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queensoybean0724 · 3 years

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Succession Chapter 2

Here is Chapter 2! I hope y'all like it!

Title: Succession Chapter 2

Characters: female reader, Karl Heisenberg, Salvatore Moreau, lycans, mentions of OC

Rating: PG-13 for images of gore, scenes of terror, possible kidnapping trigger warnings

Summary: You discover a long lost relative from Moldova has died and you are his sole beneficiary. You are on board a plane to collect your inheritance when your plane crashes in a village in Romania.

Author’s Notes: I do not own the characters from Resident Evil Village. This is a work of fiction. Anything remotely similar to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

It’s unusual how your senses come back to you when you regain consciousness after a trauma. You couldn’t see at first or maybe it was that your hearing arrived before you opened your eyes. It felt as if a pair of sound cancelling headphones were slowly pulled from your ears. Then followed your sense of touch. Blistering cold hit your skin and seemed to seep in and nestle into your bones. It felt sharp and painful against your cheek as if someone were drawing a scalpel across your flesh. Pain surged to the forefront and with that, you finally opened your eyes.

It was dark inside the cabin of the plane, the only light being the natural light shining through the damage to the hull. The window next to you was shattered and you felt cuts along your arm. The seatbelt had you secured to your seat and it was cutting into your stomach, adding to the all-over pain in your body. The air mask was still secure over your mouth. Lifting your hand shakily to remove the mask, you took in your surroundings.

The wind whipping outside the plane was the only thing you could hear. You listened for the voices of any passengers, whether they be whispers, cries, or shouts for help. It was as quiet as a tomb.

“Br-Bruce?” you whispered, looking towards his seat. The darkened plane made you strain your eyes in order to see him. His body was slumped away from you, his bottom half held still by his seat belt. You slowly reached for him and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards you. His body slid against his seat before slumping towards you. His eyes were open. The air mask was over his mouth. You pulled the mask from his head to see if he was breathing. His mouth hung open. He was dead.

“Oh god…” you whimpered, your body beginning to shake. He was the only person you knew on this flight. You didn’t know what to do or who to call out for. “Hello?” you croaked as you lifted your head to look over the seat before you. Your throat was scratchy and sore from the cold air. “Can anyone hear me? Help!!” You were met with silence.

Surely someone had to be alive. You couldn’t be the sole survivor in this crash. Reaching down for the clasp of the seatbelt, you pressed the button and released yourself. You took one last look at Bruce’s lifeless body as you crawled over him and into the aisle. “I’m sorry,” you whispered to him, running your hand over the top of his head.

The plane was a mangled mess, suitcases and bags strewn everywhere from the impact. Bodies were in the aisle and tossed across seats and hanging over the armrests. “Is anyone alive?” you asked in a raised voice.

You stepped over bodies and suitcases, holding on to the seats on either side of you. The wind from outside blew into the cabin, blowing your hair around your face. You were freezing and quaking from the cold. The clothing you were wearing was not enough to keep you warm. Thankfully, you remembered the flight attendants taking coats at the beginning of the flight and placing them in a small closet towards the front of the plane. Finding the closet, you pried it open, finding the heaviest coat inside, and put it on.

Making your way towards an area that had been split open from the crash, you continued looking around for survivors. You listened closely for any voices, hoping and praying that someone else had survived.

Panic began to set in once you exited the plane. Snow coated the ground. Trees stood gangly and devoid of leaves. The clouds above were thick and vast, hiding any trace of sunlight. You looked around for houses or buildings...for any signs of life.

You trudged around the debris, searching for a path or road that could lead to civilization. The village that you had seen from the plane couldn’t be far from where the plane had crashed. Maybe you could knock on doors and use someone’s phone to call for help. Or the black box...every plane had a black box. Surely someone had been notified that the plane went down or where it disappeared from radar.

You continued walking around the plane, looking high and low for anything. The snow crushed under your shoes. You slipped and fell a few times from icy patches under the snow. Pulling the coat tighter around you, you shoved your hands into the pockets, rubbing your body to keep them warm.

As you were coming back around to where you had exited the plane, a noise came from inside. Suitcases rustled and fell over and you heard an audible grunt. Oh thank god, you thought, someone is alive! Perhaps someone finally regained consciousness and is trying to get out and get help. You ran around the plane and peered inside.

A man was hunched over a body, his clothing tattered and torn. He was pressing on the person’s chest, shaking the body, perhaps trying to perform CPR.

“Hey!” you called out to the man, your voice filled with hope and relief that you were not the only person that survived. The man stopped and slowly turned towards you.

What looked back at you was not the face of a survivor...or that of a human being. Tousled hair laid in a tangled heap on its head. The lips pulled back showing a row of jagged teeth. The eyes were devoid of anything that could be described as a soul. You listened as a low growl slipped from its mouth. Its mouth and hands were covered in blood and only then did it dawn on you that it was not performing CPR...it was feasting on the body.

“What the fuck?!?” you yelped, falling backwards in the snow. You scrambled away as the thing crawled from inside of the plane, advancing towards you. It let out a loud bark and a snarl, its eyes absolutely feral.

You jumped to your feet, turning to retreat and let out a loud scream. Two other things just like the one behind you blocked your escape. They were equally as terrifying...eyes, claws, fangs, and tattered clothing. What the hell were they??

You broke off to your right and ran towards the trees, hoping to lose them in the forest. A loud howl sounded from one of them and the other two snarled deep in their throats. Your heart was hammering in your chest as you ran as fast as your legs could take you. Adrenaline pumped throughout your body. You did not risk looking behind you for fear that it would hinder your escape.

The sound of their feet running in the sloshy snow began to increase and you knew they were getting closer. Oh god, oh god, they’re gonna kill me!

You saw a flash of something from the corner of your eye before feeling a large form shove into you and send you flying into a hill of snow. Rolling onto your back, you looked as a fourth monster stood before you, drool dripping from its teeth. It wrapped its hand around the tree next to it and stared you down.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!!” you yelled. The other three that had been chasing you joined up with the fourth and you knew that you were no match for all of them. Your heart beat wildly and you were frozen with fear, not knowing when they were going to pounce. One of them lunged forward, its hand gripping your ankle. As it leered over you, it let out a howl...and you screamed.

“Stop!” a voice sounded from behind the beasts. All four creatures stopped and turned towards the voice, standing straight and obedient. They parted and allowed the person to approach.

Person...the thing that approached you was not a person, but also was not like the feral animals that had been chasing you. Your eyes went wide and your mouth dropped open as a hunchbacked figure started hobbling towards you and the creatures. A large black cloak covered its body. As it came closer, you noticed long, thin arms...a humped back with a rippled form...and thin legs that ambled slowly towards you. The creatures watched the thing walk past them and closer to you. The face was grotesque, jagged teeth sticking out from under gray lips. The skin was pale and appeared sickly. An intense odor of fish and sweat formed around it. You had to breathe through your mouth to keep from gagging.

“Are y-you okay?” the thing asked, hobbling closer to you. Panic and adrenaline still surged in your body and you crawled backwards to keep distance between the two of you. He noticed and stopped, slowly lifting his hands in front of him. “Don’t be sc-scared,” the thing stammered, “I won’t hu-hurt you. And the lycans...won’t hurt...you ei-either.”

You looked back at the four monsters that stood behind the hunchback. They stood still, snarling and breathing heavily. The wind rustled the hair on their heads. The thing before you took another step forward and held out his hand. “My name...is...Salvatore Moreau,” he said, beckoning you to take his hand.

You stood on your own, falling backwards a few steps in order to keep your distance. Moreau whimpered and bent forward, taking a step back in order to respect your boundaries. “I won’t touch...you...I don’t...w-want you to be...afraid of m-me…”

His words made you lessen your defenses a bit. He looked like a monster just like the wolf-like creatures behind him, but none of them advanced on you or tried to harm you. You finally found your voice.

“I was in a plane crash,” you murmured, unsure of what to do next, “I don’t think anyone else is alive…”

Moreau looked back towards the wreckage and then over at the things behind him. Upon seeing one of them covered in fresh blood, he turned back towards you. “My lycans...sm-smelled fresh blood...they always run...towards...fre-fresh blood…”

You winced at the man’s deformed figure and his stuttered ramblings. Who were these things? Where the fuck were you?

“Can you help me?” you asked warily, taking a step towards him, “is there a phone? Can we call for help?”

Moreau bent forward in a coughing fit and retched. Green vomit gushed from his mouth and into the white snow. Steam rose from the vomit and you couldn’t stop yourself from gagging and putting your hand over your mouth. He heaved a few more times before looking back at you. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, “the fish...and my body...they don’t get a-along…”

What the fuck is going on, you thought. Was this an area that had fallen victim to radiation or poisoning in the water system? You tried to calculate in your mind how far away you were from Chernobyl...maybe what was going on here was similar to what went on there all those years ago.

“The only...ph-phone is at Alcina’s castle…” Moreau continued.

The castle?! The castle that you saw from overhead?! This was perfect! Maybe you could call for help and find your way to the embassy in this country and let them know that you were on a plane to Moldova. Surely the airline will wonder why their plane did not touch down at its destination and come looking for survivors.

“Can you take me to the castle, Mr. Moreau?” you asked, the first ounce of hope shining through.

“What the fuck is going on over here?!?!?!”

A gruff voice sounded from behind the lycans and all of you turned towards the sound. You watched as a man trudged through the snow, making his way over to the motley crew. He wore a black wide brimmed hat and a long brown trench coat with a tan shirt and brown pants underneath. A massive hammer sat across his shoulder with one hand gripping the long handle. The man’s gaze went from each lycan to Moreau...and finally resting on you.

“Well...who do we have here?” the man asked, pushing his way past Moreau. Upon closer inspection you saw that the man wore a pair of rounded lens sunglasses. You heard the clang of metal hanging around his neck as he moved closer. An amused smile spread across his mouth. You cleared your throat audibly.

“My name is Y/N and I was on the plane that crashed a few yards that way,” you murmured, pointing back towards the wreckage. Despite not being able to see his eyes from behind his sunglasses, you could feel his gaze. It was piercing, searching...as if he could see deep inside of you. It was equal parts unnerving and exhilarating, although you couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.

“Is that so?” the man asked, swinging his hammer around and setting it down in the snow. He stepped in front of you, holding out his hand. You kept your gaze on his face as you placed your hand in his. “My name is Karl Heisenberg,” he greeted, lifting your hand and pressing a kiss on the back of it. You shivered at his kiss, not knowing what came over you. It felt as if electrical charges flowed from his lips and down your skin, making your flesh erupt in goose bumps.

“Poor little pussycat,” Heisenberg remarked, looking you up and down, “the wreckage looks unbelievable. You must be positively traumatized…”

You nodded your head and lowered your hand back to your side. A gust of wind shook you to your core and you tightened the coat around yourself. “Umm...yes...Mr. Moreau here was telling me that there was a phone nearby...we could call for help…”

Heisenberg slowly turned his gaze back towards Moreau. You looked past him and saw that the deformed man cowered under Heisenberg’s gaze, taking a step backwards as if contemplating fleeing. Heisenberg turned back to you and flashed you a reassuring smile.

“Of course, my dear,” Heisenberg said, reaching to pick up his hammer, “come with me and we will surely find aid and assistance in the village…”

“We could ask Mother…” Moreau began, taking a step towards you and Heisenberg.

“Shut up, you freak!” Heisenberg snapped at Moreau. Your jaw dropped as you looked between the two men. Moreau bowed his head and retreated a few steps. You felt sorry for the poor man as you looked up at Karl Heisenberg and started to feel disdain for the man. Moreau was about to offer advice and was met with hostility. The poor man was not pleasant to look at, sure, but from what you could tell, he was harmless and seemed sincere and ready to help. You would sooner ask for Moreau’s help than Heisenberg’s help at that point.

“Thank you, Mr. Heisenberg,” you began, “but Moreau was telling me of a phone in a castle not far from here that I could use…” But as you were about to continue, Heisenberg held his hand up to silence you.

“Forgive me for my brash tone,” Heisenberg interrupted, “but my brother here does not know what he is talking about. Please, if you would accompany me to my factory, I have a working telephone there that you can use…”

You felt a growing sliver of fear in the pit of your stomach. The man before you was charismatic and confident, but there was something off about him.

“I think I’ll follow Moreau…” you murmured, moving around Heisenberg to go to Moreau. A sudden movement and Heisenberg’s gloved hand wrapped around your arm, stopping your retreat.

“Oh, no, ma’am...I insist you come with me…” Heisenberg growled.

You tried to pull your arm from his grasp, but his fingers only tightened. His grip began to hurt. “Let go of me,” you said, trying to pull away. He jerked your body closer to him as he looked down into your frightened face.

“There is no use arguing or putting up a fight, pussycat,” Heisenberg leered, “you’re coming with me…” And with that, he released your arm and swiftly wrapped his arm around your waist, hauling you against him, and walked back from where he came.

“MOREAU!” you screamed as Heisenberg marched away with you in tow. Heisenberg turned towards the man and shot him a murderous glare. “You keep your mouth shut about this…” he spat at Moreau, “...not a fucking word or I’ll kill you…” The hunchback only nodded and bowed his head.

“STOP! LET GO!! MOREAU!” you shouted, wriggling against Heisenberg’s grip on your waist. The feeble man only stood there helpless, looking down at the snow. His lycans began their retreat, disappearing into the forest.

“I’m sorry,” you heard Moreau whimper as Heisenberg dragged you off.

#resident evil village #resident evil village fanfic #karl heisenberg #karl heisenberg x reader #daddy heisenberg #house heisenberg #heisenberg #karl heisenberg fanfic

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balkanballad · 3 years

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Eurovision 2021 ranking

hello, hello and welcome to my eurovision 2021 ranking. the songs are ranked with numbers but I also put them into categories (from 💐 to 🥀) and added a short comment. so, if you are interested in my personal opinion about the songs, have fun:

💐:

Switzerland: I was rooting for him last year and it’s the one returner in my top that didn’t disappoint me that much. what a start, huh? I love the song, I love the feeling it gives me when I listen to it, the clip is very pretty too. did I like his last entry better? yes, but I will say it already here at the very top of this list: I liked last year’s choices in general a lot more. nevertheless, this is a beautiful entry! and it is my personal winner this year

Australia: I loved her last song. It was there for me when I needed it. Technicolour does not touch me in that way but it is fun!! it’s catchy to me and I really like Montaigne. I adore her style and how she sings. I am excitingly looking forward to this performance :)

France: beautiful song, amazing singer, the national final performance was wonderful. however, I listened to it so much that back in March I already needed a break form it. now as I am finishing this it’s April and I can slowly listen to it again. it’s me though, it’s not her. that’s really a me problem. she’s wonderful and I love the French touch to this

Albania: a ballad from the Balkans <3 hello, of course I like it and I love that they kept it in Albanian this year. I heard similar songs before, but I like the sound of it still.and overall it’s a song that gives me familiar vibes in a cozy way with a bit of drama

Russia: interesting!! I was relived to see that Little Big didn’t return because, as I explained in my ranking for last year, I was not feeling them. absolutely nothing about them, but I love her! I think it’s catchy, it’s something different and I like the message she supports. it took me a few times to fully decide how I feel about the song, but now it’s in my top for sure

Denmark: fun! a fun song in Danish. I really like the good mood it puts me in. I even see this in the context of the Umbrella Academy or Stranger Things or something like that when they go to Europe to party a bit. I also really enjoy the old school vibe this has to it. I miss that vibe. I’m also a bit old school

Cyprus: I absolutely do not relate to anything said in this song but it’s catchy! it is a bit fuego and a bit replay but I liked those entries as well, so yeah fire. I have not heard a single live performance by her but I am not exactly sure that vocals will be the aspect that she will try to win votes with anyway. I am amused by the fact that apparently people were offended by this song when it clearly makes no sense whatsoever. it’s simply a bop, move on and dance a bit

🌺:

(8.) Greece: fun as well! a ‘dream team’ entry for sure. I say this a bit sarcastically, but they do well a lot of the times and I am lured in by a lot of their entries myself. Kontopoulos is a big name in the esc industry, it’s a fact. the song is a bit more mature than Superg!rl, which I also listened to more often that I thought I would. It still reminds me of a theme song for a superhero show for kids and I am a bit worried that the ‘dReAM TeAm’ is a bit too outdated for Stefania because I think she could have done something cooler than both of those songs

(9.) Sweden: it took me a few times listening to this song, but I like the song now. I don’t think it’s too special and “a million voices” reminds me of Polina immediately because those are her words for me, but this is a good song too. I like how it makes me feel empowered and like everything will be okay. thank you for that, Tusse, I need that

(10.) Israel: Eden deserved a better song. I like this song less than last year’s entry because I think it’s less interesting and I loved some instrumental parts from last year’s entry, but this is not bad either. I am rooting more for her than for the song, but I guess that’s this year’s motto for me. I also can’t say that I love the revamp because it made it sound even more generic for me

(11.) Belgium: I saw the promo pics for them and was very confused how different the singer looks this year, but it turns out that it’s not the same woman. I like this entry a lot better. I like her voice and I really like the vibe. It sounds a bit like it could play in the background of a classic American tv show when a character is going a bit through it and pouring a drink while it’s dark outside. I have the same problem that I mentioned already while talking about the French entry, but that’s still a me problem. I just need a break

(12.) Ireland: this entry is a lot less annoying to me than the song that she had last year. I like the lyrics and whole aesthetic of this one a lot more. it’s another one that I can’t listen to too often, but I still think it’s a very good choice imo

(13.) The Netherlands: Jeangu!! I think he for example will give a wonderful vocal performance. Growth felt way more personal to me, but that’s a repeating motive this year and also a me problem because obviously this is his song and he does it well

🌻:

(14.) San Marino: I’m still confused by this feature and I can’t really say that I’m ‘living’ for it, but I already made a post about how I don’t think she needed Flo Rida. minus the feature it’s a catchy party song, but it reminds me of one song that I simply can’t remember anymore. something that I heard from the Greek music industry, maybe even Eleni, if you know which one I mean, pls let me know

(15.) Estonia: just like last year: this song doesn’t make much sense and I don’t want to, but I still catch myself listening to it frequently... I am sorry, I can’t help it, but it puts me in a eurovision mood and yes, I am blaming Kontopoulos again. I am a weak person when it comes to his melodies

(16.) Ukraine: first I had it lower in my ranking, but I like SHUM better now and I like it a lot more now than last years entry. I really like the part when it gets faster, that’s really fun and makes me want to jump! jump! jump!

(17.) Spain: it’s a lot less repetitive than the last entry, but I would be lying if I said that I listen to this very often. it’s alright, not bad at all actually, but I just wasn’t in the mood for this (yet?)

(18.) Romania: this is for me still the same type of style as Bulgaria. European Billie Eilish type. last year I ranked her higher than Bulgaria as well, but they are pretty much the same to me. I can’t comment on whether I like her song less or more this year. it’s not bad either but I simply don’t think about it much

(19.) Bulgaria: I think I like this entry better than her last one. the message is cute, the melody too and yeah, but I don’t care about it too much

🌼:

(20.) Croatia: it’s a faster pop song without a real meaning. ground-breaking. the title makes me think of Ukraine 2014. which I like better, but we’ll see, maybe the performance will have something cool too. I will say though, I would have prefered the whole song to be in Croatian, it doesn’t make it much deeper, but I like that part the most

(21.) Malta: another faster pop song. I think she will give an amazing vocal performance and it will be cool and powerful, but the message and lyrics are a bit confusing to me. I am not the lyrics police, but I am confused by them a bit

(22.) Iceland: I think I like it better than last year’s song, but it’s still not LOVE that I feel for the song. I can listen to it though

(23.) Lithuania: it’s there. I am not a fan of them and it’s not a song I love too much, but I can listen to it

(24.) North Macedonia: sigh. I liked last year’s entry a lot and Vasil seems like someone who cares a lot about the contest, but I don’t feel this ballad. I think I know what they were going for and what it’s trying to be, dramatic and meaningful, but I don’t feel it that much. it’s okay? but it doesn’t do much for me

(25.) Czech Republic: this was a surprise because I think the overall quality of his entry got a lot better, this time though I have the problem that I do not like the lyrics. they don’t make me as uncomfortable as Germany last year but they are in that area of uhm, I don’t love the feeling this gives me

(26.) UK: hm :/ I can’t say that I’m a fan. this sounds like the type of song that the boring straight men in my area put in their tinder bio as their song, but it’s every third guy that says this is his song. those Calvin Harris remix type-ish songs and I am sooo bored. I swipe left because it’s no match, I delete tinder. breath was a lot more my thing and a lot more exciting and interesting

(27.) Poland: as soon as this stops, the exact same second, I forget everything about it. I don’t remember a single word, barely the title and singer and not the melody. what is this about? I can’t tell you. it’s not exactly bad, but it is so forgettable

(28.) Moldova: oh faster pop song? wow.. so.. original. I am starting to sound like those weird people that hate ballads. I don’t feel it and I don’t relate to it, but I also don’t hate it. the video though.. no thanks.

(29.) Italy: as so often: I see a lot of Italy fans on here and I can’t relate. it’s not for me, but it’s there and I can listen to it when I can’t reach the skip button for some reason

(30.) Austria: hm. Austria and Slovenia are going there. this is the better Amen song for me, but I don’t love it. it’s better than what Ana is trying to sell even though it’s super repetitive

🥀:

(31.) Serbia: I can’t tell you if it’s worse than last year but it’s less catchy. the lyrics are still bad. actually, maybe I am the lyrics police

(32.) Finland: this not my genre and I don’t really listen to it

(33.) Slovenia: nop. not for me in any way. I already said last year that I don’t like her voice and it didn’t change but now I also don’t love the message or weird vibe of this entry. I had it even lower, but I can’t push it up more. this is as high as I can rank it

(34.) Norway: I don’t like it. I don’t like the lyrics or melody or performance that was in the nf actually. I have a hard time understanding the concept even with the explanation it makes no sense to me

(35.) Portugal: I don’t like it. a lot of the parts of the melody are really not for me and borderline annoying, but definitely boring

(36.) Georgia: it’s boring. the last entry was at least something interesting, but this one is boring, which makes me a bit sad because his voice sounds and he seems like the guy that could make something cooler. I know I am not the person that can judge rock because I don’t listen to it too much, but I feel like he could have done something cooler and ‘rock’ it more

(37.) Latvia: again: I can’t even say if it’s worse or better than last year. maybe a bit better actually but, just as last time, I can’t listen to this. it annoys me and gives me a bit of a headache. I don’t think her style and voice is for me

(38.) Germany: I wouldn’t necessarily call it hate that I feel when I have to listen to this, even though that’s a funny play with the words of this title, but I definitely feel very annoyed by this song, so I simply don’t listen to it

(39.) Azerbaijan: the song sounds just like the last one, which I had placed on the 14. place in my own 2020 ranking, however, I can’t bring myself to support someone who posts war propaganda on their socials. it’s eurovision and about the songs, I know, but this is my blog and my ranking. so it’s a no for me this time and my last place in this ranking

#j. talks #eurovision #tell me anything if you want <3

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cooltrainererika · 5 years

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Hetalia Emblem: Once Upon A Hallowed Night (pt. 2)

Hello! Welcome to the second Hetalia Emblem fic! Please see my previous fic to know this this is all about!

I couldn’t release this last time because I needed to sleep, but I’m releasing it today instead. This is 10/21; Mystical Creatures.

And I know it’s late, but I fell asleep again, shut up. Blame my club and time zones. I’ll try to release a fitting short fic for today’s theme today too, as well as short Alt-talia content for yesterday if I have the time. It’s already night here again.

So… I’m pretty sure this is early in the game, as such the cast is pretty limited. I have almost absolutely no idea as to what the order of recruitment is, though, so the characters here are either who I think are necessary for the story, definitely come with the former, who I know for sure are early game characters, and maybe some extra ones I want to throw in. I highly doubt that some of these characters will be here this early in the game, but I want them here, so…

Now, there is the issue for this one in that the two sort-of main characters don’t have armor designs out. But here, as mentioned before, they’re sword users, because it’s more likely they are, until further notice. I also decided to go the easiest route possible to get this out faster. I’m thinking of revising this and possibly the others later however (especially with the character classes incorporated more) however. So please, stay turned for more if this interests you.

And, well… I’m not exactly used to writing these versions of the characters, so I’m sorry if certain characters are OOC. Matthew in particular is probably kind of OOC (though he is supposed to be less meek in HE) due to the cast situation of the G8 here. I wanted to include Arthur or Francis to balance them out, but this is still supposed to be early-game, and adding one more would tip them over into 5 characters, already over half of the G8, and an even bigger chunk of the G7. So I had to make do and fill in the gap somehow, even if Kiku has a bit more of a spine by this point. Forgive me.

Oh yeah, this one is LONG. Get some candy, because you’ll be here for a while. Man I’m tired.

(Oh, and key: Erica (yes, I know, it was the only viable choice) = Liechtenstein, Aurel = Moldova, Ion = Romania, José = Portugal, Govert = Netherlands, Manon = Belgium, Francisco = Ecuador

BTW, all, yes, all of the costumes and creatures here were references to real-life folklore and cryptids. Let’s see if you can name all of them!)

Now, without further ado, Trick-or-Treat!

EDIT: Bates (World Flags!Sealand) wasn’t announced when I wrote this, and I didn’t even think that Sealand would get a Flag Samurai. As such, Peter isn’t in this story, but he would be if I had written it after Bates was revealed; though I’m going to keep this version for future revision because if I included Peter it’s highly likely he would have kind of eaten up the spotlight. And IDK, maybe Peter is recruited later.

—————-

The night of the last day of the tenth lunar cycle, when the harvest is ripe and the harsh winter nears, the realm of the mystical and spiritual and this realm are at their closest; so close the barrier between them becomes almost nonexistent, for the dead to see those they left behind, and for the mystical to give us a visit…

Treats Before Tricks

The crisp wind chilled the air, blowing away with it the last traces of summer and crisp, fiery leaves of the forest, the light of the full moon illuminating them in an otherworldly glow.

But all was not quiet in the forest this night.

“Dude! Dude! Dude! Matthew!”

Alfred of the Hachi No Dan burst into the main tent, making the three other members stop their chatter and shift their attention to the boisterous young man.

“Alfred! Please do not do that-“

Alfred paid no attention to Kiku, running straight to his brother, almost bumping into the poor archer.

“Al, I thought you said-“

“Matthew! Matthew! You know what day it is tomorrow, right?!”

Matthew stepped back, trying to give himself space from the hyperactive swordsman. But as soon as he did, he immediately understood.

“It’s the last day of the tenth lunar cycle-“

“Right?! Right?! You know what that means!”

Feliciano piped up, knowing where this was going.

“I know, I know! That harvest festival at your place, right? That was so fun~”

“Right on the money! It’s the Harvest Festival, man! It’s tomorrow!”

“Veee! don’t shake me!”

“Al!”

Alfred stepped back from the unfortunate spearman and scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin on his face.

“Hehheh, sorry dude”

Matthew sighed, though if he had said he wasn’t the slightest bit amused he would have been lying.

Kiku finally spoke up again. “Yes… And what is it you would like to tell us, Alfred?”

Dramatically putting his hands on his hips, Alfred marched to the other side of the small table, his blue cape seeming to bounce behind him, his face sporting his signature confident grin, before smacking his palms down on the table theatrically.

“Who says we have to miss out on it because we’re far from home?”

The three just stared at him.

As much as he disliked his suddenness, Kiku had to admit it was also somewhat comforting. It was very typical of the young man to bounce back not even ten days from them being reunited with them.

Matthew adjusted his glasses.

“…Here?”

“Why not? What should we go as this time, Matthew? We already did The Captain and Badger that one year, maybe we could go as yamagon again-“

Matthew couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. “How old were you again?”

“Hey, no one’s too old for free sweets!”

“Kiku, please~”

Feliciano begged him, his tone childish.

Kiku nodded. “That seems like a great idea.”

“But, well… it is supposed for the children…”

Their thoughts immediately went to Aurel, one of their newest - and by far youngest - recruits who had come with his brother, Ion, and young Erica, the young swordswoman who had similarly accompanied Basch, their cleric, and also one of the newest recruits.

“Yes… I must imagine this must be stressful for them. This would be a great reprieve, for them to be children.”

“Can I still have the sweets?”

“The children come first.”

“Fine, fine!”

“Well, now that is decide-“

Before they knew, Feli and Al had ran out of the tent, shouting on the top of their lungs about the event so all could hear.

————-

After the two had - somehow - calmed down, they were able to break the news properly to the army.

There were murmurs among the crowd; some annoyed at the extra work, but most excited, for most had merely heard about the legendary festivals held in their city. Sadik wondered out loud about what sweet to make, Yong-Soo danced around being his usual happy self, chattering happily to Yao…

But the ones who were the most excited were a certain couple of young soldiers.

“Ion! Ion! Did you hear?! I know what I wanna wear!”

“I know this! I heard that there’s a region where they celebrate their harvest by making sweet goodies and offering them to tanuki and kitsune, with the kids of the city or village, lighting their streets up with carved gourds, so they could bless them with luck through the winter…” He chuckled, holding a small flicker of magic under his impish grin. “But if they don’t like the treats, I hear they pull nasty tricks instead… Hee hee…”

“Don’t try anything, please?”

“I won’t! I won’t! I was just playing you!”

He laughed, roughing up his little brother’s hair as the boy pouted.

Meanwhile, Erica also stood within the small army, giddy with excitement.

“How splendid, is it not? Basch, what do you think you think I should go as?”

Basch huffed. “Spooky? Youkai? Who knows what can happen-“

“Basch, please!”

Roderich sighed and shook his head at the overprotective cleric’s behavior. “She will be fine, Basch. She is 13, it is not like there are going to be actual Youkai…”

“This is an event made to purposely attract the creatures, Roderich.”

The young girl grabbed her brother’s arm. “Basch… please.”

Basch quieted, and after a few awkward seconds of silence, he finally relented.

“…Fine. Just don’t eat too much at a time. I can’t heal teeth.”

Her face brightened, and she continued to rattle off costume ideas.

Basch was a bit in shock at her unusual behavior; but she was still a child, indeed. What child wouldn’t light up at the mention of being gifted with so many sweets.

After all, he might as well let her enjoy all the innocence she had left while she could.

———

The next day, preparations were in full swing. The camp was abuzz with the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations; it was soon after breakfast that all went to their designated jobs for the day.

After the children had submitted their costume ideas to Feliks and Yong, they went off with Antonio and José to train deeper in the woods - after convincing Basch of course.

As they watched Erica and Aurel run out after Antonio and José on a morning hike, Al looked strangely introspective.

“Man… this brings back memories.”

“Yeah, eh?”

Matthew looked to the ground.

“I wish Arthur were here…”

Al put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “At least he won’t force everyone to eat his pastries, right?”

Matthew chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so, eh…”

———-

“Ve?”

Feli looked towards the bushes, swearing he saw something.

Nothing.

He shrugged. Oh well.

————-

“How does this carving look?”

“Feli, that’s amazing!”

“Ve~, thanks!”

“Since they said to make something with fried tofu… Voila! It’s fried tofu mille-feuille!”

“Wow Manon, you came up with this?!”

“Hey, Govert did too!”

“It looks so good…”

“Please, be careful, syrup burns easily… And Al! No!”

“Just one bite! C’mon!”

“Hey Feli, lend a hand down to the costuming department too if you can, can you?”

“Hey, why’s there only three of us? …And where’d we get all this stuff-“

“Shut up, Feliks.”

———

Finally, the time had come; the moon had risen, the sky dotted with small pinpricks of light.

And-

“Mmm… I smell something sweet already!”

Erica’s heart in particular fluttered at the faint, distant scent of sweets diffusing in the air.

“Oh, we better take our places, see you!”

The two brothers left ahead of them, dashing towards camp - with poor José yelling after his brother to wait.

Once they neared camp, there they found, hanging on a branch, their costumes. Beside them, Francisco’s condor whistle, a spider perched on the end of it. “Use to summon once fully transformed”, the sign above it read.

Aurel jumped out at her, his fangs bared, his snow-white kimono contrasting with a dark red, sleeveless haori that appeared to be a cape from the back.

“Look, I’m a vampire! I’ll bite you, rawr-“

Erica giggled as she pulled on her fairy costume, white, graceful, and delicate-looking; it was shockingly well-made for something made in a day. On one foot, she pulled on a shoe that resembled a swan’s foot. It was definitely awkward and strange-feeling to walk in, but she could get used to it.

“It looks good on you too. Oh, don’t forget the leaf.”

They fastened the fake leaves on their heads, making sure they were secured. Then, she blew into the flute. The high-pitched whistle pierced the night.

It was then they noticed, above them, the shadowed underside of a condor adorned with squash vines, dark helmet and tattered caparisons, said caparisons trailing behind it to a shadowy, even ominous effect.

They looked on in awe at the transformation of the familiar bird; despite himself, Aurel even jumped.

Suddenly, it swooped by them, almost knocking them over.

The culprit, what seemed to be a hooded, bipedal jaguar, and his companion made their grand landing in front of the children.

“Eep! Francisco! Don’t do that!”

Francisco adjusted his jaguar-eared hood, revealing his grinning face, clearly pleased with his entry.

“Oh, sorry, children. I am your guide; come with me, and you will see what is in store…”

She could have sworn the Sky Knight mouthed “Nailed it!” to himself as soon as he finished his line.

Then, beside him, out of the bushes, walked in a figure with a white sheet over his shoulders and an equally white hood bound onto his head with a goat horn headband. But it didn’t obscure his face clearly. It was Basch.

The healer stood with his usual white, cross-shaped staff - equipped with a Poison Stone, ever so prepared - but in the other hand were wooden slats, rattlers. He sent a glare at Francisco, before looking back to his sister.

“You’re back. Finally.”

His tone was probably meant to be serious, but the beak strapped to his face he had to pull down to say it, along with the leaf between his horns, even if it was dark brown to suit the costume, sort of ruined the effect.

She giggled.

“Oh, Basch!”

He turned slightly red from embarrassment. “I didn’t want to scare you too much-“

“No, I do not mind, you look just like a Beakgoat!”

The condor once again rose into the air.

“Enough chatter! Now, enter, if you dare!”

The two children glanced at each other, then smiled in anticipation, grabbed their lantern-baskets, painted with the face of a tanuki or kitsune, and ran after it, Basch close behind.

———-

When they entered camp, Aurel and Erica’s eyes lit up in awe.

Paper lanterns and gourd lanterns, carved with designs ranging from simple faces to elaborate works of art, lit up the makeshift barracks in a warm, bright glow, illuminating the tents, adorned with shadowy designs of various spooky imagery, squash vines, paper talismans, chestnuts, mushrooms, and autumn produce. Among the decorations were olive branches, twisted to appear surprisingly ominous - Herakles’s doing. Huong Lien had cast and setting afloat balls and stars of fire magic in the air as her familiars flew around freely. A chilly breeze blew, blowing with it the white, ghostly banners that hung all over the camp, as well as the delectable, sweet aromas of bean curd, honey, maple syrup, apples, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, persimmons, pastries, and other sweet goodies, blending together in mouth-watering harmony. It didn’t need to be strong to be effective.

All of a sudden, a smoke bomb went off, making the duo jump.

When it cleared, there stood two figures; one with a brown, fur-lined cape, a figure who immediately revealed himself to be Alfred with a whoosh of his cape; his glasses glinting in the light of the lanterns surrounding him, his vibrant, star-spangled usual attire replaced by a fur-lined, tattered brown peasant’s kimono, jutting from his mouth sharp, almost fang-like incisors, from his head long, ragged, fluffy brown rabbit ears reaching to his waist, from between them large, twisted antlers, and finally, a green paper leaf.

Beside him was a shy-looking Kiku, dressed as a nine-tailed Kitsune.

“Welcome to the Hallowed Village, kids!”

Alfred shouted with great gravitas.

“Now, who’s ready for some treats?!”

———

“Trick or Treat!”

The pair moved from tent to tent, receiving pouches of sweets as they went. They played games; in fact, now, Aurel was comically attempting to grasp apples floating in a box with his fanged mouth, Alfred loudly cheering him on.

In the fun of the festival, for that night, any stress and fear from the battles, from those past and future, and the uncertainties that may lay ahead, were forgotten.

But unbeknownst to them, they weren’t alone.

————

Feliciano sat in the Hachi No Dan meeting tent, inspecting his gourds, double-checking his works last minute, when he saw two, child-sized shadows outside his tent.

Before he could hear the cue of “trick or treat!”, he ran to the entrance with his bag of sweets, the wings of his angel costume bobbing along with his movements.

“Trick or Treat-“

Huh?

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Erica and Aurel… all the way at Herakles’s.

Weren’t there only supposed to be two of them?

He blinked, looking at the happy, chattering pair, and then the two oddly quiet figures in front of him.

“Um… who are you two?”

———-

“Remove, remove!”

The small ball-like creature on Feliks’s shoulder, fitted with a custom-made star outfit, appeared restless, on edge.

“Huh? What’s wrong, Piłka-“

In that moment, Ion and Huong Lien felt their senses spike.

“There’s-”

“VVVEEEEEEE!!!! KIKUUUU! HEEEEELP!”

The spear-wielder’s screams pierced the air, turning everyone towards him, and everyone out of their tents.

There was Feliciano, running, screaming…

…And behind him, what appeared to be a pair of large, feral, vicious wolves.

Feliciano dashed behind an unsuspecting Kiku, crouching and shivering behind him.

“What… how…”

“Stay away from those, you- AAAAYYYYYY!!!! GEDDIT OFF! IT’S A MONSTER!”

There was Antonio, swinging his sword frantically in a vain attempt to get a dog-sized nekomata off his back.

“Look out!”

Roderich turned and yelped as all of a sudden he was faced with the glowing eyes of a krampus staring him down.

It was at that moment all hell hell broke loose.

From the woods, they came. An ugly ghoul with a long red tongue hanging from its mouth; a vicious hybrid of a lion, snake, and goat; a greenish-gray, leathery, reptilian creature with spines down its back and bloody, sharp fangs; a similarly fanged, deformed humanoid woman with birdlike talons instead of limbs and owl wings spouting from her back; and a brutish pair of roaring, hunched oni, bloodstained clubs in their clenched fists, one blood red and the other an unnatural blue.

One of the oni roared.

Alfred’s face paled as he stepped back, stammering.

“Y… Y… YOUKAI ATTACK!!”

Most of the army, especially the more experienced soldiers among them, started grabbing or drawing their weapons immediately, but among the hellbeasts, as sudden as the rest had attacked, appeared the most terrifying of them all.

Towering and many times as tall as the oni, its bloodless flesh, gray like death, stretched over its emaciated, skeletal form, lips bloody and rotten, its eyes sunken, seeming to hold all the evil, all the suffering of the world within them. Even bearing witness to it felt fundamentally wrong.

Alfred hid behind his brother, who was also shaking, but defiantly drawing an arrow in the monster’s direction. The dog legs which were part of his costume allowed for a surprising amount of freedom of movement; they were an army, at least some of them had to be prepared after all, for celebrations were prime targets of ambushes…

Even if they hadn’t been expecting this.

“I thought you got over your fear of-“

“Th-those aren’t any y-youkai d-dude!”

“What is this, an enemy ambush?!”

“Prepare yourselves, everyone…”

But that wasn’t the worst. To their horror, the gaunt abomination started rotting in front of their eyes, its meager flesh disappearing until all was left was tattered bits of rotted flesh. It stared down at the small army, casting its massive shadow over the unfortunate humans, its still-sunken eyes peering into their souls.

“G… Gashadokuro…”

Kiku said, in awe and terror, his sword in front of him, ready to strike.

As the two stood, Erica shaking like a leaf and trying not to cry, Aurel defiant despite his fear, the bags of treats in their hands, confronted by abominations who had seemingly instantly materialized in front of them, the creatures all seemingly set their eyes on the pair.

Basch was quick to notice and run in front of them, pointing his staff, the gem embedded in it starting to glow with poisoning magic.

“Don’t you dare, you-“

Erica grabbed him.

“Basch! Please! No!”

Ion had stepped in as well, dashing in immediately to defend his brother, dark magic manifesting in his hands.

“I kill vampire youkai for breakfast, you dastards! Don’t you even think of it!”

It was then Aurel had spotted something… odd about these youkai.

All of them, everyone single one of them, had a leaf perched on their head.

He pulled on Erica’s costume, trying to get her attention.

“Hey, Erica! Look!”

“Aurel? What is it-“

He whispered into her ear, pointing to their heads.

“…Oh gods, they’re…”

“NOSFERA-“

“POIS-“

“EVERYONE, STOP!”

Everyone turned to the pair of children, who, giving each other a glance and nodding, started stepping toward the skeletal beast.

Before anyone could react, they started running.

“WH… WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

Aurel turned to their brothers, a jarringly sweet expression on his face.

“Don’t worry!”

“Wha-“

As soon as they were in front of the skeletal creature, Erica opened her bag, and took out a pouch, unwrapping it.

Inside was a fried tofu mille-feuille, the layers of the pastry bound with a mix of Matthew’s maple syrup and pieces of apples.

Aurel did the same, his flavored with whipped cream, chestnuts, and honey.

To everyone’s shock, the creature stopped all movement, staring at the treat.

…And it was gone.

Or so it seemed for a moment.

It was still there, except not.

Instead, there, greedily eating out of Aurel’s hand, was a small, dark yellow creature with two fluffy tails.

A foxlike creature.

Everyone looked on, aghast, including Erica, who stood frozen with her outstretched hand out, in shock that it actually worked, as the kitsune joyfully devoured the pastry.

But her shock turned to adoration.

“Ohgodsohgods, it’s so adorable!”

The kitsune looked at her, the pastry still in its mouth, frozen.

In a flash, every other youkai revealed their true forms.

Where nightmarish abominations once stood, there now stood tanuki and kitsune with anywhere from one to three tails, all looking terribly annoyed with the former skeleton.

“Momiji, you blew our cover!”

“Why does it have to be you who’s the best at transforming?”

“Aren’t kitsune supposed to be wise or something?”

A sheepish grin made its way across the kitsune’s face.

“…Oops?”

All the humans not Aurel almost fell over.

“…Seriously? SERIOUSLY?!”

Yao exploded, making the youkais’ fur bristle.

“Yeah! That wasn’t funny!”

Yong-Soo shouted, making booing motions.

Roderich even tethered a small tanuki in his chain-scythe, lifting it in the air, glaring at the poor creature.

“So it was YOU troublemakers all along?!”

Govert pointed his sword at another. “Did you think that was funny?!”

Even Ion was unamused.

“I’ve pulled some pranks in my time. But even for me… that’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

Francisco’s condor glared, screeching in their direction.

“Um… well… calm down here? What’s the problem? Um… guys? Trick or treat?”

“Enough!”

From the depth of the woods, walked in a slender, beautiful, silver-furred kitsune, its nine tails spreading out behind it, the moonlight giving it an ethereal glow.

“I told all you fools to not pester the humans.”

Its voice was almost androgynous, but wise.

“Elder Kunata, come on, we just wanted sweets!”

“It was just getting good! Right, Ricky?”

“Yeah, Tsunekichi, it was getting good!”

Another figure appeared out of the woods beside the kitsune, an old, elder tanuki.

“They were clearly afraid. They made that quite apparent.”

The kitsune sighed loudly. “Oh, Donpachi.” It put a paw up to its forehead. “They actually went through with it. Yes.”

A tanuki blinked.

“Oh yeah… they did act afraid!”

This time, some of the humans did indeed fall over at the tanuki’s baffling response.

It was Alfred’s turn to speak up.

“WELL, DUH, CAPTAIN OBVIOUS?!”

The same tanuki looked at him with a somewhat annoyed look.

“I thought these” he pointed to the leaf in his head, “would make that obvious? And you did call it ‘TRICK or treat’.”

The elder kitsune sighed loudly again. “You took it too far.”

The elder tanuki was way more amused than anything.

“There is a line for tricks, and all of you today have crossed it many li ago.”

Kiku spoke up.

“Excuse me. May I ask who you are?”

Kunata faced him, doing something that would have been raising his eyebrow if foxes had eyebrows at his costume, before responding.

“We are simply a tribe of kitsune, allied with Chief Donpachi’s tanuki tribe. I am sorry; the young ones were curious about your festival. We are not a tribe that attack humans, nor is Donpachi’s, but they seem to not be aware of how humans are. However, I do not excuse their actions.”

The elder kitsune glared at the smaller kitsune, apparently named Momiji.

“I must say, your skill at transformation is prodigious and unbelievable for your age, and it has improved unbelievably. You could have fooled even I…”

The younger kitsune held her snout up in pride.

“Yeah, can’t disagree with that…” Ion grumbled, the others silently agreeing, begrudgingly.

“…This is not praise! For all your skill, you are terribly lacking in discipline. It does not excuse what you did today.”

The kitusne immediately bowed its head in shame, whimpering, resembling a scolded puppy, a far cry from the abomination it was before.

“Now, apologize to the humans. All of you.”

The humans all remained silent as the mischievous youkai bowed in apology to them.

Erica looked to the fluffy creature in front of her.

“Well… we still have sweets…”

They all looked to her.

“Would you all like some too? We may share.”

Basch looked at her in shock.

“You’re forgiving them?!”

“Well, it does seem they meant no harm…”

Feliciano crouched down and started scratching a kit behind the ears.

“Dawww! They’re cute! They’re like puppies!”

Kiku looked to Matthew, who looked to Alfred.

“You mean we get to have a REAL festival?! I’m in!”

“Well… if you really are sorry about it.”

“I am just relieved it was nothing serious in the end. Just please… do not transform into something as terrifying as a Gashadokuro. Please.”

Momiji nodded.

“Alright, thanks…”

“Now, who‘s ready for some treats?!”

Once again, Alfred began his welcoming theatrics.

“Happy trick or treating, kids!”

“…Though that does mean you have to share, Mr. Mayor.”

“…Wait, what?!”

———-

After the rounds were made, the youkai proved their worth as party guests.

Now, a tanuki, probably somewhat tipsy from the sake it had been given, drummed as Yong-Soo played along, sung and danced, using his feathered, birdlike costume to great effect, with a kitsune who transformed every few moves into a different human figure, and another tanuki transformed and copied the mannerisms of various army members. A tanuki played around with Francisco’s condor, who even took it for an impromptu ride.

Kiku felt a tug on one of his fake tails. It was a three-tailed kitsune vixen, looking intently at him.

“Hmmm… I like your style.”

“Erm… thanks.”

“You’re also kind of cute. I’m Scarlet, by the way.”

“Tha-… Pardon?”

Observing the festivities, Kunata let Piłka hop out of his fur - he seemed a bit disappointed to leave - and made his way over to where the young pair were sorting through their loot with the youngest kits with their respective brothers, and sat by Basch’s side, snapping up a chestnut mille-feuille.

After a few seconds of silence, he spoke.

“Children… how innocent they are.”

Basch looked to the elder, then back to the young pair, who were laughing as the critters tackled them, his expression melancholy.

“Yes… they are.”

———-

In what seemed like short time, it was almost midnight. The elders had told them to leave.

The humans all waved, any ill will having disappeared among the celebrations and treats.

But as they were about to disappear into the woods, Momiji turned back.

“Hey!”

The other youkai also turned around, facing the army.

“Thanks for everything. So… in exchange, you have our blessing.”

Aurel went up to Momiji, reaching out his hand. Their hand and paw met, and they shook.

“Thank you, really.”

“Thank you too!”

Erica gave the fox a few rubs on the head.

“We hope you well, from our side, as well”.

“Well… hope all of you stay alive!”

With that, Momiji ran back toward the group, and the creatures disappeared back into woods where they came.

————-

Fic 2/3

Fic 3/3 to be released at a later date.

23 notes · View notes

oneletterwrites · 7 years

Note

Hello, I hope you are doing well! I would like to thank you for posting your stories, they always make me smile when I see a new one. You don't have to, but could I make a request for some Romania x Romano headcanons please?

thank you???? Ahh sure have some thoughts and things!!!!…. also. what the hell is their ship name.

You would not believe how much sass is involved between them.

Vlad has a penchant for gossip just as much as Lovino does.

They’re better than you and they know it.

They met a long ass time ago when Grandpa Rome was still around.

Vlad’s language stems from Latin just as much as Italian does, so they mix and match sometimes, trying to figure out what the other is saying.

Lovino isn’t into so much of the magicy stuff Vlad does, but he won’t deny it’s nice when Vlad sets up ‘cleansing’ things around the house.

It’s oddly calming.

Vlad doesn’t do too much magic stuff in the house because of Lovino’s uneasiness with it.

They only started getting along when Vlad was whispering stupid gossip shit to England and Norway, and Lovino overheard and put in his two foul mouthed sense.

Vlad’s eyes practically lit up at having someone to talk shit to and Lovino would not deny the company of back talk.

Lovino did have some reservations because there’s a lot of ‘vampire’ rumors around Vlad.

Some of them are founded on the fact he’s not found of sunlight or religion, but that doesn’t mean he’s a vampire.

Probably.

They really enjoy each other’s lands, finding the other territory beautiful.

Vlad had been the one to ask they hang out more, both platonically and romantically.

Lovino really didn’t know how to respond. He’s been pushed around a bit and sort of forced to share his emotions a lot so being given an open invitation with no conditional is strange.

Non of ‘tsundere’ shit.

Vlad’s too chill for it and Lovino can relax with him.

They may not talk about emotions and stuff a lot because they don’t need to.

Their actual emotional talks are light hearted and easy so not to freak each other out by getting too heavy.

Vlad does magic tricks for Lovino sometimes. It’s pretty neat.

Lovino likes to cook so he makes most of their meals when they stay home together.

They did know each other when they were younger, but it’s only bits and pieces, but pleasant bits and pieces.

Lovino gets along really well with Moldova, Vlad’s younger sibling. He’s way better at kids than adults.

Vlad does get along with North Italy and Seborga, it’s a pleasant get along but they wouldn’t hang out besides in passing.

On the other hand, Lovino was introduced more properly to the ‘magic trio’ group and they just all get along super well.

Which is nice because Vlad spends a lot of time with England and Norway, and now he can do that with Lovino too.

Lovino just skips out when they want to do more magic like things.

So much sass did I mention that?

They know all the secrets.

Vlad’s got this creepy laugh when he knows something about someone else and Lovino just smirks and they look positively evil when it happens together.

Not into like, kisses and hand holding PDA, but lots of hanging off each other, arms over and around each other.

Will only engage is gross out of the norm PDA when someone tells them to stop, because spite fuels them both.

Vlad will hex you up with a smile if some one says anything rude about Lovino.

Lovino just going to curse you out so hard your ears will bleed.

Bonus NSFW?

Bondage is a thing they are both in to.

#aph romania #aph south italy #roro #manomania #Headcanon #heck ye #what the fuck is their ship name?????

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monabela · 7 years

Text

HA @kuzeykirkland I sAID I would do it even if I do have a billion other things ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ here is an answer to this masterpiece that made me wake up my family members in the middle of the night. Luca Discourse(tm) Pt II, if you will. ft robul being idiots and lux’s dog.

likewise, based on the coincidence of @kuzeykirkland and me each giving half of the luxmold duo the name Luca, I present

Luca vs Luca! The Horror!!

characters/pairings: Luxembourg (Luca Morgens, courtesy @kuzeykirkland)/Moldova (Luca Rotaru), Bulgaria (Stefan), Romania (Dragos), Netherlands (Martin), Belgium (Manon)

word count: 1830 summary: Luca Morgens is very confused when he receives a text message from an unknown sender who knows his name. It’s not as creepy as it seems.

Unknown [14:35] Luca just so you know your brother decided it would be a great idea to get himself admitted to the hospital AGAIN

“What?” Luca whispers, holding his phone away from his face as if that will cause the message to make any more sense. Something’s wrong with Martin? But – again? And who is this?

Luca [14:40] What’s wrong with him? And who is this?

Unknown [14:41] This is stefan! Sorry ha he just tripped over someones dog he will be fine Unknown [14:41] Im waiting for him

That did not help. Does he even know a Stefan? Does Martin know a Stefan? It’s not unlikely, Luca decides. His brother has many acquaintances he’d rather not get too close to. Whoever this Stefan is, he’s probably alright, if he went to the hospital with him. The man probably got his number from Martin, then. He decides to take the non-explanation in stride and quickly types a message back.

Luca [14:43] Okay, thank you. Should I come over? Or does he need anything?

Unknown [14:44] Nah hes ok. Im gonna tell him to send a message or call when hes out alright

Luca [14:45] Alright. Thanks again!

He decides to add the unknown number to his contact list as ‘Stefan’, just in case. It’s odd, certainly, that Martin would give this man his phone number; they aren’t that close when it comes down to it, but it’s also strangely flattering. Maybe he should let their sister know… Ah, it will be alright. Martin can call her later. It doesn’t seem to be very serious.

Tripped over someone’s dog… How ridiculous. Luca goes back to work.

Later, after dinner, he calls Martin, because Luca hasn’t received a message from him yet and is starting to get a little worried. His brother is not the sort of person who forgets things like that. Perhaps the Stefan person forgot to tell him.

“Luc, hey. What’s up?”

Well, he sounds fine.

“Hello, Martin. I just wanted to ask if you’re alright now. After this afternoon.”

There is a long pause on Martin’s end of the line, some crackling.

“What do you mean?” he asks after a while. “What happened this afternoon? Are you alright? Is Manon alright?”

“What?” Luca shakes his head in confusion. “I’m more worried about you. You were at the hospital, weren’t you?”

Martin makes a confused noise. “No? I was at work.”

This time, it’s Luca who is silent for a while. He absentmindedly pats his dog on the head where she is lying on the couch next to him in a little ball of fluff.

“Do… Do you know a Stefan?” he eventually asks.

“No,” Martin says decisively. “Luca, what’s going on?”

“I am not sure. I’ll get back to you on this, Martin.”

They say their goodbyes, and Luca puts his phone away, then picks it back up.

Luca [22:20] Stefan, how is my brother?

He puts the phone away and wants to start a film, but there is a buzz quickly.

Stefan [22:22] Hes fine why do you ask Stefan [22:22] Did he not send a message Stefan [22:23] What an idiot I told him

Mildly affronted at this stranger calling his brother an idiot, Luca begins to type a reply, then pauses. Maybe it isn’t Martin they’re talking about here. Maybe someone else’s brother was at the hospital, and this Stefan got the wrong number off him… But then how did he know Luca’s name?

Luca [22:25] Which hospital was this, by the way?

Stefan [22:25] HBU hospital Stefan [22:26] He says he did send you a message

That is the hospital in this city. A bit of a mystery, it seems. What is the best way to find out what’s behind this? He chews on his lower lip thoughtfully.

Luca [22:27] Did he also send Manon a message?

Stefan [22:27] Manon? Whos manon should I be jealous hah

Oh. No, definitely not Martin. He would never have mentioned Luca and not Manon, for one, and apparently, this Stefan is far better acquainted with the… Mysterious not-Martin person than Luca previously thought. He would know if Martin had a boyfriend. Probably. Perhaps.

Stefan [22:28] Dra says hes never met a manon and to ask if shes your girlfriend

Luca can’t help himself.

Luca [22:28] Dra?

Stefan [22:29] Luca youre not the only one allowed to call him dra Stefan [22:29] Dont change the subject! Is manon your girlfriend

Luca [22:30] Manon is my sister.

There is a long pause. Luca waits, amused despite himself. He tries to recall if he’s given his number to anyone whose nickname could be Dra, but he’s coming up empty. A Dragomir, maybe? Drake? Unlikely. Then again, sometimes details about his Saturday nights do get rather hazy.

Stefan [22:34] I thought wed covered all the rotarus by now gdi Stefan [22:35] After I met your weird cousins last summer Stefan [22:35] How many of you ARE THERE

It seems to be quite serious between Stefan and… Dra Rotaru, if he has met the extended family already. The name Rotaru rings a vague, distant bell, but Luca isn’t sure where it is. He opens his laptop and types a reply while Facebook loads.

Luca [22:37] Stefan, I’m afraid I’m not the person you think I am. My name is not Luca Rotaru, nor can I recall ever having met anyone by that name.

Stefan [22:37] Hold on WHAT

With any luck… Yes! There is only one Luca Rotaru on Facebook. Biting his lip, Luca clicks on his profile. Lives in the same city as him, check. They’re about the same age, too, Other Luca a year younger than him. On the about page, he finds a Dragos Rotaru among the guy’s family members, but his profile picture is too tiny on the screen to be recognizable, and Luca clicks back, not wanting to be creepy.

Although – guiltily, he selects the Other Luca’s profile picture. The guy seems to be his polar opposite in appearance, with dark hair that falls across his shoulders, obscuring what seems to be a duffel coat. He is smiling widely in the picture. His lower lip is pierced twice, and his eyes seem to sparkle. Is that eyeliner?

Oh, but he’s attractive. Luca swipes his own blond hair out of his face, hand hovering over the touchpad of his laptop.

Stefan [22:40] Luca hey Stefan [22:40] Or not luca idk

Without thinking any more about it, Luca sends his namesake a friend request.

Luca [22:41] My name is Luca, but my last name is not Rotaru. Maybe you should ask Dragos if he’s ever met any other Lucas.

Another long pause. Luca idly refreshes Facebook a few times and scratches his dog underneath the chin. He does hope he got the name Dragos right. It doesn’t seem unlikely that he met the man in question while going out and broke his own rule about not giving out his phone number. If he looks anything like his brother… Even Luca Morgens is not the most conscientious person when he’s drunk enough. That doesn’t clear up why Stefan would mistake one Luca for the other, though.

Stefan [22:44] I love dragos but I also really fucking hate him Stefan [22:45] WHO THE FUCK saves their brother as Poophead in their contacts Stefan [22:45] DRAGOS ROTARU THATS WHO Stefan [22:46] Oh just send Luca a text his number is in my phone he says Stefan [22:46] Im really sorry about this man

Luca laughs at the messages arriving in quick succession of one another.

Stefan [22:46] I mean I thought it was weird that you asked who I was Stefan [22:47] But you know, new phones

At the same time the last message arrives, a notification pops up on Facebook. Biting his lower lip, Luca clicks it, finding that Luca Rotaru has accepted his friend request. His heart rate spikes.

Stefan [22:48] You still there?

Luca [22:48] I am. Honestly, don’t worry about it. Tell Dragos I’m glad he’s alright.

Stefan [22:49] Im gonna tell him to stop being so dumb is what im gonna do

Luca [22:50] That too. Have a good evening, Stefan.

Stefan [22:50] You too luca not rotaru

Luca chuckles, then finally puts his phone away. He watches the message about his new Facebook friend for a few seconds and wants to put his laptop away and start his film after all – a friend from his study wrote it and he promised to watch – when another notification appears. A chat message from Luca Rotaru.

Luca Rotaru you aren’t by any chance the guy Stefan is currently freaking out about, are you? :0

Luca Morgens I probably am.

Luca Rotaru this is fantastic nice to meet you, Luca Morgens! I’m Luca Rotaru :D

Luca Morgens Nice to meet you too! Do you prefer Luca or Poophead?

Luca Rotaru Dragos’ name is my contacts is Shitface, fyi I shall be Luca you shall be Lucao ;) hey holy shit we live in the same city!

Luca Morgens We do, as a matter of fact! Hold on why Lucao?

Luca Rotaru bc Lucao damn B^) good to know my brother has taste in something after all

Luca picks up his dog and muffles an embarrassing sound into her fur, feeling himself flush. Suddenly, he wants to check his own profile page to see if there isn’t anything embarrassing on it. Pelutze wriggles in his arms, and he quickly puts her back down on the couch, patting her head and mumbling an apology.

Luca Rotaru too much?

Luca Morgens No, not at all! In that case, you should be Lucao.

His hands are shaking with nervous excitement. He glares at them. He is a Morgens. He is cool and collected. He does not get flustered over messages from virtual strangers.

Luca Rotaru nope no definitely you hey yr dog is cute! :o

Luca Morgens She is, she is.

Luca Rotaru so fluffy! when do you usually take her out walking? maybe maybe I can come and pet her :00

Luca Morgens It varies. Maybe you should ask your brother for my phone number! That way you can always ask me.

Luca Rotaru hA that’s not happening Lucao maybe you should ask Stefan for mine that way you can always tell me ;)

Luca Morgens I’d rather ask you. You know, on Saturdays, around ten is a good bet. I usually take her to Wildrose Park.

Luca Rotaru :^D I might just happen to be around there tomorrow then to pet your dog

Luca Morgens To pet my dog. She will like that.

Luca Rotaru good to know heh I might just see you then

Luca Morgens You might just, Luca Rotaru.

Luca Rotaru goodnight Lucao

Luca Morgens Goodnight!

Lucao. Oh, that is terrible.

Luca grins. He just might have to send Dragos Rotaru a thank you message for tripping over someone’s dog and landing himself in the hospital. He just might.

#I just realized that with the surname Morgens the names Martin and Manon are mildly hilarious #the return of long-haired luca rotaru with lip piercings I keep doing that aaaa #luxmold #kuzeykirkland #Hetalia #aph luxembourg #aph moldova #hmm other characters?#aph bulgaria #fin #w: 2500 #u: human #Luca Discourse

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doodlewash · 5 years

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Hello, my name is Irina Trzaskos. I am a watercolor artist and illustrator. I am originally from Moldova, a small, beautiful country in Eastern Europe. Now I live in Coventry, Connecticut. I’ve been drawing and painting since I can remember and when I was young, I would get in trouble because I was drawing on everything I could find – books, photo albums and furniture.

I discovered the beautiful world of watercolor when I was four years old, my brother was going to art school and I found his watercolors. It looked like magic when I added water to the dark paint from the box; it became a flowing bright blue that was vibrant and alive.

In 2012, when I’d just moved to the United States, I was researching art opportunities and most art directors would mention that watercolor is not a popular medium and it is very hard to adapt watercolor art to commercial illustrations. But, in less than a year something started to change, people around the world started noticing the unique beauty of this medium. The artists started experimenting with watercolors, adding the contemporary spin to watercolor artwork.

Watercolor became in demand on every art-related market: stationery, fashion, home decor, editorial and book illustration. I am so excited that today, the glory of watercolor is rediscovered by art enthusiasts around the world. Watercolor art is pure joy for the artists and the viewer.

In 2014, my husband started to write children stories and asked me to illustrate them, if you’ve ever illustrated a book you know it takes months of drawing and painting. That is when I understood that I wanted to be a full-time artist. Our stories were first published as separate books and this spring we combined them in one book called Tales From a Magical Forest, a collection of seven stories written by my husband Justin Trzaskos and fully illustrated by me. You can take a look at our books on Amazon.

My work is inspired by fairy tales, travels, traditions, and life-long memories. I love using various symbols and colors, which connect me with my Eastern European culture, tell stories, and carry on the positive energy to the viewer. I want my artwork to make people happy, thoughtful to evoke emotion, and remind them of something dear. World cultures, architecture, sculpture, artisan crafts, and performing arts fascinated me since I was little, and I hope to reflect this admiration in my creative journey.

Two years ago, I was invited to teach watercolor online, and it turned into one of the most wonderful and rewarding experiences in my art career. I have students from all over the world and I am so fortunate to see their creative progress. By explaining the painting process I’ve become more conscious of my own art journey. Also, my students inspire me to explore art trends, paint new subjects and try new techniques. I feel so lucky to teach so many amazing creative people from all over the world who are as excited about watercolor as I am. Today, I have fifty classes published with over 25,000 students.

Creative means the fresh, the unknown, and I think watercolor is the most perfect medium for embracing your creativity. Watercolor never stops surprising me. I admire how unpredictable this medium is, how you can never get the same result twice. When I am painting, I feel the joy of anticipation for how the artwork will look when I finish it. I like the watercolor medium for its honesty and ability to capture a certain moment of the creative journey.

When you look at watercolor artwork you can see all of the layers, brushstrokes and beautiful mistakes. In watercolor, you can’t press the “undo” button or cover something with an opaque layer of paint, so when you look back at your art you will see the truest version of yourself in that moment of time, with all the skills, ideas, wobbly lines, and perfect imperfections. Every artwork is a beautiful milestone on your creative path.

Irina is a 2019 World Watercolor Month (July) Artist Ambassador!

Irina Trzaskos Instagram Facebook Watercolor Classes Our Books

GUEST ARTIST: "The Perfect Imperfection Of Watercolor" by Irina Trzaskos (a 2019 World Watercolor Month (July) Artist Ambassador!) #doodlewash #WorldWatercolorGroup #watercolor #watercolour Hello, my name is Irina Trzaskos. I am a watercolor artist and illustrator. I am originally from Moldova, a small, beautiful country in Eastern Europe.

#WorldWatercolorGroup #artist #bird illustrations #Children&039;s Books #doodlewash #featured #illustration #lettering #painting #Skillshare #watercolor #watercolour #World Watercolor Month

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ahistoryfangirl · 7 years

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The Painted Churches of Moldavia

At this point, there aren’t be too many “hidden gems” left in the world for savvy travelers and history geeks alike, but the Painted Churches of Moldavia may just be one of the last. My guest today is Ciprian Slemko, a guide with Hello Bucovina, which provides tours to the historical region that splits between the northern region of Romania, and the southern region of Ukraine. The eight churches that make up the core of the painted churches were all built in the late 15th century through the late 16th century, and provide a time capsule the rich history of the region, from the Middle Ages through communist rule all the way to today. And there’s no better tour for that trip, than Chip.

Peter the Great’s great achievement

The Romanian king Peter the Great first came up with the idea of building the gorgeous monasteries in his country in the 15th century. He built some 40 churches, but as Chip told me, he didn’t actually have the exterior paintings done because he was too busy warring with the Ottoman Empire every six months. It was actually his son, the Moldavian prince Petru Rares, who came up with the idea. After traveling to Florence, Italy Petru Rares wanted the churches his father built to have the same artistic grandeur. And it was this combination, the father’s devoutness, and the son’s appreciation for art, that combined to create the most impressive of all of the churches: Voronet.

Voronet: The Sistine Chapel of the East

The crown jewel of the painted monasteries is Voronet, often referred to as the Sistine Chapel of the East. Chip told me that people began calling the monastery that in the 18th century after its reputation traveled around Europe. It’s known for its deep, beautiful blue—actually called Voronet Blue—which was created using azurite and lapis lazuli rocks. An enormous fresco of the Last Judgment adorns the western exterior of the building, but there are paintings all around the church. Chip told me Petru Rares’s wanted to deepen the people’s understanding of the Bible in an age when few could read or write, so the paintings were designed to tell the stories of the Book. And each church got its own predominant color, making visiting these buildings a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Standing strong during turbulent times

What’s amazing about the buildings is that they’ve stood for more than 500 years, and you can still visit and appreciate their beauty. They’ve stood through the political shifts, with the land changing hands, and the many wars over the centuries. And they even stood was under communist rule. But as Chip told me, the people of Romania are survivors, and they resisted under the watch of the government, still attending church, and the Orthodox Church still held services. And it’s true that when I visited the region, not only were the people who lived there some of the nicest I’ve encountered, I could also get a sense of their devoutness. As Chip said, it’s truly a beautiful land with beautiful people.

How to See the Painted Churches of Moldavia

The eight painted churches of Moldavia are spread throughout a large region, almost a circle of 250 kilometers, and it would take a few days to see them all. But Chip has a better plan: He’s mapped out a route that will take you to see four of the most beautiful churches, including Voronet. And you can hear how to route that trip on this episode. Of course, you won’t just want to see the churches if you go to this beautiful part of the world, and Chip lays out all of the options for what else you can do, from rafting to skiing. If you’re interested in the history of the Eastern Orthodox religion, or in seeing some of the most beautiful architecture of the Middle Ages, you’ll want to listen to this episode.

Outline of This Episode

[2:34] Introduction to Bucovina

[5:34] Moldova v. Moldavia: What’s in a name?

[6:51] The eight churches of Moldavia

[10:32] Intro to Stephen the Great

[12:33] Why Voronet is the Sistine Chapel of the East

[18:45] The one-day tour

[26:10] What else to do in Bucovina

Resources & People Mentioned

Hello Bucovina

Hello Bucovina Facebook

The Painted Churches of Moldavia

Connect With Stephanie

[email protected]

https://historyfangirl.com

Support Stephanie on Patreon

Check out this episode!

#history #travel

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fultas01 · 7 years

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Despite what this title might make you think, this is not a post asking what happened after a night of drinking. I haven’t blacked out and am unsure what’s going on in my life. Nope, I’m aware and have control of all of my faculties. Without any further ado:

Hey reader,

If you were anything like me, you were inundated with people and TV in the last weeks of 2016 that said the year sucked. I consider myself a realist, so I can say that the year had it’s ups and downs, just like any other year. But, to combat some of the negativity I wanted to share 16 good things/stories from my year.

Student Teaching

The new year began with a bright-eyed a bushy tailed 21 year-old me beginning working with 7th graders for my final semester in college. During this semester long project I worked with around 85 pre-teens as I attempted to teach them English. 7th grade was an interesting place to spend a semester of my time, I worked with a b.a. teacher who know how to get things done and she showed me the ropes. I bonded with the students and my teacher, graded lots of tests, repeated myself too many times to count, was frusterated 9 times out of ten, over-worked, and I have some good memories of these students.

On my last day with these kids I received some handwritten notes of thanks, and wishes that I could stay. These made me cry I was so happy to see them. The last class on my last day ended with lots of hugs. I brought those notes with me to Moldova, and if I ever consider my inabilities as a teacher, I pull these notes out as a reminder that I can make a small difference. If I keep working at it.

2. A visit to New York City

Over spring break my family decided to try a family spring break! My brother and I are both adults, but since I was leaving the country, I think my mom wanted to spend as much family time together as possible. So, we visited one of the cities that I always wanted to see. We walked to Brooklyn Bridge, saw central park, the Statue of Liberty, and I drank Starbucks everyday. I call that a successful vacation!

While I wasn’t able to see and do everything (I was really bummed that we couldn’t see a Broadway musical), I was able to walk the length of the island, and I know what other things I want to do when I visit again.

3. Turning 22

A third of the way through the year I turned 22. And I refused to say a word about it to my students, because I’m smart and didn’t want to bombarded with Taylor Swift. Nah, thanks. I also decided to keep this birthday pretty low-key outside of school too, we had partied hard for my 21st, so we took it down a couple notches this year. It was so low-key that I honestly don’t remember how I celebrated it, outside of making sure not to talk about it at school. So here’s to being another year older! We’ll see what I do in 2017…party hardy or stay in bed all day?

4. Graduation

May of 2016 came like a beam of sunlight after a hurricane. My crazy schedule came to a conclusion as I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree. I survived student teaching and working 2 jobs! Success had never tasted so sweet as I walked up to get my diplomas. Having my degree in hand I only had one more thing I needed to do. Pack. I spent as much of the weeks surrounding graduation with my friends and moving things out of the apartment I had been living in.

5. Meeting in Phily

If you ask my dad about this day, I doubt he would put it on the list of best things about 2016. No, saying goodbye to him and my cousins at the airport to fly to Philadelphia for the Peace Corps pre-departure meetings was not a party. But I still see it as a big step towards the Peace Corps. I hugged them tightly, took pictures, then left without looking back.

I rode my first airplane from Ft Wayne to Chicago, it was not my favorite experience ever. I was nervous and so stressed that I tensed all the muscles in my upper body so much that I could feel my heart beat in my back. Which was painful, and didn’t help with the nerves even in the slightest. But as you can tell from the fact that I made it to Moldova, the flight was fine, and my subsequent flights have continued to get easier, to the point where I wasn’t stressed and tense on my last flight from Warsaw to Chisinau a few weeks ago.

That day I spent something like 4 hours in O’Hare before my connecting flight to Philadelphia. (I still don’t understand why I had to fly west to come east, but whatever.) When I arrived in the city I promptly got myself lost and ended up taking an hour or so to get out of the airport with my bags and into a van taking me to the hotel. There I met some of my new friends as we spent the night getting to know each other and just hanging out. It was the beginning of beautiful partnerships and memories.

6. Arriving in Moldova

Well, after a few days in the US, I said my final goodbyes to my mom and brother, and then the rest of the country as we boarded a plane to Moldova. I was lucky to be sat next to two of my new friends on the plane and we spent the next 8(ish) hours playing games, watching movies, and doing random things other than sleeping (like we probably should have).

When we arrived in Moldova, after a short layover in Munich, we arrived exausted and some of us without our luggage. But! We were greeted by some of the M30s who, knowing that we were tired took our bags. We ended up at a hotel (not the best hotel I’ve ever stayed at, but not the worst either) and I slept for around 12 hours.

We then spent a few days in the capital learning basics of Romanian (hello, my name is, thank you, etc). These days were fun as we got to know one another some more, got to meet some of the M30s, and as we explored the city a little bit. We didn’t explore enough of it to not get lost automatically, but we did learn where McDonalds was, and where to get some coffee.

7. Host families

After a few days (3 I think, but I can’t remember for sure) in the Capital, we were taken to our PST villages. Talk about nerve racking. I think I was more nervous about this twenty minute drive than I was about the entire flight from the US. We were about to meet our new families that we would be living with for the next three months. And we were doing it with a very low amount of Romanian.

The first few weeks were rough, but we quickly found a routine and I was able to get to know this host family a little bit. During this time I also got to meet and hang out with another host family, who were a lot of fun and they made me feel really welcome in Moldova.

Halfway through PST (which should really be called RHT for ridiculously hot training) I was able I found out where I would be living then went to visit that family for the weekend. Meeting my host family was like a breath of fresh air in the middle of the hot humid summer. The family has been awesome, they let me do my thing while also keeping me involved as much as I want. I help out around the house where I can (still can’t cook, even though they’re working on it) and I think that living with a family is probably the best idea that the peace corps has had. I know it doesn’t work out for everyone, but it has been so far so good for me.

8. New Friends

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The main support system for living in a new country has been the friends I’ve made living here. I met and made new friends in Phily, and made even more here in country. You’d be surprised how close you get to people. You can’t not be friends with people once you’ve talked about your abilities to poop. Those kinds of conversations and fumbling through language barriers together just draws people together. So cheers to the many friends that I’ve made this year.

9. Indoor plumbing

You know what this looks like, no need for a picture.

What an overrated commodity! I knew I loved indoor plumbing when I was in the states, but after living with only an outhouse for 3 months (and those 3 months being the hotest ones in the year) I can honestly say thank every and any deity out there for indoor plumbing.

During my service nothing has turned me back into a through-and-through American quite like the bathroom conditions. I have made myself hold my bladder for days, I have opened a door to that outdoor hole (because that’s what it was, a hole in the ground), and then quickly closed it because of spiders and the smell, and I have purposefully dehydrated myself to keep me from having to go. Not smart, but honestly, I just couldn’t do the outdoor bathroom unless it was an imminent event, and then it was a mad rush, holding my breath, and thoughts of a happy place.

10. Cold ‘showers’

With the outdoor toilets, there was also no (or very little) air-conditioning this summer. I found only a handful of places that had AC, and of those, I couldn’t really hangout in a grocery store without buying anything. So, I was hot, sweaty, and definitely smelly for those months. To combat the smell and the slow death that we were forced to go through while learning about language competencies and classroom decorum, I took cold showers. The colder the better. Its too bad there weren’t ice cubes, because taking an ice bath would have been marvelous. Easy to say the bath time (because there wasn’t an actual shower for the first 3 months) was one of the best parts of the day.

11. Meeting Partners

During another hot week at the end of PST I was finally able to meet one of my partner teachers. Diana and I bonded over a terrible week of teaching a class of 8th graders who didn’t want to be there (for more info on this week, see my post trial by fire). Ever since then I have seen her as a friend and an ally on the bad days, where teaching seems more of a battle than anything else.

I met another two of my partners a few days before the school year started and I quickly fell in with them and we work really well together. I want to keep working with all of these ladies in the future. Not to mention that they are some of the few people I can always speak English to and they can help translate for me when I don’t understand something, or (more likely) I can’t express what I want to in Romanian.

12. Joking in class

What’s the best way to make a stressful situation easier. Jokes. We joked in classes during PST (sarcasm was the main way we communicated 90% of the time). And I continue to use that sarcasm and dry humor with my students in my English classes. It’s an easy way to make me less stressed/annoyed when things aren’t going well, and it also tells me who understands my English. When I say something sarcastically, those that smile or laugh show me who’s listening/understand. Its a great way to communicate with my students.

13. packages from home

Living abroad, you miss certain things. So packages from the states are gold, not to mention the Peanut Butter within those packages. Thanks mom, you have no idea how awesome those packages have been. Love, just buckets and buckets of love.

14. A Short (and much needed) Break

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Every time I had a break this year it was unbelievably needed. Whether it was during the first part of the year during student teaching, after graduation, between PST and School starting, IST, or Christmas break. These breaks have helped to recharge my batteries and helped my push through the rest of the year.

The break I’m talking about most here though is my IST break in November. We (the English Ed. M31 volunteers) spent a week in the capital talking over different things that we have gone through in the last couple months. We partied together, we cried together, we slept in. It was awesome.

15. Christmas songs

Have you ever heard a second grader just start saying ‘jingle bell, jingle bell’ over and over again? It’s really cute, especially since that kid is working on something else and doesn’t speak much English. What do you do when that kid breaks out in Jingle bell? Well, I decided to sing along with him the correct lyrics, then seeing that I had the attention of every other second grader in the class, I taught them their first American Christmas carol.

My host teacher was so happy, that for the rest of the month (like a week and a half) I tried to teach a carol to every one of the elementary classes. Some learned, others didn’t but it helped to bring out the Christmas spirit that I had been really missing. So thanks, Dan, for beginning it all for me.

16. New Ways and New Places to Celebrate

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As some of you may know, a majority of Moldovans are Orthodox Christians, that means that they celebrate Christmas on January 7th, not December 25th. That being said, a good number of Americans decided to come together for the day and celebrate together in the capital. I was among this group as I was also planning on beginning my winter vacation that day.

I celebrated the day with seeing Star Wars (a pseudo-family tradition back in the states) and hanging out with friends. Good times. I spent the rest of the year traveling in Romania, Budapest, and I was just entering the Czech Republic at Midnight of the New Year. So here’s to 2016, not as much of a terrible year as everyone would have you believe. Either way, we’ll make 2017 just as memorable, if not more. :)

‘Til next time,

Angela

What happened? Despite what this title might make you think, this is not a post asking what happened after a night of drinking.

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