#Also a great option if you are leaving your job and will no longer have that employer insurance

[creepyscritches]

getting close to open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans! I know there is a lot going on that demands attention, but be sure to find some time to explore the ACA health plan options available to you once enrollment opens November 1!

If you do not have employer-based insurance, you very likely have an excellent and extremely affordable option through the ACA Marketplace :)

Just last week there was a push from the Biden admin to require all ACA plans to cover birth control to begin safeguarding access. HIV ART, asthma inhalers, diabetes supplies (insulin included), and many other systemic medications are covered under ACA plans. If you are struggling to cover you or your family's medical needs, please consider ACA options! Internally, ACA coverage is also frequently referred to as "Individual + Family Plans" if that gives a better idea of who the plans always aim to support.

You can find more information at the federal exchange's site below. There are also people there who can help you navigate your options and better inform your choices. Open enrollment runs through early January!

[howtofightwrite]

I’m not sure if this is off topic for your blog, but out of fear for my search history and the police, I wanted to ask if there is a means of someone producing a homemade bomb or something throwable that generates high levels of heat?

For context, the character I am writing is a lab intern that is secretly studying how to get rid of a parasite (think of something like Venom/Carnage) that can only be injured/destroyed with high levels of heat.

Two thoughts come to mind immediately, thermite and white phosphorous. So, in both cases, we're going to be setting metals on fire.

Thermite is more of a process than a specific chemical composition, which means getting the materials to make thermite explosives isn't that challenging. It involves getting a highly reactive metal, and then getting it to oxidize aggressively. Turns out, if you force aluminum to rust on the spot, it gets a bit warm. In some cases (such as with copper) the reaction is energetic enough to cause molten metal to splatter.

Because we're talking about different chemical mixtures, it's a bit hard to predict the exact tempreture, but most thermite reactions (at least, all of the ones I've ever looked up) will burn in excess of 2000K (3000F.)

Rigging thermite into a more portable form isn't that complicated, and crude pipe bomb-like containers should get the job done. Though, this would likely cause further problems.

The second option is white phosphorous. This burns at a lower temperature (around 800C), but this stuff ignites on contact with oxygen. Something you might be able to find in the air you're breathing. White phosphorous is a bit more tightly controlled, and is used in a wide variety of munitions. (In theory, it's used for tracers, as the phosphorous will ignite and glow while the round is traveling to its destination.) Because it will continue to burn in the wound, white phosphorous wounds are particularly horrific (as you'll see, if you ever visit the Wikipedia page.) However, it is already available as a payload for most military small arms cartridges.

A third option is classic napalm. This stuff tends to burn north of 800C. The actual material is a bit more disturbing than you might realize. Nalpalm isn't just a burning liquid, it's more like a burning goop, that sticks to whatever it hits... and continues to burn. Imagine a Vaseline sprayer (except, the Vaseline is ignited just after it leaves the nozzle.) Producing napalm in a modern chemlab, with a reasonable stockpile of ingredients shouldn't be too difficult, though it's unlikely the stockroom would have enough of the relevant chemicals to make much of the stuff. (Nalpalm flamethrowers go through a lot of fuel, so making the stuff on site might not be a great option.)

Using any of these methods will get a lot of attention on your character. While we tend to overestimate just how much casual searches for this kind of information are likely to land you on a watch list (this used to be more true than it is today), actually using them in the field will get an anti-terrorism taskforce crawling down around your character's ears. (Especially if they're making thermite loaded pipe bombs.)

Now, here's the funny thing about all of this: It's unnecessary.

You've got a monster that is vulnerable to flames. The simplest, and cheapest solution, is probably to go buy one of those orange, plastic, flare guns. This'll set you back less than $40 dollars (plus the cost of the included flares.) Then load up on extra flares, (at this moment, they're around $10 per flare.) (If you already have a 12 gauge shotgun, you can skip the flare gun entirely, and just buy 12ga flare shells.)

Those flares burn at similar temperatures to white phosphorous rounds, and are much, much, less regulated. (Though, if you're wandering out and buying up hundreds of flare shell rounds, that's likely to raise a few eyebrows.) (This is also true of normal emergency flares, similar temperatures, and they burn for much longer.)

This is without even thinking about Dragon's Breath shells, which will burn in the range of some of the hotter thermite reaction ranges. (To be honest, it probably is a thermite reaction, but I'd need to look into them a bit more to verify that.)

So, ultimately, the problem for a monster vulnerable to heat is that there are a lot of ways to throw burning metal at it, and let that cook it for you.

-Starke

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[aziraphales-library]

Hello and thank you so much for your work! Recently I was on kick for het!human!azicrowley and have read a lot of ones where Aziraphale is a women and Crowley a man (or, in one memorable occasion, genderfluid person). But I want to look at the other side! So maybe you have some recs for women!Crowley/man!Aziraphale? Preferable longish fics, especially great if it's hystorical au (any era will be great), and also I would absolutely love if fic plays with Crowley having reputation of some kind of fallen women (good play of words huh!), absolutely not suitable for respectable man as Aziraphale, but it's optional. Crowley also doesen't need to be strictly women, but preferable woman passing for outsiders for mist part!

Hi! We have a #female crowley tag you can check out. Here are some longer human aus, in a few of which Crowley is a woman and a couple where Crowley is genderfluid...

A Collar For Christmas by Quefish (E)

Aziraphale is a farmer in a small village in the country and his life is everything he ever wanted. But a bank snafu sends him into the city where he meets bank manager Toni Crowley. Is he willing to give everything up for a woman he just met?

Seeing You Home by TawnyOwl95 (E)

It’s time for a new start. And just how many of those has Crowley had since she found herself pregnant at seventeen? This time it will be different though. This time she has a job, and a house and she doesn’t need another boyfriend. Especially not one who lives right next door. Aziraphale Angel’s new start is proving tougher than he ever imagined. Eighteen months out of the Catholic Church and he’s still finding it hard to let go of certain beliefs about himself. And his new neighbour is determined to test every one of them.

Incorporation by Ack_Emma (E)

Best friends from rival wool merchant families, Antoinetta Crowley and Aziraphale Fell are shocked when their parents arrange a surprise marriage between them. But this new arrangement is a chance to be on their own side and to be left alone for a bit. Their lifelong friendship is solid, what could go wrong? As it turns out, plenty. Times are changing, and married life is harder than it looks when you're a pair of young, ineffable dorks.

More Than by NaroMoreau (E)

Crowley would like to spend another year without marrying, especially when thrust-forced to pick a husband. She refuses to cave in on a matter of principles. She refuses to cave in specifically on a matter of not wanting to be married to Lucien Morningstar. But she might need a hand to break free from such a burden. And who knows? She might even find something else along the way.

The Sometimes Wife by AgentStannerShipper (E)

It is a truth universally acknowledged that older brothers are the worst. As the youngest of three children, Parson Aziraphale Fell has been given an ultimatum: find a wife, or lose the family's support. The only problem? Aziraphale has never looked at a woman that way in his life. His attention has instead been captured by the family gardener, a beautiful young man who holds Aziraphale's heart in his hands. But when a mysterious newcomer arrives in the village, Aziraphale finds himself falling - quite unexpectedly - for her as well. Aziraphale knows he will have to choose. After all, it's not as if he can have both...can he?

Brave to Stay, Brave to Leave by ChristocentricQueer (M)

“Great, a pastor. Why does he have to be so bloody cute?” Crowley mumbled under his breath. A Human AU where Crowley and Aziraphale are both in their late fifties. Crowley is gender fluid and bisexual (He/Him and She/Her). Aziraphale is a transman and gay (He/Him). Crowley is a botanist who is agnostic. Aziraphale is a Protestant pastor in a fictional denomination. They live in Tadfield, a medium sized town in the United States. Slow build with a happy ending.

- Mod D

[ntls-24722]

Hey so... Have you thought much about how disability is treated in your various societies? Like with the Debus and stuff? I've been thinking about it for a little bit and got curious 👀

Yes actually!

For disabilities involving mobility, I had sketched out some really clunky ideas for a Debu crutch and some accessibility for their mountain cave-dwellings awhile ago, so I revamped them! The crutch was specifically made for the situation where, say you have an arm compromised, but it's an inconvenient arm like a back or front arm that's mostly tasked for stability, so your balance is off. So there would be a crutch/walker for that, where you could bring support to the back or front and balance yourself better. And for their cliff dwellings, there could be these adobe-rock torons to help climb up with your arms and your mouth. Ideally, a settlement would have terraces up to your residents, but that takes awhile, so torons and pulleys could be an option. (I got inspired by the Great Mosque of Djenne for the torons)

Then there's wheelchairs!

So, just a disclaimer, some of these wheelchair designs might not be around at the time that homo mousike is set in, homo mousike is set around when history just began and as you can imagine, technology isn't really that far yet (the first self-propelled wheelchair was invented 1655)

The bottom design was my first design before i realized, "hey, don't... dogs... have wheelchairs... why don't I just do it like that." The first/top design was my second try which eliminates most of the problems with the first, the main one being: Debu are really goddamn heavy. REALLY heavy. So heavy, in fact, that they can't actually lay down for long periods of time, because their own weight will cut off their blood circulation and get pressure wounds. It's why Debu caves are filled to the brim with bedding so they can lay down for longer - and why my first try at a debu wheelchair was less a wheelchair but a bed on wheels. I guess it's still viable and its design feels/looks more vintage to the point I think that this might become the OG Debu wheelchair that would've been present around now.

Then there's blindness and deafness. Blindness is actually much better to have in Debu society??? Debu are actually not that great at seeing in the first place - their eyes are uniquely sensitive to color, but not to sharpness. And besides, Debu dwellings are in complete darkness except for one room. And because of the fact they live in complete darkness, Debu are historically inclined towards tactile language rather than sign language, which is a mode that deaf and non-deaf individuals alike usually communicate through. Written language is actually equally tactile in some cultures, with valley debu writing stories with beads that can be read by being felt, or read "aloud" by dragging the hoof across the text.

I also find it cool that alphabet letters are physical objects so you can go and buy a bunch of A beads. Defeated teacher at the store, buying a lot of C's and D's after a spelling test

Now onto zebramen.

When it comes to mobile disabilities, interestingly... you'd have a lot less problems in zebraman society out of all of them, which is ironic considering they're constantly on the run.

Before I go into that, I have to describe zebraman society: Instead of civilization forming once populations began to settle down into one place permanently and grow their food, zebraman civilization began when they left sedentary settlements to herd animals, leaving behind the seeds of swaths of crops months in advance in order to harvest them during circular trips around their massive, plains territories. Zebramen are similar to humans where they're able to run for very long periods of time, and they use this less to be persistence hunters but to guide their massive herds along "crop stops" that both they and their herd gather and eat from. They do run along their herds on foot, but those are generally zebramen with the specific job for doing so.

When it comes to the rest of zebramen, they practically live in their carriages, drawn by cloe-mena. They're not particularly fast, but they're really damn strong. As a mountain cow, they were originally built for hoisting themselves up mountains and are perfect picks for drawing carriages for one or two zebramen - or a massive brigade carrying an entire community.

That is all to say that since zebramen spend most of their time riding in their carriages, not being able to walk isn't too much of a damper. Zebramen are, still currently in their ancient Sumer-adjacent technological era though, so they might instead have a wheelbarrow, or smaller wagon with a service animal that they ride instead of a wheelchair since those might still not be widely made/widely available. There may be a cultural result to this where people in wheelchairs are seen as wise and down to earth, the same way we see people with glasses as smart, since they'd have a closer relationship with animals, which is a big ideal in zebramen.

But in the future, Zebramen's wheelchairs would end up looking really similar to ours, except there's more footrests in the front to accommodate their frontmost and middle legs, a cutout in the back to rest the back legs, and the lack of an armrest. Zebrapeople naturally keep their arms in a mantis posture, so having an armrest would just get in the way of trying to propel themselves.

Zebrapeople have generally the same crutches as us, too.

Zebrapeople are inclined towards sign since they're more visually oriented than Debu, so that's another similarity between us, but also because their fingers are stupid flexible and weird freaky cool signs are able to be made. Zebrapeople have the benefit of their sign languages being less species-exclusive between them, since zebraelves and zebramen have the same hands and much of the same languages, they get to share the same sign languages.

Zebrapeople do struggle with written language for the blind though, since paper's a very recent and very popular invention that has yet to find itself a widely used tactile way to read its text. The ones currently around similar to moon type where letters are instead raised curves and angled lines.

So onto what zebraelves have different for mobility impairments!

So, the zebraelf wheelchair might be a little different. Their butts are at an angle, which is why they can seamlessly go from octopodal to hexapodal, so they sit as if they're leaned forward. And that gave me an idea because this was the first self-propelled wheelchair invented by Stephan Farffler when he was 22 and this fucks severely.

That's COOL. This is COOL. And it's the same principle that bikes were improved with, so thank him, every cyclist ever

But, I kind of get why this didn't completely stick around. You kind of have to reach forward for this, which you might not be able to do. You see where I'm going with this?

Zebraelves live in trees though, carts like this are primarily for walking on ground. Yet, I would argue this only makes things better for disabled zebraelves because zebraelves are also really good at living in trees.

Their bodies are small and compact, and their bodies are adapted for both walking and swinging/generally hanging on and across branches. Having monkey bars on just about everything is used by everyone. Even if you're without the use of arms, your legs are morphologically the same as your arms, and you're free to use those, too. When you can't use either, there's still pulley systems to help you to get places.

And to answer your other ask, happy disability pride month!

[copperbadge]

Hello! I recently moved to Chicago for a job. As a local, do you have any recommendations for which museums and/or attractions to check out, and which to skip or leave for later? I’ve only been to the art institute so far, but I had a really nice time! Also, your resume tips helped me out a lot, so thanks for that!

Sorry for the delay in reply to this! I definitely wanted to respond sooner but some answers take longer than others :D

I did a bit of a writeup here recently so that's some starter reading, but let me just do a quick rundown of the big museums...

Art Institute -- you've already been so you know it's world-class! Make sure that when you're in the modern wing (as you enter) you look left, there's a whole bunch of galleries to the left that often go unexplored. Also in the original wing, at the main staircase, make sure you go downstairs to explore, the Thorne rooms are down there and so is the paperweight collection if they ever open it again.

Museum of Science and Industry -- always a great time, still has lots of weird old exhibits, but it's also easy to get lost in, so don't plan to see everything your first time out. This is especially fun to take visiting guests to. Don't miss the daily chick-hatching!

Field Museum -- even older and weirder than the MSI, but you can get a little trapped in exhibits (sometimes the only way in or out is to walk a long ways) so conserve your energy. The new Sue exhibit is kind of tucked back on an upper floor but DO NOT miss it, the light show is super fun.

Chicago History Museum -- you know I still haven't been? They have a great cafeteria, I've eaten there :) I'm given to understand it's a really fun museum.

Shedd Aquarium -- I like the Shedd but eh, it's an aquarium. The tickets on the website are pricey but if you buy in person there's a "just the fishes" option for like $8, problem is you usually have to stand in line for a while to get it.

Adler Planetarium -- it's fun, but unless you're a nut for outer space, the highlight is the planetarium show; I'd save this one for a rainy weekend when you just want to wander somewhere.

I truly love the dumb little Money Museum at the Fed, but I think it's still closed. If it isn't, it's a great way to spend an afternoon, lots of fun money to look at, but you will need legal ID and you have to go through a metal detector on your way in, so be prepared for that.

The Garfield Park Conservatory is a fantastic botanical garden; go in summer so you can enjoy the large outdoors space. If you go in the morning, they sometimes let you help feed the koi fish in the indoor ponds.

Lincoln Park Zoo is a lovely mainly-outdoor zoo, and has a lot of events, even in the colder months (zoolights, for example, and they have a summer 5K where I personally almost died from running but refused to let the camels witness that).

As you settle into the city you'll become more aware of what there is to see and do; you pick up a kind of rhythm of the place, so I do think just getting out and looking around the city is a good way to find fun activities. Chinatown (red line Chinatown stop) is fun to shop and eat in, and a great way to learn about the parks is to attend some movies in the parks this summer.

Welcome to the city and I hope you love it here!

[gazeofseer]

Timeless Pyschic Reading

This period of time I am not been able to do anything great this season of spring is quite slow, and steady as things are moving in it is hard for see through the divine especially when it is busy with executions we planned before hand being here today, But where am I ? What am I even doing all this lost count of emotion and thought because I have been walking, pathless towards somewhere, where my heart and soul leads.

Note : First see the pictures clearly and close your eyes whatever comes first has a deep encounter to your wandering questions. It is timeless intuitive reading which is relevant to the time being of the divine indication towards hope in your life path ahead !

Which Stage of Life you are right now ? ( Advices )

Image 1 :

Waiting for people who hurt you to understand your part in the situations can feel heart wrenching because they won't, I see some small argument happened but it was something sensitive for someone close to you but just because you chose to do something else and it made them feel hurt, they misunderstood your intent, you said no on someone's behalf ? now this is your calling, calling to let your intent speak for you then your purpose has to, do not tell what could have happened tell people your intent towards them, you have been alone lately seeing, black crows and it voices kids, playing couples giggling and is it raining or gloomy or you travel at night? you are walking in the darkness longer to feel comforted because people would not.

Signs : You are on a healing journey somebody left you or will but you would know deep down about this person and it will guide you from there following may month, 4, 8 numbers and a pearl accessory you may have as prominence in your life this will be a short cycle, it would not last even weeks if you simply accept that it's okay, even if they don't understand without letting it affect you anymore or rub you off in anxiety or triggers.

Advice : Do not resist crying, cry at least till you feel your neck especially the throat part getting freed and elevated !

_____________________________________________________________

Image 2 :

Dreaming is safe, who would put a war upon ideas and people I can have all of it in my head, huh but only in my head..trust issues are running on you overwhelming your heart and mind, constantly scrolling, sighing, numbing, I bet you can't remember what you had in the breakfast without thinking for a five minutes, because you are ignoring, pushing and laying wondering something will sway you off this life somehow and it will be the change, but it would not be you but it also scares you, because trust issues comes from you, not believing that you can..go through the phases of life.

You created enough options in your life but choosing one is always a hell of a task, you barely have two or one close feminine friend otherwisw you indulge well with the masculine energy around you.

Signs : Taurus, Ego Issues, You have been recently judged or insulted for something especially regarding a skill you believed being a pro at , Virgo, you may have birthday on 26 or something special on this date

Advice : Ground yourself, flying is great as long as you trust your fall greatly on the grounds of something secure like faith, divine or on yourself !

_____________________________________________________________

Image 3 :

It happens, you might feel the world is running while I am just being a apart of a audience watching the show in autopilot routined lifestyle, it feels annoying to even wake up in the morning, the job is killing you quite be it at home or at work, you just need balance, it is easy to put you either over or under the board because you believe everyone is good, and even if they are not they have no good reason to harm you and the those hurt you the first, it leaves you in tireless repetition of patterns which can feel exhausting that you let go of everything all at once and rest, lose, and get lost in the overthinking on where did you went wrong.

Signs : Pisces, Joint or Big Family, Too much talking and noise around you I see you squeeze your forehead often in worries, tension and being annoyed, you might be quite traditional, 14 November came out of the blue, blue is your favourite only if you feel sad or happy otherwise you love yellow and pink.

Advice : Say No, and say unless three times and see people and things if it gives upon you or not. test the world without putting anyone and yourself on the pedestals of marathon.

_____________________________________________________________

I understand waiting having patience can feel like stagnation but maybe it is a pause, we asked for only to find out what is happening inside oneself, because trust the divine nothing ever stops you except for your own energy flow.

I hope this reading brings clarity into your current living time period, let me know what parts were resonating and does this reading helps?

_____________________________________________________________

[year2000electronics]

you should use this ask to talk about 1961 Otto :]{

YAAAY

so. all my favourite ocks have the arms be a sort of reflection of otto’s fatal flaw (with exception to olivia just bc we don’t really get to hear how or why she invented her arms)

- raimi otto’s arms appeal to his ego and hubris and convince him he couldn’t have been wrong

- spectacular otto’s arms give him the power he always craved to fight back against norman and become the bully instead of the bullied

- ps4 otto’s arms aren’t uniformly designed for the good of mankind, they’re designed for himself above all else and are just extensions of the selfish and paranoid person he’s become

and so on and so forth. so for MY otto, he’s a science teacher who was never able to settle down with anyone or have kids but he’s always REALLY wanted a family and that’s kinda why he puts up with the teaching job y’know? because all these kids are kinda like his kids, at least for a year or so. but at the end of the day they have their real guardians to go back to, and they all graduate eventually and stop visiting. so he kinda gets lonelier specifically because he won’t admit to himself that that’s what he’s doing (seeking out companionship).

so then peter parker comes along and he has him as a student for even longer than normal thanks to pete taking some early high school prep classes and he’s there for may when ben dies and everything, pete really sees him as a father figure and he’s pretty much become part of the family! but then peter’s senior year comes along. and that means he’s gonna have to graduate.

peter is struggling with this on his own, he doesn’t want everything to change and for him to lose the place that’s been his life for 4 years, little does he know otto is ALSO panicking because his basically-son is gonna graduate and move on and forget all about him!! and he’s freaking out. but again we see 1961 otto’s flaw of gaining something personally via hiding his intentions, he doesn’t want to tell peter and may that he sees them as family because what if they don’t see him like that? he just wants EVERYTHING TO STAY THE EXACT SAME WITH NO CHANGE SO HE FEELS IN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION.

but of course he keeps panicking and instead of the “risky” option of telling peter and may, he decides that “hey, if they leave and forget about me, then i can just make myself a backup! i’ll pour my heart and soul into making these robotic arms that i’ll SAY are for people who live alone who need extra help like the elderly, but are actually for me so i can simulate companionship!” (again, being duplicitous about what he wants by pretending it’s for a different reason than it actually is!) but of course, at the oscorp inventor’s expo he brings the arms to, he suffers a terrible accident and they get fused to him, ai and all

so obviously since otto’s greatest wish was for a family who he could control, when the arms gain sentience and start speaking to him (because come on i had to that’s such a great idea for the arms) it’s not in a “no inhibitor chip now i’m following their programming” way it’s a “hello dad it’s us, Your Children :)” way. the accident increased all of their violent tendencies by tenfold and made them all a bit cuckoo, so otto decides once he’s off of bed rest, that “hey! i know how i can stop peter’s graduation! he can’t graduate if the ceremony just never happens, right?!” (desperate actions of a control freak, you understand) so he attacks the graduation ceremony and peter has to save his classmates including flash. well, that plan failed, but y’know what? otto’s OTHER kids aren’t attacking him anyways! hmph! so he disappears into the night, becoming spider-man’s nemesis, doc ock

all of that was for the “graduation day” arc of my au, the rest of my au takes place after a timeskip when pete’s an adult working at the bugle! so when we zero back in on otto, we see he’s learned nothing and gotten even Worse. he starts his own villain team, the sinister six, but how he recruits each member is that they’re suffering, usually from their own backstory stuff, and he helps them back onto their feet so now they adore him and see him as their caretaker! and they’re all one big family, don’t you think? doc ock DEFINITELY ISNT LYING ABOUT WHY HE’S SAVING THESE SUPERVILLAINS AGAIN.

you can see that throughline in their recruitment order too, we go from electro to vulture to sandman, each who fell victim to horrific accidents or unethical experiments, then you have mysterio, whose only wound is his ego after he got fired, and then the final member is norman osborn himself, the green goblin, who was indirectly responsible for a lot of their backstories. but otto takes in norman saying “oh well he’s just like us, he’s wounded, we must turn the other cheek and take care of him” when really he knows norman is full of shit, doing this goblin thing for personal gain and is entirely in control of his actions, and is lying about it by pretending that it’s an “evil dark entity taking over me” situation. but norman has power and influence and otto needs that influence. also they have a bit of a weird gay thing. so otto plays along with norman’s ruse

ANYWAYS YEAH that’s my otto for you! his arc ends with my own version of superior spider man where otto finally realizes how terrible he’s been to peter and everyone around him by being forced to see the world through eyes that aren’t his :) he and peter make up by the time my miles morales arc starts. he’s such a weirdo i love him. he needs to get therapy!

[immeasurablesaladagere]

If its alright could you write a Agere Story of Hawks being a little and maybe Touya or Endeavor find him at his apartment after he missed a meeting [Person can be anyone that makes sense to find him at his home]

One order of little!Hawks, coming right up! Felt kinda weird calling him by his hero name but also just as weird calling him Keigo, but I'd like to think he and Touya are close enough to be on a first-name basis so Keigo it is. I hope you enjoy!

-----

Word Count: 1250

Summery: When Hawks oversleeps and misses an important meeting that the LOV was supposed to be listening in on, Touya takes it upon himself to check in on him.

-----

It was almost two in the morning when Keigo stumbled into his apartment, exhausted. Stupid night shift. Stupid villains. Didn’t they have something better to be doing in the middle of the night? Like sleeping maybe? The structural collapse mission had kept him nearly three hours longer than when he was scheduled to go home, marking the third night in a row he’d not only worked a night shift but stayed late. 

Bits of grime and gravel scratched uncomfortably between the feathers of his wings. He gave them a sluggish shake to knock out the dirt to no avail, and sighed. He’d managed to beat the line for a  shower at the agency after the mission but he didn’t have the time or energy to wash or preen his wings, so he would just have to settle for the grimy feeling until tomorrow.

He staggered to his bedroom, shucked off his uniform, flopped into his nest of blankets, and quickly fell asleep.

——

Of course, leave it to the bird-man to live in a high-rise with an inaccessible balcony. 

Touya eyed the ground below from the fire escape, watching for peering eyes that might catch a high-ranking villain jumping onto the number two hero’s balcony. There weren’t any; it was late enough in the morning that the commute rush was mostly finished and the few still milling around were too distracted with their own lives to bother looking up. Aided by his fire he made the quick leap across two balconies onto Hawks’ and slid open the sliding glass door without issue, just as he expected. Cocky bastard. He was practically inviting villains in at this rate.

Keigo’s apartment was dark and quiet, which meant he was either gone or still asleep, and based on his notable absence from his very important agency meeting, he was putting his money on the second option. Keigo just loved to make his life difficult. Now instead of being able to just listen in on the meeting like The League had planned, it had been rescheduled, and now all of their work bugging the room was put to waste.

And, as much as he hated to acknowledge it, Keigo suddenly going missing was at least a little concerning. Despite his blasé attitude he took his job seriously, and sleeping through a meeting as important as this one wasn’t like him, so he figured an impromptu check-in was in order. 

“Oi, Bird-Brain! You alive in here?” He called into the house. Keigo wasn’t crashed on the couch, so off to the bedroom he went. The door was wide open, and on top of the blankets covered by his dull red wings laid Keigo, completely dead to the world and snoring.

Touya smirked. Figures. He dropped down onto the bed and gave Keigo a nudge. “C’mon, wake up birdie. It’s not polite to ignore your guests.” Keigo groaned and batted his hand away. “It’s also not great to sleep with dirty wings, but y’know. Priorities.”

“Go ‘way…” Keigo mumbled, voice high-pitched and drowsy, “M’sleepy.”

Ah. Little, apparently. That made sense. If he remembered his schedule correctly then Hawks had been working a few nights in a row now, and the news reported that there were multiple villain attacks in the middle of the night and, probably, if he had to guess, right when Keigo’s shifts were supposed to end.

“I know, baby bird, but your wings are dirty and I’m pretty sure you haven’t had breakfast, right?”

“Mmm no…”

“Then up we get, sleepyhead. We’ll get some food in you and I’ll give you a preen, and then you can go back to sleep, okay?”

Keigo finally opened his eyes, bleary and none-too-impressed. He stared stubbornly at him and didn’t move a muscle. So that’s how it was gonna be, huh?

“Alright, up and ‘attem, let’s go.” Taking matters into his own hands, Touya wrangled his arms under Keigo’s armpits and hoisted him up into a sitting position, earning himself an irritated whine. He ignored Keigo’s valiant protests and moved over to his dresser, pulling out a soft-looking sweatshirt and a pair of shorts and tossing them to him. “You get dressed and I’ll get started on breakfast, alright?”

He got a half-hearted grumble in response. Good enough.

Keigo’s pantry left much to be desired. Dried pasta, ramen packages, crackers, and one nearly-empty box of sugary cereal. His fridge wasn’t much better, but at least he had milk and some fruit. By the time Keigo shuffled into the kitchen, stuffed dog tucked neatly in his arms, Touya had a bowl of cereal on the table alongside a small plate of soda crackers and berries. It wasn’t his best work, but it would do. Keigo had never been particularly picky.

“How old are we feeling, baby?”

Keigo shrugged and took a slow bite of cereal. “Mm… five? ‘Dunno.”

Now that he was in the light of the kitchen it was easier to see just how tired Keigo really looked. He had dark circles under his eyes, his hair was scruffy and flat, his exposed skin was littered with healing bruises and peeling band-aids, and of course, his wings were a mess. “You really are tired, huh? Must’ve been to sleep through that meeting.”

Keigo scrunched up his face in confusion. “Meeting? What meet-“ He froze, eyes going wide. “Noooo…” He whined, bonking his head into the table, “Forgot ‘bout it…”

Touya shrugged and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it kid, they rescheduled it already.” Keigo looked up at him with a questioning pout, “I would know, I was there.” He said cheekily.

Keigo huffed and went back to his breakfast. “Can’t do that, you’re gonna get in trouble.”

“You let me worry about that, okay? I’m a big boy, I can handle myself.”

He finished his food quickly and Touya set his dishes in the sink. He was here to be a babysitter, not a maid. Keigo could clean those himself later. Speaking of Keigo, he was almost asleep at the table, eyes drooping closed and then quickly blinking open again before he could topple over. “Okay, let’s get your wings cleaned up and then you can go back to bed, I promise.”

On the way back to the bedroom Touya snagged his wing brush and a bottle of oil from the bathroom before dropping down next to him on the bed. “Wings out, bud.” He prompted, and Keigo complied easily, fanning out his wings into his lap. He began the slow and methodical process of preening, dragging the brush over his wings to knock off the surface-level dirt before combing with his fingers to find any remaining rocks or sticks, of which there were many. Whatever he’d been doing had really done a number on his wings. They were in rough shape this time. He could practically feel Keigo going boneless under his hands as he worked, and by the time he was re-oiling the feathers he was practically slumped forward, barely awake.

“Okay baby bird, all done. Are we ready to go back to bed now?”

“Mm-hmm…” Keigo mumbled, taking that as his invitation to flop down completely and snuggle down into the blanket pile, stuffed dog tucked under his chin.

“Then my job here is done. Papa Dabi has to go back to work now, okay? If you need anything you know you can give me a call.” He said, running gentle hand through Keigo’s messy hair, “Sweet dreams, baby bird. You deserve it.”

[trashboatprince]

Here's a little one-shot based on this recent drawing I did for Fourteen and Donna, involving a flip phone. It's gonna have different dialogue, but that's alright.

As always, I write Fourteen with they/them pronouns.

On with the fic!

--

"You have got to be kidding me..." Donna growled as she stared at the alien sitting in a chair before her. They looked a bit roughed up and was grinning, but that kind of grin that meant that they knew damn well that they were in trouble.

"Hi, Donna!" The Doctor gave a little wave. "Finally tracked you down, this building is huge! How do you even get around in here without constantly getting lost?"

"What are you doing here?" Donna asked, crossing her arms. It's not that she didn't mind being visited by her family while at work at UNIT, but it was bad enough that Rose worked here twice a week for some extra cash, now her adopted-alien sibling was breaking and entering instead of just calling her! She didn't need to keep an eye on two troublemakers while she had to deal with aliens and paperwork!

The Doctor looked away, toying with their tie instead of making eye contact. "Well... I was bored."

"You were bored."

"Yeah. Shaun's off at work, Sylvia has her book or cooking club, can't remember which one she said she was going to, and Wilf was busy with his friends, leaving me alone." The Doctor shrugged. "Andyoustillhavethetardiskey." They quickly added, pouting.

"For a damn good reason, spaceman." She huffed. "So, why come here?"

"To help! Or see if I can get back into the Black Archives. They changed up the security system the last time I was there, and I know that they have some stuff in there I really want. Like the copy of this one movie with Peter Cushing in it based on one of my old adventures! It's an excellent movie, it's even got Bernard Cribbins in it! Remember, he's that lovely chap who was..."

They trailed off under Donna's heated stare and they swallowed. "Also, I miss hanging out with you, and talking with you, and just spending time with my best friend. You're always so busy with work!"

Donna sighed loudly, rubbing at her eyes. "Doctor, it's sweet that you miss me, but this is my new job, and I'd really like to keep it for longer than a few months. I know you miss hanging out with me and going on adventures, I can't deny that I miss it too. But you are retired, and Kate says you are not allowed to help with UNIT stuff unless if it's an extreme emergency and we can't get in contact with your other half."

"I'm sure I could be of great help here, I'll even put up with the scientific advisor job again!"

"No." She held up a hand. "Look, just... go home, relax, and break the TV or something. It'll entertain you for a few hours as you try to, I dunno, update it to get channels from Planet Blue."

"Oh, you don't want channels from there, they are just the worst, all public access, but not the fun kind with the puppets or the people in costumes. Those are good ones."

Donna just stared at the Doctor, who smiled. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "What can keep you occupied while I'm at work?"

They shrugged. "I dunno. I just... wanna hang out with you in some way while you're at work."

"What about a phone?"

They looked bothered, even offended, at this suggestion. "A phone? Donna, I hate phones."

"Your home is a phonebox!"

"Not really, she just likes to look like one. And besides, I don't like all the... apps and options, and the fact that it's just a shitty computer and not really a phone anymore. Also, Kate gave me one, remember?"

Donna scoffed. "Yes, and it 'accidentally' ended up buried in the garden."

"That was the ghosts who did that."

"No, they didn't."

"Yeah, they didn't." They sighed, pouting. "Don't wanna smartphone, don't need one. Never had a need for one, and the only reason I even had a phone back when you traveled with the younger version of this pretty face was cause Martha wanted me to have it."

"And I want you to have one." Donna pointed out, poking them in the chest. "If Martha can convince you to have one, then I should be able to as well."

The Doctor groaned, rolling their head back before slumping in their seat. "Fine, I'll use a phone."

Donna grinned. "Good, I'll find you a good one."

--

"A flip phone?" The Doctor asked when Donna arrived home that evening, staring at the little device in her hand.

"It's better suited for you, no apps, just takes and makes calls, and does a bit of texting. It's a phone. And one that I know you're not going to just conveniently lose." Donna stated. "I made sure of that."

"Really?" The Doctor blinked, taking it. "How so?"

"Got a tracker on it, so if you try to lose it, I'll find it. And if you try to have the TARDIS lose it, she'll just give it to me, cause she loves me."

They glanced at the window, glaring at the big, blue box that stood out on the back porch. Yeah, she did love Donna, and would so rat the Doctor out in a heartbeat. "Fine! I'll keep it on me!"

"Good. And, now that you have one, if I lose you in public, which is bound to happen because it always does, I can easily find you with a single call!" Donna said with a smile.

The Doctor sighed, staring at the dark blue and silver flip phone, opening it up and seeing the most basic of backgrounds on the screen. First things first, they were changing that, and maybe getting custom ringtones. They might not like phones, there were easier ways to communicate, and more fun, like writing letters on psychic paper and having them show up throughout time and space, but they were going to make this work in their own way.

"And Rose helped me pick it out." Donna spoke as she moved to the kitchen. "She said it's the kind that can have a little phone charm hang from it, she'll help you find one, or she'll make you one."

This instantly got the Doctor's attention, and they perked up. "Oh? Ooh, I love a little charm! Adds a bit of, well, charm, to something!"

"Yeah, I figured you'd approve of that." Donna said before vanishing into the other room.

After a week with the blasted device, now loaded down in photos and every one of their contacts having custom ringtones, and several charms hooked to the thing, the phone seemed to be a good compromise to keep the Doctor from pestering Donna at work.

At least in person.

However, calling was quite often, and Donna was now regretting ever getting them the damn thing.

At least she finally got them to use it for once.

--

The Doctor is the kinda person who would love phone charms.

Also, the reference to the Peter Cushing Doctor Who movies is a canon fact from the novelization of Day of the Doctor, Ten and Eleven found the movie in the archives and were obsessing over it.

Also, the letters on psychic paper are from a Ten and River audio adventure. I can see Fourteen doing this too, but I think they and Fifteen would do it to keep in communication.

[beating-a-dead-plot]

Please Read If You Live In The USA

Hi! My name isn't actually Petunia, it's just a nickname, and I used it so I could maintain some level of anonymity on here and protect myself from shame and awkwardness. That is no longer an option to me.

I live in New York state, not the big city, a different region. If you are female, non-binary, or transgender and over the age of 18, living in a state that isn't so fun as mine, maybe you could come visit me? Maybe you finally decided that your random internet bestie should be your real life bestie and you just have to meet each other! After all, good friends are so hard to find these days! I live with family currently, so you would have to find a place to stay for your visit, but I would just love to finally get to meet you!

I mean, we could check out Niagara Falls, it's basically in my backyard, or we could take a little food tour of Western New York! If money is going to be tight, maybe it'll be on me if I'm in a decent spot with money, but if we're just two broke idiots, well, public parks are always a great option to hang out in, or we could hole up in your staying place and have some fun talking about all our favorite fandoms and characters! Also, we could take a little day trip to Canada, border's right there and and as long as you've got your documents and behave going through customs, it's fun! The butterfly conservatory is amazing, I bet you'd really love it! Think about how fun it could be to just have a little get-away with your internet bestie?

I don't care about my own embarrassment anymore, I will take being embarrassed for being a freak over not being at least offering to help people who need it right now. I'm nobody, I have like four mutuals and only one talks to me consistently (Which is my fault, NOT theirs, not playing the blame game here, not even close), but if someone needs a justifiable excuse to hang out in NY for a bit, send me a private message.

I don't care if we're mutuals or not, I don't care if you're even in the Star Wars fandom, I'll read up on something if you need me to. I can help with finding activities and resources in my area, I will gladly scope out the best hotels/motels/rentals in my area if you need me to.

Even if no one sees this post or takes me up on this, I just want to know, I tried. I tried to do something to keep people from being hurt when they shouldn't have to be. I'm currently a part-time college student and looking into getting applications in for jobs, but if you need help, if you need someone to be on your side when your own family isn't, come to me.

At this point, if you voted for the person hurting us? Still message me if you need help. I loathe your choice but I am not going to let you be hurt or worse because of it. Don't get me wrong, I am furious with those who voted him in, but if I let you suffer because of him, I would be no better than the hateful bigots on the other side from me.

And if immigration is what your goal is, I will gladly try to help you with Canadian immigration or coming to NY to explore your options. I will not help you cross with the intent to do so illegally, but a day-trip to check out Ontario? I will do it. I will not help with anything outright illegal, but if you need help and are willing to be close enough to legal not to get me arrested, I'm here.

There's this thing I saw people saying on social media "I could hate her more than anything in the world, and I still wouldn't leave her alone with that weird man at the party." You are now all in that first category, I don't care if you're a Trekie (I had to add humor, I'm losing it), you will never catch me leaving you alone at this party unless I am truly unable to, which would be if I'm arrested and/or dead.

Reach out if you need someone, there's none of you who should be left to the wolves now. <3

I am AFAB, cis-gender as far as everyone knows, I will now be referring to myself as straight but I used to go by bisexual as a label, and 23 years old. For more details, DM me and we can see what we need to do.

[daitranscripts]

Trespasser Cutscene

Catching Up With Varric

Trespasser Masterpost Varric Masterpost

Varric speaks nearby with a plain looking man.

Bran: The prince of Starkhaven wrote to you again.

Varric: Of course he did. Just put that one in the pile with letters from the Merchants Guild.

Bran: And the captain of the city guard had a very… colorful message for me to deliver to you as well.

The PC walks up.

Varric: Inquisitor! Andraste’s ass, am I ever glad to see you!

Dialogue options:

General: Am I interrupting? [1]

General: That’s what I’m here for. [2]

General: What did you do now? [3]

1 - General: Am I interrupting? PC: Am I interrupting something important? Bran: Yes. Varric: Which is perfect because Bran here needed a break. [4]

2 - General: That’s what I’m here for. PC: And the Inquisitor comes to the rescue once again. Bran: Is that what you call it? [4]

3 - General: What did you do now? PC: Are you in some kind of trouble? What’s happened this time? Varric: So suspicious. I’ll have you know, I’ve never been convicted of anything—officially. [4]

4 - Scene continues.

Varric: This is Bran Cavin. Until recently, he was the viscount…

Bran: Provisional viscount.

Varric: …of Kirkwall.

Dialogue options:

General: He’s here for the talks? [5]

General: “Until recently”? [6]

General: And he’s here delivering your mail? [7]

5 - General: He’s here for the talks? PC: Are you here to represent Kirkwall in the Exalted Council, Viscount Bran? Bran: Provisional viscount. Which, sadly, is no longer my office. [8]

6 - General: “Until recently”? PC: And what are you doing now? [8]

7 - General: And he’s here delivering your mail? PC: So why is he here with messages from the Merchants Guild? [8]

8 - Scene continues.

Bran: I have resumed my post as seneschal now that Master Tethras has been elected viscount.

PC: You’re the viscount of Kirkwall now?

Bran: Well, it seems the two of you have a great deal to discuss. Why don’t I just leave you to it?

Bran walks away.

Varric: So… it turns out, you fund enough reconstruction efforts in a city-state, the nobles give you the worst job they can think of.

Dialogue options:

Surprised: Viscount? I can’t believe it. [9]

Sad: So you’re not coming back? [10]

Pleased: You’ll be a great viscount. [11]

9 - Surprised: Viscount? I can’t believe it. PC: I might need to sit down. You’re the ruler of Kirkwall now? All of it? Varric: That’s not that big a deal. I have a really pointy crown that I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing, but that’s it. [12]

10 - Sad: So you’re not coming back? PC: Does this mean I can’t tempt you into coming back to Skyhold? Wicked Grace hasn’t been the same since you left. Varric: I’m probably going to be stuck in Kirkwall for the foreseeable future. There’s a lot to do back home. [12]

11 - Pleased: You’ll be a great viscount. PC: That’s fantastic. You’ll make an excellent viscount. Varric: I think the nobility figured, after Dumar and Perrin, “What’s the worst that could happen if we put the dwarf in charge?” [12]

12 - Scene continues.

Varric: They voted me in because I got the harbor and businesses up and running again. They want shit fixed, and I can do that. Anyway, I was hoping I’d catch you before the summit got underway. I got you a sort of present.

Varric hands the PC something.

Varric: It’s official recognition of your title and holdings in Kirkwall. Congratulations! You’re a [comte/comtesse] now.

Bran rushes over.

Bran: You can’t actually do that without—

Varric: Too late! Already did it!

Dalish PC, Clan Lavellan survives Varric: I also drafted an alliance with the new elf-led city council of Wycome, so Clan Lavellan has some political muscle to flex now. Bran: That needs to be reviewed by—

Dwarf PC Varric: I also… got you a seat in the Merchants Guild. Don’t thank me. I was just going to give you mine, but they got so angry about it. Bran: This is highly irregular. You know there have already been complaints from—

Qunari PC Varric: Also your mercenary company, the Valo-kas? They work for Kirkwall now. I just know my guard-captain will love Shokrakar. Bran: Guard-Captain Aveline has been to my office eleven times in the last week to complain.

Human PC/Clan Lavellan did not survive Varric: You should stop by Hightown some time to see your estate. It’s pretty nice! For Kirkwall, anyway. Bran: Proper disposition of empty estates is supposed to—

Varric: You were leaving us to talk, remember?

Bran: (Sighs.)

Bran walks away.

Dialogue options:

General: I don’t know what to say. [13]

General: What’s all this for? [14]

General: Why does this make me nervous? [15]

13 - General: I don’t know what to say. PC: This is possibly too much, Varric. I don’t know what to say. Varric: It’s nothing, practically nothing. Don’t mention it. [16]

14 - General: What’s all this for? PC: What brought all this on? I’m pretty sure it’s not Give Your Friends Lavish Titles Day. Varric: What kind of viscount would I be if I didn’t abuse my position to give shit to my friends? I’ve got traditions to uphold! [16]

15 - General: Why does this make me nervous? PC: What are you up to? I feel like I should be suspicious. Varric: Look, it’s really not that big a deal. [16]

16 - Scene continues.

Varric: Oh, that reminds me…

Varric hands the PC a key.

Varric: It’s the key to the city.

Bran rushes over again.

Bran: You can’t give that away without approval from the council and a special ceremony! It—

Varric: It’s just symbolic anyway.

Bran: It controls one of the giant chain nets in the harbor.

Varric: Really? That… is so much better than I thought.

Dialogue options:

General: I can’t accept this! [17]

General: Thank you, Varric. [18]

General: Can I try it out? [19]

17 - General: I can’t accept this! PC: You can’t give me the actual key that closes Kirkwall’s harbor. That’s absurd! Bran: Finally, someone with sense. [20]

18 - General: Thank you, Varric. PC: Thank you. I’m touched. A little bit… horrified by this key now, but still touched. Bran: Please don’t give anything else away. [20]

19 - General: Can I try it out? PC: This operates those giant chains? Can I try it? Bran: No! [20]

20 - Scene continues.

Varric: I don’t know how this council thing is going to end for the Inquisition. But whatever gets decided, you’ve got a place lined up in Kirkwall if you want it. Also… control of the harbor, I guess. Anyway, you should meet with the diplomats. We’ll get in a game of Wicked Grace before I go back, though, right?

PC: I wouldn’t miss it.

Bran: Don’t bet any public buildings this time.

[juliemolinaz]

I'm really interested in how episode 16 turns out. I don't think that Sa-rang is saying she wants to break up, but it's more about her wanting to leave King the Land and maybe even King Hotel itself. I've seen some people say that she'll want to go to the King Tourist Hotel, but I also don't see how that would be a long-term, tenable option for her relationship with Won because it's not like Won would be able to be President of the King Hotel part of the King Group if he was living with Sa-rang near the King Tourist Hotel. And it wouldn't make sense for Won to give up being the President of the hotel branch of the King Group just to be with Sa-rang because the evolution of his character has come to care for all the employees, not just Sa-rang. I can't see him being okay with letting Hwa-ran be in charge of things again when it's clear that she doesn't care about the employees and she would take more advantage of them.

I do think the show did a great job through Sa-rang in exploring the idea that just because you have a dream once doesn't mean that will be your dream forever. Sa-rang's dream was to work at the King Hotel since she was a child because it reminded her of the happiness she experienced with her mother. However, the more and more she's climbed up the ladder at the King Hotel, the more disillusioned she's become. The King Hotel is no longer this great place from her childhood, but a place that has made her feel sad and small. And while the King Tourist Hotel reminded her of all the reasons she likes being a hotel concierge, she really can't do that at the King Hotel.

So, yeah, I'm interested in what ends up happening that allows Sa-rang and Won to have a happy ending that makes sense for their characters and the evolution they've had during the past 15 episodes.

[kirkwall-age]

probably about to reinvent the wheel here

but i think my favorite explanation for the off-screen Athenril fallout is pride before a fall

sidebar: i think i nearly always go the Athenril route because, well, Meeran asks you to straight up kill somebody as a job interview, and Athenril says in her pitch: we’re not slavers and we’re not murderers. and i think the majority of my Hawkes who just left a farm in Lothering are not exactly contract killer material

and the game requires you to walk away from both of them. from the doylist perspective = i get it.

but quitting Meeran’s crew is easy to explain away: the man’s a grade A asshole. but Athenril’s personable. she knows how to be polite which has taken her this far. and yet we know that she has done something so offensive that Hawke storms off and promises to never work with her again

in spite of which Athenril sends you three very politely worded letters (job offers for Loose Ends, Bait and Switch and The Bone Pit), keeping the line of communication open and fairly amiable

so the way i see it is:

Athenril’s crew is small. she is trying to get by without attracting too much attention from the Coterie or the Carta. that’s fact

Hawke joins her crew -- which betters Athenril’s business considerably. that’s also fact. we know from Varric’s introductiory speech that Athenril’s operation ended up growing large enough, and the only reason why the Coterie and the Carta didn’t succeed in wiping her out was Hawke

and, at first, I think things go pretty well. Athenril seems like she would try and get along with Hawke. keep her people happy. that’s speculation :)

but, I think, she does enjoy the power play, a little bit. that type of benevolence where you can offer the carrot because you know there is the unspoken threat of the stick. she’s really in control. and everyone knows it. and they should be grateful that she chooses the carrot.

Hawke + sibling have to work for her for a whole year, and they have no choice -- because of Gamlen’s debt, and because Fereldans don’t really have a lot of great options around Kirkwall, and also made worse by the fact that Hawke has to hide either their own magic, or Bethany’s. and, in conversation, Hawke literally refers to it as Athenril having Hawke’s life in her hands for the whole year.

so yeah, Athenril treats them well, but she knows she holds the leash, too

and Athenril sees how her business prospers with Hawke at her beck and call, and her ambition grows

Hawke improves Athenril’s crew overall skill and competency and standing by a large margin, and as other groups get either swallowed up or torn apart by the Carta and the Coterie, Athenril’s crew holds their ground

and Athenril starts telling herself that it is on her merit. that it is her command and her smarts that have gotten them this far, not Hawke’s. and whatever Hawke did to contribute to it — well, that’s still Athenril’s win for finding them and bringing them to heel

and Hawke, with some personality variations, grows either more and more concerned with Athenril’s gluttony for power, or more and more frustrated

and then the year is coming up on its expiration date, and Athenril tries to pressure Hawke into staying. threats are issued -- and fall on deaf ears because Hawke was never afraid of Athenril. she hurls insults, then offers bribes. standard manipulations tactics. arrogance and possessiveness abound

and that is the note on which Hawke leaves as the year is up, and the contract is done, and Hawke no longer has to deal with any of this

and Athenril’s business instantly starts to dwindle. and the power that she imagined starts to turn to sawdust in her hands. and the Coterie starts breathing down her neck (once again: fact) because Athenril no longer can back up her threats or offer sufficient pushback

so, from aggressive, Athenril turns plaintive, sending Hawke multiple letters that are kindly worded, trying to lure them back

the severance note she sends literally says: Your year’s up and you’re free to go. Despite what you think, we had a good thing working together. I might pass along an opportunity or two, if you’re willing to get your hands dirty. Stay safe. — entirely pleasant

and then, as stated above, she also sends letters for Fenris’s recruitment and for the Bone Pit chain. tasty morsels to win Hawke’s trust back. along the lines of: “see, wasn’t this profitable? aren’t i a good boss partner?”

but then when you go to meet her: she isn’t friendly at all. she’s showing some teeth. “Didn’t think you’d stoop to our kind again. Or are you not too proud to make some coin?”

so, some of this is a little contradictory -- and i just required a decent watsonian explanation to tie these loose threads together into a neat narrative

and, then, dealer’s choice. personality pending. in my current playthrough Hawke is pretty patient and doesn’t hold a grudge. she is willing to give Athenril a second chance. see if she came back to her senses. this bit is pure headcanon land. insert whatever rationalization fits the bill

but the thing is: Athenril didn’t change. if possible, she became worse. she’s paranoid, a little more desperate, and a lot more cruel? she started employing orphans and children and virtually abusing them?

so Hawke reneges. helps the kid. and then tells that to Athenril’s face. like: how dare you? are you insane? since when is this how you run your business? this is a far cry from when i agreed to work for you a year ago.

which sends Athenril into... well, pretty much murderous rage. which, i think, is just juicy untapped potential: how incredibly difficult it must be to have worked with/for someone for a year -- only for them to turn on you so completely that you have to put them down with your own hand

at the very least, that’s how this particular playthrough concluded for me. lying is always an option, of course. telling her the Coterie got to her goods first, and then leaving, knowing full well that the Coterie will finish her off. like seeing a person drowning and offering no safety net at all. that’s a good narrative too

either way, that’s my plausible headcanon for The Rise and Fall of Athenril between Prologue and Act 1

[timebegins-onopeningday]

🌤️Challenge update 🌞

Okay, folks, based on the results of the poll, here is what we are going to do! Since the overwhelming majority of you said yes to keeping posting open, I am going to keep posting in this collection open forever.

Our schedule now looks like this:

September 12: Soft deadline for new works (tomorrow!) If you get can get your work in by then, you're doing great. Massive applause to the people who posted already.

September 13: All works that have been posted will be revealed around 8am UTC-8. Creators will no longer have a period of anonymity, authorship will be revealed immediately.

September 14: Official start of the rolling submission period for new works. Basically, when you claim it and finish it - post it! It will be revealed, not anonymous, and a part of the collection. There is no waiting period.

Monthly on or around the 15th, going forward from September: I will do a round up post on this blog of new works that have been posted since the deadline (if any). I may also sprinkle in a couple prompts I feel could use some lovin' throughout the months. I may also firmly remind you to leave comments. I may encourage you to make rec posts or transformative works based on the works you loved. Depends on how many cups of coffee I drink prior to crafting the post! We just don't know!

But this is not the end of our efforts to keep writing baseball fic!

Because a not insignificant chunk of you indicated that you would also like the option to leave new prompts, what I have decided to do is run this challenge again next year! The logistics of re-opening prompts either on a rolling basis or at regular intervals across the year was going to be too much for me as one person to handle on top of keeping up with new works and also just generally being a busy person with a lot going on. Also, we have 110 banger prompts this year! Let's give them some love before we jump into something new.

Our jobs for the next year: I will keep prompting for Year One of this challenge closed and work on crafting next year's challenge to be better and less chaotic; you all are going to start brainstorming prompts for Year Two! I do not have a schedule for next year yet, that will come much later next year, but it will probably be pushed back at least a month (mid-July -> late-August), so you have plenty of time in the postseason-offseason-2024 season to put your faves in a boba shaker and toss them around. Rules will likely remain the same or very similar and if there are any major changes, I will be sure to highlight them.

In summary:

Posting open forever: Yes!

New prompts in this collection: No!

New prompt meme in 2024: Yes!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for voting and special shout out to all of you who gave feedback, either in comments, the tags or in DMs! I could not have refined the action I took for the feedback I was receiving without all of your input. I hope this satisfies most of you. I know a handful of you wanted the collection closed and I offer my sincerest apologies that that was not the action I decided to take.

Baseball fandom is a small but generous community and I appreciate every one of you. With your energy and creativity, I think we can make it even brighter through this year and into the next. Thank you all 🌝

[adventure-showdown]

What is your favourite Doctor Who story?

ROUND 1 MASTERPOST

synopses and propaganda under the cut

Divided Loyalties

Synopsis

There are some evils in the universe that need to be fought. And others that need redeeming...

Many years ago the Doctor, a student at the Academy on Gallifrey, lost a friend to the mysterious and malevolent force known as the Celestial Toymaker. Now, in his fifth incarnation, the Doctor receives a telepathic call from his long-lost classmate, begging for help.

As he sets out to rescue his friend and exact revenge, the Doctor's companions become increasingly involved. Adric, determined to justify his place aboard the TARDIS, opts to face the Toymaker's game challenges while Nyssa, angered by the Doctor's actions, finds herself excluded by the people she thought were her friends. And what is the connection between the Toymaker and the planet Dymok, whose comatose inhabitants find a new saviour in the shape of Tegan Jovanka?

Propaganda

Everyone’s heard of this. You probably haven’t read it, but you know the story anyway. Catalyst of all Deca fics. (anonymous)

Fear of the Dark

Synopsis

On the very edge of the galaxy lies Akoshemon: a putrefied world of legendary evil.

In the year 2382 archaeologists land on Akoshemon's only moon, searching for evidence of the planet's infamous past. But when the Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa are drawn into the lunar caverns they find more than a team of academics — and help uncover much more than ancient history.

Something is lying in wait, deep inside the labyrinth of caves: something that remembers the spiral of war, pestilence and deprivation that ruined Akoshemon. Something that rejoiced in every kind of horror and destruction.

An age-old terror is about to be reborn. But what is the hideous secret of the Bloodhunter? And why does Nyssa feel that her thoughts are no longer her own? Forced to confront his own worst fears, even the Doctor will be pushed to breaking point — and beyond.

Propaganda no propaganda submitted

Fear Itself

Synopsis

The 22nd century: a few short years of interstellar contact have taught humanity a hard lesson — there are creatures abroad that are nightmare manifest. Powerful, unstoppable, alien forces. It's a realisation that deals a body blow to man's belief in his own superiority, and leaves him with the only option he has ever had: to fight.

When the Eighth Doctor and his friends are caught in the crossfire, they find humanity licking its wounds and preparing for war. But the fight against alien forces is no job for an amateur, and for a Doctor only just finding his way in the universe again, one misstep could be fatal.

Propaganda

Everyone is traumatised to within an inch of their lives and it's also shippy as hell. 10 out of 10. (anonymous)

12 Doctors, 12 Stories

Synopsis

This is an anthology of 12 short stories

Propaganda

It's a beautiful homage to the show and each story adds something to their respectives Doctors (my personal favorites are the First Doctor, the Eight Doctor and the Twelfth Doctor stories but they are all great) (@sesshomarusamas-blog )

Scratchman

Synopsis

The Doctor, Harry and Sarah Jane Smith arrive at a remote Scottish island, when their holiday is cut short by the appearance of strange creatures — hideous scarecrows, who are preying on the local population. The islanders are living in fear, and the Doctor vows to save them all. But it doesn't go to plan — the time travellers have fallen into a trap, and Scratchman is coming for them.

With the fate of the universe hanging in the balance, the Doctor must battle an ancient force from another dimension, one who claims to be the Devil. Scratchman wants to know what the Doctor is most afraid of. And the Doctor’s worst nightmares are coming out to play...

Propaganda

this is very good (anonymous)

The Stranger

Synopsis

When young Claudia finds a sexy stranger near her home she discovers that he has lost his memory along with his clothes.

Having turned her back on relationships after the death of her husband, Claudia finds herself scandalising her friends by inviting the stranger into her home and her bed...

Propaganda

The Eighth Doctor Porn novel, Eights bisexual girl pal in this latter appears in Father Time which makes the novel canon. One of eights romantic partner cliche thus becomes middle aged widow who meets him and rediscovered their sexuality. (anonymous)

[ageofpiracyrp]

"I'm disbanding The Bat Ray as a pirate crew. We've had a good run, but I don't have enough money to keep this thing going for longer. Besides not even having The Bat Ray as a ship anymore, most of my crew are too tired. Prison was rough, and I run a tight ship. And besides..."

Julia looked over at Kenna and nodded. "I have higher priorities right now than being a ship's captain. Kenna's been making her rounds, so a lot of you already know, but we're going legit. We're starting up a gym. KJ gym." Julia gestured at Kenna. "For Kenna and me. We're co-owners. But if you see us out there, we'll be sformed. I'll be Jessie and she'll be Kelly, but it's still just us. Seetha's agreed to make sure our business doesn't fall to pieces. We're gonna be teaching self-defense to people who need it. Like kids. And people who think they're not as good as they could be at protecting themselves. But it's a business so we're charging money. I'm still passionate about it, though."

The (now former) captain cleared her throat. "But just because we're not a ship's crew anymore doesn't mean that you're not important to me. It's been my highest honor to serve as your captain. If you're ever here in Rungung again..." She wasn't going to cry. She wasn't going to frigging cry. "I hope that you'll stop by and spar with me."

---

Julia decided that it was time to focus on what really mattered: her children. Kenna persuaded her to stay in one place. The kids loved going to school and making friends. Even their son Jack was starting to be less of a little jerk.

Besides, ships were expensive, and it was going to be a lot of effort to get enough money and morale to raise up a ship again. Much of the crew were burnt out and looking for something less risky. The Prosperity was overall a less intense work environment, so it was not too difficult to persuade some of the former crew members of The Bat Ray to join them for contract positions (with options for extension).

The new electro-technical (to replace Laurie) and lead mechanic (to replace Marshall, who decided to follow Samira and work on the KBW) picks were pretty good. Nothing too bad to say about them.

Mark was a helpful find as well, as he was a good shot and got along well with the rest of the crew well enough. However, he was an Espionage, and also Gwen's ex-husband, which was complicated.

The new gunner, Leo, was competent, but had some interpersonal issues with some of the Prosperity crew members. Leo also happened to be very annoying.

Aya was a decent pilot with education credentials and flight time under her belt. She also had an unusually good understanding of the ship's mechanics and fuel economy for an operator. However, her weak point was apparently shaking another ship that had already started tailing the ship. Aya blamed herself for the ship being captured by the Galactic Police.

The doctor, Antigone, was a perfectly good doctor... but not a surgeon. Daphne isn't sure why Julia hired someone who wasn't great at surgery, but any doctor was better than no doctor at this point.

Not everyone wanted to or could join Prosperity or KJ Gym's staff, so most of the rest of the crew chose to go through either Gwen Volnal or Makhaira Espionage to assist with placement in a new crew or job. Some like Ekka (who went to be physically closer to Blue Sreleku) chose to leave work on pirate crews altogether.

---

Due to The Bat Ray's former crew members technically still being fugitives, the ones on the ship took some steps to disguise their appearances and identities a little better. Some were better than others:

Leo took on a new sformer-ed appearance altogether, and outside of the ship, has decided to use the name "Colt". (NOTE: Leo's former faceclaim Omar Rudberg is being retired, and his new faceclaim is Jordan Fisher)

Mark dyed his hair. He meant to dye it blond, but did it himself, and it went a little green... He has also started wearing violet contacts and going by "James" (like James Bond) outside of the ship.

Aya also dyes her hair to help her disguise, but it looks better than Mark's dye job. She went to a salon to do the initial bleach session and has dyed her own hair before, so the results are much less green. She has also started wearing silvery-gold contacts in public (she used to wear a different color when pretending to be an Erkuss when the time called for it). Aya has also started wearing glasses (non-prescription even though her erkuss-color contacts are prescription) and goggles outside of the hsip too. She has insisted on being called "Sonic" outside of the ship. Yes, like the hedgehog. Gotta go fast.

Antigone's sformer is a new appearance for her, and she has asked to go by "Auntie" (pronounced Ant-ee) in public.

---

The now fully-staffed Prosperity prepared to take on some new lucrative jobs. Clause Mazrinon had some particularly interesting leads for a few quick jobs that could be prepared for on Earth. Before traveling to Earth, the newly staffed crew would take time to gather supplies, bond as a group, and prepare for the next adventure.

---

New NPC biography:

Antigone

Updated NPC biographies:

Seetha, Leo, Mark, Ekka

Kenna

Julia

Aya