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sunshinetoshi · 3 years

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Which flower/plant do you associate your moots with?

okay this idea is so cute omg ty. honestly i don’t know much about flowers/plants besides saying ‘pretty!!’ every time i see one HAHA so i had to look up a bunch so now i’m very soft. ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THESE MIGHT BE RANDOM BUT I STILL PUT THOUGHT INTO THEM AND IT MADE ME SOFT. i tried to include as many moots as possible (but there are still moots i missed bc i’m shy and we don’t interact as much or i feel like a bother asdajkf sorry lovelies ahh).

this is me dropping the prettiest bouquets to you all each with a lil kith heheh. ily all 💐💐😙😙

@daichis-kitty - sunflowers (you’re my sunshine bubba heheh plus i know you love ‘em so automatic association). these make me so happy just like you dooooo. personally sunflowers are just so iconic and so are youuu

@tetsunormous - string-of-pearls. okay i LOVE these sm they might be my fave succulent. they make me giggle bc they look like green peas BAHAHA but i also think they’re soo pretty and they make me so happy. that giddiness i feel for them is similar to how i feel for you bestie oooo. okay but also lavender bc purple hearts for you forever

@luvbub - dandelions but before they’re fuzz-on-a-sticks (yellow fits the happy you make me plus the crafty flower crowns and you’re crafty aksdjfh). but even when they're fuzz you make me laugh and smile just like the fuzzies lol

@daichidaichidaichi - black velvet petunia. babe if you haven’t seen these look them up i am in love. petunias themselves and even the name are cute like you but the black captures your theme and i am obsessed.

@gg9183 - willow tree. very romantic vibes which i’ve always gotten from you bb. like imagine a date on a little lake in a row boat. ugh my heart. yeah those are the vibes. these are just so so pretty to me idk. for me your personality embodies an unmatched aesthetic. that doesnt even make sense but i hope it does pLS

@love-oikawa - feather grass but when lavenders grow between them?? very specific HAHA but i looove the look it makes me want to run through a meadow where your fingertips are brushing them and your giggling. idk something very cinematic and then add your s/o. yup. those are my hannah vibes.

@osamus-wife - pothos plant. okay these are the ones i see on ig/pinterest and they’re so aesthetic and i associate them with a person who has their stuff together (is a hard worker) and a person who has style and taste (like your taste in rb’s asdjf immaculate) and i see these things with youuu <33

@sunalma - wisteria. in the lakes by taylor swift there’s a line with wisterias and that whole song is the aura i get when i read your work. like the words just blow me away and i feel so lifted when i read it?? just beautiful bb. and your soul is beautiful too!! also purple for your theme heheh. also pretty flowers for pretty you angel

@xomiya - yerba mate bc i drink guayaki yerba mate when i need to stay up and given your body clock -> yerba mate <33 HAHA but you’re also so florally in my heart and head so also sweet peas my sweet pea soul sis

@catwithangerissues - bonsai tree. i know it’s random but i think it fits pLS. okay one reason is bc i think you’re fun (and slightly chaotic and i love it) and that’s the joy i get when i see those fisherman figurines in a bonsai tree planter thing (is this just me?? ahh) i also think you’re really cool and to me bonsais are so cool. like in general but also how old they can get it’s so cool what!! also your theme is green so my mind went green

@targaryens-blog - bat flower. these are strong and pretty looking flowers that i admire and those are things i think about you and your blog bb. the vibes of these are just amazing woahh. but your sweetness also gives me daisy vibes bc daisies make me so warm and happy so you get two flowers aksdjf

@cubbluv - spruce tree. are these christmas trees?? yes. but the warm fuzzy happy of christmas is like the feeling i have with you. and i will always associate green with you from your theme when we first became moots heheh. also?? i can’t remember but didn’t you saw you liked to pick up pine cones?? if not picking pine cones is cute so i still think it fits aksjdf ily melody heheh

@amjustagirl - southern magnolia tree. i’ve seen one of these trees a while back and they are just so memorable. they just have a unique feeling where you want to sit under the shade of them forever and take in the breeze. and that’s how i feel with your work <33

@kodzkn - marigolds. the slightly orange-y ones. they remind me of your theme and pfp heheh. also whenever i see these irl i go “marigolds!!” which is the energy i have when i see your user on my dash or notifs aksjdf

@notcurrentlyactive - chamomile. okay this one i can't explain but i love how cute the flowers are and i love the tea and you are just so kind and warm they radiate the same energy?? heheh <33

@iwaizumini - ranunculus/buttercup flowers. they’re just so bright and come in so many colors and are pretty just like you!! i love these sm and they make me so happy when i see them so i think they’re a great fit for you. heheh love you bb <33

@shoyotime - wishbone flower. bestie i’ll be honest. i looked up ‘clown flower’ out of curiosity AND THESE POPPED UP. but they’re so cute like you and the purple matches your theme so it actually works out BAHAHA. no but fr you make me so so happy and ilysm so also hydrangeas bc i think these are unmatched pretty flowers. there’s just something about them.

@tsukkisfatsimp - jade plant. okay hear me out bb. this explanation has ~layers~ okay first i love succulents and i love you. simple but effective (especially when i mean it with my whole chest). second the reddish tint on the ends reminds me of your red tsukki theme from back then. and third these grow HECKA fast just like you are on here and it makes me so happy and proud bb heheh

@hvnlydmn - calla lillies. okay i cant pick between the white ones or the black ones but for me they exude hot girl energy bb. either these are red roses. same reason HAHA

@u-make-my-heart-tsumtsum - camellias. pretty and pink and now match your theme heheh. BUT if i’m being honest it’s bc they appear in naruto a lot and when we became moots was when you first deep dived into naruto so that association will probs stay bb akjsdf

@floralkawa - baby’s breath. i think these are my favorite flowers. but just like you they give off the sweetest and softest vibes and they make me smile whenever i see them <33

@lovelytarou - canterbury bells. the blue-ish ones remind me of your theme HAHA. i’ve already told you how much i love your blog but you are also so sweet and funny (pls your tags give me life) and these flowers amuse me and make me smile bc they’re bell-shaped so i’m matching them to you. askdjf okay slightly a reach but bb look how pretty they are!!

@izhyperfixates - hollyhocks. they are just so soft and bright and lovely like you and your blog!! and i can totally see you and kita growing them in the garden you two have oooo

@marshieee - delphiniums. the blue of your theme is just so iconic i love it sm. also these are just so pretty!!

@pixelwisp - forget-me-nots. i know your theme is no longer blue but i still think of blue when i see you on the dash asjdf. also these have the cutest name and i think your user is so cute heheh

#this put my brain to WORK lol #i also got to look at so many pretty flowers ahshsjd #hope you like them!!#some explanations are better than others ahhh #amaya chitter chatters

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wsyoojin · 3 years

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Hello, everyone! I’m going to spare you from sending me welcomes by telling you that I’m Ash’s mun, but please message me (or like this post) if you would like to plot! I’ll even offer to start despite my sloth-like pace.

Anywho, I’m here to introduce you to Cho Yoojin, aka Dandelion’s Blue. She is Dandelion’s main rapper, lead dancer, and vocalist. In 2016, she participated in Kpop Star 6: The Last Chance, but didn’t make it as a finalist. Eventually, she moved from her company to become one of Wishbone Records early trainees. She recently debuted in Dandelion with Red Flavor. #SongofTheSummer

PROFILE | CAREER | BACKSTORY

—Born in Daejeon, South Korea during the summer of 2001. At the time, her parents were colleges graduates for their respective careers. When she turned 6, Yoojin would try out several sports before she decided to stick with figure skating. Her dreams would center around competing internationally, but an injury would stop her from qualifying for an international junior-level competition. —Moved to Seoul in 2014. Her father would receive an offer to be an adjunct professor at a university. After a year of physical therapy and the loss of her coach, Yoojin will move on from her first love and begin dancing after school at a studio. She would enroll in SOPA after graduating from middle school, and be scouted soon after in a mid-tier entertainment company. —In 2016, her company would choose her as one of the trainees to audition for Kpop Star 6: The Last Chance. She would make it into the top 6 before being eliminated. Her company would unfairly punish her when she returned as a trainee with verbal harassment during evaluations and in front of other trainees. Her parents would take out a loan to pay off her alleged debt to the company. —In 2017, Yoojin will reach out to the companies that had taken an interest in her, ultimately choosing Wishbone Records due to her faith in the CEOs and staff. She would continue being a trainee while graduating from SOPA, and enrolling in Kyunghee University for Post-Modern Music. She has one more year to go, but took a break during the Winter semester to prepare for Dandelion’s debut. —Public Perception: Looks like they could kill you, but is actually a cinnamon roll? Considered a chameleon for pulling off Dandelion’s concept despite her tomboyish style off-stage. Doesn’t speak much during interviews unless the topic interests her, flirty with the camera, and has a surprising sense of humor. Treats her fans like friends, especially their female fans. —Off-stage: Sticks to her group members and is quite fond of them. Comes off distant, or cold during first meeting, but she can be really thoughtful and kind if you knock down her walls. Draws a line between her career and private life so she is very matter-of-fact and respectful when working with other artists. She won’t fawn over anyone. Extremely competitive, and focused. Skeptical of most, but she won’t ruffle feathers unless she actually sees/hears of someone being horrible to other people.

Possible Plots: —Muse A and Yoojin hear about experienced producers collaborating with the Wishbone Ceos for an upcoming project in one of the recording studios of the company. Curiosity strikes and the two artists have the same idea of introducing themselves with the hope of observing a session. The two have a stand-off outside of the recording studio, only to find out that they hadn’t heard the full information from the staff. —Muse B spent years thinking Yoojin disliked them during their trainee years, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Confront her? Or Yoojin confronts them! —Yoojin has heard rumors about Muse C being a casanova. She hears Muse C is interested in a Dandelion member, and she proceeds to block their advances. #SorryNotSorry —Friends from SOPA? Or the dance studio that she went to before becoming a trainee. —Wishbone artists/trainees that she relies on when she wants to spend time with other people outside of her group. Hang out with her during her non-promotional months. She’s lonely. —An ex-boyfriend during her trainee days. It lasted for a summer, but it ended badly enough for both of them to avoid each other whenever they cross paths. More plotting needed. —She finds herself crushing on Muse D for a week before she comes to her senses, and now she feels too awkward to be around them. —Muse E mistakes her treasured and too expensive sweater as theirs. She catches Muse E wearing it, and asks to see the inside of their sweater. Hey, she bought it with her first check. She’s getting it off Muse E’s body even if she causes a scene in the middle of the broadcasting company’s hallway. —Muse F mistakes the their group’s van with Dandelion’s van, and are forced to stay inside since Muse F’s fans followed them to the parking lot. —Teach her an instrument? Or be her producer mentor. Willing to pay with warm food, or actual money. —Criticize Dandelion and see if your muse lives to see another day. ✌🏻 —And more... Just message me if none of these interests you! I’m better a plotting organically.

#ws:intro

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wheelsgoroundincircles · 3 years

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1953 FERRARI 250 EUROPA COUPE BY VIGNALE

$3,300,000 USD | Sold

New York, New York

10 December 2015 Displayed at the 1954 World Motor Sports Show in New York An important one-off Vignale design on an early road-car chassis 2012 Villa d’Este and 2015 Cavallino Classic award winner Ferrari Classiche certified

200 bhp, 2,963 cc SOHC 60-degree V-12 engine with triple Weber 36 DCZ/3 carburetors, four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension with double wishbones and double leaf springs, live rear axle with semi-elliptical springs and Houdaille shocks, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 102 in.

FERRARI AND VIGNALE

In the marque’s early days, Enzo Ferrari was obsessed with finding the right “look” for his road cars in an effort to define his company from a visual standpoint. He courted a number of different coachbuilders who provided not only Ferrari with a number of different styles to choose from but also the customer. At the tail end of the era of the coachbuilt automobile, Ferraris could be swathed with bodies by a variety of European, primarily Italian, coachbuilders, allowing clients to commission their car to their own unique taste.

Opening their doors just one year after the conclusion of the Second World War, Carrozzeria Vignale of Turin was founded by its namesake, Alfredo Vignale, and his brothers, Guglielmo and Giuseppe. Crafting bodies for other manufacturers such as Cisitalia, Fiat, and Lancia, Vignale quickly earned a reputation for quality craftsmanship and innovative designs. Their reputation was further reinforced when Vignale teamed up with Giovanni Michelotti, one of the most celebrated designers of the time. Together, they would create a number of bold and impactful designs for Ferrari, all of which were handcrafted. Each body would be unique, with its own signature flair and bravado.

Outwardly, Vignale-bodied Ferraris are easily identifiable by their juxtaposition of sharp angles and rounded edges, with numerous louvers, air inlets, and other styling cues, including frequent use of two-tone paintwork. Some of these features were fitted simply for ornamentation, while others served a functional purpose. Regardless, Vignale’s designs differed greatly from those of their rival coachbuilders Pinin Farina, Ghia, and Touring, giving them a distinguished style all their own.

From the first Ferrari to wear Vignale coachwork in 1950 to the end of their relationship in 1954, the company had bodied over 150 different automobiles bearing the Cavallino Rampante. Today, these vehicles have become some of the most sought after and desirable Ferraris ever built due to their unique character and charisma. Vignale and Michelotti dared to be different and etched their names into automotive history with their bold designs.

CHASSIS NUMBER 0313 EU

Ferrari built just 22 of the 250 Europa before the introduction of the second-series 250 Europa GT in January 1955. Of these 22 examples, 18 were bodied by Pinin Farina with just four by Vignale, making them the most desirable of the series. The example presented here, chassis number 0313 EU, is the second such Vignale-bodied example built. Furthermore, after this car, only five additional road-going Ferraris would be fitted with Vignale coachwork, making it one of the last of its kind.

Chassis 0313 EU is an exemplary example of Vignale coachwork, exhibiting many of the characteristics for which both Vignale and Michelotti were known. The car’s headlights are inset into the front bumpers, which creates pronounced “eyebrows” above the headlights, and the front turn indicators are deeply recessed into the front wings. A chrome trim strip wraps around the bodywork from the front wheel arches toward the stern and around the trunk, emphasizing the length of the car. Furthermore, the vents just ahead of the doors and on the sail panels are accented with chrome.

Shipped to Luigi Chinetti Motors in New York City in December 1953, this car would be on the world stage a month later when it was displayed by Chinetti at the World Motor Sports Show at Madison Square Garden in January of 1954. By this time, the Ferrari was repainted red, allegedly at Chinetti's request, prior to the show. Following the show, the Ferrari was purchased by Mike Garber of Framingham, Massachusetts, for a price of $17,500. He kept the car for four years before selling it through Gaston Andrey to George H. Parker of Rome, New York, for $4,900 plus an Aston Martin in trade.

Thus, the car became Parker’s four-season daily driver and proved to be quite reliable over the following two years, leaving him stranded only once when a stretched timing chain needed to be replaced. In fact, Parker was married in March 1959, and he and his new bride immediately hit the road in his Vignale coupe, driving across the country to California for Mr. Parker’s new job. The first part of the trip went smoothly, but unfortunately by the end of the trip, the Ferrari was losing oil pressure and required a new gasket by the time they arrived in Los Angeles, where Mr. Parker replaced it himself.

The Ferrari was retained by the Parkers until they sold it in 1960 to Leonard Renick, a Cadillac dealer in Fullerton, California. He was obviously a man with a penchant for GM products because the original Lampredi engine was replaced with a supercharged Chevrolet V-8, a common engine swap at the time as correct Ferrari parts proved difficult to source. Furthermore, the car’s distinctive bumpers were removed along with its rear chrome trim, and its nose was repaired after a minor incident.

As of 1968, chassis 0313 EU was owned by Philip Stanton of Los Angeles, who sold the car to Ferrari of Los Gatos in 1976. It was purchased there later that year by Constantine Baksheef and Alec Sokoloff of Palo Alto. Sometime thereafter, the 250 Europa was taken off the road, but it would remain in California. It was discovered in 2003 by Tom Shaughnessy and sold six years later by him to Heinrich Kämpfer of Seengen, Switzerland, who immediately shipped the car to his homeland to be fully restored.

RETURN TO THE LIMELIGHT

No stranger to early Ferraris and with a well-regarded reputation for accurate, correct, and well-executed work, Kämpfer restored the car himself in Switzerland. Parts that had gone missing over the years, including various trim pieces, the bumpers, and the grille, were reproduced to exacting specifications. Kämpfer even sourced an ICI nitro-cellulose lacquer paint to refinish the car in Bruno Siena. Furthermore, Max Gimmel AG in Arbon, Switzerland, the very same company that produced the original leather for the car in 1953, was commissioned to reproduce the interior. Even the Wilton wool carpeting was shaved down from 9 millimeters to 5.5 millimeters in thickness to be as accurate as possible. During this time, the engine, number 0331 EU, was found to be largely complete, though the block was found to be beyond repair. As such, a new block was cast by Ferrari Classiche, and that engine was fitted to a gearbox of the correct type.

By the end of the restoration in October 2011, it was estimated that Kämpfer spent 3,000 hours of work on the car with an additional 800 hours completed by outside specialists. Reflecting the restoration’s overall attention to detail, the Ferrari is accompanied by an incredible file, detailing not only the history and restoration of the car but also containing samples of the paint, leather, and carpet, as well as original screws, nuts, bolts, and clamps found on the car when it was disassembled prior to the restoration. The car’s first public outing was at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2012, where it was awarded the Trofeo Foglizzi for best interior design. The restoration of the car was further lauded in issue 194 of Cavallino magazine, where Alan Boe authored an 11-page color feature about this car, its history, and the restoration.

Subsequently, the Vignale coupe was purchased by Tom Peck of Orange County, California, in 2013. During his tenure, the car was shown at the 60 Years of Ferrari celebration on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills in October 2014 and further profiled in the November 2014 issue of Automobile magazine. Following it showing at the 2015 Cavallino Classic, where it was awarded Platinum and the Ferrari Classiche Cup for most outstanding factory-certified Ferrari, chassis number 0313 EU was purchased by its current custodian. Today, it remains just as beautiful as it was the day it left Vignale’s facilities and is a highly compelling example from Ferrari’s coachbuilt era.

While the designs of Pinin Farina ended up winning over Enzo’s heart, forever associating that coachbuilder with Ferrari going forward, it is the designs of Vignale that peak the curiosity of collectors, enthusiasts, and historians the most. The partnership between Ferrari and Vignale was seemingly short yet was highly influential and important to the marque’s history and design language, making those cars incredibly desirable today. Returning to the Empire State for the first time in nearly 60 years, chassis 0313 EU presents as well today as when it was first on display at Madison Square Garden in 1954.

#FERRARI 250 EUROPA #ferrari 250 gto #ferrari #vignale #V-12 engine

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wishbonewitch · 1 year

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Wishbone’s Witchy Herbs: Henbit Dead Nettle

Henbit is a member of the mint family, but it lacks the distinct menthol scent of peppermint or spearmint. it does have that characteristic widespread nature. in some areas where it grows wild, you can find it right at your doorstep. it is considered a weed by some but it has plenty of magical properties that may lead you to believe in its usefulness!

Henbit gets its name from the fact chickens ADORE it! it is an annual winter-spring broadleaf commonly found in North America. it is native to the Mediterranean but it can grow in any ideal climate! its also regarded as a harmless invader. while not native to America, it doesn't threaten local ecosystems at all!! its low to the ground and doesn't suffocate fellow plants! what an admirable little plant! it is quite attractive to hummingbirds and bees. it self-pollinates as well! one single plant can produce up to 2,000 seeds!! not to mention, its edible! the leave and flowers make a great addition to salads and baked goods!! it has a flavor similar to spinach and can be eaten raw or cooked! it grows best in wasteland and cleared areas that have been scorched. its been used medicinally as a fever-reducer! photo below pictures the North American locations for henbit deadnettle!

Henbit Deadnettle is often confused for Purple Deadnettle. they look very similar, however the purple deadnettle’s leaves at the top of the stems are purple-tinged and fade to green as they mature. the henbit deadnettle also has pink to purple slender flowers and half-circle leaves compared to the purple deadnettle’s purple flowers and heart-shaped leaves! (see the picture)

now that we know a bit about the plant, lets delve into its magical properties!

beauty

harmony

attraction

spirit world

motivation

ambition

integration

peace

hope

rising up from the ashes

inner healing

fertility

prosperity

money

abundance

cool tempers

soften blows

strength

apologies

social anxiety

fun ways to use them!

make a bouquet with spring roses, wild violets, clover flowers, dandelions etc. for Beltane or Ostara.

put into spell jars or poppets for the wanted effects.

simmer into a syrup or add to lemonade!

add to money bowls to attract abundance.

bake them into cookies and other baked goods!

add them to salads for a sabbat feast.

use in an offering to deities.

carry on your person when entering a new friend group, coven, job or social situation for a smooth transition.

carry on your person when going into a surgery or procedure for a smooth and easy transition!

dry them and add them to candles, potions, even make incense with them!

braid them into your hair.

make a flower crown!

make a hair oil or tonic with them inside!

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sparrowwritings · 3 years

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Final Fantasy Writing Challenge Day Twenty-One: “To succeed in life, you need three things; a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.” -- Reba McEntire

Day Twenty -- Masterpost -- Day Twenty-Three

The courtyard emptied quickly now that the citizens of the Crystarium were well assured that their Exarch, the Scions and the Warriors of Darkness were well. Or, at least, as well as people who had been through a harrowing experience and a long journey back to the city could look like. As usual, no one asked any probing questions. With all of the details that would have needed explaining, such a lack of outright curiosity was a relief.

Y’shotla let loose the breath (and tension) that she had held practically since the final confrontation with Emet-Selch. The other adults were doing much the same. Lara and Roger’s souls were completely fine, even after all of the damage that had been done from the corruption of Light. No aether leaked from their beings, and the brightness they projected was at far more ordinary levels when it came to the two of them.

(She likened the sudden repair of souls to filling in the cracks of a near-shattered vase with more clay, and fusing with heat.

Perhaps that wasn’t the best of metaphors, but it made the most sense to her.)

Even the Crystal Exarch (now known to the Scions by his true name G’raha Tia) had fully recovered on the journey back. Being this close to the Crystal Tower had turned his sickly pale skin back to its healthy color. His aether was also back to levels that she was far more used to seeing it in him.

She still had many a question about his side of the mess, but an interrogation held when the four youngest members of the group were practically unconscious on their feet would be in poor form. Perhaps she would ask later. When she herself was also less weary.

“We should be off to rest,” Thancred suggested. “Now that we know that there will be a morrow, there’s plenty more we can get up to.” He nodded at Ryne. “Not the least of which is seeing what lies beyond the Flood of Light.”

That snapped the red-haired girl out of her tired daze. “Really? You’re serious?”

He cracked a grin. “Absolutely.”

Just before Ryne could give her quite obvious answer, a hand fell on the girl’s shoulder. She stopped to blink and look towards who the hand was attached. The owner was Lara, looking as if she could sleep for a week. Perhaps she would, if given a chance. Still, she smiled back at Ryne’s confused expression before turning to Thancred with a resolute proclamation. “Actually, Roger and I have plans for Ryne first.”

“You do?” “We do?”

Both Roger and Thancred spoke at the same time, with much the same amount of confusion. The young man clearly hadn’t been paying attention--he was just as tired as his sister, and the sudden talk of plans had left him high and dry. Or so Y’shtola could tell just from watching his expressions change.

From the corner of her eye, she could see the Leveilleur twins and Urianger give each other equally perplexed expressions. G’raha Tia’s ears had lifted up and his head tilted in curiosity. A curious thing, to see his full expression. She made a mental note about it before tuning back into what was happening.

Lara, thankfully, was not so tired as to be impatient with her brother. “Remember the other day when we made plans for a day of just us younger folk?”

Roger still had a blank expression.

“Where we wanted to invite Ryne, Alphie and Ali over to our apartment after...?”

It took a few more seconds than it probably should have, but he eventually snapped out of his fugue state. “OH! THOSE PLANS!” His voice echoed around them as he clamped his mouth shut with his hands. A scarlet blush covered his entire face and Y’shtola could help the chuckle bubbling in her chest. The nicknames and the reaction was just too adorable. She managed to cover her mouth with a hand just in time.

Alisaie was the first to respond. “You seriously had to wait until just after nearly dying for the umpteenth time to invite us over to your place?” Her words and tone were harsh, but the quickly growing smile on her face betrayed how pleased she was at the prospect. “You’re not even going to sleep first?”

“To be clear,” Lara held up a finger with the hand not currently on the utterly shocked Ryne’s shoulder. “This invitation is for at least the day after tomorrow. When I lay down in my bed later I’m not getting up for a whole day.”

“Hah, I’m already pretty much asleep…” Roger commiserated.

“So.” She turned her attention back to Ryne. “I know you want to explore what’s out in the rest of the world, but I would like to officially invite you to join Alphinaud, Alisaie, Roger and I on a day of nothing in particular but being friends, followed by a sleepover at our apartment. Want to come?”

“When did this turn into a sleepover?” Alisaie mock protested.

Alphinaud was mumbling to himself. A quick readjustment of one of her ears helped Y’shtola hear the quiet words, “I don’t think I’ve ever been invited to a sleepover…”

Ryne’s entire face, along with some of her neck and shoulders, went about as red as her hair. Her voice was about as quiet as when Y’shtola first knew her as Minfilia. “I...um…”

Seeing the girl’s distress, Lara let go of her shoulder and lifted her arms in panicked surrender. “Whoa wait, you don’t need to--that is…” Her eyes darted around, not meeting Ryne’s. “You don’t need to answer right now! I don’t even know when we’ll get to it! Don’t feel obligated to say yes if you don’t want to go!” Her words were turning jumbled and rambly. The tiredness did not help on top of Lara’s natural way of showing nervousness.

“I thinketh that what young Lara means to say is that thine invitation is open regardless of thine answer.” Urianger smoothly inserted his conclusion as the ramble was becoming too high pitched for even Y’shtola to hear. Lara shut her mouth and nodded quickly. “She only wishes to inform that thine company would be most appreciated whilst also enjoying the company of the Leveilleur twins.”

“Wh-what he said. Sort of.” Lara mumbled.

“And perhaps it would be best to ask and answer when all have been well rested.” Y’shtola announced, giving a significant look to Thancred. He at least had the wherewithal to narrow his eyes back at her. “Not to sound like a mother hen, but it’s well past time for all of you to sleep.” she shooed the children off in the direction of the apartments. “Let’s worry about all of this later.”

G’raha Tia cleared his throat, having spent the past conversation nervously running his hands up and down his forearms. “Fully agreed.” He gave a timid smile. The friendliness he was trying to portray was offset by how nearly flat his ears were on top of his head. “Though when plans of any sort have been finalized, I will be full glad to offer any assistance or supplies that the Crystarium can spare.”

“The offer is seconded.” Y’shtola used her Master Matoya voice to make her point. Only the Leveilleur twins seemed to have been listening. It was only a little disappointing.

“W-we should, probably go. Sleep that is.” Lara still wasn’t looking in Ryne’s direction. “We’ll let you know when the sleepover is happening. C’mon, Roger.” She turned and grabbed her brother with one arm. He was so tired that protesting was out of the question.

“We should be heading off ourselves.” Alphinaud yawned. Alisaie rubbed at an eye and nodded sleepily.

“I shall accompany thee.” Urianger volunteered and followed once the twins had set off for their own sleeping quarters.

Thancred waited until Ryne had recovered before gently saying, “Let’s sleep on that, eh? Give yourself some time to think about what you wish to do.”

“Okay…” She mumbled. Satisfied, he walked ahead while the girl kept a somewhat slower pace. It looked as if she had been handled an overly difficult puzzle to work through. Y’shtola hoped that the rest would help her.

Then it was herself and the Crystal Exarch. His ears were still fairly flat, but they lifted a little as he smiled at her. “I suppose I should bid you goodnight, Y’shtola.”

Instead of returning the farewell, she responded, “You’re no longer obligated to keep the Warriors of Darkness at arm’s length anymore, you know.”

His ears rose as high as they could before falling back even flatter than before. G’raha Tia clutched his staff closer to him, as if anticipating an attack. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.” The lie was as obvious as the white in his red hair or the nose on his face. She kept her eye roll to herself.

“If that’s what you wish to tell yourself, then fine. Just replay this scene in your memory when you try to put Roger and Lara on your high pedestal again.” She turned a heel towards the aetheryte. “Blessed night, Exarch.”

She didn’t have to look to know that he was staring at her until the light of the crystal carried her off back to Slitherbough.

-----

Y’shtola didn’t hear much about the slumber party until a while afterword. All of the participants had kept most of the details close to their chest. She didn’t blame them. The whole point of the endeavor was to spend time away from the adults, and divulging would have been against the point.

Still, she managed to glean some information.

Ryne had decided to join. Her reaction had come from being overwhelmed by both the trip that Thancred had suggested and Lara’s invitation. It made sense. The poor girl had been raised as a weapon and a tool. Family and friends hadn’t been a part of her life until very recently. Having a choice between one or the other? Utterly mind-boggling. Thankfully (and wisely) Thancred had postponed their plans to travel past the Flood of Light til after the slumber party.

Lara had insisted that it was to be a casual event, and so made certain that armor and weapons were put away the entire time. When Ryne had brought up that she only had the one kind of dress to her name (she had several copies in case of damage), apparently Lara had balked and then let the girl have a set of her own clothes that she hardly wore anymore. Y’shtola, under the guise of needing to secure supplies from the Crystarium, had even witnessed the girl wearing it. If one wasn’t aware of Ryne’s status as the Oracle of Light, they would know it instantly from how much joy she was radiating at that moment.

More details had yet to be uncovered by her, but the next day after the slumber party all five of the young people sported changed hairstyles that went back to normal far too soon for Y’shtola’s liking.

Other than the obvious moral increase in the young ones, a secondary positive effect happened thanks to that night. After having the Scions meet up with the Exarch for a standard extolling of information, he asked Roger and Lara to stay behind. Y’shtola wasn’t so untactful to stay behind and listen...but if she lingered but a moment as the door shut behind her and so happen to overhear G’raha Tia start to apologise to the both of them, then it was a happy coincidence that such a thing had occurred.

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art-now-uk · 3 years

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Wishingbones, Karen Neill

Here are the most beautiful pheasant wishbones, which I have painted with gold leaf and acrylics and laid them on a soft bed of goose feathers. The Glass Dome and mahogany stand measures Approx 20cms x 13cms Wishing Bones were around even before Roman times. The Etruscans regarded wishing bones as highly precious and sacred. Bones were scarce; so precious whole and broken bones would be given to their loved ones or in payment of gratitude or telling fortunes or as a symbol of good luck The Etruscans would have to break the bones and give them to their chosen ones with a wish. Hence 'Wishing Bones' I work with these to make sculptures in my studio in Hertfordshire England UK. I also paint in oils and film and microphotograph liquid crystal, using a microscope and camera. I graduated in Fine Art BA (Hons) at Byam Shaw at Central St Martin's London in 2004 and have exhibited nationally and internationally and have been fortunate enough to win 2 photographic awards with Wellcome Trust and Novartis / Daily Telegraph. In woodlands, life is like a fairyland and a huge inspiration for my work but I am also mindful of ecology in 2015 and concerns for the demise of our bees and insects and animals. The body of work I have made - most are here, has taken me just over 2 years to make. I forage in fields, forests, beaches and rivers and ethically collect flora, fauna and small animal bones, which I make into the sculptures. I have over 30pieces in the collection and house them all in a cabinet of curiosities - there's a picture here, somewhere.

https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Photography-Wishingbones/1501/2908658/view

#karenneill #surrealism #modern #foraged #conceptual #figurative

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chantillyxlacey · 4 years

Text

Holiday Spirits Gift! An OT3 mer-AU in a series of vignettes

Merry Xmas @fishbones-wishbones!! I had so much fun writing this! Your prompt was about as tailor-made for me as it could possibly be lol-- I may have gone a little overboard with it, to the point where it might not even stop with what I’ve got written here-- I’m highly tempted to spin off these vignettes into a long-form fic-- thank you so much for the inspiration!! I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it :3 Merry Christmas!

One: In Which Vivi and Arthur have become castaways

Vivi woke up sunburnt, sore, and salt-crusted, the taste of that same awful stuff burning her mouth. The last time she’d woken up to comparable discomfort had been the day after she’d been arrested by the Regnate’s men-- but no matter how unpleasant the waking up was, it did at least mean that she hadn’t drowned. ‘I’m still alive’ was always a good square one to start from.

Despite easing her eyes open slowly, the bright nearly-noon sunlight still stung like needles, so harshly that her optimism was nearly overcome by the urge to just roll over and go back to sleep for awhile. She valiantly resisted the temptation and sat up, ignoring the aching protests of what had to be every individual bone, muscle, and tendon she had to her name.

Even breathing scraped at her lungs and aggravated her rib cage, but the air was fresh and clean, and with each breath the fog cleared from her head more and more. The more sensible she felt, the more miraculous it seemed that she had really made it to see today. She’d more or less resigned herself to death last night, though she’d refused to just give herself up to it for as long as she had the strength to cling to that swath of wood with--

“Arthur!” she gasped, prepared despite her weariness to launch to her feet and scour the beach inch by inch to find him-- but that didn’t turn out to be necessary. He was sprawled on the sand right beside her, still unconscious but clearly breathing.

He looked about as worse for wear as she felt: his skin was an angry red from the sun and peppered with bruises and scrapes from the impact that had scuttled the ship. When she leaned down to shake him gently, trying to rouse him, she could see salt crystals clinging to his eyelashes.

“Arthur-- hey, Arthur!” she called softly, and after a moment he started to stir, a thin groan ekeing between his lips. It turned into a sharp hiss through his teeth when he tried to open his eyes-- Vivi didn’t know if it was the sun or the salt that had stung him more.

She helped him to slowly sit up, and couldn’t stifle a laugh at the way his hair had dried into stiff peaks that stood almost completely vertically.

“If you’re laughing at me that’s a good sign I’m not dead, I guess,” he rasped, then coughed and rubbed at his eyes.

“You guess right!” Vivi thumped him lightly on the arm, careful to avoid his sunburn. “Congratulations on not drowning!” He laughed at that, though it still sounded a bit like a cough.

“How--?” he asked.

“No idea!” Vivi said cheerfully, and he grinned at her for a moment before turning to stare pensively out at the sea.

“Okay then-- What do we do from here?” he asked.

“No idea,” she said, more soberly. She’d read her share of stories about shipwrecked adventurers, but how much could those stories help them through the real ordeal? “We’ll figure things out as we go, I guess.” She willed confidence into the words. Arthur hummed softly, still watching the waves.

His brow furrowed and he squinted, then suddenly shot to his feet, craning his neck and shading his eyes from the sun.

“What is--? Vivi, do you see that?”

“See what--?” Before she even finished asking she spotted it too-- a huge, fast-moving shadow under the water’s surface several yards out from the shore. Distance and the blinding glitter of the sun on the waves made it impossible to guess what it might be, and within moments it vanished entirely, fading into the endless blue.

“What do you suppose…?” Arthur murmured, more to himself than to her. Vivi shrugged, more to herself than to him. For awhile they watched the sea bob and roll, but the shadow did not reappear.

Two: In which Vivi and Arthur explore

The myriad of books Vivi had read about exotic locales, swashbuckling novels and natural histories alike, combined with Arthur’s practical experience travelling served them rather well as they took stock of their surroundings.

It was an island, or could loosely be called that at least; they’d swept up on what seemed to be a ring of clusters of sand and marsh, held together by tree roots that started several feet before ground level, as though the trees themselves were balanced atop scuttling insect legs. Vivi had read about mangrove forests like this one, but had never seen so much as an illustration before and hadn’t imagined just how eerie the whole tableau turned out to be; Arthur had seen them before but had never learned the name.

The marsh ring wrapped around a lagoon where the water was the clearest, most shining blue Vivi had ever laid eyes on. To their great surprise it turned out to be entirely fresh, despite opening up into the mangroves in several places, where seawater should have been able to leak in and render it too brackish to safely drink. They weren’t about to dwell on the impossibility though; instead they drank until the burn in their throats cooled and the taste of brine was washed from their mouths.

No longer distracted by thirst, they contemplated the second, smaller island nestled in the center of the lagoon. It looked to be real, solid land rather than marsh, but it was difficult to tell: trees clustered there even more densely than in the mangrove, trailing weeping curtains of leaves to brush the water’s surface and shroud the little island from sight.

“I’ve never seen trees that look like these before…” Arthur murmured. “Have you ever read anything about something like that?”

“I’ve read about trees with colorful bark before,” she answered. “But in greens and reds, not blue. And I’ve never heard of a tree with white leaves at all.”

The lagoon was too deep to wade across, but not too wide to swim-- or it wouldn’t have been if they weren’t still tired and aching from the shipwreck, and not too keen on getting into the water again from the same. They’d have to investigate it later, after they took care of the more pressing need to find food and a place to take shelter.

When they returned to the beach they’d woken up on, Arthur’s arms laden with fruit picked from various of the island’s trees (none of which should be growing in a mangrove; but again, they weren’t about to look any gift horses in the mouth, no matter how impossible they were) and Vivi’s with bits of dry wood for a fire, they were surprised to find that more had washed onto the shore while they were away.

Swathes of sailcloth of varying sizes were heaped just out of reach of the rolling surf, along with a mismatched pile of tools, two knives, several planks of wood and lengths of rope, and one badly dented tin bowl. Strangest of all, though, was the large fish stranded far enough up on the sand that it couldn’t have scuttled itself there, still alive and twitching weakly.

“There’s no way this happened just on accident,” Vivi said.

“No…” Arthur agreed, sounding nervous. Vivi didn’t blame him-- if anyone else from the ship had survived and made it to the island as well-- They wouldn’t be terribly thrilled to share a sanctuary with a prisoner and a traitor to be sure, and neither of them were in much of a state to put up a fight.

“We should get back into the trees,” Arthur said, clearly thinking along the same lines. “And just wait and see-- right?” He was already backing up as he spoke, and Vivi followed.

They waited amongst the strange, ghostly roots until the first lavender tinges of sunset crept into the sky and the fish had long since stopped moving. No one came, but they crept back out into the open with caution anyway.

“Arthur, look--” Vivi gestured at the sand when she’d put the firewood down. “There’s no footprints.” “That’s-- Hm. That’s worse somehow, actually. So... what does that mean, exactly? Did a ghost do all this, or what?”

“Thoughtful ghost,” Vivi mused, starting to arrange the firewood and shave off some bark to catch sparks. “Do you know how to cook fish?” “Uh.”

“We’ll figure that out as we go, too,” Vivi laughed.

The fish ended up unevenly cooked, but they were too hungry to care much, and it tasted alright anyway. They ate their fill and slept like the dead.

Three: In which Vivi and Arthur develop routines

The days passed much like the first-- they foraged and tried their luck fishing, and they built a fairly sturdy lean-to between some of the more tightly packed trees, which they shared. The first few times they had woken up to find that the chill of the night had nudged them into each other’s arms as they slept had been awkward, but now they were so used to it that they dropped all pretense, and fell asleep holding one another from the start.

There was plenty of opportunity to explore the central island once their lingering aches subsided, but they never did. Something about it was-- offputting. It had the air of an intensely private place, and even Vivi’s usually insatiable curiosity was cowed in the face of its forbidding aura. They ventured into the lagoon itself to bathe, but never past the deepest point.

Each day also saw a new cache of useful flotsam awash on the sand where they had first woken up: more boards and rope, metal utensils, and one especially lucky morning, one of the smaller iron cookpots from the galley. Something like that could never have just floated up on its own, but they never saw any sign of whoever it was helping them.

Their anonymous angel also left them food. Sometimes it was another fish, sometimes a pile of live clams left in a pit full of seawater dug into the sand, and once a pile of seaweed that Vivi had vaguely recalled could be boiled to make a broth. Whoever it was, they never left any footprints, or any other evidence of their existence but their gifts.

“Maybe it is a ghost,” Vivi mused one evening as she dug a roasted clam out of its shell with a twig.

“What kind of ghost would be so interested in feeding a couple of castaways?” Arthur wondered back, taking a gulp of the sweet water they had recently discovered was hidden inside the hard green fruits that grew on some of the island’s trees closer to the shore. Vivi chewed her clam thoughtfully, but ultimately had no answer beyond a hum and a shrug.

“Getting better at cooking these,” she said instead, reaching for another. “Not that you’d know.” She wrinkled her nose at Arthur, who preferred to eat his raw. Vivi found it detestable. He grinned at her, unrepentant, and held the palm fruit out to her. She drained the last mouthful, then flopped against Arthur with a sigh and hooked one arm into the crook of his elbow, sliding the other around his waist.

She couldn’t be absolutely certain, between the night’s darkness and the orange cast of the firelight, but she’d be more than willing to bet that the color in Arthur’s face wasn’t just from sunburn. She snuggled closer and closed her eyes, smiling to herself when she felt Arthur’s cheek lean against the top of her head.

They sat like that for awhile, warm from more than just the fire, and listened to the night sounds. Vivi spent a few minutes weighing the pros and cons of letting go of Arthur long enough for her to lean up and kiss him. She gradually became aware of a new sound-- something that stood apart from the sigh of the waves and the rustle of leaves, and shook her from her thoughts. Arthur shifted, raising his head as though listening too.

“Artie? Are you… singing?” She already knew the answer before he shook his head-- the sound was distant, so far away that it had to be coming from out at sea. “Could that be a whale? I’ve read that they sing but I never thought I’d get to hear it-- Can you hear whalesong from shore like this?”

“You can,” Arthur said distractedly, staring out at the waves with his brow furrowed. “But I’ve never heard any whale that sounded like this before, though… This sounds too much like…”

“It sounds like a person singing, right? Maybe a ship…” She didn’t finish the thought. The moon was full and fat tonight, and if a ship had been so close they should be able to see it, but nothing interrupted the smooth, dark line of the horizon.

“Most captains are smarter than to risk their ships sailing through this part of the sea,” Arthur murmured. The captain of the Morgause had thought himself above those stories, and everyone but the two of them had paid for it dearly.

Four: In which Vivi and Arthur meet someone interesting

Whatever she’d thought they’re mysterious benefactor would be like-- she’d never have guessed he was a real-- living, breathing, real and right there-- merman.

He was enormous; had he been a man standing on two legs he would have been at least ten feet tall, even if she estimated on the conservative side. The broad, sinuous tail that trailed in the surf behind him was nearly that long all on its own, covered in ink-dark scales that glittered with startling violet iridescence where the sun hit. White stripes marched along its length, looking for all the world like he’d simply had ribs painted on.

His huge hands, each big enough to cover Vivi’s entire torso, were webbed and the fingers tipped in blunt claws, but they handled the gift they’d left for him with utter delicacy. Pale slashes of gills lined his sides, standing out starkly against his brown skin. Other than those details however, from the waist up he looked remarkably ordinary.

Well-- perhaps ‘ordinary’ wasn’t the right word. Remarkably human was probably more accurate; ‘ordinary’ simply didn’t take into account just how astonishingly... appealing his appearance was. Even with half his face covered by an overhang of dark violet hair, Vivi could already tell that he had to be the most attractive man she’d ever seen in her life. Arthur looked just as gobsmacked as she felt, standing beside her and looking down at the same impossible figure on the beach.

“Are you--” Vivi started to call out, and the merman’s head snapped up, his face a mask of shock for a single moment before it-- disappeared.

That handsome, almost-entirely-human face was replaced in an instant with a fanged skull, twin sparks of magenta burning in the empty sockets where eyes should belong. Arthur yelped a curse and tried to scrabble backwards so fast that the powdery sand under his feet gave way and he crashed down on his back. Vivi sucked in a gasp, but it was more amazement than fear.

“Wait!” she called, darting forward even as the merman started to retreat backwards into the surf. “Please, wait-- don’t go just yet!”

As she got closer, she realized that he hadn’t actually shape-shifted or dissolved into shadow and bone-- his skin had simply changed colors, as she’d read certain sea creatures were able to do. Most of his color had deepened to a shade nearly identical to his tail, with patches leeched of color in shapes that mimicked a skeleton.

The patterns faded and his skin returned to human tones as she approached; his eyes, however, remained the same. The whites weren’t white, but as black as his pupils, and the irises were vividly pink. The look in them was guarded and uncertain.

“Was--” She paused. There was no guarantee he’d understand her. There was no reason to assume he could speak English, or any human language at all-- but what else could she do but at least try to communicate? “Was it you who’s been helping us?”

For a moment she thought he didn’t understand, and felt a stab of dismay at how to bridge a language gap that vast-- but then he nodded, face still tight with wariness. “You rescued us, too, didn’t you?” Another nod, although there was an odd hesitation to it, his eyes downcast in something almost like-- shame?

“Did you sink the ship?” Vivi gaped at Arthur, who by now had stood back up and come to her side, aghast that he’d jump to that conclusion. When she looked back to the merman, however, he nodded again.

“It came too close to the island,” he lamented. His voice surprised her: a soft tenor that didn’t seem like it should belong to someone so huge and imposing looking, and laced through with an accent she couldn’t quite place. As he spoke, she could see sharp, triangular teeth flashing behind his lips like pearls. “I’m tasked by My Lady to keep any intruders away, by any means necessary.”

“Why save us, then?”

“You didn’t deserve to drown. You kept each other afloat through the storm, you helped each other even though it put your own safety at risk.” He sounded as though he was reasoning it out to himself as much as explaining to them. “I couldn’t just… Duty or not, I couldn’t just let you die.”

Vivi and Arthur shared a glance. Neither of them were quite sure how to respond. After an uncomfortable silence, the merman offered back the amulet they had made. Vivi blinked.

“You don’t like it?” she blurted.

“N-no-- that isn’t it. I thought you would want it back. That you wouldn’t want to give a gift to someone who…”

“Someone who saved our lives, and has been looking out for us ever since?” Vivi offered.

“Your lives wouldn’t have needed saving if it hadn’t been for me.”

“We kind of needed saving before the ship sank, to be honest,” Arthur said. “There wasn’t anything good waiting for a couple of prisoners when we made port.” “Prisoners?” He sounded horrified.

“Vivi was arrested unfairly and I got caught trying to help her escape. That kind of mutiny gets you hanged-- If it hadn’t been for the storm they probably wouldn’t even have waited ‘til we came ashore.” “I’m sorry,” the merman murmured.

“You don’t have to be. Like I said, you saved our necks.” Arthur offered a wry half-smile, but the merman still looked unsure.

“What’s your name?” Vivi knelt on the sand before him-- even lying on his belly and sunk low in shame, his gaze was even with hers.

“My-- what?”

“Oh--” Vivi wondered if she’d just asked something incredibly stupid, or perhaps even insensitive. “Do you… have a name? Something you call yourself?”

“Yes, of course,” he said, still sounding completely baffled. “I’ve just-- I’ve never had to introduce myself to someone before. My name is Lewis.” It was an astoundingly ordinary name for a mythical-- or supposedly mythical-- being to have. Vivi had to stifle a laugh that was wholly inappropriate for the moment, but she did smile at him.

“Thank you for saving our lives, Lewis.”

He ducked his head again, though this time it seemed more like a flustered movement than an ashamed one.

“You’re… welcome,” he mumbled.

The rest of the afternoon was spent sitting on that beach, trading further introductions and asking Lewis questions about the island.

They learned that the smaller central island, which they still hadn’t yet dared to explore, housed a temple hidden among the weeping trees. It belonged to goddess who Lewis would not name, only calling her “My Lady.”

There were not-- at least as far as Lewis knew-- other merfolk, and he had no parents or family. His Lady had created him with magic for the sole purpose of guarding her island and her temple from any intruders-- the second-to-last line of defense after the enchanted storm she had concocted with magic stole from an ancient rival; he was under orders to sink any ship that braved that tempest, though thankfully crews that were bold or foolish enough to do so were a rarity. Past him, there were wards growing within the trees on the central island itself to repel trespassers. Vivi and Arthur were the first humans to ever set foot on the isle to test them.

“Is it safe here?” Arthur asked. “If your, ah-- your ‘Lady’ comes back to find us here…”

“I wouldn’t expect her to. There are decades between her visits, and she was here less than a season ago. She won’t be returning any time soon.”

Most other questions about his Lady Lewis was cagey at best about, but on any other topic he was happy to give thorough answers. He had apparently never had a conversation with anyone other than the Lady he served before, and he seemed to be enjoying it immensely. They talked through the entire evening, parting ways only when it grew so late that sleep became impossible to fight.

Five: In which Lewis procures a very strange looking fish for lunch

Arthur eyed the lumpy creature with amused skepticism. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Lewis, but I really hope this guy tastes better than he looks.”

Lewis didn’t seem the least bit offended. “He isn’t much to look at, that’s true,” he laughed. “But we don’t know-- perhaps among fish he’s a real Prince Charming.”

“Isn’t that you, instead?” Arthur grinned, then realized just exactly what it was he’d said. His and Lewis’ faces were mirror images of wide-eyed surprise until Arthur went pink from the tip of one ear across to the other and he turned his attention to the cookfire with sudden enthusiasm. “So uh-- how’s the best way to cook his highness? Does the fire need to be hotter, do we need more firewood--?”

Lewis didn’t blush-- Vivi wondered if he could blush at all-- but he looked equally flustered as he explained that this kind of fish needed a more delicate heat, and how they should wrap it in palm leaves. Vivi smirked to herself, eyeing the way that their hands seemed to ‘accidentally’ brush far more often than could be entirely accidental as they prepared the fish together.

Six: In which Lewis and Arthur have a heart to heart

“I’ve been wondering something,” Arthur hesitated. Lewis flicked the very tips of his fins against Arthur’s arm.

“You can ask anything, Arthur. I’ve told you that before.”

“How did you learn so much about the world? You said you’ve never left this island before, but you know a lot-- did-- did you used to be human, Lewis?” Lewis looked surprised, then sad.

“No, Arthur. I’ve always been this.”

“Wait-- I didn’t mean it like--” “I know you didn’t; I know you’d never. I just…” He sighed. “There was a man that My Lady used to create me. I never really was him-- I don’t have any of his memories-- but whatever knowledge he had is now mine. So I know a great deal about a world I’m not a part of.”

“That’s-- so she turned him into you? I’m not sure I understand.”

“No. I wondered myself, when I was new. She told me that he did not become me any more than the earth a seed is planted in becomes the tree.”

“....I still don’t really get it.”

“I didn’t either,” Lewis laughed ruefully. “She said that whether I understood my origin or not didn’t matter, as long as I understood my purpose.”

Without thinking, Arthur laid his hand over Lewis’.

“Why haven’t you ever left?” He asked. “You said your Lady only even comes around every few decades, you could just… go, and see the world for yourself.”

“I was afraid.” Lewis drew abstract shapes in the sand with one blunt claw. “My purpose here isn’t much, but it’s more than I’d have anywhere else.”

“Didn’t you ever get lonely though?” “Not really. And now I never am,” he looked up at Arthur, and finally smiled again.

Seven: In which Lewis invites Vivi and Arthur over for dinner

“Where on the island do you live, anyway, Lewis?”

“Not anywhere on it-- Under it. Beneath the temple there’s a large cavern, and that’s where I live.”

“Oh,” Vivi hummed thoughtfully. Lewis tilted his head, seeming confused.

“Did you want to see it?”

“Isn’t it underwater?” Arthur wondered.

“The entrance is, but there’s a pocket of air in the cave, and a little beach. It might be too far for you to swim on your own but I could carry you--!” He broke off, folding his hands sheepishly. “Ah-- if you didn’t mind me doing that, of course.”

“I wouldn’t mind at all,” Vivi said with a flutter of her eyelashes that was playful but nonetheless made Lewis duck his head shyly.

Lewis met them at the lagoon and they waded in until the water reached their chests. With absolute gentleness, Lewis scooped them against his chest, one of them in each of his massive arms.

“Take as deep of a breath as you can,” he said, and waiting until they had before diving down with them. The water was warm at the lagoon’s surface, but it rapidly cooled as they delved deeper and the light that filtered through her eyelids dimmed. If it hadn’t been for Lewis and his warmth, she didn’t think she would have been able to stand the cold, even though it was mercifully brief. The water warmed back up, and the light returned.

Just when Vivi’s chest was starting to burn with the need for air, the water broke above her head. She sputtered and drew in a long, grateful breath, swiping water from her eyes until she could focus.

“Oh--!” She didn’t know where to look first-- The cave would have been beautiful even unadorned: the ceiling was high-- so high it must have breached the surface and belonged to the ground of the island itself, and peppered with holes that let sunlight stream in. Embedded in the rich black stone of the walls were freckles of micah, which glimmered faintly and reflected like stars in the water’s surface. Even the sand making up the cave’s beach seemed to have a pearly sheen to it.

Garlands were strung in a complex web throughout the cave. Abalone shells and bits of sea glass clinked gently along their lengths, throwing dancing blots of color around the chamber. A band of colorful mosaic, stretching from just above the water line to presumably as high as Lewis could reach, wrapped about two-thirds of the way around the cavern walls. Even clearly incomplete it was gorgeous-- a lovely and chaotic mix of abstract shapes, pictures of sealife, and even maps of constellations. In the water tiny, colorful fish darted around them like living jewels.

Along one wall were natural ridges of stone that Lewis had utilized as shelves, which were covered with an array of dishes and vessels. Some of these were made of stone, some were fashioned from large shells, and a few seemed to be human-made and had probably been salvaged from the seabed. A fire pit sat in the middle of a stretch of pebbles further away from the water’s edge, and a wooden rack nearby seemed to be a setup for drying out firewood. The trinket Vivi and Arthur had made was set in a prominent niche in the cave wall, directly in a beam of golden sunlight.

“It isn’t very much,” Lewis said sheepishly as he set them on the sand.

“What on Earth are you talking about?” Arthur nudged him lightly with his elbow. “Lewis, this place is incredible!”

“It’s like something from a dream!” Vivi agreed, beaming up at him. She clung to his bicep, having to use both her arms around just to reach all the way around. He cast his eyes down and clearly would have been blushing if he could. He’d let them go, but his arms curled gently back around them now.

After a while, Lewis lit a fire with a flint and steel, and prepared a pot of soup for them that was more elaborate than any Vivi had seen before, and was also about the tastiest thing she’d ever eaten. They spent hours sitting by the fire, so absorbed in talking and sharing their meal, that they hardly noticed as the light filtering into the cave from above shifted into rosy hues, then faded. Rather than face the cold of the depths, especially not in the chilly night air, Vivi and Arthur opted to bed down in the soft sand of the cave’s beach.

Eight: In which Vivi is happy precisely where she is

Vivi woke up warm and serene. For a few blissful minutes she didn’t open her eyes or think about where she was, just basked in the comfort of the moment. When she did open her eyes at last, her field of vision was filled with a swathe of skin-- Lewis’ specifically.

Though he’d fallen asleep alongside them on the main beach plenty of times before, Lewis had always kept a respectful distance between himself and the two of them. Now, in the much smaller space of the cave, the three of them had gravitated together as they slept. Vivi was tucked against the expanse of Lewis’ chest, and she could feel Arthur’s arm draped over her waist, as well as the tickle of his breath against the back of her neck. Lewis’ tail was curled up around her and Arthur both, as though holding them in just his arms wasn’t enough.

Vivi was who knew how far from home, from any kind of civilization at all, and at the moment she had no idea how or even if she’d get back. Somehow, she didn’t find the thought distressing-- in fact, she’d never felt as safe or as much like she belonged somewhere as she did right now, wrapped up in Lewis and Arthur’s warm embraces.

They’d figured things out for themselves as they went pretty well so far, and Vivi didn’t doubt that they could keep right on doing so. She craned her neck up to brush a kiss under the edge of Lewis’ jaw, which was as far up as she could reach, and threaded her fingers through Arthur’s. Sighing contentedly, she settled back down into sleep.

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