#kickback rebounder

[sportscarolinamonthly]

Cowboys LIVE! SW Guilford Football - Season 1 Ep 6 - Weds Oct 9th 2024

Hosted by Max Wallace, recorded live from Kickback Jacks in High Point every Weds night 730pm in season. The Cowboys fall to unbeaten Northern Guilford 63-0 last week and will attempt to rebound with another Metro contest Friday vs SE Guilford. Part of the SW Guilford Sport Network powered by Tobacco Road Sports Radio

[rhazimpulsivelyposts]

Later on during year 16, I was dating a kid younger than me, which if boys are already immature at 16 why I went for 15 I have no clue. This story isn’t about him, but he’s in it.

I got adopted into his friend group and he had a tall skinny friend who had the same name as one of the other guys so they called him by his last name. Another Scorpio Male how fun. We never did anything flirty. He had a vanilla ass girlfriend and he loved it because he could “be her danger” 🤣

One day he thought he was pretty alternative and wore a dog choker chain to the kickback. Me being too flirty or too impulsive, I pulled the chain tightening around his neck and went “here kitty kitty kitty” . Ooof . The look in his eyes was so … I think I gave this kid a sexual awaking he wasn’t ready for. I continued to call him Kitty after that the entire time I was dating the Gemini kid. Probably shitty of me to do but he liked it.

Years later after a 4 or 5 year long relationship with a druggy pisces, I was on the hunt for a rebound, and I messaged Kitty to see if he still had a girlfriend. Turns out he didn’t … they broke up because he wanted someone to be “his danger” not the other way around anymore .. oops

We fked for a few months and it was Feral!! It was fun and nice. And I think the concept of “it’s just sex” was new to him and exciting, but he started doing things like planning ahead. “Next time you come over” and it started tugging at my commitment strings. My siblings saw my face so much they thought we were dating. No thank you. He was a younger guy, living at home, with no job. You can’t date me, I can’t show you to anyone. You are a pet, a toy.

I broke it off 😅.

Like 4 years later his new girlfriend added me on insta with “kitten” in her user name and cat ears on her profile picture, and I thought to myself “did I give this guy a kink?”

[safetytoolblogs]

Maximizing Efficiency and Safety with Slide Sledge Hammers Introduction: Slide Sledge Hammers are indispensable tools in various industries, renowned for their effectiveness in heavy-duty applications and their contribution to workplace safety. In this blog post, we delve into the features and benefits of Slide Sledge Hammers, highlighting their role in enhancing efficiency and safety across diverse work environments. The Power of Slide Sledge Hammers: Slide Sledge Hammers are engineered for optimal performance, offering unparalleled power and precision in tasks ranging from demolition and construction to maintenance and repair. These hammers feature a unique design that combines the force of a traditional sledgehammer with the precision of a slide hammer, enabling users to deliver controlled, impactful blows with minimal effort. Key Features and Benefits: Dual Action Design: The innovative design of Slide Sledge Hammers allows users to exert force both by swinging the hammer and by sliding the weight along the handle. This dual-action mechanism enhances control and accuracy, reducing the risk of accidental damage or injury. Versatility: Slide Sledge Hammers are versatile tools suitable for a wide range of applications, including driving stakes, breaking concrete, and removing stubborn fasteners. Their adaptability makes them invaluable assets in industries such as construction, automotive, and manufacturing. Safety: One of the most significant advantages of Slide Sledge Hammers is their emphasis on safety. The controlled sliding action minimizes rebound and kickback, mitigating the risk of injuries caused by uncontrolled swings or deflected strikes. Additionally, ergonomic handles and anti-slip grips enhance user comfort and reduce fatigue during prolonged use. Efficiency: Slide Sledge Hammers streamline work processes by delivering powerful, precise blows with minimal exertion. The efficient transfer of energy from the weight to the striking surface maximizes productivity while minimizing strain on the user, resulting in faster task completion and improved overall efficiency. Applications in Various Industries: Slide Sledge Hammers find applications across a diverse range of industries, including: Construction: for demolition, driving rebar, and breaking concrete. Automotive: for removing rusted or seized components and straightening metal surfaces. Manufacturing: for assembly line operations, maintenance, and equipment repair. Utilities: for infrastructure maintenance and repair tasks, such as driving ground rods and breaking concrete. Conclusion: Slide Sledge Hammers are indispensable tools that combine power, precision, and safety to deliver exceptional performance in a variety of industrial settings. Whether tackling heavy-duty demolition projects or performing intricate maintenance tasks, these versatile hammers empower users to work more efficiently while prioritizing safety at all times. Investing in Slide Sledge Hammers equips workers with the tools they need to excel in their roles, contributing to increased productivity, reduced downtime, and enhanced workplace safety. With their ergonomic design, robust construction, and unparalleled performance, Slide Sledge Hammers are the ultimate solution for professionals seeking to elevate their workmanship and achieve superior results in every task.

[lavenderbexlatte]

Your picks for the dumped skz ask have me intrigued 😳 can you give some more details behind who you picked for what and why? 😊

- 🚙

i am very drunk but i will try my best JSDHHFHSDFDSHF 

gets smashed: changbin, hyunjin, jeongin

changbin and hyunjin both strike me as the type who, if they lived a normal life, would like kickbacks and parties and...social drinking? and i think jeongin would have a few drinks in this scenario on someone else’s recommendation and end up enjoying it 🤔

netflix and crying: chan

i just...he’s so emo 😂 i can’t fit him anywhere else i’m sorry-

rebound bae: minho, felix

minho is hot enough to do this, and he knows it. felix is hot enough to do it and he doesn’t quite know it...but he’s still gonna try 

self-care uwu: jisung, seungmin

from what we can see, jisung tries pretty hard to be in-tune with his inner self? like, he’s pretty emotional and open, even when it sucks, and i think he would turn most readily to healing. and seungmin is too proud to do anything but lick his wounds, better himself, and move on 🤐😂

[novantinuum]

Contact (ch. 1/4)

Fandom: Steven Universe

Rating: T (TW: depiction of vomiting, this first chapter is pretty whump-esque)

Words: 3.0K~

Summary: The first (and with any luck, only) time it happens, he’s almost 16.

So this fic is Steven and Amethyst centric, set during the 2 year time skip. It’s also kinda in conversation with An Indirect Kiss, and explores the idea of what could happen to a hybrid with a cracked gem. Do note the warnings above. The first chapter is the only one that’s especially whumpy. It will be exactly 4 parts.

AO3 link can be found in the reblogs! Support there or here (via reblogs) is very much appreciated! <3

____

Chapter 1: The Mission

The first (and with any luck, only) time it happens, he’s almost 16.

His birthday’s only half a week out. Exciting as always, or at least it would be in other circumstances. Unfortunately, the Diamonds are breathing down his neck for him to celebrate his sweet sixteen (not that they understand what that is) on Homeworld. Even unfortunatelier, (is that a word?? He has a gut feeling Connie would tell him no, but oh well), the last time he saw Blue Diamond face-to-face, she mentioned wanting to personally throw a huge planet-wide ball in his honor.

And yeah, maybe he’s a little selfish for spurning their desire to spend more time with him, but truth be told, the center of attention is the last place he wants to be right now. He’s already spent so much time in their company over the past year, being carted around from planet to planet, formerly introduced in front of thousands of Gems on those outer colony worlds, tirelessly working to spread the news of the empire’s dissolution day in and day out. He’s tired. He misses his friends. He craves the privacy of his home, where he’s not constantly flanked by the volunteer guard when he so much as moves to fetch a midnight snack. More than anything, he needs familiarity. He wants to celebrate his birthday on Earth— like he always has— guilt-free.

Which is why it sucks that Blue didn’t take his gentle turn-down well.

“Seriously, and then she made you cry again?!” Amethyst spits out, kicking a rock as they tromp through the dense woods. “I thought you said she was getting better with that!”

“She is,” he says, and ducks to clear a low branch. “This is the first time she’s done it in like, five months. Growth isn’t always linear, y’know? And I get it, I do. They just wanna spend time with me, wanna learn more about all the human stuff that makes me who I am. That’s fine! I just...”

Steven sighs softly and pauses to lean against a sturdy tree trunk, puffy moss coating its entire diameter. The blistering summer heat coaxes droplets of sweat from his brow, which roll across cheekbones and towards his jaw. (And in the wake of this, he can’t help but be reminded of that bizarrely foreign feeling, of crying tears that aren’t his own, without consent, without resolve...)

“Wish it didn’t happen right before your birthday?” she tentatively completes, tone softer.

He shrugs, expression guarded.

Her lips purse as she regards him, and she goes silent. For a split second he wonders if maybe she heard something stalking around nearby— perhaps one of the straggling corrupted Gems they‘re trying to track down today? But no, more than likely, she’s probably lost in thought. That’s not uncommon for her, outside the heat of the moment. Even though she has the reputation of being the most impulsive of the four of them, there’s a clear deliberateness about her nature that often goes unstated. Her actions and words may be blunt, but when it really matters she does stack a lot of intent behind them.

Heh. She’s the mature one, alright.

“What did you tell her? Specifically?” she asks after a brief pause, peering at him with a careful eye.

He squints, grasping to remember the fine details of what he said. “Just... that I normally spend my birthday with all of you here on Earth, and after all the nonstop planet touring kinda, maybe wanted to take some time alone?”

Amethyst nods, giving a sharp bark of laughter at this.

“Hah! Then don’t worry about it, m’dude! Sounds to me like you stood your ground and spoke your mind. Don’t be guilty about that for even a second.”

“But- it’s not like her wanting me to spend time with them is wrong, so by turning her down, wasn’t I being kinda ru—“

His rapidly spiraling thoughts are cut off at the root by a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Okay, listen,” she says in that unmistakable ‘Serious Amethyst’ voice of hers, which of course means that she’s— well... that she‘s absolutely 100% being serious. “One thing ya’ gotta learn is that some people are just super tiring to deal with 24/7. It’s not wrong to set boundaries with them. All this junk? With Blue D? Far as I’m concerned, you handled it perfectly! And if she wants to cry about it, then that’s her problem.” Smiling, she reaches over to playfully muss his hair. “I’m super proud of you, ‘kay?”

He responds with a weak grin. Inwardly he still has his doubts, but he knows all too well that trying to argue against her when she’s in ‘Serious Amethyst’ mode is like standing on the shore trying to single handedly hold back the tides of the sea. Even a powerful terraforming Gem like Lapis would eventually be worn down by the ocean’s ceaseless tenacity. It’s best, then, to keep one’s objection silent.

So he’ll just stew in guilt quietly, no problem. Absolutely no problem here, no siree!

Before he can let that stew churn in the pot any longer however, a tree crashes to the forest floor with a colossal rumble nearby. A cluster of unsettled birds shoot into the sky from the boughs. Ground shaking under the unrest, the two of them dart to cling upon anything they can— bark covered trunks, each other— for balance. Thankfully it’s over in a few seconds, the local ecosystem quickly rebounding to its usual chittering atmosphere. But there’s now a lingering unease hanging like a curtain over this forest, a physical aura of dread, and despite his best efforts it’s one he can’t manage to ignore. He lets out a still breath. The back of his neck prickles. Geeze, just how big is this corrupted Gem they’re after?

Instinctively, he summons his shield, brings it in front of his torso. Pearl’s training echoing like a catchy earworm in his mind, he steps one foot back to widen his stance. Truth be told, with all of his political service on Homeworld it’s been a while (easily half a year!) since he’s actually used his shield in active combat— but he’s sure muscle memory will carry him through. It’s fine. He’ll be fine. It’s gotta be like riding a bicycle, right?

“You see something?” she whispers, lowering on her haunches. Her fingers twitch with anticipation at her side.

His brow furrows tight, eyes skittering through the visible tree line. “Not yet, but...”

Then, in a resolute answer to the question of the hairs raised at the nape of his neck, a skinny blur of steely blue and moss green suddenly swipes down from the branches at breakneck speed. He jerks his shield over his head in a flash.

Clang. Perfect timing.

(The force of the collision against reinforced hard light sends vibrations up his arms.)

Meanwhile, Amethyst yelps, only barely ducking from the spiked tail in time. She somersaults forward and immediately summons her whip as she regains her footing. In one fluid motion she snaps it at the rapidly moving blur. He grins at the sight.

Contact!

The corrupted Gem— her body long and willowy, able to skitter between limbs and leaves with zero effort whatsoever— screeches at the assault. All four of her beady eyes hone in on the pair of them.

They square up for battle, standing back to back.

“Here we go,” Amethyst says, flicking her wrist to switch the weapon’s tri-ended tip into its spiked counterpart. “Keep me covered. Whatever you do, don’t take your eyes off the trees.”

With a mighty yell, she moves to attack again. However, the creature anticipates it this time... and dodges.

Once. Twice. Thrice...

Every single lash she tries to land fares the same, with the Gem perfectly zig-zagging out of range at the last second. Even when Steven hurls his shield in coordination with her offensive strikes. Even when the quartz brings out a second whip to the party. It’s like trying to desperately keep hold of a wet bar of soap. The very moment you think you have it secure in your grasp, it slips away once more. Weird... he swears that thing is predicting their every move. What kind of Gem is she? A sapphire, maybe? Surely there had to have been a few other sapphires on Earth at the time of corruption. They’re a rare sort, but it’s certainly not impossible. Not at all.

They’ll know when they poof her, of course. No sense fixating on it in the heat of battle.

In the corner of his eye he catches that barbed tail swing from above, vying to surprise them from their blind spot, and summons his bubble around them. Its surface ripples upon impact, but holds strong. His fellow battle partner follows the creature’s erratic movements rapturously as she recovers.

“Tell me when,” he huffs for breath, watching the Gem circle around them and slash at the surrounding trees in a vain attempt at intimidation.

“Drop on three,” she says. “Your call.”

“Okay...”

Steven steels his nerves, inhaling deep, and focusing on the reliable hum of hard light running from his core outwards. Just relax. It’s all training. All stuff you’ve done a million times before. You’ve got this.

Working off the emerging rhythm of the creature’s strikes, he begins his count.

“One—“

Amethyst’s fists clench tighter.

“Two...”

The creature’s tail slams against the bubble and rebounds once again.

“Three!” he shouts, and throws his arms out, popping the bubble in a startling explosion of glittering pink.

The Gem howls. She’s thrown against a cluster of trees by the force of his magic’s kickback. Amethyst throws all of her energy into her spin-dash, and surges towards her with all the strength of a typhoon.

He summons two shields in turn, working light on his feet as he hurls them full force one after the other, desperately hoping to poof this poor creature as quickly and painlessly as he can manage. She’s strong, though. Incredibly strong— which gives more credence to his theory of this Gem being aristocratic in origin. Before Era 3, Homeworld used to endow the most ‘important’ Gems with greater durability. If she were a corrupted quartz or ruby, both easily poofed Gems, they’d have finished the fight by now.

“Hey!” Amethyst calls as she continues on the offensive, finally looping the Gem’s torso. “All this?” She gives a mighty battle cry, and swings her slender, scaly body over her head. Screeching, the corruption crashes headfirst into the dirt a good twenty feet away. “Is starting to get way too annoying. Ya’ wanna let Smoky take this one?”

Steven gives a playful laugh, averting his normally watchful gaze from the creature for a split second to face her. “You bet I do!”

And that’s when what should have been an incredibly straightforward mission goes very, very wrong.

All because he forgot to be careful. For one tiny, should’ve-been-insignificant moment.

He’s reaching out for a high five, fingers splayed outwards. His gem glows, the two of them so intrinsically in sync by now that he’s already anticipating their fusion.

But his hand never finds its match.

Instead, the end of the corrupted Gem’s mace-like tail swings back around and slams into his gut with the force of a freight train, knocking the wind clear out of him.

Contact.

Following momentum, his body spins a good hundred feet away from Amethyst before she can ever try to catch him with her whip... and he crashes headfirst into a startlingly solid tree trunk. He falls to the forest floor like nothing more than an abandoned rag doll.

“Steven!!” she shrieks from afar.

Ears ringing. Head pounding. Heart throbbing. Veins pumped full of static.

(Inhale.)

H-he- surely he‘s not—!

(Just inhale!)

Black feathers the edges of his vision, looming like a reaper. It’s wrong. It’s real, but it’s all so distant, so wrong. Stubbornly, he gasps for breath. Refusing to let himself go unconscious. Not here, not now. But it’s so tempting, gosh is it tempting. His whole body feels numb and battered, his whole body feels...

There’s a twisting in his gut. His eyes shoot wide.

Oh...

The sensation (again, wrong, sickly and wrong) rises in his throat faster than he can identify it by name, and it’s then that he’s thrown back into sobering reality. Arms quivering to hold up his weight, he pushes his upper body up off the dirt just before he retches. Once, twice, three times- all on quick succession. Ugh. So much for breakfast. His muscles ache as he desperately attempts to recover, attempts to shift his view away from the appalling sight of his own vomit. Everything is woozy, blurred, spinning around him. His- oh stars, his head is suddenly as heavy as lead...! Where’s Amethyst?? Why do his arms and legs feel all tingly and faint? Why can he only barely lift himself up? He gives a keening cry as a pulsing throb of static shoots in staccato bolts like lightning from his very core, his center, h-his— he can’t think, he can’t think, he can’t—

Breathing ragged, he collapses onto his side and rides through the spasms, his every muscle jerking against his command. His cheek sags against the ground once the fit reaches its end.

He lays there in a daze for a good long while, letting his vision grow unfocused and blurred in his exhaustion. From his creased brow, sweat drips in the sweltering August heat, staining the soil below. Conflict rages on in the distant background—  Amethyst running solo?— yet he can’t keep track of the action by sound alone. It’s... too much sensory input. More than he can handle, by a long shot. Every bit of his universe now is faint and weak and pain pain pain pain pain, but he manages to shift his arm just enough to slip his hand under his shirt, blindly grasping for his gem... working off a terrible, horrifying hunch.

Shaking fingers find their way to warm crystal, tracing the outer edges, and then—

He traces a deep gouge, running diagonal clear across the center facet.

Cracked.

And with that realization, any remnant of calm he had left flies straight out the window. Another spike of static rips through his body (fuzzy images of Amethyst, 100% hard light body glitching out and unable to hold its shape, pervade his mind) as he makes rapid shallow gasps for air and seizes, trying in vain not to think too hard about what’s physically happening to him.

(I’m cracked I’m cracked I’m cracked I’m—)

“Steven!” Amethyst shouts, diving to his side in an instant. “I’m here, I’m here, I’m so sorry, it wasn’t safe, an’ I knew I had to bubble her before I- ‘fore I could—“

His wide eyed fear silences her even faster than his words. “H- Amethyst,” he rasps, voice hoarse. He blinks as tears begin to slip from between his lashes.

Near indistinguishable blurs of purple and black are his only metric for her movement now. He’s rolled onto his back. A hand moves under his head, stabilizing it.

“Whoa, dude, you’re like, pale as milk! What’s wrong? Did you get hurt?? Can’t you heal it?”

He somehow manages to push coherent words through his warbling cries. “I, I- I dunno, I’m c- cracked, I’m—“

“Wait, wait, wait, you’re WHAT?”

Giving no thought to courtesy in light of the situation, she yanks his shirt up to see for herself.

He hears her inhale as her fingers delicately brush against the gouge marring the center facet of his gem. It’s sharp, sympathetic. The kind of reaction only a Gem who’s lived this horror could offer him. Ever so slight, her hand recoils upon the no-doubt triggering sight. He— stars, he doesn’t wanna... doesn’t want to have to make her remember that, remember that awful time she herself got cracked, but here he is, so clumsy, s-so useless, an—

His chest trembles with every pitiful, bubbling gasp as he succumbs to the terror of the situation and begins to openly sob. Hot, fat tears pour in rivulets down his cheeks, but he knows instinctively there‘s no magic within them. Not today. Not when h-he’s... when he’s like this.

What’s even gonna happen to him now? How’s he gonna— Deep breath. This time, he feels it coming. Every muscle in his body contracts on automatic as that awful, awful static tears through his nerves like an arc of electric current.

It hurts it hurts it hurts ithurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurts—

Amethyst does her best to lightly hold him as he seizes, cradling his head to ensure no more damage is done. When he stills this time the fight’s practically draining from his body. The boughs of the trees above him pirouette like dancers. Oh stars, everything’s... so... woozy...

“Aw, geeze,” she mutters, and reaches to her gem to pull out an object, thin and rectangular, too blurry in his view for him to make out with much detail. “I, uh... listen. I’m gonna call up Pearl, and we’re gonna fix you up, okay?? We’re gonna take you to the fountain, an’ then...” Her words (reassurance, but for who?) grow thick as her glance flicks downward at his stomach again. “An’ then you’re gonna be fine...”

“B-b-but... I don’t think— I can’t walk,” he blubbers.

“Then I’ll carry you.”

“Am- hnng- Amethyst—“

“Shh-shh, don’t talk, bud. Save your energy.”

“I- I’m so scared,” he blurts.

And it’s so true. Because everything is becoming so blurry and indistinguishable, and the more his body seizes the more fractured he feels, and he’s so close to closing his eyes and drifting off now, he’s sure he is, he’s gotta be—

“Steven,” she says, voice firm yet soft. “Steven, common’, look at me.”

Serious Amethyst. He recognizes the tone. No arguing now.

So slowly but surely— knowing there’s no sense in fighting back oceans when he can barely stay afloat amidst the shallows of this river— his weary, tear stained eyes meet with hers. They’re blown wide with fear, with genuine concern, but between the swirls of black and indigo blue stirs a deeper courage: the unwavering gaze of someone who will have his back to the end of the line.

Amethyst clasps her palm against his shoulder, solid and reassuring.

“Whatever it takes, I promise you... I’m gonna get you there.”

[racefortheironthrone]

Tammany Hall was around till the 50s? I thought they ended after the 1876 election.

Tammany Hall did not die in the 1870s. Far from it....

Although it was much derided at the time, Tammany’s emphasis on the permanent party machine rather than the individual candidate meant that it had an astonishing staying power. It could go fallow for years, even decades at a time only to emerge re-invigorated under the leadership of a different Sachem. This often helped it to wait out its opponents, trusting to the normal ebb and flow of electoral majorities.

Tammany Hall had a long feud with the powerful Clinton family, because the Clintons were great rivals with Aaron Burr. Dewitt won three mayoral terms against them, but by embracing the new immigrant communities, Tammany’s John Ferguson defeated him in 1815. Clinton rebounded thanks to the success of the Erie Canal and was governor for almost all of the period between 1817 and 1828. Tammany recovered by doubling down on its support for immigrants and making an early endorsement of Andrew Jackson. Clinton died in 1828, and the family dynasty never returned to its original height.

In the 1850s, Tammany Hall suffered a major setback when they dumped Mayor Fernando Wood from the ticket after the recession of 1857, and Wood responded by creating his own Mozart Hall machine. Boss Tweed reinvigorated Tammany by creating “naturalization committees” to help immigrants become citizens in return for votes, and systematized a system of corruption in public works that gave him access to campaign finance and construction jobs for his immigrant constituents. Rather than confront Wood directly, Tweed allowed Wood’s vocal support for the Confederacy to lead to the election of a Republican mayor, and then got a loyal Tammany man elected the next time round.

In 1872, Tweed’s arrest for embezzlement caused an existential crisis for the machine. Tammany adapted by electing “Honest John” Kelly, known for his personal piety and morality, who purged the Tweed men from the organization and by 1874, the now-unpopular Republican reformer William Havermeyer was replaced by Tammany’s candidate.

In 1886, Tammany faced a new crisis from the left, as the United Labor Party ran Henry George for Mayor and threatened Tammany’s position as the pre-eminent working class political party in the city. Richard Croker managed to unify the Tammany and non-Tammany wings of the Democratic Party, and narrowly won the mayoralty. While the ULP beat out Theodore Roosevelt for 2nd place, they weren’t able to maintain themselves organizationally. Meanwhile, Croker borrowed the ULP’s more modern campaigning methods, replacing the old-fashioned saloon headquarters with political clubhouses in each Assembly District, and passed just enough pro-worker legislation to blunt the left. Under Charles Francis Murphy, Tammany reacted to the rise of labor tensions and socialist organizations by shifting Tammany from laissez-faire to progressive reform, especially in the wake of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911. Most consequentially, Murphy pushed Al Smith and Robert Wagner into political office, setting up their national careers.

While Gentleman Jimmy Walker’s opposition to Prohbition and his penchant for chorus girls and kickbacks suited the 1920s, come the Great Depression, the electorate was no longer so forgiving of a high-rolling mayor. Fiorello LaGuardia seized on the opportunity to create a Fusion ticket of Independents, Republicans, and labor organizations and served as mayor for twelve years. The combination of LaGuardia’s “Little New Deal” and Thomas Dewey’s corruption prosecutions drove Tammany to the brink of exinction in the 1940s. 

However by the mid-50s, Tammany returned to power under Carmine DeSapio, who held himself forward as a liberal New Dealer. DeSapio got O’Dwyer and Robert Wagner elected as mayor, and Averell Harriman elected governor. However, DeSapio’s ties to mafia boss Frank Costello became toxic when Costello was brought before the Kefavuver Committee and ultimately convicted of tax evasion, and even more so when Costello went to war with the Genovese family. DeSapio’s decline led to the election of Republicans Senator Ken Keating and Governor Nelson Rockefeller, and Wagner won re-election only by breaking with DeSapio. In 1961, Eleanor Roosevelt led a successful effort to strip DeSapio of his positions in the Democratic Party. 

With DeSapio’s fall, Tammany’s nine lives finally ran out. 

[st-crylo]

Rebound

Part 4

A/N: Alright guys, here it is! I hope you enjoy!

Warnings: Alcohol use, marijuana use, mentions of infidelity, swearing.

Word Count: 6.6K

Tagging: @haylaansmi @nankstasty @thomasscresswell

Masterlist

As promised, Phasma didn’t show up to school on Friday. As the four of you sat in the courtyard during lunchtime, soaking in the rays of the sun, you each excitedly talked about the party. Apparently it would be Alan’s first time going to one of Jordan’s parties, too. 

“Milo hasn’t ever let me go before. The only reason I get to go now is because I promised to be the DD,” he said, excitement in his voice. You could tell he was happy simply by being included. Even though you hadn’t spent much time with the group, it was clear that Alan felt like the token younger sibling. 

“Well, I’m glad we all get to relax after a successful first week of school. Now, you guys have your alibi covered, right?” Sami looked at you and Kylo with feigned suspicion.

“Yeah. We’re studying at your place tonight. My grandparents don’t expect me home, but do want messages before I go to bed, so there’s that,” Kylo responded. Even though he was doing his best to hide it, you could feel just an inkling of frustration radiating off of him.

“So does my mom. We can remind each other to send them at a reasonable time,” you said to Kylo, trying to ease some of his frustration. He nodded in agreement before taking a bite of the roll he was holding. 

Like yesterday, you and Kylo decided to walk into class holding hands again, stirring just as much attention. From behind you, you could hear Shawn talking to Dylan, but you couldn’t quite make out what it was they were saying. With a slight, barely noticeable glance back, Kylo smirked before resting his arm on the back of your chair. The action took you by surprise initially, but when you heard Shawn become silent, you leaned back into Kylo’s touch, scooting your chair a little closer to him for dramatic effect. 

When class started, you tried to take notes, but your excitement for the night to come was killing you slowly. You were so ready to go to your first party that wasn’t a slumber party, and with your new friends. 

When Physics ended, you and Kylo walked hand in hand to English, seeing Sami missing from her seat.

“That’s weird. Sami usually gets here early,” Kylo noted. Almost as soon as he said that, Sami rushed into the door, mere seconds before the late bell rang. She quickly sat down before plopping all of her things into Phasma’s empty seat.

“What’s all that about?” you asked as she struggled to catch her breath.

“Was talking to Pat about tonight, we got sidetracked,” she said, her breathing still heavy as she sank into her seat.

You remembered the name. Milo had mentioned Pat as being one of the people coming to Jordan’s tonight. You figured he was also a part of Kylo’s friend group as well.

“He’s still coming, right?” Kylo asked, pulling out his notebook and copy of Beowulf, which had numerous sticky notes inside. 

“Yeah, he was just telling me that a friend of his from Corellia is a plug, and was hooking him up for tonight. Said he’d buy enough for all of us, provided we pay him back,” Sami said, pulling out her own book and notebook. You did the same as you simply listened to their conversation. 

“I don’t need any. Can’t keep it in my grandparents house anyways,” Kylo said with a huff. 

“What about you, (y/n)?” Sami asked as she turned towards you. You were caught by surprise. You knew they were talking about weed, but you never thought that anyone would ask if you wanted to buy some.

“No, I’m good. I’ve never even had it,” you admitted, a small flush coming to your cheeks. This week was truly highlighting all the things you’d never done before, and you felt kind of lame for it. 

“It’s no problem. If you’re interested, you can try it tonight,” Sami assured you. The thought made your stomach churn, but whether it was from anxiety or excitement, you couldn’t tell. 

Soon, Mr. Skywalker had begun class, and the three of you paid attention as the class began with a discussion of the reading thus far. You made notes as best you could, but the end of the school day loomed so near that your stomach was turning in knots. First, it would be dinner with Kylo’s grandparents, and then it would be your first party. All of the hardship you faced melted away with the excitement of finally getting to live life as a teenager. 

There was both a feeling of relief and a feeling of anxiety as the final bell rang. You hurried to put your stuff away in your backpack, standing from your seat once you did so. Like usual, the three of you waited for the crowd to disperse before heading out the door. You threw your backpack over your shoulder, smiling at your old friends as they all walked past you. They all smiled back, warming your heart a little bit.

Once the crowd died down a bit, the three of you walked out of Mr. Skywalker’s room, and headed for the entrance of the school. Your heart was pounding. You only had dinner with Kylo’s family, and then the two of you would set off for the party. 

“Okay, I’ll see you guys at Jordan’s. Text me when you head that way, okay?” Sami said as the three of you walked out the front door and into the student parking lot. 

“Alright, we’ll see you there,” Kylo said before pulling his pack of cigarettes from his jacket. He pulled the last cigarette out of the box and put it between his lips before the two of you started walking towards his car, separating from Sami. When you got to his car, you climbed in and tried to calm yourself down a little. You needed to have some kind of composure for dinner, and then you could let loose. 

Kylo took a drag of his cigarette before climbing into the car. When he did, he cranked the engine before letting out a sigh.

“You excited?” He asked you, turning to you with a smile. 

“Yeah! I can’t wait to meet Jordan, she seems fun,” you said. “I am a little nervous, though. I haven’t ever been to a party before.” You blushed as you turned away to look out the window. It was probably pretty obvious that you’d never been to a party before, but it didn’t stop you from feeling lame.

“Don’t sweat it. Parties are honestly overhyped, but Jordan knows how to throw a good kickback. Besides, everyone that’s gonna be there is cool, unless that godawful pair shows up. No one’s gonna make you do anything you aren’t comfortable with,” Kylo assured you as he got in line behind all the other student drivers.

The drive home was agonizingly slow, but luckily you began to calm down. As the two of you listened to the radio, you let yourself be absorbed in the music, and forget your anxiety, even for a little while. Pretty soon, the two of you were pulling into the driveway at the Skywalker house. 

When Kylo shut off the engine, he sighed before turning to you.

“Do you want to get your stuff from home first, or come inside with me? I’m sure Gran is gonna have food ready within thirty minutes,” Kylo asked before running a hand through his black hair.

“My mom wants me to come by after dinner, so I’ll just grab my stuff then,” you told him.

“Okay. Sorry if they’re weird, they’re just...like that,” Kylo said before climbing out of the car. You could’ve sworn you saw a blush on his cheeks before he turned away from you.

Climbing out of the car, you decided to leave your backpack behind. You’d bring it with you to Jordan’s, that way no one could question that you were studying. Kylo waited at the foot of the porch steps for you, and you quickly caught up with him. When you reached him, he went up the stairs, leaving you to follow behind him into the house.

The Skywalker house was interesting to say the least. There was a mix of all sorts of decorations, clearly souvenirs from different places they’d been. There were also a lot of photos of a lake, and some family photos as well. As you followed Kylo, you couldn’t help but to examine them all, finally deciding to stop at the section of the wall with the most photos.

At the top were a lot of photos of who you assumed were Mr. and Mrs. Skywalker. In all of these photos, Mr. Skywalker had his arm around Mrs. Skywalker, and the two were grinning ear to ear. The only difference in the many photos like this were that each were in a different location, but the joy on their faces remained the same. The next level of photos were the beginning of the family photos. The oldest Skywalkers still had the same joy on their faces, but they were now accompanied by their children, each at three different ages. The photo on the bottom, and eye level to you, warmed your heart. It was a huge family portrait, the oldest Skywalkers sitting down in the center of the photo. On the right side, where Mr. Skywalker was sitting were Kylo’s parents, and Kylo himself. Kylo couldn’t have been older than fourteen, but was still freakishly tall. On the left side, the side of Mrs. Skywalker, was the younger Mr. Skywalker, and beside him a fourteen year old Rey. It was easy to forget that Rey was a part of Kylo’s family. After all, Rey never really claimed him as family, even though she’d been adopted by his uncle.

“That one’s my favorite,” said a voice from behind you. You turned around to see Mr. Skywalker looking at the photos with happiness and reminiscence in his eyes. “I’ve lived a long life, and I’ve done a lot, but I’m most thankful for my family.” You smiled at him, feeling your heart warm even more at his words. You couldn’t really explain it, but you got a very similar level of comfort from Mr. Skywalker that you did from Kylo. It almost felt as if he was your own grandfather.

“Granpa, Gran is looking for you,” came Kylo’s voice as he walked back into the foyer. Mr. Skywalker turned to his grandson, about to say something, but he was cut off.

“Anakin, come help me with the food!” came the voice of Mrs. Skywalker from a distant room. Mr. Skywalker gave you a smile before turning to go to his wife. 

For a moment, you and Kylo stood there in silence. You turned to look back at the family photo, and smiled. Kylo came up beside you, crossing his arms.

“I hate that picture. I’m so awkward in it,” he said with a huff. A small frown formed on your face as you examined Kylo in the photo. Yes, he had that early pubescent awkwardness about him, but you found the picture charming. Especially since he was smiling pretty widely.

“I think it’s cute,” you stated, turning to look at Kylo, who looked down at you with a frown. You simply smiled up at him, and eventually his frown faded a little.

“Okay, kids, dinner is ready,” came the voice of Mrs. Skywalker. Kylo indicated for you to follow him once more, and he led you into the dining room. 

The table was set with two plates on either side. Mr. and Mrs. Skywalker were already seated next to each other, leaving the other adjacent seats for you and Kylo. The two of you sat down, and you looked down at the plate, breathing in the delicious aroma of the food Mrs. Skywalker prepared. It was a pot roast, and the smells were intoxicating, making your stomach grumble as it remembered how long ago lunch was. 

“Thank you for joining us for dinner, (y/n),” Mrs. Skywalker said as all of you started to dig into your food.

“Thank you for inviting me! Your food looks delicious,” you said before taking a bite of a potato.

“My wife is the best cook in all the world,” Mr. Skywalker said with confidence. Mrs. Skywalker lightly pushed at his arm, shaking her head as she let out a chuckle.

“I’m glad you and Be-I mean Kylo are becoming friends again! You’re the kind of friend he needs,” she said before taking a bite of her food. You could almost feel Kylo roll his eyes from beside you. “So, do you have any plans for college?” Of course, a college question. The dreaded dinner table conversation of every high school senior.

“Yeah, I was hoping to go to either Coruscant Central or Hosnian State, but I’m not sure for what, yet,” you admitted, trying not to look down in order to hide the flush in your cheeks. Every adult expected you to have a plan already, and it was a source of stress for you, especially since college had been another thing you’d planned around Shawn.

“That’s okay. You have time to figure out what you want to do,” Mr. Skywalker assured you, which made you feel a little better. It filled you with a sense of relief, since you probably weren’t going to get bombarded with questions of what you enjoyed, and reasons why that should be what you majored in. “So, Kylo, how was your day?”

You could tell Kylo had enjoyed not being the center of attention because as soon as the attention was brought to him, he clenched his fist under the table. 

“It was alright. I don’t have too much homework for the weekend,” he answered before continuing to eat his food. 

“That’s good. Have you talked to your mother at all?”

A small sigh left Kylo’s lips before he replied. “No.”

There was silence after that, the kind that falls after a touchy subject is discussed. You didn’t know how to react, so you waited for someone else to speak so the air in the room would be a little less heavy.

“Well, if you get good grades on your first report card, we’ll let you invite some friends to the lake house,” Mrs. Skywalker said. Kylo’s head raised, his eyes widened by disbelief.

“Are you serious?”

“Of course I am. I think even you deserve a little bit of fun, provided you promise to be responsible,” she responded. Kylo’s mood seemed to lift a little after that. 

From then on, the small talk continued. Mrs. Skywalker seemed to want to know a lot about you, and even though you were happily enjoying the meal she made, that didn’t mean you didn’t catch the looks she was giving Mr. Skywalker. You wondered if they thought something was between you and Kylo. If so, that meant the two of you wouldn’t have to work hard on that front. 

Once dinner was finished, you helped cleaned up, despite how much Mrs. Skywalker insisted you didn’t. As you helped, you could hear Mr. Skywalker and Kylo talking in the other room, but about what, you weren’t entirely sure. As you placed some of the plates into the sink, you felt Mrs. Skywalker place her hand on your shoulder.

“Kylo might seem a little standoffish, but he’s just a little confused. I think someone like you would be good for him,” she said before going back to washing the dishes. So, your questions were now answered. If the two of you were going to “date” soon anyways, where was the harm in playing along.

“I know. I’m just hoping he can pick up on hints,” you said as you helped wash the dishes. You could see Mrs. Skywalker smile out of the corner of your eye. 

When all that was done, you and Kylo headed out the front door and down the porch steps. Mr. and Mrs. Skywalker stood at the door, Mr. Skywalker’s arm around his wife’s shoulders, making you think of the photographs.

“Make sure you message one of us before you go to bed,” called Mrs. Skywalker. Kylo simply nodded, and the two of you watched as they went inside.

“He gave me the ‘she’s a good one’ speech,” Kylo said casually as he leaned against the hood of the car.

“Funny, you’re grandmother assured me that you aren’t the emotionless brick wall that people see you as. I think she was trying to hint at something,” you joked. Kylo let out a laugh, and you couldn’t help but smile as well.

“Go get your stuff, I’ll start the car.”

You did as he said, all but sprinting to your house as the excitement began to build up in you again. You were so ready for this party, you almost couldn’t contain yourself. You opened the door, and headed up the stairs to grab the bag you’d left by your door.

Before you left, your mom gave you the whole spiel again, making sure you knew to message her when you got there, when you went to bed, and when you woke up in the morning. Repeating the same promise that you would at least ten times, she finally gave you a hug and told you to have fun. 

When you got outside, you saw Kylo sitting in the car, not paying attention to the fact that you were approaching, and instead swaying along to the music playing in the car. When you opened the car door, he turned to face you with his signature smirk, a fire in his golden eyes. He waited for you to get your seatbelt on before pulling out of the driveway, and making his way out of the neighborhood. 

It was about a twenty minute drive to Jordan’s house, in one of the nicer neighborhoods of Mos Eisley, and the whole time the excitement and anxiety started to fill your stomach, creating waves and turns that were starting to make you nauseous. You were so ready to let loose and have fun, something you’d needed desperately recently, but you were still worried about seeming stupid to anyone you hadn’t met yet. However, as Kylo pulled into the driveway that already had a couple of cars in it, you felt all the anxiety fade away, and the excitement was the only thing you could feel, causing you to be restless. 

You stared in awe at the house in front of you. You knew you shouldn’t be too surprised, as you were in such a nice neighborhood, but you couldn’t help it. You’d never laid eyes on such a huge and ornate house before. It was almost overwhelming.

“Okay, before we go in, I just want you to know that if you’re uncomfortable at any point, let me know, and I’ll hang around you, okay?” Kylo said, turning to face you.

“Alright. I will let you know if anything happens. I’ll probably stick with either you or Sami anyways,” you said. Kylo simply nodded in response before smiling at you.

“Alright, let’s pop your party cherry.”

The two of you stepped out of the car, and almost instantly, you heard your name being called. You turned to the front door and saw Sami, Phasma, and who you assumed was Jordan based on the way Phasma had her arm resting on her shoulder. Sami ran up to you, drink in hand.

“Hey, let’s go ahead and take that picture for your mom,” Sami said, her words having an extra little pep to them.

“Have you been drinking already?” Kylo asked as Phasma and Jordan approached.

“We only had a shot, but she’s been working on that rum and coke,” Phasma answered. Sami flicked them off before standing beside you, waiting for you to take your phone out. Quickly, you snapped a selfie of you and Sami and sent it to your mom, assuring her you’d made it to “Sami’s house” safe. Once you’d done that, you turned to face Phasma and Jordan.

In short, Jordan was gorgeous. She had dark brown hair that was braided back, and beautiful brown eyes to match. Her face radiated friendliness as she looked you up and down, a smile on her face. Something about her was remarkably familiar to you, but you couldn’t quite place it.

“You must be (y/n)! I’m Jordan,” she said, opening her arms to give you a hug. You hesitantly accepted it, and when you did, her hug was tight. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“I’m not sure if I should be flattered,” you admitted as she let you go. You rubbed the nape of your neck as you looked between Sami, Phasma, and Kylo.

“Trust me, you should be. Anyways, come on in, make yourself at home. We’ve got a few people here already, but there’s some more people on their way,” She said as she turned around, leading all of you into her house. “Mom and Dad are away on a trip, so we have the house to ourselves!”

When you got into the house, you noticed there were more than a few people there. There had to be about twenty other people already in the house, a few of them dancing along to the music on the speaker, some sitting on the couch enjoying drinks, and a circle of people with a haze floating over them. One of the people in the circle peeked up as the five of you entered, and got up from his spot, walking over to all of you, carrying the sweet but pungent smell with him.

“Hey Kylo, I was wondering when you’d get here,” the guy said, giving Kylo a half hug, which Kylo half-heartedly returned. 

“We had dinner with my grandparents before heading over here, I thought I told you about that,” Kylo responded, frowning slightly. The guy laughed before turning his gaze to you. There was a certain kind of look in his eyes, but you really couldn’t tell what it was, as it changed when he smiled at you.

“I’m guessing you’re (y/n)? Pleasure to finally meet you, I’m Pat,” he introduced himself, holding his hand out for you to shake. You took it, and he shook your hand a little too firmly, but you decided to ignore it. Pat was definitely the stereotypical stoner, his back hunched slightly, and red, shaggy hair covering up most of his hooded green eyes. He was about as tall as Kylo, if you added the inch he lost from slouching.

“Hey Pat, we’re about to do a round, do you want a shot?” Jordan asked as she walked over to the kitchen, soon returning with a bottle of tequila and some shot glasses. 

“Hell, why not? What about you guys?” Pat asked, looking around the group for responses. Everyone nodded but you and Kylo, and you felt like a deer in the headlights as everyone seemed to look at you. You felt your heart start to pound, but you took a deep breath, quelling your anxiety before smiling.

“Hell yeah,” you said. Sami smiled widely before grabbing a shot glass from Jordan. Pat turned his gaze back to Kylo, who simply shrugged. Jordan ushered all of you into the dining room, laying all the shot glasses on the table and pouring tequila into each of them. After she filled them, she handed one to each of you. 

“Alright. Cheers, lads,” she said, raising her shot glass. You lifted yours in the air along with everyone else, clinking your shot glass against the glasses of others. You hesitated for a second, but then poured the liquid into your mouth, feeling it burn on it’s way down. You had to fight to keep from scrunching your face at the taste in the back of your throat. 

“The first one’s always awful,” Kylo said as he leaned over to whisper in your ear. “At least it isn’t vodka, that’s more like rubbing alcohol.”

“Alright, let’s get you something tasty,” Sami said before linking your arm with hers and dragging you to the kitchen. You looked back at Kylo, who was laughing at you before turning to face Pat. In the kitchen there was a stack of red cups and a sharpie. Next to the cups were more alcohol bottles than you had ever seen in your entire life. There had to be one of everything there, and it was a little overwhelming. Sami pulled a cup from the stack, and uncapped the sharpie, writing your name onto the cup.

“Trust me, some of these people have horrible ideas of what a mixed drink is. You don’t want to accidentally drink one of theirs. Especially Kylo, he’ll nurse a cup full of Fireball for hours.” Sami stuck her tongue out in disgust, and you wondered if she’d really only had two shots with her rum and coke. Sami then turned to the fridge, where she pulled out pineapple juice. She the procured Malibu from the city of bottles, pouring way too much into the cup with your name on it. When she was satisfied with the amount of liquor, she then began to fill the rest of the cup with the pineapple juice, taking a straw and stirring it before pushing it towards you.

“Drink up! You deserve it,” she said as she came around the island to stand next to you. When she got beside you, she leaned against the counter before taking a sip from her own drink. You shrugged before taking the straw between your lips and drinking the cocktail.You almost expected there to be the same fire you’d gotten with the shot, but instead all you could taste was the heavenly combination of pineapple and coconut, and without hesitation, you drank half of the cup in one go. Sami was laughing from beside you before taking another sip of her own drink.

Pretty soon, you were starting to feel what you could only describe as woozy. You felt a lot lighter than when you’d gotten there, and your thoughts started to tumble around in your brain.

“Where’s Milo and Alan?” you asked, turning to face Sami.

“Oh, Milo’s smoking with Pat and all them, Alan was dancing last I saw him. Milo prefers getting high to drinking anyways, especially since he used to blackout a lot last year,” Sami answered, lightly swaying to the music. “How was dinner?”

“Pretty good, but it’s really obvious that his grandparents want us together,” you admitted before taking another sip. You were also starting to sway with the music subconsciously, matching your swaying with Sami’s.

“Well isn’t that convenient. I didn’t think it would take much to convince them. Apparently it isn’t going to take much to convince the Mos Eisley student body either. The rumor mill is a-turnin’,” Sami said.

“How you mean?” You asked, looking at Sami with your brows raised in confusion.

“Well, one of Shawn’s friends, Jacob, is in my math class, and I overheard him talking about the two of you. Apparently Shawn thinks you were talking to Kylo before you even split up,” Sami disclosed. You felt rage boil up inside of you, and you could think of nothing better to do than take the straw from your cup and chug the rest of your drink.

“He’s one to fucking talk, considering,” you said with a huff, crossing your arms and tapping your foot along to the beat of the music. 

“I know. Cheating scumbag. I hope his balls fall off.” You laughed at Sami’s response. Just then, Phasma and Jordan both walked into the kitchen, making their way to the city of bottles for a drink.

“What are you two talking about?” Jordan asked as she grabbed a bottle of Smirnoff, pouring some into her cup.

“Alvarez?” Phasma asked. You and Sami simply nodded. “What happened now?”

Sami explained what the sender had told you and Shawn’s new claims to the two women as they listened attentively. Both of their faces shifted to ones of anger as they listened.

“What a prick. I always hated Alvarez, him and his older brother are pieces of shit,” Jordan said before taking a gulp from her cup.

“Didn’t you date his older brother, Jordan?” Sami asked. Suddenly it clicked. 

“Wait, we’ve met before!” You exclaimed, now unable to control the volume of your voice. Jordan gave you a confused look for a moment, but then she too realized.

“Shit, that’s right! That time we all went out to dinner together, what, two years ago? Wild,” Jordan said, her face lighting up as she let out a laugh. “Yeah, fuck Diego Alvarez. He’s got a small dick anyways.” All of you laughed.

“C’mon, let’s go dance,” Sami said before dragging you out of the kitchen with her. You sneaked a peek of outside, and saw that the sun was starting to set, and as you turned to the living room, you realized the amount of people in the house must have doubled since you got here. However, you decided you didn’t give a shit as you joined Sami in the crowd, swaying to the beat of the music. It was the most lighthearted you’d felt in probably your entire life, and you didn’t give a shit about anything as you danced. Somehow, between all the dancing, Sami seemed to keep filling your cup with a different drink each time, and the overall feeling of drunkenness made you feel indestructible. Time seemed like nothing to you, and you just kept dancing with reckless abandon, not caring if anyone saw you or judged you. No, this was your chance to relax, and you were going to take that chance. At least, until your stomach grumbled.

“I’m gonna grab a snack!” You yelled to Sami over the music. She nodded in response, but kept on dancing as you made your way into the kitchen. There were a handful of people in the kitchen, but they were all absorbed in their own conversations, paying you no mind. You examined the different snacks on the counter, unsure of what to eat until your eyes landed on a pan of brownies. Your mouth watered instantly, and you grabbed a pretty big piece, taking a large bite from it and savoring the rich chocolatey taste before shoving the rest in your mouth.

“Hey, I’ve been looking for you, I-” Kylo stopped dead in his tracks as he watched you chewing on the brownie, some of the icing that had been on top lingering on your fingers. “Please tell me you didn’t eat a whole one.”

You swallowed what was left of the brownie, and you looked at Kylo with innocent eyes. “Yeah, why?”

Kylo placed the palm of his hand on his forehead before running his fingers through his hair. “(y/n), this is a party with college kids attending. Did you really think they would be plain brownies?” 

His words caused realization to dawn on you as you looked to the pan of brownies, and then back at Kylo. Then, without warning, you started laughing. You were laughing so hard, you had doubled over. Of course your dumb ass would accidentally eat pot brownies. You heard Kylo lightly chuckle beside you before grabbing a bottle of water from the counter and handing it to you.

“Here, drink up,” he said. You grabbed the bottle and opened the cap.

“Is this gonna keep me from getting high?” you asked, though as the question left your mouth, you realized how stupid it was.

“No, but it’ll keep you from feeling sick tomorrow morning,” he said. After that, you gulped down the water, only then realizing how dry eating the brownie had left your mouth.

“Come with me, in about thirty minutes, you’re gonna want to sit down,” Kylo said, taking your hand and dragging you along with him. You tried your best to keep up with him, the crowd constantly bumping you around and starting to make you feel really hot. Luckily for you, the two of you were soon at the back door of the house. Once you stepped outside, you saw Jordan sitting on a lawn chair, holding a cigarette in her hand.

“You okay, (y/n)?” She asked. You smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up.

“Better than ever!” Jordan turned to Kylo with a confused look.

“She ate a whole one of Pat’s brownies, so I figured we’d go to the tree house. Are there still blankets up there?” Kylo said. You were only half paying attention, though, as the cool wind brushed across your cheeks, keeping them from getting too warm. It felt much better out here than it did inside.

“No, but I can go grab you guys some. Go ahead and head to the tree house,” Jordan said before she stood up, heading back into the house. Kylo then started leading you down a path into the backyard, which was practically a forest. You stared up at the trees as you passed by them, until you got to some wooden steps. Your eyes followed the steps to look up at a pretty fancy tree house, and your jaw gaped as you continued to stare. 

“Alright, I’m gonna let you climb up first, that way I can catch you if you fall, okay?” Kylo said. You nodded in response before walking up the staircase, taking each step slowly, as you thought more and more about the possibility of falling as you ascended. When you made it to the top, you let out a sigh of relief before opening the door to the tree house. Inside, there was a daybed with a couple of pillows next to a window. Across the room from the bed was a flatscreen TV, and a bookshelf full of DVD’s. You walked over to the bookshelf, examining the different movies. You were so caught up in doing so, you didn’t even notice Jordan coming in with blankets and snacks until she spoke.

“Alright, here’s some blankets, and here’s some snacks, cause you know she’s gonna be hungry soon. I also brought some water for cottonmouth. I’m assuming you still have that joint?” she said to Kylo.

“Yeah, I’m gonna go ahead and smoke it while I babysit her. Thanks, Jordan,” he said. 

“No problem. Also, (y/n), Sami told me to remind you to text your mom,” Jordan said, turning towards you. You looked up at her, and then pulled out your phone, checking the time. 10:27. Damn, had time passed quickly. You quickly sent a text to your mom, and then you shoved your phone back into your pocket.

“Thanks, Jordan!” you said. She waved a goodbye before she closed the door to the tree house. 

Once you and Kylo were alone, you headed over to the daybed, plopping down, laying your head on the pillows. As soon as you did, it almost felt as if your body was merging with the bed itself. Your head didn’t really feel heavy anymore from the alcohol, but almost like it had gotten ten times lighter. You felt like you couldn’t open your eyes more than halfway, and you laughed when you tried to do otherwise.

“I see that shit’s kicking in now,” Kylo said with a laugh. “Leave it to Pat to make extra strong brownies.” Kylo walked over to the bed, blankets in hand. He laid one over you before placing the snacks and water next to you at the edge of the bed on the floor. After that, he sat down next to you, pulling out what looked like a weird cigarette from his pocket. You knew instantly it was the joint Jordan had mentioned. Kylo opened the window slightly before lighting the joint, taking a small drag from it to get it burning just right. You smacked the inside of your mouth, suddenly feeling it become dry, before reaching for the water bottle beside you. Opening up the cap, you sat up, gulping down the water like you hadn’t had water in weeks. Once you closed the bottle back up, you leaned your body against Kylo’s, letting out a sigh as your body seemed to feel heavy against his. As Kylo took another hit from the joint, the smell of the weed filled your senses as he blew out. 

“Let me try,” you said, holding out your hand. Kylo let out a laugh before taking another hit.

“I think the fuck not. You already had a brownie, you don’t need a hit from a joint. Maybe another time,” he said, tapping the joint against his finger outside the window before bringing it back up to his lips. You frowned and crossed your arms dramatically.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” Kylo asked as he took the bottle of water from your hand, opening it up and finishing the bottle.

“Not right now. I just kinda wanna sit here,” you said, beginning to hum an indistinct tune. There was silence for what felt like an eternity before Kylo let out a soft sigh.

“I heard you and the girls talking in the kitchen earlier,” he confessed before taking another hit of the joint, this one longer than the others. He let out a small cough as he breathed this one out.

Your heart sank a little bit as you realized what he meant. You then leaned over to grab a bag of chips, opening it up and shoving chips into your mouth, choosing not to say anything.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, leaning forward, his elbows resting against his knees. You let out your own sigh.

“Because I didn’t want you doing anything stupid,” you said. “If I told you when I found out, you would have heard me crying, and then you would have decided to take matters into your own hands. You did that a lot when we were kids, too,” you said, remembering a time you’d been bullied, and Kylo had caught you crying about it. Needless to say, the boy that bullied you had a pretty bruised face. 

“I guess that makes sense, but it would be no less than what the fucker deserves,” he said, taking another hit from the joint. You wrapped your arms around his, pressing your cheek into his bicep.

“We already have a way to deal with that, though. And trust me, it’s going to be an even worse punishment for Shawn to have to watch us date, that I can guarantee,” you said before laying back down. Kylo took a final hit from the joint before putting it out against the window sill. He then laid beside you, staring at the ceiling. 

“Then we shouldn’t keep his punishment waiting,” he said before turning to you with a smirk on his face. You laughed before turning your body to face him.

“Alright then. On Monday, we will officially present ourselves as a couple,” you declared before standing up to go look at the movie selection again. You wobbled as you made your way across the room, and Kylo had to get up in order to help you work the TV and DVD player attached to it. 

The two of you decided on a kids movie, but what exactly it was, you hadn’t paid attention to. Once the movie started, and the two of you were settled on the bed, you just started talking about anything and everything before your highness caused you to fall asleep, cuddling up next to Kylo. 

[blogipremium]

Niewiele osób wie, czym jest rebounder. Muszą to jednak wiedzieć prawdziwi fani piłki nożnej, zwłaszcza Ci, którzy sami lubią pokopać gałę. To wspaniałe urządzenie jest świetnym partnerem w ćwiczeniu techniki i panowaniu nad piłką. Jak wygląda i czemu stało się hitem wśród zabawek ogrodowych... http://popisane.pl/rama-z-siatka-do-odbijania-pilki/

[justeeb99]

Butt Stuff

Glute Bridges 3x20

Kickbacks with Ankle Weights 100 reps per leg

Superset Heel Elevated Goblet Squats and Deficit DB Deads 3x15 each

Frog Pumps 3x50

Short on time, busted this out in about 20 minutes just to get something in. Glutes and Hams feel worked, need more high Glutes work, though being in a gym next time will help that. Trying to really focus on squeezing reps and not just getting them in, focusing on letting the muscle do all the work here.

One of my main goals for training right now is bringing up glutes and hamstrings, to balance everything out and because who doesnt want a better ass, I need to get in more hip thrusts though.

Got 10k steps in today mostly trying to hatch eggs in Pokemon, gives me a reason to walk aimlessly away from everyone else at work.

Eating took a step back today, I left work having only had two protein shakes and a handful of peanuts all day and slid back with Chinese food tonight but only had Beef Lo Mein and Spare Ribs. Tomorrows another day, energy did rebound a bit from the past two days, I think I need to do some chicken in addition to protein for a little bit extra calories to get through the work day so Im not begging for caffeine once training starts.

[fillecurieusewritings]

Tuesday Thoughts (1/4/2022)

A while ago I had a crush on this guy and as freshman in college, I figured this would be a fresh start. Noting that I had never been in a relationship before, I figured with college there are an endless amount of outcomes. For reference, I grew up in a predominantly white area when I was a child and I am a black girl. Going to school with mostly white people led me to develop feelings of insecurity because I was oftentimes looked down upon. I remember vaguely what one kid said to me in regards to dating me. He said "I would never date a black girl, because I do not like black girls". That one statement hit me like a truck. Being in middle school at the time it really made me realize that the reason why a lot of people don't like me (romantically or platonically) is because I'm black.

Therefore I developed an insecurity that lasted even after I moved to a predominantly black area. Upon going to a new school where there were more people who looked like me, there was a lack of people who acted like me. Many people would say I acted white and wouldn't befriend me, with the little white people that were at the school I attended, they didn't want to befriend me because well I live in the south so you get the picture. Essentially I attend all of K-12 friendless and boyfriend-less.

So when college came around I was quite desperate. Initially upon starting college I just kept to myself and only joined one club. Within that club I was still reserved but had a great time.

As time moved on I started breaking from my shell some and had developed feelings for this guy (who for the record is white) that was an avid member. One night I was hanging out with some other members and I told them how I felt about him, in which they responded that he had a girlfriend at the time. Now I'm not a home wrecker so I let the feelings die, but a few weeks later he broke up with said girlfriend. Not wanting to be a rebound, I tried to tread lightly with him in hopes that we would become friends and he would develop feelings. That all changed when the girl he's currently dated joined the club. I knew from the moment she walked through the doors of the classroom we were using, that she had him hooked.

As members in the club grew closer (it was club that consisted of at least 20 people) we stared having kickbacks and parties (pre-covid). I remember at one I tried to talk to him and start making my advances. Within that same week he told me himself he liked her, and in a fit of denial I confessed my feelings to him hoping it would sway his mind a little.

It did not.

He reiterated that he had feelings for her.

The statements of "if he wanted to, he would" rang out to me a lot. He would constantly pick her up for the parties making sure she had a ride, he would walk her home from club meetings (even though she lived on campus and he lived in the apartments located near the campus - in which he would have to walk all the way back across campus), he would give her his jacket if it was cold outside.

All these little things made me realize more and more that he did actually like her. Then I started getting jealous and upset, thinking about all the times I was rejected. From a physical standpoint she's the perfect girl, model material. Pasty white skin, with light green eyes and long slightly curly brown hair. She was skinny and had one of the best fashion senses I've seen in a while.

Now that I reflect, I too had a crush on her, it was because she was everything I wanted to be.

I remember one encounter I had with her was at one of the parties the club hosted. At the time her and I were cool because we had many encounters outside of the club so we were familiar with each other. I remember pulling her aside and telling her about my feelings for the guy. Part of me hoped that she would back of or tell me she wasn't interested, but the other part wanted her say she felt the same towards him so I could process it and move on.

Essentially, she gave a response that told me she wasn't interested at least not in that moment. Which gave me hope the two of them would fall through. I felt slightly betrayed when they started hanging out more and more because I told her how I felt, it seemed like she didn't care at least enough to tell me to give it up.

But he was not without fault, he did play me a little. He would hug me and hold my hand. He would have long deep conversation with me to the point that it felt like it was just us in the room. He constantly made me feel wanted, I could be looking into things, but briefly it seemed like I had a chance.

All of this happened in the fall semester of freshman year, come spring, they had made things official and began dating. For spring break we all went to this beach in and stayed in a beach house. They were all over each other, but yet he still found time be get into my business. He would constantly do things that made me question his feelings towards me.

Then COVID happened I had to go back home which was 4 hours away from campus, both were from the city of my school so they stayed. Their relationship blossomed and fell more and more into despair.

But.

The more and more I was away from them the more I grew. I realized that how I acted was wrong. I should have let the both of them be. I grew obsessed with them and it wasn't healthy. Quarantine was a blessing and a curse. I wasn't able to have much interaction with peers, but I was able to grow as a person. I took time to myself and focused on what makes me happy. He wasn't the one for me and it took me time to realize that now.

I recently saw an Instagram post with the two of them and I forgot all about them, seeing them together made me feel no other emotions but joy. I'm happy for the two of them. I'm happy that they're happy and still together (even though initially I wanted them to break up so bad and stated multiple times to different people that they wouldn't last).

I am a hopeless romantic, I just love love. And love shouldn't be forced. My person is out there I just have to be patently.

I'm learning to love myself for who I am. I am a strong black women and even though the world may be against me at times, who I am to myself is what is most important. Focusing on me and being a little picky has led me to realize that I'm not missing out on much (straight men suck sometimes).

WIth that being said love who you are first and everything will come along ( I know that sounds cliché, but it holds to be true)

Thank you for listening.

Sincerely,

A curious girl

[memynissanandi]

2021 Nissan Qashqai Midnight Edition

Box-office popularity and critical acclaim don’t always align. Sometimes the biggest cinematic hits fall foul of the critics, leaving hearts of the masses and bums on seats to outweigh the minds of a learned few. Ticket sales reign supreme and it’s deemed a success.

The Nissan Qashqai has, for the most part, lived up to this scenario since its inception (previously branded Dualis Down Under). While it doesn’t top the VFACTS sales charts and it’s unlikely to win a group comparison test, the Qashqai is a consistent seller. Tied to a strong brand, the Qashqai offers families big value from their small SUV.

However, it’s been around a while – since 2014, in fact. So, to keep interest high and customers walking back into post-Covid showrooms, Nissan has delved into the gloss-black-paint reserves to create the Midnight Edition.

  What does it cost to own?

The Qashqai is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is pretty standard within the industry these days. Servicing is every 12 months or 10,000km (whichever comes first), but you can also opt for a capped-price servicing plan that runs for 12 years/120,000km. Five years of roadside assistance is available.

What’s the exterior like?

In PR-speak, “Nissan invites you to own the night”… what that translates to is a heap of black accents being added to the known styling. And to be fair, it does the trick, with the Midnight Edition offering meaningful flair to keep the Qashqai ageing gracefully. For a known design, the special edition adds an on-road presence.

This is created via a Gloss Black V-motion grille, while the front and rear bumper blades and roof rails gain the same treatment. Darkened LED head (adaptive) and taillights feature, too, as well as body-coloured mouldings. The auto-folding wing mirrors gain gloss black, as do the 19-inch alloy wheels.

There are five exterior colours to choose from and include Vivid Blue, Ivory Pearl, Gun Metallic, Magnetic Red and Pearl Black.

What’s the interior like?

Yes, you guessed it, the black theme continues inside, too. And in a mind-bending juxtaposition, brightens up the tried and tested Qashqai design in line with the exterior. Both gloss and brushed black accents abound, including a black roof headliner, as well as part leather/Alcantara seats and illuminated kick plates.

The benefit of the larger dimensions against the class norm (the Qashqai is 4394mm long, 1086mm wide, 1595mm tall and with a 2646mm wheelbase) is a spacious cabin. All five occupants enjoy generous head, leg and toe room front to back, with the back pews gaining a central armrest with cup holders when four-up.

Despite its almost range-topping status, the Midnight Edition misses out on heated front seats and power adjustment (even for the driver), as well as digital dual-zone climate control. Yet, overall, the styling tweaks give the ergonomically sound cabin a bit of a second wind. The new steering wheel is also a highlight, feeling nice in hand.

What’s the infotainment like?

Updated for the current-gen model, the Qashqai gains a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen to handle the infotainment. It’s on the small side, meaning you have to be precise with your inputs and the graphics are dated. Still, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is DAB+ digital radio, which plays through a six-speaker audio system. The instrument cluster gains a 4.2-inch screen for features like the digital speedo.

Something left wanting, and a sign of the Qashqai’s 2014 ilk, is a lack of USB and USB-C ports. There are none in the back, and just a single port is hidden in the centre storage bin. And there’s no wireless charging, either. The upcoming third generation can’t arrive soon enough.

What is the storage like?

Given its ‘small’ SUV category designation, the Qashqai offers space some of the competition can’t match. The boot is 430 litres, extending to 1598 litres with the 60/40-split rear seats folded. There is a bit of a step up from the boot floor when the rear seats are stowed, however, the load bay is flat and the lip isn’t too intrusive when heaving in weighty/bulky items.

The centre console is endowed with a cavernous storage compartment and further bolstered by numerous provisions for cups, bottles, keys, wallets and sunglasses. Basically, there are a plethora of places to put a family’s worth of items.

What engines are available?

You can have any engine you want, as long as it’s a naturally aspirated four-cylinder. Its relatively large capacity does its best to mask a lack of torque compared to smaller, turbocharged units, with the 2.0-litre unit producing 200Nm. Combined with 106kW of power, the Midnight Edition offers ‘enough’ grunt to cope with the 1392kg kerb weight and fulfil its intended use… just.

Within city limits, the Qashqai operates amicably and the CVT is one of the better units on the market. Where it becomes strained is open-road overtaking, especially given power and torque are developed high in the rev range (6000 and 4400rpm respectively). The 2.0-litre four-pot sounds strained, too, as the CVT perches the tacho needle high in the rev range.

What about the fuel economy?

Officially the Qashqai Midnight Edition is rated at 6.9L/100km on a combined cycle. However, throughout testing the trip computer returned eights, even when pushing the oddly placed Eco mode button for frugal driving. It’s a shame some of the Nissan/Renault alliance turbo petrol and diesel engines offered in other markets aren’t available here.

What’s it like to drive? 

All the controls are light, progressive and easy to use for the daily grind and family hauling. Driven within these parameters the Midnight Edition ticks boxes by being easy to live with. The brakes are strong and progressive, the steering is light for city car parks and the stepped-ratio CVT mimics a conventional torque-converter automatic with six ratios for a ‘manual mode’. The suspension tune leans towards the stiff side. However, the dampers offer enough control on the rebound to prevent pogoing. Still, overall, it’s a bit too firm to be branded cosseting.

A somewhat interesting move is the fitment of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres (225/45 front to rear) to the test car. It’s a lot of rubber for a humble SUV, especially given its usual performance-based applications. And while the sticky hoops offer the safety of heightened grip levels, it’s almost too much as the body struggles to match their competence, exacerbating the Qashqai’s roll. There’s also noticeable kickback and rack rattle through the steering wheel on poor surfaces.

How safe is the Qashqai?

The Qashqai range receives a five-star ANCAP safety rating, but it’s worth keeping in mind the score is carried over from the 2017 model year. Nissan Intelligent mobility active-safety includes blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, emergency braking (AEB), rear cross-traffic alert 360-degree surround-view camera with parking sensors and intelligent driver alert. ISOFIX is fitted to the two outboard rear seats.

Sadly, given the price point, active cruise control, pedestrian/cyclist detection and lane-keeping with steering intervention aren’t standard, you have to step up to the Ti for that.

What are the alternatives?

Many. So many, in fact, it’s hard to list them all, so here are some of the key combatants. The never-say-die Mitsubishi ASX which, despite its age, keeps brewing a sales storm. In terms of racking up sales accolades, it’s the Lewis Hamilton of the small SUV segment. Like the Qashqai, it offers a lot of physical car for the monetary outlay.

Others to consider are the not-so-small Kia Seltos, dynamically talented Toyota C-HR, pragmatic Honda HR-V and the ‘funky’ Hyundai Kona. The Skoda Kamiq and Volkswagen T-Roc offer Euro quality, while the Mazda CX-30 pairs dynamics with a premium cabin. The choice is seemingly endless in this burgeoning class.  

The bottom line

The Qashqai is a classic case of ‘the more you spend, the less sense it makes. While the Midnight Edition jazzes things up a bit, there really isn’t much point extending into this price bracket. The metal-for-money equation that Nissan’s SUV does so well is no longer in its favour. At $28,290 (manual) and $30,290 (auto), the entry-level ST is about all the Qashqai you’ll ever need. The superior space and easy-to-live-with nature make it appealing to the masses.

So, while the Midnight Edition conjures visual delight and, somewhat out of character, offers grippy performance-orientated rubber, it isn’t the variant to buy. It’s also worth keeping in mind that a new Qashqai is, we’re told, around the corner.

Article sourced from https://practicalmotoring.com.au/

[interestingfactsquotes]

Interesting Facts About The Muscular System

Interesting Facts About The Muscular System Muscle is a natural element of the human muscular system. It is a more powerful energy than other sources and in addition, it is completely untapped. Consequently, this energy can be utilized for any possible purpose. This article aims to explain about the facts about human muscular system and its different parts so that you can get an idea about this information. Muscles are very important to movement and athletic performance, much like you see in basketball and baseball. First, you should know the most basic facts about human muscular system. These facts are not very complicated. This stuff is pretty safe as well so no concerns over NSFW material, and feel free to check Youtube and 4K HDR videos for more information like the one below. Fact One: The word "muscle" is used to describe the skeletal system. It is the part of the body that is directly related to the human skeletal system. This means that it has anatomical, muscular, and structural connections with the skeletal system. Stanford University published research on the history of muscles. Fact Two: The muscular system is the connection between skeletal system and other muscles. It is related to the skeletal system by means of cross training and joint movements. It also plays a role in the repair of the skeletal system. This connects TBH to how people tend to emphasize consumption of items with ample protein such as beef and peanut butter to help overall athletic and muscle training. Fact Three: Muscle is the big material composed of individual cells. It is composed of the same group of cells as connective tissue (the tissue that covers the bones). This means that muscle is composed of an internal matrix and some blood vessels (which can generate nutrients and oxygen to the cells and the atom level). There are of course muscular system related diseases. Des Moines University published research on diseases related to the musculoskeletal system. Fact Four: Muscle has a movement that is an essential part of the body's cells. It is also a component of the biological systems, which act as communication links between cells and tissues. Fact Five: Muscle has the ability to adapt to changes in its structure and functions. It can change its structure and function without having the capacity to lose its shape. This means that the capacity of the muscle to adapt is increased in proportion to its size. Fact Six: Muscle possesses the capability to heal from injuries and damage. Its repairs can be done faster and more effectively than the human skeletal system. When a player on the Dallas Mavericks or LA Dodgers injures a muscle, they have the ability to rebound and recover. Of course, sound nutrition with potassium, cinnamon, and turmeric can help while avoiding Wendy's and high fructose corn syrup. Many folks and athletes now also look to cannabis and CBD Gummies for relief. Another important factor in understanding the facts about human muscular system is that the human body can grow bigger. That means that the human muscular system can endure any kind of training and exercise regime and continue to produce new muscles that have increased in strength and size. Fact Seven: When the human muscular system grows, its organelles or cytoplasm gets smaller. This means that the length of the cytoplasm can change depending on the level of power in the muscle cells and on the energy produced by the cells. There are different kinds of energy that can be stored in the cells, such as ATP (adenosine triphosphate), ADP (adenosine diphosphate), or NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). They are stored in the cytoplasm as well as in the mitochondria. When you have understood all the facts about human muscular system and its different parts, you will be able to answer a question such as, "What are the biggest muscles in the human body?" It is not as complicated as you think. Most men over the age of 30 have at least a small dimple on their pectoral muscle. This is caused by the loss of muscle mass in the area due to lifting heavy objects like dumbbells and barbells. The pectoral muscle is a small muscle located around the chest, and it is used for some very specific functions that help you to lift heavier weights and work more muscles. Here are some of the major functions of the pectoral muscle: One of the first things you need to know about your upper arm muscles is that it's major function is to help you breathe. The chest muscle also helps support the whole weight of your upper arm, and it connects the shoulder blade to the rest of the upper arm bone. It is the main muscle for the entire shoulder movement, so if it's weak it means you can't move your upper arm very far. The lower part of the pectoral muscle is connected to the upper part of the arm bone by two muscles. These muscles act as a stabilizer for the upper arm as well. For instance, a skinny guy with skinny arms may benefit from exercises like overhead press, pec deck, tricep kickback, and overhead push ups as part of his routine to build up his pectoral muscle. Since the pectoral muscle is very small, the strength is only concentrated in the small muscle group. All of these exercises help build the muscle without causing any damage to the muscle fibers. When working out with a small muscle group, you can use much lighter weights to achieve similar effects of an intense workout. The pectoral muscle has no control over the opposing muscles, so it needs to have the right contraction pattern to get a good workout. A high level of intensity is the best way to improve the appearance of this muscle. Stay current on unknown science facts and other information related to the human body such as the oldest woman, tallest man, Celtics, Houston Astros, Ohio State football, Einstein, salt, wheat, artists like Tool, Post Malone, and Billie Eilish - plus so much more. https://youtu.be/rMcg9YzNSEs https://youtu.be/OSsntU6sTWI Read the full article

[novantinuum]

Fic WIP!

So, I’ve been cooking a fic lately. I’ve got a good 7K written of it so far, and it will be 4 chapters in total. I will be posting the full thing only when I’ve finished, but given I haven’t shown much creative work lately I thought I’d share a lil teaser with y’all of it.

It’s set post CYM, pre movie. Steven is almost 16. For slight context, he and Amethyst are tracking down some straggling corrupted Gems... intending to poof them and return them to the temple to heal with their diamond essence.

__

Preview:

In the corner of his eye he catches that barbed tail swing from above, vying to surprise them from their blind spot, and summons his bubble around them. Its surface ripples upon impact, but holds strong. His fellow battle partner follows the creature’s erratic movements rapturously as she recovers.

“Tell me when,” he huffs for breath, watching the Gem circle around them and slash at the surrounding trees as intimidation.

“Drop on three,” she says. “Your call.”

“Okay...”

Steven steels his nerves, inhaling deep, and focusing on the reliable hum of hard light running from his core outwards. Just relax. It’s all training. All stuff you’ve done a million times before. You’ve got this.

Working off the emerging rhythm of the creature’s strikes, he begins his count.

“One—“

Amethyst’s fists clench tighter.

“Two...”

The creature’s tail slams against the bubble and rebounds once again.

“Three!” he shouts, and throws his arms out, popping the bubble in a startling explosion of glittering pink.

The Gem howls. She’s thrown against a cluster of trees by the force of his magic’s kickback. Amethyst throws all of her energy into her spin-dash, and surges towards her with all the strength of a typhoon.

He summons two shields in turn, working light on his feet as he hurls them full force one after the other, desperately hoping to poof this poor creature as quickly and painlessly as he can manage. She’s strong, though. Incredibly strong— which gives more credence to his theory of this Gem being aristocratic in origin. Before Era 3, Homeworld used to endow the most ‘important’ Gems with greater durability. If she were a corrupted quartz or ruby, both easily poofed Gems, they’d have finished the fight by now.

“Hey!” Amethyst calls as she continues on the offensive, finally looping the Gem’s torso. “All this?” She gives a mighty battle cry, and swings her slender, scaly body over her head. Screeching, the corruption crashes headfirst into the dirt a good twenty feet away. “Is starting to get way too annoying. Ya’ wanna let Smoky take this one?”

Steven gives a playful laugh, averting his normally watchful gaze from the creature for a split second to face her. “You bet I do!”

And that’s when what should have been an incredibly straightforward mission goes very, very wrong.

All because he forgot to be careful. For one tiny, should’ve been insignificant moment.

He’s reaching out for a high five, fingers splayed outwards. His gem glows, the two of them so intrinsically in sync by now that he’s already anticipating their fusion.

His hand never finds its match.

Instead, the end of the corrupted Gem’s mace-like tail swings back around and slams into his gut with the force of a freight train, knocking the wind clear out of him. Wham. Contact. Following momentum, his body spins a good hundred feet away from Amethyst before she can ever try to catch him with her whip... and he crashes headfirst into a startlingly solid tree trunk. He falls to the forest floor like nothing more than an abandoned rag doll.

“Steven!!” she shrieks from afar.

Ears ringing. Head pounding. Heart throbbing. Veins pumped full of static.

(Inhale.)

H-he- surely he‘s not—!

(Just inhale!)

Black feathers the edges of his vision, looming like a reaper. It’s wrong. It’s real, but it’s all so distant, so wrong. Stubbornly, he gasps for breath. Refusing to let himself go unconscious. Not here, not now. But it’s so tempting, gosh is it tempting. His whole body feels numb and battered, his whole body feels...

There’s a twisting in his gut. His eyes shoot wide.

Oh...

[melississist]

“La Negra tomasa” - Caifanes

November 2012-May 2018

Black Friday 2012 and 1 month after my break up of my longest relationship. The ex moved out and I had friends over a lot more often. This night my friend “Arrogant Basterd” gave me a call that there’s a friend he’s bringing over says he thinks I’ll like him.. I rolled my eyes and said whatever I was still bitter to the thought of hooking up with someone new again after my split. My friends arrive and there he was “Decaf”.

I remember this boy when I just turned 18 and he was still 16.. I was with my rebound at the time summer of 2008. I remember I asked him who that was.. he said thats “Decaf”.

Now Decaf is a 21 year old, tattooed, long haired, single dad. Apparently he knows who I am too. Not surprised since we have many mutual friends from our hometown.

I still came off mean and bitter to him. I knew what he was here for and I was like how dare our friend even try to hook us up. He was one of those guys with kind of bad rep and has been very popular among the girls in our hometown but eventually that night I caved.

It became a regular thing that winter I’d see him. He played his role as dad during the day, worked at night and since both our jobs ended after midnight it would be our time. We were absolutely just in lust.

There was one night I was expecting him. I left the door wide open to my one bedroom apartment. I was standing over my computer and in first few seconds of “La negra tomasa” comes on. I’m getting into it moving hips very slowly and dancing. It was a song that came on a lot during my kickbacks at my apartment. Then right at the first “Ay! Ay! Ay!” He’s walking in towards me singing that part. Then I’m sure you know what happens next.

Our friends knew this relationship was just one about one thing. We were quite mean to each other but had a few things in common and were able to have many intellectual conversations. Anyways we eventually stopped, he found someone he actually wanted to be involved with. Shit kinda broke me but I knew how he was and left it that. Over the next year we were just friends and I was able to meet his daughter on Christmas Day 2013. She was adorable. Then over the next 4 years we’d reunite and stuff but over that time I really learned he’s a scumbag.

I’m not going to leave it at that though. If it wasn’t for him and the heartache from the first year I knew him I may have not gotten into hooping then all the way to performing at Burning Man. Thanks asshole 🖤✨

[mechagalaxy]

Sten Hugo Hiller - 627184: A Rose by any other name….

(By Sten Hugo Hiller - 627184)

A Rose by any other name….

If there is one thing most Commanders REALLY want to avoid, it is Kickback.

Sometimes, like when you have to run a formation of Anzu`s or Namtar`s in a Mech specific event, it is unavoidable.

But otherwise...

Never pilot a Mech you dont have the skill to handle, -every hit done to an opponent will redouble (at least) back on you.

Steer away from (or at least make a very careful examination of pros and cons) all Equipment having Kickback, and dont equip Weapons having it either.

That way the dreaded Kickback will leave you alone, and all the damage you have to worry about is what the opponents might inflict on you.

-Or at least, that was the way it used to be.

Enter two new effects; Rebound and Reflect, and the Kickback is back in force.

OK, perhaps not Kickback per see, but when you hit an opponent and takes damage from doing so, the difference is a bit academic.

Back in the mist of time when I started out as a Commander, I was pretty clueless.

I actually thought Kickback was beneficial, like some kind of retribution that could strike those opponents who hit me.

Yes, I was totally wrong, but it took some time for me to understand it worked exactly the opposite way, that my Mechs might take damage when they hit opponents.

As a collary, we might call Kickback, Rebound and Reflect for retribution.

As most are pretty familiar with Kickback, let us look at the other two effects.

Rebound is quite facinating actually, and have two main purposes.

Firstly it act as a % Shield vs all primary damage.

Say you have 10% Rebound. Then 10% of all damage you suffer from opponents (Except for Burn/Ignite, Fork, Splash, Trample and Wide Fork) will bound off your Shields in the direction of the opponents line. It might or might not hit one of the opposing Mechs, but that is in my mind just a bonus, the main fact is my Mech take less damage.

Reflect works a bit differently.

Again, it only works on directly delivered damage, and it do not reduce it.

What it does is unerringly send a percentage of the damage suffered (your Reflect %) back at the sender. If you have a high Reflect and the blow landed is in the 4-5 digit range, this might well send the offending Mech into shutdown.

As always, new items and effects will make Commanders come up with the best way to use and counter them.

One possibility is that more empahsis will be given to multidamaging, and less effort in making possible the superstrong blasts we have seen, for instance in the War competition.

[blogipremium]

Kiedy myślimy o zabawce ogrodowej dla dziecka, przed oczami staje nam basen lub trampolina. Nic dziwnego – to bardzo popularne ogrodowe gadżety, które mają wielu wiernych fanów. Jednak jeśli bardziej zgłębimy się w ofertę sklepów okaże się, że jest jeszcze jedna zabawka, na punkcie której... http://lajf-stajl.pl/rebounder-trenazer-treningowy/