#for his diligent sleuth...

[iceunhie]

amorousness.

summary: lyney loves your reactions. but oftentimes ends up being rendered speechless by you. you're really no good for his heart, you know? (he's down bad.)

notes: lyney x GN!reader. established relationship. inspired by a brainrot by the lovely @marrijaydeboo !! golden retriever x black cat, detective!reader. lyney is a loser in love. seriously. first lyney drabble (?) don't come for me if he's kinda ooc...

"I must say, Detective, I didn't know you were quite enamoured with me. You've been staring at me for quite a while."

Lilac eyes meet yours, playful and with the intent to seek a reaction. Any reaction. Whether it's the normally sheepish and curt deadpan and pointed stare, or the more rare reaction of a flush on your cheeks, the Great Magician Lyney prides himself as the sole captor and witness of such a side to his normally stoic and silent lover, you.

Well, not so much silent, but mostly reserved to a fault. It's no wonder you and Lynette are close. which he absolutely loves

Currently enjoying a leisure date (his words) after he pestered you on going with him (leaving a bunch of Rainbow Roses and Romaritime Flowers at your doorstep, silly little notes with cat patterns with a 'date countdown' on them, and popping up randomly in your office to steal quick kisses and elaborating about you leaving to spend time with him in typical Lyney fashion, complete with a wink and a disappearing act before you could even get mad at him for the disruption) saying that even Detectives and Sleuths like you need to let down their hair a bit.

And what better way to do it than to spend it with your lovely, horribly sappy (your words) and romantic boyfriend? So, after a few works at winning you over with his secret weapon (Lynette came at your door, giving you the most unimpressive stare and smirk, before telling you her brother was at his wits end trying to please you, waxing poetic about how you wound him by your rejections so you better go) here you both were, enjoying a tray of sweets and desserts, all your favorites, it seems, while partaking in casual conversation flirting with Lyney.

"Is there a reason for your gaze? Or perhaps you're just admiring little old me?"

"Naturally, Great Magician. After all, beautiful things should be admired, no?"

Ah. But there was also that. Your unpredictability. Typical [name], always keeping him on his toes. Lyney flushes deeply at your words, caught off-guard, a rare look of sheepishness similar to a thief caught in the act. caught in the act of being horribly smitten with you, maybe A pretty shade of pink adorns his cheeks. Pink is the color of the Rainbow Roses he lavishes you with; the color of his longing for you, and just one of the colors you get the privilege of seeing on him.

You only smile knowingly, as your lips curl to a smirk.

You really…. You really have him wrapped around your finger, huh? Lyney can only sigh and laugh, as his normally flirty and romantic self is just no match for you.

Not that he minds, of course. You're the only one who gets to assert such a sheepish and unimpressive reaction from him, part from Lynette, probably.

"Ah, how your words leave me speechless, my dear [name]! How you keep me in your grasp so firmly… Ah, there's nothing more fulfilling." You only look at him with a withering stare, which leaves the magician in a love-struck gaze, as you just roll your eyes at his quips.

For the Great Magician Lyney, your reactions are a work of wonder and magic itself. Seeing your normally diligent and aloof facade crumble when he teases you keeps him tightly wound around your finger. Really, Lyney is probably the only person who gets such a thrill of seeing your glares or your unamused looks. Well, that can't compare to your flustered face, or your smile, though. Or your kisses, or the way you look at him breathless after…

He flushes even a darker shade of red, if that was even possible, definitely caught up in his thoughts of you.

It's ironic, really. He says you were the enamored one, but he's the one who wishes to keep you to him till the very end, and wishes that every day with you stretches out longer… He could almost sigh. The things one does when in love…

"Any more words and that smile of yours won't be kept up any longer, Lyney." You huff, as you scarf down a Conch Madeline, before turning to ascertain some case papers he notes that have to deal with the recent serial disappearance cases.

Lyney pouts. You both were on a date, not some regular business day. He'd prefer it if your attention were just on him for today, at least. (or maybe everyday, he hopes. maybe for the rest of your lives. really, what you did to him was astonishing)

"Jeez, alright…. I was hoping you'd be less composed and just unwind yourself with me, you know? After all, I am your lover. And I'd personally prefer if you could shift your attention only at me for today…"

Lyney tries to look unfazed and tip the scales to make you feel flustered this time, but his words come out as a whine. Was he really that needy for your attention? (he was)

Now you blush. The heat creeps up to your cheeks in a flaming glow, as you just make a noise in your throat, words going incoherent. You compose yourself, as you just clear your throat as you look away and bury your expression in your cup of tea, closing your eyes since you couldn't bare to see his gaze, no doubt oozing with fondness and sweetness as the desserts laid out on the table right now. Maybe even more. (you put away your papers, thank goodness)

"You don't need to worry about that. Besides, you're the only person I'd ever want to put all my attention on willingly, anyway…"

"...."

A beat of silence passes. Two beats, three beats. Yeah, now you were both shutting down at your words.

Yeah, now Lyney's seriously considering trying to propose to you in his next show now. A volunteer act, maybe? Wait, you don't want on the spot performances that surprise you too much. Hm, a private show? Tempting. And the ring… Maybe a magenta ring? Or maybe a purple one to match his eyes…. All for you. All for what you both currently have right now. All for everything you're currently showing him. Your mirroring love-lorn gaze, the way your lips would envelop his own, just his. Although Lyney thought that proposing to you right now was still too early, well, if you keep this up…

"Lyney? What's gotten into you all of a sudde–"

Your words stop as you feel the pressure of his lips on your own. Lyney's kisses are sweet, warm, and playful. But oftentimes, it's meaningful and embodies so many unspoken words of adoration that his suave self could never compare to. When he pulls away but a moment later, he's back to his regular self. The confident smile and the softening of his eyes as his gaze locks onto you. Cheeky and challenging. Just the way you like it. Just the way you both would have it.

"You look so endearing when flustered."

"Shut up."

"I love you even still!"

"Unfortunately, I do too."

"Haha, of course you d– Huh, wait, what do you mean, unfortunately?! [name]!"

The rest of the day is spent without your work bothering you. Not that you don't mind, of course. Only because you're spending it in his company.

© 𝐦𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐞𝐞𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 : do not repost, copy, or plagiarize my work.

[aeyumicore]

Hello friends <3

Hi guys! I’m sure some may have noticed, but I have shadowbanned for the last few days. The ban has finally been resolved by Tumblr (it was triggered because I was messaging people who'd been interacting with my impersonator's posts, using a copy-pasted message, which was flagged as spam). 

I am also happy to share that the second impersonator blog @/aeyumiicore has been deleted.

I will be posting my Xavier fic in a few days, potentially maybe a week. I am so excited to share it with you guys, but I want to give myself some time just go back to normal, protect my peace. She’s been ready for quite some time, but I did not feel comfortable posting while I was shadowbanned, as the impersonator could more easily copy this one as their own, if my content was harder to find.

This trying time has shown me just how precious you guys are to me. Not only did you guys stand by me, but you took matters into your own hands to defend me. I truly don't deserve you guys. I love you with my entire heart.

I will be responding to asks soon <3 I just want to make sure this isn't buried just yet.

Now onto some serious business. 

A MESSAGE TO MY IMPERSONATOR:

In the days I’ve been shadowbanned I’ve had a lot of free time to do some sleuthing. I know exactly who you are, and others do too. And I have evidence, 26 pages of it to be exact.

If you do not LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE. If I see one more impersonator/exposing account created, or any random accounts copying my fics, I will expose you. I could care less about exposing you, I just want you to LEAVE ME ALONE. I literally do not care about your main blog, I have no need to start a whole exposé. But I will if you don’t leave me alone. 

Don’t believe me? Take that chance. 

I already have the document with all the evidence written and ready to share, should you continue to harass me. Take your pick. 

For anyone else reading this who has supported and will continue to support me, I wish I could share the identity with you. Unfortunately at this point, I just want to be left alone. I don’t care to turn this into anything bigger than it already is. If they’re willing to leave me alone indefinitely, I am willing to let this issue rest.

Always do your own due-diligence. Be careful what you believe.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Jay Kuo at The Status Kuo:

As awareness grows around the horrific plans laid out in Project 2025, Trump has scrambled to put distance between him and the fallout. “I know nothing about Project 2025,” Trump posted. “I have no idea who is behind it” and “I have nothing to do with them.” This is of course a significant tell. As Rick Wilson reminded listeners yesterday on the Fast Politics podcast with Molly Jong-Fast, whenever Trump denies he has anything to do with it, it of course means he absolutely has everything to do with it. For example, “I did not have sex with Stormy Daniels” = “I definitely had sex with Stormy Daniels.” Or, “I declassified every document I took with me” = “I stole our national secrets and am trying to wiggle out of it.” So, “I know nothing about Project 2025,” “I have no idea who is behind it” and “I have nothing to do with them” = “I am deep in cahoots with the Project 2025 people.” I really want to cross-examine Trump himself on this, so let’s have a little fun with it this morning. 

[...] Some pretty diligent sleuths have gone through Agenda 47 as well, including all those terrible videos you posted about it on your campaign website. Here’s a handy chart that’s been circulating, lining up a bunch more items for comparison:

Jay Kuo is 100% on point with this Substack post: Project 2025 and Agenda 47 are practically the same, even though Donald Trump delusionally claimed without evidence that “I know nothing about Project 2025”… except that 31 of the 38 authors had served in his administration.

See Also:

The Guardian: Republicans call Trump’s move to distance himself from Project 2025 ‘preposterous’

The Guardian: Project 2025: inside Trump’s ties to the rightwing policy playbook

[presidenthades]

If the Targbros and Valsisters were in HP which one would they go to?

Do you mean houses? If so then I would say:

Aegon: He’s not an intellectual. At all. He is cunning (see: all the schemes he’s pulled off), but his utter lack of ambition neutralizes that. He is loyal, and he works hard when it’s something he’s interested in (like sleuthing). But I think his brave recklessness places him squarely in Gryffindor.

Jace: At first I thought Ravenclaw because she’s so studious, BUT she’s only studious because she’s the heir, and the heir needs to work hard to prove her worth. That, plus her loyalty and general kindness, puts her in Hufflepuff.

Aemond: Seems Slytherin at first because he’s so green-coded, and he IS ambitious. But my version of Aemond is a very book-smart guy who isn’t as smart in other areas, like street smarts and emotional intelligence. So Ravenclaw.

Luce: I was close to putting her in Hufflepuff too, because she is the definition of “ride or die.” But as we saw during her escape attempts in Daemon’s Handbook Chapter 4, she can be too brave for her own good. Gryffindor.

Daeron: He could’ve done well in most of the houses because he’s a fairly well-balanced individual. But his patience, loyalty, kindness, and diligence make it so Hufflepuff wins out.

Joff: I tried really hard not to put her in the stereotypical “dark” house, but honestly Slytherin is most suited for her. If she’s not cunning, I don’t know who is. And even though she’s not aspiring to the Iron Throne, she has other non-politician ambitions.

[fe-fictions]

Hi hi, can we get Priam protecting Robin from a would be assassin? Or something angtsy? I miss our blue haired swordsman 🥺

(Did not intend for this one to get so long, but once I get on a roll with Priam, I just can't stop!!! ;; A ;; )

The letters had come in before, but diligent investigation would always prove they were nothing to worry about. More often than not, the culprits were easy to find.

Besides, you were living in the castle, and Priam was your husband.  The fear of something happening was at a minimum.

But Priam didn't agree; it was why he was the first to notice the increased volume of death threats. The letters were coming in every other day.

You remained unfazed, but Priam was starting to worry.

“These aren’t a joke, Robin. Whoever this is, they mean business.” He held up yet another letter that had come in that morning. 

You were sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on your morning tea and reading over the latest reports from the eastern villages.

Instead of a response, he received a noncommittal hum. You remained unconcerned about this. 

“Robin.” He caught your attention when he walked into the kitchen, holding up the parchment that had rather severe language scrawled all over it. “You should be more concerned.”

“I suppose, but what can we do? Miriel and Tharja are running spells on letters we have, and Frederick is doing an investigation with the knights. Worrying about what's out of our control won't do anything.”

“Neither is being flippant about it.” He countered, arms crossed. “I don’t feel comfortable with this. Until we have an idea of where this bastard is, I don’t want you going anywhere that I can’t be with you.”

“Are you putting me on house arrest, my love? I'm not sure that'll be effective.” You rose to your feet, wrapping your arms around his shoulders. “I can take care of myself, y'know. Do I need to remind you with another sparring victory? I’ve got a dozen on you, by now.”

Priam was quick to reciprocate your affection, hands settling on your hips and tugging you closer.

“I would never suggest you’re incapable of protecting yourself. I wouldn’t have married you had it not been for your strength…among other things.” He added hastily when you quirked an eyebrow at him. “But I am unsettled by these threats. The anticipation of someone hunting you and not knowing when they could strike frightens me.”

“It isn’t pleasant.” You agreed, chin on his chest. “But I'm not afraid. I know you're looking out for me, as are the Shepherds. If I do end up in danger, I’ll have you at my side to protect me if I'm unable to.”

“Hmm.” He managed a small smile, though he remained unconvinced. “Will you at least permit me to be your shadow for the next few days? I'd be more at ease if you had someone to watch your blind spots.”

“That’s a funny way of saying you just can’t keep your hands off me, and want to spend every possible second romancing the love of your life.”

“I didn’t say that, but…” His hands slid lower, a firm pinch eliciting a squeak and a giggle. “It’s not wrong."

After pulling your husband back into he bedroom for a morning romp, the concerns of the day seemed to fall to the wayside. Priam stayed true to his word and remained at your side, which did assuage his worries. 

It seemed to stay calm, and the day passed without issue. It wasn’t until the next day that trouble rose.

“Another letter.” Priam grumbled, returning from his morning training. The letter was crumpled angrily as he opened the door.

Maybe he ought to do some investigating on his own.  If there was a general idea of where the letters were coming from, surely he could deduce who threatened his wife.

Of course, the plan to do some sleuthing faded when he found you putting on your favorite shawl...which you only wore when going into town.

“You aren’t seriously planning on going out, are you?”

You jumped at his voice, surprised to see him back home already. 

“Oh! Welcome home, Priam. I was about to go and find you.’

"Why?”

“I wanted to take my day off to go buy some new books. Sumia and I’s favorite author released the latest book in the series, and there are a couple others I’ve been meaning to buy, too. I thought it’d be good to go ahead and grab them all, you know?”

“You shouldn’t be leaving the grounds at all, Robin. Do you have any idea how unsafe it is to be seen in public?”

“I know it’s not the safest thing to do, but…it’d be nice to get out. I haven’t had a chance to go out in nearly two weeks. It’s been so busy, and…I mean, we're all stressed out about this creepy person, so…I just…I wanted a breather.”

“You’re feeling nervous about being cooped up.” He sighed, nodding in understanding. “But it’s not safe right now. What if this person is in  Ylisstol? What if they’re just waiting for you to come out?”

You huffed, tying styling your hair in the mirror while Priam watched, deeply displeased.

“We don’t know anything yet. And until we know, I’m not convinced that it’s completely unsafe for me to go out and just have a little break.”

“Robin…” 

“Come on, Priam! You’re going to come with me anyways, and we’re in Ylisstol! The royal guard and the Shepherds will be minutes away. I promise I won’t run off or do anything foolish.”

“...If you swear to only go to the bookstore, and nowhere else.”

“Not even the blacksmith? I know there’s some new swords you’ve been eying, over there.”

“No.” He remained firm, “Just the bookstore.”

With a heavy sigh, you conceded, going to his side and pulling his hands into yours.

“Very well. Just the bookstore.” You promised, “And I won’t leave your side.”

He squeezed your hands, satisfied with your terms. “Let me change into something less conspicuous. Then we can be off.” 

Priam didn’t change long to remove his armor plates, and before long he was dressed in a much more casual tunic and linens that wouldn’t suggest to anyone that he was a highly skilled swordsman.

In your much more casual garb, he hoped that you would blend into the crowd more easily.

And for a while, he was right.

Nobody paid any attention to the pair as they strolled through the town square. The sunshine was warm and gbright, the breeze pleasant and the chatter of the citizens jovial and light.

It was a perfectly pleasant day to be out. You took a deep breath, enjoying the sweet smell of freedom.

“Isn’t this a beautiful day? Perfect for a nice walk.” You hummed, looping your arm with your husband’s. Priam remained focused.

“We should not let our guard down. Someone who is old enough to send death threats to the king’s home is capable of anything.”

"Of course.” You agreed solemnly, although you were far more interested in the approaching bookstore. “I know you’re not fond of going through this place, so I won’t force you to go in if you don’t want to.”

“That is the absolute least of my worries right now.” He opened the door for you, the little bell tinkling to announce your arrival. He came in quickly behind you, scanning the place for threats.

Nothing but the smell of parchment, ink and romantic noblewomen’s perfume.

The visit went without incident. The books were easily found and purchased, your husband dutifully carrying them for you and slinging the satchel over his shoulder.

It didn't take long before you were on your way back home. the streets remained bustling, but Priam did seem to relax some; perhaps it was because the worst was over, and you were returning to safety.

"Be careful with those novels, now. Sumia says they're worth a lot in the future if we keep them in good condition. That means no tossing them about!”

“When have I ever tossed your…ah, fine. As you wish.”

You made it around the corner of the store when you sensed it.

Your shoulders straightened some, but your gait remained the same so as not to alert suspicion.

“Priam.”

“I feel it, too.”

Someone’s eyes were on you.

The crowd was getting thicker thanks to the afternoon swing of the market, which meant that there was going to be more chaos to try and navigate. An opportunity for someone to slip in and attack.

“What are you thinking, Robin?”

“Don’t speed up. I don’t want to let them know we’re aware.” You replied, keeping your eyes forward, “Especially if it’s the them.”

“Should we take a detour?”

“Somewhere with less people. I don’t want anyone getting hurt on my account.” You told him,  carefully weaving through the main street, and finding a path off to the side.

Priam’s eyes were shifting everywhere, trying to lock onto the stalker. He could feel their gaze intensely, and it was laser focused on his wife.

“Robin, stay close. I can’t lock onto them.” He pulled you nearer, jaw clenched tight.

"They might not be visible. Tharja and Miriel haven’t found the source yet- which leads me to believe they’re a mage. Someone smart enough to cover their tracks…and that can conceal their appearance.”

“That doesn’t sound like an amateur.”

“It isn’t.” You agreed, turning another corner onto a residential street. Most homes would be empty at this point. 

The castle wasn’t too far from here, and there were guards only a couple blocks away. If you were a little bit quicker-

“Thoron!!”

A cry you’d never heard cracked overhead. Priam whipped around, just as the bolt of lightning was flung.

He yanked you to his chest, taking the brunt of the hit to his back. It took you off your feet, sending you both careening into the earth meters away.

“Gods-!” You cursed, adrenaline bursting through your system. You were the first to your feet, searching for your attacker.

There was a shadow of a figure rippling through the sunlight, but you couldn’t see them clearly. Your Levin Sword was quickly drawn, braced to defend against another attack.

“Show yourself, coward1!!”

Priam could hear your voice, but was still reeling from the bolt of lightning that tore through his body. He pulled onto his knees, shaking his head in a feeble attempt to regain steadiness.

“Priam!! Are you all right?!” You called to your husband, sparing a glance back at him.

That was your first mistake. In an instant the shadow shifted, and Nosferatu suddenly barreled through the air. You gasped, throwing your sword up to counter before it cut through you. 

Sparks of thunder ripped from the metal, the force of it pushing you back. You growled, drawing up the blade and throwing a bolt of lightning at your attacker.

There was a startled cry, the blast of sparks destroying their illusion charm. A black cloak appeared in the smoke, revealing the Valmese Empire’s insignia. 

“Damn you!!” They bellowed, the hood flipping back to reveal a woman with wild hair and even more maniacal eyes. “How dare you breathe after stealing Pheros from me!!”

“Pheros?” Your brow furrowed, recalling the name. Priam steadied to his feet, Ragnell drawn and holding his frame up. 

“That’s…the name of the lady general. One of Walhart’s best-” 

“She fell in battle years ago.” You recalled, making the woman shriek in anger.

“By your hand!! And now…now you’ll pay!!” 

The mage rushed forward, flinging her hand back to throw another blast of black magic. Priam rushed in front of you, grabbing your arm and pushing you behind him.

“Another bolt!! Now!!” He shouted to you, just as he swung his blade. Ragnell missed by a hair, the woman dodging the swift attack and losing the focus on her spell. 

The Nosferatu spell fell apart- just as your Levin Sword threw out another devastating shock.

A roar of pain flew from her lips, the electric energy tearing through her very core.

Priam rushed forward before she could recover, all but throwing himself on top of her.

His full weight pressed onto her, he yanked her arms behind her back, and searched for more weapons.

“You got her??” You called out to him, closing the distance he had put between you and the woman.

“Stay back!!” He held out his hand, anger blowing his eyes wide in spite of the pain he still felt. “You’re the one she wants.”

“Damn you…d-damn you!!” She struggled and fought under his hold, but Priam wasn’t going to let her move. You shot up a flare, though you could already hear the shouts of the capital knights rushing towards the aftermath.

“Who the hells are you, witch??” Priam demanded, stabbing Ragnell into the ground by her face. “Did you come alone? Or are there others??”

“You…you stole my Pheros!! You took her away from me!! How dare you come back to life- how dare you live, when she is still dead!!”

“She’s hysterical.” You panted, sheathing your sword. “I doubt she worked with anyone else.”

“I will not risk anyone else attacking you in broad daylight. This woman is deranged- if there are others like her, I will know!” He growled, pulling the woman’s arms back harder.

Priam did not have the opportunity to interrogate her further; Sully was galloping in, Stahl and Kellam on her flank while a whole host of other guards clamoring in behind them.

“Robin! Priam!! Are you hurt?!” Sully demanded, “Who did this?!”

“This wench attacked Robin.” He said, standing back up and pulling her with him. She snapped at him, trying to bite, claw, anything she could do to get free of him.

Priam did not falter. 

“Is this the one who’s been sending all those letters?” Stahl asked, “A dark mage…no wonder they couldn’t trace her with magic.”

“She is smart…but she is not well.” You informed them, “She’s completely out of her mind.” 

The storm of profanity rushing from the woman’s mouth confirmed your statements. Sully nodded, sending the guards forward to get her properly detained.

“Are either of you harmed? Or…actually, Priam, you look like you could use some first aid.”

“It’s a flesh wound. Nothing more.” Priam huffed, walking back to you with a limp that you were alarmed by.

“Gods, you took the full brunt of that Thoron, didn’t you?” You realized, spotting the bloody gashes that were littered all over his body. “Dammit, we should’ve worn armor…this wouldn’t have hit you half as hard if you weren’t in your casual clothes.”

“Would’ve drawn more attention…though, I suppose that doesn’t matter anymore, huh?” Priam all but fell against you when you came to his side, pulling him into you. You pulled his arm over your shoulders, and supported his back. 

Kellam helped you bring him back to the castle. It didn’t take long for word to get out about what happened. Tharja was the first to start charging towards the prison, though Miriel was able to hold her back (lest she harm the culprit beyond repair).

You stayed with Priam in the medical wing, holding his hand tightly as they worked to heal him. A few staves and plenty of bandages later, he was looking much better.

Though he would need to remain in bed for at least a few days to ensure the healing process was completed.

You helped him into the bed, quick to tuck him in and get him settled. Priam watched you with a soft gaze, watching you dart about in an attempt to get him relaxed.

“Robin…you all right?”

“I am, yes. Thanks to you.”

Almost sheepishly you returned to his side, setting a cup of water on the bedside along with a pouch of medicinal herbs.

“Here…Libra said this will help with the pain. It won’t taste good, but it’ll ease your discomfort.” You sat down beside him, tucking his hair behind his ear.

“What’s on your mind?” He asked quietly, “You look upset.”

“Because I'm the one who wanted to go outside. I put you in harm’s way.” You sighed, “I shouldn’t have gotten so worked up. Maybe if I’d waited a little longer, they could’ve figured out who she was and caught her.”

'“Don’t be upset because of that. You would’ve done the same for me in a heartbeat. And honestly, I’m glad it happened.”'

“What? Why??” You stared at him, confused. Priam took your hand from his face, kissing your palm.

“Because we were able to draw out the threat, and neutralize it immediately. If we hadn’t gone out, we would both still be worried, and on edge. We were able to stop it together.”

“Still, I feel awful! You never would’ve gotten hurt if I’d just stayed here. The last thing I ever wanted was to put you in danger. And now you’re stuck in bed, which I know you hate because that means you’ll lose muscle mass from lack of training, and-”

“Love.” Priam cut you off, both your hands drawn into his, “I will always be the first to defend you should anyone wish you harm. I am proud to take the fall for you. Nothing to forgive. I regret nothing, because I know you would do the exact same for me.” 

“In a heartbeat.” You confirmed, smiling sweetly at your husband.

Priam drew you in, wrapping his arms around you. 

Carefully your hands rested on his chest, feeling the strong heartbeat and comforted by the familiar scent of sandalwood and steel.

“You give my strength purpose and meaning, Robin. If I could not use it to protect you…there would be no reason to fight.”

“I understand. But…you’re also my strength, Priam. So promise me that from now on, you’ll stay right by my side, all right?”

“I swear it.” He beamed at you, earning leaning tilting his chin up for a much deserved kiss. You met his affection whole heartedly.

When he pulled away, you were both breathless, and smiling like a pair of lovestruck fools.

“....Oh, I just realized.”

“Hm?”

“We forgot your books. And I had flung them away, too.”

“The books are the least of my worries right now, you silly man.”

‘Yes, but we bought them already, and…well, I tossed them away. Even if they haven’t been taken up by someone else, they’re going to be damaged…their value will be greatly diminished, won’t they?”

“Sweetheart, we live in the castle. I’m the Exalt’s tactician. We can afford to lose a couple of books. I’ll just buy some more on our next day off, together.”

“I admire your confidence.”

“And we’ll stop by the blacksmith too. As a reward for, you know, saving your wife’s life, and all.”

“A fine reward for my efforts. But I would have done it for this, and nothing more.” He grinned, drawing you into another kiss, more fervent and joyous than the last.

It As soon as he recovered, the two of you were on a lovely trip into town, where you made good on your promise (after he insisted you buy new books first, of course). 

[b3aches]

Red Team Blues

A very novel novel, reviewed

tl;dr - it's a good book and if detective stories or thrillers are of interest to you, I would recommend checking it out.

Warning: possible minor spoilers below. If you want to go in blind, stop reading.

A mixture of a noir detective story and a cyber dystopian alternate reality nearly indistinguishable from our own, Red Team Blues is a roller coaster ride. The story follows our hero, Martin "Marty" Hench, a 67-year-old bachelor forensic accountant for hire on his last job before retirement. A prodigious sleuth at finding assets that some people would rather stay hidden, he has had a long and storied career stretching back to the beginnings of Silicon Valley. When Marty's old friend Danny Lazer calls in a favor to discreetly retrieve some stolen cryptographic keys that allow for control over Danny's revolutionary new blockchain system, Marty diligently works to find the keys. Fortunately, Marty is good at his job. He returns the keys and receives his payment for finding the assets: a cool 300 million dollars. Unfortunately, he also happens to find some dead bodies along with said assets. Consequently, he finds himself in a race against time to solve the mystery of what really happened and to clear his name before either the family of the dead or the people they double-crossed take him out.

The story is not just a gumshoe thriller taken on the road, but also a commentary about Silicon Valley, the impacts that technology has on our world and the people in it, and the differences between the haves and have-nots. It touches on the difficulties of playing defense (the blue team), the ease of playing the offense (the red team), and the benefits of playing to your strengths. 

The characters are well written and feel like real, actualized people. They have their own lives, their own experiences, and their own voices. And Marty has to rely on them. He can't keep himself safe without the help of friends and strangers, and he does what he can to help keep them safe in return.

Ultimately, it's a masterfully written book (and well narrated by Wil Wheaton) that is hard to put down. I listened to the audiobook nearly non-stop. When it was done, I had to fight the urge from starting it back from the beginning. I'm truly excited that this is the beginning of a series, and especially one that has the interesting twist where it is, chronologically, the end of the story.  As stated previously, Red Team Blues is a good book and if detective stories or thrillers are of interest to you, I would highly recommend checking it out.

You can get a copy of the ebook or audiobook directly from the author here. You can also buy the audiobook from libro.fm or get a physical copy from bookshop.org

[sunnys-aesthetic]

Hi Sunny, sorry if I've spammed your notifications with edits of my posts just now.

I'm sorry I wasn't more diligent with making sure I tagged you and your Detective AU in the art I've done for Sleuth Jesters. I will make sure I fix that in the future. I hope you know how much I love the AU you've made, and your original designs for the Detectives and the Vigilante always make me so happy to see. It's been such a delight to see you drawing them again!

Oh!!! Omg,,, thank yoU plum and it’s okay! I don’t really blame anyone at all because it’s partly on me for not really doing much with the au + I’m a super slow artist so hdkhdkgdkbs

But,, I’m so so glad not just the idea/designs made you happy but the story written beautifully by naff did as well💛

And again, thank you for the credits ;’) it helps

[andthorns]

"everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise" — sylvia plath

full bio ✶ statistics ✶ pinterest ✶ playlist ✶ birth chart

BASICS

name: mari nakamura

age: 22

date of birth: 27th may 2001

gender & pronouns: cis woman, she / her

sexuality: bisexual / biromantic

hometown: nice, france

education: third year creative writing student

occupation: part-time bookseller at bernardi books

PERSONALITY

+ perceptive, generous, witty, protective, just – judgemental, hypocritical, nosy, impulsive, stubborn

zodiac: ☉gemini; ☾ leo; ↑ virgo

mbti: istp-a (the virtuoso)

alignment: chaotic good

temperament: choleric

vice: pride

virtue: diligence

tropes: badass bookworm; write what you know; amateur sleuth; holier than thou; cool loser; deadpan snarker; not so above it all; cultural rebel; daddy's girl; hypocrite; i should write a book about this; odd friendship (with rosemary); sibling cousin yin-yang (with oleander)

BIOGRAPHY (abridged)

mari's parents are the definition of opposites attract - rinji nakamura, a famous crime author from a family of well-respected journalists, is a quiet man, reclusive and sensible. ariane auclair, a socialite turned model turned one-time actress (an erotic thriller that was critically panned) from a wealthy family of her own, is reckless, and outgoing, and more than a little vain. no one really knows how they met or why they got together, but they did, and they had mari.

she was always closer to her father, who would let her stay in his study while he wrote. she would lie on the floor reading, or drawing, and eventually writing along with him. she declared that she wanted to be a writer when she was seven.

the circumstances surrounding mari's mother being cut out of her parents' will are somewhat shrouded in mystery. what's common knowledge is that ariane borrowed A LOT of money from them over the years, and got away with it for a long time as she was the baby of the family. when they eventually chose to confront her about this, however, there was an argument that turned pretty nasty — no one knows exactly what was said, but ariane made some below the belt remarks so damning that she was cut off.

the nakamuras moved into a smaller house, sold overseas properties, and mari started to attend a much cheaper private school. neither her nor her father were remotely bothered by this. in fact, it was refreshing. she learns from her peers, visiting places that real people go to and discovering the value of money that isn’t endless. in stages, she grows to detest where she came from, and her own family most of all.

despite now being social pariahs, they were still invited to the occasional family gathering (she suspects solely so they can be gossiped about). in the summer before her second year at meraviglia, oleander's family invited them to stay for a week. after six days of passive aggressive comments and thinly veiled insults, mari snapped.

during a party the day before they were due to leave, she slipped into oleander's mother's dressing room and tried her luck with the safe, correctly guessing the code after a few attempts (her son's date of birth — really, she was asking to get robbed) and stealing the marchesa diamond.

the act of stealing their precious diamond was not about acquiring something of worth, but about taking it away from them. she told as much to professor dupont, who seemed amused by her story as she detailed scouting the room for security cameras, an awkward encounter with a maid as she exited her guest room flushed with pride, rejoining the party with no one having noticed she’d left.

mari doesn't particularly like dupont – he’s far too much of an entitled snob for her taste – but as a child raised on mysteries, there is a certain appeal to the whole situation that gives her a quiet thrill. it’s why, in spite of her feud with caper, she was so willing to team up with them again in order to solve it. it’s harmless fun that allows her to get close to one of her best friends again, but she can’t deny that she would like to find out what happened to him.

HEADCANONS

since her family was cut off from her grandparents, mari has become something of a kleptomaniac. she never steals anything too valuable (with one notable exception, of course), usually just small trinkets that people might not notice are gone, but over the years she’s amassed quite a collection. pieces that were stolen years ago are displayed around her apartment like trophies. more recent acquisitions are kept locked in the bottom drawer of her desk.

she lives alone in a small apartment off campus. it’s notoriously disorganised, with mugs, papers and clothes scattered across every available surface, and books stacked precariously in towering piles on the floor. though she makes efforts to tidy it all up every once in a while, she actually quite enjoys the mess, as it makes her feel like a real writer.

at any given time, mari is working on several writing projects. a book of poetry, a one-woman play, a collection of essays. her favourite, however, is a biting satirical novel about wealthy families and hubris (think knives out).

one of her best qualities is that she’s unfailingly generous. most frequently seen materially – always more than happy to pick up a tab or give away books or clothes because ‘I read this and it reminded me of you’ or ‘it would look better on you anyway’. to those she's closest to, she’s also generous with her time, and is extremely dependable if you need someone to show up in an emergency.

mari doesn’t particularly like parties, but will attend the occasional gathering with the idea of finding some inspiration. every so often, however, she’ll feel the need to blow off some steam and will overindulge in whatever’s available. it’s also not uncommon to find her drinking on her own in an evening, or smoking a joint on her rickety balcony.

truth be told, she’s kind of a gossip. It’s not intentional, or through any ill will, she just enjoys the basic principle of acquiring and passing on knowledge. particularly grave or serious topics discussed with close friends she knows to keep private, but if you decide to tell her about someone you have a crush on, you’re running the risk of that person knowing within the week.

she’s surprisingly gifted at forging handwriting, a skill her friends are welcome to utilise if they ever need it.

music is something that mari treats with almost as much reverence as she treats the written word. she has curated playlists for every possible mood or activity you can imagine (motivational, shower, despondent, angry, cooking, sex), and uses them to fuel and inspire her writing. (however, she also has a penchant for true crime podcasts. she blames her father for this.)

speaks japanese, french, english, and italian fluently. she enjoys reading books in all four languages and comparing the way similar concepts are treated so differently, but her own writing is usually in japanese or french.

she has all of her father’s books preserved carefully on a shelf, and reads them whenever she misses him.

[flightlessdevotee]

"Lee watch out!!!"

"Neji?-"

Lee didn't get to finish his sentence, for a sleuth of something tackled him to the ground, making the walls spin around him.

He felt it wrapping around him, runny and coarse. He got a taste of it with his fall, and again now that he was basically buried in it. it was undoubtedly sand, now mixed with the metallic taste of his blood. He could hear Neji's terrified screams. Let him go, you're a monster, you're killing him. There was a bone chilling growl as the sand pressed tightly around his body and started to move. He tried to scream for Neji to run, to find Tenten, but he only got a muffled scream out as the sand filled his mouth. He felt how the it dragged him across the floor and into the darkness, likely following diligently behind the red-headed ghost from before.

When the sand retreated and he found himself face to face with his captor, Lee tried reasoning with it. He wasn't sure it even understood what he was saying, but it was worth a shot. They weren't there to harm it, they didn't mean to disturb it, if it let them, they'd leave immediately and never come back, anything to try to convince the ghost to let him go. It just looked at him with bloodshot and empty eyes as it got closer inch by inch.

Something about Lee's tears must've pissed it off, cause the second it felt them with it's cold, dead hands, it lunged at him and tore into his neck desperately with it's sharp fangs.

As the light dimmed in Lee's vision, he could've sworn he saw something other than hate in the monster's eyes.

My piece for the gaaleehorrorfest22.

[scruffyplayssonic]

Are the ArchieSonic comics actually an 80's/90's syndicated cartoon? Episode 62: Stuck in an elevator (part 1)

Welcome back to my look at the ArchieSonic comic series, and how it shared a lot of the same story tropes as a typical ‘80s or ‘90s syndicated cartoon! The last few episodes have had a common theme - first the characters were stranded in the ocean, then they were stranded in the desert, and after that they were stranded in the snow. So what have we got this time?

Episode 62: Stuck in an elevator 

I mean, being stuck somewhere and being stranded somewhere are pretty much the same thing, aren’t they? But sadly there’s not really any great examples of this very specific topic in ArchieSonic. In fact the only times I can think of off the top of my head where an elevator was even shown was in the non-canon Sonic Colours adaptation in Sonic #219…

…and the times that Robotnik used a sneaky escape elevator to get away when Sonic had him cornered, such as in Sonic #38. 

So yeah, short one this week huh? If there’s any instances of being trapped in an elevator I missed, let me know in the comments! Next time-

Just kidding, I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence if I didn’t try a little harder to squeeze some blood from this metaphorical stone. So I went to TV Tropes to see what I could find on this topic. And sure enough, I hit paydirt:

So instead of shaking our heads and tutting at the lack of elevators in ArchieSonic, let’s broaden the topic to cover enemies and/or rivals being locked in a room together, which I feel is in the same spirit.

Our first example is one I’ve covered before: Sonic #24, when Snively, Robotnik, and the Freedom Fighters were all abducted by the alien collector, Carheem of Wheet. 

I don’t think there’s any need to retread this one, as I’ve brought it up a number of times for various episodes. Let’s move on. 

The next example is a very brief one from Sonic #48. Sonic had been arrested after being framed for the murder of Princess Sally, and was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Devil’s Gulag.

While he was being transported to the dreaded prison, Sonic found that he was not the only future inmate being taken there. Also along for the ride was Sleuth Dawgy Dawg (no, I’m not kidding on the name), a former intelligence operative who had worked for Uncle Chuck’s spy network but had betrayed the Freedom Fighters when Robotnik made him a better offer.

Mmmm, steak. …huh? Er no, I’m not tempted to go work for Robotnik, what are you even talking about? I think the better question is why was Sleuth still wearing a swatbot disguise when he was en route to the Gulag, considering he’d been arrested 6 issues prior? You’d think the Freedom Fighters would have had time to confiscate the tech and give him a change of clothes, for crying out loud. Anyway, the plane got shot down by swatbots before Sonic and Sleuth could say anything else to each other, so like I said, it was a pretty brief example.

Don't worry, Sonic was fine. He escaped went on to do his best Harrison Ford impression.

Next up is Knuckles #18, an issue in which we saw Knuckles also go to prison. But unlike Sonic he went there willingly, to interrogate Kragok of the Dark Legion. In the previous issue Knuckles had met Tobor, his several times removed great grandfather, a Guardian like himself. Tobor’s tenure as Guardian had been brief, as not long after he was charged with protecting Echidnaopolis, the Dark Legion had escaped the Twilight Zone they’d been imprisoned in and went on the attack.

During the battle Tobor and the then-current leader of the Dark Legion, Moritori Rex, had been transported to the Floating Island and were both buried in the rubble of a collapsing ruin (don’t ask why Echidnapolis wasn’t on the Floating Island at this time, it’s a long story). Not long afterwards Tobor’s father Hawking had arrived and accidentally rescued Moritori, mistaking him for Tobor due to him being badly injured and disfigured.

Tobor had eventually managed to dig his way out of the rubble and exiled himself from the Floating Island in shame. 

Did Tobor bother to let his family know that they’d been infiltrated by a leader of the Dark Legion? No, no he did not. Instead he just bummed around on the surface of Mobius for several hundred years until he one day spotted the Floating Island overhead and decided to go check it out, leading to him meeting Julie-Su and then Knuckles. After hearing Tobor’s story, Knuckles decided he wanted more information about it. So he went to interrogate Kragok, who had been incarcerated since Dimitri’s defeat back in Knuckles #9.

Indeed, Knuckles has a massive pair of b- …er, knuckles. Ahem. Anyway, Kragok didn’t want to cooperate, so Knuckles threw out the good guardian approach and switched to bad guardian instead.

…okay, putting aside the AGAB line for the moment to ask something a bit more disturbing - what the hell, Echidna Security Team? Why would a dangerous prisoner be allowed to keep a mechanical arm that can shoot lightning bolts? You would think that when he was arrested that his arm would have been removed and replaced with a non-lethal prosthetic instead, surely? Or hell, just let him manage with only one arm - it’s not like he’s going to need two arms that much inside a prison cell. Or maybe you could rig some sort of EMP field in the cell to disable the arm? I’m just spit-balling here, but anything seems better than letting a prisoner - who I might remind you was the leader of a terrorist organisation - keep a dangerous weapon in his cell.

Anyway, what happened next?

Buggered if I know. A non-specific thing happened and somehow Knuckles and Kragok found themselves trapped in the Twilight Zone - the Dark Legion's former prison. At least at this point Knuckles was able to overpower Kragok and forced him to talk, under the threat of having his face blown off with his own arm.

And what did Knuckles learn from this?

Honestly, not much that hadn’t already been said by Tobor. The main takeaway was that Tobor being replaced wasn’t a freak accident, but actually had been planned by Moritori Rex. This explains how Tobor’s family hadn’t been able to tell that Moritori was an imposter - Moritori had been able to learn everything about Tobor prior to their battle by spying on him for years. We also learned that Moritori was Kragok’s father, but this was later retconned to say that Moritori was actually Kragok’s grandfather instead. Or I guess you could argue that Kragok had just been lying to Knuckles about his parentage, that works too. Anyway, after the exposition dump Kragok and Knuckles managed to escape back to the real world through a portal, but Kragok was intercepted by Tobor (the real one), who yeeted both himself and Kragok right back into the Twilight Zone.

Our next two characters who were locked in an elevator room together are Grand Chief Lupe of the Wolfpack and Queen Hathor of the Felidae, leaders of rival Soumerican clans who had a long history of mistrust and violence caused by territory disputes and both tribes trying to claim ownership of a gemstone called the Ancient Onyx. Dr Eggman’s Dark Egg Legion had previously tried to get their tribes to go to war against each other by stealing the Ancient Onyx, but Sonic, Sally, and Big the Cat had helped to reveal the true villains and negotiate a peaceful co-existence for both tribes.

In Sonic #237 Dr Eggman sent Mecha Sally to abduct both leaders, hoping to undo Sally's efforts by causing each tribe to blame each other for their leader's disappearance and go to war.

Not long afterwards Team Fighters arrived in the Wolf Pack Nation and were informed of Lupe’s abduction by two of her former freedom fighters, Leeta and Lyco. They joined forces to investigate and soon came across Hathor in the jungle, fleeing for her life from Eggman’s forces.

“Emissary” Hathor then explained how she and Chief Lupe had been held captive together. 

So yeah, while Lupe and Hathor were still rivals and there was still a lot of mistrust between their two tribes, they were able to begrudgingly put their differences aside to work together on an escape plan. Team Fighters, Hathor, and Leeta and Lyco were able to rescue Lupe and “the Queen,” giving us one of my favourite lines in ArchieSonic:

Sorry, Drago. This queen did not slay. 🙁

Unfortunately Tumblr’s image posting limit means that I’m going to need to make a part two for this episode. I'm attempting to upload both parts at the same time, so if you don't see the other one then treat yourself to a little refresh. :)

[rebeccareviews]

Murder at a Yard Sale by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Elizabeth Spann Craig’s Murder at a Yard Sale is a solidly entertaining cosy mystery starring everyone’s favourite octogenarian sleuth. I love the characters but I wish the mystery was stronger. This is the twenty-second mystery in the series and it works as a standalone but it would be much more enjoyable if you’re a fan.

It’s another day in Bradley and Myrtle and Miles have just stumbled across yet another dead body! The two are attending their friend Georgia’s yard sale when they discover the body of the contentious Victor Fowler. There are no shortage of suspects including an ex wife and an angry neighbour. Myrtle must uncover the murderer before there are more victims!

This is a funny, light, and easy read with mature writing! I love the small-town setting of Bradley and all the quirky characters that inhabit it. This book features the usual scenes of Myrtle snooping at the victim’s funeral, delivering her terrible food to the victim’s loved ones as an excuse to investigate, butting heads with her police chief son Red, and her boldly obtaining information from suspects in the clever way that only little old ladies who taught the entire town can! These are all familiar scenes but everything is so consistently well-written and with such humour and wit that I will never get tired of the shenanigans!

The mystery is interesting and nicely paced with several memorable and viable suspects. Although there are several red herrings and a couple of decent twists, I did figure out the murderer early on because it was a little obvious. However, their motives do make sense. But, I wish the mystery was better developed because certain parts felt a little repetitive. I also wish there was more action and suspense. I also would have liked more sleuthing from Myrtle. At times, the writing is a little choppy and distractingly inconsistent. Another round of editing would definitely clear this up.

The cast of characters remain an excellently written, memorable, and quirky bunch! Myrtle is witty, clever, and nosey as always. I really enjoyed the subplot with Miles’ family. At first, I thought it would be shoehorned in but I loved learning about Miles’ past. His family is a sweet addition and I didn’t mind at all that their presence doesn’t contribute to the main plot. I also really appreciate the bigger roles that both Georgia and Elaine (Myrtle’s ditzy but well-meaning daughter-in-law) play in Myrtle’s sleuthing. Although Miles is a diligent sidekick, I like seeing other people help because it’s fun and breathes new life into the investigation.

👼👼👼 ½ out of 5 angels!

[dankusner]

SAPD cyber-sleuthing led to stalking charge against ex-union leader

Christopher Steele, former president of the San Antonio firefighters' union, has been charged with sending threatening message to members of the Fire Department command staff to discourage them from applying to become fire chief.

For years, Christopher Steele was a commanding force in city politics, unafraid to use hardball tactics to pursue his vision of what was best for the San Antonio firefighters' union.

A week ago, the former union president was arrested and charged with stalking, a felony.

He is accused of sending threatening emails and text messages to members of the San Antonio Fire Department command staff to discourage them from applying for the vacant fire chief's position.

Steele allegedly posed as a private investigator when he told three Fire Department officials he had evidence of misconduct on their part, and that if they pursued the chief's job, he would expose them.

He even sent them mock news releases filled with purple language, which he threatened to distribute to local and national news media if they didn't abandon their candidacies, court records show.

Behind the public drama of the arrest lies a story of sophisticated cyber-sleuthing by the San Antonio Police Department.

The alleged harassment campaign, conducted from early to late March, involved aliases, fake phone numbers and bogus email accounts.

To find out who was behind it, an SAPD detective subpoenaed and sifted through highly technical information from Google, T-Mobile, AT&T and other internet and telecommunications companies.

Det. David Snow used the data to trace the emails and texts to Steele, records show.

Snow's affidavit of probable cause, which prompted a Bexar County magistrate to sign a warrant for Steele's arrest, reads in places like an engineering manual.

Steele, 57, was arrested May 31 and released a day later on $3,000 bond.

He led the firefighters' union from 2004 to 2021, when he retired from the fire department.

He has made no public comment on the charges against him.

Charles Hood was the first African American to serve as San Antonio fire chief.

He retired in January to avoid being dismissed.

A city investigation found that he had repeatedly made vulgar references to female genitalia.

Charles Hood was the first African American to serve as San Antonio fire chief.

He retired in January to avoid being dismissed.

'Your cooperation … is not optional'

The fire chief's position became vacant when longtime chief Charles Hood retired in January to avoid being fired.

A city investigation found he had repeatedly made vulgar references to female genitalia.

The city began accepting applications for the job in March.

The alleged harassment campaign began the same month.

Steele allegedly communicated with his targets using two different phone numbers and bogus email accounts that incorporated phrases such as "goodhire," "hirewellsafd" and "hiresafed."

In the messages, Steele posed as "Frank," an "independent investigator" who had been retained by a candidate for the fire chief's job to evaluate other contenders, according to the arrest affidavit.

The messages, as quoted in the affidavit, were persistent and ominous:

"As part of my due diligence, I have encountered some concerning allegations that I feel compelled to address with you directly," one message said, in part. "I am obligated to inquire whether you have ever engaged in physically abusive behavior or aggressive physical contact with any past partners."

And later:

"Failure to address these allegations promptly will not only jeopardize your candidacy but may also lead to further consequences, both professionally and legally. … Your cooperation in this investigation is not optional; it is mandatory."

An email with a mock news release that the sender threatened to make public had this subject line:

"Urgent Media Advisory: Investigative Report Unveils Misconduct Allegation in Fire Chief Candidacy."

One of the alleged targets of the messages, a female assistant fire chief, called police on March 17 to file a complaint, records show.

SAPD tapped Snow to investigate.

He's assigned to the Southwest Texas Fusion Center, a local-state-federal intelligence hub managed by SAPD.

It tracks terrorist threats and sophisticated criminal activity.

Snow determined that one of the phone numbers used to send the harassing messages was assigned to Bandwidth Inc., a North Carolina company that provides software interfaces for voice over internet communication.

From Bandwidth, Snow learned that Google was the current customer for the phone number in question.

The detective then "served legal process" on Google seeking information about the number, and according to Snow's affidavit, the company told him it was a Google Voice number associated with a Gmail account that included the phrase "hiresafed."

Snow learned that the Gmail account was created March 24 and was in use until March 27.

That tracked with the time frame in which one of the victims received harassing messages from the associated phone number.

Christopher Steele, then president of the San Antonio firefighters' union, holds a news conference in February 2020 to discuss collective bargaining.

He was combative in pursuing the union's interests and painted city officials as arrogant and overpaid.

'Layers of anonymity'

Any phone, computer or other device connected to the internet has to have an IP, or internet protocol, address to communicate with other devices.

The latest generation of IP addresses is called IPV6.

Snow traced the IPV6 addresses associated with the "hiresafed" email account to T-Mobile.

Next, he "served legal process" on T-Mobile and learned that the email was tied to an account with Ultra Mobile, a prepaid mobile phone plan.

Snow went through the same process for the other phone number used by whoever was harassing the Fire Department officials.

He traced it to Bandwidth Inc., and from there to Google, and from there to an email account with an IP address assigned to Grande Communications, an internet service provider.

Data also linked the email to AT&T Mobility and to T-Mobile.

All this complexity was to be expected, Snow said in his affidavit:

"Persons sometimes utilize methods such as creating multiple emails, aliases, using multiple digital and electronic devices, and computers when engaged in nefarious activity in an attempt to create layers of anonymity," he wrote.

The detective pressed on, and T-Mobile provided data that showed the IPV6 activity for the phone numbers originated with a customer named Christopher Steele, who had the same date of birth and social security number as the former firefighters' union leader, the affidavit states.

The T-Mobile billing address was a home Steele owns in San Marcos, the affidavit says.

That matched the customer information on file with Grande Communications.

Hays County tax records list Steele as an owner of the home, the affidavit says.

Still, to be on the safe side, police staked out the residence.

Two cars registered to Steele were seen parked in the garage, and Steele was observed driving both at different times, according to the affidavit.

'Evidence, information, contraband'

Snow was not done.

The threatening messages "likely originated" with someone using the internet service at Steele's home and phone accounts linked to the people who live there, the detective wrote.

But he couldn't say for certain which specific devices were used.

To nail down that piece of the puzzle, Snow applied for a warrant to search Steele's home, garage and vehicles for "evidence, information, contraband or instrumentalities such as computers, mobile communication devices, storage media, SIM cards" and a long list of other items.

Snow also asked the court to authorize police to search "all residents of the home" — not just Steele — "for any computers, cellular devices and items … that may be associated with the activity being investigated."

A magistrate signed the warrant on May 30.

Court records do not indicate whether police have conducted the search and if so what they found.

Meticulous to the last, Snow foresaw one potential difficulty and framed the warrant so as to address it.

He anticipated that some of the devices might have biometric security features that make it possible to unlock and operate them only with a scan of the owner's thumbprint, facial features or iris.

The warrant says that if investigators run into that problem with anything found in Steele's house, police are empowered "to obtain from the aforementioned person(s) the display of any physical biometric characteristics … necessary to unlock the device."

San Antonio continues to pay for the rogue actions of Chris Steele

We all thought we were done with Christopher Steele.

We thought his days of stirring up municipal chaos and political vitriol ended in 2021 when he stepped down as president of the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association.

Two weeks ago, however, Steele reemerged in a characteristically disturbing way, with the news he had been arrested and charged with stalking.

Steele allegedly sent threatening text messages and emails to fire department staffers in an attempt to discourage them from applying for the vacant fire chief position.

He allegedly posed as a private investigator and warned department officials that he had evidence of misconduct on their part, which he threatened to expose if they sought the chief’s job.

While it’s too early to determine whether Steele is guilty of stalking — like all defendants, he is entitled to the presumption of innocence — it’s not too early to conclude the alleged actions are in keeping with his well-established pattern of toxic behavior as SAPFA’s longtime leader.

Under his authority, the union served less as an organization geared to advocate for the needs of firefighters than as a political weapon that Steele wielded against his real or perceived foes.

A decade ago, he pushed the union into a contentious local debate about a proposed downtown streetcar project.

Under his leadership, SAPFA fought against the streetcar proposal and the union’s political action committee donated more than $50,000 to the campaign for a public vote on the project.

This was how Steele operated.

He used the union to monkey-wrench the operations and policy objectives of city leaders, with the thought that his acts of sabotage would intimidate the city into giving the union a sweet collective bargaining agreement.

His most destructive act was SAPFA’s 2018 crusade to get three charter amendments on the November ballot, with all three designed to weaken the power of San Antonio’s city government.

Two of those propositions passed:

One imposed term and pay limits on city managers, and the other gave the fire union the unilateral power to take stalemated collective bargaining negotiations to binding arbitration.

The city is still trying to undo the damage from that first proposition, which could severely hamper its future attempts to recruit and retain a city manager.

The other proposition backfired on SAPFA, which chose to activate the arbitration process and wound up with a disappointing 2020 deal, which expires at the end of this year.

That round of self-destructive bargaining, orchestrated by Steele, hovers over the increasingly tense negotiating process currently taking place between the city and SAPFA.

By turning collective bargaining into an all-out war, Steele left firefighters without a contract for more than five years.

That meant no pay increases for them during that time.

The union now finds itself playing catch-up for wages lost under Steele.

All indications are that Joe Jones, the union’s current leader, is taking a more disciplined and diplomatic approach than his predecessor.

But it would be unrealistic to believe that the confrontational stance that Steele created among the rank and file has evaporated in the span of three years.

The new allegations against Steele, however, should serve as reminder to firefighters that he was a rogue figure obsessed with preserving and expanding his own power, even if it undermined the needs of union members.

One of the most memorable moments from Steele’s reign occurred a decade ago when he addressed City Council, backed up by the power of SAPFA members who filled Council Chambers.

During his speech, Steele went out of his way to dress down then-Council Member (and current Mayor) Ron Nirenberg for allegedly not listening to what Steele had to say.

It was a needlessly hostile act, an indication that Steele was more interested in attacking people than persuading them.

If the fire union wants an example of how it shouldn’t handle this round of collective bargaining, all it has to do is look at Steele’s sordid history.

[miragegames2023]

Assassin's Creed Mirage: A Return to Stealth and Authenticity

Starting with the Assassin's Creed Mirage video game, one waves goodbye to the RPG shenanigans of the past few years. They don't swap out gear to constantly buff their stats, nor do they attempt to sleep with anything with a pulse in every town where they lay their head. They also don't fight enemies with numbers above their heads. By leaving all this on the cutting room floor and trimming the fat, Assassin's Creed Mirage feels raw and – dare it be said – fresher for it. It embraces the very fundamental ideals of the series' titular, throat-slitting brotherhood and the basic design philosophies of 2007's franchise debut, where stealth is the order of the day. In doing so, Ubisoft has crafted what is easily the most authentic Assassin's Creed game in years.

A Tale of Mystery, Discovery, and Redemption

Assassin's Creed Mirage video game tells the story of Basim Ibn Is'haq, bringing the blockbuster stealth series back to its roots with enormous success. Brilliantly modernized stealth action and one of the finest settings the series has ever seen combined with one of the most interesting assassins from recent years, producing spectacular results. The story of Basim and his rise to assassinhood is full of mystery, discovery, emotion, and splendid character development over its 15 or so hours. With a minimum of modern-day storytelling, Mirage begins with a series of focused cinematic stories that revolve around cleansing the rot that lies under Baghdad's golden veneer. At the core of this is Basim's goal: unraveling the mystery of The Order of the Ancients and loosening their grip on Baghdad. Much like gamers searching for the latest and greatest titles, Intel is thin on the ground, so there is an emphasis on finding the information he needs before he's able to act on it. So, in a way, Basim is on a quest to "buy PS5 games," but instead of video games, he's after critical information to achieve his mission.

Sleuthing Through the Shadows: Detective Gameplay in Assassin's Creed Mirage

In the Assassin's Creed Mirage video game, Basim's investigations take him across the districts of Baghdad, where each target must be unmasked and identified through diligent detective work and investigation. He must go through each target and each case, gradually uncovering more information about the target's work, habits, base of operations, and, ultimately, their identity. These investigations prove to be consistently intriguing and multi-faceted. Every case grips him, drawing him in from the smallest of clues to the full-blown, climactic, and bloody missions that conclude each investigation. The level of originality in these cases is remarkable, giving players the sensation of actually solving a case as they follow various leads. When faced with challenging situations, players can employ Eagle Vision to aid in their search, highlighting evidence. Due to its exceptional effectiveness in revealing clues, much like an avid gamer's quest to "buy PS5 games," it can sometimes diminish the sense of immersion, detracting from otherwise tense searches and missions in the vibrant and character-filled city of Baghdad.

From the perspective of the Assassin's Creed Mirage videogame, the city of Baghdad emerges as an utterly spectacular and distinctive character in its own right. It stands out as one of the series' most beautifully realized city settings, transitioning seamlessly from the tranquil desert stillness at night to the bustling market districts. Exploring parts of the Alamut under construction within the game is equally thrilling, as it exudes a strong sense of place despite its unfinished state. Yet, what proves even more intriguing than Baghdad itself is the enigmatic Basim. There lies much more beneath the surface than many other assassin players have embodied, and Basim's evolution and journey within Mirage craft a captivating story arc. Whether he takes on the role of a street thief or a fully-trained Assassin, Basim possesses intelligence, perceptiveness, and ambition. However, he also maintains a keen self-awareness, recognizing the implications of being a Hidden One, which involves ending lives and operating in the shadows. His internal struggle with the Brotherhood's ideals and the principles of the Hidden Ones, along with haunting visions of shadowy figures in his dreams, adds depth to his character. Yet, amidst this turmoil, Basim remains composed, charming, quick-witted, patient, and resolute, much like a seasoned gamer showcasing their skills while on a quest to "buy PS5 games." The pinnacle of his narrative in Mirage unfolds as an engrossing and deeply fascinating climax.

Mastering the Art of Precision and Patience in Combat

The Assassin's Creed Mirage video game showcases Basim as a superb free runner; he is quick and nimble, displaying the ability to deftly navigate corners and heights. His parkour, with the same move set as recent Assassin’s Creed games, undergoes no full-scale overhaul in movement and fluidity. However, it receives a massive boost thanks to the tight design and layout of Baghdad, which lends itself to smooth and enjoyable parkour. Multiple routes always exist over, around, up, and across buildings and walls. Some seriously elegant and fluid runs can be strung together as Basim moves at top speed across Baghdad. Basim fights like a nimble, lightly-armed assassin who is more accustomed to stealth and the shadows. This is not to say he cannot handle himself with his sword and dagger, but there is a greater emphasis on deflecting, parrying, dodging, and timing compared to previous games, where relying on pure muscle could get one out of a tough situation. Waiting for the right moment to strike, scrutinizing the enemy's movements, and attempting to outmaneuver them take on greater significance. Success in fights against guards increased notably when a patient and analytical approach was adopted, instead of attempting continuous pummeling. Moreover, even the most ordinary of guards can prove to be formidable adversaries for Basim, making him more suited for the shadows rather than open conflicts.

Assassin's Creed Mirage represents a remarkable resurgence for the enduring franchise, and through harnessing the finest elements of the series and reaffirming the original game's design principles, Ubisoft has crafted the most genuine Assassin's Creed installment in the past decade.

[jmreyes9]

Image - The eyeglasses and the green glove

PC - Jesse Reyes

 THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING EYEGLASSES

By Jesse Reyes

Devon, my grandson, had to wear eyeglasses at the age of four, to correct a visual aberration that had been discovered by his ophthalmologist.  One day, he stayed at my home after school, to be picked up by his dad in the evening after his work.

For some reason, Devon removed his glasses and went about his business at my home while waiting for his dad.  When his dad arrived, Devon got ready to go.  As they were leaving, his dad realized that Devon didn’t have his glasses on.  When asked where he left his glasses, Devon said he couldn't remember where he placed them.

So the adventure of searching for the missing pair of eyeglasses began and proceeded in earnest.   All of us, myself, my wife, Devon and his dad, searched the entire house.  We were like sleuths combing the whole house to find any evidence of the "crime"!  We looked in every nook and cranny, under the tables, moved pieces of furniture, and lifted rugs and mats. 

 In the bedrooms, we looked under the pillows, sheets and blankets, lifted box springs and mattresses and moved the beds to make sure the pair of glasses wasn’t hiding under them.  Everything was turned upside down, as we diligently searched for the glasses.

We even looked in the waste baskets just in case the glasses were accidentally thrown away.  We lifted the window curtains and surveyed the window sills.  The eyeglasses were nowhere to be found.

After about an exhausting hour of searching, the “search party” gave up.  We all concluded that the glasses had mysteriously disappeared.  So Devon and his dad went home disappointed by the loss of the glasses and discussed the possibility of getting a new set.

About three or four days later, my wife was cleaning the bar area in our kitchen when she noticed a blue-green glove near the small TV in this area.  She took the glove to put it away but felt something inside the glove.  She then retrieved this “thing” within the glove and to her surprise, it was Devon’s glasses.  He had stuffed them in the glove and completely forgot that he had placed it there.

My wife heaved a sigh of relief and happily informed Devon’s parents that the once-lost glasses had now been found.  The mystery had finally been solved! 

Written in Chicago, IL. . Published in Cyberlink 2/16/20 edited by Charles Fegarido. Posted in FB and my blog 11/29/22. 

[bitcofun]

Cover art work: Steven Ferdman/Getty Images, Bloomberg, Shutterstock cover by Yurchanka Siarhei (modified by Mariia Kozyr) Key Takeaways TRON creator Justin Sun is supposedly taking a look at methods to assist FTX. The news comes less than 24 hours after leading crypto exchange Binance revoked a possible FTX bailout. FTX is likewise presumably preparing to raise cash to plug the hole in its balance sheet per a dripped Slack post from CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. It follows a brand-new report has actually declared that Sam Bankman-Fried moved $4 billion worth of FTX funds to conserve Alameda Research. FTX Reportedly Seeking New Raise Things are going from bad to even worse for FTX, however the distressed exchange might have discovered a white knight in Justin Sun. It's been a dreadful week for FTX and its primary token Sam Bankman-Fried after it emerged that the exchange was dealing with a "liquidity crunch." Binance surprised the market when it revealed its intent to assist bail out the exchange Tuesday, however the company has actually given that released a declaration validating that it is leaving the organized offer mentioning due diligence checks and reports of misappropriation of client funds. It's reported that FTX might have a hole of approximately $10 billion in its balance sheet, though the complete level of the damage is unidentified. Hours after Binance revealed it was stepping away, TRON creator Justin Sun appeared on Twitter to state that he was taking a look at methods to assist FTX. He didn't share the complete information, he composed that he and his group were "putting together an option together (sic) with # FTX to start a path forward." Sun stated that he was actioning in as part of a dedication to TRON neighborhood members and to "prevent more degeneration" in the crypto market. UpOnly podcast co-host and crucial market token Cobie tweeted a draft of a Slack message that Bankman-Fried presumably sent out to FTX workers on Slack early Thursday, which appears to reveal that the exchange is looking for an extra raise. "For the next week, we will be carrying out a raise," an excerpt from the note checks out. "We have had talks with Justin Sun." Cobie declared that he had actually validated the note as authentic with another source. While Sun is understood for his big crypto holdings and in some cases questionable ventures, his statement will likely come as a surprise to some offered the seriousness of the accusations leveled versus FTX. A Thursday report from Reuters declares that Bankman-Fried moved $4 billion worth of FTX funds to conserve Alameda Research after the trading company suffered losses in the wake of Three Arrows Capital's collapse, which would position the disgraced 30- year-old executive in a tight area if validated. Crypto sleuths have actually mentioned that Bankman-Fried verified on Twitter that FTX was "turning a couple of FTX wallets" in September, which has actually raised suspicion that he was fraudulently moving properties over to Alameda. Bankman-Fried notoriously increased to prominence in the crypto area at the helm of Alameda prior to stepping away as FTX grew, however the tight-knit relationship in between the 2 entities has actually stayed a point of contention and issue in the crypto neighborhood. On Wednesday, it emerged that the Department of Justice and SEC were examining the FTX scenario, and the exchange's workers have actually reported that Bankman-Fried has actually gone quiet over the past 24 hours. It's hypothesized that he might have gotten away the Bahamas, though those reports are unofficial. While the scenario is establishing rapidly and there are still numerous unknowns to the continuous legend, in the meantime there appears to be little doubt that FTX and Alameda remain in severe difficulty, with possible legal implications to follow. Whether Sun can conserve FTX, and what that would indicate for Alameda, stays to be seen. Additionally, in a year

that's seen lots of ego-driven crypto believed leaders suffer substantial falls from grace, the crypto neighborhood has actually extremely chosen it has a brand-new public opponent number one: Sam Bankman-Fried. Disclosure: At the time of composing, the author of this piece owned ETH and numerous other crypto possessions. The info on or accessed through this site is gotten from independent sources our company believe to be precise and dependable, however Decentral Media, Inc. makes no representation or service warranty regarding the timeliness, efficiency, or precision of any info on or accessed through this site. Decentral Media, Inc. is not a financial investment consultant. We do not provide customized financial investment suggestions or other monetary suggestions. The details on this site goes through alter without notification. Some or all of the details on this site might end up being out-of-date, or it might be or end up being insufficient or incorrect. We may, however are not bound to, upgrade any out-of-date, insufficient, or incorrect info. You need to never ever make a financial investment choice on an ICO, IEO, or other financial investment based upon the details on this site, and you ought to never ever translate or otherwise depend on any of the details on this site as financial investment suggestions. We highly suggest that you seek advice from a certified financial investment consultant or other competent monetary expert if you are looking for financial investment guidance on an ICO, IEO, or other financial investment. We do decline payment in any kind for evaluating or reporting on any ICO, IEO, cryptocurrency, currency, tokenized sales, securities, or products. See complete conditions FTX Is Bust and Crypto Is Plummeting. What Happens Next? Yet another catastrophe has actually struck the crypto area, however there are factors to remain favorable, Chris Williams composes. FTX and Alameda Go Bust News of Binance's strategies to bail out ... FTX Faces Federal Probes as FTX Ventures, Alameda Sites Go Dark News Nov. 9, 2022 FTX's predicament continues-- 2 of its associated sites have actually gone offline while the company deals with installing regulative examination. Alameda, FTX Ventures Go Offline Two websites associated with FTX-- those of FTX Ventures ... Binance Walking Away From FTX Deal After Seeing Books, Reports of Mish ... News Nov. 9, 2022 Binance is apparently ignoring its offer to get FTX. Backout The world's biggest crypto exchange, which revealed simply the other day that it would obtain the world's second-largest exchange, is ... Read More

[sonder-paradise]

𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐇𝐢𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 — 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭

◊ characters. xiao, kazuha, heizou, scaramouche, gn!reader

◊ genre. angst to fluff?

◊ cw. ya get hurt lol, like stabby stabby hurt and i describe how

— 𝐗𝐢𝐚𝐨

the second it happens, he can feel this deep, carnal regret erupt from within him. he shouldn’t have allowed you to come with. you should have stayed at wangshu inn and awaited his return. now a shower of rocks cascades upon the two of you and he stumbles for a moment to reach out for you. “xiao, wait!”

hearing his name, he’s stunned when your hand collides with his chest and he gets pushed back. the pit of his stomach dropping as you’re flung backwards and thrown into the mountainside. he can barely call out your name before the tides of his anger erupt to eliminate his enemy.

xiao is at your side in an instant and the second you know it, you’ve returned to the inn. he’s trying to stay calm and assess your injuries. all the while silent and eerily passive. “xiao, are you hurt?” and that’s when he finds himself staring at you. his eyes gloss over for a moment and he can’t seem to stop shaking.

“you’re hurt. why are you asking me such a thing? i should have protected you instead,” he whispers into your palm when you clasp his cheek. your body tenses but you know the injuries will heal. “i’ll always protect you though. so don’t worry, i’m right here.”

— 𝐊𝐚𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐊𝐚𝐳𝐮𝐡𝐚

blade in hand, he’s always relied on you to watch his back. however, your travels to mondstadt have taken quite the turn. blocked by the road, the two of you make quick work of the last treasure hoarders. “i believe that takes care of all of them,” he says, briefly looking over you for any blemishes.

your mouth opens to answer but he’s unsure whether or not you truly spoke as the next thing he knows he’s tumbling to the dirt; dust flies up into the air and taints the surroundings a misty brown. he can barely see but through the dust he can make out your figure hovering over him.

“kazuha…?” you gasp, stumbling back and into his arms as he’s just barely gotten up. the last wounded treasure hoarder stands above you, crossbow empty and arrow lodged in your thigh. kazuha’s quick to avenge you. but his eyes widen in a mute horror as he drags you away from the danger.

blood stains his fingers as he works diligently to patch you back up safely. “please don’t ever do that again, my love. i couldn’t bare to watch you hurt yourself for me,” he says, hands trembling as he bandages your shoulder. “i’m fine now thanks to you though. i would have done it again if needed.” kazuha sighs, leaning his head against yours in half-relief and half-worry.

— 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐮

you tagging along during a bit of sleuthing never hurt. heizou enjoyed the company and your presence helped him think. the evening waned on with little hindrances. just a few flirtations from both parties until the time to grow serious came. investigating this particular case never seemed dangerous until things quickly fled in the wrong direction.

heizou’s desperate to get you out of here. the wandering samurai lunges forward, katana brandished and aiming in your direction. he’s quick to get you out of harm’s way even if you have your own weapon in hand. “you have to get out of here!”

“i’m not leaving you here!” heizou grits his teeth at your words but nothing else can be said before his name flies out of your mouth and he finds himself stumbling to the ground, gripping onto the dirt to stabilize himself. the sword rips into your shoulder blade and heizou’s breath leaves him.

he can barely remember what happens after that, the only thing on his mind is getting you out of there. you’re in his arms in a second and he can feel your blood staining his clothing. “shush, it’s fine. they’re gone now. just… just hold on i’m right here.” he can feel the iron sting of blood in his mouth as he bites the inside of his mouth, praying that you’ll be alright.

— 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞

he’s honestly not used to someone being by his side during missions. especially not you of all people. he feels a little more self-aware of his actions and his tone. still, he needs to get the job done and your assistance is certainly better than him doing it entirely alone.

but he curses under his breath when things go wrong. the plans are burning faster than he can even keep up with and now you’re stuck under this crumbling infrastructure of deluded lies with him. scaramouche isn’t even sure when or how you appeared next to him but when the wet splatter of blood hits his cheek his eyes widen.

your name tumbles from his lips faster than he can even react to your violent shove. as you crumple to the ground, he’s wrapping you up in his arms. you can see the fragility in his eyes as he stares down at you. blood pooling in a crimson puddle around you as your eyes flicker shut.

light seeps in eventually and you find yourself staring at the ceiling of an unknown medical ward. your body aches with a pain slotted within your chest and examining your surroundings you’re surprised to see scaramouche worriedly pacing the room. he stops when he sees you’re awake.

“you idiot! what the hell were you thinking taking the hit like that! do you even understand—“

“are you alright?” he stops, staring at you incredulously but at the same time relief washes over his body in a tidal wave.

“i’m… fine,” he mumbles, going to your side in an instant. he takes your hand in his, quietly accepting your decision.

Taglist: @xo-cuteplosion-xo @ik8 @nonsense-corner @ireallylikehamsters