#urban shine cleaning

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - May 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Support me on Ko-fi! Also, if you tip me on Ko-fi, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week - almost double the content!

1. Translocation of 2,000 rhinos in Africa gets underway in “one of the most audacious conservation efforts of modern times”

“The 2,000 rhinos - more than are currently found in any single wild location in Africa - represent around 12-15% of the continent’s remaining white rhino population. […] “Rhinos perform an important ecological function in the environment as a large grazing herbivore,” says Dale Wepener[….] “The protection of rhino is far more than just looking after rhino; other species that occur in the protected areas will benefit from the protection,” explains Jooste. “This will lead to an increase in diversity and result in much healthier ecosystems.”

2. Florida Corridor Buffers Effects of Climate Change on Wildlife — And People

“A massive multi-partner effort that has conserved 10 million acres for wildlife in Florida over past decades will help buffer wildlife—and people—from the effects of climate change, a new report says. […] Protecting these corridors is important for wildlife genetics, demography and connectivity […], conducting prescribed fires in the corridor can reduce the risk of more intense wildfires [… and] they can provide buffers against hurricanes and seasonal thunderstorms.”

3. Global life expectancy to increase by nearly 5 years by 2050 despite geopolitical, metabolic, and environmental threats

“Increases are expected to be largest in countries where life expectancy is lower, contributing to a convergence of increased life expectancy across geographies. The trend is largely driven by public health measures that have prevented and improved survival rates from cardiovascular diseases, COVID-19, and a range of communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases (CMNNs).”

4. Valencia has Spain’s longest urban park

“Jardin del Turia (Turia Garden) is the green spine of the City of Valencia and Spain’s (and possibly Europe’s) longest urban park stretching for a length of 8.5 kilometres [… and] the current administration plans to make Jardin del Turia Europe’s largest city green space by extending it to the sea[….] Almost all Valencia residents (97 per cent) live within 300 metres of an urban green space. […] Jardin del Turia is a true urban oasis that provides exceptional thermal comfort, with a temperature difference of up to three degrees compared to other areas of the city.”

5. This Paint Could Clean Both Itself and the Air

“When an artificial ultraviolet light source shines on [photocatalytic] paint, the nanoparticles react with pollutants to make them break down—theoretically removing them from the nearby air and preventing a discoloring buildup. [… R]esearchers developed a new photocatalytic paint that they claim works using UV rays from ordinary sunlight, making its self-cleaning properties easier to activate. They’ve also shown that they can effectively produce this paint from recycled materials [including fallen leaves].”

6. Planting Seedlings for a Cooler Rockingham

“A dedicated group of volunteers recently planted over a thousand native seedlings in Lewington Reserve [… and] re-established canopy cover to areas of the reserve to create cooling shade for the local community and provide homes for native wildlife. […] Planting lots of trees and shrubs in urban areas can help create shade and cool cities, mitigating the impacts of climate change, contributing to biodiversity conservation and building greener, more resilient communities.”

7. Sydney’s first dedicated affordable housing for trans women designed to deliver ‘positive outcomes’

“Community housing provider and charity Common Equity NSW, […] which is for people on very low to moderate incomes, prides itself on creating inclusive living and promotes the independence and well-being of people and communities […, and] will deliver the first-of-its-kind social housing in a bid to provide a safe place to live for transgender women seeking an affordable home.”

8. Rewilding: How a herd of bison reintroduced to Romania is helping ‘supercharge’ carbon removal

“170 European Bison reintroduced to Romania’s Țarcu mountains could help capture and store the carbon released by up to 84,000 average US petrol cars each year. […] By grazing a 48 square kilometre area of grassland in a wider landscape of 300 kilometres squared, they helped to capture an additional 54,000 tonnes of carbon each year. That is around 10 times the amount that would be captured by the ecosystem without the bison.”

9. World’s biggest grids could be powered by renewables, with little or no storage

“[…] 100% renewable supply can then match the load by putting surplus electricity into two kinds of distributed storage worth that [an energy expert] says are worth buying anyway – ice-storage air-conditioning and smart bidirectional charging of electric cars, and recover that energy when needed, filling the last gaps with unobtrusively flexible demand.”

10. Supporting the Long-Term Survival of Copper River Salmon and Alaska Native Traditions

“With $4.3 million in NOAA funds, the Copper River Watershed Project and The Eyak Corporation will remove fish passage barriers, opening more streams for salmon spawning and subsistence fishing. [… As part of this effort, o]ld narrow culverts that constrict water flow will be replaced with “stream simulation” culverts wide enough to fit the full stream, including its banks. They are also deep to allow contractors to place stones and other material inside to mimic a natural stream bottom.”

May 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[whispereons]

Oracle!Reader Part 6

Masterlist - Part 1, Part 5, Part 7

Walking blindly you were surrounded by darkness. The inky color put you off and attracted you at the same time. Anything before this moment faded away from your mind and any thought of the future was erased.

Step by step you walked further into the void that chilled you to your core. What were you looking for? What were you hoping for? Where were you?

The sounds of a city started to come to you and streetlamps came into view. Black concrete roads paved the way as the sidewalk was formed under your feet.

The night sky was littered with stars and you stopped as memories came to mind. You knew this area, you knew what was about to happen.

Despite urging your body to stop, to not go there, to not witness it again. It didn't listen as it made you run down the streets yelling.

"Ashtray! Ashtray where are you!"

The ragged and tattered clothes you were wearing let the cold air nip your skin. The shoes a size too big with holes let rocks scratch your feet as you stopped and turned back.

You had already gave up trying to stop this scene. This was a nightmare you were going to relive no matter what.

The colors blurred as time was sped up until a series of loud bangs crystalized the scene. Gunshots that still, and currently are haunting your dreams.

The sight of an old, ragged man and a cat laying on the ground stabs your heart. The blood pooling around leads your eyes to the injuries.

Eyes glazed over, a jaw barely hanging on by blood stained muscles, and a bloody hole in his forehead that went all the way through. His clothes did very little to hide the gunshot wounds in his torso.

A lean gray cat with black and white patches was in the man's arms. The dried blood and singular bullet hole in the unmoving cat's side made it clear that Ashtray had died earlier.

You took shaky steps towards the old man and Ashtray. The night sky and urban city washed away into the shadows.

With every step you took they only got further and further. The contradicting thoughts between running away and getting closer rattled you.

You loved them. You loved that old man despite the short time you knew him. You loved Ashtray despite his smell and diseases. It's not like you were any different at that time.

You watched as Ashtray and the old man changed into a treasure hoarder. The first treasure hoarder that you saw die by the nobushi.

The small whisper, "Why?…" was all you heard from the wide eyed treasure hoarder before he turned into a stake. The stake suddenly went ablaze as a man's voice screamed.

"WHY? WHY ME?! OH HOLY CREATOR SAVE ME! HELP ME!"

The last scream he let out jogged your memory of the Watatsumi Island sacrifice. The burning stake exploded as wind blew them together to form a Anemoboxer.

The Anemoboxer that you killed.

He took slow steps toward you as the wounds you left on him bled heavily. The ground shook as he came closer and you can only back up until you no longer felt ground under you.

Your breath was stolen as you fell off the cliff. The Anemoboxers form got smaller and smaller as you continued falling. Your hair whipped in the air as your stomach dropped. At last when you could tell the ground was about to meet you, you screamed.

Nothing but a broken gasp left you as you fell off the bed. The flash of pain from hitting the boat floor was a small price to pay for the relief the cold floor gave your sweaty skin.

You laid there tangled with the blanket on the floor struggling to breathe. The waves slowly rocked the boat as the moon shined through the small circular window.

Your breathing slowed down back to normal as you focused on the sound of Beidou and her crew walking around. The boat must have already left and the majority of the crew must be back from drinking.

The sound of their rowdy footsteps and drunken yelling helped ground you. After escaping the blanket you walked to the small door on the side. As you suspected, it lead to a small bathroom.

After cleaning yourself up from the sweat and grime from traveling to Ritou, you felt a little better. The nightmare lingered in your mind but you were more rational.

That treasure hoarder's death wasn't your doing, That man on the stake may have died for you as the creator but you never ask for it. It was really more of his punishment for his crime then something you caused. Now the Anemoboxer...

He may have been doing his 'job' but that doesn't excuse the fact they were kidnapping children for whatever reason. Many times in Genshin Fatui agents were seen taking advantage and/or trying to harm them. A world quest in Sumeru's Kimara village came to mind concerning the Fatui, children and the Aranara's.

Besides did you hold the other two Fatui skirmishers death against Heizou? No, he did it for a good reason therefore you killed for a good reason too. It sounds brutal but that's the truth. Teyvat has it's own laws after all.

With a lighter heart you examined yourself in the mirror. The bathroom was pretty clean for a pirate crew. Druggie dens and frat party bathrooms couldn't even compare. The mask you wore was still barely hanging on.

The mask Yae got you came to mind. After taking it out of the box you turn back to the mirror and remove your old mask. The sight of your full face left you surprised and bitter.

All the statues and artwork pictured you with a healthy glow, clear skin, and a peaceful or loving expression. It's nothing like the face that looks back at you with eyebags, unkempt eyebrows and tired eyes.

The fact that the 'creator' version of you has become more familiar to you then your real face was depressing. You were starting to seriously doubt your belief in whether Teyvat is better than Earth. Your life is shitty in both… maybe you're the actual problem.

Dismissing the weird end your thoughts turned to, you put on the new mask and left your room. You didn't want to go back to sleep but the thought of staying in that cramped room wasn't appealing either.

Contrary to how loud it was earlier, the boat was quiet. You walked past many passed out sailors and were careful not to step on them. After wandering around the lower decks you finally found the steps leading to the main deck.

The salty and crisp air hit your face like a slap. You grabbed a hold of the railing and cringed as the air woke you up. This was your first time on a boat and the waves could be felt way stronger higher up.

Carefully you walked to the railing and saw Inazuma in the distance. It felt unbelievable that you actually escaped with your life. That you were actually going to explore the rest of Teyvat. As long as you live of course.

The boat must have left not too long ago since you can still see the general shape of Ritou. Inazuma was much more pretty from far away. Maybe whenever you come back you can properly enjoy the sights.

Turning back to see the rest of the main deck, you spot another person. White hair with a red streak, red maple leave patterned clothing, and a Iron Sting sword on his hip was Kazuha.

Kaedehara fucking Kazuha was on the opposite side of the deck. The first acolyte you can talk to without fear of Ei or Yae finding out. No chance of your identity being exposed!

That's what you thought until you remembered the wind that he talked to so much.

You were careful not to stare at him as you began a debate with yourself.

You wanted to live a quiet life to avoid drawing attention and potentially exposing your lie. But you also needed to interact with people to build up creditability in the case that you are caught. Yet the only way to talk to them and not have them dub you as suspicious due to the sensation they feel from when you pulled them is to be clear in your oracle identity.

No matter how you slice it, you have to talk and make connections. Then try to keep things only surface level from then on to avoid spinning too many lies. It was hard enough keeping track of everything, you didn't need to throw in unnecessary lies.

A tightrope you will unfortunately walk as long as you want to live.

You walk to Kazuha and get a better look at him as you approach him. His elbow was resting on the railing with his face in his palm. Eyes closed as the moon illuminated him. Truly the picture perfect of serene.

If you ignore his flushed cheeks and soft snores.

Maybe it would be better to just say hello tomorrow-

Kazuha's crimson eyes open slowly and lock onto you immediately. A giggle leaves him as he stares at you in a daze.

"Hello there… I'm-I'm Kaedehara Kazooha."

He ends his sentence with another giggle. He was drunk. Very fucking drunk. You remember the second Golden Apple Archipelago, Kazuha only drank a few cocktails and couldn't even stand. How did he not fall off the ship like this?!

He moves to take a step towards you and he sways dangerously near the edge. Worried you move forward and steady him by letting his arm hang around your shoulder.

This was now the second time a short anemo guy was leaning on you in this position. Maybe it'll become a pattern with them?

Half lidded red eyes stare at your face and it makes you nervous with the close proximity. What if he remembers this incorrectly and thinks you did something bad to him? You help him stand straighter and speak with a worried tone.

"Hello, I'm Y/N but that isn't important right now. Are you okay? You almost fell off the ship."

"Oh, really? It-It's because Beidou didn't-n't give me the rest of the wine." He slurs his words and pouts at you.

Were you supposed to feel bad for him? Because you only wanted to laugh at seeing the calm and poetic Kazuha pout at you. Was this really the same guy that threatened to brand a treasure hoarders forehead?

Well that sobered you up quickly.

"I'm sure Beidou did that with your well-being in mind. Why don't I help you to your room?"

"I cannot agree… not when the wind is… is sweetly crooning to me of… your brilliance." He giggles drunkenly and finishes. "So please… let me stay with… youUU-"

"Okay, okay! Just please quiet down."

You look around and spot a few sturdy looking barrels. You drag the giggling man to the barrels and sit on the ground with your backs resting against the barrels.

Not the most comfortable position but there were no chairs and you didn't want him near the ledge. Now with more space between you both, he seemed to take in your features better.

"You feel very familiar... just like my friend. When I remember himmm melanch-choly consumes me. But you… you feel like a sweeeet dream that-t I'm returning to."

His words are scattered and hard to understand but the meaning is clear.

"I'm an oracle for the creator. Many acolytes that have met me say the same thing."

"Then why does... the wind sing to meee about you?" The pauses and slurring are starting to decrease but the red in his cheeks stay strong.

"Why does th-the sight of you make me, make me want to spout every bit of poetry in my soulll."

His glazed eyes are now intensely staring at you. If it wasn't for his sleepy blinking and fumbling words you would think he was sober. Kazuha starts scooting closer to you.

"The wind? I'm not sure but it must be my connection to the creator. As for the other part, it may be because you drank too much."

The wind must be anemo, some people theorize that Venti is who he talks to but that's not the most concrete theory. Elements and archons must be different entities seeing as you wielded electro to protect yourself. If Ei and electro were the same, surely she would have the electro harm yourself. Ugh that topic requires more attention then you can give it right now.

"Drank too much? No, no, no. I drank far too lit-little. I just need the taste of something stronger..."

You didn't realize just how close Kazuha was now. He was now boxing you against the barrel with his legs on either side of yours. His hands were pressed on the barrel with his face inching closer.

Holy shit, holy shit. Your first instinct is to freeze when you can feel his breath lightly graze you. His eyes stare at you in slight wonder as he speaks softly.

"You must be my new muse. That is why the wind calls me to you. Having you in my vision makes my heart race. It makes me wish I hadn't drank a single drop of sake, for I am getting drunk on your presence alone. The wind speaks of the glory and happiness you bring to anyone lucky enough to meet you. There is no greater muse that I could long for. The haikus and poems I can create in your presence are-"

Okay so he's still shitfaced, the cold wind only improved his speaking. But he was veering dangerously close to doing something that sober him will hold against you.

"Kazuha, I am extremely flattered to be called your muse. And I truly do wish you luck in your writing but it's best you go to bed now."

He giggles and closes his eyes seemingly not realizing you cut him off.

"Y/N, ah what a sweet name, I understand that you may have some reservations about my words but-"

With no time to lose you move his hand off the barrel so you can move out the way and stand up. You pull him up and wrap his arm around your shoulder to not let him fall.

Ignoring your flushed cheeks and rapidly beating heart you speak softly to Kazuha in case the alcohol makes him react strongly.

"Kazuha, if I am your muse then you must know just how heartbreaking it is to lose your muse. The alcohol impairs you and makes you see me in a foggy state of mind. Your drunkenness' is hindering your vision of me."

He pouts and rests his head on your shoulder. Defiantly he retorts.

"I am not drunk, I drank very little." It feels like you're talking to a cranky kid rather than a full grown man.

"My mistake then, I'm sorry Kazuha. Now which way is your room? To make up for my mistake I should escort you back. Not because you're drunk but so that you could draw more inspiration from me as we walk together."

"Oh I see, it's just down those stairs and then a right till we get to the end of the hallway."

Guiding drunk people into telling you what you need to know is one of the easiest things. You spent a lot of time on Earth surrounded by drunkards and tricking them into spilling information.

With a smile you help Kazuha to his room. With each step the sleepy swordsman became heavier and heavier. You're basically carrying all of Kasha's weight when you finally arrive at his room.

He must be pure muscle from how much weight you were carrying. You push the door open with your shoulder and sigh in relief once you drop him on his bed.

Kazuha sleepily moves to rest his head on the pillow as you catch your breath.

"Well Kazuha I'll see you in the morning." You move to leave but Kazuha grabs your wrist and looks up at you.

"Nooo... Don't leave yet. Stay with me, just for a little while. I'll tell you the haiku I made with the inspiration I got from you."

It wouldn't hurt to stay right? No one could deny that Kazuha was a very cute drunk. You could totally afford to give in for once. You sat on the bed and smiled at him.

"It would be my pleasure Kazuha. The creator has always praised your flowery language so I've always wanted to hear it myself."

Kazuha smiles brighter at the mention of the creator. "Then I'm confident that you will enjoy it Y/N."

"Winds whisper sweet sounds,

In my sight, the brightest star,

Gold masks and bright smiles."

Kazuha finishes the haiku before passing out on the bed. Shoes and all. You try to get up and leave again but his grip on your wrist is tight. You tug your wrist but he's just not letting go.

Is it because he's a skilled swordsman that it's this hard to escape his grasp? After bracing yourself and pulling a few time you finally got your wrist free.

You leave Kazuha's room feeling a lot better then when you first boarded the ship. Although you know Kazuha will be horribly embarrassed when or if he remembers what happened, it's more than okay with you.

Not only will Kazuha automatically have a good impression of you for dealing with his drunken self but also feel indebted to forgiving any mistakes you might make. Plus it was fun not having to worry about any lies to tell or upkeep.

It's futile to hope but you still want to entertain the idea of the rest of your journey being this peaceful. Seeing your favorite characters in passing and admiring the scenery of the different nations. It's what you dreamed of while on Earth and now you'll also dream of it while being on Teyvat. Ironic isn't it?

You remember something and head to the main deck. After walking to and from it, you've figured out the general route. The drunk crew members were still sprawled, passed out on the floor. Which was really annoying to pass over so you took the liberty to move them to sit against the wall.

Once outside you looked towards the direction of Inazuma. It was a lot smaller now but you could still see Narukami Island. It was close enough for what you wanted to test. The lack of witnesses was a nice bonus.

Pulling up the game screen, you went straight for the Wish system. One look at your primogems made you wanna cry. How in the world did you get 15,546?! You only had 46 when you were on Earth! Another mystery that you were not going to spend precious time thinking about.

There was no banner either, instead it had a handprint. Errily similair to the boat you used when you first arrived here. You placed your hand on it and say.

"Show me Kamisato Ayaka's banner."

It starts to glow and you yank your hand away. The glowing stops showing Ayaka's banner with the fours stars from her most recent banner. This could be really helpful and seriously exploited.

The increase of primogems, the banner disappearing, choosing any banner, it must all be due to your power as the creator. Although the game screen is weird and mysterious, it has always helped you. Best not to question it.

You had no pity and only had enough primogems for 97 pulls, would it be enough? Putting trust into whatever luck you had, whether good or bad, you start wishing.

You press the 10 pull option and watch the night sky above you glimmer as a purple shooting star is surrounded by smaller blue shooting stars.

No wonder they believed you were some holy creator who was going to descend on Teyvat with gold blood. The sight was breathtaking.

Maybe Hoyoverse or rather Mihoyo was the true creator and you were just deluding yourself into thinking you were the creator?

Nah too far of a stretch. Plus they knew what was your favorite food, so you were most definitely still the creator.

The game screen displayed all the character constellations and weapons you won. So you kept pulling and pulling with still no Ayaka in sight.

At the 90th pull you finally saw the gold shooting star. It was the sky lighting up with a gold glow that really caught your attention. Unlike the blue stars that fizzled out quickly or the purple stars that joined others to form constellations, the gold star went farther.

It shot across Inazuma until it seemed to be over the Kamisato Estate. It gave one last bright gold glow before disappearing. Looking back at the screen, you saw Ayaka's splash art.

Satisfied, you exit the Wish system and close the screen. Hopefully her life would be easier now that she was a awakened acolyte. That she can feel loved by the creator she treasures so dearly even though you will probably never build her.

You go back to your room and lay on the bed. You fall asleep to the sounds of the waves and creaking of the boats. Completely unaware of the joyful crying from Ayaka and the celebrating Kamisato Clan.

Wanted to keep this a happy(ish) chapter. Plus I wanted a short one after the monster that was part 5. Kazu's haiku was made by me, yes I followed the rules. Like the 5, 7, 5 syllable rule. I'm pretty sure I did it correctly but idk it was my first time doing poetry. I'm just lucky it didn't need to rhyme. The next chapter will be purely boat stuff with Beidou and Kazu. For now at least, may add more as I write the draft. Also going to be counting the Liyue characters to see how many I can fit. Along with locations since Y/N is going to the Adventures guild. Perhaps as I write I'll figure out if Y/N should go to Sumeru or Mondstadt. Taglist: @vvyeislazzy, @nikqi, @the-dumber-scaramouche, @etherisy, @yourlocalstranger123, @ra404, @iruiji, @goldenglow149, @haru-tofuu, @lsleepysimpl, @bebobeboben, @yuyuzi-ling, @amidst-the-tempest, @resident-cryptid, @mxd1zzy, @mochicurls21, @nervouseaglelover, @thedevioussmirk, @yumuramma, @kwqsla, @undecidingfate, @ehjane, @game-savvy, @akiramirae, @sielt, @fluffy-koalala, @formacoon, @sxftiebee, @khxii-i, @ursinaw, @chuuya-brainrot, @sweetbills, @kazuchaos, @snowfoxnix, @bluebelony, @conspicuous-mayonnaise, @pencil-of-ashes, @ghostlyintervention, @taiformaifoe, @sielt, @goaudduck, @carminerin, @maddysflowers, @zenith-of-all-zeniths, @crazydreamcat, @leafanonsforest

[zoohouseart]

An idea of how Ed Edd n Eddy's cast may appear as adults. I wrote a bio for each one too.

Ed: Married May Kanker right out of high school, had 26 kids all named after monster movies (all of which he's VERY protective of). Spends a simple life working on tree-lifting and mine digging, bathes in gravy every night. Misses Edd and Eddy a whole, whole lot. Unfortunately doesn't see them often, since they moved further into the city while he stayed in the cul-de-sac.

Edd (Double D): Cleaned his act, got the girl, gained a master's in science and engineering, became a teacher, and yet STILL isn't happy or widely respected. Has yet to fully address his long standing anxiety of taking off his hat. Cannot let himself catch a break as he stresses daily about getting the bills paid. Wishes there was more to life than this ever-revolving door of monotony.

Eddy: Flunked out of college. Works as an errand boy for the mayor of Peach Creek and "oversees productivity". Secretly continues to feed his compulsions to scam and gamble at any chance he can get. Spends his every evening dreaming of the day where HE's the mayor, and scheming up ideas he'll never enact (unless..). Often complains that jawbreakers aren't as big as they used to be.

Nazz: Lives a bohemian life, praying someday her time to shine will glisten once more as an "influencer" but works retail in the meantime. Mooches off her fiancée Edd and tries to make up for it in emotional (and erm, well, physical) support. Is struggling with the idea that she peaked in high school, but will never admit it. Mockingly called "Double Z" by Eddy, though she doesn't mind.

Kevin: Is the mayor of Peach Creek. Won this view through pure charisma and good word as the football king of Peach Creek High and general "best at everything", but is often these days fumbling the ball on keeping the streets safe and clean. Is now friends with Eddy, or at least he likes to think so. Is sad he didn't make it into pro league, and will sulk about it when noone's looking.

Sarah: Took up the job of being a shrink (specifically in anger management), and a general town do-gooder. She's often, even if obnoxiously, asking to help others. Has really turned her life around from her loudmouthed, vicious childhood and make up for her past cruelties.. but has mostly done so just to repress her unbridled rage bubbling inside. Whatever you do, don't bring up Jimmy in front of her.

Jimmy: Sarah and Jimmy were conjoined to the hip practically forever, until the day his braces came off. Once he did, he got the call from Hollywood for his incredible acting chops, and ditched his BFF without a second thought. People often tour Peach Creek to see his hometown, much to the chagrin of everyone there. Is a real piece of work these days and could use a nice ass whooping.

Rolf: Grew to be a mighty farmer, creating a titanic cattle industry. Used his profits to buy a massive chunk of Peach Creek and turn it into "New Yergosluvia", so his old country family could live nearby. There he resides as it's king, and frequently feuds with old friend Kevin. Wears Victor's pelt in honor of his life-long servitude to a son of a shepherd (Victor passed peacefully in his sleep).

Johnny 2x4: MIA. As the Eds became more accepted, Johnny became the new misfit. One day, tragedy suddenly struck Plank in senior year of high school, and Johnny was never seen again. There's urban legends of crudely drawn faces appearing on the trees around the old cul-de-sac they grew up in. Ed swears he's seen one tree move. But that's crazy Ed for you. …Right?

May Kanker: Spends her days mostly exhausted from having to take care of 26 children, and hardly ever leaves the house. When she's not trying to drown out the kids with a cranked up TV, she's spending every other hour gossiping about occurrences across the city with her sisters.. though there's not a lot of time between that and cleaning up shit smeared on the walls.

Marie Kanker: Was expelled from Peach Creek High School for stalking Edd and threatening harm on Nazz. She now spends her days as a forum rat on doxxing related message boards, betwixt a day job of driving a garbage truck, where she mostly rides around town spying on people and scribbling down their whereabouts. She too spends all remaining hours gossiping with her sisters.

Lee Kanker: Was mid-planning on going to college and had her life all figured out to be a part of law enforcement until she was unexpectedly locked up for "illegal wood burning". She swears she was framed but has no idea who could've done it. She's usually calling her sisters, but occasionally talks with Eddy. She's not interested in him anymore; they just like to shoot the shit sometimes.

[fallingskiesandrisingseas]

Alright everyone, buckle up. My Susan post talks about what happens to her after the story unfolds.

But what about the rest of the Pevensies?

Today, Lucy. ________________________________________

Lucy misses Narnia with every breath she takes.

England holds no magic, nothing as exasperating as the call of the fauns, the thrill of battle, the lightness that comes when she drinks too much meade.

Lucy comes back to an England in the middle of a war, is told to put up and shut up. Gone are the country days; Lucy is prepared for a normal life. And she manages. Mostly.

Because despite the quick wit and the inner light, that has only grown stronger, England can make little sense of the girl. A girl much wilder than the rest of them, much more polite.

Lucy takes to boarding school like a fish takes to dry land. No teacher ever sees the girl watching the board, and yet she never misses a word. Other girls do not understand her, this girl that only speaks in riddles and never wears shoes when it isn't mandatory.

Lucy, full of Aslan's words and eager to make something of herself, tries, really tries, to be friends with her schoolmates.

But her maturity goes far beyond being ahead on the school material. Her sense of morals and silver tongue do not allow for the backstabbing, gossiping girls that every boarding school has to cast her out, but she doesn't really belong, neither.

Everyone knows Lucy always listens. Few stay in her company long enough to figure out she also understands. No 13 year old girl should know that much about the war economy. Or about anything, really.

She's wild. Her books are full of drawings, her speech contains figures of speech no one has ever heard.

At school they take self-defense lessons one day -the war could come to England, after all- and Lucy cleaves a wooden block clean in two.

Her partner doesn't even see her move her leg.

Lucy always lifts her finger when drinking tea, has never broken a promise. She sits straight up in her chair, doesn't make a single error when she speaks. She doesn't get into fights with other girls, no matter how hard they try. It is impossible to outmanouver her verbally.

Everyone wonders if her brothers taught her to curse along with the debate training she has obvioulsy had.

Well-behaved isn't the word; Lucy is peculiar.

The only one who gets it, aside from Susan, is her dancing instructor. The man had taught royalty, ages ago. He moves four times the pace with her as he does with the rest of the class. There is an elegance to her, once you get used to the wandering eyes and the bare feet.

Lucy moves like a hurricane on legs. He teaches her tango, ballroom. Soon he has nothing to offer but better instructors. Lucy never misses a step. When dancing, her eyes are blazing. She is a district champion before the age of 14; on course to be a world champion before 18.

The old man does tell stories, however. Of when he was a young man, when he taught the queen. Lucy only feels alive then.

She moves through the years normally. In time, girls come to respect her maturity, learn not to ask who taught her how to ride horses and dance and throw knives. Lucy is always positive, rarely without a smile. She's not diplomatic like her sister. People come to her nonetheless. It feels impossible to remain somber in her presence. Yet she stays ahead of her peers. She isn't mature earlier, but rather just more.

Like she's lived another life.

The boys take notice, too. She has an inner light that shines very brightly, seems to believe in and embody magic. They try to woo her during gala's and dancing competitions, making bets among themselves who can get her to dance. Rarely do they succeed; Lucy sees through them almost instantly. Only when true and without ulterior motive does she accept invitations for dinner, drinks or dancing. And not without reason; a kiss from her is a nightcap unlike anything else.

Lucy's and the Pevensies' personal history becomes somewhat of an urban legend. Everyone has a theory, no one ever knows. One of the girls gets the bright idea to steal Lucy's diary from her room when she is away, but the stories are in a language none of them can read.

The next day, the girl doesn't show up. She's suddely gotten acne so bad she needs to take medication for it. Lucy's diary remains untouched for the rest of her years in the boarding school.

She has strange friends. Old professors, middleaged women, younger acquitances. They are all wild and like her. Among themselves they speak a language no one understands. Everyone thinks it must be an As(l)ian one.

The bond with her sister deteriorates over the years; at the end of her time there they are not close like they were at the beginning. Every girl in her dorm has a crush on one of the Pevensie brothers, however. They visit often, seem taller than they should.

Lucy smiles and dances and flirts and lives. But she is the one that misses magic the most. She sees the looks, feels the distance. She is the sun, but while everyone feels her warmth, none come too close.

When the spectre appears to warn them of problems in Narnia she finally feels like herself again. A queen of old, called on for aid. She jumps at the chance. She finds the rings, gets on the train.

When it crashes, she is thinking of Narnia.

[nissanmaxima]

Finally someone who writes African American readers! I’ve been looking all over! Anyways, can you write a story about Levi and his African American s/o having kids and they’re all just dancing to popular urban songs? Its basically just a little bonding time.

foot note: pay no mind to the fact that this literally just never got published i’m so sorry 😭

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A smile graced your face as you soaked in the scenario that’s unfolding, it felt surreal. Levi Ackerman, humanity's strongest soldier, and his loving (Y/N) found themselves blessed with a lively bunch of children. As they watched their little ones grow, they realized the profound joy that music brought their family.

The sun was shining, the faint buzzing sound of insects as well as the wind brushing against the grass surrounded the Ackerman family as they decided to have a special bonding session in the backyard. They put on their favorite R&B songs and danced to the rhythm with pure delight. The Kids, Madie, Genesis, Tremaine and Miracle giggled and twirled around, trying to imitate their parents' moves while Levi and his partner showcased their natural dancing skills. Older songs playing the likes of Whitney Houston, Earth Wind & Fire, Ja Rule, and Madie’s personal favorite: Michael Jackson

“Madie, what’s your stage name?”

“Madie Jackson!”

the exclamation made both parents laugh and hugged their daughter as tight as they possibly could,

“You’d be the best Madie Jackson ever!”

Levi, known for his stoic demeanor, let loose and embraced the happiness that radiated from his family. His partner, whose contagious laughter filled the air, led the way with energetic dance routines. They encouraged each child to express themselves through dance, fostering an environment of creativity and freedom.

The eldest child, a curly-haired girl named Genesis showed off her agility and grace with fluid dance moves, reminiscent of a seasoned performer. Next in line was Tremaine, a mischievous young boy who wasn't afraid to break out into spontaneous breakdance moves that left the family in awe and finally the twins, Madie and Miracle, added a touch of synchronized elegance to their performance, never missing a beat.

As the music continued to play, the baby of the Ackerman family, Levi Jr., joined in with his adorable little steps and contagious laughter. Every family member swayed and grooved, revealing the true power of love and unity.

Neighbors passing by couldn't help but stop and watch as this remarkable family exuded happiness and harmony. Some even joined in, clapping their hands and bopping to the beat, turning the backyard into a joyful dance party.

The day unfolded like a magical symphony from the morning starting with grits and eggs, to the midday being cleaning time to the Ackerman family dancing freely to the rhythm of their hearts. Each movement became a reflection of their love for one another, letting no outside or otherworldly interference stop their flow.

In that moment, Levi Ackerman, the hardened soldier, and his special (Y/N), were more than just parents. They were the architects of happiness and togetherness, creating cherished memories that would last a lifetime.

And so, under the warm sunshine and with the melody of slow, rugged and beautifully crafted R&B songs carrying them on, the Ackerman family continued to dance, bonding through rhythm and expression, celebrating the love that bound them forever and always.

——————————————————————————

foot note: heyyyyy i’m sorry :D i do this thing where i get a bunch of inspiration and then it goes no where sorryyyyy but i’m over the legal age so now i’m gonna start writing the spicy stuff so hopefully i’ll pump those out for kinktober :>

[1-800-luvmail]

the nerve.

「 tws + notes: unedited, canon... violence? i mean nothing really happens, reader is just a weird lil fella (affectionate), not a meet cute,,, more like a meet stupid 」

「 gn!reader, no relationships established 」

↳ ft. montgomery gator

author's note: i had a whole idea for this. don't ask me what though becuz i have no clue anymore (｡•́-ก̀｡) ... like, the general idea (iirc correctly) was that eventually they'd be buddies and the reader would pretend to wanna help w/ the bonnie mystery or sumn while trying to fulfill their own motives— but whatever. but i clearly did not get to that at all (´｀;) and yes!!! the title is a reference to the song by the brobecks (⑅˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈ )

bright neon lights shine down onto your face as you step into the pizzaplex. there's no denying you feel out of place.

the commercialized rock music blasting from the speakers, the loud, boisterous, laughter of children, the eye-bleeding colours surrounding you— a complete sensory nightmare, all in one massive labyrinth of a building.

this would have terrified you in any other circumstance. and it does. yet, for some reason, you feel the corners of your mouth twitch up slightly at the sight of this place.

the allure of the pizzaplex is undeniable to anyone who approached it— but your fascination was something different entirely.

you were just here to observe the strange ways in which this place operated. you heard rumors... small whisperings that fazbear entertainment had somehow missed when cleaning up their image. they had a fair share of skeletons in their closet. and you, ever curious, wanted to see what hid behind that shining reputation.

the company's origins were largely covered up for the most part. all online research came up inconclusive, and for what you managed to scrape up, it ended up being nothing more than forgotten webpages, blog posts, and left over negative reviews.

you knew one thing for certain though: the mess all started with the animatronics.

so, no, you weren't here for the arcade, the pizza, the live performances— that was all low priority for you. you were here to examine the technology that they used.

making your own entertainment out of something that you'd otherwise not bother to take a second glance at, all while uncovering secrets that you've always wanted to hear? this is something you simply can't resist.

you'd do anything to find out the truth.

families and their children, teenagers looking for something to do– those were the people the pizzaplex intended to draw in. but of course, an establishment built on a shady foundation which never discloses their history that runs a high tech entertainment center is bound to draw in another demographic: people who want to uncover secrets. 

you knew a fair share of urban explorers online— mostly fans— who’d try to break in after hours to get to places guests shouldn’t be, steal stuff they definitely aren’t meant to get their hands on (you recall specifically when snagged some seasonal accessories meant from glamrock chica which was… well. weird and specific but whatever), find merch in the back that went unsold or discontinued, or even just try to see if they still had bonnie's parts somewhere in the back.

that was a whole other thing in itself. you didn't know why that bunny was so popular, but it was undeniable the mystery of his sudden decommission was intriguing. you had decent knowledge on it. begrudgingly so. most people clogged online forums filled with their theories on it.

no matter what they were there for, they were practically always caught. they'd go explore but swiftly get caught, receiving hefty fines for trespassing and lifetime bans. if they were lucky enough to escape, they'd still get in trouble within the next few days. naturally, most people kept their investigations online. it was the smart thing to do.

but none of them were searching for what you wanted. you didn't care about the dead stock in the back, the animatronics seasonal accessories, and hell— not even the bonnie mystery.

so maybe it wasn't all too surprising you came to visit.

the first time you came, the establishment was in full swing. the busiest time for the pizzaplex, on the busiest day. you ended up watching a performance, grabbed some overpriced food to eat (the food made exclusively by staff bots- how fascinating...) and then, just picked up and left.

you weren't gonna stay and chat with the animatronics when they were being swarmed by children and devoted fans. no way. crowds were bad enough. crowds of children? you shudder just thinking of it.

the next few times, you were careful. you noted patterns of active hours and made sure to arrive right about when the daycare closed, in order to avoid the larger crowds. in the last few hours of the pizzaplex being open, you’d finally be able to stick around until closing to walk around and explore.

no, you never met your goal of actually talking to the animatronics, despite your interest in meeting any one of them (your social anxiety somehow was not limited to human interaction) so you just... lurked.

yes, you spent your time haunting the pizzaplex until it was time to go. with the sheer amount of hours that you spent there, you could've easily become another urban legend on the internet— the strange ghost of the pizzaplex that lurks and stalks around near closing hours. they look like a normal person– but look in their direction and they retreat! ...it might've been funny.

even though that wasn't the case, and you were practically nobody, you certainly didn't go unrecognized. ai facial recognition. what a creation! and though typically used for regulars and being able to address guests personally, it could be used for anyone who visited. not like you knew.

as you became more familiar with the place— in your cluelessness, the place became more familiar with you.

unknown to you, the working staff bots turned their heads to catch a small glimpse of you when you passed, the daycare attendant stared at you through the glass– even the glamrocks found themselves occasionally scanning the crowd for your face. you weren't just another person with too much time on your hands, you came here more often than almost any person ever had. and still, you never talked to a single one of them, never stuck around one area for too long, and didn’t have a routine to your visits. your motives remained unclear to them.

saturdays were more hectic than usual, and if you were even the slightest bit more sane, you would've at least thought twice to try and spend a full day here, opening to closing.

lucky for you, you did consider it twice! you thought it over many times– unfortunately, you were still lacking any form of sanity.

instead of just leaving at closing as per usual, you decided you would somehow hide after closing hours to explore the place once all operations had been shut down.

easy enough in your head. you knew a couple spots which were typically off limits to most people that you could camp out in undetected, previously used by more successful urban explorers. then you'd snoop around a bit more, and then sneak back out again. simple.

all you needed to do was avoid staff bots. challenging, yes, but not impossible.

the fated day came and went— and as they announced for closing and people trickled out, you knew that your day began.

finally. you would have some answers.

—

oh god. this was a bad idea. very, very bad.

something you hadn't known, was that the glamrocks doubled as security. they roamed the pizzaplex after hours in search of any intruders.

this fact really would've been humorous, if it wasn't absolutely terrifying right now. the things you were stalking were now stalking the halls for you.

so, here you were, in the darkened arcade, crouching in a corner, sandwiched between the walls and an unplugged game machine. you clasped your hand over your mouth to stifle your breathing, hearing large footsteps approaching.

don't make noise. don't move. don't even think of it. you watch as it passes, scanning the area for any sort of trouble. the silhouette of the animatronic is far enough to be blurry, but it would definitely notice you if you made any rash decisions. you count in your head mentally, making sure to wait until the coast is clear.

one. two… three… four. five. uh… six?... nothing— …nothing seems to be happening. oh fuck okay wait it turned around— go time! you thought to yourself. impatience was a vice. you’d come to realize that soon.

you slowly get up, elbows and knees awkwardly knocking against the wall and arcade machine noisily as you stand.

that's when you see a large figure slowly turn back around— no doubt, due to your loud attempt at getting out of your stupid hiding spot. your eyes widen in horror, trying to figure out which one it was, and if it had really seen you.

the large animatronic gator, you soon recognized, in fact did see you! it was rapidly heading your way after all.

squeezing out your hiding spot, you book it, making sure to try and get away as far as you possibly can— but it's no use.

fazbear entertainment made these things fast as fuck.

you find yourself backed into a wall, being stared down by an animatronic gator who looks like he's restraining himself from ripping you to shreds on the spot. you back into the wall, trembling.

his eyes scan you— and there's sudden recognition. unfortunately, it doesn't seem like a good thing, considering how he just seems to become more agitated by your presence.

he snarls, bearing his teeth at you. the razor sharp quality of the metal in his mouth make you wonder why this animatronic is allowed to be in an entertainment place for kids.

"you've got a lot of nerve, runt."

you stare like a deer in headlights. you didn’t run. you didn't move. your panic completely freezes you over, brain too busy thinking of a way to get out of this, to leave this place alive.

a claw lifts you up by the collar of your shirt, forcing you to meet his eyes. 

"shit— no, no, no, please ‘m sorry—" your voice is shaking as you desperately search for the words to explain yourself. or at least get out of the situation you’re in. you thrash in his grasp to no avail.

it's all beginning to feel very humiliating. you wasted all this time for nothing. you weren't any detective. just someone with too much time. now, you'd probably die as a random, faceless, nobody who spent too much time at an entertainment center that catered to children's birthday parties.

at least you thought this cause of death was somewhat funny. despite how pathetic it was.

still, everything in your head was urging you to stay alive. even for a few minutes difference.

and suddenly, fight or flight weren't the only options you had anymore. a third one, scintillating and enticing, had graced your thoughts like an angel descending from the heavens.

lying.

"i just— i know it's weird and i shouldn't have trespassed, but i needed to talk to you after hours—" you ramble, your efforts feeling more futile as he lifts you closer, as if to eat you alive. you steel yourself.

"i just need to ask you about bonnie."

the gator goes unnaturally still at your words.

and then it ends here because nothing else was written. where was this gonna go? guess we'll never know. i don't remember where this was going either (。_。)

[underappreciated-characters]

CHERRY BLOSSOMS

Pairing: Peter B. Parker x Reader Tags: Angst, Toxic Relationship, Jealousy Summary: A terribly self indulgent self insert that’s been in my drafts since 2018 and maybe it should have stayed there lmao Misc: Oblivious!Peter, Roomate!Reader, Hanahaki Disease A/N: Lmao let’s get this self-indulgence out of the way. 1.3K Words

Hanahaki Disease: A disease in which an individual experiences intense physical pain followed by episodes of sporadic coughing and throwing up of flower petals. At its worst, symptoms may result in death.

 Hanahaki disease - A relatively new affliction to the people of Earth. With all the changes their world had begun to see, including the rising rate at which superhumans had begun to appear, it shouldn’t have been terribly surprising something like this would come along as well. 

It started as a rumor, an urban legend really. People would claim that someone they knew had caught it and died and that there was no way to cure it. The rumor grew and grew and  - as it turned out - there really was truth to them. Only there was a cure, a terribly costly one. Only it wasn't just the hefty price that made getting the miracle surgery costly, it was what you risked losing once the procedure was over with.

 You risked losing every single memory and sentiment you had ever had with that person. Since symptoms varied so greatly there was no predictability as to what the result would be. Prior to treatment you would undergo so many assessments, the doctors making sure they had everything they needed to care for you after and make sure you could return to normal life, but you would never feel anything for that person again, not even friendship.

If you elected not to go through the surgery, you could lose your life. So every person who could afford it had to make the decision to live and lose their life or live their life never remembering how it felt to love the most important person in the world to them. It should have been an easy decision. But for some reason, it wasn’t. Not for (Y/N) at least, not at first.

At first it was nothing. The dull aches she felt in her chest shrugged off as pains from sleeping wrong or her general clumsiness. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the Hanahaki disease, she may have chosen to remain oblivious to her feelings for years to come. After all Peter had done for her, how could she be so selfish as to want him to herself?

Peter had been the first person she could trust in the city. (Y/N) had met Peter when he came to investigate the scene of her crash landing. It seemed that she was an extraterrestrial and he had been on patrol nearby when everything had happened. 

It wasn’t long before they had made fast friends. Even then, there was a sadness in his beautiful brown eyes. She had studied it whenever they spoke, went out on patrol together. In part, (Y/N) wanted to fix it because she was grateful for everything Peter had provided. And, in part, she had wanted more time with him. Any excuse to see those rare smiles, to be the cause. 

Their relationship formed naturally over the course of months, well as naturally as it could given their situation, and slowly things began to change. Peter’s dim and dirty apartment was clean more consistently, and he would let the light shine in during the day. The fridge of his that had rarely stocked more than a handful of ingredients or leftovers at once was soon full of meal prepped food and healthier options. Instead of sulking away in bed when there was nothing to do, he found himself looking for the comfort of others. He had even managed to pick up some old hobbies again. 

Anything she could do to help him get out and stay out of that rut he had been in when they first met, she did. Her helping him begin his chores: Clearing the bed, discarding trash that littered the floors and counters, making sure there was water and food in the house. She had initiated it all, but was overjoyed when slowly her reminders and help were no longer as needed. Peter found a job that allowed him to juggle being a hero and taking care of himself, however narrowly. 

She had been most proud of the fact he had learned to care for himself and ask for help more often. The sadness that had often cast shadows in his weary eyes was now a vague memory most days. That should have been enough for her. To see that her friend had grown and found himself again, that should have been enough. 

But one day she got home to their shared apartment and saw Peter in the livingroom with MJ, sharing a meal. The action itself had no real implied intimacy, but something in her heart still lurched at the sight. (Y/N) had quickly apologized and darted off to her own room to give them privacy. She shook the thoughts out of her head, chasing them away, but they came back to haunt her.

As they continued to spend more and more time together, (Y/N) found their shared apartment seemed to grow warmer without her there. It began to feel like a home she was intruding on. More and more often she locked herself away and less frequently, it seemed, Peter seemed to notice. 

She dug her nails into the palms of her hands. She should be ecstatic at the changes. The days where Peter allowed himself to rot away for days at a time were not long ago. This alternative was what they had worked so hard for. So why did her chest hurt so much?

When had her feelings become so serious? Wasn’t this a betrayal of her friendship with him? (Y/N) found herself at a complete loss for the first time since she had landed on this planet. She had learned to love many things about this planet, its people. But wanting one of its greatest protectors to have eyes only for her? It felt incredibly selfish. It felt so wrong. So much so, she was almost relieved when she found out she was afflicted, as if it could serve as some sort of penance. 

Slowly her symptoms grew and grew. When she would go on her own patrols she often found herself gasping for air, even when she was not in pursuit of anyone. Most nights she would wake choking as the petals began to fill and flood her mouth. The nights would quickly become the worst. As if waking feeling on the verge of death were not enough, the vomiting would come soon after. Her entire body would shudder, convulse violently, as it attempted to empty itself of the cherry blossoms. 

She would endure it for months to come, because she deserved it. It was indeed the penance she had to pay for coveting Peter B. Parker. She thought she would endure it for the rest of her life if she was able. But it seemed that perhaps fate was determined to tear the two apart, to make their fate completely apparent to the stubborn heroine.

It happened in an instant. In the middle of a mundane meeting she had suddenly seized, clutching at her chest. An ambulance was called and they carted her off immediately, a trail of petals following behind her. They let her know when she regained consciousness that the decision had been made for her. Her lungs and heart had already begun filling to the brim, there had been no time to delay. 

(Y/N) sat there, disoriented and confused. The surgeons left her to recover, there would be time for further discussion when she was clear headed. They let her know as they made their way out of her room that her emergency contact had arrived and they let him in. (Y/N) felt a faint ache in her chest as a vaguely familiar man with beautiful brown eyes entered. “I’m sorry, do we know each other?” She asked. 

[kiliinstinct]

The Forbidden Woods:

A Genshin Impact Au Pairing: Aether/Xiao Urban Fantasy and Supernatural Romance Find on A03: [Here] Special Thanks to @genavere: My beta. Chapter 2:

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Chapter 1: A House of Dust And Memories

Aether remembered the bird.

It was a tiny thing, perched atop the broken, overgrown altar of stones where he and Lumine had played in their childhood. Confidence born from innocence pulled them to the small clearing where the altar stood, partially shielded by the forest behind their home. They’d been warned countless times to never venture near there, but had regarded the warnings only as general advice rather than an outright rule. 

They never passed into the thicket, after all, what was the worst that could happen? 

The old altar was cracked, crusted in dirt, but it had fueled the twin’s imaginations as they darted about, fighting imaginary enemies or digging for made-up treasures. Over time, it was no longer an ancient, abandoned shrine to them, but a hideout from the rest of the world. And it was theirs. 

So was the bird. 

Aether had noticed it once or twice, observing their antics from a distance. He convinced himself it was a baby who’d only recently left its nest as it was far too small to be anything else. Lumine scoffed at the notion, stating that many birds were tinier than that, and perhaps its nest was nearby. He wasn’t so sure, but lacking any proof (or an attention span willing to focus on being right), he gave it a little wave before resuming their game. 

It was closer the day they decided to clean the area, head tilted and eyes glaring. With gloves equipped, rakes and shovels as their chosen weapons, they attacked the area with a single mindedness only sheer determination could manage.  As they removed old, decaying vines and swept away the undergrowth of dried leaves and fungi, the bird examined them every step of the way.  

Aether was delighted to see its colorful, teal feathers flecked in bits of gold along the edges of its wings. Like little gems that made it pop in comparison to the looming woods around them. 

When he trilled a failed attempt to ‘speak’ in bird language, its feathers ruffled until it gave the impression of a round ball, angrily squawking in response. 

The twins laughed and decided then this pretty bird was also theirs in the same sense the sun was. While they played pretend the bird twittered and hopped from branch to branch, looking over them as they played. It was the tiniest of guardians. 

These were fond memories that faded into the back of Aether’s mind through the years. Tender little treasures he kept to himself for rainy days when the nights were too dark or his loneliness high. He’d set the memories out and reminisce, smiling fondly each time he recalled something new. The days of childhood are short in comparison to adulthood, but that never dulled the sweetness of his memories. Nor did it mute the quiet yearning he felt each time he recalled that luminous bird, shining brightly amidst the foliage of his old home.

A home he was now returning to for the first time in years. 

Once upon a time, its acres were full of life, growing wildflowers and Inteyvats along the border as vegetable stocks grew to heights that towered above him when young. Now, the land was barren, devoid of color, and the house that once held all his happiest memories looked like a sad, decrepit memory. Much like the altar had been.

With the view of his old home full of dust and who knows what else, he wistfully wondered if the bird would still be there. Probably dead,  he thought,  allowing the reality to sink in. It had been far too long since he and Lumine ran through the halls of their old farm, creating stories of wondrous adventures with their shared imaginary friends while exploring every nook and cranny of the family home.   He looked onward, examining the old Ranch Style porch with its chipped paint and rotting wood. Once upon a time it was painted a brilliant white as the smell of the honeysuckles out front surrounded the property. 

Echoes of the past rang in Aether’s ears, a quiet reminder of laughter he once heard in the empty halls and through the open windows. All silent and dark. The nostalgia sank into his bones, begging him to look around in hopes of a familiar glimpse of teal and gold feathers. His shoulders drooped as the memory of laughter and smells of flowers and baked pie from the kitchens faded from his thoughts. 

That part of his life was already gone and to expect a creature from so long ago to still be as they were was ridiculous. 

But the thought didn’t mollify him. Rather it filled him with a disappointment that settled on his tongue like raisins in his chocolate chip cookies. 

“You don’t have to stay here.” 

Aether jumped, startled from his thoughts as he was quickly reminded of his present company. A tall man called Draff, who had kept watch over the grounds since his family left. His breath reeked of beer, but his eyes were clear, examining the grounds with something akin to pity in his eyes. 

“Seriously,” the man reiterated, fixing Aether with a welcoming smile that crinkled the corner of his eyes, “this place doesn’t look too hospitable and Springvale isn’t too far off. I’ve got a spare bedroom you can use while you clean this place up.”

A tempting offer. One that Aether appreciated, but his own smile was distant, closed off as he looked back to the old house. Even the shutters hung off the hinges, looking more fitting of a haunted house than a home. 

That didn’t matter. Not at that moment. While he could accept Draff’s sympathy and run away to enjoy the comforts of a clean house with a warm meal, he grinded his feet into the ground, cemented in place. 

“I can always visit for dinner sometime,” He replied, mischief settling in his smile. “Your treat, obviously.”

“Pfft, if you mean hunted by me, sure.”

“Diona could make the drinks.” Aether joked, recalling the man’s young daughter at home.

Draff chortled, “She’d have both our heads. Besides, aren’t you a little young–”

“I’ve been over the drinking age for five years, Draff.” Aether monotoned, offended.

“Could have fooled me with that baby face.” He boomed a laugh that made Aether’s ears ring. “Did you discover the fountain of youth while you were gone or is it just good genes? No, don’t tell me. I don’t want to be more jealous than I already am.”

The laughter was nice. It filled the air with a little more color than the old farm had before, but it settled into a somber silence seconds later. Aether readjusted his travel bag over his shoulder, wondering how soon he could clear a space for sleeping. Beside him, Draff cleared his throat, glancing to his wristwatch as he shuffled quietly back towards his rusted truck.

“You sure you’ll be alright?” he asked, his earlier offer still hanging in the air. “No one said you had to do this alone.”

“Don’t worry about me,”  Aether assured him, a smile plastered on his face as he finally took the first steps past the wrought iron gate, ignoring the tickle of grass that brushed along his ankles. “I’m not really alone.”

“Your cell phone doesn’t count.”

“Video calling Lumine will suit me just fine,” Aether cheered, feeling more grounded at the thought of his sister. “I’m serious. Don’t underestimate a twin, Draff!”

“Yeah, yeah.” The older man rolled his eyes, but his expression was a fond one. It had been years since Aether had last seen him, promising his parents to tend the grounds after their departure.. And while he thought meeting face to face would grow awkward after so many years, he’d been just as friendly as he remembered—if a bit less sober.

Now that friendly face was leaving Aether to his own devices, sliding into the driver’s seat from the passenger side. When the truck’s engine rumbled to life, the hunter turned his focus back to Aether, leaning over to wrestle the window down and shouted a final farewell, teasing Aether’s memories with a warning he barely recalled hearing when he was a child.

“Don’t forget to stay out of the woods! It’s only gotten nastier while you were gone!”

He accepted the warning, coughing as the spinning tires kicked up gravel and dirt into the air. As his one and only friend in the vast radius of his family home disappeared into the distance, his bravado equally faded away. If he were honest with himself, being alone was going to fray at his nerves before the night was over. That he was certain of, but…

Closing the gate behind him, Aether side. It was better not to fall into his doubts.  No matter what, he had chosen to do this. The urge to return before the property was sold was too strong to ignore. Like a compulsion that yanked at his heart and urged him to explore the home his parents had taken him from so long ago. He couldn’t remember why they had left, and all attempts to learn the truth were met with dismissal from his parents. With them now passed, his questions remained unanswered. At some point, he’d accepted he’d never know the full truth and moved on with his life alongside his twin and youngest sibling. They were all they had and what good did dwelling on a home he’d never see again really do? These had been his thoughts right up until they hired a realtor and put the property up for sale. The money they could make off the acreage would be more than enough to cover their student loans and Paimon’s Private School for years. The choice made sense. Right until they began receiving advertisement postcards in the mail, mixed in with shopping ads and bills. He’d almost tossed them out, until the top images caught his attention: a familiar expanse of woods with rolling hills, overlooking the small town of Springvale. ‘A Small Town Riddled in Mystery and Comfort.  Come visit today!’ it read. More had followed, each covering a different aspect of the town: hunting seasons, a local fair coming to town, new shops opening. The reasons were numerous, but not one explained why they were sent in the first place. 

But it was just enough to rekindle the old curiosity Aether long thought dead.  Before he knew it, he was planning his trip and requesting Lumine to hold off on fishing the recent sale. “Just until I get back, then we can sign those papers and sign Paimon up for The Sumeru Akademiya!”  It had taken days of stubborn debates for either of his sisters to agree, but in the end, he proved himself the more stubborn of the three. 

Draff’s warning whirled in his mind. A simple reminder of a well-known myth from his and Lumine’s younger days. Despite the strange foreboding that came with it, Aether couldn’t resist shaking his head dubiously. Did folks out here really still try to scare others with that?

Back then, the rumors of the woods were just that: Rumors. Tall tales to scare the local children into coming home before nightfall. The old town whispers of a cursed fog surrounding the forest were nothing more than stories. 

Hunters came in and out of those woods yearly. Aether remembered their orange vests as they parked on the roadside and ventured through the thicket, guns in hand.  Even he had stepped over the threshold, curious in his boyhood to see the supposed murk the parents feared. And while the hint of a memory he couldn’t quite recall tickled the edge of his senses, Aether knew better than to humor it. His being here today, alive and well, was proof enough the old stories were false; and Draff’s rumor was nothing more than a nod to the past.

“It’s not as if the woods will still be here next year,” he murmured, closing the gate behind him as he withdrew the keys. He looked at the for sale sign plastered against the living room window and sighed. How could he run and hide in Springvale when this was his last chance to say goodbye to the only real home he’d ever had?  

It was better not to fall into his doubts.

Stepping into the dark house, Aether failed to notice the teal feathers of a bird watching from the branches of the nearest tree. Its eyes never wavered as it observed through the windows  the lights flickering on and off Aether’s slumped shoulders. 

[gutsandsweets]

Fictober day 4

Prompt #5; "It's a new day, let's go!

Characters: Nefertari Vivi, Karoo, Pell the Falcon

﹏﹏﹏

As the sun rose over the horizon, the light shine into the buildings and brightened rooms all over the land. Shadows shifted, the darkness covering only the backgrounds of urbanization now.

People all over begin to open their eyes,some more reluctantly than others. Front Doors were opening left and right as people went on their way to get an early start to whatever they had planned for the day. Some made small talk with others as they continued to wake up. Not even long into the start of a new day, and the citizens were already as lively as ever.

Among them was the inhabitants residing in the Royal castle. Some had already woken up before the others to start their separate duties earlier. The king and his subordinates had been up for quite some time now, walking around the grand building as they did thing after thing. They chatted amongst each other with various topics rolling off of their tongues. Steps and voices echoed through the vast halls of the castle, and anyone who hasn't already been up was now starting to rise. The sun was about half way up now, illuminating more than half of the entire city.

Shifting could be heard from a nearby room, white and adorned with a few limited decorations. Inside the room sat the princess of the kingdom, Nefertari Vivi. She had awoken not too long ago, stretching her arms above her head in a silent yawn as she went to get ready. She had many things that she needed to accomplish today; the duties of royalty never restedto the dismay of many. As she moved around her room, she grabbed a simple but fitting outfit for the day from her long closet. After a bit of pondering, she had chosen a soft fabric dress with small ruffles near the top line and sleeves with a similar texture and shape of their own. The waist and ahoudlers of the long dress had luxurious golden jewelry on it, fit for royalty but not too over the top.

Vivi wasn't much of a person to flaunt her status, and didn't want to wear anything too contradicting that could seem possibly portray her seem as such- arrogant, overly egotistical and pushy was exactly what she strived to never be. Not for her life, and not for anyone else's.

As she slipped on the clean dress after setting her sleep wear aside, she grabbed a deep royal purple brush and ran it through her hair. Once she was done with that, Vivi grabbed her typical flower hairclip that she used to hold her hair back. Readjusting the sheets, pillows, and blankets in an organized matter for when she returned to it once again at the night.

As she made a few finishing touches, she opening her door slowly. The sound of words went through her ears as she smiled and started to walk through that various halls. As she saw people, she would politely wave to them and ask how they were doing/had slept. After a few minutes, she had reached the front area of the place. The patter of feet and squaks could be heard behind her, catching her attention as her smile stretched across her face.

She shifted her body to face the source of the sound, where it had come from.

As she did, her duck companion, karoo, was in front of her. He was quite tall- not as much as the princess, but way more than your average duck., He sported his typical chullo hat and cup necklace.

He began to run around her in circles, quacking loudly about who knows what.

The princess began to laugh at this action, a hand held to her mouth as she waited for karoo to slow down. Once he get tired of doing so after a while, she looked back down to him while she spoke.

"You're very lively today, aren't you? Hehe!"

He comes to a stop, once again in front of her. He gives his most determined and excited look he can muster up, flapping his wings and hopping up and down. He quacks more in response, and while Vivi cannot quite understand exactly what he's saying, she knows from his tone and how he usually acts.

They begin to walk alongside each other with the princess speaking to him about today's activities. She had a list of things she needed to do outside for the castle. Sometime after they had met up, a tall man dressed In a long white robe and a hat came up to them. Both with brown star-like shapes on the silk. He politely bowed his head in the direction of the princess.

"Good morning, princess Vivi. How did you sleep? " asked Pell.

He was one of the two main guards of the kingdom- The strongest warrior, and a devil fruit user.

The princess looked up with a curious hum, immediately responding upon seeing who it was.

"Ah, hello Pell! I slept quite alright, but there are many things I would like to do today. so I decided to wake up a bit earlier than usual!"

"Yes, that certainly explains it. What do you plan to do on this sunny day?"

"Mostly just some shopping around the stalls, possibly get some more shirts or jewelry.."

He nodded at her words, understanding that it would be best if he left her to her duties for today. He spoke as he went to turn and walk away.

"Of course. I'll leave you to it then-."

They said their parting words for the morning as she set about to complete the tasks she mentioned. Karoo kept to her side as she exited the entrance of the building, beginning to glance around the land. After a short amount of time, she came upon the stall that had what she had chosen to buy. With a quick pace she moved amongst the spaces.

She turned the corners and structures with her hands clasped in front of her(holding a double handed basket between them both. The sun gleamed over her, warming her skin as the rays shone over the stalls. Each of them sold different things varying from food and crafts all the way to golds and riches. More people could be seen strolling on the streets and sidewalks doing whatever they pleased.

One of the many good things people enjoyed about being a citizen of the Alabama kingdom was how nobody was particularly forbidden from doing anything much. Of course, there were the typical limits, but the royals and higher ups didn't want to be overly controlling over their people. The royals respected the citizens, and the citizens respected the royals. The people were very loyal in return and very rarely complained about anything. Everyone lived together in coordination with their lives.

Vivi went from place to place purchasing various foods, clothing, and jewelry. She talked between the stallholders and others surrounding. She spoke with a smile as she started to return to the palace. Going through the same turns as she had before, and eventually arriving back to it. Opening the doors, she went back to her room to set down the new articles of clothing she had gotten.

With no time at all, most of what the princess needed to do had already been completed. The sun had started it's descent behind the earth in the distance. The shades of the night sky had once again returned, and the princess began to get ready to turn in for the day. She switched back into a clean pair of her sleepwear as she layed back into her bed. She let out a deep sigh, staring up at the ceiling of the room. Today was very successful, and she hoped that the days in the near future would be just the same- if not even better.

As the sun returned, the princess opened her eyelids once again. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, she prepared for the repetitive cycle of day to continue. She looked out the window as birds passed by. She opened her mouth, speaking with an energetic tone to karoo who layed at the end of the bed.

"Well.. It's a new day. Let's go!"

Ive had this one done for a bit, but needed to work on the next two days since I got a bit behind.. But here it is!!

[urbancleaningservices]

[handgiven]

TAG NINE PEOPLE YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW BETTER!

I. favourite colours: yellow & blue, especially when they occur together (like on van gogh's yellow house painting, or the siesta painting, or like when it's stormy and the sky is dark blue and grey, but the sun still shines on the yellowy buildings, or yellow acer leaves)

II. favourite flavours: palm sugar, pho broth, wild blueberries, masala chai, walnuts & honey, rosehip, elderberry

III. favourite genres: urban fantasy, queer & historical queer lit, poetry in prose, dystopian, philosophical, interviews with ordinary people & stories about ordinary people (bohumil hrabal, my beloved)

IV. favourite music: ambient, indie, folk, folk-punk, folk-rock, lo-fi (mostly i like anything that i can vibe with on account of the Vibes)

V. favourite movies: the fall (2006) -- it's so beautiful and it uses real locations and !!!!!! it's so good and sad and beautiful, maurice (1987) -- historical queer story with a happy ending, thank you mr e.m.forster o7, hombre mirando al sudeste (1986) -- philosophical scifi kind of thing it lives rent-free in my head, rent-a-neko (2012) -- "are you lonely? i'll rent you a cat.", jojo rabbit (2019), lola rennt (1998), mad max: fury road (2015), pride (2014), isle of dogs (2018), inside llewyn davis (2013), samotáři (2000)

VI. favourite series: in the flesh (2013), firefly (2002), the good place (2016-2020), attack on titan (still haven't seen the last two episodes, so no spoilers haha), the magicians (2015-2020), crazy ex-girlfriend (2015-2019), black books

VII. last song: radio by fred again.. & brian eno

VIII. last series: genuinely do not recall, but it might be good omens season 2, i just didn't have time to watch anything else since that came out

IX. last movie: blow-up (1966)

X. currently reading: lots of things started, none finished, but i do carry 'matter & desire' by andreas weber wherever i go these days s o i guess that; i am also listening to vonnegut's mother night as an audiobook :')

XI. currently watching: trying to listen to wtnv for the 5142952 time

XII. currently working on: art project for uni, deep-cleaning up my living space for the first time in months, trying to sort through my drafts & asks so it's all manageable

tagged by: stolen from @chiefofstafftanner tagging: @spookyagentfmulder @beyondthescully @talentforlying @shilohgreen @void-foxy @primordialchoice @amischiefofmuses @ravmalakh && anyone who sees this and is intrigued enough .) (also all you tagged people do feel free to ignore this, i appreciate you either way !!)

[spiridakos]

Love your love for Tracy's clothes and style. She has such a great approach to fashion and her wardrobe. Would you be able to share the items you've purchased of hers and which ones you love most? Thanks hope you're doing great!!

Oh, this is so fun! I have a lot of her clothes...so I'm gonna put this all below the cut so no one else has to look at the amount of money I've actually spent on clothes...

Madewell High Rise Patch Pocket Denim Shorts I love these, they fit me super well & I can pair them with about any shirt I want to. Tee, tank, cropped, sweatshirt. It all works. Definitely a regular item in my wardrobe in the summer.

Free People Lexden Black Denim Overalls I don't wear these as often, maybe because I'm a homebody who doesn't go out much, but I do love them. They're a super cute look, they're just not in my rotation much. I'm glad I have it as a staple piece in my closet though.

Vurori Performance Joggers (I'm not sure if Tracy was wearing Black Heather or just Black, I bought Black Heather) Never have I ever spent so much on a pair of sweatpants, but my god, they're the most comfortable thing in the world and I constantly am wearing them around my house. 10/10 recommend these, even though the price is a bit steep!

Urban Outfitters BDG Ryder Boyfriend Overall in Vintage Slash I love these overalls! I didn't know how I'd feel about sporting overalls again since the 90s, but I love the ripped look. Not something I get to wear often because I live in New England and it's cold so often, but I do bring them out when it's warm enough!

Lululemon Halfzip Scuba I hardcore mocked this pattern when I first saw Tracy in it, but then I saw it in a Lululemon, and I actually loved the pattern. It's one of the most warmest, and most comfortable things I've ever purchased. I have this on frequently, and even use it as my "coat" sometimes when bracing the cold.

Vuori The Rise The Shine Dad Hat Love a good hat, I am always throwing this on when I'm running errands!

Veja V-10 Lace Up Sneakers  Not a huge sneaker person.....until I bought these. They're fashionable but comfortable. Love to just wear them out with a pair of jeans.

Wilfred by Aritzia The Ganna Shirt Jacket in Dry Basil My first "I can't believe I just spent that on an item of clothing," piece. I love this coat. It's so soft. It fits me really nice, cause I'm super small, but this isn't too long in the arms like most things are! I wear this as my coat a lot when it's not super cold. Or just with some jeans as a full outfit. Either works.

Aviator Nation Ninja Pullover in Vintage White Another, "Did I really just spend that much on a sweatshirt?" piece. I just got this last week, so I haven't worn it out into the wild yet, but it's super soft!

Okay, I think that is it for Tracy clothes? I might be missing some, but I can't remember anything else right now. I have a handful of Hailey clothes, but I thought I'd just stick to Tracy here. I love how clean and simple her wardrobe seems to be and how I can adapt it into my own style as well.

My favorite pieces I've bought if I had to narrow it down to three: 1. Vuori performance joggers 2. Lulu Scuba 3. Madewell denim shorts

What a fun question, thank you, anon!

[harlowmembers]

Day Off

Pairing:Husband!Jack Harlow x Wife!Black chubby reader

The sunlight was shining threw your window on your eyes which caused you to wake up and you slowly woke started to wake up. Your looked over and seen your husband Jack Harlow sleeping next to you. He looked so peaceful sleeping lately he’s been stressed and you along with everyone else can see it, So you decided to text his friend Urban to see if Jack was doing anything today which he gladly replied with a no. your put your phone down and looked at your husband again he looked cute in the morning. Curls all messy,Always wearing tank tops, and His freckled Shoulders🤗. He stirred around for a minute and eventually woke up “good morning mama” he said. His early morning voice had an effect on you and you loved it “good morning stink” you said you got up and went to the bathroom same for Jack and you guys washed up and decided to stay home. Jack was downstairs watching TV and you were cleaning a little around the house Jack was getting lonely and needy for cuddles cuz he wanted you next to him so he decided to follow you around the house and till you questioned him “Baby do you need something you keep following me like a lost puppy” she said he didn’t nothing but give you some for eyes”Mama I’m cold on the couch come gimmie some cuddles and clean later🥹” he said She gave him a kiss and stopped what she was doing.They went to the couch got a blanket and sat there for a good minute cause Jack had to pick a good movie/TV show he cuddled closer after picking a show. Your guys stayed there for a good couple hours until, You we’re getting ready to move until you felt warm breathing on your neck and light snores you knew Jack fell asleep he had a Habit of falling asleep if he couldn’t make it to the bed. Your got up slowly and went to the bathroom for a couple minutes and came back to Jack awake “Where’s you go mama” he said “Bathroom, Go back to bed and rest you need it baby” she said”C’mere Ma lemme lay on you” he said. You listened and went to sit on the couch. He layed on your thighs, he squished them and snuggles into them they were like his other set of pillows after that you drifted off asleep your self with that being a good day you’ve had with Your Husband for his day off.

🤗nobody requested this one I just wanted to do a lil sum for my Black readers🤭

[solivar]

The Last Waffle House In Albuquerque

From Into the Red Zone: A Guide To the Weird by Paranormal New Mexico:

The Last Waffle House In Albuquerque

Location: Somewhere inside the Albuquerque Military Exclusion Area.

Everyone has heard the stories: about that one time an unsuspecting A/C repair technician found someone living on a Waffle House roof, a fact totally unnoticed by the staff; that one time an armed robber tried to knock over a Waffle House just after the breakfast rush and ended up being subdued by the customers, many of whom were off-duty police; the drunken sexual escapades in parking lots and bathrooms; the Federal government creating an entire post-disaster community recovery metric based on whether or not the local Waffle House was open. And those are just the verifiably real ones, leaving out the esoterica like exterior security cameras catching blurry glimpses of Bigfoot raiding the dumpsters in Colorado or UFOs buzzing the parking lots in Texas, a creature that locals insist is the Squonk scurrying by to pick up sandwiches left out for it in Pennsylvania and the Jersey Devil loping out of the Pine Barrens to menace late-night diners, the theories that the geometrically perfect nature of the food on offer created the precisely necessary conditions for extradimensional weirdness of all kinds.

And then there’s the Last Waffle House In Albuquerque. Before the Crisis, Albuquerque was the home of two Waffle House locations -- one at the old Albuquerque International Sunport, the city’s main air travel hub, and another in the city’s eastern exurbs. It was generally assumed that both locations were thoroughly demolished, given that one was below the Red Line and one exactly on it on the day the rest of the city was blown into low Earth orbit.

This does not appear to have been the case.

Intrepid urban explorers, risking their safety and significant Federal prison time, were among the first people to make their way into the Albuquerque Military Exclusion Area after the end of the Crisis. Some were hired by former residents of the city to retrieve personal possessions that might have survived the destruction. Some were hired to provide independently confirmed evidence that the devastation was as complete as the government claimed. Some were just curious. The results of their investigations can be found in the annals of legal proceedings and on any number of websites. Easily one of the most bizarre: the apparent continued existence of a fully staffed, supplied, and functioning Waffle House, somewhere inside the ruins of the city.

Exactly where this Waffle House is located cannot be determined by any of the available sources describing its existence but all of the accounts share certain characteristic elements: those who have found it have all done so just after sundown, after they have become completely lost and unable to find their way back to whichever clandestine entrance they used to access the Exclusion Area. The Waffle House seems to appear out of nowhere, surrounded on all sides by wreckage, some of it still steaming and in several statements verifiably hot to the touch. The interior lights are on and shining, warm and welcoming, and the chain’s distinctive yellow and black exterior signage brilliantly lit and likely visible for some distance. Inside, the restaurant is perfectly clean and undisturbed by the destruction visible outside, warm in the winter and autumn, cool in the summer and spring, music from the franchise’s own record label playing softly in the background.

Accounts differ in specifics beyond that. In some cases, the explorer is the lone customer, waited on by an attentive staff member whose face or name they cannot remember once they’ve departed. In others, the restaurant is packed with locals and travelers, an apparently full and inexhaustible staff buzzing among the tables, though again the explorer can never quite recall the faces or names of anyone they meet. The food is always delicious, perfectly prepared and filling, the drinks never run dry, and even if you’ve cleaned your plate, you’re handed a full carry-out bag along with the check. No explorer has ever remembered how they’ve gone about paying but several have displayed pictures of receipts containing nonsensical strings of non-alphanumeric symbols in place of regular checkout information. Some explorers have asked for information about how to get back to where they entered and recall strangely specific conversations that seem to acknowledge the reality outside the restaurant’s doors and, when followed, lead them exactly where they need to go. Others report being shooed out the door and finding themselves back at their entrance. In all cases, once the door of the Waffle House closes at their backs, the restaurant vanishes completely, as if it never was, the only evidence the leftovers in the chain branded takeout bags and the nonsensical receipts.

There is some debate among the urban explorers who have penetrated the Albuquerque Military Exclusion Area if the Waffle House can be deliberately sought and found or if it can only be found if one is not actually looking for it. Opinions vary widely. We cannot, for legal reasons, recommend attempting to follow in their footsteps as the Exclusion Area is a potentially hazardous location heavily patrolled by the United States military and, if caught, carries with it severe penalties, including fines and jail time.

[writer-with-a-lighter]

urban gods pt 2

Hermes found this place too, and I see him rarely— bars on 6th street aren’t part of his usual haunts. He came in looking to gamble, so I pointed him over to the table of men and women who show up on weekends, tossing chips onto an old wooden table. He’s charming like Apollo, but doesn’t use that glamour to bed women or their husbands. Instead he tells jokes and stories, weaving a rich tapestry from thin air. When he talks, people listen, and I’ve spent a couple nights leaning against the bar, mesmerized by this skinny man in sandals. He wears shorts and a blue shirt, and it’s so easy to forget he’s a god, then, when he orders a round of beer, when he claps a man on the back as he laughs. But when he wins game after game, when I check the clock and realize it’s been two days since he started telling his stories— I remember what he is. He doesn’t often pay, but his stories are enough for me, and he’s friendly. Nicer than most of my patrons, which I appreciate. He once gave me a set of dice, made of human bone. “Don’t ask me where I got them,” he winked and ordered another margarita. Hermes is clever— the trickster god, always trying to sell me lotions and pills that will bring immortality or erase the dark circles under my eyes. “No pills could make you prettier,” he teases, “but this one might get you a guy.” That’s when I roll my eyes and shoo him away, telling him to go soliciting in some other woman’s bar. “As you wish,” he always tells me, then gathers up his winnings and takes off, his sandals scuffing my floor. 

My favorite nights are when the goddess of love strides in, her skin shimmering under the lights. She wears a different dress every time, but they always leave nothing to the imagination and I find myself cleaning an already-spotless glass, my cheeks burning. Aphrodite comes in when the bar is full and bustling, so she can watch men and women alike grow hazy under her magic. I see it happen— eyes glazing over, lips parting with lust. She drinks scotch, leaving lipstick marks on the glass. And she takes mortals home with her, sometimes several at a time, if they’re beautiful enough. Everyone she nears or touches seems to become a little prettier, and I think it’s happened to me too. My hands are no longer calloused, my hair smoother. But I don’t thank her. She’s more dangerous than I like to admit, seductive and glamorous as a movie star. I have not found refuge in her arms or her bed like so many others, but the pull is strong, and once she leaned so close I could feel her breath next to my ear. “Another scotch.” I couldn't breathe. She dances sometimes, rising from the bar stool to go sway near the jukebox. When she comes close, the music warps and changes, falling into a smooth rhythm. Jazz, most likely, but not any kind I’ve ever heard before. The smell of roses lingers long after she leaves, and the jukebox still plays that old tune. She pays well, leaving several shining pearls and sometimes a gold necklace on the counter. Her weakness is pretty things, and it just might be mine, too, because I wear the jewelry she gives me. Men tip me extra when I’m wearing it, and their gazes travel to my hips, over the slope of my cleavage— a little charm from the goddess of beauty.