#hp has officially taken over my brain

[potter-wip]

#Accidental Draco Malfoy

[hillnerd]

ptsd/c-ptsd,  therapy & writing

(This is written by someone with CPTSD - I am not a mental health expert, and am just writing from my own experience! )

So a lot of writers want to incorporate PTSD and C-PTSD into their fiction. Sometimes people get it super right- other times I’m left cringing. I wrote this to help writers know more about it, then it also ended up being something I sent to a friend with PTSD as it got into it so she’d know more what the therapy process is like. 

So! What’s it like to have PTSD? PTSD therapy vs regular therapy-How are they different? How are they the same? What does PTSD therapy consist of?

Trigger warning:

I will be describing therapy, talk of other disorders like anxiety and depression, and might use some 'you' talk - example 'once you've gone through this, then you start to feel better.' This will also skim over child abuse, suicidal ideation mentions and trauma in general- Read w/ caution if you are sensitive to this

general overview to PTSD and C-PTSD

I am diagnosed with PTSD, but it's actually C-PTSD*

C-PTSD or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder differs from PTSD in that it's more for people who have had chronic environments of trauma/abuse for years - and is currently proposed to have a certain symptoms not listed under PTSD symptoms. 

Much of these symptoms have more to do with how one relates to other people, their self perception, and generally their learned behaviors in order to protect themselves long-term. PTSD is more about a specific event, of series of events that occurred in quick succession.

Despite the lack of official diagnosis, therapists treat people for CPTSD all the time- they just use a lot of the same tools they would for PTSD.

Not everyone who experiences trauma or battles develops PTSD, but there are factors that make you more inclined to develop it.

What is PTSD like?

There are many ways that people manifest PTSD/CPTSD symptoms.They are easy enough to google and be familiar with, but what's it ACTUALLY like for me.

a hair-trigger startle instinct I have had a few times where my husband is up at night, and I didn’t realize he was in the room- then I see the outline and start screaming- and can’t stop for like 2 minutes- then the crying settles in for 30 minutes. My traumas had nothing to do with strangers in the night. I just have a super intense startle instinct that sends my whole body into panic mode sometimes.

Hyper-vigilance- trying to control everything around you to keep you safe, and being super on edge keeping an eye out for how things will fall apart. Making sure things are locked, being extra wary of people, wanting to not have your back to people, perking up at every little noise etc.

issues sleeping- insomnia, light sleeping, & nightmares-   Sometimes reliving a memory, or just having intense dreams that leave you exhausted the next day you can barely function. This ties in with hyper-vigilance a lot- so falling asleep and staying asleep can be hard.

Depression and anxiety- pretty self explanatory- but it's common to experience these, and for pills to not necessarily be that helpful without the therapy. Sometimes anxious self destructive thoughts and memories start haunting you and making you freeze up or panic, feel like you’re going to die/be left alone by everyone etc. Sometimes emotional abuse from your past starts coming up and haunting you and you feel all your selfworth leaving your body leaving behind nothing but the want to sleep all day/cut yourself off from people - at times this can turn to suicidal ideation and other really dangerous behaviors and thoughts.

Sudden mood switches/panic responses usually a trigger for these switches is something associated with your trauma- but basically when something associated with our trauma suddenly comes up sometimes it causes us to start having feelings and emotions that feel out of whack for the situation at hand. 

Example: When I was a five I was beaten and locked on a sunny porch of a 2 story building with a sliding door.  Once my husband blocked me on the way to the door so I wouldn’t accidentally walk into some freshly painted furniture on the other side of the sliding door. I immediately panicked and angrily screamed at him to’ let me GO! fuck you!!! when he’s the gentlest man in the world and has never ever been anything but kind and wonderful with me. Then after the rage wore off I was like crying and so sorry.

I’m usually not an ‘angry reaction’ person- I’m usually a freeze/cry type- but yeah.Sometime people get panicked in crowded places, or if they feel someone is mad at them, or if they feel trapped, or if they feel like they’re being abandoned.

Sometimes I’ll get super manic and impatient/snappish if there’s not a plan on what we’re doing at a crowded place (really it’s because I want an escape plan/safe place I know we can always go to- and feel vulnerable when it’s a lot of people standing around without a plan and feel like I’ll get lost/abducted)

intrusive negative thoughts 

It’ll be the darkest weirdest repeating thoughts that you associate with emotional upset.  In ptsd treatment there is a lot of going through the events and rethinking your conclusions you’ve taken away from them. It’s simplified a lot in shows to a simple ‘it’s not your fault’- which, yeah, that’s the crux of it- but the actual work of it is super intense, exhausting, and so much more in depth.  

unhealthy coping mechanisms so a lot of people with ptsd will find ways to cope to help them fill an emotional void, or to cover up feelings etc. There are tons of ways people do this. Some will do extreme things like drugs, risky behaviors, drinking a lot etc Example: They experience a ‘violent retraumatizing’ moment like a pet getting killed in front of them- then later to cope have casual sex and drink too much in order to numb their emotions and not think about them.

A lot of ‘avoidance’ and ‘overdependence’ can be a part of ptsd. Like you might avoid certain things like the plague, or constrastingly might start using people or things or substances or food like an emotional crutch/security blanket instead of coping in a healthier way or learning to be independent.

Self protective steps you take might be super over the top, or self-destructive and borderline suicidal. 

Sometimes trying to repress all your emotions and not express them is something you do to protect yourself. 

This can be all over the map really- there are hundreds of examples!

triggering moments of your ‘Stuck points’

Stuck points are thoughts that keep us from recovering. Stuck points are concise statements that reflect a thought – not a feeling, behavior, or event. 

Example of stuck points:  'If I let other people get close to me, I'll get hurt again', 'I am useless.' 'I'm broken', 'I can't trust anyone in authority', 'People will reject me if they get to know me/see me at my worst’ ‘I’m a monster.’ ‘I’m worthless’ 

These can come up and you won’t even realize it at first. You’ll have something super innocuous happen and all of a sudden you’re on the verge of a breakdown, angry and/or panicking for seemingly no reason. 

These intense emotions will hit you and don’t feel like there’s any thoughts connected to them- there ARE thoughts behind it of course, but it takes a bit of deconstructing to figure it out though and realize ‘ooooh, there’s the thought train that was bubbling under the surface! I didn’t realize because thinking through my emotional processes was something I wasn’t allowed to do during my trauma- so now I don’t know how to instinctively do that even a little.’

Examples in fiction 

Harry Potter in Order of the Phoenix where he is yelling at the drop of a hat when he feels abandoned/rejected by everyone. His reactions are so CLEARLY PTSD related to me.  Actually, I think he has CPTSD and it just got to a tipping point due to the traumas he experienced in the graveyard.

Hunger Games Books  Probably the best portrayal of PTSD, of books I’ve read, is Hunger Games. The movies glazed over it a bit- but the books? Oh man, they nail it so hard.

HP and Hunger Games both have protagonists who are great portrayals of ptsd. The anger, the disassociation, the depression, the nightmares, the inability to identify with humans at times, the self protective steps that are unhealthy, the coping mechanism of avoidance etc.

Disassociating

People describe this in tons of different ways, but personally I think of it like body/brain numbness. All of a sudden it’s like a blankness comes over you, almost like that hazy way of daydreaming, only instead of daydreams it’s nothing but a buzzing blankness with maybe like slight almost invisible undercurrent of panic. It’s like the body is paralyzed, and you can’t act or think or do anything but stare or numbly move a bit- it almost feels like your soul just left your body for a bit and you’ve been consumed by a white room of emptiness. Not a black void- it’s not being lost in darkness- it’s like being lost in the light, if that makes sense? Like think of a blank why void like in The Matrix where the whiteness goes on forever. 

Flashbacks

In tv shows they often show it like it's a hallucination or something. Flashbacks are typically shown as a person basically becoming delirious and having visual and audio hallucinations, then perhaps even becoming violent to those around them because they literally see something different than what is real.

Again, this is my experience- but flashbacks have never worked like that for me. I more disassociate, and then all the emotions of that memory hit me, and in my brain I’m able to see bits and pieces of what happened back then, or even the whole thing- it’s like a SUPER intense memory/daydream/nightmare just settles in there for a bit- and you feel all the full emotions of it for a bit- can suddenly feel the sensations of it too at times-but at NO point am I actively moving about in a real room around people getting them confused with the past and lashing out at the hallucinations.

 I’m just sitting there, or crying there- and if someone in the room with me were to talk to me they might have to get my attention because I'm deep in that daydream/flashback- but I’d hear them and see them once I realize I’m spacing out. The most outburst I’d have would be to not want anyone to touch me- or get super startled from someone touching me then pushing them away from me. That’s very different than the crazy shit they show on TV and movies sometimes.

BAD EXAMPLE: One particular one that still makes me mad is when that had Owen from Grey’s Anatomy sees a fan- then get ‘triggered into a ptsd episode’ where he is unblinkingly choking out Cristina as she begs him to stop for a long time. Like…. It’s one thing for someone to be startled and have their instinct be to strike out- that’s a very different thing from what they portrayed. If they wanted to show him as ptsd dangerous- which is worrisome to me as people with mental health are stigmatized enough- but if they wanted to- it would have made much more sense for her to startle him somehow and for him to just blindly strike out before he realizes it. With combat training, he could very well have instincts that aren’t safe when he’s over sensitized and startled.

What are the main treatments for PTSD?

Cognitive Processing Therapy  (CPT)

CPT is the main treatment for PTSD. It is highly structured, and the majority of it is writing and worksheets. There is a LOT of writing and talking out about your trauma, writing and talking about how you process it, and analyzing it.

Beyond the traumatic memories, there is also noticing the behaviors you have that are related to your trauma and how they come out in every day scenarios. This leads to:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This is not about processing past events, but about processing current behaviors/reactions and trying to slowly change those behaviors over time so that they are healthier reactions/coping mechanism in place.

Exposure therapy- Reliving memories

For PTSD some people do a lot of reliving the trauma memories by describing them in detail, every tiny detail they can think of- and basically reliving them, but then trying to reroute the emotional response to them. 

Some people are SO repressed that this is a very difficult thing for them to access- both remembering the memory, but also knowing what their emotions were/are. These memories of trauma aren't always easy to remember/re-feel/access and that can be frustrating.

I personally am REALLY GOOD at reliving memories- in fact I'm so good that we have been avoiding it for a bit because i go straight into flashback mode way too easy (more on flashbacks and how they work later)

There are ways of doing this that are more than just revising the memory through talk therapy, that I haven't done and would require research on your part:

virtual reality to revisit the place

watching videos or listening to recordings of the event and talking it through

exposure therapy that's more about getting used to sounds/smells/words that are triggering

The main point though is to process the emotions tied to that event and not make your brain default to that flight/fight/freeze mode when triggering things happen.

IMPORTANT TOOLS FOR THERAPY

If a person hasn't had much therapy, CPT/CBT has a lot of learning for that person, and a LOT of trying to identify emotions and really feel them, so one can process them.

Grounding techniques/exercises-

techniques used to sooth/calm a person when activated- there are like thousands of these guys out there- I think everyone is a bit familiar with them- like breathing exercises in yoga? Basically it's a way of regrouping and centering yourself- 'grounding' you in reality, instead of letting your brain go off on a tangent/emotional rollercoaster.

It's basically any way you can snap your thinking out of your anxious thoughts and concentrate on something until your re-calibrate and are calmer.

Personally the breathing techniques make me freak out- so I don't use those. :P Ones I find helpful are ones like 'Name every color you can see.' or 'go through the alphabet and letter by letter name an animal that starts with that letter.' and 'hold an ice cube in your hand and concentrate fully on every sensation you're feeling.'example  example

-CBT and CPT WORKSHEETS

god, SO many worksheets.

Here are some helpful links

https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/cbt-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-techniques-worksheets/  --- This page covers cognitive distortions really well, and has some helpful resources and worksheets.

https://trailstowellness.org/resources   This page has a lot of great worksheets for trauma.

https://www.psychologytools.com/professional/problems/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/- unfortunately you cannot access the documents here without paying- BUT you can read what the docs are, and how they will be used in a therapy setting- so can use that as a launch point for what sort of worksheets/phrases to google.

I specifically worked from  Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD: A Comprehensive Manual a lot.

What is the structure of PTSD therapy?

First session

The first thing I had to do was fill out a questionnaire (PTSD test , cptsd questionnaire) to make sure she thought the treatment was appropriate. We talked about this a bit, what symptoms I had, talked over examples of it. I'm comfortable with therapy so this wasn't so bad for me, but I can see this being very difficult for people who aren't as comfortable in this setting and would need to be walked through it more and have more questions as they might not have a lot of self-awareness. We discussed goals, what could be achieved, and generally what it would be like. We went over the first worksheet and I was given homework of figuring out what my stuck points are.

Sessions after that

Each session we begin with typical therapy for a bit 'how was the last week? Were there any events I should know about?' Then we go over the worksheet I filled out, and analyze it, talk about examples, or apply it to trauma memories.

What is trauma therapy LIKE?

I always try to have the next day or so as free as possible after therapy, because afterwards I am wiped out, exhausted, and sometimes super triggered and crying afterwards.

The analogy I like to use is cleaning out a closet you keep hoarding stuff in:

Your house is your life, your brain is a closet, and PTSD/trauma is a messy hoarders type hidden away in the closet. When the door to this closet is closed you can almost pretend there isn't a mess there at all. Y ou close the door by being in denial, not thinking about your trauma, not acknowledging or processing it. You just keep stuffing the trauma into the closet.

But the longer you let the closet stay like that, the worse the situation gets. Soon that closet door keeps busting open and all sorts of crap falls out when you don't want it to. Freakouts, hypervigilance, meltdowns etc. The crap in the closet starts to multiply.

Ever seen Hoarders or Marie Kondo? You know how people are crying over t-shirts and crap and the house looks WORSE for a while? That's trauma therapy.

In therapy you have to open the closet door, take out ALL the crap you've been hoarding in the closet, process it, organize it, and then put things in order again. Every single box of trauma needs to be looked at then put away- The goal is to  throw out the intense intrusive emotions tied to the junk. You have to keep your memories- but you don't have to keep holding on to the behaviors they've formed, the turbulent emotions, and the intensity of it all. During therapy at first it's fine. Kondo is walking you through it and it's all just fine and dandy- then you are faced with this HOARD of CRAP you have to work through- and it's SO overwhelming. My anxiety and depression got way worse for a while. Like, I was on EDGE and having nightmares and it was horrible. But then once you've processed the memories, and start actively applying what you've learned and start using grounding techniques more and more- things do get easier.

I am not fixed. I am not cured. I will have to continue to work through stuff- It's that whole 'healing is a not a straight line' thing. Like, there are times I regress and I hate it. :P But it's gotten a lot better.

IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS I’M HAPPY TO HELP.

I figure this can be an ok resource for people who don’t know much about ptsd except what it says on like webmd (which isn’t that accessible to me) and want to write about it (or want to just know more about it)

( *C-PTSD has not been considered an official different disorder from PTSD for all that long. In fact, one technically can't be medically diagnosed with CPTSD in america yet. PTSD is diagnosable and has been considered an official disorder for decades, but C-PTSD has not been named a disorder of its own yet in the official guidebook of psychological disorders in the US (DSM). I think they might have JUST recognized it in the UK guidebook (ICD). I know it was proposed for the 11th addition.)

[jq37]

The Report Card – Fantasy High Sophomore Year Ep 15

Love Wins!

Welcome to an insanely chaotic episode of Fantasy High--even by the very high standards of this show.  How chaotic you may ask? Well, the first thing that happens is that Bill Seacaster point blank shoots Gilear to death for being in a relationship with Hilariel. Full dead. He is full dead. Strangely, his plan to bring him back as a janky devil does not do much to comfort Fig. Imagine that.

Bill’s pirates are looting the Bottomless Pit (Gorthalax’s domain in Hell) and Vraz orders Fig to make them stop. When she instead orders Vraz to eat her ass, Vraz nullifies all warlock deals Gorthalax made and brings none other than Johnny Spells (and his greaser pals) to join the fight!

Really, this fight is insane and it’s better served by a highlight real than a play by play so I’m just gonna give you some bullets:

All the PCs rolled super low initiative this fight which really kinda screwed them. Like Fabian was down to 16 HP one point and it was like, “Lol, this is the end of round 1.” YIKES.

A big part of this fight was just surviving long enough to get to the second level of hell and rescue Riz’s dad which I think was probably good for morale because the thought of this fight dragging on for more than a couple of rounds exhausts me. 

Fabian rolls off against Johnny right off the bat for the Hangman’s loyalty and Fabian wins with a 25 (and by coming out the gate with the word ENSLAVED which isn’t the word *I* would have used but a 25 is a 25 I guess).

He also has to contend with fighting Allistair who has a massive hole in his head filled with fire from Wicklaw eating his brain. It seems like Chungledown Bim is in hell too based on how Allistair keeps saying he’s gonna get him so he can shit in Fabian’s mouth. Of course, Fabian gets the better of him, but not before he deals out a fair bit of damage. 

Adaine uses an Arcane Hand plus her portent roll to just whole-ass throw Johnny off the ship. Like, he gets back up but it’s so funny to instead of fighting an enemy to just throw him off a set piece (see eg: Bloodkeep ep2).

Kristen Revivifies Gilear and Bill, the mercurial sunuvabitch is like, “We love the same woman! I just want her happy!” and gives him a gun. Kristen immediately is like, “Bro, you need to hide,” and Gorgug protects him while he does so (in a sarcophagus that has a 50/50 shot of being launched as ammo). 

Penelope shows up to the fight, eyes all black, wearing a shredded prom dress, and with shards of silver embedded in her forehead like a crown. Dayne and Daybreak also join the fight as messed up Harvestmen! It’s a veritable Smash Bros lineup of people the Bad Kids have killed!

Adaine and Fabian are christened the “Posh Squad” which is important to me, not to the fight. 

Adaine gets to counterspell a counterspell from Penelope, one of the sexiest things you can do in D&D.

Fabian declares toxic masculinity dead. Shortly afterward, he makes Brennan eat a die when Daybreak tries to Frighten Fabian, a condition he is immune to due to his eyepatch I gather based on the table reaction. 

Daybreak’s punishment in hell is a complete lack of self-awareness of why he’s there. He still thinks he should be sipping Mai-Tai’s in corn heaven with Helio while Kristen and Ragh are attacking him with gay spit (their words, not mine). Gay spit and, also, a ton of radiant and thunder damage.

Ragh gets some emotional catharsis by getting to body Dayne before Gorgug decapitates him. Very important step in the stages of grief. Decapitating the source of said grief. 

Penelope gets Sparta-kicked off the edge of the boat by Fabian after Ayda dispels her protective globe and Riz shoots Daybreak again for old times sake. Unfortunately, Penelope Misty Steps back up and Daybreak is hurt but not killed. Ayda does a cool Dr. Strange teleportation thing and does a bunch of damage to both of them. Fabian finishes off Penelope with a sheet/sword combo and between Booming Blade and a Psionic Blast (does she have this ability as a Bard or as a Warlock? Relatedly, when she felt something leave her was that her Warlock deal being nullified or was she feeling the deals leave her since she is sort of the temporary Gorthalax?) Fig destroys Daybreak. Johnny just falls off the ship with no PC intervention because he sucks. 

Bill also falls off the ship but Fig (with an assist from Gorgug) saves him and steals a scroll from Vraz on the way back up. By the by, earlier in the fight, she also had Baby Invisbly steal a random item from her. 

Anyway, as they reach the end of the end of the fight, Bill loads Riz into a canon (!) and shoots him into the city, hopefully towards his dad (to the distress of his party). He crashes through the window in a familiar looking building and, when he finds a hallway that he’s pretty sure leads to his dad, he goes towards it. 

He sees a familiar light coming out of a doorway (the interrogation room light) and a doorway next to it that is slightly open with steel thrones in it. There’s a two-way mirror between the two rooms and if he goes into the open one, he can see who is in with his dad. After checking for illusions and finding none, he stealthily walks in and sees, in the other room, his dad with a hulking pit fiend (30 ft tall, winged, almost dragon-y devil).

The pit fiend is questioning Pok about any regrets he had in life and Pok answers very uncharacteristically from the man we saw in the video saying he had nothing but high hopes for baby Riz. He says he had no regrets, his job was just a job, and that he only had a kid because Sklonda wanted one before going into a snarling goblin rage. The pit fiend smiles at that and says that Pok has promise so they won’t create a lemure out of him (a lemure is a weak, blobby devil). Two devils in the room with them whip him unconscious and then leave the room to go send more people to deal with Bill.

Riz Misty Steps into the room and does a self-imposed Wisdom check to steady himself after what he just heard--Nat 20 baby. Then, he opens his Briefcase of Holding, ready to scoop his dad into it when, the two lesser devils open the door and catch him in the act. But Riz persists in the scooping. They try to grapple him and he rolls a Nat 1 to avoid it. He *still* tries to get him dad. But then he notices, his gun is missing.

BLAM. The devils heads are blown clean off. He turns and he sees his dad has taken the gun--his gun originally--and shot the devils. Pok, who is amazed that Riz is there and no longer feigning apathy for the situation asks for an extraction into an earpiece, causing a halo to appear over his head and a beam of holy light to come down like a tractor beam.

“Wait,” says Riz. “You’re an undercover angel?”

“You got it, kid.”

Murph goes feral. The table goes feral. I go feral. What a way to end an episode!  

And now for an all-Dad round of superlatives:

Detention

Bill Seacaster for KILLING GILEAR 

I feel like I shouldn’t have to explain myself here. 

Honor Roll

Pok Gukgak for Officially Joining the Fantasy Fathers of the Year Club

Here either. 

I will, however, add a Hell Yeah!

Random Thoughts

If you haven’t seen it yet, the trailer for S5 of Dimension 20 just dropped and I won’t spoil it but, from the looks of it, it is gonna be a doozy.  

“Do not metagame with my freaking Dad!” Oh to have the support of an NPC Emily Axford has decided to imprint upon.

Gorgug: It’s been one year. We’re sophomores. 

“We support you as a DM and as your friend but also you’re our enemy.”

I think it’s very interesting that with just a little space and time from his dad, Fabian is finally having the proper reactions to his dad doing what I will charitably call shenanigans.

The level of distress and outrage from Emily when Gilear got shot was just *chef’s kiss*. I aspire to create an NPC that provokes that level of reaction from one of my players. Similar energy in a different direction from Ally when Daybreak attacked Tracker.    

“Adaine, the jocks are being feisty! Get out of there!”

Vraz calls Fig “the Faithless” as her devil title and she insists on instead being called, “the InFaethable”. I wanna know how long Emily’s been sitting on that one or whether she came up with it on the spot. 

Fabian upon seeing Johnny: Fuck off dude. I have too much going on right now. 

Brennan being the eternal DM mood: How do I get out of this?

Very wild how little time has passed since Leviathan. Like, Fabian’s had this whole arc and grown so much but, like, OF COURSE Allistair still wants to murder him! It’s been like two days. 

“I want to crumple up Gilear like a wrapper.”

A seven is a Murph 10.

The very specific way Brennan does foley for sword fighting (“Clang! Cling! Clang!”) is so funny to me. 

Cannot overstate how much of a power move it was for Kristen to go, “I’ve been PRAYING FOR YOU,” at Daybreak and knock him on his ass. 

I feel like I bring this up all the time but I love when Brennan is counting dice for a ton of damage and all the PCs are BSing reasons that it’s not a big deal like, “He’s just getting D4s,” or “Well I should get advantage for the reason just made up,” with everyone else fully playing along. ”

Allistair Ash, man. He is fascinating to me. I am so curious about what Brennan had planned for him originally because I feel like we barely scratched the surface before things took a TURN. He had two little moments in this ep that made my heart break for him a little: (1) When he says to Fabian, “If I die, I just come back a little bit worse but, if you die, you’re stuck down here with me.” and (2) when Fabian kills him and Bill grabs his soul and is like, “You know it’s gonna cost you X gold to revive you,” and he sighs and says, “Put it on my tab I suppose.” Like, I know he spent all ep trying to kill Fabian but I can’t help but be like, poor guy. He just has this pathos in his haplessness. I’m surprised Fabian didn’t make more of an effort to connect with him instead of being like, kind of like, “I will throw hands if I must.” Talking is a free action my dude. Anyway, I would love to see Brennan’s DM notes for this guy.   

Lou was really doing some expert D&D with all the second winding and bonus actioning and burning spell slots for extra damage he was doing. He was like, “My initiative is trash so I have to do approximately a million damage per turn.”

Lol at Ayda asking if it’s weird to talk about sex stuff in front of friends in a group that involves both Kristen and Adaine. 

Fig wishing she could do something cool in front of Ayda as if Ayda didn’t try to flood Hell on her behalf last week. My girl. You’ve already locked that down.

Not really an issue that’s we’ll run across during the run of FH but tieflings live 20-40 years longer than humans according to the official D&D lore. So lets say Fig lives to be 120 years old. And let’s say she sticks with her high school girlfriend and marries her. It’s possible they die at around the same time and then Ayda has to Deal With That in her next life but that’s not what I’m interested in. What happens if you’re a full elderly woman and your partner phoenixes into a child? What are the ethics of that? How do you deal with that? Chronomancy?

The horrified, “Love wins!” from Daybreak.

 Is there a reason the viewing room Riz was in had thrones in it or is Hell just very about the ~aesthetic~

Every time a DM asks for a HP total, my entire being clenches in prep for a Power Word Kill. 

“I’m gonna need a Dexter--”/”Counterspell.”

“You guys murdered me too but we hashed it out.”

I totally forgot that the Bad Kids lied that Ragh had shat his pants until the moment Adaine was saying it this episode. Freshman Year was WILD.

Also, just wanna take a second to talk about the elevation of Ragh from this side-note bully to a fully fledged, likeable character with depth and and an arc and gay spit. D&D is crazy. 

Summoning Boggy via Bloody Mary is such a delightful image. 

So, Kalina is the one that led Riz down the path that led to him finding out Pok is an Undercover Angel (!!!), which means one of three things: (1) She knew but miscalculated hard, (2) she didn’t know and made a different but also big miscalculation, (3) she did know and she’s doing some kind of 4-D chess thing we don’t know about yet. 

Ayda hitting Fabian with a portent and then swooping in and saving Adaine. So clutch. What a good NPC to befriend.

Speaking of, I think we all kinda figured, but Brennan officially said on Twitter or the Discord (I don’t remember which) that Ayda is autistic. Like, I was pretty sure but I didn’t wanna assume.

Lol at the absolute lack of respect Kalvaxus got in this episode. 

Pok as an Undercover Angel is SO GOOD. Like, I didn’t think he was really bad for a second but I never could have guessed he was an UNDERCOVER ANGEL. That’s such a dope combination of words. Undercover Angel (which my computer keeps trying to correct to undercover agent which isn’t wrong to be fair). Man. I love this. I love this for me and I love this for Riz. Riz deserves this. After so much crap in his life and so many mind games from Kalina and all this turmoil, he deserves to know that not only is his dad a good person who loved/loves him, he’s SO good that he’s an ANGEL and he was such a good spy in life he still is a secret agent in death. God, what a reveal. I can’t believe Riz got Spy Kids-ed TWICE by the same parent. Can’t wait to hear what exactly is going on with him.

Wait, what’s goblin heaven like? Which god is sanctioning this? Who is he working for exactly?

This episode, Kristen and Gorgug rolled 1 Nat 20 each, while Riz, Fabian, and Brennan each got 2. On the flipside, Adaine got 2 Nat 1’s, Fig and Fabian each rolled 1 that was cancelled, and Riz rolled 1 (in addition, Murph rolled two more which were lair actions and one of which was cancelled by a luck point so they don’t really count but it was very funny so I wanted to note it).

[imaginexmeintheuniverse]

Try Again

(just to be sure)

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x Reader

Word Count: 2, 413

A/N: since im officially adding HP to the fandoms im now writing for, here's my first draco drabble!

The astronomy tower was a good place for you to be alone with your thoughts, although today wasn't a great time to be alone with such thoughts. You don't know if it's just 'one of those days', or if it's the accumulation of awful things that have been getting to you, or simply your self-loathing and bad self-esteem catching up to you, but you sit by one of the wide windows looking out as terrible thoughts cloud your mind.

"What's the matter, Y/L/N? Are you thinking about how your mere existence is a scar on this world?" Turning around to see the face that matches with the dreadfully familiar voice, sure enough, Draco Malfoy is there, invading your alone time— today of all days. You shift your focus back to the window so that your back is to him once more— you don't want him to see how terrible you look. Definitely not because you'd ever want to impress him, but you don't need another thing to add to the list of things you hate about yourself.

"Seems that way," you answer quietly, head hanging low instead of firing back with your chin up like you normally would. Swiping furiously at your cheeks, you try to get rid of the evidence that you had been crying before his steps reach you.

"Or are you- wait, what?"

"I'm utterly useless; a talentless fool, and a worthless idiot," you ramble on, allowing your feelings of self-loathing to take the wheel as you wallow in your self-pity. "You're right okay, now you can skip away happily knowing every insult you've ever told me is true."

"No, no, no," he sounds like a broken machine. "No! This isn't how our dynamic works!" He looks at you with wide eyes, examining you to see if you've been hexed or jinxed, but all he sees is are your red, puffy eyes that have had the life drained from them. "N-No- this is the part where you call me a twat- o-or a foul git—"

"Listen, Malfoy, I'm really not in the mood for this now, so will you please just tell me how much I sicken you, and continue on your way?" Your voice cracks and the way the sound resonates in his chest makes Draco unbelievably uncomfortable.

The boy is already uncomfortable with his own emotions, the mere thought of dealing with someone else's makes him want to run in the opposite direction.

But he doesn't. Instead, he angles his body as an attempt to initiate eye contact as he speaks, "Mind if I sit?" You shrug in response without looking at him.

Things are worse than he thought if he's taking a seat next to you and you haven't Stupified him to the other end of the room yet.

There's a silence that settles over the two of you as you sit side-by-side. Your attention is on the landscape before you, but at some point Draco's eyes are drawn to you. He finds himself taking in details he he's always overlooked during your regularly scheduled bickering. Not minding the bloodshot eyes and the dark circles that frame them, your irises are still bright, your eyelashes seemed to curl with the perfect curvature, and your lips look so soft— he's trying to imagine if they feel that way too. His focus then shifts downwards to where his hand could very well touch yours if he moved it just a little.

"Hey, can I ask you a favour?" You say, breaking the silence, and snapping him out of his trance. He tries to control the blush that appears as he feels like he's been caught. It takes him a moment to remember where he is and to get back into character.

"Are you sure that you're in a position to be asking me any favours?" He tries to maintain his usual snarky tone, but his voice has already gone softer than he would normally allow.

"Please, I'll owe you one in return," He reluctantly nods his head, wondering what you could possibly ask of him. "Would you tell me something about myself- what y-you think- something true- please?"

You know that you shouldn't be looking for any kind of validation or confirmation from anyone— especially not the likes of Draco Malfoy, but you're head has been spinning with every horrible thing that's ever been said to you, as well as all the awful things you already think about yourself. You've lost a certain level of perspective and you need something concrete to hold onto— whether it's good, or bad.

He's grown so quiet, if he weren't sitting right next you, you might've thought that he left. But he's there, looking at you hesitantly. Judging by how much time he's taking to speak, you know you probably won't like what he tells you, but you did ask him and should expect anything.

What he actually says surprises you.

"You're genuine," he says simply. You blink a few times, slightly shocked by his answer. "You're fully, and consistently yourself—"

"Draco..." He perks up at the sound of you calling him by his first name.

"It's something I wish I could be, and I admire you for that—"

"Careful there, Malfoy, you wouldn't want me to think you might actually care about me, do you?"

"O-Of course not!" he scoffs, though he's stumbling through his words. "Don't flatter yourself, Y/L/N. Like I could ever care about an underling like you—"

"Oh, sod off, you insufferable git," you retort, and you both let out a chuckle as you get back into the groove of what your interactions normally consist of.

"This favour you owe me now..." You quirk up an eyebrow, waiting to see where he's going with this. "I can use it at any time I please, correct?"

"Sure, Malfoy," An uneasiness hits your stomach at the sight of a smirk that starts to form on his features.

"I want to use it now." You roll your eyes, so not in the mood for whatever labour or humiliating task he'll tell you to do.

"Does it have to be now?"

"Absolutely. No take-backs."

"Oh, all right! What is it?" His smirk suddenly disappears as he hesitates. He was playing it so cool just now, but his eyes leave yours in favour of his lap. Despite not being prepared for whatever it was just seconds ago, now you want to get it over with. "Come on then, what is it?"

"O-On second thought, never mind—"

"No, just tell me now. Let's get it over with!"

"I-It's okay- le-let's just pretend that everything here never happened- you won't owe me anything—" There's no way you were going to let yourself carry the burden of being indebted to Draco Malfoy, so you grab his shoulder and turn him to face you.

Seeing that he might actually be a little freaked out, you let go of him and ease up, "Tell me what it is you want me to do, I'll do it, and then we can part ways and everything will go back to normal."

His widened silver eyes lock with your Y/E/C ones as he swallows down his nerves. He takes it upon himself to edge his hands forward so that his fingers brush against yours, and he finally discloses what he's been thinking, "Kiss me."

"W-What?" Now it's your turn to be taken aback as you replay the last five seconds in your head to made sure you heard correctly.

"N-Not if you absolutely don't want to- I wouldn't make you do that- tha-that would be messed up, but—"

"Draco," He stops rambling after you use his first name for the second time. Taking it upon yourself, you slide your hand under his and squeeze his palm. "Stop talking."

Following your instruction, he doesn't say another word, and he worries that his request might be so outrageous that you'll hex him, but then you lean forward until your lips have barely brushed his. The combination of your Y/E/C hues and the sweet breath that fans over his lips is enough to put him under a spell— not literally, although it feels that way.

He's shocked by the action. That much is an obvious tell, judging by his expression, but he lets his eyelids flutter closed anyways as you press your lips to his. The first thing he registers is how your lips are indeed softer than they look, and the second is that they are a perfect fit for his. He doesn't kiss you back, instead sitting in the feeling of your lips, as well as wanting to make sure that it's truly what you would want before he made any moves.

His eyes remain closed for a moment after you pull away while he processes the sensation, as well as trying to control the fireworks exploding in his heart. When he finally opens his eyes, he feels at peace for the first time all year. There's something about your firey gaze that calms him, like a home fire. There's also something about it that makes him nervous, but not the same type of fear that he's used to— it's as though you can see right through him.

"Well..." is all you can say, hoping that your voice can mask the sound of your erratically-beating heart.

"Well...?"

"Did you... by any chance... feel anything?" The rational part of your brain deduces that he wouldn't have asked to you to kiss him if he didn't want you to, but the irrational part of your brain is already racing and overanalyzing the sparks you felt when your lips touched his. Now you want to know of he felt it too.

"I-I, uh, I'm not sure," he lies, knowing exactly how it made him feel. He's simply uncomfortable with his own emotions, as we've established.

"You're not sure?" You ask incredulously. Seriously, what kind of response was that? "What, should we try again for you to be sure? Geez, maybe this time, you could actually kiss me back—"

Draco lurches forward to capture your lips to make you shut up. But mostly because he does want to kiss you again. It's an intense, albeit short kiss that ends before you can respond, but comes with a certain rush of adrenaline that causes your heart rate to spike. He doesn't pull away far— his lips would still touch yours again if he leaned forward even the slightest bit.

You're momentarily stunned by the sudden action and freeze, letting the storms that reside in his irises to bore through you as his uneven breaths fan over your lips. His hand moves from where it held yours, trailing up your arm, over your shoulder, and passing over your neck, his fingertips leaving shivers in their wake until he reaches your jaw. He grasps the side of your face, lacing his fingers into your hair, and holds you in place as he brings his lips back to yours again. This time, you push back against him instantly as though on instinct.

Your lips fall in synch with his and he holds you tighter, deepening the kiss. Your hand moves to grab onto just about any part of him so you can steady yourself, and you end up latching onto the crisp fabric of his perfectly ironed shirt. His hand that had been planted on the ground then moves to push your body closer to his as his palm lays flat on your back.

There's a powerful sort of feeling that surges through you like electricity, and the traces of whatever disheartening feelings ruled over you earlier are wiped clean off as Draco kisses the remains of salty tears away.

You and him break apart naturally, slowing the pace and placing soft pecks onto each other's lips that gradually become shorter in length. Leaning against the other's forehead, you both stay like that with your eyes closed. Eventually, your grip on his shirt loosens, leaving the once neatly pressed fabric all wrinkled, but he couldn't care less.

Finally opening you eyes, you begin to speak, without actually knowing what you're going to say, "Well this is..."

"...unusual?" he finishes, awkwardly sliding his hands through his scalp to slick back any stray hairs before placing them firmly on the ground.

There is yet another moment of silence where you look anywhere but at each other. Swallowing your nerves, you decide to look at him, scanning his features for any kind of indication as to what might be going through his mind. He appears to be somewhere between deep in thought and trying to process everything that has just happened.

You take it upon yourself to break the building tension, "So did you, uh..."

"...feel anything?" He finishes your sentence yet again, letting out a light chuckle. You're pretty sure that's the first time you hear him laugh for real. No matter how small it is, it's still a genuine, non-ill-mannered laugh, and it sounds wonderful.

You don't know what he feels at the moment, but you'd be lying to yourself if you said you didn't feel a certain warmth spreading from your chest through to the tips of your fingers.

"I don't know exactly what I feel yet," you tell him honestly. "A-And I don't know what we're supposed to do now—"

"Me either- I mean, I-I don't know what to feel," he admits as his hand slides over to yours. What he really means is that he's conflicted by what he feels, and what he thinks he ought to feel— a constant struggle of his. "So, what now?"

His eyes meet yours, his grey orbs locking you in place. You take notice of one strand of hair he missed. It hangs over his forehead and it takes all of your remaining will power not to reach forward and put back in its place.

"I could push you off the Astronomy Tower," you chuckle in a lighthearted tone, returning to the type of thing you would normally say to each other. His lips pinch into a small fake scowl before he graces you with another genuine laugh that makes your heart flutter.

"Or... we could give it another try..." he suggests, raising an eyebrow playfully. "Just to be sure..."

"Yeah, just to be sure," you repeat, and the words have barely just left your mouth before Draco crashes his lips onto yours again.

[ghostmartyr]

Pokémon FireRed Nuzlocke [Part 12]

Can we beat the game using Nuzlocke rules and only battling against trainers?

The current answer is leaning towards no. Still, we shan’t give up or in.

Four badges in. Next stop?

Uh. Haven’t decided yet.

So things did not go what I would call according to plan with the Grimer. Ideally, it would have been a higher level than 30. It wouldn’t need me to hold its hand through a bunch of leveling. It would immediately be an asset. Life would be beautiful. Nothing would hurt.

Only it’s level 30.

I have a Ground, Water, Electric, and Normal Type in rotation. Grass has historically been a problem, but it is much less of a problem with a Snorlax. Oak isn’t always the most useful, but he’ll be receiving a huge power boost come Surf collection.

Bark and Trunk are going to be wanting all the Attack EVs I can feed them. Sap is going to want Attack as well. And HP.

Its move pool is a huge plus, and I would be happy to have it available, but to make it available, a lot of switch training would have to happen. When Sprinkle went through that, experience gain dropped to a slow crawl. Sprinkle was only level 25, and at an even later stage in the game, but the approach taken with this round was intended to be geared towards a minimum of pokemon.

Other things to consider would be that in the first run, I lost two pokemon, and a lot of work went into making up for that. The two runs can’t be compared fairly with what levels to expect further down the road. ...I. think.

By the first Elite Four fight, Po was level 46. My highest level pokemon was 49.

It did not go well.

I need this one to go better.

Does it go better with Sap, or does it go better with maxing the heck out of the other four.

I really, really want to use Sap.

Having a status-reliant choice instead of a pure powerhouse makes me more comfortable with everything else. Minimize is good. Screech is welcome. Sludge Bomb is welcome. Acid Armor is welcome. Muk is a kickass thing to have available.

But I’m not sure splitting the exp is going to do me any favors this late in the game. Silph offers a lot of lenience, I guess, but. Cycling Road is going to go to Trunk. So is a lot else, and what doesn’t should help out Bark.

Five pokemon starts to be a lot.

Fuck.

I’m trying it out.

Sap, welcome to the team. Don’t die.

In happier news...

Good job making it this far, buddy.

Route 16, what are we catching here today?

Doduo!

Sap, prove your worth by failing to kill it.

Damn it, Sap. +123 to you and Bark. -_-

Siiiiiigh. I need 30 pokemon for the Itemfinder.

Now Trunk is just going to claim. As much of Cycling Road as possible. Bark will help when possible. ...Or do I want to go deal with Silph? Hey, past me, wtf is the best way of doing this nonsense?

..hm.

I’m going to do Silph for the sheer heck of it, I think. I don’t want to get as far as my Rival yet, but. I don’t know. I’m just not feeling Cycling Road right now. Video games are supposed to be fun, right? Let’s chase some damn fun.

And I don’t think I ever got my Route 7 thing. Let’s do that, too. Hi Growlithe.

SAP WHAT THE HECK. WE WANTED THAT.

Did I misremember how much damage Sludge does???

...

Oh.

Yes.

Yes, I did.

I very much did.

...+130 to Sap and Acorn. -headdesk-

With that in mind, actually, Sap, you and Bark want to try your hands on the dojo next door to Sabrina? Trunk can’t touch any of those guys thanks to the Super Effective problem.

..And Bark can barely touch any of them thanks to her low Defense.

Yeeeeeah, after that short experiment, we’re just gonna go straight to Silph. Where the Rockets are not a thing to be too afraid of.

Beautiful building.

Hellscape place.

...

I don’t wanna do this, either. Uh. South of Lavender, maybe?

Out of order ALL the things.

Route 13, let’s catch a thing.

The thing is a Venonat! We now wait and watch to see if it will end up dead like other recent catches for totally unpreventable reasons.

Caught!

Its name is Oak.

Route 14, in the middle of all these trainers we’re beating down largely out of order.

...Gloom’s technically not viable because Oddish and species clause, but screw it, it’s not going to be used, I’m too lazy to look up what else is here, and I just want this part done and over with. I know that’s really bad form. but. I am not a rules lawyer. once, maybe. not anymore.

Caught. Its name is Oak.

So far with trainers, the way I’m keeping my sanity with exp division is that the Bikers go to Trunk, and Bark and Sap get the Bird Keepers.

It is slow and tiresome. I do not care for thinking when I am playing my video games.

We’re in Route 18 now, and doing the same nonsense to a Raticate. This is it. This is the point. This is where I stop caring about any of the rules except the no grinding thing. Everything else is irrelevant.

Bark ffs. Stop. Sigh.

+414 exp. Route 18 officially dead.

(Also, this looks like I should have known that she would kill it, but Bark still knows Mud Slap. It does as much nothing as anything on my team can. Still not enough nothing when critical hits are involved.)

Good Rod get so that Fuchsia might have a happier ending.

Back in the realm of completely legal catches, we have a Poliwag!

Throwing a Great Ball proves the best strategy. In that it works. Poliwag get! Its name is Oak.

In other, trainer-related news, Sap hits 34 and learns Acid Armor.

We have also cleared out the section of trainers that is not Saffron and not Cycling Road that comes pre-Koga. Naisu.

-time passes-

So, post-Cycling Road, Trunk is level 41, Bark is level 42, Sap is 35, Oak is 37, and Acorn is 40. I think what makes the most sense in terms of safety is to go clear out the Silph building, then deal with the dojo and assorted Gyms.

Unfortunately.

I hate Silph Co.

So, so deeply.

Deep breath time.

Oh, wait, I want Oak to have Surf first. Never mind, we can still delay this party!

Let’s do it.

Hey, and while we’re at it, we have a chance at a Parasect!

-gasp-

We caught it!

Its name is Oak.

I don’t remember if it was me or someone I knew, but as a child, I have distinct memories of the timer flat-lining just a handful of squares away from talking to this guy. It filled me with enough sadness that I think maybe I was the one having the issues.

The Safari Zone is a lot harder when you have no idea what you’re supposed to do or where you’re meant to go.

Oak learns Surf!

We also give the Warden his teeth back, so Strength get.

I’m gonna see about catching a Route 19 thing. Due to it being something I can do that doesn’t involve the Silph building.

Yes, a Krabby. As we learned from Heero’s run, they make for excellent HM slaves.

Caught!

Its name is Oak. Sadly, I think it will be replacing Oak in the party.

Sigh.

I think we’re. back to the sad part.

(Route 17 option: Doduo. Status: caught. Name: Oak.)

UGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH.

Granted, it’s much easier without having to record every single fight, but the memories of the most recent time I did this are harsh and painful and I don’t like them.

Several floors later, yeah okay, this isn’t so bad.

I still hate it.

However, I can safely say I know who the best character in the Pokemon multiverse is.

Best. Girl.

She’s on floor 9, future self. Sorry about your life.

Because there are so many vitamins hidden around the building, I’m starting to really panic about how my team is going to handle the final parts of the game. I of course love all my children equally, but losing the first team was rough, and I can’t imagine that I’ll continue to engage with my pokemon on any level if things consistently fall to pieces in the very last sequences.

In a funny way, I think the EV training I’m softly tripping through might be hampering things a little. The balance is more sideways than my usual in-game teams have, because I’m focusing a lot on who’s fighting what. There are no random bursts of Defense being distributed, for instance. Oak is the closest to balance, and that’s because Oak had to do most everything before we had a real team (no offense buddy, you rock).

I don’t know. I’m paranoid. Things did not go well with Heero and friends. I think I want to invest in some of the X [stat] items, you know, like the way of the speedrunner, but the way I usually play these games involves brute force.

Full stop.

I can’t repeat enough how little I enjoy thinking in my video games.

But what that means is that I’m not used to using X items. And spending a turn on something I haven’t spent years of background noise thinking about could have disastrous consequences.

The disaster is something I fear. Clearly.

Sigh. There’s not helping it right now, so. Silph.

LOOK MAN, CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF TRAINERS I HAD TO BEAT TO GET UP HERE

I kind of love that your Rival doesn’t appear to do anything at all about Team Rocket. He just shows up because hey, Red will be doing the hero stuff over there! Time to throw down!

Then he loses and just goes back to worrying about his League quest.

He’s almost like a real ten-year-old.

Acorn thank you for existing.

Wait. Crap, what deals with the Venusaur? Did I decide to just throw Trunk at that? Because that’s what I’m doing?

Yeah, fine, that works.

I got a Lapras.

Its name is Oak.

Sprinkle, I miss you.

Oh whoops. Acorn’s still in front. I don’t think I want that.

Kangaskhan without a Fighting Type is weird. Not a problem weird, because yay, Trunk exists. But weird. I keep expecting to have something super effective against it.

One Master Ball for me. Yay.

Now off to the dojo.

Where I’m going to try not to get Sap killed by letting him have this fight for great exp. I trust Sap’s moves. I trust the concept of their usefulness. Then I see critical hits and tragedy everywhere.

Sap.

Do not die.

Does my hat look black to you.

Level 37 Hitmonlee.

You know. I have the post that says this involves a level 37 Hitmonlee open in another tab. And yet. This still comes as a horrible shock and my brain is already playing taps for Sap.

!

The pain of one Hi Jump Kick. Not bad. I think we might make it, little guy.

We won!

And no one died!

Yay!

I guess that means it’s time for Koga.

Boo. But we’ll let Trunk punch through. Maybe with Bark, too.

Or Oak can eat a Kadabra. That works.

Trunk makes it through all the pre-Koga peeps with little trouble, and we move on to the man himself.

-gasp-

Awesome. More awesome is how everyone’s still alive. Oh happy day before we go forth and fight Sabrina.

Toxic get.

Trunk is level 46, as seen above. Bark is 44. Acorn is 42. Oak is 41. Sap is 37.

Oak’s job is to eat Sabrina. With any luck, Oak will continue to be a help with Blaine, though Bark and Sap will want some of that sweet exp too.

...Basically, what this all means is that I’ve stopped worrying about most of what’s going on with my team. I’m now just watching the levels and letting my dread run the show.

Dread and Oak. The dream team. Oak’s hit 44. I have faith.

.....Ooookay things are going awry because a Calm Minded Alakazam packs a wallop with Psychic, so I’m switching in Acorn under the assumption that he can survive one Psychic and will outspeed the thing.

Pictures taken just before disaster, fyi.

Houston, we have a problem.

Trunk wraps things up.

But. Uh.

Gyarados damage control is gone.

Acorn is gone.

What even is life without Acorn.

That critical hit would have been the end of Oak. Your oldest friend. I know we both wanted things to go differently, but I’m sure you understand why this is the end result.

I will miss you.

So much.

The lack of your warm presence will be a loss for us all.

I also no longer have something on my team with Thunderbolt, so. The script is no longer clear. I guess I can be less worried about levels, but. This right here might be the end of this round.

With a heavy heart, we head to the oceans where Acorn should have reigned supreme.

And stop Sap from evolving so he can learn Sludge Bomb at 43. Hopefully doing that won’t lead to another unfortunate accident, but if it does happen, I’m sadly resigned to it.

I don’t know how many times Sap has hurt himself in confusion in this fight, but it’s too many.

Then the Tentacruel comes in when this is finally over, and Sap hurts himself in confusion.

Yeah.

Sap’s just eating every single confusion problem of the entire run. He’s taking it all for himself.

But. we. get. through. it. As a family.

Hit Route 20, and now I have a level 8 Tentacool. Its name is Oak.

Supersonic is hitting everything and it is absolutely miserable.

Seafoam Island gives us.... Golbat! Apparently we already had a Zubat, so whoops, but in any case, its name is Oak. And needs to be moved from the D E A D box because whoops.

Does Oak want to learn Fly and help greatly with things not being awful?

Boy howdy do I.

And I am at 30 pokemon in my Pokedex, so it’s time for me to go grab my Itemfinder and Leftovers.

...Oh. Golbat doesn’t learn Fly. Well fine then. Another Oak will help me.

After all.

He is

Oak’s Aide.

Got one Leftovers. Two Leftovers. Awesome.

-many minutes later-

Sap gets Sludge Bomb! Do you know what that means?

Sap! We’ve done it! We’ve kept you alive! You’ve made it through your trying times as a Grimer!

Now let’s go into that non-haunted mansion that makes up most of Blaine’s island’s real estate.

I’m just going to shove Bark in front and. idk. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. I’m just waiting for Victory Road, the day of reckoning, and. Maybe better than last time.

Growlithe caught in the mansion. Its name is Oak.

Secret Key get.

Blaine, why must you be so sketchy.

Okay, so for this Gym, I think I’ll be using Sap more than expected. Bark and Oak will deal with a lot of Giovanni, because they don’t have to worry about Ground really causing an extra problem. That makes this a better place for Trunk and Sap to level up. Agreed?

Yeah sure, whatever.

I guess the other thing to consider is if Bark will really be a help in this endeavor.

She’s very, very fast, and will learn Earthquake naturally. But she can’t take a hit, and with the loss of Acorn, I’m thinking what I have to do is just have Trunk, Oak, and Sap tank everything; lots of X items, lots of Full Restores.

Most of the time, Bark can’t afford to take a second hit of anything.

If I really want to optimize, Cutting down to three out of my four might be the better call.

Ugh, that’s such a dangerous number, though.

Sap has an amazing move set. I really could just...

Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, Lance, Rival.

Trunk could probably handle Lorelei. Sap could do the Fighting half of Bruno, and the other half isn’t really a problem. The plan with Agatha was always to teach Po Shadow Ball, but then Zaft needed Thunderbolt, so I couldn’t afford it. Lance is hell, but not one a Dugtrio is likely to improve by much.

I have no idea what to do for Oak.

But if I can set Sap up, a lot of problems become manageable. I can’t brute force this. I keep saying that, and I keep ignoring it because that’s not how I play these games. I need better strategies. Bark’s Attack stat isn’t up to being a glass cannon. She’s a glass rifle, maybe. Fantastic, but eating up resources without serving an extra purpose. She’ll be just as dead in two hits if I keep on giving her exp. Leveling could remove that weakness, but I don’t have anything to work with there.

I have to focus on three.

Damn it.

For now, let’s finish Blaine, shall we.

Got the badge.

Bill Gaiden?

So he says.

So ends the post, because I just can’t.

[fandomforward]

This Week in Wizard Activism: It’s (Sirius) Black Friday!

By Jessica Rozycki

Graphic of our This Week in Wizard Activism logo! It features the words “This Week in Wizard Activism” and our logo on a blue background.

We’re LIVING for these Sirius Black Friday sales.

A graphic featuring images of all the merch available in our DFTBA store. The graphic declares: “Sirius Black Friday is here! Free shipping on orders of $50 or more, dftba.com/hpa”

Sirius Black Friday has officially started!!! Until Monday, November 26th enjoy FREE SHIPPING at our DFTBA store when you purchase $50 or more. We have a new hoodie, a Head Witch in Charge tee and tote, and Head Witch in Charge mugs!

Guess what?! You can also combine our stuff with other shops to get to $50. It’s the perfect time to remind your family and friends where they can buy their holiday gifts. No shame in throwing a little hint hint, nudge nudge their way. Visit our store before the sale ends on Monday!

When one holiday is over, another begins. Project 4 Awesome is coming up!

The logo for the 2018 Project for Awesome. It includes the text “Online Creators Decreasing World Suck: Dec 7–9”

In case you don’t know, the Project for Awesome is an online charity event started by the vlogbrothers, John & Hank Green, back in 2007. During Project for Awesome, thousands of people post videos talking about and advocating for charities that decrease the overall level of world suck. Members of the community then vote on their favorite videos and the organizations with the highest votes get a grant from the money raised throughout the weekend.

This year’s Project For Awesome will be Dec 7–9 and we need your help to get votes for the HPA. We’ll have more information soon but for now mark your calendars and get ready to vote HPA!

Staffer of the Week!

Karley wearing an orange space suit with a lightning bolt on their forehead, eating a cupcake.

This week we’re celebrating HPA Staffer Karley Powell! Here’s what HPA volunteer Olivia had to say about Karley:

Karley is always up for a challenge and ready to help at a moment’s need. They also have a positive attitude and a great sense of humor with an infectious laugh to keep things light hearted with even serious discussions. Karley is a team player and I have really enjoyed having them being a part of the social media team, especially knowing they have my back when I need help or creativity brain power.

Now living in Boston, this proud Slytherin is a Social Media Copywriter and Content Editor for the Department of Magical Causes & Correspondence. Karley uses their wizard activism to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, gender equity, and environmental sustainability, the last of which is a focus at their current muggle job.

Here are some Extra Fun Facts about Karley:

Fave HP book and why? I change this answer every time I answer this question, but I am going to choose Prisoner of Azkaban because Sirius.

Last show you binge watched? I caught up on The Good Place which was not just a good decision, but a GREAT one.

Favorite class you’ve ever taken in school? I took a Sexuality in the 19th and 20th centuries class and I know it sounds kinda boring, but I know so much about the history of birth control. I have so many fun facts.

A Little Bit of Lumos

An illustration of Neville swiping a sword through Nagini next to the text: “Neville’s Guide to Tough Conversations”

Holidays can be really hard sometimes, especially if it means you have to spend your days with some insensitive family members. To help you get through, be sure to check out Neville Longbottom’s handy dandy Guide to Tough Conversations and Expanded Guide: Talking Immigration at the Holidays. Remember that you have wizard activists on your side!

What’s the best Harry Potter-related news you’ve seen recently? We’ve got some for you!

There’s been a ton of rad coverage happening about the HPA this month! We were featured in an article from Mashable earlier in November, as well as a video on NowThis, thanks to contributions from our Campaigns Director and fearless leader Katie Bowers! It’s always great to see other folks get excited about our work to bring Dumbledore’s Army to life. Keep up the good work, fam!

Research requires fuel. Grab another plate of food and read on!

A gif of Ron Weasley with a chicken wing in each hand, taking a bite of one.

Here are some notable headlines from this week. Thanks to the HPA Research Team for keeping us informed!

Immigration arrests on public lands skyrocket under Trump

The 2018 Gender Gap Was Huge, and it helped Democrats win the House

Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona is now America’s first out bisexual Senator

Supreme Court on Net Neutrality Review: Not Happening

Join our silly fam!

A gif from Saturday Night Live of Kristen Wiig wearing a turkey on her head, grabbing Aidy Bryant’s hand, and leading them both out the window.

Dumbledore’s Army: Still Recruiting! Visit our volunteer page to see how you can help us build our community of wizard activists.

[ick25]

Rockman.EXE Episode 46 Review.

In Battle Network universe, curry takes YOU out!

Are you gonna explain how Regal gets Dr. Wily’s robot eye gene or something?

We begin the episode with one of my least favorite characters in this season demanding curry at the restaurant of my least favorite group of villaines. Count Elec is working while complaining about Rush and wondering if the WWW will ever come back. Suddenly, his PET starts to emit a sound with a bright red screen, and we see that the rest of the WWW members also have the same problem.

They are all gathered at the Maha ichiban, with Rush still waiting for his dang curry, trying to figure out what is going on. The PETs then slowly reveal an image of Dr. Wily.

Are we forgeting already that Madoi has sleeves?

After the title card we see that all PETs are connected to a tv where they find out that it is a video recording of Dr.Wily’s will. Wily tells them about a special chip where he engraved his intellect and where to find it.

All of this as the monitor shows the mod code for HP+250 for some reason.

After hearing this the WWW members are amazed and glad that they will finally return, but a certain dog hears them and escapes to alert our heroes.

Another way to make this character useful. I honestly don’t know why they don’t even question Rush, like they already know who he is and what he can do.

We cut to Netto who is happily skating while singing Aki’s cheezy song (very badly BTW) until he is surprised by Rush who suddenly appears in his way. Rush seems to be trying to tell him something, but Netto simple can’t understand him.

Why? She speaks bitch? XD (It’s not a bad word if I’m not using it as an insult)

In the next scene we see the Ex-WWW stealing a helicopter from a local airport by drowning the employees in curry. I also want to point out that Madoi and Count Elec are wearing those weird looking hats from when they were hand gliding in episode 31.

Custom hats for their hair styles?

Madoi reminds them that Gauss might also be interested in finding Wily’s brain chip, before we see him at his company with the family picture we saw in episode 30.

Meanwhile, in Yaito’s secret tree house base, Roll somehow translates what Rush said about the Wily chip, (ignore the weird spacing in the second panel) and for some reason they all think it’s THEIR job to stop them.

Rush demonstrates once again that he can cross between worlds to show them the map to the chip, and right after this, Yaito calls them from a entirely different art style and background just so we can get Yaito’s animation of getting into her private jet Batman style.

It just looks so weird going back and forth between art styles like that. Even the shading is different!

They find the island with no signs of the Ex-WWW anywhere, until Rockman totally jinx it because it turns out they were waiting for them to fly and shoot at them!

Rockman in forth panel: “I hate to be right all the time”

It’s been a while since the WWW tried to MURDER Netto! They literally shoot at them because they knew Netto and Rockman were there!

After blasting them out of the sky, the WWW land on the island were they find a waterfall that, of course, has a jack-in point next to it. This means the waterfall is fake because it dries up once they plug-in to reveal the chip.

Just plug-in, play Wily’s video and no more waterfall. Before they can take the chip though, one of Yaito’s drill cars bursts out of the ground. Yaito, Dekao and Tohru attempt to runaway with the chip only for the drill to stop working leaving them stuck there. Meanwhile, Netto is driving underground in a second drill car.

“Girl please, who’s the main character here? I can find the plot with my eyes closed.”

The loser squad try to defend the chip, in a very poorly way because Mahajarama ends up picking it up easily after Madoi drops it. Hinouken celebrates, but they are all interrupted by a blimp from Gauss that suddenly arrives before cutting to commercials.

We return from commercials with Gauss blasting the WWW helicopter with a laser from his airship.

Yeap, that happend.

Gauss reveals himself and immediately proceeds to insult Madoi.

I like how the camera switches to Madoi dissapearing and then going back to Gauss getting slapped by her. This is officially the second time Madoi slaps him.

Gauss reveals that he is interested in collecting Wily’s chip for his fan girl collection before Netto and Meiru finally burst out of the ground behind the blimp. Gauss then reveals a vital piece of information to eveyone.

Whaaaaa... I’m just kidding, we already knew that.

Turns out Gauss changed the family name to Magnets after their mother died and considers the Count a failure. He offers to take him back on his blimp in return for him handing over the Wily chip. The Count accepts shocking everyone, except for Mahajarama who has fate in him.

Then Meiru comes running at Yaito and the others telling them that Netto is on that ship too.

“Main character!”

Inside the airship, the Count refuses to hand over the chip and challenges Gauss to a Net Battle, but not just any Netbattle, one with the same rules used in his battle against Rockman back in episode 30. 

Were the subs done by the same guys from episode 38? WHAT THE HECK ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT?!

Gauss accepts and we then see Netto hiding in a closet where Rockman tells him that he will disable the security so he can sneak around. The electric battle begins with Elecman and Magnetman rushing at eachother as we then cut to Rockman taking out the security Navis with his cutted buster shot.

I’m liking the lighting effects used in this episode.

Elecman attacks Magnetman with his Elec Sword, but the magnetic Navi blows him away. Magnetman attacks with his Mag balls, Elecman tries to avoid them but one of them eventually touches him causing the Count to get shocked by the battle machine.

So gay. 

Anyway, the Count shuts him up after he sends a lightning rod to Elecman to protect him from Magnetman’s attacks and returning the damage to him.

That’s not a real chip, but I don’t care.

Gauss gets angry and Magnetman manhandles Elecman.

This battle is intense! I am personally rooting for Elecman and the Count. I don’t have anything against gay people, I just happen to dislike Gauss, and his Navi Magnetman is very vicious. You can see how Elecman struggles in the battle just for the Count. That is Navi loyalty at its finest!

Meanwhile, we go back to the island where one of Yaito’s maids tells her that their rescue crew has arrived, they can now go get Netto from Gauss’s blimp. Speacking of Netto, we cut to Rockman now in the Heat Guts style burning more security Navis to disable what I guess is a motion sensor.

I think this is the first time we see burn marks left by the Heat Guts attack, it is suppouse to be a flamethrower after all.

Back to the battle, Elecman and Magnetman launch their attacks at the same time. The collission of their attacks for some reason means that both Gauss and the Count get electricuted. During this, a spark runs wild and starts a tiny fire somewhere in the blimp.

Netto finally arrives at the room where they are having their Net Battle and spots Wily’s chip in front of their family picture.

Just wanted to brag my good timing with this shot where Netto sees the Count before hiding.

Magnetman and Elecman are both tired, the fire in the airship starts to expand, the Navis decide to take the other one down with their fists resulting in a double log-out and both operators getting electricuted and falling over.

On the floor, they both talk about the past. Gauss even admits that their mother and him were worried about the Count before she passed away. 

This tender conversation is interrupted by an explotion caused by the growing fire, but there is another surprise for them, Netto attempting to sneak away with the Wily chip behind their backs.

You know, Netto, you could’ve taken advantage of the explotion to run away without them realizing it. 

Netto runs away and plugs out Rockman who was still burning security Navis in the cyberworld with Gauss and Count Elec right behind him.

Rockman deleting the security might have weakend the airships emergency protocals in case of a fire...Wooops. Either that or Gauss’s blimp was poorly designed.

Netto tries to escape from them by running to the roof only to be stopped by the fire.

.........

Only in the original version can you find an openly gay Gauss.

Netto threatens them by throwing the chip overboard, but another explotion causes him to lose balance.

The villains saved the hero?

Of course they did it because they thought he still had the chip. Luckily for Netto, he grabs on to a lose part of the blimp slowly tearing its side and leaving him hanging from it.

Gauss and Count Elec once again start to fight over the chip, and once again an explotion occures making them fall over with the chip sliding pass between them and finally falling off the ship.

LOL, there goes Wily’s brain.

The blimp is slowly falling with Netto getting closer to the water until something saves him from drowning or freezing to death.

Oh no, its the return of the Yaito Mako!

Netto is saved and the blimp ends up crashing into an iceberg while our heroes just watch the bad guys die.

Oh the Elec-Manity! Or Magnet-Manity? o-o

After this we see the Ex-WWW on a boat in front of the iceberg believing that their dear friend died. Of course this isn’t the case because the camera quickly shifts to the Count and Gauss bickering on a block of ice, ending the episode with both of them sneezing.

What do I think?

The beginning was pretty dumb. Netto and friends just trying to stop the Ex-WWW like it was their responsability. I mean, granted, Rockman is the hero that stops their evil plans, but they never got directly involve before. Fighting against the WWW Navis was because they were causing problems to them and the rest of the city, but their operators don’t stand a chance against a group of adults in real life. The cyberworld is where Rockman is superior and is able to stop them, that’s the Battle Network formula, giving kids an advantage over adults.

The best and most important part of the episode was the revelation of Gauss and Count Elec being brothers and the Net Battle between their Navis. If you saw the anime before playing the games like me, this was something we were waiting for after seeing the Count’s family picture in episode 30. The game was pretty vague about this, how were we suppoused to know that the Cout’s real name was Jack? They are never seen interacting with eachother in the games, Gauss’s introduction was the only time where this was mentioned. During the plane hijacking in BN2, Gauss reveals that he came from a very poor family and that his brother Jack was taken in by a wealthy family, making him bitter towards humanity and the reason why he joins Gospel. Here, they both come from a rich family but chose different paths, specially since the Count ran away from home a long time ago.

The reason why there was a mod code in Wily’s video was part of their publicity for BN3, by adding secret codes for the game in the anime. It is very plausible that we will see more secret codes hiding in some of the future episode.

[heirofshape]

So You Want to Mod Your Dodge Dart

This guide is intended for use solely with the 2013-16 series Dodge Dart 2.4 Liter GT. I cannot guarantee that all of these parts will work with other models.

The Dodge Dart GT is a solid and dependable vehicle, but if you go looking for modifications to squeeze a little more oomph out of the 3,200 lb curb weight, and Lord knows, it needs it, you’ll find that your hands are a bit tied at first. As of yet, there are no fully compatible turbocharger or supercharger kits, and any engine swaps will prove prohibitively cash and labor intensive. Lucky for you, I have compiled a solid list of modifications, that will really make this Dart live up to its name.

Disclaimer: This goes without saying, that if you have any regular maintenance issues, such as needing an oil change, new tires, brake pads, or any pressing leaks in your fluids; please for the love of Jegus take care of those first.

Stage One Modifications

The first thing you are going to want to work on is improving the natural aspiration, since we don’t have any forced induction options, and throttle responsiveness. The primary focus of this first stage is to make minimally invasive changes to the vehicle in order to increase horsepower by approximately 15, and increase throttle responsiveness.

Stage One - $629.97

* Injen Cold Air Intake - $159.99

* MPX Crank Pulley - $219.99

* Madness Go Pedal - $249.99

Component Breakdown

Injen Cold Air Intake - $159.99

This cold air intake is pretty much the best option balancing price and performance. It has a nice wide bore to it allowing for great air flow from the wheel well. The air filter is washable, just remember to clean it people, modded exhaust doesn’t matter if you don’t take care of it. Unfortunately it does not come with an air box or compatible radiator shield like the Mopar sport cold air filter/hood scoop snorkel combo; but the Mopar option will run well over a grand if you do not already have an official Mopar hood with the scoop, and the extra piping with the snorkel reduces air velocity, while quieting that powerful growl. The lack of a hood scoop is something we’lol come back to.

Pros:

* Wide bore piping nets 7HP

* Increases Torque By 5lbs

* Louder than Mopar option

* Easy installation

Cons:

* No Sport Hood

* No air box

* Louder than Mopar option

MPX Lightweight Crank Pulley - $219.99

IMO, this is a very underrated modification. By installing a lighter crank pulley and water pump pulley, you’re essentially reducing the inertia required to change the speed at which your drivetrain operates. This allows for more responsiveness when accelerating. While it does not make your vehicle any more powerful, you’re essentially reclaiming about 5 ponies with this little set of wheels. As long as you do not replace your flywheel with a lighter one while using this, you shouldn’t have any Check Engine Light issues, and this is far easier to replace than the flywheel as long as you have some tools and muscle.

Pros:

* More responsive throttling

* Takes 4lbs off of drivetrain

* Reclaims approx. 5 HP

* More responsive throttling

* Improves fuel economy

Cons:

* Installation may prove difficult

Madness Go Pedal - $249.99

This is an extremely quick and easy modification that’s pretty much just plug and play. It modifies your vehicle’s throttling to make it even more responsive, with economy and sport modes for improved acceleration. It also has custom modes, allowing you to set your own options for how you would like your ngine to throttle.

Pros:

* Increases performance

* Allows better economy

* Completely plug and play

* 3 pre-programmed modes

Cons:

* Only 8 customizable modes

Product Links

Stage Two Modifications

This is where things start to get juicy, with the largest singular increase to your vehicle’s power, and that is a combo exhaust and exhaust header kit. But before tackling that, you’re going to want to add some tighter steering to handle all this extra power. That is where the front strut and rear sway bar come in, reducing the amount of flexing your car does, therefore reducing over steering. Afterwards, you can expect to gain about 18 horsepower from the exhaust modification.

Stage Two - $1,199.97

* Front Strut Bar - $69.99

* Sway Bar - $169.99

* Exhaust Kit - $959.99

Component Breakdown

MPX Front Strut Bar - $69.99

The front strut bar is really a no-brained. Dirt cheap, dead simple to install, and highly effective.

Pros:

* Tighter handling through reinforcing front end

* Easy installation

Cons:

* N/A

Progress Adjustable Sway Bar - $169.99

Getting a sway bar is another solid choice for improving handling. It’s a little pricier than the front, but still totally worth getting

Pros:

* Provides tighter handling reinforcing the rear chassis

* Very affordable

Cons:

* May be difficult to install

MPX Exhaust Header, With Dual Exhaust - $959.99

Why mod your exhaust? Simple: if taking in air is like eating for your car, then stock exhaust is like being constipated. Giving a roomier exhaust lets the air get out quicker, so it can take more in the front. Also, this is where your Dart is going to sound a lot better. Though, unless you know what you’re doing, and you’re prepared, I would recommend getting this done at a shop

Pros:

* Altogether gains approx. 18 HP

* Improves sound

* Header and exhaust kit designed for compatibility

Cons:

* Difficult installation

Product Links

Stage Three Modifications

Now that you’ve got a lot more power at your fingertips, you’re going to want a smoother ride by swapping out that stock suspension.

Stage Three - $649.99

* Coilover Suspension - $649.99

Component Breakdown

MEGAN Coilover Suspension Kit - $649.99

This is a good choice for an entry level set of coil overs. The ride is far smoother than what the vehicle originally comes with, and you even have the option to raise or lower it a few inches! Just be careful if you live on a hill of course! Also, the adjustable height comes in handy if you plan on adding any ground effect enhancing aero in the future. Just be warned, like the exhaust, this is a bit harder than just swapping air filters and crank pulleys.

Pros:

* Smoother ride

* Adjustable height

* Best budget suspension improvement

Cons:

* Installation may prove difficult

Product Links

Stage Four Modifications

This part is truly the icing on the cake. In all honesty, once you have taken care of the air intake, exhaust, and suspension; the world is your oyster, it’s time to make this car truly yours! Body kits are a great way to add personality, same with custom rims, and you might want to consider getting some sport brakes to go with all your goodies. But this is my personal pick for the best step to make your Dart look like a sports car. I’m talking about a custom hood with a ventilation scoop, directing air straight towards your cold air intake. Not only will your Dart look bad-fucking-ass, but you can pull another easy 5 ponies out of this.

Component Breakdown

Amerihood HC Style Ram Air Hood - $383.00

As I said before, this hood has a duct built into the scoop, which works together perfectly with a cold air intake that lacks snorkel compatibility, and this is the only non-Mopar hood you can order ready made with this feature. All the other available hoods blow the air over the engine, which defeats the purpose of cold air intake, and the official Mopar hood is the only one that has out of the box snorkel compatibility. So unless you want to blow well over a grand and a half on aspiration, this Amerihood Ram Air Hood is the choice for you! The only qualm I have is that you cannot have this shipped pre-painted, just coated in primer; but it’s the same with all the other hood swaps. You can save a good bit of money too by painting it yourself, but it can be professionally done. Another upside is that this hood functions with the stock latch, not requiring hood pins.

Pros:

* Directional air from sport hood should net up to 5 more HP

* Does not require hood pins

* Looks dope as hell

* Same weight as stock hood

* Budget option for Ram Air Intake hoods

* Easiest hood swap install

Cons:

* You have to paint it.

Product Links

Total Project Cost - $2,862.97

Other Modifications to Consider

* Wide Bore Throttle Body - Further increases Responsiveness, increases horsepower by 5-7

* Sport Brakes, Rotors, and Calipers - All previous mods mentioned including the throttle body will increase your Dodge Dart’s horsepower from 180 to 220. You’re going to want to consider some more stopping power.

[thelonglazyworm]

[TKA Fan Radio Drama] Glory Professional Alliance Sports Meet (with translated transcript)

One of those fan radio drama from a couple of years back. It’s pretty fun~

Many of the voices actors that took part in this ended up officially in the animation for characters such as Ye Xiu, Huang Shaotian, Steam Bun, Han Wenqing. This fan radio drama is actually one of the reasons why they ended up in their respective roles. I really love the voice acting here!

Someone put up the transcript so I took liberties to loosely translate it here. Many thanks to Amsdia & Merlin for doing a quick proofread!

I was halfway into the translation when I realised that people who finished the book probably don’t need this translation. -o- People who are following the English translation of the novel probably aren’t familiar with half of the characters here. There’s also bunch of spoilers... Oh well.... You’ve been warned.

Translation:

Glory Professional Alliance Sports Meet

Chairman Feng: We are at the tail-end of summer, as the autumn wind rounds the corner. Thanks to the valiant efforts of the Sports Committee and the participants, the first Glory Alliance Sports Meet opens today! (Applause) Blah blah blah…...

  Wei Chen: Damn it. Why is Old Feng so long-winded today? He was never this bad during the pro-league prize presentations.

Ye Xiu: Yeah, it’s been almost an hour. Man, I’m about to be burned to death.

Wei Chen: What the fuck are you doing?

Ye Xiu: I can barely stand. Come on, let me lean on you for a bit.

Wei Chen: Get off. Can’t you see that I’m in the same situation?

Ye Xiu: Get Cold Hands to recover your HP.

Wei Chen: Why don’t you do that!?

Fang Rui: Hey, will the two of you keep it down? Have some restraint.

Wei Chen: Fang Rui, you shameless fucker. Saying that when you’re about to fall onto Tyranny’s side yourself.

Ye Xiu: Say, Old Han, aren’t you Tyranny people feeling the heat in all that black clothing? Who’s the designer? Does he hate you?

Huang Shaotian: Hot like hell hot like hell hot like hell hot like hell hot like hell hot like hell! Captain, don’t you think that the Alliance must be brain dead from the heat? What’s with organizing such a stupid Sports Meet before the competitions? That’s totally heartless and inhuman! Don’t you agree, Captain? Don’t you agree?

Yu Wenzhou: Chairman Feng has mentioned that the body is essential to playing games. Therefore pro-players also need to train up.

Wei Chen: Haha. Do you really buy that explanation?

Yu Wenzhou: Ah. Hello Captain Wei.

Huang Shaotian: Say, Boss Wei. How could you eavesdrop on others’ conversations?

Wei Chen: Bullshit, kid. Who needs to eavesdrop when you’re that loud? Didn’t you see Old Feng glaring at you from the corner of his eyes? [Pang Guang = corner of his eyes]

Huang Shaotian: Side glance, Boss, it should be side glance. “Pang Guang” is for pissing. [Pang Guang = bladder]

Wei Chen: Piss off! I meant “pang” as in side! Are you looking for a beating?

Huang Shaotian: Hey, hey, a gentleman doesn’t raise his hands.

Wei Chen: (hitting while saying) I am so raising them! Raising and using them!

Huang Shaotian: Sidestepping, sidestepping. Haha, heh, you can’t hit me~

Cheng Guo: (speechless) Seriously, that’s enough...

Tang Rou: Frankly, it’s a pretty daunting task for people who aren’t used to working out to compete in such sweltering heat.

Ye Xiu: Sigh. Should have applied for sick leave. I’m starting to miss the keyboard and in-game world.

Lin Jingyan: God Ye is sick? What illness?

Han Wenqing: Final stage of lazy cancer.

Everyone: Pft! (laughter)

Steam Bun: What? Boss has cancer? Oh no! When did that happen?

Ye Xiu: Steam Bun, you...

Su Mucheng: Shh. Quiet, quiet. The Chairman is almost done with his speech.

Chairman Feng: … And I hereby announce, the Glory Alliance Friendly Sports Meet, starts now!

  Pan Lin: Hello everyone, I am Pan Lin, your announcer for today.

Li Yibo: And I am Li Yibo.

Pan Lin: First up is the Men’s 200m heats. Let us put our hands together to welcome our first group of competitors!

Li Yibo: They are: Wei Chen from Team Happy, Huang Shaotian from Team Blue Rain, Xiao Shiqin from Team Thunderclap, Wu Yuce from Team Void, and Li Hua from Team Misty Rain.

Wei Chen: Thank you! Thank you, everyone, for all your wishes and support towards me.

Huang Shaotian: Boss Wei, please keep your shamelessness in check. Are you sure those cheers are for you? Take a closer look. See, those are obviously banners for Blue Rain!

Blue Rain Fans: Blue Rain, Blue Rain is the best! Blue Rain, Blue Rain beats the rest!

Wei Chen: Hah. It even rhymes.

Pan Lin: Ok, everyone is prepared and ready to go. And the referee raises his gun.

(Cheers)

Pan Lin: And with a bang, Huang Shaotian is the first to head off, as expected of the best opportunist of the Alliance!

Li Yibo: Right on his heels is Wu Yuce. Ah! And Wu Yuce has overtaken Huang Shaotian! He is fast!

Pan Lin: But Huang Shaotian is not giving up. He is speeding up, and it seems… That he’s shouting something?

Huang Shaotian: Fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you! Look, here’s my triple slash speed boost! AHHHH!

Li Yibo: Huang Shaotian sure is energetic...

Pan Lin: Ah, Li Hua is also close behind! And Misty Rain’s female fans are screaming their hearts out!

Li Yibo: Over at the finishing point, Dai Yanqi is waving her arms wildly, cheering for her team captain, Xiao Shiqin. Such touching team spirit!

Dai Yanqi: Good luck, Captain! All the best! Captain is the coolest! (squeals)

Pan Lin: And so, Wei Chen is the last of them! He’s quite a distance from the finishing line, it’ll be quite hard to catch up.

Li Yibo: Well, it does seem like this level of activity is somewhat taxing for the old guard.

Pan Lin: Yeah.

Wei Chen: (sounds of panting and slow steps)

Pan Lin: As Wei Chen gets slower and slower, Wu Yuce becomes the first to cross the finishing line! That’s truly rare athleticism for a professional gamer!

 (Wei Chen stops, panting)

Wei Chen: (gasping)

Ye Xiu: Say, can you still go on?

Wei Chen: Old… Old me… Is… Is just… Just...

Ye Xiu: I understand, I understand. This elderly one is proving a point~ Shall I call an ambulance for you?

Wei Chen: … Fuck off...!

 Li Yibo: Next up, the 2nd heats of Men’s 200m is about to start. In the order of their respective lanes are: Wang Jiexi of Team Tiny Herb, Zhang Jiale from Team Tyranny, Zhou Zekai from Team Samsara, Yang Cong from Team 301, and Zou Yuan from Team Hundred Blossoms.

Zhang Xinjie: You’re up, Senior Zhang Jiale.

Lin Jingyan: All the best! We believe in you.

Zhang Jiale: No sweat. 200m is nothing.

Ye Xiu: Good luck, Le Le. Aim for number 2~

Zhang Jiale: (shows the middle finger) Fuck you!

 Jiang Botao: Captain, do your best too.

Zhou Zekai: Mm!

Ye Xiu: Xiao Zhou looks like the kind who exercises regularly.

Zhou Zekai: Yes. Every day 20.

Ye Xiu: 20?

Zhou Zekai: 500m, 20 rounds.

Ye Xiu: …(awkward cough) Erm, go on quickly, the referee’s calling for you.

 Pan Lin: Great, everyone’s now in their respective lanes.

(Gunshot)

 Li Yibo: And the race starts! Zhou Zekai is staying put in the lead position and behind him are Zhang Jiale, Zou Yuan, Wang Jiexi, and Yang Cong.

Huang Shaotian: The hell? Does Zhou Zekai intend to run all the way with this speed? Good looks, great gaming skills, and this good at running? Heaven is being absurdly unfair!

Ye Xiu: Uh-huh, it’s quite unfair.

Huang Shaotian: You think so too, right?

Ye Xiu: Why are his conversation skill points all given to you?

Huang Shaotian: … You asshole!

 Pan Lin: There’s 50m left! 30m! And Zhou Zekai has started sprinting! He’s sprinting!

Li Yibo: Awesome! Zhou Zekai leads all the way and is the first to cross the finishing line! That was superb!

Pan Lin: Zhang Jiale also meets everyone’s expectations, doing a good job of taking the number 2 spot. Ah, he’s pointing his... Middle finger at me, expressing his current, erm, enthusiastic feelings...

 Ye Xiu: Take it easy, Old Sun.

Sun Zheping: Thanks.

(Ye Xiu turns, almost bumping into incoming Zhang Jiale)

Ye Xiu: Whoa! Hey, aren’t you too eager to see Old Sun? After all, Zhang Xinjie’s also in this round. You should put on your professional best to support your team, Tyranny.

Zhang Jiale: (gasping) Pah! As if you have any right to criticize me. Who’s the one that’s been going around all morning, putting a wedge among the rivals in competition?

(Zhang Jiale turns to wave at Sun Zheping)

Zhang Jiale: Do your best, Big Sun!

(A sudden burst of fangirls screaming among the spectators)

Fangirls: Zhang Jiale! Sun Zheping! One million years of Blossom and Blood! One~ Million~ Years~ [Blossom and Blood: their famous combo move]

Zhang Jiale: (shocked) What the hell… What is this!?

Ye Xiu: Just focus on watching the game...

(Zhang Jiale drinks water)

Zhang Jiale: (swallows) Sigh, I can’t tell what Sun Zheping is thinking. He usually doesn’t exercise. It’s a miracle if he even bothers to sweep the floor…. Hey, don’t spread this around. I’m screwed if he finds out I’ve been complaining behind his back.

Ye Xiu: No problem~

(Ye Xiu turns his head to shout)

Ye Xiu: Dear friends from Heavenly Sword! I’ve heard that Old Sun doesn’t even sweep his own floor! Send my heartfelt regards to your cleaning lady!

(Zhang Jiale spits out his drink)

Zhang Jiale: (coughs) Fuck, do you want to die? Don’t run!

Ye Xiu: I am off~

(Ye Xiu runs off)

Zhang Jiale: (shouts) Just you wait, Old Ye! I will get my revenge someday!

 (At Samsara)

Du Ming: This looks nice. This one’s also good. So hard to choose...

Lu Boyuan: Du Ming! What are you doing, acting so suspiciously?

Du Ming: Ah?! No...nothing in particular!

(Phone is snatched)

Du Ming: Hey! Give it back!

Lu Boyuan: Yo! Pretty lady Tang Rou huh~ Not a bad photo.

(Jiang Botao walks over)

Jiang Botao: Tang Rou?

Du Ming: Um.. Taken just… Just now during the Women’s 200m race.

(Swipes the phone)

Jiang Botao: Well, this one looks nice.

Du Ming: Thank you, Vice Captain.

Jiang Botao: What is it for?

Lu Boyuan: Need you ask? For his handphone wallpaper, of course~

Du Ming: Go away!

 Li Yibo: The morning matches have all ended. We will continue in the afternoon at 1.30pm. Have a good break, and we’ll see you again in the afternoon!

 Li Yibo: Hello everyone, good afternoon! I am Li Yibo.

Pan Lin: And I am Pan Lin.

Li Yibo: Welcome back to the live of the first ever Glory Sports Meets. You probably still can’t get enough of the exciting matches from this morning. Worry not, as there’s more to come!

Pan Lin: First up is the finals for Men’s Long Jump. In this match, we have our famed Glory Textbook, God Ye Xiu! A rare sighting indeed!

Li Yibo: That’s right! What else could be more exciting than that?

(Behind the scenes)

Ye Xiu: Say… Is it too late for me to back out...?

Chen Guo: Too late! Go, go!

Su Mucheng: Do your best~

Steam Bun: Good luck, Boss! Good luck!

(Ye Xiu is pushed out)

(Crowd cheering)

Pan Lin: Oh? Speak of the devil! Team Happy’s Captain, Ye Xiu, has just appeared on the pit.

Li Yibo: God Ye Xiu immediately strikes up a conversation with Sun Xiang who is also competing in this category.

Pan Lin: The two of them have a somewhat delicate relation in the Pro-Alliance. I can’t help but wonder what they might talk about before the match.

Li Yibo: Now that you’ve mentioned it, I’m curious too!

(Ye Xiu walks over)

Ye Xiu: Comrade Sun Xiang looks spirited. But are you prepared to admit your loss to this awesomeness in front of you?

Sun XIang: You…!

Jiang Botao: Sun Xiang, it’s your turn!

(Crowd cheering)

Sun Xiang: Hnn!

(Sun Xiang left)

Ye Xiu: Ah, that kid’s still as impulsive as ever.

(Sun Xiang aims)

Sun Xiang: Hng!

(Sun Xiang jumps)

Pan Lin: Sun Xiang’s record is a little unexpected… But to be able to jump 2.5m, it’s already not bad for a professional gamer, right? Yibo?

Li Yibo: Haha! That’s right. After Sun Xiang, we’ve now come to Ye Xiu’s turn. Fans here are pretty worked up right now! Ah, someone just threw a water bottle from Tyranny’s side.

(Cheers and Boos)

Ye Xiu: Fans are way too passionate. Oh well, with my overwhelming popularity, that can’t be helped.

(Ye Xiu walks over)

Pan Lin: God Ye Xiu is getting ready to jump! What will his result be? Let‘s keep our eyes peeled!

Ye Xiu: 1, 2, 3… Hey ho!

(Ye Xiu jumps and lands)

(Crowd boos)

Pan Lin: (awkward).....Erm… Ah…. This is a friendly match after all, nobody is a professional athlete. 1.9m is already quite good...

Li Yibo: Yes, yes… Ye Xiu is probably much better performing in Glory. Erm…. Moving on to the next match!

  (Behind the scenes of Team Happy)

Wei Chen: My back is about to break!

Ye Xiu: Don’t say anymore. I have a headache – it’s as if I’ve listened Huang Shaotian perform a crosstalk…. For that team captain friendly something-or-other match later, can I pretend I’m dead?

(Chen Guo jumps up and slaps Ye Xiu’s back)

Chen Guo: Of course not!

Ye Xiu: Oooh ouch ouch pain pain pain!

Chen Guo: Other teams have gotten quite a few champions! We have nothing except for Steam Bun’s win at discus throwing!

Ye Xiu: Sis, it’s just a friendly match…. Surely you don’t have to be so serious?

Chen Guo: Even if it’s a friendly match!

Wei Chen: Girl, you’re getting desperate...

Chen Guo: Shut up!

 Pan Lin: Everyone! We are now at the most exciting part of the day! The final match of this Sports Meet, the Three-Legged 200m Run!

Li Yibo: This is a friendly match where all the team captains participate together in groups of two. Each group is decided by random draw. Isn’t it exciting? Aren’t you looking forward to it?

(Crowd cheers and screams)

Li Yibo: Let us take a look at the final outcome of the draw.

Pan Lin: Okay.

Li Yibo: Blue Rain’s Yu Wenzhou with Samsara’s Zhou Zekai; Void’s Li Xuan with Hundred Blossom’s Yu Feng.

Pan Lin: Tiny Herb’s Wang Jiexi and Excellent Era’s Qiu Fei….. Oh? Who’d have thought, who’d have thought!? Team Happy’s Ye Xiu and Tyranny drew the same lot! Hahahahaha! This must be destiny!

(behind the scenes)

Ye Xiu: Are they trying to make a joke out of me?

Fang Rui: My, my! What a rare matchup! O’ Great Ye Xiu is lucky today!

Tang Rou: Do your best, I favour you two.

Wei Chen: (claps Ye Xiu’s shoulder) I truly admire the close relationship you two share.

Qiao Yifan: Captain, be careful not to trip.

An Wenyi: Captain, you… are really my idol.

Luo Ji: Captain, we’ll all be cheering for you!

Su Mucheng: I needn’t say anything. You know~

Mo Fan: Er… Good luck.

Chen Guo: (claps Ye Xiu’s shoulder) Get a hold of yourself! See, even Mo Fan is cheering for you. Do a good job and don’t tarnish Happy’s reputation!

Ye Xiu: You all definitely planned this together...

(Tyranny’s F4 comes over)

Zhang Jiale: Hahahaha! Serves you right! Karma’s a bitch!

Zhang Xinjie: (serious) All the best. I believe in the unspoken understanding between Captain and Senior Ye Xiu.

Lin Jingyan: (gleefully fanning fires) Haha! Me too!

(elbows Han Wenqing)

Ye Xiu: Wipe off that suffering look, Old Han. Do you think I’m happy? This is the fault of the ballot...

Han Wenqing: Don’t drag me down.

Ye Xiu: Che. That’s my line. Don’t you dare trip in the middle of it. Many pairs of eyes will be staring hard at you.

Han Wenqing: Same to you.

Steam Bun: Boss, you can definitely do it!

Fang Rui: Good luck, good luck~

Steam Bun: Good luck, Boss!

(Crowd cheers)

Tyranny Fans: Tyranny! All the best! Tyranny! All the best!

Happy Fans: Go Happy, go! Go Happy, go!

Su Mucheng: What’s there to fight about when those two are already tied together… Do the fans still want them to fight each other while tied up?

Wei Chen: Must be a sin...

Huang Shaotian: Captain good luck good luck good luck! Zhou Zekai, don’t you dare drag our Captain down!

Sun Xiang: For all you know, it’s the other way round.

Huang Shaotian: What about it? You looking for a fight? Tonight 8pm PK in the arena! Whoever doesn’t turn up is a scaredy cat!

Sun Xiang: Fine! What’s there to be afraid of?

 Ye Xiu: It’s real lively, huh.  Say, Old Han, let’s start with the tied legs first. Look at Xiao Shiqin and Yunxiu discussing, (leans over to whisper) I’ve heard all their tactics.

Han Wenqing: So did I.

Ye Xiu: Bravo, Old Han. Never knew that your heart’s pretty black too.

Han Wenqing: Hn, not as black as yours.

Ye Xiu: Hah.

 Li Yibo: All the groups have been announced and the team captain’s legs are all tied together. Everyone’s ready to go.

Pan Lin: I’m sure all the fans with us are as excited as we are. Let’s cut the chatter. An amazing race is about to start!

Ye Xiu: (whisper) It’s this leg.

Han Wenqing: Shut up.

(Gunshot, Crowd cheers)

Fans: Go! Go!

Pan Lin: This three-legged match demands synchronisation from both partners. And as everyone knows, all the captains are opponents.

Li Yibo: That’s right. Will they be able to overcome their enmity in such a short time and become friends?

Yu Feng: (impatient) Li Xuan, is the rope a little loose? Why do I feel like my legs are getting lighter?

Li Xuan: (panting) That’s because my leg isn’t even reaching the ground okay!?

Qui Fei: (cautiously polite) Senior Wang Jiexi, aren’t we being… a bit too cautious? We have only moved four steps...

Yu Wenzhou: Wait a moment, Cap’n Zhou, hold on! You’re going too fast, I can barely keep up… Ah… now it seems too slow...

Chu Yunxiu: (testily) Darn you, Xiao Shiqin, run slower! Mind the pace, the pace! Counting 1, 2… That’s not 1! 1 is the right leg! Right! You are using your left!

Xiao Shiqin: Sis, my left leg is your right leg!

(Fans cheering)

Li Yibo: Looks like this particular competition is of some difficulty for these long-time rivals.

Pan Lin: But the most unbelievable thing is Ye Xiu and Han Wenqing, who are in the lead right now! And they’re ahead of the current number 2, Yu Feng and Li Xuan, by almost 50m!

Li Yibo: That’s right! Speaking of which, they’re both nearing the finishing line!

Li Yibo: Go for it!

Pan Lin: They’ve passed it! That’s simply incredible! The number 1s are actually Tyranny’s Han Wenqing and Happy’s Ye Xiu, who’ve been bitter rivals for 10 years! Have they just proven that “your enemy knows you best”? This is crazy! The fans of Tyranny and Happy are also ecstatic! They’re waving the team flags enthusiastically!

Tyranny fans: Tyranny! Champion! Tyranny! Champion!

Happy fans: Happy! Champion! Happy! Champion!

(Ye Xiu bends to untie the rope)

Ye Xiu: Damn it....

Han Wenqing: (impatient) What’s taking you so long?

Ye Xiu: Fuck… Who was the one who tied the rope on us!? It’s a dead knot!

 Chairman Feng: To all the participants, referees, and people involved in this event. After a long day of intense matches, we’ve come to the end of the first ever Glory Alliance Sports Meet. Each exciting moment shall be a part of our memorable journey with Glory. Regardless of winning or losing, glory is forever in our hearts. Among all the blessings we’ve received, to be able to stand here together is our greatest blessing….

(below the stage, everyone is whispering/chatting)

Su Mucheng: Hahaha~

Cheng Guo: What’s so funny, Mu Mu?

Su Mucheng: Guo Guo, see this. Pictures of Old Ye and Old Han tied together are being spread all over Weibo by fans.

Tang Rou: That looks like the Alliance’s Weibo interaction with the fans, doesn’t it?

Fang Rui: Let me see! Let me see! Oh~ The photo’s pretty good.

Wei Chen: Hey, hey, this angle is a bit too….

Steam Bun: Woah, it’s trending like crazy! Boss, you’re a super hot topic~

Huang Shaotian: What is it? What is it? I want to see too, I want to see! Let me see! Damn it, Su Mucheng! Don’t you switch it off! Hey!

(ruckus)

Ye Xiu: Eh, Old Han. Maybe we should take a selfie of ourselves and post it up.

Han Wenqing: (black face) Go away!

Chairman Feng: …..and friends, thank you everyone for your eager participation in the Glory Alliance Sports Meet. Next year we shall continue to do our best!

  Huang Shaotian: Geez! It’s finally over~ Seriously, the Alliance organising such a stupid sports event. Pah! Zhou Zekai you bugger! Getting three golds for Men’s 200m, 1000m and high jump alone! Where’s the fairness in that? And that Wu Yuce, so what if he has long legs? What’s so great about that? And that Yu Feng! And that, that Bao something! I protest! The Alliance should seriously consider banning these buggy people from competing! Oh~ Right, right~ Old Ye and Old Han’s photo broke a million views! That’s definitely a headline for the next Gaming Weekly Magazine! It totally proves that what goes around comes around~ Heaven has eyes and you can’t hide~ Hahahahahaha!!!

 Ye Xiu: What is Shaotian muttering to himself over there?

Han Wenqing: His skin itches [for a good thrashing.]

 [END]

P.s, If you liked this, do check out another fan radio drama, 全职高手之全员闹微博配音剧 (TKA: Chaos on Weibo). Because that’s another awesome production!

And if you need a translated transcript for that (shameless plugging =P):

https://thelonglazyworm.tumblr.com/post/162012493344/

[elenawickman-blog]

1, 6, 9, 22, 34, 36 for the writing ask! (lmartinez) 😊

Thank you for the ask!!

1. Tell us about your WIP!

Lolly Gray is a thief. She sneaks through the streets of Deinh’em and fills her pockets with money and her shoes with knives. She feeds her younger sister, Giselle, with crumbs of what she can scavenge, and feeds herself with what’s left behind. Navigating a war-torn country, with soldiers on the loose and rifles freely fired, makes survival a challenge. Even more so when Lolly’s very existence breaks Code D1: don’t stand out. Her hair changes color with her emotions.  

War kicked Lolly out of Amnalpasia and into poverty. Desperation drove her to thievery. Fear bound her to her safe window well. But when Giselle is taken by the soldiers and a childhood friend dressed in military green hunts her down, she’s forced to make a truly fatal choice. 

I’m not the best at summarizing, and this is in no way the official grabber. But, if you’d like to learn more about my WIP, The Color of War, and about my writing in general, feel free to visit my YouTube channel, Elena Wickman!

6. Favorite character you’ve written?

Oh, this is a tough one. I adore all of my characters. They’re my brain children, and it’s like literally having to pick a favorite of actual children. But … I’d have to say, at least out of my current WIP, my favorite character is Fabian. He’s a very close friend of my MC in the novel, and I just love him. He’s brave, devoted to a cause, optimistic, passionate, and stubborn. He’s a dreamer, and it’s his conviction that really helps Lolly have courage in tough parts of the book. He’s someone I’d love for a friend in real life. It’d always be an adventure to hang with Fabian. 

9. Favorite/least favorite tropes? 

Favorite: –Broken family units (What can I say? It makes for an interesting story for sure, if done right. Like @shaelinwrites story about the twins that I’m totally forgetting the title of. Gahh dang. But that was fire.)–Haters to lovers (but wait wait wait not the mortal enemy to head-over-heels kind. Like … no. But the type of relationship where two characters really don’t like each other at first, but they get to know each other, and eventually find out they have a lot in common and become this unbreakable team of amazingness. Yes please.)–Side character becomes the hero (shoutout to my boy Neville Longbottom in the last HP book. I love when a side character who seems kind of useless and doesn’t do much actually ends up being really significant to the hero’s overall success. That is probably my favorite.)

Least:–Love triangles. Enough said. –Strong, emotionless female protagonist. I mean, why can’t a girl be physically/emotionally strong and also experience real human emotions? Please?–Brooding male love interest. Seriously, so many of these guys end up being really toxic, obsessive, even abusive. I could rant on this for hours, and I have before. I hate this so much. The “mysterious” bad boy? Come on. There’s more than one type of attractive male human out there. –”The Chosen One” (*rage screams internally*)

22. Tell us about the books on your “To Write” list.

I’m not going to go super in-depth on these, because there’s a lot, and I want to develop them more before talking about one. But I’ll talk about one. 

I have no idea what I’m going to call it, but it’s going to either be a NA or Adult contemporary novel featuring four viewpoint characters. –Sage, who’s in his 20s and has an older brother who was always the jock, who was cooler, more impressive, was into all the sports, got the best grades, etc. etc. model child. When driving his older brother to an event one night, they got in a car accident. His older brother died, and Sage developed a traumatic brain injury. Sage struggles with feeling as though he should have been the one to go instead. –Winston, who goes by Winn, is also in his 20s. Tbh they’re all in their 20s. Anyhow, Winn uses a wheelchair part-time because of fatigue and neurological issues caused by his chronic illnesses. He trains working dogs for a living, but has been cut off by his family for three years. –Sawyer has major depression and an EDNOS. She puts off this confident front, but is really cracking apart inside. She’s in a very toxic relationship with her fiancé, who only makes her mental illnesses worse. –Finally, there’s Emma. Emma was adopted as a young child from a teen mom who wasn’t ready to raise her. She always felt a little out-of-place growing up with her adopted single mom. They never had a lot of money, she never had any siblings, and she constantly struggles with wondering why she was given up. She reaches out to her birth mom, and discovers she’s married, and has had three children–one with Emma’s birth dad, who she kept. 

The book is about these four 20-something college students with four very different backgrounds and struggles finding each other and, through them, finding themselves. I’m so excited to write this. 

34. Unpopular writing thoughts/opinions?

A lot of people encourage you to “Break the rules! Follow your own writing rules!” But like … the writing “rules” are there for a reason. They’re going to make your writing better. So … follow them. 

I don’t like Sarah J. Maas.

I also don’t like NaNoWriMo. Yeah, getting words on a page are better than a blank page, but if you’re spewing out bad writing just to up a word count, you’re going to have a really hard time fixing that writing. Don’t write for quantity, write for quality.

36. Post a snippet.

I charge the alleyway, hand clamped on the knife snuggled in my bag. A dumpster shudders to the left. Shadows spill on my path, twisting into garish scowls and pointed spears. I stamp on them as I go. The back door of a shop creaks open, and light spills on the alley floor. I duck behind a pile of garbage bags as a woman with pallid skin and bones sticking out of her uniform steps into the alley and lights a cigarette. She mops her forehead with her apron and breathes ash clouds masked like kitchen smoke. I stuff a cough in the neck of my shirt. She stands in the doorway, puffs a frame around her loose honey-brown braids. I brace my crouch on the dumpster and rub the strain from my ankles. Then she snuffs out the cigarette on her apron and steps back inside. The door clicks behind her.

[happy-meo]

1.5 K FOLLOWERS? TURN UP!

I don’t even know how to thank everyone T_T After such an emotional few days, you all have showed me such unending support, understanding, and love. I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am to have been blessed with beautiful followers such as yourselves. I had been thinking about dropping a little something for you all (not Masquerade III since I didn’t get to write more) and then I spotted my followers count, and WOW!! 

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU <3

So as a thank you and also, as an apology for taking awhile with writing the Masquerade III finale, here are some snippets of my upcoming future works that I’ll be writing after Masquerade III. Keep reading below!

STORY 1: 

Jin’s Cupids. (Jin x Reader & 95z Jimin & Taehyung) [HP AU; Rom-com, Fluff] Summary: Jin has had a long time crush that he was doing nothing about, so his childhood friends took it upon themselves to do some magical match-making. But will their tricks and spells help, or will it just make things more awkward? 

          Jin had been in love with you for a few years now, but had never mustered up the courage to do anything past smiling at you as he took his seat diagonally behind you during Defense Against the Dark Arts. He lived for your reciprocated smiles, because for that moment, he could delude himself into thinking that he held your undivided attention. And that was enough for him.

           But his younger friends refused to let him be content with a simple, meaningless smile.

           "HYUNG!" Tae whined. "You literally mashed your name and her name together and doodled it all over your first year textbooks. Then when you handed it down to me, people thought I had a crush on you and had made a cute pet name for you."

           "Yeah, hyung. It's your sixth year at Hogwarts now. If you don't at least try to do something about your feelings, you might be hung up on her forever." Jimin twirled his quill suavely, earning a few giggles from girls eyeing him in the library.  

           Jin pursed his lips, trying to tune out his childhood friends, who were 3 years younger than him. It's not that he didn't want to ask you to Hogsmeade every single time, but he would always chicken out or someone else would beat him to it. The timing was just never right...or so he told himself. But he knew he always hesitated for too long and kept missing the opportunity. The more his attempts failed, the more he never wanted to try in the first place.

           "I know!" Tae exclaimed. The librarian shushed him scoldingly, and he smiled at her sheepishly. Then he turned back to Jin and Jimin, whispering this time. "How about we ask for a Time Turner, and then we can like freeze time so Jin-hyung can prepare something grand, and we can clear out the competition and her friends so it'll just be the two of them?"

           Tae was practically beaming sunshine out of his being. He thought his plan was insanely genius and innovative, and he was convinced it would work. Jin exhaled and shook his head.

           "First off, the Time Turner shouldn't be used for such purposes. Time is a tricky thing, Tae, and I don't want to mess with it, just so I could get a girl."

           Jimin grabbed Jin's shoulders and turned his hyung to face him. "No, hyung. This isn't a girl. This is the girl. Y/N noona is one of the hottest witches in the entire school. And if you date her, then WE get to hang out with her, and--"

           "THAT WOULD BE SO AWESOME!" Tae cheered.

           "Mr. Kim, one more sound from you and I will have to ask you to leave." The librarian warned.

           "Sorry." Tae scratched the back of his head and sunk into his chair.

           "I really need to ace this test guys." Jin collected his books. "I'm going back to the dorm. You're both so distracting."

           "Aww hyung!" Tae whined.

           Jin glared at him, and scurried out of the library in a hurry. But in his rush, he ended up colliding with someone that was entering, and it coincidentally ended up being you. His eyes widened and his ears turned red as he scrambled to his knees to help you pick up your fallen books.    

           "I-I'm so sorry!" he flustered.

           You giggled and held your books close to you. "It's alright. I was spacing out and wasn't looking."

           "Me neither." Jin blushed.

           You smiled and lingered a little, and Jin racked his brain for a conversation starter, but his mind had gone blank with your presence.

           "Were you studying?" You filled in the awkward silence.

           "Oh yeah, for our test coming up. But some of my 3rd year friends were getting a bit rowdy so I was going to head back to the dormitory."

           "Oh. I was just heading to the library to start studying." You chuckled. "It's usually packed, so maybe I could sit where you were sitting if it's still free?"

           "Noona!" Jimin waved. "There's a spot here for you~"

           Jin glared at his friends, acting like they were close to her when they weren't.

           "You don't mind, right?" You blinked up at Jin, who hurriedly turned his vicious expression directed at Jimin into a smile.

           "Mind what?"

           "If I sit in your spot?" she pointed. "I know you and your friends really like that table. The younger class deems it 'the table reserved for visuals'."

           Jin blushed and blurted out, "Then it seems the last chair was made to be filled by you."

           You stared at him, as if taken aback by his flirtatious comment, then you giggled. "A compliment from Kim Seokjin? It must be my lucky day."

           Jin felt himself warm at the sound of his name leaving her lips. He felt as if someone had casted Winguardium Leviosa on his entire being because he was soaring.

           "You sure you can't stay for a bit?" You questioned. "I don't really know your friends, but I know the 3rd year girls are very protective over them. I'd rather not be mauled for studying in their proximity."

           Jin blushed and smiled, gesturing for her to follow him back to the table, trying to maintain his cool. "We wouldn't want that to happen now would we?"

           Meanwhile, Tae and Jimin were whispering amongst each other while watching you two in conversation.

           "We have to do something, Jimin." Tae firmly stated. "He can't go on like this."

           "I know. His googly eyes are starting to irritate me. We need to give them a push."

           "How about this?" Tae whipped out his wand and whispered, "Winguardium Leviosa."

           "Tae, what're you doing?" Jimin whispered nervously.

           "Oh my goodness, Jin, you're floating." You gasped.

           "Wh-what?" Jin blinked.

           "You're floating!" You pointed at his feet, which were visibly off the ground.

           Jin looked down and screamed, flailing his arms and legs in panic.

           Taehyung giggled. "This'll totally get them together."

           Jimin sighed and shook his head as he watched you trying to reach for Jin who was halfway towards the ceiling.

STORY 2:

Save Me. (Yoongi x Reader) [Secret Agent AU; Mystery, Action, Angst, & Fluff]

           And you hadn't thought of Yoongi, your first love, the boyfriend that had humiliated you and broke your heart all on the same day, for years. No, you didn't become an undercover agent just so you could become someone new, someone different, someone better. You didn't graduate at the top of your training class to prove to him that, unlike what he had said back in high school, you were worth it, you were enough, you had something to offer.

           And yet, when you finally convinced yourself that you had escaped his hold on you; that you were going to step into the new world of being a secret agent, filled with adventure, thrill, and challenges, there he appeared, tauntingly flashing his gummy smile as you entered the room with the rest of your training class. How you had spotted him amongst the crowd of graduates from various training sects, you had no idea. But you felt yourself sink back in line, praying you were hallucinating and praying you two would never have to cross paths, because there were sheer thousands of training agents and only limited spots in the most coveted division of the agency-- the SA -- the Special Agent Division. The SA was specifically reserved for the most promising agents of the highest caliber, because this division was in charge of taking on the most advanced, and highly secretive and sensitive cases and investigations. These agents were always on the field, putting their skills to the test in life-or-death situations. But why was Min Yoongi here out of all places?

           "Y/N."

           Your name being called out by an official at the podium pulled you out of your thoughts. Your class separated to make a path for you to walk to the stage. You had missed the entire shpeal leading up to your name being called, but you could only assume you were getting recognition for being the top training agent in your class. You kept your eyes peeled forward, fighting back the urge to check Yoongi's reaction to your presence, not wanting him to know that you were already aware of his presence. Smiling brightly, you stood beside the official with your head held high and your shoulders back confidently.

           "I am proud to announce that Y/N of Class #1 has unanimously been chosen to be part of the Special Agents Division, for her outstanding performance in all training modules. Please give her a round of applause!"  

           You grinned happily and your eyes briefly flitted to where Yoongi was. He was wearing a stunned expression. Your eyes locked with his, but you averted hurriedly, heart beating wildly.

           "And unprecedentedly, the SA has chosen her partner among the other accepted training agents, for they both had achieved perfect scores on all simulations and training modules. We look forward to cultivating their amazing potential. Without further ado, her partner is none other than, Class #9's resident genius, Min Yoongi!"

           Your eyes widened in pure shock, and your ears seemed to drown out the thunderous applause that erupted from the announcement. Yoongi, with his irritatingly disarming grin, made his way towards you, eyes never leaving yours until he positioned himself next to you.

           As was custom when receiving your life long agent partner, you both turned to face each other and bowed deeply. Then you extended your hand boldly, and his slotted into yours gently, as it once had many years ago. He smiled warmly and squeezed your hand.

           "Long time no see, Y/N."

           "Your next mission is to investigate the recent serial killings in a prestigious high school."

           "High school?" You choked out. It brought back a flood of negative memories stemming from the person sitting beside you.

           "Yes, you're both going to be posing as new female transfer students."

           It was Yoongi's turn to choke on his water. "Sorry, I might've misheard. We're both going to be female transfer students??"

           "Yes." Your director chuckled and slid over all of the necessary documents and a run-down of your new assignment. "As of now Mr. Min, you are officially female, high school junior, Min Yoonji."

Hope you all like the little teasers :) And I’ll see you all back after a week ~ thanks again for all your love and support! Stay healthy and safe! And have a wonderful week everyone ~

And shout out to @2cool4skool-06-12-13 for helping me with this decision <3 

[eddiejpoplar]

2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Meets 1990 Corvette ZR1

The first time Teddy Roosevelt’s words, “Speak softly and carry a big stick,” occurred to me as I reviewed a car was while driving a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Now, after testing the new 2019 ZR1 on a couple of racetracks within the span of a few days, “Speak rudely and wield a really fat club” might be more appropriate.

After my first laps at the limit around Road Atlanta in the latest ZR1, the words of General Motors executive VP of global product development Mark Reuss, who was on hand, rang true. “Things haven’t changed at GM as far as stretching the technology envelope,” he said. “ZR1 has to set the upper limits of performance and be a technological beacon in chassis, design, and materials.”

Oh, and don’t forget the engine. Corvette engineers were not content with the kidney-flattening supercharged LT4 V-8 that kicks out 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque in the Z06. The new ZR1 has a supercharged LT5 V-8 spitting 755 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 715 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm. Certified top speed is 212.49 mph, which came from a two-way average (215 mph/210 mph). Chevy restricts the ZR1 to a top speed of 215 mph to be within tire-safety standards. Base price for the coupe is $122,095 when you add the $2,100 gas guzzler tax. The convertible starts at $126,095. Hey, you only need one kidney, anyway.

Coming into turn 1, the car was beyond 150 mph,  still accelerating hard as I entered the brake zone. I pushed the stop pedal hard, and the ZR1 dutifully spit my eyeballs out of my head.

The ZR1 is a heavily track-focused performance car, but I did drive it for several hours on the road. Corvette critics will note nothing particularly different about the ZR1’s interior or controls compared to other C7-generation models, which is no surprise because this is the end of the platform’s life cycle. However, changes to the suspension and magnetic-ride shocks are noteworthy; they provide better ride quality and compliance over road imperfections, noticeable improvements compared to a Z06. That said, new C7 Z06s now receive the same shock programming as the ZR1.

Red and yellow cars with optional matching interior stitching and the manual transmission also get color-synchronized rev-match paddles.

In today’s domestic automaker landscape, it would be reasonable to wonder if there was any pushback from within GM about the merits of building a 755-hp street missile. But apparently not on Reuss’ watch. “The Corvette has always been about attainable high performance,” he said. “As far as the 755 horsepower, approval of something like the ZR1 starts and stops with me.”

Chevrolet says the ZR1 (with the $1,725 eight-speed automatic transmission) runs 0-60 mph in 2.85 seconds and from 0 to 100 mph in just 6.0 seconds. Launching the car from a standstill is not easy; you or the traction control will work overtime to keep wheelspin at bay all the way to 60, which doesn’t do much to help the time.

In other matters, the car has a half-inch-wider front rim size compared to the Z06, which helps the front end work better when combined with the 60 percent increase in overall downforce. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber is on duty, with 285/30-R19s up front and 335/25-R20s in the rear. The downforce improvement (the car produces a total of 950 pounds at top speed with the $2,995 ZTK/high-wing option) also comes with no increase in drag versus the Z06, Chevy says—a nice trick if you can do it.

“The Z06 cooling concerns on-track have been dealt with in the ZR1.”

According to Corvette executive chief engineer Tadge Juechter, in terms of performance goals for the new car, “The ZR1 has always meant top performance, no limits. When we ask the customer, ‘How much power do you want?’ they say, ‘How much can you give me?’ There were no hard requirements like a power number. We tried to extend all aspects as much as possible.” To his point about the definition of the ZR1, the model’s history was front and center in several of the engineering presentations held during the media launch.

“ZR-1” was originally a GM Regular Production Option code identifying a special performance package from 1970 to ’72; it was not originally recognized as a car-model identifier. Meanwhile, of course, many people refer to the 1990 model as the first Corvette ZR-1—The King of the Hill. Initial road tests of the latter created quite a stir almost 30 years ago, with performance far superior to other Corvettes from the late ’70s and early ’80s given that many of them were strangled by emissions regulations. Magazines even pitted the 1990 ZR-1 (375 hp at 6,200 rpm, 370 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm) head-to-head against machines such as the mighty Porsche 911 Turbo—and nobody laughed.

In 1991 the 911 Turbo’s base price was around $100,000. (There was no 1990 model-year Turbo.) The ZR-1 was a comparative bargain at $58,994, with the ZR-1 package accounting for $27,015 of that. People were happy to pay for the new capability, ripping from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, which was supercar performance for the era. Credit was given to GM for working with the Mercury Marine Company and Lotus Engineering to help expand the technology envelope, creating the double-overhead-cam LT5 engine and a legend in the process. Lotus also helped with the car’s braking, steering, and adjustable ride control.

In 1990 I raced for the Morrison Motorsports team, the same outfit that set world speed endurance records with a stock 1990 ZR-1 and also campaigned two mostly stock ZR-1s in the 1991 Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. I drove one of those ZR-1s in both of those races, a car that is now in the Smithsonian collection in Washington, D.C. I also drove a ZR-1 street car back in 1990, and vivid memories are the noise, brutal acceleration, grip level, and stability. The whole package was astonishing for a production car, and the experience of driving that “red rocket” all those years ago is forever welded into my brain.

Now in 2018 I find myself sitting in another red 1990 ZR-1 at the Motorsports Park racetrack in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This pristine example, with just more than 6,000 miles on the odometer, was lent to us by the National Corvette Museum, which owns the track. Leaving pit lane in the old beast, I mused how much fun a 10/10ths hot lap might be. But then I imagined the look on museum curator Derek Moore’s face if his baby came back with chunks of rubber missing. So I took it easy, and the car ran flawlessly while little bursts of acceleration sparked memories of the first time I felt the LT5’s smooth, urgent power.

Then, once again, it was time to drive the 2019 ZR1 on a racetrack. At Road Atlanta three days earlier, the temperature reached almost 90 degrees. Although the car went ridiculously fast, lap records weren’t in the cards thanks to the heat sliming up the tarmac. But the temperature at Motorsports Park was now just 60 degrees.

The ZR1 did not disappoint. Coming into Turn 1, the car was beyond 150 mph, still accelerating hard as I entered the brake zone. I pushed the stop pedal hard, and the ZR1 dutifully spit my eyeballs out of my head. I recently tested a very capable GT4 race car and was impressed by its brakes; the ZR1 was equally impressive. The tires, aerodynamic downforce, and all-new Brembo carbon-ceramic stoppers combined for more than 1.7 g’s worth of deceleration (serious race car good). I made a mental note not to use the brakes this hard with a cement truck behind me out on public roads.

Over the course of several days, I tried both the automatic and seven-speed manual versions of the car; if I were to buy the ZR1 for track days, I would without question buy the automatic. Not only because it shifts quicker but also because I only weigh about 155 pounds; despite using the seat belt locking mechanism, I found myself moving around too much in the seat while on maximum attack due to the forces the ZR1 exerted all the way around Motorsports Park’s 24-turn, 3.2-mile track. In the automatic I can keep both hands on the wheel for a little extra support. It’s worth noting I had no issues at all with the seat holding me solid with normal or spirited street driving.

Corvette interiors have taken much criticism for years, but there’s something appealing about the old ZR-1’s KITT-style controls.

Meanwhile, the car’s E-ticket handling jolted Juechter’s words back to the top of my mind. “The ZR1 technology we’re most proud of is the front underwing and general aero of the car,” he said. “Also, the trackability. It is very easy to drop the suspension and adjust the rear wing, and off you go.” He also addressed the disappointment some people had with the Z06’s lack of cooling during track use: “The Z06 cooling concerns on-track have been dealt with in the ZR1.” To test his claim, I did a long run of almost 25 minutes at Road Atlanta in the blazing heat. My laps, at fast race pace, were all between 1 minute, 30.4 seconds and 1:31.7. Those were quite quick times for the conditions, and the car exhibited very little drop-off in performance.

You probably have read hyperbole, and then some, about road cars that sound unreal. In this case, though, I really have never heard a production car sound this much like a race car in both tone and volume. There is some engineering trickery in one of the mufflers, featuring a spring-loaded valve that burps open or stays closed based on driving style. Bring your earplugs, Mildred.

“Why on earth would anyone want a self-driving Corvette? That would be like having a self-kissing girlfriend.”

At the end of the day, I finally had time to try to rip off a really fast lap in a car equipped with the automatic. At the limit the ZR1 is very balanced; I could easily control both front and rear tire slide with throttle and steering quickly enough to maintain good momentum, never allowing the slide to reach a point where I lost time. When the lap time crackled through the track radio, it blared a new official lap record for a production car on OE tires for the Motorsports Park racetrack: 2:05.59. This time is several seconds quicker than any other production car has managed on the circuit since it opened in 2013.

Perhaps setting a new MSP benchmark was an appropriate way to send the C7 Corvette into the sunset, potentially truly marking the end of an era. A mid-engine Corvette is finally on the horizon, after all, though Reuss and Juechter predictably plead the fifth on any inquiries into the matter. Other creeping—sprinting?—trends such as autonomy could also play a role in the car’s future. “Who wants to sit in traffic for three hours paying attention to stopping and starting if the car can do it for them?” Reuss asked. But Juechter then followed mischievously with a quote from a Corvette customer: “Why on earth would anyone want a self-driving Corvette? That would be like having a self-kissing girlfriend.”

For now and the foreseeable future, then, custodians of performance like Reuss and Juechter plan to keep on facilitating street-legal rockets like the new ZR1. The first time an owner experiences the brutal shove in the back, they’re pretty much guaranteed to think they got a bargain. Teddy Roosevelt would be blown away.

2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $122,095 (base) ENGINE 6.2L supercharged OHV 16-valve V-8/755 hp @ 6,300 rpm, 715 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm TRANSMISSION 7-speed manual, 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 2-door, 2-passenger, front-engine, RWD coupe EPA MILEAGE 15/22 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 179.8 x 77.4 x 48.5 in WHEELBASE 106.7 in WEIGHT 3,560 lb 0-60 MPH 2.85 sec (with automatic) TOP SPEED 215 mph (electronically limited)

The post 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Meets 1990 Corvette ZR1 appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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[jesusvasser]

2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Meets 1990 Corvette ZR1

The first time Teddy Roosevelt’s words, “Speak softly and carry a big stick,” occurred to me as I reviewed a car was while driving a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Now, after testing the new 2019 ZR1 on a couple of racetracks within the span of a few days, “Speak rudely and wield a really fat club” might be more appropriate.

After my first laps at the limit around Road Atlanta in the latest ZR1, the words of General Motors executive VP of global product development Mark Reuss, who was on hand, rang true. “Things haven’t changed at GM as far as stretching the technology envelope,” he said. “ZR1 has to set the upper limits of performance and be a technological beacon in chassis, design, and materials.”

Oh, and don’t forget the engine. Corvette engineers were not content with the kidney-flattening supercharged LT4 V-8 that kicks out 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque in the Z06. The new ZR1 has a supercharged LT5 V-8 spitting 755 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 715 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm. Certified top speed is 212.49 mph, which came from a two-way average (215 mph/210 mph). Chevy restricts the ZR1 to a top speed of 215 mph to be within tire-safety standards. Base price for the coupe is $122,095 when you add the $2,100 gas guzzler tax. The convertible starts at $126,095. Hey, you only need one kidney, anyway.

Coming into turn 1, the car was beyond 150 mph,  still accelerating hard as I entered the brake zone. I pushed the stop pedal hard, and the ZR1 dutifully spit my eyeballs out of my head.

The ZR1 is a heavily track-focused performance car, but I did drive it for several hours on the road. Corvette critics will note nothing particularly different about the ZR1’s interior or controls compared to other C7-generation models, which is no surprise because this is the end of the platform’s life cycle. However, changes to the suspension and magnetic-ride shocks are noteworthy; they provide better ride quality and compliance over road imperfections, noticeable improvements compared to a Z06. That said, new C7 Z06s now receive the same shock programming as the ZR1.

Red and yellow cars with optional matching interior stitching and the manual transmission also get color-synchronized rev-match paddles.

In today’s domestic automaker landscape, it would be reasonable to wonder if there was any pushback from within GM about the merits of building a 755-hp street missile. But apparently not on Reuss’ watch. “The Corvette has always been about attainable high performance,” he said. “As far as the 755 horsepower, approval of something like the ZR1 starts and stops with me.”

Chevrolet says the ZR1 (with the $1,725 eight-speed automatic transmission) runs 0-60 mph in 2.85 seconds and from 0 to 100 mph in just 6.0 seconds. Launching the car from a standstill is not easy; you or the traction control will work overtime to keep wheelspin at bay all the way to 60, which doesn’t do much to help the time.

In other matters, the car has a half-inch-wider front rim size compared to the Z06, which helps the front end work better when combined with the 60 percent increase in overall downforce. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber is on duty, with 285/30-R19s up front and 335/25-R20s in the rear. The downforce improvement (the car produces a total of 950 pounds at top speed with the $2,995 ZTK/high-wing option) also comes with no increase in drag versus the Z06, Chevy says—a nice trick if you can do it.

“The Z06 cooling concerns on-track have been dealt with in the ZR1.”

According to Corvette executive chief engineer Tadge Juechter, in terms of performance goals for the new car, “The ZR1 has always meant top performance, no limits. When we ask the customer, ‘How much power do you want?’ they say, ‘How much can you give me?’ There were no hard requirements like a power number. We tried to extend all aspects as much as possible.” To his point about the definition of the ZR1, the model’s history was front and center in several of the engineering presentations held during the media launch.

“ZR-1” was originally a GM Regular Production Option code identifying a special performance package from 1970 to ’72; it was not originally recognized as a car-model identifier. Meanwhile, of course, many people refer to the 1990 model as the first Corvette ZR-1—The King of the Hill. Initial road tests of the latter created quite a stir almost 30 years ago, with performance far superior to other Corvettes from the late ’70s and early ’80s given that many of them were strangled by emissions regulations. Magazines even pitted the 1990 ZR-1 (375 hp at 6,200 rpm, 370 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm) head-to-head against machines such as the mighty Porsche 911 Turbo—and nobody laughed.

In 1991 the 911 Turbo’s base price was around $100,000. (There was no 1990 model-year Turbo.) The ZR-1 was a comparative bargain at $58,994, with the ZR-1 package accounting for $27,015 of that. People were happy to pay for the new capability, ripping from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, which was supercar performance for the era. Credit was given to GM for working with the Mercury Marine Company and Lotus Engineering to help expand the technology envelope, creating the double-overhead-cam LT5 engine and a legend in the process. Lotus also helped with the car’s braking, steering, and adjustable ride control.

In 1990 I raced for the Morrison Motorsports team, the same outfit that set world speed endurance records with a stock 1990 ZR-1 and also campaigned two mostly stock ZR-1s in the 1991 Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. I drove one of those ZR-1s in both of those races, a car that is now in the Smithsonian collection in Washington, D.C. I also drove a ZR-1 street car back in 1990, and vivid memories are the noise, brutal acceleration, grip level, and stability. The whole package was astonishing for a production car, and the experience of driving that “red rocket” all those years ago is forever welded into my brain.

Now in 2018 I find myself sitting in another red 1990 ZR-1 at the Motorsports Park racetrack in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This pristine example, with just more than 6,000 miles on the odometer, was lent to us by the National Corvette Museum, which owns the track. Leaving pit lane in the old beast, I mused how much fun a 10/10ths hot lap might be. But then I imagined the look on museum curator Derek Moore’s face if his baby came back with chunks of rubber missing. So I took it easy, and the car ran flawlessly while little bursts of acceleration sparked memories of the first time I felt the LT5’s smooth, urgent power.

Then, once again, it was time to drive the 2019 ZR1 on a racetrack. At Road Atlanta three days earlier, the temperature reached almost 90 degrees. Although the car went ridiculously fast, lap records weren’t in the cards thanks to the heat sliming up the tarmac. But the temperature at Motorsports Park was now just 60 degrees.

The ZR1 did not disappoint. Coming into Turn 1, the car was beyond 150 mph, still accelerating hard as I entered the brake zone. I pushed the stop pedal hard, and the ZR1 dutifully spit my eyeballs out of my head. I recently tested a very capable GT4 race car and was impressed by its brakes; the ZR1 was equally impressive. The tires, aerodynamic downforce, and all-new Brembo carbon-ceramic stoppers combined for more than 1.7 g’s worth of deceleration (serious race car good). I made a mental note not to use the brakes this hard with a cement truck behind me out on public roads.

Over the course of several days, I tried both the automatic and seven-speed manual versions of the car; if I were to buy the ZR1 for track days, I would without question buy the automatic. Not only because it shifts quicker but also because I only weigh about 155 pounds; despite using the seat belt locking mechanism, I found myself moving around too much in the seat while on maximum attack due to the forces the ZR1 exerted all the way around Motorsports Park’s 24-turn, 3.2-mile track. In the automatic I can keep both hands on the wheel for a little extra support. It’s worth noting I had no issues at all with the seat holding me solid with normal or spirited street driving.

Corvette interiors have taken much criticism for years, but there’s something appealing about the old ZR-1’s KITT-style controls.

Meanwhile, the car’s E-ticket handling jolted Juechter’s words back to the top of my mind. “The ZR1 technology we’re most proud of is the front underwing and general aero of the car,” he said. “Also, the trackability. It is very easy to drop the suspension and adjust the rear wing, and off you go.” He also addressed the disappointment some people had with the Z06’s lack of cooling during track use: “The Z06 cooling concerns on-track have been dealt with in the ZR1.” To test his claim, I did a long run of almost 25 minutes at Road Atlanta in the blazing heat. My laps, at fast race pace, were all between 1 minute, 30.4 seconds and 1:31.7. Those were quite quick times for the conditions, and the car exhibited very little drop-off in performance.

You probably have read hyperbole, and then some, about road cars that sound unreal. In this case, though, I really have never heard a production car sound this much like a race car in both tone and volume. There is some engineering trickery in one of the mufflers, featuring a spring-loaded valve that burps open or stays closed based on driving style. Bring your earplugs, Mildred.

“Why on earth would anyone want a self-driving Corvette? That would be like having a self-kissing girlfriend.”

At the end of the day, I finally had time to try to rip off a really fast lap in a car equipped with the automatic. At the limit the ZR1 is very balanced; I could easily control both front and rear tire slide with throttle and steering quickly enough to maintain good momentum, never allowing the slide to reach a point where I lost time. When the lap time crackled through the track radio, it blared a new official lap record for a production car on OE tires for the Motorsports Park racetrack: 2:05.59. This time is several seconds quicker than any other production car has managed on the circuit since it opened in 2013.

Perhaps setting a new MSP benchmark was an appropriate way to send the C7 Corvette into the sunset, potentially truly marking the end of an era. A mid-engine Corvette is finally on the horizon, after all, though Reuss and Juechter predictably plead the fifth on any inquiries into the matter. Other creeping—sprinting?—trends such as autonomy could also play a role in the car’s future. “Who wants to sit in traffic for three hours paying attention to stopping and starting if the car can do it for them?” Reuss asked. But Juechter then followed mischievously with a quote from a Corvette customer: “Why on earth would anyone want a self-driving Corvette? That would be like having a self-kissing girlfriend.”

For now and the foreseeable future, then, custodians of performance like Reuss and Juechter plan to keep on facilitating street-legal rockets like the new ZR1. The first time an owner experiences the brutal shove in the back, they’re pretty much guaranteed to think they got a bargain. Teddy Roosevelt would be blown away.

2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $122,095 (base) ENGINE 6.2L supercharged OHV 16-valve V-8/755 hp @ 6,300 rpm, 715 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm TRANSMISSION 7-speed manual, 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 2-door, 2-passenger, front-engine, RWD coupe EPA MILEAGE 15/22 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 179.8 x 77.4 x 48.5 in WHEELBASE 106.7 in WEIGHT 3,560 lb 0-60 MPH 2.85 sec (with automatic) TOP SPEED 215 mph (electronically limited)

The post 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Meets 1990 Corvette ZR1 appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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[jonathanbelloblog]

2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Meets 1990 Corvette ZR1

The first time Teddy Roosevelt’s words, “Speak softly and carry a big stick,” occurred to me as I reviewed a car was while driving a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Now, after testing the new 2019 ZR1 on a couple of racetracks within the span of a few days, “Speak rudely and wield a really fat club” might be more appropriate.

After my first laps at the limit around Road Atlanta in the latest ZR1, the words of General Motors executive VP of global product development Mark Reuss, who was on hand, rang true. “Things haven’t changed at GM as far as stretching the technology envelope,” he said. “ZR1 has to set the upper limits of performance and be a technological beacon in chassis, design, and materials.”

Oh, and don’t forget the engine. Corvette engineers were not content with the kidney-flattening supercharged LT4 V-8 that kicks out 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque in the Z06. The new ZR1 has a supercharged LT5 V-8 spitting 755 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 715 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm. Certified top speed is 212.49 mph, which came from a two-way average (215 mph/210 mph). Chevy restricts the ZR1 to a top speed of 215 mph to be within tire-safety standards. Base price for the coupe is $122,095 when you add the $2,100 gas guzzler tax. The convertible starts at $126,095. Hey, you only need one kidney, anyway.

Coming into turn 1, the car was beyond 150 mph,  still accelerating hard as I entered the brake zone. I pushed the stop pedal hard, and the ZR1 dutifully spit my eyeballs out of my head.

The ZR1 is a heavily track-focused performance car, but I did drive it for several hours on the road. Corvette critics will note nothing particularly different about the ZR1’s interior or controls compared to other C7-generation models, which is no surprise because this is the end of the platform’s life cycle. However, changes to the suspension and magnetic-ride shocks are noteworthy; they provide better ride quality and compliance over road imperfections, noticeable improvements compared to a Z06. That said, new C7 Z06s now receive the same shock programming as the ZR1.

Red and yellow cars with optional matching interior stitching and the manual transmission also get color-synchronized rev-match paddles.

In today’s domestic automaker landscape, it would be reasonable to wonder if there was any pushback from within GM about the merits of building a 755-hp street missile. But apparently not on Reuss’ watch. “The Corvette has always been about attainable high performance,” he said. “As far as the 755 horsepower, approval of something like the ZR1 starts and stops with me.”

Chevrolet says the ZR1 (with the $1,725 eight-speed automatic transmission) runs 0-60 mph in 2.85 seconds and from 0 to 100 mph in just 6.0 seconds. Launching the car from a standstill is not easy; you or the traction control will work overtime to keep wheelspin at bay all the way to 60, which doesn’t do much to help the time.

In other matters, the car has a half-inch-wider front rim size compared to the Z06, which helps the front end work better when combined with the 60 percent increase in overall downforce. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber is on duty, with 285/30-R19s up front and 335/25-R20s in the rear. The downforce improvement (the car produces a total of 950 pounds at top speed with the $2,995 ZTK/high-wing option) also comes with no increase in drag versus the Z06, Chevy says—a nice trick if you can do it.

“The Z06 cooling concerns on-track have been dealt with in the ZR1.”

According to Corvette executive chief engineer Tadge Juechter, in terms of performance goals for the new car, “The ZR1 has always meant top performance, no limits. When we ask the customer, ‘How much power do you want?’ they say, ‘How much can you give me?’ There were no hard requirements like a power number. We tried to extend all aspects as much as possible.” To his point about the definition of the ZR1, the model’s history was front and center in several of the engineering presentations held during the media launch.

“ZR-1” was originally a GM Regular Production Option code identifying a special performance package from 1970 to ’72; it was not originally recognized as a car-model identifier. Meanwhile, of course, many people refer to the 1990 model as the first Corvette ZR-1—The King of the Hill. Initial road tests of the latter created quite a stir almost 30 years ago, with performance far superior to other Corvettes from the late ’70s and early ’80s given that many of them were strangled by emissions regulations. Magazines even pitted the 1990 ZR-1 (375 hp at 6,200 rpm, 370 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm) head-to-head against machines such as the mighty Porsche 911 Turbo—and nobody laughed.

In 1991 the 911 Turbo’s base price was around $100,000. (There was no 1990 model-year Turbo.) The ZR-1 was a comparative bargain at $58,994, with the ZR-1 package accounting for $27,015 of that. People were happy to pay for the new capability, ripping from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, which was supercar performance for the era. Credit was given to GM for working with the Mercury Marine Company and Lotus Engineering to help expand the technology envelope, creating the double-overhead-cam LT5 engine and a legend in the process. Lotus also helped with the car’s braking, steering, and adjustable ride control.

In 1990 I raced for the Morrison Motorsports team, the same outfit that set world speed endurance records with a stock 1990 ZR-1 and also campaigned two mostly stock ZR-1s in the 1991 Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. I drove one of those ZR-1s in both of those races, a car that is now in the Smithsonian collection in Washington, D.C. I also drove a ZR-1 street car back in 1990, and vivid memories are the noise, brutal acceleration, grip level, and stability. The whole package was astonishing for a production car, and the experience of driving that “red rocket” all those years ago is forever welded into my brain.

Now in 2018 I find myself sitting in another red 1990 ZR-1 at the Motorsports Park racetrack in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This pristine example, with just more than 6,000 miles on the odometer, was lent to us by the National Corvette Museum, which owns the track. Leaving pit lane in the old beast, I mused how much fun a 10/10ths hot lap might be. But then I imagined the look on museum curator Derek Moore’s face if his baby came back with chunks of rubber missing. So I took it easy, and the car ran flawlessly while little bursts of acceleration sparked memories of the first time I felt the LT5’s smooth, urgent power.

Then, once again, it was time to drive the 2019 ZR1 on a racetrack. At Road Atlanta three days earlier, the temperature reached almost 90 degrees. Although the car went ridiculously fast, lap records weren’t in the cards thanks to the heat sliming up the tarmac. But the temperature at Motorsports Park was now just 60 degrees.

The ZR1 did not disappoint. Coming into Turn 1, the car was beyond 150 mph, still accelerating hard as I entered the brake zone. I pushed the stop pedal hard, and the ZR1 dutifully spit my eyeballs out of my head. I recently tested a very capable GT4 race car and was impressed by its brakes; the ZR1 was equally impressive. The tires, aerodynamic downforce, and all-new Brembo carbon-ceramic stoppers combined for more than 1.7 g’s worth of deceleration (serious race car good). I made a mental note not to use the brakes this hard with a cement truck behind me out on public roads.

Over the course of several days, I tried both the automatic and seven-speed manual versions of the car; if I were to buy the ZR1 for track days, I would without question buy the automatic. Not only because it shifts quicker but also because I only weigh about 155 pounds; despite using the seat belt locking mechanism, I found myself moving around too much in the seat while on maximum attack due to the forces the ZR1 exerted all the way around Motorsports Park’s 24-turn, 3.2-mile track. In the automatic I can keep both hands on the wheel for a little extra support. It’s worth noting I had no issues at all with the seat holding me solid with normal or spirited street driving.

Corvette interiors have taken much criticism for years, but there’s something appealing about the old ZR-1’s KITT-style controls.

Meanwhile, the car’s E-ticket handling jolted Juechter’s words back to the top of my mind. “The ZR1 technology we’re most proud of is the front underwing and general aero of the car,” he said. “Also, the trackability. It is very easy to drop the suspension and adjust the rear wing, and off you go.” He also addressed the disappointment some people had with the Z06’s lack of cooling during track use: “The Z06 cooling concerns on-track have been dealt with in the ZR1.” To test his claim, I did a long run of almost 25 minutes at Road Atlanta in the blazing heat. My laps, at fast race pace, were all between 1 minute, 30.4 seconds and 1:31.7. Those were quite quick times for the conditions, and the car exhibited very little drop-off in performance.

You probably have read hyperbole, and then some, about road cars that sound unreal. In this case, though, I really have never heard a production car sound this much like a race car in both tone and volume. There is some engineering trickery in one of the mufflers, featuring a spring-loaded valve that burps open or stays closed based on driving style. Bring your earplugs, Mildred.

“Why on earth would anyone want a self-driving Corvette? That would be like having a self-kissing girlfriend.”

At the end of the day, I finally had time to try to rip off a really fast lap in a car equipped with the automatic. At the limit the ZR1 is very balanced; I could easily control both front and rear tire slide with throttle and steering quickly enough to maintain good momentum, never allowing the slide to reach a point where I lost time. When the lap time crackled through the track radio, it blared a new official lap record for a production car on OE tires for the Motorsports Park racetrack: 2:05.59. This time is several seconds quicker than any other production car has managed on the circuit since it opened in 2013.

Perhaps setting a new MSP benchmark was an appropriate way to send the C7 Corvette into the sunset, potentially truly marking the end of an era. A mid-engine Corvette is finally on the horizon, after all, though Reuss and Juechter predictably plead the fifth on any inquiries into the matter. Other creeping—sprinting?—trends such as autonomy could also play a role in the car’s future. “Who wants to sit in traffic for three hours paying attention to stopping and starting if the car can do it for them?” Reuss asked. But Juechter then followed mischievously with a quote from a Corvette customer: “Why on earth would anyone want a self-driving Corvette? That would be like having a self-kissing girlfriend.”

For now and the foreseeable future, then, custodians of performance like Reuss and Juechter plan to keep on facilitating street-legal rockets like the new ZR1. The first time an owner experiences the brutal shove in the back, they’re pretty much guaranteed to think they got a bargain. Teddy Roosevelt would be blown away.

2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $122,095 (base) ENGINE 6.2L supercharged OHV 16-valve V-8/755 hp @ 6,300 rpm, 715 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm TRANSMISSION 7-speed manual, 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 2-door, 2-passenger, front-engine, RWD coupe EPA MILEAGE 15/22 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 179.8 x 77.4 x 48.5 in WHEELBASE 106.7 in WEIGHT 3,560 lb 0-60 MPH 2.85 sec (with automatic) TOP SPEED 215 mph (electronically limited)

The post 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Meets 1990 Corvette ZR1 appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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[seasonsofreckoningrp-blog]

Congratulations, Mai! You’ve been accepted for the role of Pari Omisha. Please make sure to check our checklist, and you have twenty-four hours to send us your character’s blog. We’re really happy to have you in our family!

This sample was so well-written! The paradoxes used in conjunction to the theme of Death and how much of a love/hate relationship, as well as an internal struggle for her, gave us a good look at how you are able to portray Pari. Your headcanons along with the para really painted the picture for us of how we could see Pari and we can’t wait to see more of what you will do with her!

INTRODUCTION: Mai. 22. GMT+2. She/Her.

ACTIVITY LEVEL: Honestly, my activity will vary quite a lot over the next month. I have exams soon, and I initially planned to wait with applying until I was over them, but I just couldn’t help myself (curse of being a roleplay junkie), and I need something to reward myself during my breaks between studying, so I am certain that I can uphold an activity of 4/10 until the 15th of June when I’m officially done with the semester. After that, my activity will rise to a solid 8/10. I am quite a mood-driven writer though, which means I can have slow days, and then I can have insanely productive days. I usually follow the muse while, of course, maintaining activity as best as I can and replying to the threads I have.

FURTHER CONTACT: [Removed]

HOW DID YOU FIND THE ROLEPLAY?: I was cruising through the lsrpg tag, just looking for a roleplay to join after my exams (lmao don’t judge me), but then I fell in love with this roleplay and particularly this character and all the possibilities and thought about how sad I would be to return in June just to see her taken by someone else, so here I am.

ROLEPLAY EXPERIENCE: Oh boy, I think I started roleplaying back in 2008? It was a Harry Potter roleplay in my native tongue, I was in that roleplay for probably 2 or 3 years? I only had one character and after several years, I had exhausted my muse, and I hesitantly left to try new things. I was in a couple of forum roleplays, I can’t even specifically remember what they were about, but they were all in my first language. However, back in 2011 or 2012, I discovered Tumblr roleplaying and I was immediately intrigued, wanting to try my hand at roleplaying in English. I joined a Percy Jackson roleplay where I played Clarisse La Rue, I was also there for a year before the roleplay, unfortunately, closed down. I had become good friends with the admin of that roleplay, so I followed her to the next roleplay, another HP roleplay, where I played an original character named Elizabeth, a pure-blooded Slytherin in love with a half-blood Gryffindor. I was also with that roleplay for 18 months or so, and then my muse started to die along with the roleplay, and that was it. I quickly found a new roleplay (told you guys I was a roleplay junkie), it was a Greek mythology roleplay where I consistently played Hera and Aphrodite through two revamps, I also dabbled with Rhodes and Ariadne. In total, I was with that roleplay with the same group of people for 2 years, I was even an admin for a year. After it closed down, I decided to try and get into asoiaf/got roleplaying, where, after experimenting with several characters, I ended up picking up a character that I didn’t even like very much at first, but through my own go at her portrayal - and extensive researching - I fell in love with. I am currently still portraying her with a 1x1 that I have going with my friend, which also portrays my most recent writing. You are welcome to take a look here: http://fireinmyblood.tumblr.com/ - please be aware that the latest posts there is smut, we have no warning or triggers tagged simply because we only follow each other. If you would like to avoid all the smut, then please check out: http://fireinmyblood.tumblr.com/tagged/%28thread-5%29

TRIGGERS: [Removed]

ANYTHING ELSE?: [Removed]

Having been an admin myself, I realise it can be quite daunting accepting someone whose activity won’t be impressing at first, but I promise you that I will have more time to invest in the wonderful Pari in a short month, but the opportunity to be a part of the roleplay in its opening stages, and to not let Pari slip between my fingers was just too irresistible. I think my commitment to previous roleplays prove that I am dedicated, I just need to get past my exams, and then I can give 110%. I will still be here, however, but the difference between my activity at first and later will be obvious, since I’ll probably be around almost all the time during the Summer break.

IC INFORMATION

DESIRED CHARACTER: Pari Omisha.

FACECLAIM: I am perfectly happy with the chosen faceclaim.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS CHARACTER?: There are several reasons why I fell for Pari in particular, the first is my fascination with banshees. I was quite surprised to find that as a species here, so I was immediately intrigued, and went on to search for which banshees were available, and I found Pari’s bio.

However, I quickly fell in love with the character as well. I really like her background, the story of how her family became cursed, how she is personally dealing with it, her Indian heritage and the prospect of character development. Her connections are all very interesting as well, considering what might develop with friendships and crushes, especially when you think about how she insecure she feels about her old form, and how much she worries people would stop loving and liking her, should they ever see her in such a state. I see a lot of potential for character development, and God knows I’m a sucker for that. Basically, I have a weak spot characters who are suffering from internal strife, stuck between knowing what is right and wrong, yet feeling like they have no choice but to do wrong. I love how she has chosen to become a nurse to try and balance out the darkness and lightness inside her, and no matter how hard she has worked, she is still drawn to darkness and death while looking like an innocent flower.

PARA SAMPLE: Death was the only constant companion Pari knew of. It followed her everywhere she went, she followed it too, perhaps it was not Death seeking out her instead she was the hunter of Death, always on the hunt to fill herself with the dark essence which brought so many the pain of losing loved ones. Death was her best friend, Death was her worst enemy. These uninvited dark thoughts entered her mind, refusing to leave her be as she stared down at her hands. A few wrinkles had appeared, nothing noticeable to anyone else, but she could see it as clear as day. It was the first warning sign that she had hidden from Death for too long. She was laying in her bathtub, relaxing in the warm water after a long work shift at the hospital. She closed her eyes to try and ignore it, but the heart-wrenching feeling in her gut was frustratingly insistent on being felt, it would not be ignored. The guilt tore through her veins again, no matter how many people she had helped save today, no matter the hours she spent comforting and healing others, the guilt was still there. It was no counterweight to the destruction she was forced to revel in, simply to keep her beauty intact and keep the horrid, ugly hag at bay. She looked down at her body, it was covered by bubbles from the soap, yet she could easily imagine her smooth, young skin wrinkled and stained with marks. The world was cruel to those it deemed ugly and unworthy.

As night slowly started falling, Pari found herself mindlessly driving out of Boston. She was going nowhere, in particular, but she was drawn by an invisible magnet, a pull strong enough to allow her to simply shut off her brain, only focusing on the road straight ahead without thinking of a destination. She often took drives when the Banshee inside her started acting up, it was a part of her that she desperately wished to ignore, but no matter how hard she tried, the knowledge of what would happen to her often forced her to act on the urges. Death was a relief, Death was a curse. After driving for about 30 minutes, she found herself driving into Moon Island, a place she had briefly been told about by a chatty patient. She found herself stopping her car by a cemetery. She threw her dark hair over her shoulder as she stepped out of the car, finally taking in her surroundings. The last light in the sky was dying, darkness had covered the island like a thick blanket. It felt eerie standing by her car, so close to a place where bodies laid in the ground after Death had taken their souls away. Pari could not string together an explanation for why she had stopped here, why she had even found herself on Moon Island. As she opened her car door to get away from the depressing place, her hand curled around the handle and she lost control. A scream tore its way out of her throat and into the chilling night air, it forced her head to snap back. It was terribly loud, the sound powerful enough to vibrate the windows of her car. When the scream died out, she found herself struggling to take in deep enough breaths. There was a chill in the air, the cold wrapped around her bones, encapsulating them in frost. She quickly got into her car, afraid anyone might try hunting down the source of the scream.

Pari drove further into town, her curiosity and the guilt of knowing someone would lose their life soon, both were enough to urge her forward. She continued to explore Moon Island, she let the hours pass with driving around before exploring the heart of the town as she waited. She was unsure of what exactly she was waiting for, something strange and unexplored within her forced her to stay. If someone was bound to die, perhaps she could be in the right place at the right time, either to her satisfy the supernatural hunger for death, or to help save a life. As she sat on a bench, a coffee in hand from the only shop she had found still open, she felt the unusual chill in the air prickling at her skin again. She bound her coat tighter around her waist, the moment her hand was about to let go of the leather strap, a rush of energy hit her like a tidal wave. She gasped gently and dropped the to-go cup in her other hand, coffee spilt across the ground as she was pulled to her feet. She absorbed the energy surrounding her, it was almost too overwhelming, it felt special, infinitely more satisfying than anything else she had experienced. Death was her best friend. As Pari was defeated by her Banshee side now controlling her, she blindly followed the source of the energy, so pure and powerful and so tainted by the hands of Death. She felt no shame at that particular moment, she simply felt high off the energy and its effects on her, but the shame would come for her again, the woman knew it all too well, but for now, all she could do was revel in darkness, and the whispers of the dead.

EXTRA

PERSONALITY: + kind, high-minded, intelligent

The first trait and last trait speak for themselves, I think, and although quite simple, I think these two classically good traits are really defining for Pari’s character. I also imagine her to be quite aware of morals and having her own set of morals, and although she cannot always act on it, she has a clear view of what is right and what is wrong. So she does have incredible strong morals, she just lacks the ability to always act on them, a large part of this flaw is the Banshee curse.

- troubled, stubborn, guilt-ridden

Pari can be quite troubled which can result in her seeming sullen, not very often but she is affected by her close relationship with death and darkness, and the urge she has to come people alive and wishing to see them thrive instead of faltering. These two contrasting sides often cause internal strife, which leaves her restless at night. She is also known to be quite stubborn, although it can be seen as a positive trait, it’s what has driven her to achieve her goals, it can also be dangerous when surrounded by supernatural beings, and alliances ready to destroy each other. She is, of course, very often guilt-ridden after absorbing the energy left from the dead - and even screaming despite having no control of it. She is especially guilt-ridden because she is aware that she does not need death to survive, but she is also acutely aware that no one would ever love her if she is stuck in her old form.

HEADCANONS: 1. When Pari was a little girl, her father would sing her a specific lullaby every night. Whenever she was upset even in her teenage years, he would sing it to calm her down whenever another scream was torn from her throat, condemning someone to die. When she left India, he surprised her with a special recording of the song, she sometimes still listens to her father’s voice singing it whenever she’s stressed or sad. It is safely tucked away in a box below her bed.

2. During her years studying at university, one of the first nights in her new home, she woke up her entire dorm by letting out one of the loudest screams to date. She successfully managed to convince all of them that she simply suffered from bad nightmares, but soon after she found a small house to live, with help from her parents, so she could be left alone and not hear the whispers of how the strange foreign girl wailed at the oddest times.

3. Pari is usually the patients’ favourite nurse, she sits with them even after her shift has ended if they are very sick, or even if they are dying, she holds their hands and tells them stories, even sometimes singing. She always wears a bright smile, never allowing them to see her sad or upset. Even though Pari is very kind by nature, this also satisfies a more selfish need. She does not allow anyone to come too close, she has plenty of friends sure, but there is always a barrier between herself and the others, so this closeness with the patients, the feeling of actually cheering others up, it quickly grew addicting for the woman who fed on death.

NOTE: I am aware my para sample is quite short, I am currently cursed with a headache, but I wanted to send in the app regardless, so I hope it is alright. I am usually a bit more detailed in my writing, but I feel like it’s a good representation of the skeleton of my writing :)

[eddiejpoplar]

2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Meets 1990 Corvette ZR1

The first time Teddy Roosevelt’s words, “Speak softly and carry a big stick,” occurred to me as I reviewed a car was while driving a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Now, after testing the new 2019 ZR1 on a couple of racetracks within the span of a few days, “Speak rudely and wield a really fat club” might be more appropriate.

After my first laps at the limit around Road Atlanta in the latest ZR1, the words of General Motors executive VP of global product development Mark Reuss, who was on hand, rang true. “Things haven’t changed at GM as far as stretching the technology envelope,” he said. “ZR1 has to set the upper limits of performance and be a technological beacon in chassis, design, and materials.”

Oh, and don’t forget the engine. Corvette engineers were not content with the kidney-flattening supercharged LT4 V-8 that kicks out 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque in the Z06. The new ZR1 has a supercharged LT5 V-8 spitting 755 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 715 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm. Certified top speed is 212.49 mph, which came from a two-way average (215 mph/210 mph). Chevy restricts the ZR1 to a top speed of 215 mph to be within tire-safety standards. Base price for the coupe is $122,095 when you add the $2,100 gas guzzler tax. The convertible starts at $126,095. Hey, you only need one kidney, anyway.

Coming into turn 1, the car was beyond 150 mph,  still accelerating hard as I entered the brake zone. I pushed the stop pedal hard, and the ZR1 dutifully spit my eyeballs out of my head.

The ZR1 is a heavily track-focused performance car, but I did drive it for several hours on the road. Corvette critics will note nothing particularly different about the ZR1’s interior or controls compared to other C7-generation models, which is no surprise because this is the end of the platform’s life cycle. However, changes to the suspension and magnetic-ride shocks are noteworthy; they provide better ride quality and compliance over road imperfections, noticeable improvements compared to a Z06. That said, new C7 Z06s now receive the same shock programming as the ZR1.

Red and yellow cars with optional matching interior stitching and the manual transmission also get color-synchronized rev-match paddles.

In today’s domestic automaker landscape, it would be reasonable to wonder if there was any pushback from within GM about the merits of building a 755-hp street missile. But apparently not on Reuss’ watch. “The Corvette has always been about attainable high performance,” he said. “As far as the 755 horsepower, approval of something like the ZR1 starts and stops with me.”

Chevrolet says the ZR1 (with the $1,725 eight-speed automatic transmission) runs 0-60 mph in 2.85 seconds and from 0 to 100 mph in just 6.0 seconds. Launching the car from a standstill is not easy; you or the traction control will work overtime to keep wheelspin at bay all the way to 60, which doesn’t do much to help the time.

In other matters, the car has a half-inch-wider front rim size compared to the Z06, which helps the front end work better when combined with the 60 percent increase in overall downforce. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber is on duty, with 285/30-R19s up front and 335/25-R20s in the rear. The downforce improvement (the car produces a total of 950 pounds at top speed with the $2,995 ZTK/high-wing option) also comes with no increase in drag versus the Z06, Chevy says—a nice trick if you can do it.

“The Z06 cooling concerns on-track have been dealt with in the ZR1.”

According to Corvette executive chief engineer Tadge Juechter, in terms of performance goals for the new car, “The ZR1 has always meant top performance, no limits. When we ask the customer, ‘How much power do you want?’ they say, ‘How much can you give me?’ There were no hard requirements like a power number. We tried to extend all aspects as much as possible.” To his point about the definition of the ZR1, the model’s history was front and center in several of the engineering presentations held during the media launch.

“ZR-1” was originally a GM Regular Production Option code identifying a special performance package from 1970 to ’72; it was not originally recognized as a car-model identifier. Meanwhile, of course, many people refer to the 1990 model as the first Corvette ZR-1—The King of the Hill. Initial road tests of the latter created quite a stir almost 30 years ago, with performance far superior to other Corvettes from the late ’70s and early ’80s given that many of them were strangled by emissions regulations. Magazines even pitted the 1990 ZR-1 (375 hp at 6,200 rpm, 370 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm) head-to-head against machines such as the mighty Porsche 911 Turbo—and nobody laughed.

In 1991 the 911 Turbo’s base price was around $100,000. (There was no 1990 model-year Turbo.) The ZR-1 was a comparative bargain at $58,994, with the ZR-1 package accounting for $27,015 of that. People were happy to pay for the new capability, ripping from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, which was supercar performance for the era. Credit was given to GM for working with the Mercury Marine Company and Lotus Engineering to help expand the technology envelope, creating the double-overhead-cam LT5 engine and a legend in the process. Lotus also helped with the car’s braking, steering, and adjustable ride control.

In 1990 I raced for the Morrison Motorsports team, the same outfit that set world speed endurance records with a stock 1990 ZR-1 and also campaigned two mostly stock ZR-1s in the 1991 Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. I drove one of those ZR-1s in both of those races, a car that is now in the Smithsonian collection in Washington, D.C. I also drove a ZR-1 street car back in 1990, and vivid memories are the noise, brutal acceleration, grip level, and stability. The whole package was astonishing for a production car, and the experience of driving that “red rocket” all those years ago is forever welded into my brain.

Now in 2018 I find myself sitting in another red 1990 ZR-1 at the Motorsports Park racetrack in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This pristine example, with just more than 6,000 miles on the odometer, was lent to us by the National Corvette Museum, which owns the track. Leaving pit lane in the old beast, I mused how much fun a 10/10ths hot lap might be. But then I imagined the look on museum curator Derek Moore’s face if his baby came back with chunks of rubber missing. So I took it easy, and the car ran flawlessly while little bursts of acceleration sparked memories of the first time I felt the LT5’s smooth, urgent power.

Then, once again, it was time to drive the 2019 ZR1 on a racetrack. At Road Atlanta three days earlier, the temperature reached almost 90 degrees. Although the car went ridiculously fast, lap records weren’t in the cards thanks to the heat sliming up the tarmac. But the temperature at Motorsports Park was now just 60 degrees.

The ZR1 did not disappoint. Coming into Turn 1, the car was beyond 150 mph, still accelerating hard as I entered the brake zone. I pushed the stop pedal hard, and the ZR1 dutifully spit my eyeballs out of my head. I recently tested a very capable GT4 race car and was impressed by its brakes; the ZR1 was equally impressive. The tires, aerodynamic downforce, and all-new Brembo carbon-ceramic stoppers combined for more than 1.7 g’s worth of deceleration (serious race car good). I made a mental note not to use the brakes this hard with a cement truck behind me out on public roads.

Over the course of several days, I tried both the automatic and seven-speed manual versions of the car; if I were to buy the ZR1 for track days, I would without question buy the automatic. Not only because it shifts quicker but also because I only weigh about 155 pounds; despite using the seat belt locking mechanism, I found myself moving around too much in the seat while on maximum attack due to the forces the ZR1 exerted all the way around Motorsports Park’s 24-turn, 3.2-mile track. In the automatic I can keep both hands on the wheel for a little extra support. It’s worth noting I had no issues at all with the seat holding me solid with normal or spirited street driving.

Corvette interiors have taken much criticism for years, but there’s something appealing about the old ZR-1’s KITT-style controls.

Meanwhile, the car’s E-ticket handling jolted Juechter’s words back to the top of my mind. “The ZR1 technology we’re most proud of is the front underwing and general aero of the car,” he said. “Also, the trackability. It is very easy to drop the suspension and adjust the rear wing, and off you go.” He also addressed the disappointment some people had with the Z06’s lack of cooling during track use: “The Z06 cooling concerns on-track have been dealt with in the ZR1.” To test his claim, I did a long run of almost 25 minutes at Road Atlanta in the blazing heat. My laps, at fast race pace, were all between 1 minute, 30.4 seconds and 1:31.7. Those were quite quick times for the conditions, and the car exhibited very little drop-off in performance.

You probably have read hyperbole, and then some, about road cars that sound unreal. In this case, though, I really have never heard a production car sound this much like a race car in both tone and volume. There is some engineering trickery in one of the mufflers, featuring a spring-loaded valve that burps open or stays closed based on driving style. Bring your earplugs, Mildred.

“Why on earth would anyone want a self-driving Corvette? That would be like having a self-kissing girlfriend.”

At the end of the day, I finally had time to try to rip off a really fast lap in a car equipped with the automatic. At the limit the ZR1 is very balanced; I could easily control both front and rear tire slide with throttle and steering quickly enough to maintain good momentum, never allowing the slide to reach a point where I lost time. When the lap time crackled through the track radio, it blared a new official lap record for a production car on OE tires for the Motorsports Park racetrack: 2:05.59. This time is several seconds quicker than any other production car has managed on the circuit since it opened in 2013.

Perhaps setting a new MSP benchmark was an appropriate way to send the C7 Corvette into the sunset, potentially truly marking the end of an era. A mid-engine Corvette is finally on the horizon, after all, though Reuss and Juechter predictably plead the fifth on any inquiries into the matter. Other creeping—sprinting?—trends such as autonomy could also play a role in the car’s future. “Who wants to sit in traffic for three hours paying attention to stopping and starting if the car can do it for them?” Reuss asked. But Juechter then followed mischievously with a quote from a Corvette customer: “Why on earth would anyone want a self-driving Corvette? That would be like having a self-kissing girlfriend.”

For now and the foreseeable future, then, custodians of performance like Reuss and Juechter plan to keep on facilitating street-legal rockets like the new ZR1. The first time an owner experiences the brutal shove in the back, they’re pretty much guaranteed to think they got a bargain. Teddy Roosevelt would be blown away.

2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $122,095 (base) ENGINE 6.2L supercharged OHV 16-valve V-8/755 hp @ 6,300 rpm, 715 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm TRANSMISSION 7-speed manual, 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 2-door, 2-passenger, front-engine, RWD coupe EPA MILEAGE 15/22 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 179.8 x 77.4 x 48.5 in WHEELBASE 106.7 in WEIGHT 3,560 lb 0-60 MPH 2.85 sec (with automatic) TOP SPEED 215 mph (electronically limited)

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