#also the website says that it’s being completed privately and will be finished eventually

[sorio99]

So, I was thinking about Homestuck recently (always a bad idea, I know) and it occurred to me

I can tell you exactly why Homestuck^2 died.

And it’s not because of quality issues, or fan backlash, or internal politics (although, they probably played a part).

It’s because it’s combining the biggest problem of both fanfic and MSPA; absurdly long release breaks.

And that’s fine for a free webcomic with generally high production value, or a fan work made out of passion by a single person. But it’s not fine for something with a public Patreon, being made by hired employees, which occasionally is no more elaborate than a text document.

[skzhocomments]

In the Dark - Choi Minho SHINee Fanfic - Chapter 1 - inthedark.com

Story masterlist - please consult it for the summary of the story, trigger warnings etc.

Wattpad | AO3

Chapter 2

---

Chapter 1 - inthedark.com

chapter word count: 2.7k words

“So, tough week, huh?” Jinki spoke compassionately, watching his best friend drink his 3rd beer in a single sip and place the cup firmly on the table, then sigh.

“You bet.” Minho replied, dejected, signalling to the waitress to bring him another beer.

“Yah, should a single dad even drink so much? What will Nari say when you come home drunk?” Jinki frowned.

“She’s with my mother tonight.” He sighed, then started drinking his 4th beer, before Jinki grabbed it from him and finished it himself.

“Instead of drinking it away, spill it out. What happened?”

“I just found out Nari’s been getting bullied at school, and I’m feeling horrible for not being able to protect her.”

“Bullied?” Jinki’s eyes grew large, as he asked his friend to elaborate.

“She didn’t even tell me. How the fuck are 2nd graders so mean already?” Minho sighed again and shook his head disapprovingly.

“No way. Since when?”

“Apparently since the first year. Her teacher didn’t tell me anything either. I thought enrolling her in a private school would be a good idea. Better education, more people around her to keep her safe… I was wrong.” He shook his head again and rubbed his forehead.

“So… what will you do? Will you move her to another school?” Jinki asked, putting his arms on the table and supporting his head with his hands.

“Of course I’ll move her to another school. I just don’t know where…”

“Hmm. Why don’t you try the public school in the area? My cousin’s son is enrolled there, and he loves it so far. He’s in the 5th grade already. It’s also closer to home.”

“I don’t know… what if she hates it there? What if she gets bullied again and doesn’t tell me? God, I kept noticing she was becoming shy and reserved, and couldn’t figure out why, and all this time, she’s been bullied by her classmates. I still can’t believe it.”

“Kids can be cruel.” Jinki sighed and leaned over the table, touching Minho’s shoulder comfortingly.

“It’s hard being a single dad to a daughter. Obviously, my mom helps out a lot, but… it would’ve just been different if she were still here…”

“I know. But Ellie died 8 years ago, Minho. Maybe it’s time… you try and let her go and find someone else.”

“How could I?” He sighed. “I still love her so much. She’s still Nari’s mom.”

“Of course she is, and that’s never going to change. But still, you should try putting yourself out there, and find someone. Date, have casual sex, literally anything at this point.”

“Casual sex?” Minho chuckled. “It shocks me to hear you suggest that.”

“What are you supposed to do then, die alone?” Jinki scolded him. “Nari also needs a feminine figure around her. She’ll grow up to be a woman, eventually.”

“She has my mom.”

“A younger feminine figure.”

“I’m not ready to date anyone.” Minho shook his head.

“You’re impossible.” Jinki scoffed. “Then go to a whore house or something, have sex with someone no strings attached and see if it helps you move on for once.”

“What, to a brothel?” Minho asked, amused. “Imagine the headlines if I would. Producer Choi Minho seen entering a brothel. They’d eat me alive.”

“Use that new site, then. In the Dark.” Jinki shrugged.

“What’s that?” Minho tilted his head to the right, furrowing his brows.

“This… website,” he gestured around with his hands. “Apparently it costs a lot because it’s really private. You submit some personal information and choose someone based on your preferences, and when you meet up with them, you aren’t allowed to talk, and the lights are completely off, so neither can see what’s going on or who they’re having sex with.”

“That sounds crazy as fuck.”

“Right? That’s what I said! But it’s a pretty good alternative when there’s no risk of others seeing you enter a brothel.” Jinki chuckled.

“And you can’t even talk?”

“No, because someone could recognise your voice, I think.”

“How do you know so much about this site?” Minho raised an accusing eyebrow.

“Oh, my friends use it all the time. Apparently, it’s a fun experience.”

“What?” Minho gasped. “Who would use such a site?”

~

~Minho’s POV~

“Who would use such a site?” I asked, but curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself googling inthedark.com at 12AM that very same day.

The site was easy to use and intuitive, you had to pay a fee to become a member, and all your data had to be verified by someone.

It was, as Jinki said, extremely private, and you had to submit a whole lot of documents, from ID card to medical records on your health. Everyone’s profile was verified, and they seemed to protect both their clients and their workers.

I created a profile and chose a username. Since it had to be something completely unrelated to my real name, to not give myself away, I picked Charisma, one of the nicknames my closest friends would sometimes use for me.

After my profile’s been completed and verified, I received a download link for my phone, and as soon as I opened it, my profile was already connected. A list of models with similar interests came up, and I had to select one. They had pictures of themselves, but their faces were not visible in any of them, to keep everyone’s identities private.

I scrolled, and scrolled, and scrolled, and while everyone was gorgeous, wearing sultry lingerie, being fit with a flat stomach and perfect thighs, it still felt like no one was really… special in any way. None of them pricked my interest.

It was then when I noticed that a bit under the Recommended Models list, there was a category called “NEW”, written in bright red letters. I clicked on it, and the first model’s name caught my eye.

Flame

I chuckled seeing her name and thought of how ironic it would be to pick her, since my full nickname was Flaming Charisma. It felt like we complemented each other, even if it was obviously nothing intentional, as I didn’t know who she was, and she didn’t know who I was either.

I clicked on her profile and scrolled through her pictures, that looked to be selfies, instead of the professional-looking pictures the other models under “Recommended” had. Her calendar was also empty, which meant she hasn’t been booked by anyone yet.

Should I do it?

I was reluctant to press on ‘Apply’. We both had to submit a list of expectations and wants, and we both had to agree to the other’s terms and conditions for a potential meeting to happen.

After considering it for a little while, I decided that fuck it, I haven’t had sex with someone in 8 years, so I booked the next night impulsively and started filling the form.

---

CHARISMA – personal form

THINGS I ENJOY: intimacy, scratching my back, holding onto me, kissing/biting (anywhere besides lips), moaning

THINGS I DON’T WANT TO DO: kissing on the lips

CONDOM / NO CONDOM (if you pick the NO CONDOM option, you have to attach a report of a recent medical check-up that ensures you don’t have an STD): no condom

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: wear a short skirt

---

After filling in the whole form, I clicked on ‘APPLY’ and waited for a bit.

Flame’s form came back pretty quickly. She accepted all my requests, and she also submitted a few of her own.

---

FLAME – personal form

THINGS I ENJOY: feeling needed, tenderness, aftercare

THINGS I DON’T WANT TO DO: anal, anything that would leave a mark on my face/arms, anything painful

CONDOM / NO CONDOM: no condom

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: please take a shower beforehand

---

Reading carefully, her demands seemed decent enough, so I agreed to her terms as well, and I received a location I had to come to the next day at 12 AM.

~

From the outside, the building looked like an apartment complex. I made my way to the front door and typed in the code I’ve been given, then went to the 3rd floor, to the room number that’s been assigned to me. I opened the door which led to a small hallway that was lit by dim lights, which offered access to two other doors. The first door was a bathroom, the second one was the door to the main room, which I found out from the note on it that read: “As soon as you open this door, all the lights will go out. Please make sure you use the bathroom (door on the left) before you head into the main room. Please leave all your electronic devices and any source of light in the locker room. Refusal to do so is a violation of our terms and services and will result in legal consequences. We appreciate your cooperation in order to ensure privacy on both sides. Thank you for using inthedark.com!”

I already took a shower at home, so it felt pointless to take another one now. I put my phone on silent mode and left it in the locker as instructed, and without thinking much, I opened the door to the main room.

Just as the note said, all the lights went out as soon as I pressed on the handle. It was pitch black and simply impossible to see anything.

Now what? I asked myself and let out a soft chuckle.

I kept walking straight, until a sweet scent invaded my nostrils, and I figured out that Flame must’ve been in the room as well. After a few more steps, my chest bumped into something – her hands, I figured out after touching them.

To say I was nervous would be an understatement.

What am I even supposed to do? Undress her and simply start fucking her? Is she even wearing any clothes?

I did tell her to wear a short skirt.

It was so dark, I couldn’t see anything, and the only sounds in the room were the sounds of our breathing.

I grabbed her hands and followed their trail until I got to her shoulders, and I felt her skin get goose bumps. I let my fingers trail down her body and tried to feel her around, to imagine what the clothes she was wearing could look like. Her blouse was made of a soft fabric and had ruffles, and her skirt was, as I requested, short, barely covering her ass. I went on my knees and touched the back of her thighs, trailing my hands down once again, until I reached her feet.

She was wearing high heels, which I helped take off. I wanted to know her real height.

After I stood back up, I hugged her, and she hugged me back. She wasn’t tall, and her constitution seemed quite fragile. She seemed like a delicate woman.

We broke our hug, and I pressed my hands on her face, feeling up all her features with my thumbs. Her eyes, her nose, her full lips.

She welcomed everything I did and didn’t try to push me away at all, and she even did the same things to me as she started undressing me of my suit.

We were getting to know each other this way; from small, unsure, touches that felt a bit too intimate for me to just seek pleasure from her, and for her to just seek my money.

It was getting too easy to forget that I’ve essentially hired her for the night, that we’re only going to spend 2 hours together.

Maybe it was just because I haven’t been intimate with someone in so long. Ever since my wife’s death, I haven’t touched any other woman. Instead, I just focused on raising our daughter.

Feeling Flame’s touches, though, I realised I missed intimacy badly. I liked the way her hands felt on my abs, her lips attached to my neck while she kept moving that damn hand lower, touching my dick through the underwear.

I liked that she respected my wished and didn’t try kissing my lips at all. That was the one thing I wanted to save for my late wife, the one thing I wasn’t yet ready to do. I convinced myself that sex was different, and the only honest part of me are my lips, and I didn’t want them to touch someone I didn’t love.

Flame went on her knees and pulled my underwear down, taking my dick into her mouth, and I let out an obscene groan. Her tongue on me felt way too good; the way it swirled circles around my tip while her hand was stroking me made my knees weak. I grabbed the back of her head and gently pushed my length down her throat, making her choke a bit. With my other hand, I caressed her cheek and gently touched her chin, wiping off the spit falling uncontrollably from her mouth as she was deepthroating me.

After a few more seconds, I pushed her head away and helped her stand up, before undressing her of the ruffled blouse and short skirt.

I wondered what colour they were. Not that it mattered.

She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the bed in the middle of the room, and I pressed my naked body against hers, trailing kisses down her body as I let my hands feel her up. She smelled so good, I felt intoxicated by her scent, and I lost control of myself while exploring her body. Her tits were not too big, but they were full and felt perfect in my hands.

I moved my hands to her waist as I pressed a kiss on her lower abdomen. She opened her legs, giving me access to her pussy, and I started eating her out, keeping her body in place as my tongue moved carefully between her folds.

She moaned, and God, she sounded beautiful.

It didn’t take long to make her come. She was a panting mess and her hands found mine on her waist, squeezing them as she let go.

Smiling to myself realising I still got it, even after all these years, I made my way back on top of her and slid inside her with ease. Her hands went around my neck, and she pulled me closer, hugging me tight to her body as I pumped in and out of her.

Her nails were slightly scratching me while she wrapped around me completely, and the whole act felt so intimate, I almost forgot again that she was just a prostitute, and that I was essentially just a stranger to her; no one special.

I released myself inside of her with ease, drunk on all the pleasure her body offered me. What a messed-up thing this was, hiring someone for a couple of hours of love.

I tried not to think of it too much as I slipped out of her and she pulled me closer once more, and I remembered her requests. Feeling needed, tenderness, aftercare. Was she as lonely as me, to request these things?

Since she indulged me, why not do it for her as well? We only had one hour left, anyway. I plopped down next to her and guided her head on my shoulder, caressing her hair while our bodies hugged each other.

It felt nice staying like this, too. It almost made me wish I booked her for the whole night. Maybe we would’ve gone to sleep together embraced and pretended we were actual lovers that spent their first night together.

Maybe this was just wishful thinking.

~

A few hours after meeting Flame, I received a notification from In the Dark consisting of a review form I had to submit, that would be received by Flame. From the message on the app, she would apparently receive it, and send one back.

---

MEETING REVIEW FORM by Charisma

Rate Flame from 1 to 5 (lowest to highest): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Were all your special requirements fulfilled? (Leave empty if not applicable): Yes, Flame respected all my wishes and special requirements.

What did you enjoy? Flame was sweet and I had a great time with her :)

What should be improved? Nothing, everything was perfect.

Would you like to tip Flame? (Any amount you write will automatically be deducted from your Card after submitting this form. Leave empty if you don’t wish to tip your host): 200$

Thank you for using our service!

---

MEETING REVIEW FORM by Flame

Rate the interaction with the customer from 1 to 5 (lowest to highest): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Did the customer fulfil your special requirements? Yes, thank you for respecting my wishes

Tip received – 200$: That’s very sweet and generous of you. Thank you a lot, Charisma. I had a great time with you as well, and I hope we will meet again. ❤️

~

Chapter 2

[joonsrack]

+Pairing: Namjoon x Reader

+Genre:  One shot (maybe an eventual series). It’s not fluff, it’s not angst, it’s....idk i’m bad at this.

+Word count: 2.1k

+Summary: 

“Here stands Kim Namjoon, tyrannic CEO who has made the last few months of your life a blur of stressful weeks and nonexistent weekends. He's a workaholic on a good day, and a demon on the bad ones. Not a...whatever this is.

‘He’s flirting, right?’ The little voice from the back of your mind supplies. ‘Shut up’ is all you answer.”

Meeting your boss in a BDSM club is probably the last thing you were expecting coming here.

+Warnings: NSFW (nothing graphic but story takes places in a BDSM club), BDSM themes, implied switch namjoon, implied dom reader, i know nothing about BDSM and BDSM clubs, don’t @ me. (if i should have tagged anything else pls let me know uwu)

+A/N: This is my first reader x member type of fic, and i gotta say, it was pretty fun. I wrote this for the Secret Santa event organized by the amazing people at BTS writers collective, as a gift for the lovely @freekyegg​ 💖💖💖. You said your fave namjoon was harness and choker namjoon, so my brain went straight for the kinky stuff.... I  hope you enjoy this as much as i enjoyed writing it! Also this fic has nothing to do with Christmas, idk how that happened..

ENORMOUS thank you to @spicykoreantatertots​ who edited this on a 2 hour deadline, when it wasn’t even finished yet 🥰💖

Of all the places you thought you’d be spending your Friday night, sitting in the office of a BDSM club owner, discussing SSC and setting up your membership, was not one of them. But here you are, sitting in the office of a BDSM club owner, going through the terms and conditions of your membership.

Jung Hoseok smiles at you before handing you a gold pen. The man looks immaculate in his double breasted gray suit, not a crease in sight. Despite his smile, there’s a dangerous aura to him. One of complete and utter control.

“Sign here, here, and here. It’s very important that you respect these rules, for everyone’s safety. We also insist that first timers stick to observation during their first visit. Wear this.” He says, putting down a red bracelet on the desk before you. “Then other customers will know not to propose you. You can also choose to wear this bracelet whenever you feel like just watching from the sidelines.” You hand him back the membership contract after you’ve finished signing on all the proper lines, and he examines your signature before nodding in approval. “There’s a bar at everyone’s disposal, but we don’t allow heavy alcohol consumption, since we prioritize clear consent.”

The nameplate on the desk with 'Jung Hoseok - Headmaster' engraved in cursive makes you feel like you’re back in high school. Except this is not high school, and sitting on the other side of the desk is a successful attractive young man, not a bald idiot.

“There’s some private rooms to everyone’s disposition, which you can either reserve in advance or the same night depending on the availability. We have one room for people who like to have an audience, which we call the Window Room.” 

You nod along with him, a little overwhelmed by all the information. He smiles reassuringly at you, noticing your deer in the headlights look. It feels more predatory than anything else.

“There's single mixers every last Thursday of each month, open to the BDSM community, and sometimes there’s special events, themed nights or performances, which are posted on the website. Any questions?”

You shake your head, feeling so far out of your element, sitting in this chair, about to enter a whole new world you’ve been fantasizing about but never dared to seek out.

It took your best friend, Taehyung, digging a little too deep in your closet for one of your blouses and finding your box of accessories and outfit. You had flushed a deep red in embarrassment at having your secret exposed, but your friend had been quick to reassure you there was nothing to be embarrassed about. 

Then he’d shocked you into admitting he had a similar interest.

“You asked me once why I have a leash at home when I don’t own a dog.” He had said, shrugging one shoulder, and that had been an eye opening moment for you.

And then, after revealing you’d never shared with anyone your interest for all things leather, whip and power dynamic, he had talked to you about this club.

“It’s called Club Dionysus. It’s for people interested in BDSM. There are spaces reserved for scenes, but you can also just chill at the bar and observe. It could be good for you, to explore this side of you, you know? Without any pressure to participate in anything.”

A few days later, after a hellish week of dealing with your tyrannic boss, distracting yourself with a new experience seemed like an excellent idea.

The corset is hugging your body just right, your sheer stockings held in place by some garter and disappearing into your leather pencil skirt. The heels you have on would never be appropriate for a setting other than this one, making you feel like there’s power to each of your steps.

It’s definitely not the kinkiest outfit you own, but you chose to keep it tame for you first visit.

Taehyung is waiting just outside the door as Hoseok dismisses you from his office, wishing you an excellent time. He steers you toward the bar area, but that doesn’t stop you from mapping out the place. You had sneaked a peak at the club before being ushered into the Headmaster’s office, but it’s still a lot to take in once you’re finally free to let your eyes roam around.

The general theme colour seems to be dark palettes, dark wood details, and a little touch of red here and there, but definitely less than you were expecting. There’s the bar corner, which looks like any other club, save maybe for the bartender’s outfit. There’s some tables and then an open space, but it doesn’t seem to be for dancing, judging from the handcuffs hanging from the ceiling.

“For public punishment.” Taehyung specifies once he sees what you zeroed on.

You try to act unaffected, but it’s definitely going to stay in the back of your mind.

There’s a hallway that leads to a few closed doors, some with signs on them. It’s probably safe to assume these are “occupied” signs. Then there's a corner with a small stage, where those performances Hoseok mentioned probably take place. A Saint Andrew’s cross is placed on it, which you were kind of expecting, coming here.

Then, there’s a ceiling to floor window, giving into a darkened room.

You leave Taehyung at the bar waiting for you drinks, curious about what is standing on the other side. The room is dark, so you need to stick your face to the glass and shield your eyes from the light to see anything beyond the window.

You see some outlines, but you can’t make out exactly what’s in there, other than some dark furniture. You push your face even closer, tightening the shield around your eyes.

“You’re allowed to peak inside through the door, you know.” Someone says from behind you, startling you from how close they sound.

Your body seizes up in fight or flight response, survival instinct kicking in at the familiar voice. You know it so well; Too well. It follows you all day long, barking orders left and right, calling you at all hours to add to your workload. And then it wakes you up in the middle of the night, most of the time from stress nightmares.

Most of the time.

You deliberate about turning around and facing the most humiliating moment of your life, or just going straight for the exit without turning back. There isn't a lot of patrons in the bar right now, so the path to the door is probably clear. The only problem is that your feet are grounded to the floor, your heels feeling like they're suddenly made of concrete.

There's a little voice in the back of your mind whispering something that resemble 'Don't forget he's here too', but right now all you’re able to focus on is the presence you can feel, hovering over your shoulder. 

That's probably what describes best your relationship, him hovering over your shoulder.

Kim Namjoon has been breathing down your back since the first day you started working as his personal assistant, making your every waking moment a living hell. Go figure he would be doing it here too.

You brace yourself for his usual cold demeanour. You're persuaded this man hates you, always bossing you around and criticizing your every move.

You aren’t expecting the soft grin pulling at the corner of his lips. 

Neither are you expecting… everything else.

Gone is his everyday slicked back hairstyle, his silver hair coiffed into a more relaxed, swoop to the side look. He’s wearing this black satin blouse with see through sleeves and leather jeans, which is already a lot to compute, quite different from the suit you’re used to seeing him in. What makes your brain short circuit though, is the harness. 

A leather belt cinches his slim waist, two leather straps attached to it, running over his strong shoulders. There’s two leather cuff on each of his wrist, over the sleeves ends, and the harness look is completed by a simple black choker, looking stark against Namjoon’s neck.

You feel your mouth go dry, your breathing getting a little short and heart beating a little faster. 

All because of the stress of meeting your boss here, of course. No other reason at all.

“Hello sir.” You say, finally finding your voice. Your head is in a state of chaos, your brain on a loop of everything going on with Namjoon’s outfit. 

“Rule #6 if I remember correctly; Relationships and dynamic with people you might know outside of these walls do not apply inside Club Dionysus.” Namjoon recites, eyes on your red bracelet. He takes a very small step back that doesn’t do anything for the lack of space between you. 

You would feel caged in, except he has his hands in his back.

You’re not exactly sure why he’s telling you that, although you vaguely remember Jung Hoseok mentioning this earlier. The confusion must show on your face, because Namjoon carries on.

“You don’t need to address me as sir here.” He says, his smile turning sharper. “That is… unless we’ve previously agreed upon that.” 

Oh. Oh.

There’s something happening here. A shift in the air. A glint in his eyes. 

You swallow, and it sounds ten times louder than usual, despite the soft background music.

“I- hm. Interesting.” You’ve probably never sounded so dumb, but you can’t think over the sirens going off in your head.

This is a weird situation. Something you were not expecting, not in a million years. And how could you? 

Here stands Kim Namjoon, tyrannic CEO who has made the last few months of your life a blur of stressful weeks and nonexistent weekends. He's a workaholic on a good day, and a demon on the bad ones. Not a...whatever this is.

‘He’s flirting, right?’ The little voice from the back of your mind supplies. ‘Shut up’ is all you answer.

Unaware of your internal struggles, Namjoon snorts at your lack of response, looking...endeared? Is that the correct word? Is your obvious lack of brain cells endearing to him?

“I’m not your boss here, and you’re not my personal assistant.”

“Ehrm, I see. Should I call you Mr.Kim then?”

“If you wish to.” He says, looking particularly amused by your awkwardness.

Which, rude. This is a stressful place to meet your boss, how dare he.

“If I wish to, huh? So, I could choose to call you anything I’d like?” You can’t stop the slight flare of temper, not liking being made fun off. If he wants you to treat him as an equal, then treat him as an equal you will.

Namjoon nods once, his tongue quickly wetting his lips before adding, “Of course I will need to agree to it beforehand.”

You catch Taehyung from the corner of your eyes, waving at you from the bar with a question mark on his face. Namjoon follows your line of sight, focusing on your friend and frowning.

“Would you agree to being called ‘baby boy’, then?” you taunt, standing straighter than you have so far. 

He snaps his attention back to you, looking taken aback by the switch of demeanor.

You can’t stop your mind from conjuring the memory of those dreams, the one that wake you up in the middle of the night. Blurs of a long body tied to a bed, a diamond choker sparkling on his neck, a voice, usually hard, sounding soft and whimpery.

The wide eyed look Namjoon is giving you is pretty close to the one you usually see on his face during those short nighttime visits. 

“I-” He says, but stops, looking flustered. You feel a growing satisfaction at having reversed the roles.

The novelty of the situation, that left you feeling unsteady, is starting to subside, leaving you sure footed in your stilettos. 

You purse your lips, cocking a brow.

“Only if you agree, of course.”

You see his throat work, making his choker shift as he swallows once, then twice.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed I’m not allowed to take part in the events tonight,” You say, showing off your bracelet. “so I guess we should keep this discussion for next time.” You side step him, never breaking eye contact.

“After all, we need to talk about what you’re going to call me, too.” 

“In fact,” He finally says after a moment of silence, his earlier confidence replaced by something more tentative. “we should discuss it in great detail.” He finishes.

You smile in lieu of a response, before giving one last appreciative look to his attire, lingering on the black choker. You feel his eyes on you as you make your way back to the bar, already looking forward to next Friday.

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#3. Item 3D Visualization

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#5. Computer-aided design & BIM Services

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If you need any sort of CG symbolism, find a multi-discipline 3D visualization association with appropriate standing. A particularly 3D studio can expertly execute shocking 3D delivering, explicit 2D CAD drafts, and even outstanding BIM. Presumably, they have every one of the sources to supply first-class benefits, which incorporate present-day equipment, cutting-edge programming, and a huge group of specialists.

If need any architectural help or any architecture service. Visit our site 👉architectural 3d visualization

[midwestmontessori]

Goodbye Midwest Montessori, Hello Montessori Like a Mother

You heard that right, Midwest Montessori is coming to an end. If you’re finding this post, perhaps you’ve followed along with my intermittent ramblings over the years, or perhaps I’ve remained an obscurity and you have no idea who I am. Either way, allow me to explain. (For those looking for the new website link without the fluff: Montessori Like a Mother)

Hi. I’m Amy. I’m a Montessori mom of two children, Charlotte (born 2013) and Simon (born 2015). I found Montessori when I was pregnant with Charlotte and completely immersed myself in it. Along with my husband James, we have raised both of our children with Montessori principles from birth. Of course there’s always a learning curve and we’ve changed things along the way, but we’ve more or less been a Montessori family from the start. 

I started this blog as a way to share our Montessori life with all of you. I joined an online Montessori community on Facebook called Montessori 101 and I fell in love with sharing and being inspired by other families along the same journey. Midwest Montessori gave me space to share our Montessori life and perspective and I’m so thankful for the community I’ve connected with over the years, both on Facebook as well as on Instagram. 

But my Montessori journey didn’t stop at being a Montessori parent. I loved it so incredibly much that I shifted my career path, little by little, until eventually Montessori took over completely (it has a way of doing that with people sometimes). First I shifted from high school education to early childhood and elementary. When that wasn’t enough of a change, I decided to take the leap and get Montessori teacher certification specifically. It has been a long, difficult journey, particularly for my AMAZING and supportive husband and children, but I DID IT! 

In 2018, I graduated with my bachelors degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, completed my Montessori Primary Diploma program from Association Montessori Internationale, turned the big 3-0, and, though I’m not quite sure how, jumped aboard a HUGE project of creating an AMI Montessori 3-6 program from scratch! 

That’s right, I single-handedly curated a brand new Montessori program - all the materials, all the furniture, all the classroom procedures and curriculum and whatnot - all while finishing two degrees, one of which was in another state! I’m certainly not saying this to brag, but man I was POOPED! My husband and children deserve medals for their patience and support during that time. I was out of the state for weeks at a time, over a two year period totaling nearly 6 months, and when I was home I was working my rear-end off student teaching, taking both day and night classes, and in the last year I spent most of my free time working on building a brand new school.

What I had dreamed would be an amazing new chapter in our families life, one where I was a lead guide in a local Montessori school start-up and my children attendees, proved to be too much for our little family. While my time in that magical school of mine remains near and dear to my heart, after over two years of total chaos, I stepped out of the classroom in order to dedicate myself to my family again, to focus on my roles as mother and wife.

What came next was even crazier than before! My husband got an opportunity for a new job in St. Louis - far from our lifetime home in Kansas. It happened so fast, within two months of finding the job we were moved. The past year has been a whirlwind of new school, new home, new city, new friends, new commutes, new jobs, new everything. It hasn’t been easy, but slowly we are finding a new normal - a new, more stable normal, which is just what we all have needed.

The next part is something that I’ve dreamed about for years. I’ve dreamt about it, thought about it, talked about it, and talked about it some more. Everyone I’ve met along this journey - my college professors, my Montessori trainers, my family, my friends, my classmates, my colleagues, my acquaintances - they’ve all heard me talk an earful about my dreams for the future of Montessori Parenting. 

See, I believe Montessori is a way of living. It isn’t just something we find in specialized classrooms and private schools. It isn’t something we find merely in Dr. Montessori’s curriculum, or our precious teaching albums. No, Montessori is so, so much more than that. It is about supporting the growth and development of the child. And who better to support that than the child’s own family - his own parents? Montessori families will change the world, I just know it. I believe it. 

And I care so deeply to bring this beautiful, wonderful way of life to as many as desire to know it - not just from my own personal family’s experience but from an empowered place that goes beyond me or my family. I want to help families learn how to “Montessori like a Mother,” that is, to “do Montessori at home with their family in the way that any mother does, with her heart and soul and perhaps a bit of sass, if you’re anything like me. 

Together, we can make the world a better place, through the work we do in our own homes, with our own families, and within ourselves. Dr. Montessori had it right when she said that the hope and promise of mankind was in the hands of the child. And whose hands are there holding that child? Ours. It is us parents of the world, or those of us who stand in as a parent for a child in whatever form that may be - biological parent, step-parent, foster-parent, adoptive-parent, guardian, grandparent, aunt, uncle, caregiver, nanny, day-care provider, teacher, neighbor, coach, counselor, leader. Parenting, or mothering, isn’t something reserved for mothers. We are all mothers. And may we all Montessori Like a Mother.

And so I announce my new website, where I will be writing and sharing empowering and encouraging messages for Montessori parents of all kinds. Montessori Like a Mother is launching soon. Visit the website now to get on the email list to be the first to see the new site. I’m working hard during this global pandemic situation to build a place where parents can feel uplifted, empowered, and supported in their parenting journey. I hope you’ll follow along with me. Thank you for your support.

For the record, Charlotte & Simon will still be seen here and there on the new website, as well as in my Instagram stories and perhaps an occasional post, as they choose to be featured (and James too). They are and always will be my greatest source of joy and my top priority, which also includes their privacy preferences as they age. I appreciate their support so very much.

[hexusproductions]

Q-pid - 50 Questions

Answering a list of 50 character questions in-character. The original list can be found here.

1. Are you a morning person or more of a night owl?

“I’m more of a morning person. I like running errands at times when nobody is really out and about.”

2. What’s the first thing you notice about a person when you meet them?

“Their demeanour. You know, if they’re acting proud, happy, tough. However they’re acting, so I know how much I should be acting as well.”

3. You see a huge spider in your room. What do you do?

“Immediately find bug spray. I don’t want it anywhere near me.”

4. If you could go back and change one decision you made in the past, what would you change?

“I would read my contract better before signing it.”

5. Tell me about your first kiss.

“We went to one of those make-out points. It was very sweet. We were teenagers in love, and that night was picture-perfect.”

6. Do you give people second chances?

“I can’t think of any point where someone’s done something to me, and I haven’t eventually forgiven them or let the matter go.”

7. Are you a cat person or a dog person?

“I do love cats. They’re adorable and soft.”

8. Do you think you’re attractive?

“Oh definitely. I’m completely gorgeous. Ask anyone.”

9. What’s your worst habit?

“I poke and prod at people and sometimes that ends up going too far. People lose their temper, and that usually ends up hurting me in some way or another.”

10. When was the last time you cried?

“Oh…On-camera, maybe? I don’t cry a lot, but I’ve definitely done it when someone was recording.”

11. Are you a good liar?

“I’m a talented actor, so that bleeds over if I have to pretend something is the truth.”

12. What’s your biggest pet peeve?

“Being spoken over. If you must speak, wait your turn.”

13. Have you ever had your heart broken?

“A few times, maybe. There’s been a few close calls, but I’ve never found anyone who could make a dent I couldn’t repair.”

14. Are you more likely to use your fists or your words in an argument?

“Words cut better, but I’m also fine with using a physical weapon. My favourites being demonstrating my talents, or with my bow.”

15. What’s something you’re naturally good at?

“Singing, looking good, winning hearts. The list goes on.”

16. What’s something you had to work hard to be good at?

“Choreography. When I was first starting, I wasn’t used to performing on-stage with rehearsed dance routines. But- But after four years I can tell you I’m perfect!”

17. Can you tell when someone is flirting with you?

“Oh yeah. Part of my whole character riles on me being able to recognise it.”

18. Do you think money can buy happiness?

“All you need in this world is love. If you have that, there’s always hope.”

19. Do you believe in destiny?

“Speaking for myself, I was always going to end up where I am now, sooner or later. I guess that would mean other people have destinies as well.”

20. Are you a good cook?

“I’m an experimental cook. When I have the time, I’ll mess around with recipes. It may be hit-or-miss, but since I’m only ever cooking for myself, it doesn’t matter. But I do hope to make someone dinner or breakfast-in-bed one day…”

21. What do you think happens after you die?

“I’ll live on through my music, surely.”

22. Did you have to grow up fast?

“No, not really. I was average, I grew up at an equally average speed. Then when I signed up with Prometheus everything seemed to just whoosh by into breakneck speed.”

23. Who do you look up to?

“Myself. There’s some artists that inspire me because of what they do, so I guess I look up to them.”

24. When you go to a tavern, what do you order?

“Something weak, so that it doesn’t impact my ability to perform. But it is also probably the only drink I’ll be getting for the night, so I’m going to make it count.”

25. What do you like most about yourself?

“I’m talented, gorgeous, brilliant in my field-”

26. What do you like least about yourself?

“What’s not to like?”

27. Do you want kids someday?

“I’ve never even thought about that. I’m focusing on my career. I don’t know what’s going to happen, all I hope for is that I’m still Q-pid.”

28. Are you a planner, or more spontaneous?

“I’m more spontaneous, though with plenty prepared – many arrows in my quiver, as they say – to help me.”

29. Can you keep a secret?

“I keep secrets very well. If I didn’t I’d be fired, haha.”

30. Do you like being the centre of attention?

“One thousand percent. I’m Q-pid, my lovelies, my heart goes out to the entire world!”

31. If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today?

“I’d work my ass off until that point. Release every idea I’ve ever wanted to see finished, post them on my own goddamn website. I don’t care if they’re grainy audio files, people will hear them. They will know me, before I die.”

32. Do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?

“Always! Even if the special occasion is just going down the street, I like to look good and feel good. And when it comes to special events requiring a special appearance from yours truly, my costume designer is a goddess. I never get tired of wearing that costume.”

33. Where do you feel safe?

“In my apartment. I can decorate and act however I like, and no-one ever visits. It’s like my own private bunker.”

34. Do you love or hate being alone?

“…I’ve accepted it…”

35. What’s the last nightmare you remember having?

“My hands and legs were chewed off. I don’t know what by, but I think it was humanoid.”

36. Do you admit to mistakes when you make them?

“Oh, no, definitely not. I usually cover them up and act like I knew what I was doing the whole time.”

37. Do you want to grow up to be like your parents?

“I haven’t spoken to them in years, but they weren’t really anybody, so.”

38. How do you deal with being sick? Are you stoic, or super whiny?

“Everyone needs to know that I’m not at my best! That’s not whiny!!”

39. What did your parents expect from you when you were born?

“I honestly don’t know. For me to happy, maybe? Then that would be mission accomplished.”

40. Do you have a strong sense of style?

“Oh yes. Everything I wear is stylish, coordinated, and extravagant. I don’t leave the house if it’s not.”

41. Would you rather camp outdoors or stay the night in an inn?

“Definitely indoors. I’m not sleeping outside, are you kidding? I’ll get dirt everywhere and I’ll get attacked by wild animals.”

42. Is there a food that most people like that you absolutely hate?

“Hm. I don’t know if peaches count as a beloved food, but they have a weird taste and texture. Oh, kiwi! I don’t like kiwi.”

43. Are you more of a hoarder or a minimalist?

“I’m right in the middle. I decorate my tables and shelves with as much as possible, but everything else has to be completely cleared. Especially where there’s a lot of foot traffic.”

44. Are you superstitious?

“No! Absolutely not. I’m just careful. Who isn’t careful about things like ghosts and evil spirits?”

45. Are you the kind of person who remembers people’s birthdays and pets’ names and stuff?

“Not really. Little things like that just, slip my mind. It’s a curse.”

46. What do you do to feel better when you’re sad?

“I’m never ever sad. I’m Q-pid…But if Pitt’s feeling down, he buys himself something nice.”

47. Is it hard for you to trust someone?

“I always say that I trust people. But I don’t open up to people, and most only see about thirty percent of me. They don’t want to know about the rest, so I don’t bother.”

48. Are you susceptible to peer pressure?

“No?? Oh that’s cute. I deal with a much worse kind of pressure every day, that kind doesn’t bother me.”

49. If you decided to stop adventuring and settle down, what kind of job would you take?

“I don’t think I’d quit unless I was forced to. In which case, I’d probably get super depressed. But, I like pilots, and I like being able to fly. I’ve kind of achieved that with the wings, but I’d go for the run-of-the-mill version if the worst happens.”

50. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

“I wanted to make music years before I was signed. That’s why I jumped at the chance to do it. I’ll do anything to keep that dream alive.”

[echonidae]

edit nov. 23rd: alrighty, break is over !! the seven main slots are back c: for now commissions will be done in a slower pace while i sort out schoolwork (but i only have classes for two more weeks !!) so there's that c: ,,,,i ended up not having much time to revise the whole commission page ;o; but i'll also eventually make a separated page for the older completed slots, just so the page doesn't get progressively longer asdfghjfghj

——— COMMISSION STATUS - OPEN please read all the info + rules carefully before requesting a commission!! by placing an order, you're agreeing to all the rules!!

4000x4000px .png images (icons are 800x800px !) at 600-700ppi by default, digital medium only; one file watermarked for reposting purposes, another with a tiny signature off to the side; payment is done half upfront, half right before i send you the finished drawing (two invoices) after i accept your order, you must pay the first half in 72h to occupy a slot or your request will be considered null and void! waiting period for the finished drawing is 1 to 3 weeks (due to classes — i tend to work fast tho) — i'll keep you updated!

7 slots per batch — icons have dedicated slots!! once i get this batch done, i'll open more slots  —  for icons, i'll create a new batch and reopen slots as they get done instead :)   max of 2 slots per person (icons don't count for Main slots so if you want two commissions + up to two icons, that's fine !!) , only one character per slot.

more info under the cut!! please read all the info + rules carefully before requesting a commission!! by placing an order, you're agreeing to all the rules!!

this price sheet is on dA too, in case the readmore link can’t be opened on mobile!

- first batch slot 1 - completed !!  slot 2 - completed !! slot 3 - completed !! slot 4 - completed !! slot 5 - completed !! slot 6 - completed !! slot 7 - completed !!

- second batch slot 1 -  completed !! slot 2 -  completed !! slot 3 -  completed !! slot 4 -  completed !! slot 5 -  completed !! slot 6 -  completed !! slot 7 -  completed !! -------------------- icon slot 1 - completed !! icon slot 2 - completed !! icon slot 3 - completed !! icon slot 4 - completed !! icon slot 5 - completed !! icon slot 6 - completed !!

- third batch // opened on nov. 23rd slot 1 -  OPEN slot 2 -  OPEN slot 3 -  OPEN slot 4 -  OPEN slot 5 -  OPEN slot 6 -  OPEN slot 7 -  OPEN -------------------- icon slot 7 - OPEN icon slot 8 - OPEN icon slot 9 - OPEN icon slot 10 - OPEN icon slot 11 - OPEN

— USD (paypal invoice) only

> ICONS  - 800x800px - digital painting style - full color + shading/lighting - colored lineart - optional white outline, chromatic aberration, etc. - simple backgrounds (mandalas, patterns, geometric, texture, transparent, etc.) — ICONS:        $ 11 USD

> SHADED LINEART - cellshading in 1 to 2 colors - clean lineart in 1 to 2 colors - solid color bakcground with/without texture - chromatic aberration in the lineart is optional — BUST:          $ 12 USD — KNEE-UP:    $ 14 USD

> OVERLAYED GRAYSCALE (as in, the drawing is done in grayscale and then i overlay a ton of diffrent colors on top of it) - cellshaded - clean lineart - minimal lighting - simple background with/without texture or simple shapes - chromatic aberration in the lineart is optional — BUST:          $ 15 USD — KNEE-UP:    $ 18 USD

> BASE COLORS - cellshaded + lighting and lighting effects - base colors - clean, colored lineart - chromatic aberration in the lineart is optional - simple background with/without texture or simple shapes — BUST:          $ 22 USD — KNEE-UP:    $ 26 USD

> FULL COLOR - full color digital painting - full shading/lighting - colored lineart - simple background — BUST:          $ 38 USD — KNEE-UP:    $ 55 USD

—  each major change (as in: something significantly big and/or detailed, or a portion that is more than 45% of the piece, must be redone partially or completely) to the order after the lineart is done increases the price by $2 to $5 USD!

- will draw furries/anthro animals plants humanoids monsters humans body horror some gore your ocs - will not draw fanart (sorry!) nsfw/fetish/sexualized nudity hyper realistic gore mecha/vehicles/intricate armor (this sort of armor is fine! in doubt, feel free to ask!) text-only references (please send images instead!) someone else's oc (unless you have written permission!) hate speech/racism/lgbtphobia character sheets custom oc design custom clothing design (please send references!!) drawn backgrounds (as in, actual full scenes — abstract or simple shapes like mandalas or the ones in the previous commissions are fine)

feel free to ask if you're not sure whether your order would be ok or not !!

here are the full example images: - icons 1 // icons 2 - shaded lineart - overlayed grayscale (a more colorful one in this style would be [this] one!!) - base colors - full color (this was an ab extra for an auction so i can only link the preview, sorry!! most of my art is in this fullcolor style tho so here are some substitutes [1] [2] [3] [4]) feel free to check out previous commissions here!!

——— RULES / MORE INFO  

-  i reserve the right to refuse a commission request without needing to provide a reason — please don't take it personally!! -  once i've accepted your order, i'll send you an invoice asking for the first half of the payment, which you must pay in 72h. after i receive that, you’ll occupy a slot and i’ll start working on your piece! -  i'll send you some rough colored sketches for you to choose which one you like better; please make sure to think carefully and say if you'd like to change something before greenlighting one of the sketches! we can stay at this stage for as long as it is needed, no rush c: but please keep in mind that once you greenlight it, i'm not going to start over! -  i'll update you again once the lineart is done (wip screenshot including the previously agreed color scheme, if applicable) — at this point, only color palette and minor changes to the lineart (small changes in the expression, moving a hand a bit to the side, more or less texture detail on faces and hair, etc.) are allowed free of charge —   each major change after the lineart is done will increase the price by $2 to 5$ USD!   - * i'll send another update right before finishing the piece so as to work out last minute details and small changes. * once your commission is done, i'll send a second invoice asking for the rest of the payment — after i receive that, i'll send you the full-res images! i'll also post the commissioned drawing here, on tumblr and on ig — if you don't want to be linked to the drawing once it's posted, please do say so ahead of time! -  i won't accept private commissions (as in, the drawing isn't posted anywhere).  i also will not do any edits after the commission is done (as in, after the second invoice has been sent) — again please make sure to voice your thoughts in the sketch phase!   -  please understand that, although i'll follow references as closely as i can * (and you can feel free to tell me if i missed a detail any time) * , i'll make stylistic choices due to my artstyle and i will not try to replicate someone else's style. -  i keep all the copyrights to use, post and showcase the commissioned drawing in any and all websites, portfolios, announcements, etc. i won't sell or make prints/etc. of the drawing, and i'll make sure to add info on who the commission was for. -   the commissioned drawing is for personal and non-commercial use only; you may not claim my art as your own nor profit in any way from the drawing. the resolution should be good for printing and you may do so for personal use but please don't sell prints of the drawing. * the commissioned drawing is a digital file, and i won't send any physical items to you. *  -   you keep all the rights to your own ocs, designs, concepts, and stories. -   do not trace, copy, or edit the drawing in any way. and please do not erase my signature in the unwatermarked image, it won't be obstructing anything. -   i'll send you a watermarked and an unwatermarked version of the drawing — only the watermarked version may be reposted (with credit) to prevent misuse/theft! the icon's file i'll send you does not have a watermark — still, credit is appreciated! i'll post icons together in a single post, and those do have watermarks for the same reason as mentioned previously ;v; -   please don't commission me with a deadline in mind — your piece may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to finish, though i'm aiming for the former. i'm currently in classes right now and they, of course, have a greater priority over commissions — if something comes up that results in a significant delay on your piece, i'll notify you of it! -    i'll refund your payment if i wasn't able to finish or start your order. if you must cancel your order for any reason, please contact me asap so we can discuss it! if you give up on the commission mid-way or after it is done, i will not refund you and won't take commissions from/sell adopts to you in the future. -     that being said, please do not commission me if you're unsure you can pay or unsure you actually want it!

by placing an order, you are agreeing to the terms and i assume you have read all the info i've written down! i'm not going to negotiate the terms! feel free to ask any questions!!!

——— IF YOU'RE INTERESTED        

send me a note/PM with the following information:

subject: commission request paypal email: (so i can send you an invoice) type of commission: (icon, lineart, grayscale, base colors or full color?) type of composition: (knee-up or bust?) description/ideas: (please write a detailed description of what you want from this piece! what sort of mood/expression/pose/color palette/etc. do you have in mind? do send any ideas for composition and other elements even if they feel vague, we will work together on shaping your order c:) reference image links: (other than character sheets, these can be palettes, pictures of outfits, pose references,  etc.! please keep in mind i won't do text-only descriptions/references, nor will i design characters/clothing/etc.!! also please make sure that the character sheet is colored or send a specific palette! if you have a quick sketch or doodle of what you have in mind [even if it's just stick figures!], it would be greatly appreciated if you linked it too!!!)

anyway yeah thank you for reading this far!! i realize this is very very long, still haven’t quite set up a dedicated page for commission info orz if you have any questions feel free to leave a comment or send a note, i'll get back to you asap!! c: ♥

[mini-kkukkungie]

This is probably not so very important? But I just finished a game and it was a very great game but, when I looked up if anyone has made fan content for the game, nobody had? Which made me a little sad. So, I wanted to give a review for the game to see if it can spread more awareness to how wonderful the game is! Or, perhaps, how wonderful the creators are because they're releasing another game! The game I played is called

            The Monster Brothel

It's a text-based R18 Choose Your Own Adventure game where you can make choices that eventually lead to your ending. The background story is that there's this house in your town called Madame Marigold's House of Respite and it's a house shrouded in mystery. Except, I think, it also has a reputation of being a brothel. However, every so often (I'm thinking once a year), the house holds a sort of party and welcomes people in (though apparently others are welcome in any time). The playable character is invited after years of longing to be invited (because they're curious and for no other reason).

Below the cut are some pros and cons to the game as well as my overall final opinion.

So, it's a game you do pay for which isn't always fun but, if you think about it, you're supporting the creators which makes me feel just a little bit better about it. Plus, it isn't that expensive, just $5.00. The only complaint I have about that is that it's a pay per month thing? My suggestion is to pay for the one month first and then pay more if it takes you longer to complete the game. I say that because I paid for the three-month subscription (thinking that it was a huge monolith of a game) but, because of my habit of hyper fixating on things, I knocked it out in like two to three days. You could also just support the creator on Patreon which is really cool! You get extra content for the money you're giving AND you get to play this wonderful game. Not only that but you can also see content for their new upcoming game.

The price aside, I think it's worth it if you put the time into it. The story is really gripping and I was very entranced by it.

The characters are all very lovable and very seductive. I found myself completely falling in love with them. There's a part of the website where you can see drawings of them and all of them are wonderful and amazing. They're all drawn by the lovely @doe-eyed-monster-draws whose art is just so well drawn and detailed. The drawings are accompanied by lore about that specific monster or about that specific person. It’s all very facinating. The characters also have kinks in the profiles so that you know exactly what you're dealing with when you pursue the character's story. It's a good idea. If you have a specific kink you want to see, you can browse through the characters to see where you can find that kink. If there's a character you want to pursue, you can check if their story includes a kink you're very much not enthusiastic about.

And, man, after playing this game pretty thoroughly, I'm sure there's not a single kink they've missed. There's something in this game for all the monster fuckers out there.

My all-time favorite character is Puck (which wouldn't be a surprise since I'm pretty sure he's been dubbed the main character seeing as his face is the first one you see on the mobile site). I'm always a sucker for charming bastards like him. Like a lot of popular male characters, he has a sad backstory and you're exactly the playable character that helps him.

Not to say that the playable character is the usual useless one either. In fact, I was surprised by how sassy and strong-willed the playable character is (since I'm so used to playing games with weak-willed damsels in distress). The playable character does meet some distress here and there (they have a penchant for getting into sticky situations, literally and metaphorically) but they're rarely saved by other people. The playable character is clever and smart and doesn't let anyone stomp over them unless they want to be stomped over.

This is, however, where I have to address one of the unfortunate (or maybe fortunate?) features of the game. One of the things the writer has done is change the gender of the playable character often throughout the game. One wonderful encounter with Puck makes the playable character a trans man that uses a packer but the epilogue of the game (which features another encounter with Puck) features a playable character who is a packless woman without any dysphoria about her private parts. This is very confusing and can prevent the player/reader from really connecting with the main character. I, myself, as a person who doesn't favor being either a Male or a Female, didn't mind the gender changes at all. I ended up enjoying all of the scenes, whether the playable character was a woman or a man. This might not be the same as everyone else.

Another complaint I had was that the game wasn't very... fluid? I don't exactly know how to word this but, maybe, it would be easier to give specific examples. Giving exact examples is going to reveal certain events in the game, though, so I give fair warning. There's going to be spoilers if you keep reading. They’re minor though and the spoilers don’t spoil any endings.

Basically, when you're finally invited into the house and you receive your welcome, you're given a lovely silver pin and then you can make a choice as to where you want to go in the house. You can choose to curiously gaze at a willow tree nearby which prompts Puck to invite you to the party near the willow tree. If you pick certain choices, you will eventually leave the party at the willow tree. When you find yourself coming back to the willow tree, however, it will prompt the same event all over again. Puck will act as if he hadn't met you before and everyone will act as if they had never even seen you.

This discontinuity can be irritating, especially when you get confused by the plot because of it. 

There's a mushroom that the playable character can have a fun time with (for those who favor tentacles over limbs) and, afterwards, they're found by one of the employees of the house (who is oddly not listed in the character page or so I think?). The employee of the house then leads the character to Marigold who gives them a task. If the playable character follows the task, it leads them to a wonderful mothboy (mothman???). Except, you end up not talking to him about the task at all. Instead, he talks to the character about how they're turning invisible like a ghost? It's very confusing to say the least.

Also, if the playable character goes exploring into the woods, the event will state that they've run away from the willow tree party? Except, sometimes, that's not the case at all. I had come across the woods once while exploring the mansion grounds and had been confused at the mention of the willow tree party since I hadn’t even checked that out yet.

The most annoying one is a part where they require an item. The playable character either has to have the fairy boon or the curse. I thought that having one would result in one thing and then having the other would result in a different outcome. I was mistaken. Instead, having the curse only lead to the exact same thing as having the fairy boon. It was annoying because 1.) I had to do a lot to get the curse and 2.) the result still described the scene as if you had the fairy boon.

I managed to sleuth out the true storylines after playing so thoroughly, of course, but it does take away from being able to really immerse yourself into what you're playing. It can also make you have to repeat events more than once if you don't have an item you need or if you want to read every single scene in the game.

I don't think this discontinuity is the fault of the creators, though. As someone familiar with creating CYOA games, it's hard to make a scene for literally everything in the game. If you make too many paths, the storylines can get tangled up or get so big that it'd be hard to keep track of. A good shortcut to prevent this is to reuse certain scenes. Knowing that makes the repetitions much more tolerable in a sense. It’s also hard to really double and triple check pathways since there might be so many of them so it’s easy to imagine why these mistakes happened.

There’s also another thing about the game. Specifically, the writing. I enjoyed the writing thoroughly and I thought that it was really great. All of the sex scenes were absolutely enjoyable and I loved the plot and how the story unfolded. However, the game does rely heavily on the pictures of the characters in the Characters page of the website. 

One of the stories that I loved the most involved the werewolf pack. There were descriptors for them but, when it came to Julio, the leader of the pack, and his human form, it was a bit lacking. I get that since the game probably wants to focus on the monster aspects so it isn’t really a big complaint. It’s just that the game has this habit of being extremely descriptive in some places and then not that descriptive in others. 

Maybe that’s just me, though, since I am much more used to big long CYOA games that take forever to describe even the smallest things. I’m not saying that the writing is bad. I really did enjoy the writing. However, I know some people who enjoy those really long CYOA kind of games and so, if that’s you, I just wanted to give a warning.

I do think, however, that, despite these cons, the story itself is wonderful and certainly worth the $5.00 you'd spend (and perhaps the $13.00 I had spent). It really is an enjoyable and arousing game with a complex and interesting storyline that you can't help but want to follow. The music is immersive and the writing is good (though there are one or two grammar mistakes) For monster fuckers and for people who love stories about faeries, its certainly a delight. The writer is good, the artist is great. Why not support and get to read an intriguing and enchanting story too?

the game's tumblr: @geekinglikeaboss

[my-bread]

I used to be an Onision fan. Here’s what happened.

I’m going to go ahead and say that this is a longer post, so I know most people won’t read all of it, so here’s the short and sweet: I used to love onision videos. Now I don’t. Somewhere in there I get stabbed and come out as queer. I give some bad advice and say goodbye. Story over.

For those willing to read the entire thing, find a good place to sit, this is a long one.

I got introduced to Onision by a friend of mine. We had just got done shooting guns in his backyard and wanted to watch some YouTube videos, and he asked me if I had ever seen the “I’m a banana” song. We watched it as well as some other stupid videos. At the time we both loved comedy sketch and controversial humor so Onision was like a gold mine to us.

This was about the time where I started to make my own opinions about things in life. I started to take stances on certain subjects, I started trying to figure out who I was, I wanted to stop shooting guns, color my hair, become vegetarian, get some piercings, and eventually, wanted to come out as queer. I lived in a small conservative town so YouTube was how I learned about everything, got exposed to everything, and I definitely became obsessed.

I loved so many big name YouTubers practically religiously, and Onision was one of them. But the world of YouTube was changing, and shock humor sketch comedy was no longer on the forefront of the website. But unlike the other YouTubers who were trying to change with the times, Onision continued with his videos practically unfaltered. Practically cornering the market of self produced sketch comedy and parody. That was what made me continue watching was the fact that he was still self produced, unlike a lot of other creators who had large scale productions, management, employees, contracts, he presented as an original content creator.

I started coming out as queer to my close friends, with some understanding and others not. I had some very dark nights where the only thing that kept me from doing something stupid was parody videos. Onision (UhOhBro especially) had helped me a lot. And at the time I didn’t really know there was a controversy, I was just a anxious/depressed kid who had a bad sense in jokes. To me at the time Onision seemed like a good guy. While yes, his humor was dark, offensive, and probably wrong on so many levels, he seemed to have good morals and I shared his same views (at least the ones he had when I was that age) I saw Onision as someone who had been in the military but was for gun control, someone who believed in women’s rights, someone who believed in gay rights, a vegetarian, and someone who was against child abuse and mutilation. Views that were not found around where I lived.

It was around this time where I had lost a very valuable friendship in a really ironic way. The same friend from earlier (the one who intoduced me to Onision) and I were just finishing up going through his knife collection when he made some sort of side comment about how it would be hilarious if Onision made a video with a certain other YouTuber. (I’m leaving their name out to be polite because this is supposed to be about my time as an Onision fan, but from what happens next, anyone with basic understanding of Onision drama will know exactly who it is.) I lost it laughing, because the insane fangirl I was knew that they had kissed before and had a falling out. This is also when I rushed to get out my phone and show him the video. Him being extremely homophobic was disgusted by the video and instantly became revolted by Onision. Being the queer kid that I am (I was not out to him) tried to get him to understand (especially since we were so close) but the argument just got more heated, I was trying to defend gay rights, he was trying to convince me that it was wrong beyond sin, and after lots of yelling it ended with a decent sized cut on my arm from the knife he was holding in his hand. (He didn’t stab me on purpose FYI. It was a total accident) I was on the ground crying, mainly because I didn’t want to get stitches, and he was wrapping up my arm, cleaning up all the blood, telling me that as long as wore long sleeves for a little bit, my parents wouldn’t even have to know. Now this is where you would expect us to have a romantic moment, our eyes meet, and he would kiss me, we would fall in love, but no. That’s not what happened. I just simply looked had him, still crying as we sat on the floor, arm all wrapped up in gause, clothes covered in blood, that I was queer. I was still crying, and he helped me get to my feet. He stayed silent, getting me a clean shirt to walk home in, from his closet. After I changed, he was giving me a hug, telling me he was sorry, that he would pray for me, that I was still one of his best friends, that it didn’t change anything that I was queer. But it definitely did, because after I left his house that night, we haven’t talked since. I cried all night that night and the only thing that gave me any kind of happiness was Onision videos. The same videos that had also made my hyper conservative, super pro gun, sexist, homophobic, ultra religious, believer in ‘children are property’ friend happy. Looking back I can tell that Onisions values were not the most structurally sound, but hindsight is 20/20.

I stayed a fan for quite some time, never getting too involved, but occasionally getting smack from my friends for watching his videos because of his controversies that were happening at the time. Then, the adpocolypse had begun on YouTube.

Lots of creators were effected by this, not going to lie, but no one handled it quite like Onision. Like that last huge algorithm change, Onision stayed mostly the same. Still making stereotypical sketch comedy. But because of his language and content choices, could get barely any ads on any of the videos across any of his channels. So the patreon ads began, and I honestly don’t mind when creators promote their patreons. Their are plenty of people that I watch still that premote it, but it’s just how Onisiony he promoted it.

Onision has always been very vocal about his opinions, and if he’s upset about something he will make a statement. The same thing happened with patreon. Almost every joke turned to “for patreons only” or “unsensored hentai break on patreon” videos became less and less about what they were supposed to be, and more just an ad for patreon. Which I was not a fan of. I don’t know if it was just I had gotten older, or my comedic tastes have changed, but I was starting to not find his videos funny. They seemed brash, with overdone characters, rushed production, stale acting, over the top themes, and just trying too hard to hold on to the same thing he had been doing for ten years. I was never a fan of the ‘hot or not’ videos, and slowly he just faded out of my recommendation list when I got online. I never had some major realization while I was watching his videos that I didn’t like them, I just slowly stopped watching.

And the truth is, I would still go back and watch his old comedy sketch, or UhOhBro, or shock humor because I still find those videos funny.

But then I started seeing it from the other side. And oh boy with was a shit show. When I was a fan of Onision, I never saw any of the controversy. Literally zero. Especially since I was a fan of his comedy work. You’d see the ‘apology videos’ or the ‘my side of the story’ but as a fan I literally knew nothing that was going on. Everything was phrased in those videos to not seem as serious as they could potentially be, or be just as serious of a situation but make it look neutral, and that no one person was the instigator. But as soon as you step away from the crowd and saw the whole show, it was a lot more complex. As a fan, at least in my experience, everything was seen as under control. That everyone else is overreacting. That were within our bounds, everything is fine, this isn’t really that bad. It’s just YouTube videos, just jokes. Everything was fine. But everything definitely isn’t fine. That’s for damn sure. When I followed his content, I would never come across anyone’s complaints about his content. Now that I don’t follow his content, I probably see a new controversy of his a month.

I completely understand why people who follow him so blindly do, because from their standpoint, he is a poster child. But it doesn’t mean he still hasn’t done wrong things.

Looking back, you can see his content change over the years, but in some ways it still stays the same. It’s all still controversial. It didn’t really matter if it was shock humor or scandals, it was still views, still ad revenue, still his life. And you can see he’s burned out over the years. Just trying to get content out and keep the numbers up any way he can. But always trying to stay true to what he founded his channel on. Shock humor and angst.

As my (very unqualified) advice to Onision. It’s okay to change what kind of content you make. Emo Charlie and Chibi are literally ten years old. Your sketch characters could be in the 5th grade learning long division and growing out of the Disney channel. I know there are new characters but they are still around. That says how much your content has changed. Also, you are the final filter for your content. You ultimately decide what goes on the Internet under your name. You decide how private or public your life is. No one is forcing you to upload personal content. Sometimes someone else might try to paint you in a bad light but so be it. Fight fire with water, I promise you it’s more effective. Finally, think about what you actually stand for. People call you out for a lot of stuff and actually stop and think about if your actually doing it. Don’t just blindly shoot back a response.

Of course I do not expect him to ever take any of that advice, but I’ll just put that out there so maybe someday it might just find it’s way to him.

Thank you Onision for helping me through my adolescence, I do not regret to inform you I will not be watching your videos. My best regards.

[cmhoughton]

This interview by Karen (the Site Admin for Diana’s pages on the LitForum and previous CompuServe forum) is split up into two pages.  It’s been ten years since she started her blog, so this interview celebrates that.  However, since the pages took FOREVER to load I will spare everyone the frustration and post them both here.

However, since this is long, I will put it behind a cut:

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of Outlandish Observations, I'm very pleased to bring you my first-ever interview with Diana Gabaldon! Frankly, the idea of interviewing Diana Gabaldon was a little nervewracking for me at first, even though I've known her online since 2007 and we interact almost daily on TheLitForum.com (formerly the Compuserve Books and Writers Community).  I've never interviewed anyone before, and it took me a while to decide what questions to ask. I did my best to come up with questions that are somewhat different from the usual things people always ask her.  I'm just DELIGHTED with her answers, and I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I did! (The photo above is from my first meeting with Diana, at a book-signing in Maryland in 2009.) You've published a number of novellas and shorter pieces in the last few years. What do you see as the advantages of the shorter format, for you as a writer? They're shorter. <g> I.e., I can finish one in much less time than the four to five years it takes for one of the Big Books. Basically, it's a bit of a mental vacation to deal with something that's very interesting, but on a smaller scale--and offers a quicker gratification in completing it. The novellas offer me the opportunity to go explore the byways of minor characters and interesting storylines that lie outside either the temporal or the logistical reach of the Big Books. Do you still write in "pieces" when you're working on a novella or short story, or is it more of a straight-line process? I always write in disconnected pieces, no matter what I’m writing; that’s just how my mind works. (I had one interviewer recently pause for a long moment after I’d answered one of her questions--obviously thumbing down her list--and then say, “I had a lot more questions, but you seem to have answered most of them already, while you were answering the one I asked you.” I apologized <g>, and explained that I inherited my digressive story-telling from my father--he’d begin (usually at the dinner table) with a recollection of someone from his past, and would start telling you a story about them--but every second paragraph or so, something he’d said would start a digression that added social context or personal opinion or associated history or data on location, and then without missing a beat, the story would swerve back onto its main track--until the next digression a minute later.) As I always tell people, “There’s a reason why I write long books; it’s because I like digression.” You've made very effective use of Twitter and Facebook in recent years, and many fans are addicted to your #DailyLines. How has the rise of social media affected the way you interact with your readers and fans? With your busy schedule, where do you find the time? Well, social media has sort of grown up around me. Back in 1985, I first went “online” (a concept that really didn’t exist in the popular consciousness yet) when I got an assignment to write a software review for BYTE magazine, and they sent with the software a disk for a trial membership with CompuServe (aside from government services like DARPA, “online” in the mid-80’s basically consisted of three “information services”: Delphi, Genie and CompuServe), so I could poke into the support forum the software vendors had set up there, and mention it in my review. After writing the review, I had a few hours of free connect time left (in a time when you were charged $30 an hour for using CompuServe—at 300 baud, dial-up), and so I started poking around to see what else was available. I stumbled into the CompuServe Literary Forum. This was not (as people sometimes assume) a writer’s group. It was a group of people who liked books. There were a few writers there, of course, both established and aspiring, but the main focus was simply on books: reading, impact, thinking in response to reading--and it was also just a fertile ground in which enormous, digressive and fascinating conversations could flourish (there was one truly remarkable conversation that became known as “the Great Dildo Thread,” that went on for months…). Anyway, that was where social media (which didn’t exist as a concept yet, though plainly it existed in fact) and I met. The next step was my website, established in 1994 (I think I was the first author to build a website for readers--and my eternal thanks to Rosana Madrid Gatti, who generously did the hard work of making and running the site; I sent her material and she’d post it for me (this was a looong time before WordPress and other blogging software made it possible for anybody to communicate directly with the world online). I did the website mostly in response to reader’s enthusiasm; I got a LOT of mail (regular letters) about the books, from people being complimentary, asking questions, taking issue with various aspects--but all of them wanted to know more: why did Claire do this, where did I find out about botanical medicine, did people really do that…and most particularly--when was the next book coming out. So the website was a means of answering reader questions--both for the readers who had asked those questions, and for the entertainment of other readers who perhaps hadn’t thought of those questions, but would be interested in the answers. The benefit of only having to type an answer once (many people naturally ask the same questions) was obvious--as was the benefit of being able to inform people of pub dates, book-signings, etc. So, knowing the benefits of such a channel, when other channels became available--AOL, for instance--I’d use them, at least briefly, and see whether they seemed helpful. Some were, some weren’t--I never bothered with MySpace, and in fact, it took some time for me to try Facebook (which I still use sparingly; I never go anywhere on Facebook other than my own page, and it’s what they call a “celebrity” page, which means that I don’t take “friend” requests. Nor, I’m afraid, can I read the private messages that people kindly leave me there--at the moment, the page has more than 700,000 members (or whatever you call regular visitors), and if only one percent of them send me messages…that’s 7,000 messages. There’s no way I can even read that many messages, let alone respond to them. Twitter also proved to be very useful; it provides instant access to a lot of people--and more valuable than that, it provides organic replication. If you post something interesting, many, many more people will see it, beyond the people who actually follow you. And it’s very good for making short-term announcements or asking urgent questions, because somewhere in the world, the person who can answer that question is awake and reading Twitter. <g> What's the most challenging, or frustrating, or difficult part of your role as consultant on the TV series? (I understand there are things you can't talk about, but can you comment on this in general?) Well, frustrations are of two types: 1) when a scriptwriter has done something that I think is not consistent with a character’s…er, character, and I can’t get them (“them” meaning not just the scriptwriter, but the production team in general) to change it, and 2) when they’ve shot something absolutely beautiful, in terms of acting, honesty, emotion, etc.--and then cut it out of the finished episode. What's the most fun part? The fun lies in seeing something remarkable evolve from a huge number of component parts, day by day by day. It’s like watching a forest grow in stop-motion time that speeds everything up. Would you be interested in writing another script for the TV show, after BEES is done? Yes, I would. It was a deeply interesting (if occasionally frustrating) experience. Script-writing is a very collaborative process, in which the script writer ultimately does not have complete control over the final product, which may have been rewritten several times by different people. That’s a very different experience from being a solitary god, as novelists are. <g> But it’s a fascinating experience, both in the consultation and writing (and revision and revision and revision…) and in the eventual final result: the filming. Filming is long, tedious, hard work--but very entertaining. As the OUTLANDER TV series approaches its fourth season, we're starting to see many more readers who've found your books as a result of the TV show. Aside from the effect on book sales (which must be considerable <g>), I'm interested to hear what you think about that. Do you find that people who found the TV show first tend to have different expectations, or different reactions to the books? People who’ve read the books first definitely have different reactions to the show <g>, but I don’t think the reverse is really true. I haven’t heard a lot of show-first people express any sense of shock or disapproval as to things happening in the books--they expect to see an expanded version of the story, with a lot more detail and more storylines, and that’s what they get. Many OUTLANDER fans, including myself, have re-read (or re-listened to) your books many, many times. Do you have a favorite author or authors whose books you re-read often, and if so, what is it about those books that makes them stand up well to re-reading? Yes, dozens. Right now, I’m re-reading all of Dorothy L. Sayers’s Lord Peter Wimsey novels, for probably the twentieth time. (I continue to enjoy them, but to be honest, I’m re-reading them now because I can put them down easily in order to work.) James Lee Burke would be another one, though I haven’t re-read his Dave Robicheaux novels as often as Sayers. And then there are Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin novels--I’ve read the series maybe three times, but listened to it on audio probably twenty times, at least--the reader, Patrick Tull, is fantastic, and the story always holds my interest while dog-walking or gardening. Like these, all the books I feel are worth re-reading depend on unique and engaging individuals. I like to spend time with these people (and on a lower level, I enjoy seeing just _how_ the author did what they did; knowing as much now as I do about the craft of writing, it’s hard to avoid seeing the techniques in use--a book that can suck me in sufficiently that I _don’t_ notice the engineering is definitely one I can re-read).

Part 2:

I'm not a writer of fiction, but I love it when Diana explains various writing techniques. So I thought it would be interesting to explore this particular one. I was astounded, and very grateful, that Diana replied in such detail! Be sure to click on the links about halfway through this post to read the examples from the text. *** SPOILER WARNING!! *** If you haven't read WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART'S BLOOD (Book 8 of the OUTLANDER series), you may encounter spoilers below. I was listening recently to the section of MOHB that deals with the Battle of Monmouth. It must be quite a challenge to write a complex series of scenes like that, with so many moving parts and different characters involved. Are there specific techniques that you use in writing battle scenes in particular, to give a sense of immediacy or heighten the dramatic tension? Managing a complex situation in fiction comes down essentially to Point of View.  You have to know whose head you’re in, and stay firmly there. Until you change to a different point-of-view character, that is… Who the point-of-view character is determines what kind of detail will be available to you, and guides the shape and flow of those periods of the text that belong to that specific character. For example (as you mention the Battle of Monmouth section of WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART’S BLOOD), the first thing I considered was whose viewpoint(s) to use in depicting it.  I’d read several accounts of the battle, including a very detailed step-by-step description provided by one of Osprey’s Men-at-War books, so I knew the general character of the battle:  it was a huge military encounter, involving more than 10,000 troops on either side, multiple commanders, and a ragged, rolling terrain that didn’t accommodate the standard eighteenth-century military formations and positioning At All. (No one chose the ground on which to fight; that particular stretch of farmland was just where Washington’s troops caught up with General Clinton’s troops, who were retreating from Philadelphia with a large number of fleeing Loyalists (and their property) under the army’s protection.) It was also a very long battle, fought from slightly before daybreak until well after dark, on one of the hottest days known (temperatures were estimated--ex post facto--at over a hundred degrees during the hottest part of the day). And it was an indecisive battle: neither side “won”--the British withdrew with their dependents and baggage trains and retired toward New York (which is what they’d been doing when the Americans attacked), and the Americans staggered back to their camps to recover, tend the wounded, and bury their dead. The significance of the battle, though, was subtle but Very Important--the Americans didn’t lose. This discomfited the British extremely, and heartened the Americans to an equal degree, enabling Washington to pursue his campaign. OK, so we have a very complex mess to describe. Obviously, no one person could possibly see enough of the battle to have any idea how it was going, let alone what strategy was in use. So I knew from the start that I’d need more than one viewpoint character, and could then switch among them as needed to give their separate takes on what was happening to them, and the reader would get both the necessary information as to what was happening overall, and the sense of chaos and struggle that marked the day. Obviously, Jamie Fraser had to be one of those characters; he’s a central figure of the story, and he’s a trained and very experienced soldier. So I contrived a way for him to be in command of a sizable (though informal) company of militia during the battle. Militia companies were normally fairly small bands of thirty to fifty men, who signed up for short enlistments and returned to their farms or businesses when the enlistment period ran out, and a great many militia companies joined the American army just before this battle--not all of them were documented, and thus it was entirely plausible for the temporarily-appointed General Fraser to be in command of several. So, Jamie would naturally see combat, both personally and as a commander. He’d be in communication with other commanders, and would know the proposed strategy, as well as specific moving goals as the battle was going on. And he’d be interacting with the soldiers under his command and responding to emergencies.  [NB:  Notice, through these examples, the sort of details that each character is conscious of and how they respond to them.] Example #1 (Jamie in the cider orchard) Then, of course, I wanted Claire. Both because she’d never leave Jamie on a battlefield alone again, and because as a surgeon, she’d have a completely different view of the battle. She’d be handling the wounded who came off the field, in a series of medical procedures/emergencies, but would also have a general sense of the battle as a whole, gained from the things the wounded men told her while she was treating them. Example #2 (Claire tending the wounded at Tennent Church) But we can’t overlook the other side of the conflict. What’s going on, on the British side? Well, we have a choice of POV characters on that side:  William, Lord John, and Hal. I used both William and Lord John (Lord John’s thread has been running through the whole book and the punch in the eye Jamie gave him at the beginning is affecting what happens to him throughout the battle and its aftermath). But while Jamie and Claire are carrying out fairly orthodox roles in the battle--a general in command/soldier on the field and a combat medic at a static aid station on the edge of the conflict--William and Lord John aren’t. William’s been relieved of duty and Lord John is essentially trying to stay alive long enough to reach the British lines. Both of them, in storytelling terms, can drop in or pass through just about any situation I need or want. They aren’t compelled to follow orders or fight through a set conflict; we get a revolving set of pictures of the British side of the conflict and its various personalities from them. And finally, there’s Ian Murray, Jamie’s nephew. He’s a scout for the American side, so is not fighting on the ground, but--like William and Lord John--can occur just about anywhere during the battle. And like William and Lord John, he’s fighting a personal battle (whereas Jamie and Claire are fighting the more usual kind of battle involving troops and military movements). So Jamie and Claire are providing a more or less structured view of things, while William, John and Ian are giving us the smaller, vivid glimpses that add both to the overall picture of the situation and to the encompassing sense of chaos. Or at least we hope that’s what happened… And to close this exegesis <g>--note that each character involved in this battle has his or her own arc within the battle: how they enter the battle, what happens to them, what decisions they make and what actions they take--and finally, how (and how altered) they emerge at the end of the fight. -------------------------------------------- Many thanks to Diana Gabaldon for taking the time for this very interesting interview! I really appreciate it.

It’s always interesting to read Diana’s comments on her own process, and I like what a fan of books she is.  

[knoxborch03-blog]

Fraud, Deceptions, and Downright Lies About Fallout 76 Exposed

To start out with, however, you can want to discover the preview you may do therefore previously. Fall out 3 is a more distinctive video game with plenty of thickness unlike what you've played with. Bethesda wasn't necessarily a significant participant. In the event that you have seen all the nuke codes you require, you may still have to find yourself a Atomic key-card. Friendly folks that were out there to delight in the match. You're only going to get to purchase the match to fully grasp how trendy it really is to your own. While sneaking in strength armor is typically maybe not the optimal/optimally idea, getting the option offers you a superb offer of flexibility. You will observe the different kinds of structures will be typical form of combined in. Yet again, it is possible to likewise head directly by earning fresh alterations. Fallouts well known Brotherhood of metal Faction is among the most best, of course if you desire to combine them, you will have to finish the fall-out 76 arriving at Fruition quest. Fall out 76 is actually a prequel for the whole franchise. Fall-out 76 can be a on-line multiplayer title that's a really prequel in this collection. Naturally, you can't deny the big triumph of elder-scrolls on the web, so it's just fitting that Bethesda attempts precisely exactly the same fashion with different franchises. Weekly after, everybody who holds a play station 4 or more PC preorder is going to become permitted to learn more regarding the beta also. You have the ability to only get into the beta whenever you've pre-ordered fall-out seventy six, and therefore do not drop for just about any websites which say you can be given a code with out a pre-order. To day you are able to construct defenses and structures exactly the very same as a normal CAMP. Moreover, you will find just 7 limited variant Mojave Landmark snowglobes hidden in the planet earth, with a supplementary 4 at the event that you have each one of the add-ons. They are going to have the ability to submit issues as each goes. When you've got all you need, it is nonetheless true you must re install codes. HAIR FALL remedy long term hair loss along with this mind has become the most usual kind of loss. You will also obtain a few exceptional gum and a joke card. Participating in Dandara can be really a specific experience. Players may join and finish targets at the identical moment, but every player must end the aim with themselves. Town is your middle of your private adventure that you just use to gain get into to quests along side all the town-building game. Others argued that people were not as likely to desire to make use of Bethesda's system, since it'd be a completely numerous launcher for folks to down load and then continue to upgrade. The exploration experience is among my favored sections of the overall game. Single-player games were decreasing within the past couple of decades, for instance, however, the unprecedented success of God of the War will probably turn this around. Since there are not any human NPCs, there's no suspense to anything. The game comes with a broad range of songs featured in the Appalachia Radio, plus a great neighboring score. The method of personality and also the enemies are explained from the trailer. Together with fall out seventy six, you're leaving out a enormous chunk of your dedicated players since they adore that the Royal adventure the narrative provides. A-beta is going to be kept until launching, and also you will be able to guarantee yourself a spot by pre-ordering. The teaser's really light about detail, however, it may truly be anything. The Fallout 76 Chronicles It is perhaps not clear if equivalent bans are being issues for individuals who merely choose to get in the space. A set can cause an out standing products, but if it isn't for anyone, no body can purchase it. Many are also trusting that the little number of players that are supported will end in less technical difficulties. The Fundamentals of Fallout 76 You Can Learn From Starting Immediately Of course, people expected the enterprise to produce far superior alternatives. Normally, the rooms will probably have content that has been cut out of the big match, or content that's likely to get there at another date. Bethesda tried to repair the match with different upgrades including a big one final calendar 30 days. There are some criticisms for Dandara. When minding up things, there'll eventually be mistakes you can make as we're inevitably human. The matter with staying online-only, yet, may be that it limits the match ways both little and big. Fans weren't happy finally resulting in large amounts of criticism to this organization. Naturally your NPC competitions may perform the precise same to you personally, and that means that you'll wish to race with care and also employ technique to purchase them through in 1 piece. Type of Fallout 76 Somebody put lots of work into it to allow it to appear wonderful and neat. Bethesda has really done a terrific job of answering this problem, however, it appears apparent to me that genuine men and women that have an interest in being creative will likely supply the most fascinating responses. It's going be comfortable though you are hearing it for the exact first time. There are a great deal of firearms in Fallout seventy six, a range are good, some are awful, and you can find some that are the very best. Instead, they truly have been capable of using atomic weapons to temporarily alter the areas of match world. Some players don't need to get concerned about overcome with various players whatsoever, and might rather only fight AI. Beta-testers located a slew of bugs. You should only go in the Vault-81 and detect Amini Nuke there. Nukes are basically an brilliant twist in the notion of end-game dungeons or raids. fallout 76 sound track

[lirlovesfic]

The Choice

A Doctor Who fanfic

Summary: After GitF, the TARDIS brings the Doctor, Rose, and Mickey back to the estate to solve a problem involving the TARDIS herself. But when they see a familiar face, the face of someone who should not exist, they realize the problem is deeper than they thought and could endanger the Doctor’s very existence. Primary characters: Ninth Doctor, Tenth Doctor, Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, Jackie Tyler. Genres: Romance, mystery, adventure, drama, character study, HN AU, fobbed!Nine, sick TARDIS. Pairings: Nine/Rose, Ten/Rose Rating: Adult

Warning: none for this chaper

a/n: I am currently working on editing this chapter-by-chapter, with the hopes of completing a chapter a day until I catch up with myself. As I mentioned in a previous post, I’m doing it to try to get back into the swing of writing and to build some momentum in order to finish this. Also, there have been some tiny things nagging at me for a while (grammar, punctuation, etc.) so I’ll be correcting as many of them as I can find as I go. The story will not change. In fact, most of the changes are going to be so minor that I doubt anyone (besides myself) will notice. But to keep myself on target, I’ll be posting it all here as I go, with links to the other websites it’s on. I hope you enjoy it.

Catch up: on AO3, on TSP, on ffnet

This chapter: on AO3, on TSP, on ffnet

Chapter Twenty-Four—London, 28 and 29 July 2007

Back at their table, Rose watched as John ascended the stairs with their drinks: whiskey for him, white wine for her. She didn't dare have anything stronger. Rather than easier, she was finding it more and more difficult to see him simply as John. It was more than his looks and his mannerisms and his frequent use of the words "fantastic" and "stupid ape". The Doctor was part of everything he did, everything he was: his impatience with stupidity; his desire to help, and intervene for, those who needed it; his patience with lonely pensioners and overly excited children. And of course it was difficult to remember he was John when they went to repair things on the estate. It was the goofy torch he wore on his head while he worked. It was the way he looked when half shoved under a kitchen sink trying to fix a leaky pipe, with only his dark jean clad legs and heavy work boots visible. It was the way he'd ask her to hand him a spanner or a screwdriver or some other tool while making repairs, or the way he chatted easily about science and architecture, films and books and music and any other topic that sprang to mind. It was like being in the TARDIS with him all over again.

But it was more than that. It was the way he'd hold her hand. He'd grab her hand, holding tightly as they walked down a crowded street so they wouldn't get separated, or squeezing it after they'd both had a difficult day at work, or intertwining their fingers and caressing the back of it with his thumb for no other reason than he wanted to.

And more than anything it was the grin he gave her over a private joke, and the way he'd look at her like she was the only person in the world.

It was so difficult to remember he was John when he so clearly was the Doctor.

As he joined her at the table, he flashed her that grin, the grin he reserved for her and no one else, and her heart pounded, just as it had when she was nineteen and they had just begun traveling together. And frankly every other time he grinned at her. She grinned back.

"What took you so long?" she asked.

For the tiniest instant, his grin faded into a frown and then returned to a wide smile. She would have missed it if she hadn't known him so well.

"Queue at the bar," he told her as he sat down.

She didn't believe him for a second and wondered what the real reason was.

~oOo~

The reception dragged as Rose caught up with some of her old friends from school. Some of them remarked that they didn't know she was back, but most of them said they were surprised to see her there since they had heard that someone named Mickey had killed her.

For a while John sat back and listened, hoping for more information beyond what she'd already told him about the time when she'd been missing, but every time someone mentioned it she quickly turned the conversation to other topics.

Eventually when anyone new joined them John's eyes would glaze over, and he'd make an excuse to leave, stating he was going to refresh their drinks or to talk to someone he knew from the Estate or from the garage. He excused himself to go to the loo so many times that he began to worry that Rose would think he had a prostate problem.

After that he gave up on making excuses. When someone approached he just left.

Until the best man began to cross the room, headed towards them. He was tall, blond, and good-looking enough to be on the cover of GQ. Or Playgirl. Most of all, the bloke was much closer to Rose's age than he was. John scowled.

And then he slowly smiled.

Before the handsome bloke could join them, John grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Come on," he ordered.

"Where are we…" she began. And then her face lit up as he spun her onto the dance floor.

When the song ended she backed away from him, obviously expecting them to return to the table, and he pulled her back into his arms. A look of surprise crossed her face, and then she melted into his arms and laid her head on his shoulder.

A very good sign, he thought, momentarily forgetting his decision not to press her into a closer relationship.

Perhaps a half an hour and seven songs later, she pulled away again.

"Thirsty," she told him.

As soon as they returned to their table, the maid of honor—Shareen, he remembered from the conversation downstairs—and the best man joined them. They were each carrying a drink, a half empty pint for him while hers was a glass of something a fluorescent blue.

The blond bloke set his glass down and grabbed a couple of chairs from a nearby table.

Shareen plopped herself down on one. "Steve, you remember Rose," she said.

"How could I forget?" he said as he sat down. He flashed a grin at Rose, revealing perfect, white teeth.

John shot him a dark look.

Shareen turned to him, her mouth twisted into a mischievous grin. "What did you say your name was?"

"John," he answered.

"Damn!" she said. "I owe Rita ten quid. We bet that you were—"

Rose interrupted her. "John, this is Shareen." She turned back to her. "So you saw Rita? Where is she?"

Shareen turned to her. "Oh, she had to take off. She was here with Joe and his girlfriend what's-her-name. They only stayed for a couple of minutes because she didn't want to risk running into that piece of shit Chuck." She turned back to face John. "Are you sure you aren't—"

"So, Steve," Rose said, interrupting her again. "What have you been up to?"

Before Steve could answer, Shareen grinned cheekily.

"I'm guessing about eight inches," she said, "but I'm sure I'll find out for sure later." She tossed her drink back and slammed the glass on the table. Then she leaned over and squeezed Steve's thigh. With a smirk he reciprocated, causing her to giggle.

She turned back to John. "Anyway, Rita and I had this bet goin', and she said that you were her neighbor, John, and I said—"

"What time is it?" Rose interjected. "It must be getting late."

Steve glanced at his watch. "Looks like it's half one."

"Wow, it's later than I thought," she said. She stood up abruptly, almost knocking over her chair. "We've really got to get going. Don't we, John?" Before he could respond, she continued. "Really nice to see you again, Steve."

She grabbed John's hand and pulled him out of his chair, across the room and down the stairs before he could get a word in.

"What's with you?" John asked as they dodged people in the pub on their way to the door. "Is she a childhood enemy or something?"

"No, actually she's one of my best friends," she answered.

He stared at her incredulously. "How do you treat your enemies?"

"Believe me, you don't want to know," she said as she pulled him out the door.

Outside the temperature had dropped and there was a heavy mist in the air. Rose shivered. John automatically pulled his jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Thanks," she said, slipping her arms into the sleeves.

John took her hand, and they headed towards the Audi they had taken to the wedding. He didn't own his own car; instead he had borrowed one from Arthur Mudali. Their boss had a couple of cars for hire that he kept for customers whose own cars were in the shop. Mudali typically didn't loan them out to staff, but John was his best mechanic. He didn't want to lose him to another garage, so it didn't take much for John to persuade his boss to make an exception.

Since it was Saturday night, between the regular pub goers and the wedding guests, they'd had to park a couple of blocks away, and by the time they got into the car the mist had turned into a drizzle. John turned the key in the ignition.

It didn't start.

In fact, it didn't even try to turn over. He tried again. Dead silence.

He frowned.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked.

"I don't know," he told her. "Sounds like the battery's dead. Did the lights come on when we got in?"

"I didn't really notice."

He reached up to turn on the overhead light, but it didn't turn on.

"You leave the headlights on?" she teased.

"Didn't have them on," he said seriously. "It was still light out when we got here. Could be the alternator's bad. On the other hand, if we're lucky the battery cable's just loose. Hand me the torch. It's in the glove compartment." She passed him the torch, and he popped open the bonnet. "Stay here," he said as he got out of the car.

She followed him, and he shot her a look.

"I have no idea why I thought you'd listen," he said.

She grinned at him. "I don't know either."

"Must have been a case of momentary insanity."

"Only momentary?"

He shot her another look. She was giving him a cheeky grin, with the tip of her tongue curling up to touch her upper teeth, and as he stuck his head under the bonnet, his mouth twitched as he tried to hold back a smile of his own.

"Hmm, not the battery cable," he said as he shined the torch at the engine.

The rain grew harder. He slammed the bonnet shut, and they got back into the car.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Well, I'm not going to figure out what's wrong in the dark, and even if I could, I couldn't fix it here. We could try to jump the engine, but it might not work. Not to mention that no one's around, and there's no sense trying to get a tow at two in the morning." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The buses don't run this late. We should get a taxi."

She stuck out her hand. "Give me your mobile."

"You need to get a new one," he said as he handed it to her.

"Why should I when I can just use yours?" she asked cheekily as she typed in a number.

"Just don't put her on speed dial."

"Why not? She's got your number on hers."

A pained expression crossed his face. "You really need to get a new phone."

She held a finger to her lips.

"Hi, Mum," she said. She fell silent for a moment. "Yeah, it was great." As she listened, she looked at John and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, she was gorgeous, and no, you couldn't tell she was pregnant. Listen, where are you and Stuart? Because the car's dead and we need a ride." She paused again. "Oh. Never mind then. If you can't, you can't. I'll see you later, yeah?"

She rang off. "His car's too small to fit all of us."

"Taxi it is then. Give me the mobile back."

As she handed the phone back to him, she stared out the window. "It'll take a half an hour for it to get here, easy. We're only about a mile from our flats, yeah?"

"About that. Maybe a little less." He stared at her as he realized what she was thinking. "Rose, it's pouring out there."

She gave him a crooked, mischievous grin. "So?"

"We can't walk that in this weather," he protested.

She jumped out of the car and stuck her head back inside. "Who said anything about walking?"

He got out and joined her. He shook his head. "Now who's the crazy one?"

Her eyes sparkled as she grabbed his hand.

"Run!"

She tugged on his hand, and they tore down the pavement, but before they got more than a block she pulled him to a stop.

"Hold on." She let go of his hand and pulled off one shoe.

"You're not going to be able to run that far barefoot," he said, having to raise his voice over the sound of the storm.

She snorted as she pulled off the other. "Believe me, I'm used to it."

With her shoes in one hand and his hand in the other, she took off again, pulling him along.

To his amazement, despite his much longer legs he didn't have to keep his speed in check. She easily kept up with him as they rounded corners and took shortcuts down alleys.

The rain was coming down in sheets as they neared the garage. Large puddles had formed on low places on the pavement while part of the road itself had turned into a fast moving stream about four feet wide and at least several inches deep.

He let go of her hand and easily jumped it. He turned back when he realized she hadn't immediately followed.

"What's wrong?" he yelled.

"I don't really want to wade it, but I'm not sure I can jump it," she called back. "I'm not exactly as tall as you."

"You can make it," he said encouragingly. "And if you don't, I'll catch you."

She nodded. She backed up several feet, ran and jumped.

He caught her neatly in his arms and set her down. He grabbed her hand.

"Run!" he said.

Laughing, they ran the rest of the distance to Bucknall House.

Once inside the entrance to the stairwell, they looked out the window at the heavy rain still coming down.

"That was fun," she said, as she squeezed water out of her dripping hair.

He turned to her, a wide grin on his face. "Rose Tyler, I don't know anyone else who wouldn't complain about the car breaking down and then would suggest running a mile in a downpour instead of waiting for a taxi. And barefoot no less," he said, admiration filling his voice. "You're fantastic. Absolutely fantastic."

She bit her lip shyly. "Thanks."

She looked up at him. Wide dark brown eyes met the steel blue of his own. His grin faded, and for the second time that night he almost forgot his resolution to keep their relationship platonic.

His eyes dropped to her mouth. The tip of her tongue was tracing her lips, as if in anticipation. He unintentionally mimicked her and began to lean towards her…

And then jerked himself to a halt, reminding himself of all the times she'd stopped him from kissing her. She didn't want this, and he didn't want to ruin their friendship.

He turned away from her to look out the window. "I think the rain's letting up a bit."

"Uh, yeah, I think it is," she said brightly. "Um… thanks for the use of your coat." She slipped it off and handed it to him.

"Any time. How are your feet?"

"They're fine," she said. "In better condition than these shoes." She glanced down at them. "I'm gonna have to bin them. The dress too, I think."

He automatically looked down at it. Despite her having worn his coat, the entire dress top to bottom was soaked from the rain. It clung to her like a second skin, revealing her slim waist and the soft curves of her breasts, bum, and thighs.

He swallowed hard and quickly looked up at her face, hoping she hadn't caught him staring.

"Do you… do you wanna come up?" she asked hesitantly.

He glanced back down, at the once opaque material that had gone sheer. He could see the outline of a lace bra and knickers, and a hint of dusty pink areolas and erect nipples. His mouth went dry.

"No, better not," he said in a low voice. Then he flashed her a manic grin. "You need to get into some warm, dry clothes."

"Uh, yeah, you too. You'll catch your death."

"Me? Nah. Takes more than a little rain to make me sick. Superior physiology."

She laughed quietly.

"Well, I'd better not keep you," she said. "Don't want you to get sick, superior physiology or not."

She turned to go, and he stopped her.

"Rose, thanks for inviting me. I had a very nice time."

She smiled at him. "Me too."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "G'night."

"Night."

As he slipped on his jacket, he watched her walk up the stairs. Then he headed back out into the rain.

~oOo~

The flat was dark when Rose entered, but just in case she called out to her mum to tell her she was home. As she expected, there was no answer.

After binning her shoes, she grabbed a bath towel and began to dry her hair on the way to her room.

He'd been about to kiss her, she was sure of it. But he had stopped himself.

No, she had stopped him herself, by holding him at arm's length the last couple of weeks.

She'd had to. It was the right thing to do, she told herself.

Wasn't it?

Even if it was, she couldn't help but feel incredibly disappointed.

She dropped her sodden clothes on the bedroom floor and slowly dressed, first pulling on a T-shirt and then sweat pants over dry knickers. She grabbed a pair of socks.

In the lounge, she dropped cross-legged onto the sofa and examined her feet. Despite her response to John, her feet were a little sore, although much less so than most other people's would be. She was telling the truth there. She had to run all the time while traveling with the Doctor, mostly in trainers, but frequently barefoot.

Besides being dirty, the soles of her feet had a few cuts and a small amount of gravel embedded in them. She laughed ruefully. Even with sore feet, running barefoot in the streets of London in the pouring rain was probably the most fun she'd had since she'd got here. Oh, they'd had fun sightseeing and watching telly and dancing at the reception, but running in the rain was so them. While they ran hand in hand, she'd almost forgotten about everything that had brought her here: the TARDIS, the fob watch, the Doctor being John. For those moments it was just the Doctor and Rose again, running for their lives, only without the monsters.

She got a damp flannel and some ointment and set about doctoring her feet. She was just slipping on her thick, white socks when she heard the door open.

"Mum, is that you?"

When she didn't get an answer she got up and walked into the hallway.

Her mother was standing by the door, staring at a piece of paper in her hand. She didn't respond.

"Mum? Where's Stuart?" When her mum didn't answer, Rose crossed over to her. "Mum, what is that?"

Jackie jumped. She hurriedly put the paper behind her back. "Rose, you startled me. I didn't know you were there."

"I've been calling you," she answered. "What is that?"

"Nothing!"

"It's not nothing." Rose reached around her and grabbed the paper out of her hands. Although most was illegible, what she could read was vile: threats and obscenities and crude, disgusting drawings. "Where did this come from?" she demanded.

"Oh, Rose, I didn't want you to see that," her mother said.

"Where did you get this?" Rose asked slowly and firmly.

"It… it was shoved in the door, same as the other ones."

"What other ones?"

"Doesn't matter," Jackie said.

"Yes, it does. How many of these have you gotten?"

"Dunno. Maybe a dozen over the last couple of weeks."

"What! And you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't want you to know."

Rose opened her mouth to argue, and then shut it as something her mother said clicked.

"Hold on, you say it was shoved in the door?"

"Yeah, same as the others."

"But I've only been home five minutes, and it wasn't there when I got here."

Jackie blanched. "Oh my God, I must have seen him. I passed someone on the stairs just now. He was going down while I was coming up."

Rose's eyes widened. "Stay here!" she ordered. Still clutching the note, she ran out of the flat.

It was pouring again. Through the rain, she spotted a hooded figure crossing the courtyard. "Oi! Stop!"

The figure looked up and then began to run.

She flew down the stairs.

~oOo~

Just as he finished getting dressed, John's mobile rang. He glanced at the number.

"Hello, Rose?"

"No, it's Jackie! Rose is in trouble! She just took off after someone who's been threatening me!"

Jackie sounded terrified, and John's brain kicked into high gear. "Don't worry. I'm on my way."

He shoved his phone in his pocket and ran out of the flat. From the walkway, he could see Rose erupting from her building and running across the courtyard.

"Rose!" he yelled, but she ignored him.

He took the stairs two at a time. When that wasn't quick enough he swung over the railing, skipping over landings and entire flights of stairs. He ran out of his building just as Rose was leaving the courtyard.

"Rose!"

He followed her out of the courtyard, only catching up with her on the street.

"Damn it, I lost him!" she said angrily. "Where the hell did he go?"

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she snapped.

"Thank God," he said, ignoring her tone. He pulled out his mobile. "Jackie? Yeah, she's fine. Listen… No, listen! Is there someone who could come and stay with you tonight? Or better yet, is there someone you could stay with?" He paused. "That's perfect." Another pause. "No, I'll take her home with me. Don't worry, I'm gonna get to the bottom of this."

As he shoved his phone in his pocket he turned to Rose. "What on Earth were you thinking, chasing after someone alone in the middle of the night like that?" he snapped. "Don't you know how dangerous that is?"

"Someone is threatening my mum!" she told him. "She's been getting threatening notes for weeks! No one threatens my mum! And I almost caught him too!"

"And what would you have done with him once you got him?" he asked. She didn't answer. "You don't know, do you? You should have called me."

She glared at him. "There wasn't time! He was right there! And I almost had him!" She let out a cry of frustration. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" she swore. She looked up and down the street. It was empty.

"He's not here, Rose," he said. "There's no sense staying." He grabbed her hand and yanked her back in the direction of his building. She followed reluctantly, muttering under her breath.

Once they were in his flat with the door closed, he noticed the slip of paper she was clutching in her hand. "Give it here."

She thrust it at him.

He swore under his breath. It was so wet it was illegible. "That's no help."

She held her hand out to him.

"Give me your phone," she ordered. "I've got to call my mum."

"No," he told her firmly. "You're too upset. You'll just scare her more than she already is. I'll call her."

While he spoke to Jackie, on the other side of the room Rose sat down on the sofa and pulled off her soggy socks. "I'm gonna have to bin these too," she muttered. Instead, she dropped them on the floor.

He rang off and sat down next to her.

She jumped back up and began to pace the room.

"Why are we here? We should be protecting my mum," she said.

He stood up again. "Stuart's coming to pick her up," he told her. "He's gonna take her to his place."

"Then we should be out finding that… that… piece of shit who was threatening her." She ran her hands through her hair in frustration. "Damn it! No one, no one, no one threatens my mum and gets away with it!"

"Whoever it was wasn't threatening Jackie, Rose," he said, trying to keep an even tone to his voice. He wasn't entirely successful. "They were trying to scare you."

She whirled on him. "What?" she said. "How do you know that?

"Stands to reason. I've been getting notes too."

"You've been… Why the hell didn't you tell me?" she demanded.

"I wanted to keep you out of it." She stared at him. "I was trying to protect you!" he snapped.

"Protect me? You don't need to protect me! You can't just wrap me in cotton wool, John!" she spat. "You have no idea what I've been through! I'm a big girl! I can take care of myself!"

"That's not the point!"

"Then what is the point?"

"You need to use your head!" he exploded. "You don't know what this person wants. He probably wants to hurt you. He could even want to kill you! It's just stupid to take off on your own like that! Next time, before you go off half-cocked, you tell me!"

"You aren't my father!" she shouted. "You don't get to tell me what to do!"

His eyes flashed. "Oh, I know I'm not your father, Rose Tyler. Don't you ever make that mistake!"

In an instant, he closed the distance between them, cupped her face in his hands and covered her mouth with his own in a hard, possessive, almost brutal kiss.

She froze.

As he felt her stiffen, he let go of her—practically pushing her away—and staggered backwards. They stared at one another in shock.

"I'm sorry," he said, panting. "I shouldn't have done that."

She closed the distance between them.

"Oh, oh, yes you should have," she said in a low voice. She grabbed his shirt, yanked him closer and kissed him back.

[junker-town]

A complete timeline of how Bishop Sycamore fooled ESPN

Here’s how we reached this point.

A high school showcase game has sparked a high school sports scandal in one of the most remarkable stories of the year. The “school,” Bishop Sycamore, was scrutinized after a 58-0 loss on ESPN that left announcers appalled and fans bewildered at how and why a team this bad was allowed to compete on national television.

In the wake of those fairly innocuous questions, we’ve been led down a remarkable path that continues to get more bizarre with each passing day. If you’ve been struggling to understand this whole debacle, let’s break it down.

Fall, 2018

Roy Johnson, who would eventually become head coach of Bishop Sycamore, starts an online charter school called “Christians of Faith Academy.” The school has an identical goal as Bishop Sycamore would go on to have, helping at-risk youth. After scrutiny by state officials, it was impossible to determine whether classes were actually taking place, and the school’s license was eventually revoked. Johnson was investigated for alleged fraud.

2019

“YouthBuild Centurions” is foundered in Columbus, Ohio — a rebranding of the Christians of Faith Academy. This was another online charter school with a football team which served as its public face. The school would later rebrand again, this time as “Bishop Sycamore.” A 2020 article by The Independent notes that Bishop Sycamore went 5-6 in its first season against a schedule that only features one Ohio school, adding that the school was not a member of the Ohio State Athletic Association, and has been a “lightning rod” for controversy in the local community.

September 23, 2019

The YouthBuild Centurions have a match cancelled when a school in West Virginia learns they have numerous players on the roster over the age of 18.

September 4, 2020

Bishop Sycamore plays its first recorded football game on Max Preps, losing 35-0 to a non-conference opponent.

Ahead of the game, athletic director Dave Brown speaks to The Independent about his approach to building the team, which curiously notes that he doesn’t want players or coaches to look up information about the team online. “I try to encourage our athletes and our coaching staff to stay off of the internet,” Brown says, a curious concept considering Bishop Sycamore is an online school.

October 16, 2020

Bishop Sycamore plays IMG Academy for the first time in their season finale. Bishop Sycamore loses 56-6, finishing the 2020 season 0-6, with their closest game being a 37-14 loss. Bishop Sycamore and IMG Academy will meet in less than a year on ESPN.

April, 2021

Bishop Sycamore spins up its online hype machine through a website which has since been shut down, showing it’s “closed for maintenance.” In it, nothing is mentioned of educational goals, or support for students. Instead the only information available is a series of blog posts detailing upcoming private workouts for college teams, and how the school recommends players create highlight clips to be noticed.

August 19, 2021

Bishop Sycamore opens its 2021 season with a 38-0 loss to Archbishop Hoban.

August 27, 2021

Bishop Sycamore plays Ro-Sox in Pennsylvania, losing 19-7

August 29, 2021

Bishop Sycamore plays IMG Academy on ESPN. The school is clearly outmatched and unable to keep up. During the game the announce team expresses its disgust at the situation, insinuating the network had been promised the school had numerous football players with D1 athletes, but clearly based on the game they do not. Furthermore there are questions about the safety of the players on the field against the bigger, stronger and more skilled IMG.

ESPN’s commendations WENT IN on Bishop Sycamore pic.twitter.com/RCJv46gOA3

— BuckeyeScoop.com (@kirk_barton) August 29, 2021

People begin digging into the history of Bishop Sycamore, learning not only was there never a Bishop Sycamore as a person — but almost nothing is known about the school. Ben Koo of Awful Announcing leads the charge investigating the school, being the first to point out they played two games in three days. Koo also questioned ESPN over how the school was put on TV, learning they trusted Paragon Marketing Group, a third party company to make the matchup.

August 30, 2021

As people begin to dig more into Bishop Sycamore, the more suspect the school becomes. It has two listed addresses. One appears to be a house in a residential area, the other is the library at Franklin University in Columbus.

This is the listed address of Bishop Sycamore, the school Duncanville is playing on 9/10. It appears to be a duplex. The other address listed on their MaxPreps accounts lists the Franklin University library building as an address. pic.twitter.com/6Zl0KDRbrO

— Texas Football Life (@TXFBLife) August 30, 2021

August 31, 2021

Bishop Sycamore fire head coach Roy Johnson, who started this ball rolling back in 2018.

Athletic director Andre Peterson fires back at claims he’s running a “scam,” because, as he tells USA Today Sports “I’m not gaining anything financially from doing this.” It should be noted that as of August 30 there was an active GoFundMe trying to raise $20,000 for Bishop Sycamore, which has since been shut down. It received $140.

Bishop Sycamore closes its website, saying it’s “down for maintenance.” Archives of past articles are still available via WaybackMachine.

Schools begin backing out of scheduled games against Bishop Sycamore.