#But I hope the Jarod appears when it's his time
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magnificent-winged-beast ¡ 2 years ago
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Me waking up and casually going to Twitter to find this.
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Oh! is this weekend?
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😁🐚🗑️❤️👍🏼
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chayacat ¡ 1 year ago
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Road96: Shandara’s Land (13)  
Fandom: Road96 
Rated M for Language and Violence.  
*** 
The abandoned buildings of Petria were blessed bread for the Purple Lynx. No need to build or set up a meagre camp. They only need to rehabilitate the building to be able to settle there. And believe me that in just a few hours, it's over. You can't imagine how many members this group has. And you don't want to imagine it. Inside the building, in the basement of the building, was Adam, locked in what appeared to be a cell. Maybe a little too big for him... He was curled up in on himself, wondering what he was doing here. But above all... he was thinking of Sonya. His Sonya.  
“Sonya...I hope you’re fine.” he said to himself.  
Not far from the building, hidden behind the rocks, Stan, Mitch, Anna, Jarod and Alex discreetly observed the building. They absolutely had to find a way to get in without being detected. But how? They had guards all around the building.  
“Well... They have planned a hell of a welcoming committee, tell me.” said Stan. 
“Inevitably, it was too good for Melina to let us get Adam back without resistance. We must find a way in.” said Anna.  
“What's next? We don't even know where they locked him up.” said Jarod.  
“I have had the opportunity in the past to enter one of their buildings. I know they have basements. If they locked Adam up somewhere, it's bound to be in the basement. That's where we must go.” 
“Isn't there a way to access it directly from the outside?” asks Mitch.  
“Unfortunately, no.” replied Anna sighing.  
“Let me do it. Give me a few minutes and I'll have the building plans in no time.” said Alex as he types on his small computer.  
“You have a real gift for computers... I am sure you will be the one who revolutionizes the world one day.” 
“Yeah, I know. One day, scientists will examinate my brain to find out How I was born with such a big and awesome brain.” 
Anna laughs as she watches Alex get to work. He was going so fast, she had trouble understanding what he was doing. And after a little while, the map of the building was displayed on his screen.  
“Ha ah! And that's the job! Too easy for a genius like me.” said Alex as everyone gathered around him.  
The map of the building was quite large and had several floors. But what interested them most was the basement. And even the basements were big. Bigger than the building itself. Finding Adam will not be easy. But they must try their luck.  
“Well...we still have to find a way in.” said Jarod.  
“We will find one...there’s must be a way...” said Anna.  
“I think I found one.” said Mitch pointing at two guards isolated from the rest.  
The group discreetly walked towards the service entrance where the two guards were standing isolated. Without making any noise they knocked out the latter and hid them before entering the building. Alex took the opportunity to hack the cameras, thus deceiving the surveillance room. Once this was done, the group looked at the map again.  
“We're here. We don't have direct access to the basement here. We will have to cross half of the building to access the stairs that will allow us to go down. We will have to be discreet. If a single soldier from Merlina sees us, we're screwed.” said Anna.  
“Don't worry about the soldiers. Mitch and I make it our business. They won't even have time to blow the whistle.” said Stan.  
“Yes, don't worry for that. Let us do it.” said Mitch.  
“Alex are you sure your camera jamming system will last a long time?” replied Anna.  
“As long as necessary! Don't worry about it, home girl, Alex is on the spot.” he said smiling.  
“Let us hurry. The longer we stay here, the more likely we are to be spotted.” say Jarod.  
The group moved discreetly towards the stairs leading to the basements. Meanwhile, in her office, Merlina was sipping a glass of wine, when she received a call.  
*Madam, they have entered the building and are heading to the basement. * Said the soldier.  
“Perfect. Let them advance to him... And once they're in the right place... The trap will close on them. I would be happy to see them die before my eyes. As soon as they are near the cage, let me know. I want to see their faces filled with despair myself.” said Merlina, playing with her glass of wine.  
*Yes, madam. About Tyrak, what do we do? * 
“Let him mind his own business. He has already given us all the necessary funds for our research. Focus on locating the latest Shandarian site. We must find it in order to be able to find the city itself. Got it?” 
*Yes Madam. We get back to it right away. *  
Merlina cut the transmission and sipped her glass, a sly smile on her face. Then she put down her glass and got up leaving the room to start heading to the basement. She was looking forward to what was to come. Back on Anna's side, the group had reached the basement. But there were even more guards than before. No way to pass without being spotted.  
Two guards passed through a long corridor before hearing a strange noise. They moved slowly, their weapons loaded and ready to fire. Suddenly, they were lured and knocked out from behind before being hidden in a cupboard. Stan and Mitch wiped their gloved hands before motioning for the rest of the group to join them. They followed Alex's map and cautiously walked through the basement corridors. From time to time, Anna would glance to see if she saw Adam. But nothing. Jarod did the same to spot potential Yung soldiers.  
“I don't like it.” said Jarod.  
“Me neither. But we have to look on the bright side: If there is so much guard here, it is because Adam must not be very far away. We must move forward, and quickly if we want to have a chance of releasing him.”  said Stan.  
The group suddenly heard a noise. Like a voice calling them. It was Adam. They went to the source and after a few minutes they finally arrived in the room where Adam was being held prisoner. 
“Adam!” said Mitch.  
“Mitch?! Stan?! What are you doing there?!” said Adam worried.  
“We're coming to get you out of there! Why do you think we're here??” said Stan.  
“No! You must leave here! It's a trap! Merlina...” 
But he did not have time to finish his sentence when the door behind the group closed. Adam then pulled back screaming, while the group fell when the ground under their foot opened. Jarod protected Alex in their downfall while Mitch did the same with Anna. Each found himself isolated in a room. Stan was alone, Mitch and Anna were together in another, same for Jarod and Alex.  
“Daggnabit! Mitch?? Anna?? Hey, is anyone here??” said Stan alone in his room.  
“Anna are you okay?” Said Mitch.  
“I am... Thanks Mitch” responds Anna.  
“Nothing broken Kid?” asks Jarod.  
“No... Thank you. We were separated from the band...” said Alex.  
“I feel that way.”  
Suddenly water began to seep into the rising room slowly but surely. In Anna and Mitch's play, the room was getting colder and colder. While in Stan's, the walls were getting closer. Suddenly they all heard a voice in the loudspeakers.  
*Well,Well,Well. It looks like the little mice have decided to get into their holes. Too bad the cat trapped them just before. * Said Merlina.  
“Merlina!” said Anna.  
*Hello Anna. What a pleasure to see you again. Unfortunately, it will be for the last time. Too bad, I would have thought you would have resisted longer this time. And in addition, you drag other people with you into death. *  
“We'll find a way out of here! You dirty witch!” shout Stan.  
*Hahaha! but I hope for you! It would be a shame to end up crushing, frozen or drowned. But I fear that unfortunately, the journey will stop for you. Soon the city of Shandara will be mine and all its research and discoveries will be mine! *  
Each member of the group looked towards the speakers, frowning and gritting their teeth. Merlina laughed at such a sight. For her, all this was a game. A game in which she would be the winner.  
“What a monster...” said Mitch.  
“Merlina...” said Anna.  
*Unfortunately for you, you will never see my triumph for this discovery. But don't worry... The others will eventually join you... one way or another. Farewell. * Said Merlina before cutting off the micro.  
Stan saw the walls getting closer and closer. He swore between his teeth, looking for a way out before he finished crushing. Suddenly he saw a door. She looked solid at first glance, but he had to try his luck. No time to hook it, he must explode it. He took out his Visa shotgun the hinges that held the door and fired. After 4 shots, and on the verge of ending up flattened like a pancake, Stan manages to blow the door and leave the room at the death’s door, now condemned by the walls close together. He sighed in relief, also trying to catch his breath. He narrowly escaped death. But for him it is not the first time. It can be said that he has always had a good star above him. Even two... 
“Close call. Now I must save the others. Before it’s too late.” He said before starting to run.  
He has no time to lose. The others are in danger. He must hurry to find them and get them out of there, before the kiss of death comes to take them away. But in a basement as big as this... Finding them is going to be complicated. But he must not give up. Not now. His brother's life is at stake. And Anna's too. As well as Alex and Jarod. He must act quickly. very quickly.  
“Hang on everyone...I'm coming.” he said running as fast as he can.  
Hang on yes... 
Hang on...Mitch.  
*** 
(A wonderful 4-day weekend awaits me! It will feel good to rest a little without having to finish super late at night. I'll be able to sleep a little earlier or play a little more. I already have some ideas emerging about my next fiction, but I'm putting them aside for now, so I can focus on this one. And then with the release of Baldur's Gate 3, I must admit that I want to play more right now. I hope you’ll like it like the other ones! Feel free to tell me what you think about it! Have a great weekend to you all!  See ya!)
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paleontaxi ¡ 2 years ago
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Nobody expects Jarod to be as talkative as he is, and he occasionally surprises himself with it.  He will say that talking doesn’t help him—and he genuinely doesn’t believe that it does—but sometimes, he will get started on a subject and be unable to stop.  He knows he should be more careful about what he says to people, but then someone will bring up Sonya Sanchez, and he just has to mention that terrible thing she did and his plans to set it right.
He certainly chatters more than he means to much of the time, and this is evidently no exception.
He hums in agreement that there’s plenty to be weary about these days.  “Didn’t use to be,” he mumbles, “or maybe I noticed it less.”
Jarod looks up at the guy next to him, takes in his appearance, and tries to get a read on his angle.  Most people would have run by now.  Even Joe from Palavas, who is practically twice his size, keeps his tail tucked between his legs when Jarod comes around, so the desire to make small talk is a little odd.
“Interesting’s a word,” he says, snatching the cigarette from his lips and flicking the ashes off the end of it.  “Get a surprising number of kids.”  Runaways, he presumes, but they don’t tell him, and he doesn’t ask. He figures most of them probably lose their nerve and turn around and go home shortly after he drops them off, but he doesn’t feel remorse over keeping their fares.  “Lotta drunks, people going to work—they kinda blend together if you do it long enough.  The only recent one I remember distinctly was this guy who worked with disposable cameras, talking about how they’re made, the film, and all that.”  Not many people get chatty in the cab, but the ones who do typically bring a little intrigue with them.
He sets the cigarette between his lips again and regards the man with what he hopes doesn’t come off too noticeably as suspicion.  Jarod is rarely given to politeness outside his work hours, and it can be difficult to manage it even then.  But he has an opportunity to learn a little more about this guy’s background, get closer to figuring him out, assess him as a threat.  “And what’s it that you do?”
“Yeah, I probably am,” Arthur relented after a few moments–he wasn’t a STRANGER to self-deprecation, but his tone was light at least. “World’s full of free advice these days, anyway, so I ain’t gonna pretend mine’s any different.”
Arthur would hesitate to say the other man’s all that FRIENDLY, but he was a little more talkative than he had been expecting. Honestly, he hadn’t expected any response to his frustrated mutterings, but could’ve kept his mouth shut if he didn’t want any. Still, he kept himself guarded–in all honesty, he’d been observing the guy since he first saw him. Arthur grew up around crooks and killers, was both of those things (if that was something somebody could say they ‘used to be’ or if that was something you always were, he didn’t know. He’d jot that down in his journal later, surely.) So, he knew when people were…OFF, and this guy?
Well, he settled on keeping the conversation FRIENDLY if only to avoid proving his hunch right.
“Can’t blame you. There’s lots to be weary about these days. Though, bein’ a taxi driver probably has you seein’ lots of interestin’ folks.”
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wordsfromthesol ¡ 4 years ago
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Still Don’t Know My Name (1/2)
Author: @wordsfromthesol​ Taglist: @anousiemay​ @malfoys-demigod​ @pricetagofficial @zphilophobiaz​ Pairing: Jason Todd x Reader  Warnings: Angst (at least my version of it), language (big shocker I know) Word Count: 1.2k Requested: @gabytodd​
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Part Two
It was a chance meeting. Walking through the park and someone comes barreling towards you, nearly knocking you to the ground. Thankfully they turned at just the last second, just in time to catch a football headed directly for your face.
"Sorry about that. My buddy has got shit aim." The man chuckled as he pointed across the field to said friend, who was waving apologetically towards you.
"No worries, guess I should be paying more attention."
"Jason, by the way."
"Y/N."
"Well Y/N, let me know if there's anything else I can do to make up for almost knocking you out. Coffee perhaps?" An involuntary chuckle escaped your lips at the mention of coffee. Before you could formulate an actual response, Jason answered for you. "I'm going to take the laughter as a yes. Jacked Up at…" he paused to check his watch. You took that moment to interject.
"Actually, I'm partial to Gotham Grinders. Say 3?" You held back the shock at your own bravado, no idea how or why it had surfaced. Jason smirked at the sudden interruption.
"Perfect."
**
Once Jason learned you were the owner of Gotham Grinders, he showed up every day for a month. His distinctive white streaked hair made him easily distinguishable, and every time the familiar face sauntered in through the door butterflies rose in your stomach. There was something about him that made you want to give him everything. Without thought of consequences.
Then the day came where he began asking stranger and stranger questions. At first, they seemed normal, the pleasantries of getting to know someone. About their friends and family. Yet Jason seemed to focus on one friend, and more particularly her boyfriend.
"Jarod works at the docks, yeah?"
"I guess you could call it that." You huffed out at the thought of him. You had never liked Jarod and even less so once you discovered he was working for a smuggling ring. Smuggling of what, you'd rather not know. Hell, it was safer not to know. This was Gotham after all.
"He's got ledgers and shit, right? I mean, must have it all written somewhere. Lots to keep track of."
"I guess. Why is it important?" You attempted to careen the conversation. It didn't work.
Jason shrugged, playing off the odd line of questioning. "I got a buddy in the same business. Can't seem to manage his books though. Got ships lining up for the same dock at the same time. It's a mess."
"Tell him to invest in a good planner." You intended for the comment to be a joke, but Jason's laughter was more awkward and forced.
"Yeah, I wish. Say, maybe if he could look at Jarod's. See how a real pro does it. Think you could get a copy?"
"Of his dock ledger?" You didn't risk another sarcastic comment, clearly Jason was hellbent on seeing this ledger.
"Yeah. Just make a copy! That's sure to help him get his shit together."
"I guess…" The whole situation seemed a bit off, but this was Jason. Maybe you were the one being awkward.
**
Somehow you got your hands on a copy of the ledger. Though just by skimming it, you could tell this went way deeper than managing shipments. You had this feeling in the back of your mind that if anyone knew you had this. Well, there wouldn't be a "you" any longer.
You didn't tell Jason for a few days, still unsure of what to expect once you handed over the information. Was Jason in the smuggling business as well? No, there was no way. This was Jason. So you made the call.
Jason seemed to appear minutes after you hung up the phone. No way someone should get here that fast. What exactly was this ledger? You motioned for him to follow you to the back room.
"Here." You passed him the folder of documents.
"Thanks. This is really going to help." Jason seemed colder than usual. No whitty remarks or flirtations, complete business.
"You're welcome…" Your demeanor shifted to one of befuddlement.
"I need to get this to the right people." He headed for the door, but you grasped at his wrist.
"The right people. What are you talking about? What did I just hand you?" The blind trust was over, you were done idolizing this man you barely knew. Jason let out a long sigh before explaining.
"It is a ledger. Just one that's coded. The shipments also contain smuggled goods. Weapons, drugs, people."
"So was this all a lie? I was just a pawn in your game?" You screamed at Jason across the room.
"People are dying. Don't act like this was just about you." Surprisingly, he didn't throw your anger back at you. This was the most level-headed you had seen him. Which just made your temper rise.
"I just…I can't." You couldn't seem to find the words. "Get out." Were the only words you managed to say.
**
That was the last time you saw him for months, until one unfortunate day when he sauntered into your coffee shop. Only this time, he wasn't alone. A smaller, dark-haired boy was practically dragging him inside. The stranger was the only one to approach the counter.
"Hey, can I get a large coffee, black." He turned to Jason, who was awkwardly avoiding your eye contact in the corner. "Jay, want anything?" When Jason failed to give an answer, he turned towards you and continued. "I guess that's it. Sorry for mister sullen over there."
"Considering what happened, it's understandable. That'll be 2.87."
"Wait." His head shifted between you and Jason. "What did my dolt of a brother do this time?"
"Heh. Ask him. Though he probably doesn't even remember my name." You thought that would be the end of the exchange, but before you could blink the boy was pulling Jason up to the counter.
"What did you do." The statement was less of a question and more of a demand.
"Uh…not now Tim. Just get your coffee." Jason finally spoke up. Tim shot him a disapproving glare before walking over to the pickup counter. "Look. I am sorry."
"It doesn't matter. I was just a source of information. But you. I would've died for you. Hell…I could've. I put my life at risk getting that information and even more so once I gave it to you. For some stupid reason I put my trust in you and I risked everything for you. Yet to you, I'm just a stranger."
"I never meant --" Jason began, but you didn't want to hear anymore. Despite the words pouring from your lips, you knew that if he asked, you'd do it again. Without question.
"I have a feeling you never do. Let's just be strangers. That shouldn't be hard for you." It's better this way. Before he could try to argue, not that you were sure he would, Tim approached, coffee in hand.
"Come on Jason. There are words to be had." It seems that you caused a rift between the brothers. Though you felt that it was justly deserved.
"I hope those lives were saved." You called out after him, still unsure as to why.
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abstractindividual ¡ 3 years ago
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December 31, 2021 | A Time for Reflection.
Salutation to my blog. The time for a recollection of events has approached. I am not certain how much to type here, so my information will be brief.
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My time in 2021 was a hectic one, but I am aware of the reasons for the spiritual conflict I felt since 2011. The only positives is me and my relatives pursuing to learn more on investment and stocks and the men and women who reached out to help with the animal abuse case with Jarod Williams.
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I am improving on learning new information, new vocabulary and historical events that was intentionally erased from the colonizers' history books. When the oppressed are living amongst a group who values censorship and hiding the truth, you have to take the initiative to unlearn their lies and educate yourself to learn the real, irrefutable truth.
I am learning more on buying land and buying back land from relatives who lost their land due to a "suspicious fire" during the Jim Crow era. I can not mention the county here, but me and my siblings are making land ownership our mission. Land is wealth in this world, more than material objects that people flaunt on social media.
Getting some people to notice the abuse happening to the pitbulls by the degenerate Jarod, his friends and sister Carolyn Hoard who were heard in his 2018 video. Had those people not reach out to me, I may not have uploaded the recent video. There are moments I suspect that the dogs are more important than how these criminals play a role in animal cruelty when they have harmed my household and other neighbors like Mrs. A. I am sad that people will care if animals are in danger than African Americans who are reaching out for help, but that is what this world is like sadly. Though I learned this lesson early in life, including the message of unity is a farce, including with many African Americans. You can not preach justice when you also support the no snitching mentality. Do not think the creator will not let you eat your own words and let you experience pain and no one says a word. You are no different than criminals, and is an enemy to the community like criminals and gang members who hurt people.
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My Goals:
To continue ameliorating my mind and lifestyle. You do not love yourself if you do not want to grow and change, to let go of bad habits and what is immoral.
To continue learning. I will continue to excel in learning math, vocabulary, history and chemistry. I will grow in art also, as I love animation. In the previous year, I learned of many interesting stories and individuals in history, like Free Frank McWorter who bought his freedom and built town in Philadelphia in 1836. There is an increase of people trying to buy acres of land to build a home far from the expensive rent, violence and corruption in societies now, and I want to do the same. You can not grow in a harmful environment, so you have to do what you can to separate from this hazardous environment. Do so in SILENCE.
To financially grow. I have relatives who are struggling with debt, and I want to vow to help alleviate that for them.
To move to a safe neighborhood, if possible a genuine Christian-populated community. Lakes of Kilkenny is a breeding ground for crime, and despite that I do not want families who do not hurt others to lose their home, I hope this subdivision will be gentrified to push out the criminals who refused to take care of this community. Too much evil has happened in this area, and I do not feel comfortable being in an environment where murder, burglaries, gang members who practice witchcraft live. I often think of a pastor who prayed with my sibling in a praying session years ago, and the woman mentioned she saw a vast, dark cloud over a street named Kilkenny Circle with a man's face appearing in said cloud. She mentioned there was a feeling of ominous in that cloud and street. With the renters and their friends who dabble in demonic works like voodoo, that makes more sense why there is so much crime in this area. Your acts of evil brought more evil, and for that reason this subdivision is not inhabitable for followers of the bible and Christ.
Start over in a new blog. I created this blog in the past decade, but as long as those stalkers criminals watch my blog I no longer have privacy.
We are not aware of what the future will bring, but may 2022 bring blessings to people worldwide, and the wicked be punished so that victims will finally receive justice.
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bffhreprise ¡ 4 years ago
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Entry 338
 “A free name change has been provided, and your account has been cloned to a new one.” announced Mila when I was seated.
 “I see.” I replied.  Since coming here, I had found the notion of playing video games in a ballroom ridiculous, but now that I could see once more, I was eager to see what these systems could handle, not that anything struggled with Ancient Tribes of Earth.  Still, I would miss my old account.
 “Apparently so.” teased Lady Pen-... No.  Alma.  She wished to simply be called Alma now.  “The new glasses look lovely.”
 “Thank you.” I replied with a slight nod.  Looking back to the screen, I said, “As for the name, Theophany.”
 “A bit pretentious, isn’t it?” questioned Alma with a hint of amusement in her voice.
 “That was the name of her primary exosuit.” explained Mila for me.
 I couldn’t very well argue with Alma when she could basically destroy my poor suit with a thought.
“Name change complete.  Would you like the full chair tutorial before I start the game?”
 “Your chairs have tutorials?” I questioned, wondering who would bother writing a tutorial for a chair.
 “Aaliyah designed them.  She writes a tutorial for everything in such excruciating detail that most would find using it to be torturous.” replied James, seeming perfectly friendly again now.
 I resisted the urge to shudder as a thought of Death crossed through my thoughts again, certain she wouldn’t have made dying pleasant.  Pushing away the terrible thought, I wasn’t surprised that Aaliyah was the one who created the chairs or bothered with a tutorial.  That child was an unbelievably prolific engineer.  “I’ll be fine without it then.” I assured Mila, thankful that my voice wasn’t showing my fear again.  My hands were shaking still when I was working with Jarod on the design for my glasses earlier.
 James then asked “Are the glasses working on par with your old model?  Jarod seemed enthusiastic about the technology you developed.”  He hadn’t seemed that interested earlier when we were actually designing the glasses, but now he actually did sound curious.
 “Marginally better, actually.  Jarod is every bit as intelligent as I imagined.  His suggestions were useful, and I admit that I’m envious of the resources here.  The various technologies for fabrication are incredible.” I freely admitted.  I hadn’t ever known someone with whom I could really discuss engineering without them making stupid comments before.  Having someone eagerly discussing improvements was fantastic.
 “As I’m sure Jarod mentioned, Aaliyah designed most of the equipment he uses, though Mila’s done some software work.” explained James.  Then, after a brief pause, he asked “Would you like to join my guild, since getting you back into whichever one you had before is probably inadvisable?”
 “I’ll take you up on the offer.” I replied, fighting the pang of annoyance.  My previous guild wasn’t filled with the most exceptional people I knew, but we all got along plenty well.  I even enjoyed a few of them.  When I accepted the invitation to James’ guild, my chat box was flooded with text scrolling far more quickly than I could hope to read.  “This is ridiculous.”
 “Which officer would you like to serve under?” asked James, surprisingly giving me the choice.
 Alma quickly suggested “You should pick me.  We have always enjoyed one another’s company immensely.”  The rumors of her exceptionally high standards would make most reconsider working under her, especially in a game.
 “No.  James, can I serve under you?” I asked hopefully.  If one of the two would be watching over me, I still preferred James, despite his… friend.
 “Sure.” he replied, assigning me under him in the guild rankings  “You’re free to join Alma’s group when they do formation practice if you prefer a properly militarized group.  Mine’s a bit more…”
 “Absurd.” teased Alma with a playful grin.
 “Fun.” argued Cosette from my other side.  She was still a bit of a mystery for me, though background checks had turned up slightly more than Portentia’s.
 “Well, we do get our objectives accomplished quickly enough.” insisted James, smiling as he glanced in her direction.
 “What do you like to do on here?” asked Cosette, leaning over her armrest toward me.
 I was still admiring the digital keyboard and mouse system.  Only Aaliyah could have managed something this sensitive without any bad reads from the recognition software.  “I’m specialized in armor crafting, so I spend a great deal of time hunting down rare ores.” I told her.
 “Really!?” exclaimed Raine, suddenly next to me.
 I jumped clean out of my chair, in shock, but I was seated again with no transition from air to chair.
 As my mind still tried to make sense of what just happened, Alma casually said, “James told you that she’s fast.”
 “Raine’s the guild’s best crafter, so she’s an expert at getting every type of resource you might want.” explained James, ignoring what just happened.  “She arranges many resource missions for other players when stocks get low.  We even got her a meteorite a few months ago.  She’s the one to ask if you’d like a nice house in the guild’s town.”
 “Y-You really l-like… t-to craft?” questioned Raine, her bright red eyes staring at me.
 “Obviously.  I craft things in real life as well.  I thought you considered me dangerous.” I told her, trying not to show how unnerved I felt.
 “N-Not to m-me.” stated Raine without the slightest trace of doubt, despite the slight stutter in her speech.
 “If something’s dangerous to Raine, you probably wouldn’t enjoy meeting it either.  Even in Ancient Tribes of Earth she single-handedly held off one of the demon lords for quite a while, using only crafting skills I might add.” asserted James proudly.
 “You’re joking.” I told him, not understanding how such a feat could be possible.  James, however, shook his head, so I said, “I had heard a rumor about that but there are many crazy rumors about your guild.”
 “Our guild.” corrected Alma with a little amusement coming through.
 “I guess I’ll be seeing the truth of them firsthand now.” I agreed while considering if I should try running the numbers on what soloing a lemon lord would take.
   “What’s Maxine doing in here?” questioned Portentia as she barged into the room.  Then she immediately asked “Why does she have glasses again!?”
 Raine was suddenly behind me, telling Portentia “S-She crafts armor!”
 “Yeah.  She tried blowing me up using some of it.” replied Portentia gloomily.
 “Maxine wanted to get back to playing Ancient Tribes of Earth and has agreed to help Jarod with some of his work in real life.  Raine’s excited to have a crafting buddy in the game.” explained James in my defense.
 “Oh.  What if she tries to escape now that she can see the exits?” questioned Portentia dubiously.
 James quickly assured her “She won’t.  She made an agreement and will happily be assisting Best Friend For Hire.  Besides, Mila will remain as vigilant as ever.”
 With a shrug, Portentia said, “I suppose…  but shouldn’t she be paying for her crimes?”
 “Other than helping my company, what would you like her to do?  We could get her a costume to help you fight crime.” suggested James without a hint of mockery.
 “What?  But she’s a criminal!  She’d probably turn on me.” insisted Portentia, sounding shocked by the idea.
 “How would that make any sense, you imbecile?” I demanded, still disgusted that I was beaten by the halfwit.  “You’re more than capable of capturing me again if I tried, and I’m not even equipped for a fight, not that I want to go gallivanting around the city looking for trouble with you.”
 “B-Be nice.” warned Raine, having appeared in front of me.  She spoke softly, in a way that would sound nervous for less well-honed ears, but I heard the threat plainly.
 “And imagine trying to escape from her!” I exclaimed, pointing at Raine as I stared down Portentia.  Even the halfwit should recognize that a being as swift as Raine would be impossible to outrun.  Still, I turned to her, needing to hear confirmation, so I asked “Did you really do fifty laps around the city at James request when I arrived here?”
 “N-No.” she told me with a slight shake of her head.  “H-He was c-concentrating… I d-did… extra.”
 James laughed, seeming unsurprised, but I was running the numbers.  Checking and rechecking, I believed Raine would need to be traveling far, far faster than any physical being should be able to move without somehow causing the physical world to slide around her.  Even contacting air at such speeds would be catastrophic to the surroundings.  Assuming she did somehow create an effect somewhat like a warp field, studying her could well help lay the foundation for interstellar travel.  I suddenly wanted to have a long discussion alone with Jarod and Mila, but I forced myself to stick with playing the game and checking my math again.
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travllingbunny ¡ 6 years ago
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The 100 rewatch: 4x09 DNR
This episode is mostly about setting up the explosive developments of the last 4 episodes, it deals with four almost fully separate storylines. Three of them are mostly about characters dealing with their traumas and deciding what path they will take for the rest of their lives, and these storylines are all quite good. And then there’s the fourth storyline that’s all about Grounder politics… and I’m not fully sure how I feel about it.
The title “DNR” refers to the decision of Jasper and a group of others to stay behind in Arkadia, partying, and eventually dying on their own terms, instead of following Jaha to the bunker. Jaha, who’s somehow positioned himself into the role of leader in Arkadia again, even though he hasn’t been given any kind of official title, is again giving leadership speeches, and gets most of the people to join him. He still believes that all of them will have the place in the bunker. The new info that there is some sort of salvation has made Bellamy stop with the partying and join the group heading for the bunker. (As he explains to Monty:  “There was no hope, now there’s hope”). Some 400+ people, including Niylah, also join, but a number of other, including Jasper (who is kind of their leader), Riley, Bree and eventually Harper, decide to stay behind and have a party for the end of the world. This is really very understandable, and it makes sense that a number of people would make that decision, after everything they had gone through, and with such grim prospects. (And now that we know how horrible things ended up being in the bunker, and that 1/3 of people died in it, while another 1/3 died shortly afterwards – I can’t even say that Jasper and co. made the wrong decision.)
Jaha insists he won’t leave kids to die, and Bellamy points out he sent them to the ground to die – but now it’s their own choice. (At this point, there’s another touching moment when Jaha has another vision of his son who was the only one of the 100 who willingly went to the ground.)  Bellamy has understood that you can’t save those who don’t want to be saved (as Kane pointed out to him in 4x07). At this point, he understands that Jasper and the others have the right to decide what they want to do with their lives, even if they want to end it, and that it is not his duty or right to make those decisions for them.
“DNR”, Do Not Resuscitate, is what Jasper writes on his hand and shows through the glass to Jaha, Bellamy and the others, refusing to open the door and come with them. It is a very sad moment that says a lot about how Jasper feels about himself and his life – in spite of the outwardly cheerful, partying manner he adopted in season 4, he felt that he was like a person in a coma, already emotionally dead, only artificially kept alive.
However, Monty is not giving up on his best friend and his girlfriend, so stays behind with the rover, risking his own life, in case Jasper and Harper change their minds.
Raven has her own self-destructive journey, as she starts seeing visions of Becca, and decides to stay behind and try to spacewalk instead of going into the bunker. I don’t know how much “Becca” is similar to the real Becca, since it is just a part of the code that was left in Raven’s mind after the chip was taken out. I’m also not sure why it’s Becca that she keeps seeing, rather than ALIE – while the remains of the neural mesh in Clarke’s mind in season 6 made her see ALIE. Raven’s storyline gets more focus and is resolved in 4x11. But this episode has a very important and sweet moment between Raven and Murphy, who have finally become friends and even share a hug. Murphy finally apologizes to Raven for crippling her (that was a long time coming), but she replies it’s not his fault – it’s not the use of her leg that’s bothering her, it’s losing her mind. I wasn’t fully on board with the Murphy redemption/Murphy getting accepted into the group until season 4, when he started apologizing and trying to be genuinely helpful.
There are also some interesting Memori interactions and character moments for Emori. They are all waiting for Miller and Jackson will come back for them to take them to Polis to the bunker, but Emori doesn’t believe they will, and thinks that they won’t need Raven anymore now that her brain isn’t working properly – which says a lot about how Emori is used to seeing the world, based on her experience: people will throw you out as soon as they have no need for you. Murphy suggests they go to the lighthouse bunker, but Emori points out they will die since food would run out far before five years pass. (Just so the audience would know that this is not an option.) To their surprise, Miller and Jackson do come back. But Raven refuses to go.
This is the first time we see sparks between Jackson and Miller. Which confused me a lot the first time, as I was wondering “But where is Bryan?” Now I can see that Bryan broke up with Miller early in the season (4x02, in his last appearance), but this was so subtle that you could easily miss. In any case, this relationship still comes of the blue. I like the idea of it, but it would be nice if it wasn’t developed mostly off-screen. (The age difference may also be weird, but the show seems to constantly forget that Miller and the  otherDelinquents are supposed to be about 18 at most at this point – and wasn’t, at this point, doing anything to even try to make 30-something Jarod Joseph look younger.)
Meanwhile, Octavia is genuinely trying to live a peaceful life with Ilian on his farm. This relationship has unexpectedly developed into something warmer and more positive. As they cuddle at night, he tells her his beliefs in the afterlife and the cyclical nature of things. I really like these scenes and Ilian’s views, and I low-key shipped Octiilian: it was refreshing that they did not fall in love after knowing each other for a few days, they were just two screwed up people seeking comfort in each other, but there was still a genuine connection there that could have grown into real love – if the show hadn’t killed him off to leave Octavia single and propel her Octavia’s Blodreina arc. In any case, it certainly helped get Octavia into a more positive head space and even heal up to a point, going from her murder-period to trying to save people in the Conclave.
Still, Octavia was never going to go as far as to settle on a farm and have a peaceful life. She would rather be in Polis where a war is being fought. And when she learns Ilian is a trained warrior, you can see new admiration on her face. But to be fair, she was making a genuine effort to leave a peaceful life, but couldn’t escape her own past and reputation, in the form of three of Ilian’s acquaintances who attacked her and tried to kill her (after one of them recognized her, after seeing her in Polis, as “Skairipa”). She did try to avoid fighting at first, but those three were basically poking a bear. She could have tried to non-lethally subdue them – but going straight for the kill is what Octavia does, proving to herself once more than peaceful life really is not for her.
And now the storyline that slightly brings the ratings down for this episode, because I’m not sure what exactly I’m supposed to take from it. If it’s about relating to Clarke for being completely desperate and exasperated by everyone around her acting stupidly and waging a war a week before the apocalypse, and trying everything to get them to listen to her reasonable proposals – which explains her actions in 4x10? Yes, that works! Am I supposed to side with Roan feel that Clarke has crossed the line and insulted the Grounder religion? Sorry, I don’t care. Or was it just meant to play with the suspense of “will she or won’t she take the Flame?” Meh. I don’t think I ever believed that would happen.
To start off, at some point off-screen, the Arkers agreed with the Trikru to share the bunker between just the two of their clans, and to assassinate Roan. (Wait... so the moral, idealistic Kane agreed to an assassination?! He was usually the one negotiating with Indra.) Abby delivers that information to Clarke, who is upset and tries to stop it, because she considers Roan a friend. (Which shows what a low bar Clarke has for friendship – yes, they’ve been semi-friendly allies, but they manipulate each other politically 90% of the time, and he was threatening to kill her friends just a few episodes ago. But that’s a recurring thing for her – I guess with her life and the situations she is in, she will take even semi-friendly behavior as being BFFs. I laughed when she referred to Murphy in 3x07 as “my friend”, which was way weirder as they hadn’t even been friendly at all up to that point.) It turns out to be unnecessary as Echo is already there with Azgeda warriors, and they take Clarke captive, but Roan just pretends that Clarke is a captive in front of Echo, while freeing her and thanking her afterwards. They are some sort of friends.
Clarke manages to convince him to negotiate with Indra, who comes with leaders of the clans allied with Trikru against Azgeda – it looks like Azgeda are on their own, but are numerous and strong enough to fight a war by their own.  Clarke tries to convince everyone to share the bunker, which has space for 1200 people (so does that mean it’s more than any of the 12 Grounder clans by themselves? It’s certainly 800 spaces more than there are Arkers who want to be in the bunker), but they really hate each other and would rather continue with the war. Clarke tries to invoke Lexa’s name to convince Indra, but she retorts that a Commander could unite the clans, but there are no more Commanders. Clarke is clearly desperate at this point, and pretty much ready to do anything. So she has an idea – and goes to Gaia, telling her to make her a Commander. The only thing that can make Grounders listen to her suggestions.
They do quite a fake-out, as Roan, who knows how Clarke became a Nightblood, waits for the very last moment to expose her (oh Roan, how dramatic you are!), bringing Abby – who’s worried that the Flame would kill Clarke – to tell everyone that she made her daughter Nightblood through science. They’re all shocked that she would disrespect their religion so much… I mean, using science to create something that was created 90+ years ago through science, by a scientist who wanted to make sure people could get a computer chip in their head? Blasphemy! Roan points out that, if everyone can make themselves Nightbloods, they can’t trust the “black blood” to be special anymore (indeed, how terrible it would be if rulers weren’t special by birth and blood and anyone could become a ruler just because of, say, their capabilities?). Clarke tries to appeal to Roan, indicating that she’s trying to save everyone, and he accuses her of thinking of them as savages that need saving. I dunno, maybe she just thinks they’re being idiots. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to think that Clarke is bad for ‘disrespecting’ their culture? I find myself extremely not caring about their stupid culture that was made up 90+ years ago, probably by a bunch of nutty cultists who were way too much into GoT cosplay, especially when it means making idiotic decisions that could end up with the human race dying out. * Waiting for someone to protest that I’m culturally insensitive for disrespecting a silly fictional culture made up by The 100 writers*
So, Grounder leaders wisely decide that the question of who gets the bunker, which concerns the survival of the human race, just as every other important political decision, needs to be resolved by… people trying to kill each other with swords and spears. Nice, guys. Really makes sense. Indra wants war, but Roan instead proposes a special Conclave with a champion for each clan, repeating again his motto that it’s better for one to die instead thousands. Except he’s wrong, this wouldn’t be just one person dying – entire clans of those champions who lose would be left to die. (It won’t happen that way just because Octavia will propose that they share a bunker. What a great idea… oh wait, the same one Clarke suggested in this episode and the Grounder leaders just ignore. Too bad, Clarke, you may have good ideas, but you can’t fight with a sword…)
In the last scene of the episode, Clarke and Bellamy are in the same place and interacting for the first time since 4x06. Bellamy is worried that they have no one who can fight in the Conclave – they can’t use guns and need someone trained in Grounder combat – while Clarke points out they have to fight or they will die – when Octavia rides into the city and says she’s here for the war. Dum dum - here is our champion for the Sky people! Octavia would be a long shot if we were looking realistically, but being a main character and fighting for the existence of the protagonists gives her enormous Plot Armor.
Timeline: 6 days till Praimfaya – this means it has been 4 days since the start of episode 4x07. Two days are supposed to pass during the episode, because, towards the end of the episode, Clarke says that it’s 4 days  before Praimfaya.
Body count:
Three Trikru warriors killed by Echo’s archers
Three Trishanakru people who attacked Octavia and then got killed by her
Rating: 7.5/10
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thestalkerbunny ¡ 2 years ago
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So now that you get to the end, favorite episodes and characters? Take your time to anwser if you want.
Okay I really liked Grifter's Bone because it sounded like such a cool fucking name of a band, I want a T-shirt with Grifter's Bone on it.
Any episode with Gerry. Honestly, the one where he gives basically the break down of fear while he was still a book was informative and delightful. Also fun when he curbstomped an old man.
The Poem of The Stranger with the Carousel was strangely beautiful. As well as Jarod's weird horrifying body dysmorphia garden. Really liked those episodes as well.
Lightner Episodes were great too, I honestly love the premise of these fucked up little books just STARTING shit. The most mundane thing causing all these problems.
BIG FAN OF THE EPISODE WHERE MARTIN AND JON WERE HAPPY IN SCOTLAND AND MARTIN WAS GONNA TELL HIM IF HE SAW A GOOD COW DURING HIS WALK.
Favorite characters; I gotta say Micheal Krew was a favorite for the brief time we knew him-he seemed so nifty. I love a little academic weirdo. Also loved Breakon and Hope. So sad they ended up like that. Their episodes were fun.
But my most favorite boy, the best boy of all, the one I would give a KISS ON THE LIPS-GERRY KEAY.
I originally thought when he made his first appearance, I thought he was a 40 year old man/serial killer. But no. He's a weird little goth boy with mommy issues. I could have taken care of him. I could have made him mac and cheese and validated him and helped him set fires.
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krisrussel ¡ 3 years ago
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WIP meme-ish
Thanks to @havocthecat for the inspiration.
Rules: write the latest line from a WIP and tag as many people as there are words in the line. Make a new post, don’t reblog.
Hi, my name is Kris and I write mostly Sparky, but also some other things that probably no one will ever read. To get myself motivated to keep on writing, I like doing things like these to revisit all my WIPs. I’ll put a break after 6, because it’s a long list ;) So, without further ado, the last sentence of my WIPs:
1. “Elizabeth, how are you?” Heightmeyer asked as she entered the bedroom where Teyla was helping her get ready. (Sparky - 35k fic so far. This one is so close to getting finished, but I feel I’ve been dragging it out and lost my motivation to continue)
2. “Forever,” she whispered as she closed the distance between them and kissed him, tender at first, then demanding. (Bodyguard fic where I want to give them a happy ending also close too finishing but I feel like it’s just too sappy. I just need to find a good beta for this, Someone who really knows the characters,)
3. A crooked grin appeared on his face as he nodded. “Yeah, I want to explain why I’ve been an idiot.” He looked into her eyes and realized there was still hope. Not all between them was lost. (Sparky - Fic wherein Elizabeth was send back to Earth and John acted like an idiot)
4. “He’s alive,” Elizabeth breathed in confirmation. (Sparky - where everyone thinks John has died on another planet during a mission)
5. “Giselle...” Robert said in a warning tone and she immediately went quiet, remembering their little talk earlier in the day when he told her that not everyone was that open-minded when it came to talking animals and stories about princesses and monsters. (Enchanted fic - basically a continuation after the movie. But again I think it’s too sappy and I should find a beta to confirm/deny that)
6. She nodded and moved to get off of the bed. He put a hand over her arm and looked at her questioningly. “What are you doing?” (The Pretender - Jarod/Miss Parker - I’m not sure I’ve got their voices right and I might need to do a whole rewrite)
7. "What if we stayed?" Marc said. "Mom and I have no one else here. Mom would be devastated if she heard she'd never see Angie again, or never got to know her grandson." (Sparky - 20k so far - sort of an AU where the Asuran attack never happened, but after leading the expedition for over 4 years, Elizabeth is send back to Earth and John faces his feelings for her. In this Marc is Elizabeth's brother)
8. “Maybe you should keep him in the infirmary a bit longer,” Teyla proposed. “ We have no missions planned any time soon because of the repairs anyway.” (Sparky - set after The Long Goodbye where John and Elizabeth actually talk about what happened, but then Atlantis gets attacked and it all goes to hell)
9. Ellis sighed again, he knew they would lose a lot more time if they continued their search and it turned up empty. (Sparky - My Missing Moments fic which I started uploading to AO3 - 41k so far and I still need to write like 40 chapters...)
10. “Great. See you tomorrow then,” he sounded happy again and in a strange way that made her happy. It surprised her how easily she could read his feelings by just hearing his voice. (Babylon 5 - John/Delenn - An AU where in their next life they meet each other while they’re attending NYU)
11. It only took her a couple of minutes to change and soon they were on their way to her old quarters. (Sparky - set a year after Lifeline)
12. “And what do you propose we do? Kidnap General Landry or General O’Neill and demand her return?” John barked in reply. He was suddenly sick of this; sick of battling for something that never could happen. “Grow up, McKay. Some things just aren’t meant to be. The world isn’t perfect. Far from it. Some things just don’t happen,” he growled as he wiped the tears off his face and stomped off the balcony back into the city. (Sparky - apparently I really like writing fic where Elizabeth is send back to Earth and John stays behind feeling completely lost. Now if only I managed to finish them.)
13. “I’d love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.” Grodin grinned. “Sorry, General, it was on a need-to-know basis and you didn’t need to know.” (Sparky AU that starts 2 months before the expedition is set to leave. Started writing this for the bigbang many years ago.)
14. “Elizabeth?” Rodney yelled again. He had heard someone else yell and he wasn’t sure what had happened. “Elizabeth? I don’t know if you can hear me but I’m here alone. I don’t know where Sheppard is and the last thing I remember was that he was badly wounded. Elizabeth?” (Sparky - I like it, but I’m not sure I’ve captured their voices right)
15. Slowly he made his way through the upper dining room. The doors were wide open, so he had to be very silent because he couldn’t be sure how many sweepers were out there. (The Pretender - Jarod/Miss Parker - I think I stopped writing this one because it seemed to be going in the same direction of other of these fics I had written before, so I might do a rewrite)
16. Parker glared at the pretender. “I told you that I’d get it done.” (The Pretender - Jarod/Miss Parker - I think I stopped writing for the same reason as above. It has kinda the same premise, yet again.)
17, “Exactly!” John agreed without hesitation. He’d be the first one to demand extra security to help keep their leader safe, but he had been to visit the Telsjeck countless times and he knew they could be trusted.  (Sparky - written for a Christmas challenge. I might try to finish it for this year’s Christmas)
18. Sunday came much too slow for him. Work didn’t hold his interest as it used to as she was mostly on his mind. Saturday seemed even worse; the day crawled past at a frustratingly slow pace. When Sunday finally came around, he was at the train station bright and early. (Sparky - a future fic where John has left the SGC after they returned to Earth and then meets a school teacher who looks exactly like Elizabeth)
19. Cam shrugged. “I trust your insight, so no need to explain. Just be careful out there.” (Sparky - My take on what would have happened if John had asked old!Rodney in ‘The Last Man’ about Elizabeth. Some chapters of these are also up on AO3.)
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bestfriendforhire ¡ 4 years ago
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Children of BFFH, Entry 101
 “Please, change here.” suggested Aid as he motioned into a room.  “Momma Mila prepared an outfit suitable for you to have a little sparring session, if you’ll forgive my unusual request.” he stated with a small, humorless smile.
 I did as he instructed and was a little surprised at how perfectly the outfit fit, being something less stretchy than the spandex I had suspected when I touched it.  The sparring outfit was a two-piece, dark blue affair that was slightly thicker than normal clothing and quite obviously enchanted with how I felt the temperature adjust immediately when I donned it.  Even the shoes were of some sort of enchanted synthetic.  Father had warned me that James was becoming a legend for his foresight, but I couldn’t help trying to picture what had been done.
 The most obvious solution would have been to request my measurements from my staff at home, but I doubted that had happened unless Father had ordered them to comply.  No one else would have given information about me without asking me first.  With the considerable number of employees working at Best Friend For Hire, there could have been one stationed at the airport using some sort of magic to estimate my proportions.  If that was the case, the employee deserved a raise.  I had sensed and seen nothing.  One of the other kids might have remembered my size from our former meeting if they had used similar magic, but I had grown slightly since then.
 Thoughts of the outfit left my mind when I opened the door to find that Aid had already changed into a sparring outfit of his own, though his was red and black, possibly to go with his auburn hair where mine matched my eyes.  How fast was he?  Yes, I took the time to examine my outfit and considered possibilities as I changed, but he probably went to his room, changed clothes, and returned in the same amount of time.
 “Ready?” he asked with a polite smile.
 I nodded and followed as he started to walk, leading me past the front entryway.
 “We’ll be sparring in the Davis’ wing, so don’t be surprised if Momma Ai, Momma Mai, or Poppa Jarod wander through.  I expect Auntie Raine might show up as well, since she’ll be watching over us in case of injury.” he explained as we walked.
 “Raine was,” I started as I remembered the profiles I had read, “ the one certified for practically everything imaginable, right?”  The woman was passable as a high schooler, but I doubted she was quite so young with such an extensive number of certifications.
 “Most people would be more hung up on the idea that she’d be observing us without being present.” commented Aid.
 “Surveillance is common enough… Are you saying she won’t be using equipment?” I asked incredulously.
 “She doesn’t need to.  If she’s waiting in the gym, perhaps you should spar with her a little first, since that would give you ample practice against unexpected attacks.  She nearly showed up when you and your father attacked Luce.” he explained with a tone that clearly meant he wasn’t surprised.
 I was.  “We were being watched?” I asked, wanting to verify that was what he meant.
 Aid nodded and said, “Father was watching too.”
 I shivered involuntarily.  My father hadn’t warned me that James had some sort of reconnaissance spell in his arsenal.  Did he know?
 “Don’t worry.  Father probably doesn’t spy on us much.  He’s too busy.  Auntie Raine, however, is constantly looking out for us kids here.  She is extremely protective of her family.” he informed me.
 “Do you think I’m overprotective?” questioned Raine, who had somehow snuck up behind us, with a little worry in her voice.
 Aid stopped, turned around, and hugged her as he spoke.  “Not at all.  Thank you.” he told her, smiling.
 She hugged him back and looked reassured.
 When he stepped away, he motioned to her and said, “Marisha, this is Raine Vance, one of my non-blood aunties.  In addition to being an exemplary best friend for hire, she also helps keep things clean, does construction for our battles, protects us, heals injuries, does a little superhero work, and probably a hundred things I don’t even know about.”
 Raine blushed slightly, lowering her head to hide behind her voluminous blonde hair.  She was only around one-hundred-and-fifty centimeters tall and didn’t seem intimidating at all, but I wouldn’t underestimate someone Aid held in such high regard.
 We eventually found ourselves in a gymnasium that hosted an entire wall of weapons and practice weapons for martial arts.  Surprisingly, there were a few with which I wasn’t familiar, such as what appeared to be a pair of sword handles.
 Obviously catching what I was looking at, Aid said, “The first several feet of weapons on the left are primarily used by my elder sister, Dani.  You won’t be seeing any of them in use tomorrow.  We don’t tend to bring any weapons into our battles, other than toys like water guns.”
 “But what are those handles?  I don’t see how they could be used.” I admitted, eager to find out how such things could be used in combat.
 Aid used a couple spells to call them to his hands, and then more intricate spells to create blades out of the shimmering, silver liquid therein.  “The handles hold the mercury safely when not in use, and the types of weapons you form varies as you move.  A proficient wielder must be adept in magic and martial arts to fully make use of the dancing blades.  The wielder can create many different weapons on the fly, even poisoning enemies with the mercury through any wounds created.” he explained before sending the mercury back into the handles and the handles to the weapon rack.
 I nodded, picturing how difficult a fight against those could be.
 “The downside is obviously the amount of concentration a wielder would need for versatility rather than sticking with the standard martial spells taught to practitioners of that fighting style.” he added with a shrug.
 “Those aren’t a custom weapon?” I asked in surprise.
 He shook his head.  “Dani just found them to be pretty and uses them when dancing at times.” he admitted.
 “He says dancing, but she’s practicing the core martial arts forms created around those weapons according to the Boss.” added Raine.
 “True, but I really doubt Dani cares about the martial application.  Care to go first?” he offered, motioning for Raine and I to start sparring.
 I didn’t wait for her to finish nodding, jumping into the air to spin and kick her.  Without looking, she ducked slightly under my kick, but she didn’t strike back. I landed, spun, and kicked again, but she stepped back away from me.  When I stepped forward and punched, she easily stepped to the side.  We moved faster and faster as I tested her speed, but I remained a step behind her.  Luckily, the wood in this room seemed to be enchanted, easily supporting the force of my movement as I gave up on using spells to protect it.
 Obviously not a match with Raine on speed, I started using magic, creating a blast of wind to hit her from behind as I drove a kick at her stomach.  The wind wasn’t strong enough, merely blowing her hair.  Needing more residual energy to work with, I started using my natural magic as well, pulling swords from the weapon racks to slash at her.  Though I was wielding ten swords at once, she calmly stepped around them without seeming the least bit strained as easily dodged around my attacks.
 After letting me assail her for a dozen minutes, she tripped me, sending me rolling.  I felt something overpower my magic, tearing two swords free and throwing them toward me as I rolled, so I quickly twisted to the side.  I tried shackling her feet in telekinetic force, but she merely stepped through the spell without any noticeable effort, stealing the residual energy around me to create a blast of air that hammered me into the floor.
 From there, neither of us tried physical attacks.  I created a dart of fire to shoot at her, but she somehow redirected the arrow and created two bolts of air thick enough to be visible as a slight disturbance as they moved.  I wasn’t certain what sort of magic she had used to provide the residual energy for spells, but a thick wave of energy had poured off her in an instant.
 I tried to knock her over with a blast of telekinetic force while sending all ten swords to stab her, but she ducked the blast and tripped me again with a spell I had missed.  I didn’t see how she deflected my swords as I fell, but I felt them bounce away from her.  A fist shaped of water splashed into my face as I tried to stand, demonstrating that she could have easily finished me there.  I was rather certain she could have finished me at any time, given that she hadn’t shown the slightest strain yet.
 I held up a hand and asked “Please, stop for a moment.  What sort of natural magic do you have?  I can’t even guess at it, and I can’t hope to even land a blow without knowing.”
 Aid laughed from where he was leaning against a wall.
 Raine, however, said, “Creation.  If I used my magic, this would be even more unfair.”
 “Seriously!?  Like Mariasha!?” I exclaimed in surprise.
 She nodded.  “A bit stronger than her for now.” she claimed without seeming to be lying.
 “That’s an understatement.  Messy wouldn’t be able to put up a fight against you yet.” insisted Aid flatly.
 “No, but I’m sure she’ll get there.” she agreed.
 “That’s amazing!  Mind showing me how you’d counter some spells with that… creation… magic?” I asked, excited by the idea despite being more than a little intimidated by the idea that I was fighting someone stronger than Death’s own daughter.
 She complied with my request.  Any spell I attempted, even the most complicated I knew, disappeared in a flash of darkness as if the energy simply ceased to exist.  Then, to my amazement, she created a functioning ice cream stand with a complete selection of toppings, claiming we should take a short break.  As I enjoyed my sundae, made from the best ice cream I had ever tasted, I was quite certain that Raine would be seen as a goddess in most of the world.
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cow3survivor ¡ 4 years ago
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Ep. 2: “I’m Trying To Lay Low” - Jake
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JENNET
plan worked fabulously purrrrrrrrr
(a little later)
maybe its me being paranoid but why are jake,jones, and lindsay always the last three to leave calls............ when i have a f2 with all of em....
JESSICA
Song of the day is ELVIS by AOA. My favourite workout bop. Silver got voted out! So sad, I wanted to play with him. But also, kinda cool! This is the only game I have played where I truly didn't know anyone (except my very first ORG). What an experience. I know last confessional I said Sam and Shane were both kinda on the fence for me in terms of if I wanted to maybe work with them or not. An update: I think I want to work with both! Both of them, unprompted, told me they wanted to work with me if we lost immunity, and I have actually been getting along well with both of them I feel now that our conversations are moving past the sort of awkward beginning stages. I still like Sammy even though I probably should talk to him more oops... and Daisy/Lovelis/Ethan are also still in my good books. I kind of keep forgetting Pete and Cloud are on this tribe but when I remember, I am happy they are here. That being said, I think Cloud or Madison will be the first to go if we lose. Cloud is very inactive. Madison is too but she was at least on the call tonight. It might come down to how immunity goes. I want to participate because it will bond us as a team. That way even if we lose, I was a part of the team effort and won't stand out as someone who people don't know or want to work with. Also while I personally want Cloud or Madison out as I know them the least, I am not going to push it. I'll let somebody else throw out a name and as long as that name isn't Jessica then I will consider it. I sort of chilled today with the social game and only messaged people as they messaged me. The vibe of this team is very relaxed from what I can tell and I didn't want to overdo it with conversations and come across as too much. Tomorrow, my goal is to talk to every single person for at least 1 (one) whole real conversation. I might have to start using my good ol' tactic of sending people random youtube links and saying "what do you think of this" to get something going.... Honestly nothing starts a conversation like David Hasselhoff and his cinematic masterpieces that we call music videos. I hope the other tribe is full of problems so that when we eventually swap, I have a very easy time in this game.
LINDSAY
no recording tonight because i have a headache:( anyways i'm apparently not in as good of a position in the tribe as I was hoping. got left out of a six person group chat bc I was associated w Silver and people were nervous abt this vote w me. Jake luckily looped me in but I'm kind of bummed out people didn't trust me enough to let me in on this. I know it's probably just cuz Silver and I had been getting along alright the past two days but that means I'm in kind of a yucky position in the tribe that is starting to gear me up to a S6 type deal from survivor umich and I'm not fuckin' vibin. I'm gonna try to reach out (Nash appears to be ignoring me currently tho so lol) and try to fix that. I still want to work tight w Jones and Jake but I don't want them to be my only options. I need some more connections than that. ALSO WHEN SILVER DID THE THING MY HEART STOPPED LOL SO THAT MIGHT BE WHY IM BEING IGNORED also "you kept laughing at silver's jokes" was a comment someone leveled at me today and i couldn't find a good way to level and say i laugh at everything because that's how my brain is trained to react to everything. monkey brain cannot comprehend emotions so i laugh everything off. anyways i guess this is my clue i've got to step up. i mean, it's fine if i'm under the radar some because it's not merge yet so like it's fine, but i'm... worried. if nothing else we're even tho bc the galaghers got revealed as well as the six person alliance so we're all even here. bottom line is, i'm winning this fucking scavenger hunt this shit aint happening next week
JAKE
https://youtu.be/amXasrOidh0
y'all I'm still shaking from tonight tbh....
PENNINO
https://youtu.be/_26B1wn1pDw
JONES
https://youtu.be/7FngYQfYMB0
PETE
Nobody will want to vote me out if I have kittens and share pictures of them muahahahahahahahahahaha
JESSICA
Oh no, we lost! I hope that Shane and Daisy want to be a final 3 because that is what I am envisioning in my hopes, dreams, and mood board.
SHANE
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mNEOfPVwOp-ltGoNTdEq59su-9Vl_Adm/view?usp=drivesdk
ETHAN
AHH TRIBAL IS SCARY MORE TO COME SOON BUT EVERYONE IS SO QUIET AND I DON'T LIKE IT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I AM THE TARGET BUT IF I AM I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY IT IS JUST WEIRDLY QUIET AND MY PARANOIA IS EATING ME ALIVEEE
DAISY
https://youtu.be/tBDHsLvF8W8
NICOLE
WE ARE IMMUNE!!! I’m so excited to have flipped the vote on Silver AND got us immunity but, I’m gonna have to be more careful if I’m gonna go far in this game. I know I can be strategic, I can be a comp threat but I really have to work on making myself a little dimmer in the social department. If we swap or merge obviously down the line, I feel like I’m gonna have a LOT of different potential paths to the end but, it won’t matter if they all realize that. So I really really have to be careful here. I am playing this game with a level head so far and really trying to make my rounds daily to talk to people. I am close with Jake, close with Jones and close with Nash. I am working on forming better bonds with Jabari, Lindsay and Jennet right now and honestly to me, Pennino is a non factor as well as Mikey but I am obviously going to try to maintain being on their good side. So that’s all I got for this round it’s been pretty tame except for Jennet immediately leaking our alliance by accident. At this point I really don’t think it matters.
MADISON
Okay so our tribe is not superhuman and we finally lost a challenge so we will be attending tribal tonight. Nobody is really saying much in terms of what will happen which is extremely worrisome, however, I did hear Sam on call very subtly throw Cloud out there and I'm kinda hoping that Jessica and Shane heard that too and will kind of run with it. Daisy wants both of us to be safe and I feel the same way so I'm hoping that's what will happen. In other news!!! I have officially begun the idol hunt one round too late but perhaps that works out better because if something is found, I'll know it. So because of the way things were worded during the hunt, the idol has either been found already or whoever wrote this system wanted to through a red herring in there to trick us. I'm going with the latter because I feel like Jarod would do that. That's all from this neck of the woods for now, hopefully will be writing another one of these bad bois next round :*
SAM
https://youtu.be/liGOEuFKiFo
JENNET
I WILL die for jones btw...
(a little later)
Survived the immunity challenge... at what cost
(after falling asleep on the beach)
The way we accidentally won that comp is literally a joke.... period i guess?
PETE
so we lost cus we’re the beauty tribe not the brains tribe fuck math dude anyways, it’s been hella fuckin quiet like not a lot of people are on and aren’t really talking. Up until about, 4 hours before tribal Sam comes to me and says the vote is gonna be Cloud and i’m like what who why. All he said is “that’s what he’s heard” honestly i think it’s just his own idea but whatever. I don’t know Cloud at all so it’s fine with me. Sam, myself, Jessica, and Shane apparently are all agreed to vote Cloud and with Ethan’s vote that’ll be 5.
CLOUD
i have nithing to say other than i might just be the stupidest person on the planet. absolutley nothing is happening in my head ever. if i stay its pure luck HSKSHSNSKBSKS
NASH
smiles at immunity... this is cute it feels good to not be in danger for once! i’m honestly still worried my tribe might want to cut me at next tribal but at least tonight can be chill! i hope kiki is first brookeisa boot xoxo
SAMMY
honestly there is no tea, daisy found an idol and gambles her vote but she lost her vote early so no worries w that! I love her so much and i hope she doesn’t snake me...but daisy if ur reading this, in this moment i love dont snake me mwah!! I love Jess and I love Cloud but everyone’s telling me Cloud is the vote but I’m so sad because I had such a good time with them and they are one of the few funny ones in the game!! Anyways not much is happening we lost the challenge cause we are just bad at math...blinks...I don’t think I’m in any danger and this vote should be unanimous. I was also told someone said I was one of the few active people so that’s a check in my book!
JAKE
https://youtu.be/HmtSAjyQoJI
I'm trying to lay low so if I'm not very present on Discord the next day or so that's why hehe
PETE
so ethan is down for voting Cloud, sammy too. Cool great awesome hot. i’m just sitting here vibing and suddenly Sammy tells me that my (and Madison’s) name came up for a second. He said it went away and it’s Cloud for the vote but like jskdhd why do i aaalways get targeted bitch i’m literally just sitting here whYY can’t i relax for once?! Frfr every survivor game it’s always this person or me. I’m always the other option and i just don’t get why lmao
LOVELIS
This tribes been kinda dead until like an hour ago plss, a new alliance of 5 has been organised and somehow me and Shane managed to make it seem like it was Jessica’s idea? Don’t really know how that happened in all honesty but a vibe. Then Daisy also leaked that she’s in another alliance who’s actively idol hunting so that was a lovely bit of beef that I love to see - my guess is she’s in a duo chat with Jess and they’ve tried to get this group formed with people who they think are unconnected, unbeknownst to them that me and Shane have a final two deal and I kinda have one with Sammy as well that happened on day one but it’s not really developed as of yet, he’s not really tried to talk game with me as of yet, but all in due time I suppose there’s plenty of time for more shenanigans 😂
MIKEY
HONESTLY Chile. Not much tea going around since this round we won. Im very proud of Nicole as she literally carried us and I pray she'll do it again dhbhsfg. Ive started getting really close with Jones and she's so fun to talk to, im hoping me her and nash can form a little trio and work together but who knows. Jennet STILL hasn't replied back after like a week so idk what's up w them LMAO
JABARI
So our tribe loved it when we blindsided silver, it puts me in a much better position than before. Now I have to talk more to people and take time to realize what's gonna happen. As of right now I have 2 alliances. The big majority one and the one where its just me and Jake and Jennet.
JENNET
exactly.... 
https://open.spotify.com/album/0pWu9s2gPdVgqHpMR2LDEx?si=uOqh6Ar9RiqNLUfaBZEkvw
TRIBAL COUNCIL
youtube
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chayacat ¡ 2 years ago
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Road96: Shandara’s Land (12)  
Fandom: Road96 
Rated M for Language and Violence.  
***
Things don't always go as planned. And Merlina Yung, learned it well the hard way. But she always ended up having the last word. whatever the situation. However... she had to admit that Anna and her little gang were causing her much torment. Yet this makes her and Anna "fight" for historical discoveries. And they always end, much to Merlina's chagrin, at a perfect tie. But this time it will change. She does not intend to let this little explorer steal the show once again. She intends to have her moment of glory.... alone.  
“Tsk... I am surrounded by incompetents. I'll have to find a solution to get rid of them... once and for all.” She said as she looks at recordings of drones flying over the convoy before and during the attack. 
She noticed something that made her smile. A cold and calculating smile. An idea came from crossing his mind while observing the two brothers Sanchez and Alex. That's where she must hit. where it will break them the most. And if she manages to get Anna as a bonus... It will be a perfect success. It has to put all this in place. And convince this whole small group to come to her directly. Like taking candy from a baby... Because she perfectly has the ideal bait for that.  
On Anna's side, the group had returned to the hideout. Everyone took care of their best. Stan, Mitch, John and Alex took care of John's truck, making the final modifications to make it more useful than before. We could already see some changes; windows were at the sides and rear doors of the truck. A hatch with ladder had also appeared on the ceiling. Seats were at the back, at the door separating the back and front of Mr. Grizzly. And a small space for the two brothers' motorcycle was now present. Stan was underneath the truck, working on the different parts of the engine. 
“Mitch, can you pass me the pliers please?” he said, holding his hand out until he feels the pliers in his hand. “Thank you.” 
“You’re welcome.” Said a woman which startled Stan, bumping slightly before sticking his head out.   
He then saw that it was Anna, laughing slightly and looking at him with a small, friendly smile. He straightened up, clearing his throat, a little embarrassed by the situation.  
“Oh Anna! I... sorry, I thought Mitch was still around.” He said, embarrassed.  
“Don’t worry It’s nothing. I just hope I don’t scare you.” responds Anna laughing.  
“Me? Getting scared? Of course not! I’m not the kind of guy who can be scared that easily you know!” 
“Of course... Stan... I wanted to say thank you. To have saved us. If you hadn't been there...” replied Anna.  
“Oh, it was nothing you know. I wasn't alone and then... it was out of the question for me to lose all three of you, especially Sonya.” said Stan.  
“You know sometimes I feel like you're playing the role of the protective big brother.” 
“Yeah, it’s...it’s true. I know Mitch and Sonya can defend themselves and... I can release the pressure a little but... It's stronger than me. I've always been there to protect them... It's... all that remains of my family. And I promised that I would do anything for them.”  
“That’s adorable...” 
Stan laughed slightly, looking to the side blushing. The two looked at each other for a few moments before clearing their throats each other while blushing. Luckily for them, Sonya wasn't there to tease them. Because believe me, she would not have shy away from doing so.  
“And so... you... Have you been able to advance in your research?” Asks Stan.  
“A little. the language of the Shandarians is quite complex. Even if I have everything i need to decode it.... It's not fun either. But I'll find something eventually.” responds Anna.  
“I’m sure you will.”  
 “Hey! You should come and see that.” said suddenly Jarod at the garage door before leaving. Anna and Stan exchanged glances before heading to the living room where the rest of the team is. When they arrived, they found everyone in front of the television, listening to a speech by Tyrak... with Merlina by his side.   
*I will now turn the floor over to our new Director of Operations, Ms. Merlina Yung, Chief of the Purple Lynx. * Said Tyrak on the screen.  
*Thank you. As you already know, and as I am sure you have noticed over the last few days, my organization and I have moved to different parts of the country, restructuring and renovating old buildings into our various bases of operations. So, I want to thank your dear President for... its cooperation. Petria.... has returned to its former glory thanks to him. However... There are fugitives on the loose. Fugitives who... are starting to get a little too annoying for my taste. * Said Merlina before looking at the camera. *Hello, Anna. *  
Everyone tenses, Anna frowning and clenching her fists as hard as she could. Merlina spoke again.  
*I know you're watching me from your little hiding place with your little team. I must admit that on all our meetings, all our... Battles for discovery, this one is the one where you give me the most trouble. I almost admire your determination while compared to me, you have practically nothing except your ridiculous little notes and your little brain to help you. I sometimes wonder how you managed to never go wrong once... such intelligence.... It is surely family. * 
Anna gritted her teeth and fists in the face of this pike from her rival. But for all that she managed to remain calm and reasonable, while Yung continued to speak.  
*But don't hope that this time you will win. I intend to find the city of miracles of Shandara before you. whatever the cost. However... I decided to have a little heart. I know that for you, coming from me, it is impossible. Look at this instead. * 
An image then appeared on the screen. There could then be Adam locked in a cell, alone but alive and healthy. Sonya felt tears come to her eyes, while Stan and Mitch gritted their teeth. The others frowned, worried to see what she planned to do with him.  
“Adam...” said Sonya with tears.  
*I'll give you a chance... to come and pick him up. You can find your little Adam here. I look forward to seeing how you do it. I grant you a period of 2 days. After this time... bye bye Adam. * Said Merlina.  
“No!” replied Sonya with more tears.  
*2 days. Not one more. You'd better hurry. And to decide quickly. * Said Merlina before the TV transmission cuts off.  
Everyone was silent for a few moments. Only Sonya's crying echoed in the room. Mitch took his sister in his arms to comfort her. Stan clenched his fists, while Jarod tugged on his cigarette before spitting out the smoke.  
“What do we do?” asks Fanny.  
“We're going to look for him.” said Stan coldly before starting to walk out.  
“This is a very bad idea.” said Jarod.  
“Excuse me??? And what do you want us to do? that we stay there and wait kindly for him to be executed?? We have an opportunity to free my sister's boyfriend so I'm not going to sit back and sit here!” 
“Think for two minutes why she would give us all the information to go get him? Imagine if we will fall into a beautiful ambush. I feel sorry for him, but we can't take any risks.”  
“In this case I go alone, if you are too scared, which is surprising when we know that you wanted to kill my sister!”  
“Stan!” said Mitch shaking his head slowly.  
“You are both right. You can't just sit back and do nothing. If we can save him, then we must not miss this opportunity. But neither can we rush headlong into the mouth of the wolf. We must think of a plan. And let us decide who goes. No need for everyone to go.” said John calmly.   
“Yes. We can't go there without knowing what awaits us. And if we all go... We all risk being captured. That's why we must think about what we're going to do.” said Anna.  
Everyone nods. In the headquarters of the Purple Lynx, Merlina was sitting at her desk, a big smile on her face, proud of her little speech. Tyrak was more puzzled. He had a hard time understanding why she had given them an opportunity to get Adam back. So, what did she have in mind? 
“Can I know what makes you smile like that? This is a completely ridiculous idea that you had. There is nothing to smile about.” said Tyrak grunting.  
“Hahaha! oh my dear Tyrak, sometimes you must know how to have fun with your food, with your prey. Give them even a little hope.... to better break them afterwards. In a chess game like this, a move as silly as you say, can be decisive. And fatal, for the adversary. If Wheatherlaw and his small team have even an ounce of humanity, I guarantee you that they will come to save him without wasting a single second. And at that moment... at the very moment when they will put even one foot inside.... they will be condemned.” Said Merlina smirking.  
“If you say so...”  
“You'd better take care of your little prisoners... I heard that Flores tried to escape. It would be a shame if she managed to regain her place as president, don't you think?”  
Tyrak growled, before leaving, slamming the door. Merlina smiled before looking at her computer from where she could observe everything. She saw Adam in his cell, curled up on himself, alone, isolated from everyone. She changed cameras to observe the iron pit where all the prisoners were located, including Flores. She had to recognize that this woman had teeth. She wondered how Tyrak was going to handle the situation... Then she focused again on her research. 
“I can't wait to see what wonderful magic trick you will use to get you out of the mess that awaits you... Weatherlaw. You have no interest in disappointing me...” 
She walked towards the large windows that gave the view of the landscape. A big smile was born on his face. A smile almost... crooked.  
“Because this time... I intend to attend your funeral march... in person.”  
She left her office and set off for her next destination. She was looking forward to witnessing this. And she didn't plan to miss a beat. If she must put her hands in the mud to get what she wants, then...She will. 
And if she has to kill Anna with her own hands... 
Then...So be it.  
*** 
(Finally!!!! After a blocked back, weeks of exhausting work, and an internet that trolls me, I'm finally back! I was able to at least get ahead of Zelda and I've almost finished it. But I have the same feeling as with Hogwarts, this little pinch in my heart to tell me that I would soon have finished such an incredible game. Does this happen to you too? I hope you’ll like it like the other ones! Feel free to tell me what you think about it! Have a great weekend to you all!  See ya!)  
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johnboothus ¡ 4 years ago
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Jarod Sleet Is Proving There Are Many Types of Wine Drinkers Not a Monolith
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Jarod Sleet is the assistant winemaker for ROCO Winery nestled in Newberg, Ore., within the Dundee Hills AVA. Sleet has spent the last three and a half years heavily involved in nearly every aspect of the winery’s functions. From hiring harvest interns, to hand-harvesting grapes and printing labels, to facilitating wine tasting events for club members, Sleet really does it all — and much more. One of Oregon’s most highly rated wineries, ROCO has a heavy focus on sparkling wines, which are a favorite of Sleet’s.
Sleet was born and raised in Kentucky, where cooking was a huge part of his culture and upbringing. At the age of 20, he wanted to change up his scenery, so in 2002 he sold his belongings and moved out to the Pacific Northwest, ultimately landing in Portland, Ore. During this time, he was doing a lot of introspection — ultimately establishing his Queer identity.
After turning 21, he pursued culinary arts, which very well led to his passion for wine. Sleet is truly a shining star in the Willamette Valley, consistently breaking down barriers in hopes of creating a better pathway for those who come after him.
VinePair chatted with Sleet about his journey in the wine industry thus far and what we can expect from him in the future.
[Ed. note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]
1. What does an assistant winemaker do, and how unique has this position been for you?
I think the role of an assistant winemaker differs a lot depending on where you’re at. Here at ROCO Winery, we’re pretty small — larger than boutique, but still fairly small — and I do a little bit of everything. Most of the year, I am the only one in production. Then the harvest time comes around, so we hire three interns for six to eight weeks, then they’re gone again.
The job includes managing the small plot in front of the winery by hand-harvesting those grapes, operating forklifts, operating machines, running analysis for the winemaking processes, and so much more. I’ve even led wine tasting events for our club members for the holidays. It is awesome to experience each aspect from grape to bottle to tasting rooms, and being able to explain that process to people is an amazing experience.
2. What has been your favorite vintage out of any of the three Oregon wineries you either currently work for or have previously worked for?
This is a really tough question because I feel like I’ve learned so many different things at each place. I feel that my internship with Archery Summit in 2013 was the most interesting, though, because it was a dual-internship. I worked for three months in the vineyard as a viticulture technician and then transitioned into the cellar as a lab tech. I got the opportunity to use my science background for the lab tech to run analysis, as well as my agricultural background for the viticultural side. Through and through, I would say it was such a well-rounded experience. I got to apply so much knowledge into action — it was great.
2013 was a fairly cool vintage from the end of summer into fall, with a lot of rain from mid-September into October. You could notice drastic differences in wines from this vintage throughout the Willamette Valley due to when producers decided to pick their grapes.
3. Who have been three of your greatest mentors in life, and what has been your biggest takeaway from each?
Well for one, I loved both of my grandmothers, rest their souls, and my dad’s mother Irene Sleet was my first mentor in life. She had such an amazingly positive influence and impact on my upbringing. Her coaching me about gardening and cooking at a young age truly helped inspire me in so many ways, as my love for food and hospitality was born through those experiences and drove me to pursue cooking professionally as a result. She was also a strong independent Black woman whom I love and respect so much.
Second is my professor, James Cassidy at Oregon State University, who was a soil scientist. I learned an enormous amount from him, and he carried himself as having such a positive outlook on life. He did an amazing job of helping me network with people in this area and is probably one of the reasons why I’m here in this role today. He introduced me to a number of winemakers and grape growers in the Willamette Valley, which opened that door for me to really thrive, so I’m grateful for him.
Lastly, my boss now — Rollin Soles — who is the owner and winemaker of ROCO Winery. He’s an incredible person with a great sense of humor, a wealth of knowledge, and working for him has been awesome.
4. What has changed in your workplace since the pandemic has started, and how have you adjusted?
This has been an ongoing adjustment throughout the year. The production time of the year has been fairly unchanged, as I’m socially distant in the cellar on my own by design. I do share an office, but we are well over six feet apart, and we maintain wearing masks whenever we’re in the office. We stagger our lunches so we minimize contact with each other.
The biggest change has been to how we handled harvest this year. Normally, we have a large gathering, where everyone from vineyard to sales gets together to have food, a glass of wine, and camaraderie. That was unable to happen this year. Maintaining the safety and wellness of everyone is definitely our priority, so albeit it’s different nowadays, hopefully we will get back to some sense of normalcy in the future.
5. Do you have any aspirations that you would like to achieve within the next 10 years?
Absolutely! I would love to take over the wine program here at ROCO Winery one day or even start my own label. There’s so much I feel I have to learn, and applying real-world experience will definitely help, too. I’d say five years is a realistic timeline to do this, because by then, it will be possible for me to gather the experience needed. We’ll see how it goes.
6. What’s been the most difficult part of your career so far?
Establishing myself here on the West Coast away from my family has been one of the most challenging things for me to do, in general. In my career, it has been proving that I should be here. On paper, I have the knowledge, so applying that physically, as well as knowing that I can succeed, has been the biggest obstacle to overcome.
7. Who has been your greatest supporter throughout your journey in wine?
My mother! She’s been my greatest support in everything in life. She’s always the one who’s like, “You’ve got this.” Having that person believe in you is amazing. She would even encourage her friends to frequently buy wine from the places I’ve worked for, so that’s been really great!
8. Do you feel like the wine industry has done enough to provide adequate inclusivity in Black and Brown persons?
Short answer: no. Long answer: It is a realization that the industry is having, and it is still in its infancy.
9. What is it like being a Black man in the winemaking side of the business?
Well, sometimes it seems like a lonely road. I don’t see a lot of people that look like me in Oregon in general, so in the wine industry it isn’t much different. There’s definitely a greater presence of Black and Queer winemakers in California, but I am oftentimes the only person of color in the room and feeling like, “do I belong?”
I won’t say that I’ve been made to feel like I shouldn’t be here, but it is a battle with myself sometimes, as I have to affirm with myself that I have a seat at the table. Overall, in my experience, my voice is heard, I’m respected among my colleagues, and people do seek my input to add diversity to work that we’re doing here in the Willamette Valley.
10. What is the greatest thing you aim to bring and continue to bring to the wine industry?
Accessibility of wine. There are many facets to this idea, but one of the first points is having more financially accessible wines which could help capture a larger and more diverse audience. Then, we can work on how people perceive wine drinkers. I want the wine to become more fun and not as structured, so we can diversify the people that drink wine. For example, my buddy Bertony of Abbey Creek Wine hosts a hip hop and wine night. It would be amazing to show the world that there are many forms of wine drinkers and not a monolith.
11. Beyond where you work and the wines that you make, what have you been drinking lately?
I am a bourbon guy at heart. When I’m not drinking a lot of wine for blendings and tastings, I’m typically drinking bourbon, as that’s one thing me and my dad share. We’ll send bottles of bourbon back and forth to compare and contrast, and when I come home, we visit distilleries. My go-to lately has been a newer distillery called Rabbit Hole. They’ve just made it out to Oregon, and they have sherry-cask bourbon that is really delicious.
I’m also still trying more sparkling wines. Every time I go to the shop or the market I aim to try something new to diversify my exposure because there are a lot of wineries in the Willamette Valley making sparkling wines now. Exploring local bubbles has been fun!
The article Jarod Sleet Is Proving There Are Many Types of Wine Drinkers — ‘Not a Monolith’ appeared first on VinePair.
Via https://vinepair.com/articles/jarod-sleet-roco-winery/
source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/jarod-sleet-is-proving-there-are-many-types-of-wine-drinkers-not-a-monolith
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sly2o ¡ 7 years ago
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Unlocking Season 4′s potential: a Riley story (I swear this isn’t crack)
TL;DR: I think Riley was supposed to be a LI for Clarke, and Monty + Harper filled a story-line that Bryan + Miller was supposed to have, and that Miller was supposed to go to space.
We know that when the actor who plays Bryan abruptly left the show to pursue another role, which resulted in the parts written for him being given to a new character named Riley. So with the information we have, what was Bryan supposed to be doing in 4A and 4B?
Well first let’s ask ourselves…
What was Riley supposed to be doing before this shift in plot line?
Answer: Clarke.
I call forward as evidence:
1. The awkward hug.
Clarke clearly recognizes Riley, and clearly has a history with him. This is never resolved (and evidently never will be). Why waste the audience’s time with this?
2. Niylah’s out of character return
When the actor who got cast as Riley had to shift into Bryan’s role in 4A, someone else had to shift into what had originally been carved out as the Riley role. Hence the return of Niylah.
Why on Earth would Niylah want to climb into bed (so to speak) with the very kru that killed her family? Why would she want to tend bar for the people who executed her father?  After the violent interaction she had with Skaikru in Season 3 where they stormed her home - which resulted in it being attacked by ALIE - why would she want to be anywhere near Skaikru ever again? 
Clarke’s magic ladybits can only explain so many of these questions without some very explicitly stated plot - and helping make rations is hardly good enough. 
How Niylah turned around to accepting Skaikru is 100% glossed over... almost as if it wasn’t planned for. 
3. Niylah’s extremely lacking season 4 character arc.
If Niylah’s presence in the Skaikru area was planned all along - why didn’t she play a role in helping free Bellamy in 4x11? Surely she’d want to help all the people she had traded with in the past survive the radiation blast.
If her presence was planned all along, why did she play a bizarrely helpless role in stopping Illian when he arrived at Arkadia to blow up the place? What happened to the capable Niylah who lied to the Prince of Azgeda in the premiere of Season 3?
98% of Niylah’s role is season 4 was to be a place of comfort for Clarke to go to, where Clarke could exposition her internal thought process. 
Because that was what Riley’s role was supposed to be - and it would make sense in the context of a new character whose role was crafted to serve this piece of plot.
4. Timing of Riley’s and Niylah’s appearances
Niylah doesn’t show up until episode 5, which is a few episodes after Riley is introduced. In theory, if Riley had stayed in his original role this would have been enough time for Clarke to catch up with Riley and do her usual grief bang move with her old love interest.
Furthermore, the fact that Riley gets a reaction, introduction, and hug - and Niylah just sort of shows up should raise some alarm bells about how she was not originally supposed to be in this season.
What was Nathan supposed to be doing this season?
Last year Jarod Joseph tweeted he would be back in Season 4 in a “big way”… and yet the season showed us otherwise. Aside from break up with Bryan,  sharing moon-eyes with Jackson, and being a guy with a gun when you need a guy with a gun.
So what was he supposed to be doing?
Answer: part of the Monty/Harper 4B plot.
Supporting evidence:
1. Riley being built up in 4A and then being sidelined in 4B just to die.
The writers had to dispose of Riley after he filled in the role of Bryan in 4A. As much as we all love Riley, let’s be real, he was never Spacekru material. There also wasn’t space to resolve his character in the finale (see below) because Niylah had taken his role so he just got... disposed of.
2. Bryan’s planned path of descent in 4A.
We know that the episode where Bellamy talks down Riley from assassinating Roan was supposed to be Bryan. We know that Bryan was headed to a darker place with respect to his mental health. The break up with Nathan (or what was at least going to be the start of a line of major fights) likely didn’t help either.  Season 3 had already established that there was strain in this relationship (Bryan and Miller taking different sides in the Pike/Kane leadership) so this also wasn’t coming out of nowhere. Speaking of which…
The scene where Harper accidentally is linked to an Arkadian dying was probably Bryan’s last straw. But for Harper it was... the only straw? How did she break so fast? Being cut from the list could have added to that... but it seems a bit like she was shoehorned into a role meant for someone else.
3. People arguing that they want to live in 4A and then deciding to die in 4B?????
Both Harper and Riley are a part of the mob that are pissed at Clarke for creating the list and excluding them. Now just a few weeks later they are OK with dying? That’s not right. How did their anger turn in that direction so quickly? 
4. Monty on double comfort duty at the DNR den
For me this one of the most compelling reasons for why Harper was supposed to be Bryan.
I believe Monty and Harper were still supposed to both be at Arkadia, but they were both supposed to be there because of Jasper’s importance to Monty. This would have been mirrored by Nathan and Bryan also being there and having a very similar fight to the one Harper and Monty had in the actual episode. By having these two pairs there (Monty + Jasper, Nathan + Bryan) it would have really drawn out the parallels between these journeys with respect to mental health.  
But instead we essentially had an understaffed Monty running back and forth between two people to comfort them which made for awkward pacing during the episode. 
The impacts of Bryan’s replacement on the finale.
Nathan and Bryan were supposed to go to space.
If the above scenarios had come to pass, then Nathan and Bryan would have been with the Arkadia group, meaning they would have been able to go to space. If this had happened, it would have really helped frame Octavia as alone again underground isolated from her peers.I also get the impression that Nathan + Dad Miller were filling in a storyline that someone else was meant to have, to echo back to Tor Lenkin and his kid and really emphasize that “are we really doing this again?” parallel. I think the kid everyone joked that Jaha adopted was supposed to be that kid. Instead that new Tor and his kid got sort of shuffled to the side as the writers scrambled to shoehorn in how they would save Nathan when he had been left off the list. 
Emori was supposed to be kicked out of the second dawn bunker.
The Arkadians pushing around and then kicking out Niylah didn’t make very much sense... Why would her [grounder] people abandon her? Because she spent 2 months hanging out over at Arkadia? That seems a little bit like an over-reaction. Are we supposed to believe she was so bad at trading that she had no favours she could use to get picked by her people? I hardly believe that. Again - what happened to the Niylah who could boldly lie in the face of the prince of Azgeda?
Now go back to the finale and imagine it was Emori who got kicked out by the Arkadians — this is a highly believable scenario because Emori has no people to speak for her since she was cast out for being different. John following his heart again because they are going to make it together in the bunker. Clarke giving her helmet to Emori would have meant so. much. more.  on the heels of Emori being thrown out of the second dawn bunker, combined with how Clarke used the nightblood on herself instead of Emori. And then Emori saying “can’t we wait a little longer?” for Clarke after all that? Ugh my emotions.
...And now the crack
(Look I have no self control - I can’t write meta without including crack)
Was Clarke supposed to be pregnant?
YEAH I KNOW, OK, BUT HEAR ME OUT.
1. Why has Jason insisted on calling Madi “Clarke’s child” as opposed to her little sister? Is it a hang-up from where the plot was supposed to go?
2. Consider this: what if for “science reasons” the nightblood only worked because of the child inside her? Quite frankly we had an entire episode around why nightblood can’t be made in a laboratory on Earth, and it was enraging to see it work in the end because that means more people could have survived. It would have been much more satisfactory to see that it was Clarke’s unique scenario that that saved her life. (Also explains the throw up in the finale). Plus it would help stress in season 5 that Clarke owes her very life to her child which is why she always puts the child first. It also explains why it was six years of time gap. A five year old (remember, we lose almost a year because pregnancy time) is old enough/big enough to get into trouble on their own. Four years old is kinda pushing it on the “this is way too young” spectrum. 
Some Last Thoughts
Something I hope I haven’t stirred up, but that I will mention in case I did, is that I hope this doesn’t come off as anti-niylah/niylarke. My complaints are really that Niylah and her relationship with Clarke could have been done way better in this season. Ultimately it was great relationship for Clarke to have (and honestly, probably a better pairing than Riley + Clarke would have been), but the execution was really off for all the reasons I named above.
I think a lot of the pacing problems with the season can be traced back to Bryan’s exit. It makes me ask - why didn’t they just recast? But I guess that’s not really something they do with this show (except for Madi?? IDK)
I’m sure there are other pieces to this puzzle I am missing, but I find this concept so easy to lock in with the season that I just can’t help but believe it was what was originally written. 
Either way it’s unprovable and not canon... but I thought I’d share my speculation for what might have been with you all. Hope you enjoyed. 
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bffhreprise ¡ 5 years ago
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Entry 312
 Throughout the night, I gave James a rather lengthy tour of my ancestral home.  Sadly, he admired the architecture far more than the relevance of the antiques to my family, but I wasn’t particularly surprised.  Still, I did my best to explain the family history without boring him too much.  If only there were more from Arthur’s time still around, I might have been able to hold his attention at length, since he did have a fondness for that particular ancestor.
 When I insisted on doing a little bit of work, he was obviously disappointed.  I could understand why he refused to use my secondary computer, given how incredibly slow these machines were compared with Mila’s hardware.  I doubted James really considered how much the technology in his house could revolutionize the world, but none of it could be shared.  Aaliyah wouldn’t let us.  With gaming out, James went out to roam, so I absently tracked his meandering course through the mansion as I did my best to finish quickly.  Unfortunately, new problems always arose, though there weren’t any so pressing that I insisted on keeping at them when he returned.
 “Have much left?” he inquired.
 “Always, darling, but I can excuse myself if you are ready to begin.” I assured him.
 “Well, Sebastian has already procured everything we’ll need, so we might as well.” he replied, sounding hopeful.
 Smiling, I said, “Excellent.  Give me thirty seconds.  I’m quite interested in seeing what sorts of spells are utilized in your craft.”
 “About that…” he started, interrupting my thoughts immediately.  “Will you be completely disappointed if there is something for you to sign?  Sorry, but there are reasons, as I’m sure you can imagine.”
 I nodded, feeling dejected.  “This is precisely why I worried about her getting involved in your life.” I asserted, knowing the reasons revolved around Aaliyah.  I knew I was being a little silly, since James probably wouldn’t have discovered whatever he was about to show me without Aaliyah, but I wasn’t in the mood to admit it.
 “Still worried about her?” he asked as I hurried to close my meetings.
 “Always.  As fantastic as she can be, I know her mood can be mercurial, and there is nothing that will withstand her wrath.” I asserted, unable to share what I had seen of the devastation she had done to my family.
 James had the nerve to smirk, saying, “I find her perfectly adorable.”
 “You’ve seen her other side.” I pointed out, knowing the Reaper wasn’t forgettable.
 “As I recall, everyone was a bit put off by her presence when I was fighting for your hand.  She seemed fine by me.” he replied, actually looking as if he was considering what had happened.
 “Has she actually shown you what happens to someone killed by her scythe?  I know she’s generally too quick, but she’s not above demonstrations.” I replied, certain he hadn’t.  The chilling display still haunted me whenever my thoughts meandered to it.
 “Want one!?” questioned Aaliyah, appearing out of nowhere.  She was giddy as ever as she stared between us.
 “No.” I told her firmly.  “Never again.”
 “No promises.” she teased with a wink.  “I brought the paperwork for you!”
 “Lovely.  Was I saying too much?” I questioned, wondering why she decided to disturb us at this moment.  I had barely ended my meetings.
 “No, Alpy.  James is more aware of who I am than anyone else alive today, including Carl, and that’s really saying something.” she insisted, overly happy about the idea.
 “Please excuse my disbelief.” I told her, taking the tablet she held and perusing the annoyingly threatening document.  Still, part of my mind considered the truth of her words.  If James really did know her better than even my family, which was possible given he knew about the flying and Chronos, could he have an actual reason to trust her?
 “I can’t explain yet, but I’ve seen her.” stated James.  “Really seen her, not how she is now or as Death.  She’s magnificent, I assure you.”  He winced very slightly as if his head was hurting, but he didn’t look to Aaliyah as if she had done something.
 “Don’t worry, boss-man, sir.  She’ll know well enough one day.” promised Aaliyah, which made a chill go up my spine, but James instantly relaxed.
 “If she’s truly that magnificent, then why must her infernal contracts be quite so complicated?” I asked, uncertain how to interpret part already.  “Surely, she could have me promise not to tell and accept that my word would suffice.”
 “As you wish.” stated Aaliyah, snatching the tablet away from me.
 I nearly reached for it again before saying “What?  Are you serious?”  Gauging her with all of my senses wasn’t enough.  She still seemed perfectly adorable without a hint of deceit as she nodded.
 “Uh huh.  We’ll be boring this time.” she replied, feigning a hint of regret over the loss of the “fun”.
 “But what about…” I started, pointing toward the tablet.
 “I trust you.” she replied, interrupting me.
 Despite her apparent earnesty, the lack of specifics left an inherently more frightening, vague threat in my mind.  “I haven’t even promised anything yet.” I pointed out, hoping she’d give me some defined lines of where I could stride safely.
 “And I trust you.” she insisted solemnly.  Then her face took on that enormous grin as she exclaimed “Have fun!”  She vanished with the sound still lingering in the air.
 “She’s messing with me again.” I insisted as I visually looked for her.  She could hide her heat from me with ease.  “The bloody girl is playing another of her games.”
 James suddenly hugged me, kissing the top of my head.  “Shall we get started?’ he asked as he pulled back to pull me behind him by the hand.  The materials for our project were effortlessly gathered with a spell, reminding me that not even a year had passed since he first learned of magic.  He did at least allow me to undo the protective spells guarding my father instead of sauntering through them as if they weren’t there.  I wouldn’t fair so well against them.
 After greeting my father, which was still a thrill for me after the seemingly endless years of silence, James started explaining the spells he had planned for us, starting with the most basic.  His surprise at my knowledge of metallurgy amused me, though I didn’t admit some of his spells seemed slightly better than what I would have used, especially regarding the formation of an alloy I didn’t recognize.  As he explained the metal's properties and the reasons behind these particular spells, my trust in his ability grew by leaps and bounds.  This was certainly the man who had made my engagement ring.  I had given Aaliyah too much credit for its design in my head, not that I was holding that against James in any way.
 Then I noticed something disturbing.  Pointing to it, I said, “This part here looks like something I’ve seen in a book on the dark arts.”
 “I’m sure it’s similar, but we’ll be using that bit to identify one another.” he insisted.
 “James, this probably isn’t wise.” I argued, knowing stories of family members who had attempted to unravel the dark arts with unfortunate consequences to their bodies and minds.
 Solemnly gazing into my eyes, he said, “I swear on my life that this is perfectly safe.  I know in great detail what every part of these spells does.”
 I wanted to trust him, but part of that came from his magic having free reign on my mind.  Protecting myself in any way from his enchantment while keeping my mind open to Father was impossible.  Forcing myself to fight that bewitchment, I said, “How could you possibly know what every part does?  No one does.  We simply know the rough purpose of any given pattern we use, but I’ve demonstrated to you the disastrous results that can happen when attempting to alter patterns as well as combinations we know to be disastrous.”
 He sighed, dismantling his spell while creating another with which I was quite familiar.  Taking on the tone of an instructor, he started making claims about what each individual part of the spell did while explaining what the small changes he made throughout it would do, which he certainly could have known from seeing me use it, but he altered it further.  Then he released the spell, creating a large wave of fire to shoot outward in a plane above us.
 Ignoring my father’s amusement at the sight, I said, “You’ve obviously done that before, so knowing what will happen isn’t that impressive.”
 “Yes, but I’ve also studied, as I’ve told you before, from a book of sorts which I can’t share with you yet.  Trust me.  These spells we’ll be using are perfectly safe for this use.” he insisted, sounding as if he desperately wanted to say more.  Indulging himself a little, he said, “I’ve been studying magic a great deal since I enhanced Jarod’s suits.”
 “Fine.  What is this supposed to do?” I questioned, demonstrating the necromantic portion he had created earlier.
 “We’ll be using the part that reminds you of necromancy to identify one another, so the rings will react to us.  If you prefer, we could tie the rings to each other and leave things at that, but I thought a little extra information would be nice.” he replied somewhat evasively, smiling at me.  He obviously wanted me to ask for more.
 “What sort of information?” I questioned, indulging him.
 “We’ll not only know precisely in what direction the other is, but we’ll have a sense of distance as well.  The rings will also pulse slightly in time with our heartbeats, so you’ll know if I’m alive and calm no matter where I am.  Furthermore, the rings won’t function for anyone else.” he stated proudly.
 “All that from a bit of necromancy?” I asked, impressed by the notion.  If he truly came up with that on his own, James was probably the greatest authority of magic I knew, not that I would admit it to him until receiving further confirmation.
 “Well, more than that the bit of necromancy will allow for it.” he replied, still being evasive but unwilling to say more.
 “I can easily imagine some saying that feeling your partner’s heartbeat through a ring is a bit much.” I teased, finding the notion romantic myself.
 “Are you one of those people?  Personally, I’ll find knowing with absolute certainty that you are alive to be wonderful.” he insisted, obviously hoping that I’d agree.
 “You’ll also be able to avoid me when I’m angry.  Nothing gets my heart pumping quite the same.” I replied, losing my humor as the reality of the thought reminded me of how far I needed to come in self-control.  My temper had always been a problem for me.
 “I’ll know where to find you, so I can find out what’s wrong.  Besides, I always know when you’re angry if I’m nearby.  Your magic gives that away.” he explained, gazing into my eyes as he lightly touched my cheek.
 “And what if I don’t want to be found because I might lash out at you?” I questioned.
 “Marriage isn’t a perfectly smooth ride for anyone.  I’d rather know where to find you than be left wondering where you are.  There are also a number of protective spells I’d like us to place on the rings.  I do need to warn you that undoing these spells is far more difficult than placing them.  You could consider this an eternal bond if we go through with it.” he warned, looking quite serious.
 “I figured as much.” I admitted, finding that as the most logical point of the necromancy.  The rings would draw energy from us.  “Let’s do it.  All of it.  I find myself amused by the idea of always having your heart.”
 “Well, there’s that too, but you don’t need a ring for it.” he assured me with a charming smile.
 The conversation on spells continued for a time before moving onto a discussion of aesthetics.  Our rings would have engravings, imperceptible to most, of us dancing with one another in a sequence around the bands.  His ring would have twin bands of rubies to match the ruby of my engagement ring, and mine would have sapphires to also match my other ring.  Set into the dark metal of his alloy, we believed the effect would be quite fantastic.
 When we started on our test rings, I felt James watching me.  He surely wasn’t surprised that I was doing this with my eyes closed, at least he shouldn’t be with how much he knows of my abilities with heat.  Our test rings were so perfectly formed that we could have used them if not for a peculiarity of certain spells.  James claimed that they would only fully set if applied while the metal was molten, so I took his word for it.  I was very impressed that he was able to craft so perfectly without my power over heat.
 The final rings took an incredible amount of concentration due to the complexity of the spells going into them, probably the most complicated spells I had ever cast.  Keeping myself from wondering how he had managed to come up with these was somewhat easy until after I finished, due to my inability to think of anything outside of the rings or spells in those moments, but the moment I finished, my musings started taking hold… until I saw him smiling at me as he held up my ring.
 “Let’s hope you got the sizing right.  They won’t come off easily, so we can’t try them on.” he teased, still grinning at me.
 I playfully hit him and insisted we showed Father.  I knew from the scattered images pressing into my mind, that my father couldn’t fully comprehend what we were doing or why, but he loved me still.  Knowing that his love for me lasted through his mental breakdown gave me hope that I could still have a meaningful relationship with him, even in this state, and James was fully in support of it.  How lucky was I?
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mon-qi ¡ 7 years ago
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CYL 2 ranks, part 2
ok time to see where my more well-known and my underappreciated children ranked... I’m actually kinda nervous ;_;
the girl’s side of the voting was a much closer fight for the top spots, as expected.
Veronica beat out Camilla so closely! Wow, people really seemed to jump on it when they saw she had a chance! Good on you, Veronica fans!
Camilla did get more votes than last year overall though!
still crying a little for Marth fans because wow, that hurts, even me who doesn’t even really know Marth... counting his two appearances together, he’d be snugly between Hector and Celica...
even counting split votes for other candidates, I think Hector is the clear winner
I’m pretty sure Eirika lost quite some votes after her (honestly, really random) alt version for the SS banner was revealed DURING the voting.
would’ve been pretty cute to have both Eirika and Ephraim or Alm and Celica in the top 2 but alas
Tharja really fell far, I wonder what happened? Are her fans satured with her Heroes appearances after all? (interestingly this does not seem to apply to Camilla)
interestingly, many Awakening and even Fates characters seem to have dropped down, except for the ever-popular Camilla and Azura... and the Hoshidan princes? I guess that really shows players want more of THEM compared to the many Nohr alts (same with Leif and Myrrh in the intermediate results placing so high, I think people just really wanted them already!)
Reinhardt is 11th. DISGUSTING nothing against Reinhardt but he’s already cancerously widespread and strong do you really want that to be upgraded??
Nino and Lilina picked up in comparison to last year, which makes me very happy (12th vs. 39th and 25th vs. 49th.) as I love both of them
Owain in 26th. PLEASE GIVE US OWAIN ALREADY (and also Brady, even if he is in 346th...  ;; )
or for that matter, any Awakening children ####
Selkie seems to be the most popular beast unit at 21st UNLESS you count together Ranulf’s split votes, which would put him 33rd, between Ninian and Kliff! So I guess he wins this one? Honestly, rightfully so, he’s pretty important and likable AND good, he’d be a great choice for introducing beast units.
Eliwood crawled up 8 ranks to 26th. This pleases me.
Ninian also jumped from 100 to 32, shows how well Heroes worked out for her (unlike for some of the Awakening characters that were part of the starter/fodder units)
Kliff ist still most popular non-lord from SoV at 32nd. My echoes favs are different ones but I’ll take anyone they introduce. I wonder if they’d make him a mage?
Alfonse, Fjorm and Sharena are pretty close in their ranks around 40th , interesting. I expected Anna to be closer to them but I guess... it’s because she’s not strictly a Heroes OC?
Aversa shot from 100-something to 41, I think people really just want that GHB for a free red mage flyer (like I predicted but never happened)
a lot of (especially 3DS) beast units up in the top 50, let’s hope it sends a sign (and gives us Laguz too)
Sumia at 53rd and Maribelle a bit higher. I think people really want yet-unreleased Awakening characters way more than alts (me too, but... where’s my alt Lon’Qu I really really expected to happen ;_; )
Wrys at 56th. Meme voting #2 *disgusted noises*
Fae ranked much higher than before, well done my fav baby chicken!
Haar at 64, yes yes YESSSS give us our favourite Wyvern rider please
Louise at 72??? That’s??? a surprise??? but a GOOD surprise for me, I really like her. Interestingly, she crawled up MUCH higher than last year in comparison to her husband... who also gained votes but not as many, for whatever reason (Pent is 112th!)
NILS went frm 285 to 81 !!! People really want Ninian’s little brother and honestly I WANT HIM TOO. REUNITE THE SIBLINGS!!!
is Fae really the highest ranking echoes villager after Kliff? I don’t understand.
CANAS IS 89th!!!! he jumped up 24 spots since last year! I’m so happy, I really do have hope that they’ll add him...
Lon’qu barely made the top 100.... ;_; ...he dropped from 25th...
FE6 Hector (you know, bearded adult Hector) TRIPLED his votes from last year, shooting him from 217st to 101st... WOW (combining to almost 41,000 votes! That’s roughly comparable to Lucina’s last year...
Genny, Lukas, Conrad and Python crowding around the 100th places for Echoes representation! I really enjoy that (and voted Pythont too)... but where’s Forsyth D8 (ah, in 270th...  ;_; )
Ilyana in 131st!
Mila actually ranked 134th! No idea how they’d implement her but. YES. MILA.
Erk (135th) and Knoll (136th) so close together amuse me... maybe there’s hope after all
Florina dropped from 71st to 147th D8
Sain is 160th! Best represented Cavalier from FE7, I can live with that (bringing him in without his buddy Kent (327th) is unthinkable anyway and Lowen... I’d be in disbelief if they actually considered adding my boy OTL
Dorcas dropped to 185h but honestly, subtracting the unexpected memetic growth from last year, that’s still a really good spot for a barely-noticed FE7 character, likely because he’s a really great unit in FEH.
Legault and Leila both crawled a bit higher than before!
Brigand Boss in 212th. DISGUSTING.
Leon (Echoes) in 250th.... lower than Tatiana - I love her but this is surprising for me. Valbar is at 300! while Kamui is in 359th, rip Kamui D,: no wait RIP JESSE in 534th... WELL, one of those 205 votes is mine!
though, amazingly they all rank above Mathilda at 362? I thought she was really popular, maybe her Heroes appearance was underwhelming?
Stefan is only 339ths... this actually surprises me a little, I thought he’d rank higher (though he has 1003 combined votes...)
Oswin in 358th! that’s like 30 ranks lower than last year! NOOO!!
I was gonna say that villains ranked pretty good in this one, but just... comparing unplayabable one-level Awakening Boss Mustafa at 473, just one rank above Tobin from the recent Echoes... wow.
Tormod in 381st, Muarim in 431st... well, not far apart at least?
Amy got in 461st and Elena (Ike’s mom) in 423rd... wow
if Gatrie’s votes got combined he’d be at 410 or something... but they aren’t. He got pretty evenly voted for for both games he’s in though! I honestly do not get why Shinon is so much more popular lol
THERE HE IS. LOWEN. in 503rd with 238 votes, some of those from me. he... lost around 100 ranks and votes compared to last year. I’m very sad, but not at all surprised.
Jarod is at rank 551 with 181 votes, omg @konfuse
Geitz in 568th, aaah..
aaaand that was it for what I really wanted to know I guess
Oh man, Lowen, mah boi
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