#Allie Blackstone

[b0koblins0fthewild]

I wanted to know if anyone would be interested in a book (still in editing) called: The Beast of NYC Follow Up

The Beast of NYC:

*This story is general and for all ages, but I’d say preteens and up would probably enjoy it.

*The story is written in 1st person

This is a draft summary or synopsis:

New York City has always been full of mystery…urban legends, shadows lurking among alleys.

An aspiring photographer for a local daily newspaper, Allie Blackstone, had never imagined herself in a story so deep.

It all began with a photograph of a mysterious and man spotted all around Manhattan that showed up a the Daily Ink-Spill Gazette. But when the evidence points to an elusive beast, Allie alongside her quirky friend Angel a sarcastic and fun-loving journalist from New Jersey, her close friend Archer Burrows the determined head photographer, and Allie’s quiet and rather mysterious friend Al Kayne who has just eased into his new job after having moved from Kentucky.

Together they search and dig for answers for the mysterious Beast of NYC.

But as demanding Bruce Buckler, the editor-in-chief, pushes deadlines and demands, the discovery of the truth feels like it lyes closer to home than she realized.

With the help of her oddly reserved yet charming new friend Al in his late forties who masquerades in red shades and brandishes a cane, she gets to the bottom of things all while growing fond of him and his sweet demeanor.

Together, the two forge a strong friendship as they try to unravel the mystery. Will they get to the bottom of this or could the answers be closer than it seems?

Main Characters:

Alexandra “Allie” Blackstone

Alexander “Al” Kayne

Samantha “Angel” Chase

Anthony “Archer” Burrows

[simplepotatofarmer]

seeing red

a very short (1,036 words) c!rivals duo fic based on the @sixteenth-day-event's prompt 'protective violence'.

The nether was a dangerous place.

Where in the overworld daytime gave some reprieve from the monsters, the nether didn’t have the same grace period and that meant even experienced players had to be careful. It meant that Techno always made sure he had a couple potions, healing and speed, and a spare gold helmet on him, just in case something happened, because something always happened.

The current something was the fact he had lost sight of his travelling companion.

Dream could take care of himself, sure, but Techno didn’t like it. He didn’t like that he had gotten so distracted that he had either lagged behind or left Dream behind. A hint of panic was rising in his chest, the drone of the voices in his head growing a tiny bit louder.

Yelling out wasn’t the best idea. They couldn’t have gone too far from the haphazardly constructed nether highway and Techno didn’t want to risk getting caught out here, without an ally. Not after what had happened, the execution that had only failed because the totem had reversed his death.

Techno frowned, took a deep sniff of the air, looked at the slightly spongy netherrack, and picked a direction to head in.

The bastion was a surprise.

The small gap, hidden by a blackstone half-slab, was an even bigger surprise. Dream cursed as he fell through it, hitting his arm, hard, on the way down. His ankle had twisted awkwardly when he hit the ground and his other leg had folded under him, pain radiating from his knee. The injuries weren’t much of a concern – he had plenty of healing potions and supplies on him – but what was a concern were the piglins that had been alerted to his presence by the fall and the fact the ill-fitting gold helmet had fallen off and rolled away, still spinning to a stop.

“Fuck—Ah, shit!”

Dream barely got his shield up in time to block the arrow, barely managed to lift his axe to parry a blow from a brute that had charged him.

He was still on the ground.

He was still on the ground the brute was huge compared to him and if Dream could just get one a healing potion out, get to his feet, then he would be fine—

But another brute had approached from the side and using his shield to defend himself left him open to the piglin’s crossbow attack.

I’m dead, thought Dream as the arrow sunk into his side, finding the gap in his armor by sheer luck.

Gritting his teeth, he jerked the arrow out and rolled to the left. There was a drop, shorter than the one he had fallen down in the first place, and it hurt when he landed on the blackstone but it would give him a moment.

Out of nowhere, an irrational thought crossed his mind: if I kill piglins, is Techno going to be pissed at me?

Anything he did here would be self-defence and Techno was the sort who would understand that but for some reason Dream couldn’t shake the thought. It was irrational and it made him slow and he barely got half of the healing potion downed before he ran out of time.

The glass bottle smashed to floor and Dream raised his axe, back to the wall, as the piglin brutes came at him.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Techno saw the bastion and knew something was wrong even before he heard the sound of fighting. A bastion could be one of the more dangerous places; the crumbling blackstone created a maze that was hard to navigate and almost all of the inhabitants wouldn’t be happy to see a stranger. He drew his sword as he hurried forward and hopped up on one of the walls, looking down into the bastion.

He found what he was looking for immediately. He smelled the blood in the a second later.

A swarm of brutes had backed Dream into a corner.

If he lowered his defense a little, just enough to try to pearl out or take a potion, he would have been overwhelmed. He couldn’t even attempt to block the arrows being sent his direction from a piglin on an upper level.

The voices were like his heart pounding wildly in his ears. Techno saw the man who had saved his life and Carl’s life struggling, fighting for his own life, and saw red.

Without thinking, Techno downed a speed potion and crossed the bastion’s wall, hopping across the gaps, until he was on the level above Dream. He bodychecked the piglin, kicking their crossbow off the platform and into the lava below. Then he jumped down, sword over his head.

The first blow hit one of the brutes across the chest and they stumbled back with a startled noise. Techno might have felt bad but Dream was bleeding, his mask had come loose, and even under the armor it was clear his chest was rising and falling rapidly. Techno had never seen him like this and the only clear emotion he felt in this moment was worry and anger.

Bringing his sword up, he caught the next brute in their shoulder, rendering their arm and axe useless. There was a squeal of fear that Techno met with a roar of anger and it took three more swings of his sword before the remaining brutes turned and fled in fear.

Techno turned to Dream.

“You alright, man?”

Dream nodded.

“I’m—I’m fine,” he lied, loosing his balance and pitching sideways the moment he spoke.

Techno caught him, steadied him, and then carefully pulled his mask back into place.

“Yeah, you’re definitely fine,” said Techno with a crooked grin. His heart was still pounding but the voices had quieted. He pulled out his spare gold helmet and placed it on Dream’s head. It was big; it fell forward and covered part of Dream’s mask. Techno resisted the urge to laugh, resisted the odd urge to hug Dream, and instead took him by the hand to guide him, to keep him from stumbling. “C’mon, let’s get the heck out of here.”

“Yeah…” A beat and then, leaning into Techno’s shoulder, Dream said, “Thanks.”

“Anytime, Dream.”

[leeu16337]

alluring | the order reading pjo  by wolfieriddlee

link:  https://archiveofourown.org/works/50100097 

Chapters: 13/? Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Mature Warnings: Major Character Death Relationships: Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Annabeth Chase/Piper McLean, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Poseidon, Nico di Angelo/Percy Jackson Characters: Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Annabeth Chase, Grover Underwood, Luke Castellan, Connor Stoll, Travis Stoll, Charles Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, Clarisse La Rue, Piper McLean, Thalia Grace (Percy Jackson), Nico di Angelo, Will Solace, Poseidon (Percy Jackson), Chiron (Percy Jackson), Lou Ellen Blackstone, Bianca di Angelo, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, George Weasley, Fred Weasley, Molly Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Kingsley Shackelbot, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Hermione Granger, Jason Grace, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Severus Snape, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Minerva McGonagall, Draco Malfoy Additional Tags: Female Percy Jackson, Characters Reading Percy Jackson Books, Percy Jackson is a Black Summary:

Perseus Black, better known as Perseus Jackson, was the daughter of Sirius Black and the Greek God Poseidon. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, she had never been able to get to know either of her dads before being adopted by the gentle Sally Jackson, who was still mourning the loss of her own son, Achilles, Percy's half-brother.

Life was not easy - Hogwarts and Harry Potter had been her only respite from the dangerous life of a demi-god and yet, she had been forced to leave them behind to accomplish her own Fate without ever being able to share the truth with her friends.

Well, the Fates commiserated with her and eagerly decided to let the Order know they had a dangerous and loyal ally — — and they managed to lose it because to teenage dramatics.

[setacin]

Asphodel

A k!pyro send-off, and an alternate ending to his s3ep4. What if instead of being able to rest, he was forced to reckon with his actions? warning for major character death (2025 words)

“No more,” Pyro swung his glaive to fend off Rae and Clown.

“It’s all led to this,” he backed away from them, inching ever closer to the pillar, and farther away from anything that could get between him and his goal. 

“Why did you have to make things be this way? Why did you have to ruin it all?”

“This is the only way that things can truly end.”

As he ran towards the floating gem holding up the nether and tackled it to the ground, the whole nether began to shake. 

The whispers surrounding him grew louder. The voices overlapped with one another, muttering about the end of the nether, about the souls that were sure to result from their actions, about how Pyro was doing exactly what he was meant to be doing. 

He had always lived life with his head held high, his pride as a Wastewalker driving him forward. But something had changed, hadn’t it? He had felt the gentle caress of death as he lay on the ground in that cave. He knew what it felt like to want to die. He had faced his honorable defeat as a warrior and yet something had prevented him from moving on. 

Pyro’s hands began to shake, though he was unsure if it was due to the ground, the withers, or simply the gratification of the perfect execution of his plan. Those that he had used to consider his allies, his enemies, his friends, all reduced to nothing more than ants beneath him, scurrying towards the sweet taste of survival. He would crush them all. Finally taking his revenge on Clown for humiliating him not so long ago. He would take everything from him, even if it meant that he lost himself in the process. 

He hadn’t known that the actions he had so thoughtlessly performed at only 15 would have set him on this path. That killing that wither and taking its head for a trophy would impact him even now. That even with all that he had done in the last few years, his fate was already sealed.

Even if he could go back and warn his younger self of the consequences of slaying that wither, would it have changed the course of history? Or would he have charged in just the same, believing that he was above the warning of the withered specter that he had yet to become. 

He took a step forward.

“At last, this realm’s misery will finally end.” 

Pieces of the ceiling fell down, crashing into the lava below. The walls began to crumble, clouds of dust and debris rising over the blackstone floor. The pillar had been toppled- the nether roof no longer had any supports. The nether would be crushed by the ceiling, and now there was no one left to stop it. The sense of something looming behind him grew stronger than ever before.

One of his glaives fell to the floor, the sharp sound of metal hitting the floor drowned out by the low rumble of falling stone. 

“No more wars, no more suffering, no more death.”

He could just barely see a flash of black and bright blue out of the corner of his eye. The faint rattling of bones joined the chorus of whispers, all chattering in anticipation of the nether’s imminent destruction. 

How could the other Wastewalkers not see the grand plans laid so easily at their feet, the obvious solution for the problems that had been plaguing the nether since the dawn of civilization? 

“Every living soul finally released.”

He barely noticed his other glaive joining the first on the floor, staring up instead at the last moments of the temple. The glow from the wither’s eyes was almost blinding, the voices now deafening as they reveled in the power flooding towards them from those that had already been killed by the collapsing roof. 

“Finally, we’re free.”

Even as his world crashed down around him, it felt like a weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders. No longer would he need to lead those around him- he had played his part and he had played it well. No longer would Clown be able to rule the nether and exploit its citizens. No longer would he have to look into his allies’ eyes and see reflected in them all the ways that he had failed. 

“I’m… free.”

He took a final gasping breath as he was crushed under the weight of the world. A fitting fate for any legend, to be immortalized in stone. 

His eyes closed, and all was silent. 

—

It was just like last time. He felt the strength leave his body, an almost painful coldness setting in to all of his limbs. There was no more fighting anymore. However, unlike last time there were no voices, no tether to the material world to drag him back from the brink. The wither was gone. The pressure of the roof no longer weighed on him, the netherian smell of metal, fire, and smoke faded away along with his warmth. 

His consciousness drifted. Was this all that awaited wastewalkers after death? A dark, cold nothingness? 

Maybe he was no longer a Wastewalker to the world. He had forsaken their creed, their oath, their bond as Wastewalkers. And for what? A twisted sense of revenge? The desire to single-handedly make any sort of impact on the world? 

Some legacy this would be, not the savior of the nether but its executioner. 

For the first time since he had been saved from the brink of death, his mind was empty of the wither’s murmuring voice in his ears. He had gotten so used to its suggestions, to the information that it provided him during his 6 months in the void that he had almost forgotten what this felt like. With his mind fully to himself for once, he began to regret. 

Had it really been worth it, the cleansing of Clown’s influence at the cost of the innocent people of the nether? He had fed the voices that cried for revenge, only for the wither to be crushed just the same as everyone else. The rest of the Wastewalkers had died for their sense of justice, but Pyro couldn’t say the same about himself. 

And what of those that he had left behind? Of Rae, who he had watched over for years; of Kae, who was just now learning how to heal; of Ash, who had only just discovered himself? He thought he might have seen them get out alive at least. Hopefully his death will hurt less than how they saw him twist and warp under the wither’s influence in life. Hopefully Sushi and Nirox could find it in themselves to forgive him for pulling them back from beyond the grave. 

There was something grating at the edge of his consciousness though, a faint sound of rustling, like wind through a wheat field. Distracting him from his reflection, the sound drew him in, quickly joined by a sweet floral smell that he couldn’t quite place. 

It seemed to be getting closer, louder, and-

—

Pyro opened his eyes. 

All that met him was a world in various shades of dull grey, the sky a shifting haze devoid of color. As he lay on the ground, the feeling returned to his limbs, though the piercing cold never left. He moved one of his fingers ever so slowly, working his way through the rest of his body until managed to sit up. 

 His hand shook as he lifted two fingers to his neck to check his pulse. Nothing. He let out a sigh. 

Slowly rising to his feet, Pyro took inventory of his surroundings. A field of white flowers stretched as far as the eye could see, a faint breeze blowing a few of the petals around. His whole body ached. 

The stalks of the white flowers varied in height, with most reaching to around his shoulders, with others coming up only to his knees, or stretching up a few inches above the top of his head. 

The sharp grey stones that seemed to make up the ground crunched underfoot as Pyro stepped towards the closest plant, one of the smaller ones. As he knelt down, he held his breath, hand stretching out to touch the flower, fingers lightly making contact.

“Mom, I’m scared,” a faint voice whispered through the breeze. “I don’t want to die.”

Pyro stumbled backwards, the rocks on the ground digging into his hands as he looked around for the source of the voice. Fear washed over him, an emotion not entirely his own. Who was this person?

He reached out to one of the other nearby plants with trembling hands. 

“We could have had a life together,” the flower cried to him, like a confession. 

Something clenched in Pyro’s chest as the feeling of longing threatened to overwhelm him. He choked out a sob as he looked at the vast expanse of white flowers that stretched out in every direction. 

He sat there for a few minutes, losing himself in the memories that were being shared with him. His hand laid gently upon one of the flowers, as this person’s last moments flashed out before him. A sound like rolling thunder interrupting their work, a massive boulder crashing through one of the walls of their commune, the sound of screams as more stone began to fall. Their lover rushing towards them only to fall victim to the crumbling of the nether. They still had their whole life ahead of them, until they didn’t. 

These were the souls of the people killed when the nether roof fell. 

His breathing ragged, and face streaked with tears, Pyro gritted his teeth together and picked himself back up off the ground. 

He made his way, one foot after the other, into the fields, running his hands along the flower stalks on either side of him. 

“This way! It’s safer over here!” They told him.

“I’ll protect you, don’t worry,” came the voice of a father. 

“Our home…” another cried.

Their dying moments, their final wishes, their final words. All spoken to him without the knowledge that he was the one that had put them here. He had caused this. It was up to him to remember them all; he was Atlas, and this was his new burden to bear. 

The fields seemed to stretch on forever, Pyro attempting to snap himself back to attention every time the cries started to blend into each other, becoming a tapestry of sound, an elegy to what could have been. 

“Watch out!” came a desperate voice. 

“Mom, Dad, I’m sorry,” a young soldier mumbled under their breath, an unwilling soldier in Clown’s army.

“Katie! Katie, where are you!” called a mother. 

A wave of exhaustion set over Pyro as he heard story after story, soaked in their grief, their anger, their despair. All while the sickly sweet scent of the flowers floated through the air. He needed to keep going though, to push through and atone to these people for his actions. Despite how the wither had managed to cloud his judgement, it was still his hands to blame. 

He paused for a second, and looked behind him. The path that he had traveled was indistinguishable from any other direction. He was dwarfed by the sheer scale of the fields of flowers before him. Funny, how a man who had spent his last moments regarding himself as greater than those around him was reduced to nothing more than the ant that he had envisioned the others to be. 

He would keep walking, keep listening. As long as it took to get through the field, he would do it. 

The white flowers rustled in the breeze, as if acknowledging that vow. Breathing in, he finally placed that sweet smell that pervaded the air around him. 

Asphodel. That’s what the flowers were. Maybe one day he would be allowed to join them, too, to finally be able to rest. He was a Wastewalker, he was Pyroscythe. And for once, he needed to bring honor to that name. 

[stalarys]

it was only a kiss, it was only a kiss

“IT WAS ONLY A KISS, IT WAS ONLY A KISS” ; or, martyn inthelittlewood and the passing of the curse // wingswap / shared curse au (?) // ao3 link

cw: graphic descriptions of canon violence, vomiting, body horror (??)

spoilers through secret life ep 4

1.7k words

-----

Tensions are always the lightest at the start of a session. Freshly spawned in, feeling fully vitalized and without any expectations for the challenges ahead. With no allies, no enemies, no bases… It's so lighthearted, and Martyn loves it. They all can be dramatic and murderous in the end, but these early, peaceful moments are something he treasures. 

(he feels like he’s missing something. that he hops between worlds so frequently, while it seems like the others all have a home to go to. it’s not mentioned to him. other worlds are never mentioned here, in the world of red, yellow, and green.)

Tensions are light, and Martyn is the one that breaks it. Sue him, he’s giddy to get started, and it’s not his fault when he swings a wide, joking punch… and Jimmy moves right into its path. It’s not his fault, he’d say defensively – in the gleeful energy of the new world’s start, Jimmy is hit; the group recoils, some in momentary (but genuine) alarm; others with cackling laughter.

Jimmy looks affronted, golden wings flared in surprise before breaking into a grin. Martyn matches it, holding his hands up in defense; an ‘over the shoulder tease gone wrong’, but… he did take a smidgen of Jimmy’s health. A red spot that’ll bruise, with no way to heal itself. 

So he clasps his hands together and parts them, a heart forming in his palms. He ushers it to Jimmy with a breath of air as the group begins to split, taking the pandemonium as an excuse to get the season started! 

The bruise clears; Jimmy blinks, and his grin splits even wider. He lunges at Martyn, feathered ears fluttering, wings and arms alike open wide. 

“Gimme a kiss, gimme a little kiss—!” Jimmy chirps. 

They meet in the middle; arms interlocked, fingers interlaced. Lips pressed together so briefly. These games are thrilling and horrible and torturous and all, but… you get to know each other very well. More than you know yourself. The pressure’s low with his last win, and… well, frankly? He doesn’t feel like the Watchers would let anyone strike it twice in a row. 

For Martyn’s purposes, one win is enough for now. 

His lips tingle as they part, feet hitting the ground running in different directions. Towards the forests, towards the blossoming trees, and Martyn cannot help but think to himself — What can go wrong? 

-----

So what, they find themselves drifting back together. This game is… different. A bit more like a game. Maybe it’s the symbol of the Secret Keeper that unnerves him, and maybe he finds solace in those who remember. Occasional glances shared amidst the glee and chaos, even while they chant “FAIL” under the figure’s looming gaze. 

-----

Fire crackles. Lava burbles nearby, unseen, lying in wait. The air is heavy. Thick with sulfur, thick with heat. Pure, baking heat, devoid of humidity. Thick with the smell of blood. Shield raised, Martyn gasps as the gleaming axe swings down, slamming through the barricade of wood. The shield splinters apart in his grasp, splinters digging into his arm as he drops it. 

The brute does not wait for a cry of mercy; the axe swings back up, the blunt handle cracking against his jaw as the bone slams together; Marytn stumbles back. He — he shouldn’t have done this, shouldn’t be here, but — but he needs to be. Stupidly, undiscerning, chasing that gods damned need to be better. 

His vision spins. The brute reaches into his desperate, haphazard tunnel, and grabs the front of his shirt in an unforgiving hoof. It reels back and just as quickly slams him back against the wall of the tunnel, before peeling his bloodied, beaten body off. He’s thrown to the ground, gilded blackstone splattered with blood. 

Martyn’s gaze blinks through the blood and the nausea, just in time to watch the brute’s axe complete a full arc, and slam into his chest. 

. . .

The impact carries him through the respawn, to the point that he can’t even recognize when it changed from burning, unforgiving stone to lush grass. It hurts, wounds stitched together and healed faster than he got them, and it hurts. His bisected chest forces itself back together, the skin weaving back into place; it doesn’t leave so much as a scar. 

Martyn can’t bring himself to think about that; he can’t think to begin with. His head is filled with cotton and a murky haze, blurring time and sensation together. His fingers dig into the ground ‘til the grass is uprooted. 

Light shifts, dancing over his pressed-shut eyelids; something moves overhead. There’s… voices, and his mind hums that there’s an obligation. A change in dynamics, that they’re closer to enemies than allies. 

But arms hook under his own, helping him into a seated position. His back presses against the indented form of a crafting table. There’s a bottle of water at his lips. A bowl of something pressed into his hands. Murmurs of shock, of sympathy, and there’s Grian’s voice. The warden of the games, the bastion between them and the full, unrestrained torment of the Watchers; better to make it a game than a Saw trap, y’know. 

Grian hums. A hand finds itself on his shoulder. 

“Oof – Sorry, Marytn,” Grian coos, halfway between a tease and sympathy. Through the haze, he can’t discern which he prefers. “That’s a rough way to go.” Martyn murmurs back, some kind of sarcastic response — he can’t remember what he’s saying as he’s saying it — but he doesn’t protest as bodies move around him, helping him get food and water back into his respawned body. 

He can’t remember who it is that comments, “Jimmy’s not the first death?” 

-----

Marytn’s been finding himself sore in new ways, new places. Body pains aren’t uncommon by any means, and especially not in this season. After all, with the lack of regeneration, the wounds themselves may staunch their bleeding but the impact still remains. But, after a successful day of the task force running about, and having full hearts after redeeming his task, there’s still a frustrating ache in his shoulder blades that he can’t quite reach. His scalp, too, aches, pinpricks of little stings dancing across from time to time. 

Sometimes, he finds a stray golden feather among his stuff, and wonders when Jimmy left it there. 

-----

Martyn’s grinning as he bolts down the narrow staircase, his fellow Big Dog at his heels. He hasn’t been to the End in ages! And in the life series, no less! He doesn’t give himself a moment to doubt as he hops right into the portal, and—! 

Vertigo. 

Bodies moving. Chest lurching. The excitement and adrenaline wrench themself into deformity, into something twisted, something wrong. An immediate sense, knowledge, that he’s not wanted here. That he doesn’t belong here. That he needs to get out. He stumbles forward, trying to get out of the way. 

His feet land on empty space, and he’s off the edge. The air of the end is sickening and it fills his lungs, claiming the space like it's theirs. 

As he descends further, further into the void, the outline of the dragon’s domain drifting out of sight, the more his body is theirs. Unthinking, desperate, he rips a bit out of a golden apple, feeling the briefest of reprieves before the void itself tears the vitality from him, and it keeps ripping. Thirty hearts to lose, to be torn from his body. The pinnacle of health to the most cruel and torturous death, all at their discretion. The damage eats away at his body, plummeting longer and sinking further than any player has the right to. 

The void hungers. 

Hands, ethereal and purple and sick, grab at him, fingers digging into scars and ripping them apart and tearing into his shoulder blades even though he tries so, so desperately to get out of the void. It rejects him, wholly and utterly, and it is thrilled to do so. 

He’s fallen right into the Watcher’s domain, death imminent, and they all want a taste. 

They tear him apart until all thirty hearts are torn asunder and he respawns and he’s put together wrong. 

Martyn’s back hits the bed; he’s a flurry of limbs as he rolls over, toppling off the side; the bile pooling in his mouth spills to the ground. He wretches. It’s worse, it’s so much worse than the last death. His body screams, his back aches, and his whole body feels wrong like his own bones have been torn out and fit back inside. Hollowed out. 

A shout. A thud. Jimmy spawns, and Martyn, through the screaming haze, instinctively knows that it wasn’t by voluntarily going through the portal. Jimmy groans, but is quick to look for his teammate, head whipping around. 

Marytn hears a quiet “oh, gods”, and he doesn’t process the time it takes for a person to be kneeling beside him. He’s prattling gentle reassurances as Marytn continues to wretch over the sound of his comm beeping and chirping. 

A call goes through. Grian’s voice crackles with glee — “TIMMY—!” — ready and quite delighted to tease… and cuts himself off as Martyn cries out again. His ears, his ears, they hurt. His scalp. His back. Everything feels from and something warm and wet dribbles down the side of his head. 

If he could open his eyes, he'd be able to see the purple, viscous ooze, dripping down his chin in sluggish rivulets. 

Jim speaks next. He screams for Grian to come over, that “Something’s wrong — Something’s so wrong. It’s the canary curse, Grian, it’s the curse.” 

A single wing, golden yellow and slick and limp hangs down the side of Martyn’s back. His ears are accented by feathers, torn out from under the skin, and Martyn’s sobbing. 

The wing flaps desperately, slick and wet and heavy, covered in slime and ichor like it was wrenched in place by the void itself; it slaps against the floor. 

Jimmy — lurching, unbalanced, missing a wing — stays kneeled beside him, rubbing circles into his back. He murmurs reassurances like it's a prayer, pressing a kiss to Martyn’s forehead. 

“C’mon, stay strong,” he murmurs. “We’ll get through this. We’ll… we’ll be okay.” 

[beardedmrbean]

Tiffany Henyard, the scandal-ridden Democratic mayor of Dolton, Illinois, who has been engulfed in controversy in recent months, is now facing a new headache involving allegations of her "targeting" the town's own park district.

FOX 32 Chicago reported Tuesday that the Dolton Park District is sounding the alarm about $2,000 worth of citations it has received from the Village of Dolton over allegedly doing work without a permit. Two of the four tickets were issued for installing new playground equipment with the other two for spreading new mulch on the playgrounds.

"Every year we replenish the mulch in the park to ensure the kids are playing on a safe surface—healthy mulch, and we do this every year," Dolton Park District President Cleo Jones told FOX 32 Chicago.

ILLINOIS MEETING PROBING ‘SUPERMAYOR’ TIFFANY HENYARD'S LAVISH SPENDING DEVOLVES INTO CHAOS

Jones suspects the Dolton Park District, which FOX 32 Chicago notes is a separate government entity from Henyard's office, is being targeted because it allowed her political opponents on the Dolton Board of Trustees to hold meetings on Park District property after being shut out of Village Hall.

"We do not play politics here. And do not put us in the middle of politics by issuing us these political citations," Jones told FOX 32 Chicago.

Henyard is also accused of holding up two grants worth a whopping $600,000 for park improvements by blocking the necessary permits.

"We’ve gone to the village for permitting, and they’ve been unresponsive," Dolton Park District executive director Stephanie Wiedeman said. "I have a project manager that’s working on that, and they just refuse to give us the permits."

A $400,000 grant meant to rehabilitate Blackstone Park is on the brink of expiring if the permits aren't issued by Henyard's office within the next few weeks and the $150,000 in money already spent on the project will have to be footed by the taxpayers instead.

Wiedeman, an outspoken critic of Henyard, believes she's being targeted by the mayor as a result.

DEMOCRATIC ILLINOIS ‘SUPERMAYOR’ VETOES ATTEMPT TO PROBE HER LAVISH SPENDING

"What resident wants to look outside of their house and see beat up stuff? If we can upgrade these things, and you're preventing it with a permit, the residents are suffering. They don't get to look out their door and see nice things because you’re stopping it," Wiedeman told FOX 32 Chicago.

Henyard's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Henyard, the self-proclaimed "supermayor" of a small town south of Chicago, has made national headlines over ongoing probes looking into her lavish spending.

Henyard has been dubbed the "worst mayor in America" by critics after being accused of financial misdeeds as well as weaponizing police raids. Most recently, she has also come under fire for an alleged sexual assault by one of her allies during a Las Vegas trip, where the alleged victim claims to have been fired after speaking out. Henyard's cancer charity is also facing scrutiny.

Fox News Digital previously reported that Henyard has been living like a royal with a combined salary of nearly $300,000, more than the state's governor, and the frequent use of beauty vendors, despite the town's residents having a median income of $24,000.

In February, it was reported that the FBI was investigating Henyard after six people had spoken to the agency about her alleged misconduct, including business owners, a former village employee and one or more public officials.

[blackstoneprime]

In any war, there are calms between the storms. There will be days when we lose faith, days when our allies turn against us. But the day will never come, that we forsake this planet and its people. - Optimus Prime, Dark of the Moon

Name: Blackstone Prime

Age: 22

Gender: Male 💙💙💙💙💙

Likes: Transformers (Prime, Bayverse, Animated), Godzilla, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Star Wars, How to Train Your Dragon, Rise of the Guardians, Fourth Wing, Divergent, Wings of Fire, Avengers, The Maze Runner, Jurassic Park, Epic The Musical, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Assassin's Creed, John Wick movies, Superman: Man of Steel, Wonder Woman, Young Justice, Underworld movies, Ghost Rider, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Halloween, Supernatural, Lucifer, Big Hero 6: The Series, Voltron: Legendary Defender, Tales of Arcadia, Nimona, The Equalizer, Pacific Rim, Ender's Game, Raising Dion, Lego Monkie Kid

Dislikes: oppression, war, death, corruption

Hobbies: writing, riding my bike, hanging out with friends and family, reading, studying

[this-ace-needs-space]

CHB LGBTQ+ Headcannons

Aromantic/asexual kids of Aphrodite and Eros

Trans girls are accepted into the hunt

Iris cabin giving out pride flags all of pride month 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Athena cabin creating fan theories on possible LGTBQ+ characters in fandoms

Hecate campers teaming up with the Athena cabin to make a potion that helps with transitioning

Trans/Non-binary campers going to Dionysus for transitioning

Dionysus only calling trans/non-binary campers by their preferred names

Leo making bracelets that tell correct pronouns for genderfluid campers

Flower crowns made by Demeter cabin with their pride colors on them

Pan Percy used to have a crush on Charlie

Some campers seeing Percy and Jason interact and thinking their dating

Ace Reyna

Demisexual Thalia

Lesbian or Bi piper

Bi-curious Annabeth having a slight crush on Piper

Sapphic Drew being nervous to come out bc of how she’s treated everyone

Aro/Ace Jason.. ??

Grover and Juniper being supportive allies

The camp store selling magical binders <3

Rachel can be heard singing along to Girl in Red

When a couple comes out, Apollo and Ares cabin dump them in the lake (a tradition started by Percabeth)

Athena cabin having a bookshelf dedicated to LGBTQ+ books and guides to acceptance if someone’s not familiar

Aphrodite cabin making jewelry for other campers (and helping Leo with the pronoun brackets?)

Frank might be demisexual? but straight ally??

Hazel having a little crush on a girl and covering it up bc she heard that people like her would go to hell

Dakota being gender-fluid

Leo starting to get better at the 7th wheel thing and realizing platonic relationships are just as valuable as romantic ones

Lou Ellen Blackstone being Lesbian (idk if this makes sense but.. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

Jason being fiercely supportive of his friends even though he’s the cis-est guy you’ll ever find

Piper also being gender-fluid??

Percy gives Jason a bunch of flowers on Valentine’s day for their bromance

Post below is where I got some of the ideas | v

[ru5t]

🐇 for miss eleusine blackstone. initiate me into the dustverse pls & thx.

If you drop a 🐇 in my inbox I'll give you some starter ideas for how your muse might fit into the Dustverse!

ohhhhhhhhh Tessa this is so hard sd;fkjg;lkfjg;ldkfj i'm thinking maybe,,,,

was mid-city somewhere, maybe verging on Neon, and Eleusine got tangled into killjoy nonsense trying to do something to help her mom stay afloat? and then when it seemed like it might fall back on her and cause problems maybe she went to extremes and (rather than use magic) used BL/ind products to make her mom forget and got in contact with some kind of hacker-type to disappear her out of the system so it was like she never existed cityside, and nothing could be connected back to her family ((which is not. reeeeally how bli products work in my brain? but it's one of those "this isn't a firm concept anyway so if it works better to push it i'd find it plausible'' kind of things u know? wiggle room on these things))

alternatively (kind of like i suggested with allie but also not) maybe she fell in with a crowd she thought was going to help her improve her lot but instead they just more or less abduct her from the city -either for fodder or misguided 'saving'- but either way because their numbers were down and so she's initially (reluctantly?) part of that crew before finding her own place?

uhhhh however she got to the desert (which she doesn't have to but like. feels organic) i feel like she'd be part of a semi-mobile crew, like they've got a setup that they put down forawhile somewhere but can pick up and move, like a little caravan. probably mostly really young, maybe got one (1) older person who's trying to keep sensible, but for the most part being young and angry and the type to actively be fighting back, and no just trying to avoid Better Living - so maybe diving into the inner zones and picking fights with the patrols, and such

[joyffree]

Sometimes it takes finding love to appreciate the best parts of yourself

Scales and Stone (D'Vaire, Book 40) MM Fantasy Romance by Jessamyn Kingley

Decades after leaving behind a king who attempted to sell him for wizard experimentation, Lex D’Vairedraconis lives in a place filled with loved ones. At Court D’Vaire, the dragon shifter has access to everything. He wants for nothing. But his lack of purpose frustrates him. Surrounded by successful people, Lex can’t figure out how to channel his energy. And he dearly wants to know why Fate hasn’t paired him with anyone.

Rutledge Blackstone is alone. As a gargoyle, he shouldn’t live among humans, but he fears the many enemies hunting his kind. To survive, gargoyles must separate. His parents, and even his twin brother, have left him in a house slowly crumbling around his ears. To comfort himself, he records every happy moment in a notebook, and waits for the day to add more memories to his treasure trove.

But the gargoyles aren’t being tracked by foes alone. The new gargoyle rulers and their allies want to aid people like Rutledge. To his shock, the Council of Sorcery and Shifters wants him to join, and he soon lands an invitation to the renowned sanctuary at Court D’Vaire. Before he can decide whether to accept, he meets Lex. Their attraction is instant, but Rutledge is anything but intrepid.

To build a life together, they must learn to love unconditionally and find their true purpose in life.

[sebastianshaw]

Making powerful allies, including royalty, was not new to Shaw. Ever since he’d ascended as Black King of the Hellfire Club, his connections and influence had extended to Popes, Presidents, and Princes aplenty. What was new was the royalty in question being extraterrestrial in nature, and Shaw representing a nation of his own, rather than simply himself. But, with the additional title of being on the Spring Court of the Quiet Council, came additional duties. And frankly, he couldn’t think of a more qualified pair of shoulders for this to fall on than his own broad burly ones under his custom tailored black suit that cost more than most people’s homes. Speaking of homes, he’d be hosting the Skrull Empress Ana’hira in his today. Oh, more specifically, in Blackstone, his Krakoa home. He naturally had many in several nations. But this was about forming good relations not between him and Ana’hira specifically, but Krakoa and the Skrull Empire. Blackstone was impressive, and very unique among his numerous properties. Rather than any sort of human-made building, it was grown from towering obsidian crystals the size of skyscrapers, with the palatial interior not carved out, but naturally occurring. All that had to be done was put in the decor. There were some benefits to having a sentient island that could take direction, not that the damnable thing ever listened to him in any other matter. It was still mad about him wanting property rights when it was the property. He awaited the entry of the Empress in the grand foyer, all black marble with gold veins on the floor, ebony and gilt stairs, jet crystal vases and black porcelain statues, seated upon a gold-trimmed black velvet chaise lounge until his servants showed the Empress in, announcing her like Cinderella at the royal ball. He rose then, smiling, “Empress Ana’hira of the Skrulls. Welcome to my abode of Blackstone, and to Krakoa itself. Before we begin, I hope your trip was a pleasant one? If you need any refreshments, you have only to ask.” Shaw had hired Skrull cultural consultants weeks in advance to ensure any libations she might ask for, however exotic, would be at the ready here in his personal stores. @vertedivine

[wankerwatch]

Lords Vote

On: Data (Use and Access) Bill [HL]

Lord Clement-Jones moved amendment 7, in clause 28, page 31, line 22, at end to insert— “(11) The Secretary of State must lay the DVS trust framework before Parliament.” The House divided:

Ayes: 87 (64.4% LD, 25.3% XB, 3.4% , 2.3% Con, 2.3% Green, 1.1% Bshp, 1.1% DUP) Noes: 157 (90.4% Lab, 7.0% XB, 1.3% PC, 1.3% ) Absent: ~589

Likely Referenced Bill: Data (Use and Access) Bill [HL]

Description: A bill to make provision about access to customer data and business data; to make provision about services consisting of the use of information to ascertain and verify facts about individuals; to make provision about the recording and sharing, and keeping of registers, of information relating to apparatus in streets; to make provision about the keeping and maintenance of registers of births and deaths; to make provision for the regulation of the processing of information relating to identified or identifiable living individuals; to make provision about privacy and electronic communications; to establish the Information Commission; to make provision about information standards for health and social care; to make provision about the grant of smart meter communication licences; to make provision about the disclosure of information to improve public service delivery; to make provision about the retention of information by providers of internet services in connection with investigations into child deaths; to make provision about providing information for purposes related to the carrying out of independent research into online safety matters; to make provision about the retention of biometric data; to make provision about services for the provision of electronic signatures, electronic seals and other trust services; and for connected purposes.

Originating house: Lords Current house: Lords Bill Stage: Report stage

Individual Votes:

Ayes

Liberal Democrat (56 votes)

Addington, L. Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville, B. Barker, B. Beith, L. Benjamin, B. Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury, B. Bowles of Berkhamsted, B. Brinton, B. Bruce of Bennachie, L. Burt of Solihull, B. Clement-Jones, L. Dholakia, L. Doocey, B. Foster of Bath, L. Fox, L. Garden of Frognal, B. German, L. Goddard of Stockport, L. Grender, B. Hamwee, B. Harris of Richmond, B. Humphreys, B. Hussain, L. Hussein-Ece, B. Janke, B. Kramer, B. Marks of Henley-on-Thames, L. Newby, L. Northover, B. Oates, L. Parminter, B. Pidgeon, B. Pinnock, B. Purvis of Tweed, L. Razzall, L. Rennard, L. Russell, E. Scott of Needham Market, B. Scriven, L. Sharkey, L. Sheehan, B. Shipley, L. Smith of Newnham, B. Stoneham of Droxford, L. Storey, L. Strasburger, L. Suttie, B. Teverson, L. Thomas of Gresford, L. Thomas of Winchester, B. Thornhill, B. Thurso, V. Tope, L. Tyler of Enfield, B. Wallace of Saltaire, L. Walmsley, B.

Crossbench (22 votes)

Aberdare, L. Anderson of Ipswich, L. Berkeley of Knighton, L. Best, L. Brookeborough, V. Cass, B. Chartres, L. Clancarty, E. Colville of Culross, V. Cromwell, L. D'Souza, B. Erroll, E. Finlay of Llandaff, B. Freeman of Steventon, B. Hannay of Chiswick, L. Hayman, B. Kidron, B. Londesborough, L. Thomas of Cwmgiedd, L. Vaux of Harrowden, L. Wheatcroft, B. Wilson of Dinton, L.

Non-affiliated (3 votes)

Foster of Aghadrumsee, B. Lupton, L. Paddick, L.

Conservative (2 votes)

Fairfax of Cameron, L. Lucas, L.

Green Party (2 votes)

Bennett of Manor Castle, B. Jones of Moulsecoomb, B.

Bishops (1 vote)

Manchester, Bp.

Democratic Unionist Party (1 vote)

Weir of Ballyholme, L.

Noes

Labour (142 votes)

Allen of Kensington, L. Alli, L. Amos, B. Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent, B. Anderson of Swansea, L. Andrews, B. Armstrong of Hill Top, B. Ashton of Upholland, B. Bassam of Brighton, L. Beamish, L. Beckett, B. Berkeley, L. Blackstone, B. Blake of Leeds, B. Blower, B. Blunkett, L. Bradley, L. Bragg, L. Brooke of Alverthorpe, L. Browne of Ladyton, L. Bryan of Partick, B. Campbell-Savours, L. Carter of Coles, L. Chakrabarti, B. Chandos, V. Chapman of Darlington, B. Clark of Windermere, L. Collins of Highbury, L. Crawley, B. Cryer, L. Davidson of Glen Clova, L. Davies of Brixton, L. Donaghy, B. Drake, B. Drayson, L. Dubs, L. Eatwell, L. Evans of Sealand, L. Evans of Watford, L. Falconer of Thoroton, L. Faulkner of Worcester, L. Foulkes of Cumnock, L. Gale, B. Giddens, L. Golding, B. Goudie, B. Grantchester, L. Griffin of Princethorpe, B. Griffiths of Burry Port, L. Grocott, L. Hacking, L. Hain, L. Hannett of Everton, L. Hanson of Flint, L. Hanworth, V. Hayman of Ullock, B. Hayter of Kentish Town, B. Hazarika, B. Healy of Primrose Hill, B. Hendy of Richmond Hill, L. Hendy, L. Hermer, L. Hollick, L. Howarth of Newport, L. Hughes of Stretford, B. Hunt of Kings Heath, L. Hutton of Furness, L. Jay of Paddington, B. Jones, L. Keeley, B. Kennedy of Southwark, L. Kennedy of The Shaws, B. Khan of Burnley, L. Kingsmill, B. Kinnock, L. Knight of Weymouth, L. Lawrence of Clarendon, B. Lennie, L. Leong, L. Liddell of Coatdyke, B. Liddle, L. Lister of Burtersett, B. Livermore, L. Mallalieu, B. Mann, L. McIntosh of Hudnall, B. McNicol of West Kilbride, L. Merron, B. Monks, L. Moraes, L. Morgan of Drefelin, B. Morgan of Huyton, B. Morris of Yardley, B. Murphy of Torfaen, L. Nye, B. O'Grady of Upper Holloway, B. Osamor, B. Pitkeathley, B. Ponsonby of Shulbrede, L. Prentis of Leeds, L. Ramsey of Wall Heath, B. Rebuck, B. Reid of Cardowan, L. Ritchie of Downpatrick, B. Robertson of Port Ellen, L. Rooker, L. Rowlands, L. Royall of Blaisdon, B. Sawyer, L. Shamash, L. Sherlock, B. Sikka, L. Smith of Basildon, B. Smith of Cluny, B. Smith of Malvern, B. Snape, L. Spellar, L. Stansgate, V. Stevenson of Balmacara, L. Symons of Vernham Dean, B. Taylor of Bolton, B. Taylor of Stevenage, B. Timpson, L. Touhig, L. Tunnicliffe, L. Turnberg, L. Twycross, B. Vallance of Balham, L. Warwick of Undercliffe, B. Watson of Invergowrie, L. Watts, L. Wheeler, B. Whitaker, B. Whitty, L. Wilcox of Newport, B. Wilson of Sedgefield, L. Winston, L. Winterton of Doncaster, B. Wood of Anfield, L. Woodley, L. Young of Norwood Green, L. Young of Old Scone, B.

Crossbench (11 votes)

Cameron of Dillington, L. Hampton, L. Hogan-Howe, L. Kerr of Kinlochard, L. Kinnoull, E. Macpherson of Earl's Court, L. Meacher, B. O'Loan, B. O'Neill of Bengarve, B. Sentamu, L. Tarassenko, L.

Plaid Cymru (2 votes)

Smith of Llanfaes, B. Wigley, L.

Non-affiliated (2 votes)

Austin of Dudley, L. Truscott, L.

[izdatazn]

S.U.I.T.S OUTBREAK

BISONET 12 - Blind Attribute (Medusa)

"What's the status, Miyoung?" I asked eagerly.

"We're currently approaching the facility," Miyoung replied. "Buwan Valencia is accompanying me along with Serpent Squadron, Blitz Crew, and duos Sergeant Kimberly Abel and Sergeant Sky Watson. We also have a second squad joining us.” She continued"Although it's a small team, we can't afford to bring in any more personnel for this critical mission and risk losing the territories we've gained on this continent."

"Bertha, could you please provide the time and date?" I inquired.

Bertha chimed in, "It is June 20th, 2082. In the Bisonet time zone, it is currently midnight, equivalent to 6 PM in the Earth Time Zone."

"I explained, "If we can access the facility's information, it's likely we will discover the actual whereabouts of the five of hearts."

"It's astonishing to think that the facility is located 20 clicks northwest of where Raynara was slain," Aikawa remarked. "It's quite remarkable that it took this long to piece together the puzzle through the recent notes from Raynara and Kryzahn."

"If the five of hearts is indeed there," I added, "we've conducted extensive surveillance of the research facility and haven't detected any signs of guards or life inside. It is believed to be deserted."

"We shall find out soon enough," Miyoung declared with determination. "We are going dark."

As communication with Miyoung's team went offline, I released a heavy sigh, weighed down by stress. A real-time map of the continent materialized before me, illustrating the substantial advances made by SUITS as we secured control over three-fourths of the territory. Surrounding the map, dozens of floating screens provided live feeds from our teammates on the battlefield—some making progress, others entrenched in difficult positions. These views also exposed several new fronts initiated by our enemy, testing the resilience of our defenses amidst our constrained resources.

"Those numbers look grim," a somewhat familiar voice remarked.

I turned around, following the sound of the voice, and there she stood, leaning against the wall near the door. I stared at her for a few moments before briefly making eye contact with Aikawa and returning my gaze to her.

"Aikawa, I haven't slept well for weeks," I confessed. "Am I seeing her correctly?"

"You're not dreaming, Kobayashi," Aikawa confirmed. "I see her too."

"You both must be sleep deprived if you think someone as beautiful as me is standing right before you," she chuckled, walking towards us and slapping both Aikawa and me on the back. She joined our small huddle.

"Nakamura Hitomi at your service," she introduced herself. 

Nakamura Hitomi is not only one of Asuka's close friends but also someone with whom she has shared a bond for the past seven years. They embarked on a challenging mission together, navigating through the depths of the Siberian wilderness to confront an enigmatic anomaly. Fascinatingly, Hitomi's historical lineage traces back to the late Sengoku Period of 1580, wherein they served as a trusted ally to Tokugawa Ieyasu during the unification of Japan. Tragically, Hitomi's life was cut short when they were assassinated a year after stepping into the role of shogunate, following Ieyasu's demise.

"And before you ask, Asuka forced me to come to Bisonet to assist you guys. You probably already know by now that she's quite angry with Aikawa."

"We could tell the moment we heard your voice," I said with a hint of amusement. "She's enraged that I almost lost my life and believes Aikawa isn't enough to protect me."

"Bro, that hurts," Aikawa protested, clutching his chest near his heart.

Ignoring him, Hitomi continued, “Under Zion’s order as well, I’ve brought fresh reinforcements of 500,000 human soldiers, 500,000 SUITS’s and Blackstone’s robotic soldiers, and a vast number of heavy armaments ready to assist you." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Judging by the state of your map, it's clear you could use the reinforcements."

"Ever since we killed Raynara, our enemies have aggressively opened multiple fronts to weaken our lines," I explained. "With limited resources and teams spread too thin to hold the line, things were looking dire every day. Our mission is to reclaim the entire continent from our enemies and launch an assault on the next continent to the east."

"What awaits us to the east?" Hitomi inquired curiously.

“Information on stopping the infection on Earth in the Zyger lab facilities, and the remaining hearts on Bisonet.” I answered. “A lot of things going on in our mission.” “And where is this blip going?” Hitomi asked.

“A possible location that might know where the five of heart whereabouts is.” I answered.

Two VTOL aircraft descended noiselessly onto a raised mound near the research facility. The team swiftly disembarked the aerial vehicles, moving with purpose towards the vantage point overlooking the facility. Pausing at the summit, they meticulously scanned the pitch-dark horizon, their senses heightened by the profound stillness. Not a single sound reverberated through the surrounding area, intensifying the eerie silence that enveloped them.

"What are your thoughts?" Dren inquired.

"We've thoroughly scouted the surrounding area and found no signs of any suspicious activity for days," Miyoung replied. "Yet, I still have a strong belief that someone or something is lurking inside the facility."

"What's our approach?" Buwan questioned.

"There are no signs of electricity running in the facility, meaning the security cameras are down," Miyoung observed. “Buwan will take Lawan, Marko, Anya and Filip will infiltrate through the backdoor, while I will make our entry from the rooftop with Dren, Alexsander, Mia, and Archie. Our rendezvous point will be the main room, situated on the fifth level underground."

Approaching the facility, they silently split off, ensuring they were within close proximity to their designated locations. Instead of relying on jetpacks to avoid making noise, they expertly deployed a single claw that ascended to the roof, securely anchoring itself to a sturdy point. With calculated precision, they each ascended the claw, reaching the rooftop undetected. As their entire team safely gathered on the roof, they collectively decided to forgo the emergency door in favor of a more inconspicuous path through the ventilation system. Miyoung took the lead, guiding the team through the vents with silent determination. Eventually, the vent split into two, and Miyoung's team descended into the left vent, which led them to the sleeping quarters. Crawling out of the vents, they regrouped in a room containing a single bed.

Miyoung swiftly accessed the real-time map of the facility's interior, a valuable resource they had acquired a month prior. As the team gathered around the map, their scanners remained active and alert, poised to detect any movement within the complex.

"Other than Buwan's team on the first floor, I don't detect any heartbeats or signs of activity," Miyoung informed the others. "Yet, I can't shake this lingering unease. It's unlikely that they would leave a facility like this unguarded."

Dren, engrossed in her data, reported, "The air quality appears to be suitable for human respiration." With that assurance, one by one, the team members began removing their helmets. The nano machines disintegrated the helmets, revealing their faces as they examined the sleeping quarters.

Having shared the map with the rest of the team, Miyoung led them out of the sleeping quarters and into a dimly lit, narrow hallway. Proceeding with utmost caution and maintaining an eerie silence, they meticulously secured each floor. Their thorough search ultimately led them to converge with Buwan's team on the main floor near the elevator.

"Any findings?" Miyoung inquired, eager for any information.

"The recreational area and kitchen are in a state of disarray," Buwan replied. "Food is scattered about, left to rot. Our tech indicates that it has been decaying for almost four years. We did come across some shed skin in isolated corners of other rooms, but that's about it. What about your discoveries?"

Dren interjected, "Above us, we observed a total of 50 individual rooms. Interestingly, each room was meticulously cleaned, and the closets and drawers remained filled with clothing. However, there were no signs of any residents. Did they simply abandon everything and vanish?"

Turning to Miyoung, Buwan sought her insight, asking, "What do you think?"

Miyoung responded with a hint of concern in her voice, "Apart from the ten of us, I haven't detected a single heartbeat or any signs of movement since our arrival. Furthermore, our scans have yet to explore the underground area, leaving us entirely clueless as to what awaits us. I have an unsettling feeling about this."

"I agree," Filip chimed in. "Proceeding cautiously is imperative as we venture into the underground facility, as we remain in the dark about its contents.”

As the elevator doors slid open, the team heard a chime that made their hearts skip a beat. What they witnessed next sent a shiver down their spines, rendering them momentarily frozen in fear. Miyoung could feel the rapid thumping of her teammates' hearts, mirroring her own intensifying rhythm. Acting on instinct, she swiftly raised her gun, poised to defend themselves against the unknown threat lurking within the elevator. However, Buwan intervened quickly, gently guiding Miyoung's hand down to lower the weapon.

"What do you see?" Miyoung inquired, her voice filled with both curiosity and apprehension.

Buwan cautiously approached the elevator and reached out to examine the stone figures before them. "Two residents," he replied, his voice tinged with a mixture of astonishment and concern. He closely observed every detail of the statues, each frozen in a state of terror. "Something dreadful must have transpired underground. Both of them appear deathly frightened."

Silence enveloped the team for a few moments as they absorbed the gravity of the situation. Miyoung sensed the rising unease pulsating through her teammates' bodies, prompting her to offer an opportunity to retreat from the ordeal.

"It's alright if anyone wants to back out," she stated, her voice filled with understanding.

"We're with you," Dren tremulously declared. "We're committed to the mission, no matter the dangers that lie ahead." Miyoung acknowledged and respected their unwavering decision. With Buwan carefully removing the stone statues from the elevator, the team steeled themselves and entered, ready to confront the unknown challenge that awaited them underground.

As the elevator doors slid closed, enveloping them in a sense of confinement, the team sensed the descent into the unknown depths of the underground. The silence weighing heavily on their collective consciousness, Miyoung keenly felt the intense heartbeat of Serpent Squadron, a testament to their youthful and inexperienced nature, contrasting with the composed presence of the veteran soldiers in Blitz Crew. Buwan, observant of Serpent Squadron's nervousness displayed on their faces and in their body language, positioned himself near the corner of the elevator, providing a reassuring presence.

"Remember to breathe," Buwan gently reminded them, his voice filled with warmth. "You're making me nervous with all that tension." He couldn't help but chuckle playfully. "You'll be just fine." Moving gracefully, Buwan took a step forward, leading the way. "Leave it to me to take the lead."

As the elevator came to a halt, each member steeled themselves for the unknown that awaited beyond the doors. With bated breath, they prepared for any potential threat. As the elevator doors slid open, Buwan swiftly exited, his movements calculated and deliberate. Miyoung followed suit, mirroring his actions. Buwan focused his attention to the right and then shifted to the left as he cautiously moved forward. Miyoung maintained her vigilant focus on their right side. The rest of the team swiftly poured out of the elevator, readying their weapons and scanning their surroundings with precision, covering multiple directions.

They noticed firsthand is multiple statues spread out in the dim hallways running towards the elevator. It didn’t ease both squadron’s tension as they have the remaining residents turned into stone statue. 

“We found the rest of the residence.” Lawan whispered. Buwan noticed shedded skin wrapped around a statue’s arm. He observed the statue again. Lawan asked “What is it?” 

Buwan gently ripped the skin off the arm and looked at it closer. “Shedded skin? Were snakes let loose?”

“Buwan, take Kimberly, Lawan, Dren, Mia, and Archie to your left.” Miyoung said. “I’ll take the rest to my right and meet back here.”

The two teams split up, with Buwan leading his team down the left hallway and Miyoung taking charge of her team down the right hallway. Miyoung meticulously inspected each small laboratory along the right hallway until they reached the end, retracing their steps until they were back by the elevator. They prepared themselves while waiting for Buwan, who joined them a few minutes later.

"Did you find anything significant?" Alexsander inquired.

"Other than more statues resembling residents, there was nothing out of the ordinary except for additional shedded skin and a few lifeless snakes," Buwan reported. "What about your team's findings, Miyoung?"

Miyoung replied, "We encountered a similar situation on our end."

Suddenly, Miyoung's instincts kicked in, causing her to swiftly raise her gun and position herself at the center of the hallway, her teammates falling silent as they observed her poised stance. Minutes seemed to stretch on as they awaited an explanation. It was Buwan who finally broke the silence.

"What do you see?" he inquired, his voice laced with curiosity.

"It's not just a feeling," Miyoung explained. "I heard something—a whisper echoing through this hallway." Miyoung cautiously took another step forward, followed closely by Dren and Filip. They stood there in silence, deep in the dimly lit expanse of the hallway, waiting for any sign of what lay ahead.

"Miyoung," Filip whispered softly, "I don't hear anything."

Miyoung responded, determination in her voice, "I heard it again."

Pressing on, with Filip and Dren as her trusted companions, Miyoung continued forward. The rest of the team followed closely behind, led by Buwan, who diligently protected their rear. The whispers Miyoung heard intensified, yet they seemed to resonate only within her ears as they ventured further down the hallway, a seemingly endless array of statues lining their path. Finally, they reached the door at the end of the narrow corridor.

With a slight touch, the door sensors immediately sprung to life, causing the door to open. The team swiftly stepped into a vast, brightly lit atrium, methodically clearing every available spot despite the openness that surrounded them.

"It's clear," Filip remarked.

As the team regrouped, Miyoung positioned herself in the center where the main consoles were located. Buwan joined her, taking charge of activating the console. Serpent Squadron and Blitz Crew formed a defensive circle around the main console, ready and alert as they awaited Buwan to uncover valuable information.

"What do you see?" Miyoung inquired.

"For a research facility, I expected more formidable security measures to overcome, but it took me less than a minute to crack the code," Buwan shared. "There is a wealth of data regarding the BLADES parasite, as well as extensive notes from the Five of Hearts. It also potentially contains information about their latest whereabouts. The last entry was made a year ago in Earth years."

Miyoung processed the information, her features reflecting a blend of fascination and unease. "So, it seems that the Five of Hearts was utilizing this facility even as the residents were being transformed into statues," she concluded, her voice tinged with a hint of solemnity.

Suddenly, multiple massive screens materialized above them, displaying a frozen recording of an unknown male figure gazing intently at the screen. Miyoung spoke up, her voice laced with curiosity. "I hear a buzzing sound. What do you see?"

Buwan's gaze remained fixed on the screen, deep in contemplation. "I cannot be certain, but based on the available data, this figure appears to be unidentified. However, there is a possibility that it holds significance. Allow me to play the recording." With a decisive press of a button, the frozen scene came to life, immediately capturing Miyoung's undivided attention, while the rest of the team maintained a vigilant stance.

"Is this thing working?" the figure on the screen questioned, peering closely at the camera. "Ah, good." Stepping back, the individual adjusted the screen to hover in front of them. A hint of uncertainty colored their voice as they asked, "How do I begin?"

An irritated male voice joined the conversation from off-screen. "Do we really have to go through this whole process every time we want to take notes? It's a waste of time." The second man, clearly annoyed by the first's antics, made his appearance on the screen.

Undeterred, the enthusiastic first individual responded, "Of course! It's all in the name of science! How else can we learn from our failures and successes and continually improve?" The second individual turned away, followed reluctantly by the first. The screen faithfully tracked their movements as they halted beside a table upon which sat a test tube containing a larvae. "This baby will continue to grow even without our presence," the recording abruptly came to an end.

"It seems that the recording has been corrupted. We will gather this footage and subject it to further analysis," Buwan concluded, a determined resolve in his voice.

In a heightened state of alarm, Miyoung instinctively raised her gun, her senses tingling with unease. As she failed to detect a heartbeat from Sergeant Kimberly Abel, she urgently called out, her voice laced with worry. "Sergeant Abel, why can't I sense your heartbeat?" The air hung heavy with tension as Miyoung's plea went unanswered, escalating her concern. "Kimberly Abel, please, respond."

Buwan, his eyes fixed on Kimberly's position, turned to face Miyoung and delivered a shocking revelation. "Miyoung, she's turned to stone."

Miyoung's voice wavered with disbelief. "What do you mean she's turned to stone? If there was another enemy present, I would have sensed their presence the moment we entered the room."

Assuredly, Filip chimed in, his senses keenly attuned. "We thoroughly searched the room, and our perimeters around the console are secure. We would have heard any disturbances or noises."

Miyoung's focus sharpened, her brow furrowing in concentration. The panicked chatter of her teammates and the chaotic hum of the consoles faded into the background as she honed in on a disquieting sound. A faint hissing noise, imperceptible to her companions, reverberated through the room. Acting with urgency, Miyoung commanded, "Close your eyes! Now!"

Sky, her voice filled with nervousness, complied immediately, shutting her eyes tightly. Turning toward Miyoung, she asked, her voice laced with anxiety, "What is it? What do you hear?"

In that moment, Miyoung sensed something swiftly flying through the air, its whistling sound trailing behind. She felt a sudden impact, striking Sky's shoulder. Miyoung then heard Sky's panicked and unfamiliar response, filled with fear, as she distanced herself from the group. And then, an eerie silence ensued.

Dren, her voice trembling, voiced the question that lingered in the air. "Miyoung, what do we do?"

With unwavering determination, Miyoung's voice resounded with the weight of authority. "Keep your eyes shuttered, no matter what unfolds. Trust in the guidance of your hearing." Retrieve a scarf concealed in her pocket, she clasped it tightly in her hand, ready to shield herself and her comrades. As she pulled the fabric over her eyes, her voice softened in a whispered plea. "My queen," she murmured. Securing the scarf firmly, she added, "Protect me."

A palpable stillness settled around them, thick with apprehension, as Miyoung purposefully shut out the clamor of her teammates and the incessant hum of the consoles. Rooted in determination, she held her ground, patiently awaiting the next turn of events amidst the enveloping hush. After a tense passage of minutes, Miyoung's body subtly tilted to the left, registering a faint brush against her clothing—a fleeting touch that betrayed the presence of an object in motion. As the impact reverberated through the chamber, her suspicions were confirmed.

Yet, absorbed in her single-minded focus, Miyoung remained oblivious to the stealthy danger that approached. The sudden sting of a foreign weapon grazing her left cheek jolted her out of her reverie, catching her off guard. Unbeknownst to her, while deciphering the earlier sounds, she had left herself vulnerable to attack.

"Guide Me, Kimchi 가이드해줘, 김치," Miyoung commanded urgently, addressing her teammates. "Stay within this circle, attune yourselves to what I sense. I promise you, I will shield and defend each of you, even if it means sharing every ounce of my energy."

With remarkable agility and grace, Miyoung shifted her body, elegantly dodging a relentless barrage of projectiles aimed her way. Swiftly intercepting one that targeted her face, she snapped it into two, casting it aside with practiced ease. Her movements flowed seamlessly, defying the onslaught of additional projectiles that sought to overwhelm her.

Amidst the chaos, Miyoung's perceptive abilities extended beyond her own actions. Sensing the racing heartbeats of her teammates, she shared in their adrenaline-fueled evasion of hundreds of projectiles. Despite the overwhelming sensory input, Miyoung maintained a crystal-clear focus on the barrage of impacts against the walls, taking note of the ever-increasing count.

Abruptly, an eerie stillness enveloped them, the relentless barrage of projectiles ceasing in an instant. Miyoung maintained her poised and silent demeanor, attuned to the harmonious symphony of her nine teammates' heartbeats and the punctuated cadence of their shallow, heavy breaths. Through her acute auditory perception, she caught the faint whispers of micro movements originating from the countless arrows lodged in the walls.

A surge of aggression emanated from the arrows positioned behind her, their subtle shifts betraying their presence. Reacting with lightning speed, Miyoung pivoted on her heel, aligning herself with the direction of the arrows. Unwavering in her aim, she released a searing shot from her gun. Within moments, the reverberating impact thundered through the room, carrying an undeniable force as it collided with the unyielding wall.

"You missed me," a female voice echoed, resonating in a frequency only Miyoung could perceive. Immovable, she stood still, her senses attuned to the lingering echoes of the voice that crackled through the air. Suddenly, a hissing sound brushed near her ears, accompanied by the touch of something or someone against her face. "Your senses won't save you here, missy," the voice whispered, its words laced with malicious intent, accompanied by a gentle caress of Miyoung's face. "You'll remain here forever, as my little plaything," it taunted, crackling into Miyoung's ear.

"We'll see about that," Miyoung whispered defiantly. "Medusa."

As Medusa’s eerie laughter and the sinister hissing of her serpentine locks faded from Miyoung’s ears, an arrow landed alarmingly close to her foot. Moments later, another darted by her leg, the threat of danger looming ever nearer in their unyielding pursuit.

“정밀함이 핵심이야, 김치 (Jeongmilhami haeksimiya, Kimchi). Precision is key, Kimchi,” Miyoung commanded.

Expanding her powers, Miyoung transmitted detailed information to her comrades within their collective space. They, too, now perceived Medusa’s whispers, though at a different frequency. Miyoung could sense her team’s heartbeats quickening and their muscles tensing. A slight breeze seemed to brush past them as they held their positions.

“Miyoung, what are you doing?” Dren asked cautiously.

“Protecting you,” Miyoung responded with unwavering resolve.

A gentle breeze swiftly intensified into a hurried gale, causing Miyoung and her teammates to feel the wind tingling their exposed skin. Miyoung concentrated fiercely, zeroing in on Medusa's location while the serpent-haired entity's whispers filled their ears at varied frequencies.

With a swift, practiced motion, Miyoung darted to her left and intercepted a projectile inches from her face. She snapped it in half effortlessly and tossed the fragments aside without a second glance. Calculating her next move, she pivoted 30 degrees, aimed her gun, and fired. The sound of the bullet hitting the wall echoed in her ears, but she didn't pause. Instead, Miyoung methodically continued to pivot and fire, each 30-degree shift carried out with faultless precision.

Quickly, Miyoung secured her rifle onto her back and drew the pistol holstered on her thigh, repeating the same motion over the next couple of minutes, aiming from above her head down to eye level. Each shot missed its mark as she continuously reloaded and fired into the void. Her teammates held their breath, waiting for her command, their attention fixed on the sound of her gunfire. Without breaking her rhythm, she reached out with her free hand and snagged something invisible in the air.

"You think you could hide from me, Medusa," Miyoung uttered, her grip tightening on her unseen adversary. Medusa's cloaking device stuttered, causing her image to flicker between visibility and invisibility. Miyoung clenched tighter on Medusa’s throat, debilitating the device further until Medusa was fully revealed. "You wonder how I caught you despite all your advantages?" Miyoung pressed on, her voice fierce. "With your cloaking device, your synthetic anti-seismic sense slime, and your changing tones, I also feared I'd forever be your captive."

She loosened her grip on Medusa’s throat only to shove her pistol against Medusa’s lips. "I fired knowing I would miss my target, but my bullets emit a special frequency that only I can detect." Miyoung slowly forced the gun deeper into Medusa's mouth. "Being blind does not equate to being powerless."

Miyoung's blind eyes stared down Medusa’s. "First Sound: Double Tap." She pulled the trigger, and a bullet burst through the back of Medusa's mouth, sending her crumpling to the ground. Miyoung then lowered her gun and aimed it at Medusa's forehead. After a momentary pause, she fired again, delivering the final shot that ended Medusa’s existence.

Buwan swiftly stepped in to support Miyoung as her knees buckled, catching her before she hit the ground. Gasping for breath, Miyoung felt her energy ebbing away, drained from channeling her powers to her teammates. The others quickly congregated around both Buwan and Miyoung, concern etched on their faces.

"Thank you," Miyoung managed to whisper, her voice strained and weak. "For lending me your strength, Buwan."

Buwan replied softly, with a touch of modesty, "I don’t know what you’re talking about. You did most of the work." He then gently laid her down on the ground, making sure she was comfortable.

Caught up in the situation, Dren looked around before asking, "What do we do with Kimberly and Sky?"

"We’ll take them back. We'll take a sample of Medusa but leave her body here," Miyoung answered with authority, despite her exhaustion. "Grab all the data from the console; we'll sift through whatever they left behind for anything useful.”

[plethoraworldatlas]

Big Tech, Big Oil, and private equity firms are among the leading companies that profit from controlling media and technology, accelerating the climate crisis, privatizing public goods and services, and violating human and workers' rights, the International Trade Union Confederation revealed on Monday.

The ITUC has labeled seven major companies as "corporate underminers of democracy" that lobby against government attempts to hold them accountable and are headed by super-rich individuals who fund right-wing political movements and leaders.

"This is about power, who has it, and who sets the agenda," Todd Brogan, director of campaigns and organizing at the ITUC, toldThe Guardian. "We know as trade unionists that unless we're organized, the boss sets the agenda in the workplace, and we know as citizens in our countries that unless we're organized and demanding responsive governments that actually meet the needs of people, it's corporate power that's going to set the agenda."

The "corporate underminers of democracy" are:

Amazon.com, Inc.

Blackstone Group

ExxonMobil

Glencore

Meta

Tesla

The Vanguard Group

ITUC chose the seven companies based on preexisting reporting and research, as well as talks with allied groups like the Council of Global Unions and the Reactionary International Research Consortium. The seven companies were "emblematic" of a broader trend, and the confederation said it would continue to add "market-leading" companies to the list.

"While these seven corporations are among the most egregious underminers of democracy, they are hardly alone," ITUC said. "Whether state-owned enterprises in China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia; private sector military contractors; or regulation-busting tech startups, the ITUC and its partners will continue to identify and track corporate underminers of democracy and their links to the far-right."

Amazon topped the list due to its "union busting and low wages on multiple continents, monopoly in e-commerce, egregious carbon emissions through its AWS data centers, corporate tax evasion, and lobbying at national and international level," ITUC wrote.

In the U.S., for example, Amazon has responded to attempts to hold it accountable for labor violations by challenging the constitutionality of the National Labor Relations Board. While its founder Jeff Bezos voices liberal opinions, Amazon's political donations have advanced the right by challenging women's rights and antitrust efforts.

Blackstone is the world's largest private equity firm and private real-estate owner whose CEO, Stephen Schwarzman, has given to right-wing politicians including former U.S. President Donald Trump's 2024 reelection campaign. It funds fossil fuel projects and the destruction of the Amazon and profited from speculating on the housing market after the 2008 financial crash.

The United Nations special papporteur on housing said the company used "its significant resources and political leverage to undermine domestic laws and policies that would in fact improve access to adequate housing."

ExxonMobil made the list largely for its history of funding climate denial and its ongoing lobbying against needed environmental regulations.

"Perhaps the greatest example of Exxon's disinterest in democratic deliberation was its corporate commitment of nearly four decades to conceal from the public its own internal evidence that climate change was real, accelerating, and driven by fossil fuel use while simultaneously financing far-right think tanks in the U.S. and Europe to inject climate scepticism and denialism into the public discourse," ITUC wrote.

Glencore is the world's largest commodities trader and the largest mining company when judged by revenue. Several civil society and Indigenous rights groups have launched campaigns against it over its anti-democratic policies. It has allegedly funded right-wing paramilitaries in Colombia and anti-protest vigilantes in Peru.

"The company's undermining of democracy is not in dispute, as it has in recent years pled guilty to committing bribery, corruption, and market manipulation in countries as varied as Venezuela, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and South Sudan," ITUC said

[xxcarelessparker]

☆ﾟ.*・ ◞ damian hardung / cis man / german decent caucasian/ / he/him ——— is that cole parker on bourbon street ? the 22  year old dark siphoner who stays in the bywater ? i heard their biological parents are kai parker and katherine pierce. they are notoriously known for being charming and astute but also coldhearted and vindictive. which is probably why they are considered the backstabber around town.  i wonder if they had their tarot cards reading, yet? either way, the cards on the table will reveal their fate soon enough.

QUOTE.

" if i'm not a saint ;; then i must be a sinner. "

AESTHETIC.

punched walls, bloodied knuckles, shattered heritage, generational curse , clench first, starting at the boiling point, wild thoughts, hidden dreams !

GENEREAL DETIALS.

full name — cole parker . / name meaning —warthy, coal-black, charcoal / nickname — n/a . / age —22 . / gender — cis male. / pronouns — he/him. / sexual preference — heterosexual. / species — demon/siphoner. / neighborhood — bywater. / college — lafaya college. / occupation — campus dealer. hang out — campus. dark allies , masquerade club, bywater tavern.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.

face claim — damian hardung . / hair color and length — dark blonde, low cut. / eye color — blue. / height — 5'11 (180.339cm)./ tattoos— n/a. piercings —n/a. /clothing style — casual.

PERSONALTY.

label — the backstabbers. / positive traits — charming, astute . / negative traits — calculative, vindictive zodiac sign — pisces. / tarot card — the devil alignment — unlawfully neutral.

FAMILY.

mother — katherine pierce (petrova)./ father — kai parker./ siblings — tobias, dominic (deceased twin - wanted connection), open./ related to — the parker/saltzman family./

BACKGROUND.

trigger warning: drugs, mentions of death.

cole parker is charming young male who is considered for lack of a better term a “bad boy”. he is fiercely loyal, but he is also wild, unforgiving and calculative. he is a twin, and often feels the burden to protect or defend his family, and can be vindictive when tested. he is unbothered by his mother and fathers past and is used to the judgement often being called a backstabber, or a false witch by those who hate what he is because of his connection to the dark magic and his ability to siphon. at one point cole was getting ready to graduate with a degree in a field that he was passionate about, but after his family received news of his twin's death, cole dropped out to be with his family.

cole swore he is fine. but in truth the male hid his grief as months passed, although, he was always on the verge of throwing a fist into the noses of the poor soul who was caught staring at him with those "poor you" eyes. despite the rage, and the grief he refuse to acknowledge his loss. he had never learned how to be a good brother and that haunts him. cole is inherently detached and find it hard to show humanity to those who is not family . his distrust for others he crosses is so that he can be free of disappointment or any failed expectation -- but in reality, the detach facade is just that. In truth, cole fears that if he lets himself get comfortable, plant roots and allow himself to be happy, it will be ripped away from him. which is why he lacks the ability to stay in a relationship.

WANTED CONNECTION

dominic parker – twin brother. without a doubt, cole paker despised his twin. cole always tried to be there for his twin, but dominic was more witch than demon . cole rarely showed love to dominic for that fact, but nonetheless he was somewhat protective when it came to his twin. after finding out about his brothers death, he became more hardened and careless. never really recovering from the aftermath. faceclaim: danny griffin.

miles blackstone – close friend. cole is the same age as miles and they have known each other since grad school . cole doesn't consider many people his friends, but his closest companion is miles blackstone. faceclaim: freddie thorp.

naya harrison — fling, they both use each other to get what they need which is to have great and wild sex with no strange attached. however, naya, is now catching feelings. cole does have feelings for naya, but he doesn't know what they mean just yet. he confides in her in ways he has never done with anyone and he trust her which is a rare thing for the young parker male to do, but he doesn't understand exactly what he feelings are for naya. he just knows that he comes alive when he is with her, and he finds himself consumed by her touch, and the way she makes him. cole has never been in love before so he doesn't have anything to compare his new found feelings to. . faceclaim: maddy perez, olivia holt, camielle hyde, josephine langford, samatha logan, camila mendes, grace van patten, madeline petsch.