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nokiatelava · 10 months

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✿✿After The Storm✿✿

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Author’s Note!- This is my first time writing a story and even think about posting it! Please understand that it might not be the best as I am still trying! (the warnings probably don’t even make sense)

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Summary- The past few months of your life have been at the lowest they’ve ever been. Feeling lost, with the thought no one was really there for you drove you mad, causing you to distance yourself from your family. The ones you love. But they came to your rescue to comfort you through your hardships.

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Warnings- mentions of depression, mentions of anxiety, mentions of wanting to self-inflict pain, begging (for her life), nightmares, wannabe angst, comfort (my heart is to sensitive)

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You don’t know why you feel like this. The feeling it’s, it’s hard to describe. You’re here, you feel yourself here, you know you are here.

But you feel so far away… You feel, numb and lost.

All you felt was confusion, never knowing where anything was, what was going on. You were a mess 24/7. It made you feel useless. You were never used to feeling so gone. Having these feelings caused thoughts that made you feel worse. More insecure.

These thoughts were getting in the way of your life. How could you feel so useless although you had things to do? You had people to take care of, your family.

You had a place in your family, in the clan. You had a role, so how did you still feel so useless? You were losing your focus during the day. Your nights were shortening day by day. The thoughts would seep into your brain, picking at the deepest parts of your memories.

The few minutes of sleep you had were filled with terror. The things you saw, the scenes that played out. Memories from war, exaggerated to points of alternate endings, pain, family, it was always slipping in your ‘dreams’. The subjects left you with your eyes wide open at night. Looking, watching, protecting your family at hours where your family was supposed to relax and let the stress of the days fade away.

Though for you it felt as if the stress was increasing. You watched them, looking at their sleeping peaceful faces for hours, recognizing their breathing patterns as ‘safety precautions’. An excuse you used to reassure yourself as not being creepy.

You were the oldest. The oldest sister. The first child. The first baby. You were born to protect.

Deep in your mind you knew you only watched them because you wanted them to be safe. Sleeping makes you vulnerable, you have to be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Hm. Those words sound so… familiar.

“Don’t be vulnerable, at all. Keep your eyes open, and be aware of your surroundings at all times.”

And there you were. Y/n Sully, at the ripe age of 14, sitting in a war meeting listening to your fathers plan and motivational speech right before a raid.

It was terrifying. Hearing all these big words, half you didn’t understand, half you knew you could not pronounce after hearing it once even if you tried.

It made you nervous, the scenarios your father was describing were all gruesome, supposed outcomes that would happen if something were to go wrong.

Your father, Jake Sully, was talking at a pace that was hard to catch up with, the words flowing out his mouth so simply it confused you.

Now it was hitting you, your body started to feel all hot and bothered, squirming lightly in your seat to make it look as if you were only adjusting yourself comfortably on the thick wooden chair.

You squinted your eyes, staring deeply at your fathers mouth to see if any of the words would somehow start to flow together correctly.

But they didn’t. They never did.

Your vision started to double now, your ears muffling out as a ringing started to settle in your ears. All you could see was your fathers mouth just moving, and moving, and moving.

A small gasp rang in the air of the hut. It was quiet, the only sounds being a few small snores and shuffling from limb twitches every few seconds.

Your eyes were now open, once again. Your eyes could now only look around at the ceiling of your hut. Your ears twitching to every sound that was produced.

That dream… It was somewhat normal tonight? Although it did get you a bit nervous and quite overstimulated, you thought more about it. That happened 3 years ago. 3 years ago you were only 14, just 14 but already experiencing the world of war, and of danger.

Now you were 17. What a big number..

14 and 17, they sound so different it looks like such a big gap, but they’re not. Just three years ago being 14 you would still be counted as a baby not a teenager.

But now since you are to say you are 17, people see you as an adult, someone who is of age and needs adult duties. Oh how you wished to 14 or younger again.

To relish in the way people still treated you like a child and called you baby.

A loud snore is heard to your left, you are suddenly out of this type of trance. And realize you sat up, ignoring that, you turn your head to look to your left.

Just to see nobody but the All Mighty Lo’ak, spread eagle with his mouth wide open. Light gurgles, groans and snores are all that is heard from his open mouth.

You smile warmly at your youngest brothers antics, remembering what it was like to sleep so long at night.

Now your eyes burn, irritated, red and itchy all day long from your lack of sleep. Moving your eyes to look around caused your sockets to ache.

Thin, bright red veins crawl around your sclera. You thought at one point your thick lashes covered them up fine when all of this started happening.

But your inflamed eyes stood out like sore thumbs. You gained deep, dark circles right below your eyes that didn’t help you with your lashes “cover up”.

The people around you, your family, all noticed. Of course they did, how could they not? They see you everyday, they see your face everyday. So it was only a matter of time wasn’t it?

When all of, this, first started with you, everyone was worried. Your silence.. Was almost sickening. They weren’t used to it, you being so quiet, when most of the time they would all be able to hear your voice in the background.

Whether you were talking to someone in the hut, or yourself, which they found so normal. But when you stopped talking to them and yourself..

All they could feel was stress settle into their bones, the stress caused anxiety filled thoughts to meddle into their heads about you.

The constant ‘are you okay’s?’, being asked so much more frequently than before started to annoy you.

You loved your family. You loved them so, so much. But when they would ask you that same question over and over and over again it made you feel… nervous?

It always felt like as if you couldn’t speak. Your tongue feels 10 tons of lead as you open your mouth to speak. Your throat feels as if there was needles poking in your esophagus anytime you took a breathe to start speaking.

Your body felt like it was eating away at its self from the inside to out. It felt like a void, a black hole was setting in your body and was slowly starting to expand before it would eventually, swallow you whole.

There was another shuffle from the bed rolls placed in the hut. It sounded closer and much more, eager?

Y/n’s head turned to her right quickly, seeing her fathers silhouette start to sit up. Her eyes widened as she quickly laid herself down, closing her burning eyes and slowing her breathing.

She’s gotten away with this before, she’s the best pretend sleeper there is. She heard her father groan as he stretched and yawned, and that’s when it hit her.

The sounds of the birds and different animals chirping out sounded in the distance. Y/n’s eyes widened once more.

‘Just how long had she been awake?’

She closed her eyes, hoping for some type of miracle of sleep to take her into slumber. But of course, it never happened.

She heard the process of her father getting up, then, he gently shook her mother awake. Both of them exchanging a morning kiss that was very audible.

‘Gross.’

That’s the last thing she wanted to hear. We’ll sort of, it could have been worse.

But, in a reformed order, she waited for the dawn chorus to get more of a melody before she “woke up”, which was when she always woke up in the morning.

As the creatures sang and chirped louder, Y/n shuffled on her sleeping mat, rising slowly while rubbing her eyes and yawning. Jake and Neytiri smiled towards her.

“Good morning babygirl.” Jake said as he rose out of his mat stiffly, waddling towards Y/n to give her a kiss on her forehead.

“G’morning dad.” Y/n was able to force a raspy voice to submerge herself more into the act that she “just woke up”. “Good morning ma’ite” Neytiri’s sultry voice spoke towards Y/n.

Y/n looked towards her mother, “Good morning mama.” Y/n said with a small smile. Her parents soft words made her feel like a little kid again, remembering when they lived high in the trees deep into the forest of Pandora. Small tears brewed in the corner of her eyes before she blinked them away.

“Today, is not a busy day. You and everyone else, including me and your father don’t have much to do. Call it and ‘off day’ if you will.” Y/n’s ears perked up. Off day? No plans or revisions? No raiding or hunting?

“Oh… We’ll that’s nice. I might go into the forest later. Forage some herbs for grandmother, and grab fruit for us?” Y/n looked towards her parents, a questioning look on her face as she non-verbally asked for permission.

“That’ll be fine ma’ite. Very much appreciated from us and your grandmother.” Neytiri spoke, Jake was still tired, his eyes narrowed in exhaustion as he sat on their mat slouched. The small rolls on his stomach bunching as his pudge was poked out.

Y/n always thought her fathers stomach looked funny but cute, besides a baby’s stomach of course. Although his and a baby’s could be close in comparison.

As the morning stretched on, all of her siblings began to awake as the sun went higher in the sky. Neytiri was now making breakfast, some fruits that were freshly picked, by you.

You all sat at the table, legs crossed as you ate the slices of fruit off the large banana leaves, which were also picked by you.

You were quite the forager, and warrior which always shocked people. They always wonder how you balance training non-stop, but forage herbs and pick fruits.

Breakfast was as it usually is. Your siblings somehow managing to bicker as they stuffed their faces of the sweet fruit.

“Lo’ak! Can you just shut up!” Kiri yelled as she finished swallowing a piece of her fruit.

“You want me to shut up!? How about you!? You’re so annoying!” Lo’ak’s words were muffled as he tried to keep the piece of fruit in his mouth.

“Hey! Both of you. Knock it off.” Your father’s authoritative voice quickly cut off any type of rebuttal Kiri planned on making.

“And Lo’ak, you know you talk with no food in your mouth. Especially at a table!” Tuk spoke to Lo’ak with a giggle in her voice.

“Yeah I know…” Lo’ak mumbled.

While all that happened you thought of what you were going to do today. Since it was an “off day” you thought it might be a good time to finally talk to the person you’ve been begging to see.

Eywa, The All Great Mother.

She would help you. You knew this. She helps everyone, you’ve been meaning to talk to her for a while.

You chewed on your cheek nervously as you thought of when it would be a good time to leave, and what to say once you get to the Tree of Souls.

“Y/n?” A small voice faded into your ears as you were snapped out of your trance. “Hm?” You responded quickly as you looked down to your left.

Tuk was looking up at you, a hopeful look in her eyes as she stared at you.

“What do you plan on doing today? Can you hang out with us? Please!” She wrapped her arms around your forearm as she clung to you. You smiled down at her as you put a hand on her head.

“I’ll hang out with you guys, I just have something to do before I can.” You responded calmly as you stroked Tuk’s head.

“Do you have toooo?…” Tuk whined out as she pushed her face against your arm. “I would call it important. Maybe it has something to do with you… I don’t know though.” You shrugged as you made a questioning tone.

Tuk’s head shot up to look into your face. “Something for me? Do it! You can go do it!” She shook your arm as she grew excited.

One thing about Tuk, she loved gifts. Or any type of surprise that she could keep. So you made sure to remember to bring something back for Tuk.

“Well… I should be heading out now then, no?” You looked towards your parents for permission. When they nodded, you did too before rising to your feet, your body bent sideways as Tuk still had herself wrapped against your arm.

“Hurry back okay? Please! I want to play with you!” With a begrudging look on her face, Tuk slowly let go of your arm.

“I won’t be gone for long Tuk, I promise!” You raised your hands in surrender as you started to walk out the hut.

“Bye guys, behave for mom and dad while I’m gone!” You turned back as you waved. Hearing small and quick “byes” and “we will” before you sent yourself off into the forest.

Once you were on the grounds of the forest, you walked through the thick trees that outlined the clearing to the Tree of Souls.

Your body became fidgety as you got closer. Swallowing thickly as a lump started to form in your throat.

The tall stature of the tree intimidated you. The light pink tendrils swaying with the small breeze that passed by sent almost a comforting blanket of air as you became less nervous growing closer to the tree.

As you approached the trunk of the tree, kneeling down you grabbed your queue from the back of your head before you reached out gently grabbing a small bundle of the tree’s tendrils.

You took a deep breathe before you connected yourself to the tree, making tsaheylu.

A bright light enveloped your vision as you closed your eyes, a warmth washed over your body as you ‘seen’ the silhouette of what seemed to be a young Na’vi woman.

“Y/n, my dear child.. Why do you come to me?” The light yellow silhouette was now closer in front of you. Resting what felt like a warm motherly hand on your cheek.

“Great Mother… I-I am here to ask you a few things… I do not question your will, or the fate you decide. But I am wondering, why do I feel like this? Why does my body hurt all the time? Why can’t I just function normally with my family?”

Tears started to spill down your cheeks as you shot the questions out desperately like wildfire. You just wanted an answer. You feel as if you are not worth anything anymore.

“Oh Y/n.. Let it out, child. Cry and ask all the questions you want.” The woman that was speaking to you had to be Eywa. She was so warm as she held you close to her, her voice smooth with a soft tone.

“Great Mother help me please! I feel so gone, I have thought of hurting my own self just to know that I am real.. I don’t want to feel like this anymore… Please help me, I’ll do anything..” Your voice was soft as you begged quietly. Leaning into the hand on your face and warm body that stood in front of you.

“Do not fret child.. You will be saved, you are loved. Do not ever forget that. Everyone, is here for you.” Her soft hands caressed both of your cheeks as she leaned forward.

You were only able to get a glance of the features on her illuminated face. And oh, was she beautiful. It was the most divine thing you’ve ever seen.

A small smile broke out onto your face at her soft affirmations, nodding slightly in appreciation of her kind words.

“Thank you Great Mother.” You could see the white of her teeth as a smile appeared on her face.

She pulled you in closely to give you a hug. And it was the best one ever yet. The feeling of security, and happiness welded into your heart and spread through your body.

The feeling was nostalgic as it was the same feeling you always had when you were a young girl. Living in the trees of the forest with your parents and younger siblings.

“You’re welcome, my child…”

After that, the bright light appeared again before quickly fading out into black before you opened your eyes.

Your face was wet with tears and you panted at the greatest spiritual experience you’ve ever felt.

“Oh Great Mother…” You said once more before disconnecting your queue from the tree. Your body felt eccentric, a calm but brewing excitement was in your stomach.

You stood and began to turn away from the tree, walking back into the ones that outlined the clearing.

As you continued to walk back, you remembered. Something for Tuk, the herbs for grandmother, and fruit you wanted to pick.

You shut your eyes as you remembered you still had quite the stuff to do. Deciding to just try and get over it quickly, you did them in order.

In the end, you ended up with eight flower crowns, herbs you remember your grandmother needed to restock on, and fruits that were ripe enough for you and your family.

Now not just Tuk was getting a flower crown, but everybody was.

Once you were back to High Camp, your hands and arms full as you walked to your grandmother’s tent.

Once you were at the entrance to the tent, you spoke quietly, “grandmother? Are you in here?” Peeking in slightly, you saw your grandmother in the corner of the tent, rummaging through the drawers she left her herbs in.

She turned to look at you, a smile growing on her face. “Yes, yes I am here paskalin, come.” She waved her hand in a motion that told you to enter the tent. And you did.

“I was in the forest, and I decided I would grab some herbs I remembered you needing. Oh, and I made you this too.” You explained before showing her the flower crown you made for her.

“Oh yawntutsyìp, it’s beautiful, and thank you so much for the herbs. Come here.” She stood as she went forward and embraced you. You were completely joyed with the second hug you received today.

“It’s alright grandma. No need to thank me, it’s what I have to do, and what I should do.” She smiled as she kissed the top of your head.

“We all don’t deserve you, you are the sweetest girl I’ve met.” Your grandmother pulled your face back ash she decided to pepper it with kisses, like when you were a baby.

“Grandmother! Don’t do that! I’m not a baby no more and that tickles now!” You held onto her forearms as you tried to lower our her grasp, but she laughed and left a few more before she let you go.

“Okay, okay. But I do not promise that I won’t do it again.” She pointed at you with a smile. You gave her one back before you gathered all your other belongs and left. Now heading to your hut.

As you were at the entrance, you heard light conversations, your ears twitching forward as you heard the familiar six voices.

When you walked in, it felt as if all eyes snapped to you, a small silence adorning the hut before you spoke quietly, shuffling farther into your home.

“Hi guys..” It wasn’t long before Tuk shot up from the ground, her tail wagging as she ran to you.

“Y/n! You’re back! Did you do what you needed to do?” There was an eager look in her eyes as she looked at you, being expectant that you may have gotten something for her.

“I did. And here’s this.” You spoke with a smile as you placed the flower crown on her head. She jumped up and down in excitement before taking it off to look at all the flowers and their pretty colors before putting it back on her head.

“Thank you Y/n, thank you! I love it so much!” Tuk smushed her face against your stomach and wrapped her arms around your legs. Smiling more now, you rubbed her head and her back in soothing way before she let go of your legs.

Once she let you go you walked over to all your othe family members who were still gathered calmly at the table.

“And this is for you guys.” You felt shy as you passed around the flower crowns to your family at the table, a small purple blush settling on your cheeks as your skin felt warm.

“This is so pretty Y/n, thank you!” Kiri spoke as she placed hers on her head.

Lo’ak spoke next, “thank you sis, it’s really pretty.” When you looked over at him he already had it on his head, a bigger smile broke out onto your face.

“It is lovely ma’ite, thank you.” Your mother was next, then your father. “It’s beautiful babygirl, thank you.”

“Thank you a lot big sis, I really like it.” Neteyam was last but not least, you backed up as you looked at your family, happy as they all collectively wore what you made them.

“You’re Welcome guys.. You don’t have to thank me, it’s the least I could do.” You shuffled with the last flower crown in your hands.

“Least? You’re always doing the best for us, I mean I’m pretty sure nobody has a better older sister than us. Like come on, your the coolest.” Lo’ak raised his hands as he complimented you. Your family around all nodding and talking in agreement.

“Y/n, did you make one for yourself too?” Tuk asked as she looked at you.

“Well I made an extra one just in case someone lost theirs but I wasn’t planning one for me, no.” You answered question honestly, you never wear the trinkets you make unless someone forces you to because you never want to.

“Y/n. Put that flower crown on now.” Tuk put her hand on her hip as she gave you her sassiest tone. Your eyes widened at her sudden change in behavior before laughing and putting the crown on your head.

“You look beautiful syulang, the colors look perfect on you.” Your dad’s sudden compliment threw you off a bit, but not to much, he’s always saying something nice.

“Thank you dad.” You said with a light smile.

Tuk perked up as she remembered you were all supposed to go out into the forest, and she was going to make you go regardless of what you say.

“Okay, so can we all go now to the forest? Y/n your going,” she wasn’t asking you either, more so demanding that you go with all your siblings.

“Fine, fine! I was planning on going anyway Tuk, relax!” And that’s exactly what she did, sort of.

“Okay then come on come on let’s go!” You and the rest of your siblings all shuffled up to follow along after Tuk, going to make your way to the forest below.

Once all of you were on the forest floor, conversations erupted between everybody. You were brought into most if not all the small debates and bickers your siblings would have.

Tuk, not entertaining the incessant topics, hopped around as she interacted with all the different plants in the forest, giggling non-stop at all the plants reactions, or movements to her touch and presence.

You kept your eye on Tuk, just to make sure she wouldn’t drift off or touch the wrong thing. She was still so young anything could happen in the blink of an eye.

Which was bound to happen as you seen Tuk approach a txumtsä’wll, a poison-squirting plant. A very dangerous plant, labeled as one of the most dangerous if you don’t pay attention to how close you are to it.

“Tuk! Don’t touch that!” The panic in your body set and rose as Tuk’s hands and face were only mere inches away from the plant, she looked over at you in confusion as you quickly made your way towards her, pulling her quickly by her wrist away from it.

You ran quickly, a bit farther from where your siblings stood, a txumtsä’wll is such a huge plant, you don’t know how you didn’t notice it before.

Just then as your sibling jogged closer to you, a bit scared at your reaction towards the plant, the poison shot out. Hitting a tree that was right across from it. The poison deteriorated the tree, burning through the bark and sinking deeper into it.

Tuk stood in absolute terror as she saw what happened to the tree. Pandora is a dangerous place, though it is home to the beautifulest of plants and people, it has its parts and aspects that are the exact opposite. Killer plants and na’vi exiles that traverse the planet puts dread in your heart, making it feel more heavy.

You looked down at Tuk, turning her away from the mutilated tree, rubbing her hands subconsciously as if you were scrubbing them.

“Tuk, Tuk you didn’t touch it did you? You didn’t touch it right?” Your voice was strained as you hope to hear her say no.

“No… No i didn’t touch it…” Her voice was quiet, but you kneeled answer hugged her as a way to comfort her nerves as well as yours. You let out a breathe you didn’t know you were holding as soon as she wrapped her arms back around you too.

You picked Tuk up, holding her head against the crook of your neck and continuing to walk. The rest of your siblings decided to ignore what happened and continue to chitter as you walked.

That was before Lo’ak decided to look into the sky and notice how eclipse was more than closely about to settle in.

“Shit-“

“Language.”

“Eclipse!”

You all paused in your walking all throwing your heads back to look up and see how eclipse was gonna happen.

“Oh shit, shit shit shit! Come on!” You rambled as you turned back the other way and technically started running back home.

“Just how long have we been out here?” Kiri asked as you all still ran, Tuk still in your arms. “I thought we were hitting an hour soon not two or three!” You said as you panted, it would be better to call your ikran now and just fly home.

“We should call for our ikran, we’ll get home quicker and have more breathing space from curfew.” You said as you stopped, panting as you turned towards your siblings.

They nodded and immediately started calling for their ikran, and you did the same. Soon, you heard the familiar screeches of the precious beasts. Once they were on the ground you all settled onto your respective ikran, Tuk sitting in front of you, before you all set off, flying home.

You were all able to successfully reach home, just in time for curfew.

The five of you rushed into your hut, chests heaving as some of you bent down, slumped as you took in the much needed air.

Your parents’ attention turned towards all of you immediately, ears and eyes observing.

“What happened? Are you all okay?” Your father was the first to speak. Standing and walking over to you all, he grasped your shoulders first, his eyes held heavy with worry.

“Y/n.. what happened?” You panted a bit more before stuttering out your answer,

“W-we just wanted to make it h-home on time *huff* within curfew.” Your father visibly relaxed, a small smile coming on his face as he let out a light chuckle, your mother fanned the food with a smile on her face also.

“We’ll you all made it back just on time, come, sit. It is time to eat.” Lo’ak almost threw himself on the table, settling in his spot around the table.

“Jesus Lo’ak how greedy can you be? You almost destroyed the whole table!” Kiri exclaimed, annoyed by her brothers gluttonous actions.

“Shut up Kiri! Gosh! Can’t do anything without you bellyaching like a baby!” Lo’ak quickly responded back with his own comments.

“Well maybe I wouldn’t be bellyaching like a baby if you didn’t act like one either! You act like you’re five! Grow the he-!” “Kiri..” You gently placed your hand against her shoulder, smiling playfully.

“Calm down, let’s not fight and just enjoy dinner okay? You’re fine.” You turned your head towards Lo’ak, who was sitting with his arms crossed against his chest as he held a childish pout on his face.

“Lo’ak, you’re fine too, we know you’re hungry, eat.”

“He’s always hungry-“

“Kiri!” You squeezed her shoulder a bit tighter before you ended up ushering all your siblings to just sit and eat.

Dinner passed by slowly, which you were grateful for. Today, it felt like you had a new chance at life once more. You talked all throughout dinner, conversing with your parents and siblings about your day out. You all laughed as you brought up all the weird looking plants and funny acting animals you seen while adventuring.

Once dinner was finished, your body felt warm and full with the food that was held within your stomach, a hazy feeling in your head that felt to similarly to the feeling of nostalgia.

A small smile was etched onto your face as you helped clean up the table, though against your mother’s own protests.

Now it was time for all of you to go to sleep, you would be lying if you said you weren’t nervous. Only feeling as if you would be granted the blessing of sleep if you hoped and prayed.

You were now all settled into your sleeping mats, shuffling to get comfortable and saying goodnight, everyone began to close their eyes as the activities of the day finally made their bodies feel spent.

You were on your side, your front facing towards where your parents slept, you smiled as you seen the way your mother’s back was pressed against your father’s chest, his arm draped across her as they laid close together.

That was the only thing you looked forward to once you became older. Finding yourself the true love you’ve always wanted, a relationship healthy and full of love. Like your parents.

You adjusted your body to where you were now on your back, staring up to the ceiling of the hut, a warm blush enveloping your face as you thought of yourself having kids.

You calmed your mind so you wouldn’t get excited and chase your sleep away, your eyelids felt heavy, a good heavy as you felt the long-awaited feeling of sleep finally catch up to you.

Your eyes shut as you felt yourself fall into the world of your own slumber, alas, having the best dream of your life.

Author’s Note - Hi again! If you made it this far all i want to say is thank you for even reading! I don’t like this all that much but i feel so proud of myself for even finishing it and not just deleting it! But once again if you even read all of this, thank you so much 🤍!

#jake sully #neytiri sully #y/n sully #neteyam sully #lo’ak sully #kiri sully #tuk sully #avatar 2 #sully family #sully family x reader #sully family x sister!reader #jake sully x daughter!reader #neytiri sully x daughter!reader #avatar: way of water

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hyperactively-me · 1 year

Text

on the run

“Ah, it's fine, I’ll just need some bacta patches and it’ll be fine. Besides, it's just a bruise” you say quietly, your face flushing. “I’m going to kill him” Din rasped, taking your hands in a movement to pull you to standing.

just wanted to ask you guys to please read this

(asks are open)

happy reading

warnings: canon typical violence

You were uneasy about this job from when it was first proposed. You felt a pit in the depths of your stomach that signaled that something did not feel right. Although you understood why Din was so eager about accepting the job. He wanted more credits to upgrade parts of his ship and armor. You tried everything you could to push these feelings of doubt away but to no avail. Approaching Din about the job only turned into a heated argument about how it was necessary to ensure a few weeks worth of credits.

Things got a little dicey. Okay, more than a little dicey. You were currently fending for yourself against two cronies employed by a prominent spice lord on Nar Shaddaa. Nar Shaddaa, of all places. Din could have picked any other planet, but no, there’s too many commissions on Nar Shaddaa to turn this down, besides, with this mission, I could earn a lot of credits. I’ll be fine, I’ve probably encountered worse before.

Nar Shaddaa is a cosmopolitan planet practically owned by the Hutts, crime and lawlessness was bursting from every sidewalk, market, and building. An overabundance of illegal activity permeated the streets, every nook and cranny of the metropolitan planet corrupt.

Din took on a job hunting down the leader of a high profile crime ring in the heart of the city. He took on the assignment knowing the risks and dangers, but, who was Din if he ever turned down an opportunity like this? An opportunity to return to the company after taking down a criminal that no one else could take down. Coming back to the guild and earning an even higher degree of respect? Oh, he said it was just too good to turn down, we’ll be fine, I can handle it. You decided to help him on his mission because the more muscle he had, the higher his chances of success were.

So of course, he managed to infiltrate the ring and blow it up from the inside out, creating pandemonium in the streets.

In the midst of the chaos that arose from the raid, you both managed to get separated, desperately fighting for each of your survival, focused on coming out alive.

So here we are now, you’re shaken to your core as you play a lethal game of tag. Your heart threatens to beat out of its chest as you snap your head backwards only to see how hot on your tail the two bounty hunters were to you.

You touch your earpiece connecting you to Din and cry out “Din! I’m being tailed by two guys, where the kriff are you?”

A tall and burly Trandoshan was gaining on you whilst an orange-skinned Twi’lek dodged the crowded street. Deep and heavy breaths escape your dry throat as you focus all your brain power on formulating a plan and escaping without getting yourself killed, or worse, taken.

“Din, I don’t know if you can hear me, but so help me Maker, I need a little assistance right now so it would be wonderful if you showed up.” You tried to make yourself sound angry and demanding, but in truth, you were scared for your life.

Continuously dodging innocent bystanders and merchant stands take a toll on your stamina, slowing you down as you concentrate on where your feet are landing. The ringing noise of blaster shots rang out from behind you, causing you to duck your head in an attempt to protect yourself, just for precaution. You start heaving, trying to gulp air into your lungs like it's the last thing you can do to save yourself from collapsing from exhaustion. You look back once more and let out a loud yelp as the Trandoshan’s grubby hands were barely grazing the back of your shirt. You felt your blood run cold and your heart stopped beating for a split second, the adrenaline pumping through you fading.

It was too late before you realized you lost sight of the Twi’lek when an orange blur came hurtling into your side, effectively ending the pursuit and toppling you over onto the uneven stones.

Your vision goes hazy and you realize you can’t breathe. Your breaths are shallow and labored and your eyes struggle to focus.

No no no please no I can’t stop now you panic, trying to set your brain straight after the impact.

A haze of orange and a mass of an alien face clouds your vision before you feel rough hands yanking your arms up in an attempt to set you up straight. Your head lurches forward and you screw your eyes shut in an attempt to focus your vision. The Trandoshan is manhandling you, and as a final attempt to break free, you resort to a classic self-defense trick. You knee him right in the groin.

He drops your arms quickly and doubles over, groaning in pain, and before he can stop you, you take off running. Or at least you think you’re running. Your head is pounding and your vision is streaked with black dots. You only get so far before the Twi’lek tackles you again, this time effectively taking you down.

Everything is too much, the scene around you is too much. Everything hurts. Everything is too bright, too loud, too rough. The Twi’lek lets out a cruel snicker and slaps binders on your wrists before dragging you standing upwards. You falter, not capable of standing on your feet after the two collisions by two men who are much larger in stature than you.

“Well well, you thought you could do that and just get away with it?” the Trandoshan sneers as he stalks over to you and the Twi’lek. As your vision begins to clear, you take note of the large, shiny knife in his possession. Your face pales a bit as you look up at the angry Trandoshan’s face.

He raises his hand, and without hesitation, slaps you straight across the face. You falter from the contact as the Twi’lek catches you before you crumple over completely. He laughs maniacally before throwing your body over his shoulder. Tears flood your vision, your face stinging like a million wasps stung your face.

Well that’s gonna leave a lovely mark. You winced at the thought of Din seeing the hand print on your face, not because you were scared of him, but because you were scared for the well-being of the Trandoshan.

Your world bobs up and down as your two captors navigate back to their base. You catch bits of the mens’ conversation, trying your best to piece together any useful information you could. You send out a silent prayer that Din is alright, and that he’ll show up and you’ll both be fine, because right now, you were panicking. Usually you both had each other's backs in strenuous situations like this, and more often than not, you were both able to withstand more hits and blows. But being carried back to a now dead crime lord’s haven led by Maker knows who was a new low for you.

You start to thrash in your captor’s grip, smacking your bound wrists against his stiff back with all your might.

“What the- hey, cut that out” he grumbles, not amused with your poor attempts to stop him.

“Kriff you” you bite out angrily, upset that you’re now their hostage, upset that you weren’t capable enough of defending yourself in this situation, and torn over the fact that you haven’t heard anything from Din in a while. You hadn’t heard anything from him in a while…

Maybe he was captured? you thought. Yeah, a guy like Din, a man notorious for his elusiveness and strategic logic is definitely captured right now. But he wouldn’t leave me, right? Right? Unless…he probably did leave you, like how everyone else you cared about in the past did. Maker, I really thought we had something. You hold back a sob as it builds up in your throat. You had hope that Din saw you as something more, after everything you’ve been through. Or maybe he was captured. Or even worse…don't even think about that.

The side of your cheek where you were slapped begins to throb, swelling from the harsh impact of the greasy slimeball’s burly hand. A bruise was bound to erupt from the site of damage.

All of a sudden you hear the Trandoshan scream out, followed by a crunch and a thud. The Twi’lek becomes rigid, fingernails digging harshly into the back of your knees as he slowly backs away from whatever or whoever attacked the Trandoshan. You tense under his grip, unaware of what is presenting the danger, and you begin to squirm under his grip.

Next thing you know, the Twi’lek body slams you onto the cold ground, knocking the wind out of your lungs, leaving you dizzy and disoriented from the sudden aggression. He digs his steel-toed boot deep into your chest, pressing against your abdomen with enough force to cause potential bruising. You glance upward at the Twi’lek hovering over you and a glint of metal catches your eye. He has a blaster pointed right at your chest. Your breath catches in your throat and your mouth dries.

“I suggest you don’t take another step towards me, otherwise I’ll shoot her” the Twi’lek calls out to the mystery person in front of you.

Your heart halts in your chest, breath slows as you realize the gravity of the situation. You were practically helpless, incapable of making any move without potentially ending your life. You still under his boot, attempting to assess the situation.

The air around you stills, a chill runs up your spine.

“I think you’ve got someone that doesn’t belong to you. If you return her to me unharmed, I might just let you live” a gravelly and husky voice calls out lazily. That voice. Din’s voice.

He came you practically cried out of desperation and relief. You strain your neck backwards to look at him. As soon as you make eye contact with his visor you flash him a weak smile to let him know that you’re relieved and glad to see him.

His form relaxes slightly as you hope you make eye contact with him through the dark visor of his helmet. Something seems to flash over his demeanor, but the moment is gone within a second. He turns back to the Twi’lek, who still has the blaster trained at your chest.

“Oh, you might just let me live. How wonderful. But I’m afraid I can’t let that happen, so either let me get through or the girl dies” the Twi’lek shouts out as he shoves the blaster closer to your chest.

“Alright, fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you” Din calls out quickly before whipping out his own blaster. Before the Twi’lek can even register what’s happening, Din shoots the man straight in the chest.

The Twi’lek crumples, folding in on himself before falling over onto his side, lifeless. You scramble on the stones, pushing yourself away from the body as fast as you can while still restrained.

You hear Din call out your name as he rushes to your side, dropping to his knees without hesitation.

“Are you hurt?” his hands roam up and down your body, assessing it for any damage before sighing with relief that there were no broken bones or blood.

You let your head rest on the ground, taking gulps of air as your anxiety lessened.

“I- I guess I’m fine. Just shaken up a bit” you croak out, pulling at the metal cuffs rubbing away at the skin around your wrists.

He gently grabs hold of your wrists, his eyes narrowing as he inspects the cuffs.

“Give me a sec” he says distractedly, rummaging through his utility belt for a tool that could free you from your confinements. A moment goes by before he whips out a lock-picker of some sort. He slots the gadget into the small keyhole on your cuffs, jiggling it around before a small click rang through the air. The cuffs dropped to the ground and you let out a hiss at the raw skin.

“Thanks” you whisper before gently sitting up, grimacing as you go.

“Your face…” Din points out, his voice hushed and severe. “What did they do to you?” He sounds ready to pounce, prepared to tear apart anyone who hurt you.

His hand reaches up to touch the mark that’s now flourishing into a bruise on your cheek, and you wince as he applies a slight pressure to the mark.

“Ah, it's fine, I’ll just need some bacta patches and it’ll be fine. Besides, it's just a bruise” you say quietly, your face flushing.

“I’m going to kill him” Din rasped, taking your hands in a movement to pull you to standing.

“I think you already did…” you grimace as you look over to the Trandoshan laying face down lifeless on the ground.

“Oh…less work for me then” he huffed out.

You slightly falter when he pulls you completely up, head still spinning from the hits you took while trying to fight them off. Din catches you with a quick inhale, wrapping his strong arms around your back and under your arm to support you as you both walk back to the ship.

As you continue to walk in silence, you can almost feel the anger rolling off Din, his helmet set straight ahead.

As your adrenaline wears off from the scuffle, you remember how you even got in this situation to begin with: Din was nowhere to be found and unresponsive.

“Din, where the kriff were you? I needed you back there” you implored, your mind was racing and hot tears began to prick the corners of your eyes.

“I was-” he starts quietly before you relentlessly cut him off.

“Where? I really needed you back there, I was so scared and I thought you died! What happened?” you cry out, a wave of emotion crashing down on you. You try to pull yourself away from his grip, slightly thrashing in his arms.

“Stop, you’re only going to worsen your injuries” he says slowly, eyes looking everywhere but yours.

“No, I thought you left me. I really thought you felt nothing between us, thought you were using me for your own benefit! Don’t you understand?” you successfully free yourself from his stronghold on you and you begin hitting his chest with your hands fisted.

Din stares you down, unmoving from his position. He sighs as he grabs hold of your fists, pulling them away and holding them to stop your attacks.

“Listen, I did what I had to do back there. If I hadn’t diverged from where you were going, neither of us would be alive” his jaw ticked as he seethed.

You stopped and gazed up into the darkness of his visor, the strong grip he had on your fists loosen until he dropped them completely.

“Okay…but don’t pull stupid stunts like that without telling me first. I really thought you left me” a watery voice replaces your anger like whiplash.

Din relaxes, and pulls you tight against his chest in a reassuring hug.

“I would never leave you. Ever. I have a responsibility to protect you, and I didn’t fulfill that responsibility. I’m sorry” he reassured, arms tightening around your torso.

Your arms wrap around his own torso, and you turn your un-bruised cheek against his chest, eyes overflowing with tears.

His right hand comes up to rest in your hair, pressing his chest more firmly into it.

“You swear?” you question through a sniffle.

“I promise.”

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thatsrightice · 2 months

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Robert Rosenthal, having recovered from his injuries of the Berlin raid (and undoubtedly from Moscow's vodka), flew his last mission after VE-Day. As quickly as possible the 8th Air Force began evacuating American prisoners from German camps. In addition, when the concentration camps were uncovered, it was decided to free as many of those prisoners by air as was possible. For some it meant the difference between life or death.

It was that enterprising dreamer, Harry Crosby, who arranged for Rosenthal's last mission. He burst in upon the latter and soon had Resenthal quite excited over an unusual merey mission, flying [POWs] out of Germany. As he waxed enthusiastic, Rosenthal found himself carried along by the Crosby magic, picking up his gear and hurrying out to the tarmac and the waiting Bays. All the while he assumed Crosby was to come along as navigator. It was not quite so.

As Rosenthal prepared for the flight, Crosby came up with a large carton and poured the contents over his head. It was DDT (a special precaution which not only protected Rosenthal but also the susceptible prisoners). The cloud of powder barely settled before Rosenthal sat again at the controls of the Fortress and, waving goodbye to the grinning Crosby, pointed the nose toward Germany.

— Flying Fortress : the illustrated biography of the B-17s and the men who flew them

#This had me giggling #THESE TWO 😭😭😭#love these two so unbelievably much #masters of the air #mota #real mota #rosie rosenthal #robert rosie rosenthal #harry crosby #Croz and Rosie #quotes #book quotes

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vintage-london-images · 7 months

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This photograph taken in September 1939, shows us how serious air-raid precautions were being taken early in the war in London.

These sandbagged petrol pumps are at West Hill, Wandsworth.

#london history #london life #social history #london in wartime #war time london #street scene #1900s #1940s

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fade-out-lights · 2 years

Photo

When somebody asks you what it is like to live in Kharkiv...

You go to sleep because it is night, because you want to sleep.

At 2 am, you wake up to the sound of explosions and air raid sirens. You lay and listen to the siren's howl. You should better go and get dressed, take your "grab-to-go" bag and run to the bomb shelter. Still, you lay. Since the first two explosions happen before the siren. The siren keeps telling you to run to the shelter. Siren's background is another two rockets exploding - one after the other. Then two more.

"That was close" - you think because the blast wave hits the cars parked nearby.

You lay in your bed, and you think that that is probably it. The end. Usually, there are four to six rockets a night. They explode in a row: bang-bang... few minutes pause - bang-bang... Then comes the silence...

You live in a calm district - cannon artillery does not reach here. What about the rockets... The rockets can fall anywhere - here, where you lay, and there, where you may run for a shelter.

The siren goes silent. Then silent go the cars. [It] did not hit here. You feel nothing about the night explosions because they happen every night, because if you feel anything - you might as well go insane. Go insane very fast. Though nothing proves you are not going insane slow.

You know how to do it right. You must be ready to run out of your flat with your urgent go-to bag. You understand that in case of a very near explosion - or even direct hit, you will not have time to dress up - that means you should sleep fully dressed for six months.

But you have not been doing it for a very long time. Because if you want to react to the air raid siren, you should go to sleep right in the bomb shelter. Every night. Maybe somebody does just like that, but every night you go to sleep in your bed. You are not even hiding behind the two load-bearing walls - your flat simply does not have them.

From all the precautions - you do not leave your flat without the documents. If the air raid siren gets you outside, you keep it in mind and go on doing your stuff.

It takes a few minutes for the rockets from Belgorod to reach your house. You know these few minutes are not enough for you to make it to the shelter. And you know you will not even hear the rocket. And to fall on the ground every time you hear the siren - somehow meaningless.

You have found out THEY are running out of precision missiles, and now they hit the city with the old ones. They [the old ones] lack precision. They may fall anywhere. You have the time to think about it when the night explosions have ended and the siren has gone silent. And you may have no time. Because it has been six months...

You go to sleep...

There are explosions again at 4 am - now rather far because the car sirens do not weep. You go to sleep again.

You open social media in the morning and try to know where those rockets have hit. If in the districts where your relatives and friends live - you call them. They have answered - everything is okay...

You make your coffee, plan your day. You work, you help somebody. You do something, only not to sit still. You clean your flat, do the house chores, or you meet your friends. You load your brain with at least anything.

A day goes by.

Here comes the night. You go to sleep because it is night, because you want to sleep.

Six months...

It has been six months...

Spring...

Summer...

Author: Evgeny Fyodorov

#ukraine #war in ukraine #kharkiv #dm me if you see any mistakes or if you have any suggestions relating to the translation

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good-old-gossip · 8 days

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Gaza: After ICJ order to halt attacks on Rafah, Israel launches over 60 air raids on the city in 48 hours

Palestinian Territory - Israel continues to ignore orders from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), including the Court’s most recent ruling. This ruling requires Israel to halt its military assault on the Rafah Governorate in the southern Gaza Strip and reopen the Rafah border crossing to facilitate the movement of people and humanitarian aid. In the 48 hours that followed the ICJ’s ruling on Friday 24 May, however, Israel conducted more than 60 air raids on Rafah.

Furthermore, dozens of artillery shells and constant gunfire were fired in areas of Rafah where the Israeli military was encroaching. Israel’s ground incursion began at dawn on 7 May and has since spread to the west and central parts of the city, mostly along the border strip. It has already impacted a significant portion of the city.

Thirteen Palestinians were killed in the 48 hours following the Court’s ruling, including six members of the Qishta family, an elderly mother and three of her children—two girls and one boy —and an adult son and his two children. The victims were killed when Israeli planes bombed their home on Saturday 25 May in Khirbet Al-Adas, north of Rafah, an area not included in the Israeli evacuation orders.

Three distinct air raids were also carried out on the same day (25 May) targeting the city’s Al-Shaboura Camp and Awni Dhair Street, resulting in the killing of five civilians.

A Palestinian was also killed and others were injured on Sunday afternoon when Israeli aircraft bombed the Rasras family’s house in the centre of Rafah city, while another Palestinian was killed and others were injured on the day of the Court session.

During the Court session to decide on South Africa’s request, the Israeli army increased its intense bombing of central Rafah, including the Shaboura camp. It destroyed numerous homes and streets, and later claimed that the incident was connected to an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate a leader in a Palestinian faction. As a result, civilians continue pay a heavy price for Israeli military attacks that flagrantly transgress international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction, proportionality, and military necessity, i.e. taking appropriate precautions to avoid civilian deaths. It is important to note that these attacks are classified as war crimes under the Rome Statute.

Israel did not hold back in publicly rejecting the Court’s ruling. The bombing, killing, and destruction intensified immediately after the session ended. The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, swiftly denounced the Court’s decision and attacked it, citing religious statements that denigrate non-Jews. Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir responded, “Our future does not depend on what the gentiles say, but rather on what we Jews do.”

According to Israeli Channel 12, Netanyahu stated that “occupying Rafah and increasing military pressure on Hamas” is the proper response to the Court’s decision, which he called “antisemitic”.

The victims of the Israeli army’s bombing are still lying in the streets and under the debris of destroyed homes, particularly in the eastern and central parts of the city, as rescue workers and medical teams are unable to remove them from those areas, according to the Euro-Med Monitor field team.

In addition to the hundreds of housing units destroyed since the beginning of the most recent attack on Rafah, during which entire neighbourhoods were destroyed and reduced to rubble, the Euro-Med Monitor team had also previously received information about the destruction of approximately 170 housing units.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme warehouse and the UNRWA distribution centre in Rafah remain inaccessible due to the ongoing Israeli military attack.

Since taking control of the Rafah border crossing on 7 May, Israeli forces have prevented the entry of humanitarian aid through it (beginning the day before, on 6 May) and have continued to keep it closed to sick and injured people seeking to receive medical treatment abroad.

Discussions about reaching a deal to allow aid trucks to pass through the Kerem Shalom crossing, which Israel closed on 5 May, do not address the root causes of the issue, nor do they provide for the 2.3 million people living in the Strip. These individuals are victims of ethnic cleansing and genocide and once more face the threat of starvation, as eight months have passed since the start of the Israeli aggression.

According to UNRWA, the current Israeli military operation in Rafah is directly impacting the ability of aid agencies to bring critical humanitarian supplies into the Strip, as well as the ability to rotate critical humanitarian staff. From 1–20 May, according to OCHA, 14 missions which were heading to Kerem Shalom to collect aid supplies encountered delays due to traffic congestions blocking the road and delayed clearance by Israeli authorities, resulting in six missions being aborted. During this reporting period (20–22 May), the border crossings were only opened for one day, and only 39 trucks entered the Strip via the Kerem Shalom and Rafah land crossings. Only 143 trucks have entered the Gaza strip via the Karem Abu Salem crossing since 6–20 May.

Israel is continuing its crimes in defiance of the highest international justice body, which issued precautionary measures to prevent genocide on 26 January 2024 and additional precautionary measures on 28 March 2024, plus its latest precautionary measures, issued last Friday. Israel has been carrying out the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip continuously since 7 October 2023, with no real accountability for its crimes, amid the ongoing failure of the international community to protect the Palestinian people from this blatant genocide.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor reiterates its call on all nations to fulfil their international obligations and halt all military, political, and financial support for Israel’s military assault on the Gaza Strip. In particular, all arms transfers to Israel, including export permits and military assistance, must end immediately; otherwise, these nations will be considered complicit in Israeli crimes committed in the Strip, including genocide.

Furthermore, Euro-Med Monitor urges the International Criminal Court (ICC) to acknowledge and handle Israel’s crimes in the Gaza Strip as international crimes, as they fall under the Court’s jurisdiction. Additionally, Euro-Med Monitor asks the Court to expand its lists of arrest warrants to include more Israeli officials.

The United Nations must send fact-finding and investigative committees to the Gaza Strip, defy Israel’s decision to forbid such committees from entering the Strip, and make clear, public declarations whenever Israel denies these committees entry or refuses to work with them in any manner.

International investigations must be conducted into the widespread violations that have been documented since Israel started its military attacks on the Gaza Strip, all evidence must be preserved, and all international institutions must unite in their efforts to end Israel’s impunity. Those who have committed crimes in the Strip, whether by issuing orders or carrying them out, must be held accountable and brought to justice.

Euro-Med Monitor warns that, should the Security Council be approached to pass a resolution requiring Israel to cease operations in the Rafah Governorate in the event that Israel does not abide by the recent ruling of the International Court of Justice, any use of the veto to prevent this resolution from being passed and enforced would mean that the objecting state—which has previously been the United States in multiple similar situations—will be complicit in the genocide committed by Israel throughout the Gaza Strip. This complicity in Israeli crimes includes crimes in Rafah Governorate, where the Court confirmed that Israel’s US-backed military operation poses a serious and additional threat to the Palestinian people’s right to be protected from the crime of genocide.

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sexynetra · 1 year

Note

#22 or #23 for anarcia ??

22: "They won't take you away from me ever again"

23: "You need to keep your eyes open a little longer"

Uhh this turned out a little darker than I planned but nonetheless, I hope you enjoy! Bringing back the boxer AU for this one! (which wow writing this reminded me how much I missed writing them so if y'all have requests for this AU... my asks and dms are open)

TW: cops, violence

Marcia paced back and forth in the lobby of the police station, tugging nervously at her long blonde locks as she glanced at the door for what seemed like the millionth time. She knew what Anetra did was dangerous, of course. Fighting was dangerous at the best of times, let alone when all of the safety precautions were stripped away.

Marcia was always nervous when Anetra agreed to unregulated fights. She understood why - to some extent at least. The prize money for the underground fights was a lot higher, more than enough to cover their monthly expenses with just one or two wins. She didn’t understand the adrenaline rush quite as much. After all, it wasn’t exciting for Marcia, it was just scary. Without rules, all sportsmanlike conduct flew out the window. As well as all legality. As if the fear of Anetra getting beaten to a pulp wasn’t enough, they had to worry about police raids too.

Marcia didn’t know what sort of bad luck was in the air that day, but one of the opponents had lost a few fights to Anetra before and wanted vengeance. And Anetra was a good fighter, she could hold her own against the best of them, but not when brass knuckles entered the picture. And at some point between Anetra going down and Marcia desperately shoving her way through the crowd to reach her girlfriend, the cops descended to arrest everyone involved in the fighting ring.

Which was how Marcia found herself here, nervously waiting for Anetra to be released. Marcia hadn’t been held long when it became clear that she wasn’t betting or fighting. Anetra, on the other hand, had been in the ring when the police raid happened, so despite Marcia’s pleas to let Anetra out so she could get medical attention, Marcia had been waiting nearly 6 hours for her girlfriend to be released.

She jolted out of her thoughts when she heard the buzzer that announced the door opening, looking up to see a familiar mop of dyed blonde hair. She ignored the cop's gripes of protest as she barreled past them all to throw her arms around her girlfriend, burying her face in the crook of her neck, the tears finally spilling over, the emotions of the day all hitting her at once.

As soon as the cop closest had unlocked the cuffs, Anetras strong arms wrapped back around her girlfriend. As shaken as the girl was by the whole situation, her gut instinct was to play the strong one, to be brave so Marcia wouldn’t have to be.

“C’mon, angel. They said I’m free to go home. And I really want to go to bed…” She sighed, placing a small kiss on Marcia’s hair, heart breaking slightly at how much her girlfriend was shaking in her arms.

“I thought… I thought they were gonna keep you. I thought I wasn’t gonna get to see you again… They won’t take you away from me ever again. I won't let them” Her voice was muffled since she refused to move her face from where it was buried in Anetra’s neck.

“I know, my love. I know. I’m here now. I’m safe…”

Marcia finally looked up at that, eyes red and puffy “No you aren’t. You’re hurt and they took you away before I could check on you. Your face is all sliced up and none of it has been cleaned, plus you went down so hard, you might have a concussion…” She sniffled, hand reaching up to brush ever so gently at the injuries decorating her girlfriend's face, frown deepening at the soft hiss Anetra involuntarily let out.

“Marsh, I’m fine, I promise. Just some cuts. You can clean them for me when we get home, okay? Whats another 15 minutes? Plus, I'm exhausted, I just want to nap for a bit, this has all been incredibly draining.”

Marcia’s frown only deepened at that and her grip around Anetra tightened “I am getting you all cleaned and bandaged the second we get home. But no sleeping yet. You need to keep your eyes open a little longer. You know how risky concussions are babe. I’ve given you a million lectures on this…”

Anetra rolled her eyes but a small fond smile on her lips revealed that she wasn’t actually annoyed “Okay, okay. You’re the boss, babe. Let’s go…”

#wow I missed this au theyre so cute #boxer au #anetra #rpdr 15 #drag race #drag race 15 #rpdr #marcia #anarcia #anarcia fanfic #anarcia fanfiction #marcia marcia marcia #marcia x3 #nurse marcia #boxer anetra #also I cannot stick to a word limit im sorry this is like 800 words I didnt mean to go so long lmao #drag race fan fiction #drag race fanfic #rupauls drag race

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khizumet-e · 7 months

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[The second Fall of Ebonheart; 1E415]

In the not yet gloom of dawn, the cracked roads beyond Ebonheart's gates had shimmered forebodingly red for centuries, whenever ash settled incandescent across the grey stones after a storm. A gate to Oblivion in all its malice, unlike the sapphire sea beckoning out north, with its promise of greens and clear air. Perfectly suiting the hellhole of a city, scum-ridden and grimy, long since fallen from presumed glory.

Still, it would take a particularly gruesome plane of Oblivion for its bonfire ringed ashes to clot with blood and blight, threatening to drown any battered warrior traversing the mutilated statue corpses of fallen shield brothers. Interspersed stood Nordic scamps contemptuously watching, one viler than the next, hulking and hunching in their sweltering metal armour, corroded by the sour storms.

Great pains had been taken by someone to assure that all the worst carnage would remain out of sight from more delicate monsters, and so the path winding through their leering dishonour guard dragged on forever under legs that had known no sleep in three days and no rest in even longer.

Where the massacre stopped the hastily raised war camp itself turned a half decayed cadaver, oozing and bloated. Toppled walls overgrown with motley lean-ons provided scant shelter, and the great war tent squatting safe and modest between them had foregone even that precaution. Jumbled blankets piled onto the sleeping giant of a tent –requisitioned from freezing soldiers or raided homes in the breached outskirts– hiding the bitter acid stains pockmarking its less fortunate canvas brethren. All colour had long been lost to the ash drifts.

The same could be said for the banners trod into the muck, their grand heraldry barely discernible underfoot, mourning grey and royal purple indistinguishable in their defacement. Had one of the lost mer not leaned too heavily on a dragged spear, had he not near tripped over the buried corner a streamer, they could have ignored this slight as painfully easy as the disfigured corpses with their carefully untouched faces.

They had not come to bend nor bow, but neither tyrant saw them brought so low in the merciless ash. No reception awaited them outside, no fanfare, only the gloating malicious reminders of how thoroughly they had lost. The grand war tent’s entrance loomed before them framed by the gory arch of a hacked off pair of mandibles, the only mutilated trophy of the brutal campaign to find its way into the camp. Amid all the horrors, even this barely roused a reaction anymore. They had to ground the precious few remaining beasts, after this first loss drove them into a frenzy. If the storm kept up, they might still have to put them down.

Eating the insult the mer faced their own fate, a dozen shifting faceless creatures and one squat Nordic scamp leering at them as they crossed the heavy curtained threshold. Drab fabric parted under the spear’s stroke to let in ash and supplicants, as by some whimsy they had not been made to relinquish the pauper guard’s weapon made crutch.

There sat the conquerors of dreary Ebonheart, the butchers having spat their bill over sky and land. The former Jarl of Mournhold lounging like a man much greater than himself, decrepit throne covered in furs, great axe gleaming under his lazy boot. Not a speck of blood marred the blade, nor rust from the acrid air, though too soft lips may have been tainted by either.

Beside him the Jarl of Kragenmoor perched awkwardly on his stool, a man whose power was belied by this soft forgettable form, draped loosely in plain nondescript clothes that fell awkwardly even on the portly stature he favoured. Where the Blighter greedily took in the scene of their triumph, Bhag barely looked up when the mer entered, gaze restless as his hands.

Bruised and battered, exhausted to the bone now weaned off adrenaline, and in places cut to the very same; clad like unhappy politicians rather than great generals they stood before the armoured Nord on his throne and awaited judgement. Each wore the crispest robes available to him, loosely shrugged on over bodies marked from battle, bloodied and dishevelled. A pair of grimy, tired sentinels. No armour for them, no swords; they would not allow the Nords to take trophies beyond the gruesome mangled corpses they had already claimed.

The silence held as one more battle, one last attempt by the already vanquished to wrest a victory. And yet when the once-Jarl cut the tension hungrily, with words of no power, it was hard to tell who held defeat.

“And so you have come,” he gloated with the unmistakable rasp of one who gave his throat no more respite than his men.

“So we have, and so we can leave.”

“Ah, we’d better have that talk first, Khizumet’e.”

There had been no letters to precede this meeting, and yet Khizumet’e seemed aware of just how it would turn. Letting the spear clutter to the ground the leader of the Dres crossed his arms tightly in front of his chest; a gesture of comfort as much as defiance. “I rejected your sick deals before. You know you cannot ask that of me.”

“I can ask anything of you.”

“With nothing stopping us from walking out and resuming this farce?”

Nothing to stop them from damning themselves and every last inhabitant of Ebonheart –Dres, Ra’athim and civilian alike– to an excruciating, inevitable death.

“I’d love to see you try to hobble back.” The way Chemua shifted his axe underfoot, letting its edge catch the dim fire light, required no interpretation.

“Only a Nord would debase himself to lay hands on emissaries,” the surly white haired mer spat, having been previously rendered half-mute with rage and disgust. Only Bhag had shown an interest in his presence thus far, staring too long at the Ra’athim during this pitiful first exchange of threats.

“Your newest pet?” said debased Nord inquired, ignoring the answering snarl.

“What are your terms,” Khizumet’e returned them to the heart of the matter.

“Ah, who said there would be terms.”

“It’s a bit pointless to drag us out here to wish us good luck.”

“He’s got ya there,” Bhag piped in, and unlike the previous interjector he earned himself a long glare from his supposed ally. “Why if ya can’t think of anything, how about–”

“You can take what men you still hold in that city and slink away.”

“And you get Ebonheart with no further bloodshed?” The laugh was too haughty for one vanquished. “So those are the terms you do not have?”

“No.”

“Mhm, so we can make this a negotiation? Delightful.” Khizumet’e turned his head toward his stewing shadow, not letting Chemua slip from the corners of his gaze. “What could we get you, Cru’? I’d say they hand over our prisoners and maybe we’ll leave them some living Nords?”

“Still no,” Chemua replied laconically. “You don’t get it, viidosti, I’ll rip whomever you abandoned to me limb from limb, and you will crawl back to Mournhold’s skirts under the garlands of their corpses.”

A wince, a sharp indrawn breath and then, “You would not dare.”

“Would I not?”

Impossible to argue with the row of speared bodies lining every approach to the city. Impossible to demand humanity, let alone mercy. Refusing to be drawn into trying, Khizumet’e held out a trembling hand in invitation. None in that tent would have expected to have it heeded– and yet. Gauntleted fingers abandoned wood and blade to trail split knuckles before stilling over indictingly bruising flesh, and to his damnation Khizumet’e offered, “If I trade myself for them you might have a sport of it after all.”

This close he can smell Chemua’s breath as he laughs in his face, raw and sour like his voice. Glacial eyes cold with rare contempt bit him as pointedly as steeled finger tips. “Maybe I should make you kill them instead.”

“Are you still too much a coward to bloody your own hands,” the insult fell flatly, a weak rebuttal of an all too sincere threat.

“Hmh, should I show you?” There was that manic glint in Chemua’s eyes as he looked pointedly at Cruethys, eyebrows raised in mockery. The cage of his hand stayed clamped round Khizumet’e’s jaw, keeping him from exchanging a steeling glance of resolve with his nemesis of just until last night.

All protests were swallowed as the Nord leaned in closer, robbing all breath from the acrid air. “You will wish I had let you lay hand on your darling pet, your foolish distraction. His skin I shall flay for you to sign your surrender on in his blood, his bones broken one by one then ripped off as trophies for us to share. And when you mourn your haughty idiocy I will tear–”

“Nah.”

“Tear you apa— nah?”

“Nah.” Bhag’s patiently repeated intercession came with such finality that Chemua broke his hold on Khizumet’e’s chin in disgust, rounding on his fellow Tongue with arms flailing wide.

“What are you playing at,” he growled, encroaching on Bhag’s space in a way that only served to snap the spell that he might have ever towered over them.

With the Nord chieftains facing each other, Khizumet’e straightened behind Chemua’s turned back. The exhaustion and frailty lingered, and yet for a moment he carried himself with grim purpose, hand twitching decisively in the folds of his robe.

The moment passed as fleeting as it had arrived as he failed to stagger forward, hand balled helplessly into an empty fist.

“You can do as you will with your Khizmeddy there,” terrifyingly, as if he were in on their joke, he looked straight past Chemua as he talked, locking eyes with the guilty shuffling mer in question, “but this elf‘s mine.”

A wide grin was on his face, daring Khizumet’e to act. From any other demon it might have been a warning, a sentence even, but on Bhag it simply gave the impression of a man eager to receive due payout from a wager. And yet Khizumet’e found he could not follow that invitation.

“Yours,” Chemua spat, the picture of helpless hypocrisy, “what ever were you doing with an elf?”

“Tryna sound like Hoaga, are ye? I was hunting him, obviously.”

“Hunting him.”

“Up and down and up the mountains and coast,” Bhag confirmed cheerily, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. “Good sport.” The ‘unlike some’ rang clear within it, though the target remained uncertain.

“Geh, fine, have it your way.” As he evidently belatedly realised, if not recalled, even Chemua was not exempt from the futility of arguing with Bhag. “Kill your quarry now, if he evaded you for all those years.”

“Hand me a blade and I at least shall take you with me!”

Cruethys’ outcry was buried under Bhag’s as he jabbed a finger into Chemua’s chest plate. “Oi,” he hit the point home, “I ent gonna kill him! Thrill of the chase, why‘d I want to give up on that?”

“Damned elf lover.”

“Oh, oh, you do sound like him!” Bhag clapped his hands in obvious delight. “Jealous cause your elves all spurned ya? If only you had a chance to make that right. Hah! Now, you two…” Still laughing about his own genius, he leaned to peer around his fellow Tongue.

Somewhere in there must have been the final straw. With a sound of disgust, Chemua turned on his heel and stalked back to his makeshift throne. Picking up the discarded battle axe he pointed at Bhag –”This is my campaign still,” he reminded him– and then pointed at each mer in turn in a vague threat, “And you have come to grovel.”

Once more silence hung between them, more oppressive than when the mer had first entered. This time, it was on them to break it too.

“Clan Ra’athim does not grovel.” Done with the pace of events so far, Cruethys Ra’athim drew up to stand beside Khizumet’e.

“Who,” Chemua listlessly inquired, looking over the small gathering as if searching for someone who would enlighten him.

A sharp laugh escaped Khizumet’e, before he could cover it with a cough.

“Those pesky bandits,” Bhag contributed with a vaguely westwards gesture.

“The one and only lords of Ebonheart. The nightmare of every single of your maggot men.”

Chemua scoffed. “Your pet’s tongue runs looser than yours, Khizumet’e.”

“Ah, Bhag’s pet, if you hadn’t heard.”

Too receptive to the mockery, Cruethys stepped forward in anger, inciting a glint in Chemua’s eyes. The Nord inhaled deeply, casting aside his axe in favour of a worse threat. Where he had hesitated over the knife Khizumet’e gripped Cruethys’ arm tight enough to draw blood, blocking his path before he could try to get himself killed.

No thu’um broke forth, and yet the tent seemed to rumble as held breath was expelled with a curse. “I should have torn you apart long ago—” Chemua started, rounding on Khizumet’e.

“What’s stopping you,” came the reply, as Khizumet’e fought to manoeuvre Cruethys decisively behind him. “You won, go claim some more spoils to torture.”

“ —but I hold no resentments. My offer still stands; you know what little I ask of you. Deliver, and I'll return Ebonheart back to you.”

Insulted somehow deeper still, Cruethys spat; evidently beyond caring if he sullied his own banners by now.

“You expect me to take a worse bargain than the one I refused before,” Khizumet’e replied incredulously. “Have you seen the shape of those walls?”

“It needn't have come to this. You forced my hand.”

“How sweet of you to still seek to fulfil my every dream. Go, reduce the place to rubble, better that than to let it fall into your hands.”

“Good, show the world what tyrant you are, Khizumet’e. What that indulgence of yours must think of you now.”

It was meant to hurt, clearly, to elicit some outburst, and yet the two mer only exchanged a long glance. Daring to let go of Cruethys’ wrist, Khizumet’e crossed his arms in a picture of defiance. “You have no claim to this city, and we won‘t acknowledge any right you think you have to take it.”

Chemua laughed it off. “And by what right did you hold Ebonheart,” he dug slyly, “if not by right of conquest?”

“Blood and matrimony.” The claim, boldly stated, drew an inquisitive ‘eh’ from Bhag, but rather than clarify Khizumet’e appended, “Ebonheart longed to recover the patronage of House Dres. As the people of Kragenmoor do to this day.”

“And you failed them like you failed everyone else.”

The blow landed, but it left Cruethys unperturbed to fill the ensuing bitter silence. “Clan Ra‘athim accepts no overlords. Be they mer or men, we shall give them no peace until their blood rots black like ebony in their veins. But know, Nord, that we can tolerate much to destroy you.”

“We were working through that,” Khizumet’e interjected, having found his bearing again. “But do keep slaughtering every Chimer in the city, it still won‘t give a Nord the right to rule its ruins.”

“I should make you watch that spectacle,” Chemua viciously agreed.

“You near tore yourself apart for days to as much as blemish our walls, I’d die of boredom before you were done!”

“Mhm, do you want to bet how long it takes me to reduce this city to nothing?” A hungry pause, before the threats could fully blossom. “How about Mournhold? Tear?”

“If you could you would have done it already.”

“Then why come crawling to me to bargain for your life, if not because I could simply seize it.”

Khizumet’e shrugged, not bothering to dispute the idea. “I realised I cannot stand the sight of Ebonheart any longer. No, please, you‘re doing me a favour, really, sending me back to lovely Mournhold. The company is better anyway.”

“Running from your duties again, Khizumet‘e? Why shouldn‘t I be surprised.”

The Dres nodded slowly, thoughtfully at that. Word games were getting them nowhere, not against people who spoke the world into submission, and catharsis would not save any lives. “Duty only bids me to bargain safe passage for my people, and peace for our dead.”

“Not yourself.” It was hardly a question, for all Chemua suddenly seemed uncertain.

“Our living. And our dead.”

“Well, we ent gonna leave them there,” Bhag piqued up from his stool.

Khizumet’e accepted the easily won mercy with a grateful nod, allowing himself to relax. For all his peculiarities, the Jarl of Kragenmoor was by far the more honest of the Nords.

“But we are.” Life had returned to Chemua with the chance to once more prove what monster he was.

“Nah, that‘s how ya get diseases.”

“Last time you slaughtered Ebonheart‘s people you Nords weren‘t so concerned,” Cruethys reminded them with undisguised bitterness. The riots had been a bloodbath as much as a familial tragedy.

“Necromancy makes ya looney,” Bhag explained nothing, “we ent like that, are we, Chemua?”

“It‘s treason to malign your king in front of his enemies, Bhag.”

“They‘re elves, they love treason! And they ent gonna tattle, are they?”

Cruethys stood with stone-faced contempt; only when his nominal ally nudged him did he give the barest jerk of a ‘no’.

“Pah,” spat Chemua, forced into bitter capitulation a second time.

“Fine, stop trying my patience and the people of Ebonheart can take down those corpses as soon as you are gone.”

“Wouldn’t do to have your grand entrance ruined by squeamishness, would it,” Khizumet’e needled.

Like a petulant child, if one that could unmake you in a tantrum, Chemua closed in on them again. “I said stop trying my patience.”

“Or what? You cannot harm him without breaking loose your own civil war, so what? You will strike me down? Do it.”

“–ah but you want me to, don’t you.”

Khizumet’e froze, silent, and the Nord’s demeanour transformed into elation.

“You do,” Chemua announced damningly, for their audience to hear. “Just like– but she put you up to this, after all. And then abandoned you like she will ruin everything. I warned you–” the pointed reminder was accompanied by a gauntleted hand placed gently on Khizumet’e’s cheek “–and when she stands over your dying body remember that I tried to save you.”

Weakly, Khizumet’e struggled to voice a protest, but with cold steel holding shut gnawed lips, Chemua shushed him. “There is nothing more for us to say, is there? You gave in, as you always would.”

It would have been an opening, a weakness, but when nothing was made of it Cruethys spoke up in general disgust. “Delude yourself to be a spider, Nord, but you’re not worthy as food for its hatchlings as they break with revulsion through your flesh.” The image was vivid, and Chemua recoiled, letting Khizumet’e find shaky resolve in the open hostility. “To be thrown to feral nixes is too good for you; only a coward would tremble before you.”

Foregoing to strike the Ra’athim down, Chemua barked, “Have you settled your demands with your pet, Bhag?”

“Don’t ya worry bout us, we’re good.”

“Make sure he won’t cause us trouble.”

“Bah, if he ent gonna cause trouble might as well kill him here,” the seated Tongue complained at the insistent meddling. “You wanted Ebonheart, you deal with it.”

“There’s no hoping then you’d accept us surrendering the city to you, Bhag, is there,” Khizumet’e inquired politely.

“Me? Nah, you and yer queen did me a favour taking it off my hands.”

A laugh escaped Khizumet’e at that, tainted as he memories of victory were by this recent failure. “We should have a little chat over Kragenmoor some day.”

“Aye,” Bhag agreed, “though ye might not like my price.”

“I find that I can hardly like it less than Chemua’s.”

A whimsical confession, yet enough to warrant a response.

“Must I remind you, Khizumet’e,” Chemua brought them back to the present, with a short-tempered snap, “that you are defeated? You have no more say over Ebonheart’s fate, no chance for misplaced heroism.”

Wordless understanding passed between the mer as Khizumet’e turned to face his sullen shadow, and only when he had received begrudging endorsement did he offer his surrender. “The city is yours. Give us an hour past sunrise, we will get out men and leave.”

“That you must always make it so difficult.” The Nord seemed little pleased at the inevitable capitulation. Thrill of the hunt, Bhag had put it, and now the prey would be free to ignore his boisting. “Go then, and when you’re done running tell Almalexia that there‘s nothing she can do. No walls she can hide behind that will keep her safe once I am through with Ebonheart.”

Falsely sweet, Khizumet’e leaned in for his farewells, one hand resting over Chemua’s chest as he eyed his bare throat too intently. “Have fun with the cursed thing. What a prize you‘ve won yourself there.”

They did not wait to let the conquerors of Ebonheart get in another last word, nor to retrieve the crude spear still lying in offer at the feet of the throne. As Khizumet’e tore himself loose, as his pale shadow followed after too long a hesitation not to trade his own parting words, they swayed back out into the dying maelstrom, heads held higher still than when they first slunk to surrender. The last either demon in that stifling tent saw of them was the steadying hand Cruethys pressed between Khizumet’e’s shoulder blades as they went to make good on their word; yet only the very same scampish Nord that had watched over their arrival was privy to the moment of stolen comfort that passed between the vanquished lords of Ebonheart, and only the vile creature followed them back through the forest of corpses, for the penultimate time.

#the fall of ebonheart was an all around great time for everyone #writing

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ukrainenews · 1 year

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Daily Wrap Up February 9-10, 2023

Now with the correct spelling of “February!”

Under the cut:

Russia launched a large-scale missile attack in Ukraine on Friday, striking several cities including the capital, Kyiv, in an apparent attempt to probe the country’s air defences and to intimidate Ukraine’s allies. Ukraine’s air force command said it had shot down 61 out of 70 cruise missiles and five Iranian-made drones. The figures included an earlier wave of 35 S-300 rockets fired on Thursday night. These landed in and around the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia.

Russian forces likely lost “at least 30” armoured vehicles in a single, failed attack near the eastern Ukrainian city of Vuhledar earlier this week, British intelligence said on Friday, sparking renewed anger among prominent Russian pro-war telegram channels over Moscow’s military blunders.

Russian forces have intensified their offensive efforts in the Luhansk region over the past week, with a slight increase in operations near Kupyansk and Lyman, according to the Ukrainian General Staff. In its latest update published Thursday, the General Staff said 25 settlements had come under artillery fire and Russian forces had carried out several air strikes in the area.

A drone launched by Russian troops struck an energy infrastructure facility in the Kryvyi Rih district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the Southern Operational Command of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Feb. 10.

The UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said it was informed by Ukraine's energy regulator on Friday that the power output at two nuclear power plants was reduced as a precaution after sustained Russian shelling. The IAEA said in a statement that the power plants in Rivne and in southern Ukraine "had reduced power output as a precautionary measure due to renewed shelling of the country’s energy infrastructure."

Two Russian missiles crossed into Romanian and Moldovan airspace before entering Ukraine on Friday, the top Ukrainian general said. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, said two Kaliber missiles launched from the Black Sea had entered Moldovan airspace, then flew into Romanian airspace, before entering Ukraine.

“Russia launched a large-scale missile attack in Ukraine on Friday, striking several cities including the capital, Kyiv, in an apparent attempt to probe the country’s air defences and to intimidate Ukraine’s allies.

Ukraine’s air force command said it had shot down 61 out of 70 cruise missiles and five Iranian-made drones. The figures included an earlier wave of 35 S-300 rockets fired on Thursday night. These landed in and around the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia.

The command’s spokesperson Yuri Ihnat said the Kremlin appeared to be carrying out a “reconnaissance attack” ahead of a possible major offensive. Western governments expect Vladimir Putin to launch a renewed bid to grab territory ahead of the anniversary on 24 February of his full-scale invasion.

Ihnat said Russian forces “traditionally” dispatched rockets and drones from eastern positions in Russia and the Azov Sea. On Friday, however, Moscow launched Kalibr cruise missiles from a frigate and a submarine in the Black Sea, as well as from the occupied southern city of Tokmak.

Ukraine’s commander in chief Valerii Zaluhnyi said two of these sea-launched rockets entered Moldovan and Romanian airspace soon after 10am local time, as air raid sirens rang out across the country. They then reentered Ukraine and the western Chernivtsi region, he suggested.

Romania’s foreign ministry categorically denied the report. It said the Russian cruise missiles came to within 22 miles (35km) of the country’s north-eastern border but did not violate its territory. Two MiG-21 aircraft on a training flight were diverted to monitor the area, it said.

“After about two minutes the situation was clarified and the two aircraft resumed their original mission,” the ministry added. Romania has been a member of Nato since 2004. It “constantly monitored” the vicinity next to Ukraine and cooperated with allied forces, the ministry said.

Moldova summoned the Russian ambassador over the incident and confirmed at least one missile had overflown its airspace. This is not the first time Russia has sent its missiles into Moldova, with the conflict now in danger of spilling out across the region. On Friday, Moldova’s pro-EU government resigned, adding to the sense of crisis.

Air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv and other cities around breakfast time on Friday. There were five booms in the Ukrainian capital, as air defence batteries shot down enemy missiles. A trail of white vapour could be seen above tower blocks and the railway station area. It was the first attack on Kyiv for two weeks.

Ukrainian officials describe Russian behaviour as cynical and provocative. They say Moscow deliberately targets Ukraine’s international border regions so when missiles are intercepted debris falls on neighbouring countries such as Poland and Belarus, itself a frequent launching pad for Russian plane and rocket attacks.

In a short video report on Friday Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia had targeted civilians and civilian architecture. “Unfortunately there are victims,” he said. He added: “Today’s rockets are a challenge to Nato, to collective security. It’s terror that can and must be stopped. The world must stop it.””-via The Guardian

“Russian forces likely lost “at least 30” armoured vehicles in a single, failed attack near the eastern Ukrainian city of Vuhledar earlier this week, British intelligence said on Friday, sparking renewed anger among prominent Russian pro-war telegram channels over Moscow’s military blunders.

“Russian troops likely fled and abandoned at least 30 mostly intact armoured vehicles in a single incident after a failed assault,” Britain’s defence ministry said in a daily briefing.

Last month, Russia launched a fresh Russian assault around the southern Donbas town of Vuhledar, as Moscow stepped up its assault on the eastern front.

The Ukrainian ministry of defence on Friday released a video on Twitter that appeared to show several Russian armoured vehicles and tanks scattered across the battlefield near Vuhledar.

“There are clearly questions to the command for this episode, a lot of equipment was lost…The tank division has lost its combat capability,” wrote Rybar, a pro-war blogger with over a million followers.

Another Russian soldier with the callsign “13th” called for the execution of commanders responsible for the failed offensive.

“I just have no words...They need to shoot a dozen generals and a couple of dozen colonels...then maybe the rest will start thinking,” the soldier wrote on Telegram.

The Russian ministry of defence has not yet commented on the incident. Earlier this week, defence minister Sergei Shoigu said that the military operations around Vuhledar were “progressing”.”-via The Guardian

“Russian forces have intensified their offensive efforts in the Luhansk region over the past week, with a slight increase in operations near Kupyansk and Lyman, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.

In its latest update published Thursday, the General Staff said 25 settlements had come under artillery fire and Russian forces had carried out several air strikes in the area.

Some analysts have suggested Russia may be starting a new offensive in the Luhansk region, while adding that the movement was not yet significant.

The Institute for the Study of War said Russian forces were “gradually beginning an offensive” in the area, noting Russian operations had “increased markedly over the past week.”

However it added that Ukrainian forces had been able to prevent Moscow’s armies from securing significant gains.

CNN teams on the ground noted that the tempo of attacks had increased slightly in the past few days, but it was “nowhere near the energy that could be described as an offensive.”

Kupyansk and Lyman were seized early in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, on February 28 and May 27 last year respectively.

They were then re-taken by Ukrainian forces during a counter offensive in September 2022.”-via CNN

“A drone launched by Russian troops struck an energy infrastructure facility in the Kryvyi Rih district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the Southern Operational Command of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Feb. 10.

The command added that another drone had been shot down in the district. No casualties have been reported.

Earlier in the evening, the governors of Mykolaiv and Odesa oblasts said that the Ukrainian air defense had shot down several Iranian-made Shahed drones over their regions.”-via Kyiv Independent

“The UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said it was informed by Ukraine's energy regulator on Friday that the power output at two nuclear power plants was reduced as a precaution after sustained Russian shelling.

The IAEA said in a statement that the power plants in Rivne and in southern Ukraine "had reduced power output as a precautionary measure due to renewed shelling of the country’s energy infrastructure."

The shelling of a third plant — the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant in western Ukraine — caused one of the plant's reactor units to "shut down," continued the statement. The UN watchdog added that its own support and assistance missions present on the ground had confirmed that "all nuclear safety systems at Khmelnytskyi worked as expected."

Talks with Russia: IAEA chief Rafael Grossi held talks with senior Russian officials in Moscow this week. According to the IAEA, the talks were part of the lengthy efforts to "agree and implement a much-needed nuclear safety and security protection zone around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP)."

The UN watchdog said it has been unable to rotate its team of experts present in the plant in southern Ukraine due to "increased military activity."

After meeting on Thursday with the head of Russian state nuclear company Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, and an intergovernmental group of the Russian Federation, Grossi met representatives from the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday, according to the statement.

As the meetings wrapped, Grossi said he remained hopeful that the safety zone will be established while acknowledging it should've been done earlier. He also raised the idea of the zone during recent talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials, according to the IAEA statement.

“The situation around Europe’s largest nuclear power plant remains volatile and unpredictable, as it is an active combat zone. The postponement of the planned rotation demonstrates all too clearly the need for urgent measures to protect the plant and the people working there,” Grossi stressed.”-via CNN

“Two Russian missiles crossed into Romanian and Moldovan airspace before entering Ukraine on Friday, the top Ukrainian general said.

Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, said two Kaliber missiles launched from the Black Sea had entered Moldovan airspace, then flew into Romanian airspace, before entering Ukraine.

Reuters could not immediately verify the statement. Russia did not immediately comment on it.

The Ukrainska Pravda media outlet quoted the air force spokesperson as saying separately that Ukraine had the ability to shoot down the missiles but did not do so because it did not want to endanger civilians in foreign countries.”-via Reuters

#Daily Update #Ukraine #Russia #War in Ukraine #Kyiv #Kharkiv #Zaporizhzhia #zaporizhzhya nuclear plant #UN #Romania #Moldova #Kryvyi Rih #luhansk

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 9 months

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"DEFEND TOKIO IN MIMIC WARFARE," Hamilton Spectator. August 31, 1933. Page 1. --- Here are Japanese soldiers, wearing camouflage, operating anti-aircraft and machine guns from the roof of a Tokio building during recent defense maneuvers when the city was under theoretical attack. Thousands of soldiers took part.

#tokyo #imperial japanese army #military training #air raid precautions #aerial bombardment #anti-aircraft gun #military manouevres #interwar period #empire of japan #terror from the air

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dougrobyngoold · 10 months

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Caves & Crimes - Nottingham, England

Nottingham is known as "The City of Caves" - underneath the city there are over 500 known caves, dating back to 1200 AD. We did a tour of the underbelly of the city at City of Caves, it provided an interesting history of the city and the story of the caves.

All of the caves were dug out by someone, this is a portion of a cave that was used as a medieval tannery. The bottom is covered with water, so you can imagine how musty and damp the tour was.

Another portion of the tannery, they soaked the skins in the square-shaped holes for a year. The process they used was quite dangerous and toxic - time and labor intensive.

The caves were used as air raid shelters during WWII.

Directly over the area that we toured is the floor of a large shopping center. There is a bit of controversy over the existence of the shopping center. When the shopping center was built, special precautions were taken to not destroy the caves. However, the supports for the foundation of the shopping center were poured into the walls of the caves. Years later the shopping center was out of date and they wanted to tear it down, but they had to leave the concrete in place, as removing it would damage the caves - which are protected. The square-shaped concrete, at the top of the picture above, is the floor of the massive shopping center - it will never be removed, as it is now part of the caves!

This room was used as a storage area for a pub at one point. There are benches that were used to hold kegs. It is hard to imagine how much effort was required to dig out all of these caves!

After touring the caves, we walked a short distance to the Justice Museum.

There is quite a bit to see and do in this museum. We participated in a trial in the courtroom:

The ornate old courtroom in the museum.

The judge and the barrister - they were quite entertaining!

Doug, giving his testimony to the judge.

After the trial, we went downstairs and checked out the jail area. There was an interesting and sobering exhibit about punishment for crimes:

The above pictures were the least "dark", in terms of punishment. They used some pretty horrific methods to punish people, we found the information a bit disturbing and hard to imagine - we felt that the punishment far exceeded the crime at times. However, it was a different time in history and we can't really put ourselves in their shoes. We did draw the line on watching the re-enactment of a hanging.....just not our thing. There are exhibits about living conditions in prisons and prison reform. Definitely enjoyed the trial and the history - worth a visit, but keep in mind that portions might be a bit disturbing to both adults and kids.

We took a little walk after visiting the museum - needed to clear our heads of some of the images. We wandered over to a plaza that had a carnival-like feel to it and tons of people - the perfect cure for our melancholy after the museum! We had a nice meal at a little Italian restaurant and a couple of glasses of wine - a good way to reset our day. Look at these beautiful buildings that surrounded the plaza:

This building houses a bar called "The Alchemist".

The Queen's Chambers - an office building, originally built in 1897.

We have had a lovely visit to Nottingham, lots to see and do in town. There are also plenty of things to do in the surrounding area, if you have transportation available to you. Tomorrow we head to York, on to another adventure!

#nottingham #england #museums

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warmaster-uk · 2 years

Photo

Women in fire masks, Downshire Hill, Hampstead, London, 1941 One of photographer Lee Miller’s most famous war shots, this was taken during the Blitz, and was published in American Vogue as part of a feature that aimed to show how British women were able to “take” the conflict, hence its slightly humorous feel. The women sit on the steps of Miller’s own air-raid shelter, modelling the masks worn by those who did ARP (Air Raid Precautions) work. Original photograph by Lee Miller, published by https://www.theguardian.com/ #secondworldwar #ww2 #worldwartwo #worldwar2 #war #history #militaryhistory #military #colourised #colorized #colourisedhistory #colorizedhistory #color #colour #colorizedhistoricalphotos #colorization #colourisation #retro #goodolddays #classic #goldenoldies #colorizedphoto #colourisedphoto #womenatwar #airraidshelter #homefront #blitz #uk #britainatwar #women https://www.instagram.com/p/CjY0C8cK-NV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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dayslikecrazypaving · 2 years

Text

Fic: Technicolour (part 1/3)

5 times Narvin saw the world differently through Leela and one time she saw him.

Set between Series 2 and 6. Title taken from the song Technicolor by Sainte

Rated T: Angst,hurt and comfort

First: Sentries

Surveying the audience of assembled agents, dignitaries and guards waiting to hear Leela speak, he hadn’t ever suspected that the timelines would lead them to this moment. When he’d first met Leela he’d never ever thought he’d come to need her company. He couldn’t fathom what value she could possibly have added to any situation let alone his line of work. Gallifreyan spycraft required almost catatonic levels of stillness and observation over the median span of a human lifetime. That view shamed him now.

Before Romana’s Presidency, their contact had been limited to intelligence reports - a necessary precaution of the allowance of an alien in the heart of the citadel. Through these briefings he’d become aware of her frenetic energy, her brash attitude and forthright nature but he’d overlooked her powers of observation and whip smart stratagem. The battle against Pandora had forced them together - unlikely allies in an even more improbable conflict. In a few short weeks Leela had risen in his esteem from savage outsider to trusted confidante.

Running reconnaissance and resupply missions together, Leela had taken the lead, saving him more than once. They also took turns on watch duty in what Leela had termed the “crows nest”, but was actually the highest citadel balcony they had access to. The night was spent charting any movement they could, logging movement and trying to stop anyone raiding their much reduced supplies. The best thing about nine hours on a bare balcony hundreds of feet above the ground, exposed to the elements (and there were vanishingly few good things about those nights) was Leela’s companionship. Sometimes, they'd sit in comfortable silence, other times he’d describe the vista of the capitol and the hidden CIA passageways beneath, in case she needed them, and in return, she’d describe the edges of the outlands they could see, in case a retreat was necessary.

One night Leela had become pensive, scanning the vista with acute attention. She shifted her weight from side to side to keep her muscles from seizing up in the cold night air, but Narvin could tell that her movement was also due to unease. He waited, knowing that if Leela wished to share her thoughts, she would. He watched as she made up her mind.

“Can you teach me to draw the maps we have made on these evenings? I see them in my mind and my memory, but I want to create something we can share with those we fight alongside.” She asked, not meeting his gaze. Her body language conveyed that it was not comfortable for her to ask for his help. He agreed, very quickly, before she could change her mind about spending more time in his company than Romana had asked her to.

The next week was spent teaching her the basics of cartography, and Leela proved herself a quick study. The week after was spent with him keeping watch whilst Leela diligently annotated each data point on the map, updating with last known movements of Pandora's troops and the natural or citadel resources across the Gallifreyan vista. The map proved to be invaluable as they were forced into the ruined Academy. Much to his regret he never spoke to her directly about his appreciation for her work, letting Romana lead the praise. He didn't think his comment would be as welcomed as his President’s, especially not in Leela’s estimations.

After the Artron Forum bomb took her sight, he’d taken a risk and insisted she present that map to the guards who remained loyal. He needed to bolster her confidence and he knew that blind or not - she now knew the capitol better now than the timelords that had inhabited it for centuries. He had gathered his remaining loyal agents as well as all the guards not on duty for an evening briefing to be led by Leela. Romana watched on from the doorway as he introduced Leela. Using his most clipped tones, the voice he usually reserved for the most idiotic of newly recruited agents, he silenced the room. The majority of those present had been whispering in unbecoming, gossipy undertones. His harshness was bolstered by an approvingly stern glare from President Romana to his right. Gently, he touched Leela’s elbow to let her know she could step forward to the makeshift podium they had created in the temporary forum.

“ Lady Leela of the Sevateem, Presidential Bodyguard and Academy Tutor, will be briefing you this evening on her comprehensive cartographic project encompassing all known thoroughfares of the citadel, both above and below ground. This information might well save your lives in the coming weeks, I expect all in attendance to show Lady Leela the same deference and respect you would show to me as Coordinator.”

He sat, giving her the stage, and listened as Leela commanded the attention of the room impeccably. Unfalteringly, she taught everyone present more effectively than even the most seasoned of Academy Professors. Despite not being able to see her audience, she engaged the room completely, her passion and protective love for her adopted home shining through. What surprised him, though, was his depth of feeling for her. He wanted to live up to the esteem she held Gallifrey in. He hid these thoughts behind his omnipresent scowl at the attendees, hoping that those listening couldn’t see, especially his President.

Second - Sonata

They’d lost another member of the guard today. He’d been vaporised. His death had been brutally efficient, erasing him out of their lives in an instant. It never got easier, dealing with the immediate absence of someone you’d assumed you’d be around for centuries. Timelords' fear of their own mortality had been mollified by the gift of regenerations, but the civil war had snatched that option from too many of those he fought shoulder to shoulder with. Narvin had known of Adrianus for decades, but couldn’t have claimed friendship or kinship with the man, but he acknowledged the bravery with which he had defended Gallifrey to his last. During a time of civil war, traditional funerals were not possible, but there was a wall of remembrance in the catacombs, which could be attended by those grieving.

He had travelled down into the passageways to pay his respects when he heard a melody almost forgotten from the mists of his childhood. Someone was singing a Gallifreyan hymn of mourning. A single soprano voice echoed across the stone lined walls, arresting his journey. He could see a figure in a plain shift dress, kneeling before the wall, head bowed as she sang. Candles had been placed in front of the memorial and as his eyes focused in the darkness, Narvin consciously slowed his approach, trying to make his steps as soft and quiet as a churchmouse so as to not disturb the vocalist. It was Leela. Her voice enunciated the old high Gallifreyan song perfectly. He has not heard this melody since he was a boy at the academy. He felt his heart’s squeeze painfully in a way he tried not to identify.

Always watchful, Narvin had observed that Leela had taken the news of his death harder than most. She was not unused to loss, especially on the battlefield, but Adrianus had been Leela’s last connection to her husband, to the Andred she’d known and loved. She’d met Adrianus shortly after her arrival on Gallifrey. Serving under Andred’s command, Adrianus stood out within the guard. He was a freer spirit than most and he’d embraced Leela, despite her differences. As CIA coordinator, Narvin had tracked Leela’s friendships and filed away that info in case an interrogation was needed.

Leela finished the hymn and her final notes reverberated into the gloom of the tunnels. She bent lower and wrote something on parchment placed in front of the candles. Narvin decided he’d been a silent voyeur long enough. He deliberately flat footed his steps to make his presence known. Leela rose to her feet unperturbed by his presence as she’d recognised the cadence of his gait on approach.

Narvin decided to be brave.

“That was beautiful” he told her, as honestly as a spymaster could.

As always braver than him, Leela reached for and took his hand, briefly.

“I needed to say goodbye in a way he’d know how to hear” she replied simply. Her eyes glimmered in the candlelight full to the brim of unshod tears.

Narvin glanced down, and saw the parchment - with Andrianus’s name immaculately written in old high Gallifreyan script. That unnamed feeling traitorously knocked itself loose in his chest again and he swallowed heavily. Standing closer to her than was necessary, he held vigil with her, together in the night.

#leela/narvin #gallifrey audios #big finish gallifrey #leela of the sevateem #big finish #my attempted fic #otp: my dear sweet leela #narvinectralonum #i love them your honor

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