#Galaxy Watch 4 Price

[todaywold]

Samsung किया लड़की की दिल जीतने Samsung Smartwatch 3 इसमें दे दिया ऐसा फीचर्स जिसे जानकर हो जाएँगे हैरान!

Samsung पुरे टेक मार्केट में में एक पर एक फीचर्स के साथ न्यू-न्यू स्मार्टफोन लॉन्च करते आ रहे हैं उसी बीच Samsung  किया Samsung Smartwatch 3 लॉन्च इसकी फीचर्स जानकर आप भी हो जाएँगे हैरान इस Smartwatch में दे दिया बेहतरीन, आकर्षक डिजाइन और लंबी बैटरी लाइफ जो बनाता हैं इस वॉच को और भी खास यह न केवल आपको बेहतर स्पीड और प्रदर्शन प्रदान करता हैं, बल्कि आपके स्टाइल को भी और निखार देगा। अगर आप सभी ऐसे…

[imgeekgirlfan]

The Curse of Cassandra [EP : IV]

Read in Ao3 : here

Pairings:  Qimir x f!reader(SEA Reader)  [The Acolyte]

Content Rating : Mature 18+  Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warning (AT YOUR OWN RISK)

tags/themes : Alternate Universe - Dune & Star wars, Partners in Crime, Strangers to Lovers

Summary: Even though you saw a chance to escape, you face an inner conflict between desire for freedom and a growing attachment to Qimir. You’re unsure whether you want to flee or stay by his side.

Status: work in progress (This is a long fanfic that will be about 10+ chapters.)

A/N : beware! This dude is a mastermind manipulator (and he's also fucking hot when he does this)

➡  Intro // EP : I // EP : II // EP : III // EP : V // EP : VI // EP : VII

[Episodes 4] Seek freedom and become captive of your desires.

A storm was raging across the surface of an unfamiliar planet, and through the small viewport, nothing was visible except for the relentless sheets of rain and the murky, gray sky. All other sounds were drowned out by the deafening roar of raindrops striking the roof. The air was thick with the damp scent of rain, but it couldn’t mask the overpowering stench of blood that lingered stronger still.

You closed your eyes, taking a long, measured breath, trying to calm your turbulent mind. You had known this was inevitable, yet the guilt burning in your chest hadn't diminished at all.

Your mind drifted back to your memories. Three days ago, you had begun using your prescient visions once more, searching for the future that lay ahead. It was then that you saw one path in destiny—a crucial opportunity to escape Qimir. The likelihood of success was a staggering hundred percent. As long as events unfolded along this path with no missteps, freedom would be yours, true and unshackled, severing all ties with him and every other bounty hunter who might come after you.

However, the price for your freedom was steep, paid with the blood of others.

And that price had already been exacted—on Qimir, with you as the cause.

That was the story you had seen in your vision. Like the butterfly effect, it all began with a small rumor that spread like wildfire among the bounty hunters—a whisper passed from one to another, ear to ear, that Qimir was in possession of a woman with a high bounty on her head, and they were now wandering across the galaxy together.

These rumors fueled the greed of many, and eventually, a group of daring bandits concocted a sinister plan. The plan was brutally simple: kill Qimir, capture the woman, and claim the bounty for themselves.

Your prophetic vision had laid it all bare for you. They would attempt to assassinate Qimir on a day when a heavy storm raged on a remote planet far beyond the reach of the Republic's watchful eye. Everything was perfectly set for murder and evidence concealment, ensuring that no lawkeeper would trace the deed back to them.

But what those criminals hadn't considered was that Qimir was no easy prey.

You had faced off against Qimir multiple times. You knew him thoroughly, unquestionably in his skill, and the future vision confirmed this. Even though he would be surrounded by over a dozen armed men, Qimir was still formidable enough to defeat them all—and ruthless enough to kill every one of them, leaving no one alive to tell others about you.

You already knew he wouldn't die, but this fight would severely injure him, paving the way for your escape. Qimir would have no chance of catching up with you, and if you managed to escape successfully, he would never find you again. The thread of fate binding you two together would end there.

You knew this was the only chance you'd been waiting for. The chance to break free from him. as you've always wanted.

So, you chose not to warn Qimir, even though you knew exactly what he would face.

You didn't care who got hurt or died. You fully embraced the truth that you were not a good person because this universe had no place for good people. To survive, one had to learn to be selfish and heartless. This was how you were raised, and there was no changing that.

All you have to do is wait. Let fate play out as you've foreseen it. Don't interfere; don't alter the course. Then, when Qimir is gravely injured, you'll leave him here, steal his ship, and escape to another planet. That would be the end of all this chaos—no more being hunted, no more death, and no more Sith haunting your dreams.

Everything seemed so easy in your mind. But when the moment arrived, you found yourself hesitating.

Your clear blue eyes gazed down at the large figure lying on the floor. Qimir's face was growing paler by the moment. His eyes closed in unconsciousness. His body was riddled with wounds, and his clothes were soaked with blood that had darkened to a deep crimson. At a glance, it was hard to tell if he was even breathing, but deep down, you knew he wasn't going to die—not today.

And yet, the sight of him had a greater impact on you than you'd expected.

You clenched your fists so tightly that your nails dug into your palms, the pain sinking deep into your thoughts. A voice from your conscience whispered accusations, telling you this was all your fault. You might not have wielded the knife against him, but you allowed this to happen. You were part of what led him to this fate.

You quickly shook your head, trying to banish the nagging thoughts. You had no reason to feel guilty about Qimir. He was a bounty hunter, after all. He had captured you and imprisoned you, all for the sake of a reward. He was just as selfish as you. You don't need to care about him at all.

You tried—really tried—to convince yourself of that. You tried to force yourself to walk away while you still had the chance.

But in the end, you found yourself right back where you started. Back where Qimir's body lay unconscious, injured, and vulnerable, as if he could die at any moment.

“Damn it!” You curse under your breath, frustration gnawing at you as you kneel down, gathering all your strength to lift him off the ground, not caring that his blood is staining you all over.

You pulled his arm over your shoulder, struggling greatly as Qimir was much bigger than you. But you were determined to drag him through the rain and onto the ship as quickly as possible before anyone else stumbled upon you and the bodies of the criminals.

You knew you were getting yourself into trouble. You knew that well.

But this time, to hell with fate.

“How long am I unconscious?”

Qimir’s question makes you frown, your eyes drifting for a moment in thought. “About a week, I guess. I didn’t count.” You shake your head before focusing on examining the large wound on his abdomen again. “Don’t move. Do you want to tear your wound open again?” you scold him firmly, pushing gently against his chest as he attempts to sit up suddenly.

Qimir complies, though he feels somewhat bored. It has been three days since he regained consciousness, but he remains confined to the hard bed of his ship, with you attending to his every need—cooking for him, applying medicine, and wiping him down. You do all this without a single complaint.

In truth, the wound is minor for him. He could heal himself completely right now if he wants to, but he doesn’t want to draw any unwanted attention from you. Moreover, deep down, he enjoys your care and attention. With this thought, enduring another few days of lying still isn’t so bad.

Qimir watches as you move closer, close enough that he can smell the faint scent of sandalwood from you. It is a strangely calming scent. You place your hand on his abdomen, near his wound, your fingers carefully tracking along the shape of his muscles. Your face looks worried as you look up at him. “Does it still hurt?”

Not at all, he thinks, but chooses to answer the opposite. “It hurts.”

You lower your eyes, trying to ignore Qimir’s gaze that has been fixed on you constantly since he fully regained consciousness. You reach for the Bacta spray, telling him, “Just bear with the pain for a bit, okay?” Then you spray the healing substance on his wound. The blue liquid covers all the damaged areas on his skin, rapidly regenerating new flesh.

The bacta healing process is quite painful for a large wound like this. However, Qimir’s expression doesn’t change one bit.

After finishing dressing the wound, you are about to move away, but Qimir grabs your arm, holding you in place.

“Why did you save me?”

You hesitate, taken aback. Even though you knew he would eventually ask this question, you are momentarily speechless.

You had previously tried to come up with a hundred reasons to answer this question for yourself, but no matter how much you pondered, none of the answers seemed entirely correct.

Even now, you still don’t understand yourself. Why?

Why are you still standing here? Why haven’t you just left him?

“I don’t know,” you say honestly, pretending to busy yourself with putting the medical supplies back into the box, avoiding his gaze. “I just didn’t want to see you like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like...” You close your eyes, and even with your eyes closed, you can still feel Qimir’s intense gaze. This time, it holds more than just curiosity. There is something in his eyes that makes your heart waver and tremble. “I didn’t want to see you hurt,” you say, opening your eyes, but you still don’t turn to face him.

Qimir notices your nervousness, which you can’t hide. He can tell you are speaking the truth, not lying.

He chuckles at your reaction before playfully tugging at your hand, pulling you closer until you are almost breathing on each other’s necks. You stiffen, your face flushing lightly, but you don’t pull away or push him off.

“You are worried about me?” His voice is low but not threatening. On the contrary, you think it sounds oddly seductive.

You bite your lip hard, refusing to answer his question. You’d rather die than admit you are worried about him because you know that if you do, he’ll start to get cocky. You don’t want to boost his already towering ego any further.

Qimir seems unwilling to give up his intentions. He raises his hand to cup your face, gently forcing you to look at him again. As your eyes lock with his, your breath quickens involuntarily. It is the first time you are this close to someone, so close that you can feel the warmth radiating from his body and see all the details you have only observed from afar before—his collarbones, his sharp jawline, and his eyes...

You notice that Qimir’s eyes are pitch black, devoid of any other color, as if nothing exists within them but an empty darkness.

Strangely, you think Qimir makes that black color look captivating.

Your heart pounds erratically as he leans in closer, his nose almost touching yours. For a moment, you think he might kiss you, but instead, Qimir simply tucks a loose strand of your hair behind your ear.

“You know, you don’t have to hide yourself when you’re with me,” Qimir whispers, his fingers tracing your cheek slowly. The warmth of his touch lingers long after he has pulled away.

You blink, momentarily lost in a trance. As reality rushes back, you step back as if you have touched something scalding. Without a word, you quickly make your way out of his room, almost running in your haste.

Yet, even then, you can still feel Qimir’s dark eyes following your every move, watching you until you vanish from sight.

Swallowing hard, you place your hands over your chest, hoping to calm your racing heart. With each passing day, it becomes more apparent that Qimir’s presence is disturbing your thoughts and emotions deeply. The only solution seems to be distancing yourself from him before things go too far.

But it is impossible for you to stay away from him. No matter where you go, his presence, his scent, his gaze, and his voice always manage to find you.

And you know well that, deep down, you don’t want to leave him either.

[van-yangyin]

EyeTree Table Lamp (2 versions)

This is a EyeTree table lamp. Hope you enjoy this one! 💗

Rest peacefully, you will feel watched even if your eyes are closed. (Not suitable for paranoid people) From unknown source this lamp with a natural tree shape, has an eye that emits a magical light that will not go out unless you say the magic words. The paper with spell is sold separately - good luck! (All items are for sale exclusively at the Glimmerbrook Magic Market, but we, the Sell Your Soul for Something Supernatural For-Profit Association, will ship it to your door.) 👁️🌳

Download under keep reading ↓

If you download my CC it means your agree with my T.O.U (English/Español/日本語).

General Info:

4 packages per version of 26 swatches (Red and Galaxy) and 39 swatches (Meteor Shower and Nebula) each one

two versions [EyeTree Table Lamp and EyeTree with eyes Table Lamp]

You will find in this post the Spell paper written in medieval Simlish (Actually it's not necessary download it to turn off table lamps but you can download it and place it near one of them to keep the mystery if you read description above)

Base game compatible

all LOD's

All Maps (Diffuse, Normal and Specular)

Category: Buy Mode > Lightings > Table Lamps/Miscellaneous. Version 1: Price: 500 【English Name: EyeTree Table Lamp + (Red/Galaxy/Meteor Shower/Nebula) | Spanish Name: Lámpara de mesa Árbol con ojo + (Rojo/Galaxia/Lluvia de estrellas/Nébula)】 Version 2: Price: 801 【English Name: EyeTree with eyes Table Lamp + (Red/Galaxy/Meteor Shower/Nebula) | Spanish Name: Lámpara de mesa Árbol con ojos + (Rojo/Galaxia/Lluvia de estrellas/Nébula)】 Contain a description in English and Spanish, personalized by me and Lea (@lea-heartscxiv) [Anyone can send me translations of text in their language so that more people can enjoy it in their own language.]

Mesh and tree texture made from scratch by me, eyes from game assets Sims 4 Get to Work.

Custom Thumbnails

LODs Info: LightTree Table Lamp: LOD0: 7234 poly | LOD1: 3618 poly | LOD2: 1810 poly LightTree with lights Table Lamp: LOD0: 10114 poly | LOD1: 5057 poly | LOD2: 2528 poly

IF YOU LIKE MY WORK PLEASE CONSIDER BECOME A PATREON OR TIP✰BECOME A MEMBERSHIP ON KO-FI TO GET SOME EXTRAS. ANY HELP IS ALWAYS WELCOMED BUT ALWAYS OPTIONAL. YOU CAN ALSO COMMISSION ME HERE OR FROM TUMBLR, IF YOU WANT ME TO DO SOMETHING SPECIFIC FOR YOU.  THANK YOU ALWAYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

※Choose download the one/ones you want the most or only download "_Merged" version where all the files of each version are together.※

✨DOWNLOAD LINK✨ (Patreon ~ Always free, no adfly)

✨DOWNLOAD LINK✨ (SFS ~ Always free, no adfly)

Photos in-game:

To download this last one click here

~⭐️~

Let me know if you find any problem. 🙏❣️ Also if you use this or any of my CC, feel free to tag me so I can see your sims, it will make me very happy to see it!

Do you want to know what else I'll be releasing this month and on what day? You can support me on Patreon or Ko-Fi and find out in this posts, here (Patreon) or here (Ko-Fi).

👀👉MORE DOWNLOADS

Happy simming! 🍀

💛

🛹 You can find me also on Patreon | Pinterest | Ko-Fi | Blogger (Shared with Lea) | Instagram | X (Twitter) | My F.A.Q. | My T.O.U. | MORE DOWNLOADS 🛹

[phoenixwatchesmovies]

2023 Favorites

I'm kinda glad I was keeping track of what I watched, in retrospect, because looking back over my posts this year, I realized I forgot about a lot of stuff. XD After looking over the recaps and excluding rewatches, here's my top ten New Stuff I Watched for 2023:

10. Cabinet Of Curiosities

Bizarre nightmares unfold in eight tales of terror in a visually stunning, spine-tingling horror collection curated by Guillermo del Toro.

If GDT is your guy, give this a watch. Creature features, cursed objects, aliens, you name it. 8/8 tentacled eldritch abominations.

9. Wolf Creek

Three backpackers stranded in the Australian outback are plunged inside a hellish nightmare of insufferable torture by a sadistic psychopathic local.

Holy shit, this was intense. And as I said initially, so mean. If you're into Texas Chainsaw Massacre, try this. I'm into franchise bingo, so I'm going to look into the sequels and TV series. 3/3 heads on a stick.

8. Requiem For A Dream

The drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep.

I get the feeling this is one of those that hurts so much more on rewatching, so there's that to look forward to. I've also rarely seen movies that do so much harmonizing between the music and the visuals, and it was so satisfying. 4/4 refrigerator jump scares.

7. Evil Dead Rise

A twisted tale of two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.

This was probably the most fun I had with a horror movie all year, TBH. Horror exploring family dynamics will always be a fave, and this brought plenty of fresh stuff to the franchise while also holding onto the core traits. 5/5 Staffenies.

6. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.

This was the most fun I had watching a movie all year, period. If you know nothing about DND, it's a good fantasy movie. If you're a DND nerd, the game mechanics are baked into it. If you're a fan of found families, guess what! 6/6 stealth checks.

5. Cowboy Bebop

A ragtag crew of bounty hunters chases down the galaxy's most dangerous criminals. They'll save the world--for the right price.

I got exactly what I wanted out of this, so haters be damned. The anime is a masterpiece and a classic, but if you're not in the mood for the existentialism and other heavier themes, here ya go. 3/3 shower-bath-showers.

4. The Black Phone

After being abducted by a child killer and locked in a soundproof basement, a 13-year-old boy starts receiving calls on a disconnected phone from the killer's previous victims.

Near perfect, as far as I'm concerned. The older I get, the more kids-in-danger as a concept fucks with me, making this the most stressful movie I watched this year (though It Chapter One gave it a run for its money, and I still think they would make a great double feature). 5/5 black balloons.

3. Evil Dead (2013)

Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods.

It's gnarly. It's badass. I almost puked. I had THE BEST time. The story works as an effective allegory, the effects are gruesomely awesome, and the finale is metal af. Plain and simple. 70,000/70,000 gallons of fake blood.

2. The Crow

A man brutally murdered comes back to life as an undead avenger of his and his fiancée's murder.

Beautiful, sad, aesthetic for days, hella good soundtrack. *chef kiss* I still haven't seen The Batman, but they seem visually similar, so if you like that, you'll probably like this. For more in-depth thoughts, read my post. 1/1 epic rooftop guitar solos.

1. The Fall Of The House Of Usher

To secure their fortune (and future) two ruthless siblings build a family dynasty that begins to crumble when their heirs mysteriously die, one by one.

Not just a new favorite Mike Flanagan. A new favorite in general, and my number one for the year. I just screamed about this one last month, and I don't have anything more to add. I've seen Succession comparisons, and while I have no idea how accurate that is, there's my "if you like that, here's this." Holy crap. 7/7 deadly sins personified.

Happy New Year! 🥂

[danceswithsporks]

Warm- Part 5

Part 1 of 6 in the Complete Series!

Parts 1 2 3 4

Tech x Reader

Warnings: Assault, implied attempted r*pe, this one’s gonna hit a bit hard. I’m sorry in advance and if you’d like to know what happens without reading this part let me know and I’ll cliff notes ya. 🖤

Authors notes: Ok so besides the warnings, you’re gonna be seeing a lot of retconning going on. I just…don’t like allllll of our fav clones being dead or MIA. Also, there are some decisions I had to make that we don’t have canon information on. If that gets changed anytime soon I’ll update this part with the new information.

Luke warm, the temperature of the cup of tea that sat unattended on the counter. The owner was now on his way to the next stop of his journey to freedom. With a happy sigh, you pick the cup up and dump it into the sink behind you. You’d lost count of how many clones you’d helped at this point. It made you happy to know they were all off to hopefully better lives away from the empire. Off to families of their own. Actual homes with normal jobs where their lives weren’t put on the lines all the time.

Zeffos wasn’t the first stop on their journey, more like the third. Here they would get new identities and chain codes. They’d be set up with some money and clothing and moved through the underground tunnels of Ord Mantell. You helped them however you could as they waited for the next leg of their journey. From changing their hair, teaching them about colored contacts, and giving them a place to stay.

Phee had bought the entire building for a fair price and in turn, you’d completely renovated the three floors above the shop. Different apartments with emergency exits were available to any on the Path in need. While your shop mainly focused on helping clones on the run, you’d had a family with a young force user stay with you just a week ago. You’d never believed the whole ‘Jedi were the real traitors’ thing that had been blasted across the Galaxy. You’d seen firsthand how much they cared about the public and the clones. It just never made sense to you.

When Phee approached you about helping those in need escape the Empire, you didn’t hesitate. Now you were two months deep into being a part of…well the resistance. It was going on six months since Tech's death and while you still had moments where your heart ached for him to walk through the doorway, you were surviving. Dreams of him still filled your sleep every night, but instead of waking up in tears, you woke up with a soft smile. In a way, it was like he was rewarding you from the afterlife. Letting you know that he was proud of the hard work you were doing to help his brothers. At least that’s what you told yourself.

“Wolffe just contacted me. Slips on his way to the next leg.” Echo moved across the space behind the bar and next to you. “Ya did well today. Know that one wasn’t easy.” He watched as your fingers stilled against the teacup. “Wanna talk about it?”

“You guys helped him survive an assassination attempt. He talked a lot about helping Tech figure out the access codes to prove Kamino was an inside job.” You shrugged carefully as you placed the cup into the dryer. “Wasn't hard to hear about Tech before Pabu. It was when he asked where Tech was.” A lump formed in your throat for a moment before you cleared it away. “Don’t worry. I filled him in.”

“You shouldn’t have had to. You could have asked one of us to do it.” He was impressed with how you’d been handling yourself in all of this. But every once in a while, he’d see your lip tremble for a moment.

A sigh left your lips as you pulled on your leather jacket over Tech's shirt. “I’m a big girl. I can handle telling people he’s dead. Thanks though.” You didn’t mean for it to come out so sharp, but you also kind of did. “Looks like we’re out of some stuff I need for tonight’s dinner. I’m heading to the market.”

Echo only nodded as he watched you pull your satchel over your shoulder. “ I’ll have WA-7 keep an eye on the place. Gotta work on some more chain codes.” Using the program he and Tech had developed. Echo missed his brother more than most. At times he felt like Fives had sent Tech his way as if knowing he needed that second half. Fives…Tech…felt like he always lost brothers that became too close to him.

“Sounds good. Have her clean around the bar, think someone spilled some milk. Don’t need more pests.” You heard Echo agree as you walked out the door and into the dim alley outside your shop. Even with the new streetlights you’d had installed, the alley was still too dark for your comfort. You checked your boot for the Vibroblade that Crosshair had given you and once satisfied that it was there, you made your way to the grocery stalls.

As it stood you had three extra clones staying in the building. They had been higher-level clone captains and commanders. As such they were heavily wanted by the Empire which meant it took longer for the heat to die down. Someone named Quinlan Vos was supposed to be securing a safe route out for them, but that seemed to be taking more time than you’d expected. Which meant you had three more mouths to feed on top of Echo, Howzer, Phee, and Kix, plus yourself.

A commotion near one of the gambling bars drew your attention and you casually made your way over. The crowd was massive and hard to see over, so instead you tapped the shoulder of the person in front of you. “What’s going on?”

The species turned to you and you realized that you didn’t recognize it, which meant you didn’t speak the language. They uttered unrecognizable words to you in a deep guttural tone as their tentacles waved around excitedly.

“I’m sorry I don’t understand.” You fumbled in your satchel for your datapad, hoping they at least wrote in Aurebesh.

The tentacle went up quickly to their throat and tapped at the translator device. After a moment of fizzing static, a computerized voice answered you. “Racer of Riot Pods Champion, Automan, has been spotted! Most believe death for his absence.” The translation wasn’t exactly perfect as their kind did not have words for the true name of the racer, nor did they possess the ability to make the necessary sounds required to say his name. But it would hopefully be enough to get the point across. Three yellow eyes watched the female before she made a face, uninterested. Confused? Who knew with humans?

“Oh, I don’t know anything about Riot Racing, or Pod racing for that matter. But thank you for the information.” You nodded carefully to the species before you and watched as they returned the gesture with an odd smile. Maker, you really hoped you didn’t just agree to marry them or something. When they turned from you and back to the crowd you took that as a sign that you were in fact safe from an accidental engagement.

-*-

“Excuse me? Can I get a cup of tea? Anything you’d recommend?” John sat at the bar of the comfortably lit tea shop Gonzo had found. He wasn’t sure exactly what kind of tea he was looking for, but hopefully something would jog his memory. The last two months had been spent in preparation for this trip. Research on Ord Mantell City and its many shops. Research on how to safely leave Eriadu and not draw attention to the village.

“This is a one-way trip, John. We can’t go with ya. Can’t risk too many ships goin in and out. We’ve stayed out of the Empire way this long.” Gonzo had handed him a satchel with supplies to survive on his own for a while. A decent amount of credits had even been placed in the bag. “Entire village chipped in. Ya find your family, John.”

John watched as the droid in front of him shook her head awkwardly. “I am not programmed to recommend beverages. Please make a request from our menu.” With a clatter, a menu was placed in front of him before the droid moved away to help another patron.

Tanned fingers moved across the datapad as something pulled at his mind. These were…familiar. The design was something he’d seen before. John groaned softly as his head began to ache. Flashes of distant memories clawed their way to the front of his mind. A woman smiling at him as she worked on the menu. A cup of tea next to her leg as she sat on…something. He couldn’t make it out. John closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to focus.

“Be better if ya came back when the lady of the shop is here.” A stranger at the end of the bar spoke carefully to the newcomer. Seemed the man was suffering from some kind of head problem. “She’s a smart one. Always knows exactly what ya need.”

“Not too bad on the eyes either.” Another voice echoed from across the room.

“Not too bad?” The man at the bar scoffed loudly before looking back at the newcomer. “She’s positively a goddess. Ya wait around long enough and you’ll see.”

“Do you know when she’ll be back?” John wasn’t sure who this woman was, but if she was good at recommending tea then hopefully she could help him.

“Stepped out to get some supplies for the shop. Said she’ll be back in a bit. She’s never gone for more than an hour.” A regular from a table in the corner spoke to the mysterious new man.

John made a face for a moment before standing. “Think I’ll come back later then.”

“Suit ya self.”

-*-

Your trip to the stalls had been eventful as always. There always seemed to be something new popping up and you’d managed to grab some lovely fish that came from Naboo. Or so they said. During your time here you’d quickly learned to take what some people said with a grain of salt. The only thing you knew for sure was that the Mantell mix that Wrecker and Omega were oh so very fond of, was indeed delicious.

It was at said stall that you heard something that almost made you drop your bag of groceries.

“Did you hear? That Riot Racing champ was seen here in the city!”

“That cute one? What was his name again? It was so plain.”

“Started with a T. Tom? Tim? Tech?”

You stared at the Mantell Mix stall owner as the voices became harder to hear. Couldn’t be him. They had to be confused. A lot of names sounded like Tech…right?

“Here ya go, firecracker. Ya sure ya don’t need help?” The stall master watched as you came out of whatever daze you were in. When you shook your head, he nodded before passing you an extra container of mix. “Send that to my favorite customers. Miss seeing them around.”

“Will do, Thanks.” You grabbed your supplies and began to head back toward the shop. Usually, you rushed, your feet naturally moving quickly. Today you decided to take your time for once. Take in the streets lined with stalls, the children running around, and the magnificent smells of fresh spices and herbs. You allowed your mind to drift, to think about what life would have been like if Tech had survived.

He would have come back to Pabu, probably with a new cut or bruise. He wouldn’t run to you and scoop you up as they did in the holovids. That wasn’t like him. He’d be the last of the ship, and would say something along the lines of “I needed to make sure this part of the ship had settled properly.” Something like that, you weren’t good with ships. But you’d smile and tell him it was ok and then you’d lead him down to the sea wall. Together you’d sit on top and watch the waves roll in as he told you about their adventure. Not sparing a single detail. His hand would find its way wrapped around yours and then he’d kiss you softly.

You’d fall into a happy rhythm with each other, like before. But now you were something more than friends, a couple. He’d hold your hand at every chance he could. There was no doubt that he loved to touch you, to hold a part of you, or be as close as possible. Your warmth and happiness were all he’d need to get through the day. Every day you’d sit on the sea wall together and watch the sunset and every night he’d say the same thing to you before you’d part ways. “ I hope I did not offend you.”

In which you’d smile and rest your head against his shoulder as your eyes closed. A hun would leave your lips as you enjoyed the warmth of him being near you. With a gentle whisper, you’d tell him in a teasing tone. “ You could never offend me.”

-*-

John wasn’t sure what he was looking for as he wandered the damp streets and alleys of Ord Mantell. Maybe someone would recognize him? Or maybe a familiar scent would find its way into his nose and he’d remember something useful. Perhaps a familiar sound would trigger something? Whatever it was, he hoped it would come soon.

All of these alleys looked the same and he was sure he was lost. That dumpster looked familiar from earlier, or did it? This area was a maze and down each alley, there seemed to be countless illicit activities going on. A spice dealer down this one, a worker of the night down another. It was all more than he’d expected to deal with. He just needed to find the right one back to that tea shop.

-*-

“Now look who it is. Little miss too good for a Trandoshan.” A large figure loomed over you as you stood outside the back entrance to your shop. WA-7 must have locked the damned thing again and your hands were too full to enter your code. It was high time you updated her to stop that. His large hand rested against the door behind you preventing it from opening.

“Fang. Seems your last fight with Wrecker didn’t teach you anything. Leave me alone.” You adjusted your container of groceries and tried to slip under his arm but found the items thrown to the ground instead.

“There’s a difference now. He ain’t here. Saw him leave the planet three days ago.” Fang licked his mouth sickeningly as he looked down at you. Such a frail thing, you’d be a fun toy to play with.

You scoffed loudly as you began to slide down towards the ground, your hand slipping towards your boot and your weapon within. “Doesn’t mean I’m not able to protect myself from someone as ugly as you.” Just a little bit farther and you’d have your vibroblade.

Stars, he loved how you put up a fight. Reaching down he grabbed your chin and easily lifted you back up. “That big mouth of yours is gonna get ya in trouble, human..” Growling deeply he pressed against your body and chuckled darkly. “Perhaps you should put it to better use.”

“Gag! As if!” Swinging your leg, you aimed for his crotch but found resistance instead.

“After your little stunt last time, I came prepared.” His other hand moved away from the door and gripped your side tightly. “Now stop resisting and just enjoy yourself.”

A scream escaped your lips as you fought his hold. Your fists swung down on his shoulders in hopes of breaking free somehow. Wrecker and Hunter had insisted on teaching you self defense, you should have accepted their offer. You felt his hand cover your mouth in an attempt to silence you. But that instead worked in your favor and allowed you to bite down firmly against him.

With a growl, Fang dropped you to the ground. Crumbling against the wet cold pavement, you feigned curling into a ball to protect yourself. The movement hid you pulling your vibro blade out.

“Stupid Bitch!” Fang swung his thick leg into your side forcing your body towards the wall. A smirk crossed his scaled lips as he approached you. Awake or unconscious, it didn’t matter to him, he’d take you either way.

You heard his large foot take its place next to your head before the feeling of your hair being pulled ripped through your body. Another scream left your lips as he lifted you. Like hell, you’d go down without a fight. Swinging the blade quickly you felt it make contact with his thigh. You were dropped to the ground with a thud and you listened as a growl of pain left him. Good.

Fang stumbled back as his leg began to bleed. Fucking human bitch, he’d kill you first then screw your corpse. It didn’t matter to him anymore. In front of him, you scrambled to stand and make your way to safety.

Turning your back towards him had been your biggest mistake. A large hand gripped the back of your neck and with just barely enough time to throw your arms up, your head was thrown into the wall. A gasp was ripped from your body as pain and something wet clouded your vision.

“Gonna teach ya a lesson,” Fang smirked as he used his foot to shove you into the wall. “Don’t know why my brothers claim human count is the best. You’re too much damn work.” Kneeling behind you, his hand wrapped around your throat tightly. “Better be fucking wor-“

His words were replaced with the sound of electricity followed by a thud. You couldn’t make anything out as you scrambled to turn around. Whatever was on your face had completely blocked your view. “S-stay back.” Your hand scrambled across the wet pavement for your vibroblade. It had to be here somewhere.

Something…familiar, gripped your hand carefully and placed your bald back into your hand. Quickly you wrapped both hands around it and raised it in whatever direction you thought the other person was in.

“It’s ok, miss. I won’t hurt ya.” John kept a safe distance from you but also tried to reassure you he wasn’t going to attack you. He’d stopped for directions to the tea shop and on his way in the right direction, he heard your screams and acted on an instinct he didn’t know had.

Your heart stopped at the sound of his voice. A voice that you’d heard so many times from so many faces but was also so painfully unique. This day hadn’t been fair to you, first, you’d heard his name more times than you’d wanted to, and now? Now you could swear that was his voice. Maybe you’d been working too hard? Or maybe you’d fallen asleep to his audio logs one too many times. Whatever this was, it was a cruel game being played on you by the universe. “W-what happened? Who are you?” It wasn’t him, you knew it wasn’t. The way he spoke wasn't how Tech used to. Whatever hope was building inside you was squashed with that singular thought.

“Names John. I tasered your attacker.” At least he hoped he was your attacker or else you two were into some interesting role-play. “Can’t say how long he’ll be down though. We should probably get moving.” Carefully he placed his hand on top of yours and lowered them to the ground. “Promise I won’t hurt ya.”

You chewed your lip for a moment, the taste of copper exploding in your mouth as you did so. Blood was what was running down your face. This was a gamble you’d have to take. “Shop behind us is mine.” You hissed as you tried to stand, it felt like a rib was broken. Maybe two. You blinked a few times trying to clear your vision, but failing in the process.

John moved quickly to help you stand, still trying to keep a safe distance from your blade. “Here, let me help ya.” When you nodded, he moved in front of you and went to grab your elbows, instead his hand missed and brushed across your breasts. “Shit, I’m sorry.”

Leave it to man to try and cop a feel. A scoff came from your lips as she tried to find the hem of your shirt that was dry. Step one was to clear your eyes, step two was to slap whoever this was. But then he said something that made a lump form in your throat.

“Sorry if I offended you.”

No, it couldn’t actually be him. Your hand scrambled against the wall trying to find the panel for your door. New plan, get inside, clean your eyes, and if it is Tech. Kill him.

“Here. Let me help.” John paused as he looked at the panel. “Sorry to ask this but what’s your code.”

Your hands paused against the wall, changing the code was easy, but saying it out loud was hard. Swallowing, you pushed the lump down and allowed the words to come out. “ 9902”

John’s hand froze over the panel as something else pulled at his mind. That code was…familiar. Tapping in the code, John carefully maneuvered you into the back room of your shop before closing and locking the door. “Where’s your first aid kit?”

“Main Kitchen. Top shelf near the dried fruits, three to the right in a brilliant blue box marked five zero one.” A gift from Kix after Echo and the others had saved him from the Obrexta III.

“From what the boys have told me, you're a bit of a clutz. Probably good to have this on hand.” He’d passed it to you with a wink and a smile.

John moved you to the main kitchen carefully before helping you sit on the counter. “I’ll be right back.” Then he was off, into your kitchen to find the familiar-sounding box. Everywhere he looked he could see containers of tea leaves, fruits, and herbs. A marked container of dried berries let him know he was close.

“Mistress? You are currently bleeding from your right eyebrow. I recommend immediate medical action.” WA-7 loudly made her way over to you.

“Obviously, WA! Do me a favor and go get Echo. Quietly please.” The sound of a box scraping across the ground let you know she had turned.

WA-7 tilted her head at you for a moment before turning and making her way toward the office. “Of course mistress.”

“She goin' to get help?” John had found the kit and was now making his way back to you. It was a surprisingly heavy kit and with just a quick glance, he’d seen it was filled to the brim with supplies. It seemed like a lot for a simple tea shop. But who was he to judge?

A long sigh came from you as you heard the kit placed down. “Yeah. Trust me. She’s more useful doing that than helping us.” The sound of water turning on, hit your ears. Hopefully, that meant he was getting you something to clean your eyes.

“Not a fan of droids?” John carefully took your hand in his and placed the warm towel. Behind him, the water continued to run. “Let me know if ya need that rinsed.”

The hot water on the rag cut through the blood on your eyes easily. “Not that droid.” Two swipes and you felt your left eye becoming easier to open. “She’s more useless than anything. Can’t even begin to count how much time I spent trying to reprogram her.”

“You know how to program droids?” The cloth was passed back to him and John carefully rinsed it into the sink. The water ran red for a bit as he waited for you to answer.

“Kinda, my…” What had Tech been to you? Your lover? No, you’d never slept together and had only just kissed before he left. Your teacher? It felt like it was obviously more than that. “My…friend was teaching me before he died.”

John paused as he began to pass the cloth back to you. “I’m sorry for your loss.” Was that the right thing to say?

“Thanks.” Was all you could seem to say as you heard hurried boots coming towards the kitchen. The cloth ran across your eyes once more and finally, you could open them.

The moment Echo had heard you were bleeding, he was gone. The comm he’d been on with Rex remained open as he left the room and tried to figure out how you’d been hurt. Turning into the kitchen his feet stopped as he took in a man taller than you. A mess of brown curls hung to his ears and his slim form carefully moved to the side to reveal you on the counter. Who the hell was this?

John heard the sound of someone approaching and he figured it was one of your employees. Turning to introduce himself he heard a gasp from behind him.

You and Echo spoke in unison as the face of your helper was finally clear to see.

“Tech?”

Tag list:

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@queenariesofnarnia

@idoubleswearimawriter

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[paulagnewart]

Sonic the Oz-Hog Act 4/12: Knux Readux!

Knuckles the Echidna Volume 2 issue 1 AU Publication Date: 14th April 1997 Price: $2.70

Spinoffs. No self-respecting media can live with them. No self-aggrandising media can live without them. And for those of us who lived through the space year that was 1997, corporations were chomping at the bit for a slice of those sweet spinoff dollarydoos.

Best place to start and witness such influence would be, arguably, the cinema. After Baz Luhrmann's blockbuster remake Romeo + Juliet spent weeks atop the box office, the majority of March was a bitter struggle between Wes Craven's thriller Scream and Cameron Crowe's football drama Jerry Maguire. A fascinating if ultimately pointless grudge match between two distinct genres. For all their efforts, neither claimed victory when by month's end, a film 20 years their senior blasted both off the map. The Star Wars Special Editions had arrived.

The promotion (and merchandise deals) was huge. A New Hope proved an instant hit, swiftly followed on 10th April by The Empire Strikes Back. Everything old was new again, and the re-hits just kept coming. Audiences pounded the pavements, eager to revisit Jurassic Park when its sequel The Lost World saw release on 29th May (only a week after its US premiere, a then-impressive feat). Superhero buffs ignored the winter freeze to watch Batman and Robin on 26th June, a film often lauded yet pulled respectable numbers and local reviews at the time.

Speaking of space, following a successful campaign through latter 1996, the Oddbodz were back. Smith's Chips and Glow Zone launched their second series of 61 collectable glow-in-the-dark cards featuring a myriad of wacky, wicked and occasionally controversial space-themed characters. If gross-out humour wasn't your speed, ripping into packs of Thins, Ruffles, Cheetos or Doritos chips instead offered adventures in a galaxy far far away with official Star Wars 3D Magic Motion and Techno Tazos.

After the toyline's initial launch in January, Beast Wars had successfully put Transformers back on the map, though kids would have to wait at least three more months to see their favourite characters in animated action. To Channel 7's credit, they at least gave the program a decent timeslot. More than can be said for Channel 9's decision that April to broadcast the all-new Star Trek: Voyager season 2 and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 4 at the ghastly time of 11pm weeknights.

In spite of the former losing 30 minutes off its timeslot, the rivalry between weekday morning children's entertainment continued between Agro's Cartoon Connection and Cheez TV. Both were banking on the spinoff craze, and viewers waking up 14th April could choose between the premiere of Power Rangers Zeo episode 'Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise', or the premiere of Earthworm Jim episode 'Darwin's Nightmare'. For the musically inclined, American rockers No Doubt had enjoyed 8 weeks atop the music charts with the third single on their third album, 'Don't Speak'. At least until April saw them bumped off by Aussie pop prodigy Savage Garden and their third single 'Truly Madly Deeply'.

But of all the spinoffs to arise and bedazzle locals, after three years of development and an exclusive preview party the night prior, SEGA World Sydney opened its doors at 4pm on Saturday 22nd March 1997. Touted in print and on TV as "Australia's Largest Indoor Theme Park!", it offered hours of unrivalled entertainment and programs for Sydneysiders and visitors alike. Anyone who could afford its hefty entry fee lost themselves in all the games and rides they could handle (except Mortal Kombat, which was pulled last-minute). An escape into pixilated fantasy guaranteed to forget their real-world troubles for several hours. Mundane adult things like Victoria and Western Australia's brief yet brutal summer bushfire seasons where 3 lives and some 59 homes were lost. Or how after one year into the top job, captain conservative John Howard faced international anger over comments at the United Nations General Assembly, and local anger over casual dismissing threats by extreme right-wing rival Pauline Hanson's One Nation party.

Be it stage shows, costumed cameos and all types of merchandise featuring their antics, fans of Sonic, Tails, Sally and Robotnik were in paradise. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for a fifth member of the cast. For someone who enjoyed strong popularity and a species originating right there, SEGA World put the bare minimum effort into giving Knuckles the Echidna his own time to shine. A remarkable oversight undoubtedly leaving young fans wondering where that embattled echidna was hiding. As luck would soon have it, they needn't look far.

Nestled comfortably among the shelves between Sonic issues 45 and 46 came Knuckles: The Dark Legion. Sales had proven strong enough (or at least stronger than Tails and Sally's comics) to warrant the development of a second miniseries. Exciting in its own right, only amplified when exclusively announced through AOL in January 1997 it would evolve to a fully-fledged ongoing spinoff. No longer was trotting off to the newsagents exclusively a Friday end-of-month treat. Knuckles' arrival meant a mandatory Monday mid-month booster for us deprived of Mobian adventures.

Over the course of its 32 issue run, Knuckles the Echidna was, much like Endgame two months later, once praised as a pinnacle of Archie Sonic. Fans adored the series, giving ol' Rad Red his own unique mythos and adventures. While Sonic naffed around aimlessly in a post-Robotnik world, we saw Knuckles as the cool, 'mature' comic. He had stakes. He had drama. Quite a turnaround after the heavy criticism its writer took in late 1996 over Sally's leaked demise. Within months he was described as "a kewl writer!", or "one of the ONLY "good" and "balanced" writers Archie has", or how they're "so much better then sonic comics now its not funny." with "all the good villains and family members." Fans swarmed en mass to his WWWBoard, creating their own stories, characters and entire websites tied to the Brotherhood and Dark Legion. Not everyone agreed on the book's mission statement "Why does everybody liek it so much? All it is really is a bunch of Penders' characters running around with slight appearacnes by Chaotix and occasionally knuckles himself.", but it made a lot of other people happy. Enough for both The Dark Legion and Lost Paradise reissued as 'back catalogue' orders to selected comic book stores in late 2004.

And just like Endgame, those nostalgic memories have since dissipated when adults reflected on his tales with matured, scrutinous eyes. We grow. We learn. We reevaluate on what was once adored as adolescents, realising perhaps those good times weren't all that good. Maybe the series and characters were fine in concept but lacked competent execution. Maybe our childish expectations meant they were never good to begin with and the critics were right all along.

The youthful, creative glory days from the late-90's to mid-2000's of Knuckles of an Echidna, Kragok Comics, Echidna Gals, Dark Legion HQ, Echidnapolis, Knux Redux, Tisha-Li's Dark Legion Camp, Kensuke Aida's Julie-Su Shrine, Echidnoyle, Shattered Moonlight, Knuckles 9000, Kiri Megami's Chaotix Hideout, Darkest Mysteries, and of course True Red's mighty Knuckles Haven have long passed.

It's from learning said past our futures are forged, but do any of these characters have a future? Do they even deserve a future?

Or maybe it's just best they're all forever banished to the Twilight Zone of cultural irrelevance.

Next Time: For years I said it wouldn't be done. Yet promises, like the hearts and cheekbones of fictitious rodents, were made to be broken. Will May's hedgie rectrospect-y truly be worthy of such hate? Or have revisionists painted a far worse picture over the past two decades?

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[checkoutmybookshelf]

The EU is Forever

April 25, 2014, was a dark-ass day for those of us who loved the Star Wars Expanded Universe canon. I was literally in the middle of the end of my first year as an MA student, and 2/3 of the bookshelves in the apartment my then-fiance, now-husband, shared held my Star Wars books. I'm not here to say that every book was great (lookin' at you, Splinter of the Mind's Eye), or even that every bad book was in so-bad-its-good territory (heart eyes at Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor), but the Star Wars EU got me through high school. So let's talk Young Jedi Knights.

There is no "these were the first Star Wars books I picked up and fell instantly in love with" story with these books, my journey to the Star Wars books was random as all hell, partly because this was the franchise that really taught me how to marshall and organize a sprawling set of books, do the research to read them in something like an order, and really start to engage deeply and take notes. (There may have been a 4-inch binder full of notes. It might still live in my Dad's house.)

I actually was first introduced to Star Wars (the original trilogy) when I was TA-ing in 8th grade and that teacher needed something to keep her class occupied for a couple of days. In the last week of school that year, I basically lived in the library and read the Black Fleet Crisis trilogy. Needless to say, I had QUESTIONS. Because I still hadn't figured out book research, I then picked up Vector Prime, and STILL had massive questions, once I got over *that* scene.

Young Jedi Knights wasn't the first Jacen and Jaina I picked up--I started with some of the novels earlier when they're younger--but I loved this series. This particular cohort of Jedi ended up being so crucial for so many reasons to the EU timeline, and seeing their training, their friendship, their mishaps, and how they interact with the galaxy made the later novels just so much more poignant.

There was a sense of YA speedrunning a lot of pretty common coming-of-age tropes (lookin' at you, Zekk... honestly, he and Kyp Durron needed to learn to BACK OFF and take no as a goddamn answer) and a boarding-school-in-space vibe, but there were also a few things that I thought were done particularly well. I wouldn't be me if I didn't call out with how much nuance Tenel Ka's arm loss was handled, particularly in terms of letting her have time to grieve and allowing her to adapt on her own without bowing to Ta'a Chume's frankly ableist attempt to use the incident to pull her graddaughter further into her Hapan heritage at the cost of her Dathomiri one. Seriously, for a YA book published in 1996, this was learning to live with a disability done really well. And I appreciated the hell out of Tenel Ka herself not letting Jacen do the guilty hovering and overcompensating with unnecessary and unwanted help. That was an excellent boundary to set, and quite frankly is something that people TODAY are terrible at, so this whole storyline was well done.

Equally well done was the fleshing out of Raynar and Lowbacca in the Diversity Alliance arc. Poor Raynar started so pompous and so absolutely unconsciously privileged, but watching your father self-sacrifice to protect humanity at large is a stiff price to pay to learn a little humility. (The absolute kicker is what happens during the Yuuzhan Vong War and subsequent Swarm War; poor Raynar does NOT have an easy run of life).

Lowbacca was an interesting look at friends/siblings dragging you into an extremist perepecting and RAPIDLY getting in over your head. There is also an interesting look at those who choose to stay in those organizations and those who choose to escape. And again, this was 1997, so the massive resurgence in fascism, right-wing extremism, and incel-ness wasn't the monstrosity it is in the year of our lord 2022. The Diversity Alliance arc just got more relevant the older I got, not less.

The Solo twins are, objectively, the marquee characters in these books, because the EU objective was the Skywalker/Solo show. Just straight out, Jaina is my favorite Solo kid. No contest. Her entire arc over the EU was twisty, detailed, nuanced, and never anything less than fascinating, and that began from the first books that focused on the kids. Her training on Yavin 4 in these books really solidifies her as technical. Jaina likes machines; she likes to take things apart, put them back together, and make them better. She is, like her father and uncle, a pilot at heart. That said, I'd be lying if I didn't say that both she and Jacen are a little one-note 1990s YA protagonists. They have their one major things (she's a mechanic, he's basically the Star Wars Kratt Brothers) and their things and relationships drive everything. They are arguably not the most interesting characters in these books, but they do tend to drive the books because they are the Solo twins.

That said, the plots, side characters, and general vibe of these books made them some of my favorites, and the nostalgia is strong with these books.

[krikeymate]

After the end of VI the core four must’ve spent a WHILE in the hospital. I feel like being in the hospital would be really difficult especially for Tara after the ghostface attack. I feel like Tara’s fear would be even worse in the hospital in 6 because after 5 she could think of ghostface as gone and in the past but in 6 tara now knows that ghostface can return and I can imagine her taking longer to heal her wounds because she’s so paranoid in the hospital and cannot rest. I also feel like Gale would help the core four out and find them somewhere to stay after 6, somewhere where their friends weren’t brutally murdered yk.

That Galaxy brain thought is so sexy of you.

Tara totally has a fear of hospitals now.

I feel like Sam & Tara didn't actually spend a lot of time in the hospital post-6. Sam had the cut to her right arm and the stab to the front of that shoulder. Tara had the bullet graze to her left arm, stab in the back of her left shoulder, and stab in the abdomen. The only wound there that felt like it was deep was Tara's abdomen wound, the other stabs could be considered quick and shallow.

Tara's abdomen wound definitely requires surgery, exploratory at the least, if not to repair any damage inside. The shot of them walking off is nice and all, but we'll just assume they were walking towards a free ambulance.

I think Tara spends a single day in the hospital, Sam by her side the entire time. They try to make her leave at the end of visiting hours, but it stresses Tara into a panic attack so bad they have to sedate her. Given the special circumstances, they decide to let her stay. Not that they had a choice, Sam was not leaving after watching the nurses hold down her little sister - scrambling to remove the tube in her arm and escape the bed - as Tara begged her not to let them: don't let them, Sam please, please, don't, I don't want to fall asleep Sam please, please don't let them, Sammy please don't leave me.

Standing there and letting them do that was the hardest thing she's ever done. When Tara demands that Sam sign her out of the hospital in the morning (against medical advice, they want to keep her in for observation), she doesn't argue. Tara would just do it herself if she doesn't. Sam spends the entire time waiting for Tara to bring it up, terrified to face Tara's anger. Or worse, her betrayed face. But she doesn't. Tara just curls up against her in the back of the taxi, clutching her hand.

I think Sam would be hesitant to accept any help from Gale. Gale's help always comes with a price, she knows that, she's seen it. Gale convinces her to let her help her find a new apartment, a smaller one still close enough to the campus. Sam allows Gale to haggle the rental price down to a much more affordable rate and hesitantly allows Gale to sign as a guarantor. Gale hands her a cheque, a worthy sum given she is the star of her latest book. Sam nearly rips it up in her hands, but Gale knows her weakness: if you won't accept it for yourself, accept it for your sister. She's got her there.

Chad, Gale and Kirby definitely spend a while in the hospital, and Mindy probably should still be in hospital but she clearly had checked herself out. I honestly don't know if I vibe the Core 4 actually living together post-6. I feel like Mindy should have been living with the sisters in the first place and it's weird that she wasn't. Which means there was 'other factors' which put Chad and Mindy (presumedly) into dorms. Those factors would still be there post-6.

[makeallthingsyours]

I have drawn a one-page comic, set in an alternate universe, where, around the time TOS is set, the Federation is attacked by a powerful enemy, that destroys and conquers everything in their path. Faced with this, Vulcans have to make a decision.

This is different from my ussual posts, but I hope you enjoy it. Live Long and Prosper.

Text and description:

1)[a panel of plain text] The Federation has been attacked by an enemy that does not respect life. They are vicious and kill without remorse. Many planets have fallen. Negotiations were futile. T'Pau, Matriarch of all Vulcan, announces to her people, the state of things.

2) [disc shaped spacecrafts attack a planet]

"We were attacked without a warning."

3)[four individuals of different species, dressed in formal clothes] "Negotiators were sent"

4)[same individuals, with their faces crossed]

"And lost."

5)[a planet, with its surface burned]

"Some planets were razed."

6)[pieces of rock floating in space]

"Some reduced to rubble."

7)[Armed soldiers, in spacesuits that cover their faces, approach a house. A city burns in the background.]

"Some were conquered, their people treated as cattle."

8)[T'Pau on a platform, with an auditorium around. There are two incense cauldrons behind her.]

"Hear me, people of Vulcan!"

"Our world is in danger, as are all the worlds to which we had sworn our loyalty as allies!"

9) [A close up on T'Pau's eyes.]

"We remembered the teachings of Surak, we offered them peace, and after they murdered our messengers we offered them peace again, but the enemy we face today does not believe in peace!"

10) [T'Pau on the podium. The cauldrons are slightly smoking.]

"Their only resolve is for all of us to be killed!And this is a price for peace which we will not accept!"

"I stand before you, people of Vulcan, to give you the announcement of what was decided when the enemy decided to destroy us!"

11) [The shot gets closer. The cauldrons begin to burn.]

"Today, Vulcan is at war!"

"We are at war!"

12) [A far shot with the auditorium visible.]

"I will not ask you to kill, for whatever we do, we may perish the same, but I do ask you to have courage!"

13)[Amanda, Sarek, Spock, Michael and several other people stand on a balcony in the auditorium.]

"So even if we die,"

14)[T'Pring and Stonn watch a holoprojection of the speech. He has his arm around her.]

"it shall be remembered,"

15)[Several people watch the projection on screens in a public place.]

"that Vulcan died unafraid!"

16) [And adult Andorian hugging a child while a masked soldier approached them with a weapon.]

"And if you choose to fight, when you shall take up your arms remember that you fight not only for yourself,"

17)[A galaxy from afar.]

"but for every being in this galaxy! For their very existence! "

18)[T'Pau close up, with a determined expression. The cauldrons burn intensely. ]

"We are warriors!"

19)[Three panels: A middle aged Vulcan touches a weapon on the wall, then passes a sword to a teenager, the teenager dressed themselves in armor with the sword at their belt.]

"We layed our weapons down to ensure our survival, and for survival we shall now bear them again!"

20)[A disc shaped spacecraft blown up by phaser.]

"We shall fight with fire"

21)[a bloodied lirpa]

"and steel,"

22)[Kolinahru standing in a ring, holding hands.]

" and thought!"

23)[Three Romulans, a man in a military uniform, a woman in a military uniform and a woman in a loose civilian dress watch the holoprojection together. The women are holding hands.]

"And our brothers who march beneath Raptor's wings will fight along our side!"

24) [Six panels, each with a close up of a formally dressed Vulcan.]

"I speak to you, peers of the High Court,"

"give the sign to your people! "

"Give them the yon'savas to mark their faces!"

25) [Close up of T'Pau. The cauldrons behind her burn with tall, intense flames.]

"Let it be known for all times!"

"To face us is to face defeat!!"

[clatterbane]

New acquisition, whether I wanted it or not! Currently charging more while I run the initial software update.

My existing watch went batshit insane in what looked like a hardware failure kind of way the other night. It had been acting quirky responding for a day or so, but then things escalated pretty suddenly. Besides just rebooting, I tried factory resetting it just in case--but it wouldn't respond, reconnect to the phone, or seemingly turn back on other than to occasionally make weird noises after that. So yeah, it seems to be pretty much toast. I actually stashed it in the flameproof containment box that is our oven before I went to bed, just to be safe with the way it also started heating up. 😬

That was a Galaxy Watch 3 which had constantly gotten used pretty hard for a couple of years, which I actually bought not long after the 4 came out when they started going pretty cheap. So, I figure it had a pretty good run, all things considered.

So, this time I did upgrade--to a 4, when Samsung is up to 6 now. 😊 Similar thinking there. There were some decent sales prices going, and it should suit my somewhat limited needs as well as anything else. I am still mostly just wanting one for the handy CGM display, plus timers and alarms for my shitty executive function. Most other features are gravy.

Thankfully, Mr. C was willing to pop over to Lund this morning and pick one up from the closest Elgiganten that actually had those sale watches in stock. He actually managed to get it for free, switching over to a different phone plan like he had been vaguely considering anyway. Multiple birds with one stone! He also mentioned a family plan that I should be able to switch my current number over to, so both of us can get off prepaid plans and get more data allowance in the bargain. Will probably do that.

Anyway:

Now set up with currently one of the faces that came with G-Watch Wear. Still need to play around with that to hopefully get it displaying the way I want it, but I do have a blood sugar display again! Looks like the graph right in the middle refreshed itself after the watch update. I had previously been running the original G-Watch (pulling data from Diabox), but the GW4 and up run a different OS from

Also just ordered because I really am pretty rough on things:

A stick-on screen protector, plus this supposedly rugged case to hopefully help protect the thing "for those who are adventurous, exercise or want extra good protection".

Meanwhile, the aftermarket screen protector on my now-dead watch. 🙄 I think the screen itself is fine under there, but yeah I think some extra protection against banging the thing around may be in order.

It really doesn't help that I am not just a hyper klutz, but also use a manual wheelchair which makes watches easy to bash up against the pushrims, scrub against the tires, etc. I have learned to be a little more aware and careful of how I'm using the watch wrist, but that probably did not improve the lifespan of the previous watch. Ah well.

[gaykarstaagforever]

Skinamarink (2023)

Well. That was certainly a hour and 40 minutes, wasn't it?

I agree that PT would make for a pretty scary movie. Maybe someone will make that one day. ...Or you can just go watch a playthrough of that. As for Skinamarink, you can probably skip it.

I appreciate the effort. An hour build up to a jumpscare is certainly a...novel...idea. It wasn't effectively for me personally, because the tension kept breaking as I debated with myself out loud how much longer I was going to put up with this.

This is 10 minute YouTube analog horror short material. It just didn't work for me at this length, with like 4 false endings.

It gets better, I suppose, in the last 15 minutes, when THINGS actually happen. But considering about a quarter of this movie is a black screen set to muffled cartoon noises, that isn't high praise.

Someone tried something different. If it worked for you, congratulations, here is a new movie for you to like. You can have it, because I certainly don't need it.

An hour and 40 minutes. Lord have mercy.

On the plus side, for any of you young creatives out there, you apparently can just string a bunch of gifs of bedrooms lit with flickering CRT screens together and call it a horror movie. You probably shouldn't, but obviously you can.

It's good when filmmakers try new things. It's even better for me when those new things don't irritate me. Better luck next time, me.

Oh and my boy Fisher Price Phone gets done dirty here. He's just a happy little guy. How dare you.

Oh and inb4, do NOT leave replies explaining what it means, because "YOU OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T GET IT OR YOU'D LIKE IT!" I got it, Galaxy Brain. I understand what it was about. And I didn't like it, anyway. That is a possible scenario.

HOW DARE THEY call it this and not include the song! Zero out of a million stars!

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Obituaries and panicking, everywhere... As expected and projected, Memorial Day box office was at an all-time low... What is going on? Are the movies bad? Is the younger generation not into theaters anymore? Too many other forms of entertainment competing with theaters? Is it this? Is it that?

Maybe the way box office is reported and deified above all else, oughta end. It's waaaaay overpowered the movies themselves, for sure.

I think it's simple... The movie theater experience costs too much and is often a big gamble. The chains are like malls, they could be clean or really gross, you could get an audience that you share a great communal experience with, or a completely disruptive one. $12+ per ticket, general admission, sky high snack prices... I think a lot of audiences, especially families and groups, are - in true fashion - saving for the few movies they want to see every calendar year. I know, because I've worked at a movie theater for almost 9 years at this point... I see it in action. Stats have shown over the last 10 or so years that this is the case with many Americans.

That's not to say 2024 has been a total wasteland overall, in terms of the domestic box office. DUNE: PART TWO did really, really good, as did GODZILLA X KONG and KUNG FU PANDA 4. But so far... The Top 10... It's largely recognizable IPs or movies based on well-known people, such as the Bob Marley biopic. Not exactly "original", per se. At #9, so far, is the movie CIVIL WAR, which was an original story. And below that, THE BEEKEEPER.

Last year's Top 10 was also no different. Barbie, Mario, Spider-Man, the Guardians of the Galaxy, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Ariel and friends, Willy Wonka, Ant-Man and pals, John Wick, and the astro-turfed movie about some real-life fraud whose name I won't mention. The highest-charting original of last year was ELEMENTAL, at #17.

But here's the thing... Original, original...

FURIOSA is out this weekend, and it's being *raved* about in most circles, that director George Miller has done it again and it's another excellent entry in the MAD MAX world. A wild big budget movie like few others. DUNE: PART TWO was similarly very well-received and was similarly the work of an auteur.

I like a healthy mix of both, and that there's a passion or drive behind both as well. There are "original" movies, or movies based on untried properties, that kinda just show up and do little for me. Like I wasn't all that big on, say, THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING, WISH, or SALTBURN. A movie like SMILE, I borderline hated. And there are big IP movies that really impressed me. I really dug both of the Denis Villeneuve DUNE movies, GODZILLA MINUS ONE, ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE, BARBIE, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3, PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH, you get the idea? And vice-versa.

Some of this year's "flops", like THE FALL GUY, were pretty well-reviewed and seem to be growing with audiences - even if they won't make back their astronomical budgets within the first few months of their existence.

The theater world needs to up its game, studios need to be smarter with budgets (and also more experimental, at that), and box office needs to become less of an obsession. I mean, it's to a point where the movies are just nothing more than stats, numbers, etc. Box office is a fun race for me to watch - I've been fond of it for at least 20 years at this point, seeing numbers is satisfying, and it's fun to see where the zeitgeist is at and what audiences are flocking to at the given moment - and what the movie's future will eventually be. I like seeing cool stuff succeed and make back its budget, so more cool stuff like it happens. Also what movie is the one to see and thus part of the weekly conversation... But at the same time, the movies themselves matter more.

And it sucks to see them take a back seat, more so than ever before, to this kind of hyperbole... The kind that doesn't seem to read the room.

[deltaengineering]

Fall Anime 2023: A Fallful of Fail

you will be shocked at what happens at the end

horse_ebooks S3

Umamusume S3 is bad. Not that that should be a surprise to anyone – the anime was never beyond decent and even then mostly just the price of admission to a galaxy of fanart. And looked at from the outside it is simply shaped liked itself: nothing more (or given the context, rather nothing less) than a fat and lazy gacha franchise advert.

The question is why S1 and S2 apparently were not when they were materially barely any different, and the answer to that is simple: S1 had the novelty and S2 apparently brought the best material Umamusume can realistically offer – which already wasn't that much. If you just want the quick take, S3 is very much like the boring first half of S2, and then just keeps rolling like that until episode 12. However, since it drops all the distractions and embellishments and just presents itself naked and at the most basic level, S3 works as exactly one thing: A case study why Umamusume was never good, will never be good, can never be good and is fundamentally just a bad idea.

It's a confluence of things that are each on their own questionable, but each of them boosts each other's shortcomings in such a profound way that it's hard to say what the "core issue" even is: It is obsessed with a "sport" that is so simple that all events are short and indistinguishable, and winning just comes down to whether you decide to go fast that day. It values gambling results from decades ago over having a structured story. It wants to pick protagonists that are popular, and horses are popular when they win. It needs to have a vast yet simplistic character roster where having two personality traits makes you Rice Shower, the deepest character in the franchise. It plays it so safe that there shall be no villains or even adversity – having injuries in S2 was apparently already too spicy so we just don't do that anymore. It despises continuity, which means that Gold Ship can get a random episode about ending her career and this making no difference whatsoever to her presence, which remains exactly the same as it has been since the first episode of season one. And yet, it thinks it can have all of these and tell a character-focused underdog sports story, because that's what you do when you hear "racing".

The end result of this is that we have a two-episode loop that is intensely centered on one unbelievably shallow protagonist with the personality of "everyone loves her", who constantly keeps winning unless she gets sad, and then people tell her she is popular to cheer her up, and then she wins again, and then we do this 5 times in a row, and this being framed as some epic triumph over adversity. And none of this is new, it's just really apparent when your protagonist is "Teio, but worse", your sidekick is "McQueen, but worse", and your supporting cast is "you liked these characters last season and they like Kita-chan, maybe you should too". Intellectually, it's astonishingly awful and yes, I'm mad.

But with high production values and a bunch of cute hors doing cute things, it's still nothing more (or given the context, rather nothing less) than a fat and lazy gacha franchise advert. Just don't ever consider turning on your brain while watching it because that shit hurts. 4/10

Tearmoon Empire

I'm probably only putting this one over Umamusume out of spite, because while Umamusume did pretty much everything wrong on a high level for interesting(?) reasons, Tearmoon is just a bottom-shelf product and that's the the long and short of it. To be fair, it starts out as a pretty good one of those, with a decent twist on the "I read the script" style of story that these always are, and watching trash princess Mia stumble around trying to save her head from getting lopped off with inexplicably positive results for everyone involved is a decent, if easy, laugh. This already doesn't ever reach its full potential, because it's ultimately bland and one-note and there's nothing else (apart from a very funny OP). Tearmoon was cursed by amateurish light novel writing from the start, but what really does it in is Volume One syndrome: That plot is resolved about two thirds in, and what follows is just staggeringly uninteresting political machinations in a thoroughly dull universe. The beginning was weak, yes, but it was followed up by stuff I could not possibly care any less about. In a way it's a positive that nothing comes together, because then the show's single biggest lategame misstep by far (guess what, nothing was Mia's fault after all!) would total the show's thematic core. If it had managed to establish it. Which it didn't. 4/10

Bullbuster

I'll give Bullbuster one thing: It at least feels like a show anyone wanted to make. And while "robots, but realistic and working class" is not a new angle, doing a mecha show through the lens of workplace laws and corporate policies instead of technology is a pretty good starting point. It's just that things went wrong when developing this into an actual story – something with this grounded a concept should not stumble around for weeks until it eventually ends up with the "twist" that the local Umbrella Corp experimental biotech plant is the source of these weird mutations, for example. The characters also just aren't strong enough to keep this weird mess of a plot together on their own either. It also notably has some of the worst monster CG in recent memory, and as an action show (something it isn't, to be clear) it would have been a laughable failure. This is not at all surprising coming from the Deca-Dence studio, but everyone somehow gave that show a pass while I don't think this one will be on anyone's hidden gem list in a hurry. In any case, "could have been good, but isn't" is all that really needs to be said about Bullbuster. Sometimes an anime isn't good for no other reason than simply lacking in quality. 5/10

16bit Sensation

I was always going to watch 16bit Sensation due to personal interest in the subject matter, and honestly the best I can say about it is that "it gets better". Not that that means much because it starts out badly, with just a bunch of uninspired 90s vndev references and anecdotes that the people who were there probably find very relatable. That said, the show notably improves once it starts going down some weirder parallel timelines & moefag aliens paths – but it has so far to go that that really isn't enough either. Unlike its simpatico Animegataris, 16bit Sensation doesn't go to really weird places and also completely lacks bite because eventually it just wants to be like, about the power of creativity, maaaan, which drives it more into "Eizouken without the production value" territory, and logically very little of it makes sense. Admittedly it doesn't strictly have to, but it's not very funny or insightful either. In any case, the real loadbearing part of this show is the character of Konoha anyway, and she's a mixed bag. Her goofiness is endearing, but it's also hard to deny that her character mostly consists of Aoi Koga's voice performance, and that is in turn mostly just consists of "the wacky bits from Kaguya-sama but extra hard and all the time". It's certainly something, but whether it's a selling point is a deeply personal decision for every viewer. Unlike the undisputably crappy opening song performance by Shokotan of all people, what the hell. 5/10

Under Ninja

Under Ninja has one thing going for it, and that is that it's unlike anything else (well, I hear that all the other mangas by this author are exactly like it, but in animated from at least). It's a weird mess of an absurd Metal Gear plot presented with all the ambiance of a 4chan greentext story, which gives it an unusually deadpan sense of humor similar to something like Burn After Reading. If nothing else, it's an experience... but I still don't like it very much. For starters, this show looks like absolute butt, and only half of that can be attributed to intentionally grimy stylistic suck. No-budget James Bond might be a joke, but at the end of the day you still have to watch it, and there is far too much action in the show for it to look this crappy. Characterwise, it starts with exploring the more sympathetic sides of unlikeable losers, towards the end it just keeps spamming more unlikeable losers because... funny? Also, the story is wilfully obtuse but appears to take itself increasingly seriously as it goes on, which makes it eventually cross over from "shaggy dog" to outright "just a prank bro". Now, I will say that this is more than just random nonsense. I think that it does try to say something about Japanese society – I'm just not sure what that actually is. Instead the intense cynicism gets the better of the the show and it just disappears up its own ass, and I don't think that is particularly hilarious. 5/10

Otona Precure

I can't hate Otona Precure. It's just exactly what it says on the tin, a basic-ass Precure show with mildly adult topics while everything else remains as generic as it it gets, production included. This was never going to be extraordinary or subversive (and if it attempted that, it would probably have gone badly), so I'll just take things like razor thin characters, baby-level takes on environmentalism and egregious reuse of 20 year old stock footage as a charming part of the package. In fact, if it was less rudimentary it would not be watchable for someone like me who doesn't care to explore the 100+ episodes of old assembly line magical girl anime that this ostensibly a sequel to – I get it just fine from context clues, thank you very much. It's very much a slim novelty, but enough of a novelty that it can just about sustain 12 episodes and that is it. 6/10

Overtake!

Overtake is, to put it simply, thoroughly competent, as expected from Ei Aoki – a small-scale, vaguely bromantic character drama with a moderately novel setting that can take full advantage of its traditional underdog sports story trappings. It certainly won't blow anyone's socks off but compared to all the questionable jank above it does feel like a breath of fresh air when something just works, and I really can't stress this enough – I did not particularly care about Overtake and its characters at first but godammit if it didn't put in the work and skill to make me care. The characters are fleshed out and fun, the plot is well paced and goes to some less predictable places, and it looks really appealing without coming across as living above its means. I had a genuinely good time all the way through but ultimately wasn't invested enough to consider it a classic, and that's fine. It's an "exceptional midcard" type of show, and I wish there was more of this tier between the cheap trash and the ultra-premium crowdpleaser.

And I cannot keep myself from saying this, but this tangentially-about-racing character drama just so happens to utterly clown on Umamusume in regards to making racing exciting, without even trying very hard (Redline it is not), via groundbreaking additions such as left turns and actual strategy. And that is before it's actually a good show with characters and a story worth caring about. Imagine that. 7/10

but consider the following:

In all honesty, this was a pretty good season and almost all the reasons for that are not on the above list. Yes, the premium material on top of the rankings did actually deliver hard this season, which is to say that both Frieren and Apothecary Diaries would be easy AOTY contenders had I not learned my lesson regarding continuing shows with Ranking of Kings. Both were great but face some rough road ahead – Frieren is heading into a Shounen Exam Arc™ while Apothecary Diaries is starting to show signs of classic shoujo romance pitfalls, so I'll hope for the best and give them their due once they end. And there's also Undead Unluck, which is simply the Fire Force that Weekly Jump has at home, and by that I mean that it's two thirds delightfully unhinged psychedelia and one third Jump brand "I should really drop this" pablum, a ratio that is highly unlikely to improve. Besides that, I'm quite a ways into Pluto but haven't finished it yet because it is indeed Naoki Urasawa's Award-Winning Masterpiece Pluto – expertly made and decently meaningful but also bloated with self-importance past the point of flatulence. We'll see.

[bookmyblog]

 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review

Introduction

In recent years, Samsung has launched some pretty cool smartphones with foldable features, powerful batteries, and amazing cameras. The company is currently at peak innovation with the new and creative updates of smart devices. This year, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 was launched in July. The company did great work with materialising the smartphone with unique features, a foldable screen, dual camera, sensors, and accessibilities. Along with the usual upgrades like a newer processor, powerful battery, and embedded memory, Samsung has focused on improving the looks and feel of the smartphone. They have used new mechanisms that have helped bring down the weight and thickness of the phone. From bulky big smartphones to sleek and compact designs, the company is surely focused on making the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 a turnover. However, if you currently have a Galaxy Z Fold 4, you can easily cut on this generation and wait for the next model.

In this blog post, we are going to highlight the features of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and compare it with other brand phones of the same range. 

For more comparisons, reviews, blogs, and articles, you can also visit BookMyBlogs.com which is an online journal and informational website run by professional entrepreneurs and writers.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 price

The starting price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 starts at the same expense as the previous generation’s model. At Rs. 1,54,999, you can purchase the  256GB model with 12GB of RAM. The company has launched the phone with two more variants with equal RAM but more storage. The 512GB variant costs around Rs. 1,64,999, while the 1TB variant is priced at Rs. 1,84,999. 

However, the Fold series cannot expand the storage so you will have to pay for buying variants with more ROM. For most users, the base variant should provide enough storage and is available in Icy Blue, Phantom Black, and Cream.

The phone does not come with the supreme Samsung's S Pen. The users will have to purchase the pen separately. You can also buy accessories for the phone such as covers, mobile grips, holders, and more. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 design

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 comes with a sleek design and attractive appearance. Though you cannot easily distinguish it from its predecessor, upon looking closely, you will find slight modifications such as the placement of the LED flash, colours, folding notch, camera looks and more. 

The phone is one of the best horizontally built folding phones with shatter-resistant glass on the front and the best quality aluminium frame on the back. The upgraded hinge also allows the two halves of the phone to sit nearly adjacent to each other when folded. The gap has also been remarkably reduced with an IPX8-rated body for water resistance.

Both the screens on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 are very similar to the Fold 4 with minor exceptions such as the brightness of the folding display, which is upgraded to 1,750 nits from 1,200 nits in the previous generation of the phone. However, the screen dimensions are similar to the previous generation which includes a 6.2-inch HD+ AMOLED outer display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Additionally, the size of the screen is the same as the Fold 4 generation i.e. 7.6-inches QXGA+ display with 120Hz refresh rate.

Display Reviews

Both displays of the phones have good flexibility and under direct sunlight produce vibrant and catchy colours. The outer display can be effectively used for simple tasks while the big screen can be used for office work, reading, multi-tasking, and much more. Users can use multiple apps at once for gaming, watching videos, listening to music, reading, working, etc. However, the crease is still there and can be easily spotted from different angles. 

Accessories in the Box

With Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, you don't get many accessories. The phone comes with a box containing a SIM eject tool, a USB Type-C cable, and some user guidelines. Considering the price of the phone, the user expects brilliant accessories such as a S Pen for higher performance and style.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 software

Similar to the S23 series, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 uses a custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. It's a strong and power-efficient processor that delivers a smooth experience and performance. The software of the phone functions on One UI 5.1.1 based on Android 13. Various software features from the Fold 4 are included in the Fold 5 generation, such as Flex mode and multi-app usage. However, there are some new functions such as showing recently closed applications in the taskbar. The users can enable this function from the settings manually and customise their mobile phone based on their preferences. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Battery

The battery capacity of the phone is similar to that of last year which is marked at 4400 mAh. The phone can be charged using a 25W wired charger or a 15W wireless charger. It supports fast charging and once powered can last a whole day of multi-tasking. However, the prevent battery drain, it is important to take care of your battery and retain its life for long-term use.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 cameras

In the phone, there are no noticeable changes from the previous generation phone. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 contains a camera panel of three rear lenses including a 50-megapixel wide, 12-megapixel ultra-wide, and a 10-megapixel telephoto with 3X optic zoom. 

On the front screen, there is a 10-megapixel selfie camera installed and a 4-megapixel lens under-display camera. These can be used for selfie photos, video calls, visual meetings and more. 

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a remarkable update to the previous generation models. However, it has little to no similarities to last year's version Fold 4 model. Except for a few minor changes the phone is almost similar with the same functions, processors, cameras, and more. In this blog post, we have highlighted the features and functions of the newly launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5?

The cost of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 starts at Rs. 1,54,999 and goes up to Rs. 184,999.

When was the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 released?

The phone was released on 11 August 2023.

For More Info:-

Mobile App Development Agency in India

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Dancer!Phan (4) Masterlist

part one, part two, part three

Dancer (wattpad) - tcosmos

Summary: A fanfiction where Dan Howell, the confident and self centered professional ballet dancer meets Philip Lester, the blundering 17 year old guy who started taking classes not so long ago.

Dance With Me - cocktailaunt

Summary: Popular!Phil wants to ask Shy!Dan to the school dance.

Drink Up Your Movements (Still I Can’t Get Enough) (ao3) - obsessive-fics (xoPrincessKayxo)

Summary: All Dan, an extremely skilled ballet dancer, wants to do is make it through the next dance competition. So extra rehearsals with Izzy, a ballerina he’s known forever, are just another step towards the win. What he doesn’t expect, is the constant, extremely distracting presence of Izzy’s older brother, Phil.

Falling for you (ao3) - Phantje

Summary: Moving out is probably the most exciting thing that has ever happened in Dan's life so far. It's an overwhelming experience which he wasn't too keen on having in the first place. Now that it's settled that Dan will move, he only has to worry about the normal stuff: making his new apartment feel like home and finding friends. All of this is already really crazy for Dan who has not yet seen much of the world. Of all the things he didn't anticipate, falling for a voice on the phone wins the price by far. How is he supposed to concentrate on his work when his life keeps taking unexpected turns?

Got It (ao3) - Spring_Haze

Summary: Dan surprises his partner with a little stress relief while traveling on tour.

Here We Go (ao3) - beware_phangirl (dantiloquent)

Summary: in which PJ’s shooting a ‘kinda romantic’ film, Phil’s dancing with other youtubers and Dan is just coming along for the ride.

i'll spend forever wondering if you knew (ao3) - rosecolouredjosh

Summary: Dan came to his parents house in London for the annual charity event where his mother is responsible for the catering. As he had been helping her in this event since he was a kid, he was already preparing himself to the feel extremely out of place and lonely.

But maybe, someone could help him enjoy the night a little more.

its just a dance, lover (ao3) - lilyxxxooo

Summary: When at his brother's wedding, Phil can't help but feel sad that he has no one to dance with. Briefly based off "Lover" by Taylor Swift

Lightyear Groovin' (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: In a galaxy far, far away, there’s an abundance of 70s clubs. On Krithoo, local party freak Dan Howell works as a waiter at an often overcrowded cantina, Virgo Volans. And maybe, just maybe, has an infatuation with the extraterrestrial dj frequenting their stage.

Lucky (ao3) - lilyxxxooo

Summary: Dan and Phil are at a Lester family party with their two children: Emily, 7 and Colby, 2. Phil spends the night twirling them both on the dance floor and Dan spends the night watching his husband and wondering how he got so lucky

Oh Well, Oh Well (ao3) - incandescentphan

Summary: Phil never expected to find a home in the arms of a dancer.

Pleasers (ao3) - philsbignaturals

Summary: In which Dan is a former stripper and Phil appreciates their services

Shut Up and Dance (ao3) - spacemanlevi

Summary: Dan finds a beautiful man at a friends wedding, he just hopes he can work up the courage to ask for a dance.

Strictly Come Dancing but make it GAY (ao3) - natigail

Summary: @danielhowell: maybe i’d actually consider doing @bbcstrictly if they allowed same-sex couples. who wouldn’t want a sexy man spinning you around? it’s not just a girl’s dream. c'mon people let’s see some pretty and fierce girls pair up and handsome and strong boys get it on. i dare you.

Dan Howell calls Strictly out on Twitter for not allowing any same-sex couples and accidentally volunteers himself to be one of the contestants if they were to change that. It was a joke. It had so clearly been a joke. Why did they take him up on it?! He’s sure he’ll trip over his own feet and hate every second, but then he meets his partner, the endearingly clumsy dancer Phil Lester.

take a breath and dance (ao3) - lyricallyharley, writtennotsung

Summary: When Phil takes his friend's daughter to dance lessons, he doesn't expect to meet a dad who has a passion for dancing himself, and who's story is, well, interesting to say the least.

thrill me, chill me, fulfill me (ao3) - sadlybunny

Summary: Phil is playing Rocky in an upcoming production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and is sent to work with a choreographer for extra help on a song. A choreographer that turns out to be extremely fit, and a song that turns out to be extremely sexual.

Tiny Dancer (wattpad) - tipsy-mermaid

Summary: Dan is a ballet dancer and Phil just really likes watching him when he's not practicing for his next boxing match.

Will it All Turnout Okay? (ao3) - katicanteven

Summary: Dan is a dancer. Phil stumbles into the studio with the intention of taking some ballet classes, but ends up with more than just good technique.

[sleepy-shutin]

not a vent, but i tried to tell my mom i wanted a samsung galaxy z flip 4 instead of an iphone now, and that i could trade my iphone 12 mini in for a good price on the flip 4, but she started reacting so bizarrely it was like i was coming out of the closet all over again. 

she told me she bought me an apple watch for christmas straight up, and that she thought i was over my “android phase”. she said she thought getting me an apple watch would get me to “love apple again”--noting how i’ve criticized apple in the past for fucking people out of their money with their $1000 emoji machines that do fewer and fewer new things each year, and are generally getting more expensive while offering less, and slowing down after 2 years because apple doesn’t want to create good, innovative, reliable and creative products, it wants to take your money.

because i felt a bit guilty, i went out of my way to dig into the apple watch and found that there’s an app, developed by apple, that explicitly allows people to use an apple watch without an iphone, so long as you use an iphone to set it up and it’s connected to wifi/using cellular data, so that she didn’t have to return the gift if she didn’t want to, and i could do some damage control. because even if i didn’t ask for an apple watch explicitly, i have mentioned i could get some use out of a watch in the past, (which is true).

her current rich, fascist boyfriend has also offered to let me play with his galaxy flip for a day, (unclear if it’s the 3 or 4), and now i’m deeply conflicted because he’s a rich, christian, aggressively republican fuckhead, (though my performative neo-liberal mother claims he has a “heart of gold”). 

my mother continuously claims that “we are an apple family, you can’t change that” and all i can do now is draw parallels between this conversation and when i came out to her as trans for the first time.