#like right after CtM

[starppleb]

"So you guys! Do you have anywhere to stay?"

. . .

go home / stay with Charles

"Well, I don't so--" "You can stay with me!" "Sweet!"

stay with Charles and Ellie

[flamingredanon]

Dont know if this has been asked before and Tumblrs search engine is completely functional and not bugged at all but is your Terrence & Henry thing based off of the Castlevania Sorrow duo of games where Soma is revealed to be Dracula that was given another chance at life?

Very heavily inspired, though the hair color thing between the two was just a coincidence to be honest.

It is just a fun what if to play around with and make scenarios from, exploring what Henry could be or what Terrence would eventually become.

[tharett]

**** This is going to be the last ranfren post I'll make ****

I'm pretty sure some of you may know (and by looking into the community, will probably tell me to "grow up" lololol), the ranfren creator has... a VERY problematic past (that i properly searched and educated myself about)... and I no longer want to associate with their work (simple as that, really)☝️🤓

[Context as to Why I'm Uploading this xd]:

I was in the process of drawing this page (with the intention of uploading it ywy) before finding about the LORE about the making of the Ranfren series, so I couldn't bring myself to NOT upload this after putting a lot of work in for it... and we find ourselves here in this awkward situation :v

So with this, I will bid the series adieu and continue uploading art of my other interests 🙇‍♂️

Eng Translation of my Chicken Scratch Handwriting:

Nyon and Nyen photo:

- ok 1/2 (letters on his shirt)

- Nyon looks too feminine lmao (in my style)

-Nyen (why is he always drawn all muscley??) (Future thare: I now know (HAH))

Luther photo:

[Headcanon Box]

- always unprepared for visitors (doesn't have enough drinks each visit somehow)

[Dialogue]

Luther (L): "I hope your friends like them..."

Randal (R): "thanks big brother! Woah, an ash tray for a cup!? Cool"

Avalona and Spider Girl photo:

[Dialogue]

Avalona Mercury (A): c'mon guys! Hurry up! N'hee hee hee!"

R: "I'm on my way ladies!!"

A: "ew you're drooling again hee hee!"

[OC]Hirose Daiki (H): "I'll stick around a bit!"

[Extra Notes]

- HS AU ☆ high school alternative universe

- they all get along like normal teens <3

Comic Strip (LEFT TO RIGHT! Also Numbered!!):

[Contex Box]

- meeting the Ivory Family

[Dialouge + Action Boxes]

H: "oh! Hey Sebastian (S)! What a coincidence! Wanna hang later?"

S: "H-Hirose? What are you...?" [First time meeting Hirose out of school]

H: "I'm also here for groceries?? Lol. Why else would I be here?"

L: "oh? Is he a friend of yours, Randal?" [Lean--]

R: "eeh, I guess? He's a friend of a friend" [uninterested]

H: "hello! I'm Hirose Daiki, Randal's and Sebastian's friend! You must be Randal's big brother, Luther, right?" [Offering hand for handshake]

S: "I told you, you don't have to greet them..."

H: "nonsense!! It's a pleasure to meet you! Hi Randal ^^"

R: "ugh... hi..."

L: "(Oh, he's nicer than the other one (Satoru)!) Well yes! Yes I am- it's a pleasure to meet you, too!" [Flattered Blush]

H: "the pleasure is all mine!"

R: "Seb, let's go to the candy section!"

[Contex Box (2)]

- later made plans to introduce his (Hirose) parents

Traducción de Todo lo que Dije antes pero en Esp xd:

**** Esto será el último blog de Ranfren que haré ****

Estoy seguro que algunos de ustedes saben (y al mirar los tipos de la comunidad, probablemente me dirán que "ctm/no mms" xdxd), el creador de Ranfren tiene... un pasado MUY problemático (en la cual yo tome el tiempo para buscar para que me eduque adecuadamente)... y ya no quiero asociarme con su trabajo (así de simple, la neta JAJA) ☝️🤓

[Contexto de pq subo esto xdxd]:

Estaba en el proceso de terminar este dibujo (con la intención de subirla ;-;) antes de enterarme de la HISTORIA sobre la creación de la serie Ranfren, así que como no subir este dibujo después de ponerle tanto esfuerzo para terminarlo, y pues... ahora nos encontramos aquí en esta situación incomoda :v

Así que con esto, me despido de la serie y continuaré subiendo arte de mis otros intereses 🙇‍♂️

Traducción Esp de mi letra culera JAJAJA:

Foto de Nyon y Nyen:

- ok 1/2 (lo que tiene escrito en su blusa)

- Nyon se ve demasiado femenino JAJAJA (en mi estilo xd)

- Nyen (¿pq siempre lo dibujan todo musculoso?) (thare del futuro: ahora lo sé (JAJ))

Foto con Luther:

[Caja con Headcanon] ("Headcanon" son ideas que son implementados en un personaje(s) de cómo interactuan/como reaccionaría en ciertas situaciones, etc)

- Siempre no esta preparado para sus visitantes (por alguna razón siempre no tiene suficiente bebidas para servir en cada visita)

[Diálogo]

Luther (L): "espero que a tus amigos les gusten..."

Randal (R): "¡Gracias, hermano mayor! Gau, ¿¡un cenicero para una taza!? Chido"

Foto con Avalona y Chica Araña:

[Diálogo]

Avalona Mercurio (A): "¡Vamos chicos! ¡Apúrense! ¡N'hji ji ji!"

R: "¡¡Voy llegando chicas!!"

A: "¡Que asco, estas babeando de nuevo ji ji!"

[OC]Hirose Daiki(H): "¡Me quedo con ustedes por un poco!"

[Notas Extra]

- UA de Prepa ☆ Universo Alternativo de la Prepa/Secundaria

- se llevan como adolescentes normales <3

Tira Cómica (¡LEER DE IZQUIERDA A DERECHA! ¡¡TAMBIÉN ESTÁ NUMERADO!!)

[Caja de Contexto]

- conociendo la Familia Ivory

[Diálogo + Cajas de Acción]

H: "¡oh! ¡Que tal Sebastian (S)! ¡Que coincidencia! ¿Quieres pasar el rato?"

S: "¿H-Hirose? ¿Que haces aquí...?" [La primera vez que mira a Hirose fuera de la escuela]

H: "¿¿También estoy aquí para el mandado?? Lol, ¿para que más estaría aquí?"

L: "¿Oh? Este es un amigo tuyo, Randal?" [Se inclina--]

R: "eee, ¿yo diría? Es amigo de un amigo" [desinteresado]

H: "¡Hola! ¡Soy Hirose Daiki, amigo de Randal y Sebastian! Usted es el hermano mayor de Randal; Luther, ¿es cierto?" [Ofreciéndole la mano para saludarlo]

S: "te he dicho, no necesitas saludarlos..."

H: "¡¡Tonterías!! ¡Es un placer conocerte! Hola Randal ^^"

R: "ugh... hola..."

L: "(Oh, ¡es más amable que el otro (Satoru xd)!) ¡Por supuesto! Soy el hermano mayor- ¡Es un placer conocerte!" [Rubor Halagado(?)]

H: "¡El placer es todo mío!"

R: "¡Oye Seb, vayamos a la sección de dulces!"

[Caja de Contexto (2)]

- después hicieron planes para introducir sus padres (de Hirose)

Con esto, me despido y les deseo que tengan una buenas/os días, tardes, o noches 🫂💕

And with this, I say goodbye and wish all of you a good day, afternoon, or night 🫂💕

[populousgraph]

I'M SO MOTIVATED TODAY!

This is my other Toppat oc, Carter. (This might also get wordy lol)

Carter is a bit of a lovable dumbass in the way that I can best describe as a comical relief. He's pretty laid back and doesn't like when things get too serious. He's decent at his hiest jobs, but he's no professional. This is because he's a bit clumsy, which is also why he doesn't get put on important missions as much.

Carter was raised with his twin brother, Carson. (I'll get into him later)

At a young age, he always felt out of place. He was a troublemaker and was constantly getting himself disciplined by the people around him. It was also obvious that his parents favored his brother over him. Oh, the pain of being compared to your sibling, especially as twins.

I guess after so many years of trying to be a good person and live up to his brother, he got tired of trying. (He definitely had an emo phase as a teen, lmao). He occasionally would steal small things and pick fights with other people. (Whether or not he won the fights is debatable...)

Eventually him and his brother had a huge argument and fell apart. He lost contact with his twin and parents and had no one to turn to.

That is until a certain Clan shows up :3

Now I don't know how I want Carter to join the clan, and I have a few ideas with him assisting the clan or asking to join, I'm not sure. Either way, he does join eventually and becomes a part of their silly crime family.

What are his relationships with other Toppat members?

I'll tell ya! (This part is longer than Devin's because I don't get into Carter's role in ItA. You're not missing much anyway. He plays a bigger role in CtM)

Devin:

These two are pretty much best friends, and they're super chaotic when they work together. Their combined brain cells cancel each other out, which makes them kinda stupid to be around. When Carter is in trouble, Devin is usually right there with a stupid idea to get him out of it. They usually go on minor heists together.

CatHat (my friend's oc):

Carter manages to piss CatHat off so bad that simply being around him irritates him. They don't interact much, but since they're both friends with Devin, they gotta tolerate each other.

Reginald:

They don't talk much (obviously). But Carter does respect him and does his best not to mess up around him. They have bonded over sharing a similar style but not much else.

Right Hand Man:

They almost NEVER talk. Which makes sense since Right keeps to himself, and Carter is very intimidated by just the thought of the guy.

Carson Miller:

Carter's twin brother that he lost contact with a long time ago. He misses him sometimes, but he doesn't have time to dwell on it. They used to be super close when they were little.

Anyway, thanks for sticking around and reading all this 😅. As a thanks, I give you a cookie 🍪

[thehuntfortrencherlostmedia]

The Mediocre Fairy Tale, Ever After - A Marianas Trench Retrospective

Med… mediocre? Cody…. What do you mean? Ever After is their best album! It’s the album that made me discover the band! How the fuck is it mediocre?

Oh boy. It’s time to get controversial here and to admit my true feelings: I feel Ever After is the weakest Trench album overall. Why? It copies a little too much of Masterpiece Theatre in terms of the tracklist and in this case the second go around didn’t always produce their best work.

This isn’t to say Ever After doesn’t have its moments or even some of the best songs in the bands history. Up until A Normal Life, Ever After was my favourite of the bands openers, immediately setting the fairy tale tone of the album. It’s basically the outline of the story the rest of the tracks will go over in song form, while also the song that places Josh in Toy Land.

Then, we immediately go into Haven’t Had Enough, the first song off this record I ever heard. And I love this song. It always gets me in a good mood… but I did start to notice the lack of rock…

Then we have By Now, which brings in an acoustic guitar & shows how the band could’ve done a more up tempo version of Beside You. This song was a single but feels like it’s both forgotten by the fans & yet also overrated at the same time.

Then we have our first mis-step, the R&B inspired Truth & Dare. While I love how the song is about Josh & Carolina playing Cat & Mouse with one another… Josh has definitely done a better job at this type of track later on. Also… this is when it got me that the album was gonna be very POP focused.

Then we get to Desperate Measures, another song that shows the band knows how to write good radio tracks. The issue is… we’ve focused on Josh & Carolina screwing with one another on the last song. Did we need another going over that Carolina is so desperate for Josh to be her King?

And… well… we have Porcelain next. The first time I heard this… I didn’t get it at all. Now? It’s perfect in its simplicity. This is how you do a good slow ballad with buildup.

BUT… DID WE REALLY NEED ANOTHER RIGHT AFTER?

Fallout. The most divisive track among Trenchers besides maybe Your Ghost? It got overplayed so much that for a few years I couldn’t listen to it. Now? It’s fine. Sadly, Wildfire used the same elements better.

And now… we have our “let’s loosely copy the back half of Masterpiece Theatre for the rest of the album!” batch of tracks.

Stutter takes the swing elements brought up on Sing Sing & amplified them into a very catchy earworm that I adore. The last S tier song on the album.

Toy Soldiers feels very much like it wanted to be a single but the band got cold feet. I feel like the music video for it would’ve been totally zany, much like Celebrity Status’s. Besides that, the two songs don’t have that much in common.

And then we have our Perfect clone, B Team… which is… eh? Josh is finally confessing his feelings to Porcelain after defeating Carolina & she’s unsure about him, given her relationship with the King. I get why it’s here but it feels like cold feet for no real reason.

So Soon meanwhile wishes it was Lover Dearest. Instead, it’s their mopiest ballad & just lacklustre. A true B - of a track.

And then you got No Place Like Home. I don’t think it’s controversial to say this is the bands weakest closer, and that includes both CTM & Fix Me’s closers. They tried to copy the “let’s use elements from other songs” shtick from MT Pt. 3 & NPLH jist doesn’t quite stick the landing for me. It’s a good end to the story as a whole, but one where I go… that’s it?

But here’s the thing: when I’m in the mood to put on Ever After, I love the narrative throughout the songs tell with each leading into the other, pushing the narrative forward. It makes this slightly weaker batch of songs more powerful as a whole rather than separate songs.

It’s also a great record about how Josh is head over heels in love with Amanda despite the obvious road bumps in their relationship that led to utter heartbreak… and longing for childhood nostalgia.

It’s time now, Astoria…

[rarestdoge]

Cyborg!Cameron

Oh boy, this guy is absolutely PACKED with angst. And yes, this is canon to the og Cam.

To sum this up: Cameron becomes a cyborg after the RBH ending. Sometime between ItA and FtC, he finds himself in a fight with Right Hand Man and loses. Horribly. With him lethally injured, Charles, along with help from Rupert, quickly flies him over to Dr. V. She replaces his right arm, left eye, and spine.

There is also a non-canon alt ending. I don't have the story fully fledged out quite yet, but it'll play out like Cameron's own Revenged ending. Only reason this isn't canon is because it would've made CtM too complicated, but it would've been lame not to include it somewhere.

I'll most likely tell both of these stories in much more detail in the form of a fanfic!

Cyborg!Cam will be open for asks too, but don't bother asking him for more details about how he became a cyborg and whatnot. I'm obviously gonna explain it later.

[karin-gespenst]

Making a triangle scarf for my aunt's Birthday and I have to finish it by Dec 26 - so it is crochet nightshift time!

My Call the midwife re-watch has been nonexistent so far and I'm happy to at least watch some episodes before the new ones air.

Today I picked the 2023 Christmas Special and I think I like it more now than I did before. Colette moving into Nonnatus House is heartwarming and her friendship with Sister Monica Joan is just darling.

Happy Trixie! Immediately after her honeymoon and before any unpleasant Matthew's-Business business starts.

Geoffrey and Sister Veronica make a fabulous team. I enjoy the Nativity tableau very much, and of course the music in the scene.

The surprise quadruplets of course did not surprise me but the topic is at least paired with a local story and the swift putting aside of attitudes in favour of our beloved CTM staple of women helping each other.

Nurse Crane reminded me of my mom. Working past retirement age (in fact, she's at work right now in the hospital lab), always busy helping someone and looking after everyone. I'm glad she'll let me cook for her tomorrow, I don't get to do that often.

[ask-astf-characters]

Right... {I keep forgetting this is before Ctm}. What do you think about the other elites? Both of you.

{Lol it's ok dw}

Mr. MacBeth: Albert's alright, but he's a bit...

Carol: Boring?

Mr. MacBeth: *chuckles* Yeah. His funding is useful and all and we're grateful for him, but he could stand to gain a personality. As for Gene, he's a bit of a coward-

Carol: With bad taste.

Mr. MacBeth: Awful taste. Heard he joined after someone found out he was planning on smuggling the Tunisian Diamond out of it's museum.

Carol: Heh, it's almost funny that it ended up stolen anyway!

Mr. MacBeth: Almost like karma came a little too late... Ahnoldt, now he's on his way to be Head of the Heister Division! He's strong-

Carol: Both physically and vocally.

Mr. MacBeth: *laughs a bit* That is true, he's a loud one. Don't get me wrong, perfect for driving forces forward, but a little much for conversation... And Sven and Burt... they're young, but I can't say I've got a bad opinion on them.

Carol: Burt's always been a little... strange to me. I don't know, doesn't he seem almost emotionless sometimes?

Mr. MacBeth: Carol, he's just a little reserved. Wasn't Right exactly like that when you first met him?

Carol: Hm, you've got me there, I guess I should be used to reserved. Sven, though, now he's a smart kid. Better with numbers than most of the oldest Toppats! Amazing that he's so young, really, he acts like he ran a financing firm for years before joining.

Mr. MacBeth: Yeah, Reginald's kids really are something... Shame that Earrings didn't wanna accept an elite status, but I guess she wanted to stay closer to her buddies.

Carol: Oh, I understand that all too well... Hm, it's a shame what happened to our little friend group, really. I barely even speak to Right anymore...

Mr. MacBeth: Well... nothing's stopping you. Maybe once we're up, you can try to rekindle something. Maybe even hang out like you used to.

Carol: Maybe... Maybe.

[deepdowninmybones]

CtM Fanfic

Everything is just as ought to be

(Have a nice weekend you all!)

Chapter 3 - The Good Doctor

Late October - 14 weeks

Taking advantage of the end of the first block of lessons, Timothy decided to go home for a few days and spend some time with his family.

He would have followed his father at work, which usually meant learning more medical knowledge than he could in a week of school, he would enjoy playing with his brother and sisters and last, but not least, he would be spoiled by his mother and spent some precious time with her.

The decision had been sudden, he tried to call home the previous afternoon but no one answered. In all likelihood they were at work, never mind! He would have given them a nice surprise!

He left at dawn and after the train journey, he was greeted by the London rain.

Some bus later, he was finally at the front door of their house, cold and hungry as usual. He was confident that a nice warm shower and something to eat (he trusted in some leftovers from the fridge) would make him feel better again. At that time his mother was certainly at the Maternity Home, he couldn't expect much more.

He entered the house, took off his raincoat and left his things in the laundry room where the washing machine was running. Why is running if no one's at home?

He immediately noticed something else weird: there were partially sliced vegetables on the counter and the sliding door was open. Someone was definitely at home.

"Is anybody there?" he tried to call. No answer.

Chilled, he closed the window and then headed towards the kitchen where there was a teapot with some still steaming tea on the stove. Just what I need! He thought, pouring himself a cup. In the corner of the kitchen counter, he noticed a pack of iron tablets.

As he sipped his tea, pondering why anyone would need iron supplements, he saw two feet descending the stairs and his mother's figure looming with each step.

"Mum!" he exclaimed in surprise.

"Tim! What are you doing here?!"

He went towards her for a hug.

"I had a few days off and I thought to come check on you…but I didn't think to find you here!"

"Well" she blushed "I had a lot of things to do and…I stayed home"

To Timothy it sounded like an excuse. Weird…again.

"Mom, is there anything I can eat? I'm starving! Leftovers will be perfect!".

"Oh dear, I'll make you some toast right away! Please sit and make yourself comfortable! I guess you must be tired!"

"Just a bit."

Timothy sat down and while he waited, he was captured by watching his mother make that sandwich with all her love and care. Yes! I'm home, he thought.

His mother was radiant today and had a particularly bright smile. He realized that she seemed somehow different: the line of her hips was rounder, softer. He thought it should be a change due to age… she isn't so young anymore after all.

When she turned, his eyes fell on other details…her belly was slightly rounded too, advancing age side effects supposed. But when she handed him the plate with his toast, he found himself with her clearly enlarged breasts at his eyes level… and that, he knew, had nothing to do with the physiological changes due to age.

He paused for a moment before taking the dish, hit by a brainstorm: breast enlargement, rounded hips, rounded belly, iron tablets (for anemia), she's not at work…oh goodness… it can't be that!

"Timothy?!" his mother called him "I asked if you wanted some orange juice!"

"Sorry mom, yes please…orange juice is perfect"

He just saw her turn around to open the fridge, when she swayed a little before grabbing onto the kitchen counter. Without hesitation, he quickly stood up to hold and support her. He added dizziness to his list and easily summed things up.

"It's nothing Timmy, I just lost balance…"

"Yes, sure…come on mom, I'll take you to the settee."

"It's not necessary, really. I am fine!" she replied stubbornly.

"Mom! I know you're fine but I also know that it's better if you lie down now and rest. In your condition, rest is recommended" he told her firmly as he helped her lay down.

His mother's eyes looked at him in amazement. He smiled, and tenderly kissed her cheek, then took a seat next to her.

"How do you know? Did your father tell you?"

"No, don't worry… dad didn't say a thing. But you asking…? You've just confirmed my suspicions!"

"But how did you get it? Is it that clear?"

"You're more…well mom…there's more of you. But the very first reason is that I'm a very promising medical student!" he replied beaming.

She smiled too. It was true, he was very promising. He would become a very good doctor soon.

"I'm sorry you had to find out like this. We didn't want to give you the news over the phone, your father and I wanted to wait until you were home and do it together."

"But I messed up your plans!"

"And you're not the only one as you can see. Oh Tim…we really don't know how this happened…"

At those words, Timothy started chuckling.

"Why are you laughing now?"

"Well, a doctor and a midwife who don't know how this can happen…it's pretty fun! I always told you to be careful with all your mushy-stuff"

She was giggling too now, after all Timothy wasn't entirely wrong.

"Mom, I've always teased you about this but the truth is that I'm glad for it"

"Oh dearest…" she took his hand.

"You know… almost all my friends live very different situations at home. They come from families in which there is no dialogue, there is no love. And this also affects their lives."

"Oh Timothy…it's not easy sometimes."

"That's the point mom… it's not been easy for you as well, but you two make it work! And I believe that is a credit of what there is between you and dad. The love, the respect and the trust that exists between you two is something special… and we have grown within it, feeling loved and protected. And so it will be for him…or her…as it is for me, Angela, Teddy and May."

Turning towards his mother, he noticed that her face was streaked with tears.

"I didn't mean to have this effect on you…"

"It's a beautiful effect. Even if this makes me realize that you are really an adult now."

"That's why you're replacing me with Number Five?" joked Timothy.

"Timothy, don't say that! Nobody is replacing you! It doesn't matter how many children a mother may have, nor how old they are… each one is unique and special and in the eyes of a mother they will always be little children."

"I will allow you to still consider me your little child…but don't tell dad!"

They recognized the sound of Patrick's car parking in the driveway. The kids were home again and Timothy helped his mother slowly sit up on the couch before they entered. He hadn't asked but it was pretty obvious that his little brothers weren't still aware of the new baby.

They heard Patrick saying from outside "If you tidy your rooms, you can watch some telly" and just a few seconds later the door slammed, the three kids darted one after the other up the stairs saying "Hello mummy!".

Closing the door, Patrick announced "We are at home, darling!"

"So am I!"

"Timothy?! What a surprise!" exclaimed Patrick, side-looking at his wife.

Tim enjoyed observing the glances that his father tried to give his wife to understand if the secret was already revealed. She silently answered simply smiling and nodding. He was amused, but also fascinated by the ability his parents had to communicate even without words.

"When did you arrive?"

"Just after lunch… Well…dad" he made sure to remark that word "I think I'm going upstairs now to say hello to the kids and take a shower. I know you two need to have a talk…"

While the children upstairs celebrated Tim's return, Patrick joined Shelagh on the sofa. They looked at each other smiling.

"So you told him?"

"He actually figured it out on his own…"

"And how did he do it?"

"He says there's more of me…I didn't think I was showing already."

Patrick grinned, rested his eyes on his wife's breasts pretending to control and traced her new shape with a finger.

"So it seems…"

"Patrick!"

"What? I was just doing a quick check!"

"Is this really the moment…?"

"Clinical purpose only, I'm a doctor!…but maybe I will continue my inspection later with more personal aims"

To prevent Shelagh from arguing, he placed his lips to kiss her tenderly. They broke the kiss before it could go beyond the definition of amorous effusion.

Patrick helped her get up from the sofa and said "Come on Mrs Turner, one is down…the rest of the world's to go!".

[jaytoons7]

Y'know how when I drew this I said Hazel didn't know Jay was Toppat yet? Here's her figuring out! This is my longest fic yet I worked all morning on it

Notes: Takes place between FtC and CtM. Reginald's currently arrested and RHM's in a coma, Making Sven the current leader. The rocket hasn't been launched yet, But it's nearing its final stages.

Warnings: Gun violence, Gun injury, It's implied that a bunch of government soldiers were killed, Kinda open ending (Might eventually write a continuation though)

“After the disappearance of the Tunisian Diamond a year ago, The museum owners are finally ready to reveal their newest exhibit.” The news lady, Alice Hamilton spoke. “Archaeologists recently found a large topaz in a once forgotten Egyptian tomb. With it’s supposed age and the great condition it was found in, It’s said to be worth nearly 1 billion dollars-”

“HOLY SHIT!!” Jay was sitting in a dorm room eating a snack while watching this news story. He choked on their food and nearly fell off the bed, With Spot running over to make sure he was okay.”

Jay managed to swallow their food and looked over at their dog. “A billion dollars!? Are they serious!?” Spot only wagged his tail in response. “I need to get a better look at this! Maybe I can come up with a heist once I scope out the area. But how am I gonna get closer? The exhibit won’t be officially open for a while-”

Suddenly, Hazel excitedly came into the dorm. “Jay-Jay! I have the most exciting news ever!” Jay looked over at his girlfriend with a smile. “Really? Go on, Tell me!” “Well, Y’know how I wanted to someday cover a big news story?” She began bouncing in place. “Well, The Museum of Natural History and Culture called the news publishers I work with and asked for a private news story about the Egyptian Topaz, And they recommended me for the job!”

Jay ran over and hugged Hazel. “Oh my god, That’s amazing Juni! I’m so happy for you!” Hazel spun around in happiness while still holding Jay, Both now laughing. “They want me to go to the museum tomorrow for an interview with the museum owners.” She then blushed a bit. “So I was wondering, Would you like to come with me? We’ve both been really busy lately and I think it’d be fun to have a day where it’s just the two of us, Kinda like a date.”

Jay perked up at that. Not only would they be able to spend the day with Hazel, But he’d also be able to scope out the new exhibit. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Hazel kissed Jay’s cheek a few times. “Thank you! Thank you! You’ve just made tomorrow the best day ever!”

Early that next morning, While Hazel was still asleep, Jay called Sven and made him aware that he would be scoping out the topaz exhibit with the hopes of being able to plan a future heist afterwards. Then they got ready for their day out.

Jay and Hazel soon went into the museum, Pointing out a few motorcycles that drove by. The two then went into the in progress Egyptian artifact exhibit, With the topaz being center stage. “Whoa…” Jay looked at it in awe. “It’s even more wonderful up close!” Hazel spoke before taking a picture. “It’s amazing how thousands of years haven’t affected its beauty!”

“I see you’re impressed too.” One of the museum owners walked over to them. “You must be Hazel Juniper, Our journalist for the day.” Hazel went over and shook his hand. “Right sir! I’m gonna be performing some interviews today, If that’s alright with you.” “Of course! I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.” The owner smiled.

Hazel pulled out her signature notepad and began asking questions, Which the owner happily answered. Jay scoped out the exhibit room for about half an hour until he heard a sound. “Psst…” They looked over and saw Scottie outside of the exhibit room. Jay made sure Hazel and the owner weren’t paying attention before going over to them. “What’s up?”

“Meet me in the bathroom in five minutes.” Scottie whispered. “It’s urgent.” Jay looked back at Hazel before reluctantly nodding in agreement. “Alright. I hope this is important…”

Jay went back over to Hazel. “Hey, I’m gonna go look around the gift shop.” “Oh, Go right ahead. I’ll meet you there after I’m done.” Jay left as Hazel asked her last question. “So, Are you worried about criminals like the Toppat Clan stealing this topaz? It’s only been a year since the Tunisain Diamond was stolen.” She noticed a shift in the owner’s expression.

“Oh you don’t need to worry about that.” He waved the question off. “The security will be doubled by the time the exhibit is ready to open. Nobody will be stealing it.” Hazel wrote down some notes before glancing over at the restroom door and freezing.

She saw Scottie looking around before seeing her. They glared, Pointing two fingers at their eyes, Pointed them at her, and went into the restroom. Hazel remembered her last encounter with Scottie, Learning their role in the Toppat clan. She quickly cleared her throat and faced the museum owner again.

“Well, I think that’s all the questions I have for today. Thank you for your time.” “It was absolutely no problem.” The owner shook her hand. “And if you need me for any reason at all, Don’t be afraid to visit my office.” Hazel smiled and waved as he went back towards his office.

Once he left, She quickly put her notepad in her jacket and tightened her ponytail. “Sorry Jay… I’m afraid the gift shop will have to wait.” She went behind the topaz and crouched down, Effectively hiding herself. The Toppats were up to something, And she was gonna figure out what.

When Scottie entered the bathroom, They were surprised to already see Jay in there. “Huh, You’re a minute early.” “I didn’t wanna seem suspicious.” Jay explained. “Now what exactly did you want? I was spending time with my girlfriend.” “Y’know how you were hoping to plan a future heist after scoping the exhibit out? Well, That heist is gonna have to be now.”

“W-What!? But why!?” “Turns out the Cycle Punks already beat us here.” Scottie explained. “If we don’t get this topaz out now, They’re gonna get their grubby hands on it.” “But I can’t plan a heist on such short notice-” Jay began before Scottie interrupted. “Some other Toppats already came up with what to do on the outside. We just need confirmation on what to do once we get into the exhibit room.”

Jay thought for a second. “The topaz is guarded by plexiglass, So shattering it is out of the question. But if you can somehow bypass that, There’s an easy escape using the fire exit in the former Tunisian artifact exhibit room next door.” 

“Perfect.” Scottie pulled out a communication device and spoke into it. “Make sure the security footage is hacked. Send Ulle in to deal with the guards. And make sure those Punks don’t even think about coming in!” They then hung up. “Now what?” Jay asked. “Now.” Scottie hummed. “We wait.”

Outside of the museum, Ulle stood at the entrance in casual clothing. She cleared her throat before walking in. “Hello ma’am.” A guard greeted her. “Is there any specific exhibit you’re interested in today?” “Oh! I was hoping to see the Egyptian artifact exhibit.” She answered with a smile. “We’re terribly sorry. But that exhibit won’t be open until next month. Perhaps we could show you some of our other fine exhibits?”

Ulle’s smile got toothier. “Actually, I’d like to sing a little song for you guys~”

Back in the restroom, Jay and Scottie waited patiently. After a few minutes, Ulle busted into the bathroom, Holding some trash bags. “I took care of the guards for you guys!” Jay looked at the bags in disgust. “Are they…” “Hm?” She looked at the bags she was holding and giggled. “Oh no no no! That would’ve been way too messy! I just sang them a little lullaby, Poor guys fell right asleep! The bags are for our clothes and weapons.”

She put the bags on the ground. Jay and Scottie looked in them and saw that their clothes and weapons were indeed in there. “Topbot and Burt should be taking care of the footage as we speak.” She hummed. “And the Cycle Punks are nowhere to be seen.” “Then that makes our job easier.” Scottie pulled a butcher knife from their bag. Jay just sighed, How was he gonna explain to Hazel where he ran off to..?

Speaking of Hazel, She was still hiding behind the topaz. She was beginning to get anxious, When were the Toppats gonna strike. As if on cue, Three people wearing top hats entered. Hazel quietly peeked out. 

“Hey, Didn’t you say you were here with your girlfriend?” The one wearing a music note top hat asked. “Yeah, I saw her earlier.” The one wearing a chef hat/top hat combo muttered. “Where did she go?” “She probably just went to the gift shop.” The one wearing a purple top hat answered. “Don’t worry about her, Okay? She won’t get in the way.”

Hazel got a closer look at the one wearing the purple top hat and seemed to recognise them.

“Jay..!?”

As quickly as Hazel said that, A knife was thrown in her direction. She quickly avoided it, Causing it to hit the nearby wall. “I told you to never get involved with Toppat business again Juniper.” Scottie walked over and practically yanked her out of her hiding spot. “But you just couldn’t listen could you?”

“Hey, Leave her alone-” Jay then saw Hazel looking directly at him and froze. They couldn’t read her expression. Was it anger, shock, betrayal? He felt like a deer caught in the headlights, Unable to move, Unable to say anything.

Finally, Hazel was the first one to speak. “You’re… You’re a Toppat..?” Her voice threatened to break then and there. “H-How-”

And as if things couldn’t get any “better”, A sudden explosion blew a hole in the wall nearby. The group turned and saw three Cycle Punks enter through the hole

“We could’ve just walked in the fire exit y’know…” Erin muttered. “The explosion was more fun.” Punkhauser shrugged. “Nevermind that.” Tara huffed. “Let’s just grab the topaz before those Toppats-” She saw the small group already there. “Well… This is awkward…”

“When did you guys get here!?” Ulle gasped. “About two hours ago.” Erin shrugged. “Which means we were here first! That topaz is ours!” “Over our dead bodies!” Scottie growled before pulling out two butcher knives. “We did not come up with a heist on the spot just for you punks to ruin shit!”

Ulle and Scottie began arguing with the Cycle Punks (With Jay still too shocked to move and Hazel trying to get answers) and it was clear that a battle was about to start.

“FREEZE!!” The two groups froze hearing the sudden loud voice. A bunch of government soldiers busted into the room. “Attention all Toppats and Cycle Punks! You’re under arrest for the attempted robbery of the Egyptian Topaz!"

Tara and Scottie glanced at each other. “Temporary truce?” Tara asked. “Temporary truce.” Scottie nodded in agreement. Scottie pulled out their pepper grinder and Tara turned on the gauntlets on her hands, Which glowed pink. The two began attacking the soldiers, With both groups following suit.

Hazel quickly realized that she was in way over her head. So she grabbed Jay and hid back behind the topaz’s stand. Jay got over the shock of what just happened, But they began to hyperventilate. “Oh god, I’m so sorry! None of this was supposed to happen! I wanted to tell you, But I didn’t want you to be in danger and-”

Hazel carefully held Jay’s hands. “Hey hey, Take some deep breaths.” She guided Jay through some deep breathing. “Can you listen to me Jay?” Jay nodded, Tears falling down his face. “Alright. We can worry about all that later, Okay? Right now, We need to focus on getting out of here.” Hazel leaned Jay against her and began carefully walking towards the room’s exit.

Meanwhile, Ulle was using her Meteor Shower attack on several soldiers while Scottie shot at them with their pepper grinder. Tara was punching a few soldiers with her gauntlets before looking over at Scottie. “Hey, You’re doing pretty good!” Scottie blushed at the compliment. “Uh, Thanks. You’re doing good too.”

Out of the corner of their eye, They saw a bullet firing straight towards Tara. “LOOK OUT!!” Scottie ran right in front of her, Causing the bullet to hit their side, Falling onto the ground unconscious. “SCOTTIE!” Tara punched the soldier who fired at them before kneeling down to inspect the wound. “O-Oh god! Scottie, Please! You’ve gotta wake up!” She also looked over at Erin and Punkhauser, Who were beginning to struggle. “No no… This is really bad..!”

Ulle’s voice was beginning to strain from her attacks. Suddenly, A soldier hit her against a wall, Causing her head to bleed. “End of the line Toppat!” Ulle tried to sing, But her voice had died out from the usage. She shook as she realized she was completely cornered.

Jay and Hazel were almost at the exit when they were suddenly stopped by some soldiers. “Ma’am, We’re gonna need you to step away from that Toppat so we can take them into custody.” Hazel wrapped her arms around Jay. “You ain’t taking him anywhere!”

Jay looked around at the battle going on around them, Seeing that his friends were hurt, Seeing Hazel arguing with the soldiers. His head began to hurt, He couldn’t take it anymore.

Their eyes suddenly glowed blue. An explosion of fire escaped him, Causing both Hazel and the soldiers to be knocked back. The blue fox came out, Which Hazel looked at in awe. The fox threw the soldiers to the side before running towards the battle.

The fox was completely relentless. It first disposed of the soldiers attacking Erin and Punkhauser. It then jumped in front of Ulle and roared at the soldiers attacking her, Scaring them off. Finally, It breathed fire at the group of soldiers coming towards Scottie and Tara. Any remaining soldiers retreated, Not wanting to fight this terrifying new threat.

It was like watching a trainwreck, Hazel couldn’t look away from the chaos the blue fox was causing. She finally glanced over at Jay, Who was standing with an emotionless expression. She quickly stood up and ran over to them. “Jay! Are you alright!?” Jay didn’t answer, He kept the same expression with tears streaming down their face.

“J-Jay? C’mon, Snap out of it!” Tears fell down her face. Jay looked over at her, Voice echoing. “Hazel..?” His eyes stopped glowing and he nearly fell over. Hazel caught them and realized they fell unconscious. The blue fox disappeared shortly afterwards.

Tara and Ulle quickly leaned Scottie against them, Walking them towards where Jay and Hazel were. Erin and Punkhauser followed after. “Hazel, Are you okay?” Tara asked. “Y-Yeah I- Wait, You’re a Cycle Punk!?” Tara nervously laughed. “Y-yeah… Sorry…” “Nevermind, We can talk about that once we get back to our dorm! Right now, Jay passed out and Scottie got shot!” 

“Ulle’s voice is completely fried too..” Tara added. “And that’s not even mentioning Erin and Punkhauser’s injuries…” “Hey, We’re fine!” Punkhauser insisted before wincing in pain. “Yeah… Completely fine…” Erin sarcastically replied.

Before the two girls could figure out what to do, A few Toppats suddenly entered the room, Sven being one of them. “What on earth-” He saw the completely destroyed room and injured people. “Herregud…”

[androidcharles]

The One Where Ellie and Henry Find Out

A small memory fic while I sort out my ideas. This is a month after CtM happened. Charles hasn't been honest about what he is. And Henry and Ellie are about to find out whether he likes it or not.

TW for mentions of death and of course, robo gore as well

Charles heard a small beeping outside of his head as he flinched, reaching over and slamming down on the alarm clock. He groaned, looking at it carefully before letting out a small gasp. It was six thirty.

“Oh no…” Charles said softly as he suddenly stood up. Every process in his mind was telling him not to as he flinched, feeling a jolt of electricity go through him. After he finally calmed down, he let out a small sigh as he cried out, suddenly realizing he had no time to fool around. He shot up, running around his room, struggling to get dressed as he rushed into the bathroom, grabbing a specially made tooth brush and brushing his teeth quickly before he ran out. He quickly ran a comb through his messy hair as he tied it into a ponytail, putting on his shoes as he rushed out the door, slipping his bomber jacket on as he rushed down the hall.

“Good morning Charles, oh!” A couple of scientists jumped back as Charles rushed past them.

“No time to chat, I’m late!!” Charles shouted. One of them let out a small sigh as he smiled at the other.

“Not much has changed…”

“Quenton’s gonna have an earful for him when he gets there.”

Charles finally burst out of the science and research building, practically running at top speed across the base as he headed to the helicopter hanger.

“I’M LATE, I’M LATE I’M LATE I’M LAAAAAATTTEE!!” Charles shouted as he opened the door to the office, seeing Quenton standing at the door with a hard look on his face.

“You sure are Calvin…” Quenton said, rolling up a magazine and bopping on him on the head with it.

“Seriously!?” Charles shouted as Quenton let out a sigh.

“Charlie, I know that you’re still very young… by your standards…” Quenton said, “But didn’t Galeforce buy that alarm clock for you so you would actually get up on time for once?! You can’t always rely on your internal clock you know!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I guess I just got all caught up in my dream simulation!” Charles said.

“What were you dreaming about that was so important anyway?” Quenton muttered, “C’mon, the new recruits aren’t gonna wait forever. You have to train them, remember?”

“AH! Right, right…” Charles said as he followed Quenton, feeling an itch at his hard drive. What was he dreaming about? A windmill maybe? Either way, he got started with the day, training the new recruits in flying techniques and such. After about seven hours of this, Charles finally stepped into the locker room, letting out a small sigh as he leaned against the lockers.

“Done for today… done forever…” Charles said.

“Hard time, huh?” Liam said through his scarf, handing Charles a can of cola. Charles didn’t have the heart to tell him he couldn’t drink it, so he took it, smiling gratefully.

“I guess you could say that,” Charles said, “They’re a bit of a handful, but you always seem to handle the afternoon classes so well.”

“That’s because they know better than to cross me!” Liam said, adjusting his sunglasses.

“Well, good luck. I’m off for the day,” Charles said, “Unless they call me back here for another mission.”

“Have a nice evening,” Liam said, waving to Charles as he left the locker room, stepping out into the fresh air. He felt the soft breeze on his face, smiling to himself as he walked through the base. The late September air felt so clear and crisp and with the leaves changing colors all across the base, it was almost like a fairy tale.

“Charles!!” he heard someone shout. He flinched as he saw Ellie and Henry standing behind him, all smiles as Charles practically jumped for joy, barreling towards them and hugging them tight.

“Wow, Charles, you really missed us? You just saw us yesterday!” Ellie said.

“Yeah, but that’s a long time you know!” Charles shouted, “You have no idea!” Henry giggled as he returned the hug, smiling at him. Charles had to admit, Henry had become a lot more open since he had met him. When he first started becoming friends with him, he had run away from Charles’ hugs. Meanwhile, Ellie seemed to really enjoy them a lot, full force accepting the hug when she first met him.

“Man, you’re super warm. How do you do that?” Ellie asked.

“Uh, good genes, I guess. Uh, hey, I have this cola here if one of you guys wants it,” Charles said.

“Still on that diet, huh?” Ellie said, taking the cola from his hands as Henry whined a bit.

“Rock, paper, scissors Henry!” Ellie said, balling her hand into a fist. Henry gritted his teeth, a bit more determined than usual as he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned to see Rupert, smiling at him.

“Finally off for the day?” Rupert asked.

“Yeah, how about you?” Charles asked.

“I’m free for lunch, but I’ve still got a few hours to go. It’s such a drag I swear. Even when I’m not a new recruit, I’ve still got so much work to do, you know? Negotiating with the Wall is such hard work,” Rupert said, “We’ve been trying to get some big players from them, but they’re insisting on keeping them. It’s so unfair…”

“Well, what do you expect?” Ellie said, “The place is full of hardasses. But after everything that happened when me and Henry escaped…”

“Geez, I remember. You know, in the negotiations, they were going on about how they really wanted you guys,” Rupert said, “It’s so stupid, in all honesty… well… if I had to choose… Henry maybe.”

Henry narrowed his eyes at Rupert before raising a middle finger up at him, which caused him to growl a little.

“Hey, hey, now guys…” Charles said, “If we’re all free for lunch, why don’t we go somewhere to eat, huh?”

“Where should we go?” Ellie said, “Gouda’s?”

“Oh definitely!” Charles said.

“Sounds good. If Dave’s awake, we should invite him too,” Rupert said, “How does that sound?” Once the plans were confirmed, the four of them headed out of the base, letting General Galeforce know they’d have Rupert back in about an hour or so.

- - - - -

The four of them had met up with Dave at the restaurant and were seated at their usual booth as they started to talk amongst themselves. Charles glanced at the four of them as Rupert pulled out his phone and began to type on it.

TheFinalBastion101: Say, have you told them yet?

xXBold_Action_ManXx: About what?

TheFinalBastion101: You know what. You got permission from the general. Why don’t you tell them already?

xXBold_Action_ManXx: Ah, well They haven’t really asked so

TheFinalBastion101: You’re waiting for them to ask? Isn’t that kind of dumb?

xXBold_Action_ManXx: I know it’s silly but I’m not used to being able to tell people you know! Also I’m afraid of how they’ll react you know

TheFinalBastion101: I’m pretty sure they won’t treat you any differently than when they didn’t know. Look, you know I’m not fond of Henry and Ellie is I’m kind of on the fence about her but They’re pretty sharp despite how they are. They’re going to find out eventually and when they do find out from someone who isn’t you, how do you think they’ll react?

Charles let out a small sigh as Ellie ordered for the table. He knew he would have to tell them he was an android sooner or later. Ellie may be slow in other aspects, but she wasn’t slow when it came to noticing little details. And Henry obviously knew something was up, because he would often look at Charles a little too hopefully from time to time.

“So, what are your guys plans for this weekend?” Ellie said.

“I still have to teach classes on the weekends, so I’ll be pretty busy,” Charles said.

NOTHING MUCH, Henry said, JUST GONNA RELAX AS MUCH AS I CAN.

“I have more negotiations to go through, but they don’t want to waste the money if it’s gonna be difficult. We might as well just let the Wall have those Toppats and worry about the rest later…” Rupert said.

“Ah, I have Sunday off. If you guys aren’t busy after maybe… one thirty, I could hang out,” Dave said, trying to feel included, “I mean-!”

“It’s no trouble Dave, seriously,” Rupert said, “I might be able to escape for long enough to play around a little.”

I WON’T BE BUSY. UNLESS WE GET ANOTHER CASE, Henry said.

“We’ve been working a lot of government cases, right? It’s no trouble at all though, because it means we get to see our favorite boy Charlie here! Huh, Charlie!?” Eliie said, putting her arm around his shoulder.

“Mm hm!” Charles said.

“What’s wrong? You seem kind of distant…” Ellie said, “Are you gonna tell us something important?”

“Is something wrong Charles?” Dave asked. Charles chuckled as he waved his hands at them as Rupert rolled his eyes.

TheFinalBastion101: You should tell them.

xXBold_Action_ManXx: Ah but I’ll tell them tonight. If we’re not too busy.

Rupert narrowed his eyes at him, letting out a low growl.

“Oh, I see what’s going on… you two are dating aren’t you?!” Ellie shouted, pointing at Rupert and Charles.

“Ah! Ah no, I haven’t, I mean I shouldn’t I mean-!” Rupert blushed a deep red as he covered his mouth, whimpering a bit as Charles chuckled a little. Their teasing was interrupted by the food arriving. They switched topics after a bit of eating, trying to keep the mood lighthearted when suddenly Charles got a ping on his messenger.

H_Galeforce: Hey, Charlie, sorry to interrupt you while you’re in the middle of lunch, but a big emergency just came up. I know it’s short notice, but I wouldn’t be bothering you if it wasn’t important. I promise I’ll cover your guy’s bill if you come right away. And make sure you bring Stickmin and Rose as well. Get over here as soon as you can please.

“Oh dear…” Charles muttered, “We might need the to go boxes a bit early…”

“Huh, seriously?” Ellie said.

“Sorry, it can’t be helped. The general wants us to come back to base right away. It’s an emergency, he said,” Charles said.

“Ah, I see…” Ellie said as Rupert immediately called the waiter over. Henry stood up and started to make his way back to the front of the restaurant as they put away their food and told Dave to have a good day.

- - - - -

Charles gripped the control stick of the helicopter, thoroughly in his element. He let out a small sigh as every single processor in his head fired off at once. The situation was pretty dangerous. Apparently, a hostage situation had escalated out of control pretty badly. Team Triple Threat was tasked to getting out the hostages safely and hopefully capturing the person responsible as well.

There were bombs, of course, so they had to approach the situation carefully. He hovered the helicopter a reasonable distance, spotting two people talking to each other outside. Considering their looks and the weapons, they couldn’t possibly be police officers.

“There’s two people outside of the building right now, you two. I have a feeling one of them will have some information for us. Do you almost have everyone out?” Charles asked.

“Almost. There’s a little girl who isn’t really cooperating,” Ellie said, “She’s really scared.”

“Well, ask her mom or dad to help you,” Charles said.

“Um… her mother… she was…” Charles felt a horrible pit in his stomach as he gulped, mostly out of habit.

“Oh… oh I see…” Charles said softly, “Hm?” The two people who were talking were now pointing at Charles. Oh no…

“Guys, you really wanna hurry up, I’ve been spotted,” Charles said.

“Don’t worry, Henry has a plan for the little girl. I’ll try to get out as soon as I can. I think I see the main dude right now…” Ellie said, “Do you think you can get out of there safely and inconspicuously?” Charles saw one of the men rush into the building.

“Not anymore…” Charles whispered, “Don’t worry about me, Ellie and Henry. Just find a way out and hopefully things will turn out alright.”

I WILL WORRY ABOUT YOU, Henry tapped in morse code.

“I said don’t worry. If you do, than you’ll lose focus. Just concentrate on the mission, OK?” Charles said, “I’ll see if I can’t find a way to fly off without being hit.”

“You don’t think they have anything that can take you down, do you?” Ellie asked.

“I sure hope not,” Charles muttered as he started to fly off a little bit. He observed around the building, noticing the small crowd of people a good ways away from it. He saw Henry and a small girl, who had been crying her eyes out very recently. Henry patted her head as he beckoned for her to follow him towards the group.

“But, my momma!!” the girl cried out as Henry shook his head.

“I wanna go back… I have to say good-bye…” she said softly.

“You will… in… due time…” Henry forced himself to say. He didn’t really like speaking to strangers, but he had to provide some form of comfort (plus she didn’t look old enough to know sign language yet).

“Henry, the situation might have escalated out of control. I’m gonna try to get out as soon as I can, but there’s a lot of shouting and shit. If you can get in here and help me, than I would really appreciate it!” Ellie said.

“Stay here. Please,” Henry said. The girl nodded her head as she ran towards the group, Henry dashing as fast as he could towards the building. He didn’t care about being noticed anymore, he just wanted to save Ellie as quickly as he could.

“Henry, I’m gonna try to get out of sight. Let me know when-” Suddenly the feed cut off as he heard an explosion outside.

“Charles?” Ellie whispered, “Charles?!” Henry gulped but he shook his head.

It has to be this way. He’ll be fine… he has to be fine. He rushed down the hallway as he entered the main room where the hostages were being kept, already seeing three burly looking guys shouting at each other.

“Andrew said he took down the government chopper, but where there’s one government agent, there’s a dozen more in the brush! We gotta find them!” one shouted.

“Calm down. They could have just aborted mission and gotten the hostages to another location. We’ll find them and we’ll smash their brains in. And we take a few civilians out if we have to, just to show them who’s boss!” another said.

Disgusting, Henry thought, What are my options universe?

A grenade. It would work in theory. But Henry usually had pretty bad luck with grenades. Especially when said grenade was actually a smoke bomb.

Smoke ‘em out! Could have sworn that was a grenade...

It doesn’t work that way unfortunately.

A lightsaber. That could intimidate them enough to back off, but in the end, he would end up slicing his own hand off.

So who’s the father?

Shut up, shut up, shut up!

A chain. That could work to say the least. Henry swung the chain around as he whipped the chain around, striking the first person he saw. The other two charged him as he dodged quickly, running around before strapping the chain to a nearby shelf, tangling the brutes in the chains before they finally collapsed in a heap.

How should I keep them here I wonder?

A rope, maybe? Henry would tie the rope together only for the crooks to wriggle free from it.

That’s KNOT right!

KNOT funny…

Maybe some handcuffs? He quickly pulled out enough pairs for each of them. Feeling satisfied, he walked off only to find himself handcuffed to one of them.

Seriously, how did you do that?

I WISH I KNEW!!

Henry groaned as he finally pulled out a stapler and stapled the crooks shirts to the wall. All three of them were extremely confused, just as confused as Henry that it worked.

“HENRY!!” He flinched as he rocketed out of the room and saw Ellie being held at gunpoint by one of the brutes.

“Hello there… you must have been sent by the government. That pilot of yours probably didn’t make it out of the chopper in time. And as for your friend here… I’ll splatter her brains out if it’s the last thing I do!”

OPTIONS UNIVERSE, OPTIONS!!!

Without thinking, he grabbed a grappling hook and fired it straight at the brute, which caused him to flinch and drop his gun. Luckily, the pain from Henry misfiring distracted him long enough for Ellie to hook her arm under his and flip him over.

“GAH!” he cried out, trying to find another weapon before he was swiftly kicked in the head by Ellie.

“Geez, that was close. Where are the others?”

STAPLED TO THE WALL. IN THE STORAGE ROOM DOWN THERE, Henry signed, pointing down the hall.

“Seriously? Well, let’s give the all clear so the officers can come in and make these arrests.” Ellie switched frequencies as Henry ran off to find Charles.

“Attention all officers, everything is clear. Hostages are rescued and the perps have been apprehended. We have three in the storage room in the backrooms and two who are unconscious right now in the main room,” Ellie said as she followed Henry out.

She followed him out to the parking lot, where she saw the wreckage of the helicopter. It was currently in flames, the smell of burning gasoline in the air as she walked over to it.

“Charles?” she said softly as Henry shook a bit, looking straight at her with a bit of worry in his eyes.

“I’m… I’m pretty sure he’s fine! Maybe…” Ellie said, but she was a bit worried herself. She didn’t want to think about how badly he was injured. Or worse.

“G-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-guys?” they heard someone say behind them. They turned to see Charles limping towards them. But something was way off about him. There was a huge gash in his chest where he had been impaled in the stomach, his arm was coming off of his shoulder, his fingers were sticking out everywhere, his leg was barely attached to his body, and parts of his face seemed to be ripped a bit.

Except there was no blood. Only mechanical sparks and wires as Charles limped towards them.

“GuuuuUuuuUuuyyyys?” Charles said, his eyes blinking different colors as he shook, “Is that you?”

“Ch… Charles?” Ellie said, “What the heck are you?”

“Huh? What, oh this? This this this this this this this is nothing…” Charles suddenly fell flat on his face as Ellie jumped. His arm was barely hanging on to a couple of colored wires and his inseams started to emit some steam as Henry’s eyes widened.

“Rose? Stickmin? What’s going on out there?” they heard Rupert asked over the radio.

“Uh, hey, Rupert, I think Charles needs a doctor… or a technician. Whatever works best for… robots…” Ellie said.

“Wait, what happened?!” Rupert shouted.

“You’ll have to come out to the parking lot and see. Even I can’t understand what’s going on. Right Henry?” Ellie asked. Henry nodded his head as he stared at Charles’ body, mangled up from the helicopter crash.

Just what was Charles Calvin?

- - - - -

Ellie paced the floor of one of the break rooms in the science and research facility while Henry sat on the couch, pressing his hands together nervously as he tried to remain calm. They were finally back at the base. After the mission briefing they gave General Galeforce, they had been allowed to come in here to see about Charles’ condition.

There had been some arguing about whether or not it was necessary, but General Galeforce said that if Ellie or Henry had been in the same condition, he’d want to be there, too. He seemed a bit disappointed that things had turned out the way they did.

“What is Charles? Those sparks, the wires, his face… it was all mechanical! Is he like a top secret government experiment!? Are you gonna kill us now?!” Ellie had shouted.

“No, there won’t be any unnecessary deaths,” General Galeforce had said, “Especially since you guys had clearance to know about it anyway.”

“What?”

“Hm?”

General Galeforce had let out a small sigh as he glanced at Henry and Ellie.

“That’s something that he’s going to have to discuss with you. It’s time he was honest, no matter how afraid he is…” General Galeforce had said, “Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to get this paperwork done please.”

So here they were, waiting in the break room after a few minutes of arguing. Ellie opted to sit on the couch with Henry as he sighed, leaning his head against Ellie’s.

“So… that’s just how it is,” Ellie muttered, “I wonder what Charles really is than. General Galeforce isn’t gonna say anything to us.”

“Do you… do you really want to know?” Henry asked.

“Do you know what he is?” Ellie asked. Henry shook his head. He had vague memories of other timelines sure… where Charles had revealed the truth. But even than, he couldn’t quite understand it.

ITS BETTER IF YOU HEAR IT FROM CHARLES, Henry said, EVEN IF I KNEW, I DON’T THINK I CAN EVEN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND IT.

“Ms. Rose? Mr. Stickmin?” one of the scientists opened the door, looking to the two as they stood up straight.

“No need to be so formal. Anyway, Charles will be fine. Some rest, a bit of repairs here and there, and he’ll be fine tomorrow morning,” the scientist said.

THANK YOU, Henry signed.

“Yes, thank you so much for letting us know what’s going on. Um, by the way!” Ellie shouted. The scientist stopped at the door and turned towards Ellie. She squinted at the scientist's name tag before continuing.

“Dr…. Abigail. I know this is a strange question, but, what the heck is Charles?”

“Oh, that’s not a strange question at all. Hm, let’s see…” Dr. Abigail smiled fondly at them before turning back towards the door.

“That’s something I’m afraid Mr. Calvin will have to discuss that with you on his own,” Dr. Abigail said as she headed out the door, “Come back tomorrow morning around say seven or eight AM. He’ll be just as chipper as ever. Especially after seeing you two.”

“Isn’t there a way we can see him now though…?” Ellie said softly as Henry placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Guess there’s nothing for it. We’ll see ya tomorrow Charlie…” Ellie said softly as they walked out of the break room.

The next morning, Ellie and Henry approached the science and research building, both carrying presents and flowers as they walked towards the elevator. They were told by a scientist in the building that Charles was currently in his room on the third floor of the building.

“So he lives here? No wonder he’s late all the time…” Ellie muttered as they went up the elevator.

Meanwhile, Charles was sitting in his room, bending his fingers and sighed a little. He had his knees up to his head as he pulled the blanket over him, trying to think about what he was going to say to Ellie and Henry. He gazed outside the window, seeing the early morning light pooling into his room. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door.

“Mr. Calvin. Your friends are here to see you!” someone on the other side said.

“Uh… let them in!” Charles said. Ellie opened the door with a flourish as she looked at Charles.

“Hey Charlie!” Ellie said, “How are ya?”

ARE YOU “um…” PUT BACK TOGETHER ALRIGHT? Henry signed as Charles chuckled.

“As put together as I can be. Thank you,” Charles said.

“We brought you presents,” Ellie said, “I figured you would like a pick me up after all the surgery, you know.”

“Ah, you guys didn’t have to,” Charles said.

“We wanted to. We insist,” Ellie said, “So why don’t you tell us what just happened back there? I mean, I know your helicopter crashed, but your body…” Charles was afraid of this. He let out a small sigh as he looked out the window, his head going side to side as he turned it over in his head.

“OK, but you have to promise that no matter what… I’m still Charles… right?” He looked at them with his soothing green eyes as Ellie smiled gently and Henry placed his hand over Charles’, nodding his head. He took a deep breath before finally spitting it out.

“I’m an android!”

Ellie and Henry sat in stunned silence as Charles shook a bit, crossing his arms over his chest as he did.

“I’ve… I’ve been an android for… as long as I can remember, actually,” Charles said, “One day I woke up in the science building here and before I knew it I was living here with my dad.”

“There’s a lot of holes in that sentence. First of all, as long as you can remember? How long is that? And were you built by the government? Or someone else?” Ellie asked.

“I wasn’t built by the government. Well, I kinda was. I was part of a secret project that developed security droids to help protect people who could afford them. But it was shuttered and forcibly shut down once word got out that they would sell to criminal groups as well,” Charles said, “I was a… scrapped defective android that was found on site and repaired by one of the scientists here. He and Galeforce… well they basically became my adoptive fathers.”

“How come we haven’t met your dad?” Ellie asked.

“Oh, because… he’s dead. He actually died a while back, after my second birthday,” Charles said, “There were some moles and… I… I don’t like to talk about it.”

YOUR SECOND BIRTHDAY? HOW OLD ARE YOU NOW? Henry said, a sort of mischievous smile on his face.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to ask that question yet considering the situation,” Ellie said, slapping Henry on the back of the head, “Sorry. I’m pretty sure your dad was a wonderful man.”

“Mhm! I was actually named after his brother. He died in a government raid of the Toppat manor. Apparently, he got close to one of the members so he could get information about them,” Charles said.

“Aw, that’s sweet,” Ellie said, “So, that’s it. You’re just an android.”

“Yeah… like I said, for as long as I can remember,” Charles said, “I don’t really have any special features. I enlisted so I could help others and save people. I started to naturally gravitate towards flying because dad- er, General Galeforce noticed how much I loved building models of planes and stuff. See?” Charles pointed out the shelves with tons and tons of models all lined up in a row.

“Ah, I see,” Ellie said, “And well… can I ask one more thing?” Charles tipped his head to the side as he narrowed his eyes at them.

“If it’s about my age than… I’m seven years old OK?! But that’s like in android years! I’m practically an adult compared to other humans my age!” Charles shouted.

“OK, OK, I get it, but I was going to ask why you didn’t tell us this before. Was it supposed to be a secret?” Ellie asked.

YEAH, WAS IT? Henry signed at him. Charles placed his chin between his knees as he nodded his head, than shook it, than nodded it again.

“Yes, but no?” Ellie asked.

I’M CONFUSED…

“I mean, I’m supposed to keep it secret because if a whole lot of people knew that the government employed an android… a lot of ethics concerns would rise up. Very few people know that I’m actually an android. I was given permission to tell you guys and even Dave, but…” Charles glanced to the side, letting out a small sigh.

“But what?” Ellie asked.

“When I started to think about how differently everyone treats me because I’m an android, I start to get a little scared,” Charles said, “I didn’t want to say anything because I was afraid that if you guys knew that I was an android… you wouldn’t treat me the same way as you treated me before.”

“Remember what you made us promise earlier?” Ellie asked, “That no matter what that you’re still Charles? Well that’s still true. Doesn’t matter what you are or anything.”

IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU’RE AN ANDROID, AN ALIEN, OR A FOUR ARMED MONSTER, YOU’LL ALWAYS BE CHARLES TO US, NO MATTER WHAT, Henry said, smiling at him kindly, AND WE’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT. Charles eyes started to display tear drops as he sniffled, smiling at them.

“Thank you,” Charles said, “Thank you so much, you two. I love you guys, too.” He pulled them into a great big hug, which both of them accepted gratefully.

Charles smiled as he looked the window again, seeing the sun shining through his window and feeling a sense of ease over himself.

I guess I had nothing to worry about...

[jsab-crisis]

Hmm been curious about something

Square's ( Ex )Gf¿

She's been mentioned twice , I think¿?

She never was really expanded upon so

Yea

OH also¡

The birthday incident with Circle. . . ¿

What happened thereee

Sorry , I just really love your Square ahah/lh

First one had already been answered but we're now focusing on the second:

> the Birthday Incident with Circle?

"...right, the birthday incident. It's worth noting that Circle and I share the same birthday, we're technically described as 'twins' because of it. We rarely celebrate it-- together, I mean.

Circle's nice, she really is. She's smart too but struggle with tasks or focusing in class, high school was hell for her at the time and usually I'd help her do her homework. The difference between us is that she has future plans- she knows what she wants to do and is super passionate with her work... me? Not so much. I ace my stuff, I know the materials, I got good grades in the end but I don't know what I want to do in life.

...anyways, speaking of the Birthday Incident... well;"

======

Circle held something in her hand, her palms carefully acting as a platform for the cupcake with a tiny lit candle.

Today was her birthday and so was Square's. The two shared the same birthday and she wanted to spend time with her brother. Throughout the months, she had slowly noticed how absent Square was and how he had closed himself off from the rest of the family. Sure, Cube would from time to time strike up a conversation with him or whenever uncle CTM would visit and point out how quiet Square was during family dinner.

Triangle doesn't say much as he's not the kind to confront others for any issues, he's more of a witness. Either cause Triangle doesn't know what to say or maybe he thinks that Square is best to be left with his own devices and not to be bothered.

Pentagon, on the other hand, says that Square is just going through some stuff. Maybe stressed over exams or what to do in college, maybe he feels like time is moving too fast. Perhaps Penta was projecting a little during her explanation but her conclusion was that Square needed some time alone.

Despite all of that, Circle felt like leaving Square alone wasn't the best move. Someone had to be there so Circle thought of ways to surprise him:

Thus, the cupcake. It was currently late, Triangle and Pentagon are doing after school activities and Cube is out getting groceries. So it was just her and Square in the house.

Using her knee, she bumped it against the wooden door in front of her.

"Square? You in there?" She calls out patiently, hearing soft rustling from the other side of the door. She assumed that Square must've been on his bed and it took a while for him to respond.

"Yeah? What is it?" He asks with an exhausted tone. It was common for him to speak as if he just woke up.

"...can you open the door? I have something for you."

There was a pause and Circle waits, eyeing the cupcake in her hand and making sure the candle didn't get snuffed out. An audible click was heard and the door slowly opens, she sees the cyan square standing in front of her, leaning his shoulder against the edge of the door.

He didn't open it all the way, just enough for her to see half of him. His eye looks at Circle and then down to her hands, noticing the cupcake in her palms and the lit candle. Pink frosting and chocolate sprinkles, the dessert was adorned in what could possibly be described as a DIY layer of paper that hugged the body of the cupcake.

Despite that, he gave a neutral look.

"What's that?"

"It's a cupcake!" She extends her hand.

"For...?"

"Seriously?" She laughs "It's our birthday! It's for you, silly!"

There was a look of doubt in his face and that made Circle tilt her head in confusion, she didn't expect that kind of look in response of the kind gesture.

"Did... you make it yourself?"

"Uhm, not really... I mean, I did decorate the paper cup but I just got it from the store. Oh! But I threw in some chocolate sprinkles because I know you like them!"

"I don't like chocolate sprinkles."

"Oh... huh. I mean, I could just pick them out of the frosting?"

There was a moment of silence between them, not even the weak flame on the birthday candle could lighten things up.

"...no thanks, I'm not hungry."

He turns to close the door but was stopped when Circle stepped forward, using her upper body to stop him from completely shutting the door close. This catches Square off guard, causing him to step back and watch his sister barge through.

"Circle--"

"Are you serious right now?"

"What?"

Circle looks at him with a look of disbelief before her eye wandered to her surroundings, Square's room was a total mess with clothes littered and pushed against the corners, disorganized books propped against his desk, papers and fallen pens on the floor, and the monthly calender shoved aggressively into the small bin that had rarely been used.

Square took notice of her examining his room and with an annoyed huff, he waved a hand.

"Just get out of my room-"

"What? No!" Circle steps forward once again, almost causing Square to trip over his own footing. She was much more upfront compared to the others, she's willing to say what was on her mind without a second thought or any self awareness fo what kind of situation she's putting herself into.

"I'm not going to go through another birthday with you sulking in this mess of a room! At least make a wish and blow out the candle before the flame runs out!"

Miraculously the flame was still holding onto that cheap birthday candle, like a third player in the tense lobby.

"Circle, I really don't want to argue with you right now. Just get out of my room, please."

"Why won't you spend time with me or the others? You're always here doing-- doing whatever you usually do here! We're sixteen now, Square! Isn't it time to grow up and have some family time?"

"Grow up-?" Square scoffs, he almost laughs at the word as if it flicked a switch inside him, "look who's talking about growing up."

"Huh?"

"Circle," he crosses his arms, gripping onto his own sleeves "birthdays are just days. There's nothing special about them besides that another stupid year has already passed without you know! And since we're at the topic of 'growing up', maybe it's time for you to grow up and read the room that I don't want to waste my time making a dumb wish on a store-bought cupcake by blowing out a tiny candle!"

As every word spills out of him, he didn't realize he was getting louder and louder to the point he noticed Circle flinch. He pauses, staring at that look of shock before sighing.

"Just get out of my room."

With a hand, he nudges her shoulder and tries to guide her to the door but she keeps her ground. Shrugging off his hand, she looks at him with a hint of anger in her eyes.

"Why are you like this? Why are you always like this!?"

Now it was her turn to raise her voice.

"I wanted to do something nice because I felt bad that you were always left out during a special day! I wanted to cheer you up! Even if it's not the best gift, at least it was something because I wanted to make you feel happy! Is that so wrong?"

The flame flickers everytime Circle moved and Square stares back at her, thinking to himself. He felt like a jerk for snapping but Circle didn't stop there;

"It's like... it's like you don't care about me- or this family."

"Wh- I do care for this family!" Square says defensively.

"But you act like you don't!"

"Because I--" and he stops himself, almost punching the air as he let's out a frustrated groan. He wanted to say something but he can't... he can't tell her what he's been going through.

"Because you what?" She steps forward, watching her brother slap a palm over his own face. She could sense he was keeping some sort of secret.

"I can't- I--"

"Can't what?! What's wrong?"

Circle steps closer and Square is trying his best not to yell out of frustration. He can't tell her or else she'll get involved, he doesn't want her to go through what he went through but he could hear her voice ringing inside his head, she was right up at his face about it and he felt like he was about to explode.

"Why won't you tell me!?"

"Because I fucking CAN'T!"

And the cupcake drops onto the floor, frosting splattering against the ground as the candle drops, it's flame finally dying down due to the impact. Square was breathing heavily, arms extended forward and his heart beat pounding against his ribs. He opens his eye and sees Circle on the ground, having been shoved so hard that she hit the floor.

She looks at him with a scared look, never in her life that she'd imagine Square hurting her. Square looks back down and he could feel a void form inside his stomach, his palms getting sweaty and he could feel a tingle in his spine- the kind of tingle that tells you that you've made the biggest mistake in your life.

He could practically feel the blood running through his body...

"...Circle-" He reaches out but she shuffles backwards, pressing her palms against the floor before pushing herself up. Then, she books it out of his room.

Square found himself running after her.

"Circle!"

"Leave me alone!"

Before she could head to her room, Square grabbed her arm. Both were near the stairs at that moment, Circle tried to fight against his grasp but he grabbed her other arm, forcing her still and to look at him.

"Circle, please don't tell dad- I'm sorry, I didn't mean it--"

"Let go of me!"

"Circle-"

"I said let go of me!"

She thrashed under his grip, trying to knee him but Square kept her still.

"Would you just listen to me!?" Square shakes her, trying to get her to stop yelling but he could feel his chest tighten upon noticing the tears of her eye.

"You're hurting me!" She practically sobbed out.

"No-- no, no, please don't cry--"

"Then let GO!"

Panicked seeped in as she manages to pull herself out of his grip but she lost her footing, finding herself a foot down the stairs and suddenly collapsing against the steps.

She falls down, body hitting wood, something snaps and she's suddenly at the bottom of the stairs- not moving.

Square looks down, feeling like he was going to pass out from hyperventilating. He stares with no control over his body, losing his sense of touch from the tips of his fingers before he manages to force his legs to start running down the stairs.

He kneels down beside her, quickly checking to make sure she was breathing. He watches her chest slowly rise and fall, indicating she was still breathing.

"No- no no no, I'm so sorry-" he held her close, not realizing he was crying. "I'm so sorry- I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to--"

He felt like he was going to die. The sight of the door forced him back to reality, that he could get Circle medical attention. With that, he picks her up...

======

"...she had a fractured arm. The doctors put a cast around her arm and called it a day, when asked what had happened she... she told them that she slipped and fell.

When dad heard the news and came rushing towards the doctor's office, she didn't tell him about what happened. If anything, she was quiet for the whole week.

I didn't want to look at her or even go near her, I was terrified that day and I knew she hated me. I can't blame her, no, I can't. She has every right to hate me after all of that.

...I wish I could take it all back. I'm trying to fix things, I promise, I want to make it up for her. For everyone I've harmed."

[bu1410]

Good afternoon TUMBLR - March 9th - 2024

''Mr. Plant has owed me a shoe since July 5, 1971."

Ch. XI.3 - Morocco - 1989 - 1991

TAROUDANT - MARRAKECH

Like every year, at the end of the Holy month of Ramadan there were the festive days of Eid el Fitr. Officially lasting two days, but infact we could count in a week of rest.

The trains, the CTM (La setième in local language) and the collective Grand Taxis - generally old Mercedes or Pegeot 504s that connected the various cities of Morocco, increased ticket prices based on the proximity of the Eid date. The workers began to ''flee'' in the days preceding the festival, with the excuse of the long journeys they had to face to reach their places of origin (mon bled) and the scarcity of means of transport.

We decided to spend the holiday visiting Taroudant and than Marrakesh. Taroudant, a town about 80 km from Agadir, is known as the "Grandmother of Marrakech" because it looks like a smaller Marrakech with its surrounding ramparts. In the 16th century, the Saadi dynasty briefly used Taroudant as its capital before moving its royal seat to Marrakesh. Today, the town has the feel of a small walled market town on a caravan route.

We stayed overnight in a beautiful Arab-style hotel, with lush gardens and a beautiful swimming pool right next to the ocher walls that surround the city, 8 km long. I remember that Andrea had a lot of fun in that pool, and when it was time to leave it he stung his hands and feet because he didn't want to go.

The next day, after having studied the road map (GOOGLE MAP did not yet exist) we decided to leave for Marrakesh, even passing through the legendary Tizi n'Tichka (literally ''pasture pass''), a pass that rises to the considerable altitude of 2,260 meters and which, crossing the High Atlas, connects the Taroudant valley with Marrakech. At its peak you can admire the highest peak in North Africa, Mount Toubkal 4,167 meters high (from the Berber Tugg Akal the ''One who looks down on the Earth'').

It was a trip that I remember with particular pleasure for the wild beauty of the places we crossed. At a certain point, after long kilometers of descent full of hairpin bends, Marrakech appeared in the light of the sunset, further accentuating the red-ochre color of its walls and ancient buildings. We spent a couple of days in Old Capital in a nice hotel which I think today is called Ryad Mogador, and then we returned to Agadir.

TAFRAOUT

After some time had passed since the failed visit to the caves, Bozon tried to try to regain some credit. He therefore proposed a trip to us which first consisted of a stop in Tiznit - about a hundred kilometers south of Agadir, and then an overnight stay in Tafraout, an inland town.

Tiznit is a small Berber city, famous above all for its artisans who work with silver and steel to make jewellery, swords, inlaid knives, a whole variety of beautiful objects which are made in the traditional way in the kasbah's workshops.

In addition to the three of us, Bozon, my colleague Alfio and his wif, who recently arrived from Italy, were taking part in the 2-day excursion.

After the pleasant visit to Tiznit, we headed towards Tafraout, at a distance of about 100 kilometers, deep on Berber territory. A winding but well-maintained mountain road, with a pass at 1,230 meters above sea level, where a wealthy Berber trader who emigrated to France built a large hotel. The hotel was visible from far away, surrounded as it is by the ocher of the bare mountains. Stubborn date palms grow here and there.

Hotel Kerdous - Tafraout, Morocco

Tafroute is renowned for the cultivation of almonds, the basic fruit for many traditional Moroccan pastry desserts.

About 8 km from Tafroute there is the famous area of the painted rocks. Jean Verame, a Belgian artist, brought in 19 tons of paint of various colors in the late 1980s and than painted the rocks with the help of local people.

And that's where we spent the day, on a sort of plateau surrounded by large, colorful granite rocks, some used like a primary school notebook, with black rods on a white background or vice versa. At a certain point, however, here is the usual unexpected event of the day: this time it is offered to us by Alfio who, as sea man, thinks he can transforming himself into a boulder free climber. Without saying a word to anyone (what Sardinian would he be if he spoke to someone about his intentions?) having chosen a rock he began to climb it. Till to the point of no return, in the sense that at about 15 - 20 meters from the ground he no longer knew how to go up or come down. Mrs. Curreli, having noticed her husband's impasse, began at first to shout at her husband nasty insults (which we did not understand the meaning, given that they were pronounced in strict Sardinian) then with suggestion on how to get down from the uncomfortable position.

- Hang on there……put your foot lower……be careful not to fall…idiot '' Alfio, poor thing, was in a panic, and we all could see it from the tremor that shooked his legs and feet, resting on the precarious rock's niches. Bozon and I were amused at first, but we start to be worry when we saw that the situation was becoming critical. We therefore made sure to get up as close as possible to Alfio, to comfort him and suggest the best way to get off. In the meantime I asked Mrs. Curreli to stop shouting. In short, after a series of maneuvers while telling encouraging words - ''come on, you're doing well…. like this…. like that …slowly…no worry …'' we managed to bring Alfio back to the ground. The guy, once lying on the lawn, had a sort of fainting spell, which did not prevent his wife from hurling yet another series of insults at him.......

We returned to Agadir via the R105 national road, a good road passing through Ait Baha, with breathtaking views of the Anti-Atlas.

GULF WAR It was August 2, 1990 and na ews shocked the entire World: Iraq, with a surprising offensive launched during the night, had invaded neighboring Kuwait!! Morocco, a moderate Arab country, assumed an equidistance position on the conflict through a televised speech by His Majesty Hassan II. A moderation action through privileged diplomatic channels was matched by concern about the protection of the Holy Places of Mecca and Medina - currently not directly affected by the conflict. Morocco in any case sent a symbolic contingent of 1,500 soldiers, after the agreement with Saudi Arabia, to defend Mecca and Medina in the event of an attack. The tension was felt throughout Morocco, with demonstrations by the population in open support of Saddam. Even in the site offices, Moroccans showed open support for Saddam, in open contrast to the official positions of the Government. There were also a couple of curious episodes, due to the fact that my Range Rover still had the red license plate of Bahrain, a Gulf Emirate which for obvious reasons since the beginning of the conflict had sided with Kuwait and the nascent coalition led from the USA. One day I stopped at a petrol station to fill up with petrol, and the guy addressed me with phrases in Arabic and French, making me understand that ''there was no fuel for the traitors of the Iraqi brothers''!! I finally managed to make him understand that I was not Bahraini, but Italian, that I had bought the car years ago there– and so I got the petrol. Another unpleasant episode happened a few days later – after a breakfast at the restaurantJardin d'Eau. I was leaving the place, and fortunately M. David accompanied me. A crowd of youngster were kicking the my car for the same reason: they had seen the Bahrain license plate and believed that the ''traitors of the great leader Saddam needed to be taught a lesson''!! David managed to bring them to their senses, making them feel ashamed for what they were doing to a car belonging to a ''Respectable Italian engineer working at the New Aeroport d'Agadir''!! In any case, the Gulf War had already generated a phenomenon that, at the time, I couldn't understand: all the foreign tourists had suddenly disappeared from Agadir (and I presumed from all over Morocco), causing the closure of hotels, restaurants and travel agencies. And of all the consequences that the presence of foreigners set in motion. The reason behind this was that since Morocco is an Arab country, people believe it could somehow become involved in the conflict at any moment. Hence all foregneirs fled a country situated 5,000 km away from the war front! We therefore arrived in a state of high tension on January 15, 1991, when His Majesty King Hassan II spoke to the world and to the nation, in a heartfelt message to "brother Saddam", clearly saying that his was "the last appeal before the possible catastrophe''. We therefore understood that the time for the American attack was imminent, and in fact during the night the bombers of the Coalition of 39 countries attacked Kuwait and Iraq simultaneously. My Boss, Alfonzo, based on the instructions received from the Company headquarters, ordered us not to move from home. And for three long days it was like thas: a grave silence had descended over the city - only the police of Gendarmerie Nationale circulated the streets, even if officially the Authorities had not declared any restrictions on free movement. One of the statements that made us understand the Moroccans' state of mind towards us materialized following the shooting down and capture of an Italian Tornado fighter. Some people were waiting for us that day at the entrance to the site offices, and welcomed us saying:  ''Nous avons abattue un de vos jet'' (We shot down one of your jets) A somewhat grotesque statement, if we consider that Morocco did not participate in the war - and therefore that ''we'' meant total adherence to the Iraqi cause, seen as Pan-Arab and against the American Imperialists and their allies.

[uss-copperright]

So I made a cybernetic design for Terrence

I’m back! I know it’s been a while, and I actually no longer have access to my electronic drawing software, so expect mostly hand-drawn stuff for now. I’ve wanted to create a cybernetic design for Terrence Suave, and I finally pulled the trigger and did it. I hope you enjoy!

Look below the cut for more information and some story background

So my idea for this is that Terrence was revived relatively shortly after his death, when cybernetic technology was still pretty basic. I did my best to make this design look like an amalgamation of styles, what with the screen on the right and the laser eye on the left. I headcanon that Terrence was overthrown in Reginald’s signature style: literally being dropped off whatever base was in use during his leadership. My thoughts behind that was that his head probably would not have all that much physical damage since the rest of his body took the brunt of it, but his brain would be in bad shape and need to be repaired with cybernetics, hence the fairly extensive augmentations.

We have evidence that Terrence is vain (see his portrait from CTM, where he’s holding the gold-plated gun) which is why I opted to go for gold plating on the supports for his laser eye.

The most fun part of this design, that honestly I couldn’t figure out how to draw, is the idea that his mouth is a literal zipper. Short of having to reach up to open it, it functions the same way. I liked the idea that the top and bottom would look like one piece until they separated. Plus the idea of having literal metal teeth felt like it fit him.

Share your thoughts in the comments! I’d love to know what you think.

[top-organic-skin-care-products]

Step By Step Skin Routine For Sensitive Skin.

Having sensitive skin can be a challenge, as it tends to react easily to various environmental factors, skincare products, and even certain foods. However, with the right approach and a consistent skincare routine, you can effectively care for your sensitive skin and maintain its health and radiance using organic face products.

If we talk about skin routine, then it is common CTM which is cleansing, Toning, and Moisturising. When it comes to sensitive skin it is more about avoiding than applying - applying what, applying certified organic skin care products.

We will explore some essential tips that will help you take care of your sensitive skin using natural skin care products.

1) Understand Your Skin: The first step in caring for sensitive skin is to understand its unique characteristics. Sensitive skin is typically more prone to irritation, redness, dryness, and reactions to certain ingredients. By identifying the specific triggers and understanding your skin's needs, you can make informed choices about the natural skin products and routines that suit you best.

2) Choose Gentle Cleansers: Opt for mild, fragrance-free, or organic face product cleansers that are specifically formulated for sensitive skin. Harsh cleansers can strip away natural oils and disrupt the skin's barrier function, leading to dryness and irritation.

3) Moisturize Regularly: Moisturizing is crucial for sensitive skin as it helps to maintain its hydration and strengthen the skin barrier. Use a gentle, hypoallergenic moisturizer, the best can be certified organic skin care products. Apply it twice daily, especially after cleansing, to lock in moisture and soothe the skin.

4) Patch Test New Products: Before introducing any new skincare or cosmetic product, perform a patch test on a small area of your skin. This will help you to identify any potential adverse reactions before applying the product to your face.

5) Sun Protection: Sensitive skin is particularly vulnerable to sun damage, which can aggravate its sensitivity further. Protect your skin by using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high SPF rating. Look for sunscreens that contain organic face products as they are less likely to irritate. Wear protective clothing and limit sun exposure, especially during peak hours.

6) Be Mindful of Ingredients: When choosing skincare products, be vigilant about the ingredients they contain. It would be good to choose natural skin care products. Look for products that contain soothing and nourishing ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile, green tea extract, and hyaluronic acid.

7) Patience is Key: It's important to remember that finding the right skincare routine for sensitive skin may require some trial and error. Give new products a reasonable amount of time to see if they work for you, and make changes gradually. Abruptly switching products or overloading your skin with numerous new products can lead to further irritation and make it difficult to pinpoint the cause.

8) Seek Professional Advice: If you're struggling to manage your sensitive skin or experiencing persistent skin issues, it's advisable to consult a dermatologist. They can provide personalized recommendations, identify underlying causes, and prescribe appropriate treatments to help you achieve healthier and more resilient skin.

Conclusion

Taking care of sensitive skin requires a gentle and proactive approach which is best done using certified organic skin care products. Remember, consistency, patience, and natural skin products are key when it comes to achieving optimal skincare results.

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How To Get Glowing Skin In 7 Days Wonderful skin. Find me one lady who doesn't need it. However, for what reason does it seem like perfect skin is a lot to request? Attempting to get your skin to help out you quite often feels like a progression of ceaseless fights against zits, dark circles, pigmentation, patches of dry and dead skin, pimples, and - goodness, how I wish the rundown finished there! The present video will talk about How To Get Sparkling Skin In 7 Days. That being said, you'll very much love to know that it's not past the point of no return for you since we have assembled an aide that will give you shining skin soon. From peeling to lighting up, we have everything canvassed in a straightforward week's arrangement. This is the way to begin. How To Get Shining Skin In Seven days? Day 1, Beginning today, CTM is your new religion. While a great many people know about the Purifying, Conditioning, and Saturating schedule, it actually is significantly misjudged. In the event that you haven't been doing it as of now, today is the point at which you start, and when you do, you'll not have any desire to stop. Your face is continuously gathering gunk from the contamination and residue it is presented to, and the dead skin and normal oils that aggregate on it. Normal toners like rose water, green tea, and white vinegar function admirably to reestablish your skin's pH balance while fixing your pores. End the daily schedule with a decent cream. This is the foundation of any skin health management schedule. Day 2, Your subsequent day ought to zero in on working on the strength of your skin by controlling what you consume. Your skin can work with what it has regarding nourishment. While outer consideration is vital, inward consideration can't be dismissed. Eating right is a certain shot method for getting skin that sparkles with wellbeing. Follow up your morning purge tone-saturate routine with the utilization of an organic product veil. Organic product veils are effortlessly ready and applied. This will assist with controlling the development of oil all over and furthermore fix your pores. Day 3, On the third day you will shed to eliminate any dead skin. This will leave your skin feeling delicate and looking brilliant. It will likewise make your skin more responsive to different medicines it will get. Purify your face with a peeling clean or a face wipe. Scour off the dead skin cells to uncover the solid layer of skin under. Always remember to utilize sunscreen when you are going to venture out into the sun. This will keep your skin safeguarded from the unsafe UV beams that can make harm your skin. Day 4, By the fourth day, you will see apparent outcomes as further developed skin surface, and your face, overall, will emanate wellbeing. In any case, this doesn't mean you get to back off on the daily schedule. Day 5, Knead your face with some aloe vera gel post-CTM. This will further develop the blood course to your face and feed your skin. It will likewise assist with flushing out poisons. Assuming there are dark circles under your eyes, consistently utilize an under eye serum. This will make them blur over the long run and furthermore add brilliance to your face. After the back rub, apply your customary lotion or day cream. Day 6, The time has come to peel once more. In a perfect world, you ought to peel your skin two times per week to keep it sound and brilliant. Follow the peeling ventures from day 3, and follow it up by conditioning and saturating. Day 7, The time has come to enjoy and give yourself another organic product facial. Continue to hydrate or sound drinks over the course of the day to keep up with the versatility of your skin. How you make your skin shining, Let me in on in our remark area underneath. #glowingskin #clearskin #darkcircles #moisturizer #remediesone ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR MORE DETAILS: ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH US: ► Like us on Facebook:- https://www.facebook.com/remediesone ► Tweet us at Twitter:- https://twitter.com/remediesone ► Don't forget to subscribe to our Channel:- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjYqyEHJ8m9s-4swpaYn9mw?sub_confirmation=1 ► Read Blog at Blogspot:- http://remediesone.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjYqyEHJ8m9s-4swpaYn9mw and click the link below to subscribe to our channel and get informed when we add new content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjYqyEHJ8m9s-4swpaYn9mw?sub_confirmation=1 -------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- Medical Disclaimer:- https://pastebin.com/DGqupzHt by Remedies One