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dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 1 year

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Florida lawmakers will meet Monday to complete a state takeover of Walt Disney World’s self-governing district and expand a migrant relocation program, key conservative priorities of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ahead of his expected White House run.

Republican leaders of the statehouse, in coordination with DeSantis, have ordered the Legislature to convene in a special session to restructure the Reedy Creek Improvement District, as the Disney government is known.

Lawmakers will also consider a proposal to create a state department focused on migrant relocations, a move that comes after the Governor flew a group of South American migrants from Texas to Massachusetts in protest of federal border policy.

The session continues a focus by DeSantis on social issues including sexual orientation, gender and immigration as the Republican Governor exploits national political fissures on his path to a potential 2024 presidential run.

The meeting is the latest development in a high-profile feud between DeSantis and Disney over the company’s criticism of a law dubbed by critics as “Don’t Say Gay,” which bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade and lessons deemed not age appropriate.

The Governor, in going after Disney, displayed a willingness to penalize one of the state’s biggest employers and political donors, reinforcing the combative leadership style that has propelled him to national political stardom and appeals to conservative primary voters.

Lawmakers are expected to create a program to transport immigrants who are in the country illegally to another state if they’ve already been processed by the federal government and if the migrants volunteer.

DeSantis had already used part of a $12 million fund, paid for by taxpayers, to fly about 50 South American migrants from Texas to the Massachusetts resort island of Martha’s Vineyard, bringing widespread condemnation.

Another proposal to be taken up during the session would make it clear the statewide prosecutor has authority to prosecute election fraud in federal and state races.

DeSantis, with statehouse backing, created an election police unit last year to investigate fraud and other crimes to satisfy what has become an important issue to conservative voters following the 2020 election. Some charges resulting from investigations by the election police force have been dropped because of jurisdiction issues.

The squabble between DeSantis and Disney began last year, when the entertainment giant publicly opposed the “Don’t Say Gay” education legislation and said it would pause political donations in the state and support organizations working to oppose the law.

DeSantis and other Republicans moved quickly to criticize the company, calling it a purveyor of “woke” ideologies that are inappropriate for children.

At DeSantis’ request, the GOP-dominated statehouse in April approved legislation to eliminate Disney’s Reedy Creek government by June 2023, beginning a closely watched process that would determine the structure of government that controls the company’s sprawling property.

The creation of the Reedy Creek district was instrumental in Disney’s decision to build near Orlando in the 1960s. Having a separate government allows the company to provide zoning, fire protection, utilities and infrastructure services on its land.

The special session will also adjust language in current laws addressing endorsement deals for college athletes.

Florida was one of the first states to pass a law allowing college athletes to profit off their name, image or likeness, but it doesn’t allow people affiliated with universities to help secure endorsement deals. The proposal would lift that provision to make Florida more competitive with other states that don’t have the restriction.

Lawmakers will also consider a bill to provide more relief money for Hurricane Ian and Nicole recovery efforts.

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kmp78 · 5 months

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Your timeline of V&D was great! What is V&J's?

Well, the best we know they met in Feb 2012 during NYC Fashion Week. 📸

She was 17 and he was... not. 🙃

No idea if they developed "a friendship" right away or if this was just an eager fangirly pic sesh thing, but the next proof of them "hanging out" came in Sept 2013, again at a fashion event in NYC when he showed her cat videos on Youtube or some such surely innocent shit. 🧐📱

After that, the next sightings came in the spring of 2014 when things REALLY kicked off and during that spring and summer she started spending time with him in LA and he lugged her with him to San Fran and on tour across Europe and the Med vacay and also the US during the Carnivores tour.

They kept it going hot and heavy/on and off (even tho he had some side quests too... 🙄) throughout 2015...

... as well as 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. 👫

They spent one Christmas together up in Seattle...

... and she had a really exciting time at Camp Mars. 😛

Then came June 2019 when they were snapped looking über-domesticated in LA...

... but right after this something went horribly wrong and they broke up. 💔

VK escaped LA and spent that entire summer with Mads & co in NYC and the Med, and suddenly decided she needs a dog in her life and thus Cosma happened! 🐶

Not at all a bandaid for her broken heart or anything... 🙃🩹

But there was light at the end of the tunnel tho because in December 2019 VK and her son moved to LA, and bing bang boom along came New Years and suddenly the lovebirds were sneaking off to Kauai! 🏖

And then came the Joshua Tree couples retreat with Stevie and the missus, Reedy and the missus, and spinsters GFlo and Eiza, and suddenly VK wasn't a dirty little secret anymore! 🤷🏼‍♀️

Suddenly she was allowed to pose in photos with the whole group AND get tagged in photos too which had never happened before! 🤷🏼‍♀️

If you ask me, the reason why JL was able to get her back is by promising to make some easements to his hysterical rules about showing and linking her into his life... 🫠

And then just weeks after that Covid came crashing down on us, and VK moved into Casa Craphole (but for some reason Cosma wasn't as lucky... 🤔) and they kept vacaying in Malibu and national parks and all sorts of places during the summer/fall of 2020.

In the spring of 2021 JL left for Italy to film HoG, and that sadly marked the beginning of the end... 😟

VK stayed in Nevada (ODDLY WITH COSMA THIS TIME! 🤔) and when JL returned from Italy in April he flew straight to NYC and VK followed a couple of days later, and I guess this is when shit really hit the fan and they ended up calling it quits for good. 💔🤷🏼‍♀️

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shambooget · 9 months

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HVAC Actuators In-Depth Profiling With Key Players and Recent Developments, Forecast Period: 2021-2031

Hvac Actuators Market Research, 2031

The global hvac actuators market size was valued at $3.9 billion in 2021, and is projected to reach $6.2 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 4.6% from 2022 to 2031.The dampers are managed by actuators in HVAC chillers. The actuator positions the damper anywhere between fully open and fully closed by using a low-voltage signal. Zone dampers are a crucial component of an HVAC system, and without suitable actuators, the dampers won’t operate at all.

Increase in commercial construction activities has led to a surge in demand for heating and cooling equipment in various industries, which is anticipated to boost the demand for HVAC actuators. For instance, the commercial construction industry in India is expected to witness growth by nearly 4.0% from 2016 to 2022. All such instances are anticipated to contribute toward the growth of the HVAC actuators market. Moreover, rise in population and per capita income is creating demand for appliances such as heaters and air conditioners is driving the demand for HVAC actuators for such equipment. In addition, urban population is growing rapidly. As per the estimates and forecasts of the WHO, the global urban population is expected to grow by approximately 1.84% every year until 2020, which is at the rate of around 1.63% per annum from 2020 to 2025, and around 1.44% per annum from 2025 to 2030.

The HVAC actuators market is segmented on the basis of type, technology, application, and region. By type, the market is divided into spring return HVAC actuator, and non-spring return HVAC actuator. By technology, the market is divided into smart and conventional. By application, the market is segmented into commercial building, industrial facilities, and public utilities.

Region-wise, the HVAC actuators market analysis is conducted across North America (the U.S., Canada, and Mexico), Europe (the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, and rest of Asia-Pacific), and LAMEA (Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa).

COMPETITION ANALYSIS

The major players profiled in the HVAC actuators market include Continental AG, Denso Corporation, Dwyer Instruments Inc, Electro Craft Inc., Honeywell International Inc., Johnson Controls International plc., Robert Bosch GmbH, Rotork Plc., Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG.

Major companies in the market have adopted product launch, acquisition and partnership as their key developmental strategies to offer better products and services to customers in the HVAC actuators market.

Some examples of acquisition and partnership in the market

In December 2021, Dwyer Instruments portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management has acquired the Universal Flow Monitors, Inc. a leader in the design, development, and manufacture of flow meters and controls in industrial applications. by means of this acquisition expand the portfolio of HVAC system.

In April 2021, Arkamys and Continental has colloborated to develop automotive audio solutions where Continental sound actuators were installed in a demonstration vehicle originally equipped with conventional commodity speakers. Arkamys combined its sound enhancement software with various loudspeaker and actuator configurations. The demo car features various sound reproduction systems, and manufacturer-friendly perks, like scalability, space and weight savings, reduced components, and concealed integration.

In July 2021, Audax Private Equity has collobrated to Partners Group to sell Reedy Industries, commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC).

Full Report With TOC:-https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/hvac-actuators-market-A09693

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mariacallous · 1 year

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Disney pulled a fast one on DeSantis signing a last second deal with it's old Development Board giving Disney 90% of its powers days before DeSantis replaced it with his thugs, my favorite part is that the deal is good "21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, king of England," no fucking seriously it says that, holy shit thats amazing

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-ne-disney-new-reedy-creek-board-powerless-20230329-qalagcs4wjfe3iwkpzjsz2v4qm-story.html

They still helped provide significant funding for his inauguration and it's not like they've done a whole lot otherwise since this whole thing started to actively oppose him or support people and groups affected by him and his administration.

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wizhob · 2 years

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THE PAST AND STORY OF VOCALS: In the beginning was the voice. Voice is sounding breath, the audible sign of life. -Ibid. It is likely the earliest singing was individualistic and improvisatory, a simple imitation of the sounds heard in nature. Many anthropologists believe the development of a lowered larynx (important to articulate speech, as it effectively makes the flexible lower tongue the front wall of the pharynx) was a relatively recent aspect of human evolution. Three styles of chant melody evolved: syllabic (for clergy and congregation), neumatic (several notes to a syllable, for choristers) and melismatic (florid, for soloists). Metricity in either chant texts or melodies was uncommon, but occurred as early as the fourth century, In the graphic art of the Middle Ages, singers were often shown with strained expressions, their furrowed brows, protruding veins and exaggerated mouth positions suggesting an effortful, possibly nasal quality--twangy or reedy--like the instrumental colors of the time. Chaucer, in his fourteenth century Canterbury Tales, described singing of the time as being 'intoned through the nose'. Straight tone was the probable norm, with vibrato being reserved for use as an ornament, as were a stock of ancient vocal devices: portamenti, turns, trills, and the intentional use of the qualities of the various vocal registers. The yodel was probably used as well. PERCEPTION OF SINGING: Singing voices are classified into six main groups: soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass. There are also commonly used subgroups, such as dramatic as opposed to lyric, or spinto, coloratura, soubrette, and so on. The main criterion for this classification is the singer’s comfortable pitch range. low voices tend to have long vocal tracts and vice versa. Thus, sopranos tend to have the shortest pharynges and basses the longest Thus, sopranos tend to have the shortest pharynges and basses the longest a given pitch, singers with a higher pitch range should tend to have a weaker voice-source fundamental than singers with a lower pitch range. MUSIC AND THE BRAIN: In the act of singing (with words) there is a smooth integration of the neural systems producing speech and singing. We know that in terms of activation, these systems seem to exhibit a significant degree of overlap asymmetries may reflect complementary specializations that arose specifically to serve the simultaneous demands inherent in producing speech (words with prosodic intonation) or song (melody with lyrics). Regardless of its evolutionary origins, song production, like song perception, calls upon a combination of functions, some of whose components appear to exhibit opposite hemisphere asymmetries. Temporal lobe areas were activated bilaterally during song imagery, consistent with the integrated nature of melody and lyrics in song representations. During actual singing, temporal lobe activation would be predominantly driven by the processing of auditory feedback. It remains to be demonstrated whether song singing will result in strongly right hemisphere asymmetric activation, as does simple singing without words, or in significant activation of left temporal lobe areas associated with language comprehension.

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pyrepalaver · 3 years

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A Spoonful of Sugar (Big Bertrude, Hedwyn, 1024 words, worksafe)

happy molten crone summer and fourth anniversary for pyre, may our fandom stay hot and our crones hotter. special thanks to laughingpinecone for her help!

(ao3)

As the older often do, Bertrude gives her advices, as she is always correct. Recently, in cooking; Hedwyn cooks the most and they eat their silt as best they can, as there are only so many edibles in the Downside. But Bertrude knows the land better than the others could ever hope, knows the taste and texture of every flower, weed, reedy plant with strings that sing in the wind. She sits with Hedwyn in the kitchen, drinks a tea so acrid-smelling Hedwyn’s throat swells up and his vision swims. A mixture of mock bluegale and red riccums, both covered in an oil that would erode any other creature’s skin. Nomads need to develop a palate for poison, Bertrude has told him. There are many flavors that they could learn to enjoy, if they could avoid that whole death thing, first.

“Hnnnng… thou art using too much silt,” Bertrude tells Hedwyn, loudly slurping her tea.

“It’s silt porridge,” Hedwyn says, in a way that would be sarcastic if it was from anyone else. “I’ve added a little salazar salt, but it’s just made it more bitter. And a little… gelatinous.”

“Hnnng… allow us to get our reserves. We can make this palatable to those of weaker constitutions.”

Bertrude sets her tea on the counter and slithers off. Hedwyn does not take offense. He glances into her tea, something a sickly yellow with a layer of froth around the edges. Perhaps there is a dark movement at the bottom, but Hedwyn shifts his focus back to the bowl of black silt in front of him. Ah, silt. Simple, simple silt. Silt that can’t kill anything and wasn’t made from any arcane horrors.

Just a moment later and Bertrude returns. In her hand she has a long, thin weed, something covered in large bruising bristles that speak of suffering for any of those who touch it. She breaks off a few of the brittle bristles and drops them onto the counter next to Hedwyn.

“Soak them for thirty minutes,” she tells him. “Do not touch it with thine bare fingers before soaking, nor taste it. Inhale it and it will cut through thine body. Once it is soaked, mince, put in the porridge, and stir. It will be enough for everyone.”

Without another word, Bertrude slithers off again. Serious Bertrude was more game than she let on, but how much of a game would this be? Poisoning the whole team? Making them sick? Perhaps it is no game, but she is not ready to feed those who cannot swallow poison so easily. But still… They are a team, and teams are made of trust, and all he can do is trust.

Hedwyn takes a deep breath. If the Scribes are out there, please don’t let this be a mistake.

Hedwyn makes the porridge, but does not serve it. He paces in the main area and spends time thinking of how to explain it; many would not eat anything, knowing that Bertrude has touched it. It would be unthinkable to lie or keep it secret. But he has to know how to explain it well. And try it; he has yet to taste it himself. He must trust, he must trust, he must trust. This team will only work if they can trust. But no amount of trust can beat Hedwyn’s survival instincts.

But then, suddenly--a great call from outside the Blackwagon. Hedwyn looks in the kitchen; the porridge pot is gone. He bolts outside, oh no, oh no, my friends, all over again--

And everyone is eating with more enthusiasm than Hedwyn has ever seen. They cheer when he comes into view.

“Bang up job, Chum!” Rukey calls through mouthfuls of the stuff, one bowl empty, his second already halfway there.

Hedwyn closes his eyes and every stretch of tension within his bones loosens. Every thought of that time before fades away and is replaced with the trust is right. He joins the others and has a bowl of his own. It’s a flavor Hedwyn tries to comprehend with every bite--something on the razor’s edge of saccharine sweet and broiling bitter, but in a way that makes him want to shovel it into his mouth until he can’t eat anymore. He looks around for Bertrude, but doesn’t see her, and instead engages in the joyous eating with his comrades.

One the other side of the Blackwagon, Bertrude nibbles at her porridge. Hnnng… alright. One more leaf would have made it really something, given it a clarifying sharpness that would linger in one's mind and one's palate. But the weaker ones would bleed for days, so sacrifices must be made sometimes. Maybe next time she’ll teach them how to build up a poison immunity.

---

Stacks of paper cover every moment of Hedwyn's large wooden desk, and more stacks cover the floor. He has a knack for reading, Volfred had said, and gave Hedwyn the difficulty of reading that spoke to that, though Hedwyn placed more worth on the guidance and patience of the Reader than his own innate ability. How many tries it took him to write his own name… Ah, but he’s getting distracted. When he agreed to be the Harp Liaison, he didn't realize how much paperwork would be involved. More talking with the Harps, he had hoped, but it was taking awhile to get there. Half of his paperwork just covered incidents with the anti-Harp groups clashing with local authorities.

Hedwyn takes a sip of his tea, something brightly floral with just the right amount of bitterness. It had been a gift of some sort, something that hinted at peace from a defector from one of the anti-Harp groups. He takes another sip, then another, and then the door of his office slams open, and in runs a dark-haired Savage woman who is half-assistant, half-bodyguard.

"Mr. Hedwyn!" she cries, stumbling and slipping over the loose papers on the ground. "Sir, don't drink that! It's poison!"

Hedwyn looks to the brilliant red tea, then to the woman, then back to his tea.

"Oh, don't worry,” Hedwyn says, and finishes his tea. “I’m immune.”

#pyre #pyre game #hedwyn #big bertrude #molten crone summer #pyre anniversary #fanfic #pyre fanfic #writing #i hope you all find this as funny as i do

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asweetprologue · 4 years

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a dark and wicked thing

Octoberfest 8: Phobia (whumptober #18)

Geralt doesn’t realize what’s happening until it’s too late.

They’re hunting venomous arachas - nasty business, in Geralt’s opinion. They’re exceptionally dangerous to humans and more of a nuisance to him, their toxins rendered an annoyance by his mutations. A quick Golden Oriole before engaging with a group of them makes it easy going, and he’s already cleaved through a large number of them. But the ones they’d already encountered had been small, underdeveloped, and Geralt knows that there must be a queen nearby laying eggs. He spends the better part of an hour looking for a place where she might be hiding, and thinking about what the hell he wants to do with Jaskier, before he finds the cave entrance.

The bard is currently trailing after him, chattering away about how he’s going to find something to rhyme with chitin. Geralt turns away from the entrance to the cavern, barely a noticeable hole in the ground, and interrupts him. Jaskier’s eyebrows shoot up in an offended look, but he does have the decency to shut up and listen. “We’re going to have to follow it back to its nest,” Geralt says. Jaskier adjusts the bag on his shoulder, lute exchanged for more practical medical supplies and witcher potions. Geralt had said he could come along if he did something helpful, so he’d been manning the supplies.

“Well, don’t let me stop you,” he says, cheerful as ever. Geralt rolls his eyes.

“You’re coming along,” he says. “Unless you want to get eaten by a stray arachas.”

Jaskier pales, probably at the idea of a giant spider making him lunch. His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows heavily. “Oh. I thought you, ah, took care of those? I thought you wanted me to stay back until it was all wrapped up.”

“What, suddenly you’re not eager to follow me into the maw of certain death?” Geralt asks, shooting Jaskier a raised eyebrow. He stuck his boot down inside the small hole, testing the edge for footholds. Under the dirt the rock wall is solid, offering plenty of rough surfaces to catch himself on. He glances back up at Jaskier, who looks faintly nauseated. Strange; he wasn’t usually so adverse to delving into dangerous situations. Maybe he’s finally developing a sense of self preservation.

“Perhaps the maw,” Jaskier says nervously, “but the belly is what concerns me.”

Geralt decides not to dignify that vague statement with a response, instead dropping himself down into the hole. It’s wide enough that he doesn’t feel worried about his swords catching on the sides, but close enough that he can lean back and brace himself against the opposite wall if needed. The bottom is only fifteen or so feet down, and Geralt drops the last five into a slightly larger area. Damp, porous stone holds him in a close embrace, and Geralt spares a moment to be grateful that he’s not claustrophobic. He has to lean over to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling, but he can hear echoes of dripping water and clattering stone down the way that promises a wider area ahead. A few scattered pieces of rubble bounce harmlessly off of his shoulder, and Geralt moves aside to make room as Jaskier slides the last few feet down into the cave. He’s slung the pack with its delicate potions around his front, and takes a moment to right it as he gets his bearings, eyes wide.

“Well this is cozy,” Jaskier says. His tone is jovial, but something about his scent isn’t right. He’s scared of something, Geralt realizes, confused. He knows Jaskier isn’t claustrophobic - the number of times they’ve had to squeeze themselves into tiny closets to avoid Jaskier’s irate lovers is testament to that. Being in close proximity makes Geralt’s heart rate accelerate for entirely different reasons, but Jaskier has never seemed bothered either way. Often Geralt has wished that Jaskier was more prone to fits of panic. He always seems to put full faith in Geralt, trusting the witcher to protect him. Geralt is pathetically grateful for it even as it fills him with terror.

Geralt regards Jaskier intently, tracking the way his breath hitches and his eyes skirt around the narrow space. Maybe he’s afraid of the monsters they’re hunting. If he’s smart, that’s all it is. “Come on,” Geralt says. Whatever is bothering Jaskier, he’ll either come out with it or he’ll move past it once they’re out of here and the job is done. The faster they move, the quicker that will be the case.

Geralt stalks ahead, pulling his silver sword from its sheath as he moves slowly forward into the dark. It’s awkward in the small space, but he’d rather have it in his hand than be unprepared when an arachas drops down on them. He can hear Jaskier’s footsteps after him, unsure and unsteady. Geralt frowns at the floor, trying to focus on looking for tracks instead of Jaskier’s odd behavior.

They leave the small passage, coming into a larger area scattered about with stalactites that drip with perspiration. The smell of damp stone is a cool backdrop to the cloying stench of acidic decomposition. They’re close.

Geralt doubles back to where Jaskier is standing at the exit of the tunnel, shoulders tense and fingers clutches the straps of the pack in a white knuckled grip. The sour fear-sweat-anxiety scent around him is more intense than Geralt’s ever experienced before. He reaches out and puts a hand on Jaskier’s arm, just above his elbow, and the bard jumps like a startled animal.

“Sorry,” Geralt says, and means it. “I need Cat.”

Jaskier nods jerkily. Geralt’s concern grows, but he focuses on retrieving the potion. It’s hard to tell them apart in the dim light, but Geralt knows the smell of them better than he knows his own name. He downs the Cat, the world coming into sharp focus around him in shades of black and white and greenish gray. Jaskier’s face looks even more wan in the odd lighting, his eyes wide and dilated. It puts Geralt on edge.

“They’re up ahead,” he says, giving Jaskier’s shoulder one last squeeze. “Stay here.” He turns, preparing to head in the direction of the acidic smell, but Jaskier lunges for him, gripping the edge of Geralt’s shirt clumsily. His eyes don’t meet Geralt’s searching gaze. “What?” Geralt asks, impatient.

Jaskier’s breath puffs out between them, shaky. “I can’t see,” he says, and Geralt would have expected it to sound petulant but instead Jaskier’s voice is thin and reedy. Geralt stops, letting Jaskier take his wrist in a grip that might be bruising on a human. “It’s too dark,” Jaskier says, “I can’t see anything, I don’t know where you are, Geralt -” His voice is climbing into panic, and Geralt flounders, unsure of what to do. He’d never seen Jaskier so upset, his heartbeat pounding away in fear.

“Jaskier,” he says, unable to mask the shock in his tone, “are you afraid of the dark?”

“Yes, Geralt, apparently I fucking am,” Jaskier hisses, and Geralt is glad that Jaskier can at least still sound pissed at him. “This isn’t dark, this is fucking - blackness, I can’t see shit. Don’t leave me, please, Geralt, I can’t.” He’s babbling, his breaths labored as they struggle out of his chest in shallow heaves. Geralt steps close again, raising a hand to cup Jaskier’s jaw. He isn’t sure what else to do. It seems to calm Jaskier to some degree, though his fingers still clutch around Geralt’s wrist.

“I can see,” Geralt says, “and I won’t let anything happen to you. I won’t, Jaskier. But I have to kill the queen.” Jaskier’s jaw clenches. Geralt can feel it beneath his fingertips, a twitch of muscle.

Jaskier takes a deep, shuddering breath. “Okay. Okay, I’m fine. Go… do your thing.”

Geralt can still hear Jaskier’s heart racing in his chest. He hates it, at this moment, leaving Jaskier behind. He always hates it, but he’s never had to do it when Jaskier is gasping like a fish out of water and the smell of fear is permeating the air around him. Geralt is seized by the desperate need to do something, anything to make it better, so he reaches out and pulls Jaskier to him. The bard let’s out a short gasp before he realizes what’s happening, instantly wrapping his arms around Geralt to clutch at his back. Geralt finds himself holding the back of Jaskier’s head gently, cradling his skull.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he says into Jaskier’s hair. He feels so solid under Geralt’s hands, chest heaving as if he’s run a great distance. Geralt pulls back and cups Jaskier’s face in both hands. “I’ll be back for you.”

“I know,” Jaskier says, shaky but full of that strange, implicit trust. Geralt pulls away and turns before he can change his mind.

It takes very little time to find the arachas nest, nestled a few chambers away from the main room. The bulbous eggs have a slight glow to them that’s almost bright to Geralt’s enhanced vision, allowing him to quickly spot the hulking form of the arachas queen crouched against the back wall. He doesn’t hesitate, launching into a brutal attack. The arachas is startled and unprepared, and Geralt gives it no time to recover or retaliate. His mind is on Jaskier, alone in the other room, panicked and unable to see a potential threat.

His blade makes its way home faster than it has in a long time.

A short blast of igni has both the body and the egg sacs burning away, and Geralt nearly runs back into the entrance where he left Jaskier. For a moment he doesn’t see him, and his stomach clenches with dread.

Then he draws nearer, and he sees the huddled form against the wall. Relief sweeps through him. He tries to project his movements, stepping loudly as he approaches. “Jaskier,” he says, and the bard raises his head so quickly Geralt fears for his neck. There are tear streaks down his face, and Geralt’s heart clenches in sympathy and guilt. Crouching before him, he says, “I’m sorry. It’s done.”

Jaskier reaches out a hand, and Geralt finds himself leaning into it eagerly, reaching back. As soon as his fingers find Geralt’s chest, Jaskier lets out a relieved breath. “Can we go?” His voice is small, and Geralt hates it.

He hums in affirmation and pulls Jaskier to his feet, allowing the bard to cling to him. “We can go,” he says. “Hold onto my shoulder.”

They make their way back through the short tunnel, Jaskier gripping Geralt’s sword holster tightly. The area just below the entrance is not entirely pitched black, and Geralt can feel Jaskier calming the closer they get. Geralt scales back up the wall first, emerging in the calm afternoon of the forest. Jaskier scrambles up soon after, using a rope that Geralt tosses down to haul their bags up first. It’s too bright up above with the Cat still running through his veins - normally he would have waited below until it had run its course, but he’s glad, now, to squint at Jaskier’s face through the intense light. Jaskier, for his part, flops over onto the ground next to him, breathing hard.

Geralt drops down next to him, a frown furrowing his brow. “So no more caves,” he observes.

Jaskier glares at him with bloodshot eyes, and ah, yes, there’s the petulance Geralt had been looking for earlier. “I’m certainly not doing that again,” he says with vehemence. Geralt smiles down at him, reaching out to push Jaskier’s hair back from his sweaty forehead. Their eyes meet, Jaskier’s fatigued.

“I’m sorry,” Geralt says. “I shouldn’t have brought you along.”

Jaskier sits up so quickly they almost smack foreheads. “Oh no,” he says, pointing a finger in Geralt’s face. Geralt blinks at it, bemused. “You are not using this as an excuse to leave me behind on hunts. I refuse. I’ll follow you. I’ll tie myself to Roach.”

“Don’t be dramatic,” Geralt chuckles. “Even if I have to go in a cave?”

Jaskier hesitates, but then huffs defensively. “I’ll bring a torch. You’re not leaving me behind.”

Geralt smiles, affection rising in his chest. “You’re incorrigible.”

“I try,” Jaskier says, and the grin he gives Geralt is genuine and free of fear. Geralt can hear his heartbeat, steady between them. “It would be easier if you cut me some slack.”

“Don’t count on it,” Geralt says, and pulls himself to his feet. “Now come on; we’ve gotta collect venom sacks.” He offers a hand down to Jaskier.

Jaskier makes a face, but takes the offered hand anyways. Geralt pulls him up, holding him close and steady for a moment longer than necessary. The next several hours are spent on harvesting, a job that Jaskier detests but insists on helping with. And as Geralt is watching Jaskier grimace, up to his elbows in ichor, he thinks it might not be a difficult problem to fix. Light charms aren’t cheap, but he knows a few mages that owe him favors. The look of pleased surprise on Jaskier’s face will be worth the trouble. It’s for the best, he thinks. The bard truly is a danger to himself, but Geralt is stuck with him, it seems. As Jaskier looks up to triumphantly wave a venom gland at him, Geralt thinks it might not be such a bad thing.

#october2020 #geraskier #witcher #geralt of rivia #geralt #jaskier #geraltxjaskier #geralt/jaskier #whumptober2020 #no. 18 #whump #phobia #hurt/comfort #<5k #my work

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dailycharacteroption · 3 years

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Races Among the Stars 2: Contemplatives

Oh yeah, it’s time to get zany retro sci-fi up in here, and nothing says “weird retro martian” quite like a species that are basically hyper-evolved brains with their atrophied, tiny bodies dangling underneath!

Their full title being the Contemplatives of Ashok, these brain-people have lived on Akiton since ancient times, dwelling in relative seclusion while they perfected mastery of psychic magic and delved into the mysteries of the mind, and continue to do so into the far future of Starfinder.

A contemplative is essentially a giant brain sac connected to a withered and atrophied body, which appears spikey and insectile, possessing two legs ending in points, as well as two arms with hands, and another two tipped with simple claws. They do seem to possess eyes of some kind though exactly where is uncertain, and they can speak through the holes in their throats, though these vocalizations are soft and reedy, causing the brain people to prefer communicating telepathically. Though they are quite short compared to humans, the size of their fleshy craniums makes up for it.

Utterly devoted to the pursuit of knowledge, contemplatives are rarely interested in more worldly pursuits, though those that do tend to be masters of the non-physical aspects, running businesses and the like with ease. Most, however, prefer to work in universities and research labs, and as such are often prolific writers of scientific and philosophical treaties. In fact, many of them choose their names referencing a specific book or work and paragraph or line that they particularly enjoy.

The contemplatives are far from perfect, however, as their social skills can be limited by their academic outlook and sometimes pedantic behavior towards others. The very worst can be completely condescending to other species without even meaning to, though plenty more value the input of beings that still have a skull, seeing things from an alternative perspective, and many contemplatives remain eloquent speakers once one gets past their eccentricities.

Interestingly, in groups many contemplatives use a plural “I” when referring to the group, which may suggest a hive mind, or at least a unique sense of self based on the meeting of minds, which could explain why there is little conflict within contemplative society, as their psychic communication leads to greater understanding.

Contemplatives are extremely intelligent and confident, but their physical form is frail and weak.

Incredibly brilliant and knowledgible, these brains can use their knowledge of other creatures against them, knowing just how to avoid or resist their abilities, or turning the tables on them in non-violent ways.

Their physicality is severely lacking, however, and while they can use small arms and other one-handed tools, they cannot properly use longarms and bigger munitions and melee weapons without dedicating the telekinesis normally devoted to flight and any mental spell-like abilities they may develop from training to holding the weapon steady, and even then they are awkward with them.

When not occupied by such ungainly pursuits, contemplatives use their telekinesis for flight, as their bodies can barely move under their own power when on the ground.

While small and nearly hidden on the torso along with their mouths, contemplatives do have eyes with keen night-sight thanks to the darkness they often live in, and can also sense the thoughts of other creatures.

As one might imagine, they also possess telepathy, speaking to other minds that can understand them.

Contemplatives rarely become adventurers, but when they do, normally they pick academic professions like biohacker, mechanic (which might use a drone, modded exocortex, or experimental power armor to allow them to use bigger guns), or technomancer, or mystical ones that improve upon their already potent minds with the mystic or witchwarper. Those that choose more physical pursuits likely have the phrenic adept archetype to let them use their minds at least somewhat in combat. Soldiers, solarians, and the rare vanguards likely fight from extreme long range with sniper weapons or make up for their frailty with mighty power armor. Envoy is also a nice choice due to their charisma advantage, as are more social operatives, who might use their cleverness to their advantages. Just don’t expect a contemplative to attack with their own physicality anytime soon.

One more entry this week, hope you’re looking forward to it!

#starfinder #race #contemplative #Alien Archive

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sammysdewysensitiveeyes · 4 years

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I imagined him as a reedy nerdy little kid who wasn’t physical enough to keep up with his rough and tumble peers, so he spent a lot of time on his own coming up with things to do for better (writing) or worse (playing with matches in the very dry outback)

I could totally see this! I’m really torn between him being something of an impetuous dare-devil (which seems to fit his adventure-seeking personality, given his life traveling around to different countries and joining a mutant terrorist group), and being a scrawny nerd who spent a lot of time day-dreaming and writing fanfiction about the the soap operas he watched with his Gran. He was definitely a scrawny kid either way, and probably not very athletic, unless he managed to compensate for his size by being quick and agile. He got knocked over a lot, both inside and outside of gym class. I could imagine him being a sad loner, but could also imagine him being the type of smaller kid who tries to make up for his size by being quick to fight (although Gran would shut that down real quick). I think he was probably.....not a full-on bully, but the type of kid who would make snarky remarks towards the class outcast to avoid being a target himself. I think we see that kind of behavior from him when he gets snarky with Blob in the Brotherhood, or Crimson Commando in Freedom Force, this kind of “hazing the new guy” social-position jockeying, where Pyro is trying to establish himself somewhere above the bottom rung.

Of course, all of these depictions could be true - people develop and change through life. Sensitive, nerdy St. John could have gotten more of a rebellious streak as he hit adolescence and developed his powers. Then Gran “abandoned” him, and he just went completely wild for a few years, before settling down enough to have a semi-respectable career. The way Pyro really seems to revel in his powers, not just enjoying them for their own sake, but enjoying the attention, like “Look at me, look how powerful I am!” suggests a kid who was probably very powerless and insecure growing up.

He definitely caused at least one brushfire growing up, especially since he finds up difficult to put out fire when he is upset or excited. I can easily imagine him accidentally starting a fire, then panicking and making it worse as he tries to put it out. That probably scared him enough to put him off “practicing” outside for awhile, he really wasn’t looking to hurt anyone back then.

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inhousemanualsd-blog · 4 years

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Performance Improvement Workshops for Reedy Creek

In this manner, it becomes much easier for the trainee to understand the training and learn it quickly. The excellent advantage of employee-oriented training is that you can really see the changes in the trainees and their attitude to the training. A business that uses employee training also must understand what it is doing for its customers. Therefore, employee Training will not only give you the knowledge that you want to have but will also help you to deliver the Top service for your customers.

Your employees will then trust you more and this will in turn help to make your business grow. Employee Training can provide Staff Members with all they need to know for them to successfully complete a job. Employees that do not know how to perform a certain task may be reluctant to try it until they have been trained. Training may also be applied to individuals and groups. The biggest benefit of PPD Training is that it assists employees to change their attitude towards work so that they will be able to identify areas that need to be improved.

There are lots of areas where Effectivenesss can be made, including professionalism, performance, co-operation, Leadership, Team work, customer service, time management, and working within an environment that inspires them. The Best thing that you can do is to encourage your employees to be innovative, enthusiastic, and focus on improving themselves and their work. They need to understand that they have a say in what happens in the office and they can be successful in it.

Employee training is a crucial facet of running a successful business and is something that each business owner should know about. Typically, professional development plans will insure a Staff's career planning, career development, job analysis, Abilities assessment, company advancement, diversity, and My Profile for more information training and development in unconventional environments. For some businesses, it may also cover work with the voluntary sector, which includes the homeless, welfare recipients, and foster care children.

It's a excellent idea to offer seminars and workshops at your premises, or through the web. You may even invite the organisers of other workshops to your premises to provide more value to your clients. But how do you determine which sort of training to provide and what kind of professional development training is appropriate for your organization? There are various kinds of training that you could give to employees, such as project-based and My Profile for more information individual-based.

Project-based training provides hands-on learning experiences which last from several hours to several weeks. Staff members take on jobs that have a direct impact on the organization.

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hungline · 5 years

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love like you

pairing: jinkook genre: angst, fantasy au, rated m warnings: heavy angst, major character death, implied self-harm a/n: written for the @btsbound‘s june 2017 exchange words: 3385

summary: Prince Seokjin has been cursed to be unable to love and it’s all Jeongguk’s fault.

For as long as any young person in the Vale can remember, the prince, Kim Seokjin, has always been unable to love.

The tale is known far and wide, used as an old boogie man story to keep misbehaving children in check, but the tale is unfortunately true. The tale keeps Jeon Jeongguk up at night.

When Seokjin was a teenager, the young prince was cursed by a jealous sorcerer.

Kim Seokjin seemed to have it all. Servants at his beck and whim, his choice of food and drink, the best tutors the Vale had to offer, busy parents who still took some time out of their day to spend it with their son, and a close-knit group of friends who would do anything for the prince. And in that group of friends, was Jeon Jeongguk.

Jeongguk had been living in Seokjin’s shadow ever since he was born. As the son of a witch, he was expected to develop magical properties and he did, but it always paled in comparison to his best friend.

One day, Jeongguk had had enough.

He vowed that as long as there was one person who loved the prince, then the prince himself would not be able to love in return.

So he stayed true to his word and cursed his own friend.

As soon as the deed had been done, Jeongguk erased his memory, too distraught and in denial of the person he had become by forcing such a horrible fate onto someone who’d held him dear to their heart.

And so, that was how Jeongguk lived, with no memory of what he had done, but with no idea how to reverse it. With his memory wiped, Jeongguk had no recollection of how Seokjin had been cursed, he only knew of what he’d been cursed with.

That didn't stop the bone-crushing guilt from engulfing him whole, but the jealousy he once felt was gone. In its place was pity and an affection for the prince that was not there beforehand.

Jeon Jeongguk cursed Prince Kim Seokjin to never be able to love, not knowing that once he did, the sorcerer himself would fall in love with the prince.

That is where the true tale begins.

If I could begin to be half of what you think of me, I could do about anything. I could even learn how to love.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

The air is thick around them, mud and dirt surrounding the two, but all Jeongguk cares about is how much trouble they’ll be in when the King finally notices that the Prince is not in his studies and is instead prancing around high on the mountain with a feeble sorcerer. Something the King has made his opinion about known far and wide and Jeongguk would be lying if he said he wasn’t slightly terrified by what the King would do to him if his patience wore thin.

Seokjin laughs, a high reedy sound that used to annoy Jeongguk when they were children, but they’re adults now and Seokjin’s laugh is music to Jeongguk’s ears. The prince bends down to pick up clumps of mud in his hands, flinging them at Jeongguk to strike him on the side of his temple. “You worry too much.”

Jeongguk unamusedly wipes the mud off his face, sending daggers in the Prince’s direction. “Your father could have me killed, Your Highness. The only trouble you’d get into is a slap on the wrist.”

“Those slaps hurt!” Seokjin whines, pushing his bottom lip out to pout at the younger man. “My wrists are dainty, and besides, I thought I told you not to call me that when we're out and about. Out here, you and I are equals and my father would never do such a thing. You're like a son to him, Jeongguk.”

The sorcerer tries to not let on how his heart sinks when Seokjin says those words because he wants so much more than brotherly affection from the elder, but he holds his tongue and instead says, “That doesn't keep him from using me as your whipping boy. You say we're equals, but back there in those walls, I'm the lowest of the low.”

Seokjin laughs again and Jeongguk is too late to catch the smile that blooms across his lips before Seokjin can notice it. "We are equals. You volunteered for that position anyways and every time I've tried to get you out of getting punished, you don't let me. So how is it really my fault?"

Jeongguk shakes his head and sighs. "It's not your fault. I never said it was your fault. Don't make everything about you."

"How can it not be about me?"

"You are so full of it."

Seokjin only laughs, most of the lighthearted humor in him now gone. "You know I'm not."

And he's right. Ever since Seokjin was cursed, he'd quickly figured out that he couldn't love, not even himself. Jeongguk had had to hide sharp, blunt objects away from Seokjin when he'd realized why the prince no longer wore tops with short sleeves. Luckily, Seokjin's parents never caught onto what had been happening, but Jeongguk thought that maybe it was better that way. At least, that stage of Seokjin's life had been short lived and Jeongguk didn't have to lie as often anymore.

He's still sure that Namjoon, Seokjin's favorite tutor, had an idea at least.

"Why don't we head back? We have to wash off all this mud before dinner time," Jeongguk says, desperate to lighten the mood.

Seokjin nods and stands, stretching his arms out above his head, reaching for the sky as if he's only inches away from touching it instead of miles. Jeongguk gulps when he notices the prince's tunic rising with the action to reveal a stripe of bare skin, the prince's bare abdomen on full display for the sorcerer to see. He knows that it's hopeless, the prince can't love anything or anyone, but Jeongguk can't help it. He's fallen so foolishly for Seokjin that he just can't think straight anymore. His thoughts become mush whenever the prince is around and Jeongguk doesn't know how at one point he used to hate the man before him.

The prince lets his arms fall back to his sides then and smirks over at Jeongguk who's still eyeing the place where he'd caught a glimpse of Seokjin's skin. "You're not subtle."

Jeongguk startles, almost losing his already precarious foothold on the unstable ground beneath them and recovers hastily, face flushed as he says, "Let's go."

Seokjin says nothing in response and instead begins to walk in the direction that they came from. Jeongguk follows dutifully behind him, keeping up a continuous string of words in order to invoke a simple charm that wipes the muddy footsteps they make with each step they take back towards the looming castle in the distance. The castle walls stand high, impenetrable and inescapable with only one way to go out and in and Jeongguk feels like he’s being locked up when he and Seokjin finally pass through the castle gates.

Jeongguk has taken precautions so as to go unnoticed by the guards, casting a simple charm of disguise to make sure Seokjin’s unbearably handsome face won’t stand out so much. The guards don’t spare them a glance as they walk pass and Seokjin takes it upon himself to lead them towards the servants’ entrance where they would be led to the castle’s kitchen. Bora tsks at them as they enter, shoving some food towards the men after she’s made them wash their muddy hands.

“If you hurry now, you can slip up to your rooms and wash up just in time for dinner,” Bora says, dusting her hands off on her apron before turning back to the oven where the main dish of their supper is cooking. “Just make sure to take the back corridors and Gukkie, don’t drop the disguises until you know that you’re in the clear, got it?”

Bora, as a witch herself, has always been able to see past Jeongguk’s charms and spells and she always makes sure to look out for the two men whenever she can. Jeongguk nods and thanks her, complimenting her cooking skills to ease the tension that follows after. Seokjin sits quietly as he eats, watching the two interact with more attention than usual. Jeongguk doesn’t know what’s on the Prince’s mind, but he doesn’t like the gleam in Seokjin’s eyes when they finish eating and head back to their rooms.

Jeongguk feels a nervous sweat begin to form on his nape that still has streaks of mud dried to it and he’s trying his best not to feel offended by the way Seokjin is blatantly staring at him. It’s as if Jeongguk is an animal that Seokjin’s studying, his piercing eyes raking over everything, determined to not miss a single thing about Jeongguk and what makes the sorcerer tick. Jeongguk doesn’t like it and keeping eye contact with the prince is difficult enough without the staring.

Whenever their eyes meet, Jeongguk feels butterflies in his stomach and crushing guilt in his chest. He’s always left breathless and confused and this time is no different than any other, except that Seokjin is closing in on him.

The sorcerer has barely noticed that they now stand in front of his room, one floor below Seokjin’s own chamber because all of his attention is focused on how Seokjin’s trapping him against the wall. His arms encompass Jeongguk’s head and the sorcerer knows that his muddy clothes are staining the tapestry behind him, but he can’t force himself to care about that right now. He cares more about the way Seokjin is leaning into him, as if contemplating how far he wants to take things.

Jeongguk somehow finds the will to speak coherently, asking what his own mind has been screaming about for the past few torturous seconds. “Are you going to kiss me?”

The prince tilts his head to the side, gaze lowering to linger on Jeongguk’s lips before meeting the sorcerer’s gaze again. “I don’t know yet.”

“Why not?” Jeongguk is definitely whining and he does not care one bit if he is because Seokjin is so close and his brain is just screaming the prince’s name on loop.

Seokjin laughs and presses himself against the younger, firm chest against firm chest. Jeongguk wants to put his hands on the elder’s waist to steady himself, but he restrains himself and keeps his hands balled into fists at his sides. The prince stares at Jeongguk, taking in every detail he can find: the mole under his bottom lip, the gross looking crust of mud that covers a half of his face, the way Jeongguk’s top teeth jut out slightly to give his face a rabbit-like look, and how shallow his breaths have become. Seokjin leans in closer, a thoughtful look on his face as he thinks about what may or may not happen.

The prince has a theory about true love’s first kiss being the cure to breaking his curse, but seeing as he can’t love, he’s deduced who may have been his true love if he could love. All his musings and pondering and reluctant writings all point back to Jeongguk. He remembered the gigantic crush he used to have on the sorcerer when they were pre-adolescents, and his crush had remained up until he’d woken up one day, not able to love anymore. Seokjin had known something was wrong with him when he saw Jeongguk and didn’t feel like his heart had jumped into his throat. So here Seokjin is, about to fulfill all the fantasies he’d had as a thirteen year old with the man he’s positive he would’ve ended up having a happily ever after with had he not been cursed.

Jeongguk opens his mouth to say something then and any reason Seokjin may have had beforehand goes flying out the window when he shuts the sorcerer up with his own mouth.

Hands clamber up to grip the prince’s narrow waist and Seokjin takes this as a sign to let his own hands wander, fingers trailing up Jeongguk’s spine before twisting into his mostly clean hair. Their lips slot together almost naturally, like tectonic plates clicking into place before waiting for the earthquake to hit. And when it does hit, Jeongguk’s whole body shakes, his mind going blank before hidden memories begin to play in the very depths of his consciousness. Jeongguk goes still then, but Seokjin continues to kiss him, not paying attention to the sorcerer's body language.

Jeongguk is too busy remembering to really notice that the man he's been crushing on is kissing him, the same man he cursed to such a miserable existence.

He's unworthy of this attention from the prince. Jeongguk is unworthy of Seokjin and so he pushes the prince away and runs to his quarters, a panicked look on his face. Seokjin stares at him, something akin to hurt on his features, but Jeongguk doesn't look back once so he wouldn't really know.

The door to his small chamber shuts with a loud bang and Jeongguk slumps against it, all the energy being knocked out of him. He knows that there's mud on the door now, but all he really cares about is what he did to the prince.

He cursed him. Jeongguk cursed Seokjin to never be able to love and wiped his own memory to forget about what he'd done. It hadn't worked though because as soon as Seokjin had kissed him, Jeongguk had remembered everything.

He remembers the jealousy that had driven him to such extremes and compared to how he feels for the prince now, Jeongguk doesn't know how he made such a huge mistake. He's fallen so hard for the prince, but he was the one who'd cursed him. It was Jeongguk's fault why Seokjin couldn't even love himself.

Jeongguk needs to fix this.

When I see the way you act, wondering when I’m coming back, I could do about anything. I could even learn how to love like you.

I always thought I might be bad, now I’m sure that it’s true! ‘Cause I think you’re so good and I’m nothing like you.

Seokjin misses Jeongguk, and the sorcerer only knows because Bora told him so.

Once Jeongguk had reclaimed his memories, he left the castle. The only person able to contact him now is Bora. He wonders if she knew what he had done and let him get close to the prince on purpose. He doesn't know what Bora may know, but he does know that Seokjin's attention is not something he deserves in the slightest.

So he left. Packed what few possessions he had and showed up on Yoongi's doorstep, asking if he could stay with him for awhile. Yoongi had only sighed and stepped away from the door, letting Jeongguk pass without a single complaint.

It's been two weeks and Jeongguk still has no idea how he's supposed to fix what he did. He has some ideas, but once he tried a few, he became discouraged after each one failed.

He doesn’t deserve Seokjin and the prince shouldn’t be missing him. Jeongguk is unworthy. He could never accept attention or kindness from Seokjin now that he remembers, not after what he’s done. The sorcerer’s heart beat runs wild when Bora tells him of how Seokjin is doing, but Jeongguk knows that he doesn’t deserve these updates and he doesn’t deserve kindness from anybody.

He’s a monster for what he’s done.

Maybe if he didn't exist, then the source of magic that keeps the curse alive on the prince would run out and the curse would finally be lifted.

It's a scary idea to think about, but Jeongguk has already done enough damage that he feels he has no right to be scared.

He ruined his best friend's life because he was petty and jealous and too immature to think about the consequences of his actions. He'd been at fault for Seokjin's self-hatred and he’s at fault for Seokjin not ever being able to find happiness with another person or within himself.

Everything is Jeongguk’s fault and he needs to set things right, no matter the cost.

Look at you go! I just adore you. I wish that I knew what makes you think I’m so special.

If I could begin to do something that does right by you, I would do about anything.

I would even learn how to love.

Seokjin knows that the curse is broken when he erupts into tears after hearing the news.

He didn’t cry over his mother’s death. He didn’t cry when one of his many dogs died. He didn’t cry when his grandmother passed away.

With not being able to love, Seokjin wasn’t able to care deeply about any of these people or animals enough to be distraught when they left this world. He couldn’t love and therefore, he couldn’t be sad over them. He couldn’t cry.

But he is crying over Jeongguk’s death.

Bora told him, tears in her eyes, her short bob a spiky mess and face blotchy as she did. Seokjin stood still and then blinked when wetness met his cheek.

He’d raised his hand and was met with tears. Real actual tears streaming down his face.

“Oh no,” Bora whispers, her suspicions now confirmed, but Seokjin doesn’t pay attention.

He’s too occupied with the fact that it feels like his heart is trying to rip its way out of his chest and he can’t breathe, breaths turning into wheezing pants. His hands claw at his throat, trying to loosen the tunic he wears, but to no avail. Bora takes his hands into hers and pulls him close to her chest.

They sink to the floor in each other’s arms and mourn.

The curse has been lifted, but Seokjin doesn’t want to know how or why. All he knows is that Jeongguk is gone for good.

When I see the way you look, shaken by how long it took, I could do about anything.

The funeral is a quiet event.

It’s also small.

Seokjin watches as they lower the tiny canoe that bears Jeongguk’s body into the river. He’s surrounded by flowers, flowers that Seokjin spent over an hour arranging all by himself.

White chrysanthemums for grief. White gladioli for sincerity and strength of character. White lilies for majesty and purity. Pink carnations for remembrance, white for innocence and pure love. One single crimson rose for grief, sorrow, and enduring love.

In Jeongguk’s hands is a sole pink orchid to convey the feelings that Seokjin can feel now: “I will always love you.”

Seokjin, Namjoon and Yoongi hold yellow roses and step forward to lay them atop the sorcerer. They are for their strong ties of friendship.

The two younger men step back, but the prince remains where he is watching as the bearers undo the ropes that hold Jeongguk’s canoe still. When they’re undone, Seokjin cries silently as Jeongguk drifts away, following the flow of the river and leaving the prince for good.

Jeon Jeongguk, Kim Seokjin’s best friend, sole confidante, childhood crush, and true love. Jeon Jeongguk, the jealous, misguided sorcerer who cursed Kim Seokjin to never be able to love and died to undo what he had done.

Seokjin vows to never love again.

But that doesn’t stop him from doing what his father wants and marrying Kim Namjoon.

Namjoon is kind and understanding and he understands how Seokjin feels about Jeongguk’s death, but he’s also aromantic and he doesn’t love the prince. They make a good pair and Seokjin is content with the marriage, though they never have other partners out of respect for each other and their own feelings as well.

It’s a good match and Seokjin always imagines it’s Jeongguk he shares a bed with every night.

Seokjin, however, is adamant about the fact that he will absolutely not rule the kingdom as King and so his cousin Taehyung steps in and takes over for him.

He doesn’t care, the kingdom is nothing to what Seokjin already lost.

I could even learn how to love like you.

Love like you.

Love me, like you.

#btsboundjune17 #jinkook #jinseoknet #bangtan bookclub #kwordsmiths #prettyboysnetwork #btsguild #betareadernet #bts #angst #p:seokjin/jeongguk #f:lly #m: fic

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pennumbra · 5 years

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Midseason Impressions + HYPE

So I don't usually do long text posts, but I caught the midnight screening of the new ep (thank you tangled fandom, all my love <3 <3 ) and I just gotta get this hype out somehow. General thoughts above the read more, spoilers below it!

- So many wonderful friendship moments in this ep between all the characters, honestly made me smile and 'awww' multiple times.

- THE ANIMATION. The fight scenes and songs in this ep were b e a u t i f u l, so many little details and dynamic movements that I want to rewatch and see gifs of.

- I loved both music numbers, but especially THE music number. You know the one I'm talking about. It legit sounds like something from a theatrical Disney movie, and it’s giving LMMYP and Ready as I’ll Ever Be a serious run for their money as my fav. The season 2 soundtrack needs to come out *immediately* ok

SPOILER WARNING FROM HERE ON, DON'T CONTINUE UNLESS YOU'RE CURRENT

- Speaking of songs, THE MOONSTONE INCANTATION AND THE MOON POWERS, HOOOOOLY. It's great to see a popular fan theory confirmed, at least in part.

- Hector's English voice isn't what I expected at all! It's actually kind of nasal, high-pitched and almost... weak and reedy sounding? But I looove the contrast between his voice and his appearance/threat level, it works super well for me

- His beast master vibe is also unique and rad! I'm glad Rapunzel pointed out that rhinos aren't native to Corona b/c I would've had a hard time with that otherwise. XD

- No Tangle boy in this ep sadly, but we got 2 direct references to him! Once by Cass, and more interestingly, Adira namedrops him- so she knows he exists at least, and presumably knows of Quirin's current state?

- Varian is also apparently the first person to ever translate the mysterious Dark Kingdom language- a testament to his intelligence

- King Edmund being on his deathbed in the flashback would suggest he's long dead in the current timeline, but I suspect this might be a misdirection...

- The caravan has been on the road for 6 months, whoa. I didn't realize it had been that long. Since it's taken 6 months to reach the midseason, that puts the show solidly on track to have the finale take place at the 1 year/Rapunzel’s birthday mark.

- This also means that whatever Varian's status is, it's been a significant amount of time since the battle of Old Corona. Depending on when we next see him, I think it's a very real possibility that he'll look older given that he's at an age where changes in appearance happen fast. Then again, budget is a thing so perhaps not.

- The fight between Hector and Adira was INSANE, MORE OF THAT PLEASE

- I also NEED to see Quirin fighting now

- ALL 3 OF THEM FIGHTING. TOGETHER AS A TEAM, OR AGAINST EACH OTHER. IMAGINE

- I hope Hector comes back as a recurring villain or maybe even an ally? He's too cool to be a one-off character. Hoping it doesn't take Adira too long to find her way back to the group too.

- Adira's loyalty is again called into question, and I'm enjoying the ambiguity. Theory time- what if Adira's alleged ulterior motives involve healing the King?

- Man, I love Cass as a char, esp in a show watched primarily by young girls, but she has some massive trust issues and displays an immense amount of difficulty challenging her initial assumptions about people. I like seeing flaws in characters, but I also like to see character development- with her attitude toward Eugene and now Adira, she has yet to grow past this way of judging based on first impressions.

- Very curious to see the fallout of what happened to Cass's hand. I'm going to make an early, probably hare-brained prediction that because of how she injured it, she'll gain some connection to Zhan Tiri, and it may turn out to be a danger to her or the others.

- I wonder if the armor will be her new outfit or smth she only wears for special battles. Either way, her new look is fire.

- I think that's all for now, this ep def gave me some inspiration to finish up some draws and get back into the Tangled spirit. Feel free to talk to me abt all this on messenger or even discord. I’m just. Whoa.

#tangled the series #midseason #spoilers but only below the read more #textpost tag #TOO MUCH HYPE #rapunzel and the great tree

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desertislandcloud · 5 years

Video

youtube

Having charted on the NACC 200, received support from Paste Magazine and recently announced they’ll be playing alongside Smallpools, alt-pop collective No Alarms return with ‘No Marbles’, discussing the idea of taking a leap of faith and the unknowns that come with it.

No Alarms was born in Texas as the solo passion project of multi-instrumentalist Andrew Boles. However, after founding No Alarms, Boles soon found Texas wasn’t a fitting environment for a neon-light saturated, synth-pop artist, so relocated to Detroit, leading to NoAlarms becoming a five-piece. Andrew and his band members - Jack Reedy, Jordan McLanson, Stephen Werner, and Daryn DeCriscio- have been collaborating over the past year to develop their synergy as a group.

Since coming together, No Alarms have secured support from Paste Magazine, became the 13th most added track on NACC college charts with their debut release and even found their music played on ABC series ‘Kevin Probably Saves The World’. Through blending the lines between modern indie pop and new wave revival, with the help of producers with Sefi Carmel (Phil Collins, Massive Attack) and for this release Mario Borgatta (Foster the People, Muse, Young the Giant, Death Cab for Cutie), the ensemble have formed their own unique take on modern indie pop, whilst showcasing their early 00’s rock inspirations.

Stream ‘Marble Bars’ here:https://soundcloud.com/noalarmsmusic/marble-bars/s-ZGQtm

With a Spring US tour planned and a slot booked for Brite Winter Festival 2019, which Smallpools are headlining, No Alarms are on track to make 2019 their best year to date.

Links http://www.facebook.com/noalarmsmusic https://www.instagram.com/noalarmsmusic https://twitter.com/noalarmsmusic https://www.youtube.com/noalarmsmusic

#indie #alternative #youtube #music #newmusic #musicvideo

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wickedbananas · 6 years

Text

How to Rock MozCon 2018 Like the Marketing Superhero You Are

Posted by FeliciaCrawford

MozCon is just around the corner, meaning it’s time to share one of our absolute favorite posts of the year: the semi-official MozCon Guide to Seattle!

For those of you following the yellow brick road of I-5 into the heart of the Emerald City to spend three days absorbing all the SEO insight you can hold, this should help you plan both how you spend your time at the conference and outside of it. For those watching on the sidelines, scroll along and you’ll find a treasure trove of fun Seattle ideas and resources for future cons or trips you might make to this fair city by the sea.

And if you’ve been waffling on whether or not to take the plunge (to attend the conference — I wouldn’t recommend plunging into the Puget Sound, it’s quite cold), there may still be time:

We’re now over 99% sold out, so act fast if you’ve got your heart set on MozCon 2018!

Official MozCon activities:

We know you’re here for a conference, but that’s only part of your day. After you’ve stuffed every inch of space in your brain with cutting-edge SEO insights, you’re going to want to give yourself a break — and that’s exactly why we’ve put together an assortment of events, activities, suggestions, and Seattle insider pro tips for how to fill your time outside of MozCon.

The MozCon kickoff party!

With day one behind you, we’re guessing you’ll be some mix of energized, inspired, and ready to relax just a bit. Celebrate the first day of MozCon at our Monday night kickoff party with a night of networking, custom cocktails, and good music at beautiful Block 41 in Belltown.

Meet with fellow marketers and the Mozzers that keep your SEO software shiny while you unwind after your first full day of conferencing. It’s our privilege and delight to bring our community together on this special night.

Our famously fun MozCon Bash

There ain’t no party like a MozCon party! We invite all MozCon attendees and Mozzers to join us on Wednesday night at the Garage Billiards in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. From karaoke to photobooth, from billiards to shuffleboard, and peppered liberally with snacks and libations, the Wednesday Night MozCon Bash is designed to celebrate the completion of three days of jam-packed learning. This is the industry party of the year — you won’t want to miss it!

Birds of a Feather lunch tables

In between bites of the most delicious lunch you’ll find in the conference circuit, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with your fellow community members around the professional topics that matter most to you. Each day there will be seven-plus tables with different topics and facilitators; find one with a sign noting the topic and join the conversation to share advice, learn new tips and tricks, and discover new friends with similar interests.

Monday, July 9th

Google Analytics & Tag Management hosted by Ruth Burr Reedy at UpBuild

Content-Driven Link Building hosted by Paddy Moogan at Aira

Mobile App Growth hosted by Emily Grossman at Skyscanner

Content Marketing hosted by Casie Gillette at KoMarketing

Local SEO hosted by Mike Ramsey at Nifty Marketing

Podcasting hosted by Heidi Noonan-Mejicanos at Moz

Workflow Optimization hosted by Juan Parra at Accelo

Tuesday, July 10th

SEO A/B Testing hosted by Will Critchlow at Distilled

Community Speaker Connection hosted by Sha Menz at Moz

PPC + SEO Integration hosted by Jonathon Emery at Distilled

Meet Your Help Team hosted by Kristina Keyser at Moz

Agency Collaboration hosted by Yosef Silver at Fusion Inbound

Site Speed hosted by Jono Alderson at Yoast

Featured Snippets hosted by Rob Bucci at STAT Search Analytics

Voice Search hosted by Dr. Pete Meyers at Moz

Wednesday, July 11th

Content Marketing Q&A hosted by Kane Jamison at Content Harmony

Paid Search Marketing for High-Cost Keywords hosted by Trenton Greener at the Apex Training

SEO A/B Testing hosted by Will Critchlow at Distilled

Team Hiring, Retention, & Growth hosted by Heather Physioc at VML

Local Search hosted by Darren Shaw at Whitespark

Machine Learning & Advanced SEO by Britney Muller at Moz

Reporting Q&A hosted by Dana DiTomaso at Kick Point

The delight is in the details

MozCon is literally brimming with things to do and ways to support our attendees when they need it. Aside from our hosted events and three days’ worth of talks, we’ve got things to fill in the cracks and make sure your MozCon experience is everything you’ve ever wanted from a conference.

Photobooth with Roger: Admit it — you see that cute, googly-eyed robot face and you just want to hug it forever. At MozCon, you can do just that — and memorialize the moment with a picture at the photobooth! Roger’s a busy bot, but his photobooth schedule will be posted so you can plan your hugs accordingly.

Ping pong play sesh: Don your sweat bands and knee-high socks and keep your paddle arm limber! During breaks, we’ll have ping pong tables available to burn some excess energy and invite a little casual competition.

The world map of MozCon: Ever play pin the tail on the donkey? Well, this is sort of like that, but the donkey is a world map and (thankfully) there’s no blindfold. You’ll place a pin from wherever in the world you traveled from. It’s amazing to see how far some folks come for the conference!

Local snacks galore: Starbucks, Piroshky Piroshky, Ellenos Yogurt, and Top Pot Donuts will happily make themselves acquainted with your tastebuds! Carefully chosen from local Seattle businesses, our snacks will definitely please your local taste pallet and, if past feedback is to be believed, possibly tempt you to move here.

Stay charged: Pining for power? Panicking at that battery level of 15% at 10am? Find our charging sofas to fuel up your mobile device.

MozCon is for everyone

We want marketers of all stripes to feel comfortable and supported at our conference. Being “for everyone” means we’re working hard to make MozCon more accessible in many different ways. The Washington State Convention Center is fully ADA compliant, as are our other networking event venues. But it’s important for us to get even better, and we welcome your feedback and ideas.

Here are a few of the ways we’ve worked to make MozCon a welcoming event for everyone:

A ramp on the stage

Live closed captioning of the main event

Walkways for traffic flow

Menus featuring options or special meals (that actually taste good) for dietary restrictions

A nursing room

Gender-neutral bathroom options

Lots of signage

T-shirts that fit different body types

Visible staff to help make everyone’s experience the best possible

A proud partnership with 50/50 Pledge, furthering our commitment to better representation of women on stage

Strict enforcement of our Code of Conduct and TAGFEE

Bespoke city exploration — Get to know Seattle!

In years past, Tuesday nights were reserved for our MozCon Ignite event, where brave folks from myriad backgrounds would share stories in lighting-fast Ignite-style talks of five minutes each — the only rule being it can’t be about marketing!

While MozCon Ignite has always been a much-loved and highly anticipated event, we’ve also listened closely to your feedback about wanting more time to network on your own, plan client dinners, go on outings with your team, and in general just catch your breath — without missing a thing. That’s why this year, we’re folding Ignite into the official MozCon schedule so everyone can benefit from the tales shared and enjoy a fun five-minute break between SEO talks.

Wondering about what topics will be covered at Ignite this year?:

The Ninja Kit to NOT Get Sick While Traveling by Dana Weber at Seer Interactive

My Everest: How 10 Years of Chasing Tornadoes Came Down to One Moment by Tom Romero at Uncommon Goods

Baseball Made Me a Better Engineer by Tom Layson at Moz

Trailblazer: How Reading One Book Changed My Life for Good by Lina Soliman at OSUWMC

Drag Queen Warlocks, Skateboarding Sorcerers, & Other Folks by Jay Ricciardi at Tableau

Voice Dialogue Therapy: Listening to the Voices Inside Your Head by Kayla Walker at Distilled

We’re opening up Tuesday night as your chance to explore the Emerald City. We’ll have a travel team onsite at the conference on Tuesday to help you and your friends plan an exciting Seattle adventure. Perhaps you’ve met a fantastic group of like-minded folks at a Birds of a Feather lunch table and would love to talk featured snippets over fresh fish n’ chips at the Pike Place Market. Maybe you’ve always wanted to catch the view at the top of the Space Needle (recently renovated and reopened to provide even better views!). Or perhaps a quiet sunset picnic overlooking the water at Gasworks Park seems like the perfect way to relax after a long day of learning and networking. Regardless of whatever floats your boat, we encourage you to plan local meetups, invite your newfound and long-standing friends, and forge a few irreplaceable Seattle memories.

Wondering what there is to do, drink, eat, and see in Seattle?

Well, who better to ask than us Seattleites? Using tons of real suggestions from real Mozzers, we’ve put together a Google Map you can use to guide your exploration outside the confines of the event venue — check it out below!

Seattle’s got more to offer than we can name — get out there and discover the renowned Emerald City quirks and quaintness we’re famous for!

Travel options:

Seattle’s got a pretty solid transit system that can get you where you need to go, whether you’re traveling by bus or train. The city also has its share of rideshare services, as well as taxis, bikes, ferries, and water taxis, depending on where you're headed.

Public transportation

King County Metro Trip Planner: Traverse the city by bus! You can also download an app to get real-time bus info (I like the One Bus Away app, developed here in Seattle by University of Washington grads)

Light Rail: Connecting the north end to the south, the Light Rail can move you across Seattle quickly (and even drop you off right at SeaTac for your flight home!)

Water taxis and ferries can float you right across the Sound (and offer a lovely view while they��re at it)

A Transit Go ticket or ORCA card will happily power your public transit excursions

Bikeshare programs: As you wander the city, you may notice brightly colored bicycles patiently awaiting riders on the sidewalks. That rider could be you! If you’re feeling athletic, take advantage of the city’s bikeshare programs and see Seattle on two wheels.

Rideshares and taxis

Uber & Lyft can get you where you need to go

Moovn is a Seattle startup rideshare company

Two taxi services, Seattle Yellow Cab and Orange Cab, allow for online booking via their apps (or you can call ‘em the old-fashioned way!)

Are you ready to rock MozCon?!

If you’re already MozCon-bound come this July, make sure to download the app (must be on mobile) and join our Facebook group to maximize your networking opportunities, get to know fellow attendees, and stay up-to-date on conference news and activities.

If you’re thinking about grabbing a ticket last-minute, we still have a few left:

Grab a ticket while you can

And whether you’re going to be large, in charge, and live at the conference or just following along at home and eagerly waiting the video release, follow along with the #MozCon hashtag on Twitter to indulge in the juicy tidbits and takeaways attendees will undoubtedly share.

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

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#The Moz Blog #Moz #seo

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