#Server Bridge Mission

[damez1979]

Assassin's Creed Unity: Escape from The Bastille

[maybeher0]

i've finally figured out how to play twili midna in hw

[husbandograveyard]

This is my contribution to a Discord Server exchange. My recipient is @lale-txt - an honour, truly.

Henlo Lale, I am your [no longer secret] secret summer...santa? Fairy? Either way, I set out to write you a little thing and then it became a slightly bigger than little thing. I think it may actually be my longest Tumblr fic to date. I hope you enjoy it, I had quite a lot of fun writing it -it took me out of a writing slump even. You gave me SO MANY delicious prompts to work with, but I eventually settled for my very first instinct, fake dating / married with Tengen. Sending you loads of love!

Tengen Uzui x Fem!Reader - SFW - 5.0k words cw/notes: fake dating / fake marriage | mention of injuries | In series | a hint of angst but all comfort after | Readers body does not get described, but female pronouns are used, reader is referred to as wife, girlfriend, woman, etc. | Tengen has his wives, they are mentioned, but they are not actively in the story | Tengen is still an active Hashira |

“So let me get this straight…” 

You were rubbing the bridge of your nose, trying to massage away the headache that was brewing. There was no way you’d be successful with the way this situation was going. 

“You have not one, not two…but three wives. Yet you are asking me to pretend to be another one of your wives because…?” 

“Because they are all out on their own missions and for this super-secret undercover one I have to have a partner otherwise they will not let me in.” 

Tengen was smiling, eyes full of hope and sparkles, and you had to resist the urge to punch his beautiful face just to wipe the smirk off of it. He was so casual about it too, as if it was only logical, and you were the one confused about the situation. 

You bit your lip, physically trying to bite back snarky remarks. An actual filter for your words, if you will, while your brain was too preoccupied trying to make sense of the situation. You sighed, taking another deep breath before clapping your hands together in front of your face, resting them against your lips and then pointing them at him, the only way to express your mixed annoyance and frustration. 

“Tengen, first of all, the mission is not super-secret, we literally all just heard the details. Secondly, there are a multitude of ways for you to carry out the mission or infiltrate that do not entail you going undercover as a couple at the retreat!” 

He held his hands up in defense, shaking his head at your arguments.

“That wouldn’t really be a flashy way of handling the situation. You know I need to do my work in my own way.” 

You shook your head in response, but still indulged him a little by asking what was in it for you. A smile appeared on his lips, and you realized that you had just shown him your cards. You had shown a little interest in the plan, and that was all he needed to give you the final push towards agreeing with him. 

“Well, you would be able to go on a deluxe retreat with me of all people”, he started his reasoning. You just rolled your eyes in response. 

“It’s fully paid, and I will take care of you all weekend. Since you will be posing as one of my wives -or a girlfriend if you feel more comfortable just doing that, you will be treated the way I always treat my wives, which is a treat in and of itself.” 

You raised an eyebrow, keeping up your skeptic facade, but you had to admit that it didn’t sound all that bad. Tengen may be a little peculiar, and definitely could stand to keep his mouth shut on more occasions, but you did know he was a wonderful partner, and going on a date -or this retreat- with him wouldn’t be a bad experience per se. Except for the obvious part: the demons who were the reason that this mission existed in the first place. It was as if he had read your mind though, speaking up to address your one concern: 

“It’s still my mission, no worries about fighting and stuff. I will protect you!” 

You rolled your eyes again, you weren’t a meek damsel in distress, you fought demons just the same. You probably wouldn’t even have minded helping out with the actual mission part. But you also knew just how stubborn Tengen could get, and if it was a mission that he’d easily do by himself, he wouldn’t let you unnecessarily endanger yourself just to help. 

You were quiet for a little bit, pretending to mull it over. Your decision was already made, but you didn’t want to seem too eager. It became increasingly hard to say no to the sparkles in his eyes and his wide toothy grin. 

“Sure. I’ll be your wife for the weekend. But you better spoil me.” 

“Of course. I have never disappointed a woman!”

He laughed loudly, and you couldn’t help but feel a little jolt of electricity coursing through your body. Were you really that excited? 

Tengen hadn’t lied about the resort being luxurious. Sure, it was in the middle of nowhere, and sure, there were barely any people around, and sure, you knew that the forests surrounding you were crawling with demons the second the sun went under… but it was beautiful, and it was clear the clientele was a of a way higher standing than the people you usually mingled with. You felt a little out of place even, and you were surprised to see just how relaxed Tengen was, how well he blended in. It made more and more sense that he had been selected for this mission. 

You had been briefed on the details of the mission, but Tengens expectations of you were clear: just enjoy the weekend and be his loyal and loving wife for two days. You weren’t expected to fight or do any recon, but he would keep you updated on all the information he found, and you would just keep an eye out, the way you always do, even off-duty. 

Other than that, some boundaries were established: you were to fake being husband and wife, but there was no reason for unnecessary PDA. Everything was cleared with his wives as well, and you had to admit you really appreciated his consideration and consent. The way he went over all kinds of scenarios beforehand to gauge just what you would be okay with had made you feel some type of way. It had also made you realize that you were okay with a lot of things, way more than you would expect yourself to agree to. A small voice in the back of your head kept saying: ‘If it is him, I suppose it would be okay’, which made you wonder just why you were so willing to receive affection from him, faked or otherwise. 

Checking in with him having wrapped an arm around your waist made you feel more safe than you thought it would. You were strong and could fend for yourself, but that always had made past partners feel like they had to treat you like someone who was fiercely independent, someone who didn’t need as much pampering as you sometimes craved. It was nice to not even have to ask for that, feel safe and protected without feeling like he was looking down on you. He acknowledged your strength, it was just not your time right now to be strong. It was time to relax, and let him take care of you, and most of that was conveyed through simple gestures as you finished check-in and got settled in your room. 

He carried your bags, held your hand or had an arm wrapped around your shoulder and opened doors for you. The way he so effortlessly fell into the role of your husband made it easier for you to take on your role as wife as well. You leaned into his touches, and you didn’t even have to fake the smile that was on your lips most of the day. You had to remind yourself to sometimes still roll his eyes and deliver a playful slap to his bicep, especially when it was just the two of you and there was no reason to keep up the act. 

“It’s easier to just stay in the role”, you explained your behavior to him when he shot you a curious look after closing the door behind the two of you, “That way if someone walks in on us unexpectedly, there is no scrambling to get back into it.” 

He nodded in agreement, but you didn’t fail to notice the glimmer in his eyes as he did so, slightly smiling. Did he notice something was off? Probably. But even if he did, he didn’t mention or ask anything, and you were glad he didn’t: you weren’t sure if you could tell exactly what was going on either. 

Tengen was gone for a big part of the afternoon, doing recon and mission prep. 

“Nothing for you to worry your pretty head about,” he had said with a grin, and he had left with a promise to come join you at the pool whenever he was done. You were allowed to spend the afternoon as you wanted, so you had grabbed a book, and found a nice spot by the pool. You settled in with a drink and a fruit platter, enjoying the sun on your face and an occasional swim to cool down before letting yourself get carried away into the fantasy world of your book again. 

“Yo~ Looks like you’re having a good time even without me here?” 

You were startled by Tengen’s sudden appearance, standing next to your chair. You remembered your role swiftly though, looking up at him with a smile. 

“Oh you’re back, dea-” 

You interrupted yourself, blinking a couple of times, finding yourself flustered and a little shocked by the sight in front of you. Tengen had changed into swimwear too, which made sense considering the environment, but for some reason you hadn’t expected to come face to face with his abs when you looked up from your book. His usual tight clothes left not that much to the imagination, but his tight swimwear took away what little fantasy you still had left. You couldn’t stop your eyes from wandering just a little, from his chest to his abs to his muscled thighs, a part usually hidden by his baggy pants, back up to whatever tiny scrap of fabric was hiding the essentials. You felt your face heat up, and opened your mouth a few times to finish your sentence, but you couldn’t, momentarily stunned into silence. It felt like hours before he moved, a few beautiful, wonderful hours, but in reality it must’ve been only a few seconds if it was even that long at all. 

He just chuckled, crouching down by your side to hand you another drink, kissing your cheek, seamlessly picking up the conversation. 

“I’m sorry for taking so long, I know I promised I’d only take a small nap”

You swallowed, taking the drink, the cold glass helping you return to your senses, playfully smacking his arm. 

“And then you fell asleep and I had to escape your loud snoring, as always.” 

There you go, you were right back into your role. He laughed in response, taking the chair next to you. You sipped some of your drink, regaining your focus and calming your senses. You were taken off guard by your own reaction to Tengen. This was all just a little play you were putting on for the sake of the mission, right? And as his wife, you definitely shouldn’t be having such an extreme reaction to seeing him like that. And yet. 

You had expected Tengen to leave you the minute the sun went under, but he had surprised you by saying he’d have dinner together with you -better to keep up his cover. You’d go early enough so he wouldn’t miss out on too much of the evening, but long enough to actually lure out the demons and carry out the mission swiftly. 

You were pleasantly surprised by the idea. After spending all afternoon at the pool you had expected that was as far as the act would go for today. After all, you had swum together, sat together in the pool, a strong arm around you as you found yourself trying not to focus of the feeling of his body pleasantly pressed into yours, and talked a little about your book. You found yourself really enjoying his company -way more than you expected when you had agreed to this mission-, and getting to extend this quality time, whatever the nature of it, was an enjoyable add-on.

You went back to get changed, and had to do another double take when Tengen appeared in a hibiscus violet kimono, perfectly complimenting his eyes. His hair was loose, waves still damp from your earlier activities, and framed his face perfectly. He smiled at you in your kimono, complimenting you on your looks. 

“You look absolutely gorgeous tonight, my wife.” 

He added extra emphasis on those last two words, in a way that was barely noticeable for anyone listening along -even though you were alone in your room. Besides that little inside joke, his words sounded genuine. You chuckled in response, waving his compliment away with your hand and shaking your head. You weren’t sure how you were feeling about your body reacting to his words, but you hoped the butterflies that had come to settle in your stomach would quiet down, so you could enjoy the food. 

During dinner Tengen was a perfect gentleman again: holding your hand all the way till the restaurant part of the resort, only letting go to open doors for you and taking out your chair. The food was exquisite, dishes you had never had the opportunity to taste before, every single one tasting heavenly. 

You were mostly surprised by how easily you were making conversation. Initially, you feared it’d be a bit of a hassle, considering you had to pretend to be married, and there was no way you could talk about work to not break your cover. You had started just talking about how you liked the resort, the food and then the conversation had switched to old memories, and through them you got to know each other a little better. The conversation felt intimate, sharing memories you normally wouldn’t share with just a coworker, just a casual friend. But the stories proved to be the best possible way for you to pass the time without being off topic or suspicious, and since all the stories were true, you didn’t even have to lie to make them believable. 

Tengen listened to you intently as you talked, laughing loudly whenever you added a funny remark, and whenever he did so, you felt the butterflies fluttering in your chest. By now you were painfully aware of your predicament, but there was very little you could say about it in the moment without blowing your cover. Besides, you had to keep in mind that this was just for the mission. After this weekend you would go back to being coworkers, friends maybe, but nothing much more than that. It would be improper. 

You weren’t sure if Tengen was this good an actor, or if he was genuinely having the conversation you were having. You only knew that he seemed a little startled when he noticed just how dark it had gotten already, and seemed a little out of it when he announced that it may be for the best for you to retreat to your room. The way he winked at you when he said that made your heart skip a beat, even though you rationally knew it was merely an excuse again for anyone who could possibly overhear. Yet, you couldn’t help but feel like he was a little disappointed to cut your date short as well. 

You woke up in the middle of the night, confused and disoriented for a few seconds before you remembered where you were. You weren’t sure how late it was, but there was still no trace of the sun coming up in the distance, so you couldn’t have slept for that long yet. Tengen had gone off to do the mission work right after dropping you off at the room, sneakily escaping through the window, and you had decided to go to sleep not that long after. You asked him multiple times if he needed or wanted any help, and he had assured you just as many times that he would be perfectly fine. 

Staying behind like that, while you had agreed upon it initially, worked against all your instincts: you knew you could be useful out there. It was hard not to worry. Tengen had shared some details on the mission, but had kept you in the dark for most of it, mentioning that with too many details you might come after him or try to help even though your only job today was to relax. During the day, that was not a very hard task to accomplish, but by night, especially when you were all alone here in your room, it became so much harder to ignore your very nature as a demon slayer. Especially knowing Tengen was out there risking his life. No matter how strong anyone was, there would always be a risk when you go out. 

There was very little you could do right now though. You had no idea of Tengen’s game plan, nor did you know his exact location. If you went out now, you would only endanger yourself and possibly risk the entire plan failing. You knew when to stay put, so you did, but that didn’t mean it was an easy move. 

It didn’t help that you were wide awake now, too overwhelmed by a mixed bag of emotions, too many of them to sort out. You were feeling antsy, muscles itching to do something, anything. You couldn’t help but feel a little worried too, listening to the quiet outside for any noises that might give away what was going on outside. But the only noises greeting you back were those of nocturnal woodland critters. 

And then there were the…other feelings, by lack of a better term. You had been feeling some type of way towards Tengen today, and while you could probably define them more precisely, you weren’t sure if you actually wanted to. After all, no matter how open minded he was, it felt a little wrong to develop a crush on your coworker. Especially since he was happily married. Thrice. 

Yet you couldn’t deny the spots where he had touched and held you today under the guise of your fake relationship were feeling a little warmer, a pleasant warmness that made you feel a little safer, even now he wasn’t around. 

You could deny any less that the image of him in his swimwear by the pool was burned into your retinas, the mere idea making your face heat up just a little. 

Your main concern now was for him to get back safely. After that you would figure out what to do with all the feelings stirring inside you. Maybe you would address them, talk to him about it. But just as well, you’d suppress them, waiting for them to eb away as you spent less time together. Most missions were solo anyway. 

You looked out the window, the sky in the distance faintly changing colors from an inky black to a deep blueish purple. It wouldn't be long before those transitioned to purples, pinks and reds as the sun came up. It was later than you expected it to be, and you had hoped that Tengen would wrap up before sunrise. Either way, the mission would be paused or -hopefully- be finished when the morning started. You very consciously left out the third option: the mission had failed, and you were waiting for someone who wouldn’t return. 

You felt safe, you felt warm. 

There was a certain serenity that came with your current state: unbothered, ready to conquer the world. You woke up to the warmness of the sun on your face, and you had to blink a couple of times before your eyes got adjusted to the brightness of the light. Why was it light? 

You jolted up, suddenly realizing you must’ve fallen asleep again. The sudden movement caused Tengen to groan in pain. Tengen. He was back. 

It took you a few seconds to puzzle everything together. It was definitely day now, almost noon, judging by the position of the sun, and the brightness with which it shone. You hadn’t noticed Tengen coming back, at least not consciously so, but he was back. He was back and he was alive. A wave of relief washed over you, only to be quickly replaced with embarrassment, as you realized just how you were laying. Your futon a few yards away, your body resting half on top of Tengen’s instead; his groan had been a reaction to your elbow punching his ribcage as you got up a little too fast. He still had an arm loosely wrapped around your waist, and you had finally gained enough clarity to notice some dried up blood on his skin. 

You sat up completely, more carefully now, looking over at Tengen. His eyes were still closed, but he seemed awake enough. His face was contorted into a slightly pained expression, and you noticed now that he was covered in bruises and small cuts. No injury bad enough to worry you, but still, enough of them for you to feel guilty. You really should have insisted on coming with him. 

You got up to gather your medical supplies, noticing they were out and about already. Grabbing some gauze, water, a clean towel and disinfectant, you sat down next to him and started cleaning off the dried blood, disinfecting cuts and scrapes where necessary. This did wake Tengen up fully, and he sat up just a little with another groan. He didn’t stop you from your work, instead silently removed his shirt so you had better access and a better overview. 

This time your reaction to his naked torso was different: you gasped when you noticed some nasty wounds, things an experienced Hashira like him shouldn’t have if the mission was as routine as he had made it out to be. Any and all admiration for his physique was immediately replaced by worry, and you immediately got to taking care of the wounds as much as you could. 

It was silent for a bit as you worked, Tengen not reacting at all, except for muscles sometimes twitching as you touched him. You were the first to speak up, as you were almost done taking care of him, smoothing over a bandage with gentle motions. 

“What happened last night?” 

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. You didn’t say a word, kept your face neutral. You gave him the time and space he needed to come up with an explanation. How the demon wasn’t entirely like his recon had made him think it was. How his traps had been avoided, and how the battle was a hard fought one. He did finish the job -of course- but it hadn’t been as flashily as he had hoped, and moreso, he had taken a while to get back to the resort, the demon nearly getting away as he ran further and further away from the resort when it became clear that the battle was lost. 

“When I came back here, the sun was almost up again, and I found you resting with your head on the windowsill, as if you had fallen asleep looking out, waiting for me. I will admit that made me feel guilty, maybe I should have asked you to come along after all.”

You nodded, agreeing with his words, but you knew why he had made the decisions he did. He was safe, and that was all that matters, you weren’t sure if you could handle the loss of another friend. The fact that he made you worried paled in comparison to the more joyful one that he was safe, not as hurt as he could have been and made his way back to you eventually. 

“I think I woke you up a little by climbing  back into the room, but you weren’t fully awake.” He chuckled now, his tone way more lighthearted than when he was telling you the details of his fight. 

“You mumbled my name, and when I went to move you to your futon, you clinged onto me so hard that I didn’t get to put you down without moving you. Hence our position when you woke up earlier.” 

You smiled sheepishly, apologizing for your sleeping self, feeling a little flustered at the way you must’ve acted. Tengen didn’t seem too bothered by it though, if anything he seemed amused. 

“It’s okay. Very flattering to have you clinging to me like a little koala bear.” 

“If you weren’t injured, I’d smack you right now.” 

He just laughed in response, and the sound reawakened the butterflies. You felt the heat creep up your neck, towards your ears, and you decided to hide your state by cleaning up your supplies and already repacking your bag. You’d be going home today, after all, and maybe for the best. You weren’t sure just how much longer you could last in his presence. 

The decision to go home early came pretty easy. It would be a hassle to explain how your ‘husband’ got hurt during the night, and it would be even harder to avoid stares or questions as you spent more time in the resort, especially if you would spend more time at the pool. 

You insisted that Tengen get his injuries checked out properly as well, even though he was adamant that he’d be fine. You were just a little worried, and you were by no means a healer, you didn’t want him to scar unnecessarily. 

The trip back was quiet for the most part, a comfortable silence, mostly broken by Tengen asking questions or talking away. Hard for a sound hashira to stay completely silent the whole way, it didn’t match his personality either. You were too caught up in your own head to truly participate in the conversations, though, and you were sure Tengen at least noticed as much. 

When the time came to part ways, you lingered just a little too long, pretending to just double check your possessions. Tengen lingered too, waiting nearby, when you finally realized what he was probably waiting for. 

“Here you go”, you held out your hand, returning the jewelry he had given you to match his for the mission, a little extra detail to make you more officially like husband and wife. You had played with one of the rings on the way back, twisting it around your finger a couple of times, trying to stop your mind from imagining what it would be like wearing the jewelry in earnest. 

He looked confused for a second -was it not what he was waiting for? and then shook his head. 

“Oh no, you can keep those. Think of them as a token of my appreciation, and a fun memory of our relationship, which lasted the full two days”, he said with a wink, making your brain a jumbled mess again with just two sentences. 

“If you insist”, you managed to squeak out, and you carefully tucked the jewelry away again, slipping one of the rings around your middle finger, pleased with the way it looked. It also helped you steer your focus away from Tengen, who was still standing very close to you, and you were hoping he’d step back before you’d have to make eye contact again. He didn’t though. Instead, you felt his hand carefully cup your jaw, tilting your face just as carefully, so you could no longer stare at your fingers. His thumb caressed your cheek, and you were sure he must feel the heat radiating from your face, enough to burn that hand. Even if he noticed, he didn’t show, instead just smiling at you. 

“Thank you for being my wife for two days. It really was an honor to have you by my side for a little while, and you did actually help a lot, this mission.” 

You shrugged in response, painfully aware that you’d be unable to form long intricate sentences as long as he was touching you like that, looking at you like that, standing close to you like that. 

“It was just a little m-mission. I barely did anything.” 

He chuckled.

“No, I think you did plenty.” 

He leaned down, kissing your cheek to kiss you goodbye, missing your lips by an inch, and you felt your legs almost give way as your knees buckled. 

“whaoh; didn’t think such a small and unflashy gesture would have such an effect on you?” He smirked, his tone teasing. Oh, he was fully aware of what had been happening, and you just walked right into his trap. 

“I- you-” You took a deep breath, not wanting to stutter your way through an explanation. You weren’t even sure what you were trying to explain. How would you even tell him that-

“Don’t you worry, I know what’s been going on. This mission may or may not have been a little push, and my wives may or may not have been in the know. I am not saying that Hina came up with the idea, but I am saying she may have been involved even more than the two others.”

He smiled while you were trying to process his words, a task too big for your brain to manage, as his lips had left you unable to properly think. 

“How about I invite you over sometime soon, hm? A proper date, no pretenses. See how it goes?” 

You couldn’t do anything but just nod, still processing what was going on. He smirked; that very handsome smirk again and leaned down once more to leave the shortest and softest kiss on your lips. 

“I’ll contact you soon then.” 

[m4rv3l-girl]

Bucky x reader

In a relationship, bucky doesn't want reader going on mission because it's a hydra Misson, they argue and don't talk to each other, bucky hears reader get hurt and he hears her say "im sorry buck, i love you" and then her comms go out and he can't do anything to help because he's pinned down and by the time he gets to her she's bleeding out and passed out and bucky is breaking down apologising and saying he didn't mean anything of what he said etc and I dunno how you would wanna end it.

Of all base passions, fear is most accursed

Bucky x Y/N

Warnings: Violence. Injury. Angst.

The tension in the living room was palpable.

Bucky paced back and forth, his jaw clenched, his hands running through his hair in frustration. Y/N stood a few feet away, arms crossed, her own frustration mirrored in her tense posture. The disagreement between them had escalated rapidly, spiraling into an argument that neither of them had intended.

“It’s just a mission, Bucky!” Y/N exclaimed, her voice firm. “I’ve done missions like this a hundred times before.”

“Not like this,” he countered, his voice sharp but tinged with worry. “It’s Hydra, Y/N. You don’t understand what they’re capable of.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t patronize me. I know exactly what they’re capable of. That’s why I need to go.”

“No,” he snapped, stepping closer. “You don’t need to go. Let someone else handle it.”

“And let them walk into something I’m prepared for?” she shot back. “You’re not being rational. This isn’t about me—it’s about the mission.”

“It’s always about the mission with you,” he retorted, his tone cutting deeper than he intended. “When are you going to stop risking everything like it’s just a game?”

Y/N flinched at his words, the sting of them landing hard. Her voice dropped, quieter now but no less resolute. “You think I’m reckless? That I don’t care about what I’m risking?”

“That’s not what I said,” Bucky muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose, but the damage was already done.

“I can’t do this with you right now,” she said, grabbing her jacket and storming toward the door.

“Y/N,” he called after her, but she didn’t turn around.

The ride to the Quinjet was a blur. Y/N focused on the mission briefing, tuning out the knot in her chest that Bucky’s words had tied. She couldn’t afford distractions. Hydra facilities weren’t forgiving of mistakes.

The team deployed under the cover of night, slipping into the compound with precision. Y/N’s heart pounded as she moved through the dimly lit corridors, her comm buzzing with updates from the team. Her training kicked in, her body operating on muscle memory even as her thoughts kept circling back to Bucky.

She didn’t want to fight with him. She hated leaving things unresolved, hated the way his worried eyes had looked at her before she walked out the door.

“Barnes, stay sharp!” Steve’s voice over the comm snapped Bucky out of his spiraling thoughts. He was pinned down behind a concrete barrier, gunfire ricocheting off the walls around him.

He had stayed behind with the secondary team, watching the operation unfold from a distance. It had been his idea, a way to keep himself grounded while Y/N was out there. But now, every shot fired, every static crackle over the comms set his nerves on edge.

“Y/N, status?” he found himself asking, breaking protocol.

“I’m fine, Buck,” her voice came through, steady but faint. “Focus on your position.”

That was Y/N—always level-headed, even in the thick of it. But something in her tone didn’t sit right with him.

The hallway leading to the main server room was a cold, metallic stretch of shadows and faintly glowing panels. Y/N moved with practiced precision, her steps light and measured despite the tension crackling in the air. Beside her, Natasha was a blur of calculated efficiency, her movements as sharp as her focus.

“We’re nearing the server room,” Natasha’s voice was low and steady, the faint hum of Hydra’s security systems buzzing ominously around them.

Y/N nodded, her grip tightening on her weapon. The faint tapping of their boots on the steel floor seemed deafening, amplified in the vacuum of silence that surrounded them. For a moment, everything was still—too still. The absence of resistance in what should have been a high-security facility put her on edge.

“Doesn’t feel right,” Y/N muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Natasha’s lips tightened into a grim line, her green eyes flicking toward the corridor ahead. “Stay sharp.”

The moment they rounded the corner, the silence shattered. Red emergency lights bathed the hallway in an eerie glow, and the screech of alarms pierced the air. Y/N’s heart kicked into overdrive as metal panels slid open along the walls, Hydra soldiers pouring out with weapons raised.

“Ambush!” Natasha barked, already moving.

Y/N ducked behind a nearby crate, her back pressed against the cool steel as bullets ricocheted off the walls. She could feel the heat of the skirmish, the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins.

“They’re trying to box us in,” Natasha yelled over the gunfire. “We need to clear them fast!”

“I’m on it!” Y/N shouted back, swinging out from her cover to fire. Her shots were precise, each one finding its mark, but the soldiers kept coming, Hydra’s numbers seemingly endless. Her earpiece buzzed with the frantic chatter of the rest of the team holding the perimeter.

“Server room’s just ahead,” Natasha said, reloading swiftly. “Go, Y/N. I’ll cover you.”

Y/N hesitated for a fraction of a second. “You sure?”

“Go!” Natasha snapped, already moving to draw the fire away from Y/N’s path.

Y/N sprinted forward, her body low and agile as she darted between columns of cover. The hallway narrowed, the looming doorway to the server room coming into view. She could feel the heat of Hydra’s reinforcements closing in behind her, the air thick with the acrid scent of gunpowder and sweat.

“Team, I’m almost at the server room,” she called through her comm, her breath coming in short bursts. “Nat, status?”

“Still breathing,” Natasha quipped, her voice tight but composed. “Just don’t make me regret this.”

Y/N reached the door, her fingers flying over the control panel. The lock disengaged with a mechanical hiss, the heavy door sliding open to reveal the server room bathed in a sterile white light. Towering racks of servers blinked at her, their hum a stark contrast to the chaos outside.

“I’m in,” she reported, slipping inside and sealing the door behind her. Her reprieve was short-lived. The alarms grew louder, and the vibration of approaching footsteps resonated through the floor. Hydra wasn’t letting this go without a fight.

She moved quickly, her fingers navigating the terminal with practiced efficiency. Lines of Hydra’s encrypted data scrolled across the screen as she worked to extract the files.

“Y/N, we’ve got a problem,” Natasha’s voice came through, strained. “They’re sending reinforcements your way. I’m pinned down.”

Y/N’s stomach dropped. Her fingers hesitated over the keyboard before resuming their furious pace. “I just need a few more seconds.”

“We don’t have seconds,” Natasha snapped, her voice tight with effort.

“Almost there,” Y/N muttered to herself, ignoring the frantic pounding of her heart. The data transfer bar crawled across the screen, agonizingly slow.

The door behind her rattled, the sound of Hydra soldiers attempting to breach it echoing through the room. Y/N’s pulse spiked, her eyes darting to the terminal as the transfer hit 90%.

“Come on, come on,” she whispered.

The door buckled under the weight of an explosive charge. Y/N barely had time to dive for cover before it blasted open, shards of metal scattering like shrapnel. She hit the ground hard, her comm crackling in her ear.

“Y/N, fall back!” Natasha’s voice was sharp, commanding.

“Not yet,” Y/N replied, scrambling to her feet. Her hand instinctively went to her weapon, firing at the Hydra agents flooding into the room. Each shot was deliberate, buying her precious seconds as the transfer ticked toward completion.

“I’ve got this,” she said into the comm, her voice resolute. But even as she spoke, she knew the odds were stacked against her. She was cut off, alone, and Hydra was closing in fast.

The explosion was deafening.

Bucky’s world narrowed to the static in his comm, drowning out the chaos around him.

“Y/N?!” he shouted, his heart racing. “Y/N, report!”

“I’m sorry, Buck,” her voice came through, faint and trembling. “I love you.”

And then, silence.

“No, no, no,” Bucky muttered, panic setting in. He surged to his feet, ignoring Steve’s shout to stay down. He fought his way through the enemy lines, desperation lending him strength.

By the time he reached her, she was crumpled on the ground, blood pooling beneath her. Her comm lay shattered nearby, her hand limp at her side.

“Doll,” Bucky choked out, dropping to his knees beside her. He pressed his hands to the wound in her abdomen, trying to stem the bleeding. “I’m here. Stay with me, please.”

She didn’t respond, her eyes fluttering closed.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “I didn’t mean what I said. You’re not reckless—you’re brave, and I love you for it. Just—don’t leave me.”

Hours later, Y/N woke to the steady beep of monitors. The sterile smell of the medbay filled her senses, and she turned her head slowly, finding Bucky slumped in a chair beside her, his head resting in his hands.

“Hey,” she croaked, her voice weak.

His head shot up, relief flooding his features. “Y/N,” he breathed, moving to sit beside her. “You’re awake.”

“You look terrible,” she teased softly, managing a faint smile.

Bucky let out a shaky laugh, his hand brushing her cheek. “You scared the hell out of me.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her eyes glistening. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Don’t,” he interrupted gently. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I should have trusted you. I let my fear get in the way.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their emotions settling between them. Finally, Bucky leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. “I love you, Doll. Always.”

“I love you too,” she murmured, her hand finding his.

It took weeks for Y/N to recover fully, but Bucky never left her side. The mission was a success, but the real victory was in the promises they made to each other—not unspoken, but loud and clear, built on trust and love.

——————————————————————————————————

Hey, I actually really enjoyed writing this, something with a bit more action! I hope you liked it.. 🫶

Requests Open!

[deathworlders-of-e24]

Danny, Security Chief

Part 4

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

<Open File>

<{Possible Security Threats}>

• Theta Raider attack; 23% likely

• Grite of the Sed

• Elizabeth Collins^

~Addendum: Liz Collins and 3 possibly hostile infant alien lifeforms she’s keeping as pets~

<{(expand file?)}>

Security Chief Danny Ducane had started keeping a list of possible risks to the Noah after the disastrous mission to MX13, off the main servers of course. He kept it on his private computer in his quarters, away from prying eyes and probes, something like a journal more than an official log.

He clicked the expansion and began to dictate:

“While the Sed man Grite has been relegated to inactive duty aboard the ship, the situation is becoming increasingly complicated. Several times I have seen the other Sed crewmen in compromising places, though it seems inauspicious to the rest of the security team. After I caught Communications Officer Soane observing me leaving the Bridge, I’ve also seen Kor and Taren, both engineers, in odd locations around the ship where there has been no request for repairs or upgrades. I’ve kept my findings to myself out of fear of accused paranoia, and my own self policing. I’m positive they’re watching me. But whether or not they have ulterior motives or are just pissed I fired their buddy, I’m still not sure. Further investigating is required.

On another note, my information request was confirmed by Admiral Townes. Despite the fact that the Noah was human made, with GAIL assistance, and that the experiment was posed by the Quintins in the first place, the Sed representative on the GAIL council apparently made a big stink about the Sed not having any command positions on board. Townes said they wanted the Captain position, Security Chief, and communications lead all filled with their own species, but the requirements weren’t met by anyone they’d selected for the mission. Therefore they just ended up as grunts under these ‘lesser’ species. Sounds like a bunch of political posturing, they got what they got and threw a fit anyway. Townes said they don’t take kindly to orders from races they deem… incompatible. So there’s that too, I guess, bigots in space. I’m just hoping we can hit the halfway mark and get relief personnel before this thing we got brewing goes nuclear. Signing off.”

Danny clicked the computer off and stretched his arms above his head, his back popping twice. Between alien encounters and solar flares, the ship was getting more… noisy. Active. Danny didn’t like it. Boring was best. Boring meant nobody was dying. He’d had had a feeling in the pit of his stomach for the last dozen cycles or so, something was coming.

And it was probably gonna piss him off.

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

Danny made the bridge at 0900 hours the next morning, slapping his ball cap on his head and a cup of coffee in his hands. He nodded to the bridge crew before turning to the captain, who looked at him with his ant like head cocked to one side.

“Chief Ducane, I believe it’s your day off duty, is it not?”

“It is, yeah, but it’s not like I can leave the ship unattended. Anything could happen,” Danny said, raising his cup to gesture.

“Speaking of, anything new boss?” he asked.

“Actually yes,” Skitch said, his multifaceted eyes catching the light and glowing like an oil slick. “We got an alert about an hour ago, something breached our forward perimeter for a minute before jumping away. We think it was a ship of sorts, but the scanners couldn’t tell anything definitive before it ran away.”

Danny thought for a moment, taking a sip of coffee.

“Could be pirates,” he said finally, “but if it was an hour ago and they haven’t come back, they probably aren’t a sizable force if a ship this small scared them off. Still, I recommend putting everyone on tactical alert for the time being, just to be safe.”

Skitch nodded, antenna bobbing.

“Good idea. Now please, go rest. The medical staff told me you humans have to sleep for at least 10 hours a cycle or you don’t function correctly, and you barely get 6 with the amount of work you do.”

“Don’t worry about me Captain,” Danny said, laughing, “I’m perfectly capable of functioning on just 6 hours, even less with enough coffee.”

“Regardless, this is your assigned rest period. You’re supposed to relax today, so I don’t want to see you until the next cycle,” Skitch ordered. “You’re no good to the ship if-”

One of the consoles started beeping, cutting the Captain off. It was coming from the long range scanners, the communications officer cycling through the information as fast as she could.

“Sir, we’re picking up a distress call from the other side of the system, a merchant vessel is under attack!”

“Who is it?”

“Signal corresponds to a Muruzian ship the GAIL has on file, they’re taking fire.”

“Helmsman, set a course, best possible speed!” Skitch ordered. “Chief Ducane, your off day is canceled.”

“Way ahead of you captain,” Danny said, downing his coffee and turning his cap around. “Let’s go to work.”

Danny turn on his heel and booked off the bridge and back towards the lift. As he moved, he unclipped the comm-link from his hip and made the call:

“Attention Alpha Team, we have a situation. Body armor and weapons, meet in the hangar bay in 5 minutes. Bravo Team are on call for support and possible rescue. We are heading to aid friendlies and fuck up enemies, move your asses.”

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

Danny hit the hangar bay in 4 minutes flat, even after making a stop at his quarters to grab his personal kit. Homet, Coola, Ritz, and Hayte were all there, strapping on their gear with solemn looks on their faces. Danny knew Homet had seen a firefight before, but the others had only fought in simulated battles. Danny trusted them to do their jobs, but worried what the job would do to them in turn. In any event, he could always step in to cover them.

Get your head on soldier, Danny thought, you lead them into it and out. Burn bridges after you crossed them.

“Ready in 60 seconds people, the bridge said the distress signal cut out so the enemy probably took over the controls. We have friendlies under attack so we’re gonna lend a hand. Now remember, the Muruzians aren’t exactly a sturdy race, and they look avian in nature,” Danny explained, showing an image on his data pad of the species. They looked like bipedal birds, with long legs and necks, plumage around the head and base of their extremities. Short wings extended from their backs, with a span over 3 meters across at their full length.

“These are civilians, not soldiers, so it’s up to us to save them. Readings on the aggressor’s ship indicate it’s probably pirates, so shoot to stun anything that shoots at you first. Seriously. Just stun. We don’t have a full crew manifest for the Muruzian ship so no spray and pray, got it? Don’t want anybody the Muruzians are friends with to get shot just ‘cause they don’t have wings.”

“About half of that didn’t make sense sir, but set everything to stun and let loose right?” Hayte said, smirking.

“Just stun anything that isn’t a tall turkey, got it?” Danny said, stepping into the shuttle. “Fall in, we’re going for a ride!”

The security force piled into the shuttle and the hatch closed behind them, pressurizing the cabin. The pilot got the all clear from hangar control, and the bay doors opened up in front of them. Danny heard Hayte behind him quietly ask Homet what a turkey was, and then they were off, into the void, hurtling towards a firefight.

“Alright guys, here’s the plan,” Danny began, “scans show their shuttle bay is wide open, so we’re going in there and securing a beach head. From there, we sweep floor by floor with scanners looking for life signs while going up to the bridge, taking out any hostiles we find or rescuing any of the Muruzians we encounter. We find anyone, one of us escorts them back to the shuttle bay for safety. Bravo Team is gonna be right behind us for recoveries, so once the friendlies are safe we regroup. Got it?”

“Got it sir,” Coola answered, though there was a slight stutter in her voice. The others didn’t respond, just nodded. Homet cocked his rifle, the weapon whirring as it powered up.

“Good to go, Chief,” he said.

“Okay, let’s do this right people,” Danny said, sending the same orders to Bravo Team through his comm-link. The shuttle was almost to the bay, and Danny could see the Muruzian ship in the distance, blocky and oblong at the same time, almost kind of egg shaped. Its thrusters were dead and dark. Just beside it was another ship, maybe a fourth the size, but clearly built for speed and maneuverability, almost like an arrow head in shape, though still smaller than the Noah.

Their shuttle came to a stop inside the Muruzian ship’s bay, just inside the air field generator. The pilot gave the signal, releasing the hatch. Danny was first out the door, sweeping from side to side with his rifle, head on a swivel. There was already another shuttle in the hangar, arrow shaped like the enemy ship. This was how they got in it seemed. They hadn’t seen any lifeforms on the scans of this area, but you never know what technology could miss. What you didn’t know could so easily kill you. The rest of them poured out of the shuttle and began securing the bay.

“Clear!” Homet called out, followed by the Quintin siblings, then Hayte.

“All clear!” Danny called, clicking on the radio in his ear piece. “Bravo Team, the beach head is secure, make your entry and prepare to receive injured friendlies and restrained enemies. We’re moving out.”

Alpha Team formed up at the exit, Homet on point with Danny right behind him. Hayte was in the rear, calling out possible life signs with the scanner, and the twins on lookout, just like they trained for.

“Got three signals on the next floor chief,” Hayte said as they made their way through the hangar floor. “But I don’t know how we’re going to get there, the ship doesn’t have stairs or any lifts.”

“Yeah, the Muruzians are an avian species,” Homet said, “they just fly and glide between floors.”

“Well they have to have maintenance shafts somewhere,” Danny said. “Somewhere they can stand and move between levels. Broaden the scan parameters, find any space that can fit us that can get to other floors.”

Hayte clicked some buttons and held the scanner up high above his head. Behind them, the Bravo Team shuttle landed in the hangar.

“Got something Chief, 20 meters ahead and to the left, service shaft. Looks like an air duct, but we can even get Homet in there if he crouches.”

“Good. Let’s move people,” Danny ordered. The team booked, staying in formation. They made their way down the hall toward the shaft, then pried open the doors. The duct went upwards at a 45 degree angle. Danny and Homet turned and gave a look to the other three, the lizards and the monkey.

“When we get back to the ship,” Danny began, “we’re gonna have a talk about the abilities of different species, okay?”

Going up was slow going. Danny’s legs were aching before they were halfway up, and Homet’s fur was making friction a problem. The Twins and Hayte had to brace themselves behind him and push while the Doun used the exposed skin on his hands to try and get traction. It took significantly longer than Danny wanted, but they had no choice.

Finally, they made it out the top end, Danny and Homet tumbling out onto the floor.

“Well that sucked,” Danny said, forcefully bending his spine back into shape. The more limber species on the team simply stepped out into the hall, trying to keep from laughing at their two more burly teammates.

“Get back in formation,” Danny ordered. “Bunch of kids, I swear.”

They made their way through the ship, Hayte directing them with the scanner. Finally they came up on a door and the Indoprime stopped them. He pointed to the door and held up 3 fingers on his furred hand.

“One Muruzian bio sign,” he said reading the device. “Two others that read as Tulane.”

“Crap,” Danny said. The Tulane were pretty well known for their techno-dependencies. They augmented themselves with whatever they could salvage from raid runs in other systems, so they didn’t have any real average appearance to attribute their species to anymore. Just lots of metal and weapons wrapped in flesh. A race of cyborgs.

“On three,” Danny said quietly, hand on the door. Homet got into position, the others behind him.

1…

2…

3!

Danny threw open the door and ducked aside as the big burly Doun charged in, his thermal suit making him a tank with tusks. The Tulane didn’t even have a chance to fire, Homet and Danny stunned them the second they were in line of sight. The team poured into the room, clearing corners and spreading out to cover any possible angle of attack.

They the coast was clear. Danny lowered his rifle and walked calmly over to the friendly alien bird. They appeared to be female, with light gray plumage and darker accents. Their beak was shaking, but despite that, Danny realized that if they stood up they’d be as tall as he was.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

“SQUAWWK!” Said the Muruzian, and Danny waited a moment for the translator to kick in.

[Who are you? Are you here to help us? Please save us!]

“Don’t worry, we’re GAIL officers from the ship Noah, we’re here to help,” Danny said, trying to calm them down.

“Bawk? Squawk.”

[What? I can’t understand you, they destroyed my translator]

“Shit,” Danny said. “Ritz, give her your translator, Coola can interpret for you.”

The Quintin man gave the alien bird lady his device, then made a hissing sound. The Muruzian synced it to her ear.

“Better?” Danny asked.

“Much,” she said. “My name is Lith, thank you for coming. The Tulane came out of nowhere, we were boarded before we knew what was going on.”

“How’d they get on board?” Homet asked.

“They fired a directed EMP burst, completely fried our ship. We got back-up power going for life support, but that could go out any minute.”

“Okay Lith, we’re gonna get you to safety, but first you gotta tell us how many crew you still have on the ship so we can save them too,” Danny said.

“There’s only 50 of us in the flock, but some of them were in the hangar when they boarded. They… didn’t make it.” Lith gave a very sad sounding chirp. ���The others were locked on the cargo decks. The only reason they didn’t get me too was because I was hiding. They left them in cargo and brought a few back up to the bridge.”

“Okay Lith, these two” Danny pointed to the twins, “are gonna get you to the hangar bay where our friends are gonna keep you safe, okay? All you gotta do is take a quick slide down that air duct over there, alright?”

“Thank you, thank you so much,” Lith said, squawking. Danny sent a quick message on the comm-link, ‘one incoming friendly, more in the cargo bay with hostiles, go get them’, and they were off. The twins taking Lith down and Danny, Homet, and Hayte continuing forward, securing the floor.

After a few minutes, Ritz and Coola were back, and the three of them had swept the floor for any surprises. Finding none, they moved on.

Another duct led up to the next floor, and Danny wasn’t having it after that. His legs and back ached, and watching the younger teammates effortlessly climb up was annoying. He was almost thankful when they encountered the band of Tulane pirates. At least it’d be longer now between climbs.

The group they encountered could not be said to all be the same species at first glance. For one, one of them was half the size of the other nine, and had a blaster for a hand. For two, the tallest of the group was see through, as in it looked like his torso had been replaced with bionics without any casing. Danny could see the wiring hanging down where organs should be as well as the wall behind it. Danny could see the thing’s ribs and spine, dripping what looked like motor oil.

Wow, fuck that noise, Danny thought.

“Light ‘em up!” Danny said, taking the opening shot. The first cyborg took the stun directly to the face, dropping like a sack of rocks. Homet took the next two, the energized bolt frying their circuits as they went down. Then it was all out war. Both sides fired wildly, but the Alpha Team had the element of surprise. The whole skirmish lasted less than 30 seconds. The last three took multiple stuns, twitching on the ground. Their cybernetics sparked and whirred, which would have been concerning if they weren’t pirate scumbags.

“Bravo Team, I got a present for you. 9 stunned hostiles, second floor from the hangar. Send medical and mechanical assistance. These guys are gonna stand trial for this, so make sure they don’t die.”

Danny turned back to his team, but something caught his eye.

The Tulane had jump packs.

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

“Oh I’m keeping this!” Homet exclaimed as they made the leap to the next floor, a whopping 20 meters up from the floor they’d left the unconscious pirates. Danny said nothing, but grinned at his friend. This was significantly easier on his back.

Plus it made him feel cool as fuck.

They made it to the next floor in record time, and cleared it just as fast. It seemed the center of the ship was hallow, a long empty shaft spanning the length of the ship, allowing the Muruzians easy access to the whole of the ship by flying or gliding to any floor they chose. Alpha Team was making use of it as well now, the jump packs strapped to each of them. Danny almost lost his cap at first, but by the sixth floor he was a natural at it. It was just like parachuting through the air, only in reverse.

They encountered a few more small groups of Tulane, but Danny took them out almost effortlessly, and with extreme efficiency. The rest of the team hardly had to do anything, Danny was systematically taking out every hostile they came across. If things kept up like this, he could keep everyone safe.

All in all, things were going well.

That was, until they reached the bridge.

The doors to the bridge looked as if they’d been blown open. They hung there, half retracted into the wall, wrenched into the room from what looked like concussive force. Danny could hear yelling in an alien language even from out in the hall, but they were too far away for his translator to make any sense of the words. He held his hand up and made a fist, signaling everyone to hold. They formed up on the entrance on the left side of the ruined door. Danny ducked his head and peeked in.

The Muruzian crew were huddled together in the corner, the Tulane looming over them with blades and blasters. One of the birds was kneeling in the center of the room before what appeared to Danny as just a hulking mass of metal on legs. Then he realized…

Aw fuck me

…it was a battle suit. Hydraulic muscles encased in oversized metal plating. Like a tank with an attitude. Danny had only seen one once before, during Academy training. He’d watched, uncomfortably scared, as a soldier in such a suit had punched a Humvee through a concrete wall.

The Muruzians never had a chance.

Neither did they, in all likelihood.

“Is that what I think it is?” Homet asked.

“Yeah,” Danny said, swallowing.

“What would a human say right now?”

“Fuck works.”

“Fuck then.”

“Stuns won’t get through that plating. And the birds aren’t gonna last a second if they decide to just wipe them out. Any plans?” Hayte asked.

The rest of the team just looked at him blankly.

“Fuck,” Coola said, unhelpfully shrugging.

Danny looked back into the bridge room, desperate for anything that might spark an idea, even a bad one would work.

4 hostiles.

1 in a tank.

Lots of friendlies.

Danny looked up above the battle suit. The roof had taken damage, the remains of a light source hanging from the ceiling. Wires sparked and embers fluttered down.

Maybe that could work?

“Okay, here’s the play. Twins and Hayte, take out the 3 by the hostages. Keep to stuns in case you miss. Homet, watch their backs. I’m gonna swap to scattershot and shoot the ceiling right above the suit, try to dislodge those wires and zap the bastard. That’ll distract him or drop something heavy on him, either works. Okay? On 3.”

Coola and Ritz looked like they wanted to protest, but he wasn’t paying attention anymore.

Danny counted.

1 prayer.

2 prayers.

Fuck it.

3!

Danny burst into the room first, screaming and shooting, which was fair since he’d probably get ripped to shreds first. The rest of the team came in a beat later, ducking to the side and firing at the pirates. It took one extra shot to knock out the guards, as Danny fired boiling plasma buckshot into the ceiling. There was a quick BOOMF!! as a an electrical explosion fried the wiring in the roof. Sparks and melted carbon rained down on the battle suit, and Danny could hear muffled screaming coming from the inside as the super heated shrapnel made its way into the seams. The battle suit flailed its arms and spun around to face them, weapon raised. Homet dove left, firing into its side, doing barely anything. Danny went wide to the right, trying to confuse it. Everything was moving in slow motion to him, himself included. The battle suit, his teammates, the scared Muruzians. Everything except his brain. That was firing on all cylinders, adrenaline coursing through his body, his mind desperate to come up with a way to get everyone else out alive.

His back felt heavy.

And then he realized, there was a better way.

Danny charged the battle suit as it turned to face him, firing as he ran. When he was right on top of it, he dropped and slid between its legs. It bent over to look for him, but Danny was already climbing up its back, strapping his jump pack to its side and wedging his rifle under some wires on the other. He brought his fist down on the pack, and the Tulane shot to the side, throwing Danny to the floor.

If Danny couldn’t take out the suit, all he had to do was scramble the guy inside.

“EVERYONE GET DOWN!” He ordered, quick as he could before the suit slammed into the side of the wall, crushing the plasma rifle and detonating the small core that powered it.

The sound was deafening, even with the battle suit taking the brunt of the explosion. It sounded like a train had rammed into the side of their heads going at full speed. Danny got thrown into the opposite wall from the force, as well as several of the Muruzians and Homet. The rest were scattered across the room, battered, bruised, and some a little burnt. But everyone was alive, including the three Tulane they’d stunned, which was a small miracle in and of itself.

“Chief, what’s a human word that’d work for right now?” Ritz asked, lying on his back in the corner with a giant bird man on top of him.

“Fuck still works,” Danny said.

“Fuuuuuuck then,” Ritz groaned. “I think my tail is broken.”

“What the hell were you doing Ducane?” Homet asked angrily. “No real plan, and then that?”

“Yeah, not pushing back on that one,” Danny admitted. “That sucked, and I’m sorry. But how else do you take down a battle suit?”

Danny walked over to the wrecked suit crumpled in the wall, pulling his pistol just to be safe. The thing sparked and a motor somewhere creaked, but he couldn’t see any signs of life coming from it. He banged on the head with the butt of his gun. It clanged dully.

Then the arm shot out and clamped around Danny’s waist. He could feel his bones grinding together under the strength of the metal claw wrapped around him. Hot metal seared his skin where his armor and clothes got burned away.

Danny shouted in alarm before the suit pulled him in, putting him face to face with the Tulane. The helmet visor flipped up and Danny was looking into the eyes of the raider inside.

Damn was he ugly.

Half melted orange flesh poured over the cybernetics in their face, their eyes bloodshot and twitching in all directions. Pipes and wiring were sticking out of their deformed neck. They tried to croak out words but the translator didn’t register it as a language.

Danny panicked and unloaded the whole clip into the Tulane’s face. At that close a range with no barrier, the ballistic force of Danny’s Terran firearm splattered the alien’s brains across the wall and much on Danny himself.

“FUCK!” Danny screamed. “God damnit, I didn’t… he caught be by surprise, I didn’t mean to fire lethals.”

“You killed a pirate Ducane, nobody is gonna be too upset about that,” Homet said. “What we are mad about is that you ran in half cocked without working out a plan with us.”

“Chief, you charged right at a battle suit with no way to survive it,” Coola said. Ritz and Hayte were tending to the Muruzians. “You completely disregarded any help we could’ve given you. Fuck!”

“Okay I think we’re over using that word now,” Danny said, prying himself out of the suit’s grip. He wiped his face, trying to get the blood smears out of his hair. “Truthfully, I didn’t think of that until the fight had started, but… yeah, okay, you guys are right. I should’ve got back-up first.”

“You do all this work for us Chief, training us like Terran soldiers, but then you don’t let us be part of the team when it counts. Why not?” Coola crossed her arms and looked him in the eye, her tail whipping back and forth angrily.

“I don’t know…” Danny started, but Homet cut him off.

“Chief, this is the first real combat situation we’ve all experienced together, and I have to say, we failed as a team. You did almost all the work, which isn’t to say you did a bad thing, but we don’t need Ducane the Destroyer right now, we need Chief Ducane to lead us, to make the plan and to trust us. Better, we need the Chief Ducane who trusts himself, who knows he did a good job training us.”

Danny wiped his hands stained with purple blood on his pants and looked at the team, his team, and realized they were right. He trained them, he knows their strengths and weaknesses, and knew he’d done a great job at turning them into marines.

So why had he taken on so much himself today?

“You humans don’t need to save us every time, you know?” Ritz said, walking over.

“You’re right,” Danny conceded. “I got it in my head that it was my job alone to keep everybody on the ship safe, including you all. I can see I need to work on that.” Danny nodded towards the Muruzians in the corner. “Let’s get them down to the shuttles and get back to the ship, yeah?”

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

The Noah was ordered to stay in the vicinity until a relief ship could come and take care of the Muruzians, their ship, and take the Tulane into custody. The bird peoples were given guest quarters on board the Noah until then, taking several hours for them all to get processed and translators. Danny was back in his office, going through the metric ton of data they’d taken from the Tulane ship when Homet walked in.

“Sir… Danny, I think we need to talk.”

Danny looked up at him and sighed.

“Look, I heard you guys loud and clear, no more solo acts, promise.”

“No, I don’t think you’re really hearing us. You took on everything by yourself today. I might’ve been on point, but you were still somehow first in the door. Our job is to keep the ship safe. Our job is to walk into the fire. Your job is to get us out the other side. And you can’t do that every time with this wanton disregard for your own well being.” Homet took a breath.

“I talked to the Captain,” he said.

“Homet, what did you-”

“Tomorrow it is mandatory you stay out of your office and take a real day off.” Homet grinned at him. “Captain’s orders.”

Danny just sat there looking at him for a minute before busting out laughing.

“Jackass, you had me worried for a minute there. Alright, fine, less coffee, more beer, yeah? You come get a drink with me after your shift. You’re in charge of the kids then.”

“Aye aye, Chief,” Homet said, joining him in laughter. “You humans might be the weirdest species I’ve ever met, but even you guys have to rest every once in a while.”

“Only when you make us, apparently.”

[espinosaurusrexex]

Bucky and presumed dead 🔥🔥🔥 you can chose if he thinks y/n is dead or y/n thinks he’s dead

You already know what I had to go with ahah. This was fun! 💗

Presumed Dead (Bingo Game)

!BINGO ASKS CLOSED!

Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader

word count: 2.2k

warnings: angst, language, fluff, some fighting, mentions of blood and injuries

part one | part two (each can be read individually)

“Sergeant Barnes, the Mountain Base Mission Jet just arrived in Hangar 3.”

F.R.I.D.A.Y.’s voice echoed through the room and Bucky was quick to push himself off the sofa and head towards the door. He was excited to see his teammates again. You, Steve, Natasha, and Clint had been sent out to raid a Hydra Base hidden in an Alaskan mountain eight days ago. And even though Bucky had missed you a lot these past days, he knew that it was part of your job. Just as it was part of Bucky's. You occasionally checked in with each other every other day when missions lasted that long, but when things got difficult, it was common for either of you to stop communicating to focus on the mission. And that was okay. Of course, Bucky still worried about you and his friends, but he also knew that each and every member of the mission team was a capable agent that knew how to handle difficult situations.

It had happened this time as well. The last time you had contacted Bucky was about three days ago. Which was why he was all the more excited to finally hold you in his arms again.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened to reveal the Quinjet Hangar. The hatch had not been opened yet, as the jet was hooked onto fuel and checked by the crew. Bucky stood by the metal reiling leading up to it with a big smile on his face and soon, the team appeared one after the other. First Clint, who was supported by Natasha as he limbed across the bridge. They were both covered in soot and blood. And as they weakly smiled when passing Bucky, his heart sank, smile fading slightly as well. He nodded in their direction.

Then Steve appeared with an equally devastated look on his face. But Bucky was still hopeful. He had yet to see you, and he knew your presence would light that positive fire within him like it always did. Steve hugged Bucky before a couple agents crowded him with paperwork and signatures. 

“How’ve you been, pal?”

“Oh, you know... bored. Stark covered me in paperwork.”

Steve just hummed in response and Bucky peaked behind him to the open jet. Where were you? He was nervous, he always was. But this time, it felt different. And when Bucky's eyes wandered from the jet back to Steve who was still signing forms, uneasiness pooled in his stomach. 

“Where’s my girl? She already inside?”

That’s when Steve excused the agents and pulled Bucky aside. His hand was still lingering on his arm when he spoke again. “She’s not here.”

“What? Why?”

“We needed to regroup. We’ll go back to get her in an hour.” Steve’s eyes were drilling into Bucky’s when he said it. Bucky swallowed thickly. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Why hadn’t you come with them in the first place?

Steve nodded sternly once and then he stepped aside and made his way to the medical wing. Bucky followed him hastily. There were still too many questions swarming his brain. 

“An hour? It’s freezing up there!” He stumbled behind the blonde until he finally caught up to him. Goddamn it, you hated the cold. Bucky despised the feeling of panic surging up his spine. He pictured you hurt and alone in the snow - lost and thinking that your team neglected you, which they had!

“We had complications. It was the only plausible move.” He pushed past the double doors and into the room Clint was being treated in. 

“Complications? What complications?”

“They knew we were coming. A bomb detonated when we pulled the files from their servers. Y/N was hurt. We barely made it out of the base,” Natasha spoke up when Bucky’s eyes searched the room in a panic. 

“Then why didn’t you bring her home?” His voice was shaken but he willed himself to calm down. There must have been a rational explanation for your not being here. Steve didn’t just leave people behind. Not unless...

“Buck..,” Steve reasoned, but it brought an uneasy tension into the room. The way they were all looking at him - looking at each other. It was dead silent. Clint pushed a nurse away when she approached him and Bucky knew something was very very wrong. “The explosion caused an avalanche that separated us. We looked for four hours, but we couldn’t keep going without putting the rest of the team in danger.”

Bucky clenched his jaw in the small pause Steve made. “Her wounds were fatal. She most likely didn’t make it… We’re going back to recover her body.”

Everything muted when Steve’s little speech was over, and Bucky just stared ahead. You weren’t dead. You couldn’t be. You were tough. You didn’t just die on a stupid mission. Not when Bucky had so many memories to make with you still. 

“No...” He whispered sorely, the lump in his throat growing as he watched the faces in the room sadden around him. “You just didn’t search properly. Maybe she hid away. She’s smart. She thinks tactical.” 

“I told you we will fly back in 55 minutes. ETA 1300. If she is alive, we will find her.” If she’s alive.

Bucky’s heart was racing. He felt it pulsing in his neck, along with a strong urge to punch a hole in the nearest thing around. “Why are you all so calm?! 55 minutes is too long! The damn flight there is too long!”

“Bucky-” Steve laid a hand on his shoulder.

But Bucky whipped around with vigor, stern eyes staring down his friend. “She’s not dead, Steve.”

They held eye contact for a solid minute, but the urge to hurry passed over Bucky again. You didn’t have time. Steve was staring at him with those stupid captain eyes. Those might have worked on others but not Bucky. Not him, he had always respected him - he just wanted a little of that back now. But Steve was too stubborn, and Bucky couldn’t grasp why. 

“I can’t believe this.” Bucky shook his head and then turned to suit up. He would definitely not wait 55 damn minutes. 

-❁-

Surprisingly, Steve had gotten the Jet ready when Bucky arrived at the Hangar in his suit, along with a change of clothes for you and some other necessities he thought he’d need. And when the two friends started their journey to Alaska, it was dead silent in the aircraft. The only noises were the initial communication with the compound and the constant whirring of the quinjet.

They were flying on autopilot now, sitting in their seats, keeping quiet as if it were a contest. Bucky actually had worrying thoughts about you that would occupy his brain for the remaining hours of the flight. He had to keep himself from crying when he packed up some clothes for you earlier and, to be honest, it wasn’t easier now. He hated that he didn’t know where you were, or what you were doing - how you were doing, most importantly. And he also couldn’t believe Steve would just leave you behind like that. Because Bucky knew for sure that his best friend was just as protective of you as he was himself... at least he thought so.

Steve watched him from across the room, his hands folded in his lap, a sorrowful look painting his features. And if Bucky weren’t so angry at him, he would have comforted the poor fella in front of him. But what he had done was unforgivable. He had left his girl to die. 

“What?” The brunette spat after another thirty minutes. God, the time was passing in slow motion. 

“I just want to say I’m sorry.” Steve looked up. “I know you’re angry and worried - I would be too - but you also need to understand that I have to think about the whole team in these situations. She would have wanted me to keep the others safe.”

“Are you kidding me right now? Why are you talking as if she’s already gone?!”

“Because she-” But Steve stopped abruptly, his mouth shutting, jaw clenching. The silence took back over and it was unbearable this time. The worrying, the anger, the fear - it was all too much. 

“Fuck!” Bucky shouted as he buried his head in his hands, body folding over. The tears were brimming in his eyes, and his breath was shaky. “I can’t do this, Steve. I can’t lose her. She’s my- I can’t lose her, Steve...” By the end, it was only a whisper. One that held the most painfully truthful words he’d ever said. And when the first tear fell between his legs to the ground, Steve laid his hand on Bucky’s shoulder. 

“We’ll find her, pal. We will...”

-❁-

Icy winds were whipping in their faces as the two super soldiers trekked over the mountain. They had already swept the place the bomb went off at, just to find the site was impassable. A little down the hill was where the debris had settled and beyond another elevation, was the place Natasha had last seen you.

Bucky was cold and drenched, but he wouldn’t stop searching until he found you. He had sworn himself that and he had made Steve swear on it too. There was no way he would leave this mountain without you, this much was clear. Whether he would die on the journey there was yet to be discovered. 

They passed another ice plane before Bucky finally stopped. Steve caught up to him and together they took in the new territory before them. It was hopeless, daylight was fading but Bucky wouldn’t relent. Not when your safety was on the line. Their view was obstructed by the grey sky and stormy clouds, and the high altitude made it hard to catch enough oxygen. Bucky swept the snow-covered landscape a second time. His eyes wandered over a rock to the valley.

“Bucky!” A fist met his shoulder and then pointed ahead into the snow. And upon further inspection, Bucky caught a spot of deep red disrupting the harsh white. 

He surged forward, stumbling down parts of the mountain with the newfound energy this sliver of hope it had given him. And when the men finally arrived, the big spot had already been covered by a thin layer of new snow. Blood.

“She went this way,” Bucky shouted over the wind as he trailed the growing accumulation of blood along the hillside.

It took another hour of stomping through the deep snow until Bucky and Steve finally came along a caved-in rock deeper in the mountain. Here, where the snowfall wasn’t as heavy, the blood was more visible. Bucky swallowed thickly before moving inside. He wasn’t prepared for finding your dead body - he couldn’t possibly. Because up until this point, he could still pretend you were alive. If he would find you now... there was no denying the worst outcome he could have possibly imagined. 

For the umpteenth time, Bucky felt his best friend’s hand squeezing his shoulder. But this time, it gave him the strength to finally move forward. Together, they went inside and followed the narrow gap between the rocks, their board shoulders barely fitting between the stones, But there was no way they would turn back now. They were close, Bucky knew it. 

When the cave opened up again, Bucky immediately called your name. The echoes bounced back strikingly loud in the opening, but nothing else reached his ears. He tried again, and again, each time moving deeper inside, his hand guiding him along the walls of the dark place and then, suddenly, his feet hit something soft - softer than stone. 

He leaned down, his hands immediately feeling up a body he was all too familiar with. But this time, cold and lifeless. A little clicking went through the cave and Steve’s flashlight turned on. 

“Doll, thank god!” Bucky shook your frame. As if in trance, he felt your weekend pulse. He moved you, called your name, anything to get you to wake up. But your face looked lifeless and cold, your suit covered in blood and drenched in ice-cold water. 

A pained moan left your lips, suddenly, weak and quiet, but definitely there. And Bucky felt his heart start beating for the first time since he set foot on Alaskan soil.

“Oh my god, Angel. You’re safe now. I promise you’re safe. Thank god!” Tears streamed down his cheeks when he turned to his friend again. 

“Steve, help me. Help me get her out.”

Together, the friends carried your body outside into the biting cold, over ice and snow, hills and debris until they finally reached the quinjet. And when Steve started the aircraft, Bucky cradled you tightly in his arms and rocked you, while he tried to warm you as best as he could. He had changed you out of the wet tactical suit and tended to your wounds as well as possible. His hands never left your body. Not when he changed into dry clothes, not when he got you blankets, not when your beautiful eyes finally opened and met his. 

“I knew you would make it, Angel. You’re a fighter. I’m so glad you’re alive.” He whispered to your temple after pressing hundreds of tiny kisses to your skin. 

He would never let you go again. Not now, not ever.

Wanna be added to the Taglist?

@circe143 @valkyrie418 @mirikusashes @noideawhyimdoingthislol @nikkitc0703 @lethallyprotected @erynnnn @misshale21 @wattpaduser200 @almosttoopizza @sociallyimpairedme @royalwritersoftheuniverses @i-l-y-3000 @mrsgweasley @prettylittlepluviophile @dinwifey @stuckysgirl27

[welcometowriteblr]

CALLING ALL VKS! WTW PREP BEGINS NOVEMBER 1ST

It's time for WTW Prep to open! While you were away, our leaders have been called to invite Villain Kids from across the world and create a challenge to win Nanowrimo 2024! Do you have what it takes to be the most rotten to the core? Our infamous villains are telling us that it could be you...but will you complete their mission to take over the world? Cross the magical bridge from the Isle of the Lost and into Auradon, brew a potion or two, spell a prince under your control, attempt to steal Fairy Godmother's wand, break the barrier of the villains' island prison, and try to get yourself into trouble. Ready to blow this popsicle stand of goody-two-shoes, villain kid? Come join us at WTW Prep and get yourself ready. Starting NOVEMBER 1ST, it's up to you to write as many words for Nano as you can!

EVENT RULES AND DETAILS

With our upcoming event we have had many people join our Discord server. This is the perfect time for us to release our FAQ about how we deal with events and such inside of them. If you are participating, please read through this!

THE SERVER

We have a leveling system in our server. The more you talk, the more you level up. We will kick people from the event if you have yet to reach CROOK aka LVL 5 as it is extremely easy to reach. All you have to do is talk. This is non-negotiable. CROOK is reachable within a day. You must also give yourself roles from the role menu when you join! If you need help just ask a leader or mod. You will be also be kicked if you do not do this. We only require AGE and PRONOUNS. Other roles beside these DO NOT COUNT! Please do not join and not give yourself roles!

JOINING ONCE THE EVENT HAS STARTED

Please try and join before NOVEMBER 1ST. Anyone who joins a week late (NOVEMBER 8TH) will not be accepted into the event. You must be active. We will be more lenient with the level rule if you have just joined but if you continue to not be active and haven’t reached common within a week you will likely be kicked from the event.

HOW IT WORKS

Most of the information is contained within the document accessible within the server's event channels. Rather than word count, the leaderboard will be based upon the PERCENTAGE of how close you get to your word goal. Anyone who reaches their word count before the final few days will be asked to increase their goal to make it fair for slower writers.

Please do not hesitate to speak or join the server. We are extremely welcoming and active, but if you cannot respect our rules then you cannot participate in our events.

BE OUR GUEST, JOIN OUR SERVER HERE! (discord.gg/earlgrey)

[lawain-dimensional-heroes]

Congratulations, fellow writer from the Netherlands. You have found me. A month or two ago, despite my past shortcomings, I have had a feeling of starting anew and keeping up my passion by entering MFT2. I showed much enthusiasm. All it took was one person to push me too far, and everyone has turned their backs on me ever since.

First of all: ever since your first ask with a friend of mine I have realized it was you, so don't need to congratulate me for finding you. And secondly, aren't you from the Phillipines? Thirdly Calamity, you do not need to repeat your backstory towards me. I am all too aware of what you've been through thanks to Joy Boy's informing me, but since you're confessing finally, let me reply.

In the beginning you weren't causing that much chaos-- okay, your muse have been breaking a rule or two, but Chinatsu was a villain, so to me it was kind of understandable, but ever since your drama with Aron happened, it went a bit too far.

You've caused chaos in the MFT tournament when your hatred with Aron got the better of you, spiraling to harassing the people in the tournament trying to have them join your side and like history repeating itself, you've been harassing those in the tournament-- even those outside of the tournament who aren't even part of the group that got you kicked out of the server. Worst of all? This issue could've just been a server only issue. Me and a few others have been recently wanting to reach out to you considering Aron was banned from the tournament and the server and probably make amends.

If you've approached it differently we wouldn't have been in this situation-- hell, we might've been roleplaying now and have fun again-- hell, I was kind of looking forward to the interactions between Chinatsu and Hanaka again, but alas- you chose to burn the bridges along with bringing it to tumblr, which in turn caused all of this to unfold.

if your mission was to burn bridges: congratulations, you've done it. You went from potentially redeemable to straight up being on people's DNI list, mine included. I was hoping you could improve and be redeemable, but you've shown that you refuse to do so, that you want burn bridges and no longer want to try and improve yourself.

So either clean your act up and apologize, or fuck off and let us be, or I will have to report all your blogs with every instance of you sending those asks to me personally.

And get out of my sight for fuck sakes. I'm not interested in interacting with you ever again.

[krimsonkatt]

June (Final Apocolyptis)

An optional party member from Chronicles II: Zero Gear Saga. June was a member of Morda Vael's reformed special ops team, and one day with her fellow soldier Miller were sent on a mission to shut down a mad scientist named Amelia Burns "secret project" that could endanger the stability of Morda Vael. Sero and her went along with this mission as a hired mercs. However, things quickly went south when Amelia revealed her secret project, "Project Liquid Mercury", and used her custom nanomachine colony to convert miller into a chromatic robotic android-like entity known as "Prima" as well as brainwashing him to server her as her maid. June fought bravely against both Amelia and Prima, but almost ended up being converted into a "Primadroid" as well which Amelia called "Secuna Silver." However, with quick thinking from Sero, June's conciousness was able to be retrieved from her transformed Secuna Silver body in liquidized form and Amelia was tricked into a complete surrender thanks to the bombs planted in her manor by Sero and under the threat her precious manor and all her research would be destroyed. Amelia, Prima, and Secula were placed under house arrest, constant servilence, and threat of instant death if they did not comply with Morda Vael's demands. However, without June's consciousness within Secula's body Amelia's implanted personality matrix of Secula could be fully implemented. But June's consciousness still laid within the hands of Morda Vael scientists, who sought to use Amelia's research to build June a new body and turn June into a super soldier.

A few weeks later June's new body was complete, but as soon as her liquidized conciousness was transferred into her new body she went on a rampage, destroying the lab and setting out on a warpath to Amelia's manor for revenge. After fighting June and hearing her out, Sero decided to join June on her revenge against Amelia and desire to save Miller instead of fighting her. Sero, her team, and June then made their way to Amelia's Manor once again where they had to fight past both Amelia's mass-produced Primadroids (that Morda Vael wanted to use as disposable soldiers in a future war against Ferngulf) and Morda Vael soldiers to reach Amelia and Prima. Amelia was able to escape thanks to the new lack of security, and after a fateful battle between June and Prima, June was able to hack into Prima's mind using her new powers as a liquid metal primadroid and undo Amelia's brainwashing, though Miller was now stuck with his new female metallic form even if Prima sought to teach Miller how to shapeshift like her after this whole ordeal was over.

Finally, while Miller recovered from his wounds both physical and psychological during the battle, Sero, her gang, and June decided to face Amelia and end this once and for all. However, while they were gone Amelia captured Miller, but instead of turning him into Prima again she decided to EAT him, the nanomachines within the Prima body along with a direct injection of nanomachines consuming her and transforming her into a metallic abomination, a being she called MACHINEGOD. June now had to take down Amelia once and for all as well as put an end to Miller's suffering, as now Amelia and Miller had become one being and their combined power threatened to consume the entire world. June was finally able to take down MACHINEGOD after a heated battle and free Miller's spirit. Amelia and her ambitions were now destroyed for good and Sero and June set fire to Amelia's mansion, destroying all of Amelia's research and making June the last primadroid.

June, since she burned all bridges with Morda Vael and had nowhere else to go, decided to join Sero's mercenary band for good, joining as a permanent new party member. Thus ends June's Tale in Chronicles II: Zero Gear Saga.

Chronicles II, unlike Chronicles Meteorfall, will split into multiple "tales". These Tales include Sero's Tale, Jordan's Tale, Conrad's Tale, June's Tale, Sigmus' Tale, Mordia's Tale, and the Final Tale. Here is each tale and how to unlock each chapter of them:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sero's Tale - The game's main storyline. Follows mainly Sero alongside other characters like Mia, Bronze, and Philip.

Sero Ch1 (Sisterhood) - Reach Merc Rank 2

Sero Ch2 (Brotherhood) - Reach Merc Rank 3

Sero Ch3 (The Oppressed) - Reach Merc Rank 4

Sero Ch4 (Blood Ties) - Reach Merc Rank 5

Sero Ch5 (Regret) - Reach Merc Rank 6

Sero Ch6 (Revenge) - Reach Merc Rank 7

Sero Ch7 (Hatred) - Reach Merc Rank 8

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jordan's Tale - Follows the frost ninja Jordan Yang and his rivalry with the mythical Skull Samurai.

Jordan Ch1 - Complete Sero Ch2, start in the dojo in Delma. Unlocks Jordan as a party member.

Jordan Ch2 - Complete Sero Ch3, start by talking to Jordan at a campsite. Unlocks Jordan's ultimate weapon.

Jordan Ch3 - Complete Sero Ch5, start by talking to Jordan at a campsite. Unlocks Jordan's S-Class.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conrad's Tale - Follows Conrad, an acrobat, in his search to find the person who burned down his circus and clear his name.

Conrad Ch1 - Complete Sero Ch2, starts in Delma Circus. Unlocks Conrad as a party member.

Conrad Ch2 - Complete Sero Ch3, start by talking to Conrad at a campsite. Unlocks Benjamin as a party member.

Conrad Ch3 - Complete Sero Ch5, start by talking to Conrad at a campsite. Unlocks Conrad's S-Class and ultimate weapon.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

June's Tale - Follows June, a half human, half android, on her journey to save her lover and get revenge on the woman who ruined both their lives.

June Ch1 - Complete Sero Ch2, start in the Military Outpost at the top of the Baetas Region.

June Ch2 - Complete Sero Ch3, start by talking to June at a campsite. June is temporarily playable during this chapter.

June Ch3 - Complete Sero Ch6. Randomly receive a letter from June (20% each day) and meet her at the requested location. Perminately unlocks June as a party member alongside her S-Class and ultimate weapon.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sigmus' Tale - Follows the traveling magician Sigmus and her journey to save her apprentice Joyse from an evil demon.

Sigmus Ch1 - Complete Sero Ch4, start in the Delma circus. Unlocks Sigmus as a party member along with her S-Class.

Sigmus Ch2 - Complete Sero Ch5, start by talking to Sigmus at a campsite. Unlocks Joyse as a party member along with their S-Class.

Sigmus Ch3 - Starts immediately after Sigmus' Ch2. Unlocks Sigmus and Joyse' ultimate weapons.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mordeus' Tale - Sero and her allies investigate and discover the dark truths about Morda Vael's founding. Postgame story.

Mordeus Ch1 - Beat the game with the standard ending and talk to the mystery man in Alphes Ruins.

Mordeus Ch2 - Complete Mordeus Ch1 and be merc rank 10.

Mordeus Ch3 - Complete Mordeus Ch2 and be merc rank 12.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Final Tale - The finale of the main story.

The Final Tale (Ch8: Zero Gear) - Complete Ch7 of Sero's tale.

The True Final Tale (Chapter8+1: Zero Gear -Extend-) - Complete Ch3 of Mordeus' Tale, then start the final chapter. The final boss will be scaled up to Lv200 and the ending is greatly extended.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Now that we've established the various Tales of Chronicles II, we can finally cover June's gameplay. June's S-Class, the Biometal, mainly specializes in piercing and debuffing attacks. For example, one of her arts, "Metal Spike", deals massive strike damage to one foe that pierces 40% of DEF while inflicting bleed. Another of her arts, "Metal Shield", gives her the "Thorns" ailment, causing any enemy who attacks her to take recoil damage. The Biometal's S-Talent is "Blaze Liquididation" which is a combination of the Dragoon's "Impaler's Glory" and the Empress' "Beastdancer" talent arts from Chronicles Meteorfall. Her ultimate weapon is the Bioblade, which has a chance to inflict bleed and naturally pierces 5% of DEF. In Chronicles II characters do not have S-Talents like in Chronicles Meteorfall.

[befuddled-calico-whump]

Burn

for Angstpril, Day 20: I Can't Go Back

cw: electrocution; exploitative/manipulative system, including exploitation of minors

prev ///// masterlist ///// next

•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•

It had been kinda nice to work as a team.

Technically, they were all part of one giant team before leaving Titanium, but Akeela didn't get much chance to work with the others. Sarah was restricted to reconnaissance, Rosie was mostly sent on solo missions that played to her powers, and Hugo was practically chained to a computer, running intel. 

But this morning, before the sun had even risen, Hugo had banged on her door to wake her up, a laptop tucked under one arm.

The screen had been packed with techno gibberish when he held it out to her, until he pointed out one crucial line:

Terminate Cinder.

The guy who'd threatened Sarah. The guy who Sarah wanted to save anyway.

They'd woken up the others, and left in a rush.

Hugo had done most of the work, diving into the Titanium servers he'd spent so long hacking, and eventually coming up with a general location. Sarah was up next, playing 'I Spy' in that corner of town, looking for the runaway assassin. 

When he stepped off the bridge, it was Rosie who swam out to save him, pushing through the electric shocks that wouldn't stop spewing from his collar.

And on the frantic journey home, it was Akeela who'd helped carry him, just in case he started a panicked burn.

She kinda admired Cinder. Not in a weird way, and not because he was a good fighter, or strong, or powerful, but because he'd done the impossible. Escaped the shadow of Corporate.

Before he'd broken into their hideout, Akeela had honestly never heard of Cinder, but once the team had regrouped, cleaned up, and prepared to move, she'd looked him up. Assassin, she already knew from Sarah. But his powers were also unregistered, 'untrained' by legal definition, and he'd never officially worked for a Corp until Uriah Fox came along.

He'd come from the Underneath. Nothing crazy, most criminals did, but she'd never heard of someone with fire powers, someone like her, who'd managed to outrun both the law and Corporate for as long as Cinder had.

Fire was dangerous. Fire needed to be controlled. An Empowered who could turn invisible, or make flowers grow, or change the shapes of the clouds, might be able to live under the radar, but someone made of fire held the power to destroy. They ended up owned or dead.

Except for Cinder. And yeah, Uriah had caught him, put him on a leash, but he'd broken it. Just like her. 

Akeela wished she could've been more like him. Free in the 'Neath, hiding from the Hero-Corps long before they even got a chance to put her in their system. But her parents had both been normal, working class people who wanted the best for the daughter they were told could grow up dangerous without the right training.

They'd handed their little girl off to Titanium and never seen her again.

And Akeela had trained. Trained and trained and trained her childhood away, shaping her fire until they told her she was safe enough to stay alive, then being told if she wanted to keep it she'd have to sign a contract.

She'd been ten at the time, whisked away to a little monitored room at Titanium headquarters, assigned to a team, given missions.

She'd fought people like Cinder. Hurt them, burned them, put them behind bars. Because Mr. Fox had a contract with law enforcement, and the law had no problem laying out who was good and who was bad.

For so long, she'd wanted to be good. But she didn't know what good meant anymore. Every day the middle ground, the gray space between, seemed to grow a little wider, and that gray space made sense.

Akeela fit right into the gray. She'd hurt people, but she didn't like it, but she'd do it again to save her team. Everyone on her team was right there with her; willing to break rules and fight and bleed if it meant getting one step closer to destroying Uriah. Maybe Cinder was there too. 

He'd hurt people, but so had she. He'd worked for Titanium, but he'd had no choice, and neither had she. They were just alike. Two peas in a pod.

After all she'd read about him, it was weird seeing him in the guest room. Wrapped in a blue sheet, wearing a tense, guarded expression. His throat was bandaged to protect the electrical burns that circled it, and the scarred skin that had become visible after Hugo took the cybernetic arms away was red and irritated, like he'd never once taken a break from them.

He wasn't a super happy camper when she'd tried to talk to him, but that was understandable. He was angry. She hoped he'd realize soon that they were all angry too. At the city, at the rules, at the politicians who danced like puppets when companies like Good Knight and Racehorse Industries and Titanium tugged on their strings. 

They had more raw power than a nuclear reactor; thousands of Empowered, bound by contracts, kept in line by the fear of being Redlined. All doing their masters' bidding. 

Sarah said Corp needed to burn. Luckily, burning was something Akeela was good at. Firebrand, firestarter, little miss bic lighter. If Cinder would join them, the flames would only rise, get harder to put out. 

And then, maybe they could actually make a difference. Maybe they could stop looking over their shoulder.

Maybe they could free everyone.

•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•

@whumpacabra @enteredin2eternity @kixngiggles @whumpsday @kiichu @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump @shywhumpauthor @distinctlywhumpthing

[aheroemerges]

Bat kids dancing on a mission.

Also!!!

Ive started a new Gotham rp server on discord. Feel free to join!

Gotham...A city that is no stranger to chaos and crime. For years the city has had its share of criminals,lunatics, and those wanting to bring this city to its knees. The city needed Heroes and so those brave enough... Those who were willing to make sacrifices stood up and challenged the evil that infested this city and started to weed it out,but now our heroes have gone missing. Evil has felt this shift and now chaos and cruelty has spread through out this city. The bridge leading out of Gotham has been destroyed. Most citizens are stuck here. No way out. Only the rich seemed to have found a way out or go unbothered by the rampant chaos. Villains and gangs have divideded Gotham into their separate territories and the fight for more causes bloodshed and disaster almost everyday. The People of Gotham Cry out in need of saving....Where are the Heroes? Who will answer the call?

[marcusrobertobaq]

The Zen Garden resume control method ain't that difficult to understand.

It's established when Connors are in the meeting room talking with Amanda they remain in some sorta rest or idle mode outside of it. Meaning they can't move or do anything, it's like they're "outside" 'em bodies or "sleeping" - they can't talk in the meeting room and make bodies motor controls function at same time, they need disconnect from the room first. Hank even jokes about it.

So, wtf is this whole Zen Garden thing?

My personal answer:

Zen Garden is like any other cyberspace/metaverse meeting room service, it got an AI that can also connects and disconnect from there and got admin powers over the room users. They're both using avatars in this "realm". And like any digital meeting room server all the info about your device is being tracked in there, meaning it's a way of tracking Connors model, serial number and location in real time. And to make the other side (Connor side) also work Connors got a bridge that connects to this room, similar to the idea of our browsers use (to be more simple to explain) but more sophisticated than that and likely native (something i don't think Connor got admin powers to manipulate).

That's how Connors can still be tracked after deviancy and even remote controlled. CyberLife still got his info and the connection didn't shutdown like usually happens with deviant androids. He's made for it and got all tools necessary to be tracked and remote controlled - after all he got a vast range of autonomy over his choices in missions, he basically gotta decide and deal with everything alone cuz his handler (the only person he interacts that can give him orders) is in this digital realm only and her orders are mostly vague.

So, following the logic i've explaind what is the whole "trap" deal in my understanding:

Amanda forces a call Connor can't refuse, bringing him to the room consequently leaving mf without control over his body;

Amanda closes the ability of disconnect Connor got meaning he's in the room and can't get out by normal means;

CyberLife or the AI itself take basic controls or even just set new orders to a factory Connor, something like the kernel or some shit;

The "Magic stone" is an emergency exit, a manual one. By using it Connor is able to close the Zen Garden connection, consequently having control back "over his body".

Questions i don't know the answer:

I don't know if the exit closes the Zen Garden connection and blocks the bridge that connects A to B;

I don't know if the exit gives Connor the admin control he needs to block all connections himself;

I don't know if the exit takes Zen Garden server down, even if temporarily;

I don't know if the exit not only takes Zen Garden down but also resets/deletes all info that can track Connors;

I don't know if the exit is a shift in Connor's system itself, blocking all bridges automatically when used - cuz this method is also used to avoid Connor's deviation in some endings. So this whole snow storm is equivalent to a red wall but actually happening;

I don't know if u can hear or take notice of outside events while in Zen Garden. I assume u can't.

I don't know what would happen if he's busy in Zen Garden while someone is trynna do something "bad" irl - i suppose he must have a danger alert;

I don't know if the seasons are some kinda message or "mood" shit or programmed stuff like in games. Could be Amanda changing things (she got admin powers in there) but why would she change the seasons? We'll never know.

Canon things that goes against this whole theory:

Connor can "freeze to death" in there. What is it really? Freezing his AI to avoid issues and just letting in there to be deleted? No idea.

Everything happening in Zen Garden is DIGITAL, they're using avatars like a video game - including the snow storm. How would something that happens to your avatar impact your device (in this case the device is Connor's body)? How is this thing in practice besides Connor not being able to be in Zen Garden and irl at the same time?

Only thing i know this emergency exit exists cuz this resume control function is likely an old one and it's always good having one, doesn't matter the real intention, if u know what i mean xD

[annajade456]

The Versatile Role of a DevOps Engineer: Navigating the Convergence of Dev and Ops

The world of technology is in a state of constant evolution, and as businesses increasingly rely on software-driven solutions, the role of a DevOps engineer has become pivotal. DevOps engineers are the unsung heroes who seamlessly merge the worlds of software development and IT operations to ensure the efficiency, security, and automation of the software development lifecycle. Their work is like the unseen wiring in a well-orchestrated symphony, making sure that every note is played in harmony. This blog will delve into the world of DevOps engineering, exploring the intricacies of their responsibilities, the skills they wield, and the dynamic nature of their day-to-day work.

The DevOps Engineer: Bridging the Gap

DevOps engineers are the bridge builders in the realm of software development. They champion collaboration between development and operations teams, promoting faster development cycles and more reliable software. These professionals are well-versed in scripting, automation, containerization, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) tools. Their mission is to streamline processes, enhance system reliability, and contribute to the overall success of software projects.

The Skill Set of a DevOps Engineer

A DevOps engineer's skill set is a versatile mix of technical and soft skills. They must excel in coding and scripting, system administration, and automation tools, creating efficient pipelines with CI/CD integration. Proficiency in containerization and orchestration, cloud computing, and security is crucial. DevOps engineers are excellent collaborators with strong communication skills and a knack for problem-solving. They prioritize documentation and are committed to continuous professional development, ensuring they remain invaluable in the dynamic landscape of modern IT operations..

What a DevOps Engineer Does Throughout the Day

A typical day for a DevOps engineer is dynamic and multifaceted, reflecting the varied responsibilities in this role. They focus on collaboration, automation, and efficiency, aiming to ensure that the software development lifecycle is smooth. Their day often begins with a deep dive into infrastructure management, where they meticulously check the health of servers, networks, and databases, ensuring that all systems are up and running smoothly. One of the main priorities is minimising disruptions and downtime.

Here's a closer look at the intricate web of tasks that DevOps engineers expertly navigate throughout the day:

1. Collaboration with Development Teams: DevOps engineers embark on a journey of collaboration, working closely with software development teams. They strive to comprehend the intricacies of new features and applications, ensuring that these seamlessly integrate with the existing infrastructure and are deployable.

2. Containerization and Orchestration: In the ever-evolving world of DevOps, the use of containerization technologies like Docker and orchestration tools such as Kubernetes is a common practice. DevOps engineers dedicate their time to efficiently manage containerized applications and scale them according to varying workloads.

3. Incident Response: In the dynamic realm of IT, unpredictability is the norm. Issues and incidents can rear their heads at any moment. DevOps engineers stand as the first line of defense, responsible for rapid incident response. They delve into issues, relentlessly searching for root causes, and swiftly implement solutions to restore service and ensure a seamless user experience.

4. Performance Optimization: Continuous performance optimization is the name of the game. DevOps engineers diligently analyze system performance data, pinpointing bottlenecks, and proactively applying enhancements to boost application speed and efficiency. Their commitment to optimizing performance ensures a responsive and agile digital ecosystem.

5. Documentation: Behind the scenes, DevOps engineers meticulously maintain comprehensive documentation. This vital documentation encompasses infrastructure configurations and standard operating procedures. Its purpose is to ensure that processes are repeatable, transparent, and easily accessible to the entire team.

6. Professional Development: The world of DevOps is in constant flux, with new technologies and trends emerging regularly. To stay ahead of the curve, DevOps engineers are committed to ongoing professional development. This entails self-guided learning, attendance at workshops, and, in many cases, achieving additional certifications to deepen their expertise.

In conclusion, the role of a DevOps engineer is one of great significance in today's tech-driven world. These professionals are the linchpins that keep the machinery of software development and IT operations running smoothly. With their diverse skill set, they streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and ensure the reliability and security of applications. The dynamic nature of their work, encompassing collaboration, automation, and infrastructure management, makes them indispensable.

For those considering a career in DevOps, the opportunities are vast, and the demand for skilled professionals continues to grow. ACTE Technologies stands as a valuable partner on your journey to mastering DevOps. Their comprehensive training programs provide the knowledge and expertise needed to excel in this ever-evolving field. Your path to becoming a proficient DevOps engineer starts here, with a world of possibilities awaiting you.

[authoravalonroselin]

Last Line Tag

Late on this, but thanks for the tag @indecentpause! Here's a bit from my not-so-secret (at least if you're in my discord server) WIP.

CW: Mention of sex work, putting it under a cut because it's a slightly longer passage (even after I trimmed out a little bit); in the full version, Eoin shares doubts about all the party members, not just Robyn.

This is a first draft so please be kind ;w;

Once they had traveled some distance from the scouting troop, Eoin called them to a halt. The soldier pinched the bridge of his nose. “His Imperial Majesty has seen fit to doom this mission from the start. The question I keep coming back to is, why?” “Doom?” Solace’s eyes went wide with concern. “What makes you think we’re doomed?” Enzo crossed his arms. “I think our chances of success look fairly bright. We have the hero of legend, a general, a very powerful sorcerer, and…” He shrugged. “Well, Robyn is here, too.” Robyn gaped. “Excuse me?” “What is it you do for the church, exactly?” Enzo prodded. “Offerings and worship, as you well know,” Robyn returned, mirroring Enzo’s stance. “It is imperative that this quest remains blessed by the Phoenix, especially because the hero of legend has come. The Phoenix Blade is only as useful as the Phoenix wills it to be!” “What kind of offerings?” Eoin asked snidely. “I am a dancer,” Robyn answered, which only made Enzo laugh and Eoin sigh in exasperation. Eoin clarified before Solace could ask after their reactions. “Dancer is certainly a polite way of saying whore.” Robyn released a deep breath. “Your observations are noted, General, but you’re missing a key detail. The Phoenix ordained this group to complete the quest. They want us to succeed.” “Did you get that from your last worship?” Enzo snapped. “You may mock my qualifications all you like!” Robyn’s voice burst, cracking with anger. They repeated, softer, “You may mock my qualifications all you like, but don’t doubt my conviction. I know that I am an unconventional choice for a quest. Members of my sect are never included in adventures or great deeds. We are lucky enough to be a footnote, a dalliance of the heroes making a routine offering to garner favor from the Phoenix. Even so–” he clenched his fist, “–I have never, ever, been ashamed to be what I am. My work brings joy and relief and connection to people. Perhaps that is not what you think is needed on this quest, but the Phoenix sees it differently. So do I.”

[youphoriaot7]

ACTUALLY WAIT-

I'm so sorry op I'm gonna write a q!Roier character study essay under your funny post I apologize I LOVED THE POST THOUGH <3 /lh

Side note, I've only seen a total of two (2) Jaiden streams so this could be a complete mischaracterization, and I sincerely apologize for that—please yell at me in the tags if I'm wrong, I'm still so behind on so much lore (Cellbit main slash neg /j)—but I needed to spew my thoughts.

BUT I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS EARLIER BECAUSE

We know there's two Cucurucho's now, right? One that's more business-like, more Federation-focused, more...aggressive. And one that's more, well, silly—eccentric, I believe was the word used.

And we are all WELL aware of q!Cellbit and q!Jaiden's HEAVILY differing opinions on the Cucuruchos—Cellbit basically wanting to dismantle the Federation and shove a blade in Cucurucho's throat, meanwhile Jaiden's having tea parties and making a good friend. (And this is only about the Cucuruchos, and this distinction is important—because they're both wary of the Federation, but Jaiden trusts the Cucuruchos.*)

Now, who has more experience with the business Cucurucho? Cellbit, clearly. From the moment he summoned the bear with Forever with that iron machine and got chased down a horror tunnel with a chainsaw, he made an enemy for life. And then it stalked him for weeks, and then it kidnapped him and his best friends—man has reason to be upset, but that's beside the point: Cellbit primarily has interacted with the aggressive Federation Cucurucho.

Jaiden, on the other hand, has not. The primary portion of her interactions have been with the silly Cucurucho, the eccentric Cucurucho, the imperfect Cucurucho. She's confided things to it, they've talked about a whole bunch of topics—and it's friendly, to the point of having tea parties and dancing around and blowing bubbles. (I'm hesitant to add too much more here, as again I don't know a large amount about q!Jaiden lore, but you get the point.)

Now, that's not to say they haven't each experienced the other: Jaiden had at least one that I know of, the Federation Cucurucho giving her the details for the dungeon mission atop the wall. Cellbit's had a couple of run-ins with the silly Cucurucho, the one I can think of off the top of my head being that instance when the Cucuruchos showed up back to back at his castle and he took them through his paranormal rooms.

And both times, it's felt...out of character. As a Cellbit viewer, I know I've been weirded out when "Cucurucho plays nice." It's like I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop...but it never does. And I'd imagine a similar thing for Jaiden viewers—though, again, a lot of this is speculation, and I apologize.

But who has had experience with both the most frequently?

Roier.

Early on in the server, Roier and Cucurucho had a fairly positive relationship. After their fight about the tacos, Cucurucho even apologized, and seems to have left gifts and such to show it. He always comes when Roier calls, even now—as proven by his and Cellbit's test a few weeks ago.

But eventually, stuff took a turn. Roier has pointed out before they used to be friends, but "Cucurucho changed." He went from friendly to frosty, caring to cold. Eccentric and imperfect to business-like. Perfect.

Ever since Bobby's "revival" and Cellbit's kidnapping, Roier hasn't truly trusted the Federation or Cucurucho, probably even more than he really lets on. But it started before that, really. His distrust runs all the way back to that "abrupt personality change," which, as I believe he now knows, was more likely an entire Cucurucho switch.

Now, who are q!Roier's two closest friends on the entire island?

Jaiden, his platonic partner, and Cellbit, his husband.

Roier is the bridge between the two. (Always has been, to be honest.) He's the connection they're both missing, the piece that both of them need. The one that can remind Cellbit about the compassionate Cucurucho, the one to gently mention the fact that this other bear has never been as aggressive, never committed any...chainsaw transgressions. (That we know of, at least.) The one that can remind Jaiden about the cold Cucurucho, the one to gently mention the fact that not everyone has been as lucky with the Federation as she has. (For whatever reason.)

And he trusts them both, don't think he doesn't—he's pretty much the only one that supported Cellbit through his corruption arc, pretty much the only one that told Jaiden to ignore the people that didn't trust her. (Because q!Roier chooses bonds, not sides, but that's a whole other rant.) Which, really, puts him in a bit of an awkward spot: having Cellbit ranting about being chased with a chainsaw one minute, and then turning around to listen to Jaiden talk about the walk in the flower garden they took not even ten seconds later. But he handles it flawlessly. (Also a rant for another time.)

Just—hnnnnnngh. Roier and his bonds, and how they connect to the Cucuruchos and, by extention, his views on the Federation as a whole. His cubito is so much more layered than I think people really give him credit for and I just—hnnNNNGHHHHH.

(* Side note—about the distinction between Federation and Cucuruchos. This is something I personally saw q!Jaiden first do, separating the entities of Cucurucho from the greater Federation as a whole. And, to an extent, I really think that's accurate. We don't really know what either Cucurucho...is, why they're here, what their goals are, how closely tied with the Federation they really are—we don't have a lot of answers about anything, to be quite honest. We don't have much information about the Federation, either. There isn't quite enough to make a complete, undeniable, negative connotation yet. And that's another thing that makes this so interesting.)

Can you believe these two are the closest people to q!Roier?

[sourabhkumar21]

Bringing Bollywood to Your Living Room: Premium Indian Entertainment Across America

Are you craving the vibrant colors, captivating drama, and pulsating rhythms of Indian television while residing in the United States? Look no further! As the leading Indian IPTV provider in USA, we’re here to transform your viewing experience and keep you connected to the heart of South Asian entertainment.

We understand the nostalgia that comes with being away from home, and that’s why we’ve made it our mission to bridge the gap between continents. Our cutting-edge IPTV technology brings you a vast array of Indian channels, delivering crystal-clear HD content straight to your devices. From the latest Bollywood blockbusters to gripping soap operas, hard-hitting news coverage to side-splitting comedy shows, we’ve got it all at your fingertips.

Our service isn’t just about providing channels; it’s about crafting an immersive entertainment ecosystem. We offer an extensive library of on-demand content, allowing you to catch up on missed episodes or binge-watch entire seasons at your convenience. With our user-friendly interface, navigating through different genres and languages is a breeze, whether you’re a fan of Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, or any other regional content.

As your trusted Indian IPTV provider in USA, we prioritize reliability and quality. Our robust servers ensure minimal buffering and maximum uptime, so you never miss a moment of your favorite shows. We also stay ahead of the curve by regularly updating our channel list, bringing you new and exciting content from across the Indian subcontinent.

But we’re more than just a streaming service. We’re a community of South Asian entertainment enthusiasts, dedicated to preserving cultural connections across borders. Our customer support team, fluent in multiple Indian languages, is always ready to assist you, ensuring a seamless viewing experience.

At Top Indian IPTV, we believe in bringing families together through the power of shared entertainment. Whether you’re a first-generation immigrant or a long-time resident, our service helps you stay in touch with your roots and pass on the rich tapestry of Indian culture to the next generation. Join us in celebrating the diversity and vibrancy of Indian entertainment, right here in the USA!