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undertale-writing-times · 3 years ago

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so instead of romantic it's platonic/family-esc - the skellies getting followed around by this little like 9 year old kid who very clearly looks like they havent been eating well/being bathed, practically wearing a potato sack and they just stare at them with these big doughey eyes and wait around for them to let them inside. if the skellies call cps or something the kid is apparently very good at hiding from them, or if they're caught will struggle hard :V when they are let inside they'll act just a little like a feral animal, also hisses at people, but also clings to their legs and arms like a koala bear

with the main bois plus some mafia and nightmare please?

This was so cute and fun to write. I hope you enjoy it :)

It took me a while to finish but only because I wanted to make them long.

Sans: When Sans first met the kid, he would buy them some bread. You know, some stuff that he thinks that they would like. It wouldn't be enough most likely, but he just wanted to do something for them then he would start to walk home, and he realizes that the kid is following him. It confuses him, why would the kid be following him? Where were the kids parents? Did they... not have any parents? He gets that, he didn't have parents either. He took good care of Papyrus when they were younger and pretty much homeless... he thinks for a while, then sighs, scoops the little kid up into his arms, and walks into the house "Okay, come on kid, you can stay here for a while" a while turns into a lot longer time, then that turns into him pretty much adopting a child. He doesn't have any problems with that, the only thing that annoys him was when the kid bit any humans that they saw, most of the time Frisk...

Papyrus: When Papyrus met the child, he perks up and grins, crouching down and looking at them "well hello little human! I am the great Papyrus, why are you following me?" He had just been out at the store, getting noodles for his normal meal, when he realized something "Oh! You must know that I am making my world-famous spaghetti! Well little human, you may come with me and have some" he opens the door to his house, allowing them to scamper inside and he goes to make the noodles. He has no idea what he just got himself into. He doesn't even think about calling anyone, he just is going to take care of the little kid by giving them noodles and food most likely. Once Sans says that they can't keep the kid, he's going to ask why and they argue a little until Sans sighs and agrees for Papyrus to be able to keep the kid. He will buy them food, clothes, and many other things. He's excited to have a child!

Red: Red was just going to take out the trash when he saw the little kid outside, looking up at him with the big eyes, causing him to squint his eye sockets at them "Edge, bro, there's a weird brat outside! It ain't Frisk!" He would kick the human outta his yard if he didn't notice the fact that the kid looked like they were starving, their clothes hanging off their body a little, and... they just didn't look good. Were they homeless? It reminds him of when he was with his brother... they had to go through a lot of stuff when they were younger to be able to live. After a few seconds of thinking, he sighs shaking his head, and steps a little to the side "Get in here, you fuckin' weirdo..." He tosses out the trash and goes to the kitchen to get the kid hearing his brother shouting. "Why is there a human in our home!?" Ugh, this is gonna be another thing that they were going to have to deal with. He wasn't gonna call any dumb humans, why would he? They took care of Frisk and they turned out fine... sorta. Whatever, screw you guys. Red could take care of another brat, at least for a little while... until they were able to handle and take care of themselves. That's all that mattered.

Edge: They snuck into his house, and when Edge finally catches them, it took almost two hours. They were very good at hiding, and wouldn't allow him to catch them! Normally, he would be pissed but after being above ground for a little while, he cooled down from his rage from before, and he could see that he was most impressed that they were able to hide from the past leader of the royal guard "I see that you know I am the best choice to be able to stay and live with. I will train you to become a great fighter! As you should be. For now, let us get you something to eat, then a change of clothing... I do not have a nose, but you smell gross" he walks over to the kitchen, holding the child under his arm ignoring the fact that they were biting onto one of his bones. He is sure that they would grow to get along, or at least he hoped so... plus, if this child did have parents, they did not deserve to have the child because they were not taking good care of them at all! Idiots, all of them.

Blueberry: When Blueberry first saw the human standing outside his house, eating some stuff out of the trash, he's going to perk up "Oh!" He shakes his head, laughing softly "little human, no, you don't need to eat out of the trash" They were staring at him with such big eyes, and he opens the door, waving his hand in a silent way of saying to come in! The human does come in, and he goes to get food ready. He doesn't even think about the fact that he should call someone, the human seems like they need help and he is the best Blueberry so he shall help people if he's able to! He gives them food and goes to get some clothes, just some of his own which would most likely be pretty baggy. Afterward, they didn't leave, and... well... he doesn't mind too much? It's like having Chara around again! Isn't that fun?

Stretch: He would most likely be the one to call the cops, to come and check out the kid, and would help them the best he could. If the kid turns out to not have a home, he would adopt them himself! He hated the idea of a kid not having a place to stay. He would be a pretty good dad, I bet? After he's allowed to adopt them, he makes sure that they're never hungry by giving them corn dogs sometimes, and other times the tacos that his brother makes but uh... you know, sometimes they just order out, and he would buy clothes for his babybones... ha, look at that, he's calling them his babybones, that's pretty cute. Even if he doesn't look it, he's always wanted children so the idea of being able to have one without worrying about getting a datemate and such makes him pretty happy. As long as they never, you know, try to kill people randomly he'll be pretty proud and happy with them.

Axe: When Axe first saw the little child was following him, he felt on edge. Why were they following him? Were they going to try to attack him, or something? He didn't have anything but the food that he just bought from the store. His mind rushed with different thoughts until... he realized something. They were staying far enough away from him but they were also so small and skinny like they didn't have any food. They were wearing dirty clothes... looked dirty too. Half of him thought it would be best to just ignore the child but even he knew that he couldn't do that. Instead, he sighs, and lets the kid into the house and goes to make food, then sets it down on the floor and walks off to sit down, watching them, squinting. Was he really going to keep this human child? Either that or he would need to call the other humans to come and collect the child and he does not want that. After a while, he got comfortable with the child being there. He finds it kind of enjoyable, weirdly. Sometimes they would chew on his bones but he didn't really mind too much... they sometimes acted more like a dog than a human child.

Noodle: "Oh goodie! New friend!" They would get so excited about having a new friend to play with! They would invite the child into the house, then cook them something up nice and good. It's burnt, and kinda gross, but hey food is food. Noodle quickly gets clothes for the child to wear, ones that Frisk used to wear when they were around. The clothes were old and kinda torn themselves but warm, and big enough... Then... Noodle gets uncomfortable seeing the human wearing those clothes and decides to get different clothes! The human takes a bath while he asks his brother to go out to the store to get clothes for the human child. They argue for a little, then Axe huffs in annoyance but agrees, leaving to get clothes for their new human pet to wear. That's what Noodle called them. Noodle doesn't mind when the human latches onto them, or anything! As long as they don't bite too hard, or bite people that Noodle likes... Noodle will bite back.

Wiseguy: Wiseguy would get a little uncomfortable when he goes outside and sees just... some kid staring at him. “Uh... hey... kid. What you doin' here?” he'd ask. The kid wouldn't say anything and just stare at him. He was half tempted to close the door and say that there was no mail but he knew that none of his brothers would believe that. Ughhhh. “Hey there, buddy” he reaches over, patting the top of their head. They almost bit his finger, causing him to tense up quickly pulling his hand back, and they run by him running into the house “Hey!” he raises his hand, using his magic to catch their soul, and shuts the door with his foot “Ah ah ah, come on, ya know ya ain't supposed ta go runnin' into people's houses, pal” he pulls them over, seeing them struggling and trying to get away. Why were they acting so weird? He looks them up and down, noticing just how dirty they were and everything. The gross clothing... “Are ya homeless?” he asks, frowning slightly. They didn't answer him. Did they not even know how to speak? He sighs out slowly, scratching at his cheek unsure of what he was supposed to do right now. He knew that they couldn't raise a child! He would go over to bathe the child, get them some food then put them into his bedroom and lock the door while trying to think of what he should do right now. This wasn't what he expected to have happened today. Maybe he could talk to Books about this? Books is the older brother.

Bones: When Bones saw the child outside, they would stare at each other, Bones slowly blinking then grin wide “Aww! Hello” They reach over, picking up the little child off of the ground “Well hello there little fella, I never expected this to happen so soon. These guys are so mean to people that they send asks for, huh?” They boop the child on the nose, and walks into the house, shutting the door behind themselves with their foot. They didn't really care about how their brothers would feel about this, they've done a lot without caring about how Bones would feel, and honestly, what's the worst that could happen? “Let's get you somethin' to eat. I'm gonna call ya lil puppy cause you look like a puppy” the child felt confused, they could just tell but hey! Friendship is good! Plus, they need the help, and Bones can offer it. They've always wanted to have a child. They had a strong feeling that this child didn't have a family. Now they had a big family! It was sort of like Frisk! So fun.

Clip: He met the child after he was leaving a crime scene. He shot someone, and was gonna take his leave, when he saw the child staring at him. Aw man, he did not want to have to hurt a kid! That's so against his rules so, instead, he picks up the little kid with his magic “Ya know, watchin' people ain't somethin' you're supposed to be doin'... what are you doin' here?” they wiggle in his magic, not much else they could do, and stare at him with big doe eyes “don't look at me with them big old eyes...” he mutters. He heard voices getting closer so he starts to hurry off, quickly. He found it a little annoying that he was now going to have to drag this kid with him. Finally, once they were far enough away, and he put the kid down starting to walk away, he noticed that the kid was following after him. Ughhhh why were they following him? He looks down at the little kid, and scoops them up again "Fine, if you're gonna follow me, come on" then he started to walk again muttering under his breath. He had no idea why he decided to take the kid with him, why he wanted to help them out but they looked like they needed the help. He'll just… take them home, and feed and bathe them then he'll figure out what he needs to do. He wouldn't kill the kid. He never hurts children.

Boss: When he meets the child, he will squint at the, and wave his hand "Shoo" they don't leave, just staring up at him with big eyes that he could compare to that of a puppy "Really... shoo. Go away." He pushes them away gently with his boot, but then they latch onto his leg hugging it, causing him to tense up and he starts to bounce, shaking his leg trying to get them to let go "No! Unhand me, creature!" He falls back onto the ground, with a thud, and groan from him. When he fell, they ran by him, into the house making him lift his head, growling softly "Oh no" He stands up, stomping into the house starting to search around for them. He didn't care that he was the youngest in the family, he wasn't going to be treated like an idiot by a CHILD! Finally, after a few hours, he catches them and they're struggling in his grip "Ha! You thought you could get away from me? Really?" He was going to say more when he finally got a good look at them. Baggy old clothes, skinny, dirty... They were homeless? Weren't they? He doesn't say anything for a few seconds, then sighs and goes to put them in the tub muttering under his breath. Damn it... he understands what they went through, he was homeless for a while after running from home.

Books: The little child in the house shocked him, and he had to stare at them with his shocked eyes behind his glasses. What in the world? What were they doing in here?! His eyeshines shot around, then he looked back at them "Are you alright?" The child stares at him, holding some of his books. His eyes shoot around and slowly reaches over, grabbing a snack bar that he had for later and holds it out "Do… you wish to have it?" the child rushes forward, taking it from his hand and opens it starting to eat quickly. He watches, studying the child. They were messy, dirty, and didn't look like they had bathed or eaten in a long time. He hums and pets the top of their head lightly "Well… if you would enjoy it, you can stay here" he smiles, and scoops them up in his arms, wondering to go to the bathroom to give them a bath quickly. He would call one of his brothers to get some clothes for them… he knew that they had the money for it! Plus… the idea of sending a child out is crazy to him! They need help and he's going to be able to help them. When the child starts to chew on his bones, biting him sometimes and biting others he knows that he should stop them but… you know, it's… it's kinda funny?

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whattolearntoday · 3 years ago

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October 6th is...

Badger Day - Badgers have a long history and reputation among humans, and there are few who have actually seen one alive and in person. Badger Day raises awareness of the need to protect badgers from human predation and brings issues of habitat and health concerns to the common man. The word for Badger comes from the French ‘Bucher’, which means digger, brought from their tendency to burrow underground and create sets where they raise their families and stay during the day. Badgers, as it turns out, are largely nocturnal, explaining why they’re so rarely seen by most people.

Coaches Day - Across the country in every community, a coach organizes teams, plans practices and training, motivates players to strive to be the best they can be. At the same time, coaches pinpoint areas for improvement and supply guidance. Every sport or competition requires a leader. More importantly, a leader who knows the game and drives athletes to work together as a team.

Coffee With A Cop Day - Inspired by the cliche about officers and their coffee shop donuts, the national observance encourages communities to sponsor an event that will bring citizens and those on patrol together. The events provide an opportunity for open dialogue and improve communication. They also break down barriers and create a valuable bridge to relationships in our communities.

German-American Day - Celebrates the German heritage millions of Americans claim. This German-American heritage holiday commemorates the 13 German Mennonite families from Krefeld who landed in Philadelphia. On October 6, 1683, these families established the first German settlement in the original thirteen colonies. They named it Germantown.

Mad Hatter Day - Taking our inspiration from The Mad Hatter (or any of Carroll’s characters for that matter) we may pursue laughable, absurd, or even confusing adventures. Breakout from the usual routine. Ask ridiculous riddles much like The Hatter’s own, “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” Play croquet with plastic pink flamingos or wear a funny hat to work. Celebrate the day with silliness!

Noodle Day - Noodles are made by rolling unleavened dough out and cutting into a variety of shapes. While long, flat noodles may seem to be the most common, they come in several forms, names, and textures. And each kind of noodle pairs differently with sauces and meals.

Orange Wine Day - Originally made nearly 6,000 years ago in Eastern Europe, the technique for making orange wine is being rediscovered. Surprisingly, winemakers do not add oranges to the wine at all. Unlike the latest beer trends, the wine comes by its color naturally. Fermented from white wine grapes, the orange wine develops through more skin contact during the fermentation process. Makers treat the white grapes like red grapes preserving the bolder body and tannins. As a result, the ordinarily white wine will deepen into a brandy orange color.

Plus Size Appreciation Day - Stereotypes could fill this page to describe plus size men and women, but then we have to consider that more than half the U.S. population is plus-sized. That means big and tall, full-bodied and robust persons fill roles that require well-rounded and amply skilled people. With this talent pool comes buying power some retailers have yet to appreciate.

Pumpkin Seed Day - Among other civilizations, the Aztecs and Mayans were believed to revere pumpkin seeds as an essential and powerful source of food and nutrition. In comparison to other nuts and seeds, Pumpkin Seeds are one of the most nutritious plant-based foods. A quarter-cup serving alone includes an immune-boosting 17% of an adult’s daily allowance of zinc and a robust red blood cell-supporting 15% of the iron needed. This little seed also has a whopping 8.5 grams of complete plant-based protein in just 1 ounce. Ounce for ounce, that’s 2.5 times more protein than a hard-boiled egg.

Random Acts Of Poetry Day - Encourages outbursts of poetry. The day for poets and poet wannabes spreads random poetry through art, the written word, and voice.

Walk To School Day - Walking is one of the best forms of exercise. It isn’t hard on our joints and feet like running and jogging but still gives us all the advantages. The goal of this day is to raise awareness and support for the health, community and environmental benefits of regularly walking or biking to school.

World Cerebral Palsy Day - Over 17 million people in the world have cerebral palsy. In the United States, 500,000 children have CP, making it the most common physical disability in childhood. This non-progressive neurological disorder is usually the result of a loss of oxygen to the brain either before, during, or shortly after birth. Babies born prematurely are especially susceptible to cerebral palsy.

World Financial Planning Day - There is a difference between a financial advisor and a financial planner. A financial advisor is a professional who helps people manage their money and investments. A financial planner may do these things as well. However, an important difference is that financial planners help their clients create and achieve long-term financial goals. Financial planners work with the general public and companies.

#coaches #coffee #german #mad hatter #noodles #orange wine #plus size #pumpkin seeds #poetry #walking #cerebral palsy #financial planning

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redswordseekingbed · 2 years ago

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Based on a cute scenario from @kakushigo 😊

(read L ➡️ R)

#镇魂 guardian #guardian #ye zun #da qing #zunqing #dazun #damian cp #big noodles cp

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danwhobrowses · 1 year ago

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One Piece Chapter 1089 - Initial Thoughts

It has been months

We've had awesome side quests and painstaking breaks, but now we return to Egghead for the Egghead Island Arc. Though at this rate we may just need to rename this the 'Incidents Arc' considering it's one incident after the other.

Still, we miss our sillies, so let's not wait any longer

Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Release

Nami is savage for the cover page, 'no thanks I already saw the stars' XD

I didn't even notice Sanji in the window the first time around

To recap though before we get to the chapter; Luffy and Lucci are fighting S-Bear, Bonney is going through Kuma's memory bubble, Shaka and Pythagoras are dead, Usopp and Lilith are stoned by S-Snake, Franky is partly stoned and chasing after S-Snake, Nami, Brook, Edison and Sanji are fighting S-Shark, Jinbe and Stussy are in the weapons area, Robin, Chopper and Atlas are exploring the organ regrowth area, S-Hawk is pursuing weaker targets but is being pursued by Zoro and Kaku, and Vegapunk is in the prison with the kidnapped CP agents next to Shaka's dead body and York. Sentomaru is rounding up Mark IIIs against the remaining CP forces in the main island, while most of the navy are outside with Kizaru and Jay Garcia Saturn. All goods? Let's gooooooo!

Starting at Foosha with the headlines involving Garp

Oda once again repeating our thoughts pointing out that MIA does not equal dead

Even iconic mayor Woop Slap isn't worried

But jail for iconic mayor Woop Slap for accidentally yelling at Makino's baby

Does Makino's baby have a distinct laugh? TCB reads it as kya ha ha but that's mainly women or Dellinger and I doubt either are the daddy. Then again did we ever confirm that Makino's baby was even a boy?

They apparently recognize Luffy from the papers though, I wonder if there's something instinctual *nonchalantly pushes ShanksxMakino agenda*

Also Makino calling Luffy 'Big Bro Luffy' to her child because dammit she raised those boys too!

Final mention because I have to soak in every moment of happy Makino I can because she is lovely and I will not take any slander towards her

Dadan is tearful though, I mean Morgans has painted Luffy as a kidnapper and now Garp's MIA, she has gone through the ringer

Hold up is that Fake Nami?

Earthquakes and Tsunamis across all four blues, these poor civilians

Laboon!

Iceburg, Tilestone and Pepe Lulu too? Oh god Water Seven don't need another Aqua Laguna

Hina and Momonosuke are noticing it too

Oh this is because of Lulusia

Wow...what a hole...kinda feels familiar doesn't it?

Vegapunk's tech is based off of Ancient Kingdom tech, so what if the Mother Frame is the same? What if Enies Lobby was the original Lulusia

Oh and the Sea Level has risen 1m, that's not great

Oda's tackling Global Warming

The World Government just fucked up the entire planet, drowned and displaced several millions people, and wiped out an entire nation just to test a fancy superweapon

Beaches gone, so no Okamas can chase Sanji across it, Top Gun cadets can't play volleyball, the Seychelles gone!

And god damn if you flood Foosha and any harm comes to Makino there will be fisticuffs

Also I fear very much that the World Government will blame the Fish-Men for the flooding

Plus if Wano ever opens its borders that water level is gonna rise even more

The fleet at Egghead notice it too

'More than enough firepower to put a buster call to shame'

1 in five ships are warships (20 out of 100), 30K marines, 9 Vice Admirals and Kizaru

Some of the vice admirals look familiar; Doll of course but I'm pretty sure on her left is Doberman, the bottom right could be Strawberry, wouldn't rule out one of them being a Giant either

The latter still chatting with Sentomaru, feasting on oodles of noodles, despite on different sides, as Sentomaru reprimands attacking the sea beasts and for wanting to kill Vegapunk

Kizaru still is very much an 'orders are orders' guy, in spite of the brief panel of him hanging out with the two

It's true though that everything in this incident is a net loss to the WG, but they also confirm with Sentomaru that CP0 failed

Saturn is still here keeping his presence under wraps

He at least approves of Morgans' headline, while getting the true facts

Oda's back at it with the silly doodle faces and the map levels

The Navy are pretty in the dark though; they still think all the Punks are alive, and that they are using the Seraphim

10 Members so far *sighs longingly at Carrot4Nakama agenda, before sifting to ViviReturns2Nakama agenda*

Even had to do a doodle of Hattori the Pigeon

Concerned with them highlighting that the Dome is at 100% gotta watch the numbers

Saturn is weird though; he hears that the Egghead researchers and citizens are accounted for and he goes 'sink them' but he hears that Bonney is on the island and goes 'ah, we have no use for her, but she's just a little girl so leave her be' like dude what?

Someone's calling Marejois from Egghead

One of the Navy members reminding Kizaru that he can listen in on the call with the Black snail on his wrist that's been there since his debut

York has made the call, and naturally is annoyed why the WG intended to kill her too

I mean the Gorosei do have that loophole: they want Vegapunk dead and York is a Vegapunk, though York does point out that if they had any interest in the Void Century they wouldn't have sold the others out

After citing the Seraphim as the reason for her survival, conversation turns to the massive fleet

Ju Peter however goes into the goods; they wanna know if York can replicate the Mother Frame

Does that mean that it's a one-time thing or are we doing scorched Earth?

York can, it's requested by 'someone' likely Im, their workplace is in Egghead

York introduces the terms of the new deal; no touching the lab, and the celestial dragon deal is still on, but also one more thing: save her from Luffy

Ah the crew are all here!

York has been conversing under threat of blade

Nami's packing heat and gets it, Luffy's packing meat and gets nothing XD

Usopp - looking cool with the anime shades flash - and Franky are quite unstoned as well, plus Vegapunk and Bonney's here, and Lucci seething at the back

Strange though, no Kaku, no Stussy, no Lilith, no Edison, no Atlas, no Seraphim, also no Caribou but we never know where he is...guess the spread's not big enough for them but most egregiously NO ROBIN!?

Oda, sir, we need to talk about your breaks, we just came back from 5 weeks of breaks spread between 2 chapters and now another break? Thought the eye surgery was supposed to alleviate this

Well we got our sillies back: for one whole panel XD

It was a really good chapter still, but it's more one that makes me concerned for the rest of the world; we've got two gaping holes in the ocean that have fucked up the natural world, islands have sank, earthquakes and tsunamis are happening all across the world. I wonder if Aqua Laguna was caused by the hole that made Enies Lobby if this is what happened to it. I think what makes me most sad about it is that it cannot be undone, at least not in a way that won't further fuck something else up, the only caveat is that the quakes probably will affect the Red Line's structural integrity.

This does still feel like the calm before the storm, but it also seems that the game of Among Us has resolved off-screen, so I hope next chapter(s) we track back to that first before continuing with this Siege on Egghead. An important note is that Kizaru's been listening in on the conversation, so he has more context to go by.

Also, forgot to mention on posting, this is the first time the Straw Hats have interaction with the Gorosei, they know their voices now, they know their intentions, that's a big deal.

But yeah, another break kinda sucks given that we just came back from one, plus it means more waiting -_- the only plus side is that this final saga will last longer - though who really believed Oda when he said 5 years back in like 2021-22?

1090 is next though, and Oda likes round numbers so expectations are high.

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fearofaherobrine · 6 years ago

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Roleplay Server Log #375

"Swedish Furniture, Spar Redux, Robbing The Snake, Phantoms, and Drunken Herobrines”

[CP] Is in the bedroom, working on assembling the crib near Lie's side of the bed with his usual amount of frustration-

[Notch] Taps lightly on the door - Cp?

[CP] Very irritated- What?

[Notch] Sees the mess - Do you... need help?

[CP] - ... No

[Notch] Are you sure...? This looks complicated...

[CP] - It can't be that hard!

[Notch] Come on, I'm good at this stuff. - Picks up some pieces and the instructions.

[CP] - Because you're from Sweden?

[Notch] Eyebrow- You've seen my apartment. I put most of that stuff together.

[CP] Grumbles- So then what needs to be done oh master of building?

[Notch] Well, first I have something you might need later. - rustles around and pulls out the pink stuffed sheep-

[CP] Gives Notch a confused look- Why do I need this?

[Notch] So you can give it to your daughter yourself.

[CP] - You guys already gave her teddy bears?

[Notch] Yes, but this one can be special. Like Mr. Charlie is for Sally.

[CP] - Oooookay?

[Notch] Because you gave Lie Rosebud?

[CP] Looks at the small plush sheep in his hand- Ooooooh

[Notch] Nods - I knew you'd figure it out eventually. Same as the furniture.

[CP] Carefully puts it on the bed before turning back to the mess which is the crib-

[Notch] Quietly stands next to Cp and helps him -

-The next day-

[Doc] Whispers over chat- Hey Cp? Are you busy?

[CP] - ... No?- He totally is not trying to cram too much stuff into a chest

[Doc] Can you meet me on the desert side of the shrine?

[CP] - Do I have to?

[Doc] Please?

[CP] - Give me a minute- He quickly sends Notch a message letting him know to keep an eye on Lie

[Notch] Chats back- I'm all over it kiddo. -With an emoticon smiley-

[CP] - Don't do that

[Notch] chat- dawww -frowny face-

[CP] Growls but heads for the dessert-

[Doc] Is pacing a little bit. They've put their coat on an armor stand in the shade and are a little bit female today, with some small breasts under a yellow tank top.

[CP] Lands- What do you want?

[Doc] Oh... you look really tired. Do you want a potion to perk you up?

[CP] - No, I want to be able to spend an entire night sleeping with my wife, but the baby wakes her up during the night

[Doc] Well... I can't do anything about that, unfortunately. Though, I would if I could. Family life can be annoying sometimes. I certainly didn't get laid while Yaunfen was sleeping between me and Deerheart. Heh.

[CP] - I don't even want to think about you fucking... Or fucking at all

[Doc] Okay, okay, I was just offering to comiserate for bit. Or perhaps, something more to your liking...

[CP] - What is it?

[Doc] Walks closer to Cp. Wanting a good at their face when the question they've been holding at bay for so long finally, finally, falls from hir lips. - Spar with me? I could use some hand to hand practice. I feel like we've come far enough that it might be safe to ask.

[CP] - You what?

[Doc] Smiles- You know I'm fast, but not particularly good with any given weapon. Maybe it's best if I just work on punches and kicks?

[CP] - Don't you have the punching bag for that?

[Doc] The punching bag doesn't have hands to block and can't get out of the way.

[CP] Sighs- Fine, whatever, let's just get this over with- He heads out into the hot sand, just waiting to watch Doc fail

[Doc] Squares up gamely against the bigger brine and takes a massive roundhouse that's almost too fast to see. They get up and try again, this time using their speed to punch at some unprotected spots. It's hard and xe has to move insanely fast to keep Cp from getting a grip on hir.

[CP] Just looks bored- I know you can move faster

[Doc] As a dragon yes, it's a little harder when I'm on two feet and not flying! - Gets grabbed and tossed in the sand again. They try a kick only to have their foot deflected and be thrown off balance. They push themselves to move faster, trying to strike at Cp's chin and knees.

[CP] - You are pathetic, I'm not even trying... I'm too tired too...

[Doc] Sweating and a bit tired hirself- I'm doing my best! - Their hands are flying as Cp's strikes and deflects their blows. They go for a sweep and Cp just vanishes and reappears behind them before shoving them in the sand again. - Dammit!

[CP] - How's that sand tasting?

[Doc] I asked you for help. Did you make fun of Stevie when you taught him? I wasn't lucky enough to have a sibling to even try with me.

[CP] - Stevie was before I became what I am... But afterwards I absolutely did talk to him like this

[Doc] Huffs and tries again, just a blur in the sunshine as they dart around the much larger Herobrine, just trying to get one good punch in at least-

[CP] Just vanishes-

[Doc] Quickly scoots into the shade so their back is to the wall of the shrine-

[CP] Appears floating above Doc- You're open

[Doc] Gasps and vanishes straight down into the sand-

[CP] Just rolls his eyes- Scared much?

[Doc] Climbs back out of the ground a short distance away. - Okay, I give. Are you happy? You just startled me.

[CP] - You still have a lot of work to do

[Doc] I know... Are you willing to help?

[CP] - Depends on if I have time

[Doc] Better then nothing I suppose. And you didn't kill me this time. So that makes me feel a lot better about things in general. - They pull out a bucket of water and splash themselves a little before shaking off the cold droplets-

[CP] - Are we done here?

[Doc] Well I was going to run an errand, and if you joined me, I'm sure it would take way less time then if I go alone.

[CP] - What kind of errand?

[Doc] I'm going to go steal a small item from a different game.

[CP] - What kind of item?

[Doc] It's a very small, but very special gun. It looks pretty normal at first glance. I thought I'd give it to Licht to replace the one you broke.

[CP] - So we get to annoy her?

[Doc] Putting hir coat back on- I don't know? But the game has guards you can beat up.

[CP] - ... Fine

[Doc] Great! Shall we? - Makes a gracious gesture-

[CP] - Lead the way

[Doc] Makes a hole out into the void and waits for him to follow before leading them to a series of nodes- not much to pick from as far as players, just a few nostalgia junkies taking a walk down memory lane... lets see... ah! Perfect! Someone on easy difficulty and still in the first few levels. We're going to come in from high up, I know it doesn't matter so much for you, but fair warning. - They make a hole and shift as they jump into it-

[CP] Activates his flight abilities-

[Doc] Does a tight turn to catch him if needed. The sky is bright blue with smears of pixelly clouds and the jungle beneath them is dense and low poly. A military helicopter is quickly speeding away from them as well.

[CP] - So where are the guards I get to beat up?

[Doc] Down there. There's a - does the quotes thing with hir claws- 'secret' base over there.

[CP] - Explode it?

[Doc] Well no... lets get down there at least so I don't have to yell. - Xe heads for a fairly clear spot near a stream and shifts back to hirself as hir boots touch the ground.

[CP] Follows and lands quietly-

[Doc] Okay, there's two ways to do this and I think I already know which you'd prefer. The first involves catching/killing all 28 animal types in the game, and collecting specimins of the 11 plant types, and getting 8 different random collectable items..... or - they're sensing Cp's annoyance- we can mug the main player character.

[CP] - Let's do that

[Doc] I thought so. So we just have to find a camoflaged guy in this mess and beat him up. There are also patroling guards with automatic weapons.

[CP] - He won't be camouflaged if everything is on fire

[Doc] Looks around- I guess? I don't want to destroy the item I'm trying to get too though. If you despawn the player entirely we'll have to find another node or hope they make a second attempt to play right away.

[CP] - Yeah yeah, whatever- His hands are now on fire and he places them on a tree

[Doc] Yikes... Is this one of those psychological need situations?

[CP] - Probably

[Doc] Okay then... You know how to track people right? Wouldn't that be more productive?

[CP] - This will flush them out faster

[Doc] -blink blink- They scramble around a bit looking for anything useful before Cp sets it all on fire -

-There's a weird noise and three guards run towards them with guns and cock to fir. They're very low poly with blurry faces-

[CP] Just punches them and then continues setting things on fire, searching for the player-

[Doc] Goes to move and then freezes before staggering forward- Cp! Stop with the fire! You're making everything lag!

[CP] Just laughs- Really? You're getting effected by THAT!?

[Doc] Yes! It's annoying as fuck! Cut it out!

-The fire spreads to a tree and disturbs a hornet nest, the angry little bugs go for Cp because he's closer-

[CP] - Oh fine!- He does set the hornets on fire though

[Doc] There! I see someone who looks different!

-A figure suddenly makes a break for it. His gear is camo but he's wearing a hat that looks like an alligator head and a big backpack.

[CP] Lunges at him, not effected by the lag and tackles him to the ground-

-Lots of squirming-

[Doc] Steal his backpack!

[CP] Rips the bag off his back-

[Player] Runs for it, or at least tries too as the lag from the fire slows him down-

[CP] Looks through the bag-

-There are a few strange looking plants, a packet of instant noodles, and a very small gun.

[Doc] Is it in there?

[CP] Pulls out the gun- Is this what we're looking for?

[Doc] That's it! It's the EZ gun.

[CP] Tosses it at Doc-

[Doc] Catches it neatly. - Bring the whole bag, it might be useful. Other then that, we can go. I'm starting to feel like toast anyway.

[CP] - Alright, do I need to make the portal back?

[Doc] Nope, I got it. - They stow the gun and hop up into the air with a little rumbly roar, making a portal back into the darkness without-

[CP] Follows quickly-

[Doc] Takes the bag from him with two claws and puts it away as well. Xe busks up against his shoulder in a friendly way. - Thanks for coming with me Cp.

[CP] - Whatever

[Locklear] Is in Yster's kitchen preparing food. He's got two fine steaks sizzling away on the stove as he chops up some vegetables to steam. He's borrowed one of Yster's hair ties and has his own hair pulled back as he works. He knows Yster had overtime today so he hopes he's timed dinner right-

[Yster] rolls in like she hasn't slept in days and stops short at the delicious smells- oh thank goodness. That's exactly what I need right now! - she gives Locklear a little kiss- you look good with a ponytail too. Very dapper.

[Locklear] Smiles a little- Go take your shower, the food should be just done by the time you get out

[Yster] Gets a wry smile and does a quick manuver before artfully pulling her bra off and through one of her sleeves. It's red and she flips it over one shoulder before scampering off mischeviously.

[Locklear] Watches her with a bit of amusement. He returns his focus to the food and starts plating it up, slicing the steaks artfully and arranging everything nicely before putting the plates on the table and letting his hair out of the ponytail-

[Yster] Comes back more comfortably dressed, just a nice pale violet T-shirt and small shorts. [She's still braless though]. She slides into a chair and sighs. - This looks wonderful. Did you get bored waiting for me?

[Locklear] - No, I did have to return to the manor briefly because Eyeless wanted a second opinion on something and I spent a bit of time shopping for dinner. I figured since you've been working so hard, you could use a good meal with no effort from you

[Yster] Eats dantily. - It's appreciated, absolutly. So was it anything interesting? Or do I not want to know?

[Locklear] He wanted a confirmation that one of his potential victims had a certain, genetic disorder

[Yster] Slightly troubled - That's a shame on several levels I suppose... I presume your bretheren aren't as choosy with whether their victims deserve their fates?

[Locklear] - No, unfortunately

[Yster] Does Eyeless have a mate?

[Locklear] - No, the only ones that have their mates are Judge Angel and Bloody Painter, Herobrine and his mate, BEN and his, and now you and I... Although I suppose technically Jeff counts as well, but his isn't as... Smooth as ours

[Yster] Well hopefully he'll find someone who might be a good influence on him like Lie has for Cp.

[Locklear] - Who knows, right now he's just usually angry

[Yster] Noms some vegetables - This is really good. Why is he angry?

[Locklear] - His digestive tract got messed up when Insanity was removed apparently. Makes it more difficult for him to eat what he's used to

[Yster] Oh dear... Does Doc already know? I'm suprised they haven't tried to fix it.

[Locklear] - They did try, I'm sure they can tell you much more accurate information than I can

[Yster] Ah... - She eats quietly, obviously considering something.

[Locklear] - What are you thinking of?

[Yster] Work actually. This damn mob that Jeb came up with is driving us all crazy.

[Locklear] - What is it?

[Yster] It's a flying thing that looks like a manta ray. But it's causing all kinds of stupid errors. It's an ongoing problem with flying mobs.

[Locklear] - I see, perhaps you should stay home tomorrow, you've been exhausted for days now

[Yster] No, they need my help. Everyone is in on this. The deadline is coming up too. We got the bats to stop hanging around the build limit and causing lag, we can figure this out.

[Locklear] - You could say it's doctors orders~

[Yster] -eyebrow- You could always ask Cp to help out. That might speed things up.

[Locklear] - He's busy enough as is with his wife being pregnant, but I'm talking about you love

[Yster] What about me? So I'm a bit tired? That's nothing some coffee couldn't fix.

[Locklear] - I just want you to be healthy

[Yster] Don't be such a worrywart. I'll be fine.

[Locklear] - And what if I make it so you can't even walk tomorrow from being weak in the knees?

[Yster] That's quite a claim... - She takes a dainty bite of steak and licks a bit of reddish juice from her lips.

[Locklear] - But if you don't wish to listen to the doctor...

[Yster] wryly- You're a bad influence.

[Locklear] - I am the most perfect example of a good influence

[Yster] Tiny smile- Then you should help. Besides, if you let Cp drag us both in you can examine the new creature if you like.

[Locklear] - You just want to spend days in there without wasting any time out here- Fake pout

[Yster] It's time you could spend with me as well...

[Locklear] - This is true...

[Yster] Cleans up the last morsels of her food while he thinks, and then gives him an expectant smile.

[Locklear] - Stop it

[Yster] We could take a nice walk, little boat ride, picnic someplace secluded...

[Locklear] - You do drive the hardest of bargains my dear

[Yster] Sweetly- And you cook a very good steak.

[Locklear] - Well I would hope so, it did cost me about sixty bucks, but I will always spend everything for you

[Yster] Then I'l be sure to make it up to you. Actually, if you call him now I can get a whole nights sleep in the wink of an eye as well.

[Locklear] Sighs- Very well- He pulls out his cell and dials CP. It isn't long before CP's yelling can be heard

[Yster] Let me get my laptop. - Gets up and goes to her room before coming back with the little computer in a bag.

[Locklear] - Just open a damn way!- He motions for Yster to grab his coat

[Yster] Grins and passes him the coat, his mask pops out of the pocket and she holds it expectantly-

-The laptop crackles to life and a portal opens-

[Yster] Slips through and changes to her MC skin, [monochrome- white skin, black hair and a long black dress] With a smile she puts Locklear's mask on her forehead like a hat.

[Locklear] Comes through as well- I hate coming here... I don't like the feeling of being like this

[Yster] Twirls her dress a little. - Is it really so bad? I already feel better. I had full health last time I played.

[Locklear] - Only for you will I suffer through being here

[Yster] Gives him a very passionate kiss. -Thank you for that. - Looks around curiously - I wonder if Cp literally opened a portal outside and then went back into the bar?

[Locklear] - Wouldn't surprise me

[Yster] Well lets go then silly! - She takes his hand and leads him into the bar-

[TLOT] waves brightly- Hey Yster!

[GK] Gives a little salute-

[CP] - Fuck off!- He's got a bottle of whiskey in front of him

[Locklear] - As elegant as always I see

[TLOT] It's a bit of an impromptu 'guys' party.

[Yster] Then my intentions are even more in line with the situation. Cp can't help me code drunk anyway. I'll just excuse myself for a little bit. - She heads towards the crash room- Please don't get my sweetheart painfully drunk again Cp.

[CP] - I'm not drunk yet and I absolutely will get him drunk

[TLOT] Be nice Cp. Besides, I got a sobering flower from Lie for emergencies.

[Locklear] - A... Sobering flower?

[Gk] It's fucking gross but wicked effective.

[TLOT] Flourishes the little curled up blossom long enough for Locklear to get a good look and then puts it away so Cp has no chance to destroy it.

[Sam] Just relaxed and leaning on the bar in case anyone wants anything.

[Locklear] - I'm not even going to question that at the moment- He takes a seat- So what is this gathering about?

[Gk] Our man here didn't get to party before he got hitched. So we decided to take him drinking at least before Lie has the baby.

[Locklear] - Ah, so your nearing the due date? How wonderful

[TLOT] Yep. Lie looks ready to pop, we don't think it will be long. I can't even imagine how hectic his house is gonna be.

[Gk] Yeah, the baby dragons were one thing, but this one's gonna have HIS blood.

[TLOT] It's almost a certainty that she'll be born with some kind of small glitch, and... - he blinks-

[CP] - What is it TLOT?

[TLOT] Slow smile. - She won't be the first. But she will be the native to some degree for having been conceived and born here. It should enhance any inherent powers.

[Gk] Whistles- Damn... Good luck buddy.

[CP] Face plants and groans-

[TLOT] Pats him on the shoulder- From what I've felt she'll be healthy, and you'll have your friends to help look after her.

[Gk] This is gonna be fun!

[CP] - I'm just ready for Lie to not be so moody

[Locklear] - Oh you'll be in for worse

[TLOT] Babies cry a lot don't they?

[Gk] Kids get emotional.

[Locklear] - This child will get upset over everything, including their own shadow

[Gk] It's hard being a kid. Everything is scary and new and you have adults constantly telling you you can't do this or that, and you're not mature enough to understand the reasoning behind the rules.

[TLOT] That's suprisingly insightful Gk...

[Gk] Shakes a shot glass at him- Hey, fuck you man. Do you have any idea how many fucking times I've had to completely grow up from scratch in a brand new body???

[TLOT] This is true... I was a child for a very, very brief time, and it was... not plesant.

[Locklear] - I don't really recall much from my childhood. You can thank the asylum for that

[TLOT] Asylum? I thought that had something to do with asking someone to protect you from someone else?

[Gk] Fetches Locklear a moderately strong drink- that's rough man...

[Locklear] Scoffs- Protection indeed, IF you mean protecting the rest of society from those deemed criminally insane. Which is what they called me for saving the life of a child

[CP] - Well to be fair you did murder a lot of people to save that child

[Locklear] - Those I killed deserved it

[TLOT] Little cough - I take it the ones sacrificed had displeased you in some way?

[Locklear] - They were the worst the human race had to offer, rapists, murderers, and low life thieves

[TLOT] Takes a swig of his drink and flicks his gaze to Cp. - I see.

[Gk] Fuck em then. I was ready to kill my Steve to get my real body back. I ain't judging you.

[TLOT] Curiously you seem to have won Doc over to an extent as well. They can be morally peculiar at times.

[Locklear] - Indeed, I still hunt those types to benefit the lives of children. I take their organs and deliver them to the children which need them

[Gk] Snorts- I got a little sis and I'd roast anyone who hurt Endrea's kids. I get it man.

[TLOT] I'm nervous about anyone passing final judgment on others, but... that also means I'm loathe to do it myself either.

[Locklear] Lifts his drink in a slight salute before taking a sip-

[CP] Finishes his bottle and motions for another-

[Sam] Obliges with his usual grin-

[TLOT] Raises a glass to him as well. - Good to see the relationship seems to be working out. She's rather fond of you.

[Locklear] - Yes, but she's been so stressed lately. That's why she wants CP's help, to finish something a bit faster and get it over with

[CP] Downs about half a bottle- So why is it that you guys give Locklear a pass on killing but not me?

[TLOT] Slowly - Yeeeesssss..... for the most part.

[Gk] That and the fact that he's real. What the fuck could either of us do? Scold him?

[CP] - Doesn't mean I couldn't harass him

[Locklear] - You interrupt my work and you'll find no internet at the manor

[TLOT] That just reinforces my point. Besides... he is kinda killing assholes to save innocent little kids...

[CP] - And making a crap ton of money from it

[TLOT] I would hope the money wasn't the motivating factor?

[Locklear] - Well it's certainly helpful

[TLOT] Just takes a slightly larger drink.

[CP] Is checking on Lie mentally-

[TLOT] Pokes him- Stop that! You know she's fine.

[CP] - I can't help it!

[Locklear] - Checking on your little wife?

[CP] - You can shut up

[Gk] Snorts-

[TLOT] It's a little annoying at the moment, but mostly I'm just proud of you. I think you're gonna be a great dad.

[CP] Twitches a little at being called a dad-

[TLOT] I saw that. I mean it.

[Gk] This is gonna be fun...

[CP] - Shut up, both of you

[Locklear] - Ah yes, the daddy issues that he has

[TLOT] You say that in such a dismissive way. As if it were something trivial?

[Locklear] There was a bit of a game at the manor as to how angry we could get him, fastest way was to bring up his father

[TLOT] Hesitates- I was about to say 'that's not very nice' but then... it seems to be a running thing with everyone but Splender. I much prefer a calm household, where everyone makes an attempt to get along rather then infuriate eachother.

[Locklear] - I tend to keep to myself

[Gk] Works for me. Though I usually end up napping in the library since my house is so small. Can't be fucked to work on it since I'm hardly ever home.

[Locklear] - How small is your house if it's not comfortable for you to nap in?

[Gk] It's about the side of this room, no space for mah wings, yanno?

[Locklear] - Wings?

[CP] - He's a dragon

[TLOT] A rather large dragon at that. With tentacled wings and goat feet, curly horns and a tongue as long as your arm.

[Gk] Laughs-

[Locklear] - I see- He drinks some more

[CP] - Damnit, Sam, just give me the strong shit

[Sam] Brings the polish vodka with a little flourish and sets the small clear bottle innocently on the table.

[TLOT] Makes a quick copy just in case.

[Locklear] - And what is that?

[Gk] Says slightly reverently- Spirytus Rektyfikowany, it's 95% proof and burns like a punch to the gut.

[CP] - Only to you guys- Takes a swig

[Locklear] - So don't let him give it to me, understood

[Gk] I'm suprised it's even considered drinkable by humans.

[TLOT] It's too much. I feel like it doesn't even have a flavor. It's like drinking a mixture of lava and hot peppers.

[CP] - Wimps- He's starting to sway a little

[TLOT] Hey, I did find something nearly as strong that I like. It's better with a mixer though...

[CP] - Oh really?

[TLOT] Yep. Notch brought it from that trip he took out with you Lie and Flux. Sam, can I have the bottle? And some tea?

[Locklear] Watches carefully-

[Sam] Nods and comes back with a small brown bottle and a mug of tea-

[TLOT] Thank you. - He squints at the label. - Not sure how you say it, Stroh? It's apparently distilled from something like the Mooselassas my Testificates got from one of the variant touchie hives.

[Gk] Lemmie see- He takes the bottle and has a small swig before coughing a small whuff of flames- nice!

[CP] - Can I go back to my wife now?

[Locklear] - We still need your help with the coding...

[TLOT] Splashes some of the Stroh in his tea and warms his hands with it before taking a drink. - You want to try it cut a bit Locklear? I presume you don't have a huge tolerance like Cp.

[Locklear] - No, Yster would prefer I not be held up with a hangover again

[TLOT] Well there's always the flower if you change your mind. So what are you intending to do?

[Locklear] - Yster says they're having difficulty with a new mob

[Gk] What kind of mob?

[TLOT] Something new? Hostile or passive?

[Locklear] - Some sort of flying creature, I'm not sure if it will be hostile or not

[TLOT] And you weren't gonna take Doc??? I'm sure this is right up their ravine. -He sends out a mental message-

[Locklear] - I was not aware they would wish to come

[CP] - Take Doc instead

[TLOT] If it's a new mob, pretty sure they'd want to see it. Best to be prepared before updating the server to include new creatures. Annnnd.... they're headed this way.

-CP is getting drunker-

[Locklear] Finishes his drink- There's no rush

[TLOT] Smiles - They're just excited. Doc likes to examine new things. Do you think it'll be a monster or a sim of something out there?

[Locklear] - She said it would be similar to a manta ray, but those live in water...

[Gk] Weird.... welp, if they bug me when I'm flying, I'm gonna eat em.

[CP] - Endrea woulsh probably help you

[TLOT] For whatever reason I'm reminded of Pinwheel chasing my flitters....

[CP] Is just drunkenly mumbling now-

[Locklear] - My, it's not often that CP is like this

[Gk] Told you that shit was strong. Heh. Too bad his brother isn't here to join him.

[TLOT] That was adorable...

[CP] - Shush, no it washn't

[Locklear] - Brother?

[TLOT] He has a little brother. They're usually snippy with eachother, but if you get them both drunk they'll bond and reminicse.

[Gk] Stevie.

[Locklear] - How interesting

[Gk] Stevies a dork. Same as Steffan. He's just a bit luckier with the ladies.

[Locklear] - I see, and this Steffan is?

[TLOT] His Steve. And equally short. And- he pauses and smiles broadly- Doc is coming, and they brought someone somewhat relevant to your query.

-There's the sound of big paws hitting the turf outside and a soft laugh as TLOT stands in a wobbly way. After a moment the door opens and Doc comes in followed by Steve.

[Steve] Hops the booth behind them and leans way over to kiss his husband before licking his lips- Out for a night of drunken debuchery?

[TLOT] Perhaps later my lamb...

[GK] Thumbs at them- That's a Steve. We've got several.

[Doc] Hey Locklear, nice to see you joining us for a bit.

[Locklear] - I don't understand the significance of that, and greetings

[Gk] Steve is shorthand for this kind of human. They all look kinda the same.

[Steve] Mock offended - Hey!

[Locklear] - Ah, I see

[Lie] Mentally- Is CP drunk? He's trying to connect and it's just fuzzy

[TLOT] mentally- I'm sure he's trying Lie- And aloud- I can make it more clear. - He nods at his mate and they both remove their helms. The fact that they're nearly identical is much more obvious in the way. - If you looked at Cp and Stevie or Gk in his human shape and Steffan, it would be much the same. Except that Cp is brother to his, Gk is neighbor to his and mine is my loving mate.

[Steve] Smiles sweetly.

[Locklear] - How interesting. But the brine almost always matches the Steve?

[TLOT] It's the other way around actually. Steves are a common spawn, we Herobrines are a slightly glitched version of them.

[Doc] Sometimes! It's possible to become a brine too if you're digital. When a Herobrine spawns a NOTCH is also formed. So I've got a NOTCH, but no Steve.

[TLOT] And as for Cps, daddy issues, it's not his fault that another NOTCH battled his original one and then took their place. Most NOTCHs look pretty much alike.

[Locklear] - So there were multiple versions of his father? [CP] - I'd rather not talk about the asshole...- He looks down at the table

[Doc] They can vary a lot in temperment, but from a visual standpoint? Yes. Old gen NOTCHs are very uniform. The new ones have more variety.

[Gk] Lie's NOTCH is a little kid.

[Steve] Doc's is a huge muscly guy who's a little bigger then Cp!

[CP] - Fuck him with a rusty sword. He's way to happy

[Steve] Don't be like that Cp. He kinda wanted to come and we asked him not too since you hate him so much. As far as I know he's never had alcohol.

[Doc] He might refuse it just because it's unhealthy...

[CP] - Now that might be entertaining

[TLOT] I'll make a note then. Maybe for next time.

[CP] Wobbily stands up- I'm goin bacsh, too Lie...

[TLOT] If you try to leave I'm going to sober you up. Lie is fine. Your dad is keeping an eye on her.

[CP] - I'ds like to shee you try

[Locklear] - His father?

[Doc] The real Notch adopted him and his brother. He used to be real, now he's digital too. He's a nice guy. He's also dating Cp's sorta mom, Flux. She's the spirit of his orginal spawn server.

[TLOT] -sighs-

[Locklear] - That... Seems like a complicated situation

[Gk] Family is always complicated. Settle down big guy. No need to go upsetting Lie by being drunk and sloppy around her.

[CP] Growls at GK-

[Gk] Shows his own little teeth and then laughs -

[Yster] Comes back upstairs practically bouncing on her heels- That was perfect. I feel great!

[Doc] Oh, hey Yster. I heard you had something to show us?

[Locklear] Smiles at Yster a little-

[Yster] Yeah, but we'll have to go the the snapshot seed on my computer so I can get a spawn egg.

[Doc] Probably better to troubleshoot on an empty seed anyway....

[Locklear] - Spawn egg?

[Doc] Yep. If you want to have an animal and they're aren't any around, you can take an egg out of the creative menu and just make one. I think I have a mouse egg...? - They pull out the small speckled egg. - If I let it loose can you get it TLOT?

[TLOT] Mock offended. - I'm not the only cat here.

[Doc] Snorts- But you are the one who can change without help.

[TLOT] Yeah yeah, go for it.

[Doc] Taps the egg on the bar and a tiny mouse pops out and makes a break for it.

[Locklear] - Interesting. I used to keep a small mouse as a pet a very long time ago

[TLOT] Is just suddenly gone in a puff of fog and a small golden cat races out from under the booth and goes after the mouse.

[Sam] Is standing protectively in front of the bottles on the back of the bar-

[Doc] Do you want an egg? They do work out there. It won't age or die on you either.

[TLOT] Chases the mouse around the pool table.

[Yster] Is giggling-

[Locklear] - Not necessary, someone on the manor would probably harm it

[TLOT] Tears into the bathroom after the mouse and theres a tiny eek! as it despawns and a thump as he slides on the tile and bumps into the mirror on the back wall.

[CP] See's his chance to try and get away-

[Steve] Nervously gets in his way- Come on Cp, stay here.

[CP] - Move

[TLOT] Is behind him in a flash and puts a gentle hand on his wrist. - Are we done for the night Cp?

[CP] - Goin home

[TLOT] Pulls a petal off the sobering flower and tries to put it in his open mouth as he's speaking.

[CP] Jerks upwards and out of reach- No

[TLOT] Straining to reach since he's shorter. - Don't be a pill Cp.

[CP] - Fuck off

[TLOT] Do I have to press you?

[CP] - No

[TLOT] Then just take it.

[CP] - No

[Doc] Snags a petal as well and makes a very fast movement to stuff it in his mouth.

[CP] Tries to get out of the way-

[Steve] Quickly gets behind Cp on the floor and crouches down-

[TLOT] Gives Cp a push from the front-

[CP] Stumbles backwards over Steve-

[Doc] Jumps on his chest and stuffs the petal in his mouth-

[CP] Balks at the taste but does sober- FUCKER!

[Doc] Gets off him quickly- Well the alternative was poor Lie watching you barf about an hour from now.

[CP] Goes to punch Doc-

[Locklear] - And he's back to his usual violent self

[Doc] Is punched and ends up falling on Yster-

[Yster] Also ends up on the floor-

[Doc] Ow... Sorry Yster...

[Locklear] - Yster!

[Yster] Its okay. It wasn't even a tick on my hearts. You're lighter then I expected too. Is that normal?

[Locklear] - So long as you're alright

[Doc] Sometimes... I take bits out to work on them occasionally.

[Yster] That's odd... and I'm fine!

[CP] - I fucking hate all of you!

[Doc] We love you anyway Cp.

[CP] - Oh just fuck off

[TLOT] grins- Brother brines for life

[CP] Groans-

[Gk] Huzzah and some shit.

[CP] - Oh for fucks sake just shut up

[Doc] Well I'm ready to go when you guys are.

[Yster] Oh... Is there something I can plug my laptop into? The charge is lower then I thought.

[CP] - We don't need the laptop

[Doc] Give me a minute, I'll rig something up.

[Yster] But the seed is on it? The snapshot I'm editing.

[CP] - Which I can access from anywhere

[TLOT] Now who's showing off?

[CP] Flips TLOT off-

[Yster] Opens the laptop and puts it on the table.

[CP] Focus' a little and creates an opening next to him, not even remotely close to the laptop- Well? Do you want to go?

[Yster] You bet! Nice one Cp.

[Doc] Yeah, good job. You first.

[CP] Walks through- Fine, but this better be a quick trip

[Locklear] Stands and approaches Yster to walk through with her

[Doc] Snags the bottle of Stroh and follows -

-The seed is pretty empty and they come out on a narrow beach with a bunch of different contraptions scattered around. Someone obviously testing intereactions between different types of blocks.

[Yster] Scouts around until she finds a trunk with a torch next to it. -

[CP] - Ugh, I hate test seeds

[Doc] Is examining some of the devices- Any particular reason?

[CP] - To much unstable coding

[Locklear] See's that his mask is still on Yster's head and slides it down, the goggles set into them do contain night vision abilities-

[Yster] Hey... oh! That's neat!!! I didn't know it could do that.

[Locklear] - Makes stalking easier

[CP] Pulls up the code- Alright, what am I looking for?

[Yster] I've got it here- She holds up a checkered egg- We're still debating on the texture for the egg so this is just temporary. When I tap it, it's gonna fly, so you'll have to grab it. - She hits the egg and taps it twice accidently and one speeds upwards to fast to be grabbed.

[CP] Grabs one of them and draws up a copy of it's coding-

[Phantom] Flops around making garbled noises that are almost understandable to Cp-

[Doc] That's wild! - They're trying to get screenshots of the thing as it tries to get away from Cp-

[CP] - Do you have some sort of language program attached?

[Yster] No? They're just a type of undead mob.

[CP] - Hey Doc? Go grab Winston

[Doc] Sure, I'll just...- Their statement is cut off as the other phantom swoops down like an angry magpie and bites at Doc- OW SONOFA-

[CP] Snickers-

[Yster] Shit! When was the last time you slept?

[Doc] A few days? FUCK- dodging swoops-

[CP] - Is that important?

[Doc] Makes a hole and jumps through- I'll get Winston!

[Yster] Yes... they target players who haven't slept...

[CP] Just starts laughing- Oh that's going to become Doc's bane!

[Yster] I take it they pull a lot of all-nighters?

[Phantom] In Cp's hands- suddenly stops flopping and goes stiff in a T-pose.

[CP] - Well that's not right...

[Locklear] Is just keeping an eye out-

[Yster] Yeah! That's one thing. They get hung up on something and just... get stuck. They're also clipping into the extreme hills terrain. They're spazzing out over the boundries of different biomes too. Like they can't cross the edges?

[CP] Is scrutinizing the code- I can see the t-pose problem right here, give me a sec

[Doc] Comes back with a shield and Winston. They immediately hold it up like an umbrella.

[Winston] - Master? What do you need me for?

[CP] - Translation, this thing is trying to talk

[Doc] Is nearly knocked over by the second phantom as it thunks directly into the shield- Ha!

[Winston] Watches it- A new flying mob?

[CP] -Yeah- He fixes the T-pose problem and the one in his hand comes back to life

[Phantom] Is kind of muttering, it's mostly garbage but a bit is understandable- Fly high, bite deep! Seek the ones who run from sleep!

[Winston] - Riddles sir

[CP] - Let me hear

[Doc] Gets bonked again- This thing is annoying.

[Yster] Hello again Winston. You're looking artfully unwell. Sorry. It's supposed to be a challenge.

[CP] - It wants to bite those who run from sleep

[Yster] Well it's got the primary objective down then. They actually spawn above players who've been awake three days or more, rather then randomly like the other mobs.

[CP] - Found the chunk border error

[Doc] Ducks and transforms instead, snapping at the mob like a cat- Pest!

[Locklear] - They seem to really like you Doctor

[Doc] I haven't slept in some time! - They snap out suddenly and there's a pop as the phantom takes damage and despawns- PTU! YUCK. - They spit a small item at Ysters feet- That's nasty!

[Yster] It actually tastes like something???

[CP] - Everything does

[Phantom] Still flopping in Cp's hands a little- Fly! Fly! BITE!

[Doc] Tastes like greasy leather...

[Yster] Well it's not intentional.

[Winston] Finishes helping CP translate and he's updated his translation code-

[Yster] So what do you think? I'd consider you an expert.

[Doc] Has set up a command block and put the tip of the phantoms tail on it to examine it's internals.

[CP] - I'll need to give that to Lie

[Locklear] Tugs Yster out of the way of an arrow- CP? I think there are a few more pressing issues?

[CP] - Winston?

[Winston] - Yes sir- He goes to take care of it

[Doc] Hears an odd gurgly groan and looks back- There's a zombie in the water. Like underwater. Are they broken too?

[Yster] No, they're Drowned. They're kinda new. Have you not updated your server lately?

[Doc] Colors somewhat- Not in quite some time....

[CP] - Shit happens when we do

[Yster] Old server huh? Things bug out. The Aquatic update is rough on old seeds since we fixed the water physics.

[Doc] Fuuuuuck.

[CP] - We know how to fix stuff

[Doc] Nabs a Drowned zombie with one big paw and plops it next to Winston- Does this one have anything to say Winston?

[Drowned] Vaguely pirate-y nonsense.

[Winston] - Not much really, but these are new mobs, their sense of language could be only just developing

[Drowned] Pokes at Doc's foot with a pitchfork and gets shoved back a bit-

[Doc] Good point.

[Yster] Watching Cp work- Her thoughts are a bit plain, she's also wondering if Locklear would get any mileage from keeping the other mobs at bay, since he can just kill them.

[CP] - Looks like they have a problem over water too

[Yster] I know! It's annoying!- Pulls a bow out of the chest and takes careful aim before quickly putting three arrows in a creeper-

[Locklear] - That is an odd creature...

[Doc] They blow up if you let them get too close-

[Phantom] Swats at Cp with it's huge floppy wings- Let gooooooooo.

[CP] - Just a bit longer, I'm fixing you

[Phantom] !!!!!!

[Doc] Shoves the drowned zombie back in the water as it pokes hir again- I'll take that. - Xe sticks the pitchfork in the ground near Locklear.

[CP] - Oi! Anything else you want fixed?

[Yster] There's some little things,but I don't want to be a pest. Like the stupid Vindicators attacking armor stands, and the observer blocks are a complete mess.

[Doc] What's a Vindicator?

[Yster] Oh dear...

[CP] Shrugs and lets go of the Phantom-

[Phantom] Flops crazily and flops to get airborne again-

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writer-and-artist27 · 6 years ago

Text

Soup for the Sick

Note: …At this rate, this is already a series. One Piece and Naruto mixed. Never thought I would be getting into it. But @unlucky-marine’s art is something that always brings a smile to my face, and considering @langwrites writing the My Hero Academia-CYB crossover of Shell Game, well…

Yeah, I have no excuse. CP and S&S are still going on, but these little side stories starring the civilian pianist with her older Marine sibling-caretaker are adorable and I like giving something back to Eli. :) So there. Eli got me on the Tomo-Davy sibling train, and I can’t thank them enough for that. I’ve never had someone so outspoken in loving kid!Tomoko whenever I talked to them, so I think the appreciation goes miles now. ^_^

Of course, I don’t own anything except Tomoko and Hisako. Davy belongs to Eli, and Wendy to @ask-lieutenant-wendy.

The theme for this story is inspired by the sea, being SaphiraLynx’s piano cover of Mizuiro no Senritsu from Mermaid Melody. Or, as the translation calls it, the Aquamarine Melody, originally sung by the Aquamarine Mermaid Princess herself. :) The original song works just as well if you want to pull it up~

Please enjoy!

Oh, and Eli? You don’t have to feel pressured in making art for every part of this series, by the way. Only do it if you feel like it. I only write this whole thing because your art brought a lot of happy juice for me in these last days of summer and seeing you on Twitch and talking with you only helped fuel that. Friends look out for each other, and well, considering your theater job? A nice read is something you more than deserve. ;>

The words felt foreign in my mouth. “Jackie-nee’s sick?”

Wendy-nee gave me a sad smile as she sat down on her knees, a hand reaching over to rest on the top of my head. “She’s just resting in her barracks, Tomoko-chan. But yes, Jackie’s sick. It’s a cold, thankfully, so the bad sickness won’t be here forever.”

“How?” was already escaping my throat, and I found myself covering my mouth with both of my hands out of politeness and shock. My caretaker wasn’t the kind of person who found themselves sick so easily. At least, from what I could tell. When feeling more masculine as Jack-nii, he could easily kick someone’s ass if he wanted to, more so when I heard him mutter once on how he could break all 206 bones in a body. That was cool and kinda scary. When feeling feminine as Jackie-nee, she could then smash a womanizer’s face in with her heel and look beautiful doing it.

Being genderfluid was still something I didn’t know much about, more so considering I was a cis-female, but my caretaker was awesome. Simple as that.

I never thought I would hear the news that they would be sick.

But, alas, Tomoko-chan, my dear. Hisako swirled her glass of…lemonade. Okay. She was doing it while sitting in an armchair like Giovanni from Pokémon or something. All she needed was a Persian. And she was doing The Voice. Woo. We all are mere mortals.

Ugh.

I couldn’t help but find my heart sinking when Wendy-nee’s smile turned a bit more forced, as if frustrated. “I don’t think you want to know, Tomoko-chan. Let’s just say a Flamingo got a bit too angry and leave it at that, okay?” The minute crack in her voice was already enough for me to nod and accept it. I was still 10 in this life, so in Wendy-nee’s eyes, of course I was still a kid. An innocent kid, probably.

“Okay,” I said softly, but I still found myself gently tugging on her shirt collar to pull her in for a hug. It didn’t feel right going about this conversation without doing it. She looked troubled enough already, and my arms could wind around her neck, at least. “I’m sorry for prying, Wendy-nee.”

To my surprise, the blond Marine only laughed softly, arms coming around me to hug back. Aaaaah, she had a similar grip to Mama when she was excited. Tough muscle, but still snuggly. “It’s okay, Tomoko-chan, you were worried. It’s okay.”

I was not expecting her to lift me up anyways, essentially letting my sandals hit air as she pulled away from the hug to grin cheerily up at me. Somehow, I was sitting in her arms, close to her shoulders. Somehow! Aaaaaah, awesome strength. Also, Wendy-nee being 7 foot 2 and being carried that close to her height made everything in the near vicinity feel small, and gosh, being tall feels so cool! Fluttering skirt be damned.

…Don’t judge me on this. I’m still trying to gain height by drinking milk.

Wendy-nee’s purple eyes were now sparkling with something soft as she looked at me with that same grin. Her one curly hair sticking out from her hat tickled as she continued to beam. “Still, Tomoko-chan, what do you want to do now? Do you want to visit Jackie?”

The offer was tempting. Very tempting.

Hisako only swirled her cup of lemonade before chugging it in a few seconds flat. Once all the liquid was gone, she tossed the cup away, the motion accompanied by a small mental CRASH that was of the glass breaking in the mind library somewhere. Hm, she mused. It’s nice, but you’re thinking of something else, aren’t you, dear?

Yep. My Nobody was already reading my thoughts.

“Not now, Wendy-nee,” I shook my head while smiling anyways. “But could you carry me to the kitchen? I wanna cook something first!”

Those same purple eyes blinked at me slowly.

“Huh?”

“Here again, Tomoko-chan?”

The Marine chefs, despite bustling around with food and plates in almost every corner of the kitchen, all seemed to notice me as soon as Wendy-nee dropped me off in the doorway. She had work to do, unfortunately, but at least the big bear hug and bright smile in my direction before she left was a nice send-off.

Still, I was a 10-year old girl in a Sylveon-themed kimono dress, standing in the kitchen doorway, and at this point, the Marines weren’t even fazed. Huh.

Adjustment period is officially over, Hisako mused dryly.

I nodded at the nearest chef who asked with the politest smile I could muster. “Yep! Jackie-nee’s not feeling well, so I thought of cooking!” And then the Embarrassment was coming back in. Why, heart, why. “I-Is that okay?”

Said chef only shrugged with an exasperated smile before pointing to a nearby corner. Almost immediately, some of the chefs cleared away, leaving a small cutting board, knife, oven, and stove in the space left behind. “Go ahead, Tomoko-chan. That counter there’s all yours.”

The bright smile on my face was just as sudden as the swing of Embarrassment from earlier. “Thank you very much, Chef-san!”

The man only scoffed softly in a way reminiscent of Vy’s old Dad, almost in disbelief judging by the noise. In the end, he still nodded in acknowledgement at me as the other staff slowly moved away enough so that I could walk over.

For a corrupt military, the staff’s surprisingly sweet.

Maybe they don’t have a lot of kids around?

My Nobody only shrugged. Then I started hearing whispers while walking past.

“That Jack sure is lucky.”

“Of course it’s the paperwork guy who gets a cute girl looking after them.”

“Why can’t I get someone to drop through a hole in the ceiling to love me?”

Ohhhh! Hisako was smirking. Oh no. My, my, my! Tomoko-chan, you’re popular!

I still ran through the kitchen as fast as I could to get to that corner, because the heat on my face wasn’t going to go down otherwise. Aaaaaaah.

What was wrong with loving a caretaker like a sibling when you didn’t have any? Well, I technically had Kei and Hayate, but there was something different about older siblings than younger ones. In a past life, I was the younger one, and that was a mixed bag. Actually having that memory when it came to my Marine caretaker was the main seal to the deal. I could at least help out without looking like a brat doing it.

Reincarnation had benefits when it was botched. Apparently.

Still, once I got to my corner and got a good stare over everything, my head blanked. Um. “I know I said I wanted to cook something, but what’s good for a cold…?”

Soup? Hisako offered helpfully. Chicken Noodle? Clam Chowder? Gumbo? Or, heck, curry? Anything warm should do!

Those were all good suggestions. Especially since Jackie-nee was said to be resting from her cold.

I looked around. The kitchen staff were currently using a lot of seafood judging by the nearby lobster platter, so the clam chowder was a bust. I wasn’t even sure if I could do gumbo at my age, but chicken noodle soup sounded nice.

Only problem.

The only chicken I could see in the entire kitchen was a big frozen one sitting in the nearby freezer, and the staff were pretty crowded over there.

Ummmm.

Run?

No. This is a kitchen, Hisako.

Point. Fast-walk and try to wing carrying it?

It was an idea.

I tried. I really did. But being a short little girl in a crowd of tall chefs kinda meant being squished. Think any anime/gaming convention, where you would bump shoulders with someone every 5 seconds. It was like that.

“E-Er, excuse me? I’m trying to get through?” Even with my voice cracking, getting stuck in a crowd of moving people meant elbowing, and I was not good at that. Even if Kei had taught me self-defense, this was not the time to be throwing hands! “I-I’d like to get that chicken, please!”

Ignored. Because there was so much hustling and a pre-pubescent voice was hard to make out.

Aaaaah.

And then hands were sliding under my arms and effortlessly lifting me up, and I found myself squeaking. I could already tell that this wasn’t Wendy-nee’s grip, so who—

“Hey, you guys really should look out when in the kitchen. This little lady would’ve gotten hurt.”

Huh?

I looked behind me and met the stare of someone clearly new. I don’t know if he was ever in this kitchen staff before, but with his curly eyebrow, greyish-blue eye, straight blond hair falling down to brush the left side of his face, and muscular arms in spite of the Marine chef uniform, he definitely looked like someone that Jackie-nee would want to take a picture for when it came to bounties. This new person was definitely something. “You alright, ojou-chan?”

He grinned while still holding me up in his hands, and I tried not to squirm. Wearing a skirt in the kitchen and being lifted all the while was…yeah. “I-I am, but um, Chef-san?” I gestured to the ground while trying not to inwardly panic. “C-Could you please put me down?” I pointed to my corner. “Over there?”

The new Chef blinked at the direction I was pointing at before grinning again and nodding. “Whatever the ojou-chan wishes~!” I didn’t miss how he hummed before he literally slid over to my corner, ignoring chefs passing him all the while, and I tried not to focus on the sensation of my stomach churning. Motion sickness would be motion sickness.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to think on the stomach butterflies longer than necessary, because he was quick to put me down, still grinning all the while. “Now, ojou-chan.” I was not expecting his smile to turn into a more solemn expression. “What were you doing there? This is a kitchen, and not exactly the best place to play around.”

Aaaah. Another adult. I tried not to pout. “I was trying to get the chicken from the freezer. My older sibling who’s in the Marines got sick, and I was thinking of trying to make Chicken Noodle soup for them!”

He only blinked that same grey-blue eye at me before pulling on a more amused smile. “Oh?” he said softly, before turning his head around to look towards that far-away refrigerator. “Do you at least know how to make it, ojou-chan?”

…Um.

Uh.

I squeaked, “No?”

We did not think this through.

He only pulled on a more confident smile while tossing something into the nearest trash can. Was it…a cigarette? “Well then! Let this cook help you out, ojou-chan!”

I blinked. “It’s okay?”

With that same confidence, he turned to me while twirling a — holy crap, he was twirling a knife. I only blinked once, and then he was brandishing a small bowl of diced…diced onions? When did he— “I’m a cook, ojou-chan. And when a lady is in trouble, it’s natural to help out.” He then sat down on his knees, looking at me with that grey-blue eye, now sparkling. “I’m Sanji by the way, ojou-chan. What’s your name?”

Ah. He reminded me of Leo, at least a little. “I-I’m Hoshino Tomoko, Sanji-san.” Out of habit, I took a bit of my skirt to curtsy. “It’s nice to meet you, and I hope to work with you!”

Sanji-san only grinned. “And I you, little lady.”

He then brandished a bowl of cut carrots. Wow, that was a lot of skill.

Chicken Noodle Soup was, surprisingly enough, simple. Even though I only had Vy’s experience to call from when cooking, Sanji-san was quick. It only took an hour for him to prepare homemade chicken and vegetable broths for the soup, and by the time the chicken hit the soup pot, a warm homey smell was wafting around the kitchen, and I could’ve sworn some chefs were drooling while walking past.

“So, ojou-chan,” he said while stirring the soup with a ladle, “who’s your older sibling?”

Aaaand Sanji-san had to ask just when I was putting dishes away in this little corner. “Davy Jack-san! Currently going by Jackie, but I call her Jackie-nee! I think…” my voice cracked while recalling Wendy-nee’s words. “A Flamingo got angry and gave her a cold? Or something?”

The words were silly, but I didn’t miss how Sanji-san tensed. It almost looked like a shiver went up his spine before a nervous chuckle sounded. “D-Davy Jack, huh…? That’s interesting, ojou-chan.” He then muttered something under his breath that I couldn’t hear, but all I could make out was, “that explains things.”

Hisako wasn’t having any of it. He’s nice, but I dunno, Tomoko-chan. That reaction wasn’t the best.

Did my caretaker know this guy?

I ended up voicing it. “Do you know Jackie-nee, Sanji-san?”

Immediately, the cook turned to me with a warm smile, turning down the heat to the soup pot while doing so. “Kinda, ojou-chan. It’s a long story. But the soup’s almost done!”

Yep. That was a sudden subject change. So something did happen between them.

And was it just me, or did Sanji-san look sad for a moment?

I blinked, and as soon as I thought that, the glint in that grey-blue eye disappeared. “Still, ojou-chan, wanna go serve this soup to your sibling then? I have to be somewhere, so I can’t stay long.”

Already, I was feeling disappointed. It had only been a few hours but having a cooking companion aside from my Nobody did something. “Will I see you again?”

Sanji-san then turned off the heat entirely before turning to me fully and sitting down on his knees. “Of course, ojou-chan.” He then grinned, reaching over to poke my forehead through my bangs, and I tried not to wince. “Just look for a sail with a skull and a straw hat, and you’ll find me.”

Skull and a straw hat? What the hell is that supposed to be? A pirate flag thing?

I still nodded in spite of Hisako’s incoming rant. “Okay.”

Of course, I would jump on Sanji-san for a hug too. He deserved it, at least.

Jackie-nee was sitting up in her bed at the barracks, reading what looked like a book when I was finally able to pop in. Wendy-nee was still at work along with the other Marines, so it made sense that there was no one else around.

I did my best to balance the soup bowl tray in my hands while hiding it from view. “Jackie-nee?”

She blinked before looking up from her book, and of course I could see that familiar spark that I grew to love so much. “Tomo-chan,” she murmured happily, then coughed softly into one of her hands. “Sorry, I can’t hug you right now. Still — hack — sick. Wendy told you that, didn’t she?”

Even then, I couldn’t help but smile back. “Wendy-nee did say that, but I do have something for you!”

“What’s that, sweetie?”

“Well…” I tried not to run over to her bedside and instead walked over as gently as I could before brandishing the tray for her to take. “Chicken Noodle Soup. To help make the sick go away?”

I still wanted to ask myself how and why I reverted to childish talk when it only came to my caretaker, but the warm smile on her face made the thought process stop in its tracks. “Oh, Tomo-chan.” She looked down at the warm bowl before taking the spoon and blowing at it. “You didn’t have to.”

“But I wanted to!” Another pout was coming up on my face now. “I missed you and you deserve something to help you rest better! You work too much!”

At that, Jackie-nee suddenly snorted before laughing softly. “Yeah? I guess so.” The warmth in her voice said everything as she finally took a sip, and then the color was returning to her face as she smiled. “Whoa. Tomo-chan,” she gave me that same warm smile, “did you make this all by yourself?”

Nope. Hisako said for me.

“Nope,” I repeated with a more sheepish shrug. “I had help.”

Now Jackie-nee was confused. “Who helped? Wendy?”

Should I say the name…?

No harm in trying, dear. Hisako only patted my head.

“A new chef in the kitchen?” I found myself raising a pointer finger. “His name was Sanji-san!”

I was not expecting Jackie-nee to nearly drop her spoon mid-bite. “S-Sanji?”

Oh dear. Bombshell.

“Um, he was nice,” I filled in instead, because the sudden silence and the shock in Jackie-nee’s gaze was kinda hard to deal with all at once. “He helped me cut chicken and taught me how to make vegetable broth for next time! He also kept me out from being trampled by crowds and called me ‘ojou-chan’!”

“…What next time?” Jackie-nee said incredulously, but the simple fact that she was still eating was a good sign. At least, I was hoping so. “And, pffft.” I wasn’t expecting her to snort into her free hand. “‘Ojou-chan,’ huh.” But, oh.

She was smiling again.

I sat down at the foot of her bed, trying not to show my confusion. “Jackie-nee?”

She gave me that same warm smile. “It’s nothing, Tomo-chan. Nothing at all.”

And this time, I could believe it. Somewhat. At least while sneaking in one hug.

Hey. I have pride in my immune system, and screw colds! Soup keeps the doctor away!

“T-Tomo-chan, I’m sick…!”

“Just lemme hug you once, Jackie-nee, I missed you!”

Her only response was an exasperated laugh. I could settle for that. It kept thoughts of asking about Sanji-san away for another day.

#Seaside Sibling Train #hoshino tomoko #davy jack #lieutenant wendy #long post #writing #hisako #unlucky marine

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just-bpd-thoughts · 7 years ago

Note

As a child did you ever feel like your emotions were more unstable than everyone else’s? Like of the little glimpses of childhood you can remember are filled with times you overreacted out of fear or disappointment, when every other kid would be a lot less upset? Except that whole overreaction still stays with you? To me I’ve become more aware of it but it’s much more frequent.

Absolutely! I used to make a big deal out of absolutely everything, and I still do sometimes. I can’t think of any specific examples from childhood at the moment, but it was like.. I’d plan some event or something in my head and then it wouldn’t end up being the way I wanted it and I’d start crying and I’d get really depressed about it. It would often result in me getting called a spoiled brat, but I knew that me being a brat wasn’t the reason, but I also didn’t know the reason, which was even more upsetting because I couldn’t defend my actions. It was incredibly confusing and caused a lot of distress. I think that it might be a trauma related reaction, because there was a more recent occurrence where I was actually able to figure out what was wrong with me.

I’m poor. I’ve lived in poverty my whole life, even if I didn’t know it growing up. As a result, there isn’t always a lot of food in the kitchen for me to eat on the nights that my stepdad doesn’t cook (my mom usually doesn’t because she’s handicapped). I usually end up eating ramen noodles, baked potatoes, pizza rolls, or hot pockets. But sometimes I get really sick of them and I start to feel like there’s nothing to eat even when there obviously is. One night about a month ago, I got home from a friend’s house before my parents did. Then when they got home, they had just gone out to eat without me. And they had this tiny little to go box that they said I could have. In my head, it wasn’t a whole lot, and wouldn’t be enough. And they completely disregarded me in going out to eat without me. And I started to have an unnecessary panic attack and I stormed off to my room to deal with it and sort through it alone. Upon entering my room, I realized that I was freaking out because of past trauma. i primarily lived with my dad in seventh and eighth grade, and he was a less than ideal parent. He wasn’t raised properly and he didn’t have any idea what he was doing trying to take care of two depressed preteens with a whole other slew of mental issues. My brother and I were defiant and angry because we wanted to live with our mom, and besides that, we were too depressed to do much of anything that was productive. So, we didn’t really do chores much. One of the chores we refused to do was clean the kitchen. After some time of not cleaning the kitchen, my dad thought that if he stopped going to the grocery store, we’d start cleaning. He couldn’t clean everything himself because he was handicapped and he was sick of working around the mess. So there was never food in the house, and all we ate was fast food.That didn’t leave much in the way of snacks, or the nights when he fell asleep early and didn’t get dinner. My brother and I threatened to tell our mom or call CPS, but he would tell us that they wouldn’t do anything because he was still making sure we had food, and as long as he did that, he wasn’t under any violations. Being twelve and fourteen, we believed him. The whole situation was really traumatizing, and that was what was triggering the response of “i have nothing to eat” when I did have something to eat. Now, I’m working through it with my mom and my therapist.

Sorry, this ended up being way longer than intended lol=

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abhi16 · 3 years ago

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Ready to Eat & Instant Food Sales and Marketing Agency in Mumbai

We are a readymade and instant food sales and marketing agency in Mumbai, and do sales pitching of your products for distribution to our interested sellers and give them appropriate marketing support to create demand. We are a one stop B2BMarketing and B2B distribution solution all over India. Our up to date marketing and branding strategies are top notch and cater to the present market and customer choices. Want our trusted services and offers to boost your ready to eat & instant food sales, then continue reading about us.

About Mumbai

Mumbai is the financial, commercial, and the entertainment capital of India. It is also one of the world's top ten centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow,generating 6.16% of India's GDP,and accounting for 25% of industrial output, 70% of maritime trade in India.

The city houses important financial institutions and the corporate headquarters of numerous Indian companies and multinational corporations. It is also home to some of India's premier scientific and nuclear institutes.Mumbai is also home to the world famous Bollywood industry and Marathi cinema industries. Mumbai's business opportunities attract migrants from all over India.

Mumbai is basically a conglomeration of small islands connected by bridges to the mainland. Sometimes it can be overcrowded, chaotic and stifling but it can also be overwhelming and endlessly fascinating.

You will find an amalgamation of cultures in Mumbai. The streets are always filled and on the sides of every street you will find a myriad of temples, mosques, colonial era buildings and old bazaars.You can also take a dive at the beaches, but people generally don’t prefer that as it is polluted. Instead the breathtaking view of Marine Drive will mesmerize you.

Mumbai Real Estate market

Capital values remained almost constant in many places apart from South Central Mumbai where values declined marginally by 2%. The total value of all homes in the US is $33.6 trillion. An analysis by Zillow, a real estate database company, estimated that housing value in the US is 160 percent of the country’s GDP. The value of homes in New York alone is equal to the GDP of India.

Residential capital values in the city are expected to face downward pressure due to subdued transaction activity and increase in launches during the last quarter of the year. The annual property tax collection by the municipal corporation is Rs 5,000 crore.

Whichever value one adopts, it is clear that the stakes in Mumbai real estate are very high. At a valuation of $800 billion, it is equivalent to 43 percent of India’s total stock market value and 29 percent of GDP.

How To Reach

By air- Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is the primary international airport serving the Mumbai Metropolitan Area.There is also an old airport Santacruz Airport, which is about 4.5 kms from the international airport. Buses and cabs are easily available from the airport to reach desired destinations.

By rail- Mumbai is very well connected to the rest of India by trains. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is the most popular station in Mumbai. Trains to Mumbai are available from all major railway stations in India. Some important Mumbai trains to note are the Mumbai Rajdhani, Mumbai Duronto, Konkan Kanya Express.

By Road- Mumbai is well-connected with national highways and expressways . Mumbai visit by bus is the most economical for individual tourists. Government, as well as private buses, operate daily services to this route. Mumbai bus stand is situated at the centre of the city. Travelling to Mumbai by car is the common choice made by travellers. One can easily opt for Mumbai car rental for this trip. So Mumbai travel by cab is one of the efficient ways to explore the city.

The major shopping places in Mumbai are Zaveri Bazaar, Colaba Causeway Market, Crawford Market, Mangaldas Market, Lokhandwala Market. You can buy street jewellery from Zaveri Bazaar, fashionable clothes and books from Colaba Market, from Crawford Market you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, itar (perfumes), cosmetics, and gifts. Other important markets are Mangaldas market, mulji jetha market, CP Tank, Book Street and Sassoon Docks Fish Market and Dadar Flower Market.

India's ready-to-eat food market stood at $ 261 million in 2017 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 16% during 2018-2023 to reach $ 647 million by 2023.

The rapid urbanization, increasing disposable income of the middle-class population, changing taste preferences of Indian consumers and the influx of western culture is attributing to the growth of the market for these products. Further, the increasing demand for easy food, rise in quality and high nutritional value in these foods is further aiding growth of India ready-to-eat food market. Demand for instant food products is recording high growth in metro cities where a lot of working people don't get enough time to cook proper meals. Moreover, longer shelf life and easy availability of ready-to-eat food products in every convenient store is further pushing their demand across the country.

The ready-to-eat and convenience food market has literally exploded over the past 3-4 months. Major players in the ready-to-eat space expect revenues to double year-on-year if this growth trajectory continues. "We see this market doubling by December next year. The first two weeks were all about essentials. Following that we have seen growth rates for this category at about 100 percent in kirana stores," said Sachid Madan, CEO, F&V and Frozen Foods at ITC, who expanded their offerings in the frozen foods space to over 102 cities in India.

MTR Foods has also seen a stellar growth rate over the last few months and expects growth to be in the range of 15-18 percent going forward. "We needed to ensure that capacity had to be ramped up. We have seen a growth of 200% in e-commerce and it is now 5% of our business," said Sanjay Sharma, CEO, MTR Foods. A huge demand has been seen in the frozen parathas, idli batter and the packaged mithai categories. ID Fresh Food, which makes idli & dosa batter, malabar parotas and filter coffee, expects business to double month-on-month, going forward.

Ready to Eat & Instant Food Product Ranges

The most popular ready-to-eat items include preparations of paneer, chana masala, rajma masala, pav bhaji, dosa, noodles, frozen paratha chapatti, pasta macaroni, instant soup, frozen sweets, instant food mix batter, vermicelli etc. Rise in the demand for ready-to-eat food products has created the interest among many companies to enter this space which is likely to contribute to the growth of the market in the coming years. Now various companies like big basket and grocers with their well-equipped delivery chain system deliver the food product online at our doorstep. Furthermore, innovation in product packaging and delivery provided by various companies like BigBasket and Grofers, sustainable packaging, preference of single serving frozen products, aggressive marketing & promotional strategies have steered the growth in the market.

Marketing and increasing sales of your product is our responsibility. Our extensive team of highly trained individuals will take care of the marketing, logistics and sales of your company, only the manufacturing is to be dealt by you. We make your product available both online and offline along with producing sales locally so that your brand awareness increases. Our impact ful and trusted marketing plan for instant food is specially designed to lift your sales volume. Our delivery system is well coordinated and connected which makes sure that there is no shortage of products in the market and nothing goes to waste as well. So what are you waiting for! Take the decision of connecting and collaborating with us, it will surely make a huge increment in your sales volume and increase your brand awareness.

Shahi Paneer(3119)

Dal Makhani(2097)

Veg Momos(1804)

Palak Paneer(1734)

Paneer Tikka(1417)

Vegetable Soup(1748)

Italian Pasta(1266)

Tomato Soup(1098)

Macaroni(762)

Premix Soup(414)

French Fries(1621)

Frozen Paratha(709)

Frozen Sweet Corn(639)

Soya Chaap(425)

Frozen Chapati(386)

South Indian Instant Food(2590)

Dosa(2300)

Instant Food Mix(1098)

Idli Mix(808)

Dosa Mix(529)

Instant Noodle(5070)

Healthy Noodle(2717)

Chinese Noodle(2097)

Vermicelli Noodle(1077)

Hakka Noodle(765)

A few Strategies to Increase Sales:-

Contemporize brand engagement- The type of snacks consumers purchase often depends on their age and lifestyle preferences, for example millennials tend to consume assorted snacks throughout the day whereas older people consume very less frequently and tend to have a certain specific choice.

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Planning Helps To Overcome The Unforeseen Risks

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Our main tasks to cater to improving your sales, therefore involve Distribution Network Set-Up, Find Channel Partners, Appointing Distributors and Dealers and Find Sales Agents.

#increase_sales #ready-to-eat #instantfood

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thetradeway · 4 years ago

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Session 32: 13 Feb 2021 A thumbs-in-eyes sort of sitch

We start at 6; no, we start at 6.30!

Right - this bunch of randos. Ria has approached Gunna, and the halfling Jirr greets Tarragon. She offers to take Popcorn to the cellar for some meat scraps; she accepts.

Tarragon asks Jirr about the randos. She’s not familiar, they’re new. One came in looking scared, has been drinking for about an hour. Kessler goes on up and gives it the full Riker with a tiny stool.

Ria and Gunna have left, in a hurry. We decide to pursue, and Kessler will remain to interview the two at our table. Gideon decides to stay and drink. He goes to Jirr to ask for a jug and a tankard. 5 cp, thanks.

Or we don’t pursue Gunna? Ahleqs wants to order something dangerously strong. Gideon asks after Bromrich, the dwarf friend he made. Apparently he’s been in, asking after Gideon. Seemed to be on a bender, said it wasn’t especially important.

It’ll be 9gp for a tankard of the strongest stuff - firewine. The second strongest is only a silver piece, but that’s because it’s gross. He ponys up for the firewine, but offers 6gp. 21 persuasion, yes okay. He sits close to us in case something goes wrong. Fiery and hot but pleasant. (Cinnamon whiskey!) He is still immune to getting drunk, however. Jirr watches with concern.

Gideon takes a sip - makes a CON check. 22! He enjoys it. It goes down a treat! He is reluctant to hand it back.

(Duncan voice: “very smooth”)

Kessler is asking the two at the table what’s the what. They just stare into middle distance, not seeming to hear her. She pokes the cleric (?). (Matthew seems to be asking questions in the cleric’s voice - I am briefly confused.) The hooded figure does not respond either. She tells them that this is our table and they have to move.

Wait - hold on, the priest is talking, voiced by Matthew? I am very confused now.

Ahleqs apologises for Kessler, and asks if they would like a sip of his firewine, holding it out to the hooded figure. Brother Carl apparently doesn’t imbibe alcohol, the priest tells us. Ahleqs tries to push the hood off the head of the figure - he is batted away.

Brother Carl’s companion is being voiced by Matthew, still. What’s going on?

This cleric/paladin/priest says he’s been gone a while and is having trouble adjusting. His family have passed on, apparently. His name is Brother Charity.

(Gunna is no longer in the Player Characters list on roll20…)

He holds up a holy symbol and asks if we recognise it. Kessler makes an Insight check; Brother Charity seems to be on the level. Kessler recognises the symbol Brother Charity holds up - it is the symbol of Helm.

Ahleqs reaches out to have a look at it, but it’s on a necklace.

The door opens and more drunken patrons arrive.

The Church of Helm looks after those who can’t look after themselves; defenders of the weak and vulnerable. Charity represents a new form of thought within his church. He engages with no immoral activity whatsoever.

While we were all talking, Cass gets up on the tables and starts to dance. Ahleqs, not-drunk on firewine, decides to join in, but fails his Performance check.

Brother Charity seems to be getting drunk.

Melaina has gone after Gunna but can’t find him so she comes back and orders some wine. Tarragon notices that the new patrons are getting a bit handsy with Cass.

Tarragon tries to make eye contact with Cass but can’t make herself seen so she elbows her way to the front. Does Cass want her to beat some asses? They exchange a smile, and Cass cracks her flagon over the head of the nearest pest. Roll initiative!

(Ed asks for clarification re. Matthew’s new character; is told ‘you don’t know’. What the shit? Has Gunna left us?)

Barroom brawl rules: no weapons, no magic.

Roll a d20 and add STR or DEX mod and proficiency bonus. Damage = 1d4+4.

Melaina throws a punch and hits. Ahleqs gets a bottle smashed over his head; he uses Bend Luck to expend two sorcery points to roll a d4 and subtract that from the thug’s result. It still hits him, though. Damn!

Brother Carl rises up from his seat - looks at Brother Charity and holds an action.

Jirr ducks down behind the bar; a heavily tattooed dwarf sitting by the stairway is surprised by a punch from her to the back of his head. He staggers forward as if hit with a brick.

The bowler-hatted woman hits Jirr right in the jaw.

Ahleqs, as the weakest person in the entire pub, uses DEX rather than STR and goes for a trip attack on the guy who hit him. The guy chins himself on the corner of a table. Tarragon approves!

Gideon is just trying to enjoy his drink, man! Has anyone actively hit him yet? No, don’t think so. He’s still sitting at the table. He sits out his turn and continues his drink.

Brother Charity excuses himself past Tarragon and goes to the burly dwarf with the beard. He asks if the dwarf is aware of the implications of hitting a man of the cloth; the dwarf spits. “Well that’s very rude.” Charity tells the dwarf to consider his choices in life, and perhaps walk away; this forces a WIS save. Huh.

(Ahleqs, turning to Gideon, impressed: “He negotiates!”)

Melaina feels a crack across her back and turns - she’s been smacked by a dwarf. She would have halved the damage with her Evasion, but she was facing away and didn’t see him.

A bottle flies over Kessler’s shoulder from behind and smashes on the table; she hears a “shit!” from behind her. There is a wildly drunk elf behind her. She stands, punches her gloves together and says “my turn.” She specifies non-lethal damage before punching with her gauntlets.

She tries to verbally subdue the entire pub but fails, so pulls out her horn to summon the Watch. We are all briefly horrified by this before turning back to the fight.

Tarragon Rages and goes for the knees of the woman next to her with a 20; Ahleqs uses a new ability to give her another 3 for a total of 23. She bites her knees.

The dwarf throws a punch at Brother Charity; the woman grappled by Tarragon tries to break free and fails; Cass continues her scrap with the bowler-hatted woman.

Melaina gives the ginger hairy guy an elbow for 8 damage. Another rancid joker (DM’s words) punches Melaina and hits - she saw it coming so she can Uncanny Dodge to halve the damage.

Someone punches Ahleqs; he whimpers as a free action.

Brother Carl looks at the table, shakes his head, a tiny sigh, “whyioughtta”. He was trying to get away from this kind of life. The guy attacking Ahleqs is big and burly and mad as hell. Brother Carl socks him in the face, and just stands there “like Jason Voorhies”.

Jirr darts around the corner, punches the tattooed dwarf, who goes down. Bowler hat throws a punch at Cass. Ahleqs is in his first ever bar fight. Instinct tells him that under the table is the safest place. The guy he tripped looks pretty bloodied by this point. He decides to throw a punch! No - he pushes him as hard as he can, hoping he will fall into the table. He rolls a 5 total for his attack, with his little noodle arms, and pushes himself into the wall. He drops to his knees and gets under a table. He can now add 4 to his AC.

This isn’t going to stop, is it? Gideon asks himself. To get involved, or remain seated? He didn’t come here to brawl! Who’s on whose side? It seems a bit of a free for all, but mostly it’s us and the Dagger staff versus the rabble. He gets up and wallops Bowler Hat in the stomach. (Brother Charity tells him it’s bad form to hit a woman, but it seems Gideon has stopped caring.) He gets a nat 20!

He rolls on the new crit table: Something slipped. Max damage and the targets AC is reduced by 2d4 until the end of its next turn. Woo! It’s enough to put the bitch down.

(Tarragon is very proud.)

Gideon looks around, glowers at everyone, marches back to his table and sits back down to continue his drink.

Brother Charity decides to try diplomacy again. “You, sir!” another WIS save; 17 which is a success. “Fine. If we can’t do this reasonably. Carl - strike them all!”

The doors to the inn open, and two well dressed nobles - the woman says “quickly dear, in here!”

We all freeze mid-punch. They are very well dressed and look out of place. That’s not the city watch!

The drunken elf swings at Kessler and misses. It’s her turn. She attacks with her thunder gauntlets again. She calls for backup again. We all hear in the distance a return call.

(Gideon trips and falls IRL.)

The noble steps over Bowler Hat and tries to slot Cass across the face, telling her to put some clothes on.

Tarragon throws a punch above her head and hits the woman she’s grappling right in the fork, doing a d6 damage plus her rage, grinning the whole time. She’s having an absolute whale.

The noble slaps Kessler; Gideon is greatly amused. The slap fails to connect, sadly.

The half orc throws a punch at Kessler’s face; she takes 3 damage.

The pinned woman wriggles but still can’t break free. Tarragon demands to know why she isn’t hitting her!

Cass punches the nobleman square in the face and he goes down.

Melaina goes for a punch and does 8 damage; she hears a pop and his nose starts to bleed. He doesn’t seem to mind.

His charmless friend tries to headbutt her, and misses.

Some guy reaches under the table to try and fish Ahleqs out; Gideon aims a kick at him - and he goes down!

Brother Carl walks over an unconscious body and stands on it. He looks awkwardly CGI’d like Han Solo walking behind Jabba the Hut. He whacks a half elf and hits for 6 damage - and grapples him. Not in a nice action movie way, in an extremely unpleasant way. This is very much an 18 cert situation. Not in a sexy way, in a violent way. Thumbs in eye sockets sort of sitch.

Melaina and Tarragon spot Jirr darting under the bar stools - she pops up next to the dwarf and punches him in the head. 8 damage and the dwarf goes down!

Ahleqs, from his vantage under the table, tries to tangle a bar stool in the legs of the woman that Tarragon is grappling. He rolls a 5, but the woman rolls a 3 so she and Tarragon are now rolling around on the floor - Ahleqs and Tarragon share a grin.

Brother Carl has hold of a half elf, within kicking range of Gideon, so he goes for it, between definitely not drinking everyone else’s drinks, and connects. 5 damage!

The doors open again and Ria appears in the doorway. She looks around, takes a deep breath, and wades into the fight.

Brother Charity looks around; is anyone looking at him? Yes, one guy is, but he’s absolutely shitfaced. He takes his club out of his pocket (NO WEAPONS!) and takes a swing, but rolls a 3. Now people do look at him. He drops the club. “Where did that come from?”

We make perception checks; we all hear the Watch’s horn, but it’s closer now.

17 to hit Kessler misses. She turns to the noblewoman and rushes forward, leaping to latch on to her and knock her out of the door. Fails with a nat 1.

Tarragon screams at the woman to hit her, punches her - and she falls unconscious. Tarragon is very disappointed. “This one’s broken, I need a new one!”

Ria takes hold of the noblewoman and nuts her, and drops her unconscious body on the floor. Tarragon cheers.

The guy wriggles free of Brother Carl’s grip, and grins at him.

Kessler makes a contested STR check against the nobleman. He punches her with a crit.

Brother Charity and Melaina both see Cass pick up a drunken schmuck and catch him right in the chin.

(Matthew: “Honey, do you want to punch the horrible dwarf in front of you?” Sophie, from the kitchen: “Do I!”) She misses; he throws a punch back and also misses.

Brother Carl does some more Jason Voorhies staring. He looks at his gauntlet and back up (it’s metal, like the Nazgul). He makes a punch and Natty 20s it. He’s hammering his victim like a tent peg.

We are near some windows, so for flavour, Brother Carl would like to have punched him through a window. DM says it would be through, but the bars between the panes are metal.

Jirr disappears, reappears, and punches some joker in the shin. He goes down.

Ahleqs moves, stands up, uncorks his bottle, and takes a little swig. He takes the dodge action, just in case.

Gideon can’t reach either remaining chump; we see the cogs turning in his head as he looks at a bottle on the table and then back up at an elf. He grasps it like a club and hucks it at him, yelling “Goblin! Duck!” He misses, and goes back to his drink.

Brother Charity decides that’s the end of that dreadful business. Is anyone around him looking bloodied? He tries to cast Cure Wounds on Melaina; she says she’s ok. He does it anyway; she says she doesn’t trust him. He walks away and she takes an attack of opportunity on him. “Ow, what the hell?”

18 to hit Kessler? That’s a hit. She doesn’t reaction-shield. She punches him back with her thunder gauntlets.

Tarragon picks up the stool that Ahleqs tangled in the legs of the woman she was grappling, and flings it clear across the room at the half orc - it hits, doing 8 damage including her rage. Thus ends the best fight Tarragon has ever had.

the bar staff ask us to help move the unconscious ones into the cellar before the fuzz arrive; Gideon wants to know if there is anything of value on the nobles; he plucks a ruby from her necklace. He goes to the bar and helps himself to an ale, leaving a few coppers on the bar.

There is some squabbling over the noblewoman; Kessler wants to throw her to the cops and say the fight was her fault. Brother Charity walks over to Kessler, puts a hand on her shoulder and says “I forgive you.” He walks away.

This must be a regular event because there is straw on the ground ready for the unconscious brawlers.

The watch arrive and ask Kessler what happened. She says the nobles were attacked by ruffians and mugged. The attackers ran away, and she was unable to give chase. She makes a deception check with Melaina’s help. 18; they seem to buy it. They take the nobles away. Brother Charity looks at Kessler and shakes his head.

“And what happens when the nobles wake up?”

There’s no evidence to prove there was a fight, apparently. The bar staff buy us a round of drinks.

Tarragon buys the woman she was grappling a drink; says any time she wants a rumble, Tarragon is ready.

Ria approaches us with a letter from Gunna. (will add later)

Also, the watch have been after Kessler about the article in the paper. The watch lady who arrives in answer to Kessler’s horn call still has a copy, which she retrieves for Kessler to read. There is also a letter with a summons for her. Uh oh, someone’s in trouble…

Ahleqs asks the bar staff about the nobles; they didn’t look local, by the look of their clothes. Ahleqs thinks perhaps they heard the Watch’s horns and ducked into the nearest pub to take cover.

Jirr tells Kessler she will come and put in a good word, since she covered for them after the brawl. I think we’re all going. Brothers Charity and Carl agree to accompany us.

What is Brother Carl, we ask Brother Chastity - Charity? A man, apparently. Charity gave him his habit.

Kessler: “was it a bad habit?”

Tarragon: “You should go to jail just for that.”

Chastity asks her why she’s in the Watch if she has artificing skills; family ties, apparently.

We go to Castle Waterdeep in the Castle Ward, to the 4th floor.

Xorone of the Libram is overseeing Kessler’s hearing personally. A gloriously corpulent fellow, a dragonborn in very fancy robes.

Ahleqs: “Is Mr. Pickles in Waterdeep?” He comes from the Temple of Mystra in Waterdeep, and he may be hearing from him soon. We explain about Mr. Pickles to the Brothers.

We are shown into Xorone’s office; Gideon admires his obsidian-like desk. A snotty halfling appears - we recognise Blossom Snobeedle. Xorone appears shortly after.

Formalities; Kessler accuses Blossom of murder; Gideon muses that he won’t need to say anything, she’ll take herself down.

She says we were deputised; Brother Charity and Tarragon both immediately point out that they weren’t deputised. Kessler explains about the scarecrow and says she left Blossom under house arrest and says that someone was supposed to come and collect her.

Blossom says she was sold the scarecrow under false pretences, and she never intended for anyone to get hurt.

Xorone scans the room. He points to Melaina; we will start with her. Was Kessler’s behaviour justified? She thinks it was; she makes a persuasion check. a ten. Xorone turns to Gideon. What’s his take on this?

He scans the room for somewhere to perch; there is a stool. Gideon rests his ageing bones on it, laces his fingers together. There is a looooooooooot of old-man waffling. He says that before he travelled with Kessler he thought there was no such thing as a good goblin. Now that he’s travelled with her, he’s *certain* that there’s no such thing as a good goblin. That said, the areas where we’ve travelled are safer now, in part thanks to her. He doesn’t really believe in what he’s saying so he makes a deception check - a nat 1.

Ahleqs starts visibly sweating when called upon. He says she’s very brave and has a sense of right and wrong, but she frightens him a bit. He didn’t believe she was a police officer until - well, just now, actually. He touches where he believes his forelock to be; he is wrong. He rolls a nat 20 on persuasion.

Tarragon thinks she’s heavy handed; there was no reason to arrest Blossom. Also she didn’t want to be deputised. Rolls a 16 persuasion.

Xorone looks to Brother Charity. Has he travelled with Kessler long? No! Just met her today!

He has learnt about her over the course of our encounter in the Dripping Dagger. As a man of a god, he feels that he can see the character of a person. Perhaps Xorone has wandered into a neighbour’s garden or hovel and stolen something. This does not define him though. He saw her defuse a situation that could have gone horribly awry, but this goblin (not a construct, as he first believed) is inherently a good person. He makes his check at disadvantage as he’s only met her today; rolls a nat 1.

Jirr steps up to say that she works at the Dagger where we have all been staying, and they have had no trouble with Kessler. In fact today she helped some nobles who were attacked outside the Dagger. She rolls a 14 for her persuasion-slash-deception.

Kessler rolls persuasion in her own defence - rolls a ten.

Blossom snobeedle makes her case. This nasty goblin gives all the officers a bad name, and she’s a beast of a person. She rolls a 16.

We have all made our case; Xorone leaves the room to deliberate. Kessler makes a veiled threat toward Blossom in spite of advice from her ad hoc lawyer Charity.

Xorone reappears and sits behind his desk. Some people clearly think she’s a good officer and he is disinclined to fire her outright.

Kessler quits the force.

Xorone gives her a half smile. “If that’s what you wish.” No mark on her record, and he will see her at the tower of the Watchful Order. He takes her badge and we are allowed to leave. Kessler does fingers to her eyes, then fingers to Snobeedle. Makes an intimidation check for a 15. Snobeedle audibly chokes. We hear her telling Xorone about how she needs protection.

Ahleqs tells Kessler that he meant every word; she’s brave but she scares him and she’s a TERRIBLE watchwoman.

Jirr shouts us all drinks.

Ahleqs sees a familiar face smoking a pipe at one of the tables - it’s Mr. Pickles! He drops his drink and rushes over. (Brother Charity thought Al-Miraj’s were made up.)

“Ahleqs old boy!” Ahleqs doesn’t know what to say.

Mr. Pickles says that one of Ahleqs’ party are carrying something that is a potential danger to the city. Melaina, he says is the one holding it. (?) We spent some time in a haunted mansion; we slew a night hag. Did we bring something back from the mansion?

Melaina - yes, there was a scroll? A stone, or something?

It would appear to untrained eyes as a gemstone.

Melaina, suddenly horrified: “No, no, no, that’s mine! It’s really shiny! You’re not having it!”

One of Brother Charity’s eyes is the same colour as the stone that Melaina is refusing to give up. (Only one? I don’t remember writing this.) Mr Pickles tells her we need to hand that in to the Order or at the Temple. The gem is evil and should be locked away.

Nothing bad’s happened yet…? She’ll think about it. “Thanks, bunny.”

The gem can sap the very life essence from a body. Kessler wants to try it. (Does Kessler have a last name? Gideon: Well according to Xorone, her name is “Kessler, Kessler, Kessler.”)

Brother Charity wants to try a drink called the Flaming Sambuca…?

Ahleqs asks Mr Pickles if they can talk somewhere quiet. He can join him at the temple of Mystra later. Mr. Pickles offers Melaina 750 gp for the gem. Are we sure he’s good people? She says she’ll hand it to the Watch.

“Must be either the tower, or the temple. See that you do one of those.”

(Matthew, OOC: “Bidding war?”)

It’s up to Melaina what she wants to do. It is terribly shiny… That said, gold isn’t evil. Brother Charity asks to see the gem. Makes an Arcana check; a ten. It is emitting faint necrotic energy. He believes Mr. Pickles is correct.

Melaina has a look. It will sap energy from a person and do damage over time. It should probably be locked away somewhere. She decides, reluctantly, to hand it in at the tower of the Order. She does tell them she has a rabbit friend who says it’s worth a thousand gp, not 750. Counter offer of 800; she asks for 850. It is accepted. The gem is lowered into a bag and taken away.

Xorone appears again; Melaina has done the city a favour by handing it in. All of our party who are members of the Order get promoted a rank. Joe will email us (them) a copy of the handbook.

Brother Charity approaches Melaina to apologise for getting all up in her grill; she spits at him. (Clearly very upset about Gunna still.)

Joe asks us for downtime activities for next week. Kessler says she will go job hunting.

Ahleqs will go and see Mr. Pickles, then actually do some research and write down the languages he knows on his character sheet.

Gideon wants to hang out with Bromrich and maybe go and search for some good stone work. Also carousing and bar fighting, now that he’s knows he’s good at it.

Cass lets Melaina know there was a tiefling woman asking after her while we were away. May have been from the criminal underworld. She could do a crime spree if she wanted? She wants to go and do elf shit in the woods.

Ahleqs wants to talk about magic with Mr. Pickles; his magic is scaring him because it almost killed our whole party. He’s afraid of hurting us.

Tarragon makes an Insight check; she noticed a heartstone in Melaina’s bag when she was handing over the gem. It could maybe help Tansy. She asks to borrow it; Melaina gives it to her.

Brother Charity does church stuff.

#dnd #thetradeway #campaign diary

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redswordseekingbed · 2 years ago

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Siri play "Sakura Kiss"

#镇魂 guardian #guardian #ye zun #da qing #zunqing #Dazun #Big noodles cp #damian cp

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ride-run-sleep-repeat · 7 years ago

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I know I’ve probably written previously about some race being the “hardest thing I’ve ever done” but they were lies. Okay, maybe not lies, but a climb up a ridiculous ladder I’m pretty sure I’ve finally reached the top of. GODZone is literally the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

It’s been 14 days since the race and i’ve only just stopped dreaming about bush bashing, my fingernails still have dirt under them (I swear i’ve showered!) but my toes have stopped feeling wet even though they are most certainly dry. So that’s a plus I guess?

Also, everyone said Fiordland is the wettest place on earth but I’m going to have to call BS because the weather was actually perfect (thank fark). The wettest place on earth was the ecosystem in my shoes – trail Mud, water, bush bashing mud, didymo cleaning stuff, water from grass not rain, swamp mud (you get the picture…).

I’ve read a lot about elite athletes envisioning their end goals and by doing so are able to push through when it gets really hard. I think it is a true testament to our team, even in the very beginning, that we were constantly talking about the last leg and that it seemed like there was no doubt we would get there eventually, even though “eventually” was in 8 days time.

But the length of the race aside, the really genius thing about it was that although there weren’t very many legs, they all could be broken down into manageable mini legs. (Doesn’t that just sound delightful?!)

This race was really long so i’m just going to acknowledge the fact that some parts were really really brutal and awful right now. But secretly, one of the reasons I keep going back is to see how I deal with the lows. I was also very much a passenger hanging on for dear life (except not as much as Wildside because training actually really works!), so don’t expect me to remember names of rivers, or roads, or anything geographically located. You can go to http://godzoneadventure.com/ for all of that or ask Tom and Paul. You’re coming on my emotional rollercoaster dear reader, buckle up.

Stage one was a packraft/hike/cheeky 150 metre abseil and another packraft (see what I mean about mini legs?) The first portage, which included climbing up a wall of dirt and vines pulling our inflated packrafts along with us was a tiny taster for what was to come (seriously, it wouldn’t even register as anything now. I might be broken). We walked down the river for some time before deciding on Option 2 of 3 bad Option options. Essentially it meant a 1000 metre vertical climb in under 3kms to the top and over some mountain that was between an even bigger mountain (Option 1) and a smaller but dodgier looking mountain (Option 3). The views were pretty good just before we passed the tree line and then the clouds rolled in and it was almost a white out up the top before the darkness descended as we started down the other side, turned on our head torches and were delighted with seeing all the other lights on various mountains around us.

There could be other stuff after this but the next thing I remember is getting to a flat rock overhang about 500 metres from where we were going to abseil and the volunteer who was camped out there saying “it’s not a hard nav to the top”. Well, look, technically she was right. What she did fail to mention though, was that it was going to be incredibly steep and slow to get there. But we did, and after harnessing up and heaving the 150 metre rope Paul thought was too impossibly long to exist back up from the bottom (it existed alright), we descended into the night. Which, thank goodness, because it probably would have been scary otherwise. You know the saying “What you don’t know can’t hurt you”? Well “What Alex can’t see won’t hurt her” was definitely a thing during the race.

Then there was another paddle and we made it to stage 2!

“A straightfoward bike” indeed. The caves were pretty cool. It took the boys a bit of time to orientate themselves but once they had, we bagged all the check points easily. In fact, I think this is one of the only times Tom and Paul weren’t certain the whole race, which is a testament to their skilful navving abilities. Lee even offered to swim the short swim for the last CP and no one complained about that. It did take us the whole two hours so we emerged from the cold depths into the surprisingly humid afternoon and made our way through to the much anticipated, but also dreaded Stage 3. Oh yeah and we decided to walk the 7kms to the lake at the start so we could have a little sleep before the first pack raft. A few things:

It is very hard to walk in a straight line while trying not to sleep.

You cannot walk that far with your eyes closed

7kms is a long way when you really just want to sleep

This is the leg shit got real. Real muddy, real wet, real blistery and real hungry. The estimated slow time was 60 hours. Well, the fastest teams did it in 60 hours. So while us mere mortals packed more food in anticipation, we didn’t anticipate we’d be out there for a solid 4 days.

Highlights include:

4 hours of grade 2/2+ wave trains

The long and strategically genius sleep after getting to the top of a ridge in the dark.

Entering pack rafts from steep bushy terrain onto the water (see photo below)

Finding DoCs (Department of Conservation) possum trap tracks instead of having to bush bash

The 2 km novelty paddle which let our feet rest, if only for an hour

Westies hut

The awesome bridges with 1 person max so someone would dibs going last to have a longer sitting break

Finishing the leg

Lowlights include:

Endless mud

Blisters (shoutout to the medic for sorting me out!)

Putting sore feet back into wet shoes

Soft but actually super prickly moss (Paul said he used some as TP and it was okay though).

After waking up from our last sleep with a big section of coastal track to finish, we hoped by some miracle it would be easier for the last “little” bit. I mean we weren’t hoping for much, even if it only had half the amount of mud from the previous section, we would have been stoked. Much to our surprise, the mud was scarce and the trail was wide! This is probably the first time in the race we got to talk to each other properly and it was amazing to realise how important that aspect of racing is. The conversation did peter out though when Tom started struggling (something i’ve never witnessed before) due to the skin around his toes deciding it didn’t need to be attached, or at the very least, loosely affiliated.

We scored a hot Back Country meal at the TA and as the medic popped all my blisters and told me my feet were better than others he’d seen (I was dubious) he showed me a horrifying photo of another teams feet who had said that he thought “it was only a bit of sand in his shoes” but in fact it was an epically horrible fungal infection and he had to get airlifted to hospital. I felt much better about my feet after that.

The Rowallan Forest looked innocent at first, but as we found ourselves at in thigh deep bog mud (with bikes in tow), it was clear that some simple bush bashing to find a derelict bridge wouldn’t be that simple. After sloshing back and forth to retrace wheel marks from previous teams we decided to head back up the ridge (not fun or easy), ride a little and attack from another angle. Until it looked impossible at night and we decided to sleep for a few hours till sunlight. To be honest, it didn’t seem very possible in light either, even less with a bike, but after 45 minutes we made it out and the rest was much easier after that. Except for when we got to Percy Saddle.

If anyone ever tells you that they’ve heard of Percy’s Saddle and that they’d like to go, laugh in their face. There was no such thing as a “grade 5 mountain bike route”. In mountain bike terms it is not a trail. It is a fire road that ends almost at the top of a steep mountain with 700 metres of markers that alludes to a trail they haven’t built yet.

I tried to channel my bad case of the farts to propel me and my bike up this barbaric route and even though that didn’t work we managed to get them all the way to the top. Although I’m really not sure how. I do know that it shouldn’t take 2 hours to travel 700 metres. It was so exhausting both physically and mentally that someone turned on the waterworks behind my eyes and I couldn’t turn it off for a good couple minutes. Paul and Tom stood awkwardly around me and cried on the inside instead.

I forgot to mention we were also racing the clock to make the 3am cut off to the kayak leg which would take us to stage 6 – the last 24km hike before Stage 7 – a measly (I say “measly” with literally no sarcasm) 8 hour paddle to the finish. We made the cut off with 10 minutes to spare and got some sleep at the most sandfly and team infested hut in the whole race.

After enduring window shaking snoring throughout the night and feeling lower than a limbo champion, I sat in silence next to Paul as we ate a Back Country and treated our feet, watching the 3 teams who’d also bunked with us leave, before mustering the courage to put on our shoes and take the tentative first steps of the 24km hike. Although I felt like death, this hike had the most beautiful terrain of the whole bloody race.

Our first goal was to get to a ginormous and extremely powerful waterfall rumoured to have made a team turn back at the sight of it. After that, it was a steep, mossy and holey slog to the novelty canoe. One of the volunteers had some boiling water on the fire (such luxury!) and I think this is where Tom created a concoction of dehydrated mash potatoes and 2-minute noodles which he claims was amazing while we laughed at the other team who had just started paddling in circles.

Enormous Waterfall

Except when we started paddle we did exactly the same. After a few spins we got used to the paddles and made our way in pitch black darkness to the other side of the lake where after an interesting attempt by Paul to light a fire with the stove, we set up tents and slept for a few hours till daylight.

Braden Currie (Multiple Coast to Coast winner) boated over to pick up our canoes in the morning and said that we should try to hit the pass before the weather got bad. We later took this as a polite “hurry the f@*k up” as the weather ended up being delightful and the view spectacular from the top. Descending into the valley towards the lake took a lot shorter than we expected, probably due to the steep terrain we either lowered ourselves down by vines/grass/whatever solid thing we could find or slid down.

View from the pass. Only 10 kms (6 more hours) down the valley following the river to the lake!

Boulder hopping, (not one of my fortes) became incredibly fun and we eventually made it to the final TA by following a trail of bright fluro markers which are every adventure racers favourite thing to hunt down. (Or at least our teams anyway). We had very low food rations at this point so it was wonderful to stuff my face while the volunteers politely but firmly tried to get us into the kayaks as fast as possible.

This is where we forgot about our feet and aching bodies, dug deep and clicked into beast mode.

Tom was in the front of our kayak as it had the steering thingos (technical term). The wind was pretty horrendous for the first couple of hours and having not done up our jackets, Tom got pounded by huge whitecaps and was not happy about it. So at the first CP we got out, rugged up and carried on.

As the darkness descended and we made it to the last CP we fully expected to have to camp there for the night, leaving us a piddly 5km from the finish. But as we approached, the volunteer radioed in and HQ said we could carry on to the finish. We had a quick team discussion and after bribing Tom with a chocolate OSM we got back into the boats and paddled our way to the finish line. To find out we’d come 3rd place in the international team category, which was just ridiculous.

So what did I learn from this epic race? Firstly, that team comradery and communication is vital to enjoying and getting through a race. Secondly, that your low points can get lower but you can and will continue through pain and tears because the competitive drive still burns and thirdly, even when you think you’ve reached your physical limit, you can keep one upping yourself.

Team goal – “Our goal is to finish the full course with our limbs intact and still be willing to speak to each other.”

Well, we finished the full course anyway.

Would I do it again? Yes. But I’m going to enjoy coffee and my day job for a little while before I sign up for another…

PS shout out to Shapes for making the greatest race food of all time – Nacho cheese flavoured shapes and La Sportiva for creating the most perfect shoe – the Akasha.

GODZone Fiordland 2018 I know I've probably written previously about some race being the "hardest thing I've ever done" but they were lies.

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