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aishangotome · 5 months ago

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Main Story Chapter 16-07: Before the Storm (暴雨來臨前) | Light and Night 光與夜之戀

Chapter 16-05

♡———♡

I quickly got in touch with the fabric supplier. Mr. Shao told me that the factory was mass-producing filament lyocell and could provide it all to us at the same price.

After confirming the fabric via video, I immediately went to the purchasing department and remotely signed the contract with him.

However, strangely, the purchasing department asked me to keep this matter confidential and to announce to the public that the fabric was out of stock and production was suspended.

It's probably because they're afraid the fabric will be snatched up again. I didn't pay much attention to it.

As I walked back to the office, I mentally calculated the arrangements for the next five days. Although the time was tighter, my steps were lighter than ever before.

Pushing open the office door, I was startled. Manman, Mao Ge, Jiang Lai, who had returned from a business trip, and even Hao Shuai were all sitting at their workstations.

You: Why are you all here? Didn't I tell you to go home and rest?

I rubbed my eyes, thinking it was my own illusion.

Mao Ge: Well, the water heater in my house broke, so I came to the company to take a shower. Now I'm full of energy and ready to work.

You: ?

Li Manman: I left my earring at the company and came back to get it. But since I'm here, I might as well do some work.

Mao Ge: What do you mean, "since I'm here"? Who would believe that?

Li Manman: As long as she believes it, it's fine. Keep your voice down.

Hao Shuai: I'm not like them. I just happened to be passing by after working out. Handsome guys never make excuses.

Hao Shuai pointed to his bulging gym bag and suddenly noticed Mao Ge blinking frantically at him. However, he couldn't understand at all, so he had to ask Manman for help, constantly asking "What does that mean?"

Mao Ge and Manman both put their hands on their foreheads at the same time, with an expression of "I don't know him."

Hao Shuai: You guys didn't come back on purpose, did you?! And you didn't even bring me!

Li Manman: Forget it, forget it, I'll confess. It was Mao Ge's idea for everyone to come back to work and share some of your pressure.

Li Manman: Who told you not to say anything? You're truly Director Qi's student, with the exact same temper.

Mao Ge: We had no choice but to secretly report to the director.

Although I had already understood from their clumsy acting that they had come back to help me, when I heard it, my heart still felt a pang of bitterness. I wanted to say something but felt that nothing was enough.

"No friends in the workplace" is an old saying. So I'm so lucky to have met them.

You: Thank you, everyone.

Mao Ge: You want to dismiss us with just a thank you? We want a big meal.

You: My treat today.

After that day, time still flew by like a rocket, but the principle of "things will turn around when they reach their worst" seemed to have come true for me. The work in this stage progressed exceptionally smoothly.

I don't know if it's because the fabrics were finally complete or because I finally regained my confidence. I think it's probably both.

On the weekend, I took advantage of the rare free time to go to the flagship store to prepare for the new product launch.

Based on this theme, I re-planned the store layout, from the main color to the floor stickers, and worked until the afternoon to finally complete it.

Saleswoman: Um, what should we call you? Director?

You: I'm not the director. I'm the manager of Pristine. You can call me Y/N.

The girl's mouth opened wide, and she quickly extended her hand, excitedly shaking mine several times, introducing herself as Xiaoyu.

Xiaoyu: You're so amazing. So young to become a manager. I want to be like you too.

Xiaoyu: The new products this time are all super beautiful. I also like design. I've even drawn design drafts. Can you help me take a look?

You: Of course.

Store Manager: The food is here, the food is here. We've been busy until now. I'm so sorry to have the Pristine manager eat boxed lunches with us.

You: It's my job. Thank you for treating me to a meal.

Opening the lunch box lid, I saw Xiaoyu picking out all the stir-fried lamb with scallions and putting it into a paper cup.

You: You don't eat this dish?

Xiaoyu: This? I'm preparing it for a little beggar.

You: A little beggar?

Xiaoyu: Yes, he's still a child. He's been appearing here these past few days. I guess he sleeps under the bridge over there at night.

Xiaoyu: You don't know how kind that child is, a bit silly too.

Xiaoyu: I've seen him several times feeding the big black dog next door, even though he's so thin himself.

Store Manager: Isn't it because the child is good-looking that you noticed him?

Xiaoyu: Who doesn't like good-looking people? If he were born into a rich family, he could debut and act in movies.

You: Is he that good-looking?

Xiaoyu: He's super good-looking. I'll take you to see him.

My curiosity was completely piqued by Xiaoyu.

He was a boy of about fifteen or sixteen, with messy hair and a white T-shirt stained with grayish-white dirt at the hem. It was unclear whether it was wall dust or dried cement, but it looked like it hadn't been changed in days.

He squatted on the ground, his head lowered, looking at something unknown. From afar, his entire being blended into the dirty wall.

Xiaoyu: When he raises his face, you'll definitely be amazed.

As if hearing our words, the boy quickly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over us. His messy bangs couldn't hide those turquoise eyes.

You: …… Osborn?!

His face was filled with vigilance and fierceness, but it couldn't conceal another kind of natural innocence.

No, he should be the other half of Osborn's soul.

Looking at him, the chaotic scene from that day rushed into my mind.

I woke up in an unfamiliar room, forced to make a life-or-death choice between two Osborn's. When I rushed to the explosion site, I didn't see either of them....

Although Osborn later sent me a text message to say he was safe, no matter how I asked, he always remained silent about the situation of that other half of his soul. I didn't expect to encounter him here.

Should I tell Osborn? No, no, if they fight again, it might be even more intense than last time. I planned to pretend I didn't see anything and turn to leave, but there had always been some questions in my heart that I couldn't let go of.

Can souls really exist apart from the body? Why did he do that that day? And is it really okay for him to appear on the street like this?

While I was hesitating, the boy had already recognized me and was clearly startled.

He stood up, his expression becoming a bit complicated. I couldn't describe it, but I could be sure he didn't have any hostility towards me because his eyes no longer had the madness of that day, but were instead calm.

The kind soul... shouldn't do anything to me, right? I remember he was quite friendly at the convenience store.

I let Xiaoyu go back first and gestured for him to follow me with my eyes, intending to ask about things Osborn wouldn't tell me.

I was thinking about how to start the conversation along the way, and before I knew it, I had walked a long distance.

Looking back, the boy had already stopped, his eyes fixed on me, vigilant like a small animal in the jungle that had smelled gunpowder.

I didn't think much of it and only felt that it was inconvenient to talk from afar, so I walked towards him. To my surprise, he immediately took several steps back, his face filled with wariness and warning.

Come on, you were the one who kidnapped me last time. If anyone should be wary, it should be me, right?

I was a little confused, but also afraid of angering him, so I stopped where I was.

You: Is this okay?

The boy hesitated for a moment before nodding.

Then there was a minute of silence. I hadn't figured out how to ask yet, so I just kept looking at him until he frowned uncomfortably and his eyes darted away.

You: Um, do you remember me?

Boy: No.

You: ???

But he clearly remembered me just now, so why is he denying it now!

You: I just have some things to ask you.

Boy: If you just have something to ask me, why did you walk so far?

It took me a while to react.

So he thought I had ulterior motives and deliberately walked such a long distance to lure him to a deserted place? Do I look like a bad person?

And isn't he the kind part of the soul? Why was his first reaction to think the worst of people? He wasn't like this at the convenience store.

You: Since you think I have other intentions, why did you come with me?

You: You could have left halfway. Or do you also have other intentions towards me?

I took a big step closer and looked up at him, actually just wanting him to taste the feeling of being misunderstood. To my surprise, a clear panic flashed across the boy's face. He immediately turned his head, his bangs covering most of his expression.

Boy: I don't!

His tone was serious as if he was taking an oath, afraid I would convict him, but his ears turned bright red.

I was stunned for a moment and then burst out laughing. I never expected that fifteen-year-old Osborn would be so easily teased. But at the same time, I was relieved. It seemed he had just misunderstood me.

You: I know you don't. I was just kidding.

The boy was a little annoyed and looked at me sullenly until I stopped smiling.

Boy: What do you want to ask?

You: It's nothing major, just a few questions. What exactly--

However, the words reached my lips, and I suddenly lost my direction. Should I ask him why he's on the street? He wouldn't go to Osborn's house, would he?

Should I ask him why he doesn't return to Osborn's body? It's obvious there's a huge conflict between them. Or should I ask how Osborn was doing after the explosion that day?

Boy: You want to ask about that person, right?

You: Uh....

Boy: Then you should go find him. Why are you looking for me?

The boy showed a "I knew it" expression, and his face immediately turned cold. He dropped this sentence and turned to leave.

You: Why are you suddenly angry? Wait a minute--

However, he didn't turn back and walked away quickly, no less fast than the current Osborn. I chased after him, panting. As I stopped to catch my breath, the boy in front had already walked a long distance.

His back looked particularly thin, his entire being almost squeezed into a trembling flag by the oncoming wind, but his back was still straight.

The heavy, setting sun smoothly slid over his shoulders, leaving a fuzzy edge.

I suddenly felt a little dazed. In that dreamlike late night, Osborn also pulled me forward like this.

He held his head high, his back straight, looking so carefree. No one knew how much weight he was carrying that he shouldn't have to bear.

The boy in front, who never let down his guard, must have also experienced the violence and humiliation of Yuda Academy, the abandonment, and the moment of having his self-esteem crushed. And he seemed to be even more deeply trapped in the pain of the past than Osborn.

My heart suddenly felt a little sour. Seeing that he was about to disappear from my sight, I couldn't help but call out to him loudly.

You: Osborn!

I don't know if it was an illusion, but the boy seemed to pause for a moment before continuing forward. But this time he slowed down a lot, and I finally caught up to him.

You: You run too fast.

To prevent him from turning and leaving again, I immediately grabbed the corner of his clothes. The boy's body stiffened, and then he grabbed the hem and pulled it back forcefully.

I saw a pair of arms covered in veins and light pink scars.

He was too thin, although maybe it wasn't right to describe a soul that way, but the T-shirt hung loosely on him. Suddenly, I remembered Xiaoyu's words - he didn't have enough to eat himself, yet he fed the puppy.

Noticing my gaze, the boy immediately retracted his arms behind his back and tensed his face, but his expression was a little hurt.

Boy: What do you want?

You: I... I actually just wanted to ask if you're hungry.

Youth: No.

He spat out the two words expressionlessly, but his stomach growled the next second.

You: But I'm starving.

You: Let's go, I'll treat you to a meal.

It wasn't dinner time yet, and I figured he wouldn't like crowded places either, so I found a noodle shop on the street. There were only a few people in the shop, and it was clean and tidy.

You: What do you want to eat?

The cashier auntie looked at him warmly, but the boy seemed unused to such a scene and stood far away.

Boy: Anything is fine.

You: Then I'll have two bowls of mutton noodles. Can one of them have more meat?

Cashier Auntie: Yes, yes, that's 70 yuan in total.

After taking the receipt, we sat down facing each other, and there was another long silence.

I looked around and eventually my eyes fell back on him. I noticed a few red marks on the bridge of his nose, like scratches that hadn't scabbed over yet.

They must have been covered by his hair earlier, so I didn't notice.

I took out a band-aid from my bag and handed it to him. But before I could speak, he swatted my hand away.

Boy: What are you doing?

He seemed to subconsciously think of me as someone with bad intentions again.

You: You have a wound here. Here's a band-aid.

I pointed to my nose and then put the band-aid on the table, pushing it towards him.

The boy looked at the table and realized his reaction had been excessive. He opened his mouth and whispered an apology.

You: It's okay.

I shook my head.

After all, he's the kind part of the soul. No matter how much he puts up his defenses, he doesn't have much malice at heart.

If I invited him to dinner because of a sudden pang of heartache, then now, looking at fifteen-year-old Osborn sitting in front of me, a strange feeling slowly rose in my heart.

I used to feel guilty and regretful for breaking the promise all those years ago, countless times wondering if our lives would have been different if I had gone to the appointment.

Maybe it would be completely different from now, or maybe fate is too stubborn and nothing would change. But at least I would always remember him, and when he was abandoned or betrayed, I would stand by his side.

And now, as if time had heard my wish, it rewound back to many years ago.

I quietly looked at the boy in front of me. He was different from the Osborn in my memory. The boy who helped me melt the window with fire had now become agitated, more silent, and resistant to anyone's approach.

I don't know what happened in these three years, and I don't know if he still remembers that day. I really want to ask him.

Boy: Why do you keep looking at me?

You: You're good-looking.

The words came out of my mouth without thinking, and the boy's face turned red again. Fifteen or sixteen-year-old Osborn, it turns out, was so easily embarrassed.

I was about to ask him about what happened back then, but before I could speak, a boy suddenly rushed to our table and pinched his nose with both hands.

Child: Mom, it must be the smell from this person. He looks so dirty.

After saying that, he stuck his tongue out at us and ran away.

I was stunned for a moment. Did he say the boy smelled? But why couldn't I smell anything?

I sniffed hard, but I could only smell food and cooking fumes.

The noodle shop was quiet for a moment, and then whispers started, with the few gazes all turning towards us.

The boy's face suddenly turned pale. I thought he would stand up and scold the child, do what I imagined Osborn would do, but he didn't.

He remained silent, his head lowered. His eyes were completely hidden by his hair, and I could only see his tightly pursed lips, his lower lip bitten white.

Even though the anger surging around him was about to explode, he was still enduring it.

I looked at the instigator. The child saw me looking and arrogantly pinched his nose, even making a face.

What an ill-mannered child.

☾ Night: Angrily retort

☼ Light: Come to his defense

☼ [Light Choice: Come to his defense]

I stood up and quickly walked to the window, opening all of them.

You: This is a noodle shop. It's normal to have cooking fumes. Opening the windows for ventilation will do.

The breeze brought in the rich scent of camphor trees from the street, dispersing the accumulated smell in the noodle shop.

☼

☾ [Night Choice: Angrily retort]

I stood up abruptly and walked quickly to the window, opening all the windows.

You: This is a noodle restaurant, it's normal to have oily smoke, just open the window for ventilation.

You: I didn't smell anything. Child, you can still smell it from so far away, your nose is really unusual.

After finishing speaking, I took out a bottle of perfume from my bag, walked up to the boy and sprayed it a few times in the air around him.

You: Child, does it still smell like this?

The boy immediately covered his nose and stared at me.

The boy seemed unconvinced and wanted to say something, but his mother sternly scolded him.

Child: Mom, look at her--

Before the boy could finish his sentence, the middle-aged woman across from him closed her laptop, scolded him, and gave me an apologetic smile.

☾

Child's mom: I'm sorry, I didn't discipline my child well. I apologize.

The farce ended just like that.

I returned to my seat with satisfaction, but then I realized that I had stood up without asking him and had taken it upon myself to lecture the child. Would he feel offended?

Although we've only met three times, my intuition tells me he wouldn't be grateful for this.

I sat down nervously and, as expected, saw an unhappy face.

But contrary to my expectations, he wasn't angry. Instead, he was looking up at me with a confused expression, like a wronged child. The words "Why did you do that?" were clearly visible in his eyes.

It seemed like no one had ever believed in him or stood up for him.

My heart ached, and I couldn't help but reach out to touch his head, but he quickly dodged and returned to his impatient demeanor.

Boy: I didn't ask you to do that.

But even though he said that, his tone softened.

You: I hate rude kids myself. It has nothing to do with you.

Boy: Don't do that again in the future.

You: Why?

Boy: This time you were just lucky that the person you encountered didn't bother with you.

Boy: People who stand up for righteousness never end well.

Boy: Not only will others blame you, but when something happens to you, no one will stand up for you.

He tugged at the corner of his mouth, not smiling, his expression full of sarcasm.

I suddenly shivered, remembering what Osborn told me about why he was sent to Yuda Academy.

He was never understood and was labeled as hopeless. In such a situation, people either "admit their mistakes" or "have no choice but to become bad." There's no other way.

Osborn chose to "become bad" and abandoned him (the kind boy). And he, having nothing left, had no choice but to "admit his mistakes."

He learned to grit his teeth and endure, but he couldn't harden his heart or become indifferent to everything. After seeing too much filth, he finally understood that justice and tolerance couldn't solve any problems.

So that's why he changed from a purely kind soul to what he is now. I couldn't describe the feeling in my heart, only that it was a pity, such a pity.

You: If someone really gives me trouble, I'll ask you for help, okay?

Boy: Okay.

He actually answered readily.

Boy: I don't have money to repay you. But I can solve the trouble.

You: Money?

The waiter happened to bring the noodles at this moment, and the boy's face was hidden behind the rising steam, his expression obscured.

Boy: The money for the noodles.

You: I was the one who invited you to eat. You don't have to pay me back.

Boy: I don't take things from others for no reason.

Boy: So think about what you need me to do. As long as it's within my ability, I can do it.

The boy didn't pick up his chopsticks. His hands rested neatly on his lap, waiting for my answer. It seemed like he wouldn't eat if I didn't agree.

This person is even more stubborn than I thought.

You: Okay. Then what can you do?

Boy: For example, if someone bullies you, I can teach them a lesson.

You: No, no, no, it's not that serious.

You: Can it not be an action? How about you answer three questions for me.

This seemed to be beyond his principles. The boy furrowed his brows and thought for a while before nodding.

You: If it's difficult for you, I won't ask.

Boy: I didn't say it was difficult. Ask away.

You: First question, aren't you a soul? How can I see you?

You: And how come you look fifteen or sixteen? Is it because you left your body at that age?

Boy: I am a soul, but I have the blood of a god, so I can manifest a physical form.

You: The blood of a god?!

Boy: Yes, and the appearance of the physical form can be changed at will.

In addition to being surprised, I also sorted out some clues. No wonder I saw him looking exactly like Osborn before, but now he has the appearance of a teenager.

As for the blood of a god... Osborn never mentioned it to me, and I only heard the legend of gods from Sariel not long ago. I couldn't believe that there were actually "gods" in the world.

But the recent events made me feel a sense of helplessness that I had to believe.

You: You said you have the blood of a god, so are you very powerful? Besides changing your appearance, do you have any other abilities?

Boy: Is this the second question?

I thought about it and felt it was a bit of a waste, so I decided not to ask.

You: Second question, why did you do that last time? Making me choose between Osborn and those five people.

You: Actually, you didn't want me to make a choice, right? You didn't want to hurt those five people, did you?

Boy: How did you know?

You: Hmm... intuition, I guess.

Or maybe it's trust. Because he's half of Osborn's soul, I believe he wouldn't do anything to hurt innocent people. The boy looked at me, his expression seeming a little moved.

Boy: I just wanted to die with him. That way I could atone for those five people.

Boy: They died because of us. There's no other way but to give our lives back to them.

I clearly saw two flames burning calmly in his eyes.

So that's why he was so persistent and crazy.

It wasn't to take revenge on his other self. He just wanted to atone for his sins, even if it meant sacrificing his life and the freedom he had finally regained.

A pang of sorrow welled up in my chest for no reason, and I once again remembered Osborn's words from that day. He told me not to choose him, that saving those five people was helping him fulfill his wish.

I never understood why he didn't resist at all. With his power, he shouldn't have been controlled, so I always thought the so-called wish was to redeem himself.

But at this moment, I suddenly thought that maybe at that time, Osborn understood the boy's intention. After so many years, he had forgiven himself, but the fifteen-year-old him was still stuck in the past.

He wanted to save not the present himself, but the helpless Osborn who was abandoned back then.

Boy: You have one more question left.

I came back to my senses and saw the boy's frank eyes.

You: Third question--

I had already decided to ask him what he did to Osborn that day. However, looking at him, I suddenly couldn't ask.

All the questions essentially had nothing to do with him. I was just concerned about Osborn.

Boy: Ask away. It doesn't matter if it's related to him.

The more he said that, the more he looked at me with those frank eyes, the more I couldn't ask.

You: You--how have you been spending your time lately?

I ultimately couldn't bear the condemnation of my conscience.

The boy was a little stunned, not expecting my third question to be about himself.

Boy: I have a place to go.

You: Is it the bridge we saw earlier?

Boy: No.

You: Then where is it?

He looked at me, and I knew his guard was up again, so I raised my hand and swore.

You: I won't tell anyone.

Boy: A warehouse I used to go to often when I was little.

Could it be the place where we first met?!

You: The warehouse on Mingzhou Road?!

The boy suddenly looked up.

Boy: How do you know? Did that person tell you something?!

This was the first time I heard him speak so loudly, attracting the attention of several people around us.

You: No.

Boy: That's right, he wouldn't remember these things.

You: He remembers. I remember too.

You: Because the person locked in the warehouse that year was me.

Boy: Impossible.

He interrupted me flatly. I guessed he wouldn't believe me.

You: I was in fifth grade at the time. I had a conflict with a classmate and took a random bus alone, ending up in a place I didn't know.

You: There was a big warehouse there, surrounded by weeds. I walked in, and not long after, I heard fighting outside.

You: Those people said, "Just throw him here, it doesn't matter if he dies." It was something like that, and then I saw a boy.

You: It was the middle of winter, and he was wearing short sleeves, his arm bleeding. I was so scared that I hid and didn't make a sound.

As I gave more and more detailed details, his expression started to change.

You: Later, I saw him lying on the ground, his face pale. I thought he was dying, so I went over and gave him a handkerchief.

You: He was always cool, even as a kid. He didn't want my handkerchief and said he wouldn't die.

You: I couldn't bear to watch, so I used the handkerchief to bandage his wound. He even scared me, saying there would be big wolf dogs coming.

You: We talked a lot that day. He said he was a monster. He didn't know that my classmates also called me a monster at that time.

You: We were both different from the so-called normal people in this world.

You: It was getting darker and darker, and I was anxious to go home, but the warehouse was locked. In the end, he melted the glass with fire.

You: After we got out, he called out to me and asked me--

Boy: Will you come back again?

The boy said almost immediately, his eyes brighter than ever before.

You: I said yes. But I didn't go back.

You: I'm sorry.

He shook his head vigorously, almost at the same time as my "I'm sorry," and then looked at me silently for a while, lowering his eyes and briefly smiling.

It was the first time I had seen him smile.

I found that whenever he smiled, the impatient, cool demeanor would disappear from his face, and he would become a fifteen-year-old boy again.

You: Why didn't you ask me why I didn't go back?

Boy: Do you want me to ask you that?

You: Otherwise? Don't you want to know why?

Boy: I do.

The boy nodded firmly, then shook his head again, and spoke seriously.

Boy: But it doesn't matter.

You: Huh?

Boy: And, it's good that you didn't go back.

You: Why?

Boy: I fought there later. If you were there, it would be dangerous.

I was caught off guard by the sincerity in his eyes and lowered my head, realizing my heart was beating a little fast.

Boy: Did I say something wrong?

You: No... The noodles are getting cold, let's eat.

Perhaps because we were more familiar with each other, he no longer followed the three-question rule. He would answer any question I asked seriously.

I learned that he hadn't seen Osborn since that day, and that he had been running errands for others to earn money, sleeping in the warehouse at night and staying under the bridge during the day.

He seemed to have taken on a lot of work, as phone calls kept coming in for him while we were eating.

I tentatively asked him if these things were legal. He looked away and didn't answer.

Thinking of the crazy him from that day, I felt a vague unease.

I wanted to tell him not to do those things, that in the end, he would only hurt himself. But I had no right to say so. To him, I was just a stranger he had met once.

As we were leaving the noodle shop, he suddenly stopped and looked back at the troublemaking child.

The owner apologized for the incident and gave us two coupons, which I handed to him. But he didn't take them. Instead, he asked the owner for the two receipts from our order.

He carefully folded them and put them in his pocket, along with the band-aid, with a cherished gesture.

Clink-- As he withdrew his hand, he accidentally knocked something out, which rolled to my feet. Looking down, I saw a small, square, gray object with dark red stains on it.

However, before I could see it clearly, he quickly picked it up and put it back in his pocket, looking a little nervous.

I didn't ask further, as it was his secret after all.

But I couldn't ignore the large dried stains on his clothes and pockets, and once again felt sympathy.

You: Wait for me.

I ran back to the shop and picked out some clothes and pants according to his size, then quickly returned, afraid he would disappear again if I wasn't careful.

You: These are for you.

Boy: I don't have money to give you.

He repeated the same sentence, stubbornly refusing to accept them, but this time the regret on his face was clear.

You: Then you owe me. You don't need to write an IOU. If I need you to do something, I'll come to the bridge to find you.

While he was stunned, I stuffed the paper bag into his arms and took his phone to enter my number.

It was a flip phone model from more than ten years ago, probably only able to send text messages and make calls now. The blue screen flickered unsteadily, and the case was dirty. I don't know where he got it from.

You: I won't break my promise this time.

The boy stared at me in a daze for a long time before nodding heavily.

I said goodbye to him at the intersection, but just as I crossed the crosswalk, I suddenly heard someone calling me from behind.

I turned around, and the green light turned on, trucks rumbling past us, drowning out all the surrounding sounds.

This green light was exceptionally long. After what seemed like forever, all the vehicles had passed, and the boy's face appeared before me.

You: Is there anything else?

Boy: These are too expensive.

Boy: So I'll protect you instead.

You: ....What?

I was momentarily stunned. The streetlights lit up one by one, and the boy's expression was exceptionally serious.

Boy: I don't have anything else to offer, only this.

Boy: But I'm not weaker than that person at all. What he can do, I can do too.

Boy: Actually, that day was my-- forget it.

Boy: Stay away from him.

After saying that, before I could react, he hurriedly ran away.

What does he mean by staying away from him? Is he referring to Osborn? What was "that day"? I wanted to grab the corner of his clothes and ask again, but my hand grasped at empty air.

You: Hey, can you please not do those dangerous things?

I shouted loudly at his back, but this time he didn't stop and disappeared into the rolling crowd in the distance.

In a place people could no longer see, the boy stopped and gasped for air.

The warm wind blew his hair, revealing a pair of dull eyes. He raised his hand, but before his fingers touched the bridge of his nose, the red marks disappeared.

His palms were sweaty from the prolonged tension. He wiped them hard on his clothes, took out his phone, and unlocked the screen. There was only one contact in his address book.

He had only wanted to use her to get his body back.

He stared at the only name for a long time, until the phone started to vibrate.

It was the construction site man who had paid for the hemp rope and begged him to kill his boss a while ago. Hadn't they already settled their debts? The boy frowned.

Construction Site Man: Young man, didn't you say last time that someone who looked a lot like you was looking for you?

Construction Site Man: I just saw them, a group of them, on Heng'an Street.

That was where he had just eaten! The boy clenched his fists.

Boy: I got it.

His tone was vicious, the impulse made him want to rush over and take back the body that was supposed to be his. However, he did not forget the humiliation last time.

Boy: There is a noodle shop on Heng'an Street, go find a child for me and bring him here.

He was about to turn around when he suddenly remembered something, took out the gray human bone from his pocket, sneered, and threw it into the trash can on the side of the road.

Lowering his face, his bangs covered his eyes again, he hugged the paper bag in his arms and ran in the opposite direction.

Chapter 16-09

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

#light and night #light and night translations #evan #sariel #osborn #jesse #charlie #light and night chapter 16 translation #light and night main story translation

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leyyvi · 2 years ago

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ley the more Levi designs you put out as stickers the more I’m going to get to add towards my Levi themed water bottle ahsjsjsj

I currently have like 2 of them in my cart but I will wait for the others to get them all together !!! I’m probably gonna go broke but it’s okay cause it’s Levi and very well worth it 🥹

dfjkhsdjkfh please i'm RUSHING to get designs done to try and launch this weekend JHFKJGHDFGKJH i wanna give out so many freebies for future aot orders as consolation prizes for the grief we'll have to suffer through <333 ILL TRY TO MAKE IT WORTH IT ALEX!!! <333

#ty for your support as always ;; <333

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thehungrykat1 · 10 months ago

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Japan Town in Glorietta Mall Takes Guests on a Culinary and Cultural Journey

I am just so in love with Japan. Even before I first got to travel to Land of the Rising Sun, I was already so captivated with the Japanese culture and way of life, most especially their food! Japanese cuisine is obviously my favorite, which is why my top places to eat are mostly Japanese restaurants. That's why I was really excited to attend the launch of the refreshed Japan Town in Glorietta Mall which brings all my favorites in one fantastic venue.

Glorietta, a bustling shopping and lifestyle destination in the heart of Metro Manila, has relaunched a hidden gem that brings the vibrant culture and exquisite flavors of Japan to the forefront. Welcome to Glorietta's Japan Town, a culinary haven that transcends the ordinary, offering the Japanese experience, both traditional and contemporary, without the need for a plane ticket. The Hungry Kat was invited last January 27, 2024 to be part of the festivities and activities that were available to guests at Glorietta and it was truly a fun and enjoyable weekend.

Glorietta's Japan Town isn't just for culinary enthusiasts; it's a destination for all. The communal atmosphere reminiscent of izakayas creates an ideal setting for friends to gather, unwind, and relish the energetic social scene. Japan Town also provides solace and a taste of Japan's culinary delights for those seeking a comforting escape after a challenging day's work. Moreover, Japan Town is a vibrant community hub where individuals can immerse themselves in their passion for everything Japanese. The central square stands as a focal point, boasting a LED screen that showcases the diverse works of various artists. In the upcoming months, it will also host a plethora of events and fairs, promising an exciting calendar for mallgoers. Anticipate the rhythmic beats of DJs during events like Sunsets in Shibuya, where the lively ambiance of Tokyo evenings comes to life.

For this weekend, Japan Town became a haven of activities for everything Japanese. Guests came in their best cosplay outfits to match the beautiful and scenic surroundings.

Those who were not able to wear costumes could also Rent-A-Cosplay for the afternoon to bring out their favorite anime and game characters.

They also had Rent-A-Kimono so you could take gorgeous photos and feel as if you were really in Japan.

There were many other activities that guests could participate in for free. All you had to do was to present a single receipt purchase of P2000 from any of the Japan Town merchants and restaurants. Guests could design their own totebags or participate in the Origami workshop.

We decided to join the Matcha Workshop by Matchanese.ph where we could mix and create our own Matcha Lattes.

The instructor taught us the art of matcha making which comes with precise measurements and strokes. We first had to weigh the matcha powder using digital weighing scales then whisk it into a thick and bubbly consistency. It was actually hard work because my arms got tired from all the whisking and blending.

We then prepared our milk and ice then proceeded to pour our matcha creations into our Matcha Latte cups. We also got to take home some of the matcha beverages we did.

One of my favorite things to do in Japan are the Claw Machines! That's why I was so happy to see these claw machines at Japan Town which were free to play. I spent a lot of time that afternoon trying to catch these prizes so I was ecstatic when I finally won!

Japan Town also featured some stalls selling cute kawaii items from stickers to key chains and prints and more.

I also made sure to drop by the Wishing Tree to grant me good fortune and to make my wishes come true this year.

Another great activity you can do at Japan Town is to experience wholesome family entertainment at the Omniverse Museum. This indoor attraction showcases a vast collection of authentic pop culture memorabilia from beloved comic books, movies, novels, and TV series. My husband took it a little too far when he saw some of his favorite characters.

Japan Town at Glorietta boasts an enticing array of Japanese restaurants, each offering a unique culinary journey that captures the essence of Japan's diverse and rich food culture and promises an immersive dining experience that transports patrons to the lively streets of Japan.

One of the restaurants that we wanted to visit at Japan Town was Musashi-Maru, a haven for sushi enthusiasts which offers a delectable dining experience with a focus on fresh and high-quality ingredients.

We ordered the Osashimi 6 Shu Mori (P1400) for our starters which had six kinds of assorted sashimi including salmon, tuna, scallops, lapu lapu, squid, and delectable uni. We were quite impressed with the quality of their dishes which can match those authentic Japanese restaurants in Little Tokyo in Makati.

My husband had the Una-Ju (P980) with its grilled eel on top of Japanese rice. It was really like you were eating this in Ginza, Tokyo.

We then shared the Hanakago Zen Negitoro Don (P1120), a big basket that comes with Mini Negitoro Don, Assorted Tempura, Assorted Sashimi, Nimono Garoni, Mini Udon, Tofu, Chawanmushi, and Almond Jelly.

We had already tried most of the other restaurants at Japan Town but it was always fun to go back. Experience a fusion of flavors at Mitsuyado Ramen Shokudo which offering a unique twist to traditional ramen.

This time we ordered their Spicy Tuna, Black Pepper Chicken Donburi, and Ebi Tempura.

To finish our food crawl at Japan Town, we headed next door to 102 Izakaya. This is where you can immerse yourself in the izakaya culture where small plates and a relaxed atmosphere create the perfect setting for socializing and enjoying Japanese snacks.

I remembered enjoying their Japanese Cocktails like the Sakura Sour and the Japanese Iced Tea before so we had to have these again.

We finished our exciting day with the Ribeye Saikoro Steak (P920) paired with the Yakitori Platter (P398) that comes with 8 sticks of delicious kushiyaki.

There are four other delicious restaurants in Japan Town that we did not get to explore this time. Shaburi & Kintan is where you can indulge in a dual culinary experience with shabu-shabu and yakiniku, creating a communal dining experience that brings friends and family together. Customize your curry experience at Coco Ichibanya with its diverse range of toppings and spice levels that cater to various palates. Dive into the world of ramen with Ramen Nagi, where steaming bowls of noodles and flavorful broths provide a taste of Japan's beloved comfort food. Finally, renowned for its tonkotsu ramen, Hakata Ton-Ichi invites guests to savor the robust and hearty flavors of this Fukuoka specialty.

We would like to thank our Ninang Bess Howe and her Better Mondays PR Consultancy team for hosting this very entertaining and filling weekend at Japan Town. With its diverse dining options, welcoming atmosphere, and immersive exploits, Japan Town at Glorietta fosters deeper cultural appreciation and promises an experience that embraces the best of Japan right in the heart of Metro Manila. You can find Japan Town at the Level 4 roofdeck of Glorietta 3 in Ayala Center, Makati City.

#ILoveGlorietta #Glorietta #GloriettaJapanTown #JapanTown #Japan #HereatGlorietta #AyalaMalls

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breckstonevailskier · 2 years ago

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The Heart of Lewisburg Ice Festival is an annual event held in Lewisburg, PA on the first weekend of February. This includes the carving of ice sculptures sponsored by businesses on Market Street, as well as a 5K on Saturday morning, the annual Polar Bear Plunge (where people go to the Saint George Street Boat Launch and run into the icy waters of the Susquehanna River West Branch), and more. In this video, which was shot during a period of freezing cold temperatures in the area (with a high in the low 20s), I walk up and down Market Street, beginning at Bull Run Tap House, walking down the south side of Market Street to Front Street (after a detour through Hufnagle Park), and then walk back on the north side of Market Street, admiring the ice sculptures, some already up and others in the process of being carved. Timestamps: 0:00 Start at Bull Run Tap House 0:50 Map 1:00 Hufnagle Park loop 5:17 Market Street (south side) 5:33 Crossing the UCIR track 6:10 Black Dog Jewelers & Mid-Penn Engineering sculpture 6:45 Art of Living Design sculpture 7:13 I briefly step off the curb to go around a @user-pu2ez6ol6o news crew doing some B-roll shooting 7:37 Campus Theatre 7:50 M&T Bank Sculpture 8:30 The Cookie Dude's sculpture (with a plate of cookies in its hand) 9:20 Coldwell Banker & Penn One Realty's sculpture 9:57 The Mercantile & Hungry Run Distillery's sculpture 10:35 Sculpture carving in front of the US Post Office 11:12 The Open Discourse Coalition's owl sculpture 11:39 Saffron's pineapple sculpture 13:31 Stephen A. Raguesa, PsyD & The Crossland Group's sculpture 14:04 Good Habits' sculpture 14:56 Crossing Front Street to return west along Market Street 15:30 Sculptures Studio Snowman 16:31 Lewisburg Hotel sculpture 17:34 Steins Flowers & Evangelical Community Hospital flower vase sculpture 19:49 Sculpture in front of Sweet Frog 20:18 Fish sculpture in front of Brushstrokes 21:25 Elizabeth's American Bistro wine glass sculpture 22:11 Angel sculpture for the Samek Gallery 22:31 Purity Candy sculpture 22:50 Sculptures in front of Retrah and Dwellings Boutique 23:48 Sculpture in front of Mondragon Books 24:30 Sculpture in front of the parking lot for Mifflinburg Bank & Trust's Lewisburg branch 25:06 Crossing the tracks 25:41 Sculpture in front of La Casa De Pizza 26:34 Sculpture in front of Brendan's Towne Tavern __________ Additional Resources: More information about the Heart of Lewisburg Ice Festival: https://ift.tt/NgJCwI7 Support the channel: * Membership sign up: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcXq_uoAGafTEoT5FTS2eNQ/join * YouTube Super Chat and Super Stickers (click the $ sign in the live chat box during premieres and live streams) My social media: Tumblr: https://ift.tt/S7X1Kbz Flickr: https://ift.tt/69aDReY

#IFTTT #YouTube #Pennsylvania #PA

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sirladysketch · 3 years ago

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It’s been less than a week since I launched, but we’ve already unlocked the original four pin designs over on my Kickstarter Campaign! I worked this weekend to finish up the next three unlockable pin designs, not to mention the sticker sheet and postcard freebie goals. If we manage to unlock them, I have even more goodies planned!

Check out the Kickstarter Campaign Here!

Signal boosts, reblogs, retweets, and helping me spread the word in general are very much appreciated! <3

#My art #kickstarter campaigns #kickstarter #Pins #hard enamel pins #autumn #Fall #Halloween #Spooky #Owl #Fox #Leaves #Apples #Pumpkin #Wreath #Sunflowers

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rodentiart · 4 years ago

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A closer look at the new stickers I launched over the weekend. Two original designs, Hat Kid, Bow Kid, and some Squeeks/Little Mousers!

#sticker #merchandise #mouse #rodent #a hat in time #super mario #yoshi's island #squeek #little mouser #hat kid #bow kid

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galenfm · 4 years ago

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·ﾟ☀ i am already so tired of myself and i have class soon aGAIN ........ ugh well again , i am teddy , a she / her pronoun user and current mun to two muses in this delightful shining star of a group ! i now present galen , my newest gaming gf creation who just wants everyone to fucking include each other ! my preferred plotting method is via discord over at 𝐤𝐲𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 !#6439 , i’ll make a plotting call there and i’ll reach out to everyone who likes this !

* read all about galen sorenson , otherwise affectionately nicknamed the champ. the twenty - one year old gamer and blossoming actress is widely known for being uninhibited, magnanimous, self - deprecating, capricious and recently made headlines when they allegedly dropped a sponsor due to their support of autism speaks . apparently judas claims to be sitting on an even bigger story involving them - whatever the truth may be, i'm sure it won't stay hidden for long. & a screaming laugh following a jumpscare waking the whole house , overthinking an interaction hours after it’s passed , a childhood spent begging to be read the ugly duckling and lingering on every word , neurodiversity stickers pasted all over a gaming pc. ◜ ⭒ ic: alisha boe. cis woman. she / her.

BIO : mohammed and karina sorenson have never been a conventional pair . to start , they meet when he , the biggest male model of the 80′s , is hired to walk for her winter collection , being one of europe’s top knitwear designers who never seems to go out of style . he’s eccentric and as magnetic as can be , she’s demure and has never said a word regarding anything but her work . they don’t make sense , but they’re married two years in secret before finally making their relationship known . mohammed , progressive and independent minded despite his traditional somali family , takes her last name and relocates to norway , where karina gives birth to a stunning baby girl that steals the hearts of the eu as the tabloids go crazy over her .

elissa is nearly 18 when her mother has the news to shock a nation : she’s miraculously pregnant , once more , far enough along that she intends to keep the baby despite both her and mohammed being into their 40′s . karina , having named their first baby , gives the reigns over to mo for their second child , but isn’t too happy with his pick

galen literally translates to mad , to incorrect , she argues , elissa firmly on her side

it gives her a chance to choose her own path . it gives her something to make for herself , mohammed counters , and that ends that .

galen is born in olso and is every bit as precious as her sister , now old enough to even potentially be her mother . her parents , busy with their ventures but over the moon to have a new baby in the house , raise her for her first few years in a small norwegian town to shield her from the prying eyes of the public

mohammed is first to notice that she doesn’t respond to her name or seem interested in looking at him , keeping her focus on whatever toy catches her eye for the day . he and karina write it off when she doesn’t hit her talking milestones or hold crayons the way other toddlers do , or figure she’s just an introvert when her preschool teacher mentions she doesn’t enjoy playing with the other kids during free time

they can’t ignore it any longer when she hits grade school , instantly falling behind with the rigorous private school pace and eventually warranting a visit from the school psychologist . she remembers the worry that paints her parents weathered faces when , at six years old , she’s given a laundry list of diagnoses and recommended for “ alternate ” schooling

something about the way her teachers treat her , so broken and unworthy of respect , makes her shut down , regressing with any progress she had shown and really refusing to cooperate with most adults she comes by . elissa is a budding starlet taking weekends off from film roles to spend time with her little sister , knowing that behind the quiet dark eyes of the child who wouldn’t look at you was a bright mind teeming with unsaid thoughts

her parents go to all ends to hire her private tutors and special therapists , which help her keep up at grade level . she’s in middle school when her science teacher , noting galen’s aptitude on exams and incredible recall , says she may fare better in an american school , recommending one he knows will accept a prestigious line such as the sorensons .

she moves to pennsylvania at 12 and the change is hard . she again regresses and suffers at the hands of her peers at the private catholic school she attends , her parents reaching a level of despair thinking they’ve failed their daughter , unable to get her the help she deserves despite their best attempts . galen , sick of being deemed the broken doll , seeks out an escape from the world to try and give her some reprieve from the constant pity she wishes she could express is only doing more harm than good

she likes makeup but sucks at it , enjoys art but can’t seem to draw for the life of her . she knows she’s tone deaf as all hell and doesn’t like sweating enough to be willing to dance . for once in her life , despite all the years of trying to ignore the well - meaning comments of those around her , galen starts to believe maybe there is something wrong about her .

it’s elissa’s celeb boyfriend who buys her an xbox for christmas , figuring the two could play it as a bonding experience . brimming with quiet gratitude , galen spends hours on the damn thing in between study sessions . tutors notice an improvement in focus , more motivation to work and get things done so she can finally hop back onto the console and escape into a fantasy .

she begs her parents to let her do homeschooling for her high school years , to which they agree and she thrives . she upgrades now to a gaming pc and plays through everything she can get her hands on . people on her teams don’t know her , and they don’t treat her any differently than anyone else , so before long she’s unlocking a bubblier side to herself that just feels content .

she records her playthroughs in silence ( she’s gaining confidence , but still shy , and god knows how the internet treats female gamers ) and uploads them to youtube under a stupid channel name with only a few hundred subscribers . noting the accuracy and speed with which galen destroys shooter games , someone suggests she try overwatch .

galen is hooked in an instant . she plays matches in between daily activities and quickly climbs ranks to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the competitive community . after finding a team where she feels particularly at - home , they launch to stardom due to their sweeping wins and incredible cohesion . galen becomes something of an overnight sensation , quiet and unassuming , and this recognition feels like the validation she’s been seeking for herself this whole time

she blossoms and cements her legacy as an overwatch competitive titan by the time she graduates , reaching grandmaster status and being known throughout the community for her strategy and technique . her youtube channel grows exponentially , and after realizing this is a viable future for herself , galen posts her playthroughs with her commentary and finds that people love what she does . she moves to new york in order to collaborate with other big gamers , and on her channel , she does a combination of horror games , overwatch trainings , and new release reviews and builds a following similar to markiplier or jackseptic eye , with a second vlog channel to document when she goes off to tournaments or simple things from her days

she’s 19 when her repeated wins get the attention of a massive gaming studio who invite her to come record some lines as an easter egg of sorts for her fans in a new game they’re developing . her work is met with rave reviews and suddenly game titans are nearly breaking down her door for more voice acting work . galen , who’s always felt like the ugly duckling compared to her sister’s perfect legacy , takes this opportunity to emulate her sister’s career , and nearly doubles over when a film studio approaches her with interest of casting her as a supporting role in a project of theirs . though she’s never pictured herself to be in front of a camera quite like that , with some coaching , galen nails it , and finds the high of acting catapults her from relative fame into newfound stardom .

she’s one of the newer members of the brat pack considering her youtube fame was more inconspicuous than her film work , though she still is adjusting to life in the limelight . she stays close to her roots and continues to post regularly to her channel and streams on twitch , collaborating with other increasingly big names to gain her more views .

galen’s most notable push since rising to fame has been her advocacy for neurodiversity and recognition for how poorly people with learning disabilities are treated in society . she doesn’t go in detail with her diagnoses but she does make jokes about them on her stream in order to normalize their mentions . she recently dropped a sponsor for their support of autism speaks and donates a majority of her merch revenue and tournament winnings to advocacy causes . she’s proud of who she is and hopes the future can be shaped into what kids like her needed when they were growing up .

galen lives up to her father’s prediction this whole time and changes her channel’s name to galengaming , proud to tout the moniker that spurred her to create a path she wanted rather than be told who to be by the world around her .

PERSONALITY : galen has an energy about her that is like the sun hidden behind a cloud . upon first impressions , she’s a bit more timorous and nervous as she gets her footing of wherever she may be , especially with some of the more public - eye type settings she’s been put in since sort of being sucked into the brat pack . she wants to make sure she’s acting appropriately for whatever the situation calls and may often seem tense or apprehensive .

once she’s loosened up or seen a familiar face she can latch onto , she blossoms into a ball of unfiltered energy . she loves humor and memes and can often be found competitively launching memes she’s found into her team’s group discord server . she’s witty and often makes herself the butt of her own jokes in order to lighten the mood , though she’ll be sure to clarify that she loves herself and only does so to keep herself humble lmao .

her playthroughs are VERY stream of consciousness but its this lack of filter that seems to be her fans’ favorite thing about her , a willingness to say whatever unhinged thing she may be thinking followed by a shrieking scream after a jumpscare or a string of screeching expletives after missing a goal

she can perhaps sometimes be too unfiltered and unwittingly come across as harsh or blunt , though she’ll often realize this after the fact and feel incredibly remorseful . galen has a habit to overthink and will panic for the rest of the night if she fears she’s inadvertently offended you , but won’t apologize due to being too nervous to figure out exactly how to do so ssksksks

one of galen’s most notable qualities is her heart , her benevolence and empathy that lead her to want everyone to feel included regardless of how different they may be . though she tries to give everyone a chance , there’s a fair amount of people perhaps too materialistic for her to get along with , and her polite way to ignore them is simply keeping her distance and pretending to not know them

which . in her own way . comes across as shady sksksk “oh you know so and so ? ” omg no i dont haha who are they “ u literally met them last night ” hahaha no i didnt x

she can be prone to mood swings simply due to a sensitivity to her own feelings and a tendency to overthink . she’ll wonder why she feels weird and even if it’s just because she’s hungry she’ll assume it’s because she said “thanks you too” when the cashier told her to enjoy her meal and then she has to sulk and play animal crossing alone in the dark for an hour before she can come out and be chill again even tho she feels worse than when she started bc shes just HUNGRY ASKSKKS

she’s used to being infantilized so she tends to be sort of short tempered if people talk down to her . this is when the wit kicks in as she is really just tired of being treated poorly by people who don’t even know her and has decided she will refuse to take any more shit ! can be a bit snippy even without realizing it but if she’s close to you she’ll usually be like “ oh my god that was rude as fuck im so sorry ” and feel bad for 20 minutes even after you say its okay lmaoo

random blurbs : um DONT ask me who she plays in her overwatch tournaments bc im using opossum and wikipedia to figure shit out as i goes , but i know for sure she calls out a lot of misogyny in the gaming world on social media !

always has her switch with her i KNOW this for a fact

anime nerd ....... nobody call her out on it she will deny until she is blue in the face and then hum the one punch man intro in her streams as if hundreds of thousands of people arent witnesses LMAO

this is so stereotypical nerd but she hates the outdoors ! says the US is so dirty and stuffy she says scandanavia is the only place she’ll ever like to be outside , she slips into norwegian when she’s recording if she gets jumpscared so she doesnt get demonetized for over - swearing lmao

also speaks french because she picked it up from her mom ! her dad usually only spoke english or norwegian , so galen didn’t get to pick up on much somali or arabic but she def knows at least a few words here and there

she vlogs a good amount of her life but she’s kinda shy about talking about who she’s dating , will probably try to keep her romantic life to herself !

excited as all hell to get into acting but the super fame that’s coming with it kinda freaks her out . she knows it’s a trade off bc she loves the feeling it gives her but hates how people are now overstepping a lot of boundaries that they didn��t before when she was just a popular youtuber

inspos are juno from the iconic movie juno , toph beifong from atla , louis theroux YES THE DOCUMENTARY GUY LEAF ME AL ONE , & amy from booksmart !

#cross.start #* ◞ 𝐢 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝖈𝖚𝖙 𝒕𝒐 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 . ❪ 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃 : INTRO .#❪ yes her tags are carly rae jep/sen lyrics and hall and oates songs respectively #no i will not apologize or stop hyping EITHER of those musical geniuses up

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slade-neko · 4 years ago

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My Thoughts on Super Smash Bros

Just something I wanted to write up since Smash Bros is one of my favorite game series and kinda got me into video games. (WARNING: Its fairly long...)

Super Smash Bros. (N64 & Melee)

Super Smash Bros. was my first 3D game. Got it one year for Christmas when I was a little kid with a Nintendo 64. That game introduced me to video games. Before that I had only played Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt on my parents’ NES console. I wasn’t hooked on video games until I got my hands on a Nintendo 64. “Whoa! The graphics are so 3D!” It also introduced me to so many major Nintendo characters I did not know about like Link, Samus, Fox, and Kirby. It was the best gateway a kid could ask for to “get into” video games. Inevitably I ended up getting a Gamecube with Super Smash Bros. Melee as my first game on it too. Melee was great just like reliving that original feeling all over again. What made these games even more special was unlocking the characters. In a time before internet, you had no clue who was in the game and how to unlock them. The excitement of seeing that “Challenger Approaching” screen was like nothing else. A lot of your information came from questionable sources of kids at school. Rumors with no real answers (until you get an official guide book.) No internet leaks or spoilers. Those were good times!

One word I would use to describe the overall feel I got from Smash 64 and Melee would be Classic!

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Years later, Super Smash Bros. Brawl came out. I’m not sure why, but I really got into that game. It was probably due to the timing and circumstances. The longest wait between Smash games being Melee to Brawl was 7 years and that brought a lot of desire for a new Smash game for me. Also the memories of being a kid playing this with my friends after school on weekends, big sleepovers, using the game’s crappy wi-fi connection, good times! I also did not understand the game’s mechanics as a kid and why people hated them, so I couldn’t complain about that. The art style of the game wasn’t necessarily my favorite, but it worked well for that game. It went from the bright vivid colors of Melee to a more dull, colorless, gritty style. Best example is Ocarina of Time Link being swapped over to Twilight Princess. Oh, and the game really picked up as a lot of fun when I began modding it. Turns out Wii’s were very easy to Homebrew and Brawl was fairly easy to mod. That brought out a HUGE replay value of installing new mods, making my own mods, and all sorts of endless possibilities with the game. Getting Project M (a fan mod for Brawl that reworked the entire game more competitively) really opened my eyes to the competitive side of Smash and showed me why normal Brawl was so bad.

One word I would use to describe the overall feel I got from Brawl from its art style, orchestrated full choir theme, to its fantastic Subspace Emissary cutscenes would be Epic!

Super Smash Bros. 4

Smash eventually died down for another 6 years until Super Smash Bros. 4 came out. Man, Smash 4 was exciting because “Hey, new Smash game!”, but seeing it in full... it was honestly very weird. The 3DS version launching first felt like a big demo... at 240 pixels... wow. (I hated 3DS for taking wonderful games like Smash, Monster Hunter, the N64 Zelda remakes and dragging them into a low resolution, portable Hell!) That aside, I forcibly played the 3DS version until the Wii U one came out. Then the true game began and well it still wasn’t the Smash I was hoping for. It was fun, some cool new characters, but some more cuts too. Questionable new game mechanics among other things that made gameplay pretty un-fun. Hearing about how the 3DS version dragged down the Wii U version was quite disheartening too like Ice Climbers getting cut because they simply would not work on 3DS and the two games just HAD to be the same was stupid. The 3DS was a horrible anchor weighing down the game. Oh, and I don’t think they had a very clear direction with the art style of this game... The Zelda characters are still Twilight Princess designs, but are now bright and vivid? It just looks weird and out of place for them. Ganondorf looks exceptionally ugly because of that.

One word I would use to describe the overall feel I got from Smash 4 from its theme music and the whole game’s aesthetic feels very Sporty.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Not long after and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate came out of the dark to save the day. Ultimate is really amazing. They took the crappy Smash 4 and cut its chains from the 3DS so it could soar above and beyond. A lot of it is Smash 4 assets ported over from the Wii U to a better console, the Switch. They somehow got EVERY single character back with a ton of new ones, almost every stage, so much amazing music, and well it truly is deserving of the Ultimate title in terms of content!

So the game is pretty great and has A LOT of content, but its still not without issues (at least for me.) This is me being overly critical with the game and my MELEE FANBOY BULLSH*T opinions coming through, but there are quite a few things I don’t like about this game. The theme music (albeit catchy) is super sappy anime bullcrap music. I don’t mean that in a negative way, despite how I worded it, IT is very sappy anime music about the forces of good fighting evil together. The World of Light mode isn’t a lot of fun at least for me it wasn’t. It wasn’t Subspace Emissary, which I know its wasn’t meant to replace it. I had the most fun with Adventure mode in Melee and would’ve preferred to have a little mode similar to that instead. Spirits are seriously just the stickers from Brawl. I frequently call them that unintentionally when playing the game. Doing Spirit Board battles is nowhere near as fun as doing nicely planned out battles like Melee’s Event Matches (nothing can top Event Match 51!) Spirit Battles are typically just jokes that can be beaten in less than a minute. Also no trophies... I understand why they chose not to because of how much work they require, but it still doesn’t mean I can’t miss them. The gameplay is definitely an improvement over Smash 4, but I still crave that fast paced action Melee/ Project M had. Heavier gravity, harder to recover, quicker to KO, L-Canceling, hit-stun and proper combo potential are all things that made faster, higher speed action. I’m not super big into the competitive scene, but even I think the faster pace of Melee-style gameplay is far more fun to play and watch.

Then there’s issues created because the devs are pushing too much into the competitive side of the game such as picking stages first then characters second, not having the game remember my character when returning from a match, having to make new rulesets just to change a few options. I’m pretty sure these are all things competitive people want that help out in tourney situations and stuff, but I don’t like them for normal matches. These are small issues in the long run, but I am bothered by them every time I play and I don’t see them ever changing that. All they need is a few new options to fix this. Toggle an option for stage select or character select first, a quick customizable ruleset option and have saved rulesets separately, and the option to remember your fighter. Heck they could even go a step further have it remember your preferred color to each character saved to your name data like how Smash 4 3DS did (that was a cool feature!)

The one word I would use to describe Smash Ultimate is HYPE! Nothing builds hype like a Smash Ultimate trailer. Every single trailer builds more hype for this game. From the original reveal trailer with the Inklings, Ridley, King K. Rool, and now Sephiroth?! Seeing those trailers, I can’t help, but smile and get hyped up and excited! Despite my nitpicky issues I have with the game, I can still say its a pretty darn good Smash game! I applaud Sakurai, the dev team, and Nintendo for going big with this game and putting so much effort into it and I can still enjoy it even if its not quite at the exact level I want.

#my thoughts #Super Smash Bros #personal

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nytech · 4 years ago

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Allyship & Inclusivity with Mariella Paulino

Mariella Paulino, founder of Project Hearing, hosted the NYTM on Assistive Technology for Hearing Disability Inclusion + Allyship. She agreed to share insights about her work, her opinion on inclusivity and technology with us!

About Mariella

In 2014, Mariella was pulled over by a police officer. Because of her hearing loss, her inability to follow commands was understood as noncompliance and created a situation that could easily have escalated. The experience left her so shaken she went on to do her Master’s degree in communications to explore how people with disabilities interact and communicate with the world around them. The thesis then turned into a social venture project, Project Hearing, which among many other things, created bumper stickers that say “Deaf Driver” in an effort to create better interactions between deaf people and police officers. She has worked in tech as a software developer, designer, and now as a project manager by day and assistive tech advocate nonprofit manager by night. If you want to get in touch with her, email her at [email protected] or follow her on social media @projectHearing. And if you like her work go ahead and support her Patreon here.

...

1) What can companies and individuals do to make the world more inclusive for people with disabilities?

Companies and individuals can make the world more inclusive for people with disabilities by advancing economic opportunities, supporting product design led by people with disabilities, and elevating and supporting the voices of these subject matter experts.

Equity for people with disabilities is inextricably linked to economic opportunity. The unemployment rate for disabled people is double that for the able-bodied and since the pandemic began in March, 1 in 5 workers with disabilities in the United States lost their employment. Planning to recruit and hire more people with disabilities within your organizations and auditing hiring, retention, and promotion practices for accessibility would be an excellent place to start. Organizations like the Job Accommodation Network provide resources for creating an exemplary organizational accommodation infrastructure thereby helping to ensure a disability-inclusive workplace.

Supporting product design led by people with disabilities is critical as this population has long been integral to design processes, though frequently viewed as “inspiration” rather than active participants or creators. Often, designers that create products neglect diversity and inclusion principles until the end of their processes. The assumption is, if you create a strong product first and then make adjustments to accommodate for diversity, you’ll tick all boxes on effective design. Designing for inclusion, however, begins with recognizing exclusion and while diversity and inclusion are topics on many executive agendas, people with disabilities are rarely asked by brands to collaborate on product design. Including people with disabilities in the design process isn’t just “the right thing to do,” it’s also great for business. According to a recent study of 140 U.S. companies by Accenture–alongside the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Disability:IN–those that offered the most inclusive working environment for disabled employees achieved an average of 28% higher revenue, 30% greater economic profit margins, and twice the net income of their industry peers between 2015 and 2018!

Finally, elevating and supporting the voices of people with disabilities who are advocating, educating, and putting together events is one of the most powerful ways that we can all make the world more inclusive. Continuously learning, sharing, and engaging with advocates active in this space give us all access to the tools, connections, and proactive solutions to take our commitment and turn it into actionable steps that make a difference in our world.

People with disabilities are disabled not just because of their bodies but also by the inaccessibility of the design of the world in which they exist. Taking part in the basic activities of daily life, such as going to work, school, or university, gathering with friends or relatives, buying groceries, or attending cultural events can be extremely difficult or even impossible because of barriers. These barriers can be physical, such as the absence of a ramp or elevator to an apartment, in communication such as the absence of tools for inclusion like captioning during conference calls, or even systemic such as discrimination by employers during a job interview where an employer discriminates against someone who needs an accommodation. We all have a role to play in creating a more inclusive world and we all have a responsibility in trying to ensure every body is included.

2) What does your day to day job look like?

Over the past three years, I have been honored to work for the City University of New York, the largest urban university in the United States, as a project manager for one of the last federal grants signed by President Barack Obama. The grant aims to upskill New Yorkers through no-cost tech-based initiatives and allows me to intertwine my interest in technology, corporate strategy, and design thinking. My day is far from over at 6pm, however, and in my after-work work and weekends, I’ve launched and managed an assistive technology volunteer-based non-profit called Project Hearing that has gotten sponsored by the likes of Google and the Flatiron school. At Project Hearing I work to elevate the voices of countless advocates with disabilities and allies in the form of workshops, interviews, partnerships, and social media content.

3) What’s your relationship with technology?

From the moment I open my eyes to the vibrating alarm clock I have on my bedside table to the moment I set up my visual fire alarm before going back to sleep. My reality as a person with a disability is strongly dependent on technology and I depend on technology in every aspect of my life to ensure my inclusion.

4) Do you think the tech and principles of Project Hearing can be adapted to other types of disabilities?

Tech and the principles that I am using to build Project Hearing are universal and can be adapted to other types of disability. The ethos of the organization is “do something where you are with the tools you have right now.” I believe we all have the power to advance the careers, ideas, and voices of people with disabilities and by focusing on immediate actionable steps we can all make a difference.

5) Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I was the first person with a cochlear implant to visit the continent of Antarctica!

6) Do you have any good books or movies to recommend?

Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann and Kristen Joiner: I am so inspired by Heumann and her accessibility work and am constantly aspiring for that level of impact in the present digital landscape.

Inclusive Design for a Digital World: Designing with Accessibility in Mind by Regine Gilbert: Regine is a professor of assistive technology at New York University and has been an incredible mentor in helping me think through my work as a disability activist.

“30 Tools in 30 Days: Tools for People with Hearing Disabilities to be More Independent & for Allies to Not be Assh*les” is a book I am finishing up on my favorite accessibility tools. The book is set to be published at the end of this year and curious aspiring readers can stay tuned on its development by subscribing to my newsletter at www.projecthearing.com.

Head to our website to discover more amazing tech founders!

#allyship #disability #tec #technology #inclusive design #nytech #nytm

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visionsofus · 5 years ago

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MIT, Time Travel and oh mY GOD IT’S PETER PARKER!

This is the beginning of the sequel, start with the first story here or read on AO3 here (1) and here (2)

|CHAPTER 1|

If you would like to be tagged in updates please let me know!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Things are definitely looking up for Peter Parker. Months have passed since the Snap and his life is finally beginning to get back on track. He has an amazing job at Stark Industries, he's almost finished his first semester at MIT with Ned, he gets to swing around New York on the weekends and things are looking like they might actually be going somewhere with MJ.

It’s almost like Peter is starting to get part of his normal life back. It's a naive concept. Peter knows what he has committed his life to, what expectations everyone has for the hero they know as Spider-Man.

Things quickly begin to heat up and Peter feels the growing pressure of his secret identity beginning to weigh on his decisions, not to mention the mysterious ‘Project Chronos’ which is weighing on him physically and has catastrophic effects on his mental state.

Peter's survived the impossible - death - but could more deadly things be yet to come?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tap, tap… tap

2…1

Peter tried not to grow frustrated as his eyes darted from his worn, silver wristwatch to the front of the lecture hall where the professor was finally beginning to wrap his presentation up. Said professor seemed to have sensed the weariness of his students and was rushing through his final slides.

Tap, tap, tap, tap…. Tap, tap, tap

Peter’s pen tapped distractedly against the black keys of his laptop, which he had been taking notes on until the lecture had taken an unfortunate turn, becoming even more boring than this subject normally was. Unfortunately, that turn had taken place only twenty minutes into the lecture so for the last 30 Peter had been itching to leave the hall.

4…. 3

Peter counted the numbers off in his head as he continued tapping, each tap taking him one second closer to when he could jump up from the cramped seat, slide out from behind the small desk and beeline for the door.

2…4 5…1 4….1

"Excuse me." Someone said quietly from two seats to Peter's right. Peter turned to see a lanky blond boy looking in amusement at Peter’s hand which was still tapping absentmindedly against the keys. "As boring as this subject is, could you please not tap like that?"

"Oh sorry," Peter said his hand stilling before he could begin the sequence of taps again. The boy turned his attention back to the front of the lecture and Peter followed his gaze.

2,1 4,3 2,4 5,1 4,1

When tapped out in Binary Tap Code it spelled b.o.r.e.d, MJ had taught it to him over the Summer and like Morse code and other tap codes Peter had taken a liking to it, as he so often did with such things. He shouldn't have been surprised that someone else in the lecture hall would pick up on such a common code. There were any number of geniuses in this very room, and any number of them might be familiar with the tap code. That was just something he would have to get used to, now that he was at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"Alright, I’m beginning to see a few too many glazed eyes out there and I know how excited all of you are to have a few days off this week, so I'll wrap it up here." Said the middle-aged man at the front, shutting his presentation down. Peter shifted in the cramped chair, closing his laptop and reaching slowly for the satchel by his feet.

"Happy Thanksgiving." The lecturer said excusing the students who all made a grab for their things in a hurry to leave. Peter practically launched himself out of his seat, wincing as knocked his knee painfully on the top of the desk. Despite that, he was still one of the first to duck out of the lecture hall, eager to begin the four-day weekend that students had been given for Thanksgiving break.

Peter walked swiftly down the hall and out of the building. In his hurry to get away he was still carrying his computer science and coding textbook and busied himself with trying to shove it into his satchel. He found it slightly ironic that MIT still used physical textbooks where they could, but nevertheless enjoyed the bulky presence of it. If anything, it made him feel like he was actually doing something in the course instead of throwing money at a unit he technically should have been able to bypass.

Peter felt confident in what he had chosen to study, particularly considering the hours of deliberation that had gone into making that choice. He knew that he wanted to study computing and knew that such knowledge would be incredibly useful if he wished to progress in the temporary position at Stark Industries that he had taken up in June. Electrical engineering and computer science had been a sensible choice considering what Peter wanted to do and what he was interested in. Chemical engineering and civil and environmental engineering had also caught his eye and Peter hoped he might get to take on a few subjects from those areas if he got the chance. For now, he was more than happy with the subjects he had selected…all except one.

Peter really enjoyed coding, but the Introduction to Computer Science subject, the lecture of which he had just hastily departed, was a foundation subject for beginnersand used Python programming which Peter had been using for years.

Back when he had been taken on as a sort of technical intern/ superhero intern at Stark Industries under the guidance of Tony Stark, Peter had been introduced to Python and a multitude of other programming languages. He still had a lot to learn for sure, but this class was designed for novices and so Peter found himself growing more and more frustrated with the compulsory subject. It didn't help that the course was structured to move at snail’s pace despite the fact that there were likely numerous students in the class, like Peter, who had previous coding experience.

For now, Peter just had to grit his teeth and get on with things. He still did all the work but couldn’t help cutting corners here and there where he already knew what to do. It was just immensely frustrating having to sit through the lectures and classes when there were a million and one other things that he had to take care of.

(This is quite a long chapter, if you would prefer to read on AO3 click here )

Peter pushed open the door and exited the lecture hall's building, walking as quickly as he could without running, in the direction of his dorm. He darted in and out of crowds of students heading to or from lectures and within minutes he had reached his building. He swiped his key card and ducked inside, eager to get out of the chill that had set in across campus, winter was definitely approaching.

Peter paused at the small mail room on the ground floor of his building to check and see if anything had arrived for him. Sure enough, a package was sitting in the P section of the pigeon holes, it was small, and he knew the part inside of it was even smaller. Peter snatched it and quickly checked its address to ensure that it was the one intended for him.

His name was printed on the top in the neat writing of none other than Happy Hogan. The package was wrapped in a ring of red confidential tape just in case whoever was delivering it hadn't garnered that information from the confidential sticker on one of the box's corners. Being head of security at SI, Happy always got a little paranoid about sending Peter such expensive and (potentially) dangerous parts. Peter assured Happy that the postal system was reliable and promised to only ask for parts when he was desperate and needed them sooner than whenever his next trip to New York might be. Peter was honestly surprised that Happy didn't deliver the package himself, or at least send an SI drone to do so for him.

Peter left the mail room and, walking past the elevator, took the stairs two at a time until he had reached the fourth floor.

Scanning his student key card again Peter walked into the 6-bedroom west wing of floor 4, outfitted with a small kitchen, two bathrooms and a reasonably sized common space. It was quiet inside the flat and Peter suspected it was empty, he couldn't hear anything beyond the closed doors he walked past and assumed that everyone who wasn't in class had already gone home for Thanksgiving weekend.

Peter's room itself was small, split down the middle with a bed, desk and wardrobe on either side. He shared it with a guy from Boston called Nic Spencer. He was short with a mop of dark hair and a walk that made most people avoid him, but in the short two months they had been living together Peter had discovered that Nic was actually a huge softie and loved rom coms and Ed Sheeran. He was an easy enough guy to get along with and had the perfect boy next door personality, even if his appearance didn't quite match up with it. Thankfully, Nic was good at knowing when to respect Peter's space. Living together definitely made you more intuitive to the other persons needs and Peter knew when to stay out of Nic's way when he was in a funk, whether that be over college work or a malfunction in the small but fully operational hydroponic system that he had set up on their windowsill.

At present, their room was empty and quiet, save for the goldfish sat on Nic's desk and the quiet whir of the pump for the hydroponic. Peter's side of the room was unusually organised as he had done a quick clean that morning, not wanting to leave it in a state that he'd have to deal with once he came back next Tuesday. Normally, his side tended to get a little bit messy, particularly when his Stark Industries work or his Avengers work or even just plain college work started getting a little too much. The last few weeks had Peter stretched thin, trying to balance endless responsibilities while ensuring that each of his assignments was handed in on time, naturally his room had gotten pretty bad pretty quickly as he started getting home from the library later and later, pausing only to change and leave his clothes on the ground before getting to bed. For the most part, Nic didn’t seem to mind and often times his side of the room was no better.

Peter dropped his satchel onto his desk chair and rolled his shoulder. May had insisted on buying it for him before he left New York, saying that a backpack made him look even more like a high schooler. Not exactly what Peter had needed to hear before moving states to a completely new life, with new friends and new experiences.

It wasn't completely new though. Peter received his scholarship at MIT pretty late (he suspected that taking up his position at Stark Industries had some part to play) but his best friend Ned Leeds had known about his place for weeks before Peter had even been accepted, let alone awarded the scholarship. They'd both been incredibly excited to move together and had applied to the same preference of residential halls only to find they were placed in completely different dorms, likely due to the College's stressing of making ‘new connections’. Nevertheless, Peter was grateful to have Ned there and even if they didn't live in the same halls of residence, they still saw each other every day and texted when they didn't.

Swapping out his satchel for his trusty backpack Peter added his phone, wallet and newly acquired package to the bag and zipped it up tightly. Happy would literally kill Peter if that part got lost.

Doing a quick scan to ensure that he hadn't left anything behind, as Peter was always careful to do following an unfortunate incident at the beginning of the semester when he had left out his Stark Industries tablet on his bed before going to class. Nic's eyes had been full of questions when Peter had returned to their room later that day. Peter could have sworn that the tablet was in a slightly different position to where it had been when he left and though he was certain that Karen would have alerted him if anyone besides him was using the tablet, it still made Peter antsy. After that he was even more sure that he had made the right decision in choosing not to keep anyof his Spidey tech, including the suit, in his room. It was too much of a risk. So was not having his suit with him 24/7, a thought which had kept Peter awake endlessly for the first few weeks until he had finally decided on keeping a pair of web shooters with him at all times.

Deciding that everything was in its right place, Peter shut the door firmly behind him and headed straight back down the corridor he had been in moments earlier. Now there was the faint trilling of music coming from Sam and Lily's room. Peter considered knocking on the slightly ajar door to say goodbye before the short Thanksgiving break but decided he was too awkward and ducked out the front door of their flat.

Even before moving, Peter knew that he was going to need a place to work outside of his room. After receiving his work contract from Stark Industries' CEO in May and after many discussions with his aunt and a few amendments to the conditions, he had started working in June. Peter had loved that summer break spent at Stark Industries and for the first time since the Snap he had found himself feeling like he had before disappearing along with half of the population five years earlier. The job had given him the instant gratification of putting his brain to work after so many weeks of hardcore studying for finals. In the few months he spent working part time at SI before moving away from New York Peter felt like his brain shifted and it had been strange to begin studying again, regardless of how useful the knowledge he was gaining was to his part time work.

Before moving at the very end of August Peter had done a quick property search for the cheapest places nearby to rent some sort of workspace. Pepper had offered to help him with the money given that Peter would be doing work for SI there, but peter had insisted on covering it himself.

Peter had reached the ground floor of his building again and burst out the doors, darting around the corner and unlocking his bike from where it was chained with a dozen or so others. Swinging a leg haphazardly over the seat Peter kicked off and started peddling hard past the other residential halls and out into the suburban streets.

He had happened upon the warehouse by surprise and at first it had seemed ludicrous to rent such a large space. All Peter really needed was a secure place to keep his suits and tech while he was working on them. Most of his equipment was remaining at his private SI lab, or the 'Spidey Cave' as May so often called it.

Once Peter had seen the photos of the space’s open plan, the exposed brick wall that bordered one side and the towering windows of the second floor of the old factory warehouse he felt like the decision had been made automatically. It was priced decently, and the deposit wasn’t too crippling, plus the electrical advantages of it being located so close to a power grid was undeniable. Within the day Peter had placed an offer and within a few days the paperwork was signed, and the deposit money gone from his account. Thankfully he had been working at SI otherwise there was no way he could have even dreamed of having a space like the warehouse.

The one disadvantage was that it was a twenty-minute bike ride away from where he lived. Compared to the exertion Peter was used to, it wasn’t much of a hassle and if anything, it was actually a good opportunity to get some exercise now that Peter wasn’t swinging around the city every night. He tried to go out as often as he could but being seen as Spider-Man near MIT and not in New York made him uncomfortable, surely the people he knew could put two and two together if they heard about it? Not to mention the press, who were getting more and more antsy about his identity, he had already been photographed twice while out at night in Massachusetts, resulting in the Avengers releasing a statement that claimed the blurry photos were of copycats and the real Spider-Man was still residing in New York. Luckily, Peter went back home every other weekend which made the tale as believable as it needed to be.

Peter rounded the last corner and pulled up to the warehouse, breaking as he arrived at the front door and pulling out his keys. He slotted the small key, one of the few physical keys he actually owned given that so many things were key card operated at the college and Stark Industries and turned it. The door opened stiffly outwards and Peter walked down the entry way past the windows that looked into the space of one of the other tenants. Peter had never seen or heard from whoever occupied the ground floor space, but the pealing sign stuck to one of the frosted glass windows read Simple Phone Plans Call Centre which was pretty self-explanatory. Peter walked his bike past the glass and to the stairs leading to the second floor. He took them slowly as he navigated the awkward frame of his bike up and round the flight of dank stairs.

The whole bottom half of the warehouse and the entrance made it a rather unappealing place. Whatever paint was left on the walls was peeling and stained and the air in the stairwell had the uncomfortably pungent tang of urine and sulphur.

The warehouse's grimy interior (and indeed, exterior) had deterred Peter initially and he had worried that his work at Stark Industries and the first-class facilities he was used to had made him snobby. That still didn't make up for the state that the warehouse was in… but it was cheap and relatively close, and his floor was actually quite pleasant compared to the rest of the building… plus who would expect such a place to house information worth thousands of dollars?

Peter reached the top of the stairwell and set his bike on the two hooks he had installed on the wall, suspending it next to the door. Once they felt the weight the mechanised black hooks locked the bike frame in place. The door was another one of Peter's alteration. Even if no one would think to rob the warehouse, Peter wasn't about to leave expensive equipment unguarded. As a result, he had ordered one of the special scanners that was used throughout SI and programmed it to accept his clearance card that he used at his lab back in New York.

Peter pulled out a little black box from his backpack, something he had made right after he'd had the distinct suspicion that Nic had looked through some of his things. Holding the thin device up to his face Peter stopped blinking and allowed the machine to take a scan of his eye.

"Retina scan complete." A small voice said, and the black box emitted a soft click as it released its bottom panel. Peter slid it open further and retrieved his SI clearance card, embossed on both sides with the Spider-Man and Avengers logos.

At first, he had wondered whether it was a better idea to just keep his Avengers/Spider-Man clearance card back in New York but after the first week of waking up at 4 in the morning and getting nervous about it being stolen, he had decided to bring it to college with him. The black box had been a natural addition to security and if anyone except Peter's eye was scanned it was programmed to self-destruct, card and all. What Peter might do if that ever happened and how he would get into his lab was a sort of ‘cross that bridge when we come to’ it kinda thing.

Removing the SI card fully Peter pressed it up to the scanner on the door and heard several clicks as the door recognised him and unlocked, disabling the numerous alarms Peter had set on the doors and windows and roof…. And pretty much any other entrance into the top floor of the warehouse.

Peter sometimes wondered if he was paranoid.

As the door swung open Peter took a relieved look out at his work space. The floors creaked as he stepped forward, swinging the door firmly closed behind him. Back when Peter had first leased the top floor he had been concerned about the structure of the building and the parts of the floor that felt far too weak for comfort. A quick trip down to Simple Phone Plans and a few swings around the rafters reinforcing their ceiling with translucent webs had set his mind to rest.

Peter dumped his backpack on the workbench, taking out the small package and tore the side off to get at the bubble wrapped part beneath. He unwrapped it fully and set it on top of his holo-table, one of the few pieces of equipment that he had brought with him from SI.

"Karen, Happy sent me that part, can you make sure everything is in order?"

"Sure thing, Peter." Karen said back to him from the cheap speakers Peter had placed in each corner of the room.

Peter was sure that everything was in order with the part but there wasn't really much he could do until next week. The part had been scheduled to arrive on Monday after he’d asked Happy to send it out on Sunday for next day delivery. Peter had been working feverishly all weekend on his current project and had been desperate for the part to accelerate his experimentation and get one step closer to-- Well regardless, it hadn’t arrived in time so there wasn’t much point doing anything about it now.

Peter walked over to his mini fridge in the corner of the room and retrieved a soda, popping the cap off and ditching it into the bin in the opposite side of the lab, listening to the satisfying sound of it hitting tin.

The lab was open plan, just as Peter liked it, allowing for plenty of space for him to move around (and swing from the rafters when testing out his webs - or just for fun). A long mismatched combination of tables of different heights and shapes made up a long work top, scattered with tech and tools that Peter had left out the night before. Peter thought it was endearing in its unevenness even if most of it was from second hand shops or dumpsters. In fact, he had grown so proud of the finished product and the fact that most of the tables were pretty sturdy that he had sent a photo to Happy. Naturally, Happy had shown Pepper the photo who was apparently mildly horrified and had asked Peter if she could share the lease or at least buy him a proper workspace. Peter had declined, he liked the responsibility. Pepper had let it go… but not before she had an incredibly comfortable couch delivered to the lab. He had almost returned it, but it proved so useful for nights when Peter didn't feel like going back to his halls of residence and could just collapse on the couch instead that he had agreed to keep it.

The couch was currently pressed up against the exposed brick wall that bordered one side of the workspace. Down from the couch was a lone glass case with his Spidey suit standing upright and ready for Peter to wear, not that he really had the chance these days. Between his college work, Stark Industries and his own personal projects Peter was flat out… and that wasn't taking into consideration the obligations he had back in New York as Spider-Man and to the Avengers.

"Peter, just a reminder than Happy will be picking you up in an hour." A voice crackled over Peter's makeshift speakers.

"Thanks George." Peter said sipping at his soda as he walked back over to his worktop. George was his new AI. Peter had always wanted to develop his own artificial intelligence and as such had spent most of his spare time over the Summer developing George. He was a simple piece of organising software that was programmed to basically run Peter's life and take care of the smaller things that Peter felt a little bad giving to such a high line computer like Karen. Though he used George as a sort of daily planner and time manager at the moment, his abilities could be developed to manage organisations as big as Stark Industries. George's framework had been buried deep in one of the files that Tony had left on the hard drive for Peter. Back then the AI had been incomplete with only a basic scaffold and it had taken Peter weeks to get the hang of the programming and design.

"If you get the 12:14 bus you should arrive just in time to meet him." George replied.

"Sure thing!" Peter said setting his can down on the bench and walking over to the window to look outside.

Despite the convenience of the lab’s proximity to a power grid and his college, and its run-down appearance that made it a wolf in sheep's clothing, what had really won Peter over had been the windows.

Just like the Lab back at SI, one side of the warehouse was made up of floor to ceiling windows - an odd feature Peter thought, though he didn't really know what the space was used for before it was put out to let. The windows meant that during the day Peter didn't even bother turning the lights on, allowing him to redirect the remaining power to his other tech and significantly decreasing the risk of migraines and sensory overload. It was incredibly freeing to have such an open space compared with his shared room and the cramped lecture halls at MIT. Naturally, since moving away from home the new lab had become a sort of escape for Peter.

"The new addition to project Chronos has cleared all my checks but will take a while to assemble with the current model." Karen said. "Shall we store it securely until you get back from your trip?"

"Yeah we might as well." Peter said in dismay turning away from the window and sighing. It had become frustrating with all of the equipment he needed back at his SI lab and only the bare minimum here at his Massachusetts lab. He tried to work on his SI projects as much as he could, but a lot of the physical things had to be done in person, hence part of his reasons for returning to New York every other week. He had tried putting robots to work to assemble some of his projects but always relished the satisfaction of putting the prototypes together himself when he had the time.

"Your bus will arrive in approximately eight minutes sir; shall I purchase a pass for you?" George asked as Peter started locking the place up.

"That'd be great thank you George." Peter replied, walking past the windows and checking the scanner at the base of each which was constantly on, ready to detect any intruder and alert Peter and Karen immediately.

"Also, sir, a reminder that you have three unread messages from MJ, an Instagram message from Ned and as requested, I have compiled today’s news according to anything you may find interesting as well as any articles mentioning Spider-Man."

"That’s awesome!" Peter said beaming, he'd only managed to get George to run expansive media searches recently and even then, he usually malfunctioned because something in Peter's coding wasn't correct. "Great job George!"

"I try my best, sir."

"I've told you before, you don't need to call me sir, at least not until I'm like 25 or something." Peter said smiling still as he strode over to the Spidey suit stored securely in its case. Spider-Man hadn't been in New York for two weeks and the press would start getting suspicious if he didn't show up soon.

"Of course, sir." George said before hastily correcting himself "I mean, of course."

Peter hummed tunelessly as the lock on the suit scanned his eye and recognised him. The glass hissed slightly as it slowly slid back to reveal his suit in all its glory.

To tell the truth, Peter felt kind of deprived of it when he wasn't using it. Compared to months ago when he couldn't get in the suit without crippling panic attacks, he now relished his time wearing it, as rare as it was becoming these days.

Peter picked the suit up by the shoulders and felt it being released by the stand that held it upright within the case. Peter held it before him to admire it. He had created a third suit since working at Stark Industries, one that was personal to him and had his own design and embellishments, it was an excellent suit. That didn't stop Peter from coming back to his original suit every time. It may not have been strong or intuitive as the Iron Spider suit or have as many capabilities as his new Spider-Man suit, but it was still important to him. Tony Stark had given Peter many things, a place of work where he could actually do something with his brain, incredible tech to experiment with, a hard drive containing terabytes of knowledge that most of the world would kill for, among other things. But the most important thing that Tony had given Peter was the ability to be a real Super Hero, he had taken Peter under his wing and brought him into the world of the Avengers where Peter felt he could really make a difference. So, Peter held onto the Mark 1.

Heading over to the grey blue couch that Pepper had bought him, Peter carefully folded the suit up and put it in the duffle bag he was taking back to New York for Thanksgiving.

College had been crazy recently and it would be nice to get away from all his school work, even if that just meant turning to his work at Stark Industries or Spider-Man or the number of other commitments he had to the Avengers. Peter's brain seemed to strain and throb just thinking about the number of things he had to get done. He took a deep breath in through his nose and held for a moment, focusing on his heartbeat and then expanding his senses to the space around him, the fly buzzing up near the top of one of the windows, the soft thrumming of the electricity that powered his security system from the surprisingly unassuming box fixed to the far wall, to the feeling of his fingers brushing against the fibres of his duffle bag. He breathed out slowly.

"Your bus is due in four minutes, Peter." George said over the speakers and Peter darted his head up to glance at the clock sitting on one end of his workbench.

"Right." Peter said nodding and zipping up the duffle bag and slinging it over a shoulder. "Karen?"

"All systems locked down for your departure, Peter." Karen said as Peter grabbed his keys, phone and the black notebook with most of his Stark Industries research notes.

"Alright then." Peter turned, hefting his duffle bag and giving his lab a once over, walking backwards a few paces before deciding that everything was as it should be and heading for the door. "You're in charge while we are away George, anything happens you let me know."

"Yes sir." George crackled over the speakers as Peter shut the door behind him and waited patiently as it locked behind him. Unlike Karen, George's system was still so new and at times unstable, that Peter didn't really want to mobilise the AI quite yet, as useful as that might be. Peter had to admit that leaving a set of eyes… or rather a computer brain capable of keeping an 'eye' on things, made him feel a good deal more comfortable about leaving his equipment in the warehouse lab. Karen on the other hand, accompanied Peter everywhere these days, whether it was in his SI tablet, his SI earpieces, the Spidey suit or occasionally his phone

Peter dashed down the stairs, taking them two at a time and jumping from the fourth stair to the ground floor once he reached the end. A quick glance at his watch told him that four minutes had become two and that if he didn't hurry, he wouldn't make it to the bus.

After a quick glance to make sure no one was watching, Peter jumped up onto the rooftop of the small block of apartments next to the warehouse and began hopping his way from building to building. Peter reached the bus stop with thirty seconds to spare, his research notebook clasped tightly to his chest and his head full of thoughts of home. This weekend was hopefully going to be an escape from his work and responsibilities, hopefully he'd get to spend some time with MJ and his family and come back to college rested and rejuvenated. It was a naïve thought, Peter knew it, but despite that he still had hope that this weekend would serve more than four days of more work. Little did he know, fate had other plans.

#spiderman #Peter parker #spiderman fanfiction #visionsofusfics #irondad #spiderson #Peter post snap #doesn't correlate with ffh #post endgame #avengers #Tony stark #Morgan stark #pepper potts #Michelle jones #may parker #ned leeds #Carol Danvers at some point

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caddydemo · 2 years ago

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Vidia geforce g105m + intel gma 950

The laptop would feel more sturdy if they had done so. The screen hinges are made from shiny black plastic, and I would have appreciated it had HP made it from metal. As with the previous generation of HP Pavilions, nothing actually holds the screen lid down when you shut it there seems to be some magnetic attraction that allows the lid to snap shut. The finish makes this laptop feel more expensive than it actually is. It really feels sturdy and is quite nice. The palmrest and areas surrounding the keyboard are also made out of BRUSHED ALUMINUM. Because of the material, the case has virtually no flex. Of course, HP has its logo stuck on it’s laptop. If you already put one on the box, you don’t need another one on the case itself. The top part is entirely metal (BRUSHED ALUMINUM), but HP chooses to attach an Energy Star sticker to it, which really is quite tacky. This part is perhaps the cheapest part of the laptop, but whatever. The bezel of the screen is quite thin, and the screen itself is surrounded by shiny black plastic. I think HP calls this the Modern Argento or something like that. The dm3t, as I have emphasized before, features a brushed aluminum design.

The laptop was built after 5 business days (8 days including weekends) and took a total of 4 days to ship from HP’s laptop factory in Shanghai to the North Campus of the University of Michigan.īuild and Design, including ports and keyboard/touchpad The total came out to be $1,000 with free shipping.

Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n Card with Bluetooth (Dual Band).

13.3" diagonal High-Definition LED BrightView Display (1366x768).

Intel 160GB Solid State Memory Module (model number SSDSA2MH160G1HP, X25-M).

4GB DDR3 RAM at 1066 MHz (2x2GB modules).

Intel Core 2 Duo SP9300 processor with 512MB nVidia GeForce G105M + Intel GMA 4500 MHD (Intel Hybrid Graphics Technology).

In total, the call lasted for no more than 10 minutes and my order was placed. The rep was efficient, as he did not attempt to persuade me to add on options like warranty, and was courteous and accomodating-in fact, to the degree that he applied the $350 coupon even after it expired! Bravo, HP. My call was almost immediately received by a human sales rep (after going through an automated system) based out of the United States, which is really impressive considering the current trend of outsourcing. Why not? At this point I had nothing to lose but something to gain. Unfortunately, the coupon expired, so I instinctively picked up the phone and called HP. I weighed my options and, at the last minute, changed my config to have the upgraded processor. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really decide between having an extra 2GB of RAM upgrade and an Intel processor upgrade from the C2D SU7300 to the C2D SP9300. I had found a $350 stackable coupon, and since I’m a student with a tight budget, I was more than ready to order my laptop. More on that later.Įarlier this year, HP offered a multitude of stackable coupons, so I ordered online from HP Home and Home Office Store. The aluminum finish really is outstanding. What really won me over from the Sony CW was the build quality of the dm3t. I visited a Best Buy to check out some of the laptops, and I can say that I was absolutely repulsed by the build quality of the Dells these days.

My options were the HP Pavilion dm3t and the Sony VAIO CW. I had shopped for a while to look for a new computer to replace my aging dv6000t from back in the Windows XP days. Borrowing from design cues from Apple’s Macbook Pro line, HP launched the dm3 in late October and the tm2 earlier this month, with designs that feature a brushed aluminum finish. In less than 2 years, HP unseated Dell as the undisputed leader in PC shipments and maintains that lead today.ģ years later, HP is back again (perhaps) to change the game. In 2006, in an ambitious bid to gain market share, HP launched a massive and hugely successful marketing campaign known as, “The Computer Is Personal Again,” and redesigned all of its laptops with the extremely popular high-gloss Imprint finish. Apple specialized in design, and still does, and the PC industry won over customers by wooing them with the best bargain available-features for the price charged-and almost always at the cost of a pedestrian design. Prior to 2006, there was a distinct difference between Apple and the PC industry.

#Vidia geforce g105m + intel gma 950

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citizen-undead · 7 years ago

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10 Years of Cloverfield: Part One

By Jay Truant

Over the fourth of July weekend in 2007, audiences lined up at the box office for the first live action Transformers movie from director Michael Bay. The film was a huge success, grossing over $700mil at the worldwide box office, and has subsequently spawned four sequels over the last decade. Online discussion about the film, however, took a backseat to a mysterious teaser trailer for a nameless film depicting an attack on New York that aired in theaters before Transformers. Filmed on a handheld camera from the point of view of one of the film’s main characters, the only information the trailer revealed was a production credit for LOST co-creator JJ Abrams, and a release date of January 18, 2008 (1-18-08).

A year before the trailer debuted, the producers of LOST launched The Lost Experience, an online Alternate Reality Game (ARG) designed to engage fans and expand the storyline of the hit science fiction drama during the hiatus between seasons two and three. Cryptic websites related to the ARG were soon discovered by fans, and an in-game novel related to the ARG was even released in stores. It didn’t take long for fans to realize that a similar viral marketing campaign would be employed for Abrams’ new film and, by adding a dot com to the end of the film’s release date, the first website was soon discovered.

Screenshot of the now defunct 1-18-08.com

1-18-08.com was the first in-game website discovered by fans. It contained a stack of photographs of the going-away party featured in the trailer, as well as several photographs from the ensuing attack. Fans were also able to flip two of the photographs over, the second of which revealed a hand-written note from one of the party-goers:

Lascano, Platt and Robbie - Jan 2008: “Robbie, Here, use this photo to send a message of my hotness far and wide!!! I’m gonna miss the hell out of ya!! Love, Jamie”

Fans began scouring the Internet for Jamie Lascano, and a MySpace profile that appeared to be in-game was soon discovered. Jamie’s friend list also included Hudson Platt, Rob and Jason Hawkins, Lily Ford, Marlena Diamond and Beth McIntyre, characters that appeared in the film’s trailer. During the ARG, the profiles were active with blog posts and comments between the friends, and fans were also able to establish a correspondence with the characters by sending them private messages. One key blog post also revealed that the reason for the going away party was because Rob was leaving New York to work as vice president for Slusho in Japan.

Screenshot of slusho.jp, the second in-game website discovered by Cloverfield fans.

Eagle-eyed fans soon discovered another clue in the film’s trailer that would further advance the ARG’s storyline: Jason Hawkins was wearing a t-shirt adorned with a logo for Slusho, a fictional soft drink that debuted in an episode of JJ Abrams’ Alias. A quick Google search yielded the discovery of slusho.jp, the second in-game website.

The flash-based Slusho website contained a number of bizarre pages such as Happy Talk, where a large mouth would open to reveal a Slusho character hidden inside of it. A thought bubble appeared next to one of the characters with the text “am I a whale?” written inside of it, leading to speculation that the monster in the film would be a giant mutated whale. There was also a link to a webstore where fans could purchase a number of Slusho branded clothing items, including hats and t-shirts. During the ARG, Slusho also released an official commercial.

Jamie Lascano opened JamieAndTeddy.com as a way to communicate with her boyfriend remotely.

Following the discovery of the characters’ MySpace pages, Jamie wrote a blog where she talked about Teddy Hanssen, her boyfriend who was away on a secret mission. This blog post led to the discovery of JamieAndTeddy.com, a password protected website containing video messages from Jamie to Teddy. At first, the videos seemed harmless enough; Jamie missed Teddy and was recording these videos as a way to correspond with him while he was out of town. However, the videos soon took a rather dark turn.

In the fifth video, Jamie opened a package from Teddy that contained a Slusho hat, a piece of food wrapped in aluminum foil, and a tape player with a recorded message from Teddy:

Jamie, listen to me, alright this is not a joke. If you’re hearing this before we’ve spoken, then it means that I’ve been captured by the company called Tagruato. Ok, TAG-RU-ATO. Now listen. You, this is important. Don’t call the authorities. It’ll screw everything up. Just sit tight and wait to hear from Randy. He knows to call you. We’re on their station ok, and it’s like they’ve found something, or they’re making something, but the point is, I can’t, I’m not going to be calling you again. You’re not gonna hear from me again. I just want you to wait for Randy.. he will explain.

After stopping the tape, Jamie became furious, believing that this message was Teddy’s way of breaking up with her. She soon unwrapped the aluminum foil and ate the contents inside (later revealed to be Seabed’s Nectar, a highly addictive key ingredient in Slusho that appears to affect the human mind if eaten in its raw form), which lead to her mood and behavior becoming increasingly erratic.

Tagruato’s official website circa 2007.

In September 2007, 1-18-08.com was updated with a picture of a chef pulling something that resembled a pizza out of a freezer. Flipping the picture over revealed a list of ingredients in Japanese that was quickly translated by fans. Among the ingredients was "Kaitei no mitsu” which translates to “deep sea nectar/honey”. A Google search for the mysterious ingredient yielded only one result: a restaurant review by “deliciousmacdoob” on Menuism.com. The reviewer made reference to the ingredient, which he referred to as “Seabed’s Nectar”, and revealed that it came from a company in Honshu, Japan called Tagruato, which lead to the discovery of the next in-game website.

Tagruato is a Japanese mining company with oil rigs in the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, and Indian oceans using what the company calls “groundbreaking deep-sea drilling technology”. Tagruato’s CEO is Ganu Yoshida, who was previously mentioned on the history page of Slusho.jp. Along with Slusho, Tagruato owns subsidiaries that deal in deep-sea genetic research (Yoshida Medical Research), advancing technology (Bold Futura), and paraffin wax byproducts from their Petroleum reservoir (ParafFun! Wax Distributors).

Tagruato’s website was hacked in November 2007 by an organization called T.I.D.O. Wave, an eco-group that despises Tagruato for mining oil from the Earth’s oceans. The T.I.D.O. Wave website is a front for an environmental activist group called Les Guerriers de Mère-Terre (The Warriors of Mother Earth). LGMT was founded by notorious conservationist Les Bandit Vert (The Green Bandit). Teddy’s friend Randy works for T.I.D.O. Wave and was in charge of authoring the website’s blog posts. Several posts made reference to an ‘event’ which was later revealed to be a raid on the Chuai Station, a Tagruato owned and operated deep-sea drilling station located in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Chuai Station moments before it collapsed.

Videos of the destruction of the Chuai Station were soon released on the video sharing website LiveLeak. The videos were framed as reports from German, Italian, Spanish, French, English, Russian, and Japanese news stations. At one point in the video, several members of the station’s crew are seen fleeing the wreckage on a raft. The roar of the monster can be heard, followed by a shower of debris falling down upon the crew. These videos heavily insinuated that Tagruato’s drilling was what awoke the monster.

Around this time, orders from the Slusho web store began arriving with handwritten notes from “The Whistle Blower”. Among these notes were printouts of sonar images that revealed the monster’s presence in the Atlantic Ocean.

Tagruato’s discovery of the Cloverfield monster on the ocean floor.

In November 2007, the second trailer for the previously untitled film was released and the title of Cloverfield was revealed. The Matt Reeves directed monster flick opened on January 18, 2008 to critical and commercial success, recouping its budget of $25mil during its opening weekend. The film would eventually gross over $170mil worldwide and Paramount was said to have ordered a sequel from Bad Robot over opening weekend. However, it would be nearly a decade before another Cloverfield movie debuted in theaters.

The ARG continued on through the release of Cloverfield on home video. Teddy Hanssen’s sister Alyse opened a blog called Missing Teddy Hanssen which was first discovered by the appearance of a missing poster on the main 1-18-08 website, as well as a comment on one of T.I.D.O. Wave’s posts. On her blog, Alyse makes reference to USGX8810B467233PX, a password protected website that supposedly contained information related to Teddy’s whereabouts. Fans who bought Cloverfield on DVD and Blu-Ray were able to login to the website by entering the numbers found on the home video’s sticker. The pictures on the website revealed the discovery of the Cloverfield monster and its parasites by Tagruato submarines, deep on the ocean floor, near the Chuai Oil Drilling Station.

In press interviews for Cloverfield, JJ Abrams revealed that the monster had laid dormant in the Atlantic Ocean for thousands of years. Through information that fans were given over the course of the Cloverfield ARG, it can be decided that Tagruato’s deep sea drilling led to the monster’s awakening and subsequent destruction of New York City. Ten years after the film’s debut, however, Netflix’s The Cloverfield Paradox now has fans questioning everything they thought they knew about the ‘Cloververse’.

Check back later in the week for parts two and three.

#cloverfield #10 cloverfield lane #the cloverfield paradox #horror #netflix

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