easiest way to get them at a halfway accessible price is actually to find second hand copies on Japanese sites and use a proxy service to buy several trades at once to reduce the cost of shipping overall and make it worth it. Since Japanese fandom often imported them so there's often a decent chunk of the trades available and due to the fact that secondhand comics on the Japanese aftermarket are usually much cheaper generally, since secondhand comics as a market in Japan expect things to be reasonably priced, this has often been the most cost effective way to buy those trades even considering the cost of importing them. But I gather that prices have even been ticking upwards on JP sites in the last year, so. It may not be as viable as it was five years ago, unfortunately. And I still never see Lost Light stuff on there! Worth a shot, but no longer a guarantee, I fear.

It's just very difficult to get ahold of the physical trade collections for MTMTE, unfortunately. Anyone selling them online is gonna google what they last went for, realize it was A Lot, and price them accordingly. Even charity shops in the UK that sell books have been known to get donations of them and realize they are worth a lot and put them up for over fifty quid a book, lmao. If you set up alerts on sites like ebay and regularly check, sometimes you'll find a normal listing you can snap up for RRP kinda prices, if you're quick, but it is a notoriously hard series to collect that has only gotten worse over the years.

Your best bet might be, if you are in TF collector circles on socmedia, to put out there that you would like to buy them for a reasonable price. I know of some people who on twitter/etc did so and were privately contacted like 'i wanna unload my collection, and will do so for a reasonable cost'. But it's just genuinely really hard to collect these comics physically, unfortunately. And only getting harder. Of all the IDW comics, MTMTE is the one that's hardest to get because it's the one so many people want to buy. People spend a lot of money on them these days. My personal hope is that Skybound will eventually do a reissue, as they have said they would consider doing in the past. Because right now, a full collection secondhand is just extraordinarily expensive, and likely to require months of effort, if not years.

[starmocha]

Hi there. I'm back with theory #3 for Sylus' myth. Which....might be less evidence-heavy than the first two and really just me talking out of my ass. I started writing at midnight because that's just on brand clown behavior of me 🙃 ANYWAY...

People who haven't read Rafayel, Xavier, and Zayne's myths, please tread carefully, because I will touch upon them briefly and allude to events in their myths.

Quick recap from first post:

Theory 1: Sylus and MC must have been destined lovers in a past life, but due to whatever conflict, Sylus decided to break his bond with her for her protection and accept any punishment that comes with it, which could mean to be ruler of a place he has no desire for, an imprisonment of sort.

Theory 2: Destined lovers, but perhaps a third party interfered out of jealousy or spite. Could Sylus have been caught and framed of a crime and been literally imprisoned, thus forcing him and MC to separate?

So...I half-joked in a post that my new theory is that Sylus sold his soul to the devil. Or, you know, maybe he is the devil himself. This is partly stemmed from the Long-Awaited Revelry trailer, which has the word "demon" over a shot of him and later in the same trailer, one of Sylus' companion forms is aptly titled "Otherworldly Visitor". Make of that as you will.

And with the new trailer for No Defense Zone, we see that Sylus' right eye glows in a demonic way, similar to his in the LAR trailer. Even the atmosphere in both scenes seem a bit supernatural. Now....I didn't want to go there, but, um................do you suppose he is an incubus? 😭😭😭 The shot after "demon" has the word "desire," which can have a sexual connotation.

For those who don't know, an incubus is a male demon who preys on women sexually.......it would explain his kinky behavior in NDZ 💀 but I digress.......

Some of the first lines we hear from Sylus:

"Even if you wanted to sell your soul, you still have to find someone who can pay the price."

"Want some help? Yes? No? Maybe so?"

These lines reinforce the idea of "deal with the devil". In the new theme song, Visions opposées, the singer also sings this line: "Mais c'est le prix à payer" (But that's the price to pay). It could just be figurative, or it could hold some literal truth, because I found it interesting how that verse overlaps with Sylus' scenes. I doubt it's a coincidence since the devs are so good at planting seeds.

From the chorus, in order, we hear:

[MINOR RAFAYEL, XAVIER, & ZAYNE SPOILERS]

"But that's the price to pay / o'love" - Rafayel, God of the Sea, is separated by MC. His price? His civilization.

"Stars will always shine / But with pain" - Xavier and MC are separated (side note: I don't have the second half of Xavier's first myth yet, so I can't elaborate too much. But I've seen enough references to understand the scene depicted in the MV)

"Though separated / Hearts cling on" - Zayne (The Foreseer) is separated from MC in many lifetimes. The memories of their love are tied to the jasmine flowers even if they forget.

[END SPOILERS]

"That's the price to pay / Yet lovers endure forevermore"

This is the verse that plays over Sylus' scene. What is his price? Does the following verse mean that he and MC must always endure something? Hardship? Misfortune?

When the chorus repeats a second time near the end, all of the above verses coincide with the intended love interest. It absolutely can be argued that all four love interests paid a price for their love, and not just Sylus. This whole tangent was brought up to follow with the whole "deal with the devil" aspect. As stated previously, I wouldn't be surprised if the devs and songwriters intended for the lyrics to have layers upon layers of meaning in relation to the stories.

Also take into consideration the lyrics from the song in Sylus' first official trailer, Tangible Shackles:

The outlaw again celebrates this encounter in fate It's time to break the seal they set in mind It's time they will have to pay the price

To me, though, in this song, the verse sounds very vengeful. It sounds almost vindictive, as if someone must be punished for whatever wrongdoing done against Sylus.

Watching the interview for Visions opposées, it seems the LADS team has shared enough of the intended stories for the songwriters to understand and pen the songs we hear. I trust that there will be complete clarity to the lyrics once we're able to understand Sylus' myth.

Love is the privilege of mortals

A gift the gods covet in vain

Astra, you ass, is that you

Now remember the first official trailer for Sylus? Yeah. Long-Awaited Revelry. Do you know what "revelry" mean? 'Cause I sure as heck didn't and kept wanting to read it as rivalry

revelry. noun. a situation in which people are drinking, dancing, singing, etc. at a party or in public, especially in a noisy way. — Cambridge Dictionary

To put it simply, "long-awaited party," which with the new knowledge of the timeline of scenes shown, we can clearly see a scene of MC entering a ballroom where Sylus is at in the trailer.

What type of party is this? Long-awaited? Maybe an engagement? In the MV, you can catch a brief glimpse of guests in the background watching MC enter. It seems almost like Sylus is waiting to show her off. The dance they share also seem intimate, and Sylus' expression is very soft and tender.

Previously, I alluded that it looks like MC and Sylus' wrist are bounded by a thread, similar to the Red Thread of Fate, but afterwards, I had my doubts, and if in keeping with the theme of being trapped, perhaps they were actually cuffed? I have previously mentioned that handcuffs have shown up often in the trailers.

To be cuffed together makes it seem like it wasn't a choice for one or both people. Kind of pondering if maybe MC might have sold her soul to Sylus, thus becoming bounded to him?

I have also made a lot of references to the myth of Hades and Persephone previously (still holding onto it with every fiber of my being tbqh), BUT for the sake of this third theory, let's revise the above scene to mean...

Sylus, a demonic creature, is trapped on the dark side while MC is a mortal on the light side (mortal realm). He knows their love can never be, so he forces whatever bond they made together to break, setting her free to remain in the mortal realm while he remains trapped in the Underworld.

Interestingly, Sylus conjures up a gun, pressing it to his chest where his heart would be. And he makes MC shoot him. ....thus breaking their bond? Or killing him idk man

This appears to be the following appearance of him after he is shot in his chair:

I'm sorry if this seems out of left field and my mind works in a weird way, but.....the scene above kind of made me think of the Roman/Greek myth for Cupid/Eros and Psyche. Rather, I was thinking of the scene where after her jealous sisters manipulated her and planted seeds of doubts, Psyche betrays her husband's trust and broke her promise to not view his face and learn of his identity. She carries a dagger with the intention of killing him.

In the aforementioned myth, Psyche does journey into the Underworld during a final trial set forth by Cupid/Eros' mother, Venus/Aphrodite. Other than that, there might not be many other correlations I can make in regard to the scene depicted in Visions opposées.

Speaking of Cupid (Roman name, but aka Eros in Greek mythology), however, it's also worth noting that Cupid was described as a "demon of fornication" by some mythographers. Take this part with a grain of salt since this was due to adapting the Roman myth for Christian usage. I do, however, vaguely recalled in some Greek/Roman myths, Eros/Cupid was viewed as devious by the other gods due to him being able to make both mortals and the gods fall in love depending on his whims, be it out of mischievousness or malice.

So....Cupid....God of desire....erotic love.............that earlier incubus comment I made?? 😭 This part I am definitely pulling out of my ass. 💀 Let's just wrap this post up. 🫠

If we look at the myth from the angle that Sylus is a demon, then....

Theory 3: Sylus is a demon who has come across MC, and for whatever reason, she is desperate to make a deal with a demon, thus bounding herself to him. Perhaps over time, Sylus grows to adore her, but maybe MC betrays his trust, whether it be intentional or at the manipulation of others? Could he have tested her when he made her shoot him? Was he willing to die for her, even if it's at her hands?

Uhhhh.....yeah. This theory seems more far-fetched. 🫠 Well, thanks for your time! If any of the crumbs I've presented stirred any theories from you all, I'd love to hear it! Bye. 💕

[canonical-transformation]

Genshin ships: stock market update (Natlan Act 1+2)

(Warning: May contain spoilers for character appearances and dynamics in [Chapter 5 Act 1–2] Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn and Black Stone Under a White Stone. Previous entries here.) This is for entertainment purposes only and is not financial advice: consult with your ship financial advisor before you invest.

4.0 has landed, and our analysts have been watching with interest as Natlan characters have started listing on the Genshin ship market. Here's our recommendations for the weeks ahead.

---

Citlali/Mualani is held together by a single drip marketing quote, but what a quote. BUY OR HOLD.

Mavuika/Xilonen, on the other hand, does not have a proven profit model. No, the potential for a ship name that sounds like "melanin" isn't reason enough to invest. SELL

(Note: Since Xilonen's drip marketing has landed, let's take a second to examine all the cat themed ships. Xilonen/Dehya and Xilonen/Kirara are too hard to call this far out. Xilonen/Lynette and Xilonen/Diona have boring chemistry, SELL / don't bother. And Xilonen/Keqing... oh Keqing would hate her. Hmm. Watch this space, HOLD OR BUY.)

(No, not all cat related ships find success. The recent bankruptcy and dissolution of Osse/Neko should be proof enough.)

Kachina/Bennett — ⚠️ we typically don't cover selfcest ships because there are too many of them. In this case, we'll make an exception to note it's extra unlikely. They're both too busy having coming of age stories and joining each other's teams (not a euphemism) to have any chemistry. SELL.

Kachina/Lumine, Kachina/Aether — sorry, the Traveller is already too busy being the Wise Old Mentor in the first book of Kachina's YA trilogy. SELL— wait does that mean Traveller's going to die 😐

Mavuika/Lumine, Mavuika/Aether — Constantly inviting us to drinks, her shout or Traveller's; long private chats about the family she never talks about to anyone else; giving up her antiques collection as a show of commitment: that is textbook mid-40's cool aunt flirtation. BUY BUY BUY.

Kinich/Mualani — our analysts describe this as "the equivalent of buying the first thing you see in the store", which I think means SELL.

Atea/Mavuika — There's definitely a little chemistry there, but we're unlikely to see further developments. HOLD OR SELL

Atea/Aether — HOLD OR SELL

Atea/Lumine — HOLD OR BUY. If haircuts had sexualities[...]

Small cap market ("rarepairs")

Mualani/that one bandit in her character teaser: nah, no chemistry, she's like that to everyone who tries to rob her. SELL for two-sided, HOLD OR SELL for one-sided.

Tenoch/Tupac — yeah that's been solid enemies to lovers ever since Talking Stick dropped in 4.0. The character model reveals for both of them have only increased the quality here. BUY

Chaac/Waxaklahun Ubah Kan — SELL. Way too early. If you're interested in obscure antiques maybe try Alain/Rene or Marfisa/Parsifal instead?

On that note, our analysts were intrigued by the Heroes of Cinder City. “It's an OT5 RPG adventuring party!” they explain, “like all those tabletop podcasts!” They were, however, quick to note that this was in the same potential rocky area as all Cataclysm-era ships, so HOLD at best.

Little One/Ushi — yeah sure why not. BUY

But coverage of the world quests will have to wait for a future report. In the meantime, let us know what your market predictions are!

Sidebar: phonetics

Wikipedia provides charts for converting writing systems (e.g. romanisations of languages) into the international phonetic alphabet. Below are examples for a couple of languages found across the Pacific Ring of Fire.

May your phone calls with your ship stockbroker be tienari-free!

[pinkrose787]

Trolls: A Twist in Time Chapter 1

Do y'all remember the sample I posted like two months ago? Well, I finally finished it! :D

Ao3 Link

Fic Summary: Creek hates the way that his life has gone, but with the use of a magic scrapbook he's able to right the wrongs of his life. Now, in this new timeline he's married to Poppy and is king of the Pop Trolls. Meanwhile, Branch's life has gotten, so much worse. But Creek's good fortune can't last for long. The previous timeline was not erased and echoes throughout the new one. Leaving both Branch and Poppy with the feeling that something has gone horrendously wrong, and the need to figure it out.

Chapter 1:

Trolls are forgiving, almost to a fault. Pretty much anyone can be forgiven for anything. From teens who tortured trolls for fame, rulers who tried to mind-control everyone, and even a society that ate trolls for generations all can be forgiven.

But you sell everyone out to be eaten ONE time, and suddenly you’re branded as a monster for the rest of your life.

At least, that’s the way Creek views it.

Sure, they let him back into Pop Village only a couple of months after his betrayal. All of them told him that they forgave him. Their actions spoke differently. His closest group of friends shut him out.

They weren’t outright rude to him, but they kept him at arm’s length. And the rest of Pop Village wasn’t much better. No one wanted to get close to the traitor.

What really made Creek’s blood boil was that Branch, the rude hateful loner, seems to have taken his place as one of the most loved trolls in Pop Village. All of Creek’s closest friends became Branch’s closest friends.

These trolls, who had for years sat with Creek and trash-talked Branch with him, acted like they hadn’t said so many horrible things about him behind his back. Not like saying things behind Branch’s back was hard, given that he was practically a cryptid.

And there hasn’t really been a social reprieve for him. When he heard about TrollsTopia, he hoped that this would mean a new start for him. New trolls who wouldn’t know about the little mistake he made.

But like most things in his life, that wasn’t how it went. The new trolls arrived, and the Pop Trolls made quick work of spreading word of what Creek had done around to them. Leading to all of them avoiding Creek too.

But who did these new trolls love immediately?

Branch.

Even when Creek told them about how Branch used to be. All about his rude insults, his isolated ways, how he didn’t even sing for twenty years. These new trolls didn’t even care about that. All they cared about was how Branch had supposedly changed.

But they didn’t give a damn about how he had changed.

Looking at the glowing scrapbook before him, Creek knows that all the misfortune that had befallen him is about to end.

Ever since he heard the rumors about the Scrapbook of Stories, he’d been scouring high and low for it. Searching every single place he could for this mystical artefact.

This scrapbook supposedly contains everything that has ever happened. Each moment in time. Whenever a new event occurs, it is cut and pasted into the scrapbook.

But that isn’t why Creek was looking for it. He isn’t interested in the history that book holds.

No.

The book is said to have a great power. That an alteration to an event in it would alter how it occurred in the real world. This power has been sought out by many whose lives didn’t go exactly how they wanted them to.

Out of all those who have searched for it, Creek may be the only one who has ever found it. He found it by accident. Stumbling into a random unassuming cave on the way to a different cave where the scrapbook was said to be.

To him, finding this scrapbook is fate. It’s the universe telling him that a mistake was made in having him be a traitor. That he deserves a life of love and adoration. That he deserves nothing but the best.

He flicks through the book to the moment that ruined his entire life. The moment that Chef grabbed him from the cage.

Looking at the book, he feels his heart race. He knows that what he’s seeing in the book is merely a depiction of what happened. But it looks so real. It almost feels like he’s back at that moment. Watching Chef’s hand grab him. Knowing that in just a few moments, he’ll be dead.

The whole memory is almost enough to make Creek collapse. But he can’t fail here. Not when he’s so close to success. He sits on the floor and closes his eyes. This panic is nothing that a bit of meditation can’t fix.

While meditating a thought comes to him. Someone else is going to have to take his place. Whether or not they betray everyone, he doesn’t know. The troll who takes his place may die and it’ll all be his fault.

Not that anyone would know.

Besides, he had already made peace with everyone getting eaten before. What’s so bad getting one of his ex-friends eaten?

He wishes that Branch was an option, but he doesn’t feel too confident with meddling with the timeline that much. The amount of alterations needed so that Branch would have been there at the party would be far too much.

It could even lead to Branch being a hero who stops anyone from getting taken in the first place. That isn’t something Creek can risk.

Deciding on who gets taken instead of him is difficult.

Truthfully, he doesn’t fully hate any of his old friends. Even though they did toss him aside like a piece of garbage in favor of Branch, who didn’t deserve to be friends with any of them.

Eventually, he lands on DJ Suki. Out of everyone in the cage, she and Creek were never really that close. Sure, they were in the same friend group. But they themselves weren’t really friends.

Creek opens his eyes. He looks at the scrapbook that sits before him. The page no longer scares him. He peels off his and DJ Suki’s figure and swaps their places.

A flash of light briefly blinds him. A wind whips past him.

He finds that his memories have been rewritten. Now, he remembers being on the inside of that cage watching as DJ Suki sold them all out to Chef. Trying to justify what she did as protecting her family.

But Creek knows the truth. He stood where she did. The choice to sell everyone out was a selfish one borne out of fear.

It’s strange, but he still retains the memories of the unaltered timeline.

He wishes that those memories would be washed away and replaced with a new happier life. Indeed, his life in this timeline is a happier one. His friends still love and adore him. His family still talks to him.

But there is one terrible caveat.

Branch’s life is far better than it deserves to be. He’s still the beloved hero. Him and Poppy are still the “it” couple of the entire Troll Kingdom. Worst of all, because of his relationship with Poppy, he’s probably going to become the King of the Pop Trolls.

Branch? As a king? There couldn’t be a worse candidate. Honestly, Creek will be doing everyone a favor by breaking up Branch and Poppy.

He needs to stop Branch from joining Poppy on her mission. For the life of him, he can’t figure out when Branch joined Poppy.

More importantly, he can’t figure out why he’d join Poppy. Branch was as much of coward as he was. There is no way he would willingly go with Poppy on what should have been a suicide mission.

Flicking through the book, he finds the anomaly. When Poppy tells Branch about Chef’s attack, he pulls her into his bunker.

An action that makes no sense to Creek. Branch had never let anyone into his bunker ever. He’d made it clear that if there was some horrible attack or apocalypse then everyone else was on their own.

Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter. Because now he knows the moment that made Branch the hero. Letting Poppy in. All he has to do is make it so that Branch doesn’t let her in.

If he doesn’t let her in, then Poppy never lets the entire village into his bunker, and if his bunker isn’t invaded then he has no reason to follow Poppy.

So that’s the change he makes. Branch doesn’t let her in.

The book flashes. A wind blows through the cave. Creek has new memories of this changed timeline.

Except it’s almost exactly the same as the last one.

Branch still followed Poppy. He still helped her out. In fact, he lets other trolls into the bunker himself? If anything he’s more of a hero in this timeline. This shouldn’t have happened.

He flicks forward trying to figure out what made Branch follow her. There isn’t anything specific. Branch stands in bunker for a moment, then gathers supplies to start following Poppy.

There’s nothing here that he could change to make Branch stay behind.

His thoughts race. What could he could possibly change that would make Branch not follow her?

He stares at the page where Branch doesn’t let her in. Perhaps this is where the issue is. For whatever reason, Branch seems to want to follow Poppy. So, maybe if Poppy never went to Branch, then he wouldn’t have followed her.

Creek peels off Poppy’s cutout of the scene.

The book glows once more. The wind whips past him once again.

Creek goes through his memory of this new timeline. Now, he’s finally gotten somewhere. This timeline is how things should have gone. Everything is exactly as it should be. 

Satisfied with the way things have changed. Creek walks out of the cave towards his new and improved life.

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

The bunker is silent as it always is. There’s no music. No talking. No friends. Nothing. Things are as they always were. And as they always will be.

Branch is doing another inventory check on his rations. It’s one of the only pastimes that he really has. The others being bunker maintenance, solving jigsaw puzzles, and staring at the wall.

Ever since the 20th anniversary party, he has only left the bunker a handful of times in fear that a bergen would return. He had tried to warn everyone. He told all of them that if they made too much noise, the bergens would come. And they did.

From the times, he’s gone up on supply missions he’s seen that life in Troll Village has remained mostly the same.

Mostly.

It has a new name, TrollsTopia. There’s new trolls from far away that don’t know about the dangers of the bergens. But whenever Branch tries to warn them, they don’t listen. Writing him off as a crazes paranoid weirdo.

So, even though they look different and act slightly different, they are still the same as the others.

The closest thing to contact with other trolls that Branch has had in a while is Poppy leaving invitations on his doormat. He hasn’t talked to her in a couple of years. Not since the night of the bergen attack.

Still, the invitations have never stopped. Somehow, she hasn’t given up on him.

He hates that she went to Bergen Town alone. If she’d come to him, he would have followed her. There is no way that he would have let someone as sweet and kind as her go somewhere so dangerous by herself.

At least, that’s what he tells himself. But would he have really?

All his time is spent in a bunker in fear of the monsters that Poppy went to confront. He has a panic attack if he’s too far from his bunker. If he’d have followed Poppy, he probably would have slowed her down with his fear. Maybe it’s better that he didn’t follow her.

A wind flows through his bunker.

Branch stops what he’s doing. He is deep underground. There is no reason for there to be a breeze.

Unless, there had been some terrible failure, like part of his bunker collapsing. Not only that, but a horrible feeling of dread has overcome him. A feeling that something has gone wrong, not only with his bunker but with his life.

He does a sweep of his bunker. Checking everywhere that he can to make sure that everything is fine.

And everything is.

The only thing that’s out of place is that there’s one of Poppy’s invitations on the ground. The wind must have knocked it off the shelf.

Branch picks it up. Out of all the invitations Poppy has ever given him, this has to be his least favorite. It’s the invitation to her and Creek’s wedding. They got married a year after the bergen attack.

He didn’t go. He tells himself that the reason he didn’t go, is that he was afraid of another bergen finding the village and attacking again. That no wedding is worth getting eaten over.

But that’s not the truth. At least, not the whole truth. 

The truth is seeing Poppy get married would have been too painful for him. He loves her. He has for a long time. And yes, he knows that there was zero chance of Poppy ever returning his feelings.

But there was always some stupid part of himself that held on to the hope that one day, maybe they could be together. The wedding was just one big reminder that a relationship with Poppy would never happen.

At least, Poppy is with someone who won’t drag her down like Branch would. Or ruin her reputation like being with Branch would. Her and Creek are the well-loved power-couple of TrollsTopia.

Branch puts the invitation back up on the shelf where it belongs. He doesn’t know why he keeps it up. All it does is remind him of his heartache. Throwing it away would rid him of this reminder.

But he finds that he does not have it in him to get rid of it. Poppy made it for him. And for that reason, it’s too special for him to throw away.

So, he lives his life with a reminder of his unrequited love on the shelf staring at him every day.

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

Poppy sits on her bed in her and Creek’s pod scrapbooking. Her favorite BroZone song is playing on her record player. This is a rare moment of downtime for her.

All the responsibilities of being queen pull her every which way almost all of the time. Nd ever since she founded TrollsTopia, those responsibilities have multiplied. With her having to deal with thousands of more trolls than normal.

Sometimes, she wishes Creek would help out more with the responsibilities. He is the king after all.

Whenever she talks to him about maybe taking on more responsibilities. His response is always the same. He tells her that she is a much better ruler than him, so she should be the one to bear most of the responsibilities.

On some level, Poppy thinks that’s unfair. They should be handling the responsibilities of royal life together.

Then she reminds herself that Creek has his own life to live. Being king was never in his cards. That was until he married Poppy. It feels unfair to expect him to take on a massive responsibility just because he married her.

Still, some help with ruling would be nice.

As she scrapbooks, she thinks about going to see Creek.

Right now, he should be holding his afternoon yoga class. It’s been a while since she’s been to one of Creek’s yoga classes. Despite them being married, she’s struggled to find the time to go.  

She pauses her scrapbooking and gets up. Since, she hasn’t gotten much time off, she might as well spend the little free time that she does have with her husband.

A wind blows through her pod, scattering the piles of colorful construction papers around the room.

“Oh no!” Poppy says.

She races to pick up all the stray papers. The entire pod is covered in rectangular polka dots of construction paper.

One of the papers she picks up is an invitation for one of her closest friends, Branch. Well, sort of on her of closest friends.

It’s been a long while since they talked. Or since she’s really seen him. He doesn’t go out that much anymore. She knows that he’s scared of the bergens returning. But there’s nothing she can do to allay his fears.

So, she still makes him invitations hoping that one day, he’ll start showing up.

Everyone tells her she should give up on Branch. With Creek being the most vocal about giving up on him. He tells her that Branch is only going to bring her down. That everyone would be better off if he stayed down in his bunker and stewed in his own misery.

But Branch is one of her oldest friends. She can’t give up on him. Even if he hasn’t always been the nicest to her.

If she does, then Branch won’t have anyone. Everyone will have given up on him. Then he’ll never come out and be happy. Instead, he’ll stay down there and be sad and lonely forever.

Recently, she’s started to understand what it’s like to feel lonely more and more. 

It doesn’t make sense to her. She is constantly surrounded by such great friends who love her so much. And whom she loves so much back. And she has a great husband who is always there for her.

Right?

There are moments when Poppy wishes she had Creek by her side. Days when she’s needed him, but he’s off somewhere else.  He always give her excuses. Tells her that he’ll be there for her next time.

But when next time comes, he is nowhere to be found.

Poppy looks at her wedding band. The golden band stands out on her pink hand. She wonders if marrying Creek was a mistake. Maybe she was meant to be with someone else.

No.

She loves Creek so much. She’s happy that she is married to him. There’s no one else in the whole wide world that she would rather be with.

Still, there’s this lingering feeling that there’s something wrong with her marriage to Creek. She doesn’t know what though. She doesn’t want to think about what could be wrong. If there is anything wrong at all. Which there isn’t.

Everything is fine.

And since everything is fine, she has no reason to worry.

Being here in the pod alone is probably what’s making her think that. She places the invitation in her hair and heads out of the pod. First, she’ll give the invitation to Branch, hopefully in person, though if she can’t then she’ll leave it on his doormat. Then if she has time she’ll see Creek.

While running these errands, this feeling of things being wrong will go away. At least, it should.

She isn’t sure what she’d do if it doesn’t. 

[zenkor123]

The beginning of Katniss's rotation 6 AM October 8 75 DD WIP

Restraining order removed in evening of October 7, this is the begining of Katniss's rotation, Peeta is heavily drunk on morphling that he drunk just 30 minutes before. It is 6 AM.

"why does she want to end it all with an attempt on Snow when she has her home family pet, fame, a life with Gale, much of her childhood friends from her district, lots of friends including the other victors, Why is she so down when Peeta is lucky to not be spending the rest of his life in a mental institution has no memories does not know his birthday, and his family was killed, Rubius Mayne was forced to do secretary work in Snows mansion and endured far worse and neither he nor Mayne has a death wish, death is nothing special to them. Snow is going to lose the war and not survive. Do you blame yourself for the war? Snow set up the system and even without the berries it was not meant to last. Is it the insecurity of seeing the face of the person who Redacted and strangled you every single day? Do you think there is no life without me trying to kill you so you want to kill Snow for this? What did Snow do to you? So stop looking at me like I'm the worst thing that ever happened to you, that you just can't stand my presence, your not so special Katniss Everdeen. I have a sense that this is about me.  "Yeah I know what happened before I was mutated you were(goes on about about SA delusions) and I'm sorry about that, Peeta received more than enough retribution for this, and I have no attraction to you don't worry, but what does that have to do with killing Snow and why is it getting worse? I imagine you would be happy to know that he suffered and is gone and I don't believe any of the bull crap that was forced down my throat in the Capitol. You need to talk about this with someone because if you lose your mind your going to be given an apartment in the hospital wing with me and Annie, I've always signaled misfortune for you and in the process of escaping it I will be this again without me doing anything then wanting to live my life and frankly you should be in the hospital wing, or at least talking to Dr Aurelius once a week. None of this is my problem but I was selling Morphling to Boggs at 2 in the morning  and I heard you screaming my name over and over again, I thought it was an Hallucination. someone needs to tell you to seek help and since no one has told you this yet I guess it had to be me out of all people. ||If your going to dream of me (SA delusions)|| then  Keep it to yourself or I will request to have your room soundproofed. 

'"if there's anyone who needs to go to the hospital its you Peeta, you were tortured, your mind destroyed and were made into a weapon and you think that makes you strong, you know who was the first person to call you a runt?, Your mom, did also do you really think that Snow didn't know what he was doing when he tried to sell you like Finnick? He set you and Annie up to kill those clients, yet like a fool you fell for it.' Peeta is triggered by being mother shamed:

You know I'm not the only mutt created to destroy you, the capitol created reptilian mutts that hunt in packs, and probably are attracted to your scent, they have sharp teeth, and they whisper your name "Katnissssss" they are trained on live avoxes, the odds of your capture are also pretty high and if he captures you your torture may be livestreamed and your death may be like Darius's death, slow, you cannot be mentally well to want to risk this also a death from an arrow is too quick for white imp, my favorite idea is using one of the capitol replicated scents, attaching it to Snow and feeding him to those lizard mutts but if Snow is to die before the end of the war, (Peeta laughs about how fucked up that idea is) I would recommend a bunker buster or poison gas though many Avox innocents would be killed"

"No I want to see Snow's face before he dies, he took you from me and hijacked you, a debt must be paid! and before you go on about rape, you made that up" Peeta begins expositing his SA delusions and Katniss tells him it never happens and reveals the stay with me always, nights on the train, night before the quarter quell,

[carrotcouple]

A lot of people have been asking about the OCs in this post. So I made an obligatory doodle of the main characters and am doing a quick explanation in this post.

These are the main characters from my fairly new OC story which is currently fondly under the placeholder name #necromancers and biohazards. Anyways it's an urban fantasy story with many many different kinds of people (people???? beings???). The protagonists are a group of definitely not sane morally gray idiotic housemates who are fully under govt. scrutiny because two of them were accused of having created a deadly bioengineered plague of sorts that's been killing everyone.

Alright, quick run down of the characters!

First off! Enxo (They/Them) Enxo is a no good, morally off necromancer who got turned into a vampire against their will. They sell "life insurance" of a sort by saying they'll resurrect someone if they die. Enxo is a devil may care biochemist as well and has a strangely large amount of charisma. They were accused of creating the bioengineered disease along with their best friend Qing.

Secondly, Livie (She/Her). Livie used to be a government worker but then was falsely accused of a crime and was kicked out and ostracized. She lost her home and no one who she used to know wants to associate with her. Ren picked her off the streets and brought her over. And since everyone in the house minded their own business and treated her fairly well, she stayed. She's a goodie two shoes and tries to keep her housemates out of obvious illegal nonsense.

Thirdly, Monhir (They/Them). Monhir is an undead abomination. They died(?) after contracting the bioengineered plague, but because of what they were before they died, they didn't exactly die and instead became...that. They're weird, they're a hazard and they've got colorful personality. Monhir drinks all the vanilla essence in the fridge, sleeps under other people's beds and crab walks(?) around the house.

Fourth, Qing (He/Him). Qing is Enxo's best friend, partner in crime, enabler and also their voice of reason. Qing is probably the only reason Enxo is even alive right now. With a good head on his shoulders and much nerdiness in the way of biotechnology, he makes sure everyone knows when to hit the accelerator and also the breaks. He also thinks Enxo is an idiot.

Fifth, Ren (They/Them). Ren is a bit crazy. Ren loves gossip and sparkles. They work at a party store for most of their day, but then spends the rest of their time listening to gossip and gathering information. This has led to them being one of the most valuable information assets in the country. Oh yeah they also like fuzzy slippers and adopt people way too frequently. They were stopped from bringing people home permanently after Livie. This doesn't mean they don't bring people over for dinner.

Sixth, Ytal (She/Her). Ytal is a mercenary and also an assassin if she's paid enough (Livie doesn't know this). She's never allowed to do anything around the house because of the brute force she's capable of. She's broken too many lightbulbs. She's also cursed and so will sometimes just throw up blood and pass out. Enxo has her on several different meds to manage this though and she pays them a hefty amount by acquiring random body parts for experimentation (Livie once again does not know this).

And lastly, Zayn (He/Him). Zayn is a bit of a mystery. None of his housemates know about who he used to be before he started living with them. (To be honest, they could all find out but none of them care to look into it). Zayn used to be a popular celebrity who would smuggle people in and out of countries so that they could find refuge in other countries away from wars and more. However, several countries found out about this so he changed his identity and is now living a quiet and uncomplicated life (aside from the random life threatening explosion he faces for rooming right next to Qing and Enxo's lab).

The story kinda focuses on the bioengineered disease and everything surrounding it. Enxo is technically the main character which I love them for. They're fantastic. A lot of this story is still under development but yeah. That's all. Will probably post more stuff of them at some point! Thanks for tuning in.

[stellaronlove]

Valentino x OC (Clover) - Chapter One

((A/N: I’ll probably come up with a title for this series later, but for now it doesn’t have one lol. Trigger warnings include workplace sexual harrassment, mild violence, and generally all the warnings that come with Val being Val.))

When Valentino opens a job for a new personal assistant, Clover believes this may be his best chance to find work in Hell without selling his soul. Little does he know, he may be in way over his head…

Getting a job in Hell was interesting, to say the least. There were plenty of jobs, sure, but not many that didn’t include “sell your soul” in the hiring requirements. Clover wasn’t exactly a genius, but he was smart enough to know better- selling his soul was one deal he could never worm his way out of once he signed the contract. So when he finally found a job that didn’t require being under the complete control of an Overlord, he was determined to get it. He didn’t have much of a resume, frankly, since he hadn’t been in hell long. He wasn’t really sure if experience from the living world counted toward job applications in Hell, but even if it did, he wouldn’t have much to put on there… most of his adult life had been spent in a greened out daze, sleeping and binging shows he couldn’t remember the plots of.

Given his inexperience, Clover’s next best option was to go into the place he was applying to and make his case in person. He had seen V Tower plenty of times in passing, but had never really had much reason to go there- he didn’t work in the studios, nor was he attractive enough to be a model or actor. But personal assistant- that was a position he was sure he could fill. When he entered the huge front doors of the tower, he was astounded by the bright lights, the busy environment… it was so overwhelming all he could do was stand there for a moment taking it all in. He stood there for a moment, ears flicking nervously, as he stared dumbly- but he was startled out of his stupor when a voice snipped at him.

“Who are you? Do you have a reason to be here?”

The voice wasn’t rude exactly, but the man sounded like he was in a hurry. Clover jolted to look at the speaker- and found himself face to face with someone’s pants. Or well, to be more precise, he found himself pretty much face to face with a stranger’s bulge. It wasn’t exactly uncommon, being as small as Clover was, but it was certainly a surprise, and Clover stumbled back a step, craning his neck to look up. His face was still flushed, embarrassed by such a close encounter, but Val stared down straight-faced, looming intimidatingly as he repeated myself.

“Speak up, dumbass. Do you have a reason to be here? Spit it out.”

Clover gulped, taking a deep breath, then spoke up. “Um- yes, actually. I saw listings in the newspaper saying Valentino was looking for a personal assistant. I came hoping to get an interview.”

“That would be me.” Valentino’s wings gave a sharp little flap behind him, draped down instead of taking the shape of a coat as they usually would. His eyes narrowed for a moment, then he leaned down to get more on level with Clover, burning red eyes giving Clover a quick once over. Clover couldn’t help but squirm a little, unsure about the sudden attention. “Hmm. You’ll do. You start tomorrow morning, 7am. Don’t be late-“ Valentino paused, squinting once again before digging into his back pocket. He extracted a wad of bills and tucked them down the back of Clover’s pants with a shameless smirk. “And please- go buy yourself something less ugly to wear so that I can actually be seen with you, alright chiquito? You look like you bought your clothes at a grocery store.”

Clover sputtered a little, lost for words. He wasn’t sure what he expected when he arrived at V Tower- maybe a job interview of some sort, or even to be turned away for not having submitted an application. He watched in confusion as Val walked away, one of his hands stuffing his wallet back into his pocket as another swiped a coffee right from one of the employees’ desks. Watching Val walk away, Clover had a feeling he was already in way over his head… but given he’d just been hired on the spot, he didn’t have much choice but to prepare himself for the job ahead. That night, before he returned home, he went out to one of the nicer clothing stores in town and bought himself a few button downs and slacks. He expected to have to dip into his own budget to buy work clothes, but- when he pulled out the stack of cash Val had given him to assess the damage, he almost choked. It was probably more money than he had ever held in his life, frankly- and even after paying for all his clothes, he still found himself tucking leftover cash back into his pocket.

When morning came, Clover woke up bright and early to make it to his new job on time. He found himself putting more attention into his appearance than he had in a long time- brushing his hair and styling it in more than just a messy ponytail or bun (ok, not MUCH more, it was still just half up instead of all up), washing his face and doing some faint semblance of a skincare routine, dressing in the pricy new clothes Val funded for him. It was strange, to be honest… even when he lived on Earth, it had been a long time since he put much care into his appearance, and that hadn’t magically changed when he arrived in Hell. He wasn’t even sure why he put so much effort into how he looked… maybe it was because Val had seemed so focused on it? He was hired based on a simple once-over, and the first task he was given as an employee was to buy nicer clothes, so it was fair to assume his appearance was going to be important here.

When he arrived at V Tower, Val wasn’t yet in the front lobby, and Clover wasn’t sure what to do about this. He paused by the reception desk, and the woman sitting there stopped to stare for a moment. She popped her gum, raising her brow a little. “Can I help you?”

“Umm- yeah, actually. Yesterday I was hired on as Val’s personal assistant, and he instructed me to get here at 7, but I don’t see him anywhere.”

“Go on up to his room. Top floor penthouse, just hit the P button on the elevator panel.” She sighed, digging in a desk drawer before producing a lanyard for him with his photo and name printed on it. Clover pulled the lanyard over his neck, his tail twitching anxiously. He was disconcerted to realize he had never given Val his name, much less stopped to get a photo done for his key card. The photo seemed to have been taken by one of the many security cameras in the lobby, though how it got such a high resolution photo he wasn’t really sure. He also found himself nervous because the moment he told the receptionist he was hired to work for Val, she seemed to shift from irritated by his presence to sympathetic quickly. He found himself even more worried that he had signed himself up for something with no clue how difficult it would really be- but there was no turning back now.

“Thank you for the help.” Clover nodded at the woman at the counter, and she nodded back at him.

“Good luck, kid.”

Feeling even less assured than he had this morning, Clover approached the elevator and followed the receptionist’s directions, hitting the P button on the elevator and scanning his key card when prompted. The ride up was quiet, the silence filled only by the tinny sound of a digital voice announcing air times and call times for various television programs. Not even radio music to break the tension… it certainly wasn’t a promising start to his new career.

When the elevator arrived at the top floor and Clover stepped out the sliding doors, his nose was hit by a thick, heavy smell something like incense and opium. The entire room smelled smoky and sickly sweet, but faintly like cologne too, and a more animal scent Clover couldn’t seem to identify. In the bed across the room, Val was sprawled out atop the covers- and Clover stumbled, bumping hard into the coffee table when he got a better look. Other than his wings, draped clumsily over the more sensitive parts, Valentino was completely naked.

His eyes remained closed even after the clatter of Clover’s leg hitting the coffee table, but he shifted in the bed and let out a swear, throwing a mug from his bedside table in the general direction of the sound. Clover dodged the flying mug and watched with horror as it broke on the ground a couple feet away from him.

“Ughhh- clean that up. And get me coffee. And booze. And turn off the lights, for fuck sake, it’s too bright.” Val complained, pulling his wing over his face- and unfortunately for Clover, exposing his whole dick in the process. Clover let out a startled little bleat, turning away.

“U-Um- yes sir, I’ll take care of it!” Clover scurried to pick up the shards of the cup, hands shaking and face red as he tried not to pay attention to the blatant nudity. Honestly he wasn’t sure what he was expecting given the man produced porn for a living, but he wasn’t used to being around naked men this way. In life, he’d sort of slowed to a dead stop and disappeared into himself not long after he started being old enough for sex, and in hell he simply hadn’t bothered. Maybe if had, he’d know the lingering tinge of sourness and musk in the air was the smell of sex. He could hear rustling as he resolutely kept his eyes on the pile of shattered porcelain, but assumed- or well, hoped, really, that the sound was Val covering back up, or maybe putting on some clothes.

His hoped were squashed when he heard footsteps behind him, then a voice. Embarrassment and flusterment were like blood in the water to Val, who couldn’t help finding it funny how nervous Clover was about his nudity. “What, chiquito, are you shy? Better get used to it, you’re gonna be following me to some pretty wild places. C’mon, turn around and look at me.”

Clover gulped, his tail wiggling nervously as he shook his head. “No, that’s alright. I’ll uhh… I’ll just finish cleaning this up and go get that coffee you asked for.” He didn’t say it aloud, but he hoped by the time he got back with the coffee, Valentino would be dressed, or at least covered somehow.

Valentino grew irritated quickly, one of his hands reaching to squeeze Clover’s face as he turned Clover around. “I said look at me, not stutter like an idiot and make excuses.”

Clover’s eyes grew wide, his ears pinned back. He was practically face to face with Val’s dick, this time without the barrier of fabric to make it less embarrassing- and worse, he found himself scared. He could see now why the receptionist downstairs had looked so sympathetic. Val was clearly volatile… he wasn’t sure how dangerous Val could be, but he let out a breath of relief when the hand gripping his face let up. He scrambled back, taking a shaky breath. “I have to go now. To, uh. To the bathroom. Be right back.” He was shaking a little, his face hot and his heart racing as he hurried toward one of the doors in the room.

“That’s a closet, sweetheart. Other door.” Val laughed, swinging back to his usual teasing self just as quickly as he’d gone dark. Clover ducked into the other door quickly, shutting and locking it behind him. He took a minute to compose himself, rinsing his face with cool water and sitting on the edge of an impossibly big bath tub while he calmed down. As he composed himself, he thought on the situation… he could quit right now and leave, nothing was really stopping him. After all, he hadn’t signed any sort of contract, soul-binding or otherwise… but he couldn’t afford his apartment much longer without a job, and Hell wasn’t kind to the homeless. Besides, this was the only job he could find that didn’t require signing away all autonomy and pledging his soul to an Overlord. So- suffice it to say, he was more trapped than he wanted to admit. He took a deep breath, bracing himself, and stepped back out of the bathroom.

“Let me get you that coffee now, alright? Do you take cream or sugar in it?”

“Both, and a shot of Bailey’s in it too.” When Clover dared to glance toward the source of the voice, Valentino was already dressed and packing his pipe with some sort of dark, tar-like substance. He shot Clover a grin, cocking his head a little. “So you’re not quitting?”

“Not yet, but if you do something like that ever again, I will.”

“We’ll see about that, chiquito.”

[wall-legion]

May I

Rosie had never seen her best friend this way.

Guinevere Villemont had been a lot of things in the many years the two girls had been friends: impulsive, quick-witted (and quick-tempered), sarcastic, and sometimes overwhelming with her emotional swings. Rosie knew all this, and she appreciated all this. What she wasn't prepared for, however, was Ginny grabbing her arm when the Priory scholar who was going to help them walked out to meet them and squeezed hard.

"Gin, you're hurting me," she whispered.

"Sorry-!" Ginny hissed and let go, looking away from the tall charr who was looking down at Gixx as he was making introductions.

"Why are you being weird?" Because she was being weird: Ginny had never so much as looked at anyone back home no matter how many folks had sent love letters or how often she had been the target of pining looks as they had walked across the beaches and streets of Lion's Arch. Now she'd taken one look at this white furred charr with charcoal and smoke markings who'd joined them in Gixx's office, and suddenly she was acting like they were ten again and had been caught swiping pastries from that one woman who came into town every other week to sell.

"Who's being weird? I'm not being weird. You're being weird."

"Ladies." They both looked forward as Gixx cleared his throat, irritably, to get their attention back. "If we could continue uninterrupted?"

"Yes. Of course. My apologies, Steward Gixx," Rosie said in a subdued tone.

The asura nodded before continuing on. "As I was saying, Scholar Crispinus has been quite the asset to the cause since he joined us. A mechanical mastermind, which has been quite the gift with figuring out the dredge machinery in the aftermath of the Molten Alliance-"

"I had plenty of help from others, Steward," the charr interrupted gently. Rosie half expected Gixx to scold him as well, but the asura didn't seem to mind.

"Mm, quite. Well then! I will leave you all to get better acquainted." Gixx moved to open the door, clearly signalling that it was time for everyone who wasn't him to leave. The charr headed out first, while Rosie waited for Ginny to go first. She thanked Gixx privately before leaving as well, hearing the door shut behind her.

"Is he always like that?" Ginny said, in the tone of voice Rosie knew to be only half-joking. Rosie opened her mouth to start scolding her but Crispinus chuckled, surprising her.

"More often than not. You get used to it," he replied with the slightest grin pulling at one side of his mouth. "So. Guinevere and Rosamund, huh?"

"Rosie," came out of Rosie's mouth before she could stop herself, "and Ginny, actually. Sorry. Not to be rude."

"No, you're fine. I'd rather know now."

"So, what brought you to the Priory?" Ginny asked, folding her arms.

"Well… a lot of things. It felt like a better fit than the Black Citadel for me."

"So no warband, or..?"

"Ginny-!!" Rosie hissed at her.

The charr's face contorted slightly at that, as he looked down towards the ground for a moment before meeting only Rosie's gaze again. "There… was one. It's complicated. Nothing to weigh you two nice girls down with today. Here, let me show you around."

He took them on a brief tour of the Priory grounds- from what Rosie guessed, it was what he was permitted to show to outsiders, and was perfectly polite as he answered Rosie's questions as they walked around. Ginny, however, was uncharacteristically quiet the whole time. They said their goodbyes at the gate, and Crispinus stood and watched them leave until neither of them could see his tall, pale form at the top of the stairway any longer.

Ginny had left the Priory with a frown on her face, and Rosie could tell she was deep in thought about… something. She wasn't entirely sure what until the shorter girl suddenly exploded. "He hates me, doesn't he?"

"Who? Gixx?"

"What? No! Crispinus!"

"Well when you have to be so nosy about everything all the time," Rosie started before looking at her best friend. Ginny actually had tears in her eyes. "Oh gods. What's gotten into you? You've never gotten this way about anyone in the whole time I've known you!"

"I know, but… I feel really bad for offending him."

Sure you do, Rosie thought with an annoyed sigh, you're just embarrassed about the way you acted. "Well, you can apologize the next time you see him, I suppose."

She nodded, wiping her cheeks dry. "Yeah… yeah, I guess that will have to do."

She walked past Rosie, who just shook her head. She'd get over it in two minutes, tops. Something else would get under her skin, or her ire up, and she'd forget that she'd had this attraction to him in the first place. She could act normal the next time they had to interact, and that would be just fine.

***

It would be another month before they would need to call on Scholar Crispinus's help. In spite of her better judgment, Rosie had Ginny come along to the meet-up again… or maybe it had been Macha in her head, needling her to bring her along again and see what would happen. She swore sometimes her great-grandfather's best friend just provoked her into making decisions so she could bear witness to whatever messy aftermath came of it. Still, though, it had been a month: maybe she was over whatever flash in the pan infatuation that had come over her when they had first met Crispinus.

He already had set up camp by the time they arrived, and had traded his scholar robes for more practical engineer's armor. He was tinkering with something as they were approaching, but stopped and straightened up as they got closer. "Hello again," he said cordially. "How goes the commanding?"

"Well enough," Rosie replied. "How fares life in the Priory?"

"No one's burned it down yet, so I suppose much the same," he said with a chuckle.

"What are you working on?" Ginny was already over and looking at the device that sat on the ground next to Crispinus's tent.

"That? It's just a side project. Trying to reverse engineer a dredge spike trap but something inside isn't firing..." He laughed as Ginny turned to look at his notes. "Those won't help you, I wrote them in-"

"Old Charr. I can see that."

"You what." Crispinus looked from her to Rosie.

"Someone my mother knew taught her how to read it..."

"It was Uncle Tiran, the spring I was trying to jump roofs and I fell and broke my leg," Ginny interrupted. "I was bored to tears so he came over and taught me. He taught you, too, so we could write in code."

"I'm sorry that it's not something I could remember easily after the thing with my head happened," Rosie shot back before sighing. "Anyways. Yes, she knows Old Charr."

"It looks like you put a decimal in the wrong place, Crispinus."

"Did I?" He went to look where Ginny was pointing. "...burn me, I did. Good catch, Ginny. Thank you."

...she's blushing. She's actually blushing!

Yes, Macha, I am aware of that.

"Just glad I could help, Crispinus."

"Oh, you can call me Cris. It's much easier. More efficient too."

Oh now she's definitely blushing. Cogs and gears she is. You best hope this Priory business will let this guy join up with you, or Ginny might jump ship.

"Okay... Cris. You're welcome."

Rosie cleared her throat a little. "Ginny, we need to set up camp as well."

"Oh, yeah! Coming!"

[cleverhottubmiracle]

We may be living in the age of minimalism, but cuteness is having a moment too. From Coach’s latest show, where models strutted the runway in fluffy bunny slippers and sporting bags and sneakers adorned with teddy bear charms, to Loewe’s recent collaboration with artist Suna Fujita featuring rabbits, lemurs, pandas and more, to Bottega Veneta’s summer 2025 campaign featuring animal-shaped bean bag chairs, luxury brands are signalling that cute-ified products and quirky marketing are on trend. More accessibly priced whimsy has also been gaining ground — especially in the growing handbag charm trend. According to market intelligence firm Trendalytics, bag charms have seen a 280 percent increase in TikTok views since August, while Google searches for the term peaked in November at 1,700 percent over the previous year. And while fast-fashion retailers have been quick to release their own versions, luxury brands have been using them as a way to access younger consumers. Loewe’s zippable whale-shaped charm produced in partnership with Fujita, for instance, goes for $690, and can just as easily be attached to a $45 Baggu shoulder bag as Loewe’s nearly $3,000 Puzzle handbags. But there’s more to the proliferation of playful pieces. As fashion progresses beyond the era of the viral microtrend, brands are seeking new ways to stand out and connect with audiences in unexpected and unselfconscious ways. Meanwhile, runway fashion has gravitated towards subdued, minimalist clothing, and even many shoppers who embrace the trend often look for cute accessories and accents to liven things up.“The minimal, clean aesthetic that’s happening … is really lending itself to accessories right now,” said Jessica Irick Peek, general merchandising manager for retailer Anthropologie, whose charm shop, launched in Q3 of 2024, has since become its fastest-growing accessories category.Purveyors of cute also point to political and economic uncertainty. Stressed out shoppers seek out levity and nostalgic themes. “People used to wear amulets, or things that were a good luck charm,” said Susan Korn, whose jewellery brand Susan Alexandra sells swan-shaped handbags and shrimp charms, among other icons of cuteness. “Things seem so scary right now. And that’s when we look for comfort in everything we do … so much of what we make is tapping into delights for the inner child, when things were simpler.”Models on Coach's Autumn/Winter 2025 runway sported bags adorned with stuffed animals. Stylish Security BlanketsFor now at least, the trend is contained mostly to brands that have a bit of cuteness built into their DNA (the closest Rick Owens has come to a bag charm is a plush cyclops bunny bag). Loewe is no stranger to mining childhood nostalgia, including a “My Neighbor Totoro”-themed capsule collection in 2021. Same for Coach, which for the past few seasons has been engaging Gen-Z and Alpha with its funky looks and bag charms — which this season have been blown out to oversized proportions. As consumers continue to exist in a period of unknowns — political and otherwise — leaning into playfulness and cheer seems like just the ticket to connect with audiences. “Whatever has that smile factor has been the strongest seller,” said Anthropologie’s Irick Peek.“I am very aware that fashion does not save lives, but I know how it can make people feel. Sometimes a beautifully made little jellyfish evening bag or a fun pencil case at a very serious meeting can lift the mood,” said Anya Hindmarch, founder of her eponymous handbag brand that has long added playful elements to its designs, in an email.Clare Vivier, founder of accessories brand Clare V., pointed to one of the wooden bag handles from her most recent collection shaped like a series of red lips, and how she recently carried it to a meeting, without a handbag attached to it, just as “something happy to hold onto.”“And it felt like I was a little girl again,” said Vivier. “And this has something to do with what’s happening [in the world.] Kind of like a security blanket.”A Bag Charm on a BirkinWhimsy can also help brands, and their customers, stand out from the crowd.“It’s backlash to the whole ‘cores’ of it all, when you were being told to dress under a certain aesthetic for so long,” said Kendall Becker, fashion and trends editor for Trendalytics, referring to TikTok trends that have everyone briefly dressing like coastal grandmothers or mob wives. She highlighted the popularity of wardrobe staple dressing, with a focus on basics like denim and suiting, as another driver for consumers to “miss the emotional element,” she said. While it can be hard to stand out in basics, adding cute flourishes can help, “whether it’s a fun detail to a heel or a bag charm… it still proves that luxury doesn’t need to be so serious, and that the consumer is looking to have fun and be self-expressive when she’s getting dressed,” she explained.“Everyone needs to feel like they’re their own person in the sea of everything’s everywhere, everything’s discovered, everything’s on TikTok,” said Korn.And the level of personalisation can look very different depending on the customer. Korn gave the example of a more minimalist shopper entering her store dressed in The Row with a Birkin bag, but looking for one of the brand’s bag charms to add to it for a little levity and a personal touch (which is how the original wearer of the bag, Jane Birkin, wore hers). On the other hand, some might be more keen on going all-out with the cuteness trend, from bedazzled barrettes all the way down to fuzzy bear slippers.“Consumers all find comfort in different ways, so the cuteness or the whimsicality won’t be something that reaches everybody, so there will be different iterations that come to the surface,” said Becker. “So maybe it’s having fun with a pendant, and could that tell her story, or looking at beauty for a different category … So all these different ways are showing up that are letting her explore who she is and what brings her comfort.” Source link

[norajworld]

We may be living in the age of minimalism, but cuteness is having a moment too. From Coach’s latest show, where models strutted the runway in fluffy bunny slippers and sporting bags and sneakers adorned with teddy bear charms, to Loewe’s recent collaboration with artist Suna Fujita featuring rabbits, lemurs, pandas and more, to Bottega Veneta’s summer 2025 campaign featuring animal-shaped bean bag chairs, luxury brands are signalling that cute-ified products and quirky marketing are on trend. More accessibly priced whimsy has also been gaining ground — especially in the growing handbag charm trend. According to market intelligence firm Trendalytics, bag charms have seen a 280 percent increase in TikTok views since August, while Google searches for the term peaked in November at 1,700 percent over the previous year. And while fast-fashion retailers have been quick to release their own versions, luxury brands have been using them as a way to access younger consumers. Loewe’s zippable whale-shaped charm produced in partnership with Fujita, for instance, goes for $690, and can just as easily be attached to a $45 Baggu shoulder bag as Loewe’s nearly $3,000 Puzzle handbags. But there’s more to the proliferation of playful pieces. As fashion progresses beyond the era of the viral microtrend, brands are seeking new ways to stand out and connect with audiences in unexpected and unselfconscious ways. Meanwhile, runway fashion has gravitated towards subdued, minimalist clothing, and even many shoppers who embrace the trend often look for cute accessories and accents to liven things up.“The minimal, clean aesthetic that’s happening … is really lending itself to accessories right now,” said Jessica Irick Peek, general merchandising manager for retailer Anthropologie, whose charm shop, launched in Q3 of 2024, has since become its fastest-growing accessories category.Purveyors of cute also point to political and economic uncertainty. Stressed out shoppers seek out levity and nostalgic themes. “People used to wear amulets, or things that were a good luck charm,” said Susan Korn, whose jewellery brand Susan Alexandra sells swan-shaped handbags and shrimp charms, among other icons of cuteness. “Things seem so scary right now. And that’s when we look for comfort in everything we do … so much of what we make is tapping into delights for the inner child, when things were simpler.”Models on Coach's Autumn/Winter 2025 runway sported bags adorned with stuffed animals. Stylish Security BlanketsFor now at least, the trend is contained mostly to brands that have a bit of cuteness built into their DNA (the closest Rick Owens has come to a bag charm is a plush cyclops bunny bag). Loewe is no stranger to mining childhood nostalgia, including a “My Neighbor Totoro”-themed capsule collection in 2021. Same for Coach, which for the past few seasons has been engaging Gen-Z and Alpha with its funky looks and bag charms — which this season have been blown out to oversized proportions. As consumers continue to exist in a period of unknowns — political and otherwise — leaning into playfulness and cheer seems like just the ticket to connect with audiences. “Whatever has that smile factor has been the strongest seller,” said Anthropologie’s Irick Peek.“I am very aware that fashion does not save lives, but I know how it can make people feel. Sometimes a beautifully made little jellyfish evening bag or a fun pencil case at a very serious meeting can lift the mood,” said Anya Hindmarch, founder of her eponymous handbag brand that has long added playful elements to its designs, in an email.Clare Vivier, founder of accessories brand Clare V., pointed to one of the wooden bag handles from her most recent collection shaped like a series of red lips, and how she recently carried it to a meeting, without a handbag attached to it, just as “something happy to hold onto.”“And it felt like I was a little girl again,” said Vivier. “And this has something to do with what’s happening [in the world.] Kind of like a security blanket.”A Bag Charm on a BirkinWhimsy can also help brands, and their customers, stand out from the crowd.“It’s backlash to the whole ‘cores’ of it all, when you were being told to dress under a certain aesthetic for so long,” said Kendall Becker, fashion and trends editor for Trendalytics, referring to TikTok trends that have everyone briefly dressing like coastal grandmothers or mob wives. She highlighted the popularity of wardrobe staple dressing, with a focus on basics like denim and suiting, as another driver for consumers to “miss the emotional element,” she said. While it can be hard to stand out in basics, adding cute flourishes can help, “whether it’s a fun detail to a heel or a bag charm… it still proves that luxury doesn’t need to be so serious, and that the consumer is looking to have fun and be self-expressive when she’s getting dressed,” she explained.“Everyone needs to feel like they’re their own person in the sea of everything’s everywhere, everything’s discovered, everything’s on TikTok,” said Korn.And the level of personalisation can look very different depending on the customer. Korn gave the example of a more minimalist shopper entering her store dressed in The Row with a Birkin bag, but looking for one of the brand’s bag charms to add to it for a little levity and a personal touch (which is how the original wearer of the bag, Jane Birkin, wore hers). On the other hand, some might be more keen on going all-out with the cuteness trend, from bedazzled barrettes all the way down to fuzzy bear slippers.“Consumers all find comfort in different ways, so the cuteness or the whimsicality won’t be something that reaches everybody, so there will be different iterations that come to the surface,” said Becker. “So maybe it’s having fun with a pendant, and could that tell her story, or looking at beauty for a different category … So all these different ways are showing up that are letting her explore who she is and what brings her comfort.” Source link

[ellajme0]

We may be living in the age of minimalism, but cuteness is having a moment too. From Coach’s latest show, where models strutted the runway in fluffy bunny slippers and sporting bags and sneakers adorned with teddy bear charms, to Loewe’s recent collaboration with artist Suna Fujita featuring rabbits, lemurs, pandas and more, to Bottega Veneta’s summer 2025 campaign featuring animal-shaped bean bag chairs, luxury brands are signalling that cute-ified products and quirky marketing are on trend. More accessibly priced whimsy has also been gaining ground — especially in the growing handbag charm trend. According to market intelligence firm Trendalytics, bag charms have seen a 280 percent increase in TikTok views since August, while Google searches for the term peaked in November at 1,700 percent over the previous year. And while fast-fashion retailers have been quick to release their own versions, luxury brands have been using them as a way to access younger consumers. Loewe’s zippable whale-shaped charm produced in partnership with Fujita, for instance, goes for $690, and can just as easily be attached to a $45 Baggu shoulder bag as Loewe’s nearly $3,000 Puzzle handbags. But there’s more to the proliferation of playful pieces. As fashion progresses beyond the era of the viral microtrend, brands are seeking new ways to stand out and connect with audiences in unexpected and unselfconscious ways. Meanwhile, runway fashion has gravitated towards subdued, minimalist clothing, and even many shoppers who embrace the trend often look for cute accessories and accents to liven things up.“The minimal, clean aesthetic that’s happening … is really lending itself to accessories right now,” said Jessica Irick Peek, general merchandising manager for retailer Anthropologie, whose charm shop, launched in Q3 of 2024, has since become its fastest-growing accessories category.Purveyors of cute also point to political and economic uncertainty. Stressed out shoppers seek out levity and nostalgic themes. “People used to wear amulets, or things that were a good luck charm,” said Susan Korn, whose jewellery brand Susan Alexandra sells swan-shaped handbags and shrimp charms, among other icons of cuteness. “Things seem so scary right now. And that’s when we look for comfort in everything we do … so much of what we make is tapping into delights for the inner child, when things were simpler.”Models on Coach's Autumn/Winter 2025 runway sported bags adorned with stuffed animals. Stylish Security BlanketsFor now at least, the trend is contained mostly to brands that have a bit of cuteness built into their DNA (the closest Rick Owens has come to a bag charm is a plush cyclops bunny bag). Loewe is no stranger to mining childhood nostalgia, including a “My Neighbor Totoro”-themed capsule collection in 2021. Same for Coach, which for the past few seasons has been engaging Gen-Z and Alpha with its funky looks and bag charms — which this season have been blown out to oversized proportions. As consumers continue to exist in a period of unknowns — political and otherwise — leaning into playfulness and cheer seems like just the ticket to connect with audiences. “Whatever has that smile factor has been the strongest seller,” said Anthropologie’s Irick Peek.“I am very aware that fashion does not save lives, but I know how it can make people feel. Sometimes a beautifully made little jellyfish evening bag or a fun pencil case at a very serious meeting can lift the mood,” said Anya Hindmarch, founder of her eponymous handbag brand that has long added playful elements to its designs, in an email.Clare Vivier, founder of accessories brand Clare V., pointed to one of the wooden bag handles from her most recent collection shaped like a series of red lips, and how she recently carried it to a meeting, without a handbag attached to it, just as “something happy to hold onto.”“And it felt like I was a little girl again,” said Vivier. “And this has something to do with what’s happening [in the world.] Kind of like a security blanket.”A Bag Charm on a BirkinWhimsy can also help brands, and their customers, stand out from the crowd.“It’s backlash to the whole ‘cores’ of it all, when you were being told to dress under a certain aesthetic for so long,” said Kendall Becker, fashion and trends editor for Trendalytics, referring to TikTok trends that have everyone briefly dressing like coastal grandmothers or mob wives. She highlighted the popularity of wardrobe staple dressing, with a focus on basics like denim and suiting, as another driver for consumers to “miss the emotional element,” she said. While it can be hard to stand out in basics, adding cute flourishes can help, “whether it’s a fun detail to a heel or a bag charm… it still proves that luxury doesn’t need to be so serious, and that the consumer is looking to have fun and be self-expressive when she’s getting dressed,” she explained.“Everyone needs to feel like they’re their own person in the sea of everything’s everywhere, everything’s discovered, everything’s on TikTok,” said Korn.And the level of personalisation can look very different depending on the customer. Korn gave the example of a more minimalist shopper entering her store dressed in The Row with a Birkin bag, but looking for one of the brand’s bag charms to add to it for a little levity and a personal touch (which is how the original wearer of the bag, Jane Birkin, wore hers). On the other hand, some might be more keen on going all-out with the cuteness trend, from bedazzled barrettes all the way down to fuzzy bear slippers.“Consumers all find comfort in different ways, so the cuteness or the whimsicality won’t be something that reaches everybody, so there will be different iterations that come to the surface,” said Becker. “So maybe it’s having fun with a pendant, and could that tell her story, or looking at beauty for a different category … So all these different ways are showing up that are letting her explore who she is and what brings her comfort.” Source link

[chilimili212]

We may be living in the age of minimalism, but cuteness is having a moment too. From Coach’s latest show, where models strutted the runway in fluffy bunny slippers and sporting bags and sneakers adorned with teddy bear charms, to Loewe’s recent collaboration with artist Suna Fujita featuring rabbits, lemurs, pandas and more, to Bottega Veneta’s summer 2025 campaign featuring animal-shaped bean bag chairs, luxury brands are signalling that cute-ified products and quirky marketing are on trend. More accessibly priced whimsy has also been gaining ground — especially in the growing handbag charm trend. According to market intelligence firm Trendalytics, bag charms have seen a 280 percent increase in TikTok views since August, while Google searches for the term peaked in November at 1,700 percent over the previous year. And while fast-fashion retailers have been quick to release their own versions, luxury brands have been using them as a way to access younger consumers. Loewe’s zippable whale-shaped charm produced in partnership with Fujita, for instance, goes for $690, and can just as easily be attached to a $45 Baggu shoulder bag as Loewe’s nearly $3,000 Puzzle handbags. But there’s more to the proliferation of playful pieces. As fashion progresses beyond the era of the viral microtrend, brands are seeking new ways to stand out and connect with audiences in unexpected and unselfconscious ways. Meanwhile, runway fashion has gravitated towards subdued, minimalist clothing, and even many shoppers who embrace the trend often look for cute accessories and accents to liven things up.“The minimal, clean aesthetic that’s happening … is really lending itself to accessories right now,” said Jessica Irick Peek, general merchandising manager for retailer Anthropologie, whose charm shop, launched in Q3 of 2024, has since become its fastest-growing accessories category.Purveyors of cute also point to political and economic uncertainty. Stressed out shoppers seek out levity and nostalgic themes. “People used to wear amulets, or things that were a good luck charm,” said Susan Korn, whose jewellery brand Susan Alexandra sells swan-shaped handbags and shrimp charms, among other icons of cuteness. “Things seem so scary right now. And that’s when we look for comfort in everything we do … so much of what we make is tapping into delights for the inner child, when things were simpler.”Models on Coach's Autumn/Winter 2025 runway sported bags adorned with stuffed animals. Stylish Security BlanketsFor now at least, the trend is contained mostly to brands that have a bit of cuteness built into their DNA (the closest Rick Owens has come to a bag charm is a plush cyclops bunny bag). Loewe is no stranger to mining childhood nostalgia, including a “My Neighbor Totoro”-themed capsule collection in 2021. Same for Coach, which for the past few seasons has been engaging Gen-Z and Alpha with its funky looks and bag charms — which this season have been blown out to oversized proportions. As consumers continue to exist in a period of unknowns — political and otherwise — leaning into playfulness and cheer seems like just the ticket to connect with audiences. “Whatever has that smile factor has been the strongest seller,” said Anthropologie’s Irick Peek.“I am very aware that fashion does not save lives, but I know how it can make people feel. Sometimes a beautifully made little jellyfish evening bag or a fun pencil case at a very serious meeting can lift the mood,” said Anya Hindmarch, founder of her eponymous handbag brand that has long added playful elements to its designs, in an email.Clare Vivier, founder of accessories brand Clare V., pointed to one of the wooden bag handles from her most recent collection shaped like a series of red lips, and how she recently carried it to a meeting, without a handbag attached to it, just as “something happy to hold onto.”“And it felt like I was a little girl again,” said Vivier. “And this has something to do with what’s happening [in the world.] Kind of like a security blanket.”A Bag Charm on a BirkinWhimsy can also help brands, and their customers, stand out from the crowd.“It’s backlash to the whole ‘cores’ of it all, when you were being told to dress under a certain aesthetic for so long,” said Kendall Becker, fashion and trends editor for Trendalytics, referring to TikTok trends that have everyone briefly dressing like coastal grandmothers or mob wives. She highlighted the popularity of wardrobe staple dressing, with a focus on basics like denim and suiting, as another driver for consumers to “miss the emotional element,” she said. While it can be hard to stand out in basics, adding cute flourishes can help, “whether it’s a fun detail to a heel or a bag charm… it still proves that luxury doesn’t need to be so serious, and that the consumer is looking to have fun and be self-expressive when she’s getting dressed,” she explained.“Everyone needs to feel like they’re their own person in the sea of everything’s everywhere, everything’s discovered, everything’s on TikTok,” said Korn.And the level of personalisation can look very different depending on the customer. Korn gave the example of a more minimalist shopper entering her store dressed in The Row with a Birkin bag, but looking for one of the brand’s bag charms to add to it for a little levity and a personal touch (which is how the original wearer of the bag, Jane Birkin, wore hers). On the other hand, some might be more keen on going all-out with the cuteness trend, from bedazzled barrettes all the way down to fuzzy bear slippers.“Consumers all find comfort in different ways, so the cuteness or the whimsicality won’t be something that reaches everybody, so there will be different iterations that come to the surface,” said Becker. “So maybe it’s having fun with a pendant, and could that tell her story, or looking at beauty for a different category … So all these different ways are showing up that are letting her explore who she is and what brings her comfort.” Source link

[oliviajoyice21]

We may be living in the age of minimalism, but cuteness is having a moment too. From Coach’s latest show, where models strutted the runway in fluffy bunny slippers and sporting bags and sneakers adorned with teddy bear charms, to Loewe’s recent collaboration with artist Suna Fujita featuring rabbits, lemurs, pandas and more, to Bottega Veneta’s summer 2025 campaign featuring animal-shaped bean bag chairs, luxury brands are signalling that cute-ified products and quirky marketing are on trend. More accessibly priced whimsy has also been gaining ground — especially in the growing handbag charm trend. According to market intelligence firm Trendalytics, bag charms have seen a 280 percent increase in TikTok views since August, while Google searches for the term peaked in November at 1,700 percent over the previous year. And while fast-fashion retailers have been quick to release their own versions, luxury brands have been using them as a way to access younger consumers. Loewe’s zippable whale-shaped charm produced in partnership with Fujita, for instance, goes for $690, and can just as easily be attached to a $45 Baggu shoulder bag as Loewe’s nearly $3,000 Puzzle handbags. But there’s more to the proliferation of playful pieces. As fashion progresses beyond the era of the viral microtrend, brands are seeking new ways to stand out and connect with audiences in unexpected and unselfconscious ways. Meanwhile, runway fashion has gravitated towards subdued, minimalist clothing, and even many shoppers who embrace the trend often look for cute accessories and accents to liven things up.“The minimal, clean aesthetic that’s happening … is really lending itself to accessories right now,” said Jessica Irick Peek, general merchandising manager for retailer Anthropologie, whose charm shop, launched in Q3 of 2024, has since become its fastest-growing accessories category.Purveyors of cute also point to political and economic uncertainty. Stressed out shoppers seek out levity and nostalgic themes. “People used to wear amulets, or things that were a good luck charm,” said Susan Korn, whose jewellery brand Susan Alexandra sells swan-shaped handbags and shrimp charms, among other icons of cuteness. “Things seem so scary right now. And that’s when we look for comfort in everything we do … so much of what we make is tapping into delights for the inner child, when things were simpler.”Models on Coach's Autumn/Winter 2025 runway sported bags adorned with stuffed animals. Stylish Security BlanketsFor now at least, the trend is contained mostly to brands that have a bit of cuteness built into their DNA (the closest Rick Owens has come to a bag charm is a plush cyclops bunny bag). Loewe is no stranger to mining childhood nostalgia, including a “My Neighbor Totoro”-themed capsule collection in 2021. Same for Coach, which for the past few seasons has been engaging Gen-Z and Alpha with its funky looks and bag charms — which this season have been blown out to oversized proportions. As consumers continue to exist in a period of unknowns — political and otherwise — leaning into playfulness and cheer seems like just the ticket to connect with audiences. “Whatever has that smile factor has been the strongest seller,” said Anthropologie’s Irick Peek.“I am very aware that fashion does not save lives, but I know how it can make people feel. Sometimes a beautifully made little jellyfish evening bag or a fun pencil case at a very serious meeting can lift the mood,” said Anya Hindmarch, founder of her eponymous handbag brand that has long added playful elements to its designs, in an email.Clare Vivier, founder of accessories brand Clare V., pointed to one of the wooden bag handles from her most recent collection shaped like a series of red lips, and how she recently carried it to a meeting, without a handbag attached to it, just as “something happy to hold onto.”“And it felt like I was a little girl again,” said Vivier. “And this has something to do with what’s happening [in the world.] Kind of like a security blanket.”A Bag Charm on a BirkinWhimsy can also help brands, and their customers, stand out from the crowd.“It’s backlash to the whole ‘cores’ of it all, when you were being told to dress under a certain aesthetic for so long,” said Kendall Becker, fashion and trends editor for Trendalytics, referring to TikTok trends that have everyone briefly dressing like coastal grandmothers or mob wives. She highlighted the popularity of wardrobe staple dressing, with a focus on basics like denim and suiting, as another driver for consumers to “miss the emotional element,” she said. While it can be hard to stand out in basics, adding cute flourishes can help, “whether it’s a fun detail to a heel or a bag charm… it still proves that luxury doesn’t need to be so serious, and that the consumer is looking to have fun and be self-expressive when she’s getting dressed,” she explained.“Everyone needs to feel like they’re their own person in the sea of everything’s everywhere, everything’s discovered, everything’s on TikTok,” said Korn.And the level of personalisation can look very different depending on the customer. Korn gave the example of a more minimalist shopper entering her store dressed in The Row with a Birkin bag, but looking for one of the brand’s bag charms to add to it for a little levity and a personal touch (which is how the original wearer of the bag, Jane Birkin, wore hers). On the other hand, some might be more keen on going all-out with the cuteness trend, from bedazzled barrettes all the way down to fuzzy bear slippers.“Consumers all find comfort in different ways, so the cuteness or the whimsicality won’t be something that reaches everybody, so there will be different iterations that come to the surface,” said Becker. “So maybe it’s having fun with a pendant, and could that tell her story, or looking at beauty for a different category … So all these different ways are showing up that are letting her explore who she is and what brings her comfort.” Source link

[zenkor123]

Peeta's morphling rant to Katniss in her watch on October 8 WIP

Restraining order removed in evening of October 7

there's something Peeta has to know:" why does she want to end it all with an attempt on Snow when she has her home family pet, fame, a life with Gale, much of her childhood friends from her district, lots of friends including the other victors, Why is she so down when Peeta is lucky to not be spending the rest of his life in a mental institution has no memories does not know his birthday,and his family was killed, Rubius Mayne was forced to do secretary work in Snows mansion and endured far worse and neither he nor Mayne has a death wish, death is nothing special to them. Snow is going to lose the war and not survive. Do you blame yourself for the war? Snow set up the system and even without the berries it was not meant to last. Is it the insecurity of seeing the face of the person who Redacted and strangled you every single day? Do you think there is no life without me trying to kill you so you want to kill Snow for this? What did Snow do to you? So stop looking at me like I'm the worst thing that ever happened to you, that you just can't stand my presence, your not so special Katniss Everdeen. I have a sense that this is about me.  "Yeah I know what happened before I was mutated you were(goes on about about SA delusions) and I'm sorry about that, Peeta received more than enough retribution for this, and I have no attraction to you don't worry, but what does that have to do with killing Snow and why is it getting worse? I imagine you would be happy to know that he suffered and is gone and I don't believe any of the bull crap that was forced down my throat in the Capitol. You need to talk about this with someone because if you lose your mind your going to be given an apartment in the hospital wing with me and Annie, I've always signaled misfortune for you and in the process of escaping it I will be this again without me doing anything then wanting to live my life and frankly you should be in the hospital wing, or at least talking to Dr Aurelius once a week. None of this is my problem but I was selling Morphling to Boggs at 2 in the morning  and I heard you screaming my name over and over again, I thought it was an Hallucination. someone needs to tell you to seek help and since no one has told you this yet I guess it had to be me out of all people. ||If your going to dream of me (SA delusions)|| then  Keep it to yourself or I will request to have your room soundproofed. 

(Unclear how much of this Peeta was able to say before Katniss interrupted him with '"if there's anyone who needs to go to the hospital its you Peeta, you were tortured, your mind destroyed and were made into a weapon and you think that makes you strong, you know who was the first person to call you a runt?, Your mom, did also do you really think that Snow didn't know what he was doing when he tried to sell you like Finnick? He set you and Annie up to kill those clients, yet like a fool you fell for it.' Peeta is triggered by being mother shamed:

"You know I'm not the only mutt created to destroy you, the capitol created reptillian mutts that hunt in packs, and probably are attracted to your scent, they have sharp teeth, and they whisper your name "Katnissssss" they are trained on live avoxes, the odds of your capture are also pretty high and if he captures you your torture may be livestreamed and your death may be like Darius's death, slow, you cannot be mentally well to want to risk this also a death from an arrow is too quick for white imp, my favorite idea is using one of the capitol replicated scents, attaching it to Snow and feeding him to those lizard mutts but if Snow is to die before the end of the war, (Peeta laughs about how fucked up that idea is) I would recommend a bunker buster or poison gas though many Avox innocents would be killed"

"No I want to see Snow's face before he dies, he took you from me and hijacked you, a debt must be paid! and before you go on about rape, you made that up" Peeta begins expositing his SA delusions and Katniss tells him it never happens and reveals the stay with me always, nights on the train, night before the quarter quell, Snow's demons attack and Katniss grabs Peeta's hand and he mentions the restraining orders learning that they have been lifted and that the doctors said it was fine. Then Finnick and Annie appear. Johanna is late for training but was readmitted into squad 451 on grounds that she is less crazy then Peeta and Annie. After Peeta angerly barks about how much he hates 'charity' Johanna goes off on Peeta stating as per the WIP

they are sick of him believing false things about himself that Katniss is hurting because of him, and Annie is sick of Peeta implying she is a mutt and it's affecting everyone Gale's best friend can't leave the bed, without Haymitch. They are also sick of seeing their friend say batshit crazy stuff about things everyone was there for and have that same friend not know when their birthday is also Katniss did not enjoy having a stating contest with you, having a gun pointed at her, be called a traumatized child because you held a delusion that she hated you and wanted you dead. "" Then there is a long argument where Peeta behaves as is described in the WIP with Katniss bringing up what he said on the roof at the begining of it. Boggs is totally on board with this and rearrainges the rotation to be people with memories of Peeta, that's when Peeta knows he isn't getting out of this. Gale beats Peeta up when he continues being resistant, as revenge for when Peeta knocked him unconscious (after Peeta tried to thank him for his role in his rescue and Gale attacked him on sight then Peeta crushed him) He spends the rest of his shift playing real or not real. Delly only comes to Peeta at the end of the day apologizing for what she said in frusteration about Peeta being a mutt and failed project that is a separate scene though.

Peeta has had a long day and might be tired enough to actually sleep the night or request to be sedated early(since he can't sleep without being sedated) and the cartel gives him the night off

[perfectcrusadeobject]

A Beginner’s Guide to Using Killa Nicotine Pouches

Introduction

In recent years, nicotine pouches have surged in popularity, and among the most recognized brands is Killa Nicotine Pouches. For beginners eager to explore this product, understanding its nuances can be quite beneficial. The market for KILLA products offers a variety of flavors and strengths that cater to both seasoned users and newcomers alike. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve https://jsbin.com/meqogetowo into everything you need to know about using Killa nicotine pouches effectively.

What Are Killa Nicotine Pouches? Understanding Nicotine Pouches

Nicotine pouches are modern oral products that contain nicotine but no tobacco. Unlike traditional chewing tobacco or snus, these pouches provide a discreet and smokeless way to consume nicotine.

Killa’s Unique Selling Proposition

KILLA NIC POUCHES stand out for their bold flavors and high-quality ingredients. They are designed for those who enjoy a quick nicotine fix without the complications of smoking or chewing tobacco.

How Do Killa Nicotine Pouches Work? The Mechanism Behind Nicotine Absorption

When you place a NIC POUCH between your gum and lip, nicotine is released from the pouch into your bloodstream through the mucous membranes in your mouth. This provides rapid relief from cravings.

Duration of Effectiveness

Typically, the effects of a Killa pouch can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on various factors such as individual metabolism and pouch strength.

Choosing the Right Killa Nicotine Pouch Flavors Available in Killa Range

Killa offers a myriad of flavors—from minty fresh to fruity delights. Some popular options include:

Cool Mint Strawberry Watermelon Coffee Strength Levels of Killa Pouches

Killa nicotine pouches come in various strengths ranging from 4mg to 20mg of nicotine per pouch. Beginners may want to start with lower concentrations to assess their tolerance.

A Beginner’s Guide to Using Killa Nicotine Pouches

Using Killa nicotine pouches is straightforward, but there are tips beginners should consider:

Start Slow: If you're new to nicotine, begin with lower-strength pouches. Placement: Place the pouch between your gum and lip for optimal absorption. Duration: Keep it in place for about 20-30 minutes before disposing of it. Stay Hydrated: Drink water while using the pouch; it helps with dryness that may occur. Disposal: Dispose of used pouches responsibly by placing them in trash bins. Benefits of Using Killa Nicotine Pouches Convenience and Discretion

One significant advantage is that they can be used anywhere—at home, work, or social settings—without drawing attention like traditional smoking.

No Tobacco Hassles

Since there’s no tobacco involved, users avoid many harmful substances found in cigarettes or chewable tobacco.

Potential Risks Associated with Killa Nicotine Pouches