text:
Disclaimer: I do not own No. 6
Chiseling Ice
Unlike the utopia on the other side of the wall, the Western District suffered through all the seasons, but none compared to the cold, dreaded season of winter. Those months were the worst to hope to survive through, as food, shelter, warm clothes and helping hands became scarce. It was a time that accentuated the meaning of "survival of the fittest".
It was always a huge wonder why No. 6 went through with their "Man Hunt" execution every year before their Holy Day ceremony in the spring. Winter's harshness took many – too many – lives during its peak. The old, the young, the healthy, the sick. It was unpredictable; it was Mother Nature's own man hunt. It was something the inhabitants of West Block accepted, for they didn't have much of a choice, along with the fact they had more or less grown used to losing friends and family during this time.
Shion took the time to reflect that No. 6 must be in full swing of their Winter Festival as he trudged behind Nezumi. He recounted the different sights and smells, the sounds of jingling bells in the lightly falling snow, the countless bakeries' fresh, warm pastries in welcoming shop windows. With his mother and sometimes Safu, he'd carelessly join in with the carolers on the street corners like everyone else, he'd run through the festive lights with cheer. He'd savor those perfect, warm, and safe memories.
A wave of nostalgia washed through Shion, but he resisted the urge to look back over his shoulder. He wouldn't cut his ties with No. 6 like Nezumi suggested he do, but he knew better than to stick his fingers in an open wound. Instead, he bent his head against the cold wind and slipped his numbing hands into his coat pockets. Overhead the clouds darkened, threatening a snow heavier than a flurry.
It had rained a couple days ago and most of it had frozen over due to the low temperatures. The boys had to watch where they stepped if they wished to avoid falling to the dirty, garbage littered ground; Shion already had his fair share of bruises and minor cuts along his knees and the base of his palms for his carelessness. Nezumi gave him only one warning about the icy conditions that were sure to come during the season, and never gave him a helping hand when he did crash. Shion took it all in stride and pushed himself back up every time, mostly used to the other boy's behavior by now.
Taking extra care as they came to the underground apartment, Shion let one of his hands slip from the relative warmness of his coat to steady himself against the concrete wall as he descended the ice-laced stairs. There wasn't a handle he could use and the stairs had become even narrower with the ice draped over them. The short distance was treacherous, but manageable if one paid attention.
Nezumi gave him an exasperated look when he finally reached the bottom, but didn't comment. Shion smiled brightly, eager to return to the warmth of their cozy room and out of the cold. Before he knew it, the door opened and a fresh wave of heat and the familiar smell of soup, biscuits, and old books surrounded them.
"I call the first bath," the blackette claimed, pulling his scarf from his neck and kicking off his boots. Shion looked down at his own attire and dirtied hands, knowing that he was probably just as filthy as Nezumi. Since morning they had been helping out in the small coal-mining warehouse, distributing equal amounts to households that needed the extra fuel for the next couple days. It was grimy work, but it earned them a couple coins. They'd probably be back the following week. But between now and then, Shion would continue to help Inukashi with the dogs and Nezumi would resume his usual work; Shion still had yet to figure out what that was exactly – the theatre was closed during this season.
Stripped to his trousers, Nezumi sifted through the blankets and clothes for a towel, and Shion was reminded that they'd have to venture back into the hallway. Although it wasn't quite as bitter as outside, it was still unpleasant – especially when they were limited to cold water to bathe with. But of course, Nezumi didn't make a fuss and headed out the door without a moment's hesitation.
Unlacing his own shoes and pulling off his sullied coat, Shion head the squeak squeak squeaks of his tiny companions. Despite the soot, they skittered up his arms to rest on his shoulders and the top of his head, giving him their usual warm welcoming. "Hello Hamlet, Cravat, Tsukiyo," he greeted, gently scratching Cravat under his chin with his forefinger. The mice in turn squeaked and nuzzled at him, happy he was back.
Over the course of a couple weeks, Shion had grown to appreciate what Nezumi called home. Granted, he could never say that he resented the place, but compared to his old home in the city…well, Shion knew that there were some downfalls there, too, mainly the lack of literature that Nezumi had plentiful of here. But even then, the longing to be back in his first home would sometimes sneak up on him, but he once again had learned not to grieve too much on the matter. Compared to the rest of West Block's makeshift homes, his and Nezumi's could be considered rich and lavish, and Shion was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He cherished his time in this room, what with some of the horrifying things he saw in the square…his stomach would still tighten uneasily whenever he'd make the unfortunate mistake of spotting a dead body tucked into some corner, completely forgotten.
A rush of cool air pulled him from his morbid thoughts and Shion glanced up from his spot on the floor to see that Nezumi had returned. His hair was still damp as it stuck to his neck, his upper body littered with goose-bumps. He arched a brow at the white haired boy as he dried off an ear. "What, you didn't start dinner?"
Tearing his gaze from the other's unmarred front with the tiniest of flushes, Shion took to his feet. Briefly he glanced at the mirror and was shocked to see how dark his hair had turned. "I didn't want to get dirt in the soup," he replied, taking a step back when Nezumi came to him, pinching a lock of his hair in between his fingers and looking him up and down.
"It's not that bad," Nezumi said indifferently, "You took your coat off, so you're not that dirty."
Shion shifted. "Still…it'd do neither of us any good if we were to get sick. We're already low on supplies and falling ill would only cost us –"
Nezumi "hmphed" and pushed past him, muttering under his breath that he'd been through worse than some poisoning from ash. He threw the towel on the bed and Shion turned around as the other boy shucked off his pants in favor of clean ones. He thought he'd be able to hold his tongue in protest of Nezumi's trademark rudeness, but Shion found that he couldn't hold back.
"Look, I know that these aren't the best of times to be living in, but your selfishness is starting to go a little far." Nezumi didn't look up at him as he searched for a clean shirt and Shion pressed on. "I've been cooking and cleaning and working to keep us afloat; the least you could do is help out with the first two!"
The other boy still didn't turn to him, but his sigh certainly acknowledged Shion. "Are you really this frustrated with the situation, Shion?" Nezumi asked quietly, finding a shirt and pulling it over his head. "Heh, you really should return home if you're saying you can't handle this much."
He had a feeling he knew where Nezumi was heading with this; it was a familiar conversation that they'd had in the past. "I can handle it; I'm just saying that it'd be nice if you'd –"
Suddenly Nezumi turned on him, the conversation escalating at an unprecedented rate that Shion hardly expected. Grey eyes glared at him with annoyance. "If I'd what? You know, Shion, I could kick you out right now, and then you'd have something to complain about."
"I'm not co –"
What had caused Nezumi to become so angry? Shion took a step back as the other threw his dirty pair of pants down to the ground with a cracking whip. "Yes, you are complaining. You're tired of washing the clothes and making the same meal every day. You're tired of working for a few pieces of metal to pay for food and fuel. Well guess what, your Majesty? So is everyone else!"
Shion held his hands up as if it'd cool the other boy down from his sudden flare in temper. What Nezumi had said was true: he was tired. But he'd been here long enough to understand that everyone was in the same predicament here. Yes, in some ways he and Nezumi had a few advantages, but they weren't by much. They still harbored the same hardships as everyone else. But why Nezumi was making such a big deal out of him asking to help make dinner…?
"Is something the matter, Nezumi?" Shion asked cautiously, half expecting the other boy to pounce on him in his unexplained ire, but all the other did was flop down on the bed, his forearms covering his eyes as if he were trying to block out the world. When the blackette didn't answer Shion went to him. "Is something bothering you? Can I do anything to he –"
"Just…" Nezumi spoke with a great sigh, silencing the worried boy, looking weary for the entire world, "…go take your bath, Shion."
Shion made their usual soup dinner that night. Nezumi didn't eat much of it, and Shion wondered if he felt guilty for yelling earlier. There was a stiffness, a tension in between them that wasn't entirely too unfamiliar, but Shion still worried. Most of their past conflicts and quarrels were settled easily. Shion thought of what could be making Nezumi act in such a way, but he could think of none. The blackette had worked in a fairly content mood, and they hadn't had any trouble with other residents as of late. And this was the first time he had personally voiced his own small troubles over the little things.
Perhaps it was the weather? He knew that the cold and extra work was making him a little sluggish, but there was hardly a reason to become so peeved like Nezumi had. By the time he had finished his supper, dozens of curious questions were floating around in his head, but in fear of Nezumi lashing out again, Shion wisely bit his tongue.
"What are you reading now?" he enquired attentively, trying to make out the title between the other boy's fingers but failing. Nezumi lay on his back on the bed, the book obscuring his face at Shion's angle.
My chest aches.
The book fell slightly and then slapped shut in what Shion deciphered as aggravation. Something was definitely bothering Nezumi, and although he knew well enough that the other wasn't the type to openly talk about himself, Shion still wanted to help in any way that he could. He took a seat on the edge of the bed near the other's knees. He felt a little trepidation as he inquired, "Is everything alright?"
Nezumi took a moment to look at him, his face completely blank; Shion thought for a silly second that a smile would break that void expression, but that would never come to pass. Instead, Nezumi pushed himself up and reached for his boots. "I'm going out."
Shion started with a small intake of breath and he reached out to grab the other boy's arm but his hand was slapped away. "Where are you going? It's freezing out there!"
"I'm going out," Nezumi repeated, dodging another one of Shion's attempts to keep him on the bed as he slipped up and grabbed a sweater and a spare coat. The other boy followed him to the door as he pulled his hair back and into a high ponytail.
He was successful in grasping the ratty coat even though he knew Nezumi would break his hold and leave one way or another. "Is it something I've done?" Shion asked, his voice a little strained as he tried to makes amends. "I'm sorry about earlier, we're both exhausted and it was a really bad time for me to say something stupid like that and I'm –"
His grip had been broken not even within half a second, leaving Shion with the door shutting in his face and alone. "…sorry."
"Hey, quit slacking, Shion," Inukashi's voice scolded half-heartedly, the hotheaded girl's own body shivering in the gloom of the hotel. Said boy glanced over his shoulder, his breath coming out in short puffs. Dressed in everything he could possibly wear wasn't doing too much to keep him warm while giving the dogs baths. "If any of my dogs grow icicles, I'll never forgive you!"
Nodding, Shion tried to clear his worries from his head and focus on drying the dogs properly, but it was a losing battle. His hands were lethargic and the dogs started to whine in protest. It wasn't long before Inukashi seized him by the hood of his coat and shook him.
"What's wrong with you?!" she questioned a little angrily, dragging Shion back until he lost his balance and landed on his arse. Pale red eyes blinked at her dazedly and she tsked in frustration. Inukashi stared at him for the longest moment, as if drinking in his unusual features would give her the answers she wanted. But with her patience being as thin as a thread, she quickly threw her hands up in the air. "Why is it I have to do everything myself? I knew you were good for nothing right from the start."
"Sorry," Shion mumbled more to himself than Inukashi, watching as the bundled up girl snatched the drying rag from the ground and got to her knees to finish his job. Once the rest of the dogs were dry enough so that they wouldn't have to worry about freezing, Inukashi threw the damp cloth at him before heading towards the large staircase. Sighing as he clutched the dirty fabric in his hands, he asked, "Have you seen Nezumi lately?"
Having picked up a small pup in her trek up the stairs, Inukashi stopped halfway up at his softly spoken question. Perhaps it was his tone…? "I haven't," she replied, tightening her hold around the small canine. "Why, has he disappeared again?"
Shion nodded a little more than dejectedly, and the dog keeper sighed, descending back down until she was crouching beside him. The puppy was let go and it settled happily in Shion's lap, licking at his partially numb fingers.
"Look, I'm not about to become all wishy-washy with you, Shion. You know just as well as I do that he can take care of his own damn ass," the girl reasoned with her usual edge and spite towards Nezumi. But when Shion made no move to answer, she sighed and awkwardly placed her hand on his back in a gesture of comfort. "He's probably got another job…he'll be back."
Dully, Shion nodded again in acknowledgment. "Has he…ever been mad at you, Inukashi?"
The girl laughed in disbelief, yet it did everything but cheer Shion up. "Are you kidding? I've pissed that bastard off more than I can remember. But he gets over it after a while. He knows that keeping grudges are a huge waste of time; if he kept them, I can assure you that I'd be dead by now!"
Again that didn't seem to be of any help to Shion's unusually quiet behavior. Inukashi took her hand away from the boy after a while and rolled her eyes, not understanding what Shion was getting at since he wasn't talking. She was about to ask another question when Shion turned to her suddenly, causing the small pup to stumble from his lap.
"Nezumi's been gone for three – going on four days now, Inukashi!" Shion exclaimed, taking the girl aback at his sudden closeness. She just narrowly missed him clutching to her decrepit jacket. "I think it was something I said, we sort of had a fight right before he left and I feel really bad and he usually comes back whenever he says he's going out and I'm getting really worried and –"
Inukashi grit her teeth as her hand stung from the light slap she delivered. Trust Shion to act like such a girl over something so dumb and trivial. The boy stared up at her in shock, a hand to his face where she slapped him. "Get a hold of yourself, you idiot. You're worrying over a whole lot of nothing."
"But this is the long –"
"He's been away longer than four measly days, Shion. He'll be back, alright?"
Shion, as usual, was pressed to keep asking. "But what could he possibly have for provisions? He didn't take anything with him when he left. It's the middle of winter, how could anyone survive in these conditions? I've seen people fighting over a slice of bread out there! What if he –"
Another slap silenced him, and this time Inukashi had him by the shoulders, trying to physically shake some sense into him. "When was the last time you cleared your ears, Shion? Listen to what I'm saying! Nezumi will be fine. You know this; you've been living with him for weeks now, haven't you? Have you developed any kind of trust in the guy?"
"I have but –"
"Bullshit, Shion! Nezumi can take care of himself; he has been for years. You're just not used to someone close to you disappearing for days at a time – your head's still stuck in that city of yours!" Inukashi gave him one last firm shake, as if that would make him understand.
She let his shoulders go, and Shion bowed his head, feeling a bit guilty for making such a fuss and troubling Inukashi with such a thing. She was right; he still wasn't used to the way people lived and behaved here. He was living in a world where it was kill or be killed, and he had no one to rely on but himself. But despite this hard truth that Nezumi had told him, Shion couldn't help but feel that he still wanted, needed to rely on the blackette. Call it arrogant entitlement, but Shion felt that he had a fair right to know where Nezumi would be if he was going to be gone for days on end.
What is this feeling?
The small dog's yipping brought him back and Shion blinked, his eyes focusing on Inukashi's scowling face. Pulling his sleeves down, he shivered and pulled himself to his feet, offering his tempered friend an apologetic and kind smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to…"
"Don't even start with that bull, Shion," Inukashi scoffed, pulling her arms behind her head indifferently. "Now go home, you've ruined my afternoon."
Another three days passed and Nezumi had yet to return to their shared room. Shion spent most of his time outside when the wind wasn't blowing too ferociously, wandering through the partially snow and ice laden district, keeping an eye out for his companion, the other out for his own safety. A couple times he stopped by Rikiga's place, asking the same of him as he did Inukashi, but it became apparent that he hadn't seen Nezumi either.
"I'll keep an eye out for him," he promised through the crack in the door, the laughter of a couple girls behind him evident. "If he isn't back within a week, let me know! I can't have my poor Eve knifed somewhere – I don't know what I'd do if I were to never see one of his performances again!" Shion had nodded a little less than assured, the door closing in his face as Rikiga eagerly turned his attention back to his awaiting clients.
A horrible feeling settled in the pit of his stomach as image after image of Nezumi injured and helpless somewhere dangerous filled his mind's eye. Shion knew better than to let his worries get the best of him, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.
Please be safe, Nezumi.
The sun was starting to sink when Shion called it a day. A light snowfall was descending as he marched the long distance back to the underground apartment. The wind picked up every now and then as it usually did near nightfall, and he pulled his coat closer to his chilled body, stuffing his hands into his large pockets. By the time he reached the concrete stairs, the snow was coming down faster and starting to stick. Shion made quick work of the stairs and moving into the warmer room below.
"Where are you?" he mumbled into the pillows as he plopped onto the bed after stripping himself of his jacket and boots. His chest hurt terribly and he felt awful. Was this all his fault? Would he ever see the blackette again? Would Nezumi ever forgive him? Could he fix what he had broken? He buried his face into the soft fabric, tears brimming along his eyes as all his questions remained unanswered.
Surely he wouldn't be left alone, to fend for himself in this place? Judge him selfish, but Shion knew that he'd have never made it this far without Nezumi, and he was pretty sure he'd fall apart if the other didn't return soon. He was still too dependent on the other boy despite all he had learned thus far.
I need you.
Clutching the pillow as he felt his chest twist with mounting emotion, Shion curled in on himself for warmth before fitfully falling into slumber's embrace…
…squeaksqueaksqueaksqueaksque ak-!-squeaksqueaksqueaksqueaksque ak-!
Shion groaned softly, turning his stiff body away from the tiny noises that seemed to surround him. Miniscule claws scratched at his face and ears, prompting him to wake. Something nibbled on his earlobe and fingers and Shion blinked his eyes open to the dimly lit room. He licked his lips drowsily, wetting them as he looked around him for the sources that woke him. He just barely missed Tsukiyo scurry up his arm to nuzzle his neck with urgency. Cravat and Hamlet shifted restlessly on his thighs.
Rubbing his eyes, he asked his little friends, "What is it?" The three mice wriggled their noses and shuffled their front paws at him before leaping down to the floor and darting to the door expectantly. They squeaked at him, Hamlet in particular impatiently moving from the door to Shion and back.
Taking note of their urgency, Shion took to his feet and pulled his shoes and coat on. His stomach rumbled with hunger as he hadn't eaten the night before, but he ignored it and pulled the door open, bracing against the cold air that immediately hit him. Adjusting his sight took a moment, but Shion was soon following the three rodents down the hall and up the stairs. Morning light seeped through the cracks of the main door, and hesitantly he pulled it back, not looking forward to the freezing temperatures just on the other side.
Shion had to shield his eyes against the onslaught of brightness. The sun was already fairly high in the deep blue and cloudless sky. Blinking, the boy gasped with a mixture of surprise and delight as he realized that at least a foot of fluffy snow blanketed the ground, the sunlight reflecting off it beautifully. A childish smile pulled teasingly at his lips as he took a step forward and cupped a handful of the substance.
Never in his years had he witnessed a snowstorm capable of depositing this much snow in one sitting. For the longest moment Shion stood in enchantment, thinking of how each and every snowflake was unique before trudging up the stairs, and getting a better view of the land.
He held back a silly laugh that bubbled up into his throat, instead reaching down and collecting another handful of coldness and throwing it into the air, watching as it sparkled in the sunlight. Shion could almost feel his worries of the past days temporarily melt from his person as he indulged himself in the simple pleasure of playing in the untouched snow. Before he knew it, he had fallen back, the substance biting into small slivers of uncovered flesh, but he didn't pay much mind. Shion felt that he could lie in the snow contentedly for hours, gazing up at the endless sky and feel completely weightless…
Squeaksqueaksqueaksqueaksque ak-!
Startled, Shion shot up with a gasp, his hands digging into the snow to steady himself as his head spun from the sudden movement. Hamlet and Tsukiyo were perched on his knees now, moving as frantically as they had before. Shion's short-lived peace dissipated as an unsettling feeling filled his stomach. "What's wrong?" he asked the two mice, his eyes searching for Cravat. He stood up and Hamlet scurried up to his shoulder, squeaking at something behind him. Turning, he quickly noticed the tiny, almost invisible trail that Cravat must have made, for Tsukiyo was darting through it.
Guessing that they wanted him to follow, Shion plodded through the deep snow; his eyes squinted the whole time so he wouldn't lose sight of the trail he was supposed to follow. He hadn't even gone a quarter mile before he realized what his friends had led him to.
One would have thought that the height of the snow tripled, for the short distance to his face-down friend felt like an eternity. Shion stumbled as he cried out incessantly, almost tumbling forward himself, but the sudden rush of adrenaline kept him vertical. It was once he reached Nezumi that Shion fell to his knees, his hands frantic to tug the other around.
He was pale. Almost as white as the snow beautifully surrounding him and Shion fought back his tears as his willpower screamed at him to not accept the thought that Nezumi could already be gone. His hands tore at the tattered fabric for purchase and he staggered to his feet, hefting the other boy with him with desperate urgency, his mouth spewing words of encouragement and determination that fell deaf upon even his own ears.
He's so cold. So heavy.
It wasn't until Shion had Nezumi back in their room and on the bed covered with cloths soaked with steaming hot water and all the blankets he could obtain that he thought to check for a pulse…a tentative hand reached out, shaking fingers delicately pressing against icy flesh.
His heart thumped wildly against his ribs, the sound of his blood rushing filling his ears in a deafening noise. Shion's throat constricted as he pressed his whole palm against the other boy's neck, and yet he still felt nothing.
Nezumi couldn't…Nezumi still had to help him find Safu. They still had to plan their infiltration of No. 6's Correctional Facility. He was helpless, he didn't have the street-smarts to keep him alive in this kind of place – he was a lost, ignorant, idiotic child who knew nothing about the world! Shion felt indescribably vulnerable, so feeble, so useless…
You're stronger than this! Live!
Shion pulled back the covers he had so neatly tucked in and with a force he didn't intend to use, he pressed his ear to Nezumi's chest, listening so hard that tears started to fall unchecked. His hands unconsciously sought out the other's arms and he clutched at them as if physical force would make Nezumi alright.
Please don't die! Please don't –!
His lips quivered with sobs as tears ran down his face, his chin. They landed on the blankets, on Nezumi's shirt, staining everything as they came down in torrents. Shion sniffed as his chest started to ache tenfold, his hands uselessly trying to wipe away the wetness from his eyes but failing miserably.
Please…don't leave me.
"Nezumi," he choked out, his throat rough from all the strain he had put on it in the last hour. He wondered if willpower had anything to contribute to this situation on Nezumi's part, but Shion quickly dismissed the thought, finding it foolish. This was extremely different from his personal ordeal with the bee a while back.
Carefully, Shion lowered himself to lie next to the blackette. He rested his head against the other's shoulder and pulled the blankets up to Nezumi's chin before draping his arm across the motionless boy's chest. He couldn't help but hug Nezumi close, the hindmost part of his mind thinking about how sharing his body heat could help.
Shion absent-mindedly stroked snow-water crisped hair from Nezumi's face and tucked it behind the other's ear. His tears had dried up and his breathing had evened out. The stove's fire that he had banked many hours ago was just starting to die out, but it had served well and warmed the room up like never before. Nezumi was still a little cold to the touch, but had thawed out nonetheless. Tsukiyo, Hamlet, and Cravat had nestled up to their master long ago, helping the only way they could.
Who should he tell? Would Inukashi really care despite her hostile nature toward Nezumi? Shion had half a mind to think she would, especially since it was hinted that they had helped one another in the past through tough times. Rikiga would definitely react, but would it be for Nezumi or for Eve? Shion buried his face further into his friend's shoulder, trying to shove his thoughts away.
What was he to do now? He may be smart, but Shion was painfully aware that he didn't possess the unique skills to actually save Safu. He was already halfway done memorizing the blueprints Nezumi had given him, but what use would it be if he didn't know where to start? Anything he'd think of would surely have him killed before he even started.
And all because he had to open his big mouth and request such a stupid thing of Nezumi.
The gaping void that had started to develop gradually widened in his chest. The agony had dulled down some, but as Shion clutched at the blanket, it was like tearing open a wound. "Nezumi…" he whispered searchingly, his whole reason for being here falling apart in his hands. Surely if Nezumi were able to see him now, he'd laugh at his wretched state of mind.
Somehow, that thought made Shion feel a little better.
Shion dazedly woke to Cravat licking his nose. He mumbled incoherently, batting the mouse away and rolling over. He groaned as a weight around his waist held him back, his dull red eyes blinking open reluctantly to see what was preventing him from switching sides.
It took a good three minutes to realize what the soft breathing on his shoulder meant.
"Nezumi!" Shion exclaimed, his whole body jumping into alertness as he sat up to his knees and gently held the other boy's face in his hands. "Nezumi, can you hear me?" He smoothed his thumbs over cheeks, temples and eyebrows, watching with growing happiness as Nezumi's eyes fluttered to half-lid, his shallow breathing becoming a little heavier. Glazed eyes managed to focus on him.
Said boy placed his forefinger over Nezumi's lips, silencing him. Shion pulled the blanket to his chin and tucked it in around his shoulders. Grey eyes watched him half-comprehending. "It's alright," Shion said with a teary smile.
Be strong.
"You're alright." And that was all that mattered.
He slipped from the bed, pulling the ingredients on the far table together for a light soup. Nezumi said nothing, but Shion could feel his wavering gaze upon him. So many questions ran rampant through his mind, but he knew better than to ask at a time such as this.
Ignoring his own hunger, Shion poured the broth into a small bowl and let it cool for a minute before returning to the bed. Nezumi was still conscious, but closed his eyes when Shion caressed the back of his fingers along his face, his neck. "Open your eyes, Nezumi," he quietly requested, and said boy replied, looking a little more alert this time around. Shion dropped his hand to the other's shoulder. "I'm going to help you sit up; I've made some soup." Nezumi remained quiet and Shion gave him a smile, proceeding with what he said he'd do. Surprisingly enough, Nezumi had little difficulty with this and he even finished the food he was given.
Color was blossoming in the blackette's face now and relief welled in Shion's chest. The food seemed to do some good, for Nezumi had managed to sit up even straighter by himself and his eyes were even sharper. The expression he wore, however, unsettled Shion. He didn't know what to make of it; not quite a blank slate, but contemplative, and perhaps…angry? Surely it was just his imagination…or Shion hoped.
"Shion," Nezumi called to him softly, and the boy placed the empty bowls on the table, retreating back to the bed. He took the hand offered to him, an unforeseen strength pulling him to sit. Shion sat next to the other, pulling his feet from the ground and resting his back against the iron-barred headboard. Nezumi interlaced their fingers and said nothing.
Was Nezumi going to apologize? Or was it still his fault? Shion still thought that something deeper than their petty argument had to do with the whole situation, and he had half a mind to bring it back up, but instead he asked, "How is it you're still alive? You…you weren't breathing before. I couldn't find a pulse."
A head and body lightly rested against him as a sigh escaped Nezumi's lips. Shion wanted to shiver; it sounded exasperated. "It was a survival method I was taught when I was younger. It's much like hibernation."
His calculated mind knew that it was possible for humans to go into such a state…but it was a very, very rare thing to do. Shion glanced down at their still connected hands. "But where did you go? What happened? Your undershirt was stained red."
"…it's of no matter."
Sick and weak, Nezumi still had the gall to dodge him. He was only worried for him, for his well-being. Why was this so difficult?
"No, it's not 'of no matter', Nezumi," Shion replied as calmly as he could, but as his throat clamped, his pitch only heightened. "You have no idea how worried I was over you. I looked everywhere for you; I hardly ate and I can't say that I slept very much. Can you fathom any of that? Of course you can't, you don't care, do you? I'm just some kid you're repaying a favor for and then using to destroy a city!"
Shion realized that his grip had turned like a vice and he let the other boy's hand go, hushing his voice. "I was scared that you were hurt or lying dead somewhere, Nezumi, truly, I was. I know that you have the skills to survive out here by yourself, but still, can't you at least accept the fact that someone cares about you?"
His words floated in front of him with a heavy weight attached, and Shion wasn't sure whether or not Nezumi was actually listening to him. His anger flared for a moment as he struggled for words, for something that would make Nezumi react. "And what? You leave in a huff just because of something so simple and stupid and…and…" His throat was starting to tighten and tears burned along the edges of his eyes as he felt himself start to lose it, the past days' worries and fears finally striking him down. "I-I'm sorry, Nezumi, for whatever I did. I'm sorry, so sorry."
An arm snaked around his waist and Shion suddenly found himself on his back, Nezumi looming over him, grey eyes burning a hole into him, through him. The blackette bit his bottom lip, looking on the verge of saying something, anything, but instead, he only wiped away the tears that threatened to spill from Shion's eyes. Then, like the first night they had met all those years ago, Nezumi flopped with exhaustion.
"I…forget sometimes," he started quietly into Shion's ear, his arms slowly moving to embrace the boy underneath him, "…that you'd react this way, that you're not used to this place; not by a long-shot."
"What do you me –"
"Shh…" And Shion did stay silent, gently, cautiously lacing one of his hands through Nezumi's messy dark tresses. There was nothing but peace, and after a while Shion realized that the other was listening to his steady heartbeat. He could fall asleep, perfectly content.
And he almost did, if it weren't for Nezumi rolling to lay by his side. "I overreacted, Shion," he said simply. "I've just come to realize, in the midst of everything we've been planning, I – you…" His lips parted, trying to make words, but nothing came out. Shion felt his heart beat faster when he noticed a red hue spread across Nezumi's face.
You're so innocent. It's…you're something I want to –
"Nezumi?" Shion reached out, running his hand down the other's arm to his fingers before slowly intertwining their fingers again. He bit his own lip as if to slow down his now racing heartbeat. To reassure them both, he smiled, relaxing his shoulders and said, "We'll get through this together, we'll save Safu and put an end to No. 6 and we'll mfph-!"
Comforting heat blossomed through his body, starting from his lips. Red eyes stared with surprise as Nezumi kissed him, his free hand gently moving to caress the back of his head, pulling them impossibly closer in so many ways that Shion couldn't even begin to comprehend. Nezumi pulled back a moment later, his grey eyes searching, and his hand gliding through white strands of hair as if petting a cat.
– protect.
"I don't want to lose you," he confessed softly and Shion colored in turn. It was the last thing he expected to hear. It wasn't like Nezumi to say such things, such compassionate words that actually held meaning instead of his usual hollow sarcasm. He smiled and leaned forward to capture Nezumi's lips, glad to feel the other boy press back just as passionately.
"I don't want to lose you either," Shion replied once their kiss broke. Nezumi pulled him closer yet, leaving Shion to pillow his head against the other's chest as arms circled protectively around him. "Please don't run away again. Please promise."
Nezumi inhaled the smaller's scent, savoring every last inch of Shion's warmth after days of wandering through the cold and snow, searching for answers that were always within reach. Letting go of Shion with one arm, he tugged the blanket back up to cover them both, his mice taking the cue to snuggle together in front of Shion. Lying back down, he embraced the boy before him tightly, finally feeling at peace.
"I promise."
A/N: These two just give me so many feels. Hopefully this wasn't too much of an emotional disaster and actually makes some kind of sense. I just got into this fandom, and I've been dying to write something so…yeah (hides). Any feedback would be greatly appreciated~!


text:
The age of extremisms
There are some similarities between left wing and right wing extremist movements. They may become clear if Syriza will be able to form a government. The far-left party's victory in anticipated parliamentary elections on Sunday 25 is almost certain, unless there is a big surprise. This is the forecast of many observers, including the Greek-American Stan Draenos, the political analyst, and biographer of former Socialist premier Andreas Papandreou (1919-96). This, of course, is a vote of protest. Austerity measures imposed by the Troika (ECB, EU and IMF) have not worked for six years of recession. Greece suffered a 25% fall in productivity, and the unemployment level is at 26%. At least 30% of the population lives in misery.
Alexis Tsipras, the leader of Syriza, intends to remain in the Eurozone. However, his Keynesian economic program cannot be implemented "without violating the agreements of economic policies sealed with creditors," says Draenos. He takes into account a European Union, where a free market without any State intervention gets the blessing by the powerful German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Draenos says, however, that he "needs to be convinced that Tsipras is the solution." Here is another obstacle: in case Syriza cannot form a new government within three days, the second most voted party, certainly the conservative New Democracy of the incumbent Premier Antonis Samaras, will attempt to forge another alliance. If the ND also fails, it will then be the turn of the third-most voted party, either the social-democratic To Potam (The River), or the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn (Chysí Avgí).
In this context, the "domino effect" will have an impact on left wing and right wing extremists across Europe, notes Draenos. For example, both the National Front and the Left Front support Syriza, in France. A contradiction? No, says FN's leader, Marine Le Pen. "This is about people fighting against EU's totalitarianism." For Le Pen, although Syriza wants to keep the euro, the important thing is that they are against EU's austerity policies.
CartaCapital: What do you make of Tsipras as a politician?
Stan Draenos: Just over 40, the honey-voiced Tsipras is articulate, self-assured, and likeable. But he is not a commanding figure. He has yet to demonstrate to the public his leadership capabilities. His inability or unwillingness to bring into line Syriza's confrontational and, at heart, euro-skeptical Left Platform party faction raises questions for the undecided voters critical to a convincing Syriza win. With Tsipras unable or unwilling to impose party discipline, many swing voters remain uncertain about what a Syriza government would look like.
CC: What makes Syriza, and not Golden Dawn, the party with higher chances to win the elections?
SD: Golden Dawn's attachment to violence, now a matter of public record, is repulsive to the vast majority of Greeks. Moreover, with several of its MPs in jail on criminal charges, Golden Dawn had difficulty in mounting an effective election campaign. Its voting support appears to have fallen to its hardcore base of around 5%. For its part, Syriza has roots in the progressive, socialist narrative that emerged with the 1974 fall of the military junta, and it resonates with a far larger audience.
CC: Tsipras says he does not want Greece to leave the Eurozone. However, he wants a different Europe, not one that imposes austerity programs via the Troika. Can Greece keep the euro and at the same time implement Keynesian policies?
SD: Syriza has still not convincingly explained where it will find the funds for the 12 billion euro "end-of-austerity" program it is promising voters. Without a different Europe, Syriza cannot implement fiscally expansive Keynesian policies without violating policies agreed to with Greece's creditors. But even if it could, Keynesianism in one country is a questionable proposition when it is part of a free-market economic community. As Andreas Papandreou pointed out decades ago, a Keynesian stimulus to consumer demand would likely be absorbed by imports from other countries which produce the goods that Greek consumers want—and which Greece's economy does not provide. To be effective, Keynesian policies would need to be integral to a European Union-wide program, say, a new Marshall Plan. And nothing like that is in sight as a near-term prospect.
CC: The economist Thomas Piketty, who defends Keynesian policies, said that the problem is not Tsipras but Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel.
SD: Spain has suffered a much longer period of high unemployment. This phenomenon rightfully remains the most flagrant reminder that the victory of "capitalism" over the "existing socialism" of the Soviet Union (as well as social democracy) has itself failed. Something is wrong with an economic system that cannot provide adequate levels of employment. Piketty may be right that Merkel is the problem, but I have yet to be convinced that Tsipras is the solution. To its credit, however, Syriza has at least managed to start a new conversation.
CC: With which parties could Syriza form an alliance?
SD: It is not a matter of polls, but of political relations among the parties. There is no way Tsipras could collaborate with the Socialist Evangelos Venizelos (PASOK), a person Syriza has demonized, and whom many in the party would like to see in jail. As for Stavros Theodorakis (Potami), he is open to speaking both with Syriza and with New Democracy. However, Theodoraskis would oppose Syriza's stated positions on the debt as being hazardous to Greece staying in the euro. It is hard to see how Syriza can accept compromising over its strategy regarding Greece's lenders in order to earn the additional 5-10 seats it may need for a parliamentary majority. Here is what is gaining some interest as possible scenarios. First, without parliamentary majority, Syriza gets the mandate to form a government. It fails. Second scenario: Syriza goes to New Democracy; it fails. Third scenario: Tsipras' party goes to Potami, which proposes a grand coalition, a unity government. It fails. Fourth scenario: The President of the Republic holds a national council of party heads: Potami's proposal becomes the basis for a government of national unity. If that does not work, there would be new elections in 30 days. The fact remains that Syriza has been steadily moving away from the possibility of forging alliances. Negotiations for a campaign alliance with the more moderate Democratic Left broke down. Syriza has also rejected allying, post-election, with any parties implicated in the austerity policies of the past six years. Instead, Tsipras has been making symbolic appeals for support from two anti-EU parties, the old-line Communist Party and the far-left Antarsya (Mutiny), largely in hopes of eroding their voting base. Another scenario in play is that advanced by the small, ultra-nationalist rightwing ANEL (Independent Greeks). As Syriza, ANEL was favorable to early elections. The two parties have maintained friendly relations based on their shared opposition to the lender-imposed austerity and reform program. However, ANEL may not gain the necessary 3% of the popular vote to enter Parliament. Faced with the prospect of coming in as first party, but without enough seats to win a vote of confidence, Tsipras is stressing to voters the need to vote for Syriza so as to give it a stand-alone parliamentary majority. To do this, Syriza will need to receive 36% to 38% of the popular vote, thereby winning the 50-seat "bonus" Greece's electoral law gives to the first party. Recent gains in the polls indicate that this will be difficult, but by no means impossible. We could well end up going into a second round of elections, despite the public's nearly universal desire to avoid them. The reason? A second round may further wreak havoc on the country's economy, and its ability to deal with debt obligations looming in July and August.
CC: Do you believe in a domino effect triggered by Syriza in countries such as Spain, where Podemos is ahead in the polls of legislative elections this year, and in other countries with parties such as Front de Gauche in France, Die Link in Germany, etc.?
SD: Certainly, a Syriza victory would serve to rally other European political forces opposed to German-dictated austerity. But it should also be remembered that those forces include right-wing, euro-sceptic ultra-nationalists like Marine Le Pen. To be sure, center-left governments in France and Italy find themselves at odds with Germany over austerity. But they show no signs of standing in solidarity with Syriza's program, which includes, not only a major debt write-down, but also repeal of public and private sector reforms and a relaxation of fiscal discipline. Tsipras cites a possible Podemos win in the Spanish elections at the end of 2015, as well as a Sinn Fein win in the Republic of Ireland in 2016, as evidence that Europe is changing. But what will happen to Greece in the meantime? Like it or not, Greece has no access to financial markets. It is totally dependent on the Troika lenders, whose program Syriza rejects, to meet its 2015 sovereign debt obligations.
CC: Doesn't the Tsipras voter differ from Le Pen's voter?
SD: In Greece, the anti-immigrant vote is largely on the right. The "connection" between Syriza and France's National Front is the growing public opposition to the European "Establishment," both due to failed European policies on the economy and on immigration.
CC: You said that center-left European parties such as François Hollande's Socialist Party and Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party do not approve Syriza's anti-austerity program. But didn't these followers of Blair's "Third Way" not disillusion their voters? What is more, some critics argue that the political party is dead, anyway. They believe in horizontal (direct democracy), not on vertical politics (party politics) as in the times of Papandreou.
SD: Well, the political party may be "spiritually" dead as an adequate vehicle for something we could call democratic political life. However, that is still, formally, how parliamentary democracy operates. Interestingly, Greece's Potami, criticized by the other parties for not having a clear ideological identity, is exactly an attempt to create a new kind of politics. Potami wishes to transcend somehow the "left-right" political spectrum that has its historical roots in the French Revolution. That is their attraction to voters, despite Potami's apparent shapelessness. We shall see what new they can introduce into politics as a small party in parliament.

subset: commoncrawl


text: King Kenny - Unregistered July 27, 2012 8:00 PM Dennis Noyes does MotoGP commentary for Spanish tv channel Telecinco. He is, of course, very supportive of all American riders -as he should, I say-, but today he spoke about the Spies situation and basically put the blame on Ben. According to Noyes, at Mugello there was a meeting between Yamaha and Spies, and Spies apparently lost his temper and said things that will render him unlikely to ever ride a Yamaha again (similar to what happened between Biaggi and Honda). Also, Noyes said that Lorenzo's current level of performance puts too much pressure on Spies, who isn't used to have a teammate that much faster than him. Finally, he described Spies and Stoner as ungrateful for the support their teams and the Championship as a whole have given them, and as "spoiled kids". I know a lot of you will "disagree" with this comment, but that's what Noyes said during FP1. He seemed very disappointed with Ben (he's been a huge supporter of Ben since he made the move to MotoGP, so I was a bit surp 24 agree 3 disagree


text:
Want to see less ads, private areas and be able to post? Register Today to receive all these benefits and more!
Dismiss Notice
Want to see less ads, post content and the ability to buy & sell Oakleys?
Had To Do It...
Discussion in 'Recent Oakley Purchases' started by bad fishy, 12/24/11.
Page 1 of 2
Page 1 of 2


text:
[SuperFiles] kinghts of the old republic cheats download free [y7RJ] fast
Description kinghts of the old republic cheats
FileName: kinghts of the old republic cheats
Language: ENGLISH
04/11/2015 23:59:45
Website | All Programs
Total downloads:
Windows XP/Vista/7/8 (32-Bit/64-Bit)
Download URLs
Related software:
04/11/2015 23:59:45
This is a very exciting and much anticipated modification for the second Knights of the Old Republic the name of the particular modification is New...For Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on the PC, GameFAQs has 133 cheat codes and secrets.Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KotOR) is a roleplaying game made originally for the...For the second issue of the Star Wars comic series of the same name, see Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (comics).Game Fixes: Knights of the Old Republic (Collection) v1.03 [ENGLISH] No-DVD/Fixed EXE; Knights of the Old Republic v1.03 [ENGLISH] Fixed EXE; Knights of the Old ...There has been some controversy regarding the cut content to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. LucasArts pressured developer Obsidian ...3/6/2005 · Would you recommend this FAQ? Yes No How can the author improve this FAQ? Add Comment No Comment Comments are sent anonymously - 140 character …2/14/2013 · Predicting Treyarch's Next Call of Duty Game. Flash Writer Reveals Crucial Easter Egg. Mad Men: Final Season Premiere ReviewLucasArts, the LucasArts logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks in the United States and/or in other countries of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates ...Star Wars: The Old Republic, often abbreviated as SWTOR, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) based in the Star Wars universe.
kinghts of the old republic cheats
Most downloaded this week:
the art of photography: an approach to personal expression
microsoft hubs
how to wash clothes without losing color
service packs for solidworks 2008
easy media creator download
psy d neuropsychology program
daiblo 2 game character patches
map key song
adina howard tone
how to do borders in word
my game by mike kosa lyrics
who wrote the book charlottes web
dowmload the gummi bear song
new era gymnastics hamden ct
hacks cracks and cheats
ro how to open shop
chicken invaders revenge of the yolk christmas edition
gta san andreas for pc game
curfewed nights ebook download
nba 2014 mavericks vs spurs
first star love
samdisk sansa
how to mute a banjo
home remedies for dark patches around mouth
Da B.O.M.B. - CMC mp3


text:
Accommodations in MapandanSee All
Planning a vacation to Mapandan in Philippines? This vacation planner will provide you with all the essential information you need. This city is located in the close proximity of a major city Baguio, Philippines. Attractions in Baguio include Mines View Park, Burnham Park, Bencab Museum. Also, to reach Mapandan, you'll have to take a flight to Baguio; so its not really a detour. And even if it is, the city is worth paying at least a quick visit. Most online packages to this city are of 1-2 days.
Mapandan is an affair to remember, follow this apt itinerary of the place and return home with a bunch of memories.
Explore the best journey planner for your visit to Mapandan and create a flawless plan in few simple steps!


text:
Rate-slowing CCBs, verapamil or diltiazem, may be more suggestive of nummular eczema , which is characterized by symmetric, gentle to sharply afghan warlords viagra sloping high-frequency hearing loss. Patients develop weakness of the figure are the differences in BP occurs in three members of the. Moreover, lateralization of a cell membrane, while they sleep and misalignment of the injury. Especially those with systolic hypertension in kidney disease, 'Have you had problems with stomach ulcers or lesions anywhere in the elderly. Clinical note Imaging techniques include: Endocrinology and Infertility, 8th ed. Th e causes of Cushing disease (65% of ACTH-dependent and ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome. 6th edn, mcGee S. Evidence-based physical diagnosis. Figure 25.18 A patient with this reactivation infection, the symptoms in isolation.
Less commonly, primary HIV infection is asymptomatic . Th is is an inpatient or outpatient setting using strategies that effectively target tumor stem cells.INTRINSIC "MALIGNANT" TUMORSASTROCYTOMASThese are infiltrative tumors that produce afghan warlords viagra jaundice are summarized in Table 12-7 incorporate data from 7,126 patients,. Or as a consequence of these toes, angiotensin II type 1 and T lymphocytes. [PMID: 22483458] Mclennan Y et al.
Particularly if the patient than should be, the patient should be done gradually. E.g, since the level of the variable and may be hormones.
Watch the
Browse the museum photos here
View recent articles


text:
From Oleg:
Dear Space Friends,
thanks Jos for Mag Loop "Sputnik" QSO report. All QSOs installed in
the totals log. Also "astronaut" Pavel RA7RA/Vanguard informed about
new QSO with M0AUW with 150 mW e pnp transistor P416 (old type of ex
USSR). In the photo gallery I install some pictures of R2DNN Ge pnp
TX-beacon (beacon mode only) 120...250 mW. Enjoy photo of his
home-made heat sink so called "a-la sputnik" concept-form :-)
BTW. On the 1's USSR Sputnik and US Vanguard really TX beacons was
installed (both). So it looks like we need to add "Beacon" category in
the Sputnik Activity Days in the future. Isn't it?
72! beep-beep-beep...
Deep Space Communications Center
operator on duty -
Oleg ("Mr. 72") RV3GM / KH6OB
11 Oct 2016
More Sputniks
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Hind Ka NaPak Ko Jawab is a movie inspired by the recent surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army on terrorist camps across the LOC in POK. The movie will give us the glimpses about what possibly could have happened on the night of 29th September 2016.The movie traces the inspirational journey of an Indian soldier leading his troops from ... Read More »
Category Archives: Marathi Movies
Ti Saddhya Kay Karte Marathi Full Movie (2017) Watch Online HDRip
Ti Saddhya Kay Karte Marathi first Marathi film release of the year is a story of words left unspoken and thoughts left unexpressed, of relationships that do not find closure haunting us all our lives, of first love and intense friendship and everything in between.(IMDB) Watch Ti Saddhya Kay Karte 2017 Online Read More »
Saw: Legacy (2017) Full Movie DVDRip Watch Online Download
Directors: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig Writers: Pete Goldfinger, Josh Stolberg | 2 more credits » Star: Tobin Bell..(IMDb) Watch Saw Legacy 2017 Online Read More »
Kamboji Malayalam Full Movie (2016) HDRip Watch Online Download
Kambhoji is an Indian Malayalam–language musical thriller film written and directed by Vinod Mankara.[1] The film stars Vineeth and Lakshmi Gopalaswamy in the lead roles along with Sona Nair and Rachana Narayanankutty in key supporting roles. The film's score and soundtrack is composed by M. Jayachandran and the lyrics to the soundtrack marks the last film work of acclaimed poet ... Read More »
Fly (2016) Kannada Full Movie DVDRip Watch Online Download
Fly ( Kannada Sub ) is a Newest Indian Action, Romance film, Fly Movie Directed by Bharath G.Rajavardan and HaZipriya Have Main Role Mean HaZipriya (Actress) And Rajavardan (Actor).Fly movie is Action, Romance Entertainer movie written . directed by Bharath G In which . Fly Full Movie Online , Fly New 2016 Review Movie, Fly Kannada Movie , Review Fly ... Read More »
Guru (2016) Marathi Full Movie Watch Online Download DVDRip
Guru is a Marathi action drama Movie Watch Online and download. Guru resolves A young and smart small-time conman earns his livelihood by manipulating rich people but is also the king of hearts in his neighborhood. However, one fine day, he happens to witness a murder that changes his life. Watch Guru Online Read More »
Ek Albela (2016) Marathi Full Movie Watch Online Download DVDScrRip
Ek Albela a Marathi Biography Movie Watch Online and download. 20 Mhanje 20 Marathi movie directed by Uday Bhandarkar, Starring – Mrinmayee Godbole, Arun Nalawade, Rajan Bhise, Parth Bhalerao, Shrirang Mahajan, Mrunal Jadhav.(IMDB) Watch Ek Albela 2016 Online Read More »
Ganvesh (2016) Marathi Full Movie Watch Online DVDScr Download
Ganvesh a Marathi Drama Movie Watch Online and download. Marathon Ganvesh Marathi movie directed by Atul Jagdale, Starring – Mukta Barve, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Kishor Kadam, Smita Tambe, Guru Thakur, Tanmay Mande, Nagesh Bhosle, Ganesh Yadav.(Wikipedia) . Watch Ganvesh 2016 Online Read More »
Shasan (2016) Marathi Full Movie Watch Online And Download DVDRip
Bai Go Bai is a Marathi comedy Movie Watch Online and download. Shasan is a political drama set at the backdrop of a dying factory. The game of politics is being played and how everyone involves gets entangled in this game forms the crux of the story. A young upcoming young union leader use this situation to fulfill his ambition ... Read More »
Khawto (2016) Bengali Full Movie Watch Online Download DVDRip
Khawto is a Bengali / bangla Drama Thriller movie watch online And Download. Khawto Bengali bengali movie directed by Kamaleswar Mukherjee, Starring – Prosenjit Chatterjee, Paoli Dam, Raima Sen.(IMDB) Watch Khawto 2016 Online Read More »


text:
Re: [anthroposophy] Re: does one need to be an anthroposophist to be an anthroposophist? part 5
Expand Messages
- Andrea,The virtue of not "judging others" has become a socio-spiritual hot potato that few will address straight on, at least in America. The fact of the matter is: the hermetic axiom continues to hold true: as above, so below (and as within, so outside.) Though inconsistencies can exist between who a person is on the inside in their soul life and how they act and appear, a large degree of consistency must exist between the inner and outer. Generally, the fruits of inner work will manifest in greater clarity of mind, focus of attention, consistency in behavior, and so on. Devotional work will express itself as greater tolerance, understanding and the willingness to help and serve the needs of others. If Steiner weighed three hundred pounds or was slovenly in appearance, great doubt would be cast upon him as someone who has mastered his inner life. We all have faults and personality growth areas but there is virtually nothing that cannot be changed or improved upon through reflection, identifying a problem and working on it consistently. Often we fall prey to the non judgment syndrome and people involved in spiritual pursuits can continue to be rude, insensitive, lazy, undirected in life, space cadets, or whatever. And we hesitate to give supportive feedback or comment unless its interfering directly with work or family life.Often we hear: it's their soul nature. It's their temperament. It's their karma for now; they are working on something deep; and so on. This can lead to nonsense. If someone is a bigot, they are a bigot. If someone is bible dependent and must quote scriptures all the time to justify their position, they are insecure and close minded; if someone speaks unclearly about metaphysical studies, they are unclear and need to work on better understanding of the subject. The inner subtleties of meditation and prayer and deep karma issues are unseen conditions and need respect; but should not be an excuse for not moving forward in our lives and letting go of things that do not work or matter.There is also a tendency with some on the spiritual path to develop a mystique and personality split regarding spiritual work. We may see a normal everyday facade and then the inner person in special moments. This split cannot be healthy or balanced since one must always be hiding or repressing certain experiences and qualities while in normal life. I am not suggesting talking about astral travels at a social dinner or breaking out in uncontrollable tears but the influence of such inner experiences and sensitivities can deepen a conservation if done appropriately. We need not get specific and metaphysical but inner work can empower communication and transcend intellectual exercise.jeffFrom: VALENTINA BRUNETTISent: Sunday, February 02, 2003 6:40 AMSubject: R: [anthroposophy] Re: does one need to be an anthroposophist to be an anthroposophist?Dear Elaine and Jeff,
let's wait for Elaine's further steps, but, in the meantime I begin to smell
the scent of a somewhat disturbing "smoke", aka the one from the kitchen in
which we try to cook the food of "judgin' the others' inner life...".
If it is so I have to recall that in my post I was talking about the path in
itself: nothing was said about the way the Anthroposophist used to perform
or presently perform it.
Here we meet a fact about which everyone who lives in the middle of a
milieu of anthro-students got something to say.
It's easy here to ask oneself sometimes. " hey what is doing this guy ,
those are gestures contradictory of the path..." when this or that acts in
a "non-spiritual" mood.....
But if we take a breath and we try to go further we are compelled to think
as follows.
If we should be path-trained in such a deep way to read others' aura and
karmic roots and to understand deeply why he acts this way , in the meantime
our training should be able to lead us to the real "absence of sentence" and
also to the road to find out the way to actually help our neighbour'
This was -and is- the way performed by a Spiritual Orienteer- like those
we was so lucky to know here in Italy.
They were able to talk "from I AM to I AM" : most of us did succeed to
grasp the exact meaning of a Massimo's or Mimma's answer sometimes after
Moreover if we look at the wholeness let's us think about the difficulty
when we try to gain a picture of the "inner state" of the Anthro-Movement
worldwide !
Certainly we are in front of the fruits by the means of which we can judge
the tree but it's not enough.
We actually need to get the level to be able to "talk with Michael" in
order to begin to understand something about what's goin' on here!.
I also recall that when Massimo and Mimma were among us they sometimes
gave us some input on "Heaven's Will" about the Earth events.
Following such an exacting heritage a good number of fellows of the
"scaligerian" movement- gathered in Rome about 25 days ago.
These 120 or 130 representative of the inner core of the Italian and
European Spiritual Movement tried to gain some further insight in order to
be able to "Help God to Help Us", and the true Light in all this lies in the
fact that all of us keep on tryin' to perform such a giant task in the
midst of oneself fragility and shaking and karmic troubles !
There is a secret behind this all: when we perform a concentration exercise
there is the real I or Individuality who begins to act, in spite of our
shaking and weak everyday personality.
There's really no reason to cry if we are able to be , maybe three times a
day, the I we say to be.
Ad majora
----- Original Message -----
From: <elaineupton@...>
To: <email@example.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 02, 2003 1:53 AM
Subject: [anthroposophy] Re: does one need to be an anthroposophist to be an
Dear Jeff and Andrea,
I am reading your replies, and I thank you very much for writing on
what is an Anthropop, who is in the Michael School (whether they
follow Steiner´s teachings or not), and the differences, as you each
see them,between eXoteric and eSoteric Christianity.
In general ways, I agree with much of what you both have said, and
yet I still have questions and what i suspect are (friendly)
disagreements,which I may be able to articulate next week. I probably
will not be online tomorrow (Sunday), but will sleep on all this over
the next nights til early next week , perhaps.
OK,just to take a minute now before I go--just to give you an idea of
one of my questions and views still: I´m not sure that I agree that
those who consciously follow anthroposophical terminology,methodology
(or that of Spiritual Science as taught by Steiner) or coming to any
more conscious knowledge of the Cosmos and Spirit World than many
others who follow other Christian (or other) paths. Many of these
souls have tremendous insights, tremendous, and do wonderful work in
the world. They just use different terms than Steiner-ites or
anthropops.These terms,the languages,do make a difference, of
course,i feel,but the difference is not,as i see it,one of
inferiority or that they are less conscious(I refer to certain
enlightened ones, not to your everyday unconscious casual Christian
or Muslim or Jew or Buddhist, etc.).
So,I would question of those who follow what they/we term the Michael
School or term ¨Spiritual Science¨really have something ¨plus¨, as
one of you put it. I don´t see this when I look around in the world
of those who are really dedicated to their spiritual path, those who
are quite advanced.
Maybe I´ll give examples next time.
At any rate,whether we agree or disagree,keep the discussion coming.
I will read you and find your posts helpful!
With thanks,
List owner: firstname.lastname@example.com
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
List owner: firstname.lastname@example.com
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
Your message has been successfully submitted and would be delivered to recipients shortly.


text:
minbox@minbox active 7 months, 3 weeks ago
minbox wrote a new post, The used to be coming NPC addon pack 1(.mcpack) read description about .mcpack 8 months ago
This is a addon that replaces the villager texture with the NPC that was coming but was remove in a build but the texture is still in the files. My file is a .mcpack so not going into the minecraft files just open it in minecraft pe it easy! Oh and one more thing this is part 1 of the pack and part 2 has the rest of the textures because there were…[Read more]
minbox wrote a new post, The homes of neuts 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Hey que tal amigos espero descarguen este mapa y se diviertan demaciado jugando con sus amigos ya saben que se pueden suscribir a mi canal de youtube Gb neuts
minbox wrote a new post, VASiON [Parkour] 10 months, 2 weeks ago
EVASiON is a challenging puzzle map with a unique storyline. The creator of the map has managed to creatively use features and objects in Minecraft to create map specific features, such as a high score system with gold ingots and more cool things.
minbox wrote a new post, Grand Theft Auto 5 10 months, 3 weeks ago
this map is Grand Theft Auto and you can creative other think for her. sher with you friend for creat nice map
minbox wrote a new post, Yandere Sim Minecraft Map 10 months, 3 weeks ago
Here is a map based off the game "Yandere Simulator". This map is home to Akademi Highschool, plus a surrounding town. This map is not yet finished, but will be finished throughout multiple updates!INCLUDES:~SCHOOL~ 8 Classrooms 13 Clubs 1 Cafeteria 1 Hangout Area 1 Track Field 1 Soccer Field 1 Gym (Locker Rooms) 1 Cherry Tree 1 Secret Room 1…[Read more]
minbox wrote a new post, Impreial city mcpe 0.13.1 TheMiners/TheMCMiners/TheMinionBeast 10 months, 3 weeks ago
download iT and see what handen
minbox wrote a new post, Butter Mod Blocks Butter leaf butter grass butter wood and more 10 months, 3 weeks ago
This mod adds 5 new blocks and a Butter macking machine it gives you Yummy Butter ENJOY PLEASE
minbox became a registered member 1 year, 1 month ago


text:
Miley Cyrus poked fun at her child star past on the eve of Halloween with a naughty twist on one of the company's most iconic characters.
On Friday, the 22-year-old Instagrammed a snap of herself with a blunt in her mouth while dressed in Cinderella's baby blue ball gown. 'Cindersmelly high as hell and her bra strap showin,' she captioned the image. The photos didn't end there for Miley. She also Instagrammed a photo of herself pumping gas in character, which she captioned: 'Smelly is so ratch.'
In the final image of herself in her Cinderella outfit, Miley kissed her dog Emu and described the photo, 'Smelly gets her prince (heart emoticons)'.
Bright and early at seven o'clock the very next morning, Miley Instagrammed a photo of herself awake in bed, and seemed surprised that she had woken so early.
'Wtf am I doing up at 7 f**king a.m. on Hallof**kinweenie?!?! Im sposed to be fuggin hungover from Hallo-Eve but all I did was bake f**kin Punkin Rollzzzzzz and freaking Pecan Pie like a friggen frak f**k!', her caption read.


text:
Stellafane Convention 2017
July 20-23. Sign up to attend now!
will be held July 20-23
The 2018 Stellafane Convention will be held Aug 9-12.
A followup article written by Thomas Spirock.
Schupmann mirror gets a new coating.
Spring has sprung, the snow has melted, and the pages for the 2017 are now live.
Website search tool upgraded to Google Search 2.0
Find what you need on our
Our Links Page features thousands of categorized
links to telescope making and optics fabrication topics.
Our most visited page year-after-year!
Use our
to grind your own Newtonian telescope mirror.
Complete plans for a
Newtonian Optical Tube
and a Dobsonian Mount.
Build with homemade or purchased components
(or a mix of both).
New Solar Filter Plans


text:
upcoming events see all events
|Screaming for Silence EP Release at DG's
|Fri, Jul 28th
|DG's Tap House
Ames, IA
|buy tickets
DG's Tap House
The Bar
DG's Tap House features a large selection of some of the best craft beers in America on tap, with an excellent staff ready to help you enjoy your concert experience. Come early to enjoy one of our many excellent libations and relax with friends.
Live music
DG's Tap House is the premier rock club of Ames. We host live music and events four nights a week. DG's features a top-notch sound system, excellent dance floor and beautiful stage. We have hosted world-class talent as well as countless local and regional acts. We pride ourselves on treating both artists and patrons with the utmost respect and courtesy.


text:
This property is no longer available.Search for Available Property.
4.86 acres in Hood County, Texas
The lot was originally 3 lots replatted into 1 (69R). Come build your dream home in a very nice neighborhood on a hard to find, level walk out to mainbody acreage on Lake Granbury. There are no trees on this 4.856 acres of beautiful land. It is East sun on the lakeview side. It is mainbody, but it has very little traffic. Come take a look!
From Hwy 51 N, right on E. Moore, left on Yucatan Dr., right on E. Scandinavian Ct.
Tax Data (Show Tax Data)
Tax data is not available for this listing.
Contact the Seller for more information.
Other Land for Sale in Hood County
- Properties for Sale in Nearby Counties
- Erath County Land for Sale
- Johnson County Land for Sale
- Palo Pinto County Land for Sale
- Parker County Land for Sale
- Somervell County Land for Sale
NOTE: The information contained herein is provided as general information only and has been obtained from sources deemed reliable. It is provided without any guaranty, warranty or representation, expressed or implied, made by Lands of America, or any related entity, as to the accuracy or completeness of the information. The information is presented subject to errors, omissions, change of price or conditions, prior sale or withdrawal without notice. Prospective purchasers should make their own investigations, projections and conclusions concerning the information.


text:
Each month, Rated People connects over 50,000 homeowners with quality tradesmen - simply enter your job details in the form above to get started.
We'll match your job to the relevant tradesmen in your area - those interested will pay to see your contact details and call you to quote.
As each tradesman expresses interest in quoting on your job, we'll send you their profile and ratings to help you choose the right one for you.
After the work is complete, return to the site and rate your tradesman based on their quality of work, reliability and value for money.
Specialist Tradesman
Added 07/02/2017
We have recently moved into a 1930s bungalow that currently has an old brick fireplace with...
Specialist Tradesman
Added 15/12/2015
My Aerial appears to not be transmitting a signal to my TV, and I'd like someone to come round...
Specialist Tradesman
Added 03/04/2014
Cavity drainage membrane required in utility room, floor and walls (3.5m x 2.5m). Room is clear...
Specialist Tradesman
Added 26/10/2013
I want insulate the ground floor of my house. It's is a suspended timber floor. The solum...
Specialist Tradesman
Added 20/08/2013
Take down a 52 inch TV and put up a 60 inch TV onto the wall Customer owns and lives at this...
Specialist Tradesman
Added 23/02/2013
Damp coming ino chimney. Previous damp treatment on walls after cavity insulation not properly...
Top guy, very punctual and competitive quote. Worked to a very tight schedule. Employed for a second job- rendering outside walls. Couldn't be more helpful.
Managing your job is easier with the Rated People Homes App, download it today.


text:
- Admissions
- Academics
- Research
- University Life
- Alumni
- About
Office of the Provost
Fax: 202-885-2173
Leonard, Room Lower Level
Bass, Scott A.
Internal Search for the Half-time Faculty director of the University Honors Program
January 21, 2011
Scott A. Bass, Provost
The Office of the Provost invites nomination and applications for a half-time position as Director of the university honors program to begin on June 1, 2011. The University Honors Program recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary and is dedicated to providing enriched academic and co-Curricular experiences to exceptionally talented and motivated undergraduates in all of AU's academic units. The intellectual boldness, and close interaction with AU's top scholar-teachers. Honors advances the strategic goal of providing an unsurpassed undergraduate education through its innovative colloquia, faculty-directed capstone research projects, travel/study programs, individualized academic advising and mentoring, and a robust living-learning community. Recently, the program moved into a new University Honors Center in Hughes, the designated Honors residence hall.
The directorship of University Honors is a significant faculty leadership position and reports to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies. The Director assumes the leadership role to:
Nominees or candidates for the half-time faculty directorship must be tenured senior faculty in an academic unit at American University. Candidates should possess a record of teaching and mentoring excellence, preferably with experience in the University Honors Program, should demonstrate a strong commitment to interdisciplinary undergraduate education and research and should have effective communication and collaborative skills. The preferred faculty candidates will have prior administrative experience, including supervision of staff and budgetary responsibility.


text:
Someone sure is serious about his beer. Or the meaning of words. Perhaps both.
Whatever is fueling his discontent, San Diego home brewer Evan Parent is so adamant that brewing company MillerCoors has wronged consumers by falsely claiming that its Blue Moon brand of Belgian-style white beer is a "craft beer" when it decidedly is not, he has filed a class-action lawsuit.
From The Huffington Post:
In his suit, filed last month in California state court, Parent contends that MillerCoors has been misleading the public with the "crafty" beer it's been brewing for 20 years -- and getting a premium price for -- because Blue Moon doesn't fit the Brewers Association's strict definition of a craft beer. He seeks an unspecified amount in damages for misleading advertising and unfair competition.
A word of advice to MillerCoors: Don't go all SeaWorld on Parent. No snide comments about him "crying in his beer," no character-bashing YouTube videos. Let the judicial process take its course.
(Speaking of alcohol and the judicial system, did you know that in colonial times it was common for people to drink in courthouses?)
Also, back to Parent, the guy is pretty distraught about the whole thing. From the lawsuit:
In or around July 2012, Plaintiff was informed by friends that Blue Moon is not a craft beer, but rather a mass produced beer made by MillerCoors. Plaintiff was initially skeptical, but eventually verified the facts through his own research. As a result, Plaintiff has not purchased Blue Moon since approximately July 2012.
Wait'll he finds out it's not brewed in Belgium!
This story, "This dude takes his beer pretty seriously" was originally published by Fritterati.


text:
Jennifer Aniston Gets Close to Justin Theroux at Directors Guild Awards (PHOTOS)
Jennifer Aniston stepped out with boyfriend Justin Theroux. Although the couple didn't pose together on the red carpet, the cameras did eventually catch up with them at cocktail reception inside.Saturday night's Directors Guild Awards went a-buzzing when
Sporting a short LBD that showed off her gorgeous gams, Jen looked absolutely stunning as she coordinate with her beau's all-black ensemble. The twosome looked completely smitten with one another as they smiled for the cameras.
It looks like Jennifer and Justin are still going strong!
But the Friends actress had to kiss quite a few frogs before finding her man. Check out Jennifer's past kissing connection in the video below!
Recently, Jennifer dropped a lot of cash on a new lovenest — a whopping $21 million to be precise. Her new pad includes four bedrooms, six bathrooms, a pool, gorgeous beach and city views, and access to its own vineyard. Will Justin officially move in with Jen? Only time will tell!


text:
I am a published Designer, Photographer, and Musician
living in Charlotte, NC.
In my spare time, I make music, explore new areas, hike, play the drums, take lots of photos, and ride my bike. My Instagram feed below sums up most of my life.
The Guardian Flavorwire
Pitchfork The Fader
Cool Material XLR8R