#{ ‘’ leaping through the sky like a tiger ‘’ maverick }

[fantasmalforces]

"Not going to lie, I once fistfought a Swan and won." || from Beth @ whoever you're vibing!!

“Only a swan?”

The slight curl of Maverick’s lip and his raised brows betrayed that she had his attention but that he wasn’t all that impressed by what he was hearing. He supposed that a swan was... impressive enough for someone that looked like they’d crawled out of a particularly humid portion of the Soviet Union with hardly their life intact. And who smelled like prime maggot and mosquito bait. Though it was hardly fair to compare the victories of a Pirate to an apex predator like himself, especially given the reputations of the bloodthirsty waterfowl and their capabilities compared to a human being’s... but he going to do it anyway.

He offered the typical short, forced laugh so typical of stereotypical aristocrats like himself. A posh, haughty sound that was little more than a smug puff of air out of his lungs and into the open. This one was hardly entertaining. Thankfully, he only had to be here a little while longer to finish up the business transactions he had pending on Rook. “Given the nature of the wildlife on this island, I would expect someone of your... occupation, to have something a bit more impressive on your resume. Perhaps not. I suppose there’s only so much that can be expected of ruffians,” the tiger mused.

Wow. What a posh dick. He was even looking over his nails while he let them insults roll off his tongue so nonchalantly.

“Still, I suppose I can see the charm in having barbarians running the lower levels of an operation like this. I doubt even you recall the last time someone said something along the lines of ‘no’ to you. Muscle does have its place over mind at times.” He smirked a bit, looking Beth over. A change of clothes and maybe a shower and he could see her running cargo holds in one of his factories or the like. A well-paid low level grunt with the brawn to muscle supplies and payment out of other vendors. Not that he was considering. He had a rather strict hiring policy after all.

[fantasmalforces]

. * ･ ｡ﾟ☆ overkilled ☆ ｡ﾟ･* .

Spending another waning day at his lovely holiday home, Maverick bid his vacation time utilizng his giant scratching post in between making himself delicious meals and binging several subpar series on streaming services. Never once did he even think about abandoning the luxurious bathrobe he so enjoyed lounging about in to put on something more presentable on the incredibly low chance he actually got company. No one would bother him while he was out on vacation. Or so he thought.

The sound of thudding coming from the back door startled the cat, tail seizing straight up before lashing out behind, whipping back and forth like a furious snake as he stalked over to the glass ready to pounce on an unsuspecting intruder. But... there was nothing there when he looked. He peered out, lips falling back over bared teeth. Maybe a stupid bird had just flown into the glass? It happened often enough. His ear twitched the slightest bit when he heard knocking from another glass- another window. He quickly turned to face the source and, oh of course. Of course it was Julian. The tiger let out a small sight of relief and motioned for him to come back around, opening the sliding glass door and pushing the vertical hanging blinds in front of it aside.

“Wasn’t expecting you to be in the area,” he hummed, eyeing the other up as he approached. “Or looking like such a disheveled mess. Where have you been? You look like an outdoor PortaPotty on day four of Coachell—“ a small wrinkle of his nose, “— and you don’t smell much better either. Go.” He nudged his shoulder. “Go take a bath, I’ll bring you a change of clothes and make you something to eat in the meantime.” He glanced to the clock. He supposed it was time for a late lunch- or early dinner anyway. Company wasn’t ideal given the circumstances but then again, he’d been alone for a few days and Julian was always fun to have around. Even a solitary predator like Maverick needed someone around sometimes he supposed.

     It was past noon and Jules was only starting to stir from a death-like sleep. The night before had been one most would consider a night to never forget from the amount of drugs and alcohol he had consumed but was just a normal Tuesday night for him. It’d be blurred and forgotten like the rest of his life. The only fun part would be if he got to retrace his steps and rediscover what he had done in his inebriated stated. More often than not it started with him snorting cocaine off a stripper or crashing some frat party and chugging their entire keg which only escalated as the night went on. Slowly, as he began coming to he realized he was haphazardly resting on a lawn char, his lower half on the ground and his head and arms draped over the seat. Wiping the drool from his mouth he lazily looked around, noticing the manicured hedges and law. 

     Maverick. He’d found his way to Maverick’s home and wondered if perhaps he’d roped his companion into some fun or just tripped over a sprinkler and passed out again. Glancing down he was dressed in nothing but a pair of boxers that didn’t belong to him and a woman’s bathrobe. How exciting. Grunting, he slowly picked himself up, squinting against the brightness of the sun with a disdainful expression before making his way to the house’s back door. His legs wobbled like a new born gazelles but this didn’t keep him from pushing forward until he collided with the door. He checked the handle and wasn’t quite sure if he was trying to open it the right way and found it to be too early to think that much. Jules slid across the side of the house to the window and peered in.

          “Mavvvverriiiicckkkk,” he whined like an impatient child, “I’m hungwy, lemme in,” he tapped on the glass a few times with the palms of his hands before cupping his hands around his eyes to peak through the window once more to see if his pitiful pleas would be answered. 

@fantasmalforces

[queenofmoons67]

Midori Oni: Prologue

Welcome to my obligatory Tiger and Bunny and BNHA fic!

Summary: When Wild Tiger accidentally ends up 155 years in the future, he’s still being chased by a criminal mastermind, and as such does his best to blend into the new world around him. But Kotetsu has never been the best at hiding, and this time is no different:

Before long, Wild Tiger is making ripples amongst villains as a new vigilante. And as he fights to simultaneously be a hero, stay safe, and find a way home, he stumbles upon two students of UA’s hero course. And then eighteen more.

Aka an outsider view of Kotetsu, through the eyes of Class 1A.

(Shinsou Hitoshi replaces Mineta Minoru)

Canon timeline-wise, the story begins during the time leap after cour one of "Tiger & Bunny." Kotetsu enters the BNHA timeline during the sports festival.

Kotetsu panted, struggling to catch his breath when he was already out of Hundred Power and racing through the lowest part of Sternbild.

“Wild Tiger!” a voice called, echoing off the alley walls close behind him. “Why don’t you just give up? There’s nowhere to run!”

Kotetsu grinned. “Hear that, Bunny?” he asked. “He thinks there’s nowhere to run.”

Bunny’s voice was tinny through the comms, but the scoff came through loud and clear. “Focus, Wild Tiger. You’re going to take a right on the next street; I’m almost there myself.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m bringing this guy straight to you, don’t worry.”

There was just the sound of panting as Kotetsu leapt over a fallen trashcan, and he imagined Bunny pausing to think about what to say. Since dealing with Martinez and Kriem, they had both been trying to be more patient with one another and acknowledge each other’s ideas, and personally, Kotetsu thought they were working a lot better as partners. Bunny had actually agreed to Kotetsu’s idea of using himself as bait for this criminal, for one, and for another—

Kotetsu wouldn’t admit it to Bunny, but it was strange for him, running through the streets without his partner by his side. Having him on the comms just wasn’t the same.

But there was the corner, and with a grin, Kotetsu put on a burst of speed as he rounded it. Bunny was waiting for him.

<line break>

Mario blinked, adjusted his glasses, and peered closer at the camera image before him as it was overwhelmed by a bright white light.

“Just a second folks, we might be having some technical difficulties. Orlando, can you zoom in for us and try to find Wild Tiger again?”

Orlando gave him a thumbs up, already messing with his camera, and Mario leaned back in his seat.

This segment had been weird from the very beginning. The criminal had been stopped while in the middle of robbing a bank, but had seemed unbothered by it—in fact, he’d seemed downright delighted to get the chance to taunt each hero as they arrived on the scene, his super strength power easily keeping the heroes back from being able to actually arrest him.

Barnaby and Wild Tiger had ended up in charge of the fight when Wild Tiger’s fight with the criminal had accidentally sent them down to Sternbild’s lower levels, where the HeroTV chopper couldn’t follow. Mario and Orlando had done their best to follow them from the skies, and report on how Wild Tiger had quickly run out of Hundred Power and started fleeing from the criminal instead of chasing him—and instead of escaping, the criminal had actually given chase in turn! But now…

Orlando shook his head and gave him a sideways thumb. Frowning, Mario directed his attention to the screen and began to narrate for their viewers.

“Orlando has gotten the view back for us, folks, but it—it doesn’t seem to be working that well. That is, we can see where Wild Tiger and the criminal just were, but we can’t actually see them now. Oh, and here comes Barnaby, looking for his partner—”

Mario kept talking, but he also gestured frantically for Orlando to contact Agnes. They had a missing hero on their hands.

<line break>

Kotetsu stumbled to a halt, jaw dropping as Sternbild’s night sky was replaced by daylight and a cheering crowd. He himself was standing in the shadows beside them, but inching forward, he realized that they were all gathered around a wall of tv screens facing outwards from a store’s glass front.

There was someone with green hair fighting someone else with red-and-white hair. What was this, some new kind of Christmas style?

Peering closer, Kotetsu noted with surprise the tagline was in Japanese. Thankful he knew his mother’s language, he read: “UA Sports Festival—Second Round of the Battle Tournament.” What on earth…?

Kotetsu tore his gaze away, meaning to see if any of the other televisions were showing something that actually made sense, but his eyes caught on the reflection of someone staring back at him. The criminal he’d been chasing grinned.

Kotetsu bolted, dashing into the nearest alley and heading away from the crowd. So far the criminal hadn’t attempted to harm any civilians, but there was no reason to take that risk.

“Come back, hero!” the criminal called, his feet slapping against the concrete as he followed Kotetsu.

“Not on your life!” Kotetsu replied, and the criminal laughed.

As Kotetsu focused back on the path before him, though, he realized that someone else had been unusually quiet through all of this.

“Bunny?”

No answer, but the comm was still on.

“Hey, Bunny, you there?”

Still nothing.

“Barnaby, this isn’t funny! Answer me!”

Silence yet again.

Cursing, Kotetsu made a series of quick turns, one after another. He’d obviously been transported somewhere new, likely in Japan. Maybe the comms were fried when the transport happened? They still looked like they were on, but Kotetsu knew weird things happened with technology sometimes. Case in point: Whatever happened to land him here.

For now, though, there was nothing Kotetsu could do about it. He wasn’t a tech wizard like Saito, and he had to focus on just evading the criminal for now. In this unfamiliar place, where his hero license didn’t apply and he had no Hundred Power for at least another forty-five minutes, he couldn’t risk a fight.

If he was being honest with himself, he couldn’t risk a fight even after his Hundred Power came back. He’d lost the first one; that was why he’d been leading the criminal to Bunny in the first place.

Kotetsu swerved around another corner and took the opportunity to look behind him. His tail was still a bit back, but—but was he gaining on him? Kotetsu couldn’t tell.

For a moment, he thought about dumping his suit. Its weight only slowed him down, and without his Hundred Power, it was less than useless.

It would take time for him to wrestle the suit off without mechanical help, though, and he might not remember where he dumped it. Plus, Saito would kill him if he lost it.

Resolving to losing the criminal the good old-fashioned way, Kotetsu turned deeper into this maze of alleys.

<line break>

When Kotetsu’s Hundred Power finally returned, he took the opportunity to get away for good and turned on his speed, sprinting through a series of dizzying turns before grappling up to a roof. Safe in the high ground, he tried every rooftop entrance he came across before tiredly stumbling into the first open one he found and collapsing in a metal heap in a stairwell.

Kotetsu spent the night like that, still in his suit, and when he woke up, he made a mental note to never do that again. His poor, aching body did not like him right now—though Kotetsu liked his comms still being fried even less.

He would have to go out and try to figure out what all of this was himself. But he couldn’t do that while in his suit; that was just asking for the criminal to spot him again, and Kotetsu wasn’t in the mood for another high speed chase through the alleys. He would have to take the suit off.

<line break>

An hour later, Kotetsu shielded his eyes with a hand as he walked out onto a busy street. Removing the suit had been an adventure and a half. He’d always had Saito by his side for it, which meant this time, he’d fought his way out mostly by randomly selecting pieces to remove individually. He felt bad about it, but he figured Saito should be able to put it back together—and if not, the man would probably just go to Maverick with the idea for a new set of matching suits for Tiger and Bunny.

Reasonably satisfied, Kotetsu had stashed the suit pieces behind some dust-covered boxes in a supply closet, then headed out.

Perhaps he should have second-guessed his outfit choice, though. His tight black under-armor was drawing a lot of looks.

After the third person he spotted openly checking him out, Kotetsu turned on his Hundred Power and sped through an apartment building at top speed, stopping only to snag a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt hanging in a communal laundry room. A little wet, and the theft made his skin prickle uncomfortably, but necessary.

As comfortable as he could be, given the circumstances, Kotetsu finally turned his full attention to finding a newspaper and figuring out where he was.

Or rather, he tried to, but Kotetsu was quickly distracted by just how strange his new surroundings were. Some people looked normal, but there were others with even weirder hair dyes than the two on TV the night before. And even stranger than that was the way some NEXTs’ powers had affected them. Kotetsu had never seen a NEXT mutate before, let alone take on the features of animals.

And then there was just how many people seemed to be NEXTs. Kotetsu was used to being one of a minority, but here, NEXTs seemed to actually be the majority. They walked the streets freely, unafraid of using their powers for trivial things. One boy idly stirred his coffee, finger steaming, while a girl used some of the eyes on the ends of her hair to read a book even while the eyes in her head watched where she was going.

The strangest thing of all, though, was how no one else blinked. Not a single person, whether they seemed to be a NEXT or not, was afraid of those using their powers. It was as though Kotetsu had stepped into some idealistic future where NEXTs were no longer discriminated against.

Finally spotting a stand selling newspapers, Kotetsu hurried over, picked one up, and scanned it. Like the TV the night before, and like most of the conversations around him, the text was in Japanese: “Musutafu Local News.” That wasn’t surprising.

What was surprising was the date next to it.

“Excuse me, sir?” Kotetsu asked the seller, handing him the newspaper. “Is this date right?”

The seller barely glanced at it. “Yep. Do you want to buy it?”

Numbly, Kotetsu shook his head and walked away.

He was 155 years in the future.

<line break>

The first thing Kotetsu did was find a library and research everything he could about current events. He refused to touch anything from his entire time, worrying that this might be like one of those sci-fi novels where he risked accidentally changing everything.

Even with his research, though, he was missing things. Refusing to go too far back meant he missed a lot of both the civil rights movement for NEXTs, and the laws that were eventually put in place for both civilians and their present-day version of heroes.

Because of that, what he knew could generally be summed up as most of the population having powers, now called ‘quirks.’

A consequence of this was stricter laws on when and where a person could use their quirk; what Kotetsu had seen in public so far was generally the limit. There was also discrimination against the quirkless, which threw Kotetsu for a loop for a moment since he was used to being discriminated against for his Hundred Power, though he supposed it made sense considering he was now in the majority.

For a moment, Kotetsu wondered if he would still be discriminated in this future, since he as good as had no quirk for most of the day—then he shook his head and moved on. If he was, it wasn’t like it was anything he wasn’t used to. If anything, he thought wryly, it might be refreshing to be discriminated against for how weak his power was, instead of how powerful it could make him.

Hopefully, though, Kotetsu wouldn’t be in this future long enough to find out.

Unfortunately, he was losing that same hope every second longer he was stuck here. It had been nearly twenty-four hours, and the power still hadn’t faded.

For all Kotetsu knew, it would take technology to get him back—technology that not even this future seemed to have.

<line break>

Kotetsu headed back to the same stairwell he’d stashed his suit in that night, and sighed when he woke there the next morning.

For now, he decided, he would act as though he would be stuck in this new society for the rest of his life: Settle in and build a base of support, before trying whatever it would take to find a way home. He would have to lay low, since it was possible the criminal who’d also gotten snapped here was still after him. It was also possible that same criminal knew how to get back home, but Kotetsu had nothing to make him want to take Kotetsu back with him. Besides, it was better to be the one surprising than the one being surprised. He could track down the criminal and stay low.

The next big problem was money. Kotetsu needed it for food, shelter, a place to store his suit, toiletries, and just about everything else. He had a decent amount of cash stashed away in his suit for emergencies, but for the most part: For money, he needed a job, and for a job, he needed a new identity.

Kotetsu couldn’t trust that the heroes of this time wouldn’t see straight through a fake paper trail, which meant no seeking a position with them.

At the same time, this new society was different enough to the one that Kotetsu knew that he didn’t quite trust it anyway. Before, he knew that money motivated sponsors, while heroes competed but ultimately trusted each other. Now, he didn’t know what pushed society—if they did catch him, they might not let him go free. They might not even help him. And for now, that meant avoiding heroes and picking up smalltime jobs until he had the money for a new identity.

Kotetsu chased criminals for more than ten years; he knew how to track down a forger—though admittedly, this would be his first time hiring one.

<line break>

It didn’t take long for Kotetsu to figure out the main issue with his plan: When you’re searching for one kind of criminal, it’s not hard to stumble upon others. Kotetsu managed to ignore them for as long as it took to set up a new civilian identity—Kaburagi Muramasa, after his brother—and to find a retail position.

Several weeks later, Kotetsu had enough money that, while he still returned to that stairwell every night, he felt comfortable caving to his instincts and putting his suit on for the first time since he’d taken it off that first morning.

Or at least, he tried.

Without Saito and his mechanics to help, it took Kotetsu an entire day to figure out how to piece his suit back together.

After that, though, Kotetsu started spending all of his free time on the streets. He knew Bunny wouldn’t be happy about him going out, but he also knew that Bunny would understand why Kotetsu couldn’t just sit still when there were people in need. In a compromise to his partner, though, he at least tried to stick to the shadows.

<line break>

It only took a week and a half for the heroes and police to start hunting him.

<line break>

Naomasa Tsukauchi pinned a sketch to an otherwise blank board, then sat on his desk and stared it. Glowing neon green eyes stared back.

A new vigilante had appeared on the streets, and those eyes were one of the only clues he had for finding the man. He hid behind armor that lit up when he used his quirk, though they hadn’t yet figured out what it was: Some of the villains he’d caught claimed super strength, others super hearing and a half dozen more.

Naomasa had been tempted to nickname the vigilante ‘Superman,’ after the classic comic, but the villains had already named him ‘Midori Oni.’

The Green Oni.

Naomasa couldn’t deny the vigilante had the typical horns and green coloring down perfectly, though he lacked a tiger pelt.

Sighing, Naomasa stood back up and grabbed a box already full with case files for villains Midori Oni had caught. He’d been busy, Naomasa could give him that—but vigilantism was illegal. They had heroes for a reason.

[navdeep-arora]

Abhiraj Bhal, CEO & Founder Urban Company (erstwhile Urbanclap) Meet the Mavericks: how discipline and focus helped this co-founder make UrbanClap the market leader of an ‘unsexy category’

https://yourstory.com/herstory/2020/07/chennai-student-senior-citizens-tech-savvy?utm_pageloadtype=scrollKeep your eyes on the prize. YourStory’s video series Mavericks gives you insider access into the lives of some of the country’s most successful entrepreneurs. In our third episode, we deep-dive into a discussion with the co-founder of one of India's largest on-demand service providers. A maverick is a person of incredible vision, someone who challenges the norm and forces people to think beyond the ordinary. YourStory is going behind the scenes to uncover the inspirations and secrets of the ultimate maverick in the business world: the entrepreneur. 

Meet YourStory’s third Maverick: Urban Clap Co-founder and CEO Abhiraj Singh Bhal. Abhiraj Singh Bhal and his Co-founders, Varun Khaitan and Raghav Chandra, were no strangers to the startup world before they started UrbanClap. Back in 2014, they realised that on-demand services was a huge, fragmented market with several possibilities, but there were several obstacles in the way. Globally, the online, on-demand home services market is expected to grow at a 52 percent CAGR between 2018 and 2022, according to a report by TechNavio. 

And despite the challenges surrounding standardisation of on-demand services, the lack of consistency, and customer complaints, the trio realised they had chanced upon the opportunity to revolutionise the flagging sector, with the right technology. “Great organisations are built to last, not built to sell; that’s how we think of UrbanClap,” Abhiraj says. 

Five years after they launched the “urban lifestyle services platform”, the three are well on their way to creating a household brand, which is growing 3x every year and reaches 6.5 lakh homes every month through 20,000 service partners. 

UrbanClap, which plans to go public in the future, is also present in 10 Indian cities and Dubai, and aims to expand to Tier II and Tier III cities as well as internationally in the coming years. UrbanClap founders (from left to right): Abhiraj, Raghav and Varun Entering an ‘unsexy category’ Abhiraj and Varun have known each other for years, ever since they graduated from IIT-Kanpur together. 

The two would discuss startup ideas and even launched Cinemabox, a service that allowed travellers to stream movies on their phones in planes, trains or buses, in early 2014. The startup shutdown within six months, but Abhiraj and Varun didn’t give up. Around that time, they met former Twitter engineer, Raghav Chandra, through mutual friends. 

Raghav’s first venture, Buggi, an on-demand autorickshaw hailing platform, shutdown soon after its pilot. The three connected and had a few months of intense conversations, after which Urban Clap was born. 

Despite foraying into the market without a good idea of what to build or how to build it, Abhiraj knew that the demand for these services was large, fragmented, and would benefit with technology. “We certainly didn’t have a game-changing idea,” Abhiraj says.   

However, after interacting with a lot of service professionals, the founders realised that a number of these repairmen, beauticians, and masseuses were usually at the mercy of middlemen, who ate into significant chunks of their margins. Customers were also complaining about a lack of standardisation in terms of quality and punctuality.

 “I think the interesting thing is that it is a very unsexy category - pardon my French - because it takes so much to get your hands dirty. So, the competition typically shies away from it,” he says. Yet, investors believed in their growth story. In 2015, Urban Clap raised $1.5 million funding from SAIF Partners and Accel Ventures. 

The company has raised a total of $110 million in five rounds since then. Peeling back the onion Once the trio dove into the business end, Abhiraj, Varun, and Raghav discovered it was an extremely long and challenging process to bring service professionals onboard. UrbanClap had committed to verifying professionals, both on their background and skill set, before allowing them to offer their services on the app. 

This way, only 20-30 percent made the cut. “It was extremely complex  because on one hand you are pitching to people, saying come and join the platform, and then on the other you’re telling them that ‘hey, you’re not good enough’,” he says. A year after launch, Abhiraj and his co-founders noticed that the quality of the services they were providing was not up to the mark. 

Urban Clap’s “light-touch” model, where the company didn’t insert itself in every aspect of the customer service, was clearly not working out. Sign up for Newsletters Check out our popular newsletters and subscribe Abhiraj interacting with one of UrbanClap's service professionals at a customer's home. 

They asked themselves a simple question: why did we get started on this journey? “We got started because we wanted to deliver amazing and high-quality services. We felt people should rave about the UrbanClap service,” Abhiraj says. The startup decided to focus on one category to understand what it would mean to own the service delivery experience. 

They chose beauty, which offered an interesting challenge. The company developed close integration with the supply ecosystem, which runs on various levels. UrbanClap condensed its service delivery experience into five levels, to make it straightforward for customers and professionals. This, Abhiraj says, has become their biggest competitive advantage. UrbanClap controls the products that their professionals use, from makeup remover to jet sprays. It has also revamped its payments process to make it more flexible for customers and professionals to pay and collect money. 

The company has also set up a content sharing platform to allow customers to share reviews and rate service professionals easily. UrbanClap also functions as a convenient marketing platform for its professionals, and has implemented a strong customer relationship management platform, to catch issues quickly. “It took us two years to perfect this five-level model - it wasn’t overnight. It was literally like peeling the onion - one step at a time.” 

The company has grown by leaps and bounds since then. UrbanClap’s financial results showed that it posted a 150 percent jump in operating revenue to Rs 116 crore in FY19; more impressively, the company managed to keep operating losses flat at Rs 72 crore. Besides beauty services and appliance repairs, the company has also made progress in verticals such as pest control, cleaning, and painting. Simultaneously, the startup is helping create thousands of micro-entrepreneurs. Unlike offline players, Abhiraj says, the company allows service professionals to keep about 80 percent of what a customer pays, allowing them to earn decent livelihoods. Also Read UrbanClap revenue rises 150 pc in FY19; eyes Tier-II India in FY20 By focusing on the service professional as well as the client, UrbanClap has managed to take a significant chunk of market share away from both offline and online players in India. “In certain segments that we operate in, we are the largest player online or offline. If you just look at beauty services, we are the largest beauty services company in the country; we are larger than any standalone chain.” Now their challenges are more on the lines of scale. UrbanClap is on-boarding between 2,000 and 3,000 service professionals every month. They run over 100 training sessions simultaneously across the country, and only plan to grow from there. “If we can become synonymous with home services, so that when anyone needs a service at home, they say just ‘UrbanClap it’,  that would be great,” Abhiraj says. Getting your hands dirty Now, Abhiraj regularly shadows his service professionals and sometimes turns up at customer’s homes to oversee the process. A firm believer in “getting one’s hands dirty”, Abhiraj will happily pitch in and help customers - once even going out of his way to wash a client’s car. He’s also a gym rat who enjoys pushing himself to the limit with punishing CrossFit workouts, is unsurprisingly a big fan of record-breaking sprinter Usain Bolt, and lives by his credo: the race is the easy bit, but putting in the consistent training and hard work every day is the tough part.   The UrbanClap CEO enjoys a good workout. That ethos of hard work was probably drummed in, courtesy his military officer father. Abhiraj’s upbringing also instilled a love for the outdoors - his last trip was to Pench National Park, a tiger reserve that cuts across Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, and was reportedly the setting for Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. “I like my vacations to be activity-based,” he says. Abhiraj is an adrenaline-junkie, who enjoys the rush from activities such as sky diving, trekking and scuba diving. In fact, he and Varun completed an accelerated free-fall course that allowed them to do solo sky-diving anywhere in the world. “For me, simplicity in lifestyle, discipline, and regimen has worked; it has kept me sane and on track in this journey,” he adds. With that discipline, Abhiraj expects that UrbanClap will reach 50 million homes a month and have one million service partners within four to five years. As for Abhiraj’s next Maverick Move? “So far, UrbanClap has catered to the upper end of the society. We are now actively looking at making our services more affordable and available in Tier II and III cities. At the same time, we also want to expand to other cities internationally. We’re already in Dubai, we’re looking at a couple of other cities as well,” he says. Concept & Direction: Shivani Muthanna Camera person: Manoj Upadhyaya Video Editor: Shlok Bhatt Content Writer: Anya George Also Read Meet the Mavericks: this co-founder and entrepreneur discusses his riskiest bets, handling setb... Want to make your startup journey smooth? YS Education brings a comprehensive Funding Course, where you also get a chance to pitch your business plan to top investors. Click here to know more. ENTREPRENEURSHIP ON-DEMAND SERVICES URBANCLAP ABHIRAJ SINGH BHAL MAVERICKS 41+ Shares +0 Trending Now Trending Stories [Startup Bharat] This Udaipur-based jewellery… Apurva P Meet the IoT startup helping the likes of OYO, MyGate, and… Sohini Mitter Atal Innovation Mission launches second edition of… Press Trust of India Flipkart launches startup accelerator programme with… Thimmaya Poojary Daily Capsule Watch Byju Raveendran talk about the $300-million Whitehat Jr acquisition Read Here Latest Updates from around the world [Funding alert] ZipLoan raises Rs 15 Cr in debt round led by… Thimmaya Poojary Atal Innovation Mission launches second edition of… Press Trust of India Rocketship.vc closes second global VC fund with $100M Vishal Krishna After founding Junglee, Helion, veteran investor Ashish Gupta… Sindhu Kashyaap ‘The internet gives you the ability to shatter boundaries’ –… Madanmohan Rao How Byju’s 6-yr-old son played a role in a $300 million deal… Ramarko Sengupta Our Partner Events Hustle across India Sat Sep 05 2020 EMERGE 2020 MARTECH SUMMIT Virtual Event Fri Sep 25 2020 SMARTecIndia2020 Virtual Platform See all Partner Events ENTREPRENEUR This 14-year-old from Chennai is enabling senior citizens to become tech-savvy Tanvi Arvind, a Grade IX student of Sishya School, Chennai, has started TechEdEn, a services startup that helps senior citizens to be tech-positive and independent. By Rekha Balakrishnan 16th Jul 2020 0:00 / 5:12 48 claps +0 Many of us have seen seniors in our homes trying to grapple with technology - whether it’s downloading apps, ordering from their phones, or doing transactions online. Not adept with advances in technology, they often seek the help of the younger members of the family, who sometimes are either impatient or don’t have the time to teach them. Tanvi Arvind is helping senior citizens become tech savvy Also Read This woman entrepreneur is on a mission to help schools become best educational spaces This is where Tanvi Arvind, a 14-year-old student of Sishya School in Chennai, decided to step in with TechEdEn in 2019, a services startup that aims to Educate and Enable Technology for the “tech-challenged”. Starting from her own family The idea for TechEdEn came from her own experience. “My grandparents live alone in Bengaluru. Whenever I used to visit them, I saw them struggling with technology. They had two smartphones, two iPads, and a shared laptop,” she says. On every visit, she set about educating and enabling them with the help of simple steps on the use of technology, and how it could be used to its fullest potential. “Each time I taught them something new, they were awestruck and amazed at how life had changed for them forever, with tech,” she adds. When she saw the joy and happiness these simple tech lessons brought to her grandparents, she decided to start a venture to ensure many more senior citizens benefit from learning basic technology! With EdTechEn, Tanvi teaches senior citizens basic uses of technology like booking a ride service like Uber or Ola, using Swiggy to order food, learning how to navigate Zoom and Facetime to connect with their loved ones, online travel booking, using Google Maps, and installing and using social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, etc.  “More now, than ever before, with an emerging ‘new-normal’ of everything moving online and social distancing, I believe these services will find a significant value with the target audience - people of the older generation who did not have the opportunity to learn and use digital technology while growing up. They will surely need ways to go about manoeuvring the fast-changing tech and digital world, swiftly. TechEdEn’s services enable their connection to the e-world, providing convenience at their fingertips,” she says. Helping overcome fear and inhibitions Tanvi started off with on-site services as planned for the first year, with a lean set-up. By going to clients’ place ‘in-person’ as a ‘tutor’, she has taught and hand-held 68 seniors, about 25 percent of whom were paranoid about getting started and connecting to the digital world, by helping them overcome their fear and inhibitions. She has also taught them basics like printing at home, connecting to the internet, using applications on device and internet, to about 30 of them transacting with service providers such as Uber, Swiggy, and Amazon from the comfort of their homes. She charges Rs 500 for a one-hour session and for a group session of four (in an apartment complex), Rs 300. The young entrepreneur feels happy to be a part of this transformation in people’s lives. TechEdEn has been a real boon in this day and age, remarks 70-year-old Ms Chitnis, one of Tanvi’s customers. With help from her sister and an associate who volunteered her time, Tanvi has clocked a top line of Rs 28,400 in the first year itself. She plans to introduce tele support in Year 2 and online support by Year 3, by hiring enthusiastic and tech-savvy school students, which is yet to take off.   “There is good traction that has been built with positive customer feedback and word-of-mouth referrals from existing clients. The excitement in the adult circles within the social network for the uptake of TechEdEn is palpable! I feel very bullish about TechEdEn’s future,” she says. However, Tanvi also realises she has to add capacity to deliver to a growing customer base. Those are her challenges for Year 2 and 3.  Sign up for Newsletters Check out our popular newsletters and subscribe The impetus to start something on her own also came from an interesting video Tanvi watched of a 13-year-old successful kid-preneur Asia Newson, based in Detroit, who started selling candles and later her own handmade ones. She met her sales target of $70,000 in the very first year, in 2016! She has since diversified and evolved her business. This inspired Tanvi to think big and come up with her own idea. "The 20 weeks I spent at the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) also gave me a quick and broad overview of what goes into setting-up of a business, with the understanding of marketing and finance functions. The field trips helped me understand how different businesses have different success metrics and methods of operation. My mentors also gave me constructive feedback on the business,” she says. Tanvi surely is excited about tapping into the ‘silver generation’ population, where learning technology is not just an important tool to navigate their daily lives, but also an absolute necessity as we face a future of social distancing and being confined to our homes for longer periods of time. (Edited by Megha Reddy) 

Source - https://yourstory.com/herstory/2020/07/chennai-student-senior-citizens-tech-savvy?utm_pageloadtype=scroll

[fantasmalforces]

The sight of Maverick bleeding and clutching his head had been enough to set off alarms within the ringmaster as she hurried him to her private quarters. She sat him down, tenderly began to rinse the wound, and begged him to tell her what had happened.

And her stomach sank. Yuma had done this to him.

Her mind began to swirl as she thought about what had transpired for this to occur. Trembling hands washed the cloth and reluctantly picked up the bottle of hydrogen peroxide to rub in. It wasn't her first choice, but it was all she had. Hands steadied as Maverick told her what happened. What was said to earn the lieutenant's rage. The air grew stiff as Noore tended to the wound, hand "accidentally" slipping to press the harsh liquid further into the wound and create a vicious sting.

"You're kidding me. Really? That's what you think?" Oh, her tone was a lot more intense than it had been mere moments ago. "Is that not any different than what people say about you? That you're nothing more than a violent beast that belongs in the pit?"

She scoffed and withdrew, throwing the damp rag into his hands.

"Clean it yourself. I'm going to go talk to Piper and Yuma about this."

The initial sharp surge of pain against his scalp forced Maverick to wince and let out a hiss in response. He tried to shirk away from her motion, the shock to his nervous system traveling down his spine and into other patches of skin where synapses often malfunctioned and left his with a lingering sensation somewhere between discomforting numbness and friction burn. The patched of old scars were suddenly alight with a flaring sensation in addition to the thrum of his own heartbeat he felt in the ache in his skull. He looked at her, expression both confused and thoroughly agonized.

“I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true— it’s fact of nature, Noore! Rabbits are promiscuous creatures! They’ve evolved that way as a survival mechanism! I never said it was a right or good thing, I just stated that it was true! And Piper herself doesn’t have the best reputation— Goddess’ sake, she even said she slept around for some three years after leaving Hoyt by her own admission—“ never mind that he had gotten that information from eavesdropping on a private conversation with Holly, “Does Yuma not have a right to know and consider the fact that her partner is likely to cheat on her? There’s no reason to be shocked. And if she was, it’s only because Piper never told her. That proves she has something to hide, doesn’t it?” Wow. He really thought he was justified here, wasn’t he?

It didn’t matter. The response Noore retaliated with made him flinch— actually flinch. The look on his face was akin to a small kitten that had been kicked by someone or loved. Confused and hurt, but now for a different reason. The ached in his heart far surpassed anything physical he could experience. The glare she gave him and even the hypothetical implication of her calling him some savage beast made his heart throb, made his guts twist in ways that he could not explain. “It is different!” He tried to justify. “Tigers are not animals that fight for sport! We kill because to survive! To eat and protect ourselves— it is not our nature to be needlessly violent! We don’t belong in the arena, people only say that because they fear us and they find it is easier to hate us than it is to understand us!”

He didn’t understand why she was angry and it was breaking his heart. He just thought he was being honest! Tigerfolk weren’t promiscuous— they formed lifelong and loyal bonds. If their was cheating, it was a rare deviance. Not like rabbitfolk who made it a habit to sleep around. What didn’t she understand? Why was she mad? He caught the rag before it could hit his chest, looking at it and then up at her, watching her as she moved to walk out. “Noore—“ he tried to call out to her but she ignored him, and before he could try and move to get up and follow her she was gone. She’d left him alone to think about what he had done. And he did.

He just didn’t think he’d done anything wrong.

[fantasmalforces]

“  it’s  difficult  to  be  so  close  but  not  be  able  to  kiss  you.  ” -> Noore and Maverick || @maximuses

. * ･ ｡ﾟ☆ Secret Love Prompts // ACCEPTING ☆ ｡ﾟ･* .

On any other occasion Maverick wouldn’t be caught dead in the Shanath Arena. He detested the place. He detested the senselessly cruel pitting of innocent beasts against men in some barbaric and utterly useless show of strength. Because even that was a veil. There was no true strength to be seen. All this carnage? It was just for show! Utterly disgusting... Yet he faced an odd conundrum.

Noore was here.

And he’d come to love Noore. He’d come to realize that she was just another animal trapped in this place, left at the hands and the mercy of cruel human masters who would snuff her out like a useless flame at a moment’s notice. She truly suffered in the ways he had suffered. She knew his pain. She knew it unlike anyone else in the world had. And in that realization came interaction, intimacy, and eventually love. He hated this place, but he loved Noore. And he wanted to be here with her, make sure she was safe. Make sure that he had a good word to give Pagan that might spare her from the axe of his harsh judgment, or the scalpel of Yuma’s harsh punishments at his command, or the hammer of Paul’s cruel brutality.

He’d been lounging in the equivalent of a VIP section. A Caesar’s seat. He leaned back to avoid seeing the arena below but Noore was right in front of him, preaching to the crowd. She dropped her arm and he heard the gates open. She retreated back to the shadows just at his side, her voice low and almost lost to the roars and cheers of the crowd.

“It’s difficult to be so close but not able to kiss you.”

They’d been keeping this little ploy up for a while. They didn’t want the others finding out in case they tried to ply one or the other as blackmail. Not to mention the inevitable shit that would come up about reputations and images. But even knowing all that, how could they deny what their hearts were yearning?

Maverick lazily glanced about, setting down the glass of wine in his hand on the small table beside him. He lifted his hand, his fingertips brushing against the back of hers. He felt her shiver and saw her look down at him. She looked worried but she also looked relieved, reaffirmed by the minimal contact that she could get through the rest of this performance without finally breaking and crumbling before the crowds of bloodthirsty savages she’d created.

“There will be time for that and for us soon. You just have to make it through tonight. You’re doing well.” He offered her a gentle smile and beckoned her to lean down. In the shadows of his little VIP tent, no one could see the soft kiss they exchanged, nor the way Maverick spared a tender caress of her cheek, nor the way he murmured in honey sweet tones to her and made her blush and sigh with delight.

“You are the strongest woman I have ever known. You can do this. And when you are done, I will let you find peace in taking back some of the control you are so desperate to have again.”

[fantasmalforces]

“I–I’m trying my best! Fuck.” -> From Noore to Maverick, for some shippy angst || @maximuses

. * ･ ｡ﾟ☆ “Fuck” Sentence Prompts // CLOSED ☆ ｡ﾟ･* .

“I know you are-” Maverick tried to assure her before placing his hands over her own as they shuffled about the desk, searching wildly for something before his firm, gentle touched ceased the frantic movements. “Please, just calm down. Breathe. You’re alright.”

A tall order, he was sure. He knew that her anxiety was spurred on by old habits. The idea that if she did not act fast enough, did not produce results within an unspoken time limit, that there would be dire consequences to her was not lost on him. So he reassured her. “It’s alright. We’ll find it. Just settle down.” Of course, despite the rumors, Maverick was nowhere near Paul or Pagan’s level of cruelty. Of blatant sadism. He had no intentions of holding something above her head and making her perform like some kind of animal to get at it.

He took one of her hands and gently guided her to the couch, at first sitting down and then moving to lounge on its velvety surface with her. Noore reluctantly cuddled up to him, resting her head on his chest as he threaded his fingers through his hair. “I know this will take some getting used to,” he rumbled, noticing her blank, worried stare directed at the far wall. “But we will get there in time. You’ll realize eventually that you are safe here. And that I am not Paul or Pagan. But for now,” he hummed, placing a kiss to the crown of her head, “we will work on it.”

At that, he saw Noore’s eyes close and heard the deep exhale she let out. And he smiled knowing that she understood.

[fantasmalforces]

“I used to think this sort of thing was pointless but you’re really changing my mind here.” -> From Noore to Maverick... :3 || @maximuses

. * ･ ｡ﾟ☆ Random Prompts for Your Needs // CLOSED ☆ ｡ﾟ･* .

He supposed enough time in a war-torn wasteland like Kyrat might be enough to suck the joy out of anyone. He knew the horrors of war well-enough. Knew how life-drainingly, soul-crushingly bad it could be. Knew how enough exposure to it could desensitize one to the horrors it brought. Split-second decisions and someone’s death, the smell of gunpowder burned into your nostrils and stench of decay. The desperation of hunger, the pain of not being able to sleep from all the mortar fire. Th haunting dreams and the dead eyes in the mirror.

Maybe this human was more knowledgeable than most...

The compliment stroked his ego and, more curiously, made his heart flutter in a sense. He felt a craving to hear more for her, though less because he just wanted to reassure his pride and more to know that he was actually liked by her. He wanted her approval for... some reason. It was a strange feeling. He hadn’t felt the need to validate his worth in someone’s eyes for a long time. He’d gone so long building there idea that no one else’s opinion mattered if he was successful, but it was admittedly rather lonely at the top. And Noore was playing into that craving for something, minute and likely fleeting as it was.

“War has a way of blinding us from beauty. We take life for granted when all we know is destruction, never realizing that it’s still there.” He set down his glass and held her by the waist instead, his movements oddly tentative and almost unsure as he led her to the balcony. His free arm outstretched itself to the scene before them. The mountains were lovely. The flowers blooming over the hills while yaks traipsed though the meadows, stirring up pollen and seeking refuge in the shade of the vibrant cherry blossom trees beneath. The sweet smell of sap and lilies permeated the air and the sun was beginning to set over the ridge of the mountain, casting an orange glow across the sky. “But what is good remains, even in the face of adversity. And the most beautiful things of all—“ he paused, reaching over to a high-reaching branch and plucking one of the blossoms off of the stem to offer to Noore with a fond expression.

“Bloom in the face of it.”

[fantasmalforces]

"I hope you aren't busy."

Noore's voice was hard to miss as she slipped behind the doorway, sneaking up to the focused businessman and wrapping tender arms around his back. Gentle fingers traced along the lapels of his jacket, with even softer lips pressing against the scratchy stubble that grew on his jawline. Curious eyes peered at the work before them, allowing her hands to move upward and gently comb through his hair as the woman moved to slide into his lap. It had seemed she was intent on joining him in his task, whether he asked her to or not...

But the head scratches were a bonus.

- @maximuses

Maverick raised his head from where he’d been hunched over his desk, meticulously reviewing the official documents presented to him by the good lady of the castle. They were still negotiating exchange benefits between them— namely, what was a fair trade in exchange for her renowned and famous (and infamous) Maiden’s Blood wine. He offered to open it up to an international market and she agreed... but at what cost was still to be determined. The deliberation had been going on for weeks now.

In spite of the stress he was under, the concentration and the focus that these documents required, Maverick still relented to her touches. He leaned back into her, a rumbling purr escaping him. His hand rested over hers. He moved back to offer her room to take a seat, his instincts prompting him to hold her waist and keep her close to him. The smile that crossed his lips was beautiful and pure, his eyes creasing and adorned by little crow’s feet at the corners. “I suppose I am, but... I can always make time for you, darling.”

The cat leaned up, his usually charming smile on his lips as he pressed them to hers. Behind him, his tail swished in utter delight. The smell of her, the taste of her, the feeling of her warmth beneath his fingertips sent electricity through every atom in his body. It filled him with such delight to simply be with her. He was weak for his Noore and he knew it. And he’d never known he could feel such pleasure in being weak.

[fantasmalforces]

// Fun Fact: Maverick knows about Piper and he doesn’t really care for her. It’s for the typical reason you’d expect— snooty rich man looking down on an outlaw that has to work to survive. But it’s also because of the typical predator-prey power imbalance seen in most aspects of Mythic life. Maverick not only thinks he’s more dominant and superior to her financially and class-wise, but also from a “biological” standpoint. A point which Piper will contest at every opportunity she gets. (And lowkey, Maverick is intimidated by her badger half but he’s even more disgusted at the fact she’s a “half-breed”.)

// Still, he’d prefer her company to any human’s in a heartbeat. And there are very few exceptions to that.

[fantasmalforces]

❋ Maverick and Aurum, if it’s at all plausible! (aa sorry, I know we have some stuff going that I need to get to but! I feel like this would be interesting fhfjdk)

. * ･ ｡ﾟ☆ Drunken Kiss Meme // CLOSED ☆ ｡ﾟ･* .

// Put under a cut bc it got kinda long-

Such a special occasion deserved a very special drink to perform a special toast to! Granted, it currently escaped Maverick just what that occasion was, but he knew it must have been very very special. It warranted him going into his collection of vintage wines and drawing out a bottle of 200 year old spiced and shimmering Druid wine. It was easily one his most expensive and most sacred possessions, not to mention one of his most potent drinks. Rich deep maroon, corked and emanating some heavenly forest smells as he poured them both a glass. Half a glass in and he was certain he wouldn’t make it through his first. It was stronger than anything he’d ever tasted, and the flavor was immaculate. Words failed him, both in mind and in speech. Idle conversation turned to nonsensical laughter and thoughtless babbling over amusing thoughts and old experiences worthy of such a deep, rich sound.

Other things were failing him too. His ability to speak, yes. Slowly but surely. His sense of shame, most definitely. His sense of personal space also. Though he hardly considered that last one his fault. Aurum was so stunningly beautiful, the glimmering and shimmering shine of his radiant beauty positively captivated the cat. Made his pupils dilate, threatens to drive out the color of his eyes and filled them with the demon’s reflection. It drew him in like a moth to a flame, swayed him to think impure thoughts through the cloudy haze of elderberries and Druidic spices lingering on his tongue. Not that he’d be able to articulate them into anything beyond thoughts. He lingered closer and closer, spilling out words he could not even hear leaving his own lips, but could still recognize the dull feeling of the purr in his voice as it tickled its way up his throat. There was a brief second he recognized he was standing inches away from his companion— when had they stood up?

Then there came a moment where he felt two pairs of arms wrapped around him, and his own arms encircling the demon’s body. And GOD— was it a heavenly feeling. To be surrounded by warmth like that, tickling up his spine and making his tail swish in satisfied delight. There was a moment where his composure was thrown to the wind, left unattended to, and a far more primal desire was embraced. He buried his face into the crook of Aurum’s shoulder where it met his neck, breathing his scent in deeply. Committing it to memory. Even if he blacked out tonight, which was slowly becoming more and more of a possibility with how light on his feet he suddenly felt, he was certain that scent was burned into his mind permanently. He’d never forget it. Not for a second. There was something decadently mouthwatering about it, so familiar. And the comforting feeling of those arms around him. For a moment, that charming businessman facade slipped, and he craved for nothing more than to stay in Aurum’s arms like this forever. It felt so entirely safe. So homely. It seemed like a dream in a world where nowhere really felt like home anymore.

Maybe it was just the alcohol when Maverick drew back, he still clung to Aurum like a lifeline. He swore it was just for support, and hearing the other laugh felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment. There was a moment where he fumbled with his familiar mask, struggled to put it back on. Those eyes stole his ability to think clearly— as did this wine— memo to him to really save it next time. Thoughts flashed in his head, wild and unorganized and yet one still always came to the forefront. An itch, a temptation. Something he hesitated to act upon even in a state which stole from him any sort of reluctance. And yet those eyes seemed to mirror his thoughts, lure him in. Once more his wings fluttered, bringing him closer, and finally he allowed himself to be burned.

There was no thought to his actions. Only the steady fluttering of his heart and the subconscious thought of his hindbrain that bid him lean forward and press his lips to the demon’s. It was sloppy and uncoordinated with the alcohol still sloshing about in his system, but there was a burning passion behind it. A motivation and a desire to convey something more, something that the words eluded him from and likely would for some time. Until his head was clear, and not just of the alcohol. There was something behind it. Something he dared not show, but that the alcohol drew back the curtain to reveal. Something he would not face and would not let Aurum face, but for now, that he would try to indulge them both in for the sake of simple pleasures. How few and far between those were.

And nothing brought Maverick such delight quite like Aurum did.

[fantasmalforces]

🤩 (Maverick!)

. * ･ ｡ﾟ☆ Favorites Meme // CLOSED ☆ ｡ﾟ･* .

// Put under a cut for convenience of the dash!

Favorite drink: Wines! He has a particular fondness for reds, but he collects all kinds. Especially reaaaaally old ones. His absolute favorite is Brachetto d’Acqui.

Favorite snack: He loves his rich decadents, and his salty treats, and his absolute biggest temptation is cake. Six-layer sea-salt caramel chocolate cake with a rich Swiss chocolate glaze, Belgian White choclate ornaments, and fluffy whipped cream sprinkled in powdered sugar. With some cherries. He’s very extra.

Favorite meal: Maverick’s absolute favorite dish is A5 Kobe Wagyu Strip Steak with a side of grilled and seasoned fish, soup with garlic bread, garden salad with an apple cider vinegar dressing, and you guessed it— red wine! Big tiger, big appetite, big expectations.

Favorite color: Maverick’s favorite color is called gold (#F9A602 specifically). It’s a perfect blend of orange and yellow in his mind.

Favorite hobby: Little known fact— Maverick loves working with glass. All his fancy glass statues, tables, and vases he owns? He made them. His company’s innovations in glass technology are his— and he’s damn good at it all. It’s his treated passion and most well-adapted hobby and he adores it. If you ask him nicely, he might make you something...

Favorite season: Summer! Tigerfolk love swimming and Maverick’s no exception. Plenty of opportunity to swim, sunbathe, and nap in an outdoor hammock. He loves being able to spend hours in the pool, floating and diving and sipping wine while he tans. Plus, the breezes make for optimal adventures into the woods.

Favorite holiday: Halloween, but that’s just because of all the delicious sweet treats that come out. And because there’s lots of warm colors and the temperature starts to cool and it’s still nice enough to go out and swim by day and at night he can curl up by the fire all cozy.

Favorite place: There’s a place out in Bengali deep in the woods where there’s a shrine dedicated to a previous lover of his. It always smells sweet, the birds never stop singing, and it remains untouched by any season. It’s the most peaceful place in the world for him. Melancholy, but peaceful.

Favorite song: Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You - Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. He’s not exactly a dancer but he loves trying to dance to this song in private. It always makes him happy for some reason. It’s just so upbeat and lovely to his ears!

Favorite movie: War Dogs. Hilarious movie in his opinion. It’s not at all an accurate rendition of what war is like, but he finds it hilarious.

Favorite book: Anthem - Ayn Rand. He’s a sucker for dystopian novels and Anthem is definitely at the top of his list. The story feels eerily similar to the wars at times, especially in some more remote places.

Favorite thing to collect: Wine! He has a very extensive collection he’s been building up for the years!

Favorite card/board/video game: Poker and Monopoly. He doesn’t much care for video games, but the skill of poker and Monopoly is something he adores quite a bit!

Favorite thing they consider pretty: Maverick loves admiring metallics and gems. He’s not a collector by any means, but he does think gemstones and metals are very beautiful and buys into the idea that they hold certain energies. He has a deep respect for their meanings and powers.

Favorite genre: Historical non-fiction and science fiction. It’s very contradictory, yes, but Maverick holds an equal love for both what was and what possibly could be. He’s an idealistic who believes heavily in learning from the past to build a better future.

Favorite aesthetic: Elegant and glamorous. Crystal chandeliers, gold jewelry, diamonds, satin sheets and silk clothing are all within his aesthetic. Marble floors, animal skin rugs, the expensive and unaffordable. The man thrives off of having it all. He’s spoiled.

Favorite flavor: Sweet and salty — together. Sea-salt caramel and chocolate anything will win his instant affection. He is a simple cat!

Favorite form of communication: Tigerfolk, and most catfolk really, communicate through low sounds that come from their chests and throats. Growling, snarling, and especially purring and chuffing. It’s how they best communicate, aside from body language. You’ll know Mav is happy when he is purring like a kitten. Or when he’s angry, when he snarls and hisses at you.

Favorite animal: Tiger— the self-absorbed little shit...

Favorite number: Nine— as in the old myth that cats have nine lives. He knows he doesn’t but his stories from the war might convince you otherwise.

Favorite person: Himself. Maverick is incredibly egotistical and places high value on himself in his life. He acts like a king, treats himself like a king, and he’ll bite you if you say otherwise. (That being said, he’s not entirely tyrannical. His company policies or phenomenal and his employees don’t have much to complain about aside from traffic commutes and occasional reporters trying to sneak in.) Until this cat finds someone he loves more than himself, he’s number one in his own mind.

// Thanks for the ask! :D

[fantasmalforces]

“You know, I’m usually disappointed by what I see here, but it seems like that has finally changed.” Golden eyes quickly glance the taller man up and down, a smirk dressing Aurum’s odd lips. “Excuse my language, but, god damn- just look at those muscles!” - Aurum @ Maverick

“Oh! Well I say, finally someone with taste. And with a stunning appearance to match that good taste.” What a surprising blessing this was— someone who recognized what a magnificent creature the tigerfolk was. And what luck, it seemed to be someone equally or— dare he say it— perhaps even more gorgeous. Lips parted to show off a tongue running across his canines in utter delight as he spared himself his own glance over of this wonderful new company.

He found himself having to physically set down his wine glass just to get a better look at the gorgeous being in front of him. He was certain his cheeks were starting to glow but the cat couldn’t hardly be bothered as he flexed a bit. Pride was a powerful thing. A deadly sin perhaps, but a powerful one as well. “Please, let’s not discuss muscle without talking about yours. You’re practically sculpted, my dear. A positively lovely sight to behold.” He chuckled.

“I don’t suppose I could be so blessed as to have your delightful company over some fine wine then?” He hummed, holding up the bottle of an aged red he’d spent the better portion of his evening sipping on alone at a table for two, doing nothing but lounging around alone in some fancy garden away from the rest of the boring party rabble.

[fantasmalforces]

// I write 3 types of business men:

Maverick: Intelligent, classy, secretly evil, treats his workers right but hates everyone else

Kain: Brilliant, fair, dedicated to his work, found his calling, definitely more of a leader than a boss, still a vampire

Letaba: Community man, loves what he does, in it for the passion, in competition with the big corporation that wants to snap up his business, still a cannibal

[fantasmalforces]

Tag Dump 2: Electric Boogaloo!

[fantasmalforces]

“Are you a lion leading a thousand sheep, or are you a sheep leading a thousand lions?”

— Maverick