#What is Critical Illness Riders

[term-insurance]

How To Choose Critical Illness Health Insurance I Critical Illness Riders

Critical illness insurance, otherwise known as critical illness cover or a dread disease policy, is an insurance product in which the insurer is contracted to typically make a lump sum cash payment if the policyholder is diagnosed with one of the specific illnesses on a predetermined list as part of an insurance policy. The policy may also be structured to pay out regular income and the pay-out may also be on the policyholder undergoing a surgical procedure, for example, having a heart bypass operation.

[batsplat]

hello i saw in your tags that you don't think people on here get casey stoner and as someone relatively new into the sport i would love to hear your thoughts <3

(context here) okay first of all, this post will be framed as ‘things I wish people talked about more with regards to casey stoner’, rather than arguing against what I think people think

I've tried to come up with a concise response to this ask but kept heading into thesis-length territory. so I decided to write a bullet point list and it’s still… yeah… but well it could be worse. if you, dear anon, wish to read thousands of words of casey stoner lore then please let me know. otherwise, here are just a few things I find interesting about this bloke:

casey has a very complex relationship with the concept of confidence, both in other riders and himself, in the sense that he KNOWS how important it is but also believes/wishes that he specifically is kinda above all that

this feeds into how he wishes that racing were Just Racing and not all this other stuff… not his brain not his body not other racers being assholes on/off track not talking to journalists or doing photoshoots not having to deal with politics etc etc - central underlying tension of his career

he has openly spoken about not ever really enjoying race day, saying the only thing he's missed after retiring is qualifying. very perfectionist, the anxiety, the over-thinking, craving control… all key casey traits

(which also ties in with the valentino rivalry, because valentino obviously adores racing (in particular wheel-to-wheel battle) but he’s also great at all that other off-track stuff)

some very rigid ideas of How The Sport Should Look, which you can see in everything from how he talks about racing standards to the introduction of CRT riders (he had it OUT for them, head hot every time aleix espargaro shows up in parc fermé) to valentino’s influence on ducati and the importance of the colour red

let him have his mean streak! the grim satisfaction in discussing jorge’s 2008 injuries after his early-season arrogance towards casey, the dismissiveness towards dani, some of the wilder valentino remarks (this isn’t a criticism to be clear, alien-on-alien violence is part of the natural order of things)

casey is a classic case of ‘just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they aren’t after you’. definitely a suspicious guy and perpetual underdog 'me against the world' mindset. not to get too psychoanalytic-y, but I reckon this was partly born out of how he had to leave australia as a teenager (with his family completely dependent on him succeeding) because of how the racing establishment down under fucked him over

they definitely were out to get him a lot of the time, cf yamaha and then ducati drama plus the slander from some of the greats of the sport, fellow riders, the media etc etc (particularly egregious in 2009 when he was dealing with his mystery illness and a lot of people said some pretty unpleasant stuff in his absence - here is just one example)

his struggles were constantly downplayed. the chronic fatigue misdiagnosed as lactose intolerance led to people calling him weak-minded, broken, running away from the sport (part of why he was so allergic to the idea his results might in any way be connected to what was going on in his head). add in the undiagnosed anxiety and you have all this invisible strife people wouldn't even take seriously

that being said, he definitely did have a propensity for jumping to the worst possible conclusions

two specific examples: firstly from his autobiography, where he makes the claim that valentino may have been sabotaged in the 2006 title decider and was deliberately given a rubbish tyre to make him lose the championship - to which casey’s response was: “welcome to my world, mate”. he does have a tendency to believe he’s being sabotaged, and is constantly on the look out for conspiracies even when they are… unlikely

the other example is mat oxley talking about his issues with casey in his stint working for ducati, partly based on a misunderstanding:

something allegedly written about him in 2001!

let’s just say he can definitely hold a grudge

the moaner stoner stuff was definitely nasty, calling him mopey and whiny and all of that, but he also has never shied away from some good old-fashioned complaining (some of this was a bit of a spiral - complaining for good reason worsening public perception of him leading to more reasons to complain)

see also the lingering marc grudge, who probably did play a significant part in getting casey kicked out of honda (as casey has accused him of). whether marquez prevented stoner from racing in 2015 is more of an open question. casey still speaks about how honda made a mistake by only listening to marc (which, again, does have some truth to it)

casey was always very quick to shut down the idea that momentum, motivation, confidence etc could affect his results (unlike that of his competitors) because he argues he was always very rational & clear-sighted about when things were his fault & when things could be blamed on the bike + extraneous factors. he really goes into detail about this when discussing 2008 laguna seca in his autobiography, which he argues had no effect on him psychologically (but was followed by him crashing out of the lead of the next two races)

has definitely spoken more about his rivalry with valentino than valentino has, which probably has also helped shape perception of it over time

on ‘ambition outweighed talent’ - I feel like people almost understate just what a (hilariously) out of pocket remark it was in context. it was rossi’s second ever race at ducati (and the start of his season was impacted by his shoulder issues) - and the rain meant he had a ~win it or bin it~ approach because he knew it was as good a chance as he might get for some time (despite starting from 12th). the move on stoner for second place was at best optimistic, most definitely impatient and at worst foolish - but sort of understandable in that situation, rossi was definitely rapid, and this stuff can happen in the wet. in that sense, it was obviously more a reaction to the manner of the apology (and his frustration with the stewards) than to what casey himself described as a racing incident

stoner made a remark in his autobiography about how rossi had stolen 25 points in a title battle he was never going to be a part of (oof). whether you're obligated to race title contenders differently is already a bit sketch but certainly should not be a consideration for anybody in round TWO

he was forced to publicly retract the remarks, though he doubled down on them to a deeply funny extent in his autobiography by suggesting they were true of valentino’s entire career and that he’d just benefited from a weak era. rossi mostly took it on the chin especially when interviewed about it for documentaries, probably because with something like that you do just need to take the L

it's understandable how it’s become such a defining image of their rivalry (along with laguna seca), not least because of how evocative the whole thing is - rossi showing up still wearing his helmet, trying to make a PR apology stick while he’s been eating nauseating amounts of humble pie at ducati; stoner casual as you like, pissed off about the points loss while still indulging in schadenfreude about how the Great Big Ducati Adventure is working out for rossi

but again, I think it’s funnier because of just HOW over the top an insult it was in that situation (and more broadly how it does have a different vibe to their interactions when they were meaningfully competing, aka 2007-2008)

in conclusion: casey has his doubts and his insecurities and his obsessions and his foibles… a complicated guy in his own right

and a big thing I’d like to stress here is that the rivalry with valentino does benefit from treating them both as somewhat unreliable narrators

I just think he's neat

[best-female-villain-tournament]

best female villain tournament!

SEASON 2

RULES:

- Only submit the same character once

- Multiple submissions with different characters are fine!

- Matchups will be posted as soon as I have enough submissions and will include the most submitted characters

-Resubmissions are fine as long as they weren’t on the tourney last time

- Please be as detailed as possible

I had issues on my end with some technicalities and media’s. eg a lot of characters from the hatchetfield musicals by team starkid were just submitted as hatchetfield which made it harder to search for them to identify them and get pictures etc. If those and similar fandoms could be submitted with what musical etc they’re from that would be great :)

Those who sent submissions through my askbox will be getting submitted by me unless it was off anon(because you’ll be getting a notification)

Cool people/awareness tags:

@tournament-announcer @bisexual-protagonist-competiton @the-ballerina-battle @the-great-british-blorbo-off @pinkhairswagtourney @childhoodfriendstoloversshowdown @most-tragic-character-tournament

characters in the last poll(please do not submit):

Makima(Chainsaw Man)

Dahlia Hawthorne(Ace Attorney)

The Handler(The Umbrella Academy)

Margaret Slitheen(Doctor Who)

Linda Monroe(Hatchetfield)

Miyo Takano(Higurashi When They Cry)

Diane Makepeace(Layton Brothers: Mystery Room)

Marisa Coulter(His Dark Materials)

Vespera(Keeper of the Lost Cities)

Master Cyclonis(Storm Hawks)

Exellinor the Witch(How To Train Your Dragon(books))

Lady Felmet(Discworld(Wyrd sisters))

Magica De Spell(Ducktales)

Twyla Sophio(Cemetery Mary)

Liliana(Oxventure)

Marie Campbell(Killer Frequency)

Jezaille Brett/Asa Shinn(Ace Attorney)

White Diamond(Steven Universe)

Medusa(Kid Icarus)

Bryce Tankthrust(Brandon Rogers/Bryce Tankthrust, CEO)

Beatrice(Umineko When They Cry)

Shiela young(Hatchetfield)

Odalia Blight(The Owl House)

Cora Mills(Once Upon a Time)

Alcina Dimitrescu(Resident Evil)

GLaDOS(Portal)

Eris(Sinbad)

Beroba(Kamen Rider Geats)

Poison Ivy(DC)

Harumi(Ninjago)

Lusamine(Pokemon)

Arlecchino(Genshin Impact)

Dr Olivia Octavius(Spiderman: Into The Spider-verse)

The Other Mother(Coraline)

Granny Rags(Dishonoured)

Larxene(Kingdom Hearts)

Morgana Pendragon(BBC Merlin)

Barbara Burgess(The Goes Wrong Show (90 Degrees))

Cinder Fall(RWBY)

Lanfear/Selene(Wheel of Time)

Azula(Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Queen Chrysalis(My Little Pony)

Mother Gothel(Tangled)

Cruella de Vil(101 Dalmations)

Missy(Doctor Who)

Nightmare Moon(My Little Pony)

Himiko Toga(My Hero Academia)

Maleficent(Sleeping Beauty)

The Iron Queen(Sonic the Hedgehog)

Lust(Fullmetal Alchemist)

Shego(Kim Possible)

Queen Beryl(Sailor Moon)

Medusa Gorgon(Soul Eater)

The Enchantress(Shovel Knight)

Delilah Briarwood(Critical Role: The Legend of Vox Machina)

Delilah Copperspoon(Dishonored)

Kaia(Motorcity)

Lady Gisela Sencen(Keeper of the Lost Cities)

Evelyn Deavor(the Incredibles)

Yzma(Emperors New Groove)

Madalena(Galavant)

Ragyo Kiryuin(Kill la Kill)

The Prince(Bullet Train)

Queen Cersei Lannister(Game of Thrones)

[where-dreamers-go]

Could I possibly request Eragon kissing reader for the first time, perhaps after a battle where emotions are high?

“Blood And Kisses” Eragon x Reader

(A/N: Thank you for requesting! So, I may have wrote this slightly more intense than planned. In my defense, I was watching Critical Role and trying to write at the same time. Warnings: Mentions of blood and fallen foes. Angst. Romance. Word Count: 683 words)

This was not how the trip was suppose to go. There had not been a plan in place for bloodshed. Not like that. Not with you with him.

Seeking out new locations and possible allies was suppose to be awkward and formal.

Eragon wished he had been in a diplomatic meeting as he wiped the blood off of his hand. The smear and stain was not his own.

A group of angry, loud, and fiercely loyal men had ambushed Eragon and yourself. No proper introductions.

Who the men were devoting themselves to? Eragon had no clue.

All the Dragon Rider knew then was that he needed to keep the pair of you alive. So he had you run. They wanted the magic user, the Dragon Rider. The hero.

Panting, Eragon did not begin to ponder how they knew him. Covered in sweat, he searched for you. His dear friend who was ill prepared for the amount of foes. His friend who held his heart.

Reaching out with his mind, he felt for your familiar presence. Those thoughts woven within images and songs.

Eragon’s heart hammered in his chest and distracted his hearing.

Where have they gone? He thought in worry as he stepped passed another lifeless body.

Faith that you avoided harm slipped from him every second without you in his sights. He needed to see you. Immediately. His close and dearest friend.

Brown eyes glanced towards any small change in his new environment. A bend in the grass. A creak of a door. Anything.

Where were you hiding?

Were there men Eragon had not stopped?

Did any target you?

The Dragon Rider could not bare the thought. His questions, his pleas, could only be answered once he found you. Once you were with him again. Close and safe. Out of any danger.

We need to leave this place. Whether those that attacked live in town or not, Eragon thought firmly, we need to go.

Boots hurriedly crossed atop trampled grass, he peered passed the last building on the road. Beyond that lay woods, hidden in the heavy shadows of sunset.

“Eragon.” A recognizable voice carried through the clutter along the back of the building.

He rushed forward without a thought. Spotting your form as you stood from your hiding place, relief flooded through his body and mingled in a whirling pool of emotions.

Before you could utter a single word, Eragon was in your personal space. His hand were examining yours with frantic intent upon sight of drying blood.

“Are you hurt?” Eragon asked, fingers moving to check your face. No ounce of timidness. He had no room for it.

“No. I got away.”

“You’re sure?” He tilted your face, gaze strong and heavy, not too unlike his breathing.

“I did what I had to. I’m not hurt physically. I promise.” You grabbed his forearm. “Are you all right?”

Eragon could see his worry mirrored in your eyes. He had never been so afraid of losing you. So suddenly. A scare of never seeing the light shining in your eyes again.

They’re alive.

Taking in a breath, Eragon leaned forward and became the closest he had ever been to his dear friend. Lips capturing your own with all of the weight of his emotions. The good, the bad, and the whatever he could describe running through him as he kissed you. Firm pressure as even his fingers barely moved on your face.

A minuscule separation for air and Eragon felt your free hand tangle into his hair.

“I can’t lose you.” Eragon whispered against your lips. His throat constricted upon hearing his own words. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

You gave his forearm a light squeeze. “No apologizing. Breathe.”

“We must leave.”

“My dear, Eragon, catch your breath.”

Most tension left his muscles. Being with you allowed him to be himself. No mighty titles.

Yet the Dragon Rider found your order difficult. His attention securely on you as your lips greeted his own softly and your hands held him in a tender embrace. A caring love.

How could he ever breathe normally again? 

~~~

(If you love my writings and want to support me, I have a Ko-Fi where you can buy me a coffee. I would be eternally grateful.

Best wishes and happy reading.)

~~~~~

DreamerDragon Tags: 

Inheritance Cycle Tags: @shewhobreathesfire @

**Let me know if you would like to be tagged in insert readers, either through replies, ask, or message.**

[sparklecareforrealjustice]

this post is going to be about the fandom in general the whiteknighters the critters and kc so this will be a longer post from me broskis so in any fandom theres a bunch of ways to enjoy a medium however theres been an increase in vitriolic behaviors towards kc and her person i personally may not agree with kc nor her behaviors but more recently posts directly digging on her and proclaiming her nonsensical things have become more popular which is disturbing to see as not only are these posts hurtful but also creates and breeds ill-will for a mostly well meaning person who may incidentally be ignorant if you spot ignorance from kc the best way to deal with it isnt insulting squeaks character nor harassing and sending death threats more often than not talking to her or making a post about it to spread awareness is fine now all of this isnt to say that kc isnt without flaw nor is her comic claims of kc scamming being one flaw of the creator but the second you come to your sparklecrit blog and start insulting and attacking kc and using your audience to turn against her and then use the mask of 'criticism' thats not cool sparklecriticism should be about the comic not the creator not the fandom the comic which is a massive difference and while yes I am technically hopping on my sparklecrit account it is tagged with fandom criticism not sparklecriticism as this is by no means about the comic plus misusing the platform to harass and attack creators is generally not cool either and by slapping 'oh its sparklecriticism' your smearing the name upon those who mean genuine good will and not saying you have to suck up to or adore kc youre allowed to dislike her but if you dont like her simply dont talk to or interact with her as long as she isnt actively harming people or breaking the law bun should be allowed to be given space and not hated to her face however ever defending or arguing to not harass kc can be called a dick rider by some of the (more extreme) crit community because to some of these folks kc is irredeemable and deserves harm if you think kc or someone who mildly displeases you deserves harm torment or extended pain please step away and re evaluate as that thought process is not healthy for you or those around you now earlier i mentioned whiteknights and kc which is now what i will be digging upon now whiteknighters are a whole other can of worms they assume anyone with criticisms are to attack and harass kc they assumethat every glance is to harm someone in reality criticizing is a form of adoration for a medium as these folks feel so much passion and so much love for this project which takes time and effort to build and make it shows that there is so much love that someone can feel actual pain when they believe a character or scene is miscahracterized but whiteknighters have a very black and white view they give no room for sparklecritters to breathe nor say their piece and take every phrase and word as pure evil incarnate whilst on the other end these same whiteknighters will see kc and defend fen with tooth and nail any wrongdoing or miscommunication or harm is perfectly fine and surely the others blowing it out of proportions which isnt healthy either as we are all human and have flaws and to think one human is above the rest for any reason is obsessive to praise one and say that any mistake was merely an accident and does not need to apologize is lethal self adoration and praise will just lead to a point where others will be shoved away and silenced unless they do the utmost to praise at all moments being a complete opposite of the criticism side this post is more about how both sides can have some really strong extremists as most fans are chill and are willing to talk and not rely on mindless insults and harassment but it hurts to see anyone on either side turn to the extreme views a fandom is about building companionship over a shared interest not tearing one another down for the sake of it -uni

[jade-lop]

When I felt happy or excited, I lost words. The opening clips was so good it made me lost words.

It just so full of Found Family Vibe that I liked so much.

Sachika had a Big Sister Vibe. I hoped her character would not suffer a decay.

I also hoped she did not become a Rider or (implied) love interest to anyone.

Could they make another female character as the next female Rider?

I think Sachika accidentally summed up Shouma’s situation with his family.

Stomach Family reminded me of Sonozaki Family.

Did the Stomach siblings committed patricide?

I wondered how Shouma would react if he eat Chitato.

Death of thousand cuts. By potato chips.

What kind of form produced from eating banana chips?

Toei gave us double Momma’s Boys. What a plot twist.

I wondered if Shouma had his own monster form. Was his Rider form supposed to be his Granute form?

Granute targeting humans when they were happiest reminded of Garo episode where the Horror used its power to cure critically ill humans, saving them from despair and gave them new hope for life. Only to kill them in that state.

I wondered how Valen received his transformation form. Did Shouma spit them out as he did with his sword?

Considering the story was about snacks, I thought they would show the characters finishing their meals on-screen. I missed a scene like Shouichi finished a whole bento while the theme music played in the background.

The toothbrush finally showed up.

[howtowhumpyourhiccup]

Just a Kid - Epilogue

@evilwriter37@firerose

Summary: A Httyd Zombie AU set in the modern world. There are dragons.

At 15, Hiccup believes his biggest struggles are teachers who won't stop hounding him for his grades, a father who doesn't quite listen to him, or how unpopular he is at school. Every regular teenager's worst nightmare, right?

But then a new and mysterious illness that's been rapidly spreading amongst the populace takes a surprising turn and the day comes Hiccup wishes his former daily struggles had been the only struggles he would have to deal with.

He is, after all, just a kid.

Warnings: /

Rating: Mature

Words: 1 698

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Characters: Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, Stormfly, Snotlout, Hookfang, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Barf and Belch, Fishlegs, Meatlug

Pairing: /

Author's Notes: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

THREE YEARS OF WORK

IT ENDS TODAY

I posted the prologue in January of 2021! I'm posting the epilogue in January of 2024!

And now on to the sequel! :)

Constructive criticism is appreciated.

Enjoy!

--XOXOX--

Standing in the middle of a classroom, Snotlout can still see where the blood of his fellow students once stained the ground. On the tiled floor amidst all the dust, the dirt and leaves, there are dried brown stains of all sizes. Smears and footprints spread the stains all over the floor. Handprints are on desks, the wall, the blackboard and the door. Time has not washed them away.

School classrooms and hallways here are just big enough for a Monstrous Nightmare to stand in with a hunch, especially with all the tables and chairs pushed to the side. This wasn’t just any room, it’s where a bunch of teenage kids were holed up together and fighting for their lives. They’d been bitten.

Hookfang sniffs around. The air is stale. The reason why Snotlout would want to come here escapes him, but he’s been standing here. Quietly, unmoving. The Nightmare has tried to prod a response out of him, but he didn’t even complain. He hasn’t said anything in minutes and the dragon wonders if his human is broken.

He doesn’t understand the significance of the space they’re in.

“This is…” A girl’s voice. Dragon and rider look towards the door to find Astrid standing there, her hair length still kept above the shoulders.

She doesn’t need to say it out loud, it’s basically the room where it all began for them. It’s where Bjorn and most of everyone else lied sick for two weeks before they turned enmasse, when they realized what they were truly dealing with and the day they were forced to leave the last connection to their old life.

Bjørk school is completely abandoned now. Mrs. Bellum, Mr. Hoover and the infected students aren’t here anymore. They moved on a long time ago to begin their endless journey in search of a warm body to feed on, until their second death inevitably comes. The silence they left behind is chilling.

Astrid walks further into the room, it’s strange to be back home, strange to be in school again. It seems like a lifetime ago. She can’t even recognize it anymore.

Her boots crush pieces of glass on the floor. There was a big summer storm in August and it’s done a number on the building. The courtyard is full of shingles and a part of the roof is gone. A number of windows have been blown out and dirt, leaves, and sometimes entire branches fill classrooms and hallways. Not to mention the months of a lack of upkeep. There’s a significant layer of dust and webs everywhere they look.

“This place has seen better days,” she remarks softly. Their school looks the way they feel after everything they’ve been through since Outbreak Day back in March.

“No kidding,” Snotlout huffs humorlessly, it’s the first thing he’s said in a good couple of minutes. He wipes at his eyes, Hookfang comes closer and sniffs him, nudging him with his snout.

“I’m fine,” he tells his dragon, who shrugs it off like his human tells him to.

Astrid’s hand lands on his shoulder and squeezes. Unlike the dragon, she knows exactly what happened here and who he lost here.

“Come on, Snotlout, let’s go find Hiccup,” she tells him and they leave the room together.

But out in the hallway, Astrid comes across a pretty sight that makes her smile and lifts her heart; a gorgeous blue Deadly Nadder. They ran into her shortly after they were forced out of Forrædersk. Like this, every one of the teenagers have somehow gotten their own best friend in dragon form.

Stormfly is her name. She squawks when Astrid meets her. Her human girl approaches and hugs her horned nose, she’s in need of one. The dragon chirps contentedly.

“Where is everyone else?” Snotlout asks as they walk down the corridor, the occasional dry leaf crunching beneath their feet.

“Last I heard, the twins are goofing off in the gym,” Astrid replies. That’s certainly where she heard a lot of shouting and laughter. Who knows what the four of them are doing there, so long as they stay safe and don’t start a fire like a couple of weeks ago, it doesn’t really matter.

“Psh, of course they are,” Snotlout shakes his head as the two move on.

-XOXOX-

Hiccup and Toothless are in a different part of the school building; they find him in their English class, where they used to be taught by the once cheery and colorful Mrs. Bellum. A familiar bookcase with famous English literature is the first thing they saw when they entered. It’s the very same one, he’s seen entering this very room for every year he had this woman for a teacher. It was strange to see it again.

At first, the Night Fury had no idea what meaning this location had to their humans, but standing inside this room, he can make an educated guess what.

In the back of the classroom, there’s a wall of pictures and they all depict different humans of about his human’s age. Astrid’s picture is among them. But the spot Hiccup stares at is blank.

Toothless nudges his shoulder, clearly having a question.

“What are you looking at?” And he’s not the only one asking. Turning around, they watch Astrid enter. She’s followed closely by Snotlout, but Hookfang and Stormfly stay outside this time. These rooms have their limit and so does Hookfang, who would like to stretch his wings soon.

Hiccup looks back in front of him, back at the blank space.

“Students of the month,” Snotlout reads, then scoffs. “My picture was never on Mrs. Bellum’s wall.”

“Maybe because you made life hard for everybody else in class?” Astrid suggests the first reason that comes to mind, hands on her hips. Her raincoat makes some noise as it moves.

“Nah, that can’t be it,” Snotlout denies it.

Their English teacher had this wall to praise certain students; those that delivered hard work, those whose grades went up, those who needed the encouragement… She could never put just one student per month.

“So what are you staring at?” Astrid repeats the question. She can’t help but notice the way Hiccup shifts his weight off his stump.

Almost half a year since his amputation, he’s still trying to get used to the prosthetic they found him. They couldn’t believe their luck when they came across one that fit him perfectly on the orthopedics floor of the hospital in Forrædersk. It was probably meant for someone.

After a couple of moments of silence, this is what he says; “I think my dad is alive.”

“How do you know?” The girl asks.

“Mrs. Bellum used to have a picture of me right here,” he points the blank space out. “But none of the others have been taken. The only one who would’ve wanted to have my picture is my dad.”

“Then that’s good! Right? You were hoping to find proof that your dad was alive, he is!” Astrid encourages him. Alvin told him a lot of things in the time he was held captive and Heather couldn’t provide any clear answers either.

“And if Hiccup’s dad is alive, maybe my parents are too! Maybe all of our parents are!” The news hypes Snotlout up.

“Yeah… Which means we missed them. By a couple of months,” Hiccup deflates and Toothless purrs, giving him a comforting headbutt. The boy scratches his chin, grateful for his attempt.

It’s not like it was his idea to crush his ankle and then lose a great deal of his leg beneath his knee. He needed a long time to recover, they haven’t been on the road all that long. And as it turns out, traveling by dragon back is a lot faster than by car. Dragons don’t have to stick to a set path. Although it takes a little bit of a change in navigation.

“Hiccup, we now know that they’re alive. This trip home wasn’t a loss,” Astrid tells him and Hiccup forces a small smile.

She’s not wrong, but he still wishes they could’ve gotten here sooner. It’s almost winter, who knows how long their parents stayed in Bjørk hoping to find their kids? Who knows how long his dad and Gobber waited for him? Waited until they had no other choice but to admit that they weren’t here? Was Stoick as disappointed in missing his son as he was? Do they believe he’s dead?

Astrid wants to take Hiccup’s shoulder, but he inhales deeply and turns around to face the three of them.

“Let’s go find the others, the sun is setting and we need to set up camp and make a fire before we lose too much light,” he decides and off they go, in search of Fishlegs, Meatlug, Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Barf and Belch.

-XOXOX-

The sun is setting and the beach is getting chillier. By now, his friends have retreated for the night, dinner must be almost ready. The only one still with him is Toothless, who lies curled up around him. He doesn’t appear to mind the sand as much as his human does and still comfortably snoozes away.

Hiccup realizes he’s done telling their story. And just in time, too, he’s run out of pages to tell it.

Ah well, a new chapter in life, a new book right?

Closing his very worn notebook, he turns to his dragon, who must’ve sensed a change as he places his head on his lap.

“What do you say, Bud? Ready to leave? Find the others?” He asks, a relaxed smile on his face. It really was a good idea to write about everything that’s happened. If anything, it helped him put his thoughts in order, give everything a place.

Toothless warbles an agreement and stands, stretching his back and each of his limbs. Hiccup pulls out a plastic bag to put his notebook in, he’s been using it to keep it safe.

The dragon helps him to his feet and they turn only to realize that they’re not as alone as they once thought. Toothless begins to growl.

Up on top of the dunes, stands a pair of brothers.

[faithdeans]

western au fic recs part 1

i have loads of these but i've decided to re-read them all before reccomending them. idk how many parts there will be of this but probably at least another 2 and one for ficlets! anyway hiii have fun and pls let me know how you find them!!! i also left comments because idk how to shut up!

Vagabonds by chevrolangels [89k]

Dean is a sheriff in a tiny town in Colorado, restless and unsatisfied with his life. It's not like what he's read about in the dime novels since he was little, capturing dangerous outlaws and being the last word of the law. More like tossing the town drunk in a cell to sober up when they get a little too rowdy. But Dean's chance comes when a thief rolls through their town. He pursues the thief, which puts him right into the path of Emmanuel, a notorious outlaw. When he is captured by the outlaw and his gang to be held for ransom, Dean starts off on a journey he could have never envisioned, and learns that perhaps there's more to Emmanuel than meets the eye.

i reread this the other day and if you didn't already see my posts let me say i lost my damn mind all over again. the pacing and characterisation in this fic are perfect. it's a delicious slowburn, the action is amazing, and also as someone who has a hard time handling angst, this fic is the perfect level for me. the end makes me cry because i never wanna finish it. the stories of the side-characters are just as enthralling as dean and cas. i could read a million one-shots based on this fic. i'd probably say it's my favourite fic, period.

The Shawnee Trail by emmbrancsxx0 [166k]

In 1887, Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak lead a peaceful life in Lawrence, Kansas. Dean and Sam are stagecoach messengers for Wells, Fargo and Castiel is the town doctor. When Castiel's patient, Kelly Kline, knocks on their door one night about to give birth, she asks for the Winchesters and Castiel's help in protecting her son against one of the west's most notorious outlaws. To fulfill that promise, the men set out on a journey full of shootouts, trouble with the law, gambling, and an important discovery: Dean and Castiel really need to define the nature of their relationship.

okay to everyone asking which fic i was talking about when i posted "fics that make you pace around your room at midnight while sobbing", i was talking about this. this fic felt like a movie, it felt like i was living it, like i was riding with them. the storytelling is unbelievably vivid. i was hanging on to the "angst with a happy ending" tag for dear life. this fic is a rollercoaster of an adventure and a wonderfully moving ode to the western genre. it's truly one of those fics where you finish it and you can't believe this is supernatural fanfic and not a critically acclaimed piece of literature.

Lonesome Rider by onwardorange [67k]

Dean Winchester, better known as the “Lonesome Rider” throughout the Wild West, spends his days galavanting from town to town, drinking, dancing, and flirting his way into people’s beds. He’s got no responsibilities and no direction in life; it’s just him, his beloved horse, Baby, and the open road. And that’s just the way Dean likes it𑁋or so he tells himself. That is, until the day Sam falls deathly ill. When nothing is able to cure him, Dean makes a desperate deal to save Sam’s life that puts his own on the line. Enter Castiel Novak, a small town preacher in possession of the Colt, a gun rumored to be able to kill just about anything as well as the one thing that could save Dean’s life. When the gun is stolen by a gang of infamous outlaws, Dean and Castiel must travel across the West together to get it back, though what they discover between themselves along the way may turn out to be more powerful than the Colt itself.

this fic was so sweet and full of heart that it actually left me breathless in places. the way dean and cas bickering was written was so s spot on. hurt/comfort that will blow your cock and balls straight off. and the pining!!!! oh the pining!!! something about this story is like a warm hug and i just didn't wanna put it down. also the constellation scene and certain recurring themes to do with it. *dies*

[exdraconi]

ˋ°•*⁀➷  jai piyawat ratanaporn  ,  he  /  them  :

member of squad three. thirty. rider to phayanak. kind, conscientious && attentive ╱ reticent, self-critical && zealous.

gentle  hands  guiding  you  on  your  first  steps,  the  cold  that  seeps  into  your  bones  in  their  absence,  the  warmth  that  welcomes  you  in  the  form  of  a  creature  you  would  not  expect,  the  fire  burning  bright  within  you  to  protect  those  you  care  about.  the  wind  that  brushes  your  hair,  the  ground  that  disappears  under  your  feet,  the  sky  that  welcomes  you  home

BIOGRAPHY

( death, illness tw )

you  are  raised  with  warm  hands  cradling  you.  helping  you  on  your  first  steps,  tucking  a  knitted  hat  over  your  ears  during  winter,  the  smell  of  herbal  tea  whenever  you  fall  ill.  there's  always  a  warm  bowl  of  porridge  when  you  come  home,  and  a  calloused  hand  to  run  through  your  dark  hair. you  only  have  your  mother,  but  never  once  do  you  feel  like  your  family  is  half,  for  her  presence  fills  every  room  she  steps  in.  you  swear  that  her  smile  can  rival  the  sun. she's  a  physician,  loved  and  well-regarded  through  the  kingdom.  a  lot  of  people  come  and  go  to  see  her,  plenty  of  visitors  stopping  by,  some  having  to  stay  for  longer  amounts  of  time,  some  leaving  as  soon  as  they  have  been  treated.  you  start  helping  her  from  a  young  age,  and  she  teaches  you  her  craft. you  want  to  be  like  her  when  you  grow  up.  to  help  people,  regardless  of  who  they  are.  you  want  to  be  the  warmth  of  a  home  she  offers  to  others,  and  you  work  hard  to  learn  and  become  her  apprentice. life  is  great  — until  everything  turns  upside  down.  you  are  away  from  home  for  a  school  trip,  only  for  a  few  days,  when  you  return  to  find  your  mother  on  the  bed,  bandages  wrapped  around  her,  injuries  littering  her  frame  that  even  her  medicine  cannot  heal. other  healers  tell  you  it's  the  infection  that  takes  her  life,  slowly  spreading,  making  her  more  and  more  feverish,  less  coherent.  but  you  know  better  that  it  was  someone.  someone  you  don't  know,  someone  who  did  this  to  her.  even  in  her  last  days,  she  refuses  to  tell  you,  not  wanting  to  fill  your  heart  with  ill  thoughts.  you  don't  want  to  spend  your  last  moments  with  her  poorly,  so  you  do  not  ask  one  more  time,  yet  you  know  it  to  be  impossible. she  passes  on  a  rainy  day.  you  are  sure  you  will  never  be  the  same  again. that  same  week,  you  meet  phayanak.  he  becomes  your  ray  of  light  through  the  ever-consuming  grief.  giving  you  purpose,  making  you  realize  that  while  medicine  is  a  way  to  help,  there  is  a  much  better  way  out  there to  protect  others  before  they  come  to  harm,  before  any  evil  can  be  spread  to  the  innocent. he  becomes  your  companion,  and  your  most  trusted  friend. it  becomes  an  easy  choice  to  join  the  squad,  and  you  do  everything  in  your  power  to  be  a  good  member.  in  your  heart,  you  will  always  seek  the  truth  of  what  happened  to  your  mother,  but  protecting  lyris  keeps  you  busy.  gives  you  a  purpose  you  desperately  needed  all  those  years  ago.  and  you  swear  to  yourself  that  you  will  do  it  well,  no  matter  what.

[cozyaliensuperstar7]

Richard Roundtree (July 9, 1942 – October 24, 2023) was an American actor, noted as being "the first black action hero" for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film Shaft, and its four sequels, released between 1972 and 2019. For his performance in the original film, Roundtree was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor in 1972.

Born July 9, 1942, in New Rochelle, New York, to John Roundtree and Kathryn Watkins, Roundtree attended New Rochelle High School; graduating in 1961. During high school, Roundtree played for the school's undefeated and nationally ranked football team. Following high school, Roundtree attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Roundtree dropped out of college in 1963 to begin his acting career.

Roundtree began his professional career around 1963. Roundtree began modeling in the Ebony Fashion Fair after being scouted by Eunice W. Johnson. After his modeling success with the Fashion Fair, Roundtree began modeling for such products as Johnson Products' Duke hair grease  and Salem cigarettes. In 1967, Roundtree joined the Negro Ensemble Company. His first role while a part of the company was portraying boxing legend Jack Johnson in the company's production of The Great White Hope.  According to J. E. Franklin, he acted in the Off-Off-Broadway production of her play Mau Mau Room, by the Negro Ensemble Company Workshop Festival, at St. Mark's Playhouse in 1969, directed by Shauneille Perry.

Roundtree was a leading man in early 1970s blaxploitation films, his best-known role being detective John Shaft in the action movie, Shaft (1971) and its sequels, Shaft's Big Score! (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973). Roundtree also appeared opposite Laurence Olivier and Ben Gazzara in Inchon (1981). On television, he played the slave Sam Bennett in the 1977 television series Roots and Dr. Daniel Reubens on Generations from 1989 to 1991. He played another private detective in 1984's City Heat opposite Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds. Although Roundtree worked throughout the 1990s, many of his films were not well-received, but he found success elsewhere in stage plays.

During that period, however, he reemerged on the small screen as a cultural icon. On September 19, 1991, Roundtree appeared in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 with Vivica A. Fox. The episode was "Ashes to Ashes", Roundtree playing Robinson Ashe Jr. Roundtree appeared in David Fincher's critically acclaimed 1995 movie Seven, and in the 2000 Shaft, again as John Shaft, with Samuel L. Jackson playing the title character, who is described as the original Shaft's nephew. Roundtree guest-starred in several episodes of the first season of Desperate Housewives as an amoral private detective. He also appeared in 1997's George of the Jungle and played a high-school vice-principal in the 2005 movie, Brick. His voice was utilized as the title character in the hit PlayStation game Akuji the Heartless, where Akuji must battle his way out of the depths of Hell at the bidding of the Baron.

In 1997–1998, Roundtree had a leading role as Phil Thomas in the short-lived Fox ensemble drama, 413 Hope St. He portrayed Booker T. Washington in the 1999 television movie Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years.

Beginning in 2005, Roundtree appeared in the television series The Closer as Colonel D. B. Walter, U.S.M.C. (retired), the father of a sniper, and in Heroes as Simone's terminally ill father, Charles Deveaux. Next, Roundtree appeared as Eddie's father-in-law in episodes of Lincoln Heights. Roundtree then had a supporting role in the 2008 Speed Racer film as a racer-turned-commentator who is an icon and hero to Speed. He also appeared in the two-parter in Knight Rider (2008) as the father of FBI Agent Carrie Ravai, and co-starred as the father of the lead character on Being Mary Jane, which has aired on BET since 2013.

In 2019, Roundtree co-starred in the comedy film film What Men Want, and returned to the role of John Shaft in Shaft, a sequel to the 2000 film, opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Jessie Usher, who portray John Shaft II and John Shaft III, respectively. This time, Roundtree's character was described as Jackson's character's father, while acknowledging that Roundtree had pretended to be Jackson's Shaft's uncle in the 2000 movie. He also starred in the movie, Family Reunion in 2019.

Roundtree was married and divorced twice and had five children. His first marriage was to Mary Jane Grant, whom he married on November 27, 1963. Roundtree and Grant had two children before divorcing in December 1973. He dated actress and TV personality Cathy Lee Crosby shortly thereafter. Roundtree later married Karen M. Ciernia in September 1980; together they had three children. Roundtree and Ciernia divorced in 1998. Roundtree was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy and chemotherapy.

Roundtree died of pancreatic cancer at his Los Angeles home on October 24, 2023, at the age of 81.

My deepest condolences to his family and friends. 🙏🏾❤️🕊

[jaysbookofnothing]

Forth Wing Review

What is there not to love about the fourth wing? We have dragons, we have a found family, we have smut, a mildly confusing plot, an enemy to a lover that moves by too fast for it to be an enemy to a lover. So let's go into my thoughts about it. The story follows Violet Sorrengail, who, despite her small stature and preference for scholarly pursuits, is forced by her mother to join the elite dragon rider academy, Basgiath War College.

Violet Sorrengail, the protagonist—I didn't mind her that much; she was an okay character. I wish we got more onto her having a cronic illness or having a disability of some sort that would excuse the whole "Youre too weak" thing because it got annoying to read so many people call her weak when she's pretty average. Another thing I liked about Violet being short was that she didn't just get forgotten about immediately; she had to get extra things to make up for it.

Xaden Riorson was okay—nothing amazing, nothing horrible—to me personally. didn't like how quickly he and Violet were set up as enemies and then to just not be? It felt more like Violet thinking they were enemies, but Xaden not caring that much and just trying to not get in trouble?? I liked the rebellion set up at the end of the book; it felt like a nice tie-in. As said before, he's just another tall, dark, and handsome guy with shadow powers, as if we don't already have hundreds of them. I am curious as to how he's going to become king at the end, though (I think we're all aware that the rebellion is going to win and they'll be king and queen, yada yada). The whole "violence" thing is such a disgusting thought, and I will never forgive him for it. 

The dragons—yes, I am thinking of the dragons as characters because they are!! I honestly wanted more of the dragons; I wish there were more conversations with them, especially due to the bond and being able to talk to them. It just felt like a loss. I just really like dragons, okay?

Dian Aethos, nepo baby Gale. He's just annoying and pathetic. At the end, we say that his power is seeing people's memories after touching them, and how all through the book he was touching Violet (and reading her memory) just rubbed me the wrong way. The fact that he always tried to downplay her and never took her seriously annoyed me as well. It was funny to see him take up Xaden's role in the second book and look so weak in comparison. I wouldn't mind a revenge arc for him, honestly; I just want to go off and live his sad wet dog life somewhere else.

Rhiannon Matthias, I honestly don't know if I can count her as a main character, but since that's what the wiki says, I shall. Rhia is cool; she's ready to fight for Violet. She's a good friend, and I'm excited to see what happens to her plot line!

My nitpicks now! It was confusing as to why children of the rebellion aren't allowed to gather in groups of 3 or more but are still able to bond with dragons. I get they are forced to join in order to kill them, but if they don't die, then they have a dragon??? There was also (in my opinion) a lot of foreshowing, like Xadens always saying cryptic things about Violet's brother and Yada Yada. I don't have much to say that's bad. Fourth Wings is your basic romantic book for those who are into it. It was an entertaining read; of course there's criticism to be given, but I don't think it should be hated, like it's the worst thing ever. 

[mesillusionssousecstasy]

The Idol 1x01: Quotes

“- But what is the image saying? (Xander) - That she’s young, beautiful, and damaged. (Nikki) - Sh... - Eh, not damaged. She had problems that she overcame beautifully. (Nikki) - O-Okay. Uh, the robe, the hospital wristband. (Xander) - Mm-hmm.  - I mean, are we romanticizing mental illness? (Xander) - Absolutely. (Nikki) - And you’re fine with that? That’s cool? (Xander) - You people are so out of touch. (Nikki) - You people? (Xander) - You college-educated internet people. (Nikki) - Okay, yeah. You’re criticizing me for going to college. (Xander) - Oh, will you let people enjoy sex, drugs, and hot girls, okay? Stop trying to cock-block America. (Nikki) - No, Nikki, I’m not some sort of prude. I just don’t think that with everything that she has been through, she should be wearing a hospital wristband. (Xander) - Mental illness is sex. (Nikki) - No, it’s not. (Xander) - Yeah. If you live in Sioux City, Iowa, you are never gonna meet a girl like Jocelyn. She’s not walking down the street, she didn’t got to your high school, she doesn’t work at the bar or the diner, and she did not marry your best friend. And if, on the off chance, she did, she is still never, ever gonna fuck you. Unless, she has some very, very serious mental problems. And that right there is why mental illness is sexy.” (Nikki)

“- According to the nudity rider, we only can show the side boob, the under boob, and the side flank. (the intimacy coordinator) - I didn’t ask. She did it. (the photograph) - Okay, so I’m not allowed to show my body? (Jocelyn) - Not in the general, like, human rights structure of it all. (the intimacy coordinator) - You realize how fucking annoying and insane that sounds? (Xander) - It’s actually very progressive. It’s to make sure she doesn’t feel pressured. (the intimacy coordinator) - Right. I don’t feel pressured. (Jocelyn) - Fully respect that. (the intimacy coordinator) - This is her album cover. (Xander) - It’s also my boob and my house. (Jocelyn) - Fully respect body autonomy.” (the intimacy coordinator)

- “Hey! You! Come here! You want $ 5′000? You keep this door shut for the next three hours. Hold it. You gotta hold it really hard. (Chaim) - Who’s in here? (a guy) - All right? None of your business. Just take it or leave it, yes? Yeah? Okay, good. (Chaim) - Yeah, yeah.” (a guy)

“- No one’s having a pschotic... Let’s all calm down. (Benjamin) - Yeah, please.(Chaim) - Deep breath. Kay. I’m gonna give some information. I need it to be received peacefully, calmly. Okay? We’re the number one trending topic on Twitter. (Benjamin) - Okay. All right. (Nikki) - It’s not... (Benjamin) - No. I find out who did this. May God have mercy on their fucked up, depraved soul. Okay?” (Chaim)

“- It’s gotta say, it’s gotta say “revenge porn”. It’s gotta say “revenge porn” or they’re not gonna take it down (on the phone). - Andrew Finkelstein (at the gate). - Do you have ID? (security guard) - No, I’m from Live Nation. I’ve been here many, many times. (Andrew) - That’s great. Do you have ID? (security guard) - No, I don’t fucking have ID! (Andrew) - There’s a lotta people here today. We can’t let anyone in without an ID. (security guard) - Jesus fucking... Okay, let me deal with this fuckin’jabroni. Hang on. I’m gonna Google myself. Here, watch this. Ready? “Andrew Finkelstein, Live Nation”. What? Whoa! Who’s that? Huh? See that punim? See this face? See that face? Wow, they’re similar. (Andrew) - Okay, okay, sir, calm down. You don’t have to be so rude about it. I’ll get this figured out, okay? (security guard) - Yeah, I don’t have to be so rude. You know, my fucking star client has face full of cum. I’m not rude. (Andrew) - Mr. Finkelstein. So sorry for the inconvenience. (security guard) - Now you’re sorry. Thank you. (Andrew) - Right this way. (security guard) - You’re mensch. Wonderful fucking service.” (Andrew)

“- Lock him in a closet, too? (Destiny) - Remind me to let that guy out at some point, but not yet. (Chaim)

“- You know, you worry too much. Just relax. (Chaim) - I worry too much. My shareholders think I worry too little. You know, every time I fuckin’ breathe in and out, I hemorrhage money for Christ’s sake.” (Andrew)

“- Oh, there’s no shame in being a slut, case in point. I’m just worried she’s having another psychotic break. (Andrew) - No, no, she never had a psychotic break. Never had one. She was just exhausted and she was tired. (Destiny) - She’s a trouper. She reminds me of myself at that age. Okay, the thought of you younger is terrifying to me. (Benjamin) - I was having fun. I was getting fucked in the ass of the Capital Records building stairwell and then walking straight into meetings. (Nikki) - Yeah, I remember. I was the one fucking you. (Andrew) - Jesus Christ! (Benjamin) - Learn form the best. (Andrew) - Can I just remind everybody that we have “Vanity Fair” with us today? So, if we could just... keep the shit-talk to a... (Benjamin) - Oh, my God! Having her around is like living in communist China. (Nikki) - Benjamin, did you get the revised statement from Holly? (Andrew) - Revenge porn? (Benjamin) - Yeah, exactly that. Make sure that every dipshit with a keyboard has it spoon-fed down their fuckin’throat. (Andrew) - But it’s true? (Benjamin) - Well, if we say it it. (Andrew) - I’m in a “Twilight Zone” episode. (Benjamin) - All right, people. (Andrew) - Okay, see you later. (Nikki) - We live to fight another day.” (Andrew)

“- Tomorrow, I wanna wake up to, uh, like, 150 Google Alerts telling me Jocelyn’s some kind of feminist hero, right? (Nikki). - Okay. Yeah, me too. (Benjamin) - You can do that. (Nikki) - But I’m gonna start with victim and move up from there. (Benjamin) - Yeah well, it’s the same difference. (Nikki) - I don’t understand anything. How could it possibly be any fucking worse? Just tell me a scandal that was worse, recently! (Chaim - we don’t want to know). - She’s coming out of it more famous than when she came in. And that’s! That’s the win. Let’s just put it that way.” (Benjamin)

- “Ah, you’re dangerous. I mean, how could anyone not fall in love with you? (Tedros) - I don’t even know you. (Jocelyn) - You fit perfectly in my arms.” (Tedros)

- “What a fuckin’ boner killer. (Tedros) - I know, she prevented us from starting our family. (Jocelyn) - (...) and I hate it, and you’re gonna hate it, too. (Jocelyn) - You hate it? How can you put out something you hate? (Tedros) - Well, you obviously don’t work in the music industry. Pop music is just... superficial. (Jocelyn) - I think Prince would disagree with you. (Tedros) - I love Prince. (Jocelyn) - Are you gonna call “When Doves Cry” fuckin’ superficial? (Tedros) - No, I love that song. (Jocelyn) - If that song came out today, it’d be a smash tomorrow. (Tedros) - So, all I have to do is make music like Prince? (Jocelyn) - I didn’t say that. (Tedros) - Easy. I’ll just do that. (Jocelyn) - No... I didn’t say that. (Tedros) - Why didn’t I think of that? (Jocelyn) - You can’t make music like Prince. Pop music is like the ultimate Trojan Horse. Ya get people to dance, ya get people to sing along. Could say whatever you want. Shit’s powerful. (Tedros) - I like you. (Jocelyn) - I like you, too. You got the best job in the world. Should be having way more fun. (Tedros) - I’m trying.” (Jocelyn) While playing “Pieces of Your Heart” by Meduza & Goodboys)

“- Did it hurt? That photo? The betrayal of it? (Talia from Vanity Fair) - Of course. But, I mean, what am I supposed to do? (Jocelyn) - I don’t know. Fuck up the guy that did it to you. (Talia) - Like in the piece you’re writing? (Jocelyn) - Yeah, actually. I think it would be inspirational for young women and girls all around the world who have been targeted and humiliated in the way you were. (Talia) - Revenge is empowerment? (Jocelyn) - It’s human, I think. (Talia) - Look, I mean. I think... five years ago when people would tell me that it was important to comment on something publicly, I would buy into it. But now I just know that I’m being hustled. (Jocelyn) - Yeah, I mean, obviously, my editor is breathing down my neck, gun to my back, trying to get me to get you to talk about this photo. It’s all anyone can talk about. (Talia) - I get it. We all have to answer to somebody. (Jocelyn) - Who do you answer to? (Talia) - God.” (Jocelyn - Wrong, the public opinion).

“- I don’t know. I haven’t done anything in, like, a year. And I just feel like people are, like, waiting for me to fail. And I just don’t wanna, like prove them right. (Jocelyn) - Yeah, but, Joss, you always do this. You always second-guess yourself right before something comes out. You’re just gonna drive yourself crazy. (Leia) - I just don’t wanna, like, make a fool of myself. I don’t want people to, like, make fun of me. (Jocelyn) - They are not. Trust me. It’s good. It’s, like, really good. (Leia) - (....) What’s wrong with him? (Jocelyn) - He’s so rape-y. (Leia) - Yeah, I kinda like that about him. (Jocelyn) - Joss... No. Gross. So disturbing.” (Leia)

“- Hello, Angel. (Tedros) - You call all the girls Angel? (Jocelyn) - Just you. (Tedros) - Yeah right. (Jocelyn) - Fuck’s up with her? She doesn’t wanna hang out with us? (Tedros) - She’s my assistant. And my best friend. (Jocelyn) - She’s your best friend and your assistant? (Tedros) - Yeah. (Jocelyn) - She’s your best friend that words for you? (Tedros) - Yeah, isn’t that nice? (Tedros) - Really? Hm. (Jocelyn) - Don’t you think that’s kinda, like a nice arrangement? Oh, for her it’s amazing. Fuck. Can I be your best friend? I’d love to get paid. (Tedros) - Can I play you my new song? (Jocelyn) - Are you desperate to put this specific song out? (Tedros) - No, I’m not desperate to put anything out, my team is. ‘Cause everyone in my life is, like, telling me that it’s really great, but I don’t believe them. (Jocelyn) - Why? (Tedros) - ‘Cause when you’re famous, everyone lies to you. (Jocelyn) - And you trust me? (Tedros) - I just think you’re enough of an asshole that you might tell me the truth. (Jocelyn) - Cheers to that. (Tedros) - I don’t know. I feel like it’s, like, too superficial or something. (Jocelyn) - (...) If you’re gonna sing a song called “I’m a Freak” you should at least sing it like you know how to fuck. You gotta stop carin’ what people think. You are too locked up in your head. (Tedros) - Yeah? (Jocelyn) - Yeah, you’re thinking too much. You need to block out the world. Feel it. Do you trust me? (Tedros) - No. (Jocelyn - Good reply!)

[anoradraws]

Z-Move with a Price (Part 1)

My first attempt at a P.O.V short story; hope you enjoy!

Summary: ‘While a battle you were forced to engage in pursues, your Z-Move attempt has mysteriously backfired... and now you have to pay for the consequences.’

⚠️WARNING:⚠️ Explicit language, mild violence and gore, slight sexual preferences. Read at your own caution.

KKRRRAAABOOOMMM!!!!!!

Spectators around the market district of Malie City noticed a rather loud and destructive commotion coming from one of the alleyways.

You’ve done it...

Within moments, firefighters from outside the district are called in and rush towards the scene.

You’ve really done it this time...

As many of the shoppers and patrons gather to see what all the commotion was, and while the clouds of smoke extend to the sky, a figure suddenly and frantically rushes out of the debris, trying hard not to knock over some of the onlookers while screaming with a horrified voice.

“--OHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCK--”

Running behind the figure was a Bulbasaur, who also panicked over the events that’s occurred, and he follows the figure until the mysterious stranger suddenly runs into a cart at one of the market stands, throwing their whole body over and crash lands at the cobblestone road as they weren’t paying too much attention to where they were going while frightfully running from the actions that went on in the alleyway.

You and your Bulbasaur were running away; from something that even you didn’t expect possible to happen; something that’s going to even haunt you for the rest of your days. You’re injured from the fall, but not severely or critically as you try to stand back up to your feet and apologize almost nonstop to the cart owner, but you also didn’t have time to help clean up as something sinister is creeping up on you, and you know you need to get away now!

Without further hesitation but with sheer terror in your eyes, you wildly search through your hoodie shirt pockets, jean pockets, and even your backpack to find your page rider for a quick getaway, but to no avail. Momentarily you manage to find the device a couple feet from where you crashed over the cart, thinking to yourself perhaps it must’ve dropped during the crash, but as you reached for the object it is now crushed-- smashed to pieces by an unexpected yet familiar looking white sneaker, now within inches of where you’re currently kneeling as you tried to grab the pager at first.

You look up, holding back what would be tears of distraught as you see the very tall shape you’re trying to run away from; he was dressed in black sweatpants with white x’s on the bottom of the sleeves, white t-shirt with an unzipped black hoodie over top, wearing accessories like a gold watch on his left wrist, two bracelets on the right, a large crude skull-shaped medallion necklace, and a pair of large gold/yellow sunglasses with the left lens looking crooked like a crescent moon. His expression was more than angry, a fiery fueling rage bent on vengeance, and his dark grey eyes were hellbent on you and you alone.

This ominous stranger, the leader of ill-tempered hoodlums known as Team Skull -- Guzma-- yells at you with a threatening tone.

“YOU’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!!!!!”

The menacing scream coming from this pissed off giant causes you to scatter across the cobblestone road as you try to get to your feet; you grab and hold tight of your Bulbasaur and ran away faster than a skittering Wimpod on a feeding frenzy before Guzma would have a chance to reach out and grab you by the hood of your hoodie shirt.

Despite Guzma kept following you behind, you just kept on running, trying hard not to look back and also struggle your best not to get caught by him until you reached an idea; you pull out your Ultra Ball and call out the only Pokémon you know that can outfly anybody and any flying type possible.

“RAY, GET US OVER TO THE POKEMON SCHOOL!!!!!” You cried desperately.

The Ultra Ball opens, revealing a 5′7″ Shiny Gengar, one of your most powerful members of your team and one of the most scariest of ghost types combined, but you, his trainer, truly trust him with your heart’s content; your Gengar levitates in the air and notices your predicament, seeing Guzma chasing you through the town.

Your Gengar gives a hideous shriek at Guzma, the force of the sound pushing him back a few feet while Gengar swoops you and Bulbasaur off the ground and onto his back side; Bulbasaur hangs onto your back side with his vines while you held onto Gengar’s back like riding any Ride Pokémon from your pager before being crushed under the foot of Guzma.

Just as Gengar lifts you up to the air, Guzma brushes off Gengar’s howls and continues forward for you, and even tries to grab hold of Gengar’s tail to pull all three of you back down to land. Gengar shakes Guzma off his tail and quickly but finally takes off into the sky with you and Bulbasaur safely on his back.

Some time afterwards, two grunts who were following Guzma throughout the whole chase, had already exhausted themselves from the long run as they caught up with their boss who looks up at the escapees with a continued expression of hatred, fury, and a twinge of heartbreak somehow.

“(pant, pant) Boss! (pant)” Grunt A called while he was trying to catch his breath. “We (pant)... tried (wheeze)... (pant, pant) to catch (pant) her, but...”

Grunt B continued as he too was feeling overly weary of the recent pursuit. “Don’t... (pant, pant) worry Boss (pant, wheeze)... we’ll get her!”

There was still silence in the air, with Guzma too focused on the matter at hand.

“B-Boss? (pant, pant)” Grunt B asked once more while he continued to revive himself. “We’re (pant)... still going after her, right?”

Finally, Guzma remarks with a low and sinister tone, and teeth grinding in anger. “Of course we’re going after her; she’s going to PAY for what she’s done! She’ll be more than sorry to ever mess with ya boy, Guzma!”

Part 1 (You Are Here) | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Epilogue

[louishawkins671]

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[joshuaorrizonte]

Untitled chapter Thirteen: Alastair

Not me not being able to find the "Create" button on desktop. It's going to be a long day.

Sorry for the long delay with this. I got distracted.

@zottower @eventide-imp

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The two groups stared at each other in tense silence. Stormsong was the one who broke the stalemate. "I trust him. He's done nothing to make me doubt his loyalty to dragonkind."

"Except slaughter dozens of them," Tristan hissed. 

Adele said his name sharply. Solaris intervened grimly, "But he's right. Skyglow single-handedly murdered dozens of our dragons. And he's never answered for it."

"I did," Gavin contradicted quietly. "I stood trial for it and was acquitted of wrongdoing."

"Oh, bullshit!"

"Tristan," Solaris threatened. 

"But it's true! They made a big show of arresting him and promising he would pay for what he did, then everything goes silent and suddenly he did nothing wrong?! It doesn't make sense!"

"No, it doesn't," Adele agreed, "but it's undeniable that the crown hushed the Captain of the Riders up quickly when he was arrested." She looked at him, her expression neutral. "So?" she prompted quietly. "What's the deal? What really happened?"

Gavin looked away. "I am forbidden to discuss it."

"Convenient," Tristan sneered. 

"No, it's really not," Solaris said gently. "He has no defense if he can't talk about it." He looked to Gavin. "You are not among friends," he said firmly, coldly, "and I won't pretend you are. But my gut is telling me to hear you out. No one here is going to tell the King that you spoke about it." 

Gavin was torn. "I... don't know if it will truly make a difference. Tristan will despise me no matter what I say, I think."

"You're probably right," Tristan said, just as cold as Solaris. "But you're a dragon singer, same as us. I owe it to you to hear you out, if you’ve got a defense to what you did. We need to stick together, especially now.”

He swallowed thickly, knowing what the boy was referring to. Dragon singers had never been looked on in Eaurex with kindness. But it was almost Gavin’s single-handed fault that they were seen as less than human now. “Very well,” he said softly. “The dragons I killed were… ill.”

“Ill how?” Adele demanded sharply. “And why didn’t you try to help them?”

Gavin sighed. “Imagine a rabid animal. They are uncontrollable, vicious, aggressive, too fearful to allow anyone near them to help—if it would even do any good, because it’s an incurable disease.” His gaze was intense. “Now imagine a fully grown dragon with such an affliction.”

“Are you saying the dragons you killed were rabid?” Solaris’s voice was hard and unyielding. 

“Of course not,” Gavin scoffed. “They’re immune to such diseases. This was worse.”

They were all quiet at that. Gavin continued, “The dragon who was first noticed to be sick had already laid waste to a settlement on the western shore.”

“We never heard about that,” Solaris said quietly.

“It was kept quiet. If the people found out that the dragons were infected with a communicable disease that made them violent, there would be utter panic. We couldn’t risk that, but we also couldn’t risk the disease spreading further. We had quarantined the dragons we knew to be ill, but…” He smiled bitterly. “You know as well as I do that dragons that don’t want to be quarantined will not be for long. We had to do something, because they were beginning to demand their freedom.” 

“You were just the fall guy,” Tristan murmured. 

“Oh, no: I killed them. I was the one chosen to do so, and I could have refused. I’d have been disgraced for refusing to obey a direct order from the king, but I could have refused and I chose not to. But they were suffering. The disease was painful, as well as being mind-altering. We never discovered the cause of it, but the harder they resisted their instincts to destroy, the more painful it was for them. I did what I thought was right.” His gaze was critical as he looked them over in turn. “And if I was in the same position, I’d do it again. I won’t let anyone suffer as they were suffering.”

“So,” Adele said, after a couple moments, “if you were operating under orders from the king, why the trial?”

"Word had gotten out." Gavin's voice was haunted. "We never found the culprit, but his Majesty had to do something. That's when I became the fall guy. The trial was for show; I was never going to be convicted. But I was guilty in the eyes of the people, and no matter how his Majesty tried to protect me, there was no containing it."

There was silence in the room as they all mulled it over. Stormsong said quietly, "This was before I was born, so take this with a grain of salt, but, Gavin: there is no disease that affects dragons like that."

"I'm not lying," Gavin said defensively. 

"I know you're not, Gavin. But that leaves the question of who was controlling them, and why."

They looked at each other, chagrined. If someone had been trying to control the dragons to do humans harm, how long would it be before they tried again?

~*~

Kain, Ash, and the others walked in silence. Kain couldn't believe what was happening. What could the father of the dragons possibly want with him? He had barely enough magical talent to bond with Stormsong. There was nothing Bahamut could use him for, yet he had demanded Kain's presence, specifically. 

Michel and Petre followed behind sullenly. Both of them were furious with Kain for refusing to come back to Elymont with them, but Kain didn't know what else to do. He needed to find his dragon. 

He needed to find his friends. He needed to find his lover. Stormsong would know why Bahamut wanted him. Gavin would know how to defend himself, if it came down to it. 

Alastair - their new friend - was a question mark to all four of them. He was handsome, in a cold way. He claimed to have sugar sickness, although Kain hadn't seen him eat anything in hours, not since they met. And he could see that the man was strong, possibly stronger than Kain himself. 

And the magic that came off the man! Kain didn't have much magical talent, so the magic Alastair was exuding must've been massive for Kain to feel it. Ash did, as well; he could tell from the uncomfortable glances the elf kept shooting the newcomer. Kain nudged him, tilting his head towards Alastair; Ash grimaced. "He could flatten us in more ways than one, if he wanted to," he whispered. "I've got a bad feeling about him."

"He did help us, Ash."

"He did, but what does he want in return?"

"I can hear you."

They looked back at Alastair. The man was smiling at them benevolently, amused by the conversation. "I'm not going to 'flatten you,'" he said kindly. "I'd be a poor traveling companion if I went around 'flattening' my friends. I will admit to wanting something from you, however."

Ash gave Kain a flat, knowing look. Kain made a face back. Seeing that neither of them were going to entertain Alastair, Michel said, glaring at the two of them, "And how may we help you?"

"I'm looking for my son." Alastair's voice had gone soft. "I... abandoned him, decades ago. I regret it immensely, and I was hoping to make things right between us. Alas, he was gone from the village I left him in, and no one knew where he'd gone."

Kain's attention piqued at that. Was it possible-? No. It made no sense. "What makes you think we can help, sir?" Kain asked, his voice respectful and carefully void of the doubt he was feeling. 

"Intuition, my friend. That's all," Alastair replied softly. "I have a feeling you will be able to help me find him. I have no proof beyond that, but my intuition is rarely wrong. It is a curse, really."

"A curse?" Petre repeated in disbelief. "If I knew my intuition was right every time-"

"Imagine knowing something is about to go wrong, but not knowing enough to stop it, or to help mitigate the damage." Alastair's face took on a far-off look. "There was only once this intuition of my was actually helpful, and that was when I left my son with my friends in the village. I always intended to go back for him, but... time escaped me. He'll be a grown man now, and likely operating under the assumption that I didn't want him in my life. It can't be further from the truth. I... had to leave him behind."

The longer Kain listened, the more he felt compassion for Alastair. "I was abandoned in my village by my father," he said softly. Every eye turned to him. "I was told that my father unequivocally did not want me in his life any longer... but I've always wondered what it would be like if that weren't true."

Alastair, in an odd voice, replied, "Perhaps it wasn't. How old were you?"

Kain grimaced. "An infant, actually. Something happened between my father and one of the village women that no one will speak of, but he felt the need to leave afterwards. He left me with the woman he'd had the altercation with, and vanished."

"I... see. Were you ever told what this altercation was about?"

"No." Kain closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep sigh. "And now I'll never know. They're all dead, and at Bahamut's hands." 

Kain seethed at the thought. The idea that he'd be able to avenge Reythak was a daydream and nothing more; there was no way he'd be able to make the father of the dragons pay for what he'd done. He was a mere human; there was just nothing he could do but seethe futilely. He had never felt so helpless before in his life as he did then. 

Alastair looked at him, compassion on his features. Kain looked back, and hesitated. There was more than compassion there. There was regret.

Why would this stranger regret what Kain had just said?

Kain shook his head slightly, as if trying to dislodge the thoughts. His own son was left in a village somewhere on Eaurex. It wasn't hard to imagine that Bahamut could easily wipe out his son's village, if the dragon decided to take his search for Kain to Eaurex. It was a miracle that neither Alastair nor Ash wanted to just hand him over to protect their own home. 

Ash, with a shaky breath, said, "Well, there's little we can do for Reythak now. And Elymont, if Michel and Petre are right. I'm not handing a friend over to a genocidal dragon, no matter what he threatens."

"That genocidal dragon could eat you for a midnight snack," Michel snapped, "and you'd never know the difference! If Bahamut wants Kain, he's going to get him. Why shouldn't we cut our losses and just hand him over?"

Alastair cast a baleful look at Michel as Ash said, his voice brooking no argument, "Because we're stronger than you and might makes right."

"You've got to be kidding-"

"In this case, I'm not," Ash cut him off bluntly. "You want to sacrifice the one person in the world who's trying to rescue the dragons."

"What if Bahamut has the same goal?" Alastair asked suddenly.

The other four stopped, and looked at him. Even Petre saw the problem with Alastair's proposition. "What does Kain have to do with that?" he asked blankly. "I'm all in favor of tossing the bastard in the dragon's maw and washing my hands of it, but I don't see how doing that will help Bahamut save the dragons."

Alastair looked like he wanted to say more. Instead he simply shook his head. "I don't have all the answers," he said softly. "But have you considered that perhaps Bahamut's intentions towards Kain aren't as ignoble as they appear?" 

Kain's expression hardened, and he kept walking. "He destroyed a village in a snit when he discovered I wasn't there," he clipped. "If he wants my trust, he's going to have to make amends for that."

"He is the father of dragonkind, my boy. He doesn't answer to you."

"He does if he wants me," Kain replied, his voice flippant, hiding his discomfort and fear. Michel and Petre scoffed in unison and Ash murmured his name in surprise. The only one who didn’t respond was Alastair, his expression going thoughtful. 

They kept walking, ducking through brush and under tree limbs heavy with summer leaves and fruit Kain wouldn’t dare try to eat. Ash gathered the strange, misshapen fruits, their skin translucent and their scent almost cloyingly sweet. He took a bite from one, handing another to Kain. Kain took it, staring at it in apprehension. “It’s fine,” Ash said, a smile dancing in his eyes. “It’s not going to poison you.”

“You’re an elf. Your biology is different.”

Alastair issued the laugh Ash wouldn’t. “It’s fine,” he repeated Ash’s comment. “Here, let me.” Ash passed one of the fruits into Alastair’s outstretched hand, and the man took a bite without hesitation. He chewed, looking a bit thoughtful before swallowing, and then he shrugged. “A little overripe. Perfectly fine for consuming, though.” He took another bite, humming cheerfully.

Ash offered a fruit to Kain again, and this time, Kain took it, eyeing it in open doubt. But he took a bite; sweetness burst in his mouth, reminding him of rock candy flavored with pear nectar. It was delicious, and he took another bite, careful not to let any of the juice drip from his mouth. 

“Hey, can we-“ Petre started.

Ash glared. “Get your own. They’re all over the place.”

As Petre huffed in anger, Michel said evenly, “Relax, Petre. We’re not their friends, and we all know it. And Ash is right. This fruit is all around us. We can easily take what we want.”

Kain, on impulse, snatched a fruit from a tree as they passed and slowed, handing it to Petre. “We’re not friends,” he said quietly, “but there’s no reason we can’t be civil.”

Petre stared at him hard for several seconds, suspicious. Michel shrugged and plucked the fruit from Kain’s hand, biting into it enthusiastically. “You’re quite right,” Michel said after swallowing, raising the fruit in a mock toast. “To civility.”

“Michel,” Petre said, his voice low and aggravated, “he chose a night elf over us-“

“Do you see the night elf here?” Michel cut him off.

When Petre didn’t respond right away, Kain said, “We will be finding the night elf, and I would choose him over you a thousand times. He’s never hurt me. You two did.”

“It was for your own good,” Michel replied stiffly.

“It was for your own pride,” Kain snapped back, “because you couldn’t stand the thought of one of your own going with a Dark Knight on a mission you knew nothing about.”

“Same thing!” Michel’s eyes flashed. “That Dark Knight could have hurt you any number of ways-“

“And he didn’t!” Kain yelled. “Gavin has never hurt me, and never would-“

“He is a Dark Knight! They only know how to hurt-“

“He is the most gentle soul I know-“

“Enough!” Alastair shouted over all of them. Much to Kain’s surprise, the yell silenced Michel and Petre, as well as himself. Satisfied after a moment that he had their attention, Alastair said quietly, “So you’ve become entwined with a night elf who is a Dark Knight, as well. Interesting.” Alastair’s voice was dripping with authority. “Tell me about him.”

What are you, my father? But Kain found himself incapable of disobeying the older man. “He passed through Reythak on his way to the Light Shrine, looking for our dragons. When we discovered that all of them but one was gone, I agreed to go with him to find them.”

“All but one was gone?” Alastair rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Which one was that?”

“Mine,” Kain answered, although his mind was screaming at him to stop. “Her name is Stormsong. She forced herself into human form to stop herself from being taken, and she can't change back now."

 "Stormsong..." He said the name as if he were tasting it. "And where is this dragon in human form?"

Kain winced. "Lost. She was with Gavin and my friend when the ship we were on was attacked by a scylla. We sank. I know they survived; my link to her remains. I just don't know where she is."

Alastair made a thoughtful noise. "I may be able to help."

"How?" 

Ash's voice was suspicious, and he made no effort to mask it. Alastair gazed at him mildly before answering. "I am a singer; a powerful one, at that. I can find any dragon within a reasonable distance. If she's still somewhere on the southeastern shore, I'll be able to call her."

"Except she's in human form," Kain reminded him, almost sullenly. 

Alastair gave him a toothy, not-quite-human grin that filled him with dread. “That won’t be a problem,” he said, his voice smooth and, Kain realized, menacing.

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