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red-riding-wood · 1 year

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OC: Charlotte Griffin

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Summary: Charlotte Griffin, on a quest to emerge from her family's dark shadow, becomes a spy in a gang war that puts her loyalties and desires into question as she grows closer to the man who is meant to be her enemy.

WARNINGS for whole story: eventual explicit sexual content and references, explicit violence and gore, mentions of physical abuse, language, ethnic slurs (mainly because of Alfie)

A.N. Muscled through my writing aversion to keep this one going because of your guys' lovely comments! Thank you; this is fueled by the encouraging words!

The smoke filled my bitter cold lungs like some sort of awakening. I could feel my brother’s presence more breathing the smoke of this cigarette than I had Polly’s incense, and I couldn’t help but clench it between two quivering fingers out of the frustration that he haunted me still.

I was tempted to yell out to him in the lonely streets, in the portent dark that stretched over Small Heath like a blanket cradling its long lost master. But despite the assurance that I was under the protection of both the Peaky Blinders and the Sicilian Mafia, it still wasn’t wise to draw attention, much less appear to be mad, screaming to ghosts.

I walked down the half-empty streets of brawling lowlifes and drunkards, cigarette held high above a crooked elbow despite the almost volatile grasp in which I clutched it. Not one person had approached me, though I could feel their stares as if they were sparks in the cold of the night, and I found myself wondering what they knew of me, if word had yet travelled of my “bookmaker” job with the Blinders. I didn’t think I would ever become accustomed to small towns. It felt as if everyone knew me before I knew them.

My stride faltered when a particularly boisterous man stumbled from one of the pubs, its lights spilling onto the pavement and washing the freckles of frost in an ethereal sheen. The man nearly slipped, my heart pounded in my chest as his much taller stature came careening towards me.

Despite catching himself, his weight nearly tripped me in my heels, and alcohol tinged the breath that raked across my near-frosted lashes. I blinked, eyes dry from the cold, and took in his features – the long threads of hair that flopped over winter-blue eyes and a fresh bruise over the thick moustache crowning his lip.

“Arthur?” I said, before clearing my throat and straightening, taking a step back out of respect. “Mr. Shelby,” I corrected myself. “Are you all right?”

“Ah, just fucking call me Arthur,” he slurred, and threw an arm around my shoulder as he turned me the opposite direction and began guiding me along the sidewalk in his drunken state.

“You didn’t answer my question, Arthur,” I pointed out, and angled my body away only slightly so that if he were to vomit up his alcohol I wouldn’t be caught in the trajectory.

“What was your question?” he mumbled, that reek of alcohol twitching my nose. But I remained patient, remembering Thomas’ words about his brother and his good heart.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “Do you need a ride home? You don’t look in the state to be driving – or even taking a taxi. Thomas told me not to trust any.”

“No,” he said a little too hurriedly, shaking his head as the weight of his arm left me. “I’m not goin’ home. Not to Linda. If you take me home, Charlotte, I’m gonna… I’ll fuckin’ kill ya.”

It was something, at least, that he remembered my name.

“Don’t worry. I won’t take you home,” I eased him. Though I’d never heard anyone speak of Linda, I assumed that she was a wife or perhaps a lover, and few women approved of their husbands coming home in a drunken stupor. Though I hadn’t figured out what to do with him yet, I wouldn’t take him home to a living situation I knew nothing of.

“Come here,” I said, boldly wrapping my fingers around his arm and gently tugging him to the ingress of the nearest alley. I needed to get him off the street and preferably sitting down somewhere.

Though he nearly lost his footing again, Arthur followed my guidance and immediately sank to the ground, a groan emanating from lips parted to let a bead of drool fall slowly to his chin. His eyelids fluttered shut and he began to mumble something unintelligible to my ears.

I sighed gently and tucked my coat in around me before sinking alongside him to the cold pavement and the bite of the brick against my spine. Procuring a clean handkerchief from my pocket, I wiped the drool from his chin and set it aside.

I took this time to examine him. Despite the marks of violence in the faint scars on his face, I could only see fatigue in the dark bags under his eyes and the loll of his head against the brick wall. He was sort of how I imagined a much scrawnier, sinewy bear would look like if it were slumbering.

“Arthur?” I interrupted his incoherent mutterings.

“Mm? Yes?” His eyelids peeled back, but he didn’t look at me.

“What happened?” I asked him, eyeing the bruise again along his cheekbone. “Did you get in a fight again?”

“You know me,” he slurred out, though I didn’t know him. Not by anything more than the brutality he inflicted, and, of course, Thomas’ words.

“Some right cunt thought he could insult this here,” he said, digging a cross from beneath his shirt and accidentally snapping the beads of the rosary from his neck. “Ah, fuck,” he mumbled, and chuckled heartily. “Guess it doesn’t suit me anyhow, this thing.”

I eyed the cross that he let fall to the pavement, feeling for my own that I still wore – I had wanted to cleanse myself of the séance that Polly and I had undergone earlier that evening. And I found myself curious – curious, because Arthur Shelby was the last person I expected to answer to God, and curious, because I could tell he tried to handle the rosary so delicately despite his brutish touch.

I plucked the cross and its broken string of beads from the pavement, and pressed them into a clammy hand, curling his fingers back over it to ensure they didn’t fall back to the ground. I took note of the wedding ring on his ring finger.

“A cross doesn’t need to suit you, Arthur,” I told him. “Any man can seek God’s light.”

“You sound like Linda,” he grumbled, and stuffed the remnants of the rosary haphazardly into the pocket of his waistcoat. “Don’t start pulling that on me, now, Charlotte. ‘Cause I know there’s no god that’s ever gonna accept me. Not Arthur Shelby. Not the man who bleeds everything he touches like stuck pigs.”

I pondered this in silence, for a moment or two, my gaze drawing now to the bricks of the walls, imagining the blood of every life he’d taken oozing from the cracks. I couldn’t imagine how much it would be, only knew that we would be drowning if it did spill based off of the stories I’d heard of the eldest Shelby brother.

“Who’s Linda?” I finally asked, deciding now was a good time to ask about her, now that he had somewhat settled down. I could hear his breaths coming slower.

“Linda’s me wife.”

I nodded, despite his gaze also elsewhere. And I asked,

“Did she give you that cross?”

“You think I got it from me weekly sermons?” he quipped dryly, and I chuffed out a laugh.

“She must care about you,” I said, delving deeper into the waters of what was okay to ask before he really did kill me. I turned my head to him, his winter gaze meeting mine. Clouded over in a dopey, inebriated sheen, it was difficult to read. But his hesitation in answering me with words told me he must not have fully agreed with my statement.

“Yeah, she must,” he said, his voice eerily hollow.

“Why don’t you want to go home to her?”

His gaze darted down, and he shook his head, clenching his jaw. “You ask a lot of questions for fresh meat.”

My lip quirked into a smile, and I said, “I’m a spy, Arthur. It’s sort of in my job description. Guess it’s a… tough habit to break.” I paused briefly, my mind making a snap decision of what to pry at next. “You ever think of quitting alcohol, Arthur?”

“I’m ‘sposed to be clean,” he mumbled. “Linda made me go straight but here I am, ain’t I. Showing up at her door every night barely able to fucking stand.”

A couple of my brothers had turned to alcohol to help ease the memories of what my father did. Ivan had no doubt taken it the worst, always drinking himself into a stupor not unlike Arthur and always suffering double lashings because of it. Perhaps that was why, when I now looked at Arthur, I found difficulty seeing the ruthless man I had met that night when tested by the Blinders. Perhaps, in his tired eyes and his pathetic slouch, I saw someone who desperately needed an escape from the cruel realities of the world. From the bloodshed and the pain and the suffering. In his case, perhaps, the guilt of it.

“And the fighting?” I asked.

Arthur’s laugh boomed into the quiet of the night, echoing through the alley and sending a shiver through the marrow of my bones.

“Fightin's in me blood, Charlotte,” he told me. “It’s spelled out in me goddamn heart.”

I tilted my head at him curiously, remembering Thomas’ words again, and I said, “Yet you have a good heart.”

“Do I?” He snorted. “Who in the hell told ya that, now, eh?”

“Your brother. Thomas,” I said. “And he also mentioned you’re a fighter. I got the impression you clean up his messes a lot.”

“That why you’re askin’ me these questions? You got someone for me to fight? I’ll fuckin’ show ‘em the hardest swing they’ve seen, just point me to ‘em.”

I parted my lips to decline his offer, when something wicked curved at their corner, and Polly’s words ghosted back to me,

“And you show him that you’re the only one who holds the power in that room.”

And, in turn, I thought of the throne Luca had reminded me of. The power that I so desperately wanted to wield but felt was so far from grasp whenever I found myself in the shadow of Luca’s dark and looming presence.

And, within a few more moments, a plan had formed. One that involved an address I had written upon waiting at the counter of the innkeeper, one that flashed images of a throne that was up for the taking.

“Actually,” I said, my lip pulling into a full-fledged smile. “I know of someone who could use a good scare.”

---

When the key turned in the lock and I glimpsed the felt hat in the doorway, I was sitting cross-legged on the chair of Luca’s study, my elbow resting with a regality on the arm of it and my fingers playing with the toothpick I twirled in my mouth. As his hat tipped up and those pale greens landed on me, I grinned around it, despite my heart hammering like a drum against my ribs.

“Charlotte.” It was the first time I’d ever heard the hint of wariness in his hiss of a tone, though his demeanor gave nothing else away; he hung his coat and his hat on the rack near the door as he spoke, “What are you doing in my chair?”

I smirked, my jaw working against the wooden pick. Though his drawers were all locked, I had pulled it from a box on his desk and wanted to mimic the way he seemed almost subservient to it, as if nothing else in the room mattered. Before I answered, I plucked it from my lip and studied it, my hand cocked to the side as I did so.

And, suppressing the fear that coursed through my veins like acid under his serpent stare, I flicked it to the hardwood floor, and slowly dragged my gaze back to the man who still stood just inside the doorway.

“I thought it would make a good throne,” I told him, still smirking, and watched the gold glitter in the green of his eyes with something unreadable yet thrilling.

Shockingly, he still did not advance. I construed this to be wariness; I had broken into his hotel room, had laid claim to his desk. He had no idea if I was hiding a weapon on my lap or if I had completely lost my mind.

Maybe I had, to dare to dance with someone like Luca Changretta.

I’d told Arthur that someone in this hotel had wronged me, and that I wanted petty revenge by gaining a key to their room. With very little inhibitions and a raging temper that he was eager to point at absolutely anything with a beating heart, him and I had paid a visit to the innkeeper’s home, and I bore the key in the pocket of the coat that I had slung over the back of Luca’s chair.

Call it theatrics, but a part of me could not help but feel an almost wicked satisfaction at the shift it had made in the room. The shift, I hoped, of power.

“Wednesday is no longer a suitable date for the Blinders,” I told Luca, pretending to examine his schedule in front of me – a calendar that had nothing but a few loose notes about meeting with the Sabinis, a rather deplorable Italian gang who soiled the streets of London arguably more than my father.

“But I may be able to set something else up,” I said, and looked up from the calendar with an upturn of my brows and a rather light and flippant tone as I added, “Are you free on the seventh?”

Luca’s brow knitted slightly at that, and he shifted his jaw. “Why did they back out?” he asked, ignoring my remark.

I shrugged. “Could be many things, really. Relatives visiting perhaps, a new show on the tele….” I leaned forward then, lace-clad arms extending across the table and my fingers clasping together as I lowered my tone in volume but not playfulness. “But I think it’s more likely that someone tipped them off.”

My satisfaction only increased as a flicker of dismay darted across green irises and dark brows twitched.

“And why would you do that, piccola spia?” he asked, seeming to be equal parts fascinated by me and simmering with rage – I could tell this by the way he tipped his head forward and kept his brows quirked, but rubbed the knuckles of his clenched fist.

“I’m the reason they would trust sending men after this setup. Therefore, I don’t have to tell them that you will be at any false whereabouts on the seventh. Instead, I could tell them the address of this hotel.

“Unless, of course, you hold up your end of our bargain. And you ensure that the best cops in New York are looking for my brother’s killer.”

As a silence stretched between us, I took note of how a tense smile pulled at his lip, and he clasped his hands in front of him.

“Blackmail.” He pursed his lips for a moment as he seemed to ruminate on this word, eyes narrowing and his mouth twitching back into the slightest of smiles as if it were amusing. “Y’know, I can’t think of a single person who’s had the guts to make demands like yours and walk away with them intact.”

“Thomas is starting to trust me,” I told him. “And that seems to be a very rare thing. I think you will let me walk, Luca, because you know you need me in this war. And I think that you enjoy the game just as much as I do.” I leaned back in my chair, my smirk tugging again at my lip as I brought my elbow to rest along the arm of the chair, fingertips running over one another. I knew he wouldn’t kill me. I was too amusing to him. I was a pawn in this game that he believed belonged to him and I was slowly changing the rules.

“So…” I said. “… would you like to kill Arthur Shelby or not?”

Luca chuckled, shaking his head at me. “You’re somethin’, you know that?” he said, and something lightened in my chest at his words, threatened to soar up from the bounds of my ribs, but I forced it back and I watched his smile fade.

“If you bring Arthur Shelby to me, I will assign more men to the investigation,” he said.

I chuffed out a weak laugh, and stood, sliding the sleeves of my coat over my arms and fluffing out the collar. My gaze never left his as I did so, slowly, wanting to keep him in the same suspense he often enthralled me in.

“I make this arrangement, and you will assign more men. And then I bring you Arthur Shelby,” I stated, my words firm, sounding louder from my chest than I had anticipated.

“Oh…” I added, having nearly forgotten something. “… and I’ll be taking this letter with me.” A bitterness formed on my tongue as I reached for the letter on his desk that was addressed to Marcus Griffin.

I paused as I reached for the door, and with a triumphant flourish I handed him the innkeeper’s spare. “Your key, Mr. Changretta.”

His fingers brushed mine as he took the keys, his gaze unblinking as it bore into me. But I did not quail beneath it, only shivered lightly in what I could only describe as some devious innervation.

“Read it,” he said, syllables dragging the two words out between us like a spell.

I tore the envelope as viciously as I had torn my gaze, and let the paper fall to the floor as I grasped the letter in my fingertips.

Slowly, crystal by crystal, the ice around my heart began to melt, settling a warmth in my gut and softening the tension which I held myself with. My lips parted, jaw nearly falling slack as I read Luca’s handwriting.

When I looked up at him, I had lost whatever Polly had described in me. In its stead was a dull ache, one that seemed to throb with each pulse of my heart, that split the threads of my soul and extended them to his as if connecting would ease this strange affliction.

And why, despite whatever game Luca thought he was playing, he would turn down ransom money from my father, burn the bridge that had been built on business between on our families, I could not possibly explain.

My tongue, like a blade, had dulled, my words coming softer, quieter.

“You could’ve hired a much better qualified spy with whatever money my father offered you.”

Luca wasn’t smiling anymore. For a moment, I thought he almost looked forlorn, those upturned brows pinching slightly and his eyes seeming to shimmer with veils that refused to let me in to his thoughts.

“I don’t want another spy,” he said, the gentleness of his tone nearly mirroring mine. I found myself both soothed and unnerved by the subtle change.

And if he didn’t break our silence, I was certain that we would’ve stood like that for ages. But he collected a breath of air in his lungs and moved his head, jaw shifting slightly around the absence of his toothpick.

“And I’m not free on the seventh,” he said, the darker notes of his voice returning now. “I’m taking you to dinner.”

My cheeks heated, and I couldn’t hold back the smile that quirked the corner of my lip, nor the way I tilted my head at him as if I had heard him wrong.

I collected myself, pursing my lips to banish my smile and swallowing against the flutter in my throat.

“Very well, Luca,” I said, remembering when he’d told me he liked the way I said his name and wondering why I had ever stopped.

His devilish smirk reappeared, and an arm outstretched so that a long finger could run down my shoulder, sending another shiver through me. And he said,

“We will dine while Arthur Shelby dies.”

NEXT CHAPTER

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harmonyhealinghub · 4 months

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The Lunar New Year: A Celebration of Tradition and Renewal Shaina Tranquilino February 10, 2024

The start of a new year is always an exciting time. It brings with it a sense of hope, possibility, and the opportunity for a fresh start. For billions of people around the world, this renewal takes place during the Lunar New Year. Also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, the Lunar New Year is celebrated by various Asian communities worldwide. It follows the lunar calendar and typically falls between late January and mid-February. This vibrant festival lasts for 15 days and is marked by colourful decorations, delicious food, family gatherings, and age-old traditions.

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Beyond the festivities itself, Lunar New Year holds deep cultural significance. It serves as an occasion for families to honour their ancestors through prayers and offerings at ancestral altars. This reverence for one's heritage strengthens familial bonds, instills values, and preserves traditions across generations.

While celebrations may differ slightly from country to country or region to region, the spirit of unity, hopefulness, and renewal remains constant throughout Asia during this auspicious time. Regardless of nationality or ethnicity, Lunar New Year has become increasingly embraced globally as people recognize its universal appeal in bringing communities together.

Lunar New Year is a vibrant festival that encapsulates centuries-old traditions while embracing new beginnings. It is a time when families come together, wishes are made for prosperity and happiness abound. As we enter another lunar cycle with the arrival of the Year of the Dragon in 2024, let us celebrate diversity and cherish our shared humanity through this beautiful celebration that unites us all. Happy Lunar New Year!

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rsmsilkproductsonline · 2 months

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Exploring Ethnic Elegance: Online Kurti Shopping Tips

In the realm of fashion, the allure of ethnic wear never fades. The timeless charm of kurtis, with their intricate designs, vibrant colors, and rich cultural heritage, continues to captivate fashion enthusiasts worldwide. With the convenience of online shopping, exploring ethnic elegance through kurtis has never been easier. Whether you're a seasoned fashionista or a novice in the world of ethnic wear, here are some invaluable tips to enhance your online kurti shopping experience and discover the epitome of ethnic elegance.

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gaileanes72804 · 4 months

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franchescagonye · 4 months

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Paintball Toy Guns Could Make Awesome Birthday Presents

Before his time machine guns had all been operated by hand. The Maxim was the first gun which required neither working crank nor reciprocating lever, and the result is that the other sorts have disappeared. The vitality derived from the recoil performs all the features of loading and firing and extracting the cartridge case. When smokeless powder was invented, the Maxim machine gun came fully into its own; for then it was potential to take up a concealed position and spray dying without betraying clouds of smoke. By the top of 1885 Maxim had taken out over a hundred patents in connection together with his gun. All doable overlaying strategies were conceived and patented in different countries, thus barring the opportunity of infringement by rivals. The chief function of the early machine-gun was that of repelling the assaults of the new torpedo craft. Very fast and correct coaching and elevating were due to this fact mandatory, and consequently heavy, slowly-shifting guns were inadmissible. It was vital that one man ought to be able to pointing the gun rapidly, in order that guns of massive caliber to hearth heavy shell have been dominated out, and only small shell had been employed.

Shield yourself out of your foes with the Mizumi Shubi Watergun, which has a uniquely built-in defense-shield. It holds .Four liters and solely shoots 10 meters, however for close vary water warfare, it’s an ideal choice. It’s a fantastic water toy for roleplaying especially, as you won’t find another water gun that looks anything like it. Another impressively-designed tremendous soaker is the Nerf Zombie Strike Revenge Contaminator, which is among the coolest-trying water guns on this listing. It holds 24 fluid ounces and shoots up to 38 toes, and it uses pump action. The tank is crammed at the highest, and there are three stream options. The Super Soaker Max Infusion Helix is a great mid-size water pistol. With it, you’re in a position to blast with a relentless stream of water or by pulling back the trigger to create a quick flash flood (a small blast of water). It features two separate water tanks and uses Hasbro’s patented fixed pressure system to hit targets up to 35 ft away (which is slightly above mid-vary for a water gun). The final drop of water has the same quantity of pressure as the first.

As a father or mother, you don't have to buy toy guns in the event that they make you uncomfortable, and since experts are divided on them, naturally, dad and mom might be, too. But, as Dr. Spinks-Franklin points out, whether or not or not your kids play with toy guns would not should be an all-or-nothing resolution. Another crucial issue that Dr. Agrawal factors out is consent. And remember, consent isn't fastened. So, possibly a child agrees initially to play but then changes their thoughts. That, too, needs to be revered. Finally, select a location that is safer for everybody. For example, within the daylight, outdoors, and supervised at a child's home are at all times higher options than a public location like a park or school (most schools don't allow them anyway). Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the use of Lethal Force by US Police, 2010-2014. American Journal of Public Health. Racial Disparities in Child Exposure to Firearm Violence Before and through COVID-19. American Journal of Preventative Medicine. Effect of Exposure to Orbi Gun Violence in Video Games on Children’s Dangerous Behavior With Real Guns. A comparison of parental firearm storage patterns and kids's access to firearms. Learning to blast a approach into crime, or just good clear fun? Examining aggressive play with toy weapons and its relation with crime. Criminal Behavior and Mental Health. Toy Guns, Real Danger: An Update on Pediatric Injury Patterns Related to Nonpowder Weapons. Journal of Pediatric Surgery.

Forgettable product Parade Rifles Short soaking distance Flintlock Frontier Crayons or Colored Pencils Art Creativity

Is It Wrong to Let Kids Play With Toy Guns? We requested consultants, and this is what they had to say. Toy guns are nothing new, nor is the query of whether or not or not youngsters should play with them. But, greater than a personal parenting preference, the conundrum of toy guns is its representation of a genuine American downside: gun violence, which impacts youngsters greater than theoretically. In keeping with the National Institutes of Health, in the U.S., firearms-associated accidents are the leading trigger of loss of life for children underneath 19. Not solely that, dad and mom of Black children must contend with the truth that simply playing with a toy gun might outcome of their youngster being shot by police (like 12-12 months-previous Tamir Rice). So, how does all of this play into deciding whether or not your children ought to play with toy guns? Read on to find out how gun violence impacts children and the way experts say it ought to influence your decisions about permitting children to play with toy guns.

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moths-in-the-coat · 6 months

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OC PROFILE #6: ORIGINAL UNIVERSE (ARMAGEDDON)

I am not Death. I am simply its messenger.

🕱 name: Simon Braddock 🕱 nicknames: Sim, Sam, Sammy, Silent Simon, Pigeon Guy 🕱 age: Looks to be in their mid-20s 🕱 birthday: October 27 🕱 star sign: Scorpio 🕱 birthplace: Unknown, supposedly near Oxford 🕱 hometown: Purgatory 🕱 ethnicity: White (formerly?) 🕱 nationality: Unknown, supposedly British 🕱 languages spoken: None, nonverbal (writes in English) 🕱 gender: Not specified, he/they 🕱 sexuality: Bisexual (no preference)

ii.– appearance

🕱 description: Sammy is a tall, slim person with defined cheekbones and a tall nose. They have short, neatly trimmed black hair and brown eyes, which are usually covered by sunglasses. Their overall appearance is well-maintained and neat. 🕱 height: 6'1 (185 cm) 🕱 weight: Unknown 🕱 other distinguishing features: pale skin, resting bitch face, painted nails

iii.– personality

🕱 positive traits: cooperative, humble, polite, intelligent, hard-working 🕱 neutral traits: quiet, realistic, enigmatic, inexpressive, mellow 🕱 negative traits: secretive, apathetic, cynical, tactless, nosy 🕱 likes: pigeons, cats, their job, food, reading 🕱 dislikes: uptight people, spicy food, too much noise, spiders, bright lights 🕱 fears: reincarnation, higher powers, bears, clowns 🕱 hobbies: birdwatching, reading, taking care of their pigeons, baking, peoplewatching 🕱 talents: writing, charades, wields a scythe, magic, conflict resolution

iv.– abilities

🕱 status: Psychopomp 🕱 weapons: scythe, grimoire (technically not a traditional weapon, but contains spells that can do a variety of things)

v.– relationships

🕱 family: Next to nothing is known about Sammy's family, but from conversations, friends have inferred that they did not have a good relationship with each other. 🕱 friends: Eliot Huang, Eileen Bowie, "DEXTER", Ariel Merihem 🕱 enemies: no real enemies, just people that find them weird 🕱 love interest: none, single

vi.– backstory

Just about nothing is known about Sammy's past, but what is known is minimal. They were born on October 27th, possibly near Oxford, England and died in their early to mid-20s due to means they will not specify. They never had a good relationship with their family and are implied to have run away or have been disowned. Upon their death, they were sent to Purgatory, due to having not done anything meaningfully good or bad in their life. After their arrival, they joined Psychopomps Incorporated, the organization that ensures that every dead being goes to the afterlife. Since then, they have been living comfortably in Purgatory with an adopted flock of pigeons.

…and then the fic starts.

vii.– other

🕱 fashion style: vintage, dark academia (sort of) 🕱 face claim: Miles Berger 🕱 theme song: Sun//Eater- Lorna Shore 🕱 assorted fun facts: They have a flock of many pigeons at their home and knows all of their names. They are autistic and nonverbal. Since they don't talk, they communicate through ESL, writing, and telepathic communication (used by more powerful beings) They're a regular at the local pub, the Cadaver Cantina. They like observing how people act around each other. Their favorite food is chicken alfredo.

#long post #oc #original character #oc profile #my oc #original universe #psychopomp #oc: sammy braddock #i'm not nonverbal so i may need some advice on writing this guy #this guy's like the silent death archetype and i love it

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we-antivirusassistant · 1 year

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Best home lane interiors in India

Best Homeland Interiors in India: A Guide to the Most

Stylish Homes

India is a country of diverse cultures, traditions, and lifestyles. With its rich heritage and vibrant colors, it is no surprise that Indian homes are some of the most stylish and beautiful in the world. From traditional designs to modern interiors, there is something for everyone in India. In this article, we will explore some of the best homeland interiors in India that you can find.

Traditional Indian Interiors: The Timeless Beauty of Indian Homes

Traditional Indian interiors are characterized by their use of bright colors, intricate patterns, and ornate furniture. These designs often feature hand-crafted pieces made from wood or stone that have been passed down through generations. Traditional Indian homes also feature a lot of natural elements such as plants and flowers which add to their beauty. If you’re looking for a timeless look for your home, then traditional Indian interiors are definitely worth considering.

Modern Indian Interiors: Contemporary Style with an Ethnic Twist

Modern Indian interiors are all about combining contemporary style with an ethnic twist. This style often features bold colors and geometric patterns which give it a unique look. Modern Indian homes also make use of modern materials such as glass and metal to create sleek and stylish designs. If you’re looking for something more modern but still want to keep the traditional feel of your home intact, then modern Indian interiors are definitely worth considering.

Minimalist Interiors: The Simplicity of Less Is More

Minimalist interiors are all about creating a space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing without being too cluttered or overwhelming. This style often features neutral colors such as white or grey along with clean lines and minimal furniture pieces. Minimalist interiors also make use of natural elements such as plants or wood accents to add texture to the space without taking away from its overall simplicity. If you’re looking for a simple yet stylish look for your home, then minimalist interiors are definitely worth considering.

Eclectic Interiors: Mixing Different Styles Together

Eclectic interiors combine different styles together to create a unique look that is both interesting and inviting. This style often features bold colors along with vintage furniture pieces which give it an eclectic feel. Eclectic homes also make use of different textures such as fur rugs or velvet cushions which add depth to the space without making it too busy or overwhelming. If you’re looking for something unique yet still stylish, then eclectic interiors are definitely worth considering.

Bohemian Interiors: A Free-Spirited Look

Bohemian interiors are all about creating a free-spirited atmosphere in your home with bright colors, eclectic furniture pieces, and lots of plants or artwork on display throughout the space. This style often features bold patterns along with vintage furniture pieces which give it an eclectic feel while still maintaining its overall cohesiveness throughout the room. If you’re looking for something fun yet still stylish, then bohemian interiors are definitely worth considering.

Coastal Interiors: Bringing The Beach Into Your Home

Coastal interiors bring the beach into your home with bright colors, natural materials such as wood or stone accents, and lots of plants or artwork on display throughout the space which gives it a relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of being at the beachside itself! This style often features light blues along with wicker furniture pieces which give it an airy feel while still maintaining its overall cohesiveness throughout the room. If you’re looking for something relaxed yet still stylish, then coastal interiors are definitely worth considering.

Industrial Interiors: An Urban Edge To Your Home

Industrial interiors bring an urban edge into your home with exposed brick walls, metal accents, and lots of plants or artwork on display throughout the space. This style often features dark colors along with metal furniture pieces which give it an edgy feel while still maintaining its overall cohesiveness throughout the room. If you’re looking for something edgy yet still stylish, then industrial interiors are definitely worth considering. visit now - https://lucknowbahraich.com/best-home-lane-interiors-in-india/

Rustic Interior: A Cozy Feel To Your Home

Rustic interior brings a cozy feel into your home with warm woods, natural materials such as stone accents, and lots of plants or artwork on display throughout the space. This style often features earthy tones along with wooden furniture pieces which give it a rustic feel while still maintaining its overall cohesiveness throughout the room. If you’re looking for something cozy yet still stylish, then rustic interiors are definitely worth considering.

Conclusion

No matter what type of interior design style you prefer, there is sure to be one that fits perfectly into your home! From traditional designs to modern styles, there is something out there that will suit every taste!

So take some time to explore these different styles before deciding on one that best suits your needs!

CLICK THIS LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION –

HALL INTERIOR DESIGN IN LUCKNOW

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BEST INTERIOR DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE IN BANGALORE

best flat interior design in India

#Best home lane interiors in India

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tonkitour · 2 years

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Osd notetaker

#Osd notetaker how to#

#Osd notetaker software#

They also should minimize the need for user interaction if the user rearranges folders. We just had a somewhat interesting discussion over on the the novo libera forum about hyperlinks. Virtual nodes come close to this idea in Keynote, but filterable/ folderable nodes/tabs really are useful here. The importance with the relation is that I dont want to have to type (or copy/paste) the same data two or three times. It should also be easy to retrieve it and relate it to other things. It should be easy to shove data into the system. The hardest part would be to get a sophisticated enough backend with an easy and intuitive frontend. People are familiar with trees and document formatting. I imagine these types of programs as vast data storage devices with a nice front end so the user can think of things in terms he/she is used to. As you and rjbull mentioned, look at the discussions involving keynote 2. At some point the number of import/export routines becomes too big! I dont think it's a horrible idea, but if you want to take this genre on, it's going to mean a LOT of work. There are quite a few of these on the market and several more already in development. rjbull: I think (heh heh, cant get away from individual preferences in this genre!) that the ideal app would combine the ability to quickly take notes with the ability to go back and assign them a structure. Sorry, I cant resist this discussion! A couple of things I've thought about: Heck, if it was just me, I can't even say which program is the best for me! There's no way we can collectively pick one program as the ultimate.

#Osd notetaker software#

I think the review will ultimately have to be such that we subcategorize the software out there and say, "Well, if is what you're trying to do, then is the best software for it." So, different programs can be categorized as the "best" depending on what specific task is trying to be accomplished. Everyone has different needs for this type of software. In my opinion, it would be absoutely impossible to do a traditional review where we'd pick a couple of programs as the "best in this category. I know a lot of us would like to see a good review of this genre done here at DC, and we all know how hard that would be to accomplish, so maybe this thread could be a place where ideas can be collected. Anything you want to say, wishlist of features, what you like about existing programs, what you'd like the ideal program to do. To help us track our recruitment effort, please indicate in your cover//motivation letter where (jobsinteaching.ca) you saw this job posting.I don't know if this is a good idea, but I wanted to start a thread where we can all just brainstorm about note-taking software. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. Note takers must submit a sample of their notes to the OSD before being hired. The note taker must attend all classes or find a substitute for classes missed, and must deliver notes weekly. Note takers are hired for students eligible for paid note-taking services through select subsidy partners, including students with major functional disabilities. The note taker makes a copy (hard or electronic) of those notes, and conveys them weekly to the OSD student, following OSD procedures. Login to your McGill Workday account and apply to this posting using the Find Jobs report (type Find Jobs in the search bar).ĭuties: to take comprehensive and complete lecture notes at every class for the duration of the term, by hand or on a lap top computer. If you are an active McGill employee (ie: currently in an active contract or position at McGill University), do not apply through this Career Site.

#Osd notetaker how to#

Please refer to the How to Apply for a Job (for External Candidates) job aid for instructions on how to apply.

#Osd notetaker

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ecoamerica · 2 months

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youtube

Watch the 2024 American Climate Leadership Awards for High School Students now: https://youtu.be/5C-bb9PoRLc

The recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by student climate leaders! Join Aishah-Nyeta Brown & Jerome Foster II and be inspired by student climate leaders as we recognize the High School Student finalists. Watch now to find out which student received the $25,000 grand prize and top recognition!

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mdemransposts · 2 years

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Black Hair Care Tips

Black hair (African-American hair) is different from Caucasoid hair or Asian hair. The most typical character of the black hair is that it is strong and rigid transversally but is very flexible length wise. Because of this presentation, the hair body often curls tightly and takes up a spiral appearance. The shape of African hair has a resemblance to a twisted oval or ribbon.

Another feature of black hair is that it is irregular in diameter. Neither the fiber diameter nor the cuticle diameter is the same all through its length. Because of this typical structure and coiling structure the hair has many fragile points. The outside of a tight curl puts stress on the outer hair fiber cortex and cuticle. At some points outside the curls, the cuticle becomes very thin and flakes easily. These areas of stress in the hair fiber are prone to damage by chemicals. Even vigorous combing is enough to flake the cuticle and damage the hair.

Another undesirable feature of the black hair is its low moisture content. This character also makes the black hair more susceptible to weathering. Since the black hair is too curly in nature, it is difficult to comb. It is prone to hair breakage and hair shedding.

Because of these difficulties, black hair requires more care than any other type of hair. The following black hair care tips help in preventing some damage to which it is naturally susceptible.

Massage the scalp regularly to encourage oil production.

Always use a wide-toothed Afro comb. Combining helps spread the natural oil through the hair, making it look shinier and healthier.

My First Recommend:- https://amzn.to/3zIVMot

Use intensive pre-shampoo treatments.

Shampoo your black hair as often as you feel necessary but only lather once, using a small amount of shampoo. Rinse thoroughly.

Always towel-blow your hair and never rub it with a towel. .

Try a hot oil treatment once a month. It lubricates dry scalp and helps in moisturizing black hair.

Choose non-greasy formulas for your hair gel so that they don't take away the healthy sheen.

If you want to braid your black hair, use a softening shampoo that maintains the right moisture balance. You can also try a natural oil based moisturizer.

While combing your hair, start from the tips and work towards the roots, it will be less damaging to the hair.

Have a regular trim to remove split ends as it prevents hair breakage.

Whether it's in cornrows, braids or bun, try not to repeat the same 'pull-back' hairstyle too often. The stress on the hair may cause it to weaken around the edges.

Try to avoid the use of heat treatments, chemical relaxers or hot hair drying of your hair.

Don't use any hair care product that has any harsh chemicals. Only use natural hair care products.

Avoid use of alcohol based products.

Cotton pillowcases and sheets help in breakage, use a silk or satin scarf to wrap up your hair while sleeping.

Besides these natural hair care tips, there are certain black hair products that can be used for taking care of your hair. Black hair has its own specific characters and its unique problems. So special black hair growth products need to be specially formulated for taking care of the more fragile black hair. The best black hair care or hair growth products are the ones that use the natural hair care products.

The common ingredients of the black hair care products depend largely on the requirements of the black hair care. The research has found that black hair is less dense as compared to other ethnic hair. Studies on black hair have shown that it also has less hair re-growth potential. Because of these factors, more Afro-American women are concerned about hair loss or alopecia. These women are mostly looking for products that offer them better hair growth other than frizz control. Natural hair care products offer these black hair care products more credibility over other products.

Thanks for reading! For more informative articles visit my article blog at [ https://skygooddeals.blogspot.com/ ] for articles on all sorts of topics!

#Black Hair Care Tips #hair care #hair capsules for hair growth #hair inspiration #hair loss #hair growth #hair accessories #natural hair growth #natural hair care #natural hair styles #natural hair color #natural hair products

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perdidosbucky-yyo · 2 years

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L.O.V.E

Pairing: Mob!Bucky x Plus size!Fem!Reader (no mention of ethnicity)

Summary: Bucky wants to offer you more than love

Warnings: underage drinking (reader is 20), a little low self esteem, self image issues, smutty (foreplay, implied oral and smut), tiny amount of angst, shitty father (not the reader’s), mention of a gun.

Wc: 4k

a/n: a little late buuut, Happy valentines everyone! I have very mixed feelings about this one lol, also,this was supossed to be pure fluff lmao, oh well… I hope you enjoy <3 And I would like to specify that the reader had a tough time figuring out what she wanted to do after high school so that’s why she JUST applied for collage (it’s ok to not know what you want for your life, there’s no rush, you get to choose your own path).

likes, comments, and reblogs are deeply encouraged <3

L is for the way you look at me

“Look at those damn eyes” you whispered to your best friend, clutching her forearm but never breaking eye contact with the handsome stranger across the poorly lit room, “It’s like they have a life of its own and they want to consume me” you whisper almost out of breath, heart thumping as if you just ran a marathon, the woman next to you chuckled “alright, no more beer for you”, she says as she takes your drink away but you don’t even notice; you’d seen him before back in high school, he always picked up his sister. Whether it was the alcohol or your corny romantic side, you’d swear those cerulean blue eyes were your home, shining with adoration along with a stupid-hot cocky smirk, at this point you’re starting to doubt he’s even looking at you, no one has ever seen you the way he is right now, it’s unsettling in the best way possible.

Too self-conscious to let yourself think that a tatted 6’3 adonis would be interested in you, after an internal debate, you willed yourself to look away, maybe he’s way too drunk to see you clearly, maybe he’s a jerk that wants to get his dick wet, you wouldn’t be surprised at this point. 3 annoying songs later as you were about to finish your last beer, a hand came up from behind you, stealing your drink, about to complain, words lost all meaning, blue eyes took a big sip and made an exaggerated refreshing sigh, putting down the bottle you feel like his eyes bore into your very being, tongue licking his pink lips he clears his throat, “Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?” he says with the biggest grin.

O is for the only one I see

Walking down to the beach with Bucky hand in hand, you find some of your former classmates staring and pointing at you with shock and subtle disgust, dread makes your stomach drop, already regretting letting Bucky convince you to wear a bikini instead of an oversized shirt and shorts.

As if he sensed your distress, blue eyes stops and drops the bags in the sand so he can cradle your face and kiss you breathless in front of everyone, stating that you’re his and he’s proud of it, head light and dizzy you pull away with a giggle to breathe, not being finished with you, he pulls you closer by the neck and pecks your lips, giving you a wink that sends butterflies to your stomach.

Once you were able to find a spot to put a blanket and settle all of your stuff, laying down facing each other, Bucky reached for your face to move a stray hair behind your ear, then with a frown on his features he cupped your cheek “Sorry I couldn’t rent a nicer spot with an umbrella, hammocks and all that… is just my Ma needed me to help her out and I-“, you inmediatelly schooched closer to him with a smile on your face “Buck, it’s ok, I don’t mind, really, besides, it’s pretty expensive, I don’t-“, cupping your face with both hands, with an exasperated look he rests his forehead against yours “I want to treat my girl”, rolling your eyes at him you place your hand on top of his “Jamie this is perfect… so we’ll get a little sunburned” you shrug “no biggie, now would you please drop that frown?” you whisper as you tenderly nudge your nose against his, hand gently caressing the tatoo on his shoulder. At the use of his first name, he relaxes, but still not convinced, the man sighs and gives you a small smirk, whispering in your ear “only if you let me put sunscreen on you”, his warm breath, despite the heat sends a shiver down your spine, noticing your reaction Bucky starts placing soft kisses from your jaw down you neck, making whimper.

Still in your little paradise with Bucky, you failed to notice that a group of girls in bikinis that barely covered their goods was approaching, a shrill voice cut through, making you wince “hey handsome, wanna play?”, swallowing down a bitter “fuck off” you sighed, your body tensed and you kept your head down, of course they assumed he would ditch the fatty for them, and for a second you wouldn’t blame him… Not even sparing them a look, Bucky tilted your chin up and gave you a quick kiss on your cheek, a small smile on his lips, and a look in his eyes that said everything you needed to know.

Hoping they would get the message, a yellow and blue ball rolled up between you, “C’mon we won’t keep you long from your friend” one of the girls from the back whined “she doesn’t mind, don’t you sweetie?” said the blonde in a condescending tone, before you could fire back, Bucky threw the ball at them, hard, it would’ve definitely hit them in the face but they managed to dodge it, with a stone-cold face he seethed “not interested”, color draining from their faces, with a few scoffs, what the hell man? and whatevers, they walked away.

Turning to face him you couldn’t help but laugh “you were so mean” you teased as you poked his chest, grabbing you by the waist, blue eyes tackled you and got on top of you, almost making your heart jump out of your chest “They don’t matter sweetheart, I only see one person” he murmured with pure honesty, hands wandering every curve and roll with the utmost tenderness and adoration, you were so enthralled by his eyes that you couldn’t even care enough to freak out that he was touching the parts of your body you wouldn’t even acknowledge some days, you felt safe in his arms, completely seen and still worthy.

V is very very extraordinary

When Bucky got the call that he was gonna have to work on a Sunday night he was about to hang up but then his boss specified the car he was gonna work on, an Aston Martin DB5… he thought it was a fucking joke until he saw it in person, how this beauty of a car ended up in in a shitty auto-repair shop in a nowhere town was a mystery to him, but the pay was decent and that’s all he needed to know.

Shop empty, he was burning the midnight oil with you next to him, sitting on a pouf chair just a few feet away, The Smiths playing in the background as you rambled on about how disappointing Game of Thrones final season was “they did my Khaleesi so dirty” you huff out, Bucky chuckles as you take a deep breath to compose yourself “You know better than to bring up Game of Thrones” you whine, feeling a little embarrassed over your rant, Bucky knew exactly what he was doing, he loved hearing your voice, especially when you talked about things you were passionate about.

2:00 in the morning, you walk up to your disheveled and greasy boyfriend, handing him a cup of coffee “black with three sugars” you wink, Bucky takes a sip and places the drink down, “C’mere baby, I wanna thank you” he puckers his lips, waiting for yours, with a whine you stay put “but you’re so dirtyyy, I just got this shirt” you muster your best puppy eyes, with a clenched jaw he signals you with his finger to move, “I said c’mere”, his eyes shone with mischief, the sound of his stern voice echoed through the room, making your body react before your mind, walking up to him and placing your arms around his shoulders, gently gripping your jaw with his hand while the other slid down your bottom, his lips crashed with yours, a gentle kiss that slowly grew needy, like he couldn’t believe he’s been away from you this long, your soft lips are now a comfort he’s grown used to over the last months. With a content sigh, he hesitantly lets go of you, shit-eating grin as he sees your face, shirt, and jeans covered in grease, “happy now?” you ask with a laugh.

“Can’t believe I let you do this” you whisper as you tapped your foot nervously, nails digging into your forearms, the smell of leather and his scent barely soothing you, “relax doll, I’m being careful, it’s my ass on the line anyways” he chuckles as he drives through the highway with one hand on the leather wheel and his other hand rubbing your thigh “both hands on the wheel BUDDY, we’re not crashing a priceless classic on my watch”, with a playful eye roll he takes his hand off your thigh, you immediately miss the warmth but decide to stay quiet, enjoying the comfortable silence.

Reaching your destination, Bucky pulls over and pulls down the windows, the warm breeze and sound of waves crashing overwhelm your senses, reaching for his hand you interlace your fingers, turning to face him you notice that he was already looking at you, a serious look on his face, with the tiniest hint of a smile, “what?” you ask with a grin as you feel your cheeks heat up “you’re fucking beautiful” he says, thumb rubbing your palm, and in that very moment, as if he was in cahoots with the universe, the moonlight hits his eyes, making them bluer than ever before, your breath hitches, “you’re one to talk” you murmur, leaning in to hover over his lips, relishing in the warmth he radiates and his intoxicating smell.

“Don’t you just love how each time the waves crash it rumbles through your body? It’s like a giant is walking right next to you”, you wonder out loud, laying down, head on his lap, legs in the sand, with a sweet smile Bucky kisses your forehead, “don’t change the subject sweetheart”, with a defeated sigh you avoid his stare, “fine… what I meant was, I think I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m nothin’ special, I’m gonna live an ordinary life, and that’s ok, I mean, I’ll go to college, pay for the rest of my life for a degree that I probably won’t even use, get a crappy job that’s gonna drain me so much that I’ll only want to be a couch potato at home… it’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with that”.

After a few minutes of silence, blue eyes helps you sit up, assuming he silently agreed, you were about to change the subject but as you turned to see him, a knot formed in your throat, he was on his knees, hands cupping the back of your neck, fingers between your hair, gripping you tightly as if begging you for something, glassy eyes full of emotion making your whole world turn to a stop, “I don’t think you grasp just how fucking amazing you are doll” he pleads, “your heart… is so kind, even to those that don’t deserve it, and you’re so sweet and so frigging strong baby” he laughs which makes you laugh, “and your mind works in a way that amazes me, nothin’ special my ass” he mimmicks your voice with an eye roll, thumbs caressing your temples he smiles “you’re extraordinary, and… I love you” he murmurs, all you can do in response is tackle him to the ground and smother him in kisses.

E is even more than anyone that you adore

Gerry Rafferty’s Right Down the Line is blasting through the speakers, your mint-green dress and hair flowing as you’re being twirled by your blue-eyed man. Bucky thought you looked heavenly… breathless, you were always beautiful but seeing you free of inhibitions, hair on the wind, contagious laughter, wearing a dress that accentuated your body, it was a sight to behold. He could barely keep his hands off of you, he was always handsy, it was his love language, but when under the influence, he became a 6’3 needy, clingy, hungry koala bear.

Because you almost crashed into the bride and groom, between giggles and laughs you tried pulling Bucky out of the dance floor “c’mon Jamie, we’re way too drunk to dance” you said as you pulled him by the collar, making him trip a little, with a grimace he scoffs “you can NEVER bee too drunk to dance baby”, almost turning his back on you and going back dancing, you reach his arm and get on your toes, whispering in his ear, moments later he dramatically gasps “YOU DIRTY DOG! Buy me dinner first” he yells, making a few heads turn, which makes your face turn red, before you could jab him he wrapped his arms around you and dragged you out of there wheezing and laughing. Thankfully your whole family was drunk and too and focused on your cousin and his bride to notice that Bucky stole two champagne bottles and a hotel key, “Buckyyy you’re gonna get us in trouble” you hissed, probably making more fuss than you should’ve, laughing his ass off, Bucky just takes your hand while holding two bottles in the other, failing miserably at leaving the room quietly and unnoticed.

Dress and tux discarded long ago, you two were in bed, both bottles of champagne downed, you in a set of black lingerie and Bucky in red trunks. After an intense make-out session, you were straddling his lap, his hardened bulge beneath your clothed core, hands in his hair, lips on his neck as you recovered your breath. “You’re always so soft” he murmurs against your neck as his hands stroke your back and arms, making you chuckle, you move your head to look at him, admiring the tattoos on his shoulder your mouth starts to salivate, but once your eyes connect you sigh in content “I love you, you big ol’ softie”.

Biting his lip, he grips your big thighs and flips you down, a yelp escaping your lips, once he’s on top of you, he starts peppering you with kisses starting with your face, “love was made for me and you doll” he says with a dopey smile, “Romeo and Juliet would be fucking jealous of us” he growls into your skin, the smell of your perfume driving him crazy, his words make you giggle “someone’s drunk” you tease but then you’re cut off, each sound he made as he worshiped your body was intoxicating, you couldn’t focus.

Nipping the crevice of your breasts he marks you, each gentle bite a declaration of his devotion to you, as his warm tongue laps up each mark, your back arches, he wants people to know that you let him own you, you want to be his, he’s completely ruined you for anyone and you’re happy about it. A particular harsh bite makes you gasp, making him preen. Moving down to your stomach, your breath starts to pick up, his kisses are more teeth and tongue, and he knows exactly where to kiss you, he knows your body better than you at this point, he knows how to get you begging for him.

Grabbing you by the ankles he pulls you towards him and takes off your panties before placing your legs on his broad tattooed shoulders, kneading your thick thighs, his fingers dig into your soft skin, Bucky starts leaving a trail of hot open kisses on your legs. Closing in on your core you start to squirm more “stay still sweetheart, I want to make you feel good”, taking a deep breath you grip the sheets, trying not to move too much, “you deserve to feel good baby, you deserve everything good in this world” he moans against your inner thigh “I’m going to give you the world, I promise” he whispers thinking you didn’t hear because of the state of your contorted face, chuckling he dives in.

Multiple orgasms and a two-hour nap later, both of you laid naked, Bucky on his back and your head on his chest with one leg over his waist, sheets crumpled and tossed aside, tracing your back with his finger Bucky stared at the ceiling, there was so much he wanted to say, but you just looked so damn peaceful in your sleep, and as if you read his thoughts, your voice interrupted his train of thought “You have something on your mind” you mumble with a sleepy voice and your eyes closed, in shock, Bucky laughs “how did you know?”, moving up your head to see him, you throw him your best smile “I’m not spilling my secrets just yet”.

You move away from his chest and lean your head on your hand, after he does the same he scrunches his nose “what did I do to deserve you?” he wonders out loud, biting the inside of your cheek you refrain from saying something corny, after a moment of silence “I meant what I said, you deserve the world, and I’m going to give it to you” he claims with a determined look you’ve never seen before, he really means it…

“Our wedding is gonna kick this wedding’s ass” he smirks, which makes you giggle, “you’re gonna get your college degree and be a hot-shot artist… I’ll get my act together, we’re gonna see the world, maybe get you knocked up” he whispers that last part with a wicked grin, your eyes widen, you can’t even picture yourself pregnant right now, but you’re not closed to the possibility. Hearing him talk about the future made you smile from ear to ear, holding his hand you bite your lip “I like the sound of that… but what made you think of all this?”, jumping on top of you he starts attacking you with kisses “I’ve been thinking about this since the moment I saw you sweetheart”, he says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, arching your eyebrow, knowing he’s holding back makes him sigh “and also… I got a job offer”.

Love is all that I can give to you

It’d been 10 minutes since you parked outside of the bus station, neither of you spoke… you couldn’t, you’ve been dreading this day since the moment he told you he got a job (which he hasn’t been able to explain what it is exactly) in New York. Those last few months you spent every day together, barely being apart for more than two days, and of course you wanted to beg him to stay but you couldn’t bring yourself to do it, deeply afraid of the answer you remained quiet.

Interrupting your train of thought you felt his hand nuzzle in your neck, but you immediately moved away from his touch, making his face drop, shaking your head you bit your lip trying to suppress a sob, with glassy eyes Bucky bit the inside of his cheek, and without even asking he cupped your face tightly, and kissed your forehead, a tear sliding down his face, “I’ll come back for you” he whispered and got out of the car.

You watched him leave you behind, your pride was begging you to start the car and go, but the ache in your heart wouldn’t allow it. Getting out of the car you shouted for him, following him inside you were able to reach him, both of you had red eyes and tear-stained cheeks, and you couldn’t stand the thought of him being sad, even if it was his own doing. Taking a deep breath you took a step closer but still kept arm's length distance… like a stranger, as if you didn’t love him with everything you are, “why are you doing this to us?” you say with a shaky voice, willing yourself not to scream at him, lower lip trembling he tries to take a step closer but you back away, “I’m doing this for us!”, you shake your head, refusing to believe him, “ if you go there won’t be an us” you cry, at that Bucky storms towards you and grips your waist “no matter where we are I’ll always be yours, and you’ll always be mine” he declares, those blue eyes piercing your soul, you knew he was right.

“Every moment we spent together, every touch, every conversation, they.still.matter, whether I’m a bus ride away or in fucking China, no matter how much time passes… there’s no me without you”, searching in his eyes for any lie or doubt you find none, so your hands fly to the back of his neck and you pull him for a passionate kiss.

As your tongues dance with each other, you grip his long hair and his fingers dig into your skin, definetely leaving a bruise for later, you don’t even mind, all you want is for him to stay… “please don’t leave me” you whisper against his lips in a last attempt to convince him, sniffling, he cups your face and musters a small smile, “if I stay, love is all I can give to you… and that’s not enough sweetheart” he pleads, almost letting his voice break, and before you could say anything back he rubs your temples, begging you to listen to him “right before my dad walked out on us, the last thing he said to me was provide, not even take care of your Ma, or look out for your sister, provide… being a shitty mechanic earning minimum wage ain’t gonna cut it anymore, my family deserves better than that, and you ARE my family doll, I need to do this and I need you to trust me”. He takes your hand and kissed your knuckles before placing it in his heart “will you?” he mouths, looking at you like you hold his entire world, and without a second thought you nod.

There’s so much more you want to say but as you checked the clock you knew his bus would leave soon, so you wrapped your arms around him and clung to him, finally letting out a propper sob as you felt him kiss your temple and neck. Staying like that for as long as you could… you being the first to let go, he cups your face like he’s done a million times before and kisses you, noses nudging each other you whisper “I love you Bucky”, nodding with glassy eyes, “I love you” he whispers back and finally walks away.

Two in love can make it

It wasn’t easy, being apart from him… no one really understood why you were so heartbroken “you were barely one year together” they all would say, you couldn’t blame them, saying it out loud, it did sound crazy, maybe it really was a fling, ‘young love’. As the time passed you learned it wasn’t just a fling, four years of college passed and you still had no desire to start a new relationship or even a simple hook up, not that you had many suitors but still, your love for your blue-eyed man never wavered. You stayed in contact, messaging as much as you could, a call at least once a month, they were bread crumbs but they kept you from starving.

Today had been a particularly hard day, you argued with your mom over the dirty dishes, ran out of money so you had to take the bus to work, ran late so you got yelled by your shitty boss, only to get yelled by a shitty customer, spilled hot coffee on yourself and to top it all, you forgot to bring your lunch… so it was safe to say that at the end of your shift you were more than done.

Shop empty, after cleaning everything spotless you went to the back to get your stuff and the sound of someone coming in made your stomach drop “rushing back front to tell them you were closed, your body froze and all words died on your tongue “You believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?” the bastard said with a knowing smirk, your bad mood disappeared and without thinking twice, you ran towards his open arms, and oomph leaving his mouth as you crashed into him, arms immediately wrapping around his middle and his cradling your head.

Pulling away to get a better look at you he bites his lips “you haven’t aged a bit doll, still just as beautiful as the day I met ya” he says with a hand over his heart, swooning. He hadn’t aged as well, he was still an adonis but he did look different, he looked more buff (if that was even possible), he was wearing a perfectly tailored wide-lapel suit, his hair was cut short, a well-groomed beard around his face (you absolutely loved that) and even more tattoos, the ones on his hands and neck stood out the most for you, he looked impossibly good, he carried the same confidence but power oozed out of him.

Noticing you staring, blue eyes chuckled and took a step forward, the smell of mint- chocolate overwhelmed you, making your knees tremble, and as his face slowly approached yours, you realized that his hands were roaming your frame… “tell me you’re still mine” he breathed out, taking a gulp your hands slid up to his chest, “always Jamie” you desperately nodded, praying he would believe you, “are you?” you timidly asked, “taking a hold of your jaw, face impossibly close and yet not enough he nods “there is no me without you” and before your lips could touch, a man with a gun in hand walks into the shop, you inmediatelly grip Bucky’s arm “Sir we need to get going”, after dismissing him, Bucky turns to you with a pleading look “ready to come home?”, there were so many questions you wanted to ask, and you weren’t really sure if he meant your home, New York or somewhere else, but you went with your gut. Once you closed the shop, you followed him to the limo that was waiting outside, sitting next to him you took his hand and looked into his beautiful cerulean blue eyes, they were the same, you knew they were home, you knew it from the moment you saw him.

#bucky barnes #mafia bucky #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes smut #marvel fanfiction #bucky barnes x you #carrot's harvest #Spotify #bucky barnes x plus size reader

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imgibbon · 2 years

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A deep dive into Ogre Saga / Ivalice Alliance continuity

Since I got a lot of comments to the tune of "you know those aren't actually connected, right?" on this Ogre/Ivalice thread, I feel like it's worth revisiting & going into how these titles form a coherent world with actual connections and continuity https://twitter.com/IMGibbon/status/1488962184092606472

So I'm going to attempt to do that, one at a time, in release order, showing how the series has built up its lore and history over the just shy of thirty years(!) it's been ongoing now.

You can find this thread in ridiculously long and image-filled twitter form here: https://twitter.com/IMGibbon/status/1496998485047930922 Tumblr only gives me 10 image slots so I'm going to use them sparingly lol

So anyway, once again, welcome to the Wubbulous World of Yasumi Matsuno.

1993.03 - Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen [Super Famicom]

We start with Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen, originally released for the Super Famicom in March of 1993, and later receiving ports for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. These would spruce up the graphics, change up the fonts, & add some voice acting.

Supposedly Episode V in an ongoing saga, started in the middle (as one does when you're inspired by Star Wars). This release actually sets the scene for the next half dozen or so that follow it, even across multiple publishers and development teams, via its characters and lore.

Long long ago, humanity fought a war against Ogres and Demons. Among humanity's champions, the Twelve Disciples of the heavens were gifted sacred Zodiac Stones by the gods and used their power to drive the armies of the Underworld back into their domain and seal them away.

Other artifacts of note from the Ogre Battle are the Holy Grail, gifted to humanity by the heavens; the Black Diamond, a 13th Zodiac Stone created by a banished Disciple; and the Fire Embl-er, the Crest of Fire, held by humanity's champion as they drove back the demonic hordes.

25 years prior to the game's start, Empress Endora conquered the continent of Xetegenia (sometimes spelled with a Z). During her reign, a resistance organization forms to free the continent. The plot opens with the player character Destin taking command of the Liberation Army.

Throughout the course of the campaign, Destin is joined by various other characters, such as Lans Hamilton, a former knight of Xenobia (again, sometimes with a Z); Warren Omon, a mage with the ability to divine the future; Tristan, the rightful prince of Xenobia; and others.

After the Empress is slain, it is discovered that she was manipulated by Rashidi, a dark wizard in the Empress’ employ. Destin defeats him, but before he dies Rashidi releases Diablo, the king of the Underworld who was sealed away after the first great Ogre Battle.

Destin and their army manage to seal Diablo away again before he can become too powerful, using the mythic Zodiac Stones that have been gathered over the course of the campaign. Bringing a close to this first chapter in the burgeoning fantasy universe.

1995.10 - Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together [Super Famicom]

The second release in the series was to be Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, originally released in October of 1995 for the Super Famicom, it too got ports to the Sega Saturn and Playstation, and again they were mostly effects and performance tweaks.

Episode VII of the ongoing Ogre Battle Saga (yes, they skipped ahead one), this builds on MotBQ's base, featuring a new conflict in a new locale, but featuring returning characters & items from the first game while introducing some new legacies of its own.

Tactics Ogre takes place in Valeria, an archipelago nation united under one King Dolgare. After Dolgare's apparent death with no direct heirs, the three primary ethnic groups of Valeria end up in a brief civil war, dividing into dedicated territories of varying sizes.

The factions are Bacrum-Valeria, backed by the foreign nation of Lodis and ruled by its regent, Bishop Branta Mown; the Galgastani (referred to as the Gargastan Kingdom in some localizations) led by Cardinal Barbatos; and the Walsta People led by Duke Ronway.

After the Galgastani gain the upper hand and declare themselves ruler of Valeria, the neighboring Walsta are subjugated and restricted to a small island. The story opens with a small Walsta resistance group, including main character Denim Powell and his sister Kachua.

They attack a group of roaming Xenobian mercenaries falsely believing their leader Lans Hamilton (returning from MotBQ) is the Black Knight Lans Tartare, a Lodis soldier who imprisoned Denim and Kachua's father Plancy in their childhood.

The sympathetic Hamilton joins the group, bringing the old sage Warren (also returning from the previous game), and the rest of his Xenobian troops, while Kachua vainly attempts to dissuade Denim from fighting.

The game at this point opens up on some branching story paths, an early branch opening up when Denim's loyalty to the resistance is tested when a compatriot orders the massacre of a town that refuses to join them, framing Galgastan for the crime.

Eventually finding their father Plancy dying from a terminal illness, Plancy reveals to Denim that he is of the Mown family (the regents of Bacrum-Valeria), and that Kachua is King Dolgare's illegitimate daughter, giving her a direct claim to Valeria's throne.

Among the Galgastani forces is the necromancer Nybeth Obdilord, who is a whole tier of evil unto himself. Nybeth has his own superdungeon, the Palace of the Dead, on the 100th floor of which can be found one of the game's new mythic artifacts, the mysterious Gran Grimoire.

In all routes, both the Golgastani and Tartare's forces are defeated and Denim kills Branta Mown. Survivors of Tartare's Dark Knights use the stolen Xenobian sword Brunhild to break the seal on a portal leading to the realm of the dark god Asmodeus.

It is revealed that Dolgare, overcome with despair by his wife's death, made a pact with Asmodeus in an attempt to resurrect her, becoming an Ogre in the process. He attempts to reclaim Valeria, but Denim's forces defeat him, Warren sacrificing himself to seal the fiend away.

1997.06 - Final Fantasy Tactics [PlayStation]

After the completion of Tactics Ogre, Matsuno left Quest for Square, taking with him already-in-progress plans for the next Ogre entry, which would eventually be released on the Sony PlayStation as Final Fantasy Tactics in June of 1997 to cult success.

This title establishes the kingdom/world of Ivalice, which would continue to appear in later titles for the next 25 years or so. While not explicitly the same world as the Ogre games for legal reasons, there are numerous indications to suggest they are one and the same.

A couple thousand years ago in-universe, an undescribed Cataclysm ravaged the world, scouring numerous kingdoms from the map, driving some of the fantasy races to extinction, and eliminating magic as it was then known, leaving humanity to pick up the pieces and rebuild.

Out-of-Universe, this Cataclysm can be read as a bit of a metatextual symbol of Matsuno having to eschew explicit references to his prior Ogre games and start anew with Ivalice, and serves as a nice divide between the two franchises.

Slightly more recently, only 1200 years ago, the saintess Ajora Glabados was born. After her execution, her followers formed the Church of Glabados, integrating the legend of the mythic Zodiac Stones (last seen in MotBQ) & the Braves who wielded them into their holy scriptures.

As the game opens, Ivalice is recovering from a Fifty Year War against neighboring Ordalia. After the death of its ruler, Princess Ovelia and Prince Orinas are the top candidates for the vacant throne.

The former is supported by Prince Goltana of the Black Lion, and the latter by Queen Ruvelia and her brother, Prince Larg of the White Lion. The two groups engage in what would later be known as The War of the Lions.

Ramza, of the noble Beoulve family of knights, and his childhood commoner friend Delita, witness the murder of Delita's sister during an uprising, causing them both to abandon their ties to the nobility.

Ramza joins a mercenary group protecting Princess Ovelia and her guard Agrias from being hunted by both sides of the conflict, while Delita joins Goltana's forces. They are reunited during a kidnapping attempt of Ovelia by Prince Larg forces.

Agrias suggests sheltering Ovelia with the Church of Glabados. Along the way, Ramza meets Mustadio Bunansa, a machinist in possession of one of the thought-lost holy Zodiac Stones, who is also seeking church protection due to those seeking to take the stone for themselves.

Ramza eventually discovers that the Church of Glabados has been using the now corrupted thirteen Zodiac Stones to instigate the War of the Lions. Ramza is branded a heretic and chased by the Knights Templar, the soldiers of the church who are hunting the Zodiac Stones.

He acquires proof of, and tries to reveal, the Church's lies about Saint Ajora - and that she was in fact the mortal host of Ultima the Fallen Angel, leader of the Lucavi, a group of corrupted scions and mythic beings who sought to supplant the gods.

The two sides in the war face off in a major battle that results in the deaths of both Larg and Goltana, securing the Church's control over Ivalice. After the battle Ramza discovers that the Lucavi have been using the Church in an attempt to resurrect Ultima once more.

The War of the Lions was needed to generate the numerous recently slain souls needed for the ceremony, and the mortal host chosen to house Ultima's own soul in this new age is Ramza's younger sister Alma.

Failing to stop the ceremony in time, Ultima is resurrected, though Ramza and his allies succeed in destroying her and escape into obscurity. In the epilogue, Delita marries Ovelia and becomes the King of Ivalice, though the two eventually end up stabbing each other.

Orran Durai, a member of Ramza's party, chronicles the Church's evil plot with the "Durai Report", but is burned at the stake for heresy. 400+ years later his descendent Arazlam Durai finds the report and vows to get the story out, serving as the narrator for the entire game.

1999.07 - Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber [Nintendo 64]

Jumping back over to Quest for a hot minute, several of Matsuno's team stayed behind and continued working on the Ogre Battle series. The next release in the franchise was to be Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber, released in July of 1999 for the Nintendo 64.

Serving as the Saga's previously skipped Episode VI, Person of Lordly Caliber takes place roughly concurrently to the events of Let Us Cling Together, again in a new setting, and again featuring returning characters and items from the original Ogre Battle game.

The story follows Magnus Gallant, a recent graduate of the Ischka Military Academy, and fledgling captain in Palatinus' Southern region, Alba. As civil war erupts in the country, Magnus eventually decides to join the revolution with its leader, Frederick Raskin.

The campaign takes Magnus across the nation, first liberating the southern regions with the aid of Destin and his Xenobian troops (returning from MotBQ), then the other three corners of the map before finally marching on the capital of Latium.

However, along the way Magnus' battalion the Blue Knights find their enemies escalating, including the puppet king of Palatinus, the Holy Lodis Empire (whose forces are also operating in Valeria), & the Dark Hordes of the Netherworld themselves, rearing their heads once again.

Like Tactics Ogre, there are multiple branching story paths and possible endings, but among them all Frederick dies an untimely death. One of the endings suggests that the entire plot was fomented by a returned Rashidi, but unfortunately the storyline has yet to be continued.

2000.02 - Vagrant Story [PlayStation]

Back on the Square side of things, Matsuno was putting out his next title in February of 2000, the highly experimental hybrid action/turn-based RPG Vagrant Story for the Sony PlayStation, which takes place in the ruined city of Leá Monde in the kingdom of Valendia.

The story centers on Ashley Riot, an elite agent known as a Riskbreaker, and his partner Callo Merlose, an agent of the Inquisitors, who must travel to Leá Monde to investigate the link between a cult leader and a senior Valendian Parliament member, Duke Bardorba.

In the prologue, Ashley is blamed for murdering the duke, and the game discloses the events that happen one week before the murder, with some additional comments and narration by Arazlam Durai (returning from FFT's framing device) commenting on the current events.

Sydney Losstarot, leader of the religious cult Müllenkamp, laid siege to Duke Bardorba's manor in search of a key and kidnapped Bardorba's son, Joshua. Sydney is a practitioner of The Dark, a concept introduced in Final Fantasy Tactics as the source of one evil witch's power.

The Dark as a concept is very central to Vagrant Story as a whole, used to explain the presence of undead in Leá Monde, why they dissolve into black mist upon defeat, the powers of many dark arts wielders therein, and other supernatural phenomena within the game's world.

As Ashley and Callo chase Sydney through Leá Monde, it eventually comes to light that the city, established some two millennia ago, is in fact a construct created from a mythic tome, the Gran Grimoire (last seen in Tactics Ogre).

As machinations unfold between Ashley, Sydney, and others, it comes to light that this has all been an elaborate plot to gain the powers of the Dark, with Ashley unwillingly becoming its new host, marked by the pronged cross known as the "Blood-Sin" by the end of the game.

Beyond things like the Gran Grimoire or Arazlam, the city of Leá Monde also contains the enshrined remains of several dramatis personae from the War of the Lions; such as Ramza's ashes, the gem currently sealing away Ultima, and a balm left behind by Agrias, among others.

These all work to weave a very strong continuity with Final Fantasy Tactics, which were only solidified as time went on via interviews and later releases.

2000.06 - Ogre Battle: The Prince of Xenobia [NeoGeo Pocket Color]

Meanwhile, back at Quest again, the first of two gaiden titles was being released - June of 2000's Ogre Battle: The Prince of Xenobia for the NeoGeo Pocket Color. Unlike prior Ogre titles, this is considered a side story and isn't a numbered "episode" in the ongoing Saga.

Starting prior to the events of March of the Black Queen, this title follows a chunk of the life of Destin's future ally Prince Tristan of Xenobia, with later portions of the game occurring concurrently to MotBQ, but from Tristan's point of view this time.

There's not really a lot to say about this one. It's a fairly faithful port of the Ogre Battle gameplay onto a handheld system, and served more as a proof of concept such things could be done than anything else, though its fleshing out of familiar characters is welcome.

2001.06 - Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis [Game Boy Advance]

Following that up, the team decided to be more ambitious with their next project, and just a year later in June of 2001 released their second prequel side story - Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis for the Game Boy Advance, this time serving as a prequel to Let Us Cling Together.

The storyline follows Lodis soldier Alphonse Loeher as he learns of his country's oppression of the neighboring land of Ovis & eventually turns against his former comrades. As with the prior Tactics Ogre, the game features many choices and branches, allowing for multiple ends.

Though perhaps not immediately apparent at the beginning of the game, by the end the narrative has revealed the background and motivations of the Black Knight Lans Tartare, one of the primary antagonists of Let Us Cling Together.

While being a fairly straightforward Tactics Ogre prequel, this does surprisingly contain some links to Final Fantasy Tactics, in the form of two disguised demons, Lethe & Cirvante, bearing very similar fake names to those they would later use during the War of the Lions.

2003.02 - Final Fantasy Tactics Advance [Game Boy Advance]

Those that had remained behind at Quest and continued working on the Ogre games were reunited with Matsuno when Quest began shutting down in 2002. Their first title at Square would be Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for the Game Boy Advance, released in February of 2003.

The Ivalice in this title is a facsimile of the real Ivalice created by the Gran Grimoire (last seen doing similar in Vagrant Story), this time acting in a fashion similar to the titular tome in The Never Ending Story, creating an escape from reality for four young children.

Those 4 being Marche Radiuju, a new student & in the modern day town of St. Ivalice; Mewt Randell, a shy boy pining for his late mother; Ritz Malheur, an assertive girl & classmate of theirs; & Doned, Marche's younger, handicapped brother and a big fan of fantasy novels & games.

The game centers on Marche as he tries to find the others and figure out what happened. Even after realizing how much better his life is in the new Ivalice, he believes that none of it is real and is even more determined to return to his home with everyone.

He finds that Mewt is the ruler of the land alongside his mother; his depressed alcoholic father now a respectable leader of the Judges of Ivalice; Ritz is an adventurer of another clan and no longer suffers from albinism; and Doned is now healthy and able to walk.

Eventually Marche succeeds in his quest to return Ivalice to normal. He achieves this by defeating Li-Grim, the physical manifestation of the Grimoire's wish-based magic that had been masquerading as Mewt's mother, Queen Remedi.

He teaches the other children in the process that they cannot live in fantasy but must learn to live with their misfortunes in reality. The other children are wiser from the experience, as the ending reveals them all to have become happy with themselves.

This marks a bit of a new era for Ivalice, both in and out of universe, as the next half-dozen titles center around the pillar that is the then-in-development FFXII, & Tactics Advance was no exception, serving as a bit of a sneak peek for some characters and locales thereof.

We also mostly move out of the realm of ambiguous game connections. Square launched the "Ivalice Alliance" sub-franchise banners around this time to formally denote Ivalice titles that have clear continuity with one another, most of which also feature characters from FFXII.

In Tactics Advance's case, those elements would be Marche's Moogle friend and Clan leader Montblanc; the Judges, the de-facto guardians and enforcers of law & order in Ivalice; and some other odds & ends that end up debuting here early ahead of their intended console introduction.

More general elements include some of the new mainstay races of Ivalice, created for XII, such as the lizard-folk Bangaa, the rabbit-kin Vierra, and the somewhat dog-like Nu Mou, reminiscent of the Mystics from the 1982 film The Dark Crystal.

There were also a number of returning bits from prior games as well, chief among them the Lucavi from FFT, now dubbed "Scions", serving as this game's summons. The Scions are 24 mythic beings split into the forces of The Light & Dark. The Lucavi being of The Dark, natch.

2006.03 - Final Fantasy XII [PlayStation 2]

Ending up being Matsuno's final project at Square for some years, Final Fantasy XII suffered a troubled production, Matsuno leaving Square for various reasons partway through development, being released in a state the team wasn't entirely satisfied with in March of 2006.

The team would finally "complete" development a year later with an "International" version that implements sweeping balance tweaks, a job system, an optional super-dungeon, expanded quality of life options, and other changes, though nothing pertinent to lore or continuity.

That Japan-only International release would later be brought to the states with a remaster subtitled "The Zodiac Age" in 2017.

As discussed above, Final Fantasy XII was a new tentpole for the Ivalice subseries. While not deriving explicitly from anything from past titles like FFT stemmed from MotBQ, it still calls back and explicitly lays out where it sits with regards to Ivalice's history and setting.

Prior to the thrust of the plot, the kingdom of Dalmasca is invaded by the Archadian Empire, assassinating the king, announcing that the culprit was Dalmascan captain Basch, and proclaiming that the Dalmascan Princess Ashe has committed suicide.

Two years later, street urchin Vaan sneaks into the palace a powerful magical crystal, a magicite. He is discovered by Balthier Bunansa and Fran, a pair of sky pirates also looking for the magicite. The three are captured by Archadian forces & meet Basch, still imprisoned.

Basch reveals that his twin brother Judge Magister Gabranth was the one to kill the king. The four escape and discover Vaan's childhood friend Penelo has been kidnapped. After her rescue, the party is captured & encounters the not-dead Princess Ashe, now leading the Resistance.

As you may have noticed, the plot has many parallels to Star Wars, with Vaan as Luke, Basch as Obi-Wan, Gabranth as Vader, Balthier as Han, Fran as sexy Chewbacca, and Ashe as Leia. It's not a secret that Matsuno draws influence from the films, but this is a bit on the nose lol.

The magicite is revealed to be a royal Dalmascan artifact, "deifacted nethicite", and is retrieved from the heroes. The party escapes, but Ashe needs the nethicite as proof that she is the princess, so they journey to collect another nethicite relic, the Dawn Shard.

The crew eventually meet the makers of nethicite, the immortal Occuria (who "pull the strings of history") who give Ashe a mythic blade to cut new nethicite from the fabled Sun-cryst. She also learns that the Occuria Venat has been the one manipulating Archadia from the shadows.

Ashe decides not to take her revenge by following the Occuria's wishes, but instead destroy the Sun-cryst. Gabranth is defeated, and the party infiltrate Archadia's sky fortress and have an epic battle with the Emperor and Vanet, ending the war.

Ashe formally becomes the Queen of Dalmasca; Basch replaces his brother Gabranth as the chief Judge Magister; and Vaan and Penelo fly an airship to meet Balthier and Fran for another adventure. You can almost hear the Star Wars ending credits fanfare playing.

So, let's address this first: The Ultimania Omega's timeline is wrong. I legitimately believe it to be innocuous human error, but it lists an incorrect date, which has resulted in the internet thinking that XII precedes FFT for the last dozen or so years.

In-game, Final Fantasy XII contains a lore entry that describes the Kiltian religion being founded "two millennia" ago and that the Glabados denomination thereof was founded "several decades" later, shortly after Ajora's death. FFT puts the foundation of Glabados at "1200 years ago", placing it around 800 years before XII.

However, the Ultimania Omega instead says that the Glabados denomination was founded several decades after Final Fantasy XII, which completely mucks things up, and would require there being two different Saint Ajoras several thousand years apart.

This discrepancy is often attributed by fans to a mislocalization in either XII or FFT, but after much time spent scouring the Japanese scripts across all releases, I don't actually think there's any mistranslations going on, I think the Ultimania Omega just made a mistake.

If the Ultimania is taken as writ, it makes the relevant FFXII lore entry the only one in the game that is presented non-diegetically, referring to events that occur after the game, & contradicts other lore in both FFT & XII that has stayed consistent across multiple versions.

On top of all that, in an interview with the Final Fantasy XII team at time of release they specifically stated it takes place AFTER Tactics https://www.gamespot.com/articles/tgs-06-final-fantasy-xii-qanda/1100-6158485/

So, in summary, Final Fantasy XII takes place roughly 800 years after Final Fantasy Tactics, give or take. And also, by extension, around 400 years after Vagrant Story.

With that out of the way, Final Fantasy XII also contains several other callbacks and continuity nods to Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story, and a surprising amount to the latter in particular.

Calling back to Final Fantasy Tactics, we get some more info on the Scions/Lucavi, stating that those of the Dark rebelled against the Occuria and their manipulation of the world's history, and were cast from grace for their troubles.

The Blood-Sin makes a return showing up during some spellcasting sequences, as well as appearing on the servant of one of the Lucavi during its summoning cinematic. Also from Vagrant Story, the Kingdom of Valendia returns as one of Final Fantasy XII's settings.

Several enemies also make explicit reference to Leá Monde, the Dark, and various miscellany from Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy Tactics in general, such as the Entite line of elementals, the Vagrant Soul, as well as some unique enemies that return from the prior title.

Additionally, two of the new Ivalice races created for this game, the reptilian Bangaa and the porcine Seeq, and aesthetically very similar to the Lizardmen and Orc tribes that populated ruined Leá Monde in Vagrant Story.

2007.05 - Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions [PlayStation Portable]

A remake of the original FFT released for the PlayStation Portable, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions was released in May of 2007. An amazing upgrade, it featured an updated localization to be more in line with releases that have since come, redone cutscenes, and more.

Among that "and more" was some new side-content that connects to recent releases, both past and future. Luso Clemens of the upcoming Tactics A2 makes a guest appearance having been magicked into the past by the Gran Grimoire, as it is wont to do.

Another wayward travel in time is Balthier, from Final Fantasy XII, who has been transposed from the events of the upcoming Revenant Wings, and gets caught up in his ancestor Mustadio's adventures with Ramza & Co before ultimately being returned to his proper time and place.

2007.06 - Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings [Nintendo DS]

Releasing in June of 2007 for the Nintendo DS, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings is explicitly set a year after the events of Final Fantasy XII, featuring Vaan, Penelo, Balthier, and Fran as an innocuous sky pirate treasure hunt turns into something more.

Exploring the Glabados Ruins (further supporting XII's time placement), they find an ancient airship that takes them to the lost Sky Continent of Lemurés, & learn that the Aegyl (winged folk akin to those from the Ogre games) were not lost to the Cataclysm as previously thought.

Incidentally, the Glabados Ruins are where Balthier was spirited away to the past of The War of the Lions, from which he apparently brought back the sacred Zodiac Stones, as they can be seen sitting in the corner of the upper screen map table during missions.

Vaan's group are not the only sky pirates journeying to Lemurés, as others have been hired by the mysterious Judge of Wings to assault the continent and the Aegyl who live on it, seeking to plunder their crystal reserves and massive auralith crystals.

These massive auraliths are what the ancient Occuria carved the mythic Zodiac Stones and other auracite from, and serve as the power source that keeps the massive continent suspended in the clouds and allow the Aegyl to survive in the ruins of their lost civilization.

The party eventually learn that the Judge of Wings is Mydia, a mixed-race vierra descended from the aegyl Feolthanos, who has used the power of the auraliths to drain the souls of the other aegyl to become immortal after rebelling against the Occuria thousands of years ago.

After freeing Mydia from her ancestor's control, it is revealed that Feolthanos was driven to this madness by a curse, punishment for using the auraliths to raise the continent of Lemurés to the skies in order to save his people from the Cataclysm against the Occuria's wishes.

After his defeat, the continent begins to break up and fall back to the lands below, and the sky pirates evacuate the survivors while they decide to regroup and make a new life amongst the races of the surface.

This is a pretty straightforward sequel to FFXII, but contains some surprising callbacks to Final Fantasy Tactics, with the Glabados Ruins and the Zodiac Stones; as well as the Ogre games, with an entire game's plot revolving around what happened to the winged folk race.

2007.10 - Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift [Nintendo DS]

A follow-up to the handheld team's 2001 release Tactics Advance, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift was released for the Nintendo DS in October of 2007 (truly a big year for Ivalice releases) and stars Luso Clemens, who had made an preview appearance in WotL.

On the eve of summer break, Luso is forced to serve detention helping in the school library. Finding the Gran Grimoire & writing his name in it as a prank, Luso is spirited into the distant past of Ivalice, where he is rescued from a monster by the adventurer clan Gully.

Luso explains his circumstances to their leader Cid, who vows to return Luso to his home; Luso also offers to help the Clan during quests. During their time taking on quests, Luso meets the human thief Adelle & the moogle minstrel Hurdy, and the trio become fast friends.

Eventually, Luso is introduced to the mage Lezaford, who reveals that the grimoire Luso still carries can take him back to his world, but that Luso will need to figure out how on his own.

Going on a journey to discover more, Clan Gully faces off against the criminal group Khamja & the hand of a monster which emerges from a mysterious portal. During the skirmish, Khamja member Illua spies Luso's tome and attacks it, but it deflects her attempt & drives her off.

Lezaford then identifies the Gran Grimoire as the "Grimoire of the Rift", having the power to, among other things, open portals across time and space. It is consequently highly sought after in magic circles and also considered highly dangerous.

The monstrous hand Clan Gully fought off belongs to a beast called the Neukhia, which could be summoned into Ivalice using the Grimoire. Illua wishes to harness powers beyond the portals for personal reasons and seeks the Grimoire's destruction.

After much adventuring, during a final confrontation with Illua, a portal is opened and the Neukhia fully emerges, killing Illua before attacking the party. Luso's party defeats the Neukhia, and feels able to go home after bidding farewell to Clan Gully.

Arriving back in the library, Luso encounters the school librarian - one Mr. Mewt Randell, last seen in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Believing Luso's tale, Randell allows Luso to go home to enjoy the summer, while back in the past his friends continue on their adventures.

Aside from Mewt, other returning characters from the series include Vaan and Penelo, looking a bit older & having established themselves as seasoned sky pirates in the "ensuing years" since the events of Final Fantasy XII. Also showing up is Hurdy's older brother Montblanc.

2010.11 - Tactics Ogre: Wheel of Fate [PlayStation Portable]

In the vein of The War of the Lions, Tactics Ogre: Wheel of Fate is an enhanced & expanded remake of Let Us Cling Together released for the PlayStation Portable in October of 2007. Like WotL, it features enhanced graphics, a refined localization, and new content.

Amongst the new content, which includes many new characters and missions, are some sly references that help tie the game to Final Fantasy Tactics and Ivalice, both revolving around the popular character of Count Cidolfus "Thunder God" Orlandeau, Orran Durai's step-father.

A similarly powerful character in Tactics Ogre, Arycelle Dania's, has a new moniker in Wheel of Fate, "Thunder Maiden", which evocative of Cid's title in The War of the Lions, though this isn't a continuity item and more of a nod.

More concrete though is that it is now mentioned in Warren's character reports that Leundar Balbatos's puppet lord and figurehead leader of the Galgastani hails from the Orlandeau family, cementing him as part of Cidolfus' bloodline and distant relative of Orran and Arazlam.

Another fun non-continuity nod is the entirely new character of Ravness Loxaerion of the Knights of Almorica, who is based on Agrias Oaks from Final Fantasy Tactics. Their character sprites are nearly identical.

2012.11 - Crimson Shroud [Nintendo 3DS]

Despite briefly returning to work with Square on Wheel of Fate, Matsuno would go on to make his next title at Level-5 as part of their Guild series of smaller game releases. This materialized in the form of Crimson Shroud, released for the Nintendo 3DS in November of 2012.

The plot of Crimson Shroud centers around the Chaser Giauque (pronounced "Jack") and his party being dispatched by an Earl to the ruins of the Sun-Gilt Palace of the Rahab to track down a fugitive in possession of The Defense of Heresy, a manuscript banned by the Church.

The wider setting of the game is very much in line with past titles, detailing that there was a time in the distant past when magic disappeared from the world, but then returned anew by way of the Gifts, relics granted to humanity by the gods.

The Gifts grant magic to the world, and humanity gradually learned to copy them, and copy the copies, and so on, to the point that magic is once again somewhat common-place, if not as powerful as the abilities granted by the genuine Gifts themselves.

The Defense of Heresy was written some three hundred years back and argued, convincingly, that the gifts were sent by the Devil, not God. The author was executed, and the manuscript expunged, save for a single copy, which has now been absconded with to the Palace of Rahab.

The Palace of Rahab in particular, due to it supposedly being the location of The Crimson Shroud, the original and most powerful Gift. Thus, Giauque has been tasked with not only recovering the manuscript, but ascertaining whether the Shroud is indeed within.

While not immediately apparent that this is related to Matsuno's shared universe, there ARE some things here and there, like a shared concept of The Dark and the history of the loss and resurgence of magic jiving with accounts of the Cataclysm from Final Fantasy Tactics.

But wait, there's more! In 2020 Matsuno replied to a fan on twitter by tweeting out some early concepts for the never-materialized Vagrant Story 2, which coincidentally line up with a lot of stuff from Crimson Shroud. https://twitter.com/hiansphere/status/1252981698268028930

The plot of Vagrant Story 2 would have centered around the Tracker "Jack", revealed to be Callo's son, as he is sent on a mission by the now grown Duke Joshua Bardorba to track down some unspecified person or relic. Pretty similar to what we wound up with, yeh?

Unfortunately, Crimson Shroud marks the thus far final standalone release in the series, and is soon to become increasingly harder to play due to the 3DS eshop shutting down next year. A physical release as part of the Guild01 collection is only in Japanese as well.

In Closing…

And yeah, that's about it. That's the (million or so) tweets. Not really going to get into Final Fantasy XIV stuff here. It's fun, but its connections are self-evident and also explicitly its own continuity for the most part so not really relevant to this treatise.

I hope this deeper dive serves as a good summary of the Ogre/Ivalice releases as well as serving as an educational guide on how all these titles link together that can be cross-referenced with my previous timeline thread. https://twitter.com/IMGibbon/status/1488962184092606472

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wolfstarlibrarian · 3 years

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HELLO I was jw what were your favourite fics featuring POC Marauders without the shitty stereotyping 💜

Also thank you librarian for your content. Honestly this is the top tier rec blog in the fandom due to your amazing taste.

Well THIS is a great ask! It’s nice to see fans looking for authentic diversity in fics as opposed to tokenism. Just about all of these fics have been listed on various library lists, but hopefully people enjoying seeing them listed somewhere convenient. Also, this is just a VERY SMALL selection of fics featuring Remus or Sirius as POC, so if you’re looking for more of a certain representation, just send an ask!

Also, a note to authors looking to include representation (other than their own ethnicity) in their next fic: make sure that you read first hand experiences from multiple sources, research with advocacy groups, and THEN try reach out to a peer who can potentially beta/do a sensitivity read for you. It's important that we all try and learn as much as possible on our own before asking our peers to work as our educators. ❤️

POC Wolfstar

Black James & Cuban Sirius

Be My Baby by @remus-john-lupin It’s the summer of 1963, and 18 year old Remus Lupin discovers dance, love, and even himself. (A very romantic and very gay Dirty Dancing AU.)

Latino Remus

Forget-Me-Not by @halictus-writer

For someone who just woke up with amnesia and a bad concussion, Remus Lupin isn't too dispirited. He'll get through it with the help of his friends, taking it one day at a time, as Sirius says. The only (other) problem? There's something important that he's forgetting.

Retrial by phoenixgal

Remus Lupin, host of the popular podcast Retrial, decides to focus on the case of Sirius Black, a man convicted of murdering his high school best friend, for his upcoming season. Remus has gotten too close to his subjects in the past, so he promises himself that won't happen this time.

Desi Sirius

Young Hearts Intertwined by @goodboylupin

There’s a special kind of magic to a wartime wedding.

Latino Remus & Desi Sirius

A Lucky Mishap by softiejace Of course this would be just Remus’ luck - the library printer breaking when the deadline for his term paper is coming up. And to top it off, the pretty boy he’s been running into all week is there to witness his moment of misery… but maybe he can turn things around?

Sephardic Jewish Remus

Candles in the Darkness by @miraxb

In the winter of seventh year, James, Sirius, and Remus are all carrying their own burdens and fears for the growing darkness in their world. Together, they find comfort and light at the Hanukkah celebration in the Lupin household.

Half Syrian Remus

I Tried Writing Your Name In The Rain, But It Never Came, So I Used The Sun Instead by @prefectmoony

Don’t get Remus wrong. He loves his friends, he does! Loves them to the moon and back in fact. They’re his people, his favorite part of everyday, his found family. He’d do anything for them. But the thing is that doesn’t take away from the very simple fact that his friends are fucking ridiculous. Remus knows this, has known it for five years now. But it doesn’t stop him from startling awake on the morning of his sixteenth birthday surprised by the sound of fireworks exploding in their dormitory and a raucous chorus of “Happy birthday Moony!” being shouted into his ear with jaunty gusto.

Chinese Sirius

got a fascination (with your presentation) by @alifeincoffeespoons

When Remus thought of Oxford as a child, he envisioned turrets, laughter, and an unnameable, unforgettable magic. He did not envision vomiting his breakfast all over himself while standing in the halls of St. Catherine’s College.

Cut Your Bangs by @notmycatsname

"There’s something about him that catches Sirius’s eye. His voice is a little whiny, almost off-key. Sirius has heard it time and time again in the bands that Lily plays through their speakers at their apartment but it sounds more genuine, almost heart breaking, through his voice. Remus’s voice."

Black Remus, Desi Sirius & James

Palo Alto by NachoDiablo

Modern AU set in Silicon Valley. It's easy for Sirius to ignore his mixed-up feelings while he's got Remus all to himself, but when Remus starts dating again, Sirius is forced to figure things out before Remus moves on for good. Or before James and Peter strangle them both.

Japanese Remus and Taiwanese Sirius

kavaluan (means white lily here) by @claudiafekete 1926, Taiwan. Japanese empire's prized colony. Remus needed an interpreter. Sirius volunteered.

Philippino Sirius

Problems with Narrative Structure and the Rules of Manly Engagement [+Podfic] by @xinasvoice

"There were easily six hundred people living in the Paramount building in downtown San Francisco. That was a lot of neighbors to get to know, but it only took a single day of living there for Sirius to notice Remus."

Latino Remus & Japanese-American!Sirius

Discards by @picascribit When 21-year-old assistant librarian Sirius spots a cute hipster college student at the Seattle Public Library, he just needs to figure out a subtle way of determining whether he’s into guys. But Remus’s life is more complicated than Sirius knows.

Native American Sirius

Grimsfall by @remus-john-lupin

There is a legend in the old city of Grimsfall that a large, black creature used to emerge from the forest at night, and anyone who met its gaze would be driven to madness before the thing dragged them into the depths of hell.

Mexican Remus & Sirius

A Whole Queer County Fair by @bigblackdogfic Two queer Mexican kids talking, having sex, and feeling their feelings in Arizona.

Indigenous Australian Remus

Among The Gumtrees by WolfstarGarden Sirius inherits his uncle's farm, but finding the right farmhand isn't as simple as he'd hoped: Sirius just couldn’t help but wonder if fantasising about his straight farm assistant was maybe one boundary breach too far. On the other hand, perhaps Remus shouldn’t suck on the end of his pen while lost in thought.

South American Remus

The Delegate by @wanderingbandurria

It’s 1921, and Sirius Black is a sailor that wants to prove himself as a political agitator. He sets foot in a lost, forgotten port in South America, where he’s supposed to help with the local organization of syndicalists. He’s not expecting to meet a brown-eyed man who is there to help put his words into Spanish. A man that’s really not interested in anything but doing his job. Nothing more.

Thai Sirius

Whatever Words I Say -orphaned fic

When Remus Lupin is hired to control the antics of famous lead singer of the Marauders, Sirius Black, he knows he has his work cut out for him. Sirius is contrary and has absolutely no chill, and loves pissing off the press. Remus feels up to the challenge, but he certainly does not expect to fall head over heels in love from the moment he meets the charismatic singer.

Something Beautiful -orphaned fic When Remus Lupin’s ex talks him into a drunken tattoo mistake, he goes to his friend and co-worker Lily for help. Luckily her husand’s best mate is a tattoo artist who can help with the cover up. Unfortunately for Remus, the tattoo in in a rather compromising area, and he’ll have to get over his embarrassment. Luckily for him, Sirius Black is just the man for the job.

So many fics and yet so many more to go! As always, feel free to reblog with your own recs!

#poc #wolfstar #remus x sirius #remus lupin #sirius black #desi #asian #black #Latino #mexican #Japanese #chinese #native american #Philippino #Syrian #cuban #aaaaah sorry this list got so long!

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