i think atsuosa’s just always been really good at eating their fruits and veggies since they were young, y’know? so mama miya would experiment giving them things of varying levels of sourness (sudachi, yuzu, kobumikan/kaffir limes, kudamonotokeisou/passion fruit, etc.), bitterness (tsurureishi/bitter gourd, etc.), stickiness (star apple, bael fruit, etc.), some of her own acquired tastes (most nuts including peanuts/rakkasei, snakefruit/salacca/saraku, tamarind, maboya/sea pineapple, etc.), and whatnot, and they always take to them better than expected. she’s very happy about this ^^

vocab inventory bc i sometimes like giving language-teaching content, i guess. sorry it’s not a story or anything you were expecting.

好き嫌い sukikirai = likes and dislikes; pickiness; fussiness

こだわらない kodawaranai = not picky; not fussy; to not be particular about; to not fixate on

果物や野菜 kudamono ya yasai = fruits and vegetables

果菜 kasai = fruits n veggies (shorthand of the above)

青果 seika = plant produce; green goods; fruits and vegetables (ie. all edible plants as a whole)

酸味 sanmi = (n.) sourness; acidity (in taste/eating only; not chemistry)

酸っぱい suppai = (adj.) sour; acid

すだち/酸橘 sudachi = japanese sour citron (citrus sudachi)

ゆず/柚子 yuzu = japanese yuzu citron (citrus ichangensis x c. reticulata)

こぶみかん/瘤蜜柑 kobumikan = kaffir lime (citrus hystrix)

パッションフルーツ passhonfuruutsu; くだものとけいそう/果物時計草 kudamonotokeisou = passion fruit (passiflora edulis)

苦味 nigami/苦さ nigasa = (n.) bitterness (for taste only)

苦い nigai = (adj.) bitter

つるれいし/蔓茘枝 tsurureishi = bitter melon/bitter gourd (momordica charantia)

粘り nebari = (n.) stickiness; viscosity; tenacity; persistence

ねばねば/粘粘 nebaneba = (adj.) sticky; thick; gooey; slimey

ベタベタ/べたべた betabeta = (adj./adv.) sticky; clinging; to cling on; all over; thickly; heavily

金星果 jīnxīngguǒ/牛奶果 niúnǎiguǒ = star apple (chrysophyllum cainito)

ベルの木 berunoki/イグレマルメロズ igure marumerozu = bael fruit (aegle marmelos)

後天的味覚 koutenteki mikaku/慣れ親しんだ味 nareshitashinda aji/習い覚えた嗜好 narai oboeta shikou = acquired taste

木の実 konomi = fruit of a tree; nuts; berries

ピーナッツ piinattsu/落花生 rakkasei = peanut/groundnut (arachis hypogaea)

サラク saraku = snakefruit (salacca zalacca)

タマリンド tamarindo = tamarind (tamarindus indica)

まぼや/真海鞘 maboya = sea pineapple (halocynthia roretzi) (it’s actually an animal so doesn’t really fit the topic but oh well www i felt like mentioning it anyway 🤷)

など/等 nado = et cetera; and the like; and so on

Sorry, wrote that while half asleep, first meeting them would be interesting

( self aware loz link and Zelda ask )

I got clearance from the asker for yandere.

Content warning: yandere (very minor rn), obsessive thoughts, Link isn't mute

"Link can you believe it? A Zonai shrine of resurrection! Who knows what this place has in it!" Foot steps could be heard, a pair coming towards you.

Your mind was fuzzy and you felt like you were floating. Last thing you remembered was going to bed, this didn't feel like your bed. Was it wet? Why was the bed wet? You were struggling to come to maybe turn off the TV so you could simply go back to sleep.

"You feel is right, Zelda? There is something here...someone here. It feels like when the originator would watch me." Link didn't speak too often but had gotten more used to doing it after his various adventures. Too many people needed explanations of things only he could tell, so he had to adapt.

"I feel it not as strongly as you, maybe there is an artifact here of the originator or maybe the person inside is related to them! Oh! Imagine it Link!" Her camera went off as they walked deeper in.

Both got to the center chamber and gasped. Zelda in shock didn't move but Link dropped the torch and ran forward. His heart pounding in his chest, it couldn't be! But it was, as soon as he touched the body in the pool he knew.

"It's them.." He said in awe before more excitedly, "It's really them! The Originator! The high diety!" Finally after so long he could touch you, you who looked after him. The one who gave all you had to create the world and loved all.

"Hurry Link get them out of there!" Zelda ran forward picking up the still lit torch.

As soon as Link lifted you the room lit up. The lanterns brightened the room as if they were under the sun. And you oh glorious you stirred in his hold and his breath caught in his throat.

A whine escaped you at the brightness caused you to slam your eyes shut. You nearly spoke to tell who ever was yelling in excitement about you being alive to lower your voice.

Then the situation cause up with you. Those were not voices you knew personally, and this was *not* your room. You eyes fly open despite the brightness and you sit up panicked.

Link was startled but refused to let you go. He finally had you here in his arms. He knew in his heart that no matter what you would be his priority and knowing Zelda she would say the same. "Breath with me great one. You're safe now."

"Where am I? What is going on?!" You tried to get out of the hold of the man, "Link? You? Nonono this- I can't be-"

Link rushed you out of the water setting you on the ground as you clutched you chest. "Shhh shhh it's okay we have you."

"They must be so confused Link. We should warm them up let them catch up." Zelda was already pulling out her blanket from her bed roll and getting ready to put it on you. "It's okay great one, we're here now you are safe."

And just like that you collapsed again letting the darkness take you. Leaving the pair to panic until they realized you fainted. It was obvious your power hadn't returned but it was with out a doubt you and they had to get you somewhere more comfortable for when you wake up.

I raised my hand to the Attributes Window without thinking. Then there was the sound of sparks appearing and the Attributes Window started breaking apart. …Was it already 10 seconds? I thought so at first but the problem wasn't that simple. A faint ringing was heard in my ears and my head suddenly throbbed. The finger touching the Attributes Window was numb and the world became dizzy. I felt like vomiting. Beyond the insurmountable wall, something was calling me. [The exclusive skill 'Fourth Wall' is strongly activated!] The situation wasn't improved despite the Fourth Wall activating. The surrounding landscapes started to mix together. It was a scene where things that shouldn't go together were merged. In the midst of this terrible mood, I felt a strange sense of unity. It felt like something I had been wanting for a long time. Then I heard a strange message. [Your understanding of the character 'Kim Dokja' has increased.] What…? The moment my consciousness flickered, someone spoke to me. 「 (So, you were told not to look for too long). 」

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I swear ORV loves to plod along as an isekai-adjacent fantasy story for 50-75 chapters at a time just so it can once again come out of nowhere and just smack the shit out of you with pure, unfiltered existential horror.

I mean what the fuck!

What happened??? Why did it happen? The novel has mentioned a being inside/behind the Fourth Wall before and clearly someone or something told Dokja to turn it off the first time (which I'm still not certain if they were being helpful or opportunistic) but what is going on!!!

He mentions "the Abyss" and that actually is something in TWSA so is that what's behind the Fourth Wall? Is the Abyss just constantly watching, waiting for him to turn it off? Except that doesn't make sense because that would mean that the Abyss was part of Joonghyuk's story if Dokja knows about it and Joonghyuk doesn't have anything to do with TWSA aside from being a character in it. (...That we know of.)

But it also doesn't feel like the author? It almost seems too creepy and ominous to be the author...though, looking back on the prologue, while the author has always been polite and sweetly excited by any attention, they were pretty ominous with the whole "I won a competition, you wouldn't have heard about it" and talking about how Dokja will have to start paying now. So maybe it was the author.

Also, looking back on the prologue, the whole "I was able to complete it to the end thanks to you" combined with the fact that the novel is now being updated in real time to match Dokja's actions... Even the "competition" they won could perhaps be interpreted differently looking back on things.

Obviously it can be taken at face value, "Due to your support all these years I completed my novel which then led to me winning a competition" (the prize presumably being that their novel was chosen to be the next big world for the scenario) but it can also be taken to be Dokja writing the novel from the inside and thus completing it and the "competition" they won being the the end of the scenario that Dokja reached.

And he's been labeled a character!!! Ahhhhhh! And his attribute isn't reader it's "apostle." Wtf! Did Dokja accidentally turn himself into a character by looking at his Attributes Window? Or has he always been a character? Is that it? Is this story going to end with Dokja realizing that he's just a character in a novel that some other bullied, introverted guy is reading about on the subway somewhere?

Oh man, what if that's what it means by Fourth Wall? Instead of Dokja being a real person and the Fourth Wall existing because he knows he's not part of the novel, what if he's a character and the Fourth Wall is actually the barrier between him and the real world where the author lives? In which case, the being behind the Fourth Wall could be the author (or the reader!) of Dokja's story.

My voice didn't sound like me. It was only a moment but it felt like I had become a different existence and came back. A terrible sensation remained in my entire body. The shoulders being touched by Jang Hayoung's fingers trembled.

And what does this mean! Did you temporarily become a character and managed to pull yourself back to not being one??? Is that the "different existence" or were you temporarily completely outside the story like the author? Are you the author? I know I've been theorizing that you are for a while now but now I'm not so sure...

Actually, if Dokja is both a character and the author, could it be that he's a self-insert? And that's what's giving him all of his weird knowledge and power? My original thought was that he wrote the story and then forgot it like Asuka Ren and is now perhaps becoming a character like she did, but if there's still someone outside the story...

Now that I think about it though, Asuka's attributes window said she was the creator of Peace Land until she became a character. Could Dokja's have said reader (or author) and then switched? And maybe he's not a character again? The Fourth Wall didn't let him look at his attributes window a second time...

「 What if I use Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint on myself? 」 I never thought of it before. There was clearly something lurking inside me that I didn't know. I didn't know if it was something the author left behind or if it naturally permeated me during the process of the world changing. The obvious thing was I needed to figure out what it was.

And apparently there's now something inside Dokja?? Is it the Abyss? Some other thing? Bits of the Fourth Wall? Or, if he's a character, does he suddenly feel like he's being written by the author and what he feels inside him and the reason he feels strange is because it's the author's will being exerted on him and he's broken through the Fourth Wall enough to notice it??? Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

The fact that he has this Reading Comprehension skill that's increasing his understanding of...himself? his stories?? is also a little worrying.

And of course not only is Dokja terrified to use ORV on himself to get more answers (with good reason) but Biyoo has just so conveniently been kidnapped so now we'll probably have another 50+ chapters of fantasy before The Terror returns. 😰

I have so many questions but idk if I'm ready for the answers.

Somewhere we can be alone

AN: They really got my man out here being an ethereal thot. I don't pretend to be well-versed in Greek mythology, but I tried lol. Strongly considering making this into a series. Let me know if you'd be interested, I have some ideas in mind. Honestly, I didn't even expect to work on this until much later (because I have 600 other works in the drafts), but inspiration struck. Also, yes, I got the title from Love Story by Taylor Swift.

Note: a satyr is the male counter part of a nymph. A dryad is the specific name used to refer to a nature nymph. There's no specific name given to water satyrs, which is why I referred to Soobin just as a water satyr.

Synopsis: As soon as your eyes met those of the blonde spirit, you should've known you were a goner.

Heads up: Choi Soobin x Fem! Reader, Greek mythology AU, Water Satyr! Soobin, Dryad! Reader, star-crossed lovers AU, this is mostly fluff and world building, honestly.

I will block you if you are a minor and have no easily visible indication of your age on your blog if you interact with me in any way.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

When your eyes meet with those of the blonde man, you feel as though Kronos himself had stopped time.

You'd never seen him before.

Was he a new satyr? Because surely you'd never forget someone so beautiful if you'd seen him before.

"Is everything okay?" One of your friends asks when they notice you'd halted in your footsteps.

"Who's that?" You ask the group, gesturing towards the blonde man who still had his eyes on you as well.

"Oh, that's Soobin. He's new. I heard the other dryads talking about there being a new satyr in the area. Too bad he's a water satyr," one of your other friends responds.

Of course.

Just your luck.

You just had to become infatuated with a water satyr.

While unions between nature and water spirits weren't exactly immoral, they were heavily frowned upon by not only both groups but even a few of the gods and goddesses as well.

It takes everything in you to finally look away from his warm eyes and continue on your stroll with your friends. It's not as though there was a chance for you two anyways.

The universe is funny, you think, when you bump into that same blonde satyr once more. Soobin. That's his name.

"Hello," he says to you tentatively, and you don't remember the last time you felt this nervous.

"Hi," you respond shyly, looking at everything around you instead of the man right infront of you.

"I-my name is Soobin," he stammers out, and you hate the way affection bubbles up inside of you at how endearing you find his nervousness.

"Y/n," is all you offer in response, but you know you're already treading a dangerous line here just by continuing to talk to him.

"That's a pretty name," was he...flirting with you? Did he not realise the trouble you two could get into if anyone saw you? Or did he just not care?

"Do you not know I'm a dryad?" You blurt out, completely perplexed by this strange, beautiful man.

He does seem taken aback by that. Oh, it seems he didn't know. You know it's completely illogical, and he's a total stranger, but you can't help the sting of disappointment you feel.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I just saw you the other day and I really wanted to talk to you. If you're uncomfortable around water spirits in general, I understand. Again, I'm sorry," he rushes out, an appealing flush colouring his cheeks.

Wait, he thought he was making you uncomfortable? He wasn't put off by you being a dryad?

"You're not...disgusted to find out I'm a dryad?" You ask tentatively, hands gripping the fabric of your robe tighter than you care to admit as you wait for his answer.

"Are you disgusted that I'm a water satyr?" He fires back at you.

"No," you whisper, and you're being truthful. Frankly, you never understood why there was so much animosity between the two peoples.

"Well, there's your answer," he says with a smile that softens his face in a way that tempts your heart to beat out of your chest.

"Why? Our people despise each other. We'd probably be shunned if they even saw us talking," you ask, genuinely curious. You'd never met a water spirit that hadn't immediately been hostile towards you. You have a suspicion that his experiences have likely been similar.

"Why would I hate people for no reason? Some centuries old feud has nothing to do with me," he says so casually as if that wouldn't get him murdered by his people.

This man, Soobin, was going to be an issue.

"What about you? What's compelled you to continue to keep talking to me?" He asks, his gaze turning curious.

You hesitate for a brief moment. Was this a trick? Could you trust this man you knew virtually nothing about? Either you were an imbecile or he was being genuine, so you answered, "I feel the same way you do. I've never understood the hostility between our peoples."

The smile he shoots you feels like lightning has struck you.

Yes, this man was definitely going to be an issue.

"That's a relief to hear. I'd rather not lose my head for wanting to talk to you," he jokes but, you both knew that was a very real possibility.

"You're very different to other satyrs I've come across. Less...crass," you observe, your expression turning pensive.

That adorable blush rises to his cheeks once more. You've never seen a spirit flush as commonly as a human. It suits him.

"Oh uh, I've been told that. I guess I just don't feel the need to be?" He answers a little unsure, his hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck nervously.

"It's refreshing," you say candidly. Not as though there's much worse you could say or admit to him now.

"Oh, thank you," he says with another one of this lightning inducing smiles.

"I should probably head back. The Sun will be up soon, and I don't want the other nature spirits wondering where I've been," you say, turning away from him and preparing to leave this entire interaction behind you.

"Wait! Sorry, I just-can I see you again?" Though your back is turned to him, the earnestness is clear as day in his voice.

You shut your eyes for a moment before responding,

"Okay."

my super awesome friend @taireifying, absolute genius look at his account please,, found something in the mandela tech website that we both hadnt heard about before

so i figured id share it and talk about a few theories i had based off his findings!!!

so, taire here found morse code that you can reaaally only see if slowed down a ton (its the flashing of a tv somewhere, something like that) and it says ‘I AM STILL HERE THATCHER, I MISS YOU’, so yk what that sounds like to me?? that sounds like ruth

HOWEVER i think we all know she isnt actually alive, so i strongly believe that its something impersonating ruth to try and mess with thatchers guilt

anyway his insecurity and his depression directly translate to fear, him writing about ruth through letters i think opened up a weak spot the alternates will be able to torture him with

hes really good at hiding his feelings unless hes alone, but i mean we did see in vol 4 that a lot of times hes not alone when he thinks he is

hes an easy target BECAUUSE he cant get over ruth and that severe depression/guilt = fear thats insanely easy to exploit

but why do i think thatchers not going to survive vol5?? because the exact same thing happened to jonah!! the alternate that drove him insane in his damn car exploited his overwhelming guilt as well, and jonah didnt really have to SAY it, he just made it obvious through body language

so anyway yah thats it, i love thatcher davis with my whole heart, if he dies like i think he will ill cry so hard my organs clog

"Open your eyes."

It's dark in this cell of Mount Tantiss. Probably too dark for you to see, never mind any of the other inmates in the cells beside yours. Nevertheless, there's nothing keeping you from hearing an all-too-familiar voice speaking from somewhere close by.

"Hey. I know you're awake, kid."

Correction--his voice.

Crosshair's.

And right now, he doesn't sound too eager to be around you.

"I can see you moving on the other side of this room, so. Open...your...eyes."

Maybe you're not all that happy about being here either, considering just about everything that took place before your arrival, and a good portion of it happening without your consent. Some of it even happening on his watch, too, if what he said during your last 'meeting' can really be taken seriously.

In spite of all of these shadows, however, you find yourself attempting to squint through the dark just the same, even if only to try and catch sight of his face again.

"That's better. Hold on, now..."

He allows you a few seconds of light with the striking of a match against a matchbox, but no longer. The flare alone seems to be too much for him to handle, because he winces only a few seconds after lighting it.

"Sorry if I'm not one for playing games today...bad headache."

That's about the same time he blows the match out, thus plunging you both back into darkness.

Headaches, is it?

A fine time to mention those. You might be developing one of your own now, and not because of any mad inhibitor chips deciding to mess with you.

"Anyways. You probably already know why I'm here. What's your excuse--did your brothers get bored of you, too?"

You're also not about to play games, either, even if he tries to nudge you into one. The truth about your new location is far too great for that, never mind the state of emergency you just might have walked into.

"Don't you mean our brothers...?"

In fact, you know you're thinking of them so strongly that a few of your limbs start to ache. Yes, all five of them this time, if not also a few more you had the good fortune to meet along the way.

"We'll argue family trees later, all right...?"

This wasn't how things were supposed to end, no, not even where any of you were supposed to go for so much as an hour. This isn't where you're supposed to be. You can feel it deep inside of your own bones, however bruised or rattled they might be from your last mission.

"Right now, you're going to tell me why you're here."

Unfortunately, the tone and rhythm of Crosshair's words suggests he's not in the mood to do the same.

Still, it's next to impossible to answer him without saying their names. Especially when--

"They took me away and brought me here, that's why."

Especially when you know for a fact that they would have stayed on the outside of this place, this prison, until the most opportune moment came to break their way inside; secure Crosshair; and escape with no more than a few scratches and bumps apiece.

" 'Took you'? Why?"

"I don't know. I can only guess that they--that Hemlock's--planning something bad for all of the prisoners."

Especially when you knew most of them had been ready to do just that. When you can believe, yes, even with the pain and horror still fresh inside your bones, that they could have made it, that he could have made it in and out of this massive prison in no time at all.

You saw the look in his eyes as soon as the news broke.

You heard the emotion in his voice when he realized just how many of his past words had been harmful instead of helpful.

And if you had been given a few more hours, if he had been given a few more hours, if all of you had been given just a little more time--

"Planning something...so that's why they brought me here as well."

--Then how different would things have been...?

" 'For the Empire'. "

[ This is my next update for Sneak Peek Saturday, c/o The Bad Batch Appreciation Week @tbb-appreciation-week, specifically Day 5: Crosshair...although I hope to add material for the Hiding Face In Neck and "I'll Keep You Safe" prompts as well. Also tagging @groguandthebadbatch. ]

Oooo you’ve been busy today! I adore your fics, especially the desperate buildups. Could you maybe write a guy who’s just mortified by his big sneezes and he’s trying so hard to hold back and muffle the force and finally he can’t hold back any longer and he’s super embarrassed?

Thank you!! And hmmmm… right now I’m only doing shorter fic-lets and image posts but let me see if I can fit that scenario into an image post…

“Oh.” I said, stumbling in on him as he quickly grabbed the hat out of his hand to hold in front of his, ahem, private parts. “I’m so sorry, I’ll go I just…“ I spun on my heel once to leave and then, remembering this was, after all, my house that my (very attractive) acquaintance was naked in, while the rest of the guests were out enjoying the pool and the garden, I spun back on my heel again to ask, “wait but uh… what are you… why are you…”

“Oh my god I’m so sorry!” He exclaimed, eyes almost shining—had he been crying? “I just… I had to get in-inside, um… them tr-trees you got out there… uh… snf!” He spoke haltingly, a smooth Southern accent creeping into his tone. I knew he was from the South, somewhere pretty country if memory served but I’d never heard his accent come out so strongly before. They’re p-pollinating and it was startin’ to set off my a-aller…” he stopped at that word, and his hand flew up to his nose… the hand that just so happened to be holding his cowboy hat. Now he stood, fully exposed, obviously mortified and yet… he didn’t seem focused on his (generous) exposure at all. He seemed focused on his… nose?

“Oh god… n-not now… d-don’t embarrass me like this!” He cursed at… himself?

“Wait, who’s embarrassing… what?”

He tried to answer my question, though his attention seemed torn, “No it’s just… my allergies… thahhhh… that tree I… and I was c-covered in the pollen and I’ve been h-holding back this whole party and you’re so cute I didn’t want to leehhhh… leeeahhHHHHH… l-leave…”

Wait? I was… what? And he was… what? And why was there suddenly a breeze indoors…? Had I left the patio doors open or…?

He scrubbed viciously at his nose, pinched it and rubbed it, muttering under his breath, like he was pleading with it. “Cmon… cmon… I took my clothes off, the pollen’s not on me, why’re you still d-doing thiihhh… fuck… t-tickles so bahhh… bad…” After a moment he seemed to hold his breath and then his countenance cleared, his face, previously an itchy rictus of sternutatory urge smoothed.

“I’m sorry I… I gotta get outta here, it was just… that pollen was gettin’ to me so bad and I started to give in and I barely managed to stifle it back and I was still so damn loud, nearly blew my face off…”

Wait was that… was that explosion-like sound that had prompted me to come back into the house… was that…

“That was a sneeze?!”

“Aw, fuck, p-please d-don’t… d-don’t say it, just makes me h-hafta… haftaaaaahhHHHHH… hhhooohboy… g-gonna… gonna be a d-doozy…” Again, his eyes—wet, I realized, with allergic rather than emotional tears—began to drift closed, his nose bucking like a bronco as he tried to wrestle it down with both hands now, naked in my kitchen in what seemed to be a life or death struggle not to… sneeze?

“But what’s the big deal about sneezing I don’t understand—“

“You don’t underst-stand! L-look I gotta get outta here, do you have some c-clothes I wear, a c-coat, anything, mine were just c-covered in that danged p-pollen and I… I don’t think… I c-can’t hold it b-back much longer…!”

“I mean I can get you a coat but you know you can sneeze in my house… it’s not a big deal…”

“Please! Just help me gehhhhh… get outta h-hehhHHHH… outta here I… I can’t… oh god…”

I was confused as hell but he was so insistent I did as I was asked, hurrying to the coat closet, brushing against him—I wasn’t trying to cop a feel, I swear!—as I hurried to the closet. But just as I went past him…

“Oh no… oh no! You’re c-cuhhhHHHH… c-covered in it… I can’t… I c-caaaahHHHHHHHHH… I…” His brows were desperately knotted, his whole face seemingly opening and going back and back and back even as his head went back and back and his shoulders seemed to expand and his chest seemed to expand and then… a picture was pulled from the wall, a chair toppled and I realized—oh shit.

I turned on my heel for the third time. He was clearly about to give in and if this sneeze was going to be as big a deal as he was making it out to be, he definitely couldn’t sneeze the way he was pointing now, out towards the party full of people and the glass windows that would surely shatter. But if he spun around at this point he’d blast me point blank. So I had to get in front of him, spin him around…

“Okay buddy, just give me a few more seconds on that… whatever’s happening.”

“I ggaaaaaAAAAAHHHHHHHH… I g-GOTTA! HhehehHHHHHHHH… HHEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHH…”

I managed to race back around, get him pointed the right way—albeit towards the rest of my house, which if the breeze so far was any indication would need some major renovations when this was said and done—and knowing that being so close to my pollen-dusted clothes couldn’t be helping him, I told him to let go.

“It’s okay man, let it go. Fire at will!” I joked, doing my best to make light of an unexpectedly dramatic situation. And fire he did.

“HHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRCCCCCHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

He exploded. Like a bomb, like a volcano, like a… like a wind volcano bomb hurricane thing, it was ridiculous, it blasted through my house, exploded the front door right off its hinges, sent photos and decorations and furniture flying. I was glad the house was built so sturdy, or I’d be worried for the structural integrity of the whole building. Eventually the eruption died down. And as he sat there panting, I figured I’d better get this very attractive, very naked man somewhere where the attention he’d just drawn to himself would be less mortifying.

I quickly shucked my own clothes down to my undergarments as I herded him into my bedroom, which was miraculously intact, aside from a few holes in the drywall that must’ve been caused by just the backdraft of his eruption. And all the while he was ceaselessly, miserably, desperately apologizing.

“Oh god… oh god… oh god ‘m so sorry, I woulda never come if I’d known I’da got set off like that, oh please forgive me, I tried so hard.”

At last I got him into my bedroom, hoping that as few people as possible saw us both shuffling off half naked.

“Hey dude, dude it’s okay, whatever that was I don’t think you could control it. I’m pretty sure I’m insured for freak weather events and acts of god and whatever I just saw it was one or the other so…”

He was standing there, crying, tears leaking down his face—now definitely of the emotional variety. I sat him down on my bed, and wrapped an arm around him—as much as I could, his frame was massive.

“Damn allergies, I just can’t… I can’t control ‘em, I always try but my nose…!”

“Aw, there there.” Was all I could say, or at least all I should say, but my mouth proved as uncontrollable as his nose, “listen I don’t love the circumstances but anything that involves a beautiful naked man in my bedroom can’t be all ba—“ I squeaked as my brain caught up to my mouth, but maybe it was the right thing to say after all, as he chuckled softly.

“I uh… I can’t say I didn’t have a little hope for a situation like this myself just… without my damn nose ruining everything again. I’m so sorry, anything I can do to help put things right it’s just… my whole family’s like this nobody knows why it’s this damn cursed sneezin’ and I got it worst of all but I’m still the dummy who said I had to go into the city, live a life, not let myself be defined by my sneezes. Now look. I shoulda just stayed out on the farm where all I could hurt was the trees.”

“Hey, we’ll figure it out, okay? Speaking of which… no tickle left in that nose of yours, is there? No more gunpowder to set off the cannon?”

He sniffed experimentally. “I think I’m good. At least for now. I can’t go back out there though, not after what I did, and that tree…”

“You just stay here. I think the party’s over—and that’s fine,” I hastened to add, as he looked stricken and miserable again. “I’ll start looking at cleanup, get everybody out… feel free to grab some clothes out of the closet over there, unless you just wanna stay how you are, I gotta be honest I have no complaints about that… sorry, sorry forget I said that wow look at me babbling… anyway uh… clothes.” I said, ineffectually pointing towards the closet. “I‘ll just be going!” I said, looking anywhere but at him, after I’d embarrassed myself so absolutely. But I couldn’t help but turn around and take one last look…

And I was surprised to see him smiling. “You’re funny. And I meant what I said; you’re very cute. And you’ve been… ridiculously nice about this, I mean I just blew up half your house, I’m sure you’ll hate me once you come to your senses I—“

“Hey! Enough of that!” I said, “one thing you’ll quickly learn about me, I never come to my senses. And like I said, you couldn’t control it. And you clearly tried your best.” I surprised even myself with how cool I was about the whole situation. I mean it was gonna be a huge headache eventually but… for the moment I didn’t mind. “Now, clothes for you, guests for me.” I said with a smile, finally heading towards the door.

And then I froze. And spun on my heel one last time. “But wait! Stay far far FAR away from the fragrance drawer!”

I was rewarded with a watery chuckle. “Will do, absolutely will do.”

A Spider Riders, idk, au?? idea?? that's been bouncing around my head.

I've been calling it "Oracle Touched"

So, like in canon, Hunter sees The Oracle as he falls into the Inner World. Obviously he has no idea who this woman is. She's a strange, beautiful woman with, what looks like spider legs(listen i have no idea what those things are that are waving around behind her back like spider limbs) floating around her.

He should be scared but something about her presence is comforting and he's not afraid. She never speaks but he still Understands. He reaches out to her as he falls, but everything is enveloped in light and he wakes up on the ground, as per canon.

Except, there's a strange, spider like mark upon the palm of his hand. The mark of someone's who is 'Oracle Touched'.

Shadow is the one who says this, having the heard the term before but he's not, really sure what that entails and frankly still thinks this is an Earthen trick.

Hunter ofc has no idea what this mark means, nor does he know who that lady was he saw. He does start to make the connection later when Corona brings up The Oracle but gets sort of brushed off b/c, why would The Oracle show herself to you, an Earthen??

Being Oracle touched means he does have a, different connection to her than anyone else (save for other Oracle Touched people).

For a while he doesn't understand it, or why he can sort of, FEEL her. He can sense and feel her presence more strongly, something he first notices when at the shrine at the Hill of Champions. That's when he REALLY realizes that yes he DID see The Oracle when he fell through. And OH these weird waves of emotion he sometimes feels are HERS. It's her sadness or joy or pain that sometimes flashes through him.

And this absolutely goes a long way in his drive as a Spider Rider, to stop the fighting. He's already a kind and deeply empathetic person so like, this only adds to it.

Aqune is the one to first explain to him what the mark is and what it means, as she too is Oracle Touched. Everyone who is Oracle Touched bears this spider like mark upon their body (Hunter's is on the palm of his hand, Aqune's is between her shoulder blades).

It's not until the whole, getting the first Oracle Key bit that it really sinks in what this connection means. He can feel her crying out as the shrine is broken into and they key removed.

Eventually, during the bit where he and Magma end up at that temple to the Oracle, Hunter learns more about being Oracle Touched. Everyone there is 'Touched' and bears the spider mark somewhere on their body (some hide it, some don't). Oracle touched are often more devoted to Spirit Oracle for, obvious reasons, though everyone's connections are different.

As might be obvious, Corona is also Oracle Touched being that she and Aqune are the Oracle's Handmaidens (her mark is on her upper arm and usually covered by those long sleeves of hers, which is why Hunter doesn't realize it for the longest time, coupled with Corona just, not telling him at first). Her and Hunter are definitely able to bond over this once Hunter realizes she's marked too and too a degree understands what he's feeling all the time. Cause that's GOT to be overwhelming as heck.

This also serves as an additional driving force for going to Nuuma.

Hunter going to the Invectid lands and meeting with Mantid is the first time since coming to the Inner World that he hasn't felt the Oracle's presence and it is so so disconcerting to him. He's grown so used to it at that point that it's like 'oh, oh something is missing and I do not like it'

Anyways ye. Oracle Touched Hunter Steele who has a somewhat more unique connection to the Oracle because of this fact.

I have some more coherent thoughts on why GO S2 didn't quite land for me. Under the cut because spoilers and because I don't want to harsh anyone's squee.

First, and I've said this before, pacing. Most of the season was either spent running around headlessly doing something or other, and the "real" plot (what actually happened to Gabriel and why) was condensed into two five-minute exposition dump scenes, with Crowley in Heaven finding the file and with the memory flashbacks for the Gabriel-Belzebub stuff. And the problem is that I felt none of this was especially well set up. None of this information was integrated into the plot organically or foreshadowed. It was "tell, don't show", unfortunately.

Second, efficient storytelling. I especially noticed this in Episode 5, where they spend so much time with Aziraphale running around getting the shopkeepers involved. Yes, it was cute. But it went on faaaaaar too long. I heard somewhere that no matter how delightful a scene is, if it doesn't contribute something essential to the plot, or make us understand something about the characters, it should go. And some of the stuff we saw this season was just so very self-indulgent and just there because it was cute or funny. And if they'd managed to set up the plot and the big twists in the end properly while having fun with the cute and funny and the whimsy, I wouldn't have a complaint. But fucking around for five and a half episodes and then cramming all your story and character development into two five-minute info-dump scenes doesn't make for very efficient storytelling.

Third, characters. I'm sorry, I don't buy Nina and Maggie's "romance". No, they're not together at the end, but it's strongly implied that they might be in the future. And I don't see it. What did work for me was the feeling I got near the end of the series that Aziraphale and Crowley were actually using Maggie and Nina to dry-run how they might move forward with each other. The feeling I got that Aziraphale actually set up the dance not for Nina and Maggie, but for himself and Crowley. And that's why it was so important for him. (another pacing issue here, since we spent so much time in flashback, I a) couldn't remember Maggie's name until Ep 5 and b) had by that time forgotten why they started messing with them in the first place because, you know, it's never mentioned again.)

Next, Gabriel. So I get that Gabriel was saying no to Apocalypse II at his "trial" because he didn't want to fight Hell at this point (not because he gives one shit about humanity). But why did he and Belzebub meet at the pub and agree not to have an Apocalypse II? What's the motivation for this sudden raprochement? They were eager for the war before. They punished Aziraphale and Crowley for stopping it. The jump from "shut your stupid mouth and die already" Gabriel to the Gabriel who met Belzebub at a pub was so jarring and extreme. Gabriel comes off as a complete and utter dick in S1 and in the Job flashback. And now he's making arrangements with Hell? WHY?

Third, why, WHY didn't Crowley tell Aziraphale about why Gabriel was memory-wiped and demoted? He had plenty of time during their talk when Aziraphale told Crowley he was going back to Heaven. Crowley says "I understand a whole lot better than you do", but he doesn't tell Aziraphale vital information. And it makes. no. sense. Especially since he knows that Aziraphale might well be walking into the exact same situation, and might get treated as badly or worse than Gabriel if he refuses to go along with what the Metatron wants. And he has to suspect that the information he has might actually change Aziraphale's mind. "They want you to ogranize Apocalypse II and will mind-wipe and demote you if you refuse" MIGHT be information Aziraphale needs, is entitled to, and would have an influence on the decision he makes. It makes no sense from a character perspective that Crowley wouldn't give Aziraphale this information because a) Crowley knows Aziraphale is risking his life, but Aziraphale doesn't and b) it might just lead to Aziraphale changing his mind, which is SOMETHING CROWLEY DESPERATELY WANTS. IF the writers wanted Aziraphale to not have this information, they should have made sure that we as the audience know this, but Crowley doesn't. Because it makes NO SENSE for Crowley to let Aziraphale run head-first into danger without even trying to warn him, and not just about the general toxicity of Heaven - fair point - but also about the extremely concrete, real and present situation Aziraphale is walking into. It's entirely possible that Aziraphale would have gone to Heaven to prevent Apocalypse II anyway, but at least he'd know what he was walking into, instead of being completely blindsided by it. Essentially, Crowley lies by omission to Aziraphale because he wants him to make a more fundamental choice "our side or your side" "heaven or me". But the thing is that this isn't just about their relationship, it's about Aziraphale's life and very existence. So the way it's written now, he deliberately withholds vital information from Aziraphale because he wants to force Aziraphale into choosing Crowley on principle, and not because of concrete circumstances. And while that's understandable, it's also a Bit Not Good. It's him deciding what Aziraphale needs to know, not Aziraphale making an informed decision. And I see this aspect of it, but at the same time it's also wildly out of character because he's deliberately withholding information that Aziraphale needs to protect his very existence. He was so panicked the whole season about something happening to Aziraphale, and then suddenly he's not even going to tell Aziarphale that he's walking into a death trap? The longer I think about it, the less it makes sense to me. Especially because everything else about the scene was so, so good. So real, so emotional, so understandable, from both sides. (I also thought Crowley was being an asshole about the kiss and Aziraphale's "I forgive you" was both warranted and the worst thing he could have said at the time (I want to hurt you as much as you just hurt me), but at least I felt it was in character and earned - "I need to kiss you now because I need you to know unambiguously what I want from you" "You asshole, you made our first kiss angry, desperate and violent instead of gentle and loving, the way I've been wanting it to be for about a thousand years or longer" is brilliant and perfect and heartbreaking)

So, like I said before, it's not like it's bad by any stretch of the imagination, but I just felt with a bit more discipline and structure, it could have been as truly great as Season 1 was.

Today's translation #59

Kubo Mitsurou's episode commentary

Episode 7. Part 2.

　Every time we were drawing Yuuri, we kept that in mind to make him "act in a way Victor doesn't expect". That's why we have the scene, when before his FS, Yuuri pushes down Victor's head/touches his hair whorl. This is how Yuuri breaks the tension in a unique for him way. He comes up with an idea how to ease the tense atmosphere and so he acts on it, then he sees Victor's surprised face and so, he can be even more relaxed when he skates his FS afterwards. In this episode, I think we managed to portray one part of what we wanted to show in the GP series - that both Victor and Yuuri always think what can they do to make Yuuri skate with a fresh mindset.

　About the scene after the FS - I was thinking that it could be interpreted in whichever way you like. However, this was the scene which received the strongest reaction from foreign fans, and I was, for example, asked directly "so what was that? [kiss or hug]"… Also, I heard from Japanese fans too that, for example, somebody argued with their friend about whether it was a kiss or just a hug. I was really surprised thinking: "So everybody really wants to know the truth, huh?". I was sure that when it comes to fiction, everyone prefers to interpret it in the way they like. But while watching the response to this scene, I realized very strongly that to the viewers this show is already established as an existing world, even if it's fictional, and that everyone feels that "There must be one correct answer [to what happened] somewhere".

[Notes: This time the translator rants! So if you're not interested in my ranting I recommend not reading the notes… ✨ The rant is about MAPPA/Avex and fujos.

The last comment is one that is very often mistranslated into "Japanese fans didn't need to be told what happened, because it was clear to them!" that it was a kiss. However, what Mitsuko said is actually the opposite. She also never ever publicly confirmed that it was a kiss.

However, MAPPA, accused by some people from YoI fandom of being homophobic and what not nowadays, included this scene with other kisses in their anniversary PV, casually confirming the obvious.

If somebody was not very fond of the idea that it was a kiss, or romantic kiss, or kiss that means they are gay, it was a not so small part of Jp fujoshi fandom. The real homophobes, to whom heterosexual love is still the "normal love", NL.

As much as I understand that people are frustrated by the radio silence, each time I see people accusing Mappa or Avex of being homophobes (Avex produced "What did you eat yesterday" live-action movie in 2021, a movie about middle-aged gay couple living together in modern Tokyo), and then retweeting art of 左右完全固定 fujos, so fujos who only accept one character to be uke and the other to be seme, never the other way around, I'm like "the irony...✨". If somebody wanted the movie about teenage Victor to never happen, because that's not their seme prince, it's these fujos, who also don't want Yuuri-chan to lose his uke princess crown (and to be clear, I'm not saying "every one of them", but it's hardly unpopular opinion among this group of YoI fans)...

I'm really sorry for this random rant... I really want this blog to be a place when newer fans can easily find interviews and so on.

But after reading a crazy amount of anti-IceAdo, anti-teenage Victor, anti-Yurio, anti-Mitsurou, anti-Hiramatsu-san, anti-Noriko Ito-san, anti-Sayo etc. comments from fujos, and then seeing western fans only accusing MAPPA these past few days (sometimes MAPPA+Avex) of everything that's happening with IceAdo, I'm just like... 😬 That's just not fair, imo.]

⭐

GATHER ROUND FOR I SHALL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THE PLOT-SIGNIFICANT CHRISTIAN ALLUSIONS IN "I SHALL NEVER KNOW THAT SECOND DEATH" BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO COMMENTED TO TELL ME THE STORY LEFT THEM SOBBING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT OBVIOUSLY NEVER WENT TO SUNDAY SCHOOL

Three things to note before going into this:

I Am Not Religious, but grew up with a neat children's Bible with a lot of historical factoids that were intriguing indeed for the girl who wanted to be an archeologist. I'm also inordinately fond of Easter.

Ladybirds are strongly associated with The Virgin Mary. I don't care what behindthename tells you, "Marinette" is in practice a dimminutive of "Marie" and I refuse to believe that the Notre Dame's presence in the OP is incidental

The story's title is from "The Heart of Thomas" which is essentially just a huge Christ allegory

In the first chapter, each meeting Marinette has with a friend showing up at her door includes some more or less blatant Christian reference.

On the third morning, the doorbell rings and Chloé Bourgeois stands on the other side.

= Christ's ressurection was discovered on the third meaning. For people Swedish, Norwegian or Italian who listen to Easter songs and also look up name etymology like I do there might also be something in it being Chloé (="blooming" or "green shot") who gets this one; the Bible talks about spices, not flowers, but this song sure is all about the latter

(that is the most horrid version I've heard but I think it's the original so)

Myléne and Alix visited with a potted rose for her balcony. She pulls it out of its shaded spot as evening lets up the heat of the day, and she gazes out over the city. 

reachy but the rose of one of the many symbols of Mary and this is of course why she discovers The Other Ladybug (Kagami btw)

Somewhere out there, there’s a superhero who might well be able to walk on water, but Marinette can’t perform miracles. For her, keeping her balance on ice is more than enough.

Christ walked on water and so does Marinette at the skating rink, even if she doesn't realise that that's what ice is

Outside her window, the Notre Dame sounds the call to Vespers. When song ends, she stretches her feet towards the ceiling and plays it again.

Nothing special except pay attention to the next chapter

If Paris had still followed the revolutionary calendar, the twenty-third of September would be New Year’s Day. 

New Year's Day = feast day of Mary

It’s been fourty-nine days since Hawkmoth was defeated. Ten days ago, Ladybug announced her retirement, leaving the city in Cat Noir’s care until she’s needed again. 

The Ascencion of Christ was thirty-nine days after the resurrection (Ladybug retired), marking this scene as happening on Pentecost (the day The Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles, initiating the Christian Church).

“Your parents were so nice. I’d never seen my father be happy about visitors. I think I still feel that way - like it’ll be a bother to Aunt Élizabeth if I bring someone home. But that was my father who was the weird one, and I hate when she’s upset for my sake.” “Is she getting easier around you?” Adrien shrugs. “I’m not sure what ‘easy’ is, for her. I think some of it might be because she’s happy that I’m there. She told me she always wanted children, but it never happened. And then suddenly I was there, and even if she’s sad about mum and upset about my father, she’s happy to have me there. ‘The Lord has done this for me’, she said.”

As We All Know, John the Baptist was the son of Mary's aging cousin Elizabeth, miraculously conceived by the blessing of Gabriel (the archangel not the deranged fashion designer) even though his parents were well into middle age. Adrien's Aunt Elizabeth quoted the Scripture verbatim

“Chrysanthemums,” Marinette feels her frown forming. “Even if they’re the only things flowering this late, it’s pretty morbid.” “I don’t know,” says Adrien, and stands on the tip of his toes to straighten the crown of flowers on Ladybug’s head, “you know, they aren’t about death. They’re used in funerals because they’re a symbol of eternal life. Maybe whoever left these flowers meant for them to mean that Ladybug will be back one day.”

Surely The Second Coming is at hand

“That was a goodnight kiss from Ladybug,” he says with a cheeky grin. It wasn’t, of course, but whatever little magic he just bestowed upon her hummed with an energy of the same frequency as the jet black jewel in her hand, with the same frequency as Cat Noir himself. That subsonic current that set her nerves tingling now radiates from her hand, paradoxically easing her mind into the peace she’s been missing for at least seven weeks.

If Ladybug is Jesus maybe and Cat Noir is John the Baptist then Tikki is The Holy Spirit trying to waken Marinette to the faith

The second chapter has a lot less of it but Cat Noir is still the lesser messianic trying his best to the appearance of the true Saviour, and Ladybug's ressurection is interrupted by the bells of the Notre Dame (maybe)

“Please, come find me,” she begs, and the air is filled with motion as the Notre Dame sounds her bells when All Saints Day topples into All Soul’s Day. 

The Significance of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (= Day of the Dead) should be self-explanatory, but I'll leave it there to point out the implications of all this Biblical and Catholic nonsense.

Which is: All the nonsense casts Marinette as either Mary (a saint) or Christ himself. Now, sainthood is per definition a status achieved upon death, but Christ came back to life, left this Earthly plane and has been expected to come back any day now ever since.

If Ladybug = Mary, then she's dead, the end, Marinette never remembers

If Ladybug = Jesus, then she'll be back someday and Marinette will eventually regain her memories

and if that's not the most pretentious way to leave a story open-ended then I don't know what is

(thanks for asking I've been wanting to do this for ages)

Music May 2023 #16: X:IN - Keeping the Fire release: April 2023 genre: Kpop

Hooboy. Hokay, so, like, I'm trusting everyone reading this to behave like a rational adult or else stop reading right now, because I'm not here to listen to any whining or racist nutfuckery. And if that feels like an aggressive opening, well, I just came off research and the bugnuts bullshit these ladies are already having to face after debuting just last month is somewhere between actually insane and terrifyingly impressive. And I don't use any of those words lightly, so...

With Kpop becoming more and more of a global phenomenon, it's not surprising (or at least shouldn't be) that companies are getting more international hopefuls in auditions and including those hopefuls in new groups. As we're now tipping over into 5th gen (!!!), the way smaller labels are taking bigger risks putting together more internationally sourced groups is ... kinda nice? A bit surprising if only because I know how conservative the industry tends to be as a whole and how the metafandom can get really mean about anyone trying to do something different or experimental. So it's not all that surprising to see kpop fans already picking on these ladies for everything from their stage names to Nova's being Russian to Aria's request to have fewer Korean lines while she's still learning the language (her fourth).

As a debut single, "Keeping the Fire" should have been a pretty non-controversial song - it's a fairly standard kpop dance beat, brassy and loud, with uncomplicated vocals that reminds me strongly of Blackpink and 2NE1. It's a good song, but also the sort that could easily get lost in a playlist of dance beats and almost a let down compared to pre-debut single "Who am I" which feels, in my opinion, like a stronger showcase song. It's safe, but not really wow-ing as a song, and as I've made a review of their round of the music shows, it becomes clear why. Sure, I'm spoiled for live vocals by older, more stable idols, and the choreography for this song makes singing it live harder, but they probably could have used another six months of training to further stabilize before doing live singing stages. On the other hand, I fully believe the raw talent is there and hopefully their next comeback will have stronger live vocals.

The music video goes full brat energy, between camera work, pyrotechnics, and even a wet/rain stage section. As if the director heard the phrase "go big or go home" and took it to heart. There's a lot of sets for not even three minutes of video and a lot of attitude from each of the members, whether dancing or just prancing through the set. There's room to argue whether this is more sexualized or self-empowered (or both?), where you land is probably going to depend a lot on where you're starting from.

As a brand new group, X:in only has three tracks to their name, but their company has already shown a willingness to spend what it takes to get them out there as wide as possible, so they're likely on all the streaming services. How far they will go from here remains to be seen.

Want to sponsor a song selection? You sweet angel! For the low, low price of one (1) KoFi, I'll write up the song of your choice. ANY song of your choice. Yes, even that one that's been played to death. Yes, your obscure faves too. Sponsor a current CB for the next open Music Monday slot or sponsor a throwback for a Thursday feature! DW | Twitter | Mastodon | Ko-fi | Patreon | Discord | Twitch

maybe you've already talked about it somewhere but, would you talk about three sisters and, if you like, its role in needing/getting? but mostly i'm curious about your general thoughts.

I actually haven’t talked about this! Sorry, this got away from me a bit…

The short version is that I heard the Three Sisters a few years before I even started thinking about N/G, and I loved it. I remember the first time I listened to it and what it made me feel. The story resonated with me, and I played with the meanings I heard in it, lining them up with piece of belief I’ve been thinking about.

When I write, I work on themes. Once I have that, almost everything else sorts itself out in time. The Three Sisters fit in N/G so well because I was writing for the particular themes of that song—ideas about connection, about love and wealth, and about isolation.

Anakin’s defining trait in canon, the one I’ve always adored with, is that he BELIEVES. Strongly, devoutly, and fiercely. It’s what he believes in that leads him astray, and eventually to his fall. I didn’t want to take his anger at his injuries away—I wanted to give him a way to harness it and use it to improve himself. And I found that in the Three Sisters. His believes in love and wealth; specifically Padme’s definition of those concepts, rather than Palpatine’s.

Only he doesn’t quite get it right—he’s scared that his kids are in danger, and fear for his family was always going override any principle or philosophy. It isn’t until Obi-Wan comes along and helps him reconnect with his community that he gets back on solid ground with himself.

I also found the message of the song countered the Jedi philosophy in a way that didn’t discredit their beliefs, which as also an important balance I wanted to keep. Obi-Wan and the Jedi believe one way—and that way works for them. It doesn’t work for Anakin—I would argue it never worked for him in canon.

The Jedi have a community, and they do support one another. Their values are just not the ones Anakin—and the Sith—prioritize.

The longer version is that I hate the saying “everyone dies alone.”

Because it’s not true. You die surrounded by people. So Many People. It’s the connections you forge in your life that dictate if they’re friends or strangers. Those connections dictate if they genuinely mourn you or are simply handling the logistics of your corpse.

Engaging with people is hard as fuck. But the truth of it is that everyone needs a community. More than one, even. You need to connect with people and find your place with them. You need to figure out what society means to you. But the moment you bring more than one person together, conflict is going to come up. The people of your community don’t have to be your friends; they just need to share your goals and values. They need to respect the same things you respect, and they need to challenge you to know what those are. You should grow in a community, not stagnate.

I talk about this because I have a lot of strong feelings about communities.Their historical function is a built-in support system for people, granted simply by sharing the responsibility of living with those around you. An environment of those who share your anxieties, desires, and dreams.

We’re in a very interesting time. There’s been wide-scale scrutiny on the damaging effects of communities in the last century—most specifically religious, isolated, or unmonitored communities that oppress rather than benefit. And people should question the existing dynamic! Blind acceptance of the status quo leads to massive abuse and the kind of corruption that ruins what’s supposed to support you. But that’s not a quick process—things like this stretch on for generations. So now we frantically sub in ‘family’ for ‘community.’ But that’s an ill-fitting patch, as anyone with estranged family can testify.

Which brings us to the Sith in Needing/Getting, and why I used Three Sisters for them. Anakin believes in his community. He just needs to learn how to make his anger into action.

The ending of the song in particular always caught me. Three Sisters is a folk-esque song about a person who thought they were good and fine going it alone, only to immediately be proven wrong when a challenge comes up. A challenge the narrator knew was coming! The Sisters say in the first verse what the obstacles are—the boat has one oar and a gas lantern. They just don’t expound on the implications.

The narrator makes their choice, goes to the boat, and realizes they can’t row with one oar alone and the lantern needs oil they don’t have. The Sisters point blank say the narrator’s struggles could be eased by engaging with their community. Money can buy you oil, and a friend can man an oar.

And then the song ends. The narrator isn’t given a chance to make a rebuttal. Decisions were made; the narrator choose to go alone, and everything will be harder because of it.

BUT THEN! The brilliance of this song that took my breath away the first time I heard it—the narrator isn’t damned for the decision. The song ends by explaining the failure, not describing the consequences. That means, there’s a chance to fix things. The narrator hasn’t gotten on the boat yet, hasn’t left yet. And know they’ve learned where they’ve gone wrong! There’s still a chance to turn around and actually connect with people! There is still time to take action. As long as the narrator realizes the lesson.

We don’t know if the narrator does. The song ends on the Sisters’ words. They’re for the narrator, but they’re also for the listener.

Three Sisters is a song about hope. And that’s why I try to listen to it, even on dark days.

August 28, 2022 12:05p.m. Saturn Hr // Sun Virgo and Moon in Virgo void of course Libra// 6 planets Rx

I was called to finally solidify a clean altar in honor of myself and those that came before me that got me this far. I am grateful to have all the skills, tools, and knowledge to be able to have a life I becoming more proud of every day. The black and white candles are for protection. New Moon in Virgo on Saturday night at 10:11p.m. Saturn planetary hour I lit the black candle and ten minutes later lit the white candle for protection and peace for all as the black candle works to banish any and everything that do not serve me. All toxic negativity must go back to senders. If there are none. All negative or bad energy still has to be out my space. Period. I was wondering about the flowers I was supposed to get and Asked Archangel Michael what flowers and he sent a card flying out my hand with the cards were purple flowers. Ironically, I have purple flowers growing on my property. They were planted by someone that does not treat me the nicest. I went and clipped the flowers. Put the plant I was gifted on Friday on the altar too. Now as I type this at 12:12p.m. I heard Cardinals chirping outside my window. The cardinals and crows have been on me heavily lately. It is how I know I am receiving confirmations of where I need to be and why I need to be there. My energy and space feels so much more steady since I petitioned for a healthier life away from chaos, negativity and that which does not align with my higher self any longer; if ever. I have a lot going on and on my mind. I will continue to update the progress. The candle flames flicker to the west and dance. For the most part they are strong flames. The white candle is burning faster and it has been lit for the shorter amount of time. The Aquamarine crystal popped out of no where on my room floor. I put it on the Altar. I suppose it has a place. The Jasper was rediscovered today too. It went up there as well. I want my spirit quartz to return to me or at least to know it is somewhere not in my space. Tarot cards say the petunias are for the King of Cups, JUDGEMENT, King of Wands.

The Candles - THE WORLD a cycle closing full circle coming to and end so a new chapter of renewal is started. A chance to have a clean and clear slate. The Divine intervening to stop a distraction, blockage, interference. Ending to betrayals, ending to what I perceive as mentally anguishing, ending to anxiety and stress carried over from others that do not belong in my space. Happiness and fulfillment will be restored. The hard work and effort I have put in will pay off for me. No worries, no stress. I am strongly connected to the Divinest power existing there is success any in petition issued from me to my Tribe. I do not harm others and always wish for the good of all in any declaration or request to my God. Amen! So it is and shall be forever more beloveds.

#ImNotAWitchButPleaseDontPushMe

Antiques and Gifts

Desc: Nevery takes Conn to a recently-opened antique shop. 

No TWs!

Thanks to @embre-wing for inspiration

"Boy, come with me. I heard that a store opened in the Twilight." Nevery called Conn. Peculiar. The Twilight was never very popular. Oddly, it seemed to be picking up traction lately, but Conn couldn't figure out why. But he really couldn't care, he had no reason to feel strongly about it. 

He decided to ask, "Really? What does it sell?" He thought the Twilight had enough 'stores', though he had to admit they were rather small and usually only sold necessities, such as clothing, or food. But Sparks and Embre did make a good enough profit from selling pyrotechnic materials, so perhaps there was a market for the miscellaneous. 

"Antiques. Do you know what an antique is, my lad?" Nevery answered. Antiques. Conn felt like he knew that word from somewhere, but he didn't know where. Maybe it was just a case of deja vu, he thought to himself. He decide to stay silent since Nevery always explained things to him if he didn't say anything.

"Antiques are objects valued for their age." He explained to him, gazing at him with his iconic keen-glean glance. Oh. Well, that's interesting. He only thing Conn thought of that could be a antique from Wellmet is something from the Dawn Palace--chills

went down his spine thinking about that place--before it was thankfully exploded (It

would have been destroyed anyway, Embre liked the Dawn Palace no more than Conn).

"Oh." He said. Conn didn't have anything better to say from the top of his head. 

"Well then, boy. Are you ready to leave now?" Nevery sternly asked. He had always not been the nicest, or at least, as charismatic as Brumbee, another magister that knew Nevery when they were younger, but Conn didn't mind. It was much better than if he were to hover over Conn, like after he was 'found'. He was content with how Nevery treated him, especially now that seemed less rigidly cold as before.

"I got everything." He informed Nevery. Pip was out hunting pigeons, and he was sure that it would be able to manage itself if he was gone.

"Then we're leaving."  Nevery told him, before opening the door and leaving, expecting Conn to follow behind. He caught up to Nevery, and shortly afterwards joined him to get in the boat to the Twilight, behind the factories and warehouses. They came through the back, and walked to Sark Square. 

"Anything you want to do while we're here, boy?" Nevery asked him. Conn needed a second to think about it. They could hang out with Embre for a bit, but would he be busy at the moment? No, Conn thought. They can do that later. Plus, where would Nevery be. It just seemed like-not the best idea. 

"Not that I can think of. Now, where's that antique shop that we're supposed to be at?" He remarked, not mentioning that he had wanted to go to the Dawn Palace.

"Hm." Nevery grunted. He normally said that, even if he wasn't confused. Conn didn't know if other people did that too, but if they did, they didn't do it as obviously as Nevery did. Or maybe Conn was just paying the most attention whenever Nevery spoke.

After a while after aimless wandering, they had finally found this oh so important antique shop. 

"Boy, look around." Nevery directed Conn, shortly before going to the back of the store. Conn took some time to observe his surroundings. The air had a strange smell to it, not necessarily bad, but not good either. 

The shelves were dusty and filled with antiques. Conn decided to actually look at them. There was all types of miscellaneous items, from some neat-looking jars to goblets to huge pieces of furniture such as desks. 

After a bit of scanning the somewhat valuable trinkets, something caught his eye. However, it wasn't something Conn was planning to keep for himself. There was a figure behind a mirror of sorts, with a mystifying glimmer through the piece. As soon as Conn saw it, he knew he had to get it for Nevery.

He knew that he would like it, might even keep it somewhere where it could be see  easily. There was one issue with that plan though. Nevery would never let Conn get something pricey for him, especially now that they had a stronger bond. 

Fortunately, he realized something soon enough. It's not as if Nevery was routinely watching him. So in theory, he would be able to quickly buy it and hide it somewhere until he felt like giving it to Nevery. 

He snatched it and looked for the price tag. 10 galleons. He could buy that. Conn reached for his pocket and took out his sack of money.  He counted out the money he needed, and hid the sack in his pocket. 

"May I buy this?" Conn asked the man at the counter. He nodded, before Conn put the needed 10 galleons and the antique. He took the cash, and Conn went to Nevery, smuggling it in his pockets.

"You think we should leave now?" He inquired. Nevery seemed to only be looking and not planning to buy something, unlike Conn. 

"Yes, boy. We haven't done much here." Nevery sternly answered. With that, they were on their way back to Heartease. 

They had come home around sunset, and Benet was already cooking dinner for all of  them. It seemed to be the usual: chicken pot pie, buttery biscuits, and tea. The aroma filled the air, or at least the first floor of Heartease. 

"So, boy, did you enjoy that." He asked, seemingly out of the blue.

"It was alright, it was kinda fun looking around." Conn answered, keeping discreet about what things he had done under his nose. 

He neutrally grunted in response. Soon enough, Benet was already setting out their food, and they were at the dinner table.

"How was it?" Benet asked both of them. Conn had already started digging into the biscuits, whilst trying to not drop and break his soon to be gift to Nevery.

"Nothing much happened. I and boy left soon enough." Nevery informed Benet, taking sips out of his tea. 

They had nothing else to say, so they finished their food and went upstairs to do their own thing. 

Conn had gotten to his room, and was greeted by Pip aimlessly rolling on his bed. Soon enough, Conn got Pip to do dragon things in the corner of his room, while he took out the antique, and peeled of the 10 galleons sticker. 

Pip approached it, interested by it's glimmer. Conn let it look at it, before he moved Pip away so it couldn't break it. The statue of sorts should be kept under his bed, Conn decided, as he lodged it there.

He looked out his window to look at the river that the island Heartease was built on. Conn didn't do this often, but something was calling to him to observe from here. He couldn't see much, since his room was on the highest floor but he didn't mind.

He stepped away from the window, and looked at his bed. It was pretty messy now, due to whatever Pip was doing. He decided to fix up the blankets, and by that he meant moving them around so his bed was even.

"Good night, Pip." Conn said. He squeezed himself between some layers, and fell into a deep sleep from his long day.

It was morning when he realized. When he checked the calendar after he woke up, he realized that it was Father's Day. Yes, he had coincidentally bought something for Nevery, but not for Benet! They both deserved a gift today, and Conn knew just where to get one.

  After getting 12 galleons and keeping them in his pocket, he shortly hurried downstairs, leaving Pip. After making so much noise to carry out this crucial task quickly, he accidentally got unwanted attention from a certain someone. Benet had already been in the kitchen, preparing for today's breakfast. 

"Where are you going?" He grumbled, coming to Conn. He was a deer caught in the headlights. 

"I have to go somewhere!" Conn replied, out of breath from running. Benet looked at him, and nodded, before leaving to continue cooking. Conn sighed in relief, as he headed for the door. 

Conn took the boat to the Twilight, and ran to the antique shop while attempting to not attract curiosity to what he was doing. He skimmed through all of the shelves, and found one that looked like it could work.

It was a set of vases. They reminded him a bit of those jars from yesterday. Their colors were pastel, with baby blues and lavenders. Conn did not know why, but they felt like the perfect gift to give to Benet. He checked the price. 9 galleons. He had more than enough galleons buy it. 

"I would like to buy this." Conn put the vase on the counter and the money. He had bought it, and this time he didn't ask to leave. Since the vases were small enough to hide in a hole he made in one of his pockets, he put it there, keeping the other one in his arm, covering it with his other one.

He got a boat and went back to Heartease. When he returned, Benet and Nevery were waiting for him to arrive. Conn couldn't read the expression on their faces, but he could just assume that they weren't upset. 

"Where were you, boy?" Nevery asked him. Well they definitely weren't mad, unless he said he was robbing someone or something similar to that.

"I got something for you!" Conn exclaimed, before racing up the stairs to get Nevery's gift. He stuck his arm under his bed, before he felt the antique and pulled it out.  He went back downstairs and came back to them.

"Look!" He handed them their correlated gifts. Benet seemed content with what he got; Conn thought he might keep it on a desk laying around. Nevery didn't show as much of his happiness, but it was still there nonetheless. 

"Thanks." Benet told him, before going to putting the vases somewhere else, either temporally or permanently. On the other hand, Nevery stayed there. He looked at it for a bit more, before looking up to see Conn.

"This is a nice object, boy. You better not have spent a fortune on this." He told him with hints of tenderness and seriousness, sending some mixed signals. 

"Thanks! I bought it from that antique store yesterday." Conn admitted, gazing off into the distance.

"You have quite the talent for hiding things, my lad." Nevery remarked. He left, presumably to put his gift somewhere, similarly to Benet. Conn was filled with a emotion that he couldn't describe. Was it... gratitude that described this feeling? 

It didn't matter anyway. Benet and Nevery had gotten gifts they they seemed to like, that that's all that Conn was concerned about. 

Garden of Possibilities

The heat inside the greenhouse was somewhat sweltering but Sam could endure it. He and Alex had been asked by Willa to help out with some orders she'd gotten from her job. Apparently Willa had a job where she sold flowers and fruit and veg. She was also apparently quite popular as she often had to work on orders; either putting them together or growing them with her magic.

At that current moment, Sam was helping plant some carrot seeds, using his claws to dig through the soft soil of the planting beds. It felt so good to do some planting again. He hadn't done something like this since he'd woken up in the modern day. And now with modern conveniences, he could plant so much more.

Something that was surprising to the young gargoyle was that Alex was into gardening; it just never seemed to be the sort of thing she'd like. The white haired teen in question was in the flower bed behind him, planting some bluebells. It was nice that they both liked it as it gave them something to bond over.

Sam heard a rustling noise behind him and looked over his shoulder to see Willa frantically searching through a patch of cabbages.

"Is something wrong? You seem distressed" Sam asked, stopping his planting.

Willa stood up and pressed a gloved hand against her head, caking it in dirt.

"No I mean- nothing. It's just I lost a ring that's quite important to me. It's around here somewhere" she rambled, continuing her search around her.

"Well what does it look like? Maybe we can help look" Sam inquired.

Willa slowly breathed in and out before answering "It's a somewhat simple ring that I normally keep on a chain around my neck; it's gold in colour with three gemstones, two small lime green ones and a larger forest green one-"

"Is this it?"

Both heads turned to look at the white haired teen who was holding something small that was connected to a gold chain. Willa rushed forward and carefully took the ring from Alex, examining it thoroughly.

"Oh my stars I thought I'd lost it. Where did you find it?" the older wizard asked.

Alex shrugged "I just found it near the door, maybe it got caught on the door handle"

Willa let out a sigh of relief and put the chain back around her neck.

"I got to say it looks like a nice ring, what's it for if you don't mind me asking?" Alex inquired.

"Oh it's my wedding ring. Me and my wife got matching rings but we didn't want to go overboard" the older wizard replied, looking down at the ring with such fondness.

"I didn't know you got married. Why didn't you say anything? Is she still around?" Sam questioned.

Willa had never mentioned anything about a wife. Was she still around? Had they separated? Willa's fondness quickly morphed into sadness.

"She's… not around anymore. She died a long long time ago but it feels just like yesterday"

Sam's heart couldn't help but feel for Willa. He knew what it was like when someone so close to your heart is gone and the heart doesn't know how to respond. There's a certain look you gain; one that's so distant yet so wrapped up in despair. He's seen it in many others, including his friends and he supposed others have seen it in him.

Willa's expression was quickly wiped away and a shaky smile plastered her face.

"I… I need to go finish some orders. You two stay here until I'm done"

And with that, the older wizard was gone. Sam couldn't help but look over at Alex who gave a shrug. 

Not seeing much else to talk about, Sam got back to planting. But his mind couldn't help but start to wonder. Who was Willa's wife? Had she met her on their journey to find Zender? Was Willa happy with her? They must've had a great relationship for Willa to react that strongly.

"I can see you're thinking hard about something, may I ask what you're thinking about?"

Sam's head snapped up and looked in Alex's direction. She'd stopped her planting, preferring to lean on the edge of the planter and stare over at Sam. The young gargoyle couldn't help but chuckle nervously.

"Oh I'm not thinking of much, I just… thinking about love. Like Willa and her wife must've loved each other a lot if they got married"

He put his head in his hand and sighed, looking up at the glass ceiling. The sun sparkled through, illuminating the area.

"I wonder if I'll ever find love like that" he sighed.

"Well you never know unless you get out there and try. Let's start by telling me what sort of people you're into" Alex stated.

That… that wasn't something Sam had ever thought about before.

"I guess… I'm not sure. I suppose I don't care about the gender of the person, I'd just want to love them for who they are inside"

Alex nodded in understanding "I can understand that"

"Oh I'd also not want to rush into anything. If I'm going to love someone it'd have to feel right first" Sam added on, wanting to present his ideals fully.

The white haired teen continued to nod.

"Did you have anyone back in your time? You know, before you came to the modern day?"

Sam shook his head furiously "What? No. I… never had the time and I… just never met the right person"

"But enough about me. What sort of people are you into?"

Glancing over at the white haired teen, Sam saw her face briefly flush red before a sly smile came over her.

"Me? Well I guess I like several types of people. Men, women, enbies. I just like people" she replied.

That had Sam fascinated. He wondered what kind of people the others were into. Sam hadn't realised Alex was still talking until he zoned back in.

"-I guess in the end I'm just worried that I won't find love until I'm too old. Yeah I'm only just fourteen but I'd rather find love sooner rather than later"

Sam turned around so he was fully facing the young teen.

"I'm sure you'll find love soon. I believe in you"

Alex looked over at him with a knowing smile "Thanks. I'm sure you'll find someone soon too. Although dare I say you've already found someone"

That sent a wave of confusion Sam's way.

"Wait what? What does that mean?"

No answer was given as Alex simply stood up and walked away.

Sam stood up and scrambled after her "Alex, what does that mean?!"