#its maybe a little visually busy as a result but you know how it is with ghosts

[autisticaradiamegido]

day 288

so i found this lil painting (or like. print of a painting.) in my grandmas attic, and thought it was a nice lil seasonal fall scene to add some ghosts to

so that was my art for the day!

[othervee]

Portrait of a royal family

I love that Young Royals is the kind of show you can re-re-rewatch and discover new stuff every time, because of the care and attention that's gone into it.

For instance - what we learn about the royal family and Wilhelm's place in it, including the unspoken things.

First vision of the royal family, and we see that their space is not theirs. There are thirteen people in this room; courtiers and staff outnumber the family more than 2:1. The family is also divided, with Erik and the Queen (the current and future rulers) standing together attending to business, while Wilhelm and his father are seated and talking. Wilhelm is also separated from his father by the staffer standing between them while she covers up Wilhelm's bruises. There's an array of cosmetic products in front of them; this is something they take seriously, not just a bit of concealer. So not only is Wilhelm unable to lick his wounds in privacy, but the family wants to conceal his injuries; they can't show that he's hurting.  

The Queen's first interaction with her youngest son is all about the visuals. She grabs his face to check the makeup job; we don't know whether she actually checked the visible injuries before Wille sat down. It's as if he's a little kid. No boundaries. You could almost see it as an extension of their relationship in general; Wilhelm is at the age where teenagers test boundaries, and his mother is angry and maybe a little scared because of the dangers he's exposing himself to. In a non-royal house, this perhaps wouldn't be quite such a big deal.

Kristina's next act is to slap Wilhelm's hand out of his mouth when he's biting his nails, with an exasperated snap that tells us she's done this a lot and is tired of it. The end result is that everyone in the room witnesses Wilhelm being scolded. Even his "private" humiliation is not private.

What else does this scene tell us? It is not a comfortable, or comforting, environment. The chairs are straight-backed and gilded. The table is covered in the detritus of a working day - laptops, coffee - but it does not look like a convenient place to work. Everyone's quite formally dressed; staff in uniforms or office attire, Erik in his military uniform, Wilhelm and his father in suits, and the Queen in royal blue. Her jewellery is conservative-coded with its tiny pearls and cameo. Dignified, stately, not flashy; stiff; made for show, not comfort; old-fashioned. This is the world Wilhelm uneasily inhabits and has tried to escape.

The scene on the couch is excruciating for Wilhelm and clearly uncomfortable for everyone else. The family are not in harmony; there's not a moment when they all look in the same direction. Ludvig looks like he's thinking about his stamp collection or his stock options or what he wants for dinner. Erik is keeping an excellent neutral expression but his eyes keep moving to Wille, checking out his face and his nervous hands, monitoring how he's feeling. The Queen is also looking at Wilhelm, but it's a pointed look, expectant and also silently saying Get on with it, and don't stuff it up.

We learn more about the family when Erik and Wille arrive at Hillerska. Note that Erik is the one who drives him there, probably taking time away from his Crown Prince duties. Did he offer, knowing it would be easier for Wilhelm? Although he clearly cares about his brother, he's also trusted to do the right thing and deliver him safely. He's part of the apparatus that's setting Wilhelm back into place. (Erik, I think, is not nearly as much on Wille's side as much of the fandom believes; he's just the closest thing Wille has to someone on his side).

August, like the Queen, is all about the image - and grabbing Wille's face without invitation. He's also all about Erik. And I'm sure he's also very aware of all the faces watching them from the window behind them, and the press in front of them, but he sees it as an advantage. He doesn't care about the reality as long as the image is right.

Does Wille find it disconcerting that August and Erik are so closely bonded? Erik clearly intends Wille to think of August as another big brother, an Erik-substitute, but Wille's seeing that there's another 'little brother' in Erik's life and that Erik is leaning in to seeing August again at the moment when Wille needs him most.

August is letting down his guard here. I think this is the most natural, uncalculated reaction we get out of him all season.

Wilhelm is being almost squashed between August and Erik as they talk across him. Again, Erik barely pays Wille any attention while August is around. This would further alienate Wille from him.

And here we really begin to see that, as much as he loves his brother and his brother adores him, Erik is part of the machinery that grinds Wille down. Let's look at his lines in this scene:

He's lived through his own adolescence and his time at Hillerska, and he came around to the establishment way of thinking. Surely Wille will too. So he'll be understanding and kind, but like his parents, he expects Wille to knuckle down. He's not going to encourage Wille to dream of a life beyond the gilded cage.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Gus Fring

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

Breaking Bad is known for its fantastic cast of characters, all of whom have some level of critical acclaim and iconic status. Seriously, go to Wikipedia and go to any character’s page from the show (basically every major character has one) and look at the “Reception” part, pretty much all of them are universally beloved. Chief among that crowd is the only villain in the show to give our rascally villain protagonist Walt a run for his money, the criminal mastermind that is Gustavo “Gus” Fring.

If you think I’m going to do anything other than add to those heaps of praise, you’re surely mistaken; I love Gus as much as anyone else who has seen the show. But where most are willing to overlook certain aspects of the character that don’t work so well because he is cool and gay, I acknowledge those flaws and love Gus anyway. We are not the same.

Motivation/Goals: Gus is a businessman, plain and simple. Be it Los Pollos Hermanos or his secret meth business, Gus wants perfection in every aspect of his professional life. That being said, he’s a pretty fair boss, and if you pull your weight you will be rewarded; he treats his employees at Los Pollos Hermanos so well that you know the show takes place in a fantasy world, because no boss is that nice. And he was way too lenient with Walt all throughout that man’s career working with him.

Of course, Gus is also driven by revenge. Don Eladio, Hector Salamanca, and the rest of the cartel are responsible for the death of his lover Max, and Gus refuses to rest until the entire operation has crumbled, with only him left standing tall and Hecor lefty broken and crippled to be finished off last as he’s the one who pulled the trigger. It’s a very classic villain motivation, and it helps give a little bit of sympathy to a character who is otherwise too cold and mysterious to really delve into the mind of. At any rate, it makes it very easy to root for Gus and cheer him on as he plays his supposed superiors for suckers and orchestrates their downfalls all while coming up with dozens of plans to cover his own ass.

Performance: Giancarlo Esposito has such an air of elegance and menace to him when he’s playing Gus. You can really see why he man ended up typecast after this, playing cunning antagonists, because he really kills it here. He does have one incredibly major flaw, though: He’s not a native Spanish speaker like Gus is. This leads to pretty much any point where Gus is required to speak the language falling flat, especially since most of the time he’s up against actors who are actually fluent and even if you’re not a native speaker you can pick up on how clunky he is in comparison to Michael Mando or Tony Dalton.

Final Fate: Gustavo Fring got outplayed by both Walter and Hector, and the result is perhaps one of the single greatest villain deaths of all time.

As many have pointed out, it is genuinely hilarious how Gus hated Hector so fucking much that he refused to die in the same room as him. And hey, maybe this isn’t very accurate to how a person would realistically look after taking an explosion directly to the face… But it’s one hell of a cool visual. Sometimes it’s better to check realism at the door for the sake of symbolism and cool prosthetic gore.

Best Scene: I think it is genuinely hard to top Gus’ awesome moments, even if he doesn’t ever really get an entire episode of focus. I think his crowning moment, the moment where we as an audience and Walt as a character learn that us is not even remotely fucking around, is his silent preparations before he comes up to his lackey Victor and violently slits his throat in “Box Cutter,” before equally silently getting dressed once more. Right before leaving, he simply says, “Get back to work” before leaving a stunned Walt, Mike, and Jesse behind.

There’s also Gus taking down Don Eladio and all his capos in “Salud.” It’s such wonderful, beautiful vengeance, and it’s all made better by the fact Gus poisoned himself, went to the bathroom, neatly placed a towel on the floor and knelt down on it, and then induced vomiting. This man would pick the fruitiest way imaginable to save his own life.

Finally, there is his scene in “Fun and Games,” the first and only time we see Gus just out enjoying himself. We get to see him pretty obviously flirting with a sommelier, but as soon as the man leaves for a moment Gus makes the decision to commit himself fully to his mission and rule out the possibility of love again after what happened to Max. This is the moment where we see Gus fully become the man we know him as in Breaking Bad, and it’s honestly pretty tragic. He could have been happy if he’d just let go some of his hate, and maybe he’d even still be alive.

Final Thoughts & Score: Gus is one of the best villains ever to grave television, and considering he’s in a show filled to the brim with some of the greatest villains ever devised, that’s really saying something.

Part of what makes him so genuinely great is just how utterly unknowable he is. Over the course of both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, he is almost like a god of the criminal underworld, untouchable and mysterious. What very little tidbits we get of his past paint a conflicting picture that could mean any number of things, and at every other point he manages to command respect and fear from all those around him, with those not wise enough to do so ending up dead by his masterful machinations. It ultimately makes the single scene where we see him not doing business, the one where he flirts with the man at the bar, so much more impactful. We see that Gus has rejected his humanity, his chance at ever being happy again, so that he can be consumed by his work and his vengeance. Gus is what he is by choice.

It’s why, even if it’s not really “good” that Walt won, it is so satisfying and cathartic. Gus spends his screentime pulling off superhuman schemes and feats of vengeance, orchestrating the deaths of the entire Salamanca family and his own cartel superiors, and yet he is done in by an absolute bumbling buffoon of a criminal like Walt. It’s a classic case of David and Goliath, with the untouchable adversary being taken down due to viewing his foe as so far beneath him that he didn’t realize he was screwed until it was too late. Gus was sadly too smart for his own good, never bothering to consider the erratic chemistry teacher could ever pull off anything big enough to defeat him.

With all that, Gus gets a 10/10. With how much I love Gus and how I consider him one of my favorite villains ever, you might be wondering why I didn’t bump him up to a 10.5 to denote him being a cut above the garden variety 10. Well, Gus has one issue with his character that I feels really hampers him in crucial moments: His inability to speak Spanish. Giancarlo Esposito, despite being an absolutely fantastic actor in every other regard, does not speak Spanish and needs his lines given to him phonetically. Native speakers have called his accent stilted and unnatural, and it has led to moments that should be epic and powerful such as his monologue to Lalo before killing him becoming nonsensical gibberish to trained ears. Considering that character is a native Spanish speaker, this is an absolutely unforgivable and glaring flaw. It certainly doesn’t ruin the character, but it does hold him back just a little bit.

But it really does speak volumes that as soon as Gus is taken out, the quality of the villains just plummets. The final season has Walt facing off against a bunch of Nazis and fucking Lydia, the annoying businesswoman. The final season is still peak, but boy are those villains living in Gus’ shadow. In spite of his flaws (or, well, his singular but rather major flaw), he’s still one of the greatest villains in television history, and is up there with Walt and Saul as the greatest villains in the series.

[barbarewjohnson]

7 Ways to Create Compelling Small Business Content

There’s no question that producing compelling small business content can be a challenge. After all, as a small business owner you wear many hats and there are only so many hours in the day. But the good news is that there are some simple things you can do to make sure your content is engaging, relevant and valuable to your audience.

Here are 7 tips for creating Small Business Content Creation that will resonate with your readers:

1) Keep it simple – When it comes to small business content creation, less is often more. Write in short, concise paragraphs and use images or infographics to break up text whenever possible. This will make your content more digestible and easier for people to skim through.

2) Be relatable – Write like you would talk to a friend. Use language that is easy to understand and avoid industry jargon. The goal is to establish a connection with your reader by writing in a way that feels natural and genuine.

3) Know your audience – It’s important to know who you’re writing for before you even start crafting your piece. What are their interests? What challenges do they face? By understanding what matters most to them, you can create content that address their specific needs and pain points.

4) Have a point of view – In order for your content to be truly compelling, it needs to offer something new or different than what’s already out there. Take the time develop thoughtful insights and original perspectives on topics related to your business

Why small business content creation is important

If you’re a small business owner, chances are you wear many hats. You’re the CEO, CFO, and maybe even the janitor. With so much on your plate, it’s easy to see how content creation can fall by the wayside.

But here’s why small business content creation is important:

1) It helps you attract new customers. By creating quality content, you can show potential customers that you’re an expert in your industry. This will help you bring in new business.

2) It keeps existing customers coming back for more. If your current customers enjoy your content, they’re likely to keep coming back for more information – and to make additional purchases.

3) It boosts your search engine ranking. Search engines love fresh content, so if you regularly update your website with new articles, blog posts, or other forms of content, you’ll be more likely to show up higher in search results – meaning more people will find out about your small business

How to get started with small business content creation

As a small business owner, you may be wondering how to get started with content creation. After all, creating high-quality content can be time-consuming and expensive.

But don’t worry – there are plenty of ways to create great content on a budget. In fact, some of the best pieces of content are ones that cost very little to produce.

Here are a few tips for getting started with small business content creation:

1. Start by creating evergreen content. This is the kind ofcontent that will be relevant and useful for years to come. It’s the foundation upon which you can build your other marketing efforts. Plus, it’s easy and inexpensive to produce evergreencontent – simply write about topics that you’re knowledgeable about or hire a freelance writer to do it for you.

2.. Once you have some evergreencontent in place, supplement it with timely,news-related blog posts or articles. This will keep your site fresh and give your customers something new to read on a regular basis. You can also repurpose old news stories by giving them a new angle or adding your own commentary.Both these methods will help ensure that your site always has something new to offer its visitors.. 3.. To really stand out from the crowd, focus on creating amazing visuals associated with your articles and blog posts… whether that means incorporating infographics, videos or images into your written content, make sure that everything is high quality and visually appealing…. People are more likely than ever before to consume visual information so take advantage of this trend! By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to producing great small business content without breaking the bank .

Tips for creating great small business content

Small businesses have a big advantage when it comes to content marketing: they can be nimble and responsive, developing clever content that speaks directly to their target market. But what makes for great small business content? Here are some tips:

1. Keep it real. Your content should reflect the personality of your company and connect with your audience on a personal level. Be authentic, transparent, and true to your brand voice.

2. Make it valuable. Whether you’re providing industry news, sharing expert insights, or offering helpful tips, make sure your content is informative and useful. If it’s not, why would anyone want to read it?

3. Be original. With so much noise out there, it’s important that your content stands out from the rest. Think outside the box and get creative with how you present information – originality will help you cut through the clutter.

What makes a goodsmall business blog post?

There’s no one answer to this question since what makes a good blog post will vary depending on the subject matter and the audience. However, there are some general tips that can help make any small business blog post more successful.

First, it’s important to choose a catchy headline that accurately reflects the content of the article. This will help draw readers in and ensure they stick around until the end. Secondly, it’s crucial to write in a clear and concise manner so as not to lose readers’ attention. And finally, be sure to include relevant keywords throughout the piece so that it ranks high in search engine results pages.

How often should you be blogging for your small business?

As a small business, it is important to have a content creation strategy in place to help ensure your marketing efforts are successful. While there is no magic number for how often you should be blogging, a good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 1-2 blog posts per week. This may seem like a lot, but by batching your content and planning ahead, it can be easier than you think.

One reason why consistent blog posting is so important for small businesses is that it helps with SEO. Google loves fresh content, and by regularly publishing new blog posts, you’re giving the search engine what it wants. This can lead to improved rankings and more traffic to your website – which means more customers and conversions.

Another benefit of blogging frequently is that it allows you to build relationships with your readers. The more often people see your name and read your content, the more likely they are to remember you when they need something that you offer. If they enjoy reading your blogs, they’ll also be more likely to share them with their friends and followers – giving you even more exposure.

So if you’re wondering how often you should be blogging for your small business, the answer is: as much as possible! By following a consistent schedule and creating high-quality content, you can start seeing some serious results for your business in terms of SEO, leads, and sales

Things to avoid when writing small business blog posts

When it comes to small business content creation, there are a few things you should avoid if you want your blog posts to be successful. First and foremost, don’t write about things that aren’t relevant to your audience or industry. There’s no point in trying to attract readers with topics that they have no interest in. Stick to writing about things that will actually benefit your target reader.

Another thing to avoid is being too salesy in your blog posts. Yes, you want to promote your products and services, but you don’t want to come across as pushy or desperate. Find a way to organically work them into your blog post so that it doesn’t feel like an advertisement. If you can provide value and help solve a problem, then promoting your product will be much more effective (and welcomed).

Finally, steer clear of using jargon or overly technical language. Unless you are writing for an expert audience, keep the language simple and easy-to-understand. No one wants to feel like they need a dictionary just to get through a blog post!

By following these tips and avoiding common mistakes, you can set yourself up for small business content creation success!

Conclusion

If you’re a small business owner, congratulations! You’ve already overcome one of the hardest parts of starting a business. The next step is to start creating content that will help your business succeed. Here are seven tips to get you started:

1. Write for your audience – After all, they’re the ones you want to attract and engage with your content.

2. Keep it fresh – No one likes stale content. Regularly updated blogs, infographics, and videos keep things interesting while also showing that you’re active and invested in your business.

3. Be genuine – Nothing turns off an audience more than feeling like they’re being sold to or talked down to. Be yourself, be authentic, and let your personality shine through in your writing.

4 Make it shareable – Good content is meant to be shared! Include social media buttons on each piece so readers can easily spread the word about your awesome brand online.

5 Use images and videos – People are visual creatures, so supplementing your text with engaging visuals is a great way to hold attention and express ideas more effectively than with words alone .

6 Keep it concise – In today’s fast-paced world , people don’t have time to read lengthy articles or watch long videos . Get straight to the point and leave out any fluff or filler material .

The post 7 Ways to Create Compelling Small Business Content appeared first on SwiftCreator.com.

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[christophermraerdon]

7 Ways to Create Compelling Small Business Content

There’s no question that producing compelling small business content can be a challenge. After all, as a small business owner you wear many hats and there are only so many hours in the day. But the good news is that there are some simple things you can do to make sure your content is engaging, relevant and valuable to your audience.

Here are 7 tips for creating Small Business Content Creation that will resonate with your readers:

1) Keep it simple – When it comes to small business content creation, less is often more. Write in short, concise paragraphs and use images or infographics to break up text whenever possible. This will make your content more digestible and easier for people to skim through.

2) Be relatable – Write like you would talk to a friend. Use language that is easy to understand and avoid industry jargon. The goal is to establish a connection with your reader by writing in a way that feels natural and genuine.

3) Know your audience – It’s important to know who you’re writing for before you even start crafting your piece. What are their interests? What challenges do they face? By understanding what matters most to them, you can create content that address their specific needs and pain points.

4) Have a point of view – In order for your content to be truly compelling, it needs to offer something new or different than what’s already out there. Take the time develop thoughtful insights and original perspectives on topics related to your business

Why small business content creation is important

If you’re a small business owner, chances are you wear many hats. You’re the CEO, CFO, and maybe even the janitor. With so much on your plate, it’s easy to see how content creation can fall by the wayside.

But here’s why small business content creation is important:

1) It helps you attract new customers. By creating quality content, you can show potential customers that you’re an expert in your industry. This will help you bring in new business.

2) It keeps existing customers coming back for more. If your current customers enjoy your content, they’re likely to keep coming back for more information – and to make additional purchases.

3) It boosts your search engine ranking. Search engines love fresh content, so if you regularly update your website with new articles, blog posts, or other forms of content, you’ll be more likely to show up higher in search results – meaning more people will find out about your small business

How to get started with small business content creation

As a small business owner, you may be wondering how to get started with content creation. After all, creating high-quality content can be time-consuming and expensive.

But don’t worry – there are plenty of ways to create great content on a budget. In fact, some of the best pieces of content are ones that cost very little to produce.

Here are a few tips for getting started with small business content creation:

1. Start by creating evergreen content. This is the kind ofcontent that will be relevant and useful for years to come. It’s the foundation upon which you can build your other marketing efforts. Plus, it’s easy and inexpensive to produce evergreencontent – simply write about topics that you’re knowledgeable about or hire a freelance writer to do it for you.

2.. Once you have some evergreencontent in place, supplement it with timely,news-related blog posts or articles. This will keep your site fresh and give your customers something new to read on a regular basis. You can also repurpose old news stories by giving them a new angle or adding your own commentary.Both these methods will help ensure that your site always has something new to offer its visitors.. 3.. To really stand out from the crowd, focus on creating amazing visuals associated with your articles and blog posts… whether that means incorporating infographics, videos or images into your written content, make sure that everything is high quality and visually appealing…. People are more likely than ever before to consume visual information so take advantage of this trend! By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to producing great small business content without breaking the bank .

Tips for creating great small business content

Small businesses have a big advantage when it comes to content marketing: they can be nimble and responsive, developing clever content that speaks directly to their target market. But what makes for great small business content? Here are some tips:

1. Keep it real. Your content should reflect the personality of your company and connect with your audience on a personal level. Be authentic, transparent, and true to your brand voice.

2. Make it valuable. Whether you’re providing industry news, sharing expert insights, or offering helpful tips, make sure your content is informative and useful. If it’s not, why would anyone want to read it?

3. Be original. With so much noise out there, it’s important that your content stands out from the rest. Think outside the box and get creative with how you present information – originality will help you cut through the clutter.

What makes a goodsmall business blog post?

There’s no one answer to this question since what makes a good blog post will vary depending on the subject matter and the audience. However, there are some general tips that can help make any small business blog post more successful.

First, it’s important to choose a catchy headline that accurately reflects the content of the article. This will help draw readers in and ensure they stick around until the end. Secondly, it’s crucial to write in a clear and concise manner so as not to lose readers’ attention. And finally, be sure to include relevant keywords throughout the piece so that it ranks high in search engine results pages.

How often should you be blogging for your small business?

As a small business, it is important to have a content creation strategy in place to help ensure your marketing efforts are successful. While there is no magic number for how often you should be blogging, a good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 1-2 blog posts per week. This may seem like a lot, but by batching your content and planning ahead, it can be easier than you think.

One reason why consistent blog posting is so important for small businesses is that it helps with SEO. Google loves fresh content, and by regularly publishing new blog posts, you’re giving the search engine what it wants. This can lead to improved rankings and more traffic to your website – which means more customers and conversions.

Another benefit of blogging frequently is that it allows you to build relationships with your readers. The more often people see your name and read your content, the more likely they are to remember you when they need something that you offer. If they enjoy reading your blogs, they’ll also be more likely to share them with their friends and followers – giving you even more exposure.

So if you’re wondering how often you should be blogging for your small business, the answer is: as much as possible! By following a consistent schedule and creating high-quality content, you can start seeing some serious results for your business in terms of SEO, leads, and sales

Things to avoid when writing small business blog posts

When it comes to small business content creation, there are a few things you should avoid if you want your blog posts to be successful. First and foremost, don’t write about things that aren’t relevant to your audience or industry. There’s no point in trying to attract readers with topics that they have no interest in. Stick to writing about things that will actually benefit your target reader.

Another thing to avoid is being too salesy in your blog posts. Yes, you want to promote your products and services, but you don’t want to come across as pushy or desperate. Find a way to organically work them into your blog post so that it doesn’t feel like an advertisement. If you can provide value and help solve a problem, then promoting your product will be much more effective (and welcomed).

Finally, steer clear of using jargon or overly technical language. Unless you are writing for an expert audience, keep the language simple and easy-to-understand. No one wants to feel like they need a dictionary just to get through a blog post!

By following these tips and avoiding common mistakes, you can set yourself up for small business content creation success!

Conclusion

If you’re a small business owner, congratulations! You’ve already overcome one of the hardest parts of starting a business. The next step is to start creating content that will help your business succeed. Here are seven tips to get you started:

1. Write for your audience – After all, they’re the ones you want to attract and engage with your content.

2. Keep it fresh – No one likes stale content. Regularly updated blogs, infographics, and videos keep things interesting while also showing that you’re active and invested in your business.

3. Be genuine – Nothing turns off an audience more than feeling like they’re being sold to or talked down to. Be yourself, be authentic, and let your personality shine through in your writing.

4 Make it shareable – Good content is meant to be shared! Include social media buttons on each piece so readers can easily spread the word about your awesome brand online.

5 Use images and videos – People are visual creatures, so supplementing your text with engaging visuals is a great way to hold attention and express ideas more effectively than with words alone .

6 Keep it concise – In today’s fast-paced world , people don’t have time to read lengthy articles or watch long videos . Get straight to the point and leave out any fluff or filler material .

The post 7 Ways to Create Compelling Small Business Content appeared first on SwiftCreator.com.

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[nickgerlich]

On The Map

Of all the apps I use on my phone, of all the sites on the internet, there is one that I use perhaps as much as all the others put together: Google Maps. I use my custom Google Maps to organize my life, my adventures, my ambitions. It gets me to where I want to be. And even when I know the way from A to B beyond a shadow of doubt, I still use it for navigational purposes if only to alert me of delays and hazards ahead, as well as my ETA.

But one of the best features of Google Maps is Google Street View, or GSV. Have you ever seen those Google cars out driving up and down every street in a city? They’re not just out having fun. They are photographing everything with a special rooftop device that has seven 20 megapixel lenses, for a total of 140 megapixels of coverage.  

The result is the ability to “streetwalk” online or in the app without even being there. Better yet, Google archives all of their return trips so we effectively have a visual record of how our streetscapes have evolved over the years. Going forward, I predict GSV to be the premier record of everything. It’s almost like we don’t need to be taking pictures of buildings and such like people did in decades past, because Google is doing it for us.



Since its launch in 2007, Google cars have now documented and mapped many millions of miles around the world. Well, except for Germany and Austria.

How’s that?

It all boils down to privacy, and depends on nation and culture. In the US, where there is very little guarantee of privacy, especially once you venture outdoors, in Germany and Austria there are the lingering memories of the Third Reich and communist East Germany. Those memories are still too recent, and people in both nations value their privacy, even though they have few squabbles with nudist beaches. Apparently they’re OK with letting others see their nether regions and things we can’t flaunt over here, but don’t want to take the risk of anyone randomly photographing them out and about.

In clothes. Yeah. Go figure.

So GSV has only small portions of Germany and Austria documented. Apparently, Google just gave up and said, “Y’all figure this out on your own.” It makes me wonder, though, whether they would be OK with GSV if everyone were walking around naked everywhere, because, you know, they don’t fret about that.

Google has been a good citizen in the US, though, by volunteering to blur out identifying features, like license plates, faces, and sometimes business names that are captured. They will even blur your house if you ask.

At a broader level, GSV puts the thorny issue of privacy front and center. We know that our data are being collected at every turn online. We know that our smartphones are just as much a beacon to our whereabouts as they are communication devices. But we probably aren’t thinking about a little car coming along with cameras on the roof. Even with blurred license plates and faces, there can often be enough identifying information to make a match, which could be problematic if you have something to hide. I’ll just leave that there.

Still, we Americans are comfortable with our overall lack of privacy. Maybe it’s because we never endured the tragedies the Germans and Austrians did. Maybe it’s because we’re just a very trusting society. Or maybe we’ve just thrown up our hands and realized that train left the station when the iPhone came, which, incidentally, shares a birth year with Google Streetview.

Coincidence? Perhaps. But then again, maybe not.

Either way, I’m heading out shortly for a day trip through the southern part of the Texas Panhandle. I am photographing old theaters and drive-ins to illustrate a two-part article I am writing for Panhandle Magazine. And, of course, I built a custom Google Map for the project. As soon as I start rolling down the driveway, I push the first pin and tell the app to navigate me to it. Tulia Texas, I’ll see you shortly.

And if any of y’all see me out and about, I’m good with it, even Google. Because I’m just the crazy guy with a camera. Wearing clothes, of course.

Dr “Map My Day“ Gerlich

Audio Blog

[thesamoanqueen]

Breakfast

Ratings: 18+

Warnings: SMUT; Fingering; a bit of oral sex; Errors like always, probably…

A/N: I'm shameless. I repost it cause the tags didn't work. Let me know if you want to be tagged for the next one~ Wish someone will like this new one anyway, bye!

Awakenings weren't for her. She had never liked to stay between the sheets, her body numb from sleep, feel her eyes get used to the light again or maybe she had never really had the opportunity to appreciate them. Certainly, had never happened to appreciate those of the two days she had left behind her, too much weight on her chest and her mind wandering in the dark all the time. In those days she usually kept herself busy to avoid the pain, till she collapsed physically letting the time do the rest and as expected, she had done it too the previous day. The results, however, had been different and for once, she had no desire to get out of bed to start the day and the weight that she felt around her waist was even pleasant.

- Aren't you a little too old to pretend to sleep? - Roman asked, his voice rough, giving her a little pinch on her bare side.

She should have regained consciousness, take stock of the situation and try to get a clear picture of what they had done, but she didn't really like it at that moment and honestly, the only picture she could visualize was Roman's face buried between her legs for what had seemed like an eternity. Or maybe it really had been, the big boy had been furious to the point of making her beg for mercy.

- Ssh, it's not nice to disturb... - she murmured, eyes closed with fake annoyance, moving under his arm to turn away.

Tried at least, because she just had time to inspire between the sheets, before feeling crushed against the pillow, Roman's shadow overhanging her and his weight hanging over. A sound of surprise escaped her mouth as she felt his grip on the wrist pinning her to the bed and her eyes flew open, snapping over her shoulder where she knew she would find him. His beard tickled her sensitive skin and his breath pounded on her neck full of red marks, moving a single tousled lock resting on her cheek.

- Find a kinder way to shut me up babygirl, you already ran enough your mouth yesterday... - Roman suggested, moving her hair with a disarming slowness considering how quickly he had jumped on her just a second before.

And it didn't matter if it was that or the tone he'd warned her in, lower and rougher than it usually was, a jolt ran straight between her thights and Roman's lips began sucking the line between hers shoulder and neck again, were just helping to make her a mess.

- I thought you liked hearing me talk - she muttered, putting on an offended expression.

Roman laughed, giving her a grin before sliding two fingers along her side and further down, up to her bare ass to feel its consistency with his entire hand.

- I found something I like better - he admitted, rubbing his lips on her ear and at that touch, she bent against him, in a perfect arc.

God, they've been up for how long? Ten minutes? Less? And she already wanted to be fucked until she forgot where she was or even who was. Intention that Roman was more than ready to indulge considering his boner which was resting against her buttocks and which made her bite her lip with heavy breathing.

It was not a one-night stand, nor a sudden attraction for a stranger that she would forget in the next town and maybe it wouldn't end well for her, but she didn't want to stop. She couldn't do it, not if Roman was in the middle and so, ignoring the dozens of work and friendship reasons why she shouldn't, she pushed to her knees to slide his shaft between her asscheeks. Y/N felt him rub against her with a low growl and his grip on her wrist tightened for a long moment, almost as if he were afraid of losing her, until the heat between them became too much. With heavy breathing and tense muscles, Roman kissed her nape and then released the wrists and grabbed her hips, drawing her closer to him. A moan made her tremble, toes already crumpling as she felt his tip pressing her wet entrance to rub between her asscheeks again, leaving a soggy trail. Up and down.

- Oh… I like that sound you make - he blew satisfied, repeating that gesture over and over, prompting her to rock her hips in an attempt to increase the friction.

She was such a mess and was more than sure she had never behaved like this to anyone else, but Roman had an effect on her that no one else had ever had. He had it when they worked, when they spent time together and with the latest discoveries, he also had it under the covers. And if he wanted to take control of her she would let him, Y/N trusted him and the way he held her was a turner on.

- You're such a tease! How about doing something? - she tried to retort in frustration, completely flattening her upper body on bed to push herself better.

At that gesture, Roman's fingers sank possessive into her hips, certainly creating yet another mark and Y/N turned to look between her lashes, discovering him almost hypnotized by the meeting of their bodies and the precum that dripped on her skin. His eyes had become darker and his mouth had curled into that typical expression, which he occasionally brought out even in the ring, when was about to lose control, hair falling around his gorgeous face.

Y/N had never had a type of man, not even in her teenage years, but there was no part of Roman inside or outside that didn't drive her crazy. He was her person. And seeing him so absorbed by the simple sway of her hips, so hungry, gave her a rush of power and arousal that her core didn't really need in the state already was.

She was hot and with humor dripping down her legs, she boosted him from the muscular thighs to his abdomen, rocking up and down with obstinacy without losing sight of him. The weight of his shaft leaping to the rhythm of thrusts was almost enough to make her cum and her moans became more needy with every second, until Roman began to give in too.

- Easy babygirl, easy or do you want to beg again? - he stopped her, pulling Y/N’s body against his manhood with a tug on the umpteenth turn of hips.

Ah she wanted it so bad! Wanted to feel him everywhere, to find out how weak her legs became from his thrusts, wanted her mind and body filled only with him, she wanted to feel herself tiny between his hands and his voice in her ears growling her name like a mantra.

- I didn't ask you to be gentle – Y/N mumbled and Roman leaned over her with a grin, kissing her on the shoulder.

- Dont push your luck with that attitude.

- I can be worse, y’know that. - she tried to retort stubbornly, but words died in her mouth the instant two fingers slipped inside her, snatching her a high-pitched moan.

After spending part of evening and the whole night getting fucked, her nub was so sensitive that she was on the verge of breaking up at any moment, but she couldn't have asked for more and Roman seemed to never get enough of her. Of every part of her.

- Uh-hun, but you're such a good girl for me... - he murmured, maybe to her or to himself, while his fingers pumped in and out of her with a disarming slowness.

Y/N felt her insides tighten around them with each intrusion and lost in that exhausting rhythm, didn't even notice that was on her side, one of her legs clinging to Roman's chest and his mouth going down hungry to her breasts. She leaned against him, grinding on his hand as he sucked one sensitive nipples and held him tightly, her fingers through his hair.

They could have blown up the hotel, been in the middle of a press conference or had a hurricane over the window and she wouldn't give a damn. It was worrying, cause she didn't even have Roman inside her yet, at least not until that very moment. The lack of his skillful fingers had been sudden, so short not to give her time to get angry and certainly she wasn't going to complain about that big change now.

- Holy shit! Ro! - she moaned, clinging to his big arms to hold herself when it was all inside her with a single deep movement.

- You're so beautiful all spread out like this... - Roman admired her, licking his lips to sink into her with another thrust without holding back.

The fact that he had touched that spot with disarming precision should have warned Y/N about what her body was teaching him, but she was only able to squirm against the pillow from her rush of pleasure.

It was so damn good...

- Just for me... - she heard him growl, sinking a second time into the same spot and her eyes shut as an all too familiar heat turned her stomach.

Y/N felt one of his hands caress her cheek to make her turn again and the other anchor her better to him for a new thrust. She reopened her eyes just in time to see him lowering himself, thumb rubbing her lips with love and his gaze dark with lust.

- Only for me - repeated, slamming his lips against hers in a heated kiss.

She grabbed him by his neck and squeezed under him, holding on to anything to keep from letting go, just to feel him so close, so over her. Roman tongue was already tasting every corner of her mouth and the thrusts did nothing but force Y/N to moan in silence, while she let him devour her without the slightest intention of giving in to the need for air. But in the end was too much for both of them and with their forehead pressed together, hairs scattered everywhere, Y/N bit his lip one last time deserving a low growl.

- Did you hear me, babygirl? - He urged her, increasing the pace of his thrusts without taking eyes off hers.

The bed under them was now creaking in a dangerous way and although the rooms were soundproofed in that hotel chain, there was very little to do about the knocks on the wall. But did she care? No, not in that moment, not with Roman pumping her inside like it was his life’s mission. And more the pace increased, more helpless she felt under him, more she wanted.

- I asked you if you hear me! Its just for me! - He growled heavily, turning her over to bury himself inside at a new angle.

Sure she had heard, but they weren't in position to talk about certain things at the time. None of them.

He was deep enough to make Y/N feel it in her stomach and her walls now did nothing but squeeze him, letting her humor dribble everywhere, creating obscene sounds with every thrust. More Roman pushed, more she got wet letting him slide better, more the noise of their naked bodies increased. It was ringing in her ears and she wanted more.

- Again please, I-fuck! Fuck! - she screamed out of control, escaping yet another kiss to cling on his shoulders.

- Mine… you’re m-mine. Take it, cmon!

- D-Dont stop, oh my!

Her legs ached, her lips were swollen and her mind had lost track of everything. She had the impression of being in a press, a fucking skillful press. The sheets were damp and air heavy with the smell of sex. She was so close to implode… so close…

- You love it, like t-this hm, dont you babygirl?! - Roman laughed, biting and sucking every piece of her.

His hands were everywhere, the chest half covered by the tattoo pressed against her breasts bouncing up and down with each thrust. Y/N had no idea how he was capable of it, but he had picked up the pace again and when he began to slow down with the obscene phrases, to delight her with those groans it was too much for her. She squeezed her legs around his sweaty hips, still bringing him closer and hid against his shoulder. He smelled so good, like a safe place.

- R-Roman, I- need it a little harde- Ah! - begged with broken voice, already feeling his hands lift her.

- I got you, babygirl… give it to me. I-Im right here, I got you! - He reassured her, his voice less harsh than before as he pulled her over him without the slightest effort.

- P-please! R-Ro, Im-God!

Leaning on his legs, with shaking arms around his neck and his beard tickling her jaw between kisses, she felt her heat grow thrust after thrust, until it was too much. Undaunted, Roman held her on top of his body and continued to thrust indulging every wave of pleasure as she descended from her apex and brought her forehead back against his with watered eyes.

She felt so good, it was all so...

- B-babygirl… - Y/N heard him grumble, his face sweaty and his muscles tense.

She moved a lock of hair stuck to his forehead and rocked on him, meeting his deep thrusts at an unnatural pace. She was bursting in her chest as she looked at him like that and further down, her center had begun immediately to tighten mercilessly around him, causing another orgasm to grow. She kissed him softly, despite the movements of the rest of her body, going down to bite his bearded jaw and neck to give him a little breath. Y/N felt his big hands squeeze her ass as she glided on him frantically and his thrusts became confused, disjointed, his muscles tenser.

- So thi-ght… fuck! Yes! That’s it! K-keep doing that! - he moaned, his brow furrowed and abs contracted from the effort of thrusts.

- It feel so good! - she was burning and couldn't help it.

Y/N placed her hands on his pecs, trying to hold on as much as possible and positioned herself better, guiding him inside her in circular movements that made him throw his head back with an almost furious growl. The entire length of him pumping in and out of her wet core, staying in with only the tip and then coming back and starting over. It was a drug.

- You're take it all, d-don't stop!

- ... n-no way!

And Y/N would have done it for the rest of her days if she had been able to, but her body was on the edge and the heat in her lower belly was building up faster than she had expected. But it couldn't happen right now, she had to hold out a little longer, she had to do it for Roman and she bit her lip, looking down under her. She watched in bewilderment as their bodies met one lunge after another, legs trembling and moods mixing, a sticky trail shone on Roman's shaft up to the inside of her thigh and a burst of heat hit her, making her tremble.

She couldn't take it, she was trying, but it was too much. It was just too much.

- It’s… i-its okay, Im there too, i-m just… Fuck!- she heard him call her back as if he had read her mind and it was enough for her to look up.

Her walls tightened one last time, while Roman under her stiffened in a thrust deeper than the others and the heat of his released hit her, giving her the final blow. She clung to his back again, Roman's lips already on her and felt like she was falling from the top of a building. Her body shaken by tremors and her mind clouded as she slowly, more and more slowly regained consciousness of the bed, of the room around them, the light that filtered through the heavy curtains.

She rested his head on Roman shoulder and he took the opportunity to kiss her, pulling Y/N down with him for some rest, his fingers stroking her head. Silently, she listened to his breathing become more regular, the hearts of both slow down the frantic rush they had launched into, and her fingertips began to trace the line of his tattoo, one leg still clinging on him.

- Do you know what would be perfect now? Breakfast. - Roman boomed beneath her after some time and her eyes ran from the anonymous alarm to him.

- Don't look at me like that, you sneaky little, there's nothing in my stomach... since yesterday. Im a big boy - he joked, making her giggles.

Amused, she shook her head and seeing the smile with which he was looking at her, an idea suddenly hit her.

It was definitely not breakfast time and sooner or later someone would come to disturb them to find out at least what happened to the face of WWE, but maybe they could make a tear. On the other hand, she too was hungry, but not necessarily for food.

- Then… we have to do something about that. – she said, lifting herself up just enough to slide her face down and blow her breath on his boner.

With her gaze fixed on him, she saw his eyes darken at the first touch of her fingers and one of his hands snapped to caress her lower back. Y/N licked her lips and took his shaft, feeling the tension build up again, the veins swelling and she rocked her body beside Roman. She pressed the tip against her lips for a moment and with her gaze back on him, she slowly sucked it, making him groan in approval.

- Ladies first? - asked with a fake innocent look and Roman nodded, giving her an encouraging caress on her head.

- Always.

- They raised you so well.

Just for a little more. Just for breakfast time.

[mortimermcmirestinks]

I love Twitter.

I love how it's full to bursting with so, so many artists, poets, essayists, and philosophers, all regularly checking, so if you shout out to the guy who wrote your favourite episode or the lady who drew your favourite picture, they might respond. if I draw a fanart of Ezri Dax right now and post it to twitter, there's a very good chance that Nicole DeBoer will see it and maybe even like or comment.

I hate Twitter.

I hate how the very structure, the bones of it, the muscles and sinew and code, all drive the conversation toward hatred and vitriol, because that's what sells. I hate how it rips apart anyone who goes there for parts, and I hate how it only shows you things that will make you angry because when you're angry, you're engaged.

I love TikTok.

I love the low barrier of entry for art. I could make a TikTok just for silly funsies and make a silly little joke and then immediately meet five hundred people who all laughed at my silly little joke. I love how easy it is to find and explore different ideas and stories and works of art, and I love how the rigid restrictions of form promote creativity in creation.

I hate TikTok.

I hate how it erodes attention and I hate how it promotes unhealthy lifestyles. I hate how it encourages every kind of opinion for content, with the good opinions and the bad opinions at the same volume, and I hate the lack of transparency about how anything works makes it insanely unreliable -- using TikTok for anything beyond brief, momentary giggles feels like trying to tightrope walk over quicksand during an earthquake.

I love Facebook.

I don't use Facebook anymore, but I love how my parents can reconnect to people they haven't spoken to for fifty years. I love how they talk excitedly about "remember Jerry? he's on Facebook!" and how they talked to him for hours about his new wicker business. I love that the structure makes it so easy for them to communicate with others from their lives.

I hate Facebook.

I hate how it's slowly pulling apart my dad's ability to concentrate. I hate the structure of the site putting ideas and images and thoughts into the minds of millions of people to dangerous result. I hate how they have a vested interest in dismantling democracy and harming people, and I hate how it's so ingrained in our world that there's nothing we can do.

I love Instagram.

I love all the art, and the comics, and the videos, and the comedy, and the memes, and the screenshots, and the designs, and the photography, and so, so, so much more. I love how easy it is to scroll through and see all the creation going on from the people I follow.

I hate Instagram.

I hate how it makes people envious and needy. I hate how the structure of it makes you addicted and weakens your self-reliance and confidence. I hate how obsessed it is with visual appearance and superficial things, and I hate how all the things I love about it are such a small part of the platform.

I love Reddit.

I love how it's full of a thousand little gardens of fandom, with each garden full of its own flowers and fruits and succulents. I love how easy it is to find and connect to other people with your interests. I love so much of the long, winding, rambling, silly, memey conversations in the comments. I love the AskReddit threads on ridiculous topics and I love the stories I read on WritingPrompts.

I hate Reddit.

I hate the culture of dickish egocentrism. I hate the Musk fandom. I hate the smug self-righteousness. I hate the fact that the people who run Reddit keep trying over and over again to reinvent and intrude on the users on the site, and I hate the anti-progressivism that seeps into every corner of it.

I love [tumblr].

You know why I love [tumblr]. I love the art, I love the fandom, I love the culture, I love how the shitty design of the site makes it so much healthier of a place than other social media, I love the customisation of posts, I love the energetic nature of people here and how willing they are to support newer people. I love the memes. I love Out Of Touch Thursday and I love Neil banging out the tunes. I love writing my Shakespearification posts and I love when people reblog them with excited tags. I love how so many of the people here have their eyes wide open to the injustices of the world and, weirdly enough, I love how the absolute lack of mutual respect here makes it so that nobody's afraid to voice their weird-ass opinions about how Spider-Man would make a great My Little Pony, and I love how immediately twelve people will not only jump to their defence but will make fanart. I love the sheer, unrestrained, and genuine creative energy.

I hate [tumblr].

I hate how it's so small and weak now that so few people see the art and the fandom. I hate how the culture is slowly seeping out into the wider world and weakening. I hate how the shitty design of the site is slowly making it unsustainable (for the love of Jesus, please give [tumblr] your money). and I hate, I hate, how the fact that so many people on this site have their eyes wide fuckin' open means that the injustices of the world are laid completely bare to see, and if you spend enough time here, you'll learn all about all of the genocides and gentrifications and political collapses and destruction and bigotry that so many people experience every day, being posted on this little hellsite because that's all they can do in the face of existential horrors.

oh, and I hate the antivaxxers and terfs. fuck terfs and fuck antivaxxers.

and more than anything else here,

I hate how capitalism did this.

There's nothing to love about capitalism here. Capitalism is why artists on Twitter can only do art in their spare time because they're struggling to survive and capitalism is why Twitter spends so much time making people miserable to drive engagement. Capitalism is why professional TikTok creators are so scared about the unreliability of the platform and capitalism is why TikTok sucks "content" from everything you create on it. Capitalism is why my parents are so tired that they wind up spending time on Facebook and capitalism is why Facebook has so much power to fuck up democracy. Capitalism is why art is such a small part of Instagram. Capitalism is why Reddit is trying so hard to reinvent itself. Capitalism is why Tumblr has to pathetically beg for money. Capitalism is fucking vile.

[goldenkamuyhunting]

Ramblings and crazy theory time about GK chap 288 “A Pleasant Man”

So from a Watsonain perspective I’ve to praise Wilk as it turned out everything went...

yeah, just as he planned it... though Doylistically speaking let me be amazed by how Noda made this wonderful and intricate plot... but let’s start with order.

The story starts with a very useful timeline concerning the events that involved the gold.

There are little things I appreciate more than timelines so I’m extremely grateful to Noda for it.

We move back to the Russian consulate in 1902.

Irenka, one of the Ainu working with Wilk, correctly guesses the government which rules Hokkaido wouldn’t just give them the land, should they show up with the land deed.

Wilk suggests to ask Enomoto Takeaki for help at which the others correctly imply it would be a little hard for them to meet him.

As if this wasn’t difficult enough, Kimuspu informs them the Japanese government is AFTER THE LAND DEED and would steal it before they were to reach Enomoto, which is why they were forced to hide it there.

But then he suggests a Nispa might be able to help to get in touch with Enomoto.

We go back to 1869 and to a much younger Kimuspu, one that looks more like Cikapasi due to how the signs on his face are now more marked.

He explains they used to go to Goryokaku as they negotiated with Enomoto over buying the land, without even knowing the battle of Hakodate would escalate.

Early at the beginning of the story (chap 30) Hijikata lamented how their battle was hampered by the struggle to get funds...

...which seems to hint whatever agreement Enomoto managed to reach with the Ainu, was reached too late.

Anyway, while the others go take part to the negotiation Kimuspu is left behind to take care to give water to the horses and, as he does so he meets Hijikata… who basically behaves like a Sugimoto with a slightly different face...

Hijikata is curious of Kimuspu’s tattoo, he’ll help Kimuspu, is cheerful and modest, admitting all he’s good with are battles, horses and women. Okay, Sugimoto is popular with women but can’t understand them at all while Hijikata was supposedly better at this but whatever, Hijikata really feels like him to me… though I doubt they plan to have them be related.

Anyway Kimuspu doesn’t let him know why they’re there but clearly likes him and finds him a ‘Sawayakana otoko’ (爽やかな男 “pleasant/refreshing/invigorating/clear man”). Later he finds out he’s Hijikata, an Ezo republic commander.

Enomoto keeps the land deed as a secret. I wonder if, should he had won the war, he too would have tried getting it back.

Anyway the Ainu prepare the gold, though they don’t really trust Enomoto.

They’re being too slow though.

The government forces begin their all-out attack.

We’re at June 20 (lunar calendar May 11), 1869, and Hijikata, instead than being killed as history wants, is just nearly killed near the Ippongi Kanmon but manages to drag himself back despite the wounds...

...and is helped by Kimuspu, despite his comrades being against it. In order to give them a reason to care about Hijikata, Kimuspu reminds them he’s Enomoto’s comrades but it’s clear he’s not helping him just for that.

Kimuspu should have been a nice person, it fits he’s Cikapasi’s grandfather.

Anyway he brings Hijikata in one of the house left empty when its owners evacuated, so as not to let Hijikata be found by soldiers.

When Hijikata awakes, he’s reached by the news the Kaitenmaru was also destroyed by fire (always on June 20) and thinks they should protect the fortress Benten Daiba as Goryokaku  will surely fall due to the bombing of the ships, but Kimuspu tells him the day before, (June 24th) while he was unconscious, the fortress surrendered. This means we’re at the 25th. Goryokaku will surrender the 27th.

At this Hijikata likely understands they’ve no more hope to fight and asks Kimuspu to bring him to mount Hakodate, apparently to a statue of Kannon. Hijikata, dressed up as an Ainu to disguise himself, doesn’t manage to explain why he wanted to go there as the bombing on Goryokaku resumes and then they’re found by soldiers, who recognize Hijikata.

Kimuspu, gets in between them and Hijikata. He explains his action saying he was desperate because he figured the Ainu would lose the land of the republic of Ezo. Although he manages to push the rifle away from Hijikata, the soldier fires anyway and kills one of the Ain that were with Kimuspu.

At this Hijikata tells him to stop or they all would be killed and let the guards take him away. Kimuspu who had been pushed on the ground, stares at the dead Ainu in shock but he’s evidently released later on as it’s only Hijikata who’s carried away, apologizing to them and promising he won’t forget the debt he owns to them.

Kimuspu explains how, out of guilt for letting the soldiers take Hijikata, he couldn’t tell Enomoto how the latter survived. However, when he tries to find information on Hijikata’s fate no one wants to say he was caught or executed and, several years later he begins hearing rumors about Hijikata having been looked in a prison, an ex-warden even confirming this. So Kimuspu is sure Hijikata is alive.

Ratci adds in he also hears rumors about Hijikata being alive and helping to build the convict road.

Anyway they work up in their mind that Hijikata could get their message to Enomoto. How since he’s a prisoner those survival they’re basically hiding? Well, Oskeporo suggests they could pretend to be wardens and break him out. It’s worth to mention by then Hijikata was already in Abashiri so making him escape isn’t as easy as they make it out… but, on the other side, I do wonder if this was all part of Wilk’s plan. I mean, he and the other Ainu were hiding near to where there were those ‘prison lodges’ in which Inudou kept laborers confined… and, when the other Ainu die Wilk rushes there and have himself being arrested, asking to give Inudou the message he killed 7 Ainu and knows the location to the Ainu hidden gold.

I mean, at a first glance it seemed he did it merely to escape from Tsurumi… but maybe his goal was reaching Abashiri and getting into contact with Hijikata in the first place so as to use the whole incident with the Ainut o carry on his plan.

We see him repeating Hijikata’s name with a thoughtful expression after all…

...and then Kimuspu claims he knows a good spot to hide the gold, the good spot being the well. As they place the gold inside the well, one of them guarding the group in the distance, Kimuspu explains the last time they met Enomoto he saw the well being covered with dirt, so the Meiji government might not have noticed it existed. As a result the Ainu hid the gold there and starts planning an uprising among the Ainu.

So yes, they wanted to fight with weapons the Japanese government, not just use the land deed to have the land pacifically.

Wilk also thinks if Hijikata hadn’t forgotten his debt, he should repay the Ainu of the future. Honestly I think he should repay only Kimuspu… as Kimuspu’s Ainu friends back then helped him solely because he was Enomoto’s friend and they were making business with him but whatever, we know how Wilk is, for him the Ainu’s cause is the only one that matter… though from how he speaks he seems to link ‘Ainu of the future’ to Asirpa, whose name means woman of the future. So he basically is saying Hijikata should help his daughter.

The flashback ends here and the visual is pretty good because it moves from Wilk looking down in the well to Asirpa looking up from the well, as if to give the illusion she and Wilk could see each other… but the one looking down in the well this time is Hijikata, who likely means to repay his debt anyway.

And so that’s the story of how Hijikata and Wilk connected the whole horse kanji with a well whose existence only the two of them knew.

I’ll be honest, on one side I’m not overly fond of all this background exposition as it’s just that, exposition with little personal drama (I mean, Kimuspu was clearly grief stricken when the soldiers try to arrest Hijikata and, in effort to stop them, he inadvertently cause one of his friends to get killed… but this isn’t really explored… at most it’s exploited by Wilk) but, on the other side, I’m amazed by how Noda came up with such an intricate plot.

I mean, the meeting between Nopperabou and Hijikata seemed casual, they were merely two prisoners in the same prison… and Wilk trusting Hijikata to take care of Asirpa and carrying on all that plan seemed a risky bet based on circumstances but now it turns out Hijikata was ALWAYS part of the plan and the code was made keeping not only Asirpa but he too into consideration because Wilk clearly assumed Asirpa wouldn’t accomplish anything with the land deed without Hijikata’s support and the hideout of the gold is basically a jab at Hijikata’s moral sense so as to remind him Ainu (well, ONE Ainu) helped him so he should help them as well.

So while a side of me is ‘well, I don’t really care about this little sidestory per se as it’s just exposition and not emotionally engaging…’ the other side is ‘oh my this man actually planned all those plot details so damn carefully I’m amazed! I love him! This is just great writing!���

Oh well, I hope everyone else is enjoying how the story is revealing itself as much as I’m doing because, really, I’m having lot of fun! I love to see such a well thought plot! This is such a masterful work!

Anyway, see you all to the next chapter!

[brawltogethernow]

So, I don't think I've ever asked you this... what IS the whole point of the Spider-Sense? It really seems like something that only exists for writers to ignore or work around when they want to inject Legit Tension into a story.

I’ve thought about this power so much, but never with an eye to defend its right to exist, so I needed to think about this. The results could be more concise.

Ironically, given the question, I have to say its main purpose is to ramp up tension. But it’s also a highly variable multitool that a skilled creative team can use for...pretty much anything. It does everything the writer wants it to, while for its wielder always falls just short of doing enough.

I went looking through my photos for a really generic, classic-looking example to use as an image to head this topic, but then I ran into the time Peter absolutely did not reimburse this man for his stolen McDonald’s, so have that instead.

A Scare Chord, But You Can Draw It

That one post that says the spider-sense is just super-anxiety isn’t, like, wrong. It’s a very anxious, dramatic storytelling tool originally designed for a very anxious, dramatic protagonist. I find it speaks to the overall tone of the franchise that some characters are functionally psychics, but with a psychic ability that only points out problems.

Spidey sense pinging? There’s danger, be stressed! Broken? Now the lead won’t even KNOW when there’s a problem, scary! Single character is immune to it? That’s an invisible knife in the dark oh my god what the fuck what the fU--

Like its counterpart in garden variety anxiety, the only time the spider-sense reduces tension is in the middle of a crisis. But in the wish fulfillmenty way that you want in an adventure story to justify exaggerated action sequences, the same way enhanced strength or durability does. Also like those, it would theoretically make someone much safer to have it, but it exists in the story to let your character navigate into and weather more dangerous situations.

For its basic role in a story, a danger sense is a snappy way to rile up both the reader and the protagonist that doesn’t offer much information beyond that it’s time to sit smart because shit is about to go down.

Spidey comic canon is all over the board in quality and genre, and it started needing to subvert its formulas before the creators got a handle on what those formulas even were, and basically no one has read anything approaching most of it at this point, so for consistent examples of a really bare bones use of this power in storytelling, I’d point to the property that’s done the best job yet of boiling down the mechanics of Spider-Man to their absolute most basic essentials for adaptation to a compelling monster of the week TV series.

Or as you probably know it, Danny Phantom. DON’T BOO, I’M RIGHT.

DP is Spider-Man with about 2/3 of the serial numbers filed off and no death (ironically), and Danny’s ghost sense is the most proof in the formula example of what the spidey sense is for: It’s a big sign held up for the viewer that says, “Something is wrong! Pay attention!” Effectively a visual scare chord. It’s about That Drama. And it works, which won it a consistent place in the show’s formula. We’re talking several times an episode here.

So why does it work?

It’s a little counterintuitive, but it’s strong storytelling to tell your audience that something bad is going to happen before it does. A vague, punchy spoiler transforms the ignorant calm before a conflict into a tense moment of anticipation. ...And it makes sure people don’t fail to absorb the beginning of said conflict because they weren’t prepared to shift gears when the scene did. Shock is a valuable tool, too, but treating it like a staple is how you burn out your audience instead of keeping them engaged. Not to go after an easy target, but you need to know how to manage your audience’s alarm if you don’t want to end up like Game of Thrones.

The limits of the spider-sense also keep you on your toes when handled by a smart writer. It tells Peter (everyone’s is a little different, so I’m going to cite the og) about threats to his person, but it doesn’t elaborate with any details when it’s not already obvious why, what kind, and from what. And it doesn’t warn him about anything else-- Which is a pretty critical gap when you zoom out and look at his hero career’s successes and failures and conclude that it’s definitely why he’s lived as long as he has acting the way he does, but was useless as he failed to save a string of people he’d have much rather had live on than him.

(Any long-running superhero mythos has these incidents, but with Peter they’re important to the core themes.)

And since this power is by plot for plot (or because it’s roughly agreed it only really blares about threats that check at least two boxes of being major, immediate, or physical), it always kicks in enough to register when the danger is bearing down...when it’s too late to actually do anything about it if “anything” is a more complex action than “dodge”.

Really? Not until the elevator doors started to open?

That Distinctive, Crunchy Spider Flavor

The spider-sense and its little pen squiggles go hand in hand with wallcrawling (and its unique and instantly identifiable associated body language) to make the Spider-Person powerset enduringly iconic and elevate characters with it from being generic mid-level super-bricks. Visually, but also in how it shapes the story.

I said it can share a narrative role with super strength. But when you end a fight and go home, super strength continues to make your character feel powerful, probably safer than they’d be otherwise, maybe dangerous.

The spider-sense just keeps blaring, “Something’s wrong! Something’s wrong! God, why aren’t you doing something about this!?”

Pretty morose thing to live with, for a safety net! Kind of a double edged sword you have there! Could be constantly being hyperattuned to problems would prime you for a negative outlook on life. Kind of seems like a power that would make it impossible for a moral person to take a day off, leading them into a beleaguered and resentful yet dutiful attitude about the whole superhero gig! Might build up to some of the core traits of this mythos, maybe! Might lead to a lot of fifteen minute retirement stories, or something. Might even be a built in ‘great responsibility’ alarm that gets you a main character who as a rule is not going to stop fighting until he physically cannot fight anymore.

Certainly not apropos of anything, just throwing this short lived barely-a-joke tagline up for fun.

One of my personal favorite things about stories with superpowers is keeping in mind how they cause the people who have them to act in unusual ways outside of fights, so when you tell me that these people have an entire extra sense that tells them when the gas in their house is leaking through a barely useful hot/cold warning system that never turns off, I’m like, eyes emojis, popcorn out, notebook open, listening intently, spectacles on, the whole deal.

It also contributes to Peter Parker’s personality in a way I really enjoy: It allows him to act like an irrational maniac. When you know exactly when a situation becomes dangerous and how much, normal levels of caution go out the window and absolutely nothing you do makes sense from an exterior standpoint anymore. That’s the good shit. I would like to see more exploration of how the non-Parker characters experiencing the world in this incredibly altered way bounce in response.

It’s also one of many tools in this franchise hauling the reader into relating more closely with the main character. The backbone of classic Spidey is probably being in on secrets only Peter and the reader know which completely reframe how one views the situation on the page. It’s just a big irony mine for the whole first decade. A convenient way to inform the reader and the lead that something is bad news that’s not perceivable to any other characters is youth-with-a-big-exciting-secret catnip.

Another point for tension, there, in that being aware of danger is not synonymous with being able to act on it. If there’s no visible reason for you to be acting strange, well...you’re just going to have to sit tight and sweat, aren’t you? Some gratuitous head wiggles never hurt when setting up that type of conflict.

Have I mentioned that they look cool? Simultaneously punchy and distinctive, with a respectable amount of leeway for artists to get creative with and still coming up with something easily recognizable? And pretty easy to intuit the meaning of even without the long-winded explanations common in the days when people wrote comics with the intent that someone could come in cold on any random issue and follow along okay, I think, although the mechanic has been deeply ingrained in popular culture for so long that I can’t really say for sure.

It was also useful back in the day when no artists drew the eyes on the Spider-Man mask as emoting and were conveying the lead’s expressions entirely through body language and panel composition. If you wiggle enough squiggles, you don’t need eyebrows.

Take This Handwave and Never Ask Me a Logistical Question Again

This ability patches plot holes faster than people can pick them open AND it can act as an excuse to get any plot rolling you can think of if paired with one meddling protagonist who doesn’t know how to mind their own business. Buy it now for only $19.99 (in four installments; that’s four installments of $19.99).

Why can a teenager win a six on one fight against other superhumans? Well, the spider-sense is the ultimate edge in combat, duh.

Why can Peter websling? Why doesn’t everyone websling? Well, the spider-sense is keeping him from eating flagpole when he violently flings himself across New York in a way neither man nor spider was ever meant to move.

How are we supposed to get him involved with the plot this week???? Well, that crate FELT dangerous, so he’s going to investigate it. Oh, dip, it was full of guns and radioactive snakes! Probably shouldn’t have opened that!

Yeah, okay, but why isn’t it fixing everything, then? Isn’t it supposed to be why Peter has never accidentally unmasked in front of somebody? ('Nother entry for this section, take a shot.) That’s crazy sensitive! How does he still have any problems!? Is everything bad that’s ever happened to characters with this powerset bad writing!? --Listen, I think as people with uncanny senses that can tell us whether we are in danger with accuracy that varies from incredible to approximate (I am talking about the five senses that most people have), we should all know better than to underestimate our ability to tune them out or interpret them wrong and fuck ourselves up anyway. I honestly find this part completely realistic.

*SLAPS ROOF OF SPIDER-SENSE* YOU CAN FIT SO MANY STORIES IN THIS THING

The spider-sense is a clean branch into...whatever. There is the exact right balance of structure and wishy-washiness to build off of. A sample selection of whatevers that have been built:

It’s sci-fi and spy gadgets when Peter builds technology that can interface with it.

It’s quasi-mystical when Kaine and Annie-May get stronger versions of it that give them literal psychic visions, or when you want to get mythological and start talking about all the spider-characters being part of a grand web of fate.

Kaine loses his and it becomes symbolic of a future newly unbound by constraints, entangled thematically with the improved physical health he picked up at the same time -- a loss presented as a gain.

Peter loses his and almost dies 782 times in one afternoon because that didn’t make the people he provoked when he had it stop trying to kill him, and also because he isn’t about to start “””taking the subway’’””’ “‘’“”to work”””’’” like some kind of loser who doesn’t get a heads up when he’s about to hit a pigeon at 50mph.

Peter’s starts tuning into his wife’s anxiety and it’s a tool in a relationship study.

It starts pinging whenever Peter’s near his boss who’s secretly been replaced by a shapeshifter and he IGNORES IT because his boss is enough of an asshole that that doesn’t strike him as weird; now it’s a comedy/irony tool.

Into the Spider-Verse made it this beautiful poetic thing connecting all the spider-heroes in the multiverse and stacked up a story on it about instant connection, loss, and incredibly unlikely strangers becoming a found family. It was also aesthetic as FUCK. Remember the scene where Miles just hears barely intelligible whispering that’s all lines people say later in the film and then his own voice very clearly says “look out” and then the room explodes?? Fuck!!!!

Venom becomes immune to it after hitchhiking to Earth in Peter’s bone juice and it makes him a unique threat while telling a more-homoerotic-than-I-assume-was-originally-intended story about violation and how close relationships can be dangerous when they go sour.

It doesn’t work on people you trust for maximum soap opera energy. Love the innate tragedy of this feature coming up.

IN CONCLUSION I don’t have much patience for writers who don’t take advantage of it, never mind feel they need to write around it.

[cheri-translates]

[CN] Victor’s Patio Date (Eng Translation)

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date which has not been released in English servers! 🍒

MC: It’s finally over!

I stretch, basking in the warm afternoon sunlight. 

MC: The air-conditioning in the meeting room was so strong. I almost sneezed...

Victor: That’s why you held your breath till your face turned red?

MC: I did not...

I want to retort, but both our phones vibrate at the same time. 

Curious, I tap and open the message. The sender is Ronan. The beginning of the message reads: “Inviting Mr Victor and Miss MC...”

[Note: If you don't know who Ronan is, check out Victor’s Understanding the Human World date before continuing]

Victor: To attend an appointment on the sky garden of the CR Building, a subsidiary company of LFG, after three days, at 7pm.

Victor softly reads the bottom half of the message aloud - he has received the same message.

MC: I remember that Ronan invited internationally renowned architects to build the film sets for his new movie. It should be this sky garden then? Since he has invited us, could it have something to do with the new movie? 

Victor: We’ll know when we get there.

He looks at the phone in his hand indifferently. Despite his expression, it seems he already has an answer. 

-

Three days later.

Victor and I reach the CR Building punctually. 

Ronan: The two of you are here. Come, the movie preview is on the top floor. 

Without much idle chat, we exchange greetings, and he enthusiastically leads us to the elevator. 

MC: The shoot has already been completed? That’s pretty fast. 

Ronan: Mm, the shoot this time went really smoothly. Whether in the capacity of a friend, or the biggest investor, I want the both of you to be the first few to see my movie. 

MC: Why did I receive an invitation too...

Hearing my soft confusion, Ronan laughs loudly while he responds.

Ronan: When we were shooting Dévotion, it was only because of your cooperation that I could shoot a romantic and poetic Chinese wedding. Also, the movie this time was largely inspired by the two of you, so inviting you is definitely reasonable. For example, Victor revealed that, to him, you are actually...

Victor: Often impudent, and require improvement in time management. But once you slow down, your work capabilities have indeed improved quite a bit.

MC: ...why do I feel like what you told Ronan had nothing to do with my work capabilities. 

I arch my eyebrows, not wanting to show signs of weakness. I toss a grimace towards Victor.

Before phrases in my mind such as “a woman’s instincts are very accurate” leave my mouth, Ronan starts laughing as he watches us from the side.

Ding--

Along with a soft ring, the elevator halts steadily at the highest level of the building. The exquisite sky garden greets my vision as the elevator doors open slowly. 

Green trees display their leaves on mid-air platforms, and flowers of differing colours are scattered around, decorating the area.

The course of a river is guided by steel, flowing into a waterfall, gathering into a river,  and slowly flowing around the trees and flowers.

Victor: The movie preview will start in ten minutes. How much longer do you plan to dillydally? 

As though he isn’t drawn to the view at all, Victor simply holds his hand out in front of me. 

MC: Yes, yes. As expected of the Mr CEO who has seen the big world - displaying an unchanging expression even after seeing such a view.

I hold onto his hand readily, and subtly lean against his side a little more.

The corners of Victor’s lips seem to curl upwards slightly. He accommodates to my footsteps, and we head to the venue together. 

-

The movie preview is extremely successful. 

Summarising the legend of the sky garden, Ronan illustrated a story of the male lead’s struggle at the end of the world, looking for an oasis. 

And the climax of the story occurred at this very sky garden--

Lights and shadows merged with drifting flower petals, the last green leaf, and the last water source at the very end of the world...

Apart from the excellent narrative, the visual effects from the film alone gives one unparalleled enjoyment. 

After the movie ends, I can’t help but give a standing ovation. 

A few members of the audience, who were immersed in the movie like I was, send their cheers to the directors and actors. 

MC: As expected of Ronan’s movie - it’s really brilliant.

Victor: Mm. It’s his usual standard. 

Although Victor says this, he isn’t stingy with his applause. 

MC: There’s a really immersive feeling knowing that we’re in the most beautiful scene of the movie...

Victor: Let’s go then.

Right after the words land, my palm is already encased in warmth. 

Victor: To look at the garden you’ve been thinking about in your heart since just now. 

MC: Okay! It’s a rare opportunity to walk into the beautiful scenery crafted by world-class directors and architects. If we don’t take a proper look, it’d be such a pity.

Victor: In that case, follow me and don’t let go of my hand again. 

MC: Anyway, no matter where I am, you’ll always find me in the end. I won’t get lost. 

We stand up, and I smile while holding onto his hand tightly. 

He lets out a soft laugh. Maybe it’s my misperception, but the night seems to become gentler along with him.

I hear the sound of gurgling water in my ears, and red corn poppies bloom among the shadows of trees.

My fingers brush against the tips of bushes, and I feel the branches carrying the coolness of night. 

MC: Sigh... it’s a shame that this place would be torn down after a while. And it’s such a beautiful set-up designed by a famous architect...

The more we stroll in the garden, the more I feel sorry for its impending disappearance.

Victor: You really can’t bear to see it gone? 

MC: In the bustling city, such a garden is just too precious. 

The corners of Victor’s lips lift in response to my words. He responds calmly. 

Victor: The garden will be retained, and will become a cafe open to the public in the long-term. 

MC: So in the future... it will also be LFG’s property?!

Victor doesn’t comment. 

Victor: Once the movie preview is over, there will be a gradual adjustment of the layout and decor. 

MC: ...it’s really nice to have money.

Victor: That’s your biggest takeaway after watching the preview? 

MC: Of course not. I have very deep thoughts regarding this movie!

Victor arches his brows, as though waiting for my “deep thoughts” and review. 

I clear my throat, temporarily tossing aside my feelings towards capitalism. In my mind, I start recalling the images from the movie. 

MC: In Ronan’s movie, the lead keeps searching for an “oasis” in order to settle down and have sustenance. Every person needs his own “oasis”. It’s only when one has a foothold and a place to rest can he continually move forward. 

Victor: Looks like you really watched it seriously. 

MC: Which is why I’m very surprised by your decision to retain this garden. Perhaps it can become an oasis for busy people in this bustling city. 

Victor: If it’s possible, that would be best. 

MC: You don't think such an idea is overly vague or idealistic? 

Victor: You can only move forward with some resources. This is the same for everyone. Moreover, it’s only when you have a goal in mind and know where you’re heading towards, can you walk far, and walk steadily. 

I run a few steps in front, then turn around to stick out my tongue at him.

MC: Are we here to participate in the movie preview, or to do an inspection with you? 

Victor: Watch where you’re going.

Slightly resigned, Victor pushes aside some branches sticking out along the path. He reaches out and pulls me back to his side. 

Suddenly, a different view from the slender and delicate poppies enters my vision.

MC: Roses!

I blink. In one corner of the garden, in replacement of poppies, crimson roses bloom warmly under the moonlight. 

At the side, there are even a few bean bags and a small coffee table. 

In the luxurious and majestic garden, the roses, while sharing the same colour as poppies, add a different style to the courtyard. 

My thoughts drift to the rose-scented town I had once taken a slow walk with him in.

[Note: This is a reference to Victor’s Magnificent Date] 

I can’t help but smile and ask Victor a question.

MC: Is this one of the methods to attract visitors and raise property value? 

Victor: Yes.

Victor admits it matter-of-factly, but there’s a smile in his eyes. 

Victor: Ronan’s team insisted on adding different understandings of this theme in order to portray a richer definition of an “oasis”. Since they asked for my opinion, I naturally gave them my view.

Standing under the warm yellow street lamp, Victor’s expression looks exceptionally tender. 

Victor: From what I see, the result isn’t bad. 

-

There is a subtle sweet aroma of roses in the air. I sit comfortably on a bean bag, asking Victor with a grin:

MC: What other adjustments will be made?

Dressed in a well-ironed suit, Victor is also half-lying on the bean bag, looking somewhat languid. The aura surrounding him has become much more gentle. 

It’s as though we aren’t at a bustling movie preview, or a sky garden on the top floor of a building.

It’s just a normal weekend evening, in a small courtyard belonging to us, as we shed off the week’s worth of fatigue.

I can’t help but think of the afternoon he slept in front of me, and remember the day he had revealed an almost imperceptible state of relaxation to me. 

[Note: This is a reference to Victor’s Return Home Date]

Victor: You look like you have a lot of thoughts? 

MC: Of course I do! I’ve been to various shooting locations, and have met mature producers with differing styles. Apart from that, I’m also a contemporary member of society with a delicate mind and good aesthetic sense. Which is why I’m clearer than anyone else about what a stressed worker needs most in terms of external care. Just look - even my house is very warm, right?

Victor: If you can change your habit of leaving things lying around, it might be considered a “warm” house. 

MC: This is called “integrating with the masses” - it’s a small beauty in life.

Recalling the earlier topic, I stand up, pulling Victor as we head to the inner area of the park.

MC: For example, I think this place could have a few more elegant seats.

I point at the hanging rattan chair underneath the flower stand. 

MC: That way, visitors would be more comfortable when sitting down. Also, this path we walked on - although it looks very pretty in the movie, it’s easy to get hooked by bushes at the side. If it weren’t for your words just now, I would have definitely bumped into it. Also...

I look towards the trail lined with trees on both sides, leading towards the centre of the park.

MC: Maybe this is just my selfish thought, and has nothing to do with increasing practicality or comfort. However, if I had a choice, I would change these trees to Platanus trees. 

Several strands of shock flash across Victor’s dark eyes. Then, he opens his mouth to ask in slight amusement:

Victor: Why is that so? 

MC: Legend says that the Hanging Gardens was created by the king of Babylon for his wife who was suffering from homesickness. 

[Note: Platanus trees were part of the Hanging Gardens. Platanus trees, also known as Oriental Plane Trees, are a frequent motif featured in Classical Chinese poetry as an embodiment of sorrowful sentiments due to its autumnal shedding of leaves]

I walk along the small trail, staring at the poppies swaying in the wind. 

I wonder if that king, all those thousands of years ago, carried such a heart - wanting to give such a luxurious gift to the person he loved. 

MC: No matter what others may say, I also wish to leave the best things to the person most important to me. To build an oasis within his sight and touch where he can have a peace of mind. You’ve left a corner of the camellia garden for me, so I also wish to give you a small trail lined with Platanus trees. 

[Note: This is a reference to Victor’s Maze date, which is available in EN]

I raise my head with a smile, not caring that my cheeks have already heated up. I observe Victor’s dark coloured eyes carefully, and tell him what’s in my heart calmly and sincerely.

Victor pauses for a moment. Apart from surprise, his eyes also contain an undercurrent of a deeper and heavier emotion. 

Victor: With so many ideas, not letting you write a proposal to collaborate with the design team would be a waste of talent. When exactly did you learn to say such things? 

In the end, all his emotions culminate into his usual ridicule, which is more tender than usual.

Curling his fingers, he taps me on the forehead with some affection. 

MC: If you feel happy, you can just say it directly, really. 

Victor: And when did you hear me say that? 

MC: I felt it!

While laughing, I step onto the stairs, looking at the blooming poppy flowerbed. 

The flowerbed, which is suspended in mid-air, is the highest point of the garden. It is held up firmly by chains above the pool.

MC: Do you feel like I’m especially thoughtful and especially cute right now? 

Victor: I only feel that you’re especially childish.

While Victor says this, he walks up to the stairs and holds onto my hand. 

Victor: And that you’re truly a dummy. 

It is only when he draws nearer that I can clearly see the upward curve of his lips. 

Apart from the faraway lights and the water under us, his eyes also reflect my brilliantly smiling face. 

The flowerbed sways back and forth in small motions. 

Sitting here, I not only have a panoramic view of the garden, but can also overlook the entirety of Loveland City.

In the distance, the city lights are scattered around, artificial light sources forming another galaxy on earth.

MC: Victor, you once said that you would look at Loveland City from a height whenever you’re in a bad mood. I think I can understand something I didn’t think of before!

Victor: What do you understand this time? 

MC: This garden on the top level of the building, where you can overlook Loveland City, is perhaps your oasis. Now that I think about it, everything I said just now was unnecessary, right? 

Recalling my eloquent suggestions to Victor earlier, I start feeling slightly embarrassed.

Victor: Looks like you still don’t know anything.

MC: Tell me - what should I know then?

Supporting myself on the flowerbed with one hand, I grin, turning around to ask him.

The suspended flowerbed sways violently from my sudden movement. Only then do I remember that there are only a few fulcrums holding up the flower bed. 

With an unstable footing, I subconsciously reach out to clutch onto Victor, trying to maintain my balance. However, I still fall against the flower bed, hurting my shoulder blade.

Victor: You’re being impatient again.

[Note: There isn’t a direct translation of the phrase used here, 毛毛躁躁 (”mao mao zao zao”), but it conveys the idea of doing things hurriedly and inattentively]

His voice resounds very close to me. I open my eyes, and directly meet his line of sight.

Because of my sudden movement, Victor has also been pulled towards me. 

One of his hands is wrapped around the back of my head, preventing me from hitting it. Another hand is at my ear, holding me steady. 

Right now, this action seems to be imprisoning me between the fresh flowers and himself. 

MC: S...sorry, I’ll pay more attention next time...

I stammer, my heart rate speeding up. 

Victor: You said this the last time as well. 

The heat from summer has not fully dissipated. Humidity lingers in the air. 

The poppies in the garden bloom quietly, and the night is warm. It’s as though everything I see and feel have become gentle. 

Even Victor’s eyes and outline grow blurry from the light and shadows, encasing him in a layer of tenderness. 

Our sudden proximity causes my heart rate to accelerate, and it feels like my thoughts have been stuck in place. 

I avert my gaze, slightly guilty. I raise my palm to put some distance between us. 

MC: We’re about done with the viewing. The dinner is about to begin, so we should head down... I remember it’s one level below? 

Victor: ...do you know that your ability to change the topic is very poor. 

Victor sighs softly, then gently shifts his hand away from the back of my head. 

When the warmth belonging to him vanishes, a sense of longing floods my heart. 

It’s as though I have awakened from a charming dream surrounded by warm currents, returning to reality once again.

But in the next second, the warmth I’m most familiar with envelops my wrist.

Looking into his dark eyes, I think I must have truly misunderstood. 

Whether it’s the Babylonian king from thousands of years ago, or any other ordinary person, the thing people truly want isn’t the view from their memory. It’s the person they want to share the view with. 

Victor: I’m going to answer your question from just now. Listen carefully. 

Victor: The words you said are not unnecessary. 

Victor: And I am indeed very happy.

Victor shifts upwards, encircling me in front of him again. 

He is so close that the entire world seems to be condensed into his pair of eyes. 

The fountain spurts at regular intervals, shattering the calm of the water. Water vapour floating in the air refracts light, caging us in a colourful curtain of light. 

Victor: Just now, someone eloquently mentioned wanting to build an oasis within my sight and touch. And now you’re so anxious - where do you want to run off to? 

Perhaps the temperature of the evening is overly gentle, and the light from the water is too fine. I’m unable to see what emotions lie in Victor’s eyes. 

As the distance between us closes, I can clearly see every gentle quiver of his eyelashes, and can feel the heat from every lingering breath from our noses. 

His lips move slightly, as though wanting to say something to me. 

Before he can speak, the fountain spurts again. This time, the cool water happens to spray onto us. 

MC: Ah...

I want to hurriedly straighten up and dry Victor, but a gentle yet irresistible pressure pushes me back down. 

The water columns from the fountain change, forming into different heights and shapes. Scattered droplets of water patter on us like light rain.

Victor’s hair, which has always been tidied meticulously, droops slightly because of the water droplets. 

The slender poppies beside us sway slightly. Water vapour condenses on the flower petals, dripping down along the body of the flower. 

Victor: No need to care about that. Having you here is enough. 

His slightly hoarse voice brushes against my ear along with his breath. It circles past the nape of my neck, evoking a certain numbness. 

Victor’s body temperature continuously travels to my wrist, entering my heart. 

Victor: My “oasis”... has already belonged to me since a very long time ago.

🌹 

Phone Call: here 

[ridetherain]

Some Zelink parenting to make me feel better. Happy Mother's Day to the mothers.

Superpower

Words: 2094

"Link," Zelda said, "Can you hold the baby for Rhondson? She's agreed to fit me for that cold-weather gear we agreed on."

I gave her a swift nod and cautiously took the sleeping bundle. Rhondson spent a moment adjusting my arms and grip before she gave my head a pat and bustled behind a partition with Zelda.

I let the two women's discussion of what color and cut would be best for our adventures fade to the back of my mind as I wandered around the recently expanded shop. Rhondson had moved on from just Gerudo styles to add some Rito cloth (likely due to Fyson's enterprising) and even a few water-resistant options. None were as good as my Zora armor, but still quality fabric.

Zelda and I have spent the last several years touring Hyrule and stitching the disparate peoples into one community. Zelda steered any discussion of retaking the throne to a more democratic direction and, after we married, I understood her fear and supported democracy wholeheartedly. So instead, we found ourselves working as neutral parties and messengers throughout Hyrule.

The Rito outgrew their village a generation ago but resisted expansion into Hebra while the calamity ruled. Zelda and I were preparing for an extended survey of the mountains for a suitable location to build a new town.

I slowly circled the shop again and gave the baby a gentle bounce when Rhondson and Zelda's conversation turned into an argument.

"Rhondson! I'm going to be out in the wild for weeks! Roughing it! Sleeping in tents! Climbing mountains!"

"Just be careful! If you watch where you step then it shouldn't matter. You're the Princess! I won't have you leave this shop in anything but my best work! Besides, you said your jacket was white Before!"

"Hyrule is a democracy!"

I gave a little cough to remind them that other people exist. Zelda stepped out from behind the partition without a shirt on and glared at me. I smiled and covered the sleeping baby's eyes with one hand.

"Zelda!" I scolded, "Madison will see!"

She stuck her nose in the air and spoke to Rhondson without looking away or moving out of sight.

"Fine. Just do the pink then. Anything but white."

I smirked and tried to cover it by looking down and pretending to be fascinated by Madison's habit of sleeping while I'm holding her. Zelda hated pink. When I chanced a glance back up I saw immediately that I did not trick her and the thoughtful look on her face meant she was already planning her revenge.

---

Her revenge sucked. For me, anyway, I'm sure she enjoyed herself. My beautiful Rito set of winter gear was dyed. The jacket was a horrendous yellow and, predictably, the pants were pink. Every time she caught sight of me she started laughing. Worst of all, she clearly used some of our best ingredients to dye her pink jacket to a nice shade of dark blue so I'm the only one looking ridiculous.

The Rito children all loved my colorful appearance when we returned with our survey results. Kaneli was polite enough not to comment, but pretty much everyone else in the village did and by the time I got to the children I gave up and just let them hang on me and enjoy the mismatched clothes.

Zelda flashed me another smile at the sight of my clothes but stayed out of the fray with Amali.

"Mister Link? I'm tired."

"That's good," I said, "It's pretty late, so you're supposed to be tired."

Cree thought hard about what I said for a minute. Her little face scrunched up and I subtly glanced at my wife. She was glaring again. Cree gave a nod and wandered off to her bed with a sleepy "'night Mister Link" and the rest of the children followed her out. I gave Zelda my full attention.

"What's up?"

"Nothing."

I sighed. She'd tell me eventually. Or maybe not. Sometimes she forgot. I suppressed a smile at the thought. She'd been ridiculous lately, but after the stress of this trip is out of her system I was certain she would get back to her usual self.

---

Zelda did eventually get back to her usual self. By the time we got back to Hateno, Zelda was on another project and writing furiously in her journal. For once she wasn't letting me in on the project and didn't think out loud other than complete incomprehensible gibberish. The notebook she was using had lists drawn up of completely random words under number headings with no context.

Whatever she was into this time was pretty big and was taking all her energy. She didn't consult books which probably meant she was working on ancient technology again. That's the only subject she knew better than any book written. Eventually, I decided I needed to say something. She wasn't taking proper care of herself. She was eating well, but she wasn't out walking as much and it showed a little. She would be angry with herself when she pulled out of her project and found herself unable to hike up to the tech lab with me.

"Zel? Want to come up to the pond with me? We can go swimming."

"No, sorry, I'm a little busy today."

"You've been busy a lot lately. What have you been working on?"

Zelda looked nervous when she flipped the pages back and turned them to face me. I looked curiously at the lists she's been working on.

"One... Significant people... Sleep... Sitting... What is this?"

"Developmental milestones."

I still didn't understand. She grimaced and pushed her hair back from where it had fallen in front of her eyes. It revealed the dark circles from lack of sleep.

"For children."

"Oh..." I looked at the list again, "Did Amali ask for help? Is something wrong with one of the girls?"

"No, it's not for her... It's for us."

I was going through each girl one at a time and considering the items on the list. None of them stuck out to me.

"I wanted a clear timeline. Amali said there wasn't a book on how to raise a child, but I'm so worried about forgetting something so I figured I would write everything I could think of down and ask as many people as possible."

It took a minute for her words to filter into my head. I decided that Kheel was a little behind her sisters, but that was fine because she was the youngest. And Madison was too little still for most everything on the list. My muscles seized up and my breath started coming quicker. I spent one terrifying moment tense without knowing why I was so afraid.

"For... us..."

The room was tilting. This must be what Zelda means when she says she doesn't like being on the Sheikah towers.

"Yes, Link. Who else would I do this for?"

Okay. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. Zelda was still talking. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. Make sure you understand.

"You're pregnant." I said, confirming.

"Yes."

"With a baby."

She scrunched her nose at me.

"Yes with a baby. What else would I be pregnant with?"

I finally looked up into her eyes and her whole face softened at me.

"Oh, Link, don't panic. Yes, I'm pregnant. We're going to have a little baby here next spring. You're going to be a wonderful father."

My heart stuttered in its rhythm at the word "father." My hyperventilating stopped. My breathing stopped. Something wet hit my cheeks and I realized I was crying. I looked through blurry eyes at Zelda and saw her smiling back at me.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I just panicked. And I thought you'd stop our Hebra survey early if you knew."

The happiness I had started to recognize was immediately shoved out of the way for my terror.

"You were pregnant!" I fairly screeched in her face. I opened my mouth to shout at her some more, but nothing came out. I didn't have words that matched my fear so I closed my mouth and stared at her with wide eyes. The hyperventilating was back.

---

I was unbearable. I know I was because Zelda told me so repeatedly. I was mostly fine until it became obvious that she was pregnant. Something about the visual of a bump made the child more real than her words ever could.

We visited Kakariko, but I refused to take her further afield than that. Madison was almost a year old now and we hadn't seen her since before I knew of Zelda's pregnancy. Rhondson sent letters and I know Zelda wanted opinions from another woman who had recently given birth, but it was too far and too dangerous. I flat-out refused to let her teleport with the Slate. She was so angry with me that she kicked me out of the house and I had to spend the night at our cookpot. I told her I took a room at the inn. When I tried to convince her to let me move the bed downstairs she finally put her foot down and I was left to grumble.

She's due in a couple weeks and I've timed myself at running to the midwife. It takes seven minutes for me to get there and it will probably be more to bring her back.

Zelda had her feet up in front of the fire since the winter chill hadn't quite left Hateno yet despite the start of spring. Her hand was rubbing gentle circles into her stomach.

"Link, I need your superpowers."

I smiled at our little joke. My skill at putting children to sleep extended to settling an unborn child's kicking. I sat on the floor next to her and leaned my head cautiously against her just in case the baby decided to kick me in the face. Again.

"Come on, kid. Your mom needs some rest." I took over the circling with my hand and hummed the lullaby Zelda taught me.

Zelda sucked in a sharp breath. I hummed a little louder and used my free hand to take hers and gave it a squeeze.

"Link?"

"Hmmm?"

"Don't panic..."

I immediately tensed at the words and looked up at her. Her eyes were tense and a grimace was frozen on her face.

"I need you to go get the midwife."

"You're not due yet," I said stupidly, "we have another two weeks."

Zelda gasped again. I shot to my feet and hovered over her.

"Okay, okay," I said, "Just... Stay here... I'll... Okay..."

I rushed to the door and wrenched it open. Seven minutes plus however much time it takes to get back. I glance back at Zelda. It goes against the grain to leave her in pain. Maybe this is why the other Hero's didn't marry their Zelda.

---

Purah heard my headlong flight through town for the midwife and came down to visit after a few hours. The midwife roped her into helping with the birth and kicked me out of the house. I ended up waiting at the cookpot again while Symin filled the silence.

I shook like a leaf at the sound of Zelda's shouts and gasps. The wooden door only muffled so much. But the moment my child cried nothing could keep me out. I slammed the door open and rushed to the midwife. The woman had no patience for my "hysteria." She made me wait while the baby was cleaned and swaddled.

Zelda was exhausted. She was damp with sweat and weak. I held her hand and pushed her wet hair from her face. I could only glance at her occasionally. My attention was caught by the screaming child at our kitchen table. My child. Our child. The midwife brought the bundle of cloth to us and placed it in Zelda's arms. I helped her keep ahold of the baby - her arms were about ready to give out. The child barely paused for breath between cries.

"Link?" Zelda said, "I need your superpowers."

My hands shook as I arranged my arms as Rhondson had taught me and Zelda carefully passed the bundle to me. I hummed the tune I had been using for months and my superpower held. The cries lessened, but wide blue eyes blinked at me instead of closing in sleep. After so much time worried about pregnant Zelda that I didn't think to worry about my child. I was going to be unbearable.

A daughter.

[analyzingadventure]

I’ve wanted to write about this for ages and Psi has kind of made relevant so

I always thought it was weird if we saw a Digimon die and then come back as the exact same species of Digimon.

(This isn’t specific to any series though I do use Adventure a lot in this discussion. May also contain spoilers for Psi)

Now admitedly there aren’t too many examples of this in the franchise (Patamon and Leomon being one of the few notable ones), but that is mainly because deaths are fairly rare, and even deaths we do see, it’s even rarer to see them come back (even when we know the mechanics of the world should make it totally possible)*. But nonetheless, it always felt weird to me when it did happen (or when us fans assume the Digimon would come back as the same species)

To properly explain why it feels weird to me, I first need to ramble about Digimon as “persons” and evolution as a whole

The thing that makes people who they are, are their memories. It’s their life experiences and their feelings of those experiences. It’s not where you’re born, the community you live in or the culture you’re raised in- of course these do affect who you are, but all they do is influence your life experiences and feelings about everything. They are incredbly imporant, and they play a factor in making you “you”, but those things aren’t “you”; “you” are your memories.    And an imporant note here, is that who you are changes as you grow older, as you gain more experiences, feelings and memories. That’s why the “10yo you” is different from the “20yo you” or "40yo you” (etc), and why you will continue to change, even if it was ever so slightly, as you get older. Hell, the “you” who started reading this essay minutes ago is already a different person from the “you” who is reading this sentence right now. “You” are everchanging, ever-evolving.

So what makes a Digimon “them”? Or, more specifically, what makes each Digimon the species they are?    Yes, this is a deeply related question for me, because we humans (I swear I’m not a robot) do express “who we are” outside, through our actions, our interests and how we appear to others, though not just what clothes we wear but also stuff like how we do our hair, tattoos, bodymods etc, not to mention things people don’t have control over from eye color, race, bodytype, height, all the way to disablities.

So if we as humans express so much (and so little) of “who we are” through how we appear, how would Digimon do it? How do Digimon express who they are?

It always just made sense to me if that was through evolution. That just as a Digimon experiences things, their evolutions will reflect the person they are, their feelings, memories, who they want to be.

Honestly this is one of the main reasons why I’ve always hated strict, Pokémon-like evolution lines (not even trees, just lines!!) in Digimon, the idea that these non-physical, A.I. data monsters can only appear a certain way through their lifespans based on whatever they were born as is just depressing to me. And while one might argue “it’s just how they are”, that rule only exists if you specifically go out of your way to write it in, otherwise there’s no reason for it to exist, but I’m getting super sidetracked ranting right now

Like just as an example of the kind of freedom I like to think Digimon could and should have, I want you to picture in your mind an Agumon.

Just a regular ol’ Agumon, living in the Digital World, minding their own business. This Agumon starts travelling for fun, enjoying seeing the world and whatever. During this time they realize they’re not really built for travelling and while their stamina increases as they go on and they get better at hiking, they still kind of wish they were more “built” for this type of activity so that they could enjoy their life more- And eventually they evolve into a Centarmon! Now they can move faster (etc) and enjoy their travelling life more, and they do just that! Life is great!     Until one day they come across the ocean, a beautiful, vast “world” of its own, but one... they can’t explore, at least not any longer than they can hold their breath. They still spend their time exploring what they can, near the beaches etc, until one day their wish to explore the ocean is fulfilled and they evolve into a MegaSeadramon! And now they have great access to the oceans!

Like this example is very extreme, but you get what I mean, with the idea that the evolutions reflect the type of person the Digimon is, what they enjoy and who they want to be. It’s the ever-evolving reflection of their heart that I love

**(Sidenote at the bottom)

And this is why I think it'd make sense if Digimon came back as a different species entirely.

Because while death may have reset their evolution stages back to zero, if the Digimon retains all their memories from their previous life, all their experiences, hopes, wishes and dreams, all of their feelings... Then why would all the growth the Digimon had gone through in their previous life be reset? Shouldn’t their new life continue their previous growth and take different forms to reflect any new paths the mon might take in this life?

Just to use the Agumon from above as an example, if this mon died after spending quite some time as a MegaSeadramon, loving being a sea serpent and living in the ocean, wouldn’t it make sense they came back as a Sangomon instead of an Agumon (and yeah I think the Baby forms could be different too, depending on what they were but I’m skipping these)? Now of course, if they were happy living in the ocean and just totally content there, it’d make total sense if they then evolved to Seadramon and finally back to MegaSeadramon, I’m not saying they can’t come back to where they started at. What I do think is that it’d be weird if this mon went through the same Agumon -> Centarmon -> MegaSeadramon lifespan all over again if they wanted to be a sea-dweller from the get-go.     And of course, as I alluded earlier; what if this Digimon, while living in the ocean as a Sangomon during their second life actually felt like they had seen what the ocean had to offer? What if they started hoping they could explore the skies? What if that wish helped them evolve to Airdramon instead, and they never go back to being a MegaSeadramon?    This is what I mean when I say the second life would be a continuation of their life and their growth, it shouldn’t reset those things.

Now of course, from a simple writing point of view, it’d be confusing if a Digimon we were previously familiar with died and came back as a totally different Digimon, and even more confusing for kids. It’s easier to keep it simple and leave the Digimon the same species as they were in their previous lives

Additionally, most of these characters that we’ve seen die have always been minor characters with limited to non-existant histories; characters like Leomon, Whamon, Scumon+Chuumon, Piccolomon etc, while they’re all really well characterized with distinct personalities, they don’t have histories, backstories, they’re not deep characters. And making this many minor characters with deep backstories for a kids show would be really hard to pull off when you have deadlines to meet and no budget. So showing “the growth” these Digimon have gone through is not really do-able, not with these characters at least.

The Digimon with the most potential here would be Orgamon (the best developed minor character in Adventure) but he never died, Nanomon for sure, and possibly Wizarmon (esp. since his data could be like mildly busted, due to not being a Digimon originally and then dying in the Human World; if anything I think it’d be fun if Wizarmon could “come back” but as a Bakemon or something)

And as far as Patamon goes in Adventure, I do think with him it’s fine he came back in the same Digimon forms.    Like my previous examples with “the Agumon”, this would be like natural evolution that happens over long, looong periods of time, years upon years no doubt, as the Digimon grows as a person. But the partner Digimon, they don’t really have the time to grow naturally, their evolutions aren’t really reflections of their growth. Rather, their evolutions are just powered up versions of who they are, with some reflection from their human partners. So with these partner Digimon (especially the Adventure-type “soul fragment” Digimon, less so with other series like especially Xros Wars), the evolutions being super linear does make sense and work just fine. And as an extention of that, these Digimon dying and coming back in the same species works out, like with Patamon in Adventure

Psi however, makes things a lot more interesting, because in Psi, the partner Digimon have backstories of their own.

Now for the most part, since the partners had lost their memories of their time fighting Mille as the Warriors, their growth being totally reset and them going through the same steps all over again does kinda make sense, it’s maybe a lil dull but that’s probably just my bias from being overly familiar with these characters.

But then there’s Patamon and Tailmon, two Digimon who retain their memories from their previous lives and the growth they’ve gone through. That growth, was own their own, from their own lives without any influence from any humans. But now, they have human partners, who influence them and their growth. And Psi has seemingly kind of spoiled the endgame for us, at least to some capacity?

We know in their previous lives Patamon and Tailmon were a Seraphimon and an Ofanimon, but based on the new key visual/poster, it seems Psi wants to use Goddramon and Holydramon as their final evolutions instead! And honestly, even if these evolutions didn’t come as a result of all the stuff I’ve rambled about in this post, it’ll still work for me for those reasons.

Additionally, while we know Patamon was only temporarily taking the form of Pegasmon because he lost his power and was literally unable to evolve to Angemon, for previously mentioned reasons if they had kept the Pegasmon evolution for the rest of the series it still would’ve worked for me, as it could’ve been seen as Pegasmon being a reflection of Takeru’s childlike innocence influencing Patamon’s evolutions

But yeah. I can’t remember if I had like a bottom line when I started writing this but it sure as hell is gone from my mind now, point is, I kinda wish Digimon’s evolution was seen slightly differently and written slightly differently, and explored more, especially through the Digimon who had previously died (who I would also like to see come back when the rules of the universe allow it instead of just ignoring the fact that they should be alive and well). And generally speaking I wish Digimon were written with more depth. Thank you for reading this incoherent mess

*Sidenote; arguably I think this could’ve applied to tri. as well, the Digimon who had their memories wiped completely could’ve totally evolved into different Digimon and maybe even should’ve

**Sidenote, this wouldn’t mean there’s NO limitations to what species a Digimon could evolve into; for example, just because you want to be a super powerful heroic Digimon like Omegamon it doesn’t mean you CAN evolve into Omegamon; if being valiant and heroic at heart were requirements to evolve to Omegamon, then unless you’re truly valiant and heroic at heart then you probably wouldn’t be able to evolve to Omegamon, if anything you might end up as Omekamon instead. Similarly if a certain species have other specific requirements, be it like Jogress requirements or Digimentals etc, then unless those requirements were met the evolution wouldn’t be possible     So what I’m getting at is that limitations/requirements could totally still exist (depending on the rules of the specific setting), but being “the right species” to go from A to B wouldn’t and shouldn’t be one, at least not in my heart, but I digress

[fanfalc-616]

The Rights Of A Nindroid

Chapter Seventeen

(Previous Chapter Here)

@ablackswansweet once again helped me with Kyle, he’s basically her OC at this point-

So...

How much do you all hate me? (:

Upon realizing that he had slipped up and thought the way they had wanted him to, Zane redoubled his efforts at resisting.

He cannot fall victim to their lies. He must stay strong. His team is coming for him, it- it has been over six months, yes, but surely they will be here soon. They have not- they would not give up on him, it- they will come for him soon. He only has to hold on a little longer, yes, just a little longer, and then they’ll take him home, back home, back where he is loved and cared for.

Just a little longer.

He can last a little longer.

YOU OKAY?

Zane feels himself shaking, unable to honestly answer the question. He had not told Cryptor of the way he had internally referred to himself as an ‘it’, and he doesn’t plan to. Saying it aloud… acknowledging what he had done seems to make it more real. He would confirm that he is giving into their desires, he would no longer be able to ignore what is staring him in the face.

YES

It’s a lie, plain and simple. Zane is not okay, and he will one day have to come to terms with this fact.

But today is not that day.

Today, he will allow himself the luxury of ignorance.

Today, he holds onto a non-existent shred of dignity.

Today, he lets himself believe in the lie that everything is okay.

That lie is all he has left.

{ { { { { { { { { { ~ } } } } } } } } } }

Cryptor can see through Zane easily. Maybe it’s because he was based on his design, but he’s always known the white ninja better than he’d care to admit.

Zane is not okay, no matter what he says. At this point, it seems like he’s trying to convince himself more than Cryptor.

And that’s a bad sign. A very, very bad sign.

It seems that he’s resisting more, at least- it’s taking longer before they bring him back to the locker, so he must be putting up a fight.

But Cryptor finds himself worrying that it’s more of an extinction burst, a large amount of effort and defiance that happens just before he falls into learned helplessness.

He can’t lose Zane, he- he can’t. At this point, Zane is all he has left.

If he breaks, Cryptor won’t be far behind.

Every day is longer than the one before. It takes every ounce of effort and strength he has to prevent himself from giving in.

But he manages to keep a grip, to hold onto his sanity. He’s going to be fine, he’ll hold out as long as he needs to.

Because this won’t be how it ends. This won’t be how he goes out. He refuses to let himself be brought down, not here, not like this.

If he loses, it’ll be in battle, they will have to take him apart piece by oil-soaked piece.

He still has his dignity, damn it, and that’s one thing that they will never take from him. He might lose it at times, but he won’t give up entirely.

Cryptor isn’t a ninja. He never had been, and doesn’t want to be.

But he will never quit.

That is one thing that him and Zane have in common.

At least… something they had in common.

Now? Now, Cryptor’s not so sure. Zane isn’t quite right anymore. Zane isn’t… he doesn’t seem very Zane, as strange as it sounds.

He’s started to lose himself, started to succumb to the whims of their captors.

Cryptor can only hope that he’ll be able to hang on.

Because as much as he doesn’t want to admit it, Cryptor is scared. Terrified, actually.

Terrified of their captors.

Terrified of losing Zane.

Terrified of being alone again.

He can’t… he can’t handle being alone again.

Closing his eyes, he realizes that the days he has left are numbered. It’s only so long until Zane breaks.

And when he does, he’ll take Cryptor with him.

Because he can’t handle being alone again. And if the only way to avoid that is becoming their pawn…

Then so be it.

{ { { { { { { { { { ~ } } } } } } } } } }

Sentry looks over at Kyle, who seems deep in thought as he stares at the blueprint for the way the neural net connects to different gears.

“You don’t need to memorize it or anything, you’re mostly just going to be working on some simple mechanisms for now.”

“No I know I don’t need to memorize it, but I was thinking about, maybe, a different design? You know, when you connect the gear mechanisms to the CPU, you should run them through the sensors first. That way it would let a nindroid feel more subtle things, and improve their sensory abilities.”

Blinking a few times, Sentry looks back at the blueprints, comparing the new design idea to the existing one.

“That’s… actually a good idea.” He looks back over at Kyle, impressed with the line of thought. “Granted, feeling things more intensely might cause pain if not regulated properly, but it would be easy enough for them to learn.” While the second part is more to himself than Kyle, the blond seems amused by it, chuckling to himself.

He then mumbles something under his breath that Sentry can’t quite make out, but he elects to ignore it- if Kyle wants him to hear, he’ll speak up. If not, it’s none of his business.

Taking another moment to think on how the different wires might connect, Sentry pulls up a blank blueprint on the screen.

“Could you show me your idea here? A visual model would be helpful.” It’s interesting how quickly Kyle had come up with the idea- it’s almost like he had prior knowledge about how nindroid systems work.

"Yeah sure, give me a minute. I'm just moving this here and…"

Kyle’s nose scrunches up in concentration and he carefully alters the digital blueprint, rearranging the location of the wires and how they connect.

Frowning, Sentry watches the way the wires cross. “Is there enough space to connect things? That looks like it might be painful if put that way.”

Kyle blinks, glancing back over at Sentry.

"Oh! My bad. Made a mistake, don't worry. We wouldn't want to hurt them, now would we?" For a moment, Sentry could swear that there’s a flicker of a smile, a smile that makes him uneasy. But that expression wouldn’t seem to fit what he knows of Kyle, so he shakes his head, brushing it off.

Still, something about the way the words are phrased and spoken puts him on edge. He feels like there’s something he’s missing, but he can’t quite put his finger on what it is.

“No, we wouldn’t.” He agrees, ignoring the feeling. He’s only tense because he’s stressing about Cryptor, that’s all it is. He needs to stop reading into it so much; he has a job and he can’t get distracted so easily.

Kyle fixes the arrangement of the wires before turning back to Sentry with a blinding smile, nothing like the unnerving one that he had though he’d seen.

"Okay, all done! What's next, sir?"

Shaking his head, Sentry gives his own gentle smile. “Just Sentry is fine. And now I think I’ll run this by Dad and see what he thinks about it. Feel free to look around at the other systems while I do.”

"Don't need to tell me twice."

While the response is kind of odd, Sentry ignores the unfounded worry and copies the blueprints to his internal files, heading off to go find Cyrus.

There’s nothing to be worried about. It’s fine.

There- there’s nothing to be worried about. It’s all in his head.

Sentry once again pushes the thoughts from his mind as he steps into the elevator.

Kyle is just an intern. There’s no reason that Sentry should be worried about him.

Still. Maybe a quick background check wouldn’t hurt…

{ { { { { { { { { { ~ } } } } } } } } } }

The damn brat is trying to start up another conversation with him, but Cryptor really doesn’t care about anything he has to say.

"Hey General, you'll never guess what Sentry showed me." Kyle chirps.

Okay. He’s got his attention. “Wh- what who showed you?” A moment too late, Cryptor realizes that he should’ve kept the fear out of his voice.

The blond raises an eyebrow in interest. "The nindroid general, all in white. You must know it, right?"

Cryptor shifts in his bonds as he looks away. “We- we’ve met.” He admits.

"Met, huh. Like Original and its ‘friends’ met?" The amusement in his voice makes Cryptor bristle in annoyance.

“What?! No!” The way his power source heats up refutes his claims, but Cryptor is hoping that Kyle doesn’t notice that.

So maybe he likes Sentry as more than a friend. It doesn’t matter. The other doesn’t like him like that, anyway.

If he really did, he would’ve come to rescue him by now.

"Ow. You're no fun," he says, mockery and mischief in his voice.

Sighing, the nindroid gives in. “... what did he show y- wait.�� Sudden fear sets into him. “H- how do you know him?! What did you do?!”

"Calm down, it's not like you personally know the guy, it's not important for you to know how I know it..." It's clear the blond is trying to make him admit something. His choice of words seems very deliberate.

“I- you- that's not…” Cryptor groans, giving in. “Okay, fine, I know him. Now what did you do?”

"Know it how?" He insists, not satisfied with Cryptor's answers.

There’s no getting out of this, is there? Looking down, he speaks up. “He- he saved my life. I owe him.” He admits, choosing not to mention the time they had spent together after the white nindroid had let him stay at Borg Tower.

A low, dangerous chuckle escapes the brat. "I wonder how it'd feel if it knew how useless that was, with you wasting that life here-" His smile grows even wider with each word.

“It’s not like I came here intentionally!” The nindroid snaps, glaring sharply. Does this brat seriously think he can shift the blame onto Cryptor? He’s not stupid.

"And yet the result is the same," he sighs in annoyance. Then, his eyes light up. A terribly unsettling shine, like the sparks of a match before a forest fire. "Oh, I wonder how Martha would like another test subject soon!"

Cryptor feels himself tense up.“Don’t.” He growls out.

The blond doesn't even seem fazed by his threats. "What if we released you in its place? We don't really need three subjects," he admits.

Cryptor feels unease take over him. He- he wouldn’t want Sentry to be stuck here- never in a million years- and he knows that any promise of freedom is a lie, but he… he doesn’t want to be stuck here anymore. He doesn’t want to be hurt anymore.

“I…” He trails off for a moment before managing to continue. “…that… you can’t…”

"Is the heartless and snarky General growing a liking to someone other than itself? Now that's interesting." He sounds amused again. It's really all just a sick game to him.

“Don’t. You can’t just…” Cryptor grits his teeth. “I- I have emotions. You should know this by now. But just because I feel things doesn’t mean I’m attached like that.”

"Then you shouldn't mind if Sentry went missing for a few days." The boy eyes him from the side. "I mean, you don't like it like that, anyways."

He gives his best passive-aggressive smile- or he tries to, before silently cursing at his lack of a faceplate.“You can have friends without romance. Also, fuck you.”

A sharp snicker escapes Kyle. "Always a pleasure talking to you, asshole." He breathes out, then stretches a little. "Anyways… I'm gonna go meet it- uh, him."

Sudden panic washes over him as he stares at the blond. “Don’t- you- you can’t bring him here! Don’t you dare touch him!” He snarls out.

Kyle’s signature psychopathic expression appears on his face. "Oh but I can, I will and I'll dare if it elicits this type of fun reactions out of you." He laughs before heading for the exit. "Bye, don't miss me too much!" He says mockingly, dramatically blowing him a kiss.

“Hey!” Cryptor shouts after him, mind racing as he struggles to figure out what in the name of the FSM he could possibly do in this situation. “Hey, you- come back here! You can’t-“

The voice becomes less and less audible. He can barely make out what the brat yells at him from the hallway. "I'm not listening! I can't hear you anymore! I'm under a tunnel or whatever-"

“No, I- you can’t- that’s not…” Cryptor hesitates as he realizes what he has to do. The only thing he can do that even stands a chance of working.

“I- Master, please! Hurt me! Leave him alone!”

A pause.

Then sounds of running footsteps echoing in the empty spaces get closer. Kyle's head appears at the entrance, a shiny smile on his face. "You called?"

Cryptor struggles to hold onto his pride, to his dignity- but he can’t. He can’t let Sentry get hurt.

“I… M- Master, please, don’t hurt him. Hurt- hurt me instead.” The words are breathed out softly; Cryptor being unable to hold onto his cocky facade. If he had tear ducts, his eyes would likely be watering.

A soft smile replaces the boy's previous expression. He seems… satisfied. That's a first. "Well, I can't say no to you when you beg like that." His finger lightly tapping on his cheek shows he's thinking as he slowly speaks. "And the looming threat of it getting hurt is enough pain on its own for you today, I suppose…"

“I… look, whatever you want.” Cryptor gives in, hating himself for it. “Just… don’t hurt him.”

"Behave and I'll think about it." Kyle's tone is hard, but not mean like before. It looks like he calmed down a little.

“I- I can’t… I…” He’s trembling, he’s shaking so much, but he looks down, admitting defeat. But still, his voice is nothing more than a whisper as he does. “I’ll… I’ll behave.” He breathes out weakly, hating the way he’s forced to let the brat win.

"Good. It'll be safe for as long as you don't cause trouble, alright?" The blond bends down to Cryptor's level, hostility seemingly gone for now. "I kinda like it. Don't make me hurt it."

Cryptor can’t bring himself to look him in the eyes. “I… I won’t cause trouble.” He whispers. “Just… just don’t hurt him.”

Kyle’s laughter is gentle, but it still stings.

They’ve figured out how to get to him, figured out his weakness.

Cryptor feels himself trembling, on the brink of beginning to cry.

He knows that they’ll use this against him. He knows that they’ll use this to break him.

But for Sentry…

He’s willing to break.

[builder051]

Jonestown 'verse if you're up for it.

Drugs of your choice adding up to two very high girls and whatever factor inciting a flashback appeals.

Thanks!

Not sure this is what you were going for, as it's very tame and slow moving. No big action or emeto, though both are mentioned. There is also an ED mention, and obviously mentions of drugs and alcohol.

___________________________________

"I thought this was supposed to be, you know, a date..?" Jess looks down her nose at the bottle of white pills Nat is currently crushing to powder with the handheld pill grinder. "Aren't hallucinogens more... I don't know..."

"Private?" Nat finishes, a sly smile on her face. She opens the grinder and tips the contents into the bottom of a glass, to which she quickly adds cranberry juice and a swizzle stick.

"And since when is cold medicine for grown-ups?" Jess's forehead wrinkles as Nat slides the cocktail across the table to her before she sees to making another one.

"Since it started coming in white powder." Nat laughs. "Still best to ingest, but feels a little fancier than drinking the red stuff straight."

"Ok, ok." Jess puts up her hands, then begins swirling her cocktail before the powder can form unpleasant lumps. "But, seriously. Poor man's ecstasy. For date night." Jess shakes her head. "How's this gonna work?"

"You're the one who told me to cut things off with my dealer," Nat reminds her, a little crossly.

"Yeah. But you didn't answer my question."

"See some pretty lights. Cuddle a lot. Maybe fuck around a little. Then lie back and enjoy the show." Nat grins as if all of this is obvious.

Jess shrugs. "If you say so."

Truth is, the whole thing doesn't sound all that bad. If Jess was still surly and hateful, she'd probably find the proposition not bad at all. But Nat's turned her soft a little. Whipped her flesh so what's underneath depresses under tender pressure. She might want to talk. She might want a little closeness she'll remember in the morning. But she might not want to tell Nat any of that.

"I do," Nat says, tossing crushed pills into another glass and quickly stirring in the powder.

"Ok, then." Jess throws back her beverage, focusing on the bitter cranberry and not on the chemical flavor of the squashed white tablets. They form a film on her tongue, though, and she has to use her teeth to scrape it away.

Nat's empty glass hits the table before Jess's. She's taken it as a slammer instead of a sipper, not that Jess has spent much time savoring it. Jess glances up at Nat's face to find her licking her lips and beckoning her to stand up and follow her toward the bedroom.

Jess is affronted, but she doesn't show it. It's her apartment, so she's the one who ought to be doing the inviting. Right now she's the more conservative presence, though, so maybe her inclination to take them to the sofa to watch television first would be too modest. From what she knows of the drug, Jess isn't sure how much time there is to "fuck around" before the hardcore hallucinations hit.

Once they're on either side of Jess's bed, Nat strips to her t-shirt and underwear. Jess copies her, mostly because it's uncomfortable to sleep in jeans, and putting on pajamas seems too modest in comparison.

"C'mere," Nat says, slipping under the covers and holding them open for Jess.

"Yeah..." Jess slowly wriggles in, moving quickly when she meets Nat's arms and moving into the space left for her. Nat's body is warm, and they fit together well, hips interlocking and knees passing one atop the other.

Nat presses her forehead to Jess's and kisses the end of her nose. Jess can barely keep from screwing up her eyes, for the contact is... not unwanted, exactly. Just a bit much. But at least it's not a kiss on the lips. Jess isn't convinced she won't bite. And not in the sensual way.

"We've got, oh, I don't know. Twenty minutes?" Nat brings her face into Jess's neck, placing her chin on Jess's collarbone. "What do you wanna do?"

Nat's knee finds Jess's crotch and moves back and forth a few times, but Jess uses her hand to gently stop the motion. The presence is fine. The warmth, the comfort of her girlfriend; not just a fling or a casual friend who's weaseled their way into a benefit.

"Mm," Jess muses. "Talk, I guess."

"Ok." Nat goes a little limp. "How are you?"

"Eh."

"I mean, what've you been up to?"

Jess shrugs, raising Nat's chin a little. "Work. Missions. Whiskey." Then she smiles a little. "My girl."

"You've been up your girl?" Nat giggles.

Jess wonders if the white powder is already affecting her.

"Sometimes," she answers, grinning. Then she wonders if she herself is getting emboldened by its ingestion.

Nat keeps laughing. She's gotten bony again lately, and Jess wonders if the dose is weight affected. She's starting to feel fuzzy around the edges, but Nat's bordering on hysterical.

"Chill out a little, would you?" Jess says, wrapping her arms around Nat's body and lifting her easily a couple inches away from her body.

"Whoa." Nat's eyes cross, then float back to normal.

"Twenty minutes?" Jess cocks her head. "How about... fiveish?

"Maybe I should've 'fessed up." Nat puts her hand loosely over her mouth. "I usually take the kid route and drink the red stuff. Or the not-red stuff..."

"Huh?"

"Ever heard of robocough?"

"For fuck's sake, Nat..."

"What? It's better than actual E."

"Yeah, I know, the dealer thing..." Jess shakes her head. "But do you want kidneys?"

Nat shrugs. "Body..."

"'S a good body." Jess strokes Nat shoulder to tit to hipbone, then wraps her arm around her waist. There's definitely less meat than the last time they laid together. It's not her place to say something, though. That's Nat's business, until she gets to the hospitalization point.

"Anyway," Nat goes on, a little slurred. "Powder. That's the way to go."

Jess thinks of the first time she dipped her finger into a little plastic baggie of cocaine and set alight her nostril. She'd been, what, sixteen? Too young and too fed up with her foster care situation to give the cons of her choice much thought. "Yeah..."

She knows Nat started much of the same way, as an orphaned teen, either just out of the red room or during some tenured mission while she was still in their custody. The story changes sometimes. But the progression was much the same for both of them. Uppers. Then downers. Then, well, what they're playing with now. Only the grown-up type. Ecstasy and LSD were fun to use every once in a while, as an escape from the dreaded ordinary that was their lives.

They've discussed it. As much as either of them wants to discuss anything. Similar drug habits are a funny bond. One, a few months ago, they'd once smoked crack together before a mission, then been so thrilled no one had noticed that they stopped at the drugstore for a bottle of cheap champagne.

Champagne. She hasn't had any, so that's not the taste lingering on Jess's tongue. It's the cranberry, since she's scraped away all the white powder already. Jess forgets for a moment that she's had cranberry, though, and swallows hard, wondering if she's experiencing the dregs of vomit. She gulps a couple of times, and, unfortunately, Nat notices.

"Are you gonna puke?" she asks, slipping mostly off Jess and cuddling her from the side. "Are you seriously that high already?"

"No," Jess immediately protests. "I just... Cranberry." She tries to smile. She doesn't want to go through her train of thought to get to the champagne, so she just says, "I'm used to Jack, you know."

"And coke?" Nat grins.

"Ugh, no." Jess hasn't had that either since a bad night that ended with a bad trip. When some days include killing people, including one day long ago where her actions killed her parents, her occasional forays into hallucinogens can come out with some fairly awful results. That one, where the E had been downed with her favorite Jack Daniels and...someone else's... favorite diet coke, had resulted in images of dripping blood that turned out to be very real, as she'd bashed her nose into the edge of the toilet seat and busted a few vessels.

She knows Nat's teasing just a little, but Jess feels bad. She feels burdensome and heavy, which she knows is the recipe for a night of visions she'll regret. It's probably too late now to puke up the drug; Jess can feel it penetrating her system, arranging her settings to vibrate at the ultimate sensitivity.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Jess asks, but it's pointless. Nat's already under, and there's no way to tell if she's heard the question. Her eyes are closed, and her chin rests on Jess's shoulder as her face burrows into the space between the bed's two pillows.

"Fuck..." Jess mumbles. Lights begin to flicker around the edges of her visual field. She resigns herself for whatever's about to come next and closes her eyes. She scoots so her hip is in the sideways V between Nat's torso and thighs. Her warmth is comforting, even as the vision begins to up her anxiety.

Jess feels as though she's one with the bed, one with Nat, and her body is rushing forward to some unknown location in the dark. She slips her arm between Nat's tangled ones and holds on. Nat moans a little, and Jess wonders what she's seeing. Something pleasurable, she hopes.

Jess lets out her breath and wonders what she'll see. She has a stomach full of nerves, but she fights to ignore them as she shrugs and forces herself to answer her own question. Something pleasurable, she hopes.

[theres-no-protocol-for-this]

Corrupt Data

This has now taken up room in my head, rent free. A concept from Discord took on a life of its own. I’m sure there will be more parts, maybe, possibly.

Now also on AO3 - https://archiveofourown.org/works/28096524/chapters/68840307

ART and I were watching a new serial when my communications array malfunctioned. The drama series was decent, if entirely unrealistic, and it had several spunky heroes who rescued everyone. I liked them the same way ART liked the show’s vastly overpowered ship.

When it was time to meet with the rest of the crew, I got up from the couch and headed for the lounge door.

"More when you get back?" ART asked me.

I went to answer that I might not be back for a couple of days, which ART knew because it had its crews entire schedule, but all that came out was garbage data. I tried the feed and got much the same results.

It was actually irritating.

Running a quick diagnostic revealed thousands of errors in my comm module, and the tool narrowed the problem down to corrupt storage on one of my functional partitions. The broken bit of storage housed critical processing components, and that only made me more irritated.

What was that? ART's attention was now directed at me, full force, like it was trying to stare holes into my forehead, and it was uncomfortable.

I sent it the diagnostic results, but my comms managed to garble that, too. About the only thing they couldn't mess up was visual data -- so long as it was wordless -- and sigils. I made a little video of what the fuck was wrong and sent that to ART instead, just so it would shut up.

Huh.

I sent it an image of a giant question mark.

It looks like the data corruption nearly destroyed your communication subroutines, the transport explained. It didn’t sarcastic, which worried me. You’ll want to segment the faulty partition off completely before something else vital accidentally gets transferred there. Then it added, I’ll write you a quick patch to fix the comms module.

I rolled my eyes at the ceiling even though I’m aware ART isn’t up there. It was habit by then. I can deal with my own errors, although the transport would definitely write code quicker than I could. 

You'll have to let me into your head, it told me as it pulled up a shared workspace where it could look over the broken code segments. It should take me about an hour to build a patch.

An hour I didn't technically have because ART's crew was about to meet with a CR representative and wanted me there in case things turned ugly. I gave ART access, and it dumped the relevant code fragments into our shared space. It didn't look healthy -- I could tell without even digging into it. Thankfully, I didn't need to talk to look menacing, which is what ART's crew needed from me for the next day or two.

I'll tell Seth you won't make it.

I shook my head no and kept walking.

This is a terrible idea, ART warned me. You shouldn't be working while dealing with data corruption. Let me fix this first. My crew won't mind waiting a little while or getting started without you. It's not like you take sick days.

I shook my head again.

I'll tell Dr. Mensah.

I stared at the nearest camera and gave ART the middle finger.

Mensah, Amena, and Pin-Lee were currently aboard to help deal with whatever CR machinations were causing New Tidelands grief. I didn't know any of the details and honestly didn't care.

How about a couple of Sanctuary Moon episodes?

"No!" Gibberish still came out, but it was exactly two letters long so ART would have a pretty good idea of my opinion. "Ga!"

In either case, I wasn't going to be talking to anyone for the next hour. I was pretending to be a SecUnit, and we didn't talk to clients much. I started a background process to isolate the faulty storage and made my way to the external airlock where we were all meeting.

Dr. Mensah stopped me in the hall outside the mess hall. She looked worried and upset, and I was pretty sure that was my fault somehow. "The Perihelion  tells me you're not feeling well."

I shrugged.

"Are you sure you should be going on a mission?" She frowned at me. "It's all right to take a few hours of personal time and get fixed up."

So, ART had told her. I wanted to argue that she hadn't taken time off after getting kidnapped, and she couldn't make me. It was in the contract, the one I wasn't sticking to anymore because I was getting to know my humans. And ART's humans.

You're being stubborn. The transport sounded miffed. Come back to the lounge and let's watch TV together. I'll be done in no time.

I flipped ART off again. This was none of its business. Shaking my head, I walked away. Maybe it would be nice and let its crew know, maybe not.

Seth waved at me from the airlock door. "Hey! Looks like we're both a little early. Thanks again for doing this for us."

I nodded and managed a smile.

"The others are almost here."

SecUnit's not feeling well, ART said in the feed.

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

Dr. Mensah had followed me and now chatted with Seth. "SecUnit is experiencing a comm array malfunction," she told the other human. I think she had ART figured out. "Please keep an eye on it."

I don't need babysitting. I was grumbling nonsense under my breath when she shook her head at me. "Just be extra careful out there, OK? I know you can take care of yourself, I know." Mensah's face did something complicated that made me feel oddly safe. "But imagine sending a good friend into hostile territory where you know the opposition are high strung assholes. It never gets easier."

I patted her shoulder. It was weird, but it made her smile and that was worth it.