#Gearbox Records

[innerrecordsleeves]

Plain black, plastic lined. From "Ancient Future"/ Dwight Trible 2023.

[fancypantsrecords]

Chris Christodoulou - Risk Of Rain Returns | Black Screen Records | 2024 | Orange Translucent with Black Swirl + Purple & White Marbled + Brown Marbled + Grey Marbled

[kabr0ztrousers]

Bull hybrid cowboy x chubby fem reader. He runs a little ranch all by himself no one for miles and her car just so happens to break down near his road. He offers her a ride into town but ends up kidnapping her. Would love it if he ties her up and shows her all the reasons why she should stay with him.

Hmm... Now do I write another hucow scene or don't I? Only kidding, you all know where this is going.

Kabr0z Writes Episode 34: Free Range

Find the rest of the Kabr0z Writes anthology here!

CWs: kidnap; dubcon; noncon; lactation; impregnation;

A/N: Thanks again for the steady stream of requests, you lot! Remember if you want to see something, want me to revisit a kink or scenario I've done before, or have a totally new idea, let me know and it'll probably happen!

######################################

You loved that little shitbox of a car, mid 2000's spec, old enough to drink and still going strong. Up until about 5 miles back. You were on a tiny country road in the middle of the night, cruising at 60, when you heard an almighty bang followed by a jangling noise. Your revs went through the roof for a moment before you started to coast. By the time you stopped and inspected the damage you'd already figured out what happened. The jaunty angle of the gearstick and the lack of any resistance on it meant your gears were probably strewn across several hundred metres of road. At least your engine still worked so you had light, heat, and BBC 2.

You didn't, however have any phone signal.

So you sat in the layby in your car, idling the engine to keep the battery running and listening to the 80s. Sleeping in a running car seems like something that's probably illegal, but you figured if the police found you, they could probably give you a tow to go with the fine. Hopefully you'd make it to morning and then walk however far the nearest town is to call your insurance.

A horn behind you shocked you out of your thoughts. You looked around as a rugged 4x4 pulled level with you. A window rolled down and the driver motioned for you to do the same.

He was a bull hybrid, horns wreathing his head, a thick gold ring adorning his nose. "Need a tow?"

"Yeah, I think my gearbox is fucked" you smiled at him

"That'll do it for you, I can get you to town if you want, climb in"

You got out of your car and into his, grateful for the save. He hooked a rope from his car to yours and pulled away, your stricken vehicle in tow.

You didn't think anything of the route he took, country lanes are far too narrow to turn around in, especially in a big vehicle like this one, but you'd been travelling for a while. It's not like he wasn't charming, softly spoken with just a hint of an accent, apparently he had a herd of dairy cattle that he pastured around the area, and you were being regaled about the trade. The radio in the car gently playing some tiny local station or other, predominantly focusing on spinning old records and talking about the weather.

Suspicion set in when you turned off the road, he was taking you up a gravel track in the pitch-dark. He seemed to know the area pretty well but you figured that to get to civilization, you should probably be following the asphalt rather than abandoning it.

He pulled up at a house and turned off the engine, shoving the keys into his pocket "Come on, let's get inside"

You got out and bolted away from the house. You're not stupid enough to follow him in, you'd only just met!

He was faster than you. You'd barely made it twenty yards when you were tackled to the ground. The bull huffed as he tied your ankles together and hefted you over his shoulder. You hit and struggled against him, but he only chuckled at your assault. "Spirited, aren't you?" He opened his door and carried you over the threshold "You'll do fine here"

He put you down onto a plush sofa and sat in a chair opposite to you. Minutes passed in silence, you sullenly staring at him, him eyeing you up like a cut of meat.

"What will you do with me?" You spat at him

"Honestly, I'm not sure. You seemed like a soft townie when I picked you up. I'd thought maybe let you call for a tow, give you a coffee, and maybe a roll in the hay." He was still staring at you

"But?" You felt like there was a but coming

"But, you're not badly built, and you're not such a pushover. Now I'm deciding if I want a wife or not"

You recoiled at his comment "If you think I'm marrying you, you can fuck off!"

He shrugged and got up "Plan B then. With hips and tits like those you'll be a good fit"

He lifted you into a seated position and tore off your top, baring your chest and the rolls of your tummy. He grabbed one of your tits and hefted it "Natural, very good"

If looks could kill, you would've atomised him. As it was he merely met your gaze as he roughly inspected you.

"I was right, you'll do excellently" He picked you up again and swung you over his shoulder before carrying you outside. He crossed a field, not caring about your yelling and screaming for help. He knew nobody was around for miles, even if someone heard you they wouldn't be able to help you. He pushed open a barn door and carried you in, putting you down on a pile of straw "I'll see you tomorrow"

He left you there. The ropes were tied tightly around your ankles. You struggled against them until your fingers went numb to no avail. The other occupants of the barn stirred with your struggling. Your eyes were adjusting to the gloom, you could just about make them out.

They were other women. Some cow hybrids, some not. All of them plump, many pregnant. They looked at you with big doe eyes, curiosity on their faces as they regarded you.

The first one put her arms around you in a hug, then another and another until you were smothered in a dozen round women, their full breasts pressing against you as they started to doze off on you. Stuck there in the centre of the cuddle pile, you couldn't help your eyelids getting heavy, your head cushioned against a plush belly as sleep claimed you too.

You woke with the dawn. The other women mooing eagerly and dispersing around the barn. The bull man from last night opened the door and stepped in. He looked over at you before settling to work. One by one he attached milking cups to the other women, who each settled down contentedly as the machines pumped them, the milk being drawn into tanks at one end of the barn.

Finally he got to you.

"Enjoy your night?"

You spat at him. He laughed.

"Damn, I wish you'd reconsider being my wife. As it is, I can still put a calf in you." He lifted you and carried you to a fence, tying your arms to it before cutting your ankles free.

Your tits swung below you as he pulled your hips up and hiked your skirt up. He tore a hole in your tights, revealing your pussy. You screamed as he started to lick you, his thick tongue penetrating you already as he fingered your clit. You felt your skin flush as your body responded to him, getting wet and ready for him. His licking and stroking was drawing you in, until you quivered with a tearful orgasm.

You felt him straighten up behind you. He lay his cock on your back and you shivered with the length of it before he pulled back and started to ease the tip in, crooning as he went "You're doing great, girl, just a little more, a little more"

The sound of his voice was making you wetter than his tongue did. You whimpered from the fullness from his cock pushing slowly into you, stretching you out. Your hips were pushing back against him, sending waves of motion up your body. He started to push harder, move faster. Your whimpers turned to blissful sobs and whines as you sped towards your next orgasm, the length and girth of him getting you off all by itself. When he squeezed your hips it was too much. Your body tried to push back, but it didn't need to. He could feel your impending orgasm and hilted himself in you, tiny thrusts slapping his balls against your clit and driving you over the edge. He started to throb and pulse in you as your cunt clenched around him. His thrusts were fast and deep, he was close and wasn't going to cum anywhere but inside you. His pounding on your cervix was getting to you, as was his gripping your waist and your hips, and the jolting swaying of your tits. He pushed a hand between your legs and circled his fingers over your clit. You came again. This time he joined in. Your moans and grunts mingled as the other women watched you, still mooing in euphoria from being attached to the pumps.

He stayed inside you, his cock still giving occasional pumps of cum. His huge hands tracing patterns on your back and rubbing your aching muscles. Then he pulled out, and you heard a spatter of his cum fall out of you and onto the straw below. He cut your arms free and helped you off the railings, laying you on the straw.

"I treat my ladies well, you'll see"

A month has passed since you joined the herd. You spend your mornings hooked up to the milking machines, your afternoons lounging in the fields munching clover and enjoying the company of your new friends, then in the evenings Aaron, as you leaned his name, would often visit you and put another load in you. You're already late on your period, you just haven't told him yet.

Yeah, you're giving up some freedoms, and you're pretty sure you're getting dumber

But it sure beats your old job

###################################

Postscript: A bit of an experiment in trying to split the difference between "awful human farm" and not being overly horrible to the POV character. Hopefully it hits the mark nicely. Who knows, I may do a continuation or a "what if" where it goes into fluffy marital sex between Aaron and Fem!Reader...

At any rate, this is your periodic reminder that my ask box and DMs are always open, and to not hold back on your requests! I'm not in the habit of airing anyone's dirty laundry so if you do cross some unforeseen line the worst you'll get is a no

[cryptotheism]

Tediore actually was the villain of the new Tales from the Borderlands iirc

Yeah and they look boring. The Borderlands series is my favorite type of media to consume because it's so almost good. I love any Strong B+ type shit that could have been cool if you changed like two things. It inspires a man!

Borderlands 1: Nothing writing. Solid base of mechanics for a fun series.

Borderlands 2: Mechanically fun. Some pretty dope environments. Flashes of genuinely good writing contrasted with actively awful writing.

Pirate DLC: Forgettable writing, but had some dope set piece fights. Carried by the strength of it's setting alone. Fun mechanically. Forgettable writing.

Torgue DLC: Grating and annoying.

Hammerlocks Hunt: "I'm sure gearbox will handle the African big game hunt themed DLC well. What could possibly go wrong."

Tiny Tina DLC: Honestly more enjoyable than the base game. A genuinely fun concept that manages to hold back the annoying quips long enough to flesh out Tiny Fucking Tina of all characters??? What's wild is it WORKS. Imo it successfully walks the line of madcap humor and commentary on its own uberviolence, exploring how Tina's LMAO random XD persona is a safety blanket. At her core she is a traumatized child who has lost another father figure. It's Tina using the player as an instrument of uberviolent fantasy justice to process her grief and against all odds it works PERFECTLY with the tone of Borderlands.

Pre-Sequel: Literally everything interesting in this game happens in like, flavor text. Expanding on the villains of 2 is a cool idea. Seeing Jack become Jack is neat, but honestly didn't do much for me. Forgettable environments. Mid gameplay. Felt like a test run for 3. The Dahl mercenaries were a missed opportunity. I remember a single quest that got a real laugh out of me: the one where it's revealed that the respawn station voice isn't pre-recorded, it's a live lady who has now been captured by bandits, who are making her say cringe shit on the intercom.

Borderlands 3: A master class in environmental and level design. Every character is extremely fun to play. I love the Eden-6 Louisiana Dinosaur Jungle. I love the Maliwan Corporate City. I fucking LOVED Nekrotefayo. "Evil twitch streamers" was a brilliant choice that the writers legendarily fumbled. Main Villain should have been the Maliwan twerp. The Danny Devito Indiana Jones character fits in the world but needed way more time in the oven. Making him the Calypsos dad was a bizarre choice.

[scotianostra]

On November 6th 1996 disaster struck near Sumburgh airport when a Chinook Helicopter crashed into the North sea.

Forty seven people were on board the helicopter which was on a 130-mile flight from the Brent field, north east of Shetland, to Sumburgh airport.

Two men were rescued soon after the crash by a Coastguard helicopter which had taken off on a routine flight minutes before the helicopter went down. They came across the accident when spotting an oil slick below.

The Captain Pushp Vaid was one of the two survivors. On 10 November the cockpit voice recorder, the cockpit section of the fuselage, the rotors and rotor heads, and the gearboxes and associated control systems had been recovered. 44 of the 45 bodies were recovered. The accident was caused by the failure of a modified bevel ring gear in the forward transmission which allowed the twin rotors to collide when synchronisation was lost.

Captain Vaid was back in the cockpit six months after the tragedy but for the rest of his flying days, he took November 6th off.

The Chinooks were withdrawn from operations in the North Sea after the accident and sold to Columbia Helicopters for heavy lift operations.

The Sumburgh tragedy is the 7th deadliest accident of the oil and gas industry and the deadliest civilian helicopter crash on record.

The third pic is a memorial and is dedicated to those who lost their lives in five aircraft accidents, related to the offshore oil industry, all of which were based or operated from Sumburgh Airport on Shetland.

[f0point5]

The people who are mad that Lando is not delulu need to be so real with me.

Lando should move to Red Bull, get in a tricky car, and do…what? Get into the gearbox of the guy who has given that team three titles and countless records? The guy that that team of people practically raised? He should try and do that? Because even if he is successful that is career suicide. And that’s a big if. And if he’s not successful, if Max is still winning everything, he will never get another priority seat at a top team.

What has he got to gain by going to RB? No number 1 driver is gunning to be Max’s 2nd, no driver who is even trying to be number 1 would want it because it will only show your potential to be a second driver.

[aspenmissing]

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚅𝚘𝚕𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗 (𝙿𝚝 𝟷)

"Roll out, donkeys!" Lance, Hunk, and Pidge exit the simulator and stand before Iverson and their class. A young woman stands beside her team, staring at the three in sorrow. Y/N Gane, top of the class; best pilot "Well let's see if we can't use this failure as a lesson for the rest of you students. Can anyone point out the mistakes these three so-called cadets made in the simulator?" Iverson shouted. 

"The engineer puked in the main gearbox," a voice said.

"Correct, as everyone knows, vomit is not an approved lubricant for engine system. What else?" Iverson said while shaking his head.

"The comm spec removed his safety harness," another voice said and Y/N laughs a little. 

"Is there something funny Miss Gane?" Iverson asks. Everyone looks to Y/N and she stands up straight and keeps a straight face. 

"No sir" She replies. 

"Miss Gane, can you tell me something they did wrong?" he asked.

"Erm... The pilot... crashed?"  Iverson looked at Y/N before smiling. 

"Correct! Miss Gane" he shouted and walked away. Y/N gave lance an apologetic smile, who just shrugs and smiles "And worst of all, the whole jump, they're arguing with each other! Heck, if you're going to be this bad individually, you'd better at least be able to work as a team! exists to turn young cadets like you into the next generation of elite Astro explorers, but these kinds of mental mistakes are exactly what cost the lives of the men on the Mission" Y/N's fists clench.

"That's not true, sir!" Pidge shouts. 

"What did you say?!" Lance clasps his hand over Pidge's mouth, but Pidge continues; her voice muffled by the hand.

"Sorry, sir! I-I-I think he may have hit his head when he fell out of his chair. But point taken" Lance says.

"I hope I don't need to remind you that the only reason you're here is that the best pilot in your class had a discipline issue and flunked out, and the second-best refused to be the best" Lance glances at Y/N before back at Inversion "Don't follow in his footsteps" Iverson turns to look at Y/N and her team "Miss Gane, your team is next!" Lance, Hunk and Pidge watch as their classmates board the simulator, Y/N patting Pidge's shoulder, smiling softly. 

==

Later, Lance and Hunk hide in the halls of the Garrison as curfew begins.

"Lights out in five! Everyone back to their dorms, now" Iverson shouts.

"We shouldn't be doing this" Hunk whispers.

"You heard Commander. We need to bond as a team. We're going to grab  Pidge, hit the town, loosen up, meet some nice girls, maybe we can bring Y-" 

"OK, I'm just- I'm just saying this here, right now, on the record: This is a bad idea" The lights turn off; Lance and Hunk sneak through the hallways.

"You know, for someone in a space exploration program, you don't have much of a sense of adventure"

"All of your little 'adventures' end up with me in the principal's office" Lance sneaks by the instructor's lounge and motions for Hunk to follow, which he reluctantly does "Oh, man..." The two hide in recycling cans as a guard passes by.

"L-5 North all clear," The guard says. Lance jumps out; Hunk tries to follow suit but gets stuck and falls over. Hunk stands.

"I'm fine" They hide as Pidge and Y/N leave Iverson's office. The two watch"

"Where are they going?" Lance asks. Y/N and Pidge were sat on the roof of the Galaxy Garrison. Pidge listens to radio chatter through headphones and special equipment. Y/N is sitting beside her, looking up into the sky, eating a snack bar. Hunk crawls along the roof and Lance carefully removes the headphones to speak close to his ear.

"You two come up here to rock out?" Lance asks. Pidge jump and spin around to face Lance and Hunk. Y/N following, snack bar still in her mouth. 

"Agh! - Oh, Lance, Hunk. No, Um... we-" 

 "We were just looking at the stars," Y/N says, chewing.

"Cool. Where did you get all this stuff? It doesn't look like Garrison tech" Lance wondered.

 "He built it," Y/N says, swinging her arm over Pidge's shoulder. 

"He built all of this" Hunk said astonished. He tries to touch the equipment; Pidge smacks his hand away.

"Stop it! With this thing, I can scan to the edge of the solar system" Pidge says, gesturing to the tech.

"That right? All the way to Kerberos" Lance smirks. Pidge looks away but does not respond, Y/N's eyes sadden. "You two go Ballistic, every time the commander brings it up, What's with that?" Lance continued. Hank tries to sneakily touch the equipment again.

"Second warning, Hunk!" Y/N says and Hunk stops.

"Aw...."

"Look, Pidge, if we're going to bond as a team, we can't have any secrets. Same for you Y/N" Y/N looks at Lance confused "You may not be a part of the team, but you're our friend. Friends can't keep secrets from each other"

"I mean they can" Y/N mutters.

"Fine. The world as you know it is about to change. The Mission wasn't lost because of some malfunction or crew mistake—" Pidge sees Hunk trying to touch the equipment again "-STOP TOUCHING MY EQUIPMENT!!" Hunk groans but finally desists "..."So, I've been scanning the system and picking up alien radio talking" Pidge pushed up her glasses.

 "Whoa, what? Aliens?!" Hunk says.

"Oookay. so your insane, Y/N please tell me you don't believe in him," Lance asked me. Y/N nods"

"He is serious" Y/N holds up a pad with 'Voltron?' on it "They keep repeating the same word over and over again, Voltron. and tonight it has been crazier" 

"How crazy" Lance said. The Galaxy Garrison building alarms blare. Iverson speaks over the intercom

"Attention, students. This is not a drill. We are on lockdown!, Repeat: all students are to remain in barracks until further notice" A fiery object appears in the sky.

"What's going on? Is that a meteor?! ... A very, very big... meteor?" Hunk says and Y/N grabs binoculars

"Its. It's a ship" She says. Lance takes the binoculars and looks at the object. 

"Holy crow! I can't believe what I'm seeing! That's not one of ours" Lance said with wide eyes. 

"No. It' 's one of their" Pidge says.

"So wait, there are aliens out there?!" The three watches as the alien spacecraft crash into the desert. The Garrison sends out land rovers to the crash site.

"We've gotta see that ship!" Pidge says, standing up, pulling Y/N with him.

"Pidge, slow down" She laughs.

"Hunk, Come on" Lance yelled and chases after the two. 

"Oh, this is the worst team-building exercise ever" 

==

Lance, Hunk, Pidge and Y/N spy on the quarantines crash site from a nearby cliff. Lance views the alien spacecraft through binoculars.

"Whoa... What the heck is that thing?! ... And who the heck is she?" Lance asks, looking at women through the binoculars.

"Lance!" Y/N smacks his head.

"Ow! Right, Right, alien ship. Man we will never get past those guards to get a look" Pidge continues to type on her computer.

"Aw, man. Yeah, yeah, I guess there's nothing to do but head back to the barracks, right?" Hunk says.

"Wait for Pidge, there is a camera in there, try and hack into it," Y/N said and pointed at the screen. Pidge hacks into it.

"I've grabbed its feed, Look" They all looked at the screen.  Inside, a man is strapped to a table as Garrison technicians examine him.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"Calm down, Shiro. We just need to run some tests" Iverson says, trying to settle Shiro. Y/N chokes on her breath.

"You have to listen to me! They destroyed worlds!" Shiro grunts "Aliens are coming!"

"That's! Shiro The pilot from the Kerberos Mission, That guy's my hero!" Lance shouts with excitement. 

"Guess he's not dead in space after all" Hunk says.

"Where's the rest of the crew?" Pidge asks, saddened. Y/N put her hand on her shoulder, smiling softly. 

"I'm sure they're fine, I mean if Shiro's still alive, I'm sure the rest are" She reassures. 

 "Do you know how long you were gone?" Iverson asks, walking over to Shiro? 

"I don't know, Months? Years? Look there's no time. Aliens are coming here for a weapon. They're probably on their way right now. We need to get Voltron!" Shiro struggles, trying to get out of the bounds holding him down. 

"Voltron!" Pidge and Y/N say in unison.

"Sir, look at this. It appears that his arm has been replaced with a cyborg prosthetic" A technician asks, looking at Shiro's arm.

"Put him under, until we figure out what it can do," Iverson said and a technician came over with a syringe. 

"No, no, no don't put me under, There's no time, Let me go!" Shiro is one again trying to get out of the bounds.

"They didn't ask about the other crew members"

"What are they doing? The guy's a legend. They're now even going to listen to him" Lance said. 

"We have to get him out," Y/N says.

"Ah, I hate to be the voice of reason here, always, but weren't we watching on TV, because there was no way getting past the guards" Hunk says, standing up.

"That was before we were properly motivated. We have just got to think. Could we tunnel in" Lance says, standing up. Y/N snorts, standing up alongside him.

"What so funny," Lance asked. 

"Really? Tunnel in, Tunnel in!!" Y/N laughs

"Well at least I have a plan, where's yours," Lance said with a smirk.

"We find some hazmat suits and sneak in like med techs" Y/N smirks back. Lance thought for a while.

 "That's a pretty good idea"

"Or... we could dress up like cooks, sneak into the commissary... little late-night snack" Hunk drools.

"...No. What we need is a distraction" As if on cue, an explosion burst in the distance and the four cadets scream.

"Is that the aliens?! Are—Tha—The—Is that the aliens?! Are they here?! They got here so quick!" 

"No. Those explosions were a distraction, for him!" Pidge points to a figure arriving by hovercraft "The Garrison's headed towards the blast, and he's sneaking in from the other side!" Lance views the new arrival through binoculars.

"No way...!  Oh, he is not going to beat us in there! That guy is always trying to one-up me!"

"Who is it?" Hunk asks.

"Keith!" 

"Come on, Lance. Don't start"

"Who?" Pidge asks.

"Are you sure?" Hunk asks.

"Oh, I'd recognize that mullet anywhere!"

"Lance, come on, man! Keith hasn't done anything"

"Who's Keith?!" Pidge asks. The four-run towards the quarantines crash site. Inside, the technicians examine Shiro, who's been put under.

"These readings are off the chart," The technician says. Keith enters.

"Hey!" Iverson shouts. Keith attacks and knocks out all three technicians, then runs to Shiro, surprised to find him. 

"Shiro...?" Keith cuts Shiro free from his bonds and tries to carry him out. Lance, Hunk, Y/N and Pidge arrive.

"Nope. No, you—No, no, no, no, no, no, no you don't. I'm saving Shiro" Lance lifts Shiro over his shoulder.

"Lance, let's just get him out of here" Y/N looks to Keith "Hey Keith" 

"Hey Y/N, long time no see" Y/N nods "So, who's this?" Keith asks, looking to Lance.

"Who am I? Uh, the name's Lance" Keith silently looks at Lance without recognition "...We were at the same class at the Garrison?"

"Really? Are you an engineer?"

"No, I'm a pilot. We were, like, rivals. You know, Lance and Keith, neck-and-neck" Y/N snorts.

"Oh wait, I remember you. You're a cargo pilot"

"Well, not anymore. I'm fighter class now thanks to you washing out" Lance says, proud.

"Lance!" Keith looks to Y/N in confusion "I refused to take your place, that was yours. I couldn't take it" Keith nods, before looking to Lance.

"Well, congratulations" 

==

Lance and Keith carry Shiro out together. Keith hops onto his hoverbike, along with Lance and Shiro. Keith holds out his hand for Y/N.

"Hop on," He says. Y/N smirks, reaching for his hand before pulling his close.

"You may be a gentlemen and I may be a girl, but this girl beat your ass in training" She whispers into his ear before jumping onto the bike behind him, Keith staring at his hand stunned - and slightly blushing. Hunk spots the Garrison returning.

"Oh, man, they're coming back and they do not look happy. We gotta go. Uh, do you mind if we catch a ride with you?" Hunk asks. Everyone climbs aboard Keith's hovercraft and it tips over.

"Is this thing going to be big enough for all of us?" Pidge asks.

"No" Keith replies bluntly. Keith has to take off as the Garrison arrives to pursue them. Pidge has to hold on to Shiro.

"Why am I holding this guy?"

"Hey, we did all fit!"

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Lance asks, looking back at the vehicles following.

"We could toss out some non-essential weight" Keith says sarcastically. Y/N shakes her head, nudging Keith's hip with her knee.

"Oh, right!" He glances around, clearly not getting Keith's sarcasm "OK, so that was an insult. I get it" 

"Big man, lean left!" Keith shouted. Hunk leaned left. 

"Whoa!" They all shouted. Two of the cars smashes into each other.

"Aww, man. Mr Harris just wiped out Professor Montgomery. No, wait he's fine" Hunk sighed in relief. They were on one of the roads and next to us was a big ditch 

"Big man, lean Right!" Keith shouted. Hunk leaned right, they managed to get over to the big ditch and land on another road. Two of the cars are still chasing them. They were still all screaming, and they went around a corner. One of the cars crashed, but one is still following. 

"Guys? Is the-the-the-the-that—Is that a cliff up ahead?" Hunk stammers. 

"Oh, no, no, no" Lance shouted. 

"Yup," Keith smirked. 

"Just like old times" Y/N smiles, wrapping her arms around Keith. Keith increases speed, everyone was screaming, apart from Y/N, Keith and Shiro. The hovercraft jumps off the cliff.

 "What are you doing? You're trying to kill us all!" Lance shouts

"Shut up and trust him" She shouts back. Keith safely avoids crashing and continues flying into the desert, escaping the Garrison.

==

Shiro and Y/N stand outside a desert shack at sunrise, the two hugging each other.  

"It's good to see you again, Shiro," Y/N says, smiling. They pull away as Keith approaches.

"It's good to have you back," Keith says, placing his hand on Shiro's shoulder.

"It's good to be back" Shiro replies.

"So what happened out there? Where...were you?" Y/N ask. 

"I wish I could tell you. My head's still pretty scrambled. I was on an... alien ship but... somehow I escaped. It's all a blur. How did you know to come to save me when I crashed?"

"You should come to see this" Shiro and Y/N follow Keith into the shack. Inside, Keith shows Shiro, Y/N, Lance, Hunk and Pidge his board of maps, diagrams and notes.

"What have you been working on?" Shiro muttered.

"I can't explain it. After getting booted from the Garrison, I was kinda... lost and... felt drawn out to this place. It's like something... some energy was telling me to search." Keith explains.

"For what," Shiro asks. Y/N stands close to Shiro, his arm around her shoulders, her own crossed in front of her.

"Well, I didn't know at the time... until I stumbled across this area." Keith pointed at a map  "It's an outcropping of giant caves covered in these ancient markings" We looked at the pictures of the markings "Each tells a slightly different story about a blue lion, but they all share clues leading to some event, some arrival happened last night. Then you showed up" Keith explained more. Shiro took his arm from around Y/N's shoulders and walked over to the others. 

"I should thank you for getting me out. Lance, Right?" Shiro says. He offers Lance his prosthetic hand. Lance hesitates but shakes it. Shiro offers to shake Pidge and Hunk's hand, Pidge being the only one who does.

"This nervous guy's Hunk. I'm Pidge. so, did anyone else from your crew make it out?" Pidge asks, which makes Shiro's face saddens

 "I'm not sure. I remember the mission and being captured. After that, it's just bits and pieces" Shiro goes back over to Y/N, placing his arm back over her shoulders as she leans into his side. Lance zones out from the conversation, looking at the two confused.

"Are they TOGETHER! No, Lance, No! Shut up! He's way, way older than her. They're probably just really, really close" Lance thinks "I'll ask Y/N later" 

"You'll ask me what late?" Y/N asks, Lance looks to see Y/N standing in front of him. 

"Uhm, I- I was just wondering if- Uh"

"Come on Lance, spit it out" Lance sighs.

"Uhm.. a-are you and Shiro... Uh... together?" Y/N eyes widen before bursting out in laughter "What's so funny?"

"You thought me and Shiro were dating?" Y/N says, whole trying to catch her breath.

"It was just a question" Y/N continues to laugh, gaining everyone's attention.

"What happened?" Hunk asks.

"I just asked her if she and Shiro are dating" Pidge starts to laugh a bit. Shiro and Keith chuckle.

"What!? Why's that so funny" Lance asks, getting slightly annoyed.

"Okay, okay," Y/N says, trying to catch her breath "I'll tell you" She clears her throat "Shiro, is my brother" There was a long, awkward silence.

"WHAAAATTT!!!!????" Hunk and Lance asks in unison

[jazznoisehere]

Abdullah Ibrahim: 3 (Gearbox Records, 2024)

Graphic design by Alan Foulkes.

[frangipanilove]

Got some grit in the gearbox, Daryl?

Kudos to Sylvie for cutting through the crap and getting straight to the important stuff:

Back in TWD 6x14 Twice As Far, we were all baffled to learn that Daryl, our favorite southern redneck, for some inexplicable reason didn’t know how to drive a manual car. Yeah. Super weird.

In fact, it was so utterly incomprehensible, that the only possible logic behind including that bizarre scene in the episode would be for symbolism purposes.

Because in fact, in TWDDD 1x6 Coming Home, Daryl's response to Sylvie’s question “have you ever been in love”….

...was to change gears. Very demonstratively.

So clearly the man knows how to do it. Why did tptb so badly need us to know that Daryl didn’t know how to drive a manual car back in 6x14 Twice As Far?

This was Denise’s death episode, and she spent a considerable amount of her last minutes on the show explaining to Daryl how to change gears. It all seemed a bit odd. Why?

I’ve answered that question already. They did it for symbolism reasons.

When Denise joined the show in season six, TD immediately recognized her as a Beth proxy. She was also ultimately killed off by taking an arrow through the eye (Sirius symbolism). Daryl was very distraught from her death.

It’s not for nothing that she, the Beth proxy, was the one who (for symbolism reasons) had to teach Daryl Dixon how to change gears properly. Because not only would Daryl on a normal day obviously be perfectly able to drive stick (he literally built a motorcycle from spare parts! Come on! The man clearly knows his way around gears), he was also the one who fixed the music box back in 5x11 Them (yes the one that totally symbolizes Beth).

His diagnosis? Grit in the gearbox.

(I wish I could remember who first made me aware of the link between Daryl’s inability to properly change gears and the grit in the gearbox. It was likely @wdway or @angelthefirst1, as they’re both experts on catching parallels like these)

I want to take some time here to remind everyone about the meaning of the numbers 11, or “one one”. I’ve written extensively about it, both in the past and more recently. 5x11 “Them” was the eleventh episode of season 5. Remember this post about the connection between the words “record” and “heart”? A music box is part of the “recording studio” symbolism. A record player is a music box, illustrated below by the record player Daryl got for Judith in season 11, a record player in a box, a literal music box. The music box from “Them” is part of the “one one recording studio” symbolism I’ve talked about so much recently.

And the music box that symbolized Beth had “some grit in the gearbox” according to Daryl.

Let’s move on to the clock for a minute. After escaping from Madame Genet’s Maison Mere, they find a police car (Police = blue). Before they start driving, Laurent gives Daryl the clock, and Daryl attaches it to the rear view mirror. Remember there are strong navigational themes around the clock.

Remember Morgan’s rabbit’s foot from 5x8 Coda? It was literally one of the first things we saw on the show after Beth had "died".

We later learned in a flashback (in 6x4 Here’s Not Here) that it originally belonged to Eastman, who in turn had gotten it from his daughter. He told the story of how it gave him hope and a will to survive, it was truly a good luck charm.

We also saw in in 5x16 Conquer, hanging from the rear view mirror of a car, much like we saw Laurent's clock hanging from the rear view mirror in 1x6 “Coming Home”.

I talked about the symbolism around the rabbit's foot and rear view mirrors in my Sirius/North Star master post. Back then I interpreted it as something that was about "looking back", like "back in time", plus the obvious "back" = "coming back" = "return". In fact, we also saw a walker that appeared to have her head twisted around so that she was facing backwards, something which in my opinion further indicated a theme of "looking back". Again, this was directly after Beth had "died", and symbolically speaking, looking back would mean looking back at Beth's "death". Like, "Reverse! Everything is not quite what it seems".

The link between Sylvie's question about Daryl's love life, the clock and the music box from 5x11 Them is the grit in the gearbox. The gears. Immediately after Sylvie has asked her question, and Daryl has successfully changed gears, the car starts malfunctioning. Could it be grit in the gearbox perhaps?

The music box had grit in the gearbox, but he fixed it...

[theviolenttomboy]

Found this interesting segment off of an Anime News Network post about Nintendo:

This past week, there was a lot of news about Nintendo and their corporate policies; their new employee rate is clocked in at an astounding 98.8%, which isn't just high for the industry. That's an unprecedented high for Japan in general. There was also the development that the upcoming Super Mario Wonder wasn't developed with a deadline in mind—developers were allowed to iterate on ideas and metaphorically throw stuff at the walls to see what stuck. The result is, well, Super Mario Wonder. And let's not forget, this year's The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was also delayed by a whole year in the name of polishing the base game—the result is absolute programming witchcraft, courtesy of how well the ridiculously-intricate Fuse mechanic works on a Nintendo Switch (while "bigger" open-world games can't even keep their physics in line). Also worth pointing out is that Nintendo was willing to start from scratch with Metroid Prime 4 because they didn't like how the game was coming along in development. Nintendo is the result of a studio actually giving a rip about what they put out and making sure the people they hire are well-cared-for while they do it, not just in the office but also in their personal lives—while Japan doesn't formally recognize same-sex marriage, Nintendo extends the same benefits to developers in same-sex partnerships as they do to heterosexual ones. (For the record, Nintendo isn't perfect, and I look forward to Nintendo of America cleaning up their act with regards to their contractors.) Smarter people than myself have also pointed out that, unlike many American studios, Nintendo rarely—if ever—sees the kinds of mass layoffs that the likes of Activision-Blizzard see. The people working on Super Mario Wonder likely include many veteran staff who have worked at Nintendo long enough to get a grip on how a Mario game should "feel," and in turn are allowed to offer advice to younger, newer developers who know they don't have to worry about their job security. Compare this to the likes of EA, who so callously lay off key staff, including some of their most celebrated writers. While the peanut gallery explains how "underpowered" the Switch is, Nintendo has quietly written the book on sustainable production. (It's a real shame that there isn't much they can do about GAME FREAK.) I've seen some folks claim that Nintendo can only do all of these because of how much money they have. And this is valid... to a point. I can see Supergiant Games (creators of Hades and Bastion), Coldwood Interactive (creators of Unravel) or rose-engine games (creators of Signalis) not being able to just dump a ton of work to start all over again on a current project, or just delay a game for an entire year because they wanted to make sure all their "T"s were crossed. But if we're talking the usual American stand-bys—Gearbox Studios, BioWare, NetherRealm Studio, Infinity Ward—then you can miss me with that load of bullcrap. As always, the late Satoru Iwata taking a 50% pay cut during Nintendo's lean years is a big, fat black eye to the rest of the gaming industry that loves to report their record-breaking profits before dropping the axe on whole chunks of their workforce. And it's a tremendous indictment to the likes of Bobby Kotick and other overpaid executives who sit atop these gaming studios.

[auto-stuff]

1937 Gnome-Rhône AX II | France 🇫🇷

The Gnome-Rhône AX II, which was produced in France, was the direct descendant of the X model manufactured in 1935. The X model was one of the most powerful pre-war European "boxers," capable of reaching a maximum speed of up to 150 km/h and setting 108 speed and endurance records.

In 1936, Societe des Moteurs Gnome introduced the AX II, which was produced in large quantities until the end of World War II, not only by Societe des Moteurs Gnome but also by the motorcycle company Terrot in Dijon. The Gnome-Rhône AX II was utilized by armies on both sides of the front line during the war.

The AX II model features an 804cc opposed SV engine with a rating of 18.5 hp at 4000 rpm. The motorcycle's frame is stamped, and it has a 4-speed gearbox with an optional reverse gear. The first 20 to 80 models had a five-speed gearbox with a reverse gear.

Overall, the Gnome-Rhône AX II is a significant model in the history of French motorcycles, and its power, endurance, and versatility made it a popular choice among armies during World War II. Its continued production throughout the war is a testament to its reliability and durability.

Source

[diabolus1exmachina]

N.S.U Sport Prinz

The Sport Prinz utilises the rigidly braced platform chassis of the Prinz, to which is welded the all-steel body designed by Bertone, the Italian stylist, and built by N.S.U. The body is a two-door coupe of typical Italian design, resembling the Alfa-Romeo Giulietta coupes. The two trailing doors are large but entry is difficult because of the rake of the steering column and the intrusion of the wheel arches into the foot space. The pedals are considerably offset to the left and there is no room to rest the clutch foot. The steering wheel is also considerably angled so that the right-hand side is nearer the dashboard, causing the new driver some initial apprehension as to whether his left arm has begun to wither ! The Sport Prinz makes no bones about being a two-seater as the two bucket seats are large and comfortable with padded rolls, while the squabs are adjustable for rake. Behind the seats is a large shelf which could accommodate a good deal of luggage or two children if they did not object to the lack of padding. Additional luggage space is available under the bonnet, but with a 5.7-gallon petrol tank and a spare wheel already in occupation a medium-sized suitcase would strain the capacity.

Instrumentation is similar to that of the saloons, the sole instrument being the large Vdo speedometer, curiously marked with coloured segments denoting maximum speeds in the gears: These are placed at 12 m.p.h. for first gear, 25 m.p.h. for second, and 40 m.p.h. for third. Incorporated in the speedometer is a mileage indicator which is well illuminated at night (something appreciated by rally drivers and not often found in British cars); although no tenths recorder is fitted. The rest of the instrumentation is taken care of by five coloured lights, these indicating high beam, dynamo warning, oil pressure, fuel level and direction flashers. The lighting system is just about perfect, a switch on the facia being turned to left or right to bring on the off-side front and rear lamps for parking, depending on which side of the road one parks, while the same switch is pulled for side-lights and dipped headlamps. A stalk protruding from the right of the steering column switches the lights to main beam if it is lifted, while depressing the lever flashes the main beam even when the remainder of the lighting system is out of operation. Pulling the same lever in the horizontal plane sounds the effective horn. A similarly placed lever on the left of the column operates the non-self-cancelling direction indicators. The remainder of the switches include a rather small windscreen-wiper switch, a windscreen washers plunger and a socket for an inspection lamp.

The engine is started by twisting the ignition key, while use of the T-shaped choke lever, placed just in front of the gear-lever, is almost always necessary. The engine bursts into rather noisy life and idles unevenly but once under way the engine smooths out, although the noise is still very reminiscent of a two-stroke engine. The gearbox operates in the rather disconnected way of so many rear-engined cars, and the synchromesh tends to obstruct gear selection, especially in first gear. To obtain good downward gear changes it is advisable to double-declutch, a manoeuvre which is aided by reasonably sensibly placed pedals. With 36 b.h.p. to move just over 10 cwt. along, the acceleration is more than brisk and the Sport Prinz will certainly never get in the way of other traffic. Normal cruising speed is an indicated 60 m.p.h., while the needle will swing round to 80 m.p.h. on a slight downgrade, and a more fully run-in car would probably reach the claimed 85 m.p.h. top speed. Remember, this car has a capacity of 583 c.c. !

[yourlocaldilemma]

My Monza 2023 reflection

- Max breaks Sebs record with 10 consecutive wins (Pretty sure we’ve all memorized the whole ass Dutch national anthem by now)

- Alex 6th, he continues to single handedly revive the Williams name that now has now a total of 21 points (they’re all his points too) godly shit happening there

- Oscar lost out on points after have a little inchident for the 3rd race in a row (not with the Ferraris this time though) but my little Australian baby had the fastest lap 😊

- Lewis was handed 5 seconds for the collision, ^^, but still finished 6th

- 3/4 for Ferrari! Birthday podium and DOTD for Carlos! (No one understands their strategy or the walking mess of a fucking rollercoaster that is the car, but we’ll take the win)

- 8th for Lando hey god it’s me another podium next time please?

- 2 DNF’s, Yuki didn’t make it through the formation lap with problems in gearbox and/engine, and Ocon, still no clue wtf happened there

- Checco was having some trouble staying in track limits but finished second. (Calm tf down sweetie)

Thanks for listening to my Ted talk

[carzone1]

The Ultimate Guide to Classic Land Rover Defenders for Sale: What to Look For

If you're a fan of rugged, off-road vehicles, the classic Land Rover Defender is likely at the top of your list. Renowned for its durability and iconic design, the Defender has captured the hearts of enthusiasts worldwide. Whether you're in the market for a classic Land Rover Defender as a collector's item or an off-road adventure vehicle, this guide will help you navigate the process of buying one. Here’s what you need to know to ensure you find the best classic Defender for sale.

Understanding the Classic Land Rover Defender

Before diving into the specifics of what to look for, it’s essential to understand the classic Land Rover Defender’s legacy. Produced between 1983 and 2016, the Defender is celebrated for its robust construction and versatility. The classic models, especially those from the 1980s and 1990s, are highly sought after due to their vintage charm and less complex technology compared to modern vehicles.

1. Check the Vehicle’s History

One of the first things to do when considering a classic Land Rover Defender is to check its history. Request a comprehensive service history report to ensure the vehicle has been well-maintained. Look for any records of significant repairs or restorations, as these can impact the vehicle's value and reliability. If possible, obtain a Carfax or similar report to verify mileage and ownership history.

2. Inspect the Bodywork and Chassis

The Defender’s body and chassis are critical to its durability and performance. Classic Land Rover Defenders are prone to rust, especially in areas like the bulkhead, chassis rails, and wheel arches. Examine the vehicle thoroughly for any signs of corrosion or repair. Pay close attention to the condition of the frame; a rusted or damaged chassis can be expensive to repair and affect the vehicle’s overall safety.

3. Evaluate the Engine and Transmission

The engine is the heart of any vehicle, and classic Land Rover Defenders are no exception. Most classic models come with a 2.5-liter diesel engine, though variations exist. Start by assessing the engine’s performance—listen for unusual noises and check for leaks or smoke. Ensure the engine runs smoothly and responds well to acceleration.

The transmission should also be in good working condition. Test the gear changes to ensure they are smooth and free from grinding. Manual transmissions are standard in classic Defenders, so make sure the clutch operates correctly and the gearbox is responsive.

4. Examine the Interior Condition

The interior of a classic Land Rover Defender should reflect its overall care. Inspect the seats, dashboard, and controls for signs of wear and tear. Look for any modifications or aftermarket parts that may affect the vehicle’s originality and value. A well-preserved interior not only enhances comfort but also maintains the vehicle’s classic appeal.

5. Check for Authenticity and Modifications

Authenticity is crucial for classic Land Rover Defenders. Ensure that the vehicle retains its original parts and configurations, as significant modifications can impact its value. While some modifications, such as upgraded suspension or modern electronics, can enhance performance, they should be documented and preferably reversible. If the Defender has been extensively modified, ensure these changes align with your needs and preferences.

6. Review the Vehicle’s Documentation

Documentation is key when buying classic Land Rover Defenders for sale. Verify that the vehicle has a clean title and that all paperwork is in order. This includes registration, insurance, and any historical documentation of past ownership or significant work done. A well-documented vehicle provides peace of mind and facilitates a smoother transaction.

7. Assess the Price and Market Trends

Pricing for classic Land Rover Defenders can vary widely based on factors such as model year, condition, and rarity. Research current market trends to ensure you are paying a fair price. Compare prices of similar models and consider factors like mileage, condition, and originality. Keep in mind that while some Defenders may come with a premium price tag, their value often appreciates over time.

8. Consider a Professional Inspection

Given the complexity and potential hidden issues with classic vehicles, it’s wise to invest in a professional inspection. A qualified mechanic or classic car specialist can provide a detailed assessment of the Defender’s condition, identifying any issues that may not be immediately visible. This step can save you from costly repairs and provide additional negotiation leverage.

9. Test Drive the Vehicle

A test drive is essential to understanding how a classic Land Rover Defender performs on the road. Pay attention to the vehicle’s handling, braking, and overall driving experience. Test it under various conditions to gauge its reliability and ensure it meets your expectations. A well-performing Defender should offer a smooth and responsive drive.

10. Join Land Rover Enthusiast Communities

Connecting with Land Rover enthusiast communities can provide valuable insights and recommendations. Online forums, social media groups, and local clubs can offer advice on reputable sellers and help you find well-maintained classic Defenders. Engaging with fellow enthusiasts can also offer support and enhance your buying experience.

Conclusion: Buying classic Land Rover Defenders for sale is an exciting journey that requires careful consideration and due diligence. By following these guidelines, you can ensure you find a well-maintained, authentic, and reliable Defender that suits your needs. Whether you’re drawn to its rugged charm or its off-road capabilities, a classic Land Rover Defender is a timeless investment that can provide years of driving pleasure. Happy hunting!

Also Read = Top 10 Custom Land Rover Defender Modifications: Enhancing Your Off-Road Experience

[charango69]

**Disclaimer:** The following story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The characters portrayed in this story may have been misrepresented or altered to fit the narrative and should not be taken as an accurate depiction of real individuals. This work is purely for entertainment purposes and does not intend to harm or defame any person or group. Reader discretion is advised.

The Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore was buzzing with anticipation. The night race under the dazzling city lights was always a spectacle, and the drivers were ready to push their limits. One driver, Sergio Perez, had been looking forward to this weekend, but fate had other plans.

**Pit Wall Radio:** "Checo, you've run wide in sector three. How's the car? Can you confirm damage?"

**Sergio Perez:** *breathing heavily* "Yes, I've hit the barriers. Rear left feels off, and I think the gearbox is done. Bringing it back to the pits."

The tension was palpable as Perez maneuvered his car back to the pit lane. The team swarmed around the car, assessing the damage. Team Principal Christian Horner looked on, concern etched across his face.



**Christian Horner:** "What's the status, guys?"

**Lead Mechanic:** "Rear left suspension is damaged, and the gearbox took a significant hit. We're going to need a gearbox change."

Christian Horner nodded, his face set in a grim expression. A gearbox change would trigger a five-place grid penalty, a heavy blow for Perez, especially given his recent form and his strong record at Singapore.

**Christian Horner:** "Alright, let's get to work. We need to have the car ready for qualifying."

The mechanics sprang into action, working with precision and speed. Perez climbed out of the car, pulling off his helmet and running a hand through his hair, visibly frustrated.

**Sergio Perez:** "Damn it, I can't believe this happened now. We were looking so good."

**Christian Horner:** *placing a reassuring hand on Perez's shoulder* "I know, Checo. It's a tough break, but we'll handle it. You've been in great form, and we can still salvage a good result. Focus on qualifying, and we'll take it from

As the mechanics continued their work, Perez took a seat in the garage, watching the activity around his car. He knew that starting five places down from wherever he qualified would make the race an uphill battle, but he had faced adversity before and come out stronger.

**Max Verstappen:** *walking over to Perez* "Tough luck, mate. But if anyone can make up those places, it's you."

**Sergio Perez:** *smiling faintly* "Thanks, Max. Just need to keep my head down and push." **Narrator:**

The hours passed quickly, and soon it was time for qualifying. Sergio Perez sat in his car, helmet on, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He knew that every lap mattered, especially with the impending grid penalty.  The session was grueling. Perez pushed his car to the limit, but the frustration was evident. He managed to qualify in P8, which meant he would start the race from P13 after the penalty. The weight of disappointment hung heavily on his shoulders as he walked back to the team garage.

Sergio Perez:** *muttering to himself* "P13... This is going to be a nightmare. I can't believe it."

As Perez walked through the paddock, he took a detour to clear his mind. In a quiet corner, he noticed a small statue partially hidden behind a stack of tires. It was a peculiar object, resembling a demon with an unsettling grin. Intrigued, he reached out and picked it up.

**Sergio Perez:** *examining the statue* "What on earth is this? Looks ancient.

Just as he turned the statue in his hands, a sudden gust of wind howled through the paddock, sending a shiver down his spine. The wind seemed to whisper his name.

**Ethereal Voice:** "Checo... Checooo..." **

Perez spun around, eyes scanning the dimly lit area. There was no one in sight. His heart pounded as he took a step forward, still clutching the statue. Suddenly, a dense cloud of black smoke swirled before him, coalescing into a towering figure with malevolent eyes and an aura of dark power. Perez's grip on the statue tightened as the figure spoke, its voice deep and resonant.

**Pazuzu:** "I am Pazuzu, Checo. I bring you great power, but you must allow me inside to make you a great champion."



Perez's heart raced, his mind struggling to process what was happening. The figure before him was both terrifying and mesmerizing, its presence commanding his attention.

**Sergio Perez:** *voice trembling* "What do you mean, 'allow you inside'?"

**Pazuzu:** "I can grant you the strength, skill, and fortune needed to dominate the track. But you must accept me into your soul. Only then can you achieve the greatness you seek."

Perez hesitated, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. He had always prided himself on his hard work and determination, but the lure of instant greatness was tempting. The memory of his frustrating qualifying session flashed through his mind, amplifying his desire for redemption.

**Sergio Perez:** *nervously* "And what will happen to me if I accept? What will you do?"

**Pazuzu:** "I will amplify your abilities, sharpen your instincts, and guide your path to victory. But you must trust me completely, Checo. There is always a price for power, but the rewards will far outweigh the costs."

The words echoed in Perez's mind. He could almost feel the power radiating from Pazuzu, promising success and glory. But a part of him remained wary, questioning the true cost of such a bargain.

**Sergio Perez:** *taking a deep breath* "If I accept, will I still be myself? Will I have control?"

**Pazuzu:** *smirking* "You will be more than yourself, Checo. You will be enhanced, a force to be reckoned with. Control will be yours, guided by my wisdom and power."

Perez looked down at the statue in his hand, feeling its cold, ancient surface. The temptation was immense. He had worked tirelessly his entire career, and now, here was an opportunity to elevate himself to an entirely new level.

**Sergio Perez:** *voice firming* "Alright, Pazuzu. I accept. Make me the champion I know I can be."

As soon as the words left his lips, the black smoke surged forward, enveloping him in a swirling vortex. Perez felt an intense heat and energy coursing through his body, like a thousand lightning strikes iigniting every nerve. His vision blurred, and he could hear the deep, resonant laughter of Pazuzu echoing in his mind.

**Pazuzu:** "Welcome to greatness, Checo."

Perez's senses sharpened almost instantly. Colors seemed more vivid, sounds clearer, and he felt a newfound strength in his muscles. It was as if he had been reborn, every fiber of his being enhanced by the dark entity now within him.

**Sergio Perez:** *breathing heavily* "What... what is this power?"

**Pazuzu:** "It is the beginning of your transformation. Use it wisely, and you will achieve the glory you desire."

The chapter ends with the song "Tu y Yo Somos Uno Mismo By Timbiriche" which symbolizes the union between Checo and the evil Pazuzu.

To be continued.....

[seriously-mike]

Elephant on the Road

or, How I Had To Re-Learn How To Drive After Two Decades

As you know, my father died over a year ago, leaving not only his apartment with a fully-stocked fridge, but also his car - a 2000 Nissan Patrol, at that point disassembled and split between a mechanic and a body shop, with the extensive repairs paid only halfway. A year later, it was finally put back together, with 3/4s of the drivetrain replaced, the frame rust-proofed and a new coat of Raptor finish in graphite color. Then, it stood at the local parking lot for five goddamn months before I got the courage to get behind the wheel and drive it.

So holy shit, there I was, trying to wriggle a two-ton War Elephant out of its parking space, some guy's shiny new Mercedes to the left, three trucks behind me and zero knowledge how the whole thing behaves - acceleration, braking, turn radius, I knew fuck-all about that. But, with some slight fettling, I got out of the parking space, out of the parking lot's gate and OHMOTHERFUCKERITURNEDTOOHARD. Literally, I turned the steering wheel too hard, jumped the curb, ran over the remnants of a decorative fence all of four inches tall and swung the car back onto the road in the initial stages of a heart attack.

Fuck. And I mean, FFFFFFFUCK. Turned out that the two-ton War Elephant has really nice power steering for a beast slightly more than half my age and I need to turn gently. So, down the street I go, letting the pedestrians cross the road as they have the right of way on crossings without traffic lights, the brakes aren't that bad either, the soundtrack from Brutal Legend is blasting from the radio because my dad bought one with an USB port long ago and then asked me to make a thumb drive with his favorite songs on it (which I, sadly, failed to do), I'm GOING. Baby, am I going. But then, I have to turn into the large avenue and I'm all kinds of afraid what's gonna happen then.

So, apparently, the first rule of the road is "act like everyone else, and nobody will suspect you don't have a driver's license" (I actually do, for the record, I just didn't have a car for the last two decades and the last one I had to drive was a rusted-out fifth-gen Nissan Sunny with a busted manual gearbox that had issues with switching gears). So I'm rolling down the avenue, regulation 50 per (km/h, mind you), and I haven't even killed anyone yet. I'm even using turn signals, correctly, because the War Elephant has an American dashboard with two separate turn indicator lights so I know whether I'm flashing left or right. So, off to the right lane and I tuuuurn right into another avenue.

Much to my joy, I see a "Speed Limit: 80" sign on the overpass (this one is a part of the large transit road through the town), so I floor it. I floor it so eagerly to keep on the tail of the guy before me that I go all the way to 100 per before noticing and gently slow down back to 80 before hitting the tunnel.

I fucking knew I forgot something, and that something were the headlights. Halfway into the tunnel, I turn the headlight knob, swearing and hoping that no undercover cop car saw me. Okay, now we're driving 100% legit, only one car honked at me, no hits, no scrapes, I stay in my line like a motherfucking tram. Off a roundabout that isn't a fucking roundabout (who even named it like that?!), down another street and after some more uneventful ride I arrive at my dad's former apartment to pick up some junk from the basement. Hell, even parallel parking was easy because someone was nice enough to leave a car and a half's worth of space between the two already there.

I forgot to turn off the lights, as you can see in the photo, because I'm a derp and I haven't figured out what the incessant pinging after turning the engine off meant. So I take the photo, notice the lights on, open the car again, turn the lights off and head to the basement to pick up the junk.

Coming back was a bit more difficult, mostly due to me being unable to tell which of the three turns left was the correct one (note to self, it's the third one, the largest), but it resulted in an "always wanted to say that" moment when some absolute fuckwad decided to cut from the right lane all the way to the left and up the overpass, prompting me to go "Turning left from the right lane, you unschooled dickwad?! Last time I've seen idiots like you in Night City!"