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newhealthcareproducts · 25 days

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From Frustration to Fabulous

For as long as I can remember, my nails have been a source of frustration. They were thin, brittle, and peeled at the slightest touch. Applying nail polish felt like a pointless endeavour, as any minor mishap would result in unsightly chips or embarrassing breakage. Even everyday tasks became a test of nail resilience, with the constant fear of splitting or breaking a nail just by opening a jar. Determined to finally have nails I could be proud of, I decided to try ProNail Complex Deliverable. Here's my experience with this amazing product:

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One of the most delightful results I experienced with ProNail Complex Deliverable was the accelerated nail growth. With consistent use, I noticed my nails growing faster and stronger than ever before. This newfound freedom allowed me to experiment with different nail shapes and lengths, something I wouldn't have dared to try before for fear of breakage. The improved nail health also provided a perfect canvas for nail polish. The polish applied more evenly and lasted significantly longer, making my at-home manicures look like they were done by a professional.

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Overall, ProNail Complex Deliverable has been a transformative experience for my nails. It transformed them from weak and frustrating to strong, healthy, and beautiful. The product delivered on its promises, addressing my concerns about strength, growth, and hydration. Thanks to ProNail Complex Deliverable, I can finally enjoy beautiful, healthy nails that I'm proud to show off. Whether you're looking to overcome nail breakage, boost growth, or simply achieve a healthy shine, I highly recommend giving ProNail Complex Deliverable a try.

#my nails have been a source of frustration. They were thin #brittle #and peeled at the slightest touch. Applying nail polish felt like a pointless endeavour #as any minor mishap would result in unsightly chips or embarrassing breakage. Even everyday tasks became a test of nail resilience #with the constant fear of splitting or breaking a nail just by opening a jar. Determined to finally have nails I could be proud of #I decided to try ProNail Complex Deliverable. Here's my experience with this amazing product:#Unbeatable Strength: Saying Goodbye to Breakage #Before ProNail Complex Deliverable #chipped and broken nails were a constant battle. A bump on the counter or a brush against a rough surface could send me scrambling for nail #within a few weeks of using ProNail Complex Deliverable #I noticed a dramatic change. My nails became noticeably stronger and more resilient. They could withstand the everyday wear and tear that u #finally allowing them to grow to a healthy length.#Deep Hydration #Radiant Shine: Unveiling Healthy Nails #ProNail Complex Deliverable addressed more than just weakness. My nails weren't just weak #they were also dry and lacked any natural shine. The product's nourishing formula seemed to deeply hydrate them from within #restoring their natural luster. My nails looked and felt healthier #with a beautiful #natural shine that seemed to come alive. This newfound vibrancy gave me the confidence to finally show off my hands #both bare and adorned with polish.#Accelerated Growth #Flawless Canvas: The Joy of Long #Polished Nails #One of the most delightful results I experienced with ProNail Complex Deliverable was the accelerated nail growth. With consistent use #I noticed my nails growing faster and stronger than ever before. This newfound freedom allowed me to experiment with different nail shapes #something I wouldn't have dared to try before for fear of breakage. The improved nail health also provided a perfect canvas for nail polis #making my at-home manicures look like they were done by a professional.#Effortless Application #Enjoyable Experience #ensuring the product reaches every corner of the nail bed for maximum benefit. Additionally

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doumadono · 3 months

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think if reader had muzan's child and they're breastfeeding their baby & he see the child getting milk, would he be like 'hey. gimme some of that.' i imagine reader would be flustered but down for it aha

SINFUL SUNDAY

Muzan found himself in an unexpected situation. Clad in his usual elegant attire, Muzan stood beside you, the mother of his child, as you cradled your newborn in your arms. The soft glow of the moonlight falling through a large window bathed the chamber.

Your infant, a delicate mix of human and demon heritage, nestled against your chest, eagerly latching onto your breast for sustenance.

Muzan observed with a calculating gaze, his crimson eyes narrowing as he fixated on the scene before him. "I want some of that too," Muzan's voice, smooth and tinged with arrogance, sliced through the silence. His eyes bore into yours, a twisted curiosity playing in their depths. There was a certain arrogance in his demeanor, as if he believed that even the act of breastfeeding held a power dynamic that he could exploit.

You arched an eyebrow, unimpressed by his audacity. "You're a demon king, Muzan-sama. I hardly think breast milk is on the menu for someone of your stature."

Muzan's lips curled into a sly smile, revealing sharp fangs. "Stature has nothing to do with cravings, my dear mortal. A feeble concoction of life's essence, bestowed upon the weak and vulnerable is making me curious." The demon king circled around you, his gaze never leaving the child at your breast.

With a sense of reluctant compliance, you nodded, a silent acknowledgment of the delicate dance required to navigate the temperamental whims of the father of your child. Gently cradling the infant in your arms, you approached a meticulously crafted wooden crib, adorned with the most opulent silk blanket money could buy. You carefully nestled the child within the confines of its plush sanctuary.

Upon your return to Muzan's presence, you once again nodded, a gesture that carried the weight of unspoken acquiescence. The Demon Lord, perched regally, regarded you with an air of entitlement as he gestured for you to take a seat beside him on an elegantly crafted couch. Complying, you lowered yourself gracefully onto the plush cushions, the atmosphere tinged with a subtle tension.

Without delay, Muzan's hands moved with a possessive confidence, cupping yours breast in a gesture that bespoke both control and desire. Muzan deftly slid the strap of your nightgown from your shoulder, revealing a portion of your chest. His gaze fixated on the rounded swell of your breast, brimming with nourishing milk. The baby's suckling had left the aureola of your breast darkened.

The demon bent down, taking the bud into his mouth. He began to suckle gently, ensuring the sharp edges of his fangs didn't cause any discomfort to you. As the milk flowed into his mouth, he hummed with satisfaction, savoring the runny sweetness that gradually evolved with each sip.

You found yourself in a bewildering situation, unsure of how to react as he drank your milk. Eventually, you tentatively rested a hand on his shoulder, seeking a semblance of stability.

He continued to suckle, delicately pressing against the breast with his chilly hand. His long, pointed nails lightly brushed against the tender flesh, making you yelp a little.

"Shhh," he whispered, taking the bud out of his mouth to look directly at you. "We don't want the baby to wake up."

Muzan swiftly removed your remaining sleeve of the nightgown, revealing your chest completely to his hungry, crimson eyes. He then shifted his focus to the other breast, wrapping his lips around the hardened nipple. He took his time, gently sucking while flicking his tongue against the hardened bud. The milk spilled into his mouth again, prompting a satisfied hum. The entire experience, he realized, had an unintended consequence — his pants felt uncomfortably tight in the crotch.

The experience had a profound effect on you as well. You moaned quietly in relief as he eased the tension in your breasts by gently drinking the accumulated milk. "Oh, my lord," you whispered, gently caressing his shoulder.

Muzan took your hand and directed it toward his groin, where a noticeable bulge had formed.

Without a second thought, you sensed the texture of his hardened penis through the fabric of his pants and began to delicately massage it whilst his tongue massaged the erected nipple.

As things intensified, Muzan pulled away, fixing a stern gaze on your flushed face. "Take off your clothes," he commanded, his tone firm and demanding. "I want to take you, right here and now. And who knows, perhaps you'll birth me another heir soon."

#doumadonos sinful sunday 🔥#sinful sunday #anime smut #muzan kibutsuji #muzan smut #muzan x you #muzan x reader #kny muzan #muzan x y/n #kny smut #muzan x reader smut #muzan kny #demon slayer smut #kimetsu no yaiba smut #lord muzan #kimetsu no yaiba muzan #kibutsuji muzan #kibutsuji kny #divider by cafekitsune

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miguelswifey04 · 11 months

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miguel has that life altering kind of sex

LMAO YEAH…im ngl idk if this was a request or a statement but regardless…i did a thing 💆🏽‍♀️

a deep moan rumbled from his throat as he enjoyed the intimate connection between you, the mixture of pleasure and nourishment filling his senses. he suckled eagerly, his touch and suckling becoming more intense, his desire to please you growing with every passing second.

"mmmm, mi amor," he murmured with urgency, his voice muffled against your breast. "you taste so delicious. i can't get enough of you." miguel continued to give attention to both of your breasts massaging them and teasing their hardened peaks. he reveled in the way your body reacted to his touch.

he then positioned himself above you, as he caged your head with his arms that were on either side of your head as he pressed a kiss on your forehead and your face. he plunged inside you feeling how tight and wet you were for him already. he loved that feeling so much of always being inside your spongy walls that enveloped his thick cock so perfectly. “this pussy was made for me.” he cooed into you ear. he began to thrust into you as he wrapped his arms under you. he sped up his moments and slowed down to tease your pussy because he loved when you clenched around him.

you gripped onto his shoulders as you felt him enter me, stretching youout “oh my god…you’re so big….” you cried out in moans as you scratched his back from the feeling of him stretching your hole. “good, i’m glad. you always know how to take my cock so well mi vida.”

the scratch of your nails against his skin sent tingles of pleasure down his spine, fueling his desire to go deeper and bring you to heights of ecstasy. with each thrust, he adjusted the angle and pace, seeking to find the perfect blend of pleasure for both of you.

he gazed into your eyes, his own filled with a mixture of love and desire. "you feel incredible, mi amor. so tight and wet...you're driving me wild," he confessed, his voice filled with raw passion. "i want to make you lose control, to hear you scream my name in pleasure."

and you did, you screamed his name as he angled your hips in a way he could go even deeper. he was hitting you g-spot and as well as you a-spot (cervix). he knew how to please you properly and where to angle his cock to hit all the right spots just for you. he knows your body so well like the back of his hand.

he could feel the buildup of pleasure within both of you, the tension coiling tighter with every movement. with every thrust, he aimed to push you closer to the edge, desperate to witness your release and share in the ecstasy with you.

“mmmm, let go, mi amor," he urged, his voice filled with both encouragement and need. "let me take you to the peak of pleasure." his breath hitched as he felt his climax approaching, the pleasure building to a crescendo. "i’m close, mi amor," he gasped, his voice strained with need. "will you cum with me?" you loved whenever he asked you this…this made you push over the edge of ecstasy.

“i’m close, oh my god i’m-“ you moaned out as and your body trembled as you reached your orgasm. you squirted all over his cock and thighs. miguel’s breath caught in his throat as he witnessed your release, feeling the warm rush of your essence cascading over his cock and thighs. the sight alone sent him hurtling towards his own climax, his body trembling with pleasure.

with a final surge of intensity, he continued his thrusts, chasing his own release as he buried himself deep inside you. the pleasure washed over him like a tidal wave, consuming his senses completely.

a guttural moan escaped his lips as he found his release, his body convulsing with the force of his orgasm. his movements became erratic and desperate as he emptied himself inside you, his seed mingling with your own essence.

breathing heavily, he held you close, reveling in the aftermath of ecstasy. he buried his face into the crook of your neck, his voice filled with a mixture of satisfaction and adoration. "you’re incredible, mi amor. absolutely incredible."

as the waves of pleasure subsided, he gently lowered you back onto the bed, his touch tender and loving. he nestled beside you, pulling you close in a warm embrace, basking in the afterglow of the passionate connection you had shared.

“thank you miguel, you always know how to make me feel so good.” you were always thankful for that. he always knew how to pleasure you right and you were his utmost priority when it came to intimacy. you laid on his bare chest as you traced circles on his skin and the musculature of his abs.

“i’m always down for round two.” miguel teased you. he loved seeing your reaction after you were fucked senseless and he still had enough stamina for a couple rounds more as always. you usually go for a couple more rounds but not today. you were totally spent but satisfied.

…

a/n: god i love writing smut <3

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lexsssu · 9 months

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Miracle (Dan Heng | Imbibitor Lunae)

TAGS: Dan Heng/Dragoness!Reader, smut, breeding, impregnation, some plot Ao3 ver. | Ko-fi | Commissions (OPEN)

Iɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴜsʙᴀɴᴅ ғɪɴᴅs ᴛʜᴇ ɢʟᴏᴡ ᴏғ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀʜᴏᴏᴅ ᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ ɪʀʀᴇsɪsᴛɪʙʟᴇ.

Despite being a long-lived species, the Vidyadhara are also cursed in a way. Unlike most other races, they can never have children of their own and are instead stuck in a seemingly endless loop of reincarnation.

When they die, they die for good.

Because they die with no one to carry on their line or their memories aside from their own brethren, who will also face the same dilemma in time.

Truly, they are as pitiful as those short-lived species whose lives are just like the blink of an eye for them. Or perhaps, even more so, because they can never experience the same happiness and fulfillment as those who can grow older and see their families grow and propagate.

They are like stagnant water, no matter how much they pride themselves in their long lifespans. It can never fill the hole within them that yearns for the gift to create new life from their own bodies.

But then it happens.

“Congratulations! You’re going to become parents to a pair of very healthy babies!”

Dan Heng’s eyes nearly pop out of their sockets at the doctor’s diagnosis, mouth wide open as he does his best to digest the impossible facts laid before you two.

Despite all his years of living, even including his previous incarnations, none could have ever prepared him for this miracle .

No, it wasn’t just a miracle. It’s two miracles .

“Mommy’s vitals are looking very nice, but make sure she gets plenty of rest and takes these prenatal vitamins I’ll be prescribing. I’m looking forward to seeing you four very soon!”

It shouldn’t be surprising that the moment you leave the doctor’s office, Stelle and March 7th greet you both with a combination of cheers, tears, and jeers. From touching your still small belly to giving him sly grins and nudging him with their elbows, it’s obvious that both young women were happy for you two.

And although he’d long said his farewells to the Vidyadhara of the Xianzhou Luofu, he knows that his former kin will be given new hope with this earth-shattering news.

Because that’s what his children are.

A symbol of both love and hope.

♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡

When you reach your shared quarters, Dan Heng is already carrying you straight to bed as his nails elongate ever so slightly and begin slicing off your clothes, letting the fabric fall to the ground in tatters.

But with his mouth busy plundering yours, he merely swallows any complaints you might have had about your torn clothes.

Dan Heng is drunk on your taste and the knowledge that soon, your miraculous body will grow and change to accommodate his brood. The sight of your soft belly swelling as they grew and your breasts filling up with milk to nourish them once they’re born into the world has him harder than he’s ever been in any of his lives.

“'m so lucky…My miraculous little love,” his chest rumbles, reminiscent of a purr as he thrusts into your warm and welcoming cunt. “...keep your belly warm and full for our brood…”

With your tails wrapped around one another, your arms around his neck, legs locked on his narrow waist, you’re as close as two beings can ever be.

And as your mouths met again and again, there is no denying that past the heat of lust and desire, there is love.

Love that has grown, bore fruit, and will continuously grow for the rest of your lives together.

#lexsssu writes #honkai star rail #honkai dan heng #dan heng #imbibitor lunae #hsr dan heng x reader #imbibitor lunae x reader #hsr x reader #dan heng x you #dan heng x y/n #imbibitor lunae x you #imbibitor lunae x y/n #hsr smut #honkai star rail smut #dan heng x reader

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all-things-ghostly · 4 months

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The Beast of the Blood Moon

Werebat! Alistair Crump x GN Reader

Warning! This fic probably isn’t going to be for everyone! Aside from the end, it’s a little dark - CW for somewhat graphic transformation (starts with the first ~~~ below the cut and ends at the second), Alistair having a bad time, animal death and consumption, blood, small reader injury.

~~~

Okay I was originally not gonna post this and just keep it to myself because I thought it was too niche but then I remembered what kinda people Alistair fans are and went through with it anyway LMAO

I apologize if it drags on or feels like a mouthful. I had used this as an opportunity to practice description-heavy fics instead of relying on dialogue so I don’t have as much experience with this. Please be nice to me lmao I’ve been kinda beating myself up during the writing process-

With Alistair’s death came an array of changes. In many ways, he hardly resembled the person he was when he was alive. His form had gone from decently built to thin and skeletal, grey skin pulled tightly over it without much muscle mass left. It was difficult for him to move how he used to, especially without the support of his cane, which is why he was almost always floating and rarely walking. The structure of his face was completely different - everything was all sunken, uncanny, and corpse-like. There was so much he could point out that he didn’t like about his new body, but we’d be here for too long.

Needless to say, he looked like a monster. He felt like a monster.

And after a while, he actually started to become one.

Alistair thought that death would be the end of it all, but he couldn’t be further from the truth. Throughout his first few years of ghosthood, Alistair only continued changing. The first thing he noticed was his teeth - they had initially begun to straighten themselves out a bit, which made Alistair happy, but that was only so that they could get bigger. Much bigger. And sharper. This had especially impacted his canines, which had grown long and pointed, so much that they barely even fit in his mouth anymore.

Then came the rapid claw growth. Whenever Alistair cut his nails, he would wake up the next morning to find them the exact same length they were before. He couldn’t do anything to stop it. Eventually, he just gave up and let them do their own thing, at which point they stopped growing at a certain length and instead became reinforced into strong, durable, sharp claws. To be honest, Alistair quite liked them. It was one of the few new changes he actually didn’t mind that much.

The worst thing, however, were the blood moons.

Full moons nourished Alistair. They gave him strength and power beyond imagination. Lunar eclipses, on the other hand, slowly became his downfall. The first one he experienced after his death made him feel nauseous with a slight toothache, and that was about the worst of it. But with each consecutive blood moon, the symptoms got worse. He got brain fog. White fur started growing on his chest and limbs. His cloak would painfully fuse to his back. Luckily it all went away in the morning, but the experiences left Alistair dreading the next blood moon.

The 13th eclipse was the peak of it all.

That was the night the spirit truly lost himself. The night he transformed into something far more horrific than he could have ever imagined. It absolutely terrified Alistair to have no control over his body like that.

Every time he transformed into that… thing, Alistair only started hating himself more. For years and years he tried to deal with it, but nothing could ever tame the beast within him.

Then, a century later… a new mortal moved in.

~~~ You glance outside the window and check on the position of the moon. It’s almost midnight, when the effect will fully set in. Behind you Alistair clutches his heart and leans against the wall. He looks to be in pain.

Alistair has never told you exactly what happens to him on lunar eclipses. He’s mentioned it to you before, especially in recent times as the eclipse drew closer, but he would always hide the exact details. It’s something he’s always been self conscious about and refuses to elaborate on. All you know is that whatever happens to the ghost is supposedly very dangerous, for you and for others.

You’re lost in quiet contemplation as you stare out the window, feeling sorrow for poor Alistair, when suddenly a loud crash and thud behind you tears you away from your thoughts. Turning around frightfully, you notice that Alistair has collapsed and is leaning propped up against the wall. His hat is crooked and he’s panting heavily like he’s in severe distress. You rush away from the window, getting down on the floor so you can be eye level to him.

“What’s going on? Are you alright?” You ask, putting a hand on his shoulder. The texture of his cloak beneath your hand catches your attention. Looking at it, you notice that it’s begun to change shape and feels more… organic than usual.

“Y/n, please, I told you that you need to leave,” Alistair pleads with you between grunts of pain. “I won’t be myself. I won’t remember who you are. There’s no way for me to guarantee that you will be safe, that I won’t hurt you. You cannot stay here, please.”

In a sudden and startling turn of events, Alistair cries out, gripping his head with his claws. Something is happening to him that makes you immediately pull your hand away from his shoulder and scurry back…

His cloak…

It’s starting to move on its own.

The way it moves reminds you of something from a horror movie, like bones snapping into impossible, grotesque positions. Accompanying the rigid movements of the cape is a sickening cracking noise that makes your stomach turn. Throughout it all, Alistair starts to scream, as the fabric is quite literally welding itself into his body and becoming a part of him.

“I said leave, Y/n!” He shouts once more, falling onto his hands and knees. Alistair’s form trembles violently, and with yet another cry, what was once his cape fully transforms into a massive set of bat wings with an impressive wingspan. The wings spread out wide in an intimidating spectacle while Alistair continues to struggle.

Hurried footsteps pound down the eastern hallway, and in comes one of the mansion’s ghostly servants, attracted by the noise. She takes a second to assess the situation and notices Alistair convulsing on the floor. Her face falls. Then she notices you.

“Oh! Er— come here, dear,” she urges, nervously scurrying over to you and gently grabbing your wrist. Her eyes are filled with deep fear and concern. “Let’s go. I know a safe place you can hide for the night.”

She tries guiding you away, but you resist. All you care about right now is Alistair. The poor man appears to be suffering immensely at the hands of his transformation. Right now, he’s currently attempting to push himself up off the ground, but he’s too weak and just falls over again with a little whine.

“Alistair…” you mumble.

Sensing your sympathy, the servant’s eyes soften into a gentle expression. “I know you’re worried about him, but he will be alright in the morning. Now come on, right this way, right this way…”

She starts to softly pull on your arm, leaving you no choice but to follow her and leave Alistair behind. The last thing you see is him keeling over before you get dragged out of the room and brought into one of the guest rooms down the hall.

Now, Alistair is left all alone in the foyer of the mansion. Aside from his wails, the house is completely silent, since all of the other inhabitants have hidden away for the night. There was no one to help him as he went through the next stage of the awful transformation. Unfortunately for him, the wings were only the beginning. He barely even got a minute of relief before he felt that dreadfully familiar burning sensation deep inside of his body.

Snap.

Bones began to break and expand at unnatural rates in order for his form to change. His spine grew longer and more jagged, making his frame tall and imposing. The bones in his legs snapped and reformed to become digitigrade like that of a wild beast. Additionally, Alistair’s arms and bony hands became larger in order to support a nasty set of vicious claws that could effortlessly tear into prey. Even his very skull began to warp and change into something more animalistic. It was awful. Alistair’s throat was starting to hurt from all the yelling and after a while the only sounds he could make were strained, guttural cries.

Not to mention the way his flesh had to grow to match his new skeletal structure. Though he maintained his lean shape, his arms and legs became more muscular, as well as his back muscles that helped propel those massive wings of his. Alistair could hardly describe what it felt like, but the way that his cells had to rapidly mutate beyond human capability was insufferable. Mostly, it felt like a hellish burning. But there was also a strange, stinging-aching feeling associated with his insides stretching out and body changing shape. For the last step in the body mutation, a pair of large bat ears sprouted from his head, and he gained the last few kinds of animalistic features he needed: paw pads on the bottoms of his feet, a proper bat muzzle, and even larger fangs, to name a few.

Finally, it was over. The hard part, anyway. His fur still needed to grow in but that was painless.

Alistair, completely exhausted, laid curled up on his side, trembling and whimpering pitifully. He struggled to catch his breath after everything that just happened and panted like a wounded animal. Scattered all around him were the remnants of his clothes that had burst at the seams during his transformation. Suddenly he was glad everybody left the room, otherwise they’d have… quite the view.

While he rested, his beautiful fur coat started to grow out, starting at his limbs and torso and continuing to spread from there. The fur was longest on his chest and crotch area (which worked in his favor, considering he had no clothes on that would otherwise cover things up) and it was surprisingly soft. It was almost funny how soft he was considering how the rest of him just seemed so monstrous.

For the first couple of minutes, Alistair did nothing but lay still and breathe. He was still very spent and needed a minute to adjust to his new form as a werebat. But it wouldn’t last for long. Because he knew that very shortly, the hunger would set in. Hunger so insatiable that he would do anything to feel warm blood and flesh beneath his fangs.

Just at that moment, his bat nose twitched when he caught the scent of something far in the distance. He sniffed the air a few times to get a better feel for it… some sort of large prey in the woods behind the mansion. His maw started foaming immediately, he just couldn’t help it… whatever was out there should surely be enough to sustain him for the night.

Alistair, with newfound vigor, starts to push himself up off the ground. At first, he feels very unsteady since he’s not adjusted to his body yet, but animal instinct quickly takes over and he rises to his feet. Standing at just over 7 feet tall, Alistair’s werebat form is an absolute menace. His animalistic mind has now been completely consumed by bloodthirstiness and the idea of his next meal. Assuming an aggressive position, Alistair puffs his chest out, spreads his wings, and flares his claws, just before releasing a screeching cry so shrill that it echoes throughout every hall of the mansion, shaking the very foundation it rests upon.

Immediately after he calls out, Alistair rears his head and charges at the mansion’s front door. It shatters effortlessly against his mighty form, and with that the giant bat escapes the mansion unharmed, flying into the night in search of his prey.

~~~

“Come on, come on…”

The beam of light coming from your flashlight sputters and flickers from what you assume is low battery, or perhaps old age. You give it a good few hard smacks. Now is hardly the time for it to malfunction.

The spirits of the mansion had kept you sequestered away in one of the guest rooms for about an hour, trying to defend you from Alistair. And, while you appreciated their concern, you were worried about him. From the room you were in you could hear his pained, miserable screams.

Which meant that you also heard the sound of him destroying the front door and fleeing.

Since all of the other spirits were hiding away in their own separate places, it was rather easy for you to sneak out unnoticed. All you took with you was a flashlight and a small dagger, just in case. Not that you could ever use it on Alistair. It just made you feel a little safer wandering into a dark, wooded area knowing that you had a weapon with you.

The flashlight beam finally stabled itself out after the last hit. You point it out into the tangled woods behind the mansion and try to find any evidence of Alistair. Considering he flew, it’s not like you could go off of animal tracks or anything, so it was proving to be a little difficult. But you were determined to find him.

Finally, you start to take some hesitant steps into the forest. The trees had grown long and twisted, some of them even being over a century old, which blocked out the moonlight and made it even more difficult to see. All you really had going for you lighting-wise was some crappy flashlight that was likely crusted over with battery acid. The forest also had that typical Louisiana humidity to it, even at night. You had to shoo off more mosquitos than you would have liked.

You walk for quite a bit of time, shining your flashlight over the ground and trees, before you find anything. The first sign you noticed were deer tracks on the dark soil. Not necessary anything related to bats, but you instinctively feel like you should follow them anyways. They seem to go on for a far, far distance, all in one direction, as if the creature was running from something…

Suddenly, you start to feel a bit paranoid.

You even began having second thoughts about turning back. Still, though, all you could think about was Alistair. He was somewhere all alone out here, stuck in a monstrous body he couldn’t control. Something could happen to him; what if he got shot?

You have to pull through, for him. So against everything telling you not to, you keep trekking through the woods.

At one point in the trail, there was a moment where the tracks suddenly stopped. Instead, there was a spot where dirt, leaves, and soil seemed to be scattered and kicked around, forming a large messy crater in the ground. Usually, you would’ve thought nothing of it, but for some reason it felt deeply off-putting.

After staring at it for a moment, you hesitantly decide to keep walking forwards. But it doesn’t get any better. Now, there is a large, long streak in the ground, as if something had been dragged through the dirt. You shine your flashlight over it, and notice something even worse splattered through the foliage…

Blood.

The sound of shifting leaves in front of you makes you jump out of your skin. You don’t dare look up.

The beam of your flashlight starts to waver from the way your hands begin to shake. More odd noises come from just a few yards away… snarfing, growling, noisy chewing. You already know what it is but you don’t want to look, you don’t want to look, you can’t look at it don’t look at it don’t look it at it—

Your flashlight sputters. Then flickers.

Then dies.

Oh, of course.

The flashing light seems to attract the attention of the beast in front of you. Without your only light source, it’s so dark that you can barely make out the silhouettes… and a pair of glowing yellow eyes bearing right into you.

Very, very slowly, you try to step away. The creature continues to stare unblinkingly at you as you move, keeping a large, clawed paw on the half-eaten deer carcass in front of it. Even as it lowers its head back down to take another huge bite, its eyes never leave you. You don’t know what to do. You can’t move.

You stand there very still for the next good few minutes. In that time the beast has managed to reduce the cervidae to nothing but a pile of bones. When it finishes eating and licks its maw, you hope that it will lose interest in you and walk away. But of course not. Instead, it stands up to its full height and starts creeping right over to you, the slits of its pupils so slim that you can hardly even see them.

For a moment, it steps into the moonlight, allowing you to see it clearly.

It’s Alistair, alright.

Looks like you found him after all.

Even as a werebat, something about its appearance makes you immediately recognize it to be him. Perhaps it’s the somewhat messy white fur that covers his body, fading into a grey color in a gradient manner towards his forearms and shins. Or it could be those giant dark grey wings that remind you so much of his cloak. His face, ears, hands and feet were a slightly lighter shade of grey than the wings, reminding you of his usual sickly skin tone… but most importantly, it might be those eyes of his. Those soul-piercing yellow eyes that could make the blood of even the bravest being run cold. You would recognize them anywhere.

You do your best to stay still as he approaches you. It might sound stupid, but you feel like running would only trigger him more. Alistair comes up to you, his massive figure towering over your shaking body, and you feel like this could be the end.

He leans down and gets so close to you that you can see the individual blood stains on his fur. But surprisingly, he doesn’t attack right away. Instead, his snout buries into your hair, and then your neck, sniffing around… he seems curious about you. Eventually he pulls back and grabs your wrist.

“Um, okay,” you stammer, scared absolutely shitless but following him as he drags you off to a small cave just nearby. It looks to almost be like… his den? The inside is decorated with various bones and skulls, as well as beautiful vines along the walls and some baskets full of fruit or other little snacks. Alistair pulls you over to a large pile of animal pelts towards the back of the cave and sets you down gently. Perhaps it’s his nest?

You’re feeling very confused. Especially when he plops down next to you and starts sniffing at your neck again and clothes again. Alistair’s face scrunches in confusion, as if he’s trying to place something, when suddenly he pauses and looks right into your eyes, his slit pupils dilating into a more gentle expression of recognition.

He remembers you.

It��s like a switch is flipped. Alistair’s large, strong arms pick you up and place you right into his lap, where he continues to examine you. Even if his brain is too fogged over to remember what you look like, he seems to recognize you by your scent alone. Which is honestly just really adorable.

He then carefully lifts you up so that you’re eye level and starts to rub his soft head along your face and neck. It reminds you of a cat rubbing itself along your legs to mark its scent on you, which is essentially the same thing he’s doing. It’s fascinating to see how differently he shows his affection in a more animalistic form - he may have a more feral, primitive mind now, but he still has his ways of showing that he loves you. After he deems you sufficiently marked, Alistair buries his soft little muzzle into the crook of your neck again…

…and then bites.

No, not like a cute little nibble or anything. He sinks his fangs right in and breaks the skin, just at the spot between your neck and shoulder. Considering how he showed no signs of hostility beforehand, you’re completely taken by surprise. In fact, you don’t even register the pain at first because you’re so shocked.

He holds his fangs there for about 10 seconds and then slowly lets go. Left just next to your shoulder is a massive, bleeding bite from his fangs. Your eyes are still widened in complete shock, but Alistair seems unphased. He was just acting on natural instinct.

See, the bite wasn’t meant to hurt you. He had actually carefully adjusted the force of it to where it would break the skin and engrave deeply but not cause any permanent damage to the nerves or flesh. Instead, he made it just deep enough to create a permanent scar on a visible area of your body. He was giving you a mating bite - a mark on you that would show everyone, both human and beast, that you were his.

Alistair’s long tongue gently laps at the wound to clean it. His saliva seems to be numbing it for you, lessening some of the stinging pain left behind (and, as a bonus, he gets a little snack out of the blood). The werebat seems to know that his fangs hurt and is now acting very tenderly towards you to make up for it. His tongue works diligently until the bite mark naturally clots and is ready to be properly treated later.

Once he’s finished, Alistair makes a low growling noise and leans back onto his nest with you on top of him. His large arms wrap tightly around your body and hold you so close that your face gets smothered in his long chest fur. Breathing him in, you notice that he has somewhat of a woodsy musk smell to him. It’s honestly quite pleasant. He starts to purr, a deep, rumbling purr that you can feel the vibrations of as you rest on top of his fluffy underbelly.

“Oh, well… I guess you’re actually a little bit cute,” you mumble at him, freeing an arm so you can scratch him underneath his ear. Alistair’s purring gets louder, and his eyes start to close in pure contentment. It’s… really, really adorable. Normally, Alistair would get pissed off if you tried babying him like this. But right now? Just like any other creature, he could never deny some good scritches.

The cute little (or rather, not so little) monster nudges up against you like he wants more. Who are you to deny him? You take both hands and start rubbing his soft face, even giving him a little kiss on the nose, which makes his big bat ears twitch. Now, under your touch, he’s no more intimidating than a lap dog.

Alistair especially loves it when you start to pet and scratch his fluffy belly. His purrs become so loud and deep that it reminds you of a dinosaur. His large bat body stretches out to expose himself as best as he can to you for more rubs, his leg kicking joyously when he receives them. He just feels so… relaxed.

He wasn’t used to that. Feeling relaxed. Not only in werebat form, but as regular old Alistair Crump, too. Normally he was much too shut in and reserved to let someone get close to him, nevertheless touch him. And as a werebat, Alistair was constantly under the stress of trying to control his violence and rampages. He has never once been able to just settle down and let someone pet him like this.

Perhaps that just means that you’re someone he feels safe around.

After a while, you notice him starting to yawn. The large bat looks very sleepy, having been relaxed by your gentle, comforting touch. Alistair makes another little purring sound and pulls you close once more. His warm tongue starts to sweetly lick at your lips, almost like he’s giving you his own little version of kisses to thank you for all of the affection you gave him.

Finally, he settles down and wraps his arms and wings against you, cuddling you as if you were his own little stuffed animal. You notice that as he drifts off to sleep, his eyes are gentle and dilated. It’s a sign of how calm he is. The calmest and tamest the beast has ever been.

Maybe, all this time, he only needed a gentle and understanding mate.

And who better to fit the part than you?

#alistair crump #hatbox ghost #haunted mansion #haunted mansion 2023 #my writing #alistair crump x reader #werebat #monster x human #monster x reader #the haunted mansion #hatbox ghost x reader

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matthewsvoyage · 4 months

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i'd absolutely love a story about jordelia!! thank you so much for even offering to write one, you're very sweet. i don't have any ideas for what it should be about though

From your headcanon that James peels Cordelia's oranges for her. <3

James’s voice was amused as he spoke. “Remind me again why I am required to do this for you?”

Cordelia, sitting at her dining table in a manner that she considered quite regal, tossed her long hair about her shoulders. “Because the feeling of pulp between my fingers all day is a dreadful one. I can focus on nothing else as it squelches underneath my nails.”

James removed yet another piece of orange peel from Cordelia’s afternoon snack, the corners of his mouth turned upwards as though her serious face was the highest form of entertainment. “The mighty warrior-woman, a merciful hero of the highest order, with her blazing sword out of legend… cannot peel her own oranges?”

“Yes,” Cordelia agree without a hint of shame. “Or would you rather Cortana fall from my hand at a critical moment in battle because my fingers were slick with orange pulp and peel? Would you rather Cortana tarnish from the… the fruit acid?”

James clicked his tongue. “All of these are great reasons to get a plastic orange peeler,” he said.

“But why do that, when I have such a gracious and loving husband?”

“What if I were to drop a blade in battle because of gratuitous orange pulp?”

“Then I would save you, of course. Be thankful that you no longer wield a runed firearm; that would be a real disaster, James.”

James laughed, and Cordelia’s heart skipped a beat. “I see you’ve got it all figured out.”

“I generally do, yes.” Cordelia blinked innocently.

James met her eyes with narrowed gold ones and took her hand in his. At first, she thought that it was an oddly-placed romantic gesture, but he pressed the fruit into the open palm of her hand within seconds. “There,” he said. “A snack to befit Boudica and the other warrior-queens that came before you. I hope that you enjoy and appreciate the labor that went into my providing this for you.”

“I highly doubt that Boudica’s husband peeled oranges for her.” Cordelia smiled as she took a bite of the fruit; it was, she thought, the perfect orange, not too sweet and not too sour. “If she did, she was a lucky woman indeed, as I am.”

“She did not,” James confirmed, though Cordelia was certain he could not know this. “I only do it for her because you outshine all of those queens in every conceivable way. If you did not, I would not peel your oranges. Your bananas, perhaps. But no more.”

Cordelia wrinkled her nose. “Ugh. Bananas.”

James chuckled.

Cordelia broke off a piece of her orange. “As you did do the ‘labor’ of peeling this for me, I feel that I must show my appreciation. Open your mouth,” she instructed, and James did. She popped a bit of orange into it, and he smiled as he chewed; a bit of the juice settled in the corner of his mouth, and she dabbed it off with the pad of her thumb.

“There,” she said. “Now you are nourished. All ready for battle.”

“Besides the small matter of pulp on my hands,” James argued.

Cordelia nudged his shoulder.

#jordelia #herondaisy #james herondale #cordelia carstairs #drabbles #this will be the monday drabble this week too!

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cookinguptales · 9 months

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travel rambling!! under the cut!! because I do intend to ramble!! a lot!!

like if you thought that wwdits was a hyperfixation of mine, you've never heard me talk about some of the religious traditions I've studied. lmao

SO first of all, religious syncretism is when elements of two or more religions/traditions are incorporated into religious practice. A crossover episode, if you will, and I am obsessed with it. When I was in college studying religions and folklore, it quickly became a driving force in my intellectual curiosity.

I've always been really interested in how people pick and choose from different traditions to create their own personal belief systems, and syncretic religions can be this on a micro or macro level. We could be talking about something as individualized as a self-identified pagan assembling a collection of beliefs and rituals from various world mythologies and written/online sources, or we could be talking about something as established as Louisiana Voodoo, which is a syncretic religion with strong influences from Roman Catholicism, various West African religions, and Haitian Vodou.

Syncretic religions form in a lot of ways... immigration, colonialism, natural spread of tradition, purposeful assemblage of disparate ideas, etc. Sometimes there's a history of blood, sometimes a history of love, sometimes a little bit of both. And man, I feel like there's just something so human about it.

The thing I love best about stories is the way they grow and change within us. When you hear a story, you resonate with certain parts of it. You remember some parts best. And when you retell that story, you can't help but imbue it with a little bit of your own self. The parts you loved and the parts you hated and the parts you want to emphasize or deemphasize or embellish. You can't hear a story without taking it into yourself, and you can't tell one without making it your own -- even if you retell it word for word.

And I guess religious syncretism is the final form of that, a little bit? Taking ingredients from every part of your life, real and imagined and studied and genetic, and mixing them together into the precise stew that nourishes you best, either on an individualized or communal level.

I digress.

I started out with Egyptology in school, abandoned that for several reasons, and realized what I really loved learning about was religion, especially on a practical and/or vernacular level. (i.e. what people actually do rather than the ur version of whatever philosophy we're talking about.) Then Some Stuff Happened and I added on East Asian Languages and Civilizations and really started leaning into learning about Japanese folklore and religions, especially once I started studying in Kyoto.

When I was studying in Japan, I really wanted to learn a lot about Shinto. The concepts behind it had been kind of ill-defined for me, and I wanted to really nail down what people were even talking about when they talked about Shinto. But... to my surprise, even the Japanese people I talked to were really vague on the subject. Which made sense, I guess, as I learned more about it.

I was really, really lucky, actually, because a professor who knew quite a lot about Shinto came to teach at my (American) school shortly before I graduated. It's not easy to find good classes on that subject in the US, especially outside of the west coast and Hawaii. But we had a whole symposium where experts from all over the world came and discussed various research projects on the subject and I was So Happy. lmao

I'm not... gonna get too into Shinto right now. My final assignment for that class, IIRC, was to write a 15 (20?) page paper on the topic "what is Shinto?" so that... might give you an idea of how complicated the question is. lmao.

Suffice it to say, for now, that Shinto is a name that we've retroactively applied to a series of disparate practices and belief systems in what would eventually become Japan. So... in that respect, it's an indigenous religion of Japan, or at least a modern understanding of many of them.

(People think of Japan as one cohesive country because it is now, but maybe think of that period as being more like Ancient Greece? Lots of small little villages and towns (think city-states) that were separated by topographical features and therefore had their own cultures before they were unified into the country we know of as Japan much later.)

Shinto, as a modern concept... ugh, it's still super complicated. There are deities or spirits called kami, and there are several big, important ones like Amaterasu and Susanoo, but also there's just this thought that almost everything can contain a kami because everything has a spirit. (It's animism, baby.) So there is a spirit of that big boulder, a spirit of that mountain, a spirit of that tree, and they're all kami. There are literally thousands of kinds of kami, and they're everywhere at all times. People can become kami after they die, man-made objects can become kami. (Sort of Velveteen Rabbit style.) And in Shinto shrines, these kami are enshrined and venerated and kept happy. Like any deity, they can help or they can hurt, y'know?

There's... a lot more to it than that, some of it extremely political, but that's the essence of it, I think. Kami veneration. (What that entails is... debatable, too! haha)

God, and that was my short version. That's not even what I wanted to talk about.

All that is to say that that's what I was trying to study my first time in Japan. The second time I was in Japan (a few years ago) I heard about Shugendo, which is a highly syncretic mountain-based religion in Japan that has dwindled quite a bit over the years, but not entirely.

Shugendo, to my understanding, is a syncretic religious tradition comprised of elements from Shinto, Buddhism (especially Esoteric Buddhism), and local traditions about local deities. It's extremely mountain-centric, and most important places in Shugendo are on top of mountains. (Which... make them very difficult for my disabled ass to get to.)

The point, though, is the climb. It's a highly ascetic tradition, so practitioners, or yamabushi, would often push themselves to their physical and mental limits. They'd live out in the wilderness, often alone for long periods of time, and make do with what they found out there. One of the places we're going has a very distinct food tradition just because it's largely born out of the increasingly creative scavenging yamabushi would do while out on the mountain. They figured out how to eat a lot of things that most people would not eat. lmao

The important part here, though, is near-constant meditation and going to a sacred place (the mountain) and becoming one with that sacrality. It's trying to find enlightenment through nature and the divine. It feels similar to the Romantic concept of the sublime to me, y'know? And there's stuff about gaining superhuman spiritual powers through all this, too, though I don't know as much about that. (YET.)

One of the reasons why it's kind of hard to learn about is that there are very few practitioners these days. This is partially due to a generally dwindling number of people who identify as religious in Japan, partially because there were never that many practitioners to start with, and partially because... it was illegal for a while! (More on that later.)

Man, though, I wanna learn about it.

Shugendo has kind of become my white whale over the last few years, and there's a lot more information now on the internet than there was when I first started learning about it, but it's still often frustratingly vague!

This time, though, my dad was like "well, we're going to be there for quite a while and you already showed me most of the important tourist spots last time, so is there anywhere off the beaten path you really want to go?"

Now. This was a very brave thing to say to me, considering some of the weird-ass places I dragged him to last time. This man turned and looked me in the eye, the same woman who made him go to the moss temple and the cricket temple in the same goddamn day that we wandered through the bamboo forest in Arashiyama at night after I cheerfully told him that the shrine there was most famous for a ghost story. He said it was one of the creepiest experiences of his life!

haha. memories.

anyway. He looked me in the eye and asked me if there was anywhere unusual I wanted to go. And I slapped open a map of Wakayama and was like I WANNA DO THE KUMANO KODO.

Now... I was not going to hike the entirety of an ancient pilgrimage route. Like I said before, my dumb (but highly excitable) ass is disabled. I cannot physically do that. But I wanted to see the main shrines and temples on the route (shrines=Shinto, temples=Buddhist!) and hike a very small portion of the 1000-year-old route, some of which STILL EXISTS AS A ROAD. *_*

And I wanted to go because... Shugendo!!!! The Kumano Kodo is a popular pilgrimage route for yamabushi!!! That whole Kumano region is sacred for practitioners of Shugendo, and I was like! Heck yeah! I can learn a thing!

But... Dad got injured. ;; And I'm used to pain, but he is not. So I'm not going to make the poor man hike. I want him to heal and get better and not strain his torn abdomen too much.

So I kind of abandoned that idea.

(Side note: I was asking Dad what he thought his physical limits were going to be so I didn't overplan and he was like "well, you can't do that much either, so I don't think we'll do too much" and I was like "what do you mean?" And he said "well, there's nothing that'll hurt me that won't hurt you, too, and you're not going to want to hurt yourself to see things." and I was like "hmm" and I realized that my father does not really understand my existence at all. lmao)

Then I was thinking, though, and I remembered reading about sokushinbutsu awhile ago. I wasn't actually thinking about going to see them initially; Dad and I were just driving up the coast and it's a long drive so I was cheerfully rambling. So I was explaining the basic concept to him and I was like "yes, and I heard that one of the temples is so sacred that you have to go barefoot throughout the grounds, even in winter" and I googled where it was, exactly, because I couldn't remember and

YAMAGATA.

I looked at it and I thought about the Dewa Sanzan and I googled how much climbing those mountains actually require and then I was like

hey dad wanna go to some extremely sacred mountains in northern Japan? they let you drive to the shrines.

And he was like "...why those mountains specifically?"

And then I had to tell him about Shugendo, because yessss that's another very important place for it. I'd always sort of associated the idea of sokushinbutsu with Shingon (esoteric) Buddhism and Kukai, the founder of which, because I knew that it was said that he still rests at Koyasan in eternal meditation.

(YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO KOYASAN TOO! *HIGH KICK*)

But! It turns out that it's actually more of a Shugendo tradition, especially in the Yamagata region, though legend does go that Kukai brought the concept to Japan.

So... what is sokushinbutsu?

(CONTENT WARNING uhhh corpses, religious self-harm, starvation, general morbidity, if you google this know that there WILL be pictures.)

Sokushinbutsu are often referred to as living Buddhas or living mummies. The long and short of it is that highly ascetic monks would be mummified, and they would start this process while they were still alive. It's... a pretty difficult process to read about, so I won't go into a ton of detail here, but if you google "sokushinbutsu" you can find way more information.

I will say that it involves slowly reducing food and water intake and increasing the intake of... well, poison, honestly. Both tea made from the Japanese lacquer tree, which has the side effect of sort of lacquering the organs, and local spring water -- which in the case of Yamagata, involves pretty large amounts of arsenic. People all over Japan attempted this process, but by far the highest number of known successful cases are in Yamagata. This is partially because of the popularity of Shugendo there, and partially, people think, because their water had such a high amount of arsenic, which when combined with the loss of adipose tissue and hydration, as well as the lacquer, sort of mummified the organs while the person was still alive.

This process would eventually kill the practitioner, but... I mean, it takes about a decade. This is not something undertaken on a whim. It is an absolutely grueling practice that is considered incredibly sacred. It's a way to ascend past your mortal body and achieve enlightenment, but only for the most devout and devoted practitioners.

(There's a whole lot about ascending past mortal bodies in Buddhism, but I think that and corpse meditation are a different discussion.)

I say that the practitioner "dies", but... I mean, in a scientific sense, yes. These people would die. Shortly before death, they would be placed in a pit underground and essentially buried alive with only a bamboo tube to allow air and sound in and out. They would be given a bell and would periodically ring it to let others know they were still alive. When they stopped ringing the bell, the tube would be removed. They'd come back and check on the body in a few years, and if it had decayed, it was considered a failed attempt and reburied. If it had mummified, it was considered a successful sokushinbutsu and taken out so it could be displayed for veneration.

This is the important part, though. If the process was successful, these are not considered dead bodies. This is a person who achieved Buddhahood while still alive, and they are considered to be in a sort of eternal repose. You go to them to pray and meditate, and often amulets are made from their robes (which are changed every 6-12 years) so people who come to pray can take some of their power home with them.

So... I want to go to learn about Shugendo, but I knew that seeing the sokushinbutsu would be a selling point for Dad... You just have to know how to sell things, I guess.

(You might know from my other posts that I have extremely mixed feelings when it comes to the display of human remains in museums, but I genuinely can't think of a more vociferous consent than the act of sokushinbutsu. Going to see them feels like honoring their wishes, and I do feel that some of them are very beautiful, in a way. So I am looking forward to the experience, though I'll admit to feeling a little trepidation.)

So we will be visiting the Dewa Sanzan, Hagurosan, Gassan, and Yudonosan!

(-san means the same as Mt. in Japanese! so Fujisan is Mt. Fuji. I usually still use -san with mountains out of habit, and Gassan is... incredibly hard to pronounce without doing that, to the point where it is often translated as "Mt. Gassan." lmao. Japanese double consonants are fun.)

The part of this I am most excited about is... Hagurosan has a museum about Shugendo! IN ENGLISH. I cry!!! Apparently one of the yamabushi currently living on Hagurosan is a westerner! Who really wants to teach other westerners about Shugendo! So the Dewa Sanzan website is excellent and I'm so fucking excited to go there and learn.

(They also had yamabushi training programs if you want hands-on knowledge but again. My disabled ass cannot clamber up and down a mountain, unfortunately. ;;)

Yamagata's a large prefecture, though, so the plan is to drive around a bit. We'll be driving between the mountains (but not up Gassan because it'll be too snowy that time of year and I think that one might be hiking-only access...?) and seeing a bunch of shrines and temples. We're also going to spend a night at Hijiori Onsen, a hot spring town in the caldera of an ancient volcano, and a night at *drum roll* a shukubo!

This is Dad indulging me again. Shukubo is a type of shrine or temple lodging. (Usually temple. But this one is a shrine! For reasons I'll get into in a minute!) Essentially, you stay overnight in a religious lodging. You might be invited to attend morning prayers with the monks, specific rituals (Koyasan's are famous for the goma fire rituals), sutra-copying, guided meditation, etc. Traditionally speaking, these were usually stayed at by religious pilgrims, and some were reserved solely for monks, priests, yamabushi, etc. These days anyone can stay at them!

We'll be staying in two during our trip! One at Koyasan, which I hear has tragically become a bit uhhh influencer-y, and this one at Hagurosan.

Now. Why is this a shrine, even though the building was clearly designed to be a temple? Why was Shugendo illegal for a while? Well... I won't get into all the details, but suffice it to say that during different points during Japan's history, either Buddhism or Shinto have been prioritized by the government, and during those periods, the other tended to suffer.

When Buddhism first arrived in Japan in the sixth century CE, it was introduced from China and Korea and had... some settling to do, I guess? Shinto was largely what was accepted in Japan at the time, and people kind of struggled to reconcile the two concepts with each other. Enter the concept of honji suijaku, which is where this baby gets really syncretic.

It's... complicated, like most of this is, but the basic idea is that kami came to be seen as manifestations, or alternate forms, of Buddhist deities. (Buddhas, bodhisattvas, etc.) The Buddhist deity was appearing in the form of kami to better help people in Japan. So the kami and the Buddhist deities were one and the same, just in different guises. These syncretic deities were called "gongen" in Shugendo, which has elements of both religions in it, and were highly venerated.

But... when politics changed and Shinto was again elevated, there was a forcible separation between Buddhist and Shinto spaces. Like... as in an often violent, state-enforced separation. Shugendo, as a syncretic religion of both, was outlawed. At Dewa Sanzan, most Shugendo and/or Buddhist temples converted to Shinto, and they remain that way to this day. (And RIP to many of the Buddhist statues in the area, which have been sadly beheaded.)

So! There are a lot of buildings around there that are clearly Buddhist in origin but have nevertheless become Shinto. The shukubo we're staying at is one of these.

We're gonna see so many temples! So many shrines! We're gonna go to an onsen! We're gonna learn! Some stuff! See! Some things! Some of which are too sacred to even talk about because it's forbidden!

I am excited.

This is only like three days out of a much longer trip but I am like

every time I think about it.

(Okay, I'm actually a little worried about the shrine I'll have to go barefoot for because it's going to be cold as shit and my joints are... bad. But I can manage!)

okay now this is the longest post on earth so I'm gonna stop here, but we're gonna do SO MUCH and we're gonna see SO MUCH and we're gonna learn SO MUCH and my nerdy little heart is on FIRE.

#long post #very very long post #but I put it under a cut because I love you #the travel bug

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absenceisaformofwinter · 5 months

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Si eres una mujer fuerte

protégete de las alimañas que querrán

almorzar tu corazón.

Ellas usan todos los disfraces de los carnavales de la tierra:

se visten como culpas, como oportunidades, como precios que hay que pagar.

Te hurgan el alma; meten el barreno de sus miradas o sus llantos

hasta lo más profundo del magma de tu esencia

no para alumbrarse con tu fuego

sino para apagar la pasión

la erudición de tus fantasías.

Si eres una mujer fuerte

tienes que saber que el aire que te nutre

acarrea también parásitos, moscardones,

menudos insectos que buscarán alojarse en tu sangre

y nutrirse de cuanto es sólido y grande en ti.

No pierdas la compasión, pero témele a cuanto conduzca

a negarte la palabra, a esconder quién eres,

lo que te obligue a ablandarte

y te prometa un reino terrestre a cambio

de la sonrisa complaciente.

Si eres una mujer fuerte

prepárate para la batalla:

aprende a estar sola

a dormir en la más absoluta oscuridad sin miedo

a que nadie te tire sogas cuando ruja la tormenta

a nadar contra corriente.

Entrénate en los oficios de la reflexión y el intelecto

Lee, hazte el amor a ti misma, construye tu castillo

rodealo de fosos profundos

pero hazle anchas puertas y ventanas

Es menester que cultives enormes amistades

que quienes te rodean y quieran sepan lo que eres

que te hagas un círculo de hogueras y enciendas en el centro de tu habitación

una estufa siempre ardiente donde se mantenga el hervor de tus sueños.

Si eres una mujer fuerte

protégete con palabras y árboles

e invoca la memoria de mujeres antiguas.

Has de saber que eres un campo magnético

hacia el que viajarán aullando los clavos herrumbrados

y el óxido mortal de todos los naufragios.

Ampara, pero ampárate primero

Guarda las distancias

Constrúyete. Cuídate

Atesora tu poder

Defiéndelo

Hazlo por ti

Te lo pido en nombre de todas nosotras.

Gioconda Belli

If you are a strong woman, protect yourself from the creatures that will want to feast on your heart. They wear all the disguises of Earth's carnivals: guilt, opportunities, prices to be paid. They probe your soul, drilling their gazes or tears into the depths of your essence, not to illuminate with your fire but to extinguish the passion, the erudition of your fantasies.

If you are a strong woman, know that the air that nourishes you also carries parasites, gadflies, tiny insects seeking to lodge in your blood and feed on everything solid and grand within you.

Don't lose compassion, but fear anything that leads to denying you a voice, hiding who you are, forcing you to soften, promising a terrestrial kingdom in exchange for a complacent smile.

If you are a strong woman, prepare for battle: learn to be alone, to sleep in absolute darkness without fear, to resist when others try to pull you down in the storm, to swim against the current.

Train in the crafts of reflection and intellect. Read, make love to yourself, build your castle surrounded by deep moats, but with wide doors and windows.

Cultivate significant friendships. Let those around you know who you are. Create a circle of bonfires and light a perpetual stove in the center of your room where the simmering of your dreams persists.

If you are a strong woman, protect yourself with words and trees, invoke the memory of ancient women.

Understand that you are a magnetic field attracting howling rusty nails and the deadly rust of all shipwrecks. Shelter others, but shelter yourself first. Keep your distance. Build yourself. Take care. Treasure your power. Defend it. Do it for yourself. I ask this on behalf of all of us.

Gioconda Belli

#gioconda belli #poetry

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i-cant-handle-change · 1 year

Text

This is a continuation of my last post.

Izuku is hungry.

No, he isn't hungry, he's starving.

Ever since he's been taken underground into the underworld, Izuku hadn't drunk or eaten anything. His mind was permanently stuck on the warnings his mother had given him about the dangers of the food of the underworld.

If he had eaten or drunk anything from the underworld, he would be a permanent resident there.

Knowing this, Izuku closed himself off from anything related to food or drinks. Distracting himself from anything else, the young God forcibly bit his lip whenever he was offered any sustenance. Shoving it away with the same old excuse that he wasn't hungry and that he’ll eat later.

Much later...

He’d eat the dry skin on his lips, the broken nails he’d bite off, and even his robes to keep himself from giving in. He went as far as swallowing the bile at the back of his throat to quench his thirst.

Izuku was starving, craving any kind of nourishment to please his unnerving appetite.

It was driving him mad and the God that had kidnapped him took advantage of that.

All for One would always present food and drinks wherever Izuku would go. Always close to Izuku’s reach, he would eat and drink to his heart’s content to pursue the young God to join him. Yet, the young God would turn away and occupy himself with something else entirely.

But inside his stomach would shake with agony as he clenched his robes so hard that his knuckles turned white.

“You’re killing yourself over something so small and insignificant.”

Izuku turned, his grip on his robes tightening.

“My mother is neither small nor insignificant! She is more of a God than you’ll ever be!”

All for One chuckled, eating another grape from his plate with a smile. Izuku persisted nonetheless, his hunger combating his anger.

“You’ll be sorry when she’ll realizes what you’ve done! She’ll break down the doors of the underworld itself just to get me back!“

All for One laughs, taking another grape into his mouth, his face turning smug.

“Izuku, I would love to see how your mother would go out of her way to get you into her arms again. Knowing her myself, I would see how much of a tantrum she would have made by now. Last I heard, that woman has plagued the world into an eternal cold, not one plant is safe from her wrath.”

Izuku huffed, feeling himself stand tall as the God before him come close. He braced himself to show how brave he was despite how painful his eyes stung to release his tears.

“My mother is an all-powerful Goddess, she will see that you suffer because of your recklessness.”

A large hand then caressed Izuku’s hair, shocking the young God as he then noticed how close the God had come up to him. He did not see rage cross the older God’s facial features, instead, he sees a sense of amusement.

“If your mother does plan to come down into my realm, then so be it, but she’ll have to understand the trouble I went to have you in my grasp.”

The plate was given to Izuku who grabbed onto it without thinking twice. Despite how his stomach screamed to have Izuku eat the remaining food, he ignored it. Opting to watch the God before he walks away, leaving him once more alone, in a room he's been stuck in for days on end.

The plate of food, once again, was thrown off amongst the others. The fallen food is still as pure and clean as they were since they were given to Izuku after all this time. Once again, his stomach screams at him to give in as he forces himself to walk away from it all.

Izuku cannot die but the more his stomach continued to churn from within he felt as if he could.

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health36 · 2 months

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How to Grow Your Nail Fast

Introduction

Understanding Nail Growth

Nail growth might seem like a simple biological process, but it's influenced by various factors. Learning how to support and accelerate nail growth requires understanding the fundamentals of nail health and the mechanisms behind their growth.

Proper Nail Care

Maintain Hydration

Proper hydration isn't just beneficial for your skin; it's crucial for nail health too. Dehydrated nails are prone to brittleness and breakage, hindering growth. Ensure you're drinking enough water throughout the day to keep your nails hydrated from within.

Balanced Diet

Nails, like any other part of your body, require essential nutrients to grow strong and healthy. Incorporate a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and proteins. Foods like leafy greens, eggs, nuts, and fish can provide the necessary nutrients for optimal nail growth.

Avoid Harsh Chemicals

Exposure to harsh chemicals, such as those found in detergents and cleaning agents, can weaken nails and slow down growth. Wear gloves when handling such substances to protect your nails from damage.

Protective Measures

Keep Nails Trimmed

Contrary to popular belief, keeping your nails trimmed actually promotes faster growth. Regular trimming prevents split ends and breakage, allowing your nails to grow longer without the risk of damage.

Wear Gloves

Whether you're doing household chores or working outdoors, wearing gloves can shield your nails from potential harm. They act as a barrier against chemicals, harsh weather conditions, and physical trauma, safeguarding your nails and promoting healthy growth.

Nutritional Supplements

Biotin

Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is renowned for its role in promoting healthy hair and nails. Consider taking biotin supplements or incorporating biotin-rich foods like eggs, almonds, and avocados into your diet to support nail growth.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that aids in repairing damaged cells, including those in your nails. It promotes circulation to the nail bed, which can stimulate growth. You can find vitamin E in foods like spinach, broccoli, and almonds or opt for supplements.

Moisturizing Treatments

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is a natural moisturizer that can penetrate deep into the nail bed, nourishing and strengthening the nails from within. Massage a few drops of jojoba oil onto your nails and cuticles daily to keep them hydrated and promote faster growth.

Shea Butter

Shea butter is rich in vitamins A and E, as well as fatty acids, making it an excellent moisturizer for nails and cuticles. Apply shea butter directly to your nails before bedtime and let it absorb overnight for maximum hydration and growth benefits.

Avoiding Nail Damage

Limiting Exposure to Water

Excessive exposure to water, especially hot water, can weaken nails and make them more prone to breakage. Wear gloves while washing dishes or cleaning, and try to minimize the time your nails spend submerged in water to maintain their strength and integrity.

Gentle Nail Care Practices

Avoid using your nails as tools for tasks like opening cans or scraping off stickers, as this can cause damage and hinder growth. Instead, use proper tools and techniques to protect your nails from unnecessary stress and trauma.

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Massage Techniques

Stimulating Blood Flow

Massaging your nails and cuticles can improve blood circulation to the nail bed, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen for faster growth. Use gentle, circular motions to massage a nourishing oil or cream into your nails daily for optimal results.

Promoting Nail Growth

In addition to enhancing blood flow, nail massage can also stimulate the production of keratin, the protein responsible for nail growth. Incorporate massage into your daily nail care routine to encourage stronger, longer nails.

Herbal Remedies

Horsetail Extract

Horsetail extract is rich in silica, a mineral essential for collagen formation and nail strength. Taking horsetail supplements or using products containing horsetail extract can fortify your nails and promote faster growth.

Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe vera gel is well-known for its soothing and healing properties, making it ideal for treating brittle nails and stimulating growth. Apply fresh aloe vera gel to your nails and cuticles regularly to nourish and strengthen them from the inside out.

Patience and Consistency

Setting Realistic Expectations

While implementing these tips can accelerate nail growth, it's important to remember that nails grow slowly, typically around 1-3 millimeters per month. Be patient and consistent with your nail care routine, and you'll gradually see improvements in the health and length of your nails.

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Establishing a Routine

Consistency is key when it comes to promoting nail growth. Establish a daily or weekly nail care routine that includes moisturizing, trimming, and protective measures to ensure optimal nail health and growth over time.

Professional Help

Consulting a Dermatologist

If you're experiencing persistent nail problems or slow growth despite following a healthy nail care routine, consider consulting a dermatologist. They can identify underlying issues and recommend specialized treatments or medications to address your specific concerns.

Nail Strengthening Treatments

In some cases, professional nail strengthening treatments may be necessary to promote faster growth and improve the overall health of your nails. These treatments often involve specialized formulas or procedures designed to fortify and protect the nails from damage.

Conclusion

Summary of Tips

Growing your nails faster requires a combination of proper nail care, nutritional support, protective measures, and patience. By maintaining hydration, avoiding damage, incorporating nourishing treatments, and seeking professional guidance when needed, you can achieve stronger, longer nails and flaunt your manicures with confidence. Remember to be consistent and patient in your nail care routine, and you'll soon enjoy the benefits of healthier, more beautiful nails.

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DISCLAMER

There are ab affiliate link of a products in this articlewhich may make some profit to me.

#healthcare #fitness #lifecare #whealth #nailcare #cute nails

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raornrk · 24 days

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Stronger, Healthier Nails: My Transformation with ProNail Complex

For years, I struggled with weak, brittle nails that chipped and peeled easily. Trying different nail polishes and strengthening treatments never seemed to yield lasting results. My constant battle with damaged nails left me feeling discouraged and self-conscious. That's when I discovered ProNail Complex, a new product that promised to strengthen nails from the inside out. Intrigued by its unique approach, I decided to give it a try, and I'm so glad I did!Effective Formula for Deep Nourishment:ProNail Complex is unlike any other nail treatment I've tried before. It's a dietary supplement containing a blend of vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients specifically formulated to nourish nails from the inside out. This approach resonated with me, as I knew healthy nails needed proper internal support to thrive. The easy-to-swallow capsules were convenient to incorporate into my daily routine.Noticeable Improvements in Strength and Growth:Within a few weeks of using ProNail Complex, I started to notice a significant difference in my nails. They felt noticeably stronger and more resistant to breakage. The chipping and peeling that had plagued me for so long became a thing of the past. My nails also began to grow at a faster rate, allowing me to maintain a longer, healthier nail length.Increased Hydration and Natural Shine:ProNail Complex not only addressed nail strength but also improved their overall health and appearance. My nails became visibly more hydrated, with a healthy natural shine that eliminated the need for constant nail polish application. This newfound resilience and shine gave my nails a polished look even when bare.A Safe and Natural Solution:The fact that ProNail Complex is a natural supplement was a major selling point for me. Unlike some topical treatments that contain harsh chemicals, ProNail Complex nourishes nails with essential nutrients, promoting healthy growth from within. This safe and natural approach gave me peace of mind, knowing I wasn't damaging my nails in the pursuit of healthier ones.Long-Lasting Results and Improved Confidence:After using ProNail Complex for several months, I can confidently say the results are long-lasting. My nails have transformed from weak and brittle to strong, healthy, and beautiful. This newfound confidence has extended beyond my nails – it's a small change that has made a big difference in how I feel about myself.An Investment in Healthy Nails:If you're struggling with weak or damaged nails, I highly recommend giving ProNail Complex a try. It's a safe, natural, and effective solution that delivers real results. While individual experiences may vary, ProNail Complex has been a game-changer for me, and I believe it can be for you too. Remember, maintaining healthy nails requires a holistic approach, so consider combining ProNail Complex with a healthy diet and proper nail care practices for optimal results.

#ProNail Complex #Deliverable #healthcare #health and wellness #helthylife #mental health #hermitcraft

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anilaz10 · 25 days

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How to Grow Nails Faster

Introduction

Healthy nails are not just an aesthetic concern; they also reflect one's overall health. However, many individuals struggle with slow nail growth or brittle nails, which can be frustrating. In this article, we'll delve into the intricacies of nail growth and explore effective strategies to promote faster and healthier nail growth.

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Understanding Nail Growth

A. Anatomy of the Nail

Nails are composed of keratin, a tough protein that also forms the basis of hair and the outer layer of skin. The nail plate, the visible part of the nail, grows from the nail matrix, a structure located beneath the cuticle. Understanding this anatomy is crucial for comprehending how nails grow and what influences their growth rate.

B. Factors Affecting Nail Growth

Various factors influence nail growth, including genetics, age, hormonal changes, and overall health. Additionally, environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and exposure to chemicals can impact nail growth rates.

Nutrition for Nail Health

A. Essential Nutrients for Nail Growth

A balanced diet rich in essential nutrients is vital for promoting healthy nail growth. Key nutrients include protein, biotin, vitamin E, iron, and zinc. These nutrients play crucial roles in keratin production, which is essential for strong and fast-growing nails.

B. Foods to Promote Nail Growth

Incorporating nutrient-dense foods into your diet can support nail health and growth. Opt for lean proteins like poultry, fish, and legumes, which provide amino acids necessary for keratin synthesis. Additionally, include foods rich in biotin, such as eggs, nuts, and whole grains, to support nail growth.

Hydration and Moisture

A. Importance of Hydration

Proper hydration is essential for overall health, including nail health. Dehydration can lead to dry and brittle nails, hindering their growth potential. Ensure you drink an adequate amount of water daily to keep your nails hydrated from within.

B. Hydrating Nail Treatments

In addition to internal hydration, external hydration is crucial for maintaining nail health. Use moisturizing nail creams or oils to nourish and hydrate your nails and cuticles regularly. This helps prevent moisture loss and strengthens the nail structure, promoting faster growth.

Proper Nail Care Practices

A. Avoiding Damage

Protecting your nails from damage is essential for promoting faster growth. Avoid activities that can cause trauma to the nails, such as biting or picking. Use gentle nail care tools and techniques to minimize the risk of breakage or injury.

B. Gentle Nail Care Routine

Establish a gentle nail care routine that includes regular trimming, filing, and moisturizing. Trim your nails straight across to prevent ingrown nails, and file them in one direction to avoid weakening the nail structure. Apply a strengthening base coat before applying nail polish to protect your nails from damage.

Protective Measures

A. Nail Strengthening Products

Consider incorporating nail strengthening products into your nail care routine to promote faster growth and prevent breakage. Look for products containing ingredients like calcium, vitamin E, and keratin, which can strengthen and fortify the nails.

B. Protective Coatings

Applying a protective coating, such as a clear nail polish or nail hardener, can provide an extra layer of defense against environmental damage. These coatings help seal in moisture and protect the nails from excessive wear and tear, promoting healthier and faster growth.

Lifestyle Adjustments

A. Stress Management

Chronic stress can negatively impact nail health and growth. Practice stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga to promote relaxation and support overall nail health.

B. Adequate Sleep

Quality sleep is essential for cell regeneration and repair, including nail cells. Aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night to support optimal nail growth and overall well-being.

Professional Treatments

A. Nail Treatments at Salons

Consider visiting a professional nail technician for specialized treatments that promote nail growth and health. Treatments such as nail strengthening treatments, paraffin wax dips, or hot oil manicures can nourish and revitalize the nails, stimulating faster growth.

B. Medical Interventions

In severe cases of slow nail growth or nail damage, consult a dermatologist for medical interventions. Prescription medications or treatments such as laser therapy may be recommended to address underlying issues and promote faster nail growth.

Patience and Persistence

A. Managing Expectations

It's important to understand that promoting faster nail growth requires patience and consistency. Results may not be immediate, but with diligence and perseverance, you can achieve healthier and stronger nails over time.

B. Consistency in Nail Care Routine

Stick to your nail care routine and incorporate healthy habits into your lifestyle consistently. Consistency is key to promoting optimal nail health and growth, so stay committed to your nail care journey.

Conclusion

In conclusion, growing nails faster and healthier involves a combination of proper nutrition, hydration, nail care practices, and lifestyle adjustments. By understanding the factors that influence nail growth and implementing effective strategies, you can achieve the strong, beautiful nails you desire. Stay patient, stay consistent, and enjoy the journey to healthier nails.

#nail art #nails #cute nails #nail design #nail style

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