Masquerade

Meri. 33. Writer. She/Her. Multifandom. Pull up a chair and stay a while.

[mystical-flute]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Helloooo everyone! I'm super excited to present my piece for the @ygobigbang, and the gorgeous artwork that came with it, thanks to my friend @lysimachias!!!

In the aftermath of the Ceremonial Duel, Yugi, unsure of how to verbalize exactly how he's feeling, chooses a different outlet: Writing letters to Atem in the afterlife.

[mystical-flute]

Has anyone else had Whiskey Peak Saloon stuck in their head for the past few days?

It's a bop. It's going to be on my Spotify Wrapped this year. I can feel it.

[opla]

Just a few hours remaining to ONE PIECE: INTO THE GRAND LINE!

[preserving-tiktok]

[directactionforhope]

aeroleaf hybrid's tree-shaped wind turbine includes solar panels for dual energy production

 

-via Design Bloom, November 24, 2023. Very cool! Some excellent info on exactly why these will be so useful in the comments.

[adastra-sf]

No single solution is the perfect and only one, and art-installation wind generators are a good way to add off-grid power in built-up areas where big turbines are a no-go (or where neighborhood rules prohibit them).

Any viable solarpunk future requires a variety of energy sources that do not pollute, and cities pose added challenges. This is a start!

Other great solutions for inhabited areas include solar roofs over not just homes but also bus stops and parking areas: Anywhere heat builds up, solar energy is not just being wasted but is adding to cooling requirements.

And we definitely need to see more green things growing in cities - plants absorb heat and carbon dioxide, convert sunlight into growth energy, and provide shade for other living creatures (including us).

Solutions like this wind-energy sculpture are great pieces that help build the overall architecture of living more sustainably!

[mystical-flute]

Trinkets: Swanfire Week Day 1

Sorry for the delay in posting my prompts! I ended up getting sick before I could finish them, so they'll all be late!

Emma and Neal make it safely to Canada to fence the watches, when Emma is drawn to something in the pawn shop...

Also on AO3

Emma let out a breath as they crossed the border into Canada, the guard waving them on with a smile. They had done it. They'd rally, really done it. They had managed to escape from Seattle, watches in hand, and Neal slipping through the police's cracks. While Emma had never done a job this large before, and wasn't exactly keen to do it again (way too much anxiety as opposed to stealing a box or two of pop tarts), a wave of relief and excitement washed over her. Surely it was simply because she was glad to be safe, free, and about to come into some very, very good money… or at least, enough to get them on their feet.

Anything was better than what they had now. "There's a motel up ahead, baby. What do you say we fence the watches and then get a room there for a couple of nights?" Neal said. "I see a sign for a pawn shop." There mere idea of having an actual bed to sleep in and a proper shower to use sounded like heaven, so she nodded, and Neal pulled into the parking lot for the pawn shop. Emma hopped out of the car, loot in hand (they couldn't be too careful now, so it was safer if Emma just went in on her own. She pushed the door to the shop open and stepped inside. Despite the run down appearance, it looked clean and kept up on the inside. Rows upon rows of jewelry, Hollywood memorabilia , watches, instruments, tools, coins and antiques lined the dusted shelves and display cases. Near the register was a small basket of key chains, clearly not part of any collection, but Emma couldn't help but smile a little at them. They were shaped like music notes, and she reached out to take one into her hand. Surely the shop owner wouldn't miss - "Sorry to keep you waiting! What can I do for you?" Emma jumped back, startled as a man came out of the back room and smiled at her from across the counter. "Cute key chains huh? My daughter's in marching band and they're trying to raise money for new uniforms. I offered to sell some here for her." Oh. Well now she felt bad about even thinking about stealing one of the key chains. Emma might not have been in school, but that didn't mean she wanted to steal from teens just trying to get new stuff. "Er - I don't know, maybe? I was actually here to pawn something, if you don't mind." "Of course, of course. Let me see what you have." As Emma carefully laid the watches on the counter, she saw the clerk's eyes widening in surprise. That had to be a good sign. "These are in excellent condition. Luxury brands as well. Are you certain you want to pawn these? They make excellent heirlooms," the woman explained, giving her a gentle look. Emma nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure. My dad left them to me, and we didn't have the best relationship. I figured someone ought to get some good use out of them, since they'd just sit and rot in the bottom of my closet otherwise." The woman didn't look like she completely believed Emma's story, but eventually nodded. "Alright. I can pay you twenty-five thousand. Fair?" Twenty-five thousand?! That was five thousand more than Neal had thought! Despite the sudden increase of her heart rate, Emma simply nodded and shrugged. "You're the expert here. I don't really know anything about watches, so…" "Right, well, I'll get this all set for you. Be back in a moment." Emma nodded again, and the woman left to head back into an office. Alone in the shop once again, Emma wandered back over to the key chains and sighed a little. Neal would like one, she thought. It would be cute if they both had a key chain from the other. Symbols of their love. It sounded nice…

"Alright young lady, I've got your money right here - " the shop owner said as arrived back into the proper shop. " - wait. I want one of the key chains. Take ten dollars off what you're going to give me." The woman furrowed her brow. "The key chains are only five dollars…" Emma shook her head. "It's okay. Keep the change." The woman smiled as she slid a ten dollar note out of the pile and slid over the rest after neatly packing it into an envelope. "Well, thank you so much. You enjoy the rest of your day." Emma smiled and grabbed the money and one of the key chains. "Thanks so much. You too." She was giddy and very nearly sprinted to the Bug. They had done it. They had really, finally done it. They had money, the watches were no longer their problem, and they were free, together, with more money than they'd anticipated. "Emma! How did it go?" Neal asked as she slid into the passenger seat. "Wait, what's that in your hand?" "A key chain! One of the local marching bands is selling them. It reminded me of you. Do you like it?" Neal beamed. "Yeah, yeah, of course I do. Here, we can hang them from the windshield together. To show that nothing is ever going to split us up." A shadow crossed his face, and while Emma wanted to ask him about it, she opted not to. She had her own demons hidden inside. "I think that's a great idea," Emma said gently, taking the key chains into her hand and holding them in front of the mirror, letting them dangle from her finger. "We'll have to find some string or something to make sure they stay secure, but I like the look of it. Together. Just like us." Neal smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "And one day soon, we'll be home."

[mystical-flute]

Sunny Days and Shadowed Gazes

Written for the YGOU Black and White Event!

Prompts: Sun/Sea/Sand & Sweet Treats/Seeking Shelter/Overheating. I combined two weeks into one work, and here we are!

Also on AO3!

There was a sour feeling in her stomach as the sleek, black limo moved along the route. She had been a princess for six months, married to Japan's crown prince, but somehow, it just didn't seem to be settling, no matter how many times people told her she seemed to be a natural, a shoe-in for the position, like her mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law before her. But this wasn't supposed to be her life. She didn't choose it - she had been forced into it, and saying no would have gotten her family killed.

So here she was, playing a part she didn't feel suited for, going to an exclusive event on a beach, to be surrounded by people she didn't feel suited to talk to, but who would be bowing and sucking up to her just because she had been given a title.

Today, they were going to an event honoring lives that had been lost in a terrible passenger ship that had run aground at the beach when Seto's grandfather had been the emperor. A ceremony, a wreath on the dock, and dinner at the finest restaurant just down the beach. It was supposed to be a quick thing, but Reika knew with how politicians loved to talk, they were going to be here all night - and their schedules had been cleared in anticipation for it.

Ugh, what she wouldn't give to be able to dive into the water and swim away to a new life.

"Imperial Highness's, we're here," Isono said as the car slowed to a stop and flashbulbs began to pop beyond the glass.

"Thank you Isono." Seto's reply, as always, was curt, like he had better things to be doing than riding in a car with a woman that wasn't his choice to marry.

And he did. She did too.

Seto stepped out of the car first, then turned to take her hand gently as she followed. Flashbulbs popped in her eyes, making her vision blocky for a moment as the Crown Prince and Princess made their way to the podium on the small stage for Seto's speech.

A dozen retired sailors and survivors of the disaster stood straight up, the sailors at attention as they approached, and only relaxed when Seto nodded. Reika took a seat among the group, behind the podium. The sea was at her back, the waves calm as they lapped against the docks and shoreline.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, as we mark the fiftieth anniversary of the sinking of the Kiso, a tragic day in my grandfather's long reign…"

Reika blinked, smiled, and looked sad as he continued his speech. It wasn't hard to play the game now, and he's practiced the speech a dozen times with her in the room. She knew how to react without having to think about it.

It wasn't hard to be sad and contemplative at all. The Kiso's sinking so close to shore had been a stark reminder of why ships needed the safety regulations they did.

The ocean lapped at the wall behind her, and she took a moment to breathe. This beach had been a favorite of her grandfather's, and he'd insisted on bringing her here every time she spent the night at his game shop with her cousin, Yugi.

"Yugi, I'm going to build a bigger sand castle than you!"

"Nuh-uh! I've been practicing at home! I'm going to beat you!"

The memories were so vivid.

Warm sand tickling her toes as they ran for the ocean, squealing at the first chilly brush of surf against their ankles. Grandpa's hearty laughter as he held the camera and took photos to show their parents later. Sand scraping under her nails as she forced it into place in a crude attempt to build sand dwellings and crude figures that were supposed to be Duel Monsters.

Grandpa hadn't cared, and had taken photos of them to show Pegasus anyway.

Pegasus still liked to remind her of them.

She wished she could run out there now, the wind running through wild strands, coarse sand getting into every corner of her shoes and clothes, and the ocean cooling her from the punishing heat of the sun above them. To have a late night bonfire with her friends and family, celebrating her birthday and watching the Star Festival fireworks light up the sky.

To be free.

Reika took a deep breath and folded her hands in her lap. Her mind was being pulled in a thousand different directions between the sun, the sound of the waves, and the knowledge that dozens of eyes were on her, scrutinizing her every move as the new Crown Princess, not born from a politically powerful family.

People were looking at her to fail.

" - as my wife and I place the wreath on the dock, I encourage you all to think about those who lost their lives that day, and say a prayer in their honor," Seto said.

Reika rose to her feet, eyes lowered on remembrance, and her heels clicked softly against the stage, until she and Seto reached the carpet separating the stage, beach, and dock. She moved carefully on the wooden dock, stepping carefully to avoid the heel of her shoes getting stuck in a crack.

The wreath and stand were easy to carry, and they did so silently, and set it down at the end of the dock. Perfectly blue water stretched out before them, the sun reflecting off it like a mirror. A perfect, summer day, and she just wanted to jump into the water and swim for miles, until Japan's shores were no longer in sight. She let a small sigh, before gasping when a bit of water lapped up through one of the dock's holes, catching her ankle.

"Oh - Crown Princess!" she heard one of the nameless politicians gasp, as if it were blood, not water, that clung to her skin. "Are you alright?"

"I am perfectly fine. It felt good, actually. It's very hot today, you know."

Nervous laughter and murmurs of agreements were echoed from the crowd gathered.

"Come," Seto said, his voice cutting through the crowd. "Let's all head inside and cool down." Some of the older sailors, dressed in full uniform, looked like they were going to start swaying any moment. "Reika and I would like a moment to ourselves, if you don't mind, governor."

The governor - the one who had panicked over her getting splashed with water - nodded and bowed to them, heading off to talk to the gathered reporters as Reika and Seto - and their guards, because privacy was a rarity nowadays.

"Had you ever been to this beach before?" Seto asked.

"Yes. It was grandpa's favorite place to bring us to when Yugi and I were kids," she said simply. "I have a lot of fond memories here. The same way the people on the Kiso just wanted to make good memories with their loved ones."

Seto's face was stoic and hard to read. "We will… make an effort to visit more often. Perhaps it's time for a proper memorial for the Kiso disaster to be erected here." They both knew Gozaburo hadn't cared about the value of human life, and wouldn't bother to do it himself. With Gozaburo (reluctantly) giving Seto more power, she knew he had the opportunity to.give the victims of the sinking the memorial they deserved.

And her an excuse to visit one of her favorite places in the country.

"Thank you. I think that is a beautiful idea."

"I'll get started on it when we get home."

Home. The gilded cage known as the Shōkaku apartment on the palace's grounds. They had moved into it after they'd married, and despite no longer sharing a home with Gozaburo all day, it was still stifling, like he was waiting for them to hurry up and conceive.

The mere idea of that had a shudder running down her back despite the heat of the day.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, of course. Just looking forward to having something cold after being in this heat."

Seto nodded a little. "I agree. It's rather… oppressive out here. Come on, let's hurry to the restaurant."

"I've never been here before." It was adults only, so grandpa hadn't been able to bring her as a child. "How's the food?"

He gave her a small smirk. "I assure you, you'll enjoy it."

There was something odd about the look in his eye, and she very nearly rolled hers. Despite a mutual hatred for Gozabur, Seto could be more like him than he wanted to admit.

But when he was right, he was right. The food was delicious, and mingling with the governor, sailors, and survivors had been smooth sailing.

They got home late, and her feet were aching from being in heels all day. She kicked them off with a small sigh of relief before sliding her slippers on and taking the heels into her bedroom (no matter what Gozaburo believed, they did not share a bed… most nights) so she could change into something more comfortable.

She was halfway through braiding her hair, dressed in comfortable cotton pajamas, when there was a knock at the door.

"Reika. I have something for you."

She rolled her eyes into the mirror at Seto's voice. "What is it?" she called back.

"Just come out here. I have something for you."

Her teeth very nearly ground together as she finished her braid and opened the door. "What?"

Seto had changed too, into an expensive looking silk pajama set, his hair beginning to stick up at odd angles from the lack of product left in it, and he smelled (nicely, she would admit) of aftershave. "Follow me downstairs."

And she did so, because the sooner she got this over with, the better.

On the kitchen counter were two carry out bowls, filled with what she already knew was mango soft serve.

"Hashimoto's ice cream. How did you know?" she asked with a frown as she looked at him.

"I did my research. Sugoroku would get you some after you visited that beach, right?"

She nodded, mystified that he would research something that minuscule about her. "I - well, thank you," she said softly, taking a seat on one of the stools and opening the lid of one of the cups.

With only the crickets outside for noise, husband and wife sat at the kitchen counter, and ate their ice cream in a comfortable silence.

Their marriage wasn't perfect like they let the world believe, but sometimes, in quiet moments like these, Reika couldn't help but feel like the arrangement might have been worth it after all.

[mysteryandnonstopfun]

I'm not sad. I'm pissed. Yes, Neal just died, but I lost him years ago. All that time thinking that he didn't love me, only to find out that he did, and it was too late. I can't even tell him how angry that makes me, or how much it hurt when he left, or how terrified I was when he came back, because... 

[victusinveritas]

Some good things happening of late.

[danielle-on-the-flower-road]

The Greatest Story Ever Told ... ... Presented by The Best Live Action Ever Made!!! 🏴‍☠️❤️🏴‍☠️💚🏴‍☠️🤎🏴‍☠️💙🏴‍☠️🧡🏴‍☠️🖤 Happy One Piece Day, Nakamas!!! 🎉✨🏴‍☠️🌊⚔️👑🗺️🧭👒⛵️🐐

[movfie]

The future King of the Pirates 🏴‍☠️

(X)

[demifiendrsa]

ONE PIECE: Season 2 | Official Teaser Trailer | Netflix

Season 2 of Netflix’s One Piece live-action series will premiere in 2026.

Furthermore, the series has already been renewed for a season 3.

[mystical-flute]

ONE PIECE LIVE ACTION SEASON 3 CONFIRMED AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

[ed-recoverry]

Some 2025 news that doesn’t suck because news always sucks these days:

Some articles found by @reasonsforhope

$300 million in federal funding for Indigenous-led conservation in the Northwest Territories arrives

Portugal introduces paid menstrual leave for endometriosis and adenomyosis

Healthy, sustainable climate 'is a human right', rules UN court

Indigenous Amazonians win landmark ruling against mercury pollution in Colombia

Saint Lucia High Court Decriminalizes Same-Sex Conduct

Ciara Becomes Citizen Of Benin Under New Law For Slave Trade Descendants

Tennessee to become first state in South to protect access to IVF, birth control

All major Las Vegas Strip casinos are now unionized in historic labor victory

Ghana passes Affirmative Action Bill after decades of advocacy

‘Long Overdue’ Lead Ammunition Ban Announced in the UK to Save Thousands of Birds

Yellowstone aspen showing signs of recovery following 1995 reintroduction of wolves to park

Chess Lover Introduces Game to Malawi’s Prisons, Schools and Street Kids

Dutch Cities Are Building These Tiny Staircases to Help Cats Exit Their Canals

Arab women in maritime finalize strategy to advance gender equality

Endangered ‘Blue Dragon’ of the Caymans Roars Back from the Brink as Population Climbs Above 1,000

A Tiny Gecko Species Once Thought Extinct Just Made a Comeback in the Galápagos

Iran’s Asiatic Cheetah Population Rises to 20, Says Department of Environment + Video

Wattled Crane no longer Critically Endangered in South Africa

Gov. Jared Polis signs bill protecting gender-affirming care coverage in Colorado

Judge Upholds Birthright Citizenship in Landmark Ruling Backed by Letitia James

Wisconsin bear with plastic jar on their head has been freed, is safe

Spain offers 17 weeks of paid parental leave to new parents

Thailand ranks first globally for gender equality in women's education

[spiderpanic]

[heddagab]

ONCE UPON A TIME Swanfire in 2x16 "The Miller's Daughter"

I didn’t mean for Tamara to be a surprise

[mysteryandnonstopfun]

The best week of the year is back!

Get your favorite software and keywords ready for the best Incendiary ship in history! ｡゜( ▰˘◡˘▰ )゜｡

Let’s celebrate our favorite OTP together. The event will run from August 25 to August 31, but if you can’t participate on those exact days, don’t worry ◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜ our baby thieves will always wait for you.

Please use this week to celebrate SwanThief in any way you want. Whether it’s making gifs, graphics, mixes, fanvids, writing fic or meta, creating fanart, or more!

✦ Daily Prompts ✦

🦢🔥 Day 1: Favorite Emma’ outfit | Role Reversal (where Neal is the royal one) | "It reminded me of you."

🦢🔥 Day 2: Favorite Neal’s outfit | Neal is an actor, Emma is his bodyguard | "We’ll figure it out."

🦢🔥 Day 3: Favorite symbolism | Neverland AU | "It’s okay. I couldn’t sleep anyway."

🦢🔥 Day 4: Favorite interaction | Enchanted Forest AU | "Can I kiss you?"

🦢🔥 Day 5: A song you associate with them | Epic AU | "Don’t worry about me."

🦢🔥 Day 6: One scene | Emma as CEO of a big corporation, Neal as her secretary | "I’ll still be here when you’re ready."

🦢🔥 Day 7: Free Day | "I’ll walk you home.”

I tried to keep it fresh and kind of easy 〆(・∀・✿) but don’t feel limited by the intention of the prompts! If you’d like to do something different, go for it! 

✔ The tag for the week is #sfweek2025, so make sure to use it in your first five tags.

✦ Also feel free to tag me so I can reblog it!

Thank you for being part of this and don’t forget to have fun! ଘ(੭ ᐛ )━☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ

[mystical-flute]

Swanfire week, you say?

[reasonsforhope]

Atlanta embraces trend of 'cool roofs' to help beat urban heat

White or reflective roofs significantly reduce temperatures. Atlanta is the latest city to mandate their adoption.

"Walk outside into 100-degree heat wearing a black shirt, and you’ll feel a whole lot hotter than if you were wearing white. Now think about your roof: If it’s also dark, it’s soaking up more of the sun’s energy and radiating that heat indoors. If it were a lighter color, it’d be like your home was wearing a giant white shirt all the time.

This is the idea behind the “cool roof.”

Last month, Atlanta joined a growing number of American cities requiring that new roofs be more reflective. That significantly reduces temperatures not just in a building, but in the surrounding urban environment.

“I really wanted to be able to approach climate change in the city of Atlanta with a diversity of tactics,” said City Council member Liliana Bakhtiari, who authored the bill, “because it’s far easier to change a local climate than it is a global one.”

Because cities set their own building codes, they can regulate roofs regardless of the whims of the Trump administration, which is aggressively rolling back climate policies. Experts say cool roofs are a simple, relatively cheap, and effective way to save people from extreme heat.

“I like to say that reflective materials transform rooftops from problem to power,” said Daniel J. Metzger, a senior fellow at Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. “Cool roofs give homeowners the power to improve health outcomes and air quality while saving money on their own energy bills.”

Other cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York, have also passed cool-roof ordinances, but they often only cover flat roofs, like you’d see on a commercial building. Atlanta’s ordinance covers all roofs, though it only mandates that new ones be made cool — it’s not forcing anyone to rip theirs off if it’s not time to replace. So it’ll take some time for every roof in the city to change, but Atlanta is also rapidly growing with new construction.

“It’s going to be kind of a gradual, ongoing, but ideally a permanent response to rising temperatures,” said Brian Stone, director of the Urban Climate Lab at Georgia Tech. “This is pushing Atlanta into one of the more forward-looking cities.”

The Smart Surfaces Coalition — a nonprofit that works with cities to enact cool roof ordinances — estimates that Atlanta’s new building code will cool the city overall by 2.4 degrees Fahrenheit during peak summer temperatures, and by as much as 6.3 degrees in the city’s hottest neighborhoods. It further calculates that over a 35-year period, the ordinance will result in $310 million in energy savings, due to residents having to run their air conditioners less.

“It’s a super cost-effective way to make the city healthier, more competitive, cut energy bills, and protect jobs,” said Greg Kats, founder and CEO of the Smart Surfaces Coalition.

A cool roof is a passive technology that keeps working on its own. For the flat roof of a commercial building, a simple coat of white paint will do. Manufacturers also make special cool roof shingles that reflect more sunlight.

Whatever the strategy, cool roofs are no more expensive to install than traditional ones, and can even be cheaper. They also extend the life of a roof because there’s less wear and tear of the material expanding in the heat, then contracting when it cools down...

Like any other city, Atlanta is struggling with the urban heat island effect: As a summer day wears on, the built environment of asphalt, brick, and concrete absorbs more of the sun’s warmth. This raises temperatures perhaps 20 degrees Fahrenheit above the surrounding countryside, where there’s more vegetation releasing water vapor to cool the air. At night, that stored heat slowly releases from a city, keeping temperatures abnormally high into the morning.

The urban heat island effect gets especially bad in lower-income neighborhoods, where there’s typically less tree cover than in richer areas...

“When a house loses power, if its only intervention to stay cool is air conditioning, it’s very likely that people inside of that home are going to quickly overheat,” said Grace Wickerson, senior manager of climate and health at the Federation of American Scientists, a nonprofit think tank.

At the same time, American cities are complementing cool roofs with more trees — Cleveland, for example, has set a goal of getting all its residents within a 10-minute walk of a green space by 2045. Trees provide shade and also release cooling water vapor, like rural vegetation does. Parks and gardens also soak up rainwater, preventing flooding.

“There’s just a long litany of good reasons to plant as many trees as possible, and cool roofs don’t take away from that,” Metzger said. “They work together to overall cool the city.”"

-via GoodGoodGood, via Grist, July 17, 2025