what is all this stuff?

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<p>He has a weakness for naive girls and has had countless surrogate girlfriends he has cared for or defended for a weekend here or an hour there before disappearing without a name. But his previous boss drove him crazy, though it wasn't exactly reciprocated because of the strict regulations for her people.</p>
<p><b><a href="/story/hello-traveler">Hello Traveler, an excerpt about Traveler</a></b> </p>
<p><b><a href="/story/whose-game-are-we-playing">Whose Game Are We Playing?, an rp including Traveler</a></b> </p>
<p><b><a href="/story/hello-traveler">Hello Traveler, novel in progress</a></b> </p>
<p><b><a href="/story/whose-game-are-we-playing">Whose Game Are We Playing?, an rp with way too many people involved so I dipped out early haha</a></b> </p>

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<ul>
<li><b>role:</b> haunt </li>
<li><b>age:</b> ageless </li>
<li><b>birthday:</b> March 15 </li>
<li><b>mental:</b> world-weary, loyal </li>
<li><b>physical:</b> very short, gaunt, sickly pale, choppy matted cornflower blue hair, pale yellow eyes, poor posture </li>
<li><b>height:</b> 5'4 </li>
<li><b>style:</b> worn, weathered, grungy </li>
<li><b>residence:</b> homeless </li>
<li><b>likes:</b> solitude, cityscapes, animals </li>
<li><b>dislikes:</b> people, structure, nature </li>
</ul>

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<p>Freefall is short and gaunt, his emaciated frame giving him an otherworldly presence. A ghastly glow emanates from his unnatural hair and eyes, and his frail body is draped in tattered clothing that hangs off him like a shroud. </p>

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Collin "Freefall" "Amarr" | means <i>whelp, long-life</i> | immortal♂

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<p>Freefalls past is a whirlwind of betrayal and loss. Kidnapped as a young child, he was thrust into the midst of the immortal council, raised in a world of power struggles and shifting allegiances. Just as he was inducted, the council was at the brink of collapse under the weight of political upheaval. Cast out of heaven, he became an unwitting immortal vagabond, abandoned to wander the earth without living family or any remaining connections. This severance from his roots left him adrift, a ghost haunting the remnants of a life he never truly had, forever searching for a place to belong in a world that rejected him. </p>

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<ul>
<li><b>role:</b> captive </li>
<li><b>age:</b> 19 </li>
<li><b>birthday:</b> March 12 </li>
<li><b>mental:</b> careful, conflicted </li>
<li><b>physical:</b> tall, toned, cool-toned skin, curly cropped black hair, pale green eyes </li>
<li><b>style:</b> practical, minimalistic </li>
<li><b>height:</b> 5'8 </li>
<li><b>residence:</b> <a href="/char/Van">Van</a>'s ship </li>
<li><b>likes:</b> birds, danger, attention </li>
<li><b>dislikes:</b> sacrifice, loss of control, failure </li>
</ul>

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<p>She's tall and strong, a natural fighter with an unwavering confidence that commands respect. Her presence is imposing, yet she carries herself with a feminine grace with her tight black curls, slim curves, and expressive, deep-set eyes. </p>

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Lisbet | means <i>God is my oath</i> | human♀

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<p>She's been fighting her whole life against God, though she keeps her struggle close to her chest. </p>

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<ul>
<li><b>role:</b> dropout </li>
<li><b>age:</b> 17 </li>
<li><b>birthday:</b> September 10</li>
<li><b>mental:</b> cynical, lonely </li>
<li><b>physical:</b> average height, slim, freckled warm skin, unstyled short red hair, brown eyes </li>
<li><b>height:</b> 5'2 </li>
<li><b>style:</b> dark colors, loose layers </li>
<li><b>residence:</b> with her parents </li>
<li><b>likes:</b> staying inside, online games, soundcloud music </li>
<li><b>dislikes:</b> her parents, holidays, questions about life plans </li>
</ul>

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<p>She has a boxy build without much that distinguishes her beyond her red hair that perpetually covers her brown eyes. She has an aversion to feminine clothing or flourishes, hiding herself in heavy dark fabrics and denim layers. </p>

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Trace Reynolds | means <i>fighter</i> | human♀

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<p>Trace would rather not talk about herself. Her past is characterized by long stretches of silence, loneliness, and darkness, and she has grown comfortable with solitude, treating her interactions with others as a practice in balancing connection and distance. </p>

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<!---->
<h1>Blessed Are Those Who Wash Their Robes: A Topical Bible Study on Clothes!</h1>
#christian #bible #fashion #smallgroups <br>
<br>
<p>A topical Bible study designed for small group discussions observing how Scripture uses clothing and fashion to point us to God's plan for salvation and how to live like Jesus. </p>
<h2>Background</h2>
<p>The young adults (20s-30s) group at our church lost its leadership, so the pastor suggested we all take turns leading it and cover whatever topics are relevant to us. I took the first round, and it's been lots of fun. :) </p>
<p>I don't have fancy credentials, but I try to keep my topics fresh and a little subversive. I make little magazines to go with them, too, and have been getting better at "magazine-a-teering" over time. The first topic was clothes, and I actually studied fashion in college and have worked a little in tailoring, so it's a natural lens for me to study Scripture through. It's also funny to make a mostly-boys group take a fashion course. I believe the primary goal of a Bible study, regardless of topic, should be the gospel message, though, so it applies to everyone, I promise! </p>
<h2>Intro </h2>
<p>Fashion may seem like a frivolous angle for gleaning spiritual truths, but the Holy Spirit is intentional when detailing clothing and personal style. It is no coincidence clothing is nearly the first thing mentioned (Genesis 3:7) and appears again at the very end of Scripture (Revelation 22:14). Regardless of your personal interest in fashion, I invite you to find a fresh perspective for studying your Bible! </p>
<p><i>Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. - Genesis 3:7</i> </p>
<p><i>"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood." - Revelation 22:14-15</i> </p>
<h2>Why fashion and not just clothes? </h2>
<p>The scope of the study is broader than clothes and includes all elements of fashion. Clothes refers to the physical objects we wear. Fashion, however, is a social concept about how we present ourselves in different social situations. Fashion naturally encompasses clothing but also our hair, cosmetics, and even our posture. </p>
<p>Clothing is used symbolically throughout the Bible, but including fashion is also important for understanding some of the internal qualities of biblical figures. </p>
<p>I include different aspects of fashion to keep the lessons varied, including history of costume and textiles. </p>
<h2>May I use this for my Bible study group? </h2>
<p>Of course. I went well with my church's young adults group (20s to 30s, couples and singles, men and women). Follow the blog posts' content like a leader's guide and the magazine like a handout. </p>
<p>I don't exactly follow good practices with copyrighted fonts and images in Blessed Are Those Who Wash Their Robes, but I do better with that in future studies.</p>
<h2>Lessons </h2>
<p>Full Lesson Download: PDFs of everything, ready for printing</p>
<h3>Week 1: Dressed in Righteousness: Genesis 3 </h3>
<p>Adam and Eve used clothes to cover their sins. </p>
<h3>Week 2: Blessing in Disguise: Genesis 25-27, Hebrews 12:15-17, Romans 9, Song of Solomon 8:8-9 </h3>
<p>Rebekah and Jacob used clothes as a disguise to steal Isaac's blessing. Paul helps us understand how the Abrahamic covenant is still valid despite Esau (father of Edom) being the literal twin of Jacob (father of Israel). God has a pattern of choosing a people and rejecting a people, and as a Gentile, it is beautiful foreshadowing that God chose the younger brother, despite tradition and my lack of convenants, the Law, and patriachs.
<h3>Week 3: Bring the Ephod: 1 Samuel 17 & 18, 2 Samuel 6, Exodus 28 </h3>
<h3>Week 4: The Fashion of Christ</h3>
<p>I didn't make a handout for it, sorry. This was a month before cancer really hit me and 4 months before I was diagnosed lol. I was too tired lol.</p>
<h2>Credits </h2>
<p>Bible verses are from ESV </p>
<p>Magazines are made in Scribus with some image editing in Krita. </p>
<br>
Last updated September 24, 2024. <br>
<br>

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<!---->
<h1>BATWWTR Week 1: Dressed in Righteousness </h1>
#christian #bible #fashion <br>
<br>
<p>Clothes are right there at the beginning of the Bible as one of the first and most visceral symbols of salvation. </p>
<p><i>...he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,... - Isaiah 61:10</i> </p>
<h2>Read: Genesis 3 </h2>
<p>The Fall is one of the most discussed Bible passages ever, but try to relate to Adam and Eve. Really hone in on the clothes here and how God is using them to illustrate His invisible qualities and our spiritual condition. </p>
<h2>Discuss</h2>
<h3>Why did we not need clothes in our original state? </h3>
<p><i>[We had no shameful nakedness...We had no need for covering before God...No sin separated us from His presence in the Garden...etc.]</i></p>
<h3>Let me ask another way. In verse 7, it says Adam and Eve saw their nakedness. What were they really seeing here, with their newly opened eyes? </h3>
<p><i>[Spiritually, they knew good and evil...They saw their own evil. They were naked before Gods righteousness...Practically, they were entering a fallen world where they need the protection from the elements....etc.]</i></p>
<h3>Who made the first clothes, and what were they?</h3>
<p><i>[Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths in Genesis 3:7.]</i></p>
<h3>Interjection about figs... </h3>
<p>The common fig <i>Ficus Carica</i> is a super ancient tree, and judging from how prevalent it is in both the Old and New Testament, it's deeply ingrained in Hebrew culture. To name a few appearances, Jeremiah compared peoples' hearts to figs (Jeremiah 24), Hosea compared Israel's past glory to figs (Hosea 9:10), Joel highlights figs while describing the land's destruction (Joel 1:7-12), Micah compares fig trees as a place of safety and peace, Jesus cursed a barren fig tree (Mark 11), and Jesus tells a fig tree parable (Luke 13). </p>
<p>Fig leaves are big and beautiful, offering reasonable cover. I would love to try weaving the leaves themselves together, but tribal peoples usually use vines and braiding or basketweaving techniques to work leaves into clothing. The process is like the clover crowns you may have made as a child. Perhaps Adam and Eve did something similar. Whatever the construction method, it must have been meticulous and taken time. </p>
<h3>What do you think might have happened between verses 6 and 8? Sewing gives space to talk and think. </h3>
<p><i>[We don't know. We can relate through our personal experiences trying to fix problems and fearfully or guiltily hiding from God...Personally, I tend to brute-force the first solution that pops into my head in panicked silence lol...Others may tend towards more meditative and emotional responses.]</i></p>
<p>They were trying to hide their sin. They were not seeking God's power but acting on their own. </p>
<p>Do you think they assessed all the trees of the Garden for the best style of leaves? Do you think they took the leaves off the same tree they ate from? </p>
<h2>Fast-forward</h2>
<p>The Lord God prophesies that the woman would be saved through her seed. Hearing this, Adam named his wife "Eve," a word derived from the word for "life," which points to their new hope. Rejoice that the Lord did not leave Adam and Eve in despair but immediately directed their attention to Jesus. </p>
<h2>Reread: Genesis 3:21 </h2>
<p><i>And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.</i></p>
<h2>Discussion</h2>
<h3>What do you think <i>that</i> looked like?</h3>
<p>Maybe the skins came from an animal that was killed and skinned before their eyes. It doesnt say what kind of skins, but I wonder if it was a clean animal or even a lamb.</i></p>
<p>This is not a senseless death meant to threaten--this is a sacrificial spilling of blood. Here is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And God gave it to us to cloth us in His righteousness so He can no longer see our nakedness. </p>
<p>I think this death is really serious in the context of a perfect paradise where nothing bad has ever happened. What exactly was the sin that they were guilty of? Eating a fruit off the wrong tree? And they had an animal killed in front of them. Im not sure if they even knew what blood and guts were. Its just horrible. We say "the wages of sin is death" a lot, but we should never lose how very real that death is. </p>
<p>We deserve that death, so be grateful the Lamb took our place and died for us instead. </p>
<h3>Why is sin that bad? What is sin?</h3>
<p><i>[Sin is disobedience or rebellion against the holy standard that separates us from God.]</i>
<p>Adam and Eve have their own way of describing their condition: </i>they were naked<i>. Consider this account juxtaposed with Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Its not like we cant hide, or were ashamed of our bodies. Its like we are missing something, some of the glory, some of that righteousness.]</i></p>
<p>I think Adam and Eve learned really fast what God was teaching them by making these clothes, but as Christians, I think that we flatten a lot of God has to show us into easy phrases like “the blood of Jesus” to the point it gets kind of memetic. Why we talk so much about the blood and guilt offerings and the Cross? </p>
<h3>Why does a sinner need blood?</h3>
<p><i>[Let's read a few more passages to understand the history of blood in the Bible.]</i></p>
<h2>read: Leviticus 16:15-22 </h2>
<p>Whenever you encounter the “annual sacrifice” in the Bible, this is the law that they are following. Samuels mother and father attended this day of atonement. Leviticus is full of instructions regarding all the kinds of sacrifices if you are interested in others, too, but I picked this one because Paul expounds upon it in Hebrews. </p>
<h2>read: Hebrews 9:25-26 </h2>
<h2>read: Hebrews 10:1-10 </h2>
<h2>read: Romans 5:18 </h2>
<h2>discuss</h2>
<p>The function of a sacrifice is atonement for sin, and that atonement saves our lives. Atonement is even more than being saved from our sins. It is the basis for our relationship with God. Was anyone struck by anything else? </p>
<h2>read: Hebrews 10:19-22 </h2>
<p>There is a flipside to this, too. Even though we can come boldly to the throne of our gracious God (Hebrews 4:16) and be assured Christ died for all sins, past, present, and future, we cant be flippant about sin because it disgraces His blood. </p>
<h2>read: Hebrews 10:26-31 </h2>
<h2>closing </h2>
<p><b>This weeks truth:</b> Clothes are a constant reminder of our shame for doubting Gods Word and attempting to exalt ourselves over Him. They were given to us as a token of Christs blood sacrifice and His plan of redemption. </p>
<p><b>Thought of the week:</b> When you see your clothes, remember were clothed in righteousness, paid for by a blood price. </p>
<p><b>Challenge of the week:</b> Be broken in spirit over our sin. The sensation of sin shocked Adam and Eve. The consequence of death wrapped around Adam and Eve. Its still wrapped around us today, so be vigilant against sin.</p>
<br>
Last updated October 18, 2023. <br>
<br>

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<!---->
<h1>fashion bible study - free and designed for small groups</h1>
#christian #bible #fashion <br>
<br>
<p>A topical Bible study observing how Scripture uses clothing and fashion to point us to God's plan for salvation and how to live like Jesus. </p>
<h2>intro </h2>
<p>Fashion may seem like a frivolous angle for gleaning spiritual truths, but the Holy Spirit is intentional when detailing clothing and personal style in Scripture. It is no coincidence clothing is nearly the first thing mentioned (Genesis 3:7) and appears again at the very end (Revelation 22:14). Regardless of your personal interest in fashion, I invite you to find a fresh perspective for studying your Bible. </p>
<p>Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. - Genesis 3:7</p>
<p>"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood." - Revelation 22:14-15 </p>
<h2>why fashion and not just clothes? </h2>
<p>The scope of the study is broader than clothes and includes all elements of fashion. Clothes refers to the physical objects we wear. Fashion, however, is a social concept about how we present ourselves in different social situations and naturally encompasses clothing but also our hair, cosmetics, and even our posture. Clothing is used symbolically throughout the Bible, but including fashion is also important for understanding biblical figures. I also try to include different aspects of fashion to keep it interesting, including history of costume and textiles. </p>
<h2>may I use this for my Bible study group? </h2>
<p>Of course. I think it went okay with my group of adults (mid 20s to early 30s, half men and half women). I used the blog entries as teacher's notes for guiding the discussion. The handbook PDFs are complementary but not necessary, though I think they were a fun preview.</p>
<p>I currently only have 4 lessons but will update this page as I add more. </p>
<h2>lessons: </h2>
<h3>dressed in righteousness </h3>
<h3>blessing in disguise </h3>
<h3>bring the ephod </h3>
<h3>the fashion of Christ</h3>
<br>
Last updated October 18, 2023. <br>
<br>

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<!---->
<h1>Blessed Are Those Who Wash Their Robes: A Topical Bible Study on Clothes!</h1>
#christian #bible #fashion #smallgroups <br>
<br>
<p>A topical Bible study designed for small group discussions observing how Scripture uses clothing and fashion to point us to God's plan for salvation and how to live like Jesus. </p>
<h2>Background</h2>
<p>The young adults (20s-30s) group at our church lost its leadership, so the pastor suggested we all take turns leading it and cover whatever topics are relevant to us. I took the first round, and it's been lots of fun. :) </p>
<p>I don't have fancy credentials, but I try to keep my topics fresh and a little subversive. I make little magazines to go with them, too, and have been getting better at "magazine-a-teering" over time. The first topic was clothes, and I actually studied fashion in college and have worked a little in tailoring, so it's a natural lens for me to study Scripture through. It's also funny to make a mostly-boys group take a fashion course. I believe the primary goal of a Bible study, regardless of topic, should be the gospel message, though, so it applies to everyone, I promise! </p>
<h2>Intro </h2>
<p>Fashion may seem like a frivolous angle for gleaning spiritual truths, but the Holy Spirit is intentional when detailing clothing and personal style. It is no coincidence clothing is nearly the first thing mentioned (Genesis 3:7) and appears again at the very end of Scripture (Revelation 22:14). Regardless of your personal interest in fashion, I invite you to find a fresh perspective for studying your Bible! </p>
<p><i>Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. - Genesis 3:7</i> </p>
<p><i>"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood." - Revelation 22:14-15</i> </p>
<h2>Why fashion and not just clothes? </h2>
<p>The scope of the study is broader than clothes and includes all elements of fashion. Clothes refers to the physical objects we wear. Fashion, however, is a social concept about how we present ourselves in different social situations. Fashion naturally encompasses clothing but also our hair, cosmetics, and even our posture. </p>
<p>Clothing is used symbolically throughout the Bible, but including fashion is also important for understanding some of the internal qualities of biblical figures. </p>
<p>I include different aspects of fashion to keep the lessons varied, including history of costume and textiles. </p>
<h2>May I use this for my Bible study group? </h2>
<p>Of course. I went well with my church's young adults group (20s to 30s, couples and singles, men and women). Follow the blog posts' content like a leader's guide and the magazine like a handout. </p>
<p>I don't exactly follow good practices with copyrighted fonts and images in Blessed Are Those Who Wash Their Robes, but I do better with that in future studies.</p>
<h2>Lessons </h2>
<p>Full Lesson Download: PDFs of everything, ready for printing</p>>
<h3>Week 1: Dressed in Righteousness: Genesis 3 </h3>
<p>Adam and Eve used clothes to cover their sins. </p>
<h3>Week 2: Blessing in Disguise: Genesis 25-27, Hebrews 12:15-17, Romans 9, Song of Solomon 8:8-9 </h3>
<p>Rebekah and Jacob used clothes as a disguise to steal Isaac's blessing. Paul helps us understand how the Abrahamic covenant is still valid despite Esau (father of Edom) being the literal twin of Jacob (father of Israel). God has a pattern of choosing a people and rejecting a people, and as a Gentile, it is beautiful foreshadowing that God chose the younger brother, despite tradition and my lack of convenants, the Law, and patriachs.
<h3>Week 3: Bring the Ephod: 1 Samuel 17 & 18, 2 Samuel 6, Exodus 28 </h3>
<h3>Week 4: The Fashion of Christ</h3>
<p>I didn't make a handout for it, sorry. This was a month before cancer really hit me and 4 months before I was diagnosed lol. I was too tired lol.</p>
<h2>Credits </h2>
<p>Magazines are made in Scribus with some image editing in Krita. </p>
<br>
Last updated September 24, 2024. <br>
<br>

@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ def char2():
def char(char_name):
"""character page"""
loc = 'char/'
info = {'css': 'char', 'preview': 'Chimchooree\'s OC database. Meet ' + char_name + "!", 'title': 'blessfrey - characters | meet ' + char_name, 'year': find_year(), 'ocs': ["Helia", "Rune", "Angel", "Tessa", "Chloe", "Aries", "Night", "Dia", "Bless", "WISE", "Abbey", "Calder", "Silke", "Aloin", "Fifi", "Bijoux", "CatMan", "Belfry", "Aristen", "Chimchooree", "Freya", "Lune", "Chandra", "Colt", "Cass", "Katherine"], 'name': char_name, 'profile': prepare_profile(loc, char_name), 'gallery': find_gallery(char_name)}
info = {'css': 'char', 'preview': 'Chimchooree\'s OC database. Meet ' + char_name + "!", 'title': 'blessfrey - characters | meet ' + char_name, 'year': find_year(), 'ocs': ["Helia", "Rune", "Angel", "Tessa", "Chloe", "Aries", "Night", "Dia", "Bless", "WISE", "Abbey", "Calder", "Silke", "Aloin", "Fifi", "Bijoux", "CatMan", "Belfry", "Aristen", "Chimchooree", "Freya", "Lune", "Trace", "Freefall", "Chandra", "Colt", "Cass", "Katherine", "Lisbet"], 'name': char_name, 'profile': prepare_profile(loc, char_name), 'gallery': find_gallery(char_name)}
abs_app_dir_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
abs_views_path = os.path.join(abs_app_dir_path, 'views')
TEMPLATE_PATH.insert(0, abs_views_path )

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<!--230519-->
<h1>Hello Traveler </h1>
#chandra #van #colt<br>
<h1>Hello Traveler </h1>
#chandra #van #colt #lisbet<br>
<br>
<p>The first punch knocked Van off his feet and hollering. He rolled to dodge the second and had his pistol prepped before he was on his feet. Chandra saw the glint of metal and froze. Even in self-defense, even with all of Van's boasting, that gun terrified her.</p>
A second group of men surrounded Chandra within an instant. They were armed with knives. She dropped to the ground and prayed outloud for protection and forgiveness, so loudly and so intensely she missed the next few critical seconds. </p>
<p>Gunshots fired, and a tall, thin figure appeared from nowhere to behead the man who was closing in on Chandra. She looked up and Van was scanning the surroundings and overhanging trees. To her side, deeply lacerated thugs lay at the feet of a manila figure.</p>
<p>"You saved me."</p>
<p>She realized she was thanking the air.</p>
<p>"Where-?"</p>
<p>"I—did?"</p>
<p>"No, that man. He saved me. Cut down these people who attacked me."</p>
<p>"Are you okay?"</p>
<p>"Yes! I'm fine. He got rid of all of them before disappearing into the night like that."</p>
<p>"Thank God for angels. Please stay close and quiet."</p>
<p>Chandra took a section of Van's tunic in her hand and followed him closely, preoccupied all the while by the mysterious hero. She liked Van's description of him - an angel. Dark, beautiful, mysterious, invisible, good. Her guardian.</p>
<p>The sun never rises here, and there are few places safe to land, making this former prison planet a dangerous part of the pilgrimmage. Although prisoners are no longer sent here, the children and grandchildren of the most dangerous criminals in history linger here, preying on pilgrims and lost voyagers. With the rampant crime and decline of the Church, no one is willing to reform the planet and install basic infrastructure. Therefore, reaching the shrine is a half-a-day's journey from the landing site of ambushes and danger.</p>
<p>After staying low and listening for strangers, Van pushed onward, gun ready to shoot. He had made this pilgrimmage twice before, and he knows the way well enough, even in the anonymizing darkness. Just another quarter mile and they will arrive. </p>
<hr>
<p>"Hello, traveller -"</p>
<p>The tall, manilla man stood in the field, motionless. Van and Chandra approached, intrigued by his presence in this secret place. The nearer they drew, the more clearly Chandra could see his long, handsome features. She immediately recognized her rescuer in his cool demeanor. As he turned toward them, relinquishing interest in his notebook, Chandra saw the spiny protrusions, smooth, brown, and venomous. She realized a second thing about him:</p>
<p>"--he's not human."</p>
<p>Van gave her an extinguishing side eye before studying the figure. His garb is worn leather, clearly the scars of battle. His face is solemn and honest, and he stands barefoot in accordance with the holiness of the site. He relaxed a degree, less convinced he had encountered a looter or bandit. He might even be able to help them.</p>
<p>The figure glanced over Van, aware of the pistol at his hip, and studied Chandra closely.
<p>"Prophetess?"</p>
<p>"Y-yes?" Chandra straightened up. The first time she heard his voice and the first time she spoke to him.</p>
<p>They held eye contact briefly, but Chandra could learn nothing from his unwavering almond-shaped eyes. The rush-colored cheeks, thin brown lips, interesting thorns and barbs, the sandy hair...she felt uncomfortable meeting the eye of such an exotic individual. His clothes were made of foreign leathers and suedes, dyed in natural shades. She stammered.</p>
<p>"We are on a Pilgrimmage. Are you here to honor Saint Rigel, Brother?"</p>
<p>"Yes," he returned his notebook to his pocket. "But I must be on my way. Be safe on your journey, Prophetess."</p>
<p>"Yes-s," Chandra parroted. "You, too."</p>
<p>He held contact with her before sharply breaking it and disappearing into the wilderness.
<p>Van looked at Chandra quizzically. </p>
<p>"Interesting fellow. Not many take the pilgrimmage who aren't directly employed by the Church. There are still clingers-onto the faith, but they are few and easily intimidated by the danger and cost of the route. And he apparently takes it alone."</p>
<p>Chandra half-listened, a little bothered by the memory of his dark, clear eyes and smooth voice.
<p>"What are you getting at, Van?"</p>
<p>"Nothing, girl," he yawned and motioned forward. "It's been a long day. Let's go ahead and pray."</p>
<p>"I was this close to something valuable. If that job went through, I'd have big money right now. And instead, I am soaked in gritty blood in a biome devoid of water or rain, wasting my effort on these unwelcomed beasts. Dang it!" He started walking off angrily in the direction his gut led him.</p>
<h2>Chapters </h2>
<ul>
<li><b><a href="/story/hello-traveler-1">1 。・゚★゚ Angel's Wake ゚★・。</a></b> </li>
<li><b><a href="/story/hello-traveler-2">2 。・゚* Drawn Out of the Water *゚・。</a></b> </li>
<li><b><a href="/story/hello-traveler-3">3 ・。・゚ Veiled by Fog ゚・。・</a></b> </li>
<li><b><a href="/story/hello-traveler-4">4 。・゚゚・✧ Mismatched Affections ✧・゚゚・。</a></b> </li>
</ul>

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<h1>Hello Traveler - Chapter 1 . Angel's Wake </h1>
#chandra #van #colt #lisbet<br>
<br>
<p>The first punch sent Van sprawling. Before the second could land, he was already rolling, gun in hand, eyes sharp. Chandra saw the glint of metal and froze. Even in self-defense, even with all of Van's boasting in his skill, that gun terrified her. </p>
<p>A second group of men surrounded Chandra within an instant. They were armed with knives. Her voice cracked through the chaos, words of prayer spilling out as her fingers dug into the earth. </p>
<p>Gunshots echoed. A tall, thin figure melted from the shadows, blade gleaming as it struck true. He moved like a phantom, efficient and silent. By the time Chandra saw him clearly, the bodies were already at his feet. </p>
<p>She hopped up euphorically to meet her savior, crying out, "You saved me!" </p>
<p>But she was thanking the air. </p>
<p>"Where-?" </p>
<p>She looked back and forward and all over as the dust settled over a still forest clearing. Not even the wind blew. Van popped up out of the dirt and called back to her. </p>
<p>"I—did?" </p>
<p>"No, that man! He saved me. Cut down these people who attacked me." </p>
<p>"Who--Oh," Van almost stumbled over a corpse. "Someone did this just now?--What a silent assassin. Oh, there are so many! Hey, where did the guy go?" </p>
<p>"I don't know..." </p>
<p>They stood looking at each other. </p>
<p>"Well...great then. Are you okay?" </p>
<p>"Yes! I'm fine." </p>
<p>"Thank God for angels. Please stay close and quiet until we figure out what's going on here." </p>
<p>Chandra grabbed the edge of Van's cloak in her hand and followed him closely on autopilot, her mind preoccupied by the mysterious hero. She liked Van's description of him - an angel. Dark, beautiful, mysterious, invisible, good. Her guardian. </p>
<p>She hadn't expected this shard to be inhabited at all. Of all Earth's remnants, this shard had drifted out the furthest, nearly reaching Mars. It didn't seem to have much in the way of natural resources, either. Really nothing special. If you needed lumber, there was no lack of forests closer to civilization. And the last thing Martians need is more red clay and rocks. </p>
<p>"Maybe it was just a small gang of misanthropic squatters. I really am not seeing any infrastructure for much more than a small village." </p>
<p>"There was still that angel, though..." </p>
<p>"Your angel...Maybe a merc on a mission." </p>
<p>"Didn't bother taking trophies..." </p>
<p>"Regardless, he seems to on our side, or at least neutral. Let's scout straight across the length and width, making sure we aren't bringing back anything strange." </p>
<p>"Like what?" </p>
<p>"Know it when you see it," Van winked. </p>
<p>Chandra rolled her eyes, trudging along behind him. </p>
<p>It was a beautiful cut of land, like Kentucky or Tennessee. Surely nowhere else in the world looked quite so beautiful. The rolling green hills against a galactic vista, outpouring with clean streams and murmuring forests. </p>
<p>"Has to be America." </p>
<p>"I felt the deep heritage and lore of these puzzlelocked black trees and hills as European. Maybe Germany." </p>
<p>"Europe!" Chandra fretted a little. "How are we going to piece it all back together?" </p>
<p>"I'm not sure we are," Van confessed. We do the job we're hired for and respond to updates and surprises. You know. Flexibility." </p>
<p>Chandra shrugged at his wisdom. "If it's not America, I'm sure Europe won't miss it." </p>
<p>"--Look there, in the water! Oh my gosh, it's a girl." </p>

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<h1>Hello Traveler - Chapter 2 . Drawn Out of the Water </h1>
#chandra #van #colt #lisbet<br>
<br>
<p>As Chandra turned, Van was already by the stream, lifting the girls limp body from the water. The cold clung to her skin like death.</p>
<p>"Are you okay?" Vans voice was tight with worry as he cradled her close. "Youre freezing, girlie." He glanced up at Chandra, his expression grave. "Shes alive, but…"</p>
<p>Chandra moved forward, hands trembling as she pulled out her oil. When she saw the inscription on the girls brow, she froze.</p>
<p>"God, she has a mark! Is that a mark? Van, look at her forehead—have you ever seen anything like it?"</p>
<p>Van squinted at the mark, frowning. "No tattoo Ive ever seen looks like that..." He let out a low whistle. "Supernatural, huh?"</p>
<p>Chandra hesitated, her heart racing. "We'll figure it out later. She needs help."</p>
<p>Vans expression hardened as he checked her airway, tilting her head back gently to ensure it was clear. He then reached into his kit, producing a CPR mask and securing it over her mouth, his motions calm but swift. His hands moved to her chest, fingers finding the correct spot just below her sternum.</p>
<p>"Get ready, girlie," he muttered to Chandra, his voice tense. He started chest compressions, firm and rhythmic, the pressure precise. Chandra averted her eyes, her lips moving in silent prayer, seeking peace and divine intervention. The sight of the compressions always unsettled her—it seemed too aggressive, like the force of it would crush the fragile thread of life he was trying to save. A quick rap on her shoulder snapped her back to the here and now. "Let's switch. You warm her up, Ill keep watch."</p>
<p>Chandra quickly undressed the girl, the chill of her gray skin invoking a slight panic. She hung the soaked clothes and wrapped her in one of her own simple white gowns. Pushing away any discomfort, she lay beside the girl, trying to share body heat beneath a heavy blanket. The girls body was cold as ice, but slowly, warmth seeped back into her.</p>
<p>Her eyelids flickered, but she didnt wake.</p>
<p>Regardless, she seemed better, and there was not much else they could do but pray. Sighing relief, Chandra took advantage of the moment to steal a closer look at the mark, her breath catching in her throat. It was strange, unreadable, but there was something about it, something that stirred both love and fear in her chest.</p>
<p>"Van, come see her."</p>
<p>"Uh, kay," he hopped on over. "She looks like she's resting more easily at least. But that mark! It's...bright in a way. Loud. At least, it seems that way. But at the same time, it's barely there. Crazy. I'm not really sure what to make of this...mark-thing. Is she cursed or something?"</p>
<p>Chandra shook her head slowly, her voice steady but unsure. "I dont know. But were not leaving her behind."</p>
<p>"You think so? Okay, boss. But my field medicine can't fix curses."</p>
<p>"Hush, I don't think it's a curse at all."</p>
<p>Van shrugged, chatting as he worked. "Hasn't played out well for her so far." He crouched down and lifted her with exceeding care, crossing her arms around his neck. "She's scarred up and down. Anyway, if those men are planning another ambush, you're going to have to be the one watching my back."</p>
<p>Chandras eyes flickered with uncertainty. She hadnt fired a shot in her life—not at anything living. 'Ill do it,' she vowed, though her voice quivered.</p>
<p>"Or we're dead, Chandra. Come on. Just remember your training."</p>
<p>Without waiting, Van pressed forward through the forest, his steps deliberate and quiet. Chandra hurried after him, fumbling as she shoved the supplies back into her kit.</p>
<p>She pulled out her pistol, inspecting it with fearful respect. She released the magazine, checked the chamber, and slid the slide back with a crisp snap, the metallic sound echoing in the heavy silence. The cold steel felt unnervingly alive in her grip, a reminder of the danger looming around them.</p>
<p>"May I never have to use this," she muttered under her breath.</p>
<p>The trek through the forest had become unnaturally quiet. The kind of silence that pressed against your skin, cold and thick, as though the world itself was holding its breath. Van led the way, his grip tightening possessively of the mysterious girl, her body as light as a ragdoll kitten. Chandra trailed closely behind, her pistol within reach and ready to respond to every snap of the twigs underfoot.</p>
<p>"Van," Chandra whispered, her voice barely cutting through the heavy quiet, "don't you feel it? Somethings… off."</p>
<p>Van nodded, his gaze scanning the treeline. "Yeah, I feel it. Somethings watching us. Keep an eye out. I don't want to stop with her."</p>
<p>The shadows shift and a thick fog rolls in, utterly stifling their senses. The world around Chandra fades, the dark forest dissolving into a dreamlike haze, leaving only the girl—pale, fragile, but serene, her chest rising and falling with the rhythm of shallow breaths. As she touches the mark, the world falls away entirely.</p>
<p>Chandra is standing in a field—a field unlike any she has ever known. The grass is impossibly green, each blade shimmering with a vigorous glowing mist, as if they were spun from light itself. The sky above is an endless expanse of blue, and though no sun is visible, everything is bathed in a soft, golden light. She feels a warmth spreading through her, a peace so deep it nearly brings her to her knees.</p>
<p>Ahead, she sees a great tree rising from the center of the field—its trunk vast, its branches wide and full, leaves rustling with a sound like whispered prayers. At its roots, streams of water flow clear and pure, pooling into a crystalline lake. The air is thick with the scent of fresh earth and the sweetness of fruit, as if the land itself is alive with divine purpose.</p>
<p>"Eden?" she murmured.</p>
<p>Suddenly, Chandras gaze is drawn to the girl standing by the tree. Her gown is white, glowing softly, and though her face is shadowed, the mark on her brow shines with a radiant light. She is no longer weak, no longer frail; she stands tall and sure, her presence commanding, as if the very land recognizes her.</p>
<p>The girl turns to Chandra, her lips parting without producing sound, yet the meaning of it is heard in her mind. She knows, somehow, this place is not just a vision—it is the future, a new Eden, a remade earth.</p>
<p>Then all fades to blood and devastation, bathing Van, herself, and the forest around her.</p>
<p>"Don't lose your pace. If we separate, I'm dropping the girl and saving you."</p>
<p>"No-!" Chandra cried. "Give my life for hers."</p>
<p>"Wha- you know I can't do that. We're connected at the hip. You're like my little sister." His voice dropped so that Chandra strained to hear it. "I dunno if she'll even wake up."</p>
<p>A distant rumble echoes in the sky, and the golden light dims as storm clouds gather on the horizon. The peaceful scene begins to crumble, cracks forming in the earth beneath her feet, the vision darkening with a sense of urgency. Chandra can hear Vans voice distantly calling her name, but she cannot look away from the girl.</p>
<p>"I am not the only one who seeks her."</p>
<p>Chandra jumped again.</p>
<p>"Did you hear that? That voice?"</p>
<p>Van hummed. "Everything sounds like voices in a forest like this. Relax."</p>
<p>"No..."</p>
<p>A solemn silence fell over her. The girl was important, but she was also a danger magnet. There was no way to communicate this to Van without tempting him to dump the girl for her sake. He may be her devoted guardian, but his loyalty is shared with no one else.</p>
<p>Van dropped in front of her, rolling the girl off his shoulders and firing into the fog in one flowing movement.</p>
<p>"Out of nowhere!" Van hissed. "Ambush."</p>

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<!--230519-->
<h1>Hello Traveler - 3 . Veiled by Fog </h1>
#chandra #van #colt #lisbet<br>
<br>
<p>Chandra couldn't see anything at first. She leapt forward, shielding the mysterious girl with her own body.</p>
<p>"They aren't moving."</p>
<p>Van drew closer, tactically. Chandra placed her hand over the girl's mark, but it seared her palm. Nowhere else felt feverish. Tearing a piece of cloth to conceal her forehead. Can you even hide a mark? Chandra wondered.</p>
<p>Van re-emerged from the fog, bee-lining for Chandra. "We're leaving," he said as he hoisted Chandra and moved to leave the girl behind.</p>
<p>"Whoa, I'm not going anywhere without her."</p>
<p>"I saw something freaky, like dark voids in human form. This forest is haunted, and that girl is bad news. We're g. o. n. e. -- gone."</p>
<p>Chandra pulled out the gun quietly, pressing it against Van. He stopped, stunned.</p>
<p>"Run if you want, but I'm going back for her," she spoke with trembling conviction. "I'm not afraid of whatever you just saw."</p>
<p>"You would threaten me over that changeling? She'll get us killed. We have a mission to complete."</p>
<p>"Van! She's vital to the mission. I saw her on Earth, on Eden. She was--"</p>
<p>"If God wants her there, God will place her there. My job is to keep you safe--"</p>
<p>Chandra bit Vans arm the second she felt his grip loosen, breaking free and sprinting into the fog. Ahead, two dark figures had lifted the girl, carrying her away. Chandra pushed on, meeting the soulless, hollow gazes of the half-men—creatures she had seen before, with eyes like black voids.</p>
<p>"Give her to me."</p>
<p>Without hesitation, they obliged, handing her over. "We do as you say. Have mercy on us!" they pleaded.</p>
<p>Chandra carried the girl, stumbling through the fog with all the grace she could muster. Before her, the beasts and fog parted, making her path clear. She passed Van where she left him, torn between loyalty and reason.</p>
<p>"Don't worry about it. Let's get back on the ship."</p>
<p>Van nodded, offering to help with the girl, but Chandra refused to even let him touch her. It slowed them down considerably, but she couldn't let go of her.</p>
<p>The way back to the ship was more treacherous than the trip out, covered in snags, thorns, sudden drops, and biting insects. The overhanging sea of stars felt less wondrous and more like a cosmic judge presiding over a lost Earth.</p>
<p>Van blamed every misstep, every snare on the girl. If she wasn't already cursed, he'd curse her himself.</p>
<p>But to Chandra, she was a drop of the divine, a seed to a new earth. She was the precious beyond measure, despite her matted hair and disfiguring scars. The world had treated her like refuse.</p>
<p>"Heavy-burdened?"</p>
<p>A soft whisper tickled her ear. She bowed her head.</p>
<p>"Yes, Lord..."</p>
<p>The burden was lifted, and Chandra turned to see the angel from earlier, cradling the girl. Van halted, watching their exchange.</p>
<p>The weight lifted, and when Chandra looked up, she saw the angel from earlier, cradling the girl. His features were too perfect, like a graveyard angel carved in solemnity. Transfixed by his face, she noticed the thorny protrusions along his scalp.</p>
<p>"Isn't this a lovely reunion," he said, smiling curiously. "I hoped to cross paths again. You seemed helpless, even hapless, at first, but look how the fog parts for you now."</p>
<p>Van placed a protective hand on Chandra. "Why did you follow us?"</p>
<p>Van moved closer, his hand protectively on Chandras shoulder. "Were you following us?"</p>
<p>The man waved dismissively. "Im just a mercenary. My current job is dull, and my employer is in no hurry. But you seem to be up to something really interesting. Ive seen the dangers clawing to reach you and that girl. And while I respect your gunplay," he curiously glanced at Chandra rather than Van, "I think youd benefit from my sword. Let me in on whatever you've got going on!"</p>
<p>Chandra nodded without question. "Absolutely."</p>
<p>Van looked at Chandra a bit harder. "But we don't know him or his motives. You can't be so trusting this far from home."</p>
<p>Chandras gaze didnt waver. "I trust him."</p>
<p>Van sighed, resigned. "Welcome aboard."</p>

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<!--230519-->
<h1>Hello Traveler - 4 . Mismatched Affections </h1>
#chandra #van #colt #lisbet<br>
<br>
<p>Van broke the awkward silence that enveloped the four of them by shooting straight at the tall, swarthy mercenary.</p>
<p>"So do you have a name? And what exactly are you anyway?"</p>
<p>Chandra cast a disapproving look at her pilot, but her angel seemed unphased by Van's rough tone. He answered plainly, "I don't have a name, and I don't have a people." He formed his next words with care. "They call me Traveler. I was taken into captivity when I was very young and did odd jobs across the stars. I never met someone from my tribe, if they still exist, and I can't identify the backwoods principality that subjected me." His finger tip drew a jagged sign across his chest. "Simply to say I don't have much of an answer beyond what I already told you. I'm just a mercenary. The past doesn't matter much."</p>
<p>Van nodded sentimentally. "Forgot your home? You'd think home would stay around forever. Maybe it's gone like ours," he mused. "But why were you on a shard of our world?"</p>
<p>A bit of energy animated his gentle charisma Traveler for a moment. "That was a piece of a planet?"</p>
<p>Chandra nodded. "Yeah...we're trying to collect the shards and reform our home."</p>
<p>Traveler jabbed the center of his chest emphatically. "Beyond believability. Who commissioned you?"</p>
<p>Chandra and Van exchanged a knowing look. "The Lord," Van replied for her. "Our God."</p>
<p>"You had called me by that name," he said. "So we are working for a god who shatters planets and makes them new?"</p>
<p>"Quite an apt description," Van said.</p>
<p>"Yes," Chandra answered quietly.</p>
<p>Traveler gazed over the sleeping girl, brushing his fingers over her searing forehead.</p>
<p>"And he shatters girls like this, too?"</p>
<p>Chandra's breath caught in her throat. "Not her, just her flesh." She could feel the doubt and blame rolling off Van. "He will restore her. He promised."</p>
<p>Traveler imitated Van's nod. "I've worked for gods in the past. They are unpredictable, cruel, self-serving. They may restore you and gift you wealth, power, knowledge, and access to the full world and the world beyond. But they charge a heavy price, if their gifts aren't illusory to begin with."</p>
<p>"I trust Him."</p>
<p>Traveler smiled at her answer. "Simple enough. Your trust in me is not misplaced. If you trust the Lord the same, I'll withhold my words."</p>
<p>"Whatever you are, human nature is not beneath to you, I'm sure. No one is clean. But the Lord will never betray me."</p>
<p>Traveler was visibly amused and inspired by her sweet conviction. He had encountered others like her. He turned his attention to the girl next to him, leaving her to her faith.</p>
<p>"Tell me about her. You risked your life for her. Is she a princess or noble daughter?"</p>
<p>Chandra paused, feeling she was like royalty in a way. "I don't know anything about her. But I saw her, in a dream, whole and standing in the new earth after all the division." She looked at the girl. "And, I love her."</p>
<p>"You what?" Van sighed.</p>
<p>"She's so vulnerable and so connected to our mission. What you said is true. God can raise another to help her, even send ministering angels, but my heart wants to see her through."</p>
<p>"You see visions?" Traveler interrupted them.</p>
<p>"Yes," Chandra answered simply.</p>
<p>Van shook his head. "Just her. God doesn't speak to me."</p>
<p>Chandra giggled. "Maybe if you circumcised your ears, you could hear better."</p>
<p>"What are you talking about, girlie? I had them lopped off with the rest of me in that gross swamp water off-planet."</p>
<p>Traveler remained silent as they playfought, keeping his discomfort and judgments to himself. Yet he was still drawn by the sparkle about Chandra.</p>
<p>Most girls in this kind of work had a crudeness to them. They were older, griseled, cynical, and carried heavy baggage, so the natural fitness and stamina just didn't make a mercenary girl worth it. Chandra had a gentle way about her, even as she shared her convictions, and it manifested in her fair and smooth, youthful features.</p>
<p>The settlements he visited treated him as an alien, and employers were forever taking unfair advantage of him. Their motives were too often questionable, and they were quick to weasel out of contracts.</p>
<p>These two were strange, but they seemed like a good sort. The girl in front of him glowed with light. She seemed so free and unburdened, wearing feminine white robes and her wavy blonde hair down. She was lovely, strange devotions aside.</p>
<p>He was lucky to be accepted so easily.</p>

@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
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<h2>chat</h2>
<ul>
<li>{{random.choice(['.','•','☆','★'])}}&#9;X/Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/blessfrey">blessfrey</a> </li>
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<li>{{random.choice(['.','•','☆','★'])}}&#9;FlightRising: <a href="https://www1.flightrising.com/clan-profile/525948">Aristene</a> </li>
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