#Sam Hill Memorial Bridge

[rabbitcruiser]

Maryhill Stonehenge, WA (No. 2)

The monument is located within the former site of the town of Maryhill; the town later burned down, leaving only the concrete replica standing. The memorial overlooks the Columbia Gorge. A second formal dedication of the monument took place on its completion on May 30, 1929. Sam Hill died in 1931, but lived long enough to see the re-installation of his Stonehenge replica completed.

The dedication plaque on this Washington Stonehenge is inscribed:

In memory of the soldiers and sailors of Klickitat County who gave their lives in defense of their country. This monument is erected in the hope that others inspired by the example of their valor and their heroism may share in that love of liberty and burn with that fire of patriotism which death can alone quench.

The Maryhill Stonehenge, which has nearby monuments to the soldiers of Klickitat County who died in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan, is now part of the Maryhill Museum of Art.

This concrete landmark is located off U.S. Highway 97, about two miles from the Sam Hill Memorial Bridge. Admission is free to visit the memorial but donations for its continued maintenance are accepted.

Source: Wikipedia

[railwayhistorical]

Maryhill Meet, Part One

Here we see an eastbound train of autos waiting at Maryhill, Washington. It will have to sit to allow two westbound trains roll by. First up: a long coal train with three sets of power: beginning, middle, end. The rail line here is the former SP&S, later BN, now BNSF.

The span one sees crossing the Columbia River in the background is the Sam Hill Memorial Bridge. While Sam Hill, an early proponent for roads, died in 1931, this bridge did not open until much later: 1962.

Three images by Richard Koenig; taken March 19th 2023.

[ebaeschnbliah]

They remained some days in Lothlórien ...

... so far as they could tell or remember. All the while that they dwelt there the sun shone clear, save for a gentle rain that fell at times, and passed away leaving all things fresh and clean. The air was cool and soft, as if it were early spring, yet they felt about them the deep and thoughtful quiet of winter. It seemed to them that they did little but eat and drink and rest, and walk among the trees; and it was enough.

They had not seen the Lord and Lady again, and they had little speech with the Elven-folk; for few of these knew or would use the Westron tongue. Haldir had bidden them farewell and gone back again to the fences of the North, where great watch was now kept since the tidings of Moria that the Company had brought. Legolas was away much among the Galadhrim, and after the first night he did not sleep with the other companions, though he returned to eat and talk with them. Often he took Gimli with him when he went abroad in the land, and the others wondered at this change.

Now as the companions sat or walked together they spoke of Gandalf, and all that each had known and seen of him came clear before their minds. As they were healed of hurt and weariness of body the grief of their loss grew more keen. Often they heard nearby Elvish voices singing, and knew that they were making songs of lamentation for his fall, for they caught his name among the sweet sad words that they could not understand.

Mithrandir, Mithrandir sang the Elves, O Pilgrim Grey! For so they loved to call him. But if Legolas was with the Company, he would not interpret the songs for them, saying that he had not the skill, and that for him the grief was still too near, a matter for tears and not yet for song.

It was Frodo who first put something of his sorrow into halting words. He was seldom moved to make song or rhyme; even in Rivendell he had listened and had not sung himself, though his memory was stored with many things that others had made before him. But now as he sat beside the fountain in Lórien and heard about him the voices of the Elves, his thought took shape in a song that seemed fair to him; yet when he tried to repeat it to Sam only snatches remained, faded as a handful of withered leaves.

When evening in the Shire was grey, his footsteps in the Hill were heard, before the dawn he went away on journey long without a word. From Wilderland to Western shore, from northern waste to southern hill, through dragon-lair and hidden door and darkling woods he walked at will. With Dwarf and Hobbit, ElvesMen, with mortal and immortal folk, with bird on bough and beast in den, in their own secret tongues he spoke. A deadly sword, a healing hand, a back that bent beneath its load; a trumpet-voice, a burning brand, a weary pilgrim on the road. A lord of wisdom throned he sat, swift in anger, quick to laugh; an old man in a battered hat who leaned upon a thorny staff. He stood upon the bridge alone, and fire and shadow both defied. His staff was broken on the stone. In Khazad-dûm his wisdom died.

`Why, you'll be beating Mr. Bilbo next! ' said Sam.

'No, I am afraid not,' said Frodo. 'But that is the best I can do yet.'

'Well, Mr. Frodo, if you do have another go, I hope you'll say a word about his fireworks,' said Sam. `Something like this:

The finest rockets ever seen: they burst in stars of blue and green, or after thunder, golden showers came falling like a rain of flowers.

Though that doesn't do them justice by a long road.'

`No, I'll leave that to you, Sam. Or perhaps to Bilbo. But-well. I can't talk of it any more. I can't bear to think of bringing the news to him.'

Frodo’s Lament for Gandalf & Sam’s Fireworks Poem performed by The Tolkien Ensemble:

[ledenews]

Back Home Festival Named Mountain State's Top Annual Event

It seems cruising those country roads heading home really is that popular in West Virginia, a state that is home to numerous popular fairs and festivals each and every year. From the Strawberry Festival in Buckhannon to Bridge Day events in Oak Hill, andf the winter wonderland that is the Oglebay Festival of Lights to the West Virginia State Fair in Lewisburg - there are incredible events both great and small found in all corners of the Mountain State. In 2021, WV Living Magazine selected the State Fair as its top event. The 2022 winner? Well, that one is a little closer to “home.” The announcement was made today by WV Living Magazine that the Back Home Festival in New Martinsville, an annual three-day celebration of music, memories, and fun, was selected as the state's best. “Honestly, one of the things I'm most proud of is that last year, the winner was the West Virginia State Fair, and we beat the State Fair so that's pretty exciting to think about,” said Robby Parsons, lead organizer and executive director of the Wetzel County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Voting was conducted at wvliving.com and fans selected the Back Home Festival as their top event in its Best of West Virginia contest. That's pretty esteemed company, but the Back Home Fest has earned that right. Starting in 2017 in New Martinsville, each year the festival has seen an increase in attendance, along with the quality of acts taking the stage. Recently, Back Home's Facebook made its first festival lineup announcement—the Sam Grisman Project, which will hit the state Friday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m. There will be more announcements to follow as Parsons pretty much has the three-day lineup wrapped up and ready to go. “It's gone really well,” Parsons said. “I'm pretty much done with the booking. There are a couple of loose ends to tie up but we're real close to releasing the entire lineup.” The Sam Grisman Project was the first lineup announcement made by Back Home for the 2023 event Slow Morph of the Lineup Started in 2017 as the Back Home Appalachian Arts & Music Festival, #BackHome began with primarily bluegrass artists throughout its lineup, with a couple of outliers in terms of genre. The mixture always worked to the delight of the crowd, but it was the crowd where Parsons started noticing the potential need for a change. “I first noticed it a few years ago, when we did the festival, we started having a lot of, for lack of a better term, hippies attending the festival,” Parsons said. “So we started catering to that a little bit more and putting more jam bands in the lineup. “Right now, I'd say we're probably 70-30 in terms of jam bands to bluegrass so while we started as a bluegrass festival it's kind of morphed into a more diverse thing.” Parsons noted that there's been a small amount of pushback from “maybe one or two people” but, overall, the reception to the change has been positive. It's done nothing to diminish the quality of acts at the venue or the positive vibe in the crowd. Speaking of the crowd, the field in which Back Home is held can contain around 20,000 fans. For more than a few of the bigger named acts, that field has brimmed to near capacity, showing just how large this festival has grown. Positive Impact This Best of West Virginia honor isn't the first time Parsons has been part of recognition by WV Living. Two years ago, the festival itself was voted the best fair/festival/event for the Northern Panhandle, and Parsons himself was selected as the Community Champion for the same. It's easy to see why, as the festival has grown into a significant economic boon every summer for Wetzel County. Parsons noted that direct spending through tourism increased over 100 percent in Wetzel County since the festival's inception. The next closest county? That would be Monongalia, home to West Virginia University. Its percentage increase was in the 40s. That's a big boost. “Since we started back in 2017, it's been a big boost for the economic structure of our county,” Parsons admitted. “We've had the greatest growth of direct tourism spending in the state as far as counties go. “That alone tells me something and, I know when we didn't have the festival one year because of COVID, we had businesses tell us they really missed not having that three-day jolt for their business.” Fear not fans and businesses alike. Back Home is here to stay, and Parsons and fellow event organizers are working to make sure everyone can go #BackHome every summer for decades to come. Read the full article

[findingjoynweirdstuff]

Dream SMP Recap (April 29/2021) - Prison Break

It’s finally time for Tommy to break into Pandora’s Vault and kill Dream once and for all. He brings Ghostbur along, and things don’t go to plan.

Jack’s plans have been foiled once again, and he speaks with Foolish, finding out that Foolish is another investigator working on the missing nuke situation. 

Later, Ranboo breaks some news to Phil...

---

VOD LINKS:

Foolish

Tommyinnit

Jack Manifold

Ranboo

Captain Puffy

---

- Foolish continues work on his summer home Nether portal entrance. Sam comes over to judge the block palette he’s using for the floor

- Foolish asks Sam what happened at the Red Banquet. Sam is confused. Wasn’t Foolish there?

- Foolish wants to know what happened after he...you know (died). Sam tells Foolish that he has quarantined the Egg, and it will be locked away shortly. As for everyone else, Quackity arrived and no further casualties happened. No more Egg.

- Sam tells him the build is coming along well and leaves Foolish to think about what he said.

- Foolish isn’t sure if he entirely likes the idea that the Egg is so tough, but at least it seems like a win for now. He’ll have to ask someone later.

- Tommy meets with Ghostbur, Ranboo and Tubbo at the watchtower to gather up everything before the final plan. 

- Tommy and Ghostbur go to the prison together. Tommy will sneak in after Ghostbur using invisibility. 

Ghostbur: “Tommy, I need to ask you...promise -- you promise me they’re not gonna try and -- and revive me, right? They’re not gonna try a revival.”

Tommy: “Let’s not use the r-word, Ghostbur, we’re fuckin’ fine!”

- Friend is there. Tommy suggests they take Friend with them. 

- They go over the items they have.

Ghostbur: “You know, Tommy, whenever I get scared, I always go to Friend. ‘Cause Friend knows exactly how to calm me down, he always knows how to make me happier, and he always knows -- he knows what to do. He knows how to make it better.”

Tommy: “And he’s blue.”

Ghostbur: “He’s really blue!”

- They say some parting words to Tubbo and Ranboo and head to the prison. 

- They bring Friend through the Nether portal entrance, but can’t get him to go back through, so they leave Friend in the Nether for the time being. Ghostbur assures Friend that he’ll be back in a little bit.

- Ghostbur greets Sam at the lobby, Tommy now invisible.

- Ghostbur reviews the waivers and signs his name.

Sam asks the questions:

“When is the last time you visited the prison?”

“I don’t think I’ve been here, but my memory is quite bad.”

“Where is your current place of residence currently located?”

“L’manburg.”

“Do you believe that the prisoner is deserving of being locked up?”

“Um...I guess so...yeah, I mean you guys seem to know what’s right.”

“What are your prior relations with the prisoner?”

“Uh...He exiled me and Tommy to a holiday, uh...he also did bad things before, but I don’t remember them. Is this a history quiz? Am I doing okay?”

- Ghostbur answers the rest of the questions and goes to the locker rooms.

- Sam leads Ghostbur through all the security measures. Tommy sneaks behind, still invisible, trying not to be noticed.

- Ghostbur asks about the courtyard. Sam says there’s nothing in it.

- Ghostbur signs the other two waivers and they reach the lava wall.

- It falls, and Tommy follows Ghostbur across the bridge. Just as they reach the platform to Dream, though, Tommy pulls out the Netherite Axe and Sam shouts at them to stop.

- Sam tells whoever’s invisible to get back on the bridge or else they’ll be killed. Reluctantly, Tommy gets back on the bridge and Sam brings him back over to the other side, giving him a bucket of milk to get rid of the invisibility.

- He sees that it’s Tommy and shouts at him to ask what he’s doing breaking into the prison, that Sam should kill Tommy for violating the contract. 

- Dream calls for Sam to let him out or else he’ll revive Wilbur. 

- Dream disappears for a moment in the panic. Tommy tells Sam to let him back over but Sam tells him to stand to the side.

- Dream reappears and reveals that he has the book in his hand. 

- Tommy and Ghostbur count to ten together to help Ghostbur calm down.

- Sam starts bringing down the lava wall, insisting that he can’t bring back the bridge. 

Ghostbur: “Tommy, you said it would be okay!”

Ghostbur dies and leaves the game as the lava wall falls.

- Sam tells Tommy he’s never coming back to the prison and starts leading him out.

- Tommy tells Sam he’ll kill him.

Sam: “Do it then.”

Tommy: “You know what, Sam, you’re corrupt.”

Sam: “I am not corrupt, Tommy. Everything I’ve done, I did to try and help the server.

Tommy: “You let me die!”

Sam: “You’re so lucky I don’t kill you right now. You should be dead, Tommy.”

Tommy: “Sam. Where’s Ghostbur?”

Sam: “Shut up, Tommy, I don’t want to hear it, I should’ve killed you right when I saw you on that bridge. You should be dead...The only reason you’re not dead is just because -- just don’t -- shut up, Tommy, I don’t want to hear anything else. Go.”

...

Sam: “You did this. You can blame me all you want, Tommy, this is not my fault. You did this.”

Tommy: “Sam. Go to Hell.”

Sam: “Say what you want, Tommy, I don’t care. I don’t care. I told you you weren’t gonna come in here again. I said no one else was gonna come in here. Every single problem at this prison was caused by you! Everything is perfect when it’s just me and him! Nothing bad has ever happened, until you started coming here! You are the greatest security risk on this server for this prison, and keeping him locked up! What were you thinking?! What did you think was going to happen?!”

Tommy: “Stop talking to me! Stop! Let me out, let me out the prison.”

Sam: “This is -- I cannot believe you, Tommy. You should be dead. I should’ve killed you. I should’ve just shot you when you were over there.”

“Tommyinnit, let me make something clear to you. You are never to come to this prison again. And if I ever see you even near the grounds of this prison one more time, I will murder you. I will take your last canon life and then I will hunt the ghost that remains. Do you understand me? I will not let Dream escape this prison, and you seem to be the only one that wants him to be free for some reason, even though we’re -- come on, Tommy. Go.”

- Tommy exits the prison with Friend and meets Ranboo and Tubbo outside. He tells them that Wilbur is back, and Ghostbur is gone.

- There’s only one way to know for sure: Tommy leads them over to L’manhole to visit the place where Wilbur died. 

- They find him standing at the shrine. 

Wilbur: “Oh...hello again.”

- Wilbur asks if this is real, who’s Friend. Tommy tosses him some blue but he doesn’t take it. 

- He steps out and sees the crater, thinking it was his doing, that Tubbo has been running this place. He’s missed a bit. 

Wilbur: “I’m alive! Tommy, I’m alive! I have spent thirteen and a half years in the fucking -- oh, what is this, what have you been making art? Making geometric art on the roof? Track and field?”

- Tommy tells him it was Dream and Techno. Wilbur runs up the hill. 

Wilbur: “Tommy, this is bliss! Oh my god the sunrise -- where’s the sunrise, I need to watch the sunrise -- Oh! ...Tommy, I’ve waited so fucking long. Tommy, I have been waiting for over a decade in mere darkness...and this is my sunrise, this is my sunrise -- this is mine! This is mine, Tubbo!”

- He notices Ranboo. Some new faces! 

- He tells Tommy that he cherished the day that Tommy came and they played solitaire. Tommy tells him it was the worst time of his life, and Wilbur says the same. 

- As for Ghostbur, Wilbur knows him. He asks what Tommy’s version of the afterlife was like. 

Wilbur: “I guess everyone has their own personal limbo. Okay. Tommy, I don’t know if you remember me telling you this, it was quite a few years ago for me now, but...my personal limbo was a train platform, Tommy. It was a train platform. No matter where I looked, no matter where I went, just concrete walls all around, and a tube, with a track, running straight along.”

“It doesn’t matter what I did, Tommy, I could claw at the walls. I could bash on the doors, I could scream for help -- I screamed until my lungs were sore, ‘til my voice was hoarse -- and nothing ever changes, nothing ever comes, nothing ever helps you, Tommy. And then you arrive -- you arrive, and it was great! And then you left. You got on a train and you left!”

“And Tommy, the last thing I saw, was a train pulling in, and there were two people on that train. One man, a desaturated me, came rolling into town, came rolling into Limbo -- my Limbo! He’s in my Limbo! His face was steaming with tears, they looked like they were burning him? I don’t know. But do you know who else was on that train, who was conducting the train, who let me out, Tommy?”

“It was Dream. It was Dream. My hero, my fucking hero, Dream, saved me from that hell! Tommy, I thought I wanted to die. All those -- that decade and a half ago, I thought I wanted to die! I thought I wanted to die, but now I’ve seen what Hell is! Now I’ve seen the other side. Tommy, I’ve been given a new lease on life -- there’s so much I need to do, Tommy, there’s so much I gotta do, there’s so much -- Tubbo, are you coming? And Ranboo...Ranboo...I know so much about you, Ranboo."

- Ghostbur’s memories start coming back to him as he remembers the sewer. Tommy tells him that things have changed, and Wilbur is responsible for all the pain that so many people have went through.

- Wilbur asks him if he’s trying to make him feel like he felt in Pogtopia again. 

Wilbur: “I have this lease on life, and by God, if life’s a fucking horse, I’m gonna ride it, Tommy!”

- Telling them all that he has things to plan, Wilbur leaves them for next time.

Ranboo: “...What the hell did you do?”

- Since the server has been very uneventful, Jack continues on his plan to build a pub

- He’s eager to become a prison guard so that, when Tommy goes back to the prison, he can kill him!

- Jack finds out that Tommy already went to the prison. He’s distraught. All of that was for nothing?

- He doesn’t know where Tommy and Dream are, and those were the only two people that mattered. And now the only person online on the server is Technoblade.

- Jack asks Technoblade if he knows what’s going on with Tommy. Techno says Tommy died, didn’t he? (He’s been quite out of the loop)

- Jack tries to go into the prison but it doesn’t work.Techno points out that the best way to get into jail is to commit a crime. Jack thinks that’s not such a bad idea. Techno recommends arson and/or tax fraud.

- Jack builds a penis on the prison entrance to try and get Sam’s attention. It doesn’t work.

- He notices Foolish wandering around and follows after him. They talk for a bit about Jack’s plans. Foolish brings up the missing nuke. Jack didn’t realize Foolish knew about it.

- They discuss possible suspects for who could’ve stolen the nuke. Foolish tells Jack about him and Tubbo interrogating HBomb. Techno said no, and Quackity said no as well (him and Techno are on good terms), and it couldn’t have been Jack. Foolish suggests Sam.

- Jack doesn’t think Sam’s a good suspect, but he goes along with Foolish’s idea in order to possibly interview Sam later. 

- Ranboo joins the game, still at L’manhole. He starts walking.

- Ranboo doesn’t like Wilbur, since according to the legends he’s heard, he was... “A villain, basically.”

- Phil is online... Ranboo rehearses what he’s going to say to him to break the news as he farms wheat.

- He heads back to the Arctic. Phil is home. Ranboo goes inside, sits Phil down, and tells Phil that Tommy had a plan to go into the prison with Ghostbur and kill Dream.

- Ranboo tells him. When Tommy came out...Ghostbur was not with him. Dream is still alive. Phil asks if Ghostbur got lost, and Ranboo breaks the news that Wilbur has been revived.

- Phil jumps up. This changes everything! He was reading up on resurrection, and Dream had the right book -- and he revived Wilbur, but why? Is Wilbur any different? Phil has so many questions.

- Ranboo doesn’t know if he was normal because he’d never met him. He said he was in a train station for thirteen years.

- Phil is shocked by this. Thirteen years is a very long time to be away. He might not be the same person.

- Ranboo tells Phil that Wilbur thinks the crater is what he did. Phil asks if Ghostbur’s memories are there. Ranboo says that he started to. He knew a lot about Ranboo. Phil has a lot of questions.

- Phil asks where Wilbur is. Ranboo says they saw him at L’manburg, but he’s not there anymore.

- What Phil is scared of is what Wilbur has been thinking about this whole time. People can change a lot in a single year, two years, five years. Wilbur was gone for thirteen. 

Phil: “I don’t know if he’s going to be the same Wil I knew.”

“I need to prepare. I need to be ready for when he eventually comes to see me, because he probably has some questions...if he’s been sitting on what happened for thirteen years, then we have a lot to talk about. I think I know where he might be...I’ll talk to you later, Ranboo.”

- Phil leaves.

- Ranboo steps outside and looks at the blue, suddenly realizing that Ghostbur is gone. But maybe Wilbur’s turned over a new leaf. Ranboo’s optimistic.

- Wilbur seemed to be fond of Tubbo, and Tubbo described how Wilbur had affected him.

- Ranboo looks at his Memory Book and the message the Enderwalk left him. This is what he has to do.

- What he has to do is keep a close eye on Wilbur, and he knows exactly the people who can help him with that. 

- Ranboo heads back to the main area. Antfrost comes running by dressed as Badboyhalo in a maid outfit.

- Ranboo makes his way to the Disruption Hole and drops down to the bottom, where he comes face to face with a group of Endermen. He asks them to do a favor for him -- keep an eye on Wilbur for him.

- Ranboo goes back to the Arctic to create an obsidian mailbox for the Council to give him news. Learning to speak Enderman was a good idea. That was the good thing about the experiments.

- When Tubbo described Wilbur to Ranboo, he said that Wilbur really liked debates. That little courthouse in the sky? Maybe they should fix it, maybe if he does then Wilbur will warm up to Ranboo and like him.

- Ranboo goes to King’s Court and starts fixing it up.

- When push comes to shove, he’s going to have to be on Tommy and Tubbo’s side.

- He realizes he didn’t tell Phil about Wilbur calling Dream his “hero.”

- Ranboo and Tubbo had some fun playing chess while waiting for Tommy to kill Dream.

- Wilbur has no idea about the Egg either.

- Ranboo finishes working on King’s Court and leaves a message for Phil saying that Wilbur considers Dream his hero.

- Wilbur also has no idea about Michael...

- Ranboo goes over to the Egg Room to grab a Netherite block.

- Tubbo logs on and they hang out for a while

- They mess around in the spider spawner, playing with item frame pictures.

- Puffy works on the graveyard and hangs out with Sam, Bad and Eret

---

Upcoming Events:

- Quackity’s business opening

- Dream’s lore video

- Bad’s Egg lore stream

- Tales From the SMP: “Space Race”

[maki-matsurra]

Hi everyone!

Since everyone liked my Baffy playlist, I decided to make another one! One for our lovely Freelance Husbands Sam & Max!

Anyways! Here you are! Enjoy!

Freelance Husbands Playlist

Bad Reputation - Avril Lavigne

American Boy (Glee Cast Version) - Glee Cast

Animal (Glee Cast Version) - Glee Cast

Baby, It’s Cold Outside (Glee Cast Version) - Glee Cast

Best Day of My Life - American Authors

Centuries - Fall Out Boy

Clarity (feat. Foxes) - Zedd

Dead Girl Walking - Barrett Wilbert Weed & Ryan McCartan

Gives You Hell (Glee Cast Version) - Glee Cast

Halfway There - Big Time Rush

I Thought I Lost You (Radio Edit Remix) - Miley Cyrus & John Travolta

Live It Up - Owl City

On The Ground - ROSÉ

The Other Side - Hugh Jackman & Zac Efron

Titanium (feat. Sia) - David Guetta

Weightless (Less Is More Version) - Natasha Bedingfield

Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift

In the morning - ITZY

Blackout - In The Heights Cast

Misty Frosty Love - You Watanabe (CV. Shuka Saitō), Riko Sakurauchi (CV. Rikako Aida)

All Eyes on Me - Or3o

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Glee Cast Version) - Glee Cast

Demons (feat. Jennel Garcia) - Boyce Avenue

I Lived - OneRepublic

Revenge Party - Mean Girls Broadway Cast

War! - Zach Callison

My Guy - Leon Bridges

mother tongue - Bring Me The Horizon

There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back - Taron Egerton & Tori Kelly

Never Ever Getting of Me - Waitress Original Broadway Cast

Be Strong and Hit Stuff (feat. Casey Lee Williams) - Jeff Williams

Believer - Imagine Dragons

Stay The Night (feat. Hayley Williams)

TOMBOY - (G)I-DLE

Death of a Bachelor - Panic! At the Disco

House of Memories - Panic! At the Disco

I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney Houston

Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears

Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) - Kate Bush

Hangin’ Tough - New Kids On the Block

Without Me - Eminem

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Today in Tolkien - October 6th

This is the night of the attack at Weathertop, when Frodo is stabbed with the Morgul-blade.

In the morning they found, for the first time since they had left the Chetwood, a track plain to see. They turned right and followed it southwards. It ran cunningly, taking a line that seemed chosen so as to keep as much hidden as possible from the view, both of the hill-tops above and of the flats to the west. It dived into dells, and hugged steep banks; and where it passed over flatter and more open ground on either side of it there were lines of large bolders or hewn stones that screened the travellers almost like a hedge.

Aragorn tells the hobbits that the path was made by the men of Arnor to access their forts along the walls when they were fighting Angmar, but that long before they had a great watch tower called Amon Sûl on the summit of Weathertop, and there Elendil watched for the coming of Gil-Galad in the days of the Last Alliance. Sam sings a portion of the song of Gil-galad that Bilbo translated.

It was already mid-day when they drew near the southern end of the path, and saw before them, in the pale clear light of the October sun, a gre-green bank, leading up like a bridge on to the northward slope of the hill. They decided to make for the top at once, while the daylight was broad. Concealment was no longer possible, and they could only hope that no enemy or spy was observing them. Nobody was to be seen moving on the hill. If Gandalf was anywhere about, there was no sign of him. On the western flank of Weathertop they found a sheltered hollow, at the bottom of which there was a bowl-shaped dell with grassy sides. There they left Sam and Pippin with the pony and their packs and luggage.

On the top of Westhertop they find the sign Gandalf left three days ago, and Aragorn interprets it. The rocks and grass are all scorched with fire from Gandalf’s fight with the Ringwraiths. Aragorn says he expects it will be at least 14 days from here to the Ford of Bruinen. The fact that they still manage to make that time even after Frodo is severely wounded - they reach the Ford of the 20th - is impressive on the part of them all. Frodo sees black specks on the road, two coming from the east and three from the west; Aragorn agrees that these are Black Riders, and they conceal themselves and go back dien the hill. Sam and Pippin find a Ranger camp, but there are also footprint of other boots from a day or two ago. Aragorn agrees with Sam that he dies not like the dell they are in, but there is no time to find anywhere better before nightfall. They make a fire as a defence, and at night Aragorn tells them old tales, including the Tale of Tinúviel. I wonder if, in Aragorn saying that the ending of that tale is not known, Tolkien is poking fun at his unfinished manuscript of the poetic Leithian.

Shortly after Aragorn finishes the story, the moon rises, and they see and sense the Ringwraiths outside the dell. The Ringwraiths approach, and Frodo under their influence puts on the Ring; what he sees of the Ringwraiths is matched by the movie depiction very closely. Frodo is stabbed by the Witch-king. Aragorn orders them to put Frodo by the fire, then disappears for some time, reawakening Sam’s suspicions; when he returns, Sam draws his sword and stands over Frodo. Aragorn has been trying, without success, to find out why the Ringwraiths have left rather than attacking again; he is very concerned by Frodo’s account, and then takes Sam aside and tells him he concludes that Frodo’s wound is intended to place him under the Ringwraiths’ control. Aragorn goes off to find athelas, which is uncommon and little-known in the North.

Frodo feels pain from the Morgul-wound on the same day in the two following years. One year later, he and the other hobbits and Gandalf have just left Rivendell the previous and are crossing the Ford of Bruinen:

When they came to the Ford of Bruinen, he halted, and seemed loth to ride into the stream; and they noted that for a while his eyes appeared not to see them or things about them.

“Are you in pain, Frodo?” said Gandalf quietly as he rode by Frodo’s side.

“Well, yes, I am,” said Frodo. “It is my shoulder. The wound aches, and the memory of darkness is heavy on me. It was a year ago today.”

“Alas! there are some wounds that cannot be wholly cured,” said Gandalf.

“I fear it may be so with mine,” said Frodo. “There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will not seem the same; for I shall not be the same. I am wounded with knife, sting, tooth, and a long burden. Where shall I find rest?”

Gandalf did not answer.

Then, a year later, in Bag End:

One evening Sam came into the study and found his master looking very strange. He was very pale and his eyes seemed to see things far away.

“What’s the matter, Mr. Frodo?” said Sam.

“I am wounded,” he answered, “wounded; it will never really heal.”

But then he got up, and the turn seemed to pass, and he was quite himself the next day. It was not until afterwards that Sam recalled that the date was October the sixth. Two years before on that day it was dark in the dell under Weathertop.

This is also the day that the story ends, the day that Sam returns to Bag End from the Havens.

The three companions…spoke no word to each other until they came back to the Shire, but each had great comfort in his friends on the long grey road. At last they rode over the downs and took the East Road, and then Merry and Pippin rode on to Buckland; and already they were singing as they went.

I only just noticed this on this reread; and I find it particularly moving. Merry and Pippin do not feel any special need of silence themselves; soon after they part from Sam they are singing. But they recognize, without anything needing to be said, that Sam needs silence in companionship; and they give him that, though the whole of a week-long journey together (Frodo departed from the Havens on Sept 29th), and it is a great comfort to them all. (And for someone like Pippin, who is not particularly noted for his tact, it also shows how he’s grown over the course of the story.)

But Sam turned to Bywater, and so came back up the Hill, as day was ending once more. And he went on, and there was yellow light, and fire within; and the evening meal was ready, and he was expected. And Rose drew him in, and set him in his chair, and put little Elanor upon his lap.

He drew a deep breath. “Well I’m back,” he said.

The final thing that I think we’re supposed to draw from this ending being on Oct 6th, the anniversary of Weathertop, is to conclude that by this time Frodo has reached Eressëa, and this year will no longer be pained by his old wounds.

[unknown-songs]

BLACK LIVES MATTER

A list with black artists who have a song in the Unknown Songs That Should Be Known-playlist (Can be a black artist in a band or just solo-artist) (no specific genre)

Bull’s Eye - Blacknuss, Prince Prime - Funk Aftershow - Joe Fox - Alternative Hip-hop Strangers in the Night - Ben L’Oncle Soul - Soul Explore - Mack Wilds - R&B Something To Do - IGBO - Funk

Down With The Trumpets - Rizzle Kicks - Pop Dans ta ville - Dub Inc. - Reggae Dance or Die - Brooklyn Funk Essentials - Funk FACELESS - The PLAYlist, Glenn Lewis - R&B Tell Me Father - Jeangu Macrooy - Soul

Southern Boy - John The Conquerer - Blues Hard Rock Savannah Grass - Kes - Dancehall Dr. Funk - The Main Squeeze - Funk Seems I’m Never Tired of Loving You - Lizz Wright - Jazz Out of My Hands - TheColorGrey, Oddisee - Hip-Hop/Pop

Raised Up in Arkansas - Michael Burks - Blues Black Times - Sean Kuti, Egypt 80, Carlos Santana - Afrobeat Cornerstone - Benjamin Clementine - Indie Shine On - R.I.O., Madcon - Electronic Pop Bass On The Line - Bernie Worrell - Funk

When We Love - Jhené Aiko - R&B Need Your Love - Curtis Harding - Soul Too Dry to Cry - Willis Earl Beal - Folk Your House - Steel Pulse - Reggae Power - Moon Boots, Black Gatsby - Deep House

Vinyl Is My Bible - Brother Strut - Funk Diamond - Izzy Biu - R&B Elusive - blackwave., David Ngyah - Hip-hop Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down - Heritage Blues Orchestra - Blues Sastanàqqàm - Tinariwen - Psychedelic Rock

Disco To Go - Brides of Funkenstein - Funk/Soul Circles - Durand Jones & The Indications - Retro Pop Cheesin’ - Cautious Clay, Remi Wolf, sophie meiers - R&B Changes - Charles Bradley - Soul The Sweetest Sin - RAEVE - House

Gyae Su - Pat Thomas, Kwashibu Area Band - Funk What Am I to Do - Ezra Collective, Loyle Carner - Hip-hop Get Your Groove On - Cedric Burnside - Blues Old Enough To Know Better - Steffen Morrisson - Soul Wassiye - Habib Koité - Khassonke musique

Dance Floor - Zapp - Funk Wake Up - Brass Against, Sophia Urista - Brass Hard-Rock BIG LOVE - Black Eyed Peas - Pop The Greatest - Raleigh Ritchie - R&B DYSFUNCTIONAL - KAYTRANADA, VanJess - Soul

See You Leave - RJD2, STS, Khari Mateen - Hip-hop Sing A Simple Song - Maceo Parker - Jazz/Funk Have Mercy - Eryn Allen Kane - Soul Homenage - Brownout - Latin Funk Can’t Sleep - Gary Clark Jr. - Blues Rock

Toast - Koffee - Dancehall Freedom - Ester Dean - R&B Iskaba - Wande Coal, DJ Tunez - Afropop High Road - Anthony Riley - Alternative Christian Sunny Days - Sabrina Starke - Soul

The Talking Fish - Ibibio Sound Machine - Funk Paralyzed - KWAYE - Indie Purple Heart Blvd - Sebastian Kole - Pop WORSHIP - The Knocks, MNEK - Deep House BMO - Ari Lennox - R&B

Promises - Myles Sanko - Soul .img - Brother Theodore - Funk Singing the Blues - Ruthie Foster, Meshell Ndegeocello - Blues Nobody Like You - Amartey, SBMG, The Livingtons - Hip-hop Starship - Afriquoi, Shabaka Hutchings, Moussa Dembele - Deep House

Lay My Troubles Down - Aaron Taylor - Funk  Bloodstream - Tokio Myers - Classic Sticky - Ravyn Lenae - R&B Why I Try - Jalen N’Gonda - Soul Motivation - Benjamin Booker - Folk

quand c’est - Stromae - Pop Let Me Down (Shy FX Remix) - Jorja Smith, Stormzy, SHY FX - Reggae Funny - Gerald Levert - R&B Salt in my Wounds - Shemekia Copeland - Blues Our Love - Samm Henshaw - Soul

Make You Feel That Way - Blackalicious - Jazz Hip-hop Knock Me Out - Vintage Trouble - Funk Take the Time - Ronald Bruner, Jr., Thundercat - Alternative Thru The Night - Phonte, Eric Roberson - R&B Keep Marchin’ - Raphael Saadiq - Soul

Shake Me In Your Arms - Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’ - Blues Meet Me In The Middle - Jodie Abascus - Pop Raise Hell - Sir the Baptist, ChurchPpl - Gospel Pop Mogoya - Oumou Sangaré - Wassoulou Where’s Yesterday - Slakah The Beatchild - Hip-hop

Lose My Cool - Amber Mark - R&B New Funk - Big Sam’s Funky Nation - Funk I Got Love - Nate Dogg - Hip-hop Nothing’s Real But Love - Rebecca Ferguson - Soul Crazy Race - The RH Factor - Jazz

Spies Are Watching Me - Voilaaa, Sir Jean - Funk The Leaders - Boka de Banjul - Afrobeat Fast Lane - Rationale - House Conundrum - Hak Baker - Folk Don’t Make It Harder On Me - Chloe x Halle - R&B

Plastic Hamburgers - Fantastic Negrito - Hardrock Beyond - Leon Bridges - Pop God Knows - Dornik - Soul Soleil de volt - Baloji - Afrofunk Do You Remember - Darryl Williams, Michael Lington - Jazz Get Back - McClenney - Alternative Three Words - Aaron Marcellus - Soul

Spotify playlist 

In memory of:

Aaron Bailey Adam Addie Mae Collins Ahmaud Arbery Aiyana Stanley Jones Akai Gurley Alberta Odell Jones Alexia Christian Alfonso Ferguson Alteria Woods Alton Sterling Amadou Diallo Amos Miller Anarcha Westcott Anton de Kom Anthony Hill Antonio Martin Antronie Scott Antwon Rose Jr. Arthur St. Clair Atatiana Jefferson Aubrey Pollard Aura Rosser Bennie Simons Berry Washington Bert Dennis Bettie Jones Betsey Billy Ray Davis Bobby Russ Botham Jean Brandon Jones Breffu Brendon Glenn Breonna Taylor Bud Johnson Bussa

Calin Roquemore Calvin McDowell Calvin Mike and his family Carl Cooper Carlos Carson Carlotta Lucumi Carol Denise McNair Carol Jenkins Carole Robertson Charles Curry Charles Ferguson Charles Lewis Charles Wright Charly Leundeu Keunang Chime Riley Christian Taylor Christopher Sheels Claude Neal Clementa Pickney Clifford Glover Clifton Walker Clinton Briggs Clinton R. Allen Cordella Stevenson Corey Carter Corey Jones Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd Cynthia Wesley

Daniel L. Simmons Danny Bryant Darius Randell Robinson Darius Tarver Darrien Hunt Darrius Stewart David Felix David Joseph David McAtee David Walker and his family Deandre Brunston Deborah Danner Delano Herman Middleton Demarcus Semer Demetrius DuBose Depayne Middleton-Doctor Dion Johnson Dominique Clayton Dontre Hamilton Dred Scott

Edmund Scott Ejaz Choudry Elbert Williams Eleanor Bumpurs Elias Clayton Elijah McClain Eliza Woods Elizabeth Lawrence Elliot Brooks Ellis Hudson Elmer Jackson Elmore Bolling Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. Emmett Till Eric Garner Eric Harris Eric Reason Ernest Lacy Ernest Thomas Ervin Jones Eugene Rice Eugene Williams Ethel Lee Lance Ezell Ford

Felix Kumi Frank Livingston Frank Morris Frank Smart Frazier B. Baker Fred Hampton Fred Rochelle Fred Temple Freddie Carlos Gray Jr.

George Floyd George Grant George Junius Stinney Jr. George Meadows George Waddell George Washington Lee Gregory Gunn

Harriette Vyda Simms Moore Harry Tyson Moore Hazel “Hayes” Turner Henry Ezekial Smith Henry Lowery Henry Ruffin Henry Scott Hosea W. Allen

India Kager Isaac McGhie Isadore Banks Italia Marie Kelly

Jack Turner Jamar Clark Jamel Floyd James Byrd Jr. James Craig Anderson James Earl Chaney James Powell James Ramseur James Tolliver James T. Scott Janet Wilson Jason Harrison Javier Ambler J.C. Farmer Jemel Roberson Jerame Reid Jesse Thornton Jessie Jefferson Jim Eastman Joe Nathan Roberts John Cecil Jones John Crawford III John J. Gilbert John Ruffin John Taylor Johnny Robinson Jonathan Ferrell Jonathan Sanders Jordan Edwards Joseph Mann Julia Baker Julius Jones July Perry Junior Prosper

Kalief Browder Karvas Gamble Jr. Keith Childress, Jr. Kelly Gist Kelso Benjamin Cochrane Kendrick Johnson Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. Kenny Long Kevin Hicks Kevin Matthews Kiwane Albert Carrington

Lacy Mitchell Lamar Smith Laquan McDonald Laura Nelson Laura Wood L.B. Reed L.D. Nelson Lemuel Penn Lemuel Walters Leonard Deadwyler Leroy Foley Levi Harrington Lila Bella Carter Lloyd Clay Louis Allen Lucy

M.A. Santa Cruz Maceo Snipes Malcom X Malice Green Malissa Williams Manuel Ellis Marcus Deon Smith Marcus Foster Marielle Franco Mark Clark Maria Martin Lee Anderson Martin Luther King Jr. Matthew Avery Mary Dennis Mary Turner Matthew Ajibade May Noyes Mckenzie Adams Medgar Wiley Evers Michael Brown Michael Donald Michael Griffith Michael Lee Marshall Michael Lorenzo Dean Michael Noel Michael Sabbie Michael Stewart Michelle Cusseaux Miles Hall Moses Green Mya Hall Myra Thompson

Nathaniel Harris Pickett Jr. Natasha McKenna Nicey Brown Nicholas Heyward Jr.

O’Day Short family Orion Anderson Oscar Grant III Otis Newsom

Pamela Turner Paterson Brown Jr. Patrick Dorismond Philando Castile Phillip Pannell Phillip White Phinizee Summerour

Quaco

Ramarley Graham Randy Nelson Raymond Couser Raymond Gunn Regis Korchinski-Paquet Rekia Boyd Renisha McBride Riah Milton Robert Hicks Robert Mallard Robert Truett Rodney King Roe Nathan Roberts Roger Malcolm and his wife Roger Owensby Jr. Ronell Foster Roy Cyril Brooks Rumain Brisbon Ryan Matthew Smith

Sam Carter Sam McFadden Samuel DuBose Samuel Ephesians Hammond Jr. Samuel Hammond Jr. Samuel Leamon Younge Jr. Sandra Bland Sean Bell Shali Tilson Sharonda Coleman-Singleton Shukri Abdi Simon Schuman Slab Pitts Stella Young Stephon Clark Susie Jackson

T.A. Allen Tamir Rice Tamla Horsford Tanisha Anderson Timothy Caughman Timothy Hood Timothy Russell Timothy Stansbury Jr. Timothy Thomas Terrence Crutcher Terrill Thomas Tom Jones Tom Moss Tony McDade Tony Terrell Robinson Jr. Trayvon Martin Troy Hodge Troy Robinson Tula Tyler Gerth Tyre King Tywanza Sanders

Victor Duffy Jr. Victor White III

Walter Lamar Scott Wayne Arnold Jones Wesley Thomas Wilbert Cohen Wilbur Bundley Will Brown Will Head Will Stanley Will Stewart Will Thompson Willie James Howard Willie Johnson Willie McCoy Willie Palmer Willie Turks William Brooks William Butler William Daniels William Fambro William Green William L. Chapman II William Miller William Pittman Wyatt Outlaw

Yusef Kirriem Hawkins

The victims of LaLaurie (1830s) The black victims of the Opelousas massacre (1868) The black victims of the Thibodaux massacre (1887) The black victims of the Wilmington insurrection (1898) The black victims of the Johnson-Jeffries riots (1910) The black victims of the Red summer (1919) The black victims of the Elaine massacre (1919) The black victims of the Ocoee massacre (1920) The victims of the MOVE bombing (1985)

All the people who died during the Atlantic slave trade, be it due to abuse or disease.

All the unnamed victims of mass-incarceration, who were put into jail without the committing of a crime and died while in jail or died after due to mental illness. 

All the unnamed victims of racial violence and discrimination. 

...

My apologies for all the people missing on this list. Feel free to add more names and stories. 

Listen, learn and read about discrimination, racism and black history: (feel free to add more)  Documentaries: 13th (Netflix) The Innocence Files (Netflix) Who Killed Malcolm X? (Netflix) Time: The Kalief Browder Story (Netflix) I Am Not Your Negro

YouTube videos: We Cannot Stay Silent about George Floyd Waarom ook Nederlanders de straat op gaan tegen racisme (Dutch) Wit is ook een kleur (Dutch) (documentaire)

Books: Biased by Jennifer Eberhardt Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri Freedom Is A Constant Struggle by Angela Davis How To Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo They Can’t Kill Us All by Wesley Lowery White Fragility by Robin Deangelo Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge Woman, Race and Class by Angela Davis

Websites: https://lynchinginamerica.eji.org/report/ https://museumandmemorial.eji.org/ https://archive.org/details/thirtyyearsoflyn00nati/page/n11/mode/2up https://lab.nos.nl/projects/slavernij/index-english.html https://blacklivesmatter.com/ https://www.zinnedproject.org/

[anagentinwriting]

Lifeline - Part 10

Summary: (First Responders!AU) Moving to Los Angeles and living with your brother, Thor, was never part of your plan nor was being a 9-1-1 dispatcher, but plans change when you are faced with your own emergencies. In your case, it was leaving behind a relationship that wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. Will this be the fresh start you were hoping for or will your past find a way to catch up with you?

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Odinson!Sister Reader

Word Count: 3800+

Warnings: Angst, fluff, language

Lifeline Masterlist / Main Masterlist

Thor walked up to the gate to your condo to find a couple of guys installing a camera and a gate lock mechanism. “Hello, gentlemen. Who are you, and what are you doing to my sister’s gate?” Thor asked, crossing his arms across his chest. 

“Whoa, big guy.” The guy on the ladder held up his hands. “I’m Dave, and he’s Kurt. We’re from X-Con Security Consultants--” he pointed to his shirt with the name stitched on it “--and we’re installing a new security system update for Ms. Hill.”

“The lady asked for an installation, and we do it,” Kurt mentioned with a Russian accent.

“Huh, okay then, as you were, gentlemen.” He nodded, continuing through the gate and going to your front door. 

You were making a batch of your mom’s cookies when you heard an unexpected knock at the door. Setting down your cookie scoop, you wiped your hands clean to answer it. “Hey, Thor. Whatcha doing here? Thought you had a shift today.”

“I do, an overnight shift,” He pointed over his shoulder. “Why are their strange men at your front gate?”

“You’re one to talk, ladies man,” you scoffed, rolling your eyes. You turned away from the door, allowing him to come in as you returned to the kitchen. “If memory serves me right, you had plenty of strange women over at strange hours of the day.”

“Come on, they were my friends,” Thor reasoned, following you to your kitchen. “I love women, but you know, not in a creepy way.” 

“Fine, if you must know, I mentioned to Maria about updating the front gate’s security system with a code and buzzer mechanism, and she thought it was a good investment for the property. The other tenants thought it was a great idea, too, so we're all going to pitch in and help pay for the upgrades. Plus, it will help me sleep better at night.”

“Oh, so it’s an investment. It’s not because you almost hit Steve with the bat the other day.” You averted your eyes to the cookie dough bowl, chewing on your bottom lip.  “This is what I didn’t want to happen, YN. I knew you would move out, and you wouldn’t feel safe and…”

“I know, Thor,” you interrupted him, your eyes connecting with his. “But, it’s going to take time for me to adjust and feel safe. This new gate code system will just help me sleep better at night because I will know who is here before I let them in.”

Thor nodded, keeping a watchful eye on you. “I understand, but why didn’t you tell me Billy contacted you?”

“I can’t rely on you every time,” You sighed, shrugging your shoulders. “I have to learn how to fight my own battles again, and you have to be able to trust me.”

“I DO!” He raised his voice, making you flinch, then he immediately dropped his voice. “It’s Billy I don’t trust, and if he thinks he can hurt you, again, he’s got another thing coming.”

“I know, I know.” You shake your head, pinching the bridge of your nose. 

“I just want you to know you're not alone here. You have me, Nat, Carol, and everyone else at the station.” He reached out, giving your shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “You have improved so much since you arrived, and I don't want to see you revert back to your old ways. You have no idea how proud of you I am, and I trust you with whatever you decide to do. I want you to know I’m here for you.” You nodded with a small smile. “On another note, I’m glad you finally talked to someone about Billy.”

“You mean Steve.” You eyed him over, not missing the side grin appearing on his face. “Why did he tell you about what happened?” 

“He was worried about you and thought I should be aware of what occurred,” Thor replied, scratching his head. “When we work these long shifts together, we learn many things about each other; Stories are told, secrets are shared, and we learn to trust one another. Although he never did say why he stopped by that night?”

“He gave me a housewarming present.”

“Is that what they call it these days?” He winked with a carefree smile on his face. 

“Oh my god, STOP.” You felt your cheeks grow warm, throwing a ball of cookie dough at him. He caught it, chuckling and popped it in his mouth.

“You should see your face right now. All flushed and agitated.” He motioned to his face as you covered yours in your hands. “Your hands aren’t stopping that blush color coming through on your face. If I didn’t know any better, I would think you got a sun-burn, but let’s get to the real reason, you have a crush on Steve.”

You removed your hands from your face, staring him down. “Okay, sure…maybe I do. He’s a great guy with a caring personality but…but I’m not ready for a serious relationship.”

“Neither is he, that’s why you two are perfect for one another,” he grinned, making you shake your head. 

_____

Steve startled awake from something crashing to the floor in the communal kitchen. He sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes, and let out a long yawn. The last twelve hours have been a blur from the restaurant fire to a car accident to an ax-throwing competition. It felt like call after call came in with little to no recovery time in between. Steve glanced at his watch as he sat up and pulled on his boots. He sighed, realizing he only got about four hours of sleep, but lack of sleep comes with the territory. He ran his hands through his hair, walking into the kitchen, taking a seat at one of the stools by the island. 

“You’re up early,” Carol commented, sweeping up a broken dish.

“A crashing sound startled me awake,” he smirked, forcing her to roll her eyes.

Carol dumped the remnants of the ceramic dish in the garbage before grabbing two coffee mugs from the cabinet. She poured coffee into each of them and handed one to Steve. Steve nodded to her as a thank you and blew the steam off the top of the hot liquid. “Did you want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or oatmeal with some peanut butter to go with your coffee?”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh please, don’t act all innocent. I know you’re the one who’s been eating Sam’s peanut butter, not Bucky.” Carol narrowed her eyes at him, and he raised his hands in surrender.

“Guilty,” he smirked. “It’s so good, though, especially in oatmeal. I’m still surprised they haven’t figured it out yet.”

“Those two share a deep tolerable dislike for each other that even I can’t explain how it works. They get along but don’t get along, but somehow work really well together. It shouldn’t work, but it works. I don’t know; it still baffles me. I’m sure if you confessed, Sam would think you were only covering for Bucky anyways.” She shook her head, and Steve nodded his head in agreement. 

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from those two,” Steve chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. 

“YN told you, didn’t she?”

“Told me what?”

“I might have overheard you and Thor talking about it, but she told you about Billy the douche?”

“Oh...um...yeah.” He shrugged. “I went to her house after she got a call from said douche, and she almost hit me with a bat.”

“Good,” Carol chirped as Steve snapped his head to her. “Well, not good she almost hit you, but good that he doesn’t have that control over her anymore.”

“I agree.” He stared down at the contents in his mug. “Billy sounds like a real piece of work.”

She hummed in agreement. “I know you’re a good guy, but I want you to know if you hurt her, I’ll kick your ass.”

“Oh, trust me, I would never hurt her like that, but I’m not ready for a relationship.” 

Carol smirked at his response, remembering you saying this whenever she tried to find you a new man. “What? Don't you like her?”

“No, no, it’s not like that at all. She’s…she’s great. It’s just…” Steve fumbled over his words.

“Oh, he hesitated,” Sam added, taking the stool next to Steve. Steve glanced at him, seeing a huge, gap-tooth smile on his face. “He’s into her.”

“It’s not that I’m not, it’s just that I have been through some things, and I know she has been through some things, very recently. I don’t want to push her if she’s not ready.”

“Well, you’re getting pushed into the friend zone, Steve,” Bucky added, taking the other stool next to him.

“Come on, don't say that...it's just...it's…”

“Called the friend zone,” Sam finished for Steve.

“Okay, fine, then why am I planning on hanging out with her later.”  

“Keyword is hangout as in not a date so…” Bucky dragged on.

“Friend zoned,” Sam and Bucky said in unison.

Steve shakes his head, letting out a big sigh. “You two are unbelievable, but at least you two finally agree on something.” Sam and Bucky both looked at each other with a slight shrug and nod. 

“Who are we speaking about,” Thor asked, patting Steve on the back.

“YN,” Carol smiled, forcing Steve’s eyes to meet hers.

“It’s not what you think. We were…”

“Steve wants to ask her out on a date,” Sam added, getting off the stool and walking over to the cabinet where his peanut butter was.

“Is that right? You--” he gestured to Steve with a slight smirk on his lips “--you want to date my sister.” Thor shook his head, letting out a soft chuckle, grabbing a mug from the cabinet and filling it up. “I like you, Steve, I do, and out of all these morons, I find you are the most suitable to date her. I think Loki may even approve of you, too, but he may be skeptical of you. He might even mock you upon meeting you, but he means well.”

“Thanks, but I wasn’t asking for your permission to do anything.”

“OOOOH, Thor, are you going to let him talk to you like that,” Sam hollered, pulling his peanut butter from the cabinet and unscrewing the lid.

“I didn’t mean it to come out like that.”

“Sure you didn’t,” Thor joked with a carefree smile. “Sure you didn’t,” he stated more seriously this time, eyeing Steve over, taking a sip of his coffee.

“GODDAMMIT, BUCKY! Why do you always eat my peanut butter? It wasn’t this empty the last time I opened it,” Sam shouted, giving Bucky a stern look as Carol shot Steve an all-knowing smirk.

_____

You stepped into Jabari Tribe Training Center, hearing the whirls of the jump ropes hitting the mats and the punches hitting the heavy bags. Everything in this gym was nerve-racking to you at first, but now it excited you. This gym was a little more run-down than most and could be unpleasant to some, but you found the dedicated atmosphere inspiring. 

You went to the locker room to get ready for your session, feeling your stomach tingling with nerves. Val had a last-minute schedule change at the station, so she wouldn’t be training you today; instead, she scheduled you with M’Baku, who in the ring was known as the Great Gorilla. You’ve watched him coach a few athletes, and he was intimidating. He stood tall and broad, and he’d always do his signature gorilla bark to get himself or his trainees fired up. He was a scary dude! Val knew your movements and boundaries, but this guy wouldn’t, and you weren’t sure how this session was going to go. 

You grabbed your boxing gloves and walked out to find M’Baku by the ring talking to one of his athletes. “Hey, M’Baku, I’m YN. Val mentioned you would be helping me with my session today.”

He looked at you with a stern glare and nodded to his trainee that they were finished. He looked back at you with a snarl on his lip before a smile broke out across his face. “Yes, you were told right. She told me about where you are, and I will say it’s impressive since you only started a few weeks ago.”

“Oh...um, thanks,” you smiled, feeling a warmth rush to your cheeks.

“Ready?” You nodded. “Okay, we will do some warm-up exercises, hit the heavy bag, ring work, stretch it out, and call it a day. Does that work for you?”

“Sounds great.”

“And if there is something you are not comfortable doing, or you don’t know what something is just ask. I won’t bite...hard.” He let out a deep chuckle, making you crack a smile.

“I will.”

“Let’s get started.”

It was a quick warm-up with some basic stretches, squats, jump ropes, and rowing. There were a few stretches you didn’t know what they were, and M’Baku showed you what to do and explained what muscles it was stretching. He couldn’t stress enough how stretching and warming up helped reduce injury and how it would improve your recovery time. M’Baku was knowledgeable, and you could tell he loved what he did.

Every time you worked on the heavy bag, it intimidated you because it was a constant mind game with yourself. You had to think about every punch you threw, making sure to hit it with your knuckles; otherwise, you could sprain your wrist, or worse, break it. You had to move around the bag with quick feet while throwing jabs, hooks, and uppercut punches. It wasn’t a natural feeling you had with the bag like many others did; this is why you preferred sparring in the ring.

You could feel his eyes watching you as you hit the bag with your straight and hook punches. The bag moved slightly as you switched positions and hit the bag from a different angle. 

“Okay, stop,” M’Baku called out, and you dropped your hands to your side. “I am not getting anything from you. You’re too quiet, stiff. Loosen up, girl, let out a grunt, roar, or better yet, bark. Do the…do the gorilla bark.” He raises his eyebrows at you, and you shake your head. 

“I’m not doing the gorilla bark,” you whizzed with your hands on your hips, taking deep breaths. He stared at you, narrowing his eyes before he started barking. “Still not doing it.” He stepped closer to you, barking louder as he walked circles around you. You rolled your eyes, taking a deep breath, and finally let out a bark.

His face broke into a smile, and he nodded. “Thata girl. Now get into it, have fun with it, don’t be so tense, loosen up, and jump around. I’ll demonstrate.” 

He takes his position at the bag, tapping it with his glove before doing a set of punches. It was almost like watching a dance. As it swayed, he would be quick and move and then attack with a series of different shots. He looked so relaxed that it didn’t even seem like he had to think about it. It was like second nature to him. 

“Alright, your turn,” He breathed, looking back at you.

You shake your head. “I got tired just watching you. You make it look so natural and easy.”

“It comes with practice, and it doesn’t help you're scared of the bag.” You nodded, giving him a half shrug. “Don’t be scared. Being scared only makes you feel weaker, so you won’t give it your all. Think of it like--” he paused, thinking “--taking a call at dispatch. If you’re afraid, you’ll overthink the situation and make a mistake. If you’re confident and think fast on your feet, it will lead to a better outcome. The more confident you are with yourself, the stronger you will become. Understand?”

“Yes,” you replied with a nod. “Thank you, I needed to hear that.”

Sparring in the ring was your favorite. It was the chance to learn how your opponent moved and how to throw a hard punch. With Val, you knew how she moved in the ring and could time when to throw a punch. With M’Baku, you didn’t know what to expect.

“We are not going to spare,” M’Baku stated as you both got into the ring. He had punching mitts on, and you had your boxing gloves on. “You’re not ready for this,” he chuckled, motioning to himself as you smirked in his direction. “We will do combo drills with your punching technique, watch your stance, and I'll give you a few pointers. I might even show you a few moves, so when you spare with Val again, she’ll wonder where you learned them.”

“I’m ready.”

You throw a few punches at his mitts. “You’re doing something wrong. Do you know what it is?”

 “Am I lifting my feet?” You heaved, wiping the sweat off your forehead. 

“So you do know,” he smirked, dropping his hands. 

“Val is always on me about that.”

“Do you know why she wants you to keep your feet planted?”

“It keeps me more grounded and gives me better balance. It also helps me hit my opponent harder. If I don’t plant my feet, I will be off-balance making me more vulnerable to my opponent's punches.”

“Good, yes. I’m glad my coaches are teaching their trainees.” He let out a deep chuckle. “Also, remember to breathe as you throw your punches. The worst thing you can do is forget to breathe.” You nodded.

After a few more rounds of drills and a lot of great advice from M’Baku, he ended the session.  You went to the side of the ring to get a drink of water. 

“YN, is there a reason you wanted to learn to box or did you wake up one morning and go, ‘I want to fight.’” He asked with curiosity in his eyes. 

You chuckled. “No, not really. I wanted to try something new for once instead of doing the same boring workouts. A friend of mine mentioned Val’s self-defense class, so I tried it out, and it was fun. Then, I asked her about boxing, I was sort of curious about it, and she offered to train me. Plus, it’s a good workout.”

“It is a great workout,” he chuckled. “Val is a wonderful coach and does a great job teaching that class. I’m glad you gave boxing a chance, and you like it so far.”

“It’s been fun,” you smiled with a nod. “And thanks for coaching me today.”

“Anytime,” he said, waving it off. 

M’Baku's other client showed up, so he told you what stretches to do to cool down and to drink plenty of water. Good hydration leads to better recovery. It was really different working out with M’Baku, but it was a good different. He came off as intimidating and cold, but he was the complete opposite. He was knowledgeable and helpful, and you couldn’t wait for your next session with Val to show her the moves he taught you. 

______

“Anyone have any exciting plans for the evening?” Thor asked, unloading the duffle bags from one of the hatches of the truck.

“Have a drink or two, and fall asleep on the couch,” Val stated, patting him on the back and walking over to restock the ambulance.

“Going to dinner with my girl,” Bucky winked with a smile on his face. 

“When are we finally going to get to meet this woman? I would like to have a conversation with her about what she sees in you.” Sam joked from the ambulance, earning an eye roll from Bucky.

“Why don’t you ask her yourself.” Bucky pointed to the door, forcing Sam to get out of the back of the ambulance and see Nat at the door.

“Good one, Bucky, but I’m being serious. When do we get to meet her,” Sam questioned, looking back at him. Bucky shook his head as Nat went over to Bucky and kissed him on the lips.

“Does that clear everything up, boys and girls? Bucky and I are dating.”

Steve smiled at them and got back to work reorganizing the hatches while Thor nodded, giving them a thumbs up.

“How...wait...when did this happen?” Sam narrowed his eyes at them.

“We have been dating for a couple of months now,” Bucky smiled down at Nat beside him.

“Way to go, Buck. Didn’t know you had it in you to handle her,” Val saluted him from the back of the ambulance.

“Nat, what the heck? I thought we shared a common enemy.”

“Sorry, Sam.” She shrugged with a tight smile. 

“And here I thought you two were going to keep it a secret,” Steve hinted. 

“Wait, you knew?”

“Yeah. It’s kind of old news these two.”

“Congratulations, but can everyone get back to work, so we can head home,” Carol redirected everyone, earning mumbled replies. 

______

You laid on the couch, turning a page in your book, when there was a buzzing sound at your front door, signaling someone was at the front gate for you. You got off the couch and looked at the new little monitor installed by the door to see Steve waving at the camera. You smiled, buzzing him in. You quickly glanced down at your worn-out t-shirt that had a few holes in it and decided to run up the stairs to find a sweater to cover it up. You were a hot mess, but you didn’t want to look like a hot mess. He knocked on the door as you came down the stairs to answer it.

“Hey, Steve! What's up?”

“I was in the neighborhood, and Thor told me about the security upgrade, so thought I'd check it out.”

“I didn't know you were into security systems,” you smirked, crossing your arms across your chest, leaning against the door frame.

“Oh yeah,” he huffed out, nodding his head. “I am very tech-savvy; whenever I don’t know something, I just Ask Jeeves.”

“Wait, Ask Jeeves?” You narrowed your eyes and burst out laughing. “That search engine with the Butler?” He nodded with a slight shrug, putting his hands in his front pockets. “That’s still around? Isn’t it ancient!”

“Is it?” He chuckled, his signature smirk tugging at his lips. “I’ve used it since high school, but I think the butler retired because it's called Ask now.”

You shook your head, laughing at his subtleness. You glanced over your shoulder at the blank tv screen and back at Steve, biting your lip. “I was actually gonna watch a movie if you wanted to join me.”

“Ahh--” he shifted back and forth on his heels “--yeah, sounds fun.” You nodded, opening the door and inviting him in.

____

Thanks for reading part 10! Looks like her and Steve are finally having a little date/hangout night?! Do you think Steve is getting friend zoned like Bucky and Sam suspect, or do you think he will finally make a move? Or will it be her? I thought it would be funny to throw in that old search engine, Ask Jeeves, some may remember it, some might not have any idea what it is. But I thought it would be a funny throwback and a joke about Steve's age! It's like using map quest and printing out directions instead of using the GPS these days! 😂😂 And what about Thor showing up and being the supportive brother after finding out what happened. He is definitely trying to be better, and he still has no problem teasing her a little bit! Haha! We also found out who the real peanut butter thief was, thanks to Carol for being the observant one! Haha! And isn’t M’Baku the best!! Anyways, comments, likes, and reblogs always welcome. Thanks again! 

[aspacepiratesprincess]

To Be One With The AllSpark

Gazing out of the large bay window, Bumblebee beheld Cybertron. It was positively radiant. After a milennia, it glittered once again. Iacon, the place Optimus Prime's upbringing itself glimmered around them as they had begun their rebuilding. War had been all the bots knew for so long; on both sides. Autobot versus Decepticon; at each other's throats for thousands upon thousands of years, and finally, the curtain came to a close. Bumblebee had survived the conflict. With little to spare but the metal on his frame, they began the long journey of repairing what once was.

Bee's time on Earth had been only a blip in the timeline, for him. It was so short, yet so palpable that every time he thought back on them, the memories felt fresh. He'd come and gone. His genesis there had been rocky.

He'd lost his memories, he'd lost his voice, was assaulted by the Decepticon known as Blitzwing, proceeding the human military...and weary from battle, he somehow found himself hiding in the garage of a human girl's some time later, surrounded by primitive technology. He was endeared by her; they became the best of friends in what felt like the short moment he was there. He'd protected her, mused with her, they'd had a new kind of fun together. Alien to him yet right. His cherished human friend. And at the end of it all, when the Decepticon signal tower had been deactivated and Optimus himself came rolling up that big red bridge, he was gone.

Yes, his time there was fleeting. He never saw Charlie again, after what transpired. His duties were elsewhere. He had responsibilities to his cause, prior engagement to his Autobot brethren. But he'd never forget her.

"Here, try this one," said Charlie, hopping onto the step-stool to pop a tape into the slot she'd improvised to him. She closed it, and suddenly, sound was playing, which Bee couldn't help but move to. He bobbed around and took in the alien noise, until she smiled and put another tape in. The Smiths, as she'd called it. Her favorite. Not his, though. He promptly ejected it and almost hit her in the face with the thing. His bad.

The footage was from his perspective, being replayed from his memory cells from over two hundred years ago. Would he still think about her at three hundred?

Charlie was with no doubt dead. She'd certainly passed away in his time after their war on Earth, but he could only hope that she didn't die in their crossfire. The door-wings on his back drooped at the thought, as did the receptors on his head as he observed his memories. While they were ending a war and working to rebuild their home, she had been quietly living out the rest of her mundane life. Human lives were so short. Bumblebee would always lament that.

His thoughts circled back to the brave Sam Witwicky, who had taken Charlie's place in Bumblebee's life twenty years later. Who was regarded highly among the Autobots for his help, and regarded highly by Bee for his character. Frends were to be made in the humans. Even if Earth had spawned their own fleshly Decepticons.

He was engrossed rewatching these sweet memories, the outliers being the ones in which Charlie was almost killed because of him, but he focused on the ones that made him happy. Giving the slip on an officer in a high-speed chase, demolishing the car of the person who'd disrespected her. Fun times. There wouldn't be anything like it again.

Behind him, Optimus entered the room, and the old bot stopped for a second, watching Bee as he bittersweetly reminisced.

Charlie, tiny compared to Bee, hugged him for the last time. She rested her chin on his shoulder. His spark fell as he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her, careful to not squeeze.

Naturally, Bee had thought that their journey would continue together, because that was how it should have been, right? They were partners, now. They'd been through a lot in their short time together. What role she would come to play in their quest for the AllSpark if she had gone with him, he didn't even know. But parting from her there was akin to when he watched his homeworld become but a speck in the galaxy from his escape pod on his lonely mission. He would miss her.

"Thank you—for—giving me—my voice," chattered his radio, stitching together whatever he could scan. She shed a tear, and knowing that it was time to go, he transformed. Into a handsome yellow Camaro, which Charlie was shocked to find out. He laughed to himself when she asked in disbelief if he could have been a Camaro that whole time. Down on the bridge, he saw Optimus come into view, the bulky red and blue semi truck. That was his signal that it was farewell. His mirrors shifted to put Charlie in sight, and he pulled out over the hill, leaving her in his rearview.

Bee didn't even have the tech she had retrofitted to him then. A lot of his parts had been damaged and replaced, though his voice module not yet repaired...he didn't have anything of their friendship left but these recordings. Shaking his head, Bee shut off the footage and turned to the bot in the doorway, who he'd known had been there. Charlie was definitely gone, Bee thought. That prompted a question he hadn't yet thought of. Standing before him was none other than their leader, presumably having come to check one of the many monitors and terminals.

"Optimus," Bee started, looking up to his leader. His optics shifted to meet Optimus' who waited for him to continue. His next question took Optimus by surprise: "Do you know what happens to human beings when they die?"

Optimus stared down at his scout, unsure as to how to answer such a question. He did not know. Did humankind have sparks like they did? Was their "soul" the true equivalent to their spark? Optimus knew the fate of Cybertronians. When their life was extinguished, they would become one with the AllSpark. Perhaps even Primus was somewhere along that way. But he couldn't say with any certainty just what happened to humans when they passed. They had their version of God. Was it all the same being, wrapped in different cloaks? Or were Humans and Cybertronians fundamentally different down to the core?

Optimus stood tall as ever, yet mellowly admitted: "I do not know, Bumblebee."

There was a pause in which Bee thought. The words eventually came to him. "Does that mean there's a chance?" he asked, dubious with a glimmer of hope in his bright optics.

Though stoic, Optimus's expression indicated a questioning of what Bee was saying. "A chance she has joined the AllSpark?" he finished for him. It was almost absurd. But Optimus truly did not know. "Only Primus and The Cube know such things, I'm afraid," he said. Bee visibly deflated, drawing away slightly from him. Optimus had heard his tales of this "Charlie", who had woken Bee from stasis and inadvertently brought their plans back on course. Who knew how long he would have remained powered down in that junkyard if she hadn't? Optimus wasn't sure of the extent to which Bee had gotten attached to her, but now that the fighting was over and Bee had the time to feel sorry over things of the past, it seemed to have come back to bother him.

After all, nobody liked a question gone unanswered.

Optimus put a gentle hand on the scout's shoulder, a gesture that he'd adopted over the years. "But, it is of my personal belief that we Cybertronians and humans are not so unlike. Though we may have different vessels, on the inside, we may the same. I think her...spark has been reintegrated, as we will all be, one day."

The unknown wasn't all appealing to Bee, but Optimus's wisdom went undisputed for the humble scout. Bee could be content with that answer. If they would all end up at the same place in the end, he didn't need to worry. Death was just a part of life, and it was coming for him some day, too. Thousands, maybe millions of years...but his spark would indeed be reabsorbed, in due time.

_________________________________________

I know the Autobots didn't return to Cybertron at the end of Bayformers, but what if we mashed that and Transformers: Prime's story together a bit? Idk I just like the scene of Bee looking out at Cybertron lol. The setting doesn't matter to this blurb, anyway.

The original version of this is still on my page here but I added some stuff and reposted because I felt like it :)

[rabbitcruiser]

Maryhill Stonehenge, WA (No. 5)

“WHAT IN SAM HILL?” THIS odd expression, of which the origins are unclear but date back at least to the 1700s, became associated with a famous road builder and industrialist—whose name actually happened to be Sam Hill—in the 1920s, when Hill began doing some rather unorthodox things. Hill was famous for having pioneered modern road building techniques and creating many of the scenic highways of the West, but it was his work on his utopian vision that got everyone saying “What in Sam Hill?”

Hill was a Quaker and used his money to organize and fund a Quaker utopian community on the banks of the Columbia River in the early 1900s. Unfortunately no Quakers besides Hill ever moved there and his utopian vision failed after a few short years. Nonetheless, Hill continued with the construction of a French Mansion—in steel and concrete—on a cliff overlooking the Columbia River.

Hill was friends with various socialites and celebrities, including Queen Marie of Romania, who was living in exile at the time. Parisian modern dancer Loïe Fuller convinced Hill to turn his mansion into a museum, and today the museum houses Queen Marie’s throne, crown jewels, wedding dress, and icon collection. You can also find original sketches, statues, and plasters by Auguste Rodin (The Thinker, Gates of Hell), Native American Baskets, one hundred unusual chess sets, and Belle Epoque art in the collection.

Source

[steviesmarigold]

Stevebucky Fic Recs: Post-TWS Fics

between everything, yourself, and home: 24k words

“This is your home?” asks Bucky at one point.

“It’s where I’m living now, yeah.”

Bucky comes home. Steve's a little slower on the uptake.

they're gonna send us to prison for jerks: 24k words

“Hey Steve, this is Jack Murphy, our other neighbor. Jack, this is Steve.” Steve looked at Sam a little wildly, expecting to see—he didn’t even know, but some reaction other than Sam’s usual easy friendliness. And there was something there, but it was just the twitch of Sam’s mouth that said he found something hilarious and he was trying not to show it. Was this Sam’s idea of a joke, or a prank? Because this guy—behind the glasses and mustache, Steve could have sworn—well, he looked like Bucky.

On The Other End of the Line: 9.3k words

He has been strongly advised against picking up calls from blocked numbers. The fall of SHIELD has afforded him many enemies, and blocked numbers can’t be traced. But it’s 3 a.m., the phone is ringing, and Steve is dazed and somewhat spooked.

“Hello?” he mumbles groggily, his voice muffled by the pillow.

“Steve?”

Steve’s eyes snap open. “Bucky?”

Wherein: after the fall of SHIELD and the disappearance of the Winter Soldier, Steve receives an unexpected call from Bucky. It’s the first in a long series of calls that leave Steve longing for more – only, he doesn’t know Bucky’s number, whereabouts or current activities. All he can do is wait, on the other end of the line.

The man on the bridge: 107k words

Steve Rogers turning up at Tony's door in the middle of the night might be a bit out of character, but it's not completely out of the realm of possibility. Stranger things have happened.

Steve Rogers turning up at Tony's door with an amnesiac assassin - who may or may not have some of Tony's personally designed hardware attached where his arm should be - well that's just far too interesting to turn away, even if Tony is trying to avoid all things S.H.I.E.L.D these days.

Mission Incomplete: 9.8k words

He does not understand. He completed his mission. The captain is dead. So why does it feel as though he has done something terrible, as though he has knocked the world off its axis? Why is the screaming in his head louder than ever?

-

AU where Bucky thinks he completes his mission on the riverbank and Hydra "rewards" him by giving his memories back. All of them.

honey, you're familiar (like my mirror years ago): 9.6k words

Bucky says softly, “Were we together, before?”

A rusty knife seems to plunge into Steve’s heart. “You don’t remember?”

Bucky breaks eye contact and shakes his head, “No, m’sorry, I don’t."

The knife twists.

Out of the Wreckage: 102k words

After the helicarriers crash into the Potomac, Steve discovers more about the Winter Soldier while what's left of Bucky wanders Washington D.C., trying to remember the man he saved. Everyone else tries to help them pick up the pieces.

Except there's a lot more to what happened to Bucky than anyone realized and Hydra is willing to do whatever it takes to get him back.

This, You Protect: 64k words

The mission resets abruptly, from objective: kill to objective: protect

despite the threatening sky and shuddering earth (they remained): 71k words

“They really didn’t want the mask to come off.” Hill thumbed through the scans, and pulled out a film that she then handed over to Sam, face mostly expressionless but for the flat line of her pursed lips.

Sam accepted the film and held it up to the light, angling so both he and Steve could see it, squinting at the outline of the Winter Soldier’s skull, and the blips of unnatural white that showed up, God, in his brain, not to mention about half his teeth, plus the mask, with its thin protrusions—

“Those are pins,” Steve realized. He looked over at Hill. “The mask—it’s nailed to his face.”

Hill’s face was as unmoved as ever. “Like I said. They really didn’t want it coming off.”

The Smithsonian Guard: 8.9k words

Bucky makes a friend.

Home of the Brave: 35k words

It was Bucky, standing in a pool of his own blood, one shoulder propped against the doorframe as if he could barely stand. A little girl covered in dirt and blood clutched his right arm, leaves caught in her mane of springy black curls. A tiny baby was carefully cradled in his left, black streaks of grime standing out against its china-pale skin

“I need your help.”

These American Dreams (ain’t no white picket fences left for me): 50k words

In which Bucky has a house, a dog, an herb garden, and a serious case of insomnia. Welcome to Havensport, Indiana (population 8,294), where Tom’s Neighborhood Grocer stays open all night, little old ladies call the car shop to get their refrigerators repaired, and the heat of summer days and the length of summer nights can make you think that this perfect world will last forever.

My Stevebucky Fic Rec Collection

[railwayhistorical]

Maryhill Meet, Part Two

Following up on an earlier post: the eastbound train of autos is still waiting at Maryhill, Washington. We now see the second, westward train roll by—one of oil cans. Immediately afterwards, our patient trains pulls out onto the main and heads east. The rail line here is the former SP&S, later BN, now BNSF.

The span one sees crossing the Columbia River in the background is the Sam Hill Memorial Bridge. While Sam Hill, an early proponent for roads, died in 1931, this bridge did not open until much later: 1962.

Two images by Richard Koenig; taken March 19th 2023.

[cregla]

DREAM SMP UNDERTALE!AU

Part One link is found at the end of the post.

A FORGOTTEN DETAIL:

Of course, I had it considered it obvious, but it makes sense to put it down: Technoblade kills Ranboo. He kills him once, and then again, and again. But Ranboo, despite his surprise, always goes back - resetting the timeline to a "save point" and thus managing to move forward by understanding what the future holds.  No one seems aware of this, but the ghost boy follows him in his resets and has knowledge of all past timelines, even if he forgets some details every now and then.

THE BADLANDS: 

Ranboo and the ghost boy enter the Badlands, where they become acquainted with various inhabitants and are attacked by other members of the Royal Guards, sent by the "Warden": Badboyhalo, Skeppy, Antfrost and Puffy - the latter however is not Ranboo's antagonist, she doesn’t try to capture or kill him like the others as she goes against her own allies to bring him to safety and tries in every way to hide him from them. While traveling through the Badlands, Ranboo begins to discover more and more about the Dream SMP. - Puffy tells of a much happier time, where players from other servers like him were welcomed, not rejected. Although Ranboo tries to ask more questions, Puffy doesn’t answer further. Ranboo compares her sad look when she speaks to one of someone’s grieving. - During a dinner with Karl, the latter warns Ranboo of a "masked person" whom the boy recognizes as "Dream". Ranboo asks Karl why the server is named after this person and Karl confirms that it's the opposite: the server was created hundreds of years ago by an entity named "DreamXD" and over time, the inhabitants of the Underground either named their children by that name or tried to assume the identity of the creator for one reason or another. So many have taken on the name "Dream" and its mask - good people, bad people. Karl's friends, enemies.

THE WARDEN:

No matter how hard he tries to escape, no matter Puffy's intervention - at one point, Ranboo is forced to face the Warden - Awesamdude, the Dream SMP prison’s keeper and new Captain of the Royal Guard. The creeper hybrid is surprised to see Ranboo so young, but he’s resolute in his intentions and still tries to capture the boy.  Using the power of reset, Ranboo manages to save himself multiple times and eventually escape, but is caught up again. As they fight, however, Sam realizes that he is indeed facing a child, and makes the decision to put his weapons away and "get out" of the role of the Warden, having also learned that Ranboo hasn't hurt anyone in the Underground.  Sam convinces the other members of the Royal guard to stop fighting and takes Ranboo (and the ghost boy) to his home. When Ranboo wonders if the King will blame the Royal Guards for letting him go, Sam says he will completely take the blame and not to worry. The two become friends and Sam gives his phone number to Ranboo to accompany him on his journey - then, learning that Sapnap and Quackity still intend to capture Ranboo, accompanies him to their house to talk.

MEMORIES OF THE PAST:

Quackity and Sapnap are not at all friendly, but the presence of both Sam and Karl prevents them from attacking Ranboo. The five spend an evening together and slowly, the two members of the Royal Guard seem to open up - Quackity more slowly, but in the end the two admit that Sam is right. Sapnap explains that as much as he wants revenge, he cannot regard Ranboo as anything other than an innocent person like someone else who came before him. Ranboo notices a photo in Sapnap's house - a group of friends in front of the “Community House”, smiling. Sapnap explains that most of them left a few years ago the known lands of the Underground (but not the Underground itself, since they’re stuck there), following the tragedy that marked the beginning of their hunt for the inhabitants of the outside, and that Sapnap did not follow them only because of Quackity and Karl and for his desire of revenge. When Ranboo asks what he is talking about, he gets no answer. In the end, Sapnap and Quackity also give Ranboo their numbers and direct him to the “Greater Land”.

As they enter the new area, the ghost boy hesitates as they pass by a hill - looking sadly at a rotting wooden bench and a broken jukebox. Remaining silent, when Ranboo continues on the path the ghost follows him sadly.

THE GREATER LAND

While escaping from mobs (who still spawn in the Underground, yes), Ranboo is saved by a fox hybrid named Fundy who bring him to his home. There, he introduce himself as the Archbishop of the Dream SMP and explain that, since the Warden usually captures and kills the players before they reach the Greater Land and he was still a child when the Hunt had first begun, he had been curious about Ranboo and had spied him using lots of cameras scattered around the Underground. Fundy explain to Ranboo that he feels sympathy for him and approves his cause of running back home, and that so he has paid two friends so they could escort him to the Barrier. He then introduces Ranboo to Jack Manifold and Niki Nihachu, who are ready to be Ranboo’s guards in the Greater Land.

THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS

Ranboo, the ghost boy, Niki and Jack proceeds in their journey, quickly becoming friends and interacting with the other inhabitants of the area.  Ranboo constantly receives calls from the people he befriended: Sam, Quackity, Sapnap, Karl, but also Puffy and the other Royal Guards through Sam's cell phone. Fundy also had given him his numer and helps the trio (or rather, quartet) cross the Greater Land areas.  Despite everything seems to be going well, Ranboo begins to be the victim of strange, particular accidents: a bridge that almost breaks under his feet threatening to make him fall and die, objects falling on him from the sky, badly placed TNTs, explosions. Thanks to his skills, the help of the ghost boy and a bit of luck, Ranboo practically survives all the time, hardly noticing what's going on. At a certain point of the journey, Ranboo is separated from Niki and Jack and is attacked by a mercenary, Purpled, who tries to kill him by the order of “someone” until he realize that Ranboo had financed his and his brother Punz's financial business back when he was in the Ruins, thus deciding to let him go.

While searching for Niki and Jack, Ranboo and the Ghost Boy stumbles upon a strange corner of the Greater Land, where they find an abandoned, dilapidated structure, lying on the water and made of bricks and crafting tables. The doors and windows are barred and it seems that no one has set foot there for years.

A FAILED PLAN

Reaching the end of the area, Ranboo finds Niki and Jack who, however, seem to have abandoned the "friendly" facade they had had up to that moment as they aggressively reveal to him the truth of what had happened. Fundy's plan was definitely not to take Ranboo to the Barrier, but to escort him directly in front of the King to be imprisoned, as Fundy actually holds a very strong grudge against players from other servers because of what they took away from him. Niki and Jack should therefore have pretended to be Ranboo’s friends, but they had tried to kill him several times and even now they are "fed up". Their intention have indeed become to kill Ranboo themselves and steal his soul to cross the Barrier themselves. The three begin to fight. Niki, exactly like Fundy, seems to be holding a grudge towards other servers' players, and it is only thanks to the words of Ghostbur, who arrives there to kindly try to make her desist, that the girl stops, realizing that since the people she hated were already dead, she had used Ranboo as a "substitute" for her anger and hatred. Jack stops too, as his friend's well-being is more important to him than whatever plan they were planning. The two and Fundy, having arrived there, apologize, having realized that Ranboo is a good person, and Fundy shows Ranboo the way to reach the capital of the Dream SMP, where he will find the King and the Barrier. 

Ranboo and the ghost boy then leave the area and set foot in L'Manburg where, advancing towards their destiny, they hear the inhabitants of the city tell a particular tale...

Masterpost - Previous - Next

[starshipsofstarlord]

Aim | Part Two

Warnings; treachery, threats, mentions of torture, mentions of smut, implied smut, mentions of death, cliffhanger.

A/N; I made Bucky a bit more self aware for this imagine, just thought that it would fit a bit better.

The fight was fair, frighteningly so. As the soldier threw you, you collided with a car, leaving Steve to defend himself. Their combat continued, as you slithered up and around the car, you were waiting. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

The soldier clashed his metal condiment against the vibranium shield that was in Steve’s tight grasp, and then the captain flung the hitman over its circumference. He landed fine, and without his all concealing mask.

A look of a soloist shock grasped the blonde’s features. This was his friend before him, the boy he had grown up with in the past, alive, even after that lethal fall from the train. “Bucky?” He asked with a frown, however the opposing man’s face remained stoic.

“Who the hell is Bucky?” He truly did not know, you were aware of that much, however you made a move to stand, stumbling closer to the confused and tortured soul.

“Barnes.” You growled at him, his head turning to focus on you, encouraged by your voice and not the surname that had surpassed your lips.

His head tilted at the sight of you, he was about to disappear, however he remained as Brock and his men closed in. “Good to see you again y/n.” He squinted at you, his voice monotone.

“I’d that what Pierce told you to say?” You barked back, standing strong against the super soldier. But it appeared that wasn’t the right move, as his blue eyes flickered between you and his former friend.

“I know that he put you in the avengers for a reason, and it sure as hell wasn’t to make friends.” His statement made you freeze and gulp all at once. “Say it, and I will spare your life, draga.”

It was a weight on your chest, a burden that you had been cursed by, and so you lowered your head, all to aware of the fact that Steve, Nat and Sam were in close enough range to hear you.

“Hail HYDRA.” It was practically poison leaving your mouth, a line that no longer spoke truth to this version of yourself. The soldier’s blue eyes latched onto your own, and it practically hypnotised your, urging you to come forward, and follow him into the depths of the deadly organisation.

“Y/n.” Steve called out your name, you were obliged with him as your captain to answer, but you couldn’t bare to face him. He had taught you how to fight for the right things, rather than just follow orders that were handed out. But here you were, treacherously walking away from him, and presumptuously your team also.

Bucky began to walk, and as the trophy of HYDRA, you followed after him, knowing that he would lead you to Pierce, the one who had put you in this set up from the beginning.

🏹

“I think the sight of him, threw her off track.” Nat spoke, after they had escaped with Hill, and it was revealed that Fury was indeed, alive. It was both a shock and a relief, as Steve was feeling about a couple of things himself.

“That’s ironic, considering that she had planned for things to go in the opposite direction.” The captain sighed, confused and hurt by all the new revelations. “She knew all along who he was, and she knew that she was placed as an avenger for a cause that did not serve the one that she pretended it to.”

“She’s never trusted anyone because of Barnes.” She felt awful, knowing that all along you had been used as a pawn, she knew how that felt, and it made her sick to her stomach. “But maybe he’s the only one that she has trusted, even despite what he did to her. They’d all have hurt her, and as she said, he gave her that scar when she was nineteen, there’s been time before and after that.”

He was aware that Natasha was trying to reason with him, and although you were quite and secured in secrecy, he wanted to save you, the same as Bucky.

🏹

“Well done indeed y/n.” Pierce greeted you, the soldat hovering over your shoulder silently. “Without you, we’d have never knew where Fury was in the first place, nor would you have intel on each of the individuals that wish to take us down.

Simultaneously , you nodded and gulped, awaiting approval to speak. He never gave you any, so you stood beside the soldier, until the message and confirmation of your allowance was received.

“Thankyou dad.” You turned once you were dismissed, gripping onto Bucky’s arm, and dragging him to a private destination. You needed a distraction, and so did he, albeit he was confused by the man on the bridge, and the fact that he would most probably not remember the interaction afterwards.

It was a bleak room, with a cot; the luxury of your room. As you walked in, the stench of guilt filled it, and you knew why that feeling resonated from you. You were disappointed in yourself, for betraying those that were allegedly your own team. But that had been the mission from the start, this ending was inevitable.

“You did good out there.” The winter soldier closed the door to the room, standing beside you and brushing your hair to the side to reveal the skin of your neck. His breath ghosted over the flesh, making it tingle as you awaited for him to make a supplementary move. “For a moment, I was convinced that you were on their side.”

You remained silent, knowing that it should have been the one that you chose, however you leaned back into the hardy chest of the super soldier, and licked your lips. “I would never be, SHIELD took everything from me, and the avengers, well they’re basically their pets.”

“Good.” He praised you, grasping onto your hips, and pulling them flush against his hardness. “Otherwise, you know I’d have to kill you, and none of us want that.”

It was a threat, and for some reason, it happened to turn you on more. So you turned, lacing your fingers into his wavy hair, and pulling his lips to your own. “I know what I want, and it sure as hell isn’t your teasing. So unless you want me to tell my father that you were making advances on me, then you’ll get on with it.”

It was always the same pattern, whenever Pierce knew of Barnes’ intimacy with you, his brain would be shocked into submission, and he’d forget. But somehow through his recovery he always gravitated towards you, and the inevitable would play out.

With your command spoke, the soldier ripped your shirt from your body, his one cold, and the other warm hand brushing over his flesh. It was as though he were trying to engrain every feature into his mind, so that Pierce could not wash it away.

In a lack of patience, your lips collided with his. This was the only thing that made the man feel human, rather than a commanded robot, that was used as an assassin, and a high level threat.

“Don’t forget me this time.” You told him, brushing your nose against the bridge of his own. Since he had seen Steve, you knew that they would try and remove his memories once more, but you feared that you wouldn’t be alive after his refreshment.

You were thinking of doing something stupid, something that would probably get you killed. It was a cause you had learnt to believe in, it would make you an avenger, a hero even after your death.

[drusb]

Sam and Max Silent Hill 2 AU

(Spoilers for Silent Hill 2)

I've noticed there's a lot of Sam and Max AUs based off of horror. Such as @monsterbride99 and @em-doods Corpse Bride AU, @sleepy-heads-blog's Bride of Chucky AU, and a bunch of zombie AUs in general. So I thought I might throw my hat into the ring and make my own AU based off of my favorite horror game of all time, Silent Hill 2. Sam is James, Max is Maria, Geek is Laura, Sybil is Angela, and Lorne is Eddie. Summary down below.

In this AU, Sam is a detective in Maine, who's wife passed away recently. His wife is this AU's version of Mary, let's call her Lilith. Sam has been extremely distraught over it, incredibly depressed. His most fond memory of her is a vacation they took together to Silent Hill. One day, Sam receives a letter from Lilith claiming she's in Silent Hill. Sam then realizes this is the only thing he has left living in life and speeds off to Silent Hill.

After getting there, Sam starts encountering monsters based off of his subconsciousness. One based on his love of violence in his job, one based on his guilt, one based on his body issues, and a few based off of his repressed homosexuality. He also manages to meet a few other people. Sybil, a woman looking for her husband Abe, Lorne, who ran away from the cops, and Geek, a kid who first sees Sam as a monster before warming up to him.

Eventually, Sam comes across a lagomorph named Max, who works at a nearby club, Heaven's Night. The two agree to stick together, and eventually they start to bond, considering each other friends. Also Max does not like Lilith at all. They see Geek run off into the nearby hospital, and go after her. In the hospital, a bunch of stuff happens, and the two are transported to the Other World, where they are chased by a big monster, it's not Pyramid Head, but some other monster with a big spear. This is where the AU deviates a bit from the game. In the game, Maria fails to reach the elevator with James and gets stabbed by a spear. However here, Sam manages to get Max into the elevator with him, and they both managed to get out. Max passes out from shock though, and Sam takes him to a nearby RV until he recovers. During this time, Sam proceeds to realize he has feelings for Max. Eventually, Max wakes up and Sam remembers that during his vacation in Silent Hill, he left a video tape behind at the hotel they stayed at. It's across the river, and Max tells him that the bridge across has been destroyed, but there's a rowboat at the docks by the Historical Society.

As the two begin to head to the place, there are an abundance of ads for cheating services, domestic abuse victim hotlines, and a few other things as the two enter the Historical Society. Down there, they have some adventures, and defy the laws of physics by jumping into holes that lead further and further down. While there, the two have some heart to hearts, and the romantic tension increases. Also down there, Sam discovers some scribblings of a madman of what seems to be a god of the town, and it looks very much like a rabbit. Eventually, after encountering a crazed Lorne, and killing him in self-defense, the two are brought back to the Fog World, where they take a rowboat across the lake to get to the hotel.

At the hotel, the two realize they have to get some music boxes to get a key to access the suite Sam stayed at during his vacation, where the video tape is. They also meet up with Geek and bond with her more. One of the music boxes they have to get can only be accessed by an elevator with a weight limit of one person, so Sam goes down and gets it. When he gets back up, he discovers that Max has vanished. Sam gathers the remaining music boxes, and manages to access the suite, where he watches the video tape. There, the truth is revealed to Sam. His wife was a horrible person. She drank, verbally and physically abused him, cheated on him multiple times, and was just generally toxic. Sam somehow either never noticed this, or repressed it all, and imagined her as a wonderful loving wife. Now knowing the truth, Sam wanders through the Other World, until coming to a chamber where Max is. In the chamber, Max reveals his true identity, that he is the god that controls Silent Hill. He reveals that he sent Sam the letter to try and help him move on from his abusive wife, through what he calls "extreme therapy measures", and genuinely wanted to help him. During the chase in the hospital, Max was meant to die, but Sam somehow managed to save him, which helped increase Max's trust in Sam. Afterwards, he reveals that he has feelings for Sam, and Sam says the same. The two then kiss, Sam's journey through the town finally coming to an end. One of three endings then occur.

STAY:

Max convinces Sam to stay in Silent Hill, to help him combat the evil cult that tries to sacrifice blood maidens and stuff to him for some odd reason. Sam agrees and the two start cleaning up the town of the cult. Eventually, Silent Hill is returned to it's status before the cult came and made everything worse. After this, Sam and Max turn the abandoned town into a place where broken people can come to face their demons and hopefully come out better. They also get married in the ruins of a church, and live pretty good.

LEAVE:

Sam convinces Max to come with him, and live together. Max agrees, and goes with him. They also bring along Geek with them. They adopt Geek, and Max becomes his detective partner. Sam manages to move on from Lilith, managing to eventually forget her, and what she did to him. The two then proceed to get married in the future, and live happily ever after.

UFO ENDING:

Before Sam can put the video tape into the VCR, an alien ship shows up outside of the window. Max then enters the room, and claims it's his ship, he was just getting it ready. He tells Sam that he's an alien, and was exploring the galaxy, when his ship got wrecked, and he crashed on Earth. He then says that he loves Sam, and asks if he wants to come with him. Sam, realizing what he said, gives Max a big kiss, and comes on board with him, exploring the cosmos with his lover.

THE END

And that's basically the AU! There's no art of it because I can't draw, but if you WANT to draw art of it, go ahead, it's fine, I don't mind. Also if you wanna ask questions about it, sure.