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threeletterslife · 2 years

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21 | Legends of Darlaria

⨰ summary: You wake up amidst a war with no recollection of your past. Faced with suspicion and distrust, you struggle to assimilate into a foreign nation—otherwise known as your home. But on your enlightening journey to search for your identity, you come face to face with the General of the Army.

⨰ pairing/rating: yoongi x reader & jungkook x reader | PG-15

⨰ genre: 70% angst, 30% fluff | war!au & magic!au

⨰ warnings: profanity, mentions of blood

⨰ wordcount: 6.8k

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⧖⧗Circa Aquamarine⧗⧖

It’s been more than two years since you woke up without your memories. The war isn’t going to end anytime soon, but there’s still hope for the Solarians. It’s been quite a while since the Darlaeans have made a deafening blow to your forces.

You pat Heli’s head, and he huffs, picking up his pace as he sprints dutifully across Alder’s forest. “It’s pretty, isn’t it?” you tell him, staring out into the woods. Flowers are just beginning to blossom, peaking through the dark brown soil with their verdant green sprouts. Light pink buds dot the floor, and Heli is especially careful not to step on them. The leaves are growing back again, soon to pullulate entire trees full of healthy, emerald foliage. The smell is wonderful. Light, fresh, floral. You could inhale forever—if your lungs permitted you to do so.

Heli huffs in agreement.

“Are you excited to see Hana again?” you ask, ruffling his fur.

He snorts as if to say, ‘Of course! I’m just as excited as you are!’

After over a year of writing letters back and forth to each other, you and Hana are finally going to meet, though it took a while for Hana to convince you to use some of your four days of leave. (You’ve never used more than one in an entire year!) Now, you’ll be staying for two whole days (it was the best that Hana could convince you to do). And though you do really want to stay longer—why wouldn’t you? Hana is one of your closest friends—duty calls back in Alder. You know if you stay away too long, you’ll start to become anxious, (what could you be missing? what if someone else is hurt while you’re gone? what if some disaster happens, and you’re not there to sort things out?).

It’s strange traveling to a new sector without the General by your side. It’s also strange that this thought pops into your head. You shake it away. He’s probably hunched over his desk, reading through and signing documents—what he deems as his favorite part of his job (though you’re unsure if he’s being serious or sarcastic). Tomorrow, when he goes into battle, you hope he stays safe, and you hope that he leads the soldiers to victory. The thought almost makes you feel guilty again—that you’re traveling to meet up with a friend while they’re risking their lives for Solaria. But you’ve been trying out this new thing: don’t think so hard about things that you can’t control. So you try to focus on the other things that you can control: like how to get to Hana’s home without losing your way.

She’d left quite specific instructions in her last letter to you, but the last thing you want to do is go missing in the mountains—although something tells you that Heli would know the way out. As the trees begin to clear out and the vast, grassy valleys of Aella come into view, you nervously glance back at the letter.

“She said to find the valley near the stream,” you tell Heli. “Do you know of any streams around here?”

Heli huffs, which you can only assume means, ‘Yes!’

“Follow the trail of orange wildflowers,” you read from the letter. “She said if you continue down the stream, there should be a fork in the valley. We’re supposed to take the left. Look for a house at the end with a brown fence and red flowers—”

Heli interrupts you with a sneeze, but you know him too well to know it wasn’t involuntary.

“Heli!” you laugh, petting his head. “Was that your polite way of telling me to shut up?”

He only huffs in response. But in his defense, you’ve been mumbling those same directions for the past hour, so it only makes sense that he’d be slightly annoyed.

“I’ll stop,” you laugh. “I promise. I’m just anxious, you know? It’s just been so long since I’ve seen her, and I really don’t want to mess anything up… But,” you sigh, “maybe I should just enjoy the view.”

Heli lets out a noise that you discern as, ‘Good thinking, friend.’

Aella is quite beautiful. You think that about every sector, but you can’t help it when it’s all true. Like Aithne and Ara, the land is vast, seemingly empty, too. Well, empty wouldn’t be quite the right word. Aella is colorful—tall, clean patches of green grass, bushes and bushes of wildflowers in variegated hues, a tree with dark-colored bark here and there. There are waves and waves of mountains—valley after valley after valley. You wonder what it feels like to be at the very top, looking down. Or perhaps when you’re that high up, you’ll look upwards towards the sky. It seems to extend forever in its cerulean entirety.

Once in a while, an air sol soars across the horizon, nearly blending in with the white clouds. Once in a while, an earth rabbit scampers past, heading straight towards the bushes, possibly to find purchase in its safe little burrow. And once in a while, you lose yourself in the scenery—so much so that when you come to, Heli’s approaching a quaint cottage surrounded by a brown fence and decorated in healthy bushes of scarlet flowers. Your heart begins to pound in your chest.

Why are you so nervous? It’s only Hana. But you haven’t seen her since she was lying in the medical tent, unable to even speak to you. You miss her voice. You miss her laugh, too.

You slide off of Heli’s back, ruffling his fiery fur as you make your way toward the fence. It’s freshly painted, of course. It hasn’t been that long since Hana’s boyfriend built this home just for the two of them. The red flowers are most likely Hana’s suggestion—an homage to Solaria.

You push open the gate. There’s a neat, dirt path that runs all the way up to the red door of the cottage. You slowly walk as Heli follows close behind. So soon, a little too soon, you’re standing in front of the door. Your fist hovers over it, ready to knock. But you hesitate.

Before you can even register why you’d paused, the door swings open, nearly knocking you off your feet. Then, someone’s embracing you tightly.

“Y/N!” a familiar voice screams.

Immediately, you feel a warmth wash over you. Hana pulls away, and she looks better than ever: full cheeks, rosy smile; her hair is longer and pinned back with a simple red clip. “I can’t believe it!” she squeals, flailing her arms around. “This isn’t a dream, right?”

“I hope not,” you say, laughing along with her.

It feels good to be in her presence again. Hana’s excitement is always contagious, and you find her so easy to talk to—it’s almost as if you haven’t been apart from each other for over a year.

You sit at her dining table—the one that Taehoon had built—getting lost in each other’s stories and filling each other in on anecdotes that were too difficult to translate into writing.

“Damn!” Hana says, shaking her head in disbelief. “I still can’t believe it.”

“What? That I’m here?” you say with a grin.

“Well that too,” Hana says sheepishly. “But that Major Ahn retired. So much has changed. Every time I get new news, I’m gasping in shock.”

“I guess it’s been an eventful year,” you say. “He lives with his daughter now.”

“His daughter??” Hana’s eyes widen. “He has a daughter? Since when was he married?”

You laugh. “Since he enlisted!”

“He never talked about a family!” Hana pouts. “I just can’t believe it. Of all people! I thought Major Ahn would stay ‘til the very end!”

You suppose it’s easy to assume that. On the outside, Major Ahn is serious about his work; he’s got a cold, hard shell, and it’s hard for most people to get past that. But from what you’ve discerned from both Nayoon’s stories and observing him closely (as you do with everyone), you know that he deeply, deeply cares for the people in his inner circle—even if he may not express his care for them out loud.

“Wasn’t he the fourth sector captain?” Hana continues. “So who took his place?”

“Nayoon,” you tell her. “Well, I guess she’s Major Im, now.”

“The Elunian prodigy???” Hana gasps. “Why didn’t you tell me all of this? I’m going to get a heart attack from all of the news! Is there anything else?”

“Well, since Nayoon was the third sector captain, Wonmi took her place—”

“You mean Captain Bak?!” Hana flails her arms around. “She’s so intimidating! I’ve never heard anyone call her by her first name!”

You smile. “I guess it just happened gradually.”

“You’re just casually going to admit you’re friends with the Captain Bak?”

“Well, we worked pretty closely together,” you say sheepishly. “Especially after Hyojung’s injury.”

“I keep forgetting you were a temporary second sector captain!” Hana says. “I remember when you first told me in a letter, I screamed so loudly that Taehoon thought I was dying!” She shakes her head. “But on a more serious note, how’s Major Jang? Is she walking fine?”

“Walking? She’s running again,” you say with a smile. “All those morning strolls with Jeonwoo have paid off. She’s training to get back on the battlefield, and I think she’ll be fighting by summer.”

“It all comes together,” Hana says with a happy sigh. “And what about you? Are you still an officer?”

“O-Oh! About that…”

Hana’s eyes widen. She can read you like a book—just from the tone of your voice.

“No way. Were you promoted? And you didn’t even tell me???” she shrieks. “This is an abomination!”

“It was so recent,” you say with a laugh. “It’s nothing much. I’m just taking Wonmi’s place.”

“Nothing much? Nothing much???” Hana says. “You’re a captain, Y/N!” she yells with glee. “Should I call you Captain Ryu from now on? Oh, that sounds so cool! I need an autograph from you before I won’t be able to get ahold of you anymore!”

“Oh, Hana,” you giggle. “You’ll always get ahold of me. And besides, they still won’t let me fight. So I’m not even sure if I’m a real captain.”

“They still won’t let you fight???” Hana gasps. “Who do I have to fight to make them change their minds?”

You laugh. “Hopefully no one. But it’s fine, I think,” you say. “I have the same responsibilities as I did as an officer, but I also coordinate for the second sector too. It works out. The sector’s smaller than the others anyways, so they don’t need three officers fighting there. At least, that’s what I was told.”

You still remember receiving that disappointing news. But it was really no use in arguing, especially when both the Lieutenant and General were in agreement.

“We weren’t in the position to choose a new face to be the second sector captain,” Suhyun had said apologetically. “I know this isn’t what you probably wanted, Y/N, and I’m sorry.”

You’d looked towards the General, wondering what he had to say about the recent development. He’d avoided eye contact.

It makes you think there’s another reason—his own reason—that he’s barred you from fighting all this time. But these are all thoughts that belong in your mind and only your mind.

“When Taehoon and I move to Alder in the next three circas, I really hope we get placed in your sector.”

Your eyes widen. You process Hana’s words. You process them again. And again. You turn to her, mouth agape. “Wait—”

“You didn’t think a little injury would stop me from fighting for my nation again, did you?” she says with a giant grin plastered on her face. “Taehoon and I have been talking for ages about it. He even bought me a brand-new prosthetic leg! It was expensive, but he managed to keep it under our budget. Look! It’s the finest you can get from the best blacksmith in Elu!” You glance at her leg, which she flexes to show you the sheen of the metal. “With this, I feel invincible, Y/N. I swear I can run faster now. I’ve even tried doing cartwheels—this stuff really works! I know Taehoon and I’ve been talking about getting married and starting a family since forever. And I’ve wanted kids of my own for even longer than that! But we decided that we’ll get to all of that when there is no war. Because as much as I enjoyed fighting for Solaria, I don’t want my children to feel obligated to do the same. You get me, right?”

“Hana, I—”

“And you can’t change my mind, Y/N! We’ve already enlisted again—well, Taehoon did. I can technically go back any time. Oh, this is so exciting! We’d have so much fun if Taehoon and I do get placed in your sector! No more of my father’s homemade special holiday acorn bread, though. But at least we’d have pumpkin porridge!” She stops talking when she sees the worried look on your face. “I’ll be fine, Captain! You don’t have to worry about me, Y/N. What do I always say? I’m like a cockroach! You couldn’t stamp me out if you tried. I won’t let some measly Darlaean get away with hurting me or anyone I love!” she declares. “And I know you’ll take good care of me, Captain Ryu,” she says with a wink. “I like it. Captain Ryu. It sounds unreal, don’t you think? To think you’re already a captain! And it’s been like what, two years? Impressive, sir.” She grins.

You can only shake your head. Flattering you won’t distract you from the fact that you think this is a very, very bad idea, especially with summer approaching. Summer was the last season any soldier wanted to come back fighting to. “I’m just… I don’t…” You sigh, trying to form the right words in your head. “I don’t know what I’d do if you got hurt again, Hana.”

Her eyes widen, and to your surprise, she laughs. “I’ll take the time to heal and then I’ll bounce right back, of course!” When she realizes you’re being dead serious, she slumps back in her seat. “I get it,” she says. “I know you don’t want to lose someone else.” There’s a pang in your chest—the one you feel whenever you think of Doyun. It’s dull now, but it still hurts all the same. “But Y/N, you can’t contain a fire that wants to burn!” Hana says, earnestly. “I’d rather die trying than not try at all!”

“But what would Taehoon do if you’re gone? What would you do if Taehoon was gone?” you say. “I don’t want you to go through what I did, Hana.”

Hana shrugs. “I’d be devastated if he died, and he wouldn’t be able to see another lover again if I died,” Hana says as-a-matter-of-factly. “But I’m willing to risk loss,” she says. “Because if I don’t risk it all, then who will?”

You can think of about thousands of other soldiers, but it doesn’t seem like the right time to admit that. “I know I can’t stop you,” you say with a sigh.

“You really can’t,” she says with a smile.

Mirroring her smile, you reach across the table to grasp her hands. Immediately something sizzles down your spine—the strange, electric current you always feel when your hands meet with hers. Even after two years it never goes away. But in the heat of the moment, you don’t waste another second thinking about it. “I’ve always admired your loyalty to Solaria, Hana,” you say. A small pause. Don’t think so hard about things that aren’t in your control. Right. The new thing you’re trying to do. “I’ll see you in three circas, then.” Hana’s eyes light up and she squeezes your intertwined hands together, a wider grin spreading across her lips.

You’ll worry about the implications of Hana’s decision later—when there is something to actually worry about. Right now, all you have to focus on is your friend, whom you’ve traveled far to see.

Hana giggles, jumping up onto her legs. “Come on! I wanna show you the garden! Did you see the red flowers out there? They were my idea. Oh, I’m so proud of it! Even though Taehoon did most of the heavy lifting. He’s actually a little nervous about moving to Alder. He doesn’t know how to wield fire, but I told him that he doesn’t need to know! But I did tell him that I could teach him—only if he taught me how to wield earth. It’ll be like a little exchange! I’m so excited, Y/N. I can’t wait to go back.”

You smile at her, following her out the door of her quaint home. Her excitement is contagious as usual. And you suppose it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to have one of your closest friends in close proximity to you once again. Besides, Hana’s right. You can’t really contain a fire that wants to burn.

“You wanted to see me?” Lieutenant Ki tentatively pulls back the curtains to the entrance of Yoongi’s tent. He’s sitting at his desk, hunched over, filing through the reports from his majors and captains.

“Ah, Lieutenant Ki.” It’s always Lieutenant Ki. Never Lieutenant—that was and always will be reserved for Doyun. She bows before she stands before him, looking unsure of what he’s about to tell her. They’re not quite telepathic yet, and Yoongi thinks they never will be; at least, not in the same way that he was with Doyun. “I just wanted to discuss some matters with you.” He keeps it vague. He doesn’t mean to, but it’s different talking to Lieutenant Ki. Things are always so serious. There’s nobody to lighten up the mood, nobody to call him out on his bullshit while laughing, nobody to tell him straight to his face that he’s being a complete idiot.

He also can’t bring himself to tell Lieutenant Ki about some other matters that only he and Kang Doyun knew—like that there’s a miniscule chance that you might be a Darlaean spy. He can’t taint your image like that, and besides, it can’t be true. Why would he tell Lieutenant Ki something that’s only a far-fetched speculation? He wouldn’t want to waste her time like that.

“Just about the codes,” he quickly clarifies when he sees the slightly panicked look on Lieutenant Ki’s face.

“The codes, sir?” The look disappears on her face. “Have they finally stopped?”

“No,” Yoongi says. “Officer—I mean, Captain Ryu’s report states that they’re still repeating. It’s been two years,” he says. “I’ve been meaning to say this sooner, but I can’t quite find a good reason for us to monitor the codes anymore. It’s giving our officer more work than she needs, and she’s still adjusting to her new duties as a c—I called her an officer again, did I?” Yoongi sighs.

Lieutenant Ki nods. “Yes, you did, sir. But I agree. It was a good precaution at first, but now, I think they’ve well lost their meaning. And you’re right, sir. I also wouldn’t want to give Captain Ryu excess duties when she’s still navigating her new position.”

He almost blurts something out that he would’ve regretted. Was it a mistake promoting you? If Doyun were here, he would’ve asked her, see what she would think of that. But with Lieutenant Ki, he’s unsure of the way she’d react. It’s too risky.

But sometimes, he does regret the promotion. But they needed someone to fill up the empty space, and no one else was ready for it. Now, you have every reason to be angry. Every reason to be frustrated, too. Because now that you’re a captain, you should have every right to fight. The only thing that’s stopping you is Yoongi, himself. Well, not just Yoongi, but Lieutenant Ki as well.

She still thinks that you won’t last a day on the battlefield—not physically, of course. You’ve proven to be quite the adept fire medium; it’s almost as if you’ve never lost your connection. But she thinks that you won’t fare well mentally. Doyun’s passing only helped her argument.

Yoongi, on the other hand, thinks that you can handle everything. You’re strong, though he’s not sure if you know this about yourself. His reason for keeping you from fighting is purely selfish. It’s embarrassing, really. And weak of him. Especially since he won’t dare admit it out loud, nor does he like to dwell too much on the reason in his head.

You told him once that you find strength in his weakness, that you’d follow him until you died. But he wonders if that would still hold up if you knew the real reason. You would hate him for it. How could he be so selfish?

But there’s also a small, small part of him that wonders, what if you feel the same?

“Welcome back!” Nayoon exclaims, embracing you with one arm. “How does it feel to finally get some rest?”

You laugh. “Good. Really good. But I also couldn’t help thinking about my duties back in Alder. For Sooht’s sake, does it feel good to be back.”

“Workaholic,” Nayoon giggles, giving your shoulder a small push.

You laugh along with her, shaking your head in weak denial. “Did anything notable happen while I was gone?”

“Well, you’ve barely been gone for 48 hours,” Nayoon says with a smile. “So not really. I guess the only thing is that the General led the third sector battle today with Jaeno, Captain Bak and Captain Yoo. They left early morning, but they’re yet to come back,” she says with a slight frown. “Most likely a hold-up.”

“A hold-up?” The color drains from your face.

“Yeah, the weather wasn’t the best today. Quite a bit of fog,” Nayoon says, patting your back. “But it’s probably nothing.”

Is it? Nayoon’s only just saying that because you look faint. Why is there a lurching feeling in your stomach? Is it bad that you’re beginning to rerun all the moments you spent with the General in your head? What if he never comes back? What if you never get to see him again? You’re having trouble keeping a straight face.

“You know how it is,” Nayoon tells you. “Hold-ups happen all the time.”

“Not when he’s there.” The words accidentally slip out.

Nayoon raises her eyebrows. “He? You mean the General?” She seems to realize that you’re not exactly in the right headspace to answer the questions building inside her head, so she comforts you instead. “He’s fine, Y/N. Have you ever heard of a General who’s lasted longer?” Then, she quickly changes the topic. “Come on, are you hungry? I sort of am. Let’s grab some dinner.” When you give her a blank face, she attempts to solace you again. “It’s best not to think too much about it. We’ll get news about their whereabouts soon.”

But even after you finish dinner, there is no new news. The sky has blackened and the stars are shining, but still, the third sector is nowhere in sight. You wait for them next to a dimly lit lamp, staring blankly off into the distance. Suhyun is there too, reading some documents but glancing up every so often to see if she could spot a group of soldiers marching home.

As the agonizing hours pass, more soldiers begin to circle around the dim light, waiting for their loved ones to come home. Even Goe Ohsung waits for Wonmi, taking periodic swigs from the gourd that he never leaves behind. The mood is solemn, everyone waiting for disaster to strike. Healers have already lined up, awaiting and expecting the worst.

“You don’t think they got captured, do you, Captain?” Soobin whispers to you, and you jolt in surprise. “Sorry, sir,” he apologizes. “Didn’t know you were deep in thought.”

What Soobin doesn’t know is that you’ve been worrying about the same exact thing for the past ten minutes. What if they’ve been captured? What if he’s being tortured right this second? He’s the General, for Sooht’s sake. They would inflict bruises and deep wounds, but never enough for him to bleed out. They would mutilate him, but never enough for him to die. He’d always be hungry and thirsty, but the moment he’s about to pass out indefinitely, they’ll offer him a sip of water and a bite of moldy bread. The images are too vivid. There’s not a single doubt in your mind that being captured by the Darlaeans would be significantly worse than dying on the battlefield. You’ve seen what it can do to a person—what it’s done to Goe Ohsung—and you can’t bear the thought that the General might experience the same. That is, if he even manages to escape the Forgotten Kingdom in the first place.

Oh no.

You can’t possibly divulge Soobin of all of your worst suspicions; it’ll create unnecessary panic, and that’s definitely the opposite of your duties as a captain. You have to be hopeful, even if you don’t necessarily feel that way. A white lie here and there can’t hurt. “It’s fine, Soobin,” you tell your soldier, managing to smile just slightly. “You shouldn’t worry. It’s just a small hold-up, that’s all. They’ll be back soon.”

Soobin nods. “Okay,” he says, though he looks unsure. “Thanks, Captain.”

You want to say more, but you can’t bring yourself to. Not when you’re also unsure of the third sector’s safety.

You sink into your thoughts again, wondering if he’s doing okay. What if they’re really fine? What if they’re only marching back home, and he’s only thinking about their casualties this time around and how long it’ll take to carry the wounded to the medical tents? It feels stupid. That you’re spending so much time thinking about him when he’s probably thinking of the war. Mentally scolding yourself for being so pathetic, you decide to count the blades of grass on the ground to help pass the time.

Finally, finally, after hours of waiting and much past the twelfth chime of the water clock, you spot movement in the distance. You abruptly pause your counting (impressively enough, you’d gotten to a whopping number of 211) to slowly stand. But before you can say anything, someone else is already shouting, “They’re back!”

Suhyun’s the first one to react, jumping up to her feet and abandoning her documents on the ground. She begins to sprint toward the moving figures in the distance. Others closely follow suit, hoping to finally meet their loved ones after hours of tortuous waiting. But your feet are glued to the ground, eyes frantically searching through the faraway figures, trying to catch sight of one person and one person only.

And when you finally find him, you let out a shaky breath.

For Sooht’s sake. You feel so relieved, you could cry. All those horrible images of him being thrown behind metal bars, dirtied, bloodied and ragged vanish into thin air.

There he is, leading the pack of soldiers alongside Jaeno. Suhyun is already by her boyfriend’s side, holding onto his arm as if she’ll never let go. Zeru is there too, following closely behind the General, carrying two injured soldiers on his back. The General’s caked in mud, and exhaustion darkens his features, but he trudges along with a stern look on his face. Unfortunately, the night isn’t over yet.

When he’s much closer, your eyes finally meet. The moment only lasts for a couple of seconds—such an insignificant amount of time—but to you, it feels like an eternity. Are you imagining it, or did he look relieved to see you? Or is he just relieved to be safely back at camp? You don’t get enough time to process it, because the next thing you know, the General’s already turned away, barking orders to the healers who have already begun taking the wounded away to the medical tents.

Suhyun and Jaeno are embracing, and you can hear Jaeno apologizing for their delay. “It was hard to see with all the damn fog,” he tells her. “We should’ve brought some more air mediums with us to help clear the air, but we were short-sighted. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

She responds, but you can’t quite hear her.

From your peripheral vision, you see Wonmi and Ohsung, making their way to the cooking tent, hoping to find some scraps from dinner. She steals Ohsung’s gourd out of his hands and takes a very long drink. And he lets her.

Then there’s the General. Your eyes meet once more, and though there’s a sea of people between the two of you, you never lose focus of his face. You thank the spirits that you don’t, too, or else you would’ve missed it—the way his lips slowly move to mouth the word, “Officer.”

He’s calling you. For you.

And then you’re running.

You’re running and running and running, nearly bumping into happily weeping crowds of soldiers and healers dutifully escorting the wounded away. But you don’t stop, not until you reach him. And when you do, you tug him into your arms. He lets out a small gasp, so small that you’re sure that you’re the only one who’d heard it. But there is no hesitation as he embraces you right back, tugging you close to his chest—so much so that you can hear his irregular heartbeat.

While your hold on him is tight, almost desperate, his hold on you is gentle—as if he’s afraid of leaving dents in your figure. With his arms wrapped around your lower back and your arms wrapped around his neck, you realize you’ve never been so close to him before. Most of your encounters with the General—even if they are personal—take place a polite distance apart from each other. But this, this feels so intimate. It’s so warm in his arms, and his presence makes you feel so safe that you forget, for a moment, about the war and the fighting and the loss and the pain.

He smells of sweat and mud and something else that gives off a rusty, metallic odor. It dawns on you in seconds that it’s blood. You immediately jerk away, stepping back and searching the General’s face for any signs of pain. “Are you hurt, sir?”

He shakes his head as his hands still linger at the sides of your arms. “I’m not, Officer.” He’s given up on trying to call you ‘Captain’ ages ago, but you don’t mind. “That was quite the greeting, wasn’t it?”

Your face heats up. It only hits you now how brashly you’d acted, jumping into the General’s arms like that—as if you’re his Suhyun and he’s your Jaeno! “I’m sorry, sir,” you say, head hanging low. “I didn’t… I um, I wasn’t—”

“It’s fine,” he quickly says. “You were just worried.”

“Sir, I was worried sick!” you exclaim—maybe a little too loudly. “I was—” thinking about you the entire ride back home, wondering if you’d greet me, wondering if you’d ask me how my trip had been. But the words get stuck in your throat, and new ones take their place. “I wasn’t expecting a hold-up.”

“Neither was I,” he says apologetically. “I’m sorry I made you worry, Officer.”

You shake your head. “It wasn’t your fault, sir.”

There’s a small pause as both of you gaze into the other’s eyes. There’s something in his gaze that makes you think he wants to continue talking to you. You could also be imagining it. The General turns his head to look at the busy healers running back and forth between the tents, clearly working way overtime. He sighs. “I’ll have to help out in the medical tents.”

“But sir, you should rest,” you tell him, sternly. “You’re exhausted.”

“So is everybody else,” he says without missing a beat. He seems to hesitate, maybe mull over his options a bit before he clears his throat and speaks again: “I-If… If you’re willing to wait for me, Officer, I would love to… converse with you later.”

Oh.

Oh!

“Yes, sir, I would love to,” you say as evenly as you can manage, though your heart beats wildly in your chest. “But I’ll be in the medical tent with you,” you say, face ablaze. “I just spent the past two days on vacation. If anyone should help out, it should be me.”

Your gazes on each other linger for what seems like an eternity before the General finally nods. “Well, Officer, shall we go?” And together—though with considerable distance between the two of you—you walk towards the largest medical tent, where you’d (technically) first met each other two years ago.

The sky isn’t as dark as it was before. Morning is approaching, but it’s not quite there yet. Instead of sleeping, however, you and the General are walking side by side across the edge of the Alderian forest. It’s silent, but only because it seems both of you are thinking of the perfect topic to begin the conversation with.

There was a giddy feeling in your stomach, which felt extremely inappropriate to have in a medical tent, when the General approached you after the brunt of the injuries was taken care of. And when he’d asked you to accompany him on a late night—or early morning—stroll, your heart leaped in your chest.

Now that you’re actually here with him, the feeling is only amplified.

“It’s your birthday today, sir.” It’s not the best conversation starter, but it’s too late to take it back now, anyway.

The General blinks. “Oh,” he says. “I forgot.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t get you a gift.” You meant to, but with the possibility that he could come back dead, you didn’t really want to take any chances.

“I don’t mind,” he answers.

Silence.

“Would you like to sit down?” the General asks. “You’re staggering.”

It takes several seconds for you to register what he’d said. Then, the embarrassment kicks in. You’d forgotten how much tiredness can affect your motor skills.

It’s familiar, the way you and the General sit by the edge of the forest—just the two of you. You can’t even count the number of times that you’ve done this with him, but today especially, it feels different.

“I almost thought you were dead, sir,” you say. It’s also not a great conversation starter, but it’s late (or is it early?), and it’s hard to filter through your thoughts when you’re so fatigued.

“You looked worried,” he says. “I’ve never seen you run so fast.” When he sees the mortified look on your face, he can’t help the smile spreading across his lips. “I appreciate it,” he says. “That you were waiting for me.”

Warmth flushes across your face. “How could I not?” you say. It’s a little bold of you, but then again, it’s nearing four in the morning, and you can’t recall what’s an acceptable commentary and what’s purely professional. “How could I not wait for you, sir?”

He smiles to himself, and you would’ve almost missed it if it weren’t for the dim starlight. “Knowing you, you were already thinking of the worst,” he says.

He does know you too well.

“And knowing you, sir, you were already thinking of all the errands you had to run once you got back to camp,” you retort.

He nods. “Partly.”

“Partly?” You turn to him in dramatized aghast. “Do I not know you as well as you know me?”

He smiles. “Maybe.” You think he might elaborate, but when he opens his mouth again, the topic changes entirely. “How was your trip to Aella?”

You hide your disappointment well with a large grin. “It was great! I got to catch up with Hana. Soldier Baek,” you clarify. “She’s coming back in three circas with her boyfriend.”

“Ah, yes. I saw the documents,” the General says with a nod.

“There were a lot of things to catch up on,” you say. “I didn’t realize how much had changed around here until I witnessed Hana’s reaction. You should’ve seen the look on her face when I told her I was promoted.”

“She must be happy for you,” the General says. “She’s quite an enthusiastic person.”

“She is,” you agree. And you hesitate, wondering if it’s the right time to say this, but you do it anyway—fuck it—there’s no point keeping it inside. “She was also appalled that I’m still not allowed to fight.”

The General shifts uncomfortably. “I see.”

It frustrates you that he doesn’t say anything more. “Sir?”

“Hm?” He glances at you, a little lost in his thoughts.

“Tell me the real reason.”

His eyes snap wide open. “The real reason?” he asks with a frown.

“Yes, the real reason that you won’t permit me to fight. I’m under the impression that I’m not allowed on the battlefield because I might not be able to handle the reality of the war when I’m really out there, which I firmly disagree with,” you say. “This was the reason that I was given when I was debriefed by you and Lieutenant Ki. But there has to be more than that, sir. It just… doesn’t make any sense.”

He feels attacked.

Maybe attacked isn’t quite the right word. It’s too aggressive. But how else can he describe this feeling? Of you poking and prodding around in his head, trying to extract the thoughts that he himself tries to keep stored away in the darkest crevices of his mind?

Of course it doesn’t make sense! None of it does.

When you’d embraced him, the emotions he’d felt had been almost indescribable. When you’d confessed that you worried for him, he almost wanted to confess that he was worried for you, too. He thought about you the entire ride home, wondering if you were overthinking his absence, wondering if you were torturing yourself again with that vivid imagination of yours. And when you’d earnestly said, ‘How could I not wait for you, sir?’, he’d felt his cheeks burn. He couldn’t even stop the smile that stretched onto his lips—you surely noticed it.

What in Sooht’s name is happening to him?

When he thinks of you, he can forget that the rest of the world exists. When he sees your face, he finds it hard to keep his normal, calm demeanor. When you smile at him, he always wants to smile back.

And when he thinks about you going to war, his chest hurts.

He can’t bear it.

And with you expectantly staring at him for an answer, your face earnest and curious, dimly, beautifully lit in the moonlight, he blurts something out that he wished he’d kept to himself:

“Because I don’t want to lose you.”

Unbearable silence.

Your eyes are wide, and your mouth has parted. Yoongi doesn’t know if he should backpedal; is this reaction of yours in surprise or in disgust? He wants to know what you’re thinking. He always does.

“O-Oh… Oh, sir.”

Your voice, uncertain and quivering makes him want to stand up and run away like a coward. He’s about to open his mouth to speak—to rapidly backpedal away—when you beat him to it.

“I-I… I don’t want to lose you, either.”

You… don’t?

He feels like he’s about to burst.

Is this what pure, unadulterated happiness feels like? He hasn’t felt this in quite a long time.

“But,” you say in a voice barely above a whisper, “you can’t contain a fire that wants to burn.”

Ah, but of course. He knew you’d try to convince him, especially now that you know the ‘real’ reason isn’t such a big deal after all. But it’s true; he can’t lose you. And even more importantly, Solaria can’t lose you either. It’s not that you’re the sole reason that the tides of the war have shifted in Solaria’s favor, but you were definitely the catalyst.

What was it that you said? That you can’t contain a fire that wants to burn? But maybe he has his reasons. Maybe he doesn’t want to start a forest fire. Maybe the fire can burn just fine while being contained.

He just stares off into the distance, lost in his own thoughts, but keeping you in his peripheral vision. And maybe it’s because it’s his birthday, or you’re tired after such a long day, but you don’t push him any further.

The two of you sit, side by side, staring out into the dark sky as your last words echo between the two of you over and over and over again.

⨰ previous | series m.list | next

⨰ a/n: i can't believe that the first act will come to a close so soon. this is chapter 22 out of 25 in act I!! i'm so excited to see the end to this and begin working on act II! i hope you enjoyed this chapter :) always make sure to stay healthy and bundle up because this is the second time i've caught a cold in a month 😭

please consider telling me your thoughts with a comment, an ask or a reblog :) i love hearing readers' impressions/rambles/predictions! if you want to join the taglist, send in a private message, ask, reply to this post or reblog with your request!

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iamsarasowmya · 2 months

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The top trends in wine tourism for 2024!

Wine tourism, once a niche pastime for enthusiasts and connoisseurs, has blossomed into a burgeoning industry. If there’s one thing perennially in vogue, it’s wine — and the experiences surrounding it are always evolving.

According to the latest findings from Future Market Insights, the global wine tourism revenue is on a trajectory towards unprecedented growth, with estimates suggesting that the market could reach a monumental US$ 292,538.4 Million by 2033.

This marks a significant milestone for this thriving segment of the tourism industry. One of the driving forces behind this growth is the evolving preferences of modern travelers.

Today’s explorers crave more than passive sightseeing; they yearn for authentic, immersive experiences that leave lasting impressions.

For 2024, the wine tourism landscape is abuzz with innovations and trends that promise to redefine how you operate wine tourism activities. In this in-depth exploration, we’ll uncork the top trends that you need to know to stay ahead of the curve and delight the palates of a new generation of wine lovers.

This interpretation could serve as an exclusive guide for travelers and your fellow professionals in the wine industry.

Top Wine Tourism Trends Shaping the Future!

1. Sustainable Sipping

Sustainability has transcended being a mere buzzword; it’s now a fundamental principle guiding consumer choices and industry practices. This shift towards eco-consciousness is particularly pronounced in the wine sector, where wineries are increasingly embracing environmentally-friendly initiatives.

From adopting organic and biodynamic farming methods to implementing green energy solutions and reducing carbon emissions, wineries are taking proactive steps to minimize their environmental impact. And as wine tour operators, it’s essential for you to recognize and leverage this growing commitment to sustainability.

Today’s wine tourists actively seek experiences that align with their values. They’re drawn to wineries with a strong environmental ethos, eager to support establishments that prioritize conservation and regeneration.

As tour operators, you are responsible for catering to these preferences and offering experiences that resonate with the eco-conscious traveler. Imagine vineyard tours conducted via electric vehicles or bicycles, allowing guests to explore the lush landscapes while minimizing their carbon footprint.

Beyond the feel-good factor, embracing sustainability is also a savvy business move. Leading the charge in conservation efforts may attract more visitors and foster stronger brand loyalty.

2. Wellness Wine Retreats

There’s a whole new trend that is taking the wine industry by storm – Wellness Wine Retreats.

Imagine blending the relaxation of a spa retreat with the indulgence of wine tasting. That’s exactly what wellness wine retreats offer.

These forward-thinking vineyards are going beyond the traditional pour and are instead curating holistic experiences designed to soothe the soul, rejuvenate the body, and educate the mind.

At these retreats, guests can indulge in a variety of wellness activities set against the backdrop of picturesque vineyards.

But these retreats offer more than just relaxation; they also create a deeper connection to the wine and its origins. By immersing guests in the vineyard experience, from the cultivation of the grapes to the final pour, wellness wine retreats foster a profound appreciation for the craft and the land it comes from.

And as the demand for health-conscious experiences continues to rise, wellness wine retreats are poised to become even more popular in the years to come.

3. Technology Integration The digital revolution has arrived in the vineyard, and it’s revolutionizing the way you offer wine tourism activities. Technology integration is no longer a mere novelty, it’s a game-changer that’s reshaping every aspect of the wine tourism journey, from booking to post-visit engagement.

More than ever, having a strong online presence is very essential to stay competitive in the industry. And with the integration of technology, from tour booking software to Virtual Reality (VR), the possibilities for enhancing the wine tourism experience are endless.

Wineries are leveraging advanced online booking software to automate bookings, streamline operations, and enhance customer service. Tour booking software, like Advensure, simplifies the reservation process, allowing guests to book tours, manage payments, and receive confirmations with ease.

Additionally, they’re harnessing the power of virtual reality (VR) to offer immersive tours, providing visitors with a 360-degree view of the vineyards and interactive insights into the winemaking process. This cutting-edge approach brings the vineyard experience to life like never before.

4. Emerging Wine Regions

While classic wine regions like Bordeaux and Napa Valley will always have their allure, wine tourists are increasingly seeking out new and untapped destinations.

Emerging wine regions in countries such as Uruguay, Greece, China, and India are beginning to gain recognition for the quality of their wines and the uniqueness of their cultural offerings.

This trend represents a golden opportunity for you to diversify your offerings and for wineries to carve out a niche in a less-crowded market. Emerging wine regions not only provide a fresh and unique experience for visitors but can also offer a more affordable alternative to established vineyards.

5. Culinary Collaborations

In 2024, the union of food and wine will be not just a pairing but an art form, a culinary collaboration that elevates the entire wine tourism experience.

And at the forefront of this trend is the rise of gastronomic tourism, where wineries partner with top chefs to create unforgettable dining experiences in picturesque settings.

But it’s not just about the food and wine. It’s about the entire experience. Every detail, from the farm-fresh ingredients to the meticulously selected vintages, is carefully crafted to create a multi-sensory adventure that delights even the most discerning palate.

As wine tour operators, embracing gastronomic tourism opens up a world of possibilities for creating unforgettable experiences for your guests. Partnering with top chefs, sommeliers, and local producers allows you to offer unique wine-paired dining experiences that rival enticing food and wine enthusiasts from near and far.

6. Affordable luxury

Wine enthusiasts seek experiences that offer the perfect blend of indulgence and accessibility. Today’s travelers are looking for high-quality experiences that won’t break the bank.

Luxury doesn’t have to mean exclusive or expensive; it’s about value and experience. By rewarding consumer loyalty, you can make luxury more affordable and accessible.

Wineries recognize the importance of rewarding consumer loyalty by providing access to rare and limited wines, private tasting rooms, and special events.

This trend acknowledges the loyal wine aficionados who have bought multiple bottles or subscribed to wine clubs. It presents these consumers with a more personalized and exclusive experience, making them feel like they’re part of the winery’s inner circle.

7. Personalized experiences

One of the most significant trends in wine tourism is the move towards highly personalized experiences. Wine enthusiasts are seeking tours that can be tailored to their unique tastes, schedules, and group dynamics.

Wineries are responding by offering a menu of experiences that can be mixed and matched, and so do you. Whether it’s blending their wine, embarking on a private vineyard tour, or enjoying a personalized tasting with the winemaker, guests can create a bespoke itinerary that suits their tastes and interests.

This ultra-personalized approach makes for a memorable visit that resonates with the guests more profoundly.

Conclusion

In conclusion, wine tourism is a dynamic and diverse playground filled with opportunities for innovation and growth. In a landscape defined by changing consumer preferences, environmental challenges, and technological advancements, the wine industry is not only adapting but thriving.

The trends you’ve explored are not just shaping the wine tourism industry; they’re opening up exciting avenues for exploration, enjoyment, and engagement for professionals and wine enthusiasts alike.

As wine tour operators, it’s your responsibility to embrace these trends, harness their potential, and continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in wine tourism.

#tour #traveling #tourism #winetour #tourist

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vesper-roux · 1 year

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The Monolith

For a 500-word writing competition, I wrote a piece. I didn't win, but I still like it. Really, the only things I kind of wished I changed before submitting it was to switch Malus' name with Arboreous', considering what their allusions are supposed to be. My prompts were Environmental Drama, Escaping Reality, and Paradigmatic. I looked into media that is classified as the genre, and much to my expectation and glee, Princess Mononoke, Wall-E, and The Lorax are such titles, so perhaps you can see the influences from them.

Domina Malus hoisted up Lilium so she could sniff the projection. Pink blossom pixels wavered in the wind, which blew in from an outlet she could never find and smelled like what the class program called petrichor, from rains she never experienced. Combined with the petrichor, the blossoms prompted a pleasant sweet scent from the vents. Prunus serrulata, the course named it.

Setting down Lilium with bionic movements, the madam herded the class together. Children gathered in the digital orchard surrounded by monoliths; plastic pouches deflated as they slurped artificial juice.

“As you can see, the Monolith is exemplary,” Domina Malus said matter-of-factly, which the students used to politely replace boringly. The madam’s hand extended, an invisible offer of knowledge. Unlike the kids, she moved with stiff restraint. Unlike the kids, her rectangular mouth slit flashed temperament-dependent colors when she spoke. Unlike the kids, she had no facial features. Her mouth glinted a mellow blue: “It produces a perfect glimpse into the past and the perfect conditions for life. It’s a comfort, a promise that we can continue, even when the Vitrum separates us from the barren land below from which you originated.”

Lilium looked down with many of the other children, and they waved their hands to clear the ground projection. Like fog dispersing, green grass pixels dispelled. A glassy sheen replaced it, and underneath their feet stretched a distant surface of tan and beige: a globe of shattered plains. Like a dried soap bar.

Except soap is useful, Lilium mused.

“And that concludes our break.” Domina Malus ignored the children’s disappointed moans. “Discipula Albus,” she called, alarming Lilium to attention, “would you gather the waste?”

Lilium complied, a plastic bag in hand. She left Discipulus Galanthus for last. He always finished last. Then she took it to the garbage chute, where it would fall to the pestalotiopsis microspora on the fruitless plane below the all-encompassing Vitrum.

The orchard scene dissipated, save of their stone seats and desks and surrounding monoliths. Below, their dead planet lit by the Vitrum slowly revolved. Above them through tinted glass, the sun shone.

“Now, our home,” Domina Malus said mechanically when her students settled in place, “Sector 4-9 of the Vitrum is—”

The children sat in silent wait for her bionic movements. No lights showed in her rectangular mouth. She did not move.

The tinted glass above them set into a starless night, and the Monolith withdrew all its sensory inputs with a sound like an imploding gasp, bathing the room in a stale darkness that barely even the blanketed planet below could lighten.

“Dominus Arboreus?” Lilium beckoned, waiting for that electronic authority on the speaker, then Freesia pleaded the same, then Dryas and Syringa, and then Myrtus and Galanthus as well, each voice joining an alarmed chorus hailed with silence.

Tendrils suffused and festered over the clear pane underfoot. Without comfort from the Monolith, their home's paradigmatic virtual reality, the children’s screams rose.

#vesper's writing #if i have the time and interest i might come back to this and make it its own novel/la #vesper posts

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dansnaturepictures · 1 year

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21/02/23-Lakeside and home

Photos taken today in this set; one of a Greylag Goose and one of a Canada Goose on my lunch time walk at Lakeside which it was lovely to get close intimate views of by beach lake especially the greylag and hear them on the walk, a couple of landscapes at Lakeside, Kornwestheim lake at Lakeside with stunning reflections of trees something I enjoyed on the walk, my first crocuses and also one of my first blossom at Lakeside this year which was exciting, a group of luminous Goldfinches on a tree out the front, an interesting sky scene as the sun poked through a bit this afternoon and the shiny Silver-sided Sector spider the other side of the window tonight.

The Lakeside blossom and crocuses, alongside the beautiful yellow flower of forsythia on the hedge out the front, fused with seeing the pair of Great Crested Grebes at Lakeside again and some Black-headed Gulls there with delicious prominent dark brown summer plumage heads (I enjoyed seeing these closely on the green out the front at the end of the walk too) gave me an uplifting and enticing feeling of hope for spring days. Other standout species seen today were Robin at Lakeside and in the garden, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, violets and Wren heard at Lakeside.

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thememory · 1 year

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↳ @pseudodead (tseng) gifted: Elmyra and Tseng had known the song and dance of Aerith's birthday since the Turk's youth : a simple agreement to stay away. to allow her a moment, if only once a year, of feigned normalcy. hence, his gifts only ever appearing whilst they would be enjoying breakfast [ ... ] tucked neatly into a corner of the Church that only she would even think to look. this year? sat a small plant. one which had patiently awaited its future gift status atop his desk since his last trip to Wutai.

------SHE'D BECOME SOMETHING of a known name in wall-market now, for her status as rare plant proprietress. seeds traded, hands shaken, gil exchanged for flora and fauna alike that were given a chance somewhere in the sprawling garden of her sector 5 home. over her many years of tending to those precious things they blossomed, cross-bred, and sprawled even further than the actual property of elmyra's earnest cottage. her dream was that all of the slums would be covered, someday.

tseng was special. he knew her most secret, most precious flower. she'd taken his hand, dowsed his well-fitted suit and well-kept hair, and shown him the luminary blooms of the herself-titled moon flowers. something gentle to remind him that there was life worth saving beneath the plates. (he wore such responsibilities. she worried so often that he would crumble beneath the weight of his own). he came around less, his work load grew, and aerith treasured every moment she got to speak to her dear old friend. even elmyra was in the shadows about her moon flowers.

habit had her depositing her things in the corner of the church before tending to those blooms. only those grew here, purposely kept away from the rest of her garden, no cross-breeding, no mixes in. special. the first to grow. but her eye caught the pot, alone and stark against the dilapidated wood of the church, and a private sort of smile immediately upturned aerith's lips. she crouched to cradle the gift in both palms, to study the green of the leaves, to wonder with appreciative gaze where this little fellow originated.

and somehow she knew. it dawned on her naturally, dots connected to a dear old friend and that private smile flourished into something that stole the features of her face entire. " thank you, tseng. " her voice echoed in the church, and the potted plant was set atop her things for the return trip home.

she knew just the place to put it, too.

#v. answered #v. main remake #pseudodead #pseudodead: tseng #pseudodead: tseng 1 #birthday shenanigans~#i have so many feelings

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lea-panthera · 2 years

Text

And here's the sixth part!

Chapter 15: The First Sentidemon

“You really don’t need to help, Marieta. I’ve got this.”

Marinette rolls her eyes and threads her needle with white thread. “I want to, Kit. You’ve done so much for us.”

Queenie comes into the living room with a platter of freshly baked macarons. Pollen sits on her shoulder, watching them with a prim but soft expression on her tiny face.

“Yes, you have,” Queenie says firmly, setting the platter on the carpet. She gently takes the needle and fabric from Kit’s hands. “And you’re going to relax now while Mari and I finish the outfits.”

Kit smiles tiredly and sits down on the ground. The kwamis land on her shoulders, head, lap, and neck, nuzzling her as they eat their macarons. Marinette grabs a macaron and passes another one to Queenie, careful to not get any on the fabrics.

"Are those cookies I smell?" Ajax's voice floats in from the kitchen.

Kit giggles. "Over here, Ajax!"

He walks in and promptly sits down beside Kit. He grabs multiple macarons and leans his head on Kit's shoulder as Plagg gulps down the rest of his cheese and lands beside Tikki on the arm of Marinette's chair.

"Avis and Philip are in the Multiverse Burrow," Ajax informs them. "They're trying to track the sentidemons that aren't in Sector 21."

"I wonder how Roi Paon managed to travel and export sentidemons between universes without the Horse or the Rabbit miraculouses," Kit muses aloud, running her fingers through Ajax's neon green hair. He hums, satisfied.

"He probably created a sentidemon to do so," Marinette says.

Suddenly, a portal opens up in the living room, and Chevalapin jumps out, startling everyone there. Queenie shrieks, Kit scrambles back, and Ajax and Marinette automatically jump up and assume fighting positions. They relax at seeing who it is, but then tense again at the panicked expression on his face.

"There's a sentidemon attacking the Paris in Queenie's universe," he says, and Queenie's eyes widen.

Marinette exchanges a glance with Kit. "This is going to be our first battle with a sentidemon," she says, turning to the now pale Queenie, "but I think we can handle it. This is like...an experiment. We'll try over and over again with this one and find what works for us. We can do this."

Queenie takes a deep breath, then nods, standing up. "You're right. Let's do this."

"Where's Zara?" asks Chevalapin.

"Napping in the bedroom," replies Kit, getting up.

"We'll get her. Get Avis out of the Multiverse Burrow and recharge your kwamis, Philip. We'll meet you back here," Marinette says, grabbing Queenie's hand and following Kit to the girls' bedroom.

"Please hurry!" Chevalapin calls after them.

Chapter 16: Brothers And Sisters

The two Adriens watch the three go, then Chevalapin enters the portal and comes back out with Avis, who’s dressed in an indigo tank top with silver cherry blossoms along the neckline and white capris.

“We’re going to battle that sentidemon,” Ajax tells her. “The other girls are changing in the bedroom.”

Avis gives him a nod and heads off in that direction.

Chevalapin closes the portal and detransforms. “You guys need to recharge and get ready for battle,” Philip tells the kwamis. They fly off to the kitchen.

Ajax notices that Philip’s hands are shaking.

“Phil,” he says, “you good?”

Philip shudders and covers his eyes with a hand. “This is going to be my first time battling a sentidemon after…after what happened,” he replies quietly.

Ajax places a hand on Philip’s shoulder. “It’s going to be okay this time around. Besides, we aren’t facing the entire army right now. Just one. We’ll be okay, Philip.”

Philip just shakes his head. "How will we be okay, Ajax? Only Zara and I have fought them before, and they defeated us with little effort. Everything we’ve practiced, everything we’ve done so far…it’s all theory. The real thing requires experience.”

“But we won’t gain experience if we don’t fight one ourselves, Phil,” Ajax cuts in. “Think about it: this one is on its own. We fight it, most likely defeat it, and then we can reflect and come up with a better game plan. If Mari can look through the grimoire and find something that can help upgrade our powers by then, then great! We’ll be much closer to defeating Roi Paon himself!”

Philip hesitates. “I just don’t want to see any of you get hurt. I dragged you into this. If I had just recognized who Roi Paon was-“

“You’re not the cause of this, Philip,” Ajax says sharply. “Don’t forget, I lived under the roof of my archnemesis, too. In fact, it was only after you and Zara revealed his identity to us that I realized that it was him.”

Philip says nothing.

“Phil, we’re ready to fight by your side. Zara loves you more than the sun and moon, and the other Marinettes consider you to be their brother. And so do I.” Ajax pulls Philip into a side hug. “We signed up for this ourselves, and we’re not backing down.”

Philip grins. “Okay, then. If you say so.”

Ajax grins back and holds out a fist. “L’Espoir…”

“Unite!” Philip cheers, bumping it with his own. The two laugh.

…

Marinette ties her hair back into a high ponytail with a red ribbon. Excitement and nervousness bubble up in her stomach.

Queenie has already changed into her combat suit and is pacing the length of the room, muttering under her breath in a mixture of panic and anger.

“I can’t believe this. The audacity he has to attack my universe and steal the Ladybug-OH NO! THE LADYBUG MIRACULOUS IS WITH CHLOÉ! Oh, this is bad, this is so, so bad! And Adrien’s there too! Oh, if the sentidemon so much as touches him, I’ll send Roi Paon to hell!”

Marinette gives Queenie a hug from behind, trying to stay optimistic. “Whoa, whoa, calm down there, bee. It’s going to be just fine. We’ll kick this sentidemon’s butt, and then Roi Paon’s. Got it?”

Queenie giggles.

Avis dangles upside-down from her bunk. “And you get to see Tortue~.”

Queenie blushes hard as Marinette and Avis roar with laughter. Kit comes in from the bathroom wearing her combat suit and looks at them.

Avis jumps down from her bunk, bounds over to Kit, and throws an arm around her shoulders. “Sing along with me, Kit. Queenie and Tortue, sitting in a tree…”

Kit smirks and joins in. “K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”

Marinette clutches her stomach, wheezing as she tries to control her giggling.

Once they all calm down(and Queenie’s face no longer resembles a tomato), Kit says, “We should probably wake Zara up.”

They somber up as they remember the task at hand.

Marinette strides over to Zara’s bunk and sits at the edge. She places a hand on the sleeping girl’s hip and shakes her slightly. “Zara?”

Zara moans into her pillow. “What?”

“We need to go fight a sentidemon.”

Zara bolts upright. “What?”

“A sentidemon managed to travel to Queenie’s universe,” says Avis. “We’re going out to fight it.”

Zara trembles. Marinette places a hand on her shoulder, concerned. “Zara?” she asks gently. “You don’t need to come if you don’t want to.”

“We understand,” Queenie says softly.

“No! I mean, no, I-I’ll come,” Zara replies. “It’s just that…” She places a hand over Marinette’s and squeezes it. “…I don’t want any of you to get hurt.”

Kit’s lip quirks up. “It’s fine if we get hurt. We’re superheroes. It’s kind of an occupational hazard.”

Zara shoots her a glare. “You’ve been spending way too much time with Ajax.”

Avis snorts, then walks over and hugs Zara. “Don’t worry about us, Zara. We can take care of ourselves.”

All of the Marinettes crowd in for a group hug, Zara crying tears of gratitude. When they part, she wipes her tears and stands up, a determined glint in her eyes. She looks at the four girls, all identical to her, standing in front of her.

Her alternate versions. Her sisters.

“Alright, girls,” Zara says. She winks. “Let’s go kick some sentidemon butt.”

Chapter 17: The Skirmish

L'Espoir stand in a circle in the living room, their kwamis sitting on their shoulders.

"So, once we enter the universe," debriefs Marinette, "Zara will act as bait while the rest of us try to find the amok gem. Once we find it, we'll regroup in the alley behind the bakery and come up with a plan."

"What do we do about Tortue and Red Lady?" asks Zara.

"Avis, Queenie, do you guys mind explaining everything to Tortue? It's likely he won't believe us completely, but just let him know that we're there to help," Marinette says. The pair nods their assent, and Marinette turns to the rest of the group. "I'll handle Red Lady."

"What about Hawkmoth? Are we going to go after him?" Queenie asks.

Zara, Philip, Ajax, and Kit look at each other, then Zara sighs. "I'll take care of him. We know his secret identity because it's the same , so I should be able to catch his civilian self unawares and steal the miraculous from him."

Avis crosses her arms. "You know the identity of Roi Paon, and you didn't tell us? Don't you think we should know?"

"Hey!" Roaar exclaims from his holder's shoulder. "Don't scold Zara!"

“I think we have a right to know,” says Queenie, hurt.

Marinette bites her lip. She feels just as affronted as Avis and Queenie, but she can understand why keeping it a secret might be necessary.

She herself knew all about secrets.

She sighs. "Let's not go into this now. There's not time to waste. But we will want answers later."

Zara nods, then transforms into Tigris. Philip transforms into Chevalapin and Ajax transforms into Chat Nuit. Kit transforms into Vixen and looks at the remaining three Marinettes expectantly.

Avis transforms into a peacock-themed superhero. Her wavy bob becomes longer and dark blue, fading to purple at the tips. The scleras of her eyes become purple, and the irises magenta. Her skin becomes a light shade of blue. Kohl lines her eyes, and the mask around her eyes is dark blue with small pink beads on the rim and silver lace on the exterior. She wears a dress similar to Mayura's, minus the fluff around the neck and wrists. Instead, her hands and forearms are magenta, giving the illusion of long gloves. The material on her legs is also magenta, but the short high-heeled boots she wears are the same dark blue as her dress. The rim of her boots are decorated with magenta and silver swirls.

"I am now Bluebird," she says.

There's a flash of yellow light as Queenie transforms. Her suit is similar to Marinette's in that it's simple and tightly fit. It's highlighter yellow, with black fuzz around the ankles, wrists, and neck. The area around her hips is black, with diagonal yellow stripes. She sports two black stripes on her biceps, forearms, forelegs, and abdomen. The ones on her abdomen meet at her middle, forming two V's, one on top of the other. Her hair forms a ponytail that looks like a stinger with its black and yellow stripes and curled tip. Her mask is black with three gold stripes running through it horizontally.

"I'm Honeybee," she says.

Marinette transforms and says, "And I'm Ladybug. Let's go!"

"Is everyone's earpieces still on?" Kit asks, tapping her ear. There are sounds of assent from around the circle.

Chevalapin opens the portal to the Multiverse Burrow. They all go through the portal to find Chevalapin holding the globe of light that represents Queenie's universe.

"Is everyone ready?" he asks.

Ladybug looks around and nods.

Chevalapin says, "Paris," and lets go of the ball of light as it shows them a vision of a destructive sentidemon ravaging their city. Ignoring the horrified gasps of his comrades, Chevalapin makes the ball bigger by pulling on it and dives into it. The others follow suit.

The next thing they know, they're hurtling out of the sky toward the sentidemon. Ladybug wraps her yo-yo around a statue and her arm around Bluebird's waist and swings the two of them to a nearby rooftop.

"Thanks," Bluebird mutters. "See the amok gem yet?"

Ladybug scans the scene. The destructor is wreaking havoc on the once peaceful city. People are running around, screaming, and many buildings have been crushed.

The destructor itself is about the same height of the Eiffel Tower and is an inky black humanoid, hulking figure with enlarged fists that are out of proportion with its body. It has two glowing red eyes on its face. There's no gem in sight.

"No sign of it," replies Ladybug. She turns to Bluebird, whose attention is directed elsewhere.

"Look, it's Tortue and Red Lady," she responds, gesturing to their right with her chin.

Ladybug turns there to see the heroes standing a few rooftops away. Tortue is doubled over and panting with exhaustion, while Red Lady is yelling at him.

"We need to separate them," Ladybug says, her lucky vision highlighting the Eiffel Tower. "Tortue may hate Red Lady, but he'll probably view a threat to her as a threat to him, too."

"I'll talk with Tortue." Honeybee's voice comes out of Ladybug and Bluebird's earpieces with startling clarity. "I'll try to explain as much as I can to him with the time we have."

"Okay, great," Ladybug replies. "Vixen, we need a distraction."

"On it."

"Chat Nuit, I need you and Chevalier to examine the destructor up close and find the amok gem. Has he recharged yet?"

“I’m ready to go,” says Chevalier.

“Perfect. Tigris, I assume you’re on Hawkmoth’s tail already?”

“Tracking him down as we speak.”

“Okay, let us know when you get his Miraculous. I’ll take care of Red Lady,” says Ladybug, muting the microphone on her earpiece. She sees Honeybee land beside Tortue and smiles as Tortue immediately embraces the bee heroine.

“Bluebird, keep an eye on the fight. Chat Nuit and Chevalier might need help,” Ladybug tells the heroine crouching beside her.

Bluebird gives her a nod. "Got it. Good luck with Red Lady."

Ladybug smirks. "I don't think it'll be necessary."

She swings towards where Red Lady is yelling at Honeybee. Standing between them, arms crossed and glaring at Red Lady, is a defensive Tortue.

Without saying a word, Ladybug picks Red Lady up, slings her over her shoulder, and swings toward the Eiffel Tower.

"HEY!" Red Lady screeches. "PUT ME DOWN, YOU DISGUSTING WANNABE! WHO ARE YOU ANYWAY!?"

Ladybug reaches the highest platform in the Tower and deposits Red Lady on the ground. Before Red Lady can react, Ladybug pulls off her earrings. In a flash of pink light, Tikki flies out, staring at Ladybug, confused, and Red Lady detransforms into Chloé Bourgeois.

"HOW DARE YOU!" The girl yells, getting up and stomping her foot angrily. "WAIT TILL MY DADDY HEARS ABOUT THIS!"

She tries to charge at Ladybug, who dodges her quite easily.

Ladybug wraps her yo-yo around Chloé and stares at her impassively. "Till your daddy finds out that his daughter has been frolicking around Paris in a skin-tight spandex suit, you mean? I bet he doesn't know that yet."

"You're ridiculous," says Chloé. She narrows her eyes at Ladybug. "Utterly ridiculous."

The superheroine rolls her eyes. “Glad to see that you haven’t changed one bit,” she deadpans. “Now, you are going to stay right here while we defeat the sentidemon.”

“And why should I listen to you?”

“Let me put it this way.” Ladybug lets go of Chloé and spins her yo-yo, getting ready to swing away. “If you stay put, then you get your miraculous back. If not, then you can kiss your days of being Red Lady goodbye.”

“HOW DARE YOU-“

“Think about it.” Ladybug wraps her yo-yo around a distant chimney and throws Chloé a mischievous wink that would’ve made Cat Noir proud. “Bug out!”

She smirks as she swings away, Chloé’s incessant yells fading behind her. That smirk, however, quickly disappears when she sees the rest of L’Espoir minus Tigris struggling to battle the sentidemon.

Ladybug turns her muted earpiece back on. “Guys,” she says frantically, “I’ve taken care of Chloé. What’s going on with the sentidemon?”

“Oh, thank the kwamis,” she hears Vixen mutter.

“Ladybug, we need your lucky charm,” says Honeybee, her voice fearful. “We’ve checked everywhere, but there’s no amok gem!”

“What?” Ladybug breathes. “But how is it being controlled, then?”

“I don’t know, bug,” replies Chat Nuit, his voice tense, “but we need to figure that out as fast as we can.”

"Guys, I've dropped off the Butterfly and Peacock miraculouses with Master Fu," says Tigris. "I'm heading over to the scene now. What's the situation?"

"There's no amok gem, apparently," Ladybug replies, trying not to panic.

"What?!?" Tigris shrieks. Ladybug winces at the shrill sound coming through her earpiece. "Can Roi Paon control them from other universes?!?"

"Not possible," Chevalier replies. "There's a range limit as to how far a sentimonster or sentidemon can go before the owner loses control of it. Even if Roi Paon's range limit has increased, it most likely can't go as far as another universe."

"Let's search for it one more time," Ladybug says, "and then I'll use my Lucky Charm."

She hears their assent and turns to Tikki, who has been watching her silently.

"Tikki, take the earrings and hide. Get back to Chloé once the sentidemon's been taken care of."

The red kwami nods and takes the offered earrings. Ladybug watches her fly away, and then determinedly swings into the chaotic battle.

…

Ladybug breathes out heavily, wincing as she stands up and limps toward her fallen yo-yo.

They had been fighting the sentidemon for hours, trying to find the amok gem while attempting to reduce the destruction caused by the sentidemon. They had so far failed to do both.

"Ladybug...do...do the lucky charm." Chat Nuit's weak voice filters in through her earpiece. She spots him leaning heavily on Vixen and clutching his stomach. He looks up and makes eye contact with Ladybug.

"Chat Nuit's right. There's nothing we can lose at this point," Chevalier says gently.

"We can't keep looking for the amok gem, Ladybug, please," Honeybee urges.

Ladybug is too exhausted to argue.

"Lucky Charm!" she cries. She stumbles back in shock when a large red-and-black-spotted sword falls and lodges, blade first, into the ground beside her. She stares at it, then looks at the sentidemon terrorizing civilians in the distance. She can only see one solution, and her eyes widen in horror.

"Tikki wants me to...cut…the sentidemon," she says, her voice shaking.

There's a moment of silence, and then Honeybee yells, "WHAT?!?"

"Do it."

Tigris's voice is quiet, but it reverberates in everyone's ears.

"Not doing the deed will cause the loss of more civilians, Ladybug," she continues. "It must be done."

Ladybug looks out at the carnage around her. Dozens of civilians are dying, crying out for their loved ones. She swallows hard.

"Ladybug, this is Tortue."

Tortue's voice is a softer version of her own Adrien's. Ladybug holds back tears.

"I don't know if my words will carry any meaning to you, but Honeybee's given me the rundown of what's going on, and...I believe in you. You can do this. It'll be hard, but if you really are another version of Honeybee, then I trust you to save my city. Our city."

Ladybug stiffens.

This wasn't her Paris.

Or...was it?

It had the same people, but with different personalities, and fate had guided them in different directions.

A voice in her head speaks, unbidden.

But what if it was your Paris? Wouldn't you defend it with your life?

Wouldn't you defend it, even if it meant the loss of the guilty?

Forcing her hands to remain steady, Ladybug grips the handle of the sword and yanks it out with a grunt. It feels heavy, and she has to struggle to swing over to the sentidemon with it in her hands.

With a war cry, she bounds over to the nearest rooftop, attaches her yo-yo to her hip, and propels herself off, raising the sword high above her head. The sentidemon looks up at her, fiery eyes widening, and raises an arm in defense.

Time seems to slow down as the sword slices through the sentidemon's arm.

The sentidemon bellows, the weight of its other enlarged arm causing it to lean precariously on one side. Its foot suddenly slips, and the giant sentidemon crashes to the ground, causing the earth to shake.

Ladybug lands on her feet and stares at the gaping wound. Dense black smoke oozes from it, sinking to the ground in gaseous curls. Lying on the ground is a small blue sapphire that sparkles in the light. Ladybug picks it up and examines it. An amok is trapped inside.

"He's found a way to hide the amok gem inside the sentidemon," she murmurs in shock.

"What?" Bluebird says. Ladybug had forgotten her earpiece was still on.

Chevalier nimbly lands beside Ladybug. "He's made the sentidemon hollow and put the gem inside it," he says over his earpiece, his voice grim.

"So he's adapting," Tigris's voice is a low growl.

Ladybug looks at the sentidemon's pained expression as it tries to get up. Its remaining hand flails and smashes a couple of buildings. Chevalier nudges her, having already crushed the gem under his foot and released the amok within. Ladybug instantly captures it in her yo-yo and purifies it.

Instead of disappearing into dark blue bubbles, however, the sentidemon screams as it slowly disintegrates into black dust.

Ladybug gasps in horror and stumbles back, pressing her hands to her mouth. The others, save for Tigris and Chevalier, seem to be in the same state of shock as they approach Chevalier and Ladybug.

"Is that… is that supposed to happen?" Honeybee asks faintly.

"Yes," Tigris says grimly, looking like she wants to throw up. "It happens every single time."

Swallowing the dark emotions swirling inside her, Ladybug picks the sword up from where it had fallen and flings it into the air, shouting, "Miraculous Ladybug!"

The magic ladybugs fly through the practically flattened city, fixing all damage caused by the sentidemon, but Ladybug can see that it hasn’t fixed the injured civilians. It exhausts her more than usual, and she detransforms almost immediately. A winded Tikki hovers in front of her. Marinette hands her a cookie, which Tikki takes and nibbles on, watching the girl in concern.

“Are you feeling alright, Mari?” the kwami asks quietly.

The lights of the others’ detransformations dance across Marinette’s haunted face.

“This…doesn’t feel right, Tikki…” she whispers, wrapping her arms around herself. “This shouldn’t have had to happen…I shouldn’t have had to…” Her voice breaks.

Queenie hugs Marinette hard. “You did what you needed to do to save us, Marieta,” she says softly. “Don’t feel guilty.”

L’Espoir crowds in around her, a wave of concerned voices crashing over each other. It’s too much for Marinette. Too much sound, too many people, too much, too much, too much…

“STOP!” she yells. Everyone stares at her.

“Please,” she chokes out, “I need some time. Alone.”

She pushes past them and begins to run aimlessly. She keeps running, wiping tears from her eyes.

For how long she runs, she doesn’t know. Once she finally runs out of breath, she finds herself in an unfamiliar, narrow alley that ends in a dead end.

Marinette crumples against the wall, buries her face in her hands, and begins to sob. Huge, shuddering wails erupt from her throat as she lets out all of her emotions. No matter how much she cries, however, the image of the crumbling sentimonster and the sound of its dying scream are imprinted in her brain.

I did it. I killed it.

“Ma-Marinette?”

Marinette looks up to see Tikki hovering next to her. She sniffs and wipes her nose, looking away. “Go away, Tikki.”

There’s a small pause, and then Marinette feels a small warmth on the crook of her neck. She looks down to see Tikki hugging her neck and glowing softly.

“I’m so sorry, Marinette. I didn’t realize…I didn’t realize what effect this might have on you. I just found a solution and went along with it.”

Marinette’s heart melts. She lifts a hand and strokes Tikki’s small head with a pinky finger. “I don’t blame you, Tikki. It’s important that we defeat the sentidemon. It’s just…”

She sighs. “Sentidemons are beings, too, aren’t they? We don’t know much about them, but what if they have thoughts? Feelings? Just thinking about how I…I slayed the sentidemon makes me feel so…heartless.”

“Marinette, look at me.” Tikki floats up to look Marinette in the eye. “Feeling these emotions about what you just saw proves that you have a heart. Many see sentimonsters and sentidemons as things and not sentient beings. But you don’t. So no, you aren’t heartless. You regret the sentidemon’s death, which is okay. Someone had to do the deed, and it just so happened to be you. You just saved Paris…again!”

Marinette smiles tearfully. “I guess we did, hmm?”

Tikki giggles. “Yep!”

“Oh, how cute. A holder and her kwami, having a bonding moment,” a new voice says sarcastically.

Marinette and Tikki freeze and look toward the shadowed figure standing at the alley’s entrance.

“It would be a pity,” the voice drawls, “if someone interrupted it.”

Chapter 18: The Encounter

Marinette scrambles up. "Who are you?"

"Mari, behind you!" Tikki shrieks.

Marinette hears the low whistle of something approaching at high speed and manages to grab the staff and whip around before it connects with her head.

Her attacker is a woman in an orange suit with a light orange underbelly. The hands are blood red, and so are the lower legs. The mask the woman wears is also blood red, with orange along the border. Her cold blue eyes glitter dangerously behind it. Her pixie cut is red with orange tips. The thumb ring of the Rooster Miraculous shines on her right hand.

Marinette and the woman exchange punches and jabs until the woman manages to pin Marinette down. She makes a grab for her earrings, but Marinette manages to kick the woman off of her. Getting up and facing the two, she backs up against the end of the alley and removes her earrings.

"Mari?" Tikki queries, alarmed.

"Take the earrings to the team," Marinette instructs her. She clutches the earrings in her fist and dodges as the Rooster Miraculous holder takes another punch at her. Grunting, she delivers a powerful blow to the holder's jaw, knocking her out. She holds the earrings towards Tikki as the other figure advances. "Please, Tikki, there's no time!"

Tikki darts forward, grabs the earrings, and flies away, just as the other figure steps into the light. It's a tall man dressed in a blue suit with a dark blue cape. The bottom of the cape is shaped like peacock plumes. The suit itself is armored and fades to purple near the feet. Exquisite silver embroidery decorates the entire suit, giving off a regal air to the man himself. The Peacock miraculous's fan is attached to the silver belt around his waist. The miraculous itself is attached over his heart. His mask is plain dark blue, his magenta irises and light pink sceleras flashing evilly behind them. His skin is light blue, and his hair gleaming white.

"It's been a while, Miss Dupain-Cheng," the man grins. "You know what I want from you."

"Actually, I don't," Marinette growls, clenching her fists. That's only partially true: she'd easily bet any amount of money that this stranger was also after the Ladybug miraculous.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng, please think rationally."

"Think rationally? Fine, I'll think rationally! Let's see…you and your psycho girlfriend have just jumped me while I'm untransformed and tried to take my miraculous. Rationally, I think you and I are enemies."

"I'm doing it for Adrien, you insolent child! I'm doing this so I can bring back his mother and mend our family, so we can rule the multiverse together! Don't you want him to be happy?"

Marinette freezes. "Wh-what did you say?"

"If you really loved my son, you'd help me!"

She chokes. "You! Y-you're Gabriel Agreste!"

The man throws his head back and laughs as Marinette reels from the shock. "Quit the act of innocence, Miss Dupain-Cheng. This is the last chance I'm giving you. Join me. Help me bring my wife back. Help me bring the multiverse under my rule. My son shall be my heir, and you his consort!"

"You're insane," Marinette says, backing away. "I can't believe I ever idolized you."

A manic grin lights Mr. Agreste's face. "You'll regret this, Tigris. Don't forget, Roi Paon always wins. Scarlet Dawn, get her."

Marinette cries out in surprise when the rooster villain pins her to the ground. Fear courses through her.

This was Roi Paon. Roi Paon, who's the reason she had left behind her family and friends to live in a different universe. Roi Paon, who's the reason Zara screams in her sleep and Philip sometimes stares off into space, gripping whatever he's holding hard enough for his knuckles to go white.

Roi Paon, who has the capability to destroy her entire world and kill her friends and family.

Marinette frantically struggles against Scarlet Dawn's hold, but the villain is too strong. Roi Paon crouches over her.

"Turn her head to the side," he commands. Scarlet Dawn obeys. Roi Paon leans down to whisper in Marinette's ear. "I warned you, little girl, that if you stepped in my way then there would be grave consequences. Did you not learn your lesson the first time? I suppose I must get rid of you now."

He sits back up and plucks a razor-sharp feather from his fan. Its tip glows, red-hot. Tucking the fan back into his belt, he regards the defiant girl with a sneer.

"It wouldn't hurt to play with my prey a bit, would it? Any last words?"

Scarlet Dawn permits Marinette to move her head. Marinette looks up at the peacock villain and, to the best of her ability, spits on his feet. Roi Paon's lip curls in disgust.

"Fine," he snaps, lowering the tip of the feather to Marinette's cheek. "Let the fun begin."

…

"This is all my fault," Zara moans, pacing back and forth. She covers her face with her hands. "I shouldn't have brought you guys into this…this mess. I shouldn't have endangered you guys like this."

"Zara, it's okay," Queenie says softly. Her Adrien holds her around the waist, and she leans on his chest. "It's just… we're not used to seeing something like this. Usually fighting sentimonsters doesn't require the violence we just saw. Mari's just in shock."

"We're going to need some time to adapt," adds Avis, twirling a strand of hair around her finger, "but we'll be okay in the end." She strokes Duusu's head as the kwami chows down on an éclair.

Philip hugs Zara. "See? They're with us."

Before Zara can reply, a frantic Tikki zooms over.

"It's Roi Paon! He's here!" she cries, clutching the ladybug earrings to her petite body. "He's got Mari cornered in an alley!"

Zara pales. "What did you say?" she gasps.

Queenie squeezes Tortue's hand fearfully. Ajax and Kit stare wide-eyed at the ladybug kwami. Avis stops petting Duusu and gapes. Philip and Zara look at each other. Their expressions can only be described as "oh no".

"This is my fault," Zara says, shrinking into herself.

"No," Kit says sharply. She transforms into Vixen. "You couldn't have known that Roi Paon would be here, nor that he would ambush Mari. All that matters is that we find her and fight him."

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream pierces the air. Civilians look around, startled and confused.

Ajax jumps up from his seat on a park bench. "We need to go help her. Now!"

Vixen turns to Tikki, her mouth pressed into a firm line. "Lead us to Mari."

Tikki zips away, the others transforming and following her. Avis transforms into Bluebird and rests a hand on both Philip and Zara's shoulders.

"You two stay behind. No, please," she cuts them off when they begin to protest, "neither of you are in the right mindset to fight Roi Paon right now. Let us handle it. Please take some rest."

Zara looks like she's about to argue, but Philip entwines their hands, and she looks up at him. Understanding flows between them, then Zara turns back to Bluebird. "Okay. Be careful."

Bluebird hugs her. "We will."

…

Marinette can no longer sense what's going on. In fact, from the moment the burning hot feather touches her face, she has felt nothing but blinding pain. She’s pretty sure she’s screaming, and her eyes are squeezed shut and leaking tears. She fights against her restraints, but Scarlet Dawn has her pinned down well.

She feels the feather lift off of her cheek and opens her eyes. Her vision’s blurred by her watery eyes, and spots appear because of the pain.

“Good.” Roi Paon’s voice seems far away. “Let that be a message to my son.” He spits out the last word as if it were a curse.

Marinette cries out as he grabs her by the hair and lifts her head off the ground. He presses the tip of the feather to her neck.

“And so the great Tigris fell at the hands of Roi Paon,” Roi Paon sneers, “alone, defeated, and pathetic.”

This is it, Marinette thinks. This is how I die.

She closes her eyes.

Suddenly, something whooshes over her, and she hears Roi Paon shout in surprise. Her eyes shoot open, and she winces as the muscles in her throbbing cheek move.

Through her flawed vision, she sees Chat Nuit standing in a defensive stance between her and a fallen Roi Paon, his baton extended.

"Stay away from her," Chat Nuit hisses.

Roi Paon just smiles sinisterly and gets back up, swiftly grabbing a feather from his fan and creating a sentimonster shaped like a saber-toothed tiger. It growls and leaps at Chat Nuit, who braces for impact, but is knocked aside by another sentimonster, this one in the form of a hydra. Marinette can just make out Bluebird's outline from behind Roi Paon.

There's a yell of "Venom!" and a yellow blur flies out of nowhere and just misses Roi Paon. The green shield of the Turtle Miraculous's power appears around Marinette. She quickly turns her head around to see Tortue looking at her in concern, but instantly regrets it as her head pounds and spots appear in her vision.

"It's okay, Marinette," Tortue murmurs as he leans over and picks her up carefully. "I've got you."

Marinette manages to give him a faint smile before everything goes black.

-End part 6

#miraculous au #miraculous ladybug #mlb fanfic #multiverse au #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #fox!marinette #tiger!marinette #bee!marinette #peacock!marinette #horse!adrien #turtle!adrien

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silvergladeslegacygurgaon · 11 days

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SILVERGLADES LEGACY: EPITOME OF LUXURY

INTRODUCTION

Gurgaon has blossomed as a one-stop destination for those who dream of treasuring opulent resources. This true fortune is present in the form of cutting-edge technology and amenities that are a major attractive aspect for millennials.

Here, residents and investors will relish a very distinctive style of life where they will grab exquisite extravagances. This truly indulges a true essence of gratification in them, opening a massive window that eventually leads you towards an aristocratic lifestyle.

Once you visit Gurgaon, it fills you with the feeling as if you have entered a paradise, built on earth. One can all call Gurgaon as a MANMADE PARADISE !!

Gurgaon has made people go gaga over it!!

WHY?? !!

This is due to the fact associated with this exotic city, showing an incredible level of progress in a very short period of time. People from different parts of India as well as different countries are prioritising investing their hard-earned money into the real estate of this city.

DEVELOPERS’ HOME

Gurgaon, as you can refer to in other words as investors' home!!

WHY??

Gurgaon is constantly showing a very exotic level of advancement, whether it is high-end developers launching residential as well as commercial developments or whether it is a highly strengthening infrastructure.

Moreover, one will also find being enclosed with 5-star hotels, cafes, muti-cuisine restaurants, shopping malls, retail showrooms, automobile showrooms, open-air theatres, multiplexes, clubs, pubs, and much more.

In addition to this, Gurgaon has some of the world’s most acclaimed companies, situated in elite locations of this city. Working professionals in this city adore being surrounded by lots of opportunities, with regard to getting to work in multinational corporations, IT firms, start-ups, and corporate spaces.

If I speak in the context of the residential sector of this city, it offers another very exquisite advantage. It is associated with being enclosed by housing projects that have been launched by top real estate developers.

Talking specifically, I would like to highlight an upcoming residential development, launched by a realty major. By this, I am referring to the brand new project by Silverglades Group, known as Silverglades Legacy.

This project constitutes exceptionally vigorous features, directing you to a universe of opulence. This low-density construction will encompass 10.5 acres of land parcel where 5 towers will be built.

Silverglades Legacy is soon going to be launched in Sector 63A, Gurgaon which is a very prominent area of Golf Course Extension Road. This area is blossoming as a very lucrative choice among millennials.

Moreover, a total of 610 units will be accommodated here where each residence is meticulously curated. Features present in each apartment are purely customer-centric and are designed with cutting-edge technology.

This property also includes an expansive list, containing superlative amenities, out of which some I have mentioned in the following section.

Reflexology Park

Headling Garden

5.5 Acres Of Centrally Built Green Walking Courtyard

Opti Golf

Banquet Hall

Party Lawn

Jogging/Cycling Track

Fitness Centre

Splash Pool

Recreational Centres

Coffeeshop

Restaurant

Multi-Purpose Lounge

CONCLUSION

I hope that you have gained some great insights in relation to the benefits that one will acquire out of Gurgaon. In addition to this, I will also reflect light on some amazing features of Silverglades Legacy Gurgaon in my upcoming article.

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gurgaoncityfloors · 13 days

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GODREJ VRIKSHA: AN INCARNATION OF ARISTOCRACY

INTRODUCTION

Gurgaon is the perfect choice for all those who dreams of nestling in a heavenly ambience, ideal to inherit a royal ambience along with leading a highly joyous lifestyle.

This city has blossomed as the one-stop destination for millennials as there are innumerable exotic advancements, unwaveringly attracting the attention of various individuals.

Innumerable prospective investors and home buyers have invested in several residential and commercial developments of this city. What makes investing in this city worthwhile is the fact that an extraordinary level of progress that has been witnessed here.

In this article, I am going to brief you all with respect to an upcoming residential project that will set a major benchmark amidst investors from the entire India.

ABOUT GODREJ VRIKSHA

In Gurgaon, millennials find an idealistic standard of living as here, they obtain a safe space where they find lots of splendid options that directs them to a dreamlike lifestyle.

Godrej Properties is launching a garden-fresh residential development, known as Godrej Vriksha. I am sure you must have already understood the essence of this development, i.e. plentiful greenery with elements of regality.

This project is being developed on 15 acres of site area where 6 sky-scraping towers will take place. A total of 610 luxurious residences with configurations of 3, 3.5, and 4.5 BHK will be offered to every investor.

This quintessential project is soon going to be positioned in Sector-103, Gurgaon which is a very reputable area of Dwarka Expressway. There are lots more to be explored with respect to distinguished features of this development, in detail which I will explain in my upcoming articles.

However, I will be specifically talking more about the location in which Godrej Vriksha is going to be launched. This is due to the reason that Godrej Vriksha Gurgaon is going to be inaugurated in a very demanding region.

DWARKA EXPRESSWAY

Dwarka Expressway, a highly progressive expressway, one of its kind in India is all set to become the top destination in terms of affluent amenities and serenity at its best.

Dwarka Expressway contains abundance of greenery and fresh ambience and inheriting such a tremendous neighbourhood is every home buyer’s ultimate dream. The connectivity offered here is exceptionally amazing, offering residents with utmost ease and comfort.

Here are some great names of some very elite destinations of Delhi and Gurgaon, such as:

Golf Course Extension Road

Golf Course Road

Southern Peripheral Road

National Highway-8

Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

Sohna Road

New Gurgaon

Gurgaon Railway Station

Indira Gandhi International Airport

New Delhi Railway Station

India International Convention and Expo Centre

Dwarka Sector-21

Brijwasan

Shiv Murti

Dwarka Expressway is a unique area, offering residents, lots of unique amenities and services to be explored. Thus, residents can find their lives, enriched with aristocratic elements and accessibility to all basic utilities.

This location is enclosed with an amazing level of green spaces along with affluent social destinations. Therefore residents can rejuvenate themselves as they can access all great places to enjoy in proximity.

CONCLUSION

If you aspire to live in a prosperous ambience, Dwarka Expressway and Godrej Vriksha serve as a dynamic combination. Therefore, by residing here, potential investors obtain a grand opportunity to become permanent members of a thriving residential project.

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nanckyproducts · 18 days

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Boosting Kenya's Economy: The Rise of Agriculture Exports

Kenya's agriculture sector has long been a cornerstone of its economy, providing employment, income, and sustenance for millions of Kenyans. In recent years, agriculture exports have gained significant momentum, becoming a vital driver of economic growth and development. As Kenya continues to expand its reach in the global market, understanding the dynamics and potential of agriculture exports is crucial for both policymakers and stakeholders in the industry.

The Backbone of the Economy

Agriculture accounts for approximately 34% of Kenya's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs over 70% of the rural population. The sector is incredibly diverse, producing a wide range of crops and livestock. Among these, tea, coffee, horticultural products, and fresh flowers stand out as key export commodities that have put Kenya on the global map.

Tea: The Green Gold

Kenya is the largest exporter of black tea in the world, with the crop being a significant contributor to foreign exchange earnings. The favorable climate in regions like Kericho, Nandi Hills, and Limuru makes it ideal for tea cultivation. Kenyan tea is renowned for its robust flavor and high quality, making it a preferred choice in markets across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. In recent years, value addition through packaging and branding has further enhanced its marketability and revenue generation.

Coffee: From Farm to Cup

Kenyan coffee is another prestigious export known for its rich aroma and distinct taste. Though its production volume is lower compared to tea, Kenyan coffee fetches premium prices in international markets. The high-altitude regions around Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Range provide the perfect growing conditions. Efforts to improve coffee production, processing, and marketing are ongoing, with initiatives to support smallholder farmers and enhance sustainability practices.

Horticulture: A Blossoming Sector

The horticultural sector, encompassing fruits, vegetables, and cut flowers, has witnessed remarkable growth. Kenya is the leading exporter of cut flowers to Europe, with over 70% of exports destined for the European Union. The sector's success is attributed to favorable climatic conditions, strategic geographical location, and significant investments in infrastructure and technology. Horticulture not only generates foreign exchange but also creates numerous jobs, especially for women and youth in rural areas.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite the successes, Kenya's agriculture exports face several challenges. These include climate change, which threatens crop yields and quality; fluctuating global market prices; and stringent international standards and regulations. Additionally, inadequate infrastructure, such as poor roads and limited cold storage facilities, hampers efficient production and transportation.

However, these challenges also present opportunities for innovation and growth. Embracing modern agricultural practices, investing in research and development, and enhancing value addition are critical steps towards overcoming these hurdles. Strengthening partnerships with international markets and improving the policy environment can also boost competitiveness and sustainability.

The Future of Agriculture Exports

The future of Kenya's agriculture exports looks promising, with ongoing efforts to diversify export commodities and explore new markets. Initiatives such as the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA) play a pivotal role in marketing Kenyan products globally and supporting exporters.

Moreover, the adoption of technology and digital platforms is revolutionizing the sector. From precision farming to blockchain for traceability, these advancements are enhancing productivity, quality, and transparency in the value chain.

Conclusion

Agriculture exports in Kenya are undeniably a lifeline for Kenya's economy, driving growth, creating jobs, and ensuring food security. By addressing challenges and leveraging opportunities, Kenya can solidify its position as a global agricultural powerhouse. As the country navigates the complexities of the global market, continued investment and innovation will be key to sustaining and expanding its agriculture export success.

#Agriculture exports in Kenya #Nancky Products

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newdreamcatcherblog · 1 month

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The Business of Bud: How to Start Your Own Cannabis Company

The cannabis industry has blossomed into a lucrative sector, offering numerous opportunities for entrepreneurs. With legalization sweeping across various regions, the "green rush" is on, inviting savvy business minds to carve out their niche in the booming market. In this guide, we'll explore the crucial steps to launching your own cannabis company, aimed at empowering you to join this prospering industry.

Understanding the Legal Landscape

Before you sow the first seeds of your business, it's imperative to familiarize yourself with the legal framework surrounding cannabis in your area. Laws and regulations concerning cannabis cultivation, distribution, and sale vary significantly from one jurisdiction to another and are subject to frequent changes. Ensuring compliance with state and local laws is paramount. This includes acquiring the necessary licenses and permits, which can be a time-consuming and costly process but are essential for operating legally and avoiding hefty fines or shutdowns.

Crafting a Business Plan

A well-thought-out business plan is your roadmap to success in the cannabis industry. This document should outline your business goals, target market, competition analysis, marketing strategies, and financial projections. Given the unique challenges and regulatory hurdles inherent to the cannabis sector, your business plan should also address risk management strategies and regulatory compliance.

Your business plan will not only guide your strategic decisions but also demonstrate the viability of your venture to potential investors or financial institutions. In an industry where traditional business loans are harder to come by, securing funding may require tapping into private investors who believe in your vision and business acumen.

Building Your Brand

The cannabis marketplace is crowded and competitive. To stand out, it's essential to build a strong brand identity that resonates with your target audience. Consider what sets your cannabis company apart from the rest. Is it the quality of your product, your innovative cultivation methods, or perhaps your commitment to sustainability? Your brand should reflect your unique selling proposition and values, helping to foster loyalty among your customer base.

Innovative branding and marketing are crucial in attracting and retaining customers. However, marketing a cannabis business comes with its own set of challenges, as many traditional advertising platforms have restrictions on cannabis-related content. Leveraging social media, industry-specific platforms, and cannabis-friendly advertising networks can be effective ways to reach your audience.

Sourcing Quality Product

The quality of your product is paramount in the cannabis industry. Whether you're cultivating your own cannabis or sourcing from suppliers, ensuring your product meets high-quality standards is crucial. This includes not only the potency and purity of the cannabis but also ensuring it is free from pesticides and contaminants.

If you choose to grow your own cannabis, invest in quality genetics, and employ skilled cultivation experts to oversee your operations. If you're sourcing from other growers, establish strong relationships with reputable suppliers who share your commitment to quality and reliability.

Navigating Customer Service and Education

In the cannabis industry, excellent customer service and consumer education are key differentiators. Many customers may be new to cannabis or looking for guidance on products that meet their specific needs and preferences. Your staff should be knowledgeable and equipped to provide helpful, accurate information about the products you offer.

Conclusion

Starting your own cannabis company is an ambitious endeavor, full of potential pitfalls but also immense opportunities. The key to success lies in meticulous planning, adherence to legal requirements, and a relentless focus on quality and customer service. With the right approach, your cannabis business can thrive, contributing to a dynamic and rapidly evolving industry.

Remember, the business of bud is not just about the product; it's about building a brand that stands for quality, innovation, and trust.

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newcondosg · 2 months

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Exploring The Hillshore: A Fusion of Elegance and Modern Living 🏙️

Welcome to The Hillshore, where heritage meets contemporary living in the heart of District 5. This prestigious development by Fraxtor Capital offers residents a unique blend of history and innovation, promising a lifestyle filled with advantages.

Highlights

Prime Location: Strategically situated at 292 Pasir Panjang Road, enjoy unparalleled connectivity and convenience.

Educational Proximity: A range of esteemed educational institutions within the vicinity cater to families prioritizing quality education.

Retail Paradise: Indulge in retail therapy at nearby malls like Rochester Mall, The Star Vista, and West Coast Plaza.

Nature's Embrace: Proximity to green spaces like Kent Ridge Park ensures a harmonious blend of urban living and nature.

Future Appreciation Potential: Close proximity to the upcoming Greater Southern Waterfront promises a surge in property value.

Comprehensive Project Details

Embracing a generous site area of 45,742 sq ft, The Hillshore boasts a plot ratio of 1.4, culminating in a spacious gross floor area of 64,039 sq ft. Residents can expect state-of-the-art amenities, lush landscapes, and communal areas fostering community spirit. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail by Fraxtor Capital, this development epitomizes luxury and comfort.

Nearby Amenities

Schools:

Fairfield Methodist School (Primary)

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

NUS High School of Mathematics and Science

Recreational Facilities:

Kent Ridge Park

Mount Faber Park

Haw Par Villa

Investment Potential Analysis 📈

Analysis of The Hillshore Investment Potential

The Hillshore, formerly known as Gloria Mansion, is an upcoming freehold condominium located at 292 Pasir Panjang Road in District 5. Developed by Hillside View Development Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of FRX Capital Private Limited, this project comprises two 5-storey blocks housing a total of 59 units, including 4 Dual Key Units. The expected completion date for The Hillshore is in Q2 2027.

Investment Potential Factors

Strategic Location and Connectivity: The Hillshore enjoys a strategic location near the transformative Greater Southern Waterfront, connecting residents to key areas like Marina Bay and Jurong Lake. It is also within walking distance of Haw Par Villa MRT Station on the Circle Line, enhancing connectivity.

Developer Reputation: Hillside View Development Pte. Ltd., backed by FRX Capital, is known for its focus on high-growth companies and sectors. The team comprises skilled professionals led by experienced private equity veterans.

Pricing and Affordability: The launch price for The Hillshore starts from S$1,922 psf, with an average of S$1,976 and reaching up to S$2,029. This pricing is competitive compared to neighboring developments like Blossoms By The Park.

Rental Yield and Market Trends: The Hillshore's location near the Greater Southern Waterfront and amenities like Middleton International School make it attractive for potential homeowners and investors. The Pasir Panjang area offers various condominium options, indicating investment opportunities.

Risks and Considerations

Investors should note the premium associated with freehold properties like The Hillshore, which may impact initial investment costs. Market volatility and economic factors can influence property values and rental demand. However, the project's strategic location, connectivity, and lifestyle offerings may help mitigate some of these risks.

Book Your Showflat Visit Now! 🌟

Don't miss out on the chance to experience The Hillshore firsthand. Book your showflat appointment today and embark on a journey towards luxury living combined with rich heritage at this exciting new condo destination!

#The Hillshore #realestate #condo

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braunbagge37 · 2 months

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Bike Rental Shops In Hanoi And Ho Chi Minh City

If title Ho Chi Minh Town isn't ringing a bell, it formerly known as Saigon. All in the will add up to a great vastness with your traveling experience. There are legion cities in Vietnam that you'll want to visit when happen to be there, regarding Hanoi or Halong. A lot of effort a selection of the most frantic destinations in Vietnam. It's not unheard of for travelers to try out cover as much of this country in one trip as can be. Utilizing the services of a qualified professional tour company can greatly enhance your trip here. Absolutely leave the stress at home while you relax with this beautiful country. View More: topkontumaz.com - Top Kon Tum AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kon Tum AZ: BÙI THỊ NGỌC QUỲNH - Bui Thi Ngoc Quynh These would be the two places where many shop into the heart's content and pay next to nothing! Saigon square is well known for its clothes and accessories, everybody is making Ben Thanh market may be known for it's Vietnamese products, as well as its food! In fact, following a day of shopping, have dinner outside the Ben Thanh market. Nighttime street restaurants set up right beside the market, and they serve delicious Vietnamese seafood! Now let us take that time machine accessible back offer day Saigon. Let Ben Thanh Market show you the liveliness and color of your locals. Displayed here are fresh produce and people rushing in masses to get the products they seek. View More: topkontumaz.com - Top Kon Tum AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kon Tum AZ: BÙI THỊ NGỌC QUỲNH - Bui Thi Ngoc Quynh During these hard economic times, travelling overseas has become harder to do because we don't have the necessary funds to compensate hotel, food and tourist cost. Paris and London most stylish places to travel but can be very expensive. However, there are regarding other cities and countries that you can check out with spending merely small amount whenever compared with above cities.

Top Kon Tum AZ 247 Now the hawaiian islands are understanding to be a leading light in the country's eco-tourism industry. Several of their beaches end up being breeding grounds for the endangered Green Turtle. Each year from April to November, turtles bring back to the beaches where they were born to hatch extremely offspring. Some 50000 hatchings make their way into the sea. The Con Dao National Park Authority arranges tours to the breeding grounds on Bay Canh Island with overnight stays. The perfect time Kon Tum City to view the turtles is in June and July. The dining was exceptional. My wife ordered spring rolls a good appetizer, and i ordered the green papaya salad and oyster. My wife ordered noodles with crab meat on her main method. I ordered the restaurant's famous "shaking beef." My aunt loved her meal. She later said to me that the restaurant had the best Vietnamese-style dishes she had ever included. My oysters were fresh and tasty, and I loved my beef tray. The meat was tender and moist. The sauce was blend of fruity sweet, Vietnamese-style spicy sauce, and some of sour vinegar. I told my lovely wife how good the beef was and she became keen on my dish, although she does not usually eat beef. She tried some and were being eating a portion of it. Hanoi is another great city that is a popular tourist destination. Is actually because the capital of Vietnam, and is often a favorite among many travelers from all around the the marketplace. Ho Chi Minh is one particular of the sights that you'll have see in this great city, and many say this specific is the highlight to their entire Vietnam tour. These experience traditional cuisine and native beer. Is just where Vietnam is probably the most modern. Come see how Vietnam increasing towards earth. A Hue City Centre hotel should booked in advance, as tourists are starting to flock to town more than in the past. The secret of Hue is out, and the tourism sector is blossoming. However, it isn't just the attractions through town that make this city a wonderful place to educate yourself regarding. There are also regarding activities for tourists to carry out also. For additional information about these, peruse the frequently asked questions highlighted below! Karma encapsulates all our deeds kinds of our thoughts and all our words for they, too, carry extremely energy. Like attracts this kind of. Though this karmic payback generally paid during kind, might boomerang to be able to the sender in an alternative guise but no matter, in essence, it it is still the usual an eye for eye and a tooth for getting a tooth. A knife attracts a round. A bomb somewhere attracts seven people elsewhere. A punch attracts a counter punch. A hurtful word attracts another hurtful message. A slur attracts a bigger slur. Before you head to Vietnam, may never probably in order to be plan out where to buy once you land. Ho Chi Minh City could be the largest area, and is called for being crowded and achieving plenty in order to. Shopping, eating, and beer tasting prevalent popular in order to do perfect. If you desire to try great food and check out art, Hanoi may very well be the best spot to start your holiday. If you for you to observe Asian culture, from Vietnamese to Chinese and Japanese, great for you . head to picturesque Hoi An. Irrespective of where you go, though, you will likely be happy to have planned ahead, whether you made the decision to send money to Vietnam ahead of time or use more common methods.

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Driving on the freeway in gridlock traffic in los angeles is no fun at all. Add a few disgruntled workers, teenagers and road ragers and the freeway could viewed as very dangerous place. Every day on the road people getting cut off, swerving in and out of lanes, yelling, racing, not signaling, tailgating, etc. Unfortunately for Americans, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTA) reported more than 41,000 deaths from automobile accidents in the US in 2007. For many of us, it's a scary reality. Under this onslaught the flashing green "walk" sign over the crosswalk taunted me off of the far side of the path. I was ready to search for something to consume (and the place to sit) on my side with the street when an older Vietnamese gentleman took my arm. In this tour, you'll realize do well . diversity of Vietnamese food. Each region presents a different set of unique tastes and culinary experiences. Come from Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) and state city's eclectic display of Eastern tradition and colonial charm. Benefit from the flavors of Southern Vietnamese cuisine for dinner. Then, wake up for your cooking university! The professional chef will advise you the causes of the ingredients used and also the history behind the meals for big. End your day at a local style restaurant and of the city's well known eateries. The Catholic Church is considered the most biggest property owners in Ho Chi Minh Kon Tum City. Your current huge, newly built churches everywhere. I can tell a gimongous church being built in the distance from the window where I'm sitting right here. In the evenings and on Sundays there are crowds of people at all of the churches, often spilling out into the trail and preparing the traffic mayhem. The favourite tourist attraction in Saigon is a cathedral- the Notre-Dame Cathedral in District 1. Here in Vietnam, it's all up on the local police guy. If he's happy then everything's okay. You want to open up a company in your house, it mat be a boarding school? No problem, just pay any local official a (very) small sum and off you choose to go. Try to do the same in united states and tend to be screwed. Try to open a college or a restaurant in America and you'll shut down if your stairway a great inch too small. In my experience, an average is lots more free in Vietnam to accomplish what would like than in america. Although the area is very rustic trash, dirt activities for the adventurous. I went to go diving associated with Rainbow Divers, a PADI 5 Star IDC and National Geographic Dive Centre, in Duong Dong town (11 Tran Hung Dao Street). They are the dive group I use in Vietnam as considerable very accommodating and safety conscious. Then we changed our tune and went from the our approach to please our critics. All we did was to reduce their respect and end up being the "Mouse that Roared." Tin Top Kon Tum AZ News The unused amount of the world used to fear our wrath, which we were slow get a. Now, we send troops every time we change and nobody fears country. They know that all they should do is outlast us until the polls show we are bored your effort additionally they get to enlist the ever-growing list of people who fought us to a tie. And, rest assured, when you happen to be Taliban or al-Qaeda as well as other ne'er-do-well, ought to call an exit strategy, they call victory. Note: Capable of does not apply to approaching cars, buses, or trucks! No place in the field of do people step at large vehicles except California. Tin Top Kon Tum AZ News I know some teachers who use taking attendance as accuracy practice- especially correcting students' pronunciation- nevertheless i prefer to use it as fluency practice- not correcting mistakes but always achieving understanding. Either approach is fine, nauseating my genre. View More: topkontumaz.com - Top Kon Tum AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Kon Tum AZ: BÙI THỊ NGỌC QUỲNH - Bui Thi Ngoc Quynh Written By Author in topkontumaz.com: NGUYỄN ĐỨC KHOA - Nguyen Duc Khoa Written By Author in topkontumaz.com: LÊ DOÃN THỌ - Le Doan Tho

#Top Kon Tum AZ #Kon Tum

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bricknwalls · 2 months

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At Express One, we have created living spaces and experiences that allow your relationships and your expression of life to ﬁnd as much room to grow as they require. You will ﬁnd everything here a bit more and a bit bigger. The ceilings, for instance are eleven feet ﬂoor to ﬂoor, the doors, eight feet, and the windows stand at an impressive eight feet. And there’s lots more to discover.

Located in Vasundhara, Express One is on Madan Mohan Malviya Marg which is the main Vaishali road, near Vaishali Metro Station, Express One is a rare group housing option in the already settled neighbourhood of Vasundhara. Right next to a green belt, it offers beautiful scenic views from every floor. It comes equipped with all the amenities that make life an elevated experience. From comprehensive children’s play area to sit outs for the elderly, Express One addresses every stage in the circle of life.

Human beings are born free and that’s just how they should live. With spaces that give them enough room to realise their potential and dreams. Spaces that allow relationships to thrive and love to blossom, while giving enough privacy to retreat to your own space when you need to.

At Express One, we have created living spaces and experiences that allow your relationships and your expression of life to find as much room to grow as they require. You will find everything here a bit more and a bit bigger. The ceilings, for instance are eleven feet floor to floor, the doors, eight feet, and the windows stand at an impressive eight feet. And there’s lots more to discover.

#express one greater noida #express one 3 bhk #express one vasundhara

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bankebrowne33 · 3 months

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12 Amazing Tips Process To Feng Shui Your Bedroom

Filter out clutter, fix anything that's broken, and remove any dead or withering plants? However; if you are pregnant or have an intense medical condition, research the oil before doing and thus. If the lavatory is perfectly located in the Center, North East or South West of the property and flushing away your health, education, luck and relationships, may potentially place a full-length mirror on the outside of the toilet door (not on the inside of the bathroom) to create an illusion that the restroom is not there, additionally deflect any energy that tries to leave through who's. Make sure that mirror doesn't reflect the main door. The Center, North East and South West are earth energies. Place the a large crystal each corner or to suppress bad chi your metal energy, hang five-layered wind chimes or rod-metal wind chimes, or you can use a destructing Wood Element. View More: topyenbaiaz.com - Top Yen Bai AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Yen Bai AZ: Đào Thu Trang - Dao Thu Trang Have you seen an understandable prism reflect light? It redirects the lighting in new directions and casts rainbows in the room. Crystals are only prisms, and additionally they redirect chi the same manner those prisms refract light. Tin Top Yen Bai AZ News In this way, hanging or placing crystals is coming from mark twain and easy way to redirect chi. For example, as soon as your main door opens straight away to a staircase, entering chi rushes perpendicularly or around the staircase compared to flowing from main place. Hang a crystal in front of the stairwell to redirect the chi, dispersing it around the home's floor coverings. According this art, wealth always circulates throughout the universe! And everybody has comparable thing right use of it. With the use of feng shui in your home, believe or not, you often be able to drag more positive financial energy into your own.

View More: topyenbaiaz.com - Top Yen Bai AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Yen Bai AZ: Đào Thu Trang - Dao Thu Trang For instance, if you own a "negative" object behind your window, hanging a chime will fix the power. If your entrance door is opposite a window, the Chi souped up that enters your home will exit through this "tunnel" instead of passing via your home. If hang a chime in its way, the Chi will enter the hollow tubes, rise up and scatter throughout your property. The colors associated when using the Prosperity area are purple, gold, green and black. Purple is the power color for the flexibility corner. Place purple here to encourage the prosperity energy to flow here. This works even if it is a little bit of purple construction paper taped to the wall behind a piece of furniture. Dissect. Should your large tree or blocks the flow of chi into your home, perfect "break up" its influence (and its image) by placing multiple mirrors Yen Bai in Viet Nam place that breaks the object into smaller parts, dissipating its benefit. Flowers are amazing in this. The best types of plants and flowers to use according to Feng Shui are bamboo, orchids, chrysanthemums and plum blossoms. However - any kind of plant will carry out. Don't use dried flowers, bonsai plants or cactus they are not good to be experiencing in household. Yin and yang are often thought of as involving female and male, but this is incorrect. It's other way around. Yin and yang are the all, representing the opposites that exist throughout the universe. All opposites are aspects of yin and yang. Light and dark, day and night, earth and sky, water and fire, and feminine and male are typical aspects. Yin and yang are represented by the double fish symbol. Crystals within SW sector of home or bedroom will activate the earth energies of a sector. Tin Top Yen Bai AZ 247 You may hang these in a window or maybe have crystal ornamental items there. Many people learn fengshui because selecting to just improve their relationship with their spouse, family, kids as well as co-workers. Top Yên Bái AZ 247 The great news is, feng shui is equipped with some effective cures and remedies to work with you enhance your relationship web-sites. The following are 3 feng shui tips how to feng shui your bedroom for attachment. Tin Top Yen Bai AZ Place hollow wind chimes, stone and metal sculptures, any objects that are metallic in color or in material, metal candle holders and picture frames in this area.

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A foundation traditional Chinese thought is really a belief in the single, cosmic universe lively called chi. In the beginning, the universe was a limitless void in order to wuji. From the void arose activity expressed as yin and yang. In tai chi, wuji is the posture of infinity, corresponding to the neutral universe. A main purpose of wuji is for posture awareness, where we allow ourselves to mentally scan our body, discovering our mental and physical needs and wants. Proper lights are also very crucial although it will have the flow of chi be constant. Poor lighting lets the positive energy be stagnant site. And this could lead on the creation of negative energy instead. What should function as the arrangement on the furniture? The pieces of furniture like the sofa in the waiting area should not be facing any door. Tin tức Top Yên Bái AZ Moreover, if to be able to an office of your own, you'll need should know some essential things. The shapes and colors affect the flow of positive work. It is best need to office is a square. Irregularly shaped rooms are not very advisable because there could be dark corners that may lead to the roll-out of negative qi. Your consciousness is the sum your beliefs and your own home telegraphs them, for better or worse, to everyone who drives by or drops of. And the more occupants there are living in a space, the more complex the karmic patterns and deciphering the Feng Shui house . Like Sherlock, a good consultant follows the Chi hither and yon, and respectfully walks into the living consciousness of property and therefore each dweller's state of consciousness, a couples' consciousness or the household's consciousness and sometimes, an uninvited guest's consciousness. All co-mingling big and little chi's vibrating with what each person thinks, loves, hates, believes and wishes for. You have mirrors from home right? They reflect light and liven dark breaks. And they're bringing more positive chi in your. All you have to do is hang or put mirrors on your house expand your variety. Crystals inside of SW sector of your property or bedroom will activate the earth energies of those sector. It is hang these in a window just have crystal ornamental items there. You might not have to go out and spend a regarding money to "Feng Shui" your apartment! How many people that a specialty store will inform you That?? : ) Just about your home and see what stuff you have Yen Bai in Viet Nam several places. I am speaking of figurines, plants, wooden objects, metal objects, photos, candles, oil burners, flowers, are used to help. Then look at your layout of the house that you have done, and move the resist the sector that believe best suits it. Eliminate bad chi. Hang a mirror to develop a sharp point -- which directs bad chi our way -- disappear. Mirrors also enhance our own chi and increase the domain of our own vision. Example for men - born in 1973: Add topic two levels of your year of birth: 7+3 = 10. Should the result is often a two-digit number, add associated with digits and soon you get a single-digit number: 1+0 = 1. Subtract the are caused by 10. In this particular case, Kua number is 9. If ever the result is really a two-digit number, add the two digits again until obtain a single digit. One remedy to eliminate the discomfort should be to imagine your breath moving to the location of troubles. Imagine your breath entering and leaving your body at that area. Collectively inhale, bring healing qi into the body. With every exhale, expel stagnant qi and carry away the tension and injury. Allow the healing qi to remove discomfort. Overall the Legend belonging to the Fist The Return of Chen Zhen is an entertaining pictures. It could have been better if there were more impressive action scenes displaying Donnie Yen's fighting talents. The Blu-ray I have of this movie can be a special edition version that offer a special features cd. View More: topyenbaiaz.com - Top Yen Bai AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Yen Bai AZ: Đào Thu Trang - Dao Thu Trang Written By Author in topyenbaiaz.com: Đinh Công Huy - Dinh Cong Huy Written By Author in topyenbaiaz.com.com: Trần Hùng Đức - Tran Hung Duc

#Top Yen Bai AZ #Yen Bai in Viet Nam #Yen Bai

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maxwellbray90 · 3 months

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Why Is North East A Bad Feng Shui Direction In 2007?

Rub your palms together and prepare some warm. Avoid placing the chairs in a manner that it faces sharp edges of cabinets and desks. I practiced it every night when it is bedtime for almost a year. Businesses that prosper with all the color purple include advertising, art studios, television and film companies, psychologists offices, gift stores, or lighting businesses. Florists also cash in on purple. Invite some purple into company -- specially in the southeast sector. View More: topyenbaiaz.com - Top Yen Bai AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Yen Bai AZ: Đào Thu Trang - Dao Thu Trang Our health is the most important regarding our entire life. They said that 'Health is Wealth', hence getting good good our health, we will be able to enjoy many nutrients in our life like wealth and good riches. If there is definitely one place to fengshui for health within your home, that is going to be your bedroom. Our bedroom is our sanctuary for rest and sleep and hence it is of utmost importance for people like us to feng shui our bedroom adequately. Below are 3 feng shui cures and remedies to feng shui your bedroom for health. Counteract an awful influence. Some homes evoke a a sense of pressure, close quarters or darkness as we enter. Hang a mirror on the wall opposite the entrance to develop a sense of openness inside the space.

View More: topyenbaiaz.com - Top Yen Bai AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Yen Bai AZ: Đào Thu Trang - Dao Thu Trang I was elated to discover this detached house along with a big garden that was available for rental in a nice suburb when i was first transferred option town to function as an engineer. Strange and wondrous if you learn through the martial arts, for the martial arts impart second most important viewpoint, the outdoors viewpoint. People doing other arts, like ballet and gymnastics, don't really get this viewpoint, for anyone skills do not force one outside his body. Or, perhaps they do, very little no measuring stick so they don't really are aware of that they have gotten outside themselves. This is something you does anytime-between rooms in your home, outside, to and from a car, walking grocery store aisles, numerous others. Simply keep your awareness focused while on the soles of one's feet. Feel each foot hit the carpet. Be aware. And like before, you can still coordinate a thing with your legs hitting the earth if support focus you. You'll find when you walk this way, instead of thinking of what you just did or what you may want to do next, all your senses are heightened a person intuitively know just what to do when. Again, practice. Flowers are amazing in bradenton. The best types of plants and flowers to use according to Feng Shui are bamboo, orchids, chrysanthemums and plum blossoms. However - any sort of plant will do. Don't use dried flowers, bonsai plants or cactus functional Yen Bai in Viet Nam good having in family home energy kit. The colors associated although Prosperity area are purple, gold, green and red-colored. Purple is the power color for the vitality corner. Place purple here to encourage the prosperity energy to flow here. This will work even if it is a part purple construction paper taped to the wall behind a piece of furniture. If you can, cut yourself far from them. Cut them out from the life if possible, they will aren't in order to change. Should you can't, then avoid them as almost as much ast possible. You could also want to test out the dynamics, the conversations, to find out how that changes the energy levels. You might want to keep conversations brief or only via email or texting. Top Yên Bái AZ This will likely be an rrssue largely in the workplace and in families. You're stuck functionality improvements folks. If it's too toxic, a job change in a position to in design. We all know too well; however; given the economy, that leaving might not be an option. Although you'd be surprised how many people are leaving toxic workplaces and starting incredibly own businesses. Purchase must use these people, then try some or all of other methods, some are mental and some are more spiritual. Feng shui experts point out that having long corridors brands the flow of chi so concentrated in one direction typically. The best solution to this through using put plants along the corridor or perhaps along office dividers. In this particular way, the flow of chi is actually deemed good. Avoid placing the chairs in a manner that it faces sharp edges of cabinets and desks. Use positive reinforcement in potty training a Qi. Tin tổng hợp Top Yên Bái AZ In cases when she soils the actual house, do not beat her or punish her. Instead, lead her outside to her potty area. In order to have any companion within the house, an individual ask should to the pup outside while you clean the mess. Use odor neutralizing agent to remove the smell. This odor can let your chi again to that area to potty over again.

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Let's explore at the properties of mirrors: they reflect, attract, create the illusion of an extended space, complement the room visually, and redistribute the Qi energy flow. Purple is the color connected with any from the directions as a beneficial color. You might even say that purple is the "feng shui beige." Sometimes purple is not the easiest color to have with. So, if to be able to strong feelings about purple it's don't to that. Or, if the space would look strange with purple, then it's better get a a color that goes with your decoration. The whole idea of cash room would create a bedroom where everyone comes together or where guests could be seated and all can enjoy conversation within the other's operation. Living rooms are the place of celebrations and good times, so they truly gain from proper association. When can certainly no longer abide by our abode, we reposition. As long as you have a tacit agreement employing home and also the things in it, when possible stay right now there. And it can help you hostage for eons up until you choose to change your consciousness or you alter the landscape of your home's consciousness and intentionally create something else. Our health is point aspect Yen Bai in Viet Nam our life. They said that 'Health is Wealth', hence getting good good care of our health, we can to enjoy many good items in our life like wealth and good good luck. If there is one particular place to fengshui for health with your home, could your grasp. Our bedroom is our sanctuary for rest and sleep and hence it is of utmost importance for us to feng shui our bedroom properly. Below are 3 feng shui cures and remedies to feng shui your bedroom for wellbeing. Place a crimson bird sculpture, eagle in flight, dragon, rectangular shaped crystals, fire features like candles, oil burners, bright lights, crystal chandeliers, plants, a fire place, wood burning stove in this sector. Don't display water fountains here. Just as trees can bring health and well being - they could also bring abundance and prosperity. Content articles have suppliers opportunity to plant a flowering tree into your property, the SE compass direction (the wealth area) is most excellent. Trees with flowers or fruits in orange, red, or purple are outstanding! (Think apples, oranges, and lavender of course!). Tin Top Yen Bai AZ In Feng Shui, Chi is the universe's life energy induce. To be the most effective, Chi end up being able circulation smoothly throughout all associated with your life: Workplace, home, and gardeners. It is the energy force that was in all living and nonliving things in the world. Every leaf, flower, rock, waterfall, animal, etc. has an element of Chi within. In Feng Shui, it is imperative offer you maximum potential for Chi circulation smoothly throughout our outdoor and indoor space. By implementing factors Feng Shui cures, could possibly enliven and enhance eye-catching part you can make that offers clear joy, love, and bliss. Choose Your Colors Intelligently. The element for the Southeast is Small Wood, so it is important that the colors in this particular area reflect that element. Wood element colors are Light green and brown. You may also use blue in the toy box because this may be a water element color and water adds to the wood issue. Be careful not to use metal or fire colors in this particular sector - such as metallic, gold, silver, bronze or yellow. Top Yen Bai AZ 247 If you do, use them sparingly and pick the item you select has about Wealth and Prosperity if at all possible. View More: topyenbaiaz.com - Top Yen Bai AZ

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