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duhragonball · 4 years ago

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[FIC] Luffa: The Legendary Super Saiyan (126/?)

Disclaimer: This story features characters and concepts based on Dragon Ball, which is a trademark of Bird Studio/Shueisha and Toei Animation. This is an unauthorized work, and no profit is being made on this work by me. This story is copyright of me. Download if you like, but please don’t archive it without my permission. Don’t be shy.

Continuity Note: About 1000 years before the events of Dragon Ball Z.

[20 July, 233 Before Age. Nagaoka.]

"Okay, so Treekul's in a bad spot. She should have been more careful about who she got mixed up with. Yeah, and she shouldn't have been so eager to run off on another quest. But that's what makes Treekul cool, you know? Other alchemical historians? They just sit in libraries all day, poring over dusty holo-fiches. But Treekul goes out and finds things. And for once, she had backup. Two Saiyans, Lesseri and Endive, and then we picked up a third, Guwar. With their support, I could discover all sorts of artifacts."

Treekul stopped, shook her head, and gestured to slow down. "I mean she could discover," she said. "Sorry. My therapist always told me this works better if I refer to myself in the third person. You'd think I'd be used to this by now, but I-- but Treekul's under a little more stress than usual. Like I said, it was handy to have three Saiyans backing her up, even if they only wanted her to find things for them, at least she knew no one would mess with her. And she scored some decent leads along the way. There's a treasure trove of artifacts in that penthouse on Quadzityz, assuming it survived the war. Lesseri and Endive killed the owner and wrecked the security systems, and most of that stuff isn't even valuable to anyone else. Nothing to stop Treekul from walking in and helping herself. Another paper for the academic journals. If she ever makes it out of this mess, that is."

She began to pace back and forth around her modest living quarters. The strips of red fabric that made up her "robes" trailed behind her legs as she walked.

"The Saiyans were looking for a cult," she continued. "And Treekul heard it was named after 'jindan', an alchemical term for mercuric sulfide. Or, rather, the fundamental principle that mercuric sulfide represents. So she saw an opportunity and agreed to help them find this cult, using her expertise with a geomantic compass. Guwar was a mathematician, if you can believe that, so he helped out with the calculations. He was a really nice guy. Bit of an inferiority complex, but I get the feeling that goes for every Saiyan."

She stopped herself again. "Not 'was', 'is'. Guwar is a nice guy," she said. "Just because no one's told me what happened to him doesn't necessarily mean he got killed in the war. It's just... Treekul could really use his help right now. Or even if he can't help, it'd be nice if he were here to listen to her, like he did back on the ship, before they found the Jindan cult.

"Turns out the cult was real all along, and they leave just enough bread crumbs out there so that other Saiyans can find them. Their leader is the Saiyan King, Rehval III, but here, he calls himself 'Trismegistus', a reference to the Thrice Blessed alchemist from ancient writings. Rehval seems to think he's uncovered some great secret, something that makes him the greatest alchemist ever, and from what I've seen, he might be right about that. His Jindan potion makes Saiyans even stronger, and he must have thousands of them working for him. Only trouble is that they have to give up their free will. Rehval tells them what to eat, when to sleep, they all have sex in some 'breeding pit' thing that I don't even want to think about..."

She paused to rub the bridge of her nose, then ran her hand over the short green hair on her lavender scalp. It was normally a satisfying feeling for her, but not this time, her hair was too long for that by now.

"The others all did whatever Rehval told them to. All they cared about was power. They brought Treekul here, and no one was interested in how she got home. No payday, no paper, no treasure trove of artifacts. Instead, Rehval decided to keep her as some sort of alien pet. He thinks he can train her to be an alchemist, and so far he hasn't done too bad a job of it, at least when he's not creeping on her. It makes me... It makes her want to scream. But that's okay. It's okay for her to be frightened. She's never been this afraid, and she's got good reason to be."

She stopped pacing and looked intently in the direction of her bed. "So here's the good news. Treekul has options. Sure, she's not any closer to getting off this planet than when she first arrived, but she hasn't been wasting time either. Treekul didn't get this far without being resourceful. She can be absolutely terrified and still get herself out of this. That's what makes her strong."

She went to a small writing desk along the wall of her room and picked up a scroll. It carried a faint odor of rotten eggs and olefins. "Rehval's convinced that she'll become his apprentice, I guess ruling over the Saiyans like a god isn't enough for him, he wants to pass down his knowledge of alchemy. Well, fine. If he's as talented as he says he is, maybe he'll show Treekul a little more than he should. Something she can use to get out of here. For instance, this scroll belonging to Mirdane talks about disguising yourself perfectly, even down to smell and ki signature. If Treekul can get good enough at alchemy to figure that out, she could walk right up to the shipyard and be halfway to the next star system before anyone knew she was missing.

"I know what you're thinking: Treekul's a quick study, but she's an archaeologist who studies alchemists, not an alchemist herself, so maybe that plan is little too ambitious. Fair point. Which is why she's been working other angles. The boss wants her to play one of his priestesses, right? He's dressed her up in a cocktail dress that went through a blender. Well, that gives her access to all his brainwashed goons, and all that undeserved authority that comes with it. She hasn't heard from the acolytes who offered to show me around the hangar, but they seemed pretty enthusiastic about it. Don't worry, when they finally take her on the tour, Treekul won't spend too much time there, just enough to get a feel for the place when it's time for her to snoop around by herself.

"And if that doesn't pan out there's always Endive. Too bad about her. For a while there, I was sure she'd turn on the boss. From what I hear, Rehval does something to the cultist's memories, so they don't recognize him as the king, even of they knew him before when he ruled Planet Saiya. At some point Endive must have found out that "Trismegistus" is the same guy who killed her father, but she doesn't seem to care. He's been using her for one of his casual sex hookups for weeks now. I thought..."

She stopped and took a seat in her chair, then looked down at the red flats on her feet. "I just thought-- Treekul thought Endive was smarter than that. She was so disciplined and focused. You'd think she wouldn't be so easily manipulated, but... she's become completely devoted to him, and the scariest thing is that you can tell she knows it's wrong. But enough about her. If Endive and Lesseri won't help Treekul, then Treekul needs to forget about them."

She stood up and started pacing again. "Speaking of sex... Treekul doesn't want to go down that road, but she has to keep it in mind. Rehval has his followers convinced that he needs a rotation of women to share his bed. Something about 'balancing his bodily humors', but I think we all know he just wants to have a good time. He wants Treekul for some reason. All those women at his beck and call, and he wants the one woman on the planet who isn't interested. It's like he's waiting for her to fall madly in love with him. Yeah, good luck with that. Still... if she's going to earn his trust, she need to play along with his expectations. Maybe she ought to flirt a little, so he'll think his plan is working. He's not exactly unattractive, it's the whole 'delusions of grandeur' thing that's a turn-off."

Treekul stopped and crossed her arms as she looked at the bed. "Here's the problem. If she's not careful, he'll probably get bored with her and have her brainwashed like everyone else on this planet. Or he'll just kill her for being an alien. On the other hand, if she's too careful, and Treekul waste too much time playing the eager disciple, the he won't need to brainwash her, because she'll basically be doing it for him. Ugh! What a fix."

"Um, were you finished?"

"Huh?"

The Saiyan man lying on her bed had sat up and pointed to his ears, which were stuffed with wax. "I'm on duty in ten minutes," he said. "Unless you need me to stay here..."

Treekul gestured at her own ears for him to remove the wax, and so he did.

"Yeah, all finished," she said. "You were amazing, Zhoybok."

"It's an honor, madam priestess," he said as he rose from the bed, "but I really don't understand your species' mating practices. You didn't even touch me the whole time."

"Oh, you don't remember any of it, then?" Treekul asked in mock concern. "I guess the psychic vibrations must have been beyond your comprehension. That happens with aliens who lack the secret eighth sense my people have. You probably just hallucinated me pacing around and talking to myself."

Zhoybok was astonished. "As a matter of fact, I did!"

"To tell you the truth, a lot of my kind frown on this sort of thing. They think it's perverse to have this level of intimacy with life forms who can't experience it properly. But for me, I think that's part of the thrill. It's so... savage, don't you think?"

Zhoybok wasn't sure what to say, but he wasn't interested in disputing the words of a priestess, so he accepted her compliments and excused himself. Once he was gone, Treekul shook her head and lay down on the bed. Lying was tiring work, even to someone as gullible as Zhoybok.

"I really need to get more comfortable about talking to myself," she said.

*******

[20 July, 233 Before Age. Interstellar Space.]

There were only four people aboard Luffa's star-yacht, which now criss-crossed the worlds of the Federation in a frantic effort to keep pace with the Jindan Cult's attacks. The Federation defenses were spread thin, and if any invading ship managed to land on a planet, there were few who could stand up to the alchemically-empowered Saiyans inside. Luffa was getting better at fighting them, but their numbers were beginning to take a toll on her body. Dr. Topsas, her personal physician, had found ways to heal her in time for the next battle, while the clairvoyant Dotz had proven handy at predicting attacks before they happened, so Luffa could plan her travel. The fourth passenger on board, Zatte, was Luffa's wife, and she was beginning to wonder if she served any useful purpose here at all.

"That's ridiculous," Wampaaan'riix said when she shared her frustrations with him over the subspace radio. The Yetitan looked as enormous as ever, despite the desktop monitor scaling down his nine-foot-tall frame. "You practically operate the entire ship by yourself."

"So did Keda," Zatte said. She was rubbing the muscles in her arms and legs while she spoke to him. "And she did it better than I ever could."

"And you find no honor in succeeding a fallen comrade?" Wampaan'riix asked.

"It's not enough," Zatte said. "Keda didn't recognize Luffa as a xan-nil'Dor. For her, Luffa was a friend, and sort of a business partner, I guess you could say. For me, she's my wife, and an instrument of Providence. I have to do better. Especially now."

It was almost impossible to read his expressions through the coat of long white hair that covered most of his face, but the way Wampaaan'riix narrowed his eyes was unmistakable. "You're not thinking of going with her into the field?" he asked warily.

"I already have," Zatte said. "At first it seemed to be just what I wanted. I'd set up somewhere safe and shoot down cultists to keep them off Luffa's back. Trouble is, she took it as a challenge. Lately, she's been making it her business to take out the enemy before I can get a shot off. And that's romantic and all, but--"

"You two are insane," Wampaaan'riix grumbled.

"Look, I have to be there for her," Zatte said. She had moved on to stretching her hamstrings. "She's fighting a war against her own kind. Even the Saiyans on our side don't fully trust her. She doesn't let it show, but I know how much it eats at her. I can't imagine what it would be like to fight other Dorluns."

"I agree, she needs your support," Wampaaan'riix said. "But if you keep pushing yourself you may not be there when she needs it the most. This Dotz woman. She can predict the enemy attacks, can't she? Why not ask her for help? If she can tell Luffa where to go and when, then she can do the same for you, right?"

"That's the problem," Zatte said. "Dotz can't see Luffa's fate, only the planets and battles that lie ahead. We only know Luffa will get involved when Luffa decides to intervene."

"Strange, but even if that's true, why not see what Dotz can read about your own future?" Wampaaan'riix suggested. "I'm surprised you haven't already. You're a survivalist after all."

"I... I can't," Zatte said. She rose from the foam mat on the deck of her cabin and approached the desk.

"Well why not?" Wampaaan'riix asked. "It can't be a moral objection. You seem to have no problem with any of Dotz' other readings."

"Look, I... I have to go. I'll call you back, okay?"

"Just promise me you'll do it in the daytime," Wampaaan'riix groaned. "I know you've been in space a long time, but my den is on a different day-night cycle than--"

She hastily switched off the monitor, and a second later Luffa entered the cabin.

"I set the slow cooker for three hours," Luffa said as she rubbed her hands together. "How long before we get to Dodjem?"

"Tomorrow morning," Zatte said. They met in the center of the cabin and embraced.

"Dotz thinks there'll be ten Jindan Saiyans there," Luffa said with a smile. "Should be interesting."

"I'm going with you," Zatte insisted.

"Oh, I can handle ten," Luffa assured her.

"Then I'll watch you through my scope," Zatte said. "Or I'll shoot a few down for you, but either way, I'm coming along."

"Heh. Okay. You worry too much, you know that?"

"Someone has to," Zatte said. "Dotz still can't see your future, you know."

"Well, her other predictions are getting better," Luffa said. "On Shoust IV, she managed to get an accurate count on the enemy. She even located them to within a one mile radius. I think her powers are really coming along."

"Yeah, but she can't see your future."

"Does that still bother you?" Luffa asked.

Zatte tightened her grip on Luffa's torso and swung her onto the nearby bed. A moment later, she was had climbed on top of Luffa, planting her hands on her shoulders.

"No, it doesn't," Zatte said. "Not anymore."

"I'm not sure how to respond to that," Luffa said with a grin.

"I thought about it," Zatte said after giving her a long kiss. "I prayed about it too. Is it all right if I light some candles?"

"Uh, sure, knock yourself out," Luffa said.

Zatte rolled off of Luffa and went to a storage cabinet on the other side if her cabin. She removed four candles and laid them on the floor in a trapezoid formation surrounding the bed. After she lit each one, she got back in bed and knelt beside Luffa.

"Is the scent too much for you?" Zatte asked. "I know how sensitive your nose is."

"It's fine," Luffa said. "Smells kind of nice, really."

"It's not exactly sacred," Zatte said. The incense is just to keep insects away during religious observances. It makes me feel closer to Providence, though. So does this."

She placed her hand on Luffa's neck, and rested her thumb where she could take her pulse. The she took a deep breath and muttered something in her native language.

"Uh, what's going on here, exactly?" Luffa asked.

"I realized that I was letting Dotz' abilities cloud my faith in you," Zatte said. "I promised myself that I wouldn't ask her to read my future. I was worried that she might find out that I end up living without you somehow."

"I won't leave you, Zattie," Luffa said. "We've had our ups and downs, but you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"I have to trust that," Zatte said. "That's why I can't let Dotz's predictions bother me. She's getting better at them, but not when it comes to you. That scared me for a while, so I started meditating on it."

"Go on," Luffa said carefully.

"I came to realize that it makes sense that Dotz can't see your fate, because you're part of the Divine Plan. If she knew what you were going to do and when, then it would be like she was seeing into the mind of Providence."

"Or maybe I'm just so powerful that my ki interferes with her readings," Luffa suggested.

"Sure, that could be all it is," Zatte said. "But I like the version that supports my fanatic devotion to you."

She leaned over to kiss Luffa, still taking her pulse as they embraced. Luffa pulled away gently, and shook her head.

"You know how uncomfortable I get with this stuff," she said.

"I know," Zatte said. "But you keep getting hurt out there, and Dotz doesn't know what will happen next, so this is how I cope."

"I mean, you tell me I'm like God's righteous bludgeon or something, but the other night you... well, it was great, but maybe it was sacrilegious?"

Zatte straddled Luffa again, and held down her shoulders. "It's okay," she said. "Sex is a consecration ritual in my culture."

"Oh yeah?" Luffa asked.

"Dorluns value survival. People don't usually have sex while they're being chased by predators. They do it when they're safe and secure. And it can bring about new life."

"Huh. Maybe that's why my own people are so uptight about it," Luffa said. "In public, I mean. I've always had... ah!... mixed feelings about being safe."

"It's all in how you look at it. We're flying through a vacuum, faster than the speed of light, through a war zone, on a pleasure craft with no crew. And we're not exactly dressed for action right now. But if you're still bored, I'll... mmph!... I'll see if I can keep you amused for a while."

*******

[21 July, 233 Before Age. Interstellar Space.]

The battle on Dodjem went as smoothly as could be expected. Dotz' prophecies were mostly accurate, and Luffa was able to surprise the enemy before they noticed her ship. They fought back ferociously, and Luffa's right shoulder was scorched by a ki attack, but Dr. Topsas was confident that he could heal this in a matter of days. Dodjem was liberated in less than two hours, and Luffa proceeded on her way to the next battle Dotz had predicted, in the Ryllax System.

"Careful," Luffa said, guiding Zatte's hand away from her banadaged shoulder. She had set up the slow cooker once again, and the two of them had convened in Zatte's cabin.

"Does it hurt?" Zatte asked as she gingerly lifted Luffa's blood-stained shirt over her head and other arm.

"Sure it hurts, but that's not the point," Luffa said. "Doc'll really be sore if you mess up his bandanges."

"It's a wonder the whole ship isn't full of this stuff," Zatte said. She tossed the shirt at the laundry receptacle, but it hit the rim and fell out instead. "I mean, where does he put it all after he cuts it off of you?"

"He eats it," Luffa said.

"You're kidding."

"No, seriously. I've seen him do it. He makes all of these bandages from his own webbing. It takes a lot of protein to make that work, so he doesn't like to waste it."

"I had no idea," Zatte said. "You think you know a guy... whuh--!"

Luffa pulled her close with her good arm. "Forget about him for now. I wanted to talk about that shot you took back on Dodjem."

Zatte's expression shifted from genuine surprise to feigned innocence. "Oh, did that bother you, darling?"

"I thought one of those Jindan bastards found you," Luffa said. "I had one of them wide open, ready to kill, and I had to pass it up so I could chase the other one down before he found you."

"He had no idea where I was hiding," Zatte boasted.

"I know," Luffa said. "Even I couldn't find you. How am I supposed to watch your back if I don't even know where you are? You're taking a big risk out there, you know that, right?"

"That's the way," Zatte said. "Talk dirty to me."

"Oh, I'll do more than talk before I'm through with you," Luffa said with a grin. "I'll-- dammit..."

She rolled away from Zatte and drew her arms to her chest.

"Let me see," Zatte said.

"It's nothing," Luffa insisted. "Just give me a minute."

"Let me see," Zatte insisted back. Luffa made an irritated grunt, but didn't resist when Zatte took her hands in her own.

"I was starting to think your hands had stopped trembling," Zatte said as she massaged Luffa's palms. It didn't actually do anything to improve the situation, but it made them both feel better when she did this. "I haven't seen you stuff them in your pockets much lately."

"It's... it's not as bad as it used to be," Luffa said. "I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with Katem, but I think it still helps. Maybe it's all your prayers."

"He's kind of a hot mess," Zatte said.

"Just like his mom, huh?" Luffa chuckled.

"You're not a bad mother, Luffa. What happened wasn't your fault."

"I know," Luffa said. "It doesn't help much, but I know."

"You're still worked up about Fytpall, aren't you?" Zatte asked.

"I've seen worse in my time," Luffa said.

"Maybe, but you were pretty shaken up when you came back from that one," Zatte said. "You don't usually stick around and see what the civilians are going through."

"I'm just... I'm not strong enough, Zattie. I know that sounds stupid coming from me, but I know I could do better than this. If I was just a little better, I could..."

"You're good enough, okay? And maybe you can get stronger, but you can't just get there instantly. It's like you always tell me when we spar."

Luffa didn't say anything, but her heavy sigh was response enough. Zatte continued to rub her thumbs into the scars on Luffa's hands.

"You don't have to be tough for me," Zatte said. "It's okay. It's okay."

Soon enough, the tremors in Luffa's hands subsided, and they went back to what they were doing, although the mood had shifted from flirtation to comfort. Within thirty minutes, their clothes lay on the deck, and they were entangled in the sheets. Zatte occasionally said something in her own language, and kept her finger on Luffa's carotid artery as she muttered to herself. Eventually, she sat up and cradled Luffa's upper body in her lap.

*******

[24 July, 233 Before Age. Interstellar Space.]

"I was so busy favoring my shoulder that I left my knee wide open!" Luffa grumbled. The campaign on Ryllax had ended hours ago, but Luffa's clothes and hair still carried the scent of Ryllaxian pollens from the battlefield.

"Are you going to make it to Eirzee IV?" Zatte asked as she carried Luffa's pants to the laundry receptacle. She took in the strange aroma one last time before shoving the clothes into the hatch.

"Oh, sure," Luffa said. "Doc repaired the worst of it, and I'll have to play it more carefully, but now he's gonna kick me out of the kitchen!"

"You don't know that," Zatte said.

"I can practically hear him, Zattie," Luffa said. "'Saving planets is one thing, but I'll not have you undoing all my work making a casserole, little mammal.'"

"What, now you can see the future, too?" Zatte asked. She was setting up candles around the bed again.

"Heh, maybe. I guess Old Darbock's genes are finally kicking in," Luffa said. "But it looks like I only know how to predict cranky doctors, so Dotz's job is probably safe."

"Well, I hate to take sides, but we can get by on leftovers for a while," Zatte said. "You cook too much food anyway."

Luffa lay back in the bed and groaned. "Still? I keep cutting the portions down for you guys, and it's still too much? That's insane..."

"I'm going to do my litany now," Zatte said. "Any requests?"

"I, uh, I don't think so," Luffa said. "Well, bless Dotz again. And Doc, and the others. And yourself."

Zatte began speaking slowly and methodically, reciting lines from the Dorlun Holybook in her alien tongue. Luffa only knew bits and pieces of her language, but Zatte had been happy to translate for her whenever she asked.

Luffa felt strange whenever her wife did these kinds of observances. She had never been comfortable with being a "chosen one" in Zatte's theology-- or anyone else's, for that matter. And yet, watching this woman pray over her so fervently was somehow inspiring. Zatte had suffered so much in her life, and yet she refused to abandon her principles. It reminded her of Saiyan pride, though Luffa supposed that most beings would just call it stubbornness. Zatte was too zealous to give up hope.

"Thank you for letting me do this," Zatte said when she finished.

"No problem," Luffa said. "Your language is pretty."

She leaned over and fetched a bottle of oil from the edge of the bed. Carefully, she dispensed a small portion onto her fingers, then dabbed it on Luffa's throat and wrists, tracing along the path of major blood vessels.

"All done," Zatte said.

"You've been really ramping up the religious stuff lately," Luffa said. "The litanies, the candles, the oil. I don't really get it myself, but is it helping you?"

"I think so," Zatte said. "The Dorluns prefer not to waste resources on empty ceremony. Some types of xan-nil'Dor call for physical labor. Farming a plot of land, or defending an important place. You, though, well, you're damn near invincible, so you're pretty low-maintenance. I just need something to do. A routine to renew my devotion to your cause."

"Like a practice drill," Luffa said.

Zatte rose from the bed and started putting out the candles. "Yeah, I guess you could call it that. I may not be able to stop your hands from shaking, but at least I can show that I care. I think that's worth doing."

"Maybe," Luffa said. "It's not a big deal. They don't interfere with my fighting."

Zatte lay down beside her and took her hands in her own. "It just reminds me of what you've been through. I can't take away your pain, but I can try to empathize. You taught me how important that is."

"I taught you?"

"Sure. You're the most compassionate person I know."

*******

[27 July, 233 Before Age. Interstellar Space.]

Dr. Topsas did not order Luffa out of the kitchen, though after the battle on Gairess, he began to wish he had. He implored Luffa to wait before heading off into another battle, but the point was moot. Dotz had no new predictions, and so Luffa found herself with no choice but to wait. Once more, she spent the evening in her wife's cabin.

"I... I gotta admit," Zatte said as she tried to catch her breath. "Even with the broken ribs... you really--"

"Is this messed up?" Luffa suddenly asked.

"Is what messed up?"

Luffa pointed at herself and then at Zatte. "Us," she said. "I mean, you've got the candles set up, you say a prayer before we go to bed, and then we talk about almost getting killed to get in the mood."

"Don't forget the sparring," Zatte said.

"You know, I never sparred with Kandai," Luffa said. "He never wanted to, and I never questioned it. He was so much stronger than me that he didn't see the point. But the gap between you and me is even bigger, and I love sparring with you."

"We're aliens," Zatte said. "I'm cut off from my own people and you're unique among yours. There's nothing conventional about us."

"I know, but... Zattie, are you ever afraid?"

"Of course," Zatte said. "Fear keeps you alive."

"I mean, are your afraid right now?" Luffa asked.

"Here? With you?" Zatte asked. "No. Are you afraid?"

"Yeah," Luffa said.

"About the war? Your son?"

"I'm afraid I'm not good enough," Luffa said. I feel like I'm gonna screw this up. Like I have before."

She reached for Zatte's face, and gently removed the patch from her right eye, revealing the scar tissue and prosthetic implant underneath.

"If it's me you're worried about..." Zatte began, but Luffa put her finger on her lips to silence her.

"I know, you're prepared to burn for me, or suffer whatever it takes, right? I wish I had a tenth of your courage. I wish... well, I wish there was some other Super Saiyan handling this."

"Aren't you always saying you're stronger than they were?" Zatte asked.

"Maybe I am, but I bet the old heroes never had to deal with the kind of baggage I've got."

"This is about your hands, isn't it?" Zatte asked. She took Luffa's palms into her own, and held them steady in case they began to tremble.

"It was four years ago," Luffa said. "I should have gotten over it by now. I should have gotten over Keda's death, I should have gotten over everything... The old heroes never had to deal with this sort of thing. They just fought and won. Nice and simple. I'm fighting, and I'm winning, but I keep dwelling on it all. Worrying about battles from the past, wondering how I'm going to do in the next ones."

"Maybe they had it just as bad," Zatte said. "Maybe the storytellers just left those parts out."

"Sometimes I wish things were different, you know? You told me before this is exactly how you wanted things to be, but I bet you'd like it better with Keda still alive. Or hell, the rest of the colony."

"But they're not alive, Luffa," Zatte said. "I have to accept that they're gone."

"I could have saved them all," Luffa said. "I had the power. I must have had it inside me all along. If only I had known how to use it then. When it would have mattered. If only I wasn't such a coward..."

"Don't say things like that!" Zatte said. "I know you use that kind of talk to get yourself fired up, but I don't want you believing that sort of thing. You're the bravest person I know."

"It's not enough," Luffa said. "That's what I worry about, anyway."

"And that's what the candles and the prayers are for," Zatte said. She lifted Luffa's hands slightly. "I don't just pray for the tremors to stop," she said. "I pray that the tremors won't interfere with your mission. I pray that you can accept what you are the way I do. You know why?"

Luffa didn't answer, so she lay down beside her and took her hand.

"Maybe you're right, and maybe another Super Saiyan could deal with this better than you could. You've told me that you think there might be another one like you, a thousand years from now. Well, I don't think the universe can wait that long. I think we need a Super Saiyan right now, and you're it."

"You're right," Luffa said. "It's just hard to see it that way from the inside. All these fights I've been having with these cultists, they start to run together after a while. It'd be different if they were stronger, or if I could come at them healthy. But they keep chipping away at me, and there doesn't seem to be any end to it..."

"We've got some time, at least," Zatte said. "Dotz hasn't seen anything new coming up, right? Remember how you used to fly over the coastlines on Luffasworld?"

"Yeah," Luffa said, "but that's way out in the galactic core. By the time we got there--"

Zatte put a finger on her lips. "I know that, but Woshad's not far away. We could take a few days to look around there."

Luffa seemed pleased by the suggestion, but before she could speak, a chirping noise sounded from the cabin's intercom, and both women looked up to see the light blinking on the panel on the wall.

"Um, this is Dotz," came the voice through the speaker. "Well, um, the service robot told me I could talk to the whole ship this way, and I thought it might be faster than trying to find everyone. Despye's been attacked. Or, well, it will be in about twenty hours. It looks pretty bad to me. I saw about twenty Saiyans, and one of those rock creatures they use."

"Oh no..." Zatte said.

"I, uh, set a course for Despye," Dotz continued, "and we should be heading there now, but I thought one of you should check to make sure I did it right. I'm still getting used to the helm controls..."

"We won't get there in twenty hours," Luffa grumbled. "Those bastards will have a head start, again. Even if the fleet can get there before us--"

"I know, I'll take care of it," Zatte said. She rolled out of the bed and went to find her clothes. "You need to get some sleep."

"Fine, but make sure you get some yourself," Luffa said. "I mean... you're going with me, right?"

"So I can watch you wipe them out before I can even line up a shot?" Zatte asked. "Sure, if you want me to."

"Actually," Luffa said as she patted her swollen knee, "I was thinking I might lure a few in for you to shoot. Make things a little easier. For Doc, you know?"

Zatte grinned as she pulled her shirt over her head, and most of that smile was still there when she turned to look back at Luffa. "For Dr. Topsas," she said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. "Makes sense. He's been working pretty hard lately."

"Just don't stay up all night cleaning your guns, okay?" Luffa muttered.

Zatte pulled on a pair of shorts and headed for the door. "Anything you say," she chuckled as she headed out into the corridor.

NEXT: Rats in mazes.

#dragon ball #fanfiction #lssjluffafic #super saiyan #luffa #zatte #treekul #wampaaan'riix #zhoybok #nagaoka

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thanksjro · 5 years ago

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The Transformers #23- Chaos Theory Part 2: Everything Ever is Whirl’s Fault, and He Didn’t Even Do Anything This Issue

Before the war, Orion Pax is watching the news. Turns out Nominus Prime got blown up earlier in the day, as Blaster reports from the scene of the crime. We get our first mention of the Militant Monoform Movement as we take a gander at all of Orion’s awards.

Turns out Orion went to college. Wonder what tuition’s like at the Institute of Higher Programming.

An incoming storm messes with the reception, and in walk three guys looking for trouble Whirl. Whirl’s currently in custody, seeing as Orion doesn’t take too kindly to beating suspects within an inch of their life.

General rule of thumb: anyone calling Whirl “popular” or a “friend” is either trying to kill him, or has made the attempt in the past.

So these guys are trying to get Whirl out of jail, using the power of persuasion and being generally threatening. Orion Pax is too much of a good egg to be swayed by such tactics, however, so they’ll have to up the ante.

In the present day, Optimus is having a brooding session in the engine room- I’m only assuming it’s the engine room- and Ratchet checks in.

I suppose “frazzled” is a word we could use, Ratchet, sure.

Optimus feels as if his decision on whether Megatron should be executed or imprisoned for the rest of time is going to be biased either way. Dang, almost sounds like putting it to a vote with the leader of the Autobots would be a better way of handling this, huh Optimus? It’s almost as if you’re compromised here, and we need a little friggin’ democracy going on.

Ratchet asks why he hasn’t consulted the Matrix on this whole situation, breaking out the quotation fingers whilst referring to its wisdom, but Optimus ain’t too sure about all that either. When Optimus first got the Matrix shoved into his body, that shit hurt. It hurt a LOT, and he’d interpreted that as a sort of warning that carrying it was a huge responsibility. Way bigger than taking care of a dog. Now he’s questioning whether or not he actually wants the responsibility.

Hey, if you’re having second thoughts about being Prime, you ought to give Bumblebee a little more room to work and be the leader of the Autobots like you wanted him to be, and maybe consider handing the Matrix back over to Rodimus-

Oh who am I kidding? His martyr complex would NEVER let that happen.

Back in the past, Wheelarch and Springarm are waxing poetic about how cool their new boss Orion Pax is. He’s strong, and heroic, and making a difference in the world, and he’s got just the most beautiful blue eyes-

Anyway, they arrive back at the precinct to discover where all the criminal scum have gotten to- Orion already bagged ‘em.

You know, I think tying suspects to poles in the ground in the office section, packing the room so tightly they can’t even sit or stand comfortably… I think that might be a touch illegal, Orion. Unethical, if nothing else.

A bit later on, Springarm wants to know just what the hell that was all about. Orion’s been thinking about Megatron’s writing, and how he thinks the Senate is institutionally corrupt, and that visit from Whirl’s “friends” is starting to make him think that maybe the guy had a point. It bothers him.

Springarm turns to his faith when he’s feeling bothered by deep questions like whether or not the world government is is enacting a caste-system in an attempt to control the populace.

This just in, the future space pope is a goddamned atheist. Perhaps this is why interfacing with the Matrix hurts him- it relies on a mutual respect between itself and its Prime, and there ain’t nothing less respectful than thinking of the thing as a literal ornament.

Orion thanks Springarm for the advice, but he’s going to work through this without spiritual guidance.

In the present, Optimus meets with Rodimus, and asks a question he’s never been able to ask before: how did it feel to interface with the Matrix?

Well dang, Rodders, tell us how you really feel!

It should be noted that Rodimus does have some level of faith in the gods, the Matrix, the Knights of Cybertron, and several other Cybertronian legends and myths- which sort of makes the MTMTE Knight Quest look like a bit of a crusade, doesn’t it? Does believing in the Matrix let it bond more seamlessly with the bearer? Methinks it just might.

Back in the past, Orion Pax gets back from patrol to find the precinct has been broken into, and his two motorbike boys aren’t doing so hot.

Oh man, Valve’s going to be pissed.

Moving real stealthy-like, Orion moves to the holding cells, where he catches those guys from earlier trying to spring Whirl from jail. Well, two of them anyway. The third guy is behind him, and shoots him in the back.

Luckily, Orion’s old body-frame includes a backpack, and this move doesn’t kill him. He sweeps the leg of his assailant, shoots Whirl in the leg so he can’t escape, then runs to his trophy case to grab the fancy gun someone gave him. Wonder what it was for.

Alas! It’s not loaded. Which you ought to expect from an award gun, unless you loaded it yourself before you put it in the case. Which he didn’t, clearly.

Three versus one, and the solo act doesn’t have any weapons. What’s a guy to do?

This is deeply silly. I adore it.

Thinking quickly, Orion drags Springarm’s headless body into a closet. This isn’t necessarily a smart move, but give it a second. As the three thugs discuss murder-based puns, Orion prepares to enact a Roberts’ writing essential.

Corpse desecration.

Riding his coworker’s lifeless body through the precinct, he runs down his attackers, stabs one of them in the throat with one of his arm cannons in front of all the ‘bots currently in the cells, and goes to find Whirl.

Whirl, who knows to get going while the getting’s good, warns Orion that the Senate has eyes everywhere, and if he so much as touches Whirl his whole life is gonna get turned upside down and inside out, and not in a fun way. And he’d know.

Smash cut to the Grand Imperium, home of the Senate, where everything is blue and gold, fear tactics are at play on the political stage, and everyone is suffering from a nasty case of same-face syndrome. Senator Proteus is about to enact the Clampdown, a strict rule of martial law that will, under the guise of protecting the people and weeding out terrorism, in actuality allow the Senate to hoard power like a bunch of dragons.

Then Orion shows up, after fighting off the entirety of the Senate security force, while carrying a one-legged Whirl.

Got a nice shot of some bird ass, and Orion’s honkers are halfway out. I wonder if this particular chunk of fan-service was specified in the script, or if this is purely Milne.

Sentinel calls off the dogs, and Orion has his say. He throws Whirl on the floor, introducing him to everyone as the cause of every problem ever. Well, not really, but pretty close.

Orion, you can’t just say a guy caused two people to die and then not expect to have to deal with the repercussions of pummeling his psyche at some point down the road.

Orion goes on to mention Megatron, bringing up his writings and how they revealed to him the dark, ugly underbelly of the Senate that he’d been blind to until that point. This is still the guy who arrested drug addicts for using and tied them to a pole, by the by. He’s less than 48 hours into this Megatron kick, and still got a lot to rectify within himself.

Orion coins the term “Autobots”, reclaiming a friggin’ slur the other races in the galaxy have taken to calling the Cybertronians.

I wasn’t kidding.

The Senate members are starting to get rowdy about being called out on their bullshit, and have Orion removed from the building, but not before he can ask Megatron’s three questions:

1. In whose interests do the Senate exercise their power?

2. To whom is the Senate accountable?

3. How can the populace get rid of them?

No answers are given, as he’s taken away. He did use Megatron’s name, by the way. His full one, with the “of Tarn” attached and mentioned where he worked. Smooth moves, Orion. Now Megatron’s going to be targeted for politically-charged murder.

In the present, Optimus Prime’s made a decision on what exactly to do with Megatron- and his decision is to let Megatron decide his fate, because freedom is the right of all sentient beings, and part of that is getting to choose your fate.

Megatron picks death, like, immediately.

Optimus gets the Matrix back from Ratchet, who he left its care in- he wanted to be sure that he was still the person he had been back when he made that speech to the Senate. Glad your crisis of self went well, Optimus.

Back in the past, Orion Pax meets with a senator in front of the Ark-1 memorial, very secret-like. See this senator’s seen all the nonsense that goes on in the Senate, and he’s about had it. Forget what all Megatron wrote about, it’s way, way worse in reality. He can’t prove it, but the attack on Nominus Prime was an inside job, so that the Senate could get their hands on the Matrix and figure out how it creates life.

I know, it’s crazy.

Things will probably pop off very soon, so the Senator’s taken the liberty of modifying Orion Pax’s chest cavity while he was passed out receiving repairs.

So the guy made a little hidey-hole for the Matrix in Orion’s body, so that he could one day be Prime.

Hey.

Hey, Senator.

Consent is sexy, man. Don’t be like that.

#transformers #jro #the transformers 2009 #issue 23 #maccadam #Hannzreads #text post #long post #comic script writing #overthinking about robots

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masterthespianduchovny · 5 years ago

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Sansa Stark, the benevolent white woman fantasy

For years, I theorized to myself that many of Sansa’s stans justified and vehemently defended her behavior because they saw themselves in her, specifically white girls and women. Sansa is beautiful, delicate, polite, and well meaning. Every once in a while she has a well placed zinger, but she is unoffensive and doesn’t challenge the system--she embraces it.

Either the second or third episode of the 8th season, after many posters, including myself, criticized Sansa’s behavior towards Dany, a woman (presumably white) wrote a heartfelt comment that got many love reactions. She literally talked about how she related to Sansa (she wasn’t referring to the abuse), especially because there was nothing special or magical about her. I can’t remember everything she said minus thinking that comment had nothing to do with anything and that, of course, all of Sansa’s bullshit is justified because someone related to her.

There isn’t anything wrong with relating to Sansa, the issue lies in the inability to criticize her actions and narrative function. It’s how everything she does is excused and she’s framed as the only person who ever had anything bad happen to her. It’s the constantly demonizing/shitting on other female characters and claiming misogyny is the ONLY reason she’s hated.

It’s the fucking audacity of fans to say shit like, “Sansa doesn’t want another white woman ruling over her” as if Sansa isn’t a fucking privileged white woman. It’s accusing Dany of white feminism when Sansa and her stans are peak white feminism. It’s calling Dany a colonist and imperialist as if Sansa wasn’t and isn’t reaping the benefits of those things by the end of the show. It’s trying to frame Dany as a racist when Sansa expresses contempt for foreigners (brown people) and wants to maintain a land of whiteness.

Constantly, I read about how much Sansa has suffered as if no one else in the fucking series has suffered. I don’t want to fucking debate who's suffered more because that shit doesn’t matter, but apparently, the more you suffered, the more your shit is excused and the more you “deserve.”

But, let’s get one thing clear: as tragic as Sansa’s abuse and trauma is, she’s far more privileged than Dany. Which is why focusing solely on Sansa’s abuse and trauma is bullshit IN THAT CONTEXT.

Sansa grew up in a loving two parent home surrounding by siblings and never wanted for anything. Sansa’s parents were protective over her. Sansa never worried about food or being harmed. Sansa had servants. Her life was stable.

Dany grew up on the streets begging for food and always moving from home to home because there was a target on her head. Dany’s parents were dead. Dany was abused by her own brother. Her life was unstable.

So, please, keep explaining how Dany is a privileged white woman. Her major privilege was her last name, but this was a double edged sword because people either wanted to kill her or claim she was mad.

Regardless, Sansa had everything that Dany did not. Sansa dreamed of being a queen, Dany did not. Sansa grew up in a loving home; Dany was ripped from her home, brought to a foreign land, and was homeless. Sansa legitimately has a place to call home and what does Dany have--or had?

Sansa has a family--people who are literally willing to kill for her. And Dany had herself. Everything she fucking had she got on her own. Not because of her brother fighting a battle she guilted him into or a creepy “uncle” who is in with her or a king brother granting her independence.

No, Dany had three dragon eggs that were dormant for over 200 years that she walked through the fire to hatch herself. She inspired people from various lands and kingdoms to follow her. Although she was a Targaryen, most didn't follow her because of her name, but because of who she was as a person. She challenged the status quo. She cared for others who came from different backgrounds and didn't look like herself. She learned their languages and customs--they had a place in the new kingdom she was trying to build.

And Sansa...”fuck you if you ain’t us.” Sansa didn’t just want Dany out of the North, she wanted the Dothraki and the Unsullied out of there too. The brown people. Just like Dany, they didn't do anything for her, except protect their North and lose their lives in the process. Sansa only cared for the North and, if you’re a decent person, that’s not how you do things. Hell, that's not how her parents did things.

But, like I said, Sansa is the benevolent white woman fantasy. She’s supposedly more caring and understanding, so her actions, no matter how dubious, automatically means it’s for the greater good of others, right??

It’s okay that she didn’t tell Jon that the Vale may be coming, despite his clear and obvious feelings of anxiety and desperation. I mean, what if he messed it all up even though Sansa never gave him the opportunity to make an informed decision.

It’s okay to lob insults about Jon being sexist, despite her being in the battle war planning and having an opportunity to speak, but chose not to. And then, when she did, she gave vague warnings.

It’s okay that she baited Jon into fighting her battle for Winterfell by mentioning Rickon only to tell Jon not to fight for him because “he’s dead anyways”, which is another example of her withholding information.

It’s okay that she almost killed her sister, despite knowing the man who has helped her is a master manipulator and is on a quest for power. The man she saw kill her aunt, and then lie about why. The same man who kissed her and told her that he was in love with her mom.

It’s okay that she made a promise to Jon in front of the weirwood, and then broke it because she didn’t want Dany to have power.

These same people pretend they are pro woman, but don’t hesitate to shit on other women when given a chance. In addition to dragging Dany--even before the BBQ’d KL--they also hated Arya for a long time and some still do to an extent. Some of them only came around because Arya and Sansa made up and Arya has killed for and defended Sansa. Oh, but before that, they were calling her a psychopath and heartless--yet, Arya has some of the most meaningful relationships between the two of them. Okay...

Dany is rejected because she’s trying to dismantle the system.

Arya is rejected because she doesn’t and refuses to fit inside of the system.

But, Sansa...oh, Sansa, the only change that she wants to make is to rule a kingdom of her own. She’s beautiful, gentle, and her anger is pretty--it isn’t ugly like Dany and Arya’s. She’s incredibility feminine and wants to protect her home and people even if that means putting others in harms way or being hostile to people who helped her--it was for the North’s wellbeing, you have to excuse her!

Sansa is a projection and to admit that she’s flawed, backstabbing and underhanded, and for herself means to admit that they, her fans, are as well and that their feminism is performative. It means that they are mediocre and won’t ascend to the heights they want to.

Granted, there a WOC who are stans of Sansa and vehemently defend her, but there is a cognitive dissonance there as well. I’m not saying that WOC cannot or should not like Sansa, I’m saying there is no way you can lob criticism at Dany that doesn’t apply to Sansa and, at times, tenfold. It’s okay to like Sansa and it’s okay to defend her at times, but there is an inherent hypocrisy to hating Dany for the same reasons they love Sansa. Or how they’re critical of Arya for breathing, but are “pro woman.”

Because, no matter how much white women fuck over other people--including their fellow white women, they see themselves as good and kind and that’s why it’s a fantasy. Since they see themselves in Sansa, she cannot be bad or flawed. They can list all of the shit that happened to Sansa, like themselves, and what she’s doing for others, yet, conveniently, they either don’t know what the others did or downplay their acts of kindness and goodness.

I just need her stans to quit the fucking crap.

Sansa is one of the worst "good people” in GOT and that’s based off of character alone.

#anti sansa stark #got #game of thrones #got meta #pro dany #daenerys defense squad #daenerys targaryen #Arya Stark

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lynxgriffin · 6 years ago

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Straight Outta Monster Narnia

HEY HEY I WASN’T EXPECTING TO DO THIS EVER AGAIN BUT WE’RE BACK

I’M GONNA PLAY ME SOME DELTA RUNE HERE

THOUGHTS AS I GO! ARE UNDER THE CUT!

Here we GOOOOOOO~!

Survey Program! Nice! Ominous!

I am here yes!

Truly excellent dude

OH MAKING A VESSEL NOW what are we Xehanort

NEATO I can pick Chara or Frisk heads or others…

Let’s do someone new. This kinda longish hair head.

STRIPES FOR DAYS! Longish sleeves, methinks

The legs are almost all the same LMAO

This is so friggin creepy I l OVE IT

Favorite food is PAIN nah it’s soft

BLOOD TYPE D. D for DOGGO

You have been gifted with kindness, not-XionFrisk

Pain AND seizure. Kinda wonder what happens if you say no tho…

But I don’t want to start over so let’s go with yes

OH FRIGGIN BUUUUURNED BY THE GAME, HAHAHA

Hi Toriel, you’re looking nice!

That’s a lot of friggin trophies over there

Also Kris, you need some eyes

RELIGIOUS SKA

So we have overachieving perfect child and sad boring child, okay

Awww Gerson wrote a book! How neat

It’s only you…..FOR NOW!!!!

It just isn’t home without white fur stuck in the drain, is it

CHAIRIEL’S RETURN!!!!

Also there’s some weird graphical flicker going on when I move and I wonder if it’s not because I’m playing full screen here

“Spray For The Boys, Flamin’ Hot Pizza Flavor” Damn Toby I missed your incredible sense of humor

DOES TORIEL USE PET SHAMPOO please say yes

ASRIEL’S AT COLLEGE AND UNDYNE’S A POLICE MONSTER, PERFECT

PROFESSOR ALPHYS IMMA GET AN A+ IN ANIME CLASS

DAMN who do I pick as my partner

Like…I really want Temmie…but also Snowdrake…

Random snake is also very good…

Ahhh I see this is gonna be pre-determined

HAHAHAHA FUCKIN BURNED AGAIN BY THIS HORRIBLE BLUE DUCK

Thank you cool snake I love your origin story

Oh this reindeer girl is very cute

MOTHA. FOKKIN. SUSIE

I instantly love her, goodbye

Oh Alphys you’re so not good at putting anyone in trouble

I JUST REALIZED TEMMIE HAS HER EGG ON THE DESK

Susie are you eating chalk

Oh sheet I like Susie less now

GAH DAMN THIS ESCALATED QUICKLY

Susie, Kris doesn’t even HAVE a face

Haha totally cut off my answer there

Hmm. I sense…a theme here.

Wow this really is putting on the restrictive aspects here

Now that’s a spooky face

Oh it ain’t gonna be that simple, mean girls

Well, this sure seems like an underground! Also…Kris is green now, okay

Hi there creepy waving things!

To reiterate: this is soooo creepy AND I LOVE IT

Puzzles! We got puzzles again! CREEPY PUZZLES

Whelp, we found Susie, just kinda hiding out in a…dead dust bunny thingie

LOL so much for a party member following you around

Well this is a new and interesting take on the bullet hell mechanics

Such interesting and different architecture

THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESSSSS

Yes let’s take a sudden HARD SHIFT into Final Fantasy

THE QUEST OF THE DELTA KNIGHTS that was an MST3K ep you know

About like…Leonardo da Vinci actually. Except he was a whiny bitch

LMAO Susie just “nah destroying the world sounds neat”

JOKESTER SANS GLIDES IN A FLAMING TRICYCLE SURE WHY NOT

VERY DIFFERENT COMBAT SYSTEM

“Dunno how I got an ax but like, that’s cool”

CAN’T WAIT FOR THE REMIXES OF THIS BATTLE MUSIC OKAY

Dunno if there’s a pacifist version of this game but I stick to tradition so I’m gonna try it

RALSEI. I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE

THE POWER OF FLUFFY BOYS SHINES WITHIN YOU it sure as hell does, game

The heckin heck Ralsei is so cute

Yup yup we gonna try pacifist this first time!

“If you’re reading this…I guess you’re dead.” Fair enough.

Gaster noises when trying to use the cell phone, hmmmm…

It’s an inverse papou fruit!

Susie just up and attacks this cake, all right

Battle is cool but it’s gonna take some getting used to, think I accidentally used both of my items

YOUR SENSE OF DIRECTION WON’T SAVE YOU NOW

“It’s like a dinner made out of three glasses of milk” Ralsei you’re SO CUTE

Now to see if TP stays leveled between battles…

“I thought you were running away.” / “Yeah, I finished.”

Fugdamn I want —pictures of Spiderman— remixes of this music ON MY DESK TODAY

FRIGHTENING FANFARE

Damn that puzzle still is tricky

Gah damn that was hilarious but also terrifying

We have the power of FLUFFY BOYS and MEAN GIRLS we are UNSTOPPABLE

Ohhh so that’s what the heart outline does!

Now that is a coooool cat and I like him already

Awww I don’t have enough money for the spooky sword

Susie just roastin’ everybody left and right

THEY GOT BARRY

These mechanics continue to be interesting and a bit more complex

“Damn, didn’t get to impale myself” I’m sure you’ll get your chance Susie

It’s really interesting how we’re basically group-battling to PREVENT the tank from beating the crap out of everyone

Oh now that light trick is weird

They keep throwing the usual chess and playing card guys at us and somehow I’m Suspicious

Is that a bucket. ARE Y’ALL HOMESTUCKING AT ME AGAIN

LMAO did Susie call us the Fuckboys or something

Oh, the Shit Squad, I guess!

THE POWER OF THE SHIT SQUAD SHINES WITHIN YOU HECK YESSSS

“I, Mr. Society, am far too intelligent to ever bow down to such a tyrant!” Hmmm.

Oh, it’s Sir Lion Plateface again

L E G S

THE BOSS JUST DRINKS A GALLON OF MILK THAT’S FINE

Well Ralsei got kinda junked there but WE DEFEATED SIR LION PLATEFACE

Cakes…are also my enemy…

Yeeeeah kinda saw that one coming

Susie I get the feeling you’re not going to enjoy being a bad guy either

Dang son I have no clue what’s going on anymore WE JUST HAD SOME SALSA IN A TREE STUMP

This jack’s got my number

That sure is a three-eyed three-headed cat thingamajig

Awww I like Clover

“All proceeds go to kicking your ass” CAN I USE THIS LINE IN REAL LIFE PLEASE

Hot damn we just squeaky hammered our broken cake into ULTIMATE CAKE

Why does a sweet little boy have a mustache indeed.

Create a machine to thrash your own ass, nice

It’s my beautiful death laser duck! Tops in GUN’S

Man Susie and Lancer are just having the time of their lives here

Finally, respect for pinecone-eaters!

Awww Susie, are you actually starting to worry about someone who respects your eating of chalk and pinecones

Oh thank goodness, got through that maze thing

Yes, finally, it’s our DUCK TANK LASER

Why does it say Tuna on it

“Your design sucked so we blew it up” This is like that one Berlin tour guide I had

GANGED UP ON THEM WITH KINDNESS, HA

Whelp, back to telling enemies that Susie will kick them in the shins I guess!

YES LANCER JOIN THE SHIT SQUAD

OMFG THAT FAAAAACE WHAT IS THAT FACE

Hey we’ve got a full Final Fantasy team now! Neat

STOOL FORME

I like how Lancer just sliiiiiides around outside the party instead of walking with

Hmmm well that friendship feeling didn’t last long

You done got locked in the dungeon

Yup sure did eat that jail moss two minutes in

HUH, we’re controlling Susie now

In which choices do not matter…

SUSIE’S FOKKIN PISSED

And we can’t control her actions…but why controlling the human soul?

A pair of eyes got arrested?! What IS the world coming to?!!

Oh dear, we found a bunch of kings in baby jail

Why are these filthy cages so happy-looking

Awwww Susie joined the party for realizes!

So, this about final boss point for this business?

Why are you guys just sitting on a pile of loot

And just who is this sassy lost child?

BAAHAHAHAAA

HECK YEAH WE GET TO FLIRT AGAIN

I am now BED INSPECTOR yes

Hello again fancy blue boy

“Can…can we see it” / “No.”

This sure is a jammin party with CLUB MUSIC OH HO HO HO

Awww he put his bicycle to bed

‘Welcome to my shop, you ungrateful worms” HELL YEAH

I do not wisheth to hear your MP3s! I would rather listen to the sweet song of Death!

Prepare for a battle with…WHATEVER THIS IS!!!!

JUST FUGGIN CHUCK RALSEI AT SIR LION PLATEFACE, I LIKE IT

Six dollars, for all of that?! Geez

WHELP this looks like final boss time…

Hiiiii there Lancer

Oh dang is gettin serious now

Oh woooow that’s…someone’s fetish right there

HOKAY that was tricky but! Having the defense abilities certainly helped with pacifism through that…

Despite ending this peacefully, I don’t think this scene is gonna end on a happy note…

W H E L P

DAYUM that face from Susie!!

Awwww poor Ralsei

We only have BAD-byes WUAH WUAH WUAAAH

DAWWW lil’ Asriel-lookin dude with glasses (and YES I see that anagram there)

LMAO Susie’s face

EPIC ROCK MUSIIIIIC

Also I’ve really been enjoying the color effects

Awww look at this epic adventure you two had in the closet

So basically we went to Monster Narnia, neat

Awww Susie likes Monster Narnia

Oh no we worried Toriel! THE WORST

LIBRARBY

YOU STUDY THOSE HOT DEMON COMICS FOR COLLEGE, TEMMIE

Hiiii Toby you busy makin’ something!

ALPHYS NO, YOU BETRAY MEW MEW KISSY CUTIE

OFFICE UNDYNE, DOn’T ARREST ME

I like reindeer girl’s rowdy hospitalized dad

PARTY ANIMAL TORIEL CONFIRMED

I like how there’s just a poster on the wall in this room that reads PAIN

The police tape simply reads NGGAAAAAHHHHH!

Good grief there’s SO MUCH STUFF TO EXPLORE HERE BUT I HAVE TO KEEP GOING

Snowdrakes don’t have arms, oh no!!!

“Does it hurt to be made of blood??” ….Yes. Yes it does.

HIIIIIIIII SANS

Woah woah woah WOAH WOAH SANS

Everyone is here! Even Ice Wolf!

Yes I’ll take a Double Ice Pizza you weirdos

OH MY GOOOOOOOOOD IT’S BURGERPANTS

10 OUT OF 10 GAME NOW

HIS FACES!!!! “C H I C K S”

That was brilliant, Burgerpants, thank you for existing

Catty!!! Hey where’s Bratty!

Noooo you gotta be besties with Bratty!

Brother Doug…?

Oh no, Mettaton, come out and talk to us!

ASGORE, HELLO

OMG Asgore hugs

Soul flowers….???

Awwww got some flowers for Toriel

THE GAY GUARDS IN THEIR GAY FLANNEL, YAY

It’s so late but I can’t stop until I’ve talked to LITERALLY EVERYONE

Thaaaat’s politics! …Rarely.

Comes to church for the fruit juice, sounds about right

DOG GRAVE, NO

Let’s go into the woods…what could go wrong…

Why can’t I get into the creepy shed…

Well, I think I got everything, so let’s go home now…

ASRIEL MAINS YOSHI IN SMASH CONFIRMED

Awwww Toriel is not big on Asgore’s bouquet!

OKAY decided to go to sleep here.

…Well that didn’t work out great

UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

UUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

WHAT??????????

WHAT????????????

WHAT?????????

HAHA I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THE FUK HAPPENED IN ALL OF THIS BUT UH. WHEN’S CHAPTER TWO??

THAT SURE WAS A HELL OF A THING

No really Toby please WHAAAAAAATTT

OKAY I HOPE I DIDN’T MISS ANYTHING IMPORTANT BYYYYEEEE

#undertale #delta rune #lynx plays delta rune #lynx plays undertale #undertale spoilers #delta rune spoilers #scheduled this so it posted after the no spoilers rule so hopefully that works out #NO PLEASE WHAT HAPPENED HERE I STILL HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS #also I NEED MUSIC REMIXES NOW #also also so uh #EXPECT ART IN THE FUTURE #SORRY I CAN'T HELP MYSELF #including doing the running commentary thing!

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ghostmartyr · 5 years ago

Text

Pokémon SoulSilver Randomized Nuzlocke [Part 1]

Since I haven’t fully learned from my mistakes, hey! It’s time for another Nuzlocke. With extra Randomizer action for reasons that are going to be very apparent as I go through this set’s rules.

I’m going to try what this person on the internet calls a Chainlocke, though with slight alterations for the sake of sanity; basic idea is that my catch Types have to be linked. If I catch a Grass/Poison pokemon, my next option has to have one of those in common.

That gets thorny really fast, which I guess is the point, but I’m more about wacky fun than serious challenges. So to make things more entertaining, I will be randomizing every pokemon in the wild, as well as NPC gifts and trades. All the other Trainers keep their original stuff. I get to be special.

So. Rules:

Only the first viable pokemon of each route may be caught.

Gift pokemon are cool to use.

In-game trades are also cool.

‘Viable’ in this case means that they must have a Type in common with the most recent caught pokemon.

The starter will be starting that chain despite not technically being caught by me. Because I feel like it.

Each pokemon must receive a nickname.

If a pokemon faints, it is considered dead. It will go in an appropriately named box in the PC.

In the event of a team wipe, the run will continue with whatever’s left (alive) in the PC.

And that’s about it. Let’s kick it.

No.

I can’t remember if this version does the all-caps for names or not. In any case, this protagonist avatar will take on the name Sunny. Because I am in a warm and welcoming mood, ready to make all the new creatures I encounter my friends.

I love how they have Lyra use the mail system.

Someone has to.

It certainly won’t be anyone playing these games.

Okay, based on how Lyra’s Marill is discussed, human names don’t get the all-caps treatment, but pokemon do. What does this mean for my nicknaming schemes? No idea. The hour is late and I don’t care enough.

-rubs hands together-

Hmmmm.

...

Dude.

Get out.

Hmmmm.

I can’t pick Cyndaquil, because what even is the point if I do that. Sableye I’ve never been so interested in as a true companion. Dewgong is fully evolved, and I hate starting out with that.

However.

I never get to use Dewgong.

Seel is never anywhere convenient.

DEWGONG WELCOME TO THE TEAM!

Shaped like a friend.

I haven’t worked out any particular theme for this run. I can name her whatever I want. I think I shall call her Chance.

Look at how cute she is. She is adorable. Sassy and highly persistent. I declare her perfect. She also knows Headbutt! That matters beyond being a cool move in this version! Much squeeing! She also knows Growl, Signal Beam, and Icy Wind.

My next pokemon will have to be Water or Ice. It will probably be Water, thanks to Water being absurdly common. That’s cool. I like Water pokemon.

And so, without yet being able to catch anything, I head out into the world. Running my obligatory fetch quest for Professor Elm.

Huh, a Smoochum says hello. That’s a good thing to know for later. But what’s in the Headbutt tree?

...A Hoothoot. Sigh. Well, one less thing to worry about when finding pokemon.

Weedle also lurks in the grass.

Yay. Gotta go fast.

Can I buy poke balls yet?

No. Sad face.

The next route has Kricketot. Did I check the similar strength button by accident?

Then suddenly, Grumpig! Okay, sweet. Just a few Buggy coincidences. Gligar is also here.

Literally have never heard of you. You have a boring name. No one should ever copy it ceaselessly for a gag that no one sees any value in.

Hello, a wild challenger approaches! With his super duper Totodile! Headbutt it, Chance. Headbutt it into submission. Good girl.

Uh. There’s not enough room for it.

Perfect.

I love how Silver’s most defining feature is his red hair.

After a short visit home to tell our mom we are far too irresponsible to be trusted with all of the money we’re going to earn from mugging other children, plus a short tutorial on catching things, we can finally get started!

Smoochum is the only thing available in the routes we’ve visited so far, but I haven’t checked out the northern one right outside the starting town yet.

But the walking takes the decision out of my hands! We encounter a level 4 Smoochum, and as per the rules, that is what I have to go for. Lest I kill the route.

...

I killed the Smoochum.

I guess that answers my question about its Typing. Ruh roh. Signal Beam was a mistake. For multiple reasons, now that I’m taking a second to think about it. Whoops. Any game that requires me to think is screwed from the start, honestly.

So now we search for something else to catch.

Route 46? Be nice?

Carvanha! That’s a Water! Can catch!

In theory. It’s broken out of two pokeballs. It’s also level 2, so I don’t think I can risk attacking it.

.I’m going to run out of balls, aren’t I?

I think I have to risk an Icy Wind. I’m on my last poke ball. I don’t really want to leave it purely up to the mood of the RNG.

Chance apparently doesn’t want friends.

She got a critical hit.

Two dead routes! Okay!

Still needing a Water or Ice Type!

Also more Poke Balls!

One of those problems I can fix. As for the other, inb4 the Mystery Egg and whatever I get from Bill are the only other teammates Chance ever has.

We march through the trainers between us and the next town. Certain of nothing but Chance’s ability to murder them all.

Route 31 has an Elekid as the first thing I see and the rules say I can’t catch it. What horrible person came up with this. Seviper and Lopunny are also here. Those I care less about.

Dark Cave? Help? Mayhaps?

A Golbat appears.

Okay.

Before we think too hard on that, I’ve gotta say that I do love how gen 4 does the caves. They are very gorgeously cavernous, and the few times I bother to think about the background art, I enjoy walking through them.

But yeah, is there anything in this cave that is not a Golbat?

Route 31 has a Butterfree.

These are things that do not help me.

The person who usually gives you an Onix for a Bellsprout in whatever this city is (Violet) offers a Corphish for a Kecleon. Things to keep in mind if I ever find a Kecleon. That I can catch.

In no version of this game have I ever done this egg thing. I was unaware there even was an egg thing, since anything that requires me to pick the right word out of the hat of words bores me to tears. Then I started watching too many people play Pokemon games on the internet.

-Googles how to get egg-

So normally, you can get a Mareep, Wooper, or Slugma. In the spirit of the Chainlocke, even though I said gifts were cool, we’ll take the Wooper egg. Vote now on whether or not it’ll actually be a Wooper. I don’t know how to use the Randomizer.

Hm. Iiiiiiinteresting.

Chance, Headbutt some trees on the off chance that a Water pokemon falls out, please.

It’s a Hoothoot.

I get the feeling that the Randomizer settings didn’t care about the pokemon found through Headbutting.

Route 32. Help.

Gligar. That is not help.

Rhydon is not help either. Likewise Torchic.

SQUIRTLE. THAT IS HELP.

...

Chance.

Why are you getting so many critical hits against your friends. Do you not want friends. Have I raised you to be so antisocial.

-sigh- Route 32 declared dead.

Ruins of Alph? Maybe you have someone Chance likes?

...

Why is Gligar everywhere.

I guess. I will go to the tower. With Chance. Just the two of us.

Plus the Gloom egg, which is looking like a very likely candidate for the only friend Chance will ever have. Besides the Mystery Egg we don’t have yet.

(Also Rock Smash HM get. Yaaaaay.)

Local level 11 Dewgong beats up 3 year-olds.

So many dead Bellsprout.

I haven’t run into any wild pokemon here, yet. Sadness. We will never know which new friend Chance was going to kill next.

SURPRISE!

It’s Medicham.

Chance kills it.

Partially because I can’t catch it anyway, partially because that is just what Chance does. Her sassiness belies her murderous intent.

Flash obtained with little fuss, and time to move on to Falkner. He of the coolest name. Yet another Gym Leader I wanted to be as a child. Even if he uses nothing but birds. Falkner is just the coolest name.

Oh, and it looks like there’s also Roselia in this tower.

I can’t do anything about it, but that’s nice.

I love how each generation of pokemon decides the Gyms need to be more extra.

They’re right and they should say it.

-five seconds later- Well that went by quickly. Good girl, Chance. Your murder spree continues. And our prize? Picking up the Mystery Egg! Which gets to be a genuine mystery for now! Chance! You might have a friend! In pure spite of your best efforts!

Time to spend an hour doing nothing but walking. I normally wouldn’t be so interested in hatching the eggs, but. I would kind of like to have a promise of Chance not being completely alone this entire game.

One down! His name is Cloud! He is... also Sassy (Chance, is this why you let him stay), level 1, and alert to sounds!

whatisitwhatisitwhatisitwhatisit

...Wow. Something I actually could have gotten legitimately in this Chainlocke. In theory. In a world where Chance is of slightly different temperament.

Her name shall be Sleet. She is Quiet and likes to run.

Hm.

I remain unsure if I’m going to actually use either of these new friends. The spirit of what I’m going for with this doesn’t really work with me just being handed two random Official Teammates. I might change my mind after a few more routes of things not going well for me, but for now, I think I’ll mostly stick to me and Chance.

..Though before I do..

They’re both level 1. I can be nice and not set them up for death. They can make it to level 5 before we say a cordial farewell. I can grind in this game. I can be nice.

-ten minutes later-

-tfw Ivysaur also lives on Route 32 because Route 32 is starter central-

Niceness done, let’s get on the road.

The road takes us, and our level 17 Dewgong, to Union Cave.

If you squint, this looks like fanart of a sleeping Sandslash.

Will we find the Water or Ice pokemon our team longs for here????

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

Uh.

Let me look up the rules for evolving Feebas in this gen. Because Feebas is pure Water. If I can’t evolve it, I’m better off killing it so I have more options available with what I can catch.

...

The internet says I need eight massages from Daisy (Blue’s sister. in Pallet Town.) to max its Beauty so it can evolve.

Chance. just. just do the thing. we all know how this ends.

So dies Union Cave.

Awww, how cute. A Shaymin. Now just one of the many corpses littered at Sunny’s feet. Hariyama is also here. A floor below, it’s the return of Grumpig. Plus Yanmega for the first time. Girafarig.

-SIGH-

Route 33. Do you want to save us?

Weezing.

WHISCASH. GIMME. CHANCE, SWAP OUT AND LET CLOUD HELP.

AT LONG LAST.

WE HAVE.

THE CHAINLOCKE’S FIRST CATCH.

FLUDD, WELCOME TO THE TEAM!

NEXT CATCH?

WATER OR GROUND!

LET’S END IT THERE WHILE THINGS ARE STILL GOOD.

#Pokemon #Nuzlocke #Nuzlocke Challenge #playthrough

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ask-de-writer · 6 years ago

Text

DARING DO and the Gryphon’s Quest! : MLP Fan Fiction : Chapter 19 of 19

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

DARING DO

and

The Gryphon’s Quest!

Chapter 19

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

and

Carmen Pondiego

Cover art by Wind the Mama Cat

29584 words

Writing begun 03/29/16

This is a Fan Fiction based on My Little Pony. Canterlot, Princess Luna and the name Daring Do are owned by Hasboro Inc.

//////////////

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.

1.) They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact.

2.) They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

3.) All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction are actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

For new readers, this link leads to the beginning of

Daring Do and the Gryphon’s Quest!

///////////////////////

Chapter 19. Enlightenment

While Friend was tending to her newest “nymphs,” the young Eagles, Daring Do asked, “What was it? I guess that I was poisoned.”

The nurse, taking advantage of Friend’s slight distraction, started to take Daring Do’s blood pressure and stuck a thermometer in her mouth. She replied, “It was a whole Hellbore mushroom in the sauce and diced throughout your steak. They had two of them. The other was being prepared for the Imperial table.”

Grata, crest set to thanks, carried on, “Luck alone caused a server to be over eager for the credit of destroying the Blasphemer. If we had all been served at once, as planned, they might have killed much of the rule of the Empire.”

Carmen picked up the story. “You have chosen well to have Friend as your “hive.” That is what she means when she calls you Matunen. I know that you know what it means.”

Daring Do managed a small nod.

“When you fell, Friend was off that nest in an instant. She wrapped you in a form of magic that none of us, not even Uncle M, have seen. We know that it stopped your heart beat and breathing. It was impenetrable as well.

“Friend’s magic that seems so delicate? It reached out and sealed the whole banquet hall. One conspirator tried to fly through it. All that hit the floor was a rain of blood, feathers and shreds of flesh and bone. No other was stupid enough to try that again!

“She sort of swept the room with it. All of the conspirators there were wadded up and dumped before the Throne like a pile of rabbit droppings! Krapper was still yelling about Blasphemy.”

Daring Do chuckled. It hurt. A lot. It was worth it. Friend put down the Eagle chick that she was tending and stepped over to lay her horn to Daring Do’s forehead.

Calmly she stated, “Matunen is tired. She needs more prey.”

The voice of steel called out, “Friend needs more prey! You five! Come out for selection!”

General Ironhooves escorted the unlucky five Gryphons into the room. One whined, “It is bad enough that … that thing is killing us by torture. Why do we have to watch it happen?”

Grata, crest raised in outrage, demanded, “So, it was a matter of celebration to use THE COWARD’S WEAPON of poison against one who was PROVING our Legends but it is not OK to see the consequence of your criminal and cowardly actions?”

As they were speaking, Friend’s delicate seeming magic settled about one of the five. He gave a despairing squawk as he aged visibly. Feathers began to loosen and fall out. His eyes filmed over, going to an opaque pale blue. He simply withered where he stood, until he could stand no more.

Friend stepped over to her victim and simply bit into his neck. There was not much blood. The Eagles hop-fluttered to his carcass and began to strip what was left of his meat from the bones. One of the four being made to watch vomited.

Daring Do felt the soft, loving magic that she trusted absolutely settle through her. As it did, it brought safety, strength and comfort.

Having eaten her fill, Friend returned to her happy preening of Eagle chicks. A hospital aerie orderly came in and cleaned up the remaining mess. As he carried away the bones and scraps, he commented, “Another one for the midden.”

Daring Do brought something to mind. “The civil war? Did we stop it?”

General Ironhooves replied, “Oh, it started while the banquet and Friend’s little round up was going on. It is down to a few isolated actions in several valleys. It should be over completely in another few days to a week.

”For a long planned revolt, they were really poorly equipped.” He cast a glance at Carmen as he went on, “I can’t imagine how they wound up so short of equipment and ammo.”

He grinned hugely. “Carmen and VILE have the best combination of Intelligence and sabotage that I have ever had the pleasure of having on my side!”

Grata, crest rippling in amusement, added, “VILE sold us a most amazing array of military hardware at very reasonable rates! At prices like that, one would ALMOST think that they were not acquired honestly!”

Daring Do snickered. “VILE has never been proved of or caught in any illegal act. They MUST have been properly obtained.”

There was a small commotion at the door. Grata told the guards, “That is Marehem. He is both family and has Imperial clearance. Let him in.”

The blue changeling with his orange mop of a mane, entered the room. He made a sideways grin as he handed a check to Carmen. “Here you are, my Dear. The last of the settlements. It seems inconceivable, but Allstable Insurance has some unhappy customers.”

The General raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

Marehem snorted, “We have been very actively selling insurance on collections of militaria throughout the Empire. Mostly to First Creationists.

“Recently, they opened up their warehouses and vaults. Many valuable articles were missing! Articles like main battle tanks and artillery pieces.

“Careful examination of each case resulted in denial of the claims for methods of loss not covered by the policy.”

Grata, crest dripping sarcasm, asked, “How could that possibly have happened?”

Daring Do managed to point a hoof at Marehem. “HE wrote the policies! That is how!” Carmen agreed, “It is indeed how. Agent payrolls must be met someway. I was happy to be of assistance in this case.” She grinned happily, “In the course of evaluating the “collections of militaria”, we found a few other things to acquire! Our private museum’s collection of Gryphon art and sculpture is much improved!”

She turned to the General. “Your advice on military collectibles has proved invaluable, General. We had not done much in that regard but now have the start to a good collection. Thank you.”

He tipped his hat. “It was a pleasure, Ms. Pondiego.”

Daring Do was hit by a question. “Umm, the war is almost over? How long was I unconscious?”

The nurse replied, “Define unconscious. By every test that we know, you were dead for the first week. We remember the fool that tried to fly through that weak looking magic of Friend’s!

“She was taking three or four prey a day for that week. She said that you were loving her back properly. Then you started to breathe and your heart to beat. That was two weeks ago. We have gone with her assessments ever since!”

Daring Do’s mind was ticking off the time that they had known Friend and helped her with her precious eggs. “Shouldn’t the eggs have hatched some time ago?” Friend looked up from her chick preening and feeding. “Friend loved them to wait so that Matunen could watch her nymphs emerge.”

There came a voice from the doorway that could be as loud as a Royal Canterlot Voice or as soft as a dream. Princess Luna entered the room.

The nurse, showing a typical Gryphon respect for leadership, crest rippling with amusement, commented, “Good thing that we don’t have a Navy! This much brass could overload and sink any ship!”

Luna turned to Grata and said quietly, “I am glad that you Gryphons can handle such informality. Our Court …” She shook her head. “Bunch of overstuffed lunks for the most part. No sense of humor.”

Grata, crest rippling amusement, replied, “You have had thousands of years of practice at being fluffed feathers. Give us time. With luck, we will learn to avoid that pitfall by seeing your experience.”

Chuckling, Luna stepped around the hospital nest and smiled at Friend and her nymphs. She stepped close and nuzzled Friend. “Thank you, Friend. You have given me the best gift that I ever got. These Gryphons that you loved into being are the best thing that ever came of our horrible Nightmare Wars.”

Friend looked up to Princess Luna, tears in her eyes. “They are good nymphs.” She suddenly made hardened steel seem soft. “Some are failed nymphs, good only for prey. They hurt Matunen. I take them and love their lives to help Matunen.”

Without any disturbance at all, Princess Luna said, “So I have heard. Why did you choose Doctor Do as Matunen? You know that she can’t give you eggs to tend.”

Friend stared over at Daring Do with love. “From her first word, Daring Do shared care for Friend. She shared mind/heart/love without hesitation or fear. She found out about my eggs. With many other things important to her, she made my eggs most important. No better Matunen could be.”

Luna nodded. “I do see now why you chose her. If none have told you so, Friend, you are wise.”

Luna turned to Daring Do and offered, “You have our greatest thanks, Doctor Do. We found your exhibit on the origins of Gryphons at the end of the last Nightmare War in the Royal Museum. Some, on the acquisitions committee, wanted to remove it until it should be properly cataloged and formally accepted. I ordered it kept on display without reservation.”

Daring Do glanced a question to Carmen. Carmen shrugged. “We know how much of a pain it is to give anything to the Royal Museum. True that they are far better now that Count Umber is out of the woodwork, but it is still not easy. It seemed more expeditious to simply install it in its logical place.”

Daring Do grinned at that. Turning to Luna she said, “I thought that you would like to know that this whole wonderful species came out of that terrible time. That such goodness and honor arose from that dark part of our past.”

Luna nodded slowly, tears at the corners of her eyes. “You were so right, Doctor Do. It really does help.”

Daring Do replied, “I am glad that it does.

“Friend, may I see our nymphs? Up close, I mean?”

Smiling, Friend brought over one chick at a time, using her egg turning claw as a sort of perch and support. After holding each chick close for examination, she set it down on Daring Do’s blanket and fetched another. When the last of the chicks had been transferred, Friend clambered up onto the hospital nest along with them.

She was happily preening the chicks and feeding them. Daring Do realized that she was feeding them by regurgitating small amounts of food. And what, or rather who, the food was.

Oddly, it did not bother her at all. She lay there and thought it over, figuring out that her sharing with Friend had been more complete than she had at first known. It was actually a comforting idea.

About two weeks later, Daring Do was back in the Royal Banquet Hall. In a mobility cart. Friend was pushing her along. In the cart with her was a collection of eaglets, just starting to fletch out.

After the meal, of which Daring Do could only eat a little, she was wheeled about to a place in front of the display of Gryphon origins.

She began, “As I was about to say, before I was so rudely interrupted …”

–THE END–

///////////////////////

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#Daring Do and the Gryphon;s Quest!#Chapter 19 #MLP Fan Fiction #Co written by De Writer and Carmen Pondiego

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freunwol · 6 years ago

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theory: freud is chronica is evan??

and this isnt just desperation i have proof

warning this is long as balls

Transcendent related

His disdain for transcendents not barring him from using time magic to seal off travelling prior to that point, which would require him to call upon Rhinne….unless he can do it himself.

Some transcendents reincarnate. *some.* And none of the ones we know of now do that, to our knowledge. So why would they just throw that tidbit in if it’s not relevant? Coughevancough. (relevance explained in heroes section*)

Freud was able to regain a memory that there was a sixth hero. Luminous, the one who is part transcendent, did not. Black Mage remembers Eun because, in his words, he is a transcendent. It’s possible that it is in fact because he made up the plan, but you think you’d remember almost giving up your entire existence for a spell, Lumi? And then suddenly not having to?

Of course there’s the possibility that Lumi’s lying about forgetting or that BM was lying about remembering because of transcendence but that’s a whole other can of worms…

I’m not discrediting him making the plan playing into this though, it could contribute and that’s why Freud remembered and not Luminous The Fragment Of The Transcendent That Remembers

Hero related

Prior to Heroes of Maple trying to make Eun’s situation into a curse, he was fully erased from history. Not only from memories, but from the physical situation of existence, given that he is erased from photographs and any trace of him left behind is erased as well. This is different from a curse, and even with Lucid’s help, Black Mage likely wouldn’t be able to literally obfuscate the past. Time powers could, and if Freud were Chronica his spell would be directly related to time.

Plus it is already, since it stopped anyone from travelling prior to that point.

If that were the case, wouldn’t this make recovering Eun’s existence next to impossible since you can’t change anything relating to the past anymore?

Even making it a curse it’s applicable, if just an extremely powerful curse. I can’t quite logic this part to much beyond pure speculation, but I do think that Freud had much more to do with the effects of this, considering that it was his spell.

Freud said himself that he remembered that there were six heroes since he himself designed the sealing spell!

*Relating to Evan and reincarnation. It’s an obvious conclusion to make that Evan is his reincarnation given that they look alike. It’s made more obvious by a direct connection that Evan does have to Freud- through Mir. Mir was Afrien’s egg, and thus probably(/definitelycuzalltheotheronyxdragonsgotmurdered) his child, and was intended to reinstate the soul bond. A reincarnation and the son of the guy who had a soul bond with the prior incarnation, it makes too much sense to be a coincidence and literally everyone knows it.

Lumi cited Freud as his intellectual match, and the only person ever to be such.

Mirror World related

This one goes in a few different places, so bear with me. In the Zero storyline, Alpha finds the transcript explaining transcendents that states that Rhinne and Alicia were “content in their roles”, and that Black Mage was not and begun chaos because of this. We know for a fact now that Black Mage was not content, not only as a transcendent but as a pawn of whatever greater power exists in Maple World. His methods are of course horrible and he’s the worst yadda yadda but he’s fighting against the system- something Freud is hinted at considering, from his conversation with Lumi. It would make for an interesting perspective, given that he himself is a transcendent, but then it could be that he feels guilty that the transcendence system is causing so much pain and suffering for the world he loves so much, and the only way for it to work is if all three are “content in their roles”, something they are not likely to be.

This is speculation, but it could make sense- could repeated interaction with humans and a closer connection to the world make a transcendent less “content”? We know that White Mage’s intentions were, originally, for the good of the world, trying to reform it into something peaceful, that eventually was corrupted. We also know that Alicia is supremely disconnected from humanity, seeing them as lesser than the other creatures and much worse. This disconnect could make her more content with her existence, with less curiosity regarding humans and the inner workings of the world and more focus on the other creatures. (This may intersect with information about Darmoor, since he’s both the transcendent of life and ruler of the lef he may have gotten too immersed in their life and gotten “discontent?”) Freud, loving Maple world, could have reincarnated himself as a human to learn more about humanity, and is growing discontent with the roles of transcendents seeing its effects as an insider as well as an outsider?

(This is kinda starting to sound like a Jesus thing, being born as a human but also still divine and knowing human pain and all that shit… I’ve jokingly compared him to Jesus before but this is ridiculous if true oh my god this would be the funniest thing if I’m right about any of this FREUD IS JESUS)

BACK TO MIRROR WORLD why was Freud in mirror world if he’s dead? And of all people that we know of? Sure, Phantom and Evan are there, but both of them are connected to those places in some way- Evan grew up in Henesys, and Phantom probably grew up in Ariant. And both are alive. As is everyone else we see in mirror world, younger or older or whatever. So why the fuck is Freud there? We also know for sure that it is in fact all based on the present day since there’s nobody from the past and Leafre isn’t full of demons (used to be demon land but they were forced out…) so why, out of everyone there, is Freud there if he’s dead?

Bit anecdotal, but they did have Freud there in the section where they introduced the idea of relics that help wield the power of the transcendents, and we got Lapis and Lazuli from this.

Could the Freud’s Journal quest somehow be slightly related to this? It’s a stretch, but the ring could be some kind of relic, since restoring it gives you a lil fairy kinda similar to Lapis & Lazuli…

This is a real reach, but in the Mirror World, the chief of Leafre called Freud an explorer, which is what Sugar was before it was revealed she was the spirit of Maple World or whatever…

Speaking of Sugar, do seal stones work into this? I doubt it a little, since you *need* five other people and he likely had those five other people...But then again, that’s quite a fantastic invention to realize how to make… I’m not sure.

Meta

Freud was very conveniently unconscious during the Silent Crusade storyline fighting Arkarium. If he were awake, would he have said something, especially considering your character is time travelling? Would he have known?

In Eun’s storyline, Athena breaks the “news of Freud’s death” to him by saying that it’s been centuries and Freud wasn’t frozen, and he was “only human.” That would be a nice bit of irony, imo.

Other

THEY’RE BOTH MISSING…

We do know that Chronica is a guy, so there’s no conflict there. If reincarnation were a factor any conflict regarding that would be questionable anyway.

This bleeds more into speculation, but I feel like it needs to be pointed out- the little boy from the Black Mage comic series that gave White Mage the coin looked like Freud, if only a little bit. It’s likely a stretch, but wouldn’t that give a rather solid human motivation? He obviously looked up to him so much, since he did save his family and town, and vowed to become a great mage like him. If he heard news that his idol and savior turned to evil, wouldn’t that be a motivating force to be wary of the transcendent system, if only the impetus and not the full reason?

Not entirely related, but would this have led to a strained relationship with Lumi? D:

His connection to dragons, given that Nova is, largely, dragon people, would be solidified a bit.

Purely Anecdotal

Freud is WAY too powerful to just be A Really Good Mage.

He has a very strong love for all life and everything in Maple World, which sounds so blindly encompassing and positive that only a transcendent or a blithering idiot would hold that love, and Freud is no idiot probably.

Rhinne can see the future of all worlds aside from her own, according to the Zero storyline. I’m unsure if there’s a connection here, but I feel like it’s worth mentioning in case I’m forgetting something that does relate to Freud.

It’s probably possible that more than one incarnation or version of them could exist at the same time, given Tana. (I don’t actually know anything about her story I just know she has a light and a dark self and that she’s Nova’s light transcendent…)

This is pretty hard to prove, but I noticed this a while ago- in the Dragon decal that Freud has in the Freud’s Journal questline, it’s a pretty simple dragon design- which, if you draw a line diagonally through it, looks like an hourglass. They did change his decal to what Evan has, which looks pretty much nothing like an hourglass, but the connection was there and was possible.

The little wing thing on Evan’s updated art makes a connection possible but it’s such a stretch I’m hesitant to really entertain the thought...

sorry this is so long and also so much longer than when i last posted anything abt it but like. im thinking a mile a minute here i feel like if nexon wasnt lazy i could be on to something

#maplestory #long post #IT COULD BE THAT DEEP #sorry mobile ppl.....#sgjshksjhakjh if im like really wrong or forgetting smthn pls tell me #also whoops formatting got fucked for a bit fkjsghsdfk

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dumbledearme · 6 years ago

Text

chapter thirty-one—love never dies

read Child of Land and Sea here

Act IV — To Stop The Tide

Part VI — I was so afraid, now I realize: love is never wrong and so it never dies.

The big ranch house was white. “Don’t break the rules,” Eurytion warned. “No fighting. No drawing weapons. And don’t make any comments about the boss’s appearance.”

“Why?” Andy asked. “What does he looks like?”

Before Eurytion could reply, a new voice said, “Welcome to the Triple G Ranch.” The man on the porch had a normal head but three bodies. His neck connected to the middle chest like normal, but he had two more chests, one to either side, connected at the shoulders, with a few inches in between. His left arm grew out of his left chest, and the same on the right, so he had two arms, but four armpits. The chests all connected into one enormous torso, with two regular but very beefy legs.

“Say hello to Mr Geryon,” Eurytion advised.

“Hello,” the four of them said together.

Eurytion made the introductions. Then Nico di Angelo came out of the glass doors onto the porch. "Geryon, I won't wait for-" he froze when he saw them. Then he drew his sword.

"Put that away, Mr di Angelo," Geryon snarled. "I ain't gonna have my guests killing each other."

"But that's-"

"Andy Jackson," Geryon supplied. "Anthony Chase. And a couple of their monster friends. Yes, I know."

"Monster friends?" Grover said indignantly.

"The man is wearing three shirts," Tyson only then realized.

"They let Bianca die!" Nico's voice trembled with rage.

"Nico," Andy tried to apologize, "what happened to Bianca was-"

"Don't speak her name! You aren't worthy to even talk about her!"

"Just put the sword away, Mr di Angelo, before I have Eurytion take it from you."

Reluctantly, Nico sheathed his sword. "If you come near me, Jackson, I'll summon help. You don't want to meet my helpers, I promise."

"I believe you," she whispered.

Geryon patted Nico's shoulder. "There, we've all made nice. Now come along, folks. I want to give you a tour of the ranch." He had a trolley thing – like one of those kiddie trains that take you around zoos. Nico sat in the very back with Eurytion beside him. Orthus jumped in the front seat with Geryon. Anthony, Andy, Grover and Tyson took the middle two cars. "We have a huge operation," Geryon boasted as the moo-mobile lurched forward. "Horses and cattle mostly, but all sorts of exotic varieties, too."

They came over a hill and Anthony gasped. "Hippalektryons? I thought they were extinct!" The animals had the front half of a horse and the back half of a rooster. Their rear feet were huge yellow claws. They had feathery tails and red wings.

"Rooster ponies," Tyson said. "Do they lay eggs?"

"Once a year," Geryon grinned. "Very much in demand for omelettes!"

"You can't do that!" Anthony said. "They must be an endangered species!"

"Gold is gold, Mr Chase," he said. "And you haven't tasted the omelettes."

"That's not right," Grover mumbled.

"Now, over here," said Geryon, "we have our fire-breathing horses, which you may have seen on your way in. They're bred for way, naturally."

"What war?" Andy asked.

"Any war," Geryon shrugged. "And over yonder, of course, are our prize red cows. Apollo is busy to see them, so he subcontracts to us. We breed them vigorously because they're such a demand."

"For what?" Andy asked.

Geryon raised an eyebrow. "Meat, Miss Jackson! Armies have to eat!"

"You kill the sacred cows of the sun god for hamburger meat?" Grover said. "That's against the ancient laws!"

"Oh, don't get so worked up, young satyr. They're just animals."

"Just animals!"

"Yes. And if Apollo cared, I'm sure he would tell us."

"If he knew, you mean," Andy muttered.

Nico sat forward. "I don't care about any of this, Geryon. We had business to discuss, and this wasn't it!"

"All in good time, Mr di Angelo. Look over here; some of my exotic game." The next field was crawling with giant scorpions. "And over here, my prize stables! You must see them!"

About a hundred horses were milling around in poop. The horses were really gross from wading through it, and the stables were just as bad. It reeked like you would not believe. Even Nico gagged. "What is that?"

"My stables!" Geryon presented. "Well, actually, they belong to Aegeas, but we watch over them for a small monthly fee. Aren't they lovely?"

"They're disgusting," Anthony said.

"Lots of poop," Tyson observed.

"How can you keep animals like that?" Grover cried.

"Y'all getting on my nerves," Geryon said. "These are flesh-eating horses, see? They like these conditions. Besides, my clients still pay me well for this."

"What clients?" Andy demanded.

"Oh, you'd be surprised how many people will pay for a flesh-eating horse. They make great garbage disposals. Wonderful way to terrify your enemies. Great at birthday parties! We rent them out all the time."

"You're a monster," Anthony decided.

Geryon stopped the trolley. "What gave it away? Was it the three bodies?"

"You have to let these animals go," Grover said. "It's not right."

"And the clients," Anthony said, "you work for Kronos, don't you? You're supplying his army with whatever they need."

Geryon shrugged. "I worked for anyone who pays me. I'm a businessman. I sell whatever I have to offer." He climbed out of the trolley.

Nico went after him. "I came here for business and you haven't answered me."

"Fine. You'll get a deal, all right."

"My ghost told me you could help. He said you could guide us to the soul we need."

"I thought I was the soul you wanted," Andy asked.

Nico glanced at her, disgusted. "Why would I want you, Jackson? Bianca's soul is worth a thousand of yours! Now, can you help me, Geryon, or not?"

"Oh, I imagine, I could," the rancher said. "But, pray, tell me. Where is your ghost?"

Nico looked uneasy. "He can't form in broad daylight. It's hard for him. But he's around."

Geryon smiled. "I'm sure. Minos likes to disappear when things get... difficult."

"Minos?" Andy exclaimed. "That evil king? That's the one telling you what to do?"

"None of your business, Jackson!" Nico said. "Geryon, what do you mean about things getting difficult?"

Geryon sighed. "You see, Mr di Angelo, Mr Castellan is offering very good money for half-bloods. And I'm sure when he learns who you really are, he'll pay very, very well indeed."

Nico drew his sword, but Geryon knocked it out of his hand. Before Andy could get up, Orthus pounced on her chest and growled.

"Nobody moves or Orthus will tear Miss Jackson's throat out," Geryon warned. "Now, Eurytion, if you'd be so kind, secure Mr di Angelo." Eurytion wrapped one huge arm around Nico and lifted him up like a wrestler. "Pick up the sword, too," Geryon ordered. "There's nothing I hate worse than Stygian iron. Now, we've had the tour. Let's go back to the lodge, have some lunch, and send an Iris-message to our friends in the Titan army."

"Get Orthus to back off," Anthony told him.

"Don't worry, Mr Chase. Once I've delivered Mr di Angelo, you and your party can go. I don't interfere with quests. Besides, I've been paid well to give you safe passage, which does not, I'm afraid, include Mr di Angelo."

"Paid by whom?" Anthony asked. "What do you mean?"

"Never you mind. Let's be off, shall we?"

"Wait!" Andy cried and Orthus growled louder. She tried not to move. She needed a plan. She needed to keep Nico safe. She owed him that much. "Geryon, you said you're a businessman. Make me a deal."

Geryon narrowed his eyes. "What sort of deal? Do you have gold?"

"I've got some even better. Barter."

"Miss Jackson, you've got nothing."

"You could have her clean the stables," Eurytion suggested.

"Yes!" Andy exclaimed. "I'll do it! I'll do anything, really!"

"But the horses might eat ya," Geryon observed.

"I don't care! If I fail, you can just... you get to trade us all to Luke for gold, I guess. But- But if I succeed, you've got to let us go, including Nico."

"No!" Nico screamed. "Don't do me any favors, Jackson. I don't want your help!"

Geryon chuckled. "I think not." Eurytion gave Andy a funny look. He whistled and Orthus got off of her. "What are you doing?" Geryon asked. Andy got up and drew her sword. "Eurytion, kill the girl. Now."

Eurytion studied Andy. "Kill her yourself."

Geryon raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Eurytion grumbled. "You keep sending me out to do your dirty work. You pick fights for no good reason. I'm tired of dying for you. You want to fight the girl, do it yourself."

Geryon spat on the ground. "You dare defy me? I should fire you right now!"

"And who'd take care of your cattle?"

"Fine!" Geryon snarled. "I'll deal with you later, after the demigod is dead!" He unsheathed two knives from his extra-large belt and threw them at Andy. She dodged one and deflected the other with her sword.

Andy attacked. Geryon dodged her first strike, but he wasn't much of a fighter. Andy got inside his next thrust and stabbed him right through the middle chest. "Aghhh!" He crumbled to his knees. Then he grinned and stood up. The wound started to heal.

"Nice try, child of land and sea," he said. "Thing is, I have three hearts. The perfect backup system." Geryon was about to attack her when he froze. Anthony had moved so fast Andy hadn't see him. He had thrown his knife into the side of Geryon's right chest. It had gone through each o his chests and flown out his left side.

Geryon's face turned a sickly shade of green. He collapsed to his knees and began crumbling into sand, until there was nothing left of him.

"Cool," Andy said, but Anthony looked extremely miserable. He picked up his knife without a word and avoided looking at her. Andy glanced at Eurytion who didn't seem upset at all. "How long until he re-forms?"

Eurytion shrugged. "Hundred years? He's not one of those fast re-formers, thank the gods."

"You said you'd died for him before. How?"

"I've worked for that creep for thousands of years. Started as a regular half-blood, but I chose immortality when my dad offered it. Worst mistake I ever made. Now I'm stuck here at this ranch. I can't leave. I can't quit. I just tend the cows and fight Geryon's fights. We're kinda tied together."

"Maybe you can change things," she told him. "Be nice to the animals. Take care of them. Stop selling them for food. And stop dealing with the Titans. Get the animals on your side, and maybe they'll help you. Once Geryon gets back, maybe he'll be working for you."

Eurytion grinned. "That would be worth being alive to see."

Andy turned to Nico. "Maybe you should stay here until we're done with our quest. You'd be safe here."

"Safe?" Nico scowled. "What do you care if I'm safe? You got my sister killed!"

"Nico," Anthony said, and he sounded strangely tired. "That wasn't Andy's fault. And Geryon wasn't lying about Kronos wanting you. If he knew who you were, he'd do anything to get you on his side."

"I'm not on anyone's side. Nor will I ever be. Everyone I've ever loved let me down."

"Your sister wouldn't want-"

"You didn't know my sister! And if you cared about her at all, you'd help me bring her back!"

"A soul for a soul?" Andy asked.

"Yes!"

Andy shook her head. "Bianca wouldn't want to be brought back. Not like that."

"You didn't know her!"

"Let's ask her then," Andy suggested and the sky seemed to grow darker.

"I've tried," Nico said miserably. "She won't answer me."

"But she will answer me."

"Why would she?"

"Because," Andy said, suddenly sure of it, "she's been sending me Iris-messages. She's been trying to warn me what you're up to, so I can stop you."

Nico shook his head. "That's impossible."

"One way to find out."

"Andy," Anthony said. "I don't think this is a good idea."

Eurytion scratched his beard. "There's a hole dug out back. You could use that."

And just like that, it was decided.

They did the summoning after dark. Andy was scared. It felt wrong, unnatural. The night air felt cold and menacing.

Minos decided to appear.

"You're disrupting the ritual," Nico told him. "Get out of the way."

"Yes, master. You keep chanting. I've only come to protect you from the liar who tries to deceive you with her womanly charms." Minos turned to Andy. "Child of land and sea. She has the looks, don't you see? Very pretty. Like the ocean. And like the ocean she will crush you with her waves, smother and delude you, letting you think that's love when in fact it is nothing but death."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Andy said.

"Because you're a woman. But we are men," he glanced at the others, one by one, defying them to argue. "They know what I'm talking about. They see it, too."

"Okay, enough with the sex-offender act," Andy mumbled. "Get lost."

The ghost chuckled. "I understand you once killed my Minotaur with your bare hands. But worse things await you in the maze, Andy Jackson. Do you really believe Daedalus will help you? He cares nothing for you, half-bloods. You cannot trust him. He is old beyond counting, and crafty. He is bitter from the guilt of murder and is cursed by the gods."

"The guilt of murder?"

"You are hindering Nico," Minos growled, ignoring her. "You try to persuade him to give up his goal. I would make him a lord!"

"Enough, Minos," Nico commanded.

The ghost sneered. "Master, you are blinded. Smitten. You must not listen to the siren! Let me protect you. I will turn her mind to madness, as I did the others."

"You did that to Chris Rodriguez," Anthony accused.

"The maze is my property," Minos said, "not Daedalus'! Those who intrude deserve madness!"

"Be gone, Minos!" Nico demanded. "I want to see my sister!"

The ghost bit back his rage. "As you wish, master. But I warn you. You cannot trust the girl. The sea is not forgiving." With that, he faded into mist.

Nico gave Andy this weird, pained look before resuming his chanting. It was like he wasn't at all sure if he should listen to Minos or not.

Then, with a silvery light, she was there. Nico's chanting faltered. Bianca smiled. "Hello, Andy." She looked the same as she had in life; there wasn't a trace of resentment in her face. Andy's eyes immediately watered up. The guilt threatened to crush her.

"Bianca," she said with difficulty. "I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Andy. I made a choice. I don't regret it."

Nico stumbled forward. Bianca turned toward him. Her expression was sad, as if she'd been dreading this moment. "Hi, Nico. You've gotten so tall."

"Why didn't you answer me sooner?" he cried. "I've been trying for months!"

"I was hoping you'd give up."

"Give up?" he shouted, heartbroken. "How can you say that? I'm trying to save you!"

"I can't be saved, Nico. Stop trying. Andy is right."

"No! She let you die! She is not your friend!"

"Listen to me," she said with urgency. "Holding grudges is dangerous for a child of Hades. It is our fatal flaw. You have to let go. You need to forgive. Promise me!"

"I can't. Never."

"Andy can help, Nico. I'm sorry, I... I've been avoiding you because I was ashamed. It's not Andy you're mad at, Nico. It's me. I left you to become a Hunter of Artemis. You're mad because I died and left you alone. I'm sorry for that, Nico. I truly am. But you must overcome the anger. Blaming Andy won't take you nowhere. It'll be your doom."

"I just want you back," he said, weakly.

"You can't have that."

"I'm the son of Hades! I can!"

"Stop trying," her figure shimmered. "If you love me..."

"Of course I do! That's why I want you back-"

"Nico..." her voice trailed off. "You may give me all your love and my heart won't quit being cold." She looked over her shoulder. "Tartarus stirs," she warned. "Your power draws the attention of Kronos. The dead must return to the Underworld. It is not safe for me to remain."

"Wait," Nico pleaded. "Please-"

"Remember what I said, Nico," Bianca told him. "And know that love doesn't die when the heart stops beating. Goodbye."

#andromeda #andy jackson #anthony chase #nico di angelo #fanfic #genderbend #dfcrosas #child of land and sea #andony #to stop the tide

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spladoum · 7 years ago

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There’s a Sim hanging out of your pocket ... Replies (GIF warning, Very Very VERY Long)

justanothersimsblog replied to your photoset “Derping around with this until I get bored (which is likely to be soon...”

Uh I wanna add you!

getmygameon replied to your photoset “Derping around with this until I get bored (which is likely to be soon...”

Oh I didn't realize we could add other players. I don't know what my code is yet, but once I fiddle around with a bit more ill be happy to add you ❤

GET OVER HERE, GROUP HUG INCOMING

hyperkaos replied to your photoset “Today I woke up to find a persistent announcement that it was Méline’s...”

so I just looked at this and it says "in app purchases $2.99 - $99.99 per item" are they out of their minds?

I was certain that no one would be foolish enough to pay for the $99.99 item. (Full disclosure: I have bought about $50 worth of premium cash, some with Paypal, but still ...) After being on the official EA Answers board, I quickly realized that I was quite wrong. Multiple people there are clearly spending hundreds of RL dollars playing this. Someone there was proposing that the developers implement a monthly subscription, even. It’s ... flabbergasting, to say the least. :O

hyperkaos replied to your photoset “Today I woke up to find a persistent announcement that it was Méline’s...”

I'll admit the cuteness of it, but good grief, I get enough of sims here lol

Haha, fair enough! :) One very big point in the game’s favor imo is that it can more or less play itself. In the immortal words of Ron Popeil, you can “set it and forget it.” So it’s fairly relaxing in that way. Of course, if you’re foolish enough to actually begin to care about your characters, you’re headed for Trauma City eventually!

rollo-rolls replied to your photoset ��Today I woke up to find a persistent announcement that it was Méline’s...”

Off topic but... JESUS CHRIST, THIS IS HOW SIMS MOBILE LOOK LIKE? And we thought Sims 1 looked amazing...

Never off-topic! It is pretty amazing how far the tech comes in just fifteen years, isn’t it? :D On the other hand, had the developers actually managed to produce Sims 4 as a true mobile game in this style ...

hyperkaos replied to your photo “It’s just not Sims without things like this happening.”

lol truth!

wannabecatwriter replied to your photo “It’s just not Sims without things like this happening.”

EA keeps it consistent :D

mochasims replied to your photo “It’s just not Sims without things like this happening.”

LOL

jenba replied to your photo “I’m not even going to ask. That poor chicken.”

lol :)

getmygameon replied to your photo “I’m not even going to ask. That poor chicken.”

What...on...earth.

There are a lot of times playing this game when you just wonder “How did this slip past QA?” And then you eventually realize that you are the QA, and suddenly the nonsense is understandable. :P In good news, I think they fixed the hot tub glitch! :P

hyperkaos replied to your photoset “Éme decided to really put some muscle behind learning the restaurant...”

you really need to step back lol

mysimsloveaffair replied to your photoset “Éme decided to really put some muscle behind learning the restaurant...”

Good tip...I didn't know you could do that!

Yesss! That was the only way I could stay alive for quite some time at the start of the game. (Of course, now I have cupcakes falling out of my ears!)

aikea-guinea replied to your photoset “Éme decided to really put some muscle behind learning the restaurant...”

Nice knife skills, Éme!

justanothersimsblog replied to your photoset “This has been a fun 24-36 hour period. Ever since learning to just let...”

There's a bar?! I need that haha

I wish! I mean, I know the bar is a community-only item for a reason (because there’s jack-all to do at the events), but that would be a good item to have for home usage, dontcha think? Or even as a party item? *ponders*

treason-and-plot replied to your photoset “Someone leveled up! :O Éme is thinking about getting a job at the...”

I thought this was TS4 for a long minute :D

I don’t blame you in the least! The amount of stuff in game directly cribbed from Sims 3/4 is pretty unreal. And we’ll give you more of it ... for the low low price of $19.99! (Per item pack.)

goatkibble replied to your photoset “Someone leveled up! :O Éme is thinking about getting a job at the...”

LMAO

Well, you already know the alternative men planned if I couldn’t find an Adam for him to marry, haha! Stan may yet show up! XD

getmygameon replied to your photoset “Someone leveled up! :O Éme is thinking about getting a job at the...”

Pfft! Smack me XD when you said that 'pie' line my mind went to the gutter til I saw the ACTUAL pie XD I'm sorrrryyyyy! I'm the worst

I can’t begin to imagine why you would think such things of me ...

justanothersimsblog replied to your photo “Apparently someone was listening when I mentioned hot tubs earlier...”

Lol. Well this saved me from checking out what the male's swimsuit looked like! I'm currently waiting for the kitchen event to recharge since I did it too early and it didn't count for the quest *grumbles*

So frustrating! I know they’re learning as they go, but but there’s way too much that isn’t documented adequately so players end up making completely avoidable and/or costly errors.

wannabecatwriter replied to your photo “Apparently someone was listening when I mentioned hot tubs earlier...”

Those bottoms are totally something Eme would wear in cannon story.

He really would ...

getmygameon replied to your photoset “Yes, you’re pretty, asshole. Stop gloating. Geez. Still...”

I'm surprised that game is still going :o

simtonomy replied to your photoset “Yes, you’re pretty, asshole. Stop gloating. Geez. Still...”

Lol, I'm grateful Éme entertained the guests at Reyna's foodie party!

justanothersimsblog replied to your photoset “Yes, you’re pretty, asshole. Stop gloating. Geez. Still...”

Hahaha Ibis is always smile. I was happy to see Eme at the parties, he always looked like he was having a good time.

mysimsloveaffair replied to your photoset “Yes, you’re pretty, asshole. Stop gloating. Geez. Still...”

I love your updates! Éme has shown up at my family's party. He's beginning a friendship with a couple of them. I always enjoy seeing Éme in my game!

Certain of attention, that’s him for sure!

wannabecatwriter replied to your photoset “This is Éme. I’m not here, you know what to do. “Hi, Éme? This is...”

A good excuse to skip work, though.

It’s amazing what you can do when you’re technically on the clock ...

mysimsloveaffair replied to your photoset “This is Éme. I’m not here, you know what to do. “Hi, Éme? This is...”

Ha! Too funny =) Did you get your hot tub yet?

getmygameon replied to your photoset “This is Éme. I’m not here, you know what to do. “Hi, Éme? This is...”

Lol! I started this game last night. I might restart it though bc my initial video didn't record XD

Video?! I can barely take photos and you’re getting videos!?

getmygameon replied to your photoset “And all you wanted was somebody to care … I went over to the EA...”

Is it bad I started humming the song the second i saw that line? XD

At least it isn’t “More Than Words?” XD

mysimsloveaffair replied to your photoset “I now present to you … Éme Gaillard and Derek Solis … err, Adam...”

They need to include a gifting system because I ended up with two hot tubs and I'd gladly give you one. It took me a while to get the first, then I got a 2nd one right away. I'm hoping the next bag you open is a hot tub!!!

wannabecatwriter replied to your photoset “I now present to you … Éme Gaillard and Derek Solis … err, Adam...”

^^ seconding this. Gifting would be nice.

Between the hell raised over the hot tub event and the constant question “but y cant we SELL things??????”, I think the developers/coders are pretty aware that some things need to change. The Easter Egg Event was a step in the right direction, as was the in-game feedback survey. Hopefully things improve in future!

ice-creamforbreakfast replied to your photoset “I now present to you … Éme Gaillard and Derek Solis … err, Adam...”

Somewhere in the world, @goatkibble is having a nosebleed at the thought of Adam in not only TS4 style, but TS4 Mobile style XD

wannabecatwriter replied to your photoset “A few more photos from the past two days. The wedding party was a...”

But "More Than Words" is the jam !!!

goatkibble replied to your photoset “A few more photos from the past two days. The wedding party was a...”

They are so consistent with their canon selves bahahaha

They really are! Even as elders, when not engaged with other people they’re very likely to be chasing each other around the house and canoodling. Eternal luff *sigh*

goatkibble replied to your photoset “Gah … little Rohan Gaillard is super-precious. (And super-expensive!...”

Sounds about right bahahaha

It wouldn’t be so bad that the baby/toddler stuff costs so much, except ... the game has a mechanism in place that regularly breaks items. If your items are more expensive, they cost more to repair, naturally. Baby items are VERY expensive compared to the starter items, so should the toddler bed break more than a couple of times in a day, along with everything else breaking in the house, that could be your daily salary down the drain ...

caterpillarsims replied to your photoset “Another day, another $0.72 (after taxes). Éme and Adam are still crazy...”

Kristi's husband (Benjamin) also started a rivalry with Eme. I accidentally clicked the 'confrontational' introduction over the friendly once, and since then whenever he interacts with Eme (who is always hanging around my house) Eme is like 'Oh, it's you' in that tone. Cracks me up every time. Especially because Ben is kind of a health nut jock, I can see him and Eme not getting along at all.

Haha, I bet! I try to use the “rivalry” prompts sparingly, because as funny as I find it, part of me still feels very mean-spirited for it. I always wonder if the other person whose sim I’m arguing with is getting their feelings hurt :O

justanothersimsblog replied to your photoset “I’ve been down with a sinus infection for a few days, so I’ve been...”

Hahaha you went for the frenemies one.

justanothersimsblog replied to your photo “Yes, it’s SO nice to see you (:”

Lmao

They were SO close to being done, too! Maybe Shany can pick up the slack with Matteo. He seems the type to run around aggravating folks whenever possible :P

getmygameon replied to your photo “And here, we have a lovely specimen of the JacobTechrAugust.”

Lol ^^

mysimsloveaffair replied to your photoset “While papa Éme and daddy Adam were preoccupied with hosting their...”

My character just dropped by! Thanks for explaining the whole marriage to another player thing. I've just been making an extra person within my household for my sims to marry, because I wasn't sure how it all worked.

Just another thing that’s integral to the game’s mechanics that no one could be bothered to explain in advance -__-;;; It’s certainly not a thing you want to learn the hard way (like I did!).

justanothersimsblog replied to your photoset “While papa Éme and daddy Adam were preoccupied with hosting their...”

Everett is a cutie! He was at my sims' party talking up with people and Shany befriended him.

justanothersimsblog replied to your photoset “Yup, they’re still at it. After a solid two hours of insults, cursing,...”

Bahahaha. Meanwhile she started a BFF thing with Everett. It's going great! They wanted to make plans to hangs out or go to the movies or something like that.

D’awww, sounds just about right. Everett is terribly lovable.

caterpillarsims replied to your photoset “While papa Éme and daddy Adam were preoccupied with hosting their...”

Sadly, Mayra got accidentally retired this morning =(. I am still heartbroken. But I did read somewhere about another player who married and moved in a friend's retired elder, which made them young again. So if Everett wants to give that a try with Mayra, you have my consent. Mayra has 3 star Good trait, and her hair is a level 34 unlock. Her dress is also a story unlock item, and she's still wearing her Izzy bracelet.

caterpillarsims replied to your photoset “While papa Éme and daddy Adam were preoccupied with hosting their...”

Also, just this morning, she bought a new eyeshadow and some shoes, so, lots of goodies with her if you can move her in.

I almost did :( Everett’s still sitting at a level 6 relationship with her, and if Kaydence hadn’t happened along, I would have taken the chance for sure. But it was just too heartbreaking to think that they might get all the way to a level 8 relationship and not be allowed to move forward, since the game is not actually coded to allow adults to continue their romantic relationships with elders. (I have heard that sims can divorce and re-marry at will though, so I may pursue that course momentarily if they reach level 8 and I see the “proposal” options.)

blythelyre replied to your photo “The infamous speedo shorts return! Looking sharp, Adam.”

How do I visit?!

getmygameon replied to your photo “The infamous speedo shorts return! Looking sharp, Adam.”

Lol!!!

getmygameon replied to your photo “The infamous speedo shorts return! Looking sharp, Adam.”

@blythelyre look for parties. I didnt realize it was her sims til I saw the name lolol!

Just a heads-up, the next time I can throw a party will be this coming Tuesday/Wednesday if you wanna pop by. Save the date! :D

goatkibble replied to your photo “The infamous speedo shorts return! Looking sharp, Adam.”

Ha! I just realised their son has Eme's face and Adam's eye shape! That is also canon! :D

Haha! Meant to be, even across mediums! :D

justanothersimsblog replied to your photoset “Differences in parenting styles: Adam: “You are bestest baby, you...”

Omg yes! The money is ridiculous! The most you can earn is 450 (+whatever you get from an add) but the furnitures can cost 6k! My new kitchen must've costed 9k between all the expensive counters...and I've unlocked more expensive stuff since.

I didn’t realize immediately that items cost more as you buy more of them (what a charming idea, EA -____- ) so my plans for redecorating the kitchen went to hell within 20 minutes of starting. I remembered thinking, “Didn’t I have more money than this?” as I bought the countertops and finally realizing that the Sage Counters had increased from 300 to 690. It was a very ugly surprise. They still don’t have any cabinets. Once Adam and Éme die off (;__;) the kids will be free to work constantly and earn dough, so that they can buy those §2500 dresses and garbage hairstyles. At least those won’t break. -__-;;’

reverieinsimlish replied to your photoset “Everett, your father and I have been to the hospital to find out why...”

I have the opposite problem, in that I have had 4 girls and only 1 boy.

Alas! I’d still trade with you, though. The family is up to boy number 4, and from what I’ve read in the accounts from others, they’re likely to keep on having boys until they hit 7 or 8!

blythelyre replied to your photo “NO SIR NEVER YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED *starts kicking and screaming...”

Noooo

blythelyre replied to your photo “NO SIR NEVER YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED *starts kicking and screaming...”

Emma and Gracie need mates!!!!

Make sure you come to the party, then! At the rate I’m going, Brooks Gaillard should be all grown up by then and one of your ladies can take him home! :D

curmudgeonness replied to your photo “NO SIR NEVER YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED *starts kicking and screaming...”

I don't know how people can get attached to their pixel people - says the one who has 36+ variations of simself in one neighborhood and won't let any of his legacy sims die... *hugs*

Put it like this ... you’ll never see a version of Rosalind Frio in this game ;)

wannabecatwriter replied to your photoset “*sighs* Well, I managed to screw myself royally today. I finally...”

That almost happened to me a bunch of times. I swear the developers did this on purpose.

justanothersimsblog replied to your photoset “*sighs* Well, I managed to screw myself royally today. I finally...”

I HAATE the retirement prompt

caterpillarsims replied to your photoset “*sighs* Well, I managed to screw myself royally today. I finally...”

I feel your pain. that retirement pop up is the worst.

I was able to avoid it for quite some time, because I was aware that it was coming for Éme. But I wasn’t expecting it for Adam, so I just reached for a button in the middle of an event and bloop! All progress lost. And yes, I also suspect it’s done that way intentionally. There’s no other explanation for why traits/retirement seem to be two of maybe four actions total in the entire game that there’s no way to cancel once initiated. *scowls*

#reply #saviorhide #justanothersimsblog #getmygameon #hyperkaos #rollo-rolls #wannabecatwriter #mochasims #jenba #mysimsloveaffair #aikea-guinea #treason-and-plot #goatkibble #simtonomy #ice-creamforbreakfast #caterpillarsims #blythelyre #reverieinsimlish #curmudgeonness

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practicingmedicine · 3 years ago

Text

Practicing Medicine: Chapter Six

(+)6

2075 ROBCO(R)

LOADER V1. 1

EXEC VERSION 41.10

32K RAM SYSTEM

14902 BYTES FREE

HOLLOWTAPE LOADED: "THE-LORD'S-MIDDLE-FINGER"

INITIALISING….

SUCCESS!

STATUS

Battery Level: 67%

Wireless Signal: (?)

Operating Temperature: 90F

HEALTH

BP: 120/90

SPO2: 100%

Temp: 98.5F

RR: 17

HR: 70

TIME

Day: 24 SEP. 2279

Time: 15:32

CLIMATE

Current Temperature: 89F

Atmospheric Pressure: 750 mm

Background Radiation: 0.431 RAD

---

"Chomps Lewis! How ya doing, old buddy?" cried Gram, throwing his arms out and motioning for "Chomps" to come hug him. Chomps didn't play ball. He was wearing a yellow mining helmet, and holding some sort of animal in his arms- a mole-rat, I think. Didn't seem like he wanted to let it down to hug Gram.

"Howdy, Gram. Going to New Vegas again?"

Gram shrugged. "Dropping off a shipment there. And if it all works out, maybe I'll have enough money to settle down there for good." Chomps stroked his mole rat, and it let out a quiet sniffle.

"That city sucks the money right out of you, Hoplite. I traveled there once- never again. Blew a whole month's earnings in one hour..." He didn't sound bitter, when he spoke, just regretful. Gram put a hand on his shoulder.

"A hundred-thousand caps, Chomps! That's how much I'm gonna get paid, and I ain't gamblin' away a single cent of it. There are other things in Vegas than gambling," he said. There was a serpentine emphasis in his voice as he spoke aloud the absurd amount of money he'd be earning from this job. The old man sighed.

"Listen, Hoplite, that's great and all, but if you want to go to New Vegas, then you might as well turn around right now. This route is closed to travelers."

Gram looked hurt. "Closed to travelers? Is everything okay here?" Chomps shook his head.

"No, things are not okay. You heard about them escaped NCR convicts? Powder gangers, they're calling themselves. Dangerous folks," he replied, still stroking his mole-rat. Gram nodded sympathetically.

"Yeah, I always knew that the correctional facility was a stupid idea. Giving a bunch of violent criminals dynamite, they should have seen that one coming from a mile away…" Gram trailed off, then snapped back to attention. "But, those boys- they don't trouble us. Bounty hunting is one of Tandi's favorite pastimes. Am I right, Tandi?"

"I've killed at least a hundred now, and that's just since I got to America. Do you want to know how many times I killed in Kiev? I used to keep track," said Tandi. My heart skipped a beat.

Kiev?

Oh.

Oh, of course that's who she is!

"Wait, Tandi, did you just say Kiev? As in, Kiev Ukraine?" Tandi put a finger up to the mouth of her gas mask.

"Shut it, sawbones. I'm busy," she said. But she wasn't getting off that easy- I nudged her in the shoulder.

"As in, the Scourge of Kiev? Is that who you are? I thought you were retired!" Tandi yanked her mask off. She didn't look happy.

"Yeah, that's me! I served my 25 years, I got my medals, and now I'm retired. You want a fucking autograph?"

She didn't shout. She just looked and sounded completely disgusted with me, and that hurt a lot more than the shouting would have. I slunk back behind the cart and tried not to care about the opinion of a 50-something year old serial killer.

But, despite how much I disliked the NCR, and how much I disdained killers, I'd heard a lot of stories about, "The Scourge of Kiev," that mysterious Eastern ranger. She might not have been born here, but her dedication to the NCR was legendary. She was on the propaganda posters, in the Newspaper headlines- hell, I'd even seen a comic-book with her likeness on the cover! They never showed her face or said her name, but you could tell it was her by the way she stood, the flowing cape that they always had her wearing, and by the big, obnoxious labelling that said, on every portrayal, "THE SCOURGE OF KIEV," usually with a big blue rifle-crosshair next to it.

Not that I'd had mom read it for me. Or that I'd enjoyed it, and briefly aspired to be like Tandi until father convinced me that killing was bad.

Really what I'm saying is, I could pretend that I was above her, but the unfortunate fact remained: She was a hero, and I was nothing. It's hard to ignore the opinion of someone like that.

"So Ignore this boy- there could be a hundred of these men, there could be a thousand, and it wouldn't matter to me. Not with all the lives I've ended, no. They are still only men. And these hands have broken many men..."

There was silence. The wind changed direction in the seconds that followed.

"You all done pretending to be scary?" asked Chomps, when some time had passed. She nodded and re-applied her gas mask. "Well then lemme explain why you'd best be turning back. See, we ain't worried about the convicts; we're worried about the deathclaw infestation that they caused when they blew up the valley."

"Shit," muttered Gram. Chomps looked a little smug at that. Gram started pacing back and forth, glaring at the ground. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit…!"

"I can kill deathclaws too," said Tandi, nonchalant. Chomps shook his head.

"Well, you can try, but- I'm warning you, there's a lot of em-" Tandi was already striding past him, sniper rifle slung over her shoulder. She gave us a confident nod goodbye.

"I'll be back when they're all dead!" Gram spit on the ground.

"Damn straight- give em hell, Tandi!"

"And, if you see an egg, would you mind hauling it back? Asking for a friend!" added Cook. But I don't reckon that Tandi heard her, cause she had already turned her back to us and started walking towards deathclaw territory. Chomps looked indifferent.

"You don't think she's actually gonna do it, do ya Hoplite?" asked Chomps, staring off after the ranger had climbed to the top of a large, rocky hill. Gram stared after her for a moment, then nodded. She disappeared over the crest.

"I've learned better than to doubt that old maid, Chomps. She lives up to the hype."

Suddenly, Chomps looked at me. I hadn't really been acknowledged thus far, so it caught me off guard when he looked into my eyes. Immediately, I broke eye contact and stared at the ground.

"Not sure I've seen you traveling with Gram before- you new to the business?" I started to reply, but Gram interrupted me.

"He's a Doctor! Gotta get Downtown for some reason, so we took him on for this run," said Gram. Chomps ignored him.

"Who are you really, though- what's your name? Are you a doctor?" I looked up at him for a moment, not sure if I should answer, then looked back down. I hated it when people did stuff like this. To be fair, I also hated when other people tried to tell me who I was, but Gram hadn't said much.

"Isaac Saller. My father was a member of the Followers, so I... picked some things up along the way," I said, indicating my badge. For a few seconds, Chomps wore a look that was impossible for me to parse. Then, he broke into a wide smile, which was enough to scare me. Why was he smiling? Did I say something stupid?

"You're Lucas's boy, right?" He asked. I nodded; I'd be surprised, but apparently a lot of people had heard about father, and I had a bit of his likeness. It was a hard thing to live up to.

"You see, Lucas was a big name around here after the work he did in Novac. Saved the whole town from some sort of plague, or something. My wife Margaret was visiting at the time, and she invited him back here for the night when he finally decided that it was safe to let the residents travel again. An intimidating man to be around, but I was grateful- If it weren't for him, Margaret probably wouldn't have lived to fight at Hoover Dam- wouldn't have died a hero…" Chomps stared off into space for a while, then snapped back to the conversation. I felt a pang of sorrow for this strange old man. "Anyways, Lucas is a good man. Is he still working for the Followers? I haven't gotten a letter back from him in years."

I shook my head. "He's dead. A drunk courier from the Mojave Express came into town one night and shot him." Chomps didn't flinch.

"That's a damn shame. But, as I've learned, people come and go- be glad he managed to do so much good in his life before he died. Probably helped more people than everyone who's ever worked this quarry combined."

It was sort of disorienting to hear a complete stranger talking about my father like this. Like, I always knew that he was kind of important, but here this old man was talking about how my father had saved the life of his wife. I even vaguely remembered father talking about Novac, but he hadn't talked about it like it was anything but a little pit-stop, a side quest. Had he really impacted so many people?

In the time that I had been mentally absent from the conversation, Chomps had started walking to the front door of the main building, and Gram was currently walking the cart and the two Brahmin to a little stable area beside the main building. Judging by how far they got, I'd been standing around slack-jawed for a good twenty seconds.

Well, nothing new there. Trying not to look embarrassed, I casually (read: stiffly and suspiciously) jogged up behind the caravan.

"Wow, that quarry sure is abandoned! Can't imagine what it must've been like watching all those deathclaws come flooding in," I commented, even though I had actually been facing the opposite direction of the apparently deathclaw-infested mining quarry, and I actually could imagine all of the deathclaws flooding in because it's a recurring nightmare of mine. I don't think anyone heard me except for maybe Cook, who was still sitting on the roof of the cart as it was secured beside the main building. She gave me a nod of acknowledgement as she stepped down from the roof, and sidled up next to the Brahmin. She led them up to a little wooden stable, much like the one we had behind the casino in Primm.

"Did we feed Flebe this morning? She keeps giving me the puppy eyes whenever I come near her," Cook said, indicating the larger of the two- Well, four Brahmin, depending on whether or not you counted each head as a separate entity. I wasn't exactly sure how that worked, though I'd noticed that each head seemed to be doing its own thing. Which one controlled the body? Did they both control the body?

Does it matter to the story I'm trying to tell? Probably not.

"Yeah, I fed and milked 'em both this morning. Though now that I think about it, Flebe probably hasn't had any water for a while. Hebe drank some when we stopped in Primm, but I think we forgot to water Flebe on account of this guy," said Gram, nodding in my direction. I snorted.

"Oh- Oh, I'm so sorry Flebe! I must admit, I weren't thinking much for your health when I got assaulted yesterday!" Gram looked like he was gonna try and say something, so I raised my voice. "I SURE DO HOPE that I can make it up to you someday, but I understand if that's too much to ask! Water's a precious thing in the Mojave, ain't it?." Both of the heads regarded me with dull interest for a moment. Gram gave me a punch in the shoulder.

"I wasn't insulting you, wise-guy! Just answering Cook's question."

"Oh, and while we're still on the subject, why don't you make it up to poor little Flebe by helping us pump him some water? I'm about to get started on dinner, and if he hasn't drank since the stop before Primm, he's probably going to collapse soon," said Cook, stroking Flebe's head. I gave her a nod of assent.

"Seems like the least I can do. Where's the pump?" I asked. Cook pointed at the corner of the wall we were standing beside.

"Behind here, there are a couple of water pumps and buckets. Just dump some water in the troughs, and be careful not to spill any- Chomps has chewed me out for that before," she said, and I raised a rectifying finger.

"Don't you mean... chomped you out?" Cook broke into a toothy grin. Gram looked decidedly less amused.

"Look Gram- now we have a teammate who's even dorkier than me, and I think that crossword puzzles are fun! I told you it would happen someday," said Cook. I took her comment with pride; Father had taught me the fine art of the awful pun when we were reading Discworld together for the first time, and I'd been fabricating them since.

Come to think of it, can you believe that no one had shot me yet? Like, I might've done alright before the war, but I'm genuinely impressed with myself for surviving past my 12th birthday, given the world I grew up in and the many, many counterintuitive traits I possessed. It's a miracle that someone so insultingly naive, neurotic, and out of place as me managed to avoid getting blasted to pieces sometime between my birth and now!

As I prepared to make a retort, Cook disappeared into the main building, leaving me alone with Gram and the Brahmin. Gram nodded towards the water pumps.

"Better get to pumping," he said. I watched him slip through the partially opened front door and close it behind him, yanking it shut loud enough that I winced.

Did I just get delegated? It sure felt like it. After a few moments of thinking, I decided I'd been delegated. Pretty tame, as far as hazing rituals go, though I was still surprised with the swiftness and efficiency with which the task had been dumped on my lap while the others went off to relax. Kinda reminded me of how mom roped her employees into going "above and beyond" for the business...

Ah well. It wouldn't hurt to do some mindless work to take my mind off of everything, and maybe I'd earn some brownie points for it. All that in mind, I headed around the back of the building, picked up a bucket, placed it under a rusty blue water-pump, and got to work extracting water from the Earth.

-Break-

I opened up the back door to the mess hall, and was immediately struck by the delicious smell of roasted meat wafting in from the kitchen. In the main hall, plates and silverware were being set out on a fancy wooden dinner table by a uniformed NCR soldier. Gram was sitting at one end of the table, while chomps sat across from him, and all of the other stools were unoccupied. I walked into the room a bit, and saw Cook and some lanky, sunburned young lady with brown hair and a ponytail arguing back and forth in the kitchen. I decided to listen in.

"… that isn't mole-rat meat, Jas! Just who the hell are you getting your meat from?"

"A very nice old lady, who just happens to not want to diverge her name to me." Cook glared accusingly at the woman, and she threw her hands up above her head. "Okay, fine, maybe that should have rung some alarm bells! But I can't believe it's actually…"

"Jas, that's human meat. You've been making meat pies out of human meat," Cook whisper-shouted. I don't think anyone else heard her, but my appetite shrank away just like that. Of course, now that I'd heard it, I had to investigate…

"What's this about some human meat? We just find out about the secret of soylent-green or something?" I asked, stepping into the kitchen. Immediately, Cook pointed at a cut of meat on the counter. It didn't take me a magnifying glass to figure out what that was.

"Yep, that's people," I said, backing up a little bit. Jas looked betrayed.

"Are you sure? I mean, I guess I thought it was a little bit too beefy for mole rat meat, but it tasted kind of similar," murmured Jas. I nodded. She didn't sound nearly horrified enough to me.

"Trust me, I've seen human meat. My father and I performed a few autopsies when I was younger- that strip right there is probably a cut from the inner thigh…" I said, indicating the larger of the two hunks of meat. I briefly examined the other one, adjusting my glasses and kneeling down to put my face a little bit closer to it. It had been cut down a bit, but I could still vaguely figure out where it came from. Looked sorta like bird poultry. "…and I think the one beside it is from the bicep, but don't quote me on that. Someone cut the fat off the edges, so it could also be a different cut of meat off the humerus." The color was rapidly draining from Jas's face as she stared at the meat in question. Cook looked kinda curious as I was explaining the cuts, but seemed to get back to being angry with Jas pretty quickly.

"Anyways, it's like I told you last time- don't get your meat from people who you don't know and trust. They might be cannibals or something," said Cook. Jas crossed her arms.

"Fine. I'm not planning on sticking around here anyways. As soon as I get to my next stop, I'll get a new supplier. For now, I'll just have to sort out the human meat from the rest," she said. Cook rolled her eyes.

"Please. You've been here for at least a year now, I don't think you're leaving anytime soon."

"Jas, stop arguing with the guests! I don't know what it's about, but if it's holding up dinner then you better quit it!" shouted Chomps from the other room. Jas sighed dramatically.

"Alright, fine, I'll get a new supplier! If your ranger solves the deathclaw problem, maybe I can finally get back on the road to New Vegas, and then we won't even have to worry about it." Cook crossed her arms.

"Well, then you better start packing soon, cause Tandi is good at killing stuff. Bet you she gets back before we're done eating." She opened up the oven and grabbed a stray rag to pull out the contents. Jas grabbed a rag as well, and together they hauled out two platters, each of which contained a big cut of steaming Brahmin roast.

Sensing that I was in the way, I silently retreated from the kitchen and tried to find a seat among the rest of the guests in the dining room. Gram had moved to sit beside Chomps, and was halfway through a conversation with the old man, but he gave me a nod of acknowledgment as I sat down at the table. A young NCR soldier whose name I didn't know said something to the effect of, "welcome back," but I didn't quite catch it. One leg of my stool was shorter than the others, so I occupied myself tipping it up and down. A dangerous thing, on account of my stubby little legs.

"… Where do you think she went?" asked Gram. Chomps looked distressed. The little mole rat was crawling under the table, so I pet it on the head while I tried to figure out what they were talking about. It squeaked pleasantly as I stroked its nose.

"I don't know! She left a note, says she was going off to live life free from me and the NCR, but she didn't say what she was doing." Chomps put his elbows on the table, and let his chin rest in his hands. His eyes were watering, I noticed. Had his wife run away- wait, no, she was dead. His daughter then?

After a few seconds of silent tears, he stiffened his upper lip and sat back up. When he spoke, you could hear the tears.

"I'm worried about her, is all. Her mother did the same thing when she was that age, and that's how she met me, so I guess I should be happy for her- but it just ain't the same world it was all those years ago. I don't want to have my daughter disappear out there in the wasteland. I just love her so damn much..." Chomps started crying again, and Gram gave him a sympathetic squeeze.

So it was a daughter, then.

I tried not to accidentally catch anyone's gaze- I felt bad for Chomps, but I didn't know him well enough to try and comfort him. Whenever I tried to comfort people who I didn't know, I'd just make things worse. So, I stuck to treating people's physical symptoms. I'd never learned very much about psychology.

"The worst part is knowing that it's my fault she ran away. After her mother died, I guess I clung to her a little too tight- I put limits on her that she didn't need, told her to stop talking with friends I didn't like. Looking back, it's so easy to see where I was wrong, but I was so scared of losing her that I was blind to how much I was hurting her. Or, maybe I did see it and I didn't care. It's hard to remember now..."

In the corner of my vision, I could see the two chefs emerging from the kitchen, carrying their platters of vegetables and roast Brahmin to the table. Chomps wiped his eyes, relaxed his posture, and tried not to look like he'd been crying as Cook and Jas set down the platters. I fought with myself to say something, to try to tell him that his daughter would be fine, because I knew I'd screw it up, but it was hard not to say something- the details were different, but it reminded me so much of what I'd done. Was this how my mom felt right now? Was she worried that I'd been done in, and that it was her fault?

Simmering with emotions, I stayed silent and watched Cook and Jas heap slices of beef and vegetables onto the assorted plates sitting around the table. I muttered my thanks to Jas as she served me two slices of meat and some unidentifiable vegetables. As was customary in the Saller household, I held off eating until everyone had sat down. The NCR soldier didn't even bother, slicing up his steak and spearing one of his vegetables as soon as the food was laid before him. He was the odd one out, actually- everyone else waited until Jas and Cook had sat, though only Jas and Chomps kept waiting even after that. As everyone prepared to eat, Chomps cleared his throat, and all eyes fell on him. He looked like he had recovered somewhat, but I still felt uneasy seeing him get ready to speak so soon after all that emotion. Was he gonna start crying again?

"Now, I know that most of you don't believe in any sort of God- I have to admit, I've had my doubts too. But, I was raised to say a prayer before I eat, and I intend to carry on the tradition until the day I die. I invite everyone here to pray with me if you know the words, or give a silent prayer if you don't. We haven't necessarily been lucky here in Sloan lately, but let's all tell the lord how grateful we are for what we've still got..."

I didn't believe in god- still don't, probably never will- but I ain't no asshole neither, and I was pretty sure I knew the prayer that he was talking about. My father had read the Bible with me as a kid, because he was a big fan of Jesus and all that, and the McBain's had taught me the dinner prayer when I stayed with them for a while. So, calling on knowledge that I hadn't used in years, I put my hands together, bowed my head, and started talking with God.

"Bless us, Oh Lord…" Chomps began. Jas, the NCR soldier and I recited it with him, while Gram had his own silent prayer. Cook just looked annoyed the whole way through.

"... and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ our Lord." Everyone was silent for a moment.

"Amen," Said Chomps. I nodded.

"Amen!" we said, and then a huge chunk of the wall exploded inwards in a shower of rocks, wood, and pink-insulation foam, peppering us all with debris. Everyone sat in shocked silence as the dust cleared, and a massive white deathclaw appeared in the hole.

Yeah, well, fuck you too, God! Don't suppose you're offering prayer-refunds these days?

[+]

#fallout #fallout fanfic #fallout fanfiction #fallout fandom

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breegullbeakreviews · 6 years ago

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Summary: At last we all live in a Pokémon world and you can be the greatest master of them all. Explore the real world catching and battling Pokémon in the seminal mobile game based off that one franchise with the yellow mouse.

Overall: While certainly a better experience in more urban areas, it’s free and worth trying out if you somehow haven’t already, and with all of the updates since launch it’s absolutely an experience worth coming back to if you left it behind.

Pokémon Go is hard to talk about for me. It’s a systems driven game with a lot of systems I don’t fully grasp, but I guess that’s Pokémon in a nutshell and always has been for me. If you played Pokémon Go at launch and fell off then the picture in your head of what this game has grown into is probably really dated or off. A lot has changed in two years and I’m going to try and convince you that it’s worth coming back to now.

First off there is now a main quest of sorts. Research comes in both field and special varieties. Field research is gained at Pokéstops and you can have up to 3 tracked at any time. These challenges have a lot of variety and offer some much needed structure to the game. Maybe you simply need to battle in a Raid. Maybe spin ten Pokéstops. Each nets you a small reward items it’s Pokémon encounter. There is no time limit to these tasks and you can remove tasks you don’t want to complete. Completing one a day though adds up. Doing tasks on seven different, but not necessarily consecutive days nets you a reward. You get a bundle of items and exp along with a shot at catching a Legendary Pokémon. This cycles occasionally. It’s a relatively new feature but it seems like it’ll be once a month.

Special research is essentially a main quest line. You currently can’t opt out or skip these at all. These longer and more time consuming tasks come in sets of three, each of which gives you a big exp boost. Doing all three in a level nets you an even bigger exp bonus, and a set of items usually hidden behind a pay wall or raids along with the next set of tasks. Now why do all of these hard tasks? Well currently at the end lies Mew, and that’s a goal worth working towards as Mew is not available by any other means.

Gyms got a massive overhaul in time for the one year celebration of Pokémon Go. Gyms now can only hold six Pokémon max, and you can only have one Pokémon of each species, so you can have just one Blissey in the gym. You no longer need to earn spots in the gym, as long as it isn’t full or under attack you can slide your Pokémon in. Instead of earning coins while holding a gym, you get a max of 50 a day for losing the gym. The actual amount of coins you get vary based on how long the gym was held. Gyms are also now Pokéstops with a bonus for players on the team holding the gym. Along with the update you get badges for each gym you hold. It’s basically a way to say how much effort you’ve put into the gym with stats for how long you’ve held it, berries used to heal it’s Pokémon, and how many battles you’ve won here. Basically the new systems promotes gym turn over as opposed to keeping it on lockdown.

Now for Raids. Of the post launch features this is the one I’m least over the moon about. In fact I’d say I’m not actually a fan of it at all. Pokémon Go’s raids are an attempt to realize that initial reveal trailer where hundreds of players swarm a single area to catch Mewtwo. In hindsight that trailer is hilarious. A maximum of 20 players can battle a single Pokémon and if they beat it in three minutes, they get some items and a chance to catch it. No hundred player epics. These pop up at gyms with about 40 to 60 minutes of heads up and another 40 to 60 minutes in which you can start the battle. The big problem with raids is that unless you have an active community of players you will never complete the higher level raids, and sadly, at least up until the research update, this was the only way to catch any Legendary Pokémon. Battling in a big group is fun, but it’s certainly not the norm. I’m lucky that my college campus has an active Pokémon Go scene, but before I started there I’d just see a Lugia raid and think “well I’ll never get that”. Raids feel really exclusionary, especially EX raids, which reward those who do a lot of raids with a ticket to a special raid to catch Mewtwo at a predetermined time and gym. It’s a special club and it makes me feel like I’ll never complete the Pokédex. Oh and you only get one free raid pass a day so if you want to spend the day chasing a Legendary be ready to spend some of those Pokécoins or some real money on them. Oh and the real kicker is that you need to be trainer level 25 to get into raids. This was dropped from the ridiculous 35 when this feature launched, but that level is still to damn high. Trainer level 5 was fine for gyms, but considering how much of a grind leveling becomes that means not a lot of people are going to ever get the chance to try this out.

Both Raids and Gyms will damage your Pokémon, but there are no Pokémon Centers. All healing is still item based which can get real tedious real fast. Along with better Pokéballs, higher trainer levels net you access to better potions and even max revives. Every increase to your trainer level increases the maximum level you can power up your Pokémon to with the current trainer level capping at 40. I’m not a huge fan of how the better stuff is gated off.

Catching Pokémon hasn’t changed much since day one. You touch the Pokéball and swipe up towards the Pokémon. The speed, angle, spin, and when you release the ball determine the arc and distance of the throw as well as if it’s a curve ball. Pokémon no longer sit still. Pokémon will occasionally move around. Every Pokémon has an attack animation that will deflect a Pokéball while it’s running and depending on the Pokémon it could jump, dart around the screen, or move about in other ways. That’s where the berries come in. Razz berries will make the next Pokéball to hit a Pokémon more likely to be successful and a Golden Razz berry does the same but better. That latter is only a reward for raids and some research. Nanab berries slow the erratic movement down and Pinap berries increase the amount of candy you get from catching the Pokémon. Note that all of these effects only apply to the next successful throw and only one can be applied at a time. This means you can run through them rather quickly and that you’ll likely favor certain berries depending on the situation.

There are over 300 Pokémon now with Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn Pokémon all in the game. It’s a massive amount of variety to catch and train, but I’d imagine it makes early days for new players a nightmare. With the addition of Hoenn a weather system was added. Like a real weather forecast it’s not always accurate, but weather it does impact the game. Visually it changes up the game with different textures and effects. Gameplay wise certain types of a Pokémon will appear more often, be stronger, and even earn you more stardust for capturing them. And of course in battle these same types of moves get a boost. This goes beyond just water, fire, and ice types. Every type of Pokémon fits into at least one weather type so everyone gets a shake at showing up more.

I’ve brought up Pokécoins, this games premium currency, but I guess I’ve eventually got to talk about what you can spend it on. Besides extra raid passes there is quite a lot. Special bundles of items are offered for limited times containing a lot of these, but I’ve never bought any of these. All I’ve ever bought was Pokémon and item storage upgrades. Each costs 200 coins a piece regularly and each upgrade increases the storage capacity by 50. There is a hard limit for each, I believe 2000 each, but it’s grown from the 1000 each it use to be. Temporary experience boosters called lucky eggs can be bought alone or in bulk. Same goes for lures and incense. Both lure Pokémon for 30 minutes but the latter needs to be applied to a Pokéstop but everyone can share while the other is for just the one player but can be used on the go. Standard Pokéballs and Max potions can be bought as well, but the only other item of any real interest is the Egg Incubator. While it’s only got three uses before in breaks unlike the infinite one you start with, it increases the value of just walking.

Pokémon Go also has a big cosmetic shop for decking out your trainer. I understand the appeal, but the prices are pretty ridiculous considering I don’t often even look at the trainers at all. It’s all about the Pokémon. Some items are barred behind the in-game medal system which means not everyone can dress up as a Fisherman, but you still need to buy the items afterwards which isn’t ideal.

And lastly back to walking. This is more a personal thing, but I actually lost weight playing this game. I’d go on daily walks just to hatch eggs and hit a few Pokéstops. As far as exercise games go, Pokémon Go might secretly be the best in the genre. While my experience can’t account for your living space nor can Niantic when adapting the world as is to a functional game space. If you are lucky enough to live in an urban enough area you’ve got an excuse to get up and go everyday.

#video games #review #pokemon go #niantic #pokemon

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labgrownsteaks · 4 years ago

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Chapter 9

Guy worked on the loading dock of a local thrift store. It was Friday, and he was looking forward to the weekend. Looking forward to the trip they were all going to take. He had googled about Siri’s “malfunction” and came up with nothing. He also hadn’t ruled out that since the actual unit was a knockoff, that perhaps it was simply defective. That’s what Vitamin’s mom gets for buying him a fake Siri Egg he thought as he lifted up a box of old keyboards onto a flimsy aluminum shelf.

Joyce came up the dirty steps. She was in her 60s, and supposed had a broken back, carpal tunnel, “neurological issues”, sleep apnea, and every other thing she saw a product advertised for on the shopping channel. If the shopping channel had a way to fix it, she had to have it. She was the floor manager, essentially the person put in charge of keeping all the miscreants that worked there in line.

“Whadduya doin with that box of keyboards? That’s for recycle!” she yapped while hobbling towards the shelving unit.

“Oh, these are still good. The MX2000 is actually better than most modern laptop keyboards. If somebody had an old Module Console this would definitely come in handy” Guy stated diplomatically.

“Crap. Crap Crap. Box full of crap.” She said as she rummaged through the box. “Crap.” she said as she tossed each keyboard in the giant rubbermade container. “Crap” She said as she through an old computer textbook into the “book box” . “Crap” as she threw a shrink wrapped pack of cassette tapes into the garbage. “Throw away the crap! Is it that hard?” The ironic thing was that Joyce probably had more crap than anybody else. She would come on Sundays when nobody was there, and unload boxes of it, and they’d be waiting for me Monday morning. Strange pillows to improve your posture while you sleep, garbage bags full of yarn, and an assortment of pressure plates for your feet. Of course all of this stuff had to go out on the floor , and of course it had to be priced just under what she paid for it, which pretty much meant the store was become a boutique of her discarded items.

“Throw away the crap!” she stated as she walked down the steps. Guy walked over to the recycling, and the garbage, and got everything out and took it to his car, which was parked just a few steps from the loading dock. It was a pretty common occurrence during his workday. In fact, he couldn’t remember a day where he had come home empty handed, the only problem now of course, was that his stuff was now filling up his house. And his storage unit....and his other storage unit.. As Guy was walking back he saw a jacked up Chevy pulling up, it had a organ tied up in the back. Guy knew the organ would be “crap” and wouldn’t be worth unloading, so he talked the driver into coming over to his place after work. He’d give him 40 bucks for it. He could actually use an organ.

Around lunchtime Vitamin, and Erin showed up with a bag full of McDonalds.

“Burger for the working man?” Erin said as we walked down the alley. Guy was actually a pretty big dude, standing 6′ 5″ and coming in at around 250lbs. Even though he was a complete dork, he was built like a barrel and looked like the kind of person who could handle himself on a ranch.

“What’s up goobers” Guy said as we approached.

“Chow time” I responded, while stuffing a fry into mouth.

We sat down together on the loading dock, and it didn’t take long for the subject of Siri to come up.

“You can’t be serious about this shit bruh” Guy said to me.

“What’s the alternative? We’ve been given a quest. An actual quest!” Erin said “Siri played Lord of The Rings for fucks sake!”

“What do you do when you see a fork in the road Guy?” I said. “You take it!”

“You stole that from somewhere! I’ve heard that before” Guy said

“Yeah, probably, have no idea where from though”

“So when are we dropping tomorrow?” Guy stated while biting into his burger.

“Around 10, then we’re headed down to the river. It’s supposed to be nice out. We can hang out in the woods by the banks and plot” Erin stated

“Sweet, I’ll meet y’all there then” Guy said

“Tomorrow is the test. It’s going to be a big trip! “ Erin said

“A test for what?” Guy said

“If we can work together” Erin continued. “If we’re really going to pull this off, we’ve got to be able to work together”

“Look. Even if we did break into Quicksilver. What would we do then? Like, what am I supposed to do? Just push the delete key, and walk back out?! The place is full of cameras. Literally, if I got in, I legit would have no idea of what to do....like...none”

“How can we ignore this? “ I stated. “Like. Can you imagine getting old and having this chance and not taking it?”

“This isn’t a chance bruh. This is illegal. I’m not breaking in. Nope. Not doing it” Guy looked up at me and Erin, and I could sense that he could sense our disappointment. “Seriously! No....Fucking.....way! Can you imagine me in prison? And for breaking into Quicksliver!”

Erin had a sneak attack. “Didn’t Quicksilver basically destroy the entire dream of the world wide web?”

“Yes. Quicksilver sucks. Yes, they are evil incarnate. Yes. They’re making the world a worse place. No. No. No am I going to break into their headquarters. No chance!”

We could hear Joyce coming up the steps. Guy shooed us away “Get out of here!” and we took off down the alley. They weren’t supposed to have lunch breaks, which basically meant the day was an all day snackathon for everyone who worked there.

“You see that pocket fishing pole set?” Joyce squawked.

“Nope. I think we put that out a couple weeks ago” Guy responded

“well it’s gone, and Linda doesn’t remember selling it either so.”

“Ok. Well I’ll keep an eye out for it”

Joyce muttered something as she hobbled back down the steps. Guy could see Erin and me at the end of the alleyway. He watched us as we got onto our “motorcycles” and drove off.

Another local to the thrift store scene was Ryan, and he pulled up to the Loading Dock in a 1978 Ford Fairmont. It was completely rusted out. The drivers side floor panel was actually gone, so when you rode with him you basically felt like you were in a Flintstone car. He had a bunch of Ham radio gear on the dash, and the sounds of James Brown were blasting as he rolled up. He was also prone to intermittent James Brown impersonations. He opened the door with some swag, and threw his jet black hair back. he had transitions lens in his glasses, and one of those baseball hats on that made him look like a Hollywood film director.

“Got something for ya buddy!” Ryan stated as he walked up to the dock with a book in his hands. “You still collectin textbooks?”

“Of course. How could I stop?” Guy responded.

“Super rare. I found it at State Surplus” he said as he handed guy the old textbook. It had a Blue canvas cover, no dustjacket, just the embossed “gold” font on the front. And it simply said ZXBASIC on it in bold letters. Guy began to thumb through the book, seemed pretty standard. Black and white diagrams for outdated programming languages that he loved so dearly.

“Check the front page” Ryan said, and Guy flipped the pages back and inspected the first page. It read.

ZXBASIC and Finite State Machines

Hyperdine Systems Inc.

1967

“Hyperdine was the first iteration of Quicksilver. Check the logo! It’s still the same. You could definitely get something for it on Ebay. Some fanboy would probably pay a pretty penny!”

Guy felt annoyed at this point. It was one of those times, like when you stub your toe minutes before you have to take a interview for a job on the phone, and then your toast burns and stinks up the house, and the postman decides that now is a good time to get into a conversation with your neighbor who is restraining their barking dog in the apartment next door. Everything bad happens all at once. In this case, he felt like he was being pushed. And Guy didn’t like to be pushed. He just wanted to sit at home, with his new organ, and learn how to play inagaddavita amongst all of his plastic computer friends.

“Thanks man!” Guy said. “This is really dope!” . Another car had pulled up, and a nervous middle aged woman with a small dog was waiting. Ryan noticed and popped back into his car. “don’t say I never did anything for ya man!” He said while starting his car up. The radio blared James Brown.

Get up, (get on up) Get up, (get on up) Stay on the scene, (get on up), like a sex machine, (get on up)

Guy looked back down at the beautiful code in the book. “What had Quicksilver become?” He thought. They had been so cool. Why did they have to just turn to crap? The woman pulled up and popped her trunk. She was pulling a dog carrier out of it. “Oh sorry!” Guy stated. “We’ve already got a ton of carriers. Maybe try Goodwill?” The woman, in her 40s gave him an exasperated look, and suddenly the carrier seemed to weigh a million pounds, and it was a major issue to get it back into the car. The rest of the day was pretty slow, and guy chilled out, on a nice fall day outside, and read ZXBASIC.

#lgs

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