Mafia romance books barnes and noble

Does anyone know any romance books that features scenes of the MC or Li getting drunk/high maybe for the first time possibly at a party or event? I was thinking about how in twilight they’re never allowed to drink or do any drugs whatsoever and it was looked at as so CRAZY that Bella drank a little cough syrup when she couldn’t sleep 😱. The only scene I have seen where the MC got genuinely drunk was the infamous scene from the shatter me series. I understand this probably doesn’t happen in YA a lot because it’s not something great to promote but it’s definitely realistic and would be good if handled properly.

Hi everyone,
I figured the best way to jump back into the dating game may be to try online dating since I have an second shift work schedule and find it difficult to meet people in real life.
I left a LTR earlier in the year and am ready to just see what's out there/what people are like. I'm not explicitly looking for my perfect match, just trying to go with the flow (isn't everyone?). Reddit seems like a great place to start before downloading any dating apps (and also a great way to find out if I even like online dating).
A little about me...

• Fit, Tall (6'1"), Caucasian.
• Left leaning.
• I really enjoy outdoor activities: Hiking and Biking (even just casual walks). This year is shaping up to be my biggest biking year yet! (I have both a mountain bike and hybrid).
• I try to camp at least 1 night every couple weeks in a new state park (planning some road trips for later this year).
• I also really enjoy the summer weather and heat (don't worry, I run the AC when I sleep).
• Not afraid to take a nap in the middle of the day that's only "15 minutes" but wake up 1 hour later.
• I try to go to the gym 3x a week (I wouldn't consider myself a gym rat or jacked, I just go to stay in shape).
• Huge fan of the Freebeerandhotwings morning show.
• Also a fan of shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and the Sopranos.
• I have a bit of a joking/teasing personality with an at times morbid sense of humor.
• Following up on that morbid sense of humor, I also have a positive attitude.
• I'm also mellow/relaxed.
• I'm a bit of an introvert, but I'm comfortable being in larger settings/gatherings as long as I know someone/can find something to do.
• I read. Often I have 2x-3x books open at a time and I make slow progress on them. Right now it's a mix of academic/history books and fiction (some romance, some science fiction, basically anything anyone recommends to me).
• I journal.
• Big on breakfast foods.
• Brush my teeth 2x a day.
• I do have a PC and games for when things get boring/rainy/snowy day.
• I do like to stay busy with work and life, and am independent.
• I don't have any social media/don't use my phone much outside of work/GPS/the random google. I try very hard to not browse Reddit in my free time, haha.
• I don't smoke/drink.

A little about what I'm looking for...
Personality: Relaxed/calm, great sense of humor and witty, passionate about your interests, can take a positive spin/laugh at even the worst situations.
Physically: Tall is a plus but not required, in good shape/fit, age 22-35.
Lifestyle: Independent, childfree, left leaning, decent diet, not a Bob and Tom fan, brush your teeth 2x a day.
Interpersonal: Good communicator and conversationalist (I really enjoy talking in person/over the phone), kind to others.
Hobbies: I think we'd both benefit if we shared the same activities like hiking/biking/gym, etc (really just looking for someone who doesn't spend all their time inside). I'm open to exploring other outdoophysical activities you might do! It would also be cool if you were an avid reader of sorts so that we might read the same books. I also enjoy board games, hot yoga, and more.
Whew, I feel like I wrote an essay. If you made it this far and you're interested, send me a message over chat and let me know what your favorite color is! Your picture gets mine.

I read this book when I was younger and I’m trying so hard to find it now.
It’s YA romance from before 2019. I know a girl from a small town moves in with her dad into a small apartment in the big city (pretty sure it’s New York). She meets a boy in the city and they fall in love. There are two scenes I remember where they go into a Walgreens and one where the girl is eating Chinese food alone in her dad’s apartment.
I know this is a long shot and kind of vague, but I’ve been looking through YA romance authors’s back catalogues like Sophie Kinsella for days and I’m stuck. If there’s a better subreddit for this specific inquiry please let me know.

Okay, just wanted to get these thoughts out there, as I’m slowly descending into a Cosmere obsession, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing my thoughts on Brandon’s books thus far. For context, I’ve read the Mistborn trilogy, Elantris, and Warbreaker.
Part 1 started off very strong, albeit very heavy with all the magical terms, locations, namedropping, history, and religion. That opening chapter with Szeth (how is this pronounced by the way?) was all kinds of awesome. The Lashing magic was super cool even though I found myself constantly rereading sections to make sure I was following which wall/direction Szeth was Lashing to. Eager for more of that. Didn’t see anything else from this character, but that one chapter alone has me excited for more.
Kaladin Stormblessed baby! I’ve seen this name thrown around a few times on this sub, so it was nice to finally dig into this character a little bit. I don’t feel like I have a lot to go off of yet, besides him being a seemingly noble character with a strong drive to help people. I really appreciated his flashback chapter with his “father” (I’m not convinced yet), and their discussion on those who kill and those who protect, as well as Kaladin’s 3rd type of person who kills to protect. Kaladin stepping back from the chasm ledge and choosing to try again was a great moment, now I’m looking forward to see which type of person he becomes. Also, Syl is great.
Shallan had some great moments in this part as well. I really love her interest in the arts, and her scholarly side. She reminds me of my girlfriend in this sense. Learning that her whole plan is to steal Jasnah’s soul caster was surprising as I didn’t immediately take Shallan to be the type to steal, but after learning more about her motivations it makes much more sense. I’m looking forward to more of her as well.
I really love the parallel between Shallan and Kaladin, both ready to give up, but both willing to give it one more try. I assume it’s going to work out for them… at least for now…
A few questions that I hope someone can answer (avoiding spoilers for the rest of the book/series of course)…

1. What is an ardent? What makes someone an ardent?
   
2. Shallan’s Memory… I’m sure this gets explained in more detail later, but so far my understanding is that it’s basically really good photographic memory? When she says she takes a part of the subject’s soul, is that literal or metaphorical? If this is a spoiler area, no need to go into details.
   
3. What is the difference between lighteyes and darkeyes? Is it literally just a distinction between the colour of people’s eyes that make them a certain “class” so to speak? Or do they have deeper differences/powers?
   

I also just wanted to say thank you to everyone in this fandom. I recently made a post about myself possibly spoiling something about Shallan. So many people were kind enough to reassure me and encourage me to keep going. A moderator even reached out to me to write a kind message doing the same. It felt very refreshing to have these encounters on Reddit. The books have been great, and I’m really excited to keep going, but already this community has shown me a lot of encouragement and support. I never liked reading. I don’t think I finished a full book throughout my entire time high school over 10 years ago. Sanderson, and this community has be so excited to read now, and I love it.
Even if nobody cares about these thoughts, I’ll keep posting them, to at least keep track of my Cosmere journey. But thank you to everyone who reads.
On to Part 2!

I had this friend for about 15 years and it’s recently ended tbh I don’t know why it ended she kept telling me that I wasn’t a good friend and the way I spoke to her doesn’t constitute as being a good friend we are both females with a 4 year age difference she is older and I am younger. For reference I’m 26 and she is 30, tbh I knew she was trying to get rid of me, I’m the type of person that if I’m single I date a lot and get to know people, I’m somewhat shy meeting new people but I fake it and act very extrovert, she is the complete opposite and likes to remind me how she’s only been with a certain # of people in her life, ever since I can remember we always use to hang out and talk all the time, we did almost everything together and we agreed to be each others maid of honors, she is getting married this year and it’s clear I’m not going to be in the wedding let alone be invited, it all started when she started to see her now fiancé. she started to act distant she would constantly judge me and criticize my dating life style. The last time I saw her I told her I wasn’t looking for anything serious and I am dating a few people but nothing was serious, she always asks me “how dating” or “how is so and so” and if I tell her she is quick to be like well what do you expect? You only date f*k boys. It kind of got annoying because I wouldn’t even bring up my dating I would mostly talk about what I’m doing with my life but she would ask and I would just answer & quick she would be like look at all these men you date they suck. She met her fiancé after being on a dating app for a few months and decided to marry the first man that offered her a ring. Good for her if that’s what she wanted I never judged her for that I just said she should get to know more people and see what else is out there, and not just jump to the first man to throw a ring at her. And she’s quick to be like look at the men you date, alot of the times the men I date turn out to be “crazy” it’s not that they’re crazy but it just doesn’t work out and I do end up getting hurt. I don’t regret any of my dates I learn alot and I’ve grown from it. A year ago I texted her to meet up since I haven’t seen her, she was hesitant at first but she agreed once again she asked me about my dating and it was the same story about the type of men I date blah blah blah. I just let it slide we shop alittle and head to Barnes and nobles, I was trying to buy a book and we started to talk about this book call “never let me go” by Kazuo Ishiguro tbh I saw the movie I did not like it thought it was mid and the book didn’t convince me, apparently she let me borrow this book like 10 years ago and I don’t remember, I told her how I was glad to throw out the book and she got offended I thought it was weird that she got offended but I didn’t think much of it. The next day she sends me a long message saying how I’m a bad friend and that she is done with me and tbh I was so thrown off guard that I responded in not such a nice way, I didn’t think she really didn’t want to be my friend but come today I saw her riding her bike by my house since we live close and I missed her and wanted to text her to make amends but she told no and wished me luck. Tbh I hate this feeling I hate it so much because if you guys knew everything I have done for her, it’s so unfair that she is the one to end it! I wanted to be the one to ended you know why? Because she really is a bad friend, I lost my virginity at 20 to a man I was friends with, he caught feelings but I didn’t feel the same, he decided to turn to her and the started a relationship. She never told me. they ended staying together for over a year. she never told me, she told me months later after them being together, and even tho I didn’t have feelings for him that was still not okay, I got roped and I have proof of it, I told her the story, I told her I went out to a bar with friends and I was wearing a knee length dress with a over sized men’s cardigan no makeup and Walmart sneakers I looked like complete trash and yet this man still added a substance to my drink and took advantage of me and it was worst when I told her the story and all she said to me was “what do you expect you put yourself in that situation” I forgave and I didn’t call her out I get it I should’ve cut this friendship a long time ago but we had so much history I just thought it was normal and this is how people fight and make up. I saw her today and decided to text her to make amends and tbh her response just hurts and it suck that I let her get away with so much when all I want to do is yell at her and throw it in her face everything she done and I know this sounds bad but I hope her marriage fails I hate this feeling and I hate everything I put up with
Edit- I have all the text if anyone is interested in seeing the text message when she first ended our friendship

Using the term “real literature” because even though I don’t agree with the idea of trying to determine whether books are “real literature” or not, idk how else to convey what I’m talking about but I think this helps?
Basically, a book where the things the characters do or the things that happen to them would make for a super juicy soap opera. I guess another way to put it would be like, would the characters’ lives make for good gossip?
One example of this (and the thing that made me want to ask this) is a part in The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne where >!the main character has just gotten married, but runs away from the reception, flees the country, and doesn’t return until years afterwards. When he does return, he meets with the woman he married, only to discover that she was actually pregnant at the time and has had to raise their son largely alone and could not get remarried because they were never officially divorced.messy and making terrible decisions that just hurt everyone.
Another example would be The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but I don’t want the drama to largely come from the fear of the public finding out something about someone’s personal life. Also, I’m not looking for something that would be classified as “A Romance,” but obviously books with romance plots and themes are fine because that’s where a lot of drama comes from.
I hope this makes any sort of sense, I’m not the best at explaining myself.
Bonus points if it’s historical, bonus bonus points if it’s queer.

For all of us looking for what to read after SJM, I have a book recommendation! Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. A good fantasy novel with a healthy dose of steamy romance. Only warning: it's the first book of a series and the next doesn't come out until November. :(
If anyone wants to throw their current recommendations for folks onto this thread, feel free!

Lately, it’s been nothing but fantasy and romance stories that get developed into series. The last sci-fi series was Perfect Match, and ever that had a lot more focus on romance than sci-fi.
Given that the last three sci-fi books released after that were standalone books under the heap of fantasy and realistic stories, does PB not have any confidence in writing pure sci-fi?

​
Ch. 1085 p2
Hello once again! I'll start with page 2 so I can spare you from the atrocious Franky scribble in the cover.
Last chapter was an absolute rehash of past moments and though not to the same length, this chapter starts like that as well. There's nothing going on in this page other than we being told, just like 5 years ago, that no one should be sitting on the empty throne, but since we already knew Imu does, this time it's not a shock for us.
By the way, WTF happened to Cobra in the big panel? I know he's supposed to be bending a bit forward and coughing, but last time I checked he didn't have that hump on his back. We've seen fodder victim to Law's shambles be more anatomically correct than Cobra here.
I also didn't want to talk much about this becaue it's a recurring theme, sadly, and I think everyone is well aware by now, but I just had an epiphany looking at something I thought I'd never see: The Gorōsei drawn as a doodle in a big panel. And I just wanted to share it with you:
Right-most gorōsei totally looks here like an old version of the gentleman with the amazing horse.
Look at my horse
And... if you don't mind scrolling back up a bit, you're surely used to the huge margins of empty whitespace around characters where backgrounds disappear because of pure laziness and lack of actual teamwork between Oda and his assistants (The scribbled gorōsei are drawn by Oda, the a bit more detailed background is drawn by the assistant(s)).
But, why are there random spots of empty whitespace at the wall behind the swords?? O_o What's the meaning of that?
Ch. 1085 p3
Cobra asks Imu for his/her identity and says he remembers that name from history class. However, Imu doesn't want to answer.
Why not? Imu and the gorōsei are determined to kill Cobra before he gets out of the room. Why answer some questions and not others? This doesn't make sense in the story. This is just Oda controlling which bits of information we get and which we don't.
He wants to put something on the chapter, so the chapter exists but at the same time not let us know things that we should naturally learn from the chapter. This will get worse in a moment.
So, the question: Is Imu one of the 20 kings who founded the World Government? Might be. Personally, if I were to get a throne for me and me alone throughout 800 years, I would not have it made many times bigger than how I need it to be.
Also, if Cobra can learn of "Imu" by reading history, "world government seal of approval" history, then everyone can and there's even less of a reason not to tell him. But whatever. Let's see what Imu answers:
"D. is the name of our ancient enemy". Nice. Really, thank you very much Imu, we had never heard that one before. You certainly solved Cobra's and our every doubts about the meaning of "D." Previously I said Oda wanted to put some info in the chapter but not all, didn't I? Well, scratch that. There's nothing actually new.
Didn't he say "from here on out I'm going to write all the answers to the mysteries of the world"? If he doesn't want to reveal the meaning of "D." yet, it's okay, but if he just teases us like this, like always, then that's not "answers to the mysteries" and it feels like he's just trolling us again and again.
Imu talks about Lili's "blunder". Is that really the appropriate word? Or a mistranslation? It'll be relevant later.
Look at Imu sitting on the throne for a moment. Why is Imu completely 2-dimensional? I mean, everything is 2-dimensional in a paper sheet, but why is Imu 2-dimensional even when accounting for the perspective? Imu is completely flat on the throne. Like a towel left over it. Is Imu really meant to be flat? Or is this just Oda's next level of "I couldn't care less about drawing well anymore"?
Ch. 1085 p4
Okay, there's a little bit of drama going on in this page and I'll get to that in a moment, but first and foremost: How can I take any of this seriously when the one telling me about this drama is nothing else than the spillover of Oda's inkwell??
Everyone has been talking about the extreme overuse of silhouette piece this chapter because of the gorōsei showing not showing their powers, but the truth is that Imu has already had more than enough screentime, so that she's no longer a stain of ink in the paper.
It's perfectly okay if you want to not properly show a character in order to create some mystery and tension around it. We're even more than okay with having a black spot placeholder rather than an actual character even though there is no reason, story-wise, why the character shouldn't be seen. We accepted that long ago.
But that's always under the circumstance that the character is being introduced. And this is no longer the case with Imu. She's been doing things, creating consequences and more importantly, she's now holding conversations with other characters and with ourselves directly. This is way past being a teaser for the character, and this is completely unacceptable.
Oda should make up his mind, does he want Imu to take the spotlight or does he want her appearance to be a mystery? But it's not possible to put the character on the spotlight and pretend it's fine to never actually draw it.
In fact, there's a pretty easy way for Oda to reasonably get away with it. He's used it plenty of times as well. The chocolate character. He just needs to put a mask on Imu's face and that's it. Mystery continues and we get our manga with actual images.
Whenever he feels like, he can unwrap the chocolate and never wrap it again. King, Duval... the list is long. No one would have cared for one more.
So, the drama... Imu claims the poneglyphs were scattered around the world, that they were "released". Implying that the poneglyphs once were all together and under the custody of the World Government. She blames Nefertari Lili for that and wonders whether it was an accident or treason on her behalf. Imu says that was the worst possible outcome for them.
Call me an optimist if you want, but keeping control of most of the world for at least 800 years doesn't sound to me like "the worst possible outcome" nor a bad outcome in any way.
Also ¿WAT? The poneglyphs were under W.G's custody? How come?? The faction opposed to the 20 kingdoms that would late found the W.G. created the poneglyphs in coalition with the Kōzuki clan as a way to prevent history from being erased by the W.G. but then all the poneglyphs are somehow under W.G control??
Ch. 1085 p5
Is Cobra really begging for his life here? Did he not know how likely it was to die here when he came to raise all these topics? And more importantly, why did he do it? Is there any reason at all why Cobra would come here to risk his life (and endanger her daughter's) just to be pain in the ass to the gorōsei?
Does any of this have any explanation? Or is this the only way Oda came up to give us some exposition to what Imu says?
How disastrous it is to have characters act in unreasonable and unbelievable ways just to create a specific situation to provide info to the reader and then hide as much information as possible in that scene at the same time?? What's the point?? Does Oda want to explain a story here or does he not??
Ch. 1085 p6_7
Sabo is there in the same room, Cobra reveals Queen Lili had the "D." middle name, a gorōsei attacks him and Sabo intervenes attacking the gorōsei and Imu back. Let's go about it one thing at a time:

• Nefertari D. Lili.
  • Last page Imu seemed to be aware of that and simply wanting Cobra to confirm it, but now she seems surprised, like she actually needed an answer from Cobra to know.
  • Wasn't Lili one of the 20 founders of the W.G? How come is she a "D." too?
  • Wouldn't that fact be quite notorious back then, so that the Nefertari lineage was known for it to this day? At least by the gorōsei and Imu??
  • Between this and last chapter this part has been very obscure but, Queen Lili never made it back to Arabasta after founding the W.G. and the gorōsei said she might have "suffered an accident" *wink wink* if you know what I mean...
  • And Oda made it look like Lili's "accident" was a punishment for "scattering the poneglyphs".
  • Without going too deep in how did she manage to do that, to give poneglyphs back to the close-bordered Wano or to Laugh Tale, really, how did she put a poneglyph on the family's mausoleum if she never returned there???
• Sabo is there, huh?
  • No one noticed.
  • The gorōsei don't have the most basic observation haki to know there's someone else in the room. Neither does Imu. Nice.
  • Is the "smothered mate" move actually Sabo's? It's kind of difficult to be sure who's saying what. Just as it's hard to know what's exactly happening. The gorōsei are met with a huge burst of fire but Sabo sends to Imu a small flame that crawls over the wall and stairs like a snail?? WTF?
• Cobra attacked.
  • According to the position from which Cobra is attacked, it looks like our friend Garcia is the one doing it.
  • The question though is: WHY?
  • Why would they attack Cobra like that so suddenly? Like they just lost their patience when he answered the question. Imu could want to know more. Why attack him like that? The gorōsei never looked to me like the impulsive type of guys.
  • Can Garcia risk killing Cobra while Imu still wanted to get more information from him? What would happen to him if that were the case?
  • By the way, didn't they all prepare their guns a page ago? What was that? You show the gun just to attack with an arrow-shaped tail? O_o

Ch. 1085 p8_9
A Den Den Mushi takes a picture of Sabo next to the injured king Cobra. Cobra recognizes Sabo as Luffy's brother. Sabo tries to leave with Cobra, but the king asks him to let him go and deliver a message to Luffy and Vivi instead.

I was hoping to take you all out in one move. - Sabo

Is this a joke or what?

There's no way I could've known people here would be strong. - Sabo

What are we supopsed to do with this text? It is no more and no less than the principal speech bubbles in this double page. Did Oda forget to fill in these bubbles and then just before publishing someone realized and had to write the first thing that came to mind? As a joke, I would have laughed way more if the bubbles read "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..."
Can someone remind me since when does Cobra know Sabo and Luffy are brothers??
Okay, okay, let's talk about the important stuff. The gorōsei and Imu transformed / summoned a stand / were tag teamed by some substitutes... how could we know, right? When everything is just a big stain of ink.
There are hundreds of ways of teasing about someone's powers or any feature in general and this must be the worst one or one of them. I'm not going to extend on this. Is unacceptable no matter how you look at it.
Some of you who know of the book might find a connection between the ink stains and these guys
Where the wild things are by Maurice Sendak
However, I want to share with you the actual model used for one specific silhouette:
One punch-Man (manga) Ch. 100 (originally 97) p12
I find it astonishing how close to this looks the shadow second from the right.
Ch. 1085 p10
Nefertari D. Cobra, Nefertari D. Vivi... Cobra wants Luffy to know they share the "D."
First, new hidden "D."s, just like Trafalgar Law. They were not special enough and now Oda makes them more special because...
https://preview.redd.it/ev112fgoqa4b1.jpg?width=620&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed59c05829caa5563b5da1357d6bdfe395d256a4
I don't know... I find this very boring. We started the chapter with the prospect of finally getting some answers about the meaning of "D." but we just got this instead.
And I wonder, why does Cobra want Luffy to know? Cobra doesn't know its meaning, Luffy doesn't know either... this information is totally useless for anyone. Why not tell someone, Luffy or not, about Imu existing? That would make more sense. That is actual information that might be relevant to someone.
I think this message thing was just an excuse for Cobra to confirm on screen that he and Vivi are Ds. Which, again, couldn't not matter any less.
The page ends with the anticipation of the inky tail. Or not. You can't build any anticipation for something we already know you're not going to show us. Least of all when you've got a track record by which we know by the time this is actually revealed, this arrow-shaped tail can perfectly be an octopus' tentacle or something even further from this silhouette.
Ch. 1085 p11
Ink strikes back. Multiple depictions of black shapes that add nothing to the reader. And Cobra stands to let himself be killed as Sabo escapes.
Congratulations! You just made Cobra a D in time so that he could die NOT smiling, and now the only thing we knew about D people isn't true anymore.
We came to the chapter to take something from it, and the chapter took it from us instead. Awesome. Can this get any better?
Ch. 1085 p12
YES it gets even better: Wapol was watching everything through a glory hole in the throne's room. Can you believe that??
The most luxurious place in the whole world and it has a hole in the wall. Why would they not repair that hole? Why would Imu make such a blunder? And she was the one speaking of "blunders" before. The irony...
The gorōsei realize someone's watching through the hole. They, who could hurt Sabo's logia body a second ago, won't be able to get to Wapol now. He'll manage to escape too. The gorōsei and Imu won't take further action to stop Wapol.
Seeing this, I wonder whether Cobra could have actually escaped as well. Maybe he did and will make an appearance later. Fake death's are a classic after all.
HA! I wrote that for a manga where so few characters die and, when they do, it's done in a very epic or emotional scene, Cobra's death was very shallow. Then I remembered Ashura Dōji and Izō so I had to fix this paragraph.
Ch. 1085 p13
Now Oda wants us to remember than in this new reality, the Ryūgū royal family didn't left Mariejoise yet and that the Reverie is still going on.
So... the kings were waiting for Cobra. No one said he wasn't going to attend. Personally, I think Cobra would have attended every meeting and only then, with his responsibilities taken care of, he would meet the gorōsei, but I get this is very nitpicky when the plot is moving forward through glory holes in the middle of the royal palace.
On the other hand, "they just received word" that Cobra and Wapol wouldn't attend. Why? Why would Wapol not attend? What was he doing? I mean, we just saw what he was doing, but what's the excuse? He didn't know what was going to happen there and I bet he didn't knew about the glory hole beforehand, so... what was he doing?
Who knows... the important thing is the kings just received word those two weren't attending the meeting. They didn't receive word, though, about a major terrorist attack two blocks from there, admirals fighting and even calling for a meteor strike.
Why is this meeting going on under this circumstances?? There are actual world nobles hurt over there and even Charloss hurt right there. The idea that these meetings went on like they were completely detached from the world is delusional.
Ch. 1085 p14
Hm... First Vivi was being escorted by Rob Lucci and went all the way to the port (not saying good bye to Shirahoshi, where's her diplomacy??) and now the other CP90 have her kidnapped.
Jabura looking like a maniac is out of character. Kalifa being cruel for no reason is out of character as well. What happened to the cool, fun and easygoing CP9??
No, really, what happened to them? It's been a long while since they've been slowly returning to the story as CP0 agents and... well, so far we've got no explanation why this is the situation.
It's not like they were promoted from CP9 to no CP0. Remember that after losing at Enies Lobby the World Government itself tried to kill them. They escaped and swore revenge against the government. So, I think an explanation is not only in order but long overdue if we're to accept that they work for the government again with such passion.
And why is it so hard to have the characters retain their personality? This is so sad. They were the funniest villains in One Piece (and badass at the same time) and not they're not one thing nor the other.
Ch. 1085 p15
And just like this we go from CP9 bullying Vivi to them having a casual conversation with her. Great. Totally reasonable.
I wonder how relevant Sai and Leo saying they're part of the Mugiwara fleet can be, but I'm way more concerned about why Jabura is speaking in past tense of things that should be happening right this instant. I'm talking about the admirals fighting each other.
Anyway, admiral Broccoli was complaining that they couldn't fight properly against the revolutionaries because of the place they were, but he had no problems in fighting properly against Fujitora at the same exact place. Nice.
And Fujitora let (or helped) the slaves to escape. Sure. He was already threatened by the world nobles that they would have his head if he did anything against them (or just failing) and now we must believe that he openly helped the slaves and later he was sent on another mission like nothing happened.
Ch. 957 p4
That after freeing the slaves of the world nobles, Akainu would be having a casual conversation about how Fujitora got what he wanted regarding the abolition of the Shichibukai and about the SSG and Big Mom and Kaidō. Absolutely.
Akainu practically banished Fujitora just for making the Marines look bad in Dressrosa but he has nothing to say regarding Fujitora helping the revolutionary army against the world nobles and even getting into a fight with a fellow admiral.
Even the surreal glory hole in the throne's room makes much more sense than this.
Ch. 1085 p16_17
Having this final double page is quite nice because here we have a perfect example of reasonable plot convenience. Of all places Wapol could run across, Vivi is exactly on his way. Coincidences need to happen in order for most stories to have surprising elements and, though, an accumulation of them can be jarring, things like this here and there are completely fine.
At the same time we have an example of plot convenience that's not fine (precisely because it's not even a coincidence), the CP0 realize Vivi is gone, but do nothing.
Truth be told, the chapter ends with a fun joke. I don't remember the last time One Piece was funny, but at least with this one I laughed.
https://preview.redd.it/95vear4j2b4b1.png?width=540&format=png&auto=webp&s=bb30f78eb73760a23ecb38de4865f2913f276fef

Hi everyone!!
I have a couple ideas of my own,and am up for brainstorming so we make sure both sides are happy and involved!
So first, about myself!! I’ve been writing and rping for 6+ years and would conisder myself semi-lit/literate. I don’t mind the lengths of responses, as long as they’re well written. I will either write 3-4 paragraphs, or sometimes even a few one liners , if it’s heavy conversation. Please be aware that i will ask for a writing example, i like to know you’re at least literate before i put all the time into figure out a plot and characters. My partner needs to be 18+, as i am 21 and just don’t feel comfortable writing with minors, LITERATE, and i’d love someone who i get along with ooc! M or F is fine, as long as your character is a M! Feel free to message me if you’re looking for a new partner and want to chat about some ideas!!
N O W for what i’m wanting in an RP!!
I have the most experience in Medieval, fantasy, SoL, and Modern settings. Now, im pretty open to plots or settings within these worlds. I was really craving a Mafia romance, maybe an arranged marriage or something of the sorts. Something enemies to Lovers, angsty.But that could really be done in any setting! What i like to see from my male characters is your classic arrogant, cocky, morally grey, bad boy type, The whole hates everyone but her vibe. In nsfw scenes , i prefer them to be the more dominant. IF you message me and all you’re thinking about is nsfw scenes, i will not respond.

Hello! I'm a 21+ M looking for a 21+ F for this one x one RP!
The basic premise I had was such:
The woman is the boss of a local crime/mafia/mob/gang and they primarily do their business out of the back of a barestaurant. My character is the bartender at the place, hoping to keep his head down and get through his days to finish up his degree and get out of there. He's vaguely aware of the shady side of things but keeps his hands clean of it all.
Your character would be the one who runs things, and for whatever reason, the bartender catches her eye. Could be a screw up, amusement, boredom etc. Plenty of space to tweak this as needed. I was figuring a bit of a slowburn romance. I'm not looking for anything too dark, so nothing too gritty or heavy with the themes. A modern setting, but this could also be adapted to a fantasy setting in a tavern etc. Would love to hear your thoughts or opinions!
Feel free to reach out and tell me what you were thinking for your character or any ideas you have. Again, 21+ for comfort's sake.

Hi everyone!!
I have a couple ideas of my own,and am up for brainstorming so we make sure both sides are happy and involved!
So first, about myself!! I’ve been writing and rping for 6+ years and would conisder myself semi-lit/literate. I don’t mind the lengths of responses, as long as they’re well written. I will either write 3-4 paragraphs, or sometimes even a few one liners , if it’s heavy conversation. Please be aware that i will ask for a writing example, i like to know you’re at least literate before i put all the time into figure out a plot and characters. My partner needs to be 18+, as i am 21 and just don’t feel comfortable writing with minors, LITERATE, and i’d love someone who i get along with ooc! M or F is fine, as long as your character is a M! Feel free to message me if you’re looking for a new partner and want to chat about some ideas!!
N O W for what i’m wanting in an RP!!
I have the most experience in Medieval, fantasy, SoL, and Modern settings. Now, im pretty open to plots or settings within these worlds. I was really craving a Mafia romance, maybe an arranged marriage or something of the sorts. Something enemies to Lovers, angsty.But that could really be done in any setting! What i like to see from my male characters is your classic arrogant, cocky, morally grey, bad boy type. In nsfw scenes , i prefer them to be the more dominant. IF you message me and all you’re thinking about is nsfw scenes, i will not respond.

PJ has been contemplative lately – quiet and withdrawn – he seems to have lost his spark. I found him today on the odd side of the barn, sitting on the post fence looking out over the pasture. It’s a beautiful view, but PJ never had time for it before.
It would be easy to assume that he’s growing more reflective as he begins to step away from the boy inside, but that’s not it. I know him. PJ is a lot like me. He’s had an awful lot to manage. I think quite a lot of that is coming to a head now, as part of his word resolves and another part begins.
He’ a complex kid, but he’s not complicated – there’s a difference. His curious mind has always been eager to see everything there is to see and yet he’s had a way of simplifying the data. He categorizes his world with great care, storing it in manner that makes sense to him. And until the worst night, things made sense to him.
Zach is altogether different. He too is eager, but he is immensely more patient than his brother. Just like his mother, he wants to know why, while PJ only needs to know how. I think that says a lot. Zach is less convinced, less consenting to the world that is, where PJ has historically trusted it. The result is that Zach is a realist, where PJ is a dreamer. Dreamers are harder to fix.
Still, the wonderful thing with PJ is that he possesses unbridled optimism and so his processing will always favor the light. It could be that, for all that’s happened, and for the first time, he’s lost a bit of his light and maybe he doesn’t know what to do. I need to help him find it.
Zach’s world has been continuously active lately; he’s got a lot going on. Celebrations and milestones abound these days, and although Zach had rather cope quietly, it’s hard to let some of these things pass that way. Even PJ would never allow that. Still, and although PJ is purely happy for his brother, it’s not hard to see that he’s been second-chair for a while now and that needs to change.
I had a long talk with Zach tonight where my intent was to assure his understanding that I will be carving out time for his brother alone more and more. Zach’s only response was to rattle off a list of things that PJ would want to do and told me to start tonight. “He needs to be number one now.” He said. Zach sees what I see and he’s been concerned. So “whatever it takes” is his position, and I expected it would be.
I booked this weekend for us – just me and PeeJ – a fairly spectacular array of events that might just blow his mind. He needs to laugh and be excited again. I’ve decided that we’ll drive, rather than fly – PJ loves road trips, and we’ll do every stupid thing along the way. He’ll have my undivided attention.
I’ve been there for PJ through all this mess the very best that I could be, but he’s also been there for me. He’s always been there for me. I need his company just as much as he needs mine – I need his spirit to set me right, because it always does. I think we need each other right now.

Hey there, readers! Here's chapter five for your reading pleasure! Please consider leaving a comment or review as those really do just pick me right up!
I've Been Reincarnated as a Bunny Girl?! (Chapter 5)
by
ShadowDragon88
A fine drizzle was coming down on the town of Starlight Rose. A familiar wolf-kin beasta in red robes that appeared to be shimmering despite the cloudy gloom of the day was walking along the main road. In his right hand, he held a long polished oak staff, topped with a red glowing gemstone the size of his fist. In his left hand, held away from his body, was a tan leather satchel, the drawstring tied in a knot. It appeared full, and seemed to shudder and wriggle. Felixin smiled and nodded to passing villagers.
​
"Hey there, Felixin," came the rumbling voice of Earl Shatterknuckle. The blonde dwarf, presently wearing just simple brown leather trousers, fell in step beside his taller friend. Felixin looked down at the dwarf, whose smaller frame was bulging with muscles, with blue and gold glowing tattoos tracing intricate spider-web-like symbols across his chest and arms, smiling back.
​
"Good day to you, Earl," the wolf said. There was a spitting-chittering sound coming from the bag, making Felixin pause and frown before giving the satchel a good whack with his magical staff. "Quiet, you!" he hissed at it.
​
"Caught yourself another evil spirit, eh?" Earl said with a smirk.
​
"Oh yes, and this one was quite the nasty piece of work. I'm on my way back to my lab to properly dispose of it. I think it's from some destroyed remnant of Eld technology, one of the ones that gained sentience, or at least some spiritual semblance to it," Felixin said as he gave the bag another whack when it started to make some electronic beeping sounds.
​
"Oh?" Earl asked, curious. "I remember more than once we had some nasty run-ins with Eld-tech back when we were adventurers."
​
"I remember you and Melthi being the ones to turn the blasted machines on, both times when cautioned not to," Felixin said pointedly, making the dwarf chuckle.
​
"What can I say? We're both curious by nature!"
​
"Yes, that's one word for it," Felixin said with a smile, remembering his adventuring days and the party of friends he would regularly travel with. "Anyways. For some reason, about six years ago, they suddenly became much more prevalent. Thankfully, their numbers have been dropping back down over the years."
​
"What makes you think this one is from Eld tech?"
​
"It kept saying 'Does not compute!' over and over again, while also identifying some kind of rabbit threat." Felixin's mood seemed to shift and his ears laid back on his head, while his tail dipped, almost long enough to drag on the ground behind him. "And when it mentioned rabbits, it made me think of my little princess."
​
Earl rolled his eyes as he reached up and clapped the town wizard on the back. "Ah, Kiana'll be back to visit before you know it."
​
"I know... it's just, one minute she was this little delicate baby girl, and the next minute, she was this amazing young woman, all ready to up and go out."
​
"Didn't Kiana kick down a couple of brick walls when she was a baby?" Earl asked, scratching his head. Felixin waved a dismissive paw at that.
​
"Pure coincidences. Those walls were clearly unsound and improperly constructed, so much so that when she was having one of her tantrums just a little punch or kick was enough to send them tumbling down. We're lucky she wasn't hurt or scared, just confused and curious more than anything. Anyways, I just get so worried when I think of her, out there on the open road. Just so... vulnerable. Thankfully I made sure to instill in her a proper sense of caution." Earl snorted at that.
​
Meanwhile...
​
Kiana let out a roar of fury as her trusted tetsubo connected with the raised steel shield of the bandit before her. The metal dented and warped just as the bandit, shield and all, became airborne. They traveled in an arc straight towards a stone tower connected to an old run-down fort the bandits had holed up in. The screaming man smashed into the top of the tower, crumbling it, his screams instantly going silent.
​
"Fire!" Kiana heard a deep voice shout. There were several blasts and, thanks to Kiana's speed, she watched as five cannonballs headed in her direction. To the ordinary person, the black metallic spheres were probably nearly impossible to follow. To Kiana, it looked as though they were moving incredibly slow. She simply stepped aside from four of them, letting them explode into the nearby hillside. As the fifth one hurtled her way, she crouched slightly, raising her tetsubo like a baseball bat. She swung and smacked the cannonball, her tetsubo making a loud DING, and sent it flying right back where it had come from. The two bandits manning the cannon were obliterated along with the weapon itself, as well as a good chunk of the fort wall.
​
"She's some kind of demon!" one of the bandits cried. The man, really more of a boy, no older than Kiana, leapt down from the fort wall onto a carriage they had recently stolen from some traveling aristocrats. He then leapt onto the ground and sprinted out into the forest, stripping off the black cloak with the red eye in the center.
​
"DAMMIT!" the bandit leader cursed, pulling off his tricorn hat and dabbing his bald sweaty head with a handkerchief. While the remaining men were busy barring the windows or reloading and firing the cannons, he was gnashing his teeth. After a moment's hesitation, he pointed to a nearby subordinate. "You! Follow me. We'll unleash the troll on her."
​
The other bandit paled, audibly gulping. "Th-the troll? Are you sure th-that's wise?" Just as he finished asking that, another cannonball destroyed another cannon, making the entire structure shudder.
​
"We don't have any other options. Hopefully, after it kills her, it'll be injured enough for us to finish it off... or the other way around if she kills it." The other bandit grimaced at the options laid before them, but nodded solemnly. Outside, Kiana smacked another cannonball back at the cannon that fired it, being careful not to send it flying towards the base of the tower. According to one of the kidnapped merchants that had managed to escape and make it all the way to town, the cells where the bandits were holding their ransom victims were all on the ground floor. Kiana stopped when she heard a loud guttural roar, followed by a rapid series of loud BOOMs. Bandits ran by the windows and open holes of the fort, while the front gate slowly opened.
​
Out stumbled a massive creature. Its flesh was a dark brown, and had a texture not unlike tree bark. Its long arms and legs were thicker than the old oak trees in the forest near Starlight Rose. Its gnarled hands, with thick thorn-like protrusions sticking from the knuckles, balled into fists, fists that were as big as Kiana was tall. Its barrel-chest heaved, with white criss-crossing scars in its bark-flesh. It didn't have much in the way of a neck, and its head looked just like a tree stump, complete with root-like tendrils wriggling back and forth. It's mouth was partially concealed by the tendrils, until it reared back and opened its gaping maw, revealing rows of broken yellow teeth, to let out a bellow that shook the ground. From the top of its head grew two slightly spiraling branch-like horns.
​
"These idiots somehow managed to get a forest troll?" Kiana asked out loud, a smirk appearing on her face. "And this was only a gold-ranked quest? Something tells me I'm in for a sweet bonus."
​
The beast stopped as its knot-like eyes, of which there were at least seven, caught sight of the bunny girl. Up above from the second story windows and holes and from on the roof, the remaining bandits, many of them injured, looked down. Most were smirking, some of the more foolish ones shouted out taunts. The bandit leader stood there, looking grim-faced, but taking some satisfaction in knowing that despite their losses today, the annoying source of their problems was about to end, one way or another.
​
Kiana stuck the end of her tetsubo into the dirt, large and surprisingly quick thudding steps shaking the ground. The beast was lumbering towards Kiana, who didn't look the least bit afraid. While not intelligent enough to be truly sentient, the troll did have enough sense to know that its prey should be running. And the fact that it was just calmly standing there, staring at it, only angered it further. With a final roar, the forest troll charged forward. It balled up a massive fist, and swung straight for Kiana. Kiana swung her own fist, the two colliding.
​
There was a very loud, sickening crunch and pop. The bandits looked down in shock and horror as where the now screaming troll's fist and forearm had been, there was a bloody and jagged stump that ended just above the right elbow. The troll screeched and lunged at Kiana, hoping to impale her on its horns. But the bunny girl simply kicked, knocking the head clean off the rest of its body. The head bounced off a tree and rolled for a bit, settling in the dirt, a look of surprise on the stump-like face. The rest of the body tumbled over three times before coming to a rest near the make-shift stables, where the carriages and horses of the abducted nobles were kept. Kiana looked back up at the fort, making the majority of the bandits shrink back and shudder. A few of them began to wave white tablecloths hastily tied to sticks and tree branches.
​
A short time later the bandits, now in shackles, were being marched to the mechanical cart as the local sheriff and his deputies led them. Except for the severely injured ones, who were shackled to stretchers and loaded up into a seperate mechanical carriage. Kiana looked on as bodies were checked for possible survivors, there being very few to find, as the merchants and a few nobles were led by deputies out from the fort. Kiana smiled at them and nodded to their looks of awe, some of them having gotten a good look at the show of force the petite bunny girl had demonstrated. Ignoring the ones who shrank back away from her in fright, Kiana spotted the sheriff, a large older man in his mid-fifties with salt and pepper close-cropped hair and a matching mustache. He was wearing the classic green cloak, directing his deputies. He turned to face her as she approached.
​
"I think that's all cleared up," Kiana said, her voice chipper, belaying the fact she had a smattering of blood and gore staining her fur.
​
"I'd have to agree with you, young lady," Sheriff Tonsol said, his voice even. In truth, he had tried to avoid enlisting the aid of any adventurers until pressure from various merchants and nobility forced his hand. And even then he had expected it to involve a large party and, more than likely, some lives lost from the hostages. He was a little surprised when the girl reached into her satchel to produce a clipboard with a form on it, as well as an ink pen.
​
"In that case, would you mind signing this form indicating that I completed the job satisfactorily?" Tonsol looked at the form for a minute, and then his mouth curved upwards. He let out a chuckle and signed his name on the indicated line, writing in the date as well.
​
"Satisfactorily is putting it lightly, miss," he said, handing the clipboard and pen back to the bunny girl. "I had no idea that they had a forest troll in their possession. I went ahead and bumped up the reward."
​
"Oh wow, thank you, sir!" Kiana said, looking excited.
​
Tonsol smiled, something his deputies claimed to be a rare sight to behold. "Well, you earned it. I'm just glad you were able to get them to surrender without harming any hostages. Well, without them harming any more than the ones they did last time someone came out here to free them."
​
"I'm glad I could help!" Kiana said, bowing a little. "Now, I'm going to head back into town." She spread her arms wide and indicated to herself. "I'm really in need of a bath at this point."
​
"If you don't mind waiting a minute, you can ride back to town with us. It's faster than walking."
​
"Oh, thanks for the offer, but I'm good." Kiana waved, before jogging back to where she'd left her tetsubo and pack, Mirabelle coiled around it protectively. She grabbed the items up, quickly looking through the travel pack to make sure she still had everything, and nodded to herself, satisfied. She slipped the pack onto her back, then scooped her pet snake into her arms, and started to jog down the road in the direction of the town of Hengecliffe. Picking up speed, she rapidly became a blur, and in just a few seconds she was coming to a sliding stop in front of the town gates, startling a couple of bored-looking guards.
​
She greeted them and let Mirabelle down before they let her inside. They stared at the snake with the big pink ribbon around its neck slithering obediently behind the bunny girl. She stopped off at the local guild hall to drop off the signed paperwork and collect her now even heftier reward. She noticed a few stares in her general direction, and some unhappy grumbling from some fellow adventurers, but otherwise no one said anything.
​
Kiana then headed to the town inn where she still had a room for another night. Thankful again that this world had indoor plumbing, with hot water to boot, Kiana wasted no time in stripping off her gore-coated clothes, which she would wash in the laundry room down the hall, and enjoyed a nice steamy shower. She didn't have to worry about possible intruders, as Mirabelle sat coiled on the bed, ever vigilant.
​
"Today was a good day," Kiana said, stepping out of the shower and drying herself off, a feat that took several minutes with a towel. This left her gray and white fur all fluffed-out, which led to her brushing it out. Kiana had grown accustomed to the care and maintenance of her fur, taking pride in keeping it clean. She then donned her underwear and a cream-colored sundress from her pack, carefully putting her dirty clothes in the laundry sack in her pack. She smiled and stroked Mirabelle's head, the snake letting out a contented purr-like hiss.
​
"I'm going to go out and enjoy the rest of the afternoon in town. You stay here and guard the pack, okay?" she asked, slipping her mithril knuckles into her dress pockets, along with a small money pouch. Mirabelle hissed, thumping her tail on the bed in response, curling up tighter around Kiana's belongings.
​
"Good girl," she praised, before heading out, locking the door behind herself for good measure. Kiana smiled as she stepped out onto the paved sidewalk, carriages passing by on the street. Hengecliffe was much larger than Starlight Rose, with paved streets and even streetlights. Centrally located in a region of plains, it served as a trading hub. Kiana walked along, noticing a few men and women looking her over. Some seemed to do so with distaste, more than likely not enjoying the sight of a beasta. But most seemed to be pleasant people observing a new face.
​
"Well now, if my eyes are not deceiving me, it seems that an angel from the heavens has decided to grace us mere mortals with her presence." Kiana's ears twitched at the sound of the male voice. She paused and turned, looking down an alley, where a man leaning up against the side of a building stood, looking her over. He was wearing brown leather trousers, a white linen shirt, and a belt with a large buckle which, matching the large buckles on his boots, made him look a bit like a pirate. The goatee and the cutlass sheathed at his side were also not helping.
​
"Hello, beautiful," he said, giving Kiana a wink. Kiana rolled her eyes, and moved to keep walking, only to find a squat bald man standing in her way, grinning sinisterly. Kiana checked behind herself and saw another man, a larger one with a completely shaved head, arms crossed with a club under one arm. "Now, how about we all go somewhere more... private," the pirate-looking moron asked, giving Kiana a smug wink.
​
"Wow, you idiots have no idea just how badly you messed up," Kiana said, walking into the alley, the two guys following right behind her. The men chuckled. Passersby stopped when they heard three loud thuds coming from the alley, all of which made the nearby buildings shudder. They saw a bunny beasta girl walking out, brushing some dust off her sundress. She smiled and waved and continued on her way, leaving behind three broken figures. Two were lying in craters in the pavement of the alley, while the third, this one with a cutlass laying at his booted feet, was standing... his head laying all the way back in a hole in the brick wall right behind him.
​
Later that evening...
​
Kiana was sitting just outside the town walls on a hill, watching the stars come out. After sixteen years, it still mystified her to look up at the night sky, and not see any of the old constellations. She smiled as a shooting star streaked its way across the sky. Suddenly, Kiana felt a surge of energy just course through her. Her eyes faintly started to glow with the blue light, and she felt a strange pulsing in her chest. Looking around, she felt a strange magnetic pull coming from the south.
​
Starting as a jog, Kiana soon found herself sprinting outright across the countryside. She ran, as a blur, following the pull, her eyes gradually glowing brighter and brighter, shining with the crackling blue energy. Then, she came to a stop. She stood at the foot of a mountain, itself part of a larger range. Looking up at the mass of rock and ice, she could see broiling clouds up over it, flashes of lightning briefly illuminating the rocky and snowy peaks. With one such flash, Kiana saw something move. Something big. Kiana's glowing eyes went wide.
​
"Oh wooooooooow," she said, her jaw hanging open. There were rumbles as the giant coiled mass shifted. Several avalanches were caused by the serpentine body, buried under tons and tons of snow. At the very peak of the mountain, a gargantuan head rose.
​
"Is that a giant... cobra?" Kiana asked under her breath. Indeed, that was what the creature that seemed to dwarf the Spire appeared to be. In the light of the lightning, she saw that its scales were a deep blue, almost purple. There were stripes running down its back, but they were glowing a bright bioluminescent blue. That same glow radiated from the creature's reptilian eyes, and the inside of its hood. The same glowing blue as Kiana's eyes.
​
"What... are you?" Kiana asked, quietly.
​
I can ask the same of you, little one, a deep female voice hissed in Kiana's head. She winced and looked around. She then looked back up at the creature, her veins flooded with adrenaline. There was another flash of lightning, and in that very instant, the creature's head was bent down low, right in front of her. Kiana almost jumped back, but stopped herself. As the snake-entity looked her over with an eye that was twice as tall as she was, Kiana felt a sense of calm overtake her.
​
"Are you... a storm dragon? A real storm dragon?" Kiana asked, reaching out and touching the creature's cheek with her hand. It flicked out a blood red tongue, its mouth curling up a little at the corners.
​
That is something that little ones like to call my kind, she said. Kiana figured right then and there that this was a female.
​
"A monk said that... my spirit is like one of yours," Kiana said, breathlessly.
​
Your soulsong feels similar to one of our kind, little one, she said, turning her head and gently nuzzling the top of Kiana's head, making her ears lay flat. The storm dragon's head was almost as large as the entirety of her hometown.
​
"My... soulsong?" Kiana asked. The monk she had met hadn't said anything about them.
​
The song of your innermost being. It stands out from the loud and noisy cacophony that happens when most little ones gather together in large groups. Yours is beautiful, and a little... fluttery. The dragon gave her a wink. She reared up and opened her mouth. Electricity danced between the dragon's fangs, before she shot out a sonic boom. The raging storm above abated, the clouds dispersing, leaving only a crystal clear night sky for miles and miles around. She then turned and looked down at Kiana. The bunny girl felt the storm dragon's gaze. She felt a radiating warmth coming from her. It reminded Kiana of her mother.
​
It was so nice to meet you, little one. It was quite the pleasant surprise to awaken to. She let out a proud roar, and her body began to undulate. Sections of the mountain range began to crumble as large sections of mountain were crushed and smashed by the body slamming into them. The body of the dragon rose into the air, beginning to gracefully slither about. Levitating there, partially coiled, the sheer size of the storm dragon just boggled the bunny girl's mind.
​
"Will I see you again?" Kiana asked, feeling a little sad. She had just met this beautiful and amazing being, and already they were leaving.
​
Of course, little one, the mental voice in her mind chuckled warmly. I have listened to your beautiful soulsong, and I have shared my soulsong with you.
​
"I... I don't understand what that means," Kiana said, confused.
​
You will, little one, she said, you are still young, but my soulsong has resonated within you. When you stop and listen, it will become easier and easier to hear it. And thus, the bond has begun to form. In time, you shall understand. With a flick of the creature's tail, there was a flash of lightning that radiated from within the hood, and she was gone. Kiana stood there, her eyes readjusting to the dark.
​
"This world is so awesome," she said, a smile on her face, as she began to job back towards town. She figured that if the town gates were closed and locked, she could just jump over the wall.
​
Meanwhile...
​
The lone figure stood in the dark, staring at where the great serpent had been levitating. They were sitting on a log in a small clearing, where they had set up camp. The individual in question was polishing their armor when a gray blur had shot right past them. And then, where it had been heading, the giant serpent, an actual storm dragon, arose. They sat there in stunned silence. They knew right then and there, that it had been a sign from the gods. As they unsheathed their katana, it began to thrum with magical energy, the blade becoming engulfed in bright purple flames.
​
The light of the purple flames illuminated his green face, glinting off his polished tusks. "Soon, the war shall begin," said the orc, sheathing the blade and cutting off its purple light. The same purple light shone from his eyes.
​
Name: Kiana
​
Species: Beasta (Rabbit-Kin)
​
Age: 16
​
Skills: Sibling Wrangler, Babysitter, Puppy-Dog Eyes, Master Martial Arts, Brawling, Heavy Weapon Proficiency, Sarcasm Mastery, Eyerolling Mastery, Beast Taming Level 3
​
Class: (Official) Master-Level Dragon Monk: Storm Dragon School, Storm Dragon Hatchling.
​
​
Str: 141
Int: 12
Dex: 140
Cha: 12
Wis: 10
Con: 172
Languages: Common, Draconic
​
Equipment: Adventurer's Pack, Steelwood Tetsubo, Mastercraft Mithril Knuckles (x2), Rope (25 Ft.), Canteen (Full), Road Rations, Spare Clothes, Bedroll, Health Potion (x2), Books (x3)
I really hope that you enjoyed the new chapter! Thank you for reading so far!
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I loved this book and while I was truly enchanted by the setting and story, I found myself terribly endeared to Piranesi’s manner of speaking— the observational, methodical tone, and curiosity about certain social behaviours. I relate to it, being autistic. I enjoyed Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie for similar reasons.
I primarily read sci-fi and I’m not interested in YA (sorry!). I would prefer something without a romance.
Thanks!

I loved this book and while I was truly enchanted by the setting and story, I found myself terribly endeared to Piranesi’s manner of speaking— the observational, methodical tone, and curiosity about certain social behaviours. I relate to it, being autistic. I enjoyed Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie for similar reasons.
I primarily read sci-fi and I’m not interested in YA (sorry!). I would prefer something without a romance.
Thanks!

If you have any specific questions about your sub-sign, please ask those in comments below!
♈️ Aries: Single Aries, the universe is sending you an amusing Aquarius to sprinkle some humor into your day. Committed Aries, it's time to try something new and exciting with your partner. Profession-oriented Aries, you're in for some good news today. Working Aries, take a breather and appreciate your achievements. Health-wise, Aries, you're doing great, but there's always room for improvement. Adventure-seekers, your next destination is calling you - head to Skopje in Macedonia! Today, the color purple is your lucky charm. Emotionally, Aries, you're feeling grounded and positive. It's time to call up your friends and plan a hangout. Enjoy the ride and make the most of this day!
♉️ Taurus: Single Taurus, the stars are conspiring to bring you an exciting twist in your love life. A fresh, invigorating romance is on the horizon, so enjoy the butterflies and the excitement. For those Taurus in a relationship, you're riding the wave of love with security and deep affection. It's a day to cherish the steady bond you share with your partner. On the professional front, it's an ideal day to brainstorm how you can maximize profits and save the extra penny. Seek the wisdom of a family member for insights that could unlock the secret to financial prosperity. Health-wise, take extra care of your throat and opt for comforting food like soups and herbal teas. Travel-wise, the stars are pointing you towards the vibrant city of Rijeka in Croatia. Luck is playing a delightful symphony for you today, with the magical numbers 71, 89, 20, and 6 set to bring you an abundance of good fortune. Emotionally, it may be best to steer clear of any drama and focus on calming activities that create harmony around you.
♊️ Gemini: Gemini, you may be feeling the love if you're newly smitten, or a pang of loneliness if you're single. Either way, it's important to nurture self-love and cherish your own company. Professionally, you may find yourself struggling to concentrate, so take breaks when needed and save the impulse purchases for another day. Health-wise, remember to keep a wholesome snack handy and experiment with some delicious dairy-free alternatives. For your next adventure, consider Belgrade, Serbia - a city full of rich history, vibrant culture, and mesmerizing beauty. Luck is on your side today, thanks to the benevolent Jupiter sending a shower of good vibes. Your lucky color is silver, the color of intuition and reflection. Lastly, if things haven't turned out as planned, it's okay to embrace your emotions but don't let disappointment weigh you down. Treat it as a learning curve and remember that each setback is a setup for a great comeback.
♋️ Cancer: Today is the perfect day for Cancer to turn up the romance dial with their loved one. Unleash your creativity and plan something special that will let your love shine bright. For single Cancerians, the stars suggest a magnetic attraction with Taurus signs may be in the offing. Professionally, it's time to experiment with new financial strategies and embrace the unknown. Health-wise, plan a soothing home spa session to wash away fatigue and re-energize your spirit. Travel-wise, New Zealand is the perfect destination for a unique adventure. Lady luck might be playing coy today, but look out for a dash of red as it brings with it a promise of social luck. Emotionally, face your fears head-on and tackle those apprehensions in a healthy way. Growth begins at the end of your comfort zone.
♌️ Leo: Today is a day of reflection for paired Leos, as you may encounter a minor hiccup in your relationship. Patience and understanding are the keys to a strong bond, so take the time to communicate with your partner. Single Leos should take advantage of their flirtatious side, especially around Libra signs, as a spark might be waiting to ignite. For those on the job hunt, the stars indicate a sprinkle of luck on your side. If you're occupied with work, double-check your tasks to avoid potential pitfalls. Health-wise, remember to listen to your body's signals and prioritize your health. Travel-wise, France is calling out to you! Envision the aromatic cafes, the artistic vibe, the picturesque landscapes, and the lively, welcoming locals. Today's lucky numbers are 99, 4, 27, and 76, but it might not be the best day to invest in real estate or vehicles. Lastly, remember to hold your fiery spirit in check today and spread positivity instead of negativity.
♍️ Virgo: Single Virgo, the stars are aligning in your favor as a charismatic Leo is likely to turn on their charm and flirt with you. Relationship-bound Virgo, you may feel like your partner isn't quite attuned to your emotions. Communicate openly and let them know your feelings. Financially, it's time for some judicious moves. Consider revisiting your subscriptions and see if there is a streaming service you could do without. Creative Virgos seeking employment, your moment of breakthrough might be just around the corner. Health-wise, you're on the right track, Virgo! Now's the time to add more activity to your routine. Explore different times of the day for exercise, and find what suits you best. Ipoh, nestled in the heart of Malaysia, awaits you, Virgo. Its blend of urban vibes and rustic charm is set to give you an extraordinary travel experience. The cosmic wheel spins in your favor today with your lucky numbers: 83, 22, 1, 57, and 62. However, be wary, Virgo, games of chance may not favor you today. A blast from the past might unexpectedly stir your emotions today. An encounter with a familiar face might hold more impact than you expect. Let it serve as an opportunity to reflect and grow.
♎️ Libra: Today is a day of love and beauty for Librans. For those in relationships, passionate debates with your partner can strengthen your bond. Single Librans should be open to connecting with Cancer signs. At work, it's important to balance task completion with networking and socializing for growth. Financially, investments made today are likely to pay off. Health-wise, remember that nutrition is just as important as exercise when it comes to weight loss. For travel, Yangon in Myanmar promises a unique experience. Jupiter is blessing you with luck, so your lucky numbers are 68, 37, 18, and 46. Lastly, don't forget to believe in yourself and your strength; everything will fall into place.
♏️ Scorpio: Personal life: Scorpios in relationships should remember to make time for family and friends, while those who are single should be prepared for an exciting Leo to enter their lives.
Profession: Scorpios should take advantage of the current financial momentum and be mindful of their spending habits.
Health: Breakouts could be a sign of unhealthy eating, so it's best to consult a dermatologist for advice.
Travel: Portugal is the perfect destination for Scorpios, with its red wine, gastronomic delights, and vibrant dance floors.
Luck: Social interactions are the key to luck today, so keep an eye out for the number 63.
Emotions: Scorpios should seek spiritual nourishment to bring peace and clarity.
♐️ Sagittarius: For those in relationships, a wave of miscommunication may ripple through your relationship today. Remember to stay clear and honest with your partner. If you're single, an Aries may catch your eye. Professionally, you stand on the precipice of learning opportunities that promise growth. Be patient with yourself and trust the journey. Health-wise, it's time to get back into physical fitness. Travel-wise, Asan, South Korea is calling your name. Your lucky numbers for today are 85, 63, 27, 19, and 58. Wear something light green for an extra dose of luck. Lastly, if a friend is going through emotional turbulence, remember that it's not solely your responsibility to be their pillar of support. They may need professional help or a wider network of care.
♑️ Capricorn: Personal life: Taken Capricorns, you may experience some tension with your partner's parents. It is important to approach the situation with understanding and patience. Single Capricorns, you are in for a treat as the universe has its spotlight on you! Profession: Investing wisely could significantly improve your financial situation. The long journey of your professional life is finally leading to a rewarding destination. Enjoy this moment of success in your career. Health: Make sure to switch off your phone, pick up a book, and get to bed early tonight. Your health is in good shape, but a bit of extra physical activity could do wonders for your overall well-being. Travel: Buenos Aires, the vibrant heart of Argentina, should be your next destination. Immerse yourself in the culture, enjoy the food, and let the city's energy consume you. Luck: Your lucky numbers today are 19, 6, 28, 32, 54, and 57. Keep an eye out for a small financial windfall as the night progresses! Emotions: Your ruling planet will keep you grounded, but a minor incident may cause an emotional outburst. Remember, it's okay to let off some steam.
♒️ Aquarius: Today is a day of love and security for those Aquarians in a relationship, while single Aquarians can use the day for self-love and inner growth. Financially, you may find money flowing more freely into your coffers, but staying focused at work could be a challenge. Keep an eye on your equilibrium and avoid foods that may cause discomfort. It's best to steer clear of journeys today, but your lucky numbers for the day are 31, 45, 28, 76, 55, and 10. Family ties will bring you solace and warmth, and a ring from a close friend might just make your day.
♓️ Pisces: Married Pisces, rejoice! Your marital bond is strong and blissful. Single Pisces, don't shy away from digital avenues of love. An intriguing opportunity is budding at your workplace, so take the chance to show your potential. Health-wise, be mindful of any allergies and get some extra sleep. Your adventurous spirit calls for an exotic journey, so consider a trip to Ivory Coast. Your lucky numbers today are 3, 66, 81, 9, and 20, and you may find financial luck knocking on your door. Finally, one of your friends may be going through a tough time, so be the anchor they need and make sure they feel your support.

Check out today's Hora

Hi all,
I tried to be as specific for the title but in general just read the Kingpin of Camelot so my request is along the lines of such, great book btw!
I’m looking for a book where preferably:

• the fmc needs help from the mmc who is considered evil, bad, the villain anything along the lines
• when they do meet or connect the fmc sees the mmc in a different light, doesn’t see them to be the evil or villainous person they are titled - they see the mmc is more caring or kind then they let on
• I would love if the mmc is specifically kinder to the fmc then anyone else and enjoys being called kind and caring from the fmc
• the mmc shows the fmc the reason for their reputation without physically or emotionally harming the fmc - I think a lot of the times in stories we’re told that a character is evil and they are feared and have power but then never act as such or show that
• a strong fmc
• a fmc who accepts the mmc for who they are and vice verse
• the mmc being enamoured by the fmc without her realizing right away
• moc or a fake relationship is appreciated
• on the spicier side but any level of spice is fine
• preferably No dubcon or noncon

I hope I gave the gist for what I am looking, and any romance genres are okay but preferably no aliens or monsters, also please no reverse harem!
Understandably I don’t expect all the things I’m looking for to be met, but anything that is similar please please share because I have been searching for a story like this <3

I know this is a long shot, since it's so old (definitely pre-2010, probably older) but it's worth a shot.
The only thing I distinctly remember to identify it for certain is that it ends in food sex. I think a couple servant sneak away with clotted cream to do the same. It was definitely a non paranormal Highlander romance.
I'm pretty sure... It's not a Murray family book or an off shoot family. I think it was a stand alone or minor series. I believe the MMC was stoic an cold. I think kidnapping was involved (but it is in half her stories lol) and something to do with the FMCs sister and or a devious uncle (could be another male relative).
I think it's Reckless but I'm honestly not sure, I'd like to figure out now while audible is still having their sale.

August Maniaci Link: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=95092#relPageId=11&search=caminiti_rockford)
History of the Milwaukee Outfit
-Al Capone was a camorrista and an associate of Masseria and Capone had a large scale gambling and bootlegging operation
-Joe Aiello would gamble at Capone's places, but when he would lose, he would have the gambling operation raided and Aiello's men would take much more money than was lost
-Capone was paying protection to Masseria
-A dispute arose between Masseria and Aiello and Masseria than brought Capone in and made him a capodecina and told Capone to kill Aiello
-In 1926 or 1927, there was a "Appalachian type meeting" (Generale assemblea?) in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. The meetings purpose was to make peace in Chicago, but other families attended
-Tough Tony Capesio was one of the shooters in the St. Valentine's day massacre
-Jack Zutta, a Jewish Aiello associate, was murdered by Capone's gang
-The Milwaukee mafia banned people from helping Aiello.
-Sam Aiello, Joe Caminiti, and Migele Mineo were former Aiello members who fled Chicago to join the Milwaukee family
-Sam Aiello wasn't sympathetic about his brother. Sam returned to Chicago later and was in Jim DiGeorge's crew
-Carl Caputa left Chicago and went to Madison where he became boss. Joe "Joe Pizza Pie" Aiello (unspecified relation to the Joe Capone wared with) went with Caputa to Madison
-Milwaukee didn't try to extort any gamblers until Sam Ferrara
-Al Capone was Neopolitan, the next boss was Tony Accardo who was "Thelast Sicilian to be an important boss," Accardo was succeeded by a Neopolotan Sam Giancana (Pretty sure this info is wrong)
-Chicago outfit was a "Money grabbing operation" where only a few leaders profit "at the expense of the general membership" this had an effect on Milwaukee
-Chicago took over Milwaukee in 1952
-Sam Ferrara wanted to have a piece of the Ogden social club which was a gambling place that Frank Balistrieri had a piece on and Balistieri was Son-In-Law to John Alioto. Balistrieri said no to Ferrara and then Ferrara shelved Balistrieri. Milwaukee then asked Chicago to help them with all the trouble.
-A general meeting was held in 1952; Tony Accardo, Rocco Fischetti, and Sam Giancana attended. Sam Ferrara was taken down as boss and replaced by John Alioto
-Alioto reinstated Balistrieri and made him a capodecina
-While Alioto was boss, no gamblers or businessmen were extorted
-John DiTrapani was a capodecina who didn't like Alioto, so he said he would spend $90,000 and even was willing to finance some murders
-One of DiTrapani's friends "Pasternak" lost a lot of money gambling with the outfit and DiTrapani made it known he was very upset
-Furthermore, Alioto heard about Ditrapani's plans to become boss and this sealed DiTrapani's fate
-Chicago were the ones who ordered DiTrapani's murder, not Alioto
-DiTrapani and Frank LaGalbo (a member and DiTrapani associate) were called to a meeting by the Chicago outfit. The meeting was going to be in Milwaukee though.
-LaGalbo warned DiTrapani not to go. LaGabo himself wasn't going to go.
-DiTrapani went anyway and on March 16, 1954 he was murdered. the following day he was found shot in his car
-LaGalbo was very well connected to Chicago and he set up a transfer where he would be in the Chicago family in the decina of Frank LaPorte
-LaPorte was centered in Chicago Heights
-Jack Enea was also apart of the faction that wanted Alioto taken down as boss. he wasn't killed until November, 1954 (Chicago authorized it)
-In January of 1962, Joe Alioto retired and Frank P. Balistrieri took over, Alioto was upset about this. Alioto apparently felt it should've gone to an older man
-furthermore, Alioto was upset that Balistrieri had an affair with his wife's cousin
-Balistrieri began shaking down gamblers and businessmen
-Balistrieri was collecting $500-$600 from Bruno Ramazini and John Volpe who ran the Holiday House
-Despite not collecting from Frank and Jimmy Fazio who ran restaurants, there was an incident where a bomb went off. After this, Balistrieri went to Florida and when he came back he said that they had a piece of Jimmy Fazio's place in Fort Lauderdale
-Balistrieri was not liked by older members because he never consulted with anyone before making decisions and Maniaci even said it would not surprise him if Balistrieri was murdered. Maniaci said if anyone were to kill Balistrieri, it would be the outfit
II. Organization and Leadership -The 1957 Apalachin meeting was due to Albert Anastasia taking forcible action which affected other bosses without telling them.
-Anastasia was killed due to the disappearance of two unnamed men
-John Alioto and Frank Balistrieri were going to go to Apalachin but didnt at the last moment. Also, attendance was not mandatory at Apalachin
-Maniaci didn't know too much about the commission or its structure, but he said it had around 7 members and though he doesn't know if there is a "boss of bosses," if anyone was it would be Giancana (clearly shows his midwest bias)
-Giancana had control over Madison, Rockford, and Springfield
-Balistrieri went to Chicago periodically for meetings with Giancana, Battaglia, or capodecina Felix "Milwaukee Phil" Alderisio. These meeting were at the underboss Sam Battaglia's farm
-occassionally, Balistrieri would meet with Alderisio, Battaglia, and Marshal Caifano in a Milwaukee hotel
-Ralph Capone of Mercer, Wisconsin isn't connected with Milwaukee or Chicago
-At one point, the Pfister hotel manager Marvin Billet made a deal and Kansas City member Sebastian "Buster" Balestrere (who was "imported" to Milwaukee along with Joseph Gurera for the purpose of shaking bookmakers and businessmen down) found out and this led to Balestrere having leverage over Billet. Eventually, the Fox Head Brewery bought a hotel in Jamiaca and Buster made Billet manager. Balistrieri asked Giancana if he wanted to "take over a large gambling casino in the hotel." Billet lost the managorial position and their plan didn't work.
-Balistrieri is involved in the Continental Music Company.
-The chicago outfit may have 500 members (this is wrong as they may not have had 100 at their peak, though it shows how the smaller families saw them)
-Sam Giancana is the boss, Sam "Teets" Battaglia is the underboss, and the following are capodecina: Felix Alderisio, Marshal Caifano, Frank LaPorte, Tony Maccalucci (ph), and Ross Prio
-Ross Prio is a north side leader who was originally in Jim DiGeorge's crew
-Maniaci heard complaints that people are upset in Chicago that only a few are making money. Also, they are upset that Sam Giancana "is too much of a playboy." CI also advised that John Cerone may be Giancana's successor. Cerone is very close to Tony Accardo
-Frank Balistrieri is related to former Kansas City boss James "Big Jim" Balistrieri (It appears his real last name was Balestrere, though his fathers last name was Balistrieri)
-Joseph Cusimano and Joe Jellosa (or Jealouso) are two Kansas City members who have visited Milwaukee in the past
-The Kansas City import Joseph Gurera was said to have killed two politicians (clearly referring to the infamous hit that left Charles Binaggio and Charles Gargotta dead)
-Balistrieri made Gurera a capodecina and Buster Balestrere worked under him. Both members went back to Kansas City in 1963 after pressure was put on Milwaukee for Anthony Biernat's murder
-On April 18, 1964 Peter Balistrieri's (Frank's brother) daughter married Leonard Drewek, a non-Italian. John Molle, Buster Balestrere, and Jim Balestrere (Not made) all went to the wedding
-Peter Balistrieri is a capodecina
-Rockford's boss is Joseph Zummutto, the underboss is Frank Bucemi, and the consigliere is Joseph Zitto. (FNU) Caltegerone is a member who's old and used to be close to Milwaukee capodecina Pasquale Migliaccio. Caltergerone may be a reference to Carl "Charlie Vince" Caltegerone
-Madison, Wisconsin has 10-15 members. The boss is Carl Caputo and Joseph "Joe Pizza Pie" Aiello is a member. Both are wealthy with real estate investments.
-Benny DeSalvo was a capodecina in Madison, but died in February of 1964 at 84 years old. He was buried in Chicago
-The following is the boss succession of Milwaukee: Vito Guardalabene (Nicola Gentile reported Joseph Vallone was the underboss in 1915) Peter Guardalabene (Son of Vito) Joseph "Big Joe" Amato Joseph Vallone (Boss from mid 1920's-mid 1930's) Joseph Gumina was the underboss to Vallone (also says Gumina was capodecina, maybe he controlled a crew along with being consigliere) Charles Zarcone was the consigliere Pasquale Migliaccio was a capodecina Migele Mineo was a capodecina Tom Lucua (ph) was a capodecina Sam Ferrara (Mid 1930's-1952) Joe Gumina was the underboss (again lists him as capo too) Charles Zarcone is listed as consigliere Pasquale Migliaccio was a capodecina Migele Mineo was a capodecina Joseph Caminiti is also a captain (may have been captain under Vallone as well) John Alioto (1952-1962) Joe Gumina was the underboss (again lists him as capo too) Migele Mineo was a capodecina John DiTrapani was a capodecina until his murder in 1954 Pasquale Migliaccio was a capodecina Frank Balistrieri was a capodecina as well Frank Balistrieri (1962-time document was typed) appears he had no underboss Charles Zarcone would be consigliere if Balistrieri had one, Maniaci doesn't know if he actually was though John Alioto was a capodecina and had the older members in his crew Peter Balistrieri was a capodecina "who has active members under his direction" -Older members are displeased with Balistrieri for not consulting any members and making Joseph Gurera (Kansas City) a capodecina instead of a local member
-Older members blame Balistrieri for the publicity LCN is getting due to Anthony Biernat's murder also there's resentment because no one is making money
-Maniaci said he wouldn't be surprised if they killed Balistrieri one day
-On January 4th, 14th, and the 31st Balistrieri held parties at Gallagher's restaurant in an attempt to get the opposite faction to like him. He planned to have another similar meeting a month later. He also assured the members that jobs would soon open up and he gave Vito Aiello, John Aiello, and Maniaci himself jobs at gambling places.
-Balistrieri is very cautious in regards to his personal movements
-Another CI reported the meeting at Gallagher's was to fix the bad feelings between Myron Jennaro and Paul Bogosian who are both associates of the Milwaukee family
-the following is the structure according to Maniaci: capo: boss sottocapo: Italian not Sicilian term for underboss "consuleri": (see previous comment about spelling) the consigliere is the counselor who is usually an older member capodecina: heads a crew, means "head of ten", but members sometimes have 50 members in their crew (or in some cases zero members) No mention of soldiers
-the following are popular terms used by members: Amico Nostro: friend of ours; used by fellow members to indicate someones a member avugad: means lawyer, Maniaci said there's no significance as a term in Milwaukee, but it probably was just not for low level members. Normally the avugad is a representative on the commission. for example, Milwaukee's avugad would've been Chicago's boss cumpare: means godfather; used to show closeness to someone don: Italian term of respect, not a mafia term onorata: means honor, Maniaci said he's never heard the mafia called onorata society which many sources have reported omerta: Maniaci said it's to express any qualities in the word "manly" sagia: "chair, committee of boss, underboss, consuleri [sic], and capodecina [sic] Tourna: general meeting where all members attend; for an important reason
-the following are members of Milwaukee identified by Maniaci: John Aiello: made under Ferrara Vito Aiello: Made under Ferrara John Alioto: Made under Guardalabene, was boss then capodecina Albert Albana: Suspect in Biernat's murder and was made a month after in January 1963 Mike Albano: Runs Angelo's Pizzaria, long time member
III. Membership -John Alioto did not make any members, but Vallone, Ferrara, and Balistrieri did. (which must've happened when the books were closed either suggesting the midwest didn't follow this or he did it on the sly)
-To be made originally, you had to be Sicilian, but they switched it to just be full Italian
-Members don't have to kill, but this has been a rule in the past, to be made
-Associates are proposed by a made member who knows the associates potential. In the past, the name would go around to all members and if they objected, he couldn't be made
-the associate could cooperate with law enforcement to be made
-in the past, all members had to be present at the initiation ceremonies (Maniaci calls them "tourna" meaning a general membership meeting). They no longer do that though
-The Biernat murderers were alleged to be Steve DeSalvo, Dominic Principe, and Albert Albana. DeSalvo contacted Biernat before the killing
-during the making ceremony, both the proposed member and his sponser's fingers are pricked and their blood is mixed. Then everyone present joins hands and a picture of a saint is burned (presumably in the proposed members hand) and the proposed member takes an oath in Italian to put the organization over everything including family and religion
-Members must obey all orders under threat of death
-No members can deal drugs or they will be killed
-Members need permission before engaging in something that may affect another member
-In the past disputes between members were taken before the "Sagia" (This is also called the Seggia, consiglio, or the Sicilian term consignu)
-The "Sagia'' was composed of a boss, underboss, "consuleri", and the capodecina (the term "consuleri" suggests multiple consigliere, but the document has used the singular and plural terms interchangeably. traditionally, the consiglio had multiple consigliere though. Also "capodecina" suggests one captain, which wouldn't really make sense in the context so it can be assumed they mean all capidecina in the family)
-Balistrieri no longer consults anyone except Chicago and only for big issues
-Maniaci named the following as members of the LCN family in Milwaukee (these are just from memory): John Aiello: Made under Ferrara Vito Aiello: Made under Ferrara; John Aiello's brother John Alioto: Made under Vito Guardalabene; capodecina Albert Albana: Made in early 1964, after the murder of Anthony Biernat Mike Albano: Runs Angelo's Pizzaria; long time member Tony Albano: Mike's uncle; retired Frank Balistrieri: boss; made with John DiTrapani; in Joe Ferrara's crew?; Made capodecina under John Alioto Joseph Balistrieri: Frank's dad; longtime member Peter Balistrieri: Frank's brother; capodecina Joseph Caminiti: Secretary treasurer of Local 257; made in Chicago under Joe Aiello; came to Milwaukee during Aiello-Capone war; bootlegger during prohibition; capodeinca under Vallone and Ferrara; Balistrieri's closest confidant even closer to Frank than Peter; Married to John Alioto's daughter Harry DeAngelo: Ferrara didn't like him; made in 1963; works sanitation or garbage department; 55 years old Carl Di Maggio: long time soldier Salvatore DiMaggio: Carlo's son; burglar eith extesnive record; made under Ferrara Benny DeSalvo: Made in 1963; nephew of old Madison boss Benny DeSalvo who died in 1964; lived in New York for a while but moved back to Milwaukee and went into construction Steve DeSalvo: Close to Balistrieri; primary suspect in Biernat murder; made one month after the murder Sam Ferrara: former boss; operates liquor store; inactive Joseph Gumina; underboss and capodecina under Vallone, Ferrara, and Alioto; he was a boxer after coming to America; bootlegger and then worked at A.O. Smith corp.; capable of murder; his son married Ferrara's daughter August Maniaci: Long time soldier Santo Marino: Brother-in-law to Ferrara; not active; operates tevern Migele "Mike" Mineo: Made in chicago; came to Milwaukee during Aiello-Capone war; capodecina under Vallone, Ferrara, and Alioto; employed by Schlitz Brewery John Pernice: former bootlegger; unemployed; not known to hold leadership position Dominic Principe: Another Biernat murder suspect; made following murder; lives in Illinois Joe Rizzo: inactive; worked as bartender in multiple places Vito Seidita: inactive; 55 years old; works for city of Milwaukee, maybe in street department Joseph Spero: inactive; works for city of Milwaukee, maybe in garbage department Charles Zarcone: consigliere during Vallone, Ferrara, and Alioto; may be consigliere under Balistrieri, but Maniaci doesnt know
Maniaci also listed the following as members affiliated with other families that live in Milwaukee: Frank LaGalbo: runs Chico's restaurant; was supposed to be killed along with DiTrapani; transfered to Chicago under Frank LaPorte John DiBella: member from Italy; close to Joe Bonanno; head of Grande Cheese Company Ralph "bottles" Capone: Chicago member; no importance in the underworld James DiGeorge: operates stock farm; owns land in Adams county, Wisconsin; former capodecina of North Chicago; years ago he was supposed to be killed, but got a pass; lives in exile in Wisconsin (likely shelved)
-Maniaci said that even your immidiate family may not know your made and it's typical for people to keep their sons out of the mafia
Maniaci named the following as people not members of Milwaukee, but closely associated with Milwaukee: Walter "Walter Blackie" Brocca: worked forvarious businesses on behalf of Frank Balistrieri Tony Bruno: No member of Bruno's family has ever been a member Sam Cefalu: gambler; lives at 1606 North Jackson; employed by Balistrieri Sam Cefalu: lives at 3461 North Cramer; not related to the other Sam Cefalu; worked for Balistrieri in a gambling office Anthony "Sheriff Cefalu" Cefalu: Brother of Sam (doesnt say which one); employed as gambler Gus Chiaverotti: Working for Frank Balistrieri in Continental Music Co.; closely associates with Balistrieri Sam DaQuista: No other DaQuista family member has been connected Joe Dentice: No Dentice has been a member Dominic Frinzi: Lawyer for Milwaukee mafia Nick Fugarino: closely associates with LCN Ted Gagliano: Gambler Nick Gentile (Doesnt specify if its Nicola Gentile, the one who wrote a book): not a member, but associates with LCN Joseph Guarniere: not a member Dr. Vito Guardalabene: Son of former boss Pete; no living Guardalabene is a member of mafia Danny Lampone: No Lampones are made Tony LaRosa: associated with LCN, not member Sam Librizzi: Gambling LCN associate Tony and Tom Machi: gamblers John Mandella: not a member Vincent Mercurio: not a member John Percurio: creditor to Frank Balistrieri who he's related to Tom Piscitello: not a member John and Joe Piscuine: Gamblers; no Piscuine's have been members Bruno Ramazini: former operator of Holiday House Frank "Big foot Hogan" Sansone: gambler; runs a restaurant Joe Sardino: no other Sardino's are connected with LCN Tom Sorce: Gambler Frank Stelloh: Close to Frank Balistrieri and Steve DeSalvo; non Italian, so couldn't be made Nick Tarantino: "very close" and trusted by Frank Balistrieri; couldn't be made because he helped police in a burglary investigation, this was well known to LCN John Triliegi: LCN associate Sam Vermiglio: former head of a counterfeit cigarette stamp ring; deals drugs; murdered John Volpe: runs the Holiday house
-An informant, possibly Maniaci, advised in 1964 tht Frank Balistrieri has a share in William Covelli's gambling operation (CI doesnt say, but Covelli may have been made)
-Aforementioned informant said Balistrieri also has a share in John Rizzo's bookmaking operation. Al Albana is the one who brings the money from Rizzo and Covelli to Balistrieri
-Both Maniaci and another CI reported that Balistrieri, Rizzo, and Covelli thought about buting a Key Club in Park City, Illinois. Maniaci said that if Balistrieri was serious, he would have to talk to Chicago first since its their terretory
-On April 5, 1964 CI (aforementioned informant, probably not Maniaci) advised that he expected Buster Balestrere and Joe Gurera were expected to come back to Milwaukee before June of 1964. They are coming back to act as hosts in a big crap game. Nick Tarantino would be a treasurer in the game. Frank Balistrieri will own the game and Buster Balestrere will be pit boss and host. The reasoning for starting the game was it would make a lot of money and wouldn't violate a federal law.
-Sam Cefalu and Sam Librizzi run a gambling office recieving a line from out of state, this is the only out of state line. Sam Dentice is a runner for the operation. Anthony "Sheriff Cefalu" Cefalu used to be involved, but is inactive
-a CI advised that 70% of gamblers are represented by Dominic Frinzi. Frinzi has represented Anthony Cefalu, Charles Piscuine, Robert Pick, William Cole, Steve Halmo, and Harvey Wach
-A CI advised on March 7, 1964 members of "Chicago and Miami outfits" (maybe meaning Tampa) were trying to build a motel in the bahamas. Balistrieri was going to have a 5% interest in it
-A different CI advised that Giancana was interested in a casino at Cat Cay in the Bahamas.
-Ben Novac owned the Fountainbleu Hotel in Miami and was a close associate of Chicago and New York LCN. He applied for a license to operate a casino in the Bahamas in April of 1964 and was denied due to his financial ties to gangsters
-a CI (probably Maniaci) reported on April 3, 1964 that Balistrieri and former capodecina, but current soldier Joe Caminiti had a meeting where they discussed the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD). Balistrieri said he helped get cheif of police Harold Breter into office. Blaistrieri said he felt the MPD was trying to put heat on him by arresting young people who frequented Gallagher's restaurant and they surveilled LCN members. Balistrieri met with inspector Kremsreiter who was the number 3 man in the MPD. Kremsreiter and Balistrieri met at Fazio's and had lunch. At lunch, Balistrieri suggested that the MPD should stay away from his kind and that there are not enough police to be just focusing on him. Balistrieri told Caminiti that he was happy with how it went.
-Frank Ranney is a secretary-treasurer of Teamsters local 200 and is very close to Balistrieri even working together at Atomic Industries, a bubble gum company
-An informant advised on March 24, 1964 that Balistrieri, Frank Ranney, and Joe Caminiti met at Fazio's. The informant said Balistrieri had "some form of domination over Ranney"
-One CI stated that Balistrieri is connected to Jimmy Hoffa and could get a multi-million dollar loan to build a motel in Milwaukee.
-Tony Volpe is connected with Chicago and has access to the money from the welfare and pension fund of the teamster union in Chicago and that many Las Vegas casinos have been financed with the money.
-On April 3, 1964, a CI (or wiretap) reported that Joe Caminiti and Frank Balistrieri had a meeting where they discussed "the disposition of money supplied by the Teamsters to Frank Balistrieri for distribution to some of the candidates for Alderman in the City of Milwaukee." Caminiti told Balistrieri he'll advise the candidates that they are backed by the teamsters.
-During the same meeting Caminiti insuled Robert Kennedy saying he operated a gestapo. They also talked about a speech Congressman Alvin O'Konski gave talking good about Jimmy Hoffa. The Teamsters gave money to O'Konski and Senator Morse (ph) for political purposes
-Caminiti said Robert Kennedy infringes on civil liberties, this was after O'Konski told him about an investigation coming by the DOJ
-Caminiti also said that the Teamsters had trouble getting the poney to pay for Jimmy Hoffa's legal expenses. Out of 35 locals in Wisconsin, 20 wouldn't pass anything in support of paying. Because of this, they decided they would take the money out of the joint counsil, meaning every member will pay .05-.10 cents
-Joe Caminiti told Frank Balistrieri that Frank Ranney said to be careful giving money to Alderman Allen L. Calhoun. This was due to when Calhoun once moved districts, he came into conflict with Al Hass who was close to the Milwaukee LCN. Balistrieri already knew and met with Calhoun and told him that Hass is who they're most loyal too, but they will support whoever won. Balistrieri gave cash to Calhoun as an unreported donation
-Balistrieri gave a donation to Art Else, who's opponent was Henry Maier. Balistrieri gave Else the donation at Gallagher's restaurant.
-Angelo Provinzano was a member of the city service commission who was mobbed up. Balistrieri gave money to Provinzano who then donated money to mob backed candidates. Provinzano donated $995 to mayor Henry Maier. Provinzano also was used in the past to get Italians in positions in the city government and police department. Informant said Provinzano wasn't made
-On April 17, 1964, Dominic Frinzi (mob attorney) was going to run for governor and the mafia backed him. Frinzi himself wasn't confident he could win, but it would give him publicity which he could later use to become a judge
-Anthony Biernat was found buried in a cellar of an abandoned farm sprinkled with lime, but it wasn't the right kind which would disintegrate a body
-Frank Balistrieri partly owns The Pitch Specialty Co. Balistrieri's relative Peter Picciuro operated the business. His father John Picciuro also has a piece or co-owns it.
-Carl Dentice has a jukebox operation in his name for Frank Balistrieri
-Sam Dentice got a jukebox license under his name for Balistrieri
-Peter Sciotino's bakery was targeted in a bombing because of Balistrieri's shakedown campaign. Sciortino was personally connected to Joe Bonanno in some way and ended up not having to pay. Sciortino himself wasn't a LCN member
-Balistrieri's shakedown campaign began in the summer of 1962 with Joseph Gurera and Buster Balestrere shaking businessmen and gamblers down. Some people did resist so Balistrieri wanted to send a message. They were going to kill either Bill Cole or Bobby Pick, but when LE found out they stopped trying.
-An informant though Tony LaRosa might be killed because it was said the Milwaukee family heard he gave information to LE
-In may of 1964, an informant said that Steve DeSalvo and Frank Stelloh now operated as musclemen for Balistrieri. They even planned to murder someone who the informant didn't know.
-The informant thought the murder target may have been Izzy Tocco who was a booker for Sam Cefalu and got in trouble, but the informant thought that this would be too little a reason to murder someone
-A different informant supplied information suggesting the murder target may be Joe Beck. Beck was making complaints against the Continental Sales Co. Balistrieri made comments to the acting manager Gus Chiaverotti where he expressed his anger against Beck.
-An informant advised on April 10, 1964 that he heard a story about a Milwaukee gangster being offered $5,000 by the Chicago LCN "to make a hit" on a prominent businessman who was made. The reasoning was because the man owed the Chicago family between $18,000-$20,000. The man either stole the money or bet and lost the outfit's money

So, I just finished watching the Apu Trilogy, absolutely loved it, and now I want to delve into this director's filmography. I know the Barnes and Noble sale is probably coming up, so I wanted to know which movie/movies I should get next. All of the ones Criterion has sound like winners, so I'm feeling really indecisive.
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