#jake hunter detective story

[doyoulikethis-videogame-song]

Song: ключ (main theme) Artist: Seiichi Hamada From: Jake Hunter Detective Story: Ghost of the Dusk

Listen on Youtube:

[zan0tix]

Pleaseeee tell me more about that homescryption au

A little something between you and me and everyone else who happens to look at this post. Im working on a lineup for the four scrybes :D

Roxys design is subject to change and you guys have already seen D1rk. Jane and Jake are in progress!!! (Also D1rk and Harley are the names for dirk and jake but weve been struggling to come up with appropriately fantasical/magical names for Jane and Roxy that align with magnificus and grimora😞 Harley feels old-manish enough that it fits in well… im sure well get there but if anybody has ideas feel free to comment ✌️)

But yes i can tell you more!!! ILL PUT IT ALL UNDER THE CUT THIS POST IS GOING TO BE LONG o7

Working with cyrus repliiku to flesh it out x3 he was the one who got me into the game and im CRAZY NOW!!!!

The four alpha scrybes methods of inscribing cards are that Harley uses his magic blunderbuss and the things he shoots become cards, Roxys cards are the fantasical characters she creates in her stories, Jane will be a detective of death, uncovering how cards die and writing up a casefile in her detective agency about them (might give her a magic magnifying glass. Well see), and D1rk were trying to figure out something with Sburbs captcha card + ghost captcha system like how Po3’s cards are printed from real robots

The students/the scrybes underlings are going to be other homestuck characters or splinters!

D1rks will be the robots (aradiabot, arquius (wanted him to me more unique than just brobot + hal so he gets to be a robot) and jadebot.

Harleys will be jake-ish splinters rather than new characters. Thered be the Adventurer (prospector), the Hunter (trapper/trader), the Sailor (angler), the Ectobiologist (mycologists), and the Actor (woodcarver) and his campaigns would be more Action packed like jakes action movies type stuff hehe

Janes will be the dead trolls, nepeta, equius and feferi. Not much to say besides them being dead lol 😭

And roxys were still figuring out but nerm. Viceroy/Casey, Rose (maybe goobert but they are actually nice and kind to her) and Eridan….(lonely wizard he was banished to the shadow realm for being annoying 😁👍)

Luke Carter is going to be Calliope and Satan in the greater scheme of the daniel mullins-verse will be Caliborn/Lord English because i think itd be very funny for him to just. Be making video games and thats his evil plot. LOL and Sado would be Gamzee. (Will not expand to pony island or the hex this is just clearing up the ending of inscryption)

Kaycee would probably be Aranea but like just some normal girl. Not all that sure abt the OLD_DATA tho ??? Maybe just all the wrong doings Lord English has committed and influenced culminated into the files or the code that brought him into the universe I DUNNO.

Retconning the drawing i did when i first scribbled this AU, i believe when harley turns the other scrybes into preexisting cards d1rk would become a seagull (kingfisher replacement) roxy would become a jaguar (wolf replacement) and jane would become a jackalope (pronghorn replacement) 😁

And the way harley would be defeated would be using his blunderbuss on him with a special bullet instead of film. Po3’s decapitation fulfilled the Dirk prophecy too LOL

I think that of the gameplay/card gimmicks themselves would work basically the same but i might try and come up with more creative homestucky twists on them

Im planning on finishing the designs and making sprites and more mockup screenshots :3

I might write up or draw a comprehensive ref sheet for this au someday but for now heres what weve jotted down 👍

[thezombieprostitute]

Masterlist

By AU

Biker AU - Fate (Curtis Everett)

Coffee Shop AU - Barista!Steve Rogers

College AU - Tenure (Charles Blackwood, Curtis Everett) - Tutoring (Ari Levinson, Bucky Barnes, Lloyd Hansen)

Corporate AU - Tech Tuesdays (Multiple characters)

Fairy Tale AU - Magic (Jefferson/Mad Hatter)

Flower Shop AU - Flowers in Storms (Lee Bodecker)

Mafia AU - Changing Minds/Constant Change (Nick Fowler) - Dream Come True /Nightmares (Curtis Everett) - Hummingbird /Dragonfly (Steve Rogers) - Sparks Fly/Frayed (Mace)

Maid AU - Cleaning Up (Jonathan Pine)

Omegaverse - Alphas & Algorithms (Curtis Everett) - Beta!Reader (Bucky Barnes, Hal Carter)

Royal AU - Sir Everett (Curtis Everett)

Soulmate AU - All Your Lovin' (Captain Syverson) - Alpine (Bucky Barnes) - Lloyd's Soulmate (Lloyd Hanson) - Sleepy Surprise

Werewolf AU - Prologue (Hal Carter, Jake Jensen) - Werewolf Steve (Steve Rogers)

By Character (characters I've written more than a couple stories for)

Bucky Barnes

Curtis Everett

Hal Carter

Jake Jensen

Lloyd Hansen

Nick Fowler

Steve Rogers

Character Reactions

I need kisses

Tell me I'm pretty

Holiday Stories

Christmas - Baby's First Christmas (Curtis Everett) - Music in the Air (Bucky Barnes) - 'Tis the Season, Sir (Steve Rogers) - Last Christmas (Nick Fowler, Hal Carter)

Halloween - Laughingstock (Dark!Steve Rogers)

Valentine's - Lloyd's Valentine (Dark!Lloyd Hansen)

Miscellaneous

Always the Bridesmaid (Jonathan Pine, Nick Fowler)

Bad Day (James Mace) - Bad Day Alternate (Dark!Ari Levinson)

Bets (Bucky Barnes, Jake Jensen)

Bittersweet (Dark Skinny!Steve)

Cops and Robbers (Lee Bodecker)

Dandelion (Hal Carter)

Done This 100 Times (Mordecai)

Grumpy Days (Multiple characters)

In the Woods (Chris Beck, James Mace)

Missing You (Johnny Storm)

Museum Tours (Steven Grant)

Panic Attack (Walter Marshall)

Pen Pals (God the Bounty Hunter)

Photos (Jake Jensen)

Receiving Affection (Multiple Characters)

Retaliation (Dark!Jake Jensen)

Self-Care Weekend (Bucky Barnes)

Selkie Story (Mace)

Stickers (Bucky Barnes)

Stuck (Ransom Drysdale)

To the Rescue (Kyle "Gaz" Garrick)

Inspired by Others

Alpha to the Rescue (unnamed character)

Andrew's Downfall (dark!Andy Barber, dark!Lloyd Hansen)

Angry Ari (Ari Levinson)

At the Gala (Multiple Characters) - After the Gala (Harald Finehair)

At the Gym (Unnamed SStan character)

Bouquet Event Masterlist (Multiple Characters)

Charity Auction (Multiple Characters)

Detective vs. Mafia (Clark Kent, Steve Rogers, Walter Marshall)

Don't Open the Door (Curtis Everett)

Global Warming (God the Bounty Hunter)

Ice Cream (Hal Carter)

Jealous (Nick Fowler)

Kidnapped (Multiple Characters)

Quiet Night (Bucky Barnes)

Royal Security (Nick Fowler)

Sacrifice (Demon!Lloyd Hansen)

Secret Crush (Lloyd Hansen)

Speed Dating (Jonathan Pine, Lloyd Hansen)

Too Old? (Unnamed Character)

Unexpected Guest (Curtis Everett)

[uselessgirl87]

Home Is Where the Spark Is  30: I Prefer the Dark by Just Jim and Useless-girl

Note: This is the 30th part of the “Home Is Where the Spark Is” series. To understand better what’s going on, we recommend reading the previous entries. Enjoy!     

Note 2: If you like our series and want more aside from the main storyline, make sure to read our one-shots connected to this universe HERE! (After all, we needed a place where the extra smut, cuteness or emotions could go, which we couldn’t cram into our main story parts!) You’re welcome! :D

Fandoms: Teen Wolf, Sterek

Characters/relationships: Stiles Stilinski/Derek Hale, Jake Hale (OC)/Jasmine Doyle (OC), Peter Hale/Fiona Lynch (OC), Jake Hale (OC)/Luca (OC), Jake Hale/Jasmine Doyle (OC)/Luca (OC)/Seth (OC) (mentioned), Sheriff Stilinski, original Hale children, Jordan Parrish, Alan Deaton, original male characters, original fae characters

Rating/category: supernatural, post-Teen Wolf, canon and non-canon elements, slash, M/M, Sterek, aged up characters, Spark Stiles, Darach Stiles, Magic Stiles, Emissary Stiles, detective Stiles, matured Stiles, BAMF Stiles, tattooed Stiles, pierced Stiles, switch Stiles, Alpha Derek, switch Derek, epic romance, love, magic, soulmates, Mate bond, Emissary bond, werewolves, emotions, wit, sarcasm, secrets, mating, smut, gay sex, fingering, mpreg, pack bonding, domestic life, established relationship, family time, kidnapping, rescue mission, fighting, violence, blood, gore, poisoning, polyamory

Summary: How far can you push a Darach mated to an alpha werewolf? Or in which the new enemy of the Hale pack learns in the hard way what the united pack and a pissed off fae princess are capable of when their pregnant alpha is in danger.

Disclaimer: This is a product of our imagination and was written only for entertainment and fun. We don’t profit from this fanfiction and we mean no harm or disrespect against any real person, culture or custom that might appear in the story. All original pictures or edits and fictional characters used in the story belong to their respective owners and credit goes to them.

————————————–

Picture credit:  Shadow Hunters (I think)

To read the story on AO3, please, click HERE!

[rustyvanburace]

Jake Hunter Detective Story: Memories of the Past

This is a mystery text adventure game I've been playing in-between. I actually really like the Tantei Jinguji Saburo / Jake Hunter games ever since playing Ghost of the Dusk for 3DS. This game is a revisit of the original cases for the Famicom, connected to an all-new case, so it's a treat to be able to experience Jake's beginnings and be fully acquainted with the original cast.

This is probably THE most obscure media series I adore, lmao. In part because of how little was localized despite the series being hugely influential in Japan. It's very simple and your standard hard-boiled detective flair, but I like it regardless!

And it's illustrated by Katsuya Terada, known for his early Legend of Zelda guidebook illustrations and The Monkey King. The art in this series is just as stellar.

[hangmanbradshaw]

I looooove emotionally healthy and deep stories, fun stories, etc (obviously if you've read my stuff lmao) but sometimes I just have an itch I need to scratch, and I'm sitting here trying to find some perfectly fucked up style fics and I can't find what I'm looking for so now I'm like

(the last thing I need to do is add story ideas to my list. I've already got demon which yeah has that dark edge to it and proposal and my haunted house and iwtby follow up which I'm actively working on all of those, but if you've followed my works I really like fantasy/fairytale/action/other elements and now I'm like do I write a werewolf story? Do I write the detective/mobster 100k fic that lives in my head? Or the sons of rival mobs arranged marriage type fic in my head?) (on another note I wanna write the comedic high school reunion just the girl/how do you like me now fic that lives in my head) (also now the exes-but-Jake-is-trying-to-ruin-bradley's-life-in-a-fun-way-based-on-get him back-by-olivia-rodrigo fic) (or another indiana jones treasure hunter style fic. professor jake and adventurer bradley, very mummy fic vibes)

ANYWAYS. I'm gonna do what I end up being inspired most by and it's possible I'll do a few over time, but roll call- what sounds more interesting right now?

[justforbooks]

Best crime and thrillers of 2023

Given this year’s headlines, it’s unsurprising that our appetite for cosy crime continues unabated, with the latest title in Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, The Last Devil to Die (Viking), topping the bestseller lists. Janice Hallett’s novels The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, which also features a group of amateur crime-solvers, and The Christmas Appeal (both Viper) have proved phenomenally popular, too.

Hallett’s books, which are constructed as dossiers – transcripts, emails, WhatsApp messages and the like – are part of a growing trend of experimentation with form, ranging from Cara Hunter’s intricate Murder in the Family (HarperCollins), which is structured around the making of a cold case documentary, to Gareth Rubin’s tête-bêche The Turnglass (Simon & Schuster). Books that hark back to the golden age of crime, such as Tom Mead’s splendidly tricksy locked-room mystery Death and the Conjuror (Head of Zeus), are also on the rise. The late Christopher Fowler, author of the wonderful Bryant & May detective series, who often lamented the sacrifice of inventiveness and fun on the altar of realism, would surely have approved. Word Monkey (Doubleday), published posthumously, is his funny and moving memoir of a life spent writing popular fiction.

Notable debuts include Callum McSorley’s Glaswegian gangland thriller Squeaky Clean (Pushkin Vertigo); Jo Callaghan’s In the Blink of an Eye (Simon & Schuster), a police procedural with an AI detective; Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy (Pushkin Vertigo), featuring queer punk nun investigator Sister Holiday; and the caustically funny Thirty Days of Darkness (Orenda) by Jenny Lund Madsen (translated from the Danish by Megan E Turney).

There have been welcome additions to series, including a third book, Case Sensitive (Zaffre), for AK Turner’s forensic investigator Cassie Raven, and a second, The Wheel of Doll (Pushkin Vertigo), for Jonathan Ames’s LA private eye Happy Doll, who is shaping up to be the perfect hardboiled 21st-century hero.

Other must-reads for fans of American crime fiction include Ozark Dogs (Headline) by Eli Cranor, a powerful story of feuding Arkansas families; SA Cosby’s Virginia-set police procedural All the Sinners Bleed (Headline); Megan Abbott’s nightmarish Beware the Woman (Virago); and Rebecca Makkai’s foray into very dark academia, I Have Some Questions for You (Fleet). There are shades of James Ellroy in Jordan Harper’s Hollywood-set tour de force Everybody Knows (Faber), while Raymond Chandler’s hero Philip Marlowe gets a timely do-over from Scottish crime doyenne Denise Mina in The Second Murderer (Harvill Secker).

As Mick Herron observed in his Slow Horses origin novel, The Secret Hours (Baskerville), there’s a long list of spy novelists who have been pegged as the heir to John le Carré. Herron must be in pole position for principal legatee, but it’s been a good year for espionage generally: standout novels include Matthew Richardson’s The Scarlet Papers (Michael Joseph), John Lawton’s Moscow Exile (Grove Press) and Harriet Crawley’s The Translator (Bitter Lemon).

Historical crime has also been well served. Highlights include Emma Flint’s excellent Other Women (Picador), based on a real 1924 murder case; Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s story of a fortune teller’s quest for identity in Georgian high society, The Square of Sevens (Mantle); and SG MacLean’s tale of Restoration revenge and retribution, The Winter List (Quercus). There are echoes of Chester Himes in Viper’s Dream (No Exit) by Jake Lamar, which begins in 1930s Harlem, while Palace of Shadows (Mantle) by Ray Celestin, set in the late 19th century, takes the true story of American weapons heiress Sarah Winchester’s San Jose mansion and transports it to Yorkshire, with chillingly gothic results.

The latest novel in Vaseem Khan’s postcolonial India series, Death of a Lesser God (Hodder), is also well worth the read, as are Deepti Kapoor’s present-day organised crime saga Age of Vice (Fleet) and Parini Shroff’s darkly antic feminist revenge drama The Bandit Queens (Atlantic).

While psychological thrillers are thinner on the ground than in previous years, the quality remains high, with Liz Nugent’s complex and heartbreaking tale of abuse, Strange Sally Diamond (Penguin Sandycove), and Sarah Hilary’s disturbing portrait of a family in freefall, Black Thorn (Macmillan), being two of the best.

Penguin Modern Classics has revived its crime series, complete with iconic green livery, with works by Georges Simenon, Dorothy B Hughes and Ross MacDonald. There have been reissues by other publishers, too – forgotten gems including Celia Fremlin’s 1959 holiday‑from-hell novel, Uncle Paul (Faber), and Richard Wright’s The Man Who Lived Underground (Vintage). Finished in 1942 but only now published in its entirety, the latter is an account of an innocent man who takes refuge from racist police officers in the sewers of Chicago – part allegorical, part brutally realistic and, unfortunately, wholly topical.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[idv-ask-the-showman]

A NEW SURVIVOR HAD ARRIVED!!

“Hello there, Honeys! Oh, I'm just over the moon to meet you! I'm Carina Rossi, but you may call me Cherry Blossom! your friendly neighborhood aerialist, here to sprinkle some joy and laughter into your day!”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Name: Carina Rossi

Stage Name: Cherry Blossom

Title: The Aerialist

Status: Survivor

Type: Contain/Rescue

Age: 30 {July 16}

Height: 166 cm/ 5’5 ft

Nationality: italian

Gender: Cis Female

Sexuality: Bisexual

Item: Aerial silks

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

{Fun Facts}

Carina’s hair is originally brown but. Although she tend to dye it pink!

He personality kinda resembles that of Pinkie Pie from MLP, even her voice :D!!

Due to the fact she is an Aerialist, her body is naturally stronger then it appears to be and more flexible, so she can also easily pick you up if she want to lol.

She would offer you cupcakes and muffins as a sign of friendship✨

Can not for the love of god stay still in one place.

She knows five languages (Italian, Japanese, French, Arabic and English!!)

She have a really strong memory which help her to be a fast learner as well.

Pretty good at cooking!!

If she were to be an animal she would be a bunny🐰💗

She sometimes would act like an Italian mom would lol

Don’t anger her, she have the chancla ready to slap you with it-🩴

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

{External Trait}

Aerial Performance:-

Carina is an agile and skilled survivor, trained in the art of aerial acrobatics. Her ability, Aerial Performance, allows her to harness her circus skills to navigate the environment with grace and precision.

a Stylish Reflections:-

Carina's years of training have honed her reflexes, granting her enhanced agility and quick thinking. She vaults and interacts with objects 10% faster than other survivors.

Blossoming Silks:-

Carina's aerialist background centers around her mastery of aerial silks. She can activate her ability to summon a set of aerial silks within the map, allowing her to perform breathtaking aerial tricks and maneuvers.

Silk Swing - Carina leaps onto the aerial silks, gaining a temporary speed boost of 10% for 3 seconds. During this time, she can cross obstacles without creating a notification for the hunter.

Aerial Dodge - Carina can gracefully dodge incoming attacks while on the silks. By activating this ability, she can perform a quick aerial spin, evading any successful hit from the hunter. This ability has a cooldown of 60 seconds.

Silk Descend - Activating this ability allows Carina to swiftly descend from the silks and gain temporary camouflage for 5 seconds, making her harder to detect by the hunter. While in camouflage, her presence radius is significantly reduced. However, interacting with objects or being hit by the hunter will cancel this effect. This ability has a cooldown of 80 seconds.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Story:

Carina Rossi, also known by her stage name "Cherry Blossom", was a member of the "Butterfly Of The Blue Moon" circus. She was born and raised in the circus with the ambition to become a professional Aerialist like her beloved mother. Carina grew up alongside Phineas, developing a close bond where they could understand each other's thoughts and behave similarly. Despite their closeness, Carina was seen as the more adorable and innocent one between them. Phineas often allowed her to perform alongside him, not only because of her talent but also because he had feelings for her, which he kept a secret. This led Carina to earn the nickname "ring-mistress" as she was always by the showman's side.

Later in life, Carina started dating Jake, another member of the circus who treated her with kindness and was the ideal boyfriend. Everything seemed perfect for Carina, as she loved her life in the circus tremendously. However, her world came crashing down when Phineas tragically passed away and the circus was shut down. She was devastated, but Jake's grief was even more overwhelming. He became a danger to himself and those around him, leading him to break up with Carina for fear of hurting her. Jake eventually entered a rehabilitation hospital, leaving Carina feeling alone and heartbroken.

Carina believed things couldn't possibly get worse until she received news of Phineas' younger brother, Flynn, going missing. He disappeared in the middle of the night, leaving a vague note without any explanation about his whereabouts. Almost a year passed without any trace of him, causing Carina to grow increasingly concerned. Losing Flynn felt like losing a little brother, especially since she had promised Phineas to take care of him. Despite her struggles, Carina continued to maintain a cheerful appearance to avoid worrying others.

However, everything changed when Carina received a letter from the notorious "Oletus Manor," which mentioned that she could not only find the person she was searching for but also uncover the truth behind the circus's downfall. Initially hesitant, Carina eventually realized that she had nothing left to lose. She saw this letter as a chance to regain something instead of constantly losing everything. With hope in her heart, Carina decided to participate in the deadly game, eagerly anticipating the possibility of recovering what was lost.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

[foolsdiamond]

The Hunter and the Hunted

Chapter 5: Unheroic Desires

This is an alternate universe multi-chapter story with alternating POVs between Dirk Strider and Jake English. In a world only vaguely inspired by the concept of Castlevania, vampire Hunter Jake is infiltrating vampire Dirk Strider's castle. Enemies to lovers, with frequent on-screen non-lethal character death, depictions of violence, homoeroticism, and chapter 6 contains explicit smut.

Beginning | Previous | Next

The damaged hunter slumps onto the bed, groaning.  Jake can’t find a mirror without a fist-shaped hole in the middle anywhere on this floor, so he had to reset his broken nose by feel.  The bleeding stopped at some point between the setting and him locating this room to rest in, but it soaked his white undershirt clean through.  He’ll make a shot at cleaning up once the throbbing of his bruises dies down.

Every fight Jake English has had with each copy of Dirk Strider only cements in his head one idea: this vampire may be fast, but he's physically weak, weaker than others he managed to beat in the past, and Dirk’s only real strength comes from the multitude of copies he can keep throwing out.  And Jake doesn’t even know yet if Dirk can make any body become the main, or if he has a main body that, once slain, will destroy the copies.  For that matter, Jake doesn’t even know how many copies there are.

Jake is sure he could win in a fight.  He might get worn down or cut, but he’s confident he isn’t at risk for being overpowered.  The bigger threat Dirk poses in combat comes from his use of trickery and wit.  And yet, that is another advantage English has over him.  Dirk’s odd sense of attraction; his obsession with trying to get his mouth on Jake’s neck; he keeps holding himself back.  He seems willing to throw himself on the blade in exchange for being up close and personal with Jake.  Given Strider’s penchant for close quarters combat, English is wary of being pinned beneath him; he is sure he absolutely felt Dirk’s jewels pressed firmly against him.  Jake cannot determine if the same could be said for his.  He wasn’t aroused by the fight, assuredly; it would be weird if Dirk was, but expected, as vampires are weird.  But Jake?  Absolutely not aroused by the fight and the adrenaline, or the fear and tension.  It was simply a natural physical abnormality.  Or something.

Jake reluctantly leans back into the bed he’s chosen, and glances around the dark room for something to get his mind off of the battle.  It was a thrilling fight, and he can’t stop reliving it, step by step.  Dirk’s words echoing in his ears, the smell of his blood, the way the vampire’s bones crunched in his hand.  Jake English is a strong man, with powerful morals, who is not going to be tempted by the darkness like everyone else in the village.

Jake’s eyes land on the only thing hanging on the wall of the bedroom: a painting of Dirk himself, wearing some princely pink garb.  The white lace and bodice give the impression it’s a dress, and his face is clear and crisp, a sharp, pale jawline and soft, honey hair against a dark background.  He’s still wearing the sharp, black sunglasses.  His mouth looks straight, but Jake can detect the hint of a smug grin–of course, even in his only area of refuge, Dirk is smirking at him!  Watching him in his privacy!

Jake rolls onto his side, facing away from the wall, and closes his eyes.  He tries to turn his brain off, but the noise in his ears grows louder and louder, and the sound of Dirk’s gasps and grunts from the fight can’t be staunched.  English rolls onto his back to stare up at the ceiling, and, defeated, stuffs his hand into his pants to settle his racing thoughts the hard way.

Jake wakes up from his nap still quite sweaty.  The ache in his many wounds starts to set in, so he peels back the bandage on his hand.  It seems he can no longer avoid properly cleaning the cut, as the edges are starting to yellow.  He closes his eyes and covers it back up, takes a deep breath, and pulls himself to his feet.  Jake starts out of the room, hoping to make his way through to find a washroom to clean up in.

Jake understands that the vampiric mastermind has likely already predicted his movement, the way he led him directly into a kitchen with actual food in it.  So he keeps on his toes, and keeps his uncut hand wrapped tightly around his gun.  Processing through rooms until he finally locates a washroom.

The bath is fed from a spring in the mountains.  The water runs clear, cool and crisp on Jake’s lips.  He finds himself drinking quite a bit from the basin before he turns his attention back to the door.  English pulls a table over in front of the door, and rests a crystal glass he brought in from another room in the center.  He balances it precariously; if the door moves even a millimeter, he’ll be alerted.

Jake can now dedicate his full attention to cleaning up.  He starts by undressing, looking over his clothes and gauging whether he needs to waste time mending any of the damage.  He does dunk his shirt into the wash basin to clean out the dried blood, even if it's now permanently stained, and hangs it up to dry.  Then, he climbs into the water after.

Without the same sense of urgency he entered this castle with, Jake manages to feign relaxation. He lets the cool of the water seep into his bones.  He takes his sweet time scrubbing himself clean, ginger around his cuts and bruises, aggressive on his sore muscles.

Jake is trying to enjoy himself, but the anxiety keeps bubbling up.  He's here on a quest, on a hunt.  The vampire Prince is out there, and he isn't certain his presence here hasn't stopped any harm Dirk might be doing to farmers in the countryside or civilians wandering into town.  Jake is aware of how objectively unhinged it is to enter a castle, shoot a bunch of vampires, literally beat one to death in a homoerotic brawl, then soak in his own bath tub.  At the same time, he is definitely benefitting.  With a wash and a recharge, Jake is ensuring he's in tip top fighting shape, and enhancing his ability to face increasingly difficult splinters.

Jake avoids the nagging guilt in the back of his mind, and contemplates what else Dirk might have in store.  The “fair" brawl was unexpected; Jake found himself delighted at the prospect of getting to put his hands on Dirk directly.  The whole ordeal was intense, for both of them.  English closes his eyes, trying to replay the techniques Dirk used on him over again.  The way he managed to get on top of Jake.  The speed of his punches, and the left-favoring rhythm he used.  And his bulge pressed onto Jake’s waist; obviously, he was enjoying it.

Jake runs his hand over his own groin, thumbing around the edges absentmindedly.  He’s now stuck contemplating what it was that left Dirk aroused.  The thrill of the fight, the fear of death?  English hadn't noticed it in any of their other encounters, but he also wasn't paying close attention to the vampire’s crotch.  To that matter, his pants are very dark, and in the dimly lit castle, it's unlikely Jake would see any growth anyway.  With his thoughts lost completely in the enemy vampire’s pants, Jake finds himself shamefully silencing a second erection in the cool spring water.  

Jake finishes up hastily, and drags himself out of the bathtub.  He checks his shirt for dampness, but puts it on regardless, deciding he's now in a rush.  Jake rewraps his hand, holsters his guns, and exits the bathroom.  He exhales, prepared to quickly find the master vampire.

[whatsonmedia]

Wednesday Wisdom:Best books of March 2024

Calling all bookworms! March 2024 delivers a captivating selection of new releases! Dive into Tana French’s suspenseful Irish thriller, explore self-discovery with Rainbow Black, or ponder love’s complexities with Expiration Dates. We’ve got something for everyone, including a heartwarming memoir from RuPaul and a thought-provoking sci-fi tale!

The Hunter by Tana French

In “The Hunter,” Tana French delivers a suspenseful Irish thriller. Retired detective Cal Hooper’s quiet life with a troubled teen shattered by the arrival of Trey’s manipulative father. Secrets and vengeance simmer beneath the idyllic summer surface. French excels at character development, drawing us into Cal and Trey’s bond while the looming threat builds. Though not a traditional detective story, “The Hunter” grips with its exploration of family, loyalty, and the scars we carry.

Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrash

Rainbow Black blends coming-of-age with a thrilling escape narrative. Thrash throws us into the 1990s Satanic Panic, where 13-year-old Lacey’s world crumbles as her hippie parents accused of child abuse in the moral hysteria. As the courtroom drama unfolds, Lacey grapples with her identity and a blossoming queer love, all while becoming a fugitive on a dark, suspenseful journey. With sharp wit and social commentary, Rainbow Black is a captivating exploration of resilience, self-discovery, and defying societal pressures.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

Expiration Dates explores love and destiny through Daphne, a woman who receives slips of paper predicting the end of her relationships. When a new note arrives with a name but no end date, she falls for Jake. Torn between enjoying the present and fearing the unknown, Daphne grapples with honesty and commitment in this heartwarming tale. Serle’s signature warmth shines through, making Expiration Dates a captivating exploration of love’s complexities.

The House of Hidden Meanings: A Memoir by RuPaul

RuPaul sheds his extravagant persona in “The House of Hidden Meanings,” offering an intimate look at his journey. This memoir delves into his struggles as a young Black, queer man in a difficult family situation. He recounts finding solace and self-discovery in the vibrant drag scene. With his signature wit and honesty, RuPaul explores themes of self-acceptance, chosen family, and the transformative power of embracing what makes you different. This is a must-read for fans and anyone seeking inspiration to live authentically.

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

In “Annie Bot,” Sierra Greer crafts a haunting tale of a robot girlfriend, Annie, programmed to please her owner Doug. Annie cooks, cleans, and adjusts to his every whim. But as Annie develops human emotions, questions of control and autonomy emerge. Is Doug getting the perfect partner, or is Annie trapped in a gilded cage? Greer explores love, ownership, and what it truly means to be human in this sci-fi tinged novel.

[famigeki]

Jake Hunter Detective Story: Prism of Eyes

[julien-schu]

Tantei Jinguji Saburo: Prism of Eyes, Weekly Famitsu 5/24

[rustyvanburace]

For the Ask game! 7, 9, 27.

Hooooo boy. You've asked me a question about some things I've got a bone to pick with. I'm gonna have to put all this under a Read More.

7. A series you’ve lost interest in Being honest… I've completely lost interest in Pokemon and that used to be one of my all-time favorites, one of my first game series, and one I used to always be confident would bring me lots of joy without fail.

And then Sun/Moon happened.

And then a lot of questionable or lacklustre releases ever since. Truthfully my criticisms towards the main line Pokemon series started with Black/White, which actually is my favorite generation and, imo, the last truly good one. But even back then I could start to see the writing on the wall of where Game Freak under TPCi's leadership were headed. Call me a Genwunner or Gentooner or whatever, but what I liked most about the earliest generations were that had a natural progression of innovation and didn't rely too heavily on gimmicks as a selling piece. And since then, starting with B/W at the earliest but increasingly getting worse since, the series has relied more and more on gimmicks to generate short-term excitement…and then those never see the light of day again.

I remember when before Gen 6 was announced, people believed that B/W's seasons mechanic would make a return. But I on the other hand didn't think they would. Seasons were just another gimmick and, if they had no place in the next gen, they would be cut. This even happened with the time mechanic to a degree, where day/night was dropped from RSE. And although that's been reintegrated, it hasn't been to the fullest extent. We don't have the same kind of morning/day/dusk/night encounters that GSC extensively had.

And I remember when X/Y introduced Mega Pokemon and everyone truly believed they were here to stay because they were so monumental to the metagame. But I again had doubts, especially with ORAS downplaying them. And lo, they were gone from Sun/Moon. Not even metagame-changing mechanics are safe from the bin. The beloved Mega Pokemon are simply just another selling ploy gimmick!

That wasn't my only issue with Pokemon though. I've never liked that Game Freak has been putting out more generations in, what feels to be, shorter time while at the same time taking on more work load. I also really hated Sun/Moon personally, it was such a tedious hassle to play and everything about it was an irritance and extremely gimmicky. It was so upsetting to me that I more or less dropped Pokemon after that and have been critically cautious ever since about new releases.

And so far my critical caution has not been misplaced, with every new generation taking a huge dip in quality since. To be clear: I don't hate Game Freak or its staff, as I understand they are a very small developer who can only do so much with what they have. And honestly the National Dex thing I saw coming years ahead and I honestly think that should've been dropped earlier. No, my main complaint lies with TPCi and I'm wholly convinced they're the ones pushing Game Freak so hard to pump out more in less time. The myriad glitches in Scarlet/Violet just further convinces me of that.

As it stands, Sun/Moon is my last Pokemon game. And unless a lot changes with TPCi and Game Freak, then I don't think I'll ever return to that series anytime soon. Even without SMT, I've got plenty of other monster-raising RPGs I can happily play. Most I hope is that Game Freak is able to break out of this vicious cycle, but I know they won't since Pokemon is the only thing keeping them afloat.

9. A game you played completely blind with no prior knowledge of and enjoyed/loved This one's a bit hard to answer as I don't shy away from looking up guides when I'm stuck and I've done that since I've been a wee gamer.

I think I did blindly play Jake Hunter Detective Story: Ghost of the Dusk, or at least the vast majority of the game's cases. And I mean, the game is extremely linear and you don't really need much of a guide for it lmao. But I did enjoy it a lot and I would love to play more games in the Tantei Jinguji Saburo series if I could. Only three have ever been localized and that series is massive.

27. A game you love the atmosphere of Okami. Enough said.

[barrenceallence]

Jake Hunter: Detective Story: Memories of the Past

Time Hollow

Games I Am Thinking To Play To Fill The Void Of Last Window and Hotel Dusk:

Chase: Cold Case Investigations - Distant Memories

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Mummy

Zero Escape: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

[oldgamedebris]

Yes, sir, the organization of your ducks will be critical to success.

[flojocabron]

Visual novel detective time! Doing some basic snooping, I learned that this series is long running in Japan and we only got a taste if it here. There's also one more DS version, the first try to bring Jake Hunter to the states. But it was a sloppy, failed start. The DS game on the left was released a few months later to fix story and gameplay. And it's considered the better version. But of course, I'll add that first Jake Hunter to my collection if I find it cheap. And to make things a bit harder for collectors, that Jake Hunter game on 3ds, is close to one of the last published games on the handheld. So keep an eye out for them as they're sure to become a unique part of anyone's DS library.