#Have you started Acquiring Landed Property?

[nestsandnails-1]

Metroview Garden Estate (Idu Phase 2 ....Discover the epitome of urban living at Metroview Garden, Phase 2 & Extension Strategically located in Idu, this residential enclave offers a selection of prime plots to suit your needs.

• 250sqm- 4M. • 450sqm- 7M

[dailyadventureprompts]

Scragglmop the Destroyer

Once feared throughout the land, a great and terrible dragon grew tired of being endlessly hunted for his hoard and faked his death with the aid of a glory-hungry gnomish bard. Living on for centuries in the guise of a street cat, the dragon is now a hair's breadth from resuming his rampaging ways after the bard's descendants have lost the fortune he gave over to them for safe keeping.

Adventure Hooks:

A series of unexplained fires has wracked the city in recent weeks, which has both the guard and the populace on edge. Rumours swirl blaming arsonists, saboteurs from a rival kingdom, even an illegal duelling society of mages, but none have yet put it together that all of the workshops and businesses were all patronized in one way or another by the famed Candlebright noble family.

Coincidentally, Hignatta Candlebright, young head of that same noble house has sent an invitation to the party to join her at a famed teahouse to discuss a delicate matter involving the retrieval of stolen property. Hignatta has all but taken over the teahouse and its guestrooms since her own family home burned down near the start of the panic, and the party might begin to draw a connection when half way through their meeting the teahouse begins to fill with smoke, panicking patrons, and a booming, sourceless voice that demands "WHERE IS MY GOLD, CANDLEBRIGHT?!"

If you really want to mess with the party, consider introducing them to the fluffy street cat completely independently of the arson plot, making a nuisance of himself in the market while they're trying to shop, or catching mice in their store-room should they have acquired a residence in town. Have them befriend the cat as they might any bad-tempered stray, only to realize after the adventure is half way through that the mice he catches are always somewhat charred. Also imagine the looks on their faces the moment the party's home is broken into by an enemy and their housecat incinnerates a wave of intruders for disturbing his nap.

Background: Everyone knows the story about how the legendary hero Gailen Candlebright saved the realm from the tyrannical dragon Slaggrath, a beast known to devour whole armies and raze kingdoms in search of treasure. It's the ubiquitous tale against which all adventurers are measured against, made all the more ubiquitous thanks to the fact that the deed is memorialized in drinking ballads, children rhymes, and even a few folk operas. Gailen was a troubadour of not insignificant skill before he became a legend, and he had little trouble using that skill and hardwon fame to ensure his deeds would never be forgotten.

As with many tales told by the bards, Gailen left out quite a bit of the truth when concocting his tale: It was a late night in a roadside tavern and the young Candlebright was approached by a sourfaced man with a tangled beard and clothes that might have once been quite fine. Gailen had sung for his supper and then some, his hat was overflowing with tips from a long night's work and a greatful crowd, and the old man wanted to know how it was exactly that the Gnome hadn't yet been robbed; The roads were full of all sorts of rough types who thought that their strength entitled them to others' wealth, bandits yes but worse yet kingsmen, who took what they wanted sure that that they were above any kind punishment.

Seeing that the old man had fallen on rough times, likely having been robbed himself, Gailen spoke from the heart: He'd been robbed a few times yes, but he got by looking like someone that no one would bother to steal from, dressing in his fine clothes only on days he'd perform, and keeping most of his riches in the safe keeping of others, such as the caravan masters he frequently traveled along with.

The old man considered Gailen's words and the two sat up drinking through the night debating the merits of the Troubador's duplicity. Was it not better, asked the old man, to defend what was yours with strength and reputation, That everyone might learn from the failure of those that had trifled with you before?

Gailen looked at the many scars the old man bore and countered that fools never learned their lesson, they just thought themselves better than the last fool who risked it and they'd keep risking it till luck won out or they went to join all the fools that had come before.

It was dawn when the two parted ways, Gailen tottering off to bed thinking he'd given council to a reformed bandit chief, the old man slipping out of the inn and taking to wing thinking he'd concocted a brilliant scheme with the help of his newest, and perhaps first, friend.

i was a week (and one pants-shitting revelation over the old man's true draconic nature) later that the legend of Slaggrath came to an end: Gailen walking into that very same tavern bloodied, burnt, and with the broken off horn of the great wyrm held above his head as a trophy. The news spread like wildfire, the name Candlebright ascended to the shortlist of the realm's great champions, and not a soul questioned when the newly knighted Gailen comissioned the construction of an elaborate series of vaults beneith the castle he'd just been awarded. The bard had everything he wanted, and in return he and his family would hold the dragon's horde in trust, not touching a single copper and adding a little to it each year out of respect for the wyrm's generosity.

Future Adventures:

Even before he charmed his way into unexpected riches, Gailen was an ardent follower of Garl Glittergold, god of ambition, wit, and wariness. Genresavvy bard that he was, he understood that this fabulous windfall wasn't just some gift from his god, it was a test, and that to keep his good fortune going he'd best abide by the exact deal he'd struck in that tavern. Gailen kept Slaggrath's treasure under lock and key all his life and made sure his children did the same despite never telling them where he got it, in accordance with his pact with the dragon . Feeling that the Candlebright family has sat on its laurels for far too long (especially since practical and buisness minded Hignatta has been increasingly questioning why her late grandfather insisted on keeping a giant pile of money in their basement and never spending it), the god has seen fit to shake things up, ensuring that some long lost blueprints for the vault have fallen into the hands of a group of thieves, who broke in and cleared the vault though the very same secret passages Slaggrath used to pop in every decade or so and make sure the count was up to date. The dragon is pissed, convinced Hignatta has reneged on her family's deal.. and all the while the thieves get closer and closer to escaping.

Depending on how the party handles it this situation could break bad in any number of ways: The dragon could give up on being Scragglmop and go on a rampage forcing the party to put him down, they could intercede on Hignatta's behalf and ensure the treasure is returned possibly earning themselves a cushy position as retainers of house Candlebright, perhaps most dangerously they could earn the attention of Garl Glittergold himself and end up being singled out for their own unstable blessing.

In addition to being motivated by the prerequisite desire to get rich, the thieves were hired by an ambitious mage who has long desired to get his hands on Gailen's Horn, the draconic trophy the bard thereafter used as the sigil for his house and hollowed out into a heavy instrument through which he channelled his most showy magic. The mage has designs on the horn as the centrepiece of a ritual drawing on the object's history of power and triumph. Given that the horn is in fact the centrepiece of a giant con it's going to bring some very unaccounted for variables into the mage's ritual which is liable to set off its own chain of problems down the line.

Art

[gotskamstuff]

CHAT PAUSE, I MIGHT BE ONTO SOMETHING (or once again might be clowning)

THE DEATH CURSE IS NOT REAL!!

‼️S4 SPOILERS AHEAD‼️

I’ve spent the last 24 hours stressing over that fact that JJ is part of a family with a death curse on them… BUT THE CURSE PROBABLY DOESN’T EVEN EXIST!!

I apologize in advance ‘cause this is gonna be long, like looooong but follow me.

Wes Genrette (basically JJ’s grandpa) is the one who seemed the most convinced about the curse on his family probably because he never recovered from the sudden and tragic death of his daughter and that’s when he started believing in it, remember how Hollis told Rafe that the land on Goat Island remained untouched for a long time for generations and ALL OF A SUDDEN they now think it’s hunted and wand to get rid of it? There you go! It started with Larissa Genrette’s death.

HOWEVER is it really hunted? Ok Wes Genrette died like he knew he would, BUT he didn’t just drop dead in an unexplainable manner after supposedly seeing the ghost…HE WAS CONFIRMED TO BE MURDERED, STRANGLED BY A REAL PERSON!!

But who did it?

One thing that the forensic doctor also said to Shoupe is that the body found on the beach died in the same way by the same hands, so it means it’s a recurring method used by the killer…and do you remember how Cleo was about to get killed when taken hostage and Pope almost didn’t arrive on time? EXACTLY! PINNED DOWN TO THE FLOOR GETTING STRANGLED!!!

The man that went to the shop to ask “you’re those treasure hunting kids” and tried to kill JJ and Kie underwater and then also took Cleo is the one behind the killings, is he the main villain? Absolutely not! As we’ve seen he’s clearly being used to do the “dirty work” and taking orders, working for the main villain.

And who is the main villain? ALL OF THEM!!

Let me explain better, I think that Dalia (the British lady who’s the killer boss), Chadler Groff (JJ’s biological father) and Hollis Robinson (the real estate developer) are all working together orchestrated by Chandler.

Let’s take it step by step because there’s so much I unpacked (or think I did lol) and I hope I can make it understandable.

One of the major plot twists at the end of part 1 that we are not putting enough attention on is the fact that we see Chandler Groff and Hollis Robinson working together AND ACTUALLY IT IS A BIG REVEAL!!!

It’s big because it explains the whole motive behind the villains goal for this season’s plot.

You remember what business deal Hollis was making with Rafe? What her estate development plan is about? YEAH, GOAT ISLAND!

Chandler Groff and Hollis Robinson (who are also most likely together in a romantic relationship) are after Goat Island and becoming the owners of that land that’s worth a fortune.

The only thing in the way with that? The Genrette’s family!

Goat Island is property of the Genrette’s family and has been for generations and they are the only rightful heir to the mansion and land, Chandler however is only a son in law and a acquired family member by marriage, he is not a descendant of the family and therefore he doesn’t have any claim over the property as long as a member of the Genrette’s family is alive to inherit the island!

This brings us to the fact that Chandler is the one behind both Larissa’s (and also attempted JJ/Jackson) and Wes deaths, why? Because they were all direct heir to Goat Island before him. Now they’re all gone and he’s the only surviving member of the family who can legally claim the land in the eyes of the law. A tale as old as time, family killing family for the inheritance.

This also brings us to why and how JJ ended up with Luke.

I think at this point it’s pretty safe to say that Chandler killed his own wife Larissa and planned to kill their son (JJ) along with her, masking the whole thing as an accidental drowning but of course we know that the kid survived, JJ is right there.

My theory is that Luke Maybank either used to work for the Genrette’s family doing whatever maintenance job on the property (remember how in the first episode Chandler said to the Pogues that many people worked there over the years and never seemed to stick around for long?) or simply he had some sort of rapport with Larissa and therefore Luke is the one who found newborn JJ alive on Goat Island, which clearly wasn’t in Chandler’s plan who wanted him dead along with Larissa.

To get rid of him quickly before Wes Genrette found out that his nephew survived, Chandler probably offered Luke some money and a house on the Cut (or whatever he found convenient) to just take the kid with him and tell everyone it was his, a Maybank.

And the question everyone has been asking themselves since the reveal: why did Luke take this kid if he clearly didn’t want him and abused him for his whole life? My personal theory over this is that 1. As I said he was probably offered something convenient for him and as we know he is an opportunistic asshole 2. Luke actually said something important while revealing the truth to JJ, he said “I did it to help Larissa” which makes me think that perhaps Luke and Larissa actually did have an affair and Luke truly loved her (or at least he felt some sort of affection for her) so when Chandler Groff tried to get rid of his own son, Luke must have clocked that he was the one behind Larissa’s death and tried to do the same with their kid and therefore Luke realized that Chandler would’ve probably still killed JJ if he didn’t take him away, so he did and took Larissa’s son just for her sake and because he loved her…which also explains why in S1 Luke says to JJ something along the lines of “sorry that sometimes I’m like this, it’s just that you remind me of your mother” and gets triggered ‘cause he loved her and she’s dead.

Another important thing that Luke says to JJ in the reveal is “I guess the old man figured it out eventually” referring to Wes and the letter he wrote to JJ before dying, which explains that Wes never had any idea that his nephew was alive up until recently.

This brings us to where we left things off, the Pogues have completely abandoned the necklace part of the treasure ‘cause they are just left at “ok Wes is dead, our deal is done and we got the 5k byeee” and moved on to the blue crown for personal reasons ‘cause it’s worth a fortune…however once they find out about JJ’s affiliation to the Genrette’s family and to the curse, they’re gonna get focused on retrieving the necklace again to break the curse and save JJ.

Chandler is gonna take advantage of that making JJ believe he’s next for the curse and hopefully killing him with this excuse like he did for the other family members, and while the Pogues are distracted with the necklace he will go after the blue crown which technically also is part of JJ’s family fortune since they are related to the captain who killed Blackbeard and took over his ships.

He’ll do that with the help of the mercenaries led by Dalia with whom he probably made a deal and promised part of the treasure, if not the necklace itself which is why the Pogues will struggle to get it back and focus more on fighting with those mercenaries to retrieve it.

Now Chandler still doesn’t know that JJ has discovered that truth and he’s playing nice with the Pogues, he still thinks that JJ will live the rest of his life convinced of being a Maybank, but once JJ confronts him about it the truth then his true colors are gonna show and the Pogues will probably figure it out that this curse doesn’t even exist and it was Chandler all along who played into it and took advantage of this old legend to get away with all his murders of the Genrette’s family.

This also would explain why in the end we see Rafe and the Pogues working together in Morocco, they’re gonna find out that Chandler and Hollis fucked over the both of them together (Hollis is definitely scamming Rafe so they can use the Cameron’s money for the investments) and Rafe is gonna propose to Pogues “hey let’s join forces and go after them”.

I hope I explained what my thoughts are clearly enough, sorry if some part weren’t easy to follow but English isn’t my first language and I try my best, and although I gotta admit I am patting myself on the back a little ‘cause it does make sense, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THOSE ARE JUST MY THEORIES AND SPECULATIONS, IT’S STILL NOTHING CERTAIN SO TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT!!

[rottenpumpkin13]

ASGZC (is there an order it’s supposed to go in??) playing monopoly.

who wins?

who flips the table??

Things That Happen During Monopoly

• Angeal is elected the banker at the start of the game because he's the most responsible. Angeal then proceeds to miscount the money and acquiring an incomprehensible wealth that he refuses to part with.

Angeal: I never miscount money. I'm excellent at math. This distribution is as fair as it could be.

Cloud: I literally only have $1.

Angeal: Your poverty isn't my problem.

• Genesis has rolled "Go to jail" every turn so far and the board is looking very flippable. Sephiroth finds his misery hilarious.

• Sephiroth doesn't believe in paying rent.

Zack: Sephiroth, this isn't fair! You're using my property, you have to pay the fee!

Sephiroth: By charging me money for a place to live, you're perpetuating the cycle of wealth inequality and profiting off of my misfortune. It's a wretched world we live in, where those with wealth continue to accumulate more while the poor struggle to get by on their honest salaries.

Zack: IT'S MONOPOLY MONEY.

• Someone lost the dog token so Angeal spends 10 minutes ranting about how they're all irresponsible, failing to notice that Sephiroth has it on top of his little house.

• Angeal bankrupts Genesis, who spends the next 8 minutes cursing Angeal's bloodline and threatening to sue him IRL.

• Genesis lands in jail again. He is unfortunately broke, so he has to stay in jail.

Genesis: I don't understand! Where are all the get out of jail free cards??

Sephiroth: I wouldn't know.

• Sephiroth is hoarding them all in the pockets of his coat.

• Zack is hoarding houses so no one else can buy them.

• Cloud is watching Angeal actively steal money from the bank, but no one is doing anything because Genesis is looking for the get out of jail cards and Zack and Sephiroth are having a bidding war that's starting to sound more like an argument.

• Genesis sees a get out of jail card fall from Sephiroth's pocket.

• Genesis flips the board.

• Game over.

[y-rhywbeth2]

To-do list for the inheritor of the newly re-established office of High Primate of Bhaal of the City of Baldur's gate, circa 1480-something: politics, re-establishing the faith and getting Bhaal more sorely needed worship. And because there's only so much entertainment you can get being a group of twitchy killers living under the sewers.

Negotiate terms with local government for freedom of religion (presumably a private audience with the Grand Dukes, maybe the Parliament of Peers, maybe both, idk) Negotiations will probably begin with a more diplomatic version of: "I apologise on behalf of my Father for that thing where he manifested an avatar and went on a murderous rampage through the streets just over a century after my siblings almost drowned the world - and this city specifically - in blood. But also, considering the power just illustrated I think it's fair to say that it's in the best interests of a quiet life and an easier clean up that you just give us our temple back and let us worship in exchange for assassination and spying work on your behalf." This being the usual arrangement with evil faiths, it is in fact a winning argument. You don't kill anybody who matters (so criminals, travellers nobody knows, the homeless, etc) and honestly nobody will consider it worth the time and resources to stop you anyway. -

Weaken the political hold of enemy faiths Ilmater, Lathander and Helm have an established presence in the city, and the Ilmatari have done well enough since 14th century to upgrade from a shrine to a temple. All three of those faiths are better established, more influential, and will oppose the growth and activity of a Bhaalist presence, for some strange reason, -

Re-establish ties with traditional allied faiths (such as they are) Bhaal's traditional allies were Loviatar, Talona, Bane, Myrkul, Mask and Hoar. While none of these faiths hold the same level of sway in the city their enemies do, they all have at least one shared enemy. -

Eliminate rival/dissenting thieves and assassin guilds and organisations. Maybe establish some. Don't expect to have the thieves guilds at your beck and call (Mask is their patron god, but Bhaal generally worked with him fine - and you'll be fighting the Sharrans for influence too) but do make a space for yourself in there and ensure they understand that patronage and cooperation is mutually beneficial. Assassins? They're Bhaal's and he and his worshippers are going to expect all killers for hire to be paying their dues to the Lord of Murder or expect a "cease and decease" regarding their attempts to profit off of his domain without paying him back. -

Acquire Temple holdings Most of a temple's wealth and influence is going to come from owning land and properties. All members of the clergy of pretty much all faiths are expected to go out and claim some. Unfortunately being out of the picture for a century+ means the temple has lost a lot of its original holdings, so you might need to start working on taking some from the other temples... -

Network, Infiltrate and Recruit Gods always need more worshippers, and that goes double for gods who've been dead for a long time. Serial killers need the law to play nice. It's time to remind the peasantry to pay their "don't murder me taxes" (known as "tithes" for legal purposes) and find the city's more murderous members - even many who'd proudly call themselves upstanding citizens may just desire the execution of certain criminals the law won't touch or can't catch - and seek sympathetic ears amongst the rich and powerful... and remove and replace those who aren't. There are plenty of people like unscrupulous younger children whose ear you might have if only you helped them remove the pesky barriers standing between them and control, known as their relatives. And then you have blackmail! Things like that. Remember to wash the blood off before attending any fancy wine tasting parties in estates and pavilions in the upper city. You want your faithful in the ranks of the city watch and the Fist sooner rather than later. -

Establish presence in the Undercellar As the local criminal underworld hub where the law dare not tread (unless they're off duty and here for some crime themselves) this is where a lot of your "public" work and contracting is going to be. Remember to buy one of the back rooms for the "private shows". -

Consider a Daytime Identity, if you don't already have one An important part of being a typical Bhaalist is maintaining a separate, normal life outside the temple that allows you your own income and solid alibies... or you could just live in your dad's house, cling to your divine status and refuse to do any of that mortal stuff, I guess. -

Start repairs on the Temple It's been a dusty, out of date ruin for 100+ years. Consider the structural damage. Maybe have the butler do a bit of dusting.

[ban-styles]

💙 GRIZLOCK / FRYNOK 💛

(art by bestosunglass on tumblr+tiktok!!)

HI!!!

so, one of my fav oc x canon ships is with my oc grizznok & frylock!! im so absolutely obsessed w them ahaha lol so I’d like the time to write a short (?) ship analysis! bcus I would like to display their dynamic and a little bit of their backstory.. how they met etc and how they get along :3

LETS BEGIN RAAHHHHH

so!

grizznok heard about frylock through the grapevine from some of his other plutonian friends/acquaintances, as they have a knack for coming down to earth quite often and annoying the aqua teen hunger force lol - and by word, grizznok heard about how frylock was quite an intelligent scientist!

now, grizznok isn’t stupid - he’s quite smart himself (he just has a very silly and joyous personality) as he has his own ship and develops his own plutonian technology which helps him communicate with the different races throughout the galaxy, the only issue is that he wasn’t sure how to acquire a human form. this was something he was searching for a very long time as he wanted to investigate and document the human race without being drawn much attention to himself. hearing that this scientist - who was named frylock - had a lot of experience and was supposedly ‘one of the smartest beings on earth’, grizznok decides to pay him a visit!

landing outside the house of the hunger force (and destroying poor carl’s car in the process, you can’t have an episode where his car is in tact lol) in his spaceship, the group are immediately interested. frylock floats outside and instantly starts to question him. grizznok leaves the ship and introduces himself to frylock, telling him how he wants him to help produce the technology for a human form. frylock is instantly fed up because he knows exactly where grizznok received this misinformation and he isn’t happy about it, but frylock knows that the plutonian isn’t going to leave unless his request is fulfilled. since frylock is so busy, he tells him that his “assistants” will be able to help him out. frylock then turns to explain to shake and meatwad that they should just take grizznok out his sight and maybe take him to the mall for a “makeover” and claim that they’ve given him a human disguise.

obviously, the two are happy to oblige: 1. meatwad is able to get a new friend and have a fun adventure 2. shake is able to lie and transform grizznok into a punk-metal rockstar of sorts, just as he should be in his image. shake and meatwad take grizznok to the mall as shake goes on his whole tangent about how his buddy frylock trusts him with all this human disguise technology because shake is actually the smarter one out of the three. this ‘technology’, however, is a couple hundred piercings, spiked cuffs and black eye makeup. shake explains that grizznok himself isn’t going to be able to see the disguise - but other people will be able to see him as a normal human.

ecstatic, grizznok insists that the two take him back to their home so he can thank frylock for using this very special technology on him, and reassuring him that he will be careful and not hurt this human body.

on the side, frylock has been working on another particle accelerator machine and has also been having to listen to carl all day as he’s lecturing frylock to ‘pay and fix his car’ once more.

the group return home, and grizznok isn’t late to going up to frylock and absolutely showering him in compliments as he’s frantically shaking one of his fries. a little overwhelmed, frylock eventually thanks him sheepishly. grizznok has now gained an admiration for frylock. grizznok returns to his ship and leaves.

shake is holding back his laughter and meatwad is just happy to have gained a new friend. frylock gets mad at shake for gaslighting grizznok into believing he truly has a human form, but calmed down when he’s eventually reassured by shake that they haven’t destroyed any property and that grizznok won’t be in their hair anymore.

‘and how does their relationship develop?’

great question!

upon receiving one of frylock’s ‘pieces of technology’, grizznok is determined to come back down to earth and display his plutonian technology to frylock as any old scientist would wanna hear about space gadgets, right?

so, grizznok (being as annoying as usual), returns to his car-destroying breaking-and-entering antics.. but is is really breaking and entering if they just leave the doors open?- is grizznok’s exact mindset.

frylock, by surprise, is quite intrigued by these gadgets - it’s safe to say this isn’t grizznok’s last trip to their home. it eventually gets to the point where frylock insists that he comes down more often to show him more of this technology, or that he can show grizznok some things he’s working on/has invented. it’s becoming increasingly obvious that frylock is starting to enjoy grizznok’s company and that he’s spending a lot more time with him.

frylock has even offered to grizznok that he’s free to stay the night wherever, but has to sleep on the cushioned chair in front of the TV.. shake isn’t happy with this as he has to sleep in meatwad’s closet when grizznok decides to stay over.

time passes, a lot more interests are shared and a lot more ‘dates’ are went on and frylock decides to ask grizznok to be his boyfriend. grizznok obviously says yes!

‘headcanons?!’

ofc!?! why wouldn’t I stick them here!?

- ever since frylock has recognised his feelings, a lot of his research has actually gone into figuring out how to create a machine that can shapeshift species - so that he can give grizznok what he really wants.. a human form.

- despite the calendar barrier, frylock and grizznok have tried their hardest to celebrate each other’s birthdays.

- frylock has very easily picked up on grizznok’s personality traits, hobbies, habits, and so much more - most of which grizznok hasn’t even recognised in himself.

- with this, frylock has noticed that grizznok is quite the hypersomniac. he isn’t sure if this is a sign of grizznok overworking himself, or if this just comes with his species, but nonetheless he allows grizznok to sleep whenever he does doze off and occasionally carries him to his (frylock’s) bed or back to his sleeping quarters on his ship.

- grizznok occasionally cooks plutonian meals for frylock, even considering the fact that he’s awful at cooking..

- when grizznok got into playing the guitar, frylock taught him how to set up the amps/speakers.

- frylock is grizznok’s no. 1 supporter when it comes to his music! he’s also helped him produce it!

- grizznok likes to brag about frylock to all his space friends, giving a good word about frylock’s invention and to his reputation overall.

- grizznok gets into the things frylock likes in secret so he has an understanding on what he’s talking about, because he knows it makes him happy.

this is all I have so far - it I’d love to hear some headcanons you guys have for them!!!

they’re my favs hehe…

[lxstfathier]

Heat

Cowboy! Alejandro Vargas x Horse Hybrid! Reader

Summary: you’re given to Alejandro as a gift, soon becoming an important piece in his new life as a lonely cowboy. But things get out of hand when you get your first heat.

Warnings: slight degradation, unprotected sex, p in v, pussy slapping, breeding kink, corruption.

A/N: i absolutely love the hybrid!reader fics that i see around here, but they’re always a puppy or a bunny, so i decided to write one with a horse reader and finally here it is, i hope you all enjoy reading this just as much as i enjoyed writing it! 💗 (and before y’all come at me, no, this is not zoophilia and i don’t expect it to look like it)

Soon after catching Valeria, Alejandro decided to leave the military, leaving Rudy as the colonel of los vaqueros, opting for a more peaceful life away from violence.

He bought a nice house in the outskirts of las almas, with lots of land to plant and raise cattle. So, once he moved in to his new home, he put his hands at work to get everything nice and perfect, planting some seeds and acquiring some animals, just starting with some chickens, a small herd of cows and two horses.

His new life in the middle of nowhere seemed to go just right, like dream come true. That’s until, one day, he received a gift.

A black truck came into his property, saying that the had a special present from another high-ranked colonel in the mexican military that he used to know. And how could he deny such thing? of course it would be something to be grateful for.

However, nothing could have prepared him for when he saw you for the first time.

Getting out from the backseat, you finally put your feet on the dry soil, looking at Alejandro with big innocent eyes as he admired every single inch of your body. Hell, you were definitely a rare sight, one of a kind. He had never seen a hybrid before, and you looked almost human, but those pointy ears and long tail revealed your true nature.

“A beautiful young mare” that’s what the strange men told him you were, created in a laboratory with the most pure and strong bloodline. But to Alejandro? you were just a pretty girl who slightly resembled to a horse.

So he took you under his care, even though he knew nothing about hybrids and you were too shy to speak to him for several days, still not used to being out of the horrible lab where you were raised for almost two decades.

First, being careful not to scare you, Alejandro showed you around, all the way from his house to the vast land surrounding it, introducing you to the other animals there, with whom you connected immediately. Then, he prepared a stall for you to use every night, using extra wood shavings to make it more comfortable.

And, with such kind treatment, it wasn’t long until you started trusting your new owner.

Two weeks later, you got out of your stall by your own, running on the field with the other horses, hanging out with the cows and their little calves, or simply just sitting in the grass every evening, enjoying the last rays of sun while you watch Alejandro from afar, admiring the way he unloads bales of hay from his truck, shirtless, with his tanned skin and strong muscles glistening under the orange sky.

Sometimes you even eat diner with him on his kitchen, chomping on a bowl of grain and carrots while he eats whatever he finds, hearing him talk about all those interesting stories from his days in the military.

It all went well for a while, enjoying the time spent together, just getting to know each other. Until everything got complicated again.

After a few months, when your body reaches full maturity, you get your first heat. Something that you’re so innocent and naive to even understand what is going on. You feel weird all day, with a strange tingle between your legs and a sensitive hot skin, aching for any kind of relief.

So you ask Alejandro for help, thinking that an experienced man like him should know what to do in that situation, but he refuses every time, telling you to just get some rest till it goes away.

And you try, you really try, but by the end of the week it’s unbearable, growing desperate and needy, clenching your thighs together, almost whimpering in pain at the slightest friction.

It’s practically a torture for both of you. And he finally snaps when he sees you there, leaning on the fence, mindlessly trying to flirt with his stallions, even though the poor animals can’t smell your hormones due to your mixed dnas.

“Can you stop being a little whore for at least five minutes?” Alejandro grabs you by your arm, practically dragging you away from there, clearly fed up with all that.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, i- i don’t know what’s going on, i just want to feel better” you apologize, still not quite used to that new change in your body, looking up at him with teary eyes and flopped ears. “Please don’t be mad at me.”

He’s not mad, he’s just pent up after all those days of teasing. But he understands you, he knows full well that you’re going through something difficult and suffering because of it, and he doesn’t like to see his animals suffer.

“Then tell me what do you need to feel better” he says, as if he didn’t knew exactly what, letting go of your arm to caress your cheek and run his thumb over your pouted lips.

You don’t know exactly how to put it into words, but you try your best to communicate your needs and not get distracted by his pretty brown eyes, that delicate caress, or his bare torso where you can clearly see his toned muscles.

“Touch me. Please.”

“Así?” Alejandro asks, a smirk appearing on his face as one of his hands gets under your shirt to play with your tits and the other one finds its way between your legs, exploring your soaked folds.

You just nod, unable to speak, feeling as if you were about to melt from his touch, holding on to his strong arm for some stability.

“You’ve been such a tease for days. Whoring yourself out for everyone here to see, and do you know what happens to little whores like you? huh? they get treated like one.”

You can’t process his words, you’re out of your mind already, but you’re willing to let him do whatever he wants to you, as long as he keeps giving you that sweet relief that you’ve been craving all week.

Alejandro smirks, almost mocking how pliant you are him, easily pushing you with his arm until your back hits a pile of hay bales. Now totally cornered and slightly scared, feeling your prey instincts come to surface.

Then, he grabs you by the waist, effortlessly lifting you up to make you sit on top of a few bales, just at the perfect height for him to spread your legs and admire that pretty pussy between your legs, all swollen and slick, practically dripping with arousal.

“Look at you, hermosa. So fucking wet. Who would have thought that such a innocent creature would be a total slut begging for cock.” he says, placing a few hard smacks to your sensitive cunt, making you squirm and whine with each impact.

“Please” you cry, trying to stop his hand.

“Please what?”

“F-fuck me Ale. Please, i need it.” you plead, looking up at him with teary eyes, wanting nothing more than to end your agony.

“Si?” Alejandro smiles, unbuckling his belt and undoing his pants, letting his hard cock spring free. “You want me to breed this little pussy?”

He wraps a fist around his length, dragging the tip along your slit, mixing his pre cum with your sweet juices. And the pure sight of that big veiny cock teasing you poor cunt is enough to make you clench around nothing.

You buck your hips, encouraging Ale to put it in already. And he does it, being kind enough to decide that it’s been enough torture for you, guiding his fat cock to your entrance, sliding it inside inch by inch, growling when he feels how tight you are around him.

There’s a slight stinging in the way he’s splitting you open, stuffing you so full and deep that you can almost feel him in your guts, but you like it, even if your eyes get teary and pained cries escape your lips.

“Tranquila hermosa. Let me take care of you, si?” he soothes you once he’s fully sheathed inside, caressing your fluffy ears as he kisses you softly, pushing his tongue into your mouth.

Alejandro starts thrusting slow, just to get you adjusted to him, and also because he doesn’t want the moment to end so soon. If he could be buried in your warm cunt for an eternity, he would, without a second thought.

But, when both of you start to get eager for more, he picks up a fast pace. His thrusts become harder, impaling you with his girth over and over, making you feel as if you were about to break in half, but at the same time, an immense pleasure with each hit against that soft spot deep inside you.

It’s too much. You break the kiss to moan loudly, digging your nails on the soft skin of his back, already knowing that you won’t last any longer.

And he can tell quite easily that you’re close by the way your walls hug him tight and your body tenses. So he gives you a little help, moving a hand down to rub your clit with his thumb, in fast circular motions that have you screaming out his name.

“Ale! f-feels so good! ah! i’m- i’m gonna-“

You can’t even finish your incoherent babbles when the orgasm hits you, exploding with waves of pleasure, crying and shaking under him, with you arousal being enough to form a creamy ring at the base of his cock.

“That’s it, good girl” Alejandro praises you, slowing his thrusts for a few seconds while you ride out your high. “Now i’m gonna pump you full of my cum, and you’re gonna carry my child and be a good mommy, si? you want that?”.

You’re so cockdrunk that you can only nod, just being able to concentrate on how his hands keep your legs open, the way he fucks you with new newfound strength, abusing your tiny hole, and the filthy squelching noises between your bodies.

Alejandro mumbles curses in spanish while you whine from the overstimulation, and it’s not long until his thrusts lose rhythm, finally coming undone. His cock twitches inside your warm cunt, flooding your fertile womb with thick ropes of white seed as a deep grunt escapes from his throat.

He ruts into you for a while, enjoying the delicious sensation, and then slowly pulls out, keeping your legs open to admire the mess. Your pussy is absolutely wrecked, with slick smeared all over it, slightly sore and dripping with his cum. And he’s proud of it.

“You’re feeling better?” he asks, rubbing your trembling thighs and fixing his pants.

“Yeah. A little bit” you answer shyly, knowing that it’s going to take more than that to calm your heat.

“Well, i guess that we’ll have to do this all weekend. Until your heat is gone, or until you give me a little filly… or a strong colt, i don’t care.”

You smile at his comment, not caring about it either, anything sounds good to you. But Alejandro is not shy to hide his desire to be a father, in love with the idea of having a lovely kid just like you, with ears and tail, running around the farm.

But, for now, he has to take care of you, his precious little mare. So he takes you in his arms, carrying your exhausted body to the house as you cling to his neck, ready to give you a nice bath, braid your hair and dress you with another clean shirt.

All while thinking that you are definitely the best gift that he has ever received.

[honeyjars-sims]

3.38 Common Goals

Things have been busy over the past couple of weeks. The channel is planning some special videos and the cast has been filming at different locations. That means I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to Lacey yet, which I’ll admit is a bit of a relief. 

I’ve been pretty distracted anyway. My dads already have a buyer interested in the house so that doesn’t give me much time to find a new place. Lucy suggested I get in contact with Paul since he’ll need a roommate when he moves to San Sequoia, so I’m meeting with him to look at a townhouse he’s had his eye on. 

When I arrive at the address Paul gave me, it’s not quite what I was expecting. It doesn’t look like any rental property that I’ve ever seen. There’s a little market area on the other side of the parking lot where booths of fresh flowers and produce are set up. Before I have a chance to check it out more, Paul's Jeep pulls into the parking lot and he hops out.

"You ready?" he asks. I tell him I am and we walk to a gate with an intercom. ”I just have to let the property manager know we’re here.” After a couple of minutes a woman who looks to be in her 50s arrives to greet us. She looks like she’s been working outside; her jeans dusted with dirt and her cheeks are pink from the sun. 

 "Hello Paul, it's nice to speak to you in person," she says. She looks at me. "This must be the roommate."

"Hi, I'm Johnny," I say, reaching out to shake her hand.

"Johnny," she repeats. "Johnny and Paul. I'm Gail. My wife and I own the townhouse you’ll be viewing. Let’s go take a look."

We walk down the path. There are two buildings on either side and Gail takes us to the one on the right. “My son just moved about a week ago. He’s going to do some conservation work in Sulani,” she explains as she unlocks the door to the unit.

When we step inside, I'm surprised by the size of the place. Going by the rent price, I was expecting something much smaller. "Are you sure you got the price right?" I ask Paul. Maybe he transposed some numbers somewhere. It seems unlikely, but even future doctors make mistakes.

"I thought I did when I first saw it, but it really is that cheap," he insists. I raise an eyebrow, sensing that there's more to the story. "There is just one little catch," he admits.

Gail catches wind of our conversation and smiles. "It really does sound too good to be true, doesn't it? The community here is a little...atypical, but I promise it's worth it."

"What do you mean?" I ask incredulously.

"Well, Ellie and I started this community once our children got older. Initially we just wanted a way to keep us all together, but we saw an opportunity to create affordable housing here in San Sequoia and foster our community at the same time. At Hopewell Commons, helping out your neighbors isn't simply a courtesy. Everyone contributes, whether it's through tending the garden, making repairs, providing childcare, offering goods and services...everyone finds their place."

"So we have to earn our keep?"

Gail laughs. "I wouldn't put it quite like that. As renters, you’re not required to put in the hours that our homeowners do, but we encourage you to get involved. You'll not only be helping out others but you'll have a built-in support system when you're the one in need."

I’m feeling pretty skeptical, but I want to see if this place is worth the effort. Gail shows us one of the bedrooms upstairs. 

“That’s a nice view of the garden,” Paul comments. I peek out the window. The garden is pretty quaint with a small greenhouse and a few rows of plants. There’s an older woman and a young girl talking near the chicken pen. 

“That’s Ellie and our granddaughter, Ramona,” Gail tells us.

“How many people live in the community?” I ask her.

“Well, there’s my daughter Cleo and her family, and we’ve got about 10 other residents at the moment. But we’re growing! We’re building more houses on some land we just acquired.”

Once she's out of earshot, I turn to Paul. "This isn’t a cult, isn't it?"

"It's not a cult. It's more like a…family."

"That's what someone who's in a cult would say," I point out.

“It’s NOT a cult!”

Next, Gail leads us out into the community garden. "This is a group effort," she explains. "We have several residents who rotate duties in the garden, and once the crops are ready everyone helps themselves to their share."

I can't say that I've ever been into gardening, but Paul seems excited by the idea. I guess I should get used to it, too. While he and Gail share gardening tips in the greenhouse, I wander around the garden. It does seem like a nice idea, everyone chipping in so that their neighbors can enjoy the bounty. Plus, free food.

Gail’s granddaughter is playing nearby and when she sees me, she skips over. 

"Hi, I'm Ramona! What's your name?" "I'm Johnny." "Oh, okay. Do you have any pets?" "Yeah, I have a cat named Taco."

"Taco??? That's a funny name!” She giggles. “Can I see it?" "Well, she's not here right now." "Why?" "Because I don't live here." "Why?" I'm not completely sure how to answer that one. "Because I just don't." "Oh. Are you going to live here soon?" "Maybe." "Can I see Taco when you do?" "Well, you should probably ask your parents about that." "Why?"

Gail comes around the corner.  "Because it's not a good idea to go to someone's house alone if you don't know them." Ramona seems satisfied by her answer.

Gail turns to me. "You'll have to excuse Ramona. She thinks everyone is her friend. You’re a nice young man, but it's important that she learns the difference between a friend and a stranger."

"No problem," I tell her. Ramona runs off to examine a tomato plant. It seems like she has the type of childhood that I wish I had. I learned way too young that not everyone can be trusted.

Paul walks over to me. "So, what do you think?" he asks. "I understand if you're not feeling it. I know it's a little strange."

So far everyone looks happy, like, genuinely happy and not like people in a cult who are being brainwashed. I sigh. "Okay, as long as the rental agreement doesn't make us promise our souls to The Great Leader I guess I'm open to it."

"Are you sure? Because we can keep looking if you're not."

"I'm sure. I trust your judgment."

We tell Gail what we've decided and she takes us to fill out our applications. She says we should hear something in a couple of days.

When we head back to our cars I spot Ramona again.

"Bye Johnny!" she tells me cheerfully. "Tell Taco I said 'hi!'"

"Sure thing, Ramona. See you later!"

Previous | Beginning of story | Beginning of chapter | Next

[alienpossession]

So I recently connected with some other authors here and read some alien-based stories that inspired me. This is a one-off from a series called Check-Up by @fullfriendnerdpurse hopefully I do your series justice

Check Up: Eric

A young and nerdy scientist worked on side by side to let powerful men around his own proximity and even the whole world fell victim to the control of a crash-landed small batch of extraterrestrial civilization. His lustful desire to the idea of having the apex of human civilization succumbed to the control of him and his invader buddies blinded him. He's sick and tired with the way society treated him and constantly paid attention to the type of men that pushed people around with their powerful influencer or their good looks and muscle. One of them is named Eric

The alien shoved into him clearly enjoyed the otherworldly senses it instantly felt upon controlling Eric's muscle tank body. The testosterone that coursed through his physical system, the complexity of his muscle and organ that far exceeded the complexity of the slimy being, the way his whole body emitted this powerful aroma and pheromone, the alien just knows it acquired a very fine specimen in human standard

A gym junkie with a day job as premium real estate agent, Eric is also a fine stepping stones to access an even richer and more douchebag section of the society. He's been proven useful as he managed to work alongside the nerd to acquire more bodies for the alien as he lured in the interested property buyer into the property where the nerd already waited with a scoop of slimy alien ready to be shoved up into these rich people's orifices

The alien inside Eric also love to tap into Eric's hidden submissiveness. While the real Eric might not be too keen to tap into his more vulnerable side, the alien love to exploit it because Eric's body just responded to it very well with the hardening cock that leaked pre which the alien always enjoyed to experience. So sometimes, after a day where he helped the nerd acquire another bodies, the alien would make Eric said things like

"Look at you buff dumb bull. After fucking up your own marriage to serve small puddle of slime, now you fucked up another family! Because of you, the 27th richest man in America and his 31 years old son controlled by alien now and you are fucking hard because of it! You stupid little slut, a body so big but there's nothing inside of it,"

The alien also remain amazed with its vessel's physique even after months living as him. Either through his social media activity that the nerd watched or when they have video call, it is one of the vessel that is having the most fun utilizing its vessel as it makes Eric more on the playful side rather than arrogant.

During his latest check-up after the video call from the previous week, he welcomed the nerd while doing workout in his garage. He's shirtless and only using a pretty colorful socks (something the alien also love to add to Eric's monochromatic attire set) paired with a tight compression that hid nothing to the imagination.

After doing some more rep of his workout while updating the nerd with info about his activity for the past 1 month, they walked in and the nerd then watched him cleaned up after himself for the check up. He skipped showering for most of the time unless he really need to such as meeting prospective buyer, so the idea of clean up is simply him changing clothes.

Being the playful slime that it is, it started teasing the nerdy scientist as Eric suddenly started jiggling his own ass in the tight short shorts and folded himself to present his ass to the nerd with its vial

"Please, it's been a while. I'll shoot my load if you just pressed that tip in, nerd. Just do it,"

The nerd just smirked, the perks of being the number one ally for a cooperative alien civilization really becomes the number one reason why he's constantly in search for more vessel to acquire, and with the way that the slime multiplies, it seems like there's no stopping soon

[pancake-breakfast]

Ok! Notes from the first Orange panel at AX 2024! They were discouraging photography and video so this will just be text (mobile Tumblr hates my photos, anyway). But first, a bit of a TL;DR.

TL:DR: While they talked about Trigun: Stampede, Beastars, and their new upcoming title Leviathan, they mostly focused on Leviathan since Stampede has its own panel later. (I'm not sure about Beastars since I haven't been following the show as closely.)

Ok, on with the notes!

(Edited to add links.)

Studio Orange Presents: Beastars, Trigun, and...

The panel guests were Kiyotaka Waki (producer at Orange) and Yoshihiro Watanabe (producer at Orange and also played translator for Waki), as well as Justin Leach (producer for Eden and Star Wars: Visions).

They started off the panel by noting that exactly zero of the people on the panel (including the mod) slept the previous night.

Then they showed a sizzle reel in honor of Orange's 20th anniversary, highlighting all the stuff they've done in that time. There were a lot of cheers for Trigun, Beastars, and Land of the Lustrous in particular.

After the reel, they talked briefly about the history of Orange, how they'd gone from animating mecha for other people's shows (like they did for Evangelion and Code: Geass) to doing entire properties themselves. They're particularly proud of how their studio has grown from 4 people to... I forgot how many. Much more than 4. And they can now work on multiple titles simultaneously.

On to Trigun! They didn't get into it much since it's getting its own panel at the con, but they did show some pages from the Trigun Bible on Plants, and Watanabe noted he'd post them up on the bird app later today. (Edit: You can find them here.) Watanabe also said they can't release the whole Bible yet, which may just have me thinking hopefully, but hey, there's a chance! He seems to genuinely love sharing pages from it, at least.

On to Beastars! They read a thank you letter from the director to the fans, and also showed a subtitled video that I'd guess was also a thank you from someone else, but I was too far back to read the subtitles. (An ongoing problem with watching anything subbed at this con is the subs being entirely blocked by other people's heads unless you're in like the first few rows... but I digress.) They also showed a new key visual (which I'm sure is gonna be floating around social media somewhere at this point) and noted the third and final season of the show will air on Netflix in December. Waki noted he started reading the manga in 2017, and he's thrilled to get to work on a full adaptation of the story since it's rare to get to do that.

On to Leviathan! I'm gonna break this one up a bit because it's long. This is Studio Orange's new upcoming title in collaboration with Netflix and Qubic Pictures (the studio that did Eden, which was a great story overall and I definitely recommend it). They also worked extensively with the author of the original work, Scott Westerfield, who helped keep them consistent with the characters and themes.

The story is a dieselpunk alternate world WWI story about a runaway Austrian Prince named Alec who meets this Scottish girl, Sharp, on a bioengineered airship, and the relationships these people from disparate backgrounds have with others and each other.

The German/Austrian side of the conflict is a faction known as the "Clankers," who focus on mechs and technology to conquer the world via machines, while the faction Sharp belongs to is called the "Darwinists," who focus on DNA modification of creatures as a way to connect with nature.

They showed a preview of it that honestly looked really cool, but again, no recording. It had flying whale ships. Like... whales they strapped a box to and fly around on.

Orange is excited to get to "go back to their roots" with this and work on a Mecha title again, especially since this title will be theirs this time.

They acquired/absorbed (I'm not sure on the details) a team that specializes in background art for this project, and yeah, the backgrounds are detailed and amazing.

They noted a lot of animators reflect their own lives in their work, and they feel Leviathan is no exception. The international collaboration (they also have people from Europe working on this) lends itself well to a story about people from disparate cultures coming together and realizing they have more in common and more similar passions and desires than they have differences.

They'll be talking more about Leviathan at Otakon in August.

That's all for now! I'll try to update on the other Orange/Trigun panels if I get into them!

[bridgeportbritt]

The Goths got away with many proclamations, laws, and raises in taxation in the years they had ruled over the land. While they bled their citizens dry, they used the funds to live a lavish life that starkly contrasted that of the everyday Pendite. Beautiful clothes, handmade furniture, the best ingredients for the most luxurious meals. But most of all to fund their army and prepare to conquer more land. The Goths had ambitious dreams of creating one of the most powerful nations in the world. By force. So, they thought little of how their own citizens viewed them. Just as they did the rest of the world. They especially never even considered that the poor, downtrodden Pendites would revolt against them. How could they when they barely had enough to survive?

But, the Goths underestimated the people of Pendula View. Each day, the revolution grew as more and more villages joined. Farmers, carpenters and bards alike became soldiers training to fight. Old laws like how to dress and curfews were broken. Soon, the refusal of goods and services like crops and housekeeping, and even taxes. It was getting harder to suppress what was happening and The Goths were running out of ideas.

Lord Crumplebottom: All I want to know is how I can protect my family. I'm sure it won't be long until the rebels target the wealthy.

Mortimer: Bah! I wouldn't be concerned about that. I have yet to see them even think about such a thing!

Lord Crumplebottom: But they are preparing, so we must be prepared! Your soldiers can only make them fear you so much. It's becoming less effective. Plus, you can't contain them all!

Lord Landgraab: And why not?

Lord Crumplebottom: Because not every poor is a rebel. Some are our farmers and maids and still want to work! We can't keep them from their service. Do you expect us to tend to the crops, chores and the children?

Lord Landgraab: Needn't you worry about my soldiers. They have strict orders and can identify who is and is not apart of this abomination. What we need to focus on is funding more weapons.

Mortimer: More? But we've just acquired a large shipment from Vernick and Viridis! Not to mention Druzar. We cannot ask for more aid. I'm afraid our enemy countries might catch on and begin aiding to the rebels. I'm sure Whitmore, Armorica, Trenton and Pierreland would all love to see us fall.

Lord Landgraab: Afraid? Since when are you afraid, Morty? We must show strength at a time like this! We can't finally start our plan to conquer other nations if all our weapons are tied up in some civil war! Certainly, you can use your connections with Druzar to ask for more.

Mortimer: Absolutely not. My sister may be the Queen, but the more I use her, the weaker I and Pendula View looks in her eyes. And therefore, in the King's. We need to be strategic about using them to our advantage.

Lord Crumplebottom: Did you say civil war? I knew we never should've gotten into this mess in the first place. You've pushed the peasants too far! My poor wife has just been beside herself worrying that the maid will leave her for the rebellion.

Footsteps approaching

Bella angry: That's enough!

The men all gasp

Bella angry: To think men the likes of you help lead this country! You sound no better than a woman with your whining and your inability to come to a resolution.

Lord Crumplebottom nervous: Y- Your Almighty Excellency, I-

Bella: I don't want to hear it! If your wife or others of the ton are so concerned about their help, do something regarding it! I don't care if you have to trap them on your property!

Lord Landgraab nervous: Your Almighty Excellency, there's no need-

Bella: Oh, there is indeed no need! No need for a general to ever question his King! If Mortimer says no more aid, then that is final. Make it work with what you have.

Lord Landgraab: Yes, Your Almighty Excellency.

Bella: You men have one duty and that is to support my husband wholeheartedly! Especially with the ton. All this bickering is nonsensical and is of no use. We must act.

Mortimer: Thank you, my love. What would you suggest?

Bella: Well... as always, I try not to waste a frown on political matters and save that for you men. But it's obvious that what we're doing now isn't working. We can't just sit back and watch them form an army against us. If they want war, we have to give it to them.

Lord Landgraab: But, Your Almighty Excellency, our army is almost ready to move on Sulani. We shouldn't halt our plans for-

Bella: Good, if they're near ready than this will be perfect training. Take out the rebels, then get the army ready to march on Sulani.

Mortimer: A brilliant idea from a brilliant woman.

Bella: You lot make it so much harder than it is. Now, I must get to my stroll. All this thinking is simply not good for a woman! Good day, Gentlemen.

beginning | previous | next

Thanks for being apart of SimDonia history! @housekonig @royalmedani @trentonsimblr @whitmoreroyals @officalroyalsofpierreland @armoricaroyalty

[nestsandnails-1]

Here’s a more detailed explanation of each tip for a smooth land purchase experience:

1. Define Your Needs & Set a Budget: Before starting your search, it’s crucial to know exactly what you’re looking for. Ask yourself what you need the land for—are you buying it for residential, commercial, or agricultural purposes? Each purpose has its unique requirements, so defining this will narrow your options. Setting a realistic budget is also important. This will help you understand what…

[440mxs-wife]

The Country Doctor, Chapter 2: Getting Moved In

Pairing: Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy x F!Reader (eventual). Other Characters are the usual suspects: Jim Kirk, Nyota Uhura. Spock, Montgomery Scott, Hikaru Sulu, and Pavel Chekov. OMC's Travis Myers and Miles Cooper.

Word Count: 4549

Warnings: Divorce, break-up, ruthless businessmen, mentions of infidelity, but still somewhat fluffy (for now), with an introduction of our supporting cast of characters

Summary: Fresh off of his divorce, Dr. McCoy receives word that he has inherited a 5,000-acre farm and home in Logan, Montana. Finally, he has an opportunity for a clean slate and to start his own clinic out west and leave his ex-wife behind. Along the way, he'll meet a cast of unique characters, each with a place in his new small-town life. But there could be trouble ahead in the form of a powerful CEO hell-bent on acquiring Leonard's property by any means necessary.

A/N: This idea was posted by @hailbop1701, with a specific list of plot points/dialog to be included. I won't put the list here, because it'll give away too much. Not sure how many parts there'll be, but I hope you like where I take the story.

A/N 2: If you’ve been tagged here, it’s because you’ve interacted one or more times on a McCoy story of mine, or we’re moots. Whether you like or reblog, I am eternally grateful for your support. If anyone else would like to be tagged on any future Karl Urban character postings, or would rather leave the Crazy Train, please let me know. Thank you, and enjoy the show!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After your nickel tour, you and Leonard had time to unpack a few boxes before the pizza arrived. Each bathroom was now outfitted with clean, folded towels and a fresh roll of toilet paper on the holder. He had claimed the master bedroom and in the ensuite bathroom, you put his toothbrush into a cup next to the sink. The kitchen was next, with the dinnerware and cookware all neatly stacked in the cupboards, then the silverware sorted by type in the drawer.

Next, you rolled Leonard's suitcases down the hall to his room and stopped in front of the closet. You placed the largest one on the seat of the chair near the window and rolled the other to a stop beside it. When you unzipped the first one, a wave of cologne was released. The concentrated and distinctly male scent should've knocked you over, but it didn't. It wasn't unpleasant, rather, it enveloped you in a warmth you'd been missing since before the break-up with Travis.

Leonard approached the open door of his bedroom in time to see you examining the contents of the open suitcase. He quietly observed as you smiled and slowly brushed your hand over the neatly folded T-shirts. Most of his shirts were of solid colors, like black, white, or gray for wearing under his scrubs at work. Though he wondered how you'd appreciate the humor in his shirts that had clever quips or if you'd question his musical taste from past concerts. 

He leaned against the doorframe and watched as you picked up a stack then carefully placed them in the top right dresser drawer. While you transferred the contents of his suitcase to their respective drawers, his ears perked up at the song you were humming under your breath. Even though he'd told Kirk his only interest was "doctorin'", you were certainly testing his resolve. He was intrigued by the sway of your hips as you moved around the room.

As you turned around to swap one suitcase for the other, your eyes landed on Leonard, whose lips were tugged into a wry grin. You stopped with a yelp of surprise and clutched a hand to your chest. "Dr. McCoy, um, how long have you been standing there?" you gasped.

He pushed himself off of the doorframe and walked over to the suitcases on the floor. "Not long, I came by to let you know that Jim and Nyota are back with pizza. Time to take a break, then after dinner, we can tackle whatever unpacking we have left," he remarked, holding out a hand for you to take.

"Are you sure? There doesn't look to be too much left to unpack. How about I finish up this last little bit, then I can join you all after I'm done," you offered.

"Nah, it's break time. I promise this will all be waiting for us after we have some food, darlin'," he drawled, the endearment slipping out effortlessly. "Besides, I'll bet you haven't eaten much of anything since you and your friend drove out here."

As if on cue, your stomach grumbled loudly in response, bringing a flash of heat to your cheeks at the noise. "Sorry about that, Dr. McCoy," you giggled nervously.

Leonard shook his head in amusement. "Nothin' to be sorry for, and you can call me 'Leonard', since we're gonna be working together. No need to be formal," he winked.

Another rush of heat hit your cheeks, but this time it was for a different reason. Under other circumstances, you might have thought Dr. McCoy was flirting with you. However, you knew he was only being friendly and wanted to start the working relationship on a good note. You pushed these thoughts aside and invited him to call you by your first name as well. Then you slid your hand into his outstretched one and walked together out to the dining room.

***

As soon as the smell of the freshly baked pizzas hit your nostrils, your stomach growled again from hunger. Your first two slices were gone in nothing flat, much to your chagrin, but to the amusement of the others. You smiled sheepishly and acknowledged that perhaps you were more famished than you realized, which caused a renewed round of laughter. Another slice found its way onto your plate, this time with a thick crust and extra cheese.

Though the dining table had been put in its place, the surface was covered in moving boxes. The four of you made do by sitting on the floor, each with a moving box as a makeshift table. While everyone was enjoying the indoor picnic, you and Uhura brought the other two up to speed on the town.

You pointed out that Leonard's first connection should be with Mr. Spock, the pharmacist. "He manages Mountain Vista Pharmacy, so all of your prescriptions will run through him," you explained. "He has a somewhat....dry sense of humor, but he knows his stuff."

Uhura promised that at some point, she would introduce Jim and Leonard to Guinan, the bartender at The Tenth Avenue Pub. "She runs a tight ship, but insists that she just 'tends bar, and she listens'", she commented with a slight roll of her eyes. "Also, if you ever want to do any landscaping out here, like flowers or trees, or some gardening, you'll want to see Mr. Hikaru Sulu. He runs the plant nursery called, 'Ev'ry Bloomin' Thing', and can tell you what will grow best out here."

Jim chuckled. "It's a little late in the season for that and I'm not sure that's our forté. Still, it's good to know," he remarked, while Leonard nodded in agreement.

"And with any repairs or remodels of what you want to do with this house, Montgomery Scott will be your go-to for that," you mentioned. "We call him 'The Miracle Worker', because of his vast knowledge of how to fix almost everything with nearly nothing."

Leonard and Jim nodded as they ate, taking in the wealth of information you and Nyota provided. Soon there were only a few slices of pizza remaining in the boxes, which were later tucked away in the refrigerator. After the dinner remnants were cleared away, you resumed the unpacking in Leonard's room.

Once both suitcases were empty, you stowed them in the closet and moved on to the next room. By this time, the linens had been located and it was time to make the beds. You and Leonard put the sheets and blankets on his bed, while Jim and Uhura did the same in his room. It was close to midnight when you decided to call it a night.

The men thanked you and insisted that they could handle the rest of the unpacking, what little of it remained. Before you departed, you arranged to start working for Leonard on Monday at 9:00 a.m. "I'll bring the coffee," you promised. He let you know how he takes it, to which you responded with a nod and an assuring smile. As Uhura drove away, you stuck your hand out the open window and waved goodbye to your new friends.

***

That first Monday marked your debut with the Homestead Health Clinic, as it came to be known. As the weeks turned into months, you and Leonard settled into a good working routine. You handled the front office duties, while Dr. McCoy took care of the patients. Jim worked on the house, making frequent trips to see Mr. Scott at his shop, called "The Tool Box".

With your three-month probationary period completed, you were made a full-fledged member of the staff. A formality, really, because you ran the front office not only with efficiency, but with charm and grace. You always had coloring book pages available to entertain the children or the occasional parent who needed a break from a hectic day. Your candy dish held a variety of sweets; however, the one rule was that any kid had to get permission before taking a piece.

Most of your time with Leonard was spent in a professional setting, leaving you to wonder what he was like outside of work. What his favorite drink was, what kind of music he liked, was he always this tightly wound or did he relax at any point. Jim would have the answers to these questions, but there was no way you wanted to ask him because he'd want to know why. You weren't exactly prepared to answer him at this point, so you kept your questions to yourself for now.

>>>

"There you are, Mrs. Henderson, all set," you assured her. "Here's your after-care summary, and your prescriptions will be waiting for you at the pharmacy. Do you have any questions, or is there anything else you need?" you asked.

"No, dear, thank you. Dr. McCoy explained everything perfectly for me," she replied. "Now all I have to do is pick up my meds and figure out what to have for dinner besides chicken nuggets," she noted with a weary sigh. "I'm afraid that one more night of that and my kids will be chicken nuggets."

You chuckled lightly at her response, then offered some ideas for her to consider in place of the breaded chicken. Most of them were favorites from your childhood, such as macaroni and cheese, with diced ham or hot dogs in it. "That way, they'll get something other than bite-sized chicken pieces," you suggested.

"That's a great idea, thank you so much, my dear," she gushed. "It's so wonderful to have a doctor in the area again, and I'm glad that he has you to keep things running smoothly."

"Thank you very much. You're kind to say that, though I'm sure Dr. McCoy would do all right around here without me. He's very good at what he does, and I can tell he truly cares about the health and well-being of his patients," you remarked.

Little did you know, but the man to whom you were referring had just walked around the corner and heard you say his name aloud. His curiosity piqued, he wondered what other comments you might make about him. A soft smile crossed his face at your remark assuring Mrs. Henderson that he could get along just fine without you. Maybe, but it wouldn't be as fun or enjoyable around the office, and he would miss seeing your beautiful face. Wait--what? he thought as he turned his attention back to your conversation.

"You know, I have a cousin who's about your age, I should introduce you. He's around 6'3" tall, with an athletic build, wavy brown hair, green eyes. Very swoonworthy, my dear," she mentioned.

A nervous giggle escaped your lips. "Ha ha, well, Mrs. Henderson, I'm sure he's a lovely fellow. It's just that I kind of have my eye on someone at the moment, only he doesn't know that. However, if I change my mind, I promise you'll be the first person I call," you assured her.

With a conspiratorial wink and a goodbye wave, Mrs. Henderson sauntered out the door of the clinic. You breathed a sigh of relief and dropped your head into your hands, elbows resting on your desk.

Leonard observed from where he was leaning against the wall in the hallway. You were interested in someone? Whoever he is, he was lucky to have your attention, even if he was too blind to notice. He started to ponder what kind of chance he may have with you, then shook his head to clear the notion. After Jocelyn, he was reluctant to get involved with another woman so soon. But these past few months of being around you have had him reconsidering his stance and possibly testing the waters.

***

"Did you get Mrs. Henderson squared away?" Dr. McCoy's voice startled from behind, your head jerking up out of your hands.

You cleared your throat to try and regain your composure. "Um, yes, all taken care of, Dr. McCoy. I let her know that her prescriptions had been called in with Mr. Spock and I reckon they should be ready by the time she gets back to town. I also gave her a couple of suggestions for her dinner that involve something other than chicken nuggets," you grinned.

"Something wholesome, I hope," he replied and laughed when you responded with a shrug. "Anything else?"

"Not at the moment, your patient roster is clear for the day, Dr. McCoy. I have some data entry left to do, a bit of paperwork to file, then I'm done," you explained. "Unless there's something else you need me to do before I head out for the weekend?"

Leonard shook his head and watched as you organized your paperwork and prepared to begin the data entry. "Tell you what--how about you leave the paperwork and stuff for Monday? That way, we can have a bite to eat at the Java Station Café. Jim's busy tonight, and I don't really feel like cooking for just me, especially on a Friday. Would you care to join me?" he asked. "Unless you already have plans," he added hastily.

You looked up from your keyboard, mouth slightly open in surprise. A dinner invitation was the last thing you expected at the end of a busy week. Wait, if Jim's not joining us, does that make this....a date?? you pondered. Nah, he didn't mean it like that. Just two friends, catching a bite to eat, don't make a big deal about it, you admonished yourself. "No, no plans to speak of. Sounds great, we can leave right now, if you're ready."

He smiled and shuffled back to his office to drop off the papers in his hand, grab his jacket, and lock up for the night. When he returned, you had put your unfinished work in the file cabinet under lock and key. "Shall we?" He gestured towards the door with a tilt of his head.

Switching off your desk lamp, you stepped out from behind your desk and headed for the exit. As you passed him, you flashed Leonard a warm smile, which he returned. On the way out to your car, you could swear you felt the barest touch of his hand on your lower back. It was a comforting feeling, although you figured that it was likely automatic for him and his Southern gentlemanly ways. "Let's go," you smiled.

***

Dinner with Leonard was an interesting experience. The two of you took turns asking each other questions, mostly superficial in nature at first. As the night wore on, the subject matter got a little deeper, with Leonard mentioning his divorce from Jocelyn as his reason for moving from Georgia. In return, you shared details of your past with Travis and explained that leaving him in Bozeman brought you to the town of Logan.

"So that's why you left the big city to come here," he chuckled. "What was the final straw, if you don't mind me asking?"

You walked him through the events of the night you caught Travis cheating on you with his assistant, Brenda. How your friends helped you pack up and leave town so you could settle in Logan, where you used to live with your parents. "They're both gone now," you added softly, staring down at your hands resting on the table. "Thank goodness they didn't have to witness any of the drama with Travis."

Leonard reached over and covered your two smaller hands with his large one. "I'm sure if they could see you now, they'd be proud of the strong woman they raised," he affirmed.

A flash of heat bloomed on your cheeks at his compliment. "Thank you, I hope so," you gave him a watery chuckle then cleared your throat. "So, what's the story with your wooded estate? Has it been in your family for long?" you wondered.

He admired your curiosity and sat back in his chair as he wove the tale of his encounter with the attorney while he was still living in Georgia. "I didn't even know I had an Uncle Walter McCoy until the meeting with this attorney. I mean, I'm newly divorced, and the next thing I know, I'm walking out of a law office with the deed to an estate out West, in Montana."

"You should do some research on it, Leonard, find out its history. It's possible that it could be connected to someone famous. Ooh! Maybe Jesse James and his gang of outlaws used your house as a hideout once. Or, what if Wyatt Earp tracked some fugitive from the law to where he was hiding in your barn, and there was a big shootout," your eyes widened with each new possibility.

He couldn't help but shake his head in amusement at your wild theories of what events may have taken place on his land. He noticed how your eyes took on a sparkle as your excitement grew in your speculation about the history of his family's property. With his marriage to Jocelyn ending in divorce, his thoughts drifted to how different his life would've been if he'd met you first.

"Whoa, slow down there, darlin'," he chuckled, returning his focus to the conversation. "I'm sure there's nothin' quite that interesting going on, but I'll admit I'm curious."

"I think you should have an expert come out and survey the land. You never know, there could be gold in them thar hills," you jested.

"Might not be a bad idea. Before I ever came out here, some big shot company from out East offered me a good chunk of money to buy the place, lock, stock, and barrel," he mentioned. "I got the notion they weren't too happy that I turned them down."

"All the more reason to have the land surveyed, so you know what you've got and what it's worth. Although, with it being family land and all, I'd say it's more or less priceless," you remarked. "Out of curiosity, who wanted to buy this from you?"

"I believe it was NorthStar Corp," Leonard replied. "The paperwork came from the head guy's office, a man by the name of Miles Cooper."

You slowly digested this blurb of information, which had a ring of familiarity to it. While you were still with him, you remembered Travis mentioning NorthStar Corp. They were one of his biggest clients, and as such, he more or less reported directly to Miles Cooper. It has to be a coincidence, you thought.

"Hey." You felt the weight of Leonard's warm hands on yours, bringing you back to reality. "You okay there? Seems like you zoned out there for a minute," Leonard asked, a bit of concern in his voice.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry, I'm fine Len," you assured him, the nickname slipping out before you could stop it. "It's just...." and you proceeded to tell him what you remembered about NorthStar from when you were with Travis.

"You really think there's something on my land that they want and would stop at nothing to acquire?" he wondered.

"It doesn't hurt to have a surveyor look at it. NorthStar is ruthless, Leonard," you insisted. "The last person that wouldn't sell to them? They put pressure on his brother's business, nearly shut him down to where it was nearly impossible for him to operate. Then, they contacted his son's university and had his admission blocked. Once the sales paperwork went through, NorthStar Corp's pressure tactics went away."

"I've talked to this 'Travis' guy on the phone a few times, and Jim had to run him off once. So, he works for them?"

You nodded. "He was their leading performer when we were together. Even back then, he was known to get as close to the edge of the law as possible without going over it to seal the deal. Can't imagine what he's like now," you mused.

The two of you lingered over coffee until you noticed the staff cleaning up around you. As you walked out, you and Leonard apologized to Mr. Chekov for nearly overstaying your welcome. He met you at the door and waved away your concerns with a smile. He presented you with a "manager's discount" card and invited you to use it on your next visit.

Leonard accompanied you out to your car, his hand occasionally brushing over the small of your back as you walked. Your conversation continued until you reached your parking space and dug into your pockets for the keys to your 1968 Chevy Nova. Before you prepared to slide the key into the door lock, you looked back and smiled at Leonard.

"Well, this is me," you remarked shyly. "I had a wonderful time with you tonight." After unlocking the door you opened it and turned to face him, not yet wanting to get into the driver's seat.

"Been meaning to ask you about this fine piece of machinery. Lotta horses under this hood, where'd you happen to get something like this?" he asked with a raise of his eyebrow.

"This car used to belong to my dad, left it to me when he passed. He found it in a junkyard, saw its potential, and we worked on it together. This car holds a lot of memories for me," you murmured. "Anyway, I'll see you bright and early on Monday morning, yeah?"

"You bet, Monday morning," Leonard agreed. He watched you climb in behind the wheel before walking towards his own vehicle.

"Hey, Leonard?" you called. He whirled around to see that you had left the driver's seat and were hanging on the door. "Maybe one of these days I'll take you for a spin in this 'fine piece of machinery'. See what these horses can do while I show you around. What do you say?" you asked as you cocked your head to one side.

A genuine smile crept across his handsome features, revealing perfect pearly white teeth. "I'd say that sounds great, just let me know when and I'll be there," he winked.

Fortunately your car door kept your knees from buckling and dropping you to the ground. That wink of his was enough to make you hit the deck. Which you certainly would have, were you not still hanging onto your door. "I will. See you around, Leonard," you replied.

He nodded and flashed you another toothy grin, then resumed his walk towards his car, while you slid behind the wheel of your car. As he drove past you, he gave a lazy salute before heading off into the night. You waited until he was well out of sight before picking up your phone and dialing your best friend's phone number. "Nyota? Oh, thank goodness you're home! Have I got some news for you," you indicated as you turned the key in the ignition.

***

"Mr. Myers? There's a call for you on Line One, from a Miles Cooper? He says it's urgent," stated Bradley Wilder, his new assistant.

Travis closed his eyes and took a deep breath, hoping to calm his nerves. A call from the head office and the CEO of NorthStar Corp was not how he wanted to start his weekend. Especially since there had not been much progress on the McCoy property acquisition. On one of his trips out to the farm, he brought the new offer with him, one that was significantly larger than the last one.

Dr. McCoy read through the contract and his eyes had initially widened at the considerable increase in the payout. Nevertheless, despite the substantial amount of money offered, he told Travis that he was staying on as the town physician. Travis tried to work his charm to convince Leonard to agree to sell, except this time, Jim stepped in and "escorted" him back to his car. Since that meeting, all attempts at communication with Dr. McCoy had been largely unsuccessful, or, more accurately, completely ignored.

"Patch him through, Mr. Wilder. Thank you," Travis agreed as he steeled himself for the scathing verbal attack. He rolled his eyes at the sound of Mr. Cooper's voice in his ear, demanding a status report on the McCoy situation. Travis didn't get a chance to answer, though, as Cooper blustered on about the importance of securing the property and how money was no object.

"Bottom line, Myers, you need to close this deal. I don't care what you have to do to get it done, but it's time for the gloves to come off. If you can't make it happen, NorthStar Corp will have no other choice but to take its business elsewhere. I've had my eye on this property for quite a while, and no 'down-home, country doctor' is going to stand in my way," he growled.

"Yes sir, I understand. Consider the gloves taken off," Travis replied.

"Good. I'd hate for news of this botched deal to get back to the board members of your firm. Might make them reconsider whether or not to continue your employment," Cooper pointed out. He paused to let Travis mull over that threat before he continued. "I understand you have a wedding coming up in a few months, congratulations. Sure would make it difficult to support a new wife in your current lavish lifestyle if you were to be suddenly unemployed," he threatened. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, sir," Travis responded.

"Excellent. Wouldn't want there to be any misunderstandings between us. I look forward to your next status report, due in two weeks," Cooper commanded before hanging up.

Travis pulled the phone away from his ear to confirm that the connection had been closed. "Yes, sir," he muttered before making a phone call. This one was to his fiancée, Brenda, during which he profusely apologized for missing Date Night. He explained that he was being sent out of town on business and wasn't sure how long he would be gone. She was initially upset, but when he told her to use his card and car service for a night on the town with her friends, she forgave him.

While he relaxed on the company jet during the short flight to Logan, he was thankful Brenda didn't press him for too many details. Mr. Cooper wanted him to pull out all the stops and let nothing stand in the way of his acquiring the McCoy property. This could get messy, he thought, but what the client wants, the client gets, he concluded as he drove his rental car to his hotel.

***

You were nearing the end of a long and busy day that left you feeling as if the whole town had paraded in and out of the clinic. There was quite a bit of filing to be done, due to the sheer number of patients Dr. McCoy had seen throughout the day. He has to be just as exhausted as I am, probably more, you mused. Maybe I should invite him for dinner at my place tonight, then he won't have to cook. I could even send home some of the leftovers to share with Jim. Or not, you giggled to yourself.

The bell above the door to the clinic chimed, indicating a visitor had arrived. Your back was to the door as you stood at the cabinet behind you, organizing patient files. "I'll be right with you, please have a seat," you called.

"Oh, I'm not here as a patient," the voice replied.

Your hand paused in mid-air above the file cabinet drawer. The voice was one you never expected to or wanted to hear again in your lifetime. Slowly you closed the drawer and turned to face your visitor. You were hoping against hope that you were wrong and that it wasn't who you thought it was. "And just what in the hell are you doing here?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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[cripplecharacters]

Hi Sasza i read through what you wrote about facial differences and realized that some things i planned to include might not be ideal and i would like to ask advice on what to change and how or if it would be better if i don't do it at all.

There are three characters who i would like to ask about. Only one of them has a facial differenc from the start of the story and its still an aquired injurie in his case. In my opinion he is the most simple case so i will start with him.

He is a minor character named Balthazar who shows up a few times throughout the story. He is a very energetic and friendly person who likes to play harmless tricks on people around him and has a good sense for fashion and is considered somewhat a trend setter in the courts he frequently moves in, he has several burn scars on his face. He has difficulty with moving parts of his face especialy the left side of his mouth has inpaired vision in one of his eyes and is missing part of his nose because of them. He is conected to the main character's father (who could be considered a moraly grey character strictly speaking due to some of his actions but he is a positive character over all and the fact that Balthazar choses to involve himself with him is considered a good sign by others around them that he (mc's dad, not Balthazar) is more good than bad.)

The thing that might be problem is that his scars are linked to an important event in his backstory. He was part of the branch of militya who deals with mostly magical, sometimes norma fires. He was a high ranking official and he helped the mc's dad escape when his parents tried to force him to join to get rid of him. A few years later he suffered the injurie and was unabel to continue on with his carrer. The mc's dad bought him enough land to be considered a nobel and ensured he had everything he needed to be confortabel in his new life out of gratitude for his help. The fire in whic he was injured is not significant to the story, and being injured while fullfiling his job is not unusual. But his injurie is still the reason he is in the position he is in. Is this alright? Or should i change it so he gains the injurie outside of his job or maybe he gets the property and titel gifted to him before he is injured? 1/3

Hi!

First thing about Balthazar, I enjoy that you describe him as energetic and friendly! Characters like this are certainly missing when it comes to facial differences in media.

[I also like that he has trouble moving the left part of his face - hey, that's just like me! :-) I don't see that often]

I don't think that having connections to morally questionable characters is bad. It sounds like you're just making a complex character, which is great. Doesn't seem to go anywhere near the "evil scarred man is Evil and Bad" stereotype :-)

The scenario behind his scar sounds okay. "Workplace accident" is obviously in the Always Traumatic trope bucket, but it's also the most plausible and common injury of that sort, which is nice (and reflects life much more than, let's say, "I was evil and got Punished so now I have The Scar"). But most importantly, you don't seem to merge Balthazar and his Accident into the same character - it's just him, he seems to have a lot going on, oh and he had this accident which influences his current position. His backstory having an effect on him while not being everything about him makes complete sense; that's how it should be! I don't see anything wrong with him being recompensated for his service. He was injured, unable to work, and got the help that he needed - sounds great!

I think it could also set up a premise that I never see around acquired facial differences - "hey, I'm actually glad it happened because I got all these new opportunities!" (here, becoming a part of the royal court and seemingly having a rather good time there?). It's something I see a lot of real people mention, but it's completely missing from fiction for some reason.

My only suggestion (the one that I always give) is to add more characters with facial differences, especially non-traumatic ones*. They can be side or minor characters, but it's still something I always recommend! Especially if fire-related injuries are more common in the setting, I think it would make sense to see more burn survivors just existing in the background of the story as regular people. *- doesn't necessarily mean "non-acquired". Illnesses can cause facial differences as well, both chronic (e.g. leprosy, severe rosacea) and acute ones (e.g. septicemia, Bell's palsy)! There's a lot of differences to be had :)

I hope this helps! :-)

mod Sasza

[runwayrunway]

No. 50 - All Nippon Airways Airbus A380 "Flying Honu" Livery

Happy 50th Runway Runway post! I had a bit of a hard time deciding what to do for it - after all, it's a pretty significant number. I already sort of know what I want to do for the 100th post, but I hadn't put much thought into the 50th, and I had to scuttle any plans for something long and interesting after a rather stressful week. Instead I decided to do something both fun and requested!

source: ANA Stories

One (well, three!) of the most beloved special liveries out there, All Nippon Airways' turtle-themed "Flying Honu" Airbus A380. These three friendly giants fly from Japan to Honolulu, delighting anyone lucky enough to see them.

Actually, I love the Flying Honu so much I have one myself.

I would describe myself as a bit of a magpie. I collect useless things, be they historical ephemera, horror movie memorabilia, old books, pretty rocks, or way too many fountain pen inks given I mostly use them to take notes. I even have a bunch of my old teeth in a pillbox. Surprisingly, though, the things my talons have lodged in don't include many model airplanes. I have...a few. I've actually, though serendipity, gotten two more since I started this blog, expanding my collection to a startling five. Maybe seven if you count my Starscream and Brainstorm figures, but I don't think I even remember how to put either of them in their alt modes. The fact is that while they aren't a fortune or anything plane figures are expensive enough that it's a commitment to buy one, and I usually only do when I stumble on a good deal for a model I really want. And one of the few times I've actually decided that I just needed a model of a specific livery was the "Flying Honu" A380. Specifically, the one I have is the airframe registered JA382A, Kai. (She's the 1:500 JC Wings diecast model and is around the size of my hand.)

I just needed to be able to gently tap her nose in person, okay? She can't fit up on the shelf with a lot of my other miscellaneous trinkets so she sits on my desk and sometimes I explain things to her while trying to figure them out, like a coding rubber duck. She makes me happy.

All Nippon Airways (全日本空輸) is a major Japanese airline. In fact, in terms of both fleet size and number of destinations they're bigger than flag carrier JAL. They're consistently described as being among the best airlines in the world for the discerning well-to-do business traveler, and let's just say that's not me, but what I am is a reviewer of airline liveries, and ANA sure has those! In addition to their standard Triton Blue livery they do all sorts of special designs, particularly crossovers with properties like Pokémon and Star Wars. All of these are something I would like to someday feature, but none of them matter at all to me when compared to the Flying Honu, introduced with the A380 fleet in 2019.

A couple of times when I've told people I know about this livery they asked me if 'honu' is Japanese for 'turtle'. That's a reasonable question, but the Japanese word for turtle is 'kame'. 'Honu' is the word for turtle, though - in Hawaiian.

image: ANA

In fact, Honolulu is the A380s' only destination. ANA didn't really want A380s to begin with, but ended up stuck with them while acquiring another airline. The thing about the A380, and the reason it failed commercially and so few were ever built, is that the use-case for a massive plane is pretty limited. It goes as such: you have a passengerbase of people who have to travel from one giant hub that can land an A380 to another frequently enough that you can actually make money on a plane with four entire engines.

Okay, so the use-case is that you're Emirates. ANA might be expensive, but they don't really have the central location or sheer amount of regular business travelers that Dubai does. 'Three' also isn't really that many A380s, which creates a bit of a question of reliability. So instead they fixed the problem in a way that's honestly pretty genius: they made it turtles.

image: ANA

ANA seems to be generally invested in Hawaii, with a fair amount of partnerships with local organizations. A lot of Hawaiian real estate is owned by Japanese companies, and those of Japanese descent are the second-larget ethnic group in Hawaii at 16.7%, so it makes sense that a lot of people would want to travel there. Tokyo to Honolulu is a nice 9-hour flight with no possibility for a stopover of any kind (unless they invent civilian aircraft carriers for A380s), so it's the perfect route for precisely three really huge planes.

images: ANA

They can fit 520 passengers across four classes on one flight, seated across both decks of the massive planes. There is also a section of seats which convert to couches, marketed for families. Those who fly this route get to enjoy rainbow lighting and the ability to buy a duty-free 1:500 model of the plane (not the same model I have, though, I'm pretty sure) or a set of Flying Honu plushes.

Ra looks like she's plotting something. Lani looks like she's never had a single thought in her life.

And they do make money off this, because people absolutely love these planes. People have apparently had their weddings on these planes, and I would too! They make ten weekly flights right now, but in December that will be increasing to fourteen weekly, or two daily.

Okay, so, the actual liveries.

Here's Kai in full-size! The light in my room make her look way cooler toned in the photographs, but in real life she's this color. It's frequently described as 'green' or 'emerald green', but I think it's definitely turquoise and would go so far as to call it blue. Whatever the case, it's meant to represent the color of the sea near Hawaii. Kai is also distinct from the others because of her eyes, which are closed as she smiles from ear to ear. That's why she's my favorite - she just looks so happy!

...a bit weirder looking from upfront, but look how even the ventral fairing is painted! That's part of the flippers where they curl around, tucked into the shell. Unlike the Transocean Air Jinbei Jets, the cockpit windows blend in with the 'scales' of the Flying Honu, looking rather natural.

'Ra' is a beautiful orange, meant to represent the Hawaiian sunset. She has a bit of a peach undertone if you look closely, but her details are done in an extremely vivid reddish orange. Her distinguishing feature are those gigantic eyelashes, similar to Sakura Jinbei's. The actual mouth shape on all three planes appears to be the same, but I find that the eyes still give them distinct 'personalities'. Ra has always looked very thoughtful to me.

Just look at her in flight! I've never understood why people call the 747 stately or graceful, and same for the A380 - double-decker planes are just inherently goofy-looking, and that's great, but ANA managed to make one look pretty elegant. I think it's because turtles are already regarded as large and slow creatures, so fitting like for like just makes it seem as natural for this absolutely gigantic aircraft to be flying as it is for a turtle to swim.

Finally, Lani, the turtle everyone agrees to be blue, represents the Hawaiian sky during its brightest color in daylight. If you look closely, you can see her blue 'eyeshadow', which I've always thought made her look relaxed.

This picture gives a good angle of my only real critique of the Flying Honu, which is that the shells and heads don't entirely look aligned, as if the head is in the process of being retracted. That said, I think that's just a fact of working with the shape of an airplane. There's just no more space below to fit any more shell.

Rather than being just one turtle, though, each "Flying Honu" has two fully rendered baby turtles following behind their 'mother'.

I think this is adorable, and beyond that it solves a crucial problem - the tail. Turtles do have those, but not in a way that maps onto a standard empennage. Instead, ANA makes the smart choice to end the shell at a certain point and add these two extra turtles make-way-for-ducklings-ing their way across the fuselage for more visual interest, leaving the tail empty for an ANA logo without making it jarring. This is a huge improvement over the Jinbei Jets, which again serve as a point of comparison as the other major Japanese marine life planes. (Amakusa Airlines is way smaller and thus not going to get caught up in this.)

I mean, it's hard to find too much to say about these that isn't just "oh my gosh, look at them". The Flying Honu are vividly colored, with clever shapes used to make them immediately recognizable as turtles. I smile every time I see one, including the little one on my desk!

And in case you weren't already delighted, there's two extra bonus turtles!

I think it's pretty obvious I'm giving these an A+. Come on, just...just look at them. The fact that ANA bothered to make three distinct ones with their own names and faces is just icing on the cake for me, but I do love that they did.

I can't believe I didn't find a way to fit this in earlier into the post, but I really love turtles. If you have an aquarium near you, and that aquarium has turtles, I really recommend stopping by to see them. My local New England Aquarium has had Myrtle for more than 50 years. As they describe her, 'the 550-lb Queen of the Giant Ocean Tank is large, in charge, and ready to receive your adoration'.

True to form, although a lot larger and dealing in a different type of fluid dynamics, the Flying Honu jets get plenty of my adoration too.

[askoverlordvox]

Vox’s Vengeance

Vox watches through a thousand lenses until he catches sight of his target. He follows Chad as the Sinner returns to his shithole apartment. The moment he is alone, Vox materializes onto the street and goes up to Chad’s door, slipping through the busted weather strip. The interior is a mess, as fucking disgusting as its occupant, and Vox’s jagged mouth curls in disdain.

Chad is busy muttering to himself about ‘bitches’, setting his gun aside- a well worn, secondhand Carmine product. Regular gunshots, a Sinner could regenerate from, but Carmine’s weapons were decidedly deadlier.

“You piece of shit.”

Chad whirls around, goes to shout something, but Vox’s hand clamps around his lower face as electricity surges and the stench of burning flesh fills the air. When he pulls his hand away, Chad’s lips have been fused together as the melted turns into a red scarred mess.

Vox then grabs him by the shirt and throws Chad against the wall, pins him there with one hand while the other curls into a fist and starts hammering into Chad’s gut until blood begins leaking from the Sinner’s nose. Then, he hauls Chad to the kitchenette, bashing Chad’s face against the counter and grabbing dirty knives and forks from the sink and stabbing them into Chad’s back. He takes the last two knives and stabs them through Chad’s hands to hold him still, then uses his claws to split open the skin between Chad’s ribs. Chad screams as best he can with no mouth, thrashing as much as possible.

None of this is deadly, of course. That’s not Vox’s goal. Pain is.

When he’s done, he puts a hand on Chad’s back and sends so much electricity through him, the skin surrounding the metal of the knives begins to smolder and char. Then, he pulls the knives free, let’s Chad slump to the floor, and kicks him over. Vox towers over him, smoothing out his suit.

“You went onto VoxTek property, threatened VoxTek employees, and then attempted to kill at least one of them. You understand I can’t simply let that happen, right?” Chad nods quickly as Vox steps over and picks up Chad’s pistol. It’s still loaded. “I’m a reasonable man. I have reasonable expectations. People don’t fuck with me, I don’t fuck with them. But you? You fucked with me. This is the fate you requested. Sit up.”

Chad does so, perhaps in some misguided belief that he might survive this encounter.

But that’s not the fate that should be worrying him.

Vox turns back. “If you’d like to convince me you’re sorry, come here and heel, dog.”

Chad crawls forward on his hands and knees and looks up, hope shining in his eyes. Vox pistol-whips him across the face.

“Heel again.”

Chad does so, and Vox pistol-whips him on the other cheek.

“Again.”

The cycle repeats until Vox doesn’t even need to give the command. Chad simply knows that his punishment isn’t over yet. He’s not a particularly smart man and Vox, absently, makes a mental note to encourage Zoe to improve her taste in men, and perhaps even give tips.

Finally, Vox pauses the pistol-whipping.

“Have you learned your lesson?”

Chad nods enthusiastically.

“Good dog. I will give you a chance to earn my forgiveness.” Vox pulls out a soul contract and holds it up, and Chad quickly scribbles his signature using his own blood. Vox smiles and grabs Chad by the throat. “Welcome to VoxTek, Jeffie. Let’s get you settled into your new life.”

Then, he returns to his system through Chad’s TV, dragging Chad with him, and lands in the center of his mainframe. He pulls code from a folder and flicks his wrist to turn what remains of Chad into code. Now with a pliant soul and the remnants of that biting fool, he has all the ingredients.

An hour later, he returns to his office with his newest acquired soul. The former Chad now stands hardly two feet tall with the general appearance of a shark and a VoxTek emblem etched in glowing red along his nose. His mouth is stretched too wide with sharp fangs and pupils like Vox’s, a tiny top hat set on his head in front of his fin. He has tiny claws for his hands and a shark’s tail.

Vox sits at his seat and the sharklike Sinner construct jumps into Vox’s lap like a dog. “Good boy, Jeffie. Now, let me show you who you’ll be protecting.”

He turns back to his bank of monitors and gets back to work.