#at least I'm lucky I'm in another continent

[evanwevand]

Idk if this is completely true but it's very important anyway

If you're in United States and you're a Dr. Bright fan and you cosplay him for a convention BE VERY CAREFUL ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A MINOR, SOME PEOPLE CLAIMED THAT ADMINBRIGHT STILL ATTENDS TO CONS AND TRIES TO INTERACT WITH FANS IRL EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT ACTIVE ONLINE

I just suddenly remembered it but someone mentioned it on my server a time ago and I forgot to mention it, but be VERY careful anyways ☠️☠️☠️

Idc about my DNI with this one, this is important

[angelbornaltruist]

AHHH I FINALLY FINISHED THE FIRST CHAPTER OF MY STORY!!!

I've wanted to share a g/t story with you guys for a while, and I'm so happy to finally make that dream a reality! Feedback is appreciated, and I really hope you guys enjoy! These are characters I've spent a good bit of time with in my head, and I'm so happy you guys get to meet them now!

Alright, enough talking. Without further ado, may I proudly present to you lovely g/t fans:

The Ballad of the Two Travelers

Chapter One: The Encounter

Tristan sat beside his little campfire, trying to relieve the tense, uptight feeling in his limbs. His left arm was wrapped in a poorly-done sling; the result of an unfortunate incident with a giant zombified wolf a few days prior. A twilight breeze licked at his skin, nudging little locks of dark curls from his forehead and causing the flames to sputter and twitch every now and then. He prayed that the gods would be merciful and let the wind lighten up; he was too tired to start another fire should this one be snuffed out. He leaned slightly closer to the flames, extending his right hand in an effort to regain some of the feeling in his fingers.

He'd been traveling for weeks across the Misted Vales, a heavy pack on his back and a trusty sword at his side as he made his way through the grey plains, bony forests, and murky swamps that littered the once-fertile lands. The Blight that cursed the realm was spreading, and many a village had fallen from illness and starvation in recent times. Tristan's own village was already plagued with issues of its own– constant monster attacks, lack of soldiers or protection from the now-defunct nobility, and infighting among its inhabitants – and the oncoming blight wasn't helping matters.

No one knew what had started it, but most suspected it was yet another consequence of some long-forgotten war between humanity and its many foes. The Blight was a magical disease that had run rampant in recent years, killing crops and poisoning the living, dooming them to a slow death of madness and decay before succumbing and rising again as an undead. Monsters had already been a threat in the past, but now they brought with them the added nuisance of being much harder to kill. They shrugged off wounds effortlessly, had increased stamina and strength, and they had an increased appetite for the still-living. Such horrors ravaged the Continent, and yet they all paled in comparison to the giants.

For a hundred years, the giants had harbored a relentless anger towards the humans. Groups of them ranging from as little as two to as many as 20 roamed the lands, wiping out any human settlements they could. The majority of them were the angry, vengeful wives, daughters, and sisters of the many giants who were killed in a long-forgotten war, and thus they took advantage of every opportunity they could to take their revenge against the remainder of humanity. Tristan had been lucky enough to not have encountered a giant before, but he'd met survivors of their rage; he'd heard fragmented ramblings of footsteps like thunder, great hands and ferocious roars, and villages left decimated in the wake of beings that towered over a hundred feet tall.

Life in the Continent was so deadly, in fact, that one may wonder why one so young was embarking on such a deadly journey. Indeed, Tristan often wondered the very same thing himself.

For Tristan was on a quest to the great Godbearing Mountain in the far north, where an ancient spring ran that could cure any disease, at least according to the stories he'd heard. If someone were to fetch water from the Godbearing Spring, then perhaps the curse could be undone, and the remaining humans could start afresh. The idea of traveling to the north for the spring had been passed around in the village, but what with the onslaught monsters that roamed the lands, the angry giants who stomped any human into bloody paste upon sight, and the ravenous Blight that was slowly seeping its way into the very roots of the Continent, it had been decided by the village council that a quest wasn't worth the risk. They were to hunker down and try to wait out the chaos around them, something that Tristan couldn't accept. Tristan didn't know how, but he felt deep down that those stories had to be true, that there had to be something that could be done to put an end to this madness. All it took was courage and bravery, like the heroes in the old stories... right?

So Tristan had gathered some supplies, stolen his father's old sword from under his bed, and snuck out of his little village at midnight. He'd been traveling for about two weeks, and he was beginning to regret his decision. He'd come to a rest in the Misted Vales, a wide plain of grey grass and a thick fog that covered the entire area.

Tristan glanced around him nervously. He'd heard plenty of tales about the Misted Vales, but he hadn't expected them to be so.... misty. The fire barely had an impact on the hazy air; he could barely make out anything, near or far.

The thought was not comforting to Tristan, who'd already had his fair share of uncomfortable monster encounters (his arm was testament to this) and wasn't keen on having any more. It sent shivers down his spine to think that just about anything could come from those clouds of thick fog....

Of course, at that moment, there came the sound of a rhythmic rumbling that lightly shook the ground, and a silhouette appeared in the fog, heavily obscured by the mist yet clear enough for Tristan to tell that whatever was approaching, it was close.

Tristan's heart quickened, and he felt the prickly sensation of sweat appearing on his brow. He saw a movement, and nearly fainted as the shape woman emerged from the mist, standing over 70 feet tall. As she approached, Tristan could make out wavy hair and a huge cloak that trailed lightly behind her. Each one of her steps crossed at least forty feet, her boots leaving slight impressions in the ground behind her. Her pace was eerily slow, almost relaxed, not what Tristan would have expected from a rampaging giantess, but it was terrifying nonetheless, as her eyes were hidden behind the shadows of her cowl.

The boy scrambled about on his knees as he hastily gathered his things, wincing to himself as he tried to sling his pack over his shoulder. His eyes darted about the surrounding area for potential hiding spots, areas to widen the distance between him and the approaching threat, anything, but his eyes could hardly make out anything in the thick fog.

Don't panic, he thought, you've come this far. You can handle a giant... you have to.

But as the giant woman grew closer, Tristan found his thoughts to be little comfort. Within moments, she would be on top of him.

He glanced to his left, to the simple broadsword resting a few feet away in its sheath. He hastily crawled over to it, wrapping his fingers around the plain leather-bound hilt, and mentally screaming at the prospect of drawing the sword as the giantess grew closer and closer. He adjusted his position in an effort to face the giant woman, who seemed to be even bigger than he'd guessed now that she was closer. The woman was at least 100 feet tall; the top of Tristan's head barely came up past her ankle. The sight of her leather boots was intimidating, to say the least; Tristan could almost hear the sickening crunch and feel his bones break as the thick soles pressed him into a pulp on the ground....

His hands shook as the shadow of the giantess loomed over him. There was a moment of stillness and a frightening silence, the only thing audible being the thumping of Tristan's own heart in his ears. He gazed up at her, a mixture of nervousness and curiosity filling his heart.

“Greetings, little one.”

Tristan realized with a start the giantess was speaking to him. Her voice was soft and powerful at the same time.

“I am Lyra,” she said, her voice serene as she looked down at him. “It appears that thou art alone in thy travels.”

She gracefully lowered herself down onto one knee, bowing her head slightly to meet his level a little better. Tristan nervously scooted back a few steps. “I would offer thee my companionship,” she finished.

It took a moment before his brain fully accepted what she had said.

“Um.....” he finally answered, his voice hoarse and unsure, “w-what?”

The giantess was silent for a moment. Then she lifted her cowl from her head, revealing wavy brown hair and a fair face with amber-colored eyes. She affixed those eyes upon Tristan now, and her lips curved into a soft smile.

“To travel at all in these broken lands is a trial for even my own kind. Blight, beasts, and monsters alike roam about, seeking prey for food or for pleasure to cross their paths. To do so requires courage, wits, and just a bit of foolishness, as well as trusted friends to watch one's back against the dangers of the world. Many of my own kind have been claimed by death, even with all these things.

“And yet thou,” she said, curiously tilting her head, “appear to be alone. In a world where all wish for naught but the destruction of those such as thou, thou hast dared to cross these lands alone. I would not wish the deaths of any in this land, especially not one as ador–” She paused, and bit her lip before finally saying, “admirable as thou. Therefore, I offer thee myself as a companion.”

Tristan didn't respond. He couldn't, he was paralyzed from fright and shock. A giantess was talking to him, and so casually, as if she wasn't arguably the most dangerous, terrifying thing Tristan could encounter at this time.

“Oh, art thou wounded, little one?” she was asking now, indicating his arm with a finger that was surely as long as he was tall. Despite the sympathetic tone in her voice, Tristan cringed, praying internally that she would decide he wasn't worth the trouble and that she would leave him alone.

Of course, it wasn't his day for his prayers to be answered. The giantess leaned closer, her hand now about a yard away from his face.

“Do not panic, little traveler,” the giantess said in a soft voice. “I only wish to get a better look....”

Tristan's breath caught in his chest as the giant girl gently brought her hands on either side of him, the warm, fleshy surface of her right palm gently pressing into him and scooping his body into her left hand. He was being lifted, lifted into the air while the giant girl gently nudged him into the middle of her palm. Before he could fully react, he was already at face level with the giantess (although the term mouth level would be more accurate), and could hear his own heartbeat thumping wildly in his ears.

The giant girl stared at him for an unnerving moment, those amber eyes seeming to look right into the depths of his comparatively tiny soul. They were unreadable and terrible, and yet, beautiful. Tristan could see himself reflected in them, and he saw his own face, scared and unsure of what would happen next. And then the boy saw something in the giant's gaze, something he would look back and still marvel at, a thing which hadn't been seen in the eyes of a giantess for a hundred years.

In that moment, Tristan saw kindness.

“Oh, thou art a poor thing,” the giant girl murmured. “Let my hand rest upon thee, and find rest and healing.”

Softly, the giantess lifted her right hand, and placed her middle and index fingers on his torso, covering his chest and left. Tristan squeezed his eyes shut and winced slightly, waiting for the inevitable crushing sensation...

But it never came. Instead, Tristan felt a soft, warm feeling coursing through his whole body, slowing his heart and easing the tension in his weary limbs. He still felt fear, but it seemed muted, somehow, as a sound becomes muffled underneath the water.

He blinked a few times, and realized with a start his arm didn't hurt any more. He tentatively rolled his shoulder, and grinned in spite of himself when he felt no pain nor even soreness.

Tristan knew little of magic, but even he, a farm boy from a run-down little village, could recognize healing magic.

“T-Thank you,” he stammered up at the giant girl. She chuckled softly, and shook her head.

“There is nothing to thank, little traveler. To heal one such as thyself was of no avail. I would be honored if thou wouldst grant me the chance to be of much more use than a mere healing spell.”

Tristan frowned. “S-So..... you want to.... accompany me? For some reason? I thought all the giants hated humanity. What makes you any different? How do I know you're not just biding your time until you grab me and.... and....” He felt sick all of a sudden as he thought of some of the stories he'd heard back home. He decided to change topics.

“I've heard that your people still have cities, armies, lives outside of fighting to survive. Why would you leave all of that to come accompany.... me? A mere human?”

“Thou art no mere human, little traveler,” she said simply. “None of thy kind is meager or lesser in any way. My people have failed to recognize this, and have become too steeped in their hatred towards humanity. The violence my sisters have embraced must be put to an end, and thus I abandoned my people, wandering these lands in search of those who need aid. I will admit, none have accepted my help yet” – a pink tinge came over her face and her steady voice faltered for a moment – “but I believe I will one day encounter one who seeks to heal instead of harm, to understand instead of to hate, and to live instead of merely surviving.” Here the giant girl's eyes shone as she looked down at him. “I believe thee to be the very human I have been seeking. What other human would dare cross the Misted Vales alone, with little more than a sack of provisions and a weapon? Is the quest thou hast embarked upon not one of honor, of valor, of restoration?”

Tristan blinked. The giantess' archaic manner of speech was difficult to understand, but she sounded as though she'd read him quite thoroughly. There was an awkward silence as Tristan tried to figure out what to say next.

Just as he opened his mouth, the giant girl spoke again, a slight pleading edge in her voice.

“I can offer thee wisdom, guidance, protection, whatever you wish. Whatever thee may require, thou need only ask and I shall oblige. I understand that one of my size may appear frightening to one such as thyself, and I can only respond by saying that I shall never leave thy side. No matter what may come between us, I implore thee, little one, let me serve as thy companion, as thy.... as thy maiden.”

Tristan felt the air disappear from his lungs.

Among his people, there was a tradition that no hero should walk alone. Therefore, every knight, upon receiving a quest was assigned a maiden; a woman, usually skilled in magic, who acted as his counterpart, guiding him, protecting him, and comforting him. The role of maiden was an honored role, and the knight was to treat his maiden with respect and honor her for her sacrifice. Maidens were just as venerated as their male counterparts, and many a maiden and knight married after questing together. But the role of maiden was a serious one. It required total devotion on both parts, on pain of death. For a maiden to accept a knight, and vice versa, was a fundamental binding of two souls' fates.

The tradition of knights and maidens had fallen out of practice in recent times, as there simply weren't enough people left to serve such a serious role in this age. That a giantess knew what a maiden was, and that she was offering to serve as his maiden... it was unheard of, to say the least.

“You....” Tristan tried to collect his thoughts. He'd heard the old stories about maidens and knights, and he used to wonder to himself if he'd ever be worthy enough to have a maiden pledge herself to him. He remembered the sadness that had come with realizing that the age of chivalry, of companionship, had ended long before he was even born. It was one of the reasons he'd taken on this quest alone – to try to restore his home, and become someone a maiden would be honored to pledge herself to.

And now here he was, laying in the open palm of a girl like none he'd ever met before, claiming that there would be no greater honor than to serve as his maiden.

“I'm going to the Godbearing Mountain,” he said quietly. “At the edge of the world, to fetch water from the ancient spring and put an end to this blight once and for all. I don't know if it exists, nor if it can even be done. But I figured if you would.... if you would really sacrifice this much, you may as well know what you're getting into.”

The giantess was silent, as though in deep thought. Then she nodded, and asked, “What is thy name, brave little traveler?”

He told her.

She nodded again. “Hold on tight, Tristan.”

Slowly, gently, she lowered him to the ground, and tipped her hand just enough for him to slide off her palm and into the grey-colored grass.

The giantess was still for a second, watching him carefully, then she stood to her full height. Tristan had to crane her neck to even look up at her face, but he could see her amber-colored eyes, looking down at him with such warmth it made him feel strangely giddy.

“I, Lyra,” she said in a clear voice, setting her right hand over her heart, “do pledge myself to aid thee, Tristan, upon thy quest to reach the Godbearing Mountain in the far north, and find a cure to the blight that ravages our lands. I swear to offer guidance, strength, protection, and whatever else thou may require of me, till our quest is done.”

Tristan nodded, and hastily put his right hand over his own heart. “Um.... I, T-Tristan, pledge to complete this quest to the best of my abilities, and to respect and honor my companion, L-Lyra. I swear to act with courage and wisdom, and to persevere and trust in the advice of my companion.... m-my maiden.”

He took an unconscious step back as the giant girl knelt suddenly, then felt ashamed when he realized she was offering him her hand once more.

“Let us seal our bond, little traveler. Take mine hand, as is the custom of your people.”

Tristan forced himself to step forward, slowly raising his hand. He paused as he looked up at the giant girl looming over him. Did he really trust her? A giantess? The supposed enemy of his people, claiming that she wished to join his cause for healing and restoration, and serve as his most loyal companion the whole way?

I implore thee to trust me, she had said, with a look in her eyes that Tristan knew on some deep, instinctive level, meant that he had to do just that. He would do what no other human had dared to do in a hundred years, and learn to trust.

“Let's begin,” he said, placing his hand, so small in comparison, atop her index fingertip. The giant girl smiled, a soft, happy expression, almost cute for one so big. Tristan felt a rush of warmth in his heart, and somehow he understood that history was being made, here and now, at this very moment, between nothing but a farmer boy with foolish dreams and a girl who believed in them.

“May the sun, moon, and stars guide us,” Lyra said softly. “Let us begin.”

[sotwk]

Hi someone I’m kind of in a long distance situationship with wants me to take a flight to meet him, and I communicated how it’d make me feel better about the situation if we were exclusive and he was like swrry we’re taking things too fast and how exclusivity makes him anxious, even though he said it’s mainly because of stuff not related to me, I don’t know if I should give him the benefit of the doubt or if I would be naive to do so, I’m not looking for you to give me an answer but why is dating so hard omg

I sympathize with you, Anon! Dating IS hard and awful. I hated it. I will always say that the fact that my husband managed to find me is a friggin' miracle, because I was so reluctant to go on dates, and did very little of it in my 20s. I just got lucky. That being said, I also believe this "luck" can happen to anyone, so keep going!

My husband and I did the long distance thing and had to travel back and forth to see each other. It was a choice of either a one-hour flight or a six-hour drive. In our case, we did this for a few months before we became exclusive, and then another year and a half before getting engaged.

In your case, I don't know how difficult a flight to see him would be. Cross state? Cross country? Cross continent? I personally think it's worth making the trip at least once to see someone you're in a "situationship" with, even without exclusivity established. It's hard to commit to someone whom you haven't spent any or enough physical face-to-face time with.

However. I would advise some wariness about guys who are commitment-phobic, if you are looking for a committed relationship. Be honest with yourself about what you want (are you willing to be casual for a while? for how long?), and then request that same honesty from him. Depending on how much you like and trust him, give him as much time and allowance as you feel comfortable doing, but please do guard your feelings and prioritize your needs, especially early in a relationship. Do not let him make excuses for delaying his commitment, if exclusivity is a must-have for you.

Best of luck, and please stay safe! I'm sure you're a grownup who doesn't need me to mother you, so I will skip the laundry list of safety reminders. But feel free to ask again if you want more advice or ranting opportunities. :)

Thank you for sharing this with me! Big hugs!

[hidelias]

A bend in space-time Season 1 - [Chapter 4: Not another me]

Chronological markers: this scene also fits like a deleted scene from the first episode of season 1, around 17:00 (after Luther and Allison's talk, just while Pogo is talking to Klaus. Five just came home to change clothes, and he's heading to the prosthetics lab).

---

March 25, 2019 - 09:45 am

In the end, we never watched The Rocky Horror Picture Show last night, and Klaus even less brought waffles home. When I returned from work to Hargreeves Mansion - far too late, I must confess - I found him sprawled out on the sofa in the reception living room, wearing only a horrific pair of rainbow leopard briefs. Did he keep his promise to Allison to stay sober yesterday? Of course not. I instantly turned on my heel, and went to sleep in 'my' room. I just hope that's the only stupid thing he did.

I heard from Allison that the funeral speech for Reginald Hargreeves finally took place yesterday. Despite the rain. I heard that Pogo had done it. And also that nothing had gone according to plan. I mean… I guess it was 'predictable that nothing would go as expected'. And I had no idea to what extent.

Interestingly, it wasn't until this morning that I understood: when I passed another Hargreeves coming out of the bathroom. Definitely the sibling no one would have expected. ~Five~. Our eyes met, but neither of us said anything at the time. He climbed the stairs four by four to the top floor, where his room is, near the attic. And now here I am, in the room Diego lent me, organizing my things. Still, I can't help thinking that now would be a good time to introduce myself… before he disappears again.

I clean my brush, zip up my bag, and head out into the hallway to the green staircase upstairs. The steps are worn, walked on so many times, but they don't creak. And I find Five in his room, arranging old things, mostly clothes. Somehow, he spots my presence, because he stops rummaging through his uniforms and glances at me over his shoulder.

"Hello", he says, a subtle yet hurried scowl on his face, before pushing aside one of the uniforms, clearly deemed too large.

I can see that he's deliberately ignoring me, but now he's at least looking at me. I suspect that Allison, Diego - and possibly Klaus - will have told him about me: for very practical reasons, such as the risk of running into each other in the bathroom. But they may also have informed him as to 'what I can do'. And now I see it, that quarter smile on his too-old-for-a-kid expression: yes, obviously, ~he knows~.

"My name is Rin," I tell him, but that, too, he possibly already knows. "What do you want?" He' says this while inspecting the buttonholes of a jacket, and I cross my arms. "Looks like we're neighbors for a while."

He finally looks at me more attentively. ~Very~ closely. So closely that - all of a sudden - I wonder if he isn't analyzing the color and nature of my eyes. Oddly enough, he finally seems to find them ordinary and relaxes a little. Then he returns to the buttonholes and says to me:

"The name's Five". "Yeah, I figured you weren't Luther." He lets out a vague, amused breath. "You're pretty witty".

I haven't met Luther yet, but I did hear him talking to Allison this morning in his room across the hall. I still can't believe it's really Five I'm looking at, even though Klaus was pretty sure he wasn't dead. As Allison said the day before yesterday: nothing should surprise me anymore. And maybe Five legitimately came back for the eulogy, too?

"So, you're new," he says.

'New'? I wonder what he means by that. Suddenly, I feel like I'm five years old again, facing my new class on a new continent. I gaze at the uniforms he's brushing, all from the Umbrella Academy era, just like the one he's wearing right now. He's lucky they're in such good condition, and that all the closets in this shack are stuffed with mothballs. I see him start to empty the pockets of a jacket, pulling out potentially fifteen-year-old handkerchiefs, and then he asks me what's probably been burning his tongue for a while:

"You jump, don't you. Space? Time?" I tilt my head. "I don't jump in time. I've only done it once, and it scared the hell out of me. No way I'm doing it again." Five arches an eyebrow, puzzled. "But you did it once, so you can. Through space then?" He looks at me with a lean, somewhat defiant expression. "Show m-"

I don't give him the chance to ask. I uncross my arms, take a step forward, and Crack!, I'm already at the window, in a bluish crack. There, I look through the pane into the back street, then notice the wry smile he's stretching, right where he's stayed.

"Interesting," he says. "You're another me."

I could retort that it's him, who's 'another me', but I refrain: it wouldn't do any good. For the first time, he really considers my appearance, beyond my eyes, from my bangs to my boots.

"Does your power work like mine?" Now I'm turned to face him, and I notice that he's not very tall. Even for thirteen. "It looks like it. I don't know: I don't know you. My only reference is what Klaus told me about you: it's up to you to decide whether it's reliable or not." His mouth puckers into a skeptical pout. "Indeed, let's draw our own conclusions.

Upon hearing this, he juxtaposes two uniforms, as if choosing the most appropriate for an occasion. To my untrained eye, however, the two look perfectly identical. Suddenly, he raises his nose at me.

"What about a deal?" "What deal?" As this proposal comes out of the blue, I'm quite intrigued. "I mean, it's probably more of an exchange of information than a deal, but why not? You tell me ~exactly~ how your power works… and I'll tell you how mine works. I've got ten minutes". I place my hands in my pockets, and see him do exactly the same thing in mirror image. I blink. "Okay. Deal. Can I sit down?"

Better get comfortable, because ten minutes might seem like a very long time. He moves a pile of cardigans and points to the spot thus left vacant, where I sit down without further formality, cross-legged, before saying:

"Go ahead, get started. He leans back briefly on his heels. "Of course. Space first, then. I imagine Klaus will have told you that I can basically bend it to get anywhere within the accessible range. As long as I can see it or have been there before. Your turn."

He squints. As much as I can read through Klaus like an open book, I can't do it with Five at all.

"Okay. It's pretty similar for me, so I'll try to tell you 'how' instead." I search for the right words. If I'm going to do this exercise, I might as well do it right. "Like you, it's easier for me if I can see the place, but it's not necessary. If I can't see the destination, I must have been there before. I need - in any case… - a clear mental image". He nods, and adds: "I've already tried to form a mental image from a photograph. It's a risky business. The margin of error is substantial: it's a risk of ending up inside a wall or underground".

This time, I'm the one who nods. And I quite like this Ping-Pong game.

"I don't need to concentrate on the target for long," I say, "a quarter of a second, especially if it's close." And then I feel… that shooting window… like a need to sneeze. Sorry for the analogy, I can't think of a better one. And then… I just let the jump happen." "Lock. Trigger. You're right."

Five looks pleasantly surprised, and I sense a change in his tone. Not that he's talking to me as an equal, no, he certainly isn't, but at least he seems to be giving me a bit of consideration. He raises an eyebrow, looking amused.

"Is your range limitless?" His question makes me think. "I don't think so. The closest is the easiest. I've tried crossing longer distances before, but it's exhausting. It takes me a while before I can do it again. So no, I'd say it's not limitless, unless I drain myself for a long time."

This remark leads him to another.

"I can't jump more than a dozen times in a row, for the same reasons".

I nod, and we both remain silent for a moment, each looking for further details. And finally, I say:

"Oh. I need to move to perform it. Even just a little. I can't jump if I stay… just still. It's like…" "…accomplishing a movement". If he starts to finish my sentences, then… But he continues. "Can you take someone with you?" I shake my head. "I've never tried." "I can do it. Maybe you can as well."

His expression is one of contemplation and shock, now that he realizes the similarities. He's even stopped pacing up and down his room, which seems to me to be unusual for him. Yet, after a while, he starts walking again.

"Time, now. How far into the future do you think you could go?" I shake my head.

"I'm not very bold. I told you, I only tried it once. To retake a damn exam. I aimed two days into the past, I ended up eight days into the future. My mother had already called the cops and my face was on all the milk bottles. I've taken quite a beating…"

And, in my misfortune, I was lucky it wasn't eight weeks, eight months or eight years. I run my hand over my cheek.

"It's not possible to pin down the destination as well as it is for space. Having a mental image of a place is one thing, but nailing down a precise moment in time… no, it's too unpredictable. I won't do it again.

Five says nothing, but judging by the serious expression in his little blue eyes, I can tell that my words have a heavy echo. He nods broadly, then replies with a somewhat distant expression.

"I can relate".

I don't know how heavy is the debt behind this statement, but the silence that surrounds each word is thick. He remains hushed for a while longer, then adds:

"Going into the future is so much easier and slippery, I'm not surprised you missed the past. Everyone's capable of traveling forward, at least second by second. We just go faster. But going back… Going down into the depths is one thing. But you still have to be able to go back up".

He inclines his head, as if those last words weren't his, then drops like a bag too heavy: "Do you want to know the farthest I've gone?" "In space or time?" I run my index finger through the dust on the nightstand, and gaze at him with eyes already expecting the answer. "Time. And the answer is exactly sixteen years, four months and twenty-two days."

I feel his relief at having said it, as I blow the dust off my finger. Sixteen years… From the year he turned thirteen… I'm not very good at maths, but this must have taken him… not much further than the time we're in now. He stares at me.

"You're absolutely right about the hazards of time jumps. There's no way to calibrate them precisely, and the margin of error can be counted in years, both before and after. The truth is… you never really know when you're going to end up". His eyes wander around the room he left so long ago. "There's the risk of failing, of ending up with nothing. Of regretting, sometimes, not having listened".

I'm not sure I have all the keys to understand, but his expression makes me frown. When I 'crashed' eight days ahead of my test, it took another week before I could use my power again. So sixteen years? With the risk of failing again by trying to return to the past?

"How long were you stuck? You don't have to answer if you don't want to." But he doesn't even blink, and answers: "About thirty years before something happened".

His answer sounds like a blow to the face, and yet he seems to be feeling some kind of relief again. I suspect he even hoped I'd ask. My eyes widen a little, and my lips purse.

"I think you've finished convincing me never to try again."

The expression "ending up with nothing" he used takes on a different color, and it makes me dizzy. However, when Five speaks again, it's with a returned smirk.

"So, to take our deal further… Do you want to discuss exactly how our powers work? At the level of space time mechanics and at quantum level. If you already have some understanding about special relativity, it will be easy for you to-" "Ah, Five…" I'm sorry to interrupt. "I didn't get past high school, you know." I lift my shoulders helplessly. "Maybe instead I could tell you what… else… I can do".

His expression freezes immediately, then becomes confused, and for a simple reason: as far as he's concerned, we've covered everything. He tilts his head slightly, one eye squinting.

"What do you mean by that? Do you have any abilities other than these?" His interest seems to override his disappointment at not discussing equations. "Tell me."

There's a kind of urgency to this request. A need to know that clearly goes beyond mere curiosity. This time, it will be easier for me to show him than to explain. So I wait for him to lower his gaze, and - when he raises it - he simply can't see me anymore: only the imprint of me where I sit on the bed. So, from this invisibility, I say to him:

"I can turn invisible, intangible… or both".

The surprise that runs through him at the time would be hard to put into words, but - clearly - his siblings had left this bit for me.

"How do you do that, explain!" "I…" Well, I'm going to have to try. "It's like… when you let your eyes rest in the vague, sometimes. My ordinary state is to focus, it doesn't tire me out, but I can just as easily… let myself go, if I relax. And it's not exhausting like jumping through space or time. I'm sorry, that's another really crappy comparison." "No. No it's not." He breathes a few times, as if grabbing air on the fly, then whispers. "This is mind-blowing."

And these are the purest, most honest words I've heard him utter since our little deal began.

"I told you, I didn't go to college," I say, still invisible. "And I missed plenty of classes in high school. I wouldn't be able to explain it any further. But invisibility was the first thing I did as a kid".

Five swallows, as if seized, and pinches the base of his nose, between his eyes, as if to gather his deep thoughts. But he opens them again soon, and wide, as if transfixed by a sudden, violent understanding.

"You're acting on your matter to make yourself intangible. And possibly on energy, to make yourself invisible. Space-time doesn't exist without the matter-energy couple. It makes sense… so much sense…"

If I were visible, Five would see me blinking like an idiot. But I can see him just about grabbing a notebook to write things down.

"I bend space-time directly, I'm pretty sure. You… you probably bend matter and energy, and - only by extension - space and time. Your leaps would be nothing more than a collateral ability of -" "Hey, Five, I'm still here."

I make myself visible again, still sitting cross-legged on the bed. Five has gone off into his gibberish, and forgotten that I'm not bilingual in what seems to be the first language of his little hobby. Despite the variables and unknowns dancing before his eyes, however, he pauses and seems to take in my need for popularization. And he looks at me, as if witnessing the rare passage of a comet.

"You're not another me. You're… something beyond." "Five, isn't that just because you haven't tried?"

The more I observe the Hargreeves, the more I realize that they still have a lot to explore about themselves, despite having been pushed always further. However, Five is unquestionably the most accomplished of them all, and I can see his certainty when he begins to laugh softly and somewhat sarcastically.

"If only you knew all the things I've tried to do. We're not completely out of the woods yet. I agree, we wouldn't have enough lifetimes to discover everything about ourselves, but… No. For me, it's different.

He stares at me for a moment. Then suddenly, as if he seemed to wake up, he looks at his watch and gasps.

"Damn, I've got to go." I nod. "No problem. I'll go down and… see if Klaus has finally woken up. I found him on the living room couch last night…" I sigh. "I didn't expect anything from him, and I'm still disappointed." "If you have trouble moving him, ask Luther for help."

Five is already adjusting his tie, ready to go. I don't know where he's going, but it looks important.

"Are you going for a morning walk?"

Clearly not. Five exhales, as if puffing him up to come back to reality, then starts playing with something round in his pocket.

"No, I'm going to…" He pauses, reconsidering his answer. "Never mind."

I won't ask him for any more details. After all, it's his own business, and I need coffee. Oh, I should have told him about the coffee. To find out if - for him too - it increased his skills tenfold. The opposite effect, in a way, of all the drugs Klaus uses to suppress his own power. But it's too late: Five is already at the window, climbing the outside fire escape. I get up too.

"Hey, Five," I say, and he turns from the window sill. "Welcome back."

I can see a strange shadow pass under his eyebrows at these simple words. Under different auspices, our little 'deal' this morning would certainly have brightened his day. But from the way he looks back at me, I can see that there's still a lot I don't know. Nevertheless, he smiles at me before saying with pained irony:

"Yeah, what a comeback".

And in a blink, he's gone.

---

Notes:

I hope you endured Five's wibbly wobbly physics explanations. No, Rin is not "another him". And is there any coincidence in their similarities? Time will tell. But what is Five playing with in his pocket? You know.

Any comment will make my day! ♡

---

A bend in space-time, the masterlist :

- Season 1 (complete): Table of contents - Season 2 (complete): Table of contents - Season 3 (in progress): Table of contents - Season 4 (in progress): Coming soon - Snippets of Memory (ongoing): Table of contents

[discopomp]

Happy New Year!

In Japan, the new year is a Big Deal (much bigger than Christmas!), and one of the big things to do for the new year is to visit Shrines and Temples. There are festivals, and midnight bell ringing, and rituals, and it's really quite amazing. You can get all sorts of lucky amulets for the new year, and get little fortunes- while a lot of this is also year round, it's especially auspicious at the turn of the year to set the tone for the next! This upcoming year of 2025 is the Year of the Snake, so you will find a snake theme running through many of the places you can visit.

In SL, the Goshuin Project is doing an event for the New Year, organizing a list of Shrines and Temples that are distributing Goshuin, the auspicious red seals, that commemorate your visit.

Things to know: I'm obsessed with Goshuin, in RL and SL. It feeds into more than one of my impulses. I almost missed my plane home getting one and no I'm not joking. There are 46 official locations in the event! You do not have to get them all! There's no reward for completing everything, other than getting to see them all and having so many goshuin. I have to get them all. But you don't. Some of these locations will only be open for a very short window! Some will close the 5th (Japan time, so practically the 4th SLT), which is a traditional time for some new year celebrations to wind down. Others will close the 15th (14th), another time for new year celebrations to wind down. Others will be around for at least the entire month, and still more are permanent locations. Some even have new goshuin every month of the year! There are more places in SL that have goshuin, that are not on the list! I will add those that I find.

01 Warbunton Shrine 倭文沌神社:

Warbunton Shrine is maintained by the organizer of the Goshuin Project, sakka Flow. You have no idea how much I love that she decided to do this (it's a lot). Warbunton Shrine is open all year, and has special Goshuin for the new year and summer, as well as seasonal goshuin every single month. The Shrine environs also change for the seasons, with new plants and decorations as appropriate. The Shrine grounds have expanded a bit recently so there is a little more to visit.

Warbunton is a Hamster Shrine, that enshrines a hamster god, on the eastern end of the GAETA V continent of mainland, and can be reached by Saitama Metro on the Maya Line, M01 Gaeta East Beach station. I also love the Saitama Metro- public transportation, good public transportation, is amazing and super convenient. And there are lots of interesting places you can find along the three lines of the Saitama Metro!

The Goshuin Project

02 Itame Ham Jinja | 03 Nadeko Shrine | 04 Japonica Shrine

05 Eifuku Shrine | 06 Doroshi Hachimangu | 07 Laem Shrine

08 Azuki Shrine | 09 Kumoshima Shrine | 10 Cue Gri Shrine

11 Hakoniwa | 12 Kajiko Shrine | 13 Mambow Shrine

14 Katakana Jinjya | 15 Otoraku Shrine | 16 Donguri Shrine

17 Nekoraku Jinja | 18 Mr. Louis Shrine | 19 Il Micio Shrine

20 Shiki Shinto | 21 Katsudon shrine | 22 Honpou Inari Shrine

23 Umigami Shrine | 24 Hazakura Jinja | 25 Susukino Inari Shrine

26 Para Shrine | 27 Pomponne Shrine | 28 Yata Shrine

29 Yozakura Jinjya Ocean | 30 Kamura Neko Shrine | 31 Noha Shrine

32 Yoimachigusa Oinari Inari Shrine | 33 Tokyo Amida Shrine | 34 Hinamizawa Shrine

35 Akiba West Shrine | 36 SL-Utopia Shrine | 37 Hamamura Shrine

38 Yaoyorozu Shrine | 39 Venezia Shrine | 40 Megami Jinja

41 Yasaka Jinja | 42 Apo Inari Jinja | 43 Inari Shrine

44 Laputa Shrine | 45 Otonari Myojin | 46 Kiyomizu Temple

** BONUS GOSHUIN ** (not on list, joined in open call)

Mishima Shrine * Saihate Inari Jinja * Okinawa Shrine

Kingyo Jingu * Ashiyu Onsen Shrines * H Jinja

Mendokuse Shrine * Buzzmitama Shrine * Tonarino Shrine

Eniq Shrine * Lyka Tenmangu * Drobak Shrine

Princess Shrine * Wazawai-saru Shrine

View all SL Goshuin in order

View 2025 New Year Goshuin in order

[ominous-faechild]

This is a continuation post to my explanation of The Faewildes in my writing!

If you'd like to read this, I would strongly recommend starting with part 1! However, it's not the end of the world if you don't, you'll just be lacking a bit of context. Enjoy regardless!

Fair warning: long post!

Why aren't the Faewildes "Real"?

Obviously, the Faewildes are real. They exist and have been plaguing the Real World since the destruction of the Old World. So why aren't they "real"?

When I say "real", I mean that it's (relatively) unchanging and most likely unassociated with magic. The Faewilde Planes are fluid, constantly shifting and changing. Most aren't tethered to any one place, or at least shift around in "location" more than a real place should. So they're not "real" simply because they don't follow the rules of what "real" things should.

Where are the Faewildes?

Well, right here. And... right there. Actually, everywhere!

The Faewildes exist parallel to Reality to a point that realistically, nobody should ever see or enter them. Except... people do? Hm.

As I said before, the Faewildes were formed by countless cracks in Reality. Originally, it was a primordial soup that swept over the Real World, absorbing it and getting absorbed into it. But it's been a long time since then, and the world's done a lot of work sorting itself out. A lot of land has escaped from the Faewildes, settling into Reality wherever it was parallel to at its time of escape, and now makes up the continents and islands known to exist within the Real World.

However, the Faewildes still exist--they're just a lot less solid (or... real 🤔) now that they've lost their ingredients. Now, the soupy Faewildes are primarily broth.

The individual Planes within constantly move around within "the Faewildes", sometimes trading places, sometimes overlapping, sometimes merging, and other times completely destroying each other. But that's a subject for another day.

Due to the shifting, the Plane parallel to Reality could be different from day to day even if you never move from the same spot... and vice versa. To equate this to Our World--say, one day, you're living in a small town in the United States. You accidentally slip into the Faewildes and, shit!!! You saw the portal you came through, you need to find it again and escape!!

So you do.

And you emerge in Beijing, China.

Make it better! Somehow, it's 1652.

Oh, yeah. There's Time Fuckery.

So, you've gotten displaced in time by the Faewildes.

Congratulations! You're never finding your way back. Trust me, you're lucky to have gotten out alive. Don't bother going back in. Y'know... if you even can. Those portals don't usually last for long.

You know those fairy tales where people interact with the fairies, visit them or whatever, and return to their world to find out that an incredible amount of time has passed? Sometimes it's even played for a "oops, time's catching up to you!" and they, like, get Dusted like Peter in Infinity War? (Okay I'm accidentally making too many superhero references now 😂😅)

Yeah, well, GUESS WHO EATS THAT STUFF UP LIKE A STARVING WAR CRIMINAL!?!?

(Me. The answer's me.)

Due to the nature of the Faewildes and how they came from Chaos literally shattering reality, their "time" doesn't work the same as in the Real World. While, to them, time still flows in one direction, the times their Planes connect to in the Real World are disconnected.

To Doctor Who fans, it's not too dissimilar from the Doctor and River Song's meetings! While there's technically no interruption in their lives (or they live from, say, 1 to 30 years old), the other might meet them at 30 first, then 3, then 24, then 18--hopefully you get it!

(I'm making way too many references right now, forgive me. 😅🙏)

Point is, while each (the Faewildes vs Real World) feels like they have a linear timeline, they don't meet up at "the same times", leading to a disconnect that can make people get lost in time.

But that's okay!

People don't tend to survive getting lost in the Faewildes, anyways!

As much as I've enjoyed talking about the Faewildes, I think this is a good stopping point for this post! I'm getting a little tired of explaining them, so I'm going to take a break, work on some other things, and maybe get back to finishing this in a day or few!

Feel free to leave a comment, they're pure serotonin for me!!! 😊

Part 1 |

Divider from @cafekitsune

[evwuniverse]

New Year = New Linden Home - Happy 2024!

Hey everyone! First here is to a late Happy New Year 2024! I know we're in February, but it's so crazy how 2024 started out in January. Imagine, natural disasters, the beginning of a World War, Great Depression 2.0 (because we have the internet), and let's add a possible Civil War into the mix. But with all the craziness happening in the world I find myself on Second Life a lot more than I was last year with how crazy my life was. As a lot of you know, I had a houseboat as a Linden Home, during this time apparently they added premium tiers that weren't there, changed the pricing, and added more types of Linden Homes. Talk about mind-blowing. Just like most who are neurodivergent and ADHD I like consistent change within environments in my games, I'm very nomadic in a sense with my virtual life, especially within virtual worlds. So to explore and have a new place to live, I tried out one of the new Linden Homes released (emphasis on new because they probably have been around for a bit but I've been so busy I didn't know they were added.) There were eight left of this specific type of home.

To see which one I got and where I now reside please click below to continue reading.

Newbrooke

For the sake of being able to have another idea for a new post, we're going to keep this one primarily about the Newbrooke community of Linden Homes in Second Life. And now you know! I live in Newbrooke, a very modern, quaint, housing community with a lot of amenities, community areas, and things to do. Not going to lie this area reminds me a lot of The Sims 4 for some odd reason. I love the modern design of the homes in the area, there is a 512 sqm version and a full 1,024 sqm version for those of you who don't have the Premium Plus version of Second Life Premium which I don't blame you at all for not moving up to the highest tier (more on that in my next post). I got super lucky with both the name of the sim as well as where my house Is actually located. For those who don't know, the name of the sim you're placed in and the location of your house are all randomized and based on which ones are available for inhabiting. When a home is not available it just won't show on the website when you choose a Linden Home.

Since my last interaction with my Linden Home, they have updated and upgraded them with a new in-house system allowing you to have full customization of your home inside and out. They are premade colors, but I'm sure there is at least one color that would tickle your fancy, if not then probably shouldn't have gotten the Newbrooke home style. It's important to note that every Linden Home has a different set of colors for the outside and the doors, as well as any metals or accessories on the outside of the home.

You have the option with the Newbrooke homes of choosing up to 8 layout versions, a few of these versions can be seen below. Ahead of time, these photos are from the Linden Lab website which they use as examples but I'm going to post them here for the sake of the post and for easier viewing.

Examples of Newbrooke Homes:

There are so many ways to customize these too, these are amazing compared to the old-style Linden Homes, this was the upgrade to the original homes found in Meadowbrook that are all 512 sqm. At the time 512 sqm was the most amount of land and Linden Home space you could have. Oh, how the times have changed! It's crazy to actually see the change from one form to another. Keep in mind the older homes in Meadowbrook are also Prim and not Mesh whereas the new Linden Homes found on the continent Belisseria are all Mesh.

Examples of the Meadowbrook Homes For Reference:

Now with these examples out of the way, let me show you my home and what I have done with it where I ended up being placed, and how close everything is. I'm not going to lie, I feel like I never have to leave my Linden Home community because everything to do now is pretty much right there, or at least all the things I enjoy going onto Second Life for.

My Newbrooke Home Placement & Experience:

This is the front of my Linden Home, I know super modern, brick, black, and light blue, I think it's gorgeous and really goes with who I am as an individual. I love it so far, but I also truly love the modern style of homes.

Below are pictures of the location and why I love it so much. To give reference to what you're looking at, I'm at the end of a col-de-sac and there is only one other house on the right-hand side of me. There is one on the left-hand side but they're a little further from me, so I don't count that. But right next to me there is no one, it is very private considering.

I was extremely excited and lucky of where I was placed, the sim name I have as well is called "Prince Charming" which I thought was really cute and fairy-tale themed, all the other sim names I haven't been too lucky with. I'm extremely thankful for all of it, and I honestly don't think I'll want to leave unless I decide to go up a Premium Tier which right now I just can't do for one of the new 2,048 sqm homes and parcels.

Why I Love This Area so Much:

Now is the why to enjoying this area so much, the name and the col-de-sac are great! But you see in the ariel view where the water is right behind my place, that's a rezzing dock for boats. It's a 20-second walk to rezz my boat and go sailing around Belesseria. I got the houseboat for the reason that I could rez my boat, keep it at the house and sail whenever I wish. The fact that I can pretty much do the same it's just not already at my house is amazing! Then not too far to the left of me where that road is, is also a rezz station for vehicles, horses, etc. This is so convenient and I haven't had both rezz stations so close to me before with a Linden Home, this is an amazing location. I'm so very fortunate for it. A long time ago I did a post on the positives and why you should get a Premium Membership and obtain a Linden Home I will be typing an updated post soon on that. However, for someone who has been a Premium Member of Second Life since the Premium Memberships even released, I can easily say Linden Lab is doing an amazing job with updating and keeping the excitement with why we should be members with amazing spaces and amenities like in Newbrook.

Final Thoughts On Newbrooke Linden Homes:

These homes are amazing if you like modern-styled neighborhoods and still want that suburb feel. If you're into the whole family RP on Second Life this would be a perfect place to have a family, it's also perfect for just living and experiencing a great amount of what Second Life has to offer in a secure, safe, area without having to travel to far off places in Second Life. This is however not to say that you shouldn't still go explore here and there. I feel Second Life is meant to be explored and experienced. But if you're new and need to learn the ropes and are nervous about being around a ton of people, or you're tenured and just want more of a private space and area that is less club, shopping, or non-trolling related. This is a great place to be! There's a lot you can do and since Newbrooke is a newer-made area other people who live in the houses around are typically there so it's not a dead sim where you're the only one there at all times.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I'm sorry it took me so long to post something. Between life getting in the way and MAJOR WRITERS BLOCK I took the longest writing hiatus ever. Please stay tuned for the following posts coming soon.

Updated Post on Premium Membership Tiers

Updated Post on Linden Homes as a Whole Including the New Website for Choosing Linden Homes

Avatars, Drugs, and Smoking - What is this?

Clubs - Why are so many popping up now, and what Is happening to other places to explore?

These are the upcoming posts, I look forward to seeing you in the next one.

[whaleji]

girlblogging like kafka ; entry 3

today was sunny. i went to the asian coast. had to take the ferry, was very nice. the way back was more complicated as we got lost and the boat was very crowded. i liked the bohemian atmosphere of the place we went to. unexpectedly, it was more like everything i know than the european part of town. i saw pubs and bookshops for the first time since we arrived in Istanbul. I wish i didn't have to be born so I wouldn't have to constantly choose whether to live or to die. because life also has its good sides ; like those shows i like and those paintings i could stare at for hours and those books that make me someone else in the span of an hour and those people with their golden smiles and all those times my breath takes as something manages to give life its shine back. mainly i'm exhausted; i wake up tired and drag myself through endless days. i'll be fine. maybe all this time i'm wasting i'll regret in the future, when i'm unable and bitter. maybe a tragedy lies ahead of me ; an earthquake or a mass shooting or an abduction or poison or pollution or cancer or necrosis or a bad fall or a severed limb or sudden blindness. maybe i shouldn't spend so much time lying there miserable and maybe i should try getting better. put actual effort into it. but i won't. i won't because it paradoxically feels good to lie in my own puddle of self loathing and despair, rotting inside my bed and crying.

or maybe i will. maybe life isn't so bad sometimes. looking at the stars tonight made me think about my own mortality, and it made me grateful to be able to live a life in which i can see the sky and walk freely about the world. somehow, at least. i'm grateful to live a life in which i can eat dinner on a boat sometimes and relax in the hot weather and never suffer from hunger. i gave food to a homeless child yesterday and the rawness in his eyes made me feel like he'd lived ten lives already while i hadn't lived yet my own. so maybe i'll try to get better. because how entitled would i be not trying to get better and wallowing in my own fabricated pain when everything is well and good in my life ? how entitled would i be complaining about being in pain when i'm part of the few lucky people that live on the right side of earth, that have the worthiest passports and that thrive on half of the world's misery ? maybe i'll try to get better for everyone that i love, my cat, my friends, my family, nice strangers on the street; for the rainy afternoons spent reading under a cover, for time spent talking with friends in cosy cafés, for evenings at the movie theater.

anyways, miss my cat. saw his doppelgänger today. was disturbing. thought about how almost all pet owners love their pets, despite them having different personalities and quirks you can't choose beforehand, like with people. however people are much more inclined to accept these coming from an animal than humain beings, somehow. and that makes me wonder : what if i had chosen another kitten from the litter ? would i love them as much as i love the one i call Vladimir ? his name was chosen before his adoption, so that hypothetical kitten would also be called Vladimir. do i really love him or do i love the idea of a cat called Vladimir ? i miss him. his furry face and his mean eyes that glare all day long. his cute and sharp teeth and the way he rolls on his back when he wants belly rubs.

sometimes i feel like i'm inwardly zooming out of my existence and see myself from an omniscient point of view. right now, for example, i'm a teenage girl sitting on a bed in a four bunks room within a shabby hotel within a neighborhood within a city within a country within a continent within earth within our galaxy within the universe. if i think hard enough i can be the man next door watching the news while peeling himself bits of an apple with his rusted knife, or the little girl playing uno with her brother in the room below. yet in the end my body calls me back to my own neutral existence by the ache stemming in my belly and the tightness of my heart.

[gizzardscrolls]

God of Machines: Wayland's journal

Chapter 2: 30 miles out

As I wake up, I immediately try to stand up, but with the jangling of chains, I realize I'm forced to sit. I try to look down but even my head is caught on a chain, my arms are bound too. I'm still in my chainmail but my helmet, bracers, and boots are all gone. The guard in the passenger seat says 

“You’re one lucky son of a bitch, still alive and not a draugr? The only reason you still have the chainmail on is because you’re such a big bastard we didn't feel like taking it off, you will be taking it off when we get to the labor camp." 

I look around at the others in the transport. None of them have chains. 

“So why am I the one getting the VIP treatment?” 

The guard held up a shadow crystal and retorted “You’re strong enough to kill a Tallman by yourself.” 

Fucking Reavers. A large bandit clan made up mostly of veterans and abandoned workers from the F.C.G., the Free City Gathering, a group of a bunch of free cities that went to war with The Empire of Carn, both sides took damage but Carn ultimately won that one. Out of that, all we got is more bloodshed, higher taxes from the lords, and more fucking currency, everywhere usually take’s silver taels, but Carn’s trying to institute a centralized currency made of paper, on one hand, yeah it’s lighter, on the other hand, good luck recovering it from a house fire, or some demons gut. The others on board look sick and elderly, only a couple look fit enough to not die in a labor camp, I get the feeling some of them aren’t being taken to work. Now that I'm fully awake the area where the berserk runes are is still burning hot. I get the feeling using them to escape these chains would only make me collapse from magic sickness. All the way in the back I see someone covered in so many chains it looks more like a storage method than it does a person, there’s another guard wearing full heavy Carn armor next to them, the dome helmet that reflects back at me has always made me uncomfortable, his thick steel plate’s surround almost every inch of him except his hands which only has the palms and joints exposed. If we weren’t in such a cold environment I'd assume he’d boil alive like a lobster, he had a large belt-fed machine gun. Myself and maybe the bundle of chains over there are probably the only people he’d even struggle with in this transport. A large bump in the road sends all the people up in the air. My chains drag me back down. 

The large one says out of the shitty speaker in his helmet. “Oswald! Watch where you’re fucking driving if this cultist wakes up we’re all fucked!”

 The driver, now identified as Oswald, said “Sorry sergeant sir!” 

That guy sound’s younger than me, he’s probably around sixteen? Poor kid’s going to die for some stupid shit. The bundle of chains starts rattling like crazy. The sergeant starts bashing it where I assume the head is with his gun. After what feels like forever blood drips from some of the chains and it stops moving, we’re all silent after that. After a turn I see a worn metal signpost pointing down the road we turned on, Hadersverg 30 miles out. Hadersverg was a large mining operation before the war in the comparatively low mountaintop of the eastern part of the Terwyn continent, it was privately owned and the metal within fueled both sides of the war. I heard that before it was abandoned, only a fraction of the metal was extracted. At least I know what I'm going to be doing. After the driver pulled into the main gate the man in heavy armor started escorting us all out to another, smaller gate where we were told to stop, almost everyone in front of me was sent down a hallway on the right side, whereas I had to go forward into the heart of the camp, they took the chains off of me so I could finally move properly. 

“Don’t do anything stupid, take off your armor and state your name.”

 As I begin taking off mostly destroyed chainmail, I realize the cost of all the gear when I get out is definitely going to set me back from my nice house.

 I kindly ask “Hey can I at least get my boot’s back?” 

“that’s a funny name” 

haha funny. “It’s Wayland.”

Clearly amused by his own thoughts the guard asked, “It’s your first name?” 

If only I could I’d rip his lungs out, unfortunately, I'm outnumbered with no armor or guns. The last thing I heard from the guard was to follow another down the hallway. Finally inside, the concrete wall and smooth stone floor make this place look quite fancy for what’s now a prison camp.

 “Hey, you’re the guard that was driving us.”

 Oswald, a young kid with tan skin and short brown hair, the boy wasn't well built nor was he fat, no idea how he lasted as long as he did with the Reavers.

 “Sorry sir, they don't want me speaking with the laborers.” 

I shrug “I’m not a sir, I'm not much older than you” 

he doesn't respond.

 “Smart kid”

 He stops and points to the door, “This is the med bay, you’re supposed to get checked out here, they’ll find out what you’re doing” 

walking in I see it’s all empty beds, the humming of a fan and lights, and the white interior really sells the scavenged building vibe, nothing in the building looks like it was part of the same facility. The shaman is sitting at his desk, he has a thick northern Carn accent, a large gray beard, and those little reading glasses old folks get. 

“Ah, a new patient, very good! Come, come, I no bite!” 

A mood change from the gloom of having to work to death in a mine, he seems like a nice guy despite who he works for. I step in front of his desk. 

“Alright I need you take off shirt, only shirt unless you have an injury I no want to see it!”

 Amused at his own joke, his booming laugh reminds me of my father, “You’re big strong man, like me! Many rune’s you are as say in your language, mercenary?” 

What time period is this man from? Most mercs are either hunters or guards, mercenaries died off with the war.

 “Let me see those bandaged hands”

 I extend them forward and as he inspects them he sighs in relief 

“is good you drink health potion? If your hands didn't work they’d have killed you. I give you outfit now, yes one moment” 

as he took out a gray jumpsuit with two red stripes going down the right shoulder, he started to sew something on it 

“I like you strong man, I put pocket in outfit for you to hide those gold hair clips.” 

I wonder why such a nice old man would be with Reavers, “Thank you what’s your name shaman?” 

the big man grins a little, “My name is Reed, if not for job I’d hope to see you more often, little strong man!” 

Curious, I asked him, “Where’s the normal doctor for those with magic sickness?”

 This caused what little happiness in his face to drain. “As Warden Matthias says, old and sick must die, no room for weakness”

 As I walk out of the room there's crackling over the intercom, “All prisoners and personnel are to report to the central courtyard immediately!” 

Oswald waiting for me tells me to get a move on, as we walk past the other guards I notice a lot of them are still using Breznov’s, cheap surplus rifles now, the F.G.C.’s flagship rifle during the war. High caliber and bolt action, they were good for getting through the tough armor of Carn soldiers but fired slower. Semi-auto versions started to appear near the end of the war but it was already over at that point, the weird cylindrical-shaped packets made storage hard for it too, but for managing some disarmed prisoners it was good enough. After getting funneled out into the large courtyard I see 30-40 other prisoners. At the far end is a stage where I assume the warden, Matthias, is standing. In the dead center is a large pit, along the top is a fence made of wooden spikes pointing inwards to prevent people from crawling out. Inside I see the bundle of chains. I don’t want to know why they have a cultist in there. I glance behind me and see Oswald looking rather grim and a guard tower behind him with a roitzer cannon, a large rotary mortar system that has coordinates punched into guide it, it uses a magic crystal to triangulate a range. On the stage with Maitthais, I see the people from the transport on the stage. Hands chained and blindfolded as they are separated into three groups, and one lone person,

 The warden walks over to the first and says to them, “Pick a number between one and three. The same number cannot be called twice. I will pick the first in each of your group. Pray they are luckier than when you attempted to run.”

He rips the blindfold off the man in front of the left group. The old man chose one. 

“Of course, we must start with one. Guards line them up against the wall.”

 The rest of the blindfolded group seems to know what he meant, some of them try to run away but their feet are chained together The warden laughs at them tripping over their own feet. The guards line them up against the wall to my left. Underneath the peak of the mountain, I see the bullet holes and blood-stained cinder block, covering the sandbags beneath. I breathe in count to four then exhale. The guards start firing into the crowd, I hear the noise of puking behind me, I turn around and see Oswald pale as a ghost, poor kid. 

Before the rest of the prisoners have gathered themselves Maitthais rings out, “Next group choose your number! Please try to be interesting.”

 The next group is a young woman who chooses three, Matthais I feel has quite the ego. 

 “Really? Three? That’s the hill you choose to die on? Going against me after I said to start with one, then naturally of course. You would go with two. Fine. Three! Throw them in the pit. And somebody get the caster in there to take its chains off already! I passed it on my way, you don't feel safe about it, that's fine but do your job or you’re next.” 

Un-fucking-fortunatly, I'm standing right in front of the pit, and I'm not going to slink back or draw any attention by moving. I see the caster walk in from the hallway on the right side of the courtyard. His arm’s exposed, more scar than flesh. The runes run along every inch of his arms thinking of the pain to get that would make most second guess how worthwhile the magic is, not me. I wish the tower chose me to gain the power of a caster. His eyes are blindfolded but he seems to know where he’s going as if he could see. He drop’s into the pit then pulls the chains off in one fast motion, the cultist spins in the air and hits the ground with a thud. Just as quickly as he entered the pit he leapt out. Another pain in the ass for a breakout. 

The second group is tossed in and the cultist starts laughing on the ground. The tower’s runes look like a joke compared to what the demonic cultists carve into their own flesh and even bone. Their powers are less tamed than the ones we use and cost them their sanity. The cultist stands up from the ground rising directly from only its legs while the rest of the body is limp. I can't even tell what this thing used to be. Almost inhuman. Its skin, if I can even call it that, looks burnt, crisp, and black with thin strings of red flesh exposed. It now fully stood up, its torso and head leaned forward of its legs. It slowly straightens its back. Its face is smoothed over as if it too was melted, it flashes a smile with bright white teeth, then it darts forwards with a speed similar to the Tallmen, it pierces the stomach of the poor young woman who chose the number, with his hand. With a sickening squelch; cracking and popping the cultist drags out the spine of the young woman. All while the rest of the group screams in terror, the cultist just smiles blindly and continues on.

 I breathe in count to four then exhale.

  It darts behind another and puts him in a chokehold with one arm. It uses its second hand to stab through the jaw and pulls it off slowly, with a terrified gasp as he can’t get a scream out of an even worse gurgling noise coming shortly after with the removal of his jaw, his lower tongue flops about. I breathe in count to four then exhale. The next few suffer similar fates, one gets their head squashed like a grape in its grasp. I breathe in count to four then exhale. Another young boy probably around Oswald's age gets grabbed by their foot and bashed against the wall repeatedly. At first, he cried out for his mother, shortly after his words started slurring together then stopped being words at all. I breathe in count to four then exhale. The last one gets grabbed by both arms and torn off like breaking a twig off a young tree. I breathe in count to four then exhale. The caster from earlier looks down at it, then summons a large pillar of fire out of the ground, burning not only the cultist and his victims but the scene into my mind as well.

[grounded-gryphon]

I'd Die (Again) for Y'all (Chapter 5)

I had a shit day and tbh I mostly brought it on myself. But I need something fun to keep my depression from spiraling. So, it's your lucky day. Early chapter drop.

prev

Tim tried very hard not to antagonize Jason. But when Jason got back, Tim just might strangle him.

As soon as the door to Phantom's cell opened, Hood's camera cut out. The mic was working, but staticky. He heard just enough of what was going on to know that this Phantom apparently recognized Red Hood and thought he was in danger.

The idea of something that could scare /Phantom/ coming after Jason… Tim had felt sick.

And then Jason had gone /silent/.

Oh, not for long. Only a few seconds really. But Tim had already been freaking out.

Jason had the gall to just say "I'm okay," in that same soft voice he'd used before he left -- the voice that if it had been anyone else would make Tim think he /cared/. Called him a /nickname/ rather than the hated 'Replacement'… but couldn't be bothered to give him any actual information!

At least they were on their way out. Jason's camera was still down, so he was reduced to tracking them through the static that came and went through the Watchtower security mics. But at least he could follow them…

God damnit, Jason better get home safely so Tim could kill him for scaring him like that.

~~~

Names were important. Names meant something.

Ghosts who mostly stayed in the Infinite Realms often called Danny 'Great One.' (The Yetis started it, and Danny wasn't quite sure if everyone else did because they agreed or because they wanted to stay on the Yeti's good side. You did /not/ want to piss off Frostbite.) But ghosts who came to the living world had a different name for Danny. They called him 'The Protector'.

Danny didn't have a proper haunt anymore, he hadn't since he'd been driven out of Amity. But he was the /Protector/ of a quarter of a continent. He protected the living from the dead -- and the dead from the living.

(Until he couldn't anymore. He'd always known this day would come.)

There was another name whispered among ghosts. A place that no ghosts came from, and no ghosts went to.

Danny had never been to Gotham. Partly that was because of Gotham's heroes. Most cities had heroes, some of them far more powerful than Gotham's bats & birds. But none had so many heroes and in that kind of melee, it would be too easy to hurt someone seriously by accident.

Mostly, Danny had never needed to go to Gotham. Gotham belonged to the /avenger/. Those who died in Gotham didn't need to obsess about getting justice or revenge, they knew they would have it, in this life or the next. They knew Red Hood would get it for them.

Not all of Gotham. Danny had heard the avenger's haunt was actually a small part of the city. But it was enough.

And other ghosts didn't go to Gotham because if there was one guy whose haunt you did /not/ want to fuck with, it was the guy known throughout the Infinite Realms as /the avenger/. The living man who had staked out an obsession and a haunt and /held them/ against the living and the dead.

Bets were placed in the Infinite Realms on how long it would be til Red Hood joined them -- no bets were placed on whether or not he would join them. If anyone had the strength of will and obsessiveness needed to become a ghost, it was the guy in red.

The guy who had just risked himself to save Danny from the GIW.

The guy who was an unknown halfa and had just put his life on the line in ways he couldn't even imagine.

The guy who had thighs to die for and shoulders that could hold up the sky if Atlas ever needed a break.

Danny didn't have a type. He wasn't picky. He took beauty where he found it.

And since he still might finish dying today (he would not think about the GIW being somewhere on this space station, he would not he would--), he would enjoy the beauty in front of him.

That /ass./ No man should have an ass like that. There was no fairness in a world that let that ass exist and didn't give Danny a chance to eat it. (Literally or metaphorically, he didn't care.)

But Danny was a professional, in his own way. Half (okay, more than half) of his mind was meditating on Hood's ass. The rest was doing everything he could to stay quiet (much harder without ghost powers), watch for trouble, and… "Not that way!" he hissed when he realized they were heading towards the GIW base.

Hood turned to him and somehow the angle of his helmet conveyed surprise. But after a moment he nodded and turned back. "The cameras are down, but not the mics. Grab my jacket if there's a problem, but no more talking."

Cameras were down? How the-- damn his guy (what?! what did he just think?) was good. (Not his guy, nope, not. Nice fantasy, but Phantom was going to stick around just long enough to be sure he hadn't led the GIW to the avenger, and book. Not /his/ guy. He didn't get a guy.) But that was a relief. If they were lucky, no one yet knew he'd even escaped.

Better -- with Hood's voice modulator and the way even restrained Danny's ghostly self was likely fucking with the mics… there was no way the GIW could know who rescued him. As long as they got off the station without being found out, they were in the clear for at least a day or two.

With a relieved smile and a lighter heart, Danny followed Hood. The guy who knew enough to find him and shut down the top security of the damn Justice League wouldn't screw up on finding the exit.

So Danny went back to enjoying his view. With luck, he might even have a chance to tap that ass before he had to disappear again.

~~~

Not that far down the hallway from Phantom's room, Batman, Martian Manhunter, and Wonder Woman were keeping watch through the bugs Batman had planted there. None of them were officially there. Officially, Cyborg was trying to get the cameras up and running and every other hero on station was on patrol either in the corridors or outside watching for threats. There was no one left to watch a single locked-up and magically restrained prisoner who was perfectly docile as long as you kept him away from the med bay.

Officially.

Batman was a little worried by how easily Red Hood had gotten into station security. Hood knew his way around technology, but he wasn't that good, and this was the Watchtower. None of Hood's Outlaw friends had the skills to do it, either. And Bruce knew (grieved) Jason didn't trust anyone in the family enough to ask for help. But that was a problem for later.

Right now, it worked for them, even if they hadn't expected it.

And, unofficially, they were able to keep an eye on things through the bugs. Batman knew the risks he was asking Red Hood to run. He couldn't do anything about the GIW just yet. (Soon, very soon.) But he could at least be sure that Phantom stayed docile and didn't become one of those risks.

If Batman hadn't already been half convinced that Phantom was a victim, watching the young man /fall to his knees/ and beg Hood to save himself would have done it. And he had to think about that. He had to focus on that.

If he didn't, he'd think about the people who left those scars on Phantom going after /his son/ and… the leather of his gloves creaked as he forced his fists open. Tried to be in the moment.

"His fear is real," J'onn said after a moment. "I cannot detect his thoughts yet, but he is still projecting his emotions. He recognizes Red Hood, not by person but by type. It's a feeling that Red Hood is /like him/ and that whatever threatens him is also a threat to Red Hood."

"Do you believe Red Hood is one of these ecto-entities?" Wonder Woman asked. "How would that be possible?"

"I don't know," J'onn said, "But /he/ believes it."

Batman gritted his teeth and refused to reach for his communicator. Contacting Red Hood would do no good right now, and might distract him or alert Phantom that Hood was connected to them. Phantom would find out the truth eventually, but they needed him off the Watchtower and safe first.

They watched the rest of the conversation silently, Batman shaking his head. If you told most of Gotham that Red Hood was a name to inspire trust…

Then Phantom and Red Hood slipped out of the room and there was nothing left to see. Cyborg tracked them with the mics that Hood hadn't managed to cut off. But except for one time when Phantom started to talk and Hood shushed him, there was little to hear.

As they reached the Zeta tubes, J'onn said, "Atom just contacted me. He is still working his way through the papers the GIW gave us -- and is in full offended scientist mode. But he can tell us that these ecto-entities apparently… the GIW believe they are ghosts or something like ghosts, created from death and the energy of death."

"J'onn… you said Phantom referred to himself as a 'ghost boy.'"

J'onn shuddered. "Yes, actually. That was why he thought… He thought we would not be willing to feed him because he is a 'ghost boy' and 'ghost boys' don't have rights."

A ghost boy. Who thought Red Hood -- Batman's son, who died and came back to life. Who rubbed his death in Batman's face every chance he got and called himself a zombie… who came back with a streak of hair as brilliantly white as Phantom's --

Batman hit his private communicator before he could stop and think. "Hood."

"This is not a good time, Old Man."

He had to say this right. He had to find the right words so Hood /listened/ instead of lashing out. Batman resisted the urge to take a deep breath. To swallow. To give any indication that this wasn't normal vigilante business. "Strong possibility that Phantom died and that is why he is being hunted."

He couldn't say more, he didn't dare say more. All he had was speculation, and if he said anything about his fears Jason would shut him out, but this was his /son/ and he had to…

"Understood," Hood growled, "watch your back."

Then the Zeta tubes wooshed and he was gone.

______

Next

Wonder Woman to the GIW, CC: Amanda Waller (paraphrased)

Oh no! Phantom escaped. How is this possible! (No seriously, how is this possible, you information hoarding assholes.) The Justice League will put all possible resources to finding him.

As soon as the GIW would hand over all their information, please-and-thankyou. It would help in ascertaining how Phantom was able to escape. And the GIW wouldn't want to /continue/ putting civilians at risk by denying the JL critical information to effectively re-capturing Phantom, would they? Since the JL are the only ones who've managed it so far.

The transport? So sorry, top secret. But it was programmed for Death Valley. The GIW should probably start their search there.

GIW internal memo (paraphrased)

We NEED that in person meeting to finally determine if the Batman really is a ghost. How can we justify only handing the info over in person? Someone come up with an idea YESTERDAY.

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[dcggersedge]

"Valentia, huh?" Never heard of it. One of the Emblems is probably from there, just based on how many people she's run into so far who either know or knew of or were one of the Emblems she knew. She should go back and ask them where they were from some time, so she didn't have to worry so much about knowing things as often. "Never heard of it! It's, what one big Kingdom? What continent is it from?"

Alm though, she repeats the name quietly to herself a few times in her head so she won't forget it. "Well...maybe that's just some lucky timing." Surprising that boats were still bringing people in what with everything being trashed, but supplies had to come from somewhere, she guessed.

"Oh, I'm sure you don't have to worry about lacking on things to take hoe. I haven't been here that long myself, but things just seem to kinda...happen. I'm sure you'll have your own adventures to tell people about once you get back there."

She just hoped they'd be good ones.

"Seriously, though, it's not really that much special involved." Well...for her, at least. It was just something you did. Anything to keep the other guy guessing in a fight was an advantage, and nobody with boring military training ever expected to try and hit someone doing flips and stuff on the battlefield.

"Just confidence, I get. If you hesitate, you're more likely to mess it up. You just gotta be confident and go for it, and trust that even if you mess up, you can get up and try again."

To emphasize her point, Yunaka does another cartwheel, this time with an extra little push that has her flying a little higher before she lands on her feet and bows with a giggle. Behind her, a few of the children shout excitedly.

take a break

Restoration

[thekatebridgerton]

Bridgerton siblings and their spouses ranked by intelligence. From the one who doesn’t have a single brain cell to the one with the most.

Well in one degree or another they're all dumbasses but on a scale of who has the braincell for the longest here we go.

1) Hyacinth: by far the smartest Bridgerton. I may not like her as a character in it's in his kiss. But her use of the one braincel is impeccable

2) Eloise: only ranks above Francesca because it took her less than a week to figure out she was inlove with Phillip. Compared to Francesca's track record. Eloise is a solid 8/10 smart

3) Francesca: smart enough to avoid scandal in London and keep her reputation spotless. She ranks under Hyacinth and Eloise because she took too long to figure out her feelings for Michael.

4) Daphne: she should rank higher, because the fake dating scheme was genius, but tricking a Simon into having a baby was a supremely stupid move.

5) Anthony: he's self aware enough to know he's an idiot at least and works to compensate this by marrying Kate . So compared to his brothers, Anthony is definitely the sharpest tool in the shed

6) Gregory: well intentioned fool, sharp enough to pick up social cues and underlying context in conversations. But an idiot when it comes to Hermione and Lucy actually make that women in general

7) Colin: rarely uses the braincell, he's happy being the foolish charming Bridgerton brother. Who didn't know his own feelings for 8 years. But he gets a point for being successful at figuring out his love interest secret identity and being the first to do so

8) Benedict : does not use the collective braincell at all. Biggest blind idiot of the family period. But we love him. (Still I'm pretty sure Sophie does all the logical thinking in his marriage )

As for the ranking of their spouses. Who are after all pretty smart to compensate we have of course

1) Sophie: honestly considering her circumstances. She wins as the smartest person in the room. If she hadn't met Benedict she'd still have found a way to escape Araminta and live a pretty neat life eventually

2) Penelope: why do I feel like I'm going in reverse order from the list above?. Penelope only ranks under Sophie because half of her problems could have been solved if she'd told her secret to Lady Danbury and let her pretend to be LW. Even the Cressida plot. In everything else she's pretty darn smart

3) Gareth: all things considered, Gareth is good plotting and if you notice unless Hyacinth interferes. He's pretty successful in his plans

4) Lucy: common sense thy name is Lucy. She's smarter than Kate was at that age. She's very Logical and her advice is always spot on. It's not her fault that people don't listen to her wisdom

5) Kate: only seems like a smart person. But in reality she's just as dumb as Anthony. People just don't notice because she's always hanging out with someone who looks less smart than her. Like her husband and her brother in laws

6) Simon: very smart fake dating idea terrible execution. He gets a point for all the maneuvering he did during the season and for having a moderately working common sense

7) Phillip: smart academically but only academically, he can manage an estate and make it profitable. Help cure children fever and probably has the best medical knowledge in the family. But in everything else he's a hot mess. Socially and emotionally Philip isn't smart he's just very very lucky that nobody has taken advantage of him yet. That's the headcanon

8) Michael: acts and looks smart but is actually a well meaning idiot. sorry Michael. But we don't shame him because at least he's better than Benedict in the one braincel department. I mean really he's not that stupid. He's just stupid in comparison to all his fellow in-laws Well meaning as he is. Also he ranks 8th because he's the only in law who ever hightailed out of the entire continent to escape his feelings. (Idiot.) Not the country, the continent!

And this has been the tea 🍵

[bryan360]

My YCCTEAM's Wireless Switch Pro Controller - Part 16/Final (Career Mode racing in Asphalt 9: Legends)

What's up guys? Welcome back to be at another YCCTEAM Controller topic review share, but guess what? This will be the final video post that I've been waiting for a long time or in case a year half and months since the beginning of revealing my controller back in 🎃October 3rd, 2020. Even though it needed takes time to make sure to correct in details such as doing comparison from my other controllers, testing its buttons, battery charging to battery life results, and pretty much else I've been gone through in months. However, there is one more topic review post that I'm bringing to an end as of my decision; especially when if I'll be doing other topic reviews to my new items soon.

For today's post though, I decided to merge two videos as originally gotten both recordings from last week I've been saving. It's something that I should've done from my past video postings while I'm in YCCTEAM Controller topic reviews, but nevertheless it was alright when I'm getting used to. Anyways, I'm back to try out my final testing as you expected while I'm at Asphalt 9: Legends again. This time I'll turn up the notch by doing real racing with other opponents in career mode and both of the control settings to use after from doing tutorial last month.

Here it is as I'm in track based on San Franciso; the same place I've already cleared its first challenge back in January 18th, 2020. Link Here

I also did the second challenge during part 3 of my Asphalt 9: Legend’s career progress to remember. Link Here #2

However for this topic review post to share, I wanted to go back its first challenge to race through like I did in last year, but showing off my YCCTEAM Controller again and using the same car of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution; as I previously used on few challenges or just one during my career progress from last year. I'm giving some upgrades along the way, but hoping I can show it during my contining Asphalt 9: Legend's progress soon. Let's get into it as It'll be the final topic review post for my controller.

During two of my recording videos being merged, I'm using my controller to show as I'm racing through San Francisco track against other racers like I previously did in January 2020....two times to be exact when I used both different control settings from manual to gyro like last time when I'm showing off during tutorial mode last month.

It's gonna be different to see which settings I can used for my career mode in progress; despite being obvious it had to be manual settings with pressing buttons for acceleration, brake, and nitro boost. I'm just making this as I'll go along when using both settings once again. I'll even bring the results after crossing the finish line for the races end and how much did I do in time. If I can remember my first one back in Janaury 2020 was 00:43.366 or 43 minutes and 366 seconds while during its first challenge I gotten. Here's my last year's screenshot in high quality to get a better look.

Just wondering how it can compared to my other two racing results during this recording. Well I'll tell ya this is gonna be interesting and hoping to my closest friends to see as well.

On first half until 1:22, I'm doing my first racing through San Franciso track in title "City Dash" where I needed to reach the goal from other opponents they'll trying to catch on me. I did good while using my YCCTEAM Controller in manual setting with the steering analog stick and some tricks like jumping on ramps. However, I was bumping into things while I'm trying to press the left button for brake and drifts, but other times was performing the 360 move at opponents for no strange reason that I'm trying to get knockdowns. ^^* (at least I did have one knockdown on first half, though) Anyways while continuing my race, I made it to a finish line at the end from doing turns, jumping into ramps like two times, and some bumping into walls that I'm trying my best to dodge those. So my racing time results was unexpected since January 2020 is the very first one I've gotten while I'm in manual. Instead, my new racing time results change to 00:44.647 or 44 minutes and 647 seconds while I'm in manual settings a second time as before. I was so close that it should've been much lesser than that if I could make some room in obstacle or something. Nevertheless, it was of really was while doing my YCCTEAM Controller post to share, but at least it was a good first half.

As for the second half though, I'm switched up to gyro control when using my controller to move left and right. During another racing track through San Francisco, I've gotten into somewhat good start as well when using my controller to move my car and the buttons for acceleration, brake/drift, etc while reaching the racing goal again. That being said however as I'm still working on some "errors" while having to race against opponents. Mostly though was while perform my ramp jump, I've almost getting crash into the wall just before landing on the road by luck. It happens at 02:14 to 02:18, but man that it was still lucky or otherwise would've been ruin if I'll start all over again. I tried to steer to get away from and some others that I've keep bump into to get knockdowns at opponents. Nevertheless, it was not bad second half to make while moving my controller in gyro settings; just wanted to work on its sensitivity of adjust along the way. How's my racing time results during it though was really unexpected is 00:43.334 or 43 minutes and 334 seconds to compared on others. (January. 18th, 2020's and September. 8th, 2021's in two recordings merged) Let's just say in other words, the gyro setting I did during second half takes the top spot here by surprise. Maybe because I putting nitro boost for its speed just to catch up at opponents before reaching the finish line? Or simply put on fate to see how do well in gyro settings I've been practicing; like last time when you've see me during my past topic review post while I'm in tutorial mode. Either way, it was pretty not bad to know how I managed to get there during second half recording I gotten; after checking the racing time results changes to 43 minutes and 334 seconds.

My thoughts and a final conclusion for this topic

Just like from last month when using my YCCTEAM Controller for tutorial test, I did really well for this one when I'm in career mode racing through San Francisco. After doing two settings both manual and gyro motion was another review test to see how which would I prefer to use when I can continuing on my career mode in progress and another for hoping there's normal race mode to unlock. I had missteps along the way; including the one during second half where I was almost crashed into the building's wall until I safely landed. Nevertheless, they're both alright when I'm taking my time off to see what racing results I have in both. Unexpected for gyro motion controls having to recognized that it compared from what I did in Janaury 18th, 2020 when clearing its first challenge at 43 minutes and 366 seconds. However for manual settings like I did before that was so close to match; as it underperformed at 44 minutes and 647 seconds. Thought I could handing well like last time if needed, but guessing I've miss calculating a little. So that's means gyro motion setting won? Doesn't matter though as they're both good tests while using my YCCTEAM Controller to show; just like last month when I'm cleared through tutorial mode. However, I'll be closing this topic review to an end after long time of giving details, comparison to other of my controllers, batteries, and more I gone through so far.

🐰🖌Maxwell: Yeah. We've been waiting for after year and the half when he did his best of reviewing this alternative controller to work on his Nintendo Switch system. If I could remember, there are good ones to choose from other past posts; like when he did on Super Smash Bros match with Mario against Banjo & Kazooie.

🐰👊💥May: There's more than that, Maxwell. Like doing his button test it works alright; especially knowing fits well then previously use his Joy-Cons when it had the R button stop working and of course drifting. Hoping it won't effect his YCCTEAM Controller anytime soon.

🦊⚽️Sam: You said it. At least rest assured when it comes to making his topic review, the YCCTEAM Controller had a good run with its battery life, the design to make as a similar Switch Pro Controller, and impressive feedback or response when playing those games in manual or gyro motion setting in Asphalt 9: Legends for example.

Thanks, Sam. I think I can give this a positive thumbs up 👍🏼 for how I using my YCCTEAM Controller to my Nintendo Switch system. Except some minor cons like when turning the rumble features on to my controller that it keep on rumbling through Super Mario Odyessy's cutscenes.

🐰🖌Maxwell: Or another one when you trying to turn on your Nintendo Switch system with your pro controller's home button, but doesn't work it right unlike your used Joy-Cons for some reason.

Yeah, that too. I'm fine to turn on my Switch system manually anyways, but would like that if the developers ever updated my controller so it can be easy to press the home button to activate my system just as easily. Someday, but not today I guess. Anyways, hope you guys and my closest friends to check out my lastest YCCTEAM Controller topic review to share and to my final conclusion after giving my thoughts about from year and half ago. I'm hoping to take it rest and continuing on other stuff like I'm promised to bring my own Super Mario 3D All-Star progress to share for example. I had too much things to get through that I nearly forgotten. Sorry if it happens. 😔

There's one more thing, though. If you finded interests about getting the YCCTEAM Controller like I have, then maybe you can check out at other online stores such as Amazon.com. it cost $25.99 or $26.00 in price which it can affordable if you called that in different way. I even check through search to see its there and it was still available as I link to this one. Link Here

Not sure if it'll work on other countries, but I would like to see when my P-Pal managed to get those in other online stores he could find, but just saying. 😅

Previous Posts for my YCCTEAM’s Pro Controller Topic:

Wireless Switch Pro Controller for Nintendo Switch/Switch Lite (Part 1) - Link Here #1

My YCCTEAM’s Wireless Switch Pro Controller for Nintendo Switch/Switch Lite Unboxing (Part 2) - Link Here #2

My YCCTEAM’s Wireless Switch Pro Controller for Nintendo Switch/Switch Lite Comparison with my Xbox One (Part 3) - Link Here #3

My YCCTEAM’s Wireless Switch Pro Controller for Nintendo Switch/Switch Lite Comparison with my Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons (Part 4) - Link Here #4

Testing Buttons (Part 5) - Link Here #5

Rumble Feature Testing (Part 6) - Link Here #6

Battery Charging Test (Part 7) - Link Here #7

Playtime Battery Life Results (Part 8) - Link Here #8

Gyro and Motion Controls 1st Half (Part 9) - Link Here #9

Gyro and Motion Controls 2nd Half (Part 9.5) - Link Here #10

Playtime through Super Mario 3D All-Stars game in Super Mario 64 #1 - Link Here #11

Playtime through Super Mario 3D All-Stars game in Super Mario 64 #2 - Link Here #12

Playtime through Super Smash Bros Ultimate #1 - Link Here #13

Playtime through Super Smash Bros Ultimate #2 - Link Here #14

Tutorial through Asphalt 9: Legends #1 - Link Here #15 Tutorial through Asphalt 9: Legends #2 - Link Here #16

[deberiaestarescribiendo]

Honor him. Younger Mercenary Oberyn Martell x f!reader fanfic. #Writer Wednesday 05/26/2021

Summary: You receive the worst news, Oberyn Martell died, your first lover and the first adventure you lived.

Once when you were younger you ran away from your house escaping an unhappy engagement and the promise of a dull life. But your family hired an elite force of mercenaries to find you not knowing that their leader is a Prince of Dorne.

Word count: 6,5k (ups sorry)

Warning: Blood, violence, Oberyn’s death is mentioned as canon in the book and show, Ophidiophobia(fear of snakes), unhappy arranged marriage, alcohol. +18 SMUT (it means no minors, pls) virgen f!reader, oral sex (f¡ receiving descriptive, male receiving mentioned) p in v sex (unprotected cos there’s no durex in Essos BUT USE PROTECTION IN REAL LIFE PEOPLE) grieving.

A/N: I'M SORRY I'M LATE this is for #Writer Wednesday, the challenge created by @autumnleaves1991-blog

I read the books a long time ago, yep, I’m one of those people that said “I’ll finish them when George publish them all” so I got ASOIAF wiki and run with it, so buckle up for some bad geography from Essos and inaccurate cultural stuff. I think this is the longest thing I’ve written and the smuttiest, so sorry if it’s cringy.

Honor him

“Apparently he won the combat but the wounds were too severe and he died”

You raise your eyes from the book. One of the young servants whispers to another collecting the dead leaves on the ground.

“What is it?”

They rise from the ground nervously expecting that you will scold them for gossiping

“We heard the news from the world. A bard was chanting them on the market, my lady” she approaches the fountain; you’re seated on the ceramic tile, feet inside the water, refreshing from the blazing sun in this part of Essos.

“And what did he say?”

“He said there was a trial in Kingslanding. For the death of king Joffrey, and it was his cousin...”

“His uncle, the imp” clarifies the other and the other girl rolls her eyes

“Yes, his uncle was on trial for his murder. And Prince Oberyn from Dorne was his champion”

“The imp asked for a trial by combat, you see, my lady” adds the other

“He battled the Mountain; he crushed the prince’s skull apparently”

“But! but! His blade had poison on it so the Mountain died too” says the other girl excitedly

“Oberyn died?” you mutter, your hands are limp and you don’t realize that you have drop your book until you hear the “blop” sound in the water and it splashed your tunic

Your mind travels to years past in an instant: A journey through the vast empty lands of this continent and how you loved for the first time.

The pages of your book are getting more and more transparent while the black trickles of ink disappear in the water. You wish to scream, to rip your clothes and your hair out of your scalp but you do nothing.

“Are you alright, my lady?” the girls look at each other when you don’t move or try to retrieve your book from the water.

You always thought the greatest pain he gave you was leaving you at your father’s door many years ago, but now he’s gone forever. You always thought, while looking from your window at night, that you will see him one day, coming back on his dark horse ready to steal you away again, but now that he’s dead that small hope, that tiny flame that you kept in your heart is gone.

Your childish hopes and dreams of reviving your first love are shattered. It’s true that your life has changed, you’re a grown woman now, wiser and experience but you still fantasize over him, seeing his face and his hands on your lovers.

“We should call physician” you heard them whisper, but so far away

“Where is he anyway?”

“At his clinic, you silly girl, run”

“You do not need to call him” you mutter “I’m fine. Excuse me”

Not caring for splashing water all over the house, you run to your chambers and collapse into your bed. Buried in the soft pillows, you cried, muffling your howls with them so nobody could hear. Late in the night the moon and stars shine bright casting bluish shadows in your room.

Your body is tired but restless and in the night shade a timid ray of white light illuminates that small scar in your forearm in the shape of a half-moon. And you kiss it, at least you will always have something of his carved in your skin.

Many years ago. Essos.

“You’re cheating, boy” the big man slams the table, the wooden pieces and the coins that all the players have laid at the center fall down. He points at you spitting from a mouth full of crooked black teeth “Show me your arms, boy, I know you’re lying”

“I’m just lucky, sir” you raise your blouse’s sleeves and your arms up innocently and somehow it makes him angrier

He insults you in whatever language he speaks and slams the table up, the players run and the loud tavern suddenly gets quite, waiting for the next movement. You’re an ant in front of that enormous giant, when he stands tall and walks menacingly towards you, you freeze, he doesn’t listen to you when you apologize, it doesn’t matter anyway, you just did to gain time and look for an exit but the room is too crowded.

“Here, boy, I’ve also many tricks under my sleeve” he has a dirty bag hanging from his belt and takes it and throws it at you. It lands at your feet and for a second you smirk not knowing what a bag could do to you, but then it moves and in a blur you see a green and yellow thing twisting until you feel it pressing and slithering over your body. The snake, a beautiful, shiny creature with vibrant colors faces you hissing and shows its fangs. Everything happens to fast. Out of instinct you protect your face with your arms and the animal understands this as a threat and it bites. The pain rings like a bell all over your body every nerve in your body aflame.

In a second, cold blood wets your face and you gasp when you see the snake’s head slide to the side separated from its body with a clean cut.

“I’m sorry for the demise of your little friend” A tall lean man stands beside the giant. You can’t see his face, since he’s covered with black turban and his body is in full armor. One of his arms still holds a curved sword that has snake blood on it; the other has a dagger pointed to your enemy’s neck.

“That viper was worth more than you or your little friend and you will pay for it”

“I doubt it. You know my little friend here” and he points his sword to you “it’s worth a lot and if I don’t tend to her wound rapidly she will die and that’s a shame. So, decide now, do you want to be a setback or do you want to keep living your stinky life longer?”

By brute force, the giant decides his fate and tries to disarm the man who in a swift movement cuts his throat and his blood and destiny joints that of his pet.

“You’ve been quite difficult to find, child” he opens the fabric covering his face. His eyes are dark, dark beard covers his defined jaw line and an amused smirk graces his handsome face. “Let me see that arm” he lowers his weapons, shamelessly cleaning his dagger on the back of the dead tall man and walks to you until your back is pressed against one of the tavern columns. Sheathing his sword, his hand takes yours and raises your arm, evaluating the wound and he hums deeply “Oh, sweet child”

“Am I going to die?” you cry

“Probably”

“If it’s my father who commands you to find me, I beg you to let me die; I do not wish to go back. Death is better than that dreadful place” you shake your head determined but terrified at the same time. He looks at you with his brow troubled

“Death is never better than anything” and he drags your arm to his face. His dark gaze fix on you while he sucks on the wound so hard that for a moment you think he’s drinking your life away. But then he lets you go and spits to the ground “Let’s hope that’s enough. You will come with me so I can give you the antidote”

“I told you, I have no desire to return to my home”

“It’s a pity, then, that I don’t care about that” he grins.

He gave you so many small jars to drink. Some tasted sweet some bitter and some other made you want to vomit and not drink or eat ever again. But you’re alive. A few hours passed, and then a day, then two, and you’re irrevocably getting back home.

You’ve learnt that your father, in an attempt to find you, has commissioned this elite group of mercenaries to retrieve you; and he’s the leader. It’s a small company but that doesn’t make them any less dangerous. All of them seemed to have many different skills, weapons hidden at every corner of their body, they speak languages you don’t know and you ride your horse tied to it watching each one of them with a suspicious look. After two days riding with them you have decided that there’s no way you could escape now. There’s always one of them standing guard and just a small glare your way gets every thought of escaping out of your head. So, even if it’s dramatic, you decided that your best option is to die. A few days in the desert without water and food and your father will receive a corpse.

“Drink, little girl, you’re withering like a flower” the leader, the man that saved you, says handing you the waterskin

“No, thank you” you turn your head, seated under the shadow of a very thin and dry bush. The orange and violet light announces the immanent sunset where you have stopped for the day.

“You’ve been refusing water all day. You have to drink” he says and pushes the waterskin to your face once more.

“No, thank you” you repeat and he sighs. Thinking you’ve won as he throws the waterskin by his side, you smile subtly until he’s close, crouched down, knees over the sand, looking at you.

“Maybe being a spoiled little flower works for your father, but not to me. Drink or I will make you” He takes your chin and raises it to meet his eyes

“I’m not thirsty” you say, your lips are already dry and they hurt, your tongue is thick inside your mouth and your body screams for just one drop.

“Don’t challenge me, child” he lowers his voice and you gulp

“I’m not a child” you protest, he keeps calling you that and honestly you don’t think he’s much older that you

“Then why do you behave like one? Drink, for the last time” His mouth is a fine line now and his grip on your chin is a little bit firmer

When you don’t answer he opens the waterskin and tucking on your lower lip he pours a small trickle of water in your mouth. The liquid taste sweet, your body works on it own and you open your mouth to drink more with desperation.

“So you weren’t thirsty...stubborn girl” he smirks and you want to slap his smug and beautiful face

He stops pouring water and laughs when you rise up drinking the last drops before he puts the cap on it.

“Look at you, not a withering flower anymore” the mercenary brushes his knuckles over you cheek and you feel them burn “What else do you want?” his thumb caress your chin gathering the small drops of water on your skin and spreads it over your lower lip.

You feel your bones burning, a tension in your lower belly that you haven’t feel many times and that makes you ask for something you don’t even know, so you just answer a timid yes and let him guide you to the fire and the rest of the company.

One of the mercenary is skinning some rabbits, methodically pulling the skin off with blood hands and a deathly gaze fix on you “So she decided to join us” she says

“Oberyn can be really persuasive” another, a big bald man with a beard tinted in blue, adds

So his name is Oberyn, where have you heard that name before?

“Remember that her father is paying for the whole of her, untouched he said” a lean blonde woman, with her face full of black and blue tattoos, is lounged over the bags sharpening her knives

“Well, I hope he doesn’t see her arm, that viper left her with a beautiful scar” Oberyn sits down and helps the mercenary skinning the animals and impales them and puts them to roast on the fire

“I’m not talking about that kind of viper...” she says and the company laughs

“I’m right here” they stop laughing looking at you as if you have done something they deem impossible

“So she speaks” the bearded man says

“She does but it may take some convincing” Oberyn smiles at you over the flames that illuminate his striking and sharp features “If you wish to eat, sweet flower, why don’t tell us how did you escape? We love a good story while we camp”

“Your father was convinced some ragged boy had stole you from your palace” adds the blonde woman

You smile, feeling some kind of pride for your plan, that, looking at it from perspective, did not grant you what you wanted but at least you had a good run. You tell them about how you disguised as a ragged boy lurking a few nights prior your escape so that the servants suspected about somebody being guilty of your disappearing. And how you ran away the night of your betrothal and made it look as if somebody had kidnapped you.

“I ran out of money in Lys so I had to beg, or steal, or gamble for a few coins. And then you found me” you finish your tale, sucking on your fingers, the meat is the best you ever tasted but yet again it must be the hunger from this days refusing to eat or drink.

“I’m almost tempted to let you go, young one, you seem a very resourceful girl” the beard man that you now know as Uhlan smiles at you proudly

“Think about the money” the blonde woman, Rikan, chew on a bone and toss it to the fire

“I’m always thinking about it, why do you think I’m a sellsword?” he jests

“Because you were a street rat with a broad back as broad as your stupidity and it’s the only thing you can do” Rikan spits and Uhlan laughs, a deep and low chuckle that resonates as a thunder.

“She’s a little princess, she couldn’t have survived much longer” the other woman, Shifa adds, the rest of the company has changed the way they look at you, but her. She still squints at you

“There’re princes that have survived worse” Uhlan counters and suddenly there’s a heavy and uncomfortable silence over them. You look at all of them trying to understand and you see Oberyn looking at his feet until he claps his hands together “Let’s get some sleep, we have a long way ahead”

It’s surprising what food, water and company can achieve. You’re smiling more, you almost forget that you will be delivered to your father and future husband within days, Uhlan tells you about his many adventures, how he almost die in Yiti, how he rode once with a Khalassar and that he had seen the great shadow in the East. Rikan has gifted you a knife “a girl needs to defend herself” she said and proceed to show you how to kill a man in many different ways “If you want to kill your husband though, you must ask Oberyn, he’s the one that knows about poisons and how to kill somebody without raising suspicions”

“How does he know that?” you ask, leaning to the right so you get close to her horse, Oberyn rides beside Shifa before you; both of them speaking in a language you don’t understand

“He has studied many things; he’s been all over the world. He was almost a Maester once, but preferred to travel, fight and fuck the world before he gets back to his duties”

“Duties?”

“He’s a prince” she whispers a mischievous smile on her lips “he doesn’t want to talk about it, because it makes people treat him differently or underestimate him. So don’t tell him it was me, blame the big rat”

“Did somebody call me?” Uhlan screams at the back

“You do have a sharp ear when you want, my friend”

You arrive to Myr at dusk. The city is still vibrating, the merchants offering everything you could imagine and the streets smell like thousands spices. And you absorb it all with wide eyes and open mouth.

“It’s a beautiful world, my sweet flower, and you wanted to end your life” Oberyn raises his voice over the people chatting and selling stuff

“If only it could always be like this” you answer, your smile dies in your mouth remembering this is a passing thing. The adventure will be over soon.

“Life gives us many opportunities to dwell in its pleasures; you have only to acquire a keen eye to recognize the perfect moment to seize it”

“Are you implying that I will have another chance to escape?” you scoff

“Maybe...if that is what you want or maybe to enjoy your life as a married woman, who knows”

You sigh deeply trying to ignore the thoughts about your future husband, that drunken bastard, boring and dull that your father chose.

“Or you could run away and avoid your responsibilities; you can create your own destiny, my sweet flower”

“And that’s what you are doing? Avoiding your duties?” you stop in your tracks and he watches you for a moment, chewing on his lower lip

“Maybe” he answers finally

“I’m tired of being treated as if I was overreacting being a spoiled child while you are here doing exactly what I did, ran away, from the duties of a noble life. I’m not overreacting; all I want is to decide if I want to live my life bearing children for my fool husband and maybe die giving birth or out of boredom and disappointment or try my luck in the wild world. Isn’t that what you are doing? Travel, fight and fuck the world? What’s the difference between me and you?” The people surround you, the company has already enter the tavern in front of you knowing they shouldn’t meddle

“Travel, fight and fuck the world seem a pretty good title for a book. Maybe when I’m old I will write my adventures under that title” he laughs

“I’m glad I amuse you” you spat with your arms crossed

“I apologize if I made you feel that I was underestimating you. Do not confuse my laughter with mockery, I know how you feel and I understand.” He comes close to you, each hand on your arms, pressing them lightly “Believe me, I wouldn’t have accepted this job if your father didn’t pay so well. I have to get back home and I want to leave my company with enough resources so they can continue on their own” he explains, he bends his neck so you are so close you can smell his scent, leather, horse and the dessert. “But that doesn’t mean we cannot enjoy ourselves while it lasts” Oberyn smiles and passes his arm over your shoulders “Have you tasted the wine from Myr?” you shake your head “It’s the sweetest”

The wine is starting to play with your mind, your smile falls languidly over the corner of your lips and you don’t know why you’re laughing but whatever song Uhlan is singing is the funniest thing you’ve heard. Rikan laughs by your side, her laugh is actually sweet and high making her look less menacing. Shifa is the only one that doesn’t look amused at all and he drinks from her goblet eyeing the tavern, especially you, with hatred.

“C’mon, Shifa, we know you can smile” Uhlan grabs her in a bear hug but she squeezes herself out of it

“Let me alone, you brute”

“You haven’t talked much since we retrieve the little girl over here, tell us what’s going on in that little twisted mind of yours?” the man jokes and the other mercenary glares at him

“I’m going to my chamber” She drinks the rest of her drink and strides to the rooms, pushing the drunken people in her way

“Leave her, Uhlan! She’s just jealous that her prince is not directing his attentions only to her lately” Rikan says winking at you

Oberyn has been absent having a conversation in another table until he comes back with a serious expression

“I’m partially offended that you think our company it’s not worth your time” Uhlan says sliding to give him enough space to seat by his side

“Huh, so I guess Shifa is not the only one jealous” Rikan drinks looking at him over her goblet

“Shut up!”

“Where is she?” Oberyn asks

“She went to her chamber” Uhlan serves him wine “So what was about those ugly bastards that got your attention; I thought you had a very refined taste”

“Those are Westerosi men; I wanted to get news of the world. Some of us still appreciate the pursuit of knowledge, my friend” Oberyn taps on his big shoulder

“I appreciate the pursuit of a good fuck better, my friend. Let’s see if those Westerosi want to share some news with me, Rikan are you coming? I’m always lucky with you around”

“I don’t like Westerosi” she snarls

“I don’t care, I just need you to be there so they take a good look at your ugly face and they get convinced that fucking with me is the good option of the two of us” he jokes with one of those thunder like chuckles

Rikan laughs and she follows him, waddling towards the men’s table.

“I should go to my room” you say, rising too fast and the whole room twists and turns

“You liked the wine, I see” he observes you grab the wooden table for your dear life until you find your balance

“Too sweet, I haven’t noticed it until it was too late”

“Let me guide you then”

Oberyn grabs you by your waist and helps you climb the stairs to the second floor. People gather around the aisle, laughter and moans fill the air and the heat of Oberyn skin over yours and the boldness giving by the alcohol make you pressed your body against his a little tighter than its necessary.

“This is you” he says opening the door for you

“Is it true what you said about creating our own destiny?” you collapse on his firm chest, your hands brushing over his neck

“Yes, sweet flower”

“Sweet flower” you mimic his accent “Say it one more time” your glossy lips, sticky with wine, leave a kiss on the tan uncover skin of his chest. His laugh makes you raise your head

“You need to sleep, child”

“No, no!” you slap his hand away when he tries to push you inside the room “Don’t call me that, I’m not a child. I’m a woman” you try to fix your posture to seem taller but you body stumbles to one side almost falling down

“What you are is a very inebriated girl. Good night, my sweet flower” he says closing the door

“Are you going to Shifa’s room?” the words escape your lips before you can think and he lingers on the door with an eyebrow raised

“Why do you ask that?”

“I don’t want you to go to her” again the words are out before you process them

“And what do you want me to do?” Oberyn closes the door behind him. And you breathe deeply a mixture of excitement and fear.

“Stay with me” you mutter

“Believe me I would, but you don’t know what you are asking. It is the wine speaking”

“No it’s not” you pout again falling into his arms, hearing how you sound like a spoiled little girl, you cough “It’s not” you repeat

“Right, let me take you to bed then”

You gasp looking at him with wide eyes. Oberyn hugs your body and walks towards the simple bed at the corner until you both fall down on the soft mattress

“Oberyn” you whisper “I have to tell you something before we...”

“Tell me, sweet flower” He lays beside you, posing his head over his fist

“I’m...I’ve never...” you stutter

“No need to worry” with his free hand he starts to brush his index finger from your brow to the tip of your nose so slowly and softly that you feel your eyes closing down

“Are you trying to make me sleep as if I was a puppy?” you slur

“Shh” he continues until the room goes dark and you cannot open your eyes for much that you try

“Sweet dreams, sweet flower” you hear before you blank out.

The sun pierces your eyes as if its rays were daggers. The company laughs at your expense, but yet again, Shifa hisses and insults you in some language but it’s evident that she said something nasty because Oberyn glares at her.

“No more Myr wine for you, little girl” Uhlan laughs helping you get on your horse

“Never” you murmur

The pain in the back of your head and the unstoppable thirst you have makes you moody, and it doesn’t help that you know you’re one day away from your home. But everything is worse with the hard sting of jealousy. It’s not that Oberyn does much, but he rides along side her, speaking in that stupid language you don’t understand, and she makes him laugh, he watches with attention whatever she points at during the way. He looks at her, talks to her. All you want is to rush your stupid horse and take her place.

It gets worse when Shifa sees you observing them; knowing damn well what you feel, she becomes softer, leaving touches on his skin, whispers things on his ear. And you can see the intimacy, the camaraderie that they share and that you will never have. And she’s a woman not a little girl, fierce, independent, and strong; and you cannot stop comparing yourself to her.

You arrive to a small town in between the domains of the two free cities, just hours away from the gates of Pentos.

“We will spent the night here, we need to be presentable for tomorrow”

The town has a small and humble bath house. The simple exterior made of red brick doesn’t show the beauty it has in its interior. The garden inside is made of brick and ceramic creating beautiful arches that frame the pool in the middle; green vines crept over the walls and the tender murmur of water is the only sound you can hear.

“We have rooms to accommodate you for the night once you’re done with your baths” the lady, owner of the house, announces and snaps her fingers towards the servants so they get everything ready.

“Thank you” Oberyn says bowing his head “Wash away the dust of our journey, my friends. Specially you, Uhlan” he jokes, slapping the big man’s belly

“You’re as stinky as me, my prince, but the Gods didn’t give me a beautiful face”

The company strips shamelessly, you think that they’re so comfortable around each other that they don’t think twice before submerge their naked bodies in the fresh water.

You stay by the side, taking off your shoes and rolling your sleeves so you can wash your feet and face. You avert your eyes when you see that Oberyn’s armor is on the floor. Your eyes fixed on the water and the blue tiles at the bottom, but you cannot stop from raising your eyes just a little.

His magnificent, strong, and tight body, his beautiful golden skin is marked in scars in some parts, you see the muscles on his legs tensing and relaxing as he gets in the pool. Your eyes travel through the room to avoid seeing him in his full grace.

“C’mon child, you don’t want to be stinky when you meet your father” Rikan splash water at you

“I-I”

“Let her be, she’s scare of my big cock” Uhlan laughs

“That thing that you can barely get up? C’mon, child, it is harmless” The blonde mercenary swims towards you and grabs your hand to pull you in

“Rikan, leave her, let’s finish and we will leave her some privacy” Oberyn says under the small waterfall brushing his skin with a small piece of soap

“Your husband’s eyes will be the only ones that will see you naked” Shifa says and she swims towards Oberyn. Her body is toned and muscular. She joints him under the water stream and when she tries to touch him, he moves away.

You don’t want to smile, but you do, until you remember that he refused you the other night and tonight is the last night you’ll spend with them. Shifa will have him for whatever time she wants.

Eventually they leave the pool, putting on some fresh clothes and rubbing some scent oils on their skins and they look different, less mercenary and more like elite warriors with a thousand adventures to tell. You will miss them; they are the only friends you have ever had.

“Thank you” you say stopping their banter over who’s going to take which room, they look at you confused “Thank you for rescuing me” you say with a trembling voice

“It’s nothing, child” Uhlan says and you see his big eyes shine

“We will give you some privacy” Rikan nods

When they are away you take off those stinky clothes you’ve been wearing since you escape. You moan feeling the water soften your muscle and you enjoy the strong cascade of water hitting your back until your bones feel like liquid inside your skin.

“I never expected you to thank us for getting you to your father” his voice gets you out of the trance, and you don’t open your eyes when you hear the soft sound of clothes hitting the ground and the splash of water when he gets inside the pool again.

“I didn’t thank you for that, but for rescuing me” you answer still your eyes closed under the waterfall “And saving my life” you pass your hand over the now healed wound, a moon shape scar where he suck the venom out of you.

Oberyn fingers grab your wrist, raising your arm towards his lips and planting kisses alongside your veins until he arrives to the thicker skin of the scar, sucking again on it.

“Do you still believe that it was better to let you die from the snake’s bite than to be back home?” he whispers against your skin, his beard tickling you over your pulse

“I still can run away” you open one eye. Oberyn looks amused at you

“Will you?” he asks saving the distance between you

“I don’t know. Will you come get me if I do?” You approach him, intertwining your hands on his neck

“The world is big and beautiful; it will be a shame that a sweet flower like you rots in a place like this all her life” he turns his head and leaves a kiss on each of your arms

“So that’s a no” you laugh but the pain in your heart is real

“I have to leave Essos soon, I guess the time for adventures is up” he exhales deeply

“Just the last one then” you’re surprised of your boldness when you rise on your tiptoes to kiss his lips

It is soft at first. Just tasting him, tempting him to show you more, and he does. Oberyn opens his mouth and sucks on your lower lip and when your mouth is open he savors you with his tongue. He holds your face on his large palms guiding you softly until the kiss deepens and your hands leave his neck roaming through his back and he reciprocates. His hand caresses every inch from your neck to your arms. You moan in protest when he breaks the kiss but then his kisses move to your neck nibbling your skin. He pampers every part of you with his attention, soft kisses and bites over the top of you breast.You cry out laughing when he grabs you and rise by the waist so he can access your tits. You circle his waist with your legs and you hold yourself on his shoulders.

Any good sense in you, any coherent thought gets lost one his mouth sucks on your nipples and you kiss his head trying to control your panting. The sounds that come out of you seem so far away, his low grunts and moans over your breast melt you and you feel the heat gathering between your legs.

“My sweet flower, you have the sweetest tits” he moans and he lowers you so he can kiss you one more time. You run your fingers over his dark hair, his impossibly close to you but you need more. You need him like those drops of water he poured in you the first time. The hunger, the jealousy and desire you felt these past days have reached its peak and you think your heart will collapse. You repeat his name on his lips like a plea.

Oberyn carries you to the side of the pool, and you feel your cheeks burning, your body in goose flesh feeling exposed and at his mercy now that the water is not covering you. He takes his time admiring you, his brow eyes eating every pore of your skin. Kissing your legs he parts them grabbing you by the hips he positions you just at the edge of the pool. He palms your breasts one more time, gracing each nipple with a small pinch that makes you moan loudly. You get flustered, gaining a bit of your conscience back

“No need to be shy, my love, let go. I wish to hear every sweet moan, drink every drop of this sweet cunt” he plants a kiss on your navel, before lowering his face. His first lick between your lips makes you marvel of the unknown sensation. His eyes are fixed on you while he licks faster and sucks between your small lips, when you tense, every single fiber of your body burning, he changes his rhythm, lapping languidly all your sex and back again, fast and slow, and never too much. Until you’re gasping for air and pushing him away

“Please, it’s too much”

“Let me show you, trust me” his wet mouth bites you inner thigh before he starts again. This time you reach the point of no return faster. A wide abyss before you where you skin burns and you heart beat faster until you fall, crying his name. And he holds you, planting kisses all over you body, every part he can reach. The gasps lead to laughter

“What happe...how?” you ask

“I have many things to show you my sweet flower” he smiles

Oberyn lets you in his room. The warm night breeze moves the white curtains and the moonshine casts its rays so you can see him get on top of you with the warmest of smiles.

“Do you still want this, my flower?” he asks

You grab him by the neck and let your lips answer for you. Lowering your touch you push his back so he presses his body against you even tighter.

“Please, please” you beg on his ear

He reaches between your bodies and brushes the tip of his cock on your lips coating it in your arousal, before pushing gently. You gasp at the intrusion; it’s not pain what you feel but definitively a bit uncomfortable at first

“Let me in, my sweet, relax for me” Oberyn bends his neck to kiss and bite your tits. The pleasure turns your body into a withering mess until you’re full of him.

He moves lazily at first letting you grow used to his length and width while he observes your face

“Is it alright my love?”

“I need more” you murmur

“More?” He rises, pressing the weight of his body on his knees and opens you wider grabbing the soft skin on your hips “Like this?” he thrusts deep and fast with each word and you nod biting your lip. His pace is unforgiving, and you cannot think, all you can feel is him, and his sweet words and praises combined with the slaps of wet skin and the creaks of this old bed. Your fingers scratch softly on his chest trying to hold into something when you feel that abyss again, but this time you let it go and it hits you harder. Oberyn collapses over you letting your cunt squeeze him even tighter, slowly dragging himself in and out until he sense his release coming and he pushes harder once, twice until he spills his warm seed.

You kiss his brow, wet from exhaustion and the pool, in a way the cage he’s forming with his body pressed against the mattress is the freest you have ever felt.

The dawn wakes you up, many years later, a harrowing pain in your chest remembering how he kissed you a thousand times, how you slept caged in his arms for a few hours and then woke up with his face between your thighs

“Does it hurt?” he asked and you flinched, feeling the swollen and sensitive skin “I will kiss it better” he said. And you made love again, he moved you in the bed showing how to touch your body and how to touch him, how to pleasure him with your mouth as he did to you. Until the sun invaded the room and crashed your safe space between the shadows. You could no longer hide from your destiny, it was time to go.

He left you, a small and decent kiss on your hand and bid you farewell wishing you a happy life.

You remember running, not paying attention to your father’s complaints and your mother’s cries while you soon-to-be husband drank wine unbothered by the whole thing. You ran to the balcony watching his dark horse taking him out of the city.

He never looked back, and with his parting figure you promised you will live your life happy even if you have to run for it. That you will live adventures on your own until life gives you the last drop of its joy and pleasure. In a way you promised to honor him without knowing one day it will come true.

So you woke up, older, wiser, in your own house, after many adventures lived, and after a sleepless night mourning him, you grab paper and ink and write:

“Travel, fight and fuck the world: the Adventures of an Unusual Lady”

[vicdeangxo]

Vic chuckled at the blonde's words, feeling soft to finally be able to reconnect with her after so long. "You're really fucking fantastic for my ego, I hope you know that. I adore you," Vic laughed with an amused shake of her head, her friend's sweet compliments drawing her attention away from her appearance and tiredness. Her insane schedule usually meant they were at least one continent away from one another but luckily their friendship could weather all the storms. "I don't know what I did to deserve you but fuck, I'm a lucky gal. Give it to me in person, so I can snuggle you." When the blonde spilled the beans about being pregnant, Victoria gasped audibly before letting out a loud screech. God, the people in the rooms around her were going to hate her. "Oh my god. What? With who? Fuck, I'm so happy for you, babes. You've always wanted to be a mom so bad." Vic had listened to the other woman express her desires for love and family and there was really no one who deserved it more. "When are you due? Do you know what you're having yet?" / @mollymaehague

Molly let out a laugh as Vic pointed out her appearance. The friend shook her head and protested, "You still look like the hottest rockstar I've ever seen. If you got hit by a bus then you must be Regina George because you're still stunning." While the two women were seemingly polar opposites, they had formed a close friendship over the years. Victoria has become one of her very best friends, someone she loved and trusted. That was big for Molly, as she kept her circle small. "Sending you all the luxury skin products as an early Christmas present," She promised. "Not that you even need it but who doesn't love some self care?" At the musicians words, Molly couldn't help but grin as she prepared to tell her the news she knows her friend wouldn't be expected. "Well, for one... You're not only the hottest rockstar ever, you're going to be the hottest aunt ever... I'm pregnant." The blonde smiled wide. "On purpose," She added with a laugh. Sure, Vic had been on the road for awhile but she would know if Molly was seeing anyone. The little bit she added was needed for context. She'd explain further but wanted to take in her reaction first. @vicdeangxo

[armatization-a]

( @typhchosen )

It was exhausting, not quite knowing where you were or why these random thugs (were they thugs?) were attacking you for things you're pretty sure you didn't do. At least, that's how Robin saw it, but luckily, she managed well enough to defend herself, swiping a blade off of one of the unconscious bandits, turning swiftly to aim it at the shadows where she swore another had been lingering. "Look, can we please just talk? I honestly don't know where I am or why you keep claiming I'm scouting the area. I don't even know where this is!" Would that be enough? // Robin @ Yuri (was trying to figure out how this one would work. lol)

[ unprompted ; always accepting ]

Yuri was no fool. Everyone in Fódlan - even outside of the continent - knew where they were, and where they were near. While Garreg Mach had been abandoned in the war, Abyss was not, crawling under the rubble like insects. As always, Yuri would give his life to protect his people - and his people would give their own to protect their own.

That was lucky, because this girl wasn't giving up.

Yuri stepped out of the shadows, hand on his sword. "Nice try. Do you think you're the first thief with an innocent face?" He stepped closer. He raised his voice an octave, into something more soft. "Please sir, I don't know where I am. Take me back to your base. I promise I won't rob you blind." He scoffed bitterly, snapping back to his normal voice. "Do you think any of us are that stupid?"