#The ticket keeper

[storeboughtmint]

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Ich hasse ihn ich habe Schaum vor dem Mund

[crehador]

i still distinctly remember when arb first came out i said i would reroll only until i got ssr ichiro or ssr samatoki, would have been happy with either! but before i got any roll with one of them, i got BOTH TOGETHER IN ONE SHOT

used up all my gacha luck for life there

or so i thought

IT

SOMEHOW

HAPPENED AGAIN??????

[littlemyinvadeshighbury]

Keefe Sencen is a Reputation girlie bc he's always in his Rep era. Sophie is always in her Speak Now era. I don't really want to elaborate, it's just the truth.

[fireofjudgement]

I wish I could get back to writing for aib, but unfortunately my mind is occupied with Min Yoongi rn

[sonofcelluloid]

Wake up, my love! I’ve purchased us two tickets to Thailand! We are going to visit the young Moo Deng! You’re aware how fond I’ve grown of her little dumpling face and well documented lust for blood. I plan to hypnotize the zoo keepers into letting us pet her. Pack your things! Quickly! I’d dread to interfere with her sleep schedule. And if we make good time I’d also very much like to fuck you on the beach where James Bond dueled Scaramanga.

[freyayuki]

Final Fantasy Record Keeper Realm and Elemental Relic Draw Banners Part 8

Every 15 days that players log on to the Final Fantasy Record Keeper (FFRK) mobile game, they get 1 Realm/Elemental x 11 ticket.

These tickets can be used on Realm and Elemental banners for a 10 +1 pull that guarantees at least 1 relic that’s of 5-star or higher rarity. These tickets can also be obtained as special rewards from campaigns and limited events and the like.

Final Fantasy Record Keeper End of Service Announcement

Just before the Summer Sun 2022 Festival event was set to begin, an in-game message appeared, saying that Final Fantasy Record Keeper was gonna end its service on September 29, 2022.

Unexpected and unpleasant surprise doesn’t begin to cover this. I talk more about that in another post.

But I really wish that this didn’t have to happen. Don’t want to say goodbye to FFRK yet. There’s still so much that I want to do in this game. Sigh.

Anyway, I’ve already used up all of the Realm/Elemental x11 tickets that I had on hand since there was no longer any reason to save these. I talk more about the results of those pulls in another post.

It really sucks that the game didn’t even bother to update and refresh these banners.

And it would have been really nice if they’d adjusted the rates and/or made it so that players were guaranteed to get at least 1 6-star or 1 7-star relic from these banners. I mean, why not, right? After all, the game is ending already.

Why couldn’t they have given us more Realm/Elemental x11 tickets and/or mythril or something? There were so many things they could have done after announcing that FFRK was gonna end soon.

But we barely got anything. We just got a couple of free draws on a banner (I talk more about that in another post) and that’s basically it. We stopped getting new events and such long before the game ended. It’s really disappointing.

I’m trying to finish as much of FFRK’s content as I can before the end. I talk more about this in another post.

Some of the quests I’ve been able to clear include 1 Realm/Elemental x11 ticket as part of the rewards. Also got some tickets from clearing some of the missions in the Books of Trials and such.

Here are the results of my draws using those tickets:

Water Elemental Banner

This draw gave me 2 6-stars, both new. The first 6-star turned out to be the Ultra Soul Break (USB) of a Final Fantasy V char. Pretty sure this belongs to Bartz Klauser from Final Fantasy V.

Didn’t bother to check since I wasn’t really pleased to see a USB on this draw. That’s because most, if not all, Ultras are now Lensable.

The other 6-star that I got turned out to be the Awakened Arcane Soul Break (AASB) of Wakka from Final Fantasy X.

Super pleased to see this because I already have multiple relics for Wakka. Have his Dual Awakening Soul Break (DASB) and pretty sure I also have his other AASB and his Synchro Arcane Soul Break (SASB) plus a couple of his other relics as well.

Unfortunately, I can’t check my game account anymore because, at the time I’m writing this part of this post, Final Fantasy Record Keeper has long since ended.

And at the time I was pulling on this banner, there were only a few hours left before the game was gonna end. By then I was rushing to finish as much of FFRK’s content as I can. Was also trying to use all the remaining tickets and mythril that I had left.

I really wanted to try out the Final Fantasy X Dragonking Dungeon fight, especially now that I just got another BDL relic for Wakka.

Also have multiple BDL relics for Tidus from Final Fantasy X, including his Dual, both of his Syncs and both of his Awakenings.

With a pretty good FF10 realm team, was pretty sure that I’d be able to beat Bahamut, the Final Fantasy X Dragonking Dungeon quest boss.

It’s just too bad that I ran out of time so never got the chance to try out said fight. Also never got the chance to try out the new AASB that I just got for Wakka.

Barely got to use him. And the same can be said about Tidus and plenty of other chars. Ahh, I really wish that Final Fantasy Record Keeper didn’t have to end.

There’s still so much that I want to do in the game. And now I’ll never be able to because it’s all over now. All that’s left are the memories and these screenshots. Sigh.

Final Fantasy VII Realm Banner

Anyway, after the Water Elemental banner, decided to go to the Final Fantasy VII realm banner. Normally, I would never have done that because Final Fantasy VII (#ad) is my fave realm in this game.

If a Final Fantasy 7 char is on a banner, I almost always pull. And so unsurprisingly, I already have a lot of FF7 relics.

The FFVII realm banner is really bloated too and since the game didn’t even bother to adjust the rates or refresh said banner, I already knew that the chances of me getting a dupe here was astronomically high.

Nevertheless, I decided to go for it. After all, the game’s gonna end in a few hours. It doesn’t really matter anymore whether I get a dupe or not. Of course, I’d still rather that that didn’t happen.

So naturally, that’s exactly what happened because eff the trashy and crappy rates on this game. Got a 6-star on this pull and it turned out to be nothing more than a dupe of one of Cloud Strife’s (from Final Fantasy VII) Awakenings. IIRC, this is his AASB3.

Cloud is a really good physical DPS, particularly for the wind element. He also has a couple of dark-type relics and he’s decent enough in that element but wind is where he really stands out.

Got to use this Awakening of his a few times but still wish I had more time to play with Cloud and al the other chars in FFRK more.

Wind Elemental Banner

I’m all out of Realm/Elemental x11 tickets now. But I still have exactly 50 mythril. Went to the Wind Elemental banner. Our first multi-draw on all of the Realm and Elemental banners will only cost 15 mythril instead of the usual 50.

Every time the banners are refreshed, the cost of the first multi-draw will also be refreshed. So even if you already did the first pull for 15 mythril before, once the banner gets updated, you can do that again.

Can’t remember the last time I did one of these first mythril pulls on any of these banners. It was definitely a long time ago. Over time, the pool for these banners has become so bloated that it just wasn’t worth it anymore to spend mythril, even if it’s just 15, to pull here.

It didn’t help that we were only guaranteed to get at least 1 5-star from these draws. You could spend 15 mythril and end up with nothing more than a dupe or a useless and outdated 5-star relic.

So I’ve taken to just saving my mythril for other banners then just using my Realm/Elemental x11 tickets here. Well, it’s not like there’s anywhere else to use these tickets on but you get what I mean.

Anyway, my first mythril pull on the Wind Elemental banner gave me a dupe of Vaan’s (from Final Fantasy XII) Awakening. IIRC, this is his AASB2.

Also have Vaan’s AASB1, his physical wind Chain Soul Break (CSB) and a few of his other relics. Sadly, don’t have his Sync or Dual.

His Chain is good though and he deals decent enough damage with both of his Awakenings so he’s part of my physical wind elemental team as my Chain holder. His Hero Ability even lowers the wind resistance of enemies, which is always helpful.

Wish I’d been able to use Vaan more. Was hoping to get his other BDL relics too but now that’s never gonna happen. Sigh.

Ice Elemental Banner

Went to the Ice Elemental banner where my first multi-draw also only cost 15 mythril.

Got 2 5-stars and 2 6-stars. To my surprise, Dr. Mog appeared then turned one of the 6-stars into a 7-star. Nice.

The 5-stars I got were new but meh. Wasn’t interested in either of them. Also pretty sure both are Lensable.

One 5-star was a Legend Materia Relic (LMR) for a Final Fantasy II char. Didn’t bother taking note of who it belongs to though.

The other 5-star was a Burst Soul Break (BSB) for a Final Fantasy Type-0 char. Since the item is called Seven’s Guise (Type-0), I’m gonna take a wild guess and say this belongs to Seven from Final Fantasy Type-0. LOL.

The 6-star I got turned out to be a dupe of one of the Awakenings of Celes Chere from Final Fantasy VI.

Was annoyed when I saw the Soul Break Rank Up! screen. Then Celes’s Awakening went from Rank 1 of 15 to Rank 3 of 15.

Wish I could have gotten a new Awakening instead. IIRC, I have Celes’s other AASB. Also have one of her Syncs as well as her physical ice Chain. She’s yet another char who I wish I’d been able to use more before the game ended.

Anyway, the 7-star I got turned into this - well, it looks like a pair of red-colored daggers to me but apparently it’s a fist-type weapon.

It was only when I got to the draw results screen that I found out that what I just got was the Synchro Arcane Soul Break (SASB) of Kiros Seagill from Final Fantasy VIII.

It’s new and I’m really pleased to see this but - argh! Why’d this only happen now when FFRK’s set to end in a few hours?

I’ve had Kiros’s Awakening for what feels like forever but couldn’t really use him to his full potential because I didn’t have any other BDL relic for him.

He’s a physical DPS who can deal either ice or dark damage. Got to use him a few times but that feels like forever ago, way back when I didn’t really have a lot of options.

After getting more physical ice and dark DPS, stopped using Kiros. Because I really needed chars who have at least 2 (preferably more) BDL relics in order to tackle some endgame content.

Still wish I’d been able to use Kiros more though. If only I’d been able to get his Sync much earlier - Sigh. Why’d FFRK have to end now? Really wish we had more time.

Dark Elemental Banner

Went to the Dark Elemental banner next. Only have 20 mythril left now so this is gonna be my last ever pull on this game.

Only got 1 gold but at least it was a 6-star. Then Dr. Mog appeared and turned it into a 7-star. Yay! Ended up with this katana.

Barely finished taking a screenshot of said weapon when I was suddenly being greeted by the Soul Break Rank Up! screen.

Yup, that’s right. Just got a dupe of the Synchro Arcane Soul Break 1 (SASB1) of Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII. It went from Rank 1 of 5 to Rank 3 of 5.

Man, sometimes, this game can be really frustrating. I mean, I don’t want it to end but argh! The rates here seem so freaking bad.

Anyway, I actually have basically all of Sephiroth’s relics.

I wish I could say that I have all of them but I can’t. Missing exactly one relic for him and that’s his Dual Awakening Soul Break 1 (DASB1). I really, really hate that I wasn’t able to get this.

And it’s definitely not for lack of trying. When Sephiroth’s Dual first showed up in Final Fantasy Record Keeper, I tried pulling for it.

I talk more about that in this post, but the main point is that, sadly, no matter how many times I pulled on the banner said Dual was featured in, was never able to get it.

Went 10 pulls deep on that banner, spending hundreds of mythril, until I was all out and yet I couldn’t even manage to get all the relics featured there.

Was really frustrated and annoyed about that. Still am, really. Eff the crappy rates on this game. And now that FFRK is over, I’ll never be able to get Sephiroth’s Dual ever. Sigh.

It feels like it was forever ago when I first got Sephiroth’s Sync 1. I remember when it first showed up in the game. Tried pulling for it but, just like with Sephi’s Dual, also failed to get it even after spending hundreds of mythril on the banner it was featured in. I talk more about that in this post.

Thankfully, unlike with Seph’s Dual, I was eventually able to get his Sync 1. That didn’t happen until much, much later though. And I needed to make use of the Stamp Sheet Sync Select to make it happen. I talk more about that in another post.

Sephiroth is a physical DPS and a really good one at that. His elements are dark and fire. He’s part of my physical dark elemental team, my physical fire elemental team, and my Final Fantasy VII realm team.

Got to use him a lot. He’s better as a dark DPS but I mostly use him as a fire one since fire’s my fave element in this game. My physical fire team is what I try to use all the time. Since Sephi’s part of that, it also meant I got to use him a lot.

Still, it feels like I didn’t get to use him enough. I still wish that Final Fantasy Record Keeper didn’t have to end yet. There’s still so much that I want to do in this game. Wish we didn’t have to say goodbye yet.

Conclusion

So what about you? Which banners did you use your Realm/Elemental x11 tickets on? How did your pulls go? What do you think about the rates on FFRK? What do you think about the fact that Final Fantasy Record Keeper is all over now? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions by leaving a comment below or by reblogging or replying to this post.

Notes:

screenshots are from my Final Fantasy Record Keeper game account

[goldfades]

✮ 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐩, 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 | jack hughes

♡ ─ word count | 3.8k

♡ ─ summary | when you and jack had parted ways, somehow you both knew you'd meet again somehow.

♡ ─ warnings | second chance romance!! slight angst (nothing too crazy), fluffy as fuck!!! jack being a cutie patootie, bsf x luke hughes cus why not???? mention of drinking/bars but that should be it.

♡ ─ taglist | | @dancerbailey3 @valluvsu @daisysnhl @dasiysthings @iminlovewithtz11 @literatureluster @lvrzegras @lxvleyzoe @bowen-power @ru-kru @jackhughesily @hearts-for-luke

♡ ─ ev's notes | okay, so this started off as sweeter than fiction fic but slowly turned into an invisible string fic, but its okay. they both slay and lowkey work well together!!

No matter how hard you tried to forget Jack, you never could.

The moment you both laid eyes on each other, each of you knew it was game over for everyone else. Everyone else was merely everybody else, and the other was just the one. From the first hello to the last goodbye, there was a connection neither of you could fathom.

Jack was more than just your first love or your first everything, he soon became the key to solving all your problems and the keeper of all your secrets. He was the funniest and kindest person you knew, no matter how long you'd been together. That never changed, even after you two parted ways.

It's been almost three years since you seperated but you can still how he made you feel, and all his favorite things: how he liked his coffee, what side of the bed he slept, his favorite soda and how to cheer him up. However, if someone had asked you where he was now, you couldn't tell them.

Well, not necessarily. You knew he plays some NHL team and he was doing what he's always loved, that's all you knew for sure. Some things never change, you guess.

Sometimes, you would wonder if he ever thought of you. Were you just a passing thought or a lasting memory? Did he remember everything or did he forget it? Those questions kept you up at night. But, at the end of the day, you realized that you were happy for him because he was out there, pursuing his dreams. Even if you weren't in those stands, wearing his jersey cheering him on, like he'd always promised.

──

"A hockey game?" You repeated, staring at your best friend Brie. She shook her head, a big smile on her face.

"My friend got tickets a few months ago but he got covid, so he gave them to me. And I knew you were a fan of hockey, so why not?" Brie explained as she leaned back into the couch.

"Not really-"

"Well you grew uo in Ontario so that makes you a hockey fan by association. You're going, end of discussion." Brie sighed exasperatedly, feigning annoyance as a smile enveloped your face. You had no choice now, you had to go.

You couldn't help but chuckle at Brie's determination. She always had a way of roping you into things, and this time was no exception. Despite your initial reluctance, the prospect of attending a hockey game stirred a sense of excitement within you.

A few days later, you found yourself growing curious about the experience. Memories of watching hockey matches with your family in Ontario flooded back, reminding you of the excitement that accompanied each game. One memory stuck out to you, you couldn't remember much but you do remember the warm feeling of his jacket and how your heart was beating- No, no. Focus on the now, Y/N. You reminded yourself as you forced yourself out of your head.

You navigate your way through the big arena and you both finally found your seats, settling in as the game was beginning. Settling into your seat, you let yourself soak in the atmosphere, the sights and sounds of the arena becoming a backdrop to your thoughts and emotions.

The players take to the ice and the game begins, you find yourself swept up in the thrill of the moment. The cheers of the crowd fill the air, each goal and save met with loud applause and excitement. You missed this.

"Y/N, look! That's the one I was telling you about, the one who followed me. Isn't he cute?" Brie spoke with a warm blush on her face, pointing out a number 43. You nodded, watching him glide.

He looked slightly familiar but you couldn't place it. "Wait... Is that why we're here, Brie?"

"What? No. What do you mean? What?" Brie's blush spread to her entire face as she let out a giggle, a telltale sign of her lying. You shook your head with a laugh, of course there was an ulterior motive to coming here.

She let out a sigh and then continued, "Okay fine. He invited me to the game, with free tickets. You wouldn't say no either, alright?"

"Yeah, free tickets are free tickets." You shrugged with another laugh. "Is he cute?"

"You'll see, he told me to come to the bar after the game."

"And I have to come?" You sighed, leading back into the uncomfortable seat of the stands.

"Don't sound too excited, Y/N." She teased as you rolled your eyes playfully. "He has a cute brother and I heard the captain is hot, so... you won't be third wheeling entirely."

"Okay, fine. But what if they aren't cute?"

"This is hockey, babe, there is a very low chance of that happening." Brie said with a big grin as you laughed. That was true, they all happened to be very cute.

With each passing minute, the anticipation grew, fueled by the idea of meeting Brie's acquaintance and his friends. Despite your initial hesitation, there was an undeniable curiosity about what the night held in store.

As the final buzzer sounded and the game drew to a close with another win for the Devils, you found yourself caught between anxious anticipation and excitement. The promise of a post-game gathering lingered in the air, pulling you into its orbit with a magnetic force you couldn't resist.

Brie quickly took you out of your trance, grabbing your hand to rush to the bar. As you entered the busy bar, the atmosphere was electric, pulsating with the excitement of post-game celebration. The air was thick with the scent of beer and sweat as you nervously walked beside Brie to find her friend.

She pulled your sleeve and pointed to a curly-head in the distance before whispering, "That's him."

"Whoa, he's tall."

"I know." She whispered back dreamily as she stared before walking towards him, a confident smile on her face whilst you followed her.

He turned around and your eyes widened. He was familiar, you knew exactly who he was. Luke Hughes, Jack's little brother. Instant regret hit you as you hoped and prayed he wouldn't remember you.

Thankfully, he looked right at Brie with a huge grin. "Oh, hey. Glad you could make it."

He leaned in for a hug and your eyebrows rose, they were already on hugging terms? As they pulled apart, his gaze moved to you and his features changed into a knowing one. You plastered on the best smile you could and silently prayed he didn't remember you.

"Y/N?"

Shit.

But that wasn't Luke's voice, you turned your head to the side to see him. "Jack?"

As the name escaped his lips, your heart skipped a beat, the world around you seeming to slow to a crawl. Time seemed to stand still as you locked eyes with him, the familiarity of his gaze stirring a whirlwind of emotions within you. His blue eyes boring into yours, your heart racing.

In that moment, the weight of the past crashed over you like a tidal wave, memories flooding back with clarity. The sound of his smooth voice, the warmth of his sweet gaze—it was as if no time had passed at all, as if you were transported back to a time when the world was simpler, when your love felt like an unbreakable bond.

For a moment, the world fell away, leaving only the two of you locked in a silent exchange that spoke volumes to only the two of you. Memories of your shared past flooded back, the laughter, the tears, the love that had once bound you together, all laid bare in the space between you.

Jack's expression softened, a flicker of recognition dancing in his eyes as he took in your features. It was as if time itself had stood still, freezing this moment in eternity, the echoes of your past reverberating through the air like a haunting melody.

"Jack, buddy, you're about to spill the drinks." Luke's voice drew both of you out of your trance and back into the present moment and out of your head.

"Yeah, um, sorry. Here." Jack nodded to his brother and handed him the beer as you stared back at him, a troubled expression plastered on your face.

As Jack handed the beer to Luke, the brief interlude allowed a moment of reflection from the intensity of the small exchange. The tension lingered between you, a reminder of the emotions simmering under the surface.

You struggled to find the words to break the silence, the weight of your past weighing heavy on your heart. Each passing moment seemed to stretch into eternity, the air thick with anticipation and uncertainty.

Finally, Jack turned back to you, his gaze searching, as if looking for answers to questions left unasked. The troubled expression on your face mirrored the emotions swirling in you, a storm of conflicting feelings that threatened to engulf you both.

"I... It's been a while," Jack began, his voice hesitant, the words hanging in the air between you like a delicate thread.

"Yeah, it has," you replied softly, your voice barely above a whisper. The memories of your shared past lingered like a ghost, haunting the space between you with their silent presence.

Luke looked a Brie with a knowing look, taking her hand warmly and glancing between you and Jack. "I think me and Brie are gonna get some drinks, we'll be right back."

Before anyone could reject, Luke pulled away your best friend to the bar and she turned around with a sympathetic smile and a shrug. You cursed the younger Hughes as you sighed. Now you have to face Jack alone, without the comfort of your best friend.

You and Jack once again found each other's gaze, staring into each other's eyes with warmth and recognition. His eyes were still as blue as you left them but he looked more mature, facial hair growing on his chin and his hair a little longer but you thought it suited him. But he still has the boyish charm to him, the thing that made you fall for him in the first place. His mouth curved up into a small smile as he watched you observe him.

"How've you been?" His voice echoed and that was another that hadn't changed. You had forgotten his voice on the course of the couple years of separation, you forgot how sweet and smooth it was.

"I've been..." You trailed off, not knowing what to exactly. "I've been good. You?" You settled for a simple answer, not knowing exactly where you stood yet.

"Can't complain." He responded with a shrug, take a sip of his beer. Silence once again filled the space between you as you gazed at each other.

In the absence of words, your gaze held a conversation of its own. The warmth and recognition in Jack's eyes mirrored the emotions swirling within you. For a moment, it was like you were seeing him for the first time again—his features bathed in the soft glow of recognition, his smile warm in the rest of world's darkness. The years had etched lines of experience onto his face, sculpting the contours of his features into something familiar yet different.

And yet, beneath the surface, there remained a sense of familiarity—a connection that defied the time itself and the hurts of the past. It was a reminder of the depth of your shared history, the moments that had shaped you into the people you had become.

You couldn't help but wonder what thoughts raced through his mind, what memories stirred beneath the surface. Did he too feel the weight of the past, the pull of unfinished stories waiting to be told?

"You grew your hair out." He stated softly as he examined your new look. "It looks good."

"Looks like you did, too." You smiled softly and he let out a warm laugh, and it was infectious. The memories, rushed back into your mind at the happy sound and your stomach did a flip. Another thing that hadn't changed, the sweet sound of his laugh.

"Yeah, that's what hockey does to a guy." He explained, his eyes glowing beneath the warm light of bar.

You chuckled, a mixture of emotions swirling within you. "Guess it comes with the territory. You always did love the game."

Jack's gaze softened, a flicker of sentimentality in his eyes. "Yeah, some things just never change, I guess. Hockey's been a constant in my life and I don't think I'll ever stop."

The shared memories of watching games together, the thrill of victories, and the hurt of defeats lingered in the air, connecting you both in a shared history that time hadn't erased.

"I remember how you used to explain the rules to me, as if I was clueless," you teased, a playful glint in your eye.

Jack laughed, the sound a symphony of familiarity. "Hey, but you caught on quick. Besides, it was a good excuse to spend time together."

The mention of spending time together cast a gentle shadow over the present moment, a reminder of the shared past that had once been the foundation of your connection. The complexities of life had woven a tapestry of experiences, leading you both on separate journeys, yet the threads of your history remained intertwined.

"But hey, the hair suits you," you replied, your voice soft with sincerity. Despite the years that had passed, there was a sense of ease in the way you spoke to each other, as if no time had elapsed at all.

Before he could respond, you were suddenly pushed from the back and flew right into the arms. You were shocked and turned around to see a drunk man stumbling. Suddenly, Jack's arm twisted around your shoulder, a protective stance.

"Shit, sorry." He slurred before walking away into the crowd.

The sudden proximity between you sent a jolt of awareness coursing through your veins, the closeness igniting a spark of familiarity that lingered in the air like electricity.

As the chaos of the moment subsided, the realization of how close you two had been struck you with a sudden clarity, leaving your cheeks warm and your heart racing. You both stared into each other's eyes before Jack spoke softly. "Let's go somewhere quieter, yeah?"

With a nod of agreement, you instinctively reached for his hand, fingers intertwining in a silent pact as he led you through the crowd and out into the cool night air. The sounds of the bar faded into the distance, replaced by the soft murmur of the night.

He let go your hand, the cool night air hit the warm area that his hand once was. He gazed out into the night as you looked to the side of his face, a warm feeling filling your body in spite of it being cold outside.

"So, you play on the same team as Luke?" You spoke, breaking the silence between you two.

His lips curved into a smile as he nodded, "Yeah, isn't that funny? We always talked about playing together again but it's cool that we can actually do that now."

You couldn't help but marvel at the twist of fate that brought them together again. The bond between Jack and Luke was woven with shared memories and childhood dreams, all coming true.

"It's amazing how things come full circle," you remarked, a small smile playing on your lips.

"Yeah and Quinn's finally got the captaincy, it's perfect." Jack continued. He looked happy and content with the way things were turning out with his career and his family, it made you happy seeing him happy. "What about you? Anything exciting?" He turned his attention to you, his blue eyes gazing into yours.

You smiled. "Not as much as you, definitely. But I'm about to graduate and get an apartment, all by myself up in New York. Found the perfect one yesterday and I'm driving up there to see it."

"Just like you always wanted, huh?" Jack's smile grew at that. He was comforted knowing that you hadn't changed too much and you were still same old you, despite how many years that had passed.

"Yeah, it's right in the middle of the city, with windows everywhere so I can watch the city move."

Like you had always wanted, Jack thought in his mind with a big smile. "So we are both chasing our dreams, then?"

"Yeah, something like that." You laughed and he joined along. The warmth of his laughter filled your lungs and you felt like you were out of breath just by laughing along with him. It was perfect. The laughter had died down and you both still were locked in gaze.

For a moment, it was as if the world had faded away, leaving only the two of you suspended in the quiet intimacy of the night. The warmth of Jack's presence enveloped you like a comforting embrace, grounding you in the present moment amidst the chaos of the world.

His smile slowly dropped as he kept looking into your eyes. "Why'd we ever break up?"

The bluntness of the question had taken you aback. And you started thinking back to why you broke up. As you searched for an answer, the weight of the past pressed down upon you, a heavy burden that threatened to consume you whole. The reasons for your breakup lingered on the edges of your consciousness, fragments of half-forgotten truths waiting to be unearthed.

You were moving away to college and he was getting into the NHL, the only logical way to go about this about was to break up. Long distance wouldn't have worked and plus, you were both growing up and getting into new worlds, you didn't want him worrying about you while he was out there, pursuing his dreams.

But deep down, you knew that the choices you had made had led you to where you were now, standing face to face with the echoes of your past and the possibilities of the future. The memory of your break-up was clear in your mind, with all the anger and resentment both of you had in that one moment. But something you had said suddenly stuck out to you, "If we are meant to be, we will."

And we did. You thought to yourself as you stared into Jack's eyes. "We were both growing up and moving away, and I-I guess... I didn't wanna burden you."

Jack's expression softened. "Burden me?"

Silence filled the air once again but this time, you felt embarrassed. How could that have led to the break-up? It seems so small but it felt so big before, like it was the end of the world.

"Yeah," you admitted, your gaze dropping for a moment before meeting Jack's eyes again. "I was worried about holding you back, about becoming a distraction when you had this incredible opportunity in front of you. I thought breaking up was the right thing to do, to give you the freedom to chase your dreams without any restraints."

Jack's expression softened, his eyes reflecting understanding. "Y/N, you could never be a burden to me," he replied softly, his voice filled with sincerity. "We were in it together, remember?"

"I'm sorry, Jack," you whispered, the weight of your words hanging heavy in the air. "I... I wish things had been different."

He immediately shook his head and slowly took your hand. "Don't apologize. If things had been different you don't know how that would've worked out, but right now, everything that led us here is perfect." He said sternly as you nodded slowly.

With a nod of agreement, you allowed his words to seep into the depths of your heart, a gentle reminder that the journey you had embarked upon together with twists and turns but ultimately, it had led you to this moment and that was enough.

"I believe that too," you whispered, your voice tinged with hope and conviction. "Every step we took, every choice we made, brought us here, to this moment."

Jack's gaze softened, his eyes reflecting a depth of emotion that mirrored your own. "We found each other again for a reason, don't you think?"

You nodded softly as you gazed back at him, warmth filling your whole body. Before you could answer, you felt a buzz in your pocket and sighed. You were ripped away from this perfect moment and back to reality. You took your phone out and saw the caller ID: "Brie <3"

You answered it, "Hey, Brie."

"Hey, so where are you? I just remembered I have a 9am lecture tomorrow."

You sighed before shaking your head. Brie and her bad memory, "I'm, uh, outside."

"Great, I'll meet you at the car. We have a lot to debrief tonight."

"Oh yeah, a whole lot." You laughed as you stared back at Jack's face with a warm smile. "'Kay, love you."

"Love you."

She hung up and you were met with Jack's gaze, pulled back into the moment. Again, there was silence before you spoke up. "Well, I gotta go."

"I figured." Jack spoke as a smile curved his mouth.

"I'll... see you, then?" Your voice came out in a quiet whisper as he nodded.

You turned around and started walking before you stopped. You couldn't leave without anything, right? It wouldn't be right. You turned around swiftly with a warm smile. "Umm... when can I see you?"

Jack's eyes lit up at your question, a flicker of excitement dancing in their depths. For a moment, he seemed taken aback by your sudden boldness, but a smile quickly spread across his face, warming the space between you.

Jack's eyes lit up at your question, a genuine smile playing on his lips. "How about tomorrow? We could grab coffee or something, catch up properly."

Your heart skipped a beat at his suggestion, the prospect of spending more time with him filling you with a sense of anticipation and joy. The thought of reconnecting with Jack, of rediscovering the depths of your bond, ignited a spark of hope within your soul.

"That sounds perfect," you replied, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips.

As you exchanged details and finalized the plans, the air buzzed with anticipation. The promise of tomorrow held the potential for new beginnings, a chance to explore the rekindled connection between you and Jack.

As you parted ways, each step carrying you closer to the promise of tomorrow, you couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude for the chance to rewrite the narrative of your story, to carve out a future filled with forgiveness and the prospect unfulfilled promises you once made, coming true.

-> make sure to check out my navigation or masterlist if you enjoyed! any interaction is greatly appreciated! <-

thank you for reading all the way through, as always ♡

[kiame-sama]

What gets someone put in Jamil's Coil-Jail? Would he put the Human in Coil-Jail for trying to make a wish with Kalim? Would he put the Human in Coil-Jail for his own pleasure?

- Jamil would put others in Coil-Jail (winding his snake tail around someone to keep them in place or hold them still) for many things. Usually Kalim is the one in Coil-Jail for screwing around too much during classes or just trying to skip out of homework. General misbehavior or risky behavior gets someone put in Coil-Jail and it is entirely up to Jamil on if he is going to release someone from Coil-Jail or not. Naga are constrictors and venomous (most snakes are one or the other) so his tail is pure muscle that is nigh impossible for someone weaker than Leona to break free from. If his 'prisoner' is too rowdy, he can always envenomate them to calm them or make them go limp.

- The Human is mostly exempt from Coil-Jail as the act of winding his tail around them is much more intimate to Jamil than it would be to 'imprison' anyone else in his coils. Naga often wind their tails around those they are intending to mate, so Jamil takes the act as much more intimate. Luckily, with the wrap that holds his shirts down and in place on his snake body, it is near impossible to tell that he is excited or enjoying it far too much. The only indication that Jamil is holding the Human for his own gain is the way his tail lightly squeezes and rubs the smooth scales against the Human's soft body.

- The only time the Human goes in actual Coil-Jail and not just Jamil holding them for his own desires is if the Human is in danger, hurts themselves somehow, or tries to make a wish with Kalim. Kalim is the WORST Genie to walk Twisted Wonderland and he is terrible at granting wishes that don't end horribly. Trying to ask Kalim for a wish is immediate Coil-Jail for the both of you and it means an extended lecture from Jamil about the dangers of trying to make wishes with less-than-competent Genies. Kalim takes zero offence to Jamil flat saying that he is the worst of the worst of Genies in his family, because it is true. Unless the wish is for an Oasis or some of his personal wealth, Kalim can't help in any capacity.

- Jamil is a servant in a long line of Naga servants that protect the Al-Asim family with their lives. Where an Al-Asim chooses to rest, so too shall there be a Viper lying in wait. The Viper family of Nagas usually are the keepers of the Genie lamps the Al-Asim's inhabit, often holding the lamps in their coils whenever the Al-Asim retires to their lamps to rest. Jamil was born a servant, grew up as a servant, and- unless he weds the Human and breaks free of his familial shackles- will die a servant. Jamil knows this fact all too well and he knows his only hope to escape Kalim is through the Human of Night Raven College. The Human is his ticket to freedom from the air-head Genie.

[willowed-wisp]

RELATIONSHIP HEADCANONs [ johnny ‘soap’ mactavish ]

Johnny ‘Soap’ MacTavish x f!reader/you

SFW

- When you guys met, you thought he was an airhead, blue eyed meat head. Still is but he was also a deeply caring and affectionate person

- Probably met on his way back from the gym or in the gym- depends if you workout or not.

- Johnny isn’t the type to restrain his thoughts- immediately asked for you out and the rest is history.

- Now to the dating- he is 100% Rottweiler energy… a mix of golden retriever boyfriend that can flip his switch. He’ll protect you- no second thoughts.

- You meet his parents after a week of officially dating, his mum loves you and tells him to get on one knee then and there. Spoilers he’s already planned out the rest of your lives together… not in a creepy way.

- Back hugs are his thing, he’s like a backpack out and about. Just to let everyone know you’re his.

- Looks at you like you’re the only thing he’s ever known… the air he breathes. Deep blue eyes filled with adoration, you couldn’t put it into words. Only that your heart flutters whenever he’s looking your way.

- Makes stupid dad jokes, especially when hanging out with Ghost

- Ghost is definitely the best man at your wedding, whether he likes it or not.

- You’re well acquainted with the boys from 141. Price feels like a father figure, Gaz the relentless older brother and Ghost like a protective cat.

- Takes you to the local pub every time Aberdeen F.C. play and watch it at the bar. It’s amusing to see him a few pints in and saying, “Goal keeper, pfftt, I could keep be’er in primary school…”

- Let’s just say, you’d crack up and nearly drag him off the stool beside you.

- Not to mention when you buy him season tickets for Aberdeen… he’d be the loudest in the stadium if not for you. The look of pride when you repeat what he said in the pub… Christ, he was a lucky man.

- If you had told him you wanted him to retire from the military, he probably would have. He even spoke to you about it.

- You nearly slapped him in the face, calling him an ‘eejit’ (picking up Scottish slang). Thats probably when he knew he’d spend the rest of his life with you.

- It may have broken your heart when he was away, no way to contact you on covert missions. You didn’t even know where he was… but you couldn’t watch him lose himself, knowing that he was born to be in the SAS.

- You noticed a new tattoo on his hip, “why the hell is my name tattooed on your body?” And he would reply, “You’re my lady, enough said.”

- He pops the question somewhere lowkey like your house, just plops down on one knee with a ring in a box. You thought he’d fallen over and instantly told him to get up. So taken aback, you have a ring on your finger and Johnny’s arms around you.

- The wedding was a riot, his family are Roman Catholic raised and you were okay with the ceremony is the local Catholic parish.

- You can’t remember who walks you down the aisle, but at the end of it is Johnny MacTavish in a kilt with his family tartan. You didn’t focus on his military formals adorned with various badges, or that kilt. It was the tears in his sapphire eyes, with Price and Ghost behind him as well as his cousin, the one who inspired him to join the forces.

- The Scottish knew how to party… you danced the night away. Ghost was Johnny’s best man. His speech entailed how, “Johnny wouldn’t stop talkin’ abou’ Y/N. An’ meetin’ her I could see why, she winds your neck in, mate.”

NSFW under cut….

NSFW

- Johnny waited until you were ready to do anything. He’s a gentleman, unlike popular belief.

- But after he coaxed you into working out with him… watching him pump not only the weights but you… you were a gonna, you got back to your place and your lips were crushed against his own.

- Stripping his arms of the hoodie, revealing those thick, rippling arms and the tattoos. His look drove you insane, never been so wet in your life.

- He struggled to keep at your pace, wanting to amp it up because you’d been driving him insane since he met you. Johnny was at his wits end when he hiked you into his arms. So steady and unyielding, lips indenting lilac across the span of your neck before ravaging your lips.

- Hips bucking into your spread legs, straight to the middle. Where you needed him.

- That first time, no time was wasted and no foreplay required. You marvelled slightly at all of him. This was the first time seeing him topless let alone butt naked… he knew he struck the jackpot with you when he could barely fit the tip in.

- Clawing at his numerous scars and moaning effervescence. His name so sweetly rolled off your tongue- the only thing she could muster. And the soldier couldn’t help that drop dead gorgeous smile play on his lips, you shuddered beneath him on the couch you normally watched movies on.

- Maybe that’s when you knew he’d be the man you’d spend the rest of your life with.

- Sex feels like slow motion with Johnny MacTavish, something about his starlight kissed eyes makes time feel like it stopped. Even in a non-sexual sense, you swear you see the dust shine in sunbeams when sharing eye contact.

- Johnny loves watching you ride him, getting tired out because he’s not easy to break. Meeting your bounces, fingers scarring your hips as he thrusts into you.

- Don’t let this man catch you in one of his tight fit t-shirts, if you don’t wanna be around his cock in ten seconds flat.

- Yes, he’s that fast.

- The aftercare KING. Want hot chocolate and a Christmas on in the middle of July- he’ll do it.

- Need a stonking hot bubble bath, he’s getting the rubber ducky and carrying there bridal style. Washing your hair and your body.

- He just loves you and cannot get over how lucky he is to be such a beauty- inside and out

- If you want round two, three or four during the aftercare… he’s got stamina for days soooo it’s really your pick of Johnny special

————

masterlist

[woso-dreamzzz]

Call Up III

Hardersson x Teen!Reader

Part of The Big Adventures Universe

Summary: Your first Senior match

"Frido," Magda says, jaw hanging open in shock," What the hell is that?"

"Cool, right?" Frido brags, pulling on her shirt to show off the back.

"They're not selling those right now," Magda says as she takes her seat," How did you get one?"

Frido grins.

On her back, is Harder-Eriksson, the name you've chosen to represent Sweden with.

"I got it off a site where you can customise jerseys."

"She got scammed too," Zećira says," Had to get a new credit card."

"Stop telling people that!"

Zećira just laughs as Pernille and Magda take their seats. "How is she feeling? Nervous?"

"Probably," Pernille says," You know how she is. It's her first game. She wants this to go perfectly."

"It will," Zećira replies. She sounds confident and Pernille has to wonder if she's psychic or something. The way she says it with such conviction is like there's no other option means she must be psychic. There's no other explanation.

The crowd cheers, stopping Pernille from pressing further and she gets to her feet to clap as the players filter out from the tunnel.

You're the second in line, right after your captain - a newly appointed woman who looks so much taller and older compared to you at just seventeen.

You look nervous, it's clear on your face. It's clear by the way you keep shifting your weight around and how you gnaw at your bottom lip. Your eyes dart around, purposely avoiding the box of supporters you know who are here to see you.

Magda can't believe what she's seeing, not really. For years, you've waddled around the house in her Sweden jersey. For years, you've worn Zećira's Sweden jersey to sleep.

But now, you're standing in front of a sold-out crowd in a Sweden jersey of your own (one day, you'll have the most jersey sales of a keeper in history). There are names on your back that people will be very familiar with (one day, those names will be synonymous with you alone, not Magda and Pernille). There is a small handful of people here to see you (one day, people will buy tickets just because your name is on the team sheet).

This is your first time playing for Sweden.

Just a friendly (one day, you'll win World Cups with Sweden).

One day, this match will be a blip in your life but right now it's the most important match of your career.

You're representing your country as you stand in the middle of you goal.

You've played against Spain's youth team countless times for Denmark. It's strange to see the Spain kit and no Natalia Guijarro running towards you with the ball.

Vicky Lopez is running at you this time, barely five minutes into the match. She's woven her way through your defensive line. She adjusts her positioning by just a fraction and winds her leg up.

She'll shoot for the top corner. You know this and you leap, falling forward onto your front.

The ball is in your hands and you roll it out towards your defenders.

"Yes!" Frido cheers, pumping her fist into the air," Yes! That's it!"

Magda wants to roll her eyes but she feels exactly the same way, though she keeps it much more contained.

The first half draws to a close with a spectacular goal from a Swedish midfielder who Magda knows recently signed for Gotham.

You jog off the field with your team, instantly being tucked under the arm of your captain as she teasingly ruffles your hair.

When you come out for the second half, you look infinitely more relaxed and comfortable. You look much more like you did when you played for Denmark.

You look secure and you definitely take a few more daring risks.

Stealing the ball right from the feet of a Spanish player looks so much like Magda that even the cameraman cuts to your Morsa cheer from the stands, waving a little flag with your face on it.

As soon as she realises Magda is on screen, your moster Frido barges her way into view as well with a sign that has some of your baby pictures on it.

It's embarrassing and so stupid but it makes you smile as you kick the ball down to your midfield who starts on the attack.

The smile that emerges doesn't fade even when the fulltime whistle is blown.

A clean sheet seems like the best way to start your international career with Sweden.

"Look at you," Your captain says, ruffling your hair," Clean sheet. What did I tell you, huh? Nothing to be worried about."

You try to squirm away but she holds you tighter. She holds you hostage as the rest of the team on and off the bench converge on you.

You know what they're going to do and you try to escape.

You manage to duck under arms but run straight into Frido.

You hadn't even realised she'd gotten onto the pitch.

"No," She teases, turning you around and shoving you right back at the team.

"Momma, Morsa!" You whine as Frido tries to walk you over," Make her stop."

"No chance," Morsa laughs," This is your debut. You get all the perks that comes with it."

You pout. "I wish I stayed with Denmark."

"Don't lie," Momma says.

"Zećira, please? Can't you stop them?"

Zećira laughs as well, arms crossed over her chest. "And miss out on my little prodigy experiencing this? Take it with dignity."

Frido pushes you right at the crowd of your teammates.

They don't let you get away this time.

Hands are on your limbs as you're lifted up and thrown into the air.

[russo-woso]

I want to make him proud || Lia Wälti x reader

Request | Masterlist | Prompt list

Warning death, grief

Summary You’re dad passes and you dedicate your goal to him

When you received the news your dad had died, your world stopped.

Your phone slipped from your hands, your body in shock.

Your father, your hero, who was a perfectly healthy man, had died from a heart attack.

Time stood still when you heard the words - your father passed away.

Your girlfriend, Lia, was in the kitchen when you’d picked up the phone.

She was carried away cooking when she heard your phone hit the ground.

“Baby? Are you okay?” She shouted through, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion when she didn’t get a reply. “Y/N?”

Putting down the knife, she walked through to the living room to see you as white as a ghost.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

“He’s gone.” You whispered, your voice in complete disbelief.

“Who’s gone?”

“My dad. He’s gone.” You repeated, tears forming in your eyes.

“Baby, you’re going to have to give me more detail. Where’s he gone?”

“He passed away.”

The weeks that followed were ones filled with doom and grief.

You couldn’t believe it.

You had seen him just days before he passed. He was happy, he was healthy, he was perfect.

You remember the last time you saw him, a massive smile on his face as he reminisced some old stories from when you were growing up.

It had started when Lia spotted a picture of you as a baby on your parent’s mantle piece.

Your dad told the backstory of the picture and then more stories kept coming.

You hid your face in embarrassment as he told your girlfriends the most embarrassing stories known to man.

Even with the biggest smile on his face, you begged him to stop.

What you’d do to see that smile again.

The day of his funeral was the hardest day of your life.

It was a final goodbye to him - one that you never thought you’d have to make until years from now.

Lia remained by your side the whole way though, making it a bit more comforting.

The weekend after the funeral was a big weekend for Arsenal.

They were playing Lyon in the semi finals of the champions league.

Although you were not in the perfect mindset to play in one of the biggest games of the year, you had to.

It was a sellout - 60,000 tickets being sold already.

Despite the team telling you that it was okay to miss a match and how they didn’t expect you to play, you felt like you were letting them and the fans down if you didn’t play.

So, you pushed your emotions to the side, deciding to play the match.

As soon as you walked onto the pitch, you knew you’d made the right decision.

It was the perfect distraction took to take your mind off the grief.

The game kicked off and within seconds, you realised you weren’t just playing for the team - you were playing to make your dad proud.

You had a purpose now.

You were going to make your dad proud.

And that’s what you did.

You had played an outstanding game, but as the final minutes ticked by - the scoreline being 2-2, you wanted nothing more than to change it.

Running up and down the pitch, you pressed and pressed until eventually you intercepted a poor pass.

Within a second instinct, you started charging towards the Lyon keeper.

The ball was glued to your feet, there was no chance anyone was getting it from you.

No one was stopping you from the moment.

This was for your dad.

The ball left your foot, making direct contact with your boot as it curled around the keeper and into the bottom corner.

You fell to your knees, your body shaking from your sobs.

You looked up at the sky, kissing your hand and angling it up to the sky.

“You did it, baby!” Lia exclaimed, kneeling down next to you and enveloping you into a hug.

“I did it for him.”

“And he’s so proud of you.” Lia whispered, kissing your temple.

The girls crowded round, hugging you and patting your head.

“He’d be so proud, Y/N.” Steph said as you stood up, still looking up at the clouds.

You nodded, wiping your tears as you blew a final kiss to the sky.

Lia wrapped her arm around your waist as you walked back to your positions.

You had one mission when you walked onto the pitch and that was to make your dad proud and now you can walk off it knowing you did exactly that.

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

Hi! I was wondering if you knew anything in particular about the Lincoln Park Zoo- I think it’s the only zoo I’ve ever been to that’s free/no admission! Especially considering the scale. The only thing that concerned me was that their polar bears seem to have a history of stereotypical behaviors (pacing, primarily) which I saw while I was there, but again, I’m a total outsider to the actual inner workings of the facility. Sorry if this is too vague, haha.

There's a couple city zoos like that with free entrance! It's a cool option, and indicative of the city providing enough funding for the facility to operate without the need for income from tickets. (Sometimes the way things are set up, I think they can be required to stay free). The St. Louis Zoo is another!

I don't know a lot about the Lincoln Park Zoo beyond what I've seen as a guest. I've gone a couple times and haven't seen anything that stood out to me as major red flags, but that's just from a public perspective and not a comprehensive assessment. They're AZA-accredited and have been for a long time, which is an indication of their general ethos and operations. I can't speak to more than that about their quality, unfortunately.

You're right about the polar bear stereotypies - that's a thing I've seen for myself. The thing is, with stereotypies - and especially with polar bears - they're not necessarily an indicator of current welfare or quality of life.

For folk who are new to the blog or unfamiliar with the concept, in animal care, a stereotypy is a "repetitive, invariant behavior pattern with no obvious goal or function." Examples often seen are repetitive pacing, head-bobbing, licking or chewing, and rocking or swaying. (It's important to note that not all repetitive behaviors are stereotypic behaviors - e.g. animals may pace when excited and anticipating the arrival of a keeper). Stereotypies can be an indicator of chronically poor welfare, under-stimulating enrichment, or inappropriate captive environments, but the important thing to know about that is that they often persist after the problem that caused them is resolved. So you can take a polar bear or an elephant that picked up a stereotypic behavior in one zoo and move them to another, much better situation, and they may still continue the stereotypy.

(The fact that stereotypies can be indicators of previous, but not current, welfare problems is a really important nuance that is often left out of discussions. Sometimes they're called "zoochosis", which anti-captivity folk define as "the psychosis induced by captivity"... but that's a very unscientific approach, and doesn't facilitate productive discussion or attempts to identify causes and alleviate the behavior. Zoochosis is nothing but a useless manipulative buzzword, folks.)

Bears in general seem to be prone to stereotypies in captive situations. I've seen some recent research that hypothesizes it's likely due to a lack of ability to engage in normal behavioral sequences, such as foraging. Polar bears seem especially prone to it. One 2013 study found that of the 55 polar bears in North America they assessed, 85% engaged in stereotypical pacing. It might be because they natural cover such a huge range in the wild that older, smaller exhibits haven't allowed them to move as much as they need to; it could also be due to a historical lack of appropriate enrichment. We don't really know, because there's so many potential factors, and the long lifespan of polar bears means longitudinal studies of multiple generations take a very long time.

These are both things the industry is working on fixing: newer polar bear exhibits are built to be much larger and more complex, and there's been a heavy focus in the literature for at least a decade on finding ways to reduce stereotypies by providing engaging enrichment and increasing bears' activity levels. Lincoln Park Zoo's polar bear habitat was renovated in 2016, and - while it looks rather boring to me, as a guest - it was apparently designed to allow for a lot of activity range and polar bear-specific needs.

Their current bears are both about 20 years old, and were transferred to the Lincoln Park Zoo after the new habitat was completed. It's entirely plausible the bears arrived with stereotypies from their previous facilities, given that the emphasis on improving polar bear care is younger than they are. Here's a photo I took there a couple years ago, of Talini (I think), engaging in a repetitive head tossing behavior. It's definitely hard to watch, as a guest, and I don't remember if they had signage up about it.

That all being said, I wouldn't judge the whole zoo based on the polar bear stereotypies, because there's so much at play there in terms of history and the evolution of care for the species. What's important is how they're handling it, and what they're doing to help encourage more normative behavior from the bears. Given the amount of research and effort the zoo field has put into addressing the topic in polar bears for the last decade, it's highly probable that a lot of staff time goes into helping reduce the amount of time those bears spend engaging in stereotypies.

[vigilskeep]

something i love to think about is what the orzammar caste system does when labelling people gets messier. like okay, you have nobles, warriors, smiths, artisans, minors, merchants, and servants. where in that is a doctor, a surgeon, an apothecary? a keeper of livestock? a butcher, a baker, a brewer, a cook? a fisherman of the underground lakes? a low-level official or civil servant, a tax collector, a scribe? the man who checks your tickets at the door of the proving? the musicians playing in the background? is a poet an artisan? what caste are shapers? are there jobs where the highest and lowest positions in the same room have to be filled by different castes, and what problems does that cause? are there smith-artisan families who marry into each other so they can share skills into similar works? do castes become so varied that many in the same one couldn’t begin to guess how to do each other’s work? when a newly emerging profession is required for the modern world, do castes bicker in front of the assembly over which has the right to fill that role? do people ever thinly veil what they’re actually doing with what their caste should be doing? (“no, ser, i’m merchant caste, of course i don’t make these, i just... refine them before sale. look, i can’t afford what the smith families charge for that when i can do it with my own hands.” “yes, ser, i’m servant caste, but i have to help craft and sell these things when my master is busy, like any servant should.” “ser, this position may require serving our customers, but it has to be held by a member of the artisan caste. who else would have the expertise?”)

[fireofjudgement]

I give up, Imma get these tickets and then cry about my financial decisions 😒

[perfectlysunny02]

tease tidbit tuesday!

when you love someone

“Of course, you don’t want to talk about it,” Tommy scoffs, rolling his eyes. “I’m not even surprised.” “You’re not my keeper, Tommy Kinard!” “I’m still your husband!” Tommy snaps, anger filling him in a way it hasn’t in years. “I know that doesn’t mean much to you right now, but I am, and I’m sick of you coming home smelling like liquor every night. Our son sleeps here. You don’t have to care about what I think but if you come home drunk one more time while our son is here, you’re leaving. I don’t care. Grey doesn’t need to front-seat ticket to your shit show, Evan Kinard. Get it fucking together.”

and here's another because i think i'm gonna marry this fic (it might genuinely be my best yet.)

"Greyson Elliot Kinard, what’s gotten into you?! I know your dad and I didn't teach you to act like that!"  "What does it matter what you taught me, you and Dad aren't even sleeping in the same room anymore! Just admit you're gonna get divorced!" Tommy suddenly feels like he cannot breathe. How did they miss this? "Kiddo-"  "No," When his son looks at him with tear-filled eyes, Tommy quickly learns that he and Evan are not the only ones struggling with this. "Do you even love Dad anymore?" "I love your dad more than anything, it's going to be alright, I promise. We’re gonna figure it out." Tommy rushes to reassure Grey, even though he's not sure he'll believe him. Grey's not a child anymore, he can't be soothed with empty promises and Tommy's not sure it is going to be alright.

tagging: @actuallyitsellie @theotherbuckley @diazsdimples @tiltingheartand @runicnotation

@ikkesola @desert--moonchild @mythicalamity @kinardsevan @laratoncito-diaz

@whatisreggieshortfor @hyperfocusthusly @bibibibuckleykinard @bidisasterevankinard @cinderellarhea

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[freyayuki]

Final Fantasy Record Keeper Realm and Elemental Relic Draw Banners Part 7

Every 15 days that players log on to the Final Fantasy Record Keeper (FFRK) mobile game, they get 1 Realm/Elemental x 11 ticket.

These tickets can be used on Realm and Elemental banners for a 10 +1 pull that guarantees at least 1 relic that’s of 5-star or higher rarity. These tickets can also be obtained as special rewards from campaigns and limited events and the like.

Final Fantasy Record Keeper End of Service Announcement

Just before the Summer Sun 2022 Festival event was set to begin, an in-game message appeared, saying that Final Fantasy Record Keeper was gonna end its service on September 29, 2022.

Unexpected and unpleasant surprise doesn’t begin to cover this. I talk more about that in another post.

But I really wish that this didn’t have to happen. Don’t want to say goodbye to FFRK yet. There’s still so much that I want to do in this game. Sigh.

Anyway, I’ve already used up all of the Realm/Elemental x11 tickets that I had on hand since there was no longer any reason to save these. I talk about the results of my pulls using those tickets in another post.

It really sucks that the game didn’t even bother to update and refresh these banners.

And it would have been really nice if they’d adjusted the rates and/or made it so that players were guaranteed to get at least 1 6-star or 1 7-star relic from these banners. I mean, why not, right? After all, the game is ending already.

I’m trying to finish as much of FFRK’s content as I can before the end. I talk more about this in another post.

Some of the quests I’ve been able to clear include 1 Realm/Elemental x11 ticket as part of the rewards. Also got some tickets from clearing some of the missions in the Books of Trials.

Here are the results of my draws using those tickets:

Final Fantasy XIII Realm Banner

This draw gave me 2 6-stars. Then Dr. Mog appeared and turned 1 of them into a 7-star.

The 6-star I got turned out to be a dupe of 1 of the Awakened Arcane Soul Breaks (AASBs) of Noel Kreiss from Final Fantasy XIII (#ad). Was really annoyed when I saw the Soul Break Rank Up! screen. Noel’s AASB went from Rank 1 of 15 to Rank 3 of 15.

The 7-star I got was this boomerang.

This turned out to be the Synchro Arcane Soul Break (SASB) of Hope Estheim from Final Fantasy XIII.

It’s new and I actually have 2 of Hope’s AASBs so I’m really pleased to see this. Hope’s part of my magical and mind-based holy elemental team and my Final Fantasy 13 realm team so getting his Sync just made him even better as a DPS. IIRC, also have his holy Chain Soul Break (CSB).

Was really looking forward to being able to try out Hope in battle with his Sync but unfortunately, I ran out of time. Never got to use Hope’s Sync before the game ended.

Final Fantasy XII Realm Banner

This draw gave me my first copy of the Glint+ Soul Break (G+) of Penelo from Final Fantasy XII.

It’s new but not really pleased to see this because I’m pretty sure this is actually Lensable. Also can’t remember for sure now but I don’t think I even have a single BDL relic for Penelo or maybe I only have her AASB and 1 of her Ultra Soul Breaks (USB).

Either way, she’s definitely not one of my go-to healers. And now that the game is over, I’ll never get the chance to try out Penelo in battle.

Final Fantasy VIII Realm Banner

This draw gave me 2 6-stars. Then Dr. Mog appeared and turned one of them into a 7-star.

Was pleased when I saw Dr. Mog but that quickly turned into disappointment when the 7-star I got turned out to be a dupe of the Limit Break Overstrike (LBO) or Limit Break Over Flow (LBOF) of Rinoa Heartilly from Final Fantasy VIII.

Rinoa’s LBO, Angel Wing Permafrost, went from Rank 1 of 5 to Rank 3 of 5. Meh.

The 6-star I got was new but wasn’t really pleased to see it either since it was just a Glint+ Soul Break for a Final Fantasy 8 char.

Was so disappointed that I didn’t even bother taking note of who it belonged to. Since it’s a fist-type weapon though, this G+ most likely belongs to Zell Dincht from Final Fantasy VIII.

Final Fantasy VI Realm Banner

This draw gave me 1 5-star and 1 6-star. The 5-star turned out to be a dupe Burst Soul Break (BSB) for a Final Fantasy VI char. Since it’s a fist-type weapon, this probably belongs to Gau from Final Fantasy VI.

At least the 6-star I got was new. It turned out to be the AASB of Shadow from Final Fantasy VI.

Was really pleased to see this because I already have a few of Shadow’s relics. Have his Sync and his dark Chain Soul Break so getting his AASB just made him even better.

He’s part of my physical dark elemental team and my Final Fantasy VI realm team.

Pleased that I was able to use Shadow a bit more before FFRK ended although it wasn’t as much as I wanted. He was my dark Chain holder but with his Sync and AASB, I found that he can actually deal pretty decent damage.

Water Elemental Banner

This draw gave me 1 5-star and 1 6-star. The 5-star turned out to be my first copy of a Final Fantasy X char’s Legend Materia Relic (LMR).

LMRs have their uses but most, if not all, of them are already Lensable so meh. Wish I got something else from this pull.

The 7-star I got was the AASB of Arc from Final Fantasy III. Nice.

It’s new and pretty sure I already have Arc’s other Awakening plus a few of his other relics as well. Don’t have his Sync or Dual though.

Was planning to make use of Arc to help me with the Final Fantasy III Dragonking Dungeon quest. But I ran out of time so was never able to try out said quest before FFRK ended.

Also never got the chance to try out Arc in battle with the Awakening that I just got for him.

Ahh, really wish Final Fantasy Record Keeper didn’t have to end, at least not anytime soon. There’s still so much that I want to do in the game. And now I’ll never be able to do any of those things because it’s all over now. Sigh.

Conclusion

So what about you? Which banners did you use your Realm/Elemental x11 tickets on? How did your pulls go? What do you think about the rates on FFRK? What do you think about the fact that Final Fantasy Record Keeper is all over now? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions by leaving a comment below or by reblogging or replying to this post.

Notes:

screenshots are from my Final Fantasy Record Keeper game account