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buckets-and-trees · 1 month ago

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Chosen, Part 3: Consideration

Characters/Pairings: eventual Bucky x curvy Millennial Female!Reader, Natasha Romanoff, Yelena Belova Word Count: 4.4k Summary: You have quite a lot to consider over the course of the afternoon as Natasha wants you to decide whether or not you'll accept an offer with the Foundation. An unexpected discussion with someone you trust helps you sort out some of your thoughts.

SERIES Content Warnings: SOFT!DARK STORY, cult themes, explicit smut, dubious consent and enthusiastic consent, veiled truths, gaslighting

CHAPTER Content Warnings: hints of manipulation - flattery

Notes: New and familiar faces, and a line of insight into at least part of why you may consider accepting a very mysterious offer to join The Winged Heritage Foundation.

Previous: Lunch | Series List

↠ Masterlist | Aspen's Ask Box | Field Guide to the Forest

Back on the move and without Natasha’s piercing gaze on you, you still can't shake the continual feeling that you're venturing into something far more complex and mysterious than you'd initially imagined.

Stepping back into the grand foyer, you’re approached by a young woman as impeccably dressed as Natasha, with blonde hair styled into an intricate braid that’s pulled over her shoulder. Although her stance is official - a tablet in her hands, seemingly waiting for the two of you - her expression is playful, a mix of warmth and sarcasm, if sarcasm could be deemed an actual facial expression.

"Ah, perfect timing,” Natasha says, then turns to you. “Allow me to introduce you to Yelena Belova, one of our HR liaisons and your escort for the afternoon."

“And her adopted sister,” Yelena adds, stepping forward and extending her hand with a spirited grin. "Nice to meet you," she says, her voice a melodic blend of Russian and American accents. "I hope Natasha hasn't scared you off yet with all her intensity."

Natasha rolls her eyes, but there's a fondness in her expression. "Yelena will be taking over from here. I think you could use a break from my – as Yelena put it – intensity."

Yelena's grin widens. "Oh, I have many words for it, but 'intensity' is the polite one."

You can't help but laugh.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” Natasha says, “and I’ll see you again for afternoon tea.”

As Natasha excuses herself, Yelena gestures for you to follow her upstairs. You feel instantly at ease, Yelena’s playful demeanor a refreshing change of pace after the first half of the day. You ascend the sweeping staircase, your footsteps muffled by the plush carpet runner. The upper floor is just as impressive as the ground level, with high ceilings adorned with intricate moldings and chandeliers that sparkle like cascading diamonds.

Yelena leads you down a hallway, passing doors of rich, dark wood with brass handles polished to a mirror shine. She regales you with amusing anecdotes about life at the Foundation as you go.

"You wouldn't believe the things that happen around here," she says, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Last week, Tony Stark accidentally set off the sprinkler system in the east wing while testing some new gadget. You should have seen Roger’s face when he walked in, soaked to the bone, looking like a very patriotic drowned rat."

Yelena's stories have you laughing as she leads you to a door at the end of the hallway. She opens it, revealing a cozy sitting room that takes your breath away – yet another thing that’s done so today.

The room is circular, with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a panoramic view of the estate's grounds. Plush armchairs and sofas in rich jewel tones are arranged around a central fireplace, its mantle adorned with intricate carvings of flowers and vines. Bookshelves line the walls between the windows, filled with leather-bound tomes that look ancient and valuable. It seems to be an oasis away from the larger library you saw this morning.

"This is the Starlight Room," Yelena explains, gesturing around. "It's one of my favorite spots in the whole mansion. You've got about twenty minutes to relax before the first of your afternoon meetings. There’s a powder room attached to this sitting room,” she points to the corner, “so I’ll leave you to yourself, but if you need anything, I’ll be just down the hall.”

You thank Yelena and sink into one of the plush armchairs, taking a moment to absorb the stunning view and process everything you've experienced so far. The room is peaceful, with soft classical music playing from hidden speakers. You close your eyes for a moment, letting the gentle melody wash over you, relishing the moment of quiet after the whirlwind of the day so far.

When you open your eyes again, your gaze is drawn to the bookshelves, and you can’t resist the opportunity to explore freely. Rising from your seat, you approach the nearest shelf, running your fingers gently along the spines of the ancient-looking tomes. The titles are in various languages, some you recognize and others you don't. One book in particular catches your eye – a slim volume bound in midnight blue leather with silver lettering that seems to shimmer as you look at it.

As you carefully pull the book from the shelf, you feel a slight vibration, almost like a pulse of energy, and you pull your hand away immediately.

You shake your head and take a deep breath, urging yourself to pull it together. Your mind is getting caught up in the shrouded secrecy of the day. There’s nothing magical in this library, you think.

You reach for the book again, and there’s another surge of vibration, but you laugh, feeling both relieved and a little silly when you realize it’s coming from your phone in your pocket.

It’s a text from your best friend saying she hopes things are going well and that she’s wishing you the best possible outcome.

You smile, and then hit dial on her contact.

She picks up almost immediately. “Hello?” her voice is clearly excited and surprised.

“Hi,” you breathe, feeling relief at hearing her voice on the other end of the line.

“Is everything okay?” she asks immediately.

“Yes! Yes,” you reassure her instantly. “I just have a break, and you apparently have perfect timing, so I thought I’d call. Are you good to talk for a few minutes?”

“Sure,” she replies. “I’m just having toilet time in the company bathroom.”

You gasp. “And you took a call? Isn’t that against your code of ethics for what happens in a public bathroom?” you mock.

She laughs. “I make exceptions for best friends who are on insane day trips for big time interviews. Besides, no one else is in here right now. Now spill! How’s the day been so far?”

“I had to sign an NDA-”

“An NDA?” she exclaims, then sighs. “Of course they had you sign an NDA.”

“-but I’ll try and tell you as much as I can.” You launch into a rundown of how gorgeous the house and grounds are, that most of the morning was spent touring the facility, and you say that the work is fascinating and impressive - though you can’t go into more detail than that. You mention that you met some very interesting personnel - one with a lot of personality, even though you can’t mention it’s Tony. You can’t expound in much detail what you discussed over lunch with Steve and Natasha, but you paint broad strokes. Since they are the Executive Director and the Chief Recruitment Officer and that knowledge is publicly available on their website, you do feel you’re safe to at least say who you had lunch with. Your best friend reminds you she has a huge crush on the Natasha, having looked up as much as she could about the Winged Heritage Foundation as well, and ultimately finding little more than you had, but falling down a rabbit hole of a thirst trap for the redhead.

“So, I know you can’t tell me what is it that they do there, but do you feel like you know what they do and what do they want you to do?” she asks when you reach a pause in your recounting of the day.

You sink down into one of the armchairs next to the window and pinch the bridge of your nose.

Apparently you’re silent too long, because your friend nudges you from the other end of the line, prompting you earnestly with your name.

You sigh. “I still don’t know,” you confess.

This time your name is exclaimed in disbelief on the other end of the line.

“I know! Trust me, I know.”

“You’ve been there for hours, had a massive tour, spent time with their top executives, and you still don’t know?”

“I know a lot more, and I have meetings set up this afternoon with more people – basically informal interviews, me getting to talk to them, and them getting to know me, and they’ll probably report back their impressions in the final notes that will be considered, but…” you trail off, hesitant to say more.

“But what?” she presses.

You don’t know if sharing this detail will put you in breach of the NDA, and you’re also wary of the reaction it will get, but this will directly affect your life, so you decide to tell her anyway.

“But Natasha said she essentially wants me to commit to whether or not I’ll accept an offer by the end of the afternoon.”

“What? That’s insane!”

She can’t see it, but you grimace all the same.

“I swear to god,” she continues, “the only thing keeping this from being a straight up cult is that they’ve been transparent in offering you a compensation package and at least gave you time to consider that. This is like some Goldman Sachs level secrecy.”

“Yeah,” you agree.

“And I’m still not thoroughly convinced they’re not a cult.”

You huff.

“They’re probably not a cult though,” she backtracks slightly. “You’re the one who’s there, trust your gut. You have good instincts.”

You sigh, leaning back in the plush armchair. "You're right, I need to trust my instincts. It's just there's so much mystery here. I feel like I'm only seeing the surface and I know there’s so many things that go so much deeper."

"Well, what does your gut tell you?" your friend asks.

You pause, considering. "Honestly? It's telling me that this is an incredible opportunity. The people I've met are brilliant and passionate. The work they're doing, even if I don't fully understand it yet, feels important. And there's this energy here, this sense of purpose that's hard to explain."

"But?" Your friend prompts, sensing your hesitation.

"But there's also this underlying current of,” you are pinning down the question marks in what you’re seeing as you speak to your best friend, as you so often do, “I don't know, secrecy? Power? It's kind of thrilling and but also a little unnerving."

Your friend is quiet for a moment. "Look," she finally says, “you’re a trooper, you try not to let things get you down, but I know you’ve been pretty unhappy lately with work. For a long time now. You’ve been looking for a new job for a while, so if you feel like this could be it, take it. No job will ever be perfect, but the wardrobe allowance they want to give alone - hell, the fact that there is a wardrobe allowance - is worth putting up with any number of sins! And if it’s god awful, either you’ll complain about it to me and I’ll continue to make jokes about them being a cult or you stay long enough to have the nest egg you need to quit, and then we find you something else.”

You laugh. “Thank you,” you say, sincerely. “I needed that.”

“You’re my clever best friend and you can do no wrong in this world ever,” she gushes in a rush.

“Not true! Bye!”

“Bye!” she laughs as you cut the call.

You check the time and see that you have just a few minutes to refresh in the powder room. You use the toilet, straighten your clothes, touch up your hair, and make sure nothing is in your teeth from lunch. Returning to the Starlight Room proper, you have just enough time to rub some lotion onto your hands and pop a mint into your mouth, before there’s a soft but brief knock on the door.

Before you can answer, Yelena bursts into the room with what appears to be her characteristic energy, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "Ready for round two?" she asks, her eyes twinkling.

You nod, feeling a renewed sense of purpose after your phone conversation. "Absolutely," you reply with a confident smile.

"Excellent," Yelena says, gesturing for you to follow her. "As you know, we've got a series of meetings lined up for you this afternoon. Think of them as informal chats rather than interviews. We want you to get a feel for the different aspects of our work here and the broader culture of the team at large."

This confirms almost exactly what you surmised over the phone.

You walk with Yelena down the hallway, and she continues, "First up is Dr. Bruce Banner. He heads our research division. Brilliant mind, a bit intense at times. Don't worry if he gets a little caught up in the science - it's his passion."

“If Dr. Banner is head of research, what’s Tony’s role?” you ask.

“Head of development,” Yelena explains. “As a pair, Tony pushes Bruce, and Bruce reigns Tony in.”

You laugh softly, eager to meet the personality Tony would respect enough to find scientific and philosophical balance with.

The afternoon passes in a whirlwind of meetings and introductions. You speak with department heads, researchers, and other key personnel. Each conversation provides tantalizing glimpses into the Foundation's work. While you still feel like you're only in the shallow end, you reason that you’re an outsider and the meetings are fairly brief, so there’s neither the time nor sound reason for them to go too deep with you. Plus, they each have questions of their own for you to answer that take up their own portion of each appointment.

Yelena shepherds you around dutifully, managing to time all your meetings and travel time from area to area with precision. She’s also irresistibly engaging herself as she speaks with you during each break, and you can easily see yourself grabbing lunch with her or drinks after work. She’s exuberant, but she seems naturally attuned to reign in her energy to the level that makes others feel comfortable, and you appreciate that.

As the day winds down, Yelena finally leads you back to the Starlight Room, where you find Natasha is waiting. The late afternoon sun casts a warm glow through the windows, bathing the room in golden light. A tea service has been set up on a small table between you, the delicate China cups and saucers another relic of the past to contrast with the high-tech facilities you've seen throughout the day.

Natasha pours the tea with simplistic grace, the aromatic steam rising between you. "So," she says, her green eyes studying you intently, "what are your thoughts after this afternoon’s meetings?"

You cradle the warm teacup in your hands. "It's been illuminating," you begin carefully. "Everyone I've met has been incredibly passionate about their work. The scope of what the Foundation does is impressive, to say the least."

Natasha nods, taking a sip of her tea. "And do you feel you have a clearer picture of what we do here?"

"In some ways, yes. I have a better sense of the different departments and the general areas of focus.” You pause, considering your words. “I feel I’ve gotten a great sense of the people here, and they’re all extremely passionate about their roles. But there's clearly so much more going on beneath what I've been shown."

A small smile plays at the corners of Natasha's lips. "You're right – there is much more to our work than what we can reveal in a single day. And as we said earlier, some aspects of what we do require… discretion."

You nod, taking a sip of your own tea. The flavor is complex and soothing, with notes of bergamot and something else you can't quite place. "I understand the need for discretion," you say. "But I still feel like there's so much I don't know. About the Foundation, about what my role would be here. It's a big decision to make on such short notice and with gaps in knowledge like that."

Natasha sets down her teacup, her gaze intense. "I understand your hesitancy. Once you’ve officially accepted, I will be able to tell you so much more. So, ask the questions you need to make a decision.”

You frown, knowing you won’t be given answers to your most burning question, but you try and set that aside. In your previous jobs, you hadn’t drilled down to their core philosophies, and you weren’t giving your soul to the organization, so you could reframe what you needed to make this decision.

“In the compensation package, it lists that a housing benefit is available on the premises. What does that entail, and it says ‘available,’ but is that expected, or…?”

This was one of the points that set off your best friend initially to the cult theory.

“Great question. Key roles in the Foundation are offered accommodations here at the estate in one of two wings that we did not see during our tour today - and that was only to respect the privacy of anyone who may have been in their living quarters. There are shared rooms, single rooms, and some small suites for a few positions at the top. If you forego the housing benefit, there isn’t a payout, but a number of our team stay here during the week and then return to their personal residences over the weekends or holidays.”

“Oh,” you’re pleasantly surprised at this explanation. It seems perfectly reasonable.

“Living on site also allows for a flexible work schedule, with some people working a few hours on, a few hours off, and then heading back in - typically with our researchers and scientists who benefit from taking true mental breaks between putting in concentrated work on their projects.”

“In that context, it makes a lot of sense,” you say.

“And then some people just appreciate not having to make the commute every day, we as an employer feel like we’re doing a little something to cut down on commuter emissions, et cetera.”

You laugh, and she smiles.

“What else?”

“This morning you said you were considering me for two opportunities. Do you know now which one you want to see me in?”

Natasha sets down her teacup. “You will be working directly with our founder, James Buchanan Barnes.”

Your jaw drops, but you quickly pick it up. “I – I only applied for an entry-level admin position. I can’t possibly–”

“I train my team to keep their eyes open for certain qualities and alert me to candidates who may seem to have them. You were passed to me with multiple indicators. This is your fourth interview, and an extensive one at that. I couldn’t be more sure I have the right candidate sitting in front of me.”

“But shouldn’t I know what the Foundation does, or, at the very least, have met the founder before I work with him?” you ask, your query perfectly serious, but also tinged with a bit of shock and sarcasm that you can’t stamp out in your current headspace.

The smile on Natasha’s face only grows, and she arches one eyebrow. “If you accept, you’ll meet him tonight, and I’ll work with you so you know everything you need to know and are completely prepared to meet him.”

“How can you be sure I’m the right fit?” you can’t help asking.

She tilts her head slightly. “You met how many of our people today? I know potential when I see it, and I do my homework when I have a hunch. I put that team together, and I’m damn good at what I do. Why would my instincts be off with you?”

You purse your lips together, but her words settle over you in a way nothing else has so far in the weeks this process has taken place from the beginning to now.

Maybe that was the only question you had needed to hear the answer to all along.

You had applied in the first place because you were feeling boxed in at work, hardly noticed, definitely not appreciated – at least not until extra projects or extra work needed to be taken care of, only then did you seem invaluable.

But not here.

Here, it seemed, you would matter.

You’re quiet for another moment, relishing the total calm that has finally settled in your gut. Then you say the two simple words that will alter your future. “I accept.”

Natasha's face lights up, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Excellent," she says, her voice warm with approval. "Welcome to the Winged Heritage Foundation. I'm thrilled you’ve accepted our offer."

She reaches across the table, grasping your hand in both of hers. Her touch is warm and surprisingly gentle, yet you can feel the strength beneath her soft skin. "I have no doubt you'll be an invaluable asset to us, and to Mr. Barnes specifically."

The late afternoon sun streaming through the windows seems to grow brighter, casting a golden glow over the room. The air feels charged with possibility, as if the very atmosphere is celebrating your decision.

"Now," Natasha continues, her voice taking on a note of anticipation, "as Steve and I mentioned earlier, we have a special event taking place this evening. It's not often that we extend invitations for this specific event to anyone outside of the Foundation, but now that you’re officially joining our ranks, that includes you.”

You grin, but then your face falls. “I don’t have anything to wear for a special occasion.”

Natasha stands and tuts at you, “I said I’d make sure you were completely prepared for tonight. Do you think I haven’t already thought of what you’ll be wearing?”

Heat rushes up your neck, and she chuckles, standing up. “Now let’s go. I’ll show you to your living quarters and you can rest and relax for a couple of hours while I take care of some things with our event and sort out final details on your contract.”

You follow Natasha out of the Starlight Room, your mind reeling with excitement and anticipation. The hallways of the mansion seem to glow with a new vibrancy as you pass through them, as if the very building is welcoming you as one of its own.

Natasha leads you to a different wing of the mansion, one you hadn't explored during your earlier tour. The decor here is slightly more modern, though still in keeping with the overall aesthetic of the estate. She stops in front of a door and produces a key.

"This will be your quarters," she says, inserting the key into the lock and opening the door. "At least for tonight, and possibly longer if you choose to take advantage of our housing benefit."

You step inside and your breath catches. It’s a corner room, and it’s spacious and beautifully outfitted, with a large four-poster bed, a sitting area, and floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides. The room is bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, casting long shadows across the polished hardwood floors. The decor is a perfect blend of classic elegance and modern comfort – antique furniture paired with state-of-the-art electronics. Plush rugs cover the hardwood, inviting armchairs and a couch flank a small fireplace, and a sleek desk sits in front of one of the windows, offering a stunning view of the estate grounds.

"This is gorgeous," you breathe, turning slowly to take it all in.

Natasha smiles, clearly pleased by your reaction. "I'm glad you like it. The bathroom is through that door," she gestures to your left, "and the closet is here." She opens a door to reveal a walk-in closet that's larger than most of the bedrooms you've had in the past.

"Now," she continues, her tone becoming more businesslike, "I suggest you take some time to rest and refresh yourself. The evening's events can run quite late and be… intense, to say the least. You'll want to be at your best."

Natasha walks over to the windows, her slender fingers tracing the intricate patterns on the heavy velvet curtains. With a fluid motion, she draws them closed, plunging the room into a soft twilight. The sudden dimness makes the room feel cozy and intimate.

"These curtains are specially designed to block out all light," she explains, turning back to you. "You'll find they're excellent for getting quality sleep, even during the day."

She moves to the bedside table and picks up a small remote. With a click, soft, ambient lighting comes to life around the room, casting a warm, golden glow that's easy on the eyes.

Natasha sets the remote down and turns to face you, her expression a mix of excitement and something else you can't quite place. "Tonight is the full moon," she says, her voice low and rich with anticipation, "and that always makes our gatherings extraordinary."

"For tonight's event, I've selected something I think will suit you perfectly, but don’t worry about that until later. For now, I really do suggest you try and sleep. I’ll be back in a few hours – enough time that legal should have your contract sorted, so I’ll bring that for you to sign, and then we will focus on getting you prepared for tonight.”

You nod, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over you as the adrenaline of the day begins to fade. "Thank you, Natasha. For everything."

She gives you a warm smile. "It's my pleasure. I have a good feeling about you." With that, she turns and heads for the door. Just before she exits, she pauses and looks back at you. "Oh, and one more thing – try not to overthink things. Tonight is about new beginnings."

With those cryptic words, she's gone, closing the door softly behind her. You're left alone in the dimly lit room, the silence enveloping you.

You take a moment to explore your new quarters, running your hands over the soft fabrics of the curtains and bedding. The bathroom is a marvel of marble and black chrome, with a large soaking tub that looks incredibly inviting. But the pull of sleep is too strong to resist.

You slip off your shoes and lie down on the bed, sinking into the plush mattress. The sheets are cool and silky against your skin. As you close your eyes, you take a deep breath, tying to process everything that’s happened – the grand tour, the mysterious conversations, sealing your fate by accepting the position, and now this enigmatic evening event ahead – but before you can think for long, you’re overtaken by sleep.

...CURIOSER AND CURIOSER!

Did you make the right decision?! Too good to be true?

GUESS YOU'LL FIND OUT MORE ON THURSDAY!

NEXT PART: SEMANTICS

#natasha romanoff #bucky barnes x reader #yelena belova #female reader #curvy reader #aspen wrote something #chosen au

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contemplatingoutlander · 2 months ago

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The House GOP is a circus. The chaos has one source.

Republicans spent two years sabotaging the U.S. House. Another two years would be ruinous.

Dana Milbank does a masterful job of describing just how dysfunctional the House GOP members have been in the past two years.

This is a gift🎁link for the entire article. Below are some highlights:

The Lord works in mysterious ways. Six weeks after his improbable rise from obscurity to speaker of the House in late 2023, Louisiana’s Mike Johnson decided to break bread with a group of Christian nationalists. [...] “I’ll tell you a secret, since media is not here,” Johnson teased the group, unaware that his hosts were streaming video of the event. Johnson informed his audience that God “had been speaking to me” about becoming speaker, communicating “very specifically,” in fact, waking him at night and giving him “plans and procedures.” [...] Today, Johnson’s run looks anything but heaven-sent. In the first 18 months of this Congress, only 70 laws were enacted. Calculations by political scientist Tobin Grant, who tracks congressional output over time, put this Congress on course to be the do-nothingest since 1859-1861 — when the Union was dissolving. But Johnson’s House isn’t merely unproductive; it is positively lunatic. Republicans have filled their committee hearings and their bills with white nationalist attacks on racial diversity and immigrants, attempts to ban abortion and to expand access to the sort of guns used in mass shootings, incessant harassment of LGBTQ Americans, and even routine potshots at the U.S. military. They insulted each other’s private parts, accused each other of sexual and financial crimes, and scuffled with each other in the Capitol basement. They screamed “Bullshit!” at President Joe Biden during the State of the Union address. They stood up for the Confederacy and used their official powers to spread conspiracy theories about the “Deep State.” Some even lent credence to the idea that there has been a century-old Deep State coverup of space aliens, with possible involvement by Mussolini and the Vatican.

The above article was adapted from Dana Milbank's (2024) book: Fools on the HILL: The Hooligans, Saboteurs, Conspiracy Theorists, and Dunces Who Burned Down the House.

[See more below the cut.]

And this is on top of the well-known pratfalls: The 15-ballot marathon to elect a speaker, the 22-day shutdown of the House to find another speaker, the routine threats of government shutdowns and a near-default on the federal debt that hurt the nation’s credit rating. They devoted 18 months to a failed attempt to impeach Biden, which produced nothing but Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly displaying posters of Hunter Biden engaging in sex acts. One “whistleblower” defected to Russia, another worked with Russian intelligence and is under indictment for fabricating his claims, and still another is on the lam, evading charges of being a Chinese agent. As soon as Biden withdrew his candidacy, they promptly forgot their probe of Biden’s “corruption” and rushed to launch a new series of investigations into Kamala Harris (over her record on border security) and Tim Walz (over his military service and “cozy relationship” with China). After a number of failed attempts, they did impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (the first such action against a Cabinet officer since 1876) without identifying any high crimes or misdemeanors he had committed; the Senate dismissed the articles without a trial. House Republicans created a “weaponization committee” under the excitable Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), but it was panned even by right-wing commentators when it produced little more than a list of conspiracy theories from the likes of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard. They lapsed repeatedly into fits of censure resolutions, contempt citations and other pointless acts of vengeance. In all of its history, the House had voted to censure one of its own members only seven times; in the two weeks after Johnson became speaker, members of the House tried to censure each other eight times. [...] In lieu of consequential legislating, they passed bills such as the Refrigerator Freedom Act, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act and the Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards (SUDS) Act. On the House floor, the Republican majority suffered one failure after another, even on routine procedural votes. Seven times (and counting), House Republicans voted down their own leaders’ routine attempts to begin floor debates — something that hadn’t happened once in the previous 20 years.

#republicans #house gop #mike johnson #fools on the hill #118th congress #dana milbank #the washington post #gift link

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skylineheights-if · 1 year ago

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DEMO TBA | CHARACTER INTROS | PLAYLISTS

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Action

Game Rating: 18+

Content Warnings: Optional sexual content, alcohol/smoking, death, blood/gore, religious themes, torture, talks of pregnancy/birth/breeding, mentions of SA and other forms of abuse, mentions of weapons, more to be added as it is written.

Returning to your mother's hometown for college was supposed to be a typical all-American experience. But as you settle into your new life in Skyline Heights, a cozy town in the Pacific North West, you soon stumble upon its hidden mysteries and begin to understand that your life never was, and never will be, typical.

As you uncover the truth about the circumstances of your birth and your angelic father, you learn that you are one of a few demi-angels called nephilim, destined to play a crucial role in preventing an upcoming apocalypse. In order to understand your purpose, you embark on a quest to study a prophecy that holds both the key to your destiny and the fate of the world.

While navigating the complexities of college life, forming friendships, and experiencing budding romance, you also find yourself battling powerful demons that are hell-bent on stopping you and trying to decipher the prophecy. Amidst all the chaos, you must also focus on your academic responsibilities - maintaining your grades while confronting the darkness that threatens to consume the world is not going to be a walk in the park.

The choices you make will determine your alliances, unveil hidden truths, and unlock the full extent of your powers. Can you embrace your extraordinary destiny, unravel the mysterious prophecy, and stand against the forces of the apocalypse?

Customize your characters appearance and sexuality and mold their personality as you see fit.

Romance and/or befriend five characters with different personalities and backstories.

Unravel what the prophecy about you means, as well as learn more about your own past and the mysterious father that your mother refuses to speak of.

Work on controlling and strengthening your powers and discover all the things you can do.

Stop the impending apocalypse (while still trying to turn your homework in on time)

Harlowe Vega [ M ] Character Page

Confident, sarcastic, and the absolute definition of "bad boy." Harlowe was adopted as a baby and has a strained relationship with his family. As the oldest out of the group, Harlowe is the de facto leader of the nephilim, a role that he doesn't take lightly. While he may be cold at first, Harlowe is loyal and very protective of his loved ones.

Sarcastic - Protective - Confident

Florence Kade [ F ] Character Page

With a smile that rivals the sun and a knack for creating chaos wherever she goes, Florence is the first person that you'll meet while getting settled in at Moonvale University. Don't let her kindness fool you, though. Her tongue is sharp enough to cut through metal. A fact that Harlowe himself has been acquainted with, one too many times.

Kind - Candid - Outgoing

Eden Wright [ M ] Character Page

Quiet, studious, and kind to a fault, Eden is the son of the local librarian, George Wright. George, who just so happens to be your mother's childhood friend (and might be able to help you find out more about your father). Though Eden is in your year, you rarely see him around. The man seems to prefer to hang out in the library when he isn't working at the coffee shop on campus or training. Regardless of his soft exterior, Eden is more than capable of defending himself and others, which is why Harlowe has chosen him as his second-hand.

Reserved - Studious - Strong

Aena Ritz [ F ] Character Page

If there is one word to describe Aena, it's responsible. As a Criminal Justice major and self-proclaimed "mom friend", Aena makes it a point to keep everybody on track. That being said, she still knows how to let loose and often spends her Friday nights at the local club with Florence and a few classmates. Aena is hard working and slow to anger, but when her fuse is lit, it's smarter to run and hide.

Responsible - Honest - Respected

Alistaire Morrison [ M ] Character Page

Your enigmatic English professor who always seems to have dark circles under his eyes and a coffee mug glued to one hand. Alistaire is the newest of the faculty at Moonveld University, and by far the favorite professor among the students. Whether that's due to his (surprisingly) entertaining lectures or his physical looks, it's unclear. What is clear is that there is more to him than meets the eye, and you aren't sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Mysterious - Charming - Respected

Important tags: #shif ask - #shif cast - #shif aa: {character name} -- #shif nsfw

#interactive fiction #if game #interactive games #choice of games #interactive novel #choicescript #skyline heights #skyline heights if

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maryangelex · 1 year ago

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Dark But Sweet

Maintenance Guy! Simon "Ghost" Riley x Reader AU

Summary: You just moved into a new apartment and facing the struggles of opting for cheap rent. But your building's maintenance guy, Simon, is making it worthwhile.

Warnings/Tags: 18+ content ahead, all fluff, crushing, shy Simon Riley, American writing British content.

A/N: Y'all I live in the US so I have no idea how apartment buildings work in the UK, or anything for that matter, please don't crucify me. But anyways...hope you guys enjoy blue-collar Simon fics as much as I do!!

Your new apartment was the best option out of the other ones you had viewed in the past six months of searching. "New" was a very liberal term to use for it, labeling it as "new" as in "freshly moved into". Otherwise, you would have used words like "shabby", "cheap", and "at least liveable" to describe it. It had been a few weeks since you had moved in; the place was still filled with boxes to unpack, but you had tried to make it look as organized and cozy as possible to give yourself a sense of home and some motivation to live in it.

This morning, you woke up and rose from your newly assembled bed. As you walked out of your room and into the hallway connecting to the bathroom, you felt the wet sensation of a puddle of water on your bare feet. Your eyes had still not adjusted fully to being awake, all you sensed were the soles of your feet saturated in the mysterious puddle of water. Confused and half asleep, you followed the water flow to find it was emanating from your bathroom, and when you opened the door you saw the water flowing freely from the pipes under your sink. The realization jolted you awake.

"Great! Just fan-fucking-tastic!" you said to yourself throwing your hands in the air. You stomped to your room, slipping on the wet floor a few times which made your anger seethe even more. You grabbed your phone and dialed your landlord; she was already on your most recent contacts from having to pester the older woman with complaint after complaint.

"Mornin', Karen, it's me again," you said with an exasperated sigh, "Do ya know any plumbers 'round here, by any chance?"

The woman started off by inquiring what had happened that made you need a plumber, you followed by explaining to her how one of the pipes in your bathroom sink must've come loose.

"Oh, hon, let me just call Simon for ya, he's the maintenance guy for the building."

Maintenance guy, great, so he's the guy that hefty fee goes to, you thought. At least you wouldn't have to pay extra for the plumber. Why couldn't your friends have been plumbers so you could snag a deal from them?!

"Right, and is he any good?" you asked.

"Oh, he's lovely! He'll be there soon, he lives on the first floor! Gotta go now, hon, let me know if ya need anything but also please take it easy, bye-bye now!" she said in one breath, hanging up before even finishing, seemingly being at her limit with the gripes this lease was bringing you, and bringing her as a result.

You sighed as you pocketed your phone. You made your way to the closet in your kitchen that held your mop and bucket, clipping your hair up as you got ready to start your day off by mopping up the water coating almost your entire apartment by this point.

It had been about half an hour, maybe more, since you started mopping, still in your pajamas and bedhead barely held by your clip. A film of sweat was coating your body from your labor, plus the fact that the air conditioning in your apartment was turned off, something you read on the internet.

The whole time you mumbled to yourself, scolding yourself about picking such a cheap apartment, that a few bucks wouldn't have hurt, that you should've picked up another job to afford something better, and that this stupid "Simon" guy better be worth that maintenance fee.

Your mumbling and ruminating was interrupted by two knocks on the door. You put your mop in the bucket near you, your floors were slippery but at least they were no longer flooded, at least outside of the bathroom area. You made your way to your front door, knowing you looked a mess, but who cares? Certainly not you, since you expected an average maintenance guy to show up; middle-aged, stubby, probably balding, and with jeans at half his crack.

But once you opened the door, you were greeted by the complete opposite of that description.

A very tall man stood at your doorstep. Your eyes trailed up his body, craning your neck back to look at his face. He had choppy, dirty blonde hair covered by a backward black cap and rich coffee-colored hooded eyes. His outfit was extremely casual; bleach-washed gray jeans and a charcoal, loose-fit shirt that did his visibly muscular build no justice.

You were gawking at the man, like a deer in headlights as you stood there holding the door open, practically drooling.

"Um...I--..." you stuttered "S-sorry, can I, um, help you?"

He paused, then said with a gruff voice, "Karen sent me." The man looked down at you, his hand carrying a heavy-duty toolbag moved, signaling his purpose for knocking at your door.

Oh, that's Simon, you thought, your face flaring red.

"Right! Come in, sorry!" you laughed nervously, stepping aside to let him come in.

"She said you were having plumbing issues"

"Yes! I-it's the loo, there's water everywhere," you explained leading him to your bathroom, as water was still pooling slowly on the floor from it.

You showed him with a hand pointing at the leaking sink vanity. Simon eyed it, giving you a grunt as a response. He was evidently a man of few words, he simply stepped into the bathroom, dropping his toolbag on the toilet lid, and squatting down. He opened the cabinets of the vanity and examined the pipes; another grunt from him as he diagnosed the issue.

You stood there watching him, not knowing what to do with yourself, especially with his lack of conversation or explanation. As you watched him you fixated on more details on him. You noticed his heavily inked arm, the way the veins on his forearms pulsated as his hands fidgeted with the pipes and the way his face was littered with a few aging scars. You caught yourself gawking at him again.

"S-so what is it?" you asked, snapping yourself out of your trance.

"S'no big deal, just the wrong pieces barely holdin' the pipes together," he explained, almost a mumble. "Might take a while, but nothin' major."

He had a thick Manchester accent and a deep, raspy voice. Even his voice had your checks stained red, and the man was simply talking about plumbing. You nodded at his words with an affirmative hum, as if you knew anything he was talking about.

Suddenly, you became hyperaware of what you were wearing, and what you looked like. You had expected a much less attractive man to be at your home, you hadn't cared to put yourself together. But of course, instead, you had a man like Simon, when you looked the least presentable. Your hair was ratty, your pajamas consisting of stretched-out shorts and an ill-fitting tank top, covered in a mix of sweat and water from mopping. You walked away from him in shame and bee-lined to your room, to at the very least brush your hair and wet-wipe yourself. Now you were thinking about how much sillier you looked fixing yourself for your maintenance guy! Did you think you were living in a cheesy porno or something?

You shook your head and sighed as you looked at yourself in the mirror. When you came back out, you went to your kitchen to look for something to busy yourself with, when suddenly your stomach rumbled. Right, you hadn't eaten all morning. You thought to yourself some tea would be nice, for you and also for Simon, you wanted to be a good host after all.

You turned your electric kettle on and rummaged your cabinets through your tea selection, picking out two packets of Earl Grey. You leaned against the counter as you waited for the water to boil, thinking about how the day had barely started and you were already exhausted, then your mind traveled to thinking about the man in your bathroom, daydreaming about the things you had noted thus far about him.

You were crushing on your maintenance man and you decided to act on it, unabashedly. You briefly walked back to him and asked, "How do you take your tea?" with an awkward smile. Your sudden question startled him a bit, he looked at you and gave you a polite response, saying not to go through the trouble but you insisted.

"Cream, one sugar," he said with. a hint of shyness, giving up on your persistence. Your smile grew and you nodded before running back (slipping) to the kitchen to fix him a cup.

When you came back with two cups in hand, he took the one you reached down to him.

"Thanks, love," he said nonchalantly as he sipped the contents of the mug.

Love, you repeated in your head as your stomach did a flip.

"Sorry, I should've asked which tea you liked, I have a ton to choose from. I just picked out Earl Gray, thought I couldn't go wrong with that," you chuckled nervously bringing the mug against your lips as you leaned by the doorframe, trying to make conversation with him.

"My favorite," he said, looking up at you with the mug still on his lips, taking another sip.

Your face beamed with a big dumb smile, "Is it really?" he nodded in response. "Ya look like an Earl Grey kind of guy!"

Simon chuckled lightly at your comment, "Is that so? What does that look like, exactly?"

You laughed with him, your cheeks pink with a hint of embarrassment and shyness now surging in you, "Oh I don't mean it in a bad way! Just... dunno, dark but sweet maybe?"

A hum rumbled in Simon's throat as he swallowed his tea, putting the mug down beside him and sitting on the floor casually as he looked at you again with those rich dark eyes, the hint of a cocky smirk curled on his lips, "dark but sweet, huh?"

You nodded at him, still smiling. "Just what I've gathered," you said with a shrug.

The two of you were silent for a moment, you noticed how Simon raked his eyes over you momentarily.

"Sorry, I'll leave you to it, then!" you snapped with another awkward laugh as you stumbled back to the kitchen, leaving Simon to return to his work. You were trying your best to withhold the smile tugging at your cheeks but it was impossible, you wanted to squeal like a teenage girl at the way you cheekily flirted with him and made him laugh.

As Simon tinkered in your bathroom, you occupied yourself by unpacking a few boxes with items that belonged in your kitchen and living room. It was already almost noon.

In your peripheral vision, you saw Simon standing outside of the bathroom, drops of sweat covering his forehead as he adjusted his black cap. It was still hot as all hell in your apartment.

"Sorry, love, can I bother you for some water?" he said, taking the bottom of his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face and neck. You watched hungrily as his shirt rose in his grasp, revealing his lower abdomen; his torso was toned, his v-line protruding from his jeans, decorated with light brown hairs and rivulets of sweat.

Your pupils were blown as your eyes fixated on him, his unintentionally sensual performance. You gulped, heat pooling in between your legs from the sight alone.

Simon looked at you puzzled by your lack of response. You snapped out of it as you moved to fulfill his request "Y-yeah! No problem!"

You handed the man a glass of cold water and he took it from you, gulping it down. As he did so you watched the way his Adam's apple bobbed up and down with every gulp. You were staring at him again, today. Your stomach was fluttering and the heat between your legs seethed the more you watched the man. You were pining for him at this point and it was embarrassing how hot and bothered you so easily were.

Simon let out a satisfied sigh as he handed you the glass, thanking you as you took it from him.

"I should be done soon, sorry for the delay, the fucker that put it together did a shit job."

You nodded and told him not to worry as he walked back into the bathroom. If anything, now you were worried he'd be leaving too soon. You enjoyed his company too much already. That's when you had a bright idea of how to keep him just a bit longer.

A few minutes later, Simon walked out of the bathroom with his tools in hand, announcing his conclusion with an "all done." But he was taken aback by the sight of you with a sandwich and a glass of juice in your hand, placing it on the table for him.

"Oh, I didn't think you'd be done so soon!" You said feigning innocence; it was almost theatrical, how you looked at him with pleading wide eyes like a puppy begging him to stay and eat.

"You didn't have to," he said quietly, a bit embarrassed by the act but he couldn't help the fact that his stomach rumbled, and it was hard to say no to a face like yours.

You give him a silent invitation to sit and eat by placing your hands on the back of the dining chair. "Please, it's my way of thanking you for today."

And so he gave in once more, sitting down and devouring the meal. You joined him on the nearest seat with your own. The man was famished.

"Your boyfriend's a lucky man," he said between bites, looking up from his food expecting your response, a bit of hope in his eyes maybe?

You scoffed, "Yeah, he'd be lucky if he existed!"

Simon gave you a smirk, which you returned.

"So you live on the first floor?"

"I do, helps tend to people in the building better."

"Good, I'll be needing you around a lot," you said with a relieved sigh; this apartment needed all the help it could get.

"At your service, love," Simon said, tipping his glass to you before finishing it.

You watched him and felt a hint of sadness welling in your chest. You enjoyed Simon's company; he was kind and quiet, as alluring as he was attractive. He stood up from his chair and thanked you for everything, then grabbed his tools and made his way to the door. You accompanied him, showing him out and opening the door for him.

"Thanks again, love," he said lowly, his tone was kind and a bit sultry, "I'm in 1B if you need anythin' else."

"Thank you, Simon," you said with a smile as you watched him nod goodbye and be on his way.

When you closed the door behind you, you leaned against it, finally letting out that squeal you had pent up all day. You giggled to yourself, immediately dashing to get your phone and dialing your best friend.

"You're not gonna believe this!"

A/N: Guys!!! This was too long!!!! Part 2?!?!? I was kicking my feet, twirling my hair and giggling writing this please let me write part 2!!!

#call of duty mwii #cod mw2 #ghost mw2 #ghost riley #simon ghost riley #fanfic #simon ghost x reader #cod fanfic #simon riley au #alternate universe #ghost riley au #fluff to smut #fluff #simon riley fluff #maintenance guy au #blue collar simon riley au

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cc-writes-stuff · 1 month ago

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writeblr intro

hello writing community! i'm cc, an aspiring writer who is attempting to get back into writing original fiction again after around ~4 or so years of fanfic writing.

i've interacted with the community before and this is not my first writeblr intro, but i really started to stop both doing original writing and interacting with other writers on tumblr after covid hit, but i'm feeling a burst of inspiration, so i figured why not take a second shot at this. hopefully talking about my wips online will give me the motivation to keep working on them

about me

18+ and no i will not specify my age, but little to no sexual stuff (i do like angst though)

she/her

biromantic but currently feeling like a useless lesbian

also ace

virgo

psych major, writing minor

took four years of japanese

mostly fantasy and urban fantasy writing, dabbling in regional gothic, and whump writing

favorite book series is six of crows by leigh bardugo - it's actually what inspired me to become a writer

queer & neurodivergent friendly space

attempting to work on not being as socially anxious

u.s. american. unfortunately. at least i can vote now

also a big dnd, genshin impact, atla, pokemon and fma fan

have a cat and a dog

my wips

current

away from hallowed ground (working title)

genre: dark fantasy

premise: false prophet of a cult gets betrayed and ends up on the most buckwild road trip to find and either become a god or kill a god

status: 1st draft, writing and planning

planning/thinking

the town at the edge of the void

genre: debating whether i want to go more serious fantasy or more silly cozy slice of life

premise: a young witch lives in a town near the edge of the void. magical bullshit happens here. also, there's a nameless stranger in town who is very mysterious but she's also very pretty

status: thinking & plotting

in the backburner

a traitor's return

genre: urban fantasy

if you've been here long enough or are an old follower of mine, you may have heard of this one with some of my first two ocs ever created, cary and jordie

status: honestly currently considering a major overhaul now that i've gotten more experience in writing. but that's also too much thinking

unnamed costal gothic wip

no plot, just vibes involving a desolate light house, possibly ghosts and either magic, murder or both. also lesbians

but it's had me in a chokehold for at least a year

status: screaming crying throwing up (refuses to be plotted)

links

ao3: cc_writes_stuff (fanfiction account)

pintrest: cc_writes_stuff

i'm a little socially anxious but it's something i've been working on in real life, and i hope it translates to tumblr, too, so if you're interested in connecting with a fellow writer, it'd be greatly appreciated, and i'll attempt to do the same. best, cc!

#writing community #writer community #writeblr intro #writing on tumblr #writeblr introduction #creative writing #writeblr

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caw-oticdork · 1 year ago

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Hiya! I started listening to the Lost Terminal because you mentioned it on here. I'm a few seasons in and really loving it. My friend is looking for some new narrative pods and I know you listen to a bunch. Got any suggestions? They can be finished or ongoing.

Oh do I! Have a couple, in alphabetical order:

Absolutely No Adventures - An outright pratchettesque fantasy parody about a (very) Chosen One who has studied the art of baking instead heeding the call to adventure and refuses to go on any quests.

Care and Feeding of Werewolves - A (in-universe) podcast addressing current events and issues in the (American) paranormal community, hosted by a witch and medical practitioner. Has very good plot and worldbuilding.

Folxlore - Queer horror podcast set in Glasgow. Excellent show. "This apartment complex is very haunted, extremely cursed, and it sometimes randomly shifts to an eldritch nightmare realm. Everyone here's queer though, including the building itself. 4 stars out of 5."

Gabriela & The Inn Between - A recent botany undergrad takes a job as Innkeeper at an inn with very strange and unusual guests. Cozy and low-stakes.

Gastronaut - Set a couple hundred years from now, a food journalist travels from Earth, then Mars, then a distant space colony. He's pathetic but in a good way. Excellent food descriptions, nice anti-capitalistic and anti-colonialist themes. Higher stakes and fewer steaks than expected.

Ghost Wax - I've always disagreed with the idea that necromancers are always evil. This show agrees - it's a horror podcast about an ancient necromancer solving supernatural murders by interviewing the victims. Very thrilling. Many feels.

Icarus Rising - Queer airship pirates! Stow-aways! Rebellion! Chases and Thrills! High-stakes drama and action among the clouds! An adorable ship cat!

Kalila Stormfire's Economical Magick Services - Very cool story about witches, fairies, werewolves, and more, a story about what makes a community, about modern-day working class neighborhoods, psychology, love, and of course magic.

Parkdale Haunt - This one I haven't listened to yet, but I've heard very good things about it. It's a horror show about a haunted house, set in Toronto, made with love for that city. Disregard this suggestion if you don't like Toronto, I've never been.

SCP: Find Us Alive - A podcast set in the SCP universe, about a site getting sucked into some sort of pocket dimension that keeps resetting in a sort of time loop. Very interesting cast of characters. Requires minimal knowledge about how the SCP Foundation works.

Starfall - Fantasy audio drama about the adventures of a theatre troupe that uses magical items and illusions in their work, and about a young warrior with mysterious powers who joins them.

Tell No Tales - Horror story about a company that specialises in removing ghosts from haunted places. The protagonist quickly becomes concerned about the ethics of that and tries to prove that they need to start treating spirits with the humanity they deserve.

The Antique Shop - Urban Fantasy drama about a student getting a job at the kind of antiques shop that you only find when you need to. Lots of cursed items. An excellent cat. Queerplatonic relationships.

The Mistholme Museum of Mystery, Morbidity, and Mortality - An AI audio tour guide shows you various interesting exhibits and learns how to be a person. There's lots of feelings here.

The Strange Case of Starship Iris - Sci-Fi story set in the aftermath of a war between Earth and extraterrestrials. It's about outer space, survival, espionage, resistance, identity, friendship, found family, romance, and secrets. The intro song is excellent.

The Tower - A young woman climbs an ancient, unfathomably tall tower from a forgotten age. It stretches up into the sky, through the smog and the clouds. Very vibes.

The White Vault - Travel Is Not Advised. Very scary story about what's been hiding below the ice and the stone. What's been slumbering for ages. What's now beginning to wake anew.

I hope this selection helps! I have more, but I felt it would be better to keep the list short-ish.

#podcast recommendation

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justapoet · 8 months ago

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a key on the chain (take it with you and run)

“Annabeth Chase,” the man repeated, as if it meant something more than just a random name. “Isn’t that why you chose this house?” “Why, on Earth, would I pick a house based on whether or not this Annabeth Chase was my neighbour?” Percy asked. “To catch the cat!” the man explained, and Percy sincerely laughed. “What cat?” Percy asked, now wondering if he had drunk something that tasted bad or a bit out of the ordinary. He must have been sleeping, having those weird dreams some people claim have meanings but, in the end, were just a bunch of thoughts squeezed together in a juice jar. “The one with the key." OR, Percy wants a new beginning back where he came from. He moves to New Rome, a quaint neighbourhood in New York, where every single man seems to make a life out of chasing a yellow cat with a key around its neck. Whoever catches it, apparently, won't be denied the prize they all seek: Annabeth Chase's — the most beautiful woman around — hand in marriage. Percy doesn't get it, and much less wants to engage with such activities or with the mysterious woman. But it's a bit harder when she lives just next doors, and the yellow cat becomes a faithful companion of his.

Read it on Ao3

It was ironic, honestly, that he was standing at the door of his new house in New Rome, a quaint neighborhood in New York, New York, after he had decided to sell his house and get the hell out of the simple neighborhood he lived in Rome, Italy, for so many years. Ironic, to say the least, because Percy hadn’t even registered how the place was called before he had set foot back in the United States, his life all packed up in a bunch of luggage and Ms. O’Leary, his loyal companion, by his side.

And he should have registered it, probably, because it would be a responsible thing to do. But in the hurry he found himself in, and the crisis that was the catalyst for the sudden, brutal change of life and routine and choices, Percy didn’t think of much before buying the house and getting on a plane to sign the papers and get his keys.

Now, there he stood — in front of a small, dainty house, with brick walls and a wooden front double door and a large windowsill that gave it all a sweet, home-like air. It was the perfect definition of cozy, the front lawn mowed, and some flower bushes making it look even more graceful than he had first thought it’d be. The place seemed to come from a picture, those beautiful illustrations on books about fairies and magic and hope, and Percy wondered it that would be enough to settle his unsteady heart and calm his troubled mind.

Because the place was beautiful, and yet he couldn’t see or feel the hope of new beginnings that so many people had told him it would bring; he was standing in front of what now was his house, the boxes and furniture already inside for him to organize and distribute as he would like, and Percy could only feel tired. Not from his travels, not from having to put everything to a place — but he was tired, overall, and the weight of his choices and the paths he’d walked seemed to rest over his shoulder.

He was back in New York, and there was nothing really there for him. Not anymore, because he had decided to travel the world so many years before and, at some point, he had stopped keeping in touch with everyone he left behind. His mother, father, stepfather, stepmother, half-siblings and friends — he hadn’t talked to them in years. Long, long years that seemed to now taint his past and shadow his face and cloud his memories of what it was like to be with them, to be there.

And maybe being back should be inspiring. Perhaps being again in north American territory should give him the hopes and the energy to reach out and try to find them as soon as possible; but all he felt was dread. Dread, and dreadful fear that he had lost that part of his life — the one that made him who he was �� forever, and because of his terrible choices and the terrible feelings that had settled in his chest so long before.

He was staring at his house, and Percy wondered how long it could take for him to feel at home.

Because it once was home to be in New York, and he had forgotten how it felt. It once was home to never belong anywhere, traveling around and meeting new people and meeting new cultures and faces and languages, until the moment there was nothing but emptiness and the everlasting feeling of missing someone, something, somewhere.

His family, and everything they meant. He feared their anger, despite knowing that was what he deserved, after all. After so long, after so much pain he was sure he had caused them through the years he never even gave a sign of life.

New beginnings should be scary, yes, and ultimately exciting.

Percy was simply terrified.

Ms. O’Leary, on the other hand, seemed thrilled about having new places to discover. Her tail hadn’t stopped moving from the moment they got out of the taxi — who charged him an absurd amount of money upon seeing the dog, but that was quite alright at that point — and Percy had opened the gate that matched the fence circling the property. She had barked and set off to run around, and Percy couldn’t help but chuckle.

At least one of them was excited enough for both.

Percy sighed, taking the key to his front door so he could finally come in and see the mess he’d have to face and make more of soon enough until he could properly relax and rethink every single step of his life. Ms. O’Leary had already made her way to the backyard, somehow, and he could hear her barking at something — probably nothing at all —, chuckling a bit more at his best friend’s happiness on stretching her legs.

He shook his head, rolling his eyes fondly at the mental image of Ms. O’Leary simply running in circles around the area he was yet to see. Then, he looked up again at the doors, and inhaled deeply.

And his dramatic entrance to an empty house as a metaphor for his empty life was rudely interrupted before he could even fit the key in the door.

“So, you’re the lucky one?” someone spoke behind him, and Percy snapped his head in the voice’s direction, turning his body around as well, key still in hand. A man stood behind his fence, a heavy terracotta coat hanging from his shoulders, a suit underneath it and a black Panama hat tucked to his head a bit too much. His face wasn’t sympathetic, and instead he stared at Percy as if he was a bug the man desperately wanted to step on.

Weird. To say the very least.

“Uh— Hello?” Percy greeted, unsure of what to make of the situation. “I beg your pardon; ‘the lucky one’?” he frowned, and the man seemed to snap out of whatever it was that crossed his mind.

“My apologies. Welcome to New Rome,” the man spoke again, now taking a few steps to walk past the open gate and offer his hand in greeting. When he was close enough, Percy, still incredibly confused, shook the man’s hand.

“Percy Jackson,” he offered. “Thank you.”

For the welcome. Not for whatever it was that had happened before.

“Luke Castellan,” the man replied in earnest, his handshake firm before Percy let go of it. “First time in New York?” he asked, and Percy couldn’t quite pin down what it was that seemed so off about the sympathy in his tone.

“In a couple of years, yes,” Percy limited himself to say. Then, his curiosity got the best of him. “What did you say about me being ‘the lucky one’, may I ask?”

Luke’s smile seemed to tighten. Percy decided that it was best to be careful.

“The house,” Luke said. Percy frowned.

“Why? Is it better than the others?” he asked, looking back at the house behind him. When he looked at Luke again, the guy had an eyebrow raised.

“It’s beside Annabeth Chase’s house,” he spoke again, his tone implying that the fact was somehow obvious. Percy was sincerely beginning to think the conversation couldn’t possibly get weirder.

Rookie mistake.

“Who?” Percy could only ask, tilting his head to the side.

Luke frowned, then. Now, he seemed genuinely confused. Percy wanted to say that he had no right to — what, on Earth, was that man talking about?

“Annabeth Chase,” Luke repeated, as if it meant something more than just a random name. “Isn’t that why you chose this house?”

Percy’s face was probably odd to look at, now that he was sure it was completely contorted with his bewilderment. His mouth was slight open and twisted, and he couldn’t narrow his eyes more before completely closing them.

“I chose the house my realtor offered me,” Percy said. “Why, on Earth, would I pick a house based on whether or not this Annabeth Chase was my neighbor?”

“To catch the cat!” Luke explained, and Percy sincerely laughed.

“What cat?” Percy asked, now wondering if he had drunk something that tasted bad or a bit out of the ordinary. He must have been sleeping, having those weird dreams some people claim have meanings but, in the end, were just a bunch of thoughts squeezed together in a juice jar.

“The one with the key,” Luke spoke again, and Percy could really wake up right then. He moved his arms and hands in exasperation, completely lost, and shook his head, eyes wide as he tried to understand what the man could possibly be talking about.

“Do you seriously not know?” Luke asked, and he seemed truly surprised. Percy would need an analgesic for the building headache on his temples.

Percy shook his head in disbelief yet again.

“Man, I just got back from another continent. I do not have the most single idea of who the hell Annabeth Chase is, what a cat and a key mean or how the house I now own has to do with it.”

Luke stared at Percy, who just stared right back as he tried to get his point across. After the better part of a minute, the brunette man seemed to have accepted that the newcomer really didn’t know what the hell he was talking about, and his gaze turned apologetic.

“Okay, then. I’m sorry, man,” Luke spoke, putting his hands in the pockets of his coat. “It’s just an ongoing competition for Annabeth’s cat and their key.”

Percy frowned again.

“Competition?” he asked. Luke nodded.

“It’s a thing we have around here,” he began, and Percy tilted his head. “The house beside yours belongs to Annabeth Chase, the most beautiful woman in the neighborhood. Dare I say, and any other person, the most beautiful woman in New York,” he explained, and something in his tone, again, seemed to put Percy on edge. Luke looked at the house he was talking about, the glint in his eyes with something much more distorted than what someone might mistake for affection. “Every single young man in the neighborhood had offered her their hand in marriage, and desperately wanted to wed her,” he told him, and Percy visibly winced. Luke didn’t notice.

Marrying someone for looks? Asking for their hand in marriage because they look pretty?

The discontentment was clear over Percy’s face. He was definitely going insane.

“She refused one by one, and yet they came back to ask her again. Expensive gifts, poems, songs; they tried to convince her with everything, anything they could buy and hand her,” the man continued, and Percy felt a pang of sympathy for whoever the woman was. What a tragic thing, to be seen as one more object those men could be handed and pay for. “One day, though, Miss Chase grew tired of all men knocking on her door and proposing ridiculous things. So, she made a challenge — whoever caught her cat and the key on the cat’s neck, would not be denied her hand in marriage. Since then, there’s been a whole thing trying to catch the animal: cages, traps, the most unhinged plans seen. No one could ever catch it.”

A wave of satisfaction rolled in his ears, and Percy made his very best not to let it trespass to his expression. He sympathized with the woman, and somehow was intrigued by her presence and the plan she had made — it was odd how she knew that the cat wouldn’t be caught, and yet a high risk to take if she didn’t want any of those men by her side.

Something, Percy thought, that no one could possibly blame her for. One needs to be pathetically vain to try and win someone’s heart as a prize, and not ever think about treasuring it as it should happen. And agreeing to go after a cat instead of just, perhaps, asking this Annabeth out and trying their luck by being normal people? Percy didn’t think that he would like a single soul in the neighborhood.

“They stopped coming to her house,” Luke carried on, taking Percy back from his thoughts and judgements. “And, to this day, everyone tries to catch the yellow cat with a hanging key and earn her love,” he concluded, and looked at Percy again, who was trying his best not to roll his eyes in front of his new neighbor. Those men could be trying to earn anything, but not her love. “We were all curious, then, as for who had taken the house closest to hers.”

Percy blinked, shaking his head.

“I have nothing to do with chasing cats and hanging keys, man, I can tell you that much,” he said. “I just got the house.”

“We all see it,” he said.

“And I would much rather the accusation stopped, Mr. Castellan, for I have no intention to add ‘trapping a cat’ to my routine,” Percy spoke, a little more serious. “I have nothing to do with this odd contest of yours, and I intend to keep it that way,” he explained.

Luke seemed a bit convinced. And a bit too smug for Percy’s liking.

“You’re a first, then,” the man said, and Percy arched an eyebrow. Luke sighed. “My apologies for the accusations, Mr. Jackson. The subject just tends to get on our nerves.”

“I figured,” Percy said. “If you’ll excuse me, Mr. Castellan; I’ve had a long day.”

The man nodded.

“Of course. Have a good afternoon,” he complied to Percy’s farewell, touching his hat and then turning around to leave the property. Percy watched him go for a few seconds, and then decided that it was too much to process standing at his doorstep.

He was intrigued, to say the least, about the whole scenario he had just been presented to. A woman with whom he couldn’t help but sympathize, being chased and wanted like some sort of prize for someone’s ego and pride. A cat that seemed to outsmart a whole neighborhood — though, after the whole story, Percy couldn’t believe it was that hard to do it —, and a bunch of grown adults who didn’t have anything better to do but to watch every person’s moves and doubt their smallest intentions.

Amazing. And he thought he’d find some peace by being back at his childhood town.

Read the rest on Ao3!

#percabeth #percy jackson #annabeth chase #pjo fandom #pjo #percy jackon and the olympians #my fics #i'm back!#it's been a really long while since I've written anything so i'm really happy to be back!#ao3 fanfic #my writing #justapoet writes #they've been taking over my brain lately enough that i started writing again so i'll be brainrotting for them for a while it seems #I've been away for a while be kind i'm a bit out of shape here #hope you'll like it :)

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ghostflowerdreams · 24 days ago

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Who are your favorite artists? The art kind.

I'm a bit surprised I haven't been asked this question before!

I appreciate so many artists that it's hard to narrow it down. But based on what I can remember and what I can check on my Instagram and bookshelf, here are some of my favorites:

Gustave Doré (1832–1883) → A French artist, illustrator, and sculptor, celebrated for his intricate and dramatic engravings and illustrations. He is best known for his illustrations of classic literary works, including Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, John Milton's Paradise Lost, and Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven. His skillful blend of realism and romanticism, combined with his mastery of visual storytelling, has established him as a significant figure in the history of illustration and fine art.

Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) → A Dutch post-impressionist painter renowned for his expressive use of color and bold brushwork, which had a profound influence on 20th-century art. His most famous works, such as Starry Night, Sunflowers, and The Bedroom, showcase his unique style and emotional depth, capturing the beauty of the world around him.

Henriëtte Ronner-Knip (1821–1909) → A Dutch-Belgian painter best known for her detailed and charming depictions of domestic cats. Specializing in animal paintings, her style combined realism and a romantic touch, often portraying cats in cozy, playful, or elegant settings that captured their personalities and grace. She was celebrated for her ability to convey texture, particularly in fur, and created intimate, lifelike scenes that became popular in 19th-century bourgeois society.

John William Waterhouse (1849–1917) → A British painter associated with the Pre-Raphaelite movement, known for his romantic and mythological subjects. His art style blends elements of Romanticism and Classicism, featuring realistic figures, rich colors, and a strong focus on nature and detail. Waterhouse is best known for his depictions of female figures from mythology and literature, such as The Lady of Shalott and Ophelia, which convey a sense of beauty, melancholy, and mystery, making his work iconic in the realm of 19th-century art.

Harry Clarke (1889–1931) → An Irish stained-glass artist and illustrator. His work was influenced by Gothic art, Symbolism, Art Nouveau, and Irish folklore. This blend resulted in a distinctive aesthetic that harmoniously intertwines beauty with darker themes. Clarke is best known for his illustrations in classic literary texts, including James Joyce's Dubliners and Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination. In these works, his illustrations masterfully balance whimsy and darkness, creating striking visual narratives that continue to resonate with audiences.

Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939) → A Czech painter and decorative artist best known for his distinctive Art Nouveau style, characterized by intricate, flowing lines, elaborate floral motifs, and a harmonious use of soft colors. Mucha's work often features idealized female figures, embodying beauty and elegance, and is heavily inspired by his fascination with nature and Slavic folklore. He gained fame for his poster designs, particularly those promoting the actress Sarah Bernhardt, as well as his decorative panels and illustrations.

J.C. Leyendecker (1874–1951) → An American illustrator renowned for his iconic magazine covers and advertising art, particularly his work for The Saturday Evening Post and the Arrow Collar Man campaign. Leyendecker's mastery of visual storytelling and branding helped shape American commercial art in the early 20th century, and he significantly influenced later artists, including Norman Rockwell.

Leonid Afremov (1955–2019) → A Belarusian-born artist known for his vibrant, impressionistic paintings created using a palette knife technique. His distinctive art style features bold colors and dynamic brushstrokes, often depicting landscapes, city scenes, and emotional moments, such as rain-soaked streets or sunlit parks.

Ayami Kojima → A Japanese artist and illustrator best known for her work in video game design, particularly as the character designer for the Castlevania series. Her art style is characterized by intricate, gothic aesthetics, combining dark fantasy elements with a detailed, ethereal quality.

Victoria Francés → A Spanish illustrator known for her evocative illustrations that blend gothic, fantasy, and romantic themes. She is particularly known for her illustrated books, including the popular series Faery Tales, which showcases her unique blend of fantasy and gothic aesthetics.

Yoshitaka Amano → A Japanese artist and illustrator renowned for his distinctive style in character design and concept art, particularly for the Final Fantasy video game series. His style fuses his interests in traditional Japanese aesthetics like those of wood block prints with Western fantasy elements. It results in ethereal forms, and a dreamlike quality, especially with Amano's use of watercolor techniques and intricate details to create a sense of movement and fluidity in his work.

Nico Delort (IG: nicodelort) → A French illustrator known for his detailed, black-and-white artworks created using scratchboard techniques. His art style is heavily influenced by the aesthetics of 19th-century engravings and woodcuts, blending elements of Gothic, fantasy, and mythological themes. Delort's work is recognized for its dramatic use of light and shadow, intricate textures, and atmospheric depth, often depicting moody, fantastical scenes.

Vania Zouravliov → A Russian-born artist known for his intricate, surreal illustrations that blend dark, fairy-tale-like themes with fine detail and symbolism. Zouravliov's work explores beauty and darkness, merging the macabre with the fantastical.

James Jean (IG: jamesjeanart) → A Taiwanese-American visual artist and illustrator known for his surreal, highly detailed works that blend elements of fantasy, mythology, and pop culture. Jean gained early recognition for his award-winning covers for DC Comics' Fables series.

Audrey Kawasaki (IG: audkawa) → A Japanese-American artist known for her blend of contemporary Japanese aesthetics and Western art influences. Her ethereal paintings often depict young women surrounded by nature, featuring intricate line work and a soft color palette. Her works are typically painted on wood panels, adding a quality that enhances the emotional depth of her subjects.

Jessica Cioffi (IG: Loputyn) → An Italian artist known for her enchanting illustrations and concept art that seamlessly blend traditional and digital techniques. Her work reflects the influence of 19th century neo-gothic and Japanese manga, and among the artist's favorite themes are witchcraft, folklore, and mystery.

Wenqing Yan (IG: yuumeiart) → A Chinese-American digital artist and illustrator known for her detailed, expressive art. Her style blends elements of anime, fantasy, and realism, featuring vibrant colors and intricate designs. Yan draws inspiration from nature, technology, and personal experiences, and she is well-known for her webcomic Fisheye Placebo and art series like Knite, which explore themes of activism, technology, and the environment.

Gretel Lusky (IG: gretlusky) → An Argentine digital artist and illustrator, Gretel Lusky is recognized for her whimsical, vibrant artwork featuring fantasy characters, and magical themes. Her style blends cartoon and anime elements, characterized by bold lines, expressive characters, and a colorful palette. She is well-known for her enchanting illustrations on social media, where she shares art tutorials and collaborates on various comics, book covers, and other projects. She is also known for her debut graphic novel Primer, an original graphic novel for DC Comics.

Margaret Morales (IG: margaretmoralesart) → A Filipino watercolor artist currently residing in America. Margaret Morales is known for her dreamy, ethereal portraits that intertwine feminine figures with elements of nature, such as flowers and animals. Her style, characterized by soft brushwork and pastel hues, creates a surreal, fairytale-like atmosphere. Her evolving work draws inspiration from art nouveau, mythology, fantasy, natural elements, Japanese/manga art, and fashion.

Tactooncat → An Indonesian digital artist known for creating illustrations that feature cats in a humorous and whimsical style, particularly cat memes and videos. Their work appeals to cat lovers and fans of lighthearted, expressive illustrations.

There are so many more, but hopefully the ones I've mentioned have caught your interest enough that you'll want to look them up. Each artist offers a unique perspective, whether through their distinctive style, use of color, themes, or techniques—there’s plenty to discover and enjoy.

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armyangxls · 5 months ago

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About me: My name is Lexi, I’m 20, Queer, Christian writer, editor, neurodivergent, chronically ill, and my pronouns are she/they

About my stories: Most of my stories are written as chronically ill gender neutral readers! And all are autistic queer plus size readers!

What I post: fandom stuff, fanfics, stories, icons, gifs, fancasts, stimboards, etc

My f/os: Tex Sawyer, Bo Sinclair, Richie Kirsch, Evan Buckley, Ticci Toby, Ryan Hudson, Corey Cunningham, Henry Creel, Mike Munroe, Chris Halliwell, Gilbert Blythe, Johnny Sawyer, Cooper Adams, Herr König, Adam Maitland, Wadsworth (Clue), etc

Random favorite things: Scooby Doo, non sketchy storms, St. Augustine FL, cozy days, horror media, video games, board games, cartoons, road trips, cozy spooky media, ghosts, period media, dusk, Ghibli movies, foggy days, witchy stuff, mysteries, celestial stuff, decorations, paranormal!

Favorite aesthetics: whimsigoth, fairy Grunge, tropical girl, spooky coastal town, anything cozy or spooky!

Favorite music: Chase Atlantic, Chappell Roan, Brye, Isabel LaRosa, She Wants Revenge, BTS, TV girl, Taylor Swift, Conan Gray, Fleetwood Mac, Olivia Rodrigo, The Neighborhood, Lovelytheband, Mazzy Star, Melanie Martinez, Halsey!

Favorite YouTubers: Jake Webber, Johnnie Gilbert, Sam and Colby, Loey Lane, Trek Trendy, Jessii Vee!

Fandoms: BTS, The Vampire Diaries, Encanto, Stranger Things, DC Stargirl, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Fear Street, Scream, The Lost Boys, Outer Banks, 9-1-1, 9-1-1 Lone Star, The Crow, Halloween, Nancy Drew, Lisa Frankenstein, House Of Wax, Pretty Little Liars, Elvis (2022), Bridgerton, Are You Afraid of The Dark?, Fate The Winx Saga, Anne of Green Gables (1985-), Riverdale, The Maze Runner, Creepypasta, Marble Hornets, American Horror Story & Stories, Harry Potter (anti JKR), Fantastic Beasts, Scream TV Series, Charmed, Dead By Daylight, My Babysitter’s A Vampire, Sense and Sensibility, I Am Not Okay With This, Love Victor, It (2017), Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, The Strangers Prey at Night, Rizzoli And Isles, Texas Chainsaw Massacre game, Five Nights At Freddy's, Abigail, Trap, Beetlejuice, etc

Social Medias: @btsarmygirl417 Edit Instagram TikTok @starry-ghost-tour my reblog account @whimsyspookyloves my f/o account

Playlist: Character playlists Part Two Monthly Playlist

DNI: Racists, Homophobos, Transphobos, pro-eds, fatphobos, ableists, Trump Supporters, Nazis, Proshipers, anti self-diagnose, conservatives, etc

Taglists: Stranger Things Taglist Scream Taglist Stargirl taglist Fear Street taglist

Masterlists: Writing Masterlist Gif Masterlist Test Posts Masterlist Fancasts Masterlist Icons Masterlist

🔮🕯️🎃🍁🍂👽🎃🔮👻🍁🍂🎃🕯️🔮

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mythbustersfacts · 5 months ago

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[Opening Scene: The MythBusters workshop. Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman stand in front of a collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts]

Jamie: [skeptical] Adam it looks like you've been on tumblr again, do the fans have another myth for us to test?

Adam: [excitedly] Today, we’re diving into a modern myth that’s taken the internet by storm—the mystery of the White Pharaoh.

Jamie: [nodding] This enigmatic figure is said to be an ancient Egyptian pharaoh with distinctly European features. Some claim he’s from an American textbook, while others say he's a character from a slot machine.

Adam: And there’s a twist! Rumor has it, this character is based on a real person living in Utah, who’s supposedly forcing people to build pyramids. Crazy, right?

Jamie: [raising an eyebrow] We’re going to investigate the origins of this character, let's start by looking into the slot machine story.

[Adam and Jamie walk into a glitzy casino, filled with the sounds of slot machines and the buzz of excitement. They head towards the corner where a Pharaoh’s Fire machine stands prominently.]

Adam: [pointing to the screen] That’s the guy! The White Pharaoh. Notice the European features, quite different from traditional Egyptian depictions!

Jamie: [curious] We’ve arranged to meet with a game designer who worked on Pharaoh’s Fire. Let’s see what he has to say about the design choices.

[The team meets with the game designer, a cheerful professional eager to discuss his work. They gather around a table with a laptop showing design sketches.]

Game Designer: [pointing to the screen] The White Pharaoh was designed to stand out and appeal to a wide audience. We used a mix of features to create a character that was both exotic and familiar.

Jamie: [deadpan] So, no historical basis at all?

Game Designer: [shaking his head] None whatsoever. It’s purely a creative blend. We wanted a character that would be memorable and fit the adventurous theme of the game.

Adam: [raising an eyebrow] Did you expect this character to become an internet sensation and a point of debate about ancient Egyptian history?

Game Designer: [laughing] Not at all! It’s incredible how a piece of gaming art can take on a life of its own. But remember, it’s just a game character, not a depiction of real history.

[The team thanks the designer and leaves the casino, ready for the next phase of their investigation.]

[The camera follows the MythBusters team as they drive through the scenic landscapes of Utah. They discuss their mission to find the real-life White Pharaoh, rumored to be somewhere in the state.]

Adam: [approaching a local] Excuse me, we’re looking for someone known as the White Pharaoh. Do you know where we might find him?

Local: [pointing to a distant hill] He lives up there, in that big house. You can’t miss it. But be careful, folks around here say he’s a bit... eccentric.

Jamie: [turning to the camera] Alright, let’s go meet the man behind the myth.

[The team approaches a large, pyramid-shaped house on the hill. They knock on the door and are greeted by a tall, pale man dressed in an ornate robe. His features strikingly resemble those of the White Pharaoh from the slot machine game.]

White Pharaoh: [smiling warmly] Welcome, travelers. I am the White Pharaoh. What brings you to my domain?

Adam: [extending a hand] We’re the MythBusters. We’re here to learn more about you and your connection to this image that’s been circulating online.

White Pharaoh: [eyes narrowing slightly] Ah, the internet… always spreading tales. Come in, let’s discuss this over some tea.

[The team enters the house, which is filled with eclectic decorations and tapestries, including numerous Egyptian artifacts and pyramid models. They sit down in a cozy living room.]

Jamie: [looking around] This is quite a collection you have here.

White Pharaoh: [smiling mysteriously] I am fascinated by ancient Egypt and have devoted my life to studying it. Some even say I am the reincarnation of an ancient pharaoh.

Adam: [leaning in] And what about the pyramids? We’ve heard rumors you’re involved in building some out here.

White Pharaoh: [chuckling softly] Yes, I have a few projects going on. I believe in bringing a piece of Egypt to the American landscape.

Adam: [nervously] And these people working for you... are they volunteers?

White Pharaoh: [gazing intently] They are devoted followers. They believe in the vision I have for restoring the glory of ancient Egypt.

[As the conversation continues, the atmosphere grows increasingly tense. The team notices several people working outside, surrounding the Mythbusters van and stacking large stones around it in pyramid shapes under the White Pharaoh’s watchful eye.]

Adam: [whispering to Jamie] This is getting weird. We need to wrap this up.

Jamie: [nodding subtly] Agreed. Let’s make our exit.

White Pharaoh: [suddenly standing up] You must see the pyramids we’re building. Come, I insist.

[The team follows the White Pharaoh outside, where they are led to a large, partially constructed pyramid. The workers, looking exhausted, glance at them with a mix of fear and curiosity.]

White Pharaoh: [gesturing grandly] Behold! The future of Egypt in America. Isn’t it magnificent?

Adam: [backing away slightly] It’s... impressive. But we really should be going.

White Pharaoh: [smiling ominously] Oh, but you must stay. We could use your skills to complete our masterpiece.

[The camera captures the tension as Adam and Jamie face the White Pharaoh. The air is thick with unease, and the followers of the White Pharaoh begin to close in on the MythBusters team, their intentions unclear but menacing.]

Jamie: [firmly] We’re leaving. Now.

Adam: [nervously chuckling] Yeah, thanks for the tour, but we have a lot of other myths to bust today.

[The White Pharaoh’s smile fades, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. He raises a hand, and his followers tighten their circle around Adam and Jamie.]

White Pharaoh: [calmly] I’m afraid I can’t allow that. You’ve seen too much. You will help us complete the pyramid... or you will never leave.

[Adam and Jamie exchange worried glances, realizing the seriousness of their situation. The followers, looking more desperate than before, begin to push them towards the unfinished pyramid.]

Jamie: [to Adam, quietly] We need to find a way out of here, now.

Adam: [looking around for an escape route] Agreed. Let’s create a distraction.

[Adam notices a pile of construction tools nearby. He subtly picks up a hammer, trying to hide his movements from the encroaching followers.]

Adam: [raising his voice, addressing the White Pharaoh] You know, I’ve always wanted to test the structural integrity of a pyramid like this.

White Pharaoh: [intrigued, momentarily distracted] Oh? And how do you plan to do that?

[Adam suddenly throws the hammer towards a stack of equipment and knocks over a circular saw causing a loud crash and a cloud of dust to rise. The followers instinctively look towards the noise.]

Adam: [shouting] Now, Jamie!

[Taking advantage of the confusion, Adam and Jamie sprint towards their van, dodging followers who are trying to block their path. The scene is chaotic, with followers stumbling and shouting in the dust cloud.]

Jamie: [grabbing the driver’s side door] Get in, Adam!

[Adam dives into the passenger seat as Jamie revs the engine. The van lurches forward, scattering the followers who are still trying to recover from the sudden disruption.]

White Pharaoh: [yelling angrily] Stop them! They must not escape!

[The van speeds down the dirt path, kicking up a trail of dust. The camera captures the frantic followers chasing after them on foot and throwing pyramid-shaped stones but they quickly fall behind.]

Adam: [panting, looking back through the rear window] That was close. Way too close.

Jamie: [focused on the road, accelerating away from the scene] Yeah, but we made it. Let’s just hope we’re not followed.

[The camera follows the van as it navigates the winding roads of Utah, the unfinished pyramid and the White Pharaoh’s house fading into the distance. The mood inside the van is tense but relieved.]

[Musical Sting and Scene Transition: Back at the Workshop]

[Cut to the MythBusters workshop. Adam and Jamie stand in front of the camera, looking slightly shaken but with a hint of excitement in their eyes. The familiar backdrop of tools and experiments gives a sense of safety and normalcy.]

Adam: [seriously] Our investigation into the White Pharaoh took us on a journey we never expected. We set out to explore a modern meme and myth, but what we discovered was far beyond what we imagined.

Jamie: [nodding] The White Pharaoh isn’t just a character from a slot machine. He’s real, and he’s out there in Utah, building his vision of a new Egypt in America. We saw it with our own eyes, and it was both fascinating and a bit terrifying.

Adam: [leaning forward, with intensity] He claims to be a reincarnated pharaoh, surrounded by followers who are completely devoted to his cause. They’re constructing pyramids in the desert, bringing ancient dreams into modern reality.

Jamie: [smirking slightly] So, after meeting him and seeing his projects firsthand, we have to say... myth confirmed. The White Pharaoh is real, and he’s turning his own myth into reality.

Adam: Confirmed!

#white pharaoh #mythbusters #deep lore

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