#for now heres tinker bell thomas!

[mavibonghostexpress]

Can you draw Thomas as Tinker Bell, Edward as Silvermist, James as Fawn, Emily as Rosetta, Toby as Iridessa, and Gordon as Vidia?

Hey! I'm only doing one of them for now, since it's almost 1 am here lol

[thatdeadaquarius]

That language SAGAU but the Reader can only communicate writing on paper.

Either the Reader is mute and they (characters) don't know/understand sign language or they somehow lost their voices on their transmigration to Teyvat and can only write now. But the characters are left trying to decipher what the Reader wrote.

Examples:

Kaeya: "I may say, that was very unexpected your grace. One such as yourself should be more aware of who you are."

Reader: "wat, y u sayin dat?"

×

Gorou: "Oh, your grace! Careful now. I am most certain that you stepped on something unsightly right now. Let me clean your feet, your grace."

Reader: "r u srs rn? Fml"

Ooooo, this is nice, this is niiccceeee /ref

this would be the energy⬇️

Man I love this show, I gotta finish it (it’s Komi Can’t Communicate for those who want to see it) where she basically is too shy/introverted to speak (non-verbal neurospicy it seems like to me actually lol) and really wants to make friends and do normal things despite not speaking, her main way of communicating is writing (and her first guy friend who can just read her facial/body language really well lmao)!!

☆

Sun: Gender Neutral Reader (they/them)

Planet: Headcanons-ish?

Stars: dashes/mention of most characters

Comets & Meteors: Content Warnings: Reader/”you” are mute/lost their voice, & Trigger Warnings: None Known.

☆

This kinda falls into that post I made abt texting lingo, abt us being nigh incomprehensible when using texting lang. (its basically a code lol)

but i think it’s always neat to see nonverbal rep so here we are (also i think imma go ahead and say it is both selectively mute but also enforced by video game laws!)

u know a good explanation would be for this is actually abt how we technically are only allowed to freely communicate when we’re in chats,

so I could see that still being the only way we can commnicate in Teyvat (look am i little excited abt taking “video game world” a little too literally in every genshin AU ever- maybe.)

tbh i could see so many allogenes having to either learn to make room for you in convos and u also having to get wayyy more expressive in body language/facial expressions

tbh i think itd be pretty easy to get ur meaning, like in a battle or smth fast-paced where u couldnt write, like how Tinker Bell can?

if u dont know what i mean just search “tinkerbell scenes peter pan” on youtube and u can see ppl just having a full conversation with no words with her, which i think would deffo happen with ppl like Kaeya, Lisa, Lumine, Venti, Heizou, Ayato, Yae Miko, Thoma, Beidou and Itto surprisingly i could see it (ppl in the distance just think theyre all talking to themselves sometimes when ur not as visible hehe)

OMG they get u nice gifts for writing all the time, like the newest compact pens from Fontaine, the finest small, medium, and large notebooks from Inazuma,

like a little compact pocketbook so u can easily fit it in pockets!

u know Im absolutely sure you could literally start the texting appreviation trend in Tevyat like this-

like just so it’s easier to communicate with you, a lot of people are willing to adapt/take on abbreviations like “ttyl, gtg, wth, lol, lmao” even stuff like “etc”

lol u start a whole trend in the writing letters business, hehe silly medieval Teyvat is silly and medieval

yknow I think the quieter vision users would definitely find you to be peaceful to be around and easy to understand just with writing (also deffo most likely to adore the soft moments together of just ur pen scribbling and the sounds of nature or a cafe or something around them),

tbh i also think these ppl would be motivated to talk to you alone, or get you away to just talk the two of you for all the reasons above, like Xiao, Aether, Kazuha, Ayaka, Chongyun, Zhongli, Diluc, Sayu, Ei, Sucrose, Eula, Ganyu, Ningguang, Tighnari, Alhaitham omg he might literally be able to take his headphones off around u bc youd be in such quiet spaces all the time, and bc u dont talk he doesn’t have to worry abt u getting loud either lmao

…and then ofc, there’s the bitches that try and guess what ur writing ahead of timeeee 😭

bein all like, “Uh… you.. would like.. to go to… a restaurant… to get some- OH OH I got this one this time! Some pita pockets! …Oh. A drink. Right. Sorry, again.”

definitely Itto, Cyno, Heizou, Xingqiu, Fischl, Amber, Collei, Dehya, Wanderer, Childe, Venti, Keqing (she just used to being fast ok), Kaveh lmao

☆

I hope my reply was a little fun!! THANK U FOR SENDING THIS I LOVE THIS SM!! Man it’s so hard to make you feel my appreciation for this idea thru the damn screen

like how do i send a virtual hug

ANYWAY, if you or anybody else had an idea for celebrating 1000 followers lmk bc i am STRUGGLING with this same issue for that,

like how to make u guys feel my love 😩 ❤️‍🔥

☆

Safe travels ignihideous,

💀♒

♡the beloveds♡

@karmawonderss / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza / @genshin-impacts-me / @wholesomey-artist / @thedevioussmirk / @the-dumber-scaramouche / @chocogi

[gryficowa]

Polish dubbing is sometimes surprising… Here's the evidence:

Sometimes there are creative translations (Kim Possible to "Kim Possible", which is an awesome play on words in this language), or Tinker Bell in the Polish version of "Cynka Dzwoneczek", but sometimes the translations are like Beetlejuice to "Żukosoczek" or "Sok z Żuka" ( Why do the cartoon and the movie have two different titles? I have no idea), ironically, in the crossover version with TTG they left the English version of the name (Or rather not the name… God knows what's going on, pun)

Bill Cipher translated into "Bill Cyferka" (Bill Number?) may already be a classic, and the GF title in Poland is… Wodogrzmoty Małe… Yes, they named the fucking waterfall

In TOH King is "King" (Well, ok translation), but Owlbert's name is… Sowbert… Yes, that name resembles "Sorbet", not counting that Raine has male pronouns in the Polish dubbing… Fun

Well, I won't say much about SU, except that they made Ruby a boy… Yeah

In "Loud House" the character Sam has male pronouns… Because it is obvious that she is a boy…

"Paw Patrol" made Zuma a girl and Everest a boy (Older seasons, but the voice stayed the same so lmao)

"Thomas and Friends" here are all the translations from memory: Thomas - Tomek, Peter - Piotruś, Gordon - Gabryś (WTF), James - Kuba, Henry - Henio (Okay, now I'll use the Internet), Edward - Edek, Terence - Tymcio (Sounds similar to the Polish version of a certain spider name), Trevor - Tadek, Duck - Kaczor (Ok), Toby - Tobik, Olivek - Olek (WTF, it is not the same name, Oliver would be Oliwer, Olek is also Aleksander, or rather it is a diminutive of this name), Bulgy - Smrodek, Rusty - Rudik (Piotr Rubik lol), Salty - Sylwek, Harvey - Hubcio, Harold - Harold (Lol), Jack - Jacek, Duncan - Damian, Emily - Emilka, Bill - Wiluś (WTF), Ben - Benio, Fergus - Franek. Rhenead - Radek, Spencer - Szymek... Too big a point, if I had to mention every name I would go crazy

Now a classic: Shaggy - Kudłaty (Good)

Horrid Henry - Koszmarny Karolek, Peter - Damianek (Yes, I don't understand these translations either)

And yes, Loud House also has a lot of names changed to start with "H", but I could never remember all of them, even the English versions, so well…

Since everyone made it to the end, remember to reblog the fundraisers, yes, I prefer to mention it

[tamtam-go92]

Ages after Round 1

After 3,5 days (1 year and 9 month) the current ages of Uberhood's inhabitants are:

If you didn't notice: there is now a Masterpost with all families (might contain mild spoilers): click!

You can also read the whole round 1 in chronological order if you click here!

89: Luis Aspir 86: Carlos Contender 64: Olive Specter, Patrizio Monty 60: Dora Ottomas 59: Mortimer Goth 58: Herb Oldie 57: Isabella Monty, Consort Capp 56: Coral Oldie, Betty Goldstein, PT9 Smith 55: Denise Jacquet, Herbert Goodie, Faith Goodie, Catherine Viejo 51: Jenny Smith 50: Daniel Pleasant 49: Mary-Sue Pleasant 46: Jason Cleveland 45: Marissa Cleveland 44: Edward Contrary, Albany Capp 43: Benjamin Baldwin, Stephen Tinker 42: Vivian Cho, Morty Roth 41: Isabel Baldwin, Wanda Tinker, Opal Contrary, Marcel Jocque, Sophia Jocque, Stella Roth 38: Darren Dreamer 37: Gilbert Jacquet, Buzz Grunt 36: Checo Ramirez, Leod McGreggor 35: Florence Delarosa 34: Antonio Monty 33: Loki Beaker, Pascal Curious 32: Timothy Riley, Lisa Ramirez, John Burb, Goneril Capp, Peter Ottomas, Lola Curious, Cornwall Capp 31: Armand DeBateau, Victor Aspir, Elizabeth Aspir, Issac Bell, Hannah Bell, Brandi Broke, Rose Greenman, Jason Greenman 30: Jessica Peterson, Circe Beaker, Ajay Loner, Erin Beaker, Samantha Ottomas 29: Sanjay Ramaswami, Vidcund Curious, Bianca Monty 28: Ramir Patel, Jennifer Burb, Alexandra O'Mackey, Priya Ramaswami 27: Ana Patel, Patricia Wan, Kristen Loste, Gabe O'Mackey 26: Gabriel Green, Matthew Picaso, Andrew Martin, Nervous Subject, Cassandra Goth, Regan Capp 25: Chastity Gere, Sharon Wirth, Jessica Picaso, Kent Capp, Oberon Summerdream 24: Samantha Cordial, Kimberly Cordial, Geoff Rutherford, Malcolm Landgraab IV, Chester Gieke, Jason Larson, Jodie Larson, John Mole, Trent Traveller, Julien Cooke, Nathan Gavigan, Mary Gavigan, Cyd Roseland, Robert Kim, Cynthia Kim, Tara Kat, Cleo Shikibu, Dina Caliente, Nina Caliente, Don Lothario, Lazlo Curious, Chloe Curious, Titania Summerdream 23: Connor Weir, Natasha Una, Trisha Traveller, 22: Gunnar Roque, Jane Stacks 21: Roxie Sharpe, Jonah Powers, Guy Wrightley, Mickey Dosser, Monica Bradfort, Ashley Pitts, Brittany Upsnott, Allyn Monty 20: Mitch Indie, Max Flexor, Delilah O'Feefe, Edwin Sharpe, Marla Biggs, Phineaus Furley, Ellen Frost, Chaz Whippler, Emily Lee, Tom Freshe, Matthew Hart, DJ Verse, Sarah Love, Jessie Pilferson, Jasmine Rai, Zoe Zimmerman, Frances J. Worthington III, Aldric Davis, Almeric Davis, William Williamson, Blossom Moonbeam, Klara Vonderstein, Stella Terrano, Martin Ruben, Allegra Gorey, Joshua Ruben, Kevin Beare, Castor Nova, Tiffany Sampson, Heather Huffington, Sam Thomas, Jared Starchild, Ty Bubbler, Jimmy Phoenix, Erik Swain 19: Johnny Smith, Hailey Goodie 18: Ophelia Nigmos, Swan Goodie 17: Tank Grunt, Andrzej Goodie 16: Mercutio Monty, Tybalt Capp 15: Ripp Grunt, Romeo Monty, David Ottomas 14: Justin Cleveland, Angela Pleasant, Lilith Pleasant, Puck Summerdream, Juliette Capp 13: Rick Contrary, Violat Jocque, Dustin Broke, Hermia Capp, Sandra Roth, Jacob Martin 12: Melody Tinker, Dirk Dreamer, Jules O'Mackey, Miranda Capp, 11: Tara DeBateau, Gavin Newson, Ginger Newson 09: Sofia Baldwin, Lucy Burb, Jill Smith, Bottom Summerdream, Alexander Goth, Buck Grunt, Hal Capp, Beatrice Monty, Benedick Monty, 08: Sally Riley, Daniel Bell, Desdemonda Capp, Sharla Ottomas 07: Tessa Ramirez, Tina Traveller, Isaiah Gavigan, Gabriella Newson, Gallagher Newson, Justin Kim, Xander Roth 05: Beau Broke 04: Markus Baldwin, Etsu Cho 03: Pauline Aspir, Garett Newson, Georgia Newson, Daisy Greenman 02: Ariel Capp, Tommy Ottomas 01: Willow Patel, Ian Broke, Winona Curious, Kevin Ottomas, Nadja Ottomas 00: Frank Tinker, Wendy Bell, Felicity Gavivan, Nicolas Greenman, Octavia Greenman, Victor Roth, Felix Smith, Isolde Capp, Otis Ramaswami

[inktober-of-a-fan-girl]

Day 23: Tom Hiddleston

Now, this is an interesting combination. Tom Hiddleston was already pretty good as Loki but adding Captain Hook (an Old Etonian like Tom - this is mentioned in my @music-meme-of-365-days) just adds another layer. It was made in 2014 and was meant to be expanded on but Disney scrapped it. (More on that later.)

More in Keep Reading.

This stated for the movie and the series it is part of….

A series of digitally animated direct-to-DVD films starring Tinker Bell was begun by Disney in 2008. These works are part of the company's Disney Fairies franchise and feature a cast of fairy characters and settings original to Disney.

Tinker Bell (2008)

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (2009)

Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (2010)

Pixie Hollow Games (TV special, 2011)

Secret of the Wings (2012)

The Pirate Fairy (2014) (This is the focus.)

Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast (2015)

Link to the Wikipedia of the movie...

With this from the film series wiki…

Canceled eighth film

On August 28, 2022, Stephen Anderson stated on Twitter about working on an eighth Tinker Bell film in late 2014/early 2015. The working title of the film was “Tink Meets Peter”. It was intended to be the final installment in the Tinker Bell film series and a direct prequel to Walt Disney’s 1953 film, Peter Pan. The storyline would show how Peter came to Neverland, the genesis of Peter and Tink’s relationship, how Peter cut off Hook’s hand, etc. The film was under production during the time home video marketing was plummeting and DisneyToon Studios’ closure. All production on the seventh and eighth Tinker Bell films was eventually canceled once DisneyToon Studios officially closed in June 2018.

…which makes me very disappointed in Disney (again). This was so well built as a prequel.

But here are some links…

And if you wanna hear Tom sing (which he does in this movie), here…

as well as the making of this…

It is on Spotify…

Also Disney fandom wiki on Tom Hiddleston…as well as Wikipedia…

That smile is very handsome…lol. But Captain Hook is not the full version yet so we are left with this…

He has all the traits of Disney's Hook, with brown eyes and brownish-black hair (keep in a bow, how cute.) Kind of mad that he doesn't like oysters.

[reddeadreference]

Saint Denis Times No. 45

-Click here to return to the index for Newspapers-

This issue is available after completion of the mission: The Sheep and the Goats

(All article transcripts below the cut)

Articles marked with * are exclusive to this region’s issue.

Articles marked with ** are only there upon completion of the related mission.

A Horror Show

BLOOD IN THE STREETS OF VALENTINE.

LAWMEN, DUTCH’S GANG, CORNWALL GUARD FACE OFF. DEAD EVERYWHERE - FAMILIES GRIEVING. CORONER OVERWHELMED.

Valentine - Residents say it sounded like the Indian Wars had resumed on their streets. At first, shots rang out as women and the feeble ran for cover. It soon turned into an unrelenting cacophony of gunfire. Lawmen traded shots with members of the notorious Van der Linde gang who had come to town to rob and steal. A few agents known to be working for Leviticus Cornwall joined in the fray, quickly creating a scene of unmitigated chaos.

Valentine is well known in the region as a rough around the edges livestock town with some insalubrious visitors, and altercations are not uncommon. The recent spate of violence is, however, unprecedented. Bar fights in the Smithfield’s saloon are too frequent. Many are still in shock at the recent violence including a brutal massacre at Six Point Cabin. Local officials are calling on state and federal authorities for assistance in restoring order.

Civil War Soldiers Turn Criminals

LEMOYNE RAIDERS TURNED “FREE STATERS”. QUEST FOR INDEPENDENCE. NOW CONTROL AREA NEAR OLD SHADY BELLE MANSION CRIMINAL MISCHIEF RUNNING RAMPANT.

The war for Southern independence took many casualties. Almost every family in the country knew of a loved one who perished in that war. While many have put the conflict behind them, and tried to bring our proud nation back together, that very struggle continues to beguile members of the Lemoyne Raiders gang.

Initially looked upon as patriotic heroes fighting against tyranny during that conflict, they have failed to let the war between the states pass to history. Instead, using it as a rally point to wage war on law abiding citizens. And, some say, they have become the tyranny themselves.

Structured as a militia unit, they continue to recruit young disaffected men and engage in robberies and arms deals, even declaring that they are immune from tax and other regulation.

They speak frequently of freedom and independence, yet there have been numerous reports of robberies from government institutions and citizens themselves.

Current dispatches indicate they have taken up refuge in locations in the swamps and bayous in the lowland country, and many lawmen and bounty hunters are apprehensive to approach the area. Some have said it will take a massive amount of force to bring this murderous gang to heel.

Pneumatic Wonder!

INVENTOR PATENTS MOTORIZED CARPET SWEEPER

Bulky hand-cranked carpet sweepers may soon be relics when Thomas Rivington���s invention becomes available. While in his study one afternoon, he overheard his wife and mother-in-law lament on the hardships of cleaning floors by working bellows on a carpet sweeper device. He came upon an idea and began tinkering. The result is his pneumatic carpet renovator which creates a vacuum like suction that pulls dust into a receptacle.

It features the ease and convenience of a large gasoline powered combustion engine. Rivington showed the device at a state fairground in California to the delight of many mothers in attendance, who tried the invention for themselves. Safe and easy to use, he said the sound of the gasoline engine becomes relaxing, and even be used to lean the baby’s room while she sleeps soundly in her crib.

A Second Gold Rush

ALCHEMIST CLAIMS GOLD CREATED FROM TIN.

While prospectors seek untold millions in gold lying in streams and hills of the West, word has spread of a man who is close to making gold. Residents in the area on the border between Cholla Springs and Gaptooth Ridge in New Austin say rumors are running rampant of a reclusive alchemist, Anthony, who lives in a small cabin and is close to perfecting the ability to change any base metal such as copper or tin into gold.

If such a discovery were announced, the gold markets would surely collapse, says one economist.

Treasure Hunter Disappears

WAS SEEKING FAMED EMERALD FROM GUARMA. FAMILY FEARS THE WORST.

Treasure Hunter and Gemologist Louis T. Abresson has amassed a collection of gems from around the world, and is particularly fond of emeralds, having given his betrothed an emerald engagement ring from a stone he procured from Egypt to match her green eyes. Six months ago, he bid farewell to his wife and newborn daughter and headed on a frigate to the island Guarma in the Spanish West Indies, near Cuba, in search of what has been rumored to be the largest emerald ever discovered.

His wife, Mrs. Henrietta Abresson, reports that she received one or two letters brimming with excitement as Louis claimed to be closer to finder the object of his quarry. Then communication ceased, and weeks passed without a letter or cable. She fears the worst and has asked parishioners at her local church and treasure hunters everywhere to pray daily for his safe return.

Royal Kidnap

REWARD OFFERED FOR FINDING PRINCESS ISABEAU, LUXEMBOURG ROYAL. 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF SUSPECTED KIDNAPPING.

Luxembourg - In a royal proclamation, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has issued a decree offering a reward of $1,000 for information resulting in the whereabouts of Princess Isabeau. The princess disappeared from a remote hunting lodge while on a hunting trip during a private family visit to the United States. She was five years old at the time.

Some believe she was murdered, some that she was abducted and kidnapped, although no ransom note was ever received, others posit that she was eaten by wild animals. Her disappearance has been a source of never-ending trauma and embarrassment to the Royal Family, and especially her brother, who has frequently implored the American people to assist in finding information regarding her whereabouts, and himself denies any wrongdoing in her disappearance.

While there have been rewards offered in the past, the most recent offering is the highest ever considered. It follows recent rumors that she had been taken to a small town in the United States. Princess Isabeau has a characteristic birthmark on her face and right hand. Anyone who suspects her whereabouts is encouraged to visit local law enforcement.

Women Suffrage Debate

MOVEMENT GROWS. MANY IN OPPOSITION.

Lemoyne lawmaker Abbot Bachmeier spoke at a meeting here addressing “The Woman Problem” as concerns grow over the emergent suffrage movement. “States in the North have passed laws allowing women’s suffrage, to their detriment and arguably to their damnation. We cannot allow the scourge of the North and Europe to spread here. Women are the evidently weaker sex and unable to think things out coolly and calmly.

Giving them the vote would lead to great damage to the republic and to this state, ” he said, to a standing ovation. Well-known activist Dorothea Wicklow has held meetings in St. Denis and other towns in recent months promoting voting rights for women. The movement is spreading to smaller towns such as Rhodes, but traditionalists are confident that common sense will prevail.

Kidnappers At Large

LAWMEN ON THE HUNT. RANSOMED AND TORTURED.

A statewide manhunt is under way in Lemoyne for the Anderson Boys, the brutal and bloodthirsty gang who have taken to kidnapping and ransoming locals. Led by Anders Anderson, the outlaws are responsible for a spate of violent attacks and kidnapping in the region over the past five years. Fear has run rampant as word spread that ransoms were paid in the sum of over $2,000, and yet two of the three men kidnapped were badly tortured and maimed for life.

Aerial Amazement

TIGHTROPE WALKER ATTEMPTS GREATEST FEAT YET.

Tightrope daredevil Bessie Adair is preparing for her greatest feat yet - walking across Pike’s Basin in New Austin. Known for her death-defying feats in the St. Denis circus, she has spent the past few weeks meticulously training for her bold attempt. Adair plans a grand event next month to celebrate the tightrope walk, with a precise date to be determined.

Peck’s Flying Machine Crashes

THE IMPROVED APPARATUS LESS SUCCESSFUL THAN ORIGINAL.

Professor Cecil H. Peck, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, has worked tirelessly for several years on a steam-powered flying machine to be used for war purposes. The Aerodrome, as he named it, is unmanned and launches from the top of a houseboat by catapult. His earlier experiments met with a certain degree of success, flying briefly before crashing. His newer model buckled upon launch and fell into the river.

He was given $25,000 for the project. His experiments have inspired many science minded lads. Professor Peck says the Smithsonian recently received a detailed letter from the Wright Cycle Company, a bicycle manufacturing outfit from Ohio that requested publications about aeronautics, planning experiments of their own.

President’s Acts Further Isolate America

COUNTRY PLUNGES INTO THE BLACKEST GLOOM. TARIFF ACTS HURT TRADES, RAISES PRICES.

President Alfred Macalister signed the Tariff Act last week, raising custom duties by an average of 60 per cent. Shopkeepers and traders said the tariffs will surely cause business to close and prices to skyrocket. Imported woolen products now face a 90 per cent rate. The President asserted at the signing that tariffs result in national prosperity.

“We must keep foreign products from our shares. They strip our workers of labor, food from the tables of our families, and only seek to benefit rich titans of industry abroad.” he said at the signing. The President’s popularity has been waning during his campaign for American isolationism, and especially after a typhoid epidemic ravaged and killed 2,500 troops in military bases across the country under his administration.

The World’s Grandest

CIRCUS DELIGHT YOUNG AND OLD.

By all accounts, Margaret, Mistress of Danger brings the grandest circus show. All the surrounding country comes to enjoy the spectacle and splendor that causes wonder and joy. Margaret, Mistress of Danger: The World’s Greatest Female Animal Trainer is the most superior form of canvas-covered entertainment. Hailing from England, Margaret delights the crowd as she wrangles exotic beasts, including zebras, fierce tigers and ferocious lions.

While other traveling circuses have taken exhibiting the latest fashion in freaks, Margaret delights with feats of animal entertainment. Having held multiple shows in the area, they are packing up the tents and heading to Rhodes.

A Tale of Two Robberies

HIGHWAYMEN CLASH AT COACH HOLDUP

Two separate bands of highwaymen had their sights on the same banking stagecoach north of Strawberry in Big Valley. The driver called out “it’s a hold up!” and the guard could see four masked men outside. During the encounter, a separate band of highwaymen arrived and exchanged gunfire. Sheriff deputies arrived on the scene several hours later and found looted bodies in a stretch of the Dakota River.

The dead are believed to be members of the notorious O'Driscoll Boys, who have been lying around the area in recent weeks and responsible for robberies of banking and mail shipments.

The Art of Angling by Jeremy Gill

CHAIN PICKEREL.

It is well known that anglers go mad at times. Like hares in March, the sight of an annual salmon run or Steelhead Trout snapping at flies in spring is a topic of considerable froth and forecast for the best of us. However there exist fish that are available year round and bring great joy. When in Italy, I once took the Pope fishing for chain pickerel, and he delighted at the fantastic action and fight of this toothy fish.

I’m no Catholic, but even I was impressed by His Holiness’s wisdom and insight and we remain firm friends to this day. Often he writes to me about spiritual matters. Which brings me back to pickerel. While drawn by spinning lures in sunny weather, pickerel are a bony fish and often overlooked. But fight with this predatory fish in Big Valley for an afternoon and upon relaxing with an aperitif you will marvel at the deadness of your arm from reeling, with or without a prominent Catholic cleric at your side.

[mortanko-sims]

Part 2 of master post for remade townies!

I feel like townie makeovers are easier to browse by town and family, so this is the master post for it!

I also updated some townies that I did before - now they have the same kid of CC lists and pictures, I just wanted everything to match lol

I will be including pictures from completed towns. I saw @dreamscarx doing it and I thought it was really cool, so all credits for that idea goes to her!

I will be updating this list everytime I upload a new makeover. Also, you can request a townie makeover if you'd like to see one, I will be looking into it.

Please press directly on the family you like to see their full pictures and CC lists.

Btw, since there are way more new towns, it is impossible to fit all the makeovers in one post, so here is PART 1 with the rest of the towns.

Britechester townies:

Fletcher

Elderberries

Best of Friends

Pleasant Sisters

Extras : NPC professors (Thomas Jabari, Serena Bharma, Lana McKinnon, Jing Fen) Evergreen Harbor townies:

Greenburgs

Harris

Sterling Rico

Tinkers

Mt. Komorebi townies:

Akiyamas

Itos

Nishidakes

Henford on Bagley townies:

Scotts

Moody & McMillan

Watsons

Extras : NPC townies (Crumplebottoms, Chopras, Michael Bell, Kim Goldbloom)

Tartosa:

Markovic family

Laurents

Extras : NPC townies (Sotos, Jaleel)

Other NPCs:

Baby Ariel

Claude René Duplantier Guidry

Bonehilda

Millie Bobby Brown

Summer Festival performers

----------------------------

@mmoutfitters @maxismatchccworld @maxismatch @maxismatch4sims

[wearehuman-after-all]

Society article about Daft Punk 29th July 2021 part.2 - Translated

As Thomas Bangalter said one day to the Columbia record company, Daft Punk made an unexpected turn with imagining RAM as melancholic tribute to their teenager passion for disco and funk of the big years. Opposed to nowadays digital ease, they built their project with craftmen’s meticulousness. Each bar, each melodic line, had a instrumental colour.  Everything had been recorded on big tape cassettes, multiplying the takes in order to grab just what they needed of groove and sensibility. The saviours of Pop? ‘’Daft Punk said that the industry was sick of technology, To them, this album was a remedy. Their analysis was extremely simple and also extremely powerful’’, explains Stéphane Le Tavernier, who managed the French segment of Columbia. But after that, nothing happened, apart from years of silence and a restless wait which ended up smashed to pieces. And this question which, now, is in everyone’s mind : what happened during these 8 years between the release of Daft Punk’s masterpiece and their separation ?

***

September 2013. After having done full-scale promotion for Random Access Memories, Daft Punk find the shade of their daily life again. Separately. With his wife, the actress Élodie Bouchez, and their two boys, Thomas Bangalter lives in a beautiful hôtel particulier in the center of Paris. At the start of the school year, the eldest return to school as a sixth grader (or year 7) in a public school of the neighbourhood. If the Daft Punk was here this day to come with him, no one would have recognized him. In Paris, Thomas Bangalter makes the most of the anonymity that his masked character allowed him to keep despite the huge success of his group. The Daft Punk, who likes DIY, has by the way the habit to walk to the BHV store [a big store owned by the Galeries Lafayette group selling a lot of different things like clothes, furniture, decoration, DIY, etc...] on the Rivoli street a stone’s throw away from his house, and for longer trip he has a Vélib’ card [a bike-sharing system in Paris]. More practical than this old Matra car that he bought himself a few years ago because it looked nice, but which he put away in the garage a long time ago. Like any other period of his life, it’s to music that Thomas Bangalter devotes most of his time. In Gang, the Parisian recording studio where a part of RAM had been finished, the musician never stops testing the possibilities of his machines, among these there is a polyphonic modular synthesizer which he tinkered with it himself. A treasure, since that, in this genre of machines, we can usually only find monophonic functions. On obscure forums which he brows through at home, in a little office which he recently had arranged, or in the library, in books whose names only ring a bell to him, half of Daft Punk also polishes his theoretical knowledge. ‘’He seems to be living in a bubble. He only talks about specialized brands, about reverberation quality, summarize his friends. He’s an extreme perfectionist’’. Thomas Bangalter is the kind of guy who is being able to detect a tiny flaw in the capacity of a compressor known by everyone. ‘’At that time, the suppliers was totally panicked when they heard about this, laughs DJ Falcon. The engineers ended up confessing to their boss that they had made a change in the products without telling anyone. Thomas was the only one who had noticed it’’

For his part, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo lives in a flat on a side of Montmartre, where one can find design furniture inspired by the 70s. There are rocks, also, and crystals which he likes to collect. ‘’For my 40th birthday, he gifted me a crystal saying it could create a connection with ancient Greece, tells Antoine Ressaussière. Guy-Man is down-to-earth, but he also likes transcendental stuffs. A long time ago, we visited the Mont-Saint-Michel [a very beautiful abbey located on a kind of island in Normandy in France] together, I remember that it moved him a lot’’. In 2010, after love at first sight that happened in New York but didn’t last in the end, Guy-Man had suddenly divorced from the mother of his daughter and son. He lives alone in Montmartre with a French bulldog which he takes for walks in the surrounding streets. But it is in another high height that this Daft Punk generally keeps his days busy. From the windows of the 41st floor of the Tour France, a skyscraper of the close suburb on the bank of the Seine, one can admire the whole of Paris. In another time, it was the singer Gilbert Bécaud who lived here. Nowadays the place is inhabited by Eric Chédeville, aka ‘’Rico’’. With Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, they are Crydamoure, a label, a group and a friendship that always existed, even before the Daft Punk success. ‘’Guy-Man came to my house, we were like a family’’, explains Eric Chédeville. In the little studio that he [Eric] had arranged up there, in the middle of a bric-a-brac of keyboards and pedals protected by a large portrait of Bob Marley, the two friends spend hours improvising snippets of melodies, as they had always been doing since they were 20. Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo also makes the top floor of the tower his personal outhouse, by storing things telling what is his life nowadays: state-of-the-art phones given by a famous brand, a foot/soccer ball signed by the player of the ‘’équipe de France’’ or the trophy of the man of the year from the GQ magazine. On the contrary to his friend from Daft Punk, who is a full-time father, and who is never really in the mood to party, Guy-Manuel often wants to party when he doesn’t have his children with him. ‘’Guy-Man suffered with his divorce. He was alone and wanted to go out, clear his mind. He would send messages like: ‘What kind of party is there tonight?’”, says a friend. Several nights a week, the Daft Punk of Montmartre finds himself drinking in the darkness of a few en vogue clubs in Paris, like the Silencio. “At the time, it was our lifestyle, explains Eric Chédeville, who accompanies then his old friend in his trips. When we were 20, we spent 5 days a week going out. We told ourselves that we would spend our whole lives in clubs”.

And so, this is the life of the two Daft Punk at that time of the story. Away from their album’s success, around the rhythm of their routine, as if nothing happened. And each one, on his own. “They’re not the Simpsons, they’re not always everywhere together, explains Antoine Ressaussière. What links them together is not a friendship anymore, but a spirit. They share a territory”. But Daft Punk will soon be getting together, and not for nothing. At the end of 2013, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter are about to put their helmets back on in public for the first time in ages. In competition for 4 awards including the one for the “Best Album of the Year”, they are on the program of the 2014 edition of the Grammy Awards. On the stage of the Staple Center of Los Angeles, they will be forming one of the most majestic group of history. Everything is agreed on and countersigned: as well as Nile Rodgers and Pharrell Williams, who will accompany time like on the album to play Get Lucky, Daft Punk will have by their side the totem Stevie Wonder. A way to celebrate their disco inspirations for eternity. “It’s like kids who watched Star Wars and who, 30 years later, make a film with George Lucas”, says DJ Falcon.

***

The sun, the long boulevards, the palm trees and this sensation that summer will never end: here is Los Angeles, Daft Punk’s beloved city. “Thomas and Guy-Man have always been inspired by LA. It’s a matter of vibe”, remarks the producer Todd Edwards. Thomas Bangalter got seized by a passion for the Pacific coast megalopolis in the early 2000s, at the time when his wife, Elodie Bouchez, had just gotten a part in the Alias series and was trying to start her American career. Some time later, the couple was buying a house on the hills, not far from the Hollywood sign. With their two children, they lived there for a few years and even if they then moved in Paris , they chose to keep this house where, since then, they like spending their time in summer there. Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo also likes spending the summer in Los Angeles, but he prefers the ease of hotel rooms in the best hotels, in which he makes series of reservations. Daft Punk goes to the beach, to the restaurant and in bars, like the one of the Château Marmont, where Paul McCartney, who is also a regular client, always greets them with pleasure. In Los Angeles, neuralgic central point of star-system and paparazzis, Daft Punk manages nevertheless, just like in Paris, to take advantage of an anonymity without any fissures, which relaxes them but also sometimes makes them laugh. One day, a groupie of Sunset Boulevard bore the cost of it. Peter Franco still hasn’t covered from it: “We were having drinks together on the patio of a club and, suddenly, a young girl showed up in a fury saying on the tone of confidence: ‘You know what? Apparently Daft Punk are here. I’m desperately looking for them’. Thomas and Guy-Man acted like they were all excited: ‘You’re joking!? Where are they?’ They swore that they would keep an open eye and that they would tell her if they found the robots. When she left, we all bursted out laughing”. For the Grammy Awards, Daft Punk are soon joined in Los Angeles by some close Parisians who came specially to applaud them, like DJ Falcon, Eric Chédeville or Daniel Vangarde, Thomas’s father, producer also. The little group, livened up by Daft Punk’s Californian circle, meet up on the hills, in Thomas Bangalter’s house. On the pool side, one listens to music, and the master of the house handles the barbecue while serving rounds of amaretto sour, his speciality. Good times that don’t last long. Because soon, Daft Punk will have to go to their office.

As well as being a relaxing place, Los Angeles is the general headquarters of their career. For the past nearly 10 years now, it’s in the heart of the angeleno checked pattern city that are established the Daft Arts offices. At the angle of Sunset Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, the address is the same as the ones of the studios occupied a long time ago by Charlie Chaplin. Nowadays, the walls are the property of the Jim Henson Company, the name of the creator of the Muppet Show. The entrance is guarded by a huge statue of Kermit the frog, famous character of the show, it’s a complex looking like a millefeuille where recording studios –one of which being the one where Daft Punk recorded a part of RAM- neighbor big film sets and Henson’s puppet laboratory. Nothing, on the outside, indicates the presence of Daft Punk, and nothing much on the inside. In the duo’s offices, wallpaper showing the surface of the moon is covering the walls of one of the rooms. In a corner lie a gaming console and the FIFA game which, at the time of exhausting work sessions on RAM, served a lot as an outlet for the group.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #103: Thomas Edison

Today on Fate and Phantasms we’re making the king of inventions, the Presi-King of the US of A, and the man who turned every president of the United States into his underwear, Thomas Edison! This inventor’s one cool cat, with a World Faith Domination that can alter the hearts and minds of a nation while also shutting down any other illusions that might be affecting them. You also make robots sometimes. You also, of course, get plenty of that good ol’ American DC current!

Check out the Presi-king’s build breakdown below the cut, or his character sheet over here!

Next up: What’s that thing you shout when you jump off stuff again?

Race and Background

The good Presi-king’s a cat, but he’s a lot chunkier than most of the ones we’ve built so far. Fortunately, WotC have us covered with the Leonin. We’re also using Tasha’s variant race rules to mix up the ability score bonuses. Being a Leonin gives Eddy boy +2 Constitution and +1 Intelligence. He also gets Darkvision, Claws for additional unarmed damage, Hunter’s Instincts, giving him proficiency in Athletics, and a Daunting Roar, using a bonus action to force a wisdom save (DC 8 plus your constitution modifier plus your proficiency bonus) against nearby creatures, frightening them if they fail, once per short rest.

He’s also a Guild Artisan, for Insight and Persuasion proficiency. The sciences aren’t big in the Forgotten Realms, but he’s good enough at building things to get by.

Ability Scores

Put your highest ability into Intelligence. The king of inventors is smart, pretty simple. After that is Charisma, you can put on a good show when you have to. Follow this up with Dexterity, then Constitution. You’re a nerd, but you’ve got a fancy outfit on that helps a bit. This does mean your Strength is a little low, but we’ll get ways to fix that later. We’re dumping Wisdom though. History has proven that direct current just isn’t as good as alternating current in most instances. Also you’re happy to waste tons of resources on your schemes as long as they don’t come from America, which is pretty unwise.

Class Levels

1. Artificer 1: No points for guessing this one. First level artificers have proficiency with Constitution and Intelligence saves, as well as Arcana (which is the closest thing to science in D&D) and Investigation. You also get Magical Tinkering, which adds minor effects to small items, and Intelligence based Spells. 

Speaking of spells, you get first level spells now, plus some cantrips. You can technically use all of them, but you have to prepare them beforehand. With a limited amount of prep, you have to pick and choose what you focus on. For cantrips, Lightning Lure adds a little spark to your life, and Dancing Lights puts on a show when necessary. You can also prepare spells like Grease, Alarm, and Snare as your first inventions. You can also learn Identify to investigate other items you come across, and turn them into your own with some improvements.

2. Artificer 2: Speaking of improvements, second level artificers can actually do that with Infuse Item. After working on an item over your long rest, you can add an infusion to it that lasts until you die or you infuse more than your limit. At level two, you can make an Armor of Magical Strength, which will give you a limited use muscle body. When you make a strength check or save you can use one of six charges to add your intelligence modifier to the roll. You can also spend a charge to avoid falling prone. An Enhanced Weapon might also be a good fit for your fighters, adding 1 to all attack and damage rolls. Sending Stones are more Bell’s thing, but he’s not here, so he won’t mind. Finally, you can also make a Homunculus Servant for the start of your mighty robot army.

3. Artificer 3: We’ll continue to build your army by becoming a Battle Smith, gaining you extra spells like Heroism and Shield to inspire and protect your meatshields. You’re also Battle Ready, allowing you to use martial weapons (that’ll come in handy later) and use your intelligence instead of strength when attacking with magic weapons.

You can also build a Steel Defender, though sadly only one. It’s a medium construct that can make melee attacks, heal itself and other constructs, though only if you spend your bonus action each turn commanding it to do so. It’s built-in hardware only has melee attacks, but building a gun shouldn’t be too complicated for you.

You can also build The Right Tool for the Job over a short rest, magically creating a set of artisan’s tools.

4. Artificer 4: Now that we have martial weapons proficiency, use this Ability Score Increase to get the Fighting Initiate feat for a new fighting style. The Unarmed Fighting style will add even more oomph to your punches than before. I’d argue that magicking up some gloves with tinkering would count them as magic weapons, but that’s something to argue with your DM over. You’ll be good either way by the end of the build, but that would get your there much faster. 

5. Wizard 1: Speaking of complicated, here’s a billion extra spells. Wizards get a whole new list that’s kept in their spellbook and use Intelligence to cast. You also gain an Arcane Recovery, letting you recover spell slots on a short rest with a total level equal to half your wizard level rounded up.

For cantrips, Light and Prestidigitation will help you put on a show, and Mending can repair your Steel Defender for free. You can also make a horror movie to Cause Fear, use Color Spray to blind people with science, Magic Missile for caster balls, Unseen Servant for another robot buddy, Silent Image for classic films, and Protection from Evil and Good for the anti-mysticism effects.

(We know Unseen Servant doesn’t have an actual visible body, but it’s a straight downgrade from RAW, so it’s an easy sell for your DM.)

6. Wizard 2: You make movies, and the closest thing we can get in D&D would be Illusions. As an Illusion Savant, it costs you half as much gold to copy illusion spells. You also get an Improved Minor Illusion that can create sound and images at the same time.

You also get Tenser’s Floating Disk for a carrier robot, and Find Familiar for yet another non-combat drone. For those of you playing along at home, you can now have a familiar, a defender, a homunculus, and either a servant or floating disk with concentration. You’re not exactly a military powerhouse yet, but you’re getting there.

7. Artificer 5: Fifth level artificers get an Extra Attack each attack action, as well as second level spells. Your specialties are Branding Smite and Warding Bond, but you can also make Magic Mouths to leave behind recordings, and use See Invisibility to look past others’ illusions.

8. Artificer 6: Sixth level artificers have Tool Expertise, doubling your tool proficiencies. You can also make another infusion at once, and learn two more to fill that slot. A Spell-Refueling Ring is great for casters pulling an all-nighter, and Gloves of Thievery aren’t really in character, but they’re an excuse to use Battle Ready with your unarmed attacks.

9. Artificer 7: Every once in a while you have a Flash of Genius. Normally this would lead to some country that isn’t America getting ransacked for natural resources, but in D&D it means you can react to add your intelligence modifier to any saving throw or check done within 30 feet of you. This can be used a number of times per long rest equal to your intelligence modifier.

10. Wizard 3: Third level wizards get second level spells. You specifically get Dragon’s Breath and Enhance Ability to improve your robots’ combat capabilities. (I mean, breathing fire would improve anything’s combat capabilities, but using it on your robots is in character.)

11. Wizard 4: Use this ASI to bump up your Intelligence for better... well, everything. You also get the Friends cantrip and Suggestion spell to help bury that busybody Tesla with your social connections, and Flock of Familiars for, you guessed it, more robots.

12. Wizard 5: Fifth level wizards get third level spells, like Dispel Magic and Remove Curse for more anti-mysticism tech.

13. Wizard 6: Sixth level illusionists can make Malleable Illusions, allowing you to change what an illusion spell you’ve cast is depicting as an action. You can also cast Major Image now, and Lightning Bolt will bolster your lagging electrical toolkit.

14. Artificer 8: Eighth level artificers get another ASI and not much else, but it does mean your Intelligence is now maxed out for the strongest spells and most flashes of genius possible.

15. Artificer 9: Your Arcane Jolt can deal extra damage or heal people when you hit a creature with your own magical weapons or your steel defender. When you’re as busy as you are, fitting as much into a single action as possible is paramount.

You also get third level spells again, specializing in an Aura of Vitality and the ability to Conjure Barrage. You can also create a Tiny Servant for yet another construct, or use Protection from Energy and Elemental Weapon to add even more electricity into your party’s life.

16. Artificer 10: Tenth level artificers are Magic Item Adepts, letting you attune for four magic items at once, and crafting common and uncommon magic items are much faster and cheaper. 

You can also cast Guidance now, because why not, and learn two more invocations. Helm of Awareness gives you more situational awareness, and Gauntlets of Ogre Strength gives you punches that don’t require technicalities to deal damage.

17. Artificer 11: Eleventh level artificers can make Spell Storing Items, storing magical effects in weapons and focii. The spell has to be on the artificer list, 2nd level or lower, and take one action to cast.

18. Artificer 12: Use this ASI to bump up your Dexterity for a better AC. Your armor’s pretty good, but you should help it where you can.

19. Artificer 13: After five levels, you finally bump up to fourth level spells, with the specialty spells Aura of Purity and Fire Shield. You can also Fabricate items out of nothing, and your robot army finally gets more power with Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound and Summon Construct. (Like Unseen Servant, the Faithful Hound shouldn’t be visible, but again, an easy sell to your DM.)

20. Artificer 14: Your capstone level makes you a Magic Item Savant, giving you yet another attunement slot, and the ability to ignore class and race requirements when using magic items.

You also get Mage Hand for another kind of drone, and two new infusions. Amulet of Health will make you a bit tougher, and Gem of Seeing will help you see through enemy illusions for one final bit of anti-mystic technology.

Pros:

With proper flavoring, your robot army can be super useful, despite the small number of them that can directly attack creatures. Use familiars to revive fallen teammates or even turn macguffins into Tiny Servants at a distance, TS up your fighter’s crossbow so it’ll reload itself, or use unseen servants as stealth bombers. The world is your toolbox.

You’re also good at destroying other magic, with magic items to help see through illusions and invisibility and spells like Dispel Magic and Remove Curse to tear up mysticism affecting your party and your path forward.

Your spells and artifacts are powerful, but there’s something to be said for just being able to punch people. Maybe your DM wants to take you down a peg by tearing up all your robots, only to get the shock of their life when you’re still able to hold your own.

Cons:

While you can survive without your infusions, you’re still tied to your gear in the long run, with infusions providing you the toughness necessary to get into melee range to begin with, and your spellbook holding a sizeable chunk of what you can cast at any given time.

You also have low wisdom, so without your gear you might have a hard time seeing through illusions.

Despite your impressive physique and robot army, most of your gear is suited for indirect combat at best. You can punch and shoot lightning if you have to, but getting other people to be the muscle is still going to be your plan A.

[snowe-zolynn-rogers]

Imagine agereDee with an exaggerated lisp so Virgil can tell when he regresses mid-conversation

(Sorry this took a bit, I decided to write it but the plot happened. Somehow, 764 words happened and my grammer checker now hates me even more than normal.)

“Well, I don’t think lying is the best idea, maybe we should just be honest.” Patton told Thomas.

“B-But being honesssssst issss what got ussss here in the firsssst placccce.” Deceit hissed out. Virgil’s eyebrows quirked up but he gave no other physical sign that he was suspicious of Deceit.

“Oof, the little snake is angry, huh?” Roman taunted. Deceit’s eyes shone with tears at the teasing and he looked helplessly at the other sides before he seemed to try to fake being okay.

“Ssssssshut up!” He snapped. Virgil eyed him softly, catching Deceit’s eye for a minute and fear flashed through his gaze like he was scared he knew, scared he’d tell.

Virgil sighed and got on his phone, making it seem like he was just too bored for this, and, knowing Deceit kept his phone on eternal silence, texted him telling him to meet in his room after this.

“Even Virgil’s bored of you being here. Just leave, Jekyll and Snide.” Roman told him. Deceit seemed to huff, as if hiding his need to cry, and cleared his throat.

“Fine. Be honesssssst then. I don’t care anymore.” Deceit sank out and Virgil was glad that the conversation had all but halted now because it was only a matter of time before Deceit was hiding in his closet afraid when he got to his room. Virgil quietly excused himself to his room and found a certain snakeling at his door, tears already pouring down his face and he hiccupped seeing him.

“I sssssowwy. I messssssed eveythin up.” Deceit sniffled out.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry about.” Virgil pulled him into his arms. “It’s actually me who should apologize. I didn’t defend you and I should have but I didn’t want them to be know about you regressing.” Virgil explained.

“Tank you for not tell.” Deceit buried into his arms and Virgil moved them to the bed.

“Do you wanna get changed into something more comfy?” Virgil asked, showing him his small collection of onesies.

“I wan da bat! I match Vee.” Deceit babbled out. Virgil smiled, grabbing the black bat onesie and pulling Deceit into the bathroom, running a warm bath with bubbles for them to calm down in.

“Can I?” He held a bath bomb out for Virgil to inspect.

“Sure, go ahead, you can do it.” Deceit, giggling, placed the colorful bath bomb in the water and watched it turn the water colorful, giggling as he watched.

“C’mon. Bath time, kid.” Virgil ushered him undressed and into the bathtub, soon joining him and cleaning his hair with a conjured cup and the water. Deceit giggled through the whole process, playing with the bubbles and making Virgil a beard out of them.

“Vee gotsssss beawd.” 

“Yup, Vee gots beard now. Vee is Santa now.”

“We hab Sssssanna dissss year, Vee?” Virgil hummed at the question.

“Santa will come, you’ve been really good this year. Just like every other year.”

“Eben dough issss a week away?” The lying side slurred.

“Yup. And if he doesn’t, I’ll go up to the North Pole myself and make him give you your presents because you deserve them.” Virgil told him. Deceit giggled through the rest of the bath, playing with Virgil’s hair as he cleaned himself off too.

“Cudduu and movie!” Deceit proclaimed happily.

“Clothes, mister!” Virgil reminded him.

“Awww, but Tink!” Deceit complained.

“Tinker Bell will be there after you get dressed and help me make food too.” Virgil assured him.

“Okay.” Deceit begrudgingly agreed. So Virgil got him dressed into his pull-up and onesie. Deceit flapped the wings with his arms, giggling as Virgil buttoned it. “I am Vee! Am bat!” Deceit giggled, hugging onto him when he finished getting them both dressed.

“Okay, Dee, food and then movie, okay? It’s dinner time, you want some tacos? or are you too little?”

“Wan cookie.” The lying side tried.

“Dinner, dessert after you finish.” Virgil convinced. Deceit pouted but he refused to give in.

“Wan tacosssss den.” 

“Alright, mushroom and sweet potato tacos it is then.”

“Woo!” Deceit cheered. The deceitful side and the anxious side eventually sat down on the couch with their food on plates and Deceit with a bottle of warm milk and a sippy cup with juice in case he needed it. And, with Tinker Bell on a marathon on TV, they both finished their dinner and Deceit slowly drifted to sleep against Virgil, soft little breaths telling him he’d done his job of caring for him well. He definitely missed when he could do this all the time.

[atamascolily]

So I am revisiting formative books of my childhood (as one does), which means it's time to talk about THIS BOOK, Y'ALL.

Hardly anyone has ever heard of this series, but oh my goodness, did this book ever resonate with '90s me, to the point where my first novel, which I wrote when I was 15, was a hybrid Unicorn Chronicles-Pern-LotR fusion with characters based on me and people from my life, and a villain who is definitely not Jadis from the Chronicles of Narnia. Ahem. But I love it, the way I love all my novels, because you can see the *spark* of the idea there along with all of the influences/pastiches/story elements in a blender.

Let's just say in a lot of ways I have not changed.

Anyway, this book was published in 1994, and I read it somewhere around 1995, and then obsessively thereafter between 1996-98. Book two didn't come out until 1999, which I only found out about a few years after the fact, so for a long time, it was just me re-reading the same book over and over again.

This series follows the adventures of Cara, a young teenager who finds herself in a world known as Luster, where all the unicorns fled when they were hunted by humans - and the hunters haven't given up.

One reason this book has stayed with me for so long is because the opening chapters are so evocative--and harrowing. The first words out of Cara's mouth are "Gramma, is that man following us?"

Cara's grandmother, Ivy Morris, is afraid, and Cara picks up on her fear, and that makes everything worse, because this is clearly Seriously Business. The image of this strange unknown man stalking an elderly woman and a teenage girl is even scarier to me as an adult. Factor in the falling snow and Ivy's decision to take shelter in a church, and the atmosphere is so vivid as they hide behind the pews in hopes of avoiding their pursuer.

Ivy gives Cara her amulet--her most precious possession--which only frightens and confuses Cara further. We learn that the amulet has a lock of white hair that is supposed to be from a unicorn, and that Cara believed unicorns were real when she was small. The only other time she's ever had the amulet is when she was very ill and she had a vision of someone healing her.

The man is literally breaking down the church door to get after them. Ivy orders Cara to climb up to the rooftop while she tolls the bells and to jump after the twelfth ring while saying, "Luster, take me home". She also says to tell "the Old One" that "the Wanderer is weary". Cara is confused, but obeys, even though she's worried about her grandmother and the man calls her by name. Chapter two ends with her jumping from the tower in the snow--and if that isn't epic, I don't know what is.

Chapter three finds Cara in a pristine fantasy woodland in summer,and we get a bit more backstory: her parents, Ian and Martha Hunter, abandoned her when she was three, and she was taken in by her grandmother. She doesn't have any friends or strong connections with Earth, and she spent a lot of time escaping into fantasy. So even though she's worried about her grandmother, finding herself here is a dream come true.

Oh, also, she has red hair, because of course she does, lol.

Cara is attacked by a dwarf-like creature who steals her amulet, but she is rescued by the Dimblethum, a man-bear hybrid, who calls the unicorn Lightfoot as a healer-translator. I love how Cara's first view of Lightfoot is as this marvelous, completely well-put together being, and she doesn't even react when he jams his horn into her chest.

Lightfoot is surprised when he detects Cara has been healed by a unicorn before--Cara is thrilled because it means her experience when she was little wasn't a hallucination. Lightfoot also notes an old wound--emotional--that he can't heal,which Cara doesn't get. Also, we meet the Squijum, a monkey-squirrel hybrid that can speak in a kind of rambling dialect of its own.

The Dimblethum returns with the amulet, and Lightfoot gets to be Mr. Exposition, explaining there are five magic amulets that allow the wearer to cross freely between Luster and Earth. "The Old One" turns out to be the Unicorn Queen, so they decide to get the amulet to her.

"How did you come by this amulet, anyway?" "My grandmother gave it to me." "Who is your grandmother?" asked the unicorn curiously. "Her name is Ivy Morris." "That sounds familiar," he said after a moment. "I suppose I should have paid more attention in history."

Lightfoot, despite his majestic appearance, is actually the unicorn equivalent of a teenage delinquent, and I love it.

Cara pesters Lightfoot for more backstory, and we learn that unicorns used to live on Earth, but came to Luster along with the dwarves--known as delvers--and that pisses off actual natives like the Dimblethum.

"Is the Queen a unicorn or a human?" asked Cara.

Lightfoot snorted at the idea the Queen might be a human.

THIS IS ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD QUESTION AND WILL BE RELEVANT LATER AND I... CANNOT BELIEVE THAT IS JUST OUT THERE ALREADY, HAHAHA, WELL PLAYED.

Also, they're gonna stop by Grimmwold's Caverns along the way to meet the keeper of the Unicorn Chronicles, who has EVEN MORE BACKSTORY than Lightfoot because that's literally his job.

Anyway, the party departs. Lightfoot's horn doubles as a water filter, they meet some rogue delvers who warn that their king is conspiring with a mysterious human who wants the amulet, the Squijum has a knack for finding things and playing catch, they are attacked by another party of delvers and the Dimblethum is taken captive.

Cara and Lightfoot debate about what to do, and we learn that most unicorns are kinda jerks. Even though the sensible route is to keep going, Cara refuses to abandon a friend.

"We're going to get him," she declared.

"That's a very immature decision," said Lightfoot.

The criticism stung like a slap. "Why do you say that?" she asked sharply.

"Because it is what I would choose," he replied, sounding amused. "And my uncle has assured me many times that I am very immature."

Did I mention I love him?? No?

Anyway, the Squijum leads them to Thomas the Tinker, who helps them rescue the Dimblethum with his magic cart and all-around fashion sense. (Don't get me wrong, I love him.) Thomas fixes the broken chain on the amulet and there is a philosophical digression about chains. They skirt the dragon Firethroat's territory to avoid pursuit, and arrive at Grimmwold's place without further incident.

Turns out Cara has seen Grimmwold before: her grandmother painted a portrait of him in her room. (Grimmwold has a portrait of young Ivy, so it's only fair.) Grimmwold's library/cave is delightful -- Cara's reaction is, literally, "I want to live here!"-- and so do I.

Grimmwold does provide the backstory as promised: humans found a dead unicorn's horn and used it for healing. A hunter decided to get one for his deathly ill daughter Beloved, and he leaves her in a clearing in the woods. She is found by a unicorn, who sticks his horn into her chest to heal her--only to have the tip broken off when her father attacks the unicorn and they kill each other. Beloved is healed but unable to die while the horn resides in her heart, and vows revenge against all unicorns, marshalling her many human descendants, the Hunters. The unicorns fled to Luster to avoid pursuit, but now the cycle is threatening to start all over again.

Cara realizes she knows her pursuer's identity, but the chapter ends before we find out who it is. Grimmwold shows them his scrying pool, which Beloved hacks to read "Surrender the amulet --Beloved," which is pretty badass of her, tbh.

The amulet cannot be destroyed because it is unbreakable, which makes Thomas raise his eyebrows. "Things that cannot be broken are generally a bad idea." YUP.

Grimmwold takes them out to a secret back entrance and Cara and Lightfoot are kidnapped by the dragon Firethroat. Turns out Cara's pursuer took Firethroat's heart and she is forced to obey him. Cara confronts her pursuer in the most emotionally messy family reunion ever: it's her father, Ian Hunter.

Ian claims that Ivy stole Cara from them and the reason he didn't come for her eas because he had to fulfill his mission to kill all the unicorns first. He also claims her mother is waiting for her. Cara can get everything she's ever wanted at the cost of sacrificing the unicorns.

(Also, her middle name is "Diana," wow, not subtle there, Ian...)  

(Lightfoot is horrified, but hey, boy, you have family connections YOU'VE been hiding, so...)

Cara makes as if to give him the amulet, but tosses it to the Squijum instead while she snags Firethroat's heart from Ian. In the scuffle, she and Ian fall and Firethroat rescues them both at Cara's command. Not knowing what else to do, Cara has Firethroat return Ian to Earth.

Cara has an emotional breakdown, like you do, and Lightfoot does what he can to help. Firethroat gives Cara the gift of languages as a boon, so Cara can understand all the creatures of Luster without Lightfoot's help. And Thomas is very philosophical about chains because THEMES.

They make their way to Summerhaven--the unicorns have a rotating seasonal capital--and we learn that Lightfoot is the Queen's grandson, but for unspecificed reasons, he won't go to court, so Cara meets Arabella Skydancer on her own.

"I have a message for you. I have carried it from another world, through danger and heartbreak across this world to you. I am to tell you that the Wanderer is weary."

"Then it is time to bring her home," said the Queen. "Would you like to be the one to fetch her?"

"I would," whispered Cara. "Very much."

"Then so it shall be."

And so it was.

But that, of course, is another story altogether.

It is recorded, like all such stories, in the Unicorn Chronicles.

WHAT A BADASS WAY TO END. I'M JUST SAYING.

This held up surprisingly well overall. Older!me finds the Squijum annoying, and I sympathize with the Dimblethum more than I used to. Younger!me was really only into the unicorns, and I still find Lightfoot the most interesting character. (Firethroat is great, though!)

Those two opening chapters still get me hooked, and that's impressive. The plotting is solid, the exposition is carefully doled out as needed, the foreshadowing is excellent, and the family drama sets it head and shoulders above the usual generic fantasy. I think this would work well as a miniseries - probably too much for a movie, but maybe not.

[thesquidgame]

Batfam As Brooklyn 99 Quotes

BRUCE WAYNE

Bruce Wayne: This one says "Die Pig". And worst of all, they didn't put the comma between die and pig.

---

DICK GRAYSON

Dick Grayson: I am straight-up depressed. Barbara's been doing her best to cheer me up. She gave me this sticker this morning just for waking up.

Jason Todd: Ew, it's like you're dating your teacher.

Dick Grayson: I know, it's so hot.

---

JASON TODD

Jason Todd: So how'd you convince the whole squad to betray me? What'd you offer them?

Damien Wayne: I asked them if they wanted to embarrass you, and they instantly said yes.

Jason Todd: I'm not gonna lie, that turns me on a little bit.

---

TIM DRAKE

Tim Drake: Okay, but I thought since you were in charge, maybe I could be your right hand man? Your Tinker Bell?

Duke Thomas: Tinker Bell?

Tim Drake: Let me tell you something about Tinker Bell. Tinker Bell is a loyal lieutenant and a real thorn in the side of Captain Hook.

---

DAMIEN WAYNE

Damien Wayne: I want to say a few words. When Jason died seven days ago, I didn't give rat's ass.

Dick Grayson: This is your speech?

---

DUKE THOMAS

Dick Grayson: Or is your favorite artist really Taylor Swift?

Duke Thomas: (Scoffs) No.

Damien Wayne: Lie.

Duke Thomas: All right, fine, she is. She makes me feel things.

---

ALFRED PENNYWORTH

Dick Grayson: He makes me feel so small!

Alfred Pennyworth: Well, who cares what he thinks? You're a police sergeant! You're a grown man! Now take your nap. And if I see the lights on in here, I'm going to be very disappointed in you.

---

JOKER (because I can)

Joker: Batman. Good to see you. But if you're here, who's guarding Hades?

---

Yes, I did change the names of the people speaking, and I did change some of the people mentioned in the dialogue, but these are all actual quotes from Brooklyn 99.

[nycfae]

One of concept artists (Obaida Hamdi) confirmed that Lady Butterfly is from Pixie Girl! What are your thoughts on that?

( here’s some confirmation on that, by the way )

hm. i…don’t know how i feel. i mean, i love lady butterfly from a design standpoint ( since, y’know, we don’t know anything else about her. i mean shit not even her design is really set in stone, as is typical for zag works ), and i guess this is a somewhat better situation than her being yet another one of zag’s projects that will ultimately never go anywhere on its own, but at the same time…

my main, immediate worry when i saw this was ‘oh, god, she’s going to be the alya of this show isn’t she’. it’s not exactly a secret that ladybug is zag’s most popular property, considering how much money they put into merch and advertising for it ( and the fact that it’s literally one of the two shows they’ve got out right now, and zak storm is unfortunately doomed by faint praise and destined to live in the shadow of its older, more successful sibling forever ). 

as such, it feels like a lot of zag’s more recent concept art for shows have been sort of…banking off the ladybug formula? just a little? like, already, there’s ladybug, lady butterfly ( who’s already suffering ladybug comparisons by virtue of the butterfly miraculous existing. like, literally, go to any insta post about her on zag’s instagram and you’ll see comment after comment about it, just like it was with pixigirl in the beginning ), and lady dragon ( and we don’t even know what her deal is, either—is she supposed to be a new chara in pixigirl too instead of having her own show? ), and now this…

i don’t know what writers need to hear this in this Year of Our Lord twenty-fucking-nineteen, but giving your white ( or at least white looking ) protagonist a Black Best Friend is, uh, how you say, Not Good™. while i’m not really sure how lady butterfly and her alter ego are going to fit into this, but it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if she turned out to be this show’s alya. 

not to mention the fact that we’ve still hardly got any sort of plot information about pixigirl in the first place, especially since they apparently keep changing it. first it was about the forbidden love between pix and sorcy, now they’ve replaced sorcy with this human boy and it’s about protecting pix’s ‘glow’ or whatever, and now lady butterfly’s supposed to fit into this too? it didn’t look like she was another faerie, and we—just like with pix—have no idea where her powers even come from. not that i don’t think more heroes couldn’t be a good idea, but…again, this really just feels like another instance of the superfriends formula that happened in ladybug. 

i have no idea who’s on the writing team for pixigirl ( because i do know that thomas assface doesn’t have his grubby hands on it, which is its own blessing ), and of course no one knows when it’ll actually come out, but…i’m not sure if i’d call this news promising. again, i really love the look of lady butterfly, but i loved her when i thought she was ( possibly ) getting her own show. shoving her into pixigirl and forcing her to be the Sassy Level-Headed Foil to zag’s blonde haired green eyed Tinker Belle rip off. and i say this loving pix ! but just…mmm

[terencewoods]

&. Terence Woods: An Introduction

TERENCE WOODS is a 22 year old from ATLANTA, GEORGIA living in Beaumont for the past 3 years. He is a VET ASSISTANT and in his downtime loves GARDENING and TINKERING. He looks an awful lot like THOMAS BRODIE-SANGSTER. (ooc: Taylor, 24, she/her, Central USA)  

( I plan on adding a full biography + stats and other pages later, but for now here are some important things about Terence. )

Backstory

Terence never knew who his biological family was, or what ever became of them. Ever since he can remember he was raised in an orphanage in Dedham, England (a really small town outside London) until his fateful adoption day. He was adopted by Harrison Wright when he was ten years old, and shortly after the small family moved to America for a change of scenery (or rather, more personal reasons Harris chooses not tell Terence).

The pair ended up in Atlanta, Georgia which became Terence’s home for the better part of seven years - and if you ask him, this is where his story really began. Here is where he met his best friend (Tiffani Bell) and, secretly, the love of his life. He knew that from the bottom of his heart when he was twelve years old, and it hasn’t changed to this day. In Atlanta he found new friends, an extended family, and discovered his own path.

Before Terence graduated high school he knew he wanted to become a veterinarian, so he worked hard to graduate with honors and earn scholarships to attend university for an animal biology degree. He studied in Atlanta his freshman year, then transferred to Nashville before the start of his sophomore year.

When Terence was nineteen, Tiffani left Atlanta to see the world - and she took a large chunk of Terence’s world with her. Even though they called, texted, and facetimed almost every day, it always left a pang in his heart when he had to say goodbye. It wasn’t the same, but Terence was always supportive of Tiffani and encouraged her to follow her dreams. When she landed in Beaumont and didn’t leave, Terence knew she’d found a new home and was quick to follow her.

He spent the rest of his college years in Beaumont, studying at a university in Nashville. Soon after he and his father moved in, he took up an internship as a vet assistant at Smoley’s. It turned into a job and a wonderful opportunity, and he’s been working there since. He still plans to get his doctorate so he can become a full-fledged veterinarian one day, but he might just take a semester off first. His graduation day for his bachelor’s is rapidly approaching this May.

Some Headcannons

Terence is 5′7″ with sandy blonde hair, chestnut brown eyes, and is quite smol (rest assured, he is stronger than he looks).

He lives with his Dad on his small farm, but has been saving up for his own home and plans to move out this summer with his dog, Daisy.

He also has a horse named Azalea. He likes flowers. A lot.

In his spare time he can be found gardening, tinkering with old things, or building small projects for people around town. 

He spends every evening he can, especially weekends, supporting Tiffani’s singing career at the Alamo Steakhouse. He is her number one fan, and will do anything to support her dreams.

If your muse has ever hurt Tiffani or otherwise viewed her as a piece of eye-candy and nothing else, Terence most likely has a problem with them. You’ve been warned.

Connections

Harrison ‘Harris’ Wright; Dad

Tiffani Bell; Best Friend & Unrequited Love

Miguel Valdez; Rival

Come plot with us, we could use much more!

[tamtam-go92]

Sim ages at the start of my Uberhood

I'm using a 2 days = 1 year age mod to play this new Uberhood I'm panning (and actually already started to play when I need pause from the Somersets) and with a really difficult algorithm I have calculated each Sim's age with the default aging system and translated it into their age with the mod, all with the help of SimPE (I have quite a lot of free time currently xD). So to keep track of everyone's start age, here's my masterpost, it's simply for my own convenience. I plan to make every name a link that leads you to the chronological tag (that didn't work, there seems to be a link-limit?).

If you didn't notice: there is now a Masterpost with all families (might contain mild spoilers): click!

87: Luis Aspir 84: Carlos Contender 63: Olive Specter, Patrizio Monty 59: Dora Ottomas 58: Mortimer Goth 57: Herb Oldie 56: Consort Capp 55: Coral Oldie, Betty Goldstein, PT9 Smith, Isabella Monty 54: Denise Jacquet, Herbert Goodie, Faith Goodie, Catherine Viejo 49: Daniel Pleasant 47: Mary-Sue Pleasant 44: Jason Cleveland 43: Marissa Cleveland, Edward Contrary 42: Benjamin Baldwin, Albany Capp 41: Vivian Cho, Stephen Tinker, Morty Roth 39: Isabel Baldwin, Wanda Tinker, Opal Contrary, Marcel Jocque, Sophia Jocque, Stella Roth 36: Gilbert Jacquet, Darren Dreamer, Buzz Grunt 35: Leod McGreggor 34: Checo Ramirez 33: Florence Delarosa, Antonio Monty 32: Lisa Ramirez, Pascal Curious 31: Timothy Riley, Loki Beaker, Lola Curious, Cornwall Capp 30: Elizabeth Aspir, Issac Bell, Hannah Bell, John Burb, Jason Greenman, Goneril Capp, Peter Ottomas 29: Armand DeBateau, Jessica Peterson, Victor Aspir, Brandi Broke, Rose Greenman, Samantha Ottomas 28: Circe Beaker, Vidcund Curious, Ajay Loner, Erin Beaker, Bianca Monty 27: Sanjay Ramaswami, Priya Ramaswami 26: Ramir Patel, Jennifer Burb, Gabe O'Mackey, Alexandra O'Mackey 25: Gabriel Green, Ana Patel, Cassandra Goth, Patricia Wan, Kristen Loste, Regan Capp 24: Chastity Gere, Matthew Picaso, Andrew Martin, Nervous Subject, Oberon Summerdream 23: Geoff Rutherford, Sharon Wirth, Jessica Picaso, Dina Caliente, Nina Caliente, Don Lothario, Lazlo Curious, Chloe Curious, Titania Summerdream, Kent Capp 22: Samantha Cordial, Kimberly Cordial, Connor Weir, Malcolm Landgraab IV, Chester Gieke, Jason Larson, Jodie Larson, John Mole, Natasha Una, Trent Traveller, Trisha Traveller, Julien Cooke, Nathan Gavigan, Mary Gavigan, Cyd Roseland, Robert Kim, Cynthia Kim, Tara Kat, Cleo Shikibu 20: Gunnar Roque, Jane Stacks 19: Roxie Sharpe, Jonah Powers, Guy Wrightley, Mickey Dosser, Monica Bratford, Ashley Pitts, Brittany Upsnott 18: Mitch Indie, Max Flexor, Delilah O'Feefe, Edwin Sharpe, Marla Biggs, Phineaus Furley, Ellen Frost, Chaz Whippler, Emily Lee, Tom Freshe, Matthew Hart, DJ Verse, Sarah Love, Jessie Pilferson, Jasmine Rai, Zoe Zimmerman, Frances J. Worthington III, Aldric Davis, Almeric Davis, William Williamson, Blossom Moonbeam, Klara Vonderstein, Martin Ruben, Allegra Gorey, Joshua Ruben, Kevin Beare, Castor Nova, Tiffany Sampson, Heather Huffington, Sam Thomas, Jared Starchild, Ty Bubbler, Jimmy Phoenix, Erik Swain 17: Johnny Smith, Ophelia Nigmos, 15: Tank Grunt, Tybalt Capp 14: Mercutio Monty 13: Ripp Grunt, Juliette Capp, Romeo Monty, David Ottomas 12: Justin Cleveland, Angela Pleasant, Lilith Pleasant, Sandra Roth, Jacob Martin, Puck Summerdream 11: Rick Contrary, Violet Jocque, Dustin Broke, Dirk Dreamer, Jules O'Mackey, Hermia Capp, Miranda Capp 10: Tara DeBateau, Melody Tinker, Gavin Newson, Ginger Newson 08: Alexander Goth, Buck Grunt, Hal Capp, Beatrice Monty, Benedick Monty 07: Sofia Baldwin, Daniel Bell, Jill Smith, Bottom Summerdream, Desdemonda Capp, Sharla Ottomas 06: Sally Riley, Tessa Ramirez, Tina Traveller, Isaiah Gavigan, Gabrielle Newson, Gallagher Newson, Justin Kim, Xander Roth 03: Beau Broke 02: Markus Baldwin, Etsu Cho 01: Pauline Aspir, Garrett Newson, Georgia Newson, Daisy Greenman, Ariel Capp, Tommy Ottomas

[randomheadcanons]

A Maybe Multi-Chapter Fic. Pt. 1

Tally found the room she was looking for with relative ease. She’d been there a couple times before, on the request of her friend Justin, and this time was no different.

Except for the sling that her left arm was in, but who’s counting?

Tally knocked on the door hinge before entering the classroom. The classroom was neat and clean; there were approximately 20 desks expertly aligned in rows of 4, facing the front of the room. The low bookshelves that sat by the windows were lined with books of all types, ranging from fantasy to autobiographies. On the walls hung charts that kept track of children’s reading habits, and other motivational posters. Justin’s desk was the same as the last time she was here; a sleek laptop sitting on top of a monthly desk planner, the edges of the desk lined with folder organizers and pencil cups, along with a succulent that Cat had gifted Justin for his birthday. And of course, the “Mr. Williams” name plate that sat in the middle.

Tally turned her attention to Mr. Williams as he was writing in bring scrawling letters -CAREER DAY- on the board. She grinned. She could tell by the way his hand bounced with the chalk that he was looking to forward to the lesson today, the early hour doing nothing to dissuade his mood. Tally did notice the 4 coffee cups on the podium next to him though, and she smiled.

“Morning,” Justin said brightly, before turning around. “I got everyone coffee.”

Tally grinned, walking to the front of the room and picking up a cup. “No sneaking up on you ever, huh?”

Justin shrugged, dusting off his hands of the excess chalk particles before grabbing his own cup. “You knocked,” He said matter-of-factly, then frowned at her, a sharp crease forming in between his eyebrows. “What’d you do?”

Tally shrugged, moving her shoulder a bit. “Getting old.” She grinned, then shook her head. “Nah, it was a sparring match that a rookie got too over zealous in.”

Justin quirked an eyebrow, “So you tweaked your shoulder, huh?” He guessed.

Tally nodded, “Fell on it wrong, is all.”

“Maybe you are getting old,”

Tally snorted, “Takes one to know one.” She said. Tally studied Justin’s face for a moment and considered her statement. They were in their late-20’s now, even though that was a wild concept to her. The scars that took up the majority of his face were present as ever, but the edges seemed to have softened, as scars tend to do with time. She noticed a bit of stubble trying to peak out of his chin. She touched it. “Are you growing a beard?” She asked in surprise. “Or did you just forget to shave?”

Justin bobbed his head to each side as he rubbed his chin. “Considering getting one, is all.”

Tally hummed. “Might be a good look,” She offered. “Just don’t get a goatee.”

“Who’s getting a goatee?” Another voice chimed in from the doorway to the classroom. The two at the board turned and smiled in greeting at the new visitor.

“Justin is,” Tally chirped.

Cat grimaced as she came in, an ever-lanky Guy following behind.

“I wasn’t,” Justin assured.

“I could see it,” Guy grinned, bouncing over to grab his coffee that he knew was going to be waiting for him.

“Don’t give him any ideas,” Cat said, before considering Justin’s face. “I don’t think I would mind a well kempt beard though,”

Justin spread his hands. “I’m just giving it a shot, is all.” He repeated.

“Well now I’m invested in it.” Guy said, leaning on the podium before taking a swig of his coffee. “So you have to commit. You should name it Comet.”

“Comet?” Justin asked. “You want to name my may-be beard ‘Comet’?”

Guy nodded. “Yep,” He affirmed. “I do. I expect it turned in by next week,” he said, taking a ruler and tapping the board with it.

Justin rolled his eyes. “You guys suck,”

Cat laughed, “You’re the one who keeps asking us to do this, babe.”

“Woe is me,” Justin agreed, glancing at the clock. “Thanks for coming so early, by the way. This was the only time we could fit it in,”

“No prob,” Tally assured.  Tally looked at her friends. It was bizarre; seeing them-and herself-as older. Cat was gorgeous as ever, her confidant smile radiating wherever she went. She had cut her hair a bit shorter as the years went by, and it was sitting in a neat, poofy bun at the back of her head. Her subtle baby bump was nestled snuggly underneath her pants, looking effortless.

Guy was as lanky as ever, age not really feeling him out like Tally thought it would have. His hair, contrary to Cat’s, did get a bit longer, and he kept it in a small bun underneath his ever-present goggles. A couple years back, Guy went to go do some soul searching, and while the crew missed him, Tally thought that it did him a lot of good. He came back surer of what he wanted out of life, and he came back with a better sense of self. It showed in his better-groomed eyebrows, Tally thought. Tally was brought out of her reminiscing when Justin piped up.

“The kids should be filtering in the next few minutes.” Justin estimated, “Feel free to set up a power point or whatever,”

“None of us have ever done a power point for this,” Guy reminded. Again, Justin rolled his eyes.

“Hey Tal,” Cat asked, turning toward the redhead. “What’d you do, babe?” She asked, gesturing to the sling.

Tally shrugged, “Tweaked my shoulder.” She explained again, “I’m in it for about a week,”

Cat crinkled her nose. “Sucks,”

Tally nodded in agreement. “Oh!” she said, gathering the attention of her other friends as well. “I have a file here with me that I’d like you guys to look at with me. I’m not sure if there’s something I’m missing or not.” She said, patting her bookbag.

Justin nodded as the first students started to file in. “Sure,” He agreed. “After the period lets out,”

The room quickly started to fill up with chatter from excited 6th graders as they came in to school for the day. Justin greeted them as they walked in, waving and ushering them to take their seats and chat quietly.

Cat perked up when her little brother entered. She nodded at him. “Yo Thomas,” The boy in question looked up and waved, giving a grin before taking his seat.

“Hey Cat,” he greeted. “Hey Guy,”

Guy waved from his spot at the podium.

When the last of his kids filtered in and took their seats, Justin stood at the front of class. “Good morning, guys,” He greeted. He clapped softly. “Today, as you know, is career day.” He held up a hand. “I know it’s a Friday, and I know it’s early,” he assured. “But we have guests, so try and pay attention and be active listeners, yeah?” He was greeted with sparse ‘yeses’, and ‘yeahs’. “Good,” He said, then gestured to the three adults in the front.

“The guy at the podium is, well, Guy,” Justin introduced. The aforementioned green-bean waved in greeting to the class. “He’s an engineer, and a tinkerer. Cat is next to him. She is the executive director, and also the founder of a nonprofit in town,” Cat then greeted the class with a nod and a wave. “And lastly, this is Tally. She is a detective with NYPD.” Tally gave a thumbs up with her right hand. “Now, remember, be respectful as they’re telling you about their careers.” Justin reminded, before stepping out of the middle of the front, and instead settled to lean against a bookshelf, and letting Guy step up to the middle and begin his speech.

 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The period went by fairly well. The kids asked some neat questions, in Tally’s opinion. Thomas tried to be smart with Cat, and ask her some tough questions. But she answered them expertly while giving him a definite glare, at which a couple of kids snickered.  Tally had to admit to herself that she was a little perplexed as to why she didn’t get more questions; in years past she usually got the brunt of them. Questions about detective work; mostly curious kids asking if it was like what they saw in TV and movies. “More paperwork,” she had responded with a face. Regardless of her lack of questions, she was glad that Guy’s bit seemed to garner the most interest out of the class. Maybe his presentation would inspire some kids to get into engineering or mechanics.

At the end of the Q&A, Justin pushed off of the bookshelf he was leaning on and returned to the front of class as the bell ring. “Thank you for being respectful and active listeners,” He called over the shuffling of books and bags. “Have a good next class,” He said, as the last two children rushed out of the room. He turned back towards his friends with a smile. “Thanks again, guys.”

“Duh,” Tally said with a smile, downing the last couple sips of now room temperature coffee.

“You’re a natural,” Cat complimented, before reaching over and smoothing his collar. “Every time I see you stand up here, I’m like, ‘Boy has it’,” she grinned.

“Remember how scared you were your first day?” Guy grinned. “We were all packed in that first apartment you and me had and we packed you a lunch.”

Justin made a face. “Scared is a strong word.” He defended. “Nervous is a better one.”

“I dunno, man,” Tally grinned. “You went to bed at like 6pm the night before to ‘get the optimal amount of sleep’” she said in a mocking tone.

“And it worked.” Justin defended further.

“You still the hot teacher?” Guy asked with a smile.

Justin went red and rubbed the back of his neck.

“That’s a yes,” Cat laughed.

Justin grinned back, shaking his head. “Anyway.” He said, changing the subject. “Tally, that file?”

“Oh yeah,” Tally said, digging her bag. She pulled out a thing manila folder with the NYPD logo on it.

“That’s thinner than usual isn’t it?” Cat asked curiously, as Tally laid it out on Justin’s teachers desk. The red head nodded.

“Which is why it’s weird to me.” She explained. “There have been a couple of hits in seemingly random places,”

“You think they’re connected?” Justin asked, examining the file’s contents as he leaned over his desk. Tally sucked on her cheek.

“I don’t think they’re not connected, if that makes sense. Its stuff cops wouldn’t spend more than a week on, usually. Like, they would usually find the guy. But all of these cases have been left unsolved for like 3 weeks.”

“What are they stealing?” Guy asked, knocking his head to the side as he looked over Justin’s shoulder.

“That’s the thing,” Tally said. “Stuff that you wouldn’t think would be connected unless you looked at the timeline of each crime. They’ve all happened on a Thursday, one week after the other, after midnight.”

“That’s suspicious,” Cat said immediately. Tally nodded.

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Okay, yeah,” Guy said again, “But what are they stealing?”

“One hit was on the power plant a couple weeks back,”

“Oh yeah, I saw that on the news,” Justin affirmed. Tally nodded continuing.

“Yeah, they stole some spare unfinished arches and giant tubes,”

Guy’s nose scrunched up. “What’re they trying to do with that?” He asked, rubbing his cheek.

“Not sure, but the second hit was on a scrap yard across town. They stole a ton of shit, but police aren’t too concerned because people steal from there all the time,”

“And also,” Cat interjected, “Because it’s scrap metal.”

“Exactly,” Tally agreed.

“The most recent hit happened last week. This one’s kind of a random, they stole industrial sized fans. Like, huge ass fans the size of this room.”

“Weird,” Justin said.

“But two’s coincidence,” Guy started.

“Three’s a pattern,” Justin finished, looking at his taller friend. “Any ideas?”

Guy knocked his head to each side a couple times. “I dunno, maybe some sort of big thing that would cause a lot of heat?” He suggested, “That’s what the fans would be for; to cool it down. But none of those things are like power sources to turn anything on.”

“Why wouldn’t they steal anything nuclear from the plant?” Cat asked.

“Maybe they were waiting to get something more powerful?” Justin suggested.

“Today is Thursday,” Tally said thoughtfully, looking at her phone.

“You have an idea?”

Tally shrugged. “Not sure if it’s too farfetched, but,” She paused. “If I was trying to build something that needed a lot of energy, and if I was in a city that housed a technically off the record research facility, I would go there.”

“TCRI?” Cat asked.

“Maybe,” Tally said, looking at her friends. “I’m not making this up though, right?” she asked. “Like, I’m not seeing something that’s not there?”

Justin shook his head, closing the file. “I don’t think so,” he said. He rubbed his chin. “There’s also suspiciously no signs of break-ins. Everything just vanished. And you know who that sounds like.” He said with a heavy sigh.

Tally nodded. “Yeah,” She agreed. “They’ve been quiet lately, but Karai may be planning something.

“But why would they do it so methodically?” Cat asked, “Like, every Thursday after midnight?”

“It’s not not on purpose,” Justin said, wrapping his knuckles on his desk lightly.

“You think they want someone to catch on?” Guy asked. Justin shrugged.

“Maybe,” he agreed. “Maybe the turtles?”

“Well,” Tally sighed as she took back the file, putting it in her backpack. “I was going to head over to the lair this afternoon to see what they thought of it, if anything.”

Cat shrugged, “Wouldn’t be a bad idea. And if you need someone to tag along,” She winked. “I’m there, baby,”

Tally grinned, “And so would the baby, baby.” Cat grinned back. Tally knocked her knuckles on the table. “Okay, cool.” She said. “Thanks guys, I’ll see what I can see, and I’ll keep you in the loop.” She said, just as a new set of school children started to filter in the classroom for the next period.

Justin nodded as he walked the three of his friends to the door of his room. “Yep,” He agreed. “Keep safe,” He instructed. “We still on for ramen on Saturday?” He asked.

Guy nodded. “You know I love that salty goodness!” He assured.

“We’ll be there,” Cat agreed, slipping her hand into Guy’s.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Tally nodded, slinging her backpack over her shoulders.

“Good,” Justin said. “See you later.”

The three guests made their way out of the school and to the parking lot. Guy and Cat turned toward their car, and Tally turned toward the subway.

“Say hi to the guys for me!” Cat called.

Tally nodded with a smile, “Of course!” she called back, before heading off.