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after-avenging-hours · 4 years ago

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Out of Time [7]: Steve x Reader

Series Masterlist with dates on chapter releases - tag list will not be used for this series

Summary: After Steve gets injected with a mysterious substance during a mission gone wrong, you come to find out that the only thing that can save his life is a pure sample of Dr. Erskine’s Super Soldier Serum. Unwilling to let the love of your life die without a fighting chance, you travel through the quantum realm back to 1943. Equipped with little more than your knowledge of past events, you have to figure out just how exactly you’re going to get your hands on that serum. Not only that, but with the infinity stones no longer protecting the reality you��ve come from, there is now a chance that your presence in the past can change the future you’ll return to. Can you succeed without messing things up? And if things go wrong, can you fix it before it’s too late? Or will you run out of time…

Word Count: 6220

Warnings: Lots of feels

Steve manages to get a few short hours of sleep before his mind is pulled back to reality. As his eyes flicker open, he can see the sky is just beginning to lighten into morning. He feels the comforting weight of your head on his chest, your breaths are soft and even as it scatters across his skin. He watches over you for as long as possible, before the needs of his bladder become too great to ignore.

He’s gotten better at maneuvering out from underneath you without waking you in the process. He slips out of bed and pulls his pants back on before walking to the far end of the barracks where the door to the bathroom is. After completing his business, he makes his way back to you and smiles at the sight he sees.

You’re lying on your stomach, face buried into his pillow with your arms wrapped underneath. Your hair falls in disarray around your head and down your back. The blanket rides just below your hips, leaving the full expanse of your back open to his perusal. You look like a piece of art, which has Steve delving into his suitcase to pull out his sketchbook.

He takes a seat on the cot next to his and props the sketchbook on his knee, opening it to a new page. His charcoal pencil flies across the blank page, marking out your details in record speed. From the curve of your back to the pout of your lips; the arch of your brow to the peak of your knee from beneath the blanket. He leaves nothing out, not even the scar on your back from the wound he’d helped you patch up just two weeks ago.

He can barely believe that it’s already fully healed. He knows it has to have been that healing gel from your first aid kit. When you’d used it on the cuts on his back, he’d noticed that he was completely healed later that same night. He didn’t know how it was possible, but he’d been too preoccupied to track you down and ask.

He’s just putting the finishing touches to the sketch when you begin to stir. It starts with a change in your breathing before you slowly start to move. Your bent leg stretches back down, causing the bedsheet to ride just a little lower down your hips. Your hands slip out from beneath the pillow and you reach one back behind you, patting blindly at the empty space of the mattress. A cute little frown pulls at your lips before your eyes slowly blink open.

As your gaze comes into focus and settles on him, that frown flips up into a blissful smile. “G’ morning,” you mumble sleepily through that smile.

Steve chuckles through the huskiness of his own morning voice. “Good morning.”

“I didn’t kick you out of bed, did I?” you ask.

“No,” he shakes his head softly.

Your gaze drops to the book in his lap and you grin knowingly. “Are you sketching me in my sleep, Rogers?” you ask with a teasing lilt.

His face flushes, caught red-handed. “Y-yeah. Is that okay?” he hadn’t stopped to think if you would be comfortable with him doing that, he just knew that he needed to capture your beauty in that exact moment.

Your soft giggles help to ease his fears. “It’s okay as long as I get to see it.”

His heart leaps in embarrassed nervousness, but he pushes up from the cot to move closer. You sit up to make room for him as he turns to sit on the edge of the bed. He’s hyper-aware of your naked breasts against his back when you push in close to look at the sketch over his shoulder. You hum happily and wrap your arms around his torso. Your heat seeps into him everywhere your skin touches his and it feeds the fire burning in his soul.

Your fingers reach out to brush over the page, careful not to smudge any of the fresh charcoal. “I like the way you draw me,” you tell him sincerely. “So relaxed and carefree. Almost ethereal, even.”

Ethereal is a good way to put it. Any time Steve looks at you, he swears that he’s actually looking at a living, breathing goddess. You remain curled around him, soaking up your last few moments before looking at how bright it’s starting to get outside the window.

You release a soft sigh and press a kiss to the back of his shoulder. “I should head back to the officer quarters. Dr. Erskine wanted to head to the lab fairly early to prepare for the procedure.”

You shift away from him and move to stand. You’re about to bend over to collect your clothes when you feel a tug at your wrist. Turning around, you allow Steve to pull you closer until you’re standing between his legs. “Do you really have to go?” he asks, the vulnerability leaking from his voice as he looks up at you.

He’s not talking about right now. He’s talking about after the procedure. It makes your heart ache to see the despair in his eyes. “Yes,” you reply, just barely above a whisper. Any louder and you know your voice will crack.

His gaze drops as he leans forward to rest his forehead against your stomach, hands clutching at your waist. You let him have his moment, running your fingers soothingly through his hair. He nuzzles softly against your skin, trying to fill his head with your unique scent so that he won’t ever forget it.

When he lifts his head back up, his gaze flickers to the bullet scar on your abdomen. He leans forward once more and presses his lips to the area. A sense of déjà vu hits you at full force once again, as you suddenly remember all the times your Steve has touched you in that same spot. Even before you ever had a mark there.

The first time you’d decided to sleep together, you’d been standing in his room at the foot of his bed, unable to pull your lips away from his mouth. When your shirt had been discarded, Steve had promptly dropped to his knees and he pressed his lips to this exact spot. He then proceeded to spend a good several minutes driving you wild has he licked and sucked on the spot until a bruise had formed.

Any time you’d run through combat training with him, if you were only wearing a sports bra then once he had you pinned down, he’d send you that cheekily little grin of his before placing a kiss to this spot on your belly and then he’d help you up to keep training.

During group movie nights, while the two of you huddled close with his arm wrapped around your waist, sometimes his hand would slip beneath the hem of your shirt and he’d absentmindedly rub his fingers over the same area.

Your mind is still reeling when Steve pulls back and gently pushes at your hips to make room for him to stand and step around you. “I’m going to shower,” he mumbles quietly.

Your heart is racing just as fast as your mind as you try to pull your focus back to this present and turn to watch him walk pasts the rows of beds to the back of the barracks. He doesn’t look back as he disappears behind the door to the shared bathroom.

With one hand pressed to your drumming heart, you reach down with the other to grab your nightgown from the floor and pull it back on. The silk robe comes next. You pull the sheets on his bed back into place after that. You’re not sure why you’re dilly-dallying. You really need to go, but you’re desperately trying to soak in every last possible second of him. With nothing else left to do, your fingers brush over the items in his open suitcase. It’s just clothes and books, but it’s still a part of him.

With one last look to the door at the back of the barracks, you release a sad sigh and turn to leave.

“Were you out all night?” Peggy asks immediately as you enter the room. She’s sitting at her desk already dressed and in the middle of applying her makeup.

You wince slightly, having semi-forgotten that you had a roommate. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“Something wrong?” she asks, noticing the strange inflection in your voice.

You mentally curse her for being so perceptive. “Just nervous about the procedure,” you make up as you step further into the room and move to your side. You grab a towel knowing that you need to grab a quick shower to wash the scent of sex from your skin.

“Don’t you think we picked the correct person?” she wonders, not understanding your nerves.

“Oh, I know we did. Just… there’s a lot that can go wrong today.” There’s a lot that will go wrong today. The thought is enough to make you sick.

“Everything will turn out,” Peggy assures you. “You just need to have faith.”

You scoff at the word, the irony not lost on you upon the realization that it’s the same word you used to inspire Dr. Erskine. “I guess we’ll see,” you mutter, passing back behind her to duck into the bathroom for your shower.

Once you’re clean and properly dressed, you begin to pack your things. A strange feeling washes over you as you do so. You’re not just packing up to leave the camp… you’re packing up to leave for good. Peggy is already gone by the time you step out of the shower, so you no longer have to hide your feelings behind cleverly crafted lies.

You have a complete breakdown in the middle of the room as your heart breaks in two. You don’t just feel torn, you feel absolutely shredded. Steve is already in a vulnerable state of mind and you know you’ve only made things worse for him. Will he be able to make it through the procedure now with his mind unfocused?

To make matters worse, the guilt has been eating away at your soul ever since you’d come to the conclusion that you can’t do anything to save Dr. Erskine’s life. He was the sweetest man and you’d come to see him as a friend over these last two weeks, but all the confusion that stems from the Hydra attack is your best chance of getting the serum without anyone interfering. This is your only chance. You can’t mess it up.

When you feel like you have no more tears left to give, you clean yourself up and apply a slightly thicker amount of makeup to help conceal your tear swollen features. You pack your toiletry bag into your suitcase and then pull out the pistol. You look it over and feel the weight of it in your hands. With a resigned breath, you click the magazine into place, ensure that the safety is locked, and then you tuck the weapon into your thigh holster.

You pull out the case of particle discs and shrink your suitcase back down to its miniaturized version. It slips into your pouch, along with the disc case, before you tuck the pouch into a pocket on the inside of your dress coat. With your holster now holding the gun, there’s not enough room for both items without pulling someone’s attention to the area.

You take one last glance around the room to make sure you’ve left nothing behind. With a nod of your head, you step out to meet with Dr. Erskine.

The entire ride from Camp Lehigh to the lab, he’s flipping through a notebook, muttering to himself and jotting things down.

“I thought you said the formula was ready,” you state, breaking him from his train of thought.

He pauses and looks over at you. “It is. I am just running through the calculations to ensure I make enough for the six vials.”

Your heart skips a beat when you hear the number that falls from his mouth. “Six? Why not seven?”

He gives you a strange look. “The machine only takes six.”

You swallow thickly and try to act natural. “I know, but don’t you think there should be at least one extra? What if one of the nurses drops one or they don’t insert it correctly and they break the tip of the vial? It’s better to have a contingency, right? A backup.” You try to persuade him. “We can destroy it after the procedure, but you said it yourself, the components will degrade on their own, so there’s not much risk in just making one more vial…”

You hold your breath as he thinks it over. “Okay. I guess that makes sense. But now I have to re-do all my calculations,” he frowns before smiling teasingly at you.

You release your held breath with a light laugh. A laugh that you don’t really feel, because in just a few hours, this wonderful man will be dead, and you can’t do anything to stop it.

The laboratory is a beehive of activity as everyone prepares for the procedure. Several doctors, scientists, and nurses occupy the main space, checking the machinery and prepping several stations of medical equipment. Upon arrival, Dr. Erskine quickly steps into a sterile backroom to put the formula together and leaves you with instructions to oversee everyone else. Luckily, Howard Stark is too busy checking the levels on his machine, that he doesn't pay you much attention.

You greet Senator Brandt and his associates upon their arrival, directing them to the observation booth to await the procedure. You try to act unaffected when you’re introduced to the man you know is the Hydra agent. Unable to stand his presence, you step out of the observation room and stand at the railing of the top deck, looking down at the others working. You grip the metal railing tight, needing to hold onto something to stop yourself from charging back in there to rip that man apart.

The sound of the double doors getting pulled open draws your attention and you look over your shoulder as Peggy and Steve step into the room. He meets your gaze as he steps forward to stand next to you before he looks down into the lab. His hands brush the side of yours when he grips the rail himself. You feel your breath hitch when his pinky deliberately glides over yours.

His gaze lifts back up to meet yours and you can tell that he’s nervous. “You can do this, Steve,” you whisper so only he can hear.

His eyes roam all over your face before he nods once and turns to follow Peggy down the metal staircase and over to Dr. Erskine. You remain rooted in place, your hands gripping the rail so tight that they ache.

Steve is instructed to remove his uniform shirt before moving into the Vita-Ray machine. He takes a seat and situates himself in the center, looking up and meeting your gaze one last time before lying back. He and Dr. Erskine share a few words that you can’t hear.

You feel Peggy briefly pat your shoulder as a comforting gesture when she walks past you to get to the observation booth. You give her a small smile of gratitude, but stay where you are. Erskine grabs a microphone and gives it a few test flicks before talking to the observers up in the booth. While he talks, the nurses and doctors get Steve prepared for the procedure, bringing the injection plates down over his chest and setting six of the seven serum vials into their chambers.

“We begin with a series of micro-injections into the subject’s major muscle groups,” Erskine explains. “The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then, to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with Vita-Rays.” Erskine sets the microphone down and moves back to Steve’s side. “Serum infusion in 5, 4, 3…”

Your heartbeat seems to pound harder and faster with each number that falls from the Doctor’s mouth. Even from where you’re standing, you can see that Steve’s breaths have intensified. Erskine places a gentle hand of comfort on Steve’s shoulder.

“2… 1.” Dr. Erskine gives one of the scientists a nod of approval and the man flips the levers to tell the machinery to inject the liquid into Steve’s veins.

His whole body tenses, jaw clenched and eyes squeezed tight before they snap open from the intensity of the cellular change happening instantly as the serum mixes into his bloodstream.

“Now, Mr. Stark,” Erskine advises.

Howard flips the lever that moves the Vita pod into an upward position and locks Steve inside. Erskine knocks on the outside of the pod to check on Steve before announcing that they will proceed.

Everyone pulls out their own set of tinted visors or glasses and Howard prepares the machine for Vita-Ray output. “That’s 10 percent,” he announces as he slowly turns the wheel to increase its output level. When he reaches 40%, one of the other doctors confirms that Steve's vital signs are normal. That only gives you temporary relief, when at 70% output, Steve begins to scream in pain.

It’s not just a quick yelp; it’s a long, agonizing, guttural cry. Panicking, Dr. Erskine rushes to the pod. “Steven!” he calls out, banging against the metal. Steve doesn’t respond, he just continues to scream. "Steven!"

Your heart beats frantically against your rib cage as Peggy moves out of the observation room to stand next to you at the railing. “Shut it down!” she orders urgently.

Dr. Erskine turns away from the pod, “Kill the reactor, Mr. Stark!”

Howard moves to do as instructed when Steve shouts once again, “No! Don’t! I can do this!”

The two men share a look before Howard moves back to the output wheel. “80… 90… That’s 100 percent!”

The light emanating from the Vita-Ray pod becomes blinding and you can practically feel the energy getting forced into the machine. Several of the consoles around the room begin to spark under the electrical strain. You’re not even sure how much time has passed when the reaction finally completes and the machine begins to power down. Everyone in the room seems to hold their breaths collectively. “Mr. Stark!” Erskine instructs.

The doors to the pod open with a hiss and wafts of steam come pouring out. Steve’s body, which had formerly been a fraction of the size of the pod, can now barely be contained within it. Sweat slicks over the muscles you’re all too familiar with. The pectoral muscles you’ve spent several nights snuggled against heave with each of his breaths. Arms that can rip apart tree trunks lay limp at his sides. Dr. Erskine helps him step out of the pod, and even on week knees, he still towers over the scientist.

He looks up and catches your gaze from where you still stand at the railing. You send him a shaky smile, hoping that you’re far enough that he can’t see the tears in your eyes. You press two fingers to your lips, unsure if he’ll understand that it’s a kiss goodbye before you turn away and blend into the crowd pouring out of the observation room. As they all make their way down into the lab area, you slip out the double doors and take the hallway back to the antique shop.

For your plan to work, you need to be one step ahead of the Hydra agent. Luckily, you know exactly where he’s going to go. Walking out of the shop, you move briskly to the driver that brought you and Dr. Erskine here. He’s leaning casually against the side of the car, talking with a few disguised agents in civilian clothing.

“I need your car keys. It’s urgent,” you tell him, walking straight up to him with your hand held out.

“Ma’am?” he questions, looking at you with confusion.

“Now!” you order, leaving no room for argument.

He pulls the keys out of his pocket and hands them over. You quickly duck into the driver’s seat, glancing at the rearview mirror, you see the men a few cars back eyeing you warily. You know that they are more Hydra agents, but they’re not supposed to act until they get their signal.

That signal comes in the form of the explosion that can be heard from inside the building, right as you pull out onto the road. You slam on the gas pedal and weave in and out of traffic. These old-timey cars don’t quite react the way you’re used to. It’s sluggish to accelerate and can barely turn worth a damn. You park the car right at the entrance to the Brooklyn Pier 13 and hurry out, not even caring that you’ve left the keys inside the vehicle. You make your way to the ship dock where you know the Hydra agent has hidden his submarine. Tucking yourself behind one of the cement pillars, all that’s left to do is sit tight and wait. You reach for the gun stashed in your holster and hold it close to your chest.

You don’t have to wait long before you hear the sound of gunfire and screaming. You slow your breaths in an attempt to keep your heartbeat steady. All your training as a SHIELD agent and an Avenger have brought you to this moment. You’re not about to mess it up now.

Hearing the man’s hurried steps approach, you dart out from your hiding place and attack with the speed of a coiled snake. Your arm swings out, jamming the butt of your gun into his temple and knocking him out in one single move. The forward momentum of his running combines with the force of your blow, causing him to spin and collapse to the ground on his back.

It’s not exactly a Black Widow move, but it’s sure as hell effective. You step over his prone body and crouch down to dig into his pockets until you find the vial in a hidden spot inside his jacket.

“Vic? Where… What are you…? How did you know he would be here?” Steve approaches, staring at you with confusion.

“It doesn’t matter,” you brush him off, your heart pounding now that you finally have the serum. “I have to go.” You stand and step back from the unconscious agent.

“Wait!” Steve darts forward using his newfound agility and grips your wrist. You wince under the pressure of his hold, his strength uncontrolled. He eases up but keeps your arm firmly locked in his grasp. “Where are you taking that?” he questions, indicating to the vial you hold. “You’re not going back to the SSR, are you?”

“Steve…”

His grip begins to tighten uncomfortably once again. “Is this that reassignment�� you were talking about? Are you another spy? Like him?” He glares at the man lying unconscious on the floor.

“No!” you protest. “But Steve, you have to let me go!” You try to tug yourself out of his grip, but it’s like tugging against an iron shackle.

“If you’re not a spy, then we can take it back together.”

“No, you don’t understand. I need it-”

“Need it for what?” You watch as anger and betrayal cloud his eyes. “You’ve been lying to me from the start, haven’t you? Why are you really here? Who are you working for? Answer me!”

“Steve, stop! You’re hurting me!” He doesn’t ease up on his grip this time, despite your whimper of pain. “You can’t take it back! That vial isn’t even supposed to exist! He was meant to drop it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Please, just let me go. I need you to trust me!”

“I did trust you! I let you into my home! Into my life! Into my-” The look of betrayal increases tenfold before it turns into a look of disgust. “You used me. Is this why Erskine picked me? Were you pulling the strings in the background, so that I’d let you get away with the serum? I saw the look in your eyes before you walked out of the lab. You left right before the attack! You knew what was going to happen, didn’t you?! Dr. Erskine is dead now! Do you feel any remorse?”

Tears begin to prick your eyes. You’ve never seen him direct this amount of anger and rage toward you. “Steve, I’m not a spy. I swear.”

He grabs the top of the vial with his free hand and twists your arm until you’re forced to release it to him. “I can’t let you take this.”

“No!” You protest and reach to try to get it back. You freeze instantly when he holds his arm out and high.

“You said it was supposed to get dropped, then I’ll drop it.” He threatens.

“Steve, I am begging you. Please don’t!” You make to reach for it again, but he grips your shoulder with his other hand.

“Then tell me who you’re working for!”

“No one! I swear!” Your heart pounds in your ears and the tears begin to fall as you watch the one hope you have beginning to slip through your fingers.

“I’ll give you to the count of three. One.”

“Steve, no! You have to listen to me-”

“Two.”

You struggle against his hold, screaming at him to stop.

“Thre-”

“You’re dying!” You cry out, openly sobbing now.

The devastation in your voice rips through him and gives him pause.

“Where I come from…” you choke on your words, knowing that this is the final nail in the coffin that seals away your reality as you know it. You’ve changed too much already. You know that this is the last straw. But you can’t let him destroy that serum. “When I come from… you’re sick. And that serum is the only thing that can save you.”

His arm slowly lowers and he releases the grip on your shoulder.

“I’m not a spy, Steve. I’m from the future. If I don’t make it back with that serum, you will die, and I-” your voice cracks. You cup your hands over your face and crumple to your knees. “I can’t lose you!”

You continue to sob into your hands until you feel a gentle touch trying to coax them away from your face. You look through tear-blurred eyes to find Steve crouching in front of you. He no longer looks angry, but his eyes flicker between yours, searching for the truth within them. “Yes, I knew what was going to happen to Dr. Erskine… and I feel horrible about it, but I couldn’t risk changing anything more than I already have! I couldn’t bear to watch it happen, so that’s why I left early and came here to intercept you and get the serum. I am terrified that I’ve messed things up and changed the future that I need to go back to. But I’m more terrified of going back without the serum. I’m not a spy, I promise. I’m just trying to save your life.” You hiccup when his hand reaches out to cradle your face, his thumb swipes over your cheek to dry your tears. “I know it sounds crazy, but you have to believe me,” you beg.

You watch his Adam’s apple bob when he swallows thickly. “Why do you think you’ve messed up the future?”

His question takes you off guard. It’s not the one you’re expecting him to ask. “Because we were never supposed to meet,” you confess. “I was only supposed to come for the serum, but when I got hurt and you took me in, I… I couldn’t stay away.”

“In the future, you and me… we’re…?”

Your gaze softens as you look back at him. “You’re the love of my life.”

Your breath catches in your throat when in the next instant, he’s tugging your body into his chest and wrapping his arms around your shoulders. You release a stunted gasp, the familiarity of his muscular form tucked against your body feels like a dream. Your arms curl around his strong torso as you bury your face into his neck and your hands clench at the fabric of his t-shirt.

“Does this mean… Do you believe me?” you ask, the hope that had once been cracking and chipping away inside you begins to bloom.

“I do,” he admits.

You collapse against him as you release a cry of relief. “H-How? Why?” you find yourself asking. Honestly, it’s pretty stupid that you do, when you should just accept his belief and run with it. But the fact that he fully believes that you’re from the future is nearly as crazy as the fact that you are.

He releases a breathless laugh before moving back enough to meet your gaze once more. “Because I don’t like sleeping by the window.” He smiles at your look of confusion. “And because I always need to use the bathroom as soon as I wake up.” His free hand reaches up to curl a strand of hair behind your ear as his gaze flickers between your eyes. “Because I loved potato soup as a child.” You think you’re beginning to understand where he’s going with this. “All these little things, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how you could possibly know them about me. You’d either have to be a damn good spy, or…”

“Or…?” you prompt, feeling dizzy.

You can nearly feel the caress of his gaze as it flits over your lips and up your cheek, before connecting with your eyes once more. “Or you’d have to be the woman I’m planning to spend the rest of my life with.”

“Oh, Steve!” You wrap your arms around his neck and bring his lips to yours. You put your entire body into the kiss, wanting to prove without a shadow of a doubt just how much he means to you. He kisses back eagerly, tugging your body closer until you’re sitting in his lap. You pull away with a wet gasp and drop your head to his shoulder, your whole body shaking.

“Vic, honey, why are you crying?” he asks softly.

“Because I don’t want to leave you!” you sob into his neck. “But I can’t stay. Dr. Erskine said the serum will start to breakdown. If I don’t take it back soon, this will all be for nothing, and you’ll die anyway.” When you lift your head back up, wet trails are traveling down your cheeks. “I’m running out of time!”

“Okay, okay,” he soothes, running a comforting hand up and down your back while he moves to hold the other between you. “Here,” he offers, opening his palm to reveal the serum vial.

Your hand shakes as you reach for it. Taking it back, you hold it close to your chest and look back up at him. “Thank you,” you whisper sincerely. He nods, trusting that it’s in good hands now. You peel back the front of your dress coat and slip the vial into the same internal pocket where your pouch is for safekeeping. You look back up and get lost in the blue of his eyes. “I wish I could tell you everything.”

He looks back, feeling your words fall to his gut. “I know.”

“I have to go,” your lips tremble as you speak.

The look of heartbreak on his face makes you weak. “I know,” he repeats. You move to push out of his hold, but he tightens his grip. “Just-” he spits out quick, to get your attention. “When will I see you again?”

The pain that enters your eyes is answer enough. “Not for a long time.”

His breath rushes out of him like a punch to the stomach.

You wince and place your hands over his cheeks. You hate seeing him so distraught. “Steve, listen to me. You are going to have some very difficult decisions to make. Don’t make your choices based on what you think will bring you back to me. Make the choice because you know it’s the right thing to do. I know that might not make much sense right now, but hopefully, when the time has come, you’ll remember these words and you’ll know what to do. Have faith and know that you’ll always carry me in your heart.”

It’s difficult to process your words, but he nods anyway. “Okay,” he agrees.

“I love you,” you whisper, pulling his head down until his forehead is pressed to yours.

“I’m really going to miss you,” he whispers back, his voice thick with emotion. You share one more second wrapped in the comfort of his arms before pulling back. The two of you climb to your feet. “Will you be okay?” he asks, unsure how dangerous time travel could be.

“Yes,” you assure him gently. You share one last look before your hand slips from his and you turn away.

“Vic, wait!” Steve reaches for your wrist once more, before dropping it quickly when you hiss in pain. Looking down, he gently cradles your arm to take a closer look at the bruise that has formed there. “Did I do that?” he frowns.

“It’s okay,” you try to brush it off and comfort him when he looks at you doubtfully.

“I hurt you.” Shame fills his features. You put your other hand over his where it rests on your arm, and you entwine your fingers through his.

“You’re still getting used to your new strength. It was an accident.” He looks like he’s ready to argue with you, but you really don’t have enough time to get into it with him. “Steve, what were you trying to tell me?” you ask, trying to change his focus.

He gives you a look like he knows what you’re trying to do, but he lets it go. “When we see each other again… Will you remember any of this?”

You release a long breath. “No…” you admit. “No, I won’t.”

“Then…” he swallows thickly and looks down at where your hands are joined. “Do you have any tips on how to get you to fall in love with me? Because I honestly don’t have any idea how I managed to catch an amazing girl like you.”

You laugh sweetly and step up to place a kiss to his cheek. “Just be yourself. You can be pretty charming when you want to be.” You squeeze his fingers before pulling back. “Oh! But one thing… when you get a better handle on these new muscles of yours,” you grin cheekily and poke him in the bicep. “Don’t be afraid to show off in the bedroom. Your girl likes it a little rough.” You shoot him a saucy wink that makes his cheeks flare up.

“Um… okay,” he responds. That’s not exactly what he was going for, but at least it’s something. “And then, one last thing,” he requests. He knows you’re being patient with him, when every second matters, but he has to know. “You and me,” he starts, reaching for your left hand, and his thumb glides over your ring finger. “Are we married?”

You breathe out a quiet laugh and look up at him with that smile that reminds him of Spring. “You haven’t asked me, yet. But I hope you will soon.”

He smiles back and it warms you like feeling sunshine on your skin. “Even if this wasn’t supposed to happen, I’m glad that I met you. I can’t imagine how I would have gotten through any of this without you in my life.”

You reach out to press a hand to his chest. “I will always be with you, Steve.”

He places his hand over yours. “I will carry you in my heart,” he confirms. His hand drops from yours, along with his gaze. “You should go.”

Your eyes turn sad as you retract your hand, but you nod, knowing that he’s right. You take several steps back and lift your arm to look at your watch. After pressing a button on the side, your quantum suit seems to materialize out of nowhere. Steve jumps at the display of modern technology. If he hadn’t been fully convinced that you were from the future, this definitely would have changed his mind.

His breaths come in quicker when he realizes this is truly goodbye. “Good luck,” he speaks, feeling like he needs to say something.

Your lips curl into a small grin. “I don’t need luck. I’m Lady Victory.” You hold his gaze for one more second before you hit the button on your time watch to snap your helmet into place and then you’re shrinking out of his existence.

Steve stares at the place you were just standing, barely able to believe that you’re gone. His mind snaps back into focus when he hears a splash of water and some sort of strange mechanical whirring. When he looks back, he sees that the man he’d been chasing has disappeared. He dashes to the edge of the dock and catches sight of a one-manned submarine beginning to submerge. Without thought, he dives after it, straight into the water.

Epilogue

#steve rogers x reader #pre serum steve x reader #40s steve x reader #captain america x reader

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pjarox-journey · 5 years ago

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Breath of the Wild - Session #8

Mountain Climbing

You didn’t think i would continue to play this fast, did you? Haha! And i even played a few hours! Be prepared for a looong story!

So, i was in Hateno, ready to leave. But there was still the southern beach of Hateno, so i went there. For that i first climbed a nearby hill, beacuse there was something interesting on the map...

The heartless have been here!!

Three fairies have been flying around here, which i quickly stored in my pockets. Fairies are important, okay? There was an adventurerer there, too, in search of the pond of love. But eh... you might have guessed it: this is not the right pond. The real is further south, i think, and i know there is a quest there, too. But we’ll visit that later. For now, on to the beach! I also spotted something interesting in the distance, and after, eh...

BOOM!

...i found another Korok. Yay!

#37 likes apples, too!

At the beach i had to fight two more Lizalfos, but this wasn’t the camp i had to clear for the quest. In fact, i had already found it the list time. Do you remember the silver Bokblins? Those are my targets. And you know what? SCREW IT! Won’t do that now. Nope! But you know what i’ll do know?

Jump over ice to this shrine! That’s what i do!

Also, hello little one #38

This shrine is called the Chasu-Keta-Shrine (german), and... i would love to clear it, but... you see, there are trials of strength or whatever they are called. There exist three difficulties for this: easy, middle, hard. This one is one of the hard trials, where you fight an insanely strong little guardian. I tried it, but it has way too much HP for now, and does way too much damage to handle it. So... i had to left. I might come back later for it, though.

On my way back to Hateno i found some treasures in the sea, and bombed away to Lizalfos who felt like attacking me. And before reaching the coast, the bloodmone rose again, reviving all the monster i had killed. Nice. *sighs*

So... day 13 started. I had to replenish the cooked food i’ve eaten, and some more bufffood would be nice, too, so i went cooking in Hateno. You know, fire swords are pretty handy if you want to light up something. One swing, and tadaaa: fire! I threw some fish and crabs into the pots, so i could get some damage buffs.

Fried eggs with rice! Yummy! See, i can cook, too!

After that, i travelled back to Kakariko. With only few disturbing fights (i hate fighting in Master Mode so much, seriously. Might rant about it at the end), i managed to get there fairly quick. Impa told me i should search for the places where Zelda had taken the photos, so Link could regain his lost memories.

Before searching for the first one, the fairy was so kind to upgrade the Hylian Armor i had bought in Hateno. I just... kinda forgot to equip it. Whatever.

Behind the fairies pond, you can find a plateau (yet to explore) and an old waterway. I knew i could find one of the memory-spots there, so i took Fiona to ride there.

OH DEER!

On my way, if fought another Yiga, and found Koroks, of course. Are you surprised? I’m not. Like i told you: they are everywhere. I bet, sometimes you might lift a stone in your garden, an plop, there is another one!

#39 likes shapes

And #40 likes flowers

There live many monsters in the waterway, so it’s a bit dangerous there. And... there was another silver Bokblin there. I kinda ignored most of them though, cause the fighting in this mode is so frustrating and tiring, god... But at the end, i found the memory at the start of day 14.

Mysterious glowing~

OH NO I FORGOT THE OVEN!

It’s memory #11. Zelda had been training at the spring on top of the mountain, so she could awaken her powers, but... it didn’t work. The heroes tried to cheer her up, but the evil appeared - Ganon awoke from his slumber, and now they had to hurry back to the castle.

Maybe i should have returned to Kakariko now, but... i knew there was still some stuff to do here, and i didn’t want to wait. Have i told you about Lynel yet? Those are the most dangerous creatures in this game. They have SO MUCH HP, do extremly high damage, and are just a pain in the ass. They also don’t count as minibosses, like the Iwarok, but believe me, they are. Don’t approach them if you are not ready. And in this mode... no, i don’t want to fight one yet. Still... there is one living riiight in front of me.

So did i face him? No. Nononono. I sneaked past him, after taking a picture of him. I also thought about facing a sleeping Hinox nearby, but, eh... too strong, too. Not worth the lost weapons. So i ignored him to, after putting it on my To-Kill-list. Just you wait...

So now i’m in the mountains. Snow everywhere. The air is freezing. Hm. I drank a potion for some heat, and also equiped the fire sword. Those fire and ice weapons are so usefull, really. Ice weapons drop the temperature around you, so you can run through the desert without many problems, and fire weapons heat you up, so it’s not too cold for you. With this, i was able to climb the mountain.

Of course you can find Koroks here, too. Right, #41? You love running around, right?

There are Lizalfos all over the place here. Black ones, especially. But lucky for me, they are carrying good weapons! And after killing one, the others weren’t to bad either. Some Ice-Lizalfos live here, too, but you know what? Those are super-easy to kill. They really hate fire, and i have a fire sword, so... well, they melted pretty quick. I think i will use this place to stock up with some good weapons if i need any.

I love to bomb the slimes, yes. Why do you ask?

Finally, at the top of the mountain, i found...

...a dragon. But Ganon hat taken controll of him, so it was up to me to help him. Four big eyes were on his body, and i had to shoot an arrow in every last one of them. While following this big boy through the air. It took me a few minutes and even more arrows, but it wasn’t too hard.

Saved a dragon! But wait... pierce Naydras body?!

I was allowed to shoot the dragon Naydra once again. It... might sound stupid, after helping him, but don’t worry - you can’t kill these legendary creatures. Instead, you can get some rare materials from them - parts of their body. Scales, Fangs, tooths, and... horns, i think. Sounds about right. In this case, i got a scale, which i threw into the spring, for the ritual, which opened the path to a shrine - the Jitah-Sami-Shrine (still german!).

You shot a dragon, have some loot!

This is the first shrine with some free loot! No further puzzles awaits, just a chest and the Spirit Orb. The chest held an ice lance, but my inventory was full, so... i’ll come back later when i need it. Like when i want to visit the gorons.

Southeast of the top of the mountain is another shrine. A quest in Hateno tells you about it, but it’s a riddle you have to solve. But since i played the game once, i know the solution, so i got there fairly quick, after finding another Korok.

Woooh, snowboarding! (#42)

As this shrine has to be found with a riddle, it’s another free shrine, so more loot for me! With the Thano-A-Shrine (german!), i had cleared 13 shrines now, so more than 10% of them are done! Yay!

I have to admit, i thought about teleporting back to Kakariko at this point. I mean, i said i didn’t want to, and i still don’t like the idea, but... the game is long, and the teleporting helps to shorten the time to reach some places. I want to play other games, too, like Pokemon Sword which i had bought today, too. Maybe i’ll tell you about my journey there, too, but... that’s another story. But i wanted to do some more exploration, so i decided to walk back to Kakariko. All the way over the mountains. Am i crazy? A bit. Maybe.

Day 15 dawned, and on my way i found various Koroks, and one of them was unobtainable for me. I mean, i could have get him, but... far too much work, if you ask me. Maybe i come back later for him, but don’t pin me down on that.

Koroks #43, #44 and #45. Apples, swiming, stone on top of a mountain. Why always on top of mountains, you stupid...?!

I also found some Octoplatforms. With blue Lizalfos, this time. It was quite a mess to get them down, but i managed somehow, and oooh boy, look what i found.

Am i a king now?

A kings sword with wooping 56 damage. This is the most powerful weapon i found yet in this playthrough, and i don’t think i will find something as powerful anytime soon. Jackpot, i guess.

Also, beneath this lake, behind a waterfall, was another Shrine, the Dauc-Nae-Shrine (german). I was able to solve the puzzle very quick, so i got my 14th Spirit Orb.

I fought my way back through the waterway, to reach Kakariko, but was distracted by... something big.

Okay, Wind? What? Where... HELLO DRAGON! OUCH!

...it was a bit weird, but hey, i got a claw from him. And killed the Lizalfos. And... guess what, found more Koroks.

#46 likes rocks, too. His was on a destroyed fountain. And #47 likes water.

Somehow Naydra returned while i wanted to get to #47. It was a bit strange, and this time i missed him, but... whatever. If i need more materials i will come back later.

I had left Fiona around here a few days ago, but she was still doing fine. So with the start of day 16, i rode back to Kakariko, stopping by the fairy to upgrade the Climbing Boots i had found in the last shrine. I also got some more fairys to protect me from death!

Maybe the wildlife could need some fairies, too. Oops...

I told Impa about the returning memories, and in return she gave me the heroes tunic. It’s one of the strongest tops in the game, and it gives you the ability to see the HP of the enemies. Its really helpful, especially if you want to know how much damage you dealt or have to deal to kill them.

I upgraded my new gear, too, and sold a few more items, so i could buy myself a house soon. I have 3000 Rupees now, but... i might still need some of them, so i will not buy my house immediatly. Maybe when i have like 3500. I don’t know. But it’ll be very soon, i promise!

I also did some quests in Kakariko - the artist who was searching for the fairys pond wanted to see a picture of it, so i made one for him. He didn’t give me something in return, but from now on i can show him the pictures Zelda had made in the past, and he will tell me where i could search for them. Believe me, if you play the game the first time this is extremely helpful because sometimes it’s pretty hard to find the right spots.

And do you remember the little girl in need of some honey? I finally gave it to her! And look what she made!

Yummy!

With this, i had done every of her requests, and now she wants to become a chief! You can do it, little child, i believe in you!

But... thats for it! Next goal is... the forest of the Koroks, maybe? So i can upgrade my inventory even more. That could be helpful, yeah. And after that... well, we’ll see. Hyrule is big, and there is still much too discover.

Regarding the fights: i hate them in Master Mode. Its really annoying to slay an enemy with a good weapon, just to get something like... a Boko stick with 4 damage or something. Nice. Worth it. Not. And that happens way to often. The fights on the mountain were much more rewarding, because you were able to keep fighting with the weapons you got there. So... maybe it’ll get better in the future. You’ll hear about it soon!

Thanks again for reading this! I hope you enjoyed it! :D

#journey of the wild #The Legend of Zelda #Breath of the Wild #the legend of zelda: breath of the wild

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kilipeak · 4 years ago

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4 DAYS SAFARI TARANGIRE NGORONGORO AND LAKE MANYARA

4 DAYS SAFARI TARANGIRE NGORONGORO AND LAKE MANYARA with Kilipeak Adventure are one of the ultimate safari experiences in Africa, this is the mother of all parks. Our safari vehicles with the hatched roof for shade against sunny African wilderness; are the extended body with roomy seats for comfortable sitting and stretching out legs. Every guest is accessible to the window seat. Cars are also fitted with fridges, power charge sockets and VHF radio calls for easy and fast communication with the base office.

DAY 1: ARRIVE IN TANZANIA. Arrive anytime at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). We will arrange a private transfer from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) to Masailand Safari Lodge, where the rest of the day is at leisure. We stay at Masailand Safari Lodge, which is beautifully located on the slope of Mt. Meru and is a perfect place to prepare for your adventure. We will gather in the hotel for a pre-safari briefing. We will also confirm you have the appropriate mandatory medical coverage and travel insurance. Dinner and overnight at Masailand Safari Lodge. DAY 2: GAME DRIVE IN TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK. Today we drive to Tarangire National Park, for excellent game viewing. Tarangire is a small park that offers some excellent sights. Generally, in the dry seasons, Tarangire comes alive as a wildlife and birdlife congregate on the Tarangire River, which is a permanent source of water. We spend the night in our lodge beautifully set inside the park with stunning views and a unique atmosphere. Dinner and overnight at Eileen’s trees Lodge: full board. DAY 3: GAME DRIVE IN NGORONGORO CRATER. We start the day with an early morning game drive before heading to Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Ngorongoro is a special place in that it is a Conservation Area, not a National Park; this means that the whole area is managed for both the animals and the local Masai people who graze their cattle alongside the indigenous wildlife. During the drive-in Ngorongoro, we have a chance to glimpse something of the Masai way of life. After stopping at the entrance gate, where there is a chance to learn more about this fascinating volcanic landscape, we will drive around the rim of the Crater itself, and from here we can look down and see the herd of wildebeest or buffalos. Finally, we descend into the crater. The crater walls provide a natural sanctuary for the animals, which means there is plenty to see: lions, elephants, buffalo, rhino, and leopard (if you are lucky). The only animal you won't see in here is a giraffe, whose long legs are unable to cope with the steeps sides of the crater. In the late afternoon, we make a short journey from the crater to our permanent tented camp. Dinner and overweight at Ngorongoro wild tented camp: full board. DAY 4: GAME DRIVE IN LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK. Today we drive to Lake Manyara National Park for a full day of game drives. This is one of Tanzania's smaller parks but still offers a rewarding and diverse safari experience. The lakeshore at Manyara teems with birdlife, and while you are looking for the birds, you might spot one of the elusive tree-climbing lions. There are a surprising number of other large mammals and the striking cliffs on the Rift escarpment form a dramatic backdrop. In the late afternoon, we make a short journey from the park to Arusha. Dinner and overnight at Masailand Safari Lodge. E-mail us at any time to discuss your trip and get an accurate quotation. 4 DAYS SAFARI TARANGIRE NGORONGORO AND LAKE MANYARA SAFARI INCLUDES: 1. Full board accommodation whilst on safari in the above mentioned en suite tented camps and lodges 2. Private safari guide 3. Private 4 x 4 safari jeep with pop up roof for game viewing 4. Transfers in both directions between the International Airport 5. Park fees 6. Crater fees 7. Airport Arrival/Departure Meet and Greets at the airport 8. On safari – Vehicles equipped with ice chest with mineral water, wildlife guidebooks 9. Government taxes, VAT and service charges relating to accommodation and included meals 4 DAYS SAFARI TARANGIRE NGORONGORO AND LAKE MANYARA SAFARI EXCLUDE: 1. Tanzania Visa: $50 per person on arrival, USA and Canada passport holders USD.100 2. Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.) 3. Meals not listed above 4. Optional Tours (balloon rides USD. 500 per person etc) 5. Tips and any items of personal nature. Read the full article

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travelonlinetips-blog · 5 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/climbing-kilimanjaro-the-complete-packing-list/

Climbing Kilimanjaro – The Complete Packing List

Are you planning to climb Kilimanjaro mountain in Tanzania? Congrats, you are in for a true adventure and a life-changing experience! In case you are wondering what on Earth should you bring with you during this trip, I am here to help!

In this article you can find the complete packing list for climbing Kilimanjaro, regardless of your chosen route. My list contains everything from clothes to accessories, electronics, and equipment, so you won’t need anything more than this article to prepare for your trip!

Please note that there is a direct correlation between the quality of the items (especially clothes) you are going to take with you and the success rate of the hike. Of course, this is not everything you will need, but it is an important factor, so pack responsibly!

If you are preparing to climb Kilimanjaro soon, here are the 7 Things You Should Know Before Climbing Kilimanjaro!

Here is the video where I show you all the things I packed and had with me for climbing Kilimanjaro:

Let’s talk about each of the things you need to pack:

General packing guidelines

You don’t need to overly stress about your packing list, as you will have guidance! One day before doing the trek, your guide will go through all of the things in your bag together with you and he will make an analyzation of the items you are missing and the items you don’t need to bring on the mountain. In case you need something and you don’t have it, he will provide it for you. In my case, I was missing on 2 pairs on underpants which my guide brought to me on the day of the summit (I rented them from the company, basically). I do not remember the price exactly, but I don’t think it was more than 10 US$ for the whole duration of the hike. You might want to buy something, there are stores that sell professional equipment but almost certainly it will be a bit more expensive than buying it in advance in your home country.

The general rule when you start organizing the things that you need is to not over pack. The trek by itself will be a challenge, but if you pack according to this list, I am sure that you will have no problems!

Also, you don’t need to worry about how you are going to carry your luggage each day up the mountain! You will have a backpack in which you will have your rain gear, snacks, and water bottle. The rest of the items will be in the duffel bag (a big, spacious bag), which is carried by the porters from the hiking company of your choice to the next camp each day.

The duffel bag and all the equipment (tent, sleeping bag) will be provided by the company as well. More details about this below.

By the way, if you haven’t chosen the company you are going to summit with, I have a very good post on questions you should ask the company before you make a decision on booking your trip with them. Click here to read my tips on finding a great tour company for Kilimanjaro.

For your convenience, I have sorted all items by category so you can scroll down and easily find a specific category. Enjoy!

Clothes

Clothes are one of the most crucial items on your packing list, so make sure to pay close attention to each piece of clothing you will take with you. You don’t want to have inefficient clothes in your bag that won’t keep you warm or help you with layering.

NOTE: I advise you to bring with you clothes made from moisture-wicking fabric, not cotton. This type of fabric will rapidly absorb sweat and will keep you dry and warm.

Tops

2-3 x top tanks and T-shirts – Perfect for layering, the main technique that will keep you warm! Make sure they are made of moisture-wicking fabric, as this will rapidly absorb the sweat and keep the warmth

2 x long sleeve shirts – Made of moisture-wicking fabric as well. I advise you to buy the ones with a front zipper because you can take it off easily if it’s too hot

1 x fleece jacket – A super important item; it should be made of fleece or soft-shell, as it won’t take up much space

1 x long thermal top – Thermal underwear will keep you warm during the day and night. Except for the summit day I only used it during the night because it was the only fresh piece of clothing I had left (I remind you there is no showering for the whole duration on the trek 😉 )

2 x sports bra – easy to change and comfortable

Pants

1 x convertible hiking pants – I recommend taking the convertible hiking pants which have a side zipper – they convert from short pants to long pants, super convenient!

1 x fleece pants – Make sure you can wear them in layers and they are also perfect for when you are in your camp

3 x thermal underpants – Just like the thermal tops, these will keep you warm at all times, you will use all of them on the summit day

Jackets & Rain Gear

Rain gear is very important because the weather on the mountain is so unpredictable! It can start raining at any moment, so having some waterproof clothing items is crucial. Also, the better quality your rain gear is, the better!

1 x waterproof jacket – breathable, it is better to have one with a hood

1 x waterproof pants – breathable as well

1 x insulated jacket – classic jacket for hiking, made of synthetic material

1 x winter jacket – I had a classic winter jacket for skiing/snowboarding with me. Make sure yours is waterproof!

NOTE: You will carry the waterproof pants and the waterproof jacket with you in your daypack every day, so make sure to make it light.

Headwear & Handwear

1 x warm gloves – waterproof ones

1 x thin gloves – I advise you buy the ones with touchscreen functionality – super comfy for the times when you will need to use your phone or touch screen camera

1 x balaclava – this is a garment that can be worn in different ways and that will cover your entire head or the neck

1 x brimmed hat – it will protect you from the sun

1 x knit hat – for warmth

Toiletries

As I mentioned before, I advise you to pack as light as possible. There is no point in carrying a shampoo or a perfume with you, as you will, most probably, not use them. Stick to the essentials instead.

Your make-up case should contain:

a deodorant

a lip balm – very important, the sun is super strong and you will definitely need it!

a small moisturizer – you can bring a small container which you fill with a good moisturizer; very good, especially for girls

a face cleanser – I used a konjac sponge which helped me clean my skin fast; you only need to dip it in hot water

sunblock SPF 50+ – a very important item as well, as the sun is strong and you don’t want to get a sunburn

some hair ties – to keep your hair in place in case you have long hair

cotton pads – travel-size are better, as they are smaller and don’t take up much space

baby wipes – my advice is to have a big pack of wet wipes in your duffel bag and a small one in your backpack to carry with you every day

hand sanitizer – efficient and easy to use

toilet paper – even though your guide will have plenty of toilet paper for you during the hike, you might want to have your own

a dry shampoo – optional. I had one with me but ended up not using it because I feel like I’d need to wash my hair at least a day after using it

Electronics

I do not recommend taking many electronic devices with you, as will most probably not use them on the mountain and you won’t be able to charge them in any way.

Here is what I brought with me:

camera – I have an Olympus OM-D E-M10 II – it is compact and it takes amazing photos!

phone – I have a Samsung Galaxy S7

Kindle – if you have one and you like reading on it, it is a very good item to bring on the hike. There will be some times at the tent when you will not have much to do, so having a good book on your Kindle will help you pass that time

GoPro – unfortunately, because of the cold, the batteries from my GoPro drained until I reached the peak even despite the fact it was fully charged, but I did take some great shots with it in the previous days

a headlamp – a very important item as well, useful for reading on the Kindle or a book during the evening. The lamp with new batteries is usually good for 120 hours, so it is more than enough for your track

some extra batteries – for the electronics that require it

a portable battery charger – essential to charge the electronics above. Or, if you prefer, you can take a solar battery (but it really depends on how much sun you will have during your trek)

Equipment

As I mentioned before, all the big equipment (tent, sleeping bag and duffel bag) you will need for your trek will be provided by the hiking company. They will provide these for you, as well as carry them and install everything at the next camp each day.

In my case, everything was of good quality and I had no problems. If you wish to bring your own tent or your own sleeping bag with you, that is no problem, of course (it will be carried by porters).

Backpack

Make sure the backpack that you bring with you up to Kilimanjaro is waterproof and spacious enough (25-35 liters) for the rain gear, snacks, and water bottle. Also, another very important aspect of the backpack is to have the adjustable waist and chest straps – these will help the weight distribute better and it will be less pressure for your shoulders.

Snacks

During your trek, you will eat 3 meals per day provided by the hiking company. The food is plentiful and of very good quality, but I still advise you take some of your favorite snacks with you to have in your backpack during the day, just in case you get hungry all of a sudden. I recommend having 2 snacks/day with you, just in case.

WHAT TO TAKE: Some good snack options are protein bars, chocolate bars (such as Snickers), nuts and potato chips. Of course, you can bring your favorite snacks with you from home if you want. If not, there are shops before the starting point where you can buy these without any problems.

Optional Things

The list above is more than enough to prepare you for the climb, but here are some optional things you might want to take with you, just in case:

an inflatable pillow – if you need a pillow to sleep well in general, an inflatable pillow that doesn’t take up much space at all can be life-saving

a portable solar charger – this is an alternative to the portable charger, but it really depends on how much sun you will have during your trek. If it is going to be cloudy, it won’t be as efficient as a normal portable battery.

a pee bottle – in case you will not want to get out of the tent during the night to use the toilet

earplugs – if you are a light sleeper, these are very important because the noise isolation is almost none existent when you sleep in a tent

water purification tablets – the water quality there was very good, as it all comes from natural springs and the guides are also boiling it to make sure it doesn’t have any microbes. If you want to be extra-safe, you can take some tablets with you, just in case

a waterproof backpack cover – even if your backpack is waterproof (and especially if it isn’t), you can also take a waterproof cover for it just to be safe.

Medication, Documents and Money

Medication

Although the Kilimanjaro guides will make sure you will have all the items you need, all the equipment, medications and good food, they do not actually check if your health status allows you to do this climb. I strongly advise you to go to your doctor for a consultation before planning this trip and ask if you are medically able to climb Kilimanjaro. For example, people with asthma are not allowed to climb the mountain.

The guides will have all the basic medications with them for you (such as pain killers or altitude sickness pills – Diamox), but if you have any special prescriptions, make sure to bring your pills with you.

Documents

You can leave your passport at the accommodation before the trek together with your big luggage if you want to. I personally decided to take my passport with me, but keep in mind that if you decide on leaving it aside, you will need a copy of your passport when you enter the Kilimanjaro National Park.

Money

You will need to have some cash with you for tipping the team (porters, assistants and cook) after the hike. You can find more details about how much exactly to tip and everything else about this trek on my article about 7 things you should know before climbing Kilimanjaro.

Conclusion

That was everything I needed to pack to climb Kilimanjaro and I did it successfully! I am sure that if you follow this complete list of things you need for your Kilimanjaro hike, you will be able to do it as well!

The experience itself is incredible, life-changing and definitely worth it, so if you buy all the things you need in advance, there is nothing that can stop you for going up the mountain.

REMEMBER: Try not to over-pack and do not be very stressed about the hike itself. If you prepare well and you have the right mindset (you can do this!), the mountain will welcome you.

I hope that, after reading this article, you will feel like you can do this hike without any problems!

If you still have some questions and concerns, please leave them in the comments below – I am happy to answer with more details and advice!

Good luck!

Yulia

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weditchthemap · 7 years ago

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RTW Budget: Detailed Expense Breakdown for 492 Days Abroad

August 18, 2015 - December 24, 2016

492 Days Abroad

Trip Overview

Sylvie and I traveled through 221 cities in 39 countries over 5 continents. We called hundreds of places our home and slept in more places than most will ever get to in a lifetime. We slept in hammocks, in trains, in buses, in cars, on boats, in farmhouses, in teahouses, in hostels, in bed and breakfasts, in tents, on cots in the open dessert, in cheap guest-homes, in 5-star hotels, on couches, on a tile floor, on-top a chicken coop, on the ground next to a friendly German girl's bed in Mainz, in attics, in a rented room from an anti-Semitic in Belgium, et cetera, et cetera...

We each took 7 overnight sleeper trains, 26 overnight buses, and 31 flights. I read 30 books and had 4 haircuts--although only 1 haircut was from a professional. The other 3 were from my darling Sylvie. We ate 144 fast-food ice-cream cones, though most were consumed in our first 4 months while in South America. We bought dozens of new pieces of clothing and threw away/lost/mailed home a little less than that. We taught English in Vietnam, helped to rebuild an orphanage in rural Nepal, and worked on a vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina. We hiked quite a few mountain ranges--the largest being the Andes and the Himalayas.

Our Trip Route Divided into 4 Distinct Legs:

Leg 1: South America

Leg 2: Europe

Leg 3: Indian Subcontinent

Leg 4: Southeast Asia

View Full Size Travel Map at Travellerspoint

Mishaps

We tried to keep records of all our 'mishaps' but I know we forgot most of them. At last count I had written down 20 of them. Here are some of them:

ATM card was eaten by machine in small town of Piura, Peru

Had food and supplies stolen from us by a clever monkey in the Bolivian Amazon

A group of children tried to pickpocket Sylvie in La Paz Market - she picked up and they left empty-handed

Nearly stranded at the Bolivian border

Had a collections (inaccurate) on my account and had to deal with that while traveling

My Barclay Master Card was hacked in RIO and had a new one overnighted to me in Lisbon

Got items confiscated at UAE airport and were 'reported' to authorities

Left Kindle behind in Delhi hostel - was later mailed to me in Jaipur, India

Sylvie and I both broke our phones

Electrical surge broke Macbook Air while in Borneo, had computer repaired by sending to Bangkok

Lost credit card/ID in Serbia

Lost Passport while en route to airport in Krabi - had mailed to me in Chiang Rai following week

Sylvie left Kindle behind in Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar - RIP Kindle

Ailments

With the exception of being extremely dehydrated for a day in Delhi I never 'really' got food poisoning or sick. There were times I felt a bit off and am not sure how sick I would have actually gotten but I just popped a very high dose of azithromycin and was fine in a few hours. I've been to India twice, every country (less the Philippines) in SE Asia, spent a month in Africa and have never had food poisoning. I eat uncooked street-food every opportunity I get. I even ate a raw, still-beating, snake heart while in Vietnam without getting even the slightest form of indigestion. There were 24 instances of being sick while on the trip (the vast majority of them revolving around dear Sylvie). Here is a tally:

Sylvie:

TD - 11 times

Fleas - 2 times (possibly more, she loved petting stray animals)

Common Cold - 1 time

Bed Bugs - 1 time

Blister Rash - 1 time

Chest Rash - 1 time

Altitude Sickness - 2 times (1 time was very bad in Cuzco, but at EBC coca tea helped treat)

Scott:

Dehydrated - 1 time

Bed Bugs - 1 time

Common Cold - 1 time

TD - 2 times (took high dose azithromycin both times and warded off all symptoms in 4 hours)

RTW Budget

Notes/Comments

Budget includes 2 people for the first 461 days and 1 person for the last 31 days.

When there was any uncertainty/fluctuation in exchange rates or prices I rounded up to give a higher than actual estimate to keep the budget extremely conservative.

Every expense was tracked in this budget, even those that are not related to travel. These expenses--such as the cost of website hosting, VPNs, etc.--were all captured under "Pre-Trip Expense".

The only expenses I had during my time abroad that are not included in this budget are my student loan payments

Though by American standards our type of travel is considered 'budget' we don't truly fit into that category by ex-USA standards. We met many travelers spending a fraction of what we did. We ate out most meals, stayed in hotels with a/c fridges and color TVs, and traveled around much more than most backpackers. Many budget travelers stayed in hostels and cooked their own food (think pasta and sauce). However we did take buses, trains, and ate at mostly budget-friendly restaurants or street-side carts. For budget travelers I would say that you can cut our food, lodging, and transportation costs in half.

Sylvie ate meals more regularly than I did. I was happy snacking on fruit and buying little things from cheaper street-side stalls throughout the day. We always ate a nice meal for dinner though.

We are not big drinkers so most RTW travelers can expect to pay more on alcoholic beverages than we did.

We took many 'relatively' expensive trips during our RTW (Everest Base Camp, the 'W Trek', 3-day live-aboard SCUBA diving off Similan Islands, Bolivian Jungle trek, 21-day organized Colombian tour, Home-stays in Sapa, Trekking in Hsipaw, Northern Thai Yoga Retreat, excursion to Borneo w/ associated national park fees and flights, etc).

We also enjoyed splurges many budget travelers couldn't afford to take (We rented a houseboat for 3 days, Stayed at 5-star hotels, took some high class buses/trains, Rented a car for several days, rented a motorcycle for a couple months, got massages frequently, had clothing made, bought extremely rare beer, took cooking classes, went adventure caving, hired private drivers, had food delivery to our hotel room, went to cinemas, saw theatrical productions, indulged in many cafe cultures, etc.) These are just some of the things that many budget travelers would not consider worth their money.

We spent 3-4 weeks living with free lodging during our three separate workaways--Many budget travelers do less moving around and more workaways.

I've met single travelers living on less than $1,000 a month during their 12 month RTW trip.

I collected over several thousand dollars in sponsored products. I had most of the gear already but received newer/better products, thus I would not have needed to purchase any of these items. For this reason I have decided not to include these items in this budget.

Budget Breakdown:

I decided to break the budget into 4 sections.

Pre-Trip Costs - this includes gear, vaccines, insurance, memberships, transportation to/from US airports

During Trip Costs (Souvenirs) - this includes gifts/souvenirs, non-trip related purchases (non-essential clothing, cosmetics, etc.)

International Travel Costs - this includes travel between countries (mostly airfare but some busing)

Country Specific Costs - this includes all expenses relating to traveling/living within the specified country

1 - Pre-Trip Costs: The majority of Pre-Trip costs are not specific to this RTW trip. Vaccines, gear, and electronic equipment can/will be used beyond the scope of the trip. Vaccines and meds can be obtained while traveling and at a fraction of the cost here in the US. Likewise, gear can be found on Craigslist or during your trip much cheaper than buying new here in the US. Additionally, we paid nearly $1,500 for the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine, which I would recommend against. For these reasons I am discounting this portion of the budget by 50% to get a better representation (we will be using all the gear for our next trip). Therefore I will be using $2,648 for this portion of the budget

2 - During Trip Costs: These purchases are non-essential and not related to travel and will be ignored when calculating the overall cost of our RTW.

3 - International Travel Costs: This portion of the budget shows how affordably one can travel around the world. Flights, trains, and buses starting and ending within the same country were excluded in this section. They can be found in the next section. We traveled through 39 countries, which is many more than most travelers. This portion of the budget can likely be reduced by traveling through fewer countries.

4 - Country Specific Costs: Once we arrived in a country any/all expenses we faced were placed in this section under the respective country. Flights and other modes of transportation starting and ending within the same country are found here. Phone/internet charges, travel-related medicines, visa fees, tours, etc. can be found in this section. This section is further divided into 8 categories:

Lodging

Food

Transportation

Activity

Alcohol

Visa

Tours/Tips

Supplies/Misc.

So How Much Did It All Cost?

Putting it All Together

Pre-Trip Costs - $2,648

During Trip Costs (Souvenirs) - $0

International Travel Costs - $4,745

Country Specific Costs - $36,414

Total RTW Trip Cost = $43,807 ($89/day)

for less than $45/person/day we traveled very luxuriously around the world

Budget Deep Dive: An In-depth Analysis

Would you expect anything less than an in-depth analysis from a consultant (who is also an engineer)? Here we go!!

Costs by Country

Below is a table of all the countries we visited, the duration spent in each location, and the total spent. For simplicity we lumped countries in Western Europe together, as well as countries in Eastern Europe. A few notes on a per country basis:

Colombia - We were on an organized tour for the entire time while here.

Ecuador - We were on an organized tour for some of the time while here. We mountain-biked volcano, took 12 hours (each) of private Spanish lessons, and took a private tour to Isla del Plata.

Peru - We spent 8 days on organized hiking tours to Machu Picchu & Colca Canyon.

Bolivia - We spent 7 days in the Pampas & Rain Forest & 3 days taking a tour of the Salt Flats.

Chile - Much of our time here was hiking through Patagonia

Argentina - We took expensive long-distance bus rides (38 hours), several internal flights, and several organized trips to various glaciers. Saved money during our 10-day stay working on Mendoza vineyard.

Brazil - Was not here long enough to offset high costs of visas (~$290)

Casablanca, Portugal, and Spain - Spent 14 of the 17 days with parents. They paid majority of expenses.

Western Europe - Ate out majority of meals & moved around often. Spent an average of $45/day on food & transportation. While lodging cost us an average of $27/day. We spent the most here, vs any other country, on alcohol ~ $4.50/day on mostly German and Belgium beer.

Eastern Europe - Used Airbnb more often. Spent an average of $22/day on lodging, $20/day on food, and $17.50/day on transportation.

UAE - Stayed at filthy dorms in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi that still cost us $25/day (and that's after $80 in Airbnb credit and refunds). Everything was expensive. Tried to eat cheap but still spent $25.50/day on food.

Nepal - Did not move around much. Spent 5 days rebuilding orphanage (paid $10/day). We trekking to Everest Base Camp (rented gear, paid for airfare, hired porter, etc.). Click here to see trip notes, budget, and planning for Everest Base Camp trek. Transportation, food, and supplies are higher than typical because of EBC.

India - Most of our activities involved visiting mosques, temples, and forts. Taj Mahal was relatively expensive. We hired a houseboat and a crew of 3 for 3 days in Kerala. We ate out a lot and not always at budget places. The food was amazing and we wanted to explore as much as we could.

Indonesia - I received my SCUBA certification here. We took a private excursion to Goa Jomblang Caves, which was pricey. We also took expensive cooking lessons & surfing lessons.

Singapore - Very expensive. spend $28/day on food. Saved money by spending 2 of our 4 nights couchsurfing.

Malaysia - Spent 1 week in Sabah, Borneo and 8 days in Sarawak, Borneo which required a handful of flights. Food was amazing in this country so we ate a lot. Adventure Caving and park fees increased our costs more than what you would expect for Malaysia.

Thailand - Spent a lot on SCBUA diving (see liveaboard trip) and ~$840 on a 4-day yoga retreat. Parents spent 2 weeks with us, which helped offset cost in this country. I spent my last 31 days renting only 2 places, which also reduced transportation costs in this country.

Cambodia - Angkor Wat and the Elephant Nature Park in Mondulkiri were our largest expenses.

Vietnam - We slept for free during our workaway. I wanted to try Dog and Cat meat (as well as eat an entire snake in Snake Village outside of Hanoi), which were relatively expensive. We traveled to the far north, which required extensive transportation.

Myanmar - We spent more money that usual on activities. We had a private boat for a tour around Inle Lake. We hired a private driver while in Mandalay. There was a hefty fee to enter Bagan. We also paid to enter the oldest Buddhist temple in the world as well as hired a private guide to trek through the small villages near Hsipaw.

Monthly Costs

The first 4 months of travel consisted of many organized and expensive tours/excursions (+ remote travel and gear rental for Patagonia, see below). From January through March we were in Western and then Eastern Europe. During April we visited Everest Base Camp, which cost us ~$1,400 for just under 2 weeks. For the remainder of the trip, which we spent in India and SE Asia, we averaged $1,800/month. The month of August was relatively expensive due to our trip to Borneo, which required 4 flights each plus park/activity fees. During my last month, which I spent alone, I did not move around much, and took very few excursions, which is why I spent so little.

Patagonia Budget

During November and December of 2015 we spend 24 days in Patagonia. We spend a total of $2,645, which is an average of $110/day. This includes all tours, supplies, and transportation (many long-distance buses and 3 flights each). For this calculation I took Santiago, Chile as our starting point and Buenos Aires, Argentina as our ending point.

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Cumulative Total Spend

Below I re-posted the 4 sections I described above, this time including every dollar spent (even the non-trip related expenses)

Pre-Trip Costs $5,295 | During Trip Costs (Souvenirs) $4,708 | International Travel Costs $4,745 | Country Specific Costs $36,414

The country specific charges were the only expenses that were routine, normal, and able to be extrapolated. For this reason I held the other 3 segments flat and charted the cumulative amount for country-specific costs (see chart below). This allowed me to trend out/predict--using the slope--the rate of our spending throughout our travels.

You'll notice that the first portion of the chart shows a steep slope, which is due to our 21-day organized tour through Colombia. The last month flattens out as I slowed down my pace of travel.

Total Daily Spend and Cumulative Running Daily Average

Below is a chart with quite a bunch going on--though I'll walk you through it. The solid green line represents the money that we spent each day. The peaks show expensive activities/tours, visa fees, and other various splurges whereas the valleys are representative of days we spent very little. The dashed green line is a 4-week running daily average, which shows the average of the preceding 28 days. This line is helpful as it averages out the expensive and in-expensive days to yield a more stable line. Both of these green lines use the axis on the left.

The next two lines use the axis on the right of the chart. The solid red line represents the average daily cost of travel. Unlike the dashed green line the red line is a running cumulative average, which means all prior days are included. Our cumulative daily average starts relatively high and decreases with time due to our initial 3-week organized tour in Colombia as well as many of our SA excursions, which were all quite expensive. However you see that our cumulative running average steadily decreases with time as you would expect since we were spending ~$60 once we left Western Europe.

The Dashed orange line shows the average daily cost of travel by month.

Comparing Daily Costs of Select Countries with Overall Average

The budget I built allowed me to select, from a drop-down menu, the average daily expenses by category of 3 countries that I wished to compare. I also graphed the overall daily average using info from all countries. In the example provided below I selected Western Europe, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Along the left-hand side of the chart is a color-coded key indicating various categories.

In this example you can see that Lodging was our biggest expense in Western Europe while food was our largest expense in both Vietnam and Myanmar. Food and lodging alone cost us almost $50/day in Western Europe. Unlike Europe, Vietnam and Myanmar both required visas.

Budget Summary Page

Here is a the summary page for the budget I built. Please help yourself and download the budget tracker--I only ask for a small donation.

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#Finances #Budget #Planning #RTW #Expenses #Budget Travel #RTW Travel #RTW Budget #Gap Year Budget #Gap Year #Packing Items #Things to bring around the world #around the world budget

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theredherb · 8 years ago

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Review: Resident Evil 7

[Originally posted on When Nerds Attack.]

“You’re about to see something wonderful.” Jack’s freshly charred skin is peeling off his body. But he’s still alive, and strong. He’s clutching your wrist, pulling it to his face. He wraps his mouth around the handgun you just plucked from the desiccated cop now lying dead on the floor. With a resounding pop, a chasm erupts from the top of his skull. His body falls limply to the ground. You survived, but you didn’t win. Jack will be back. He deliberately ate a bullet just to prove a point.

It’s been a long time since Resident Evil has scared me. For the better part of a decade, Capcom remodeled the franchise that coined “Survival Horror” into gun-centric action games meant to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Familiar draws were included to bait fans that remember the fixed perspective, tank controlled days of yesteryear — whether it was tangential ties to the sinister Umbrella Corporation, hulking bio-weapons, or the franchise synonymous living dead. More often than not, though, these nostalgic additions felt like window dressing. While latter day sequels like Resident Evil 6 coated their levels in shadows and foreboding atmosphere, at their core, they were third-person shooters. True horror, the kind that the original trilogy is lauded for to this day, was left behind.

With Resident Evil 7, Capcom has finally returned to the franchise’s roots. It takes inspiration not only from its own past but from other stand-out horror experiences in order to rework and revitalize the genre they helped inform. The result is an expertly paced, incredibly tense hell-ride through a literal madhouse — and it’s actually pretty goddamn scary. Long-time fans have been yearning to hear this for years: Resident Evil 7 is pure survival horror.

SWEET HOME

Eschewing the tradition of military trained, boulder boxing heroes, you assume the role of prototypical everyman Ethan Winters, whose wife, Mia, disappeared three years before the story’s start. Beckoned by an ominous email from his estranged love, Ethan travels to an abandoned homestead located in a forgotten slice of southern Americana called Dulvey, Louisiana.

The Dulvey estate is a decaying wreck slowly being digested by the thick marsh that surrounds it. Inside, what’s truly unnerving isn’t how empty the house is, but how lived in it feels. Family portraits and hand-scribbled notes lie side by side with festering trash bags and dirtied pots filled with putrid meat. Somehow, people live here, and your surroundings do a fantastic job of letting you know that there’s something very, very wrong with them.

The new first-person perspective (rather than the third-person view in previous entries) introduces a newfound sense of dread since you’re vision is narrowed and you can’t see what’s behind you. It serves to make the experience eerily intimate and allows you to soak in every meticulously rendered inch of house. Passageways are splashed in pervasive darkness (some of the best shadow effects I’ve seen in a game) while the sound design pummels you with constant creaks, groans, and distant footsteps. Walking through the house is gloriously nerve-wracking.

I won’t spoil the first thirty minutes or so, but I will say the proceeding goes from Zero-to-Evil Dead fast enough to blow a gasket. It’s a joyfully malicious intro that perfectly sets the tone for the game to come — one that’ll have you laughing and recoiling in disgust in equal measure.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Before long you’ll encounter the main villains of the show: the Baker clan. There’s Jack Baker, the stern head of the household; his wife Marguerite, whose disposition flashes between motherly and vitriolic in a heartbeat; and their son Lucas, the only one of his kin that could pass for normal until you see the bottomless pit of insanity swirling in his eyes. There’s a certain level of camp to the Bakers that the game is unafraid to play with. Only horror aficionados would get this reference, but they call to mind the maniacal Sawyer family specifically from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (just one of many cinemacabre influences found in the game).

It’s apparent there’s more affecting the Bakers than a simple case of the batshit crazies. They’re inhumanly strong, can regenerate severed body parts, and worship the notion of ‘family’ with a murderous zeal. Figuring out what’s wrong with them, and how it pertains to your missing wife, reintroduces a story component absent from the series since the very first game: an engrossing mystery.

Each Baker is tethered to specific areas of the plantation — castellans of their hillbilly castle. But they serve a more dynamic role than just the inevitable boss fight earmarking a section. Jack, for instance, will patrol parts of the house, and if he spots you, will relentlessly chase you down until you he buries a shovel into your soft dome. There’s a sick thrill to tangling with Jack. He’s a walking bullet-sponge and difficult to shake-off until you learn to out maneuver him by running serpentine patterns all around the house.

Marguerite will also guard her part of the residence with a lantern in hand in case an intruder is hiding in the shadows, and when she finds you… well, I hope bugs don’t freak you out. Unlike the horror games these segments are derived from (namely Outlast and Amnesia), RE7 has little interest in being a hide and seek simulator, and uses these encounters sparingly. That restraint goes a long way, making an appearance from “Daddy” feel more surprising and random, keeping players constantly off-kilter as they trek through the house.

BACK TO BASICS

Given the change of perspective and overhauled, backwoods-y tone, you might wonder why Capcom bothered to slap a number on this seeming reboot. Despite its modern influences, the gameplay is most reminiscent of the original Resident Evil. Just like the granddaddy of survival horror, there’s a huge emphasis on exploring your environment, managing inventory, and picking which battles to fight or take flight from.

You’ll navigate the Baker house in search of keys that unlock new parts of the homestead and its surrounding areas. Arcane puzzles will block your progress, but they can typically be solved using simple order-of-operation: find Item A, combine it with Item B, slot Item C into hole. Not exactly Witness level headscratchers by any means, but they serve to break up the tension. And they’re just so quintessentially Resident Evil— a kooky house filled with inexplicably placed puzzles.

Apropos to the genre, the amount of items you can hold at once is limited. Thusly, item boxes — the bottomless chests that are magically linked to each other — return along with the save rooms that harbor them. Whereas completing some puzzles will condemn you to do battle with some unholy aberration, save rooms are the one true respite that allow you to breathe and collect yourself. (Special shout out goes to the calming, ambient melody that plays whenever you reach one of these bastions — that shit is lit).

There’s also an extra meta to how you organize and use items you find. You can find healing herbs and use them raw (I guess… I guess Ethan chews them?) but they become much more potent if you combine them with a Chem Fluid. If you hang on to the very same Chem Fluid until you found some loose gunpowder, on the other hand, you can craft your very own handgun bullets instead of having to forage for them. Combining items also frees up inventory slots which in turn can be filled up with more ammo, health, or key items. It all cleverly underlines the “Survival” in “Survival Horror,” rewarding savvy mixologists with a longer lease on life.

You’ll attain weapons to beat back the creatures of the night, and the UI lets you organize them within your inventory so that they’re mapped to the D-Pad. It’s a useful appropriation of one of Resident Evil 5’s better ideas especially given the fact that digging into your inventory doesn’t pause the action (you’ve been warned).

FIGHT NIGHT

It wouldn’t be a Resident Evil game without monsters. Enter the Molded — humanoid tarman formed from a viscous black goo. They’re mostly slow but they have wolverine claws, their faces are roughly eighty-percent teeth, and they’re dangerous in numbers. Helpfully, they haven’t mastered the art of opening doors, so they’re easy to trap, and you can also block incoming attacks to soak up the brunt of their damage. Eventually, though, you’ll have to go on the offensive.

You’re equipped with a pocket knife early on, but that’s only a rung more effective than harsh language– it’s the handgun and shotgun you’ll be relying on. It’s important to note that, despite the viewpoint, this isn’t a first-person shooter. Aiming down the sights slows your movement to a crawl and can actually put you in harm’s way which means placement is as paramount as precision — a concept not altogether foreign if you played the original games. There’s a value play to using weapons, too: if you mow down every single critter that jumps at you in the dark, you’ll find your clip empty the next time you’re truly up shit’s creek.

Ammo scarcity forces you to plan and act accordingly. Do you feed your last few bullets into a Molded so you can search an area in peace? Or can you evade long enough to save those shots? There’s few things more satisfying than the pus geyser that erupts whenever you relocate a Molded’s head, but I was more thankful to have those shots whenever Jack would burst through a wall like a redneck Kool-Aid Man. It’s the kind of on-the-fly strategizing that has been sorely missing from Resident Evil.

True to genre form, you’ll be tasked to engage in boss fights. Unfortunately, not every battle is a memorable showdown of wits and brawn. I’ll keep it vague, but there’s one sore thumb in the bunch, early on, that forces you to rely on the game’s clunky melee mechanics. Thankfully, the bar raises as you contend with the Bakers. Again, I’m being purposely vague, but one cool bit has you hopping between levels of a decrepit greenhouse as you hunt down a baddie, expertly making use of space, and another is such a wickedly good callback to Resident Evil 4, it’d bring a tear to Leon Kennedy’s dreamy eye.

FOUND FOOTAGE

When you’re not juggling items or tip-toeing in the dark, the game has you watching VHS tapes. Playing tapes isn’t as passive as that, however, since you’ll be tasked to play as the character within the video. It’s a really ingenious narrative tool that not only gives you insight to what the hell happened before Ethan arrived, but also spotlights crucial clues in your current environment. One tape stands out in particular — “Happy Birthday.” In it, you play as an ill-fated cameraman that has to solve an intricate puzzle to escape from a sealed room. The Saw inspired conundrum is by far one of most impressively realized pieces of design the game owns — it had my jaw to the floor by its conclusion.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY

Biological terrorism, global domination plots, superhuman villains… Resident Evil’s stories have arguably degraded into over-the-top comic book fare as the years have gone on. RE7 wisely reigns in its scope to tell the most grounded story in the series since the original. It follows the beats of a low-budget horror movie, and it’s a great direction. Like a lot of micro-budgeted horror movies, this is a plot driven vehicle.

Subsequently, character work is on the thin side, especially in regards to Ethan. His few spoken lines keep him from being a silent protagonist but it’s obvious he’s meant to be a blank slate for players to project onto — sort of in the vein of Half-Life’s Gordon Freeman or mute soldiers from early Call of Duty games. Mia, his wife, fares a little better — and she should; she has five times the amount of lines as Ethan — but at no point would you even think her and Ethan are married if it wasn’t explicitly stated. But it’s a double-edged sword: much of the momentum of the plot is owed to the fact that it doesn’t linger on personal details.

Whereas the first two-thirds of the game are brilliantly crafted and paced, RE7 loses a lot of steam on its march to the endgame. Again, in an attempt to not spoil any surprises, I won’t name the location you reach in the third-act. I will say that it like feels by-the-numbers horror fare — a disappointing contrast to everything the game so confidently builds beforehand. Disappointing, but nowhere enough to derail the experience.

It’s right around here that the game decides to increase the amount of Molded you fight by tenfold, totally inoculating players of any fear the bizarre tarmen might’ve wrought. We’re talking a small island nation’s worth of Molded. While there’s three distinct types of Molded to contend with — including a spider-y leaper who I hate so much — more enemy variety would have spiced up this last stretch considerably. If you can get through this gauntlet of pus-bloods, you’re treated to a Big Reveal, and get to find out what the hell’s really going on in Dulvey. As a fan, I was pleasantly surprised that they found a way to tie these seemingly discrete events back into the greater whole of what Resident Evil is about (while also leaving us with plenty of questions).

HAIL TO THE KING

After one of my very first sessions with the game, I took a break (game manuals used to suggest you do this often when game manuals were still a thing). Naturally, it was night and, of course, I was alone. I absorb a ridiculous amount of horror media, games and otherwise. They don’t get to me very often. Yet, my skin was crawling. I started jumping at small noises. I was watching shadows. I was still bugged out from my time inside the Baker house. The last time a horror game lingered with me like that was when I first played Resident Evil 2 on the Nintendo 64– I was 10.

Resident Evil 7 is phenomenal course correction for the franchise. It’s unashamed of celebrating established cliches but, like any great horror movie, knows how to subvert them. Capcom’s crafted a legitimately harrowing ride that also manages to never sacrifice its playability. While other games of its ilk will try to depower the player as much as possible to instill a sense of vulnerability, Resident Evil 7 smartly balances its challenge with fun gameplay mechanics. I wanted to get right back into it even as the credits rolled (and I did… four times since).

The game feels fresh, yet it builds on time-tested conventions of the genre. Capcom has proven they understand why we loved the original games, and have found a means to modernize that formula. I can’t see the series going back to the over-the-shoulder, co-op shoot-fests. This is the path to stay on. Not just because Resident Evil 7 is one of the best games in the series, but because it’s one of the best survival horror games ever made.

[If you purchase the PS4 edition of the game, you can enjoy/endure the entirety of Resident Evil 7 in PlayStation VR. I’ve yet to make the $400 plunge into Sony’s virtual space, but I did get to play the Beginning Hour demo in VR at Capcom’s booth during last December’s PSX. Though my time with the VR version of the game was brief, I was thoroughly impressed. Anecdotally, I’ve heard it’s the scariest and most immersive way to experience RE7. Apologies for not having more extensive impressions!]

#resident evil #resident evil 7 #re7 #capcom #review #gaming #survival horror #horror

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mikraxjc · 5 years ago

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How to ride a llama in Minecraft – Game Spotting Networks

Llamas are a type of wild chicken that is very fast-moving, agile, and able to leap from one end to the other when necessary. A good lama will give you a lot of trouble to tame it and keep it tame. When you want to do this, you walk across the field to the opposite end and place it down on the ground, then place a second one where you want your lama to jump out.

How to get a Llama?

You have an excellent chance to get a llama by following the advice below:

Step 1: Make sure your player is facing the right direction, then select your llama.

Step 2: Go to the grassy area around the farmhouse you want to get your lama. You don’t want to ride your lama as this could kill it and cause issues, so instead, ride it and make sure you make the land a straight line. Once your lama is riding in the air, you can either hold onto a wall or push a button. Then press the button, it will go back into the air, so it’s now riding on that wall.

Step 3: You’ve done the basics, but the next thing you want to do is make a lot of llama holes. You can also make them by only using your stick and the Llama Hole Maker on the farm.

How to make llama holes?

To make these llama holes:

Step 1: Pick a large piece of wood and put your hand into it while holding the stick. It will move up and down a little bit to try and get at the Llama Hole Maker.

Step 2: Place your stick on the block and start placing lama holes by moving a lot.

Step 3: Make sure you have all of your lama holes filled, and then you should now see your lama jump out of your way, but before you do that, grab the hatchet and dig the holes as well as any other food and items you may have.

You’ve now built the llamas; now it’s time to let your llama know to stop running around.

The easiest way to get this to happen is by placing a Llama on the edge of the field by using the Llama Drop and the Llama Run. This will get it moving towards you and will give you a little reward for the work.

How to ride llama in Minecraft?

When the player decides to ride a llama, they are given the options to select either the horse (a type of rideable animal), the camel (a rideable kind of animal). The horse can ride on the road, while the camel (and other mounts) will only be available in cities. The horse cannot ride outside of cities.

There is a camel companion in the town of Sharm-el-Sheikh. However, they are rarely seen outside of cities and villages, except in the cities in the north and south of the province (though they can be found in some of the more remote places).

The player can select either horse or camel when riding a llama (though if a horse is selected, a camel appears instead of a horse or camel). The camel riding options can be seen in the caravan map.

In some places, the player has the option of a camel riding on horseback for a time.

In many locations, the player can ride the camel at the player’s leisure. This will make the player more likely to return to the village. Also, while riding a camel, the player can use it to reach out and touch the ground.

A horse that is used as an escort or companion may not be available for the player to ride, as it doesn’t have a saddle. Read More : How to make a fence in Minecraft

Types of riding

The following riding options can be selected while riding a llama :

Horse and camel

Camel

Camel and camel on horseback

Mountain goat and horseback

A camel is often ridden with two other mountable animals such as a horse, cow or donkey, which will help the player in the mountain range, as it also has higher movement rates and can carry a higher load. The player can also mount a camel or goat while a horse is used to travel. If a camel and an animal mount are selected and ridden in tandem, the rider will take damage based on how far along the horses’ legs are. However, if the goat and donkey are used, their respective mounts do not suffer.

Campsites

In some places, a camel can also have multiple caravan camps for the player to rest during their adventure.

A player can find campsites in villages and cities that have been placed on them, and when the player chooses a place to stay.

How to Tame a Llama in Minecraft?

In Minecraft, when a creature or object starts to get angry, there’s one of two ways to deal with that. If you have no weapons that could deal damage, you throw the animal out. If you have some form of weapon on you, such as an iron dagger, it’s your job to hit it with another weapon on your belt. This is called killing, and the damage is increased by half. If you have a weapon on your belt or you have some form of the shield on you, you can shield and stab it to death (in most cases this will damage it, but if not then it will go down slowly). If you are fighting a non-hostile creature, it’s usually best to use melee to attack them and using ranged to attack them. You won’t be able to deal as much damage as you could with weapons and shields. If your opponent is a chicken, then you need to avoid getting shot or be careful not to kill him with your knife.

There are also various combinations of melee, ranged and axe. If you have a weapon equipped with one of these (for example an iron axe), you will have to be careful if your opponent uses that weapon. You should aim for him with your shaft, or use melee to hit him (or try to hit him with the sword).

If the other type of attack you want to do is to hit your opponent with a shield in the side, make sure you use it correctly; if you miss the attack, you get hit with a shield. The weapon you pick up will have some effect on the shield’s durability and how fast it moves. A shield may only protect you from one type of attack (such as a knife attack), not both.

Read More : How to tame a parrot in Minecraft

How to Put Carpet on a Llama in Minecraft

You need to place some carpet on the ground to see it. Use the floor tool or pick them up by using the shovel. They’ll bounce back.

Step 1: Open your inventory, right-click the floor and then click on Plant Block.

Step 2: Place the Flooring Block (which is also called the Dirt Layer) over the Dirt Layer (right-click this and then click on Plow ).

Step 3: Right-click on the Plant Block in place of the Dirt Layer, then right-click on the Flooring Block and click on a place.

Step 4: Click on the Plant Block you just placed and then use the “Place” button.

Step 5: If you’re playing for the first time, there’s a chance it won’t place. Don’t be sad! It’ll probably work as it should. It’s up to you how to proceed from there. The Plant Block can only take up one Block. Don’t worry, though; you can place more if you want in the future.

Step 6: Use the tool (and not the shovel) to make the floor as tall as you’d like.

Step 7: Place the Plant Block on a spot of the floor that’s not a wall.

Step 8: To make sure the Plant Block isn’t stuck in a wall, it needs to be placed on a specific spot. If the Plant Block is placed on the wall, you can’t reach it until the Flooring Blocks are placed.

Step 9: To get to the Plant Block, click on the Plant Block.

You can place a Plant Block anywhere. For now, it works best when you use it while on the ground, but I’ve been seeing people try with a Plant Block placed on the edge of a corner.

Step 10: Place the Dirt Layer above the Plant Block and move it to a location that allows you to stand on. For example, if you’re playing the default game, your plant should be on your right side.

Step 11: Right-click on this to start the Plant Block animation. Once this starts the plant should start walking. It can also run on the grass.

If the Plant Block doesn’t move or has no health, then it can’t be placed (there’s an exception to the “do nothing” rule, however).

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leander78 · 5 years ago