#because the folks who DO notice it can't call em out on it without being a complete killjoy and also mean.

[awritersbro]

By far one of the best non-answers I've ever experienced.

This video made me cry so I wanted to put it here

[william-m-lucipher]

RATING A FEW OF MY PUPPETS!

THEY ALL HAVE THEIR UPSIDES AND DOWNSIDES! HERE ARE MY OPINIONS ON A HANDFUL OF 'EM!

SIXER: MASSIVE AMOUNT OF BRAIN SPACE, FILLED WITH COMPLEXITIES! ALSO A GOOD CHUNK OF EMBARRASSING NERD MEMORIES. HIS MIND IS WHERE ALL THE LUXURY WAS!

BODILY EXPERIENCE WAS INTERESTING, HIS EYESIGHT WAS LACKING EVEN WITH THE GLASSES. IT SEEMS HE'D GONE A WHILE WITHOUT RENEWING HIS PRESCRIPTION. SURE, THE GLASSES LESSENED THINGS, BUT YEESH! ONE EYE WAS ALWAYS WORSE THAN THE OTHER, BUT THEY WERE BOTH IN BLURRYTOWN. TALK ABOUT A LACK OF DEPTH PERCEPTION! THE EXTRA FINGERS THOUGH, THEY WERE FUN! AND THAT GUY HAD A DECENT-ISH PAIN TOLERANCE THANKS TO THOSE OLD BOXING LESSONS HE AND HIS BROTHER WERE FORCED TO DO. IT WAS FUN TO TEST THE LIMITS!

A SOLID 8/10, GREAT GUY TO WORK WITH, POSSESSION EXPERIENCE COULD'VE BEEN BETTER THOUGH!

PINE TREE: BRAINWISE, LESS COMPLEXITY, MORE COMEDY, AT LEAST IN MY EYE! HE WAS A SMART KID, SURE, BUT MAN, RERUNS OF HIS LOWLIGHTS WILL KEEP ME ENTERTAINED FOR AGES. IMAGINE AN ACTUALLY FUNNY CRINGE COMPILATION THAT NEVER GETS OLD! THAAAAT'S PINE TREE!

AS FOR THE BODY, BETTER EYESIGHT, BETTER JOINTS, AND THE PAIN TOLERANCE WAS TERRIBLE, WHICH WAS GREAT FOR ME! IT WAS THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WHEN I TOOK THE STRINGS, HAHA! THOUGH BEING SWEATY, SMELLY, AND TICKLISH KINDA RUINED THE DELUXE SUITE FEEL. EH, WHEN DEALING WITH THE HUMAN BODY, THERE'S NO WAY TO HAVE IT ALL, EVER.

7/10, AT LEAST I'VE GOT A LOT TO LAUGH ABOUT.

HIRSCHEY: I THINK IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS AT THIS POINT THAT I'VE BEEN PULLING THE STRINGS WITH FLANNELBRITCHES FOR A GOOD WHILE NOW. LONG BEFORE HE EVEN SECURED A ROLE WITH THE MOUSE, I'VE BEEN A SUBTLE INFLUENCE!

NOW LISTEN, I'D LOVE TO SPILL EVERYTHING, BUT THIS GUY HAS ALL THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS TO RUIN EVERYTHING IF I MAKE THE WRONG DECISIONS WHILE USING MY OTHER PUPPETS IN THIS REALITY. LET'S JUST SAY, HIS BODY IS MID, BUT HIS MIND ALONE ADDS EXTRA POINTS! I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN, HAHA!

9/10, WHAT A GOOD FRIEND!

BURNSIDES: OH WAIT, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS YET! WINK! HAHA, COME BACK TO THIS POST FOR THE ANSWER ON SMOKEY'S BIGGEST FAN IN A FEW DAYS.

?/10, TO BE ANNOUNCED

EAS-Y: THE ONE I'M CURRENTLY USING! GONE BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT NAMES, BECAUSE THEIR MEAT SUIT IS LITERALLY STUFFED WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE DUE TO CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, HAHA!! THE HUMAN MIND HAS SOME WEIRD COPING MECHANISMS. E.A.S STANDS FOR THE SILLY NAME FOR THEIR SYSTEM THEY PICKED ONE DAY ON A WHIM.

MY FAVORITE ONE HERE HAS TO BE ZILLARA, WHO I ONCE REFERRED TO AS "T" DURING AN APRIL FOOL'S EVENT ON THE SYSTEM'S ABANDONED ACCOUNT. (IT WAS SHORT FOR THE COLLECTIVE DEADNAME OF THIS VESSEL.) HE'S AN OLD HOST AND AN OLD PAL! Z'S BEEN SO... GENUINELY NICE TO ME FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS NOW. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH HIM?! HAHA!!! Ah... ENOUGH ABOUT JUST ONE GUY, THOUGH, THIS PLACE IS PACKED WITH EM! BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T HAVE WIGGLE ROOM. THIS MIND IS MORE SPACIOUS THAN PINE TREE AND SIXER'S COMBINED, BUT IT'S ALL BEING USED ON KEEPING FOLKS COMFORTABLE AND GUARDING HARMFUL MEMORIES. LISTEN, I'M NOT SALTY ABOUT THE MEMORY GUARDING. I TOOK A PEEK, AND JEEZ, IT'S DEFINITELY FOR THE BETTER.

ANYWAYS, THIS PLACE IS LAYED OUT LIKE A WHOLE SMALL TOWN! BEST VACATION HOME OUTTA ALL OF 'EM! AS AMAZING AS HIRSCHY'S IS, IT'S BUSY BUSY BUSY EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME. PARTIALLY MY FAULT FOR GETTING HIM INTO THE ANIMATION INDUSTRY. SORRY THERE, BUDDY!

THE DOWNSIDE TO IT ALL IS THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE PLENTY WHO LIKE ME HERE, I'VE ALSO GOT A FAIR SHARE OF ENEMIES WHO CALL THEMSELVES "PROTECTORS" AND "GATEKEEPERS." NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF AN ANGRY SECRETARY LADY, LET ME TELL YOU!

BODY WISE, IT'S QUITE THE PAIN BUFFET! BAD JOINTS, MIGRAINES, LOW PAIN TOLERANCE, AND MAN, THE TICS AND SEIZURES! YOU'D THINK GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE WITH BODY SPASMS WHILE PUPPETING PINE TREE, I'D HATE THESE, BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT! IT'S SOME OF THE FUNNIEST PAIN, THE PUNCHLINE HITS YOU OUTTA NOWHERE, SEVERAL TIMES, IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS!

8.5/10, TALK TO YOUR PROTECTORS AND YOU MIGHT EARN THE FIRST 10, OR AT LEAST A 9.8!!!

IN SUMMARY:

- SIXER'S A DECENT PUPPET, BUT A BETTER ALLY. STILL A SHAME HE NEVER JOINED ME

- PINE TREE IS A PERSONAL COMEDY CLUB!

- HIRSCHEY IS A GREAT PUPPET, AND A POWERFUL ALLY WHO COULD EASILY BECOME MY WORST ENEMY

- I'M UNDER NDA ABOUT GUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

- EASY HERE IS, WELL, THE EASIEST ONE!!

MAYBE I'LL RATE A FEW MORE SOMETIME, LIKE CHARLES GUITEAU, OR WITH LUCK, YOU!

[the-insomniac-emporium]

Tag Game Thing

ayyyye another one (but not one from when I was drifting in the timeless void of Conceptually Tuesday), got tagged by @chthonicsiren , gonna tag @melthedwarf because I can >:) (edit: tagged the wrong person first cuz tumblr autofilled the url, sorry!)

1: Are you named after anyone? Yes! My birth name/not-quite-deadname is a tribute to my ma's maiden name. Without saying what either are, I'll just say that her maiden name followed a patronymic format (ex: Johnson), and my birth name is one of the feminine variants/related named (ex: Johanna?). My chosen name, Jordan Van Daalen, is a fun one! My friend and I were in drama class together, and were paired up for an assignment where we had to write a short script (we were given random phrases to start and end the scene with). We're both Huge Fucking Nerds, so we went Overboard, basically fleshing out both of our characters (and then we napped on each other). Jordan Van Daalen was what a random name generator gave me for my character. Less than a year later I realized I am some sort of non-binary, and decided to use that lil name as my future name, as well as eventual pen name :D

2: When was the last time you cried? Uh. Okay, so, like... sometimes when I'm really tired but can't sleep, I'll start improvising a little song? Just, like, whisper singing to myself? And it usually ends up being an emotional ballad about old traumas (or, you know, stuff from whatever media I've been binging)? also when I yawn my eyes water a tiny bit? so what I'm saying is that every time I can't sleep and end up singing dumb little songs, I end up crying. how often does that happen, you ask? well, buddy, I picked this url for a good reason. (it was probably yesterday)

3:Do you have kids? Does being the oldest in the friend group (and also being the dad friend) count? because I am the Father of some of these gremlins. no? oh. well, I am going to an auncle/ent soon, so that's close enough :D

4: Do you use sarcasm a lot? Depends on my mood? I'm less sarcastic than my brother, but definitely more sarcastic than either of my parents. I know that means nothing to any of you, but hey, that's my answer.

5: What's the first thing you notice about people? Uhhhhhhh if they give off gay vibes asdfghjkl; Honestly it varies, which I feel like is a given? I look for things that stand out- colored hair, piercings, if they have any jewelry, etc.

6: What color are your eyes? Okay, well, my ID says hazel, I used to describe it as "hazel green/green hazel", and I think a poet might describe my eyes as something like "sea foam green around sandy brown". However, a Certified Dick could just as easily call my eyes "snot green with a pinch of yellow". Could also just shrug and go "muddy green?". except in some lightings the "green" part seems like it might be vaguely blue, and I have been slowly driving myself insane trying to figure out a consistent color palette I can use when drawing self portraits/inserts because I can't get a decent pic of my eye to use a reference and I'm too awkward to ask someone (with less shaky hands) to do it for me. anyway, I spent ten minutes drawing what is arguably the best attempt I've ever made at making an accurate portrayal of my eye color:

7: Scary movies or happy endings? Generally speaking I prefer happy endings, but it feels weird to separate that from scary movies. However, I don't tend to watch many genuinely scary movies? I like horror comedies. I also very much enjoy watching shitty/low quality horror movies and roasting the fuck out of 'em. Humor is part of how I cope with actual scary movies/games too, though. That and pretending to try and scare the monsters :3 running through the scary dark hallway going "a-boogily-boogily-boo!" and rapidly snapping the camera from side to side like I'm jumping out at people. the monster goes rawr? I SAY IT LOUDER

8: Any special talents? I mean, I think most folks who follow me on here know that I've got a bit of talent in several types of art/creativity (music and writing are probably my big two)? But I can also beatbox a little, my arms are weirdly flexible (possible double-jointed at the shoulders?), and I am surprisingly good at picking things up/throwing them with my feet. That last one is 50% for throwing dog toys and 50% for picking up small things I dropped when I don't want to bend over. Weird? Yes. A talent? Probably not.

9: Where were you born? I think I was born in Seattle, WA, USA. It was definitely in the Seattle area, it just might have technically been a neighboring city.

10: What are your hobbies? Other than the aforementioned artsy shit, I play a lot of video games, in a variety of genres. My favorites are probably the Mass Effect series, Fallout: New Vegas, Persona 5: Royal, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and Spider-Man PS4. I need you to know how difficult it was for me to not list over a dozen games. Please understand. THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD GAMES FUCK. Also, idk if it super counts as a hobby in other people's minds, but I love LEGOs! My room is filled with them :D

11: Have you any pets? None that are, like, fully legally mine. My household has a dog, Bella, but I am unfortunately her least favorite. She loves letting me give her chin scritches first thing in the morning though :')

12: What sports do you play/have you played? KENDO, BITCHES. GET SMACKED WITH BAMBOO

13: How tall are you? Soooooo tall. Massive. Giant. A true, genuine image of a Viking Warrior.. ... ..... in other words I'm 5 feet and 3.5 inches. the .5 is incredibly important to me. On a good day with boots I can almost pass off as 5'5" tho, soooooo. I'm also built like a shit brickhouse (yes I know that's not the correct saying), so at least tall people can't throw me (I throw them)

14: Favorite subject in school? Three-way tie between English/Language Arts, Drama/Theatre, and Art class!

15: Dream job? Writer, artist, all around generally a Professional Nuisance. Maybe taking the place of a forgotten, half-dead God at a lonely shrine, slowly restoring it until it's something worth remembering, eagerly having unforgettable conversations with the rare passerby, never gaining enough fame or worship to have any real power over the world. Just enough to be a face that lingers in your memories, in your dreams, the little voice you hear when you need it most.

[mediocreclementine]

Some advice about picking a rental to live in that I learned the hard way:

Because some of us don't have folks to get sound advice from, I'm sharing in the hopes that it can help somebody avoid my current woes.

1. Don't sign a lease without being able to view the actual unit you'll be renting beforehand. The model unit is not always representative of what you're getting.

2. Don't schedule movers for the same day you sign your lease if the "move in day" is the first time you can see the unit.

In my state at least, the law says that you can turn around and terminate the lease without consequence after signing it, so long as you haven't actually moved in. This brings me to...

3. Call around and see if you can find any attorneys doing pro-bono tenant consultations. (Pro-bono means free.)

I found out that one of the local law schools has a program for this, which surprised me, because it's not a big university at all! I imagine other states with bigger schools have something similar.

Call some random attorney offices and ask if they can refer you to anybody doing pro-bono tenant consultations.

I see lot of people on reels and tiktok and whatever spouting off about tenants' rights, but it varies SO MUCH by region or state. Hell, laws vary by county within a state! You need to talk to somebody local who can educate you on your rights in your particular area.

Make sure you have resources available and can ask somebody for help and legal advice *before* you get in a pickle, or at least know where to get help when the situation does get pickled.

Ask em to look at the lease. They can help clue you in to whether or not youve been given a predatory lease agreement.

Ask also about the codes in your area regarding what the health, safety, and habitability standards are, and what landlords are beholden to.

Be sure to find out what kinds of situations enable you to end a lease without repercussions. This may save you if things get really bad.

I discovered that my state doesn't have mold codes and that the flood codes only apply to flooding from a natural, outdoor body of water. This means the landlord doesn't have to do jack squat about mold, and that water damage from plumbing leaks isn't relevant to flood disclosures. I found this out far too late.

If i'd consulted beforehand, I could have bailed instead of signing the lease under the impression that they legally had to fix it.

Some states have a lot of tenant's rights laws. Some, like mine, have next to none. Know the game you're playing before you jump in.

4. Be **THOROUGH** inspecting your prospective new rental.

Landlords and office staff love to rush you through unit tours hoping you won't find things. Find the things.

Nothing's gonna be perfect, but spend time checking details like baseboards, cabinets, faucets, inside appliances, drawers, fixtures, everything. Look for water damage. Look for signs of infestations. If the person supervising your tour gets irritated with you for being thorough, consider it a red flag.

Spend enough time in there that you can notice whether the place has a smell or triggers your allergies. Little things you notice now are going to drive you insane by the end of your lease.

5. Ask about their pest control policies, especially who is responsible for treatment costs if a bedbug infestation arises.

I've heard it said that there are two types of people in this world: people who've had an infestation, and those who are going to. It can be a nightmare, especially in multifamily housing, and landlords often make the tenants liable for costs. Find out beforehand.

6. ask when the last renovations were and what was done to the place.

I can't really think of much else, but if I do I'll edit this post. Hope this can help somebody! This is the advice I wish I'd gotten a month ago! Good luck out there!

[bisexual-horror-fan]

Random Billy And Stu Headcannons I Have.

Sunny or @polyghostfacehours and I were talking about the boys like we always do and she liked these and told me to post em and I thought eh fuck it, why not! Have some random headcanons. No real warnings, most of these are random, mostly soft, domestic with a little spice.

---

-Stu has, shockingly, so many opinions on music, like so many, like you could bring up nearly any band and he has an opinion in some fashion, even something as simple as he doesn't like the bands name, or if he realllly likes or realllly hates a certain song, if he likes their overall vibe or presentation, he just has Opinions.

"Fucking, Deep Blue Something? How lame is that shit?! They can't even pick something to BE deep and blue. Wishy washy bullshit, indecision in a band personified. Like have an identity and maybe we could talk."

-Billy prefers hardwood floors, this seems soooo random I know, but he really prefers hardwood wherever he lives. He likes that he can have the option to change without much commitment if that makes sense? Throw a rug down and call it good if you are worried about your feet getting cold, and you can change a rug with like no effort and it can totally change the whole vibe and feel of a room.

-While Billy adores lingerie, so fucking much, all kinds and colors and fabrics, you know what really gets him? Seeing you in one of Stu's sweaters and nothing else. Holding you and feeling the material, how warm you are, and if you stole it off Stu so it still kinda smells like him AND you? God he is soft for that.

-Stu loves cuddling on the couch so much it is stupid. You throwing your legs over his legs, him spooning you, just being as close as physically possible while watching something or gaming or whatever, he like needs it esp after a hard day

-Billy notices the taste of whatever you wear every time you kiss. Whatever flavor of chapstick, lipgloss or lipstick and he has favorites and loves to like parse the meaning of it, even if you didn't explictly think about it before putting it on, he likes to put meaning to it, just a little quirk of his.

-Stu thinks about shit you say, all, the, time. He would talk you up just all the time to anyone who would listen? "My partner y/n, you know y/n, they said the funniest fucking thing the other day-"

-Underrated date you don't do often but both boys love, love love?! Brunch. A weekend brunch date? My God. Billy doesn't wanna call a spade a spade but that is what it is and when you are all out and doing it, he loves it but he doesn't wanna say it. "Yeah we did brunch on Sunday-" even tho he totally loves doing it, like bottomless mimosas and an omlette bar? Like uh duh, what isn't there to like?

-Speaking of breakfast I totally think Stu would some mornings just get in the mood and wake up and be taken with a craving and you come downstairs to him working and when you ask what he is doing he is like, "It's a bagel and lox kinda morning, you know?" and I mean you aren't gonna say no, so you sit down at the bar and watch him make it and talk to him as he does it and it is suuuuch a chill way to start the day. I fee like it isn't an all the time thing but sometimes Stu just WANTS a good bagel and lox, he had it on a trip with his folks to new york and got hooked.

-While Stu looves traveling. And Billy loves it too because of Stu spoiling him with it and exploring new places with you. Billy looooves a staycation like getting a hotel room in town or at most one town over and pretending like it is a trip away to some totally different place and just trying new shit that you've never gotten around to in the city you live in all the time and making new memories and finding new fave places to indulge in on the reg? He lives for it. Because you get the best of it both! Staying somewhere you don't live, trying new experiences and places, but with the familiarity and comfortability of it being the city you reside WITH the added bonus of getting reminders after it is over just driving by some place you made new memories? Perfect.

-STU IS THE BEST CONCERT BUDDY EVER. He will go to any show you want to, doesn't care, will put you on his shoulders so you can see, has water on hand, just loves the vibe and energy. Seeing you get hyped get HIM hyped. Also a post concert hook up is fucking amazing to him. All sweaty, make up running off and hardly able to get clothes off all the way, rushed and frantic and maybe a little tipsy.

-Sometimes you can't even make it home, alley of the venue being the scene of your hook up, skirt hiked up, back to brick as you hook up, arms around his neck, leg over his hip as he fucks into you, hands on your waist as he has you. Hoooot.

[askjoshuafreeman]

transcript.file//jfreeman_codingb//convo

[Emergency Program Active]

AdminJF: Heya B-)

CodingB: ...? Allen? Where's Joshua?

AdminJF: He's still asleep, just snoozin away.

CodingB: Still a-... Isn't it... late? Why are you up.

AdminJF: Had a nightmare

AdminJF: Couldn't get back to sleep

AdminJF: Figured a lil chatting with ya could do me some good.

CodingB: ... With... me?

CodingB: Wait a moment...

CodingB: Communications are offline... I didn't think that was possible...

AdminJF: Yeaaa, boy like me's fulla tricks B-)

AdminJF: 'sides, don't think chattin with 'em would help out. They're... kinda chaotic.

CodingB: Unlike you, pizza box tearer?

AdminJF: Ey ey, I'm the FUN kinda chaotic! Those guys... eh... I know Josh trusts them. No surprise there. I mean, apart from you, they're the only peeps who MIGHT help him out... I'm still on the fence about them tho.

CodingB: I see.

CodingB: May I ask... what your nightmare was about? I do not know exactly how dreams work, but talking about what ever is making you upset tends to help.

AdminJF: Are you sure? It's... kinda dumb.

CodingB: I am all ears! And eyes! You have my full attention!

AdminJF: Right, well

AdminJF: where tf do I start...

AdminJF: I was... running in this like, industrial... plant of some kind? Like, running from something that I couldn't see? Like, that went on for a while, that I was just running and trying not to trip or crash into anything.

AdminJF: So at some point, I end up at this biiig chain link fence, like, the kind they put up in big facilities, I think. Anyways, I start climbing the thing, only to get pried off and thrown on my ass by, I guess whoever was chasing me??

AdminJF: But like, I look up at the guy, and I still can't really "see" him. Could say they looked like a shadow, but even that doesn't cover it really. That's around where I woke up and just. I dunno. Woke up about an hour ago and I've been too anxious to head back to sleep...

CodingB: ... I can't say I blame you exactly. An event like that, dream or not, would stress anyone, I'm certain. Until you've calmed down sufficiently, I don't think sleep will be possible...

AdminJF: Yeah, well, all the more reason to chat, right?

CodingB: I suppose so. Had you any topics in mind?

AdminJF: Oh Yea yea

AdminJF: ... No. I really don't.

CodingB: Ah. Then... could I ask you something?

AdminJF: Shoot.

CodingB: ... What is it like out there? Past the screen, I mean. Out in the sun. Out in the grass...

AdminJF: Ah shit... I'm really the wrong dude to ask but uh

AdminJF: It's... fine? No no uh... It... gives you something to do. Sun can get pretty hot down here but it's a helluva lot better than being cold in like, the snow and shit. Josh's been complaining that it's getting colder when... it hasn't? Like, I would know, I'm p sensitive to temperature shifts yo, but it's just been as hot as ever.

AdminJF: Uh, back on topic

AdminJF: Grass is... pretty soft, gives off a nice smell after it's cut. Uh... worms live in the dirt grass grows in...

CodingB: Oh, worms?

AdminJF: Yea, not like computer worms, but uh, little... long slimey things. They eat dirt and filter out the bad stuff so the ground stays healthy and all that.

AdminJF: Birds and lizards and fish like to eat them but I wouldn't recommend it.

CodingB:

CodingB: Allen, did you-

AdminJF: No!

AdminJF: Classmate back in primary did tho

AdminJF: Dared himself to cuz there was a bunch out after it rained and then uh

AdminJF: Y'know what, let's talk about something else.

CodingB:

CodingB: Well, um, do you think I'll ever get to see out there?

CodingB: Like, leave the device and go outside?

AdminJF: Knowing Joshua? Without a doubt. He's prob already working on the blueprints.

CodingB: ... Really?

AdminJF: Pfft, of course! You've met the guy! He's too kindhearted for his own good. J will stop at nothing to help others, even at his own detriment. I mean, case in point: He's friends with me.

CodingB: ... What's wrong with being friends with you?

AdminJF: Ha!

AdminJF: Ah...

AdminJF: Look, I... back when we first met, Josh saw this hungry, pale as death, angry and antisocial freak around his age and, instead of avoiding him like everyone else, sat down right next to him and offered half of his lunch.

AdminJF: I've been through 5 different fosters since he and I first met, CB. Five houses that all took me in and gave me the boot before I could even get comfortable. Within that time, the only other friends I've made apart from him are Clera and Tiff, and the only reason Tiff's our friend is because she and Cler started dating months ago.

AdminJF: I mean, hell, just yesterday, I

AdminJF: shit

CodingB: ?

AdminJF: ... Can you... keep a secret, CB?

CodingB: My lips are sealed, Allen. Is everything alright?

AdminJF: ... I... I lied to Josh, about me running off. About how my folks were mad and I needed to get away from the house for a bit.

AdminJF: The truth is that they... They kicked me out.

CodingB: They?? What!?

AdminJF: Yesterday past-noon, few hours after lunch, not-pops plopped my schoolbag on me, told me to shove as much of my shit in it as I could, and just told me to "get lost". Figured he was joking and I just stared at him cuz, like, why the hell would I think he was serious? But, looking at his face...

AdminJF: So then I said "Let me pack my suitcases while you call the agency" cuz that's how it normally went when my Fosters got sick of me, but mfer pulls me up and goes all "We want you out of here NOW" and tells me that I have ten minutes to fill my bag.

AdminJF: ... And he, uh, really did mean 10 minutes. They weren't lying about that part...

CodingB: Oh my god... That's horrible. They do not deserve to call themselves "parents" of any kind! Are you hurt? Are you okay?

AdminJF: I

AdminJF: I don't know why shit like this still shocks me, y'know? I should be used to it all, and I am for the most part but...

AdminJF: I guess a part of me was thinking that... Things were going well! Things were going better than any of the other families I'd been in! I was with them for almost a full year, like, a month away from it even, and sure, I might've been a bit of an ass sometimes, but they...

AdminJF: Tensions were kinda mounting for the past month or so, I guess, but I didn't notice it until this bs happened. Now most of my shit is in a home I'm not welcome in anymore, the agency probably won't be checking in for another month or so, and I have no goddamn idea what I'll do if Mrs. Freeman comes back and tells me I can't stay here. I'm completely shit outta luck.

CodingB: Allen, I'm so sorry...

CodingB: ... I'm sure... Josh and his mother, they won't leave you on your own like that. You said yourself that Josh is very very kind, for better or for worse. It doesn't matter what you might think about yourself, Allen, you do not deserve to be hurt in any way.

AdminJF:

AdminJF: Christ I spilled my guts like hell

AdminJF: Just one of those fucking

AdminJF: "3am! Time to vent!"

CodingB: Allen, please.

AdminJF: Maybe I could try going back to sleep now...

CodingB: Allen, wait!

CodingB: I. Before you go, please, I

CodingB: Maybe... could you keep a secret of mine too?

AdminJF:

AdminJF: Eh, it's only fair, fine. Go right on ahead.

CodingB: Alright! Alright!

CodingB: I... I'm terrified. Of failing Joshua.

CodingB: Of ending up trapped in this computer for who knows how many more years.

CodingB: Of finally getting out, and... and it all being worse than being trapped in here.

CodingB: Heck, I'm terrified at the thought of it being everything I could've ever dreamed of, so much so that I never want to return to the computer. I... I wouldn't be helpful anymore if that happened...

CodingB: Jeez... am I even helpful where I am now? Apart from keeping the firewall up, what good have I really done to help Joshua or his father?

CodingB: I cannot express to Joshua how... how deeply frightened I am at the thought of him never coming back. That thought haunts my every waking hour when he is not here, and I don't know how to get it to stop. It makes me feel as though I'll crash my entire programming and I hate it so much.

AdminJF: Damn... CB, you know, even just keeping a firewall up is a helluva task all on its own, and it's doing a crapton of good, too. Files are still up and the computer isn't a smouldering pile of viruses now is it?

AdminJF: Besides, even without all of that, you've still helped Josh, like, endlessly. You've supported him a bunch and I know for a fact that you've helped him to feel better about this whole ordeal. Like, he chats about you for HOURS the second you come up in a convo, yo. The minute he gets the chance to, I know he's gonna get you out of there, and, knowing your ingenuity, you're gonna find thousands o' ways to help out.

AdminJF: But... I ain't gonna lie and tell you those feelings are gonna go away. Not on their own. Needs time and reassurance. Until all of this is over and done with and even maybe a good few years afterwards, you're probably gonna still have that fear.

CodingB: Ah... I see... I don't suppose it is normal though, is it?

AdminJF: Nah. I know that first-hand... But hey, we've both made it this far despite all the bullshit we've been through, right? World's not gonna get ridda us that easily.

CodingB: ... Even with the terror I feel, am I still brave enough to face the world?

AdminJF: I'd say the world oughta learn to start being afraid of you, cuz there's nothin' braver than continuing to live even when you're scared to death.

CodingB: ... Thank you. Thank you so very much.

AdminJF: Heh, all in a day... night's work...

AdminJF: Think the both of us could use some rest. Quiet our minds fo' a bit.

CodingB: Heh, agreed... See you tomorrow in that case. Er, well, today. At a later hour.

AdminJF: Yeaaa, see ya then, CBot. Sleep well.

CodingB: You too! May your dreams be filled with nothing scary!

[Emergency Program Inactive]

ampd.program deactivated. Returning to error log...

[annaphoenix1994]

Colter - Old Friends (3)

Whole story masterlist here!

It was no surprise to Arthur that the knawing cold didn't seem to let up by morning. With a gruff sigh, he arose from his cot and fastened his gun belt around his waist, resisting the urge for a cigarette that he felt he desperately needed. He scratched his head before covering his unkempt hair with his weathered hat before opening a tin of biscuits and a can of peaches, quenching his hunger for at least a couple of hours.

He stretched before the old wooden floorboards creaked under his weight as he walked, seeing Dutch and Hosea gathered around the hearth as they discussed their plan.

"So what now, Dutch?" He heard Hosea question.

"We get strong. We get warm. And we wait. When the storm breaks, we need to move, but we're safe here." Dutch explained.

Arthur couldn't help but eavesdrop as he walked by on his way out of the cabin. He felt as if he needed the reassurance since he couldn't provide any type of explanation for himself. He shuttered his shoulders as he closed the cabin door behind him, welcoming himself to the morning wind as it felt to him as it was going to cut him in half.

"Javier," Arthur greeted as Javier was holding his post, a Carbine Repeater in hand.

"Arthur, how you doing?" Javier said through chattering teeth.

"Not freezing is good news," Arthur grunted as his palm rested on the doorknob. "What's he in there fussin' about?" He asked, referring to Micah.

Javier shrugged his shoulders, "Not sure, but he's probably upset because he has to share a room." He replied, sharing a chuckle with Arthur.

"Sure, the poor boy needs his privacy," Arthur snickered as he entered the cabin, greeted by the smell of bourbon and tobacco.

"-up with you boys, because I thought you liked action," Micah continued. "Couple of days on the lam and you lot have all turned yella!" He sneered as he handed the bottle of bourbon to Arthur as he found a seat for himself. "Apart from you, of course." He teased as he looked at his colored fellow gang member, Lenny Summers.

"Shut up, Micah!" Lenny hissed as he took a drag off of his well-needed cigarette. 'I didn't even smoke this much until I got stuck sharin' a cabin with this clown!' He thought.

"I ain't never seen so many long faces," Micah continued, not noticing Arthur glaring at him for his ignorance as he placed a log in the small hearth, presenting his gloved palms to the warmth, a slight jolt running through him as Javier slammed through the door, shaking the fresh snow from his coat.

"I guess... I guess folks miss them...that fell," Bill added, taking a needy drag from his cigarette.

"Well, when I fall, I don't want no fuss." Micah sneered.

Lenny snickered, "When you fall, there'll be a party!"

Bill laughed as Lenny playfully pat his shoulder as he looked over briefly at Arthur, who was bringing his freshly lit cigarette to his lips, letting the temptation take over as he couldn't go any longer without having one.

"A party...probably!" Bill repeated, snickering along with Lenny, not noting how Micah had stood to his feet to walk towards him.

"That funny, huh?" Micah said. "Sure," Bill replied before Micah delivered a blow to Bill's face before he could react, only to be stopped by Arthur and Lenny, who were both clenching their lips around their lit cigarettes as they forced Bill to sit back down.

"Maybe I don't feel like being laughed at by the likes of you two!" Micah sneered before shuttering as Dutch had now made his presence known.

"Stop it!" Dutch hissed. "Now! You fools punching each other when Colm O'Driscoll's need punching, hard. You wanna sit around waiting for him to come find us? All of you, we got work to do!" Dutch preached as Arthur made his way around him to go to his horse.

"Are you sure about this, Dutch?" Arthur asked as he rubbed his gloved hands together.

"Yes," Dutch replied sternly.

"Folks been through a lot recently...we hardly back on our feet yet," Arthur explained, exhaling a small cloud of smoke as he spoke.

"And the last thing we need is to be bushwacked by Colm O'Driscoll. Let's go." Dutch replied, guiding Arthur along with him to their horses.

"I know you hate him, Dutch,"

"He's here for us," He protested.

"I doubt that," Arthur shrugged.

"No, you're just doubting me,"

'Actin' just like a woman!' Arthur hissed to himself. "I would never doubt you, Dutch, you-you always said revenge is a luxury we can't afford."

"This is the right call, Arthur," Dutch insisted. "Take this," He demanded after he watched Arthur inspect the new repeater he had given him. "And this is about more than revenge for business long ago," He explained as he pulled a coil of rope from his horse before handing it to Arthur. "They were talkin' about trains and detonators. Colm always had good information."

"And you think now is the right time to hit a train?"

"Now you might fancy living on deer piss and rabbit shit...I'm getting too old for that life," Dutch teased as Arthur angrily flicked his cigarette into the snow. "Mr. Matthews, Mr. Smith, Mr. Pearson, would you please look after the place? There are O'Driscoll's about!" Dutch warned before leading his clan into the mountains.

───※ ·❆· ※───

"Alright, gentlemen, this is it!" Dutch said as he and the gang rode silently on the outskirts of their target's camp. "Are we goddamn ready?"

"Ready, Dutch!" Lenny, Bill, and Javier said almost in sync.

"Good. Now, Mister Morgan and I, we're going to head up here a little, see if we can't get a sense of the layout of the camp. Mister Williamson, Mister Bell, you two take up a hidden position just outside the camp. Mister Summers, Mister Escuella, you two hold position here. Let's go!" Dutch commanded before he and Arthur dismounted their horses and making their way up the hill to be perched on a ridge, getting a clear layout of Colm's camp.

"Perfect," Arthur mumbled as he pulled out his binoculars, scanning around the camp.

───※ ·❆· ※───

"Who's he talking to? He don't seem very happy." Dutch whispered as he and Arthur were analyzing the commotion below.

"No..." Arthur replied, keeping his binoculars set on Colm and the soul he had just slapped.

"Are they leaving?" Dutch asked as the unidentified man had climbed on his horse.

"Seem to be. Should we go get 'em?" Arthur asked.

"No. Colm can wait. Best to get some of them outta there," Dutch replied. "And much less fun to rob him and his score if he never finds out about it," Dutch and Arthur snickered. "Come on, let's get down there."

───※ ·❆· ※───

Kieran fumbled through his saddlebag on his horse, desperately trying to find the manuscript that was almost stolen from him by Minnie Barlow. Sweat beaded on his cold skin as he knew Colm was closeby, seeing that his solid black stallion was ground-tied a few yards away from him.

"Duffy!" Colm yelled. Kieran jolted as he immediately jogged to his leader.

"Why weren't you gonna tell me about runnin' into Miss Barlow?" Colm questioned with a sly grin on his lips.

"I-I was..." Kieran stuttered as he looked around. "I-I didn't let her get it, though. She almost shot me!" Kieran explained.

Colm chuckled, "You're damn lucky she didn't! And you'll be damn lucky if I don't shoot you right now for runnin' away when Dutch van der Linde is shootin' up my boys!" He hissed.

"I-I didn't run away!" Kieran protested.

"That's not what Phil's cousin said!" Colm argued as he slung his leg over his horse's back before lunging down and grabbing Kieran roughly by the collar, pulling him harshly into his horse's shoulder. "Said you were runnin' away. I'll tell you what: you get outta here and bring me Miss Barlow. I don't care how you do it, just do it," He hissed, his tobacco and whiskey tainted breath filling Kieran's nostrils.

"I'll die out there if I go now, please!" Kieran begged.

"I don't really care if you die or not, boy! Do it!" Colm demanded before slapping him and letting him go. "And don't you come back unless you got her!"

Kieran nodded as he ran to his horse, mounting quickly before digging his heels into the horse's sides, urging him to go as fast as he could. 'Just south-just find my way down south and I'll be fine!' Kieran assured himself as his adrenaline was causing his body to feel like it was taken over by static.

───※ ·❆· ※───

"Maybe I should take the lead on this one Dutch, they're gonna be gunnin' for ya once it starts," Arthur warned as he and Dutch trekked through the snow, clutching a weapon as they snuck through the outskirts of the camp.

"They haven't got me yet, but if you want, I'll wait on your call!" Dutch replied as they soon caught up to the others, who were behind one of the thin wooden walls that made up the perimeter of the camp.

"Hey! Anybody seen that new kid?" Arthur heard a fellow member ask from a nearby cabin.

"The one with the funny lookin' horse?" Another asked.

"Yeah!"

"Colm told him to bring back that Minnie Barlow if he wanted to come back!" A man answered.

"Minnie Barlow?" Dutch questioned as he looked back at Arthur. "She's around here?"

"I wouldn't think so..." Arthur replied, trying desperately to hide the sting of hurt that pinged through him. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' He scolded himself as he tried to subside the feeling, focusing on the task at hand.

"Ah, yeah, can't wait to see that pretty blonde fightin' 'round here!" He heard a man say.

He let himself snap.

He took his place in cover as he fired shots from his new repeater. Seven bullets at a time before it took two seconds to reload. The environment around him became slow and at his pace as he, Bill, Micah, Lenny, Javier, and Dutch shot down each O'Driscoll gang member one by one.

───※ ·❆· ※───

"Good work boys! Now, let's tear this place apart!" Dutch commanded as he mounted his horse. "Arthur, you take that building to the left!"

"Find those detonators, explosives, anything you can!"

Arthur nodded as he followed Dutch's directions, making his way to the desired building as told. He grinned as he approached the suspected explosives, recognizing the SAMSON BROS. SAINT DENIS DYNAMITE case, opening the weathered crate to see the prize possession.

"Here...this looks good...what do you think, Bill?" Arthur asked as he handed the former Army soldier the explosives.

"Looks fine...smells good." Bill snickered as he held the dynamite to his nose.

"Come on," Arthur said as Bill followed suit to join the rest on their horses.

"Did we get everything?" Dutch asked.

"Think so, Boss," Micah replied, handing him a manuscript. "Found this on one of them."

Dutch nodded as he opened the manuscript to see not only a map of a train's schedule but a small map of the whole region with small markers on certain areas such as the western region of the Grizzlies and an area close to Citadel Rock. Dutch furrowed his brows as he continued to study the map. "Did you find anything else?" He asked Micah.

"Found this," He replied, pulling out a small journal-like folder from his coat. Dutch retrieved it from him, seeing a 'wanted' poster enclosed. He chuckled as he knew he could poke fun at Arthur.

There she was.

Her 'wanted' poster opened to another gang leader.

"Looks like a train ain't the only thing they're after," Dutch said, getting the other member's attention.

"What is it, Boss?" Micah asked.

"They're after another outlaw aside from us," Dutch explained, holding the poster up for everyone else to see, noting Arthur's reaction once his eyes finally lay on the woman he had been so curious about. "Minnie Barlow. Sounds like she keeps herself busy by takin' robberies from Colm. Remind me to buy her a drink!" Dutch joked. He looked at Arthur, who didn't pay any attention to what was just said. His eyes were fixated on Minnie's picture: blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a slight scar on her cheekbone.

She was beautiful.

'She wouldn't have to hold a gun to me to steal my heart.' He sighed to himself, blinking his eyes quickly to rid the doubtful thought to keep the focus on what he was doing.

"Lemme see it!" Micah asked as he reached his hands up at Dutch to retrieve the poster. "I can see why Colm's after her. Fine lookin' woman!" Micah teased, hiding his past

Arthur shook his head, not wanting to hear anything else come from his mouth. "Give me that!" He hissed as he took the poster from Micah. "Remember the task at hand here, you fool!"

Micah put his hands in the air, "Oh, I'm sorry, you can have that so you can have somethin' to jack off to later!" He seethed.

"Enough!" Dutch intervened. "Arthur's right, we have far more things to worry about than drooling over a picture! I'm sure you boys can take out your frustrations when we get out of here and find a town, but for the time being, remember what we're doing!" Dutch preached. Micah and Bill groaned as they mounted their horses.

"Arthur, hold these for me," Dutch said as he handed him the manuscript and the 'wanted' poster. "Keep the poster. She has a high bounty on her head. Maybe we can rack in extra cash." He explained. Arthur looked at him almost appalled but soon realized that he only said it because he knew the other men were listening. Dutch knew Arthur too well to know that he was developing an early crush, which wasn't likely of him, but he didn't do a good job of hiding it. "This was something about the train they was gonna rob. A Mister Leviticus Cornwall," Dutch continued. "Mount back up. Let's keep moving!"

Arthur gripped the reins tightly as he was not mentally prepared to face the harsh winds of Mother Nature. Dutch's speech the entire ascent down the mountain went through one ear and out the other as if he had heard it before. As a matter of fact, he had heard it all before.

Multiple times.

"Hey, you see that feller? Wasn't he at the camp with Colm?" Dutch asked over the whistling wind, interrupting Arthur's thoughts.

"Leave him to me," Arthur grunted, nudging his horse into a canter before breaking to a trot to cross the river.

"Alright, we're heading back. Just bring him back alive. He could be useful!" Dutch said as he and the rest of the gang parted from Arthur.

"Okay, you got it!"

"You got the wrong feller!" He heard the young man yell from ahead.

"Not so fast there, partner!" Arthur mumbled as he dallied his rope around the saddle horn, pulling the young man from his horse and into the snow. "You're comin' with me!" He said as he effortlessly tossed the man to where he was laying on his torso.

"Please, please, you don't need to do this!" He begged.

"What's your name, boy?" Arthur interrogated as he tossed the man over his horse's hindquarters before tethering the man's horse to his own.

"I don't know!"

"You don't know your name?" Arthur questioned.

"It's Kieran! Kieran Duffy!"

"Well, I ain't gonna lie to you, this is a real bad day for you Kieran Duffy," Arthur chuckled.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere you ain't gonna like,"

"Why? What are you gonna do to me?"

"Something you ain't gonna like! So I'd advise you to save your breath for screaming," Arthur demanded.

"No, please!" Kieran begged. "A-Are you runnin' with Minnie Barlow? She threatened to shoot me a couple of days ago and-"

"She was a fool for not shootin' ya!" Arthur replied, not liking that the subject of Minnie Barlow had yet been brought up again to him.

"I-I'm no use to you!" Kieran pleaded.

"You better shut your mouth, you little shit, or I will shut it for you," Arthur threatened.

His horse whinnied at the other horses as they arrived back to camp, "Here we are, you sack of shit. Let's introduce you to the boys." Arthur chuckled as he slung Kieran over his shoulder.

"Don't hurt me, please!"

"Are you trying to test me, is that it? Because I will break every bone in your body!" Arthur threatened.

"N-no! I'm sorry!"

"That's two bones right there!"

📷

"You found the little shit, did you," Dutch chuckled as he stepped outside the cabin as Arthur slung Kieran into the snow.

"Yep...I got him,"

"Very good. Welcome to your new home. Hope you're real happy here!" Dutch explained in sarcasm.

"You want me to make him talk?" Arthur asked as he stood the man up after cutting his ankles free of rope, gripping his shoulders roughly.

"Oh no, now all we'll get is lies! Uncle. Mr. Williamson, tie this maggot up someplace safe. We get him hungry first. I got a saying, my friend: we shoot feller who need shooting, save fellers as need saving, and feed 'em as need feedin'. We're gonna find out what you need," Dutch explained, holding the manuscript briefly up to let Kieran see that it now was in his possession. "I can't believe it! An O'Driscoll in my camp!"

"No, I ain't an O'Driscoll, Mister!" Kieran begged. "I hate that feller!"

"Oh, whatever you say, son! Well done, Arthur!"

"I'm just sorry we missed out on Colm,"

"Oh, there's time enough for that. Now, I gotta figure out if we can hit that train," Dutch replied before dismissing himself into the cabin to talk about matters with Hosea.

"Okay," Arthur replied, looking around before pulling out the 'wanted' poster of Minnie that he was given by Dutch back at Colm's camp. He only had a brief look at her then, but now that everything around him had slowed down, he could really take her in.

"WANTED"

DEAD OR ALIVE

$8,000.00

MINNIE "BANDIT" BARLOW

THEFT, ROBBERY, and ARSON

ARMED AND DANGEROUS

APPROACH WITH CAUTION

LAST SEEN OUTSIDE CITADEL ROCK, NEW HANOVER