OblivionWalker

With the second round of the VHLM playoffs over, the finals are set and in a surprising turn of events, the Mississauga Hounds will be facing off against the Ottawa Lynx after sending the Philidelphia Reapers packing in a tightly fought series that many had favored the Reapers to win. "We thrive on that kind of thing." laughed Hounds captain Slava Kovalenko. "We really didn't worry about what anyone else was saying, we just did our best to focus in on our game and perform to the best of our abilities. Philly gave us a tough fight and they should be proud of the job that they did. They made us work for it." With the Hounds taking on Ottawa for the Founder's Cup, Kovalenko was a bit more reflective when asked what playing against his friends Brandon Petan Jr. and River Harrington was going to mean for him in the series. "On the ice, I just have to think of them as any other team and do my part out there. We'll see how things go and of course, I hope for a good series and that nobody gets hurt but otherwise, it's me against them." The finals should be a very interesting matchup. (word count: 205)

1. Most recent book I've finished is a mystery, "Callendar Square" by Anne Perry. 2. Haven't watched a movie in a longass time but I think it was Star Trek: First Contact (rewatch) 3. As much as Inspector Pitt is great, Jean-Luc Picard would kick his ass because 24th century technology vs Victorian technology? Yeah, Pitt isn't winning that one. Questions: 1. Did you partake in any Black Friday sales? If so, what did you get? 2. What is the most overrated holiday food, in your opinion? 3. What holiday traditions does your player have? Are there any from their home country, whatever that is?

It had been a long game. But they had managed to get it done and Slava was very proud of the Hounds. They'd hung in there to win game five of their series and only needed one more win to move on to the finals. Of course, depending on who else joined them, it was going to be interesting. If Ottawa made it? He might have to face his own boyfriend in order to bring the Founders Cup back to Mississauga. But that was a problem for future Slava to worry about and as River was going to be playing with the Moscow Menace and he himself would be in Warsaw with the Predators, that might be something he was just going to have to get used to. He'd like to think that he had managed pretty well so far, given that they were on different teams right now and the game was the game. Off the ice, they were just Slava and River, and he was going to do his best to keep things that way. Peeling off his uniform and pads, he hit the showers gratefully, more than ready to be done after having to go to double overtime. While glad that he'd managed to get the goal to win the game, Slava was happier to have contributed in a meaningful way rather than pursue his own ends. That was the way he had always been, and it was likely that was the way he would continue to be. Slave washed up quickly and as soon as he was clean and had all of his belongings gathered up, he fished his phone out of the pocket of his coat. He had many messages, most of which were from his family. In the family group chat, his younger sister Anya had taken to live texting everything for Sergiy when he couldn't watch which, while amusing, meant that his phone messages could be in the 80's or 90's easily by the time a game was over. But that was her way of expressing her support for him as well as making sure Sergiy was in the loop when he was able to check his texts, and he wasn't about to chastise his sister for running his phone battery down faster than some of his favorite mobile games. Shaking his head with a fond smile, Slava checked through some other messages and was pleased to see one from River, which he answered first before checking in with his family. The team were shuffling onto the bus, which always took a few minutes and that gave him more than enough time to answer the things he felt were most important. Anything else could be looked at in the morning, in his humble opinion. Once they were on the bus, Slava reached into his bag and pulled out a rather thick book he had been reading lately, "Rhythm of War" by fantasy author Brandon Sanderson. Slava was an absolute fantasy nerd and with the fifth book in the Stormlight Archive coming out next month, he had wanted to read through the first four books in the series before "Wind and Truth" was released (which he had naturally preordered). It didn't take long for the world around Slava to fade away, leaving him with the story and a sense of satisfaction that the Hounds had won at the back of his mind. (word count: 568)

1. For me, it’s stöllen. My dad’s side of the family are German and every year, I know it’s getting close to Christmas when my mom starts baking stöllen. It’s a bread and if there’s one thing I love, it’s bread. 2. Slava did pretty well, tied for second in defenseman points for the M and had over 80 points again so I can’t complain too much. 3. I can’t really think of anything off the top of my head. Could be interesting to revamp the stats a little, see if there’s anything we could add or take off from there. Questions: 1. If you were going to host a music festival, who are your top three acts, living or deceased, to play? 2. If an award was named after your player, what would it be called and what would it be for? 3. What is your hottest food take?

The playoffs began today for the VHLM and the Mississauga Hounds leaped out to a 2-0 start over their opponents, the Miami Marauders. The first game went to overtime, where the Hounds were able to seal the 4-3 victory over the Marauders but the second game saw Deadpanda putting up a shutout for a score of 2-0 in favor of the Hounds. "We're really happy about our start today." said Hounds captain Slava Kovalenko after game two. "Even with going to overtime in the first game, we were able to hang in there and get it done and Deadpanda was amazing in game two, giving us that shutout. We have to keep working hard since the series hasn't ended yet. We're not going to start celebrating too early. There's too much left to achieve." This will be Kovalenko's last playoff run in Mississauga before he joins the Warsaw Predators next season, having been drafted by them 6th overall in the Season 96 Draft and the defenseman seems well aware of the fact that he will have limited time to truly stamp his legacy for the Hounds before he sets off to Europe and to the VHL proper. Only time will tell how this series will end for him and his team. (word count: 211)

Dear Mississauga, Happy playoff eve! As I sit and type this, the rest of the Hounds and I are hard at work to prepare ourselves for the fight that's going to be coming our way and as a result, I wanted to take a moment to put down some of my thoughts before things get going again. First of all, from the very bottom of my heart, thank you. When I was drafted here for Season 95, I had no idea what to expect coming in. I'd only played 12 games with Ottawa in Season 94 and that was all I knew. I was comfortable there and when I was selected by the Hounds, I was apprehensive. I didn't know anyone on the team well but I was determined to come in and do my best to make a difference. I'd like to think that I was able to do that. When I look back on my first full season, I feel proud of what I was able to accomplish and when my name was called at the M Awards for the Sullivan, I almost didn't go up onstage to accept it because I was just so damn stunned. Even though we had a first round exit that season, I wouldn't have gotten that award without everybody else on the team and I thought that was going to be it. But with the E closing down, that meant I got one more season with the Hounds. One more chance to bring the cup back to Mississauga. I wanted to work hard again this season and while I didn't get quite as many points this year, I still managed to put up some good numbers and finished the season strong. That doesn't mean things are over, though. The playoff fight is just beginning, and I feel like we're in a good position to bring the cup back here again. I really want to make that happen before I leave for Warsaw and leave the M behind. I want to give that to this city, to these fans and to this management team who believed in me long before anybody else did (except maybe one person who knows who they are). I've grown a lot since I came here. I feel like I've grown in my game, grown as a person. I don't think I'm the scared kid from Alberta who wondered what in the hell was going to happen to me here. I can leave Mississauga with my head held high and a lot of really fond memories. I'm going to miss hearing the fans chanting for my slapshot. I'm going to miss the other guys on the team and I'm going to miss our gm who was always happy to chat with me about what I was doing or whatever else I might need. It's bittersweet, moving on but that's the way things go and I'm excited to see what happens when I make my way to Warsaw. So thank you again, Mississauga. For everything. Yours fondly, Slava Kovalenko (word count: 509)

The blood was still thundering in Slava Kovalenko's ears as he made his way into the locker room. He still wasn't sure, even now, what the hell had happened out on the ice but a line brawl had broken out just a mere 15 seconds into the second period of the game against the Halifax 21st and while he wasn't usually one to throw a punch, there had just been something about the way that Ty Duke had gotten into his face and given how much taller Slava was (a good eight inches or so), he had definitely gotten the better of Duke in their little throw down. The rest of the game had been chippy too, with Shot Blocker finally getting ejected from the game outright in the third period but given how things had been going, Slava hadn't exactly been shocked by that. But as he had a chance to change out of his gear and shower and take a breath, he couldn't help feeling like he'd let the team down. He was the captain, he should know better than to allow someone to bait him into something so stupid as a fight. It was something of a joke among his family and people that knew him who were following him to see just how low his penalty minutes were compared to everyone else in the league. But with his long reach and ability to poke the puck out of where he wanted it. Slava didn't really have to get up in anyone's face to get the puck. He was currently ranked 86th in the VHLM in penalty minutes which had prompted his sister Anya to start calling him "Mr. Congeniality" which had made the entire family laugh. But he'd managed to add five on to his total today and as he got himself settled onto the team bus to begin their travels to their next games, Slava knew he was going to need to take a closer look at all of this, figure out where things had gone wrong and what he could do as the captain to make damn sure it didn't happen again. The Hounds were third in the standings right now and they didn't need to be giving their opponents any free power plays that they could potentially score on. They had a good group, though and Slava was inclined to chalk this one up to just a weird day. Even though they played a physical game, he was certain Halifax wasn't necessarily known for that kind of thing either and hopefully when they faced each other for the last time this season, it would just be a normal game and nothing like today. Heaving a soundless sigh, Slava opened his phone, idly flicking through some pictures. Even though he loved to play, he also hated to be apart from River and seeing pictures that they'd taken together during the World Juniors tournament just made him miss the other even more. But they just had to get through the playoffs and during the off-season, they could be together in one place again. It wouldn't be long now. (word count: 523)

1. Not getting into line brawls would be a good start, pfffft. 2. I think it comes down to a combination of bad luck and draft choices. 3. I know we can catch them, they’re within reach. 4. I probably won’t reach 100 points like I was hoping but I think 80’s could be more realistic. 5. As I’m only a few tpe away from 400, I’ll be in the VHL with the Warsaw Predators! 6. As I tend to run on the warm side, anything from 65-68 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect to me.

A rare occurrence took place during the Halifax-Mississauga game today, with a large fight breaking out in the second period. More than 12 penalties were handed out. Shot Blocker, Hater Tottingham, Nikita Yolishev, Xhekajs middletoe, Slava Kovalenko and Ty Duke were assessed major penalties for fighting with Sidney Sheppard and Cardinal Copia picking up minor penalties for cross checking. Cysteine got a penalty for roughing, Mikko Tuomala received one for high sticking while Cardinal Copia picked up their second penalty for holding and Xhekajs middletoe got one more for their troubles for roughing. "I've never seen anything like that." One fan confided after the game. "Both teams were scrapping it out like the other owed them some money." When asked for comment, Hounds captain Slava Kovalenko remained tight lipped about what had transpired on the ice. "Sometimes the adrenaline gets going and when someone gets in your face, you're not going to back down." Kovalenko definitely didn't back down from his matchup with Ty Duke, with the 6 foot tall center getting the worst of it from 6 foot 8 Kovalenko. The Hounds and the 21st will face each other one more time during the regular season and it may prove to be another for the books. (word count: 207)

With the VHLM season a little more than halfway over, we here at VHL.com checked in with Mississauga Hounds captain Slava Kovalenko to get some of his thoughts on how his second full season in the M has gone. VLC: Slava, thanks for taking the time to speak with us. How does it feel to be in the M another year? SK: Honestly, I was excited. I thought I was going to the E this year and I'd even told my gm that I wished I could be with the Hounds longer and I got my wish! Things are tight this year, which has made things exciting. VLC: Slava, you were the Ryan Sullivan trophy winner last year. Who might be your successor this year? SK: I would be really surprised if River Harrington doesn't pull it off. He was disappointed in himself last year but as I told him, things can change on a dime. He's been playing like a beast this year and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for that for him. He definitely deserves it, but sometimes he doesn't believe that. VLC: Sounds like you two are pretty close . . . SK: We've been friends since we were in juniors and of course we've played together here and there. He's probably the most important person in the world to me besides my immediate family. VLC: We'll hope for his continued success as well as your own! Again, thanks for your time! SK: Always a pleasure! (word count: 250)

Lore as defined by Dictionary.com is "a particular body of knowledge or tradition" and in the VHL, there are many people here who share in this tradition of simulations, ones and zeroes and so on. There are some who have been here since the first simulations and have had the chance to watch the league grow, see teams come and go and weather all of the changes that have happened since then, especially recently with the VHLE coming and going. There are others who have been around for a little while but haven't been here as long as the others, but they still provide valuable knowledges because they can truly empathize with those who are brand new and attempting to find their legs in the league since the memory of being there themselves is still fairly fresh. Of course, there are the first-generation users, such as me! I came into the league at the recommendation of a good friend ( @kirbithan ), and I wasn't quite sure what I could find. I'm not someone who's very good with graphics (even though I love visual art as a medium) but when I was told that I could write things, I figured that was something that I could handle well enough. I've always been a writer, even from the time I was a very little kid and there's been characters wandering around in my head so fleshing someone out would be a breeze. The hard part for me would be the stats but there is lore for the positions, and I was able to use a guide to build Slava. I think things have turned out well there thus far and I'm excited to see where he ends up by the end of his career in many ways. I like to try and give glimpses into his family, such as his brother coming to see a game of his when he could as well as his family giving him a little surprise party after he won an award, but I want to do some more things like that and see what other sides of Slava I can tease out and show to my fellow VHLers. One way that I've been able to become more fully immersed in the substantial lore of the VHL is through everyone's favorite thing to joke about: trivia. It was very daunting at first and I was constantly having to ask Kirby for help on where to look or if I was on the right track or not. But now I'm getting to the point where I know where to go, what spreadsheet I might need to track down and it's gotten so much easier. Plus, I truly have been enjoying becoming more familiar with the VHL, question by question and week by week. I haven't learned much lore personally yet but as Slava is the captain of the Hounds, I do try my best to help my teammates out and answer questions as I can, continuing the tradition of passing the body of knowledge down. A body cannot survive without all of its parts and while I'm not necessarily a strong part of the VHL body yet, I want to do my best to see the VHL thrive and grow and continue on for many years to come. I'm actually looking forward to maybe one day being considered a wise elder of the VHL and I'm also glad that in his own small way, as an award winner, Slava is technically a part of the VHL lore. We'll see if he can expand on that and become a greater part of the body of knowledge. (word count: 605)

After a slower start to the season than they might have wanted, the Mississauga Hounds took a bite out of the Mexico City Kings, winning in an emphatic 7-2 game. First star of the game and Hounds Captain Slava Kovalenko had a four point outing, tallying two goals and two assists in his team's take down of their opponent. "Things were really clicking for us today." Kovalenko said after the match had concluded. "We scored twice on the power play and at even strength we were doing well too. Not every game will be like this one but it's a nice confidence boost. We've got two great goalies and Sam really came through for us today. Nikita and Filip were making some noise too and it seems like we're really gelling well with each other right now. Sometimes that might take a little longer than you'd want but as long as it happens at all, I'm pleased with that." The Hounds are currently third in the Eastern Conference as well as third in the VHLM and if they can retain this kind of form heading into the end of the season as well as the playoffs, they could very well position themselves to make quite a bit of noise. (word count: 209)

For the second in our series of VHLM fan chants, we move within the province of Ontario to its capitol city, Ottawa. A rich melting pot which sees over 11 million visitors to the city each year, Ottawa was originally founded as Bytown in 1826 and in 1855, was named Ottawa. The name comes from the Algonquin language from the word adawe, which ironically means "to trade" and for a city that is home to a hockey team, it's more than apt. One of the oldest teams in the VHLM, Ottawa has a long and storied history in the league and their fan chants reflect both their longevity as well as the quirky spirit that could only be found in Ottawa. The Lynx are currently managed by the enigmatic Grape and with the team struggling last season, fans took to expressing themselves in a rather unique fashion. Whenever Grape was shown on the Jumbotron, the fans would call out "RAI-SIN! RAI-SIN!" which of course is a jab as a raisin is a dried grape, perhaps implying that Grape's management style or moves were dried up. But given how much better Ottawa has been doing this season, the "RAI-SIN" chant has yet to make an appearance which may signal the fans' acknowledgement that they were incorrect in their previous assessment. One of the more unique chants in the VHLM, this makes direct reference to the animal that the lynx traditionally likes to hunt: the snowshoe hare. Chanted at the opposing team during blowout games, one can see the confusion on the faces of the other team as the fans all chant in unison. "RUN RABBIT, RUN (clap)" Lynx star Brandon Petan Jr. has been very popular and when a game goes to overtime or a shootout, there's one person that the Lynx faithful believe can seal the win for them. "PE-TAN CAN, PE-TAN CAN" Another very popular member of the Lynx is Defenseman River Harrington and bilingual fans decided on a chant in French for him. The direct translation is "River is the best" and with how River is pronounced in French, it makes a pleasing rhyme to the ear. "RIVIÈRE EST LA MEILLEURE!" One of the newest chants as well as the catchiest, Victor Von Doom has become well beloved by the fans and given his last name, it made it easy for supporters of the Lynx to have some fun with a certain Vengaboys song. "DOOM, DOOM, DOOM, DOOM. YOUR TEAM'S GONNA GO BOOM. NO HOPE OF YOU GUYS WINNING YOUR FORWARDS NEED A TRADE IN" In reaching out to Grape for the purposes of this article, we asked if there was anything that should be included and we were simply told "Matt Bailey". Our requests for further information on this went unanswered and if there need to be any further addendums to this article, we will naturally provide them. Next week, we will be visiting the Maritimes and the beautiful city of Halifax to bring you the chants of the Halifax 21st and we hope that you will continue to join us for this journey through the fan culture of the VHLM. (word count: 524) VHLM Fan Chant #1: Mississauga Hounds

Really glad to see you creeping around more often! Hopefully the path in front of you gets smoother.

The Mississauga Hounds have been off to a slower start this season than the last. They are currently 5-5-2, which has them sitting third in the Eastern Conference and seventh in the league overall. Defenseman Slava Kovalenko had this to say when asked about where the Hounds were currently sitting. "It's frustrating, but I'm mostly frustrated with myself to be honest. I know I can be playing better, and I know I need to step things up, really examine my game closely so I can fine tune and tweak things. There's no reason we should be here, and we've got the guys to move up in the standings but all of us are going to have to dig deep. I'm confident we can do that, though." The winner of the Sullivan trophy for last season, one can reasonably expect Kovalenko to stick to his word when it comes to looking at where he can improve. This is only the defenseman's second full season in the VHL as he came into the league during the season 94 trade deadline, playing just 12 games for Ottawa. He's come a long way in a short period of time, and we wish him and his teammates all the best. (word count: 205)

1. I like the outline of the logo, I might play with some colors, I'm a big fan of turquoise to be honest. 2. I'd rather take 10 points and get the cup. Individual achievements are nice and all but I'm much more of a team player. 3. I think that they should at least get a look. If they're first in points, even on a team not doing well, then clearly they're a hell of a player. Questions: 1. What, in your opinion, is a seriously overrated piece of media? 2. What places would an expansion team do well in? 3. If you could assign your VHL/VHLM team a mascot, what would their name and vibe be?

I’m a soccer fan in the real world and i just thought that the VHLM and VHL needed some fan chants!

As any hockey fan can attest, going to the games in person is much of the appeal of the sport. Being able to support your team and boo and hiss at their opponents is a tradition as time honored as any in the word currently. In the spirit of being able to bring more of the VHL and VHLM experience to those who may live farther away and cannot attend these games in person, our historians will be working to compile and bring to our readers the most important part of any game: the fan chants. These are designed to not only pump up the players, but also get into the heads of those playing against them and provide amusement and consternation, depending on the target of said chants. For the first in our series of fan chants, we travel to the city of Mississauga in Ontario. Bordering Lake Ontario to the west, it is a part of the greater Toronto area and with the Toronto Legion as the main VHL team in the area as well as having both the Hounds as well as the Ottawa Lynx in the province, hockey and the love of it runs deep here. The Hounds first season was VHLM season 66 and they have been going strong since. Their fans are loyal, as anyone who has played against them can attest. The atmosphere in their arena is always high octane and has been since their entrance to the VHLM. The Mississauga Fight Song, written by Jerry Salk for the Hounds inaugural season, remains in rotation as one of the most enduring pieces of the Hounds legacy. Sung or chanted before the players walk out onto the ice, every fan knows the words and if those who are new to the team don't know the words, they can always be found on the programs. Hard as ice and cold as stone, This is where the Hounds were born. At the river's mouth we stand, Skates on feet and sticks in hand. Hear our howls on the wind, See our toothy, wicked grins. This is where the Hounds call home, Far and wide we'll always roam. The next chant is simple, but always remains a fan favorite for a reason. Also in use since the first season that the Hounds began to play, its simplicity is such that even the newest fan can come away from the arena with it firmly implanted into their brain. After the last word, the fans always bark like dogs, making a cacophony of noise that can never be fully expressed in words. MISSIS! SAUGA! MISSIS! SAUGA! HOUNDS, HOUNDS, HOUNDS! One of the newer chants, this particular chant came into fashion during Season 95 when Hounds captain Slava Kovalenko made his mark in the M by winning the Ryan Sullivan trophy. The fans always enjoyed seeing the 6 foot 8 defenseman wind up for a blistering slapshot and with the alliteration of his first name as well as his favorite shot to take, it quickly came to prominence when the fans wanted to see him tee one up. SLAP SHOT SLAVA (clap, clap, clap clap clap) SLAP SHOT SLAVA (clap, clap, clap clap clap) Of course, the fans love when someone on the opposing team has to serve a penalty and as they make their way over, they are almost always greeted with the next little ditty. Sung to the tune of "The Addams Family", this is another fan chant that even newer fans can catch onto quickly and feel like they're a part of the action. GET IN THE BIN! (clap, clap) GET IN THE BIN! (clap, clap) GET IN THE BIN, GET IN THE BIN, GET IN THE BIN! (clap, clap) The last of our chants for this installment, this is another fan chant for one of the players. Laimdots Sarkanis is prolific in his own right and whenever he has the puck with him, it's almost certain he will make the other team pay and what better way for the fans to show their appreciation than with a pun? Thumping on the glass or anything else they can lay hands on, this chant is one for the ages. SARK ATTACK! SARK ATTACK! As always, there as many we may have missed but the fans are clever and always coming up with new things to show their dedication to their team. Should we need to make any significant additions in the future, we will naturally keep everyone apprised. Our next stop will be with the Lynx. (word count: 758 words)

KY Jelly: making even the hardest of trades or situations easier to take.

With his duffel bag slung over his shoulder and his equipment bag on the other, even six foot eight Slava Kovalenko had to take a moment to balance himself properly before heading up the stairs to his second-floor apartment. He had been traveling for what felt like a year but it had definitely been a whirlwind few weeks for his off-season this year. He had participated in the pro-am tournament (he was certain that the draft floor picks would become the stuff of legend in not too much more time), the world junior championship where he and Team Canada had taken on Team Asia for the bronze medal and won, the Junior Showcase tournament for the second time and now he was finally heading back to Mississauga to prepare for the start of his last season in the VHLM. It was strange to think that he was drafted now, having gone sixth overall as several columnists had predicted but Slava was just glad to have been drafted at all, and that Warsaw were eager to cement him as a potential future cornerstone of the team. He would still have to put in the work to bring all of those hopes and dreams of both himself as well as management to fruition, but if there was one thing Slava had never shirked, it was a little hard work. Putting his key into the lock, he could had sworn that he'd heard something but when he stopped, there was nothing but silence from the other side of the door. Perhaps he had heard something from his neighbor. Shrugging, he got the door open, stepping inside and turning on a light as he set both of his bags down. Suddenly, there was a chorus of voices as people seemed to spill out from every nook and cranny of his apartment. "SURPRISE!" they all shouted in unison and Slava fell back a step, needing a second to compose himself. He was able to make out faces and realized it was his family! His mother and father, along with both of his sisters and brother and pushing themselves up from the sofa, their faces beaming, were his Dido Artem and Baba Irina. They didn't travel as much as they used to, being older and all and it brought a lump of emotion to Slava's throat to know that they would be willing to make such a difficult journey just to see him. "Look at his face!" Sergiy chuckled, reaching out to gather his younger (but still taller) brother in for a warm embrace. "Well, I didn't know you guys were going to ambush me!" Slava shot back, shaking his head in mock reprimand for such an incursion into his home but all of them were aware that he didn't truly mean it. He was just delighted beyond all reckoning to see the people he loved gathered together here. He was passed from person to person, each of them hugging him tightly but none as tightly as his grandfather and grandmother. "We knew you would do well, Slavochka." his baba said warmly, patting his cheek when she finally released him. "Getting the Sullivan isn't something to make light of." While Slava knew that to truly succeed in the VHL proper he was going to need more time, he was still managing to make his mark on the lower league and with another season to play with the Hounds, he was determined to leave his name there for others to see in the seasons ahead. "I have a good team around me and good management. The Hounds have been wonderful to play for." he said honestly and that was indeed the truth. His family had brought him gifts, nothing too ostentatious but Slava had always appreciated the simpler things, and he would cherish everything he was given. With a dinner cooked by his mother and baba and dessert courtesy of his sisters, Slava felt like he would be able to roll himself around for the next few days, but it had all been worth it. His family had opted to stay at a hotel and as he saw them out the door to their rental cars, Slava glanced down at his wrist, and at the bracelet that rested there. He had seen (on that pocketbook evil known as the TikTok shop) a set of two bracelets. One had a small charm that looked like a mountain and the matching one had water. River knew that Slava's dido often referred to him as "the mountain" and of course, a river was water. When the charm was tapped, it would make the other bracelet vibrate slightly and Slava had purchased them almost on a whim, thinking that it could be a nice way to let each other know when the other was thinking of them. Reaching out with a long forefinger, Slava tapped the little charm, and it wasn't even five minutes later that his bracelet buzzed, bringing a smile to his face. There were a lot of things ahead of him, but Slava also had a lot to be grateful for and he was well aware of that. (word count: 860)

Haven’t written poetry or lyrics for a hot minute so I figured it might be a good time to come up with something. Thank you very much!

I’m a thousand miles away tonight But my heart still beats your name. All I see and all I do Is woven through with you. No matter where I go from here, It’s you that’s on my mind. No distance is too great To keep my thoughts away from you. The lights that shine on me Hopefully smile on you too. The wind that ruffles through your hair Is the same that’ll mess up mine. The roads that take us both away Will converge again someday. A space now sits beside me Where you used to be, My arms that feel so empty now Will have you within them, dear. This separation hurts us both, But it means that this is real. So when you close your eyes tonight And rest that weary head, Please don’t be too sad And think you’re all alone. I’ll close my own and think of you Even a thousand miles away. (word count: 157) @kirbithan