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nalyra-dreaming · 3 months ago

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https://www.tumblr.com/nalyra-dreaming/764198172090318848/so-if-the-teaser-is-canon-its-presumably-set

So. The timeline for season 3 present time can stretch from one year to a few months. Personally, I think the 1 year stretch is far better.

February 2022: Lestat founds/discovers a band and names it The Vampire Lestat.

Mid to late June 2022: the tour is green lit but not announced. The band has managers and all the equipment

June 14th 2022 — June 26th 2022: the Dubai interview.

Early July 2022: Louis searches for Lestat, finds him in NOLA, flies there and they reunite.

July 2022 - mid to late October 2022: Louis and Lestat rekindle their friendship, they have their own lives but are in contact. Armand starts stalking Daniel.

February 2023: Lestat’s band blows up all of a sudden. The tour is announced.

February 2023 — April 2023: Lestat and Louis talk to each other, check on each other and hang out. One time, they end up sleeping together and Louis leaves and ghosts Lestat the next day. They settle on a “casual”, no attachments relationship but both are jealous of the other. Because of this, Lestat writes long face.

April 2023: the book is out. Lestat reads it, is pissed at Louis, they argue. Lestat releases long face and it blows up even more. Meanwhile Armand reaches out to Daniel. They have a month long fling, but Armand disappears after turning Daniel

June (?) 2023: Lestat’s band releases the dates for their tour. Daniel proposes the documentary to Lestat and he accepts.

Late August 2023: the tour starts.

Late August 2023 — October 2023: Lestat is interviewed by Daniel.

October 2023: Louis, Daniel, Armand and Gabrielle + others begin to dream about Maharet and Mekare.

October 21st: the interview is over. Louis enters in possession of the uncut tape through Daniel and watches it. Meanwhile, Akasha awakens.

Roughly October 26th (?): Louis visits Lestat. They argue, communicate, and decide to try again.

October 31st: the San Francisco concert happens, Gabrielle arrives and saves Loustat.

November 1st: Akasha kidnaps Lestat.

I reasoned this way in regards of timeline stretch because editing a book, publishing it, having a four month margine that is already surpassed, interviewing a rock star on tour and editing a documentary take some time. A book needs 6-12 months to be edited and published, and a documentary a few months that they objectively don’t have, if they’re to keep the 31st October concert date.

I’m not sure about the whole angst thing and its magnitude, as I’ve inserted it only because of the loose context given by Long Face and Lestat wearing a wedding ring AND the slit throat chocker. Could also be that Louis tags along on the tour as “just friends” while pining and overcoming their communication issues (someone I don’t remember said Lestat should talk about Magnus in private with Louis and Daniel/only Louis and then a cut version to Daniel). Considering that Louis is already in his Prince Lestat era mindset, it would make sense for him to finally read, as a parallel to 2x08, his book before deciding to try again with Lestat (just for him to be kidnapped).

There’s also things I really liked as theories but wouldn’t know how to incorporate. Maybe Daniel interviewed Lestat as a human? Maybe after that Armand found them both and went after Daniel and turned him? Then Daniel would go to the talk show and talk about both the interview to Lestat and the book? But then how would Louis still be at the penthouse? Would that be before receiving the uncut interview or something?

Thoughts on all of this? What’s your own timeline prediction?

:) (Nice timeline!! Thank you for formatting btw, the email I got was not and I was sooo relieved when I checked here *laughs*)

Soooooo.... I personally think that there's even more time there.

I think editing the book and publishing it takes more time, maybe up to two years, and I would think they will use the "three years" they will have from 2022 to release in 2025 (fingers crossed!) for the show.

For your timeline the reunion would need to be the "contested" one, aka not having happened that way, because otherwise Lestat's state of mind would not fit I think.

But I also think that once they have met again that Louis and Lestat will fall into the "Netflix and chill" era that they have in later books, which you also describe here.

All in all I think the timeline makes sense, it will be very interesting to see what the show does with it!!

As I said, I am not convinced that Daniel is already a vampire for the documentary, but that will remain to be seen. I think the show might mix things up there (like they mixed Merrick in, for example) - because as you said(!) - Louis seems a bit in the PL era mind set in Dubai... and if he is, if they pull that up - then the whole story might be mixed up, re events. (Also they already introduced Fareed, and Amel, arguably).

Ahhh, I don't know^^. I like your timeline :), even if I am writing my own (a bit different one) in a fic right now, forgive me for not detailing here too much. It does keep to the elements you also pulled up^^, but shapes them a bit differently, because I have a different starting point.

It would be cool if you came back after season 3, to compare notes :))))

#Anonymous #ask nalyra #timeline #iwtv s3 #iwtv #amc iwtv #interview with the vampire #interview with the vampire s3 #amc interview with the vampire #future season speculation

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brian-in-finance · 11 months ago

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Template from Amazon

Gimme ✋🏻! A big five.

Punch Card #1 27 August 2022, #1-10

Punch Card #2 21 December 2022, #11-20

Punch Card #3 4 March 2023, #21-37

Punch Card #4 3 June 2023, #38-41

Looks like there are fewer people left to miss the memos. It took nine months to make it into 41 block alerts, but a full eight months to make it into only nine more. 🤷🏻‍♂️

#42 Original Post 31 July 2023

#43 Original Post 22 June 2023

#44 Original Post 27 June 2023

#45 & 46 Original Post 21 July 2023

Psst… BIF is brian-in-finance. 👌🏻

#47 Original Post 24 July 2023

#48 Original Post 26 August 2023

#49 Original Post 8 January 2024

#50 Original Post 25 February 2024

Utterly childish, right, both the block alerts and this post? 🤦🏻‍♂️ What I don’t get is how some of these bloggers who recommend blocking BIF and other blogs, often know — and report on — what we post. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Blocking me is anyone’s right, but for the love of all that is true and accurate, if you’re going to tattle on me, or if you’re going to report or discuss what I write, read the relevant post for yourself, then tattle, report, and discuss what I actually wrote. Unless, of course, it’s just an elaborate game of Telephone you’re playing. ☎️

Remember… falsified versions of the original content can spread and distort by the second… This distortion cycle occurs so quickly, the truth doesn’t have time to catch up. — Medium

#Tait rhymes with hat #Good times #Punch Card 5 #🔟+🔟+🔟+🔟+🔟#Woo hoo #🎉

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dreaaspeaks · 8 months ago

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i never thought that 7 months in the gen0c!de in g@za would i need to explain on tiktok of all places why the kaulitz twins doing a deal with macdonalds and pushing the macdonalds brand is ignorant. sure it doesn’t contribute directly to what’s going on right now but are ya’ll seriously okay with buying a shitty macdonalds vegetarian meal instead of just going to another just as affordable, just as MID fast food place near your area that doesn’t support a gen0c!de?? like i just saw a SLIDE SHOW of why the kaulitz twins doing the macdonalds promotion shouldn’t be slandered because the macdonalds franchises in germany have nothing to do with those that were in isreal.

YEAH NO SHIT HOW DO YOU THINK FRANCHISING WORKS??? people started to boycott macdonalds over their lack of action when it became clear that isreali branches of macdonalds restaurants were supporting the IDF, unlike what they did in russia in 2022 when they pulled the Macdonalds name out of russia to distance themselves from the country, macs DID NOT do that when it came isreal until APRIL! macs pulled out of russia IN MAY the invasion started in FEBRUARY LIKE DO YALL SEE HOW LITTE THEY GAVE A SHIT WHEN IT CAME TO GAZA AND ISREAL BUT CARED SO MUCH ABOUT IMAGE WHEN IT CAME TO RUSSIA AND UKRAINE?? like this hypocrisy is why so many people are boycotting their local macdonalds or starbucks it’s because of what these big brands and franchises represent. They represent performative activism and have their brand names tied to gen0c!de that they never bothered to change until stocks tanked.

it’s the leaps and bounds and ignorance of the real reason for the boycott that’s pissing me off. to all the 12 year olds who desperately want to keep supporting your favs pls remember that you can, people on social media are supporting MUCH MUCH worse people and no one gives two shits but just don’t try to make these leaps and bounds and be ignorant to social movements just because your favs face is on a box

(SORRY DIDNT KNOW IT WAS SPELLED MCDONALDS sg we always say macs so hehe)

#bill kaulitz #tokio hotel #tom kaulitz #macdonalds #bill kaulitz imagines #bill kaulitz x reader #georg listing #georg listing imagines #georg listing x reader #gustav schafer x reader #gustav schäfer #tokio hotel imagine #tokio hotel x reader #tom kaulitz x reader #tom kaulitz imagines

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arimiadev · 10 days ago

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2024 Year in Review

If 2023 was a new leaf for me, then 2024 was a year of tying up loose ends. I started off 2024 with multiple unfinished projects that needed wrapping up—more than I like having open at any time.

Canvas Menagerie was entering its 2nd year of development, I was in the midst of finishing Asphodelium—which was supposed to be a Winter Jam 2023 project—and a separate Winter Jam 2022 project, Lost Lune, that only had a partial amount of progress made on it. Suffice to say, I was somewhat in over my head with unfinished games.

I’m the type that is self motivated while working, but I can get overwhelmed when I have several projects in progress (including game dev, marketing, IRL, etc). So, clearly I needed to actually finish some things, even though my games were just hobby projects.

…But, I also had to start some new projects. An idea I’ve had for a while was an otome sequel to Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea, something I told myself I wouldn’t make unless I could get a writer and artist to help me with it. Well, guess what my Otome Jam 2024 project was…

In February I set up a new side website—Arimia’s Doujin Den! It’s a little blog for me to share the doujin fan games I’ve collected over the years, many of which no longer have any internet presence at all. It takes a lot of passion and dedication to make an indie game but maybe even a touch more for a fan game, and I don’t want that passion to go to waste. I’ve only catalogued a few so far, but I want to do even more in the future.

However, about halfway through 2024 I was laid off from my software development job very suddenly. I was partially expecting for months to be laid off at any point as the company has lay offs every single month, but it was still incredibly sudden. I had hoped to at least make it through to the end of the year, not only half the year!

I also began doing social media work for Studio Everium, an indie otome studio. I’ve only ever worked at Studio Élan for marketing (and this marks my 5th year there!) so it’s been a fun change of pace to help share even more visual novels to the world. Speaking of Élan, I spent a few weekends this year traveling and attending conventions! We had booths at Offkai Expo and Otakon, where we sold our yuri games and met a lot of fans & fellow developers. It was my first time going to a convention outside of Memphis and was so fun to finally meet so many friends (and make new ones).

At the tail end of the year, I finished rereading Umineko in October (on the 5th, of course), which I hadn’t read since….middle school. It was such a refreshing reread, to not only read something made with so much love for the world but also to confirm that it was just as good—even better, with fresh eyes on the queer narrative—than I remembered. Anyway, that’s what led me to get back into reading novels. I wanted to see some of r07’s inspiration for it, so I picked up And Then There Were None and dived into several other of Christie’s tales, which led me to joining an in-person book club (where all of the members could be my parents/grandparents…!) to force myself to get out more.

Projects

Canvas Menagerie

My main goal for 2024 was to finish writing Canvas Menagerie, but my secret internal goal was to finish the entire game—and I did! Just a couple of weeks ago I managed to release it to the world after 3 years of solo development. It’s not exactly what I envisioned it being when I started outlining it (and I definitely chunked and rewrote my outlines several times), but I’m still happy with how it came out.

I’m also happy to finally have a commercial game out that doesn’t have my writings & art from early college (that’s practically high school…!!). It’s something I’ve been somewhat self conscious about for a few years—to be honest, I don’t like my prior commercial works. I can only look at them and cringe somewhat, knowing how old the writing and art is. Now I finally have a commercial project I’m (mostly) proud of.

The final game ended up being 138k words with 15+ CGs and 10+ character sprites. I did all of the work on the project, outside of the backgrounds, music, and GUI design. I’m thankful for all of the people who supported the project to the end!

I was also able to do a lifelong goal—have a physical release for one of my games!

These were handmade by myself. I think they came out pretty cute~

Asphodelium

My other main goal for 2024 was to finish and release Asphodelium. Well, about that….

I did end up finishing it, releasing it in January. That version was right at 40k words long with 1 story line and 2 slightly different endings. But, well… I wanted to do more with it!

I got several extremely positive comments after releasing it and I loved writing Aster & Hazel’s push-and-pull relationship, so I started secretly working on an expansion afterwards. The main story already covers a lot of ideas regarding cults, but I wanted to expand upon it even more. There’s plenty more aspects I want to touch on such as the depersonalization cult members experience and the idea of self identity after leaving a cult. It’s a completely different vibe from the comfyness of Canvas Menagerie, to say the least!

I’m currently aiming to make it a full commercial release sometime in the first half of 2025 by adding a new story path (with at least a couple of new endings), at least 25k more words, and several new CGs. I’ve already written 14k words and drawn 2 new CGs, so it’s progressing smoothly. This will be the main project I’m working on going into 2025.

Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon

As mentioned before, I couldn’t go the entire year without starting a new long-term project of course. I began preparing as soon as Asphodelium was out the door to attempt a sequel to my 2021 fantasy mystery visual novel Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea. I say “attempt” as I went into the planning phase sure that I would only make it if I was able to find solid partners to make the projects with—after all, I had enough projects to work on solo! It’s been years since I directed a project without my writing and art, so I wanted to give it a shot again.

I was lucky to find Runa Winters to helm the writing based off of my terribly shoddy outline & character notes, Iron to edit it into a cohesive narrative, and Dule to bring the colorful cast to life. Together, we were able to get a demo out and also later get featured on the IGN YouTube as part of the Dames 4 Games Fall Showcase!

youtube

Witch You Want

Over at Élan, in September we wanted to try something new—a game jam! Several of us had already entered game jams in the past (and I had just finished a game jam—more on that later), so we thought it’d be a good way to rejuvenate ourselves and our creative juices.

I lead a team with Natasha Luna providing her wonderful writing and Dani creating our own magic with their lovely illustrations. The premise is simple—a local witch desperately needs help making enough potions for the festival that weekend. She’s just, like, only slightly incompetent and ditzy. Slightly.

We made the game in under a month alongside 3 other yuri visual novels from the game jam. I did all of the programming, with some outside assistance from Feniks. I think it turned out pretty cute!

Dahlia

Around April I got the itch to join a game jam (we hadn’t decided to do an internal jam at Élan quite yet) and became interested in the Velox series of jams. They’re Ludum Dare-inspired visual novel game jams which is absolutely perfect for me. I got my start making games with Ludum Dare, as a bunch of my first visual novels were Ludum Dare entries. They taught me how to actually make a game from start to finish and set deadlines for myself.

I entered Velox Formido, which was by far the strictest game jam I’ve ever entered. You have 36 hours to make a visual novel. Still, somehow I was able to make a story with 2 character sprites and multiple endings in the time frame. I think it came out rather nice, as the art direction came out exactly as I imagined.

Starlit Regrets

After entering Velox Formido, I found I really liked the format and was eager to enter the next in the series. In August they held Velox Fabula 2, a 10 day long version of the jam. This gave me a lot more room to work with my idea—maybe a bit too much!

Starlit Regrets is a melancholic story focused on reminiscing and letting the player guide the narrative, both the past and present. It has quite a few different scenes in it depending on choices and 5 endings over 15k words long (I don’t know how I was able to churn out that much in such a short time)! Most of my long visual novels are very linear, so it’s fun to try branching narratives for my shorter games.

Articles

Continuing from last year, I interviewed other visual novel developers! I was lucky to have Katelyn from GB Patch Games, Gabby from Two and a Half Studios, and Tony & Abby from Black Tabby Games all sit down with me in 2024 to talk about their visual novels and how they approach the medium.

Interviewing other developers is still a bit nerve-wracking for me, but it always turns out to be a fun and informative experience.

After getting home from Offkai Expo, I wrote up an overview of our (wonderful) experiences as well as some takeaways from it. We had a great time selling there, but it’s not something that can easily be replicated…!

And continuing from last year’s article looking over Mahoyo’s very questionable marketing campaign, I took a look at both Mahoyo and Tsukihime remake‘s approach to visual direction. So no badmouthing Aniplex this time, but instead praising Type-Moon’s art direction.

My last blog post for the year was also partially a postmortem for Canvas Menagerie. I’ve been on a lot of projects in varying states of being finished, so it was a big relief to finally finish my 3 year long project. I hope it’ll help other developers push themselves across the finish line…!

Art

This year I did a lot of art assets! 4 of the images here are in-game assets and 4 are promotional artworks for the games.

I also participated in Umitober this year, an Inktober-inspired month-long art event where you draw Umineko arts based on different themes each day. Most of my submissions were sketches as I wanted to just try a bunch of different poses and focus on quantity over quality—the best way to get better is to draw a lot, so I used it as pose practice.

Goals

2024 Goals:

Fully write Act 3 of Canvas Menagerie: This was the lite version of this goal. I actually wanted to fully finish the visual novel but didn’t want to overshoot, as I was still working a full time job. Suffice to say I cleared this goal with flying colors.

Release the full version & an artbook for Asphodelium: I actually forgot I was going to release an artbook with the original release… Well, I hope I’ll release one with the extended cut next year. I made an artbook for Canvas Menagerie which was a lot of fun, so I want to do it again.

Go to an out-of-town convention: I’ve never been to an anime convention outside of Memphis…until now! I was able to travel to Offkai Expo and Otakon this year which was so amazing.

Share more VNs I like: I was able to do this as well! I’ve started sharing my favorites from Spooktober after the event as well as cataloguing some of the doujin games I own on Neocities. It’s fun to be able to share some of the visual novel gems I’ve played.

2025 Goals:

Release the extended version for Asphodelium: In January I released the “full” version of Asphodelium, but as mentioned I want to extend it even more. This edition isn’t too far from being done, so I hope to release it in the first half of 2025.

Release Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon: CWES: AM has had a lot of progress on the writing front, so I need to get back to scripting it…! We were originally thinking of releasing it Q1 2025 but want to give it more time in the oven. It’s only been in development for half a year as of now, so a later 2025 release would be great.

Fill an entire sketchbook: I have a sketchbook from 2 years ago I started for doing pose practice and this year I want to finally fully use the sketchbook with practices. Not full arts—just practicing everything.

Get back to kanji studies: I feel like this is a goal for a lot of people, hah. Given how often I try to navigate JP websites and play JP games, I need to get back to learning JP!

Document more doujin games: One of the hobbies I started in 2024 was archiving doujin games I have, as many don’t have any documentation online anymore. This is still a side project of mine, but I want to continue blogging about doujin games (namely fangames) and sharing these gems.

2024 certainly had a lot of ups and downs and changes and curveballs. Looking back on it, it was a better year for me than I thought it would be (and remember it being). I was able to finally travel on my own, meet so many friends, try new things, and find new joys.

I’m very nervous going into 2025 as my first year being a fulltime freelancer. I’ve got some cushions set in place, but it’s still a bit nerve-wracking. Now that I’m no longer in my early 20s, things are changing—but in a way, I’ve been finding myself through it. I want to be in visual novels for many more years to come. I love making visual novels, playing visual novels, talking about visual novels. I want to spend time with my friends, flying out to see them and going to conventions where I’m able to meet even more amazing people.

I hope this year will be kind to us all. Cultivate the space you want to live in and help the people you care about.

— Arimia

#visual novels #my articles

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spondeesoliloquy · 8 days ago

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Index of first lines, 2022

Each header links to that month's poems, in chronological order. Thanks & much love & tenure to the court alchemist who applied the magic of regular expressions to auto-pull these so I didn't have to copy+paste compile them myself.

January 1. cold snaps for your attention, heat waves 2. my father’s mother died seven years before my birth 3. there is something effervescent about rage. 4. i am tired of writing poems about pain 5. is there more of a point in a poem 6. i would like to be hungry again 7. keep your heart beating steady. 8. i am not human enough for other humans 9. the dangers of self contemplation. the soul 10. i like the rush of moving forward. always 11. the cold has come to eat my nose 12. i don’t want to let go 13. how quickly i lose track of what i’ve done 14. sometimes my brain declines to think 15. I’d like my heart out, if you have a minute. 16. there is no point of grief. there is no lesson 17. my head is filled with clouds as 18. try not to cringe from challenge. tell 19. i was warm now i am cold this is 20. i am taking umbrage with the time 21. it is hard to let relief sink in 22. the poet who is writing as a form of self reflection 23. the children do not know that the adults watch them 24. the snow might not wait 25. there is a certain something lonely 26. i want to catch the starlight of my anger in a bottle 27. this day spun by in fractals. i did 28. how softly fragments from my past 29. the snow came down until the fall 30. i wonder when i’ll shake the habit 31. i always forget how the snow shrinks the world

February 1. a funny kind of satisfaction. all i want to do’s 2. i have built my life of to-do lists 3. is this growing up? to realize 4. i am caught between the time i lost, 5. slipped a stitch left time forgotten 6. i meant to make a handprint 7. i missed the mountains missed the sky 8. i wonder if the bison have myths 9. i like this strange enchantment 10. for the tiny nameless spring 11. would goodness matter without disappointment 12. i’d sorrow if i stopped to think. 13. The rivers crack the earth like chilling frost 14. Death Valley’s dried up dandelions 15. set up the stars aligned 16. body keeps the score 17. am i young? i feel it 18. i fear that i have uncoccooned too soon— 19. certain songs make me cry— 20. it’s the things you never think you’ll lose 21. set the burning world into the sky 22. there are no sorrows cast in stone. i think 23. i’m looking towards the future with a slightly jaded eye. how quickly 24. the kindness of strangers should not go less remarked 25. the snow falls down like music 26. i wish my memory was better 27. i know so many songs by dead people 28. i can’t keep my mind in place.

March 1. i want more poems about kindness. 2. i’m deeply dark afraid to let anything i love 3. there’s a senseless sort of love within 4. i want a story like the ones 5. i run the same races over again 6. you do until it’s done. you ache 7. i know i brought this on myself 8. the world is shrinking in my heart 9. sometimes you must accept there are mistakes you won’t recoup 10. i don’t want to see my friends in pain 11. time is unfair in its passing. i don’t want 12. the cold is now attempting to ingratiate itself. 13. blur the burning world away for just a little longer. please. 14. will i one day call this nostalgia? 15. fever rhymes with crazy in our symptomatic symbolism 16. today has left me empty 17. i’m remembering joy 18. [no poem] 19. i have accomplished just enough today 20. the wind is back. it beats against 21. i don’t want to keep writing poems about 22. progressing like i still believe that every day is precious— 23. maybe the waking from the dream 24. if the song that’s been rattling down 25. we’re leaving winter behind. i’ve come 26. i don’t feel anymore like my memories will eat me— 27. i wonder what would happen if i took 28. anger twists me up so easily 29. ambition has come back 30. i would like the grace of hindsight 31. cutting time up with a kitchen knife

April 1. the birds sang today and i sang 2. i slip more easily into the night 3. i don’t want the landing to hurt. i think 4. i should write more poetry in daylight. 5. the feeling nags, neurotic— 6. i want again. it’s awful 7. you’d think i would know better. it’s not 8. curses have long memories 9. It’s April again. I can’t stand it. 10. i’m starting to run mad 11. never anticipate anything. you’d think 12. my life already feels lived 13. persist, persist 14. the train that used to bring me home 15. i forgot that spring could feel 16. i love the rain. i know 17. i miss my dad. is this a poem? 18. to have a body can be wonderful— 19. at some point there’s no point in being bitter. 20. i don’t mean to make things harder for myself 21. there are more dreams than those that twist 22. such small things make me weep 23. i don’t need everything now 24. pain and panic hand in hand. the one 25. when the morning comes there will be 26. i thought that it would hurt 27. if i close my eyes and hide my face i will not notice it is dark 29. i want it to rain again. i want 30. it overwhelms me really

May 1. i’m trying to dwell on flowers 2. the world upended quickly 3. it’s loud in here the white noise 4. i may know what i should do 5. a bright seductive quality of pain— 6. this time of night is poisonous 7. i hate to be cold, hate the frozen thoughts 8. the words will not come out as anything 9. i want to love someone enough 10. my grief knows me better than i know myself. 11. on the use of alcohol as a pain killer: 12. aching underneath 13. the weather’s warm enough for ants now. 14. today was not enough. please let me have 15. [no poem] 16. it’s not that i will take just any name from those that love me— 17. the words are chasing themselves tonight 18. i didn’t try enough today. the world 19. It’s hard to push past the feelings 20. i made something good today— 21. what’s the secret? is it simple as 22. can i use today as tinder? burn 23. for one day i am alive 24. today is sharp with irritation— 25. the fire hurts. it’s payment 26. on the other side of an ocean 27. i went out. i acted. i came home 28. every time i find the world is different 29. i’ve heard it said that hiccups are the memory of gills 30. the misspoken name does not unmake the self 31. i think i might have been more of a person in the past

June 1. it is hard for me to wake up early. 2. Don’t waste time asking 3. sometimes all that can be done 4. i’m caught up in outthinking 5. done and dark and dreaming. we all 6. perhaps i was due a breaking point. enough 7. today was, maybe, better. 8. maybe the family curse, the need for 9. the storm passed by so quickly 10. i am tired. yet despite that 11. the world will open slowly, if it opens up at all. 12. maybe something will happen tomorrow 13. i don’t want to let the past burn down. 14. breathe. the world is coming 15. i’ve nothing left to show 16. i am trying so hard to be good 17. the world descends. i sit in pain 18. it’s tempting to think that the water remembers— 19. memory a funny thing, fragile 20. can i be grateful enough for joy 21. i reflect on light today— 22. I think my favorite poem 23. today slipped through my fingers 24. the smell of sun and dust compels me 25. the sun is warm. the grass beneath 26. time, i promise, you can stop here. 27. this summer smells like summer should 28. Idaho peaks rise up like teeth– 29. this is like the past 30. gone and back again

July 1. did a little all day. stayed alive 2. Sunset one side. A thunderstorm 3. a recipe that holds in it 4. the road does not run long enough 5. i want so many things, but they all seem unimportant 6. What is enough to remember? 7. today i lived deliciously— 8. the endless constant lament— 9. truth is the chair I've stubbed my toe on 10. success achieved by stealing from the future— 11. i’m coming to think that work 12. this isn’t enough. i’m racing 13. the world may laugh at me for planning 14. the potential i kept in a thimble 15. my life makes sense in aftermath— 16. the pain comes like a tide 17. [no poem] 18. knowing it will be hard doesn’t make it any better 19. god. it’s july. i’m everything 20. the metal of the playground swings 21. stitching sandals. something 22. i want things to get better— 23. i don’t know yet if this will scar 24. i’m tired to stupidity. unready 25. [no poem] 26. intermission, circus show— 27. the night’s breath is held, wetly 28. there’s a certain kind of blindness when you’re not too far away 29. don’t tell me my death was a tragedy, 30. [no poem] 31. thank you fingers for remembering

August 1. we’re moving forward slowly 2. i am ready to write poems about tiredness again 3. i don’t know if i made the right choices tonight 4. be welcome the night and the starlight 5. i am warm and i am tired 6. [no poem] 7. the forest breathes. i’m happy 8. Trying to touch the proof that I am growing, 9. I’ve folded so many memories here 10. the tiny snake does me the courtesy 11. The lake is green and glassy. 12. I have found it, finally— 13. i’ll pay this price for happiness— 14. continue. continue. continue. 15. i want to hope this is 16. perhaps i can accomplish this. 17. there is no more important thing in life 18. i’ve tried too hard i think to make myself 19. the universe assures me 20. the sunrise swallows the night 21. the only way out is across, in life, 22. maybe this is working out. a dangerous 23. maybe tomorrow. this is a promise. 24. i lost i failed i fucked up— 25. what’s happening today. why’ve i lost 26. a storm at height. up here i feel 27. summer’s fruits are dripping tart. somewhere there is a fair 28. this is it, the poetry 29. i’m tired now from all of it, 30. i’ve made myself a place here. i belong. how strange. 31. i’m learning things in tiny swallows

September 1. i don’t know if this time last year i was better— 2. enough. enough. no more of this 3. you have to live the life that kills you— 4. the ground is shining. we’re walking 5. here i was. there i am. did you come with me 6. maybe the place that makes you happiest to live 7. one day. one day. one day is all 8. i’m too tired to record today 9. can i take the small things? 10. it’s a funny time, a burning time, 11. i’m frazzled still. the world 12. why should i define myself 13. i wanted something to beat itself 14. to be careless is no longer fun 15. what a magnificent world. there are flowers 16. i’m warm now in this colding world. a simple 17. i hope i hear correctly 18. strange to have completed this 19. regardless of your opinion 20. i’m so hungry for these moments with you. 21. today already blurring— 22. the rain is back. a blessing. 23. the wind is wild tonight 24. the sounds are still rebounding 25. funny to fall in love with this machine 26. this afternoon is not quite gold 27. i like watching the pigeons 28. it’s all too much for me again. I’m falling back in time 29. love is often inconvenient. no one tells you this, 30. i hate the cold. i’m trying not to—

October 1. love is tomatoes and a question. love is bread. love is 2. do i want to say the true things or the pretty things? 3. you know my silent meanings, 4. grandmother, who is dead, 5. why does being human 6. the wind is moaning like it should 7. the time is right again 8. i’m trying not to hold 9. the sky opened like a clam 10. autumn came so swiftly. i tracked through 11. oh i’m surging up, alive again 12. my darkness, my shape, my shadow— 13. the leaves are dancing like they’re glad 14. the end of day, the air is red 15. and the rest comes in without pause 16. the autumn sunshine takes us back 17. i love this time that will be gone 18. the leaves do fall down 19. the daringness of youth— 20. the morning will come in cold 21. in the dark the mountains loom 22. the story tells itself. the mountains 23. sometimes the presents of the past are never known 24. i grieve like you. i cannot say 25. i am loose ended and distracted. all my time 26. i’m still learning to hear how the music is made 27. i think i’ll be crawling to tomorrow. 28. i don’t think there have been enough heartbeats. 29. i keep waiting for a day to come 30. i love to welcome people in on my terms. 31. i’ve asked the ghosts to visit.

November 1. We move on heartbeat by heartbeat. 2. i wish it did not matter 3. night comes quickly. here i am 4. there is something touching my soul 5. what a pleasant dream that future was— 6. there is a satisfaction in the way the wind moves leaves— 7. time to go back to dreaming. 8. turn the night off. let me forget 9. do i not have to live like this? 10. this is holy, music 11. i choose and chose and make my choices 12. why does everyone want my future 13. the time streaks by 14. i want a world that fits my feet. 15. The rain is coming down. Becoming something new 16. a silver earring, fallen 17. when the red line breaks into sunlight, crossing the river 18. three thousand miles away from home 19. the many types of glow— 20. the trees are full of screaming birds. 21. i can’t refuse to dream. 22. there is beauty in the old clichés— 23. i have too much to say. 24. today was sweet in its displacement 24. this was good. we did not have 25. the twilight gloom is gathering 26. take my worries take my wonderings 27. i see now, how wonders matter 28. i’m glad this is where the present’s brought me. 29. The world is never so large as when I’m alone 30. i build armor out of walls

December 1. can i rest easy, take the compliment, 2. sometimes it all works perfect. 3. i need to remember walking away 4. Creation’s come to gnaw on me again. 5. today has sucked. 6. sometimes things go right. if this, then, is a mercy, 7. the time i’m losing—it will hurt 8. tremble at the darkening of years 9. i took the memories back, 10. warm and cold and bending— 11. the snow falls down and so we come 12. accomplishment or failure 13. my ears are talking to me 14. i forgot how pain devours 15. from grounded perch the cat surveys 16. crawling raindrops split the past to pieces 17. time meanders when i want it swift 18. open doorway of the night 19. i’m not getting older 20. the storm is not arriving yet. 21. i am ready to be tired. 22. the storm descends. i’ve lived through this 23. the ghosts are back. the time is gone 24. tomorrow we will try again 25. sometimes the only way to get home 26. warm rest and warmer yesterdays 27. perhaps the day will rise up kindly, 28. i am not quite home again. 29. merry met and merry partings— 30. open one handful of dust at a time, 31. the year ends much as it began.

#index #first lines #2022 #mod post #the voice from nowhere

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wingzie · 9 months ago

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Hi Lovely!

You are the G.O.A.T Jikook historian and I love, love, love your threads on Twitter. I also love your posts you’ve been doing here on your thoughts and perspectives all things Jikook, jikookers and the fandom.

I have a question. I’ve already talked about it a while ago but I wanted your take. What’s your opinion on people feeling like Jikook haven’t been the same post-2020 and the fact that EVEN MORE feel like since chapter two Jikook are not in a ‘relationship’ anymore. I use ‘relationship’ as it’s the easiest word to use for them for this ask, whatever people believe the labels for Jikook’s jikooking should be.

Do you think that:

a. There IS a difference in Jikook of the past and Jikook of now?

b. Do you think that if they once had something they no longer do?

c. Do you think that Jikook are no longer close after chapter 2.

We know Jikook are currently serving together and used the buddy system but apart from that, if you were to answer the above with evidence as the Jikook historian you are, what’s your take.

Thank you for your part in making Jikook spaces fun and informative 😉

💜

Hello! Thank you for your kind words and for sending in the ask. Let’s get into it with some honest truths: I don’t see a difference and I don’t think anything has changed. I am very much aware of what people are saying, but this is a pattern that repeats itself every single time there is less content to “feed” those who are less patient. Or, even worse, those who want to control Jimin and Jungkook.

On 8th March 2020, BTS were told that their April concerts in Seoul would be cancelled. As we know, this later included the cancellation of their entire tour. Both the members and entire fandom were very upset about this, but I remember very vividly reading takes on the Jikook side of Tumblr saying: "but what about our Jikook content?" When, in all honesty, that should never have been the main focus when the entire world was experiencing a pandemic. I've seen this complaint several times. This happened during their vaction in 2019 and it's even happening now whilst they are in the military. It is incredibly selfish. I may be a Jikooker, but I understand that Jimin and Jungkook are their own people.

Hindsight is also a wonderful thing. There are a lot of times that we don't know about something, until it is revealed later on. We didn't know that Jikook ate dinner together after one of their concerts until the docuseries was released. This goes for 2018 AND in 2022. There are certain things that Jikook do because it is to heavily engrained into their routine together. We just won't always witness or hear about it.

How is this all linked though? There has been a change in content releases. We were used to Memories being released every summer and a Run episode every Tuesday. Episode 155 was the last weekly episode, released in October 2021. The last Special Episode was released in February 2023. They would have been filmed years apart, but they still show the same closeness and loving spirit. Both of these episodes also included some Jimin butt loving from Jungkook!

When chapter 2 began, it was obvious that Jimin and Jungkook were focusing on their own things. They do not have a persona in BTS to explore with, so this was their chance to share their stories or experiment with other music. Though busy, they still supported each other massively with social media posts or hyping each other on Lives. This is another pattern which has maintained over the years.

We also know that they have been on several trips together. They may have been on many more that we don't know of. I personally don't worry about it, I just support them as much as I can without putting any pressure on them. That would be unfair. I just think that whenever we do see anything from them, we are very lucky.

I know this response is probably what you (and others) weren't expecting, but I think those saying these things are probably too involved in Jimin and Jungkook's lives. That also goes with the amount of leaked photos and videos lately that I have seen on all platforms. Respect goes a long way and some are abusing it. (And thank you for always showing it in your own posts!) I am working on a "Jikook during Chapter Two" post, coming soon!

#wingzie #wingzieanon

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likesunsetorange · 10 months ago

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Praying that its e2l related 🤣🤞

revy for you i opened my e2l doc and worked on the intro ive been struggling with LOL

so exes to lovers wip! i know this au is neglected here but here’s a little preview! this takes place a year before their breakup :)

a little long but 1.4k since i haven’t posted anything from this au!!!!!

February 2022 Portland, Oregon

The last few bits of remaining sun peeked out through the clouds, casting a warm glow into the living room. Short winter days had quickly transitioned into another long winter night, leaving everyone to their own devices.

Mikasa glanced around the room, eyeing her friends from where she sat on the couch, finding herself too tired to go and socialize with everyone else. After a day of hiking that Eren had forced them upon, everyone had been trying to wind down, attempting to preoccupy themselves, which created the mass of chaos before her.

Sasha and Connie trying (and failing every time) to start a fire in the fireplace; Jean and Ymir arguing over how to properly cut onions while they (Armin) tried to make dinner together, and she was sure there was something else that had been brought up that she couldn’t quite remember or bother to care about; Pieck and Hisu struggling to carry trays of hot chocolate to the living room, only causing Mikasa to worry that they would be charged an extra fee for whatever sort of mess that they made in the process; Hitch resided beside her on the couch, trying to figure out how to load the cartridge of film into her film camera, and ultimately failing; and Eren, she had realized, was nowhere to be found.

Her brow furrowed as she scanned the room, looking for any trace of him, knowing that his presence would be requested as soon as Hitch figured out how to reload her film camera—insisting that their trip be further documented.

“Hey, Hitch, have you seen Eren?” Mikasa asked, turning to face her.

Hitch, who hadn’t bothered to look up from what she was doing, shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, I thought he left a while ago. He seemed all upset or something—I thought you two were fighting or something, to be honest.”

Mikasa’s face scrunched in annoyance, especially considering she hadn’t seen Eren since he went to take a shower over an hour ago. “We aren’t fighting, what are you—”

“Got it!” Hitch cheered, ignoring Mikasa’s comment. She turned towards where everyone else was, so they could better hear her. “Hey! Let’s take a picture, finally! I got this stupid thing working.” Mikasa eyed Hitch, her face giving away her irritation at her lack of social awareness, causing Hitch to cower in fear (though she would probably never admit it). “And someone go find Eren! Mikasa’s worried.”

Mikasa huffed as she stood up, filing herself to the larger couch while Hitch positioned the camera in front of it. She watched as everyone crowded around the couch, everyone finding a seat on or in front of the couch. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Eren, worried about what could have possibly upset him.

The feeling of strong arms wrapping around her middle took her out of her thoughts. She turned to face the culprit, the familiar viridian eyes greeting her with a warm smile.

“Hey,” he greeted, a hint of something she couldn’t quite decipher lingering in his voice. “You miss me?”

Mikasa’s hand found his cheek, gently caressing it. “I did, actually,” she mused. “Everything okay? You were gone for a bit—Hitch said you looked upset when you ran off to wherever.”

Eren came around, fixing Mikasa into his lap, as he positioned his chin comfortably onto her shoulder. Hitch was still fidgeting with the camera, giving Eren no time to avoid her question. “Just stuff with my parents… You know my dad hasn’t been doing good—the company and all that. But I don’t wanna talk about it right now, we’re on a trip, and your birthday is tomorrow—that’s what matters right now.”

“Eren… You know that stuff is important—” Mikasa started, her words cut off by Hitch once again.

“Okay, everyone hurry up! We have like ten seconds before it takes the picture so don’t fuck it up!” She yelled as she ran towards the couch, taking a seat next to Armin and Sasha.

Mikasa released a sigh not wanting their conversation to be interrupted, but not having a choice in this instance. She fixed her face into a smile as she waited for the flash to go off, not wanting to irritate Hitch any further.

They took picture after picture until Hitch was satisfied, resulting in sore cheeks for everyone, and earning complaints from everyone. Everyone gathered around the coffee table, passing around the printed-out photos.

Mikasa was finally ready to be done, wanting to go look at the pictures herself, when Hitch stopped her. “Hey, you two stay there. Let me take one of you two,” she said, motioning them to sit back down. “You’ll thank me when you have cute pictures to show your future kids one day.”

“Hitch, just take the picture,” Mikasa muttered, her voice teetering the edge of being snappy.

Mikasa wrapped her arm around Eren, nestling closer into his side, trying to relieve herself of her slight irritation, knowing nobody was at fault in this situation. She found herself frustrated that she was annoyed in the first place, knowing that there was nothing to be upset about, she should be enjoying herself, knowing she was surrounding by all the people she loved.

As if Eren could sense her uneasiness, she felt him press a kiss onto her cheek. “Hey, relax,” he whispered into her ear. “There’s nothing to worry about, okay?” Mikasa felt her shoulders loosen up, Eren’s voice and presence the one thing to always bring her back down to earth.

“Okay, on three! Three… two… one!” Hitch counted down, the flash going off on one. She handed them the undeveloped picture before joining the others, rambling about how she deserved to be the godmother to their hypothetical future children for things like this.

“It is a nice picture, she has a good point,” Eren said as he inspected the picture. “I think it would be nice to have for stuff like that.”

A smile lit across Mikasa’s face, kids, and a future. Things she had always considered but always seemed so far off—but now, seemed closer than she liked to admit. “You wanna be the father to my kids then, huh?” She teased, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Who else would be the father to your kids?” Eren scoffed, his brows furrowing the way he always did when he tried to hide his emotions—whether it be annoyance or jealousy.

“Nobody but you, Eren,” she said, chuckling before pressing a kiss to a forehead. “That would be nice, though, little versions of us, don’t you think?”

“Mhmm, I think about it all the time, to be honest,” he admitted.

“You do?”

“Well, maybe not the kids and the specifics—although I would want us to have all girls if it was my choice,” he said, chuckling. “But just about us, and our future in general. I love you, I see you in my future always.”

After so many years of being together, it was hard to remember a time when Eren wasn’t in her life. There had never been a time in Mikasa’s life where there had been no Mikasa and Eren in some capacity—whether that was friendship or dating—he was a permanent fixture in her life, and she knew he always would be.

“I love you too, Eren,” Mikasa replied, interlacing her hand with his. “Always have, always will.”

“Even when we were kids and I pushed you too hard off the swings and gave you your scar?” A dimple peeked out from his cheek, a grin flashing across his face.

“I think I was too busy crying to think about whether I loved you or not—but you made your parents buy us ice cream, so I’m sure seven-year-old Mikasa loved you just a bit then too.”

“Well I hope you’ll love me in the future and don’t somehow find a way to get tired of me.”

“How could I ever get tired of you, Eren?” She said, smiling, before pressing another kiss to his lips and standing up.

Mikasa helped Eren to his feet before he enveloped her in another hug, tucking her into his chest. “I don’t know, but I hope you never do. I don’t know how I’d live a life without Mikasa, you really are my other half.”

She hummed in response, wrapping her arms around his middle. “Yea, I don’t know how I would either, Ren. Love you a bit too much to ever get rid of you.”

#asks #exes to lovers au #vic’s wips

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polutrope · 1 year ago

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35. Bittersweet memories // for curufin and finrod because i NEED to know about their drama in this universe

Thanks for the prompt! Here's ~800 words of roommates (and cousins-by-adoption) Curufin and Finrod bickering and remembering. Rated T because Curufin has a potty mouth. Posting these to AO3, here. Prompt list (prompts closed). Beleria Cast of Characters

RESUME

Finrod F. Noldoran, MA [email protected]

WORK EXPERIENCE

Barista Cuppa Joy Café, Beleria November 2022 to Present Develop and deliver quality product and friendly service to build positive community relationships.

Global Relations Specialist Self-employed February to October 2022 Built community partnerships through immersive cultural experiences in the Hither Lands—

“Bullshit,” Curufin muttered to himself, and threw the paper down on the coffee table. “Finrod!” he called. “What the fuck is this?”

“Oh hey you’re home! What’s what?” his roommate called back from the bathroom. A moment later he emerged in his bathrobe and slippers, a towel wrapped around his head.

“Did you just wake up?” Curufin sneered.

“No, actually,” Finrod replied, then said briskly, “I was working on that resume you’ve just tossed aside all morning.”

Curufin huffed. “Global Relations Specialist? Backpacking around the Hither Lands isn’t a job, Fin.”

“Sure it is! Anyway, the resume is only a formality.” Finrod brightened and plopped himself down in the hideous antique armchair he refused to get rid of. “Mayor Singh-Goel — Elu — came by the coffee shop yesterday while I was working. We chatted a bit and got to talking about a new project the City is getting off the ground, to help low-income immigrants get situated in the community. I told Elu about my time in Dorthon with the refugee communities and about my Master’s thesis on the immigrants from east Endor. So!” Finrod slapped the armrests triumphantly. “He thinks I’d be perfect for the Project Coordinator role.”

“You’re kidding?” said Curufin. “You have no professional experience.”

“I have a Master’s degree!”

“In geography. And a Master’s degree doesn’t mean shit in the real world,” Curufin said. The audacity of this guy, he thought. “Also: you can’t lie on your resume.”

Finrod frowned. “It’s not a lie.” He picked up the paper. “I do build positive community relationships. With the community at Cuppa Joy.”

“You make oatmilk vanilla lattés for hipsters.”

“Same difference,” Finrod insisted. “It’s not lying, it’s just… creatively telling the truth. Anyway, I said: it doesn’t matter. The Mayor himself is going to recommend me for the position.”

Curufin rolled his eyes. Of course. Finrod always got what he wanted. Never had to work for a thing in his life, just smiled and asked for it and had the world handed to him on a platter. Meanwhile, Curufin had busted his ass to get where he was, owner of his own brewery at twenty-nine, raising a kid on his own. He was his big brother’s boss for chrissakes! Much to his ongoing annoyance…

“You don’t deserve it,” Curufin said. “Even Celegorm has more work experience than you.”

“Well!” Finrod said, heat rising in his tone. “Why don’t you tell Celegorm to apply!”

“Maybe I will.” Curufin smirked. It was always deeply satisfying to get his mild-mannered roommate riled up.

Rising from the chair, Finrod threw up his hands. “Don’t be ridiculous.” He shut the door to his bedroom a little more soundly than usual.

“You know,” said Finrod, sitting at the table later that day while Curufin was prepping dinner for Celebrimbor. Curufin had to work tonight so his son would be on his own. Well, with Finrod, but it’s not like Curufin was going to ask Finrod to feed him.

“We used to be friends in Valin,” Finrod finished.

“Not really,” Curufin said, and sliced through an onion.

“Yes, we did. In fact, I was just remembering that Yule when you and Alwen finally broke up. You remember? I came over and we watched stupid holiday movies and laughed at the terrible writing.”

Curufin did remember. It was Yule Eve and Celegorm wasn’t answering his texts. But he’d read them, because Aredhel told Turgon who told Finrod… who was the only person who texted him to ask how he was. And he’d abandoned his family’s festivities to come hang out with his sad sack cousin he barely knew.

“Yeah. I remember,” Curufin said, and sniffed.

“Are you crying?” said Finrod

“No.” Curufin brushed his eyes. “It’s the onion.”

“Right. Hey, why don’t you leave that? I’ll make something for Celebrimbor tonight. We could cook together!”

“No, I don’t want you to do that,” said Curufin.

“Why not? I have nothing better to do.”

“Yeah, well, he’s not your responsibility, and—”

“You don’t want to be in my debt,” Finrod supplied.

Curufin didn’t answer.

“Tell you what,” Finrod said cheerfully. “I’ll make dinner with Tyelpë tonight and you can help me with the resume, how about that?”

Curufin chuckled. “So I help you get a job you don’t deserve?”

“Yep!”

“Fine,” said Curufin, and scraped the chopped onion into a bowl. “You should start by getting a new email address. I can’t believe you’re still using nomnom13.”

#finrod #curufin #holiday prompts #modern au #beleria au #my fic

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callmejudgement · 8 months ago

Text

My Shifting Timeline

Judgment's Detailed Experiences #2

(Including my 2 mini-shifts to my Winx and Twst dr!)

October 2020

Discovered shifting from that one tiktok about Saiki K "kicking people out of their drs". I thought they were talking about lucid dreaming at first, but when I went to the comments, a few other people were saying otherwise. So, I went into a deep dive of shifting and concluded that it was a physical experience when people "became aware of themself in another reality."

November 2020

I entered the vibration state "for the first time" (I actually experienced it once when I did not know about Shifting). I wouldn't say I got close to shifting, though, because I exited this state pretty quickly after hearing some phantom noises (they were not scary; I thought it was my baby nephew).

August 2021

I had a lucid dream on the night of the 10th, so I decided to go to my dr. I did not make a portal since that did not work for me the two times I tried before, so I simply thought about my dr and willed myself to be there. Then, it felt like someone gently pushed me, and everything was white. It felt like I was slowly falling and moving forward, kinda. I didn’t feel jarring or disorienting, but comforting. I felt my body changing positions and myself laying in my dr bed (it was my alt-earth magic school dr), but I couldn’t manage to fully shift and ended up back in my cr.

September 2021

I heard about this thing where you ask your spirit guides (or higher self), “What steps do I need to take to shift?” I don’t do tarot, so I decided to communicate with my spirit guides through lucid dreams. Plus, if I did it that way, I would get way more direct answers... or so I thought.

I had my first lucid dream around 4 years ago, and I’ve had multiple since then, so I was confident in communicating with them this way,

But when I had my first LD after deciding to talk to them, they straight up told me “no”.

Imagine this: you’ve been struggling with shifting, so you decide to contact your spirit guides(something you’ve never done before). Then you have an LD a few days later, but when you ask them your burning question, they just say “no” and make you wake up.

A few nights later, I had like 3 lucid dreams, and in each one, I tried to ask my spirit guide the same question.

In the first dream, I realized I was dreaming, looked up at the sky, and said, “Spirit guides, I’d like to talk to you.” I started walking through a river in the town I was in, and it began to rain.

The people around me told me to say the word “rain” (or maybe it was “water”) if I wanted to summon my spirit guide. I started to get pushed down into the water and lose lucidity before I could say it. I feel like they knew what I was going to ask and was avoiding the question (it’s pissing me off, tbh).

After I woke up, I fell back asleep because I was super tired. In my next dream, I became lucid again. I don’t remember as much of this one, but I went to call my spirit guide. Before I could speak, the dream people came and started tickling me so I would become excited and wake up.

I woke up, fell back asleep, and had another LD. This time I was only half trying to contact my spirit guides. The rest of me wanted to eat a burger(I’m pescatarian btw). So I was looking for a burger joint (I was in a giant mall), but many of the dream people were trying to stop me and wake me up. Their main tactic was to catch me and then tickle me so I would wake up. That’s actually what caused my dream to end, and I know it was my spirit guide doing.

2022

Somehow, nothing notable happened in my shifting journey for a year and a half. There's just a fat ass blank space in my stories for this year that even I'm shocked. I have scripts and stuff, but no experience where I can say, "omg, I almost shifted!" So, nothing interesting here...

February 2023 (mini-shifted)

I went to bed at 10pm and then woke up at 2am. I laid in bed for an hour, but I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I got on my phone until 5:30. Then I listened to this immersive ambiance related to my dr (Twisted Wonderland).

I imagined I was in the black carriage on my way to NRC. I think I fell asleep for a few minutes, but when I woke up, the space between my eyes was pounding. It didn’t hurt, but it was like a thump thump thump. I ignored it and continued visualizing Twisted Wonderland. My mind was clear, and I was relatively alert.

I felt a weight on top of me and visuals appeared in front of my eyes. My head stopped thumping at this point and I saw the door of a car. It was light brown and shiny (it looked kinda similar to the interior of a Mercedes Benz from the 90s/2000s). Floyd was sitting next to me and was practically on top of me. Like my back was against the right door, and he was leaning all up on me! It was nighttime, and we were in the backseat of a parked car. Everything was slightly blurred and surreal like I was in a half awake state.

I remember that even in the moment, I couldn't get over how pretty his eyes were and how clear his skin was😭. My breath literally stopped. Bro was actually so beautiful.

Floyd moved around a bit, and then everything went black. I was back in my bed, and my head was still thumping. I fell asleep after that, and when I woke up, It felt like a dream, but the more I thought about it, the more real it felt.

Even though I was in a half-awake state, the images were so much more realistic than my dream. The fact that this experience just felt so different from any of the dozens of lucid dreams or vivid dreams I have had just threw me off so bad.

From what I noticed in those few seconds, I saw the brown of the car doors and I think the seats were a tan leather. I saw the yellow-tinted car light that cast a dim yellow glow on the inside of the car. I think the passenger seat was empty, so only Floyd and I were in the car.... AND THAT'S WHY I MUST SHIFT BACK TO THAT EXACT MOMENT TO KNOW WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON! WHY WAS I IN A CAR ALONE WITH A MAN AND WHY WASN'T IT MY BLACK KING, LEONA KINGSCHOLAR!! Note: NRC is an actual college in my dr; students start at 18.

March 2023 (shifted?)

It was about 3:15pm when I woke up. My room looked the same, so I thought everything was normal; it was only strange that I woke up hella late. I got up and stood by my desk, and then I had the urge to try and float. I balanced on one leg and slowly lifted the other until I sat crisscrossed in the air! Then I was like, wtf? I floated for a few seconds in shock, then I got down and ran out of my room to tell my siblings. My sister and brother (who should have been away at Uni, but I didn't realize in the moment), were in the kitchen. I showed them my flying, and they were not surprised. I think they already knew, so I was sharing old news.

I went back to my room and noticed Skyrim was on my pc. My brother was probably playing it. I closed his save and loaded mine. THEN I DIED LIKE 5 TIMES IN 10 SECONDS. Every time I loaded the damn save, a giant would run up on me and kill me one way or another! I got mad and gave up. Then, I did a reality check by pushing my fingers into the palm of my other hand. My finger did not go through my hands, meaning I was not dreaming. I was about to get my phone, but I couldn't focus, and I kept thinking about how I might accidentally shift back. Then I shifted back... I came back to this reality just as this body woke up. I grabbed my phone to check if I really shifted, and the time here was exactly 7:35, nowhere near 3:15pm.

Reflection: Lowkey, I don't consider this a full shift. Even though it was consistent, I didn't feel "completely there" mentally. Maybe it's because I was excited, so I wasn't thinking straight, but idk. It just didn't feel right so I don't accept this as a true shift.

November 2023 (mini-shifted)

I decided to take a nap around 4pm because I had that weird eye strain headache. I had been up since 6:30am and went to sleep at 12:30 am, so I was tired. Plus, it was right after Thanksgiving, so I had that post-holiday fatigue. I laid on my back and started easing myself to sleep while my sister played BG3 in the background. I decided that I was going to shift to my Winx Dr (I was drawing my dr self just before lying down). At some point, I stopped thinking of anything, and my mind started to buzz. It buzzed for a while but nothing was really happening. After a while, I gave up and thought, “I surrender myself (to my subconscious) to shift”. Immediately after I said that, I ‘fell down’ and the room became a small point in an endless void of black (imagine falling down a hole, everything around you is pitch black and you can only see the opening become smaller and smaller).

Then, I felt myself lying on a bed again, but it felt different. At first, I was lying on my back, but now I was on my stomach. I also heard a voice, initially I thought it was my sister or the voices from her game. But the voice sounded too far, like it was coming from another room and was muffled by the walls. When I looked in front of me, I saw a blurry (it could be because I have horrible vision or just blurry vision upon waking) and unfamiliar dark room. Then, I realized that I was in my Winx Dr, in the bedroom on the second floor of the bookstore where I always imagined waking up. Right when I realized that, my awareness ‘rolled’ (it literally felt like I was rolling when lying down), and I was in another bed. This time it was a very familiar one. It was the guest room that I stayed in for a month in my cr! At my instant realization, I shot up and tried to ground myself; however, black spots decorated my vision against my will (not that I was physically blacking out; my body felt fine. It was like my awareness was disappearing from the scene), and I shifted back to my cr room at 5:15pm. I thought it would have been much later, and I took much longer with the initial shifting process since I think I closed my eyes around 4:30 or 4:45. It was so quick, and now it almost feels like a fleeting dream or a long lost memory. But I know that it's real! None of my lucid dreams have ever felt like this.

#shifting #shiftblr #shifting stories #reality shifting #winx shifting

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komajordan · 9 months ago

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Media I’ve Experienced in 2024 (February) SPOILERS

Same as last time, in order of when completed on a scale of 1-10

Clone High (2023) Season 2 (8/10)-Like a lot of people I wasn’t really on board with Clone High’s revival. If you want to know my thoughts it’s honestly a 6, it has some good jokes but it’s weighed down by more forced and obvious comedy. Season 2 however really surprised me, there were a ton of jokes I found funny, brought in some fanservice like Skunky Poo coming back and Cloney Island being fully realized, and a ton of the character chemistry works.

Bumblebee (10/10)-I never thought a solo Bumblebee movie with humans would work but it turned out to be pretty heartwarming and emotional. Charlie and Bee’s relationship felt real along with some fun action scenes.

Clone High (2002) (9/10)-I tried to watch the original Clone High back in 2022 but my memory got clouded by a lot of personal stuff at the time. So checking the original out felt like a reminder of what the show used to be. The bait-and-switch comedy is top notch, Gandhi’s prescience will always be welcome, and by God the emotional soundtrack makes a ton of scenes even funnier.

Hello Kitty:Roller Rescue (5/10)-Pretty basic beat-em-up, cute soundtrack and visuals, nothing too special. I’m probably just spoiled from playing Island Adventure.

The LEGO Movie (Rewatch) (10/10)-I watched this movie on the exact day of its 10 Year Anniversary and by God, this movie is as funny as I remember it. And after I just watched Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s other work in Clone High I can definitely tell I was spoiled from their comedy from age 8 too. The animation still looks great and I can basically recite the script from how many times I watched it in the past. While yes I’m biased, it’s a very sentimental type of bias that I can never let go.

The Lost Boys (7/10)-The Lost Boys is an old but fun movie. It captures the feeling of adolescent summer fun on the boardwalk along with the relatively small sense of horror of the vampire cult.

Us (9/10)-Back on Halloween last year I watched Get Out and I thought it was good as a psychological thriller but not really scary to me. Us on the other hand was a step-up in my opinion. The doppelgänger plot is really cool and the way the tethered family goes around terrorizing everyone felt thrilling. And man the twist, I’m not gonna spoil it but that twist felt like a complete game changer.

The Marvels (2/10)-This movie is not good but not the worst MCU movie ever. Personally I liked the interactions between Kamala, Monica, and Carol even though I’ve grown to dislike Carol overtime. But otherwise the villain is forgettable, a lot of the fight scenes are complete white-noise, and a lot of scenes are completely cringy and predictable.

Epic Career Quest (7/10)-Waking up after a Super Bowl aftermath was weird for me. I don’t know the general opinion is on this series but I found it entertaining. The characters being mismatched kind of works for me as someone who likes these types of ensembles like Drawn Together. And as a growing adult their messages about imposter syndrome and making your goals really stuck with me.

Terrifier (6/10)-I don’t know if this is a personal thing after seeing so much Invincible and Mortal Kombat but the violence here literally had no effect on me. Sure, this movie is scary but the plot kind of drags for me personally.

Terrifier 2 (8/10)-This movie is a step up in terms of scares and production value. Not to mention there’s more of a plot when the first was just a simple murder plot here it’s an extensive plot about people’s perception of Art The Clown and who he is. Where this movie falls flat for me is the sword thing, I personally thought that was an asspull and kind of out of place in a serial killer movie that a fantastical item just doesn’t fit.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur Season 2 (8/10)-Moon Girl Season 1 was a fun show that does a lot of cool superhero stuff while also doing enough to stray away from Marvel to make it its own. What do I think of Season 2? It’s on the same level. Nothing really noteworthy, they still do fun things, visuals are nice, and some of the plots are interesting.

Megaman X4 (9/10)-Probably my favorite Megaman X game given what I think about future games. The gameplay is fast paced and fun, the bosses are challenging but fun too, and the transition from SNES to PS1 translated greatly. And the cutscenes exist, if you know you know.

Jujutsu Kaisen (9/10)-Yeah I decided to ride the JJK train and unlike Naruto I do understand the hype. The animation is fluent especially with the domain expansion and curse enemies. I loved characters like Gojo, Maki and Nobara from their entertaining personalities. And Where Our Blue Is will always be one of my favorite songs in anime.

Freddy Vs. Jason (7/10)-The human parts suck especially if they get in the way of crossovers. But Freddy and Jason when they show up together they make the most out of them fighting each other and killing others. Not to mention the setup that has Freddy provoking Jason to getting into Elm Street works really well.

Venom:Let There Be Carnage (3/10)-If I described this movie in one word it would be annoying. Venom is a very obnoxious character who constantly screams and complains about everything. The cliche drama between Eddie and the rest of world is insufferable. The only remotely good part of the movie is the effects on Carnage as it was done pretty well. But other than that I have no desire to watch this one again.

Re:Cutie Honey (8/10)-Kill La Kill mixed with Ghost in the Shell. I honestly thought this was animated by Trigger. But in all honesty I love the fast paced action and character moments.

Resident Evil Revelations (4/10)-Boring. The ship location gets old and I wasn’t scared even once. I honestly like RE6 more than this considering that game has a lot of variety and fun gameplay. This game is so slow and unfulfilling.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica (9/10)-I love how subversive this anime is. Flipping magical girl tropes to be grim dark was a unique twist and made the characters more real than the traditional magical girl stereotype.

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systematicallycapricious · 1 year ago

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Capri’s Guide to Sho Minazuki Content — Masterpost

Disclaimer: I don’t know, nor care to hunt down, every last piece of official content for him, as especially with the merch stuff can be really obscure. But I’ll list anything I do know or other people inform me of here.

This will also be updated if I get around to making new posts, new content comes out, or I learn of content I haven’t listed here before.

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Games:

Persona 4 Arena — (indirect appearance)

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax — (the game all about him)

Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight / Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight — (DLC dance & limited character interaction voicelines)

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Art Books:

[P4U2 Official Design Works]

[P4U & P4U2 Super Official Design Works]

P3D & P5D Official Visual Book — (character graphic & screenshots, Japanese VL transcript, potentially mentioned in the interview but I haven’t checked yet. No concept art or art pieces)

Shigenori Soejima & P-Studio Art Unit: Art Works 2 — (art pieces)

P4U2 Persona 4 The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold Stage Project Visual Book — (seems like a photoshoot of the actors in costume?)

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Manga:

[P4U2 manga adaptation by Rokuro Saito] — (Eng fan-translation)

Udon Entertainment publication of the P4AU manga adaptation — (official Eng translation; will finish releasing by February 6th, 2024; has an exclusive edition with new cover art and a standard edition with the original cover art)

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Comic Anthology (published by DNA Media Comics) — [Eng fan-translation of a couple comics here] — (~4 non-comic art pieces, 1 koma, 5 multi-page comics, and small cameos in 2 multi-page comics)

「タルタロス劇場」 Vol 3, 「ワイルド」 Vol 1 & 2 — (AKA “Tartarus Theater”; a couple to a few komas in each volume, appears on the cover of Vol 3)

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Theater:

Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold Stageplay — (prominently featured. For a list of screentime timestamps, see [here])

Persona Super Live P-Sound Wish 2022 (concert) — (Day 2 I think, but I haven’t watched it yet. There’s also photos of the actors in costume online, for example [here], [here], [here], and [here])

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Merch:

To be honest, I don’t particularly seek out merch, nor do I always remember to document it when I come across it, so if anyone has information on this, I would be very grateful!

As well, if any of the active shop links are discontinued, let me know and I’ll add their screenshots to the merch documentation folder.

Folder of documented merch [here]

Ultimax Stageplay list of merch [here]

“Rule Smashing Pun Machine” embroidered cap [here]

P4AU box art poster (normal version) [here]

P4AU box art poster (Shadow version) [here]

A Tumblr user’s keychain & pin collection [here] — (note: no clue how much is official and how much is unofficial)

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Etc.:

Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold The Complete Guide — (an official game guide from the original release, going into mechanics for each fighter, from what I can tell. I don’t own a copy though, so this is just estimations from internet pictures)

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Additional Resources:

For resources uploaded to the internet like VL files (Jap&Eng), sprites, understanding the Cyrillic script on Sho’s armband, etc., see my page [here].

#Sho Minazuki #Capri's guide to finding Sho Minazuki content #(If the formatting is wonky or hard to read for any reason let me know and I'll see what I can do!)#Persona 4 Arena Ultimax #P4AU #P4U2 #ミナヅキショウ #皆月翔 #Persona 4 The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold #multi x multi = multiplicity

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brian-in-finance · 9 months ago

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Twitter

Everything You Need To Know About Standing Ground, the British Brand Making Time-Traveling Garments

Ahead of his London Fashion Week show, the designer offered a look inside his sculptural fashion label, built on Irish mysticism, fantasy classics, and an intuitive approach to craft

Ireland’s standing stones, or dolmens, are the oldest remaining neolithic monuments in the country. For Michael Stewart, the designer behind London-based label Standing Ground, they are portals through time: stoic witnesses to the eons. He recalls taking frequent trips to visit them as a child, enchanted by the centuries-old mysticism buried deep within. “Ireland is a superstitious country, which is a good thing, because the dolmens have been preserved and protected over time,” he muses. “They’re feared in a way, so people don’t dare touch them.”

It’s no secret that Stewart’s spiritual connection to these megalithic tombs informs his brand’s name and modus operandi. Speaking from his new studio at the Sarabande Foundation in East London, he explains that the dolmens possess a transcendent quality, which he projects onto his own statuesque garments: deceptively simple creations that borrow from the futurism of sci-fi and fantasy classics such as Lord of the Rings to imagine evening wear, custom garments, and body ornaments that feel rooted in neither past, present, nor future.

After graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2017, Stewart established Standing Ground in 2022, before attracting the attention of Lulu Kennedy’s Fashion East incubator program, and making his London Fashion Week debut as part of the Spring/Summer 2023 shows.

Remaining loyal to his source material of neolithic artifacts and figures—images of a dolmen and a Saint Brigid’s cross adorn his spare studio walls—he doesn’t have a mood board or sketches, and freely admits to having done no new research since his master’s degree. Instead, Stewart takes an intuitive, and manual, approach to draping, sculpting, and craft, developing his own lines and patterns by hand to produce alien silhouettes that flow from and protect the body like topographic armor.

Stewart is currently working on his third collection for Spring/Summer 2024, which expands on the dialogue between distant pasts and otherworldly futures. “It’s different to what I would’ve presented last February, which was very beautiful, but not as menacing,” he confesses. “I wanted to take some time to figure out what I was doing, and not pigeonhole myself.”

This collection dials back the clock to pre-human times, focusing on primordial, skeletal, and fossilized forms to create uncanny garments that explore the relationship between objects and their surrounding environment. Imagining a world where ancient objects grow and shapeshift across each collection, the designs suggest a speculative place where humankind and nature are mirrors for each other—or, as Stewart puts it: “seeing the body as a landscape and the landscape as a body.”

Makeup by Machiko Yano / Hair by Moe Mukai / Casting by AAMØ Casting / Model is Nyaueth Riam / Fashion Assistance by Florence Thompson / Makeup Assistance by Krishna Branch-Mackowiak

Cultured

Brian’s Note: Cultured magazine’s story was published last year on 15 September. It mentions “Stewart is currently working on his third collection for Spring/Summer 2024.” Some of the dresses included in that collection are the dress Caitríona wore to the IFTAs and the ones below.

Instagram

Remember… Ireland’s standing stones, or dolmens, are the oldest remaining neolithic monuments in the country. ☘️

#Tait rhymes with hat #Good times #Fashion #IFTA Awards #20 April 2024 #Dublin #Cultured #15 September 2023 #Thanks thetruthwilloutsworld

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adamwatchesmovies · 6 months ago

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Shotgun Wedding (2022)

Shotgun Wedding will feel familiar to most viewers. While I can't recall any other movies where a bride and groom must save their wedding party from pirates, much of what we see feels like bits and pieces collected from other films. Not necessarily better films, but other films. This is perfectly serviceable for something you’d watch at home “for free” (that’s to say, the price of a monthly subscription that also gives you other perks). If you had to travel outside of the house to see this rom-com, that'd be a different story.

On the day of their destination wedding on a private island in the Philippines, Tom (Josh Duhamel) and Darcy (Jennifer Lopez) get into an argument and step away from the wedding party. Just in time, too, as a group of pirates arrive and take everyone hostage.

Shotgun Wedding has a great cast and knows it, which is why the film ends with footage of everyone having a good time, shot as if it were a home video. Jennifer Coolidge plays Carol, Tom’s mom (despite only being 11 years older than he is), Lenny Kravitz plays Sean, Darcy’s rich and successful ex-fiancé, Cheech Marin plays Darcy’s father, Robert and Sônia Braga is his ex-wife, Renata. My favorite is Callie Hernandez as Darcy’s sister, Jamie. The members of the wedding party all have some good moments, particularly when they try and humanize themselves so the pirates build sympathy and don’t shoot them.

I called this a romantic comedy earlier, but this is more of an action romantic comedy, with much more emphasis on Tom and Darcy dealing with the pirates than scenes that will make your heart swoon. Maybe it’s the wibbly-wobbly chemistry between Lopez and Duhamel that prevents you from feeling the love. They’re ok together but they don’t feel like they're excited to get married. They're more like a couple who have been together for so long that they “might as well make it official”. Part of that may be intentional, as the argument that takes them away from the wedding party is about Darcy feeling uncertain about the whole thing… but tangible sparks between the leads would have elevated this film a lot.

Directed by Jason Moore, Shotgun Wedding has a decent amount of laughs. I just wish they were bigger, or that the movie felt more distinct. The action scenes, the twists, even some of the best jokes and most tender moments never make you think "I'm glad I saw this movie because I would've missed out on this joke/twist/action scene if I hadn't". The wedding is taking place in the Philippines but was shot in the Dominican Republic and the actors portraying the resort’s owners sound like they’re from… well, not the Philippines. The film is often unexpectedly violent and gruesome so I’m not even sure those who want to see lovers getting together will be 100% on board. What this movie needed to do was get way more extreme. More romance, more action or more comedy. This attempt at an even mix of all three makes for a digestible, but bland end result.

Shotgun Wedding is missing something. For the price I paid, I'm satisfied and had a decent time. It’s just that down the line, I won’t remember it. (February 14, 2023)

#shotgun wedding #movies #films #movie reviews #film reviews #Jason Moore #Mark Hammer #Jennifer Lopez #Jennifer Coolidge #Josh Duhamel #Sonia Braga #Cheech Marin #Callie Hernandez #Desmin Borges #D'Arcy Carden #Lenny Kravitz #2022 movies #2022 films

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buckyssoldat · 3 months ago

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Chapter 59: Memories

Warnings: death, grief, trauma, emotional distress, violence and destruction, strong language, mentions of past romances

A/N: This is part of my series, Forsaken - The Fallen Soldier. If you wanna be tagged in this, just send me an ask or a message. Feedback is always appreciated, don’t be shy to share your thoughts on this :)

I can't erase all the things that I've done

But all the mistakes made me who I've become

Alice felt a mixture of excitement and melancholy as she boarded the train to Sokovia. The country had undergone significant changes since the events that had shattered it, but it was also a place of profound significance. It was here that Pietro Maximoff had made the ultimate sacrifice, and Alice knew she had to pay her respects.

The journey to Sokovia was a long, but quiet one, the rhythm clatter of the train soothing her nerves. She watched the landscape change from the snowy expanses of Norway to the more rugged and war-torn vistas of Eastern Europe. As the train drew closer to her destination, Alice’s thoughts turned to Pietro. He had been a hero, quick as the wind, with a heart full of fierce love for his sister Wanda and an unwavering determination to protect those he cared about.

Upon arrival, Alice made her way through the partially rebuilt capital. The scars of the past were still visible, but there was also a palpable sense of resilience among the people. Sokovia was healing, much like Alice herself.

With the help of a local guide, she found Pietro’s grave nestled in a quiet, serene corner of a memorial park. The grave was simple, adorned with fresh flowers and a small plaque bearing his name. Alice stood before it, a lump forming in her throat. She knelt down and placed a hand on the cold stone. Memories of his quick wit and playful nature filled her mind, bringing a bittersweet smile to her lips. She had always admired his spirit, his ability to find humour even in the direst of situations.

“Hi Pietro,” she began, her voice soft but filled with affection. “I’ve been meaning to visit for a while. I hope you don’t mind the delay. It’s just… everything has been so hard. You always had a way of making me laugh, even when things were though. I remember how you kept saying ‘keep up, pretty girl’, with that cheeky smile of yours.

She chuckled, the sound mingling with the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. “Well, I’ve been trying to keep up ever since. Traveling the world, seeing new places, meeting new people. You’d probably tease me about getting lost in the Icelandic Phallological Museum. It was just so… bizarre. You would’ve had a field day with that one.”

The wind seemed to carry a whisper of his laughter, and for a moment, Alice could almost see him standing beside her, arms crossed, that familiar smirk on his face. She could hear his voice, teasing yet full of warmth, urging her to keep up, to push harder.

She looked down at the carved engraving on the stone, Pietro Maximoff, the hero of Sokovia, a symbol of his sacrifice. “You know, pretty boy, you were always the fastest. No one could ever catch you. But maybe one day, I’ll manage to keep up.”

As she rose to her feet, Alice felt a mixture of sadness and determination. She wiped a tear from her cheek and took a deep breath, feeling a sense of connection and closure.

Before turning to leave, she placed a gentle kiss on her fingertips and pressed hem to the stone. “Keep up, pretty boy,” she whispered, her voice tender but resolute. “I’ll see you again someday.”

With that, Alice walked away, her heart a little lighter, her steps a little surer. She had paid her respects, not just to Pietro, but to all the memories of the past. Her journey was far from over, but she felt lighter, more resolved.

Alice stayed in Sokovia for nearly four months, from February to May 2022. During her time there, she felt a deep sense of purpose, helping the locals rebuild their lives and their homes. Even though years had passed since the battle of Sokovia, there was still much to do. Sokovia had been through so much, and its people had shown incredible resilience and strength. Alice wanted to honour Pietro’s memory by contributing to the healing process of his homeland.

Using her super strength, Alice tackled tasks that would have been impossible for other to handle alone. She moved debris, lifted heavy materials, and helped reconstruct buildings that had been damaged during the conflicts. The locals were initially taken aback by her abilities, but their surprise quickly turned into gratitude and admiration.

One day, she found herself at the centre of a group of children, their eyes wide with amazement as they watched her lift a large beam effortlessly. “Can you really lift anything?” a young boy named Luka asked, his face full of wonder.

Alice smiled and flexed her muscles playfully. “Almost anything,” she replied, laughing as the children giggled and cheered. “But it’s not just about strength. It’s about working together and helping each other.”

The days in Sokovia were long and often physically exhausting, but Alice found a deep satisfaction in the work. She bonded with the inhabitants, learning their stories and sharing her own. In the evenings, they would gather around fires, sharing meals and laughter. Alice felt a growing sense of belonging and purpose, knowing that her efforts were making a difference in their lives.

One afternoon, while helping rebuild a community centre, Alice was approached by an elderly woman named Mira. “You have a strong spirit, just like Pietro,” Mira said, her voice filled with warmth. It was no secret there that Alice and Pietro had some kind of romance during the battle of Sokovia. “He would be proud of what you’re doing here.”

Alice’s heart swelled with emotion. “Thank you, Mira. That means a lot to me. I’m just trying to do my part, like he did.”

As the months passed, the place slowly began to take shape once more. The buildings stood taller, the streets looked cleaner, and the people walked with a renewed sense of hope. Alice found herself becoming a cherished member of the community, her presence a source of inspiration and strength.

By May, much of the rebuilding was complete. On her last day in Sokovia, the villagers gathered to bid her farewell, their faces reflecting a mixture of gratitude and sadness.

“We will never forget what you’ve done for us,” Luka’s mother said, her eyes brimming with tears. “You’ve given us hope.”

Alice hugged her tightly, feeling a deep sense of connection to these people who had become her friends. “Thank you for letting me be a part of your lives. I’ll carry your strength and spirit with me, always.”

Before leaving, she made one last visit to Pietro’s grave. Kneeling beside it, she placed a bouquet of wildflowers, their colours vibrant against the grey stone. “Pietro, we did it,” she whispered. “This place is coming back to life. I hope you’re proud. And don’t worry, I’m still trying to keep up.”

She stood up, looking around at the village one last time. The sky was clear, the air filled with the sounds of laughter and life. With a final, heartfelt smile, she turned and walked away, ready to continue her journey, carrying the memories of Pietro and the people of Sokovia with her.

After leaving Sokovia, Alice’s next destination was Siberia, Russia, more specifically, the place where she and Bucky were kept by Hydra, subjected to unspeakable horrors and relentless training. The memories of that place haunted her, but she knew that confronting them was a necessary step in her journey of healing.

The trek to the mountains was arduous, but Alice was relentless. As she reached the decaying Hydra facility, a wave of anger washed over her. The site was a grim reminder of the pain and suffering she had endured. Every corner, every shadow of the facility, echoed with of her time there – memories the training sessions, Forsaken vs. the Winter Soldier.

In those dark days, Bucky had been both her enemy and her ally. He was another weapon in Hydra’s arsenal, but even in his most controlled state, there were moments when he tried to help her remember who she truly was. During their brutal training sessions, he would sometimes whisper fragments of her past, names, and places that Hydra had tried to erase from her mind.

“Your name is Alice,” he would murmur between drills, his eyes flickering with a brief, desperate clarity. “Remember that. Remember who you are.”

Alice remembered every gruelling session with the Winter Soldier. His combat skills were unparalleled, and she had to keep up with him, matching his intensity. He taught her to fight with precision and brutality, their sessions often leaving her bruised and battered. But beneath the surface of their mechanical interactions, there was a bond forming.

There were moments when his touch would linger just a bit longer, a silent message of solidarity. In the depths of their training, Bucky was a constant reminder of the humanity that still lingered within her. He was her silent protector, guiding her towards her true self even when he was at his most controlled.

Standing amidst the ruins of the facility, Alice could almost see Bucky’s face, the conflict and pain in his eyes as he tried to shield her from the worst of their reality. The memory of his voice, urging her to remember, gave her the strength she needed now. With a deep breath, she began her task.

Using her super strength, she tore through the remnants of the facility, destroying everything in her path. Explosions echoed through the mountains as she set charges to ensure that nothing remained. She watched as the flames consumed the place that had held her prisoner, a symbolic end to that chapter of her life.

By the time she was done, the once ominous structure was reduced to smouldering ruins, a testament to her resilience and final act of defiance against Hydra’s control. She stood there for a long moment, letting the heat of the fire warm her face, feeling a sense of closure.

In June 2022, Alice found herself in Bucharest, one of Bucky’s favourite cities. Alice rented a modest apartment and took time to explore the city that Bucky had spoken so fondly of. She visited his favourite places, and even tried some of the local cuisine he had raved about. The connection to Bucky was palpable, and being in a place that held such fond memories for him brought Alice a sense of comfort and closeness. She stayed in Bucharest until September, finding solace and peace in the beautiful city.

From Bucharest, Alice moved on to Prague. The historic city welcomed her with open arms. She spent her days wandering through the cobblestone streets, visiting museums, and immersing herself in the local culture. The city’s charm and beauty provided a soothing backdrop to her journey, and she stayed there until December.

December 2022 marked the beginning of Alice’s stay in Paris. The City of Light, with its romantic allure, was the perfect place for her to continue her journey. She rented a small apartment in the heart of the city, a cozy space that quickly became her sanctuary. It was a modest place, but it had a charm that made it feel like home – a small balcony that overlooked the street, a comfortable reading nook by the window, and walls adorned with photos and mementos from her travels.

To support herself, Alice took a job as a bouncer at one of Paris’ most famous clubs. The job suited her perfectly, allowing her to use her skills in a productive way. The club, renowned for its exclusivity and lively atmosphere, attracted a diverse and glamorous crowd. On her first night, the club’s manager, Pierre, gave her a tour of the place, explaining her job and introducing her to the rest of the staff.

The work was demanding but invigorating. Each night, Alice encountered a variety of people – from celebrities and socialites to artists and musicians. The club pulsed with life, the music loud and the energy high. Despite the toughness required for her job, Alice found herself enjoying the camaraderie and lively atmosphere. She made friends among the staff and regulars, slowly building a new community around herself.

One of her closest friends was Claire, a bartender who had a knack for reading people. Claire was quick-witted and fiercely loyal, and the two women quickly formed a friendship. They often spent their nights off exploring the city together, discovering hidden gems in Paris’s many neighbourhoods.

Paris, with its blend of history and modernity, its art and culture, became a place of renewal for Alice. She visited museums, strolled along the Seine, and spent countless hours in cozy cafes. The city’s magic worked on her, helping her to heal and find a new sense of purpose. The Louvre became one of her favourite places; she could spend hours wandering through its vast halls, losing herself in the art and history.

The Eiffel Tower held a special place in her heart. Often, after her shifts at the club, Alice would walk to the Champ de Mars, sitting on a bench with a view of the illuminated tower. The sight of it filled her with a sense of wonder and hope. She found herself visiting it frequently, both during the day and at night. Watching the tower sparkle against the dark sky gave her a feeling of serenity.

Alice also indulged in the culinary delights of the city. She tried everything from the simplest street crêpes to the most exquisite pastries at famous patisseries like Ladurée and Pierre Hermé. She discovered a love for French cuisine, often visiting local markets to pick up fresh ingredients and trying her luck at cooking traditional dishes in her tiny apartment kitchen.

Her job as a bouncer also brought unexpected moments of connection. One night, she intervened in a heated argument between two patrons, using her skills to de-escalate the situation. Afterward, one of the patrons, a struggling musician named Julien, thanked her and invited her to one of his performances. She attended and was moved by his talent. They became friends, and she often found herself at his gigs, offering support.

Paris became a place of transformation for Alice. She embraced the city’s rhythm, its beauty, and its challenges. Each day brought new experiences, new people, and new opportunities for growth. She learned to navigate the metro like a local, her French improved, and she felt herself becoming more confident and grounded.

By August 2023, Alice felt a renewed sense of strength and clarity. Her time in Paris had been transformative, providing her with the space and experiences she needed to move forward. As she packed her belongings and prepared to leave the city, she felt a deep sense of gratitude for the time she had spent there.

On her last night, her friends from the club and the artists she had befriended threw her a farewell party. They gathered at the club after hours, sharing stories, laughter, and tears. Claire gave a heartfelt speech, expressing how much Alice had meant to everyone. Julien performed a song he had written for her, capturing the spirit of their friendship and the journey she had undertaken.

After her enriching experience in Paris, Alice felt a deep longing for the familiar streets of New York. As the plane descended over the city, she gazed out of the window, a rush of nostalgia flooding her senses.

Upon landing, Alice hailed a cab and directed the driver to her old neighbourhood in Harlem. The sights and sound of the city welcomed her back like an old friend.

Arriving at her apartment building, Alice felt a sense of belonging wash over her. The familiar façade brought back a flood of memories – late-night conversations with Natasha, impromptu sleepovers with Steve, and quiet moments of solitude in her cozy apartment.

As she climbed the stairs to her floor, Alice couldn’t help but smile at the thought of being back home. Opening the door to her apartment, she was greeted by the comforting sight of her familiar surroundings. The soft glow of lamplight illuminated the space, casting a warm and inviting ambiance.

Dropping her bags by the door, Alice took a moment to breathe in the familiar scent of home – a blend of vanilla, lavender, and the faint hint of coffee. It felt surreal to be back after her transformative journey across the globe, but she knew deep down that this was where she belonged.

Alice made her way to the compound. As she approached the entrance, she felt a wave of familiarity and comfort. The compound, though changed over the years, still held the essence of the friendship and teamwork that had once defined their days.

She rang the doorbell, her heart racing a little with anticipation. After a few moments, the door swung open to reveal Natasha. The sight of her friend, with her blonde hair and welcoming smile, instantly put Alice at ease.

Natasha answered the door with a wide grin that quickly transformed into a look of surprise and joy. “Alice! You’re back!” she exclaimed, pulling Alice into a tight hug. “I can’t believe it. How was everything? I need to know!”

Alice laughed, her heart warming up at Natasha’s enthusiastic welcome. “Well, it’s been a journey. I’ve been all over Europe, rebuilding Sokovia, exploring Paris. I’ve got so much to share.”

They settle into Natasha’s cozy bedroom, surrounded by mementos of their past adventures. As Alice recounted her travels, Natasha listened intently, her eyes reflecting a mixture of admiration and concern. Alice shared the highlights of her journey, from the visit to Pietro’s grave to the destruction of the Hydra facility.

“It sounds like you’ve been through so much,” Natasha said softly, her eyes glistening. “But it also sounds like you’ve found a lot of peace and purpose.”

Alice nodded, feeling a sense of accomplishment and contentment. “I have. It was hard work, but it helped me heal in ways I never expected. Sokovia taught me about resilience, Bucharest and Reykjavik brought me closer to Bucky’s memories, and Paris… Paris was a place where I could finally breathe and rediscover myself.”

Natasha smiled, reaching out to squeeze Alice’s hand. “I’m so proud of you. And I’m glad you’re back. I’ve missed you.”

As the evening wore one, the conversation flowed effortlessly, filled with laughter and shared memories. Natasha’s support was a comforting reminder of the strong bond they had built over the years. Alice felt her sense of belonging reaffirmed, knowing that no matter where her travels took her, New York and her friends were her home.

After saying her goodbyes to Nat, she decided to go solve another thing that had been on her mind for the past months.

Her recent visit with Natasha had been comforting, but now she was faced with the task of confronting Steve. Alice stood before Steve’s apartment door, her heart beating faster and faster. She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell, the chime echoing through the hallway.

The door creaked open, and Steve’s familiar face appeared, his expression a mixture of surprise and delight. His eyes widened as he took in Alice’s presence. Without a word, he pulled her into a tight embrace, his arms enveloping her with a warmth that spoke volumes of their past together. Before Alice could fully process the moment, Steve leaned in and kissed her, his lips brushing against hers with an urgency born of longing and unspoken words. The kiss was deep and intense, a mixture of passion and tenderness that left Alice momentarily breathless.

She kissed him back, her response hesitant but filled with a complicated mix of affection and reluctance. When they finally parted, Alice looked into Steve’s eyes, searching for the right words. Steve’s face was a portrait of vulnerability, his smile wavering as he took in the sight of her.

“Hi, Steve,” Alice said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She stepped inside the apartment, the familiar scent of old books and polished wood wrapping around her like a comforting embrace.

Steve closed the door behind her and guided her to the living room. The space was filled with the cozy charm she remembered – the same old couch, the coffee table littered with magazines and photos, and the framed pictures of their shared past. He gestured for her to sit on the couch, and she did, sinking into the cushions as she took in the room.

“I’ve missed you,” Steve said, taking a seat beside her. His voice was soft, almost hesitant. “I’ve thought about you a lot since you left. It’s been hard, not knowing how you were doing, not being able to talk to you.”

Alice nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. “I’ve missed you too. My travels have been… transformative. Sokovia, Siberia, Bucharest, Paris… they’ve all been part of my journey to find myself.”

Steve’s expression softened, though a hint of sadness lingered in his eyes. “I’m glad to hear that. I’ve been worried about you. And I’ve been thinking a lot… about us… about what we had.”

Alice took a deep breath, her heart heavy with the weight of the conversation she had been dreading. “Steve, there’s something I need to tell you. After everything that’s happened, and everything I’ve experienced, I’ve come to realized that… that while we have a deep connection, we’re not meant to be…”

Steve’s face feel, his eyes reflecting a mixture of hurt and confusion. “Alice… I though… I really thought we could make it work. We’ve been through so much and us being together just feels… right. I thought we had a future.”

Alice felt tears welling up in her eyes, the weight of the moment pressing heavily upon her. Her voice wavered as she spoke, each word tinged with sorrow. “I wish I could love you the way I love Bucky, I really do. I know he’s gone, and I’ve come to terms with that – as best as I can. But the truth is, we only get one great love in our lives, and mine is Bucky. Just like yours is Peggy. It feels so wrong to pretend we can just erase them from our hearts a build something new together. We would be lying to ourselves and to each other, thinking we could just forget them and be happy in a way that feels real. I can’t ask you to settle for a love that’s not true, and I can’t do that to myself either.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with regret and a deep, unspoken sadness. Alice’s tears finally spilled over, her emotions raw and unrestrained. She looked at Steve, hoping he could see the depth of her feelings and the pain of this inevitable conclusion.

Steve’s gaze dropped to his hands, his fingers gripping the edge of the coffee table as if searching for something solid to hold onto. “So, you’re saying… this is it? After everything, we’re just supposed to be friends?”

Alice nodded, her voice trembling. “Yes, I think it’s time for us to let go of the idea of a future together. We’ve been through so much, and our love is real, but it’s not the romantic love we once thought it was. It’s more than that – it’s about us supporting each other as friends.”

Steve looked at her, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I just wish things could be different, Alice. It’s hard to accept that after everything we’ve been through, we’re left with just… this.”

Alice reached out, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “I know, Steve. It’s hard for me too. I wish things could be different, I truly do. But I believe that our friendship is something worth holding onto. We’ve shared so much, and I don’t wanna lose that.”

Steve nodded slowly, his eyes reflecting a deep sadness but also a glimmer of acceptance. “Thank you for being honest with me, Alice. It means a lot. I’ll always cherish the time we had together, and I’ll always be there for you.”

Alice’s heart ached at his words. “And I want the same for you. I hope you find what you’re looking for, Steve. You deserve happiness, just as much as anyone.”

They sat together in silence, the weight of their conversation hanging heavily in the air. The once comforting surroundings now felt emerged with a poignant sadness. Steve finally broke the silence, his voice a soft murmur. “I guess this is goodbye, in a way. But I hope… I really hope we can still be a part of each other’s lives, just… differently, I guess.”

Alice squeezed his hand gently, her voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and determination. “Yes, I hope so too. We’ve been through so much together, and I don’t want to lose that connection. We’ll find a way to support each other, even if it’s in a new way. Our friendship is way too important for me to just let it go.”

Steve looked at her with a profound smile, his eyes reflecting a deep sadness but also a glimmer of acceptance. “Thank you for being honest with me, Alice. It means a lot. I’ll always cherish the time we had together, and I’ll always be here for you.”

As the evening wore on, Steve walked Alice to the door. The cool night air greeted her as she stepped outside, the city’s bright lights a stark contrast to the emotional weight of the conversation she had just had.

Alice looked back at Steve’s apartment one last time, feeling a mix of gratitude and sadness. She knew that their relationship had evolved, but the bond they shared would always remain special. As she walked down the familiar streets of New York, she felt a sense of resolution and peace. Her journey had led her back to the city she called home, and she was ready to embrace whatever came next with hope and determination.

The city’s lights twinkled around her, casting a warm glow on the bustling streets. Alice felt a renewed sense of purpose, knowing that she had made the right decision. She was ready to move forward, carrying with her the lessons learned and the relationships cherished. The streets of New York seemed to open before her, filled with unfound possibilities and the promise of new beginnings.

tags: @capswife

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