#at normal store prices even if they’re on sale

[abuzd]

i know people hate temu and i hate that i use it but i Know how to scam the scammer with these apps and i’ve gotten so much free items and credit and only buy what i Need. i accumulated everything i need (temu said was $420 worth of items but like let’s be real, they’re probably worth $200 all up) and i still only paid $19 for EverYtHing. as someone who usually can barely afford the very basics of living like rent and food, being able to cheat an evil app to get things i normally can’t afford for a price i CAN afford is why i still have it downloaded. i know it’s stupid but for once i feel like my unemployed disabled ass can actually contribute to fun things without giving up paying for something like my fucking meds.

[voskhodart]

Hey, do you want to learn how to play VHS tapes in the year 202X?

I know this is my art blog, but it has come to my attention that some of you are too young to have experienced the joys of the Video Home System in its prime. Come hither so I can teach you and we can embrace the beauty of physical media together. If you have a thrift store and a TV, this process should work for you.

Step 1: Get a VCR ($4-$15)

DO NOT BUY EXPENSIVE VCR/COMBO SETS FROM THE INTERNET!

The ones you find on sites like eBay and Etsy are insanely overpriced and might not even work. Instead, find a Goodwill, Savers, or independent thrift store near you and go to the electronics section. There’s a good chance they’ll have at least one VCR. If they don’t, try a different shop. You can also check local online marketplaces, yard sales, etc.

Good things to look for:

4 (or more) Heads — Heads are the things that actually read the tape. The more heads you have, the better your picture is going to be.

Auto Tracking — Poor tracking can create a rolling picture, which is a pain to fix. An auto tracking VCR does that work for you.

Pre-2000 — After 2000, electronics started being mass produced with plastic casings and cheap parts. VCRs made after this time are a whole lot easier to break. Ideally, you want something from the late 80s to mid 90s.

Well-known brands — Sony, Toshiba, etc. Japanese manufacturers tend to have the best quality. Early Emersons are nice too.

Generally good condition — If there’s a bullet hole in the case, it’s probably best to pass on. A bit of dust isn’t an issue, but major damage isn’t a good sign. If you can, plug the machine into a power outlet in the store and see if it even turns on.

Head cleaning indicator — Not something you *need*, but I find it nice to have. You’ll want to use a head cleaning tape when the indicator starts flashing.

This is the one I’ll be using for the sake of this guide. This is an old Emerson that I picked up from Goodwill for $7.95. (Notice the five price tags they slapped on top.)

Step 2: Get Some Tapes (¢10-$1)

This is the fun part. Almost every thrift store will have some VHS tapes, usually near the books/DVDs/records. I’ve seen them as expensive as a dollar, but some stores will just give them away for free. I suggest buying a few movies you like, plus one or two shitty tapes to test out your VCR with.

You may also find 20 different copies of Titanic in every store. This is a normal occurance.

Remember to check the condition of any tape you plan on putting in your machine. If the spool looks moldy, you *can* try to clean it, but you’ll need another VCR to do so. If the tape looks wrinkled or otherwise damaged, you can still probably play it, but it will look and sound a lot rougher than you should expect. If the casing is damaged, I wouldn’t risk trying to put it in your VCR at all.

Remember: VHS tapes stopped being produced commercially in 2006. Most tapes you find aren’t going to be in the best shape, because they’re all a few decades old. (Sometimes, though, you will come across a tape with an excellent picture, good sound quality, and subtitles! The Mummy tape that I own is near perfect.)

Step 3: Connecting the VCR to Your TV

For this step, you’re going to want a coaxial cable and a set of RCA cables (the red, yellow, and white ones). If your TV doesn’t have an RCA input, you’ll also need an RCA-to-HDMI converter. If your TV also doesn’t have an HDMI input for whatever reason, you’re shit out of luck.

You’ll plug these cables into the “out” or “out to tv” connection on your VCR, then plug the other end into the back of your TV.

Note: Not all VCRs have right audio (the red one)! That’s fine. Just leave it hanging free. The left audio (white) is your mono audio, so you’ll just have that instead.

Lastly, put the channel switch on the back of your VCR on 3 or 4. I keep mine on 3. This is the number for the channel you’ll go to on your TV to actually see what the VCR is playing.

Step 4: Setting up the TV

I use a little Roku TV, which is surprisingly steady to set up for VCR input:

Settings ➡️ TV Inputs ➡️ Live TV

From here, you’ll either be prompted to scan for channels OR you’ll have to select “scan for antenna channels”. It will ask you if you want to have channels 3 and 4, to which you’ll say “yeah, I do want channels 3 and 4” and click the button that lets you have channels 3 and 4. If you don’t have an antenna, you can skip the other prompts.

I haven’t done this on any other type of TV, but the process should be pretty similar: get yourself to channels 3 and 4 through whatever means necessary.

Once you’re there, it should look like this. Sad, blank, and lonely. But not for long.

Step 5: Playing Your Tapes

This is where things can go really really well or really really wrong. If everything is hooked up, you can grab your shitty tape and insert it into the VCR.

(Make sure there isn’t anything else in there first, though. Some people don’t remove their precious Titanic copies before donating these things.)

You’ll want a tape that’s fairly clean, with no casing damage, and already rewound (black tape in the left window). To insert the tape into a front-loading VCR, slowly and firmly slide it into the slot. Once it’s most of the way in, the machine should “grab” it and pull it all the way inside. You’ll hear the machine make some noises.

(If those noises are really crunchy, that’s probably not a good thing. Troubleshoot with your favorite search engine or head over to r/VHS to see if anyone can help you.)

Once your machine is only making some clunky whirring sounds, it should be safe to press the play button. Enjoy watching your favorite films in the least pleasant format possible. Don’t forget to rewind em when you’re done.

If you have issues, the freaks over at r/VHS tend to be really helpful, but you can also find decade-old YouTube videos that might answer your questions too.

[oftlunarialmoon]

Royally Cute/Kawaii Room Decorating! – Royals Lesson!

Originally posted to www.onlyfunthings.org on November 07, 2018

Ciao lovelies! Today’s lesson falls more on the kawaii side of things, as well as potentially on the LARP side of things (if you consider decorating your space in a royally cute way to be LARPing as a Royal, that is). Today we’re talking about Royal Room Decorating, I’ll be sharing some of my tips on how to get a super kawaii and fun-to-live-in space, as well as some decluttering tips, sharing some of my fave DIY’s, and even spotlighting some YouTube Videos about this topic. So let’s jump in!

Step One to Royal Room Decorating is starting with a clean space. Making sure that you have a fresh clean slate is very important. 

Some tips to decluttering your space are:

-          Know what you do and don’t use, and get rid of what you don’t. If you’re like me and hoard craft supplies, make sure that your supplies are actually useful items that you will put to use soon, or discard them (or give them away to another crafter). 

-          Go through your clothes, anything you don’t wear anymore, donate to charity.

-          Clean out any trash from your space.

-          Everything should have a designated place, even if that place is a miscellaneous bin. 

Step two is deciding on your generalized décor theme. You don’t have to confine yourself to one narrow theme, but picking a general idea can help keep your décor cohesive. I am guilty of having non-cohesive décor, unfortunately, but my general theme is “Kawaii”. So, I try to display items in a cute fashion, have cute décor items, and decorate things accordingly. (Though some of my décor is a little out of the theme, but these “different” pieces are not in the majority.)

Step three is, naturally, decorating! Finding décor pieces to match your theme might be easy, or might be hard, depending on your tastes and interests. For today, I’m going to be focusing on a generalized “Cute/Elegant/Kawaii” theme. (We also have a Luxury Room Decorating On A Budget Post HERE!)

So, if one wants to decorate their space in a “kawaii” fashion, finding décor to match might be hard.  While yes, if you have the funds you can buy from shops like Blippo or buy cute anime figures or other kawaii décor at conventions, but if you want to decorate cutely on a budget, there are many options for you!

How to Decorate Cutely on a Budget!

1.       Thrift Shopping! One of the best ways to get cute décor for your space is thrift shopping! Even if you don’t find anything inherently cute, you can always get creative and add a DIY touch to items you find! And you never know, you might find something super kawaii at a thrift store. Check out THIS POST for some Thrifting Tips!

2.       DIY! Another great way to get cute décor for your space is to make it yourself or transform existing items into cute items! Yumi King has a great Playlist for Kawaii Room Décor DIY’s. We have even done some DIY posts on Room Décor, check out THIS Royals Lesson on how to transform items into cute room décor, and we also have a post on how to make some Kawaii Paintings (CLICK ME!). 

3.       Dollar Stores! You can find some cute stuff at the Dollar Store too! I found all this super cute stuff for decorating at the dollar store (each item was only $1):

. I also found this cute serving tray which is metal, and I use it to display lip balms on my dresser at Uni:

4.       Double-Use Items! What does this mean? Well take for example my desk’s décor:

I use my squishies as both décor and stress relief! You can also use items like cute clothes/bags/accessories for décor, like hanging cute necklaces on jewelry organizers on your dresser and such, or displaying cute bags on a shelf. 

5.       Sales! Take advantage of Sales, but make sure items are actually on sale (sometimes stores mark up items shortly before a sale and then mark them down to look like a sale, but they’re actually normal price.). Sales like post-holiday sales are great. For example, Halloween just ended and you can still find discount Halloween stuff, if that’s your thing. And I’m thinking, after Valentines Day, you could find tons of cute pastel items on sale!

Thank you for reading! I hope these tips on how to decorate cute on a budget helped you! 

Remember to Stay Awesome and Love Yourself!

[redstoneofaja]

i have to tell you guys about the experience i had at one of our local comic shops today.

i decide to pay them a visit as they’re having a month-long sale: 33% off any back issues under $10 and 20% off back issues above that. you all must understand that this is not normally my first choice as we have several great comic shops in my moderately-sized midwestern US town, thank god. they constantly get new stock but somehow also have literally everything they’ve ever ordered from their distributors from the past twenty-five years. where do they put everything? i have no idea. they moved locations this year but as a child i went into their storage room at the old store once and it literally looked like the matte painting at the end of raiders of the lost ark.

i go to the back issue boxes and see they’ve replaced the normal long boxes with ones that function like drawers but are still made out of cardboard. like an idiot, i say, “wow that seems more convenient!” not realizing or noticing that they’re long boxes and therefore weigh between fifty and sixty pounds according to google dot com. (citation needed)

now i’ll be the first to admit i’m not a particularly strong person as i have an aversion to physical activity like any self-respecting nerd, but i am a couple of inches shy of 6’ and i have meat on my bones. and i tell you the sheer amount of strength it took to pull that long box out even four inches from its cardboard mausoleum was enough to make a grown man cry. i tugged at that fucking box with every ounce of strength in my body until i revealed MAYBE fifteen issues. the amount of friction happening between pieces of cardboard made it stick like glue.

obviously i decided i had had enough immediately. i couldn’t comprehend what i was experiencing. i tried pulling open the box beside it and couldn’t even get it to budge. literal herculean effort. let me emphasize my earlier remark about their decades-old stock and point out that none of the prices have changed so most of the books in these boxes are probably dollar bin books OR LESS to anyone with a brain but are not priced accordingly.

i did not buy anything

[wezleii]

so I’ve been looking at your custom action figure posts and I think they’re amazing! I’ve recently started doing the same for MCU characters I can’t find or are too expensive but was using action figures from my Star Wars collection I generally don’t want anymore. which leads to my question of where do you normally get the figures you use to custom from? I’ve tried looking on eBay with little success. anyways, your work is inspiring. Keep it up. 👍🏽

Thanks for the kind words! It makes me happy when people say my work is inspiring, so thank you.

It's no wonder you have trouble finding figures on eBay. That site is good for some specific things you may want to look for, but I'd avoid it if you're going for the cheaper side since it's riddled with price gougers.

Starting with online sources, the two best sites for low prices are Walmart.com and Amazon. They frequently run sales on action figures in order to cycle older stock, so generally the products that are left are either items that didn't sell well initially or overstock items. As a result, most of the prices for action figures range anywhere from $9-$12 and even lower in some cases. The best way to keep track of when sales happen is to follow a toy news and deal social media account. I'll list some of the best and most reliable ones below.

Now the best retail stores for deals are going to be Walmart, Target, and Game Stop. All three stores are seemingly in a constant state of wanting to cycle out product, so you have a good chance to find good figures of any variety in their clearance sections respectively, however prices may vary depending on the store. Game Stop is a especially good location though since they frequently run deals on clearance items like buy one get one, and if you have an account with them you could potentially get items even cheaper than the reduced price.

Lastly I'd recommend any local Comic Shop or privately owned toy store for potential deals. It's common for collectors to sell access figures they may have or even whole collections to those type of businesses. Most modern Comic Shops have sections with used figures of all verities that are typically listed for a lower second hand rate. This, of course, depends on the store.

I hope you find this information helpful, and I hope I'll get a chance to see some of the things you'll make :)

[rianafying]

i’m sitting on the 51st floor of my friend’s apartment building, it’s a lounge area that looks over melbourne cbd and it is gorgeous, but the lights in this room are blinding. i’ve had a really long day and i’ll probably have an even longer one tomorrow but i don’t wanna leave this building. i feel safe here. i don’t wanna go back home. home is representative of my source of anxiety. home is messy and dirty. home is where the tasks await me. and i just can’t. so with my 48% battery on my phone, i will stay here for as long as i can. it’s already 10:31 pm. but it’s okay my house is a 5 minute walk away. i feel incredibly lonely tonight, like i’ve been craving some sort of romance. and ( very embarrassing ) physical touch. especially when i see or hear about other people in love, it makes me feel so alone. but this is not the time for me to date anyone. and i don’t really like the people i know. i have a therapy session booked for day after tomorrow, basically the day after this assignment is due. so hopefully my brain will be a little clearer by then.

i feel really sleepy and tired even though i overslept the last two days. it’s just that time of the month. pms and psoriasis. causing fatigue. i chopped off a lot of my hair today. didn’t really think it through but it’s fine. idrc. same when i dyed it black. i just do things and it doesn’t matter. it’s just hair.

my friend is really lucky she gets to live in this building. it’s quite a lot more expensive than my apartment. the one i live in is already too expensive for me but somehow i’m managing.

i sat super still for an hour so the motion detector wouldn’t catch me and the lights dimmed down and i stayed by the window for 2 more hours. i really didn’t wanna come back home but i was hungry so i did.

i had one of those chicken curry pies from woolies, i only bought them because they were on sale but damn they are so good, but normally they’re priced at 8$ for 2 pies which is out of my budget :((. but it’s okay i can make my own and freeze them.

2.75+4 + ingredients i already have i can make like a whole bunch of curry chicken pies. but it might not be as good as the store bought ones cause my little toaster that i use as a makeshift oven kind of sucks.

im still hungry, the little pie did not fill me up enough, which makes sense because i only had two tiny pieces of sushi in the last 30 hours. i’m craving another pie but i don’t have any. also something about having food with mayo makes me feel gross and oily. like it’s all over my face. i can’t stand it anymore. i’m so tired. i know ill be getting my periods soon because i have been getting cramps all day.

i finally found the time to open the bag of stuff my uncle dropped off because they’re moving and they no longer need em. there’s a whole bunch of sauces and spices in there. i wonder if my cousin bought these cause these are good ingredients. i’m kinda hungry but there’s nothing to cook at home. there’s pasta but it’s not gonna be substantial enough. i’ve been wanting to buy some parmesan for the longest time but it’s so expensive, and i go through it pretty fast because it’s too good not to. i also kind of like goat cheese, not really in pasta more with like fruit on toast. there’s a thing of frozen shrimp in my fridge afaik, but it’s stuck solid in with the ice layer in my fridge and i wrestled with it but i couldn’t get it out. i’ll just dump it out when i clean my fridge and let everything thaw. it will be okay. it was old anyway.

i’m just so hungry. but i’m just too lazy to make anything or get creative, or eat something i cooked. i wish there was like a sandwich or something i could eat rn. well there’s rice, surumi, wasabi, soy sauce, sriracha, mayo, chilli oil, carrots, and nori. but i just wish i had some cucumber. i’ll go buy some tomorrow along w some cooked shrimp. maybe the frozen cutlets. i kind of miss them.

[jonginnation]

I saw you saying SM did something bad. What did they do this time?

SM didn’t make enough copies of Exist album so some people’s orders are getting canceled. So far seems to be ktown4u orders but I don’t know about other stores (I’ve observed that they seem to be orders made closer to the release date, on or after it… but idk for sure). At first it was shipment delay supposedly because of delay in getting the preorder benefit photo cards to the different stores. I got an email from ktown4u about the delayed release date.

SM capped the number of albums they produced based on their own faulty baseless projection and because frankly they don’t give a shit. This part of a response from SM Global Shop support team especially made me angry because when have exo albums ever been overstocked??? Fans fighting for their lives trying to get a copy without paying exorbitant prices. They had this same bs with Obsession where eventually a bunch of album orders were canceled. This also happened with Kai’s debut solo album.

Plus it’s our US fanbase that worked their asses to get US stores to offer Exist album as an imported CD and after all that effort to get the albums closer to fans who want them, SM is not even making enough copies 😤. And they are more than capable of handling that level of production since they have higher preorders for another sm group.

Some are speculating that SM caps the number of exo albums it produces because there are still exo members with contracts that have an “album sales” clause requiring them to meet a certain number of sales to complete their contract.

The delay in shipment and the cancelations of preorders seem to be affecting the first week of sales numbers. The SMini is supposed to be released today KST and if it isn’t about 600k units then Exist albums first week of sales numbers will somehow be lower than than the preorder numbers! Like how does that make any sense when people already paid for those albums prior to the release date???? I’m not a numbers or chart obsessed fan, but I think fans should get what they paid for and this kind of gross mismanagement is unacceptable yet they’re treating it like it is normal.

…anyway I’m ranting now. I’m just so angry at this shitshow. It’s 2023 and a mofo can’t even buy a freaking album????

Ok… I’ll really stop ranting now.

[awkwarddystopianwarlord]

Loving Local Luxuries

I’m pretty sure that I’ve mentioned how much I enjoy winter markets. But I don’t know if I’ve talked about how much I just love local markets in general. I went to an indigenous artist market with my friends last Saturday and it was just swell! We purchased some stickers, pins, and small art prints. However, the absolute cherry on top were these four masterpieces that we looked at over and over again trying to contemplate which ones to get. They’re these beautiful works of art that me and one friend bought in pairs because we just couldn’t separate them. The silliest thing about this purchase we kept gushing over is that we’re saving them for our future shared house. The house that we have no idea when we’ll even be able to live in, but when we do, our walls are going to look glorious. 

I get so hyped over these things. Whether it’s the artist alley at Fan Expo or a seasonal market, or the multitude of tents at Pride that display goods of all kinds. I feel so warm and fuzzy inside when I support local or small businesses and it’s something I find hard to do in normal everyday life. I feel like I can’t justify paying the higher price for my wants and needs when I could get it all cheaper at large chain stores. And it sucks, it feels icky, but I’m also poor. That said, when there’s a specific event, I can mental gymnastics my way into justifying buying from local folk then. Because this isn’t an everyday thing. I’m not doing this all the time. I have to wait for one of these things to happen and that typically means that I wait months in between. 

It’s so fun to window shop and look at stuff and sometimes buy that stuff. I love to decorate my house with purchases from people who don’t seem like they exploit their staff. I wish I could do this more often, but I’m glad to do it when I can. Back when I lived on the Coast, I went to a farmer’s market with my mum every week for awhile. We also used to go to garage sales every weekend too. And it’s always fascinated me how people can be so crafty and what people decide to sacrifice from their inventory. I need to pick up so many artsy hobbies sometime because I envy these folks so much. I so admire those who can make a wee living from things they make with their own hands. I wish we as a race would calm down with the big business and corporations and shit. How lovely it would be if we could support our economy and way of life on a more personal level. I want to know that my clothes were made by people who are paid living wages and treated well. I want to know that the food I eat comes from the farm six streets down. I want us to focus on quality and artistry over monopolizing the world and building rubbish. 

I keep telling myself that one day I’ll be able to afford to live and have some coin to spare. And I keep in mind all these places that I’ll get my goods from and all these people I want to support. I like to picture my nonexistent cabin decked out in the art I bought from various markets. My closets filled with sustainably made clothing. My kitchen stocked with local produce. I’ve deluded myself that if I can get to that point of stability, then I can single handedly save the world from its fast coming demise. I know in reality I’m just taking a bunch of baby steps rather than the lengthy strides I imagine, but each little step is at least a step to begin with. If getting laundry strips and raising plants and buying from quality businesses and recycling brings me happiness and does a bit of good, then huzzah.

[sopolicegardener]

12 Steps to Finding the Perfect 009 vip

Photo dealers, like cameras, come in a staggering variety of sizes, types, and quality grades. Whether they’re found in small, local camera stores, big department-store chains, discount houses, or mail-order companies, they all have one thing in commonthey’d like to make a sale.

At the elite end of the dealer spectrum are salespeople who know what they’re talking about, honestly want to help you get the best equipment for your purpose, take time explaining features and options, and have competitive prices. At the other end are quick-buck artists who are simply out to make the most profit in the least amount of time and could hardly care less about your long-term satisfaction or repeat business. Many dealers, especially those with the lowest prices, fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

What constitutes an ideal dealer? It really depends on you. If you’re generally in the market for new equipment and know exactly what you want before walking into the store, your most important criteria may be low prices, reliability and liberal return policies. If you expect your dealer to take time providing information and guidance, it may be well worth spending a few bucks extra to go to a full-service dealer.

Whatever type of dealer you choose, when you find a good, honest one who steers you right, stick with hima photo enthusiast can have no better ally. And if you do encounter one of the dishonest, discourteous bad apples, run for the nearest exit or hang up the phone. The following tips should help you to figure out which dealers are which.

1. Do your homework. Dealing with salespeople is a lot easier if you know what equipment you want and have a good idea of what it should cost. To narrow down your selection, mull over your photographic needs and wants, then read test reports, news reports, brochures, and ads on equipment that interests you. To check prices, look them up in newspaper or other print ads or scan the mail-order ads in this publication. Once you cull your choices, examine the products in person.

2. Ask questions. The quickest way to find out whether a dealer knows what he’s talking about and is honest is to ask a lot of questions. A good dealer will know the features of the equipment he’s selling and be will to explain differences between competing brands. His opinions will be presented in a reasonable manner. Beware of dealers who disparage major brands with strong language or try to foist off little-known brands. Be suspicious of dealers who are loath to sell you what you want, refuse to honor their advertised prices, or charge extra for normally included items like lens caps and battery covers.

3. Stand your ground. Once you’ve come to an informed decision on buying a particular piece of equipment, stick with it. Don’t let yourself be switched to something else because the item you want isn’t in stock or you can get a “great deal.” And don’t settle for the salesman’s demonstratoryou want a fresh camera in a box.

4. Keep your cool. If a dealer says something outrageous, has an obvious hidden agenda, is impolite, ignores you, or takes you for a fool, don’t get mad or waste your time arguing with him. Just depart gracefully. Don’t go back. And warn all your friends about his business. If you’re actually cheated, report it to the Better Business Bureau and 009BET local or state consumer-protection agencies.

5. Check the record. Before you make a large purchase from a store unknown to you or in a strange city call the local Better Business Bureau, consumer-protection agency, or the consumer advocate of the local newspaper. Even good stores may have a few complaints on file, but if you find that a store has records of excessive problems, steer clear of it.

6. Expect the expected. Don’t expect the harried clerk at a discount store to debate the fine points of four different point-and-shoots in the midst of the lunch-hour crunch. Don’t exprect the mail-order phone salesperson to be a technical whiz who knows exactly which autofocus system does what. In short, be reasonable. Don’t pay more than you have to, but don’t expect the local camera store that lets you browse to meet the low discount price to the penny.

7. Be fair. Don’t spend 45 minutes picking a dealer’s brain and then buy the camera down the street for $10 less. If his price is way out of line, tell him so and give him a chance to make the sale. Not only will this assuage your conscience, it will encourage good dealers to stay that way.

[saxhealthcare]

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[edatheeowl]

get to know edalyn clawthorne :

Despite her wild spirit, life was fairly normal for Eda growing up. Or well, not really considering she comes from a family of witches - but to her that was what normal meant. 

Her parents made sure to instill in Eda and her older sister that their magic must always remain a secret and while Lilith took that order to heart, Eda was far more open about her own. 

Until the day she was cursed in the middle of the night. The curse enforced a limit on her magic, turning her into a giant owl like beast whenever she used too much of it. Even despite her Owl Curse as she called it, Eda refused to give in so easily and continued to use her magic willy-nilly despite the occasional consequences. 

Eventually she grew tired of the constant rules and regulations being placed upon her by her family and authorities around her - so she dropped out of college and moved away from home. Finding an abandoned old house in the woods, Eda made a home for herself and even found a housemate to live with her in the form of a squatter named King.

For a long time, Eda worked at Diamond in the Rough as a simple cashier before somehow being promoted to manager. It was her dream job, really, the owner was as chill as could be and she got to spend her whole day surrounded by other people’s junk. She was a natural born saleswoman when it came to this kind of thing - so it shouldn’t have been a surprise when the owner decided to retire and hand the place over to Eda. 

With her newfound ownership, Eda found herself able to do anything she wanted. Gone were the days of set hours she had to work and she was free to start a side business for her magic, using one of the back rooms to cast spells for a price. 

It was on one of the days she was helping a customer with a simple spell that a new girl named Luz stumbled into Eda’s life. Seeing a familiar spark in the kid, she agreed to take her under her wing. Ever since then Eda’s life has never known peace - which is exactly how she likes it.

She can cast spells, most often strongest with the use of her owl staff. Each use of magic builds on top of each other and when she uses too much she begins to shift into an owl like beast.

To this day she still doesn’t know who casted the curse on her - something that haunts her in her dreams from time to time. It’s the same nightmare every time: a blurry shadow opening the door and standing there as Eda screams for answers. But she never gets any.

Hasn’t properly spoken to her sister in nearly a decade. Sure they still see each other from time to time, but it almost always results in a fight (be it verbal or magical if they’re somewhere private). Little does Eda know, Lilith has been tasked with dragging her into the coven their family has been a part of for years. It isn’t going well, partially because Eda keeps besting her every time they meet.

Her house - the Owl House as she calls it - might seem to be littered with junk to anyone else but she loves the clutter of it all. Everything she has is a treasure of some kind in her eyes - a potential new sale at the pawn store or something she can scam off as being of important value online. 

Used to be extremely close with her sister until Lilith joined the coven and everything changed. Now she barely considers her to be family. No - she found her real family and it has nothing to do with blood. All she needs is King and Luz as far as she’s concerned. 

Is known for having been in numerous relationships ever since she was younger. At this point one might almost be able to say she dated nearly everyone on the island in an appropriate age range. Very rarely do things last for long, nor are they ever really that great. Sure most of the relationships start off with a spark but for Eda they’re quick to fizzle out - sometimes leaving her in a rough breakup or tricky situation depending on how she handles ending things.

Her staff has a small owl carved on the top of it, a figure which she has lovingly named Owlbert.

Always carries a little flask around with her though rather than being filled with any type of alcohol it contains her elixir - the one thing that helps her control the curse whenever she uses too much magic and begins to shape into the owl-like beast.

Favorite colors are red and orange.

[asiantraderbiz]

Ringing in 2023: Brace new year with new launches, better customer insights

Convenience stores have been a mainstay of our streets for years. As many shoppers relied on their local corner shops or stores for their groceries, last two years’ ups and downs have brought a renewed sense of support and camaraderie for local shops and businesses. Now that we’re back into the normal swing, it becomes even more crucial for the local businesses to maintain their customer base and keep them enticed.

Jennie Inch, Brand Manager- Highland Spring Group, wants independent store owners to ensure they’ve got a competitive offering and holding onto their newly-acquired as well as old customer base.

“Developing a solid offering, incorporating tried and tested products that we know consumers love, along with new and exciting products, is key,” Inch said.

Mondelēz International’s mission for 2023 and beyond is to deliver the right snack for the right moment made in the right way.

“We want to help retailers make the most of the growing snacking opportunity and be a supportive, sustainable supplier to the convenience channel,” Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Mondelēz International, told Asian Trader.

With ongoing cost-of-living crisis, prices and budgeting will rule the shoppers’ minds in 2023.Brits are expected to contemplate and research before making buying decisions.

Kevin Fawell, Off-Trade Sales Director at Molson Coors Beverage Company, too resonates that cost pressures will have a significant impact on buying habits, but consumers aren’t necessarily looking for ‘cheaper’ brands.

“People expect quality when they are enjoying occasions, whether that is from a mainstream choice or something more premium,” Fawell says, adding that Carling and Coors continue to be shoppers’ chosen ones while those looking for something more premium are likely to turn to popular World Beer options like Staropramen.

Sandra Brunet, Marketing Director, Campari Group UK, too forecasts that inflation will affect buying decisions.

“We are seeing consumer confidence falling at an accelerated rate, with the rising cost of living the number one concern for 46 per cent of Brits. In the year ahead, these trends are likely to deepen, meaning the Off Trade must be ready to support evolving consumer priorities and shopping habits,” she says.

Trends to expect

Retailers should keep their fingers on the pulse to ensure they’re offering customers what they’re looking for and matching their stock to what’s performing well.

And talking about trends, big nights-in are expected to get bigger in 2023.

As more people look to save money by enjoying a drink at home, independent stores can be the perfect place for hosts to stock up ahead of an event, or for guests to grab something on their way to someone else’s house, says Fawell.

Brands Carling and Coors are popular big night-in options. Many consumers are willing to pay extra for quality choices when they’re drinking at home, so retailers’ ranges should also include options like Aspall Cyder, Staropramen and Cobra.

Premiumisation has been a constant trend when it comes to alcohol. This trend underlines the opportunity for independents by presenting a high-end range of alcohol options for consumers. Well-known and well-loved premium products such as Aperol are ideal, allowing retailers to suggest customers premiumise their Prosecco experience and tap into the at-home cocktails trend, without needing to invest in more costly spirits, Brunet says.

Gravitation towards premium drinks is here to stay despite the tightening purse strings.

Sunny Mirpuri, Director for Wholesale & Convenience at Budweiser Brewing Group, believes that customers will continue to spend on premium and super premium beer options especially during key, celebratory moments, such as major sporting events.

Another trend expected to continue in 2023 is food and beer going hand in hand in purchasing decisions.

“One out of two beers are now consumed with food, and mealtimes account for 38 per cent signaling that food and beer pairings are a great way for independents to continue to maximise sales,” he says.

Retailers should stock beers alongside complimentary food items, like, Corona next to limes and Budweiser beside crisps and snacks, to offer a smooth, hassle-free shopping experience. A positive shopping journey will not only boost spend but will also increase the chances shoppers will come back again.

Rise of no-and-low alcohol beer category is also expected to accelerate in 2023. C-stores must not ignore the growing customer base who are looking to moderate their intake whilst still enjoying the great taste of beer.

One in 10 beer drinkers now regularly opt for an alcohol-free alternative, a figure which has grown by 16 per cent year-on-year,” Mirpuri tells Asian Trader, warning that retailers who do not stock no-and-low alternatives are missing out on an increasingly important market segment.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) is another industry leader that is forecasting the trend of big nights-in throughout 2023. Soft drinks will continue to play a big part here so it is important to focus on key soft drink segments, says Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP).

The biggest soft drinks brands in GB continue to drive growth in grocery and convenience, led by Coca-Coca Zero Sugar and Fanta. Mixers like Schweppes and adult soft drinks like Appletiser also have a role to play, providing a sparkling alternative to alcohol during mealtime or party occasions, Burgess says.

Healthier choices have been a priority for consumers for some time, Burgess points out, adding that as a result of reformulation, 86 per cent all CCEP soft drink brand ranges are non-HFSS, including Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Monster Ultra and Costa Coffee RTD.

As such, retailers should look to broaden their offers to include varied options as energy drinks and RTD coffee in particular are becoming more popular as consumers look for drinks to provide a pick me up.

Sustainability is now a key consideration for consumers and CCEP is a torchbearer here too. In partnership with Coca-Cola GB, CCEP is the first major soft drinks provider in GB to introduce attached caps to 1.5L and 500ml plastic bottle that stay connected to the bottle after it’s opened, which will help improve recycling rates.

Consumers indeed have become increasingly aware of their environmental footprints. Highland Spring understands the importance of education within sustainability and recycling, Inch told Asian Trader.

Highland Spring’s flavoured sparkling cans are made with aluminum, and are readily recyclable to be back on the shelf within 60 days. Each and every Highland Spring product has recycling messaging printed on-pack, and retailers should ensure they take note to further encourage customers to dispose of responsibly.

In the world of confectionery, on-trend and relevant new flavourswill be a key growth driver, attracting incremental younger adult consumers. Whether it’s salted or caramelised white, caramel is the number one best-selling chocolate flavour with salted caramel being a top five NPD flavour in chocolate.

Earlier this year, Mondelez brought the delicious caramel taste to Cadbury Twirl which has been met with great excitement by consumers.Cadbury Caramilk was a smash-hit with shoppers when it launched last year. It now has been expanded to offer shoppers the beautifully crafted golden caramel chocolate in Buttons format – perfect for sharing occasions with friends and family.

There is also an increasing consumer appetite for plant-based alternatives. Last year, Mondelēz International launched Cadbury Plant Bar- a new plant-based alternative to the nation’s favourite chocolate bar after intensive research of over two years at Mondelēz International’s Research and Development centre in Bournville.

In sugar confectionery, Maynards Bassetts’ Fizzy Fish and new Sour Patch Kids Watermelon have been certified vegan by the Vegan Society, allowing retailers to cater to this growing consumer appetite and offer their shoppers even more choices.

Consumers are now returning to on-the-go day routines, with those out and about using public transport once a week or more. Retailers can cater to the firm return of the on-the-go occasion with quick and convenient snacks from Mondelēz International, such as Cadbury Brunch Bars, belVita Soft Bakes, Philadelphia Handi Snacks, Dairylea Filled Crackers, and Cadbury Twirl and Wispa single bars.

Following the pandemic, seven in 10 adults said that they wanted to make healthier choices. Mondelez’s new delicious new non-HFSS range can cater well to this demand.

New Launches

Studying these trends with a keen eye, food and drink makers keep innovating and coming up with new products.

Following the success of Ribena Sparkling, Ribena has launched new Ribena Sparkling Zero Sugar featuring the refreshing taste of a carbonated soft drink in iconic blackcurrant flavouravailable in 500ml and 2L bottles. Ribena Sparkling Zero Sugar also has a new refreshed look with the updated fresh and modern pack design making it an exciting, new must-stock product for retailers.

“The updated fresh and modern pack design across the whole range, including Ribena Sparkling Zero Sugar, will help the drinks to stand out on shelf to encourage trial and drive additional purchases,” Matt Gouldsmith, Channel Director, Wholesale, Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, tells Asian Trader.

Ribena Sparkling range is also exempt from HFSS restrictions – just like Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I’s other favourite soft drink brands.

This year, Highland Spring will be focused on its plain sparkling water with a wellness campaign, which saw the collaboration of Highland Spring, Love is My Protest and Katie Smith Illustrations to create the ‘Uplift Your Everyday’ Journal.

In February this year, Budweiser will launch super-premium lager, Stella Artois Unfiltered. The unfiltered lager category, highly popular across Europe, is currently an untapped segment in the UK market and brings a differentiated, flavourful addition to the world lager category.

Seeing the rising popularity of world beer, Molson Coor recently launched European-style lager MadríExcepcional that has a crisp, refreshing taste and distinctive branding.

Continental-style drinks such as Staropramen are becoming increasingly popular too, providing a more crisp and hoppy flavour than the styles we traditionally drink in the UK, says Fawell, adding that Staropramen’s malty taste profile provides a point of difference that really appeals to consumers.

Mondelez recently launched limited-edition Toblerone Golden which has the iconic crunchy nougat of a classic Toblerone in the delicious golden caramel chocolate, a perfect option for seasonal gift, helping retailers to drive premium sales and trade-up with a remarkable and distinctive limited-edition offer.

Ring in the new

Stocking enough will be inconsequential if a store does not attract and intrigue customers. When it comes to impulse purchase, display and merchandising is the key.

Soft drinks are a popular part of ‘meal deal’ offers, so placing them alongside complimentary categories like snacks or sandwiches can help to ensure linked purchases, Burgess from CCEP tells Asian Trader.

Highlighting the recyclability of products with in-store displays and on social media can help retailers to emphasise the contribution they’re making to the green future of their communities, Burgess says.

Fawell from Molson Coors too believe in placing apt food around beverages to inspire ideas and drive sales.

“Cobra – with its distinctive character and smoothness that is perfect alongside a curry –can be used as part of a meal deal for the perfect at-home curry night, alongside traditional sundries like poppadoms, onion bhajis and samosas,” he says.

Premium options like MadríExcepcional, Staropramen and Aspall Cyder also lend themselves to food pairings. Madrí Exceptional crisp andStaropramen’sflavour profile make it perfect for enjoying alongside meat dishes, while Aspall is a perfect accompaniment to lighter dishes such as fish and salads.

Multipack formats have been a key focus over the last year and will continue to do so next year as well.

“Chilled small multipacks – ranging from four-packs to ten-packs of cans or bottles – account for 72.8 per cent of impulse lager sales, with ten-packs in particular seeing the strongest growth in the last year as more people enjoyed more at-home occasions,” says Fawell.

To tap into this growing demand, Molson Coor has recently launched a Doom Bar ‘fridge pack’ containing 10x440ml cans, and a 6x330ml can multipack for Staropramen range to help retailers drive sales. Both packs are encased in a recyclable cardboard sleeve, making them entirely plastic free, he says.

Brunet from Campari Group advises retailers to prepare ahead for a busier period and look at ways to inspire shoppers in store as prices rise and more Brits switch from on-trade to off-trade.

Retailers should also look to stock products that are versatile enough to meet the needs of different at-home occasions. Like, Aperol is a sophisticated aperitivo that is the ideal accompaniment to any meal but is also perfectly suited as a shareable serve for a larger group gathering.

Retailers should also encourage their customers to participate in the popular trend of cocktails at-home.

“With this trend remaining strong as we go into 2023, retailers should look to champion the brands at the heart of easy-to-create cocktails such as Wray & Nephew in the Wray Rum Punch and Aperol in the Aperol Spritz,” says Brunet, adding that a simple cocktail and a great shareable serve is the Wray Rum Punch.

When positioned alongside pineapple and pomegranate juices, retailers can encourage shoppers to add Wray & Nephew to their basket to try a fruity and delicious rum punch cocktail.

To keep independent retailers one step ahead in 2023, industry leaders have gone digital.

Suntory Beverage & Food has recently launched Simply Soft Drinks, a digital portal that retailers can use to plan their range carefully. Additionally, there’s a section which has tailored advice around the latest industry updates as well as info about legislative changes.

This year Budweiser also launched B2B e-commerce platform BEES that provides customers with seamless order experience, communication and better business performance. The platform accelerates the digital journey for retailers, allowing business owners to browse for products, place orders, earn rewards, arrange deliveries, manage invoices, and access business insights all in one place.

Suntoryand Budweiser will be joined by Mars Wrigley which is also introducing a valuable online tool designed specifically for independent retailers in the form of Availability into Action website.

“The Availability into Action website is an educational tool that offers a great opportunity for us to share insight and advice with our independent retail partners so they can achieve the best results possible,” Dale Cuthbert, Head of Impulse Category at Mars Wrigley, told Asian Trader.

The site also offers tips for retailers on how to create best-in-class displays for gums, a product whose sale largely depend on its visibility and point of purchase displays.

New Hope

While it seems all dark and hazy with prices and bills rising exponentially, the crisis comes with a silver lining for the local stores as more and more Britons are expected to opt to stay, eat and drink at home.

With 38 per cent of consumers already becoming more observant of pricing and sticking to an allocated budget, retailers should look to offer products at a wide range of price points, says Brunet from Campari Group.

To win in 2023, offering a ‘cocktails at-home’ bundle should be a prime consideration. A bundle would hit a set price point to encourage consumers to focus on this increasingly popular activity, whilst championing best-selling line, Brunet says.

What we’ve seen during previous times of economic uncertainty and is expected to be seen again is the “lipstick effect”, whereby consumers continue to spend money on smaller indulgences while cutting down on bigger expenditures.

Spending a little more on a premium drink could be one of the small indulgences that people are willing to treat themselves with, says Fawell, who is expecting more premium beer and cider lines like Aspall Cyder, Staropramen and MadríExcepcional to remain popular choices.

As Brits get ready to face 2023, it is time for store owners to buckle up, take a stock of what’s new and what’s needed so that shoppers keep coming back.

As we start a fresh calendar, it is time to make convenience channel rise and shine. Take a leap of faith and let’s begin this wondrous 2023.

[mood2you]

I know everyone has thought of this but “black friday used to be the day to get out of the red if stores are moving it to november 1st weekend the economy is really scary” it’s gonna take alllll of novemebr to get into the black. on our backs. “get $30 kohl’s cash from buying a vacuum” that sounds normal that’s not a deal. if the vacuum cost 150$ or more it’s not a deal, period. it’s 200$, so as usual it’s a rip off. you would have gotten the $40 kohl’s cash 5 years ago. i hate sales now days “9 for 10″ that’s not even a deal it was 1 for 1 last YEAR. old people must just close their eyes. hand pies used to be 50 cents now they’re $1.59 like they’re actually worth that. hand pies aren’t even food. AND they have less filling now. 6 donuts for 9 dollars go out of business, kroger. we still use the pricing of coupons (coupons mind you) from when i first started in 2016, meaning if you used the coupon in 2016 you were getting hugely ripped off comparitively and now you’re getting an insane deal, insane. huge. like i wish the coupon was a way cheaper price in 2016 if your just not gonna change it. but then if you change it I will notice.

[through-the-untempered-schism]

Dear Taylor

Dear Taylor:

I'm so sorry that you had to watch a lot of us suffer trying (and mostly failing) to get tickets, unable to do anything to stop it and make it better. Truly. But 2.4 million FANS did not get tickets. You're a smart, talented business woman who loves us, and we wouldn't be selling such a high volume of tickets on the secondary market ALREADY at such a huge mark-up. If you don't know yet, I'm sure you'll know soon, TM works with scalpers, goes to their conferences, and works real hard to get them tickets because that's how TM makes money - off their resale fees (which are percentage based, so higher resale = higher cut). And I hate to say this, really truly because I've been with you since the beginning, gone to Target when my store did a midnight release (time, not the album), purchased music videos on iTunes (I feel old), filled notebooks with decoded lyrics...you know, nothing special, just the normal fan things that unite all of us. But because I've been around so long and admired you as an artist and business woman, I find it really hard to believe that you didn’t know TM operated like this. That you didn’t know other, smaller artists (and big ones) have limited resell prices to face value. But if you didn’t, then I guess you didn’t. 

Going forward though, maybe you can change that. Maybe you can somehow be a part of a movement that works to eliminate some of the predatory means that TM uses to make money. You’ve done it before when people thought it couldn’t be done. You’ve gone toe to toe with some of the biggest names in the industry and come out on top. We’ve cheered you on every time. I want to keep cheering you on as you do it again and again. Here are just a few things you could maybe think about in terms of TM:

Unlimited accounts. TM has been caught saying to scalpers that they have no desire to limit the number of accounts they have.

No identification on the resale market. The process is anonymous,  allowing scalpers to sell numerous tickets to their name without buyers knowing they’re selling numerous other tickets. Making sure that accounts are tied to real ID’s and that people can’t have multiple of them would eliminate people trying to get around non-anonymous sales by making different accounts with different names.

Dynamic/Platinum pricing. I’m sure you’ve already heard of this. It was announced for Ed Sheeran that he was turning it off for his concert. We didn’t get that announcement. Fans reported ticket prices changing as they added them to their account, lost it from site glitches, then tried adding it again.

There’s also a rumor (I have literally no evidence for this beyond anecdotal from being on the discord servers, reddit, and twitter two days in a row) that not only did the boosts we received do nothing, they might’ve even ‘boosted’ us to the back of the line. Even though the queue ticker doesn’t show you your exact place in line above 2,000 people in front of you, there’s a way to go into the source code of the page and see your exact place. Many boosted people were somewhere from 15,000-25,000 in line. Non-boosted might’ve been closer. Not a universal experience, but enough to show that they truly were worthless, if not outright hurtful.

Another thing to consider - a lot of us didn’t appreciate how VIP packages were tied to specificrandomseats. I don’t have any objection to a lot of front row stage/lower bowl seats being VIP (though I think it would be nice to have some that aren’t to allow fans with less economical means but equally dedicated to have that experience). But it was insulting and a hard pill to swallow when seats 4-19 rows back in all tiers (lower and way up high bowls) were also marked up by hundreds of dollars because they were VIP. And by the time most of us got in, that’s all that was left (until even those were gone). 

No matter what, I’ll always be in your corner rooting for you to succeed and celebrating when you do. I can also make space for the fact that a failure occurred here, likely intentionally on TM’s part, and at least with culpable ignorance on yours. That doesn’t erode my faith that you’ll still try to do something to make this right. I believe you still have that power. When you lost the opportunity to buy your masters, you mourned, but you also found a solution in re-recording your albums that’s turned into being the most amazing gift for us (and hopefully you as well). You’ve gone to court to fight harassment for one dollar to show that it’s the behavior, not the money that matters. You’ve dropped albums without telling your record company until the last hour in order to deliver your vision of a finished product. You went to war with Apple Music and won. And if you really can’t do anything in this situation, if you’re bound by some ironclad contract that you regret signing now, then I hope you can at least acknowledge why a lot of us are still feeling so duped after this statement that fails to lay out any precautionary measures you could’ve taken, a claim that 2.4 million fans have tickets, and no plan or intention to try rectifying this somehow. Or even a proclamation that you wish you could, but your hands are tied for reasons you cannot disclose. Honor us and our intelligence and our dedication to you, that we will stand with you through the good and bad, the tribulations and [Roman] triumphs. We’re all human, none of us are perfect, we all mess up. That’s okay. Just please don’t leave us drowning in the pouring rain <3

[dollsonmain]

I don’t know if you’re actually looking for an answer to this #why does the price keep changing , but I have one.

So Amazon is a retailer, and as such, they tend to follow retail pricing trends on common items.

We’ll use this playset as an example, and pretend it normally costs $40.

It’s available at Target, too. If Target has a big sale on Glitter Girls playsets and the same playset at Target costs $15, then Amazon will likely drop their price to $15 also, to stay competitive and try to get you to spend your money on Amazon instead of at Target.

The thing is, with Amazon product listings, ANY store that sells through Amazon the Website that’s selling the same item will share a listing with Amazon the Retailer’s product.

So if Amazon runs out of stock, the next person with the lowest price’s listed price sets the price shown for the product. Same listing, same photos, third party store’s price, until Amazon gets more stock, which then resets to their price and follows retail trends.

So Froggy mentioned the set in a video, which undoubtedly caused a run on the playsets (Between the two listing it says 900 have been sold in the last month... take that with a grain of salt), resellers bought up the cheap ones and reslisted them at a higher price, or small toy businesses jacked up their prices, and then they both sat and waited for Amazon’s less expensive stock to run out (or bought it out on purpose!) so their sale would take over the listing, people would think that was the only option, and hopefully fomo would prompt them to buy it.

And that’s why the prices on Amazon jump around a lot.

-

What usually happens, though, is what I mentioned above. Usually Amazon gets new stock in and retakes the primary listing/chance for sales and price.

However, for some reason, Amazon put up a second listing for the same cooking show playset instead of retaking the original one.

Even STRANGER is that Amazon.com is listed as the seller for both listings.

For the same playset. Unless one or the other is a re-release of the original or there was something changed like the BIN number or something.

So right now Amazon the Retailer is selling the same item with different pictures in two separate listings at two separate price points. All I can figure (other than they’re doing that on purpose and it’s shifty) is that someone along the line that’s in charge of maintaining those listings split it by accident or messed it up somehow (created a new listing with a “sell similar” kind of feature like eBay has?) when Amazon the Retailer’s new stock came in.

I just saw on YouTube that Froggy found this Glitter Girls kitchen set for $11….

It’s $17, now. https://amzn.to/3Jxkw7T

Still that’s not bad at all for a full kitchen playset that happens to be pretty close to Barbie size, and comes with a doll.

[blackkatmagic]

I’m gonna go with blyadin cause. Como se Dias. Boy’s fucking sexy

“Only two?” the dealer squawks, feathers bristling.

“You’re only paying me enough to move two,” Din counters, even. “Pay me more and I move the rest.”

“They're a set. You can't take a fifth of the set and say it’s enough!” She makes to follow her loaders, pushing up the ramp, but Din sets his feet and simply doesn’t move, and after a moment she subsides, still scowling. “I'm not going to pay as much for you to transport carbonite blocks as I would for you to transport people! I've given you plenty of credits—”

“There are people in those blocks of carbonite,” Din says, and he’s already wary enough of taking this job, even without the glimpse he got of faces in the carbonite. Everything says the dealer’s just an art dealer, though, even if she’s got a few too many ties to the Empire for Din’s personal comfort. “I'm charging you people rates. If you want to hire someone else, I’ll offload your cargo now.”

The dealer hisses, a sharp bird-like noise, and her feathers ripple, rise, flatten. “No,” she says curtly. “Fine. This is robbery. And they’d better get to the buyer in one piece, you understand?”

“Sure.” A flicker of motion in the corner of his eye catches Din’s attention, and he turns his head just in time to see the child, awake and alert, leaning forward in his crib to peer at the blocks of carbonite being floated into the Razor Crest’s hold. His ears flick up in interest, head tilting, and he reaches out, but Din takes a deliberate step to the side, drawing his gaze. “Easy, kid.”

The child glances at him, ears dipping like Din just told him off, but he sinks back with a burble, eyes going to the dealer instead. Din looks, too, and finds her angrily entering something into her pad.

“I expect,” she says haughtily, “some kind of discount on the other eight.”

Moving cargo is boring, but it pays well. Especially this kind of moving, where the dealer depends on Din’s ship being a ghost and Din isn't all that interested in filing cargo manifests with planetary authorities. Din calculates how much time it will take to get to Mossak, get back, and—it’s not how he wants to spend the next few weeks, but it’ll pay for the rest of the repairs his ship needs.

“I can only move three at a time,” he warns, and the dealer sighs like he exists to inconvenience her personally but nods.

“I’ll transfer credits around, and have the rest when you get back. Don’t loiter, do you understand? This is one of the biggest sales of my career.”

“They’ll get there.” Din turns his head to watch the loaders descend the ramp, surreptitiously checks that the systems are all still online, and turns. The child reaches out for him, and he lets the kid take his finger, tugging on the heavy material of his gloves with clear amusement. It keeps the kid occupied all the way up into the ship, right up to the moment Din lifts him from his crib to put him in his seat. Then, quick, the kid’s attention slides away, back towards the closed door leading to the hold where Din usually stores his frozen bounties. He reaches out, cooing, but Din straps him in and doesn’t react when some of the blankets in the crib move on their own, shifting restlessly.

“Not right now,” he says. “We’ll check it out once we’re in the air.”

The child makes a sad noise, but he doesn’t resist, and Din gives one last check of the area and then slides into the pilot’s seat. Getting out of Sullust’s subterranean cities is always a pain, and he sighs a little, even as he opens a channel to air traffic and lets the computer find an open lane.

Just a job, he tells himself. Just one more job, but this one at least shouldn’t go south. He’s just moving blocks of carbonite. What’s the worst that could happen?

.

Next time Din turns around, the kid is gone.

There's a sudden lurch in his chest, a wash of alarm that he can't quite help, and he curses, pushing to his feet and looking for any sign of him. All of his snacks are still on the seat, though, and his crib is empty, the harness neatly undone. Din takes three steps towards the ladder down to the main deck, then stops.

There's a coo, not from the main deck but from straight ahead, in the storage area, and Din frowns. He slides through the opening, then triggers the door, takes two steps in, and stops.

The child is sitting on the floor, staring up at one of the two carbonite blocks where it’s set against the wall. Din didn’t get a good look at either of them, too busy trying to get a fair price from the dealer, and the sight of a Twi’lek woman caught in the metal makes him wince a little. It’s always kind of hard to tell with carbonite, but—she’s beautiful, and any kind of transport of Twi’leks has a high likelihood of being some sort of trafficking. It’s not like Din would have refused the job if he knew, but he might have been a little more careful.

“Hey, kid,” he says, crouching down. “Couldn’t wait for me, huh?”

The child casts him a look that’s strangely sad, burbling something Din can't understand, and he reaches up, like he’s trying to touch the woman’s frozen form. Din hesitates, but after a second he picks the child up, settles him in his arms, and steps close. The kid presses his hand to the woman’s shoulder, right over her heart, and coos quietly.

“They’ve gotta stay like that,” Din says. “That’s the job, kid.” He glances over, checking the other block, but the kid doesn’t seem interested in it. That one’s a man, Human or something close to it, with his expression twisted in a snarl and his body contorted, like he was fighting when they froze him. In contrast, the woman looks peaceful, limbs perfectly arranged. Unconscious when she went in, Din thinks, and lets his eyes rest on the spot where the child’s hand is pressed.

There's a scar there, probably from a blaster bolt, and Din frowns, looks her over more closely. She’s muscular, lean, but scattered with scars, and there's something cylindrical on her belt, though Din can't identify it as a weapon on sight. Not someone’s favorite dancer they're trying to keep forever, but—something different. Din looks at her still, beautiful face, something in his chest twisting, and then takes a deliberate step back.

“Come on, kid,” he says. “Time to eat.”

The kid doesn’t react with nearly as much interest as he normally would. He hardly reacts at all, actually, and as Din turns to leave the storage area, the kid leans over his shoulder, still reaching for the woman like he can't bear to lose sight of her.