#casual Tek
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The Casual Trek podcast has strayed from Star Trek and instead decided to do an episode all about William Shatnerâs prose âmasterpieceâ, TekWar! I have a lot of regrets about doing this just because I could call the episode âCasual Tekâ.
Will I ever forgive Miles? Will Shatner actually do cyberpunk well? Or noir? Will I ever be able to recover from the opening lines of Shatâs introduction or the boy thatâs also a bomb? No, no I wonât.
Enjoy! https://anchor.fm/casual-trek/episodes/Casual-Tek-e2d2gvu
#casual trek#Casual Tek#Star Trek#TekWar#William Shatner#Podcast#Cyberpunk#Noir#The agony and ecstasy of writing a novel
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I haven't been able to stop thinking about Skizz saying "When God made Tango, he's like: I'm gonna give you the biggest brain in the World, but, I don't need the World feeling too inferior to you, so I'm gonna make you a little bit stupid. But the only way I can do that is to make it so that you can't see your own brilliance."
I've never had this before where I passively listen to people talking and then later feverishly think back to it like "hold on that was really thought-provoking. Where did I hear that?" I've just been thinking about Tango and I kept remembering this approximate quote about him being such an exceptional creator cursed with not seeing the value in his own work (so I went on a hunt and just now found it lol, it's from this video) and that's so profound to me. Because I think all of us artists are cursed with this at some point. Well, you're all brilliant, it could be that God just chose that you'd be too powerful to realize just how much. But if you can't think that about yourself then just think of Skizz saying that about you because he would. Or think of yourself as a Tango, and then realize how awesome Tango is, and so that must mean that you're awesome too
#blabber#tangotek#skizzleman#skizz and tango make such a wonderful dynamic and this. has touched my heart#like ok funny casual banter but actually Ive been thinking about this so much you have no idea#tango tek
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"team zit has one braincell and impulse has it" - broke, untrue
"team zit has one wallet and impulse keeps it full" - woke, fact
#brought to you by impulse just casually gifting zed 5 ENCHANTED GOLDEN APPLES. SIR???#impulsesv#tangotek#zedaphplays#zedaph plays#team zit#tango tek#polyzit#poly zit#hermitship#hermitshipping#hermitshipblr#hermitcraft#ryan's screaming
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The way that The Boys portrays sex (especially in season 4) is soooo transparently rooted in bad messaging. For such a "liberal" show, it is committed to portraying any sex acts that are considered off the beaten path (fetishes, anal, even casual sex) as something only the depraved, villainous characters would be interested in and it's a clear reflection of their morals.
The Tek Knight dungeon episode alone lampoons BDSM roleplay, tickle fetishes, and food/fart fetishes. They're all shown as either downright laughable, or GROSS and DEPRAVED sex acts that any decent person (in this case, Hughie, the audience stand-in) would be disgusted/appalled by. The poor way the show has dealt with Hughie's repeated sexual assaults this season is another post all by itself.
The villainous shifter character, who has stolen Annie's likeness and identity, brags about doing "butt stuff" with Hughie, which apparently the morally righteous, Christian Annie would never do. Compare that to the Deep, for example, who was so bored by the monogamous relationship with his wife in season 3 that he fucked an octopus. Now he has a casual sexual relationship with Sister Sage, where it's stated multiple times that they do anal. What does it say about people who enjoy anal sex if three antagonists (one of whom has sexually assaulted multiple women and partakes in beastiality) are their only representation? What's next? Are we going to learn that Hughie and Annie only have sex missionary style, in the dark, to show that they're the good guys?
The morally grey/downright bad characters are portrayed as enjoying casual sex, sometimes with multiple partners (Sage with the Deep and New Noir, Ashley with Cameron Coleman and Adam Bourke, the Deep with Sage, Coleman's wife, and his octopus lover, etc). This may not be bad by itself, but when the Boys are all in/were in/want to be in loving, committed relationships (Hughie/Annie, Frenchie/Kimiko, MM/Monique, even Butcher/Becca), it certainly implies there's something bad about casual sex if only the bad guys are doing it. Don't even get me STARTED on Herogasm.
Now, I don't think the show is doing this on purpose necessarily. I think it stems from a combination of things - The Boys has set itself up as a show that is raunchy and shocking, and therefore it must one-up itself every season no matter the cost, and it has a rather juvenile attitude that sex, especially "freaky" sex is always funny.
It's unfortunate that so many people who partake in the fetishes and sexual acts that were skewered on the show felt singled out and made fun of for something that is, frankly, not a big deal and not a reflection on their moral character at all. I hope that going forward, The Boys treats its sex scenes with more care and really considers the message it's inadvertently sending but after this season, I don't have much faith left.
#tek knight#hughie campbell#starlight#annie january#sister sage#jessica bradley#the deep#kevin moskowitz#black noir#ashley barrett#the boys
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from eden, part IX (act II)
Word count: 15,401 Warnings: Self-deprecating thoughts (not really, Jimmyâs just a listener and doesnât know it), strong language, internalized racism, past abuse/experimentation, dehumanization, self-hatred, kissing, mature implications (fade to black), voluntary decapitation Summary: The Double Lifers have successfully thwarted the invasion by Hels Tek, but not unscathed. Now that Tangoâs been outed as Bravoâs doppelgänger, the remaining threads are starting to unravel, and Jimmy suddenly finds himself fighting to save Tango from his own inner demons. Can their love survive the fallout?
A/N: This chapter had to get split into two parts bc Tumblr sucks, here's a link to the first half if u missed it. Hope y'all enjoy, please reblog/comment if you do!
Also please donât think too hard abt the technical portal/redstone junk. Iâm throwin a lotta random terms and conditions out there in the hopes of creating a feasible explanation for how portal travel works, and how Hels differs from other worlds in that regard. Itâs possible there are contradictions or other things that I didnât fully think through, but these details arenât really important. Just try to suspend ur disbelief. - Aqua
~*~
from eden, part IX (act II) - no tired sighs, no rolling eyes, no irony
~*~
âRight then. Uh, thank you all for coming on short notice.â
Grianâs tentative welcome is met with a chorus of rather subdued greetings from the Double Lifers. Everyone is gathered in a loose semicircle around spawn, standing in their respective soulbound pairs and groups. Jimmy wouldâve preferred to have this conversation sitting down, inside somewhere, but Tango had insisted on spawn.
Only now does Jimmy realize that the open nature of the forest clearing at spawn is less enclosed than a room filled with fourteen people would feel, and he understands.
Tango hadnât been very talkative on the way over. But every time he said something, it was with that same forced âEverythingâs fine!â kind of attitude. Itâs really starting to frustrate Jimmy, making him want to grab Tango by the shoulders and shout, âNo, actually, everythingâs not fine, and thatâs okay!â
But he doesnât think thatâd be well received at the moment.
Tango, standing beside Jimmy, is still maintaining his fake nonchalance. To an untrained observer, heâd actually look quite casual. Simply standing with his hands in his pockets, listening intently to Grian with a plain, but not unpleasant, expression. The only indication Jimmy has that heâs at all uncomfortable is the complete lack of movement.
He doesnât fidget, doesnât pace, doesnât shift his weight- all things that might otherwise be taken as signs of anxiety, but are usually normal for Tango. The stillness, though subtle, is concerning. It means heâs tense and on-guard. As if expecting an attack at any second. Which, to be fair, Jimmy doesnât blame him for.Â
But more concerning is the fact that Tango can so easily and convincingly pretend that everythingâs fine. He mustâve had a lot of practice.
(Ten years, remember?)
(Of course heâs a good liar.)
(Surprise, surprise.)
Grian clears his throat. âSo, as we all know⌠there was an attack yesterday by some strange fellas who came in through a hacked portal of some sort. Iâve locked the world down for the moment, but until we know all the whoâs, whyâs, and howâs, Iâm afraid thatâs only a temporary solution⌠since Iâm sure you all donât wanna be stuck here forever.âÂ
He says it matter-of-factly, not a hint of any frustration, annoyance, or other ill-feeling in his voice. But Jimmy sees Tangoâs face twitch anyway. Unsurprisingly, the guilt is getting to him.
âBut thatâs why weâre here,â Grian continues, taking a more upbeat tone. âTango has kindly agreed to explain a little better whatâs goinâ on, so hopefully, we can get to the bottom of this and uh⌠come up with a plan for moving forward.â He gestures invitingly towards Tango. âTango?â
(Here we goâŚ)
Tango clears his throat. âRight, yeah, thanks.â He takes a small step forward, casting a quick glance around the clearing. âOkay, so hereâs the deal. I spawned in a world called Hels, where every player is sort of an evil counterpart to an overworld player elsewhere in the universe. At least, thatâs what Iâve gathered from the Helsknight fiasco.â
Jimmy can actually see the sudden realization that settles over all the present Hermits- minus Pearl, who seems as out of the loop as the others.
Grianâs eyes widen. âOh my gosh, that makes so much senseâŚâ
âOh, dudes,â Ren breathes, running a clawed hand through his hair. âNot gonna lie, I completely forgot about thatâŚâ
âSame here,â Impulse says, looking stunned. âI mean, it was over and done with so fast, and Wels didnât seem worried, so I guess none of us really thought to look into it? ManâŚâ
Scott puts a hand up. âUm, whatâs thaâ Helsknight fiasco?â he asks, frowning.
âOh, right.â Tango scratches the back of his head. âSo, you guys know of Welsknight, right? One of our fellow hermits?â At the groupâs hesitant nods, he continues, âOn Hermitcraftâs seventh world, there was this player who randomly joined and attacked Wels. None of us ever saw him, but when Wels explained the situation later⌠he said Helsknight was some kinda evil clone, and that he came from a place called Hels.â
Murmurs of surprise and confusion ripple through the group. Jimmy longs to put a hand on Tangoâs shoulder as a reassurance, but based on how tense he is, thatâd probably set him off.
âWait, really?â Pearl asks, her antennae curling in surprise. âWhatâre the chances of that?â
âI know,â Cleo agrees, âit was really strange, in hindsightâŚâ
âSo this Helsknight guy,â Joel says, knitting his brows together. âHeâs what Bravo was talkinâ about, one of those Hels players? Like all the other people that came through the portal?â
âYeah,â Martyn chimes in, âI- I noticed a lot of uh, âHelsâ in the names in chat. Or like, ones with âbadâ or âevilâ kinda vibes.â
âYep.â Tango nods stiffly. âNow, donât get me wrong, I donât know Helsknight or- or how he joined Hermitcraft, but it was obvious he was Welsâs counterpart. I mean, he said he was âall the darkest partsâ of Wels, right?â He folds his arms. âWell, Iâm that for Bravo. A sort of uh- a personification of his badness, I guess.â
âWait, wait, wait,â Bigb cuts in, holding his hands up. âSo- so youâre sayinâ that we all have these⌠Hels versions of ourselves?â
âEvil doppelgängers, yeah,â Tango amends. âI mean, I donât know why itâd only be for some players and not others, and Hels is plenty big enough for every player in the universe to have a counterpart. You go to any of the major cities around spawn, and itâll definitely feel that way.â
âWhatâs this⌠Hels world like?â Pearl asks, her red eyes wide with a sort of morbid fascination.
Tangoâs expression darkens. âItâs an ancient world, infinite and deadly. The overworld and nether are fused into one crazy, messed-up realm full of these weird hybrid kinda biomes, and- and you canât access the end. The bedrock ceiling makes it so hostile mobs spawn basically everywhere, but you canât find naturally spawning passive mobs for like, hundreds of thousands of blocks around spawn, âcause the early players murdered them all. And no portal travel in or out- at least, thatâs what we thought.â
Jimmyâs starting to see why Bravo described Hels as âan inescapable prison of horrific violence and suffering.âÂ
Grian raises his eyebrows. âNo end?â
âNo portals?â Bdubs echoes disbelievingly.
Etho, whoâs been listening with rapt attention, tilts his head. âThat Bravo guy, he mentioned something about my, uh⌠my doppelgänger?â
Tango shrugs. âHe mustâve met them at some point in the last ten years, yeah. I- I dunno, I never did.â He pauses, creasing his brows as he glances around the circle again. âActually, I donât think I ever met any of your guysâs Hels. Or, if I did, I donât remember.â
That makes Jimmy frown. âWhat do you mean?â
Tango gives Jimmy a sidelong look. âI uh, I wasnât really that social for most of my time there, I spent my childhood being a general menace- most kids do, actually. Thereâs no infrastructure to look after kids, we- theyâre basically on their own. So you can imagine itâs- itâs an interesting world to grow up in.â Idly, he kicks at a clump of grass. âBunchâa little monsters runninâ around unsupervised, causing chaos, trying not to get brutally killed by hostile mobs and players, it was great.â
Horror seizes Jimmy. âThatâs awful.â
âThatâs just how it was,â Tango says bluntly. âI mean, try setting something like that up without an admin, right? See how that goes.â
âWait, Hels doesnât have an admin?â Grian repeats.
âNope. At least, not when I was there.â Tango shrugs. âThey hadnât for a long time before I even spawned, so- so the whole place was basically anarchy, every player for themself.â
Aghast, Scar shakes his head. âWhat in the worldâŚâ
âHow long did you spend living like that?â Impulse asks softly, his eyes sad.
Tangoâs avoiding everyoneâs eyes now, staring off somewhere into the middle distance. âOh, probably âtil I was like⌠fifteen or sixteen? Somewhere in the teen stage? Thatâs when I met Atlas.â A bitter smile splits across his face. âHe told me he was recruiting for his redstone company, Hels Tek, and- and of course he threw in lots of cheap flattery, blah blah blah, and in my young, naive stupidity, I fell hook, line, and sinker. Turns out all he wanted me for was a blaze farm.â
Thereâs a brief silence.
âWhat?â Jimmy asks, confused. Is that what Atlas had meant about a farm design? Did they just want to force Tango to make farms for them? He knows Tangoâs a bit of an innovator in that regard, but thatâs an awful lot of trouble to go through for something that could easily be done by someone else.
âHe⌠wanted you to build a blaze farm?â Impulse asks slowly, brows knitting together.
Tango laughs; a sharp, dry exhale. âNo, no. Not to build one. To be one.â He reaches a hand up to tap one of the blaze rods hovering around his head. âI uh, I dunno if you guys have noticed, but these things here arenât just for show. Theyâre real, functional blaze rods, and they just so happen to be respawnable.â
Jimmyâs stomach drops.
Oh.
(There we go, now theyâve got it.)
(Makes sense, right?)
(Honestly, itâs so obviousâŚ)
The clearing is deathly silent now. All Jimmy can hear is his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. Everything is clicking into place, all the strange things heâs seen and heard suddenly making perfect, horrible sense.
They used Tango as a blaze farm. An actual sentient player, reduced to nothing more than a simple mob. A player with complex thoughts and feelings, with creative ideas and passions, with hopes and fears and dreams. They locked him up like an animal to use for profit- and even now, ten years later, he still canât fully escape from it.
Jimmy has a sinking feeling he knows what Tangoâs nightmares are about.
Tango keeps talking. âThey didnât start with that, of course.â Thereâs a bored sort of quality to his voice, like heâs merely commentating on the weather. âThere was this uhh awkward phase where I thought I was helping with redstone experiments, when actually I was the test subject.â
Itâs kind of surreal, actually. To be standing here and talking about this so casually. Itâs like Jimmyâs having a nightmare he canât wake up from.
âAnd once I caught on, well, they uh- they didnât exactly have to play nice anymore,â Tango laughs. âThatâs where I got these fabulous accessories.â He waves a hand, cuff jangling around his wrist.
Jimmy feels sick. They put the cuffs on Tango to lock him in a farm. To think heâs still had those on him, all this time-
âAfter that,â Tango continues briskly, âit still took, like, another year of testing for them to develop the most optimized farm.â He delivers the information almost disinterestedly, studying his claws. âIt was a pretty smart design, nice and compact.â
Jimmy glances around the clearing. Amidst the shocked, horrified faces, he finds Impulse- who seems to be focused on taking slow, deep breaths, his hands curled into fists at his sides.
(Uh oh, no Impulse to the rescueâŚ)
âWither roses dealt constant damage,â Tango rattles off, âtriggering my blaze rods to respawn as quickly as they could be skadoodled away by hoppers, and they had regen on an automatic clock to keep me alive- though there was a backup respawn anchor for any accidents.â
Wither roses. Of course. Jimmy can picture it, in his mindâs eye; Tango chained up among the ashen flowers. What must it have felt like, to be withering all the time? His health constantly wavering between the icy blackness and the regeneration, every minute of every day. How absolutely miserable.
Jimmy somehow finds his voice again. âHow⌠how long did you spend like that?â he asks hoarsely, stepping next to Tango.
Tango wonât look at him- though heâs carefully watching out of the corner of his eye. âOh, I dunno⌠four or five months, maybe?âÂ
Months. Jimmyâs heart aches. He canât even begin to imagine what that existence was like. To spend all day trapped in a farm thatâs constantly hurting him- and by wither effect, no less. Not to mention how dehumanizing the entire concept is on its own.
âHowâd you get out?â Jimmy asks tentatively. âIf- if you donât mind.â
Tango snorts. âYeah, so, one day, the charge on my anchor ran out when no one was around, so I was able to kill myself to get back to world spawn. And thatâs when the portal to Hermitcraft appeared.â
Etho steps forward. âI thought Hels didnât allow portals?â he asks, his voice as cool and unreadable as his partially-concealed expression.
Jimmyâs taken aback, his feathers puffing up unwittingly. He doesnât understand how Etho can grill Tango about technical details in such an upsetting situation. In fact, heâd almost think that Etho doesnât care at all- except the question makes Tango pause. In his expression, Jimmy can see his mind working, and realizes what Etho has done.
By circling back to a scientific topic, heâs provided Tango a distraction. Something less personal for his mind to focus on, and take everyone elseâs focus off of him. Already, Jimmy can see that Tangoâs less tense as he starts to explain.
âWe didnât have portals in Hels, but we knew the concept from data-mining.â Tango spreads his hands. âLocked comm commands, hidden recipes. But portals to Hermitcraft are made by the universe, right? So- so whatever is preventing Hels players from making portals, it- the universe can circumvent it. âCourse, at the time, I didnât know how it appeared or where it was gonna take me, but I went through. And apparently, somehow, a portal appeared in front of Bravo that took him to Hels at the same time. The universe mustâve tried to send Bravo to Hermitcraft, glitched âcause of Helsâs wonky portal technology, and swapped us by mistake.â
Etho hums noncommittally. âSo it was an accident.â
(Oh, sure.)
(Thatâs what they thinkâŚ)
(Yeah, he âaccidentallyâ didnât tell anyone the truth for ten years.)
Jimmy angrily pushes the thoughts away. So long as Tango didnât intend to strand Bravo in Hels, thatâs all that matters to him.
Tango gives Etho a funny look. âI mean, thatâs not the point? Bravoâs been trapped in Hels ever since, âcause of me. This whole invasion thing was my fault, they were tryinâ to get me back for the farm and help Bravo escape Hels, and... I dunno, get back to his life? Or, the life I stole from him ten years ago.â He shrugs. âSo yeah. Secretâs out, sorry Iâve been lying to some of you for a decade, now, and- and sorry you all got dragged into my mess. I didnât mean t- well, anyway, thatâs- thatâs what happened.â
âGod, Tango,â Jimmy breathes, reaching a hand out, âI- Iâm so sorry.â
âSorry?â Tango asks incredulously, jerking away from Jimmy. âWh- for what? Thatâs just what Hels is like, okay, if it wasnât the farm itâd have been some other terrible thing, so yâknow, itâs- itâs whatever.â He lets out another harsh laugh, raking his claws through his hair. âIf anything, Iâm the one who should be sorry, I mean, I- Iâve been lyinâ for ten years and-â
âThey put you in a farm?!â
Everyone jumps. Impulseâs voice is suddenly several octaves lower, quite a bit louder, and warped with distortion into something truly demonic. His pupils have eaten up the rest of his eyes, turning them solid black. The teeth bared in a scowl look bigger and sharper than they used to, and the hands at his sides have sprouted claws. His horns and tail have grown longer, too, and Jimmy can see what looks like dark, leathery wings sprouting up behind him. His entire body is outlined by a bright golden glow, like his skin has abruptly become as hot as lava, and the absolute fury in his expression burns even fiercer.
Ah. This must be âfull demonâ mode.
Bdubs quickly jumps in front of Impulse, grabbing him by the shoulders to ground him. Jimmy instinctively steps in front of Tango, wings snapping out to shield him from view.
But the damage is already done. Jimmy hears footsteps, and by the time he looks over his shoulder, Tango is gone.
âTango, wait!â Jimmy turns to follow him, but a hand suddenly grabs his arm.
Martyn is there. âDonât chase him,â he says lowly, âheâll only panic more.â
Jimmy wants to argue, but the severity in Martynâs solitary eye sobers him. âAlright,â he relents, folding his wings. âI⌠guess Iâll give him a few minutes to calm downâŚâ
âRight, then.â Martyn gives a short nod, putting his hands on his hips. âWasnât expecting that.â
âTell me about it,â Jimmy mutters, gazing back over the clearing.
Impulse is starting to settle back down, Bdubs in front speaking to him in low tones while Etho and Joel each hang onto an arm. It looks like his extra demon-y features are reverting back to his usual state, though he still looks furious.
Grian is sitting against a tree, wings splayed out around him. Heâs massaging his temples like heâs warding off a headache, his eyes squeezed shut, groaning, âHow did I not see this coming?â while Scar, crouched beside him, rubs his back soothingly.
Ren is pacing back and forth across the clearing. âI shouldâa killed more of those guys,â he growls, tail lashing, ears pinned flat against his skull.
âHey, you did all you could,â Bigb says comfortingly. âI was the one that got us killed. If Iâd kept my shield up, he wouldnât have gotten that shot on me.â
âI wish weâd realized that Atlas guy was in charge,â Martyn laments, crossing over to them. âIf weâd stopped him from leaving, we couldâa gotten a lot more information.â
âI wish weâd known Tango was dealing with all this,â Cleo says bitterly, her crossed arms resting on her knees, Scott leaned against their side. âI mean, honestly⌠ten years and we never knew? Thatâs- thatâs- thatâs rubbish. Weâre rubbish friends.â
âHey, hey now,â Jimmy says, lifting his voice to address the group, âthis wasnât anyoneâs fault, okay? You guys have been great friends to Tango- otherwise, he wouldnât have stuck around for so long, right? Itâs- itâs just his way, to try and deal with things on his own without askinâ for help. You know that.â
Cleo exhales slowly. âYeah, I know. Still sucks.â
âYeah.â Jimmy glances over at Impulse, who seems to have recovered himself back to normal, sitting cross-legged next to Bdubs. âYou alright, Impulse?â
Impulse gives a slight nod, expression guilty. âIâm sorry. I- I almost never lose control like that, I just got so angry⌠not at Tango!â he quickly clarifies. âNever at him. I- I just⌠thinking about what they did to him, everything he went throughâŚâ
âItâs okay, itâs okay,â Bdubs murmurs, squeezing Impulseâs hand. âThatâs- itâs freaking crazy, right? With th- hyaugh, evil Hels world, puttinâ people in uh, in farms⌠sheesh.â
âYeah, itâs alright,â Jimmy assures him. âI know you didnât mean anythinâ by it. Iâm sure Tango does, too, he was just so on-guard the whole time⌠he just got spooked, thatâs all.â
âJimmy,â Pearl says urgently, fluttering over to him while tailed by her small pack of wolves, âdâyou know- uh, is- is everythinâ Tango said true?â she asks, concerned.
Jimmy swallows. âItâs true. I mean, I- I didnât know about the farm specifically, but based on what I overheard Atlas say- it makes sense.â He rubs the back of his neck. âAnd gosh, I didnât know how awful Hels was, but the way Bravo talked about itâŚâ
âBut, umâŚâ Bdubs pipes up hesitantly. âJust- just âcause Tango is Bravoâs⌠uh, Hels⌠doppelgänger, whatever⌠doesnât mean heâs evil, right?â
âI know!â Jimmy cries, throwing his hands up. âThatâs what Iâve been tryinâ to tell him! He doesnât believe it. He thinks heâs a monster for what he did, killinâ those guys and burninâ down the ranch.â
âThatâs ridiculous,â Martyn scoffs. Heâs coaxed a still-seething Ren to lay down now, absentmindedly stroking Renâs ears as his head rests in Martynâs lap while Bigb starts to braid his hair. âIt was self-defense, yeah? A bunch of strangers invaded your home, and he defended it. Thereâs nothinâ wrong with that.â
Jimmy has a feeling itâs more to do with how Tango killed them and how the fire got started, plus the fact that Jimmy got hurt in the process. But Tango didnât share those particular details, so Jimmyâs not about to now. Besides, in his opinion, that doesnât change anything.
âYeah, yeah, I know,â he says ruefully. âBut he still blames himself for what happened. For all of it.â
âWell, thatâs stupid,â Cleo deadpans. Then she pauses. âOr- sorry, his feelings arenât stupid, but I- I hope he knows that none of us feel that way.â
There are exclamations of agreement and similar sentiments from the rest of the group, which helps ease some of the tightness in Jimmyâs chest. He knows his friends, and knows theyâre all good people who wouldnât judge Tango like that, but itâs been hard not to let Bravoâs words get to him.
âIâll tell him,â Jimmy promises them. âIâll try to make him understand, he just- I think heâs always been afraid this day would come, that heâs just been tickinâ down borrowed time.â
âWhat dâyou mean?â Grian asks, rising to his feet. âItâs not like he knew they were coming, right?â
Jimmy shakes his head. âNo, I donât think so. Itâs more like⌠heâs always had that possibility hanging over him.â
âYeah, I think youâre right,â Impulse says quietly. âThe first time he saw a communicator portal open, you wouldâve thought he was being sent to his death. It⌠makes sense, looking back now.â He puts his head in his hands, sighing. âMan, there were so many signsâŚâ
Grian walks over, pulling his communicator out. âSo hang on, the world itself is called Hels, yeah?â
âYeah, why?â Jimmy asks.
Grian doesnât respond, silently scanning his comm with his brows knit in concentration. And then something very strange happens. For a moment, it almost seems as if Grianâs eyes flash purple, and Jimmy hears his voice in his head.
(There it is. Hm, firewalled. Gonna be tricky.)
Then Grian pushes his glasses back up, and it passes.
âRight,â he says briskly, putting his comm away. âI canât find the world, so the portal thing checks out. But since Tangoâs cut this meeting a bit short, do you have any other information? Anything the Hels guys mightâve said or done that we should know about?â
Jimmy blinks. Grianâs just looking at him expectantly, giving no indication that thereâs anything out of sorts. Jeeze, heâs used to having random thoughts, but the stress of everything must really be getting to him if heâs imagining his friendâs voices, now.
âUm, actually,â Jimmy says, âthe collar they put on Tango⌠he said itâs using some sort of⌠modified wither rose to dampen his fire? Itâs uh, also dampening our soulbond.â He clears his throat, glancing away. âAs a- as a fun little side effect.â
âHave you tried removing it yet?â Etho asks, stepping around Impulse with his hands in his pockets.
âI did, earlier,â Impulse chimes in from the ground. âJust with my hands, but uh, he acted like it was hurting him.â
Jimmy nods. âYeah, Atlas locked it on him with a key, and Iâm pretty sure he still had it when he left. So I think that might be the way to get it off.â
âWell,â Joel cuts in, straightening up from where heâd been leaning over Impulseâs shoulder, âsurely not the only way, right? I mean, you could alwaysâŚâ He makes a noncommittal noise, and draws a finger across his neck.
Jimmy bristles, wings flaring out. âWhat, decapitate my soulmate?!â
Joel holds up his hands. âHey, hey, we donât know if that thingâll respawn on him!â
âHis cuffs do!â Jimmy points out.
âYeah, but isnât it worth a shot?â Joel counters.
âI⌠I guess,â Jimmy relents, letting his feathers smooth back down. âBut Iâd rather look into a few other options before jumpinâ straight to decapitation, if you donât mind. Tangoâs been through enough as it is.â
Joel backs off. âAlright, fair enough.âÂ
âOkayâŚâ Grian turns to address the rest of the group. âWell, um⌠this has been an interesting revelation, to say the least. I think weâre gonna have to do a bit more research to figure out how they got here before we just⌠open the world back up. So that means weâll all be stuck here a bit longer, is that- is that okay with everyone?â
âYes, yes of course,â Bdubs says vehemently.
âYeah,â Impulse agrees, âwhatever it takes.â
Further murmurs of assent ring out from among the group. Everywhere Jimmy looks, he sees faces full of sympathy and understanding, not a single trace of resentment or annoyance to be found. God, he loves his friends.
âThanks, guys, I appreciate it,â he says gratefully. âIâm gonna go check on Tango, but weâll keep you updated if anythinâ changes.â
âRight, okay then.â Grian claps his hands together. âUh- I guess thatâs all for now?â
Nodding, Jimmy turns and takes to the sky, leaving spawn behind him.
His mind is still reeling from all the heavy revelations, his stomach twisted up into knots, but heâs at least comforted by knowing that his friends are behind them. Seems that the fears Bravo tried to instill were completely unfounded, nothing more than vicious, desperate attempts to sow division between Tango and the others. Jimmy really shouldnât have doubted them.
(That went⌠surprisingly well.)
(Give it time.)
âOh, shove off,â Jimmy thinks.
~*~
He finds Tango back at the spare room in Impulse and Bdubsâs house.
Thank goodness for that. He hadnât exactly been sure if Tango would consider this a safe place to go. But with the ranch destroyed and the world on lockdown, itâs not like he has a lot of options.
Tangoâs sitting on the bed with his back to Jimmy. At a glance, he seems relaxed, but his legs are curled under him in a way thatâd allow him to spring up in an instant. And the way his pointed ears swivel back toward Jimmy tells him Tango is quite alert.
(So deceivingâŚ)
âHey, Tango,â Jimmy says softly. âYou alright?â
âOh, hey.â Tango doesnât turn around just yet, shrugging a shoulder. âSure, yeah.â
Jimmy lingers by the bed for a moment, uncertain. âUm, Impulse didnât mean to lose his temper like that,â he offers. âHe wasnât mad at you, he was mad at the situation, thatâs all.â
âYeah, yeah, I know. Just, in the moment- I- I- thoughtâŚâ Tango sighs. âAnyway. So- so I guess I should head out, huh?â
Jimmyâs stomach drops. âWhat? Whatâre you sayinâ?â
âItâs over, right?â Tango asks, his voice tight, shoulders hunched by his ears. âThey donât want me around, and I donât blame âem. I mean, once Grian opens the world again, itâs only a matter of time before another portal from Hels opens up. And- and whoâd want to go through all that again, right? So donât worry, I get it, it was my fault, so-â
âNo, Tango, I promise- none of them blame you, alright?â Jimmy sits down on the bed- not too close. âNone of them believe what Bravo was sayinâ about you. None of them think youâre some⌠some evil monster that deserves to be locked up in Hels.â
Tango finally turns around. His body is coiled with all the tension of a drawn arrow. âThatâs âcause they didnât see me- what I did- back at the ranch,â he says sharply. âThey donât know the whole story.â
Jimmy rubs the back of his neck, exhaling slowly. He knew Tango would hold that against himself. âWell, I do, and I-â
âNo, you donât.â
Jimmy blinks. âWh- oh, you mean the Helsknight thing?â he asks, furrowing his brows. âLook, honestly, based on what you told Bravo, I donât blame you for doing that. You were just scared youâd get sent back, that doesnât make you evil. I know you-â
âNo, you donât,â Tango says again, more intently. âYou donât know everything about me, Jimmy.â
Jimmyâs stomach drops. âWhaâdâyou mean?â
Tango smiles without humor, a hard look in his eye. âYou wanna know why I like making those- those crazy mob farms? Why I try to kill them in creative, fun ways?â He tilts his head. âBecause I like it. I like to make their deaths entertaining. Iâll even sacrifice efficiency for it, Iâll go out of my way to do it. And I- it doesnât stop there, Iâll kill passive mobs for no reason. Cats, frogs, things that donât even have drops, for absolutely no reason. Thatâs not normal.â
Despite himself, Jimmy feels a chill run down his spine. âThatâs not⌠those are just mobs, itâs- itâs not evilâŚâ
(Are you sure about that?)
Tango exhales sharply- a short, bitter laugh. âOkay. You know why practically all my mini games end in death? Huh? You wanna guess?â
Distress shoots through Jimmy. âTango-â
âI like to watch players die, too,â Tango says. âAnd I like it to be entertaining. I enjoy it, thatâs- thatâs just plain sadistic.â He rakes his claws through his hair. âThatâs what I am, Iâm a- a sadistic monster, okay, I always have been.â
âStop it, donât say that!â Jimmy protests, his heart twisting. âYouâre not- people actually sign up for those games, you know. And itâs not like death is permanent, it doesnât matter-â
âSo?â Tango interrupts harshly. He jumps off the bed and starts pacing. âWhat- does that make any difference? Doesnât matter if people enjoy them, okay, my- my reason for making them is wrong. Designing games is fun, sure, but I- thatâs never what itâs been about. I like to make players struggle, and suffer, and die in the end. I like to watch them experience pain and fear in a trap of my own creation. I like the feeling of control it gives me. No matter how you look at it, thatâs- I- Iâm messed up.â
Jimmy canât take this anymore. He rises to his feet. âTango, stop, thatâs enough,â he says, his voice stern. âI know I havenât known you very long, but-â
âYeah,â Tango snaps, rounding on Jimmy, âyou havenât! Thatâs the whole problem! Iâve kept a huge chunk of my life secret from you, my own soulmate. Iâve kept it from the Hermits, too- my friends of nearly a decade. Iâve deceived and lied to everyone I ever cared about. Iâve pretended to be this- this benevolent game maker who just wants everyone to have a good time, Iâve kept so much of who I really am hidden âcause I knew that if you guys ever saw the real me, youâd hate me.â
Jimmyâs mind is reeling. Tangoâs clever eye for game design is something Jimmyâs always loved about him, the way he could create fun challenges even amidst the throes of a death game. After all, the first time they really interacted was when Jimmy died to his âDare to Flareâ challenge back on the Third Life world. And that had been a laughably simple game compared to some of the things heâs done on Hermitcraft.
Even though it ended up costing Jimmy a life, the rush of adrenaline had been thrilling. And even though in hindsight, he knew it was a deliberate ploy by Tango to thin out his competitorâs lives, Jimmyâs never resented him for it.
So to suddenly realize there mightâve been more to it⌠that Tango mightâve actually enjoyed watching him burn to death- beyond the simple satisfaction of having outsmarted his competition, of course- is⌠unsettling, to say the least.
(What a start to a relationship!)
(The red flags have been there from day one.)
(A sadist and a liar, lucky you.)
But nevertheless, Jimmy holds his ground. âI donât hate you.â
Tango tenses. âYou should.â
âNo, I wouldnât,â Jimmy insists. âI love you, Tango.â
âNo, you donât!â Tango snarls, and the hurt in his voice is raw and ragged and bleeding. His eyes are burning with rage, and Jimmyâs almost certain that if it werenât for the collar, heâd be on fire right now. âAlright? Just shut up! You love this- this version of me that Iâve presented, okay, this lie Iâve been living. You love Tango the friendly redstoner, who makes ridiculous high-pitched noises when heâs flustered and whoâs funny when heâs mad and who canât fight his way out of a one-block hole. You donât love the sadistic blaze hybrid that sets things on fire and- and rips peopleâs throats out with his fucking teeth, donât be stupid!â
The silence that follows is deafening.
(And there it is!)
(Finally showing his true colors.)
(He did try to tell youâŚ)
For a moment, Jimmy is too stunned to speak. Tangoâs never yelled at him before, not seriously, and the sting of his words is almost a physical thing.
Tango seems just as shocked at his outburst as Jimmy is, his face paling as his anger quickly extinguishes. The next words out of Tangoâs mouth are almost guaranteed to be an apology, but Jimmy isnât letting him off that easily.
âNow hang on just a second,â Jimmy says lowly. âYou donât get to tell me how I feel about you. Iâm a grown player. Iâm not some poor, innocent idiot that youâve manipulated into loving you, alright? And it hurts that youâd think so little of me, that Iâd stand here and just lie about my feelings to you.â
(Ooh, someone finally grew a backbone-)
Jimmy silences the thought, violently forcing it out of his mind. Heâs got no patience for that sort of thing right now.
âIâm sorry,â Tango whispers, âI didnât-â
âAnd whatâs more,â Jimmy continues, gaining steam, âdo you really think Iâm the type of person to judge someone so harshly for things outta their control? You honestly think Iâm some- some shallow, heartless jerk whoâd turn on you, just like that? Or- for that matter, you think the Hermits would? After ten years of friendship, you have that little faith in them?â
Tangoâs eyes widen. âNo, no itâs- itâs not like that,â he says quickly. âI didnât mean-â
âI donât care that youâre from Hels,â Jimmy presses, taking a step forward. âI donât care what you did in the past, or that you kept it from me. I donât care if some random guy thinks youâre just the manifestation of all his evil- frankly, I think that says more about him than it does about you.â He comes to a stop in front of Tango. âI love you. The teeth, the claws, the death fascination or- or whatever you wanna call it- I love all of it. All of you. And I wish more than anythinâ they hadnât got that damn collar on you, so you could feel that love through our soulbond. But youâve felt it before, right? Before I knew? Well um, it hasnât changed, I promise you that.â
Tango stares back up at him. Now that the angerâs gone, he just looks scared. âYou donât-â His voice breaks. âYou canât.â
âYes, I do,â Jimmy answers, unwavering. As difficult as this conversation has been, this partâs easy. âI promise, cross my heart.â
Tango shudders, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. âPlease,â he whispers, âdonât⌠I canât- if I let myself think that but you donât mean it, I- I canât handle that. Please. Just tell me now, okay, get it over withâŚâ
Understanding settles over Jimmy. Creasing his brows, he takes a slow, deliberate step forward. âI mean it,â he says, lifting a hand to cup Tangoâs cheek.
Tango trembles, but he doesnât move away. He swallows, licks his lips. âSay it again?â he asks, almost a plea, his eyes darting to take in every inch of Jimmyâs face- like heâs unsure whether he can truly believe what heâs seeing, almost searching for any hint, any trace of doubt in Jimmyâs expression.
There isnât any. Jimmy leans in. âI love you.â
Something glimmers in Tangoâs eyes; a warm light Jimmy hasnât seen since before the ranch burned.Â
Something like hope.
Love rises inside Jimmy like a wave- love and the sorrow of shared grief, the fierce determination to withstand it, and the agony of all the past suffering he canât take away. Itâs overwhelming and exhilarating, this sudden rush of emotion. A whirling maelstrom that makes his head spin. But his love burns brightly through it all, a sole lantern against the storm.
Maybe he canât make Tango believe heâs worthy of love. But he can give it anyway.
Jimmy moves slowly, tilting his face down towards Tangoâs. He keeps his eyes open until the very last second, giving Tango plenty of time to move away or say something to stop him, to give any sign at all that he isnât feeling the same.
There isnât any. Their lips meet gently, like a familiar greeting. Like the way sunlight falls through the window every morning.
And just like that, the dam breaks. Suddenly Tangoâs kissing him back, fervently, pushing against him. Jimmyâs legs hit the bed and buckle, sending him backwards, Tango falling on top of him. His hands cling to Jimmyâs shirt, twisting in the fabric, and his tears wet Jimmyâs face, salt on his tongue. Above the pounding of his heart in his ears, he can just make out the words Tangoâs murmuring between kisses, breathless and desperate.
âIâm sorry, Iâm sorry. I love you.â
Jimmy pulls him impossibly closer, whispering, âI never doubted.â
They donât need words after that.
~*~
âJeeze, they werenât kidding,â Tango mutters, taking in the ranch with wide eyes.
The ranch looks even worse than Jimmy had been imagining. Nearly the entire first floor is gone, just a wide-open plot and their lonely front door sitting ajar. Aside from the odd block here and there, itâs just empty. A couple trapdoors from the furniture in the living room. The smooth stone slabs that made up their kitchen countertops. An occasional unbroken glass pane floating where there used to be windows.
Itâs not a home anymore, not by any stretch of the imagination.
Up the intact cobblestone staircase, the second floor has only fared slightly better. Some of the walls are still standing, charred and moth-eaten as they are. He thinks most of the bathroomâs interior was spared, as it was primarily made of different stone materials. Polished andesite and the like. The chests in their storage room made it, of course, even though the room itself didnât. And their bedroom seems to have gotten the worst of it. From down here, he thinks it might just be the bed itself thatâs left.
The roof is gone, leaving their cobblestone chimney awkwardly sticking up from the ground to nowhere. The path up to the house and the surrounding fields have been torn up to make a ditch. Necessary as it was, itâs quite the eyesore. And to top it all off, one of the custom trees that Scar helped build has been hastily chopped down, due to its proximity to the nearby forest. Thereâs just a couple of logs and solitary leaves left floating in the air.
It hurts. Everywhere Jimmy looks, thereâs another source of heartache. Another precious memory thatâs been turned to ash. Itâs almost enough to bring tears to his eyes.
But heâs also aware of Tango standing beside him. He knows how much Tango is already beating himself up for the fire, and the last thing he wants to do is add to that guilt.
Jimmy turns to give Tango a rueful grin. âTalk about your fixer-uppers, ey?â
Tango exhales slowly. âMan, itâs soâŚâ He glances at Jimmy, expression pinched. âIâm sorry, you worked so hard-â
âItâs fine,â Jimmy says, shrugging. âItâs just a building.â
Tango hesitates. âItâs⌠alright to be upset. This was our home, and I- I got all ârahhhrr angry-burny rage modeâ on it and-â
âNot your fault,â Jimmy says, voice gentle but firm. He puts a hand on Tangoâs shoulder. âIf anyoneâs to blame, itâs the Hels fellas for attackinâ us in the first place.â
Tango makes a noncommittal noise, scuffing the upturned dirt with his boot. âSure.â
Itâs clear heâs not convinced, but Jimmy leaves it there for now. Their conversation from yesterday is going to take some time to fully sink in. He crosses over to a haphazardly-placed double chest near the front of the ranch and crouches beside it, lifting the lid with a creak.
âMartyn said everything they were able to save is in this chest here, letâs seeâŚâ He rummages through the chestâs inventory. A lot of it is random junk; miscellaneous blocks, half-stacks of wheat, dropped weapons and armor from the fight. But there are a few good finds, like some of the clothes from their closet, a couple of flower pots, one of his framed embroidery pieces...
âOh, hey, look at this!â Jimmy calls excitedly. âMy gloves!â
He pulls the gloves out, looking up from the chest to see Tango standing over him. His eyes widen when he sees them- happily surprised at first, and then the familiar dawning of guilt and regret.
âYou uh⌠maybe I should take those back, for now,â Tango says quietly, his ears lowered. âOr- or maybe just forever, yeah.â
âEy, stop it, no take-backs,â Jimmy chastises him, slipping the gloves on. âGloves couldnât have prevented that fire, anyways. And I like wearinâ âem, because that way itâs sorta like Iâm holdinâ your hand all the time.â
A grin tugs at Tangoâs mouth. âAw, thatâs real cheesy, honey,â he teases, even as a faint blush colors his cheeks.
âYeah, but I mean it,â Jimmy says loftily. âIâm keepinâ them.â
Tango holds his hands up, chuckling. âAlright, alrightâŚâ His gaze travels back towards the ranch, up towards the storage room with its rows of chests. âGuess we should still have plenty of materials to rebuild, huh?â
âShould do, yeah,â Jimmy says, straightening up. Having the gloves back is an immediate comfort, despite the fact heâd only gone two days without them. He foldings his arms, gaze sweeping critically over the remains of the ranch. âI guess for now, weâll just focus on the structure? Yâknow, get the place liveable again and worry âbout the decor and landscapinâ laterâŚâ
âOh, thatâs what you think!â
The loud voice makes them both jump. Jimmy whirls around to see Bdubs- of course, because thereâs absolutely no mistaking that voice.
âBdubs!â Jimmy laughs, clutching his heart. âWhat- whatâre you doinâ here?â
Bdubs puts his hands on his hips. âI- I canât believe what Iâm- âno interior decorâ, yeah right! Youâre not gonna get outta that very- so easy! I tell you!â
Tango snickers. Luckily Bdubsâs sudden appearance hasnât seemed to cause more than a brief startle. âOh, yeah? You gonna help out, then, shorty?âÂ
âHey!â Bdubs barks incredulously- though itâs clear from his expression heâs not really upset. âIâm tryinâ t- augh, nâyou- you stu- yes. Yes, yes, Iâm here to help, of course. For goodness sakes. I- how kind, are I! Sweet, kind BdubsâŚâ
âAnd handsome, too,â Jimmy adds cheekily.
That makes Bdubs beam, puffing his chest out. âYeahhh, câmon baby!â
âDonât encourage him,â Tango groans.
âOh, stop it!â Bdubs huffs. âAnyway, Impulse wouldâve come, of course, but he and Etho- the redstone guys, you know, uh, theyâre havinâ a- a- little chat, little brainy-thing⌠brainstorminâ âbout the portal stuff with Grian. But never thy fear! I saw you guys head out and, in my eternal wiseness, have already called in the forcements!â
Jimmy exchanges an amused look with Tango. âWell, any help is appreciated,â he amends.
âSure about that, Timmy?â calls Joelâs voice, as the man himself appears over the hill.
And heâs not alone. Cleoâs taller figure looms over him, Scott and Pearl walking on either side of her as a small pack of wolves weave between their legs. The trio is followed by Martyn, Bigb, and Ren- the latter seeming to have recovered his friendly disposition and wagging tail. Finally, Scar emerges from behind a tree to round out the group, calling out a cheerful, âHello there!â
Joel comes to a stop next to Bdubs and claps him on the shoulder. âWe figured you two could use the help, what with you not beinâ builders and all.â Cheeky man.
Jimmy snorts. âGee, thanks,â he says sarcastically. But slights at their building skills aside, heâs actually quite touched.
Tango blinks. âYou guys⌠all came to help out?â he asks, sounding amazed.Â
âOf course!â Bdubs declares. âWe ha- we help!â
Cleo shrugs, giving a hapless grin. âYou know, I- I- I really donât know⌠why Bdubs invited me? Iâm not that great a builder. But I can supervise, I guess? And- and heckle. Always heckle.â
âAnd reach thaâ tall bits,â Scott offers, lightly elbowing her hip.
âAnd reach the tall bits,â Cleo laughs. âRight. Yes.â
âItâs the least we can do,â Martyn chimes in, slinging an arm around Bigbâs shoulders, âsince that portal stuff is way over my head.â
Bdubs pulls a face. âUhâŚâ He speaks to Jimmy and Tango behind his hand, despite making no effort to lower his voice at all- for comedic effect. âNormally, I wouldâve offered my perfect redstone prowess to uh, to help the other guys out with their little portal thing, you know, but eugh- I knew someone would have taâ keep all these jokers in line.â
âAh, of course,â Tango replies sagely.
âWell?â Bdubs turns expectantly to the others, throwing his arms up. âGet movinâ then! Sheesh! Stand around, waitinâ for- for no raisinâŚâ
âYes, my liege,â Cleo drawls, rolling their eyes.
Ren claps his big paws together. âYeah, weâre burninâ daylight, my dudes!â
Pearlâs fuzzy wings unfurl from beneath her red cloak. âLetâs see what weâre workinâ with!â she says excitedly, fluttering up to the storage room.
Just like that, the other Double Lifers descend on the husk of the ranch. Placing down temporary chests and crafting benches, sorting through the remaining resources, filling in the ditch with dirt. Multiple conversations start up immediately as everyone sets to a task, and the atmosphere is comfortable- even if a bit strange.
Jimmy canât recall a time when this many of them have worked on a project together. Not on Third Life, not on Last Life, not here. Something like this just wouldnât be possible during a death game. Large gatherings between different groups are always fraught with tension and uncertainty, by the fear of a trap or a backstab or a fight breaking out.
But itâs nice. Pearl is hovering above the second floor, working with Cleo to build the walls back up while Scott prepares some stairs and slabs for detailing. Scar and Bdubs are already bickering about how to do the landscaping while Joel grumbles at them, waist-deep in the ditch with Bigb and Martyn placing dirt. Renâs started tearing down the damaged trees, clearing room for replanting, and Pearlâs wolves mill about, filling the air with curious sniffs and yips.
Tangoâs watching the scene unfold with wide eyes, and it suddenly occurs to Jimmy that this is the most people Tangoâs been around since the difficult conversation at spawn. Impulse was checking on them throughout the rest of the day, of course, and a few of the other players stopped by now and again, but not in big groups or anything.
Jimmy steps closer to Tango. âIs this okay?â he asks softly.
Tango looks at him in surprise. A smile spreads across his face, and he takes Jimmyâs hand. âYeah,â he murmurs. âYeah, it is.â
Jimmy smiles back. âThen letâs get in there.â
~*~
Jimmy lets out a low whistle. âDang, this looks even better than before!â he says, craning his head to look around the room.
After a full day of building and the gradual dispersal of the other Double Lifers, Jimmy and Tango are now seeing their new bedroom for the first time. They were around for the bulk of the structure building, but once it came time for the interior, Bdubs and Scar had insisted it be a surprise. Everything about it is perfect, from the custom furniture to the quilted wool rug to the fancy frame Scar built around their double-wide bed.
Tango clears his throat. âMaybe, uh- maybe we can justâŚâ He kicks one of the beds with the toe of his boot. â... scooch this over a littleâŚâ
âNope,â Jimmy declares, sweeping Tango off the floor and onto the bed. âNice try, mate, but youâre stayinâ right here next to me.â
âOkay, okay, fine! I ju- donât say I didnât warn you!â Tango huffs, but heâs grinning as he says it.
~*~
âAlright, fellas,â Grian says, clapping his hands together, âhereâs what weâve got so farâŚâ
Jimmy leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Tango is a little tense beside him- probably just nerves. But it could be worse. Theyâre gathered in the living room of Impulse and Bdubsâs house; Grian perched on the arm of the sectional across from Jimmy and Tango, Impulse and Etho sitting adjacent to them. The familiar setting and fairly limited company seems to have helped put Tango more at ease for what might end up being a tricky conversation.
âWeâre... pretty sure we know how the Hels peeps got here,â Grian continues, âbut there are a few things we need to clarify, first.â He glances at Etho, inclining his head. âEtho, you wanna explain?â
âOh yeah, yeah.â Etho stands up. âTango, may I see your comm, please? I uh, just need to look at it for a minute.â
Tango blinks. Anxiety flashes across his face for just a brief second before disappearing. âOh. Uh, sure?â He pulls the item from his inventory, holding it out.
Etho takes the communicator. âSo,â he begins, sitting back down, âyou said that in Hels, players canât make portals with their communicators, right?â
Tango gives a short nod. âThatâs right. That comm isnât the one I spawned with, they took that from me at Hels Tek. X made me a new one, after I got to Hermitcraft.â He gives a dry laugh. âI told him- I told him I lost it. Which, I mean, thatâs- itâs technically not a lie, just... not the whole truth.â
Jimmy gives him a sympathetic look. He might no longer be worried that the others will reject him, but this still canât be easy to talk about.
Etho studies the communicator, his mismatched eyes narrowed in concentration. âSo after you got a new comm, you were able to use it to make portals?â
âYeah,â Tango says, âit uh, itâs taken me to each Hermitcraft world and everything in between, no problem. Hubs, solo worlds, creative- you name it.â
Etho hums. âCan you use your comm to travel to Hels?â
âNo.â Tango glances away. âIâve looked for it, a few times. Never shows up.â
That brings a couple more questions to mind, but Jimmy files them away for later.
âInteresting.â Etho seems to be delving deep into the communicatorâs hardware, typing rapidly. âSo uh, the portal issue isnât centered on players that spawn in Hels, just their communicators. And since overworld communicators canât find Hels, there must be something about the world itself preventing it.â
Tango knits his brows together. âI supposeâŚ?â
Itâs at this point that Grian leans forward. âHave either of you heard about firewalls?â he asks.
Tango shakes his head, but Jimmyâs heart jolts. He has heard that word before; just the other day, when he thought he heard Grianâs voice in his head. But thatâs not exactly something Jimmy wants to bring up right now. Or ever, maybe. His weird, random, intrusive thoughts donât need to be anyone elseâs problem.
âUmâŚâ Jimmy pretends to think about it for a moment. âI think Iâve heard the term somewhere before, but I- I dunno what that actually means.â
âRight.â Grian spreads his hands. âSo firewalls are a sort of added security measure that admins can use when making a new world. Itâs like, an impenetrable barrier âround the world that makes it basically impossible for anyone unauthorized to join via portal.â
âWait, really?â Tango asks, eyes widening. âWhat- why havenât I heard about this? Do all worlds have these?â
Grian makes a noncommittal noise. âWell, firewalls are kinda outdated. Developments in server security and comm travel have basically rendered them obsolete. I mean, whenâs the last time you heard of a private world being raided, besides ours?â He shrugs. âPlus, itâs a real tedious process to set one up, so they arenât used often. Mostly for multiplayer worlds that are invite-only, if an admin is particularly concerned about hackers.â
Jimmy holds out a hand. âSo wait, hang on, this- whatâs this got to do with our situation?â
Impulse catches his eye. âIf you try to join a firewalled world without permission, it doesnât show up on your comm.â
âOh,â Tango says, realization dawning in his expression. âYou think Hels has a firewall?â
âItâs the only thing I can think of,â Grian says, nodding. âHowever, itâs a bit odd, âcause firewalls are usually just one-way⌠meaning that they keep players out, but they donât stop players from leaving. So if thatâs whatâs goinâ on with Hels, itâs a firewall unlike any Iâve ever heard of- where itâs meant to keep players in, too. Iâm not exactly sure if thatâs why comms made in Hels canât make portals, or if thatâs due to something else entirely, but uh, thatâs my best guess.â
Tango runs a hand through his hair. âThatâs⌠I mean, this is the first Iâve heard of firewalls, but that doesnât sound impossibleâŚâ
âSo,â Jimmy speaks up hesitantly, âso how did the Hels Tek guys open a portal here?â
âHow, indeed?â Etho repeats, finally looking up from Tangoâs communicator. âWell, we know the portal was red, not purple. Thatâs like a comm portal, the way their light syncs up with the world they lead to. But uh, you know, the players coming through had items and armor on them, and they didnât show up at world spawn. Their spawns didnât reset, either, they uh- they kept spawning back on the other side. That makes me think this was actually a hacked nether portal, not a comm portal.â
Tango frowns. âHang on, we- we didnât have nether portals in Hels, either. I mean, how- there was no point, the nether and the overworld were combined into one realm.â
âRight.â Ethoâs got that look in his eye- the glint of an idea about to take off. Jimmyâs seen it in Tango countless times. âYou know how nether portals work?â
Tango coughs into his fist. âOh, right, of course I know all the uh, super technical skadoodle bits, but- but maybe you should go over it.â He jerks his head towards Jimmy and Grian. âYou know, for these uh, non-redstone people here.â
âPlease do,â Jimmy chuckles.
Ethoâs eyes crinkle upwards, like heâs smiling behind his mask. âBasically, they grab the coordinates theyâre made on and translate it to nether coords, and vice versa. From what youâve told me about Hels, being a fusion of the nether and overworld realms, a nether portal couldnât work âcause itâd be like⌠giving it coords to a place it already is? Itâd just crash and never ignite. But if you gave a nether portal frame coordinates to a different place⌠like, say, a different worldâŚâ
Even with Jimmyâs scarce knowledge of portals, itâs easy enough to catch Ethoâs meaning.
âThatâs crazy,��� Tango protests. âHowâd they- how could they possibly have gotten coordinates to Double Life?â
âI donât think they did. I think they got coords to you.â Etho leans forward. âThink about it. The portal didnât open at spawn, it opened down the hill from the ranch- where you were. I think that was intentional, considering youâre the whole reason they came.â
Jimmyâs mind is spinning. âBut... how? And howâd you figure all this out?â
Etho shrugs a shoulder. âUh, educated guess? Like, just kinda based on the things Bravo said, and what Tangoâs told us about Hels and the players it spawns. But um, looking at his comm just now basically confirms it for me.â
âWait, really?â Tango asks, surprised. âHow?â
Etho tilts his head. âCommunicators are pretty special items. Theyâre unique to the player they spawn with- even a replacement communicator like this one. It might not have the hard locks on it that prevent it from summoning portals, but itâs still unique to you. And based on its data, I can tell your player data is a little different. I think it has to do with you being from Hels.â
Tango hesitates. âOkay, andâŚ?â
âIf you and Bravo are really counterparts,â Etho says, âthen Iâd expect your data to be similar. Like, the same word in different languages, in a metaphorical sense. So if Bravoâs data was fed into a nether portal, itâd translate it to your data, and open a portal at your coords. Plus or minus a few blocks, probably.â
Jimmy knits his brows together. âSo⌠youâre sayinâ they used Bravo to open a portal to Tango?â he surmises.
Etho nods. âIâd need Bravoâs comm or a look at his player data to confirm, but thatâs my best guess, yeah.â He holds the communicator back out to Tango.
Tango stashes the communicator in his inventory. âSo wait, what about- how does the firewall thing factor in, here?â he asks. âIf it stops comm portals, wouldnât it stop a nether portal, too?â
âYes and no,â Grian answers. âA firewall works by constantly scanning for portals. If it finds one trying to form, itâll crash it. If a nether portal was used to travel between different worlds, rather than two realms on the same world, a firewall would recognize it all the same.â
âBut,â Etho continues, âif they somehow figured out how to stabilize the portal⌠like, by sending a constant stream of updates⌠itâd constantly reset the scanner of the firewall. Sort of like an update suppressor. That way, the uh, the firewall can never actually register the portal as a problem and shut it down. So thatâd be one way they could keep a hacked nether portal open, even in the face of a firewall.â
Tango exhales slowly. âOkayâŚâ he says, âand how do we stop them from doing that ever again?â
Impulse winces. âThat, weâre not sure about. I mean, if Bravo wasnât there for them to grab a signal from, I guess thatâd stop them. However they built a portal, it probably needs his data to function.â
âOh, well, great.â Tango throws his hands up. âNo way he wonât help them again, he hates my guts. Only reason they havenât come back yet is âcause Grian locked the world down, I- I guarantee it. But we canât just all stay locked in here forever, youâve all got lives and other worlds to get back to.â
Jimmy frowns, putting a hand on Tangoâs shoulder. âTango, anyone whoâs got a problem with you has a problem with all of us.â
âFor sure,â Grian agrees.
âBesides,â Impulse says, shrugging, ânot to toot our own horns or anything, but I think we handled ourselves just fine against them.â
âYou mean Pearlâs wolves handled them,â Tango says flatly. âAnd you guys had the element of surprise. I guarantee the only reason they went down so easy is âcause they werenât expecting much resistance. They show up again, now knowing what theyâre up against, and thatâs- thatâs gonna turn out a whole lot differently.â He crossed his arms. âI need to leave, before Grian opens the world back up.â
âAnd what, just wait for them to come after you?â Jimmy demands, his wings puffing up. âAbsolutely not.â
Tango makes an unhappy noise in the back of his throat. âItâs- you understand itâs only a matter of time, right?â he stresses. âMaybe it wonât be right after Grian lifts the lockdown, okay, maybe itâll be days, or weeks, or months. Either way, itâll happen eventually, and when it does⌠whether itâs- if that happens here, or back on Hermitcraft, or the next Life world... the result will be the same. People I care about will get caught in the crossfire, I- Iâm not lettinâ that happen again.â
Jimmy pauses, wings drooping. The distress in Tangoâs voice is sobering. Thereâs no question that Tango cares fiercely about his friends, and the guilt for putting them in harmâs way must be staggering. But still, he insists, âWe donât mind stayinâ put-â
âFor how long, though?â Tango asks pointedly. âI canât ask you guys to stay here forever. Like, I- I canât stress enough how obsessive Atlas is. He came for me after ten years, okay, heâs not gonna just give up or lose interest. There will always be the risk of them opening another portal to me, so long as Bravo is in Hels.â
âSo what if Bravo wasnât in Hels?â Impulse cuts in.
Tango gives him a confused look. âWhat do you mean?â
Impulseâs eyes are alight with excitement as he gains steam with his idea. âWhat if we went to Hels and got him out? That way, heâs not mad at you for being stuck there anymore, right, and Hels Tek canât use him to make another portal.â
âWhat, you mean we open a portal to Hels?â Tango asks, raising his eyebrows. âI- I thought we already established that our comms canât take us there, what- how are we supposed to get there?â
âThe same way they got here,â Etho says. âWe use your data to open a hacked nether portal to Bravo. Ahah.â
As intimidating as the prospect of encountering Hels Tek again is, Jimmy has to admit itâs probably the only solution. They canât just ignore the problem and hope it goes away, not if it means Tango could get randomly attacked at any moment. And with all of the Double Lifers together, they stand a much better chance of succeeding.
âThatâs a great idea!â Jimmy exclaims. âWe grab him, shake Atlas down for the key to the collar while weâre at it, and get out. Problem solved.â
Tango doesnât seem nearly as enthused. âNo way. Absolutely no way. Thatâs- thatâs way too dangerous, if you guys get stranded there- and Atlas is already looking for more hybrids to make farms with, he was about to take Jimmy for a feather farm!â
A brief silence follows this revelation.
Grian grimaces, ruffling his wings. âOh, woof.â
âWhat?â Impulse asks, taken aback. âThatâs why he had Jimmy chained up, too?â
Jimmy blinks. âOh, is that what he meant?â
âWhatâd you th- you didnât know?â Tango asks incredulously.
Jimmy holds his hands up. âHey, hey, I didnât spend much time thinkinâ about what he said to me!â he says sheepishly. âI was more concerned about you.â
Tango pinches the bridge of his nose. âOh. Oh, great. Well yeah, thatâs what he wanted you for, to stick you in a feather farm skadoodler for all eternity.â
Jimmy swallows. No wonder Tangoâs been so against the idea of them going against Hels Tek again. Death is no big deal- theyâd simply respawn. Few injuries cause lasting damage. But being trapped in a farm like that, with no means to escapeâŚ
âWell,â he says, âthat still doesnât change my mind. Youâre his number one target, okay, you canât go without backup.â
âNo,â Tango huffs. âLet me do it. I- I know Bravo shouldnât just be left there forever, but thatâs not your guysâ faults! Itâs my life, my mistake, you guys shouldnât be putting yourselves at risk like that-â
âTango,â Jimmy interrupts, âweâre not gonna make a portal to Hels and just send you through alone-â
âWell, Iâm not letting you guys come with me!â Tango shoots back. âMost of you guys are hybrids or monsters, too, and Iâm not gonna risk Atlas turning you into farms.â
Grian clicks his tongue. âEy, we wouldnât let that happen.â
âYeah,â Jimmy says, âand whatâs the alternative? You just take off to some solo world until Hels Tek comes aâknockinâ?â
Tango shrugs. âI mean, Iâd be fine with that-â
âNo,â Jimmy says firmly. âIâm not lettinâ that happen. This is our only option, to put this problem to bed forever, and we stand the best chance if we do it together. We have to take it.â He grabs Tangoâs hand. âPlease, Tango.â
Tango hesitates, staring at their intertwined hands.
Now more than ever, Jimmy desperately wishes that he had some sense of what Tangoâs thinking- even just the slightest insight to his thoughts, the faintest impression of an emotion through their soulbond. Especially since heâs had his confidence in reading Tango so thoroughly shaken over the last week. Itâs scary to consider that he might not know Tango nearly half as well as he should, that Tango can so effectively mask his true feelings even from him.
â... fine,â Tango says, after a small eternity. âFine, okay, we- letâs plan an invasion to Hels, sure.â
Jimmy gasps. âReally?â
âBut,â Tango says warningly, âwe gotta go about this extremely carefully, alright? No willy-nilly ârushing in blindly without a planâ nonsense. And- and once weâre there, if at any point I tell you guys to flee, you- you best be fleeinâ, got it? With extra flee. No stupid heroics of noble stupidness.â
Itâs a chance. Thatâs better than nothing. âYes, alright!â Jimmy cheers. âThank you!â
(Yay, weâre going to Hels- said no one ever.)
(Do they know what theyâre getting into?)
(Oh boy, here we go.)
Etho shrugs. âWhatever you say, Tango, youâre the uh, youâre the Hels expert, here.â
Impulse folds his arms. âThatâs a dirty condition you kinda tacked on the end, there,â he mutters, âbut Iâll accept it.â
âAlright then.â Tango gives a tired sigh, but the corners of his mouth are curling into a smile. âI- I guess weâre doinâ this. Weâve got some room in the basement at the ranch, we can build it there.â
âExcellent.â Grian grins. âLetâs build a portal to Hels, fellas.â
~*~
Jimmyâs startled awake by a shout.
Heart pounding, he squints into the dark room. As his eyes struggle to adjust in the scarce light, he can just barely make out Tango sitting upright in bed. His rapid, shallow breaths wheeze through clenched teeth, faint sparks emitting from his dim blaze rods as they try to ignite.
âTango,â Jimmy whispers, sitting up, âyou okay?â
Tangoâs breathing hitches. Then he turns to collapse against Jimmyâs chest, clinging fiercely to his shirt. His entire body is trembling. âNightmare,â he manages to get out.
Jimmyâs heart twists. He knew it was only a matter of time, but that doesnât make it any easier to see. Gently, he wraps his arms around Tango, then his wings for good measure. âI got ya,â he murmurs. âIâm here.â
Tango tucks his face against Jimmyâs shoulder and falls silent. Maybe heâll want to talk about it in the morning, maybe he wonât. But for now, Jimmy just holds him, and hopes thatâs enough.
~*~
Jimmy stares at the redstone circuitry laid out before him. âI understand none of this.â
Though itâs only been a few days since they started work on the portal, theyâve already made a lot of progress. Impulse and Etho have been over basically around the clock, with Bdubs and Joel tagging along more often than not. Theyâll watch the redstoners work until they get bored, and inevitably wander upstairs to bug Jimmy. Grian checks in on them every now and then, and the other Double Lifers have popped by for little visits, so itâs been a lot of activity at the ranch. Lots of people coming and going.
Itâs strange, but not necessarily in a bad way. Almost like an actual pleasant community feeling. Neighbors helping neighbors and all that.
A dedicated digging session has left them with a bit more space in the basement, allowing them to section off a separate room from Tangoâs sugar cane farm. They finished it with a stone floor and simple wooden walls at Bdubsâs insistence (he considered it unacceptable to just leave it all as freshly-dug dirt). An obsidian portal frame (complete with corners at Ethoâs insistence) stands empty against the back wall, leaving abundant floor space for the redstone- of which there is plenty.
Redstone dust wires criss-cross through rows of repeaters and hopper lines. Itâs all far beyond Jimmyâs capacity to understand, of course, but even Tango seems a bit baffled. Heâs claimed many times that his understanding of redstone is surface-level at best, and that his real skill comes in applying the various components and systems in creative ways. But heâs at least been able to help with the construction, the actual placing of redstone components.
âRight,â Tango laughs, running a hand through his hair. âLetâs- lemme see if Iâve got this rightâŚâ He points at a long line of redstone dust. âMain circuit to the portal.â
Impulse nods. âYep.âÂ
Tango steps gingerly around the redstone, gesturing towards a rather complex looking amalgamation of observers and comparators. âThis nonsense over here will turn my skadoodle bits into a fireable signal.â
Etho, leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets, chuckles. âPretty much.â
âAnd this,â Tango waves at the hoppers, âwill count out the final coords before they hop on the main bus line to the portal.â
Jimmy nods hesitantly. âOkay⌠okay, cool, so- so is it done, then?â
âNot quite,â Impulse says. âWe need a player detector.â
Tango creases his brows together. âWhat, like a- like a pufferfish? A skulk sensor?â
âNo, more like a- a whole separate system,â Etho explains. âItâs more than just registering your presence. We need something that can read your data, pick out your coordinates, and send them to the portal for translation to Bravo.â
Tango exhales slowly. âThat⌠sounds pretty complicated.â
âOh, it will be,â Impulse says, folding his arms. âI mean, just think about how much data each player contains, right, all the codes that dictate our behavior and biology⌠we donât wanna overload this thing, so itâll require some heavy-duty filtering.â
âNot only that,â Etho continues, âbut uh, if that firewall thing turns out to be a problem, weâre gonna have to figure out a way to stabilize the portal, too. Thatâll take some tinkering with different power sources til we find the exact right input to override the firewallâs checker.â
Jimmy winces; heâd been hoping for a quicker solution. Itâs already been over a week since the invasion, and he knows Tango hates being stalled. The sooner they get this problem taken care of, the sooner they can stop worrying and get back to their normal lives. Jimmy himself doesnât have anywhere else to be, but the other Double Lifers do. And even if they donât mind the unexpected stay-cation, it definitely bothers Tango that their lives have been disrupted for his sake. Goodness knows heâs already got enough of a guilt complex.
But Tango simply gives a bemused smile. âWell, letâs get started, then.â
~*~
âAre we really sure we wanna do this?â
Jimmy winces at Tangoâs tone. âI know, I know,â he says regretfully, âit wasnât my favorite idea either. But if it can get that collar offâa you, we gotta try, right?â
Trying to remove the collar manually had resulted in a sharp, shooting pain through Tangoâs neck at the slightest movement. Trying to remove it with redstone had proven unsuccessful- clearly, it was designed to be insulated against any outside signals. Trying to pick the lock had resulted in nothing but a lot of frustration. So that left them with their last resort.
Theyâve moved outside, round the back of the ranch, to avoid getting blood stains all over their newly refurbished house. A random bed has been placed down to provide them with a quick and easy respawn, their items temporarily stowed in a chest. Impulse holds a Sharpness V sword, tail flicking as he watches them apprehensively.
âIâm only gonna do this if youâre okay with it,â he tells Tango seriously. âWe can go back to the drawing board, come up with some other things to tryâŚâ
âNo, no,â Tango shakes his head, âI donât- you shouldnât be wasting time on this, youâre already working pretty much nonstop on the portal.â
The frustration in his voice is evident. Impulse frowns. âI donât mindâŚâ
âWell, I do!â Tango says, crossing his arms and glancing away.
Jimmy exchanges a look with Impulse before putting a gentle hand on Tangoâs shoulder. âI know thereâs a chance it wonât work,â he starts quietly, âand weâll have killed ourselves for nothinâ. No one likes gettinâ their head cut off. But itâll be over quick, weâll respawn straight back here, and then at least weâll know we tried everything.â
Tango makes a noncommittal noise. âHey, I- Iâm not afraid of a little decapitation, alright, I just⌠I feel kinda bad putting you through this, you know?â Guilt creeps into his expression. âItâs not your neck that the stupid thing is stuck on. You shouldnât have to-â
âWeâre in this together,â Jimmy tells him steadily. âSo if youâre willinâ to try it, Iâm happy to die along with ya.â
Tango manages a faint laugh. âJeeze, honey, you- you donât have to make it sound so dramatic. We arenât on a three-life system anymore.â
Jimmy shrugs. âWell, thatâs how I feel! Honestly, if thereâs even a chance thisâll get that thing offâa you, Iâm down.â
âAlright.â Tango takes a quick, steadying breath. âOkay, I wanna try.â He glances at Impulse. âUh- commence the chop-ificating, then, I guess.â
Impulse nods; heâs keeping his expression and general demeanor calm, reassuring. âOkay, then. So hereâs what Iâm gonna doâŚâ He carefully sets the edge of his blade along the rim of Tangoâs collar, so that the metal is just barely touching skin, and then pinches the collar between the fingers of his other hand. âIâll give it one quick, clean slice, and try to pull the collar off your body, okay?â
Tango tilts his chin up. âOkay,â he whispers. Heâs nervous, now; every muscle in his body is rigid.
Jimmy reaches for his hand. âIâll be right there with ya.â
Impulse tightens his grip on the sword. âTango, gimme a countdown whenever youâre ready.â
âAlright.â Tango exhales shakily, closing his eyes. âFive... four... three... two...â
Jimmy closes his eyes and squeezes Tangoâs hand.
âOne.â
Pain slices across Jimmyâs neck- an intense, searing burn, like heâs swallowed a bucket of lava. Thereâs a rush of vertigo, the world spinning off-kilter around him. Heâs instantly thrust into darkness, that all-consuming void with which heâs rather familiar.
And then itâs over. Heâs back, sitting on the bed with Tango in a piled heap of limbs.Â
Jimmy sucks in a breath. Now that everythingâs stopped spinning, he can see that the collar is still around Tangoâs neck.
âOh, babe,â he murmurs, sweeping Tango into a hug. âIâm sorry.â
Tangoâs laugh is muffled against his shoulder. âWorth a shot, right?â
Impulse, standing a few feet away and holding a bloody sword, looks dismayed. âNo good,â he says as he walks over, putting the sword away. âYour body respawned before I could pull the collar off. But uh, thatâs⌠not the only issue.â
That makes Tango look over. âWhat is it?â
âI caught a look at the inner face of it,â Impulse says, frowning, âthe part thatâs actually touching your skin? And, um⌠it looks like thereâs a bunch of little⌠spikes on the inside of the collar?â
âSpikes?â Jimmy repeats, raising his eyebrows.
âYeah, I donât know how else to describe them?â Impulse rubs the back of his neck. âUm, theyâre black in color, not super big... probably thinner than my pinky finger but not like, needles or anythingâŚâ
âOh.â Tango blinks. âItâs the thorns. Theyâre wither rose thorns. Thatâs how it works.â
Jimmyâs heart jolts. âWhat?â
Tango spreads his hands. âWhen Atlas locked the collar, it mustâve caused a- a bunch of thorns to pop out and dig into my neck. But they arenât- they donât have the full strength of wither rose, so thatâs why Iâm not getting the full wither effect, and after a while, you know, they sorta- they numb the area, so I donât feel them. But when we start yanking on the collar, it forces them deeper into my skin, so it hurts.â
âOh... my gosh,â Jimmy breathes, aghast. âThatâs- thatâs horrible!â
The whole concept of the collar is already inhumane- to treat a fellow sentient player like a simple animal. But this? This is just plain evil.Â
Impulse seems to be trying very hard not to get upset again. âWell, then,â he says, voice tight. âThat rules out my next suggestion, which was to just go at it with a few sharp axes. I donât wanna like, hammer those thorns deeper into your neck...â His expression turns thoughtful. âWhat if we try and get something sharp between your neck and the collar, slice off the thorns all the way around? Then we could-â
âNo,â Tango interrupts. âLook, I- I appreciate the help, but if we tweak this thing the wrong way, it could probably jab an artery, or puncture my trachea, and then Iâd respawn and be right back at square one again! No, I- I think weâre done.â
Impulse looks like he wants to argue, but Jimmy catches his gaze, giving him an imploring look.Â
âAlright,â Impulse relents. âIâm sorry it didnât work out.â
âYeah,â Jimmy says, âweâll get that collar off, I promise.â
âItâs fine.â Tangoâs avoiding Jimmyâs eyes. âIt... might not be the worst thing, you know, to have my fire locked down. Considering our fancy new house and all.â
Oh, they canât have that. Jimmy puts a hand on his shoulder. âTango,â he says seriously, âyour fire is a part of you, and Iâm not gonna rest til weâve got it back.â
Tango sighs, but when he looks up, his eyes are fond. âI know.â
Impulse exhales slowly. âDo you... wanna try and get the cuffs off, then?â he offers.
âWhat?â Tango jolts. âWhy? They arenât hurtinâ anything.â
Impulse holds up his hands. âHey, itâs okay, I just thought... if theyâre from that terrible place, maybe youâd wanna get rid of âem?â
âAnd yâknow,â Jimmy chimes in, âitâd be a lot easier for someone else to crack them off ya, couple good swings with an axe, maybeâŚâ
âThat wonât work,â Tango says stiffly. âTheyâve been on me for so long now, been through so many respawns that if Iâm not the one to remove them, it- theyâll just keep coming back.âÂ
Impulse inhales through his teeth, understanding dawning in his eyes. âOh, man.â
âAre you sure?â Jimmy asks, his heart sinking. He isnât overly familiar with the universal rules that determine what does and doesnât respawn along with a player, but Tango seems pretty certain.
âYeah. Theyâre basically part of my data now.â
âOh.â
The unspoken question is glaringly obvious: âwhy havenât you removed them yet, then?â The cuffs seem just as well-made as the collar, but surely thereâs a way to cut through them. At least, he shouldâve been able to find a way sometime during the last ten years- even if he wasnât comfortable asking any of the Hermits to help him.
But Jimmy can tell Tangoâs already hit his limit for today. Itâs a subject heâs always avoided discussing in the past, so theyâll just have to wait until heâs ready.
(Oh, gonna make that mistake again?)
âShut up,â Jimmy thinks.
~*~
âNeed some help, hun?â
âAck!â Jimmy gives a start, accidentally yanking out the feather heâd been teasing. He whirls around. âTango!â
Tango holds his hands up. âSorry, sorry!â
âJeeze,â Jimmy laughs, catching his breath, âI- I thought you guys were still working on the portal!â
âWell, yeah,â Tango says, closing the door behind him, âbut Etho thinks we need a redstone ore block and we didnât have any layinâ around, so he and Impulse went mining.â He crosses over to sit on the bed, curiously studying the feathers strewn about. âDoinâ some preening?â
âUm...â Jimmy ducks his head sheepishly. âYeah, just- just the uh, burned ones... theyâre startinâ to itch.â
Tango gives him a sad smile. âHey, itâs alright. You donât have to hide it from me, I- I wonât get all weird mega guilt-trippy about it.â
Jimmy softens. âI just... I know youâve been beating yourself up about it, thatâs all.â He gazes at the burned feather in his hand. âIt was an accident. I donât blame you.â
âI know.â Tango runs a gentle hand over one of Jimmyâs wings. âCan⌠can I help?â
Jimmy smiles. âSure.â
~*~Â
âWait, are you serious?â Tango asks, eyes wide. âYou think the portalâs ready to go? Right now?â
Grain nods. âYeah, I do.â
Jimmy glances between them with raised eyebrows. Theyâd called Grian over for a little update on the current state of the portal project- now complete with the fancy player detector system that the redstoners have been painstakingly building over the past week. But once Etho explained that the final step was stabilization, Grian had dropped a bomb on them.
âIâve uh⌠been doinâ some research,â Grian continues, âand Iâm pretty sure that Hels has a firewall thatâs just been sorta⌠inverted? Itâs still a one-way barrier, it just stops players from making portals out rather than in. âCourse, itâs still inaccessible by comm portal, but our little set-up here should circumvent that. Once weâve gotten the portal to lock onto Bravoâs coords, there shouldnât be anythinâ stopping it from forming.â
Etho scratches the side of his mask. âWell, if we donât have to stabilize the portal, thatâll definitely simplify things,â he says. âWe might actually have everything we need already.â
âCouldnât hurt to fire it up,â Impulse agrees, glancing at Tango. âJust to give it a little test drive? If we do get a portal open, we can easily shut it down right after. We donât have to actually go through it.â
Tango hesitates. âBut wouldnât Grian have to lift the lockdown?â
âYeah, I will,â Grian amends. âBut Iâve actually just finished settinâ up a firewall, so when I lift the lockdown, weâll still be protected. Weâll be able to leave through any portal we want, but no one else can get in without beinâ on the whitelist.â
âWait, really?â Tango looks surprised. âWhy- did you let the others know? I- Iâm sure theyâll wanna get back to their other worlds.â
âEy, I only just finished it!â Grian defends. âI wanted to let you lot know first, so there wouldnât be any panic or confusion if people started randomly leavinâ through portals. Iâll inform the others, but uh, Iâm pretty sure theyâll wanna just stick around til we get this done. Especially if the portalâs ready to go. All thatâll be left to do is come up with our plan of attack, and weâll need all hands on deck for the actual mission.â
âYeah,â Impulse says easily, âHermitcraft can wait.â
Tango chews his lip. âI⌠I guess we can try it,â he relents.
âGreat!â Grian pulls his communicator out. âGimme a second to lift the lockdown, okayâŚâ
Jimmy turns to Tango, taking him by the hands. âHey, is this alright?â he asks softly. âWe donât have to try it today if you donât wanna.â
âYeah, yeah, Iâm alright,â Tango assures him, squeezing his hands. âItâs just- itâs a bit sooner than I was expecting, you know? But this is good. I mean, if this works, then this whole business will finally be over.â
Jimmyâs eyes trace the collar around Tangoâs neck. âYeah. And not a moment too soon.â
Obviously theyâve still got a pretty significant task ahead of them. Itâll be no easy feat to storm Hels Tek, not if theyâve got as much muscle backing them up as they did for the invasion. Atlas is one slippery fella, and it might be hard to get Bravo to listen to them long enough to cooperate. But getting the portal in working order is another hurdle down, so they can shift gears towards the impending mission. And once thatâs done, thereâll no longer be a threat hanging over them.
Suffice to say, Jimmyâs looking forward to getting back to his domestic bliss.
âOkay,â Grian says, glancing up, âlockdown is officially lifted. Go ahead.â
âAlright, Tango.â Etho pushes away from the wall. âUh, just hop onto the redstone ore block whenever youâre ready, I guess? Everything should be in place.â
Tango exhales shakily, looking nervous, but he manages to give Jimmy a smile. âHere goes nothinâ...â
Turning away, he steps onto the redstone ore block, which immediately lights up. It starts a sort of ripple effect along the dust that connects it to the rest of the redstone, triggering all kinds of ticking and flashing. Itâs all Jimmy can do to follow the signal as it travels towards the portal frame-
Static fills the air, and the portal ignites. Swirling red light fills the frame.
âOh, nice,â Grian breathes.
âYes!â Impulse cheers. âWe did it!â
âOkay, uh, Tango?â Etho nods at him. âGo ahead and step off the block, now.â
Tango doesnât respond. Heâs staring at the portal with an unreadable expression clouding his gaze, almost as if in a trance.
Jimmy quickly hurries to his side. âTango,â he murmurs, gently shaking his arm, âcome on.â
âHuh?â Tango jolts. âOh, oh right, sorry!âÂ
He steps aside, and the portal remains lit. Impulse grins. âAlright, looks like weâre good,â he says, stooping over to hit a button next to the portal. A piston extends across the redstone line, and the portal extinguishes.
Jimmy lets out a breath of relief. An irrational part of him had been worried that Hels players would immediately start pouring through. âYou okay?â he asks Tango quietly.
Tango nods. âYeah, sorry,â he says with an apologetic smile. âIâm fine, it just⌠kinda hit me all at once.â
âYeah,â Impulse says, âI definitely wasnât expecting to have a working portal today, either. But hey, good job guys!â
âYeah, nicely done, fellas,â Grian says, sounding pleased. He starts typing on his communicator. âIâm gonna let the others know weâve got the portal workinâ, and tomorrow⌠weâll all meet to start planning our invasion of Hels. Iâm sure if we put our heads together, we can come up with a solid plan to get Bravo, get that key from Atlas, and get out.â
Tango snorts. âOh, sure. Easy peasy.â
âDonât worry,â Jimmy says, putting a hand on Tangoâs shoulder. âWe wonât go through til weâre all good and ready, yeah?â
Tangoâs expression softens. âYeah.â
âRight.â Grian puts his communicator away. âGet some rest, everyone, and weâll see you tomorrow. Details in chat.â
~*~
<Grian> portal done. meet @ impulse and bdubs tomorrow at noon for hels invasion plotting. all ideas welcome
<PearlescentMoon> Ooh :0Â
<InTheLittleWood> wait seriously? already??
<Renthedog> YO amazing job on the portal guys! :DÂ
<BdoubleO100> oh THANKS A LOT for volunteering us to host GRIAN!!
<Grian> :PÂ
~*~
Later that night, in the dark quiet of their room, Tango rolls over to nestle his head beneath Jimmyâs chin, claws bunching up the fabric of his shirt.
âThanks,â he murmurs.
Jimmy hums. âFor what?â
âFor⌠not givinâ up on me.â
âWhatâdâyou mean?â
âI mean⌠you know, I- after everything I did, and- and everything I saidâŚâ
âI already told you, that doesnât matter to me.â
âYeah, I know. But when I realized the secret was out⌠that things were- that we couldnât just go back to normal⌠I mean, I was convinced it was over. Everything, my- my new life, my freedom, my friends. Us. But you never gave up hope.â
âOf course. Itâs been a long road here, alright, I- Iâm not givinâ that up without a fight.â
Tango tilts his chin up to look at Jimmy, red eyes glowing in the dark, and leans in to meet his lips. They kiss slow and sweet. Warmth hums in Jimmyâs chest.
This hasnât been an easy journey, and he knows thereâs plenty more challenges still ahead. Even if the mission to Hels goes well and they achieve all that they want to, the experiences Tangoâs been through wonât magically go away. Itâll take time. Healing isnât linear. But with everything out in the open now and the support of their friends, Jimmyâs hopeful that Tango can start to unlearn his self-hatred. Jimmy will be there every step of the way.
All too soon, Tango pulls away. âWe should get some rest,â he whispers, settling against Jimmy again.
âYeah,â Jimmy sighs ruefully, draping a wing across Tango. âGonna need all two of my brain cells at full strength.â
Tango huffs a soft laugh. âLove you, honey.â
Jimmy closes his eyes, smiling. âLove you, too.
~*~
Jimmy wakes up to a cold bed.
That immediately sets off alarm bells in his head, because since when has Tango gotten out of bed before him? Then he opens his eyes and realizes itâs still night; a faint crescent moon hangs in the starry sky visible through their window. Their room is dark and empty. Tango is nowhere to be seen.
The alarm bells become a siren.
No, no, no, no, no.
Jimmy springs out of bed, sparing a second only to grab his shoes off the floor before throwing the door open. His heart is in his throat as he flies down the stairs to the main level- all dark and empty- and hooks the corner to wrench open the basement door.Â
Already he can see the chilling red glow from the portal cast across the wall, a shadow of bleeding light, and a million curses scream through his mind. His stomach feels like itâs knotted in on itself and his lungs are burning for air, heâs moving faster than what seems physically possible and yet not nearly fast enough as he crashes down the stairs and bursts into the portal room, mouth opening to cry out-
Just in time to watch Tango vanish into the red light.
~*~
Somewhere in Hels, a player walks through a portal.
Tangoâs heartbeat pounds in his ears. Heâs already started shaking- if it werenât for the wither effect flowing from his collar, heâs certain his blaze rods would be igniting right now. Itâs a bizarre mix of emotions. The scent of ash and the sight of netherrack are comforting, in a way. Familiar. But itâs also terrifying, because thereâs no mistaking where he is.
(Thereâs a reason he doesnât like hanging out in the nether.)
Fear threatens to swallow him. He pushes it down; heâs got a job to do.
Forcing a steadying breath through his clenched teeth, he takes in his surroundings, ears pricked cautiously. Heâs definitely not at spawn- heâs at the border of a basalt delta, actually, fine gray particles fluttering through the air. Aside from the portal behind him, thereâs not a structure in sight. No sounds save for the distant bubbling of lava and the distinctive slap of magma cubes.
Tango frowns, chewing his lip. The portal was supposed to take him to Bravo, so he must be around here somewhere. Why heâs not at Hels Tek, Tango isnât sure. Maybe theyâre out on an errand run? Either way, he ought to start looking around.
But first, heâs got to break the portal so no one can follow him. Everything heâd packed made it through with him, thankfully, so he equips his pickaxe and turns back to the portal-
Just in time for Jimmy to emerge, running straight into him.
The collision knocks Tango to the ground, pickaxe flying from his hand, his forehead stinging where it smacked against Jimmyâs chin. Blinking spots from his eyes, he pushes himself up on his elbows with a groan. Once his vision stops spinning, he locks eyes with Jimmy, who seems just as shocked as he is.
Both of them shout at exactly the same moment.
âWhat are you doing here?!â
~*~
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I am willing to give you or anyone else on tumblr the skills and advice the helped me get my dream job
the idea of working for TEK a few months ago would just be a fantasy
my background in education is English. I learned what I know now on my own and only by random chance.
This is why I am so critical of the linux commumity on tumblr.
They're tagging themselves as -official when they can't provide casual end user support.
They're entirely too horny to be in this sphere. Computers and linux should not be about how much you want to fuck/be fucked by X
it will deter end users
This is very cool that you will help other tumblr users with this stuff; i may actually take you up on this at some point :3
(my tone here is /g, /pos, /nm, /lh)
I do, however, kind of disagree with the other points. I think that for any other social media it's correct, twt or fb does not have the culture to make these sorts of parody accounts viable or not-counter-productive to increasing the linux market share. But I don't think that tumblr is the same.
I think that tumblr does. I think the tumblr community has always been this somewhat ephemeral yet perpetual inside joke culture where almost every user is in-the-know, and new users to the joke are able generally able to catch on quickly to it due to their general understanding of they way tumblr communities operate.
IMO, it's a somewhat quick pipeline of:
\> find first "x-official" blog -> assume it's real -> see them horny posting about xenia -> infer that RH corporate would probably not approve of such a blog
I can appreciate that it might be intimidating to seek out help as a new linux user, and especially a new linux & tumblr user, but looking through these blogs, you do see them helping out people ^^. heck, my last post was helping someone getting wayland working on an nvidia system.
The main goal of these blogs is not to be a legitimate CS service to general end-users. they aren't affiliated with the software their blog is named after, so in many cases they *cant*. The goal is instead to foster a community around linux, creating a general network of blogs of the various FOSS projects that they enjoy.
I think that final sentiment, of these blogs detering end users, is most likely counter to their actual effect on end users who are considering switching to linux.
We all know a lot of tumblr is 20 or 30 something year olds who have just stuck around since ~2012ish, and new users to tumblr join with pre-existing knowledge of the culture and platform. Almost anyone coming across these blogs are going to be people who can see the "in" joke, and acclimate. I do highly doubt that a random facebook mom who's son convinced her to install mint on her old laptop would find tumblr, find a -official blog, scroll through said blog, and be detered from using mint.
The other side of this is that any tumblr users who come across these blogs, be it with an inkling of desire to switch to linux or not, will see a vibrant and active community that fits very well into the tumblr community. They remember, or have heard of, the amtrac & OSHA blogs, and are therefore probably aware that this is a pre-existing meme on here.
In all likelyhood, this will probably further incentivize them to make the switch, as they would be more attracted to a community of their peers over a community of redditors telling them to read the arch wiki repeatedly
I can, on the other hand, definitely see that for people who have difficulties with parsing tone, and especially sarcasm, would have trouble with this. TBH, I have these difficulties (hence when I was speaking to you yesterday I used the /unjerk indicator, as I couldn't tell what the tone of the conversation was), and so it took me a little while of being in this weird "I'm 99% sure these *aren't* official, but what if?". I have been there forI think that maybe being more transparent with the fact that the blogs are parodies is probably important. I'm guilty of this, and after i post this, i'll add it to my bio.
#i use arch btw#they should switch to xenia#tux is so mid#penguins of madagascar was better#linuxposting#linux#distros#ask#mipseb
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â§âˇâĄFlusteredâšâĄâ§
rafayel x fem!reader
⥠"going for a nice drive, your hands on the wheel and you're touching my body" âĄ
genre: fluff
a/n: no Rafayel's car doesn't look like the one above I just thought it was a cute picture I found off Pinterest lol
It's your day off work and you're casually lounging in your bed playing with your Nintendo Switch until- ding! A notification pops up on your phone next to you. What does this goofy sea urchin want now? You love his company but wow could he be dramatic and unpredictable at times. You click the message notification and, to your delight, see that Rafayel simply sent you a good morning message checking up on you. Smiling warmly at your phone, you answer his text, engaging in a brief yet pleasant exchange.
You smile and blush down at your phone, giggling into your hand like a school girl. Despite when he tries to cheat at Kitty Cards, he's a fun guy to be around so you're excited to spend a day of leisure with him.
After stretching a bit, you finally roll out of bed, put away your Switch then start your morning routine, brushing your teeth, doing your hair and makeup.
[Pick your date outfit and comment your choice]
Once you're dressed, you sit on your couch and scroll through the Moments app while you wait when you get a text saying he's arrived. You grab your purse and head out the door, meeting him outside. He's leaning against his sports car waiting for you, his arms crossed and a smile on his face when he sees you. It almost looks like he's posing for a photoshoot. It's hard not to do a double take at the handsome sight before you. His outfit consists of a navy blue tucked-in flannel with two buttons undone to show off his chest a bit, high waisted black pants that accentuate his long legs, a black overcoat and some fancy loafers. The amount of money he had on his body alone would probably make you faint if you knew the number. Then again, it's Rafayel. He could look good regardless of the price tag on his clothes.
Seeing your reaction, he catches onto how you're checking him out and laughs. "What's with you? You look like you wanna drink me up," he says with a smirk, holding his arms out for a hug. Hugging him, hiding your flustered face in his shoulder, you take in the scent of his high-end cologne from a brand name you probably couldn't pronounce. "You could be a male model if you weren't an artist," you remark, turning your head to avoid his gaze. Rafayel practically gleams when he hears that. He plants a kiss on your cheek to express his gratitude. Seeing him so happy at your compliment warms your heart. After all, you do know he loves his words of affirmation.
"Let's get going, cutie. I wanna spin the block with you," he says with a wink, as he holds the car door open for you like the gentleman he is.
You two buckle up (safety first) and Rafayel drives off. "Ya know, baby, I have done some modeling before if you wanna get technical," he mentions, flipping his hair in jest, eliciting a laugh from you. "I know. I've seen you posing in magazines and your selfies online. Not sure the second part counts," you tease. The playful banter goes on as you enjoy the ride together. Outside, the sun is beaming, not too brightly but just enough to shine through the half-way opened car window, allowing you to feel the warmth and the gentle wind on your skin. It's the kind of day where it's sunny yet breezy. Neither too hot or too cold but just right. That's how you felt being with him in this moment. Just right.
He turns on the radio, careful to keep his eyes on the road. Tek It by CafunĂŠ soon fills the car, causing Rafayel's eyes to light up. "Why don'tcha do a duet with me, Y/N?" You cover your face shyly, giggling at his suggestion. He starts singing the first chorus, his hand on the wheel, nudging you to join him with him other and all you do is timidly sway along to the music, listening attentively to his singing as he moves onto the second verse. Maybe it's because of his merman genes or something but his voice is lovely. You watch him, very impressed and decide to just let go and have fun by joining him in the next chorus.
đľ I watch the moon
Let it run my mood
Can't stop thinking of you đľ
Suddenly, you've forgotten all about your shyness and find yourself shouting the lyrics passionately.
The song ends followed by your guys' outbreak of joyous laughter as he affectionately rubs your thigh with his hand. "Wow, Rafie. You've actually got a great voice. I'd like to hear you sing more often," you tell him.
He glances at you, his eyes glistening with adoration. "It's not fair unless I get to hear you sing more often as well. We should do karaoke sometime," he suggests. "Hmm we've never tried that before. Its a good idea," you agree. Turns out, it was fun jamming to music with him and you wouldn't be opposed to doing it more often.
The chatting and jamming to music progresses for a few more minutes until Rafayel makes a stop in front of what appears to be some kind of cute little snack store. From the outside, you see through the glass that the store is very pink with various Japanese kawaii decor and isles of snacks. He parks his sports vehicle and you look up to read the romanji-written sign with a cute cartoonish panda holding an onigiri next to the name. "Panda Okashi," you read out loud before turning to him. "The name sounds Japanese." Rafayel pinches your cheek and nods. "Yup. A Japanese snack store a friend told me about," he explains. "Figured you'd like this kinda thing, cutie."
*âĄâ:・.・*âĄâ:・.・*âĄâ:・.・*âĄâ:・.・*âĄâ:・.*âĄâ:・.
Inside, the store isn't big but it's not super small either. Doing a quick scan, you can see that there's isles of chips, drinks, candies, baked goods, a small frozen section in the back and even a Sanrio themed claw machine near the entrance. And you sure did squeal with glee when you saw that claw machine especially when you saw the theme. "Rafie look!" you exclaim with one hand on his shoulder, pointing with the other, beckoning him to follow your gaze. "There's a claw machine just like at Twinkle Toys! But with Sanrio plushies! Can we play the claw machine after we shop?" He chuckles and takes your hand while you two start walking around, gawking at you adoringly, finding your enthusiasm endearing. "Sure, cutie. All that playing will make us hungry so let's get our snacks, yeah?"
You and your purple-haired Lemurian companion chat and look around together at all the options the shop has to offer. Upon walking through the chip isle aimlessly, your mouth practically waters when your sight fixates on something delicious. Knowing Rafayel's affinity for seafood, you excitedly ask him if he's ever tried takoyaki before and when he says yes, you point to some round, takoyaki flavored Calbee chips and some takoyaki flavored Lays, suggesting that you try them both together. He eagerly agrees, adding them in the cart. After doing further browsing, he also suggests on getting two pineapple flavored Ramune drinks as well as some Hello Kitty strawberry marshmallows.
You guys go to check out the items and Rafayel refuses to let you pay for them. "Fine but I'm paying for the claw machine in that case," you say in a insisting tone. "You two are such a cute couple," says the cashier lady. "Enjoy the rest of your date," she says, handing you the receipt.
Huh? Couple? You're feeling shell shocked (no pun intended) as if your heart is about to jump out of your chest. "Thanks! We will," Rafayel responds nonchalantly, much to your surprise. Why is he acting normal? Did he not hear what you heard? Is something wrong with your ears? Why is he not denying it? Your mind is racing and all you can do is laugh awkwardly and thank the lady. Once the snacks are acquired and secured in the car, you and Rafayel head back inside to play the claw machine. "Wanna win me a plushie, babe?" The cashier lady quietly chuckles when overhearing. Him suddenly calling you 'babe' takes you off guard, making your ears turn red. And if you think he doesn't notice it, he does.
"Um yeah. Actually, I know exactly what to get you!" You perk up, pointing to the plushie Hangyodon (a blue Sanrio fish character) holding a star. "Look, Rafie! It's you holding a star!" He feigns offense, crossing his arms and pouting. "Whadaya meeean? It's cute but that thing looks like it has botched lip fillers. My naturally full lips add to my handsome features." You bust out in laughter at his remark. "Wow so rude. Who says he has lip fillers? Maybe he was born that way," you say, pinching his cheek. During a few rounds of playing, you win a Hangyodon plushie for Rafayel. His reaction was adorable, him wrapping his arms around you and peppering your forehead in kisses.
To thank you, he won you a (insert favorite Sanrio character) plush and has his plush give yours a kiss.
*âĄâ:・.・*âĄâ:・.・*âĄâ:・.・*âĄâ:・.・*âĄâ:・.*âĄâ:・.
After leaving the store, Rafayel drove you to a nearby pier where you to sit, talk, eat the snacks and watch the ocean together, his arm wrapped around your waist. "Thank you for taking me out today. It means a lot" you say, expressing your thanks. His ombre eyes glisten in the afternoon light, fixated on the waves, his hand rubbing the side of your waist in response. "You don't have to thank me. There's nowhere else I'd rather be than here with you," he says, leaning his head on your shoulder. You play with his hair and he let's out a relaxed hum, closing his eyes. A calm, comfortable silence between you lingers for a bit, leaving only the sound of the waves.
"You know, Rafie," you say, breaking the silence. "I love being with you." He perks up from his relaxed position to look at you, his eyes glossy and its apparent how happy you made him telling him that. "Even if you can be annoying sometimes," you add, sneering at him light-heartedly. He crosses him arms with a hmph that makes you snicker. "Whaaatever. And here I thought you were being nice for once!" You giggle and ruffle his ash-purple hair. "You already know you're my favorite fishie. I love being with you." Rafayel's eyes soften at your words and he becomes serious, his stare into your eyes feeling so intense it almost makes you nervous. In this moment, Rafayel becomes hard to read.
"Y/N...do you love more than just my company?" It takes you a moment to process what he just said.
"H-huh?"
"Because I hope you know I love more than just your company." His eyes are sincere and gentle as they lock with yours. It's surprising you're even able to maintain eye contact with him.
"R-Rafayel...what are you-"
He doesn't even give you time to finish your question before landing his lips on yours, kissing you tenderly yet with a hint of yearning. "How can we keep ignoring this?" The look on his face when he pulls away is desperate, yet affectionate as he asks you this. You could play dumb all you want but you know exactly what he means by that. And it pains you not pour your feelings out to him and risk hurting him with your silence but you just can't seem to find the words to say. "It's been hard," he continues. "Knowing you're more than just my bodyguard. Acting all lovey-dovey together only for us not to anything about it. When are you gonna ask me out already?" You roll you eyes at his last line. "You could've also asked me out, you know," you say, returning his previous kiss, holding his chin in your hand. The first kiss had caught you off guard but this time, you're able to process the sensation. His lips are soft against yours until he breaks the kiss to say, "In that case, will you officially be more than just my bodyguard?" Your eyes widen at the sudden question being dropped like a bomb, finally breaking what little tension was left that even the kissing couldn't break.
He clears his throat and reiterates his question. "Will you be my girlfriend?" You blush and smile, lacing your fingers in both his hand, your eyes glossy and you can't help but feel grateful for everything you've shared with him that's lead up to this moment. All the times he's kept you company. The way he's been able to see right through you when your feeling down without you even saying anything and cheer you up like no one else. The way he makes you laugh with his childish, dramatic antics. You kiss the beauty mark on his nose. "Only if I can call you my boyfriend," you say. He embraces you close and rests his chin on your shoulder. "Of course you can, silly girl."
#love and deepspace#lnds#lnds rafayel#rafayel love and deepspace#lnds fluff#love and deepspace fluff#fluff#rafayel fluff#rafayel x reader#lads rafayel#love & deepsace x reader#love & deepspace rafayel#lads fluff#lads
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youtube
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Selam.Selam.
Eski evimize geri taĹÄąnÄąyoruz. EĹyalarÄąmÄą topluyorum, bitmiyor bir tĂźrlĂź...bir sĂźre alÄąĹveriĹ yapmÄącam dememin ertesi gĂźnĂź gidip bir sĂźrĂź alÄąĹveriĹ yaptÄąm, smart casual look ihtiyaçlarÄą pfff, avmlerden nefret ediyorum. Ä°Ĺte alÄąĹveriĹ yaparken de bu videoyu dinledim, bir nebze çekilir kÄąldÄą sĂźreci. CĂźzdanÄąmÄą kasanÄąn ĂśnĂźnde unutacak kadar leylayÄąm, "oturum kartĹĹĹĹm" diye koĹarak maÄazaya geri dĂśndĂźm, hala orada duruyordu neyse ki..
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Bize anlatÄąlan tarih ne kadar sÄąÄ ve basit. Ăok daha Ăśtesi var aslÄąnda ve buna dair okumalar yapmayÄą çok seviyorum. Her Ĺeyi ama her Ĺeyi sorgulamayÄą; tarihi, dini, kĂźltĂźrĂź, inancÄą..
Ĺu Tek Adam kitabÄąnÄą liselerde herkese okutmak isterdim mesela. Eski dostlar bilir ben bu kitabÄą youtube'dan dinliyordum uyumadan Ăśnce ve rĂźyamda sĂźrekli AtatĂźrk'le flĂśrtleĹiyordumglglgĹg çok gĂźzel gĂźnlerdiflflflfĹ. Onu Enver PaĹaya karĹÄą falan uyarÄąyordum sĂźrekli đâŁď¸
Ve KazÄąm Karabekir... Onun yeri apayrÄą. Geçen gĂźn twitterda Chatgptye "bu zamana kadar hakkÄąmda ĂśÄrendiklerini yaz" promptu paylaĹmÄąĹlardÄą. Onca Ĺeyin arasÄąnda sadece bir kez konuĹtuÄumuz KazÄąm PaĹamÄą da yazmĹŠGpt. ĂĂźnkĂź Ĺey demiĹtim, aynÄą zaman diliminde yaĹasaydÄąk toplumsal bĂźtĂźn tabularÄą aĹÄąp kendisine aĹkÄąmÄą ilan ederdim.
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Ăok kaliteli, çok zeki, çok dĂźzgĂźn insanlar yetiĹtirmiĹ bu topraklar. TĂźm bu kĂśtĂźlĂźklere raÄmen hala da yetiĹtiriyor. Biz de onlardan biriyiz bence, birazcÄąk da self-credit :') Ben çevremde harika insanlar sayabilirim mesela; iĹini çok iyi yapma gayretinde olan, dĂźrĂźst, namuslu, çalÄąĹkan, Ĺefkatli... KĂśtĂźlĂźk çok fazlayken bunlara odaklanmak istiyorum bu aralar.
Ayy ĂśzlemiĹim burayÄą ve KazÄąm PaĹacÄąÄÄąmÄą Ăśvmeyi đŤđ Herkes iyidir ve çok daha gĂźzel gĂźnler yakÄąndÄąr umarÄąm đ¸
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I loved reading the "From Eden" story, written by @aquaquadrant and the accompanying art by @lunarcrown. I keep thinking about the story/world, so I decided to be kind to myself and write it out, so at least my thoughts will be organized.
Or so I thought. It turned out to be more of a ramble than a coherent piece of text. I'm not gonna do it to myself to check and clear up everything, it's supposed to be a fun write, not a chore. I've made a lot of (obvious) observations and asked a lot of questions, but that's me just 'thinking out loud'. And I knew it would be long, but I hadn't expected it to be this long. I'm not sure if anyone will be interested in reading all of it, but here it is anyway.
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I love it, and everything about it.
I love the whole "Hells to Pay" universe. I love how alive the universe feels while at the same time it still feels very much like Minecraft. I love how it has very much game logic while at the same time having very real stakes and dangers.
I love the characters, both the ones based on youtubers and the original ones. The first category are clearly recognizable with their way of speaking and mannerisms and the latter seem just as well developed. I love how everyone has depth. Everyone has strengths and weakness, even if it's not always obvious. No one is fully good and even the worst characters have some good qualities. And everyone has the ability to change and learn, for better or for worse, but only if they choose so.
I love the writing. The way it's structured makes it fun and easy to read. The wording very much supports the world and it's characters. I love how it lingers on some moments and quickly goes over others, it feels very natural. And though I am the kind of person that wants to know anything about a universe/story they love, I do think that the amounts of exposition and explanation are great. More would probably hinder the telling of the story itself. And I love all the extra bits of the world told through answering other peoples asks.
I love the art. Everyone is unique and easy recognizable. The bodylanguage and faces are really expressive. It's great to see. Beside that, it's also an artstyle that I just really enjoy.
So onto more details of the story. A LOT more details, I basically did another deep read to make sure I didn't miss anything. Spoilers I guess for anyone who hasn't read the story but somehow did find this post.
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Lunarcrown's into comic looks amazing. It also wonderfully shows what kind of world Hels can be and the nightmare that is Tango's life. When I found the story, this intro was enough to get me hooked.
I think it's funny that the first part of an eleven chapter story (of which two are two-parters) is called a one-shot in the authors notes. I mean, I'm not a native English speaker and all that, but I don't think that's correct. Was it intended to be a stand-alone story? Had it been the plan for the AU to be told through short stories?
It's a small thing but I like how every new chapter/place is introduced by "Somewhere in [insert world], a player [is introduced, doing something]", with very minimal variations. It's a nice returning bit, through the whole story.
The way Tango's imprisonment is described is chillingly beautiful. It's horrific, but at the same time almost casual. But that's what is has become for Tango: just another day. In the same way, the manner of escaping is grueling, showing clearly his desperation. Well done.
It's so clearly noticeable, even through the immediate relief of escaping Hells Tek, that he's been through so much and that it impacted him so much. And then he decides to hide it and pretend it didn't happen for another decade. Even if he didn't fool people nearly as much as he thinks he did, it's so sad he though he needed to do that. Not to say that I can't understand it. Sadly, it probably stopped him from openly enjoying what he had: his freedom, all the wonderful experiences of the overworld and his friends. It's an amazing first chapter.
Also I love the way you write Xisuma.
And hello Bravo. I don't really like him as a character, too arrogant and snobbish. But at the same time, I love his journey and it's fun to follow him. He didn't deserve to be stranded here. But then again, that was kinda the point of the Universe's little experiment. I wonder, if he would one day learn about that, would it make him feel better or worse?
It's interesting to see his outside view of Hermitcraft. And them being considered a private bunch in this universe, while we see them pretty much place every block of their megabases, through streams and timelapses. Then again, in-story Hermitcraft is only in it's second world/season. I haven't been following Hermitcraft for THAT long, but it probably isn't a fair comparison. I wonder which of the Hermits Bravo was familiar with. Some of the redstoners, probably.
Timmy leaving his save spot to talk to Bravo wasn't something I noticed om my first read, and it's sweet of him. I love Timmy, and at the same time I want to yell at him for taking such poor care of himself. It's nice to see that through all he experienced he hasn't lost his kindness.
I've been definitely overthinking this, but while rereading Timmy explaining what Hels is to Bravo I was wondering how he knew the difference between Hells and a normal world. The logical explanation would be that some other player told him. But I remembered a post were there was mentioned Timmy was a Listener and I am a sucker for any Watcher Lore (and your version is great), so my mind came to the conclusion that a Watcher told Timmy. After all, he seems so lonely and so attention starved, that he would probably love it when the Watchers are around him. Maybe he tries to talk to them, make them stay a little longer. Most Watchers wouldn't be interested in him, since they can't make him leave. They would only be at spawn if someone more interesting has died without a respawn point. But maybe... Maybe some of the nicer Watchers decide to humor him, and talk for a moment. Maybe after a few times, they discover it's nice to sometimes just have a conversation with a player and just... start telling him things. Random bits of trivia, events that they've Watched somewhere else, things about their old lives. They would still be mostly doing other Watcher stuff, but when they are bored, or were about to visit Hels' spawn anyway, they stop by a certain avian.
Like I said, I've been overthinking this. It probably doesn't fit your story, but it has been fun to imagine. I like the idea that Timmy is one of the few players that is completely comfortable with being a Listener. And I like the idea of someone that people don't spend a second thought on casually having conversations with literal deities.
Back to Bravo for a moment. The stretchend out death-loop that is his way out of spawn is interesting to see. He starts out relatively optimistic but get's a hard and painful lesson on what life in Hels is like. By the time he meets the Arena recruiters he seems to understand why Timmy doesn't leave spawn. Bravo is glad with the resources he has, even though in any other world a second-day player would probably put him to shame. His first instinct on seeing players approach him is now to hide. He's already changed a lot, probably without even realizing it. And that is before he snaps.
The symmetry between the ending of one chapter and the start of the other is well done. One duo dies and Bravo finally gets a break in his struggle to survive. Another duo dies and Tango has a big setback in the game he's participating in.
The tone of chapter 3 is very different from the previous chapters. For a big part, it is an adaptation of Jimmy's and Tango's first episodes of the Double Life series. It's impressive how that part is both true to the source and a good adaptation. And then it smoothly transforms in your own work. Well done.
"They have only one bed." Look, I am very new to fanfiction, but even I know that this is a classic. I don't mind. Classics are classics for a reason, and you've written it good. I love the awkwardness here between the two of them.
Somehow the thing that's hardest to believe is that Grian would be the one to propose an end to the death-game, and it's funny that other characters seem to find that hard to believe as well. But it's a fun set-up to change mid-way in a death game to a survival world.
The addition that the soulbound can make you aware of your partners feelings and that it amplifies whatever is already between them. And thank you Impulse, for sharing your wisdom and for talking some sense into Tango. All the things Tango worries Jimmy will hate about him, seem to be the things he hates himself for. No wonder he feels unlovable. And thank you Pearl, for giving Tango some perspective.
So much of this chapter is just lovely and wholesome. After the Ranches have one good conversation, things just organically develop. Their relations grows closer and stronger. Tango learns to love and how it feels to be loved, he learns to be vulnerable, he slowly starts lowering his walls. There are still mountains of old pain, but there are new pieces that are healing as well. Thank you Jimmy, for being the healer that Tango needs. If only it would last.
Back to Hels. It's a nice detail that beds are a high end item. I guess that means making wool from string isn't possible (4 string into wool never felt right anyway). Though an anchor would prevent a long death loop by running out.
The inner workings of Hels Tek are a nice bit of information, though the place itself definitely is not. How does it compare to other redstone labs, like iRaid? Many workers probably only tolerate the restricting of their freedom because it's still better inside than being alone on the outside.
Clear is a fun character, especially when interacting with Atlas. He can get away with almost anything because he is just to valuable to loose in Atlas' eyes. He is a tragic mess but highly intelligent and takes pride in his work.
It's very telling that young Atlas, with just two minutes of life experience, already assumed the worst of others. That is not something he learned. Why would someone bother to plug a hole at spawn? Ease of traveling? And it's wood, valuable and burnable, it could have been part of a make-shift bridge, or something. Atlas really is the worst. Oh, and rule number one of Minecraft: don't dig straight down, smart guy.
It felt strange to me that Timmy lied to Atlas about Bravo, while pointing them in the direction that Tango want, the guy Atlas is actually looking for. But now I realize that Tango could "still see spawn in the distance", just before the portal spawned. Did Timmy in turn actually see Tango leaving and Bravo joining, from his higher vantage point? That would mean he probably did protect Tango, by not telling the full truth. Also, he's seen both of them. Has he noticed their likeness?
I hadn't caught on to Timmy casually lying Bravo in the first few times I read this chapter. It's sweet. And that he is able to do so while sounding casual surprises me. It feels like a stark contrast with his counterpart, who seems to be a bad liar and with an very emotive voice. And Timmy managed to do so in the face of a powerful man who has already subtilty threatened him and his with minions around. A quiet display of (inner) strength.
Timmy has delayed Atlas and Bravo meeting for five years, half the time Bravo spend in Hels. Five years without answers, five years without any hope of returning. If Atlas had found him the next time Bravo respawned (shot by a skeleton, if matched up chapter II and V correctly) Atlas would have put things together. Bravo would probably have jumped at the chance to get to Hels Tek, to civilisation, and he hadn't learned the "healthy Hels skepticism" yet. Atlas would be his savior! And would have been able to fully shape Bravo's image of Hels. Now, Bravo had to build his own image. Would he think it would have been worth those five years? Maybe, after he finally escaped Hels. I hope so, for Timmy's sake.
Tango had five more years on the overworld because of Timmy's lie. Five years of healing, but also five years of hiding and festering. He would have been in the fifth or sixth world of Hermitcraft, which would have had more resources than Double life. But the Hermit are more thinly spread and not focused on pvp. And on Hermitcraft, Tango probably would have been alone, when Hels Tek came for him. Others would have probably too far away to reach him in time, if they even knew were to go. Or maybe Tango would have been lucky and Hels Tek would have entered minutes before the final battle of the season 6 Prank War. Probably not but that would have been funny. There is a chance that the five extra years were unnecessary and only stopt him from fully healing but I think its way more likely that it saved him. On Double Life and with Jimmy at his side it seems that everything was exactly right for Tango being saved and to make sure his past won't come back to hound him anymore.
I truly hope that Timmy's little lie made things better in the end. I didn't realize that I had so much to say about one sentence in the story. I hope you didn't mind the sidetrack.
Atlas looking for Tango in the Arena seems to be the reason that the recruiters that made Bravo snap ran into him in the first place. Credits were it's due, thank you Atlas, for giving Bravo the means to gain things like good food, end-game armor and weapons. I still don't like you.
Considering Alisker has a spy in Hels Tek, and doesn't actually want hybrid farming to succeed, could the failing of respawn anchor be due to sabotage? Or maybe it was just the will of the Universe. Also, Alisker humiliating Atlas is very satisfying.
The downward spiral of Hels Tek is also very satisfying. It seems that Atlas never bothered to make any protocol for things taking a turn for the worst. I guess that just would be unimaginable for him. And then dr. Clear manages to halt that spiral in one lucid peptalk. That makes me sad that his lucid moments seem to be so rare and frustrated that he uses his skills and talents for Hels Tek. Clear Cut's mental health issues could be some form of heavy depression. That would be treatable. Earlier in the chapter it was mention he has to use potions of swiftness to be functional, but that sounds like management to me, not treatment.
The difference between Atlas meeting Bravo, and Atlas meeting a young Tango is interesting. Tango's base is hidden, while Bravo's is not. Bravo asks questions before deciding whether to attack, while Tango does not. Both of them are wary, but Tango seems eager to work in a redstone lab, while Bravo only sees it as a way home. All of these differences seem to be learned, though. And young Tango is cute.
Bravo at the start of chapter VI has plenty of Hels experience, but without Atlas having manipulated his worldview yet. Still, it's not a pretty picture. He thinks Atlas is probably dangerous because "heâs from Hels, after all". As if overworlders can't be dangerous. Does he know how players on anarchy servers can be? Does he know how an UHC works?
Overworld players gain the ability to travel between world as teenagers, and Bravo mentions next chapter that he probably stopped aging while still looking young. Tango was recruited as a teen, and spent only a few years in Hels Tek. He is the same age as Bravo. In other words, Bravo probably didn't have that much of a window between gaining access to multiverse travel and getting trapped in Hels. Maybe Bravo is just naive when it comes to overworld players.
You know, I really thought Atlas was the one to bring out the worst in Bravo, but perhaps all he did was stop Bravo from examining his own biases. I know Hels is a though place but I can't believe Bravo is that special for having a grand total of three pieces of furniture. He also already considers hybrid players part monster. One of his first thoughts on hearing Hels is an actual prisonworld is that the players that have spawned here must deserve it. And when Atlas guesses that Tango managed "to utilize [Bravo's] connection to leave Hels", Bravo interprets that as Tango willingly trapping him.
Bravo's early days in Hels Tek probably mirror those of Tango. A rundown of practices and procedures of the place, other scientist gathering information about him, leaving the communicator with other scientist to let them figure out the data. Probably to work with the same iron farm scientist Bravo talked to. But Bravo is aware what it's actually for, Tango was fed lies. And Tango was a teenager that had probably grown up feral and just entered a community for the first time.
Hels!Keralis is another fun character. I love that one of the extreme traits that he got from his counterpart is more eyes. How does he know that Bravo isn't from Hels? With the number of eyes he has it somehow wouldn't surprise me if he has some sort of special sight. Or it could be corporate spionage.
I haven't mentioned it before but the way you write the passage of time, with short snippits to show significant moments or changes, is very good. It really gets across how not everything happens in short order, how events can have far reaching effects and how change can happen slowly. It also helps you feel that time has passed and the world isn't static.
Once Bravo had his first impression of Patho, he really didn't bother updating his opinion unless other players made him. Bravo wonders what it could take to loose an eye, and there is something that can do that. In some of the worldbuilding posts it's mentioned that Martyn lost one eye, and Grian both of them, to Watchers. It would make sense that an experienced player would be recruited, but it could also just be an coincident. Bravo disapproves of the fangirling towards Patho, but I wouldn't be surprised if he once was a big fan of Etho. Legendary overworld redstoner and all that. (IRL during April Fools 2013, Etho was famous enough to get his own Minecraft block) The manner Patho let's Bravo know that he doesn't like to be touched is way over the top. Patho is another interesting character, but one of those that I'm very glad of that he's fictional. At the same time it's sweet of Patho that he is very much willing to educate others and share his knowledge.
I like the touch that the first two times the portal is lit, it has everchanging colours. Like the Hermitcraft portal Tango went trough. And it's later explained that inter-world portals have unique color-paterns, depending on their destination. So Tango is still on Hermitcraft in the early attempts. After that it switches to the red-yellow-green of the Traffic SMP/Life Series.
Bravo almost shows some critical thinking and empathy when he finds the Tango Tek farm, but it's immediately ruined when Atlas shows up. I hope Bravo gets nightmares about this when he finally learns how to self-reflect. Bravo's sarcastic reply on whether he has said his goodbyes is telling. He could have made friends if he had wanted to, I'm sure. The scientist had been welcoming and curious about him, and as a redstoner himself it's not as if they had nothing in common. That's a good base to build upon.
His first moments in ten years in the overworld are beautiful. Though Bravo has very many flaws, I do have sympathy for him gotten trapped in Hels. But not for anything else at the moment.
Jimmy reflecting on getting to know the Hermits is fun and wholesome. The little things he has learned about Tango, the thing he seems to love most about him, seem to be mainly related to being a blaze hybrid. All the things that are just Tango. That makes Bravo's claim that he should have been Jimmy's soulmate just plain wrong.
The whole conversation between Jimmy, Tango and Bravo is amazing. Jimmy is trying to figure out what is going on and all is knows for certain is that the person he loves is scared and hurting. And once again Bravo almost seem to realize the universe isn't as black and white as he though it was.
And then the fight! Tango's terror and fight response. Jimmy's terror. Tango's shutdown when he realized that he hurt Jimmy. Just wow. And Jimmy's reaction to seeing Tango freezing up is pretty much forgetting he is on fire because Tango needs him! Poor, poor Tango. Bravo clearly sees himself as a good guy by taking back his rightful place and trying to help Jimmy, not realizing that for Jimmy he is the villain and the leader of the group that invaded the Ranch and is kidnapping his boyfriend. And Jimmy placing himself between the invaders and the portal, knowing he can't win is a beautiful show of his care, courage and determination. These guys have very shallow definitions of strength and weakness.
The Cavalry arrives! And the announcing their presence with the horns is very much Double Life. I know that battles are hard to write, but you did an amazing job with it. It's definitely chaotic with much going on, but it's clear to read and good to follow. Every Lifer does their part in the battle and everyone has their own fighting style.
Was Bravo so angry of Atlas that he tried to follow him back to Hels? The place that he tried to leave for ten years? The moment the portal breaks he is surrounded by overworlders. He can blame the battle going wrong and the mistrust of the players on Atlas, but they give Bravo a chance to explain himself and he messed that up all on his own. And Bravo has seen they are pretty much what he thinks overworlders should be. It's a server where they don't grief bases, where they work/fight together, where they defend each other, where they ask questions and don't immediately attack. (Outside the battle, but that doesn't count, they saw their servermates in trouble.) But they don't welcome Bravo as one of their own. They restrain him and mistrust him. They don't see him as different from the other players that came trough the portal. ("What did you guys do to him", emphasis mine) They hear his explanation but don't believe him. They dislike it so much they kill him, meaning this time he is send to Hels and it's not a fluke or mistake. It's overworld players wanting him gone.
I don't think he realizes this, not at first at least, he has his mind on other things. But once he has time to process what happened? It has got to hurt, even if he doesn't admit to himself he was wrong. I think it all does help later with Tango's words finally reaching him.
Jimmy's fear of not knowing were Tango is when the portal is broken is so real. So is the relief on knowing he's still (physically) with them. Scar being the one to shoot Bravo feels right. Scar has a goofy and easygoing demeanor, but he is very capably and not someone who you should cross, and Bravo did that by saying nasty things about his friend.
It's a relief that Bravo has finally up enough to stop working with Atlas. Progress? His fight against the hired muscle parallels the fight Tango had in brutality, as much as he might deny it. and slicing his own neck is brutal as well.
I'm still not sure how to feel about the Bravo/Timmy reunion. I'm happy that Timmy isn't alone anymore, that he is with someone who has been, not quite nice, but at least polite towards him. At the same time Bravo isn't doing this for the right reasons, he later admits as much himself. He is using Timmy as a substitute for Jimmy. Thing is, he doesn't know Jimmy. Is he really so hung op over the whole 'should-be-soulmates' thing over a stranger? I don't get it, and that could very wel just be a me problem. But he does want Timmy around, even if he's not Bravo's first choice. Since Bravo stepped through the portal that was supposingly taking him to Hermitcraft, Timmy might have been the only one that has been there for him. Timmy was the one who explained Hells to him, without trying to manipulate him. He has been welcoming to him. He has been the one who showed sympathy when Bravo died. The only thing Timmy wanted was not to be alone, but he didn't force that. I hope Bravo's biases don't blind him towards all that.
And that final sentence. If he canât have the sun, heâll learn to love its shadow. I know I haven't been the only one going crazy over that. That one sentence it saying so much. I've also have been (over)thinking what that makes Timmy, symbolism wise. The sun doesn't actually have a shadow, being a light source. But there is one thing, it isn't a real shadow, but there is something that is a lack of sunlight. If Jimmy is the sun, Timmy is the night sky. Both are beautiful on their own.
Back to Double life and their aftermath of the battle. I like that you fully wrote the aftermath. Things like this often get skipped or summarized. Now things have calmed down a little, the players have room to feel their exhaustion, their fear, their pain, to become more aware of their wider surroundings and to start figuring out what actually happend. It seems that no matter the universe, the Ranch is destined to burn down. It's sad to see, especially with how warm and cosy you had written the place. And ofcourse Etho and Joel have water buckets, with that clutching trick they love doing.
The state Tango is in, is heartbreaking. No one seems to be sure how to handle that situation, except Impulse, but that might just be appearances. Impulse and Jimmy have a very similar comforting warmth around them, I'm not sure how to call it. So, while Jimmy might feel useless (and the 'intrusive thoughts' aren't helping), I don't think he would have done a bad job with helping Tango. But Impulse has known Tango for years, and has some experience. And he didn't just went through the things that Tango or Jimmy just did. Jimmy's comment about the lights show that he does know Tango, no matter what he thinks. It's interesting that the comments from the Watchers right after are ambiguous in whether they are directed at Jimmy or Impulse.
You cannot sleep, there are monsters nearby. That sentence fills me with dread ever time I read it. It's a dread probably every survival minecrafter knows. And for that sentence to be directed towards Tango is devastating. Luckily Jimmy knows just wat to say to pull Tango out of it. The whole conversation after feels beautifully sad and vulnerable and raw. And it's once again devastating that Tango still feels that he has to be strong in front of Jimmy and only let's himself cry when he thinks there's no one to see it. But Jimmy is not doing nothing, he is being Tango's shoulder to cry on, an that is worth a lot.
The game-chat log of the battle is a fun read. It's very bare-bones, due to it's nature but it gives a good overview and a good indication of how the other Lifers reacted. You have a very good grasp of how you can use the chat in the story. Also, good job Bravo, you did the impossible and make Jimmy hate someone.
Tango's desperate attempt to avoid talking about what happend is painful, and it doesn't exactly work when other players were actually there to witness it. He's still afraid of being rejected because of the truth. And when de finally talks about his past he uses the word 'evil' to describe the players of Hells multiple times, he really believes it. Of course, his friends know better. I like how mad the Lifers are about Tango's past, how offended they are for his sake. And Tango's fear of they kicking him out never crossed their minds.
Whether or not it makes sense for this AU to have a concept of years, I'm glad they exists because it makes it much easier as a reader to keep track of time and of a player maturity. Gradual growth isn't really a thing in Minecraft, so it could even work as kind of sub-growth-stages between player children, teens and adults.
Another vulnerable conversation between Tango and Jimmy, with Tango admitting things he probably never said out loud before. But how bad is it really if he found a healthy way indulge in his questionable desires? And it's not like death is permanent. I can't argue with Tango saying he's messed up, but that's the trauma, not an inherent part of him.
I don't think he has deceived and lied as much as he thinks he has. His friends seemed to realize that Tango had a traumatic past and that some things set him of. They knew Tango didn't want to talk about it so they didn't ask. And he may have hidden his past and a part of his personality, but that was mostly lying by omission. Were the parts of his personality he did show false? Did he not want people to have fun with his games? I highly doubt that.
And it's not as if he's the only one with questionable personality traits on this server. In chapter IV Pearl gave him a bucket of powdered snow so she wouldn't succumb to the temptation of torturing her own soulmate, for example. Nobody is perfect, don't try to live up to an impossible standard.
The good thing about Tango saying all his insecurities aloud is that others can point out he's wrong, and Jimmy let's him know very clearly. Tango seems to be so surprised about it. He never considered his fears being wrong.
All things considered the Ranchers seem to handle the burned out ranch well. They're sad about it and Tango feels guilty, and that makes sense, but no anger or panic or deeply repressed feelings. Progress? Jimmy's comment about liking to wear the gloves is cute. Him not giving them back to Tango is also saying that Tango doesn't need to hide his claws, or himself. I thinks Tango is starting to understand that, even if he has trouble believing it. Same with all the players showing up, Tango sees that the truth about him hasn't scared them off.
I guess that there have been times that all the hiding was too overwhelming at times. Those probably moments Tango looked for Hels. If he was there wouldn't have to keep lying to his friends. He would have felt so much guilt, especially after learning that he had a counterpart that was probably trapped there. So it's a good thing it doesn't show up.
The similarities and differences between Patho and Etho explaining the portals stuff are fun. They have different experience with portals and different tools to work with, but they figured it out. And Patho isn't willing to give up one redstone ore block, while Etho is willing to get up and look for one with a friend.
Every time Tango mentions something about his past in Hels, Impulse seems to be in conflict to be a comforting presence or to be in righteous furry. It's hard to blame him. It's nice to see Impulse and Jimmy kind of team up to try to help Tango work trough everything.
I'm not sure how firewalls and whitelists work (or don't work) in combination with hacked portals. I'm also not sure how those exactly work. Then again, I know it's more important that they work than how they work. My brain just wants to understand it.
Tango, I get that you want to protect your friends but going into Hels alone isn't the solution. That way they at least get hurt by your actions and you actually encourage them to make unprepared, desperate attempts to get you back. If Tango had succeeded in breaking the portal, the Double Lifers would still try to follow. Since they know Bravo met Etho's counterpart, they would probably open a portal with his data. That would definitely have been interesting, but that would not have been good.
Thankfully, Jimmy is there to prevent all that. It's good to see that he stands his ground when Tango wants to cut others out, even though Jimmy has his own insecurities to deal with. And he already followed him to Hels, so of course Jimmy wouldn't think twice about following Tango into a trap.
Bravo has so many villainous vibes. It's a miracle he hasn't noticed it yet. He has figured out why they are here, but at the same time doesn't seem to realize they are here to help. And the hypocrite is calling Tango a monster for his temper, while he started the fight because of his anger. Bravo is a very good fighter, we've already seen, he's been in much tougher fights against much more experienced fighters. So it's not that surprising that the Ranchers lose.
Even after they lose Bravo keeps on hurting Tango with actions and words. It's no wonder that Tango realizes that the personality trait he hates so much about himself -a thing that makes him believe that he deserves all the bad stuff- is something he inherited from Bravo. It's something he only has because it comes from his 'better' counterpart. And that realisation gives him wat he needs to get through to Bravo.
Bravo's breakdown is beautiful to watch. You can see his whole beliefsystem falling apart and him having nothing to keep up his mental strength. It's so well written. For all the wrongs he's done, I never saw him as an evil person. Arrogant, biased and misguided, yes. Even so, he came to Hels with a strong sense of justice but he had to spend so much energy on just surviving that somewhere along the way he had to give it up. One can only have a survival mentality for so long before things have to give.
Tango understanding what Bravo must have been trough heartwarming. And I'm very much with him on this. Him embracing and accepting Bravo and Bravo finally accepting him is great. And now it's time for Bravo to begin his redemption arc. I absolutely love redemption arcs and -though I don't think Bravo's finished at the end of the story- this is a good one.
Timmy and Jimmy meeting each other is pretty much the opposite of Bravo and Tango meeting. No mistrust or hostility at all but mostly awe. It's nice how Tango describes it in his point of view. Timmy admitting he understand why he isn't good enough is just so sad. He knew Bravo couldn't fully accept him as he was, and he sees that his doppelgänger looks much better than him (rather objectively, being healthy beats being unkept and skin-over-bones). Jimmy basically goes all 'protective big brother' over Timmy, it's great. It's a relief that Bravo learned to (or at least started to) see Timmy as his own person.
The last scene of chapter X. It was so frustrating to wait to see wat happened next. Bravo seemed to be on Tango's side, so it would probably be a ruse. At the same time, it wouldn't have been the first time if Bravo had lost his temper and stopped being smart. I'm rather new in the fandom side of Minecraft Youtubers, so this was the first chapter I came across and the first time I had to wait for an update. I found it after someone reblogged some of Lunarcorwn's art (along with a tiny excerpt) about this chapter. I was immediately fascinated, and after the intro comic, I was sold.
The start of the next chapter doesn't give immediate resolution to a first time reader. Bravo is definitely convincing. He has to be, Atlas is not easily fooled. But knowing what's going on there seem to be small tells in how Bravo acts. Or maybe I'm just imagining things. Bravo's aggression looks like anger but is probably his newfound guilt and insecurity. He only talks to answer Atlas' questions, his speech seems more to the point while at the same time he uses more filler words.
It's interesting to see Bravo trying to trust Tango and Jimmy, while at the same time having learned to be distrustful of everything. He's really going back and forth between the two. Thankfully, Tango is understanding and shows him grace. Why does Bravo tense up when Tango mentions his friends won't attack on sight? Had he forgotten that overworld players don't tend to do that? It would probably be painful for him to realize there are things he has unlearned or forgotten.
Poor Timmy probably hasn't interacted with more that one person in ages. The Double Lifers must be very much overwhelming, especially since many of them aren't exactly low-energy players.
It's Tango's job to make sure his friends don't go with a bad -but easier- plan? Talk about role reversal.
The conversation between Bravo and Timmy by the portal is nice. I like whatever kind of relation they have, messy as it is. I'm not saying it's good, but it's interesting to read about. They each have many issues. Bravo is now aware of that, but I'm not sure if Timmy is. I'm not even sure Timmy knows what a healthy relationship looks like. They both care about each other and I think they could help each other out. But at the same time, Bravo has anger issues and biases against Hels players and hybrids and Timmy is both and probably wouldn't set any boundaries. At this moment them being together could either be healing or toxic. So I get Bravo's hesitance.
Jimmy's hostility towards Bravo is so odd to see. It's so unlike him, though it's fully earned. Tango and Bravo sharing their braincells while coming up with a plan is fun, especially since Tango has to tell his friends that every time that, yes, he is on board with what Bravo says.
I admire Tango's courtage to enact the plan. Then again it's in a way a variant on Tango's earlier plan to sacrifice himself, now it's only temporary. It's no wonder he looses his nerves and fully panics at the last moment when he is actually faced with the machine that caused most of his suffering. Once again: poor guy.
Bdubs has a point about Bravo calling others bad, but Patho literally disemboweled him so I think Bravo is being fair in his case. As for instinctSV, he barely appears in the story, so that's hard to say. But I don't think you get to lead a company in Hels by being trusting and charitable.
Grian and his Watcher abilities! This is a great moment to use his powers, especially since he so hesitant to use them. And he and Jimmy are right, this is not the moment to explain it all. This is the second time that Grian uses his silent 'Watcher voice' in a group meeting and this time there is an extra Listener around. Grian's secret is all but out.
Grian getting Mumbo to come with him with some crazy but true explanation somehow sounds like a very Grian thing to do. I love your portrayal of Mumbo. It's been a lot so it's no surprise that he needs a moment to wrap his head around it. Mumbo is a good friend, keeping how he helped/helps with Grian's eyes a secret. And Grian turned up on his redstone world? Wouldn't that be single-player? How did Grian manage that? And it's good to know that Grian told Mumbo what happend over time.
Something that stood out was that Mumbo stopped himself from tugging his mustache. The way it was worded was like a habit he tries to unlearn. It was also something Clear did but didn't seem to mind.
Tango finally understands he doesn't have to do this on his own and that he can rely on his friends. The warmth he has for the people around him here is so sweet. And he finally doesn't just want to confront his past, but actually wants to put it behind him. He still thinks that the "entire mess is solely his fault" (as if he asked for it) but he knows they will do whatever it takes to help him. "Is it really any wonder he learned how to be a good person just by knowing them?" Just beautiful! Though, is he seriously gonna give Jimmy a lecture about self-blame? That's just funny.
It's promising that Bravo corrects himself about the burned Ranch. Especially since nothing about it is even spoken out loud. He might have had a change of view, fully ingrained change requires more than that. But Bravo is willing to work on it. He does note himself that he wouldn't have been able to see Tango's influence on the interior.
It's entertaining to see how Bravo describes the Lifers, and Mumbo. The sentiment of wanting to kill Atlas is very understandable. Though Bravo is the Plan Guy, Jimmy is the leader here. He listens to Bravo because Bravo has the most expertise. But Jimmy is the one who the rest listens to, the one who keeps the conversation on track and the one who validates the plan.
Tango and Bravo realizing how much they both have changed due to were they have been living feels like something they needed. I like how they are now that they're not hostile towards each other. Bravo and Timmy's realisation neither of them is a builder is a fun parallel of Tango and Jimmy, and I'm glad Tango is there to watch it. It feels promising somehow.
Once again, Jimmy is being a leader here. Checking in, helping, dispelling fears. I highly doubt that Jimmy sees himself as a leader, though. The talk between Jimmy and Bravo is amazing. It just radiates growth and caring.
Tango in the farm. Oof. It's amazing how he is so close to drowning in despair, but still manages to find something to hold on to. And then he realizes he was strong enough to survive it all before, and that he is stronger now. It's wonderful how he let his good memories strengthen him, and that while he is currently living through his worst nightmare.
Clear not realizing Hels Tek is being invaded and said invaders being fine with Clear just continuing to do his own thing is really amusing. Clear 'recognizing' Grian is so sad. But Grian doesn't seem to have the instinctive recognition of his counterparts name, and later when said counterpart realizes Grians name, it's not his player name. That's interesting. I appreciate that Grian stays with Clear and I wonder what is said between them off screen. I hope Clear eventually realizes Grian is not ScĂĄil.
The invasion of Hels Tak is a fun read. Overpowering the first guard went so smooth! Then the ravager just had to shake things up. It's nice that during everything, Pearl and Scott seem to have patched things up and are flawlessly working together now. Jimmy seems to notice a 'intrusive thought' cutting another off, noticing how odd that is, even if he doesn't understand wat it means. Bravo and Jimmy fighting in sync is awesome! What's also a difference between this fight and the previous is that Jimmy uses his wings while fighting. Something that wouldn't be fair in a friendly fight. Tango notices later that he fights way better when he does use his non-human-side, for Jimmy it might be the same.
It's so nice that Jimmy notices that Tango lost the fear he always carried with him. He handled the last hours in the farm well. The first time I read this part I was so worried that there wasn't any mention of breaking the respawn anchor. I couldn't imagine that they would forget while standing right in front of it. Luckily there was no need for a respawn. I had also been a little nervous about Timmy and Bravo, had they made sure they would respawn at Double Life if their spawn point got reset? (Is that even possible for Timmy with his Hells-comm?)
Sweet Jimmy does not tolerate his boyfriend being name-called. And sweet Tango won't stand for his boyfriend being hurt. They're cute like that. It's good to see that Tango being called a monster has lost its power to hurt him, no matter how hard Atlas tries. He's finally able to fully accept his mob-side. It feels good that the three of them manage to piss of Atlas so much that he finally cracks, giving Tango the closure he needs. And then what's probably the most satisfying punch in Hels' history, even inflecting permanent damage.
This is the first time Tango consciously reached out for his own fire, isn't it? His own firestorm is a beautiful thing. And powerful. I'm so happy for Tango! Atlas having to helplessly watch how Tango casually strolls to the portal is extra satisfying.
Atlas just sitting outside and letting his laboratory burn really shows how defeated he is. If he was any other person I would probably feel sorry for him. And why is he so surprised that Tango and Bravo are the ones that beat him? They're both smart people that know how he works and with plenty of reasons to hate him. Are they really that unlikely to bring him down? Or did he underestimate them because they don't have the authority to boss others around? Good thing Tango had his friends on his side and that Bravo understood the power of friendship.
And then bX has the pleasure of kicking Atlas while he's down. Must have been a great relief too, to let the hybrid-farmer know his life's work was done for.
Even for the Hermits that had known something was 'off' about Tango, finally hearing what happened must have been a shock, for the ones that didn't know yet. And for Tango it must be nice to be able to tell it on his own terms, this time. He probably knew by now that the Hermits wouldn't abandon him after telling the truth, but having conformation must still feel great. It's also great that talking about it is becoming easier.
Alisker and xB are very sweet together. Very different from how they interact with other people. I admire Alisker's long term plan and how successfully it played out. He really made sure Atlas' damage stayed limited. I just wish his plans hadn't required for Tango to be locked in the farm in the first place.
I think it's a wise choice for Bravo to take some time for himself. Processing and healing from everything that happened can be nasty, and at those times it's nice not needing to mindful of others. At the same time, part of me is worried he's gonna overcorrect himself or close himself off. I'm not sure how excluded different worlds are, and how much contact players can have through the multi-net, but I hope that Bravo stays in contact with at least Timmy. It's sweet that Bravo clearly cares about Timmy's progress as well and that he regrets they both have to take different roads to heal.
The progress Timmy has already made is wonderful to see. Not only physically, he questions Bravo's decision to go and voices his discontent. Gently, but still. It feels like he's learning how to stand up for himself. Timmy himself really wanting to grow as a person is very promising, especially as someone who represents his counterparts (*checks external authors posts*) passiveness and victimhood.
Dbubs first appearance in the main story! His and Patho's relationship is both so warm and unhealty. I love complex people and I love complex people being even more complex together, and this story is full of them! I also love it every time when players are having that instinctual recognition at the proof of existence of their counterpart on page, whether is just the name or meeting face to face.
I wonder why exactly Patho wants to leave. It's not he didn't know about them having counterparts. Why does it suddenly matter? Is it because they visited Hells? Because they visited Hells together? Because of the recognition Patho felt? Or is it something else?
False, seriously? I don't think having someone chained up like an animal is keeping you in Tango's good graces. And you basically told him it could wait until he got back, while you're holding your twin prisoner! There might be something wrong with Sym, but what's wrong with you? It sounds like an interesting story, and I definitely have questions.
Poor ScĂĄil. His suffering might actually surpass that of Tango in the farm. And if he's been like this since he left Hels Tek, it's been more than a decade, considering they never met. How did he become like this? I know it's related to Grian almost becoming a (full) Watcher, but this can't be how this is supposed to go. And even Grian has control of his abilities. ScĂĄil using Grian's Watcher name makes me wonder how how much player vs Watches they actually are. Grian, please check in on your counterpart.
Stress' way of talking is always fun. Her and Doc's origin is cool. And I'm curious what your interpretation of the Hivemind is. Doc not having a Hels is a big relief, considering Doc himself already loves creating game-breaking machines. That trait would be terrifying on someone with a Hels mentality, let alone an amplified version of that trait. I understand why they are conflicted about it, though.
I'm glad we finally see Instinct in person. I like him and the vibe he gives off. Atlas working for him is amazing, how far he has fallen! I hope Instinct enjoys bossing him around.
Tango making the video about Hels and how to get there surprised me when I first read it, even though it makes sense. A lot of Hels players will probably change for the better because of it. It might also wreck the Hels economy. Overworld players could give their counterparts a way out, or provide them with resources that are easy to get in a normal world.
I have so many questions about it all. Can mobs travel through portals? How would it work when someone creates a portal in a creative world? Could they just spawn in rare items (elytra's or even things like spawn eggs) and bring them to Hels? Can counterparts create hacked portals when both of them are at different places in Hels? If so, that would create fast-travel. That would be especially valuable in such a giant world.
It would probably kind of sting for Bravo to see the video. Everything he needed to know and took him a decade to figure out, quickly explained in one video, uploaded not long after he finally escaped. Not that I think he woud disagree with uploading it, it's just, where was that when he needed it?
The idea of Bravo seeing Tango's video is interesting. Bravo could see all the videos Tango made while he was trapped in Hels. All the inventions and games (first Decked Out) that Tango created, all the projects he worked on with other Hermits. Tango could see the ones that Bravo made before they switched places. He could see how Bravo acted before Hels crushed him, the friends he had back in the day and how young he was when he got trapped. I wonder if they do that, and how it influences how they see each other.
It's very nice how you worked Steve, Herobrine and Alex in this universe. Does the Hels firewall being down also mean that overworld comms now work there properly? Herobrine being Hels former admin makes sense, as the first counterpart, though I hadn't expected it. It's nice that there won't be new player condemned to spawning in Hels.
The scene with Jimmy and Tango is just lovely. The cuffs and everything they stood for were so loaded for Tango. I'm glad he's finally able to take them off, and that Jimmy understood how much it meant for his soulmate.
I love how the last paragraph is inspired by the end credits poem. And I love how it both does and does not breaks the forth wall, and the things it explains. It's a nice touch that it's in-story explained by Aqua and Lunar.
-----
And that was it. For the main story anyway. I've also read the short stories from the Hels To Pay universe, but I leave that for another time. Maybe. I liked writing this but I've had enough for now. If you actually read all of this, you have my uttermost respect.
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Voxs "Buisness Meeting"
Vox asks the reader to meet him purely to discuss her contract and "business" but we all know that ain't true.
A day after your music video shoot with vox tek and brief encounter with the overlord himself you get a message from your assistant.
-Ma'am Mr. Voxs assistant has informed me your meeting with Vox has been finalized for Thursday 7pm. Ok then thanks Nessi!-
Your heartbeat sped up as you read the text it was nerve racking to say the least. this was the CEO of the company you worked for and one of the most powerful overlords who last time you spoke he casually mentioned he killed the camera guy who made you have to do the reshoot in the first place.
Quite frankly you were scared, scared of the powerful man he was you weren't afraid to admit that. However a thought you were afraid to have was to think about the way he had towered over you, the claustrophobic yet comforting feeling when he walked you onto set. Unlike your horrible ex, you felt safer when you felt the electric buzz radiating from his body. You stop your thoughts and sit up. Preparing yourself mentally for Voxs business meeting.
Vox stood in the penthouse looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows over the Vees empire. He was the most powerful person in hell but why did hesitation flash in his mind when he thought about you. He could control everything and everyone in hell but you. You refused a soul contract you were free, and you couldn't be controlled in fact, he thought you might have some demon power to control others like he did. That didn't frighten him though because he was still an overlord and you were still nothing, right?
The elevator bell dinged and he watched as you walked out. The outfit you had on shared a similar shade of blue to that of his own, he wondered if you did it on purpose. Of course, you couldn't have, right? He needed to get out of his head he was the one with the power.
"Ah siren lovely to see you please sit." He gestures as he walks over to the living area of the penthouse.
You both sit and you staighten your back in anticipation, hands in your lap, as you nervously wait for him to speak.
"Now because your contract with Velvet isn't soul binding I have some things I would like to discuss. " his voice was low, there was no more sickly sweet tone to it only a slight sinister sound.
"I want to make sure you wont betray us, or leave us, I mean why would you want to right? we have given you everything, You can trust us" as he spoke his eye changed, his pupil became a red and black swirl and odd color as you looked at it quizicly.
"I mean of course? So does that mean you have more stuff you want me to sign?" you ask confused. His expression glitches for a second as he clears his throat taken aback for some reason.
Nothing Happened
"close my dear, I want collatoral. Tell me a secret. Or give me something that means much to you." he regains his composure smirking.
"ah so blackmail?" you raise your eyebrow scoffing slightly.
"this is hell my dear" he responds as you ponder for a moment. You then smile sadly after some time leaning forward to whisper something to him. The proximity makes him shiver slightly. As you finish speaking he smiles, a chesire cat grin.
"That will do doll pleasure doing buisness." he clears his throat his usual chipper demenour returning. "now then I don't think I would be a good host if I didn't offer. The chefs are cooking dinner, care to stay?"
He was esstatic that you agreed. he needed to fish out more info on you no matter what especially after that secret you told him. You had him hook line and sinker you didn't even know. He needed everything there was to know about you.
Unfortunatly he got very little. You spend a tense hour long dinner with the most powerful overlord in the pentagram as you hollowly laugh at his banter. He talks of his company, success overall just himself in an attempt to get some reaction out of you until you finally bid your farewell. When the elevator door finally closes both of you take a sigh. Vox sits back down in the penthouse. Why didn't his hypnosis work? The secret you told him, was that really even true? Who were you really? The chill he felt when you had gotten close to him" He rubbed his temples in frustration at the thought.
You breathe a sigh of relief as the elevator desends back to the lobby. That man, he was indeed quite strange. A million questions swim in your head too, questions that can wait for another day. As you slouch back into the car you cant help but feel your being watched. A feeling that you brush off to deal with another day. Its probably nothing right?
You trust everythings ok
Pt 5 pt 7
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Coming soon! Casual Tek! I blame my cohost for this.
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another hermit hollow fic!! Hope you guys like this one, and stay tuned for some Interesting two fics in the future <3 enjoy, @majickth
People didn't move in to Hermit's Hollow. That just wasn't the case. Then again, no one moved out either. It was just a small, insular community, full of people who it seemed had known each other for years.
So imagine the surprise when a new person came, greeting Pearl with long built up feelings.
Her brother, they'd learned. A recently fired journalist, looking for peace and quiet for once.
Word travels fast in the Hollow.
Thus did news of his investigation into the hooded figures that townspeople dared not acknowledge.
It passed through trees, between lumberjacks. The blond one lugged a tree over her shoulder as she walked back towards town, pausing only to see her companion frozen in place.
"Ren?" She called to him. "What's got into you?"
"By the pricking of my thumb.." Ren muttered to himself, "something wicked this way comes.."
Shakespeare. She'd recalled Ren to have been a fan. Still, she didn't quite understand the usage of it now.
The news was spread among customers in a small bookshop near town. The librarian refused to say anything beyond cryptic messages and poetic waxing, all of which received eye rolls and "typical Joe"s from the customers. Except for one. A blond approached the counter, trying to look as casual as possible as he fidgeted with his feather earrings.
"Did-.. did he really say he was investigating.. them?"
"That's what I heard." Joe Hills, the owner of the bookshop, nodded and closed the book on his desk. "He's a journalist, I like journalists. They remind me of myself in a way... never know when to quit. Yknow, I think I met a journalist a while back. Some two,,, three? Years ago?"
The blond tuned out Joe's rambling, hastily paying for his books and leaving very quickly. Far too quickly for Joe to not at least be a little suspicious. He eyed the customer behind him, and shrugged.
"Oh well."
______________________
Hermit's Hollow was full of uneasy souls that afternoon. Coincidentally all blonde, a thought that crossed Ren's mind as he watched his,,, friend? Friend sounded good. Watched his friend stare at a scar on his wrist. The symbol was an almost perfect rectangle, permanently etched into the skin. Martyn had told him once what had marked him. A hot iron. Ren shuddered at the thought of it.
"You know, staring at it isn't gonna make it go away, dude." Ren called, arms crossed as he watched him.
"I know." Martyn sighed. Tired and drained, and so, so frustrated. "I don't know what to do at this point. Do I talk to him- ? Tell him its a bad idea?"
"I guess you have to.. Would he listen?"
"That's what I'm afraid of..."
It was certainly a fear not unfounded. And he wasn't the only one who felt it.
"Baby, you pacing is gonna make me dizzy." A soft laugh echoed through the electronics store, the owner of said store leaned over the counter as he watched his partner traverse the small shop, occasionally stumbling and tripping over his feet.
"Sorry.." He stopped, instead hugging his thin frame with a worried huff. "You know why I'm so freaked out.."
"I do." Tango nodded as he stepped out from behind the counter, frowning at the sight of his anxious partner as he pulled him into his arms. "C'mere... you wanna go home?"
"No,, no I'm okay.." He shook his head, relaxing into Tango's arms slowly. "Sorry.."
"Don't be sorry, Jimmy.. I get it.. hey, maybe it's just a rumor. Yknow?"
"Yeah.. rumor.."
The bell above Decked Out rang and Tango untangled himself from around Jimmy's frame, quickly ducking behind the counter again. "Welcome to Decked Out, what can I help you with?"
Jimmy turned to look at the customer, and all the color drained from his face. Exactly as described. Wiry frame, red sweater, glasses, journal and pen.
"Hi, I was told I might be able to find one James Tek here?"
Tango narrowed his eyes at the stranger, while Jimmy cleared his throat and stepped towards him.
"I'm him. Please, just call me Jimmy, everyone does."
"Jimmy, perfect." The stranger grinned. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"
"I know what this is about.." Jimmy sighed. "I'll be back, Tangs..."
"Stay safe, baby.." Tango called out as they left.
Turns out, this was the rumored stranger, Grian. Pearl's brother. And Jimmy wasn't the only one being asked.
Martyn was also approached by this stranger, and asked the same question Jimmy dreaded now.
"What do you know about The Watchers?"
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What does happiness look like to you?
" A FULL PRISON , my blades crimson with blood , my enemies broken before me , a bountiful hunt , a warm hearth , my beloved consort happy & pleased , a lovely dawn on an autumn's morning across the forest ... and , what his majesty would wish of myself . what he foresees for everyone , and everything . "
the hunter gives a slight , casual shrug of his shoulders . " off of the top of my head , that is . those things couldn't make me any happier . "
@7-tek
#[ đđđđđđđđđđ . ] | | | incharacter .#7tek#hm ... how did you think he would answer :>
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Prompt 14: Telling
(( CW: PTSD / War / Implied Torture / Death ))
It was telling to Rehna, just how removed the people she had met in Tural so far, especially here in Tuliyollal, where the Dawn Servant held the most sway, his deeds at bringing the nation together were still a living legend. But that the discussion of war was so casual, that a table of Elders and their Grandsons could argue for or against it at a cafĂŠ was a difficult pill for her to swallow. All of her life had been under the Imperial Rule of Doma and Othard, and her memories of the time just after Doma and Ala Mhigo were freed.
âGo we canâŚâ Raisha said softly, having been watching Rehna move the rice, beans and salad around her bowl without eating any, ears turned to the conversation she was trying not to listen to and failing. It was justâŚ
The battle field stretched around them as far as her eye could see. She was caked in black mud, turned so by ash, old blood and other things. They had been at it for hours, moving through the bodies, aiding those who could be saved, and bringing mercy to those they couldnât. It had been a harsh lesson for Rehna. She would wipe her healerâs crook as clean as she could, taking care to not let itâs end touch the mud and much when they had first set out, she glanced at it now, as covered as she was, her bag of bandages and medical supplies almost empty. She couldnât count how many times a new one had been brought to her when she called.
âGo we can Rehnaâ, the red haired Miqoâte looked to her companion. Read the worry in her aged eyes. She never had asked Raisha just how old she was, it wasn't something she ever felt comfortable asking one of the Viera. She looked around, spotted another pair, one standing guard, while the other tended to a wounded soldier. She turned the other direction only to see the same scene. Looking back, she watched as a broken soldier was lifted onto a litter, the waiting chocobo drawn floating carriage already had a couple of others lying in the back.
âI canâtâŚI canât walk away now Raisha,â she pointed ahead, âwe said we would work to there,â the fallen corpse of a Magi-tek gunship was their goal. There was still a lot of battle field, still a lot of corpses to sift through to find the living. The Ravaâs face pinched, eyeing her solemnly, then nodded, her hand came up to clasp Rehnaâs shoulder, giving her strength of courage.
They were half way to their goal when they came across the crater. Whether it had been made my magic, or Magi-tek, the young woman couldnât be sure. When they looked down inside, she saw the telltale signs of Alliance Soldiers that had used it to hunker down, only to be riddled by Garlean bullets. She had come to recognize those wounds all too well by then. She looked around, spotting the wreckage of a Magi-tek machine, itâs multi gun still pointing in the direction of the crater. âRehna!â she was drawn to the urgency in Raishaâs voice, the hand on her arm, the Vieraâs other hand pointing into the crater. Movement caught her eye. At first she thought it was a man moving his head in pain, but when she went to step into the crater, to offer him aid, he shook his head faster, eyes wide, muffled sounds came from him, causing her to frown. There was a bandana around his lower face; his body was mostly covered by the dead around him. She couldnât see his legs, or his arms. She started to take another step, but Raisha pulled her back, âMine?â she heard her call. The man nodded, and Rehna wondered why Raisha was claiming her, to this man who was in need.
âUnder you mine they lay?â her Mate called again, and it sank in. She was going to be sick. They had put a mine, an exploding device under him, âbound you are? Move you canât?â asked Raisha, again the man nodded. Raisha took a breath, and nodded, closing her eyes. âwe canât save him can we?â she asked in a small voice. âWe cannotâ She too closed her eyes, she found her center, and when she opened them, the man looked at her with pleading eyes. She nodded, âI will bring you Mercy, and let you rest in peace.â Raisha repeated it, but in Eorzean, Rehna having spoken in her native island dialect instead. She could see when the words sank in, the manâs brow smoothed; he closed his own eyes, and then nodded slowly as well. She wasnât entirely sure what it was he said, muffled by whatever was hidden by the bandana. But she thought it was a thank you.
âSleep in Peace,â she offered, her spell taking him to slumber. She followed Raisha to the broken hulk of the war machine, they didnât have much time, she wasnât sure how long her spell would hold him, she recalled the words they had been given to yell in a case like this, she turned and used the voice she used to be heard over the waves back home: âFIRE IN THE HOLE!â âFIRE IN THE HOLE!â âFIRE IN THE HOLE!â
Neither one of them had been prepared for the explosion that shook the ground when their spells set off the mine. In her head, though, the world around her was fading to the words she had yelled, âfire in the holeâŚfire in the holeâŚfire in the holeâ
âDrink!â a gruff, stern voice ordered her, and she did, the acrid burn of cheap mescal made her cough and gag, but she held it down. A scaly hand pushed hers down to the table, her eyes were still closed, fire in the hole still echoed in her ears, the manâs pleading eyes, turning to peace, knowing she was about to take his life. Drink she was ordered again, the drink still burned, but she didnât choke or cough this time.
âOthard?â the voice asked, she nodded, but Raisha spoke up, âGhimlyt DarkâŚâ
âNasty business that was,â Rehna opened her eyes, a Mamool Ja, in the harness of a mercenary sat across the table, a half empty bottle of mescal in one hand. Raisha was running her hand through Rehnaâs hair, between her ears. She didnât dare look around, she knew people were staring.
âHealer?â he asked, though, her crook resting against the table next to her answered his question, but Rehna shook her head,
âMaiden of Mercyâ she replied. He eyed her, then eyed Raisha. He flipped over two of the spare glasses on the table, poured three more shots, lifted one, the pair lifted theirs,
âTo never having to kill our friends ever againâ he toasted.
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Rancherduo Hero/Villian PT2?
Once again Iâm just testing this here, I write Rancherduo fics on Ao3 @/OttersGamers if you like this!
I let Jimmy say prick hehe
"Jimmy my man!" Sausage exclaimed as the tall blond made his way to the bar, Jimmy chuckled sitting down on the barstool
"Evening Sausage." Jimmy greeted his long time friend as he was handed a bottle of beer. Sausage and Jimmy stared over at the blond guy stood by a stage fixing his guitar.
"Oli's preforming again?" Sausage nodded with a concerned smile
"For someone who's code name is 'the Bard' he's not good at hiding his identity." Sausage said as the two laughed.
"Surprised it took him this long to get back on stage, especially after his last rodeo." Jimmy said quietly taking a sip out of his bottle as he stared.
"Heard about the surprise attack. B.E.S.T again?" Sausage asked and Jimmy shook his head
"Nope. Scott and his brother. Apparently they've sorted their family issues and are now plotting against me." Jimmy said chuckling taking another drink from his bottle Sausage sighed putting another bottle on the bar.
"Sausage stop gossiping and get to work!" The owner of the bar - Martyn called out making Sausage jump and Jimmy chuckle at the soon to be lecture Sausage would receive.
"Hey Jim how you doing?" Martyn and Jimmy worked together a few years back on missions up until Martyn hung up his guns and swords to have a semi normal life.
"I've been better Martyn. How've you been." Jimmy replied and the older man smiled at him
"Tired. Kids have been hyper this week." Martyn said as the guitar of Oli began playing in the background. Jimmy nodded glancing around the bar.
"How's the shoulder?" Martyn asked
"Hurts like hell. Been benched for the week." Jimmy said showing the bandage and Martyn nodded.
"Looks like it mate. You been taking painkillers?" Jimmy shook his head
"Nah, I just deal with it." Jimmy said casually. Martyn rolled his eyes
"Just casually deals with a gun wound..." Martyn mumbled as he walked away from the conversation.
Jimmy stayed there and drank by himself, most people would think it was lonely but is it really being lonely if you've been alone your whole life? Jimmy found it comforting. Jimmy sat and observed Oli playing like he did all the time, was always a member of his friend audience, being blown away by his friend genuine talent.
"Listen, I'm not an expert of anything- though I am. I think sitting in plain sight for any member of B.E.S.T to spot you isn't a good idea." A warm whisper made him jump, Jimmy turned to see the T in B.E.S.T. Jimmy rolled his eyes.
"Didn't realise you were allowed to have fun you know being a prick and what not." Jimmy spat taking another swing of his beer. Tek chuckled at him.
"All I'm saying, there's a booth in the corner that is out of the sight of where we are sat." Tek whispered and walked away.
#hermitcraft tango#Hero!Tango#jimmy solidarity#Villian!Jimmy#solidaritygaming#mcyt fanfiction#hero x supervillain#au#alternate universe#canary jimmy#team rancher#rancher duo
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someone may very well have asked this before and i forgot, but how would htp tango react to zed's season 8 chamber shenanigans, since he himself was in there? did it remind him of helstek? did he just not let zed run tests on him?
âyou want me to do what?â tango asks, blinking at zedaph from behind his big red shades.
zedaph grins at his tone. âi want you to come to my lab so i can run some experiments on you,â he repeats good-naturedly. ânothing too invasive, mind you. iâm just tryinâ to pick the hermitsâ brains a bit, with some uh⌠psychological tests, i guess youâd call them?â he chuckles.
for a moment, tango just stares at him, expression unreadable. then he breaks into a broad grin.
âoh, sure!â he says, his voice suddenly loud and cheerful. âyeah, yeah of course iâm down for that! why- why wouldnât i be? you just say when, alright, and- and iâll be right over for some science.â
âexcellent!â zedaph pulls up his communicator. âiâll send you the coords.â
âcanât wait,â tango says, his smile almost painfully wide now.
~*~
zedaph clears his throat before speaking into the microphone again. âokay, test number one is ready to initialize, um⌠can you state your name, please?â
tango still seems a bit disoriented from his drop into the chamber. he glances around for a moment, squinting at zedaph from behind the tinted glass.
âuh⌠tango?â he says uncertainly. â⌠of the tek variety?â
it sounds too much like a question for zedaph not to poke fun. âstate it, please.â
thereâs a pause. âtango,â tango says slowly, almost robotically. oh, what a card, this one.
âexcellent,â zedaph hums, flicking his ear in acknowledgement, âthank you very much.â
the tests proceed as planned. itâs a whole bunch of wacky, goofy nonsense that tango takes in stride with a lot of baffled laughter. if heâs realized that this is less a proper experiment, and more just a chance for zedaph to mess with his friends, he isnât bringing it up.
the tests come to an unofficial end when zedaph asks tango to perform a magic trick (like a magician, very important). tango chooses to make himself disappear- by dumping enough sand on top of himself to suffocate and respawning away (clever guy). zedaph really ought to have left a bed out, but he hadnât anticipated death. rookie mistake on his part, really.
when he shoots tango a quick thank-you message, tango doesnât respond right away. probably just because he was preoccupied with making his way back from spawn.
in the future, zedaph will have a bed for his subjects to set their spawn prior to entering the chamber. just in case of any more accidents.
~*~
later, as zedaph reviews his footage and data, he notices something odd.
the chamber is outfitted with biometric scanners, to keep track of and record each subjectâs vital signs for the duration of the experiments. the instant tango dropped into the chamber, there was a sharp spike in his heart rate and blood pressure, indicative of high stress, that remained throughout the duration of the experiments. even as he was casually joking and laughing with zedaph, he was in a state that most would define as distress, without giving any outward indication of the fact.
zedaph reboots his system twice before finally accepting the results as true. in the end, he chalks it down to excitement and potential species differences. the reference ranges are established from his own biological parameters, and heâs sure thereâs a difference between a sheep hybrid and a blaze hybrid.
(probably. after all, heâs not that kind of scientist.)
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