#training center designed jewelry

[hanmaitani]

A Winter Ball

PAIRING - Faerie Prince!Kita Shinsuke x Wingless Faerie!Reader WC - 3.1K GENRE - fluff CW - reader wears a dress and jewelry, kita is my dream

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As fall nears its close, Shinsuke longs more and more to bring you into his home. He longs to show you the glamorous palace and the fine pleasures that he hopes one day will be yours just as they are his. He wants to show you who he truly is and hopes desperately that you’ll accept him despite the omission he’s been spinning around for the months he’s known and fallen for you. Shinsuke’s plans start to fall in place when he’s presented with a perfect opportunity to bring you into the kingdom for a night.

It’s a shock to him when he’s confronted by his grandmother’s private seamstress. Wings fluttering behind her, scraps of fabrics falling from the book in her arms as she scurries towards him. “Your highness! Your highness, a moment please!” She bows quickly when she finds herself directly in front of her crown prince before quickly explaining herself. “I was sent on business from her majesty, she requested I speak to you in private about this matter.” Her eyes flicker towards the guard posted at the entrance to the hall, a formality of the palace that Shinsuke had never gotten used to.

Shinsuke scrunches his eyebrows in slight confusion before nodding and leading the seamstress into the adjacent office room, an empty space in which they could shut the door and have a bit of privacy. “What business did my grandmother send you for?”

“Right!” She shuffled quickly to the desk and laid open the book in her arms, flipping through the pages before she came to the correct one. “Her majesty has commissioned me to design a dress for your highness’ mysterious faerie. She’s under the assumption you would like to invite her to the ball you’re hosting for this year’s solstice.”

Shinsuke stood in shock for a moment, blinking blankly at the small girl next to him as her wings nearly buzzed in excitement.

“Her majesty sent me to you so you could help me with some of the design aspects. And the fabrics you’d wish for me to use for it.” He watched as her hand brushed over the page, small fingers pointing to the first image, the front of the dress. “I was thinking of a corseted front and I have these small jewels I can embroider into the swirls.” She rifled through the pocket of her dress and produced a small pack of cerulean gemstones to lay in front of him on the table. “The dress would end just above the floor so that it wouldn’t catch while she danced. Could you acquire her height for me please?”

“My grandmother asked you to do this?” The seamstress nodded without looking up, unaware of the softness that had come over Shinsuke’s features, the sudden realization he could bring you here. He had no time for his worries to begin about the lack of your wings before the seamstress turned her page.

“The back wouldn’t hold a train because though that would be elegant, it would make it awfully hard to dance.” She giggled slightly at her own comment and Shinsuke spoke before she could continue.

“What is that?” His eyes were glued to the center of the dress, the delicate sketches taking him off guard.

“Ah! Yes! Her majesty was very specific that the wings on the dress should be perceived as if they were simply laying down in a relaxed position. She asked me to speak to you of that as well, what the coloring and shape should be like so that I may properly attach them to the dress and make them look as natural as possible.”

“She-” Shinsuke cut himself off, his mind spinning over the woman next to him so casually speaking of adding false wings onto a dress for you. “Excuse me for a moment.” He turned back towards the door.

“Your highness, before you go!” She called quickly, forcing Shinsuke to turn to see her over his shoulder. “Thoughts, please? So that I may get started. I’ve been instructed to finish her dress before I work on her majesty’s.”

Shinsuke paused, his thoughts were racing but he breathed long enough to answer. “The jewels, could we do them in a lavender instead?” The seamstress nodded, quickly noting it on the paper. “The fabric should be made from the softest petals, but with iridescence.” He sighed to turn before one more thought. “It should be accessorized with gold.”

“The shoes as well?” Shinsuke nodded curtly at the seamstress before opening the door. “She’s in her study! Please come by my workshop when you’re done, for the shaping!”

Shinsuke’s steps were rushed as he navigated through the vast emptiness of the palace, towards his grandmother’s quarters. Quickly but firmly shutting himself inside her study with her, shooing off the guard to ensure the privacy of their upcoming conversation.

“Grandmother,” he turned to face her, worry written across his features as he stared at her from across the room, “you-”

“Please do not scrunch your face like that my darling boy.” She smiled lightly above the rim of her teacup before setting it down. “I assume my seamstress has finally caught up with you?”

“Yes, she just has. She informed me that you-”

“Wonderful, and has she begun to design something wonderful for your mystery faerie.”

“Well, yes. But grandmother she told me you-”

“Yes, yes, my boy. I know.” His grandmother smiled grandly at the speechlessness that Shinsuke now demonstrated. “She’s a wingless one isn’t she?” She hummed in thought as she stood and rounded her desk to be face to face with him. Her soft hands cupped his face and closed his mouth that he, until that point, was unaware was open. “Tried to think of why my grandson would neglect to introduce me to the faerie he’s found himself so enamored by. Pieced it together when I noticed you walking more and flying less. Practicing for her, no?”

“And you’re…” Shinsuke trailed off, eyes flickering around the glimmer in his grandmother’s eyes, “you’re not upset?”

“Oh my dear boy, no.” She smiled as she brushed back a piece of Shinsuke’s hair. “I’m thrilled that you’ve found someone you love so deeply. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. Where she comes from and what she doesn’t possess is of no concern to me. So long as she loves you back.” Shinsuke breathed deeply, like a weight had been lifted off of him as his grandmother removed her hands. “The royal advisors on the other hand,” she scoffed at her own mention of them, “oh they’d have a fit to know she was wingless. So we shall keep it from them for now, yes? Let the two of you enjoy yourselves a bit longer.” She gave a playful smile over her shoulder as Shinsuke still stood there speechless at the new revelation.

“Now,” she clapped her hands together as she made her way back to her original seat, “please go make your way back to my seamstress so she can make this dress perfect for my future granddaughter.” Shinsuke’s cheeks flared up at his grandmother’s casual permission for him to marry you but he couldn’t help the smile on his lips. “Oh! And see if you can’t get Aran to go along with you when you stop by now and then. I do think she’s sporting a bit of a crush on him and I think they’d be wonderful together.”

Shinsuke smiled at his grandmother’s typical meddling as he showed himself out of the study, a newfound goal in his mind.

In the following weeks, Shinsuke spends any free time he’s not with you, practicing his dancing and helping to design your new dress. He has a newfound excitement for the upcoming ball. He usually doesn’t find himself in excitement over the annual winter solstice ball, but with the prospect of you being there, he can’t seem to get time to move quickly enough.

He’s roped everyone into helping him practice his dancing. Swearing Aran, Suna, and the twins to secrecy as he drags them into his quarters at night and forces them to play the part of you in the dance. He wants to pull it off perfectly, for it to be seamless and unsuspecting when he spins you in the air. So people don’t notice that your wings are all for show.

She shoes are the first thing he gifts you as he asks you to come to the ball at the palace, assuring you he has a way that no one will suspect anything. He spends days practicing your walk in them. The small heel being more than you’d ever tried before leads to a couple stumbles and falls. He always catches you. By the time the ball has approached, he has you buzzing in excitement. He leaves you the day before with the newly finished dress and all the accessories he’s had created along with it.

You feel weird, you won’t lie to yourself. You’ve never donned such an elegant garment. The petals that make the dress are made of the softest lavender petals layered along the inside of an pellucid iridescent silk-like fabric. The lavender crystalline decorations that decorated the front of the corset top sparkled and refracted light across the walls of your small home.

Angel sleeves made of the same iridescent silk that lined the rest of your dress laid daintily along your arms, just translucent enough to be able to see the arm bracelets Shinsuke had provided you adorning your forearms. Gold metal that matched the other jewelry, decorated with dainty golden butterflies and flowers, glimmering and twisting around both your arms. The pieces on your ears resembled the same style. Small pins of gold swirling up and around your ears with small lavender gems encrusted into their surface. Even the shoes were gold and matching. Golden dragonflies laid across the toes of them.

By far, however, the part that had shocked you the most, was the heaviness from the back of the dress. Large wings stitched into the back seams of the dress. They looked perfect, real, as if they emerged from beneath the dress. As if they belonged to you.

The wings shimmered as you turned. Light filtering through them to produce purple and pink shadows across the walls. They were upright, as if you could take off with them, a change from the original plan that you were unaware that Shinsuke had made for you.

A knock at your door shook you from the enchantment your reflection was holding you in at the moment. Not fully recognizing yourself beneath the sparkles and ornate jewelry. You expected Shinsuke to greet you when your door opened but were taken aback by the two boys who graced your presence instead.

“Sorry, I was expecting-” You cut yourself off as you looked at the nearly identical boys, nervousness pulling on the seam where your corset reached the skirt of your dress.

“His high-ow.” The brunette rubbed his arm where the black haired boy had jabbed him but quickly cleared his throat and started over. “Shinsuke sent us to escort you.”

The other seemed to pick up on your apprehension, the way your eyes flitted between the two, and yanked who you assumed to be his brother back by a step to seem less imposing. “Shinsuke had to finish his part in setting up the ball.” He explained, his tongue twisting around the partial truth as he stared at you. “I’m Osamu, and this is Atsumu. We’re part of the palace’s court.” Osamu offered you his hand and you tentatively took it, letting him guide you outside of your home.

“No worries, our only job right now is to make sure you get there safely.” Atsumu held his hand out for you to place your other in and they effortlessly lifted you onto the back of one of the spirit foxes that loved you so much.

Your nerves were soothed slightly when you twisted your hands in the fox’s fur, a familiar place for you to be as the three of you set off towards the forest. You tried to prepare yourself to go deeper into the kingdom than you’d ever ventured before. No idea what to expect from the kingdom you’d only ever dreamed of being in. Worried that you would be found out tonight.

Nothing could have prepared you for the sight of the palace. It was larger than anything you’d dreamed up. Copper, gold, and platinum twisted into decorations that graced every wall and arch in elegant designs. Flowers grew off every surface, soft white petals falling now and then into the pathways made of stone.

“Come now, he must be waiting.” Osamu beckoned you down from your seat and you silently thanked him when he helped your dress not get caught on the way. You could hear the music from the courtyard playing as you entered the front gate, your breath catching at every new sight.

“Now,” Atsumu caught your attention as you neared the last archway, “make sure to curtsy when you get to him.”

“Wait, what?” You whipped your head around in confusion to look at him but there was just a mischievous smile on his lips as he bowed slightly and went through the archway, leaving you behind.

“Common courtesy.” Osamu wore the same little smile as he duplicated his brother’s actions and disappeared through the arch.

It took a few deep breaths and a very adamant internal pep talk for you to work up the courage to walk through the archway yourself. Pushing the vines that acted like a curtain out of the way you slowly saw the party coming into view.

Faeries were walking and flying from one spot to another. Laughter and cheering came from small groups and chatter filled the empty air. The smile that grew on your face was inevitable. You’d never seen so many faeries in the same place before.

Shinsuke caught sight of you before you’d seen him. His heart seemed to jump into his throat, the simple golden crown sat heavy on his head. He was sure he could pass it for normal, a few of the other faeries wearing headpieces to the ball as well. But you looked stunning. He was sure, if he wasn’t already in love with you, he would have fallen for you on the spot.

The light from the fireflies that lit up the courtyard seemed to bounce off you every time you turned, sending your sparkles across the crowd. He nervously toyed with the headpiece he held at his side as he stepped down from his spot on the steps. The crowd parted for him easily, giving him quicker access to you.

Your attention was drawn by your name being called. Shinsuke looked like he walked straight out of your dreams. In a lavender suit with golden patterns of swirls. A small crown of golden leaves laid on top of his silver hair. His eyes were glued to you. It felt like even the crowd parted for the two of you to meet.

You let out a soft ‘oh’ as you got to him, nearly forgetting what the twins had told you to do. The soft curtsy you gave made Shinsuke’s cheeks heat up slightly as he smiled at you.

“You look enchanting.” He breathed the words out as he looked at you eyes shining as he admired the way the dress looked on you. There weren’t enough words in his vocabulary to express how beautiful he thought you were. “I have one thing I forgot to give you.”

You saw the gold as he lifted it towards your head. A diadem made from dainty golden leaves. Encrusted with lavender colored jewels and decorated with golden dragonflies just like your shoes. He placed the headpiece delicately on the top of your head before stepping back to admire you in full.

“You look really nice, Shin.”

“You look like everything I’ve ever dreamed of.” The sentiment makes a blush settle on your cheeks, warmth blooming against the cold air as he bows towards you, offering his hand for you to take. “Will you do me the pleasure of dancing with me?” A smile plays on his lips as you place your hand in his and let him lead you towards the floor.

It’s like stepping into your home, when you feel Shinsuke pull you into his arms on the dance floor. It’s all a fairytale, being with him here, but the nervousness still settles across your skin like the whispers do among the crowd. You can feel the eyes on the two of you as you follow his lead, gliding across the floor daintily.

“Shinsuke,” your whisper is barely heard above the strings of the music as the two of you dance, “they’re all staring.” Your eyes flit nervously across the still crowd, connecting briefly with a few pairs of eyes, strangers who you’ve never seen before. “They know the wings are fake, don’t they?”

Shinsuke’s laugh is soft and it calms your nerves as his palm smoothes over your waist, fingers spreading to reach just under the base of the faux wings. “No, they’re staring because you’re the most beautiful thing they’ve ever laid eyes on.” He leans to dip you, spinning at the same time and your eyes flutter. It feels like an illusion, the crowd letting out a collective gasp as your dress flares out around you and Shinsuke. “Do you trust me?” He asks as he lifts you back to him, arm winding your waist, keeping you closer than before.

“With my life.” You don’t think before the words tumble from your lips, true feelings spilling straight from your soul into your voicebox. 

You barely notice it at first. You’re too lost in the feeling of warmth between the two of you, lost in the glimmer of his eyes. It isn’t until he dips you again that you notice your feet aren’t on the ground anymore, that the faeries surrounding you were lower, staring at the two of you in awe. A sudden wave of euphoria takes over your body as Shinsuke effortlessly twirls you, keeping the two of you suspended.

A crescendo in the music has other couples joining you in the air. It’s a flurry of spinning dresses and fireflies that dip between couples. Wings that flutter and sparkle under the lights, refracting diamond-like reflections along the gardens and the slopes of the vine-covered walls. You’re lost in the beauty of it all and Shinsuke is lost in the beauty of you. He’s in love with this, being able to show you off, to love you openly in front of his entire kingdom.

TAGLIST - OPEN

@all-in-the-fandoms @pearl-blue-musings @qichun @yellowsakurablossoms

[reyaint]

RED VELVET dr | intro

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date: november 17, 2024.

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--stole off Pinterest bc it fit

𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒍𝒚

ARIA (아리아), is a Haiqinian member of the South Korean girl group Red Velvet and the female unit GOT the Beat, She made her solo debut on October 9th, 2022 with ANIMAL FARM

OFFICIAL COLORS: raspberry pink, white

SOLO FANDOM NAME: nobles

𝑰𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚, 𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍, 𝑰𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅

ARIA

Career

Main Vocal, Lead Dancer, Lead Rapper, Center

Rep Animal; 🦁

Training Period; 2 years, 2 months

Talents; dancing and vocals.

Specialities; mind games.

ISTJ (formerly INTJ)

Haiqinian

Insta; Aria_MedeanZ

Basics

Aeolian Medea Kayena Solon

CN Name; Zhao Na Feng ❪赵娜峰❫

KR Name; Kwon Mi Ae ❪권미에❫

English Name; Anne Solon

Birthplace; Waterlight City, Nirin Province, Haiqin

November 17, 1998

Scorpio

Tiger

O-

5’9 ft ❪177cm❫

VC: 96neko, Rubyeye

Trivias (Kprofiles)

Her designated color is raspberry pink, though she has seen with orange and white

Her nicknames are Butterfly or Fawn due to her elegance

Her representative fruit is strawberry🍓

Her representative weapon is daggers

Her representative drink is Pink Fizzy Drink (Ingredients: Strawberry, Lemon Juice, Red Lotus, Soda)

Her favorite number is 13 due to it being good luck in her culture.

She graduated from Seoul International High School in 2017.

Her favorite foods are: Nirin Stew, steak, kimchi, spicy foods, fish, and apples

She's a big fan of Yuzuru Hanyu, she even started figure skating in middle school and kept on until she moved to Korea

She has her driver license (in Haiqin)

When speaking Korean she has a Daegu accent despite going to school in Seoul, due to some of her friends being from Daegu. She ended up picking up from Irene as well.

She collects gaming keyboards, knives (decorative), jewelry, and stuffed animals

She acted in the Kdrama Version of “Mercenary Enrollment” as “Maya”

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆

-Excited for this dr

-I use the same name for pretty much every dr I have bc I love it sm

-My kprofiles for my drs are relatively the same bc I just find it easier copy and pasting so yeah

-I love RV sm bro😭I'm so excited

-I feel like my trivia may be very uhh...the same but that's bc I'm lazy lmao.

[harlequinoccult]

Third RO to get a pokémon team is none other than Elysium (Dark/Normal/Water). Their team was blast to put together within the available typings.

Starting off with a Furfrou, this dog has the aristocatic flair that is just perfect for Elysium, while also being fierce enough to be designated guardian of kings. He pays more for his Furfrou's trimming sessions than some people pay on rent. World's most spoiled dog will look extremely annoyed if blood gets on its fur and, honestly, Elysium gets it, it is really pretty fur.

Second is Milotic. Of course they would get a breathtakingly beautiful pokémon that is known to be a pain in the neck to obtain. Loves being the center of attention.

His starter is a Primarina. They are GNC buddies and have matching scars. It was his price to pay, but Primarina would not let him carry the burden alone. Elysium has... complex feelings about that.

Mega Houndoom is Elysium's actual hound dog, getting dirty by its trainer's side as they score another kill. It enjoys a good grooming session and training alongside Elysium, but hates social situations, even if it can play the part of a well-behaved dog.

Sableye helps Elysium decide on what jewelry to wear by eating any gems it considers not being up to its trainer's standards. May or may not have helped get rid of evidence via munching, crunching and hiding it in a cave.

Indeedee is usually the one holding down the fort when Ely is away. It is highkey their secretary and has unlimited access to their credit card and all of their online accounts.

hehe

[headtripped]

MUN INTRO: hey! my name's peyton [th/th, cst, 21+] & i'll be writing for sverre olsen, lee hyeon, selena palacio & dylan hwang here. you can find me on discord @ #seamonkeydefender & please feel free to add me w/o asking as well! discord is my preferred plotting method. all of my characters are on sideblogs aside from sverre, so i will be dming from @portra400s when necessary... hehe

CHARA INTRO: next up, lee hyeon. he's a 25yr old city boy, currently "visiting" yuseong bay (re: staying here indefinitely) to ride out some bad press, as he was an idol up until his group noisily disbanded in late 2023. he's always been interested in cars/had some mechanic experience so he's now the shop hand at park's garage. you can view his stats here & his pinterest here if interested!

answer the following prompts, either ooc or ic!

when did your muse first arrive in yuseong bay?: has visited a few times before, but moved to yuseong bay indefinitely in february 2024.

what does an average day look like for your muse?: wake up around 6:30 or 7:00am, skincare/brush teeth, go for a jog around town, go back home to have breakfast, go to work, go home to shower and change clothes, go out for a while (probably for a joyride, but maybe somewhere to socialize), go home to spend the rest of the evening helping out around the house or working on music, go to sleep.

where can your muse usually be found?: during the day, he's usually at park's garage. aside from that, he's known to just cruise around in his car; though it is somewhat common to see him in the recreation center's gym or at 88& bar.

how does your muse feel about hanwha resort?: indifferent. it doesn't affect him in any way, but he's currently living with his best friend's grandparents, and he feels a bit sad for them that their quiet little town is becoming a little less quiet. still, he doesn't care a whole lot as it doesn't seem to have done any real harm to the area, and is more just of a nuisance than anything from what he can see.

is there an aspiration for your muse to stay in or leave yuseong bay?: he's waiting out bad press, so he'll probably be in yuseong bay until (a) his location leaks or (b) he can search his name without the disbandment news & articles about him being sued being the first things to come up. he was young when he started training to be an idol & only 18 when he debuted, soooo he's also just now getting a chance to (kind of) relax for the first time in his life—these are his motivations to stay, but he's a city boy at heart & does want to return to being a public figure when the drama dies down, so he'll have to leave sooner or later.

answer the following, ooc!

list your muse's three favorite songs: cleanin' out my closet by eminem, shark attack by limp bizkit, humble by kendrick lamar (honorable mentions: liberation by skyminhyuk & gottasade by bewhy); a fan of hip-hop & heavy rock.

describe your muse's style: simple, straight-forward. a closet full of basics in a dark color palette, but if pay him any mind, you’ll see that most of what he wears is designer—he’ll define his taste as “quiet elegance,” but it’s mostly just his pretentiousness speaking. occasionally wears accent pieces or graphic tees, but mostly stays minimalistic with layered jewelry as the “point”.

color, word, and emoji to describe your muse?: burnt sienna, "noise", 🔥

three strong likes and dislikes for your muse: really likes reptiles, racing, fashion / really doesn't like scifi, having to share anything, being disagreed with.

three positive and negative traits for your muse: positive decisive, hard-working, supportive / negative dishonest, unloyal, volatile.

three talents and shortcomings for your muse: very musically skilled, esp with producing, great at making decisions when no one else can/wants to (he'll never make you choose where to eat), very handy / poor control on his emotions, often acts without thinking, starts shit he can't finish.

what is a book/tv series/movie/video game character that you feel your character relates to?: mostly mac, some dennis (it's always sunny).

a relevant goal or arch for your character to overcome: hyeon's a very self-focused person. he's not quite as bad as he was when he was a little younger, but he's still quite aggressive & quick to use people for personal gain, then ditch them when they have nothing left to offer—doesn't necessarily want to be like this, and he's gained some self-awareness in recent times. so, it'd be nice if he can (start to) overcome this and view people as... people... instead of tools to get himself further in life!!! which will hopefully be easier for him in a place like yuseong bay anyway, where life is a little slower and the people are more genuine than what he's used to. aside from this, he has some inner child healing he needs to do and also needs to rediscover his own personality outside of the public image he's curated.

MORE INFO!

hyeon was the main rapper/subvocalist of a boy group called twi5t. debuted in 2017, disbanded in late 2023. they were pretty popular and believed by the public to be not just coworkers, but very good friends—which amplified this positive, ideal perception the public had of them. tl;dr is that they all hated each other. the only real friendship was between hyeon and one other member, who happens to be from yuseong bay and whose family hyeon's currently staying with.

in his stint as an idol, hyeon was originally the least popular member of twi5t. had an attitude scandal not long after debut, so he was under scrutiny already and it didn't help that he had a rough sense of humor and a tendency to use banmal with people he ought to be respecting. over the years, he gained (some) public favor thru the extensive producing he did for the group and other groups within the industry, solo variety show appearances, community service he was forced into, etc etc. but even as people cut him more slack and started to like him, he was perceived as being the most problematic one in the group which was... not true...

but i digress. he was one of the first members to start releasing solo music, which he "bribed" the company into. basically said "hey i'll let u guys have more of the profits than stated in my contract if u let me do this" because he was like... 21 and stupid as hell JBSDHJVSBDF like... he really thought that if he gave them a leg up, it would prevent them from trying to fuck him over. spoiler: it didn't. ultimately his contract was amended and resulted in the profits from everything with his name as an individual on it being split 60% to the company and 40% to him, but he didn't realize this was a permanent thing until a few years down the line when people who'd featured on his songs were making more money off said songs than he was. atp he was one foot out the door, not caring too much about the company or group 'cause fuck those guys for real...

still tried to be on his best behavior and was gonna wait out the contract, but shit started going extremely south with the group in 2023 and hyeon got sued into the ground for slander & breach of contract over a drunk instagram live he did where he was talking about it. aired out not only the group, but the company's business—basically talking about how the members didn't get along, citing a few instances, bitching about management never helping and just sweeping problems under the rug, mentioning how the company trapped him in an unfair contract, etc etc. so yea... his reputation's in the dirt!

anyway... he's 25 now. his brain's finally fully developed. he's learned from his mistakes. he's a better & smarter man than he used to be, but still has a long way to go. picked up a job at park's garage not longer after moving to yuseong bay, as he doesn't like to have too much time to sit around and sulk—helps that he's extremely interested in cars & had some prior mechanic experience from pre-debut and sidework for friends throughout his career.

speaking of cars........ he has two: a 2008 mitsubishi eclipse spyder, which usually sits @ the garage and his flashy daily driver, a 2022 mclaren 765lt. who's he pissing off when he goes joyriding with the top down?

[diamondcrownacademy]

DCA Info Part 14: Ceremonial Dorm Sorting and the Freshmen Welcoming Ceremony

The art used is from this post

Ceremonial Dorm Sorting

First years are brought to the throne room by the crystal carriage. The carriage has soft bedding inside of it and the student sleeps soundly as they are transported.

Unlike NRC's carriage that holds coffins, the student is merely slumbering on the bed provided in the carriage, the windows are covered by curtains of course. The carriage is pulled by two unicorns who are trained by the school to retrieve the chosen students.

How the unicorns can traverse through several miles with a student on top of that is a complete mystery.

When the students arrive at the academy, they are placed at the sorting room that actually has two parts. The first half is the large garden where the girls all sleep on the soft grass surrounded by mysterious flowers. While the other half is where the dorm sorting occurs.

The dorm fairies enter the garden where they will use their magic on the flowers that will awaken the students. Then they will lead the students to the dorm sorting area where the staff and the dorm leaders will wait for them.

The room looks like a crystalized ballroom. There is a fountain on the far end at the center and in front of it lies a podium where a jewelry box with a key is placed. The walls have stained glass portraits of the ten princesses where the dorm leaders will have to stand by their respective window as the dorm sorting commences.

The Royal Jewelry Box

This is a magical tool that is the prized possession of the academy, much like the Dark Mirror in NRC.

The jewelry box will only be opened by the key that is always next to it. Even though it seems like others might be able to open it easily, it won't be as simple as that.

The jewelry box has a sentience of its own and will only let the key be used to whomever it deems worthy. Anyone unworthy who tries to pick up the key would feel hot iron on their skin.

Trying to pry it open wouldn't work either and even if you drop a heavy weight on it, the box will still be in good condition.

The students will be called one by one to turn the key of the jewelry box where they will gain a jewel. This jewel will be placed on their head which will magically turn into a crown that they will wear alongside their Ceremonial Gowns.

The crown's design is based on the dorm, said design is the same for all the students of that particular dorm.

Ceremonial Crowns

🍎 Pommeneige's crown has a tree branches incorporated in it's design and has a ruby jewel.

👠 Glastanzerin's crown has a small castle incorporated in it's design and has an opal gem.

🐰 Futterwacken's "crown" consists of a flower wreath with an ametrine gem.

🌹 Rosadormienti's crown has roses and thorns incorporated in it's design and has a rose quartz gem.

🐠 Coquille's crown has seashells incorporated in it's design and has purple colored pearl.

📚 Chateau Beastiale's crown has a design reminiscent of the Beast's horns and has a topaz jewel.

🏝️ Magiaoasis's crown has swirly lines incorporated in it's design and has a sapphire jewel.

🐲 Dragonstone's crown has a dragon incorporated in it's design and has a garnet jewel.

🍂 Sagamore's crown has leaves incorporated in it's design and has an amber jewel.

🐸 Lagniappe's crown has lily pads incorporated in it's design and has an emerald gem.

The purpose of the tiara is to signify the dorm the student belongs to. Other than that it's necessary to wear the Ceremonial Crown during occasions where it is mandatory to wear their Ceremonial Gowns.

As for the rings, they will acquire those alongside the crown, as they are given by the school alongside their uniforms for both campus and dorm wear.

The rings are made with magic and can shrink or enlarge to fit the size of the finger the student chooses to wear it on.

The Freshmen Welcoming Ceremony

As the name implies, it is a ceremony to welcome the new students to Diamond Crown Academy. During the ceremony, the dorm tenants have to wear their coronation robes. But only the dorm leaders go to the throne chamber while the tenants have to make sure the welcoming party goes smoothly.

🍎 Pommeneige

The Pommeneige dorm prepares a nice warm meal such as potato and sausage stew, apple dumplings, gooseberry pie and apple cider. These dishes are essential to serve because of the princess who served the seven dwarfs the same dish as a sign of gratitude. So the students eat the meal along with the dwarfs who make them selves comfortable at the dinner table, chatting with the students and sometimes playing around. After eating, the students gather outside and they watch the dwarfs sing and dance. Sometimes the students will be tempted to join in and sing along. Then they share stories about anything they could think of before the day ends.

👠 Glastanzerin

The Glastanzerin dorm gathers the tenants to the large dining hall where there's tea and small cakes to be eaten while they make small talk. The cakes are decorated with fruits coated with nappage glaze. Afterwards, they are lead to a ballroom where the golden statues of noblemen come to life when the clock strikes 8 pm. The students then dance with the statues or just stand around and chat. The ball ends at midnight where the statues go back to their original positions and become inanimate. once again.

🐰 Futterwacken

The Futterwacken dorm will hold a chaotic tea party. They bring out the chocolate fountain that is built with several spouts that are shaped like teapots. The fountain produces about five different syrup flavors, strawberry, chocolate, cream, caramel, and maple syrup. The food they serve is a variety of tarts, waffles and cupcakes that can be decorated using several sprinkles and candies near the fountain. There's also non-dessert dishes served like scotch dodo egg, mushroom stew and tiny-to-large-sandwiches. The drinks are pink lemonade and minty earl gray tea. The teapots dance to the tune of the flowers as they sing, "All in the Golden Afternoon", where even the shrubs and trees would sway to the tune. The flowers take this chance to leave their pots and dance around the students and sometimes stand on the student's head.

🌹 Rosadormienti

For Rosadormienti, the fairies of the dorm would come out and dance about in the air and give minor blessings to the newcomers that last throughout the school year. The blessings can range from luck to protective spells to even small gifts that carry mysterious properties. The students then hold acapella shows where they sing popular songs that have the students joining in too. The dorm isn't too extravagant with the welcoming ceremony but they have fun nonetheless. When the students are asleep, the flowers release glittering pollen that gives them pleasant dreams and help them relax.

🐠 Coquille

The sea creatures and students of the Coquille dorm would attend a musical performance that the upperclassmen would prepare with the dorm leader at the center stage. They do synchronized swimming alongside other sea creatures, they finish it off with the crystal on the roof shining bright. After the performance, the freshmen students have to show their musical capabilities by doing an idol performance of their song of choice. They can perform solo or with a group if they wish. Then afterwards is the tour of the dorm where they show them their dorm rooms as well as a special visit to the Pearl Salon.

📚 Chateau Beastiale

The Chateau Beastiale dorm will of course hold a grand feast courtesy of Gustove and his floating plates accompanied by a singing chandelier. The song, "Be Our Guest", is a song that has been considered a tradition for the furniture to sing. The dishes are a variety of french cuisine and desserts for the students to enjoy. After the magnificent dinner, the students are allowed to roam about and get acquainted with one another. The freshmen are surprised that they get their own talking wardrobe, the wardrobes spend the first hour talking about what style would the student prefer so that they may do their duty to utmost perfection.

🏝️ Magiaoasis

The Magiaoasis dorm would hold their welcoming feast at the dorm's large garden area where the flamingos, peacocks and parrots would fly about and do whatever they please, occasionally a parrot or two would fly close to the students to ask for a small snack before flying off. The feast has a large spread of Middle Eastern cuisine such as, manakeesh, shawarma, baklava, and zainab fingers, with coffee and limon ou nana as refreshments. The feast isn't too extravagant but the calming atmosphere of the sunset with the sounds of chirping birds makes it feel like home.

🐲 Dragonstone

In the case of the Dragonstone dorm, there is a welcoming parade done by the dragons of the dorm, they dance and throw a golden ball around like some sort of game. The climax of the parade is when the ball is thrown high up and it explodes into a bright array of fireworks. After that, the students eat in the dining hall with the dorm leader giving a welcoming speech. The dinner isn't filled with dancing or anything, it's more of lively chatter that paints the image of a large family gathering. There's chinese hotpot, dumplings, peking duck, chow mein and wontons as the main course. Chinese snowflake cake, sticky rice cake, accompanied with complimentary fortune cookies for dessert.

🍂 Sagamore

The Sagamore dorm is more of a less grand impression but it involves students given the reminder of the harmony with the land and it's gifts. The saying, take only what you need and nothing more. There is a table filled with plenty of food such as, roasted turnips and winter squash, turkey with berry-mint sauce, and chia pudding with berries and amaranth for dessert. But they don't eat yet, they have to wait for the dorm leader to hunt one bison for the bison pot roast. The dorm leader goes to hunt for a bison but there is a strict rule that the dorm leader follows if she hunts for a bison, do not kill a female or a baby bison, and the leader of the herd must be left alone. Only hunt a male that isn't a leader, the bisons in this world have certain features that determine the leader such as large horns and a magical rune that symbolizes leader on it's body. When the dorm leader returns with a bison, the students the have the freshmen help with the preparation of cooking the bison pot roast. From there, the dorm leader gives thanks to the blessings of the earth and they tell stories while they eat.

🐸 Lagniappe

The Lagniappe dorm will always start with a jazz band playing classic jazz music or jazz covers. There's dancing and singing in the dorm, the fireflies circle around the boat as the students party.  Of course there's going to be food! The famous Gumbo made by the historical figure is to die for, beignets, jambalaya and king cake. Every dish made has to be followed accordingly to the recipes of the princess and the way she did it. Afterwards, the fireflies disperse and put on a light show for them. The animals in the swamp emerge as if to welcome the new students to the dorm. The frogs jump aboard the boat and stick close to the students as if they want to watch the show with them, this is a normal occurrence so the students are reminded to keep in mind of the frogs.

[maaarine]

Unmasking Autism (Devon Price, 2022)

"Autistic people find it rejuvenating and stimulating to spend time learning about our special interests.

In studies that examine the lives of Autistic adults, engaging with special interests is positively associated with subjective well-being.

When we get to appreciate our hyperfixations, we feel happier and more satisfied with life.

But for a long time, neurotypical researchers viewed special interests as an impediment to having a “regular” life.

ABA therapists penalize Autistic children for speaking about them, withdrawing attention and affection when the subjects come up.

This trains Autistic kids to hide their deepest joys, and avoid cultivating their passions.

Punishing Autistic children for talking about their special interests is perhaps the most arbitrarily cruel element of ABA therapy. (…)

People who routinely complete eighty-hour workweeks aren’t penalized for being obsessive or hyperfixated; they’re celebrated for their diligence.

If an adult fills their evenings after work learning to code or creating jewelry that they sell on Etsy, they’re seen as enterprising.

But if someone instead devotes their free time to something that gives them pleasure but doesn’t financially benefit anyone, it’s seen as frivolous or embarrassing, even selfish.

In this instance, it’s clear that the punishing rules imposed on Autistic children reflect a much broader societal issue: pleasure and nonproductive, playful time are not valued, and when someone is passionate about the “wrong” things, that passion is discouraged because it presents a distraction from work and other “respectable” responsibilities.

The mental health costs of preventing Autistic children from enjoying their special interests are immense.

Having the freedom to develop and express special interests is linked to improved social, emotional, and even fine motor development.

A survey of Autistic young adults by Teti and colleagues (2016) found that many use their special interests to develop emotional awareness skills and coping strategies.

This frequently plays out in fandoms and nerdy communities, where neurodiverse people with mutual special interests find one another, socialize, and sometimes begin to unmask.

In a study of internet habits, researchers Johnson and Caldwell- Harris (2012) found that Autistic adults actually had a greater variety of interests and more numerous interests than their non-Autistic peers, and made far more social media posts about their interest that were designed to provoke conversation, compared to neurotypical people.

Autistic people are also a foundational part of most fandoms and conventions centered around shared hobbies—we devote a lot of energy to finding and creating spaces where we can interact with people who share our interests, and within nerdy fandom spaces, social norms tend to be more forgiving and relaxed.

It turns out that special interests aid us in becoming more outgoing, well-rounded individuals."

[lawful-evil-novelist]

Design Notes: Kimmuriel Oblodra

This one's by request, a few people asked about him so I figured I'd share. This is mostly going to detail Kimmuriel’s design in Bag of Memories, which is a slightly more developed version of his design in The Smiling One.

Kimmuriel is a somewhat young drow in Bag of Memories.  I put his birth year at roughly 1088 DR in Bag of Memories, so he’s about 277-278 during the story.  He’s small, standing at barely five feet, and very thin.  He has muscle mass but it’s kind of negligible compared to literally everyone around him.  It’s enough that he can put up a decent  fight but not enough to really affect his body type.

I describe Kimmuriel’s face as catlike, specifically referring to his features as sharp but attractive.  He looks a lot like his father, Tsabanor, but he doesn’t have many features in common with K’yorl.  However, he does have some features in common with Jalynfein Oblodra, K’yorl’s older half-brother.  Make of that what you will.  

Kimmuriel has dark gray skin with a cool undertone, which is fairly normal for House Oblodra.  While I never designed these characters with Lolth’s Embrace in mind, I did end up notating their markings eventually because I am kinda fond of natural skin patterning.  Kimmuriel’s markings have a silver cast like all Oblodras, but his markings are extremely faint.  The most visible markings are around his eyes.

Speaking of Kimmuriel’s eyes, they’re a very dark red-violet, kind of a wine color.  They still glow a normal crimson color in the dark, but they do look a lot more purple in certain lights than, say, Rai’gy’s eyes.  Kimmuriel doesn’t have super long hair, he keeps it roughly chest-length and ties it back in a high ponytail to control it.  He habitually decorates it with little Githyanki braids, a habit he picked up from one of his childhood tutors, Kyn.  Kimmuriel also wears a very thin framing of dark blue kohl around his eyes.  Nothing fancy, and the dark color serves a further purpose of blocking sun glare on the surface.

Kimmuriel has three sets of piercings:

A set of astral silver hoops notating his formal entrance into House Oblodra at fourteen.

A pair of earrings made from Illithid bones, carved into needle-like points, made by Kyn to commemorate Kimmuriel completing his formal psionics training (Kimmuriel literally killed the illithid Kyn got the bones from).

A set of small gold studs shaped like spiders, formerly these belonged to Rai’gy, and Kimmuriel wears them as a tribute to him.

Another habit Kimmuriel picked up from Kyn was incredibly simple clothing.  I like keeping to the open skirting of drow clothing we saw in the visual dictionary, and kept that with Kimmuriel’s robes, making them very modest in comparison to most drow, with a higher collar, but more practical three-quarter length sleeves.  Generally I think he wears simple leather gauntlets to cover his hands and most of his upper arms.  Underneath he wears leggings and practical boots with a low heel.

Kimmuriel doesn’t wear any open jewelry other than his earrings, but wears his father’s amulet of catapsi under his clothes.  The amulet functionally disrupts all psionics that aren’t his own.  It’s a silver amulet set in the center with a fairly large piece of purple jasper.  It’s mostly a nice little memento, since Kimmuriel rarely uses it.

Kimmuriel wears some leather armor but only if he knows he’s going to get into a fight.  He dresses in mostly black, but his robes have some small hints of dark blue to them.  Kimmuriel still owns his House Sigil, but he almost never wears it.  He doesn’t need it to levitate so he keeps it hidden away in his room with other mementos.

Though he doesn’t seem to carry any weapons outwardly, he carries Kyn’s other gift for him: the dagger Draa’zviir (Kyn named it).  Draa’zviir is made from the tip of Kyn’s old greatsword, an astral silver blade with a dragon-bone hilt that is imbued with chaotic elemental magic.  Kimmuriel doesn’t use it often.

[herearedragons]

Hey hey! :] From the design asks, face, motion, and roots for Adina and Aqun (and/or anyone else you'd like)?

face: Describe your OC's face. What's their smile like? Are their orbs cerulean? What would someone notice first when looking at them?

Adina: …honestly, all of her features are pretty intense, but the first thing someone would notice is the side swept bright red hair and the golden earrings, because those are hard to miss on purpose. She has a pretty angular face with a strong jaw and defined cheekbones, a wide nose and wide eyes, and doesn’t really have a resting expression; her face is always doing something. I also randomly decided that she has fangs, even though it’s not a thing for Qunari even in my headcanon. I guess if you spend your formative years with one foot in the Fade, your physique gets a little weird?

Aqun: in-universe, the first thing an observer’s eye would be drawn to is probably his “horns”, since they’re equally weird to a Qunari and a non-Qunari, and the other standout feature would probably be his nose. He also has a pretty angular face, a hooked nose with a prominent nose bridge, and narrower eyes. His resting expression is this vaguely contemplative/serious/concerned look that does Not change unless there’s something significant to react to.

motion: How does your OC move? How does their clothing help or hinder their range of motion? Are they flexible, coordinated, clumsy?

Both of them are very in control of their bodies, but they’re trained for different purposes, and it shows in the way they move.

Adina’s movements are very bouncy and fluid, kind of like a dancer’s or acrobat’s. She’s really good at controlling her center of mass, so either when doing something purposefully or just in a casual situation, you’ll see her shift her weight a lot. She’s a middle-to-close range fighter, as well as a mage, so she’s used to her surroundings changing quickly and chaotically, and the way she moves allows her to respond to whatever’s happening around her. She dresses to accomodate that, too; her clothes are pretty simple and loose, and she only wears jewelry that doesn’t get in the way of what she’s doing (so bracelets and earrings, no necklaces or rings). In a more casual setting, she gestures a lot (and I mean A Lot) and just generally takes up a lot of space.

Aqun, on the other hand, is a ranged fighter; usually, he’s not engaging with an enemy directly, and his usefulness in combat depends on how quickly and precisely he operates his equipment/weapons. Unlike Adina, whose whole MO is “I’ll throw myself in a direction in the wildest way possible and still make it work for me perfectly”, Aqun’s movements are very… optimized. Everything is purposeful and quick and the best way to get from A to B, and that, again, applies both to combat and daily life. If Adina is constantly shifting, Aqun is noticeably still; you wouldn’t be able to describe it unless you were looking for it, but it really just boils down to him not making any unnecessary movements ever. Even when he’s fidgeting, it’s still a conscious, purposeful action. Clothes-wise, he also dresses comfortably and simply, but not as loosely as Adina.

roots: Is your OC's look inspired by any specific style of clothing or fashion trend? What are the roots and/or inspiration for their look?

…okay, so here’s the thing, I didn’t really… think that much about their outfits? Adina’s turned out to be iconic (to me, at least), but it was 100% a happy accident. I knew that she would wear something loose and comfortable, and I came up with a very warm-climate outfit (shirt, vest, baggy pants that end at the knee), and then I just decided that she wears it everywhere because her body heat auto-adjusts to her surroundings because uhhh magic. (sorry, Dorian, I guess if you lived in the woods and learned from the spirits as a child and also used your entire body as an arcane focus, you wouldn’t have to suffer from the cold)

Aqun’s outfit is just Shirt And Pants. I. That’s it. I also gave him a vest in the newest iteration of it. It’s a gift from Adina. If you cosplayed him, the body paint and horns would probably take a while, but you would Not have to worry about the outfit.

Thanks for the ask!

Character design asks

[phoenix-manga]

💎Ceremonial Dorm Sorting💎

First years are brought to the throne room by the crystal carriage. The carriage has soft bedding inside of it and the student sleeps soundly as they are transported.

Unlike NRC's carriage that holds coffins, the student is merely slumbering on the bed provided in the carriage, the windows are covered by curtains of course. The carriage is pulled by two unicorns who are trained by the school to retrieve the chosen students.

How the unicorns can traverse through several miles with a student on top of that is a complete mystery.

When the students arrive at the academy, they are placed at the sorting room that actually has two parts. The first half is the large garden where the girls all sleep on the soft grass surrounded by mysterious flowers. While the other half is where the dorm sorting occurs.

The dorm fairies enter the garden where they will use their magic on the flowers that will awaken the students. Then they will lead the students to the dorm sorting area where the staff and the dorm leaders will wait for them.

The room looks like a crystalized ballroom. There is a fountain on the far end at the center and in front of it lies a podium where a jewelry box with a key is placed. The walls have stained glass portraits of the ten princesses where the dorm leaders will have to stand by their respective window as the dorm sorting commences.

💎Royal Jewelry Box💎

This is a magical tool that is the prized possession of the academy, much like the Dark Mirror in NRC.

The jewelry box will only be opened by the key that is always next to it. Even though it seems like others might be able to open it easily, it won’t be as simple as that.

The jewelry box has a sentience of its own and will only let the key be used to whomever it deems worthy. Anyone unworthy who tries to pick up the key would feel hot iron on their skin.

Trying to pry it open wouldn't work either and even if you drop a heavy weight on it, the box will still be in good condition. 

The students will be called one by one to turn the key of the jewelry box where they will gain a jewel. This jewel will be placed on their head which will magically turn into a crown that they will wear alongside their Ceremonial Gowns.

The crown’s design is based on the dorm, said design is the same for all the students of that particular dorm.

💎Ceremonial Crowns💎

Pommeneige - Tree branch design + Ruby

Glastanzerin - Small castle design + Opal

Futterwacken - Flower wreath + Ametrine

Rosadormienti - Roses and thorns design + Rose Quartz

Coquille - Seashell design + Purple Pearl

Chateau Beastiale - Beast horns design + Topaz

Magiaoasis - Swirly lines design + Sapphire

Dragonstone - Dragon design + Garnet

Sagamore - Leaf design + Amber

Lagniappe - Lily pad design + Emerald

The purpose of the tiara is to signify the dorm the student belongs to. Other than that it's necessary to wear the Ceremonial Crown during occasions where it is mandatory to wear their Ceremonial Gowns.

As for the rings, they will acquire those alongside the crown, as they are given by the school alongside their uniforms for both campus and dorm wear.

The rings are made with magic and can shrink or enlarge to fit the size of the finger the student chooses to wear it on.

[aspirationatwork]

[Image Description: three digital drawings of original Pearl designs based off of Steven Universe. Each Pearl is a skinny, elegant Gem with particularly long noses and a doll-like form.

Each drawing includes an image of "Ethereal Diamond", a tall, grandiose Gem with blue skin, a gem on her forehead, and cream-colored hair styled into a bun secured with blue roses and a spiked, golden crown. She is wearing a loose toga with golden threads and thick bracelets. Massive wings protrude from her back.

The first Pearl, "Wisteria Baroque Pearl", in her standard form, has periwinkle skin, a petal-shaped gem on her forehead, and white curls covered with a shimmery veil. She is wearing a white leotard with a long train and ornate, gold detailing. Her outfit is decorated with purple flowers and golden jewelry. Wisteria Baroque Pearl poses dramatically with a sultry look.

Her "reset form" removes the veil and dresses her in a high-waisted dress with a flowing, cream-colored skirt decorated with purple flowers. Golden fabric flows from her waist to the bracelets on her wrists. Wisteria Baroque Pearl smiles innocently.

The second Pearl, "Wisteria Sun Pearl," has lavender Pearl and short, purple curls that frame her face. She is wearing a white leotard with a low neckline and ruffled purple fabric in the center. The puffed sleeves slip off the shoulders and run down to her hands. A large crown forming a semi-circle is secured in her hair, with a long, gilded veil hanging from it. Wisteria Sun Pearl stands elegantly, like a doll.

Her "reset form" shrinks the crown down to a smaller, golden disk. She is wearing a shiny, gold leotard and white stockings. Sheer fabric drapes from her sternum and around her arms, forming a cape. Wisteria Sun Pearl looks around as if in a daze.

The third Pearl, "Gilded Baroque Pearl", has dusty yellow skin and yellow hair hidden under a netted cowl. She is wearing an asymmetrical dress with a long slit up the side and one, long sleeve covering her right arm. Netted fabric spirals down her left arm. She holds up one arm with an imposing frown.

Her "reset form" brightens up the muted colors and switches the cowl for a golden tiara. She is wearing a high-waisted leotard with a sheer, golden skirt, thigh-high boots, and gloves. The left glove is white and the right glove is yellow. Gilded Baroque Pearl stands awkwardly, looking out of place.

End Description.]

[bloodyknucklesforme]

Early Birds | Soap x Nina

Johnny surprises Nina early one morning.

AN: I had this idea bouncing around for a minute but @macravishedbymactavish 's request helped make the ending.

"Neen, c'mon. Wake up, bonnie," He whispered in her ear, gently shaking her shoulder. She lazily swatted him away. Through squinting eyes, she could see it was still dark outside.

"John, it's too early," She moaned

"I know but you can sleep in the car, c'mon," He hooked his arms under her arms and pulled her up out of bed. She put up a fight, forcing him to drag her across the bedroom. He laid her across the bed to slide a pair of joggers on. "No, don't fall asleep. I just need to get you in the car."

"This is kidnapping," She murmured, resting her head on his shoulder as he lifted her up. He chuckled and kissed her temple.

The clock in the car read 1:15am. She groaned.

"John, what the fuck?" She said as he buckled her in.

"I know. I know. I got you a blanket and pillow. Just go back to sleep. I'll wake you up when we're there." He tucked the pillow behind her head and laid the blanket over her. She took a quick glance around the car. There were two thermoses already in the cupholders. The backseat had a cooler and his backpack.

She left her hand on the center console as she made herself comfortable. She smiled when John laid his hand on top of hers.

She wondered what insane plan he had this time. He liked his surprises, through the corner of her eye she could tell he was giddy. It must be big. Last week was a surprise trip to the aquarium. He'd paid extra for them to be able to feed the penguins.

"Ugh..they're gross," she grimaced, tossing a cold fish into the enclosure.

"You don't like dead fish?" He laughed, picking one up and making it wiggle around. He teased her and jokingly threatened to toss it at her before dropping it down to the birds. They smelled but they were cute.

"We have puffins back home. Pretty far North but they're there. My dad took my sister and me up to the beach a couple times. The water will freeze your tits off but it's pretty."

"I don't remember the last time I was at the beach. We should go."

"Yeah, we should." He went to wrap an arm around her before remembering his fingers were covered in fish. He opted for a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll take ya."

They were headed South though. No Scotland today. She knew she wouldn't be able to get away from going and not meeting his family. She knew she would have to someday. She didn't want to make a bad impression. John said he was the baby of the family. He talked a lot about his sister. She was six years older and worked as a jewelry designer for a small brand. His mum was retired but she'd worked for the local government her whole life.

He invited her up for Easter last month but she panicked and decided to stay with Price. She knew she'd mess something up and they'd all judge her.

The current cover story was that her dad was a 'doomsday' type who raised her in the wilderness. It was partially true but she had raised herself more than anything. She was training herself to be normal through tv and books.

She just knew she'd say something weird or do something improper and it'd all be over. She wanted them to like her. They'd been together for a little over six months now and she couldn't help but think about a future as 'Nina MacTavish'. She liked the way it sounded. It was warmer than 'Nina Irons'. One day, maybe.

She woke up to the sound of crunching gravel. John was driving down a small road, it was still dark. The clock now read 4:25. Gross.

"We're almost there," He said, squeezing her hand. "I made you chai if you want. It's in your thermos."

She took several small sips. It was still warm. He'd added brown sugar to the pre-mix to sweeten it up. He rolled down the car windows and salt air breezed through. Outside it was tall brown grass over flat earth. He nudged her to look out his window.

The ocean was bigger than she remembered. It was dark and went on till it melted with the sky. He pulled into a small car park and reversed into a spot so the boot faced the water.

"Wait here." He got out and opened up his hatchback. He was fumbling around with something, climbing in to reach over the seat to grab the cooler and his bag. He eventually got out and came around for her. She grabbed their thermoses as he lifted her out of the car and carried her to the back.

He'd set out his large sleeping bag with more pillows. There was also a small assortment of pastries and fruit.

"No candles?" She joked as he sat her down. He got in behind her and pulled the sleeping bag over both of them.

"Wait a moment, I got something better than candles."

She leaned her head on his shoulder and looked out over the water. The horizon broke with a warm orange colour. The sun came up slowly, forcing them to cover their eyes. It was beautiful though. The dark night sky turned a deep blue to match the water.

He was playing with her hair as he sipped his coffee, more content watching her than the sky.

He always said it first and she responded in turn. It wasn't out of a lack of emotion, she just didn't know when to say it. She always felt it though.

She looked over at him smiling with tears pricking her eyes.

"I love you."

"You're making me blush, Bonnie." He said, cupping her face to kiss her. He tasted like coffee.

[satin-bliss]

TAYLOR ZAKHAR PEREZ, CISMALE, HE/HIM/HIS The 74th Annual Hunger Games are upon us and here comes SATIN BLISS, a DISTRICT 1 TRIBUTE. Word around The Capitol is that they’re DECISIVE and shrewd but can also be ARROGANT and shallow. According to sources, they’re 24 and were once described as A SWEAT BEATEN FOREHEAD BENEATH DARK CURLS, MANICURED FINGERS GRIPPING A GILDED SWORD HANDLE, EXPOSED FOREARMS IN A SHIMMERING TANK TOP & DETERMINED FILLED BROWN EYES. What a character! As we always say, may the odds be ever in their favor!

BASICS.

name — Satin Bliss 

nick names — The Golden Boy, District One’s Prodigy Child

titles & alias’ — District One Tribute for The 74th Annual Hunger Games

gender — Cis-Male

pronouns — He/Him/His

romantic & sexual orientation — Bisexual, Biromantic

age — 24

place of birth — District One

current residence — Tribute Training Center, The Capitol 

PERSONALITY.

positive traits — Decisive, Shrewd, Polished, Tidy & Thorough

negative traits —  Arrogant, Shallow, Impatient, Opportunistic, & Ritualistic 

likes  —  Winning, Training, People who recognize his talent, Working out, His looks, People he deems useful & Cleanliness

dislikes  — People he deems dumb, useless or unhelpful, people who act like victims, people who are overly emotional, & Uncleanliness 

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.

eye color — Dark Brown

hair color — Dark Brown/Black

hair style — Worn over his forehead, wavy

complexion — Tan

build — Athletic, Swimmer’s Build

height — 6’2”

clothing — Satin wears a lot of tank tops and clothes that show off his arms and chest. Never anything super flashy, and a lot of black but it is always well tailored and compliments his physical form. His clothes scream quiet luxury.

accessories & jewelry — Sunglasses, necklaces that draw the eye to his pecs, and occasionally bracelets and a ring or two. Satin never wears anything that someone could call gaudy. 

faceclaim — Taylor Zakhar Perez

RELATIONSHIPS.

grandparents — Midas Bliss and Shimma Bliss (Paternal) / Marble and Sapphire Price (Maternal) 

parents —   Hermes and Velvet Bliss

siblings — none

romantic interest — TBD

children — none

pets — none

Biography:

Satin comes from a very well-to-do family in District 1, his father owned a diamond mine, along with two corundum mines. His mother was a very popular furrier who made designs very popular with Capitol residents. Their son in their eyes was their ticket to the Capitol. If he won the Hunger Games and became a Victor perhaps it would be enough to take that final step to become residents of the Capitol themselves. It was because of this ambition that they made sure their son wanted for nothing in terms of a proper Career Tribute education making sure that when the time came Satin would have incredibly high odds of winning. 

It was because of this upbringing that Satin now believes winning the Hunger Games is his birthright, having the fame and success that comes with being a Victor should be his. He views the other tributes as just more obstacles that are in his way to get what is his. That does not mean he is cold, or callous, while Satin may have an air of being above others he can be very charming and friendly when it suits his needs and if it helps him get what he wants from someone. 

It is also because of this way of viewing life that has led Satin to at the end of the day try and distance himself from actual possible friends and connections. Yes, alliances are good but they eventually must end. At times this has left him feeling lonely, but he promises that when he wins the games it will all be worth it, and then he can form actual friendships with his fellow victors. Until then he will keep pushing himself to do whatever he feels he has to do to win the games and make his parents proud for finally attaining what they’ve always wanted him to. 

[karaloza]

Legend of Zelda Theme Park - Death Mountain

Death Mountain is to the north of Castle Town (just as it is usually in the north on the game map). The whole area is sculpted as a reddish-brown canyon landscape, with walkways gently sloping upward toward the artificial volcano which dominates the scene, "erupting" every half hour with a display of pyrotechnics and smoke effects. The volcano in turn is the upper portion of a massive show building which occupies roughly half the area's footprint and houses several of its attractions. Interior spaces are designed as rocky caves lit by torches and glowing crystals.

Attractions

Spirit Train (Mountain Station)

Crystal Caverns: A very simple attraction, more like a scenic view. The pathways through the Death Mountain area include side branches that veer through short stretches of tunnel lined with multicolored glowing crystals and gemstone veins. (These are marked on the detailed map with squiggly shading.) Make a habit of following these side paths, and you will find one that heads a little deeper into the mountainside, culminating in a spectacular cavern of exotic stone formations and massive crystal clusters that make soft chiming music as their colors shift through the spectrum.

Goro-Gondolas: Not an intense ride, but still exciting on its own terms, the Goro-Gondolas are boats in a flume...but the water is continuously under-lit with warm-toned lights, giving it the appearance of a glowing lava river! The ten to twelve-minute circuit includes lifts and gentle drops, and in the meantime, the boat passes by numerous detailed scenes of Gorons going about their daily lives—mining for choice rocks to eat, tending Bomb Flower gardens, soaking in hot springs, engaging in athletic competitions, rolling from place to place, etc. At other points, similarly lit “leaping” fountains send streams of “lava” arcing over the flume. From time to time, the flume even exits the interior of the mountain, giving riders a view of the area, and at other points, it shares a scene with the Dodongo Dive-Bomb track.

Gut Check Challenge Arena: A play area, but more...advanced than the Picori Picnic Park in the Lost Woods. Named after the Goron-hosted mini-games in Breath of the Wild, this attraction features rock-climbing walls, obstacle courses, and other stamina-testing activities. The especially bold can sign up for the Gut Check Challenge itself, a rock-climbing event held several times a day on the big wall, with real medals awarded to the winners.

Sworn Brothers Meeting Hall: A meet-and-greet location for favorite Goron characters, including Ocarina of Time’s Darunia, Majora’s Mask’s Darmani, and Breath of the Wild’s Daruk and Yunobo.

Dodongo Dive-Bomb: The number just marks the queue entrance--this ride is a big one! Arguably the biggest thrill in the park, it is a mag-launched roller coaster with cars designed to resemble a chain of minecarts. It takes place mostly inside the cinder cone of the volcano, twisting through lava-lit caverns infested with fire-breathing Dodongo lizards, occasionally breaking out into the open before diving right back into the mountain. The climax takes place in a spacious cavern inhabited by a ferocious dragon, and the train makes a loop around its head and neck in order to escape!

Shops

7. From Mine to Yours: A rock and mineral shop offering all sorts of tumbled semiprecious stones, crystals, carved charms and figurines, geodes (with an option to have them cut open on-site), Himalayan salt lamps, stone-based knickknacks, and books about minerals and gems. For those with fancier tastes, there's even a special sales counter where precious jewelry is available for purchase. In the center of the store is a fountain mimicking a sluice full of gem-bearing slurry, the employees wear overalls and hard hats with mounted headlights, and the shop slogan “Ore and More!” derives from the name of a similar business in Breath of the Wild.

8. Forged in Fire: Being rooted in a medieval(-ish) fantasy franchise is likely to give this theme park some appeal for historical weapons enthusiasts, and this shop is for them, offering a selection of sturdy, functional swords, daggers, axes, and shields, including some replicas of famous designs. (Naturally, various noteworthy swords from the games themselves are among them.) Modern camping/hunting knives are also available, and every purchase of a blade includes a fine hardened leather sheath. However, we can’t have people walking around a theme park with real weapons, so all purchases will be either held at the front of the park for pickup upon exiting, or shipped to the guest for an additional fee. (This is true of any retail location in the park that sells metal weapons, even if they aren’t made to be functional.)

9. Goron Spice Rack: “A spicy nook for spicy cooks” declares the sign out front. Lovers of herbs and seasonings will find much to love in here, with a wide selection of culinary flavorings. Pick a jar or bottle off the shelf or have a mix blended to order! We especially recommend the various types of “Goron Spice” (mostly curry powder and paprika, with assorted variations), made famous by Breath of the Wild.

10. Ripped and Shredded: A shop for sporting goods and memorabilia located next to the Gut Check Challenge Arena. Includes lines of tongue-in-cheek jerseys, caps, and other items referencing peoples, groups, and locations in the LoZ franchise as if they were sports teams. Named after the Goron armor shop in Breath of the Wild.

Eateries

11. Magma Munchies: Adventurous foodies will love this place, where everything on the menu—meat, veggies, fries, and more—is hot and spicy. The intensity ranges widely, from “Hawaiian” (mild curry) all the way up to “Ultra-Plinian” (ghost peppers). Hot sauces are available for purchase at the Goron Spice Rack.

12. Rock Candy Stand: Pretty much exactly what it says: an outdoor kiosk with various colors of traditional rock candy (i.e. sugar crystals on a stick), chocolate “pebbles,” Ring Pops and Pop Rocks, and other mineral-themed sweet treats.

13. Protein Palace: They say the rocky ground of Death Mountain is so hot, you can drop food to cook right on it! That may or may not be true, but this Mongolian BBQ buffet uses a more conventional stainless steel hibachi. Choose a protein (beef, chicken, or tofu) and a selection of vegetables, noodles, sauces, and other ingredients, and your food is cooked up while you watch!

[binenbaumaj]

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Details: four totaling ±0.70ct Sapphire, ±0.15ct (H SI1) Brilliant-cut diamonds, 14k Ring. Design Era: Contemporary. Size: 18.54 NL / 58.3 FR / 8½ US / Q½ UK, sizeable (Within reason. Contact seller for information). Dimensions: H 0.4 x L 1.6 x W 0.4 cm. Weight in grams: 3. Condition: New.

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[revoltinglittleworm]

i would have written in this in my journal but i dont have it with me so

i had a productive therapy session this morning. we talked about goals and achieving them and actually Doing things, like just doing them, instead of thinking about it and never actually getting started.

i told her i need help with it, and need accountability. so we arranged that i would be writing at least a page a week in my novel. i think its a good goal, and im glad i have someone to report back to, because just doing it all based on my own willpower and discipline has been really hard.

i still have yet to write my FIT essay, and im still contemplating doing it at all. i think it would be great to go back to school, but theres money and the fear of getting stuck in a commitment. i really wanted to go in the first place because i thought designing and making clothes would actually be a practical job for myself, and i think i could really make it work in the meantime.

ideally of course i finish this book, but i figure that could take years, and i want to quit my current job, so i thought that making money off of fashion would be a good idea. but now that im thinking about it, i dont even know if i need FIT. not only is everything on google and youtube and what not, but there is a place ive taken classes at before in the city called the sewing center and i feel like i could really benefit from that, like obviously its going to be a lot less money and time than actually going to college for 2 or 4 years.

i took a few classes at sewing center and i liked it, and learned a good amount. its hard to afford it when ur paying out of pocket because it can really add up, but the good thing is that i can take the classes on my own schedule. i just kind of fell off of learning to sew and making things so i need to get back into it.

i have a really hard time with the actual getting started with things, executive dysfunction i guess, bc i know once i start it will be easier, but god, just making myself go into the studio and beginning is so. fucking. hard.

i have the tools i need, the inspiration, the resources, etc. i have no one to blame but myself for not just doing it, its a hard truth. i feel a shift coming though, i really do feel happy about having my therapist hold me accountable for things i desperately want and need to do. i started reading a book i had bought a long time ago for research on the 1920s for my novel and began reading on the train. the research part is much more difficult for me than the actual writing. but 1 page a week should be doable.

as for sewing, i should give myself another kind of goal/deadline. maybe just make a little something every week. i like feeling accomplished and i love to create. i cant live without it. if im not making a full on outfit i can at least work on jewelry or accessories and stuff.

[artsychowroamer]

Christmas in Italy

AUTHOR: ARTSY CHOW ROAMER

CHRISTMAS IN ITALY

VISITING OFF-SEASON

Europe is the number one destination for travel around the world and it is very crowded because of that. Having spent the holidays there before, I have found that time of year can not only be magical but easier to navigate during the off-season. Depending on your departure and return dates, the airports are easier, the planes less full and all lines much shorter.

When I got a text with some unbelievable last minute air deals for Italy, I snagged two for a holiday visit to Florence. Sure, we have been there before but not at Christmas and I knew it would be a lovely gift to ourselves, full of beautiful decorations, fabulous shopping and special sights. There is so much to see, eat and do in the cradle of the Renaissance that I would never be able to cover it all in one blog but I will try to give you some of my favorite things.

WHERE TO STAY

While there are any number of nice contemporary hotels, we prefer to look for smaller, well-located spots that offer that old traditional Florentine ambience. We chose the Corona d’Italia Hotel located in the historical city center of San Lorenzo. It is close to the Santa Maria Novella train station and right next to the San Lorenzo Market, one of the largest indoor/outdoor markets in Italy.

While it is only a three star property, we loved the Italian tile floors, warm wood stylings on the front desk and lobby bar and old-world color scheme in yellows, blues and maroon. The front desk staff were welcoming and upgraded us to a larger room without asking. The lobby bar was cozy and intimate, the perfect spot for an early evening martini before going on to dinner.

Our room was spacious with windows that opened to the street, a large comfortable bed, a place for morning coffee or breakfast if you wanted to bring it up from the buffet. The bathroom was well outfitted with toilet and bidet. A working desk and a large flat screen made it quite comfortable for the weeks stay. BTW, that breakfast buffet was luscious, offering everything you could ever want with a machine that put out every sort of coffee and tea drink known to man and was included in our room rate which was excellent value for Florence.

WALKING THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Another enjoyable aspect of where we stayed was how easy it was to walk around the neighborhood for holiday spirit with trees, lights, merry-go-rounds and nativity scenes. The outdoor stands in the market were full of wonderful gifts and souvenir items. Anything you might want to give was there for really excellent prices.

I did all of my shopping a little every day finding leather products like bracelets with silver catches and decoration in black, brown, gray and red with that Italian sophistication to the design. Perfect for my besties. The softest cashmere wraps that could be used as a scarf or shawl were stacked in stunning shades of yellow greens, pumpkins, golds and reds; fall colors that had me buying several for my mother and myself.

Nobody does paper products like this city and while you find shops with larger selections, there were plenty of journals, watercolors on paper, books, pencils and pens which worked well as gifts for my architect friend and his wife. Handbags, wallets money clips, beautiful blouses, sweaters and dresses were available everywhere. Rugs and luggage bags of all sizes were popular as well as Italian foods and candies.

I found some of the sweetest handmade wooden toys for toddlers along with little books like Pinocchio which is the perfect Italian story to read to the children on Christmas Eve. Stall after stall had jewelry of all types, styles and price points. Pretty necklaces, earrings and rings made for great stocking stuffers. I loved the Lorenzo market and hit it every single day I was there.

PIAZZA DEL DUOMO

Our first stop is always a walk about on the Piazza del Duomo. The cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese in Florence was commissioned in 1296 and completed in 1436 with a dome designed by the famous Filippo Brunelleschi. Designed in the Gothic style with marble panels of various shades of green and pink, it is bordered by white and features an elaborate Gothic Revival facade designed by Emilio De Fabris. Put up with the line to see it if you’ve never been inside.

This area is full of galleries and shops for strolling, bars for drinking and restaurants for eating some of the best food in the city. One of our favorites for lunch is Il Bottegone with indoor and outdoor dining options. It’s beautiful in the evenings for people watching while staying toasty with all the festive decorations, heaters and blankets.

We opted to eat lunch inside as it was really cold so we ordered grappa with a cappuccino to warm up while the server brought a basket of fresh breads and butter for us to nosh on. Delish! Wanting not to spoil dinner we opted to share a platter special of fresh salmon slices with lemon, capers and dill served with olive oil, vinegar and toast points. This dish was simply sublime and hit the spot.

PALAZZO VECCHIO

Next up is always the Palazzo Vecchio which is about the fanciest town hall you will ever see. Here you will find a copy of Michelangelo’s famous statue of David along with other works of art including the gallery of statues in the adjacent Loggia dei Lanzi. While having been know by other names, it got its current name when the ruling Medici duke’s residence was moved across the Arno River to the Palazzo Pitti.

I like to sit and have lunch outside in this area to view the statues and watch the people come and go. It is one of my favorite shopping areas for three things in particular. Art galleries where you can find affordable small pieces of glass and paintings, a small perfume shop that makes their own very unusual scents with wonderful bottles and boxes and one of the best liquor stores in the area where you will find all manner of things including grappa in fancy Italian blown bottles with stretched necks and colorful beads.

LA MENAGERE

Last but not least, I never make a visit or recommendation that doesn’t include La Menagere. Shopping is at its best in this magical shop and restaurant offering beautiful glass pieces, flowers, books, household goods, kitchen goods and more. Many stop in for tea or lunch sitting in the retail space before or after their shopping is done. It is always beautifully done up this time of year and they offer many of their decor items for sale as well.

Their glass is offered in many different colors with special one-of-a-kind pieces. I bought some lovely espresso cups, saucers and spoons with gold rims that I will always treasure. Their florists were very busy putting together the most visually interesting compositions I have ever seen. We had lunch next to the patio in the glass dining room which was outstanding. Fried gnocchi with sweet potato puree and fried shallots were over the top delicious as was the potato tart with melted gruyere cheese. Both were served with a wonderful glass of the house Italian red wine. Light puffs of heaven with cream and chocolate were dessert along with an espresso and brandy. This is my favorite place in Florence. Don’t miss it.

EATING IN FLORENCE

You don’t really have to venture out to areas that are far away from the hotel where you are staying in order to find some of the best food around. A simple walk about will give you more places than you can try in a weeks stay or more. It won’t just be Italian eateries either. Some might be surprised to find out that one of the best meals we had in Florence was at an Indian restaurant just around the corner from us. Aroma of India was a cozy little spot with the friendliest of owners.

She seated us at a table and brought us a long menu to study while rushing over water and a little taste of what was to come from the chef. Delicious light crispy hollow balls filled with tasty fillings were a fabulous start. A little beer was the perfect wash down. Papaduums and garlic naan arrived next with delicious sauces from mild to spicy; mint, tamarind and chutney. Butter chicken and lamb vindaloo finished us off and were some of the best we have ever had.

Upon arriving in Florence, it was late and we popped out to the first sweet restaurant we came upon for bottles of lovely red wine, loads of fresh bread with the best peppery olive oil and basalmic vinegar at Osteria del Borgo. Since all their pastas are freshly made daily, we took the special and got pappardelle with a wonderful country slow cooked sauce with a thick chunky cut to the meat and veg. Beautiful….wish you were here kind of food!

Shout out to La Falterona for one of the best Italian meals we had just a couple of blocks walk to a lovely spot with a waiter who was utterly charming in an old school sort of way. Sliced duck with honey mustard glaze and mashed potatoes along with wild boar pasta were matched beautifully with his red wine suggestion that set us back a bit! Leave room for dessert please!

CONCLUSION

While many people might think Italy is only worth visiting during warm weather, we found that the tourist numbers are so high in-season that it almost begs the planning of your trip during the holidays. My husband and I love slow walks without dodging in and out of crowds. We like to be able to move around in shops without queuing up to pay. It is pleasant to walk into a restaurant or bar and be able to get a table without a reservation.

Add in the beauty of the decorations, the Christmas market stalls and the holiday spirit we found everywhere, it was just about perfect. Don’t be afraid to avoid the crowds when planning your visit. I highly recommend Christmas in Florence, Italy.

If you enjoyed what you read, you might enjoy other posts under Explore the World. There you will find my tips and guides on exciting places to visit with an emphasis on art and food as well. I also give you a taste of some fabulous spots under Snap Shot which will help you add to your bucket list. Until next time…

Cheers!

ArtsyChowRoamer

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