Entries tagged with penny dreadful: vanessa ives

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voice | un: a wheely good time

[ There're brief tapping sounds, like someone doing a mic test, and a quiet "is this thing even on?". But then a clear of the throat precedes an ever-awkward: ] Uh... hello. This is Marty. Um...

So I talked. Talked? Shared my brain with? The giant snake guy. Kharil-asuk. Kinda funny, I could never remember his name, but then we had that whole mental connection and now it's all I can think about the past couple of hours. Is that normal?

...anyway.

He wants to get married.

[ A long pause. ]

Uh. He gave me a huge bowl of his... juice... in exchange for me just kinda. Kinda asking around for. If anyone wants to marry him. So now I'm asking you guys if you'd know anyone who'd marry him. For what it's worth, he blesses you with luck and a long life and all that? It sounded like a pretty great deal! Heh.

What's so great about marriage that a magic snake wants it too? Crazy!

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un: man's greatest treasure (video)

[ooc: This is set during the Annointed event of Unkharil.]

[The video shows the jungle for a moment, followed by a close-up of Hermione's face in the dark, illuminated by the Lumos spell at the tip of her wand. She looks wide-eyed, a little dishevelled, leaning against a massive tree trunk. She looks at the camera, trying to figure out the point she was going to make, opens her mouth, closes it. Pauses.

Then:] Drugs are bad. Prophecy drugs are bad. Don't do drugs, kids. [Another pause.] Are there even any kids around for this public service announcement? Probably not awake at this hour anyway...[She rubs one hand over her face, the wand still in said hand creating a bit of strobe light effect for anyone watching.]

Right - the point. I found the giant snake - not a Basilisk as I had suspected, given that I'm not petrified this time, but that's beyond the point. I have a vial for Deimar - and instructions, which I'll deliver, but I wanted to see if anyone else has...gone in? The jungle, for the anointment venom. [Merlin, this place is weird and these people are weird.]

For people keen to keep track - our Alem prince is meant to find who in his midst has bloodshed on their hands. I tried to ask if that meant people from Alem, or included us as well, but Kharil-asuk didn't answer.

[A pause.] Yes - that's it.

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VIDEO ➤➤➤ UN: OIL CHANGE

[ Nacho's face appears on video. He looks stressed. That's not really unusual. He often looks stressed!

What is unusual is the specific way that he looks stressed right now. It's hard to tell because the shift isn't drastic, and his skin is on the tanner side anyway, but if you closely you can see that he's... maybe blushing? A little?

He rubs a hand over the back of his shaved neck and takes a deep breath. He looks away, momentarily, from the screen. Then back. ]

Sooooo.... [ Shit. ] Hey. Uh. There's, like, a lot of kids and shit here, right? Teenagers? People who didn't go to normal school? [ He swallows. ] Wait. Hang on. I didn't mean to swear in front of... uh... in front of all the kids.

[ Nacho pauses. Tries to think about how he wants to word this. He switches tactics. Blunt is better for this. No sense beating around the bush. ]

Hey. Listen up.

I know this might not be a good time for it, but I'm not sure there's gonna ever be, and if you ask me, a lot of you need to hear it. If I don't say it now, I don't think I'm gonna, and some of you really, really should not be parents.

You feel me?

[ He hesitates. Even longer. He can't believe he's doing this. But he has become Concerned (TM). ]

You're all officially enrolled in Nacho Varga School of Sex Ed.

First thing, don't have sex. Don't have sex in the missionary position. Don't have sex standing up. Just... don't have sex. You're gonna get pregnant. And die.

But, if you have sex, wear a condom. If you don't know what a condom is because they don't have anything like that where you're from, it's like a little bag that goes over your [ he whistles, and makes a vulgar hand gesture that a lot of people would probably be able to peg as a symbol for 'boner' ]. It helps make it so you don't have kids. And if you don't know what a condom is because you're too young, then you shouldn't even be listening to this.

Next. You gotta get consent. That means you can't just do things without asking. Not unless you wanna get knifed. Do you wanna get knifed? [ Silence; slightly intimidating, knowing look into the camera. ] Yeah, that's what I thought.

Okay. Last thing. Never go ass to mouth. That's how you get diseases. And die. Just don't do it.

That's, uh, yeah. That's it, I think. Peace.

[ There's one final vision of Nacho's bright-red face, and then the screen goes completely dark. ]

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video. un: nah. backdated a bit between undead and ritual.

( There is a gaggle of zombies off to the side, away enough from the village they're not finding anybody to eat - raised by the Huntress, and when the video clicks on, Red is walking through the lot of them. This is something she needed to do, needed to admit to the whole group about - just in case. The zombies turn toward her but do not touch or attack her - they just stare unnervingly. )

You ever wonder what it would be like to eat some Undead asshole's anchor? Well, wonder no more. Today I'm here to tell you that being compelled against your will to eat a piece of am Undead's heart and/or anchor could have the following side effects:

-You can pinpoint the location of the Huntress - currently, getting the fuck out of dodge, which is nice cause it was itchy as hell when she was close.

-You, very personally, experience her emotions when she's near - for example: frustration, confusion, and a good old dose of anguish.

-You know which of these Undead are hers like they've got a bit sign above saying: I'm the nude redhead: the one who sacrificed her own son's

And finally, as you can see, the zombies respect your boundaries with no touching or biting, real sweet of 'em, and I can control... ( she turns the camera around, takes a moment to think, and the first five zombies in the group start doing part of the Thriller dance. But not as good cause they're actual zombies - one of them loses an arm in a swing of them. ) Oops, sorry big guy. So uh ...five of 'em?

Note: This is not an endorsement to eat a heart, but if any good can come from relying on claws and failing to use a more precise approach in retrieving an ancient, undead artifact, well. It's gonna hopefully be this advantage over the Huntress. I don't know the long term effects here, but I can't imagine she'd be happy I devoured some of her heart so it's a warning too. Take me out if you gotta.

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un: raven master - audio | day ii

Good afternoon. As ever, we have scant time for well wishes and compliments. This is the Merchant. To those freshly in my care, I bid greetings and remain at your service. To the rest: your ongoing survival is a matter of celebration.

( And... incredulity, though he will not be the man to say so. )

I am given to understand you remain in — a part of Yancai. I speak to you from five years onwards. We have succeeded to break the time's weave for precisely one hour to allow this communication, after which I regret to bid my leave. Let us employ our time wisely.

My hope and concern is that, in your attempts to remedy the harms of this village, you will succeed, as you have before, and break the flow of time. If you do — when you do, know this: just as there are territories outside of land, there are those beyond time. Often, they are wastelands or exist independently under the rule of tyrants without reason.

( A distasteful concept to him, for how his voice sours. ) Many of Akhuras' least... favoured sorcerers were exiled in such pockets. I hold minimal sway there, past episodes of commerce.

( Hesitantly: ) If you arrive in such regions, seek out waypoints bearing the carvings of an eye with the sun for a pupil. They were put in place to return Ellethian trade caravans to their true place in time.

( And might, on this occasion, serve the party. ) If you do not break time, if you merely wait out Yancai's next transition and return to five years onwards organically, ignore my cautions. Either way: see what may be gleaned from this Yancai of old. I trust no village whose House of Commerce once dealt on friendly terms with the warlord Anurr.

( ooc: please assume all interaction with the Merchant on this post happens within the span of an IC hour — thank you! )

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un: absterge | video

( Two men and a xenomorph walk into a tavern —

...alternatively, stumble down a woodland road, breath staggered, seemingly drained — if not by the weight of the enormous forest creature they carry, bled and bound to a makeshift pallet of decayed logs, then by the constant, jittery effort to evade the strikes of its tail.

The Doctor drags the animal’s wooden bed by long, loosely woven strips of ripped cloth. Lan Wangji holds the pendant with one hand and his own cutting strings that fetter the beast with the other.

For their trouble, the creature’s tail lovingly smacks the Doctor on his flank, then thwaps Lan Wangji’s temple, on the swing back. It growls its thanks after, before settling into a... disturbing... purr... that seems to indicate the time to nap is nigh.

The Doctor, then: ) It's settling down a bit already! Just needed a proper looking after, really, like anything.

( Well said, Doctor. For your effort, have a nice, friendly, sleepy tail smack on the back. So Wangji doesn’t feel jealous, the snoring beast peers over his shoulder, drenching it in a sea of... drool. He sighs. )

We bear one of the Beastmaster’s creatures. Feral, wounded. Enemy of the Huntress in the woods.

( Who should have been long culled, but don’t let Lan Wangji’s long-suffering expression convince you of that. The enemy or their enemy, so on. )

It requires... healing to resume duties. We number those who know the care of animals?

( ooc: ...sorry, cave buddies, just going to park Fido in the back real quick! Any veterinarians in the house? )

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video | un: water you docking aboat

[ enter one (1) startlingly (...supernaturally) attractive young man: long dark hair in a slightly crooked braid, very fine red clothing, silver jewelry.. though he's missing an eye, the other hidden behind a patch. and his skin is, well, completely bloodless. corpse-white, you might say. dead, someone else might agree.

and behind him, puttering around in the background at the stove, a certain well-meaning culinary disaster. hm. ]

If one has questions about powerful ghosts-- [ the corner of his mouth lifts, smile polite. ] --one might ask a ghost.. of some small strength. Yes? I won't claim that the ghosts here are precisely the same as my kind, but they seem like enough. [ he taps a black nail against his cheek, smile curling a little higher. ] I do suggest not throwing salt at them if you'd rather not be eaten out of sheer affront.

[ a pause, a shift, fingers trailing down his braid to rub absently over a small coral pearl wound into it, the action obviously contemplative. ] I.. may.. be able to detain one of these ghosts next it appears. If you agree which you'd like. I promise nothing. [ particularly if it would distress his highness in any way.

a brief glance back at xie lian, a wave of his hand to indicate him. ] My husband can verify most of what I say, should you not trust a Calamity's word. [ .. see, xie lian, he's being helpful. ]

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un: ut malum pluvia | audio

[ Five is walking out of the lighthouse as he addresses the network, since it's generally quieter where ghosts aren't constantly interrupting his thoughts. The beauty of this form of communication is it's not entirely unlike talking to himself, which is really his preference. ]

Okay, listen up. Since we're all sharing, let's see if we can't come up with an actual plan, before we experience the next shift and you all inconveniently forget who you are again.

[ To say nothing of a haunting that has already sent him into a panic attack or how he nearly drowned just to see for himself what he'd already heard second-hand. Nothing but success for Five Hargreeves. ]

Two orders of business. One, Miang-Si is obviously a catalyst, if not the cause of what's happening here. I searched her room one of the nights she was out galavanting with her lake friends. There was correspondence that suggested she was enamored with someone, who I now assume was the Huntress. I also found evidence that the woman in white, and another in red, visited her there. The witches she's involved with also may have dragged in women doing laundry nearby into their lake at some point, judging by what was found with the skeletons at the bottom.

Secondly, these hauntings aren't just some curse. If they are spirits, we need to figure out a way to trap them. There's a woman in white, a man in black, a lumberjack, and another woman in red. Who else has been seen and how often? If we can capture one of them, maybe we can get some answers before whatever triggered this starts again.

[ He has no doubt it'll happen at the worst possible moment.

Just as he's about to continue with his all-important conspiracy theories, he's approached by a young girl with a silver coin in hand. Distantly she can be heard saying she's worried about her family, and asks him to take a donation for Kathoo'lul's blessing. Dumbfounded, he takes it and promptly loses his train of thought as she scurries away. ]

...Amazing how easy it is to start a cult around here.

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un: Black Prince; text

I recently spoke to the eminently beautiful Miang-Si. Quite the interesting young lady, it seems she is intent on staying young and beautiful forever. More than that, she claims she has been promised a way to do this. That she has a gift she believes can be trained to help reach immortality. An unfortunately familiar goal. As for her potential tutors, she spoke of those who can part waters and speak to ghosts. Perhaps the ladies of the lake? It would fit her sneaking out, I believe. She certainly has some magical potential, although to what end she can be taught I couldn't comment.

Our young mistress also mentioned an old friend of ours. Anui, The Huntress, who as recently mentioned was seen in was these woods. It seems in a fit of vanity Miang-Si sought her out and met her. She was... compelled by her. I'd imagine that speaks to some skill or touch of death on her part.

Interestingly, whoever her potential tutors are want something from her. They did not meet the Huntress as she did, before the local villagers drove her away. I do wonder what they think she knows, or has?

On a more entertaining note, she also appears to be convincing her father to fake his death so she can be more appealing to marry. Apparently, tragically dead parents are fashionable.

My role grants easy access to Miang-Si should anyone further need it.

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[audio] un: nah (forward-dated to the 3rd)

So turns out the beacon can swallow you up and spit you right back out after several decades in your own world - in case everyone else is as unaware of that being a possibility as I was.

Name's Red for those of you who didn't know me before when I was teenage-shaped and brand spankin' new to life. For those who did, sorry for the awkward, weird social situation the beacon's just created for us. Now that I'm wiser-to-life, I feel it's better to be up front about some things. I can see people's souls, auras, whatever you wanna call 'em. So I know a lot about someone from the get-go, and I can't turn it on and off.

So there's some options:

A) I can tell you what I see when I meet you in full detail so you know what I know.

B) We both pretend like I don't see shit. Denial is not just a river in Egypt, it's a fun little coping mechanism.

C) My ability malfunctions - can't control this but it happens here.

D) I can make some colorful description up, and we roll with it, cause why not? Live your dreams.

If you got a preference, let me know or I'll assume B is it. I'll be at the bar, drinking about a thousand drinks, and grappling with sudden onslaught of memories and emotions and all that messy fun shit. Cheers, and Happy Train day.

( OOC: Open to network responses and/or action spam. If you want Red to see your chars' aura at some point, feel free to fill it permissions here - I assume her ability just doesn't work if there's nothing filled out so no worries regardless. :) If you already filled it out on her old journal, no need to fill it out again! )

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un: civil serpent | video.

( The video opens on the largest fissure in the Room of Seals, revealing the stairs that lead into the dark. Black eyes dart into view and then fade. The imagery shifts to the many other cracks filling the room. Wrath speaks, voice hard and ancient in the way of war: )

This version of Hell grows more restless by the hour. The dark water we've encountered before infects it. Every act of violence and rage, every death and spirit feed it further.

( Wrath's hand dips into the largest fissure. The dark liquid smoke pouring out of it wraps around his palm and the length of his arm. As if greeting an old, almost-familiar friend. He spreads his palm out and the smoke obeys, skittering back in through the crack.

The temperature in the room dips then. Ice pours from him across and within the fissure, sealing it. The ice continues to spread from his point of contact across the floor and walls, spilling into the hallway. The ground quakes as he pushes back against the power attempting to shove its way out.

The video then turns to Wrath: his gold eyes flash with anger, with violence that he pulls back within himself. His jaw locks as he surveys the room. )

...this will not hold long. These fissures will split the room open, but we may buy them time to replenish their forces and allow for more of their people to escape.

If you have magic or power, if you are capable of guarding and sending messages in the days to come, go to the Room of Seals. I will be waiting.

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un: whitewolf / video: ota / text: private to Vanessa Ives / forward dated to 2 March

[Jon Snow has looked better, but he's also looked worse. His dark hair is not pulled back smoothly, as it typically is; curls escape to hang around his face. He has small wounds, nothing too recent, a scabby scrape on his cheek. His expression is complicated: troubled, angry, disgusted, but all in a quiet way.]

I've just returned from a meeting with Rathakku.

He makes an offer. He will withdraw his forces from Alem and allow evacuation, if --

[(his lips press together; this is clearly the part that he mislikes so greatly)]

Ten of us agree to join his ranks. Ten, and Deimar, as the dead who walk, who fight for Rathakku.

[A hard shake of his head.]

If this is enough for him -- if he has the fortress, I think the lives of those who leave are like to be forfeit either way. But I think they may leave ten of us tied in the yard to have that chance.

Half, then twelve, then ten. The numbers keep getting smaller.

I say none.

[He has decided, perhaps, that he does not wish to negotiate with undead lords after all.]

[PRIVATE TO VANESSA IVES]

My lady, I have what you wanted.

[OOC: Mod post for volunteers! Hit it up if it's a "yes" from your character.]

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un: ivory doll » video

[ After long consideration - couldn't she just approach the women in their group fitting the prince's description? - she's decided, reluctantly, this is the best way to pose the question. ]

The prince would apparently like to speak to one of you. The best description he could give was dark-haired, beautiful, with feet.

[ All said with absolute dry seriousness, if she's still a little nonplussed by 'she has feet.' More and more he reminds her of a daemon, talking nonsense that isn't nonsense. ]

I said I would ask.

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text | un: off scarlet

I took Rathakku a message on behalf of the king a few days ago.

"A few dozens, strong. Containable. The fortress occupies them."

He said Deimar can keep half.

Interesting, isn't it? Anyone want to guess what this could be about?

[Not trying to stir the pot here, but there's a reason she didn't share the entirety of the message with Rathakku. And one more thing:]

Also... he's disgusting. I don't recommend trying to get an audience with that thing.

[[ooc: Backdated to the 7th, after her curse has ended. If you want to thread out or handwave an encounter with her during that time (she was probably suspiciously skittish), feel free to send me a message! Otherwise feel free to have your characters chat here.]]

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username: deimar | video

( The first transmissions is recorded footage, clearly captured by a pendant held by a shaking hand. Before it, legions of heterogenous, misshaped demons part for the gilded palanquin of Duke Rathakku, his long tendril legs seeping off his cushions.

Beneath his litter, death hounds feast on the fresh remains of a man carrying a peace stindard.

Rathakku appears untroubled, unhurried, indifferent: )

Tell your new king... he will have the peace of the old. And we, we will give it to him. If you can reach him.

( Only more seconds capturing footage of fumbling feet and gracel, the pendant carrier stumbles back, starting to run —

Before the transmission switches to the lightly amused face of Alem's king Deimar, whistling: )

...friendly sort, isn't he? That was four months ago. He's softened since. I'd say the colder weather agrees with him. It's good for you new recruits to see that. To see him. It builds character. ( A pause, then helpfully: ) ...spoils appetites, too! Means less dinner for you, more supplies for the morning. We've all won here.

( But the joy seeps from him. ) I know what you have come for. The beacon. I accept you. It's honest trade, we need the hands. Hells, fond welcome. And to those of you serving as envoys, we'll raise a cup to you first. I should hope there's meat on your bones!

Now, a few... guidelines! As it were. What are you? Madmen, criminals, thieves, mercenaries? I don't care to know. Under my roof, I'll have none of that quarrel. ( Steely: ) No squabble, no torture, no rape. We're in tight quarters, blood runs hot. But you'll somehow prevail over any instincts. No... innocent stabbing. There's enough of that in the Wards of late.

I understand some of you are joining the watch towers. I'll come see you. It's ugly work, and you won't thank me. But I thank you. If that bitch Irenia flies by, remember: she's an ugly, slow whore, and you can take a sharp stick's end to her throat. ( Silence, then breezily: ) I don't mind if you do that our merchant friends, either. Just make sure you've learned where they've stored their grains first. ( Light coughing. ) Don't let Haiva hear that. We're to be friends with one and all! Even when they skin us for gold.

As it stands, the day's news: we prepare to evacuate new convoys of our weakest civilians every five days. Unfortunately, Rathakku is... either remarkably intuitive or well informed. He seems to find our escape corridors in the mountain and blockade them. So! We start anew, with fresh escape routes. Do help. And if you can keep our vulnerable on their feet and not trip up the paladins who are working in the Gut's Bind, even better.

By the way, we cut any hands laid unkindly on healers. We can likely spare you more than them.

And the punishment for snitching to uncle Thyvault where the last of the good wine sits is worse than that. I'll deliver that one personally.

Now, good to have you! Die well.

( ooc: welcome to Alem & threadjack liberally c: )

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un: man's greatest treasure (text)

[ooc: backdated to Sand In Your Eyes (end of)]

Hello, Hermione here, currently writing this from the exit of Ra'esh's temple.

We've found water for the sandworms in a pool, in a cave. We also found a woman in that cave. Her name was Marath, she was alive, and she was tied to the altar and chained. We've set her free - and if anyone has a word of criticism about that decision, by all means, convince me why any living soul should be chained to an altar and left to rot and to thirst and to die. I'll wait.

Anyway, Marath's people are the ones who occupied Uruksithar. She claimed she was left behind because she warned them not to go into the desert. Once freed, Marath ran (rather athletic for someone of her condition if you ask me) and left myself and Vi locked in the temple.

Don't worry, we're out now. Keep an eye out for Marath, if you can. And don't drink the water from the cave if you make it there, it felt...oozy.

[ooc; If you'd like some context, here you go.]

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un: bee

[ Cassian is perched just outside one of the furthest tents of the caravan, out of the blazing sun as he reads over the vellum scroll in his hands several times, trying to memorize it. Only once he is done so does he put it away and pull the silver pendant out of his clothes to send a message to the rest. ]

So, I am still fairly new here. Finding my feet.

Surely there is a way to be useful? A way to earn a credit or two?

I’ve heard that there are things in the desert, that can be found by those with sharp eyes. But are they even worth the retrieval, I wonder? Who would even want them?

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video — un: starburst | backdated mid to late december.

( The video opens with Emilia sitting in the snow, clad in a velvet cloak to shield her from the day's chill. She isn't much of a presence lately, her recent stint back home having left her in the foulest mood. Those that know her probably sensed the proceed with caution vibes she emanated the days following the beacon disaster.

But today is a new day, and some things need doing. It starts with contacting Red for a personal heads up, and now:

Standing behind her is her ~~husband~~ betrothed in his trademark suit, not looking the slightest bit bothered or affected by the weather.

And behind Wrath is — well. The reason for this transmission. A creature the size of a medium horse plays in the snow, one of its three heads gnawing on a bone. Needless to say, the threat posed by one of the more vicious wolves has since been eliminated. )

This is ...

( At Emilia's careful pause, Wrath fondly supplies: )

A puppy.

( read more. )

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video | un: wooden sword

[ A close-up of Chrichter's mask fills the screen. It is dark save for the sliver of light that illuminates the mask. Quiet save for the eerie sound of heavily filtered breathing. When the seconds have stretched into minutes, the lights turn on. The mask is pulled off to reveal a young blonde with a severe case of helmet hair.

She grins and waves. ]

Hiiiii. If we haven't formally met, my name is Yelena. I don't know how relevant this will be now that we've left Serthica but I'm sharing in case it means something to anyone else.

I ran into Chrichter in the desert. Not a very straightforward man, I have to say. But he did reveal that Remembrance was stoking conflict between the two citadels as more of a distraction than anything else. He seemed to think it was their job to keep the people from realizing how many among them were undead. To that end, they were also replacing the mannequin people as they deteriorated.

[ She pauses and seems to think for a moment, tapping a finger against her lips. ]

While I have your attention, I'm curious how many of us are familiar with Christmas. I love American Christmases, they are so fun. You decorate a whole tree indoors, there's a myth about a fat old man who brings presents, and you get drunk off this egg booze and sing terrible songs.

I think we could use some holiday cheer so please let me know if you'd like to help me make the inn look a little more festive. We will need to chop down a tree and carry it back inside. If you have any ideas for decorations, that would also be welcome. And if you have your own holiday traditions let's include those too.

Oh, I almost forgot the ugly sweaters! Does anyone know how to knit?

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[ Voice; un: anzhi ]

It looks like my A-Fei is nowhere to be found and I've searched everywhere. Which I'm sure, and hope, it means that she's back home with her cousins and the children there. There was a lot that we'd been through. So, if you don't see her around it's because she's no longer here.

[ Something that he, himself, does not really like but he knows there was nothing he could actively do about it. ]