#Credit Hire Vehicles

[soapssuds]

unknown ! yandere x reader

someone from the penacony cast is a yandere for you. the problem is...you don't even know who they are or that they are the one who is trying to keep you in penacony in the first place.

Imagine that during your long awaited vacation to Penacony is going well but your vacation takes a quick turn for the worse when your small space cruiser gets high jacked by some low grade thugs who take it for a joyride and end up crashing it.

Low-n-behold, you are now stranded on Penacony with no money (you left all your credits on your cruiser for safe keeping and those thugs stole it before making their getaway after crashing) and no way of getting home.

And what's worse, your insurance refuses to pay you for your crashed ship. In other words, you're stuck. Which was how you found yourself working three jobs in Penacony and barely getting any sleep as you rushed to have the funds to afford your new found rent problems and the funds to fix your cruiser. You would buy a new one, but many repairmen have told you that it would be cheaper to fix the damn thing instead of buying a VERY overpriced new one.

And they were right. You checked the markets and those new cruisers were way too expensive for you. Even the used ones were something you couldn't afford.

So, with all hope seem to be lost, your shifts are work getting tougher, and your eyebags getting darker - you truly thought you would never be able to go back home and put this nightmare vacation behind you. That is until you meet the members of the Astral Express.

They were very good people. People who you became quick friends with. The MC was kind to you (but seemed to have a weird obsession with trashcans), March was always hyper but fun to be around, and Dan Heng (though the quiet one of the group) was nice and even offered to help you in some of your jobs.

And then came along Himeko and Welt who graciously offered you a spot on the team as a Trailblazer. You could take a ride with them and go home, or join them on their journey wherever it may lead.

Suffice to say, you enjoyed your time in befriending the Astral Express crew that you couldn't help but to join them. Your worries for money and fixing your old cruiser were long gone as a new chapter in your life started.

However, when a certain someone heard of your new found escape, they couldn't help but to seethe with a quiet rage.

They hired those thugs to wreck your vehicle so that you be stranded in Penacony. They discretely made it to where prices were to high for you to fix your cruiser or buy a new one. They made sure that you would stay forever.

And yet some no-name outsiders were getting in the way.

"No matter," they said, the shadows covering them, "this place used to be a prison after all. I'll keep you here one way or another."

[oppropro]

Chapter 3

This is the conclusion to my fanfic. This was really fun and I hope all y'all enjoy it. Maybe I'll write some more stuff later on. Something shorter and more lighthearted.

Once again, All credit to @jttw-monkeybusiness for her AU story.

********

CHAPTER 3- Hired

            The only sound Sophie could focus on was that of her heavy footsteps drumming on the forest floor in tandem with her racing heart. Her mad sprint had tempered into a steady pace as she continued to run as straight as the terrain would allow her. Her legs ached and her chest felt like it was on fire. No matter how heavy she breathed, she never seemed to get enough air. Still, she had to keep running. At that moment, it did not matter to her where she was going; anywhere but there.

            She tripped over a tree root but did not lose her balance. What the fuck had just happened to her? How the hell did she wind up in a forest? That woman in the shop. Was this her fault? Was she a witch? A mare? More likely, she drugged that cup of tea, and this is all a hallucination, a bad trip. A nightmare.

            She should have fallen onto the wet pavement of her hometown. A street bustling with vehicles and foot traffic. The smell of concrete, rubber, unemptied garbage bins; all overpowered by the sweet perfume of flowering tree blossoms. Someone should have helped her up to her feet and brushed away the dirt from her scratched up face. A human; not a pig-man. And what was that thing she fell on? Some grotesque talking monkey monster? It looked like it wanted to tear her apart with its fangs. Jesus Christ! It talked. He talked. The monkey monster and the pig-man talked. None of this could be real.

            When she thought she had put enough space between her and her would-be assailant, and when she finally ran out of breath, Sophie stopped and leaned her back against the trunk of a mossy tree. The air was cool and humid, making her sweat stick to her body rather than evaporating. Now her legs hurt, her head throbbed, her chest burned, and she was shivering. With her eyes closed, Sophie managed to regain control of her breathing and rummaged through her pocket for her cell phone. She pulled it out of her sweater and opened her eyes so she could unlock it.

            Sophie dialed 112 and waited for the call to connect. Nothing. There was no signal. No data. No Wi-Fi. No matter how many times she tried, her calls were not going through.

            Unable to hold back whimpers anymore, Sophie held her phone in front of her with both hands wishing she had the strength to snap the useless piece of junk in half. All out of options, she cried out to the heavens.

            “Help! Somebody please help me!”

            To her dismay, the heavens answered.

            “Yeah, I can help you girly.”

            Sophie turned to her right to see the monkey monster standing no less than five meters away. Her heart sank.

********

            Was it fair to think that all humans were stupid, or was it this woman in particular? To be fair, Wukong acknowledged that he held a personal bias, what with this woman crashing onto him and then running off without so much as an apology for her insolence. Tracking her down was not hard, it was actually quite funny to watch her run herself to exhaustion. The distance was impressive, for a human, and he doubted that his master could do any better than her.

            Wukong observed the woman as he stalked her from the canopy above. She obviously posed no real threat. There was nothing demonic about her, though her foreign attire made her suspect. She could be a part of a demon plot; a patsy to be used as bait to lure him and his master. If she was smart, she would answer his questions and return with him to his master; then the monk will see that Sun Wukong, the great sage equal to heaven, is the fastest, smartest, fiercest, bravest, patient, loyal, and most merciful of all on heaven and earth.

            The woman below Wukong began crying for help. The chase had gone on long enough. It was time to get some answers.

            “Yeah, I can help you girly.”

            The woman looked up at him and froze. She was like a frail little deer staring down a tiger.

            “Of course, you’re gonna have to answer some questions of mine. First off, who are you and whose dumb ass idea was it for you to assault me and my master? I’m pretty sure you’re too stupid to sabotage the monk’s mission on your own, so start naming names and I promise I won’t hurt you.”

            She stood, still frozen in place, her lips quivering. Her eyes darting between him and a clearing in the forest floor, the remnants of some old animal trail. There was no way she would be stupid enough to run again.

            “Just answer my questions,” Wukong was no longer asking, he was ordering.

            The woman stared him down, regaining the slightest semblance of composure. Then, she ran off again into the forest.

            Why? WHY! Why was she making this harder than it needed to be? He was tired of playing cat and mouse. He barely had to walk briskly to catch sight of her again. This time he was going to make sure she stayed put. He extended his jingu bang out before her. He could have hit her with it, but he didn’t. She ran right into it on her own. Wukong grinned cheek to cheek as he watched the woman tumble over the staff and face plant into dirt. He laughed aloud as he made his way to her feet. His staff rested on her back in case she tried to run again.

            “I guess you are a stupid as you look, but I am in a forgiving mood so answer my questions and I will make sure you don’t hurt yourself any more than you have already.”

            The woman on the ground grabbed a fist full of dirt and debris, then with impressive precision managed to throw the filth in Wukong’s face, hitting him in the eye with a rather sharp pebble. She squirmed under the weight of his staff but could not free herself.

            “GET AWAY FROM ME YOU DISGUSTING CREATURE!” Her voice conveyed all the fear and malice Wukong knew to expect from every god and mortal alike that crossed his path.

            This was the end of his patience. He was the one who was accosted. He was the one showing mercy. He was not the perpetrator in this attack. He did nothing wrong. And yet this insolent little mortal woman thinks she can attack and insult the great Sun Wukong? He was going to get the answers he wanted from the woman and then drag her ass back to his master. But first, he was going to teach her a lesson she would never forget.

            “You think I’m a disgusting creature? You think I’m a monster? You’re the one who attacked me. But that just makes what I’m about to do you all the more justified.”

            His fur stood up on end. the knuckles in his right hand cracked. The woman beneath him cowered as he readied his strike.

********

            Sophie braced for whatever blow that monster was about release unto her. Huddled on the damp forest floor trembling in a fetal position, her eye clenched shut; she prayed for this nightmare to end. But no strike came.

            She opened her eyes to see that her prayer was only halfway answered: she was still in this strange forest, but the monster that was attacking her was now seemingly incapacitated. He was doubled over on himself, clenching the golden band around his head. He looked to be in agony. Behind the monster was the pig-man and the human who were with her when she fell.

            Sophie hardly registered the man back then. Now, riding on a white horse, with elegant robes, he looked like a prince out of a far away fairy tale. He was in deep concentration; muttering words Sophie could hardly hear. Pig-man looked on at Sophie and the monster with a seeming sense of shock. A third man was with them. A large blue man, with a not-unfriendly appearance. Sophie couldn’t remember if he was there all along or not. It didn’t matter. They were here now, and whatever that meant, their presence kept the monster at bay.

            Blue-man walked to her side and helped her up slowly. “Please, little sister, accept this apology for the behaviour of my brother.” Sophie found his baritone voice to be assuring. “We do not mean you any harm. Our master, the monk Tripitaka, simply wants to know how it came to be that you have happened upon our company.”

            Sophie looked to the man on the horse, this Tripitaka monk, and then back to the monster still reeling in pain. If she had any chance of surviving, it was with the monk. Guided by blue-man’s gentle hand, she began to follow the strangers through the forest.

            Pig-man held her backpack in front of himself, “Little sister, you dropped this when you fell. I will carry it for you until we are back at our camp.” Sophie could tell he was trying to cheer her up, make her feel better. She simply nodded in silence and continued to stare blankly ahead, hoping the second half of her prayer would come true and she could leave this wretched place.

********

            Hours had passed and Sophie was warming herself by a fire prepared by pig-man. Bajie, she had come to learn, or Pigsy as his friends called him. She held in her hand a cup of tea prepared by Wujing, who told her to call him Sandy. The cup was warm in her hands and the tea was bitter and earthy. Sophie would take sips and let the tea sit in her mouth awhile before swallowing. To her it seemed it was the only part of her existence she had any control over. She had finally stopped crying, but every now and then tears would well up and pour down her cheeks.

            Once they had arrived at camp, Sophie had told Tripitaka all about the events of her day leading up to her being shoved out a store front door and onto the monkey monster, Sun Wukong. Wukong had more titles to his name, but Sophie didn’t care to learn them. Once Sophie and the monk had gone back and forth trying to puzzle out her story, he excused himself from her presence to sit in quiet contemplation.  Sophie sat alone staring into the flames of the campfire.

            Wukong sat at the outskirts of their camp. Sulking, arms crossed, and staring daggers at Sophie. She could sense him from the periphery of her vision but refused to make eye contact.

She didn’t know if she was more afraid of him than she was angry. She was angry at him and knew he was angry at her, which made her more afraid. When Pigsy assured her that Tripitaka had ways to make sure Wukong would behave himself, that seemed to make the monkey even angrier at her. No matter what, she could not allow herself to be alone with that monkey demon.

            The sounds of Pigsy and Sandy setting up camp and preparing a meal, melded with the sounds of the forest: distant birds, chirping insects, and wind through the tree leaves. All the sounds blended together into a silence Sophie was able to ignore. She was tired of thinking, tired of existing; she wished for no more than to slip into nothingness. The only thing that seemed to keep her tethered to the reality was the crackling of the fire and the cup in her hand.

            Finally, the silence was shattered by Tripitaka’s voice. “I have come to a decision.” The pilgrims halted whatever task they were performing to look at their master. Sophie slowly turned to meet his gaze as well.

            “It seems to me that it is the wish of Buddha, as well as the wish of the Bodhisattva, that Sophie accompanies this party on our holy mission. Therefore, she shall act as my servant and assist us on our journey.”

            The monk’s declaration was met with mixed reviews. Sandy accepted the news at face value, Pigsy seemed happy. Wukong was taken aback. Sophie shook her head in denial of the monk’s words.

            “No. I don’t want to do this. I can’t do this.”

            “Master, I beg you to reconsider,” Wukong interjected. “Our journey is hard enough already. If we take her on, she is just going to be another liability.”

            Despite the protests of Sophie and Wukong, Tripitaka stuck to his conviction. “Sophie was offered a job by Guanyin to act as my assistant. I had told Wukong that whatever challenges should befall us, we must face; and you just so happened to fall upon Wukong. I don’t think it could be any clearer that you have been brought here to help keep my disciple in line, though how you might achieve that is a mystery to me.”

            Sophie looked across at Wukong, who again stared back at her. If he was angry at her before, heaven knows what he was feeling now.

            “My disciples shall assist you in your chores, until you find your own footing in this world. And then, you shall be able to carry your own weight on this journey so that you are not a burden or a liability.” The monk stared down Wukong as he finished his sentence.

            “Tripitaka, please, I just want to go home,” Sophie pleaded to the monk.

            “If it was in my ability to send you home I would do so in a heartbeat dear Sophie. Alas, the only one I know of who could perform such a miracle is Buddha and he is not here. As it were, we are on our journey to reach Buddha ourselves, if you wish to ask him to send you home you are more than welcome to accompany us.”

            Tripitaka gave Sophie a sad smile. He was trying to make the best of her sorry situation. There was no denying the truth in his words, however. If she ever wanted to get back to her home, to her mother, she was going to have to accompany the monk on his journey to the west.

[pikonv5]

Happy belated tdov! my partner and I, a trans couple, need help. 😥

Me and my gf, Kat @translesbo have been mostly unemployed and trying to find work for almost a year now, are very much still struggling.

The things of most priority, is needing to replace our dying vehicle that we were never able to fully repair, replace Kat's beat up, slow to run 8 year old phone, money in order for Kat to meet with her therapist again, get myself new glasses for too worsened vision that's been postpone for a couple years and for myself to pay my phone bill.

And paying off our debts, from credit cards, to medical bills, to $1,000+ owed to others. I know Kat has pretty much maxed out her credit card, but I am currently almost $3,700 in debt from needed/emergency expenses, screenshots of my balance, that is getting closer to its line of credit to max out on.

It's been almost a year since we have been knocked off our feet from the apartment building fire that led us to losing our jobs, that also coincided with Kat's birthday, April 9th. We were really hoping things would get better financially by now, and I just want Kat to be able to at least get to enjoy her birthday a little this year.

We have struggled to find employment for almost a year now- and especially Kat, who has the extra trouble of consistently facing plenty transmisogyny during the hiring process and and during jobs, while also being a poc and gnc.

Cashapp: $dottybot

Venmo: $dottybot

Paypal: @huronk499

Any amount, if you are able to is very much appreciated ❤

[so-i-did-this-thing]

from a trans guy stuck in florida, do you have any advice on getting out of here? I saw that you moved to new england which is, coincidentally, the place I'm trying to go too. i feel like I either oversimplify or overcomplicate moving away until it's just not possible in my mind. how did you manage to do it?

I played a long game wrt my exit strategy. I left my toxic industry (advertising) of 20+ years behind in 2018 and built up experience over the next 4 years in a new field (civic tech) where remote work was the norm. Once I landed a fully remote job, I kicked off the moving plan.

Once I had a new, remote job secure, my partner and I started looking for homes and eventually were referred to a Realtor who specialized in remote sales. I had to trust her and the inspector to give us an honest assessment of a house I wouldn't see in person until the day we moved in. It was stressful, ngl.

I was very, very lucky in that I could move in with my mother in Orlando for several months, which let me sell my old place, first, and be flexible on move-in dates. The actual move was done via a few container services.

So, my advice for initial prep:

Start downsizing, both in terms of stuff and places where you may be overspending.

Get job prospects in sight

Save for a down payment / deposit

Get your credit to "excellent," if possible. (I learned my name change fucked up my score, so had to spend a lot of time fixing that)

Research multiple towns based on your needs

Find someone in that area to house hunt for you and figure out a budget

Downsize your stuff again. More. No, more than that.

Prep for moving costs

Start packing the stuff you won't need for a while. Keep packing until it's time to move.

Hire a container service that isn't PODS. (U-pack was good to me.)

Get your pet logistics in order (if you have any)

Get your vehicle in order

I had a lot of spreadsheets and checklists t9 get me through the sale of my old place and everything I needed to do to buy and move into a new one. Maybe similar is a good place to start, because there are little things (like downsizing) you can do, now. Good luck.

[marmie-noir]

The Gang goes to a Gala

Gif credit: @stannyramirez (also reblogged, they are doing the ENTIRE second season so far as gifs and OH MY GAWD. Also shoutout to @little-earthquakes-rp for making sure I saw this amazing creator)

Warnings: Bad editing, the usual. I had a specific picture of a dress for Sunny but you can imagine whatever you want. Linking it feels very Wattpad XD.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, vibrating signaling I had a call. I put down the washcloth, swiping to answer when I saw it was Mitch. “Hey handsome.” “Hey Sunshine.” He sounded good, even over the phone, and I couldn’t help but smile as I finished wiping the table off before moving to the next one, free hand holding my phone. “You busy?” “Well you are my boss, I suppose that is a question for you. Am I busy?” I teased, slipping behind the bar to dunk the washrag in the sanitizer, drying my hands off. 

Mitch laughed, that rumble that had me preening, smiling like a fool behind the bar as I glanced around, glancing at the few tables that were in for some midday gambling and some food. Certainly wasn’t busy and really I was just filling my time knowing that Mitch was busy today. “I suppose not. Tell you what,” He started, background sounds making me wonder what he was up to. “Why don’t you grab Ann and go out? You need a dress.” “A dress?” “Mhm. A nice one. A gala dress.” I let out a laugh this time. “Mitch Keller, why on earth would I need a gala dress?” 

“Well, darlin’, cause we are going to a gala tonight.” 

That had me leaning on the bar, glancing around to make sure no one was lingering around. The bar was fairly empty except an older man near the end, a table off to the side had a couple, and the casino had a few stragglers as well but they were being taken care of by the casino staff Dwight and Mitch had hired. “Forgive me, but I must have misheard you. Didn’t Dwight just get arrested? And we are going to a gala? For what?” 

Mitch made that amused sound, the one that I knew vibrated from his chest like a hum when I did something he found either funny or cute. “That is right, and he just got out. And was invited to a gala. So stop asking so many questions and let me get dressed up with my girl.” I contemplated for a moment. The idea of dressing up with Mitch, sipping on expensive drinks and spending some time with our friends. After the night we had last night I wouldn’t mind relaxing a bit. “I’d need Ann’s help.” “Naturally.” 

“Is there a theme?” “No idea.” That had a small laugh bubbling past my lips because of course he didn’t know, he just was excited to go. “Alright. Fine. I’m convinced. Will I see you beforehand?” “Ah, no. I’ve got some things to do before the party, but I’ll meet you there?”

“Sounds good, handsome. See you tonight.” 

I had been picked up by Dwight and Michael, who I was still refusing to call Bigfoot. Yes, he was a mountain of a man, but he was also Mitch’s cousin and Bigfoot just sounded ridiculous. I didn’t plan to vocalize it, I’d just smile and nod if he told others to call him that, but he was practically my family in a way and Michael wasn’t a bad name. He was also surprisingly sweet and considerate, especially after we parked and he left the driver’s seat to open the back door and offer an arm for support. 

I accepted the help happily, not wanting to flash anyone getting out of the vehicle in a dress, as well as have a moment to steady myself in heels. I wasn’t horrible in them, but I didn’t wear them often so it took me a moment to adjust. The dress I picked out was pretty and I liked it more than I thought I would. I had gone to a few different stores with Ann trying to find something to wear and we’d settled on this black dress, the style a classic black dress but with a thigh slit and only one arm. It left my other shoulder and arm bare and the thigh slit showed a bit of skin without being scandalous or get in the way of walking like a few of the other dresses had. Ann had twisted my hair into an updo, leaving my collarbone and back exposed, a few bits of simple jewelry on my skin but nothing too flashy. I didn’t really have much in terms of jewelry beyond a pair of diamond earrings from my grandmother and a necklace Mitch had gotten me a few months ago as a surprise. 

“So, what is this gala for anyway?” I asked, smoothing my skirt before slipping my hand into Michael’s offered arm and looking to where Dwight had walked around the front of the car, lighting up a cigar and waiting for us. We began to move down the driveway, oddly away from the house before I saw a familiar van. So everyone else was outside still, probably waiting for Dwight. “No idea.” He said with a small half shrug, unbothered. “Just enjoy yourself tonight, Sunny. Have a few drinks, dance a little. I heard you pulled it together after I got carted away. You deserve a little fun, don’t you think?” 

I let out a small sigh through my nose but didn’t say anything, my heels clicking against the asphalt of the driveway as we drew closer to the van. I was busy glancing down at my dress to make sure that it was sitting correctly and hadn’t shifted on the drive over, I didn’t even notice someone had rushed up to us. Arms wrapped me up in a hug and a familiar cologne filled my nose, making me let out a small laugh and release Michael’s arm to wrap my own around Tyson. “You look money, lady.” He said, pulling back to grin at me. Before I could return the compliment he leaned in slightly, tone dropping. “Tell him he looks good, he’s been preening all afternoon, stressin’ about what you are going to say.” 

My brows knit together in confusion but he simply gave me another smile and stepped aside. Mitch was there, not so patiently waiting for Tyson to move so he could take the space, hands immediately on my hips. “Look. At. You.” He breathed out, bright blue eyes sliding up and down my form, not yet pulling me into a hug so he could look his fill. I rested my hands on his biceps, busy taking him in too. And damn if he didn’t look far too good, all dressed up in a black suit with a red patterned undershirt, the top few buttons undone to show a little chest and his necklace. But the most prominent change was his hair. “Look at me? Look at you!” I said with a grin, reaching up to slide my fingers through his hair. It looked good, the sides cut short and the top left longer, fluffed up and styled in a way that looked effortless but I knew couldn’t be. Mitch hesitated, clearly having forgotten his own appearance upon seeing me. It was cute, and I couldn’t deny it made me a little proud I could still distract the man. “Do you like it?” While he didn’t sound unsure exactly I knew Mitch enough to understand he was genuinely a little worried about my opinion on the change to his appearance. That had my chest warming up a little bit, the fuzzy feeling of raw adoration for this man softening my expression. “Yeah, baby. It looks good, you look really good. That suit too.” I told him, reaching out to adjust his jacket. My fingers slid under the blazer for a moment, feeling the expensive fabric of his shirt and the warmth of his skin underneath. “Makes me wanna ditch this party and drag you home.” That had Mitch lighting up, pulling me closer by my hips, his head ducking to look down at me. “Well we should stay for a drink. It’s only polite.” He teased. He leaned in, lips brushing mine gently enough, mindful of my make up, before someone cleared their throat. He pulled back and I grinned, leaning around him to spot the others leaning against the van, clearly not in the most patient mood. “Aw, Bohdie! Don’t be jealous, you look very nice.” I teased as Mitch shifted, moving to stand beside me with an arm around my middle. “Yeah yeah, can we go inside?” The grumpy tech guru muttered, looking away with an almost pouty expression. 

“Armand isn’t even here yet. Oh, Fred, you look good too!” I complimented the other man, earning a smile and a little nod of his head as he stood a little taller, straightening his jacket. Really all of them looked good, it wasn’t empty compliments to friends. We all cleaned up pretty good. “Speaking of, where is-” The crunch of a bumper had me jumping slightly, Mitch’s hand on my hip giving me a small reassuring squeeze as we all looked over to see an obviously intoxicated Armand stumble out of the offending vehicle, having rear-ended a parked car. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I whispered, not believing this. I knew he was going through some things but to show up drunk, here of all places? Mitch didn’t comment but just gave my hip another small squeeze, watching on as Dwight stepped forward to smooth out the issue with the valet. 

“Alright.” Dwight said, clapping his hands, smoking cigar bobbing between his lips. “I need you all to be on good behavior. There are a lot of high-level people with high-level money here tonight. I’m gonna work on meeting Thresher, you all rub some elbows and be polite to anyone who looks interesting.” “Who the fuck is Thresher?” Tyson asked. I’d never heard of the name before so I was curious too. “Thresher is who we wanna be. He runs the oil business, and he is the largest weed distributor in Oklahoma.” Dwight answered, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “That is one guy we want to be friends with. Now let’s go.” It prompted Bohdie, Tyson, and Fred to push off the side of the van. 

We all walked up the long drive, my hand resting on the crook of Mitch’s elbow, a little in awe at the sprawling estate. The house was huge, the lights nearly twinkling, and I couldn't imagine having so much space. The inside of the home was just as opulent as the outside. Staff wove between dolled up women and cleaned up men with trays of food and fresh drinks. 

I was instantly relieved to see I wasn't over dressed, relaxing a little more as the group of us hesitated in the entryway. Not that I particularly wanted to come to more of these things but it didn't feel bad getting all done up and having the arm of my mighty fine looking man. He had the top buttons of his shirt undone, hand sliding through his hair as if still getting used to it. 

“It looks good, hot stuff.” I reassured with a smile, leaning into his side. He smiled back at me, relaxing a bit more, arm moving around my middle to keep me pressed close in the bustling gala. 

“Alright,” Dwight spoke, turning to face us. “Go have some drinks and food. Have fun.” He ordered, waving us off. 

I was all too happy to have Mitch lead us away from the entrance with Bohdie trailing behind, the three of us intent on finding a few drinks. I ended up with a delicate flute of champagne, sipping on the bubbly as I glanced around the home. Things like this just seemed so old money, familiar people and families rubbing elbows, not used to newcomers. We had gotten some appraising looks but no one had approached yet. 

“Would you ever want to live in a house like this?” Mitch asked, still at my side as he sipped his drink. 

I hummed, thinking it over with another sip of my sweet drink. “I don't think so. It feels like… like too much. Too much house to a few people. It would get lonely.” I liked that I could smell when Mitch put the coffee on, hear pops yelling at the game in the living room, the taps of Scruff’s nails on the tile. All those things made the house a home, and if our space was too large I think I would get lost in the halls. 

“How did Dwight even hear about this?” I asked the men. 

“The lady that boards Dwight’s horse. She is apparently some bigshot in the charity world.” 

Bohdie made an amused sound into his glass. “That is putting it lightly. She has deep pockets, knows a lot of important people.” His voice was low, eyes scanning over the crowds of the rich and wealthy. “Lot of people like that here. Important people with a lot of money.” 

I wasn't surprised Bohdi knew, I knew he was really into tech so I assumed he went electronically snooping. A lot of that was over my head but I was curious if he has looked into all of us. And if so, what he has found. 

“So what I am hearing is that these are not our kind of people.” Mitch commented lowly, his hand flexing on my hip, his other still holding his drink. Bohdie hummed confirmation and I rolled my shoulders to try and dispel some of the tension, unsure what to do. 

“How is the new shop coming along? Grace told me the space is amazing.” I changed the subject, looking back at Bohdie. I hadn't had a chance to stop by and look into it but Grace and I kept in contact. I kind of wish she was here right now, wanting a little more girl power on our side. 

“Good, it is good. Fairly central so we should see an uptick in foot traffic. I actually was wondering if you would be free to swing by, Grace mentioned wanting your opinion on somethings.” 

“Only if there is more of that apricot jam.” Mitch cut in with a grin, fingers brushing against the soft fabric of my gown at my hip. I felt my cheeks heat up, glancing away with a sip of my drink. The last time I had that jam had been on the back porch and it had lead to a bit more than a simple bedtime snack. 

Mitch’s chest rumbled in a low chuckle at seeing my reaction. Before he could tease me Tyson came back to us, an odd look on his face. 

“What?” I asked, brow quirking. 

“They are serving pidgeon.” 

“Okay?” I said, confused. Rich people seemed to enjoy eating small birds so that didn't sound so weird. 

“And cicada.” 

“Like… locusts?” I clarified, concerned now. 

“Uh- yeah.” Tyson said, thankful that I was finally on his side of rich people, weird food. 

“I gotta see this.” I said, releasing Mitch. Tyson shrugged, offering me his arm to be polite, and I accepted it with a little wave to Mitch as our friend led me further into the party. We wove through little clusters of guests, all the glitz and glamor distracting. 

“Bohdie said big money was here. You think Dwight is trying to expand more?” I asked, voice low. Tyson might know something I didn't as his driver after all. 

“Not sure, nothing concrete. But you know how the boss is, always a plan.” 

That is what I was afraid of. Men like Dwight were capable of amazing things, but enough was never enough. He wasn't even my boss. Mitch was, and Mitch was his partner and the underboss. Not that I really knew what that was but Dwight had been sure to communicate that so it must be important. 

I didn't vocalize my worry. Tyson worshiped the ground the older man walked on. I had faith in Dwight myself but not the blind faith these men seemed to put in him. 

The pidgeons were easy to spot, the cicadas less so. I glanced at the large table laden with food, eyes lingering at the pile of brownish goo in a beautiful crystal dish. “No.” I whispered, looking up at Tyson. 

“Yep.” He answered, the two of us skillfully avoiding the eye contact of the server. We peeled away from the table, stepping into a side room. I went to take another sip of my drink but found it empty, frowning at it. “I will get you another one, hang here.” Tyson said, smiling at my expression and leaving me at the small table. 

I busied myself, hands smoothing down my dress to ensure it was still sitting correctly. It fit perfectly but I was a little anxious, not wanting it to shift and make me look foolish in such a public place. 

“You look stunning.” A voice interrupted my subtle hands and I glanced over, the voice unfamiliar. A tall, handsome man stood there in a dark blue suit, one hand in his pocket and the other wrapped around a crystal tumbler of booze. He has blonde hair, more dirty blonde, falling slightly across his forehead, eyes so dark blue they were almost black in the low lighting of the party. 

“Oh, thank you.” I said politely, smiling at the stranger. 

He held a hand out, drink set down at my table. “Aiden. I don't believe I have seen you at one of these events before?” 

“Sunny.” I greeted back, giving his hand a small shake. “And that would make sense, it is my first.” 

“Well you fit right in.” He said, grin going up a mega-watt, the toothpaste commercial perfect smile I was sure won him lots of hearts. I gave a small nod in thanks, not wanting to stir up problems by being rude. “Are you part of a corporation or here independently?” 

What a good question. “Oh, I was invited by a friend.” I said, unsure what the correct answer was exactly. Something about this man had me a little on edge, like being near a dog you were sure was friendly. He was handsome, charming, but that didn't mean he was safe. 

“A friend? Who are they, maybe I know them?” He asked, voice dropping an octave as he leaned in. 

Tyson appeared at my side then and I felt relief, flashing him a smile. “Tyson, just in time. This is Aiden.” I introduced. 

Tyson looked at the other man, handing me my drink with a small nod, hand extended. They shook hands, Aiden’s smile dimming a bit with the company. 

“Anyway, we should probably get back to our group. It was so nice meeting you Aiden.” I said, slapping on my charming smile. I leaned in, free hand hugging him quickly before pulling back and taking Tyson’s arm. 

He seemed surprised at the touch but not off put by it, one hand settling on my lower back a moment before righting himself with a small nod. “You as well. Hope to see you at the next event.” 

“We’ll see. Take care.” I said, squeezing Tyson’s arm as he got the hint and led me away. He seemed a bit stiff but I didn't comment on it, pulling him around the corner and out of sight. I didn't say anything until we found a private little nook. 

When we stopped I set down my drink on the ledge, producing a dark leather wallet. “Thank god.” Tyson sighed in relief, shoulders slumping slightly. “You scared me there Sunny.” 

I raised a brow in question, opening the wallet and snooping in the contents. “Did you think I was getting fresh with a rich stranger?” I teased, lips curling into a little amused smile. I pulled my phone out, snapping a few pictures of his ID, as well as a few scribbled notes tucked away next to the crisp hundreds. 

“I had no idea you were pulling a James Bond, I was terrified I would have to tell Mitch you were getting fresh with another guy.” 

I glanced up from the ID of one Aiden Michael Thresher, meeting Tyson’s dark eyes. “You would tattle on me?” I questioned. I had no intention of cheating on Mitch but hadn't thought about how others would react if I did, the interpersonal loyalty between us all a bit convoluted. “Not very bestie of you, Ty.” 

“Hey now, don't do me like that.” He said, hand pressing to his chest. He looked almost as though he was pouting, adjusting his jacket next. “I would tell you if I thought Mitch wasn't acting right.” 

“Even though he is an underboss?” I asked quietly. I dropped the wallet, giving it a little kick with the heel of my toe. It slid easily across the floor, stopping near a table. I smoothed a hand over my hair before grabbing my drink, reaching to take Tysons arm again. 

He offered it willingly, looking down at me with a stubborn set to his brow. “You my ride or die, Sunny. Can't forget that.” I hummed, giving his arm a little squeeze with a smile. After the shoot out we were a lot closer and I wasn't going to forget that either. “What you do that for anyway?” 

“He just- he felt weird. I want Bohdie to look into him. And his last name is Thresher, think it is the one Dwight was talking about?” 

“No idea.” Tyson admitted, leading me back to Mitch and Bohdie. 

Sunny and Mitch masterlist here

My lovely taglist: @beepage, @itspdameronthings, @queenslandlover-93, @triplefrontierbabe, @nebulastarr

If you want to be part of the tag list it is here.

[seat-safety-switch]

Geese fly south for the winter, which is something that seems reasonable to do. Why would you want to stick around, freezing your nuts off, struggling to find food, when you could just go somewhere warm for a few months and come back later? Those waterfowl don't have a second mortgage, or even a first one. They just hang out in a public park all day, poop on the grass, and occasionally get chased by a dog. What a life.

There is one thing the geese lack, though: access to humanity's greatest achievement, the shitty old car. New cars, maybe, if their credit is good. No goose or duck or even swan can afford to keep a 1991 Beretta GTZ on the road, mostly because doing so is beyond their abilities. They can't hold a wrench: I thought that would be obvious to you, but sometimes I have to be explicit about this stuff. And hiring a mechanic is right out, because geese do not believe in paying money for services.

Why don't I just take my shitty old car and head south for the winter, too? Surely, it would last even longer if it wasn't exposed to vicious amounts of road salt and a freeze-thaw cycle that even the mountains themselves cannot survive. It's a reasonable question, and the only valid answer is that I can only drive one shitbox at a time. Even flat-towing another car behind me will only give me one extra chance, should the lead vehicle throw a rod on the way there. That's simply not good enough, especially since I have to return home after, and high-mileage hoopties cost too much in places where they don't disintegrate when exposed to free air.

This winter, I'll be sitting on my porch, watching the swans fly south without a hint of envy. And I hope you will too, because that will give us a chance to see each others' faces before we lock ourselves into our suburban tombs for the next six months, swearing at how cold the floor has gotten and wondering if we still have any working car batteries left.

[weepingchoir]

As an adult fan of pro wrestling, you will from time to time be peppered with questions like: you know wrestling is fake, right? To which you have to be the adult and answer, no, Mae Young gave real birth to a malformed hand, live on Monday Night RAW.

When the kids leave the room, you can have a grown-up discussion of the ways in which pro wrestling is really real (sorry, Lacan). The tables are tricked out, but you try a twelve foot swanton bomb onto karate mats, if you’re so goddamn tough.

Pro wrestlers have one advantage, though: their faces get on TV. Stunt performers, the for-once sung heroes of The Fall Guy, don’t even get that. This is the opening thesis Colt (Ryan Gosling, but also stuntmen Logan Holladay, Justin Eaton, Ben Jenkin and Troy Brown) voice-overs in an intro where he also presents us with his love, director Jody (Emily Blunt).

It’s clumsy, but it’s effective. For the next two hours you cannot forget that there is a real body on the bad end of every swanton bomb. The star of Jodie’s upcoming Dune: Fury Road has gone missing, and Colt is hired to find him. Naturally this invokes very little serious detective work and a maximalist superabundance of fire, fights, firefights, sword fights, car fights, car rolls (a world record eight and half at the hands of Holladay), explosions and running into traffic without looking.

All these 150-foot falls conspired to make me do something movies rarely do, but wrestling often does: wince. Cinema hyperreality is not good at transmitting sheer pain. Narrative contextualizes surviving a drop through penthouse glass as badass, hilarious or tragic, but not painful. Real pain has a way of zapping you out of the story. So The Fall Guy is a little self-defeating as movies go. It’s unimmersive, a cardinal sin. But the story is just a vehicle for a loftier ambition: giving stunt performers the credit they deserve.

In this regard, The Fall Guy might just be a roaring success. Look, I’m listing the stunt performers alongside the actors. The Atlantic is running a scandalously titled piece on stunt credits.

Unfair to judge a movie on its ethical accomplishments? Not if we consider the failure of just about every production to uphold what The Fall Guy exposes as basic standard. In an era where most of the crew on a megaproduction can’t afford rent, this seems like the only good play from David Leitch, whose directorial efforts began at John Wick and only got more budgetful. For his next trick, I would like to see him produce a full-length on $1M. Just to see what happens.

[behindthesemasks]

20

Chapter 19

Gabe is on a mission...and he has one destination...

It seemed to take Gabe an hour to drive from the original hotel to the one that Mel and the others had now holed up in. After circling a few different blocks, he found a parking garage without surveillance to leave the SUV in and texted Mel that he was on the way up. That was when he turned his phone off and headed down to the street below, to walk the remaining way to the hotel. No doubt Ambrose would be making sure that the GPS trackers on the SUVs were being watched and trying to triangulate their locations by their phones.  While he would be able to find the SUV Gabe had driven, where he’d gone when he’d left the garage would be something that would take him longer to figure out.  The fact that all the others with Melania had also turned off their phones indicated that they too had thought of this.  

It was after 2 AM and there were no other people or vehicles in the area.  The area appeared deserted, although he could see lights behind curtains on the floors above street level.  Even if there were surveillance cameras in some of the shops and buildings he was passing, Gabe had turned up his collar to make it hard to see his face. One more step in making it harder for Ambrose to track them down.  There were only four blocks he had to navigate, but he was hoping to keep to the shadows and make the trek as quickly as possible.  He had been trusted not to give away their location.

Fifteen minutes after he’d stepped onto the street, he walked into the hotel lobby. It was bright and filled with old-world elegance. Marble floors, ornate furniture, and live flowers on every table; this was not your budget hotel. Bypassing the front desk, much to the interest of the desk clerk, Gabe headed straight for the elevators. He knew the room number and wanted to waste no time hanging out in areas where he could attract attention. Now he knew he had been on camera, but there was no way that the others could have made it up to the room without being recorded as well. Hopefully, there wasn’t a way to back door into the hotel’s security system.  He knew the type of men Ambrose hired, and if there was, they’d do it.

When he’d finally made it up to the room, he could hear laughing inside. Obviously, even if Mel had been tired, she hadn’t fallen asleep just yet. He knocked on the door and found himself yanked inside when the door cracked open. Facing him were Mel, Alexander, and Cade all sitting on the couch with bottles of wine, gin, whiskey, and scotch on the table in front of them. Judging from their demeanor, they had all enjoyed some while waiting for him.

“Feeling more relaxed?” Gabe asked with a bemused smirk as Dez headed back over to the chair he’d been sitting in.

Mel was on her feet and on the way over to him before he could finish asking the question. “I am now, you finally made it!” Her arms wrapped around him and her face was buried in his chest.

Instinctively his arms went around her and he held her in close. Only now did he notice the slight tremor in her body. His eyes looked questioningly at Alexander and Cade. What the hell was going on?

“She tried to sleep; needless to say some things cause horrible nightmares,” Alexander answered the silent question that hung in the air. “So, we decided to drown her in booze.” His hand gestured to all of the bottles on the table.

“Did you know she has five fake identities in her purse? They’re complete with driver’s licenses, passports, and credit cards. FIVE. Do you think the boss will let us keep her?” Dez had obviously had too much whiskey, but he did get a half-chuckle out of Gabe.

“She’s not a fucking pet asshole. And no, I doubt Ambrose would allow us to take her on missions. Although you would have been proud Gabe, the girl intimidated the ever-loving hell outta the front desk clerk that was here when we got in. I think he may have wet himself.” Alexander chuckled as he poured himself some more scotch. 

Cade moved over to one of the chairs, stretching his long legs out to rest atop the coffee table, as Mel and Gabe moved to sit on the couch. Mel was still all but trembling and Alexander put his arm around her shoulders when she sat down. He looked over at Gabe with an expression that said he was worried about her, but that it wasn’t the time or place to say anything. Gabe nodded, this wasn’t a great situation.

“If you guys want to go back to the other hotel, I’ll understand.” Mel’s voice was soft and quiet, hardly the woman any of them had seen earlier in the day at the hotel. 

“I don’t know about the other boys, but I was hired to keep your ass safe while you were here. I don’t see how I’d be doing that if I left you here. If Ambrose decides to take the money back…I’m not worried.” Cade was the first to answer. There was no hesitation or doubt in his voice as he looked over at her with a slight cocky smirk on his face, and then gave her a wink.

“I think my boy said it well enough. If I was doubting, I wouldn’t have shown up beautiful.” Gabe used two fingers under her chin to turn her face towards him, then kissed her forehead.

“I was never here just because of a job from Ambrose,” Alexander added, causing Mel to look over at him with affection. He really was like a big brother, and just as protective. 

“Fuck, if I wanted to go back, I wouldn’t have driven that damned SUV all the way out to the airport and had to take a cab back.” Dez laughed, winking over at her. 

“If your money is taken back, I’ll still pay you,” Mel said softly, even as she knew that didn’t seem to be a concern for any of them. When Cade started to object, since he was the one who had mentioned money, she added, “I’m worth more than Nic now that my parents are dead. And it means nothing to me.” Cade reached over and squeezed her fingers. Damn, the girl was stronger than she looked, both inside and outside.

“That reminds me, how the hell did you guys get here from the coffee shop? It’s quite a hike.” Gabe asked as his hand took Mel’s to keep hers from shaking. “And did you leave all the weapons out at the airport? Really?” He looked over at Dez.

“She has a Porsche SUV bro. A FUCKING PORSCHE.” Cade laughed. “And all the weapons are in the back safely in their cases. Well, except for the two cases that have the tracking devices in them. They’re at the airport along with the SUV, just no weapons in them.” He laughed. They had swept everything that they transferred between vehicles. There had been no tracing devices in any of it. All of them, knowing Nic and Ambrose, didn’t want to take any chances. 

Gabe nodded as he saw Mel’s head starting to nod. “I think it’s bedtime for you before you fall asleep on Alexander and me, then we’re pinned to the couch all night.” She laughed as he helped her up and to the bedroom on the right side of the small living room that had two beds in it. There was a bedroom on the other side that had two beds in it as well. He helped Mel off with her hiking boots and up onto the bed. Exhaustion, emotions, and the liquor were starting to have a strong effect on her. 

Alexander came in behind them, kicking off his shoes and flopping on the other bed in the room. “I’m taking this one, Dez snores when he’s drunk. You can have one of the beds in the room across the living room. Cade is going to take the first watch for the next few hours.” His words were slightly slurred as he was obviously drifting off to sleep.

Gabe looked down at Mel who was starting to drift off. He leaned over to place a kiss on her forehead. How could Klaus have been such an idiot as to not listen and just hang up on her? Furthermore, how was Erik an even bigger idiot for what he’d done? She was a woman who proved she wasn’t afraid and could be just as fierce as they could. Shaking his head, he began to back up.

Gorgeous blue eyes cracked open and looked up at him. “Don’t go yet, just sit here till I fall asleep? Please?” The look in her tired eyes tore at him. Damn it if he wasn’t a sucker for a damsel in distress. He saw Alexander chuckle as he rolled over, giving him a thumbs up as he did. Sitting down on the bed next to where she was lying, he took her hand in his and leaned back against the headboard. He prayed the next day wouldn’t be nearly as long or as sideways as the previous 24 hours had been. 

Soon Gabe felt his head starting to drop. He started to move off of the bed but looked down at his fingers intertwined with hers and changed his mind. Instead, he slipped down to lay flat on his back next to her. A soft smile formed on his lips as he felt her move closer to him and he drifted off to sleep. Fuck what any of the rest of them thought, Klaus may have promised to keep her safe but he was actually going to do it.

Just over three hours later, the soft click of the lock on the door to the suite signaled that someone was coming in. A lone figure slipped through the barely cracked door, carefully closing it behind him. The feel of a gun barrel at his temple told him instantly that his entry had not gone undetected. As he waited to find out who it was that had gotten guard duty, a slow smirk crossed his lips.

“You’d better have one damn good excuse for being in here asshole, because if you don’t you’re going to wish you had never opened that door.” The end of the barrel pressed more firmly into his skull as he heard Cade’s voice low and growling.

“Seeing as my grandfather is paying your fucking ass, I think I have a good enough excuse to come in if I want. Although how the fuck you all got here is something I’ve got to hear.” Nic’s quiet voice held amusement. It had taken him what seemed like forever to even find a clue where any of them had gone.

“Shit bro, you’re lucky I asked questions first. How the fuck did you find us?” Cade holstered his weapon and moved closer to Nic so that they’re voices wouldn’t wake the other four up.

“Gabe parked his SUV four blocks away. When he stopped answering his phone, I went hunting.” Nic shook his head. “Y’all were fucking hard as hell to find. One female with three bodyguards does make an impression on a desk clerk though.” He chuckled. “Two rooms? Who’s where?”

“Dez is over there. The door is closed because his snoring was about to drive me insane. Alexander, Mel, and Gabe are all over there.” Cade gestured as he talked. He had sobered up an hour or so before and was now annoyingly clear-headed and awake, albeit with a massive headache.

“You know how she got out? And how did you end up here with your SUV at the airport?” Nic looked over at Cade as he leaned his back against the wall.

“Window in your grandfather’s office in the suite, along the ledge to the fire escape that was one room over, then down to the alleyway. Then she just walked until she got to a coffee shop. From there she rented the car and got ahold of Gabe. Gabe texted us. We met up with her at the coffee shop. When she got tired, Dez took the SUV to the airport and got a cab back here with the cash she gave him. We had already transferred all the weapons into the back of her SUV, so it was safe for him to leave it. Then she drove us here. She was the lead the whole time bro, organized the whole damn thing. Did you know she has five false identities?” Cade almost laughed as he talked.

“More than five, and yes I did. Although apparently, grandfather’s men have made some new ones because I couldn’t find a trace of the old ones. I only got the key up here because I scared the desk clerk more than the rest of you did.” Nic answered, pausing for a moment. “I wasn’t here. Understand? Tell none of them. She’s safe, you’re all alive. That’s all I cared about. I’ll keep grandfather off your asses, but you’re going to have to show up eventually. Let me know when you are and I’ll buffer the reception.”

Cade looked over at Nic with a newfound respect. He had expected to get dressed down for going off grid and helping Mel, not that he cared, but he hadn’t expected Nic to cover for their asses. Not that he was going to turn it down. “Never saw ya bro. I gotta ask though….how insane have Ambrose and Klaus gone?” 

“Grandfather is convinced one or more of you are with Mel. This Oglesby though, he’s a major player and violent and vicious. He’d kill Mel if it gave him a tactical advantage with grandfather and Alexander, so I wouldn’t say he’s exactly calm.” Nic looked over in the dim light of the room, the expression on his face clear to Cade. Nic was worried. Ambrose was worried. The main thing was not to let this asshole know that Alexander and Mel were in the same place.

“Klaus is a mess. I don’t know if Gabe told you but he damn near shattered Erik’s jaw. Grandfather had to fly in a medic to at least set it enough for the moment so that he wasn’t in so much pain he couldn’t think. He also broke his cheekbone and gave him a concussion. The doc thinks Erik may have a couple of broken ribs too. That was from less than a half-dozen punches. I think that Erik’s lucky that the blow to the throat didn’t crush his windpipe. Erik is having to use the laptop to type out his answers to questions at the moment. Although threats of letting Klaus back in the room are more effective than anything in getting his cooperation.” He saw Cade’s eyes go wide in the gloom and nodded. “So I think that tells you how he’s doing. He’s no less upset now than he was when he about knocked me and grandfather over to get to Erik. We’ve had to keep Klaus separated from grandfather, they do nothing but butt heads because Klaus is being kept in the hotel and not out looking for Mel. They’re going to end up shooting one another if they’re left alone too long.” Nic sighed. “ That she hasn’t called or contacted him is driving him out of his mind. He’s like a caged lion. So yeah.” Nic shook his head lightly. He felt for the other man, truly he did. There was just nothing that could be done at the moment to make the situation better without pissing off his cousin. Klaus had made his own bed when he hung up on her, he’d just have to lie in it a bit longer.

“Sounds like you’ve got your hands full bro. But hey, you think in the future we could get the short chick to come with us on missions?” Cade tried to lighten the mood. “She’s good; I mean she’s damn good. She put the fear of God in Andreas, she slipped out of a locked room and had you chasing your tail, and she can pull off a cover identity as well as any of us. We could use her.” 

“I take it you want to have Ambrose committed to the lunatic asylum. He would go all kinds of batshit crazy.” Nic laughed. He had to admit, she might have picked up too much over the years from being around him and their grandfather. “Now, before any of them wake up, or I’m out of contact for too long and they start checking up on me…I’m getting my ass out of here. You need anything…ANYTHING…you call ME, no one else.”

“Got it, bro. Be careful, if there could be a target on Mel’s back from this Oglesby, there could be one on yours too. We’ll keep her safe, don’t worry.” Cade nodded once toward Nic. They were friends, more like brothers, and as much as he would guard Mel’s ass, he’d guard Nic’s back as well.

With that Nic slipped out of the room as almost silently as he slipped in. Now he knew that his cousin was safe, it was time to hunt Oglesby.

banner from @cafekitsune

[redstuffs-ig]

Assorted Krayt's Claw headcanons because I guess that's gonna be my niche now

How they formed:

Krayt's Claw was formed shortly after Boba Fett and Bossk broke out of the Republic Judiciary Detention Center. Feeling bitter about being left behind by Aurra Sing on Florrum and believing in strength in numbers, Boba pitched the idea to Bossk, who agreed to see what he could do with his contacts in the underworld. They first tried to sell the idea to fellow escapee Cad Bane, but he wasn't interested.

The first official member was Latts Razzi, who had fallen under hard times and needed some credits to afford her lavish lifestyle. At first she only considered signing on for a few jobs, but eventually decided to become a full-timer after warming up to the team.

Dengar joined shortly after. Already a successful bounty hunter during the Clone Wars, he saw something in the young Fett that convinced him this enterprise may be worth his while. He and Bossk knew each other from before, and kept a friendly rivalry of sorts going on. Dengar was only a part-timer however, as he was also an aspiring swoop racing champion.

C-21 Highsinger was the last to join the original ensemble. A prototype, one-of-a-kind Hunter-Killer, he went rogue and struck out on his own for motives unknown. One day Boba walked into their base with the towering droid in tow and introduced it as "Highsinger". No one knew how he had convinced that monster that sticking around would be worth its while, but they knew better than to ask questions.

Embo had been in talks to join the team for a while after being approached by Latts, but he only became an official member after Boba Fett vanquished Cad Bane during the last months of the war. He got along surprisingly well, and added a nice bit of street cred to the group.

Oked was only a hired goon brought in for the Quarxite job. He was not mourned nor missed.

Random shit I came up with:

Marrok, Embo's pet anooba, is the unofficial team mascot. Everyone finds themselves doting on the fluffy space dog, and even the impassible Highsinger allows it to rub against his leg. That being said, it has a habit of growling at Dengar whenever he says something stupid, which happens quite frequently.

Bossk's ship, the Hound's Tooth, was their only vehicle for some time. The first few rides were full of nothing but complaining about the smell and unfriendly atmosphere while the lizard silently seethed. It took a lot of convincing for Boba to finally agree to let them use the recently-reclaimed Slave I as their vehicle. Embo never flies with the group, instead using his personal transport, the Guillotine, for every mission. Just about everyone resents him for that fact.

Latts and Dengar are the fashionistas of the group, and tend to suggest outfit changes to the other hunters, a proposition that is rarely accepted. They occasionally rate their co-workers' choice in clothing; Embo has the best look by far, Boba's placing went up by a significant margin after he began sporting his father's Mandalorian armor, and Bossk has been the worst-dressed Trandoshan in Tatooine for a few consecutive years now.

Only Latts can wield her grappling boa scarf effectively, and at many points everyone has tried to employ it in some capacity at least once. None succeeded. How she does it is a mystery.

Dengar once introduced Manaroo, while the two were early into their relationship, to the rest of the team. The fact the poor Aruzan survived three hours of being intimidated by some of the galaxy's meanest-looking bounty hunters confirmed to Dengar that she was the one. They've been married happily since. I don't care what the sequels say.

During a mission to Coruscant, Highsinger inexplicably disappeared with no one knowing where he went. While the rest of the team wanted to leave him behind and get going, Boba demanded they at least try to look for him. He was eventually found at the Droid Spa, enjoying a relaxing oil bath as two beautiful androids scrubbed his joints clean of any grime. To say they were all pissed would be the understatement of the millennium.

After Boba regained his armor and bested Cad Bane in a duel, the following group dinner was filled with everyone taking turns to talk about how much they didn't like the blue cowboy. Whether they were trying to warm up to the new boss or maybe let loose some steam, no one knows.

Krayt's Claw eventually disbanded after Boba came of age and began taking solo jobs, though he remained in contact with most of the team and kept tabs on what they were up to. Nothing was known of Latts' whereabouts after she started her syndicate, however.

[sonic-oc-showdown]

ROUND 1 BRACKET A

Petri belongs to @starfall-isle Skye belongs to @hornet-protector

Find out more about them below!

PETRI:

Petri is a excitable and prideful Secretary under the tedious Eggman empire, hoping to one day climb the latter and prove her worth as a scientist and chemist! Although the doctor doesn’t seem to know she even exists.. Work pals with Orbot and Cubot, Petri takes whatever opportunities she can get to talk herself up. After tagging along during one of Eggman’s particularly explosive battles with the blue blur himself, Petri is fired after Eggman takes his sore loss out on her. Now with a newfound grudge towards Sonic, she’s set herself on a charge to get her job back, with the help of three detectives for hire. Catch is, she’ll need to help out around the office as an intern for the Chaotix if she wants to keep their trust

SKYE: (image credit @/antiRePurp)

Skye is a nautical cartographer from the Sol Dimension! They travel around the Southern Archipelago, mapping the islands, the currents, and the variety of weird underwater stuff they find along the way. I made her as a sort of dimensional counterpart to Sonic (curious, free-spirited drifter), to round out Blaze (serious, dedicated guardian like Knuckles) and Marine (kid sidekick who's good with vehicles like Tails) as a trio. She can control air, which comes in handy both for sailing and for creating underwater bubbles to breathe from. Also, they and Blaze are kinda-sorta-dating.

[fizzycherrycola]

Malaysia/Singapore, 1921

On a dark, rainy night, Singapore finds himself in desperate need of a warm meal and a bright smile. Luckily, he has someone who cares for him very much.

Originally intended to be part of a Hetalia fan anthology, however I missed the deadline long ago. You can find it at @hwsrazzledazzle . This is my first time writing Malaysia and Singapore, so I hope I've done them justice. Please enjoy! If anyone notices inconsistencies or cultural mistakes, please let me know and I'll fix them right away.

December Rain 

Singapore; 16 December 1921 

“Governor, is there really no other way? We are in peacetime, so surely-”

“Unfortunately, this is the way it must be. Perhaps if relations between London and Tokyo improve, then these restrictions may be lifted. But from what I understand, it is unlikely that either of us will witness such a thing happen in the near future.” 

“...I see.”

“I know this is all rather irregular, but even so, I trust you will follow these new regulations once they come into effect. Won’t you, Singapore?”

“Yes, Governor Guillemard, of course.”

“Good. Very good! I had the sense when we first met that we would get along well. That you were an honourable, hard-working young man – or colony, I should say – and that you would cause no trouble. I’m delighted to see that is still the case.”

—

A torrent of water falls from the heavens in rippling sheets. People dart about, some on bicycle and some on foot. They splash through the wide puddles of the civic district, anxious to be home before the dark night sets in. The lucky ones squeeze onboard the bustling electric tram with their elbows and umbrellas poking through the open windows. Unfortunately, Singapore was not one of those lucky ones today. 

Clasping his cold hands together, Singapore rubs his knuckles. He huddles in the seat of his hired rickshaw, grimacing at his situation. The spats covering his shoes are terribly soggy and the rain has soaked his grey trousers up to the thigh. He leans back in his seat, sheltering beneath the rickshaw’s canopy, hopelessly trying to stay as dry as possible. Normally it wouldn't be an issue, but tonight... Malaya is visiting for dinner. It’s the first date they’ve had in months.  

There is a tightness behind his ribs and Singapore takes a steadying breath. He needs to dispel the stress of the business day and the terrible news he was given.

None of that matters at the moment. Even though his disheartening meeting with the Governor went on for much longer than expected, he should still make it home before Malaya arrives, because that silly oyen is often late himself. And to the rickshaw puller’s credit, they are speeding down the muddy streets. 

Eventually, Singapore’s abode reveals itself wedged amongst a long row of shophouses. The vehicle’s rickety wheels slow to a halt and the rickshaw man glances back expectantly. Quickly, Singapore tosses a few coins his way. Then, he hops out of his seat, over the gate, and dashes through the five-foot way. 

He pushes open the wooden door to his house and pauses, holding his breath. The darkened front hall is quiet and none of the oil lamps appear lit. Thank goodness. Tension floods from his shoulders and he releases a sigh. 

He slips off his shoes and carries them inside, hoping to wipe the leather dry and preserve his valuable Oxfords. His bare feet tap terracotta tiles as he pads through the front office, then the smell of firewood hits him, mingled with the aroma of red chili and garlic. Peeking into the hallway, he sees dim light and steam emanating from the kitchen in the back. 

His hairs stand on end and a second later he’s bursting into the warm room. 

“Why are you here so early?!” Singapore demands. 

Malaya flinches and glances up from the stove. “Oh, you’re here!” A bright smile blooms across his face, putting his crooked fang tooth on full display. “Welcome back!” 

“You’re never early! How did…?”

“Ah? I thought I was late. You said we would meet in the afternoon.”

“No, we said it would be in the evening.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” Malaya chuckles. “I thought it was strange when I walked in and nobody was home.” 

“Wait, what are you doing?” 

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m making dinner!” 

“But I was going to....” Singapore’s words fail him as he gawks at his kitchen. The mortar is smudged with trace remains of crimson spices and his stove is lit with the smoky haze of burning charcoal. Malaya tosses peppers into the wok and effortlessly works the sizzling heat like he was born for it. Singapore sighs. “Never mind. Let me take over from here.” 

Malaya laughs incredulously. “But I’m almost finished!”  

“It doesn’t matter. This is your first time in my new home! You’re my guest.” 

Malaya quirks an eyebrow and gestures to Singapore with the backend of his chuan. “Singa, you’re dripping wet. You’ll get rainwater in our food.” 

Baulking, Singapore looks himself over. His suit is darkened and heavy, leaking droplets onto the floor. 

Grimacing, he deflates. “...I’m sorry.”  

“Ah? You don’t need to apologise.” 

“No, I should have arrived earlier. I had plans for our dinner together; I wanted it to be special.” 

Smiling wider, Malaya seems to melt on the spot. “Sayang….”

“I can take over after I’ve changed.”

“No. This is my cooking now.”

“But–” 

“It’s fine. You work too hard!” Malaya steps away from the wok and nudges Singapore out of the room. “Quick! Go change out of those clothes before the food is ready.” 

Reluctantly, Singapore trudges upstairs to his bedroom, glancing back at the kitchen as he goes. 

Once upstairs, he takes a moment to tend to his Oxfords, the higher priority, before his own comfort. When he’s satisfied that the leather is dry enough, he peels off his wet business attire, shivering despite the humidity, and then towels his damp skin. Throwing on something clean, he pauses in front of a small mirror to tame his dark hair before returning downstairs.  

The dining area is bathed in warmth and an array of dishes decorate the table. Dinner is set out before him: tomato rice with ayam masak merah, a mix of chicken and dried chilies sambal. The saucy red soup glistens in the lamplight and Singapore’s belly rumbles. Malaya snickers, placing the finishing touches on the table and telling him to dig in. 

With a flush rising to his cheeks, Singapore thanks his companion and relents. He takes a bite of the chicken, and a burst of rich, creamy, spice hits his tongue. It’s so delicious that he sighs, the flavour bringing back memories of other rainy Decembers, long past. When it was just the two of them, huddled beneath a small, thatched roof.

“Abang, it’s so good,” Singapore says. “Thank you.”

“Anytime!” A wide grin graces Malaya’s face as he produces a gorgeous bottle of tapai rice wine and pours both of them a healthy glass. Then he sits as well, going for his tomato rice, and talking unabashedly between massive mouthfuls of food. “You know, I think your last house was better.” 

Singapore pouts. “Don’t say that, lah. I was hoping you would like it here.” 

“Well, ah… it’s not what I was expecting.”

“I was able to get this because my markets have been paying well. Would you prefer it if I returned to a timber attap house? Go back to my old kampong?”

Malaya sheepishly raises his hands in mock surrender. “No! It’s just very… different?”

“It’s closer to the city centre. And it’s modern.”

“Okay, okay! I’m sorry.” Malaya leans in and gives Singapore a quick kiss on the cheek – an apology. He leaves behind a few sticky grains of rice, and Singapore rolls his eyes before brushing them off. “You worked very hard for this, so I’ll admit, for a city house, it is really spacious and fancy.”

Singapore swallows a few more bites of food while considering his companion’s sentiment.

Indeed, the new dwelling takes some getting used to. Bought last July, Singapore’s abode stands three stories tall and has an elaborate, ornamental façade. Decorated with colourful tiles and plasterwork, it is more stylish than his previous place. If only the floors were worn in, and the rooms smelled of the forest, perhaps then this mass-produced building would feel more like a home. 

It’s no matter, though. He will adjust. As if reading his mind, Malaya pokes his elbow and gestures to the open courtyard. “Plant a garden in the spring; that will help.”

Singapore glances at the bare space and imagines it filled with kang kong, lemongrass, and chili plants. It warms his heart.

“That would be nice.”

Malaya polishes off his rice and sets the bowl down. “So, you meet with Guillemard today?”

“Ah… that’s right.”

“Mm! I’m meeting with him in a few days, too. What did he say?” 

Singapore ducks, suddenly very interested in the wood grain of his table. “I’ll tell you after dinner.”

“Come on, tell me. Is it good news?”

Weight settles on Singapore’s shoulders and bears down on his neck. “No, it’s bad.”

“Now I have to know!”

Singapore sighs. The locks in the back of his mind slowly release, allowing a bitter slurry of unease and gloom to trickle forth. He’s been holding onto this all day and he was never good at hiding things from his dearest.

“You’re not going to like it.”

Malaya downs a swig of rice wine. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

Singapore follows his lead, taking a sip from his own cup and allowing the burn to roll down his throat. He swallows, and means to slam the cup down, but it settles with a skittering series of taps. Is he nervous, or just upset?

“Guillemard said… beginning next week, we cannot have any contact with Taiwan, Korea, or any other kingdoms under Japan’s control.” 

The statement falls wet out of his heart to splatter ruin onto his new, tile floor. Malaya blinks, silent for a while, his eyes going wide.

“No, that can’t be right.” 

“Personal contact lah,” Singapore clarifies. “We can’t send them letters, telegrams, or schedule any visits.”

“Not even letters?”

“None.”

Malaya gapes. “Why would he say that? Did he have a reason?” 

“I couldn’t get all the details.” The morning and afternoon were like a whirlwind. Questions flew around the rooms of the Governor’s estate, from not just himself, but even the groundskeepers who he caught whispering in the halls. “I heard there was a conference,” Singapore continues, “and a treaty was signed. Somehow, this new treaty ended the alliance between England and Japan, but it was more than that. Apparently, there has been tension between them for a long time, maybe years. So, it is possible… perhaps a combination of different things ....” 

“Wait, wait!” Malaya cries, jolting Singapore out of his recollection. “Tahun Baru Cina!”

It takes Singapore a moment to understand. “What about it?”

“Taiwan invited us to celebrate with her. You remember; we were meant to visit her in that city... what are we calling it these days?” 

“Taihoku?” 

“That’s it!” 

“I’m guessing that will be cancelled.” 

Malaya releases a puff of air. “They can’t just cancel the New Year!” He slumps, staring forlornly at his empty rice bowl. He looks like a cat, longing for more food, as though that would be enough to fix all the problems of the world.

“Someone else might host,” Singapore suggests. 

“This is terrible,” Malaya mutters.

Singapore frowns at his wine, cloudy and glistening in the lamplight. He imagines it reflecting a sea of red lanterns as they ripple in the night air, a dream of years past. If he concentrates, he can recall the clamour of jubilant voices, the thrum of drums, and the crackle of firecrackers.

Gathering under one roof to welcome the New Year was a tradition they shared. Who started it and when, Singapore does not know, but every house he visited would be brilliantly decorated in a rainbow of colours, and every table would be packed to the edge with food. Different people would host and attend each year; a variety of familiar faces that came and went. Philippines, Vietnam, Siam, Manchuria, Korea, of course China, and more. Sometimes there were so many of them, there were not enough seats to go around! 

Occasionally, the turnout was smaller due to war, famine, or sickness, but it was always a pity when it happened. It’s still a pity now. Singapore sighs, again. “I’m sorry for ruining the evening with depressing news. This date was meant to be special.” 

Malaya blinks, returning to life, and shushes him. “You know, if you keep stressing out, your hair will turn white.” 

Something in Singapore's face must be betraying his feelings, because Malaya’s smile falls almost as quickly as it appears. He shuffles closer and secures a steady arm around his lover’s shoulders.

“Abang….”

Rain pitter-patters on the courtyard stone. The distant sounds of city life grow quieter as night falls. Is it raining in Taihoku as well? Is there a little girl on the other side of the sea mulling over the same sad news? Poor Taiwan. She’s still just a child; she won’t understand.

A knot has lodged itself in Singapore’s throat. Times like these serve as a potent reminder: it is the spiderwebs of alliances that shape their uncertain destinies. Of course, he is not a revolutionist. Order, harmony, and life are too precious to him. All he must do is keep his head down, work hard, and if he does that, he can get by. But sometimes… sometimes….

Without prompting, Malaya whispers, “I know,” and hugs him, lean muscle cradling Singapore’s thin frame. And Singapore doesn’t realise he is clenching his jaw until Malaya strokes his cheek and it slackens. Heat radiates through his ribs like an antidote. A rattling breath escapes his chest and his eyes fall shut. Their bodies slope together. 

They stay that way for long minutes. The weariness of the day begins to levy its toll on Singapore’s consciousness and his head droops. Safe in his companion’s arms, sleep tempts him. He almost doesn’t hear when Malaya whispers: “When do these rules start?”

“Next week,” Singapore murmurs.

Malaya’s lips press gently to his temple. “Then we will send Taiwan and the others some letters. We will wish them an early Happy New Year, before these awful new rules take effect.”

Shifting, Singapore meets his brilliant golden eyes. Dark umber bangs brush the tips of his eyelashes and a firecracker lights in his heart. His oyen is so handsome. They kiss and Malaya’s inviting mouth tastes faintly of chilies.

“Can I stay with you for more than a few days?” Malaya whispers.

“Of course,” Singapore says. “But is that okay? Won’t you get in trouble with the sultans?”

With a wave of his hand, Malaya dismisses the notion. “I’ll just keep begging my bosses until I manage to annoy them into letting me stay. Besides, my sayang is worth it.” A smile dawns on Singapore’s features and they entwine their fingers. Malaya nuzzles his hair. “And after I go, I'll come back in the spring to help you build your garden. We can plant some red hibiscus together.”

“...That would be nice.”

Suddenly, Malaya squeezes him tight and peppers his face with kisses until he’s laughing. And the spark in his heart becomes a booming firework display, so bright and colourful that it threatens to burst from his soul. 

Eventually, Singapore has to push him away, before things get heated and they make a mess of both their clothes and the dining table. He suspects there are red chili smears decorating his face. Malaya relents only after leaving a suggestive bite to his neck, practically purring with delight.

They gather up the dishes from the table, and as Singapore follows his companion back to the kitchen, he finds he is able to stand straighter. Malaya has a kind of resilience, a living strength that courses along the lines of his shoulders and blooms in the curve of his toothy smile. And Singapore has always found it captivating. Despite their misfortune and the struggle of navigating life, his oyen thrives and endures. How lucky he is to share delicious dinners and squander time with this special person. 

Singapore’s thoughts drift to the feathery bed that beckons them both and suppresses a shiver of excitement. Hurriedly, he plunges a bowl into the water basin and scrubs it clean, eager to indulge in the rest of their evening and the precious days ahead.

As long as he has Malaya, everything will be okay.

End / Fin

~~~

Author’s Notes 

Laurence Guillemard was the British-appointed “Governor of the Straits Settlements” and “High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States” from 1920 – 1927. 

“Abang” and “sayang” are Malay terms of endearment. 

Malaya/Malaysia’s national animal is a tiger, which is why Singapore calls him “oyen,” meaning: orange cat.

The first Singaporean shophouses were built starting in the 1840s, under the original ordinances laid down by Sir Stamford Raffles. Over the years, architecture styles changed but the houses remained popular until the 1960s. They are now considered important heritage pieces and are valued as historic examples of architecture.

An attap house is a traditional dwelling made with attap palms, which provide wattle for the walls and leaves for their thatched roofs. They are often found in kampongs (traditional villages) throughout South East Asia.

The Anglo-Japanese Alliance was a pact between the British and Japanese that was signed in 1902. Both parties benefited in various ways, including defensive strategies, trade, and cultural exchanges. However, over the following decades, the relationship would slowly deteriorate. It was viewed as an obstacle at the Paris Peace Conference following WW1, and then battered further by the 1921 Imperial Conference. It finally dissolved on 13 December 1921, when the Four-Power Treaty was signed in Washington DC.

Lunar New Year! In Malaysia, the holiday’s official name is “Tahun Baru Cina”. 

Taihoku was the name given to Taipei while it was under Japanese rule.

“...your hair will turn white.” It’s my personal headcanon that Singapore got his trademark streak of white hair from overworking himself in the 20th century.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil government allocates BRL 514 million to tackle forest fires

On Wednesday (Sep. 18), the Brazilian government is starting to allocate an extraordinary credit of BRL 514 million to deal with forest fires and other effects of the drought spreading across the country. These funds are part of the special budget for tackling climate change, authorized by the Supreme Court.

The announcement was made by the president’s Chief of Staff Rui Costa and Minister for the Environment and Climate Change Marina Silva, accompanied by President Lula, Supreme Court Chief Justice Luís Roberto Barroso, head of the Senate Rodrigo Pacheco, and lower house speaker Arthur Lira during a meeting on Tuesday (17) to discuss strategies to combat wildfires.

According to the chief of staff’s office, part of the funds will be allocated to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change to reinforce monitoring and combating fires. With the extra money, the environmental institutes will be able to hire firefighters and rent vehicles and aircraft, for instance.

The Federal Police and the National Public Security Force are also being given extra resources to reinforce investigations and the repression of environmental crime. The money will also be distributed to the Armed Forces for support operations to extinguish the flames. Another portion will be earmarked for the purchase of food for families in the North, affected by the low water levels.

Continue reading.

[go-capt-puppen]

Azami Hanada's Year 3 at Hope's peak academy

Year three The Hanada Sibling’s Personal tragedy At the begining of Azami’s third year she has started to visit  Miaya Gekkogahara as her psychologist so that  she can  process a lot of things; Why she’s such a people pleaser, how can she set boundaries,why didn’t her past romances work out and more importantly to prepare herself to deal with her mother’s potential death. Which,unfortunetly does happened by the middle of the second semester of the third year. Her class , class 77 B, and a  few juniors attended  the wake. The Hanada siblings are asked by their remaining family members to return to work fulltime till they hire more help as the family friends were  supposed to be temporary. The school gave them the opportunity to earn all the credits they needed to graduate from Hope’s Peak academy;which they eventually did. Azami even secured being the provider for the baked buns and other baked goods in the future for the student store. Post  Hope’s peak academy Azami  continued to be a  baker and She went abroad to study different bake goods She reconected with someone from Hope’s peak academy and they’re slowly dating. Tsubasa on the otherhand rose to stardom,but his true passion remains surfing. The only  major tragedy that happend is that she lost her hand  and her leg in a vehicle acident.But, she’s fine with it and she’s content with it.

[lunarsilkscreen]

Value of Money

"When demand on [currency] goes up, its value goes down." - shameless self quote

I've written at length about the axiom I'm claiming to have invented. Now; I wanna go into the chain of events that lead to this axiom.

Many will decry Bernie Sander's and the Democrats, and socialists, and liberal media for using [minimum wage increase] as a key position. This is because arguably; the price of the things that those living on minimum wage might buy will increase in value.

Like food stuffs; which doesn't increase in purchase rates when consumers have more money to spend. It increases in price when it costs more to produce. However; a lot of food {nearly half in America} goes to waste (it goes bad before use). Which suggests; that farmers overproduce expecting that most of their produce goes to waste.

This ensures that ingredients are really available when you or I go to purchase them. Prices on unprocessed raw ingredients and bulk foodstuffs remain fairly stagnant. Because most prices that Farmers have to pay are to their corporate overlords, like Monsanto, or their local credit Union. (And to a lesser extent property taxes on land zoned for agriculture)

What we are seeing now isn't a price hike on the low end raw ingredients; but on processed foods, sodas, alcohol, fish, meat and dairy.

Why is this?

Well; we must first ask: why are those working minimum wage jobs asking for wage increases at all?

This has to do with the total cost of living. Electric and water prices remain a concern for your average person; and since the entire world is digital now; electricity usage rates are at an all time high.

Then the fact that the housing market is at an all time high, and prices to rent, along with discerning landlords; means that the bottleneck is at these prices (housing) overall, and to a lesser extent; prices of food that pay money to individuals who work in the supply chain after it leaves the farm.

Brand new video games after all are still 15-60$. So it's not entertainment's fault. Tesla might've increased the cost of their newest car; but that's more likely because Tesla's sales overall have dropped.

The value of money drops when demand on it increases.

What causes higher demand on currency? One could say that it's greedy people being greedy. Asking for more money because they can and that's it. They want the latest iPhone and Tesla Truck! Every year! (As opposed to when you need to buy one and can afford new)

It's not that. It's Debt. When the bank comes knocking, then the Lendees (the ones who borrowed money) need to pay it back; and before you go off on college students who are still working minimum wage because jobs can't afford to hire them; remember--This is affecting corporations like Tesla, Apple, Google, and Disney

All of who have cut back spending, and are still having trouble meeting their obligations.

(But record profits!)

Profits include money made over money spent, but not necessarily money borrowed. Because money borrowed is an operating cost. With a monthly payment to repay the loan; record profits could be made, and the company still needs to worry about paying back that loan.

Which means they (the corporations) expect sales to continue decreasing.

The National Debt (the amount of money currently in circulation, including bonds and other obligations) is *not* the same as the cumulative debt in the nation (the total amount of debt held by individuals and company's and any-entity-else the banks have lent to) which is a far more important indicator.

The National Debt goes down as tax money is collected and returned to the federal government. But the cumulative debt only goes down as people make a profit, and pay theirs back. This includes workers at minimum wage (who need to afford homes and a vehicle to get to work on time, or a bus pass if they live near a bus station that also goes to their place of work.)

Web search about the ease (or difficulty) to get a loan right now returns results like this article from CNN that talks about the decrease of loans being given out. Loan rejections are up for people with low indicator of default (failure to make payments.)

The banks aren't giving money as freely because they also have met their limits. And so we have this [inflation] issue. Debts can't be paid, so people raise prices in order to pay their debts on time; rising prices mean less sales, less sales mean more defaults, and the cycle continues.

Which again suggests outright; demand on currency is high. Demand on goods? Very low. Luxury Goods? Even lower.

Will increasing minimum wage help? Will forgiving debts? Will we be able to escape this black hole? Find out on the next episode of; "Somehow the entire world is in debt to itself, and it can't pay itself back."

[5feet-of-anxiety]

I know it's pretty unhelpful to offer unsolicited advice to donation posts but for those in the US who are going through a hard time I do want to at least make sure people know some options they may have available to them that have helped me and friends out over the year.

Call everyone you pay bills to and ask about hardship plans or assistance options. Try and avoid any long term reduced payment plans but short term are generally fine. One or two month deferments are fine too. If it's a long term (1+ years) sudden situation then ask about settlement options. It's not the best for your credit but it's better than late payment reports ending up in a charge off.

Do not use a DSC unless you have a lot of stuff in collections/different accounts to pay and don't have the time or energy to deal with them yourself. Dsc's charge you to settle on accounts usually one by one as accounts fall more and more delinquent. You can do that yourself. If it's already charged off save it for later

Don't wait until savings are gone to ask for these assistance options. The minute you don't have income reduce your expenses as much as possible.

Unless it is an expense you are 95% you can pay off without issue do not take out a loan

Apply for unemployment the same day you lose a job and keep up with the paperwork. I've lost out on potential unemployment earnings 3 different times because of how confused I get from it so don't be afraid to call and ask for help or explanations.

Car auctions can be your friend for a vehicle . Police auctions are not great but see if there are any other auctions nearby and you can generally get a car for the same price as a down payment. If you have car knowledge great if not try and bring someone that does. Even if you don't check that it starts, pop the hood and make sure nothing's missing, and look up the car model for common issues.

Need a job fast and can't stand fast food? Call centers are always hiring. Like any job they do suck and some are worse than others but they tend to pay more than minimum wage and they're not physically demanding if that's an issue. Also try storage facilities as they tend to have benefits and may provide housing or at least a discount on a storage unit if your living situation demands one.

This isn't important financially but it's something that affected me for a long time. But if you're feeling lonely and looking for a community or even just someone to connect with then do participate in book clubs, low cost classes or social events, strike up conversation with others at the parades, bars/clubs, library, store wherever. Even if it's just a connection in passing it will enrich you. And if you don't put yourself out there those connections will be harder to come by.

Therapy isn't cheap and journaling isn't a replacement but it can cost less than 2 dollars and it at least helps to get the thoughts and feelings out somewhere.

Goodwill sucks. Look for smaller donation shops a lot of them do actual community outreach.

That's all I got and this is not a list of cure all solutions that will work for everyone or solve problems 100%. These are just things that have either helped me in the past or I wish I would've done differently. There's a lot of tips out there and it sucks to live in survival mode like that but always choose what's best for you.

[your-thorn]

[On Kidnapping and Its Application] {My Speculation and Opinion} Trigger warning for everything. For the yandere community. Block, don't report. Have a good day.

Chapter 2

Last chapter we discussed preparation in a half-hazardous way including aftercare, basic psychology, and some common sense. Here we will highlight one of these topics, and it will be common sense.

Common sense includes the various spectrum of knowledge allowed to everyone or known to a great many people, but can we really call this kind of knowledge common?

Firstly I'll discuss the obvious; employment for us can be spotty or spacey, this is to be expected. To find a job and stick with it can be the most draining thing, but is important to keeping your victim, especially if they are too disabled to keep a job or if you want them to stay at home.

I've heard of some companies using an AI to hire their employees and that there's a way around it (according to reddit, take this with a pinch of salt) by putting that they went to a big university of college (Harvard, Yale, whatever) but then made those words transparent so people can't see it, but the AI can.

Or the old method that companies use as well; lying. (Immediate termination is often the consequence as well as sometimes being blacklisted.)

Or just get a regular job. Your victim will likely not be working (unless you've already had communications with your victim and they have employment, then income won't be too much of an issue.) Even a minimum wage job would be better than nothing.

Make sure they live alone. If they live with their family/significant other then assume people are on alert, even when asleep. Assume every house has a self defense bat, mine does, so I assume every home has one or an equivalent. BE AWARE THAT PEOPLE DO CARRY BLADES/GUNS.

Transportation; a car or motor vehicle is often used. A quiet car would be best, if you don't have one then park your car some distance away before approaching the residence. Make sure you have a plan for getting your victim onto/into your vehicle without too much fussing about.

{Requested ADDITION EDIT OF SEPTEMBER 22 2023/ NOVEMBER 21 2023

How to keep your location a secret? In this day and age your location can be tracked just about anywhere, I have no cure all but I think turning off your phone's location at home is a good bet (because then your last recorded location was at your residence), learning the parts of the phone so you can just pop it out, or just leave it at home. Seriously, just leave it at home or get a burner, I don't know how this works or else I'd give better advise. (Sorry to those who think I'm a guru on this)

If you're stalking then do yourself a favor and look vague; hoodie, sunglasses, a hat, keep your distance. If you must listen in on the target's conversations then get one of those apps for amplifying noise. If you can insert yourself somewhere in your target's life, then do so, it will be easier to gain their trust this way (clubs or online communities are a good way, even if you aren't good at what's being done its better to try than to have never even had the possibility at all)}

[credit to...♡ @lonedarling ♡ for the suggestions]

Check for a security sign in front of the home, the sign will give you the company name, the company has a website, the website will give you information on how they rig the house (or a phone number to call and ask questions as a "potential buyer") granted, some areas (or countries) just don't have these. Use your common sense.

If no security sign is present, then assume these people will sleep lightly, tread with caution and make sure to take your shoes off to avoid excessive noises.

Distribute your weight evenly if they have genuine wood floors as that might create less noise.

!->First time you see the house is time for reconnaissance.<-!

Slip in a few times and get used to their home, walk around and get a feel for the place. Look at the brands they use, their trash, their medication... it is all useful cause then you can look online for the specific stores that carry those products.

!->People will often use a single store for their shopping needs.<-!

If their phone is just lying about... try to unlock it. If you've been paying attention then you have their password.

I purposely left out actually kidnapping them. That should be done in your way, using your mind, but I can add a tip or two if people request it... I won't let you guys flounder if I have a solution...

Now you all have some very useful knowledge... Next I shall discuss the psychology of your typical victim in more detail.

Fin of chapter 2

Author's note: you guys may have more info to add here, please do. I love you guys and I hope you guys have a good day. I'll make the next chapter soon.