A 2,500 year old ancient olive tree on the island of Evia was destroyed today in the ongoing wildfires consuming the region. The ancient tree was located in the olive grove of Rovia, and was such an enduring symbol of the landscape that the ancient geographer and philosopher Strabo featured it in his writings.
The tree was large, with a trunk so wide ten people could fit along its diameter. The tree was fertile with olives all the way until it fell victim to the wildfire.
The tragic loss of the Evian tree was posted to Twitter by Apostolis Panagiotou, and the evocative image quickly gained over a thousand likes, with many Greeks leaving responses mourning the impact of the fires.
I bumped this one up in the batting order pursuant to a request on FFN. Even though it took forever to actually pin down the reason why I enjoy this pairing and come up with an idea to highlight it (big thanks to Dark Gothic Lolita on FFN whose fics helped me realize what it was), I really enjoyed writing this and I may revisit it someday to make a multichapter fic out of it. But for now, please enjoy.
On FFN - link
On AO3 - link
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Armada Day 57:
Worthy Of Kindness
Rogue x Juvia
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It had been a mistake, leaving the hotel so late at night.
No matter how shaken up he had been at seeing the older dragon slayers he and Sting had once worshiped. No matter how much unease had settled into his gut after seeing Natsu and Gajeel one-up Sting in the Chariots game earlier in the day. No matter how much he wanted to be free of the stifling, bright confines of his guild's lodgings for the duration of the Grand Magic Games. No matter how Yukino's humiliating excommunication turned his stomach.
He should have just turned Frosch down when the Exceed had begged for late night ice cream.
It would have been better for both of them.
If he had, then drunken civilians - all celebrating the victories at the coliseum as if they had personally contributed anything to them - wouldn't have shoved past Rogue and Frosch. They wouldn't have accidentally knocked Frosch over, and into the canal.
Rogue had leapt in to save his friend. Frosch, for all they had once believed that they were a frog, wasn't able to swim like one. He had gone into the water to rescue the floundering Exceed without even thinking about it.
Because then he would have remembered… that he couldn't swim either.
Cold, dark water swarmed over his face, up his nostrils and into his mouth. Panic sent his limbs flailing, reaching out for any kind of purchase and - most desperately - for Frosch. The canal was deep, his legs unable to find the bottom. A plant growing up from the bottom snagged his foot, and he kicked out at it to free it. But the waterweed held fast, keeping his eyes above water but the rest of him below it. He coughed and spluttered, stuck just barely out of reach of the air, and even with his keen eyes he couldn't see Frosch. Couldn't see much of anything, the gentle glow of the moonlight and the lamp posts not reaching the shadow of the bridge across the canal.
Every time he tried to call out to Frosch, the more water he inhaled into his lungs, and the more he coughed the more he inhaled again. And every time he tried to reach for his shadows, they slipped from his grasp, torn away by his own panic and the movement of the water.
Then, suddenly, the pressure against his leg snapped. Water gathered under him and lifted him upward in a swell, sending him crashing against the canal's wall. It slowly drained away from him, leaving him stranded on the ledge. He tried to move, to look for Frosch. But his body rebelled as he began to vomit water.
Once he had expelled all the water he could, Rogue collapsed, his body having given out completely. "F-Fro-"
A cool hand touched his face. "Sshh," a woman's voice coaxed him. "Relax. Don't talk. Your Exceed friend is alright - Juvia's got them. They're okay, Juvia promises." The woman - Juvia? - gently pushed at his exhausted, prone form. "Try to turn over - though you got rid of everything you swallowed into your stomach, there's still some water left in your lungs. It will hurt, but Juvia will try to get it all out."
Hearing that Frosch was alright instantly calmed Rogue. He obeyed the woman and turned onto his stomach, though it was more of a flop than anything else. A strange sensation welled up inside of his lungs, and for another, terrifying moment, he couldn't breathe again.
She was drowning him.
Rogue struggled to rise, managing to get his forearms under him.
She saved him only to drown him herself-
Canal water violently forced its way out of his throat, pouring onto the ledge. Even after it was all gone, he heaved - thin strings of burning bile dribbling from his lips onto the stone. After a couple of minutes, his body finally ceased the motions, and he was able to gulp down the precious night air once again.
It was only then that he became aware of the hand rubbing his back soothingly. His vision was blurry, and his bangs hung wetly in front of his face, further obscuring his view, but he still tried to peer at the woman who'd saved his and Frosch's lives. "...Why?" he croaked.
His blurry savior huffed. "Juvia believes that the polite thing to say would be 'thank you,'" she informed him. "Juvia won't be able to catch up with Erza-san now and find out if she's meeting Gray-sama in secret or not, so Juvia thinks she's owed at least a thank-you."
A soft tap on his cheek, directed his gaze to a pink-clad paw, Frosch's eyes big and watery as the Exceed looked at Rogue. "R-rogue…" they said, their voice trembling. "A-are you... okay… Rogue?"
For the first time since going into the river, Rogue relaxed, relief at seeing his companion safe flooding his veins. "Yeah," he rasped, his throat unbelievably sore and his chest burning. The dragon slayer looked back at the woman kneeling beside the pair, her dark coat catching the moonlight and sparkling with drops of water. To his deep embarrassment, Rogue saw that both it and her leggings were stained with bile, too - splashed by his violent upheaval before.
Rogue pushed himself up and into a sitting position. Once he was upright, he then placed his hands on his knees and bowed as formally as he could to the woman. "Thank you," he told her, every word feeling like sandpaper in his throat. "Thank you for saving us."
"You are welcome," the woman said with a firm nod. "Though Juvia recommends seeing a doctor. Your lungs may fill up with water again on their own."
Rogue straightened up and gazed at her, his vision finally clearing. He recognized her, now. Her blue hair was distinctive. She was a member of Fairy Tail, on one of the two teams opposing Sabertooth in the games. The team with Gajeel on it, in fact.
"...Why?" he asked again.
The woman - no, Juvia - blinked a couple of times. "Juvia does not know why your lungs will fill up with water again. That would be a question for Wendy. But Juvia knows that they will, so-"
Shaking his head, Rogue clarified, "No. I meant, why would a member of Fairy Tail help those from Sabertooth, your opponents in these Games?"
Juvia stared at him uncomprehendingly. "...Why would that stop Juvia?" she asked plainly.
"Because no one from Sabertooth would have lifted a finger to help you."
Beside him, Frosch flinched, and cowered against his leg. "L-like… like Yukino…?" they said.
Rogue sighed softly, and placed a hand on Frosch's head. "Yeah. Like how no one helped Yukino."
'Not even us,' a voice whispered inside his head, too much like Rogue's own for comfort.
The woman who'd saved them considered his words for a moment. "Mmm… Juvia of Fairy Tail would help anyways," Juvia told them. "Although Juvia of Phantom Lord might not have, Juvia of Fairy Tail is a different person. A better person."
"I don't… understand. Phantom Lord…?" he pried, desperate for an answer.
Juvia nodded. "Juvia's former guild. It had a philosophy that the strong ruled, and the weak were… unneeded."
'Not that different from Sabertooth then,' Rogue thought to himself. That was somewhat surprising. This woman, who had jumped in to save him and Frosch - at a personal cost, it seemed - without a second thought, had once been someone like his guildmates.
"But Phantom Lord no longer exists," Juvia continued. "And Juvia… Juvia is working hard to be worthy of the kindness that Fairy Tail has shown to Juvia." Her blue eyes slipped from Rogue's dark red ones, and she looked down at her lap. Then she sighed, and stood up. "Juvia will wring the water from your clothes so you don't catch a cold," she told them. "But then you should see a doctor." She gave them a lopsided smile. "Juvia would be upset if you drowned in your sleep after Juvia went to the trouble of saving you."
Shakily standing, Rogue picked up Frosch. "We will," he promised.
The sensation of the water being pried out of his hair and his clothes was an incredibly strange one. But not unpleasant, exactly. The process didn't warm his clothes up at all, so they almost still felt wet to the touch. They could still get sick very easily if they didn't change soon.
Rogue then bowed again. "We won't forget this," he told her. "And someday we'll repay this debt."
Juvia jolted a little in surprise. "Um…" she floundered, at a loss for words. "Juvia doesn't need anything…?"
"Nevertheless." Rogue straightened up, his eyes boring into hers. "We appreciate… Juvia of Fairy Tail's kindness."
Red seeped into her cheeks, casting them in a bit of shadow. "J-juvia has someplace to be!" she squeaked. Giving them a short wave, she then proceeded to flee from the pair of Sabertooth mages as fast as she could.
"Doctor now?" Frosch inquired, looking up at Rogue.
Amused by what had just transpired, Rogue nodded. "Yes. After we go back to our rooms to change, then we'll see the doctor."
Happy with this, Frosch settled deeper into Rogue's arms. "Okay."
Rogue peered down the bright, moonlit street Juvia had disappeared down.
He had meant what he'd said. Someday, he would repay this kindness shown to him.
Maybe he would even take a page out of Fairy Tail's book, and pay it forward.
Later, he would have a talk with Sting about Yukino. A proper one, this time.
so here is my task schedule so far for Fanfics I want to work on during 2020:
-) Man of Shadows (Stingue) - currently in hiatus
-) modern time dragons (Stingue | Gajevy | NaLi | Chendy) - currently in hiatus
-) doragon no keikaku (NaLu | Gajevy | Jerza | Stingue | Miraxus | Gruvia) - currently in hiatus
-) Frost Bite (Roray | StingxFuture Rogue) - currently in hiatus
-) translation of Yami ni Kokoro (Stingue)
-) Comatose: breathe your life into me (Stingue) - currently in hiatus
-) never surrender (Stingue) - currently in hiatus
-) ain’t afraid to die (Stingue | Stingsu) - currently in hiatus
-) LOVE IS DEAD (Stingue) - currently in hiatus
-) Trinity Lotus (Yuuvi | Yulma | Almavi | Yulmavi) - currently in hiatus
-) Synchronize (Yuuvi | Allena) - currently in hiatus
-) Immortals (Yuuvi | Yulma | Yulmavi) - currently in hiatus
and here is the list of stories I’d like to write:
Cybernetic Dragon Wars - After a fight with his best friend Rogue decides to lock himself up and ends up being swallowed inside the computer system his father Skiadrum has developed (Stingue)
La Coeur de la mer - Rogue flees from a forced engagement from Ishgar and meets on a luxus liner Juvia, who is on her way to meet her betrohed. (Rovia | StinYu is hinted)
The Fairy Grayman - a collection of stories and drabbles w mixed pairings from Fairy Tail and D.Gray-Man (AllenxMinerva | LavixYukino, | AlmaxMeredy | Arystar KroryxLucy)
Grimoire Gris - Allen finds a mysterious book hidden in a little, dusty bookshop and the shopkeeper hands it to him as a present. Little does he know about the hidden power inside the pages and the three famous warriors he calls forth (onesided Yullen | Yuuvi | Yulmavi BROTP)
Unity of the Heart - a collection of stories and drabbles regarding Allen, Kanda, Alma and Lavi and their relationships to eacvh other (Yullen & Almavi | Yuuvi & AllenxAlma | Laven & Yulma | AllenxYuuxLLavixAlma)
A Bookman’s apprentice - Lavi is now a full-fletched Bookman and meets a five year old girl living in a secluded village in the midst of the japanese alps. Little does he now who she truly is to him as she is eager to accompany him on his journey as Bookman (Yuuvi)
Back in time - a story about the next generation within DGM where they travel back in time (Allena | Yuuvi | NoisexMiranda)
Trinity Lotus: Five Stars Nightmare - Kanda, Alma, Lavi and Tyki end up forming a band, where Allen Walker joins them as singer (Yulmavi BROTP | Almavi BROTP | Yuuvi | onesided Laven | Pokership | AllenxTykixAlma | Luckyship BROTP)
Twin Dragonification - title could change once I’ve decided. Sting and Rogue are invited to a renowned academy, where various magical beings are taught to learn how to wield theit full pontential. Besides, Sting learns a bit of Rogues past as well the fact, that their former master was against the idea to let the Twin Dragons seek out such a place of wisdom (Stingue | StingxWeiss | RoguexNero | StingxRoguexNeroxWeiss)
Okay… Gonna be long one, I see. Disclaimer: Please just send one ask at a time. I do these by order they are sent to me and I hate to make others wait when I have to work on more than one per post.
Rovia
Who Cooks: Juvia
Who does the laundry: Juvia
How Many Children do They have: None
Who’s More dominate: Rogue
Favorite Non-Sexual Activity: Things involving Frosche and watching him play candy land against himself.
Their Favorite Place To Be Together: Sabertooth hall
Their “Song”: Under My Skin by Frank Sinatra
What They Do For Each Other On Holidays: Oh both their anniversary is the 22 hour sex session and the extra 2 hours is for periodic Gatorade breaks
Where Did They Go For Their Honeymoon: Rogue actually visited Magnolia
Where Did They Meet First: GMG
Any Pets: I guess fro
What Do They Fight Over: Rogue loves Fro more than Juvia
Do They Go On Vacations, if So Where: Not really. They hoard their money like Smaug
Rokino
Who Cooks: Yukino
Who does the laundry: Rogue
How Many Children do They have: 3
Who’s More dominate: Rogue
Favorite Non-Sexual Activity: Visiting the Celestial realm
Their Favorite Place To Be Together: Sabertooth hall
Their “Song”: That’s what I like by Bruno Mars
What They Do For Each Other On Holidays: Well valentines day is when they both write the most thoughtful card they could for each other
Where Did They Go For Their Honeymoon: Sting paid for them to visit Stella
Where Did They Meet First: Sabertooth
Any Pets: Fro
What Do They Fight Over: Shadow Rogue
Do They Go On Vacations, if So Where: They don’t really like to Vacation
Stingue
Who Cooks: Rogue
Who does the laundry: Rogue
How Many Children do They have: 1
Who’s More dominate: Sting
Favorite Non-Sexual Activity: Training
Their Favorite Place To Be Together: Sabertooth guild
Their “Song”: I swear by All 4 One
What They Do For Each Other On Holidays: Sting has a band in their bedroom with Orga singing their song
Where Did They Go For Their Honeymoon: Alvarez
Where Did They Meet First: The past
Any Pets: Fro and Lector
What Do They Fight Over: Nothing much
Do They Go On Vacations, if So Where: They like to visit the mountain range near zonia
Hey, Desus / Darus shippers? Could we finally decide which shipping name to be THE ONE?
It confuses me because I never know how to call it and I don’t wanna always name both for the rest of my life.
I’m voting for Darus because we’re sharing the Desus Hashtag with some sort of Manga series or something like that (it’s not my genre so I’m not quite sure what it is) and it’s really irritating to scroll through all of this for 1 or 2 posts about Daryl and Jesus.
Am I the only one who’s bothered? #firstworldproblems
