#to that fery quickly

[danandfuckingjonlmao]

idk how many of you have taken a linguistics class but this is literally what it is. teacher goes “make this sound” and for the next hour it’s just a bunch of people having existential crises about their own mouth sounds.

simply put, linguistics 101 is making the most unattractive noises humanly possible for extended period of times and then being amazed and surprised by it.

[feruslands]

Daddy Feri, part 15

My fic for @reconstructwriter who inspired me to continue this long story, and for everyone who loves "Vader/Ferus" (later Anakin/Ferus)

There was serenity in the Force.

He walked noiselessly through his native corridors. The silence was blessed, as was the peace inside the Temple. The Padawans were already asleep in their beds, the Masters were preparing for sleep in meditation.

Darra Thel-Tanis came rushing out from around the bend in the long corridor.

"Ferus!" She exclaimed loudly and enthusiastically. Her joyful cry rang out with a powerful echo. He even wanted to shush her so that she wouldn't ruin the night's silence, because many had only recently gone to bed. And, by the way, students are forbidden to wander around the Temple at night. But obviously, Darra didn't care at all right now.

"Where have you been for so long?" She asked, barely turning down the volume of her voice.

The question puzzled him. He wanted to say that he hadn't actually disappeared anywhere, because he always spends the night at the Temple if he's not on a mission, as all padawans should. But Darra was beaming with joy and smiled at him so kindly that he didn't say anything condemnatory to her. And at that moment, he touched the Force and felt that there was not just silence in the Temple, but absolute emptiness.

The Jedi have not slept in their apartments for a long time. They're all dead.

Now he realized that it was his dream. It was just an illusion formed from his memories. He longed so much for his old life, for the time when he was still a padawan, when everything was easy and understandable.

He turned his full attention to Darra, and she stared back at him as if spellbound. It was a moment of his shattered happiness.

How could he tell her, so young and happy, that everything was wrong here? That this wasn't reality at all, but one of his old, unfulfilled dreams? Would he have to explain to her that the Order had been destroyed, all the Jedi had been brutally murdered, and she had been dead for a long time?

A moment passed and Darra looked older than he remembered her. The pain of understanding squeezed his chest.

"Please, don't go." he's begging her. If she disappears, then everything will happen again. And the terrible life that followed her death would come again.

Darra chuckles amiably at his plea.

"But where are we all going without you, my friend?" Darra had never talked to him like that before, as if he was special to her. She was still smiling and looking at him kindly.

But her figure was already moving away from him, turned into a distant silhouette, and disappeared into the darkness. The walls of the corridor turned black. Everything turned into a burnt-out, abandoned ruin, and then crumbled into pieces, and Ferus was left alone in the dark.

"I hate my present!" he shouted into the darkness. The pain was bursting out of him, and he couldn't hold it back. "I want to go back to my past and die quickly on that mission on Korriban, never to know my future!"

No one answered him. The Force remained silent to his screams.

And then he remembered Leia. No matter how much he had suffered in recent years, there was one small happiness in his terrible life. His daughter.

Olin pulled himself out of the dream. His personal pain should become insignificant, because his main duty is to take care of Leia.

**

When Olin woke up, he saw an unfamiliar Togruta in the corner of the medical cabin. He remembered that she was Obi-Wan's partner and pilot. Now he looked at her more closely. There was Force vividly present in her. She was undoubtedly a powerful Jedi.

His baby girl hasn't woken up yet. She was lying on the next bed. Ferus got up and sat down next to his daughter. He gently patted her hand so as not to wake her up.

Togruta watched his actions. He waited. He knew how to keep his patience until his opponent lost his. And now Togruta was the first to address him.

"You take care of her like you would your own daughter. It's amazing." She said.

 "What amazes you?" Ferus replied. "She really is my daughter. According to the ID documents that will magically appear in my possession as soon as one former cybersecurity officer receives someone's datapad with access to the Holonet."

He gave her an awkward smile, and she returned it. It was his first joke in a very long time. An unfunny, ridiculous joke, but still, life probably goes on if he tries to joke.

"My name is Ferus Olin." He introduced himself. "I used to be a padawan, but I left the Order before I finished my training."

"I know. I remember you, Ferus. Call me Fulcrum."

"Nice to meet you, Fulcrum. Thank you for saving me and for your help. I'm sorry I was harsh yesterday." He vaguely remembered that in his delirium he had rudely barked at her something like ‘don't dare touch me’ at the moment when she was helping a medical droid repair the scars on his chest.

She gave him a restrained nod.

"Do you really remember me?" he asked with interest. In his youth, he was familiar with so many Masters and padawans. But despite his good visual memory, among the hundreds of faces, he couldn't remember the woman who was currently sitting in the corner of the cabin and studying him.

"Of course. You are a brilliant, arrogant, grumpy boy who once led a training session at the Temple. And you're also a nerd who's been shaming everyone for being late to class for a long time. Even for being five minutes late."

Olin barely restrained himself from commenting that five minutes was already a serious enough delay to get a remark for this. 

"Oh, so you were in bands younger than me." he declared. Well, that explained why he didn't remember her among the padawans and masters. Right now, this stern, strong woman looked exactly no younger than him, rather, on the contrary, a little older. But the war and the flight from extermination left their mark on everyone.

"That's right. On the same day, you had a demonstration training fighting with your peers. But no one wanted to fight you."

She described that day, and he saw himself and the surroundings through her eyes. A bright, crowded Temple, lots of padawans and younglings in the training room. And here he stands, young, demanding, and fixated on himself and his principles.

"You bet. You see, Fulcrum, if you remember me, then you should know that in those days I took out a lot of opponents by a significant margin, so it's not surprising that they weren't eager to fight me in a training match."  

"You see, Ferus, they didn't really want to fight you because you were asking every opponent, 'Do you suffer from any contagious disease?' And after that, you also sternly questioned whether your opponent had washed his hands before the fight with you."

"What? Did I really do that?" Ferus asked, surprised

Fulcrum looked at him quizzically, but kindly.

"Yes. But I remember you well enough not because of that, but because one of my friends was a little in love with you."

"Oh, really?" Ferus chuckled. "Why did a little girl like the nasty nerd like me?"

"It's very simple. She told me that she was impressed by your ‘stunning golden bangs’ and the regal way you act when you fight with lightsaber."

Olin squinted upward, examining his dirty gray locks, which sometimes fell over his eyes. With a flick of his hand, he threw it on top of his head, but the tangled strands fell over his forehead again.

"Once she even organized the ‘Trap for a beautiful boy’. But it failed miserably." Fulcrum continued

"Wh-what?" Ferus's eyebrows shot up, and a look of absent–mindedness appeared on his face, but it was immediately replaced by the demanding look he'd had in his youth. "What is a Trap for a beautiful boy?"

"I won't say." Fulcrum replied. She said it so seriously, but it clearly seemed to Ferus that she was only cultivating his curiosity.

"Well." he agreed easily and smiled a little. He hoped that she would give up and tell him everything on her own, "Then please tell me what happened after that?"

"After that, she suffered from unrequited love for two whole weeks, and at one point she was even ready to forgive you. After all, she, like all padawans and Masters, knew perfectly well that you were a terrible snob. But she happened to see you and Tru Veld showing off in front of Thel Tanis. She couldn't forgive that anymore, and her heart was broken for a couple more days, and then she put you out of her mind. "

"Sith! That's... what stupid girly nonsense! Darra was like a sister to us. None of us ever hit on her. We've really become friends over the last year, not showing off to each other. And Darra, too." Ferus felt annoyed and hurt at the mention of Darra. He still felt the depth and bitterness of his guilt.

Darra, who is only 17 years old forever…

It was too painful, and he didn't want to think about her right now, so he buried such thoughts deep inside himself.

Fulcrum looked at him very skeptically, as if she was sure of something and knew exactly what he didn't know. Ferus only felt annoyed by this. Well, let it be. After all, little girls could think however they wanted and believe whatever nonsense they made up.

Olin bent over the sleeping Leia. He stroked her forehead. If you think about it, his daughter was already approaching that stupid age when young girls invent all sorts of romantic nonsense and do stupid things like "Trap for a beautiful boy." Or, on the contrary, instead, Leia will have to spend years on complex therapy to restore mental health.

"Well, what about you?" Ferus broke the silence, raising his head and pinning the interlocutor with a sharp look. He was very good at that.

"What about me?" She arched an eyebrow in response, not understanding his question and demanding an explanation at the same time. Ferus thought he recognized Obi-Wan's manner in that gesture.

"Weren't you, like your friend, in love for a couple of weeks with that ‘Beautiful Boy’ from the senior padawan group?" he clarified, smiling charmingly.

"No," she replied simply, and finally broke into a real malicious smile, "I'm sorry, Ferus. I always thought you were a pompous idiot. Especially after you brought my friend to tears with your unfair quibbles."

"All my ‘quibbles’ have always been justified and absolutely fair." He argued. "So what did I do to her?"

"You were shaming her for her wrinkled, dirty tunic, as if she had disgraced the entire Jedi Order by doing so. ‘Unworthy of a future Jedi,… boo-boo-boo...’ That's how she made sure that even though you're a handsome guy, you're a complete jerk."

"Hmm, okay, I admit I was wrong, if that's what you think. – He conceded. "In my youth, I harshly criticized all Padawans and Younglings who didn't fit my standards. On the other hand, I followed the instructions myself.… Wait, so that was the meaning of the ‘Trap for a beautiful boy’?

Fulcrum nodded.

"The expectation was that you, as a special guardian of order and cleanliness, would personally help her. "

Ferus narrowed his eyes in displeasure.

"Help her with what? Will I wash and iron her tunic for her? Where is the common sense in this? When I was her age, I did everything myself for a long time. And if one of senior padawans had reprimanded me for such nonsense, I would have died of shame," Ferus muttered indignantly.

"I can see that you're not changing, Ferus, you're just as grumpy and boring."  Fulcrum said, interrupting his comments.

"I'll take that as a nice compliment."

Still, he thought she was wrong. Vader changed him. Irrevocably.

"What happened to her next?" Ferus asked.

"She became a padawan. But we didn't see each other anymore, because we didn't cross paths at the Temple. And then she died at the beginning of the Clone Wars. 

"I see." He replied, and for a while there was silence between them.

"And who was your Master?" Ferus casually blurted out a question that suddenly came to his mind. "Maybe I knew him?"

"My Master died a long time ago. Sorry. It's hard for me to talk about it." Fulcrum answered lightly and casually, as if she had already said it more than once. But Ferus noticed her frozen facial expressions, and her face looked like a glued mask. He could see that she was in pain, and she really didn't want to talk about it.

"I'm sorry. I understand. Both of my Masters died a long time ago, too."

They fell silent, each giving himself the opportunity to overcome his personal emotions. The silence that replaced the lively conversation was no longer so awkward. The revelations from their youth brought them a little closer, as did their shared losses.

Ferus thought deeply, remembering his Masters. He missed the moment when Leia woke up and was startled by the fact that his daughter touched him with her small palm.

Fulcrum got to her feet.

"I'm glad you're alive," she murmured softly.

"Thanks." He answered just as quietly and restrainedly. If only he could say the same thing to Darra and Tru right now.…

"I'll get you something to eat."  Togruta said and left the medical cabin, leaving the father and daughter alone.

**

When the automatic door closed, cutting off Fulcrum from the cabin, she felt a depressing sensation. She wanted to come right back.

When talking to Olin, she had the feeling that she was talking to Anakin from the past.

Ferus reminded her of Anakin. He was as noble, kind, capable of bold and right actions, and knew no half measures as her young Master.

Yes, Anakin might not be as boring, but he was also grumpy, and he had the same ridiculous sense of humor. The same clumsy jokes.

She remembers Anakin all too well, when he was still young man and had just become her Master.

He tried to establish contact with her then, and tried unsuccessfully to joke. It looked ridiculous, and even funny. At the time, he had seemed to her such a sincere, selfless Jedi, ready to protect others with his life.

Or not.

Illusions are always painful to deal with. Her illusions were shattered very painfully.

Ferus Olin did remind her of Anakin in some ways. But not the person Anakin really was.

It was she who had built the perfect image of a magnificent Jedi Master in her young head and believed in him. An image of a personality that never existed. The person, which Anakin always wanted to appear to be. But he's never really been like that.

Ahsoka sighed bitterly. Everything inside her had long since dried up from grief, and she sometimes forgot that she was not as old as she thought.

She understood people a little better now.

Ferus had a tough and straightforward, but honest personality.  You don't need to have the ability to see into the future like Master Yoda to understand that Olin won't want to stay with the Jedi. As soon as the opportunity presents itself, he will pick up his daughter and fly away for good. His daughter... Anakin's daughter…

This girl was so small and skinny, and it made her seem younger than her age. Leia was silent. And she didn't seem to be any different from an ordinary child with some developmental delays, but her look… That look wasn't young at all. The feeling of maturity and pent-up pain on her very childish face created an uncomfortable dissonance. Ahsoka wanted to comfort her, but she wouldn't let anyone near her except her father.

[dog-rose]

Witchcraft isn't Secular

Recently, I started thinking about which ten books I would recommend to someone who wants to research witchcraft as a starting point. I thought about books that have been essential to the history and practice of witchcraft in the last century to the historical spells and views of the past. 

I realised very quickly that almost all of them have a religious slant, and by recommending them I would get a lot of replies insisting I was conflating paganism with witchcraft. This led me into a rabbit hole of research and ponderings about the fact that for most of history witchcraft in Europe, and in its many forms of folk magic across the world, has been inseparable from religious belief. 

Witchcraft and folk magic has been intangibly touched by the religious ecosystem it was born from. From the earliest of untraceable magical practises, to cunning folk in the UK and saintly prayers melting together with old wives tales, to the druidic and secret society revival of the 30s, to Wicca, Feri and others in the 50s and up until today. Every significant historical voice talking about witchcraft has been tinged with christian, jewish, pagan, even buddhist and multiple other  influences. 

The concept of witchcraft being a completely secular practice is a modern one. And whilst it's an important concept and one that I agree with and partake in, we have to acknowledge one of the reasons why it has become so prevalent is due to marketing from the nineties onwards. 

New age books about finding your inner goddess, mini books of love spells and the saturation of wicca 101 books all rely on the idea of witchcraft being a harmless, secular practice which won’t interfere with your other spiritual values and beliefs.

There are likely thousands upon thousands of Christians and agnostic people in the English speaking world who play with astrology, angel cards and crystals, who are happy to enjoy these practices whilst keeping it separate from their faith or lack thereof. Therefore denying witchcraft's many connections to religion sterilises it and hides its many contrasting facets.

My last thirteen years or so of hanging about witchblr and paganblr don’t make me an all knowing elder god on this topic. I can say the insistence of witchcraft being totally secular can be fierce. Its something I would doggedly insist upon in my early years as a witch, parroting what I had learnt from listening and reading from those more experienced than myself.

Witchcraft isn't a practise divorced from religion. It can be practised without religious elements, but it is not wholly secular.

Seminal texts that have directly guided philosophy and practice of witches all read with the assumption is that witchcraft is its own spirituality. One that clings like a vine to the trees of various other faiths rather than its own practice devoid of devotion or faith. Most British spells from centuries past will make reference to Saints, Jesus or Mary. Contemporary eclectic spells ("insert relevant god here") aren't a modern phenomenon.

I remember hesitating to recommend Hedge Witch by Rae Beth because I believed the religious elements in it would put off anyone who came to witchcraft due to its secularity, when it has some of the most beautiful and profound advice and wisdom on contemporary magic.

So it goes with Starhawk; outside of tumblr she’s still highly regarded and her work was a keystone in my dissertation on witchcraft and paganism. Within tumblr she’s a dirty word and her entire body of work is dismissed due to her mythologising of the past (and of course nine million dead witches and probably a boat load of stuff I have forgotten, which I don’t blame anyone for being put off by.)

Obviously I am not going to die on the hill of Starhawk, she's one of many examples. I think for anyone wanting to research witchcraft you’re putting a huge barrier on your own learning if you avoid spirituality and religion like the plague. Because Witchcraft budded from the rituals and rites of religions.

My point isn’t to say secular witches are doing it wrong, of course not. But ignoring witchcraft’s roots as a practice which thrives alongside and through religious beliefs hurts your understanding and appreciation of its complexities.

anyway, that post of ten books will come out in the near future but I had to get this shit off my chest.

[yuki-boshi]

Kai no Kiseki - Act 1 Part 3 English Summary

Table of Contents

Will Van Arkride beat the allegations?!

The scene opens at Viktor's place, where the group is enjoying a meal together. Yume expresses her regret at not having seen the live performance, while Dominique scolds Judith for forgetting the invitation. Paulette reassures everyone that Yume would benefit more from the live show than a rehearsal.

Yume then invites everyone but Judith to join her, prompting Judith to question why. Yume retorts that she is getting back at Judith for her forgetfulness.

Van glances at Nina, still reflecting on past events from Kuro 2, which confuses the others. Meanwhile, Risette feels somewhat isolated, as she has no relatives to contact due to her personal circumstances.

The group discusses recent mysterious disappearances, speculating that they may be linked to the space program. Rocksmith mentions that Kincaid has been avoiding Van but suggests it may not be out of hostility.

The conversation shifts to Gramheart who was said to be a military member who worked at the Republic’s embassy in Liberl and collaborated with Cassius Bright. Judith realizes that if Agnes is nearly 17 and Gramheart was in Liberl at the time of her birth, it raises questions.

Agnes confirms that her mother gave birth alone due to Gramheart's military obligations. Rocksmith concludes that Gramheart genuinely cares for his family and wants Calvard to thrive, even if his intentions remain unclear.

After the meal, Van changes his clothes and speaks with Elaine over the phone. Once finished, he changes back, as he needs to pick out a present for Agnes.

During free roam, Paulette is seen discussing with Maxim about asking her dad about something mentioned earlier.

Upstairs, Feri talks to Yume about the play. Judith finds herself overwhelmed by helicopter parents and begs Van for help, but he awkwardly distances himself, claiming he cannot assist her.

Aaron lounges on the couch, looking at inappropriate material, and deduces that Van is shopping for Agnes’s birthday gift. He offers to tag along, but Van dismisses his interest as none of his business.

Before entering a new district, Van notices a mysterious cat and decides to follow it, only to discover it is Jorda, who insists that he take on a 4SPG request of hers.

--

お兄ちゃん = Oniichan (written as Big Bro)

オジサン = Ojisan (written as unc here for funny)

Van readily accepts, leaving Jorda surprised by his impulsiveness. She comments that if their roles were reversed, she would have refused. Curious, she asks how Van plans to manage any police interference during the request. Van questions her concern, and Jorda sarcastically reveals she is a runaway living in the capital with her "Unc." Van finds her act amusing but questions the identity of this "Unc," noting he is not that old.

Jorda teasingly calls him "Big Bro," but Van quickly retorts that "Unc" may be the lesser evil.

While exploring, Van inquires why Jorda isn't wearing her jacket. She explains that it is summer, making it suspicious, and if she is not wearing it, she can perform "services" for her Unc later if he so desired. Van is disgusted and tells her that she should not be saying such things because she’s a minor, insisting that he is not an Unc.

At the bathhouse, Jorda notices Kisara’s artwork, and Van shares Kisara's backstory. When Jorda questions why they are at the bathhouse, Van humorously remarks that she must be dirty from her time in cat form and wearing the jacket. Jorda protests that she dislikes being around people, but Van encourages her by suggesting that a summer bath followed by vanilla gelato is worth it. Jorda's ears perk up at the mention of ice cream (milk gelato), and she reluctantly agrees to the bath.

Although uncomfortable at first, she begins to relax, and afterward, they enjoy ice cream together. Van enthusiastically praises his treat, while Jorda questions the point of bathing if they will get dirty again while patrolling. Van assures her they can always take another bath, but Jorda insists that her concerns are valid.

If Van chooses to enter the bathhouse again, Jorda will loosen up and eventually befriend Anya, the receptionist, who invites her to return anytime. Jorda blushes at the invitation, and Van feels pleased that she is starting to open up.

While at Montmart, Yume surprises Jorda with a hug, and Van offers to fetch her food. Initially refusing, Jorda is eventually coaxed into trying pudding. At the ASO, Van shows her around, but she refuses to interact with his friends.

At Riverside, Jorda expresses interest in idols at an underground live performance. Yun Ka-Fai also appears, curious about the idol group, which he finds inexperienced. Van explains that the group formed in response to the space program's popularity.

He begins to engage with the Vega party, showcasing their catchphrase, which impresses Jorda, who sees that he is not an ordinary person. Afterward, Yun Ka-Fai asks Jorda if she would consider becoming an idol.

Kisara can also be found saying that her friend dragged her to it.

At the car shop, Graham and Lucio discuss their car repairs and unite as one racing group to make a comeback. Kisara is also present at the live performance, feeling inspired that the atmosphere resembles her artistic process.

At Bermotti’s, Jorda is recognized by Bermotti, who questions how Van became involved with her. Van urges Bermotti not to pry into their situation. In a conversation with Rodhe and Thelma, Rodhe asks Jorda out, leaving her flustered.

Outside near the church, a woman approaches them, seeking help to find her lost cat. Although Jorda is reluctant to assist strangers, Van convinces her by framing it as a cat game and highlighting that 4SPGs often involve similar tasks. The woman explains that her cat went missing on the subway, and Van notes that crating pets would typically prevent such issues.

After a thorough search in Riverside, the duo finds the cat in the subway. Jorda almost gains the cat’s trust, but it panics when the subway doors begin to close, causing it to jump onto the tracks. Jorda uses her powers to rescue the cat, prompting Van to praise her ability to apply her skills effectively. He mentions that the cat already seems fond of her.

Surprised and blushing at his compliment, Jorda questions how the cat could feel comforted by someone with her past. They return the cat to the elderly lady, and Van praises Jorda again, leading her to find his constant compliments irritating. The woman rewards Jorda with a cinnamon candy.

Upon entering Central Station, Jorda expresses surprise at the lively atmosphere, even at night. Van indicates he wants to check out some 4SPGs and explore stores, likely to find a gift for Agnes. Jorda offers to join him but reminds him that their situation might raise eyebrows, as it would look suspicious for an underage girl to be alongside an older man. Van assures her he understands.

At the department store, Van is on a mission to find a gift for Agnes. Jorda, unaware that the gift is for Agnes at first, is asked by Van to help him choose something special. He prompts her to consider what it would feel like to receive a gift, but she struggles to provide ideas. She suggests sweets, but Van quickly dismisses that, stating he already gives those frequently. Jorda is left uncertain about what to suggest.

On the rooftop of the department store, Daswani and his daughter are stargazing. Jorda observes that Daswani's demeanor changes from his usual police persona when he’s being a doting father.

Inside a café, Van and Jorda encounter Marielle, who is attempting to write about a stage play but is feeling stuck. She informs Van that she plans to travel to Tharbad to meet Saara and Shahina. Marielle notices Jorda and questions Van about his intentions, implying that it looks suspicious for him to be with an underage girl.

Van insists he is merely engaged in a 4SPG. Marielle thinks to herself that she has her doubts.

Van receives a call from Fie, who inquires if she can borrow the ASO’s name for some 4SPGs. She cannot reveal why and when Van surmises it must be off the record, she agrees, hinting at some potential trouble. Fie warns him not to go out at night with minors before hanging up. Jorda remarks on how Fie could sense her presence despite being off camera during the call.

While talking to Marielle, they overhear her conversation with Reporter Nicole from Liberl, which mentions Nial and Dorothy and how the space program has created excitement in Liberl.

Upon entering the guild, Jorda refuses to enter and waits outside while Van speaks with Hazel. Hazel warns Van to stay alert for any renewed activity from underground forces. She also hints that he should report any interactions with high-risk individuals. Frustrated, Van wonders why everyone is scrutinizing him over Jorda.

Upstairs, Van finds Zin and Elaine at a table discussing Elaine's findings. Elaine is aware of Jorda outside and cautions Van against teaching her anything inappropriate at night, given she's a minor. Van, visibly annoyed, replies that he will not do anything bad.

At Trion Tower, Mishe (the sister) is hosting a show where the Mishy Show (written as Michey. Typo in Japanese?)

Jorda reflects on how she never had a typical childhood to enjoy and she doesn't think Mishy is all that.

Taking Jorda to watch the Mishy movie will actually reveal that she is super into Mishy and she dislikes that the movie they watched grossly mischaracterized him. Van even jokes that for someone who said they didn't like Mishy, she is very defensive.

Near the Verne store, Moira finally purchases Bart a T-phone but tells Van that they will be living paycheck to paycheck. Bart humorously assures Van that he will use the phone for homework, despite the playful tone and saying he was gonna play games on it at first.

Inside the store, Rashkar expresses his ambition to become a Bracer and is working on the necessary paperwork, planning to apply when he turns 16.

Near the observation tower, an announcement indicates that it is closing for the night. Van and Jorda reminisce about Kuro 2, and Jorda admits her dislike for heights. She also reflects on her past with Ixs, recalling how she was treated as the weaker of the two.

At the Liberl store, Van seeks souvenirs but finds himself thinking about what would suit Elaine better than Agnes. Jorda points out his indecisiveness, and Van explains that he only knows what his childhood friend likes, noting that Jorda does not understand the significance of birthdays. He ponders her upbringing and decides to postpone the gift hunt.

Rains is spotted at the store, preparing to take over for Lila.

---

Connect Event: Nina

In a connect event, Van is at the GR talking to Carlos, who expresses his desire to race again. While walking around, he sees a crowd gathered around a truck with a movie screen showcasing classic films. Among the crowd is Nina, wearing glasses as a disguise. They watch a film featuring Judith’s breakout role, and Nina shares that Judith inspired her to become an actress. She reveals that her friend applied for her position at Judith’s agency without her knowledge, leaving her surprised when she was accepted and got to work alongside her idol.

Van inquires about any obstacles Nina faced entering the entertainment business. Nina states that her parents were supportive, but Van remains skeptical, leading her to call him a bully for making her confess. She explains that she does not know her biological parents and that her ‘grandmother’ is the closest thing she has to a foster parent. Nina describes her childhood as emotionless and recounts how her grandmother encouraged her to be more expressive, which she struggled to understand due to her having a pre-destined mission. Van asks if it is wrong for a parent to support a dream, even if Nina has her own mission.

She recognizes herself as an ungrateful child toward her foster parent and thanks Van for helping her gain clarity.

As Nina leaves, Van expresses his excitement to see her in the play “Gloria.” Nina returns to the church, sharing her love for everything in the world before Ashladd opens the front door, informing her that preparations are complete. She mentions needing to take action to prevent the people she loves and the world from experiencing further turmoil.

Van and Jorda check the 4SPG board and notice that a man is seeking assistance. They call him out directly, identifying him as Henry Valentino, the minister of economy and trading. In the car, Henry expresses his surprise that Van Arkride is real, mentioning that he has heard a lot about him.

However, his attention shifts to Jorda, and Van clarifies that she is a temporary part-timer assisting him. Henry makes veiled threats about revealing what he is about to share, prompting Jorda to express her frustration, wishing she could use her powers on him. Van quickly intervenes, telling her not to do that.

Henry reveals that his son, Jeffrey, former leader of the Desire Gang and has recently been released on bail under house arrest. Despite this, Jeffrey has been sneaking out every night for the past month. Henry shares that he has tried locking his son in his room, but Jeffrey always finds a way to escape.

In the Levre district, Albert and his sister Odette enjoy cake and tea at a cake shop. Odette also questions Jorda being so young and hope Van isn’t doing anything bad.

Meanwhile, Van arrives at the Valentino residence, hoping to leave early, but he realizes he forgot to bring snacks. He curses the absence of Hermes Doordashing. Jorda offers him candy from the 4SPG, suggesting he could lick it, but Van quickly realizes that licking a candy ball from a kid’s hand is inappropriate.

While they stake out the house, Van encourages Jorda to open up about her feelings, particularly regarding Ixs. Jorda explains that their decision to join the Society was not entirely bad, as it meant they would not have to engage in meaningless killings anymore. They had access to infinite mira, but she and Ixs are now pursuing their own paths with differing perspectives. Jorda insists that she does not want to kill if it can be avoided. They spot Jeffrey as he leaves the house and head into the sewers to follow him.

In the sewers, Jorda continues her story, explaining that Ixs dismissed her claim about not needing to kill and deliberately increased the violence in their Society missions. Their disagreement over this issue led to their falling out. Just then, Van and Jorda are attacked by a monster reminiscent of one they encountered in the Blacklight District. Renne and Rixia jump in to save them, with Renne teasing Van if she’s interrupting his date with Jorda. The creature flees, leaving Van puzzled about how it found them and questioning Renne about her earlier comment, causing Jorda to blush.

They find Jeffrey, who has become involved with a cult that aims to transcend the current world and usher in a new dawn. In a shocking transformation, he becomes a monstrous robotic version of himself. Jorda prepares to attack him with her shadow but hesitates when she sees Ixs in the distance.

Time freezes for everyone except Van, who realizes that Mare has returned. He wonders how she could be present without Agnes, as she typically appears only with the Genesis or through Yume. Regardless, Van transforms into the Grendel and manages to knock sense into Jeffrey.

Just as Jeffrey is about to be assassinated by an unknown person, it is revealed to be Ixs, and he mocks Jorda about her new part-time job with Van and teleports away with a white Genesis, having been behind everything and the giant robotic monster lurking in the Blacklight District.

Kincaid arrives shortly afterward, and Van scolds him for inaction. He presses Kincaid about what the CID and the President are concealing, but Kincaid merely states it is a top national secret and mentions that the appropriate authorities, including the guild and police, have been notified. He leaves the scene, and Jorda teleports away to gather her thoughts. Van asks Renne if she can stay for the next day, but she declines, saying that Agnes will have to suffice in her absence.

Act 1 Finally Finished!

[nothingtherefornow]

And for the love of God, will people shut up about Thomas saying that he destroyed the redemption ark, here’s what people from the show had to say in regards to Chloe.

According to Thomas Astruc on Twitter, Chloé was intially never planned to have a redemption arc and this was purely assumed by fans based on the reveal that she would use the Bee Miraculous. He added that she remains unchanged as her 'purpose of the show is to warn about the people who willingly refuse [to change]'.

Despite the improvements she displayed before the events of "Miracle Queen", Thomas states her character was being presented exactly as she was written; someone who refuses to change and can often pull others into a toxic relationship by having them focus on her potential good and overall suffering, rather than the ongoing cruelty she continued to display towards others.

Although her past explains her act like her mother leaving her as a child, it doesn't excuse the choices she made, and despite the initial changes she made about herself to make up for some of her mistakes, Chloé never saw the need to fully change herself if she continued to obtain what she wanted.

Despite the many chances others were willing to give her to change her ways, Chloé felt such change was not worth the effort if it came at the cost of her privileges.

According to Feri González, colorist for ZAG inc and the ambassador for the show in Latin America, Chloé had never changed at all during the later parts of Season 2, and the entirety of Season 3. She only wanted to be Queen Bee, not only to help others, but to get recognition, her motivations to be a hero stemmed primarily from her own selfish reasons. The series had always presented Chloé's fate and unchanged personality, the viewers simply needed to observe her character for what it was rather than what they had envisioned it to be.

Despite the few moments of good Chloé has throughout the series, Chloé will revert back to her original personality either near the end of the episode or the following to show that she is still the same person. Despite what she experiences or expresses, those moments never made her want to change who she was and are quickly left in the past the moment she knows things are once again within her favor.

Feri states Chloé's downfall was marked in "Queen Wasp; the moment she used the Bee Miraculous to endanger hundreds of lives on the train simply to make herself look good.

Feri states a miraculous is a privilege, it is not someone's right to use. Despite Ladybugs explanation, Chloé refused to understand that the power of the miraculous was not her right to use and had determined it was a privilege Ladybug had wrongfully taken from her.

Although Chloé was quick to resist Hawkmoths control in "Miraculer", her willingness to resist did not stem from her need to be good, but rather from her belief that Ladybug would still provide her the power of the bee miraculous, a power she now felt she was entitled to.

YES !! A HUNDRED TIME YES !!!

THANK YOU DEAR FELLOW INTELLIGENT ML !!

How come the numerous ML fans cannot just accept Chloé as an antagonist who was given the chance to change and become a hero, and who was made to refuse and remain an antagonist for narrative purposes in the end ? Just because Chloé didn't chose the road for redemption doesn't mean it ruined her character.

Chloé may have want to become an heroin at some point, but once she realized that she would not get everything that she selfishly wanted by following this path, she reverted back to her wicked and evil antics.

"I go soft when I became Queen Bee", Chloé said to Zoé in Sole Crusher when she admitted that she had perfect pain relief in Marinette and hasn't taken advantage of it for a long time and so decided to mock Marinette and insult her in order to "teach" Zoé how to take advantage of a sufferer. This showed that for Chloe, making others suffer for her own pleasure remained more important to her than becoming better and acting heroically even if it meant no longer having the bee miraculous. At least the rest of her classmates did their best to act heroically without the help of their miraculous, where Chloe only complained about no longer having the privilege of a magical jewel.

Remember ML fans : "Despite the many chances others were willing to give her to change her ways, Chloé felt such change was not worth the effort if it came at the cost of her privileges."

I also think that Chloé's character was made to perfeclty illustrate what Marinette said to Adrien in Revelation "sometimes the good we see in others is just a reflection of our own, and we ends up being fooled by our own kindness"

Adrien and Marinette both thought there was good in Chloé, and there may have been something good that Ladybug and Chat Noir tried to bring out by giving Chloé a miraculous. But was that little spark of goodness in Chloé really significant or just an illusion since the only thing she needed she to revert back to her antagonism was to no longer have access to the bee miraculous ? While both Marinette and Adrien don't need to have a miraculous to act heroically and be good people ? In the end only Ladybug and Chat Noir's kindness stood up when they tried to help Chloé becoming a better person, but Chloé didn't live up to the faith they put in her

[24worldnewsnet]

It's not been straightforward for him but Carlos Alcaraz but he takes the first set.A hold to love, bookended by a couple of big aces, get the job done.He'll be delighted with those after struggling with his serve throughout that set - his first serve percentage was just 53% - and will hope to kick on in the second.Fabio Fognini will rue those five missed break points. Carlos Alcaraz gets the break after a brilliant rally!After a succession of powerful forehands, Alcaraz changes it up with superb drop shot.Fabio Fognini gets there but can do nothing about near-perfect lob volley from Alcaraz.The Spaniard had missed an earlier break point when he sent a forehand long but gets the next and will serve for the first set.Getty Images Roberto Bautista Agut posts yet another service hold to love to square things up at 4-4 in this third set.There is no doubt the heat is getting to Cameron Norrie, but you wouldn't be able to tell because he has also held his serve with a lightning ace at 40-15. Pressure? What pressure?Arthur Fery was serving to stay in the third set against Alexei Popyrin and manages to do so without losing a point and with a lovely drop shot to finish it.The British wildcard will now need to break if he is to rescue this set. Roberto Bautista Agut is just not letting up on Court 18.It doesn't even look like the blazing heat has touched the Spaniard, who is still hitting at a high intensity and working his counterpart around the court.Service holds for both players keeps this tense third set on serve. Alexei Popyrin is edging his way closer to closing the gap in sets.With his first serve hitting the lines, Arthur Fery struggles to get the ball back in play and 20th seed Popyrin comfortably holds to love.Fery will now need to serve to stay in this third set. Jess AndersonBBC Sport at Wimbledon Getty ImagesWell that is one heck of an upset!Ninth seed Daniil Medvedev is out in the first round following defeat by Benjamin Bonzi.Medvedev looked completely out of sorts and struggled in that final set to find any answers making error after error.He shakes hands with Bonzi and the umpire before making his true feelings known by completely battering his racquets and smashing his chair and bag. Aryna Sabalenka says in her on-court interview that she feels in a "good place" heading into Wimbledon and speaks about how disappointed she was to miss out on the tournament last year because of injury.She is in a stacked section of the draw, with former champion Marketa Vondrousova and Great Britain's Emma Raducanu among her potential opponents in round three if she makes it through her next contest. A fizzing backhand return from Fabio Fognini just drops wide and Carlos Alcaraz holds.His most solid service game for quite some time.Aggressive as ever on the forehand side from Alcaraz and he executes superbly in this game - a hold to 15. It feels a lot closer now in this match.Arthur Fery seems to have settled down after the early onslaught from Australian Alexei Popyrin in this third set.The wildcard remains a break down but some more impressive play sees him close the gap once again after holding to 30. Another service hold to love for Roberto Bautista Agut - easy does it.Cameron Norrie's unforced error count is just going up and up at the minute. The Brit just needs to reign things in a little bit to keep himself in this third set.He collects himself and works Bautista Agut around the court for his entire service game, which he sees out at 40-30. Fabio Fognini has so much experience and he certainly won't be fazed by taking on the defending champion on Centre Court.The Italian quickly moves through his latest service game, helped by a couple of unforced errors from Carlos Alcaraz, and holds to love.Alcaraz will now serve to keep this first set going. Aryna Sabalenka had to overcome a much-improved Carson Branstine in the second set, but the world number on

[haplogamingchef]

Palworld Ultra Xenolord Raid Guide: Mastering Mixed Raid Armies & No‑Damage Strategies

Getting Started with a Mixed Raid Army

Raiding Xenolord Ultra in Palworld takes planning, especially if you're running a mixed raid army setup. Unlike the usual single-species raid squad, this guide focuses on using a diverse group of Pals—up to 20 in total—with different abilities, elements, and roles. The goal? Handle the raid with no player damage, while maintaining decent DPS output.

Preparing Your 20-Pal Lineup

The raid army here includes 18 offensive Pals and 2 dedicated to rescue duties. Over time, these units evolved from a smaller setup into a full-fledged 20-Pal team. No additional breeding is done before Titraria, and this army setup marks a return to an older raid style—similar to previous raids like Libro Precarima.

Rescue Pals Setup

The rescue team consists of Feris Aqua and Rio. Feris Aqua can extinguish fires and assist with revival, while Rio serves more traditional rescue functions. This combination plays a key role because of how Xenolord Ultra burns both Pals and beds during battle.

Fire Management During Combat

Xenolord Ultra constantly sets beds and Pals ablaze. Feris Aqua helps here by flying around and dousing flaming furniture. This minimizes the chances of a revived Pal being instantly burned to death by a bed fire—something that would otherwise happen during the first healing tick after revival.

Understanding Rescue Pal Behavior

While Feris Aqua handles fire suppression, Rio tends to get stuck more often. Pals getting trapped in beds after being revived is still an ongoing bug. This part of the fight becomes about managing stuck Pals, resetting Palpods, and making sure everyone is doing their job.

The Role of Palpods

During the raid, certain bugs cause Pals to either heal continuously or remain stuck post-revival. Resetting individual Pals at the start of battle can help. However, constantly resetting from the Palbox is avoided, as it can reset ability cooldowns—making the fight feel unbalanced due to artificially boosted damage output.

Healing Buff Mechanics

One big advantage of manually resetting individual Palpods is the possibility of maintaining the 10% HP-per-second healing effect. If a Pal survives a lethal blow and continues healing over several seconds, it cuts down the number of revives needed during the raid, smoothing out the entire battle flow.

Managing DPS Fluctuations

Although the army includes 20 Pals, some of them—like Chickpea, Mimog, and Lootmonk—aren’t optimized for DPS. You might notice that overall damage varies depending on which Pals are active and how quickly they’re revived. That said, the use of Meteor Rain variants helps maintain strong burst damage overall.

Why Manual Rescuing Still Matters

Sometimes, helping your rescue Pals mid-fight is worth the effort. If they’re down or on cooldown, you can step in using a Pal like Frostallion. It’s not ideal for DPS contribution, but it keeps your core rescuers available, especially when you want to maintain that no-player-damage standard.

Smart Base Design to Avoid Problems

Palpod placement plays a bigger role than you'd think. Having pods too close to the base edge can cause Xenolord to step outside to target freshly rescued Pals, dragging the fight out of bounds. This leads to more Pals getting knocked out in awkward spots, adding complexity to an already chaotic encounter.

When and Why to Intervene

As the raid progresses, you might notice your rescue Pals aren’t quite keeping up. At that point, jumping in to perform a few revives yourself can keep the momentum going. While it breaks the idea of “no intervention,” it can be a necessary step to avoid losing key units.

Performance Over Time

With around four minutes left on the timer, the army often holds up decently—even without player damage. Even though some Pals need manual reviving, this strategy still finishes with a respectable time. It's slightly boosted by the presence of a few high-DPS units, but still a solid showcase of what a mixed raid army can do under pressure.

Mixed Army Challenges and Rescue Logic

One of the main risks with running a non-fire rescue Pal like Rio is the vulnerability during revivals. A revived Pal placed on a burning bed might get instantly KO’d again. That’s why fire-type rescue Pals are preferred for Xenolord Ultra—they resist the fire damage better, making the revival process more reliable.

Reset Strategy and Healing Advantage

Resetting individual Palpods instead of the entire Palbox keeps cooldowns intact and allows you to benefit from the healing over time mechanic. It also prevents the problem of Pals stacking up at the spawn point, which often leads to wasted time and chaotic rescue cycles.

Ad Waves and Spawn Pressure

During the raid, enemy adds can create heavy pressure on the team. When adds appear near beds or at the Palpod points, it raises the odds of multiple downed Pals and delays in reviving. This is another reason why having two rescue Pals instead of one is helpful—they spread the workload and reduce stuck scenarios.

Manual Rescue Technique Tips

If you decide to help mid-fight, keep your active Pal out of combat mode using the radial menu. This prevents unintentional damage output that might alter the outcome. When rescuing, dodge any nearby attacks and revive carefully. Xenolord doesn’t directly target rescuers, but stray hits can still cause problems.

Keeping Your Rescue Pals Alive

Rescue Pals like Rio can go down unexpectedly if caught in splash damage or random AoEs like Meteor Slicer. You’ll need to keep an eye on their status during heavy waves. If both rescue Pals go down at the same time, you risk several raid Pals getting permanently stuck in the revival loop.

Letting the Raid Play Out

As part of the test strategy, the goal is to observe how the raid army performs without personal damage input. Letting the army handle the entire fight allows for a clearer picture of their actual efficiency. It’s also a great way to identify which Pals are consistently effective versus those that underperform in high-pressure moments.

Performance Around the 4-Minute Mark

At the four-minute point, if the raid is progressing smoothly, it means the balance of rescue and DPS is functioning well. There might be a few stuck units or missed revives, but overall, the structure of the fight holds. Fire-type Pals are especially helpful here, avoiding the double-KO issue with burning beds.

Why Fire Pals Work Better in Rescues

Using fire Pals in a rescue role offers more than resistance to fire attacks. They also revive in fire zones without risk, avoid dying from burning beds, and lower the need for double rescues. Even though their DPS might not be the highest, their durability during chaotic revivals is a huge benefit.

Breeding Limitations and Setup Choices

It takes effort to breed a 20-unit mixed army. The easier route is to produce 13–15 copies of the same high-DPS Pal. Still, mixed teams give you more control in tailoring abilities, elemental coverage, and rescue logic. It’s a higher effort setup but can provide more consistent raid results once properly configured.

Mixing Meteor Rain Units

In this setup, seven Pals were equipped with Meteor Rain—a strong burst skill with wide AoE. It’s a go-to skill for raid Pals thanks to its power and range. Having several of these ensures steady DPS despite some Pals going down or getting stuck in the Palpods.

Waiting for Better Synergy Mechanics

Currently, raid boss AI doesn’t fully support strategy-based positioning, but the hope is that future updates add more synergy opportunities. For example, if bosses target the nearest Pal, it would allow for deliberate tanking and layered defenses. Until then, setups like this provide a strong mix of function and fun.

Ending the Fight Strong

As the battle winds down, it’s clear that the mixed raid army holds up decently under pressure—even without manual DPS support. While some rescuing was required, the run still finished in good time. The balance between Meteor Rain attackers and fire-resistant rescuers was key to handling Xenolord Ultra cleanly.

Wrapping Up the Mixed Raid Army Strategy

Facing Xenolord Ultra in Palworld with a full mixed raid army is both challenging and rewarding. While it demands more attention to team composition and Palpod placement, the payoff is clear: fewer KO cycles, better use of healing mechanics, and minimal need for direct player involvement.

By mixing high-DPS units with reliable rescue Pals—especially those with fire resistance—you gain a more sustainable edge during longer fights. Meteor Rain attackers remain top-tier for burst, but the rescue logic makes or breaks your raid efficiency. Whether you’re looking to push raid times, test AI behavior, or enjoy a more hands-off raid, this setup delivers a practical, tested balance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the best number of Pals to use in a raid against Xenolord Ultra? A: 18–20 Pals can work, but many players default to 13–15 for simpler management and less rescue confusion.

Q: Why use fire-type rescue Pals in this raid? A: Fire rescue Pals resist the burning bed mechanic, avoiding immediate KO after revival, which is common with non-fire Pals like Rio.

Q: Is resetting the Palbox considered cheating? A: It depends on personal playstyle. Resetting the Palbox refreshes cooldowns, making it easier but arguably less fair. Individual Pal resets are more balanced.

Q: What’s the advantage of Meteor Rain in mixed raids? A: Meteor Rain offers strong AoE damage and decent cooldowns, allowing consistent damage across multiple Pals during chaotic fight phases.

Q: How do you avoid rescue Pals getting stuck? A: Monitor them throughout the fight and help manually if needed. Good Palpod placement and avoiding edge-of-base spawns also help prevent this.

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No filler, no fluff—just straight-up help for gamers and fun for foodies. Join the community today! For More Guides Visit: Haplo Gaming Chef Website!

[stateofsport211]

📸 ATP official website

Kicking off the day in the Nottingham (grass) Challenger was the match between two Brits who have connections with the Texas Christian University (TCU), as second seed and wild card Cameron Norrie (batch of 2014 intake), who defeated qualifier Sho Shimabukuro 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 in a clutch showing toward the end of the match, took on qualifier Jack Pinnington Jones (batch of 2022 intake), who stunned another rising wild card in Arthur Fery 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in a classic showing. This match turned out to test their pressure points as soon as one raised his game through his aggression.

C. Norrie started this match dominantly after holding his serves to 1-0, finishing a backhand down-the-line shot to J. Pinnington Jones' forehand error to win his first point of that game before the latter's double fault generated the former's break point. The first seed ended up breaking to 2-0, quickly consolidating to 3-0 before Cam's preceding forehand got to J. Pinnington Jones' backhand error for a one-point lead in the fourth game before forcing the deuce several points later thanks to his backhand. Cam then doubled the break to 4-0, followed by a consolidation to 5-0.

Interestingly, J. Pinnington Jones started to get some groove, even if C. Norrie generated his initial set point thanks to his forehand winner. The former managed to hold his serves to 5-1, which meant the latter had to serve for the first set. A successful backhand lob from J. Pinnington Jones equalized the point before he even had a break point along the way, but C. Norrie still stayed solid and served the first-set breadstick (6-1) by the end of the set.

[brainlesspen]

Demon (2015) Movie Explanation

Embark on a spine-tingling journey as we unravel the mysteries of Demon' (2015), a Polish horror film directed by Marcin Wrona. Delve into the intricacies of the plot, decipher the unexpected twists, and explore the Jewish theory of possession that shrouds the narrative. Join us as we dissect the supernatural elements, revealing the gripping story behind Hana's choice, the Butterfly Effect in the movie, and the unsettling nature of life explored in this unforgettable cinematic experience.

Demon (2015) Movie Plot Story and Ending Explanation in Details

* * * Spoiler Alert – If you haven’t seen the movie yet, turn back now! * * * The scene starts with a backhoe taking someone through a city. A Range Rover waiting in a feri with Peter. Peter has been living in England for many years. He has come here to marry whom he was acquainted with on the internet but he knows her brother. Suddenly Peter sees a woman screaming and walking through the water. Peter feels a bit surprised. Then he goes to the destined place and meets an old man. The man tells how the bridge was. Peter says it was good but the GPS wasn't working. He will make a new bridge when he is settled down. The old man says it has all been too quickly. Young people should know each other. Peter says they don't want to wait because they love each other. The old man says a few Skype calls aren't enough to know each other. Ronaldo is a boy who comes to help Peter. Peter comes to see the land he has got as a gift for his wedding from Zenata's family. But he chooses to ride on a backhoe when Ronaldo appears with the car. Peter comes with the backhoe to meet his girl Zenata and his brother. Zen and Pete kiss each other. They are so happy to meet each other. These three are fooling around the area. Peter wants to build a house for his family on the land he has got as a wedding gift. Peter is cutting down the trees with a backhoe and he unnecessarily cuts a tree pushing back. He gets out of the car and checks out. He is surprised by whatever he finds out. Read more, Smile (2022) Movie Explanation A dead body under a tree. He gets back to Zenata's house. Everyone is celebrating the marriage. But Peter is thinking of something else. He is getting an ominous vibe from this land. There is a rural house built on this land. He takes his bag and baggage to the house to stay until the home is built. He is talking with his fiance but in the middle of the phone call, he hears someone laughing. He gets out with the torch and sees a dwarf-like figure and the moment he sees this he sinks into soft mud. The next morning his brother-in-law comes to visit him and finds him sleeping in his car. He gets out of the car and puts on his wedding clothes. Suddenly he sees something muddy in his nose, he cleans it and finally becomes ready for his wedding. His brother-in-law hugs him. He marries Zenata and dances a lot with a song sung by them. They are so happy. Peter's nose starts to bleed while he is dancing. Zenata immediately takes him to their home and cleans his blood but he is still bleeding. They are intimate, in a while her brother starts the backhoe. Peter runs to her brother at once and stops the backhoe. The brother is surprised because Peter wants to clean the land. Now he is acting differently. Peter says sorry to her brother for being rude. Zenata takes him home. They gather for a wedding party dinner. Someone is congratulating them. Someone is expressing his desire for their child. Someone is playing piano. Peter notices her brother is behaving differently. He goes home and finds some little children playing there. He goes to the land to check on it. He sees the trees are cut down. Peter comes back to the party and confronts him. He is dancing with ladies. His hands are muddish so brother in law says, What are you up to?... Looking for worms? At that time Ronaldo comes and laughs at his joke. Peter gets so angry and hits him. Zenata's father comes and Peter takes them to the hole he saw in the woods. But when they go there, they find nothing. No hole is there. Peter says he finds a skeleton here. Father says his dad had three pet dogs. When they died, Dad buried them here. Peter says I know the difference between a human dead body and a dog's body. Father says we will find it tomorrow because now we all are drunk. We will find out when we are sober. They return to the party. Everyone is dancing. They have no idea what is happening between brother-in-law and son-in-law. Peter feels nauseated so he goes to the bathroom where he finds the doctor who played piano a while ago. He asks him if he knows Zenata's grandfather. The doctor says he was very good and pure but no one is perfect in the world. He says, What happens when a white snowflake falls into a dirty puddle? Peter returns to the crowd where his father-in-law announces his name to speak something for everyone. He is saying good things about the reception. Suddenly he sees a dead woman walking in the middle of the crowd and her name is Hana. In the speech, he mentions Hana's name instead of Zenata. After that, he is dancing with Zenata and Zenata asks if Hana is his old girlfriend. She also asks if you are planning to cheat on me from now on. Dancers are exchanging partners. Suddenly he sees Hana in his arms. He becomes dizzy. He leaves the crowd and asks the priest if a person can see a dead person walking. The priest doesn't understand what he is saying. Peter is gonna say something about what happened to him. Suddenly his mouth gets stuck, he can't utter a word and breaks the glass in his hand out of rage. The priest understands what is happening to him, and he gets up to leave but father in law makes him stay and tells him to enjoy. He takes Peter out of the crowd and tells him that they need to get to know each other. Then he whispers he has to choose words carefully and choose the person whom he is talking with. It's like a butterfly effect. People have already started talking about you. He asks again if he doesn't know about the skeleton. Father-in-law laughs and says he has to choose words carefully. Peter says he saw what he saw. Father says he saw but Father didn't see anything so there can be no question. The bride and groom throw their scarf and bow to their friends who can catch it. The catcher will be their bridesmaid. Peter gets a seizure attack when he throws his bows. Read Similar, The Night House (2020) Explanation Everyone gets bewildered because of the attack. His in-laws and Zenata take him to the house. They call the doctor and he says maybe he has taken something or because of the booze. His father-in-law tells Jasny to bring more vodkas so that no one can notice what has happened to Peter. Zen talks with her brother about whether he has given him something or not. Her brother and Ronaldo both reply negatively. Zenata doesn't understand what has happened with Peter. The doctor takes a vodka bottle from under the cot and starts boozing. Father tells Jasny he brings a fucked up husband for her sister. He asks how come you don't know he is epileptic. Ronaldo takes Zenata to the tree where Peter sees the hole. Zenata asks why everyone didn't say anything to me. Ronaldo says he thought she knew the matter. Zenata looks for Peter and finds him in the middle of the dancing crowd. He again has a seizure but Jasny shows no care for him. He says to keep the music playing. Zenata and the doctor take him home again and this time his seizure has got a new level. So the doctor decides to give him a high dose. He injects in his hand and still he is awake. Suddenly the priest comes to say goodbye. Zenata then tells the priest he saw a skeleton in the woods. Father gets so angry at Jasny for telling her. But Jasny didn't tell her. Father tries to make it up by saying he is nuts because of boozing a lot. But Peter gets up and starts saying something in German, Polish, Yiddish language. The priest says we have to try something in Latin. They are trying exorcism. On the other hand, Zenata brings Professor to see the matter because he is the oldest veteran here. The professor comes and asks her what his name is. Peter says she is Hana. The professor was surprised because there was only one Hana he knew. He gives his acquaintance and says his name. Hana recognizes him. The professor sings a song that she once heard and she recognizes the song. Zenata's mom and the other two relatives are mixing vodka to make it more strong. The male one says someone is spreading the news that the groom is possessed by a Jewish ghost. She gets angry and asks who is doing that. Mom is drunk so she is laughing and asks why she went to England to marry. Haven't we got enough boys in Poland? The bridal cake comes and Father goes to spoil it but Mom stops him. Father goes to the cellar and says he can't keep a sick man in the cellar. But he is not sick. The demon possesses him. Father asks what we will say to them that he saw a skeleton. Prof. asks what skeleton. Father didn't see it, only Peter did. Father says then he had a seizure and did st. Vitus's dance. Considering the groom's conditions with the priest's consent the marriage gets to be annulled. They will wait until the experts have had a look. He adds we ought to find out who his parents are. The doctor will get us a referral to a center with the best specialist. Then Zenata slaps his father and his brother slaps her.  Father tells the priest that he will give a lift to home. The barn is almost ready and the rain is easing off, which means they are planning to hide him or send him away. When everyone else will move back, they will get him out of the cellar. The funniest thing they are thinking about is who will drive the priest home. Ronaldo and father in law are drunk. So they have chosen the doctor to drive him home who drank the most today because he denied it when he was asked. When they get in the car, they notice Zenata digging the land where Peter saw the skeleton. She is digging, in the meantime Ronaldo conveys the news that the patient is not there. There comes a hue and cry among everyone. Everyone searches for Peter but he is nowhere. Then everyone gets in the car. On the way, Prof. says to take the car to the butcher's. He was recalling the memories in the car.  This way ... .Eliza, Sarka, and Mela walked to school. Hana's sisters…the most beautiful girl I ever saw…that was…my world. They search for the whole night but find nothing. They search all the graves and then at some point, they lose all hope. We see Ronaldo make the Range Rover fall from a hill into the water. They break into the house and we see a picture and get all the answers. Zenata leaves the rural area where she spent a horrible wedding night.

What Is the Jewish Theory of Possessing Peter?

In Jewish tradition, the soul of a dead person can cling to a living one. It's a dybbuk. It's the chance for it to purge itself. But also to purge the soul of the possessed one. They can cut the connection only by exorcism. Jewish people believe in the purgatory of souls.

Why Did Hana Choose Peter in Demon (2015)?

Hana loves a man and she marries him. This fact we know from the Professor who once loved Hana. She died and her husband also died many years ago. She was buried in the woods. Many years later Hana finds her husband who is Peter and looks just like her husband. She wants to be with her husband so she possesses him and takes him away.

What Is the Butterfly Effect in The Movie Demon (2015)?

The Butterfly effect is when a butterfly fritters away her wings on one side of the world. There can be a storm on the other side of the world. It has another name called the Chaos Theory. Small things sometimes can be a reason for a giant chaos. So ignorance can make you a loser. Life sometimes is cruel and so unpredictable. Still, we need to find out the reason for being alive.

Summary

Original Title: Demon Genre: Horror/ Fantasy/ Comedy Runtime: 01hr 34min Original Language: Polish, English, Yiddish, Russian Directed by Marcin Wrona Written by Pawel Maslona, Marcin Wrona Release date: September 9, 2016 (USA) Origin Country: Poland Read the full article

[scotianostra]

On June 23rd 1314 Robert I, King of Scots, killed a young English Knight called Henry de Bohun, it marked the beginning of a two day fight, The Battle of Bannockburn.

I'll cover the battle more in depth tomorrow, today I'm going to cheat a bit by taking the description of the encounter between Sir Henry de Bohun and King Robert directly from John Barbour's epic poem The Brus. The poem is written in ancient Scots, but don't worry I will post a translation too!

Bohun, in full armour, had noticed King Robert out in front of his troops, the king riding on a smaller horse in light armour. The little crown on his helmet clearly identified him. Thinking that he could strike the critical blow by killing the Scottish king, Bohun charged towards him with lance lowered. But King Robert swerved at the crucial moment, stood in his stirrups, and brought his battle axe down through the head of Bohun, killing him instantly.

And quhen the king sua apertly

Saw him cum forouth all his feris

In hy till him the hors he steris.

And quhen Schyr Henry saw the king

Cum on foroutyn abaysing

Till him he raid in full gret hy,

He thocht that he suld weill lychtly

Wyn him and haf him at his will

Sen he him horsyt saw sa ill.

Sprent thai samyn intill a ling,

Schyr Hanry myssit the noble king

And he that in his sterapys stud

With the ax that wes hard and gud

With sua gret mayne raucht him a dynt

That nother hat na helm mycht stynt

The hevy dusche that he him gave

That ner the heid till the harnys clave.

The hand-ax schaft fruschit in twa,

And he doune to the erd gan ga

And flatlynys for him faillit mycht.

That wes perfornyst douchtely,

And quhen the kingis men sa stoutly

Saw him rycht at the first meting

Foroutyn dout or abaysing

Have slayne a knycht sua at a strak

Sic hardyment tharat gan thai tak

That thai come on rycht hardely.

Quhen Inglismen saw thaim sa stoutly

Cum on thai had gret abaysing

And specially for that the king

Sa smartly that gud knycht has slayne

That thai withdrew thaim everilkane

And durst nocht ane abid to fycht

Sa dred thai for the kingis mycht.

And quhen the kingis men thaim saw

Sua in hale bataill thaim withdraw

A gret schout till thaim gan thai mak

And thai in hy tuk all the bak,

And thai that folowit thaim has slane

Sum off thaim that thai haf ourtane

Bot thai war few forsuth to say

Thar hors fete had ner all away.

Bot how-sa quhoyne deyt thar

Rebutyt foulily thai war

And raid thar gait with weill mar schame

Be full fer than thai come fra hame.

This translation largely follows the version rendered by b A.A.M. Duncan (The Bruce, Canongate, 1997) but with some variation intended to represent more modern turns of phrase.

And when the king saw him (Bohun) Moving towards him in sight of his comrades He hastily turned his horse towards him And when Sir Henry saw the king Come on quite unabashed He rode at him full speed He thought to beat him easily And have him at the disadvantage Because the king was lightly horsed So they closed on one another Sir Henry missed the noble king And he (the king) stood in his stirrups With an axe both hard and good Struck him such a great blow That neither hat or helmet could stop The heavy clout he gave So he cleaved the head to the brains The hand-axe shaft broke in two And he (Bohun) fell to the ground Dead and devoid of all strength now This was the first blow of the battle And was done mightily too And when the king’s men saw this At the first encounter Done without any hesitation or fear Kill a knight with a single blow They were so encouraged That they advanced boldly forward When the Englishmen saw them stoutly advance They were left downcast Especially because the king Had so quickly slain such a good knight So they now all of them withdrew And not one dared to fight For fear of the king’s might And when the king’s men saw The (English) formation withdraw The (Scots) made a great shout at them

[feruslands]

"Daddy Feri", part 10

My sketch fanfic for @reconstructwriter and @la-sopa who inspired me to continue this long, dark story, and for everyone who loves "Vader/Ferus" (later Anakin/Ferus)

Warnings: cruelty

Darth Vader bowed before the holographic figure of Palpatine.

"Did you really think I wouldn't find out?" The Sith was smiling nastily, as if he had read his mind. "You stupid fool. You can't hide anything from me. "

"Master…"

"You're a lying coward. Is this your gratitude for the power I gave you?" Palpatine asked. Vader only hoped that Palpatine's awareness of his captives would end with the knowledge of the girl's existence, but Sidious quickly dashed his hope.

"Bring this child and the Jedi to me immediately. I'm waiting for you."

It was a complete failure. Vader did not believe in the omnipotence and absolute awareness of the Master. Someone was spying for the Emperor.

"I obey, my Master."  Vader said obediently, and Sidious cut the connection.

Soon, his Star Destroyer appeared in orbit of the Vjun. The captain of the ship contacted Vader, he reported that he was sending a transport vehicle and a group of people for Vader to help transport people.

When a transport shuttle landed on the platform in front of the fortress, Vader ordered the arriving stormtroopers to transport his prisoners to the Destroyer. Everything was done as always, accurately and quickly, under his supervision.

Vader pondered for a long time what was the best thing for him to do.  If he gives Leia to Palpatine, then maybe Olin will lose his child. And Olin will be left without what Vader himself is deprived of. That would be good. But Leia without a connection to the Force would obviously not be of any interest to Sidious. But Olin... he was unlucky.

Undoubtedly, it would be useful for Olin to receive a few lightning strikes from Palpatine. But it will end quickly because the Emperor will kill the stupid, stubborn Jedi. Suddenly, the thought of giving up the old enemy to die seemed unwelcome to Vader.

Or even unacceptable?

But why? Darth Vader didn't know the answer. He only realized for sure that he no longer wanted and could not follow Palpatine's will. The man who had always used him almost like a slave.

The hatred of Sidious that rose in him made Vader feel very tired, as if he himself had lived for more than half a century, and all this time he was a slave on a leash from his master. His vile memory made him think of Obi-Wan again, and Vader forced the damned traitor out of his mind.

"Woe to you, Obi-Wan! I will find you at any cost, after I get rid of the Emperor."

Previously, even the thought of beating Palpatine would have seemed unthinkable and ridiculous to him, but now he thought differently.

Vader knew that the solution was somewhere nearby, the Force was telling him what needed to be done. And he was intently searching for the only correct answer to the main question in these clues - how to deceive someone who cannot be deceived? The one who is the genius of deception himself?

And the Sith realized that now he really had a chance. Leia would give him that chance.

But is he willing to risk Leia's life, use her as a bargaining chip, in order to get rid of the Emperor once and for all? To his surprise, it didn't seem like a difficult choice.

The moment Vader could easily answer "yes" to himself, he felt that he had become equal to his Master. And he will surpass him when they meet or he will just find his death there.

There was triumph and steadfastness in the Force. The Sith was especially acutely aware of this, as if the Force itself was on his side. This means that the Dark Side will help its Chosen One to recognize a tiny but most important moment and take advantage of it.

And then he will win.

**

Ferus was imprisoned in a cell on the Destroyer. The Jedi looked helpless, and he fought against this state of weakness in order not to actually lose consciousness. His hands were tied together and fixed on the wall. He was almost lying on a chair and did not move, hoping that someone from the guard would come up to check on his condition. But no one came to his cell for hours. The prisoner's vital signs were read by a tiny device attached to his neck. It was enough to have an idea of his current state of health.

Thanks to the Force, the Jedi was able to hear the conversation of two stormtroopers behind the wall, and learn that the destination is Coruscant.  Why is Vader taking him there? Ferus didn't understand a damn thing that was going on, and it made him very anxious. He only knew perfectly well that meeting Palpatine would mean a fatal outcome for any Jedi. He needs to get out of this prison by any means necessary, and save Leia.

The ship suddenly jerked, as if it had fallen into a small pit. At the moment of a sharp jolt of the whole ship, a tiny sensor monitoring vital signs jumped off the Jedi's neck and fell to the floor. Fortunately, the guards finally noticed him.  When the stormtrooper entered the cell, Ferus still did not move, he did not react to either slaps or kicks. After making sure that the prisoner had a weak pulse, the stormtrooper was only going to return the sensor to its place and leave until new orders were received about the prisoner.

A small sensor, like a button, lay on the floor near the Jedi's feet. The stormtrooper bent down to pick up the sensor, but the tiny device slipped between his clumsy fingers. He took the heavy blaster aside and squatted down. A strange detail caught his attention. The glowing wire that connected the prisoner's ankles had been torn from its fastener. The Stormtrooper hadn't even had time to feel uneasy about it yet. He realized too late that he was a victim of the prisoner's treachery. The glowing wire abruptly wrapped around the guard's neck and began to strangle him. The helmet flew off to the side. The stormtrooper lost his balance and collapsed on the prisoner, who grabbed him in a clamp like a claw. He tried to free himself, but the prisoner turned out to be too agile and incredibly flexible. The stormtrooper struggled with the prisoner, he grabbed the wire with both hands, trying not to let himself be strangled, but that was the prisoner's intention. Ferus took advantage of the moment and kicked his opponent in the head, knocking him unconscious.

The stormtrooper's body went limp and fell to the floor. Ferus used the Force to quickly pull out the combination key and open the lock that held his hands and freed himself from the bonds as quickly as possible. At the moment when the guard's partner entered the cell, Olin forcefully pulled the enemy forward, and grabbed him in a chokehold with his hands, not even allowing him to scream.

**

The Star Destroyer slipped out of hyperspace, near Coruscant, but instead of approaching the planet, the ship slowed down.

Darth Vader felt the approach of his Master. Although it was unexpected, he still remained cool and balanced like never before.

"Who allowed you to stop here and turn off the engines?" Vader said rudely to the captain, who was nervously pacing past the control panel.

The captain stopped. He stood straight in front of Vader.

"The order was to come to these coordinates and stop here, awaiting further orders."

"Whose orders are you waiting for, Captain? I am the commander of this ship."

"This is… The Emperor's direct order was received. I couldn't ignore him. "

"And you decided not to even tell me about it?"  Vader asked. He was looking out the wide-paneled porthole at Palpatine's fleet.

The captain was too young, he hesitated under the harsh pressure of Vader and did not find the answer.

"I won't need you anymore, Captain. Call your deputy and hand over the command."

"Are you trying to remove me from command? Because of such a small thing?" he exclaimed with perplexity and indignation.

His question remained unanswered, Vader had already descended a couple of steps and was rapidly moving towards the elevator, his dark cloak flapping widely behind him.

"But you don't have such authority! Just not on this mission, until we deliver the important ‘cargo’ to the Emperor."

The captain's raised, slightly shrill voice made Vader stop. Frankly speaking, he didn't care about all these insignificant careerists, but still...

"And the Emperor would never approve of it." The young captain added. He was scared when he realized that he had attracted too much of Vader's attention.

"How can a nobody like you know what exactly the Emperor will approve?"

"I... I'm just someone who does an excellent job." The Captain was able to pull himself together and regained his composure.

"Really?" Vader returned to the bridge.

And then his suspicions turned into complete certainty. He touched the Force and the Dark Side allowed him to see through a heart that was greedy and corrupt.

"You were spying on me and reporting me to the Emperor, weren't you?" Vader didn't ask, he claimed. "There are no other reasons why you were appointed to such a high post, because you are still incompetent, just as you were on the day you got this position."

Fear crept into the Imperial imperceptibly, but swiftly.

"It's not true! I'm...I'm good enough, and I've earned my place..." he saw that his weak attempts to justify himself could not soften Vader and he decided to give in, hoping that it was not too late. "Well, I'm handing over command, since you require it. But no matter what you think of me personally, you must understand that the Emperor considers me a particularly valuable subordinate."

The captain took the code cylinder out of his breast pocket to hand it to his deputy.

"There is one aspect that you did not take into account when you joined this spy game. The Emperor will not grieve over your corpse, because you have always been just an expendable item for him, as you have now become for me."

The code cylinder touched the palm of the first deputy, and the ex-captain clutched his throat. He was suffocating and couldn't even scream. The man fell to the floor, looking at his commander with horror and hatred.

Vader strangled him, trying to make his last moments especially painful.

"I hope you won't let me down like your predecessor," Vader told the new captain.

Killing the rotten informer gave him satisfaction. Vader stepped over the corpse as the Emperor's shuttle landed in the Devastator’s main hangar.

When the droids placed the dead body on the corpse truck, Vader had already gone to get Leia. It was time for both of them to meet Darth Sidious.

**

As soon as Ferus got out of the cell, he immediately rushed to find his daughter. The scariest thing was that he did not feel her presence, and he was struck by the terrible assumption that Leia had stayed on the Vjun. She really wasn't in the neighboring cells.

"Damn it!" Olin cursed.

The Jedi checked all the prison cells, but they were all empty. Vader did not keep prisoners on his ship, he got rid of any prisoners very quickly. Olin jumped out of the prison block and hurried forward, trying to hide and go around the corridors. The Jedi understood that very soon it would be discovered that the prisoner had escaped and then they would rush to find him. And he tried to move faster, but unnoticeably.

"Leia!" he called her through their connection, but there was no answer.

Ferus was immersed in the Force, but he felt only darkness around him, not Leia. Fear for Leia made his heart ache. And he was afraid that he would waste his time here, and would not take a step closer to his daughter.

He didn't know what to do, look for her here, or try to escape from the ship. Doubts tore at him, but he decided that he would not leave until he found his daughter or made sure that she was not here.

"Leia, I'm coming for you," Ferus repeated to himself, and thoughts of his daughter gave him courage. He began to search for her in the Force again, and moved forward along the corridor. He took another step and froze in horror.

"No! Anything but that!" Ferus felt this eerie presence of Darkness. It was the epitome of Ancient Evil, made of flesh and blood. Panic seized him.

In the confusion, the Jedi tried to disguise himself in the Force. Olin didn't even know if he had succeeded, or if the omnipresent Darkness could reach him at any point.

 "Leia, please!" he shouted again over the mental link and ran forward like a madman, hoping it wasn't too late.

**

Finding himself in the same elevator with Leia, Vader felt doubts. He knew that it was too late to hesitate when a decision had already been made. But it was still difficult for him to act in this way. He reminded himself that none of his doubts were worth a single credit right now.

He felt a momentary weakness, because it was hard for him to destroy this small family, such strong bonds of father and adopted daughter. But he had done this many times before, when he was condemning someone to death. What's the matter now?

If he fails, then it doesn't matter if Leia is still alive, because he himself will be gone. And after that, even if the whole galaxy ceases to exist, it won't matter anymore.

"We will meet with the Emperor soon."  He told Leia, "He's the most powerful Sith in the galaxy."

Leia didn't say anything. The little girl stared at the closed elevator doors in front of her.

"You have to be reasonable and cool-headed when talking to him."  Vader continued.

Leia remained emotionlessly silent, not showing in any way that she was interested in what she had just been informed about.

"I guess I don't even need to add 'otherwise Ferus will get hurt'? "

Leia finally turned her head in his direction and looked up. It was not a childish look for such a young face.

"I get it." She replied dryly. She stared at the elevator doors again. 

Vader knew he was lying to her. After meeting Palpatine, Ferus will suffer in any case. He easily suppressed the unpleasant feeling of this deception. It was nothing compared to the fact that he was seriously going to risk her life.

They got out of the elevator and walked to the main hangar. The Emperor, surrounded by the scarlet guards, was already waiting for them.

Vader stopped a few steps away from Palpatine and knelt. Leia remained standing to the side of the kneeling cyborg in armor and looked up.

In front of her stood a tall man in expensive dark scarlet robes. A large hood covered his head and forehead. This man seemed old and scary to her, and the irises of his eyes were an unnatural acid yellow color. Those frightening eyes stared at her, not allowing her to look away.

And she felt creepy. It seemed to her that the Ancient, Primordial Evil was looking at her.

"So, Darth Vader," the Emperor announced solemnly. His voice was nasty, hoarse, like a dead man rising from the grave, but also resonant and with clear diction, "you finally brought this child to me."

"Yes, my Master." Vader confirmed without getting up from his knee, and without raising his head.

"Good," Palpatine said with satisfaction. His face broke into a smile. He looked at Leia for a while, as if he expected something specific from her. But suddenly, his smile abruptly disappeared, and signs of puzzlement appeared on his face.

"But I don't feel any connection to the Force in her."  The Emperor said indignantly.

"That's right, Master. Her connection to the Force had faded. " Vader confirmed.

The Sith's lips tightened in annoyance, and he plunged into the Force, trying to recognize the deception. After that, Palpatine turned his attention to Vader.

"As you already know, Master, she is indeed the daughter of the Chosen One. But she doesn't have the same abilities." Vader explained.

The Emperor did not feel the lie again. He stared at Leia intently.

"Who are you, child?" The Emperor asked her.

Leia became even scarier. But she knew that she had to be brave like her dad, even if she was going to die soon.

"My name is Leia Organa Olin. "

Darth Sidious stared at her. The force was calm, and there was nothing about this child that could be useful to him. The daughter of the Chosen One had no connection with the Force. What an abomination!

"How did this happen?" Palpatine demanded of Vader. "She couldn't have been born with such disgusting flaw!"

"Yes. But her potential at birth was too ordinary to manifest itself in her. Before I arrested Bail Organa, he gave this child to Ferus Olin, who had been living secretly in the basement of the palace for a year. Olin adopted her and ran away from Alderaan, taking her with him. They had wandered through different worlds for a long time in search of refuge, but all this time the Jedi had not been engaged in the development of her abilities. Perhaps he immediately realized that her abilities were quite mediocre and convinced her that the potential for Force was not important. And over time, her connection to the Force thinned until it left her completely. I think it happened because she didn't want to be a Force-user herself. "

There was silence all around, broken only by Vader's breathing. There was still a sense of calm in the Force. Only Vader could feel his heart beating too loudly.

"That's disgusting." Darth Sidious finally said with undisguised dislike, "Tell me, child, is this true?"

Such a conversation made Leia feel so tiny and insignificant.

"Yes. " She replied.

Now Palpatine looked at her like she was trash and chuckled. He became openly disappointed.

"Now everything is clear." Palpatine summed it up. "So that's why you brought her to me so easily. This child has no Force. It's a pitiful sight."

Leia flinched at these words. The Emperor was discussing her as if she were a defective item put up for inspection on the market.

The Emperor leaned towards her, so that his frightening face became even closer.

"Tell me, child, do you know that your foster father Ferus Olin was once a Jedi?"

"Yes." Leia replied again. She didn't understand very well who the Jedi were, but she'd learned perfectly well that the Sith was synonymous with insidious Evil. 

"So tell me, how could he bear the fact that his child has such a negligible potential for Force sensitivity?"

"I...I don't know. I think it doesn't matters to my dad."

"Doesn't matter? Do you even realize that your father spent many years roaming the galaxy to hide and grow such a defective and useless thing like you?" The Emperor asked rudely. Leia couldn't feel the Darkness gathering around them, but she could see from the Emperor's distorted face that his irritation was growing.

And these words of the Emperor stung her painfully, but she looked boldly at the Sith.

"My dad doesn't think I'm defective! He loves me for nothing… "

Palpatine looked at her with open disgust.

"Stupid kid. No matter what your precious father thinks of you, if you don't have Force, you're absolutely useless. Unlike him…"  Darth Sidious's wrinkled face broke into a smile at the last words. And in that hideous mockery, Leia read the fate in store for her.

Palpatine immediately lost all interest in her, he turned to Vader and gave a short order.

"Execute her!"

Leia froze. She realized that the black-armored monster was about to get rid of her. And then the two of them would start torturing her poor dad. She heard Vader's voice and squeezed her eyes shut at the words.

"I obey you, my Master." Vader got up from his knee and took a step towards Leia, and at the same time standing a little closer to the emperor, "But maybe it would be better if Ferus Olin obeyed your order?"

[oh-for-fic-sake-library]

Please Do Daddy

Masterlist

Ask: @viking-raider asked, What if Daddy checked your SM, for whatever reason, and found you posted a kinda naughty photo. What would he do?

Warnings: ddlg, daddy kink,non conventional little space?(little in a sexy mood) bdsm, derogatory names, dark/dom! Walter, swearing, sexual threats(consensual), spankjng threats, reader is a little brat, spicy/almost smut

A/n: so this took a fery different turn and became borderline smut. Sorry @viking-raider if this wasnt what you had in kind, my horny brain ran away with me 🥺🥺 This is from the angle that even a little can be a fithly sex kitten too.

Walter growled as he made his way into the house. Slamming the door behinde him. He was on a mission, an important personal mission.It took him a matter of seconds to stride through the house, bypassing the kitchen stairs and living room and made it to the back door.

And there you were, well your silhouette in the opaque window sitting on the side of the new hot tub. Clearly having the tine of your life as you flicked your feet in the water.

He paused, tipping his head to the side as he heard the low beat of music playing from inside the small hot tub house.... was that hanky panky? Madonna. Fuck. He grunted palm itching to cease his naughty baby bear and redden your hide. You were such a brat on the phone today, hexd been counting the mineuts untill he ha finished his paperwork from his latest solved case and could return home. Little did you know he was takeing a weeks vacation now, so he had all the time in the world to toy with you. To treat you like the naughty baby you were and parade you naked throuh the house, keeping you on the edge of cumming so you remain noce and wet for whenever the mood struck him and he could rut you into a lusty drunken haze. You may be his baby girl, but you were also his wonton sex kitten.

He shook his head ridding the images of past holidays where he had fucked his frustration away. Though this time would be more then three of four days, the promotion gave him more dyas off, and he intended to use all of them to the fullest. He smiled eyeing the party shed. It was one of the best things he'd done since moving here, when he decided to get the hot tub instead of a below ground pool he was only planning on the basics. Hot water and jets with a little cover and somewhere to hang the towles.

In the end he got one with seats, lounger, jets, lights and built in music player with a big old privacy 'shed' surround ...That had opaque frosted glass windows... and sliding doors and an outdoor shower... and outside kitchen slash bar attached. Yes he will admit things had got out of hand quickly but it wasnt entirely his fault, sy was a surprisingly good carpenter and diy extraordinaire a talent he had found since leaving the forces. His cousin had jumped for joy when walter had said for him to 'knock yourself out' with the plans.

Walter stalked forward slowly, useing all histraining as he crept along side the party shed. He eased himself in without making a sound and slipped himself into the corner behinde you.

His jaw dropped as he saw your swimsuit in person. Tiny pink and lilac strings that glittered in the light... but that was it! It was fucking strings of fabric criss crossjng over your supple back. Arching high over your hips.

You wiggled cutely to the music doing your little happy jig enjoying your own little party. It was only now he could spot the small mermaid doll in your hand. He couldnt help smirk even in the most provocative swimsuit and naughty song playing in the background you were still his cute little cub.

He huffed through his nose like a rageing bull. His body tightened, cock jerked. He cleared his throat loud enough to make you yelp and jump, spinning around so fast you lost your balance on the edge of the lip and plunged into the water.

"d-daddy? what are... what are you doing home early?" You whimpered as you moved slowly through the water kneeling on 9ne of the seats your tiny fingera curling around the rim of the tub as you blinked and spat out the water from you mouth.

Walter frowned and blinked eyes skimming the threads that were a the most sorry excuse for a swimsuit he had ever seen. The top barely covered your nipples both threatening to pop out frommthe deep v that almost reached your navel, held together but the same tiny criss cross strings on the back and sides.

You looked down and yelped quickly ducking down in the water making your shoulders submerge. Your tummy flipped unease creepjng across your face as you took in walters solid form. Feet planted wide, arms cross and a less then impressed look across hos face.

"Phone." The word was accompanied by a hand being help out waiting patiently for the device to be placed in his hand. You hesitated wondering for a moment if your earlier tantrum over the phone had lost yor the device for a few days.

"What? No i dont hae it... its not here i swea;" the lies were out before you could stop them, luckily... or unluckily walter wasnt letting you dig yourself a hole today... well no bigger then the one youd already dug.

"Now cub." His firm voice was nothing to be sniffed at and you hung your head reaching over to the towel that had your phone safely tucked away from the water. But stopped as walter crossed the small space and began unraveling the towel.

"Daddy what are you;" you cried as walter took the phone from the side of the tub and unbeknownst tp you disconnected the internet and 4G and flicked it onto aeroplane mode just for good measure. He didnt want to risk anyone accidentally seeing his babydoll in the next hour or so.

"Come on out" he uttered holding the phone up and flicking it to video recording you. He grinned to himself he was going to enjoy this more than he thought he would.

"Out? But my swimsuit" you uttered eyes growing wide as you realised you could be in bigger trouble then you previously thought.

"You didnt mind showing the internet, why is it a problem now brat" it was then you realised youd pushed your daddy too far with the provocative selfies posted on the internet. You had been attempting to get a rise from him. Especially when he'd phoned asking about the naughty pics, youd teased him about his jealousy and pushed all his buttons. You had so much fun being a brat that you hadnt even flinched when he'd warned you about the consequences when he got home. You had planned on getting out the tub and cleaning the kitchen and livingroom and ordering in his favourite dinner to get out of trouble. But he had got home a few hours early and there was no escape from what ever he had planned.

"Well i err... its not"

"Good then you can get out for daddy, nice and slow baby girl" he directed making sure to get a good veiw as you slowly rose from the water. He groaned watching the beads roll down your skin. Fucking hell. He almost lost track of time as you climbed from the hot water and stood on the floor before him, doe eyed body shivering. Not from the cold with the doors shut it was like a sauna in here no it wasnt the cold. It was arousal.

You were two peas in a pod, though you were his little baby doll, his princess who he would never let any harm come to. You enjoyed your special play times just as much as he did. At first he was ashamed to admit the fear and trepidation in a naughty subs eye turned him on like nothing else, he had learned to embrace it. Especially with you.

"Thats a good girl, now why dont you do a spin for daddy? Hmm show daddy your pretty little swimsuit" he encouraged. Stepping to the side and tapping the screen to make the lense focus.

You swallowed dryly and began to turn stiffly, your body growing hot under the intense gaze of you huge papa bear. You knew he wasnt going to go easy on you, the tight denim of his crotch was enough of a warnjng. Daddy was hard and ready to fuck, but he hadnt pounced you yet. He was going to play. You whimpered as your body quivered in need, your nippes suddenly puckering at the thought of being held accountable in the most rapturous of ways. Your toes curled jnto the anti slip tiles below your feet as you finally made it full circle and faced your daddy.

"Fuck princess you know how to tease huh?" He grunted shifting on his feet, one hand comeing to his waist tugging his jeans trying to ease the pressure on his hardened cock. His eyes couldnt stop roaming over you as you spun for him. The water trickling across the curves he knew too well, the supple rise and fall of your delicious body, a delicious body begging to be bitten~

"Im sorry daddy" you uttered, breathlessly trying not to rub your thighs together as he held you in jis heated gaze, pupils blown wide making him look both sinister and drop dead gorgeous. Like some tempting devil ready to coax you into the most luxurious sinful ecstasy.

"Ah ah ah. No no its okay cub, your fine... your very fine~ infact daddy thinks your so fine he wants to... have a little keep sake... a momento of his brat being a tease" he spoke slowly, letting you soake up his words and mull it over for a few seconds. He maybe irritated and want to have some rough sex as punishment for your behaviour but he wasnt that much of an asshole to record you secretly without permission. He'd never take things further then you were comfortable with.

"Momento? like what daddy? Pictures?" You quized stil. Slightly dazed from the way things were turning out. Excitment and arousal thrumming through your veins making you dampen your swimsuit, thighs rubbjng against one another as your needy princess parts greedily sought out any friction it could find.

"No princess, daddy wants to make a little video. A private one just for us." He chuckled shaking his head stepping closer and waved the phone at you slightly drawing your attention to it, whislt still recording the your pitifully needy form.

"I... i dont know daddy?" You admitted but walter could see through the innocent naive act. Your pupils were growing wider, your hips rocking and squirming on their ownna testament to just how horny his little cub was.

"Aww dont tell me your camera shy now brat. Besides it ,iht do you good haveing a little video to remind you of how naughty girls are corrected." He teased you lowly whislt aslo informing you of his intentions. You moaned loudly before bitjng your lip, trying to keep the noises to yourself and have some semblance of self control.

"Hmm? A little video to remind you how bad babies have to bend over and have their bottoms blistered? To remind you of how sore it is sitting on your hot bottom as daddy fucks yout throat? How uncomfortable it is to have daddy fuck you from behind with a tender tush" walters words were dripping with promise, dangling a delightful torment infornt of you willing you to take the bait. He was waiting, humming and hissing the most perfect threats making you melt before him. Trying to force you to your knees with little more then teasing words.

"Oh daddy please~" you whined to him inching closer, locking eyes with him. You were salivating at the thought of fallig prey to him. You wanted everythjng he was offering. You moaned as one of his hands cupped your cheek, thumb tracing the apple of you heated cheek. The trailed down pressing insistantly to your lips.

You opened obediently sucking the wide digit into your mouth and hollowed your cheeks suckling as hard as you could. Making sure yo look at him and the camera still pointed at you. He moaned a deep ferocious noise rumbling from his huge frame. He pulled his thumb from your mouth and began smearing your own spittle over your lips and licked his own lips eagerly before smirking.

"Please what? Please dont choke me on your cock? Please dont spank my naughty bottom? Please dont fuck me for hours bent over the hot tub? Please daddy~ please dont record me being your little fuck toy, please papa please dont punish me?" Your heart just about stopped when his condescending words echoed in your ears. The cruel sadistic tease made your knees quake below you.

You couldnt form coherent thought let alone words! Your mouth moved trying to form words but it was futile. He chuckled and let his hand drop to your chin tipping your face up to him whilst stepping closer, completely swallowing your entire gaze. He tipped his head to the side stareing down at you and gave a fake pout mimicing you. And then his head dropped further skimming the shell of your ear with his nose and scoffed into your skin warming it.

"Or please do?~" he asked sinisterly before latching onto your lobe tugging the soft flesh into his mouth and bit just enough to make you wince.

"Pl-please do daddy" you squeaked out completely lost in the hypnotic lust. The weightless arousal that flowed through your body like lava finally winning over what ever trepidation or fear of consequence. And more importantly granting permission to start a scene and fuck every hole you owned whislt recording the entire thing.

"Thats a good girl, now turn around a show the camera that naughty little back side of yours" he hummed patting your cheek making you grin at his praise before turning on the spot eagerly and bending over the side of the tub. You grinned to yourself, youd started the whole scenario because you were horny and needed attention. And you were pleased, you were getting exactly what you wanted. Unbeknownst to you was that walter was aware of this, and he wanst just playing into your hands. Oh no, this was gojng to be a punishment, if his baby doll wanted to cum she will. Again and again and again untill she was a sore boneless mess of a woman weeping and begging for mercy whislt straddling his cock.

[yuki-boshi]

Kai no Kiseki - Act 1 Part 1 English Summary

Table of Contents

Hi all, I've been getting a lot of feedback and most of it has been really great. Thank you so much for reading these posts.

I just wanted to quickly mention that: this isn't a substitute for an actual translation. It's just a summary. I may miss points or not cover everything. Thank you for your understanding.

in addition, this Act is also super long so I am breaking it up like this and will make a separate post when I finish a bigger portion of the Act since tumblr also has a text and picture limit.

It takes around 10 hours for Van and the gang to make their way back to the capital. When they arrive, they run into familiar faces like Judith, Quatre, Aaron, Yume, Paulette, and more.

After a well-deserved break, the next day begins with everyone sporting their new outfits. Aaron, decked out in his fresh, stylish gear, boasts that he's quite the package and plans to do 4SPGs with flair. Quatre throws in a snide remark, wishing the "package" wasn’t so full of himself. Bergard, on the other hand, thinks Aaron pulls it off, while Feri praises Quatre's new look.

Quatre's outfit was suggested by Agnes and Judith, but he’s still adjusting to the brighter colors, as he usually prefers darker tones. His drone headset has also been miniaturized, no longer covering his ears, which has improved heat dissipation by 30%!

More antics follow, with Aaron teasing Judith by calling her a 痴女 (chijo -- despite fan translations, it means "kinkster," not "whore"), which naturally makes her mad. Agnes then enters the room with drinks, and everyone turns their attention to her new outfit, blushing as they compliment it.

Judith tries to nudge Van into saying something, and with a sigh, he admits that while her old outfit was good, the new one is nice too, albeit a bit embarrassed as he praises the craftsmanship of the fabric.

Agnes blushes at the compliment. Aaron is stunned, joking, "Did the old man actually say something nice?" while Quatre gets a bit jealous, wishing for Van's praise. Agnes awkwardly returns the compliment, saying she likes Van's new outfit as well.

Shifting back to more serious matters, the group talks about the space program, which is all anyone in the capital is discussing. The film industry is even pushing for an astronaut movie! Emilia's popularity is also starting to rival that of the “Sword Maiden,” and the group agrees that Emilia must be “her” (Hermes).

Aaron recalls hearing her being called a major during the coup, but discovering that she was once an ace pilot surprises him. The conversation shifts to her father, Commander Harling, and his role in Operation Mille Mirage, where Cassius Bright entrusted him with full command of the Republic's forces. Everyone is impressed, realizing the level of trust and importance Harling holds. Bergard also chimes in to praise him.

Van, however, remains suspicious about the involvement of various groups like the CID, MK, and Ikaruga in the space program. Agnes pulls out her Genesis and mentions how Epstein warned them they’d need it before the year 120X (1210), recalling Dingo’s words from Kuro 2 about the impending crisis not being averted.

Judith suggests they get moving to uncover more, but Quatre reminds her she has other plans. Judith looks confused, only to receive a call from Nina, asking where she is as she was supposed to attend an event together, including a pre-event for the Golden Requiem movie. Judith, realizing she forgot, panics and says she’s on her way.

Van and the group then decide to head out, running into Yume tending to a group of swallow birds. With some time to kill, they explore the town, stopping by the 4SPG board.

While talking to Paulette, a short scene plays where she asks Quatre’s FIO robot to pick up groceries for her.

The first 4SPG involves someone badmouthing the Laguna bathhouse. Van questions a nearby woman, who mentions she saw the culprit from the shadows, a person with green hair and a citrusy scent.

Later, the group visits a house where they meet two new residents of Old Town, Genie and Luke. They’ve heard about ASO and its accomplishments. Genie, realizing the time, gets upset at Luke for not waking her up earlier. Quatre comments that the two seem to get along quite well.

At the bathhouse, a patron suggests that the culprit might be a disgruntled customer who was reprimanded and is now acting out of spite because he finds it amusing. However, he grows irritated when Van starts asking too many questions and, notably, has a citrusy scent himself. Suspicious much?

You can also run into Graham, the racer from Kuro 2, who mentions he came to the Laguna bathhouse because Van recommended it.

Speaking with Aniya provides a keyword hinting that the culprit could be a rude customer. Meanwhile, the old ogling men suspect it’s a regular patron.

Once you’ve gathered enough clues, Van asks Agnes to identify the culprit. It turns out to be the first customer with green hair. When they confront him, he admits to the sabotage, saying the bathhouse had become too crowded, and he wanted to preserve his peaceful visits without drawing more people to the place.

Van then asks Agnes what action to take:

Option 1: Clean up the mess.

Option 2: Spread positive word of the bathhouse.

Option 3: Get banned from the establishment.

If you choose Option 1, Agnes tells the patron that his actions were dirty and wrong and suggests he help the bathhouse for a month. The patron, feeling guilty, agrees to extend his help for two to three months, earning praise from everyone for Agnes' quick and cool decision-making.

You’ll also come across Eddy from Kuro 1 and Kuro 2, the clueless bad boy that Baselia (the NPC girl who wanted attention from her dad by getting kidnapped) has fallen for. Eddy mutters to himself, trying to build up the courage to "get something," though after two games of buildup, it's probably obvious what it is. Talking to his mom Brenda reveals she’s concerned because Eddy has been deep in thought, but she instinctively knows it’s nothing bad.

You can freely explore other parts of the capital.

At Trion Mall, a Vega event is taking place on stage. Off to the side, Quatre mentions that he’s always loved astronomy, and now with the space program, he feels like the universe is even closer to him. Risette finds it neat that the space program has brought out this kind of joy in him.

At the event, the group encounters two new idols performing Planet Rain, a song that educates people about the space program in a fun, musical way! Prince Sherid, Kilika, and Kaela are also present. The group chats about how the space program’s excitement has allowed the Prince to attend the concert without heavy security. Van notes the CID must be busy since they aren’t around, and Kaela, frustrated, reveals that as the Prince’s bodyguard, she’s not thrilled about him sneaking off to a live concert. Despite her annoyance, the Prince is impressed by Gramheart and the space program, which worries Agnes. The Prince then tries to join the crowd for an otagei performance, much to Kaela’s horror as she pleads for him not to.

At the Liberl shop, Lila is being photographed by Nicole. Lila tells the group she’ll be away for a few days, and a different cashier will manage the store in her absence.

At the T-Phone store, you’ll encounter Moira and Bart from Kuro 2. Bart mentions he helped his mom, Moira, set up her phone since she struggles with technology. Moira, on the other hand, is thinking of getting a second phone for Bart and discussing a monthly payment plan with her husband.

When visiting the Stardust Cinema, the group reacts to a movie poster featuring Judith in a leading role. Aaron makes another rude comment, joking that he forgets she’s an actress and not a 痴女, which prompts Feri to scold him.

-----

4SPG

A man named Joann believes he was scammed after investing in a space company that’s since ghosted him. Van and Agnes meet him, and Agnes bluntly tells him that he’s likely fallen for an investment scam. Joann explains that he got swept up in the excitement around the space program and invested through a middleman who promised to buy stocks for him but disappeared after collecting the funds. Quatre notes that the company in question, StellaTech, is legitimate but never had any public investment opportunities since it’s part of Verne.

The group starts investigating by talking to the bank exchange, confirming that StellaTech isn’t a publicly traded company: it's fully funded by the government and Verne for the Startaker project. A visit to the Verne store confirms this as well.

To catch the scammer, Van poses as a potential investor and tracks the conman to a rooftop. Van lets Quatre handle the interrogation:

Option 1: Ask about his connection to rocket development.

Option 2: Question the technology disclosed during the listing.

Choosing Option 2, Quatre picks apart the scammer’s lies, debunking his fake knowledge of StellaTech’s offerings. Agnes steps in to question the legitimacy of the stock listing:

Option 1: Timing of the stock release.

Option 2: Future demand for satellite technology.

If you pick Option 1, Agnes points out that companies typically go public at the fiscal year's start, not in mid-September. Plus, given that the Startaker Project is a classified national endeavor, it would be unwise to reveal its patents through a public listing. The scammer becomes nervous and tries to leave, but the group corners him. Van demands the brokerage name supposedly handling the stocks, and the scammer stammers, naming Keith Securities. Van does a quick search with his Xipha and finds no record of such a company, calling the scammer’s bluff.

Faced with exposure, the scammer falls to his knees, pleading. Van gives him a choice:

Option 1: Threaten with MK Corp.

Option 2: Involve the CID.

If you choose Option 2, Van threatens to involve a cold-hearted CID analyst who could easily have the scammer taken away for tarnishing the national space program's reputation. Terrified, the scammer agrees to return the stolen mira and turn himself in to the police.

Joann thanks the Spriggans, to which Van replies, "That’s what we do!" Aaron, ever blunt, criticizes Joann for falling for such an obvious scam, while Quatre advises him to do better research next time. Agnes mentions that she’s reported the scam to both Verne and StellaTech to ensure the fraud is properly handled. The group reflects that taking on this 4SPG was worthwhile, as it confirmed the big companies' involvement in the Startaker Project.

At the Central Marche, Van and the group encounter familiar faces. Kyle and Makino, the duo from Kuro 2, have returned, and their presence unlocks the fishing mini-game.

Close by, near a bench, they find Hamilton and the two dancing sisters, Saara and Shahina. The duo has been invited to perform in the capital, and Hamilton reflects on her last visit during the Arts Festival (end of Kuro 2). Agnes recalls how Hamilton left for work in the East, while Quatre mentions that he bumped into her and Esmeray in Basel just yesterday, leading to some lighthearted talk about Risette's health.

Feri, curious as always, inquires about Hamilton’s connection to Saara and Shahina, prompting Saara to explain how they met before their debut, just as they were making their way to the capital. Van can't help but note the sheer number of connections the Spriggans have made with people from all walks of life. Saara also mentions that she and her sister are now represented by the same agency as Judith, and they'll soon be heading back to Tharbad with a tour planned in August of next year in the Republic.

Hamilton reveals that she's heading back to Basel the next day, needing to meet with Tausend, who’s back as the CEO. Aaron, never one to hold back, makes a sarcastic comment about Tausend's return, to which Quatre confirms he's been back for two months. Hamilton thinks it’s tied to the restructuring for the Startaker project, to which the group can only respond with a collective, “I knew it…”

Before leaving, Hamilton briefly hints at something more serious, catching the attention of both Van and Quatre. However, Agnes decides to hold back from pressing the issue, with too many people around.

On Station Street, the bustling energy of the capital is evident, especially with the second phase of the Startaker project officially in motion. Van suggests exchanging intel with the guild, but before that, they take a moment to enjoy the sights, with Agnes taking a particular interest in a cute orbal scooter.

Inside one of the shops, the group finds out that Rosalie of Zecht Arms: once facing serious charges managed to post bail and then promptly fled the country. Elsewhere, Towa and a few teachers gossip about one named Sonia-sensei, who’s dating someone from Internal Affairs but has recently been ghosted. Towa, in her usual determined fashion, encourages Sonia to be more upfront, causing a bit of surprise among the others.

At the Bracer Guild, familiar faces await. Zin, Fie, and Renne are present, with Renne sharing that her younger brother Albert is now the new Student Council President. She also reveals that she’s leaving Calvard to return to Liberl after the semester.

Van notices Elaine’s absence, but is reassured by the receptionist that she’s on guild duties. Fie and Van exchange information about the underground scene. Despite the mafia and Heiyue maintaining a stronghold, nothing major seems to be brewing at the moment. Agnes, always perceptive, suggests the space program is the reason the CID is staying quiet, a point that Renne agrees with.

The group then shifts the conversation to the Society. After a quick recap of their previous actions in Liberl and Crossbell, it becomes clear that more members are lurking beyond just Walter, Lucrezia, and the twins. This information surprises the group, especially as it hints at larger threats on the horizon.

Just then, Alvis overhears Zin and walks in, clearly annoyed to see Van. He’s still nursing resentment from the events of Kuro 2, though he begrudgingly admits he’s willing to cooperate with the Spriggans if needed. Regina, more straightforward in her approach, agrees with Alvis, prompting Van to tease him for his tsundere attitude. The two eventually leave for their Outskirt patrols, but not without a final jab from Van.

Renne takes her leave, throwing a playful wink at Van, who offers his help whenever needed, especially for any “gray” areas.

Fie, preparing to depart from the capital, suggests teaming up with Elaine for future missions, mentioning how well they worked together during the Zolga incident. Zin supports this idea, but the receptionist cheekily teases Van about always pairing up with Elaine, flustering him.

After the banter, Fie reflects on the events of Kuro 2, expressing admiration for how everyone came together. Zin comments that with the CID focused on the Startaker Project, it’s more important than ever for the guild and Spriggans to collaborate, and he looks forward to working with Van.

Upstairs, Lashkar, now working part-time with the Guild, has made strides in overcoming his guilt from the Creil Village incident. His newfound determination leaves the group impressed.

Outside the guild, a woman laments that she lost her job and is struggling to find another, as so much of the city's focus has shifted toward the Startaker Project.

4SPG:

In the back-alley, Van and the group encounter Colt, who seems deeply troubled. As they delve into his situation, it turns out that the 4SPG was about him, detailing his involvement in a shady part-time delivery job. Worse still, his personal information was held as blackmail. The team feels conflicted about accepting the request, with Agnes questioning whether this is more of a straightforward crime than a typical 4SPG. However, Van decides it’s worth hearing out.

Meeting Colt, he confesses he’s a college student who got lured into a job run by the anti-immigration groups or maybe even the mafia from Kuro 2. Desperate for money, he delivered something suspicious but later received a file with his personal information, a clear threat to ensure his silence. Colt explains that he’s ashamed of falling for the scheme, having worked hard to attend university, coming from a modest countryside background. If this got out, he'd be expelled, which is why he turned to the Spriggans for help.

Van agrees to help, reaffirming his stance that no one should be dragged into the underworld and suffer because of it. Quatre reveals that someone else, named Largo, is also caught in the same web of deceit. Tracking Largo down in the Seiden District, they discover he’s even more deeply involved. Largo agrees to cooperate, but only if he can return the dirty mira he’s earned. The group uncovers that the items being delivered are guns.

FIO, Quatre's robot, analyzes the odor on the gun and detects a seafood-like smell, with an estimated 78% likelihood the deliveries have been passing through the Central Marche. Following this lead, they track the culprits to the Duul Family, a mafia hiding out in the sewers. After defeating the mafia members, the group faces three options:

Delete the personal information and hand the rest to the Guild.

Leave the decision to the victims.

Completely destroy all the equipment.

Choosing Option 1, Van erases Colt and Largo’s data, allowing them to start anew. Colt expresses his relief, finally able to sleep in peace, while Largo thanks them for helping him escape a life he thought had no way out.

In the Seiden District, Van decides to exchange information with the police.

Upon arrival, Nate fawns over Agnes, much to Van’s irritation that he doesn't get any nice treatment. Daswani also cold towards Van is chalked up to police professionalism, but Aaron can't help but tease, mentioning Daswani’s family trip to Montmart. Daswani then notes that the CID (Calvard Intelligence Division) has stopped cooperating with the police, effectively ghosting them. This makes their job much harder, and Daswani wonders if Van knows anything, given his connections to Rene Kincaid. However, Van and the group admit they’ve been left in the dark too, even within MK.

As they continue their conversation, Nate inadvertently reveals a case involving a couple’s quarrel, where one person ran away and rescinded their request for help. Daswani scolds Nate for breaching confidentiality, but Aaron remarks that such cases are common.

At the Hotel, they find Baselia, upset that Eddy (her situationship) has been avoiding her. Agnes wonders if they had a fight. Baselia admits she’s been struggling to focus on her studies lately, worried that Eddy might hate her. Rumsfield, the now-receptionist, remarks that the hotel’s business has picked up, preventing him from being Baselia’s personal assistant anymore, a shift he sees as an opportunity for growth.

----

Another 4SPG involves clearing a monster from the waterway. Van unlocks a new ability called Awakening, and the group encounters a new mechanic where certain enemies can turn invisible, requiring the use of Shard Search to detect them.

----

Main 4SPG: After defeating the boss, the Guild Receptionist contacts Van to inform him that Alvis and Regina have lost contact with the Guild. With Fie and Zin tied up elsewhere, they ask Van to check in on them. Heading to the Western Suburbs of Edith, the group admires the view of the Trion Tower. Aaron teases Feri for being a kid, while Quatre comments on Edith’s population growth, including a significant rise in immigration. The outskirts of the city are slowly becoming part of the suburbs.

Upon arriving, they attempt to use the Xipha but are met with signal interference. Hearing sounds of combat, they rush over the hill and find Alvis and Regina fighting a large monster. Van steps in to help, marking the first time he’s officially teamed up with Alvis in three games. After the battle, communications are restored, and Regina, worried, tackle-hugs Alvis, who brushes it off with his usual aloofness. Feri teases them, calling the pair "lovey-dovey," but Alvis remains stoic.

Back at the Guild, the group discusses the odd occurrences. Zin recounts a similar experience with a beast showing up where it shouldn't and a similar comms issue. Elaine also wants more information on this, and Van agrees, as he needs to speak with her anyway. Fie prepares to leave for Basel, while Alvis gives a half-hearted thanks before departing.

Zin, feeling bad for how often Van has dropped by the Guild, suggests meeting at his place at 1 PM to discuss things further. Fie says her goodbyes to Feri, and the group decides to patrol unfamiliar districts in the meantime.

In Old Town, at Zecht Arms, the group learns that Rosalie fled after being bailed out. Zecht Arms weapons are rumored to be in Edith, and they follow a series of leads, eventually reaching Yazan in the Central Marche. Yazan initially hides the fact that he possesses one of these weapons, but after some persuasion, reveals that he found it lying around and didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands. He was planning to break it apart and sell it. The group learns that the weapon is equipped with a limiter, making it legal, but removing it would make it extremely lethal.

They are given two choices:

Buy the weapon with the limiter enabled.

Buy it with the limiter disabled.

Opting for safety, Van chooses Option 1, acquiring the weapon with the limiter intact.

Feri Connect Event: Van and Feri head to the Grand Prix area for some rock climbing. Van’s age catches up with him quickly, while Feri seems to be a natural. She offers him some tips, and although Van makes some progress, he ultimately falls and gives up, unable to even lift his Xipha afterward. Feri wants to keep going, but Van admits defeat.

Suddenly, Fie shows up (even though she was supposed to have left for Basel already). She suggests joining in, saying it's a good way to unwind before her trip.

The two compete in a friendly race and afterward, they sit beneath a billboard reminiscing about Aida and the events of Kuro 2. Fie mentions how she wishes she could have been there. Surprisingly, Van eventually catches up to them, leaving Feri impressed since she thought he had run out of strength. Fie praises Feri, treating her as an equal, and takes her leave.

Feri then opens up to Van about how impressive Fie is as a frontline Bracer. Van asks what Feri plans to do next, now that she’s had her coming-of-age ceremony and been chosen as the Priestess of Flames. Reflecting on the people she’s met and everything that’s happened since the prologue, Feri acknowledges that there’s more to life than just being a Jaegar. She realizes that she, too, can become anything she sets her mind to.

Yume Connect Event:

Van takes Yume out shopping, having been given money by both Paulette and Viktor to buy Agnes a birthday present. They finally decide on a sentimental picture book, hoping Agnes will appreciate it. However, Yume notices someone holding a toy camera and expresses her own desire for one. Though the outing is supposed to focus on Agnes, Yume admirably puts her own wishes aside. Impressed by her thoughtfulness, Van buys her the camera anyway, jokingly calling himself a softie.

Back in Old Town, Yume explains why she wanted the toy camera: to capture precious memories. She reflects on how much things have changed since Van came into her life, noting that even her mother and grandpa seem more energetic, and Maxim has changed too. She expresses her desire to cherish the present moment, which she considers her best life, and wishes the same happiness for Agnes.

Viktor appears, noticing the camera, and gives Van a stern look for overspending. He insists on giving Van some money back, which Van tries to refuse, but Viktor demands he take it.

---

Levre District: Van and the group visit the 10th district, Levre. Quatre comments on its beautiful, varied terrain, and the others agree. Judith casually mentions that she’s been here at night punishing corrupt politicians as Grimcats. Aaron, surprised, asks when she even joined them, considering she was late earlier in the act. Judith brushes it off, saying she already finished her previous event.

Agnes invites the group to her father’s home after they finish their activities, offering to prepare lunch. While exploring, Agnes points out La Provence Café, noting that Albert and Odette often study there. Talking to an NPC named Mylene, they learn that she’s Odette’s mother and expresses gratitude to the group. In the chapel, Bergard admits he’s never been to this one before, and Agnes shares trivia about climbing to the bell tower. Feri is excited by the idea. Approaching the park, Feri comments on the great view of Trion Tower and the city, and Agnes mentions that Levre’s best feature is its sunrise, if you wake up early enough to see it.

They check a bulletin board but find no 4SPGs. However, a ripped piece of paper on the back raises questions. Van asks Bergard for his thoughts, and you have several options to choose from:

Option 1: Prank by a Child

Option 2: Code for a Crime

Option 3: It was a 4SPG

Option 4: It's a Mystery

I chose Option 3, and Van concludes that it was likely taken down after three days, since he doesn’t frequent the area. This choice rewards you with 2 SP.

----

Agnes’s Home:

Upon entering Agnes’s home, her dog Alphonse enthusiastically jumps on Van. Gramheart, taking a break, is surprised to see the group and invites them in. In the living room, Van asks about the space project and whether activating Phase 2 ahead of schedule was planned. Gramheart confirms it was due to everyone’s hard work. Aaron bluntly asks if the Dummy Unit is meant to represent an AF at all, as it looks nothing like the ones in the previous game. Van and Feri both give Aaron unamused looks. Gramheart laughs, saying the new model was built from the ground up and to look forward to its debut on launch day. Van asks if it's being tested in secret, but Gramheart jokingly suggests Van could be a test pilot if he’s that curious, even offering to suggest it to Kincaid. Van, flustered, begs him not to.

Bergard, suspicious, asks about Gramheart’s involvement with the Organization. Gramheart insists their agreement was just to ensure they didn’t interfere with his plans. After the discussion, Gramheart points out that the house is 70 years old. Judith’s Grimcat device suddenly glows, catching her off guard, though Gramheart seems unfazed. He leaves soon after.

As the group explores the house, Van reflects on its age, noting that it must have been built during Sheena Dirke’s time in the Third Republic. In the living room, a vinyl player plays "Life Goes On" (or "Days Gone By" from Hajimari). Upstairs, Van, Quatre, and Feri explore Agnes’s room and find Epstein’s notes. Feri notices the name “Herschel” in the notes, and the group immediately thinks of Towa.

In Gramheart’s office, they discover three photos. The first is of a young Gramheart with Agnes’s mom, Sophie Claudel, and her grandmother, Liliya, Epstein’s adopted daughter. The second photo shows Gramheart as an adult, now a military officer, with Sophie as a high school student. The final photo shows Gramheart, Agnes, and Sophie, with Agnes looking about twelve years old. Van notes that Gramheart doesn’t look much different now. Agnes walks in, explaining that she’s never met her grandmother, Liliya, but thinks the photos show a nice expression. Van jokes about how the Claudel family genes are strong since they all look nearly identical, but Agnes disagrees, saying their personalities are all different. She then remembers she was supposed to be cooking and hurries off.

Outside, Van and Aaron chat as Aaron plays with Alphonse. Van asks if Aaron is a dog lover, leading to a story about Aaron’s childhood in rentals where pets weren’t allowed. He would wander the streets, petting random dogs. Meanwhile, Bergard notices the flowers are arranged in a way reminiscent of the Middle Ages. After eating Agnes’s sandwich, they think about Grendel Zolga’s last words about the resets, and  how the “observation” from the Eighth Genesis still isn’t over. Van wonders if the observing was meant for the Demon Core that Van had and wonders what could the observation be if it’s just observing the negative aspects of mankind and what it’s trying to accomplish.

They bring up the name “Herschel” again and wonder if it’s just a coincidence that Towa shares the same last name. Bergard clarifies that it’s no coincidence: Towa’s grandfather was a well-known astrologist in the Erebonian Empire. Their conversation is interrupted when Odette and Albert show up, with Albert a little annoyed to see Van at Agnes’s house. Odette teases him, saying he’s been whining about not seeing Agnes in a while, even though exams are over. The group encourages Agnes to help them out, while Van suggests the others handle the 4SPGs, since the Student Council can’t always rely on Renne and must grow on their own.

---

And that's where the SAVE option finally appears. So much content!

I will make another post, thank you if you made it this far.

[stellawolfearts]

love how quickly Mac flip flops between doting parent and edgy lone wolf

Like sir pull yourself out of the denial and just devote yourself to motherhood you can be a bloodthirsty badass and a good parent. you don't have to pick

Also sorry for spoilers but uh AAAAAAAAAAAAHAZUREISINHEREYEEESSS

I love that man, don't love his actions but I love him. Also Faris is great, love him, I feel like he'd fight azure for uncle rights over xaiohua

Macaque is just like.

I cant be a parent *puts the cloak over nezha's shoulders to keep him hidden and because its cold in the undercity*

Im so terrible *carries the injured boy to safety*

*theyd be better off without me* kicks the asses of the people who dared to mess with his kids*

like bro make up ur mind lmao.

and yesyes i agree. he can be a bloodthirsty badass and a good parent. those two are not mutually exclusive.

Azure is definitely one of my favorite charatcer arcs in this fic. my plans for him are just. WADSEFRGDTHJAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAI CANT WAIT-

also thanks so much! im so glad you guys like feris. hes such a goofball. and yes. if there was such a fight feris wouldnt hold back against azure for uncle rights.

[laissez-faerie]

#13 Sea of Swords

Start date: April 1st, 2022

End date: November 11th 2022

Card: king of clubs ;; Frivolity, intelligence and insight ;; is to be seen a good omen

Tweet: 'On the matter of pirates, love, old friends, and wasted potential'

1/10 clearly not my favorite

Notes: lets get this over with ; remember when I said I was trying not to take 3 months again? kept my word ;;sweat;

Full honesty, this one feels like trudging your shoes in the dirt ;; there are important moments! Wulfie gets his hammer back and is married, Drizzt + Catti start the possibility of getting together, and my favorite part of dragonlance - the dilemma of the long lasting

Tbh between these 7 months I don’t remember much so let’s try our best to piece together what quotes I felt memorable enough to take a pic of

I thought the fake out on the first page was cool

Bob’s a real family man and I think you’re very much to notice in this book

Woman moment

Regis (and bruenor) are usually outshined by their co cast while they’re mostly functionally and also bumbling; Regis took down Crenshinibon, got captured by entreri (on more than one occasion), ‘talked’ his way out of encounters (GET PENDANT’ED) and with his most recent spear to the shoulder injury he just doesn’t feel like he can keep up and do his part amongst the companions but he truly feels his place is with them and they with him

Finally that “what are we?” question

We went through auckney again and saw Meralda + Feri again! There’s a couple of cute moments like when Catti-Brie feeds Drizzt soup or when she’s trying on dresses. Smth about Catti-Brie trying to get out of her comfort zone and be all fancy just warms my heart

Elifain, poor Elifain. Vengeance destroyed her. Did not feel good in this book, like im happy that Drizzt is alive but I didn’t think Lelorinel would be snuffed out as a character so quickly and it feels so meaningless, like the waste of a life. The book doesn’t go deeper than ‘I feel bad’ but im sure we’ll get an essay or two or maybe 6 about these events in upcoming books

Uhh Wulfgars going back home w his new family and Gandalugs overdue death (IM SORRY THATS SO MANY BUT IM JUST OVER IT I GET THAT THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN UGHH) and now Bruneor’s king and everyone’s going back to Icewind Dale (more like Icewind Fail)

Ugh ending this w my favorite part

[stateofsport211]

📸 ATP Challenger Livestream (via website)

Interestingly, A. Fery appeared more stable in the second set than the first. Although he started by being broken early (1-0), he quickly found a way back through his defense-to-offense mechanism, ending his construction with a smash for his 1-point lead before he eventually broke back to 1-1. A. Fery then proceeded the moment with a service game hold to 2-1 before his volley started to work again, getting Zeppieri to overhit his forehand (which was intended to be a down-the-line shot, but was executed too wide) for his one-point lead before converting his break point several points later thanks to another volley to succeed Zeppieri’s forehand error. A. Fery then consolidated his lead to 4-1.

It took three consecutive holds before A. Fery ended up did not need to serve for the match. Zeppieri’s failed volley, which created A. Fery’s match point, was eventually converted at the cost of Zeppieri’s forehand error, which was fired too wide for the Brit to secure another milestone, which is his maiden Challenger semifinal by taking the second set 6-2, sending a statement that a more offensive version of him could be dangerous for everyone alike.